SHERBORNE NEWS Lent 2020 ISSUE 33
Comment
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When I took over as Housemaster of Abbeylands in September, it was an enormous privilege. Following in the footsteps of Stephen and Vicky Clayton, I knew I was inheriting a thriving House with a warm atmosphere: a place that thoroughly deserved its popular moniker of “Happylands”.
In the months since, it has been a joy to settle into the House community. My wife Helen and I are keen to retain a family feel, and our son Osian loves having 68 big brothers to play with on a daily basis.
I believe this to be the most fulfilling aspect of life as a Housemaster: getting alongside the boys to curate a community of belonging and growth. Abbeylands is a place to call home for our residents: somewhere to land amid the bustle of School life. An environment in which they can relax, be themselves, and build relationships that last a lifetime. One of the things I’m keen to encourage is engagement between year groups. I believe younger boys learn a huge amount from the example of their older Housemates, while for senior boys there is an opportunity to develop skills in leadership, mentoring and pastoral care. In Abbeylands, we’re lucky to have wonderful spaces inside and outside in which boys mingle, play games and get to know each other better. Of course, the wider House team plays an important role in establishing the Abbeylands culture. Our Matron Rachel is a force of nature. Along with her assistants, our Tutor team and our domestic staff, the boys have no shortage of adult guidance, encouragement and committed pastoral care. The importance of a good team has been borne out in all of my experiences at Sherborne, as Head of PE and in various Tutor roles. To succeed, you need the right people around you, urging you on and catching you when you stumble.
That is the essence of a Boarding House like ours. It’s a place in which boys are empowered to take risks, to try new experiences, knowing that they will be supported, no matter what. So it is that Abbeylands boys embrace all manner of opportunities. Some perform in the House play, others enjoy Inter-House sport, and others find the chess ladder is the perfect chance to shine. Whatever opportunity they choose to throw themselves into, my experience is that boys relish the chance to learn new things, develop habits of being, and grow in each other’s company. I see this especially in our regular Sunday day trips, to the cinema, to local landmarks or for activities like go-karting or paint balling. Away from School, boys realise their independence, carrying the skills they acquire at Sherborne out into the world. They really are our best ambassadors. Ultimately, this is the strength of a context like Sherborne: that boys are formed for life beyond School. I’m clear that the boarding experience plays a crucial role in this, equipping pupils with the skills, habits and dispositions they need to thrive, no matter what path they follow.
Rhidian McGuire, Housemaster Abbeylands
Academic Enrichme AWARD WINNING MATHEMATICS
It has been an extremely busy few months for the Mathematics Department since the beginning of the new year. In the first week of term, we received news from United Kingdom Mathematics Trust that Abdulla Ahmadi (U6e) who took the prestigious British Mathematical Olympiad at the end of last term was awarded a Distinction. Aaron Kim (U6b) also took part in the competition and was awarded a Merit. On February 4, these two boys along with Nicholas Morris (L6a) and Simeon Davchev (L6e) took part in the National Final of the Senior Team Mathematical Challenge in London, competing alongside eighty-seven other Regional Champions from the rest of the country. Two days later, over a hundred of our boys participated in the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. This was a 60-minute, multiple-choice competition aimed at Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11 pupils across the UK. It
encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. This year, we are delighted to achieve a total of 79 certificates (18 Gold, 31 Silver and 30 Bronze) – our best performance so far! Many congratulations to Jack Wang (5e), Toby Ross (5b), Archie Burton (5a), Toby Foulger (5d), Andre Cheung (5e), Seiko Yonemata (5m), Alfie Davies (5m), Han Han Pu (5f), Preston Leung (5m), Ricky Xu (4a), Michael Tong (4b), Michael Long (4m), Kohki Hatori (4e), Jordan Zhuo (4e), Gary Chen (3f), Bruce Bian (3e), Jay Chan (3b) and Max Sutherland (3m) whom have all won the top Gold certificate. On Wednesday 11 March 2020 we sent eight Fourth and Fifth Form boys to their first Millfield Maths Team Challenge. It was an exciting but gruelling three hours with lots of challenging
Mathematical activities. Having competed against 15 other teams from the region, our A team consisting of Jack Wang, Seiko Yonemata, Edward Pinnock (4a) and Ottokar Denham (4m) came away as the overall Champion that evening. Apart from the usual lessons, tests and Mathematical Challenges, our boys were also treated to two Mathematical lectures by Ben Sparks this term. Ben demonstrated his ‘Magical Mathematics’ to the Juniors during his first visit in January and returned at the end of February to talk about the “Sacred Geometry of Chance (Poker, probability and music)”. Both sessions were enthusiastically attended and good fun!
Siew-Chiang Lim, Head of Mathematics
nt News
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MODEL UNITED NATIONS Pupils enjoyed a day of committee debates and a General Assembly while representing Canada at Bristol Grammar School’s MUN conference. Our Ambassador, James Barker (L6c), was on the first Human Rights Committee, debating the issue of vulnerable migrants. Meanwhile, on the second Human Rights Committee, Jordan Zhuo (4e) discussed the economic benefits of Artificial Intelligence in industry, and its ability to improve the lives of workers by replacing dangerous jobs. David Chen (4e) gave a speech to the Political Committee on the issue of Mexico’s ‘War on Drugs’. Seiko Yonemata (5m) spoke to the Disarmament and Security Committee in support of the USA’s military presence in Guam. Lastly, on the Committee for Science and the Environment, Aneurin Denham (4e) debated the merits of various alternatives to plastic while Simeon Davchev (L6e) focused on the issue of deforestation, and was commended for his contribution. In the General Assembly, an unfolding emergency in the Middle East was presented. Simeon called for de-escalation of the conflict and spoke against the arms trade. Later in the term we were welcomed to a conference at Clayesmore School on the issue of religious intolerance. This was the first experience of lobbying for Michael Long (4m), who gained a co-signatory for his resolution on behalf of Saudi Arabia. Fabian Mercer (5b), the delegate for Iran, presented a successful resolution calling for international cooperation. He was highly commended by the Chairs. Jordan Zhuo presented his resolution on behalf of China, emphasising the need for government recognition of minority religions. He was supported by David Chen, the delegate for Russia. Jordan’s resolution sparked very lively debate and he was also commended for his efforts. Claire Greenrod, Teacher of English
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEBATING AND RESEARCH One of the joys of studying A level languages is that it opens up channels of communication. This term, the MFL Department has organised several events to get our students talking in foreign languages, not just to each other, but to students in local schools, such as the Gryphon and Sherborne Girls. Sixth Formers participated in a successful languages debate afternoon in which mixedschool teams researched and presented debates on contemporary societal issues that they study during the A level course. This was followed by an Independent Research Project evening where the Upper Sixth discussed their research findings with as many different students as
possible in a question and answer session. The final event of the term saw the Upper Sixth deliver their Independent Research Project presentations to the student body with some intelligent and fierce questioning from their peer group. All three events have showcased the remarkable linguistic talents of students at all three schools and the benefits of collaborative events in developing students’ linguistic competencies through fastpaced and communicative experiences. We hope this is the start of more joint ventures between the MFL Departments of these respective schools. Judy Thurman, Head of Modern Foreign Languages
DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Benedict Mercer (U6b), provides an insight into the challenging world of debating… In September 2019 we began our preparation for the South West Debating Championship at Sherborne Girls. We always knew we would be up against challenging opponents so debated a plethora of different current issues from Populism threatening democracy, to whether artefacts taken by the west ought to be repatriated. When the competition came, our team was well equipped to take on our neighbouring schools in three separate debates, and we had sufficient brain power to do this with three different teams as well. We grilled each other for the
week leading up to the debates to expose any weakness in our arguments and refine our actual technique which of course is equally as important as the quality of points made. With a mix of philosophers and economists on each team we were complimented for our balance of statistics and reasoning, and for recognising the subtleties of phrasing. In the end we triumphed in two of our three debates, with our success on climate change coming down to our recognition
of the word “should” not necessitating legislation. As teams we hugely enjoyed both the preparation and the day itself. As well as improving our technique in debating, the competition served to broaden our knowledge of world issues, and it has been a valuable experience to all of us who took part.
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NEWS FROM THE MACNAGHTEN LIBRARY At the start of this year we saw the conclusion of our competitive Inter-House Literary Quiz. On Wednesday 15 January, School House and Harper House were yet again finalists in the Old School Room for the 2nd successive year. The quizzing was fierce and great knowledge was showcased from both teams, however congratulations go to Harper for coming out on top. The winning team members of Jack Bodenham (U6d), Will Jonas (5d), Ben Smith-Bingham (4d), Jim Harrison (3d) and Louis Lindsay (L6d) received the shiny trophy cup for their House and a copy each of Treasure Island. The Fifth Form Inter-House Logic and Word Play Competition was held in the library on Wednesday 5 February. Teams were made up of two Fifth Formers from each House and there were quick five minute rounds on Anagrams, Word Ladders, Word Hubs, Logic Puzzles and Word Searches. The overall winners were Charlie Gatti (5b) and Tobi Ross (5b) from Abbey House with 85 points, followed by joint runners up Jacob Schwandt (5f) and Finn Grammaticas (5f) from Abbeylands with 79 points and Tiff Austen (5d) and Will Jonas from Harper House, also with 79 points. During the February Half Term, the library played their part in Wellbeing Week with a display of books that are not normally out on display. Many staff at the School were delighted to see we had so many “hidden treasures”. Thursday 5 March saw the yearly celebration of all things books that is World Book Day. The Library held a Book and CD sale which has raised over £100 for Book Aid International.
James Curtis, Assistant Librarian
Inter-School Public Speaking Competition for International Students After two selection rounds, Theodore Jouhanneaud (3g) and Marius Cotorobai (L6e) made it into the final of the public speaking competition, which was held at Leweston this year. Theodore was praised highly by the judges for the persuasiveness of his presentation on the merits of co-education. Marius was awarded second place for his empowering and emotive speech on the topic of mental health. Claire Greenrod, Teacher of English
Co-curricular News
CCF HIGHLIGHTS Usually the highlight of any CCF term is the field trips and this term we had planned to go to the Commando Training Centre which was sadly cancelled; however I am delighted that the boys were able to complete the Biennial Inspection parade. The boys worked extremely hard and the standard of drill really improved as the weeks progressed and culminated in a fantastic display. The Inspecting Officer was Brigadier Carr-Smith, Commander of Sandhurst and he was really impressed with the boys and later that day gave a wonderful speech at the dinner night. The evening was a memorable celebration of our impressive young leaders that have continued with CCF into the Sixth Form. Recently a group of boys learned basic urban combat drills and abseiled from buildings in Copehill Down training village. This was a great experience for them. Following outstanding performance last summer, Will Loughlin (L6d) received the fantastic news that he has been invited to spend this summer in the Canadian Rockies as a staff cadet. Whilst the activities next term are uncertain we do have a parachuting course, and trips to HMS Excellent and Longmoor Training Camp in the diary. Rob Le Poidevin, Housemaster of The Digby and CCF Contingent Commander
DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD This term has seen boys completing various sections for their D of E awards at all levels. Each section, depending on the level will take a minimum of three to eighteen months to complete. After each stage is completed, the boys need to request an Assessor’s report either in their logbook or directly online. It is wonderful to see so many boys achieving their goals in so many different activities. Thirty-five certificates have been awarded since our Commemoration Service last June and others are continuing to complete each section in turn. Our focus this term with regard to the expedition section has been on the training section. The Gold groups completed this section last term and the Silver and Bronze groups have attended theirs during this past term. The training section is mainly based in the local area, ensuring the boys are up to speed with the skills needed to attend the practice expedition. This is a great time for the boys to learn from each other as they will all come with different strengths which they can share with peers. James Hull, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Educational Visits Co-ordinator
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OFFSITE ACTIVITIES/TRIPS Offsite activities play a significant part in the education at Sherborne and this term we have seen over forty trips prepared for the boys from Saturday night socials to Ski Racing in Wengen. Ten Tors has been in full swing with two 35 mile teams in the Fourth Form and one 45 mile team in the Lower Sixth Form currently in training. The Sherborne Climbing Team has done well in the Poole climbing competitions and the Geology Department ran a successful field day on Dartmoor. Eight of our Fourth and Fifth Form boys participated in the Millfield Team Mathematics Challenge and we are delighted to share the news that our A team won the competition.
TEN TORS TRAINING Storm Jorge saturated Dartmoor just in time for the start of the first overnight Ten Tors training event taking place between 29 Feb and 1 March. The boys experienced three of the four seasons; snowstorms, 50 mile per hour winds and beautiful sunrises. The weather for the second training weekend on 14 and 15 March was, if anything, more challenging than the first. Whilst the temperature was higher, the visibility was poor
and the boys had to hone their navigation skills, making great use of the compass as they walked through the mist. Challenging weather makes for great training conditions and the hope is, that current events do not lead to the cancellation of the Ten Tors event in May. Chris O’Donnell, Teacher of Business and Economics and CCF Royal Marines
FILM FESTIVAL Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls enjoyed a joint social Film Festival at the end of the Lent Term. The event saw the screening of 24 films over the weekend and included a wide range from popular classics such as Cool Runnings (a huge hit with the Powell Theatre full to the brim) and The Shawshank Redemption as well as more modern films such as Black Panther, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Dunkirk. During the weekend, over 600 boys and girls from both schools took part and signed up to the screenings, enjoying each other’s company and seeing films as they were intended to be, on the big screen. Matt Bone, Head of Art
House trips have continued with paintballing and go-karting being among the most popular. A further highlight was the visit from our friends from Sherborne Qatar. Three pupils joined us for a week when they joined in fully with the boarding routine of our School. During their time with us, Qatar pupils, accompanied by Sherborne boys, visited some of the prestigious cultural sites near to us. This included a trip to Oxford to visit some of the University buildings; a trip to Bath to take in the Roman Baths, Pump Rooms, Fashion Museum and the Victoria Art Gallery; a trip to the seaside to enjoy the sea-air and a walk around the historic site of Stonehenge.
Music
The Lent Term is always the busiest in the Music School, and this one proved to be no exception — despite the cancellation of two events at the end of term (the Wind Band performance in the BSR and the annual Dinner and Jazz). Three very large-scale musical events dominated the calendar, including the Choral Society Concert in the Abbey, the Joint Schools’ Symphony Orchestra performance in St John’s Smith Square, London, and the Halliday Cup Music Competition. This year the Choral Society returned to the Abbey, having previously been in Wells Cathedral in 2019 and Poole Lighthouse in 2018. Since 2017 Health and Safety regulations have prohibited the use of the
Abbey for repertoire which requires a large orchestra and large choir, but this year Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Te Deum in C and Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicolai provided the perfect opportunity, with their classical orchestrations, to return to the Abbey. Professional soloists Elizabeth Weisberg (soprano), Helen Charlston (mezzo-soprano), Simon Gfeller (tenor) and Jonathan Brown (bass) gave Mozart’s famous and stunning piece memorable performances, while the professional orchestra (consisting of many of our Visiting Music Teachers) was led by Head of Strings Lucy-Anne Allen. There were forty-four Shirburnians involved, and sixty Sherborne Girls, and the many members of the local community who had rehearsed every Sunday
evening in the Tindall Recital Hall from September to the performance in February. The Joint Schools’ Symphony Orchestra performance in London was a tour de force of orchestral playing coming, as it did, just days before concerts all around the UK were cancelled. Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture, Glazunov’s Scherzo and Serenade and Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Song Suite were amongst the very fine performances given, with particularly memorable and stylish solo playing from Benedict Mercer (MS French horn, U6b), George Lewis (MS clarinet, U6d), Fergus Burtt (MS L6c) and outstanding tuba playing from Tom Dubois (U6a). The Symphony Orchestra was led
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by Alexander Hobbs (MS L6c). Collaboration with Sherborne Girls is very much at its musical best with instrumental ensembles such as the Symphony Orchestra, which is something of a jewel in the crown of the two schools – though places are strictly by audition, and so there are also several players from Leweston, The Gryphon and Sherborne International. The third major event was the Halliday Cup Music Competition, this year adjudicated by Paul Drayton (composer, pianist and conductor whose choral music is published by OUP and who is famous for the several Christmas commissions for King’s, Cambridge, and light-hearted arrangements for the King’s Singers). Outstanding playing field the day, with the winners being Orlando Tavener (Junior Piano, MS 3b), Angus Williams (Intermediate Piano, MS 4c), Ciaran Smith (Senior Piano, MS L6b), George Jefferson (Organ, MS U6e), Samuel Berry (Intermediate Singing, ME 5a), and Nathanael Fagerson (Senior Singing, MS U6c) who also won the overall cup. There were two organ recitals in the chapel – one given by pupils Joshua Cook (U6f), George
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Jefferson and Isaac Bingley (L6e) and the other by music staff – and a Woodwind Festival and Workshop, adjudicated by Elizabeth Fyfe (professional oboe-player and former orchestral member of the Royal Opera House) saw a large number of woodwind pupils benefiting from expert advice and masterclass style adjudication. The theme of the day was ‘getting to the next level’ and the competitive element was less important. Best performances were given by Max Dangerfield (saxophone, 3m), Finn Grammaticas (flute, 5f) Ricky Xu (Clarinet, MS 4a), Sam TalbotWilliams (clarinet, U6a), and Cassian Blackburn-Enever (flute, ME U6e). A Prep Schools’ Jazz Day incorporated the Swing Band, and youngsters from several different Prep Schools being led in the exciting art improvisation. Additionally, a Festal Evensong with the Chamber Choir on the Eve of St Patrick’s Day, in the School Chapel was particularly poignant for the fact that it took place the day before church services were cancelled, and was resplendent with choral music which many will remember over the coming weeks and possibly months. James Henderson, Director of Music Sherborne School and Sherborne Abbey
Art
A snapshot of Art during the Lent Term... CONGRATULATIONS History of Art: Sam Yorke (U6m) applied to study History of Art at University, as has Henry Kauntze (U6f) and we are excited to announce that both boys have received offers from the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. This is a significant achievement and the department congratulates the boys on their ability, hard work and ambition.
Upper Sixth Art: Henry Kauntze (U6f) has spent time gazing down a microscope and interpreting what he finds with a range of processes that include, casting, ceramics, printmaking and photoshop in response to his A level Art examination theme: Microbiology: Under the microscope.
Fifth Form Art:
Finn Grammaticas (5f) is currently exploring the theme of mental health and how social media is a contributing factor. His expressive ideas and beautiful artwork are captured through the gestural forms of hands and clearly evidence the emotions linked with mental health. Through a series of interviews Finn has begun to evidence the close links between mental health issues and the pressures of social media. His artwork will soon be available for all to see as he uploads his project to Instagram.
Lower Sixth Art:
Finn Stewart (L6e) has proposed the idea of showcasing pupils’ work throughout the year at various locations around the School. Work from Third Form through to Upper Sixth will demonstrate the hard work the boys put in. A really exciting idea for showcasing the work of the department.
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Fourth Form Art:
Jimmy Macaskie (4d) is readily getting stuck into producing some exciting responses to his GCSE coursework theme of ‘Food’ in the style of Patrick Caulfield. More excitingly, Jimmy has gone on to refine his digitally painting skills by working into his photographs of food. The results are very impressive indeed.
Photography:
Tommy Boylan (U6c) has spent the term busily working on his ‘Plant’ themed A level Photography examination portfolio. Rather excitingly Tommy discovered the process of creating Anthotypes, a process of making photographs from plant material. For his examination piece, he intends to capture still life plant compositions, then use the plants from the image to the chemicals to create his prints, a hugely experimental and ingenious response to his theme.
Third Form Art:
Andrew MacEwan (3d) demonstrates mixing complementary colours to create chromatic greys. He is creating an excellent example of the line and wash technique for painting with acrylics. Impressive work from the Third Form.
Creative Digital Media:
Archie Cripps (L6c) has produced an outstanding edit of his short film for his Level 3 BTEC Creative Media TV and Film course. By combining his group’s production footage with original sound effects and graphic elements, he has created a unique production that showcases his editing skills and creative talent. Matt Bone, Head of Art
Happy Birthday! Howard Chen (4f) submitted a colourful piece of work for his GCSE Art, responding to the theme of ‘Food’. Howard’s artwork has been chosen for a new birthday card that will be used by the Sherborne Admissions Team and sent to boys starting at the School. We would like to congratulate Howard and are sure that the boys receiving cards will have a lolly good birthday! Zoe Sheffield, Head of Marketing (Maternity Cover)
‘Process’ –
A Braden Maxwell Exhibition On the 24 of January I had the incredible opportunity to have a private view of my work in the newly renovated Oliver Holt Gallery at Sherborne School. The opening was a tremendous success, with parents, Governors and several members of the community in attendance. Two of the boys featured in the paintings, Jamie Rawlings (U6m) and Jonathan Post (L6a) were kind enough to provide background music for the event which really added to the atmosphere. I had the pleasure of meeting several new people and the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement. I want to give a huge thank you to everyone in the Sherborne Art Department, as well as marketing and events that really made the occasion a memorable success. Braden Maxwell, SCAD Foundation Fellow
Drama
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The Drama Department has been hugely busy as always in Lent Term with two House plays, the Drama Showcases, the Junior Production and the Dramatic Reading Competition.
House Plays Both House plays were absolutely fantastic but for entirely different reasons. The Green’s rendition of One Man Two Guvnors was hilariously funny with stand-out performances from Edward Eve (L6c) and Samuel Reynolds (U6c), but also featuring excellent supporting work from a host of boys who do not normally tread the boards. Oscar Chandler’s (U6c) superb direction of the piece revealed a sensitivity to the characters and an acute understanding of staging dynamics. Mr Robinson performed the directorial honours for Abbeylands in their production of “A Few Good Men” which was the polar opposite to The Green’s offering in terms of both style and content. Comedy was replaced with high Drama and farce with carefully observed naturalism. The result of Mr Robinson’s careful research and expert management produced a highly-crafted and well thought-out performance which brought the best out in the cast, but particularly Freddy Williams (U6f) who has been a stalwart of the Drama Department throughout his career at the School. Mrs Darnley’s LAMDA boys also produced two excellent Drama Showcases with some stellar performances on view. We await the results of the examinations with keen anticipation and likewise the results of the Dramatic Reading Competition which has been as ever, keenly contested by the boys of the Third Form.
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Junior Plays The Junior School Play this year was a wonderful and exuberant production of “Whale” written by David Holman which featured truly memorable performances from the Third and Fourth Form boys, exquisite puppet work, a wonderfully innovative set design with atmospheric projection, lighting and sound. The play concerns the fate of three whales trapped beneath the ice in North Alaska and the international struggle to save them from certain death as the ice thickens above them. The boys took on numerous different roles during the piece to tell this epic tale, as well as working as members of the ensemble to bring the various puppets to life. There were many memorable acting moments in the piece, but I was particularly struck by the strength of Cassius Hammicks’ (3m) work as the Storyteller and the sincerity of Zac Banks (4b) as the Old Inuit. The actors combined their dialogue with the ensemble movement to tell the story to the audience, in terms of both fact and myth, in clear voices and with careful attention to the communication of their roles. I also revelled in Arthur Macdonald’s (3a) performance of his different roles because of the absolute conviction and energy which he directed into them. This imaginative piece had a timely, ecological message to convey which was well-received by all. Ian Reade, Head of Drama
THE BOARDING SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATION AWARDS In 2019, The BSA launched its 'On Board' Community Action Programme to highlight the work undertaken in the community by boarding schools. This award will look at those schools who have participated in community projects and we are excited to announce that Sherborne School has been nominated in the ‘Best Community Work’ via our 'On Board' Initiative ‘Operation Future Hope’. Winners will be announced in May. More about Operation Future Hope… In 2019 Sherborne Girls and Sherborne School were the first schools in the country to sign up to a new initiative launched by the conservation charity, Operation Future Hope (OFH). The Conservation School Award scheme aims to restore and rejuvenate biodiversity in school grounds with a vision to develop a sustainable and regenerative culture, with specific areas given over to ‘rewilding’. A key part of the OFH initiative encourages independent schools to sponsor a local state school. Sherborne Girls is working alongside The Gryphon School in Sherborne, and Sherborne School is supporting King Arthur’s School in Wincanton. The aim is twofold: to educate young people about the devastating decline of nature and
wildlife at a global scale, and for pupils to get involved in a practical, hands-on way to create real change. In the UK we have seen a 75% decline in insect populations, a 97% loss of wildflower meadow habitat and across Europe a staggering 420 million birds have been lost from the countryside. Informing children about ecological decline is essential if we are to fully prepare them for the future. Through rewilding young people have an opportunity to turn this around and to reverse the impact of previous generations. Pupils from both Sherborne Girls and Sherborne School have been working alongside ecologists and horticultural designers to turn previously plain, grassed areas and old boundary hedging into sustainable biodiverse areas which provide a natural habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Groundwork began at Sherborne Girls in April 2019 with a wildflower meadow and lavender walk. A new orchard is being planned and a conservation hedge is being planted in the Autumn. The girls have been involved with every stage of the enterprise from planning and planting, to nurturing the plants and they regularly team up with their counterparts at The Gryphon to learn from one another. At Sherborne School around 2,500 tree seedlings have been planted on the edge of Carey’s sports pitches to create a variegated hedgerow. Various species including, hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose and spindle will create a protected, rewilded corridor. The area is thriving and new plants are already drawing additional insects and animal life to the area.
Collaboration between Sherborne and King Arthur’s shows environmental action is clearly a priority which the boys are keen to drive forward. Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls have been instrumental in encouraging other local schools to join the OFH initiative. The environmental impact is gathering momentum resulting in a truly collaborative and synchronised approach to rewilding within the local community and beyond. We believe that the scheme has had a profoundly positive effect. It has embedded the ethics of conservation, it has motivated and empowered the pupils to take action. It is instilling a life-long appreciation of the natural world and the project has been cited as offering tangible physical and mental wellbeing benefits to everyone involved. It is another example of the two Sherborne schools working together in their unique ‘separate yet together’ partnership.
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SHERBORNE CONNECT
Sherborne Connect launched two years ago in December 2017. From the outset we were amazed by the enthusiasm with which it was embraced by the Sherborne Community. John Harden foolishly announced in launch week that he would eat his (edible) hat if we ever got 1,000 members and eat his hat he did in early January 2018. We now have over 2,700 members worldwide made up (at the time of writing) mainly of OS, 141 Sherborne International alumni and 241 parents and of whom 83% have indicated that they are willing to help with careers advice. Percentage wise we have the highest sign up rate of any of the 1,000 plus schools and universities worldwide for whom Graduway hosts a platform and Sherborne was awarded the prize for Outstanding Engagement at this year’s Graduway Conference. We are not resting on our laurels. We want to engage with more of you so that you can benefit from Sherborne Connect in terms of contacting old friends, joining professional and country groups, offering and receiving careers advice, posting job vacancies and signing up for events. We know that careers mentoring is going on quietly in the background and OS have benefitted from careers advice ranging from a chat about a particular industry to work experience and even job offers. In the New Year we are planning on running a more structured mentoring programme and further information will be released shortly. We are looking forward to signing up our 2,500th OS to the platform and we will be entering new subscribers into a draw for a Sherborne related prize when we achieve that number. We will then be close to our 3,000th member overall, when John will be obliged to eat his third edible hat. Thank you to those who have signed up and if you haven’t please do so, it is a great platform, just for you. Anne Macfarlane, Alumni Officer
Sport
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We have certainly seen the highs and lows of school sport this term at Sherborne. The unprecedented situation we find ourselves in as we finish the term is most definitely not what we would have planned but nonetheless, it should not detract from what has again been a tremendous term. Across the board our boys have enjoyed the opportunities on offer, often in the most challenging weather conditions, but thanks to the dedication and commitment of their coaches and the support staff and the determination and resilience of the boys themselves, the programme during January and February was largely uninterrupted. At a time when everything around us has now rightly been postponed or cancelled, we can at least reflect on the fantastic highlights as documented in the articles below. David Guy, Director of Sport
HOCKEY
RUGBY The Lent Term is traditionally the term of Rugby Sevens. This has become a popular option for boys in both the Fifth and Sixth form with over 30 boys now opting to pursue the sport in their games options. In the lower years, Sevens is offered alongside their major games option with sessions ran periodically throughout the term. The U14s were due to compete in the South West Sevens, Dean Close Sevens and Rosslyn Park. All were cancelled this year due to either weather or Covid-19 but showed signs in training that they have a bright future in the sport. The U15 did manage one competition this year as they participated in the annual Sherborne Sevens. They had a good day, winning three of their five games on the day and drawing one. The U16s were the most successful sevens team this term, winning the Canford Sevens, beating Clifton, KES Bath and Marlborough on their way to the Cup victory. The U18s travelled to Portsmouth for the South Coast Sevens in February and managed to reach the Plate Final having won their group. The U18 Sevens season was disrupted by the National Schools Cup Semi-Final which took place on Saturday 7 March versus Whitgift School. In a fantastic spectacle of School Boy Rugby, Sherborne unfortunately lost the match 23-24. With Rosslyn Park Sevens cancelled, the boys did not have the opportunity to play their last rugby commitment of the term, but it has been a fantastic Rugby season that we hope the Upper Sixth never forget.
There was an auspicious start to the hockey term as the U16 Indoor team took part in the National Indoor Finals for the first time in school history, winning their first game at that level in a 3-2 victory over Altrincham Grammar. A number of those players combined with our Sixth Form players to see the 1st XI reach the last-16 of the Independent School Hockey Cup. The 2nd XI recorded an unbeaten season thanks to a combination of athletic prowess and attacking threat across the pitch. The MCA team came third in the Dorset Cup, but have finished their season in style by winning their final three games. The JCA team came second in the Dorset Cup and have taken huge strides forward on the hockey pitch. A number of those players represented the School in both the U15 ISHC and the U16 England competitions, putting in a number of fine performances. Meanwhile, healthy participation numbers saw the 3rds and 4ths record excellent competition seasons, with the 4ths recording their second consecutive unbeaten season.
POLO Polo training has continued at Druids Lodge Polo Club in the arena this term. Each lesson has begun with a few minutes of theory and testing on the rules, which is vital, not only for players to be safe on the pitch, but also to take their game to a higher level as it’s a very tactical game at speed. As well as training alongside Marlborough most Thursdays, for the first time the boys have also been joined by a member of Sherborne Girls. The boys have made great progress this term.
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SAILING The Lent Term is the quiet term in relation to fixtures. It has not however been quiet in terms of wind, far from it, the pupils have therefore had some lively sailing. The fixtures for the term comprised a home and an away match against Clifton College for both our Colts and our Senior team. Sherborne were dominant both home and away with only a single race lost over the total of 12. The last Saturday of the term yielded an entertaining parents versus pupils match at Sutton Bingham, with 24 boats and 45 competitors it was a sizeable event. The pupils won but not without a reasonable fight from the older generation and indeed some of the siblings. Finally, five boys travelled up to Queen Mary Reservoir on the last Sunday of term to sail against the Old Shirburnians in J80s. Having won both of the practice races it was a little galling for the pupils to then lose the official match 2 races to 1 to the OS. Revenge will be had next year.
FOOTBALL After winning the Wessex Independent Schools League (WISL) in the previous term, Lent 2020 started in a buoyant fashion. In just 10 short weeks, at least 120 competitive football fixtures have taken place. Indeed, in what I believe to be an historic move, the first match for the 1st XI took place on The Upper this term. The weather played its part and it seemed at times that we could have populated a team with the names of all the storms that we’ve had to battle our way through. That said, the ground staff have done a great job to ensure that matches were not cancelled. We also benefited from a link with Dorchester Town FC which saw us travel to them for training sessions. This term also saw the first year of the South West Independent Schools (SWIS) Football league. This is something that Sherborne has been instrumental in establishing and comprises of ourselves, Monmouth School, Marlborough College, Malvern College and Clifton College. The premise of the league centres around inclusivity and thus it allows every match within the block of fixtures to count toward each school’s total; no matter if it is the 1st XI or the U14B team, they carry the same weight and importance in the league. Whilst we did not win the league in its inaugural year, that plaudit went to Monmouth School. The term ended on a high, with the annual House Football competition. This year the Senior Cup went to The Green, whilst the Junior Cup was won by Lyon House.
WATER POLO
SQUASH All players in our team have made significant improvements in their squash skills this year. Over the Michaelmas and Lent terms, we have beaten Canford, Clayesmore, Sherborne Girls and even Millfield at the end of last week. There have also been one or two losses, but generally this is a tremendous improvement compared with last year. I captained the team and what a wonderful job it is: encouraging and helping my teammates. The only downside is that one always has to play at number 1 and that can be challenging! Joseph Eaton Parker (U6b) has played at number 2 consistently this year and we have played one another on many occasions. To date I think I am on top, but it wouldn’t take much for the roles to be reversed. Recently Joseph won 3-1 against both Clayesmore‘s number 1 and Millfield’s number two player. Isaac Bingly (L6e) had an unbelievable performance against Millfield winning 3-0 though each game was close. David Kim, (L6b) to my mind the player who improved most this year, coming from 11th to the 4th place in the School; also had a superb performance against both Millfield and Clayesmore players. Louis Lindsay (L6d) made up 5th position in the team and learned to use greater length when playing against the Clayesmore team to produce a good quality squash match. In summary: an enjoyable and competitive season. Dylan Sun (U6e)
To view more of a our sporting photography taken this term, please visit: Facebook: facebook.com/SherborneBoysSchool Instagram: #sherborneschool Flickr: flickr.com/sherborneschool Twitter: @SherbornesSport
In an action-packed term for water polo, the squad, ably captained by Henry Le Cornu (U6f), developed their techniques, team skills and match strategy to win both fixtures against Dauntsey’s. Our coach, Simon Tomlinson, has been selected for UK Coaching’s Performance Foundation Coach Support Programme. He brings a great deal of skill and experience to our team, and in running introductory sessions for Sherborne Prep hopes to enthuse even more future players. The highlight of the term was the House tournament. Referee Damian Orton praised all involved for what was certainly the best tournament so far. Having enjoyed an unbeaten run, Abbeylands’ luck ran out in the final, when superior strategizing and a series of outstanding goals by Seb Baldwin (U6b) led the way to a 6-2 victory for Abbey.
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BASKETBALL We have had quite a busy season this year playing against schools around the region in both away and home fixtures. Our team consists of a mixture of Fifth Form, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth boys and was captained by Andy Zheng (U6e), our MVP this season. Many players are new to the game this time and it was most satisfying to see all their skills develop and coming slowly together as we play our final few matches towards the end. Overall, we won three (Sherborne International, Gryphon & Dauntsey’s) and lost five (Canford, Marlborough, Winchester, Taunton and Well Cathedral) matches this year with a few that came agonisingly close. We also say thank you to Andy Zheng (U6e), John Li (U6g), Matthew Ho (U6f) and Aaron Kim (U6b) for their contributions to the team and wish them every success as they move into the next stage of their life.
SWIMMING The Swim Team showed great improvement throughout the term. The team suffered a tough loss against a very fast Marlborough and Kingswood at the start of term, despite great individual performances from both Will Frost (4b) and Tommy Guy (4e). The Inter-House Gala took place in January and was swum as competitive as ever. Abbeylands continued their domination throughout the forms. The Digby managed to upset their clean sweep by winning the Third Form Cup. The second Gala against Dauntsey’s showed a great improvement in both team spirit and individual times. Captain Austin Marsh (U6f) led the team to overall victory by winning the 50m Breaststroke, with the Juniors winning and the Seniors drawing Dauntsey’s. Luca Malikov (5f) showed great team spirit by competing for the Seniors despite his young age and winning both the 50m Freestyle and the 25m Butterfly. Both the Junior and Seniors won their Freestyle Relay to finish the Gala.
INTER-HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY The boys enjoyed fantastic weather for our annual Inter-House Cross Country at Sherborne Castle. We saw lots of smiling faces, incredible determination, friendships and mud baths. George Jefferson (U6e) won the Senior race this year in a time of 22:59 and Harry Pleydell-Bouverie (4a) won the Inters for the second year running with a time 18:22. The winning House was School House, followed by Harper House in second and Lyon House in third place.
TENNIS
FIVES
Winter tennis match experiences came at the Wincanton 18/U tournament, two very well attended school hosted LTA events at Sherborne Tennis Club and school matches. Ashley Horton (4a) was runner up in the singles consolation at the Wincanton 16/U by the score of 4-3 4-1 and Josh Campbell (5g) third in the consolation following a 4-3 4-0 win. From the outset, the boys were learning about their game and how tough matches can be. A very keen and hardy group of players coped admirably in the squally weather at the grade 6 match event in late February. Horton once again and Alex Williamson-Jones (3d) both achieved four wins out of five to increase their LTA tennis rating. A week later in the Men’s Grade 5 tournament, Nick Morris (L6a) narrowly lost to a much higher rated opponent 4-3 4-2 in the first round, to then secure third in the consolation with a 4-2 4-1 win.
The Fives team have had a healthy fixture list with nine matches and one national competition this season. Benedict Mercer (U6b) and Harry Harvey (U6b) led the senior squad and enjoyed games against both school and adult teams, with victory over the Old Whitgiftians being a particular highlight. They were also delighted to win again the Inter-House competition for Abbey House!
The 19/U National Schools Cup draw paired the first ever meeting between Sherborne and The Gryphon. It was to prove a stern test, with three of their players in the Somerset 18/U team. Sherborne played with great effort but could not constantly match the skills in the top three singles positions. Josh Campbell played to the wire against his opponent in the number four singles, a 7-5 4-6 (8-10) defeat. Towards the end of term, a group of eight players enjoyed some Friday evening doubles against Sherborne Girls followed by a delicious House supper. Our thanks to all the players and parents who visited Sherborne this term to play tennis. Hopefully, we will see you again soon. Thank you to the catering team for the delicious refreshments, especially the cakes.
A number of Fifth Formers have started to play at senior level this term and enjoyed the chance to stretch themselves against more experienced players. In the Third Form there are plenty of enthusiastic players who are new to the sport, and we look forward to seeing how they will all develop in the future.
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CLAY SHOOTING
SKI RACING
Clay Shooting continued on Thursday afternoons throughout the term although storms Ciara and Dennis gave rise to some very challenging shooting. “Hit rates” suffered but overall it was a great experience to see many challenging targets.
At the Down Hill Only (DHO) British Schoolboys Ski Racing Championships in Wengen, Switzerland in January, the weather caused serious disruption to the planned programme with events rescheduled and curtailed. However, despite the heavy snow conditions, the Sherborne Ski Racing squad enjoyed the opportunity to race on the famous Lauberhorn piste and trained hard to develop their skills. Up against some very able skiers from schools such as Reeds and Harrow with extensive regular training programmes, the Sherborne boys showed tremendous tenacity and bravery to complete numerous runs.
Unfortunately two schools cancelled matches with us near the end of term and whilst we did not enter a full team for the Harrow School Fido May Competition, Cameron Cooper (U6d) represented Sherborne School in the individual event. Cameron achieved the second highest score to be placed third overall out of 112 participants. Cameron shot extremely well and beat every competitor from, inter alia, Eton College, Harrow School, Marlborough College, Radley College and Winchester College. Well done to all boys, it has been an enjoyable term for the squad.
After three days of racing, the following were awarded prizes at the end of the competition ceremony; • Jackson Wallace (4e) - U16 Slalom Champion (Registered skiers) - National Schoolboy Champion! • Otis Sutherland (3g), Max Sutherland (3m), James Coleman (3a) and Oscar Revell (3c) - U14 Slalom and Giant Slalom Team Bronze medallists. • George Perkins (5a), Finn Jones (5m), Zak Banks (4b) and Jackson Wallace - U16 Dual Slalom Silver medallists. However, it would be wrong to ignore the personal successes of all the boys who competed and managed to complete the challenging courses but didn’t quite manage to make it on to the podium, such as Caspar Bridge (3f) who finished all four races or Tommy Boylan (U6c) who also finished every race only to be beaten to a medal by the boys from Aiglon College (Switzerland) in the senior category. Sherborne Ski Racing is still developing but undoubtedly heading in the right direction; it isn’t all downhill from here!
LOOKING AHEAD TERM DATES TERM BEGINS Monday 20 April FIRST EXEAT Friday 8 May – Sunday 10 May HALF TERM Friday 22 May – Sunday 31 May SECOND EXEAT Friday 19 June – Sunday 21 June END OF TERM Saturday 4 July
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