Spring 2018
Featured in this issue...
Aske Project Award Assembly
Dragons’ Den 2018
Gala Concert at Barbican Hall Apache helicopter lands at Habs
Old Boys Matt Lucas and Ashley Blaker perform in Bourne Hall
Routine Reminders
The Headmaster’s Dear Parents,
End of Term Letter
We have enjoyed another fulfilling Spring Term with plenty of vivid memories and inspiring achievements along the way. We continue to focus on the quality of teaching and learning in lessons, on rigorous tracking, and on outstanding pastoral care and co-curricular provision as your sons journey towards greater academic understanding and social, emotional and physical maturity.
The Spring Term is as ever dominated by the annual Admissions round. At all levels of entry to the School we have enjoyed unprecedented levels of interest. The future is indeed bright and we have again recruited very many outstanding boys from a wide variety of schools and backgrounds who will be joining the Habs community in September 2018.
Academic outcomes matter to us; GCSE and A levels open the doors to the very best of universities at home and abroad. You will be pleased to hear that the current Upper Sixth have achieved 30 places at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, in addition to a host of offers at the best of highly competitive selective UK institutions.
I must again record sincere thanks to the friends and supporters of The HABS Foundation. We are all deeply grateful to those who, by their time, contacts or kind philanthropy, enhance immeasurably all we do here. I know that the Director of the Foundation, Roger Llewellyn (OH 1983) llewellyn_r@habsboys.org.uk would be only too happy to talk to you should you have any ideas that might improve further the experiences of our boys.
Every term brings its own highlights. I have many fond memories since January but shall pick out just a few things that have struck me personally: our ongoing and enthusiastic charity work; the kaleidoscope of trips and visits open our boys; the enjoyment and success evident in our sports programme and our co-curricular activities; our outstanding 10th Model United Nations (HABSMUN) Conference; a brilliant Middle School Dragons’ Den competition; the wide range of assemblies and visiting speakers; all our activities in the theatre; our various musical concerts and particularly another very fine visit to the Barbican; and finally the very warm reunions with the large number of alumni returning to visit the School. All of this and more is captured in detail on the School’s website and in this issue of Skylight, which I am sure you will enjoy reading. As far as the Boys’ School campus is concerned, things proceed apace. One example: as it nears completion we can already see that the Prep School extension and refurbishment project (Project Filius) is making a real impact on the life of the School and the boys’ learning experience.
I close by wishing those departing on school trips a fabulous time and by hoping that you all enjoy a most peaceful Easter break. With warmest good wishes,
Mr Peter Hamilton Headmaster
Awards and Achievements Aske Project Award Assembly On Wednesday 24 January, we were delighted to celebrate the considerable academic endeavour and achievements of our Aske Project prize winners at a special assembly in the Bourne Hall. With academic enquiry that readily reaches undergraduate standard, our prize-winning students had explored questions such as bacterial resistance, zero marginal costs and new economic modelling, Formula E, the early life of Martin Luther, the role of natural killer cells and the extent to which religion could be considered to be complementary to scientific understanding. The Aske Project requires that students independently research a question of their own choosing over a period of six months. As the titles alone demonstrate, our students reach further than any A level syllabus. All our Lower Sixth undertake an Aske Project and, with the guidance of an adviser, students present work that makes logical and judicious use of a wide range of sources. Projects are assessed and those that are awarded a distinction are sent to a panel of external markers, who select the best in category. Students are also offered a viva examination with an external subject expert: these are more challenging than many university interviews! We are very proud of our students both for their commitment to academic enquiry and for the stunning results that their hard work achieves. Many congratulations to them all.
Aske Project Prize Winners 2018 First Prize: Jonathan Stelzer Science and Religion: Competitors or Companions? Second Prize: Jeffrey Tooze The role of natural killer cells in the apoptosis of cancerous cells and its potential use in immunotherapy Tietz Stem Prize: Physics: Naresh Rasakulasuriar Does Formula E need more downforce? The electrifying battle between speed and grip Tietz Stem Prize: Biology: Luca Ignatius The Importance of MicroRNAs in Heart Failure Tietz Stem Prize: Medicine: Ritik Patel Bacterial resistance to colistin: our last line of defence. What next? Humanities Prize: Law and Politics: Abbas Kermalli The Funding of Dentistry in the National Health Service Humanities Prize: Economics and Geography: Shyam Radia Zero marginal costs and the changing behaviour of economic agents: the threat to modern-day capitalism Humanities Prize: English and History: Joshua Baumring-Gledhill To what extent did Martin Luther’s early life contribute to his theological breakthrough? Humanities Prize: Sport and Society: James Davis What are the key factors affecting retention in track and field athletics among females aged 16-19 and what are the potential solutions?
Awards and Achievements MFL Success in: French Debating, German Debating and French Drama Festivals The MFL Department has enjoyed a string of outstanding successes in a range of debating and drama competitions. Firstly, Gidi Katz and Joey Gardner-White won the North London French debating competition at North London Collegiate School. They debated entirely in French on motions which covered topics that were far beyond the confines of the French A level course. They will now compete in the grand final at the Institut Français.
Secondly, Gidi Katz, Josh Baumring-Gledhill, Joe Ward and Alexander Morzeria-Davis won Best Play (the most prestigious award) at the French Drama Festival at King Alfred School. They blew the audience and judges away with a hilarious scene from the play Ma Femme s’appelle Maurice.
Finally, our U6 German debating team, Ben Morris, Joey Gardner-White, Franco Tang and Josef Wheeler, put in a strong performance in the semi-final of the national German debating contest held at the Goethe-Institut and came out victorious. They will now go on to the final, which will be held just before we break up for the Easter break, at the British Council, London.
Habs regains Schools Cup On Saturday 10 March, Habs sent four bridge teams to the Schools Cup in Loughborough. Habs’ winning run of seven years was ended last year by Westminster and our A team (Jack, Kavinthan, Senthur and Ben) were keen to regain the trophy. After comfortably negotiating the qualifier, we played Reading School in the semi-finals. A narrow win put us into the final against Westminster. In a tense final, we led most of the way, but fell behind for the first time with just one hand to go. However, we won the last hand to win the match and the Schools Cup. Jack becomes the first person in the history of the competition to be part of four winning teams.
Winner of Cambridge Religion on Film Competition and ISRSA Essay Competition Boys studying Theology and Philosophy at Habs have recently won a string of competitions. Danial Sayani’s film - ‘Religious Objects - do they matter to everyday people?’ - has been judged to be the winning entry in the Y9-11 category of the Cambridge Religion on Film Competition. Danial’s film was felt by the judges to be mature, well-researched and attractively put together, raising thoughtprovoking questions about an important topic. Three of our students have had success with a national essay competition run by the ISRSA (Independent Schools Religious Studies Association). Students submitted responses to the question ‘How can religious understanding bring about peace?’. Congratulations to Brandon Young, Eli Tapnack and Akshi Jumar, who will each receive a financial prize and have been commended for writing ‘passionate, well researched and articulate essays’.
Events Dragons’ Den 2018 On Wednesday 7 March, for the second time, the School hosted their very own Dragons’ Den grand final, as part of National Careers Week. Students were encouraged to explore their entrepreneurial instincts and submit business ideas to pitch to specially invited panels of Dragons. After a number of rounds earlier in the term, four teams were shortlisted and called back to pitch once more to a starstudded panel of judges, comprising former TV Dragon Piers Linney, Non-Executive Director at British Business Bank; new TV Dragon Jenny Campbell, Founder of YourCash Europe; and an Old Boy of the School Magnus Djaba, Global President, Saatchi & Saatchi and CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi UK.
Piers and Magnus returned to Habs after the 2016 final with TV presenter Sonali Shah. Sonali introduced and chaired the occasion, expertly keeping proceedings to time. After four excellent pitches, CryptoCorp were crowned winners for their pitch for an unhackable cloud-based data storage space. Congratulations to CryptoCorp and well done also to all of those who participated throughout the competition.
Team CryptoCorp’s Manav Ponnekanti, Year 10, said: “Two years ago my computer was compromised in a Ransomware attack and it astonished me that multinational businesses can still be so easily hacked today. I saw a gap in the market and was delighted to pitch to such high-profile people. I’m incredibly happy to win and would like to thank Habs for opening doors and allowing me to network and make contact with successful people.”
Manav’s business partner, Team CryptoCorp’s Daniel Rivlin, Year 10, added: “I’m absolutely exhilarated to win. I feel that winning this competition has repaid the hours of research and preparation put in towards the idea and pitch. I’m very proud.” After the event all the competitors were lucky enough to be able not only to network with the judges, but also receive one-to-one informal feedback and take some photos with them. Piers Linney said: “I wanted to return to Habs to support the next generation of entrepreneurs and was once again very impressed with the quality of presentation and research into market opportunities for each product, as well as the ability of the students to answer questions under pressure. Each team showed a great understanding of business, entrepreneurship and the impact of new technologies.” Of the School, Piers added: “From my last experience of Habs Boys and from today, I can see it’s a wonderful place
Events with amazing facilities. Old Habs Boys I know speak very highly of the School and often talk about how it’s been key to their success.”
Magnus Djaba said: “It’s always great to come back to the School and nice to be invited back to be a judge for the second time. Being an ‘Old Boy’ naturally I expected a lot, yet they surprised me and surpassed my high expectations. The confidence and maturity of the boys impressed me – they listened to the questions and the feedback from all of the ‘dragons’. They did brilliantly and even at the age of 15, seem ready for graduate jobs well ahead of their time.” Jenny Campbell said: “As an ambassador for Young Enterprise, I’m very passionate about supporting young people to be successful as individuals, particularly in business. The competition is a great idea and all the teams did very well. I thought all the boys were confident and credible. As I drove into the School, it felt like a place with energy and passion. The students are motivated to achieve and this ties in with my strapline of ‘be the best you can be’ – this already exists at the School.
The competition was the vision of Khilan Dodhia, an Old Boy and Partner at Encore Capital. Khilan explained the reason why he wanted to help organise the event for the second time: “The ‘dragons’ were tough and the boys were excellent and composed in pitching and answering all of their questions. The quality and confidence on show from the boys was unbelievable. It’s important that students and their parents think about a broader range of careers. There are new opportunities out there. We used the popular Dragons’ Den theme to engage the younger audience into being passionate about business. We’re delighted to continue to inspire entrepreneurship.”
The School is extremely grateful to Khilan and his colleagues at Encore Capital for their ongoing support for this exciting competition. Immense thanks must also go to the judges for giving up their time to attend the event, as well as to those at the School who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the competition yet again. The aim of this initiative has been to encourage and develop some entrepreneurial spirit, as well as refine presentation skills and the ability to ‘think on your feet’.
Events Apache helicopter lands at Habs as part of a physics lesson On Wednesday 14 March, the boys and staff at Habs were treated to a visit by an Apache helicopter from Boscombe Down, the home of the Empire Test Pilots’ School, in Wiltshire. Two pilots kindly gave up their time to take part in pre-organised physics and CCF lessons. They arrived in some style, landing near the cricket square in front of Aldenham House, where boys and staff watched on. Enthusiastic applause greeted the pilots as they disembarked from the helicopter.
The benefit of the visit to Habs was twofold. Firstly, one of the pilots addressed both the Lower and Upper Sixth physicists on the features of the aircraft and its design. This was largely a question and answer session in the Aske Hall. There were many technical aspects raised, and popular areas for questioning included: - Generating force for lift and motion - Minimising risk of detection - Locating enemy lasers and rocket launchers Pleasingly, in typical Habs fashion, the boys were still asking questions after the allotted hour was up! Secondly, this was an opportunity for the boys to see such a sophisticated aircraft close up. While one pilot was in the Aske Hall, the other pilot stayed by the helicopter for almost two hours, where he took questions from physics students, CCF cadets and boys from across the School. When taking off to depart, the pilots remained in the hover position before leaving the School to return to their base.
The Army aimed to show future physicists and engineers how they can apply much of what they are being taught in innovative, practical and creative ways - and sought to inspire and interest boys into pursuing an aeronautical career.
Events Science Society Keynote Lecture - Wonder Workers The Science Society held their annual Keynote Lecture, this year featuring Dr Matt Pritchard. Dr Pritchard gave a wonderful account of the links between science, engineering and magic. The event brought together keen young scientists from the Senior Boys’ and Girls’ Schools, as well as the Prep School. This audience was treated to a wide-ranging show, highlighting the influence of innovators such as Brunel, Robert-Houdin and Elon Musk. Each of these figures has developed ground-breaking technologies based on effects that were once thought to be magic or supernatural. The show featured many thought-provoking demonstrations.
Year 9 Classics Forum On Tuesday 6 February, all boys studying Latin in Year 9 attended a Greek Democracy Forum in a joint event with the Girls’ School. The speakers – TV Classicist Dr Michael Scott of Warwick University, and Dr Nick Lowe of Royal Holloway University – talked to pupils about how ancient Athenian democracy worked and its relevance today, as well as the current threats and challenges to democracy. Pupils from both schools posed thoughtful questions about democracy in the ancient and modern world. Thanks to all involved, especially Mrs Simons for organising the event.
Year 9 Geography Climate Change Conference On Monday 28 January, geographers from three schools congregated at Habs to take part in what proved to be a fascinating conference.
MedSoc talk on Medical School Two Old Haberdashers, Sohum Patel and Ashvin Kuri, attended a lunchtime seminar with MedSoc to talk about their experiences of getting into medical school, and what life is like at the very beginning of medical training. Sohum is at Cambridge, and Ashvin is at Queen Mary’s. The boys found their advice was incredibly valuable; the art of note taking, how to tackle difficult and stretching questions, and how to maintain a work/life balance were all covered. All involved found the session immensely helpful. It is a stressful time for Medics, so to see two OHs come out of it the other side was incredibly encouraging.
The focus of the conference was on the everworsening problem of global warming and how best to tackle it. The UN has recently had a number of climate change summits, including COP21 and COP22, and yet their effect has yet to be seen on the global problem. The problem presented to the geography students was that of devising a feasible solution, which would work better than current UN action. Some interesting ideas were suggested, and riveting debates took place for what will perhaps be one of the largest problems to face our generation. Special thanks must go to the Habs Geography department as a whole, but especially to Mr Cooper and Mrs Fielden for organising and leading the event.
Events Google Spotlight at Habs
What are the links between traditional storytelling and digital storytelling? Will virtual reality improve our experience of the world or diminish it? To help solve these questions, two representatives from Google came to work with our Year 8 boys on the Bafta-award winning narrative, ‘Pearl’. The boys had the opportunity to explore the 360 degree immersive story of a strained relationship between a father and his daughter. Commenting on the immersive nature of virtual reality and the ability to choose your own interpretation of events, the boys were impressed with this growing field of education and entertainment. Future events exploring the links between digital storytelling and empathy are planned with the Girls’ School.
Politics Society welcomes Lord Turnberg On Tuesday 23 January, Lord Turnberg visited Habs to talk to the Politics Society. His large audience, which filled the Old Refectory, included many students from both the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools. He was speaking on his book ‘Beyond the Balfour Declaration: The 100-year quest for Israeli-Palestinian Peace’ and giving a historical insight into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This included details about the origins of the declaration and about Balfour himself. Many were surprised to find out that Balfour’s initial promotion into the Cabinet was primarily because the Prime Minister of the day, Lord Salisbury, was his uncle. Lord Turnberg concluded his speech with his thoughts about the current situation and prospects for the future, stressing the need for new brave leadership as well as the need for cooperation between both sides. After his talk, Lord Turnberg received some probing questions from the floor that prompted much debate and discussion. The Politics Society is extremely grateful to Lord Turnberg for generously giving his time to speak to the boys.
Art, Music and Drama many skills while rehearsing the play – skills which will be used in other productions. The many rehearsals the boys put into the performance did not go to waste. On the night of the play, everyone acted brilliantly in front of a large crowd. In addition, the boys had the opportunity to watch three further productions on the night. The School wishes to thank the fantastic cast and the two brilliant teachers!
Junior Inter-House Drama
Life Drawing Workshop
The annual Junior Inter-House Drama Competition took place on Tuesday 30 January. Mr Weinman, Head of Performance Drama, introduced the evening and made special mention of the collaboration between the Sixth Form producers and the Junior boys.
On the morning of Friday 9 February, artists from Year 10 and above gathered in the Old Refectory for two exciting sessions of Life Drawing with our visiting model Jo Heaton.
The theme for the evening was ‘Home’, which was broadly interpreted by the Houses in their devised pieces. The interpretation of the theme gave us topics ranging from the plight of refugees to the loss of family members, bullying, homelessness and plane crashes. The winners of the evening were Strouts, with ‘Some Guy’ telling the story of a homeless man and the prejudices he faced. Special acting awards were given to Felix Zombory-Moldovan for his portrayal of a teacher in the Meadows production ‘The Sellout’ and Sam Wolffe for his role in ‘Some Guy’ for Strouts. Abimbola Tayo of Russells won the best actor award for his role as a boarding schoolboy in ‘The Stayers’. The award for best technical piece went to Calverts whose performance was ‘It Ends Here’, a piece that portrayed boys being stranded following a plane crash.
Shakespeare Schools Festival It was a privilege for our Junior Boys to be involved in the Shakespeare Schools Festival and a great opportunity to act out a Shakespeare play in 30 minutes. The event involved a series of well-organised drama productions. The whole cast learnt
The first session was taken by Mr Todhunter in which the boys worked on short, expressive drawings. With every pose the boys were given more time, allowing more detail and tonal shading to be explored in the figure. The second session was taken by Miss Bird. Working with pencil on a ‘panoramic’ sheet of paper the Year 10s created three drawings of Jo across the page. These were still short poses, however the incentive was to capture the model’s proportions correctly using line work to create a light armature before fleshing in the figure. The morning provided two contrasting approaches to drawing the figure which were both fascinating and extremely rewarding.
Art, Music and Drama Gala Concert at Barbican Hall
The Music Department returned to the Barbican once again on Monday 19 March, with almost 500 boys performing to a sold out auditorium. It has become a regular tradition to visit one of Europe’s largest concert halls and the stage was certainly befitting of the quality of music that was produced. Early arrivers were treated to a performance from our stunning Jazz Quintet in the foyer. Jazz has become such a strength of our school due in no small part to the energy and drive of our jazz staff: Thomas Taylor, Matthew Herd and Jon Ormston. The incredibly high standard of music making really set the tone for what was to be a truly magnificent evening.
The first half opened with the powerful Concert Band performing the complex Raider’s March by John Williams score. A robust and punchy opening, the brass were in full force as ever with a huge, full-bodied sound, complimented by some nimble and fluid runs from the woodwind section. The world recordbreaking Largest Classical Guitar Orchestra in the world then took to the stage with some 96 players performing arrangements by our very own Ms Urszula Galuszka with the highlight
being their rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody. A wonderous sight to see so many boys performing together in what has become a real feature of the music department.
The entire Prep School conducted by Roxana Gozzard took to their feet next to produce a spell binding performance of the Sound of Music, complete with dancers and chamber choir. The quality of singing from the whole school was of the very highest standard, technically very polished and incredibly musical – a testament to the hard work of our prep music teacher, Miss Gozzard.
Big Band closed the half in emphatic style with one of their strongest performances from the School’s flagship ensemble. Opening with the Cole Porter tune Love for Sale, the tightness, punch and sheer volume of this ensemble needs to be heard live to be believed. Following this was a beautiful performance of Pat Metheny’s Minuano with a stunning solo from our lead saxophonist, Benjy Sandler. The rapturous applause brought about our first Barbican encore with an impromptu performance of Groove Merchant, sending parents, staff and boys into the half-time interval with a real spring in their step.
Art, Music and Drama performances by the String Trio and Clarinet Choir performing Haydn’s A Minor Finale of Allegro di Molto and Elgar’s Salut d’ Amor respectively.
The second half was devoted to the Symphony Orchestra and Choir. The Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Director of Music Richard Osmond, started with a super performance of John Williams’ score for Superman before moving to the Copland’s Outdoor Overture and a wonderful trumpet solo from Joe Vaughan. It was then the choir’s turn to perform alongside our orchestra with a terrific performance of Handel’s Zadok the Priest, an opportunity for parents, staff and boys to join together in a memorable performance of this work. In true Habs style, the concert closed with a full performance of Jerusalem, with performers from all ensembles taking to the stage. A truly wonderful evening of music making and one of the finest school concerts in recent memory. Thanks must go to all the boys, staff and parents who have worked so tirelessly over the last few months in preparing for this concert and particularly to the Director of Co-Curricular, Andrew Simm for organising the event.
Following an array of outstanding music by many of our small groups including woodwind quartets and brass ensembles, there was a fantastic solo by Sameer Aiyar-Majeed (L6M2), who performed Sonata in A - Movement 4 by Franck. Philomusica, one of our larger groups, opened after the interval with Polka by J Weinberger, played to an excellent standard. A particular highlight was the Symphony Orchestra who closed the concert performing Britten’s Simple Symphony. The atmosphere they created was a fantastic finale to a memorable concert. This year’s Sheila Watson Prize, for outstanding contribution to the Symphony Orchestra, was presented to Fai Li by Mr Watson, Sheila’s husband. This year’s Wesley Woodage Prize was presented to Joe Vaughan for his continued commitment to our brass ensembles. We congratulate them and look forward to this concert returning next year.
Keyboard, Guitar and Percussion Concert The Keyboard, Guitar and Percussion Concert took place on Thursday 25 January 2018. The evening began with a wonderful performance by the Samba Ensemble, who played Crazy in Love by Beyoncé. Next to perform was the Year 7 Guitar Ensemble as they played Guitar Styles Mini Suite and From Rock to Reggae by N Walker.
Strings, Wind and Jazz Concert The ‘Strings, Wind and Brass’ concert was held in the Seldon Hall with a multitude of excellent performances and the awarding of some very special prizes. The event kicked off with brilliant
The enthusiasm of the youngest boys was simply astonishing. The Upper Sixth Leavers Guitars played Paradise by Coldplay. The audience were also treated to a series of solos before the final performance of the evening the Senior Percussion Ensemble Centrifugal by Chris Crockarell. Finally, three prizes were awarded to boys for their performances: congratulations go to Aril Pandya, Joshua Myers and Sachin Tankaria.
Sport Rugby Sevens
Gymnastics
The Spring Term saw our senior rugby players make the transition from the 15-a-side game to the wide open spaces of the Sevens pitch with some aplomb.
Habs Boys have enjoyed another successful term in Gymnastics. Our first event was the ISGA National Finals. The team of five competed in four events; Set Vault, Voluntary Vault, Set Floor and Voluntary Floor.
The game of Sevens examines the technical skill of each player and there really is no hiding out on a full sized pitch with only six other team mates. Over time, the squad began to develop its understanding of the game and there was some notable improvement in skill level as we headed towards the senior Habs festival event. The tournament featured our local rivals (Watford GS, QE Barnet and St Albans) alongside Cranbrook and Campion from further afield. As ever, the boys rose to the occasion and only lost to a very well organised Campion team in the final. With confidence high, the boys went onto the Herts tournament and produced some Sevens of real skill. Opposition coaches commented upon our understanding and team cohesion as we scored well constructed tries from deep positions. Special mention must go to Dylan Kaposi who was exceptional in scoring 64 points for the team. We eventually succumbed to the winners, Richard Hale, in the semi-final.
The boys performed with confidence and skill. Individually, Ore Adebayo finished 6th, Christopher Pigott 5th and Jobe Hart was 3rd overall. The U13 team finished 2nd overall. Our second event was the Regional Finals of the Trio competition (Individual Floor, Vault and Group Floor). Three teams across the Prep, Junior School and Middle School competed in this event. The boys gave their all and performed brilliantly. It was a remarkable effort with five of the gymnasts being from Year 7, due to injuries and unavailability from our other gymnasts. The Habs teams qualified for the National Finals at Fenton Manor, where they all performed brilliantly. They finished just outside the medals, however finished 1st in the U11 regional competition. The boys should be very proud of what they achieved.
County Rugby Recognition The School is particularly pleased to recognise the achievements of four of our senior players in representing Hertfordshire U17s this season. Freddy Nash, Oliver Hocking, Nadav BlaneDamelin and Edward Gibbins all wore the green shirt of the County and represented the school with great credit, both on and off the field.
Elsewhere in the School, the U13 Sevens squad performed superbly well in winning the pool at the prestigious Berkhamsted Sevens and effectively came second in the County at the U13 Herts waterfall tournament. The squad will benefit from the October tour to Biarritz next season and the future looks very exciting for this particular year group.
Sport Rugby Season Report The U12 As, under the passionate tutelage of Messrs Kerry and Lawrence, enjoyed a wonderful first season, recording 12 wins and only three defeats (with two of these losses coming in the Middlesex U12 tournament). Wins against St Columba’s, Watford GS, Dr Challoner’s and QE Barnet certainly bode well for future block fixtures and a 6th place finish at the Middlesex tournament revealed that the boys possessed the necessary strength of character to compete at a higher level. The U13 As had a similarly strong season, finishing 4th in the U13 Middlesex tournament and suffering only two defeats in the regular season. Again, wins against St Columba’s, Hitchin Boys, QE Barnet and Watford GS showed our dominance in the local area and Mr Metcalfe looks forward to working with these boys on their tour to Biarritz in October. The U14 As endured a challenging season. The core of the group stuck together and these boys have shown in the rugby Sevens
programme this term that they possess the necessary athleticism and skill to recover from a tough campaign. Results are not always a true reflection of development and the U15 rugby squad progressed in ways that could not be recorded on a scoreboard. By gaining a genuine sense of group identity and cohesion, the boys began to appreciate that a team is far more than the sum of its parts. They learned the value of serving the group rather than simply the individual and their long awaited first win of the season against St George’s reflected these qualities within the squad. Much credit must go to Mr Holmes and Mr Rylands, who imbued these values in all aspects of their coaching. The senior sides showed the value of rugby as a means of educating the whole person. All of the boys were wonderfully committed to the cause and this brought about a real kinship amongst the group. This was particularly significant as the 1st XV lost its captain, Michael Miller, within the opening two minutes of the season. Although he was not to play again, Michael came to embody the spirit of the squad by attending all training and matches - a remarkable example of absorbing personal disappointment for the benefit of others. Although, both teams suffered losses that could have been reversed with greater composure, the boys never gave less than 100% of their time and effort and the 1st XV deservedly finished on a high with a resounding win against QE Barnet under the lights at the Allianz stadium. A more detailed account of the senior rugby season will be published in Skylark.
Sport The Cricketer Magazine: testing and coaching at Habs On Friday 19 January, Habs played host to The Cricketer Magazine’s ‘Good Gear Guide’ Testing Day. A group of 11 staff from the magazine, including editor Simon Hughes (ex Middlesex and better known these days as The Analyst) and former England international Alex Tudor (also of Surrey and Essex) spent the morning and afternoon in our purpose-built Solai Cricket Centre, testing the quality of various brand new bats with the help of members of the Habs 1st XI squad. Between the testing sessions, an excellent lunch was enjoyed by all in the Olympian Suite. Coaching sessions were then organised for several younger Habs cricketers: this covered spin bowling and batting against spin, led by Messrs Hughes, Tudor and Jim Hindson (a left-arm spinner who played for Nottinghamshire). The boys learnt valuable lessons from our visitors, who in turn were suitably impressed by the talent on display.
Pre-Season Cricket Training/Fixtures Arrangements for pre-season training/warm-up games are as follows: Sunday 15 April 1st XI v Berkshire Academy (H: 1pm) U15/U14 XI v Hertfordshire U14 (H: 1pm) U13/U14 XI v Hertfordshire U13 (H: 1pm)
Wednesday 18 April 1st XI v QE Barnet (A: 2pm) 2nd XI v QE Barnet (H: 2pm) 3rd XI v QE Barnet (H: 2pm)
Monday 16 April Senior practice 10am – 12pm 1st XI v Aldenham (H: 2pm) U12 practice 10am – 12pm U13 practice 10am – 12pm U14 practice 1pm – 3pm U15 practice 1pm – 3pm
Meet at Pavilion or Sports Hall (if wet). Bring footwear for both indoor and outdoor use.
Tuesday 17 April 2nd XI v Aldenham (H: 4.15pm)
In the event of bad weather, check the School website (or email), or the @HabsPE Twitter account for updates and further details. Support at the games will be most welcome.
Trips Sixth Form Ski Trip - L’Alpe d’Huez 36 boys accompanied Mr Lee, Mr Bartlett, Dr Hobbs and Mr Hardman to L’Alpe d’Huez for a fabulous week of skiing, including Europe’s longest Black Run: La Sarenne.
The boys were treated to some of the best ski conditions of recent years with plenty of fresh snow falling throughout the week. The group stayed right in the centre of the resort at the SkiBound’s Vallée Blanche Club Hotel. The hotel staff, accommodation, food and facilities were absolutely superb and the staff were delighted with the good manners and general behaviour of our boys. A number of awards were made on the final day, including Ski King, which was awarded to Dylan Kaposi (Upper Sixth). Yet again, Mr Lee’s preparation and organisation for this trip was outstanding – he even managed to ensure that not a single trip was made to the Medical Centre! Sincere thanks to Mr Bartlett and Dr Hobbs for their enthusiastic support throughout the week and in the pre-trip meetings. We look forward to next year’s trip to Les Menuires, part of the world’s largest ski resort: Les Trois Vallées.
Paris Model United Nations Earlier this term, a group of 12 Lower Sixth students travelled to Paris for the Paris Model United Nations Conference. The boys attended the conference at the outstanding Maison de la Mutualité, then explored the streets of Paris, with Mr Simm acting as a tour guide. Habs represented the delegations of China and Saint Kitts and Nevis, debating topics from the question of South Sudan, to the reform of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They performed strongly across the board but particular commendations should go to Aditya Venkatraman, Alex Curtis, Thomas Sherlock, Guy Dabby-Joory, Dan Gilbey and Jonathan
Obstfeld, who were recognised for excelling in their respective committees. Thanks must be given to Mr Simm, Mrs McGrath and Miss Tucker, for not only organising the trip, but for being great company throughout the visit.
Trips Golf Trip to Alvor, Portugal Haberdashers’ largest ever group of 19 pupil golfers, plus three staff, set off for the Algarve during the February half term for four days of stunning golf courses and (mostly) glorious sunshine. Kiaan Patel was the pace setter at the halfway stage after rounds at Millenium and Pinhal in the tour’s traditional home of Vilamoura. The focus then switched to the exclusive Vale do Lobo resort nearby, which included the iconic par 3 16th hole (in image). In the final round over the Vale do Lobo Ocean course, Kiaan Patel and Benjy Randall (Year 9) fought a tight battle in the final group, but neither was able to halt the charge of Joe Gale (Year 13) who overturned a six-point deficit on the leaders to take the title of Tour Champion for the third time.
CCF Royal Navy Hike The Senior Cadets of the Royal Navy Section demonstrated their resolve when undertaking a hike in the snowy Bedfordshire countryside. The cadets from the Lower and Upper Sixth covered four routes in the area, finishing in Ampthill Country Park. The exercise was a training event to prepare them for their March Field Day Expedition, where they lead teams of younger cadets on a night hike, as well as
camping overnight in the Park. The snow did not dampen their spirits. In fact, it gave them a chance to relax outdoors and enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow cadets. Many thanks go to the staff Mr Hardman, Mr Gauntlett and Dr Chapman for supporting the trip for giving up their Sunday and accompanying the cadets on this adventure.
Trips Lower Sixth Politics Trip to Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament On Tuesday 9 January, a group of Lower Sixth Politics students visited Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament to learn more about the United Kingdom executive and legislature. The day started with a walking tour, guided by Mr Clark, of Parliament Square and Whitehall, where the boys learned more about the history and on-going activities of the UK government. The boys then received a tour of the Houses of Parliament from the Parliamentary Education Unit, including Westminster Hall, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. They also took part in a workshop on Debating and Laws, learning more about how laws are passed in the UK and what influences their drafting and amendment. Jack Lewy (OH 2014) and Christopher Howarth (OH 2011), both of whom are researchers for MPs, kindly gave of their time to tell the boys about the nature of their work. In the afternoon, the group saw an urgent statement by the Secretary of State for Justice from the Commons Gallery, followed by questions; they then watched the Commons Backbench Business Committee. We would like to thank the Houses of Parliament for allowing us to see the work of UK democracy up close.
Prep and Pre-Prep Year 1 Jungle Paintings
Year 2 Stone Age Investigation
Year 1 have been learning about the artist Henri Rousseau. They created paintings of their own based on his painting ‘Surprised!’.
Year 2 have been developing their historical enquiry skills and building on their awareness about life in the past.
The boys had fun collecting leaves and looking carefully at the shape of them. They drew and cut out leaves of their own. They then mixed different shades of green to paint them. After that, they drew over the leaves using oil pastels. Finally, they arranged the leaves in a collage and added their tigers to create their very own jungle scene.
History came to life in both forms on Wednesday 24 January, when the boys took part in an archaeological investigation using replicas of Stone Age artefacts. The learning buzz in the classrooms was infectious as the boys enthusiastically handled objects such as flint arrow heads, spear heads, faux fur, natural fibres, daggers, axes, hammers etc. Through exploration, discussion and group collaboration, they were learning to deduce what the objects could have been used for. Through their hands-on engagement, the boys linked the artefacts with the needs of the Stone Age society, with each object being a unique source of knowledge.
Prep and Pre-Prep Roald Dahl Gallery Visit To start off the Pre-Prep Book week, Year 1 visited the Roald Dahl Gallery. They heard about the ‘disgusterous’ Twits in their filthy upside down room and baffled their brains with optical illusions! The boys had great fun role playing the scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where Augustus Gloop got stuck in the bubble tube! In the afternoon, the boys took part in an interactive ‘Dream Bottle’ workshop, where they created their own dreams inspired by exploring the Museum and choosing their favourite object: a great unique souvenir to take home.
Year 3 Health and Safety Trip to Hazard Alley Safety Centre As part of their Healthy Me (keeping safe) PSHCEE topic, the Year 3 boys really enjoyed visiting the Hazard Alley Safety Centre in Milton Keynes. The boys experienced real life scenarios such as making a 999 call from a phone box, identifying hazards in a realistic looking kitchen and learning how to cross a road safely. They also learned how to put someone in the recovery position and found the day invaluable. One boy said, “I would say that Hazard Alley is a very good experience for you to learn about the different ways of being safe in your house for you and your family. I found it interesting to be aware of all the dangers.”
Patrick’s House Assembly ‘Dogs for Good’ Prep Open Working Morning Thank you to all the mums and dads who came to join in with lessons at the Prep School for Open Working Morning. From parallel line dancing (Year 6 Maths) to murder mysteries (Year 4 English), the morning was a resounding success. It was great to see so many parents excited and engaging with their son’s learning opportunities.
The Prep School enjoyed a visit from Jo and her dog Cyril. Cyril is a family assistant dog and helps Jo with her autistic son. Cyril has had special training to help the family, which was organised by and paid for by the charity Dogs for Good. The charity also supplies trained dogs to support communities and those struggling with mental health issues. The Prep boys were fascinated and really moved to hear what a special difference Cyril has made to Jo and her family.
The Habs Community
A funny thing happened on the way to the Coach Park: Old Boys Matt Lucas and Ashley Blaker return to Habs On Tuesday 27 March, internationally renowned comic actor Matt Lucas and the equally acclaimed writer and comedian Ashley Blaker returned to their alma mater to give two performances. The first was a talk to Habs boys, where they spoke about their time at the School before opening up the floor for a Q&A session, and the second was a hilarious ‘in conversation’ performance. Using video clips, sound pieces and a multitude of impressions, Matt and Ashley treated the packed and delighted audience to a highly entertaining ‘travelogue’ of their time at the School, beginning (as every school term does at Habs) with a rousing rendition of ‘To be a Pilgrim’ and ending (again as each school term does) with Parry’s ‘Jerusalem’. While reminiscing on what it had been like to grow up at Habs, former school characters were brought to life by the comic duos’ entirely affectionate humour, including tales of prank phone calls, damning school reports, sporting apathy, youthful stirrings of nascent careers in show business and of course reflections on comic japes hatched on the daily walk to and from the eponymous School Coach Park. Current members of staff such as Mr Holmes, Mr Bagguley and Mr Cook were also mentioned for their ability to inspire while sometimes being the subject of Habs boys’ notorious witty banter.
Matt Lucas said: “Ashley and I were delighted to be back at our old school. I have very fond memories of my time at Habs and still keep in touch with some of my teachers, that I’m astonished are still working here today! It’s been a truly worthwhile performance. All proceeds from the ticket sales go directly to the School’s Foundation and will be put towards bursaries for bright boys to receive an exceptional education that their parents could otherwise not afford.” Ashley Blaker said: “Returning to Habs to perform with my good friend Matt, in front of a sold out Bourne Hall, was absolutely brilliant and thoroughly enjoyable. I’m thankful to Mr Llewellyn and his team for organising the event.” The School would like to thank Old Haberdashers Matt and Ashley Blaker for giving up their time to come in and perform twice in one day!
The Habs Community
Pre-1961 Reunion Monday 5 March saw a fantastic turn out of Old Boys for the School’s first Pre-1961 reunion, coming together and reacquainting with fellow pupils over 55 years since leaving school. The Old Boys (coming from as far away as America, South Africa and Switzerland) assembled at the School in Elstree and boarded coaches to take them to Westbere Road, where they were able to visit their old school (now Hampstead School), taking fascinating tours of the original building, which, though having many rooms repurposed, still retained the old character and features which many recalled. After the memory provoking tour, it was back onto the coaches to return to Habs, Elstree, where reception drinks and cakes provided a much-needed energy boost whilst looking at honour boards from the period, displays of photographs of sporting teams, teachers, buildings and events, kindly provided by the Old Boys themselves. An amazing collection of items was also provided by the Archives team, including school caps, sporting awards, homework books and report cards. Tours of the ‘new’ School were also given by an army of current pupils, each revelling in hearing the fascinating tales of Westbere Road days as they moved around the campus.
A musical interlude by the impressive Habs Big Band in the Bourne Hall, provided some time to reflect on the tour and conversations that had taken place with old friends, whilst listening to some outstanding music from the very talented boys. Light refreshments and wine followed, providing a final opportunity for Old Boys to reconnect where they shared jokes and stories with their peers and teachers and rekindle friendships first established over 55 years ago. The evening was a great success, with both Hampstead School and The HABS Foundation receiving much praise for arranging such an amazing event.
Routine Reminders School Closure Dates The School will be closed over the Easter holiday period from 4pm on Thursday 29 March to 9am on Wednesday 4 April. There will be NO access to the School and there will be minimal caretaking staff. For the remainder of the Easter holiday period the School Office, Bursary and other Support Departments will be staffed as normal until 4pm. Summer Term begins on Tuesday 17 April 2018.
Summer Workshop 2018 It is hoped the School will be in a position to provide confirmation at the start of the Summer Term with regard to any planned Summer Workshop for 2018. We thank you for your patience.
Staff Training Days There will be Staff Training Days on Friday 25 May and Monday 4 June, when the Senior School, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep will be closed to all boys other than those taking public examinations.
Staff News Leavers: Kieran Fradd left the Prep in December 2017 after serving four terms as a Year 4 teacher. He completed his NQT year and developed a close working relationship with both the boys in 4KF and the staff. Ever keen to get out of the classroom, Mr Fradd threw himself headlong into all manner of outdoor activities including a variety of sports and Bushcraft club. He has kept within the Haberdashers family and, on moving back home to his native Wales, is now teaching at Haberdashers’ Monmouthshire Boys’ School. Although he was only with us for a short time, he has left plenty to do in his absence and is ably followed by Mr James Emery. Emily Hanson leaves us at Easter after teaching part time for two years. Emily is an exceptionally dedicated and professional teacher who has made a big contribution to the success of the Biology Department, especially in inspiring her Year 11 classes. Emily has worked at Habs previously before moving to Dubai and has also been Head of Biology at North London Collegiate School.
New Starters: Samantha Biggerstaff joins the Mathematics department on a permanent basis from St Mary’s and St John’s CE School in Hendon. Sam will be taking over the tutoring duties and most of the classes currently taught by Andy Lee, who will be on paternity leave until February 2019. Sam Coleman is teaching in the Biology Department as cover for Clare Harrison’s maternity leave. He read Marine Biology at Portsmouth University and was previously teaching Biology at Badminton School. He has proved to be a popular and effective teacher and has fitted in well to the Biology Department Nandor Cseh joins us as a Sports Centre Assistant. He will be assisting in helping run and maintain the sports facilities, as well as assisting the PE department with co-curricular activities and events.
Routine Reminders Lucy Dobson-McAuley joins us as a Sports Centre Assistant. She will be assisting in helping run and maintain the sports facilities, as well as assisting the PE department with co-curricular activities and events. Frankie Drummond Charig joins us in the position of Archivist. She has worked for the National Railway museum, The Scouts Association and most recently for the Paul Mellon Centre for studies in British Art. Her normal days of work will be Mondays and Thursdays. James Emery joins the Prep School as a Year 4 teacher on a permanent basis after serving one term following the departure of Mr Kieran Fradd. Mr Emery has already thrown himself into Prep School life as a form teacher in KS2 and taking an active interest in sports, Bushcraft and chess. He joins us from teaching abroad in Thailand and says that the only thing he misses is the weather. Joe Iannelli joins the Estates Department as a member of the security team replacing Gordon Aitken who retired at the end of 2017. Mr Iannelli was a member of the security team at Hertsmere Jewish Primary School in Radlett and prior to this he had a long and satisfying career spanning 30 years in the Metropolitan Police Service. Philippa Lewis joined the grounds department from Samuel Ryder Academy. They are delighted to have Pippa join their team. Sheena Patel joins the Prep School as the afternoon Receptionist. Her last position was working for Citigroup in their Global Marketing Division. She has a degree in BSc Management and Marketing of Textiles from UMIST. Nav Vig joins the Prep School as the morning Receptionist. Her most recent position was within Administration for an Independent Mortgage Brokerage. She is a BSc (Hons) Psychology graduate from City University, London and also holds a Graduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology. Holly Wilkinson joins the sports centre team as the Saturday Sports Centre Assistant. She will be the main point of contact for parents and staff on Saturdays.
Internal Appointments: Henry Gauntlett
Deputy Housemaster to Acting Housemaster, Hendersons
Alex Lynch
Teacher of Biology - Acting Deputy Housemaster, Hendersons
Hannah Lester
Secretary School Office - temp to perm (1 year contract)
Alex Simms
Secretary School Office to Development Officer (PT)
Routine Reminders General Information Parent Portal Every Friday parents should receive an email listing the letters appropriate to their son. You can also access the half-termly progress grades and pupil targets set during super tutoring week. The dates for progress grades are included in the School calendar but are usually issued on the penultimate Thursday of each half term. We have also introduced a new section under School Life which has a number of articles about parenting which you may find useful.
Home Alone Parents must tell the School if they are away from home and give the contact details of the adult responsible for their son in their absence.
Car Parking for School Events Parents are respectfully reminded that the security barrier on Butterfly Lane is lowered daily at 5.30pm Monday to Friday. Access for non-School staff after that time is via the Girls’ School Car Park until 6pm after which the coach park on Aldenham Road is to be used. The routine drop-off and pick up point for boys still remains the Girls’ School Car Park. Parents are kindly requested not to park in the Girls’ School Car Park after 6pm for evening events (e.g. Parents Evening, Concerts etc at the Boys’ School); the allocated parking for these events is the coach park.
Parent Parking: Beginning and End of School Day Parents are reminded that drop off and collection of pupils at the beginning and end of the School day is via the Girls’ School Car Park. The Schools appreciate that sometimes there are delays and congestion as a result but this is the designated parking area where it is safe for passengers to get into/out of vehicles and traffic flow can be managed by School staff. The Schools remains concerned that some parents are continuing to choose not to enter the School car park but instead park on the pavement on Aldenham Road. While the Schools have no jurisdiction over what parents do on the public highway, this is an incredibly unsafe practice which puts pupils at risk of serious injury and is strongly discouraged in the interests of safety and access to the School. The local police force have been informed and will continue to attend this part of the site from time to time. Your cooperation on this matter would be appreciated. If your son drives to School and parks in Aldenham Country Park, please discuss road safety with them and urge them to cross the road safely and use the proper footpath access to the School site.
Routine Reminders Visitors Other than for drop-off and collection or designated School events for which access, parking and reception arrangements will be advised separately, all other visits to the School during the school day are classed as “School visits” for which visitors, including parents, must signin at the Senior School Reception to collect a visitor’s badge and meet their host. Your son’s safety is of the utmost importance to us and we ask for your support and cooperation in this area.
Visiting the Medburn Centre For the safety of all our pupils during the School day, we ask that all parents sign into Reception at Aldenham House before making their way over to the Medburn Centre. The pupils use the café throughout the day, so it is not possible to open it to parents unless there is a special event organised. When attending an event in the Centre please can we ask you refrain from take photographs or videos.
Dogs on Campus 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. Bringing dogs onto campus when visiting for sporting events at weekends is also NOT permitted. Your cooperation in this matter is appreciated.
Parentpay.com - Cashless Catering System and Trips Parents are reminded to please top up their son’s lunch accounts using the on-line payment system at Parentpay.com and not to allow the accounts to fall into deficit. All accounts must be either cleared or with a credit balance by the last day of term. Please be advised that extra activities such as trips also can be paid at Parentpay.com. If you set your account to receive alerts you will avoid missing payments.
Personal Effects Insurance Parents are reminded of their responsibility to insure their son’s personal property whilst at the School, on a School-sponsored activity or on the way to and from School. The one exception is where School trips are covered by travel insurance and where the loss of some personal effects may be covered during that trip.
School Fees Refund Scheme Parents who subscribe to this scheme are reminded of their entitlement to make claims for absences from the School due to illness, accident or contact with infection for a continuous period of at least five days (including weekends). If you would like to join the scheme for the Autumn Term 2018 (costs are currently £88.91 per term for the Senior and Prep School and £67.03 per term for the Pre-Prep School) please contact the Finance Office before Friday 8 June 2018. Please note claims must be submitted no later than 30 days after the close of the term to which they relate.
Routine Reminders School Policies Following our annual review of policies and guidelines, the Missing Child Policy and the First Aid Policy have been updated. A new policy, Appeals against Internal Assessments of Work Policy, has been added. Policies are available on our website at www.habsboys.org.uk and may be found under the School/About Us/School Policies tab. You may request any of the information in hard copy by contacting the School.
Governing body contact for parents The Governing Body consists of representatives from The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, the world of education, the catchment area of the schools and former pupils. The Chairman of the Aske Board is Mr Simon Cartmell, OBE. The Chairman of the Boys’ School Committee is Mrs Margot Chaundler. Both can be contacted at the address of our trustees, The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, Haberdashers’ Hall, 18 West Smithfield, London, EC1A 9HQ, 020 7246 9988.
School Shop The School Shop now has a new web site, enabling parents to buy online and choose delivery or collection of the item. This is accessible on the School website.
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 by themselves and the doctors and to assist any boys who may have chronic conditions that have been notified to the School.
Dispensing Prescription Medication If your son requires any prescription medicine to be taken at School, please fill in the ‘Request for School to administer prescription medication form’, which can be found on the parent portal, and send it in with your son to bring to the Medical Centre along with the medication to be dispensed. 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 needs to go home, he must attend the Medical Centre, where either he or one of the nurses will phone you. Please ensure that you have provided the School with a number that we can contact you on in an emergency, or an alternative name/number that we should call. The nurses will then inform your son’s Form Tutor and Head of Year, thereby ensuring that the relevant personnel are aware that your son is no longer in School. Please report to the Senior School Reception first before collecting your son from the Medical Centre.
Routine Reminders Important Notice for Hayfever Sufferers Please ensure your son has the appropriate medication with them during the hayfever season, e.g. eye drops, allergy relief tablets and inhalers as appropriate. This is particularly important for boys taking public examinations.
Medical Reminder – Infectious Illnesses Please do not send your children to School if they are suffering from any illness that could be passed on to other children. This would include any child with a fever or diarrhoea and/or vomiting. The child should not return to School until they have been symptom-free for a minimum of 24 hours (the Health Protection Agency recommends 48 hours symptom-free in cases of diarrhoea or vomiting). For further information and recommended guidelines, please visit the Health Protection Agency’s website: www.hpa.org.uk and see ‘Guidance on Infection Control in Schools and Other Child Care Settings’ and consult with your own GP as appropriate. 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 or equivalent, please ensure he has all the required medication in School with him and that it is in date.
Medical Information held on the Parent Portal You can now view the medical information that the School holds for your son on the Parent Portal, so please can you check this site to ensure that we hold the most up to date information on your son’s medical condition and any medication he has been prescribed. If you wish to make any changes, please fill in the request form and you will be notified by email when the changes have been actioned.
Transport Notices Please note a full half term’s notice is required for amendment or cancellation of the coach service.
Block Leave – Coach Travel for Boys (Year 11 and U6) For members of Year 11 and U6 who have a coach pass, the charge for the Summer Term will be reduced by 30% but will be valid for any journeys made on the relevant coach throughout the term. There is no need for parents to inform the Finance Office; the concession will be included in fee invoices for the Summer Term. Concession applies to Year 11 and U6 only.
Routine Reminders Exam Students There are two Staff Development days during the public examinations period: Friday 25 May - Coaches will NOT run Monday 4 June - Coaches will still run (Girl’s School is open) The School is closed on both Friday 25 May and Monday 4 June and therefore the only pupils expected in School are examination students. If you leave the coach service for the Summer Term you must have obtained, in advance, a casual e-ticket to travel, available from the School Office, in person, via email office@habsboys.org.uk or by telephone on 020 8266 1700. The cost will be added to your account should you wish to come in to School by coach. Please note you will not be able to travel on full routes, details on our website, therefore students must make alternative arrangements well in advance of your exam date. What to do if you are likely to arrive after 8.50am if on a School coach: • Ask the Coach Steward to telephone the School 020 8266 1700 and ask to be met by a supervisor on arrival. • Hand your mobile phone before 8.50am to a member of staff. • Remain under the supervision of an adult until you have reported to the Head of Examinations or to an invigilator. It is essential there is no break of even a few seconds in your supervision by an adult. If there is no member of staff on your coach, ask a Prefect or Steward to supervise you.
Joining the Coach Service, Amendments and Cancellations September 2018 Instructions for making an application to the coach service, amending your current arrangements or cancelling the service have been sent out under separate cover via the Parent Portal. Please check there for details. If you want your current travel arrangements to remain in place you do not need to take any action.
E-tickets for Coaches E-tickets were distributed, valid to 5 July 2018 at the start of the calendar year. These will not be re-issued. If you require a replacement, please contact the Transport Office at transportmanager@habsboys.org.uk.
Routine Reminders Examinations Internal Examinations U6 will have 4 days of A2 mocks from Tuesday 17 – Friday 20 April. They have their timetable and individual schedules and are only required on site when sitting a paper. Pupils in Years 7 – 10 will all have internally assessed end of year examinations immediately after Summer half term, i.e. Tuesday 5 – Friday 8 June. Year 7 finish their examinations on Thursday 7 June and have a special Independent Learning Day on the Friday. Your son has been given a ‘Candidate Exam Handbook’ along with the following Guide: For Middle School: Survival Guide for Exams for Parents of Students in the Middle School For Sixth Form: Survival Guide for Exams for Parents and Students in the Sixth Form These contain all the information you need about your son’s public examinations this summer.
Study Leave (Year 11, L6 and U6) Boys are expected to wear full School uniform (dress code in the Sixth Form) and be clean shaven whenever they are in the School, whether they have examinations or not.
Year 11 Study Leave for Year 11 will begin at the end of School on Friday 27 April. During study leave Year 11 pupils are welcome to come to School to work. Classrooms will be set aside for study and a full list of available rooms can be found posted outside the office door of the Head of Middle School. Boys are reminded to thumb-in and thumb-out when they arrive and depart from the campus during the examination season. All Year 11 pupils are reminded that School dress regulations will apply at all times when at School. GCSE results are due to be published this year on Thursday 23 August.
Routine Reminders Work Experience Work experience acts as an introduction to many of the important aspects of working life and provides boys with a better understanding of some of the skills they are likely to need in whatever career they eventually choose. For many boys, it is also a valuable opportunity to sample a career area which may be of interest to them, and to make useful contacts for the future. Work experience is a vital part of the Year 11 curriculum and we expect all boys to have completed at least one placement prior to entry to our Sixth Form. This year’s work experience period runs from 18 June to 6 July – boys are expected to complete a one week placement either during this period or over the summer holiday. The majority of students successfully secure their own work experience placements through their own network of family and friends. The School does its best to assist those students who have been unsuccessful in finding a placement in their preferred area of work; and it is on behalf of these pupils that we appeal to parents to contact Mrs Howe in the Careers Office if they are able to accommodate a student or help secure any additional placements. The success of the work experience scheme relies heavily upon the goodwill and support of parents and friends of the School. Offers of placements in the areas of scientific research, finance and medicine are particularly welcome. If you are able to offer a placement or would like to obtain further details of the scheme, please contact Mrs Howe on 020 8266 1936 or howe_s@habsboys.org.uk.
Lower Sixth (L6) Study Leave for L6 will begin at the end of School on Friday 27 April. AS level results are due to be published this year on Thursday 16 August.
L6 Return from Study Leave The L6 will resume School at 8.45pm Tuesday 5 June for an immediate start on essential preparation for UCAS applications.
UCAS Conference Preparation for UCAS applications begin on Monday 11 June when we will be covering the personal statement and the interview. Specific guidance from subject specialist applications advisers will be given on how to write the personal statement for each chosen degree course. It is expected that Lower 6 pupils bring to this seminar all notes they have been making since the November Higher Education Evening on their super curricular involvement. The expectation is that the personal statement will be in its final stage by the end of the Summer Term. This is to ensure that a final consultation with your adviser in September ensures applications meet the early deadlines in October. Full details of the UCAS application process can be found in the University Handbook issued in November. Pupils applying for courses which require an interview will be given mock interviews. Further information will be sent to parents nearer the time. All Aske Projects must be submitted without exception by 4pm on Wednesday 27 June.
Routine Reminders Sixth Form Work Experience and Open Day Visits Students and parents are reminded that no visits to University Open Days are permitted on Field Days in order to safeguard the programme of School activities. Likewise, work experience is not permitted in term time in order to protect the teaching programme. Sixth Form boys are encouraged to do work experience during the school holidays.
L6 University Open Days All L6 pupils are encouraged to attend University Open Days. A special Open Day Exeat is issued by the Form Tutor and pupils are expected to do their utmost to minimise any disruption to their studies. Pupils are limited to two Open Days per term and this attendance is monitored. Most universities offer more than one Open Day and many are held at weekends or during school holidays. L6 boys requesting permission to attend an additional Open Day should do so in writing to the Head of Sixth Form. University Open Day information is available on the university websites, at www.opendays.com, on HabsNet under Academic/University Applications and via the notice board outside the Careers Office. Pupils and parents are reminded that no visits to University Open Days are permitted on Field Days in order to safeguard the programme of School activities.
L6 Higher Education Evening 2 – Tuesday 12 June All L6 pupils and their parents are invited to this important event which complements the November Higher Education Evening 1, and which is supported by a significant number of university admissions tutors. Parents will receive an invitation with full information nearer the time.
Upper Sixth (U6) Study Leave commences at 4pm on Friday 11 May. Advanced GCE results are due to be published this year on Thursday 16 August.
U6 Student Finance Deadlines Information regarding student finance was issued to parents via the Parent Portal in February. If your son intends to begin his university studies in September 2018 it is time for him to apply for student finance. University tuition fee and maintenance loans and grants are administered by the organisation Student Finance England at https://www.gov.uk/student-finance Your son does not need to have accepted a place at university to apply for student finance; he can inform Student Finance of his preferred choice of course now and change it later if necessary.
Routine Reminders UCAS Offers U6 pupils must check their UCAS status and meet deadlines set regarding the acceptance or rejection of offers. Pupils are reminded that they must keep their options open by having a Firm and an Insurance choice. If you have only one offer, which you do not intend to take up, do not reject it until you receive your results in summer. You may need it! You lose nothing by hanging on to it. Before making any difficult decisions, you must seek the help of your adviser or Mrs Swallow.
AS and A Level Results and University Clearing – Thursday 16 August All U6 pupils and parents will receive information nearer the time. The university applications advisers will be offering advice and guidance on Thursday 16 August and Friday 17 August. U6 PUPILS MUST NOT BE AWAY FROM HOME FOR AT LEAST A WORKING WEEK FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF RESULTS ON THURSDAY 16 AUGUST. If there is a problem, i.e. you do not get the results you anticipated, admissions tutors will negotiate only with you, the applicant. They will not be prepared to make any decisions based on conversations with either a parent or with the School. Not being available at this time could have serious consequences, i.e. you could lose that place/not access a good alternative!
School Property Books and other School property must be returned in full by Friday 22 June, or as directed by individual departments. Boys are personally responsible for ensuring that all School property is returned to the appropriate member of staff and is duly accounted for according to the arrangements that will be announced by School departments. A charge will be raised against books and property not returned, and against misused or damaged property. Carelessly damaged books will be charged proportionately.
U6 Portrait Photographs In addition to the official group photographs which are taken on the last teaching day in School, Gillman and Soame will be taking individual School portraits of the U6 to mark the culmination of their School days. These will be taken on the following dates: • •
Friday 27 April – 2pm – Calverts, Hendersons and Joblings Friday 4 May – 2pm – Meadows, Russells and Strouts
Routine Reminders U6 Dinner Dance The U6 Dinner Dance which is a joint event with the Girls’ School, will take place at the Watford Hilton Hotel on Thursday 28 June. More details to follow in the Summer Term.
The Founder’s Celebration The Founder’s Celebration of the Class of 2018 (the U6) will take place on Wednesday 27 June commencing with drinks and a light finger buffet at 6.30pm. This will be an evening of farewell for all U6 students and their families and will include an opportunity for a final farewell to Housemasters and Tutors followed by a prize giving and celebration in the Bourne Hall. The event will celebrate the transition from Habs Boys to Habs Alumni, and from Habs parents to Habs former parents, but it will remind all that while they are ending a link with the School curriculum, they remain very much part of the Habs community. Please would all parents indicate their, and their son’s, attendance at these events and the purchase of the Year Book via the parent portal early in the Summer Term.
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J Suchak and T Lunn - March 2018