Culfordian senior master (120pp) final

the

Culfordian SENIOR & SIXTH FORM | 2016 – 2017

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Contents Speech Day Exam Results International Study Year Scholars’ Programme Visual and Performing Arts Sporting Achievements Individual Achievements Trips & Activities Pastoral Care Culford Foundation

Editor: Michelle Davey Editorial Team: Anna Paterson Paul Wellstead and Tom Huggins Design: Newman Design Print: Fuller Davies Edited by Graham Hayday With grateful thanks to all who contributed articles and photographs.

Photo Credits: Wendy Turner/Red Shed Photography, Simon Jones/Bonjour Photography, Warren Page/Page Pix Sports, Honest Ideas, Tom Soper, Richard Bailey Photography, Shaun Scott Photography, Andy Abbott and all pupils/parent contributors.

Culford School makes reasonable effort to include accurate information in The Culfordian but makes no warranties or representations as to the accuracy of the published content.

Registered Charity No. 1142794

Culford School Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP28 6TX T: 01284 728615 E: admissions@culford.co.uk

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SPEEC H DAY

Headmaster’s Speech Day Address The school gathered on a clement May afternoon to celebrate the achievements of the year with Guest of Honour Air Marshal Sir David Walker.

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SEN IOR & S IXTH FO RM | 2016 – 2017

SP EE C H DAY

Chairman, Air Marshal Sir David, governors, honoured guests, pupils. I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to present my headmaster’s report to you this morning.

T

his is my 13th such report and we all know what superstition says about 13. ‘What on earth could go wrong?’

I thought on Monday as I sat down to finish off my speech. It’s not as though ISI are going to chuck an inspection at us this week with just 48 hours’ notice… Ah. So I was still struggling to finish this speech yesterday evening. That was my bad luck.

Yours is that I succeeded, so you still have to listen to it. Or perhaps I shouldn’t assume that. I once asked a pupil why he hadn’t done what he was told. He gave me an admirable lesson in the nuances of English by saying: “Well, yes, obviously I heard you; I just wasn’t listening.”

Let me at least assume that some of you are still with me as I welcome our guest of honour, Air Marshal Sir David Walker. As our programme notes reveal, Sir David had a distinguished career in the RAF and then got even busier in retirement. One of his continued interests is his work on the board of Auticon. Auticon is a fascinating company as it exclusively employs autistic adults as IT and compliance consultants, recognising their extraordinary talents with complex data analysis and creative lateral thinking.

That alone is worthy of a keynote address that could challenge many widely held assumptions, but Sir David has a breadth of

other interests too. Sir David, we are delighted to have you and Lady Walker with us today, and whichever area of your experience you choose, we look forward to your words and to you giving away our prizes before that.

To start with the past, the last year has been an extremely good one. Academically pupils achieved fine results at A Level with 59% of grades being A*– B and 81% A*– C. At GCSE 45% of all grades were A* or A, and 31% of pupils achieved at least seven A* or A grades. Value added was also significant at A Level and GCSE, which means that on average pupils gained better grades than predicted based on their ability. That represents an enormous amount of hard work on the part of not only those pupils, but also the teachers who support them.

Our pupils undoubtedly continue to benefit from the library we opened in September 2015. We placed a £2.3m building at the heart of the campus as a fitting symbol of what we are; a school dedicated to the pursuit of academic learning.

But we are also a community dedicated to the growth of the individual in other forms, and so September 2016 saw our new artificial hockey pitch and set of new indoor tennis courts opened by Olympic hockey gold medallist Laura Unsworth and GB tennis

star Tim Henman, respectively. Both represent fabulous additions to our facilities and were achieved through close and supportive partnerships with Bury Hockey Club and the Lawn Tennis Association. We also opened our indoor golf teaching facility more recently. I hope that many of you will have a chance to see it today, and perhaps receive some tips from our PGA professional Lawrence Dodd.

Those three sports facilities have continued to support the development of balanced opportunities for our young people to discover their talents in whatever area they lie and pursue them to their natural level of ability and then, with our support, beyond that wherever possible.

More than facilities, however, it is people that really matter and there are, of course, many whom I need to thank for their contributions to our success over the past year.

The state of our grounds and gardens, houses and classrooms; the care taken over our food, our health and our wellbeing; and all of the organisation behind the scenes that ensures that we have the support we need whether as pupils, staff or parents – this all depends upon the effort of many unsung individuals who take great pride in making Culford what it is. I ask you to join me in acknowledging those colleagues now. ‰

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SPEEC H DAY

Left to right: Julian Johnson-Munday, Headmaster, James Barley, Head Boy, Air Marshal Sir David Walker and Natasha Day, Head Girl

Back row (left to right): Joe Tyler, Fred Mann, Tom Brown, Sam Lucas, Charlie Schofield, Arran Dhesi Front row (left to right): Freddie Allum, Will Davies, James Atkinson, Will Burman, Matt Mitcham

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SEN IOR & S IXTH FO RM | 2016 – 2017

SP EE C H DAY

We also always thank the Common Room for teaching our pupils, but first we give personal thanks to those who are leaving.

Rowenna Gallifant has helped us by offering cover in the biology department over the past year. We are sorry to see her leave as she moves to retirement in Portugal. We wish her well.

Kerry McCarthy is not leaving entirely, but having been a wonderful Head of Spanish for us over the past two years she is now going to lead developments in our Prep School as we introduce Spanish throughout the school.

We thank her for her work here and look forward to working closely with her in the future as we grow our provision of modern foreign languages throughout Culford.

Having also been a pupil here, Pip KirbySmith now leaves us after three years in the Common Room, during which time she undertook teacher training and went through her newly qualified teacher’s year.

She now moves on to get wider experience and to develop her career. She has been a central part of the language department and a stalwart member of the Jocelyn House team. She will be much missed and we wish her well.

her teaching she has always managed to knit pupils together as part of the Culford community. Pastoral care runs through Caroline like letters through a stick of rock.

We will miss her as she retires but hope to see her return to do some part-time teaching. For now, however, we thank her for her great service to our pupils.

Finally, there is a further ten year jump as we acknowledge the retirement of Brenda Hunt who has been here for 33 years. Brenda arrived at Culford in September 1984. I would say that she has been here ever since but Brenda actually left four years later in the summer of 1988 to have her son. She decided not to return after maternity leave as staying at home in the idyllic company of husband Chris and new baby Sam was clearly preferable to the stresses of teaching at Culford. I’m not sure whether it was one-year-old Sam or 30-year-old Chris who drove her potty, but by September 1990 she was back full-time.

Brenda became our Head of Art in 1996 and has run the department ever since.

She has always been a passionate and creative force, knowing the pupils well and getting the best from them through careful nurturing of their individual talents. In 2004 she was asked to become Housemistress of Fitzgerald, and the individual care she gave pupils in the art department had an obvious translation into her relations with girls in the house. My comments in my first ever appraisal of Brenda in 2006 read: “Brenda is a valued head of art… The only challenge is to support her aspirations, encourage her continued excellence and reward her endeavours.”

In the intervening 11 years nothing has changed and Brenda’s appetite for excellence has remained undiminished.

As with Caroline, the blessing we have is that Brenda will return next year as a part-time colleague. Do, however, please join me in thanking her now. ‰

Hannah Mayhew moves on from our geography department after six years. She arrived as a newly qualified teacher and joined Mark Barber in driving forward geography to become a highly successful subject at both GCSE and A Level. She has been a popular and well-respected teacher, has contributed hugely to boarding life as an Assistant Housemistress in Fitzgerald, and offered significant support to the sporting life of the school. She has also been at the heart of the Common Room and has latterly served as an associate member of our senior management team. The time is right for her to develop her career further and we wish her well as she leaves to join Ipswich School.

At this point, there is something of a jump in length of service. Caroline Byrne joined Culford 23 years ago in September 1994 and quickly became a central part of the school. She has taught numerous pupils English as an additional language as well as English. She has also, however, offered us her expertise in Italian and art history and was a Housemistress of Fitzgerald when it was a day house.

Her support of girls and of international pupils has been superb. In Fitzgerald and in

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SPEEC H DAY

The buildings, facilities and the beauty of Culford are all tremendously important. But teachers need to inspire pupils and ignite their passion, and that requires teachers who are not just knowledgeable but individuals.

As just one example, anyone taught psychology by Dr Butler knows three things about him: one, he is a great teacher; two, he only ever teaches in socks, never in shoes; and, three, those socks are always odd.

During our inspection this week, he ambled into the Common Room at break in his socks – one green, one purple for the record – to meet the inspectors. I was delighted, not appalled, because it underlined all I had told them about us being a school that prizes individualism.

Along with my colleagues, our governors also commit themselves to all that this school is, as individuals, and they do so as volunteers. Pupils may not understand what they do, but they should recognise their selfless service. Our teachers and our governors together drive this school forward and I am sure that parents and pupils will want to thank them roundly for that.

Speaking of driving things forward, we are not resting upon the laurels of libraries and now hockey pitches and tennis courts; we also have our next developments in mind. If young adults are to discover themselves as human beings in the fullest sense they need to explore their sense of beauty and wonder in the world, and the creative and performing arts are a central part of that.

We say that our pupils need to be flexible, innovative, dynamic and resilient. It is, however, perhaps only in the creative and performing arts that children are truly given the freedom to respond in flexible, innovative

and dynamic ways to their learning. Shelley claimed, rightly, that: “Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”

Sadly, however, A Level English does not allow pupils to submit their own poetry as a response to their studies. Art, drama, dance and music are, however, all brave enough to require that level of deep personal response.

Our next developments in the school are, therefore, in these areas. We are engaged in a significant project to redesign and recreate our art department, and there will be much physical building work to be done. But equally significant is the thought we are giving to two other matters. First, to extending provision of art and design technology down further into our Prep School, by finding them a home in our new department where they can benefit from all the facilities we enjoy.

Second, to broadening our own understanding of the potential of the subject.

Our ICT department will relocate to the art building, because art, DT and ICT are ever more closely interlinked creative processes.

I really would encourage parents to get a glimpse of that today by experiencing the virtual reality platform we are trialling in the department. You can paint, draw and create items in virtual reality, and it is a fascinating experience. It is also something young people will take for granted, I suspect, within about five years. Do visit the department to see our plans and experience the future for yourself.

In the performing arts we have invested heavily in musical provision, upgrading the range and quality of our instruments and opening new dedicated facilities in the Prep School. We will now improve facilities in this hall. The lighting bars have already come down, the ceiling is about to follow, and

over the summer and first half of next term we will see the installation of a new acoustic ceiling together with much improved lighting bars and lamps.

Again, if you want to see just how good drama is here, and why that matters, do visit the studio theatre this afternoon to see the film of excerpts from We Will Rock You. The film itself was shot by Hadley Butler, one of our Upper Fifth pupils, and that is another fine example of the creativity we value. I suspect that our new art department will have to think about film as part of its offer before too long.

Music is also, of course, a crucial part of life.

It was a delight to hear Catherine play at the start of our proceedings and there is a depth of musical talent here of which we are proud. We want to make music a natural part of the order of things, not just an item reserved for the closed recital room. This will be the fourth year that we have provided Opera in the Park in the stunning grounds of the school and we warmly invite you to that again this year. Please do bring family and friends and dip your children’s toes into the beauty of classical music.

This year we have extended the event by offering Roots in the Park the next day. We have four bands coming and it will be a day of mellow tunes followed by an evening of more upbeat music to finish. It should be a great way to share music as a family and some of our pupils will also be performing between the main acts. Again, please do support us and help us keep such initiatives going, because putting on such an event is something of a risk. In fact, when I told my wife that I was doing Roots in the Park she said: “Are you having me on?” I said, “Well, you can audition, but I doubt it.”

I was actually going to book a bloke who plays Dancing Queen on a didgeridoo. I thought he was Abbariginal.

Then I thought we might do some classic rock covers, but the guy in the record shop wasn’t exactly helpful. I said: “What have you got by the Doors?” He said: “They’re security gates.”

Look, you can groan all you like but after 13 years of trying to force jokes to fit whatever I’m talking about, my locker is almost empty, especially since if I find one that is genuinely funny my wife cuts it out on the grounds of taste. On the other hand I have a million one-liners… ‰

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SP EE C H DAY

“If young adults are to discover themselves as human beings in the fullest sense they need to explore their sense of beauty and wonder in the world.�

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SPEE C H DAY

As a Headmaster, I’ve been having trouble with hate mail. It’s the price of stamps.

The three Rs are still seen as the buildingblocks that allow us to flourish economically.

I took Jo on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday.

Never again.

However, a three-year-old entering Culford in September will leave in 2032 at 18 to enter a world that will be incomprehensible to us. Parents can be forgiven for grasping at straws that they hope will keep their children afloat in the turmoil they see coming. But all too often schools focus upon ideas designed to appeal to today’s market, and do not truly address an uncertain educational future.

Black Beauty. There’s a dark horse.

And my favourite: Hedgehogs. Why can’t they just share nicely?

Moving on… Life, like this speech, is becoming increasingly less predictable so I thought I might end by reflecting on why our sporting developments, plans for the creative and performing arts and, indeed, for Roots and Opera, are important.

From Donald Trump to Brexit, change is all around and there are no signs of things slowing down. If the role of education is to furnish our children with the best understanding, skills and values for a prosperous and happy life, then how do we prepare them for a future that we cannot imagine?

For much of history, education was rooted in theology, explaining the world in moral terms to allow us to flourish spiritually.

The industrial revolution and the 20th century saw a gradual but vast shift towards a focus on success in a commercial world.

Five years ago, Mandarin was the coming thing. Learning it from an early age appealed to parents foreseeing a future of different geopolitical and economic power structures.

Whisper the thought, but is any language truly essential in a world of Google Translate?

Even today it is good enough to allow you to be understood nearly anywhere, although with reservations and uncertainties.

Assume that translation programs get roughly twice as good every two years or so. Fifteen years from now, today’s threeyear-old will leave Culford with those programs over 100 times faster and better.

Assume that wearable technology also improves at the same rate and she will also be able to carry all the languages she needs on her wrist with instantaneous spoken translation available.

Left to right: Julian Johnson-Munday, Headmaster, Jo Johnson-Munday, Foundation Director, Air Marshal Sir David Walker, Lady Walker and Air Vice Marshal Steven Abbott CBE, Chair of Governors 10

SEN IOR & S IXTH FO RM | 2016 – 2017

Sometimes schools jump on that sort of imagined future as evidence that teaching children to code software is the solution to their economic viability and security. But the future will actually see software being written by software; and, in my view, in 2032 people are more likely to be musicians, actors, painters or artists of another sort, than to be programmers.

Our vision needs to focus on the true value of human beings, not the narrow measure of their technical abilities or knowledge.

At the core of us our values shape our key attributes; and those allow us to be effective learners, and people able to form and keep significant relationships.

Beyond those attributes lie the actual knowledge, technical abilities and facts we have learned. But it is our core values that are the crucial part of us, not the knowledge we acquire.

Currently, education prioritises knowledge above all else because we understand how to measure it. Success has always been judged by who can best and most easily recall information when tested, and that was clearly essential in a world where information was expensive, slow to access and tightly controlled.

SPEE C H DAY

Today, though, information is abundant: freely and immediately available. In a world of fake news and information overload, the ability to criticise, evaluate and reach a rational conclusion is far more vital than merely knowing things.

Our three-year-olds are growing up in a world where we outsource knowledge and skills to the internet. The working world will be less about employment and more about networks of relationships in which our individual role is to add value.

The languages and communication will remain crucial, but spell checkers, translation packages and voice-to-text applications mean that our value will lie in our interpersonal communication skills more than in immaculate spelling and grammar.

The sciences and humanities will still be vital but our value will come from the logical, philosophical and moral perspectives those subjects develop.

We believe that our values of flexibility, innovation, dynamism and resilience will deliver robust, happy, balanced people fit to embrace the modern age. If we foster flexibility, innovation and dynamism in our children and if we build resilience into them so that they see failure only as the necessary prelude to success, not as a defeat in itself, we will empower them to grasp whatever the world offers.

We don’t need to change everything we teach, but we do need to see that whatever we put on the curriculum, whether the sports, academic subjects, or creative and performing arts, are primarily tools to develop the human values and attributes our pupils need.

The future is more uncertain and complex than ever, but human values remain constant and simple. I want my son to be honest, brave and compassionate, whatever he does with his life; and every parent here today wants similar virtues for their children.

Which takes me to my final thanks, as ever, to you as parents. You entrust your children to us, believing that we can help them develop into young adults who are flexible, innovative, dynamic and resilient enough to make their way in the world; and honest, brave, and compassionate enough to do so with distinction.

Thank you so much for that trust and for allowing us the privilege of working with you.

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EXAM RE S ULT S

A Level Results Culford pupils perform strongly in the face of increasingly challenging examinations.

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A L EVEL EX AM RE SULT S

This year we experienced the first set of results from the new suite of A Level specifications involving less coursework and controlled assessment, harder content, and no AS exams because of the move to terminal exams at the end of the two years of study. However, results were very pleasing indeed with the following grade percentages: A* A*– A A*– B A*– C A*– E

7% 28% 52% 79% 98%

Twenty pupils out of a total of 58 achieved at least ABB. Most of those who did not quite reach this level performed very well indeed for their ability level. The below outlines a number of our top performers: Freddie Allum Jemma Andrews Rebecca Beardmore Noah Bentley Josh Chalfen Natasha Day Joe Gilkes Beth Keswick Sam Lucas Max McCrea Marie Owino Tatiana Ruleva Ellie Rushforth Charlie Schofield Lucy Scott Rhianna Walton Alex Waterman Gabriel Williams Chloe Xu Alex Zheng

A*A*A ABB AAB AAB ABB A*A A AAA ABB A*A A A*A*A* A*A B ABBC AAB A*A A AAB AAB ABB AAA AABC A*A*A*A

Headmaster Julian Johnson-Munday said: “We are very proud of this set of excellent grades and particularly delighted with the high number of very good individual results.

Pupils and teachers put a significant amount of effort into preparing for these important examinations and therefore the value added is always very pleasing.”

Most of the Upper Sixth pupils who applied to UK universities via UCAS were accepted by their first choice. One pupil achieved a place at St Anne’s, Oxford, to read chemistry.

There were also successful placements to Imperial and the London School of Economics, and over half were accepted by Russell Group universities. It must be remembered, however, that some top ten universities are not Russell Group, and some Russell Group universities do not perform that well in terms of ranking. What is important as a measure of success, therefore, is that pupils secured places at their chosen universities studying the courses they feel really passionate about.

With the Brexit outcome unclear in terms of tertiary education funding, no UK pupils applied to European universities in 2017.

However, five pupils successfully secured places at US universities on sports scholarships – Graceland, Iowa (two pupils), Grand Canyon and Long Island. A further pupil secured a place to read political science at McGill, Toronto.

John Guntrip Deputy Head

Max McCrea Individual Success Following a brilliant set of results, pupil Max McCrea was offered a place at St Anne’s College, Oxford, to study chemistry. Max has been a full boarder since the Fourth Form and has played an active part in all aspects of school life, including representing the school at rugby and cricket.

Gavin Reynolds, Assistant Head (pastoral), said: “Max is a delightful individual and has been very supportive of the boarding community. He is a genuine gentleman of Cornwallis and we wish him the very best at Oxford.”

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EXAM RE S ULT S

Excellent results secured by pupils interspersed by some outstanding individual performances.

GCSE Results

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GCSE E XAM RE SULT S

“We are very pleased indeed with these excellent results. Yet again, the value added across the range of abilities was particularly impressive and our top pupils gained suites of A* and A grades.”

At GCSE, only English language and English literature moved to the 9-1 grading system, other subjects still retaining the traditional grades of A*, A etc. Results were excellent, with percentages as follows: A* or 9-8 A*/A or 9-7 A*– B or 9-6 A*– C or 9-4

23% 46% 69% 93%

Ninety-six percent of all pupils gained at least five GCSE subjects at grades A*-C or 9-4.

A number of pupils achieved level 8 or even level 9 for English language or literature, but there is no doubt that achieving the top level 9 is now very demanding indeed.

We had a number of outstanding individual performances (AM = additional maths, top grade A): Jordan Asiama Alice Barkley

4A* 2A 1B 8 6 4A* 4A 7 7

Lucy Flynn George Gillis Emma Howard Mary Grace Godfrey Emily Hope Anna Hutchinson Eva Kroschel Fangchen Liu Kira Reuter Fergus Schofield Evan Sykes Tom Turner Ophelia Yannaghas Jess Walters Leo Williams Ruidi Zhu

6A* 9A 6A* 1A 1B 7 6 5A* 1A 1B 7 7 6A* 2A 8 8 2A* 4A 2B 9 9 6A* 2A 8 7 (A-AM) 6A* 2A (A-AM) 5A* 1A (A-AM) 5A* 1A 5 4 4A* 3A 1B 8 7 (B-AM) 4A* 3A 1B 6 6 4A* 3A 5 5 5A* 2A 1B 9 7 6A* 1B 6 6 (B-AM) 5A* 3A 7 5 5A* 1B (A-AM)

Every year pupils who are not academic scholars but who do particularly well in their GCSE examinations are awarded Sixth Form honorary scholarships by the Headmaster.

The benchmark for honorary scholarships is the equivalent point score of at least four A* and four A grades. New Sixth Form scholars are as follows: Alice Barkley George Gillis Emily Hope Emma Howard Leo Williams Ophelia Yannaghas In summary, we are very pleased with our results this year. The results prove yet again how hard teachers and pupils work to gain the best possible grades. In terms of value added, on average pupils achieved at least what would be expected based on ability alone.

This means that some of the most pleasing results were not necessarily the top grades, but the lower grades achieved by individual pupils who maximised their potential through hard work and perseverance.

It will be interesting to see the GCSE results in 2018 because this will include the completion of a raft of new, harder GCSE specifications, with virtually all subjects moving over to the 9-1 grading system.

As always, we remain focused on grades but we also see the individual pupil journeys as very important indeed. Our main aim is to ensure that pupils enjoy their subjects by improving their guided independent skills over time, leading to improved confidence and understanding.

John Guntrip Deputy Head

Culford’s Headmaster, Mr Julian JohnsonMunday, said: “We are very pleased indeed with these excellent results. Yet again, the value added across the range of abilities was particularly impressive and our top pupils gained suites of A* and A grades.”

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INTER N ATION A L S TUDY YE AR

International Study Year

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I NTERN ATION AL S TUDY YE AR

The International Study Year is an accelerated course that covers the key GCSEs of English, maths, biology, chemistry and physics in one year, rather than the normal two. It is primarily aimed at students who wish to go on to do A Levels and who are improving their level of English.

T

he students follow a bespoke timetable and are educated in their own purpose-furnished classroom.

In all other regards, they are fully integrated into the life of the boarding school. The exam results have been excellent and the pupils have enjoyed enriching cultural events and activities.

A Pupil’s Story At the beginning of the last autumn term, Fangchen Michael Liu started the accelerated one-year GCSE course with eight other pupils from south-east Asia. Despite some early trepidation, Michael quickly established himself as a strong student, always seeking challenges in order to improve. Aside from his academic excellence, Michael also immersed himself in school life, delivering eloquent cultural presentations to the Prep School, tutoring a struggling classmate and participating enthusiastically in the activity programme.

Michael’s hard work and leadership skills set him apart in a high-achieving class and led to him winning the coveted International Prize at Speech Day. Apart from being a diligent student, Michael also came to represent many of the core values of the International Study Year, such as developing social skills, creative thinking and personal development.

Michael graduated from the International Study Year with seven A* GCSEs and has now joined Culford’s Sixth Form. His former teachers in the department join me in wishing him, and our other talented graduates, every success in the Sixth Form.

Michael Liu

Nick Murray Head of International Study Programme

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SC HOL A RS ’ P ROG R AMME

During the academic year, we hosted a series of compelling seminars hosted by specialist external speakers and our knowledgeable members of staff.

Scholars’ Programme

Lucy Scott during Culford Talks

W

e started off with Art and Politics

by Dr Laura Slater, who focused on the in-depth analysis of some famous works of art, and then in October we experienced a superb presentation from our Head of Physics, Josh Fox, on Art and Space. Josh Fox also runs the school’s Astronomy Club and is currently studying an astrophysics course on exoplanets with the University of New South Wales. In November, Michael Brennand-Wood presented a seminar titled Pretty Deadly; he is a visual artist, curator, lecturer and arts consultant. This seminar involved an overview of Michael’s stunning work, with a specific focus on contested areas of textile practice, embroidery, lace, pattern, floral and narrative traditions.

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In January, we saw Edward Garrard and Liam Flack reveal to scholars how cricket bats are made in the design and technology department. They have both been working within the bat-making industry for just over three years, individually hand-crafting each and every bat they produce. It was fascinating to see how much skill, talent and precision goes into making these bats.

In February, Dr Lisa Wade presented Art and Hell. Lisa’s specialist interests are the imagery of hell and the Last Judgement in the art of the Italian Renaissance in particular.

In March, Kathryn Best presented Creativity, Design and Innovation: Catalysts for Transformation and Change. Kathryn

revealed the power of design as a catalyst for wellbeing and positive change in business and society.

Deputy Head, Dr Guntrip, gave a talk on the Aesthetics of Evolutionary Biology in May. He described the evolutionary changes that have taken place as we move up the evolutionary tree from DNA to prokaryotes and finally to multicellular organisms such as ourselves. He focused on the beauty and diversity of the natural history we have around us, showing the scholars some incredible images including one of a relatively recently discovered large shark – the megamouth – and video footage of a carnivorous giant squid five miles down in the ocean.

SC H OL ARS’ PROGR AMME

The April scholars’ dinner and seminar involved Adrian Wootton giving a presentation on Shakespeare on Film. The drinks reception afterwards was very well attended by parents. Sixth Form students then had an end-of-year celebratory meal with Adrian, the Headmaster and the Deputy Head.

Scholars are asked to lead the academic life of the school both within and beyond lessons. As well as experienced seminars they also attend Oxbridge-style tutorials which involve debating current affairs, discussing recent research, discussions on learning and teaching and a focus on specialisms, UCAS, Oxbridge and life beyond Culford. We also have a series of termly debates.

Debating is at the heart of Culford whether in lessons, at the English Speaking Union (ESU) Mace debating competition, or part of the Scholars’ Programme. Debating develops skills in public speaking, builds confidence and self-esteem, polishes critical thinking skills and prepares pupils for success in their chosen field. The scholars took part in three debates over the course of the year, as well as competing in the national ESU Schools’ Mace in which they achieved a place in the eastern regionals.

The Autumn term saw the highly driven and competitive duo of Luigi Merton and Mary Grace Godfrey competing in one competitive debate and one demonstration scholars’ debate in December. The motion was: “This house believes in physician-assisted

euthanasia” – an emotive and medically technical topic. Luigi and Mary raised the bar for debating in the school, bringing sharp debate within the constraints of the formal rules and rigorous judging criteria.

At Speech Day, some of our finest academic scholars debated the motion: “This house believes social media has a role as a legitimate source of news”. It successfully engaged pupils, parents and OCs in a lively round of floor questions, and gave an excellent impression of the calibre of debating at Culford.

In the summer, the baton was passed to the Lower Fifth who debated the motion: “This house believes that social media does more harm than good in the lives of young people“. Edward Roy, Catherine Howells, Isabelle Whyte and Aly Hutchinson showed that next year Culford will again have a strong debate team of which the school can be very proud.

Rebecca Beardmore, Charles Schofield, Old Culfordian Amy Milner (2009-2011) and Stephen Arbuthnot, Head of Sixth Form

Pupils with Ed Garrard, Suffolk cricket craftsman

In March, our Upper Sixth scholars took to the stage in a packed out Billiard Room.

Their brief: Five minutes... Inspire us!

Each scholar had researched specialist topics and been given support with presentation skills. A live camera streaming images of the presenters added to the ‘TED Talks’ feel of the evening. The evening was a huge success, with talks including: “Why we swear”; “Is the gender pay gap real?”; “Is inflation the missing piece of the Big Bang?”; and “Altruism: does it exist?”

Natasha Day, Head Girl, Michael Brennand-Wood and James Barley, Head Boy

These presentations supplement the A Level Extended Project framework and also the Culford Independent Research Project (CIRP).

Head of Sixth Form Stephen Arbuthnot said: “This is the first time we have run Culford Talks and it was so successful it has now earned a permanent home in the school calendar. The Upper Sixth scholars are developed and stretched, and the younger pupils are inspired. All boxes ticked!”

In summary, scholars and the many teachers that attended the tutorials, seminars, debates and presentations enjoyed a really interesting and thought-provoking year.

Our thanks are extended to Dr Guntrip, Mr Rees, Mr Holiday-Scott, Mr Arbuthnot, Mrs Haughey and Mr Fox for either their support as a scholar tutor or their assistance with the Scholar and Oxbridge Programmes.

John Guntrip Deputy Head Freddie Allum, Mr Fox and William Hilsum

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Visual and Performing Arts From the classics to the contemporary, the arts have been truly celebrated across the school and demonstrate the depth of talent amongst our pupils.

VISUAL AN D PE R FOR MING ART S

We Will Rock You In March 2017, Centenary Hall rocked to the sounds of Queen as Culford once again delivered an outstanding musical in the form of We Will Rock You.

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rom the second the lights went down, Radio Ga Ga blasted out and the bright lights and neon colours filled the stage, the energy levels from the talented cast were sky high and at times it was hard to tell you were not at a professional rock gig.

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This is our Contemporary Dance Teacher’s first musical at Culford and the joy on the faces of the dancers, together with the skill with which they executed the very complicated dance routines, is a credit to her as well as the dancers.

It was a delight to see so many newcomers forming part of the Ga Ga Kids’ ranks, and their dance skills were superb thanks to the outstanding choreography of Jodie Ricketts.

From white-clad teen queens to sultry goddesses, they worked tirelessly to support the main character of the Killer Queen (Anna Sutton). Special mention must go to

SEN IOR & S IXTH FO RM | 2016 – 2017

Amira Holzmann and Maggie Wang for their endless energy and attention to detail.

Right from the beginning of the production Emily Hope, who played Scaramouche, took everyone’s breath away with her masterful vocals. After hearing her sing Somebody to Love, the sound technician, who had worked on the West End production for a number of years, said Emily was as good if not better than her West End counterpart. Emily

WE WILL ROC K YOU

Right from the beginning of the production Emily Hope, who played Scaramouche, took everyone’s breath away with her masterful vocals.

revelled in the character of Scaramouche, giving reign to the sarcasm and wit in equal measure. Ellis Kilbane played opposite her as Galileo, bringing an incredible amount of energy, charisma and talent to the stage.

To even attempt Freddie Mercury’s vocals is a challenge for anyone, but Ellis ploughed through them all like an expert – We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions, Bohemian Rhapsody, I Want to Break Free – proving that not only is he an outstanding

actor but a very accomplished singer too.

Emily and Ellis’s duet of Who Wants to Live Forever? was ethereal and beautifully performed and a highlight of the production.

Another success of this production was the motley collection of Bohemians who provided sanctuary to an escaping Scaramouche and Galileo. Clad in an eclectic mix of post-punk regalia these self-styled misfits, named after rock gods they had seen

on old posters – Cliff Richard (Finn Morrison), Puff Daddy (Katie Farrant), Madonna (Katie Veitch), Bowie (Ollie Beresford), Jackson Five (Jude Everitt), Bob (Finn Evans), Alanis (Elise Yiu), Beyoncé (Nicole Tsang), and Charlotte Church (Emily Harris) – were ably led by the self-important and witty Big Macca (Henry Jackson-Wells) and threw themselves into Crazy Little Thing Called Love, dancing like pros. Their love of what they were doing was infectious. ‰

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WE WILL ROC K YOU

The band was very definitely part of the action this year, nestled on stage and led superbly by Musical Director Peter Burge. Their playing was faultless, and they brought the music of Queen to life brilliantly.

This production was slick and high-tech with projections and pre-recorded sections complementing the fast-paced action on stage. Darren Sykes, our Drama Technician, worked hard to make this production professional and he certainly succeeded in making it visually stunning. One actress who featured in these sections was Anna Sutton, who played the Killer Queen superbly. There wasn’t a moment when Anna didn’t dominate the stage and her singing of Another One Bites the Dust and A Kind of Magic was faultless. This was Anna’s last production for Culford. She has been a huge part of the dramatic life of the school and will be missed enormously. She was supported beautifully by Tash Desmond who played Khashoggi with just the right amount of control and sarcasm.

It was a treat to witness Alex Minns’ portrayal of Pop, the aging hippy who yearns for the old days when rock and roll ruled. He has natural comic timing and a beautiful, soulful voice that was enchanting when he sang Days of Our Lives. Lucy Mason and Jordan Asiama also featured as newcomers to our stage in the roles of Meat and Britney,

bringing stage presence and energy. Lucy’s rendition of No One But You was beautifully measured and emotional.

The band was very definitely part of the action this year, nestled on stage and led superbly by Musical Director Peter Burge.

Their playing was faultless, and they brought the music of Queen to life brilliantly.

Maria Jackson

A thank you from Culford: The production was directed by Culford’s Director of Drama, Maria Jackson, and she should be congratulated on creating a performance that was completely professional in all respects. We have come to expect high standards by now, having seen Les Miserables and Little Shop of Horrors, but We Will Rock You was out of this world.

Judging by the spontaneous standing ovation and the deafening reception she received when invited on to the stage on the last night, the cast and audience thought so too. Here’s to the next one!

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Great Expectations The ingenious, fast-paced sell-out production of Great Expectations demonstrated the abundance of acting talent at Culford School.

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rama at Culford has built such a name for itself that when tickets went on sale for the Senior School production of Great Expectations, they sold out within two weeks. Expectations of great things indeed, and the production definitely lived up to them.

Packed houses enjoyed a spectacle that included inventive ensemble theatre and masterful individual performances, all delivered with a pace and style that gave the well-loved Dickens tale a new twist.

The adaptation by Culford’s Director of Drama, Maria Jackson, featured three ensembles that supported the key characters of Pip and Estella as they grew from children to adults. Young Pip was played with a wonderful mixture of pathos and cheek by Charlie Stephens. He brought energy and innocence to the trials presented to him by Mrs Joe, played with vicious relish by Eleanor Gillis. He portrayed the naivety required when presented to young Estella, but also a real understanding of the way he was being manipulated.

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Emily Hope’s young Estella was prim and haughty, and a perfect foil for the out-ofdepth Pip. When in dire straits, young Pip would always turn to Joe Gargery, played excellently by Oliver Beresford. Oliver beautifully captured the initial camaraderie between the two, which later becomes vital support to adult Pip, proving they are “ever the best of friends”, a parting line Oliver delivered with heartfelt emotion.

Perhaps the most famous character from Great Expectations is Miss Haversham, and Harriet Kirby-Smith brought a mesmerising quality to her outstanding performance.

This was no banshee of a ditched bride, but a contained, fluid, gentle and elegant figure with a mellifluous voice who cast her own spell on us again and again.

Rather than be repelled by her entrapment of Estella, we empathised with her need for companionship. Harriet is to be congratulated for the originality of her interpretation and for the depth of emotion she brought to this troubled character.

Ensemble theatre is fascinating to watch and in Great Expectations the audience were able to appreciate the cyclical nature of the presentation, with the shifts of action being signposted by a sung version of Dickens’ Old Clem poem. The piece opened with the ensemble’s performance and it was repeated during the transition from young Pip to old Pip. This enabled the cast change to take place seamlessly. Ensemble involvement meant almost all of the cast played multiple roles, and really tested the strengths of the actors.

One such actor was Henry Jackson-Wells who played Compeyson as well as the dithering clergyman Wopsle. Henry captured the required wit beautifully, especially when Pip makes a visit to the theatre to see Wopsle give his Hamlet. Wopsle leapt on to the stage in doublet and hose, wig cap and wire-rim glasses, all kneecaps and google eyes, and crucified Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy, all with fervent comic intent.

While on the subject of comedy we must mention Anna Sutton’s perfect portrayal

GREAT EX PECTATIONS

of Pumblechook, the quintessentially Dickensian buffoon. Pumblechook’s giant belly appeared on stage first and was swiftly followed by a delightfully rounded character in every sense of the word. Anna is a consummate actress and excels at that most difficult of genres, comedy. She also played Wemmick, the lawyer’s clerk, and managed to infuse every moment with the required subtext, either through an appropriate gesture, word or look. It was captivating.

against the assembled company for their lack of faith in him, it was clear indeed that we were in the presence of an actor who feels genuine emotional depth and knows how to share it.

The production looked beautiful, dominated by a huge gold mirror frame through which we could see the two worlds of the novel: the marshlands and Satis House.

Haversham’s decaying wedding cake dominated centre stage and the wedding breakfast table, dilapidated, fraying and draped with dried-up roses, served as both table and stage for sections of the play.

Darren Sykes’ imaginative lighting took us on an evocative journey across the dank Kent marshes, from the haunting rooms of Satis House, to the bright salons of London society and the dangerous London docks.

A lengthy novel, a lengthy adaptation, and a lengthy appearance for Joe Gilkes, who played adult Pip. On stage with only one exit for over two hours, Joe dominated with great confidence, masterminding the action throughout, indicating changes of location and emotion on the turn of a coin. He excelled in the exchanges with adult Estella, played excellently by Rebecca Beardmore, thinly disguising his jealousy over her love for another and exhibiting a poignant and subtle heartbreak when they finally parted, to the accompaniment of a haunting rendition of Old Clem sung by young Estella (Emily Hope).

Maria Jackson

The mark of a great production is one that leaves the audience talking about the talent of an unexpected newcomer to the stage.

Ellis Kilbane’s Magwitch was a revelation.

From the violent and savage arrival in clanking chains to the tender farewell to adult Pip in his dying moments, Ellis lived and breathed the experiences of this complex character. When he revealed the truth his pride was palpable. When he railed

A thank you from Culford: Maria Jackson’s direction was meticulous, with attention paid to every detail making this an ingenious, fast-paced production in which every complex scene segued faultlessly into the next. It was cast expertly and every aspect – design, characterisation, and structure – had obviously been given the utmost consideration.

The sense of pride from the pupils in what they had achieved was clear to see and all should be very proud to have played a part in this magnificent production.

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SENIOR SCHOOL

Drama Overview Ghetto

by Joshua Sobol The Upper Fifth GCSE drama pupils performed Joshua Sobol’s visceral piece Ghetto in March to full houses in the studio theatre.

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DR AMA OVE RVIE W

Both Henry and Emily can be extremely proud of their performances; the visiting examiner awarded them both 100% for their portrayals.

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he play – the first piece in a trilogy chronicling the lives of the Jews in the Vilna ghetto in Warsaw during World War Two – follows the trials and tribulations of the once-famous artists who populated the Polish capital, but who were then forced to live under the oppression of the Nazi regime and faced the constant threat of the death camps at Ponar.

Embracing the Brechtian style of theatre, in which they played multiple roles and focused on sharing the political messages the play contained, the ten-strong cast excelled in portraying the plight of the oppressed Jewish people.

Henry Jackson-Wells was outstanding as Gens, the leader of the ghetto council, a character whose unenviable task it was to strike an almost impossible balance between supporting the inhabitants of the ghetto while sticking to the wishes of the ruling party by keeping the numbers of ghetto occupants “manageable” by any means.

Emily Hope proved what an exceptional talent she is with her portrayal of the vulnerable Hayyah, a formerly successful actress reduced to sleeping in stairwells.

Hadley Butler brought some poignant moments to the production when recounting the horrors that met his company of actors when delivering their last performance.

Both Henry and Emily can be extremely proud of their performances; the visiting examiner awarded them both 100% for their portrayals.

The performances from all pupils were moving and shocking in turns. Some of the more memorable scenes included the haunting appearance of the grubby artists from beneath a pile of rejected clothing at the beginning; the frantic gathering of the stolen beans in the one minute allowed by the murdering Kittle to save Hayyah’s life; the stylised representation of ‘natural selection’; and the final shocking moments of satirical mayhem as masked actors victimised the one remaining Jewish occupant.

This production of Ghetto was an extremely well-acted piece of political theatre and one of which the GCSE pupils and the drama department can be extremely proud.

LAMDA AND RADA Culford’s Senior and Prep pupils received outstanding results from their LAMDA and RADA examinations this year.

The LAMDA programme at Culford has 46 pupils taking part, studying Acting, Verse and Prose or Public Speaking and over the past year all have taken exams ranging from entry level grade 1 to silver medal grade 7 (which carries UCAS points). We are delighted that the vast majority of pupils pass at the higher merit and distinction levels. Particular congratulations must go to Emily Hope for receiving a distinction in her silver medal grade, to Emily Wildish for receiving distinction in grade 7 with 95% and Lola Goodall for achieving distinction in grade 5 with 90%.

Maria Jackson, Director of Drama said ‘My thanks go to Emily Redfarn and Jodie Ricketts who teach in the Senior and Prep schools respectively. These outstanding results are a testament to their expertise, careful preparation and enthusiasm. My congratulations also go to our LAMDA pupils for achieving such a high standard. The LAMDA programme is proving invaluable to those pupils to who take part in it, and all speak very positively about the skills it teaches them.’

This year also saw Culford School taking part in the prestigious RADA Shakespeare Awards for the first time.

Working in partnership with RADA, Culford pupils had the opportunity to study well known passages of Shakespeare, deepen their understanding of the text and improve upon their classical acting skills. Results here too were outstanding and we look forward to welcoming back more staff from RADA to continue our relationship with this outstanding academy and to continue to inspire our pupils in this aspect of their drama study.

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SENIOR SCHOOL

Music Overview Head of Music Peter Burge reflects on a year that saw an eclectic mix of musical genres combine to provide an aural feast for appreciative audiences.

School of Music and this year was made both principal cello of the Suffolk Youth Orchestra and principal oboe of the West Suffolk Youth Orchestra.

The House singing competition continues to go from strength to strength and this year saw one of the most keenly contested competitions, with a continued increase in the quality of both the whole House and ensemble performances. Award winning singer Connor Ryan Adams was faced with a difficult challenge in adjudicating. The theme of the whole House songs was Queen. Cornwallis gave a powerful account of We Are the Champions and Edwards impressed with their vocal range in I Want to Break Free. Jocelyn put together some impressive harmonies in Somebody to Love but Fitzgerald carried the day with their impassioned arrangement of Don’t Stop Me Now.

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here has been much to celebrate in the music department this year.

However, one individual success deserves special mention. In the Autumn term Catherine Howells gained her dipABRSM performance diploma on the cello, a truly remarkable achievement at the age of 14.

This involved her giving a 45-minute recital of works including Beethoven’s Sonata No.3, Dvorak’s Rondo in G minor, Ian Venables’ Elegy for Cello and Piano and two movements from Elgar’s famous Cello Concerto. In preparation for this examination Catherine gave a lunchtime recital at school, which was extremely well attended and highly appreciated by staff, parents and pupils.

Catherine is a music scholar at the Guildhall

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The ensembles were equally competitive with Cornwallis just pipping Edwards’ acoustic arrangement of ‘Aint No Sunshine and Jocelyn winning through with Pumped Up Kicks over Fitzgerald’s You Can’t Stop the Beat. Jocelyn were delighted to take the overall crown, breaking Fitzgerald’s recent domination.

The Autumn Concert saw the usual eclectic mix of music featuring both soloists and ensembles. Wind band started proceedings with two stalwart works for band: Champions of Freedom and Wyndham Variations. The newly formed Hot Club, a jazz and folk fusion band directed by Janet Welsh, our new Head of Strings, got everyone’s feet tapping, as did the impressive performance of Tico Tico by the senior clarinet ensemble. A piano trio gave a beautiful performance of Heart Throbs by Charles Arnold. Soloists included Joshua

Cope on the piano, Hermione Weyers on the violin, Isabel Whyte on the piano and Catherine Howells on the cello. The fourth form choir gave a rousing performance of the traditional Malawian song Palibe, followed by a very percussive account of We Will Rock You. The increasingly sophisticated jazz band rounded off proceedings with three numbers culminating in an incredibly dynamic performance of The Chicken by Alfred ‘Pee Wee’ Ellis.

The annual staff concert which takes place immediately after half-term in the Autumn term has become another established tradition within the music department. We are blessed with some incredibly talented musicians and teachers within the department and this concert is a splendid opportunity for our pupils to relax and enjoy seeing their teachers being put on the spot.

Eleven of our staff performed in a combination of solos, duets, trios and quartets with a dazzling array of music from Chopin, Schubert and Rachmaninov through to Flanders and Swann, Piazzolla, Charlie Parker and even some original compositions

by Nigel Tuffs and Janet Welsh. I would warmly encourage both parents and pupils to look out for this event every year, it is great fun.

depth of talent. The Spring Concert at the end of term was another showpiece occasion featuring music ensembles from both the Prep and Senior schools.

One of the Senior School music department’s priorities in the Spring term is the Senior School musical and Ben Elton’s We Will Rock You proved to be another exhilarating experience for all concerned. The principal vocalists Ellis Kilbane, Emily Hope, Anna Sutton and Natasha Desmond impressed with both the quality of their singing performances and the sheer energy they brought to the stage. They were supported by a very strong cast. In the band special mention should be made of Edward Baines, who contributed some excellent percussion playing.

Peter Burge

Our 70-strong carols choir enjoyed the opportunity to lead the service in St Edmundsbury Cathedral again this year. Solo carols included Riu, Riu, Chiu, The Three Kings and Gaudete, with the Boar’s Head carol featuring as the joint carol with the Prep choir. This year the service began with a beautiful performance of Silent Night by the guitar ensemble, led by Nigel Tuffs. Several days earlier members of carols choir had enjoyed the opportunity to sing at Center Parcs, followed by a complimentary free swim in the pool.

In the Spring term our GCSE music students combined with our music scholars and exhibitioners to give a joint concert. This was a very entertaining evening of solos and small ensembles. All together 23 musicians took part, demonstrating a breadth and

Head of Art Brenda Hunt, who is stepping down after 20 years in the role, reflects on her time leading the school’s Art Department.

SENIOR SCHOOL

Art Overview

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Value every opportunity and be willing to take a chance…

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began my teaching career in 1982 at a large comprehensive school in Nuneaton in Warwickshire. Fresh from my PGCE at Bristol, it was what some might call a baptism of fire. I had no real intention of becoming a teacher; my tutor at art college in Birmingham was intent on me pursuing an MA in shoe design at Leicester (now De Montfort). However, a poster outside the third year studio inviting postgraduate applications for PGCE at Bristol looked interesting and I thought I would apply just to see if it was for me. I applied, was accepted without interview, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 1983 my husband’s work saw a move to East Anglia and I began teaching at Culford in the spring of the following year, working with the then Head of Art Liz Edwards and the wonderful Housemistress of Jocelyn House, Valerie Troth. I still clearly remember driving up to Culford Hall mesmerised by the beauty of the park and the magnificence of the architecture, so far removed from the view of the staff car park and the school playground at my previous school. Met by the Senior Mistress Suzanne Carter and the Director of Studies Arthur Parry, I was soon made to feel welcome and became part of what was then, as is now, the Culford family.

Harry Reidy’s winning sculpture for the Saatchi Gallery Art Prize in 2014

Since those early days I cannot tell you where the time has gone. I have genuinely valued every opportunity, whether that is being Head of Art, a tutor, or as Fitzgerald Day Housemistress. Firmly grounded at the centre, the pupils have fuelled and refuelled my desire to ensure that every creative opportunity is made available to them. I fondly remember my first A Level art class and it is always a delight to meet with them and former pupils and colleagues at OC events in London and at school reunions.

There have certainly been many memorable highlights, including study tours to numerous galleries, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona and New York, Harry Reidy winning the Saatchi Gallery Art Prize in 2014, the opening of the Foundation gallery, the RA Schools’ Exhibition, workshops and lectures by visiting notable artists and OCs and also meeting, after many years, former pupil Vanessa Jane Hall at the Victoria and Albert Museum as she exhibited her installation Broken Beauty. ‰

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Over the years I have been lucky and privileged to work with a remarkable art department team. The friendships formed and mutual support offered by staff and pupils have been at the heart of art education here at Culford. I wish to thank them and the current team of Leigh Hoggar, Katie Noorlander and Helen Whiter for all the creative energy they bring to their lessons and to the department and for the support they have given me over the years.

We will be joined in September by Miss Tessa Rankin, the new Head of Art, and I wish her every success in a role that has played a huge part of my life; it has been a pleasure to work with such talented pupils and staff.

So as we look to the future there are truly exciting times ahead as the plans for the redevelopment of the art department take shape. From what I have seen the proposals look phenomenal and there is a genuine buzz of anticipation as we wait for work to begin in the near future.

Although at the end of last term I took the decision to step down from the position of Head of Art, a role I have been proud to undertake for the last 20 years, I will still be found in the art department from September. I am not yet ready to stop teaching or to stop learning; it has been my world for far too long for it to just stop.

The passion for my subject has never waned; indeed I believe it to be even stronger now than ever before. With age they say comes wisdom. However, you should never underestimate the wisdom of the young. When nurtured, harnessed and challenged they can surprise and inspire you.

Brenda Hunt

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A RT S PRESENTATION

Arts Presentation In April 2017, Culford held its ninth annual arts presentation dinner, where artists, musicians and performing arts pupils, along with their teachers, celebrated and recognised the talents of all those involved with the creative arts at Culford.

Awards in art were given to Harriet Kirby Smith, Hannah Brecknell and Julia D’Lima.

For music Josh Cope, Emily Harris and Anna Sutton were given awards for their fantastic contributions. Culford recently performed We Will Rock You to three sell-out audiences, marking a great year for drama and dance. Awards for drama, dance and tech crew were given to Tash Desmond, Tristan Long and Hadley Butler. Pupils Henry Jackson-Wells and Emily Hope were given the Joint Award for exceptional contribution to Music and Drama.

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Juod Habib-Allah

Saskia Crawford

Juod Habib-Allah

ART & DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

A Level Gallery 38

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A RT & DESIGN TEC HNO L OG Y | A LE VE L

Hugo O’Kelly

Rapolas Usaris

Anna Sutton

Saskia Crawford

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Ophelia Yannaghas

Echo Xu

Ophelia Yannaghas

Mary-Grace Godfrey

Ophelia Yannaghas

ART & DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

GCSE Gallery 40

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A RT & DESIGN TEC H NOL OG Y | GCSE

Mary-Grace Godfrey

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Sporting Achievements Culford is increasingly being known for sporting excellence.

This year, the Senior School has seen successes that have won plaudits both nationally and internationally.

SPORTING AC HIEVE MEN T S

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SENIOR SCHOOL

Sport Overview Knowing where to start with a sports report is normally tough but this year, writes Head of Sport and Cricket Andy Northcote, it could not be easier.

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welve years ago, David Hall and Dave Watkin launched the Culford tennis programme. I am delighted to announce that their vision, dedication and commitment to the growth of tennis, coupled with the recent leadership of James Yates, has seen Culford recognised as the top co-educational school for tennis in the UK by the LTA. Having won the National U18 Schools Championship and two pupils, Will Davies and Joe Tyler, awarded scholarships at American universities, Culford is delivering upon its promise; to provide a holistic approach to teaching and learning, entwining academic life with sporting endeavour.

The golf academy has doubled in size, both in terms of pupils and facilities. The recent addition of an Indoor Swing Studio with TrackMan radar technology allows pupils to access the most accurate data on their swing and allows Lawrence Dodd and his team to analyse these in real time. This most definitely aided Max Adams, who has had some phenomenal results the past year.

Our swimmers continue to shine on a national scale. Jack Bowyer’s rise to national champion came on the back of him winning gold in the 15 years 50m backstroke, while Taylor Bowen’s two personal bests in the semi-final and final secured the bronze medal in the 100m butterfly. Our vision for swimming is very much equivalent to all our individual sports and as we slowly realise our potential, grow our pupil numbers and deliver the quantity of quality lessons required every week, we should see more and more individual and team success stories coming our way. Dan Pilbrow, an ex-Commonwealth swimmer, has been a strong addition to our programme and played a key part in helping our pupils reach new heights and many personal best times. Unfortunately, after 17 years of impeccable service, Celia Almond has moved on to a new adventure and her commitment to school swimming will be sorely missed.

Our cricket programme is now in a position to offer our pupils what very few in the country can – instant live video feedback, a state of the art Merlyn spin bowling machine and an annual programme of up to four sessions per week. This is testament to the growing belief that cricket is an individual sport played in a team environment. Alex Oxley’s maiden half century in the Suffolk CCC men’s minor counties game against Norfolk – a truly remarkable achievement by the youngest debutant since World War Two – and Alex Cruickshank’s 8 for 34 against Framlingham College are sure prospects for higher honours. With the global increase in popularity of girls’ cricket, Culford embarked on delivering a full schedule and our results could

not have been more pleasing in year one with three county cricketers to boot!

Rugby results have flowed consistently in recent times, with Mark Bolton’s fast passing, expansive and dynamic style taking shape.

However, rugby is a sport where pupil participation numbers are key and size matters at the younger years. Tom Brown became the first person to be awarded a professional contract in recent times, signing with Brive Academy in France, having spent the past four years developing at the school. Our annual Scotland tour was another huge success and in the final game we had a thrilling win against Dundee.

The boys U18 hockey season gets a mention for producing the most goals in a season for a number of years. Having spent the previous year struggling for outcomes in the circle, we managed 23 goals in just six fixtures. A notable cup run against The Leys, Ipswich School and Oundle School saw us progress to round three before losing to the latter in an 11 goal thriller. The girls’ section remained as steady as always with a strong rise in the standard of goalkeepers. The stand-out performers include Beth Farrow, who joined the England performance pathway; Hettie Carter, who is developing at an incredible pace; and finishing the gaggle of goalkeepers is the ever improving Boo McClean.

Netball’s continued success meant another trip to the regional event and being unbeaten in the season which, for the first time in the east, was run in a league format.

Finally, we must mention Olivia Allum, who represented Suffolk at the English Schools Championships in the 1500m race. She finished fourth, just one place out of the medals. A cracking performance by a young lady who has worked tirelessly across the year to improve her racing times and showed us all that determination, guts and hard work do count.

Sport at the Senior School really is in an exciting position. We welcome a new Head of Hockey, Emma Thornbury; our facilities are ever upgrading; and, individually, we are flourishing under the watchful eye of each Head of Sport. We believe in our model and look forward to producing more outstanding individuals who will grow to be wellrounded, skilful sports people who have the overall understanding of what sport is all about: building lifelong friendships, competing to your best ability and leaving nothing behind. 2017/2018 – bring it on.

Andrew Northcote

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SPORTING AC HIEVE MEN T S

Tennis We have had an amazing year of success, one that has surpassed the achievements of any previous year in the history of tennis at the school.

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e are ranked the No 1 co-educational school and one of the top six LTA academies in Great Britain, and won the National Under 18 Schools Championships, a tournament that involves all state and independent schools in the country.

Our leading players also continue to perform superbly in both UK and international tournaments. We currently have 20 players who are tennis scholars and full programme players, along with a further 20 very promising performance players. The school tennis development programme continues to flourish, with a further 40 players who play regularly throughout the year.

The main team achievements were as follows:

LTA Team Tennis National Under 18 Tennis Championships, July 2017

The squad of Joe Tyler, Will Davies, Oscar Cutting, Harry Wendelken and Ed Pudney were No 1 seeds for the event and defeated Merchiston Castle School, the leading Scottish tennis school, in the semi-final on a tie-break shoot-out after the match finished 3-3.

This set-up the anticipated match against Reeds School, who played a tight match against Millfield School in their semi-final.

Culford won the first two singles matches with great performances from Harry Wendelken and Oscar Cutting. Culford were pegged back to 2-1 after Will Davies was defeated in his singles. The next match involved our No 1 player Joe Tyler against Ben Draper, the top player from Reeds. It lived up to its billing as the key game of the entire fixture. Joe won the first set and Draper the second to set up an extraordinary match tie-break to 10 points. An early lead from Joe was quickly lost and he found himself behind 6-3 and then 9-7 with Draper having two match points.

Somehow Joe found amazing powers of recovery, including hitting an ace at match point down, to recover and win 12-10 and power Culford to a 3-1 lead. Oscar Cutting and Harry Wendelken looked to be heading for defeat in a decisive first doubles match but the victory from Joe gave them renewed belief, coming back from a set down to win a decisive match tie-break and secure Culford’s first Glanville Cup title.

Culford were the only school in Great Britain to have two boys’ teams and two girls’ teams at the event. To round off a superb allround performance, the girls A and B teams playing for the Aberdare Cup finished third and 11th respectively. The A team deserve a special mention for their performance in the semi-final when they were very close to beating Talbot Heath School, the No 2 seeds, losing the match tie break shoot out 10-8. On the last day they produced a faultless performance to defeat Cheam High School 4-0 to finish third overall.

Finally, the boys’ B team lost a very close match on the last day to Monkton School, Bath, on a tie-break shoot-out to finish a highly respectable sixth place.

The U18 boys tennis team became national champions in July, defeating Reeds School 4-1 in a nail-biting final on Friday 14 July to win the event for the first time in our history!

The event, named the Glanville Cup, is the most prestigious competition in the calendar involving all state and independent schools across Great Britain. To make the achievement even more special Reeds School have won the event for the last ten years and this is the first time Culford have defeated Reeds in an U18 boys fixture.

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Head Coach Andrew Richardson was delighted with the performances of all 19 Culford players who competed in the national championships over four days of intense competition. He said: “To win the most high-profile event in schools’ tennis is an outstanding achievement and undoubtedly the proudest moment in Culford’s tennis history.

To be crowned national champions against Reeds School, who have won the event for the last ten years, is simply amazing. All the players representing the school have performed superbly and should feel very proud of their achievements.”

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ISTA Independent Schools National Championships, July 2017 The school had outstanding results at this year’s Independent Schools National Championships held at Eton College, Windsor, winning two national titles.

Lizzie Pam and Kira Reuter won the U19 girls doubles title and Andrea Pineda and Millie-Mae Matthews won the U15 girls doubles, defending the title we won in 2016.

Other notable achievements across the four day of the event were the U19 boys team reaching the semi-finals, just missing out on a notable win against Reeds School with a narrow shoot-out defeat.

Our U15 boys pair of Harry Wendelken and Luke Watson lost in the final to an accomplished pair from Eton College.

LTA Team Tennis Year 8 and Year 10 National Championships, December 2016 Our U13 girls and U15 boys qualified for the AEGON Team Tennis Schools National Championships at Bolton Arena in December. The year-end competition is the culmination of eight months competition starting in April with the county qualifying stage leading to regional qualifying and finally four teams qualifying for the National Championships. Over 1,200 school teams from across Great Britain entered the U13 girls and U15 boys events in 2016.

Our U13 girls team were No 1 seeds and played Trent College from Nottinghamshire in the first match, winning comfortably 6-0. They then defeated Manchester Grammar School 7-6 in a tight match after winning a tie-break shoot-out. This set up a final match against Talbot Heath School, Bournemouth, to decide the title. ‰

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Unfortunately we were defeated 5-1 after some close matches but a second place finish overall in Great Britain is one to be very proud of. Many congratulations to Millie-Mae Matthews, Jana Higazy, Justice Hall and Ella Wood.

Two players who played an important part in us getting to the finals were not at the event – Laurie Cruickshank, who was unable to travel due to illness, and Kylie Bilchev, who was competing in the Orange Bowl tournament in Florida, one of the world’s leading junior tournaments.

The U15 boys team played Millfield School in their first match, a game that went down to the wire after finishing 6-6. Unfortunately we just lost the tie-break 10-8. The second match against the No 1 seeds from Merchiston Castle School was, as expected, a tough match for the boys and we lost 6-0.

This set up a final match against Repton School which again finished with a tie-break shoot-out. Again we just lost, this time 11-9. Clearly it was not meant to be! Our final position was fourth. Many congratulations to Harry Wendelken, Noah Cutting, Tom Turner, Warok Rai and Gordon Loo. All the players were magnificent and should be very proud of their achievement in finishing in the top four in Great Britain. The National Championship Finals events are the pinnacle of the tennis year. It is so pleasing when the pupils cope with the pressure and expectation of the occasion and perform so well.

Category

Player of the Year (Boy)

Mini Tennis Red U8

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LTA Senior Students National Finals, March 2017 The Culford boys tennis team competed in the LTA Senior Students National Finals at the USN Bolton Arena in March, having qualified by winning their regional final in February.

The team of Luigi Murton, Rob Clark, Joe Foulger and Galin Rusev played well all weekend and although they narrowly lost all their three matches there was some spirited performances from the whole team. The team opened against St Peters, York, and, with the match poised at 3-3, a tie break shoot-out ensued. Culford agonisingly lost 10-8. The team then lost 4-2 to Bishops Wordsworth School, Wiltshire, in a close match that could have gone either way, and finally lost 4-2 to Wilmslow School, Cheshire.

All the players should feel very proud of their achievement in qualifying for the national finals - only eight boys’ teams reach that stage of the competition. They played exceptionally well and it was great experience.

Tennis Awards Evening, May 2017 Our third annual tennis awards evening was held in Centenary Hall with over 170 guests. It is really pleasing to see how the event has grown over the years and how family focused it now is – children aged between five and 18 years old attend. The evening recognised the achievements of Culford School and non-Culford School pupils who attend the tennis coaching programme. The list of Culford School pupils who were either winners or nominated for one of the categories is as follows:

Player of the Year (Girl)

Most improved (Boy)

Charlotte Anderson (winner)

Mini Tennis Orange U9

Rocco Richardson (winner)

Mini Tennis Green U10

Will Anderson (winner) Max Griffiths (nominated)

U12

Ralph Bartlett (winner) Josh Mumford (nominated)

U14 Tennis

Most improved (Girl) Charlotte Anderson (nominated)

Archie Jones (winner) Alex Skinner (nominated)

Imogen Callaghan (winner)

Justice Hall (winner)

Josh Mumford (winner) Evan Banks (nominated) Toni Cursach (nominated)

Edlyn Rai (nominated)

Derrick Chen (winner) Gene Swain (nominated)

Kylie Bilchev (winner) Millie Mae Matthews (nominated) Laurie Cruickshank (nominated)

Gene Swain (winner) Michael Gu (nominated) Mason Bickers (nominated)

Millie Mae M (winner) Laurie Cruickshank (nominated) Ella Wood (nominated)

U16

Harry Wendelken (winner) Tom Turner (nominated) Warok Rai (nominated)

Kira Reuter (winner)

Warok Rai (winner) Tom Turner (nominated)

Abby Taylor (nominated)

U18 Tennis

Joe Tyler (winner) Freddie Grant (nominated) Ed Pomeroy (nominated) Oscar Cutting (nominated)

Lizzie Pam (winner) Kira Reuter (nominated)

Nils Klermund (winner) Will Davies (nominated) Ed Pudney (nominated) Martynas Jurkonis (nominated)

Abby Taylor (winner) Karina Fleschmann (nominated)

U14 Strength and Conditioning

Warok Rai (winner) Ella Wood (winner)

U18 Strength and Conditioning

Joe Tyler (winner) Abby Taylor (winner)

SEN IOR & S IXTH FO RM | 2016 – 2017

I NDIVIDUAL PL AY ER AC H IEV EMENT S

Oscar Cutting

Harry Wendelken

Kira Reuter

Kylie Bilchev

Andrea Pineda

Individual player achievements Oscar Cutting • Winner, LTA national grade 2 event, Gosling Sports Park, Hertfordshire, May 2017 • Runner-up, grade 2 national event, Nottingham, April 2017 • Semi-final, Men’s British Tour, Norwich, May 2017 Harry Wendelken • Team GB U16 Winter Cup European champions, February 2017 • Champion U18, International Tennis Federation grade 4, Hamburg, March 2017 • Doubles champion U18, International Tennis Federation grade 4, Nottingham, April 2017 • Winner singles and doubles U16, National Junior Championships, August 2017 Harry becomes British No 1 Tennis Player Harry Wendelken became the leading U14 player in the country after winning the national title and the Road to Wimbledon tournament.

Harry said: “My aim is to be a professional tennis player and to be the best player in the world. It’s going to take a lot of effort and hard work to get there, a lot of time and commitment. I don’t have a lot of free time with my friends but if I want to be a professional player that’s what it takes.”

In 2015 Harry’s coach, Chris Johnson, decided to make the move to Culford to take up a position as a high performance tennis coach. Harry decided he too wanted to join Culford, a decision that meant leaving behind his friends. He said: “It was difficult but I knew I had to do it if I wanted to progress.”

Harry’s love for tennis began from the age of five when he picked up his first tennis racket. He joined various clubs before his talent saw him progress to the Hills Road High Performance Centre. In addition to fitness, strength and conditioning sessions, Harry now undertakes the bulk of his 15 hours of tennis lessons at Culford.

Although Harry is only 15, he recognises the importance of his relationship with his coach, with whom he has been working for five years. He said: “Chris has been a big help to my tennis career and hopefully he will be in the future as well. I don’t think I’d want to work with anyone else.”

The next three years will be crucial as Harry looks to begin his professional career.

Chris said: “Technically Harry is in a very good place but he needs to be challenged with every ball. He can’t get away with being 10 or 15 percent off at Culford because with the players he’s up against there, he’ll get beaten.”

Everyone at Culford is very proud of all Harry’s achievements so far and we hope that he accomplishes his dream of becoming the best tennis player in the world.

Derrick Chen • Ranked 5 (career high) U14, Tennis Europe • Quarter-final U14, Les Petits As, France, Tennis Europe Championships, February 2017 • Doubles winner U14, Tennis Europe grade 1, Dr Oetker Romanian Junior Trophy, May 2017 • Doubles champion U14, Tennis Europe grade 1, Messina, Italy, May 2017 • Doubles winner U18, ITF grade 5, Bucharest Kira Reuter • Singles champion, British Tour, Tunbridge Wells, July 2017 • Doubles winner U16, National Junior Championships, August 2017 Joe Tyler • Runner-up U18, Great Britain Nationals, August, 2016 Kylie Bilchev • Runner-up U16, Tennis Europe, Mallorca, Spain, October 2016 • Quarter-final U14, Eddie Herr International Championships, U14, Florida, December 2016 • Doubles winner U14, Eddie Herr International Championships, December 2016 • Fifth, U14 singles, Orange Bowl International Championships, Miami, Florida, December 2016 Kylie wins Suffolk Sport Young Personality of the Year award Senior School pupil Kylie Bilchev won the prestigious Suffolk Sport Young Sports Personality of the Year award in November 2016.

The award is given to an U18 sports performer in the county who has made great progress and achieved significant success.

Kylie had an incredible year, with some of the highlights including coming sixth in the World

Junior Championships in Florida, winning the U14 Tennis Europe events in Italy and Slovenia, representing Great Britain throughout the year and being crowned the U18 Suffolk LTA Junior Player of the Year.

Kylie ranked 9th in Europe In the Autumn, Kylie Bilchev travelled to Florida to participate in two of the biggest junior tennis tournaments in the world for the U14 age group.

Kylie played in the Eddie Herr tournament in Bradenton, reaching the quarter-final of the singles event and winning the doubles. Kylie also played in the Orange Bowl in Miami. The competition is widely regarded as the world championships for her age group. Putting in a fantastic performance, she came fifth overall. Kylie’s coach Andrew Richardson said: “This was an exceptional performance from Kylie, considering she was a year younger than the age group who would normally participate.”

Kylie finished 2016 with a ranking of ninth in Europe on the Tennis Europe Ranking for her age group. In the summer, Kylie has since moved on to a tennis academy in Cannes, France, and we wish her the best success for the future.

Millie Mae Matthews • Quarter-final U14, Tennis Europe, Nottingham, April 2017 • Quarter-final U14, Tennis Europe, Bournemouth, July 2017 • Doubles winner U14, Tennis Europe, Bournemouth, July 2017 • Girls doubles winner U14 (with Andrea Pineda), National Junior Championships, August 2017 Andrea Pineda • Winner U14, Tennis Europe (category 3), Nottingham, April 2017 • Winner U14, Tennis Europe (category 3), Bournemouth, July 2017 (breaking her into Europe’s top 100) • Doubles winner U14 (with Millie-Mae Matthews), Tennis Europe (category 3), Bournemouth, July 2017 • Quarter-final U14, Tennis Europe (category 2), Waiblingen, Germany, July 2017 • Runner-up U14, Tennis Europe (category 2), Ulm, Germany, August 2017 • Doubles and singles winner U14, National Junior Championships, August 2017

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Golf The second year of Culford’s golf academy proved to be another success with some outstanding individual and team performances, as well as the installation of our state of the art indoor swing studio writes Head of Golf, Lawrence Dodd.

T

he swing studio is powered by TrackMan, the most respected ball tracking system in golf. This system gives pupils access to the most accurate swing and putting data available, both in lessons and in private practice sessions. The addition of this fantastic space shows Culford’s commitment to sporting excellence and allows us to promote an all-year-round golf programme, whatever the weather.

Growing numbers within the academy allowed Culford to enter two teams in the ISGA Matchplay Championship this year. This event saw teams of three players compete against other schools in the region. Culford’s team A consisted of Joseph Beasant, Max Adams and Felix Heilmann. Team B consisted of Ana Ingels, Jude Everitt and Georgia Parker. Both teams made it through round one comfortably, but unfortunately were drawn against each another in round two. Despite being underdogs on paper, our B team pushed our A team hard with all three matches very much in the balance after 13 holes. The A team finished strongly to win 3-0 in the end, earning them a spot in our area final against Framlingham College.

Our A team showed their class, making light work of the opposition with a very comfortable 3-0 victory at Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club.

The win saw the A team progress to the national finals, played at Open Championship venue Royal St George’s Golf Club, Kent. This two-day, individual and team competition saw the boys battle hard around the challenging course. However, they relished the opportunity to tread the same fairways as their idols. Whilst not finishing amongst the prizes, both Max and Joseph are keen to best this year’s excellent efforts.

Once again, Max Adams proved himself to be Culford’s best performing golfer by narrowly missing out on winning the Suffolk Schools Junior Championship for the second year in a row. However, Max’s professionalism and consistency paid dividends when he won the US Kids European Championship at Scotland’s Luffness New Golf Club.

This result saw Max earn a place on the European team who played against USA in the Van Horn Cup and the World Teen Championships held at US Open venue Pinehurst Golf Club, North Carolina. During both events, Max has gathered vital tournament experience.

Lawrence Dodd

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GOLF IN DIVIDUAL FO CUS

Golf individual focus Max Adams – European Champion Golfer 15-year-old Max Adams gained valuable international tournament experience after winning the prestigious US Kids Championship at Luffness New Golf Course in Scotland.

Max finished a shot ahead of Campbell Gibson from Perth with rounds of 72, 74 and 73 to win the Championship. He sunk a six-foot putt on the last green to win.

Max went on to represent Western Europe in the European Van Horn Cup at Gullane Golf Club. Accompanied by Campbell Gibson, they recorded wins against The Philippines and South Africa who were

playing as part of the International Countries team. However, after their competitors took the spoils, winning five and a half matches to four and a half.

Max’s success at the US Kids Championship led to further international experience, playing in the US Kids World Championship at Pinehurst Golf Club in North Caroline. He enjoyed the experience of playing the PGA Tour course but it was nothing he had encountered before. Whilst he felt comfortable playing off the tee, the thick rough and fast greens presented significant challenges for the ambitious golfer. However, Max is determined to practise hard and return next year a stronger player.

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U14

Rugby Senior School pupils demonstrate commitment, tenacity and competitiveness with individual players progressing to regional honours and pathways into the professional game, writes Director of Prep Sport and Head of Rugby Mark Bolton.

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The team only won two of their nine games, but there were several narrow defeats and their attitude and commitment throughout the season was excellent. The progress of James Graham, Gus Bentley and James Oxley has been recognised by Northampton Saints, who have included them in their elite player or developing player pathways. Rugby sevens was also introduced to this age group. In their first competition, the team lost narrowly in the semi-final of the Leicester Grammar School Sevens competition.

U15 The U15s have had a competitive season. Despite only winning three of their eight games the team have been competitive in every match, and were unlucky to suffer several narrow defeats. The players have developed their skills and got better and better with every game.

They now have a sound understanding of what will be required next year when they move up to Senior rugby. In addition Jack Bowyer, Alex Hassan, Cameron Branagh, Freddie Nash, Ryan Gittins, Max Derbyshire and Jack Prior have all been selected in the Northampton Saints elite player or developing player pathways.

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Pupils who represented Culford School on the Rugby 7s Tour

1st XV

2nd XV

The 1st XV had a good competitive season, winning seven of their 11 games. The October tour to Scotland as always provided the ultimate test, with a hard-fought narrow defeat en route at York, and a bruising and ultra-competitive narrow defeat at the stunning Stirling County. The last and toughest game of the tour was against Dundee. In a titanic game, Culford came out on top with a thrilling 17-12 victory.

The squad of players who represented the 2nd XV can be very proud of their efforts this season, winning five of their eight games. The team has had to cope with lots of injuries as well as having many players in unfamiliar positions. As the season progressed they got used to each others’ style of play and started to perform more coherently as a result. Our forwards worked much better as a unit towards the latter half of the season and our backs interlinked very well. Stand-out performances came from Tommy Freeman and Jordan Asiama.

Credit must go to all the players for rising to the challenge, consistently performing well and playing a fast, expansive and dynamic style of rugby. Tom Brown, Freddie Mann, Arran Dhesi and Sam Nash all caught the eye. The team can be proud of their efforts and some of the individuals were rewarded with regional honours.

Tom Brown gained a professional contract; Bart Lowden, Tommy Freeman, Luca Kirk and Charlie Ives all played for Eastern Counties U16 group; and Sam Nash and Jay Waller played for Eastern Counties U17.

Rugby 7s During the months of March, April and May, the U16 and U18 sevens teams entered several prestigious school sevens competitions. Some excellent rugby was played in all events. In the U16 Oakham Sevens the team narrowly lost in the semi-final to Stowe School. The U16s won the prestigious Wisbech Sevens competition without losing a game. The U18 team won the Bowl competition at the Floodlit Halliford Sevens, which takes place at the home of London Irish.

Mark Bolton

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Photograph: Andy Abbott

Rugby individual focus

Tom Brown – Professional Rugby Player Upper Sixth student Tom Brown joined the Brive Academy in France at the end of the academic year.

Tom said: “Culford provided the flexibility I needed to combine my academic studies with rugby. Their innovative coaching team, led by Head of Rugby Mark Bolton, have helped to further develop my game and realise my ambitions.”

A series of injuries have forced Tom to miss a number of games for the Northampton Saints academy over the past few years. However, Mark believes he is fit and ready for the next stage of his career.

Mark said: “I’m absolutely delighted for Tom. He has worked very hard over the last three years and this opportunity provides him with a chance to further his rugby education and career.”

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Cricket 2017 Girls Cricket Report U14 This girls’ squad have had a positive season both in fixtures and lessons.

They have shown a willingness to take charge of their learning and that has resulted in a marked improvement throughout the season.

Wins against an experienced Framlingham College and Wisbech Grammar School, along with the incredibly intense House match, were the highlights. Isobel Bettley showed tremendous skill and experience while Isobel Crosskey’s excellent leadership helped make this an enjoyable first summer of cricket. Nineteen girls played competitive fixtures across the season – a clear demonstration of the depth of talent in the age group. The future is bright for this crop of talented cricketers.

U15 The U15s played just one fixture this year, losing a number to the rain and call-offs. That made it tricky to see the progress the girls have made. Across the summer term the girls worked hard in training, finding net-based sessions the best. A well-drilled Framlingham College were our only opposition and they proved too much for us to handle. However, their performance gave us something to aspire to.

A positive term of training that, should the girls continue to play, will undoubtedly put them in the driving seat next summer.

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1st XI The exam schedule hampered the 1st XI this year with the majority being Upper 5s. They did however get stuck in and embraced the change from rounders to cricket. Miss Olley found the experience of coaching cricket really enjoyable and her enthusiastic approach rubbed off. As the term progressed they became far more consistent with their bowling, allowing them to outwit opponents. They successfully transferred their fielding skills from rounders to cricket.

As an ex-county player Lowenna Clarke was unsurprisingly our most consistent player, batting throughout the innings in the second fixture. But more importantly she was keen to share her expertise and supplied invaluable guidance to the whole squad. Lauren’s ability to hit the ball hard and Nella’s quick hands while keeping are surely going to be 1st XI highlights next summer.

2017 Boys Cricket Report U14 The U14s, under the stewardship of Mr Small, have developed tremendously as a squad this past summer. The group had a number of exciting results and played positive, expansive cricket through the good and the bad times. Ipswich School proved tough opponents.

However, phenomenal results against Kimbolton School, Wisbech

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Culford is one of the few places in the world to have a Merlyn Spin Bowling Machine

Grammar School and a strong Framlingham College capped a wonderful season. Marcus Packer captained the side with maturity and managed to get the most out of his chosen XI at key points in each game. He picks up the player of the season award for an outstanding contribution with both bat and ball. Charlie Bertie, Angus Bentley, Ciaran Rees and James Oxley ably supported Marcus and will undoubtedly form the core of the future under 15s.

U15 Very much a fact-finding season, during which Mr Robins found the core of the squad to be filled with talent that needed fine tuning.

The hard work the boys put in was eventually rewarded by two wins in a much-reduced five game season. Oliver Melville-Ross was instrumental in the victories against Gresham’s School and Wisbech Grammar School, leading his side with an iron fist. His calmness under pressure rubbed off on a number of boys and allowed them to truly express themselves with bat and ball. Alex Hassan’s unorthodox approach proved to be invaluable across the season. Strong performances were also seen from Harry Wendelken, Ryan Gittins and Tom Howard.

positive, exciting brand of cricket. Matt Mitchum’s 99 against Framlingham College and Alexander Packer’s 111 against the MCC were highlights in a year when the focus was on expressing ourselves. Max Whittaker finished the season leading run scorer, an achievement that will undoubtedly give him the belief he needs to lead from the front. Such exploits with the bat were backed up by our steady seamers Alexander Cruickshank (8-34 against Framlingham), Alexander Packer and George Southgate. This gives us hope that the 2018 campaign will be another enjoyable affair on and off the Culford Oval.

Andy Nortcote Head of Senior Sport and Cricket

1st XI The 1st XI completed another enjoyable season during which they experienced all formats of the game. Hampered by player availability, the side was built around a solid middle order which played a

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CRIC KET IN DIVIDUAL FOCUS

Cricket individual focus Alex Oxley Aged just 16-years and 60 days, Alex Oxley became Suffolk’s youngest debutant since the Second World War. Alex batted at three in the Unicorns championship match at Northumberland and hit 39 off 99 balls, including four boundaries, in a stand of 85 with Jaik Mickleburgh.

Alex said: “My team-mates were so supportive and made me feel so welcome from the moment I walked into the dressing room. They made me feel like I was one of them all through the three days. I was really excited to bat at number three and it was a great opportunity for me as a youngster, especially to bat with Jaik Mickleburgh.”

“To be able to watch how he approaches his innings and how he plays different bowlers was unbelievable. He was exceptionally calm and very collected and it was a great experience for me to bat with a player of his quality.”

He added: “Everything at that level comes much faster – there is no thinking time – and it is much more intense than at school level. But after experiencing it I want more, so I will keep working and training hard and doing the little ‘one percenters’ to get better and better and maybe another opportunity will come along.”

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Perseverance and determination the watchwords during a mixed season for Culford’s hockey players.

Hockey 2017 Girls Hockey Report U14 The U14s have had a mixed season, playing some excellent hockey without having it reflected in their scores. The losses against Gresham’s School and Wisbech Grammar School were prime examples: the team were technically and tactically strong but failed to capitalise on that with goals. Playing a passing game, showing hard work and commitment and having numerous shots on goal should be a recipe for success; however, luck was on the opposition’s side in these matches. The great thing about this squad is that they never stop enjoying hockey and giving it their all, no matter the outcome.

It shows tremendous character and great promise for the future.

The highlight of the season was beating Ipswich school 2-0.

U15 The U15 girls started the season low in confidence. Yet with a more consistent approach to training each player has developed both their technical and tactical knowledge. CJ Parsely has been a rock in midfield and Isabel Whyte has committed to every tackle this season.

Yaa Zuta has been our main attacking force on the right with her pace and skill. Hettie Carter has been great in goal. The best result was against Langley, a 4-1 victory. The best moment came in the final 10 seconds of the last game when CJ scored a cracking goal from a penalty corner. The team celebrated in style.

2nd XI The 2nd XI have had mixed results this year but showed great progress as the season moved forward. The girls demonstrated perseverance and determination, even when numbers were low, and worked tirelessly during every fixture. Highlights included the win against Ipswich School as well as the game against Gresham’s School. Although the girls lost they never gave up. They were extremely supportive of younger pupils coming into the team, and they all played with spirit and enthusiasm. They worked well together and have been eager to develop their skills during lessons and on a Saturday.

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1st XI The 1st XI have had a successful season. Pre-season gave us the opportunity to gel as a team, shake off the torpor of the summer and play some good hockey. The triangular tournament against Framlingham College and Woodbridge School also helped set us up for the season ahead. We played against the OCs in the first match and managed to keep up our winning streak. In late September we welcomed new arrival Billy Burrows, who was soon to become our team mascot. We were disappointed after the county tournament but soon bounced back for our Saturday matches. As the weeks passed, we developed both individually and as a unit, with a dominant 6-3 victory against Bishops Stortford. Our competitive spirit ensured we achieved victory against Woodbridge School. A couple of highlights of the season were the 4-0 win against Ipswich, and the game against Gresham's late on in the season, with a weaker side out due to injury and illness. The team proved that hard work pays off and came away with a 1-1 draw. We ended with two strong wins against Wisbech Grammar School and Norwich School, finishing the season unbeaten.

2017 Boys Hockey Report U14 The cold, icy weather that blighted the early part of the year meant the U14 boys’ season got off to a slow start. We struggled to get up to match speed in the first few fixtures and allowed games to slip away. However, the spirit was good and much hard work resulted in significant team performances in the second half of term.

We drew with both Framlingham College and Royal Hospital School away, and beat regional qualifiers Gresham’s School. Angus Bentley in goal made some excellent one-on-one saves at vital times during the season, and was well protected by strong defensive performances from Charlie Bertie and James Graham. Ahrens and Bickers worked tirelessly in midfield to disrupt the opposition and were adept at turning defence into attack. The squad possess skill and a good spirit, and that bodes well for future seasons.

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Culford 1st XI

U15

1st XI

The season began gingerly at Norwich School where two silly mistakes cost us the game. But the back four of Fred Nash, Max Derbyshire, Alex Hassan and Ryan Gittens provided a solid base as the year progressed. By mid-season we settled on a regular side of promising players, with Will Hilsum outstanding in midfield and as striker. The season’s highlights included beating the U14s, who proved to be a very good side, and finishing strongly at Gresham’s School and Royal Hospital School. Individually, there are some very good players with all-round hockey ability and this certainly is a group to watch in the future.

The 1st XI season started off with a cup match against local rivals The Leys who, on paper, should have easily beaten us. But we rose to the challenge and came away worthy 3-1 winners. In the next round, we encountered Ipswich School and were unlucky to lose.

This put us into the plate where we were up against Oundle School.

Somehow, we managed to lose an 11-goal thriller. Interestingly they went on to beat Woodbridge School 2-1, against whom we recently notched up a 5-3 victory.

2nd XI The 2nd XI have had a mixed season. The highlights were the victories over Woodbridge School and Royal Hospital School. Both of these games epitomised the style of hockey the seconds tried to play throughout, with Charlie Schofield and Arran Dhesi launching counter-attacks with their excellent distribution skills, followed by some quality finishing from Alex Oxley up front. The work rate of the whole team was good throughout, making this an enjoyable season for all of the boys.

In Saturday fixtures we had good wins against Gresham’s School and Woodbridge School, and a narrow loss against Ipswich School.

Rapolas Usaris was a standout performer in goal. James Gibbs and Alex Packer were solid at the back, distributing the ball well to the midfield trio of Carl Nesseman, Jess Walters and our utility player Freddie Allum. The relentless work rate of Noah Cutting up front proved vital in the latter stages of matches.

We made certain that our supporters had plenty to cheer about, scoring an impressive 23 goals in just six matches.

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Netball Charlotte Olley, Head of Netball, believes the Senior Netball teams have much to be proud of during a challenging season on the court.

U14

2nd XII

The U14 girls have had a mixed season this year. They are an enthusiastic group and have shown great willingness to take on advice and learn from their mistakes. The girls have had some extremely close and sometimes frustrating fixtures, where they have either narrowly won or lost by a couple of goals. Throughout the court, the girls have been determined and extremely competitive as well as supportive and positive with each other. Some highlights of the season were the close matches against Felsted School and Royal Hospital School, as well as the win against Framlingham College when a huge percentage of the year group were taken ill and they went out with several new combinations on court.

The seconds have been a committed team this season, captained well by Nella Walters. Their strength is in their agility and individual skill. The first match of the season against Norwich School was an exciting and extremely close one, with Culford coming out 27-25 winners. This was a boost to the team’s confidence and they went on to beat The Leys and The Perse in the following weeks. Everyone on the squad has been reliable and consistent. Within the centre court, players have shown great versatility and built depth to the seconds’ game, feeding the ball with confidence into the shooters. After a disappointing game against Framlingham College the squad worked to improve the strength of their passing and increase their confidence in set plays. The team have gone from strength to strength and finished the season with convincing wins against Felsted School, Royal Hospital School and Wymondham College.

U15 The U15s have had a fantastic season with seven wins and only two very narrow losses. Captained skilfully by Beth Farrow, the team have shown dynamism and flexibility on the court, achieving good victories against Norwich School, The Leys, Kings Ely, The Perse and Wymondham College. Felsted School and Royal Hospital School put up strong fights, with both games being level at the start of the last quarter. The girls showcased their determination and team spirit to come away victorious. Charlotte Hassan and Isabel Whyte have become part of this successful team and have established their presence on the court. From warm up to the hand shake, the U15s show great cohesion and team spirit. If they can keep their heads held high and continue to support one another, they will go on to achieve great success as they progress towards the senior teams. It has been a pleasure to coach the girls this season and I wish them all the best for their future on the netball court.

1st XII The 1st XIIs have had another remarkable season, winning the Western Area Tournament for the second year in a row. They were also runners up again at the County Tournament, and reached the regional finals. Liv Mayor was an outstanding captain, showing tireless commitment and enthusiasm for the game. The team sadly lost seven of their players this year and they will all be hugely missed next season, hopefully they will all come back and play in the Old Culfordian match. The team won each league game, a new concept this year. However, they did lose their final outing of the season in a tight match against Wymondham College, whom they had beaten at the regional finals. This loss did not define them as a team; they are all winners and should be enormously proud of themselves.

Charlotte Olley

3rd XII The thirds have had a good season, despite the results not going our way this term. From the first match against Framlingham College to the last match against Royal Hospital School, the girls have proved that with perseverance and determination they were able to play a positive and tight game. From match to match they have shown that they can come back each week with a sense of confidence and a collectively positive mindset. A major player in this has been Hannah Benton, who has led the team with maturity and has motivated her team-mates to work together throughout all their matches. The highlight of the season was a tight game against RHS in which the team’s strengths were clear to see.

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Swimming East Region Winter Championships – November 2016 Seven Culford swimmers travelled to Luton in November 2016, to compete in the annual East Region Winter Short Course (25m pool) Championships.

Culford swimmers Annabel Heywood, Taylor Bowen, Niamh Perry, Hannah Brecknell, Jack Bowyer, Charlie Whyte and Jake Clarke, qualified for 29 events between them and put in some fantastic swimming after 10 weeks back in the pool, following the summer break.

Winter National Championships – December 2016

This was the fourth consecutive year that Culford had competed in this event, with the team picking up the small schools title in 2016 in the girls Dunelm medley relay final and finishing second in the small schools Aldenham freestyle relay final. The finals are based on the number of pupils that attend the school.

The 2017 team consisted of Annabel Heywood, Hannah Brecknell, Niamh Perry and Morgan Porter who were once again competing for a place in the small schools Aldenham freestyle final (with 34 small schools competing) and the Dunelm medley final (with 32 small schools competing).

After a strong start to the freestyle relay from Hannah Brecknell (29.67), the team were out to an early lead, which was extended on

by Annabel (29.53) on the second leg, Niamh (29.29) on the third leg and brought home to the finish by Morgan (30.00) on the anchor leg. The girls finished the heat with a time of 1:58.69, which placed them first going into the final.

Both Taylor Bowen and Jack Bowyer competed in the ASA Winter National Championships. Taylor and Jack had both qualified from their performances at the East Region Winter Championships in November and were up against the best junior and senior swimmers in the UK.

The Bath Cup: Report – March 2017 The London Aquatics Centre, the site of the 2012 London Olympic Games swimming, was the venue for four Culford swimmers, looking to retain the title that they had won in 2015.

With a 07:00 departure time, it was a lay in by the swimmers’ standards, with some even choosing to train prior to the trip down to London. In what was always going to be a fun and fast event, the swimmers were heading down to compete in the annual Bath Cup relay competition at the Olympic 50m (long course) pool.

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With the final taking place after the boys relay heats, the girls had some time to unwind and relax and prepare themselves. After a strong start from the Bishop Stortford girls team, the Culford girls all came together to improve on their heat time, putting in a great team performance to come from behind and take the gold medal with a nail biting finish, in a time of 1:58.19. Hannah and Annabel both split 29.29, Niamh put in a 29.27 split time and Morgan finished off the relay with a 30.34 split, to earn them a place on top of the podium and win the Aldenham Cup final, ahead of St John’s School Leatherhead in second and Cranleigh School in third.

After a short break, it was back in the water for the girls medley relay, with the team competing for a place in the small schools final – the Dunelm Cup. In the heats, with Hannah (33.82) leading off the team on backstroke, she got the team into a great position

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after the first 50m. Annabel (38.22) took on the breaststroke leg and put in a strong swim to keep the team in contention for a place in the final. Niamh (32.41) was up next on the butterfly leg, with Morgan (30.87), again, rounding off the relay with the anchor leg on freestyle. The girls qualified for the Dunelm final in second place in a time of 2:15.32.

Once the boys relay heats had concluded, the girls were up for their final swim of the day. After a fight for clear water down the first 50m, Hannah (33.31) had got the team into an early lead. Annabel (38.25) fought hard to hold on to the lead, just dropping to third by the end of the first 100m. Niamh (31.60) maintained third place after the butterfly leg, with Morgan (29.95) up on the freestyle and managing to split her fastest time of the day. Culford just missed out on second place by 11 tenths of a second in another close race, finishing up with the bronze medal, in a time of 2:13.11 – just over two seconds improvement from their heat time. It was the same Top three as the Aldenham Cup final, but with St John’s School Leatherhead taking the victory and Cranleigh School second place ahead of Culford School.

In the final finals session of the British Summer Championships, Jack was back in action for the final time in the 15 years 50m butterfly final.

This was always going to be a battle for places. After a better start than his morning swim, Jack was in a good position at the halfway point and put in a strong last 25m to improve on his heat swim, setting a new personal best time of 26.7 to finish in seventh place.

Swim England National Summer Championships – August 2017 Bowyer & Bowen Make the Podium

Dan Pilbrow, Head of Performance Swimming and Celia Almond, School Swimming, attended the event with the girls. The team did themselves and the school proud, picking up a gold and bronze medal for their efforts. The swimmers didn’t manage to repeat their Medley Dunelm Cup victory from 2016, with their close Third place finish, but stepped up in the Freestyle Aldenham Cup to take the victory! The competition is open to swimmers up to sixth form, so it was a fantastic result for the young team of swimmers.

Well done to the girls on a fantastic day’s work!

British Summer Championships 2017 Jack Bowyer travelled up to Sheffield to start off his British Summer Championship campaign, with a swim in the 100m butterfly. After a controlled first 50m, Jack powered through the second 50 to dip below the 60-second barrier for the first time, finishing in eighth place, which would see him back for the 15 years final later in the day. In the evening finals, Jack was back in action trying to improve on his heat swim from the morning session. After a great first 50m, Jack tired slightly down the back end of the race, finishing in tenth overall in the 15 years age group and just outside his time from the morning swim.

The final day of competition saw Jack Bowyer back in action and Taylor Bowen also competing in his first race, both swimming in the 50m butterfly. Jack Bowyer had a great start and timed his race well, dipping under 27 seconds for the first time with 26.9 and heading into the final in sixth position. Taylor swam a solid swim, finishing just 0.2 seconds off his best time and finishing in 16th place overall in the 16 years age group.

On day two of the championships, Taylor Bowen (16) swam a remarkable heat swim in his 100m butterfly event, breaking the magic minute barrier for a new PB of 59.42, which secured his place in the evening final as the fastest seeded swimmer in his age group.

In the evening finals sessions, an extremely determined Taylor swam out of his skin in another fantastic race in the 16 years 100m butterfly final. With yet another PB time of 59.28, the top three finishes came down to the wire, with Taylor managing to get his hand on the wall fast enough to gain him his first national medal, with a bronze.

Next on the programme was the 200m individual medley, in which Taylor Bowen was back in action in the 16 years event. With a tough lane draw in a very fast heat, Taylor showed good fight and swam a time just shy of his PB. That was fast enough to qualify for the final.

The evening finals turned out to be hugely successful for the swimmers. In the 15 years 50m backstroke final, Jack Bowyer had a fantastic start from lane seven, and showed impressive speed underwater, breaking out in the lead and holding it all the way to the wall to finish first with another huge PB time of 28.41. That was his first medal of the championships. ‰

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Taylor showed guts in his 200m IM final by getting out fast and trying to hold on in the later stages. However, on this occasion it wasn’t to be; he just missed out on improving on his heat time, finishing in tenth position.

On the fourth day of competition and still buzzing from his accomplishment the night before, Jack Bowyer was full of confidence going into the boys 100m backstroke heat. He made a huge improvement on his entry time with a new PB of 1:02.16, and qualified fastest going into his final.

The finals session kicked off that evening with the boys 100m backstroke, in which Jack was competing in lane four as the fastest qualifier in the boys 16 years age group. Jack had the pressure of expectation to deliver on his shoulders and once again proved that he had the ability to handle it. There was less than a second separating the top five swimmers but Jack managed to be amongst the medals, finishing second with yet a further improvement on his heat time and therefore a new PB of 1:02.10. A massive congratulations to Taylor and Jack on coming away from the championships with national medals.

ASA East Region Regional Championships: Weekend One (Youth Championships) Bowen Secures First Regional Title

start, going out faster than in his heat swim. But he wasn't quite able to keep up that pace, finishing in third position in 1:00.20.

In what was his best performance of the weekend, Taylor dominated his 200m IM heat by knocking 1.5 seconds off his PB, putting him through to the 16 years final in first position. With the pressure on, Taylor stepped up to the challenge and after being in joint first at the halfway point made his mark on the breaststroke length to pull away from the rest of the field. He finished 1.5 seconds in front of his nearest challenger, improving on his heat time by nearly two seconds.

That time currently ranks him 24th in the country in his age group. In his final race of the championships, Taylor put in a great 50m butterfly swim in the 16 years final to finish with his second bronze medal of the meet with a time of 26.95. Taylor also made the final in the 16 years 50m backstroke and 100m breaststroke.

On his only day of competing, Jack Bowyer (15) swam a solid 100m butterfly heat, which saw him progress to the final later in the evening. Taking a new approach, Jack swam a controlled first 50m – he was fourth at the turn – and he then powered down the second 50m to just miss out on the gold medal by 0.2 seconds, finishing with the silver medal in a new PB time of 1:00.39. Jack also made it through to the final of the 15 years 50m backstroke event, where he also picked up a new PB time.

Qualifying for nine events, Charlie Whyte had a busy weekend in the 16 years category, making it back in the evening for three finals over the course of the weekend. Charlie's highest placed finish came in the 100m backstroke event, where he tied for fourth place in a new best time and improved on his heat time by nearly half a second.

Charlie also made finals in the 200m butterfly, where he finished in fifth place in another new best time, along with achieving a fifth placed finish in the gruelling 400m IM. The 400m free saw Charlie finish in seventh place overall in the 16 years age group, while in another backstroke race he managed to finish eighth in the 200m event.

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After a slow start to the weekend, Niamh Perry picked herself up to produce two dominant heat swims in both the 800m freestyle and 400m IM. In the 800m free, Niamh took control of the race from the very first 50m and extended her lead throughout the distance, finishing with a 17-second long-course PB and a seventh place overall in the 15 years age group. In the 400m IM, Niamh took a further 4.5 seconds off her PB, which she only swam two weeks earlier in the same pool at the Luton Easter meet, also placing her seventh in her age group. Niamh's highest place over the weekend came in the 200m freestyle, where she finished fifth just outside the PB that she had set in the heats, beating her short course PB. In the 100m butterfly, Niamh secured her third seventh placed finish in the final with another swim inside her short-course PB.

Twenty-three WSSC swimmers travelled to Luton over the bank holiday weekend to compete in the 2017 Regional Youth Championships. The competition, which brings together the best swimmers from the six counties that make up the East Region (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk), is a chance to compete at the next level from the County Championships. It is also an opportunity for the swimmers to improve on their times, to see whether they can move up the national ranking, and to give them a chance to compete at the National Championships in the summer.

Other top eight finishes throughout the championships came from Olivia Nicolai (17 and over 200m breaststroke), who finished in eighth position.

Leading the way for West Suffolk was Taylor Bowen (16), taking home three medals – one gold and two bronze. Taylor, who competed in ten events over the meet, picked up his first medal in the boys 100m butterfly on day one. After missing the magical one minute barrier in the heats by 0.1 seconds, Taylor was seeded second going into the evening final, where he attacked the race from the

Also qualifying for the Regional Championships were: Annabel Heywood in the 17 and over 50m backstroke and 200m breaststroke; Chloe-Jeane Parsley in the 16 years 50m and 100m breaststroke; Hannah Brecknell in the 17 and over 50m and 100m backstroke; and Jacob Clarke in the 16 years 50m butterfly, 50m backstroke and 50m free.

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The eagerly anticipated Culford 5km Challenge provided the inspiration for pupils to seek out regional cross-country honours.

Cross Country Culford 5k Challenge

he eagerly anticipated Culford 5km Challenge at the end of September is an individual as well as a House competition.

With staff racing alongside pupils, there is always the chance for some light-hearted rivalry around the route.

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Following on from their performances in the Culford 5km, a number of pupils took the opportunity to trial for the Suffolk Schools CrossCountry Team and competed in races held at Culford, Royal Hospital School and Woodbridge School.

As always, to challenge for House points you need strength and breadth across the year groups, as even the runners coming in down the field score valuable points for their house.

Charlie, Olivia, Niamh Perry and Maisy Cailes were all named in the Suffolk Schools Team that took part in the Anglian Schools Cross Country Championships at Abington Park, Northampton in February.

This year, a member of the youngest age group was the overall winner. Form 4’s Charlie Wakefield proved that age is immaterial if you have the talent and the desire to do well.

Olivia, Charlie and Niamh went on to represent Suffolk at the English Schools Cross-Country Championships held in Norwich, one of the most important and highly regarded school-level crosscountry competitions.

For the third year in succession, Olivia Allum was the first girl home as she continued to demonstrate her undoubted ability in distance running.

Liz Long Head of Athletics and Equestrian

The boys of Cornwallis and girls of Fitzgerald picked up the House honours.

Individual results: Form 4

Charlie Wakefield (C) – 1st

Kylie Bilchev (J) – 33rd

L5 U5 L6 U6 Staff

Miles Manley (E) – 2nd Alex Minns (E) – 3rd Charlie James (E) – 15th Freddie Allum (C) – 11th Mr Arbuthnot – 31st

Maisy Cailes (F) – 21st Olivia Allum (J) – 7th Nella Walters (J) – 41st Rhianna Walton (F) – 50th Culford 5k Challenge

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Athletics

Olivia Allum

At the start of the summer term a team of Fourth Form and Lower Fifth girls competed against other local schools in the Track and Field Schools Cup.

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he girls can be proud of their efforts in an event in which individual scores are combined to give an overall team result.

Particularly notable performances came from Georgia Parker and Emily Wildish in the 300m, Maisy Cailes in the 800m, Niamh Perry in the 1500m, Yaa Zuta in the triple jump and Beth Farrow and Amelia Brayshaw in the javelin.

Individual successes in county trials later in May led to number of Senior School students being selected to represent Suffolk at a regional schools event in Cambridge on a very hot Sunday in June.

Luke Watson was pleased to improve his personal best in the triple jump with 10.85m.

Charlie Wakefield had a battle over the final lap of the 800m with another athlete, but managed to hold on to second place and finish in a time of 2:07.

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Niamh Perry continued her good form in the 1500m, finishing in a time of 5:23, a credit to her triathlon training.

Olivia Allum took a break from her GCSE exams and chose to compete in the 1500m steeplechase at this competition. Run as a mixed age group race, she tackled the steeplechase barriers well, but found the water jump more of a challenge. Nevertheless her winning time of 5:16 placed her within the top ten for her age group in the UK for this event.

Olivia went on to represent Suffolk at the English Schools Track and Field Championships in Birmingham in July. Running in the 1500m, she should be pleased with her performance (4:38) to finish in fourth place, although she was frustrated to just miss out on a medal.

Liz Long Head of Athletics and Equestrian

Individual Achievements Culford Senior School Pupils have excelled on the pitch, down the slopes, up on stage and across the debating table.

INDIVIDUAL AC HIE VEMENT S

Culford Pupils Selected for Essex U17 Girls Cricket Squad Lottie Kent and Lowenna Clarke were selected for the Essex U17 girls cricket squad in 2016.

Lottie said: “Training at Culford has been very beneficial to me and has allowed me to improve my skills on a one-to-one basis.

Following a trial, I was successful in getting a place at Essex, in both the Essex squad and England Player Programme (EPP), playing on a weekly basis.

Culford Badminton Players Through to Regional Championships Four Culford pupils won the Badminton County Finals in January 2017. The team of Ralph Bartlett, William Bettley, Charlie and Harry Wakefield played expertly to beat the other five schools who had also qualified.

Debate Team Success Following their success in round one of the ESU School’s Mace Debating Competition in November, the Culford debate team went head-to-head with Norwich School at the beginning of 2017.

Culford had to oppose the use of all-women shortlists for members of parliament, and they did it with style. Mary Grace Godfrey and Luigi Murton built on their previous experience in round one. This was a tough night, but the pupils can be very proud of qualifying for the East Regional Final, which was hosted at Culford.

Huge Achievements for Culford Skier Tom Hudson has had some fantastic skiing successes this year.

Notable achievements include winning the U16 male Anglo-Scottish Cup in Pila, Italy. Tom also took silver in each super G race and gold in the slalom event at the Evolution speed races in Austria.

At the end of January, Tom represented Team GB in the Skiinterkriterium international race in the Czech Republic. He placed fourth after the first run, 1.07 seconds behind the leader. He was able to turn this around with a superb second run and was the fastest skier on the mountain, securing himself bronze for Great Britain in the U16 male category.

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Culford Riders Through to Regional Finals In February, Nina Dahl, Jennifer Dahl and Leah Fitton competed at the National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) show jumping event at the Jays.

All three riders performed brilliantly and achieved clear rounds with fast times in both classes they entered. The Culford team took first place in the 50cm and 60cm classes, qualifying for the regional finals.

Tom also picked up several medals in the Delancey British Children’s Championships in April. The event took place in the French Alps and hosted nearly 300 of Britain’s most talented young skiers. He managed to land 13 podium finishes from 20 race starts. To finish the season off, Tom was selected to join the Delancey British Under 21 National Alpine Ski Team, meaning he will take part in senior international races run by the International Ski Federation (FIS).

This significant achievement rewards Tom’s success in British and international races last winter season. The transition into adult racing is an exciting step for him. He will continue to commit to extensive fitness and race training with the British Ski Academy.

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Catherine Howells

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Culford Musician Achieves Diploma in Cello at the Age of 15

Bright Culford Trio Win Regional Award at Shell’s STEM Competition

Catherine Howells has been incredibly busy with her music over the past year. Catherine successfully received her DipABRSM diploma in cello, which is an incredible achievement for someone aged just 15.

Fourth Form pupils Michael Ahrens, Ciaran Rees and Joshua Lewis have been crowned Eastern Regional Champions in a national STEM competition hosted by Shell.

Outside of Culford, Catherine is currently the principal cello at Suffolk Youth Orchestra, the principal oboe of West Suffolk Youth Orchestra, and a scholar at the Guildhall, somehow managing to fit all this around her school work and exams.

The Bright Ideas Challenge required entrants to develop new initiatives that would create cleaner, more efficient cities in 2050.

The three boys’ concept - called Windy Solutions – involved multifunctional wind turbines on rooftops that would be able to source a continuous supply of filtered, clean air for offices.

A Great Year for Maths at Culford

The boys were awarded a tablet computer each and have won Culford’s science department a £1,500 grant towards STEM research.

In November the Senior maths team consisting of – Alex Zheng, Chloe Xu, Selina Yan and Lyn Lin – came second in a regional maths competition.

The competition consisted of three rounds of very demanding questions in areas such as geometry, sequencing and number theory.

In the first round, the team performed well, correctly completing eight of ten very difficult open mathematical problems. In the second, the team only dropped one mark out of a possible 57. Their final round was equally strong.

At the beginning of 2017, a number of pupils from the Fourth Form, Fifth Form and the International Study Programme sat the UK-wide Intermediate Maths Challenge (IMC).

Generally, only about 550 pupils nationwide are invited per year group, although there are more than 1,000 schools that enter.

Therefore it was very pleasing to see that three of the Culford International Study Programme students, Michael Liu, Alice Yuan and Ruidi Zhu, qualified automatically for the Olympiad.

The Intermediate Olympiad is a very demanding paper, requiring students to demonstrate an appreciation of high-level mathematical concepts and to articulate proof in a way that is not normally required, even in A Level further mathematics. All three students performed extremely well, with Alice gaining a merit and both Michael and Rudi being awarded gold medals, placing in the top 100 and top 50 students in the country respectively.

This is a remarkable achievement for Culford and is one of great credit to the individuals involved. They have exceeded expectations and are to be congratulated wholeheartedly.

Beth selected for National Hockey Tournament Beth Farrow was selected to play for the Saxon Tigers U15 team at the England hockey pathway competition, the Futures Cup. Beth is one of only eight goalkeepers selected at her age group.

Head of senior sport Andy Northcote said: “This is a fantastic achievement. Beth has worked exceptionally hard both on and off the hockey field for the last two years. Her progression into the England pathway is thoroughly well deserved.”

Olivia Selected for National Athletics Squad Olivia Allum was selected as part of the athletics squad for the 2017 School Games National Finals. Around 1,600 athletes competed across 12 sports at the games.

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Trips and Activities Pupils have had the opportunity to experience life well beyond manicured grounds of Culford Park.

TRI PS AND ACTIVITIES

Culford in Malawi In July 2017, a group of 21 Lower Sixth students and staff completed three weeks of voluntary work in Malawi, which is known as the warm heart of Africa. Having fundraised for projects as well as the trip itself, the pupils were quick to get to grips with the challenges that confronted them in one of the world’s poorest countries.

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he first visit was to Nsanje prison, where they spent a day looking at the inmates’ living conditions, sharing songs and food, and playing volleyball and football until it was time for the prisoners to return to their cells – each one housing an average of 36 inmates.

Construction work was central to the causes and the group engaged in brick-making and building at Good News Orphanage to help reconstruct their hall, as well as laying the foundations for a new library at Culford's link school in Nankhufi, Lower Shire Valley.

A week of teaching followed, again at Nankhufi, where the students taught a programme on gender equality, rights and responsibilities, and family planning.

Lessons in literacy and numeracy supplemented this and the moments shared with the school community were magical. ‰

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Madzi Alipo! (Water is here!) is a wonderful project – it maps the state of repair of all boreholes in southern Malawi using aid agency checks to update its database. The Culford pupils got involved in the repair of two such boreholes and it was fascinating to see the depth of piping required to hit the water table in this typically dry part of Africa.

Further biological and chemical testing took place to ensure the quality of water before it was made available to two villages. Other highlights included giving blood and being interviewed live on a Malawi TV chat show about volunteering.

As ever we are grateful to the support of the Rosetta Trust for encouraging the individual research projects as well as their financial assistance towards the projects on the ground. A big ‘well done’ should also be given to the fantastic fundraising the pupils did throughout the year to enable them to take part in this life-changing trip. ‰

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As ever the youngsters had no problems making friends through songs, games and sports, and all left with sad yet fulfilled hearts after an outstanding experience of service and sharing. Next year heralds Culford's tenth year in Malawi where the new library at Nankhufi School will be officially opened.

This was an incredible trip from start to finish and we are immensely proud of the pupils' achievements in engaging so well with all of the projects and, above all, with the communities we work with in Malawi.

Andrew Deane Head of Modern Foreign Languages

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School Trips

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SC H OOL TRIPS

Barcelona

Tenerife – Diving Trip

Culford pupils visited the Catalan capital of Barcelona as part of their Spanish studies this year.

In the October half term, a team of pupils embarked on a diving trip to Tenerife. The trip was filled with entertainment and the fun never ceased. We arrived at our accommodation and took no time to jump into the pool, looking out at the Atlantic Ocean.

The trip featured some exciting visits including the Formula One circuit where Lewis Hamilton recently won the Barcelona grand prix.

Pupils also experienced the home stadium and trophy-laden museum of Spanish football giants FC Barcelona.

The Monserrat mountain provided breathtaking views of the Mediterranean and they were fortunate enough to visit the Sagrada de Familia. All were in awe of the size and beauty of the ancient basilica. After visiting the town of Vilanova, pupils strolled through the narrow streets, saw the bull ring and experienced a tapas supper and salsa dance session. Towards the end of their visit the they watched the Champions League football final, an all-Spanish affair between Madrid rivals Athletico and Real. On the final day, the pupils had fun at the Port Aventura theme park before returning home.

Kerry McCarthy Head of Prep Spanish

The first day in Tenerife started strong as the day was spent at Siam Park, the largest waterpark in Europe. The students braced themselves taking on the Tower of Power: a 91 foot vertical drop.

The day was an awesome day out.

The rest of the week was filled with five breathtaking days of diving.

For most of the students it was their second time in Tenerife. For two students, it was their first ever time diving. The two pupils loved it and successfully qualified as divers.

The trip was filled with fun, even out of the water. Pupils enjoyed the hot sun and good food at the hotel, as well as the nearby Italian restaurant which provided delicious pizza and pasta. The hotel restaurant also offered a vast array of snacks to be enjoyed by the pupils relaxing or swimming in the pool.

Diving was enjoyed by all and the group was treated well by dive instructor Chris and boat captain Sarah. Unfortunately, one of the pupils was bitten by a large male barracuda. The injured pupil remained calm as did the group, Chris and his team dealt with the situation perfectly and the pupil was perfectly fine.

The trip was memorable for pupils and staff and I personally cannot wait to attend the next diving trip.

Leo Williams

Tenerife – Spanish Trip I am studying Spanish A Level and in October half term I went on a trip to Tenerife to improve my Spanish language acquisition and learn more about its traditions and culture.

After a very early and cold start in the UK we arrived in blazing sunshine and set off to our home for the week. We stayed in a hotel with sea views and a cafe that served typical Spanish food. Our first lunch was made up of tapas which included chorizo, jamón, aceitunas and patatas bravas. Every morning we attended a Spanish school for five hours, improving both our writing and speaking skills.

All the students benefited from this intensive experience.

Miss McCarthy and Mrs Waghorn would take us out on various excursions in the afternoons as a reward for our hard work. The highlight was going to Siam Park, Europe’s biggest water park. We also had supper in 100 Montaditos and practised our Spanish by ordering tapas and bebidas!

I really benefited from this experience and am looking forward to going again this year.

Louie Ellis

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TRI PS AND ACTIVITIES

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SC H OOL TRIPS

France At the beginning of the Easter holidays, 20 Fourth Form pupils travelled to Normandy, France, to stay in the stunning 18th century Chateau de Warsy. The pupils were ready for five action-packed days of French language and culture, accompanied by Mr Deane, Miss Kirby-Smith and Miss Mayhew.

The pupils took part in typically French activities such as snail and frogs’ legs tasting, fresh goats’ milk and cheese tasting, and exploring the river Seine in Paris by boat.

French Trip

Highlights of the trip included visiting Le Touquet beach, La Tour Montparnasse, La Tour Eiffel, Disneyland Paris and La Chocolaterie, where pupils were able to use their French language and engage with the local culture daily.

A fabulous time was had by all and Mr Deane, Miss Kirby-Smith and Miss Mayhew would like to thank the pupils, who were such good company throughout the trip.

Andy Deane Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Mexico A group of seven pupils accompanied by Mr Arbuthnot and Miss McCarthy travelled to Mexico in April for a scuba diving trip on the island of Cozumel just off the mainland. Cozumel is famed for its amazing marine life and crystal clear waters. After a long 10 hour flight, and a ferry crossing we arrived in Cozumel, with our hotel looking out to the sea. Our quiet but cosy hotel was full of divers just like ourselves who shared some of their stories with us. Our days consisted of two boat dives to varying dive sites around the island in the morning and lazy afternoons spent by the pool or shopping visits into the main town area. Some of us went off to snorkel in the surrounding sea and were able to see some of the sting rays and sharks which were in the marine park next to our hotel. In the evenings we went out into the town for dinner, including an Italian and a trip to Senor Frogs, a personal favourite of the boys on the trip.

Mexico Trip

Throughout the trip, Jono was filming different parts of the island and got some great shots both in and out of the water and compiled it into a video which is now on YouTube. We were able to see some amazing marine life whilst diving there, including pigmy seahorses, nurse sharks, logger head and green turtles and countless different varieties of fish, including barracudas! On our day off, we drove down the coast and went to Paradise beach. There was an assault course in the water, countless swimming pools and water activities, allowing us to relax before our long flight home the next day. Two highlights of the trip were encountering an old sea turtle which must have been approximately 100 years old and stopping off at the beach which was inaccessible by foot between our dives one day and chilling out in the sun.

Many thanks to Mr Arbuthnot for organising the trip and Miss McCarthey for being our translator.

Annabel Heywood

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C OM BINE D C ADE T FO RC E

Combined Cadet Force This past year as Contingent Commander has been full of firsts, from welcoming the Fourth Form on the first Tuesday of the year, leading the Remembrance Parade both at school and in Bury St Edmunds, to running inspection day and heading up summer camp.

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atching the contingent on inspection day made me extremely proud of all the hard work the cadets, NCOs (especially Sergeant Dean) and staff had put in. The inspecting officer Lt Col Foden was impressed and commended them on their turnout, how they conducted themselves and most importantly how much fun we appeared to have as a contingent.

Taking the controls of a Grob (two-seater plane) at Wittering and sitting in an Apache helicopter were also firsts for me and many of the cadets.

Even though the weekends are hard work for all involved it is fantastic to see how the cadets improve in confidence, selfmanagement and leadership.

Penally summer camp in south Wales was a time for the cadets to see the staff in deep water – literally! They also learnt about life on a military camp, the need to be on time with the right kit and a positive attitude, to work as a team and have fun.

I would like to thank all the staff, especially Colour Roach and more importantly the cadets, who make running the CCF so worthwhile.

Capt Schofield Contingent Commander, Culford CCF

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C OMBINED C ADET FORC E

Lt Col Foden with pupils on CCF Inspection Day 2017

My time in the CCF last year was exciting beyond belief. I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to be a section commander for the first time in the Easter holiday attack exercise weekend, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We used an abandoned airstrip for a platoon attack which was motivating and fun.

Furthermore, I had the experience of flying the Grob Tutor 115E at 4,000ft with aerobatics over RAF Wittering, which was awesome. Lastly, we had the Remembrance Parade, in which I was part of the Culford

School CCF contingent. Then I was chosen to be part of the section attack squad that was held as a live demonstration on South Front, which was amazing.

The highlight of last year’s CCF was attending summer camp with my close friends, which was truly an unforgettable week. The camaraderie was great and banter was quickly spread around the billets in the evenings. There was also a tuck shop open every evening so you could grab yourself a Coke or sweets. The activities included kayaking, raft building, range day,

coasteering, archery, climbing, an exercise, and many more!

I would recommend the CCF to anyone who enjoys the outdoors and doesn’t mind getting muddy or wet. It has taught me essential life skills such as first aid, and it helps dramatically with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. My three years in the CCF have been great fun and challenging, providing non-stop opportunities.

Will Hilsum

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C OM BINE D C ADE T FO RC E

I have been in the army section of our CCF for two years, and it has really shaped me as a person. It has helped me gain confidence and independence, as well as developing my leadership and organisational skills. Being part of the CCF is incredibly rewarding; I get to do so many unique things that I would never even imagine doing if I wasn’t in the CCF, like firing rifles and doing section attacks.

All our hard work throughout the year builds up to our inspection day, where we get to show off our drill and our leadership skills.

After the big parade, each section competes in competitions to see which is the best.

These competitions include command tasks, first aid and arms drills. Command tasks entail working together as a team, solving problems to get through an obstacle course.

The winner of the first aid competition is the section that administers first aid in the safest and quickest way. Arms drills require lots of practice doing drill with weapons. I particularly like the first aid competition as I feel it is one of the most valuable life skills.

In my past year in the CCF I have thoroughly enjoyed the weekend exercises, as they have given me the chance to learn field tactics and adventure training. There is always the opportunity for young cadets to step forward and take on leadership roles. As head of the CCF I have really enjoyed seeing cadets find their strengths, improve their weaker areas and advance through the ranks.

The highlight of the year, as always, was summer camp. This year we went to Penally in Wales. Out of raft building, climbing, ranges, kayaking, field craft and lots of other activities I thought the field craft was the best, as we got to fire loads of blank rounds.

But I loved the raft building too!

A personal highlight for me was inspection day. The contingent performed outstandingly once again and I was very proud of the all the hard work every cadet and NCO put into making the day so successful.

Isabel Whyte

Grace Deane

I joined the CCF in September 2016. My grandfather and great grandfather, as well as many other great uncles, served in the RAF, Royal Marines and Army, and for me this was something I wanted to do – I needed to do! I had no idea I would enjoy it so much. I have found my place, I belong!

I adore the structure, being part of a team, working together, I enjoy the challenge, the hard work, even waking up at night, in the pouring rain, having no sleep, to do my night patrol!

In the past 12 months, I have flown a Grob Tutor 115E with a co-pilot, I have sat in an Apache helicopter, and was permitted to turn the power on and move the cameras.

It was so surreal. In the latest shooting competition qualification, I achieved the best grouping on 6mm. This enabled me to go to a shooting competition with fellow CCF and also ACF cadets. We were the youngest group and although we didn’t win any awards at the event, we ALL had the most amazing experience and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

To summarise, being a student at Culford is THE most amazing experience. I love every single thing about my school, but being part of CCF has made my time at Culford even better. It cements everything that Culford is.

The sense of family and belonging, of possibility and opportunity, the knowledge that I can be part of an even bigger family, looking after my country, protecting those I love. My CCF experience has made me consider a career in the forces, representing my country. I want to be an RAF pilot and I will do all I can to get there!

Boo McLean

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The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme The academic year 2016-17 was a very busy and successful one for the Culford Duke of Edinburgh programme, with bronze, silver and gold expeditions aplenty.

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he bronze and silver participants overcame the challenges of the Peak District, putting their navigations skills to the test and ultimately taking the hills in their stride on their expedition assessments.

Much was achieved through the volunteering and physical activities, including volunteer gardening, dog walking, sports coaching, equitation, woodwork, music, cycling, dance and hockey.

The gold participants in north Wales were exceptional on their three-day expedition.

The weather was against them, with lowlevel clouds and rain making navigation particularly difficult. One group struggled through the worst of the weather on day

two and valiantly made it to their camp; the other took stock and decided it was safer to retreat. This was a difficult and mature decision to take particularly as they thought it meant relinquishing the hope of passing the assessment. Both groups did their best and I’m delighted that their effort was acknowledged by Chris Smith, the Duke of Edinburgh assessor, who deemed their attempt well within the spirit of the award, and allowed them to complete their expedition the next day.

I would like to thank Chris for his support, and we are overjoyed that he has agreed to work with us again this year.

As always, the staff at Culford have gone out of their way to make the awards a possibility for the pupils, and I would like to convey the school’s appreciation to the core team of Ian Roach, Katie Norlander, Sarah Flack and Mark Barber, as well as all the other volunteers who have given their time so generously.

I am delighted that we are welcoming an even larger cohort into the Duke of Edinburgh programme this year, with over 40 bronze, 15 silver and five gold participants. I wish them all the best of luck, and the best of weather!

Mr Douglas Edwards Physics Teacher

Pastoral Care It has been a busy year for all four houses with plenty of House events, formal dinners and academic success. This year we have welcomed a new Housemaster for Edwards and a new Housemistress for Fitzgerald.

PAS T O R AL C A RE

Cornwallis House

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nce again the Gentlemen of Cornwallis had a year that promised ‘We will, We will, Rock you,’ and they remained true to their word!

From the success of the House music, where Dean Jacobs and Tommy Freeman captured the audience with the beauty of their singing, to the last moments of the Leavers’ Ball when all the Upper Sixth joined me in singing Jerusalem outside the Headmaster’s office, the right note was struck more often than not.

Of course, even the greatest composers could not always create the perfect symphony every time or with little effort.

They would learn from their mistakes, reflect on what they were really striving for, decide how hard they were willing to work and the brilliance would come out further down the score. There were significant challenges faced throughout the year, challenges faced head on and with dignity and honesty. While there were no marching bands or trumpets to mark the end of the year, every member Mr Reynolds

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Housemaster: Mr G Reynolds Assistant Housemaster: Mr J Fox Head of House: Martynas Blazys House Captains: Freddie Allum, Jonathon Le Grice, Fredd Mann

of the departing Upper Sixth deserve praise for the role they played in making the life of the school richer for them being here.

Head of House Martynas Blazys was a stylish rock conducting the Gentlemen. His easy and approachable manner coupled with his efficiency meant he was a real support to pupils and staff alike. School prefects Freddie Allum, Charlie Schofield, Fred Mann and Jono Le Grice struck the right cord in wearing the final green blazers with pride, while Rapolas Usaris, Arran Dhesi, Kewku Zuta, Sam Lucas and Tom Belton all contributed much to the sporting life of the school.

Academic success came through individuals’ willingness to work hard and Gabriel Williams, Alex Zheng, Charlie Schofield, Max McCrea, Sam Lucas and Freddie Allum achieved exceptional exam results, with 80% of the school’s A*s at A Level coming from the Gentlemen of Cornwallis. With university places secured, the Upper Sixth had time to relax. Luigi Murton used his excellent

C OR NWALLIS H OUSE

debating skills to propose and win the debate, ‘This house believes in body art.’

Oliver Beresford perfected the game of ‘hide the book’ when not singing and dancing in the school production, a game also enjoyed

by Max Bickers. Noahdona, also known as Noah Bentley, was the star on the football pitch this year and even managed to beat The Cat, Housemaster Reynolds, with a 30-yard free kick. James Atkinson confirmed you could be as good as your word, which was lucky for him as he used a lot of words and brightened everyone’s day, day in day out, with his witty observations and enthusiasm for life.

All in all this proved a good year for the Gentlemen of Cornwallis, one played out at times like an opera, at times like a musical, but always with energy, enthusiasm, wit and a lot of fun. It is what makes being a housemaster a real privilege.

Gavin Reynolds

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PAS T O R AL C A RE

Mr Holiday-Scott

Edwards House I

t was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I stepped into the big and well-loved shoes of the departing Stephen Arbuthnot. My family and I were indeed walking in his footsteps as we would be taking on the post with young children.

My wife would also be on the House team as a Matron.

The trepidation soon melted away in that late summer heatwave and the warmth of the welcome I received from the boys and parents of Edwards.

My team of Prefects guided me through the busy life of Culford under the chilled leadership of my Head of House, Juod Habib-Allah. Our prefect meetings were rich in banter, comedy and pizza, and I will remember them fondly.

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Housemaster: Mr J Holiday-Scott Assistant Housemaster: Mr C Sadler Head of House: Juod Habib-Allah House Captains: Josh Chalfen, Will Davies, Joe Gilkes

E DWARDS HO USE

The wrap-around care Culford offers means that the Kouse is always busy and always planning for something. We hit the ground running with the inter-house 5K run. Tom Brown did the house proud running, inexplicably, in a full Pink Panther costume.

The rest of the boys looked great in their pink war paint.

In a complete change of tone and pace, the House formal showed me that the boys really do scrub up very well. Establishing a new tradition that I am sure the other Houses will soon try to emulate, Anthony Yannaghas, father of Upper Sixth Edwardian Henry, gave us a truly comical and uplifting address, and was one of the many highlights of that lovely evening. Other formal events of the year, including the Christmas dinner, the Highland Ball and Leavers’ Ball were all beautiful, vibrant events which left us with many fond memories.

In the House singing competition we were treated to the dulcet tones of Edwards that would have given Freddie Mercury himself a run for his money. The fact that the judges

did not recognise this is a disappointment we overcame with good spirit. Fortune smiled on us with better favour in the House sports. But win or lose, the fun was found in the taking part and good-natured rivalry with the other Houses.

As we settled into the early summer I was again made to feel very proud of the maturity with which the Upper Fifth and Upper Sixth faced the challenge of GCSE and A Level exams. Suddenly, a Post-it could not be found because they were all on Jordan’s wall. Brandon was not seen for days at a time, only coming up for breath as we considered sending out a search party.

The year eventually drew to a close, and as one generation of Edwardians prepared to leave us and spread their wings, a new team of prefects rose in their wake. The House will be ably led by Joe Beasant, Julius Kümpers, Charlie James and the rest of the team when we return in September and begin afresh another season in Edwards.

James Holiday-Scott

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PAS T O R AL C A RE

Fitzgerald House I

was blessed with a wonderful group of girls and staff to work with in my first year as Housemistress of Fitzgerald House.

After taking over the House from the steady hands of Mrs Murray, I was overwhelmed by the support and kindness of the incredibly talented girls, especially my prefect team, lead ably by Megan Mann. Life in Fitzgerald was fast paced and full of fun, laughter and kindness.

I have worked at a number of schools but I have never before witnessed the levels of enthusiasm and spirit shown during House competitions. The 5km run being the first event of the year gave me the chance to see my Sixth Formers running in style in their 90s workout gear and to see true grit from girls who feel less confident in this field. Special mention must go to Maisy Cailes, Niamh Perry, Rhianna Walton and Julia D’Lima for all placing in the top ten.

Even though we were pipped at the post overall by Jocelyn House, the girls demonstrated commitment and determination to the end.

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Housemistress: Mrs L Bryant Assistant Housemistress: Mrs K Waghorn Head of House: Megan Mann House Captains: Jemma Andrews, Emma Lees, Marie Owino

FITZG ER ALD H OUSE

The House dinner took place on the same day as the House cross country, and we were stunned by the transformation of the girls from sportswomen into glamorous young ladies in a short time frame! The fabulous Upper Sixth organised the event, creating a sophisticated Hollywood themed evening that left everyone feeling like celebrities. Our double trouble duo, Jemma Andrews and Beth Keswick, hosted the evening’s proceedings with their usual charm. We were lucky enough to have our own paparazzo, Jono Le Grice, recording the event beautifully and the girls had impressive poses. Special thanks goes to Anna Sutton whose family friend Alice came to speak to us about her life as an actress.

House singing became a major undertaking before half term, with rigorous practice of the chosen song Don’t Stop Me Now, led ably by Anna Sutton and Mrs Waghorn.

After many hours of practice the house became in tune with the song and each other and our ensemble group showed their talents with a Hairspray number. The girls put in a heroic vocal performance on the night, winning the whole House number.

Culford School prides itself on encouraging individuals to thrive, and that being said I would like to mention some major feats throughout the year. Catherine Howells received her dipABRSM cello diploma in December, a huge achievement for which she should be congratulated. Several of our tennis players achieved excellent results in tournaments across the world, notably Millie-Mae Matthews and Kira Williams.

During the year our prefects were able to make some excellent changes, with Marie Owino accessorising the Common Room with fairy lights and photos of the girls. Jess Lovatt, Adeline Messo and Yaa Zuta all got involved in redecorating, showing impressive painting skills, and opening a new door out into the quad. Another key ingredient of this year was the introduction of the ‘good egg award’.

One of the highlights of my year was the House Christmas party. Watching all the girls come together to play light-hearted games, I felt proud of what they had achieved over the first term. There was great hilarity as the girls ate chocolate with hats and gloves on, using knives and forks, while competitive spirit was shown by some of the new Fourth Form in the cereal game.

The Easter term was again very busy with more of a music and drama theme. Our house concert, jointly held with the gentlemen of Cornwallis, was a fabulous evening showcasing the various talents of the house, with excellent piano playing by Chiara Fontana and a pop star song and dance routine. The Lower Sixth decided to delight us with a dry aqua aerobics routine!

As a new member of staff I was aware that the drama productions in this school were

of a high level but nothing could have prepared me for the We Will Rock You performance. Many Fitzgerald girls took part, with Emily Hope, Lucy Mason, Natasha Desmond and Anna Sutton taking the lead roles. I was a very proud Housemistress seeing them all up on stage showing off their incredible talents.

Summer term came very quickly, exams loomed as they always do, but after stresses, trials and many hours with heads in books the girls absolutely came through. I could not have been more pleased with the maturity, focus and commitment they demonstrated during the exam period.

Finally, at the end of the year the House Summer BBQ was most certainly earned by all the girls and a number of rather funny team games allowed some much needed unwinding! I am so lucky to have joined a House with such wonderful girls, talented in so many areas. Every single one of them helps contribute to it being such a special place.

A wonderful year, a fabulous bunch of girls and we can do it all again next year!

Thank you Fitzgerald House.

Lydia Bryant

Mrs Bryant

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PAS T OR A L C AR E

Jocelyn House

Mrs Haughey

Housemistress: Mrs S Haughey Assistant Housemistress: Miss C Olley Head of House: Rebecca Beardmore House Captains: Eleanor Gillis, Harriet Kirby-Smith, Tatiana Ruleva

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J OCELYN H OUSE

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he lovely ladies of Jocelyn House have gone from victory to victory this year.

The first indications that this was to be our year was in the House singing competition. After weeks of rehearsals Jocelyn wowed the crowd with just the right amount of swaying, and a strategically placed a cappella part.

For the ensemble piece, Jocelyn impressed with ten silver-voiced angels. When the judges announced Jocelyn House as the winners, the House erupted. There were hugs and tears from the Upper Sixth; and Miss Kirby-Smith and Mrs Haughey were absolutely ecstatic.

Not content with just one showing of artistic and creative talent, Jocelyn House was well represented in the production of Great Expectations. All the girls had very different roles and did a cracking job of transforming themselves into their characters. Eleanor Gillis played Mrs Joe with great energy and ferocity. Rebecca Beardmore, channelling the broken heart of her guardian, excellently played the cold-hearted old Estella. Harriet Kirby-Smith brought a unique twist to the old brokenhearted lady, Miss Haversham. Her performance was captivating and the death of Miss Haversham touched everyone’s heart.

Our expectations were definitely exceeded and the audience loved it immensely.

The Culford 5K saw our own Olivia Allum coming in first for the House and fifth overall in the school. The Culford hockey teams involved a range of talented Jocelyn ladies including Nella Walters, Grace Deane, Isabel Whyte, Ella Dowling and Lowenna Clarke.

Jevony Hall, Katie Farrant and Abi Callaghan all represented Culford in netball, and Annabel Heywood and Kiera Williams impressed with their high level of swimming.

As Spring term commenced, so did the debating competition, with Mary Grace Godfrey representing the House in the Culford debating team. Mary helped the team reach the regional finals. The art department showcased the talents of Ophelia Yannaghas, and Jocelyn and Edwards worked together to put on a thoroughly enjoyable House concert.

Special congratulations go to Milana Kheiffitts, who was the star of the show with an amazing singing voice that surprised us all.

The Lower Sixth in Jocelyn joined up with the Lower Sixth in Edwards and performed an incredible dance routine that had us all in fits of laughter. The House concert was also an opportunity to raise money for good causes, and this year we supported Young Minds, raising £188 in total. Young Minds is certainly a worthy charity. They aim to empower children and young people; provide support for parents and carers; train and support professionals; make mental health information accessible; and change attitude and policies.

A highlight of the Spring term was the surprise cupcake party, thrown by the tutors to celebrate finishing a week of mock examinations and retakes. There were personalised cakes, games and a photo booth that provided lots of entertainment for us all.

The Summer term was busy, full of exam preparation and difficult goodbyes. But being Jocelyn House we still found time to throw a party. After we had hoped and prayed that the rain would stay away we were blessed with clear skies. The main attraction of the evening was the bouncy assault course which certainly brought out everyone’s competitive side. Even the Jocelyn staff got involved. I can’t forget to mention the delicious BBQ and the range of food that was brought in by the girls themselves. So many cakes, sweets, nibbles and desserts which were too hard to resist!

One of our Lower Sixth girls, Emily Harris, made cakes for her Malawi fundraising which went down a treat. Music playing throughout the party gave everyone the opportunity to have a little dance, with some displaying their best moves to great summer hits. All round it was a fun-filled evening full of smiles and a chance to celebrate the Jocelyn girls’ achievements this year.

Sarah Haughey

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Upper Sixth Valedictory

U PPE R SIX TH VALEDICT ORY

Faith, Community and Transformation

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hen the Rev asked me to speak about these three themes I had no idea where I would start. I felt, and still feel, like the least qualified person to talk about them. But I started by asking myself: how significant are these three themes in our daily lives?

Faith is defined as the complete trust in someone or something, and Culford has taught me just how important this is for a community. I’ve learnt to trust others and have faith that the people I’m close to will help me overcome personal challenges now and in the future.

When I first joined Culford in September 2015 I was beside myself with nerves. In the first few weeks I was convinced I had made the wrong decision to move schools and live in a different country. But instead of leaving

like I was desperate to, I stuck with it. I had faith in myself and trusted that I had made the best decision for me. Now, I’m so thankful for all the experiences I’ve had here and the friends I’ve made, and I honestly can’t imagine being anywhere else for Sixth Form.

Thank you to everyone with whom I have had the pleasure of sharing this experience.

Another thing which comes to mind when I think about faith at Culford is just how diverse and inclusive we are as a school.

Although we teach Methodism there are so many different faiths in our environment and all are equally accepted and welcomed.

This is such a paramount feature of the community we have created and it makes you feel truly part of a family, despite our differences. This amazing community should be cherished and I’m sure I’ll still feel like part of it long after I have left.

Finally, transformation. It’s difficult to express exactly how much I’ve changed in my time here. Looking back to freshers does make me cringe slightly to say the least, but I’m sure you can all think about yourselves when you first joined the school and realise just how much you too have transformed.

As the Upper Sixth are getting ready to leave Culford I’m constantly reminded of my favourite experiences here and wish I had appreciated them more at the time.

Whether you will end up being here for a total of 16 years or two years I can promise it’ll pass by incredibly quickly.

So make sure to take advantage of all the opportunities you have and be grateful for all the memories you make right now.

Natasha Day, Head Girl

What Culford means to me Culford is not just a place where I have been to school; Culford has been my home for half my life. I suspect I appreciate the surroundings of Culford more because of that.

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think that Culford, to me, means something quite different to what it means to most of you. When I first joined, aged seven in class five of Pre-Prep, I lived in that little cottage by the entrance called Eastfields.

I lived there for four and a half years while my mum was Deputy Head. After leaving for a year and a half, I returned as a boarder in Fourth Form. That means that I have now lived in the grounds of Culford for over nine years.

When we were around nine or ten, Charlie Schofield and I used to do archaeology in the woods. I say archaeology, but in reality we took a trowel and a spade into the woods and dug up some old rubbish while my scheming brother told us that they were Roman artefacts. We were apparently very gullible children.

It’s these sorts of happy, nostalgic stories that resonate in my mind whenever I contemplate my time here and the grounds in which I have grown up. I honestly cannot think of a single memory set in these grounds with bad connotations, with one exception – leaving the school during my Lower Third year. That was very difficult for me. When I left Prep School for what I thought would be the last time, I did so with

a great deal of apprehension for the future, and, being honest, the time I spent in Yorkshire was certainly not the happiest period of my life. So, when the chance presented itself for me to re-join the school in Fourth Form, I jumped at it.

The community here was one of the main attractions. The way the people at Culford band together and turn even the most mundane days into interesting ones is remarkable and is what made this place so appealing to me, along with the strong friendships I already had.

Culford is now a part of me. I don’t know what I was like when I was seven, so I can’t tell you how Culford has changed me. What I can say – hopefully you will all agree – is that I’ve turned out okay, so Culford must have done something right. Because in the end, turning out all right is all that matters.

Max McCrea

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2016-17 Valete The following Upper Sixth pupils completed their education at Culford this year. We wish them all well for the future and look forward to seeing them again at events and reunions.

Frederick Allum Jemma Andrews James Atkinson James Barley Rebecca Beardmore Thomas Belton Noah Bentley Oliver Beresford Maxwell Bickers Martynas Blazys Thomas Brown Alexandra Burge William Burman Joshua Chalfen Rhyanna Charambamwe Edward Chrispin

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Saskia Crawford Will Davies Natasha Day Natasha Desmond Arran Dhesi Ella Dowling Cameron Fellows Joe Foulger Joseph Gilkes Eleanor Gillis Frederick Grant Adam Green Juod Habib-Allah Lottie Kent Beth Keswick Harriet Kirby-Smith

SEN IOR & S IXTH FO RM | 2016 – 2017

Jonathon Le Grice Emma Lees Samuel Lucas Charles Mann Megan Mann Sophie Mason Olivia Mayor Max McCrea Matthew Mitcham Luigi Murton Marie Owino Elizabeth Pam Tatiana Ruleva Ellie Rushforth Charlie Schofield Lucy Scott

Robin-Alexander Sorokin Anna Sutton Elizabeth Tompson Joseph Tyler Rapolas Usaris Rhianna Walton Alex Waterman Gabriel Williams Shurui Xu Henry Yannaghas Shenghao Yu Junyao Zheng Kweku Zuta

2016 -17 VALE TE

POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY 2016-17 Head Boy Head Girl Deputy Head Boy Deputy Head Girl

James Barley Natasha Day Charlie Schofield Ellie Rushforth

Cornwallis Head of House Cornwallis House Captains

Martynas Blazys Freddie Allum Jonathon Le Grice Fred Mann

Edwards Head of House Edwards House Captains

Juod Habib-Allah Josh Chalfen Will Davies Joe Gilkes

Jocelyn Head of House Jocelyn House Captains

Rebecca Beardmore Eleanor Gillis Harriet Kirby-Smith Tatiana Ruleva

Fitzgerald Head of House Fitzgerald House Captains

Megan Mann Jemma Andrews Emma Lees Marie Owino

Charity and Chaplaincy Team

Ellie Rushforth (Chair) James Barley Harriet Kirby-Smith Eleanor Gillis Fred Mann

Academic Team

Charlie Schofield (Chair) Natasha Day Rebecca Beardmore Freddie Allum Marie Owino Joe Gilkes Megan Mann

Sixth Form Team

Tatiana Ruleva (Chair) Jemma Andrews Juod Habib-Allah Emma Lees Jonathon Le Grice Martynas Blazys Will Davies Josh Chalfen

SPORTS CAPTAINS Boys’ Hockey Netball Rugby Girls’ Tennis Boys’ Tennis

Matt Mitcham Olivia Mayor Tom Brown Lizzie Pam Will Davies

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C OMMON ROOM SALVETE

Senior Common Room

Salvete a class of 108 rural Malawians. Marcus lives in Norfolk with his wife, 10 month old baby Casper and their dog Cosima Biscuit, who his wife named. Away from Culford, Marcus plays hockey rather badly, spectacularly fails to ski in Norfolk, and rather embarrassingly, takes part in medieval re-enactment.

Ruth Radlett joined Culford in September 2016 as the Acting Head of English with previous posts including Head of Key Stage 3 in Birmingham and at the British School in Kathmandu. Ruth has a BA from Sheffield and an MA in South Asian History. Ruth has previously lived in Nepal, has a Nepali dog called Grunge and her classroom has a tree in it!

Lydia Bryant joined in September 2016 as Housemistress of Fitzgerald House from Gordonstoun School. She has a degree in Geography with Education from Durham University and is an experienced geography and business studies teacher. She has moved here with her husband George, who works at the local RAF base, and her cocker spaniel Skye. She helps out with the Duke of Edinburgh activity and enjoys baking, especially pancakes for the boarders, in her spare time.

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James Holiday-Scott joined Culford in September 2016 as Edwards Housemaster, whilst also teaching English and Philosophy.

He has degrees in Literature and Philosophy.

Educated in Canada, James has also lived in Egypt and worked in Saudi Arabia. He and his wife, two children and Cocker Spaniel live on-site. James runs the Debate Society and is a slow but determined marathon runner.

The new Head of Business and Economics, Darren Nichols joined Culford School after spending time at Gordonstoun in Scotland, Colston’s School in Bristol and Langley School in Norwich. An experienced Head of Department, he is enjoying his return to East Anglia and hopes to participate more actively in the boarding and pastoral side of the school in the years ahead. As a keen supporter of Hull City and a proud Yorkshireman he is looking to expand and develop an active interest in both business and economics across all year groups.

Marcus Rackowe joined Culford as Head of History in September 2016. He completed his degree in obscure medieval history at the University of Liverpool before undertaking a PGCE at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

Upon completing his PGCE, Marcus worked in South Wales during Wales’ first grand slam win in many years, followed by a three year stint as the Head of History at a school in Valencia, Spain. Marcus also lived in France for six years where he was Head of Key Stage 4 and 5 at an international school in the Pyrenees. During his time here Marcus spent winter weekends skiing and summer weekends on the beach. In the summer of 2014, Marcus volunteered, alongside his wife, in Africa where he taught European history to

New English teacher Elizabeth Williams joins us having recently completed her Masters in Education and Literature at the University of Cambridge, where she also did her undergraduate degree.

She has worked at schools in London and Singapore, where she held a number of different leadership roles.

Lizzi is working part-time at Culford so that she can spend time with baby Finlay, who arrived in February.

C O MMO N ROOM VALETE

Senior Common Room

Valete This year we said goodbye to a number of Senior Common Room colleagues.

Brenda Hunt retired as Head of Art in summer 2017 after thirty-three years, excepting a short time away after her son Sam (1992-2007) was born. She has always been a passionate and creative force, knowing the pupils well and getting the best from them through careful nurturing of their individual talents. In 2004 she was asked to become Housemistress of Fitzgerald and the individual care she gave pupils in the art department had an obvious translation into her relations with girls in the House. Brenda will return for some part time teaching in the coming year.

Caroline Byrne joined Culford twenty-three years ago in September 1994 and quickly became a central part of Culford. She taught numerous pupils English as an Additional Language as well as English, Italian and Art History and was Housemistress of Fitzgerald when it was a day House. Her support of girls and of international pupils was superb; pastoral care runs through Caroline like letters through a stick of rock. We will miss her as she retires but look forward to see her return to do some part-time teaching.

Hannah Mayhew moves on from our geography department after six years. Hannah arrived as a newly qualified teacher and joined her Head of Department, Mark Barber, in driving geography forward to become a highly successful subject at

both GCSE and A level. Hannah is a popular and well-respected teacher and contributed hugely to boarding life as an Assistant Housemistress in Fitzgerald. She moves to develop her career further and we wish her well as she leaves to join Ipswich School.

Old Culfordian Pip Kirby-Smith (2005-2010) now leaves us after three years in the Common Room, during which time she undertook teacher training and went through her newly qualified teacher’s year. She moves on to gain wider experience and to develop her career. Pip was a central part of the language department and a stalwart member of the Jocelyn House team. She will be much missed.

Kerry McCarthy is not leaving entirely, but having been a wonderful Head of Spanish at the Senior School over the past two years, now moves to lead developments in our Prep School as we introduce Spanish throughout the school.

John Rivett arrived at Culford in 1988 from a comparable position at the West Suffolk College. He has served for 29 years and looks back over his time with the discreet observational skills and quiet humour long associated with him. He was, like many others, intrigued and delighted by the distinctive professional approaches of the late George Barber and Tony Prain. He, too, liked to innovate and renovate as well as to build both an emporium and empire. The

focus of his work was on quality control, and associated aspects of this were always evident in his ways. Precision and thoroughness are his hallmarks. His retirement will see these continued, but to the garden that he and his wife, Georgina, maintain and to their shared interests in wildlife, including a speciality in photographing owls.

Rowenna Gallifant helped to provide cover in the biology department over the past year and she leaves to retire to Portugal where we wish her well.

Lesley Martin was our School Librarian for just over 16 years.

Having played a central role in Culford’s new library project, she has decided it is time for a new challenge and has moved to Munich to become involved in the setting up of another new library at an international school there.

She shared her passion for books here by promoting reading and independent thinking and learning in many different ways. From her centre of command in the library, Lesley organised regular author visits and different activities to inspire and stimulate the participation of both pupils and staff. However, Lesley’s role extended far beyond the confines of the library and she participated in no fewer than four Sixth Form expeditions to Malawi, the most recent one this year. It was thanks to Lesley’s diligence that funding was secured for the development of a library at the Good News Orphanage and local community literacy projects. Lesley was a regular speaker at our Collective Worship services, a tutor in both Fitzgerald and Jocelyn, Head of Careers, and a stalwart member of the carols choir, and she will be greatly missed by her colleagues and pupils alike. We wish Lesley every success with her latest venture.

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PAS T OR A L C AR E

Sixth Form Enrichment

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SIXTH FORM E NRIC HME NT

I joined Culford in Fourth Form, just over four years ago. I still remember to this day entering Fitzgerald for the first time, thinking how big and scary everything all seemed. Looking back, at the time, it was.

I

was just about to begin a brand new chapter in my life, leaving old friends and my family behind to head off on a big boarding school adventure. As a 13-year-old this seemed like the hardest thing in the world. Little did I know that it was going to be the best thing I could have done. Four years have flown by and here I am now with just one academic year to go until I enter the big wide world, leaving the Culford bubble to move on to my next life chapter – wherever that may be.

Culford’s Sixth Form life gives you a vast range of opportunities to explore, ones that suit you and your needs. They shape your time here at the school and are valuable, unforgettable experiences. As you begin your journey into the Sixth Form you head up to the Peak District for Freshers’ Week, jam-packed with amazing activities. This was something I will never forget. It provided a great opportunity for many friendships to form, shaping us into who we are as a group today.

The Sixth Form never feels like separate year groups. The many Sixth Form privileges allow us to mingle with those either younger or older within the form, such as the social events both years are involved in. For example there are themed parties planned solely by the pupils of each House, held in Paddy and Scott’s once a term. There are also the more formal evening occasions such as the Highland Ball. At the beginning of my journey into the Sixth Form, the mezzanine in the library had just been opened alongside Paddy and Scott’s cafe in the sports centre, both of which provide a valuable opportunity for the Sixth Form to spend time together away from their academic studies. They also allow Upper Sixth pupils to be around to give A-level guidance to those following in their footsteps. ‰ Freshers’ Week 2016

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Freshers’ Week 2016

SIXTH FORM E NRIC HME NT

Sixth Form Disney Party

In Upper Sixth we have a group of 20 pupils who are proud to call themselves School Prefects. They help to run the school and organise events. We apply for the job in a formal process that includes interviews during Lower Sixth, and we start the role at the end of our Lower Sixth year. Other responsibilities include House Prefects, Sports Captains, Committee Heads and subject ambassadors. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and take a leading role in all aspects of school life.

‘Life after Culford week’ at the end of the Lower Sixth year is dedicated to helping students choose what to do after they leave and give support for their university applications. Lectures, the Culford Challenge and talks from OCs help to form a different perspective on your future. In-house and external speakers give support in many relevant areas, for example writing a great personal statement or perfecting your CV. Culford Sixth Form is a fun and friendly community. Enjoy it while it lasts, as the time will fly by! Get involved but also stay on top of your work. That way you’ll have the best two years of your school life and get the results you want at the end. My advice?

Have fun and stay focused.

Highland Ball 2016

Hannah Brecknell

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TH E CULFOR D FOUNDAT ION

Friendraising and Fundraising for Culford School

The Foundation 25 YEARS SINCE LEAVING REUNION

The Culford Foundation exists to friendraise and fundraise for Culford School. The Foundation team (pictured left to right: Tom Guntrip (Intern), Samantha Salisbury, Jo Johnson-Munday and Alex Day) are located in the Hartley wing of Culford Hall and we work together to: • Organise reunion, sporting and networking events in the UK and overseas • Connect alumni who want to be in touch • Share alumni news in our annual magazine, FOCuS • Send regular enewsletters with alumni and School news as well as information about events, fundraising activities and future plans • Fundraise for projects within The Campaign for Culford • Seek potential work placements for alumni, make careers advice introductions and invite relevant alumni to careers workshops for current pupils • Preserve and develop the Culford School and Estate archives

Katharine Moore (née Long) and Rebecca Richardson (née Boulter) with their children

OCS RETURN FOR OXBRIDGE FORUM

Tom Hargreaves, Jessica Ferrari-Wells and Eloy Torres-Ramon

LONDON DRINKS 2017

All pupils can become Old Culfordians on leaving the School and may register with Culford Online, an online database which enables members to update their own details and share them, if they choose to, with other alumni culford.co.uk/get-in-touch.

Alternatively they can complete our Contact Form and we will ensure that they receive event invitations, FOCuS magazine, fundraising updates and enewsletters; please email foundation@culford.co.uk or telephone 01284 385310 for a copy of the form.

Events 2016/17 We organise a programme of annual events for former pupils, staff and parents as well as other friends of the School. These range from sporting fixtures and year group reunions through to social events open to all alumni and staff, including the annual London Drinks reception which usually takes place at a prestigious private members club in the city.

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SEN IOR & S IXTH FO RM | 2016 – 2017

Louisiana Ogunfowora, Sean Jun, Charlotte Bell, Lucy Berwick and Henry Morton

For the past four years we have also organised the summer Opera in the Park events, as well as the first ever Roots in the Park concert in summer 2017. See pages 114-117 for more on these great events which have raised some £20,000 towards The Campaign for Culford.

THE CULFO RD FOUN DATION

What’s next for The Campaign for Culford?

With the generous support from our donors, Phase I of The Campaign for Culford saw us open the landmark Library at the academic heart of the School, amongst several other smaller projects including the refurbishment of the Workman Library and the Foundation Art Gallery.

Launched in 2017/18, Phase II aims to raise funds for these key areas: • • • • •

The Art Studio today

Redevelopment of our Art facilities Upgrade the Ashby Dining Room Refurbishment of teaching facilities in Hastings & Skinner Refurbishment of Big Hartley as an Archive and Heritage Lounge Creation of a £2.5million Bursaries Fund

CGI of how the redeveloped building may look

A New Art Studio We are now close to reaching our £350,000 target towards the estimated project cost of £650,000 to redevelop the main Art Studio.

This huge space has little changed since the 1950s and now requires structural improvements, as well as a new roof. Once complete, it will be a stunning new studio, filled with light from a glass frontage with sliding doors to an outside space, echoing the design of the new Library and offering a space for pupils to work in that we can be truly proud of.

JOIN OUR WALL OF FAME!

Request a Campaign Pack

How £100 can help

A brochure setting out the detail of all the projects within Phase II of The Campaign for Culford is now available. If you would like us to send you a copy, please email us: foundation@culford.co.uk or telephone 01284 385310.

One of the fundraising initiatives launched to help achieve the balance of funds for the new Art studio is the chance to buy a Pop Art Portrait of yourself, a family member or favourite pet for £100.

These fun canvases are on display at different locations around the School and each portrait will be returned to the purchaser at the end of a year. We hope that many Culford families, alumni, current and former staff and other friends will help us reach our target by buying their own Pop Art Portrait. For more information, please visit: culford.co.uk/popart or email foundation@culford.co.uk

culford.co.uk/foundation

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Summer Nights at Culford

Opera and Roots in the Park 2017 Organised by the Foundation team, Culford was thrilled to welcome 900 guests through its gates for both Opera and the new Roots in the Park event on 17 and 18 June 2017.

On the hottest weekend of the year, everyone enjoyed the brilliant weather, beautiful location and fantastic music over both nights on the South Front stage.

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OPE R A AND RO O T S IN TH E PA RK 2017

The fourth Opera in the Park saw London Festival Opera performing Madame Butterfly and other operatic favourites. Culford were again delighted to welcome back talented former pupils Florence Taylor (1997-2011) and Joseph Dodd (2004-2011), who sang with the company.

There was also a charitable purpose to the evening, with generous opera goers donating over £900 to a raffle for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice (EACH) and any profits from the event going towards the projects within The Campaign for Culford.

There was a mellow vibe on Sunday afternoon for Culford’s first ever Roots in the Park with chilled out sounds from artists Winter Mountain, Robert Vincent and The Delta Bell.

The audience were also wowed by the talent of pupils who took to the stage for a set before the party ended with Norfolk-based The Vagaband turning up the volume as the sun set and everyone got dancing.

Foundation Director, Jo Johnson-Munday, said: “This was a fabulous weekend of music with something to suit all tastes. We were also delighted to welcome many new visitors to Culford and share two stunning summer days with everyone, from toddlers and their parents to our oldest ‘Old Culfordian’ who left the school in 1945! We are very grateful to everyone who supported the events and are already looking forward to next year.”

The events have raised more than £20,000 for The Campaign for Culford since they began four years ago.

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Independent boarding & day school for boys and girls aged 1-18

ing t a e r C als u d i v i Ind

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