Autumn 2018
Featured in this issue...
Young Economist of the Year
Professor Lord Winston speaks in Aske Hall
Donkin Cup 2018
Sixth Formers interview Headmaster Oxford and Cambridge select Old Haberdashers for Varsity match
Routine Reminders
The Headmaster’s Dear Parents, I write on a crisp, December evening, having just returned home after the School’s annual Carol Service in St Albans Cathedral. It was a wonderful event, with our choir in fine voice; a fitting way to mark the season, but also a coming together of many of our boys, parents, staff and governors. The theme for our school assemblies this term has been ‘Community’; it has been both an appropriate and an important choice; our lives at Habs are defined and enhanced by being part of a strong, supportive and happy community and this theme has been very much in evidence throughout a busy autumn term. In the balmy days of late summer, we all came together to applaud the stellar achievements of students who took GCSEs and A Levels this summer. Results at both levels were among the very best in the country and the delight on the faces of boys and families showed very clearly how much this meant to everyone. Even the shortest of tours through our school will reveal just how hard boys and staff work here and how much they enjoy learning together; expectations are high, yet learning, for its own sake, is fun too, with teachers and pupils all engaged on a journey that is both challenging and hugely rewarding. One of my personal highlights this term has been teaching a group of Upper Sixth Enrichment pupils; they have been excellent company, full of ideas and questions and, without exception, a real privilege and pleasure to teach. They will go far. Our sense of community can be just as easily, and perhaps more vividly, expressed outside the classroom. It has been another enjoyable and successful term for Habs sports, with obvious highlights being the Donkin Cup for our younger boys and the trip to Allianz Park which promises to be a thriller; both bring us all together to support and encourage
End of Term Letter one another. It has been a great pleasure to prowl the touchlines and meet parents who provide positive and generous support and encouragement for all the players on the pitch, just as it should be. In vile weather and against terribly good opposition, it perhaps should not have been such a pleasure to referee our U13B Rugby team last week, and yet it really was; I was proud of the boys’ perseverance in the toughest of conditions. A new addition to our weekly calendar, and indeed our shared terminology, has been HabsDash, the brilliant, weekly, 3.5km, inclusive community run. From a small seed, it has grown into something very special and continues to expand. Might we see the whole school, staff and boys, running together one day? The Headmaster is well aware that he needs to lead by example here… The performance of our collective Year 7 boys in the Autumn Concert displayed a similar sense of solidarity and was an encouraging sign for the future of Music. There were many terrific performances that evening, just as there were in the Winter Concert two weeks’ ago, as well as very warm support from the audience. The Jazz programme is thriving, too, with a plethora of lunchtime recitals and, of course, the unforgettable lunchtime concert at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, the culmination of the Jazz Summer School. Much like Music, Drama has the power to bring us together; productions of Richard III, in the Shakespeare Schools Festival, and A Christmas Carol did just that. Both were powerful performances, witty and yet moving, with some incredible use of puppetry to portray the Princes in the Tower and Tiny Tim, respectively. It was pleasing to see that the many roles that our boys, alongside girls from our sister school, play in these productions go beyond ‘simply’ acting;
from script writing and music composition to managing the light and sound. These are huge team efforts. Teams of boys have represented the School in ways too numerous to mention. Each week, hundreds of boys contribute to our local community through the Friday Community Service programme and December’s Senior Citizens’ Tea Party was a shining example of the good that they, again alongside counterparts from the Girls’ School, can do for local people. The work of the 70 ‘Scrub Bashers’ who cleared Croxley Moor Common on Field Day was no less impressive. Further afield, a small army of Astro-Physicists journeyed to Russia in August to learn about space travel; Habs politicians boarded the Eurostar to take part in the Paris Model United Nations Conference; rugby and football teams went to France and Spain respectively and a host of History students visited the battlefields of the First World War just a few days ahead of the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice. Back at Elstree, that same event was marked with appropriate poignance and respect; our Archivist collated an exhibition that gave colour to the many OHs and former teachers who served, and in many cases made the ultimate sacrifice, a century ago. Then our CCF parade gave us all the opportunity to remember and pay our quiet but heartfelt respects. January will bring another round of admissions, with record numbers of boys applying to Habs. Those who succeed will join a special community that will last them their whole lives. In recent days, we have enjoyed a cheerful reunion of over 70 former staff and their partners who were delighted to see the School as it is now and swap happy memories of yesteryear. Our 2018 and 2014 Leavers’ reunions have been equally well-attended and enjoyable. Dozens of OHs
came back to support our terrific Careers Convention in November and were delighted to be able to support their successors. We were all saddened, however, by news of the death of Alan Taylor MBE, our Director of Music between 1962 and 1996, an incredible man, musician and School Master - a great loss. Our Choir sang one of his carols today; it was excellent and he would have been very proud. For my part, I can only say that I am enormously proud to be part of this community; it is vibrant, ambitious and engaging, yet also supportive, kind and caring. I hope that the pages that follow give some sense of what a great term this has been for our School. I wish you and your families the very best for the Christmas holidays and for 2019,
Gus Lock
Headmaster
A lunchtime with the Headmaster Two members of our Sixth Form, Richard Zhong and Guy Dabby-Joory, sat down with Mr Lock to discuss the past, present and future of the School – discussing memories, history and heritage, and the influence of his own father.
When we ask the Headmaster about his favourite memory of Habs as a student, he starts to reminisce, speaking of “walking and chatting with his friends; enjoying lunch and rich conversations in the Bates”. Commenting on changes since he was a student at the School, he notes that the School has become “more nurturing”, with many of the students’ hierarchies broken down and with boys now “celebrated for who they are”. We then move on to discuss what the Headmaster describes as the move to “a more holistic education”. This moves beyond the era of the league table, because “young people need skills that cannot be measured by A-level results – leadership, teamwork, communication, resilience, handling success, coping with setbacks and failures – the skills you need to survive in the ambiguous and challenging world of the 21st Century.” Furthermore, he does not think that the teacher will be replaced any time soon by artificial intelligence, because “the most important thing about teaching is the relationship with the child” - technology cannot understand “the lived experience of the child”. Mr Lock explains that, during his time at the School, he wants to foster this sense of community, which is so often difficult due to the geographical diversity, thus bringing people together through “unity and community”. Mr Lock also mentions a drive for closer collaboration with the Girls’ School. In an age of equality, and especially in light of all we have seen from the #MeToo movement, it is imperative that boys “respect and work work really well in teams alongside women”. As for the School in general, Mr Lock urged for a sense of pride in our history, heritage and identity. Pointing behind us - at the painting of Robert Aske - the School’s founder and “a man of principle”, the Headmaster describes Aske’s wish for accessibility and diversity. He elaborates that it is important to look to “that proud past”, and have a purpose which is meaningful, inspiring, and gives us the confidence to take calculated risks. So we conclude our discussion with a risk of our own, asking who the Headmaster sees as an idol. After a short pause, Mr Lock lists three: Mahatma Gandhi, Sir Robert Peel, and most of all, his own father – all of them for their “desire to do the right thing”. On that note, we bid the Headmaster farewell and thank him for his time.
A lunchtime with the Head of Preparatory School Igor Kaspin, from our Sixth Form, sat down with Mr Rossetti to discuss education, his background in Classics, and the wider importance of parenting and the School community. “As a Classicist, when you read something written thousands of years ago that still resonates today… maybe you’re seeing something universal.” With this remark, Mr Rossetti’s own educational background in Classics – a subject that he studied at Oxford – shows a clear relevance to his own educational philosophy. What he shares with the scholars of times past is a love of learning for its own sake. In his own words, it’s a desire to “nurture curiosity, wisdom and ultimately a love of life” within the boys. Greeks and Romans aside, this must be facilitated in modern times by a broad, comprehensive and challenging curriculum. Such a breadth will be welcome to Prep Schoolers, who share Mr Rossetti’s wish to pursue excellence, creativity and learning. Perhaps at the core of such a vision is the creation of an intellectual community - one inspired by his own time at university: “We want to create a flourishing intellectual environment, where boys are able to find their niche and develop the habits of excellence and a joy for learning”. For the Prep boys, this might be in choir practice, rugby training or outdoor education, as much as through exams and progress grades. Indeed, on the topic of the wider environment, Mr Rossetti is keen to emphasise how far this effort to support all areas must be collective: “Parents play a key role in supporting their sons. If we are to challenge our boys to step outside their comfort zone, where they can grow and develop, it needs to happen within a warm and supportive environment and that only happens with strong collaboration between home and school. Habs is very much a family school. This in turn serves to instil a sense of civic duty in the boys.” This idea of ‘civic duty’, also something instilled in Mr Rossetti from his Classical education, asks the Prep boys to consider those around them, and develop a strong sense of community - thus linking in with the Habs values of integrity, wisdom and tolerance. As he summarises with a smile, “The flourishing of the individual and his community is truly the success of the School”. We thank Mr Rossetti for his time.
Awards and Achievements Habs boy named ‘Young Economist of the Year 2018’ The School are delighted to report that Dan Gilbey in the Upper Sixth has won first prize in the Royal Economic Society (RES) Essay Competition and has been named ‘Young Economist of the Year 2018’. Dan’s essay addressed the question “Does Economics have the answer for the global problem of plastics pollution?”. The RES competition attracts the largest field of any of the national Economics essay competitions (nearly 1,300 entries this
Royal Economic Society’s Life Vice President Andrew Chesher (right) presents Dan Gilbey (left) with certificate
year), so to win the top prize is a fantastic achievement. Dan received his prize at this year’s RES Annual Public Lecture at the Royal Institution in London on Wednesday 21 November. Congratulations also to Ben Schwarzmann, Upper Sixth, whose essay was ‘highly commended’, placing it in the top 50 entries – this year was a strong showing from the Habs economists!
Awards and Achievements Finalist selected at Oxford “Higgs Hunters� Competition Conference After investigating data over the course of several months, Jared Richard was invited to a conference at University of Oxford to present his findings on evidence for a new particle. This was also the basis for his independent learning inquiry - the Aske project. The event was an open national competition at which only 20 finalists were invited to present. Throughout the two days, he met many physics professors at the forefront of their field, explaining his methods and findings. The organisers of the trip hinted at a possible trip to CERN in Switzerland later in the School year, where he can present his findings to the scientists who drive these investigations. Richard took great pride in representing Habs science at such a renowned event and we wish him the best for next summer.
Habs boy is British Junior Wrestling Champion Uzayr in Year 11 has been named the 2018 British Junior Champion in wrestling for the 64kg weight group. The competition was held in Peterborough and is the main event in the junior wrestling calendar. Uzayr had two bouts in his weight category. He convincingly won the first by technical superiority (10 points clear) and the other by pinning his opponent. This is quite an achievement, given that Uzayr has been away from competition for over a year. He will continue to train to develop his technique and fitness levels, but will hold off his next competition until after his GCSEs. Our congratulations go to Uzayr on this terrific achievement.
Events Professor Lord Winston captivates Habs pupils On Thursday 11 October, the Habs Science Society hosted Professor Lord Robert Winston. His visit appealed to all sections of the Habs community, with pupils of all ages from the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools, as well as teaching and support staff all enthralled. Professor Winston is a British professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and Labour Party Life Peer. The topic discussed was “Why is Science Important”, or as he succinctly summarised it on his first slide, “Bothering with Science”.
To a packed Aske Hall, Professor Winston gave an engaging account of the history and development of the human species from a scientific viewpoint. He started by talking about the flintstone initially found in the Olduvai Gorge, now in the British Museum. He began, philosophically, by stating that this flintstone, and others like it, had changed everything, enabling mankind changed its diet – allowing early man to digest lipids and proteins. He then moved onto his own research field of fertility treatment, and some of the key developments in the area. Professor Winston ended his visit by holding a Q&A session with Boys’ and Girls’ School A Level biologists about his experience of medical research and ethics. This gave valuable insight into the current state of medicine, and the opportunity for the boys and girls to consider the wider role of science and medicine in society.
Events Field Day 2018: Here’s what happened when we took the whole school out On the Friday 5 October, the whole school headed out on various trips and events to inspire learning outside the classroom. Catching up with Mr Simm, our Director of Co-Curricular, we learnt: “Field Day started out to give CCF the chance to develop their skills off site. That’s how it began many years ago. Because we took those boys off site, we thought we needed to expand it!” Examples of trips we ran this year included: • • • • •
The RAF Trip to Holton Base The Year 8 Trip to Bletchley Park The Army Trip to Bramley Camp The Year 9 Event on Gaming The Year 7 Trip to the Tower of London
For an in-depth feature on Field Day, including Ejaaz’s use of a historic flight simulator, Jack’s recon patrol, and Kairav’s thoughts on the science of videogaming, please visit https://bit.ly/2EaESUk. Many thanks to all staff involved for their tremendous organisation of the day.
Chef Marco’s Cookery Club Junior School boys attended the inaugural session of Chef Marco’s cookery club. This small class provides an opportunity for six Year 7 and Year 8 boys to acquire basic cookery skills. Shaan in Year 8 wrote about the club: “We all walked into cookery class, eager to begin. As we entered we saw a table full of ingredients. Instantly, my mind associated these ingredients with baking cakes. We were then introduced to Chef Marco, and after we all washed our hands and put on our aprons, got straight to work. Chef Marco was extremely thorough with his instructions and with his help and amazing guidance we were able to bake a beautiful set of cupcakes! I am very thankful for the chance to attend. Thank you, Chef Marco!”
Sincere thanks go to Chef Marco and to David Carr for organising the event – the boys are looking forward to the next one!
Events Virtually Collaborating On Monday 8 October 2018, three boys at a time were Virtually Collaborating with two engineers on constructing a jet engine in Future Visual’s VisonXr VR. The boys clearly enjoyed working with industry professionals and are very much looking forward to future sessions to learn how to code virtual environments using Unity and Unreal engine. In addition, boys and staff from both Schools helped Tim Fleming from Future Visual and Nathan Gaydhani from System Active to understand how the VisonXR platform could be developed for use in education. Boys were vocal about the content that would help them learn and how they could get involved to help create it. All agreed on the enormous potential for VR to support meaningful and authentic learning. Daniel from Year 7 commented: “Future Visual’s new breakthrough in virtual reality was truly inspiring. To be able to join no matter where you are in the world, on any device you want, is truly special. I believe this will revolutionise schools and save them money. I think that in under a decade, this could be changing the world.”
Events Careers Convention 2018 The Careers team held its biennial Careers Convention - an important event in the School calendar on Thursday 15 November. We welcomed over 68 representatives from 56 organisations on site; they offered advice on a wide variety of professions. Boys and their families were invited to learn about careers as diverse as finance, law, medicine, dentistry, scientific research, technology, journalism and PR. Organisations represented included: BBC World News, IBM, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, Encore Capital, Chelsea Football Club, National Health Service, Jaguar Land Rover, Brand Champions, Frank PR and Shiva Hotels, amongst others. The evening comprised an exhibition in the Medburn Centre, as well as interactive panel sessions on a range of career areas with speakers outlining their careers so far and answering questions from boys and parents. Panellists included Professor Peter Childs – Head of the Dyson School of Engineering; Huw Gott – Co-Founder of Hawksmoor Restaurants; Simon Duffy – Founder of Bulldog Skincare for Men, and Jyotin Sethi - Co-Founder of JKS Restaurants. To read a range of interviews with Old Boys who contributed to the evening, please visit https://bit.ly/2U7BfU1. If you would like to support our Careers department, please contact Kerry Nash, Head of Careers, by emailing nash_k@habsboys.org.uk
Art, Music and Drama Senior School Play: A Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol is perhaps best known for its mournful depiction of Ebenezer Scrooge - a character notorious for the infamous phrase, ‘Bah, humbug!’. On Tuesday 4 December, the Senior School Play - A Christmas Carol enjoyed its opening night in the Bourne Hall, featuring a cast of 25 students from across the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools. Directed by Mr Weinman and Miss Lefferty (with Mr Silver on Tech and Mrs S Jones providing costumes),
ideas explored included the themes of kindness, relationships, family and the ability to change. Drawing on professionals from a range of disciplines, including Joe Richardson and Ashleigh Cheadle from War Horse, and Claira Vaughan from Strictly Come Dancing, the company worked hard to devise their own version of this well-known play.
Read a behind the scenes article about A Christmas Carol by visiting https://bit.ly/2G99M1d.
Art, Music and Drama Senior Inter-House Drama This year we welcomed back Ed Sayer (OH 2006), our first Graduate Drama Director, to adjudicate the performances. First place was awarded by Ed to Calverts for their performance of Paddy Campbell’s Wethouse. David Guiloff, from Calverts, was presented with Best Actor. Overall second place was awarded to Russells for their highly realistic and extremely comedic performance of Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation. Russells also secured the runner-up award for Best Actor for Ed Fage’s performance of Gordon. The evening was a great success, with a huge thank you to Ed and the Drama department. The boys were truly able to express themselves through the medium of performance and really came together to celebrate the spirit of house rivalry.
Year 11 Fine Art and Ceramics Workshop with James Lake The Year 11 Art and Ceramics students gathered in the Old Refectory for an exciting day of workshops on Monday 8 October. Having been given information about James Lake in previous lessons, the boys had gone away to research James’s fascinating technique of creating large sculptures using cardboard. The day began with an introduction from James and then a quick look at some of his incredible sculptures. James explained how they would be able to create their own 3D portrait by the end of the day. The boys started by using a template of a skull. This section tested their ability to follow instructions, as they had to assemble the cardboard skull from many pieces, with only the use of glue and their bare hands! They ended up with identical skulls, and then following the GCSE theme of ‘identity’, began to make the skull their own. Here they became more creative; with the guidance of James, they each had to figure out how to add facial features to the skulls, so as to make them more lifelike and interesting. After six creative hours, they were left with 24 unique 3D heads and thanked James for his amazing workshop!
Art, Music and Drama Autumn Concert
The annual Autumn Concert is truly unique. As our Director of Music, Richard Osmond puts it: “It really is one of a kind. The reason it is unusual is that it’s much earlier than other schools – before half term. It really is a spring board and opportunity for our Year 7, an example of what they can aspire to.” This year, we had over 300 boys involved, including: • • •
160 Year 7s in the Junior School Choir 60 boys in the Senior Guitar Orchestra 25 boys in the Big Band
Aidan, our Habs Young Musician of the Year, gave a brilliant performance of Fantasiestücke by Schumann to an audience full of students, staff and parents, whilst the School Choir gave an excellent rendition of Ella Fitzgerald’s I Got Rhythm. For a feature on the Autumn Concert, as well as interviews with three of our Habs musicians, visit https://bit.ly/2UcvJ28 to learn more.
Art, Music and Drama Shakespeare Schools Festival: Richard III As part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, and in a collaboration with the Girls’ School, pupils performed our unique version of Richard III on Tuesday 20 November at the ArtsDepot in Finchley. More recently, on Thursday 22 November, pupils from both the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools performed Richard III in the Drama Studio, located on the Boys’ School campus. It was great to welcome our audience, comprising boys from Year 6, girls from Year 9 and members of staff. The audience enjoyed the choral and physical storytelling style along with the blend of comedy and darker, more poignant moments. Comments from Year 6 boys included: “I liked it when Richard kept making to-do lists” and “I loved the puppets of the two little princes in the Tower.” Well done to all involved.
Sport Senior football tour to Portugal
The Habs football tour began with a squad of 20 players and three coaches arriving at Faro Airport, Portugal. Following breakfast on the first morning, the players and coaches were welcomed by a slick grass pitch and a hot temperature of 25°C. This was where training was due to take place each morning. Training was followed by a range of exciting activities, including beach volleyball and a trip to the Vilamoura Marina for a Portuguese lunch.
Habs played two evening matches against very high-level Portuguese clubs, both at different stadiums, on the Tuesday and the Thursday night. The squad played brilliantly in both fixtures and came out with a win and a loss. All in all, it was a very successful tour with many positives to take away from it. The players worked hard on the technical aspects of their game during training, where significant improvements were made, and team spirit was stronger than ever to fuel a successful second half of the season.
Water Polo League The Habs water polo first team played in a London League tournament on Thursday 15 November. The first match was against Bedford Modern School. Habs used the key tactic of swapping their Pit-man frequently, which proved extremely effective. In goal, Max Cane distributed the ball far up the pool, as Habs swam up multiple times, resulting in six goals for Habs, and a final winning score of 6-1. Our second match - against Kings School Grantham - was more testing. Their team of fast swimmers meant they were able to score two goals in the first half by swift counter-attacks, but in the last 30 seconds of the first half, Habs were able to get one goal back. At half time Habs decided to distribute the ball to the wings instead of driving up from the back. This method proved successful as the boys were able to score two more goals, despite Kings having another goal early at the beginning of the second half. The final score was 3-3. Kings went on to beat Bedford 8-0 in the last match of the tournament, so Habs finished second and were unlucky to lose out on goal difference.
Sport U14 rugby tour to Biarritz The U14 rugby squad enjoyed a hugely successful tour of Biarritz over the half term break. On the field, the boys managed to defeat Paris University Club and the local team from Soustons prior to a heavyweight clash against a fellow touring side from Munster. Despite a difference in size and age (the Munster boys were six months older!), Habs matched their opponents in every facet of the game before succumbing to a narrow defeat. Off the field, the boys enjoyed a variety of team building activities that also offered the opportunity to push personal boundaries and develop leadership skills. From surfing in the wilds of the Atlantic, to a challenging tree top
obstacle course, all of the boys threw themselves into every challenge presented to them. Subsequently, the squad developed a genuine sense of cohesion and togetherness that will hold everyone in good stead for the second half of the season. The behaviour of the boys in the public arena was a credit to the School and the tour was an extremely enjoyable experience for all concerned. Thanks to Mr Taberner and Mr Rylands for their unstinting enthusiasm and professionalism throughout the tour, and for giving up their time for the benefit of the School and its pupils.
Sport Science Research Day at Loughborough University The Sport Science cohort travelled to Loughborough University - one of the leading institutions in the world for research in Sports Science - on Tuesday 13 November. At the beginning of the day the boys were taken on a tour of the world-class facilities, ranging from indoor tennis courts, to England Cricket Board’s National Cricket Performance Centre. After the eye-opening tour, Years 10 and 11 were able to carry out fitness tests measured to the highest degree of accuracy. This was followed by an insightful seminar on nutrition, led by a 400m sprinter who is a student at the University. Year 12 and 13 boys were provided with the rare opportunity to take part in VO2 max and maximum power output testing. Towards the end of the day, the entire group had a fascinating seminar, exploring the importance of psychological preparation and mental conditioning in sport.
Overall the trip allowed boys to delve into Sport Science to a depth well beyond the syllabus and with the benefit of practical context.
Sport Cross country report
Cross country has discovered a new lease of life at Habs this year and there have been many impressive performances. The highlights were the Intermediate Boys’ team (Year 9 and Year 10) qualifying for the regional round of the ESSA National Cross Country Cup and the Year 7, Year 10, Year 11 and Senior teams winning the District Championships. The weekly HabsDash is encouraging more and more boys to take up long distance running and this should ensure that Cross country continues to thrive at Habs.
Squash report The U19s and U14s both qualified for the National School's Championship regional rounds. Our U19s beat Merchant Taylors' and the U14s beat Harrow and Brentwood to reach the next round of the championship. Good luck to the Habs squash sides for the next set of fixtures in the new year.
Pre-season training for hockey squad Thursday 3 January 2019 - open to all 09:30-11:30 – U12s and U13s 11:30-13:30 – U14s and U15s 14:00-16:00 – Seniors Saturday 5 January 2019 09:30-11:30 – U12s and U13s – open to all 11:30-13:30 – U14s and U15s – open to all 14:00 – 1st XI vs Old Boys – selected players 14:00 – 2nd XI vs Old Boys – selected players
Trips Paris MUN Conference On Thursday 29 November, 12 delegates from Habs, representing the Russian Federation and Malta, embarked on the Eurostar bound for Paris and the 18th Paris MUN, hosted by the American School of Paris. The conference, which took place at the Maison de la MutualitĂŠ, brought together nearly 900 students from across Europe and as far afield as California, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. Over three days in the French capital, delegates sought to address some of the most urgent, complex and intractable issues facing the members of the United Nations. Four Habs delegates enjoyed a commendable haul of prizes: Jasper Federman, Joshua Kaye, Edward Isaacs and Abhisekh Chatterjee won awards as Best Delegate in their committee and Edward Fage was given an ‘honourable mention’ for his contribution. More importantly the whole party enjoyed devoting their energies and intellectual resourcefulness, together networking and debating skills, to finding ways to forge a consensus on both the nature of the problems facing the world in the 21st Century and collaborating in an effort to surmount them.
Trips The Battlefields Trip The Battlefields of the First World War are always fascinating and evocative places to visit; this year was especially poignant as it took place so close to the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice. A group of 42 boys and five staff went to Belgium and France to visit a number of historical sites and memorials. On the evening of the first day, the boys took part in the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, which included two boys laying a wreath in memory of the seven Old Haberdashers remembered on the Menin Gate. Monday was spent touring the Ypres Salient and where we found the grave of AC Michelsen (OH) at Tyne Cot.
of the destruction and intensity of the Battle of Verdun is breathtaking. On Thursday we left Reims and travelled back to Elstree. The behaviour of the boys on the trip was impeccable and they were commended for their conduct at many sites. The whole tour party was struck by the valour and sacrifice of those from many nations who served during the First World War. We will remember them.
On Tuesday we travelled down to the Somme region in France and visited a number of sites. We held three Acts of Remembrance for Old Boys of the school who died serving in the Somme Sector. Wednesday was spent visiting the spectacular sites of memory at Verdun. Habs is one of only three English schools to take students to Verdun, and the sheer scale
Royal Russell School International MUN 25 boys embarked on a journey to East Croydon, where they took part in the 37th annual Royal Russell School International Model United Nations conference (RRSiMUN). This counts among the most prestigious, international MUN conferences in the country. The first and second days of the conference were spent in committee debating a variety of topics ranging from ‘the question of the militarisation of the South China Seas’ to the pressing ‘question of the protection of journalists’ debated in the aftermath of the Jamal Khashoggi killing. The last two days were then spent in general assembly. This was the culmination of the trip, and special congratulations must go to all delegates who spoke, whether they contributed a point of information or a full speech. Overall, nine of our delegates won individual awards at the conference, and the delegation of the USA received the ‘Outstanding Delegation’ award. This is surely reflective of the School’s sustained excellence in the field of MUN.
Trips Year 11 exchange to Aix-en-Provence This year’s Aix-en-Provence exchange took place from Friday 19 to Friday 26 October and was a very successful trip; the boys were excellent company throughout. An exciting programme of visits was enhanced further by the wonderful warm and sunny weather. The boys were given some excellent cultural experiences during their free time: we heard from boys who had been to the beach, one boy had been canoeing, another one had been water-skiing, another one had been to the Europa League game between Marseille and Lazio. Two group excursions were held outside of Aix. On the Monday, the boys went to Arles, where they spent the morning in the museum devoted to the Roman city and in particular to the exciting discovery of a cargo barge in 2011. On the Thursday, the boys went to Marseille, where they visited museums and took the petit train touristique up to the church of Notre Dame de la Garde for breathtaking views of the city. In Aix, the boys went for a guided visit to Paul Cézanne’s workshop. After an interesting hour-long tour of his studio, the staff and boys walked up the hill to the place where Cézanne painted some of his 87 pictures of the Mont Sainte-Victoire. The cohort were then challenged to do their own painting. Much fun was had by all, with Ahan Thakur, Theo Solomon and Seren Grant emerging as the winners!
Monmouth work experience trip This year, eight Habs boys were selected to participate in the Monmouth Enterprise Initiative. The initiative enables Lower Sixth students to learn more about the insurance industry and spend a day with senior executives of various companies in central London. The boys began the initiative with a dinner, hosted by representatives from The Haberdashers’ Company, as well as representatives from the insurance companies supporting event. The next day, boys were split up into mixed groups of nine and went to different insurance companies. For example, Zack Rickless (Lower Sixth) spent the day at Canopius, which is based in the Lloyds of London building. His day began with a talk from the CEO about the company and an overview of the world of insurance. This was followed by numerous talks from specialist heads of departments including claims and risk assessment. The afternoon included an opportunity to have a one-hour session with a member of the Canopius team. Zack was placed with Andrew Cohen, Head of Tax, to discuss an area of insurance that he was particularly keen to learn about. Andrew talked through his own personal experience of how he entered the insurance industry, the qualifications needed and the aptitude required for the role. All the boys hugely enjoyed the experience and felt they gained a great deal of knowledge about the world of insurance.
Prep and Pre-Prep Donkin Cup 2018 The annual Donkin Cross Country cup race took place on Monday 8 October. Congratulations to Patricks House for winning the 2018 Donkin Cup, and to each and every boy for taking part in this year’s run!
On your marks: boys take to the start line
Prep and Pre-Prep
Johnny Miller leads the pack
Come on! Oscar Russell encourages his House
All smiles: Harry Simms enjoyed his run
Run: Prep boys start their race
Family: Ish Sachdev shows his token to older brother Rudra
Prep and Pre-Prep Year 1 Fire Service Visit The White Watch from the St Albans Fire Station came to visit our Year 1 Pre-Prep boys on Thursday 4 October. The boys had an exciting morning learning about what it takes to be a firefighter. The firemen spoke about the equipment they use and explained their purposes. The boys had tremendous fun sitting inside the fire engine and learning about the different tools the firefighters use. The firefighters also gave the boys some tips on how to stay safe during fireworks.
Year 2 Egyptian Workshop To enrich our History topic on Ancient Egypt, the Year 2 boys took part in an actionpacked Egyptian workshop, which was both informative and lots of fun! The costumes were amazing - a huge well done to staff, parents and boys for putting in a huge amount of effort. On the day, the boys designed and made Egyptian artefacts. Lots of creative talent and imagination went into the workshop. Events culminated with a banquet in the Royal Court, where the boys performed roleplay and drama activities to entertain the pharaoh. Everyone had a fantastic time and it was definitely a day to remember!
Year 2 Dentistry The Year 2 boys were visited by one of our parents who is a practising dentist. They learnt how to brush and look after their teeth, which linked well to their learning in science, where the boys have learnt about personal hygiene and ‘Staying Healthy’. Using the information from the session, the boys designed some fabulous homework posters to inspire others to look after their teeth.
Prep and Pre-Prep Year 4 Battle of Hastings The Year 4 boys, who have been learning about the Battle of Hastings in History lessons, ventured outside to re-enact the battle for themselves. Prior to this, the boys had written their own stirring speeches pretending to be William of Normandy. The two winners from Year 4 were named the kings of their armies: armed with swords, they marched their men onto the Haberdashers’ playing fields and set them into position. The weather did not deter the two armies and rather, seemed to add an even greater sense of realism to the battle scene. The two leaders arranged their men: Harold in his English red grouped on top of the hill, whilst the Normans waited eagerly in well organised rows at the bottom. The events of the battle were narrated to the soldiers and the boys acted out the various stages until the rumours spread that William of Normandy had been killed. At that
moment, William took off his helmet and gave a passionate speech to his troops, declaring that they must fight on and follow his ‘retreat’ tactics. Thankfully for the Normans, the English fell for William’s clever plan and soon King Harold was isolated, struck by an arrow, and left on the battlefield. William claimed the crown and the English throne. This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for all the Year 4 boys and really helped them visualise the battle scene.
Year 3 Stories: A First Week at School During September, we caught up with three of our Year 3 boys to follow them as they experienced their first week of school. Jayme talked about choir and art, Kaylum discussed the range of board games at Thinking Skills Club, whilst Paul spoke to us about knock ons in rugby and playground football. To learn more about a day in the life of a Habs boy, please visit the following link to hear about their experiences: https://bit.ly/2RqZKJL.
Prep and Pre-Prep Values in sport In sport this term, both in PE and Games, the School has been working on instilling the values of Teamwork, Respect, Creativity, Courage and Leadership in the boys. It been a busy term with a lot of rugby matches and there have been great examples of the boys demonstrating the values in their competitive fixtures. The School would like to thank all parents who have come along and supported the boys in their fixtures. We will be awarding colours as normal to the Year 6s; however we will also be handing out value badges to any boy in the School who merits one. These badges can be sown onto the boys’ Games tops.
Teamwork Year 4 Rugby Festival
Leadership Year 3 v UCS
Prep and Pre-Prep
Courage Year 4 Rugby Festival
Creativity Year 4 v St John’s Northwood
Enjoyment
Respect
Year 5 v St Benedict’s Benedicts
Year 6 Dublin Tour
The Habs Community Oxford and Cambridge select Old Haberdashers for Varsity match Two Old Haberdashers who were coached and mentored by the School’s PE and Games department were selected for their respective squads for the Varsity match at Twickenham, which took place on Thursday 6 December.
A foot in both camps Sam Schusman (OH 2014), who was in Calverts during his time at Habs, was the reserve Hooker for Cambridge. Joshua Navarajasegaran (OH 2015 and staff 2015-16), who was in Hendersons, was named reserve Hooker for Oxford, before unfortunately picking up an injury and having to withdraw from the squad. He was on the touchline at Twickenham with his teammates. When asked in an interview with the University of Oxford about how he got into the sport, Joshua said:
“I wanted to try a different sport, and fell in love with rugby - especially the physicality. Also, I had two great coaches throughout my years at school, Mr McIntosh and Mr Metcalfe.”
Both Sam and Joshua are studying medicine at their universities and are hoping to become NHS doctors. That they can balance their academic studies with playing rugby to such a high level is a testament to themselves and the skills of organisation that they learned at Habs. They are also two very humble and amiable young men. Congratulations to Sam, Joshua and the PE and Games staff at Habs on this achievement, and also to both teams. The final score at Twickenham was Oxford 38-16 Cambridge.
Class of 2018 reunion and certificate collection Thursday 13 December saw the Class of 2018 return to the School for the first time as Old Boys. The evening provided them with the chance to collect their A Level certificates and to catch up with friends and teachers. With many having completed their first term at university, conversations were filled with stories of their first few months of life ‘post Habs’. All had a wonderful time and, as the evening came to a close, promises were made to stay in touch with each other, as well as the School. We look forward to many such occasions in years to come.
The Habs Community Habs Remembers: CCF Annual Act of Remembrance and Parade 2018 On Friday 9 November 2018, the CCF at Habs held its Annual Act of Remembrance and Parade on the Aldenham House croquet lawn, attended by Old Boys, former and current staff, parents and current pupils. At 11am, before the parade took place, the School observed a two-minute silence. This year, we especially commemorated the Centenary of the end of the Great War (1914 - 1918). We remember those Old Haberdashers’ and staff who gave their lives in service of their country. Prior to the parade, we were delighted to welcome Old Boys to the Old Refectory for hot drinks and cakes to warm them against the brisk autumn wind. They then headed out to the croquet lawn, where the current CCF boys stood to attention, awaiting the arrival of the CCF Contingent Commander Lt Col Woodall and Reverend Brandon to begin the service. Before to the sounding of The Last Post, boys from the Navy, Army and RAF contingents read the names of Old Haberdashers who had died in the service of their country. A respectful hush fell across the parade ground for a moment of silence, with the Old Boys and members of the School community standing to attention in unity with the CCF. Wreaths were laid at the School War Memorial by Headmaster, Mr Gus Lock, and Mr Colin Blessley, President of the Old Haberdashers’ Association. Following the service, staff and pupils from the CCF joined the Old Boys and members of the School community in the Old Refectory for afternoon tea. It was excellent to see the current CCF boys engaging with CCF members from the past.
Former Staff Reunion On a dreary cold evening at the end of term (Friday 7 December), as the thoughts of our boys trudging to the coach park naturally moved to their weekend activities, Haberdashers came alive with the visit of 75 former teachers and their spouses for a unique reunion stretching across over 50 years of Habs education. Some of those assembled, who had come from as far away as Cornwall and Scotland, had not been in touch for over 30 years and the excitement was palpable as the Headmaster, Mr Gus Lock, welcomed all to the event. Gathering initially for refreshments in Aldenham House’s Old Refectory, tours of the School were then provided by our Year 11 and Year 12 guides (who were equally excited to meet some of the School’s legendary staff, as a number of them had taught their own fathers). All were then able to enjoy this year’s Senior School Play in the Bourne Hall, Richard Weinman’s excellent version of ‘A Christmas Carol’. After the stunning performance, former and current staff were able to mingle and meet the play’s cast in the Aske Hall and reflect on a very memorable evening.
Stay connected to Habs
www.habsboys.org.uk /habsboys @habsboys
J Suchak and T Lunn - July 2018
Routine Reminders School closure dates The School will be closed over the Christmas and New Year period. There will be NO access to the School and there will be minimal caretaking staff. The dates for the closure are from 16:00 on Wednesday 19 December 2018 to 06:00 on Wednesday 2 January 2019.
Arrangements for the start of spring term 2019 The spring term starts on Monday 7 January 2019 for all boys in the Senior School, Prep School and Pre-Prep School. Our 13+ Entrance Examinations and our 7+ Entrance Tests take place on Thursday 3 January 2019 and 11+ Entrance Examinations take place on Friday 4 January 2019. Only boys taking or helping with the examinations are needed in school on those days.
Parent traffic arrangements – Wednesday 9 January 2019 For your information, the Girls’ School examination day takes place on Wednesday 9 January 2019. Boys’ School parents should be aware there will be increased traffic on this day so please do allow extra time for journeys.
Term dates You will find term dates on our website: www.habsboys.org.uk Please note there will be NO SCHOOL FOR THE PREP and PRE-PREP on Monday 14 January 2019 due to 7+ Entrance Interviews. There is also a Staff Development day on Monday 25 February 2019, so there will be NO SCHOOL for any pupil that day.
Parents’ consultation evenings The usual programme of consultation evenings will take place throughout the spring term. For reference, the dates and times are as follows: Year Year Year Year
7 9 10 11
Wednesday 27 February 2019 Thursday 31 January 2019 Tuesday 12 March 2019 Tuesday 22 January 2019
17:45 17:45 17:45 17:45
– – – –
20:30 20:30 20:30 20:30
Boys in Year 7 do not accompany their parents. Boys in Years 9, 10 and 11 are expected to be present in school uniform.
Routine Reminders School Shop The School Shop will close from Thursday 13 December 2018 at 16:00 until Monday 7 January 2019 at 08:30. The School Shop website is available during term time only, enabling parents to buy online and choose delivery or collection of the item. The Shop website is easily accessible through a link on the School website: https://www.habsboys.org.uk/Main-School-School-Shop If you intend to visit the School Shop during the working day (08:30-11:50 and 12:35-16:00) please sign in at the Aldenham House reception to collect a visitor’s badge, and enable the Receptionist to ring ahead and alert the Shop of your visit. If possible, please arrange a time to visit the School Shop (Tel: 0208 266 1710) in advance so that your journey is not wasted if the item you require is not in stock. The uniform list is available online. Attention should be paid to the colour of boys’ trousers – charcoal and to the fact that school shoes should not bear any branding and should be business-like.
E-safety The Parent Portal has advice on e-safety for parents and helping to prepare children for a digital future. Please familiarise yourself with this. Please monitor your son’s screen time (especially use late at night) and his use of social media. WhatsApp’s minimum age of use is 16 years old if you live in the European Union, or a country that has adopted the GDPR, as the UK has. He should also not be using Facebook below the age of 13.
Parent car parking – Boys’ School Pupils may arrive from 07:30 but, at that time, they will need to go to the Bates where they have the option to purchase breakfast. There will be no pupil supervision prior to 08:00 other than in the Bates Dining Room. The one-way circuit will continue in operation from the start of the spring term and parents are asked to drop their boys off in the designated area. To speed up this process the boys should have all their school bags with them when they alight from the vehicle; they then swiftly move to the pedestrian walkway allowing the parent to drive off with the minimum of delay. Please avoid the need for parents/boys to collect items from the boot. Parents with children at both schools may use either schools’ car park, but please note that if the Girls’ School car park is full you will be directed to park at the Boys’ School. When dropping off at the Girls’ School, vehicles must enter the car park and not park on the pavement (completely blocking the pedestrian path) on the other side of the road as this causes a safety hazard. We also do not want any children trying to cross Aldenham Road at this point as crossing this road is dangerous, it is a national speed limit and it is close to a bend. We have no jurisdiction over the public highway but have shared our concerns with the local authorities. Parents who wish to park on campus to support a sporting event or pick up a boy from after school activities should arrive at the main school entrance (Butterfly Lane) before 17:30. On arrival, they will be directed to park in the North Drive Car Park (first right turn after driving through the barrier). If parents arrive after 17:30, they will find the main school barrier down and the security post unmanned. In this instance, parents must park at the Girls’ School car park and walk through the link gate to the Boys’ School, or park on the Coach Park (after 18:00). The North Drive Car Park is the designated location for all parent parking unless you are visiting Aldenham House, the Medical Centre or School Shop. Parents are kindly asked not to proceed up the North Drive and attempt to park in either the Modern Languages Car Park or in the area of the Prep School. This is to ensure we minimise vehicle movement around campus, especially when there is increased pedestrian movement at
Routine Reminders the end of the school day. Please also use the footpath on the left-hand side of the North Drive and alongside the Modern Languages block when transiting on foot from the North Drive Car Park to the Prep School, thereby avoiding the main road bridge and the oncoming traffic. Please do not attempt to ‘jump’ the barrier after a car has driven through at the Butterfly Lane entrance to gain access to the School. Not only is it dangerous, but it also restricts the manoeuvring area for the exiting car. Please also note that as there is no sensor on the barrier it will continue to close. On several occasions this has resulted in expensive repair costs for the School and damage to the vehicle attempting to gain access this way. This area is now covered by CCTV.
Dogs on campus Parents attending sports fixtures, clubs and other outside events are kindly asked to note that dogs are NOT permitted on campus under any circumstances. This is an important health and safety measure to protect the playing fields and campus from any soiling. The ONLY exception is dogs belonging to on-site residents and Guide Dogs. Your co-operation in this matter is appreciated.
No smoking Parents and visitors are kindly reminded that the School is designated as a No Smoking or Vaping area.
ParentPay lunch system Parents are reminded to top up their sons’ lunch accounts by adding appropriate funds online at ParentPay. com.
Nut Policy The School’s main catering contractor, Chartwells, and the School Shop do not use any products which contain nuts or nut by-products. However, parents should note that current labelling regulations do not allow us to declare a ‘nut free’ status. Therefore, the policy is one that avoids the use of and sale of nut products as far as we are reasonably able to do so. This policy is widely accepted across the education sector and our suppliers are informed of it. In addition, Chartwells make every effort to keep up to date with new products and changes in products to ensure that, to the best of their knowledge, they adhere to this policy. The management of children with food allergies and intolerances within school is a shared responsibility between the School, medical practitioners, parents and boys. All staff, boys and parents are reminded that a number of boys suffer very severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions to nuts or nut-based products (e.g. peanut butter). Pupils must not bring nuts or any nut-based products to school, nor should they have them on the coach. This policy is consistent between the Boys’ School and the Girls’ School. If your son is uncertain about the ingredients of a particular dish which he may need to avoid because of a food intolerance, he should ask a member of the catering staff.
Routine Reminders Medical Centre The Medical Centre is staffed by two fully-qualified and experienced nurses, Gillian McGrath (RGN) and Martina McGrath (RGN), who are employed primarily to deal with the unexpected onset of illness or injury, to dispense over-the-counter medications, to organise health checks and to assist any boys who may have chronic conditions that have been notified to the School.
Medical information held on the Parent Portal As you are aware, the medical information and consent for medication is now completed by you on the Parent Portal. Please ensure this is up to date and, if you need to make any changes, you can do this via the Parent Portal. If you wish to discuss the changes, contact the nurses directly in the Medical Centre, especially if it is a new illness or condition.
Dispensing prescription medication If your son requires any prescription medicine to be taken at school, please fill in the consent form on the parent portal and print or email it to us; schoolnurse@habsboys.org.uk. Either you or your son should bring the form to the Medical Centre, along with the medication to be dispensed in its original labelled bottle. It is your son’s responsibility to attend the Medical Centre to be given the medication.
Collecting an unwell boy A reminder that if your son is unwell and wishes to go home, he must attend the Medical Centre, where either he or one of the nurses will phone you. The nurses will then inform your son’s Form Tutor, Housemaster and Head of Section, thereby ensuring that the relevant personnel are aware that your son is no longer in school.
Diarrhoea and vomiting Owing to the contagious nature of the above, we request that you wait at least 48 hours after the last episode of sickness or diarrhoea before returning your son to school, as advised by the NHS Choices website.
Asthma If your son is asthmatic, please ensure he has his inhaler at all times in school.
Epipen If your son has been prescribed an epipen, please ensure he has all the required medication in school with him and that it is in date.
Reporting pupil absence due to illness If your child is unable to attend school because of illness, you do need to let us know on each day of the absence. This can be done by sending an email to absences@habsboys.org.uk before 08:45.
Routine Reminders Absences Leave of absence All boys must attend school and all timetabled activities punctually and regularly. Except in the event of illness, no boy may be absent from school without permission previously obtained from the Head of Section/ Tutor, who will then inform absences@habsboys.org.uk. There is no right of leave of absence for parental holidays in term time. In exceptional circumstances, the Headmaster is prepared to consider a request made to him in writing (this can be done via e-mail to hm@ habsboys.org.uk) before any commitment or booking is made. In the event of parents being away from home, parents must inform the School who is looking after their son during their absence. The School must have contact details in case of emergency and in order to fulfil our responsibility in knowing that pupils are being looked after.
Barmitzvah As per the letter on the portal, you are respectfully requested to contact the School in plenty of time if you are planning a Barmitzvah. Please let us know if your guests will include significant numbers to be withdrawn from sporting fixtures scheduled for a Saturday. The expectation is that boys do not miss any school time during the period around their Barmitzvah, so we expect to see the boys in school on the Friday preceding and the Monday afterwards, unless under exceptional circumstances where written permission should be sought from the Headmaster (hm@habsboys.org.uk).
PE and Games Pre-season training for hockey squads Thursday 3 January 2019 (Open to all) 09.30-11.30 – U12s and U13s 11.30-13.30 – U14s and U15s 14.00-16.00 – Seniors Saturday 5 January 2019 09.30-11.30 – U12s and U13s – Open to all 11.30-13.30 – U14s and U15s – Open to all 14.00 – 1st XI vs Old Boys – Selected players 14.00 – 2nd XI vs Old Boys – Selected players
Cancellation procedure for sports fixtures on Saturdays If there is any doubt on the day, parents/boys should phone the PE Office number – 020 8266 1740. If games are cancelled, a message will be passed through the captain of each team and forwarded to the rest of the squad. Where possible, a message will also appear on the School website and on the PE Twitter account @HabsPE.
Routine Reminders Transport notices for spring 2019 Coach e-tickets Please ensure your children have either an electronic or paper copy of their e-ticket. We will print when an ad hoc passenger does not have access to an email copy. We will resend e-tickets at the end of term detailing your current arrangements. Please check these and advise the Transport Office if changes are required. It should be noted that we cannot guarantee a place on a new route mid-term as a number of our coaches are currently at capacity.
Timetable and stop locations We are pleased to advise that you can now access on the Parent Portal the link to a postcode search of all our stops and the timetable. This information can be found under the School Links section; simply click on the Coach Service link.
Arrangements for bad weather conditions May we remind you that all children using the coach service must have a phone. In the event of bad weather, the Schools will remain open whenever possible and parents are asked to make every endeavour to get their children to school each day. This includes the Pre-Prep School. Coach drivers are urged to make every effort to reach the Schools, trying alternative routes where necessary. However, if the Schools have to close, parents should be aware of the following:
School closure announcements Messages will be placed on the Schools’ websites as soon as a decision to close is taken. Please check the website regularly in the event of bad weather. The default setting unless shown otherwise on the School website is that the School is open.
Coach stop protocol: outward If the coach is late, one of the passengers at the stop should contact the coach operator (telephone number on e-ticket) to establish the whereabouts of the coach and confirm what alternative arrangements are in place. If the coach service is not running, parents will need to make arrangements for looking after their children.
Coach stop protocol: return Parents are requested to advise their children of a number to call and the means to make the call if the coach drivers cannot reach the school and must return passengers to their coach stop.
General Advice Pupils should wear sensible boots and plenty of warm clothes. Please do not let your son or daughter set out inadequately or unsuitably clad. They should have a spare pair of socks and shoes in school during a period of bad weather.
Routine Reminders Examinations Examination timetables The provisional summer 2019 GCSE and GCE examination timetables can be found on the Parent Portal and on Habsnet. The final version will appear in the New Year. It is likely that many students will have clashes, where individuals are timetabled to sit two (or possibly more) exams at the same time. Thus, several exams are likely to be moved by a few hours or maybe even to the next day. We will notify students when timetables have been finalised.
Re-sit examinations in summer 2019 Students in the Upper Sixth may re-sit GCE Advanced Supplementary subjects in summer 2019. The application form can be found on the Parent Portal and also on Habsnet. The closing date for such applications was Friday 7th December 2018. Please ask your son to see Mrs Thakar, Head of Examinations, in the first week of the Spring Term if he wishes to take a re-sit and has missed this deadline. All re-sits must be agreed in advance by the Head of the Department concerned.
UCIs All students from Year 7 upwards already have a Unique Candidate Identifier (UCI) number. It is important that this number is used in all examinations taken throughout your son’s secondary education, whether at Habs or elsewhere. Having two UCIs can cause problems with university entry or in the checking procedures adopted by some professions. Should you need to know this UCI number, perhaps because your son is sitting an examination outside School, please contact the Examinations Office: exams@habsboys.org.uk.
Extra subjects Achieving high grades in GCSE exams is much more important than the number of subjects taken. If you are thinking about increasing the number of GCSEs with additional subjects, we strongly urge you to seek advice from your son’s Tutor. We can offer students from Year 10 upwards the opportunity to sit additional examinations on campus. It would certainly be less disruptive to your son’s studies to sit such examinations here. Furthermore, it may be less stressful to do this in familiar surroundings, as opposed to visiting a different location. We can only offer private language examinations in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian and Arabic, or if the examination does not have a speaking component. There is a charge for this service; the application form can be downloaded from the Parent Portal and also HabsNet. The closing date for such applications was Friday 7 December 2018. Please ask your son to see Mrs Thakar, Head of Examinations, in the first week of the spring term if he wishes to take an extra subject and has missed this deadline.
Access arrangements The Awarding Bodies allow special arrangements in examinations for candidates who have a long term disability or disadvantage. We expect parents to inform us of any pre-existing physical (e.g. colour blindness), medical or learning difficulties, and to provide appropriate evidence in support of applications for access arrangements. In particular, there must be evidence over many months showing a history of the provision of
Routine Reminders appropriate help. Requests in the last few months before the GCSEs and GCEs are unlikely to be permitted by the Awarding Bodies.
Illness during the examination season Special Consideration is a post-examination adjustment to a candidate’s mark or grade to reflect temporary illness, temporary injury or other indisposition at the time of the assessment, which has had or is reasonably likely to have had a material effect on a candidate’s ability to take an assessment or demonstrate his level of attainment in an assessment. If your son is, or becomes, unwell during the examination season, the School will need medical evidence which is held on file for inspection by the Awarding Bodies. It is important to have a medical report in school quickly. If you are unable to see your own doctor, your son should visit the Medical Centre. All enquiries regarding Special Consideration should be sent to the Examinations Office: exams@habsboys.org.uk.
Public examinations sat by our students at another examination centre We are always delighted to hear of the success of one of our students, who has achieved a GCE or GCSE pass at an external Examination Centre (although we do hope that he was entered employing the same unique candidate identifier (UCI) number as the one used here at Habs). To have any such results entered in our school records, we will need to have sight of the original GCE/GCSE certificate. Please ask your son to bring this certificate, ideally with the Statement of Results, and give it to the Examinations Department. Once we have identified the specification and made a certified copy, the paperwork will be returned.
Work experience The work experience programme began with a Careers Information Evening for Year 11 pupils and parents, during which we heard from a valued work experience provider about how to make the most of a work experience placement. This was followed up by an assembly for Year 11s in which three Lower Sixth students spoke informatively about their own placements. Year 11s have also had guidance on writing a CV and covering letter, including lunchtime CV workshops, and are now busy looking for work experience placements. If your son has already arranged his work experience, please remind him to log this on the new Work Experience portal – details of this are in his Work Experience handbook. Please also remind your son to keep an eye on both his school email and the Careers pages on HabsNet for work experience opportunities. The continuing success of the work experience scheme relies upon the goodwill and support of parents and friends of the School. We are keen to hear from any parent who may be able to offer a placement either to one of our Year 11 pupils or to a Sixth Former (during the school holidays). Please email howe_s@habsboys.org.uk if you think you may be able to help.
Year 11: employability day For the first time next year, we will be holding an Employability Day for Year 11 students. This will take place on Friday 28 June, and we hope that the day will help boys to start thinking about how they can apply their skills and qualities to the workplace. The event will involve mock interviews, as well as sessions on topics such as expectations in the workplace and presentation skills. We would be delighted to hear from any parents who would be interested in helping out with this event.
Routine Reminders Year 11: higher education evening All Year 11 pupils and their parents are invited to our Higher Education Evening on Tuesday 5 February 2019, starting at 18:30 for 19:00 in the Bourne Hall. Please put this date in your diary. We will be covering AS and A Level course choice, preparation for UK and US universities and apprenticeships.
Year 12: careers breakfasts Our series of Careers Networking Breakfasts for the Lower Sixth got started on 27 November with Media & Creative Industries. These events are being organised in partnership with the Girls’ School, and we hope will be an extremely valuable experience for the students. A further four breakfast sessions will be taking place next term, covering Finance, Law, STEM and Medicine & Dentistry.
Lower Sixth: higher education advice Following our November Higher Education Evening, Lower Sixth pupils have been following a Higher Education Induction Programme with their Tutor using The University Handbook. More detailed advice and guidance concerning the preparation of the application is given to the pupils in June at our UCAS Conference when we run personal statement workshops, a presentation skills seminar and subject specific mock interviews. Parents and Lower Sixth pupils will also be invited to the second of our Higher Education Evenings in June to meet admissions tutors. Information concerning higher education opportunities, degree apprenticeships, careers experience courses and work experience is routinely emailed directly to the pupils’ school email addresses. It is also published in a regular Bulletin, emailed to the pupils, and is accessible to the pupils via Habsnet and parents via the Parent Portal. Pupils are expected to consult these sources frequently. Note that this information is received by the Careers office and advertised with no endorsement of the products. It is also not comprehensive; pupils must do their own research into their own interests.
Lower Sixth: university open days University Open Days for 2020 Entry may be scheduled from as early as February 2019, though the great majority take place in the Summer Term 2019. Pupils in the Lower Sixth may attend up to two Open Days in the Spring Term and four in the Summer Term, for which a special exeat is issued, available from their Form Tutor. Pupils are expected to do their utmost to minimise disruption to their studies. It is the pupil’s responsibility to catch up on all work missed. Pupils and parents should note that most universities have more than one Open Day, at least one of which will be held during school holidays, and a number of universities will conduct guided tours by appointment. Lower Sixth pupils requesting permission to attend an additional Open Day requiring absence from school must do so in writing to the Head of Sixth Form. Pupils and parents should consult the UCAS site and the university websites for updates on Open Days.
Lower Sixth essay competitions and taster days Information regarding essay competitions can be found on university websites. Similarly, taster days/ masterclasses etc can be accessed through the university sites.
Routine Reminders Lower Sixth: admissions tests 2019 for 2020 entry Lower Sixth students need to be aware of any university admissions tests they will have to sit. Some Imperial and UCL courses, among others, most Oxford and some Cambridge courses and certainly Medicine, Dentistry and VetSci courses require applicants to sit an admissions test in autumn 2019. Parents might like to be aware of this regarding their son’s future planning. Pupils are advised to consult the Cambridge Assessment website: www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk or the website of the university department of their chosen course for further details. Medics, Dentists and Vets should access information concerning the bmat: http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/for-test-takers/bmat/about-bmat/ and ukcat: www.ukcat.ac.uk/ https://www.studential.com/university/applying/UK-university-admissions-tests is a useful site for details of the majority of admissions tests used by the universities. Note that for Cambridge some courses run tests at interview. Pupils must do the necessary research.
Upper Sixth: applications for higher education student support Applications for higher education student support are made online using the website: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/index. htm Further guidance on financial support will be issued to parents at the appropriate time next term. Pupils apply for student support in the spring of the year in which they take up their university studies. Those applying for deferred entry will not be able to apply for student support in 2019, but should do so during their gap year.
Staff News Leavers: Vaughan Connolly, re-joined Habs in 2015, as part-time director of digital development, having previously been head of ICT from 2002 to 2006. In this time he has taught ICT and computing, and assisted in numerous digital projects such as our adoption of Office 365, 2 pupil surveys and the implementation of a new parent portal. Whilst at Habs Vaughan has been a keen advocate of the exciting and innovative possibilities offered by technology, and we have been grateful for his insights on what this means for the future and how we prepare for this. Ever an advocate for life-long learning, Vaughan was recently awarded a prestigious ESRC studentship at University of Cambridge, and although he now leaves us to devote more time to his research, using ‘big data’ to solve educational policy challenges, we hope to see him back at Habs from time to time. Lisa Dobbs, Receptionist (AM) leaves us after 8 years where she has been a much-valued member of the School Office team. Always bright and cheerful, it seems nothing is too much trouble and she is always ready to lend a hand. We thank her for all that she has contributed and wish her well in her new role as Attendance Officer at Bushey Academy. Thomas Fyfe, Teacher of Physics, leaves us to join Wycombe Abbey International School, Shanghai, as Teacher of Physics/Housemaster. Tom joined Habs in September 2016 and as well as his excellent teaching of Physics he has been a Henderson form tutor to Years 11-13 and contributed generously of his time to CCF Army Section and the School Cricket Club.
Routine Reminders Richard Hamzat, Estates Manager, leaves us after nearly 8½ years. Richard joined the School straight after retiring from the Army and has overseen numerous projects across the site including the demolition of the old pool, creation of the Medburn Centre and the extension to the Prep School. He has also been fully involved in school life and refereed a number of football games – he may even have sent the odd teacher off the pitch! The School wishes Richard the very best in his next venture. Patrick Milton, Head of Academic Support, leaves us to take up a position as Head of Learning Support at UCS. Patrick joined us 5 years ago, and in that time has supported all our pupils to become more confident learners. His lessons in Theology and Philosophy and Learning to Learn have been inspirational as has been his immense commitment to Outdoor Leadership. We will miss his warm, intelligent guidance and calm, wise approach to learning and to life. We wish him all the best in his new school. Tania Phipps, PA to the Bursar leaves us after 9 years to become EA to the Head of Heath Mount School. We thank Tania for her dedication, professionalism and commitment to a post which has seen many changes since she was first appointed back in 2009. She has carried out a multitude of tasks assisting not only the Bursar and staff, but also parents and pupils alike. She will be greatly missed and we wish her every success and happiness for the future. Rachael Titley, HR Manager, leaves us after 11 years to become HR Manager at Norwich School. Rachael is exceptionally dedicated and professional in all she does. Her wisdom, integrity and humility, together with her fantastic sense of humour have made her a wonderful colleague and an outstanding assistant form tutor. We are enormously grateful for everything Rachael has done during her time at Habs, she will be sorely missed and we wish her every success in her new position. Mark Woodlock, Deputy Estates Manager, leaves us after just over 3 years. Mark started in the School as the Sports Centre Manager and through his extensive sport and leisure background was central to setting it up as a safe working environment and gaining interest from external organisations to use the facilities. More recently he moved into a new role as the Deputy Estates Manager, leading on a number of facilities projects whilst also developing the sports facilities. The School wishes Mark the very best for his future employment.
Appointments: Sam Coleman, Teacher of Biology and Geography (with games) (Maternity cover). Nikki Danzig, Payroll Manager. Carmen Willows, Teacher of Mathematics joins in January 2019, from Aldwickbury School.
Internal appointments: Zoe Brownsell, Bursary Assistant Dave Ewart, Assistant Bursar Mark Gainey, Premises Manager Henry Gauntlett, Teacher of Biology Nicholas Geering, Teacher of MFL Alina Ghioc, HR Officer Hannah Lester, Office Administrator Caroline Pluck, PA to the Bursar (HASG)
Compliance Assistance (Both Schools) Head of Safety and Compliance (Both Schools) Head of Estates (Both Schools) Acting Housemaster (Hendersons) Acting Deputy Housemaster (Hendersons) HR Partner Cover Invigilator (HASG) PA to the Director of Finance and Operations (Both Schools)
Stay connected to Habs
www.habsboys.org.uk /habsboys @habsboys
J Suchak and T Lunn - December 2018