The Churcherian 2023 by Churcher's College

The Churcherian 2023

Cover artwork by: Abi Svarovska

Headmaster’s Foreward

Junior School

Nursery

Infants

Middle School

Upper School

Junior Art

Junior Music

Junior Drama

Junior Sport

Senior School

Sixth Form

Fifth Year

Art & Design

English

Mathematics

Humanities

Modern Foreign Languages

Science

Technology

Music

Drama

Dance

Academy

Sports Science, EPQ & STEAM

Sport

Adventure

Charities

Community Action Service

Ukranian Churcherians

Development Office

Staff Departures

The Churcherian 2023

Headmaster’s Foreword Sometimes, the fewest words can say the most, and a little card I was given by Jane Jamouneau on her final day at Churcher’s after 30 years of teaching here, reminded me of that. Old Churcherians may have known Jane as Miss Hart, our PE and Biology teacher, but after also being Head of Drake, for a very brief time Rodney, and the inaugural Head of Collingwood House, she has in the last few years been Senior Teacher, Pastoral. Retirements aside, at the end of every academic year there are inevitably goodbyes and Winnie-the-Pooh’s wise words rang true, and not just for those who were departing. Those of us who remain, equally find ourselves

fortunate to have had something that makes saying goodbye so hard and that includes last year’s brilliant Upper Sixth. Covid seems a distant memory now, but a “this is my first ever public exam” comment from one A Level student as they started the exam season, brought memories of the disruption and deprivation flooding back. After a few torrid years, much of life has returned to pre-Covid norms and public exams were no different. Comparison with results from the immediately preceding year are less valid because of the Covid adjustments that were made to grades in 2020, 2021, and 2022, but compared

to non-Covid adjusted years, 2023 finds our highest ever percentage at the top A* grade, with fifteen students achieving an exceptional three A* grades or more. One has to admire the resilience and determination of all A Level students countrywide, but there is clearly something quite extra special about this year’s (largest ever) A Level cohort from Churcher’s College who accomplished extraordinary things, not just in exam halls, but also on the stage, in studios, on the sport pitches, on expedition; in fact, in all areas they have proven equally accomplished and it is not just one year group. It has a been delight, in this postCovid era, to return to the days of full sports programmes: to applaud the U14 Netball team’s national success, to witness our first ever brother-sister pairing in the 1st XI cricket match against the MCC, to add a 1st XI girls’ team to our record books, and to read the stories of the netball and rugby teams on tour in South Africa. …And it has been an equal pleasure to listen to the orchestra on tour on the shore of Lake Garda as a final encore to a brilliant year of music performance, which also included a new venue for us, the Theatre Royal in Portsmouth, for our Summer Concert. …And it was once again a joy to be surrounded by stunning art and extraordinary creations in the annual Art and Design & Technology Exhibitions.

The Churcherian 2023

% A*

% A* & A

% A* to B

% A* to C

% A* to D

% A* to E

No. Candidates

2017

18.3

45.4

77.1

92.2

98.3

100.0

113

2018

21.5

54.8

87.4

97.7

100.0

2019

25.8

61.4

85.2

96.3

98.6

100.0

113

2021 2022 2023

36.0

70.9

93.7

99.5

100.0

130

30.8

70.7

91.5

98.9

100.0

122

40.6

71.8

92.0

97.2

99.4

100.0

150

27.5

57.8

81.1

95.3

98.8

99.8

154

Covid Adjusted

2020

Covid Adjusted

A Level

The Churcherian 2023

…And it was a distinct honour to be able to accompany a huge cohort of 79 Churcher’s Gold Awardees as they attended the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award presentations in the garden of Buckingham Palace, and to applaud our very first Ten Peak challenge awardees. Every year, as we say farewell to those at the top of the school, we fear that we have had the best, but history has shown it just seems to get better; new souls step into the limelight, no longer in the shade of the year above, and

The Churcherian 2023

become the new stars of our stages, halls, pitches, and mountains. With changing landscapes, and letters becoming numbers, Grade A at GCSE became the same as Grade 7 in new currency. Ignoring Covid adjusted years, this year’s 73.9% Grade 7 and above exceeds what has been achieved by every Fifth Year since my records began in 2004. This highly successful year group becomes our biggest ever Lower Sixth, with an exceptional number staying and record levels

wishing to join us from other schools. Covid lockdowns will hopefully become no more than a distant memory from now on, and life at Churcher’s will remain very much back where it should be: full of challenge, adventure, enterprise, excitement, achievement, and fun. The rude health of the school in its 300th /301st year is in no small part down to Michael Gallagher’s tenure as Governor for 35 years and for the last 21 of them as Chair. Michael

9-8

9-7

9-6

9-5

9-4

9-3

2018

22.0

43.5

65.7

83.9

94.2

98.5

98.6

2019

25.3

49.3

70.8

88.7

98.1

99.8

2020 2021 2022 2023

Covid Adjusted

GCSE

35.5

62.5

85.0

95.7

99.6

100.0

30.3

56.4

79.2

93.5

99.1

100.0

25.6

48.6

73.4

88.5

97.4

99.3

99.9

23.6

49.2

73.9

90.1

97.6

99.4

100.0

Covid Adjusted

has overseen a most extraordinary transformation of the school: a metamorphosis from a newly hatched independent school to the one of the very mature stature we have today. He has suffered the whims of three Headmaster’s, the growing pains of going fully co-ed, the challenges of losing boarding, Moreton House becoming Churcher’s Junior School, relocation to Liphook, and much, much more. There may have been money, staff, parents, building, and planning battles along the way but that the school has very successfully exchanged its spots for stripes is evidenced, not least by its expansion from 480 pupils 35 years ago to 1,300 today, but also by the glowing compliments of the School Inspectors from ISI who visited us and called us ‘Excellent’. Michael Gallagher was fully deserving of his very special award from our Guest of Honour at Speech Day, the actor Hugh Bonneville, friend of another bear, this time, Paddington, as opposed to Winnie the Pooh. Charles Strick took over as Chair of Governors in December, and almost his first duty was to carry on ‘a tradition’ that has had to wait a while for a second enactment. To the right of the Love Lane/Herne Junior School gate, beside the 1st XI pitch, there is a magnificent group of oak and maple trees that were planted 1937 to celebrate the accession of George VI. They show us what 85 years of tender loving care can create. I won’t be around in 85 years to see the outcome of the newly planted Charles III Coronation Copse, but I am hoping the efforts of the Charles Strick, and the two outgoing and two incoming Captains of College, Nellie Lofthouse, Lewis Jordan, and Rosie and Dom Porter, will not be in vain. Of course, the Junior School went one better as

gardening king Alan Titchmarsh was their gardener of choice, planting a maze in their secret garden. In a year full of memorable moments, a change of monarch, a change of Chair, national success, international competition, brilliant examination results, and stunning performances, there has been so much to applaud and plenty of firsts, such as Rosie and Dom Porter being our first ever brother-sister combination elected to Captains of College.

I will leave you to read on and enjoy our snapshot of Churcher’s in its 300th/301st, even-more-successful-thanever year, for all the children from the little ones in the Junior School, celebrating in red, white, and blue, through to our senior, extraordinary, very-hard-to-say-goodbye-to, A Level students. Simon Williams

The Churcherian 2023

Junior School Children make life the best kind of busy, and the academic year 2022-23 has been testament to this! The academic year 2022-23 was an important year for one of the Junior School’s values, the 5Rs Resilience. CCJS&N embarked on a new relationship with ‘Raising Resilience’, who are a team of clinical psychologists, Dr Kate and Dr Sarah, who teach children how to be more resilient. With their five resilient friends who help develop resilient strategies, children in Years 3-6 were introduced to the Learn2Bounce programme. Parents were also involved in resilience masterclasses and individual consultations with the team. So successful was the initiative that we are now adapting the programme for younger pupils in Years 1 and 2 in 2023-24. Resilience underpins so many aspects of the lives of the Junior School and Nursery pupils. No-one is born being able to ride a bike or tie shoelaces or do algebra! The ‘growth mindset’ ethos of Churcher’s College means that failure is a normal part of the process, and in order to dust themselves off and start again, CCJS&N children become masters of bouncebackability. Inside the classroom, safe risks in learning might include using adventurous vocabulary, spelling a new word without help, or trying your hand at observational drawing 8

The Churcherian 2023

skills. ‘Having a go’ continues to be an important mantra across the subjects. Children have loved having a go at the numerous activities within the adventure programme. From quad biking in Year 3 to coasteering in Year 6, the stepped programme means that incremental safe risks are built in and embraced by the children. Team games within sport also help develop the resilience of children, from the away matches to sometimes losing at home, the small shifts outside one’s comfort zone encourage children to become at ease with new experiences and surroundings. With over £9,000 raised for charity this year, many children chose to step outside of their comfort zones to take part in the Guild Award scheme. Learning a new skill or physical activity, again involves resilience as well as plenty of determination to achieve and reach the end of their Guild level – something that many children achieve at CCJS. So, you can see that the best kind of busy has involved a large dose of resilience as well as energy and determination to succeed and achieve the small or large aims set out for the children. As we head towards another academic year, a similar recipe is being compiled for another industrious ‘best kind of busy’ year. Ffion Robinson

The Churcherian 2023

Nursery It has been another busy and exciting year in the Nursery. We welcomed Miss Walter onto the team together with lots of new children and their families. The year has flown by and the Owls are now ready to spread their wings and make the flight to Reception class! This year saw many significant events, both the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth but also the Coronation of King Charles. As always, the Nursery children marked the events in an appropriate way. At Christmas, the children performed 10

The Churcherian 2023

in their very first Nativity. They made wonderful little angels, delighting the audience with their rendition of ‘Away in a Manger’. The Autumn Term also brought the festival of Diwali, and the children were fascinated by our Diwali workshop and by a visiting parent who shared her experiences of the festival. The children have learnt so much through their play, spending many happy days splashing, exploring, cutting, building, and firmly establishing ‘forever’ friendships. Thank you, children, for a wonderful year!

The Churcherian 2023

Infants Reception What a wonderful year we have had! Reception class has taken on every challenge and had great fun in doing so! December saw the children starring in their first big production of “The Lucky Owl.” We were very proud of them all as they each said their lines in the spotlight, in costume, and in front of a huge audience. They have relished many different experiences this year. With the introduction of an additional Drama session, the children have re-enacted our ‘books of the week’ using the large space in the Studio, leading up to the Infant Summer Festival where they shone on stage! Additional ICT sessions have also been a great hit and Mr Hardy-Lenik has been wowed by their mouse skills and even some early coding! These have been a wonderful addition to the already jam-packed Early Years Curriculum that the children have enjoyed. The children gave a wonderful assembly on Stevie Wonder; the birthday conga to Stevie’s ‘Happy Birthday’ is a tradition we kept up all year! They shared a passion for all things creative, 12

The Churcherian 2023

making some beautiful Divali lamps, Easter nests, and pressed flower jars. Many children have loved making our endless cards and letters for the class post box, a huge amount of cutting and sticking has happened this year! The engineering in the construction corner has been a notable achievement from many, and by the end of the year children were drawn to the small wooden blocks and made some remarkable multi-storey car parks and bridges. Our architects of the future!

We have made the most of our beautiful surroundings during outdoor learning sessions, with lots of time spent in the outdoor classroom and sensory garden. The new feature of a water wall on the field was a great addition to our Summer Term outdoor fun! The children have progressed in all areas of the curriculum this year, and we are so proud of them all. This class have a wonderful sense of fun, and long may it continue through your CCJS journey!

Year 1 And so, another year has just gone by in a flash! The children, who all used to fit so neatly onto the classroom rug, are now far too big and are ready for another move up the school! The children have loved looking at their books from the whole of Year 1 and have been proud of their successes this academic year. The Autumn Term is one of ‘settling in’ and getting to know new routines. Year 1 has coped wonderfully with many changes, by embracing new activities and rising to many challenges. They’re a very friendly bunch and looked after the new little girl in our class with lots of TLC! For our Nativity, the children worked so hard to learn their lines and the numerous songs. The new year brought a lovely drama workshop, along with a visit from the Headmaster, which is always highly anticipated by the children and lots of fun. A campfire in the school grounds was another great adventure, with the children learning about fire safety, as well as enjoying a lovely hot chocolate

drink with their friends! Swimming in the College pool has been another highlight. Even the coach rides were exciting, with lots of singing and listening to the children’s lovely chatter. They were all so amazing with their determination to either learn to swim or become more proficient over a range of distances. World Book Day was lots of fun with the children dressing up as book characters and enjoying a fantastic visit from Year 6 who read to them. It’s also been lovely to welcome parents into the classroom to share special occasions with the children. One mum kindly brought in chickens, another read to the children in Chinese, and another played some brilliant games all in Spanish! A visit to St Peter’s Church in Petersfield to learn more about the history of the church was also greatly enjoyed by the children. Looking back at the hundreds of photographs taken this year shows just how much the children have achieved, from ‘bug hotels’, to visiting hedgehogs and a peacock, building giant towers, making ‘natural

pictures’ in art, and enjoying time with a visiting farm and their lovely animals, it’s been a lot of fun. They went off to the woods with Mr. Forbes for a fabulous day of adventure; the camouflage paints went on and the den building began, becoming more and more elaborate as the day went on. The children loved it when the dens were tested to see if they were waterproof - with the children inside! A day out at Fishers Farm proved to be enormous fun, plus we managed to fit in a second campfire and a visit from Mr. Sykes, a peripatetic music teacher, with whom the children were able to try out playing the trombone. Sports Day saw the children all give their best in the various sporting activities and sprint races. The children are more than ready for the new opportunities that await them in Year 2, but they will be missed! They’ve been promised they can come and visit the new Reception class when it is built, as they will be the ‘Top Infants’ in September and will want to see where “the little ones” will be!

The Churcherian 2023

Year 2 Year 2 children have enjoyed a very full and exciting year. In October, we had a lovely autumnal walk into Liphook, where the children had the opportunity to visit the local bakery, train station, and most excitingly, the kitchen of Little Fish sushi restaurant. As part of their topic on map-making, we located many local landmarks and thought about their relative positions in the village. Upon our return, the children retraced their journey using Google Maps and then made their own examples using labels and keys. To commemorate Remembrance Day, Year 2 visited Bramshott Church to study the War memorials and churchyard. The children were captivated by the monuments to the 300 Canadian soldiers who died during the First World War, and demonstrated great respect throughout the visit. As part of their topic about Advent, the children created their own Christingles, which we lit together in class. They learned that Christians use them to celebrate Jesus as the ‘Light of the World’.

slime and found out how it can be both liquid and solid! We then went to the Planetarium for a dazzling show that projected different constellations and the planets. The children then had the opportunity to explore the rest of the centre, trying on space suits, taking on the Lego challenge, and playing a giant guitar! During our geography topic on Kenya, the children had lots of fun learning about the differences and similarities between life here in the UK and life in East Africa. It was wonderful to share our learning in a class assembly where the children acted out the traditional Kenyan tale ‘Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain’. The multifaceted performance included drama, dance, music, and song to bring the tale to life. Our annual Grandparents’ afternoon was thoroughly enjoyed by those both young and young at heart! Our VIP visitors toured the school, made a family tree, indulged in afternoon tea, and enjoyed musical entertainment provided by the children.

At the beginning of the Spring Term, Year 2 enjoyed an exciting trip to the Winchester Science Centre. The children began by making their own

At the beginning of the Summer Term, Year 2 had the amazing opportunity to make a video call to a class of children in Tanzania. With the Kenya topic still

The Churcherian 2023

fresh in our minds, it was a unique and fantastic chance to discuss the traditions, wildlife, and climate of a neighbouring East African country. They also had a fabulous time during their trip to Hayling Island, where they had the chance to create their own beach sculptures in the style of Andy Goldsworthy, ride on the Hayling Light Railway train, eat a picnic on the beach, and enjoy a scrumptious ice cream! What a wonderful year it has been, and a fantastic way to complete their time in the Infants. The children are ready for the adventures and challenges of Year 3 and will, no doubt, be a credit to the Juniors.

Middle School

Year 3 What amazing efforts our Year 3 children have made with such positivity this year. We have seen such a change and so much growth throughout the year. In September, we welcomed an eager band of new Churcherians alongside existing pupils coming up from Year 2. Our team building afternoon proved to be a tremendous success. The children really enjoyed low ropes, trim trail, and orienting in their new house groups. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other and focus on teamwork. As we headed into the Autumn Term, the children embraced their ‘Caring for the Environment’ topic in Geography with enthusiasm and an impressive breadth of knowledge and ideas. There is always more to do and learn though, so our fabulous and very practical trip to the Sustainability Centre early on provided the children with context on a local, national, and global scale. The Spring Term was action-packed with swimming, two music trips, a Stone Age themed campfire, a ‘Past Pre-historic People’ production, and our Gilbert White’s Field Studies Centre trip. The Senior School orchestra showcased their talents in the new theatre, and we learnt how to start a fire and make a clay pot in the outdoor classroom. Rocks and soils, roots and shoots were our learning focus on a very wet and soggy day. ‘Earth Song’ visited the school to deliver a sensational workshop celebrating Diwali. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about a fascinating culture and its traditions, and the children were inundated with culture, history, creative arts, and so much more!

The Summer Term was filled with so much learning, including a trip to Barfield Outdoor Adventure to focus on team building, and a long day out in London exploring the Ancient Egyptian galleries at the British Museum where they learnt about exciting tombs! The children embraced every new challenge and opportunity with so much enthusiasm and were excited to visit their new classrooms ready embark on a new adventure in learning.

Year 4 There were certainly a few nervous smiles coming into school on those early autumn mornings last year, as we were very pleased to welcome back existing pupils and say hello to a few new faces in Year 4. However, the nerves lasted about as long as the shine on all those lovely new shoes and the summer holiday soon felt as though it was a distant memory. Our first trip was linked to our Geography topic on the rainforest, which was really brought alive for us at the Living Rainforest experience near Reading. The chance to experience rare and exotic animals was not to be missed and the children especially enjoyed seeing toucans, turtles, and the Madagascan hissing cockroach, which was quite a sight to behold! Of course, after a long summer break we also focused on getting to know each other again with lots of fun team-building experiences in the early days of term. The children used their PSHE lessons to think about kindness as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. November saw our trip to the Southampton City Art Gallery, where the children had the chance to work with an artist to produce amazing Medusa heads from clay. The Perseus room houses an important collection of paintings by Edward Burne-Jones and

the pupils’ subsequent work was based on what they saw in this area. Before we knew it, it was Christmas! In Year 4 we like to have as much fun as possible and we thoroughly enjoyed the end of term what with trips to the pantomime, Christmas Jumper days, and our much-anticipated whole-school walk to finish off the term. Dreary weather is all part of the start of the Spring Term. However, it didn’t stop us getting out in the fresh air, and our work included a very bracing walk at East Meon to visit the Bronze Age burial grounds. Our show was soon upon us, with the children all prepared and ready to perform ‘Rockpool’ at the end of March. This was a fabulously colourful production based around the story of a crab who wanted to join a band without the required singing and grooving skills, but, with hard work, made it in the end! The Summer Term at last brought a chance to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Everyone enjoyed the Coronation celebrations, complete with a singing competition and crownmaking session as a great excuse to get together and celebrate this special time. The highlight of the year was undoubtably our Bushcraft trip to Meon Springs. As well as fabulous food and great activities, we had the joy of a sleepless night under the stars. Year 4 decided they had had enough sleep when it got light (at 4am!) and got up all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready to start a new day! Another year done. Our fabulous Year 4 are more than ready to move up to Year 5 and we wish them all good luck for the future. It has been an absolute pleasure to have them in our classes. The Churcherian 2023

Upper School Year 5 What an action-packed year it has been for Year 5, where the children have thrived and grown, physically, emotionally, and academically along the way. Throughout the year, there have been trips and themed days, residentials, drama workshops, assemblies, and concerts; wonderful opportunities for all the children, whatever their talents, to shine and build their confidence. The year started with an exciting residential trip to Cobnor Activities Centre on the shores of the beautiful Chichester Harbour. The children faced their fears of heights or the water, and tested their resilience as the wind blew and the spray flew. The children thoroughly enjoyed the challenges and range of activities: canoeing, kayaking, sailing, problem solving, low ropes, and climbing, whilst supporting and encouraging each other throughout the trip. Although tired, they all had a great sense of achievement on the coach home. Before Christmas, Year 5 visited the Senior School to undertake some 16

The Churcherian 2023

fun experiments in the labs. They were introduced to the different experiments by Year 7 ‘gophers’, who had learnt about the investigations and been trained to explain the science to our Year 5s. Making slime, testing membranes, experimenting with bubbles, and investigating the different densities of liquid were just some of the activities the children enjoyed. Later in the term, they spent a thought-provoking day at the Gilbert White Field Study Centre, in Selborne, studying the lifecycle of plants and practicing their geography mapreading skills. Spring Term had a history twist, with a trip to see the Mary Rose as part of their Tudor topic. They spent an informative session in the science labs there, investigating both replica and genuine artifacts from the recovery of the ship and were then introduced to the wonders of King Henry VIII’s flagship itself. Continuing with our Tudor theme, The Young Shakespeare Company returned to enthral the children with their rendition of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. The actors brought the story to life for the children by performing sections of the play and explaining the characters

and plot as they went along. The Petersfield Music Festival was another wonderful experience for the class, singing alongside other schools, with an orchestra, and being part of the local community. Well done, Year 5! In the Summer Term, the children visited the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking as part of our topic on Islam. This was a first visit to the mosque for CCJS&N, and the children’s understanding of the Muslim faith was greatly enhanced by this firsthand experience. Our guide was welcoming and knowledgeable and helped the children understand the key ideas and practical implications of being a Muslim. Throughout the year, assembly highlights have included a presentation by 5B about our trip to Selborne and the lifecycles of plants, and 5R’s first assembly was a review of their time at Cobnor and a look at the amazing life of Annie Taylor, the first person to venture down the Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel. The growth of the children through the year was clear to see, as was their excellent delivery and calm and confident attitude. What a year!

The Churcherian 2023

Year 6 As ever, there have been three jampacked, blockbuster terms for Year 6. The children enjoy rich and varied activities at our School, but none more so than in their final year at the Junior School. We certainly like to send them off with a bang! Back in October, the children set sail for the Isle of Wight. A three-day residential began with a historyrelated trip to the exquisite previous home of Queen Victoria, Osborne House. The children took on a variety of tasks from bed-making to fire-setting and silver-polishing to table-setting. Following a tour of the House, we set off for Little Canada – a PGL site – for two and half days of adventure. The giant swing was again a huge favourite, but the clear highlight was quad bike cleaning! Back at school, we continued to work hard, and as part of our Geography topic we welcomed a visit from the Southsea Coastal Scheme team. They brought in a fantastic mini wave machine, where the children could experiment with different types of sea defences, whilst assessing their effectiveness. The Spring Term brought with it the inevitable entrance test, which the children had all worked hard for and all coped with admirably. After this, we turned our attention to the Citizenship Curriculum. These opportunities are exclusive for Year 6, and they had a wonderful time over several weeks, whilst continuing with their usual lessons. We began with some survival skills down at the Senior School pool. Following this, Nurse Julia came in and taught the children all about First Aid; they listened really well and were very knowledgeable. The following week saw us setting off bright and early for the Capital. Our first stop was at the Houses of Parliament, where each class was treated to a tour and a debating workshop – a wonderful experience for our future generations, and we had some fabulous written and oral debates back in class too. As we left Parliament, we set sail on the Thames, taking in all the sights en route to our final destination of the day: the Tower of London. At the end of that week, the children were treated to a visit by our current MP, Damian Hinds, who answered a huge range of questions. The Citizenship Curriculum culminated in a firm favourite for the children: MasterChef. During this challenge, the children had to choose groups, research a healthy and balanced meal choice, manage a budget, and share out

different roles to produce their meal. We really hope that the children will have many lasting memories from these few weeks. The final term for Year 6 did not slow down at all. They were treated to a train journey down to the Petersfield Museum, where they imagined being an evacuee in World War II and discovered lots about the local history of this historic market town. In our English curriculum, we loved reading the story ‘Brightstorm’ and were thrilled to welcome its author, Vashti Hardy, to our school. She certainly inspired the children and showed them that anyone with a passion can be an author. Another huge highlight of the final term was a week-long residential down to Bournemouth with the fabulous Land & Wave company. The beautiful weather allowed everyone to enjoy all of the activities, especially the water sports. Highlights were the jumbo SUPs (Stand-Up Paddle boards) and coasteering. A wonderful forest day saw them hone their bushcraft skills with fish gutting, shelter building, and fire making. There were endless awesome evening activities, but mostly the children just loved playing games on the beach, digging holes, and burying each other in the sand! As ever, they completely rose to the challenge of rehearsing for a show and blew us away with three wonderful performances of ‘The Tempest’ in the penultimate week of term. Members of

our Eco Council and Pupil Leadership team somehow managed to secure some phenomenal visitors too: in May we welcomed Alan Titchmarsh, who helped the children with some planting for our maze, and in June we were thrilled to have a whole school assembly with none other than Dr. Xand from Operation Ouch! In the final week of term, the children headed back to London for a fun treat day at Kidzania. Here they had to ‘work’ to earn kidzos – they loved being radio DJs, CIA agents, couriers, TV presenters, and many more. Aside from all of these lovely ‘extras’, the children have worked so hard through the year with many classroom highlights, including: wonderful pieces of creative writing and poetry, outstanding clocks and T-shirt designs in DT, phenomenal history projects, a huge range of science experiments, and so much more. Away from the classroom, the children have all competed at various levels in sport – always representing our School with pride. A final special moment for Year 6 came on the last day of the year as each class enjoyed a reflective campfire session, complete with marshmallows of course. Each child had a poignant moment to place a piece of wood on the fire, whilst remembering their favourite memory from their time at CCJS&N. We wish the children the very best of luck as they continue with their next adventure to their respective senior schools. The Churcherian 2023

Junior Art

Our theme for Arts Week in October was ‘The Rainforest, Biodiversity, and the Web of Life’. Every child in the school from Reception to Year 6, created part of the large rainforest scene, which was entered into an international competition run by the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, called Global Canvas 2023. There were over a hundred entries from all over the world and CCJS was delighted to be named as one of the runners-up in the group display category. Lisa Bychova was one winner of the LGFL Jubilee Poster Competition last year and went up to the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace in February to receive her prize, and to have a private tour of the state rooms with the other 11 winners.

The Churcherian 2023

Junior Music The Music Department at CCJS&N has had another busy year of music making, with more than 160 children participating in individual music lessons. Many of the children took music exams through the school year and received wonderful results. The children have also enjoyed performing during our Teatime Music Concerts to their parents and class teachers. Some of the musical clubs also performed, giving everyone an excellent opportunity to gain experience in performing in front of an audience. December saw our two wonderful Nativity performances: the children in Nursery and Reception performed ‘The Lucky Owl’, and the children in Year 1 and Year 2 performed “Are We Nearly There Yet?”. These were a wonderful way to start the Christmas celebrations. We also had a fantastic carol service at St Peter’s Church in Petersfield. Big Sing and the Chamber 22

The Churcherian 2023

Choir sang beautifully throughout the service and some of the children from Year 6 gave the readings. In January, Year 3 enjoyed a very special trip to Chichester Theatre to see “Southern Pro Musica”. During the concert, the children were introduced to the instruments of the orchestra. The concert also featured musical classics such as Rossini’s Overture & Tchaikovsky’s beautiful ballet music. Years 3 and 4 had a fantastic time watching the students from CCSS perform a selection of pieces. The children loved seeing all the different instruments and learning about how the instruments made their sound. It definitely inspired the children to start learning instruments and to join some of the wonderful choirs that take place during the school day at CCJS&N.

Year 5 enjoyed performing songs at the Petersfield Music Festival, which saw a number of local schools combine to produce a mixed choir, conducted by local musician, Phillip Young. Year 6 learnt the songs and lines for the amazing play ‘The Tempest’, the children performed twice to their parents and they all sang beautifully together. For all the performances at CCJS&N, the Music and Drama Departments have worked closely together, helping the children to learn their lines and songs and to encourage everyone involved to be a confident performer. We must say a final special thank you to our music monitors this year Gemma and Evie, who have helped with the class assemblies, hymn practices, and Teatime Music Concerts throughout the year.

The Churcherian 2023

Junior Drama This first year of specialist drama provision at CCJS&N had three overarching aims: to raise the profile of drama at the Junior School, to provide more performance opportunities, and, most importantly, to increase the children’s confidence and self-esteem. Our new spiralling curriculum offers the development of four key drama skills: voice, body, face, and space. These skills are used in a variety of games and activities from Nursery to Year 6, aiming to improve projection and diction, body confidence, expression, and use of performance space. Alongside this, themes of improvisation, poetry performance, developing character, physical theatre, and script or speech writing are intertwined throughout the lessons. Linking closely to the English scheme, each drama unit encourages the children to explore and experiment with language and movement to create a scene or a character. Over this past academic year, there have been many more performance opportunities, starting with the introduction of drama showcases. This is a chance for the children to demonstrate what they have been learning in lessons and speak chorally in a performance of a poem. Nursery, Reception, and the Infant classes treated us to their ‘Summer Festival of Performing Arts’ where they performed dances, songs, and poems on the theme of ‘Summer’. Year 3 treated their parents to a variety of wintery poems, drama activities, 24

The Churcherian 2023

and games in their drama showcase ‘The Wonder of Winter’. Year 4 transported parents to the jungle in their ‘Rainforest’ showcase. Year 5 demonstrated their evil speech writing skills at their ‘Heroes and Villains’ showcase, and also retold the ancient Norse story of the hero Beowulf, using freeze frames and action shots. In ‘The Power of Masks’, Year 6 created short scenes with the Trestle Theatre Masks. With no dialogue spoken and no visible facial expressions, the challenge was to enable the audience to understand the storyline, using only physical movements and gestures. The children have also participated in year group shows. These are opportunities for the children to sing and dance in a longer performance, following a script. They are also encouraged to wear stage make up and costumes to complete their dramatic experience. Nursery and Reception told the story of ‘The Lucky Owl’ in their EYFS Christmas nativity. Our youngest pupils did so well to remember their lines as well as different stage directions to tell this special Christmas story. Years 1 and 2 performed their nativity about all the variety of journeys made in the Christmas story. They all spoke clearly and the singing was fantastic; it was a real Christmas treat to watch! Year 3 transported us all back millions of years in their show ‘Past Prehistoric People’. As we travelled through time, the children explored life in Britain during the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. Meanwhile, Year 4 took their family and friends

on an underwater adventure in their dramatic performance of ‘Rock Pool’. The stage was filled with colour as the children spoke clearly, sang energetically, and danced collaboratively. It was a huge success and everyone performed with confidence. Year 5 participated in a public performance at the Petersfield Music Festival, singing a range of songs alongside many other primary schools in the local area as part of the wider music festival. Year 5 pupils also participated in a fantastic workshop all about Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. The final year group performance of the academic year was Year 6’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’. The costumes, set, and lighting created a magical atmosphere, and the children gave their audience a night to remember! Throughout the year there has been a variety of drama, poetry, and backstage clubs for children to attend. This year has also seen the launch of LAMDA at the Junior School. The huge effort and resilience that these children have demonstrated in learning and rehearsing their exam pieces has been incredibly impressive. We aim to increase the children’s confidence and build self-esteem, while performing and having fun. Through these new opportunities, Drama will continue to thrive in the Junior curriculum, working alongside music to form more of a performing arts presence.

The Churcherian 2023

Junior Sport With so much sport taking place at CCJS&N, it is always hard to pick out the highlights and this year has been no different. As I look back over all that has been achieved over the last three terms, however, there are a few things that immediately jump out. Girls’ football has been on the line-up for a few years now and has slowly been gaining traction. Already on the agenda was the creation of a girls football club, but following the success of the Lionesses at the Euros last summer, things have really taken off! Under the careful guidance of ‘The Gaffa’, Mr Blackman, the squad took part in a series of girls only football fixtures in preparation for their first appearance at the ISFA Regional Qualifiers. We look forward to seeing what next year will bring. The children of the CCJS Elite Swim Squad are some of the hardest working and dedicated athletes we have. There are hours spent in the pool every week in the hope of gaining sporting success in a race that lasts for mere seconds and sometimes

comes down to nothing more than a touch on the wall. This year, however, their efforts have been well rewarded with success in both the Hampshire Primary Swimming Relays and the IAPS Regional Qualifiers, seeing squad members competing in the ESSA Regional Gala and the IAPS National Finals. Equestrianism is not something that immediately springs to mind when thinking about sport at CCJS&N, but with fantastic support from some very dedicated parents, the Churcher’s Junior Equestrian Team has seen real success this year, competing in the National Schools Regional Finals and claiming the title as Southeast Regional Champions. The team consists of children from Year 1 to Year 6, so the representation from across the age range was even more impressive. With all the notable ‘icing on the cake’ achievements seen throughout the year, it’s important not to forget the hard work and dedication that goes into school sport across the

curriculum. Indeed, we appear to have reached a stage where achievements such as an undefeated rugby season, with two tournament wins for Mr. Pickett and the U11 rugby squad, seem like routine events. Elsewhere, both hockey and hardball cricket are sports that have benefited hugely from PA funding for the double MUGA and Flicx wickets, and as such these areas continue to go from strength to strength. Finally, no sporting year would be complete without the ever important ‘Sports Day’. As Head of Sport, the thing I love most about this day is the effort and determination seen on the face of every child as they give their very best efforts. For the Juniors, this year came with a capital ‘R’ for resilience, but even the repeated heavy downpours couldn’t dampen the atmosphere! Go Team Churcher’s! Matthew Forbes

The Churcherian 2023

Senior School

The Churcherian 2023

2022-23 Captains and Vice Captains of College Lewis Jordan and Nellie Lofthouse Megan Cullen and Jack Thomas

The Churcherian 2023

Collingwood House Collingwood has always been lucky to have such amazing pupils in its ranks and it’s lovely to see how all the new additions have further enhanced the strength of the Purple (or Palatinate) House. This year has seen a slight rebranding of Collingwood with the addition of the Tigers moniker, and the House has enjoyed thinking about how to feed the Good Tiger within them. The Sixth Form, and in particular our House Captains, were very keen on a full-sized Tiger costume to be brought out for House events. Unfortunately, the House budget has yet to stretch to that but we will continue to try... We have had a number of year group trips this year, but for me the highlight was to have the majority of the House join in our House BBQ in the Summer Term. It was lovely to see all the years mixing and playing cricket, football, tug of war, giant Jenga, and giant Connect Four against each other, while eating the fabulous food (and lollies) provided by our catering team. Unfortunately, while there have been some amazing performances, success in the House Cup eluded us again this year. However, I am so grateful to the House for stepping up for all the 30

The Churcherian 2023

House Competitions and for the effort and enthusiasm they have brought to Collingwood over the last year. It’s been a pleasure to watch so many of you compete on behalf of the House and I know that you have enjoyed it. Hopefully next year we will continue to build on the successes of last year. The House is what it is due to the example set by the House Captains and their Vice Captains, and this year we had a strong group with Mia Clark, Lola Ramseyer, and Tom Keohane leading the House as House Captains. They were ably backed up by Lucia Sparks, James Noble, and Ben Snelling. They, and all the departing Upper Sixth, will be missed and the House will not be the same without them in it. You are all amazing, and you and the rest of the House have my Seal of Approval. Ben Seal

Drake House What a terrific first year at the helm of Drake House this has been! Stepping into the role as Head of House, or ‘Captain Drake’ as Mrs Daniel takes great pleasure in calling me, has been a fairly painless transition; my years as an Assistant Head of House helped me to get to know many of the Drake

students, and I have felt supported and accepted by them all as their Head of House. Inheriting Drake from Suzanne Herrington meant that I knew the House was in good shape, and the smiling faces in morning Form time are testament to that. That everyone is willing to have a go and get stuck in really reflects the Drake spirit. In the Sixth Form Leavers’ Book, I simply wrote the word ‘legends’ to describe the outgoing members of Drake. They were my first tutor group when I was first in charge of 1D, which made the end of the year especially poignant, as I waved them on their way to whatever amazing adventures they were about to have. Of course, that now means that I know/have taught/ have coached/have tutored (delete as appropriate!) every single member of Drake, and that familiarity and trust is a great starting point for the coming academic year. As we say goodbye to some members of the Drake team, and welcome others, the spirit of support and a sense of belonging remains. Drake is a strong team, in both students and staff, and I look forward to many more great experiences, opportunities, and triumphs ahead. Jamie Daniel

Grenville House This has been a landmark year for Grenville, adopting the noble griffin as our mascot. Why a griffin? Griffins, with the back legs, tail, and body of a lion and the head, wings, and talons of an eagle, were the emblem of Zeus, denoting his supremacy both in the sky and on earth. With this mix of king of the beasts and ruler of the skies, griffins are considered to be extraordinarily majestic, brave, and powerful with their potent combination of intelligence, potential, and vigour. Could there be a better animal to embody the Grenville spirit, a spirit that has seen Grenville become winners of the overall House Cup for the third year in a row this year? In their quest for the “three-peat”, rather than the skies and the lands, the Grenville Griffins have been masters of the sports field - winning the Sports Cup, and the classroom being joint winners of the Academic Cup. These successes are testament to the amazing attitude of the Grenville pupils to always strive to be the best version of themselves, to always put themselves forward, and to make that extra effort. It is not the result of one form, it is the result of everyone across the house doing their best and doing their bit. The Griffins were

ably led this year by House Captains Theo West and Broghan Collier, and supported by House Vice Captains Alice Wadsley-Stroud, Charlie Angel, Georgia Cole, and Will Myles, but my thanks and appreciation go to the whole of the Upper Sixth as well – they have worn the green with pride and determination throughout their time and it is wonderful that they leave on a high note. In early Greek art, griffins were shown pulling

the chariots of the gods Apollo and Nemesis, and through their service to Nemesis they became known as protectors and guardians of treasure and priceless objects; the House Cup is certainly priceless, and so I hope these Griffins continue in their current manner and go on to guard their treasure for another year! Jon Seaton

The Churcherian 2023

Nelson House Without knowing it at the time, the new academic year began with some endings: the end of a long era of taking our First Years to Calshott, and for the Sixth Form, a final House Curry Night. Such changes remind us of the ongoing innovation and evolution of life within the House as we continue to develop our programme of activities to keep our Nelsonians enthusiastic and engaged. The Autumn Term included bowling, zorbing, ice-skating with Rodney, and, of course, Christmas Taskmaster, with 2N, 3N, and 4N rising spectacularly to the challenge to make a snowman! The Spring Term saw everyone knuckling down to their studies, culminating in the summer exams; we know the House will have put in another strong academic performance, of which they should all be proud. Our House charity efforts included an attempt to run and cycle to Newquay. We didn’t quite make it, but did raise nearly £400 for The Wave Project surf therapy. An active House sporting programme has also reaped the rewards of high levels of participation and practice; 1N and 6N came second in both girls’ and boys’ hockey, we had an excellent 2N

The Churcherian 2023

performance in cross-country, swim galas and wins for 3N girls’ cricket, and lots of tennis wins across the lower school, in particular. The future for Nelson sport looks bright, although we may need to up our game in the House maths and STEAM challenges... However, as seasoned Taskmasters, there is nothing our Nelsonians love more than a challenge! Jeremy Harris

Rodney House What a joy and relief it has been to have a largely uninterrupted year at school where the pupils were in class, face to face, and our full range of extracurricular activities went ahead as usual. That’s not to say that there weren’t still some challenges caused from the lockdowns of previous years; the most significant challenge was possibly for the Upper Sixth. They had to face their first set of public exams, having had their GCSEs cancelled, but Upper Sixth Rodney certainly rose to the challenge and achieved exceptional results, even by prepandemic standards.

In the House Cup, Team Rodney had another exceptional year. The Academic competition was expanded with Maths and STEAM challenges being added for the First Year, to complement the year quizzes and points accrued from grading card effort scores. Rodney came equal first in this section and once again it proved to be their strength. We won the quiz section with First Year, Third Year, and Upper Sixth each winning their year’s quiz. The First Year came equal first in the Maths and STEAM challenges, and finished their impressive year with the highest score from the grading cards in each of the three terms. What a start to build upon going forward! I should also mention 2R, 4R, and L6R who all came a consistent second place in each of the three terms. In the Sports Cup we also had some exceptional results, with one of the standout results being 1st place in the swimming. This was a real team win with strong results, for both the Boys and Girls in all year groups. Hopefully we can consolidate this position in the coming year. The Girls also came first in cross-country, helped in no

small part by the First and Second Years’ first places and the Third Year’s second place. This year again saw individual sports days for year groups, introduced as a result of Covid, and which have proved popular amongst the pupils. It was fantastic to see so many in the house participating and they should be very proud of their overall performances. Rodney won the First, Second and Third Year events, which was a fantastic achievement. I would like to thank the First and Second Years for the efforts they made to fundraise for the House Charity, through a swim challenge and hot chocolate sale respectively. Collectively, they raised in excess of a thousand pounds. To finish, I would like to thank the Rodney Staff, Captains, and Vice Captains for their help and support throughout the year. John Yugin-Power

The Churcherian 2023

Sixth Form This was another successful year for the Sixth Form students. There were lots of smiles on results day as the overwhelming majority of students met their university offers, including a record number of medics. The Upper Sixth year goes incredibly quickly, and the students had to work hard right from the outset, which paid dividends. The students were fully deserving of their outstanding results, and I wish them every success for the future. Another highlight of the year was welcoming the new Lower Sixth in September, and this year we had our biggest year group to date. As well as excelling in the classroom, the students impressed with their wide range of co-curricular and extracurricular interests. It’s a truism to say that busy students often achieve better, and it is always amazing to see how well the students juggle their many commitments. The Sixth Form Committee was on fine form too this year, with numerous events to help foster a strong community spirit, and to offer distractions from the rigours of academic work. There were dodgeball tournaments, as well as events to celebrate Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day, and the summer saw our inaugural boules tournament, which was wone by Archie Smith. This is just a small insight into the Committee’s work, which culminates in the Sixth Form Ball at Old Thorns; another magnificent occasion. Thanks must be given to the Captains of College, Nellie Lofthouse and Lewis Jordan, who were excellent in

The Churcherian 2023

their busy role, ably supported by Megan Cullen and Jack Thomas. In contrast to previous years, we took the opportunity to hold the Prefects’ Dinner off site at the Princess Royal Gallery, in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard. Nellie and Lewis’ stirring speech was one of which Nelson himself would have been proud. Finally, thanks to our wonderful housekeepers Sharon, Jeannie, and

Mandy for all of the magnificent work they do keeping Ramshill clean and tidy. I was very pleased to unveil a magnificent painting that Mandy did specially for Ramshill, the first piece in what I hope will become a gallery, which will include some work done by the A Level students. Bill Baker

The Churcherian 2023

Fifth Year This academic year has once again flown by for the Fifth Year, throughout which they have shown resilience, hard work, and determination to succeed both individually and as a group. They have excelled through the various challenges that a GCSE year poses, and they should all be immensely proud of their achievements both inside and outside of the classroom. Despite the last year of GCSEs being an especially challenging year academically, our pupils have not let this affect their devotion to their extracurricular activities. Vast numbers of the year group participated either as actors, musicians, or technical crew in the Senior productions of ‘Grease’ and 36

The Churcherian 2023

‘Twelfth Night’. Our musicians and singers performed beautifully at the Christmas Carol Service, and wowed the audience at the Grand Summer Concert, finishing with a music tour to Lake Garda. On the sports fields, the Fifth Year have continued to be model Churcherians in their success and sporting attitude. This year group has been particularly successful on the hockey pitch, with several players being selected for Performance Centre, and the U16 Boys finishing fifth in the England Hockey Tier 3 National Finals. The girls had a strong showing in the Netball season, winning 12 of their 19 matches. The U16 rugby squad had an amazing season and were the Hampshire Rugby

15 a-side and 7 a-side Champions, whilst winning 15 out of 17 fixtures. Pupils also continued to hone their leadership and expedition skills by participating in CCF field days and trips, whilst also completing their Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. Additionally, the Art and DT showcase evening highlighted the outstanding creative flair abundant in this year group. The Fifth Year have taken part in several trips over the year. They celebrated the end of their mock exams in January with a bowling trip to Hollywood Bowl in Portsmouth, and later voted to celebrate their official last day of school with a trip to Thorpe Park, after enjoying a full English breakfast at school. Both

pupils and staff made the most of it being a less busy day by cramming in as many rides as possible, although Mr Seal hasn’t quite conquered his fear of heights yet! I have been hugely impressed with this year’s dedication and hard work as a whole. However, a special mention must go to the Committee volunteers. They have ensured that the whole year group were represented and had their voice heard with regards to all the activities and support put in place.

They have also improved the comfort and aesthetics of the Pavilion common room by updating the furniture and adding two flat screen TVs.

at trying their luck on the casino tables and it was also great to see most of them take to the dance floor at the end of the evening.

A special thank you must also go to the Fifth Year Dinner ‘set up’ volunteers, who helped to ensure that the evening at Lythe Hill Hotel was a huge success. It was fantastic to see all of them dressed so smartly for the evening and enjoying spending one final evening as a year group all together. Most were surprisingly good

Congratulations to all for getting through a tough academic year, and for doing so with such dedication and teamwork as a year group. We very much look forward to seeing your success continue as you head into the Sixth Form and beyond. Ben Skirving The Churcherian 2023

Art & Design It has been another busy year in the Art Department with the very first year of full post-covid assessments for both GCSE and A Level students. It has been four years since students studying art at both levels have had to produce a personal portfolio alongside an externally set assignment. The students have worked incredibly hard to complete all the work and the range of themes covered and materials used have been incredibly diverse. This is reflected in the wonderful variety of university offers made to Upper Sixth students. Subjects that are going to be studied include: architecture, graphic design, animation, fashion, fashion photography, and promotion alongside the more traditional route of fine art. The students’ work for both year groups developed skills in textiles, photography, animation, casting concrete, plaster, and the use of clay, to name but a few. The increase in using clay has been a direct benefit of the PTA’s kind purchase of a new kiln, which has seen staff and students enjoy the use of three-dimensional work more, within the curriculum of all year groups. This is something we are looking forward to developing further in the future.

The Churcherian 2023

Within the curriculum, the First Year have studied how artists explore the world around them by developing skills in printmaking, drawing, mixing colour, and architecture. The Second Year have expressed themselves through the investigation of portraiture and ink experiments, sculpture, architecture, and playing with form, concluding the year with stop frame animation. The Third Year have used textiles and screen printing whilst researching how artists use art for a social purpose, followed by developing skills in realism and the representation of curious objects. Art activities haven’t just been confined to the usual timetable; there is also something for everyone during lunchtimes and after school. The Art Department continue to provide a number of art clubs and supra-curricular activities. Junior Art Club and Textiles Club have been enthusiastically attended throughout the year. Life drawing sessions for A Level students have also begun again and been thoroughly enjoyed, Architecture Club has supported those wishing to apply for Higher Education from both DT and Art students, and pop-up clubs in animation and developmental

drawing have also taken place. All lunchtimes are available for Art Drop In for the lower and middle years. Students in both exam year groups have enjoyed trips to the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Tate Modern. It is always exciting to visit galleries and experience work in a live context, which thoroughly helps students engage with work and its context, helping to develop responses in each personal portfolio. The Art Department has also enjoyed collaborating with other departments within the school. Recently the Maths and Art Departments have provided a competition encouraging students to produce portraits of mathematicians using contemporary colours and artist influence. Over the summer and into next term, pupils have been challenged to respond to themes set by the Art and English Departments, encouraging submissions for a photography and poetry competition, to be displayed just before Christmas. Tim Strange

The Churcherian 2023

English This has been an exciting year for the English Department, with trips, author visits, competitions, and clubs galore – LitSoc, Book Club, Oxbridge English, ESU, and Literary Games to name but a few! In the Autumn Term, we were delighted to take the whole of Third Year to see a performance of Noughts and Crosses – their set text for that term’s ‘Identity’ unit – at Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford. Pupils said it was hugely inspiring, and gave them a new insight into racism. We all agreed it was an excellent show. We were also lucky enough to have a theatre company visit us at Churcher’s to perform An Inspector Calls for our Fourth Year, in relation to their English Literature coursework. One of our students even had the opportunity at the end to deliver a character’s speech to the entire year, in role! Our ‘Haunted Library’ was also a big hit with the younger years. World Book Day was central to the Spring Term, of course, and there was much celebration to be had. A library

party was held with ‘Blind date with a book’ competitions, the launch of Carnegie shadowing, decorating bookmarks, and literary quizzes. The whole school also got involved in ‘Decorate Your Door’, a competition in which form groups aimed to create the best literary representation on their form room doors. The most creative was 1G’s ‘The 91-Storey treehouse’, most visually appealing was 2D’s ‘Little Women’, and best link to classroom subject was 5D’s ‘AQA GCSE Spanish textbook’. We also had a small selection of our pupils participate in the English Speaking Competition (ESU) and they did brilliantly, advancing through not only the first round but also the second round, and picking up special individual awards on the way. Finally, the Summer Term also saw much departmental excitement. We welcomed author Caroline Green to speak to pupils about her work, and they had a go at writing their own ‘What if’ pieces; in fact, this is currently running as a writing competition. In line with their

detective fiction unit, the Second Year also took part in a very memorable murder mystery, in which they had to read through and analyse more than twenty documents of ‘evidence’ to find the culprit. Members of Book Club, run by Mrs Naym and Mrs Daniel, competed in the National Literary Competition, and, while they did not advance to the next round on this occasion, are raring to go again next year! The year ended with a visit from a representative of the Rotary Club, who informed us that two of our students, Julia Nicholls and Iris Dunnell, had excelled in a recent writing competition on the topic of ‘Peace’. Both won the first round in their age categories, and Julia won a ‘highly commended’ award in the district round. We hope to see much more creative writing from the two of them in years to come! Dr Charlotte Unsworth-Hughes 40

The Churcherian 2023

Mathematics

We have had an extremely busy year with 301 students competing in Maths challenges, starting in September with Daisy Taylor (Distinction) and Bea Lingham (Merit) being very successful in the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls. Later that term, the Sixth Form mathematicians competed in the Senior Mathematical Challenge, with 64% of them gaining an award, which is another great achievement as the UKMT only award certificates to the top 50% of entrants. Special mentions go to Laurie Horwood, Bea Lingham, and Luke Watson who were our top scorers. February saw the turn of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Year mathematicians to compete in the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge, and they did not disappoint, with 85% of them gaining an award. It is hard to pick out any special performance amongst such superb results but Conor Higgins, Zhara Ireland, and Evan CocksworthJones were the top performers from each of the year groups. It was the First and Second Years’ opportunity to perform in April, with 151 of them taking the Junior Mathematical Challenge, and more than 60% of our entrants gaining an award. It was Amy Warlow who stood out amongst the First Years, and Jake Lloyd, Alberto Browning-Sanchez, and George Eaton leading the way in the Second. The Mathematics Department were very impressed with the performance this year. More than twothirds of our entrants gained an award showing that the subject has many high calibre mathematicians that we can bring on for future success. We celebrated Pi Day on 14 March, a fun day of competitions (and baking!) for the pupils. In the memory competition, Sixth Former, Joel Ireland, successfully recited Pi to an impressive 188 digits!

Mathematicians are often portrayed in images as old and rather dull. This is not the case in their actual work, as they have been innovators and creative thinkers, set apart from their peers, often solving complex problems and changing the way we live. We challenged the students to portray famous mathematicians in a new and modern art form, and we were thoroughly impressed with the entries received. The piece above is called “Winter”, it is a sculpture designed by George Hart out of 60 identical pieces. We challenged our Further Mathematicians to construct one of these each. All they were given were the 60 pieces of fluorescent acrylic, but no instructions. We were very impressed with the outcome, and the final piece is now displayed in the Maths Department. Tracey Greenaway The Churcherian 2023

Humanities Business It has been an exciting year for Business GCSE and A Level. In the Autumn Term, the London School of Economics’ entrepreneurship programme, Generate, arrived at Churcher’s College. LSE Students and Alumni were applying for funding to help their start-up ventures and, if successful, they could also access expert advice and support as part of the funding package. The applicants responded to questions from the judges’ panel as well as Churcher’s students; two of the latter were offered summer internships within the LSE Entrepreneurship School as a reward for the quality of their questioning! Four of the sociallydriven entrepreneurship start-ups were awarded £4,500 each, covering a range of projects from a high-tech textile recycling project (aiming to improve

The Churcherian 2023

rates of recycling from the fast fashion industry, which currently creates a lot of landfill waste) to a project for people with disabilities to settle more easily into life away from home when starting university. In the Spring Term, 70 Lower Sixth Business and Economics students went to the Institute of Economic Affairs Sixth Form Conference at The Portsmouth Grammar School. Students heard about the economics of happiness from Chris Snowdon (IEA), the economics of flexible work courtesy of Dr Len Shackleton, and finally a talk regarding money, central banking, and digital currencies by Julian Jessop. Students learned that, despite the Covid pandemic where many people worked from home, currently, 73.4% of the workforce have no flexible working arrangements with their employer. Students were also

able to see the application of supply and demand to the labour market as an explanation of different pay rates known as ‘compensating differentials’. Finally, in the Summer Term, the Lower Sixth Business students travelled to RSM, Guildford to learn about key accountancy functions such as audit, tax, and consulting. After a welcome, students were given a presentation from a senior partner and then given small group tours of the offices. Finally, a group business related exercise was undertaken by the students, providing advice to someone about how to set up a new business. The students were able to grasp the breadth of an accountancy career and entry routes into accountancy, both from school and university. Rick West

Academic Lecture Series

ACADEMIC LECTURE SERIES

Appeasing Hitler

The Weimar Republic & the Rise of Hitler

Tim Bouverie

Chris Dillon

Monday 16 October 2023

Wednesday 16 November 2022

Chamberlain, Churchill and the road to war

Refreshments 4pm Lecture 4:30pm - 5:30pm

Senior Lecturer in Modern German History at King’s College London Refreshments from 4pm Lecture at 4.30pm

Reserve your FREE ticket via MSP

Lecture Theatre

IS W

ACADEMIC LECTURE SERIES

The Next Giant Leap Lockheed Martin is developing technology that establishes space as not just a place to go to but as a place to do business

The State of the Graduate Job Market James Darley Tuesday 4 October 2022 Refreshments from 6.45pm Lecture at 7pm Reserve your FREE ticket here

The Music Auditorium

Wednesday 22 February 2023 4.30pm Reserve your FREE ticket via MSP

Lecture Theatre Look out for merch giveaways!

ACADEMIC LECTURE SERIES

On the front line of NATO Commander Tom Trent, Royal Navy

Monday 17 October 2022 Refreshments in the Gallery from 4pm Lecture at 4:30 pm Reserve your FREE ticket at ChurchersCollege.com/whatson

Lecture Theatre

ACADEMIC LECTURE SERIES

Virtual Stargazing Evening Seeing and Doing The Liberationist theologies of Cone and Guttierez

Join OC Ben Coley to explore the wonders of the night sky, live from South Africa

Professor Anthony Reddie

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CelestialEventsSA Instagram: @celestial_events_sa

Wednesday 8 March 2023

Monday 26 September 2022

Refreshments in the Gallery from 4pm Lecture at 4:30pm

7.00 - 8.30pm

Reserve your FREE ticket via MSP

Lecture Theatre

Venue: Lecture theatre

The Churcherian 2023

Both the Fourth and Fifth Years have put in extra hours with the Classics Department this year to learn Classical Greek in their own time, with the support of Mr Gibbins and Miss Elson. They all received the Intermediate Classical Greek Certificate with 25% gaining a merit and 75% gaining a distinction. Julia Nicolls achieved the highest mark in the country with 99%. Their excellent results reflect their determination to succeed and their enthusiasm for the Classical subjects. Jon Hegan

Economics

Classics The Classics Department remains as active as ever with record numbers opting to study either Latin and/or Classical Civilisation at GCSE. In the October half-term, the Department led a group of 42 GCSE and A Level Latinists, Ancient Historians, and Classical Civilisation pupils to Greece. We enjoyed five sun-blessed days, exploring the remains of Ancient Greece, including: the stunning Acropolis, the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, the site of Olympia, the home of the Olympic games, the theatre at Epidauros (the acoustics of which were fully tested with a beautiful, impromptu song from the irrepressible Mr Lofthouse!) and finally the imposing bronze-age palace at Mycenae. In between all the exhausting sight-seeing we managed to sample a few Greek tavernas, some cold-water swimming, and a little shopping too!

In March, two teams of Latinists and Ancient Historians debated who was superior – the Greeks or Romans. Churcher’s, led by Ed Newill, Freddie Dodson, and Gregor Breen, spoke eloquently of the power of Rome and its legacy, whilst PGS responded with excellent speeches on the cultural, philosophical, and literary qualities of the Greeks. The debate was then passed to the audience for an online vote which was narrowly won by the Romans. Many thanks to Mr Gibbins for organising our first match and preparing our Classics debaters! In June, 26 GCSE Classical Civilisation pupils went to the British Museum to study up close the Parthenon sculptures and other artefacts related to their course. It was really valuable for them to appreciate the scale and beauty of many of the sculptures in person. Mr Hegan also took them on a long, hot walk to the city to see the few remains of a Roman amphitheatre and the Temple of Mithras!

Economics has proven to be a beacon of fascination among our students, capturing their curiosity and sparking their imaginations. We are delighted to note that the uptake of Economics continues to increase, a testament to the subject’s undeniable relevance in understanding and navigating the complexities of our world. In a year marked by global challenges, our students embraced the subject’s highly relevant nature with a resounding spirit. As they delved into the cost-ofliving crisis and the impact of high interest rates, they demonstrated a keen awareness of the forces shaping our economic landscape. The turbulent times of the Liz Truss era provided a real-time case study of the interplay between political decisions and financial markets, and our students rose to the occasion, analysing and debating the intricate repercussions. One of the highlights of this academic year was undoubtedly the Institute of Economic Affairs conference held at Portsmouth Grammar School. Our students had the remarkable opportunity to engage with cuttingedge economic ideas, exploring diverse topics ranging from the economics of happiness to the dynamics of flexible working. Dr Len Shackleton’s illuminating presentation on the latter sparked invaluable discussions, prompting students to view the concept of flexible work through multifaceted lenses. The exploration continued as students eagerly absorbed insights into money, banking, and digital currencies. These presentations expanded their horizons, introducing them to the ever-evolving world of finance and technology. Witnessing our students dive deep into these intricate topics was truly gratifying, as their intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm shone brightly throughout the sessions. Steve Huckle

The Churcherian 2023

Geography The Autumn Term saw the Second Years return to Purbeck to investigate the influence of geology on the coastal landscape between Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. The Fifth Year completed their required day of GCSE fieldwork in a human environment, investigating urban contrasts in Portsmouth Harbour. Building on their Lower Sixth fieldwork course in Somerset and the lessons learned from piloting their data collection techniques in West Sussex, the Upper Sixth produced a diverse range of independent investigations for their A Level NEAs. In addition to a variety of local coastal process, and landscape and management studies, they also studied the impact of rebranding on the former garrison town of Bordon and the effect of aspect on the shape of Guernsey’s beaches. 28 pupils also enjoyed an inaugural Third Year residential trip to the Isle of Wight; a very full 3-day programme, which included the adventure park at Robin Hill, a chair lift down the colourful sandstone cliffs of Alum Bay, walks to Tennyson Down, The Needles, and Ventnor seafront, a descent of the coastal valley at Alum Chine, and a self-guided tour of Osborne House. An action-packed term ended as we welcomed back Sasha Neill of Coastal Partners for a remote lecture on sediment cells for our GCSE and A Level students. Easter saw a very welcome return of the Senior Geography trip; 30 Upper School

students spent four atypically sunny days in south-west Iceland. The packed itinerary included the Golden Circle, highlights of the rift valley, huge waterfalls and geysers, plus visits to black sand beach and basalt column caves, a glacier, and the Martian landscape of recent volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Standing on the solid, but still warm, crust of two-year-old rock made a stark contrast to the (still geologically young!) 65-million-year-old chalk landscape of the South Downs. As the Summer Term drew to a close, 29 Lower Sixth students returned to the FSC centre at Nettlecombe Court in North Somerset, as preparation for their NEAs. We revisited the familiar locations of Porlock Bay

and Minehead to investigate coastal processes and management, but added the previously untried sites of Watchet and Taunton to explore place perception and the impacts of rebranding. The Fourth Years spent a day at Highcliffe completing their required day of GCSE fieldwork in a physical environment, investigating coastal processes and management, and the Second Years spent the day at Marwell Zoo matching species to biomes in our Lower School regional study locations of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The year ended with an exploration of vexillology (flags) in New College for Open Day. David Nighy

The Churcherian 2023

History “By bearing witness to Steven’s story, you become a witness to the Holocaust. With this comes the power to defend the truth and keep the memories of those who didn’t survive alive”, these were the words of OC Anna Hedges who introduced Steven Frank’s deeply moving and unforgettable testimony at this year’s Grill Lecture in March. History is about keeping the past alive and we aim to do just this at Churcher’s. One of the most memorable ways of doing this is getting out on trips and listening to experts and testimonies. This year has seen a busy calendar for our historians:

The Churcherian 2023

• First Years at Hampton Court: This was a great way to consolidate pupils’ Tudor expertise with a tour of the palace and some hands-on workshops on religious change in Tudor England. • Petersfield Museum: Instead of being in a classroom for a double lesson, the First Years enjoyed walking to our local museum and spending some time focusing on local history and doing a treasure hunt. • Second Years at The Tower of London: pupils enjoyed seeing the exhibits of armour within William the Conqueror’s White Tower, and participating in workshops focusing on the Norman Conquest and stories of Protest and Rebellion.

• Ypres and the Somme: Our Third Years had a fantastic time exploring the First World War battlefields; they stopped at places such as the Lochnagar crater, Beaumont Hamel, the moving war memorials at Thiepval, Tyne Cot, and Langemark. Our guides were excellent and brought alive the tragedy and utter waste of human potential that the First World war unleashed. • Fourth Year Trip to Krakow and Auschwitz: The focus of this trip was the notorious death camps in which 1.1 million Jews were murdered alongside around 200,000 Poles, gypsies, Soviet POWs, and priests. We saw the torture cells, the main crematoria, and then the huge camp complex of Auschwitz Birkenau. This was a profoundly moving experience. • Berlin and Sachsenhausen: This fitted in perfectly with our GCSE syllabus. Fifth Year pupils explored the history of Nazi Germany, visiting the site of the Holocaust Memorial, the Olympic Stadium where the 1936 Games were held, and the House at Wannsee where leading Nazis met to prepare the ‘Final Solution’. Our attention then turned to the Cold War with a fascinating trip to the DDR Museum and the Berlin Wall. • Cabinet War Rooms and the Houses of Parliament with the Lower Sixth: Students stood inside the House of Commons and the House of Lords whilst informative guides told us about the functioning of law-making and the quirky eccentricities of our political system. The Cabinet War Rooms blended in very well with the students’ A Level studies on Churchill; they saw a vast array of artefacts and felt the war-time claustrophobia of being underground at the heart of operations. • ‘Suffragette’ the Musical: A Level students thoroughly enjoyed the empowering and vibrant production of ‘Sylvia’. It told the story of the suffragette movement from 19001928, their struggle to be heard, and the misogyny of men, such as Winston Churchill and Lord Curzon, that they had to overcome. The hip hop, soul, and rap music made it a highly energising performance.

• The Grill Lecture, by Holocaust survivor Steven Frank • Russia 1917-1921, by Prof Chris Read • Ruth Posner, Holocaust survivor, live webcast on Holocaust Memorial Day. Once again, our Third Years really engaged in entering the annual WWI competition, in which six pupils won prizes for a range of poetry and paintings, and the First Years

contributed to our time capsule to commemorate the reign of Elizabeth II. It has been a real delight to see all our pupils, from the First Year to the Upper Sixth, develop skills and curiosity in history. To finish, in the words of Marcus Garvey, “without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. Helen Jolliffe

We have also had some excellent CCALS lectures which have consolidated our class work: • Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, by Prof William Doyle • On the Front Line of NATO, by Cpt Tom Trent • The July Bomb Plot, by C Brockdorff • The Weimar Republic and the Rise of Nazi Germany, by Chris Dillon The Churcherian 2023

Politics It’s been a year of growth in Politics, and the first where our students can undeniably be described as world-class. Perhaps our proudest achievement was our first cohort of entrants into the internationally renowned John Locke Essay Competition, run by the John Locke Institute at Oxford and Princeton Universities. Due to the outstanding hard work of the students, two, out of thousands of entrants from the finest schools in the UK, USA, China, and beyond, Adam Smith and James Restell, were longlisted for their

achievements, with James’ essay being Highly Commended, ranking him in the Top 25 in the world in his category. The boys were rewarded with a black-tie reception at Magdalen College, Oxford – a truly fantastic achievement! The students enjoyed another fantastic trip to the Houses of Parliament and the Supreme Court earlier in the year. In addition to their tour of the Houses of Parliament and sitting in on a Supreme Court hearing, they were also fortunate enough to meet Damian Hinds, MP for East Hampshire and Minister of State for Prisons. They were able to grill the Rt Hon. Mr Hinds on his first few months in the post, and the Churcher’s students excelled themselves with some challenging questions and robust discussion. Students also excelled themselves preparing, and competing in, our annual Great Debate, which involves a referendum question posed to Third and Fourth Year pupils, with Sixth Formers giving speeches in support or against the motion This was then followed by the two year groups voting en masse. This year the motion, “Should we extend the Vote to 16 and 17 year olds?” produced a decisive but surprising, “No” vote. Patrick Cheshire

The Churcherian 2023

Psychology Once again, our psych-whizzes have truly outdone themselves this academic year, with a work ethic that makes Atlas’s burden seem lightweight. They’ve also managed to inject a fun element into their rigorous study, with students so enthusiastic about psychology that numbers are skyrocketing faster

than a Freudian interpretation at a dinner party! Remember that chilly November evening, when we bundled onto a bus and headed for London? Ah, yes, the terrifying ‘Psychology of Serial Killers’ lecture! Our eager pupils relished the chance to explore the inner workings of some of history’s most notorious minds, showing an unflinching determination to dissect and understand complex psychological profiles. No screams of horror, but certainly a quieter trip home as students thought about the things they’d just learned. Fast forward to the spring visit of Dr Guy Sutton, turning our lecture theatre into a microcosm of a university seminar. The ‘Adventures in Neuroscience’ session was a literal brain-opener! Our courageous students (armed with gloves and curiosity) observed the dissection of an animal brain, making connections from crime, addiction, and schizophrenia, to brain structures. All in all, it has been a phenomenal year in the Psychology Department: great results, a super atmosphere, and no slowing down. As we bid adieu to this academic year, let’s give a standing ovation to our students, who’ve proved that psychology is not just a subject, but a fantastic adventure. Bring on next year, we’re ready for more! Dr Gary Glasspool

Religion & Philosophy It was all change in R&P GCSE this year. We switched from OCR to AQA and at the same time changed from Islam to Buddhism as our second religion. It gives a wonderful contrast between the two; Christians believe in a god, Buddhists don’t; Christians believe it is a sin to commit adultery and Buddhists believe it is a sign of someone being unskillful at the discipline of marriage. Our students have embraced this new approach and we look forward to going to a Buddhist monastery in the Fifth Year. It was also time to say goodbye to our lovely Upper Sixth class who left us with this layered R&P picture like no other. It features a fed-up Moses (Mr Baker), who has just been with God at the top of Mount Sinai, producing the tablets with the first version of the Ten Commandments, only to find that his followers had thought him dead and had consequently produced their own idol, the golden calf, alias Marwell. Moses loses it and in his

irate state, he smashes the tablets and later smelts the calf. Thereafter, he ventures back to God to produce the second pair of tablets, which state as the first commandment, ‘Thou shall not worship idols’. So, there you have it: ‘Moses, Breaking bad!’. He has both a mental break-down and breaks the epitome of sin - Marwell the calf. After a year of change, I am pleased to report that our Department is rock steady with thanks to our cornerstones Mr Baker, Mr Lofthouse, and Mrs Wilson. Tony Ostersen

The Churcherian 2023

Modern Foreign Languages

French This academic year has been a great once for the French Department. We had the wonderful opportunity to go to France on two separate occasions, which allowed the students to use their language skills in real life scenarios. This, without a doubt, improved their confidence in speaking the language, whilst sampling the delights of fresh baguettes and garlic snails… We finished the academic year with a very buzzing Open Day, complete with amazing-looking cakes, which were entered for our International Bake Off competition. We also

The Churcherian 2023

braided hair, as well as ran our super busy Continental Café, on which the Languages Department, our Lower Sixth students, and many Second Year pupils worked very hard indeed. It was a real success and showcased the Modern Languages Department at its best. Second Year students continued with our pen pal letter exchange with our usual college in Nantes, and also with our new “partner school”, which is set in a small village near the beautiful town of Carcassonne. It is fantastic to see that our links abroad are strengthening. Nicole Sparks

German Once again, we struck lucky with our Language Assistant, Paul! He taught all year groups and, without exception, everyone has benefitted from his conversation lessons, building confidence with spoken German and improving their German accent. The Second Years in particular, are already missing Paul, as he ran a virtual cultural exchange with a school in Aschaffenburg (Bavaria) via the UK-German connection. This resulted in pen-pal letters, a padlet board onto which students from both schools could enter information for each other, and a Zoom-meeting with our German counterparts. Part of the virtual exchange was to review sweets from each other’s country – an activity that was much enjoyed by all! We look forward to re-instating our in-person exchange programme to Warendorf next year. Under Paul’s watchful eye, we entered some students into the OxfordGerman Olympiad again, and Kate Harfield’s entry was judged Highly Commended. Kate produced a Youtube video cooking a German dish, which she commentated beautifully. Our Christmas Market Trip just before Christmas, saw 38 First and Second Year students immerse themselves into the Christmas spirit in beautiful Cologne! The Lindt Chocolate Museum was a big hit, with chocolate fountains and wafers dipped in chocolate. We also played glow-in-the-dark minigolf, which tied in beautifully with the magical Christmas lights. A thoroughly enjoyable trip, which brings the magic of Christmas in Germany, home to our students. Dr Ariane Broomfield

Spanish The Spanish Department has thrived in yet another busy and exciting year. It was wonderful to see so many students fully engaged and enjoying their Spanish oral classes with Eva, our Spanish Assistant from the Canary Islands, who had plenty of new ideas and cultural knowledge to share with us, which sparked our linguistic curiosity. Our trip to Barcelona in October was, again, very popular with the Third Years. 40 students and five members of staff headed off to

Barcelona to delight in the sights and tastes of the Catalonian capital. As ever, we revelled in the cultural output and architecture of Gaudí and Picasso. A day at the theme park Puerto Aventura also provided light relief, and was appreciated by all! The Spanish Department’s diary would, of course, not be complete without a trip to Malaga. It was fantastic to see so many of our Fourth and Fifth Year students in Malaga for a week, basking in the sunshine, trying tapas, and visiting the incredible sights of the Alhambra in Granada. It was all too evident that they had an amazing time improving their Spanish language, whilst immersed, easily, into Andalusian culture. To finish off the year, the Onatti Theatre visited our Third Years, a sincere ‘well done!’ to our brave students who volunteered to take part in some of the scenes. Note to all, sit in the front row at your own peril! “Pies, ¿para qué los quiero si tengo alas para volar?” – Frida Kahlo. Anna-Maria Giffin

The Churcherian 2023

Science Biology

Chemistry

With a fully-packed programme of STEAM events and a rich and varied programme of extra-curricular activities and trips in Science, it’s been a glorious year.

Valentine’s Day was the day of the Global Women’s Breakfast. This is a series of events across the world, coordinated by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. It is a day aimed at celebrating the role women have played in advancing Chemistry, and promoting inclusion. Statistics show that the number of women studying Chemistry at A Level is in-line with the proportion you would expect based on the number of female A Level students across all subjects in the UK, but the proportion of women falls as you move up to higher levels. We held our event upon our return to school after half term, and saw our Chemists enjoy an excellent breakfast provided by the catering team and then take part in a quiz on female scientists through history. This was our first year taking part in the international event, but it will not be the last.

The First years have had a particularly exciting time. The Science Explorer Dome company visited us on Speech Day to thrill the children with displays on Space and Light in their huge inflatable domes, along with some very entertaining Science tricks. The Planetarium visit continued the Space exploration theme, and the Autumn term finished off with the Gophers Science club’s outreach session with the Year 5 children from CCJS. In the Summer Term, our visitors from Hawkeye Falconry display gave the children a wonderful experience flying the owls and seeing a Peregrine falcon up close; although he wasn’t allowed to fly in the Gym because his worldrecord speed would have led him to injure himself flying into the walls! The Lower Sixth had their residential field trip to Slapton Ley, conducting field investigations, sampling, and undertaking ecological surveys. Blessed with wonderful weather again, but with fewer tick bites this year, the students worked hard and came home with highly developed skills, a nice tan, and a smile on their faces. The Lower Sixth also enjoyed a bat walk on Petersfield Heath, using our newlypurchased bat detectors. We heard the distinctive cries of four of our native species: the Noctule, the tiny Pipistrelle and Soprano pipistrelle, and the water-loving Daubenton’s bats. Mandy Westwood

The Churcherian 2023

It has been another successful year for Churcher’s in the Chemistry

Olympiad. Although this competition is aimed at the most able Upper Sixth students, a significant number of Lower Sixth students asked to enter this year, continuing the trend started by the previous year’s cohort. In all, more than 20 students opted to take the exam and the results were Gold Certificates for Nicholas Passmore, James Moses, and Daisy Taylor, Silver for Matthew Russell, Louise Reed, Darcey Scott, and Lewis Jordan, and Bronze Certificates for a further 12 students, including six from the Lower Sixth. With approximately 60,000 students studying Chemistry in each year group in the UK, to achieve a Gold Certificate you needed to be in the top 1085 students in the country and a Silver Certificate put you in the top 32%. They are significant achievements. The Cambridge Chemistry Challenge for the Lower Sixth took place in June, and again, only the brightest few in the country take the exam. Rosalind Mitchell achieved a Gold Award, with a further six students achieving Silver and Copper.

Cosmetics Club continues to be very popular. Mr Chen and Mrs Dannatt have ensured that the First and Second Year pupils know how to make bath bombs, moisturising creams, and soaps. Pupils ran a demonstration on Open Day and there was a queue of visitors waiting for their turn to make things. Word has spread about ChemSoc! Although it is aimed at Sixth Form to provide them with a forum to investigate, present, and discuss chemistry ideas beyond the scope of the A Level course, we now have Fourth and Fifth Years who have also asked to present to the class. Students presented and discussed topics ranging from tannins to toxins. The enthusiasm of the students was delightful to see and we will need to work hard next year to live up to the standards that Mr Chen has set. In the Spring Term, our Second Year Academy group learnt about gunpowder and other explosives. The pupils were able to investigate aspects of explosives such as the role of oxidising agents, the difference between substances burning and exploding, and the difference in power output when the same fuel burns or detonates. Sadly, they were not able to make their own fireworks for the obvious legal and safety reasons!

Three teams of six students entered the SATRO Challenges this year (lower, middle, and upper school) and worked on environmental issues, such as, the collection of plastic blocks from the ocean and how these can be transported only using chopsticks! There were some brilliantly creative ideas, with all three teams reaching the finals this year. The final involved fishing LEGO bricks out of water and then sorting them into different colours. In a similar fashion, in October we took a team of 12 students to London for the inaugural entry into the UK Space Design Competition. Here they were tasked with designing a detailed brief of an orbital space station around Mercury, with sustainable life for its vast crew, exploiting the mineral rich planet and opportunities for space exploration. The team did so well they also qualified for the National Finals at Imperial College, London, in March, finishing runners up with their project of a solar observatory station with around 3,000 crew. The judges were particularly impressed by two individuals, and presented Ed Jackson with the Dr Randall Perry Award for leadership and design (one of only four students

from 250 entrants in the final). And to surpass even this achievement, Daisy Taylor was so impressive they have invited her to form part of the International team, representing the UK for five days in Florida in July/ August 2024, competing against teams from all over the globe! Continuing with the space theme, the First Year students got their first experience of the enthusiasm and knowledge of Dr Mason and his talk on the solar system at Chichester Planetarium as part of their themed taught course in Physics. The Sixth Form Physics students also crammed into the 80-seater dome for their special one-night event of “pizza under the stars”, a more advanced and detailed look at star formations and planetary nebula, whilst scoffing pizza during the interval. Apparently, mass isn’t so easily conserved, and the pizza disappeared quickly! Oxford University organise the British Physics Olympiad each year and we were pleased to hear Matthew Russell had been given the top Gold Award, with Nicholas Passmore and James Moses taking the Silver awards. Matthew Kelly

David Dunster

Physics As we reflect upon the past academic year, there is certainly a great deal to celebrate with regional, national, and indeed international success on the horizon, and in equal measure, anticipation for an exciting academic year ahead.

The Churcherian 2023

Technology Design & Technology Another year of hard work from both students and staff has enabled us to create a wide variety of projects at A Level where students had the ability to decide on their own design context. At GCSE, students created designs in the context of three different themes: caring for animals, souvenirs from a place of interest, and studying and working from home. Our showcase in May highlighted the high calibre of students we have the privilege of teaching here at Churcher’s, with each of the practical outcomes being

The Churcherian 2023

the result of many hours of hard work in our workshops, which took place during the school day, after school, and also on the occasional weekend! Coupled with this, they produced a comprehensive design portfolio totalling approximately 60 pages at A Level and 30 pages at GCSE. All this hard work has resulted in grades of which we are very proud. Our lower school students enjoy a broad and varied curriculum blending traditional manufacturing methods and modern technologies, to ensure they are ready for their

progression to examination groups and beyond. We frequently enjoy Old Churcherians returning to catch up with staff; what is pleasing is they often comment on how the courses studied at GCSE and A Level prepared them fully for the rigors of a degree course. With equipment such as 3D printing, laser metal cutting, and CNC micro-routing, our students are well equipped to use computer aided manufacturing outside of the classroom. The Second Year students competed on the Pinewood Derby this summer

vying for the fastest car and also the best-looking design. Our winners were Aneka Wisniewska, securing the top step of the podium, Athena Maftei, a close second, and Tamsin Craven in third place. For the best design, Vlad Babiuk was victorious with his alternative tank design! Over the summer, our extraction facilities received an upgrade. We have also taken delivery of our new Green Power and materials store to replace a very tired duo of sheds! Miss Murrell, (the now married Mrs King), will have a dedicated space to hold her Greenpower sessions. After a complete rewire of our original Greenpower car, we are experiencing much greater reliability and have focused on improving performance. Our ‘fidget spinner’ CAD project in the Third Year is proving to be a hit and has improved students’ virtual modelling capabilities in the lower school. Students are now able to independently design and rapidprototype their ideas using our bank of 3D printers. With the introduction of the lower school showcase last year to display the Third Year ‘Edge of Your Seat’ designs, we once again commandeered the Sports Hall. All students created a selection of research, design, and development pages along with a scaled model. With 450 design pages displayed and a broad selection of models on display, alongside a range of GCSE and A Level work, students and parents could see the progression from lower school through GCSE and on to A Level. The evening was a great success and proved a useful recruitment tool, with a number of students being inspired to follow design and technology through into GCSE.

Computing In the ever-evolving world of technology and education, the past year in the Computing Department has been an exciting journey. As I reflect on my first year as the Head of Department, it’s clear that our commitment to excellence, innovation, and student success has yielded some impressive results. One of the highlights of the year was the exceptional performance of our A Level students, whose hard work has paid off and they have been accepted into excellent universities to pursue computer-related degrees, setting them on a path for future success.

Over the summer, we have upgraded our computer block, giving it a fresh look and installing state-of-theart computers to create a modern learning space. As we move forward in an increasingly digital world, I look forward to another year of growth and achievement in the Computing Department, with more exciting updates and accomplishments to come. Rob Tong

Our students have also shown their talents in various competitions. In the Bebras Challenge, many of our Third Year students achieved top-tier rankings nationally, earning them a spot in the prestigious Oxford University Coding Challenge. We also participated in the UK Lockheed Martin Coding Competition, CodeQuest, where our three teams represented the school remarkably well, even getting a chance to fly in an F35 Flight Simulator. In a competition focused on green energy solutions, our Second Year students stepped up impressively. Out of hundreds of entrants, one of our two teams, Slayilicious (comprising Megan Arnold, Jess Brandt, and Amber Large), made it to the London finals with their innovative submarine project. They won the Inspiration Award, earning themselves a trophy and a shared prize of £1,000.

As ever, we strive to push our students to reach their full potential within the subject, both as designers and to be skilled in manufacturing. Steve Edington

The Churcherian 2023

Music

What a year! Having just returned from the most amazing orchestra and jazz band tour to Lake Garda, and sadly said a last goodbye to our Upper Sixth musicians, this report is a reminder of just how much they have all achieved. The year began with a purple and gold 1967 vintage double–decker bus, Gertrude, who parked herself outside the science block to enable our GCSE and A Level musicians to learn the basics of Indonesian Gamelan music. This was shortly followed by the A Level musicians taking a conducting masterclass, where they very quickly discovered that conducting is not as easy as it looks! Our 23 GCSE students visited a local nursing home to

The Churcherian 2023

perform to the residents who enjoyed a number of solos and ensembles, often clapping and singing along! Each year, we take a trip to the West End in London to see a musical and with Grease soon to be performed at Churcher’s, this was the obvious choice. We were certainly inspired by the amazing West End cast, together with incredible tech, scenery, costumes, and instrumentalists, not to mention the appearance of Peter Andre and Jason Donovan who were guest stars that night! A little later in the year, the A Level musicians enjoyed an introductory Alexander Technique workshop led by Adrian Ward, where we learnt the benefits of improving breathing, balance, and

co-ordination. These skills can help performers with issues such as neck pain, muscle tension, poor posture, and management of stress and anxiety; this was a relaxing session and by the end everyone felt calmer and taller! Our GCSE and A Level musicians also took a trip to Portsmouth Guildhall to hear the 90 or so players from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in a magnificent celebration of John Williams’ music for ‘Star Wars’. The Senior Chamber Choir ventured to the beautiful Meon Valley in the Spring Term to sing Choral Evensong at Hambledon Parish Church. If you have heard this group of singers, you will know what a superb standard they always maintain, and this year the

choir rose superbly to the challenges of this liturgical event, learning a huge amount of music to be sung in quick succession. Each year, we hold a number of performances at St. Peter’s church in Petersfield and the lunchtime concerts give many of our soloists and small chamber ensembles a chance to perform in this lovely venue. One extra lunchtime concert also took place at Portsmouth Cathedral this year, which was an incredible experience for a number of our music scholars, including a special performance from Laurie Horwood on the Cathedral organ. The evening concerts in St. Peter’s are always popular, with this year being no

The Churcherian 2023

exception as the sell–out audience for the Remembrance Concert were treated to such pieces as the emotional ‘The Armed Man’ by the Senior Choir, and the orchestra performing Beethoven’s famous Symphony No5 and ‘Jupiter’ from ‘The Planets’. This year, the Senior choir also performed a setting of Oculi Omnium, written by an Old Churcherian, Benjamin Thiele, to mark the Tercentenary of Churcher’s College. Other evening concerts in St. Peter’s included the annual Carol Service, where, due to the size of the school, there were a total of four this year. The Spring Concert contained a wider variety of musical styles, from ‘The Heavens are Telling’, to ‘Joyful Joyful’ from Sister Act . The concert featured all of our main choirs, including the Junior Choir, Junior Chamber Choir, Barbershop, SSA Choir, Senior Chamber Choir, Senior Choir, and Orchestra. The Senior Strings also performed a movement from the Bach concerto for two violins, with Bea Lingham and Josie Scott Plummer as soloists. At school we have enjoyed a number of excellent evening concerts, ranging from the Senior and Junior Recitals, the Save the Children concert, the Rock School Showcase evening, Brass and Woodwind Concert, Strings and Piano Concert, and a new event this year where various ensembles, including the Barbershop, String Quartet, Brass Group, and Junior Wind Band entertained (and educated!?) pupils from Churcher’s College Junior School. There was also a Benefactors concert, which was a special evening as the music auditorium was named after a previous Headmaster, Donald Brooks, who was a great supporter of Performing Arts at Churcher’s College. Our annual Cabaret evening is always very popular amongst our students as it gives them a change to perform on a large stage in the Sports Hall, complete with an impressive array of lighting and tech. This year, it was the turn of the Lower School pupils who excelled themselves performing a wide range of styles, from various musical theatre songs to the ‘Artic Monkeys’. For our Grand Summer Concert, we ventured to a venue, the New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth. It turned out to be the perfect venue to showcase our talented musicians, with another full house in this glorious Victorian Theatre. The quality of performances was stunning from beginning to end, and the 185 performers certainly 58

The Churcherian 2023

enjoyed this wonderful location. Performances ranged from The Senior Wind Band’s dramatic start to the concert with ‘El Gato Montes’ (The Wild Cat), to our own singer/ songwriting talent Caitlin Stevens who sang her own song ‘Come Alive’, accompanied by Nicole Parker, Rocco Thomas, Lawrence Crane, and Lucas Pescud. The Junior Choir, Rock School, Senior Chamber Choir, Junior and Senior Orchestras, Senior Jazz Quartet, Jazz Band, SSA Choir, and

Barbershop (now totalling 22 boys!) all delivered wonderful performances to match the grandeur of the venue. We then said a final goodbye to 28 of our Upper Sixth musicians as they got together to perform ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ by Stevie Wonder, and led to our final choral items from the combined Junior and Senior Choirs. It was a truly spectacular evening to conclude an exceptional year of music! Helen Purchase

Orchestra and Jazz Band Tour Two years on from our original attempt to tour Lake Garda, the Music Department finally set off to create another magical tour. It was a week full of adrenalin-pumping theme park rides, relaxing boat trips, splendid music, and of course the staggering views of Lake Garda. Our hotel had excellent views of the lake, which on the first evening was lit up by a spectacular thunderstorm, and allowed us to rehearse our tour repertoire. This was thoroughly enjoyed by the other guests of the hotel, as well as by the horses in the field across the road. The first full day saw us travel to Gardaland - the largest theme park in Italy - where the adrenalin-seekers, (i.e. the teachers) were well catered for. Having calmed down from the

excitement of the theme park, we performed our first concert, in a picturesque lakeside location in Castelletto, to a huge audience who enjoyed the variety of the repertoire from both ensembles. The orchestra, led by Georgia Cole, covered all bases from classical highlights, such as Vaughan Williams’ ‘Seventeen Come Sunday’, to the film music of Pirates of the Caribbean. The second day saw us head to Malcesine for some lunch and a boat trip across the vast lake, admiring the sheer beauty of the location, before travelling to our second concert in Sirmione. This was an equally beautiful location, and not deterred by the mosquitos, both the Orchestra and Jazz Band put on quite the show for the audience. Another thrilling day followed, as we travelled en masse to the Caneva waterpark, where the thrill seekers enjoyed the intensity of the various

waterslides. The final concert followed that evening in the town square of Pastrengo and was a roaring success. Both ensembles were welcomed to the town by the Mayor and were very well received by the local crowd. The Jazz Band, led by Ollie Millington, performed a wide range of pieces, with singers Clara and Fin as well as some band classics, such as Hawaii Five-0 and The Blues Brothers Revue. However, that was not quite the end, as before our flight home we travelled to Venice. All were in awe of the staggering architecture, and we were fortunate enough to be able to take a Gondola ride through the canals, which will be a memory cherished by everyone for years to come. The tour was enjoyed unanimously and will have left those lucky enough to still be here in two years very excited for the next one. Josh Wild

The Churcherian 2023

Drama Our primary aim in Drama this year was to continue the upward trajectory of getting our talented students back on the stage post-covid, and we have certainly achieved this tenfold! We began the Autumn Term on a high as we took our production of Jim Cartwright’s ‘Two’ to London, with two of our A Level students making their West End debut. This was a highly successful event and a complete sell out as audiences travelled from wide and far to see the heart wrenching story of theatre’s most famous Landlord and Landlady. No sooner had we come down from the high of our West End glory, our audience was back at the end of the Autumn Term to support our Lower School students in their fantastic production of ‘Around the World in 80 Days’. Once again, our cast wowed the audience as they told the famous story with sheer creativity and excellent acting! It was fantastic to see some new additions to the Churcher’s stage too, with many of our new First Year cohort taking part. The Spring Term did not disappoint, either, with not one, but two productions from our senior students. First, we hit the ground running with some classical theatre as our students took to the stage with their very clever production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. This was a challenging, yet extremely rewarding experience for the cast, and highly entertaining for our audience. The term ended with a complete contrast as we staged our production of ‘Grease’. Students revelled in their portrayal of this much-loved musical, as they brought the famous characters to life. Their acting, singing, and dancing skills were second to none and they created special memories that will be treasured forever. Our Key Stage Three students were not short of opportunities in the Spring Term either, as we explored 60

The Churcherian 2023

cross-curricular links with the Junior School. We took our Drama Club to perform an original Theatre in Education play, followed by an educational workshop - a treat that our younger students thoroughly enjoyed! We also saw the breadth of First Year talent as our annual ‘Panto Week’ returned, with every single student in the year group performing in front of a live audience, many for the first time! The Summer Term concluded with a showcase of work from our extracurricular clubs as an abundance of students across all year groups took to the stage to produce a cabaret style evening of Drama and Dance pieces. Academic Drama has also flourished this year, as our GCSE and A Level students have been busy getting involved with enrichment activities, including live theatre trips and workshops from renowned Drama practitioners, such as ‘Quirky Bird Theatre’ and ‘Epic Theatre’ expert ‘KatMary Productions’. This inspired our A Level devised piece on the theme of gender equality. Our GCSE students also produced very sophisticated devised pieces on some extremely challenging, yet important, topics such as climate change and class distinctions. This academic year also saw the highest number of students ever taking LAMDA exams, all 174 of them! Furthermore, they all passed with either merit or distinction. In fact, 80% achieved Distinction, with 18 pupils receiving an exceptional result of 90 or above. 19 pupils passed their Gold Medal, Grade 8. Once again, the Drama department are beaming with pride at our very talented students’ achievements, both in and out of the classroom. A huge well done to everyone involved! Stacey Carty

The Churcherian 2023

Dance Students in the Fourth and Fifth Years have been studying dance in PE this year, and have been working on choreography skills. The Fifth Year have also been learning a range of styles from musical theatre to ballet, adding to them, and bringing their own ideas to the routines. Our Junior Dance Squad have performed at the Lower School Cabaret again this year, performing a musical theatre dance and a Classical Greek dance. This allowed them to incorporate singing into their dance and to use props to add to the aesthetics of the 62

The Churcherian 2023

dance. Our budding tap dancers have been rehearsing the ‘Shim Shim’ at their lunchtime club. Some started as beginners and can now tap their way through a whole dance. A new intermediate group started in the Summer Term as an opportunity to improve their dance skills, rather than always focusing on new choreography. This has boosted the confidence of many of the students and helped them feel more confident with dancing. The Senior Dance group have also performed in the Dance and Drama showcase with two musical theatre

numbers from Waitress and Moulin Rouge. Rosie Bruce performed a tap solo for her PE coursework, and Amy Lloyd performed and choreographed a contemporary duet for her EPQ. We thoroughly enjoyed our inaugural Dance outing when we went to watch Swan Lake, performed by the English Youth Ballet at the King’s Theatre, Portsmouth, bringing all the dancers in the school together to watch and appreciate the art of ballet. Paige Elson

Academy The Academy provides students in the Second to Fifth Years with a chance to discover broad academic content beyond the curriculum. It exposes our pupils to ideas and research that makes them pause and reflect about the world, and challenges them to develop their own thinking to better themselves and those around them. Second and Third Year Junior Academics have excelled in their excitement for learning, creativity, and growth in a way that is simply unmatched. Junior Academics have benefitted from sessions in fashion, marketing, journalism, the Navy, bioethics, magic, criminals, and crafts, just to list a few! These weekly workshops show off the hidden expertise of the vast and diverse skill set among Churcher’s staff, embodying the spirit that the Academy is for everyone and anyone

who has a love for learning, and who will rise to a challenge. In Spring, the Third Year Academics visited Oxford, but unlike in previous years, they planned it themselves. As part of their weekly sessions, they proposed, presented, and parleyed with regards to which 2 landmarks would make the cut. A consensus was reached, and all enjoyed the tour of the Oxford Castle prison and the variety of various flora (and fauna!) at the botanical gardens. The rain and cloud were no match for the beaming smiles and pride that the Academics wore knowing that they were responsible for this trip, down to the very finest of details. To wrap up a year of broadening their horizons, 23 Second Year Academics went to the V&A and

Science Museums in London. This was not only another opportunity for them to discover yet more fascinating facts, but a chance for them to find that special something to spark their interest and reinforce that unique urge to continue learning more. The Third Year Academics really came into their own in their Grand Finale, where they presented a piece of original research at the Junior Academy Poster Symposium. This year’s posters ranged from historic castles to personality types, and showcased passion, dedication, and good oldfashioned hard work in bucket loads, impressing parents, staff, and students in an evening of accomplishment, admiration, and adulation. Johnny Chen

The Churcherian 2023

Sports Science Indicating the popularity of Sports Science at Churcher’s, we have seen our largest cohort of Lower Sixth students this year. They made the most of their Summer Term trip over the bridge to Cardiff Metropolitan University, known for its sporting excellence. The students spent the day in the state-of-the-art laboratories, having the opportunity to use up-to-date technology, which brought their Biomechanics and Physiology studies to life. In the Biomechanics lab, the students had the opportunity to use motion analysis technology - VICON and force plates - learning how the technology can be used for screening, rehab, and performance. The Physiology lab saw the completion of some maximal tests. Jasper, Lotta, and Tommy stepped up for the infamous V02 max test, with most of the class participating in the Wingate test on a bike ergometer; this is a very intense anaerobic test which certainly took its toll on the students afterwards! Our younger Sports Scientists have been busier than ever this year! The Fourth Years have enjoyed learning about the musculo-skeletal system, getting stuck into some practical ways of identifying and 64

The Churcherian 2023

remembering names of bones and muscles. In preparation for their exams, our largest Fifth Year to date were fortunate to benefit from leading PE specialist, Ross Howitt, who ran a revision conference, taking them through a whistle-stop tour of the specification, focusing in on exam technique, and helping them with some additional revision tips! Our annual Eaton Games never fails to entertain! Two separate

evenings of mixed hockey tournaments saw some fast-paced and well-contested hockey, with some rather comical penalty shuffles, all in fancy dress of course! The fancy dress continued when the mixed netball tournaments arrived in the Spring Term, with the boys enjoying the challenge of putting their skills to the test! Kelly Higgins

EPQ

We have had another fantastic year with the EPQ programme, with an impressive 38 Upper Sixth students completing their projects. They included some innovative and creative artefacts, such as a replica of Kendall Jenner’s 2019 Cannes Gala Dress by Giambattista Valli and H&M, made by Abigail Svarovska, and a block of flats designed by Frankie Powell using CAD software that combats the problem of limited space, whilst remaining sustainable. Some of our students use the EPQ to facilitate their university applications, for example, Lewis Jordan wrote his 5000-word dissertation on ‘Is nabilone superior to ondansetron in providing an antiemetic effect during chemotherapy?’, and is now off to Oxford to study Medicine. Others choose titles from personal interest, such as Amy Dickens, who chose the title ‘Could preventing the selection of the deaf gene in Pre-Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) be considered genetic discrimination?’. The flexibility of the EPQ titles is its beauty; students can choose any topic they wish.

Our annual EPQ forum in the Autumn Term was a huge success with many staff, students, and parents attending to admire the students’ showcase of their hard work and dedication. Completing the EPQ qualification is no easy task; it requires considerable resilience, dedication, and hard work. Projects undertaken by this year’s Lower Sixth continue to challenge and fascinate: Issie Rendall is creating a series of musical compositions to portray different aspects of anxiety using a variety of instruments and musical techniques, and Benjamin Crundwell is creating his own postevent programme on the Festival of Speed. I am looking forward to working with the 70 prospective new EPQ students on all their new projects next year. Amanda Bridger

The Churcherian 2023

STEAM This has been a year in which STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Maths) extracurricular activities have continued to flourish at Churcher’s, helping students to look beyond their academic studies and discover the real-world applications of the skills learned in class. The ever-growing list of clubs and events reveals both the breadth of activities on offer and a number of opportunities for pupils to mix with like-minded individuals from other year groups, whether preparing the technology of the future with the Greenpower racing team, or competing with other schools in the UK Space Design Competition, to mention just two. A group of 30 highly motivated Fifth Years completed a five-week science project of their own choosing as part of the Schrödinger Programme, which helps students to develop independent scientific research skills, and to take their first steps towards successfully applying to a top university for a Science or Engineering degree. Popular topics included the physics of music (specifically, guitars and trumpets), and the analysis of motion, whether related to footballs, tsunamis, rockets, or Formula 1 racing cars. Other groups studied crater formation or looked into the fundamental physics of complex oscillations of plates and pendulums. This proved to be a lot of fun and the students impressed with both the quality of their experiments and their ability to present their findings to an audience of parents and teachers. STEAM project work was also carried out by lower years in STEAMship and 66

The Churcherian 2023

by dedicated Lower Sixth teams investigating phenomena such as hysteresis in ferromagnetic materials.

regional heat that they made it to the national final. The Third Year STEAM Day returned in the Summer Term, with the whole year group taking a day away from the normal timetable to complete a series of activities and challenges set by the Science, Design & Technology, Maths, and Art Departments. The theme, Bridge Design, provided ample opportunity to explore the technical, aesthetic, and practical aspects of this discipline, whether working in pairs or larger teams.

Churcher’s is building quite a reputation for success in STEAM competitions. For example, our top Second Year team (Megan Arnold, Jess Brandt, and Amber Large) won the inspiration award and £1000 in the PA Consulting Raspberry Pi. And, in our first year taking part in the UK Space Design Competition, our team made it through to the national final, with Upper Sixth students Ed Jackson and Daisy Taylor achieving notable individual successes (described more fully on the Physics page). In the SATRO Problem Solving Challenge, in which schools compete directly against each other to complete a complex Engineering task, Second Year, Fourth Year, and Sixth Form teams all performed so well in the

It is a delight to see so many of our students carrying their enthusiasm for these disciplines into their future studies. This year, and for the third year in a row, over 50% of our leavers chose to study a STEAM subject. Dr Richard Whittle

CLUBS & EVENTS LOWER SCHOOL CAD CLUB

GOPHERS SCIENCE CLUB 1ST YEAR

1ST - 3RD YEAR

STEAMSHIP (SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CLUB)

5TH YEAR

3RD YEAR STEAM DAY

LOWER SIXTH

DIGITAL ART CLUB 1ST - 3RD YEAR

LOWER SIXTH

5TH YEAR & LOWER SIXTH

HOUSE STEAM CHALLENGE

UK SPACE DESIGN COMPETITION

INDUSTRY VISITS (E.G. 22CANS)

HOUSE MATHS CHALLENGE

5TH YEAR & SIXTH FORM

1ST YEAR

4TH YEAR - SIXTH FORM

BEAMLINE COMPETITION

LOWER SIXTH

PLANETARIUM VISIT

NEW YORK TECHNOLOGY TRIP

1ST YEAR

SIXTH FORM PROJECTS

2ND YEAR, 4TH YEAR & LOWER SIXTH

4TH YEAR - SIXTH FORM

STEAM CAREERS TALKS

ENGINEERS OF THE FUTURE LOWER SIXTH

BIOSOC, CHEMSOC, FIZZSOC

HAWKEYE RAPTORS DISPLAY

2ND YEAR

1ST YEAR

SIXTH FORM SOCITIES

BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, INFORMATICS

ROYAL NAVY HMS SULTAN STEM DAY

CHEMISTRY OF COSMETICS

SIXTH FORM

OLYMPIAD COMPETITIONS

3RD YEAR - SIXTH FORM

SLAPTON BIOLOGY RESIDENTIAL FIELD TRIP

VIRTUAL STARGAZING NATIONAL CIPHER CHALLENGE

4TH & 5TH YEAR

SATRO CHALLENGE - ENGINEERING

PRODUCT DESIGN IN ACTION

SIXTH FORM

BEBRAS CHALLENGE

1ST - 3RD YEAR

LOCKHEED MARTIN LECTURE

SIXTH FORM

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF COMPUTING TRIP

SIXTH FORM

PA CONSULTING RASPBERRY PI COMPETITION

BAT DISCOVERY WALK

ARCHITECTURE SOCIETY

1ST YEAR

LOCKHEED MARTIN CODEQUEST & CYBERQUEST

DARK ROOM PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

CERN TRIP

UPPPER SIXTH

EXPLORER DOME SCIENCE DAY

PI DAY

4TH YEAR & LOWER SIXTH

SPEED OF LIGHT PROJECT

2ND - 4TH YEAR

SCHRÖDINGER PROGRAMME

U3A (UNIVERSITY OF THIRD AGE EVENINGS)

CODING CLUB

CODE BREAKING CLUB 1ST YEAR

1ST YEAR

PIZZA UNDER THE STARS SIXTH FORM

GREEN POWER

GCHQ CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE

Sport

Athletics The 2022/23 athletics and crosscountry season will live long in the memory as one of the most successful years on record. Success is often measured in titles; this year there were many, but the number of students taking part is higher now than it has ever been and the enthusiasm and appetite for the sport is growing substantially. Due to the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, the traditional start to the cross-country calendar – The Butser Hill Challenge – was cancelled; therefore the season opener was the exceptionally competitive English Schools’ Athletics Association cross country first round. Our junior boys’, junior girls’, and senior boys’ teams rose to the occasion superbly to qualify and book their trip to the regional finals in Kent. It was an outstanding effort by all. The school continued its wonderful record in the county, and at the South East Hampshire Cross Country Championships, 38 Churcherians qualified to represent their area. For

many years, Churcher’s has had the highest number of competitors of any school In the South East, which is testament to both our students’ talents and dedication. Evidence of this can be found in Mr and Mrs Daniel’s morning run club; to see upwards of 40 students braving all conditions at 7am every Wednesday is a sight to behold! The season finished in style at the Highfield Championships; where the U13 girls’ team finished second, and the U13 boys’, U12 girls’, and U12 boys’ teams all stood proudly on the top of the podium. The athletics season is always a short, sharp affair, but our athletes were not to be overshadowed by our cross-country runners. At the South East Hampshire Track and Field Championships, 16 senior schools were in attendance and only two athletes per event could progress in each event. However, of the numerous students that attended, 20 Churcherians performed to an exacting standard to earn the right to represent the region at the Hampshire Championships, and two progressed further from there to represent the

county at the inter-counties event in Kent. Sports days are always keenly contested events with each house looking for bragging rights for the year, and as such there are always some wonderful performances. This year, new school records were set in eight individual events and two relays, the longest of which had stood for 48 years! Even with all of these successes, the best was saved until last - in the Hampshire Schools’ Track Knock Out competition. Outstanding team performances led to all four of our teams making it to the County Finals day. With eight schools in each final, the intermediate boys’ competed well to come 5th, the junior boys’ and junior girls’ each gave it their all and both finished as runners up, and the intermediate girls’ team put in a commanding performance to top the podium and proudly call themselves the best track team in the county and bring home the silverware. Kevin Maguire

The Churcherian 2023

Cricket It has been a stunning year for cricket at Churcher’s College, and with beautiful weather for the majority of the Summer we have seen some wonderful cricket on offer from both the boys’ and the girls’ cricket teams. The highlight has undoubtedly been the introduction of the girls’ 1st XI and this now completes the player pathway for the girls from junior through to senior cricket. There is an outstanding attitude and great sportsmanship that we at Churcher’s promote amongst our children, and of course credit goes to the children who give so much of their time to school sport and play with so much pride and passion whilst still adhering to the ethics and values of the game. Fifth Year student Jorja Wright made history this year in becoming the first girl (in the history of Churcher’s College) to play cricket for the senior boys’ 1st XI, this is a great achievement given how competitive the year group was and it goes to show how exceptional she is as a player. Rob Maier Boys 1st XI The 1st XI team has been very solid this year with 6 wins out of 11. When we have our full 1st XI out, we are very competitive, none more so than when we bowled out King Edward, Southampton, for 56 and knocked them off for the loss of 1 wicket! Another highlight would be the 2-run loss to Reigate Grammar school chasing down 185, and we fell desperately short in the closest of hard-fought games. Credit has to go to Captain of the day, Ollie Bowen, who took 3/20 off his eight overs and then followed this up with 65 runs. U15 It has been an excellent season, with some outstanding individual performances contributing to a great team ethic. Unfortunately, their run in the County Cup would come to an end against a very tough Winchester College side, but throughout the weekend fixtures, the team competed hard and looked to play a positive, exciting, and attacking brand of cricket. Rather than spreading the fielders, they looked to attack at every opportunity, and the “bazball” approach that the national side are adopting at times, appeared successfully here at school. With the ball, Johnny Dean finished the season 68

The Churcherian 2023

as the leading wicket taker with 16, and Olly Whittle, Jack Roberts, and Elliot Lewis all joined an exclusive club, scoring half centuries for the school with the bat. U14 It has been a mixed year for the U14As. The season started with an excellent performance and win over Kingston Grammar and a very accomplished all-round performance. Following this game, the boys produced some very strong bowling and batting innings, however, there followed some some unfortunate losses. The highlight of the season certainly has to be the fixture against King Edward VI School, at home. As per last year, the fixture was exceptionally close. KES batted first, posting 71 on a slow batting day and due to some outstanding bowling. Highlights included Spencer Hawes picking up 3 wickets and Jack Bedloe picking up 2 wickets. The boys then pushed the game right to the finish and it was Spencer Hawes again, who manged to hit the winning runs on the last ball of the game. Churcher’s finished 72-9, plus the win. U13 It was a term of development for the U13s. We had nearly 60 pupils playing

Saturday cricket over the course of the term, which shows an immense passion for the sport throughout the age group. The A and B teams battled admirably through tough fixture cards against well-established cricketing schools, and came away with some memorable performances. The U13A narrowly lost to Ryde’s U14A team, and were pipped by one run in a nail-biting T20 fixture against PGS, which was hit in the final over. Not to be outdone, the U13B side pulled off some exceptional performances, including a seven-wicket victory against Lord Wandsworth College and a 54-run win against Kingston Grammar School. The U13Cs had two tightly contested inter-school fixtures, including a brilliant outing against Ryde’s B team, winning by 28 runs. U12 The U12 team had a fantastic first season! The Bs and Cs have been undefeated and the As have a 66% win rate. Participation across the season has been superb, with 65 boys regularly coming out to train each week. Their enthusiasm for cricket has clearly helped with our results as the boys have been determined to do well.

Girls Senior / U15 Girls The first girls’ 1st XI cricket season has come to a close, and what a remarkable season it has been! The team played five games throughout the season, with two convincing wins against King Edwards and Southampton and Ryde School, and two narrow losses against Kingston Grammar School and Reigate Grammar School. The girls also had the amazing opportunity to showcase their cricket with an internal T20 game on Open Day. Under the captaincy of Katie Baird, the entire squad displayed great camaraderie and unity, supporting each other both on and off the field. Behind the bat, as a team we scored a brilliant 437 runs this season. A special mention goes to Lexie Oliver, our top run scorer of the year, her highlight being 51 runs against KES. Our top wicket taker is Tilly Dicombe-Wells with 5 wickets. The squad’s dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship were evident in every match they played. U15 The U15s have shown excellent commitment this season. The team faced some formidable opponents and encountered challenges along the way, but continued to exhibit determination and excellent sportsmanship. While the results may not reflect the desired outcome, the season provided valuable learning experiences and opportunities for growth. A special mention goes to

our top run scorer, Zhara Ireland. When fielding, we showed intensity and determination. Well done to our top wicket takers, Zhara Ireland and Iona Richardson were joint, taking 5 wickets each. U14 The U14s have had a great cricket season this year. More than 35 girls have represented either the A or B Team, with an 82% win rate across the two teams. For many, this has been the first full season playing hardball T20 cricket, something that the girls have adapted to brilliantly. There have been a range of convincing wins and some down-to-the-wire matches against some competitive schools. For the As, the performance of the term was against LWC winning by 60 runs, and for the Bs it was against Reigate, where they played a competitive 6-aside hard ball game and won by 27 runs. U12 Our U12s have had a fabulous season. With more than 40 students at training sessions each week, it is clear that these girls have the energy and enthusiasm to improve. We have had a real focus on bowling technique (accuracy and consistency), and consequently, it was rewarding to see a huge reduction in the number of extras gifted to the opposition towards the latter end of the season. The As had a fantastic season, winning 5 of their 7 matches, with particularly exciting victories against KES, Southampton and St John’s School. Our B Team have also experienced

success, winning 4 of their 7 matches, beating Lord Wandsworth, PGS, and Kingston Grammar along the way. Our C Team had an excellent match, narrowly losing to KES, Southampton and have also been showing considerable improvement in their weekend CDL fixtures.

Hockey Boys I measure the success of hockey at Churcher’s College in three main ways: participation, development, and performance. The Boys’ Hockey programme has excelled in all three of these criteria, bolstering our already impressive reputation as being one of the most competitive schools in Hampshire. Our participation numbers continue to climb, which allowed us to field an U12E team for the first time, and we plan to introduce an U18C team to keep up with the expected demand in Sixth Form. On the development front, we had a large contingent at County level, with more than 40 players selected for the various stages of Hampshire and Surrey’s pathways, and 14 nominated for Talent Academy trials. Regarding performance, we have seen the best set of results ever across the age groups, including our usual strong showing at County competition as well as teams representing the school in Regional and National finals.

The Churcherian 2023

U18 The U18 team is the pinnacle of a pupil’s hockey playing career at Churcher’s College and both the 1st and 2nd XIs epitomised the fluid, attacking hockey that we aspire to play. Between the two squads, we scored an imposing 70 goals, averaging just over three per match, and this, combined with the fact that over 40 pupils represented the two sides, shows enviable strength and depth. The 1st XI had impressive runs in both the Hampshire Cup, finishing second, and the England Hockey Tier 2 National Cup, where they made it to the third round. The 2nd XI, not to be outdone, was unbeaten in all but one of their fixtures, including a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Caterham School. U16 U16 hockey is a year of transition. The days of one or two players dominating are gone, and preparations begin in earnest for senior hockey next year. More complex strategies are introduced and movement of players between roles becomes more pronounced. The U16A boys had a very impressive season, which included a remarkable run that saw them progress all the way through the County and Regional rounds to the Tier 3 National Finals Day in Nottingham. The team finished fifth overall, winning two matches out of four, which was a fantastic return. Special mentions go to Ben Hegan, Archie Rushin, and Richie Turpin, who made up the leadership group that spearheaded the U16A side, 70

The Churcherian 2023

and were a huge part of the squad’s success. In a total of 29 fixtures across both teams, 76 goals were scored, a sign of the attacking intent that is becoming a trademark of Churcher’s hockey. U15 The U15s had some excellent fixtures this season, including memorable wins for the A Team against King’s College School, Wimbledon, and for the B Team against Lord Wandsworth College. The A team also won the U16 Hampshire Trophy tournament, which was particularly impressive as they were playing against sides from the year above. Both teams partook in competitive Friday Night Light fixtures against Charterhouse; the pupils really enjoyed the experience and appreciated the lie-in on the

Saturday! More than 45 players represented the school across the two teams, showcasing our impressive depth. We also had strong representation throughout the County pathways and at local clubs, which ensures a bright future for this group of players as they progress through the school. U14 The U14s made excellent progress with their hockey over this season and should be very proud of their effort and commitment. Each week at training we had more than 45 boys, most of whom represented the school during Saturday fixtures. There was an individual focus on skills development, which was a key component to the success of the teams. Nearly all players had a desire to improve, and this, in

turn, led to overall team development. This improvement enabled the U14As to reach the South-Central Tier 2 Regional Finals, where they produced some very strong results, beating Dr Challoner’s Grammar School and RGS High Wycombe, whilst just narrowly losing on penalties in the final. Similarly, the B and C teams enjoyed some immensely competitive fixtures, including a brilliant 1-0 victory against Portsmouth Grammar School and a 3-2 win over King Edward VI School. U13 The pupils exhibited excellent character to overcome a difficult start to the season. They stayed strong and reacted wonderfully to the feedback they received and so finished as a cohesive unit. By the end of the season their tactical awareness, ball speed, and movement off the ball looked very impressive, and there are the makings of a great 11-a-side team next season. The U13A performed admirably in the Hampshire Cup, reaching the final and narrowly losing to King Edward VI School. This is even more impressive considering that the A team frequently rotated a total of 19 players through the season across just seven outfield positions. Many of the pupils were also selected for Hampshire trials and so the future for this cohort is certainly an exciting one! The U13B, C, and D

teams enjoyed much success across the season with a large percentage of the year representing the school in competitive fixtures. U12 The U12s were one of the most energetic groups we have coached in a long time, and it was impressive to watch when they put it into action on the hockey pitch. They played an exciting brand of attacking hockey, scoring 82 goals across five weekends, leading to an 80% win-rate across all four teams. The A team squad also took part in the England Hockey In2Hockey competition, and impressively qualified through the County round to the Regional competition. They won their group stage and faced a strong Magdalen College School side in the final, agonizingly losing on penalty strokes. Unfortunately, the season was disrupted due to frozen pitches, but despite this, 80 boys represented the school in Saturday matches catering to a great mix of pupils with varying competitive hockey experience. Toby Blong Girls The Girls’ Hockey programme continues its upward trajectory. We have always had excellent participation, challenging even the

local boarding schools in terms of the number of teams playing on a Saturday, and our continued hard work now means we see more competitive success as well. This season recorded our strongest set of results in ten years, including our usual success in County and Regional competitions. This was achieved whilst also being able to field 16 playing squads on any given Saturday, with hundreds of pupils representing the College. Our player development is going from strength to strength, with 40 pupils involved in Hampshire and Surrey’s pathways and 13 nominated for Talent Academy trials. U18 For many of the players in the 1st and 2nd XI squads, this season has been the culmination of seven years of dedication to Churcher’s hockey. Undeniably, the U18s have a competitive fixture card as we play some of the top hockey schools in Hampshire, Surrey, and Sussex. Having said this, the 1st XI had a strong finish to the year with a fourmatch unbeaten streak, culminating in a 2-1 victory against a resolute Old Churcherians’ side. The 2nd XI similarly had an excellent season and they won or drew over half their matches, showing an impressive strength and depth across the Sixth Form.

The Churcherian 2023

U13 The U13s had a great season overall. The attitude of the players was exceptional throughout and they all showed great respect for their opponents, regardless of the result. They used the width well and, by the end of the season, transferred the ball at pace and chose the best time to advance forward. The players pressed as a team and hunted relentlessly to win the ball back. At times, the teams played the most eye-catching hockey and were ruthless in front of the goal. This attacking joie de vivre was the foundation for the A team winning half of their matches and finishing in a very respectable third place in the Hampshire Cup tournament. We once again had a strong showing in the County pathways combined with the fact that well over 40 girls represented the school each weekend across the four teams.

U16 The U16s had a great season this year. More than 35 girls represented the school. Both the A and B Teams had some excellent results, with the A Team winning all but one of their matches and finishing third in the Hampshire Cup in the process. The B Team won or drew half of their matches, playing each fixture with great enthusiasm and embodying the definition of friendly competition. Across both teams, there was excellent team spirit, which created some memorable fixtures against Portsmouth Grammar School and Wellington College. U15 The U15s were a fantastic group this season. Their resilience was epitomised in the perseverance and fighting spirit shown during the defeat to a very talented Wellington College side. The players fought right through to the final whistle. Our participation numbers reflect the enthusiasm of the group, in that 36 pupils represented the school in fixtures over the course of the term. A special mention must go to Zhara Ireland who was GK to the U15 A & Bs and regularly played two games each weekend, her dedication and commitment was much appreciated by all. In terms of results, U15A had a brilliant season with only two losses out of nine games, which included a very respectable third-

The Churcherian 2023

place finish in the U16 Hampshire Trophy competition. The U15Bs were competitive throughout and clearly loved representing the school. U14 This was a season of growth and development, as it was the first time that many of the pupils had played 11-a-side. The season was built on energy, enthusiasm, and team spirit. We kept up the strong Churcher’s tradition of high levels of participation, with 40 players rotating through the A and B teams. The U14As had a fantastic season in terms of results with memorable victories over Tormead and Charterhouse, and came away with the bragging rights in the ever-competitive local derby against Portsmouth Grammar School. The A team also won the Hampshire Cup to qualify for the South Central Tier 1 Regional Finals, where they finished fifth and lay claim to being one of the strongest teams in the region. Not to be overshadowed, the B team produced some thumping performances against Worth, Gordon’s, and Christ Hospital, scoring a whopping 19 goals and only conceding two. Having said this, the most notable victory for U14B was against King Edward VI School, where we scored in the opening minutes of both the first and second halves!

U12 The U12 girls had an impressive season. It was fantastic to see how all the girls gave 100% to their hockey during both matches and training and, as a result, quickly picked up the basics of the game and developed a high tempo playing style that was brilliant to watch. Throughout the season the squads rotated considerably, with 98% of the year group regularly representing the school in competitive matches. The confidence of the players clearly increased as the season progressed, allowing the players to try new things and adapt to any position, creating the dream of ‘total hockey’ within the squads. A special mention must go to the goalkeepers who excelled, even though for many it was their first time playing a full season in the pads. Toby Blong

Netball As I reflect on all that was the 2022/23 netball season, I am filled with a sense of pride. From moments of individual brilliance, to some exciting team triumphs, it has been a season driven by commitment and enthusiasm as well as teamwork, respect, and sportsmanship. It has been filled with experiences and memories that we can all carry with us, and, although there may have been some losses and perhaps a few injuries along the way, they do not outshine all that we have gained. The pre-season turnout was fantastic, with 170 pupils across all age groups taking to the court with energy,

excitement, and plenty of smiles. A record number of pupils across a record number of 26 teams have featured in our Saturday fixtures: 182 matches played, with 93 wins, 7 draws, and 82 losses – a statistic that confirms our squads are not only being challenged, but are pretty much experiencing victory and defeat in equal measure. Our U12s saw huge numbers attending training, committed to developing their knowledge and skills. Mixed results across the 5 teams included superb wins against Embley and Lord Wandsworth. The U13s had a similar season, with plenty of closely contested matches, with perhaps a highlight being the victories against PGS. The U14s once again showcased the strength and depth they have across the year group, impressing with wins over Bradfield College and Christ’s Hospital. It proved to be a tricky season for the U15s, who frequently came up against tough opposition, however, determination in games and training sessions came to fruition with a couple of well fought, onegoal victories against PGS and Lord Wandsworth. It was fantastic to see that we were able to field three U16 teams for some fixtures, completing the season with 15 wins and 9 losses

overall. The Seniors put in some great performances, starting slowly but building connections and unity as the season progressed. At 1st team level, wins against PGS, Tormead, and Worthing College were highlights, the 2nd squad had successes against KES, Southampton, and Seaford College, but it was the 3rd VII who had the most impressive track record, clocking a 100% win tally!

Our Senior Sports Tour to South Africa was a great success, with 10 jam-packed days of sport and culture. We played eight netball fixtures in total, and even had the privilege of playing against some U17 and U18 South African National players – some serious talent on show! Our tour dress design stole the show, with our opposition asking on numerous occasions if they could have one!

The teams of the week, and weekly awards board, allowed us to congratulate and recognise performances, often seeing girls heading straight to the fixtures board Monday morning in search of their name. Our OCs netball clash provided plenty of excitement, welcoming lots of talented netballers back to our courts. I am delighted to report that our 1st team took the victory on this occasion!

The biggest highlight of the season has to be the U14s being crowned National Champions in the Sisters In Sport Shield Competition, with a dominant performance at Finals weekend in Worcester. It wasn’t only their sporting performance that made me so proud, it was how they really embodied the Team Churcher’s spirit, with their teamwork, their commitment, and their respect for the opposition, and of course, how resilient they were in managing their nerves before the match. As was said to them at the end of the prematch team talk, “you are fantastic individual athletes, but an even better team; play like the Churcher’s Champions you are!” – and this, they certainly did!

Our annual U12/U13 PGL Netball Weekend brought further success for Churcher’s: 6 teams, 40 matches, 28 wins, 3 semi-finals, 1 final, 24 medals, 16 bronze, 8 gold, 12 individual awards, and an opportunity to meet Chelsea Pitman from the England Roses. But most importantly, 48 pupils had a fantastic weekend and were a pleasure to take away.

Kelly Higgins

The Churcherian 2023

Rugby Once again, our pupils have been representing Churcher’s Rugby to a very impressive standard and continue to go from strength to strength. Across all age groups, there continues to be a fantastic participation rate, with all pupils wishing to represent the school having the opportunity to do so. This is highlighted by the U12s having A-D teams, and the U13s, A-C. Pupils continue to be encouraged to try new things, bring pace, energy, and adventure into their play, whilst also working on their teamship qualities. The pupils’ ambition to play with high pace and adventure can always be calculated by the overall points difference at the end of the year. Our teams have scored 3,380 points (800 more than last season) and conceded 2,169, giving Churcher’s rugby a +1,211 points difference - an extremely pleasing statistic! With 64.6% wins coming from 127 fixtures played, including 82 wins, 1 draw, and 44 losses, it was once again an extremely successful season. Additions to the fixture card of Reigate Grammar School, St George’s Weybridge, RGS Guildford, and Marlborough College are also a plus for the future.

The Churcherian 2023

U12s Our First Year had a very successful first season and should be very happy with the progress they made over the term. All teams (A-D) produced some strong performances and the variety of rugby they played was extremely positive. The ability to keep the ball alive and passing out of contact allowed for some excellent tries scored. With a record of 26 games played, including 1 draw, 2 losses, and 23 wins (B Team unbeaten), the year group should be very proud of their efforts. U13 It was a season of two halves for the U13s and the squad worked extremely hard through the term to improve. After a slow start with losses against Gordons School, Portsmouth Grammar, and Reading Blue Coats School, the squad produced some excellent rugby and finished the season on a high beating St George’s Weybridge, KES Southampton, and RGS Guildford. The determination of all involved to improve and to play in the Churcher’s style enabled the

year group to finish with a total of 25 matches played, including 11 lost and 14 won. U14 Third Year rugby is always a tricky time, as players begin to grow and develop at different rates, as well as beginning to stretch to a wider skill set. The U14s had a season that was bookended by some very successful victories, scoring some very accomplished tries. The year group ended up winning 50% of their fixtures and should be proud of the effort shown throughout the term. Strong development was made in the basic skills set, game understanding, and game management, and this will set them in good stead as they move into more senior rugby in the next few years. U15 The U15s had a strong start to their season with wins over Gordons School, Portsmouth Grammar School, and Reigate Grammar. However, some tough fixtures against the likes of

Marlborough College, Wimbledon College, and Reading Blue Coat School caused a bit of a stall in the middle of the term. A turning point came against Brighton College (one of the best rugby schools in the country) in the Schools Cup. Although losing 7-15 in an extremely tight game away, they produced an outstanding performance. From then on, the teams recorded strong wins against Christ Hospital, Halliford, and Ryde School. The year group finished having played 19 matches, losing 10 and winning 9. It was also pleasing that the U15 7s squad finished the rugby season by not losing a game and becoming Hampshire Champions. A great way to finish a tough season.

Grammar (33-0), KES Southampton (64-10), and Halliford School (31-12), playing a high-paced game whilst always looking to keep the ball alive. Individual and team skill sets improved greatly over the year. Overall, the squad will be kicking themselves with the ‘ones that got away’ as this would have drastically changed the season’s results. Close losses vs Gordons School (20-21), Reigate Grammar (2125), and Wimbledon College (5-8), showed how close some of the fixtures were throughout the year. There was certainly no lack of ambition or desire from all involved in this year’s senior rugby and all should be commended.

U16 Once again, this year group had an extremely strong season producing some excellent performances. Overall, the year group played 17 and won 15 with the A Team not losing a game all season. The team also managed 418 points for, and 93 points against, scoring some brilliant tries. Strong wins against Marlborough College, Reading Blue Coats, and Portsmouth Grammar School were notable. However, the game of the year came against Lord Wandsworth in the Hampshire Cup Final. In what was a fantastically close fought contest with some outstanding rugby, Churcher’s College came out winners 26-24, making the Hampshire Champions. The Squad also continued their strong performances into the Spring Term, winning the U16 7s Hampshire Trophy, and giving a very strong performance at the Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens. Well done to all involved!

Swimming & Water Polo

Senior The Senior teams had a mixed year and produced some very strong performances against Portsmouth

Ben Skirving

It has been another fantastic year in the pool for our swimmers and water polo players. With large numbers attending training sessions throughout the year, there has been a real buzz poolside! Our successful development and competitive galas have offered students the opportunity to race in a competitive environment, perfecting those allimportant race skills as well as forming friendships across a range of different age groups. Six excited teams competed at the Hampshire relays, winning a total of eight gold, ten silver, and eight bronze medals. The Junior Boys won both of their relays putting them in the top 30 in the country, and progressed through to the National Finals; a Churcher’s first with this age group. The team (Reuben Quemby, Rocco Whitehouse, William Oliver, Wilf Hogg, and Misha Kolesnykov) went on to perform two outstanding races at the National Finals, finishing 10th and 13th in the country. An incredible achievement! Another highlight of the year was the Bath Cup in The London Aquatic Centre, where the boys team

put in two superb performances, breaking personal best times and gaining invaluable race experience. The girls team made it through to the final of the 4x50m freestyle relay, finishing 9th. They also swam brilliantly in the medley relay, narrowly missing out on a place in the final. A fantastic effort from our elite swimmers! Throughout the year, the House galas have showcased the talent across the school, with College records broken by Felix Brockdorff in the 100IM and 50m freestyle, Lila Jackson in the 50m freestyle, and Misha Kolesnykov in the 50m freestyle. It’s not just in the pool that we have tasted success, but the open water as well. A group of students, staff, parents, and OCs took on the Henley classic - a 2.1km upstream swim. Not only did the students win the schools trophy for the fifth time, but Felix Brockdorff took 1st place, with Charlie Steveson coming in third. Water polo at Churcher’s has seen an encouraging increase in numbers. As well as the U18 Boys’ Team, there has been the expansion of the U13 and

The Churcherian 2023

a new fixture this year the Oratory school. Both boys and girls dominated the court at most of their fixtures, and there is some great talent within this year group!

U15 Mixed Teams and a newly formed U15 Girls’ team. The U15 Girls’ and U13 Mixed teams competed in their first competitions together, learning the game and gaining invaluable match experience. Our U15 Mixed team made it through to the second round of the National Competition, narrowly getting beaten in their third game and missing out on a chance to progress through to the next round. The U18 team stole the limelight this year, making it through to the National Bowl Finals. The first round saw the team taking on a physical Millfield team, narrowly losing 6–3. The second game against Queen Elizabeth Grammar School resulted in an 8-4 victory, seeing them through to the final round. Using their experience, the boys put in a strong performance against some tough opposition, and finished in a respectable third place. A brilliant achievement and another great performance from the team! Stacey Angliss

Tennis Our annual tennis tour to Marbella over the Easter break gave a varied mix of ability and ages the opportunity to develop their tennis skills, playing on both clay and hard courts. It was fantastic to see so many players with smiles on their faces, and happy to learn and improve their tennis. The weather was kind, with blue skies and sunshine every day and our students made the most of the sea front location! During the evenings, they played football against others in the hotel, had a quiz night, and enjoyed the entertainment on site. Many of them went on to represent Churcher’s in tennis matches with considerable success over the Summer Term. We were also blessed with the weather during the annual Parent and Pupil tennis tournament on Open Day, with a record number of entrants totalling 64 pairs this year. There was some amazing tennis on show from both pupils and parents, and 76

The Churcherian 2023

after an excellent competitive semifinal, the winners were James Green (Lower School) and Daniel Bennet (Upper school), both playing with their fathers. Once all matches were finished, we enjoyed a well-earned picnic and Pimm’s. Our internal Davis Cup-style competition again saw record entries, with students put into to random pairings and playing in a round-robin format. After some entertaining matches, the Churcher’s Davis Cup was won by Tobias Banche and Romily Carter. In external competitions, we have also had great success again in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight tennis tournament, with two teams the U12/13 age group and U15 boys winning the Hampshire inter school’s tournament, organized by the LTA. For the first time in Churcher’s history we organised an OC tennis tournament, seeing a good turnout from past pupils. Even though they started out a little rusty, they soon found their stride and managed to hold their heads up high, losing only by 8-7 overall. It was a great morning and was thoroughly enjoyed by both current and past Churcher’s pupils. Under 12 The U12s have had a successful first season of tennis at Churcher’s. Participation levels have been excellent throughout, with approximately 70 pupils at each training session. Several competitive matches were played against other local schools including Seaford, St Johns Leatherhead, and

Under 13 What a fantastic season the boys have had, captained by Cameron JeffriesKeel, winning 100% of their matches! The girls also won more than half of their matches with some very close endings, and there were strong performances by Dottie Denshall, Zoe Richards, and Rosie North in particular. Under 14 The girls have played some great tennis this season with good performances from Annabel Chrismas, Zoe Levine, Flo McCarthy, and Anastasia Shaw to name but a few. The boys have displayed considerable talent, winning all their matches throughout the season, notably Ed Cole and Ben Hall using their well-honed skills and knowledge of the game. These are a really good crop of players with a great attitude, which augurs well for future success in seasons to come. Under 15 It has been a successful season under the captaincy of Theo Shaw and Zola Thomas. The boys won 90% of their matches against some tough opposition: Pangbourne College, Seaford, and Worth School to name but a few. The girls were also happy with their season, only losing two of their fixtures over the term. Seniors The Senior teams this year were captained by Barney McLarnon and Annie Rowley, both experienced players. The boys had a particularly enjoyable season, winning more than 75% of their matches, holding their own against some tough opposition: LWC, St John’s Leatherhead, and Worth School. Our local derby against PGS netted a convincing win for both boys and girls. A great and enjoyable season overall. Tina Jenkins

Senior Sports Tour Sixty-nine students and eight staff set off from Churcher’s for their southern hemisphere adventures - London to Cape Town, via a quick stop at Istanbul. We were warmly greeted by the staff at The Presidents Hotel with some traditional South African snacks of milk tart and koeksisters. On the first day, we tried to go up Table Mountain but it was too windy, however, we still managed to get some great photos! It was then onto our first fixtures. The boys were against Melkbosstrand High School and the girls against Milnerton High School and unfortunately we suffered some losses against very highly ranked sides. The next day, we headed off to the Kayamandi Township for a hardhitting look at life in the township, but one that also showed hope for the future. Our tour guides were amazing and helped us to understand some of South Africa’s past and how South Africans currently live. Then followed an afternoon of beach rugby for the boys, while the girls spent a fantastic afternoon at their second fixture playing against Jan Van Riebeek High School. In the evening, we headed off to Gold restaurant for a cultural and culinary experience of great food, amazing live music, face painting, and dancing! A real highlight so far.

of the tour! A couple of fabulous days followed for our tourists, starting with an early morning zip line adventure, located in the Elgin Valley. Scaling the rugged Hottentots Holland mountains in the Cape Nature reserve, the Cape Canopy Tour isn’t for the fainthearted! Eleven separate zip lines descend the gorge, zigzagging over the steep rocky outcrops, waterfalls, and river below. Next it was off to Robben Island to try and understand South Africa’s past a bit better. Our guides were ex-political prisoners and they told their story of the struggles against apartheid and the nationalist government of the time. There was more training for both teams in the foothills of Table Mountain in preparation for their afternoon games and a tough set of fixtures for both netball and rugby against Durbanville High School. The students were enthusiastic, but the

hosts just had too much firepower. The netball girls kept it more competitive but the rugby boys had a tough afternoon coming up against a No. 8 who plays for South Africa juniors. On our final day, we headed north to Aquila Game Reserve, arriving in time for a lovely lunch and dip in the spa, followed by an evening game drive. We saw four of the Big Five: elephant, buffalo, rhino, and lion. Although we missed out on the elusive leopard, it was more than made up for with some other great spots: hippos, springboks, elands, ostriches, zebras, and giraffes. Dinner, outdoor fire pits, and stargazing rounded off a super day! A truly fantastic trip and a massive thank you to all the pupils who were a credit to Churcher’s College!

On our third day, we finally managed to get up Table Mountain, followed by our next games at Bosmansdam High School, which saw our first wins

The Churcherian 2023

Adventure

CCF As is customary, the first tri-service event of the year was Remembrance. An extended school assembly and service ended with all pupils, students, and staff walking behind the CCF colours to the school War Memorial, along the route lined by uniformed cadets. On Remembrance Sunday, 252 of the contingent’s cadets and officers paraded from Swan Street to Petersfield town square for the service outside St Peter’s Church, and then on to the war memorial for the act of remembrance, last post, and national anthem. The following week was our biennial Inspection. Commodore Paul Pitcher RN reviewed our cadets on parade in the Sports Hall, due to very heavy morning rain, and then outside exercising in the school grounds in the drier afternoon. Activities included a blank-firing pairs-fire manoeuvre demonstration by the Army, field gun drills with the Navy, and blindfold drone piloting with the RAF. Adventurous training in the first week of the Easter break found 10 cadets and 6 officers completing the demanding 100-mile South Downs Way by mountain bike, camping along the way, and subsisting (mainly!) on Operation Ration Packs. In June, Old Churcherian, Lt Col. Alex Rivett, CO of 1 Regt Army Air Corps, hosted 25 Army and RAF cadets at the Yeovilton base for a full day of PT, survival training, virtual shooting, and an air experience flight in the Wildcat helicopter. Each term ended with the traditional tri-service competition Exercise Christmas Cracker’s military quiz (won by the RN), Spring’s QECP orienteering competition (won by the RAF), and Summer’s Exercise Stuck Tank (3-way draw). The cadet year

The Churcherian 2023

closed with a Regimental Dinner for NCOs and officers, hosted at the Half Moon in Sheet, with the traditional mess games, speeches, toasts, and songs. Major David Nighy CCF Contingent Commander

Army The Army Section of our CCF has flourished this year, with many new exciting opportunities alongside familiar challenges. Both the cadets and staff have worked incredibly hard

to achieve a high level of training and development throughout the year in rain, wind, snow, and occasionally sun. The Autumn Term kicked off with our Third Year cadets completing a large part of their basic Fieldcraft and Tactics syllabus on Exercise Hidden Tiger on Longmoor training area N2B. Cadets were quickly covered in camouflage cream and hiding from the staff in the undergrowth. Cadets Chloe Lane and Olivia Greggs were most impressive in their stealth during a stalk exercise, and were able to get within 10m of the observing instructors without being detected.

Clay Shooting The second full year of our Clay Target Shooting programme saw a range of training days. With the purchase of the Contingent’s own shotguns and the PA’s donation of two throwing traps, cadets have been trained to hit a variety of targets in challenging conditions at Longmoor Military Ranges. This year-round practice allowed us to send a team to the National Cadet Clay Championships in Cambridge for the

first time, in June 2023. Sergeants Max Bowler, Thomas Dannatt, Oliver Hewett, and Rory Hodges represented our CCF valiantly against tough competition, and were placed impressively highly for their first competition, with Sgt Dannatt coming 15th out of 73, and Sgt Hodges “top gun” for our team on the Downthe-Line shoot. We look forward to returning next year with even more experience under our belts! Capt Gibbins

Fifth Year cadets completed their first live fire shoot on the L98A2 rifle at Ash Ranges, building up marksmanship skills from their Skill at Arms lessons in the previous year. Lance Corporals Davies, McBride, and Medley were the top shots for the day, and now deservedly wear their marksman badges in recognition of this.

the staff, 2,600 rounds of ammunition were quickly dispensed across Longmoor J2 training area. The objective of the exercise was certainly achieved; cadets thoroughly enjoyed the day, refined how to conduct deliberate attacks as a team, and, most importantly, learned just how much cleaning a rifle needs.

Even before the end of the first term, Churcher’s Army cadets were surrounded once more by senior members of the Army following an invitation to the King’s Commissioning Parade at RMA Sandhurst. To have our cadets wandering the halls of such a prestigious institution and assisting the in running of the day was a genuine honour, and the final parade was a true spectacle to observe (and, I hope, a reminder of the standards of foot drill!).

We sent two teams to two separate competitions. The first of these was a Military Skills Competition hosted by 11 Security Brigade. Here, our team of 10 cadets was put through their paces on a variety of skills ranging from shooting to semaphore, and all cadets returned with a heightened skill level with which to help instruct junior cadets. The second competition came in June, and we sent our inaugural team to the Cadet Clay Shooting Championships in Cambridge. The team, comprising of Sergeants Bowler, Dannatt, Hewett, and Hodges, were presented with some seriously demanding clays, and proved themselves to be a genuine challenge even for the most experienced schools attending the two days.

The Spring Term introduced the Fourth Year cadets to the ‘meaty’ part of their Fieldcraft and Tactics syllabus - section battle drills conducted with blank firing. Exercise Striking Tiger is always a highlight of the year, and with the assistance of the Sixth Form cadets and excellent instruction from

Exercise Night Owl is another regular highlight of the year, and the cadets on exercise this year excelled in their learning. All staff were impressed by their professionalism and ability to take on board new lessons on how to administer themselves successfully in the field and conduct reconnaissance patrols. The cadets greatly enjoyed their two days out on Longmoor N1A training area, and the excitement of watching a night-time firefight between two insurgent groups (graciously staffed by our Sixth Form cadets) put a smile on many faces. We were lucky to celebrate all of our achievements at our first Army regimental dinner, which, although feeling like the end of the year, preceded our final event – Annual Summer Camp, hosted by 11 Security Brigade at Crowborough Training Camp. The five days gave our 10 cadets an impressive variety of experiences, including an overnight exercise, clay target shooting, water sports, mounting biking, drill competition, and much more. Capt Gibbins The Churcherian 2023

Royal Navy The Navy section has had an amazing year, with some excellent developments throughout. Cadets follow an annual plan, designed in part by the senior cadets, helping them to develop their own leadership skills. The plan delivers the Royal Navy syllabus, but with an additional practical element to the programme that incorporates the climbing wall, kayaks in the pool, field craft skills (including how to put up a Basha / shelter), swimming tests, other waterbased activities, cooking with a ration pack, meeting and sharing a Q&A

The Churcherian 2023

evening with a serving Royal Naval Commander, and numerous other practical leadership activities. Thanks to the PA and a CCF grant, we have been able to purchase two new field guns; our aim is to have two teams competing against each other and potentially entering the school into a national competition. Our cadets always look forward to the Naval field days, which typically take place once a term. This year has seen three brilliant field days: mountain biking at Queen Elizabeth Country Park; visiting the Historic Dockyard where we sailed from HMS Excellent to the Isle of Wight; and attending a day

at HMS Collingwood, tackling low ropes and obstacle courses. One of the highlights was a visit to the Royal Navy flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth. We have also added a summer campout to our programme. This was a great evening where we put some of our field craft skills to good use. Finally, thanks and best wishes for the future go to all the senior cadets that have given their time so feely over the years: Fin Rushin, Gregor Breen, George Williams, Phillipa Jones, and Charlie Murphy. Lt Rob Maier

RAF It has been an exceptionally busy year for the Churcher’s College RAF cadets. We have had the opportunity to rediscover activities that have been unavailable since COVID; flying, military base visits, drones, and Biennial inspections, have all made for an exciting and diverse year. Cadets have enjoyed the chance to pull loop the loops and corkscrew dives over Stonehenge in the powered Tutor Grob aircrafts, while Third Years took to the sky in Viking gliders at RAF Upavon. Despite the cohort of RAF cadets climbing to more than 45 this year, we have managed to offer every cadet a flying opportunity over the past 9 months. As well as climbing into various aircraft, we have made use of our new squadron of drones. Our pilots have challenged themselves in indoor speed races, obstacle courses, and precision flying. All this flying wouldn’t be possible without

the theoretical understanding of the principles of flight. Older cadets made Maltesers float using Bernoulli’s principle, whilst younger cadets used aircraft models to put the concepts of basic flight controls into practice. If their performance on the flight simulators (more specifically, their crash statistics!) are anything to go by, these lessons have definitely improved their skills! This year, new activities have been introduced for our parade nights. We have learned about nutrition and prepared two-course meals on field craft Hexi burners, made rain and wind proof shelters, kayaked in the pool, and scaled the school climbing wall. Not to mention our ever-popular Top Gun night, where Third Year cadets were educated in the 80’s classic, and older cadets cheered on Maverick! Over the course of the Autumn Term, we represented the RAF in both the Remembrance Day service and

Biennial inspection. High ranking officers from all three services reviewed our cadets in an impressive marching display, and tried their hands at CCF activities. OC and Gulf War veteran, Sqn Ldr John Peters, attempted to land a drone on a plinth whilst blindfolded, under guidance by a cadet navigator. We have been working on building our connections with other RAF cadets in our area, with our Fourth Years going to Seaford College for a quiz and drill competition. During the summer holidays, our cadets will be going on our first Churcher’s College RAF residential camp in Inskip, which promises a week of water sports, climbing, leadership training, and shooting. Izzy Jupe Cadet Flt Sgt Lead Cadet

The Churcherian 2023

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award It has been another busy year for all of our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award participants. In fact, our pupils have achieved a total of 5,616 hours of service this year, which equates to £27,012 social value. Examples of volunteering undertaken by our wonderful cohort include: tutoring younger pupils, helping at an animal rescue centre and community shops, and various sports coaching roles. Alongside this volunteering element, of course, they must undertake expeditions, which vary in length and difficulty according to the Award level. This year, our Third Year Bronze participants descended upon the New Forest National Park in May, to discover that the recent rain had made the terrain water-logged and boggy. Perfect conditions for midges and ticks to thrive! Nevertheless, the teams were charmed by the beauty of the New Forest and by the gentle encounters with free-roaming ponies with their foals. There were also fleeting glances of deer and adders! 82

The Churcherian 2023

For the Silver Expedition, the Fourth Years ended their summer holiday with a three-night trip to Exmoor. Culminating with the very late arrival of some sunny weather, they battled the heat, some challenging ascents, and the usual blisters! Carrying everything needed for three days and nights is no easy task, and tricky navigation added to the challenge.

This year, we have been able to offer an option of Canoeing for the Gold Award. The final expedition took place over the Summer half-term on the River Wye. Teams started at Whitneyon-Wye and, over four days, descended the river, passing through Hereford and Ross-on-Wye before finishing in Monmouth, having paddled just over 110km. Students battled strong headwinds and hot weather, even overcoming the white-water rapids at Symonds Yat.

During October half-term, four teams ventured to Snowdonia to complete their Gold Practice Expedition. Predictably, the weather On 19 May, 36 Churcher’s was unpredictable, and the team College students and OCs successfully hiked through 40mph gusts attended Buckingham Palace Garden of wind, lashing rain, and occasional as guests of honour at a special sunshine. The Final Expedition in the event to mark their achievement Lake District didn’t disappoint; they of successfully gaining their Gold were treated to some glorious weather, Awards. The Duke of Edinburgh which enhanced the views but added congratulated attendees in a speech heat and sun exposure to the challenge. from the Palace’s West Terrace, before For many students, the highlight was meeting Award holders in-person to camping high in the mountains, and for hear about the positive impact their all involved there was the satisfaction DofE experience has had on them. of reaching the end of their route, in Keswick, on the fourth day of the Anne Harris expedition, and a chance to finally rest those tired feet.

OSCA Our 2022 intake of OSCAneers have successfully completed their annual programme through a plethora of activities and challenges. Students have built chariots that they then raced, tripods that had to stand the test of time, and catapults that battled hard! Students lit campfires and cooked meals, climbed to new heights, navigated their way round the South Downs, and survived a night under canvas. A day of kayaking and raft building stretched their problemsolving skills, which were also put to the test on a three-day residential in Dorset. This residential trip included climbing, abseiling, kayaking, canoeing, and boat rides to name just a few activities. The students have also had the amazing opportunity to experience scuba diving. The staff have thoroughly enjoyed working with a wonderful year group and hope their OSCA adventures have stood them in good stead for their entry to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Conor Crabb The Churcherian 2023

Devizes to Westminster Canoe Marathon The advent of the Lower Sixth brings with it a new challenge for a hardy few - the famous Devizes to Westminster Canoe Marathon. Those that commit to the challenge soon have their motivation tested, but the early Sunday morning starts, cold canal water, rain, wind, and blisters did not deter them. For the first session, the students started at Odiham and just managed to stay upright – mostly – but through practice and determination, they soon progressed to a 13-mile paddle from Odiham to Ash Lock; a huge success but equally, still a very long way to go! After Christmas, students stepped up their preparations, with training distances increasing from 13 miles up to 26 miles, and coaching becoming more focused on honing the paddlers’ technique. Then followed the official build-up races, always mindful of the task ahead: paddling 125 miles over four days, including 77 portages, carrying the kayak around obstacles such as locks. An interesting fact - the paddlers will walk/run about 10km whilst carrying their kayak during the race! In the end, the Churcher’s DW squad, made up of 16 paddlers, had great success in the 2023 canoe marathon, which took place over Easter weekend. The race was unfortunately cut short due

The Churcherian 2023

to dangerous conditions on the River Thames, however, there is no doubt that the teams would have made it to Westminster had the race not been stopped. The Churcher’s team came a very respectable third place in the

Junior Teams and School’s Team category, against stiff competition from other schools and canoe clubs. Conor Crabb

Ten Peaks Five teams of Fourth Year and Lower Sixth students used the long winter evenings to learn micro-navigation skills in the dark, as part of their training for the Ten Peaks Challenge, which took place in the Bannau Brycheiniog, in May. This challenge involved teams summitting ten designated ‘peaks’ over two days, within an overall time limit. As well

First Challenge The most memorable parts of expeditions are often the quieter moments and are unique experiences only really understood by those who venture away for ten days without their phones, parents, or home comforts. Those who travelled to Croatia this summer as part of First Challenge, certainly had plenty of tales when they returned: seakayaking along the Dalmatian Coast, flanked by dolphins; river kayaking, with snakes dipping in and out of the dappled shade; trekking in Paklenica National Park; and cooking for 20, over huge, billowing campfires. But those elusive ‘perfect’ moments happened in the time spent playing cards at dusk outside the mountain hut, and in the whole group singing and ad-libbing as they battled the blazing temperatures during the trek phase. Cooling off, the team formed a human water snake and floated down the Zrmanja river, all linked together and laughing all the way. At the wild camp, the teams ditched their tents and slept in their kayaks, looking up

as navigation skills, the teams carried full kit, while taking part in training sessions that progressively increased in duration, so as to develop endurance, stamina, and perseverance, as well as teamwork skills. In February, they summitted Corn Du (873m) with snow on top, and camped out in the valley in near freezing temperatures. When the time came, all teams managed to climb the Ten Peaks including: Peny-fan, Corn Du, Cribyn, Fan-y-big,

and Fan Fawr, amongst others. The two Lower Sixth teams climbed a total of 2,291m over a distance of 47km, while two teams of Fourth Years ascended 2,000m over a distance of 37km. The teams were fortunate to experience fine weather and to see the magnificent scenery at its very best.

at a myriad of stars. A final day in Zadar, and the chance of a final meal they hadn’t cooked for themselves over camping stoves, ended with us all in a row, arms around shoulders and sitting listening to the magical sea

organ, played by the waves. These are the moments that are cherished, long after the suntan fades.

Anne Harris

Penny Daniel

The Churcherian 2023

Charities It is the responsibility of the Charities Committee to select the charities they would like to support, ready for the non-uniform days that run through the year and which are the backbone of our fundraising efforts. The first of these, in October, was for Toilet Twinning, who fund global water and sanitation programmes. More than £2,100 was raised, which will go towards helping prevent children dying from problems linked to unsafe water, sanitation, and poor hygiene worldwide. November’s chosen charity was a new partner, School in a Bag, who send school bags filled with educational resources to poor, vulnerable, disadvantaged, and disaster-affected children worldwide. In Spring, more than £2,120 was raised for Freedom4Girls, a UK-based charity fighting against period poverty; and a further £2,000 was raised for The Kings Arms, a local charity that supports

The Churcherian 2023

the needs of the young people in our community. Sixth Former, Orion O’Connor, who volunteers with the charity, delivered a whole-school assembly demonstrating why it deserves our support. Back by popular demand, the Haunted Library was very busy this year. The Charities Committee and members of the staff spent their lunchtime jumping out from behind the bookshelves to scare students and in doing so, raised £166 for The Disasters Emergency Committee. Christmas Jumper Day, in

aid of Save the Children, returned and saw the Junior School join the Senior School in wearing their Christmas Jumpers on the last day of the term and raising £1114, beating last year’s total again! A further £766 was raised from the much-loved First Year’s Reindeer Run for Chestnut Tree House, also beating last year’s total. The Sixth Form Charity Committee ran the “bar” at the inaugural Valentine’s Disco for the lower school, in aid of the One Love Foundation, a national non-profit organisation with

the goal of ending relationship abuse. There have been lots of other smaller charity events happening throughout the year: lunch time concerts, Black History Month film night, waffle sales, hot chocolate sales, foodbank donations, and the Poppy Appeal, to name just a few; all of them raising money and creating awareness for lots of worthwhile charities. The year culminated in our big end-ofyear festival for Allsorts Youth, who connect and support children, young people, and their families, who are LGBT, or exploring their sexual

orientation and/or gender identity. Inspired by the beautiful colours on the pride flag, students took part in a colour run festival, which saw the whole school run around a 2000m course, while being doused in (biodegradable) paint! With food stalls, glitter face paint, live music, and a creative Allsorts charity workshop, it was a fabulous end to another successful year of fundraising! Cat Sinclair

The Churcherian 2023

Community Action Service Merritt’s Meadow It was with great pleasure that Churcher’s College Community Action Services revisited Merritt’s Meadow at the heart of Petersfield, helping create a nature reserve for life, in all its forms, to roam. Walking under the old railway arch, which once upon a time held the train that led to Midhurst, with a bunch of keen students was magical. Flowers, bumblebees, and birdsong seemed to triple, and the temperature naturally lowered, due to the lush vegetation giving respite from the heat of June. Our volunteers from the Third Year and Lower Sixth moved 24 tons of Cotswold stone over two days, and established a new path using wheelbarrows, rakes, and shovels. The project of moving a dogwalker path to the edge of the reserve has now been completed, and the path was opened by the Town Mayor CL Crissey, who also addressed the pupils. Tony Ostersen

U3A At the other end of the age spectrum, we have established a link with the Petersfield branch of the U3A (University of the Third Age) as another outreach initiative. Our visitors have been into the Science labs for two after-school twilight practical sessions, conducting experiments such as “Sizzling Circuits”, “Food for Thought”, “Cells under the microscope”, and “The Chemistry of Colour”. The hands-on experimental work was a real hit with our guests, who were assisted by a team of student buddies from the Fourth Year (Fred Hughes, Cecily Morrogh, Will Lall, and Monty Zaltzman) and from Lower Sixth (Kate Littlejohn, Thomas Dannatt, Dom Porter, and Harvey Gardner), for all of whom, it was also a very enjoyable experience. Mandy Westwood 88

The Churcherian 2023

Ukranian Churcherians In life, we sometimes find ourselves facing severe challenges that are not of our making. With the unresolved invasion of Ukraine by Russia, this is certainly true for the Ukrainian people. Petersfield has welcomed a large number of Ukrainian families into its community, and Churcher’s College has been privileged to welcome some of those families into its community too. Alira, Jane, Grisha, Kareena, Lisa, Martina, Misha, Sasha, Serhii, Sonja, Varvara, Vlad, and Zina joined us through the summer of 2022. Some have since returned to Ukraine, some have made a courageous and early step to a Foundation degree at University, and some look forward to continuing to study with us for the next academic year. For most, their families have needed to temporarily part, with fathers, brothers, and in some cases, mothers in Ukraine, who are dearly loved, proudly supported, and daily in their thoughts.

The positivity, outstanding attitude to learning, and open, honest, and up-beat attitude of our Ukrainian Churcherians is inspiring. Their maths was already ahead of ours and their English language is rapidly catching up. They swim fast, love horses, climb the chess ladder, play football at lunchtime, organise fundraising events, do A Level Maths a year early, have discovered rugby, now know cricket and croquet are not the same, love the outdoors and OSCA, are generous of heart, and their favourite subject is, of course, Physics... It is important that we recognise the presence of our Ukrainian families and their wonderfully supportive hosts. They have enriched our community, reminding us of the importance of connecting, giving, learning, being active, and noticing the simple things in life that bring us joy. We look forward to continuing to learn and to grow together. Richard Hoe

The Churcherian 2023

Development Office

At the end of November, the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of Churcher’s College came to a finale with the Benefactors’ Concert. The audience, including those from the Churcher’s community who had made significant gifts to the Richard Churcher Foundation and the provision of bursary awards, were treated to some incredible solo performances by current pupils. The baton was then handed over to Old Churcherian, Richard Saxel (92), who gave a mesmerising performance, somehow managing to combine Mozart and Wagner on the very same piano on which he learnt, all those years ago as a pupil. In recognition of the former Headmaster’s commitment towards music at Churcher’s, the Donald Brook’s Auditorium was formally named with a plaque unveiled by his wife, June Brooks, herself also a longstanding supporter of the performing arts at the School. Donors to the Foundation during the tercentenary have been recognised in a number of ways. Seats and rooms in the Music School have been named, as well as stones on the newly laid Tercentenary Path at the back of Old College. Fittingly on Founder’s Day, under a commemorative stone recognising the original bequest from our founder, a time capsule containing memorabilia from the celebrations was buried by First Year pupils. Those same pupils contributed to the contents of another buried time capsule remembering

The Churcherian 2023

Queen Elizabeth II, which included stamps, newspaper articles, and coins, amongst other items. All events hosted by the Development Office have been very well supported by Old Churcherians and the wider community, with all funds raised going towards the Richard Churcher Foundation. At the turn of the year, producers of the Churcher’s 1722 fizz, Greyfriars Vineyard, hosted a wine and cheese evening to a packed tasting room. In March, Petersfield Museum hosted ‘Celebrating Nicholson’ in honour of William Nicholson – Churcher’s College governor, distiller of Nicholson Gin (who provided drinks for the night) and the benefactor who, in 1881, generously gifted the land that Churcher’s currently sits on. Whilst in May, 18 teams teed off at the same time for the sold-out Churcher’s Golf Day. Over 170 people came together for the inaugural Foundation Summer Party. Generously hosted offsite by current parents, guests joined in the fun to raise over £25,000 for the Foundation by making a pledge, ‘signing up’ to a Churcher’s community party, bidding on the silent auction, or, for those a little braver, bidding for one of the unique experiences in the live auction. Thank you very much to everyone who has supported the Development Office and the Richard Churcher Foundation, whether this was before, during, or since the 300th anniversary celebrations. Nick Smith

The Churcherian 2023

Staff Departures boys, but we were once a boys’ school, then a boys’ school with girls, and now, hopefully, a truly co-ed, genderblind, stereotype-eroding place. Jane has been very involved in that transformation, and in many ways made the necessity for her role as ‘Minister for Girls’ obsolete, a sure sign of success.

Jane Jamouneau I’m not one to regularly quote Winniethe-Pooh but Jane Jamouneau started it, and when considering valedictions for her, I was drawn to the wisdom of the little bear, famous, not least, for his devotion and dedication to his friends. When it comes to devotion and education, Jane’s 34 years teaching at Churcher’s will be a challenge for anyone to surpass. It is remarkable how many Old Churcherians ask after Miss Hart, as Mrs Jamouneau was when she began at Churcher’s. Biology and PE teacher of significant renown, but also the confidente and guide to many through her pastoral roles; first red, with a brief sojourn as Head of Rodney, then the yellow of Drake, and last of all purple. Jane has been the go-to troubleshooter over the years and creating another House was certainly a challenge. It is remarkable how loyal the children can become when you suggest leaving one House and joining another; the solution: to move the most popular Head of House to the new House. Collingwood’s success in the early days was remarkable, but, I am sure, had nothing to do with the fact that she was in charge of the scoring of House competitions! And then there were the girls, not that they are more trouble than the

The Churcherian 2023

Over the last few years, as Senior Teacher (Pastoral), her role has been varied, and at times, challenging; people have crises of confidence and stray from the paved way as and when, not to any pre-determined timetable. Conversations with those for whom Mrs Jamouneau’ s guidance has been so important, suggest that Winnie-the-Pooh must have been a go-to source for her over many of the 34 years. Her advice to troubled souls was often that they are “braver than they believe, stronger than they seem, and smarter than they think”, and those wise thoughts were first uttered by a little, honey-loving bear. Devoted, dedicated, brave, strong, and smart - adjectives that clearly sit well with the name Jamouneau and welldeserved accolades with which to start retirement.

see success in their learning. Not only has she championed the children, but she has also attempted to knock down barriers, allowing them to achieve their best. An advocate of specialist provision, Sarah has worked tirelessly throughout her time here and leaves a legacy where parents and pupils can access Occupational Therapy or Speech and Language Therapy onsite at CCJS. Thanks to Sarah, learning support is at the heart of the school and is not delegated to the attic or basement! Her calm and enabling outlook will be missed by all members of the school community: pupils, parents, and staff. Sarah will be known as one of the best in this area of Junior School education; someone who has shared her strong knowledge base and influenced our thinking and practice. And what will Sarah miss as she heads off to work on new projects? The camaraderie and teamwork of working with an amazing staff team!

Rachel Briggs

Sarah Evans As the CCJS&N’s Head of Learning Enrichment, Sarah has spent the past six years helping those children who have required additional support to

Rachel joined CCJS&N in September 2021 as a Year 5 class teacher. In the two years she has been with us, Rachel has made a real impact with the staff and children at school, nurturing and progressing her classes, focusing on the children’s happiness and wellbeing, and honing their academic knowledge and skills. During her time at the school, Rachel promoted and understood the importance of

learning outside the classroom, and realised that bringing the world to the children would help them better understand it. The children have been fortunate to go on many school trips with Rachel, including: the Cobnor Activities Centre, the Gilbert White Field Study Centre in Selborne, Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard, and the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking. Rachel was always keen to develop the children’s self-esteem and to help the children identify areas of their school life that they particularly enjoyed and were good at. Rachel helped organise visits by The Young Shakespeare Company to perform various plays of The Bard to a Year 5 audience. Rachel was an invaluable help in managing the children throughout their choir rehearsals and final performances with other local schools, at a packed Petersfield Festival Hall. Rachel also had a part to play in the children’s sporting development; in partnership with her colleagues in the sports department, Rachel helped manage the Year 5 girls’ sports teams during games lessons, club sessions, and fixtures. We will miss Rachel’s calm and friendly approach to life at CCJS&N, and we wish her all the very best in her new role at The Alton School.

James Gibbon James chalked up over 15 years of service at Churcher’s, making him the longest serving member of the IT team. In that time, he has played a pivotal role in countless projects to modernise our IT provision at both schools as the IT landscape has been transformed. James’ first year with us was the year that Apple launched the iPhone, the first Android smartphone was released, and the Chrome web browser was launched. The iPad was still two years away. During the Covid period, James led the IT support at the Junior School and helped the school to adapt to unprecedented challenges. We wish James the very best of luck in his new role at Portsmouth Grammar School.

up new challenges. I have no doubt that he will rise to those challenges and everyone here sends him our best wishes for the future, and the new opportunities that it will bring.

Jonny Chen Jonny joined us as an NQT in 2019 and he quickly established himself as a very popular teacher among staff and pupils alike. Jonny’s high expectations of himself led to high standards in the classroom too. He brought with him boundless enthusiasm; always willing to take on jobs in the department (which he always did very well), and to get involved in activities throughout the school. His first year coincided with the covid lockdown, which even experienced teachers found challenging, but Jonny happily took responsibility for developing a set of remote learning lessons. He set up ChemSoc, and used the lockdown to establish it in a new lunchtime slot, where it remains. He also took over the running of the Cosmetics Club. His commitment to high academic standards was recognised when he was made Head of Junior Academy, where he relished organising schemes of study and trips, a highlight being the Poster Symposium evenings he introduced. A big fan of musical theatre in and out of school, he took on the role of Assistant Director for the school production of Annie, and helped to run the choreography for the Junior and Senior Cabaret nights. Jonny took to all of these roles with his characteristic vigour and flamboyance. Throughout his time at Churcher’s, Jonny showed a desire to learn and improve. He spent a lot of time observing other teachers and talking about how to approach different subjects, always wanting to find ways to help the pupils under his care learn more effectively. He taught a First Year Maths class, partly to help develop himself further as a teacher, but also as a new challenge. Challenging himself is part of his DNA and he is currently studying Maths A Level. Jonny has developed into an excellent teacher and we are sorry to see him leave us. His new role at Brighton College will give him the opportunity to develop in a different environment and to take

Ruben Calverd Ruben (the only guy we know who still looks cool in a tank-top and bow-tie!), joined the Physics Department in 2021 having returned from teaching abroad in Malaysia, and made an instant impact with his ideas, energy, and enthusiasm. Pupils in his classes learnt quickly from his vibrant and exciting style of teaching and kind personality. Ruben established himself here with an apparent ease, and has added a great deal of value to all of our teaching with his refreshing approach and creativity. He quickly became involved with the STEAMship enterprise, supporting pupils with the Schrödinger investigations, SATRO challenges, and the UK Space Design competitions. He took charge of the First Year enrichment programme, leading the much loved annual trip to Chichester Planetarium. Determined not to let our young Physicists have all the fun, he introduced a “pizza under the stars” event at Chichester Planetarium for the Sixth Form, who loved every minute. Ruben is a wellread, intelligent teacher, and with his studies towards his PhD, he has great insights into school culture and behaviour and how exactly to help the pupils (and his colleagues) reach their potential. Ruben, being an avid Arsenal supporter, took on forming the Sixth Form football team, playing local schools with some success and plenty of fun! It is with some sadness that Ruben has been with us for only two years, but he is excited for his next adventure, where he will be developing a programme for new teachers across a local school academy, and we certainly wish him well.

The Churcherian 2023

Kerry Jarman Kerry joined Churcher’s in the autumn of 2020, alongside Caroline Reyes in a unique role at the Senior School - working as a Learning Support Assistant. Bringing a breadth of experience, Kerry’s impact was substantial throughout her time here, with her ‘can do’ approach and problem-solving skills always at the fore. Supporting pupils and staff in the classroom and with practical training, such as the use of evacuation chairs, Kerry has a wide range of skills. She has steered our development of ICT and plug-ins, such as Dragon, providing new ways for pupils to access the curriculum. She has an eye for detail, and proactive-planning, and has influenced and shaped our strategy as we continue to develop the accessibility of our school site. Kerry has also worked at Havant and Southdowns College during her time with us and she leaves us to further develop her teaching role at the College.

Vanessa Johnson Vanessa joined Churcher’s as a Librarian in 2008 and has since performed a variety of roles, both in the Library and, more recently, in the Development Office, where she has been a pivotal figure looking after alumni and local community 94

The Churcherian 2023

relations, and coordinating events. In the Library, Vanessa shared her passion for books with the students eager to find their next read, ran competitions to engage them on those wet and dreary lunchtimes, and created a nurturing environment where every student could find some quiet time. Vanessa was a pleasure to work alongside, and her enthusiasm and love of Churcher’s was infectious. To her colleagues, she was warm and funny, and to the children she was incredibly patient, especially with some of the ‘characters’ who visited the Library! Her tales of the Great Library Door protests, staged by some of the students, are fondly remembered, when they demanded a second entrance via the science block. That battle was only ‘lost’ once Vanessa left her sentry post! Vanessa shares a love of travel and adventure with her colleagues, who hope to catch up with her again in some farflung place.

Sally’s tenure as School Nurse was not without its challenges, none more so than the Covid pandemic. Overnight, a regime of testing, face masks, vaccinations, hand sanitiser, and social distancing became the norm, as well as the requirement to digest endless directives from the Department of Education and Public Health England. Throughout this tumultuous time, Sally somehow maintained her humour, always prioritised others before herself, and played a defining role in enabling the Churcher’s ship to successfully navigate the Covid tempest. Sally will be sorely missed by pupils, staff, and parents alike, and we wish her well for the next chapter in her life.

Harry Pickett

Sally Martin Sally joined Churcher’s in 2015, initially as a Bank Nurse, then graduating to a permanent role in 2018. From the outset, her professionalism and expertise were abundantly apparent, as was her patient, caring, and supportive demeanour towards the pupils. Always approachable, whatever the stresses and strains of a particular day, Sally made the Medical Centre a safe haven, where pupils knew they would be listened to, treated fairly, and given the very best care. Sally struck the perfect balance between being kind and sympathetic, but also, when necessary, politely firm, understanding that sometimes it is in a pupil’s best interests to return to lessons no matter how reluctant they might be! Punctilious in contacting parents, Sally never shirked a difficult telephone call, making that all-important first point of communication with home, always with exemplary clarity and poise.

As a former pupil, gap student, TA, and now teacher, Harry has quite the history at Churcher’s College. In fact, when it was announced in the staffroom that ‘Harry Pickett’ would be joining the Junior School in September 2014 as one of the first ever Classroom Assistants, the raised eyebrows from some of his former teachers left the rest of us wondering what we were letting ourselves in for; it was safe to say Harry had a colourful reputation from his time at CCJS! Little did we know that it would turn out to be one of the best decisions we could have made and the start of a fantastic period for both Harry and the Junior School. Not only was Harry’s time as a CA so successful that we are about to enter our 10th year of employing gap students, but the contributions he has made since, across both schools, over the last nine years, mean he walks away having well and truly left his mark across the entire College, not just as a pupil but as a valued colleague. Whether it be undefeated seasons on the rugby pitch with countless tournament wins, leading teams to national finals in football and swimming, taking senior teams for Saturday sports fixtures, supporting the adventure programme

with junior school residentials and senior school First Challenge, or performing on stage as an ‘Ugly Sister’, the list goes on, and there are plenty of fond memories to look back on and feel proud of. As Harry moves on to Oakwood School for the next chapter in his career, he will be sorely missed and leaves a gap that will be hard to fill. A firm favourite amongst the children and parents, his reliable, no fuss, cando approach to work has also made him a favourite amongst the staff. The skill set he has developed during his time at Churcher’s makes him a force to be reckoned with on the sports pitch, and it is with delight, although with some trepidation, that his move down the road means he will still be seen on the sidelines at a Churcher’s fixture, albeit with his sights trained on us from the opposite side of the pitch!

pastoral leads. Her support extended beyond the student body, having been a source of wise counsel for both our staff and parents. Jenny’s contribution to the development of our Health & Wellbeing Centre, especially the counselling room, has been pivotal. Her vision and dedication have created a space where our students can find solace and support, including the serene counselling garden, which she helped create with the aid of PA funds. Outside of her work, Jenny’s sense of exploration and adventure are well documented: from rowing across the Atlantic to exploring the Antarctic, her zest for life is contagious! As we bid Jenny farewell, we do so with mixed emotions. While we will miss her presence here at Churcher’s, we are delighted to announce that Jenny will continue to have an input into counselling at our school by continuing in her role as Juliette Wakeland’s supervisor. Jenny will always have a special place in the hearts of the Churcher’s community and we wish her continued success in her journey, wherever it may take her!

Jenny Yeates Jenny’s journey with Churcher’s began in 2015 when she joined us as our visiting school counsellor. Although her presence in the school was limited to one day a week, her impact has been immeasurable. Jenny brought with her considerable experience in working with children of secondary school age, making her an invaluable asset to our team. Not only was she an integral part of the Pastoral team here at the Senior School, but she also lent her diverse skill set to the Junior School, demonstrating her ability to connect with students of all ages. Jenny placed great importance on self-reflection, which she tirelessly instilled in our students, and her commitment to professional development has been nothing short of inspiring, setting an example for all of us to follow. Pupils across the age range have benefited immensely from Jenny’s empathy, patience, kindness, and guidance. She added a new dimension to pastoral care at our school, and her wisdom and expertise have been a guiding light for our

Caroline Reyes Caroline joined Churcher’s in the autumn of 2020, alongside Kerry Jarman in a unique role at the Senior School, working as a Learning Support Assistant. Bringing a wide range of experience, Caroline’s impact was substantial throughout her time here. Kind and compassionate, she has a special gift in providing that encouraging and accepting support that enables pupils to flourish. When times are tough, she is still able to find the fun and joy to be had. Caroline’s work has centred around specific pupils, however, she has also impacted the community around her, always aware of all those around her and their needs. Her presence in the Health and Wellbeing Centre will be greatly missed, and we are grateful for the steering she has provided in the realm of equality, disability, and inclusion. Caroline leaves us to take on the SENCO role at Kingscourt School, where we know she will excel.

Suzy Twiddy Suzy’s warmth and kindness will be sorely missed at New College, which she looked after along with its staff and pupils so lovingly over the years. Her presence was felt in so many ways, both in person, and by the first impression she helped to create for so many visitors by filling the display cabinets in the foyer with seasonal displays. A very popular and valued member of the caretaking team, Suzy was always helping out with the setting up for school assemblies and events, and must have put out and away many thousands of chairs. Suzy now has a change of scene as she applies her compassion to a new role as care assistant in a hospital and spends more time with her grandchildren, in her campervan, and on the bowling green!

Will Statham Will Statham came to us six years ago from Marlborough College Malaysia, originally as a maternity leave cover. Will’s interview was conducted over Skype, without the usual interview observation lesson, so we took a bit of chance and appointed him on the basis of his credentials, his fantastic The Churcherian 2023

references, and the lovely warmth and competence that exuded from him in the interview, despite the time difference! Within a very few weeks, it became clear that Will was an asset whom we should not let slip through our fingers. Will’s superb teaching, gentle sense of humour, and creative lesson planning – a game of “Invertebrate Charades” anyone? – made him one of our most popular teachers. Will has made a massive contribution to the extra-curricular life of the school, becoming the Devizes-to-Westminster Canoe Marathon leader, and also became the Head of PSHE in recent years, adding substantial value to the teaching of this important subject and making his mark in the personal development of the pupils. Sadly for us, Cranleigh School has also spotted the talent of this exceptional teacher and made him an offer of Head of Biology that he could not refuse. Cranleigh’s gain is our loss; Will leaves behind a team of Biologists who will forever be grateful for his companionship, support, and inspirational ideas.

Stuart Thomas If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. This phrase sums up Stuart’s approach, which is evident to anyone who walks the grounds and admires the planting, borders, and landscaped areas of both schools that have benefited from (and in many cases been created by) Stuart’s green fingers for the last 15 years. He leaves big boots to fill in terms of his knowledge, experience, and flow of fresh idea for improving the site. But beyond that, Stuart’s kindness and ‘old school’ work ethic will be sorely missed. He was friendly and approachable to pupils and staff alike, and always punctual, modest, and humble. He made a habit of going above and beyond his role to support others in the grounds and caretaking teams, always on the lookout for ways to help. While Stuart

The Churcherian 2023

enjoys his well-earned retirement, his work on Ed’s Garden in Ramshill and our Tercentenary Wood at Penn’s Place will provide a lasting tribute to his work at the school.

Louise Wright Louise joined the Churcher’s College front of house team in 2013, and showed herself to be a complete whiz with trips and events, quietly helping all the teachers with every task or query at any time of day (usually 4pm on the last day of term!). Louise is kind, funny, and effortlessly stylish. She was the fashion guru for the whole admin team, with the ability to look younger with each passing year. A former parent, Louise had seen her three children through the school, and also acted as Secretary to the Parents’ Association. In more recent years, she arranged and registered the Covid testing for the Senior School, all of which ran without a hitch, testament to her diligence and accuracy. On ‘snow days’, Louise could always be relied upon to walk to school to keep communications with staff, parents, and students going, all without a hair out of place! She will be hugely missed.

The Churcherian 2023