SHERBORNE NEWS Trinity 2021 ISSUE 37
Comment I am writing this in between interviewing Lower Sixth Form pupils who have applied to be either an Environment Prefect or a Community Outreach Prefect. I feel very privileged to be asked to help in this process. The overwhelming feeling I have is that these pupils care; they have been caring for years and they want to lead others in the same direction, see change and make the world a nicer, fairer and safer place. So it is a great honour to be able to help facilitate the changes that so many pupils want to see.
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Never before has there been such a need to reach out to the community and rebuild or form relationships. After months of isolation and restriction, we are hungry for it. But first, we must re-establish our own culture here at Sherborne School. To be able to help select a team of leaders in the School to achieve this is no easy task; it is very important that we recognise the values and qualities of everyone, not simply the people who will lead. As the role of Community Outreach and Charity Co-ordinator is newly created (although fundraising and volunteering have been taking place here for many years and in many ways) I feel that the opportunities that come with this ‘blank canvas’ are vast. That is exciting. This first month in post has been a time of preparation; learning what the pupils are passionate about, discovering what the need is within the local area and of course finding a body of pupils who are bold enough to drive forward some positive change. There are many events and ideas in the pipelines – A Dance and Afternoon Tea in June 2022 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Friends of the Yeatman Hospital at The Green being one. Another, joining forces with the local schools to work together on the recently obtained school allotment. In September, there will be a charity bike ride in honour of Alan Turing and in aid of the Sherborne Voluntary Ambulance. There are meetings taking place with Headway Somerset to see how we can volunteer to help people recovering from acquired brain injuries and pupils are being invited to interviews at The Rendez-Vous Youth Centre to work as a Maths or English Tutor. So much more is also being developed. But the message really is that outreach at Sherborne will be led by giving of our time, over our money. Whilst there is a very real need for fundraising, nothing will incentivise that better than a long-standing relationship, a true understanding and deep empathy for those we are helping. Whilst there are many ways to distract oneself from the stresses and strains of daily life and even more
ways to find an adrenaline rush, we cannot underestimate the ways in which we exhaust ourselves in such entertainment through the choices, comparisons and expenses they often incur. As young men, (not being one, I open myself to criticism here) I sometimes wonder whether the pupils have truly had the chance to develop their emotional intelligence in conscious and deliberate ways. When applying for this post, I remembered how my own experiences of volunteering have impacted me and I thought perhaps we need to transform the relationships we all have with power and convenience and create more time and space for compassion, kindness and gratitude. The world needs leaders who are empathetic as well as courageous. The trick is finding the time to work on this, when life can be so full with serving our own goals. I stumbled into volunteering at the tender age of nine when my tennis ball landed in the garden of a perfect stranger. Ruby, an 80 year old amputee, was delighted when my friend and I knocked on her door asking her if we could retrieve our ball from her daffodils - she promptly invited us to stay for a lemonade. I continued to visit Ruby as often as I could, naively believing that my visits benefitted her alone. With retrospect, I see that this experience was huge. It led me to volunteer in an old people’s home for two years when I was a student at Millfield, which then led me to help students read at a local special needs school. Working with these amazing and special children encouraged me to volunteer as a Special Needs Camp Counsellor in America when an undergraduate, which in turn helped me find work as an English Camp Co-ordinator in impoverished areas of Thailand. From here, I found opportunities as a volunteer youth worker in Australia when I had graduated from university. It is perhaps no wonder that I find myself where I am now. I wonder, where your encounters will take you? Harriet Bajorat Assistant SENCO, Community Outreach and Charity Co-ordinator
Academic Enrichment COMPUTER SCIENCE The newly formed Computer Science department has gone from strength to strength this year, with some excellent achievements by boys. Third Form have been working towards their iDEA Digital Enterprise awards and by the end of term over 65% will have completed this award. Of these, over a quarter are now working towards their Silver award. Boys across Third, Fourth and Fifth Form took part in the national Bebras challenge for the first time, where 15 boys achieved a score in the top 10% of students nationally. Hector Kennerly (4g), Tom Ke (5e) and Kohki Hatori (5e) went on to compete in the Oxford Computing Challenge, where Tom achieved a Merit. Fourth and Fifth Form boys also took part in the Perse Coding Team Challenge with four Fourth Formers qualifying for the national final; Henry Alexander (4a), Douglas Groves (4c), Macros Yiu (4m) and Hector Kennerley (4g). Henry and Douglas went on to achieve a Distinction in the final; an outstanding achievement for pupils in their age group. Boys from various year groups have attended Junior and Senior Code Club and enjoyed developing their programming skills as well as solving more complex problems.
Additionally, The Algorithm of the Month has given us some incredible solutions by some dedicated individuals, especially Kohki Hatori, Will Fahie (L6b) and Sam Berry (L6a). Finally, The Turing Virtual Reality Project has involved boys from all year groups and they have been busy 3D-modelling the inside of the Library along with many of Alan Turing’s artefacts and books that he read during his time at Sherborne. The team now have a splendid virtual library that we can walk about in, pick up Professor Turing’s belongings and examine them or read actual pages from his school reports or books that he read.
David Wild Head of Computer Science
SENIOR PATTERSON RECITATION COMPETITION The finals of the Junior and Senior Patterson Recitation Prizes took place in the School Chapel, with the Headmaster as judge and boys reciting from the pulpit. It was a vintage year, with perhaps the best senior competition we have ever had. The senior prize was won by Archie Burton (L6a) for his delivery of Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est”. Similarly, the juniors rose to the challenge and there were beautiful performances from Oliver Chappell (3d), Will Tatham (3d) and Freddie Fineman (3e). The ultimate winner of the junior prize was James Barraclough (3a), who won with a delicate, nuanced recitation of a sonnet by Simon Armitage. Harriet Cant Head of English
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RENAISSANCE EXHIBITION
GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK IS BACK! With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the Geography department jumped at the opportunity to get out and about conducting some fieldwork again. The Fourth Form Geographers undertook their first GCSE Fieldtrip to Christchurch Bay evaluating the success of coastal management strategies. This trip is followed by a fieldtrip to Southampton at the start of Fifth Form looking at variations in quality of life in urban areas. In addition, our Upper Sixth spent the day on the stunning Jurassic Coastline working their way from Chesil Beach to Studland revising the entire coasts topic.
A Renaissance Exhibition took place at the end of term in the Library, put on by the Third Form boys showcasing their Renaissance independent research projects. All of the boys have made a huge effort and we in the department are proud of them all. There were projects on theatre, art, architecture, weapons, politics, religion, medicine….and more. There was a nomination process with prizes for the top projects. We had joint first place winners with Toby Kilmartin (3e) and Freddie Fineman (3e). Prizes will be handed out in September. Charlotte Allen Head of History
Joshua Wilson Head of Geography
LIBRARY - CELEBRATING PRIDE MONTH Pride Month is celebrated each year in the month of June to honour the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. Some consider the Stonewall Uprising a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. With this in mind, the Library team decided to put together a multi coloured display of LGBTQ books in the Lower Library to showcase what we have to offer. With books ranging from “Pride –
a collection of stories, poetry and art compiled by Juno Dawson” to “Darius The Great Deserves Better – a coming of age story by Adib Khorram”, they all make for quite an eclectic selection! To go alongside this our Library SharePoint site has a new page showcasing some well-known and some less familiar icons, together with information on other resources and organisations. With regular updates on social media through the month, hopefully our
boys and staff have found a hidden gem to pick for their summer reading. James Curtis Assistant Librarian
News from the Sixth Form
After a painful few months of revision and assessments for their Teacher Assessed Grades, the Upper Sixth are grabbing some well-earned rest and recuperation. Having said that, as I write many of them are back rehearsing and recording music ready for the end of year celebrations. Although the delayed final step out of lockdown prevented the end of the academic year passing exactly as we would have liked, we were delighted to be able to welcome them back for Sports Day and a final farewell. Their Sixth Form experience has been unusual, but we commend their forbearance and fortitude, faced with various challenges of lockdown(s) and a prolonged assessment process, and wish them well for the future. On that note, 85% of UK university courses applied for by our Upper Sixth received offers, despite acceptance rates being squeezed nationally by a combination of spill-over from last year, a larger cohort of 18 year olds and uncertainty among universities over potential grade inflation. Whether via a gap year, or direct to university, we know they will pursue success.
Of course not all pupils stay close to home for university. Next year a selection of pupils will be heading for institutions in the US and the Netherlands, having been supported by Teacher of Classics Caroline Clements through complex admissions processes. Marius Cotorobai (U6e) deserves special mention for securing a prestigious award at Amherst College in Massachusetts. The Lower Sixth, who will hope for a more ‘normal’ Upper Sixth Form experience, have been overwhelmingly impressive this year. Head of MFL, Judy Thurman has driven a superb enhanced Specialist Higher Education programme this year, supporting boys with ambitions for Oxbridge, medicine and veterinary medicine through an extension programme involving faculty style group discussions with like-minded pupils from Sherborne Girls and The Gryphon, then progressing to regular bespoke tutorials and practice admissions tests. On behalf of the boys, we must also thank the staff going the extra mile to offer this super-curricular tutoring.
As for the incoming members of the Sixth Form, with GCSE work behind them, it was fantastic to see them working so well together during their Sixth Form Induction Week. In addition to the teambuilding and leadership training package in Devon, back in Sherborne the House teams competed in the ‘Sherprentice’ team challenge. Under considerable time pressure, they prepared a food market for very keen customers at Sherborne Prep School, with sub-teams working on food production, stall construction, marketing and finance, all coordinated by elected project managers and recorded by a film crew. The boys rose to the occasion very impressively, not least in their enthusiastic interaction with our prep school pupils. Despite some seriously entrepreneurial tactics from The Digby, Lyon House and Harper House came out on top, but all Houses deserve credit for the energy and team spirit on display. We look forward to their arrival into the Sixth Form in September. Robert Marston Assistant Head (Sixth Form)
Co-curricular News
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DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD What a busy term it has been for Duke of Edinburgh’s Award! Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, we are pleased to say that we have managed to make great progress with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, albeit in a slightly different format. The Bronze award participants were able to complete their Expeditions locally during April and May, and those doing their Silver award completed theirs around the local area during May and June. The Gold group, managed to complete their training and practice expeditions in the glorious sunshine on Dartmoor. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme at Sherborne can again boast a great number of participants this year. 137 boys have completed their expeditions and are well on their way to accomplishing their awards. We have been pleased to present over 66 certificates this year from all levels including 37 Bronze, 20 Silver and 9 Gold. This is a fantastic effort especially during these difficult times. William Loughlin (U6d), Zac Gantlett (U6c), Henry Haywood Smith (U6d), Samuel Nicholls (d 20), Charlie Culver (f 20), Will Usher (U6m), Sam Usher (U6m), Sam Vincent (U6g) and Harry McGinty (U6a) will receive their certificates at a ceremony either at Buckingham Palace or St James’ Palace. Well done to all the boys who have completed a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award over the year and good luck to those working towards completion.
James Hull Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Educational Visits Co-ordinator
CCF With all the difficulties and restrictions of this academic year, it has been wonderful to see cadets from Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls engage so positively with the CCF programme. We have been blown away by the standards of instruction and leadership shown by our Sixth Form NCOs, as well as the sheer enthusiasm and positive attitude of cadets from both schools. Highlights for the cadets this year have included being taught how to assault a building (the complex at Hyle Farm) using blank ammunition. We have asked that they do not attempt to recreate this in their respective Boarding Houses. Earlier this month we were able to take our Royal Marines and Army sections to the training area by the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines where the cadets got to experience the dreaded sheep dip. There was great camaraderie on display as boys and girls encouraged each other through water filled tunnels, murky ponds, and crawling through streams. Experiencing and overcoming adversity is something we try to use in the CCF to build resilience and confidence and these experiences clearly have utility across all areas of life. Our Royal Navy cadets managed to get their hands on our magnificent Field Gun. Our first batch of staff are in the process of being trained, and we expect use of the Field Gun to become
a prominent feature of the CCF in the coming years. Next year we intend entering a team in the Rifles Cadet Cup, the Royal Marines’ Pringle Trophy, going on Field Trips, and offering a summer camp and a trip adventure training in Norway. The annual CCF Iron Cadet competition is fiercely contested and consists of a series of arduous physical exercises. Cadets often train for months in preparation. This year it was won by Harry Johnson (U6e). Being in the CCF is very much about being part of a team and looking out for each other; however, it is worth singling out one cadet for special mention as he prepares to leave the School. From the moment Will Loughlin (U6d) joined the CCF in Fourth Form it was clear he and the CCF were a perfect fit. Will has achieved so much in the CCF from
completing Ten Tors, to guiding us to second place in the national Rifles Cadet Cup, to being one of 12 British cadets across the United Kingdom to be selected to go to Canada for six weeks to work with hundreds of Canadian cadets. Will was the top cadet on that course and invited back as a cadet instructor the following year (sadly cancelled due to COVID-19). Will is Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for Dorset which marks him out as a leading cadet in the county. Earlier this year Will became the only Shirburnian to be have been appointed Master Cadet. Will is our Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major and is also Chapel Warden and Head of School.
Rob Le Poidevin CCF Contingent Commander
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Trinity Term saw the Allotment Society take off, run by Art Teacher Emma Drake and also ‘Keep Sherborne Tidy’ initiative, involving litter picking around the town. As quoted by Harriet Bajorat our new Community Outreach and Charities Co-ordinator:
“From soil unready for seeds to the single use plastics strewn in the hedgerows, this is certainly an opportunity to reflect upon what we consume and how detached we often are from our food supply chain. Alongside this feeling of collective responsibility was the sheer pleasure of being out in the sunshine together, away from the screens and giving of our time to something bigger than ourselves”.
FIFTH FORM LEADERSHIP AND TEAMBUILDING COURSE We were blessed with glorious weather for the Fifth Form leadership and teambuilding course in Devon which formed part of the pre-Sixth Form induction package. The boys were able to decompress after the stresses and strains of the TAG process and spend time with their friends whilst developing their teamwork skills and reflecting on their communication and leadership style. The boys embarked upon a raft building challenge with varying degrees of success. Boys were given strictly three questions to ask the instructors for advice. Some teams used their questions more wisely than others. We teamed up with Devon Wildlife Trust to give the boys an opportunity to do some important conservation work around the beautiful Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve. The boys also conducted a series of problem solving tasks on the
ground, and at height. With quizzes, campfires, night walks, and communication style work, there was a lot packed into the trip. Aided by their superb staff mentors, I believe that the boys gained something worthwhile from the experience as they reflected on their approach and get ready to move into the Sixth Form. Rob Le Poidevin CCF Contingent Commander
Clubs & Activities Highlights...
Although COVID-19 sadly put a stop to our annual PADI Open Water course, Will MacEwan (4d), Jamie Jones (U6b), Freddie Sington (4b) and Thomas Lamb (5e) still managed to qualify as PADI Advanced Open Water divers, completing five training dives at the excellent Vobster Quay www.vobster.com. During their dives the boys practised the basics of underwater navigation, explored a sunken Hawker Siddley aircraft, completed a deep dive to 20m and generally honed their buoyancy control. At the same time Johnny Kirkwood (L6b) completed his Wreck Diver Speciality one of the harder PADI courses - in which he mapped an underwater wreck, learned the skill of line-laying and then successfully completed a penetration dive inside the wreck! All five boys were brilliant over the weekends, diving carefully and looking out for each other throughout. They were also great fun and we all had a fantastic time. Well done to them! Tim Filtness Deputy Head Academic
Crossfire ‘Crossfire’ (the School Christian Union) has been running on Thursday evenings this term. We meet for an hour to have supper together and then speakers join us remotely to give a short talk. We have also had a number of Bible Studies and the theme this term has been ‘Women of Faith’. Nicholas Scorer Housemaster of Harper House and Teacher of Chemistry
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Commem...
Due to reasons we all know too well, and as we did in 2020, Commem took the form of a virtual event this summer. Both the Leavers’ Service and Speeches and Prize Giving were pre-recorded and the Music Department recorded the wonderful Gala Concert and Leavers’ Concert. An excellent online art exhibition was also shared, showcasing the extraordinary work by the Upper Sixth. Please see link below to view: Sherborne.org/commem2021
Music Music continued apace during the Trinity Term, even if it was still not possible for the larger ensembles to rehearse en groupe. Another eight Friday Lunchtime Recitals took place on YouTube - filmed, recorded and edited during the week and without an audience and, following the disappointing news on 21June, the two concerts associated with Commem were also online.
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Instrumental solos, Woodwind, Jazz, Pianists, Strings, Chamber Music, Brass, and finally Singers entertained a virtual audience that was undoubtedly larger than Cheap Street Church ever attracted - the 21 May Strings Recital, for example, had received 306 clicks at the time of writing, and the ubiquitous Swing Band in its Jazz Recital on 7 May had 527 clicks. We intend to continue streaming concerts from Cheap Street Church next term, but it would be good to think that some of our virtual audience returned as “live” audience in September and undoubtedly it will be good for musicians to once more enjoy a “live” audience showing appreciation for their performances. Lack of audience support aside, the Shirburnian musicians have magnificently got to grips with the art of recording “live” performances in one take. Having grown through the era of remote recordings in the two Lockdowns, via mobile phone voice memo tracks, then to filmed recordings in the Tindall Recital Hall and either several different ‘takes’ or editor handywork in postproduction, the Shirburnian musicians record their performances as if professional. Many hours of individual practising has taken place, and indeed the whole process of booking practice rooms online, necessitated by the strict Covid rules seems to have increased the number of hours put in by the musicians, with the Music School
open and staffed from 7.30am until 9.50pm. Unplugged musicians - Tom O’Sullivan ATCL (U6d) on bass guitar, Matt MacDonald (U6c) on lead guitar, Alex Warland (U6m) on rhythm guitar, and Alex O’Sullivan (3d) and Tiff Austin (L6d) on vocals, piano and guitar, Lucas Gardner (L6c) on bass and vocals, Hugo Blanchard (L6c) on guitar, Sam Berry (L6a) on bass and on the drum kit, Charlie Collinge (L6f) and Luca Bryant (L6m) — recorded various imaginative covers and originals, available separately, and do watch the lunchtime recitals if you have not done so already — they are available via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ TheSherborneSchool/videos. The Patrick Shelley Music Competition for Advanced Instrumentalists also took place without an audience and, with an external adjudicator still an impossibility, was adjudicated by the Headmaster and the Director of Music. Spread over eight hours on Saturday evening 19 June and Sunday all day 20 June, spectacular renditions of wide-
ranging repertoire, from the 17th Century to the present day, were performed in some seventy pieces of music. Winners were: Isaac Bingley Sch.Mus. U6e (overall winner for outstanding performances in singing, piano and classical guitar), Fergus Burtt ATCL Sch.Mus. U6c (Senior Woodwind: clarinet), Jez Meaker U6d (Senior Brass: trumpet), Alex Hobbs Sch.Mus. U6c and Isaac Bingley (Senior Strings: violin and classical guitar), Isaac Bingley and Ranco Liu ATCL Sch.Mus. L6e (Piano), Tom O’Sullivan ATCL Exh.Mus. U6d and Ranco Liu, Hector Kennerley Sch.Mus. 4g (Junior woodwind: oboe), Henry Cannon Exh.Mus. 4c (Junior Brass: trumpet), Alex O’Sullivan Exh.Mus. 3d (Junior Percussion: drum kit), James Herbert Sch.Mus. 4a and Jay Chan ATCL Sch.Mus 4b (Junior Strings: violin). This impressive competition is also available for viewing on YouTube at https://youtu.be/VhrHxg5NDI. The Leavers’ Concert was filmed and recorded on Thursday 24 June and then transmitted with all of the other links for
Virtual Commem 2021 sherborne.org/commem2021. As ever this was a spectacular feast of music-making by those who elected to take part, often including performances on more than one instrument by each musician. Those involved were: Fergus Burtt (clarinet, singing), Isaac Bingley (singing, classical guitar, piano), Ed Brooks Exh.Mus. U6f (piano, singing), Ciaran Smith Exh.Mus. U6b (singing, violin), Jonathan Post Exh.Mus. U6a (trumpet, Trumpet Trio and singing), Alex Hobbs (singing, violin), Freddie Banks U6b (trombone), Jez Meaker (trumpet, Trumpet Trio), Sam Usher A.R.
U6m (Trumpet Trio), Henry Haywood Smith U6d (piano, oboe), William Loughlin U6d (flute), Will Usher A.R. U6m (alto saxophone), Sam Vincent U6g (singing), Tom O’Sullivan (drum kit), Matt MacDonald Sch.Mus U6c (piano, tenor saxophone) and Max Pugsley U6d (singing). A spectacular Gala Concert, which was to have taken place “live” in the BSR on Friday 25 June, was filmed and recorded in the BSR during the week leading up to the end of term. Musicians were cleared of other commitments on the Monday and Tuesday and the Concert Orchestra and Radio
Orchestra came together for the first time since March 2020 in the BSR, with Wind Band coming together only for the second time during this school year. Other ensembles including the Brass Band, Swing Band, and Close Harmony had enjoyed the benefit of rehearsing as ensembles already, but recorded freshly for the Gala Concert. The Gala Concert is also available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/VXx3LU9c-AI. James Henderson Director of Music Sherborne School and Sherborne Abbey
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Drama
As always it has been an incredibly busy term with 37 boys taking Lamda exams in May, in a range of different disciplines. We are still awaiting the outcome of the boys’ efforts but look forward to a healthy crop of great results as always. Auditions for the Joint Schools Musical have been held and we look forward to seeing the production take place in the Michaelmas Term. The show will be directed by Katy Scott, who is also Housemistress at Sherborne Girls and musically directed by Mr Daniel Marks of Sherborne School’s Music department. As always, the show will be technically masterminded by Mr Donnelly. Public performances will be taking place in the BSR between the 2 and 4 December 2021. We also discovered to our delight this term that a former GCSE and A level Drama student of the school, Oliver Palmer (d 18), had gained a place at Mountview Drama School. Oliver is a hugely
entertaining young man, capable of the funniest and most sublime improvisations, as well as more conventional scripted work. In other undergraduate news, I am delighted to report that Milo Clesham (f 19) has received a First in his initial year of study of Single Honours Drama and Theatre Studies at Goldsmiths. We are also delighted to announce this term that we have hired a professional costume designer, Mr Jason Denvir, to join the ranks of the department to ensure that the high standard of costume continues. Mr Denvir is also a professional set designer and will no doubt find ample scope for his talents on the many projects we are undertaking next year.
Ian Reade Head of Drama
DRAMA SCHOLARS Since starting my role at Sherborne in September, I have immensely enjoyed working each week with our current cohort of amiable and talented Drama Scholars. The group of scholars are open minded and willing, eager to try new things, however strange, and develop their skills. In the Michaelmas Term, we experimented with exercises from specific practitioners to see which would work under social distancing regulations, which helped the department adapt the material for all drama students.
Our main project this year was our radio play, In Loco Parentis. Set in a boys’ school in 1917, the play required a challenging combination of comedic timing and exuberant performances, and sensitivity in understanding and portraying some mature underlying themes. The scholars all put in a great deal of effort and offered performances that were both extremely entertaining and thought provoking. In addition, we had a particularly memorable session playing Would I Lie To You, devised scenes from single lines or words, and explored script work as well, most recently the work of playwright Oscar Wilde. Just this month we had a session using Pride as the stimulus, in which the students devised scenes that engaged with themes of selfexpression, protest, oppression and freedom.
Mary Flanagan Drama GRA
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Design & Technology The motto for the past academic year seems to have been ‘remain flexible’ as it seems that each department meeting involved discussions about what more we could do if we modified how we approached what we needed to do. This has certainly made the past year a challenging one for both the boys and the staff in the department. In exploring and experimenting with different approaches we have been impressed just how adaptable the boys have proven - willing to experiment with working in different ways to still have the option of progressing their ideas through modelling and getting out into the workshop. As a result, there has been little that we have been unable to do but all that we have done has been approached differently. Our new technician, Ms Duke, arrived with excellent ICT skills but to a school without any pupils in it! She swiftly set about supporting the examination groups by creating individual Computer-Aided Design tutorial movies which she shared with the boys, supporting the transition of their design ideas from paper to 3D CAD. The boys emailed the files back to Ms Duke who 3D printed their files here at school, sharing the images of the printing with the boys and helping them to evaluate and develop the design ideas so that their GCSE and A level coursework progressed. After so much virtual contact it was wonderful to see the boys and Ms Duke finally meet face to face as the lockdown eased. Peter Chillingworth Head of Design and Technology
• Tom Ashford-Russell (4d)
• Kohki Hatori (5e)
• William Frost (5b)
• Sam Noakes (4g)
Art
Out
In
with the
with the
Old
It has been great to see bright and bustling studios once again with Fifth Form adding eleventh hour material to their GCSE portfolios and Upper Sixth pupils putting in finishing touches to final pieces, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s of their Personal Investigations; we have all been feeling the pressure of TAGs this term. With Herculean effort from all, pupils and staff alike, we have made it across the line now with the prospect of a long and relaxing summer holiday in front of us. However, before this happens there is still much to be done as the end of year show is hung. This year, the task was made all the easier with the return of the Upper Sixth artists coming in to help hang their own shows, making our lives that little bit easier. It never ceases to amaze me what a boy will do for food, seeing the boys working hard all day readying their personal displays in exchange for a burger and a drink once the task was complete.
New The modest gathering was a lovely way to say thank you and well done to a cohort who have been an absolute delight over the last five years. Sadly, for them the Private View will not likely take place this year, but their excellent work can be viewed in our online gallery sherborne.org/commem2021. In our final sign off to the 2021 Art leavers it is also fitting to offer our congratulations to both Myles Harrison (U6f) and Will Martin (U6m) who have been offered places at The Cortauld Institute to read History of Art. Two out of two History of Art teacher Miroslav Pomichal – well done. Further congratulations go to Finn Stewart (U6e) who has not only been offered a place at the prestigious Royal Drawing School, but in addition has impressively been awarded a full scholarship.
As one year group leaves and another arrives, our Lower Sixth have evicted the outgoing Upper Sixth boys from their booths in the Sixth Form Studio. They have already filled the space with some interesting and exciting work. I would encourage you to pop into the Art Department next time you are passing to see what the Sixth Form are up to.
Matt Bone Director of Art
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• Aiden Wood (5e)
• Henry Kingsbury (5f)
• Richard Xu (5b)
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• Tak Ho Yung (U6f)
• Isaac Bingley (U6e)
• Charlie McCaig (U6b)
• Kit Beilby (U6d)
• Charlie Cunningham (U6f)
Sport
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Few would argue that the past year or so has not been very difficult for many school children including the boys at Sherborne. Sport and activity are central to their daily boarding lives and the lack of what was previously common has been very strange. However, the Trinity Term brought back some normality, along with some traditional British summer weather! We have been able to offer fixtures and competition in athletics, tennis, cricket, golf and sailing, whilst many other activities have been able to take place such as clay shooting, badminton, squash etc. The resumption of a water polo House tournament has been particularly welcome.
After missing out on the joys of Lent Term fixtures, it was pleasing to see our senior footballers and hockey players enjoying a fixture against Taunton School. Missing out on your big moment in the spotlight as Upper Sixth boys is cruel and my heart goes out to a number of boys who had worked so hard to achieve their dreams only to see them dashed through no fault of their own.
Looking forward, following the summer break, we hope to hit the ground running and anticipate many more opportunities for boys at Sherborne to enjoy their sport and wear the blue shirt with pride and dignity. I hope to see many parents on the touchlines again and offer you all some proper Sherborne hospitality.
David Guy Director of Sport
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ATHLETICS 2021 has seen perhaps the shortest athletics season in Sherborne history, with COVID-19 restrictions preventing the full range of events and delaying the start of inter-school fixtures until nearly a month into term. Events such as the Lutra Shield and the regional trials fell by the wayside, while scheduled training events with Sherborne Girls fell victim to heavy rain. When competition finally resumed the boys took to the track at Millfield, Dauntsey’s and Marlborough, for many their first competitive fixtures of their Sherborne careers. It is safe to say that they both relished the chance and brought home some excellent results. A particular highlight was seeing the Sixth Form 4x100m relay team of Harry Whigham (L6c), Will Parry (L6b), Hugo Blanchard (L6c) and Ollie Charles (L6m) romp to a memorable victory at Marlborough, narrowly missing a longstanding School record. Tom (3a) and Robbie Foster (5a) represented the School and North Dorset at a hastily re-arranged Dorset Championships. Both brothers came up against Championship best performances on the track on their way to impressive results that bode well for next season and beyond. The boys’ enthusiasm and endeavour has been remarkable despite frustrating circumstances and we are already looking forward to a full programme of competition and sunshine, in 2022. The Annual Sports Day was a huge success, thanks go to the huge number of colleagues who worked so hard to make it run smoothly and an enjoyable event for the boys. It was fantastic to see so many boys in action across the afternoon. Tom Scott Deputy Director of Sport and MFL Teacher
SPORTS DAY
The age group and overall results are listed below: 3RD FORM House a b c d e f g m
Athletics 220 193 206 206 236 220 236 225
Tug of War 18 22 26 30 20 32 24 28
Total 238 215 232 236 256 252 260 253
Position 5 8 7 6 2 4 1 3
Tug of War 20 18 30 28 22 26 24 32
Total 279 202 253 253 182 230 230 302
Position 2 7 3 3 8 5 5 1
Tug of War 18 28 24 30 22 26 32 20
Total 229 236 273 220 174 245 289 261
Position 6 5 2 7 8 4 1 3
4TH/5TH FORM House a b c d e f g m
Athletics 259 184 223 225 160 204 206 270
6TH FORM House a b c d e f g m
Athletics 211 208 249 190 152 219 257 241
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3RD FORM House a b c d e f g m
Athletics 220 193 206 206 236 220 236 225
Tug of War 18 22 26 30 20 32 24 28
4TH/5TH FORM
6TH FORM
Athletics 259 184 223 225 160 204 206 270
Athletics 211 208 249 190 152 219 257 241
Tug of War 20 18 30 28 22 26 24 32
Tug of War 18 28 24 30 22 26 32 20
Total 746 653 758 709 612 727 779 816
Position 4 7 3 6 8 5 2 1
TENNIS Sherborne Tennis was back in full swing, with the distinctive sound of tennis balls being struck. The welcome return of school matches encouraged challenging competition in all year groups against Clifton College, Millfield, Canford, The Pilgrims, Marlborough and King’s Bruton. During the second half of term, improving weather meant that the 14 and under Road to Wimbledon singles could take place on the superb grass- the courts a credit to the grounds team. The motivation in the squad was very high for the opportunity of the County Finals at stake. Due to the age group rules, a split competition was played with Billy Baker (3c) becoming year group champion and Xavier Cash (3m) the runner up. In qualification for the County Finals, Will Trickey (3g) edged it in a tie break final against Soren Richardson (3g). They both progressed to the Dorset County Finals at East Dorset LTCC in July. Once again, they were very competitive winning their opening matches. Will was then defeated in the quarter finals by the number one seed, as was Soren by him a round further in the semi final. The boys can be proud of their effort and play in finishing 3rd and 5th at the Dorset finals. Towards the end of term there was a variety of engaging tennis activity. Michael and Catherine
Ewart-Smith very kindly hosted a Sunday senior mixed doubles of 15 pairs with Sherborne Girls. Much fun was had by all with the top scoring pairs Islay Woolgar / Euan Jardine (L6e) followed by Daisy Pentreath and Jacob Schwandt (L6f), who beat them in the final. Third place went to Minda Buxton and Frank Horsman (L6a). An experienced staff team took on the senior boys remaining in school. In the last week of term, St Mary’s Calne senior girls travelled to play some fun doubles with the
boys at Sherborne Tennis Club. Nick Robinson kindly arranged a final senior match v Sherborne Tennis Club on the grass. A strong Pilgrims team captained by James Sewry (d 14) who a few weeks before defeated the boys, returned on the final Saturday to play with style in a sound win v Sherborne Tennis Club. Sherborne’s tennis light is shining again, with players and staff alike enjoying a season that will go a long way to progressing tennis next year and help pupils become lifelong lovers of the game.
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CRICKET The first half of the cricket season was decimated by the weather but fortunately the School did manage to fulfil two full block fixtures with Marlborough and Millfield. The Colts A managed to win their U16 National Cup match with the former and progress further into the competition which started way back when they were in the Third Form. The Millfield games produced some excellent contests, including a thrilling 1 wicket victory for the Mini Colts A and a tie for the Mini Colts C, whilst the 1st XI and 3rd XI also claimed notable wins. The 1st XI embarked on their hundred ball campaign in the new local competition and found it to be an exciting, if at times hectic, format. Max Dowling (L6c) produced some significant contributions with the bat whilst Will Brown (U6c) proved to be the most consistent performer with the ball.
SAILING The sailing team have had a slightly curtailed competitive fixture list this Summer but have been victorious against Winchester College, Bryanston, Clifton College and Milton Abbey. Our Senior Team did lose to RGS
Guildford, but our Colts Team got redemption on their way to winning the Western Area Schools Championships. In the second week of the summer holidays, the senior team went to Bough Beech Reservoir in Kent to compete in
the National Schools Team Racing Championships against a field of 20 teams. Sherborne did not regrettably manage to come through the round robin into the quarter finals.
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GOLF Golf continues to go from strength to strength at Sherborne with nearly 60 boys now full members at Sherborne Golf Club, and 70 playing golf at some point over the year. Sunday has proved to be especially popular. The golf team had an excellent golf match against the Old Shirburnian Golf Society at the superb Remedy Oak Golf Course. Sherborne Won 2 ½ to 1 ½ in 4 closely contested and high quality matches. Will Loughlin (Captain) (U6d) and Theo Anderson Gannon (4e) leading the way as 1st pair and winning 3 and 1. The Fifth Form pair of Tom Stephens (5d) and Tom Northcott (5c) finished all square, and Lower Sixth Formers James Sandars (L6f) and Angus Bushby (L6m) as 4th Pair won 2 Up to clinch the match, with the 2nd pair of Tom Rotheroe (L6f) and Rory Parnell (L6g) just losing their match at the final hole. With 5 of the 6 team members back next year, there is much to look forward to. There was also a fun and very competitive fixture against the Staff at Sherborne Golf Club, with honours ending even at 2 matches to 2. Finally, Theo Anderson Gannon represented Somerset U16 at Mendip Golf Club in the South West Counties Golf Association Championship coming 11th overall. Next year Sherborne Golf is excited about the prospect of some regular coaching from a PGA Professional and hopefully a tour to Europe in July 2022, as well as entry in to the HMC and ISGA national competitions.
LOOKING AHEAD TERM DATES Travelling Day and Induction Day for new pupils Sunday 5 September Travelling Day Monday 6 September (return by 19:30) Term begins Tuesday 7 September First Exeat Friday 24 September (13:35) Sunday 26 September (return by 21:00) Half Term Friday 15 October after commitments Sunday 31 October (return by 21:00) NB clocks go back Second Exeat Friday 19 November (13:35) Sunday 21 November (return by 21:00) Term Ends Saturday 11 December after commitments
SHERBORNE SCHOOL ABBEY ROAD SHERBORNE DORSET DT9 3LF T: 01935 812249 E: enquiries@sherborne.org www.sherborne.org facebook.com/SherborneBoysSchool twitter.com/SherborneSchool #sherborneschool youtube.com/user/TheSherborneSchool flickr.com/sherborneschool linkedin.com/school/sherborne-school Thank you to all contributors. Image credits: Josie Sturgess-Mills, Henry Hunt, Andy Carver, and others Registered Charity No. 1081228