Aske Report the
the newsletter of the habs foundation
2017 (number 6)
We continue to strengthen links worldwide
From the Headmaster It gives me great pleasure to introduce this issue of the Aske Report, and to reflect on all that The HABS Foundation is currently doing to bring together the wide Haberdashers community of Old Boys, parents, staff and former staff, friends and supporters. I write at a time when the School has been named The Sunday Times Independent School of the Year. This is based not only on academic achievements, but also includes quality of co-curricular provision, parent feedback and the success of former pupils. Our Prep School has topped the tables yet again in their respective category, with the very best academic results in the country. The process in determining these achievements is rigorous and wide ranging and I therefore would like to thank all members of the Haberdashers community for your support and outstanding contributions to the life of the School. Your commitment and passion is what drives Habs to the forefront of global education. The HABS Foundation has recently held a number of large-scale and also more intimate events both at home and abroad – including reunions, gatherings, career and networking evenings and more. There have been very successful (and entirely enjoyable) reunions in New York, USA and Tel Aviv, Israel. More global events are planned for the near future; the USA
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has proved a popular destination for many Old Boys and we are very much looking forward to heading stateside again this year. These events are vitally important and provide Old Boys and members of the Habs community with the opportunity to reconnect with each other and the School. We are receiving enthusiastic reviews from attendees as we look to increase these events going forward. With this in mind, within this issue you will also read about social gatherings a little closer to home: ‘Welcome back to Habs afternoons’ and ‘Haberdashers Drinks in the City’. These events are being organised in response to requests arising from last year’s Foundation survey. As we continue to strengthen links worldwide, particularly with Ivy League universities, this academic year we have working with us Edward Leung, our first Aske-Princeton Fellow. Edward has been an invaluable addition to the teaching staff, working closely with the History department, while acting as advisor to our university entrants. He is also a concert pianist of some considerable note! The digital presence of The HABS Foundation has increased enormously over the past couple of years, with record numbers joining our Old Boys’ database and many more former pupils and staff ‘liking’, ‘following’ and engaging with
us on our social media channels. Please do visit our Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as our website (www.habsboys.org.uk), to keep up to date with all things Habs. The Foundation held a very fruitful telephone campaign in the summer of 2016 and I would like to thank all of those who took part, both the boys who worked tremendously hard but also those who gave their time to speak to the boys. You may read more on this elsewhere in this issue. I would like to close by thanking you all for your kind efforts and contributions to support the great work that The HABS Foundation is doing. Whether you have made an immediate financial donation, a gift in kind, are thinking of making a bequest or legacy, have offered current pupils work placements or careers advice, or have supported us at our many events throughout the year, we are truly indebted and extremely grateful.
Peter Hamilton Headmaster
Independent School of the Year 2017 16/03/2017 09:23