Summer Highlights

James at the Paris World Cup in June 2021

Old Hallifordians Secure their Place at the Tokyo Olympics

by Mrs Olivia Oakley, Marketing & Communications

We are delighted that two Old Hallifordians have been selected to represent Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics in their respective sports.

Former Deputy Head Prefect, James Woodgate, has been selected as one of the six archers to compete this year. James left Halliford School last year, and at just 18 years old, is the youngest member of the archery team to be selected for Tokyo. Upon leaving Halliford last Summer, James commented, “I am really happy with my A Level results and feel very lucky under the circumstances. I am grateful to all the Halliford teachers for their hard work and support. I now plan to take a gap year to focus on my archery in the Olympic squad.” We are so proud to see that James’ hard work and dedication to the sport has been rewarded. James picked up the sport at the age of seven, started competing at the age of nine, and has always performed well in his age group, placing in the top 3 at National Championships several times. In 2018 he won the Surrey Junior Outdoor Championships and became the reigning Southern Counties Archery Society James Woodgate

champion. He was then nominated by Archery GB as one of the four cadet recurve men to represent Great Britain at the European Youth Cup 1st Leg as part of their development programme. He finished the season with the gold medal at the Archery GB Key Event Finals held in Caldicot Castle in Wales. From here, he has gone from strength to strength. Old Hallifordian Toby Penty has been selected for the Team GB Badminton Squad. Toby started playing badminton aged nine, and with 200 career wins to his name, he is England’s leading men’s singles player. The left-handed shuttler has been a member of the National team since 2011 and made his international debut at the 2012 Thomas Cup. He reached the semi-finals of the Saar Lor Lux Open in late 2019 and continues to sit around the top 50 position in the world rankings. Headmaster James Davies said, “I am absolutely thrilled to hear this amazing news for not one but two Old Hallifordians. James and Toby possess all the Hallifordian values of being brilliant team players and showing superb resilience, which will enable them to be splendid members of Team GB in Tokyo. As the brother and son of two former Olympians, I know some of the delights and demands that James and Toby will have ahead in the coming weeks and months and will be cheering for them on every step of their Olympic journey. There can be no greater honour than to represent your country, and we are immensely proud of these magnificent achievements and send James and Toby and their fellow GB athletes the very best wishes of the entire Halliford School family.”

Toby Penty

MY HALLIFORD SCHOOL STORY

Maxwell Hurn, 7R

When I first came to Halliford, I was nervous and worried I would not make any friends. But when I came into my form, I was no longer nervous because everyone was nice and welcoming. As everyone knows, this year has been full of ups and downs, especially from COVID-19. We have had a lockdown in the middle of the school year, and that was certainly very tough since there was very bad internet in my house. But when we came back, there were only two weeks until the end of term. But on the bright side, I got to see my friends for two weeks. My favourite lesson in Halliford is PE because the running and the sport have been so fun and exciting. When I came back to school, it was amazing that I could see all my friends again.

MY HALLIFORD SCHOOL STORY

Nathaniel Kinmont, 7R

I decided to come to Halliford school as the size seemed right and I was impressed with the Art, Music and Drama Departments. I enjoyed looking around the school on Open Day and seeing where places were and how things worked. I liked the look of the DT Workshop and I liked the way most of my lessons were in the same building. I was excited to go to such a good school and I wanted to do a lot of things, but I was also nervous about making new friends and making a step up to another year. I was glad to make friends fast and have people to help me if I was sad. I really enjoy DT as I like to build things and I also like music. I play the violin which brings me peace and makes me calm. The main differences are how at my old school all the lessons would be in the same room and I would go outside to a small playground with only my year at a time. At Halliford the lessons are taught in different rooms so I can walk between lessons and stretch. I also like to chat and play on the large playing field. I am happy to go to Halliford as it has a wide variety of things to do like clubs and sports, and the teachers are nice and friendly.

Inter-House Mental Health Awareness Week Art Competition

by Ms Hetherington, Head of Art

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, during May, the Art Department ran a competition to support mental health and to see how students engaged with the theme. To take part in the competition, students had to submit their understanding and experience of mental health through various mediums. Students were encouraged to utilise creativity to practise and promote positive mental wellbeing. The resulting 50 entries showcased thought-provoking, eye-opening, and stunning imagery. These simply must be seen to be fully appreciated. The Art Department would like to acknowledge the following: • The photo best linked to the competition theme was Jakob Holder in Wadham House

• The best digitally manipulated entry was submitted by Bill Ferguson in Wadham House • The best fine art entry was submitted by Hugo Callington in Greville House

Bill Ferguson, 8W

Humphrey Pedlar, 8W Jakob Holder, 8W

Jack Farrow, 8R Hugo Callington, 7G

George Dwyer, 7W

This year has been difficult, but it has also inspired a wealth of creativity, allowing reflection, unexpected inspiration, and much-needed calm. The boys have embraced the opportunity to express their emotions and interpretations of the challenges of Covid through Art.

James Grant, 7R

Louis Clark, 8G

Seb Roberts, 7W Joshua Newlands, 7R

Miles Cobley, 8D

Toby Hill, 8R Loris Jackson, 8G

Rui Amoroso, 8D

Alex Ampleford, 8W

Mayoral Mock Election

by Mr John MacLean, Head of Sixth Form

During the first week of May 2021, Halliford went back to the ballot booth and participated in a Mock Election where they voted for London Mayor. The election was run by the Lower Sixth Politics class of William McGuigan, Christopher Cole, and Dominic Rose and was quite unlike the American Mock Election we ran in November, as the voting system is very different.

The students recorded a wonderful assembly outlining the voting process involved with the Single Transferable Vote (STV) voting system and then ran through the candidates standing for election. This year has been another busy one for political figures as the world has continued grappling with the challenges associated with Covid19, so the outcome of this election was sure to be an interesting one. The candidates ranged from the major parties to independent candidates such as Count Binface and Niko Omilana (a YouTube star - or so I am told). Halliford was very clear in its decision making and elected Niko Omilana with a staggering 74% of the vote; such an extensive victory that there was no need for a second round of counting! Chris Cole commented, “It was really interesting to be able to apply our understanding of the voting system we have learned about in class in practice - even if the outcome did somewhat surprise us!” Dominic Rose said, “What a wonderful way to bring the subject to life!”

The real victor was the students’ understanding of democracy and the importance of voter participation! Well done to the Lower Sixth Politics class for their efforts in organising and running this opportunity.

MY HALLIFORD SCHOOL STORY

Harry Jennings, 7R

I decided to come to Halliford School because I visited many Open Days and saw all the facilities. I thought that they were fantastic, especially the Sports Hall and the music studios. The entrance exams were tricky, but with a lot of help from my old school, I got a place at Halliford and I was thrilled. On the first day, I was very excited and not that nervous because I knew two other students from my old school. I was very happy not to get much homework. The lessons I like here most are Games, History and Computer Science. The biggest difference between Halliford and my previous school is that Halliford has loads of sports sessions compared to my old school. I really enjoy the sport here, I’m in the A team for cricket and football, and hopefully, I can get in the team for rugby too. I am really pleased I came to Halliford School because of the amazing facilities and the great teachers.

A Song of The Sea

by Mr Joseph McElroy, Teacher of English

Congratulations to Mr Joseph McElroy who who came joint first place in this year’s Elmbridge Literary Competition. You can enjoy his submission below:

The flint-grey waves swashed up the beach with the rhythmic certainty of a mason’s trowel. Each swell’s scrape smoothed the edges of the sand-scattered stones, and sleeked the gnarled, rotting, tree branches that were half-buried in the dunes. This stretch of Suffolk coast had been caressed away over the years, fat slabs of sandstone lured into those memory-less waters: a sirensong that was as inevitable as it was heartbreaking. He knew that a hundred years from now all of this would be a mere charcoal smudge, or worse, a peeling photograph on a public house wall. But at least the waves’ song would never change. Pointing the phonograph towards the sea, he turned the handle vigorously until the stylus had scratched the sound into the record. He had spent the last ten years travelling up and down Suffolk roads, crouched by the hearths of fishermen’s cottages, recording the songs of a folk tradition that was rapidly disappearing. He wanted to capture those tunes in the same way that one might pin desiccated butterflies or wildflowers to a cabinet wall: having them was what was important. Once recorded, the songs could never be smashed and churned as had happened to the landscape of his childhood. He would capture them and keep them forever safe, locked away from time. He checked his watch: quarter of nine. A reasonable hour to visit. It began to drizzle as he loped back up the hushed dunes. He hoped that he might have one more song to record, one that would allow him to finally present his work to the Academy next month. This was the last place left to visit. Although, there wasn’t much there as the village of Scarshore had been swallowed up by the sea in a storm fifty years before: entire families lost, chapels and hovels vanishing into the murk. Only one house had been left standing. Surely no one could be still living here? It was a shivering old wreck that teetered on a cliff edge. Its striated clay roof was peppered with abandoned birds’ nests; the many black gaps in the walls and eruptions of droppings from peeling window frames made it look scabrous and ill. Trembling at the thought of completing his grand project, he thumped firmly on a moss-bruised door, halfafraid that the whole edifice would collapse. At first, he could hear nothing but the gargling swash of the North Sea and the drumming of the squall that had started. Then, a scratching. Birds? A shuffling. Rats? And then the groaning croak of rusted hinges, as a pinched white face peered out of the wet gloom. She stared. “G-good morning, madam. I apologise for disturbing you. I was wondering if you might be able to assist me?” She continued to stare. Never had he seen someone so perfectly, almost organically, in tune with her surroundings. Her hair was a shock of silver, the colour of the foaming tide; her skin, weathered as an overturned hull, was only missing the barnacles. But it was her eyes that arrested his attention most: behind the film of grey lay two black orbs that glistened darkly. Although she couldn’t see, her stare pierced. “Let me state my business. I work for the Academy and I suppose you could call me a collector of songs-” “And you come up here to take a song from me, is it?” Her voice crackled like shaken shingle. “Yes, if that’s not too much trouble-” “You don’t want the one song I have, Academy Man.” She went to close the door, but his boot barred the way. “I apologise again, madam, but may I at least come in to shelter from the rain for a moment?” She wavered before shrugging, “Suit yourself. But you’ll not feel much difference.” She was right. He felt the cold keenly. As long as the wind coming in through the gaps in the eaves didn’t disturb the recording, it would be fine. This shouldn’t take long. “I am so sorry to pester, but it really wouldn’t take a moment. Of course, you will be compensated for the singing. Would five shillings suffice?” He hadn’t offered more than a shilling for the other recordings, but he was anxious to wrap this up, so he could finish preparing for the Academy Recital next month. He would begin the arrangements as soon as he returned to London, leaving this desolate place behind for good. She shook her head. “You really don’t want it. Dry off and be on your way, once the weather breaks.” Exasperated, he slumped in a chair. “Thank you. That is most disappointing. May I ask why not?” “You can ask,” she chuckled. “Truth is there ain’t no forgetting this song. It stays with you. Like the tide, always coming in. Going out. Turning and churning your mind over and over until there ain’t much left but the sea itself...”

She trailed off, staring. “I remember once when I were a little girl, back before people like you knocked on doors with your nosy machines and your noisy thoughts. When we just sang to the sea and, if you listened well, the sea would sing you back. “There were one night, one of them evil nights when the wind’d sweep you up off a cliff and drop you into the everlasting. A young girl came a-knocking, no more than thirteen she were, looking like

a drowned rat. She were human like you or I, but her hair were knotted with kelp and her skin were green like the moss on that door. She looked for all as if she’d dragged herself right out of the ocean.

“Mother invited her inside, wrapped her in a blanket, and asked her about her relations. But she didn’t speak a word. Just stared into the fire as if she’d never seen one before, and drank cups and cups of tea, before dunking her head in our bucket and glugging water like a sailor would his dram. Her breathing were ragged as if she were fighting for air, but once she’d drunk her fill, she calmed. Mother were scared of her then; she ran out to get help from the neighbours. “That’s when she looked at me, the girl. Stared at me with eyes blacker than ravens, she did. I couldn’t look away and I stared back. Then she said, but not aloud, not in words, but in my head, You’re not like the others. You’ve given me shelter. You’ve been kind and welcoming. You will hear the sea from Above, not from Below like the others.

“I couldn’t move for sheer terror, when Mother whirled back inside, eyes wide like lamps. She whispered, I checked on the Deaths first, and then the Kerseys, and all of the houses, even the pub, but they’re all...gone. As if they just vanished into thin air. She then pointed at the girl, She must know. Where are they? Screaming now, gibbering, she lunged for the girl, stretching out for the kelp in her hair.

“The girl stared at Mother now and Mother froze. She then opened her mouth, and deep from within her and out, she gushed out the sweetest song you could ever hear.” At this the old woman began to hum. The tune swirled around him, anchoring him to the spot. Sweat beaded his collar. “The power of the song were incredible. It were so strange but at the same time it felt like it’d been inside me the whole time, like from before I were born. It were like the world opened her lungs and lullabied the universe, spilling all her secrets. At the sound of it, Mother made no noise, turned away and stepped out, lost to the storm.”

The old woman’s hum changed to words, guttural and flowing, in a voice sweeter than honey and with overlapping harmonies that washed in and out rhythmically like the swash of the sea. Over and over. The notes crashed, the melody swelled: it felt warm, womblike, safe. She sang on, but her words now echoed in his head, You see, Academy Man, this song were her gift to me and my curse. The sea laid claim to them empty houses the same night as the storm but not before she took away those that’d been in them. She sang, as he trudged past the moss-beaten door, phonograph tucked under his arm, and out onto the marram grass, no longer feeling their sting or the cold slush of muddy sand. She sang as the icy water lapped at his ankles and caressed his knees. She sang on and on, over and over, embalming him with the swash of the tide; he could hear it in her words, could hear it in the shingle, gurgling and swooshing, before his head finally disappeared under the black water. The song was the sea, and the sea was the song. And the waves’ song never changed.

MY HALLIFORD SCHOOL STORY

Ryan Mills, 7G

I decided to come to Halliford School because my brother was already at the school. I came to the Open Day and enjoyed the diversity. On Examination Day, I was anxious until I got the hang of things. On the first day, I was a little nervous because none of the people from my school had even tried for the school. Mr Cunningham helped me find my way. I was startled by the homework because in my old school they didn’t give any. Charlie Grant and Thomas Reid were my first friends. Life at Halliford settled down and I soon got used to the routine. The lessons I like the most here are Maths because I am very good at it and I find DT interesting. Halliford differs from my old school mostly because we have tests for every subject, not just Maths and English. I’m really enjoying the sport at Halliford. I play cricket, rugby, and golf and do athletics. Overall, I am really pleased I came to Halliford School because I am accepted by the other boys and teachers, especially Mr Cunningham.

The Festival of School and College Arts

by Mrs Olivia Oakley, Marketing & Communications

On 28 May 2021, we took part in the Festival of School and College Arts by celebrating the creative achievements of our students on Twitter using the hashtag #EduArtsFest.

The event aimed to fill the platform with the voices of children and young people playing music, performing drama, sharing artwork, poetry, singing, or dancing - championing the vital role of the arts in schools and colleges around the country and the fantastic work created by children and young people. This day of celebration was very much welcome after the challenging time we have all experienced throughout the pandemic. The Festival was a joint initiative between ASCL and the Association of Colleges (AoC), Confederation of School Trusts (CST), the Independent Schools Council (ISC), National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), the NASUWT teachers’ union, National Education Union (NEU), the National Governance Association (NGA), and the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA). The event was also supported by the Cultural Learning Alliance, which champions a right to arts and culture for every child. Head of Art, Ms Hetherington, commented, “Halliford students’ artwork has inevitably been coloured by their experience of the coronavirus pandemic and has added colour to a monochrome period of lockdown. Much of the students’ work, as with their animated Teams discussions, reflects the nature of their experiences and has provided an outlet for feelings of loneliness, fear for the future and losses in all its forms. Art during the pandemic has proved to be a vehicle of self-therapy during these difficult times, providing a medium for anger, distress and at times, humour. It has promoted discussion, communication, connections, well-being, and excellence!” We were delighted to share photographs of our Hallifordian artists, musicians and performers engaged in their craft. It was a joy to take these photos and a joy to share them on social media.

Durham University Economics Competition

by Mrs Leila Brown, Teacher of Economics & Business Studies

Durham University held an Economics competition that was open to Sixth Form students. There were 800 entries from students in 35 countries, including Lower Sixth Halliford Economists Kian McGrath, Dominic Rose, Max Connelley, Will McGuigan and Owen Morris. We held a few lunchtime meetings to discuss essay plans and possible arguments, as there were six titles from which to choose, ranging from environmental policy challenges to the effectiveness of central banks’ mitigatory efforts in the COVID-19 pandemic.

I am very happy to share Owen’s entry below.

Evaluate the effectiveness of a wealth tax in fighting inequality By Owen Morris, Lower Sixth

The inequality gap has worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused waves of economic duress as a result of methods implemented by the government to prevent the spread. These cases of intervention caused millions to be reliant on the government to sustain a proportion of their income, thus, as a consequence widening the gap between themselves and those who managed to retain their jobs and lifestyle. This issue of an inequality gap is one of a high priority that needs to be solved, one method which has reignited the debate over the wealth tax involves a charge levied on the total or market value of a person’s assets once they reach a certain threshold. In essence, this would mean those that are wealthiest have less money which can be redistributed to those at the bottom, however it is not as simple as this, it is also accompanied by many negatives. Firstly, the inequality gap has spiralled out of control with a solution now a necessity for those in power, in the United Kingdom in 2018 the ONS (Total wealth in Great Britain - Office for National Statistics, 2019) reported that the wealthiest decile of the population held an accumulative £6.5 trillion in assets, this sum is just over 300% of GDP. Whereas, graph 1 shows that those in the lowest wealth decile have negative net financial and net property worth on average (debts exceed assets). The lowest decile’s estimated net financial worth has fluctuated over time but has decreased in the last two survey periods (increasing debt). There is evidently a stark contrast of inequality between the highest and lowest decile. The poverty issue in the United Kingdom now places 4.1 million children in poverty (Benefit expenditure in the UK 2020 | Statista, 2020), which ethically should never be the case as every child should receive a minimum standard of living.

(Total wealth in Great Britain - Office for National Statistics, 2019)

Currently, in a bid to resolve this problem, the United Kingdom government utilises a tax and benefits system in which it takes proportionately more tax from those on higher levels of income and redistributes it through welfare benefits to those on lower incomes. In addition to resolve inequality, the government provides cash benefits to aid those on small incomes or none at all. This can be done either through contributary or noncontributory benefits, such as job seekers allowance, housing benefit and child support. Another method is a Universal Credit which is likely to lead to a fall of 300,000 in the number of people locked in poverty in working families. The number of children in working families in poverty is expected to be reduced by 200,000 by this change (Barnard, 2019). Whilst this government intervention allows those worst affected by inequality to be supported financially, it has unintended consequences, as it can cause a disincentive effect. If they were to take up work offered to them, they would lose more money due to higher taxes now demanded. In addition, it can

lead to a moral hazard by which people are reluctant to work as the state provides them with an insurance policy against poverty unemployment and disability (Policies to reduce inequality | Economics Online | Economics Online, n.d.) Last year the government spent £192.4 billion on welfare benefits, an increase of £8 billion from the previous year. This drain in expenditure limits investment into sectors like healthcare and education which create an array of positive externalities, such as an increase in aggregate supply and demand, as well as a greater potential for the economy to meet its maximum output. If this increase in inequality is to continue the government urgently needs to discover a method to increase its revenue. If a wealth tax were to exist, it would be able to generate an extensive amount of additional government revenue which can be directed towards those in the lower deciles away from a sector of society which can only consume so much. This tax would help financial markets return to their economic function of price discovery and efficient capital allocation (Bond, 2021). Furthermore, the added revenue would reduce the need for government intervention through demand side policies such as monetary policy which can lead to zero interest rates and quantitative easing, which whilst positively affecting the wealthy don’t do the same for those less well off. It will also limit the frequency of boom and bust cycles, rising debt levels and diminishing productivity. In regard to shrinking the inequality gap, in America research has revealed that if used the tax rate applicable to the wealthiest 400 families would rise from 23% to 46% (Pros and Cons of a Wealth Tax. Explained in 6 Research-backed Reasons. — The Thread, 2020), thus greatly reducing the divide. Similarly, in the United Kingdom if a wealth tax were to be implemented on the wealthiest 10% of even 1% of their net worth it could generate funds of up to 3% of GDP, which can then be distributed through the deciles. A reduction in the inequality gap supported by a wealth tax will have an impact on the generation of the future as the standard of living for those living in poverty will be increased. The idea of a wealth tax has received support from 19 billionaires and multimillionaires in America in 2020 stating that they have a “moral, ethical, and economic responsibility” to improve the economy, health outcomes, and democratic freedoms (An Open Letter to the 2020 Presidential Candidates: It’s Time to Tax Us More, 2019). A Reuters poll in January 2020 found that 64 per cent of respondents favoured a wealth tax. Even though, this support is in America it demonstrates that it is not just those on low incomes that believe the wealth tax is necessary to help regenerate our economy and narrow the inequality gap but those who would be affected by it as well. They believe that the effects of a wealth tax on promoting a smaller inequality gap greatly outweigh the negatives of the tax. According to Stiglitz and Piketty if the government implements a monetary policy in the same way as in 2008 and 2012, it’ll boost inequality as stocks boomed alongside real estate, therefore if we do the same to recover from Covid a wealth tax may be necessary to level out these advantages placed upon the rich. To summarise, a wealth tax will not only lift the burden on government expenditure allowing them to maintain their spending but will at the same time shorten the bridge between the wealthy and the poor. This redistribution of wealth will lead to a more equal society whilst only slightly impeding Britain’s most wealthy. Despite having clear benefits as stated in the introduction there are also limitations to a wealth tax. A common unintended consequence of a wealth tax is for those who would be taxed millions to leave the country. This was the case in Sweden for the founder of IKEA Kamprad (Brannon, 2021). This makes the implementation of a wealth tax very risky as if the wealthiest people in the United Kingdom decide to move abroad, they will contribute very little tax compared to what they would have normally paid. Furthermore, it prevents the wealthy from reinvesting back into the economy which will prohibit innovation and further economic growth. It must also be remembered that a wealth tax does not eliminate the deficiencies in our income tax system (Stiglitz and Piketty, 2020). Another disadvantage of a wealth tax is that it is extremely difficult to administer. This cost can sometimes be greater than the profits received by the government (The Role and Design of Net Wealth Taxes in the OECD | READ online, 2018). If the redistribution of wealth is improperly focused, the wealth tax will not actually benefit those on low incomes, but the middle class. If like in America, the focus was free college education only the middle class would benefit as there is still the stigma surrounding education for those in the lower classes who may not want to or cannot utilise that opportunity due to their view on life (Brannon, 2021). The philosopher Jean Baptist Colbert famously said that the art of taxation is to pluck the feathers from the goose with the least amount of hissing. A wealth tax produces a lot of hissing and no feathers.

To conclude, there is a growing inequality gap in the UK. The wealth tax is one solution to this problem; whilst the wealth tax would in the short-term lead to a windfall in financing for the government it requires careful implementation. The lack of innovation and hindered economic growth that can be derived from a high wealth tax does not outweigh the short-term increase in revenue. This tax would be effective if coupled with other forms of taxation such as a corporation tax, or alongside methods of government intervention. The risks that associate this tax cannot be forgotten, nor can its numerous advantages.

Devised Drama Performances

by Mr Roberto Bruno, Head of Drama

At the end of May, the Drama Department was happy to have an audience back in the theatre. Despite the lockdown periods, the Year 10 and Lower Sixth Drama classes have been working tirelessly creating their own devised performances. The students were given a choice of stimulus material and then let the creative process take over and started making meaningful theatre.

The Year 10 students worked incredibly hard to create some thought-provoking theatre. The first performance by Lucas Lindstrup, George O’Loughlin, Tommy Ballard, Nathan Linde and Joe Haines investigated the conspiracy theory around the death of Princess Diana. This performance was both creative and thought-provoking, showing the opinions of the people at the time. The second group, consisting of William Shanley, Harry Tuckman, Mannat Virk, James Hallett, Millen Richardson, and Hayden Haslam-Baker on the lights, created a harrowing story inspired by human trafficking and the Japanese death marches. The acting was strong, and the lighting really gave this performance the atmosphere it desired.

The third group of the evening with Freddie Robinson, Harley Reynolds, James Banks, Carter Green, Bailey MacDonald and Callum O’Brien on the lights, created a performance about the life of El Chapo. This performance had an inspiring use of props and outstanding acting where the boys really displayed their physical theatre skills. The final group of the evening created an excellent performance that investigated the life of soldiers when they arrive home from war. This performance highlighted some of the hardships that soldiers go through. Well done to Jivraj Singh, Nate Broadhurst, Oscar Wort, Thomas Wilkin, and Louie Paterson for making such a good performance. The Lower Sixth students created an outstanding performance that showcased the performance styles of Bertolt Brecht and Artaud. This performance was inspired by the play Attempts On Her Life. From this stimulus material, the Lower Sixth boys created a performance about sexuality in the format of a series of TV shows. This multimedia performance challenged the audience to think about society’s views on everything to do with sexuality. This performance was designed to make you laugh in places and be shaken to your core in others. The audience agreed that this performance was successful in both. With a strong political message, these boys showed how Hallifordians can tackle a performance using satire and humour. The play was created and performed by Cormac Evans, Charlie BarkerBroe, Max Pillinger, William Jones, and Charlie Poulter was the technical student. After a lengthy period of no theatre and two lockdown periods, these students have shown that nothing can stop the creative flow of a Hallifordian, and they have made the Drama Department proud.

Headmaster at the helm

Halliford School Supports New Sunbury Ferry

by Mr James Davies, Headmaster

We are delighted to support a wonderful new local initiative to bring a new ferry service to the River Thames in Lower Sunbury. This marvellous volunteer project has been launched with the support of the local council and will link Lower Sunbury with Walton on the opposite bank. Halliford School has many links with local charities and businesses, and this project had a particular appeal.

Prior to moving to Lower Sunbury and taking up my position as Headmaster at Halliford School, I had worked for a number of years as a Volunteer Crew Member with the RNLI serving on both the East and West Coasts of the UK on both offshore and inshore lifeboats. I was keen to put my prior experience to good use to help the local community and am delighted to have been offered a place as one of the four Lead Skippers on the project. In addition, Halliford has undertaken to cover the cost of the crew uniform as one of the project sponsors and we have provided the meeting location for the extremely popular community meetings to get the project launched. It is very much hoped that as the project grows, there will be opportunities for students at the school to get involved and support in a variety of ways as part of the many volunteering projects they take part in locally. It is a magnificent opportunity for the school to get involved in this splendid community project, and I have been so inspired by the work undertaken by Neil and Simon from the Sunbury Ferry Project. What they have achieved in the short space of time is truly remarkable, and I am delighted to use my skills and the support from the school to help the project in this early stage become a wonderful success. I can’t wait to get on the water again and to get to meet lots of people who will hopefully enjoy this new service!

PHA Programme

by Mr Joseph McElroy, Teacher of English

PHA stands for Potential High Achievers, which is Halliford School’s Gifted and Talented programme. Looking at the results of the previous year’s exams and assessments and teacher judgement, we select the top 10% of students most likely to attain high grades across multiple academic subjects. This list is revised annually, contingent on academic performance, attitude to learning throughout the school, and demonstrated enthusiasm for the PHA programme.

The programme is split into two groups. We have PHA Juniors for Year 8 and Year 9 students and PHA Seniors for Years 10 through to Upper Sixth. This year with the juniors, we did online lessons on Cognitive Biases. Students learned about how these biases such as confirmation bias and anchoring effect can affect how we make decisions, and they might have arisen as a result of evolutionary demands – why would a caveman need to make a quick decision using this bias to avoid predators. They would use that knowledge to inform their GCSE options in Year 9. We finished the year with an EPQ-style extended project in which each student chose to create a resource that demonstrated what they had learned, including a blog, a computer game, a board game, a quiz, and posters. Next year, I hope to teach them about the main principles of cognitive psychology, leading them to teach other students how to do something that they already know how to do well. This will help them understand more about the learning process and the most efficient ways of sharing knowledge. I have also offered drop-in clinics to the PHA Year 9 students on which subjects to take at GCSE, and monitor their progress and implement interventions throughout the year for those missing their challenge targets in academic subjects. This year with the PHA Seniors, we did online Symposium sessions in which teachers shared their expertise to lead discussions on topics that go beyond the curriculum, e.g. Racio-Linguistics of English in light of the Black Lives Matter movement; the Science of Sleep; the Power of Geography to determine the development of societies; the New Globalisation of China’s Belt and Road strategy, etc. Each session takes the form of a 45-minute introductory lecture that allows for questioning students’ understanding and ideas about a given topic, followed by around 30 minutes of student discussion/ debate. This engendered some lively discussions from the students, and it was wonderful to see how they responded to having their assumptions challenged. Next year, I would like to move these sessions online with visiting speakers and host a careers evening led by several non-teachers. I offered drop-in clinics to the PHA Year 11 students in support of their mock exams and PHA Year 12 interviews for next steps, supporting in preparation for university applications, as well as monitoring progress and implementing interventions throughout the year for those in all year groups who missed their challenge targets in academic subjects. I will also run mock Oxbridge interviews with subject specialist teachers early next year for those students applying.

MY HALLIFORD SCHOOL STORY

Thomas Reid, 7G

I came to Halliford School because I visited the school on an Open Day, and I immediately loved it. I had an amazing welcome from the Headmaster. On the first day, I was nervous and worried I wouldn’t make any friends, but Mr Cunningham helped me settle into the new classroom, and I made lots of friends the first week because I talked to lots of people. For the first term, we didn’t get much homework. In my old school, we didn’t get any homework, so it was a big step up from my previous school. I enjoy Computer Science because I like learning about computers. I also like R.S because it is very interesting, and the teachers are so nice. I’m not very sporty, so I am not involved in lots of sports, but I have joined Photography Club, Code Breaking Club and Conspiracy Club this year.

Upper Sixth Leavers Celebration Day

by Mr John MacLean, Head of Sixth Form

The last day of school is always an exciting prospect, and this was certainly the case for the Upper Sixth this year. After a challenging year of remote learning, Covid restrictions, one-way systems, and a modified examinations process, the end of the school year was hotly anticipated.

This year we chose to celebrate with the Upper Sixth in school and hosted a range of events for them. The day started with a delicious feast prepared by Laura and Vic in the Vibe Café, where the boys had a chance to catch up with each other over a hot breakfast and some tasty sweet treats. The Common Room was then filled with the noise of ping pong, gaming consoles, and laughter as they engaged in several competitions. There was a chance for some final photographs, both formal and informal, and then for lunch, the boys were treated to truly British BBQ – by which we mean that we had to have it indoors as the weather was rather wet! In the afternoon, the boys completed a reverse-escape room where they took on the role of bank robbers

and had to break into something rather than try to escape from it. It was a brilliant activity that forced them to think logically, creatively, mathematically, and establish some interesting patterns. The tension was palpable, but the final victors were Tom Wittke, Piers Bowater, Nicholas Atherfold, Chris Sanders, Louis Mercer and Elliott Saunders.

It was an enjoyable day for all and a lovely end to what has been a fantastic seven years. Well done boys!

MY HALLIFORD SCHOOL STORY

Lucas Symons, 7G

I came to visit Halliford School on the Open Day and really liked it. I was slightly nervous but mostly excited about starting school, and I soon settled into school life. I was also lucky to have some of my other friends coming from my old school. My favourite lessons are DT and Science because I find them interesting and fun. Then lockdown happened. It was a bit of a shock at the start, and we all had to get used to new ways of working. I have been getting involved in quite a few clubs at Halliford. I have been doing Touch Typing Club and Conspiracy Club on both Thursday and Friday. I have been enjoying playing football, rugby, and cricket, plus I have joined the after-school Fencing Club, which is so fun. Outside of school, I have been playing hockey and sailing in my boat ‘Blueberry’. Overall, I am so pleased I came to Halliford as everyone is so kind.

Year 11 Leavers Celebration - Rafting

Year 11 Leavers Celebration Day

by Mr Matthew Shales, Head of Latin

This year we wanted to do something special for the Year 11 boys given all the difficulties they have had to deal with for the last 15 months, and so Mr Slocock arranged for us to visit the Lee Valley Olympic Park for some White-Water Rafting. Upon arrival at school, the boys were treated to a wonderful brunch in The Vibe Café. Students and staff alike enjoyed a mixture of Full English and Continental breakfasts. Following a bit of downtime at school, allowing the boys to socialise and play a bit of football, we headed onto the coaches for the journey to North London.

The journey there seemed to suggest that we were lying to the boys and that we were going on a sightseeing tour of the M25. However, an hour or so later than scheduled, we arrived in the pouring rain. Fair play to the lads. They did not let the weather dampen their spirit or their enthusiasm for the day. What awaited them was a combination of team building activities and time on the Olympic White-Water Rafting Course. The team building certainly tested the boys’ minds and ingenuity, but they

Year 11 Leavers Celebration - Team Building

persevered and got a lot of fun out of it despite the horrific weather conditions. Certainly, the highlight of the day was their time on the water, and the boys certainly did not waste this opportunity. There was plenty of opportunity for fun and frolics, along with showing some skills of working as a unit. The main aim of the day for our students seemed to be ensuring they pushed each other out of the raft and into the rapids. Rumour has it there was a £20 reward for whoever could push Ms Hetherington into the water!! There were certainly several boys who tried and were successful in doing this, although I am not sure any money changed hands in the end. The end of the day was not without drama, as there was a mad rush to get back to school for the England v Scotland match. We did make it back, although I am not sure it was worth the stress!

Thanks, in particular, must go to Mr Slocock who organised the whole thing, and great credit should go to Mr Aarons, Mr Arriandiaga, Mr Harden-Chaters and Ms Hetherington for being such great sports on the day.

Charlie Thorpe, 9D

LAMDA Evening

by Mr Roberto Bruno, Head of Drama

On Tuesday 22 June, the Drama Department hosted its second LAMDA evening. This evening is an opportunity for all our LAMDA students to showcase their hard work to an audience, even if that audience was virtual this time!

Students who study for their LAMDA exams take an extra Drama lesson every week with Miss Woodley, who works closely with the boys choosing texts they enjoy. Miss Woodley is fantastic at seeing her students’ acting potential, and she brings out the performer within.

The evening gave the boys from Years 7-9 a chance to show off their progress this year. The very talented Aidan Tattersall opened the evening with his Monologue from The Siege, and what an opening it was. It was a delight as the Head of Drama to see so many boys performing to a high standard, and it was so heartwarming to see the boys cheering each other on and clapping extra hard as the audience were all watching remotely. The boys all performed so well, and I hope you were all chimed in to watch them. The full list of performers is below. All these boys had their final LAMDA exam on Tuesday 6 July, and I am positive that every single boy has passed with a high grade. Finley Camino, 7G

NAME

Aidan Tattersall Torin Kirby Cameron Bird Cassius Buckle-Wright Hugo Callington Bill Ferguson Tom O'Connor Rohan Needs Finley Camino Rufus Shillington Ashwyn Needs Toby Hill Toby Groombridge Charlie Thorpe Rocky Lehmann Felix Armes-Ward Thomas Perrin Lucas Bullen Ruaridh Bell Carter Robinson

Hugo Callington, 7G Toby Groombridge, 7G

PERFORMING

The Siege The Legend of Podkin One Ear Sucker Punch The Scarlet Pimpernel Sammy’s Consent The Owl & The Pussycat Went to See Opening Night Mobile Madness Magician’s Nephew Kes Journey to X Johnny and the Dead How to Train Your Dragon Herbert Glerbett Danny, the Champion of the World Dragons at Crumbling Castle Calvin Body Talk Beowulf Apologia

Bronze Assessed and Silver Training Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions

by Mr Tom King, DofE Manager

The last weekend in June saw a troop of over 80 Hallifordians head out into the Surrey countryside to take on the challenges and adventure of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Having had last year’s Bronze expeditions postponed due to the pandemic, we had two separate cohorts of Bronze participants eagerly awaiting the opportunity to get out hiking. On top of that, we had a group of dedicated Silver award students ready to take their outdoor adventures to the next level.

Weighed down with heavy packs (some students opting to carry additional satchels containing nothing but sweets!), and their new leather walking boots creaking under the strain, our boys set off across fields and forests, using their map skills to orient themselves. We saw several lads rise to the challenge, take leadership roles in their groups, encouraging and helping their teammates. The routes weaved through beautiful villages, across lovely farms and into dense woodland, really showing our students how beautiful the North Downs really are. Despite the miles taking their toll physically (lockdown wasn’t the best preparation for hiking), our students powered through and did us proud. The campsite was impeccable, with tents neatly organised around a central football pitch, and it wasn’t long before a hearty game started up. Many groups attempted some extravagant cookery, opting to make fancy home cooking on their little Trangia stoves. Whilst this had mixed success (Gordon Ramsay would have had something to say about a few of the flavour combinations), it was heart-warming to see the students out and about with their friends and enjoying the outdoors, away from screens and phones. Once again, students showed determination and grit when things got tough (and hills got steep). A hearty congratulations to all involved, and I hope to see many of these students continue their DofE journey.

Extended Project Qualification

by Mrs Leila Brown, EPQ Coordinator

Despite lockdown, Halliford’s Lower Sixth students beavered away on their EPQs culminating in a Presentation Week just before the end of term. The EPQ gives students the opportunity to develop university academic skills whilst enabling them to investigate a topic of their own choice. This year there were many topics ranging from otter conservation, hyperloop travel, sports psychology, financial market crime and trading strategies to testing biofuel on a family car.

A selection of comments by students on their EPQ follows:

Alexander Donnelly – Head Prefect 2021-2022 Topic: Football Financial Fair Play – is it fair?

When given a free choice of topic, I was surprised by how long it took to decide on what to focus. The EPQ is unlike all other qualifications when you are being guided through a specification of knowledge content. The skills I learnt and which I feel are the most important ones for me are time planning and essay writing. Time management was important as I set myself deadlines to complete work, and I had to monitor my progress. Another skill I learnt when doing my EPQ project was structuring an essay whilst keeping my arguments succinct and keeping the focus of my essay on answering the question. I faced some challenges throughout the EPQ; these were overestimating how quickly I would finish my project. I set myself the target of finishing the project by March, which was ambitious. If I were to do the EPQ again, I would set more realistic deadlines, as I now understand how long activities such as research can take. Overall, I think the EPQ was a very positive experience despite the challenges I faced and would highly recommend others to complete the project as I feel it is a good way to experience what university-style work will be like, and I gained a very valuable skill set.

Dominic Rose – Deputy Head Prefect 2021-2022 Topic: An investigation into China’s Economic and Political influence in Angola

Initially, I chose to do an EPQ as I wanted to broaden my knowledge on a chosen topic. I have always had a great interest in foreign affairs, and I wanted my EPQ to be centred around this, especially China. The EPQ gave me the opportunity to develop research and referencing skills, including citation methods. It made me aware of issues such as plagiarism and how seriously universities take it. I was aware of the China Belt and Road initiative, the global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 through my economics studies. I read the book Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall, which made me consider the geopolitical influence that economically strong countries can have over others. Angola is a country known for its large oil reserves, and China became the largest importer of Angolan oil in the world. China built a strong relationship with Angola through this oil credit line and started helping Angola by building its infrastructure. However, there are increasing concerns that Angola is falling into a bigger debt trap.

Charlie Poulter – Deputy Head Prefect 2021-2022 Topic: Making a Chopping Board

I wanted to do a ‘practical’ EPQ so I could develop my woodworking skills. My original idea was to make the most sustainable chopping board, but I soon realised that chopping boards were a much more complicated item than just how sustainable they were. Over the course of my research, I looked at four key categories that I believe are pivotal when producing a chopping board: hygiene, sustainability, consumer opinion and the overall cost of making a chopping board. These categories formed part of the write up that accompanied the board that I made.

MY HALLIFORD SCHOOL STORY

Rajveer Johal, 7R

I decided to come to Halliford School because it seemed to be quite academic, and I love learning. The sports facilities are good here, and I am very keen on sports. I have been here on Open Day, and the exams went well, even though I was a bit nervous about taking them. I felt like I could have a good future here at Halliford. I was quite excited to be at Halliford but nervous at the same time. Luckily, I made a bunch of friends and enjoyed my first week. The lessons I like the most are Maths, Drama, Spanish, and P.E. because they are all very fun to learn. Halliford makes me more independent and intellectual than my previous school. I have enjoyed some of the clubs and societies here, such as cricket which is fun. I mainly do sports and explore Halliford by trying new things. Overall, I’m really pleased I came to Halliford School because of the great sports facilities and the great academic learning.

Young Enterprise

by Mrs Leila Brown, Teacher of Economics & Business Studies

Hallidex were the Halliford Young Enterprise team for 2020/2021. In Young Enterprise, the students make all the decisions, from deciding the company name and product to selling their products at public trade fairs and managing their finance, marketing and operations as they progress. Led by Kian McGrath, they had a tough year due to the pandemic, as they could not take advantage of several of the traditional Young Enterprise fundraising activities, such as cake sales, selling refreshments at a music event or attending the Shepperton Big Tree Night. As Kian said, “Not everything went to plan, sometimes it was our fault and other times events and decisions were outside of our control.”

However, despite the setbacks, the team still managed to sell Christmas cards and decorations. Aidan Saunders, in charge of decoration production, commented that access to the workshop was tricky because of the bubbles, but they are very grateful for all the support they received from the Design Technology Department. Yet again, in conjunction with the Art Department, the team organised the sale of the annual Halliford Christmas Card, whereby the Headmaster selects the winning design. The weekly meetings with the Young Enterprise advisor had to move on to Teams, and several Young Enterprise events moved online or were postponed. Despite the Covid challenges, the Hallidex team still managed to run regular meetings, make decisions, dispatch cards and decorations, improve their communication skills, learn about production processes and handle finance. I am pleased to learn that a few of the boys still have business ideas that they may turn to in the future. Hallidex would like to thank the school, staff and parents for their support.

Year 7 Residential Trip to Wales

by Mr James Davies, Headmaster

After a year that had seen our Year 7 students unable to participate in so many of the activities that help them feel such a valuable part of our Halliford Community, I was determined to try and organise a residential trip for them at the end of such a challenging year.

We wanted an opportunity for them to get to know one another away from the classroom, challenge themselves and develop some of our Hallifordian values. With that in mind, we set off for three days in North Wales at the Arete Adventure Centre. The boys were asked not to bring mobile telephones and, despite some initial grumbles, soon settled down to great conversation and coach games as we travelled north. An eagerly anticipated stop at the services gave a chance to spend their pocket money on some ‘interesting’ items, and before we knew it, we had arrived in a beautiful sunny North Wales in the stunning surroundings of Llanberis. After a hearty meal and a chance to learn how to make a bed, it was out into the fresh air for an evening orienteering walk ending up high in the hills above the centre. There was much laughter and joking with Mr Churchill taking on the job of re-enacting a scene from ‘Fortnite’ with his group! Our group soon discovered that some people were better map readers than others but not before taking an additional half-mile extension route! To see the boys all together sitting on top of a mountain, chatting away to one another with smiles on their faces after the year we had all been through, was a truly magical moment for my colleagues and me to enjoy. The bracing walk seemed to do the trick as after a few failed attempts at dormitory raids, the boys were soon sound asleep and looking forward to the day ahead. Following a Welsh breakfast, the boys were fitted with wetsuits and climbed aboard the buses to head for either gorge scrambling or coasteering. These were activities we had selected to push the boys outside their comfort zone and to help them work together and test their already finely tuned sense of resilience. Clambering around the valleys and coastline up and down cliffs and in and out of the water made for a day I don’t think any of us will ever forget. Seeing the boys help and support one another as we all conquered our various fears was superb. Once again, being outdoors, far away from any electronic devices, gave the boys a real chance to cement existing friendships and make new ones. The fact that we had only been back on our bus for ten minutes on the return trip back to the centre before everyone was fast asleep rather said it all! After another delicious homecooked evening meal, it was back outside for some nightline activities with the occasional extra

obstacle added in by the staff for the boys as they proceeded blindfolded around the course. Mr Churchill ran the very popular tuck shop before we all came together for a campfire and marshmallows, followed by a bit of drone chasing before bed. The final day saw yet more glorious weather as we headed out to the beautiful surroundings of Llyn Padam for a variety of water sports, including paddle boarding and kayaking. After the hilarity of the Headmaster going headfirst into the water trying to get onto my paddleboard, everyone else showed me how it was done, and we headed out into the lake for various games and more than a few capsize manoeuvres – some more planned than others! Once again, there was lots of fun and laughter and lots of memories being made as we all enjoyed one another’s company. The long trip home was then made all the more bearable by the England World Cup game and a well-deserved stop at the services for a McDonalds dinner!

Our thanks go to the wonderful staff at the Arete Centre for being so accommodating in planning our trip and looking after us all and to my colleagues from the staff Miss Foster, Mrs Peacock, Mr Churchill, Mr Lee and Mr Wright. Thank you also to the magnificent young men of Year 7 for such wonderful company and being such outstanding Hallifordians!

By Harry Jennings, 7R

My trip to Wales was really fun. It was great to do some activities that pushed me and spend a great time with my friends. On the evening we arrived, after dinner, we went on a walk up a mountain. In my group, Seb helped us navigate a path using a booklet of directions. The first full day we were there we went coasteering. It was amazing climbing along the rocks and cliffs, and then jumping off the rocks. It was quite scary at one point because I entered a narrow passage with Charlie and Max, and it was very tight to squeeze through. At one point we got stuck so we had to climb on top of the rock which made the opening even narrower, but we did get out to tell the tale! That evening I managed to catch up with lots of my friends and we toasted marshmallows on the campfire whilst we discussed the events of the day. The next day we were leaving at lunchtime, but we still managed one activity which was kayaking, and this was great fun. I had tried this before, so it was nice to have a bit of experience. The coach journey home was a long one, but the McDonalds helped!

By Lucas Symons, 7G

I arrived a bit late in Wales after being at a sailing event at the Arete Centre in Snowdonia. There was a small amount of relaxation and time to get to know my group and then we went off on a short hike up one of the mountains near the centre navigating as we went. At the top there was an amazing view of the surroundings. All we had to do then was follow the road back down which was harder than it should be with Jacob falling over and looking like he had been shot and Mr Lee taking us down the wrong road – thanks Sir! After we did finally get back, we had some tea and went to sleep. The next day we did coasteering in Anglesey. It was an hour long drive to get there where we set of along the cliffs to get to the site where we descended down to sea level where we had to work together to scramble along the rocks and sometimes swim from one to another. This was interrupted slightly by the sighting of two fighter jets training overhead. We then had a short break for lunch then set off again to go back down the cliff where we jumped off the rocks, which was extremely fun. After that we all got back on the bus on an ice cream hunt that was thankfully successful. Then after a second jet sighting we arrived back at the centre.

In the evening, the tuck shop opened, selling everything from key rings to Welsh dragons. After that we had our evening activity where we did the night trail with everyone blindfolded and had to complete an obstacle course that included lots of tyres and having to go through multiple bushes that was not very comfortable given I was wearing shorts! Then we were being tracked by the Headmaster’s drone and had a chance to try and find cover. Finally, we went to sleep again after a long day of activities. The next day we cleaned our room and packed our bags and went rafting. I did plan to not get wet but that was sabotaged by Mr Lee pulling me in. Then we went home travelling through the long tunnels accompanied by our singing – I’m not sure Mr Wright was too impressed! We stopped off at the service station where Mr Davies treated us to McDonald’s. We watched the football on the way back with great commentary from Mr Churchill and Mr Davies. We arrived back at school and when we got home had a proper sleep after being exhausted but the next day was Sports Day so no rest for us just yet! Thank you to everyone for a great time.

By Nathaniel Kinmont, 7R

I really enjoyed coasteering as before I feared deep water but now not so much thanks to the staff and my friends for helping me along. I really enjoyed working together as we scrambled from hand to foot, looking for space on the small ledges. I also loved jumping off the rocks as it brought thrill and made my heart beat a bit faster! I liked the walk we did as I loved the beautiful view over the valley and the tall mountains hiding their heads in the clouds. I also really enjoyed kayaking as it was not completely the same as the warm waters of Greece or the dangers of the Ardèche, but it was still fun to go out, fall in and have a fun time all the while exploring a large lake. Thank you so much for this trip, I really enjoyed it. I got to go home with a lot of joy and happy memories.

Year 8 Residential Trip to Kent

by Mr Sean Slocock, Assistant Head Co-Curricular

We took our Year 8 students to Kent for their end of year residential trip. The boys were split into two groups, with one completing a rafting exercise and the other canoeing from Tunbridge to Allington Lock before swapping around the next day. Thankfully, the activities were water sport activities because the terrible weather we experienced in Kent meant that students were continuously wet for 48 hours.

The rafting was led by Medway Watersports Centre, a fantastic charity involved in providing the opportunity for underprivileged people with disadvantaged backgrounds to experience sailing and watersports along the Medway. Run by a wonderful woman called Syd, students had to complete a series of teambuilding tasks to earn ‘Medway pounds’. These pounds, in turn, were used to purchase materials to build the raft they had designed. Students had to build their raft with help from Syd, Catherine and Paul from Medway Watersports. Each day, the grand finale was when the students would race against each other in the raft they had designed and built. There were varying degrees of success in the raft designs. The vast majority disintegrated soon after launching into the water. Ultimately there were only three rafts that stood the test and, amongst those three rafts, only one survived going out and coming back again on numerous occasions. The team led by Daniel Gray had a unique and extremely streamlined raft with a well-thoughtout design. Sadly, it lacked stability and the balance needed and ended up rolling over in the water. Many of the other rafts shared similar designs, but the knot tying perhaps let some down more than others.

On the final day, in the final race, it was quite fitting that it came down to just two rafts. Some might say that there was some industrial espionage going on as they shared very similar designs, but in the end, it probably came down to who paid better attention to how the knots should be tied and, probably, the number of knots that were tied overall. This combined with greater stability when getting on and off the raft and true grit and determination. Connop’s Crew, however, proved to be the most adept at making rafts with a superb effort that took quite a while to dismantle at the end of the session.

Whilst this activity was going on, the other groups were out along the Medway in a canoeing activity led by Dan Daley and his team from Rock the Boat Activities, paddling for seven hours or so whilst taking on runs of various lengths. Students and teachers alike were enthralled and entertained despite some terrible weather. Some students ended up capsizing on the odd occasion and, whilst Leo might blame the conditions down the weirs, it was quite fun to watch him time and again. The evening activity was multi-sports in the park with students running around playing football and cricket or just taking in the wonderful Medway scenery. We hosted a quick birthday party for Thomas Povey with the obligatory chocolate cake. The evening was rounded off with some excellent football, although rumour has it that at least one of the tour party was more interested in watching Love Island!

All in all, some weary and suitably tired students returned home happy with their first school residential trip in 18 months.

Year 9 Residential Trip to High Ashurst

by Mr Matthew Shales, Head of Latin

This summer, we took our Year 9 students to High Ashurst Activity Centre set in 56 acres of woodland on Box Hill for a two-day residential. The forecast was awful, but thankfully the weather held, and the boys showed great energy and determination to enjoy the activities, especially considering that the majority had just finished DofE the day before.

The first activity undertaken was a series of physical and mental challenge tasks that tested the boys’ ability to think laterally and work as a team. After lunch came the High Ropes Course. This was split into three different sections: Balance Board, Crate Stack, and Trapeze. These required the boys, and female teachers, to show a lot of strength and balance, which they did superbly. After a very good and filling dinner, the boys put their hands to Woodland Skills. This included testing their fire lighting skills and their ability to build various things out of the natural materials available. Bryn Griffiths made a brilliant rope swing that provided endless fun for the boys. Joshua Rowe, Carson Curtis, Scott Smith, Sam Griffiths, and Cassidy Wyeth built a fantastic shelter, complete with a front door on a hinge and an escape tunnel! The evening saw the boys retire to their luxurious tepee accommodation. At least it was luxurious before they got in there. Thankfully their exploits over the previous days and the 7.15am breakfast meet meant that the boys got to sleep very well. After a very hearty full English Breakfast, the boys got on with their final activity, Team Tasks. This entailed the boys solving clues to navigate themselves around the site with some physical challenges along the way. Credit must go to Edward Gentle for safely navigating me blindfolded around an obstacle course. I am sure it took a lot of willpower not to lead me astray and into trouble. After yet more food, the boys had a 45-minute walk to find the coaches before departing back to school after an incredibly enjoyable and successful trip. My thanks go to Mr Diamond, Mr Greggor, Ms Hetherington, Mr Hodgkinson, Mr Morriss, Mrs Turner-Smith and Mrs Wilbraham for their help, assistance, and good humour throughout the trip.

Year 10 Activity Days

by Mr Sean Slocock, Assistant Head Co-Curricular

Halliford students came together to celebrate their end of year activities days by visiting Thorpe Park and testing themselves on the ski slopes of Chatham ski centre.

Thorpe Park remains entrenched as a fun and adventurous activity for every teenager as they brave the queues to try their hand and challenge each other on the rides. It was incredible to see who had the mettle to brave the most rides, whether it was the ten exhilarating inversions, including a vertical loop, cobra roll, double corkscrew and the UK’s only quadruple barrel roll on the Colossus or who could stand a vertical drop of 100 degrees, from a height of 100ft before plummeting towards the ground on SAW. The second day of activities meant a trip down to Chatham in Kent, where students had the opportunity to do something many had never tried to do before, and most had not had the opportunity to do in almost two years, ski. With beginner lessons put on for the newbies and an incredibly long, albeit artificial, slope for more experienced skiers, there was plenty to enjoy. Thrown in for good measure was a toboggan ride filled with Cool Runnings twists and turns that proved to be too steep for some. A huge thank you must go to all the staff who helped the trip to go ahead, but in particular to Mr Bruno, who stepped in at the last minute to lead these excursions.

Lower Sixth Activity Days

by Mr John MacLean, Head of Sixth Form

In the final week of the Summer Term, the Lower Sixth had two days of activities to bring the year to a close. As this is an important transition point where some very important decisions are being made, the two days were split into a day of looking to the future, in the form of a Careers Day, and a day of relaxation and excitement in London.

On the Careers Day, the Lower Sixth took part in a UCAS Personal Statement workshop in the morning, where they drafted this hugely important part of their UCAS application. This involved reflecting on their skills and achievements over the last six years of their education and trying to fit all of this into a single document. After this, the students were split into their house groups and then took part in a carousel of four careers-based activities led by members of staff and an external careers advisor. The four activities were: How to write a convincing CV, Interview Skills, Communication in a professional environment, and How to find work experience. On the second of our activity days, the Lower Sixth visited London for the day. We took the train from Shepperton to London Waterloo and then walked to Trafalgar Square, where the students took part in a Scavenger Hunt where they had a range of challenges to complete. This was an opportunity to work as a team and engage their creative minds in a fun activity. We then visited Greenwich and enjoyed a picnic on the grounds of the Royal Naval College before visiting the Gaia Exhibition in the Painted Hall. All had an enjoyable day, and we were delighted that the weather was fair to ensure we also had a dry day in London.

Summer Term Sports Report

by Mr James Greggor, Director of Sport

This academic year has been a year quite unlike any other, with year group bubbles, restrictions on sport, internal fixtures, and no spectators, to name a few. As Director of Sport, I am proud of the opportunities we have still managed to provide our students in challenging circumstances. Prior to the start of the Summer Term, we still maintained a full extra-curricular programme. Furthermore, as soon as government restrictions allowed, even before we could play other schools, we managed to offer many internal opportunities on Saturday morning for our students.

Following the return to school after the Easter holidays and an enjoyable pre-season training schedule in the holidays, we were delighted that the government confirmed we were once again able to play other schools. This term, as usual, has been a busy one in the PE and Games Department. We have had cricket fixtures, athletics competitions, a national golf competition, two football matches, InterHouse competitions and plenty of extra-curricular training opportunities, including lower school rugby training for the students to enjoy. Huge thanks must go to the PE and Games staff for their ‘can do’ attitudes in ensuring all these activities were able to run in COVID safe environments.

My great thanks go to the student body, whose enthusiasm for the activities on offer continues to be fantastic after a challenging and frustrating period where sport has been very restricted. Also, my thanks to our parent body, who encourage and support the sporting opportunities we offer.

Staff and students have taken real pleasure in being able to resume our competitive sporting programme this term. Despite some challenging weather at times that saw some activities cancelled, we have managed to provide plenty of sporting opportunities this term.

CRICKET Year 7 Mr Hodgkinson

It has been great to play some competitive fixtures this year finally, and the U12 teams have been hugely keen to put the Halliford kit on for the first time. There has been an enormous amount of enthusiasm for cricket this term, and this has been epitomised by the lunchtime cricket they play in the courtyard. With huge numbers at pre-season training, we were able to put out two healthy size squads, with the B-team having 16 players at times.

The A-team had a good season overall, with the team progressing very nicely, and they were led exceptionally well from the front by Caleb ‘The Mallard’ Baker. The boys were put into bat in the first game of the season by Newland House and struggled a little bit to gain any defendable total. Despite only hitting 63 all out, the bowling was exceptional; the match came down to the last ball of the day in which Newlands managed to run a leg bye to win. The team knew if we could get some batting practice in the nets, our fortunes could change dramatically. Into game two and what turned out to be the most dramatic match of the term against Salesian College. Putting them into bat, Halliford restricted them

to 133, and on the back of their last batting performance, Halliford were anxious. Halliford had Raj Johal however, who waited for the last ball of the innings to see his team through with an unbeaten 40. There was a minor pitch invasion by his teammates and the Headmaster alike; jubilation would be the word. He was supported well by Jonty Wright (20) and Jack Giddens (16) in a much-improved performance. A convincing loss to Tiffin followed who had one particularly exceptional batsman and then rain hampered the next few fixtures unfortunately. The final match was against Latymer over in Chiswick. Caleb put the side into bat and the boys set a good total of 125, with Dexter Lee hitting a 50 before being retired. The boys were confident going into the field and some great catching and fielding from Freddie Nash put Halliford in a very strong position leading into the last over. Out of nowhere Latymer’s No. 7 batsman hit four 4’s in a row to reach the required 14 of the last in no time. This was a bit of a shock and against the run of play, but that’s the beauty of sport. The final game of the season against King Edwards Whitley saw a fantastic win and well deserved half century for Jack Giddens and his first for the school.

The boys have a bright future ahead of them. From 1-12 they could all bowl very well and going forward as their batting skills improve, they will be a team to watch.

The B team had incredible numbers all season and it was only the minibus that restricted the numbers really. Led very well by a future talent and brave wicket keeper in Alfie Saunders they had a strong season. In our games we used up to eleven bowlers per match, and the numbers at training were superb. After the restrictions on sport this year it was fantastic to see the boys out representing Halliford in competitive fixtures. Confidence and understanding of the game continue to improve for the boys, and judging by the numbers we have to pick from we will have great strength in depth as the boys move through the school year groups. Felix Armes-Ward has maintained very economical bowling figures throughout the season and Ben Chapman and Charlie Powell have scored valuable runs.

Year 8 Mr Churchill

This season has been one like no other. In addition to the global pandemic, the weather, traffic, and a host of other factors have made it a tricky one to gain momentum. Despite this, the U13s have had a positive season with some excellent results against tough opposition. There has been a host of outstanding performances with both bat and ball. The attack was led excellently by Theo Maroussas, who finished with seven wickets in five games. This effort was matched by all the frontline bowlers who contributed to wickets and outstanding economies throughout the season. The side’s batting was equally as impressive, with runs coming from a range of different players. Leading run scorer Felix Porter made good contributions in all fixtures this year but was often matched by Morrison, White and Johnson, who all contributed valuable runs in difficult situations.

This season has also seen development for the B team. Although results haven’t gone their way, the talent in the group is clear to see. A team debuts were given to a variety of the side, including captains Franklin and Fenton, bowler Crowther and all-rounder Henderson. These players stepping up and the development in the group all make for a very positive outlook going forward.

Year 9 Mr Morriss

The U14 Cricket season seemed to replicate the inconsistent year that was 2020/21. Following our return to school and a big turnout for pre-season, anticipation and positivity was in the air. Unfortunately, after a good few weeks, the weather intervened, and it became a story of ‘not again’.

The 1st match of the season was away at Ibstock Place, and the tone was set by Cameron Terry, batting three, who was retired on 51*. Tom Lever and Charlie Thorpe also impressed in their first matches for the school with 17 and 18 respectively, but unfortunately there was little resistance from the bowling attack, and a good total of 157 was chased down with relative ease.

Match two against Salesian was certainly a lesson in schoolboy cricket as the opposition dominated from the first ball to the last. Setting a commanding total that was never in doubt meant that the game was always too far out of reach, despite some valiant efforts.

Churcher’s College was then the destination for a late-afternoon Monday fixture, but the travel took its toll on the team, and despite the return of captain, William Hamilton and a valiant 32*, he ran out of support and a paltry target of 74 was soon chased down within the 16 overs available.

After rain and cancelled matches, the boys finally got to take to the field once again, this time against Latymer Upper. This also proved to be the turning point, with hours of netting practice finally paying off. Felix Labaki was in superlative form and had the ball on a string from the opening over, taking five for ten. Jed McGuire, Charlie Thorpe, and Cassidy Wyeth also had superb bowling figures as the hosts were limited to just 95 runs. William Hamilton (36*) and Cameron Terry (37) were rotating the strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking over nicely before Sam Griffiths came in to see the game finish in style with ten* from four balls. Unfortunately, matches five and six were rained off, meaning the season succumbed to the disappointing weather once again and ended with a very damp whimper.

The B team has been one of the teams of the season, having only lost one game and having a squad that is never ever short of players. The enthusiasm and team morale are superb, with every boy playing for one another and trying to set the bar higher each game. This is largely down to their committed, passionate, and ever-reliable captain, Archie Ferguson. Several of the boys deserve a lot of credit as they have moved between the A/B team depending on availability, not once complaining, or failing to perform up to task.

The 1st match versus Ibstock Place was certainly a great friendly fixture to start the season and get some of the boys some very much needed practice, having perhaps not played since 2019. A target of 140 was set with excellent batting displays from Cassidy Wyeth (26 ret.), Jack Warren (15*) and Cameron Bird (18*). Bowling was shared amongst the team as the opposition was restricted to 121 in reply, but Arjun Pahuja (4/1), James McCummiskey (7/1), Zach Johnson (12/1) were the highlights.

Match two was the long away fixture with the A’s to Churcher’s College and the boys’ only defeat of the season. Despite the best efforts of the player of the match and all-rounder, James Ross, they could not

get the final few wickets and lost the game. James finished the match with a knock of 17* and 6/3.

Their 3rd match of the season was an intense affair at Latymer Upper as the victorious result only came from the final few balls. There were several great displays with both bat and ball, suitably impressing the manager for the day, Mr Slocock. It was a shared team performance as every single player contributed in some form. The standout performances though were from Amar who took four wickets with a marvellous bowling performance to set the tone, followed by a partnership of 47 from Arjun Pahuja and Usman Nasser. Unfortunately, their remaining fixtures, like the A-team, were curtailed with weather intervening and bringing an abrupt end to their season.

Year 10 Mr Greggor

This year group has some talent in the squad, which bodes well for future years in the 1XI. Their season has been a little disrupted with the need to bolster the first XI on occasions. Captain Jivraj Singh, Manat Virk, William Shanley, Michael Van Rensberg and Tom Wilkin have represented the 1XI a few times this season, coping well with stepping up to this stage. Captain Jivraj was also involved in the school fixture against the MCC, which was quite an achievement as an U15.

The season has been a little inconsistent, with some performances needing more consistency in both disciplines of the game. Early in the season, matches took place where we were on the wrong side of results due to lacking in one key discipline. In some matches, we fielded and bowled superbly, however runs were lacking. In others, runs seemed abundant where fielding and bowling were a little loose.

When this team put in a complete performance, they demonstrate real quality, demonstrated by Virk and Wilkin scoring half centuries. The bowling attack also has great depth. Shanley bowled a superb spell in our final game of the season against Wimbledon College, and this was key to restricting the opposition’s run rate to win the game. Singh, Van Rensberg, Wilkin, and Virk have also been consistent with the ball throughout the season and gained some key wickets.

Freddie Scott has been the find of the season. He was moved to wicket keeper in the second game due to an injury to Oliver De Gruchy, and he has really gained confidence with this role. He has been very reliable for the side and taken some superb catches behind the stumps.

I have no doubt the depth in this year group will significantly bolster our Senior Cricket next year. Many of the boys have had a taste of Senior XI Cricket this season, so moving forward this is very encouraging. One slight frustration with this season was the constant rain. Sadly a few midweek and weekend matches had to be called off due to heavy rain during the day or throughout the Friday night and into Saturday morning. After the restrictions on sport this year, we were relieved to have the students back out representing the school in competitive fixtures.

1XI Mr Shales

The 1XI have had a much-improved season from previous years. Helped by having a consistent squad throughout the season, the boys have been able to put in some strong performances, with many individuals shining. Sadly, the weather intervened on a few occasions, causing the Churchers, KEW and Shiplake fixtures to be cancelled.

The season started with a trip to St Benedict’s Ealing. After winning the toss and batting, Chris Cole (56) and Jivraj Singh (34 no) helped us recover from a slow start. Some powerful late innings hitting from Josh Burson (26) helped us to an impressive total of 184 for nine off 35 overs. Our bowling and fielding were superb, with some brilliant catches taken by Chris Cole, James Taylor, Dom Rose, and Tom Wilkin. The bowlers kept things tight and made life difficult for the opposition. In a tight finish, we won by ten runs, bowling them out for 174. Wickets were shared between Archie Evans, Jivraj Singh, Ben Cooper, Euan Cole, Michael Van Rensburg, and Max Pillinger.

Next, we travelled to Valley End CC to play Gordons. Given the monsoon-like weather, a game of water polo would have been more appropriate. We batted well scoring 132 for four off our allotted 16 overs. Chris Cole made 55 and Archie Evans 49, not out. Sadly, when it came time to bowl, the ball was like a bar of soap, and we were unable to maintain our line and length. Gordons were able to chase the total down with a couple of overs to spare.

After a break of over a month, we travelled to Latymer on the hottest day of the year. Against some very tight bowling, we struggled to break free, eventually ending up on 108 for six off our 20 overs thanks to good contributions from Archie Evans, Will Shanley, and Alex Donnelly.

We then hosted the MCC in the annual match at Shepperton CC. We were superb with the ball. Archie Evans and Alex Donnelly (two wickets) put the pressure on with a really good opening spell. This was followed up by Ben Cooper and Charlie Barker-Broe (one wicket). The MCC eventually declared on 229 for four off 45 overs. Sadly, our run chase never really got going despite useful contributions from Chris Cole (24), Jivraj Singh (29) and Ben Cooper (22). However, we found ourselves in a position of needing to survive the last two overs for a draw with two wickets remaining. We lost Ben Cooper to the first ball of the penultimate over, and Charlie Barker-Broe did well to survive the next five balls. This left Alex Donnelly to negotiate the final over. Sadly, he was undone by the first ball from the wily off-spinner who took five wickets and was bowled, meaning that we were five balls short of the draw. Undoubtedly this was our best performance against the MCC, and we pushed them really close.

Cricket Colours were awarded to:

Charlie Barker-Broe, Josh Burson, Euan Cole, Alex Donnelley, William Jones, Max Pillinger, Dominic Rose, Jivraj Singh, and James Taylor.

Headmasters Select Cricket Squad 2021

As every sporting season draws to a close, the PE and Games staff sit down and always face the difficult decisions associated with putting the Headmaster’s squads together. The Cricket season is no different. Below is what we have settled on for the Headmasters XI this year.

Christopher Cole Captain Year 10 All rounder

Felix Porter

Year 8 All rounder

Theo Maroussas

Year 8 Bowler

William Hamilton

Year 9 All rounder

Tom Wilkin

Year 10 Batsman

Cameron Terry

Year 9 Batsman/Wicket Keeper

Jivraj Singh

Year 10 All rounder

Archie Evans

Year 12 All rounder

Mannat Virk

Year 10 Batsman

Rajveer Johal

Year 7 All rounder

Jonty Wright

Year 7 Bowling

Cricket Colours Ties

Colours ties are presented to senior students who have performed regularly for and impressed in our first XI this term. They have been awarded to the following students:

Year 10: Jivraj Singh Year 11: Euan Cole

Sixth Form: Alex Donnelly, Dominic Rose, Charlie Barker-Broe, Max Pillinger, James Taylor, William Jones, Josh Burson

Inter-House Cricket

Inter-House Cricket took place during allocated Games afternoons this term. Houses played each other in eight over innings in an 8-10 aside format depending on the year group size and availability of cricketers in each form. The competition is always great fun, and all Inter-House competitions are popular among the students. This year’s results are below:

U14 U13 U15 U12

1st Russell Russell Russell

Russell and Desborough winners

2nd Desborough Desborough Desborough Wadham and Greville runners up

3rd Greville Greville Wadham

4th Wadham Wadham Greville

Winners categories

Junior Champions (U12 and U13) n Russell Intermediate Champions (U14) n Russell Senior Champions (U15) n Russell

We look to attend as many Athletics competitions as possible, usually attending fixtures at Claremont Fan Court, St Georges College and Orleans Park. Due to the restrictions in place, some schools took the decision not to run these events this term. Claremont Fan Court did, however these were scaled down with fewer schools attending due to rules on group gatherings. Despite losing a couple of these competitions for Year 9 due to poor weather, we did manage competitions for Year 7 and Year 8, which was excellent. The boys represented the school superbly with some impressive performances. With restrictions lifting, we will look to organise our full range of competitions ready for next year. ATHLETICS

Golf continues to go from strength to strength at the school. We have developed our provision of this, offering two extra-curricular club slots per week at Sunbury Golf Centre. This year, rather than simply making use of the driving range, the students are provided with coaching by the resident pro. This has really motivated those attending as they see some real improvements in performance. This year, only one golf event took place, the National Golf Competition held at The Warwickshire Golf and Country Club. The team of Archie McGuff, Josh Rowe, Jasper Stimson and Josh Stimson competed against the best schoolboy golfers in the country on a very tricky course they had never played before. There was some incredibly good golf on show from an 80 strong field. The boys equipped themselves very well, however despite playing some good golf at times, they struggled to find consistency over the 18 holes. That being said, we had the youngest team in the competition and in the respective age groups our boys were again among the youngest competitors. Hopefully, the experience of the day will set them up for next year and the National Knock-Out Competition that we will be entering for the first time.

GOLF

SPORTS DAY 2021

Sports day took place on Wednesday 30 June this year. Having been in lockdown last Summer and running a virtual event, it felt very special to be back as a community even though bubbles were still in operation and we were still not able to welcome parents as spectators. Sports Day is a favourite event among staff as it achieves a true mass participation element. Throughout the day, boys and girls competed in a range of track and field events. There were many excellent performances all around from students however some highlights included a new senior school record set by Spencer Bateman of 4.19.87 in the 1500m, beating the existing record which had stood since 2009. The Senior Russell House 4x100 relay team consisting of Pillinger, Suseelan, Whitlam and Connelley also set a new record of 47.84, beating the existing record which had stood since 1995. In the field, Anthony Robins–Kent was impressive in the Senior Long Jump. Hayden Barrett in Year 9 was a dominant winner in both 1500m and discus. Tom Perrin competing in his first Sports Day for Halliford also impressed in the 800m.

Hallifordian Sporting Accomplishments

Jakob’s swimming has been very stop-start over the past year due to COVID restrictions, but over these latest lockdown months, his club has run a challenge for who could log the most aerobic exercise in their own time. Jakob threw himself into it on the bike, boosted by Halliford’s lockdown PE and sports lessons and amazingly came first overall, with his regional development squad also winning the team competition. Jakob has now returned to the pool and resumed his usual training schedule. Jakob has performed well in recent Swim England’s Level X national events. He set PBs in both events and topped his age group for both strokes/distances in his peer group at Teddington Swim Club. The backstroke time puts him second fastest across all clubs in Middlesex County, third fastest across the London region and 29th in the UK. Based on times from previous years, it would count for Regional qualification. The front crawl puts him fifth fastest across all clubs in Middlesex County, ninth fastest across the London region and 63rd in the UK.

SWIMMING Jakob Holder, Year 8

It’s great to be racing again!

As lockdown restrictions have been slowly lifted across the UK, racing and competitions have started again, albeit very different to 2019, staggered starts, no spectators, face masks and hand sanitiser! My first race of the year was the Eton Sprints Weekend Triathlon which is often associated with the official start of the UK triathlon season. This event takes place at the fantastic Eton Dorney Lake, one of the iconic venues of the 2012 Olympic Games. Competing on the Sunday, I took part in the ITU Age Group team qualifiers which is a 400m open water swim, and a 21.2km bike ride, finishing with a 5km run. As this was a ITU Age Group qualifying event, it also meant I was trying to gain a qualification place to give me the right to wear a GB tri-suit – it also meant it would be a competitive field. Eton is flat and fast, which means it really favours the super strong cyclists and whilst I am a good cyclist, I’m not in the same league as some of the 25-year-old men with their expensive time trial bikes. I did, however, have a good swim despite the water temperature only being twelve degrees, a solid good transition and a decent bike – averaging 33.65 km/h, finishing with a strong 5km run. I finished 9th in my age category which I was pleased about as I am now racing in the U20’s. I’m not sure yet if I have qualified for the 2022 World Spring Distance Championships as I finished 5th for the qualification and only the first four are given automatic places, but as there are 20 spots in the age category, there is a chance that I will be able to qualify based on my placing/finishing %. My second race was something a little different to Triathlon, a Biathle. Biathle is part of the Pentathlon competition and is something I did a few years ago and really enjoyed. It is a continuous run, swim, run and is fast and furious. The National Biathle Championships were held in Milford School in Somerset, which is one of the largest boarding schools in the UK, with approximately 1,240 pupils, 950 of which are full boarders.

TRIATHLON & BIATHLE Spencer Bateman, Lower Sixth

With Biathle, I try and make the most of my fast run to give myself as much as a lead on the swimmers as possible, and this race was no exception. I entered the pool with a good 20 seconds lead but was caught on the last lap of the swim, a fast transition got me back on the track, and I was able to close the gap and maintain it, which saw me take 1st place. As this was the National Biathle Championships, it gave me qualification to both the World & European Championships representing Great Britain. Having not really competed much in Biathle, I was flattered to read the race report on the Pentathlon GB website.

“There were convincing wins in both the U17 and U19 competitions. In the U17s James Dargan and Zoe Gilbody were clear winners, but it was in the U19 competition where two of the most impressive wins were produced with Spencer Bateman and Natalie Hatfield both finishing at least 30 seconds faster than those chasing them.”

My next race was at the AJ Bell World Triathlon Series in Leeds, which was a great experience, as it is probably the largest triathlon that I have competed in. The transition was on the cricket pitch by Hill 60, named after Hill 60, south of Ypres in Belgium, in memory of the Leeds soldiers who lost their lives. It was a huge transition area, probably the largest I have seen. The swim was an open water swim with a pontoon start although due to COVID restrictions we were started with 5 second gaps. I had a really good swim and managed to catch and overtake quite a few other competitors but not get overtaken myself. The run to transition was really long – around 500m and then I had to find my bike in the massive transition! The bike was very hilly, consisting of 20km which was several laps, coming off the bike it was back into the huge transition for a 5km run. I thoroughly enjoyed the event. The general public follow the same course as the Pros and Elites completed on the Sunday. We were fortunate to have tickets into the VIP hospitality on the Sunday which allowed us to have front row seats for both the women and men’s elite races. I was delighted to see Alex Yee win, as he came up through the London Academy where I am now, and when I was younger, I remember Alex racing at the same events I attended. Over the summer I have some more events planned, some athletic meets where I hope to get back to form for both the 1500m & 800m after almost two years out. I also have some British Triathlon Super Series events to participate in as well as a Performance Assessment weekend which are all part of the Talent pathway I am on, but I also hope that I will find some fun races to enter over the summer.

In May, Lucas competed in the second event of the South East Topper Traveller Series at Medway Yacht Club. Lucas finished first in the 4.2 class in all three events winning the 4.2 class overall. In the second event, given the forecast of gusting winds and the added feature of tidal waters, Lucas chose to race with the smaller 4.2 class sail, in which he currently competes. Next year Lucas is hoping to go into 5.3, full rig class. It was a tiring day with over five hours of sailing, of which only two of those were racing due to the unpredictable wind that kept shifting. The first two races in the morning went well despite the two general recalls that meant the fleet ended up getting a U flag. There was a very strong tide in the third race, and it was taking Lucas and the other 4.2 fleets 20 minutes to get up the 200m long windward leg (bottom to top buoy) and about two minutes to get down. It was a good day with a fantastic result, and Lucas is looking forward to the next event at Downs.

SAILING Lucas Symons, Year 7

This year has been a challenging season for Chris, with Covid-19 impacting his travel and training during the winter. He has managed it well with Ed Young, the school coach, who visits weekly to fine-tune Chris’ skills. Training with Surrey Academy, Chris could keep playing under the elite player guidance. As the season started, Chris looked in good shape with a 50 for the 1st team contributing to a great win. Chris has been consistently performing at his club, picking up his first 5fer with the team sitting top of the league. As a great school season ended, Chris turned his attention to Scotland. He played for Scotland U19 in two trial games picking up three wickets in each, earning selection for Scotland U19 against Northumberland for two games which shows his progress. These games lead towards the U19 Qualifiers for the Cricket World Cup in Spain, for which Chris aims to be selected. We will continue to support Chris with extra training to facilitate his development whilst following his progress closely.

CRICKET Chris Cole, Lower Sixth

Following the lockdown period, Felix was told he had retained his position in Surrey’s U13 Performance Squad, based on last season’s performances. He has enjoyed returning to Cricket at school, Esher CC and for Surrey. He has experienced a training session at the Oval post lockdown and has so far had two performance matches at Whitgift School, where he opened the bowling on both occasions, taking one wicket. This could have been increased as there were three dropped catches off his bowling in the field in these fixtures. Over the summer, he plans to continue representing his club and has five performance matches scheduled in our time away from school. We look forward to finding out how these matches go.

CRICKET Felix Porter, Year 8

CRICKET William Hamilton, Year 9

Following the lockdown period, William resumed training with Surrey, and he was selected for the inner county squad. Selection for this is based on performance games where Surrey U14’s play Surrey U14’s and following strong performances advance into the Inner County Squad. Over the coming weeks, William’s performance in training and matches will be monitored, and if successful, he will be selected for the County Age Group (CAG) fixtures against other counties. William has had good feedback from age group training sessions and is hopeful of making the CAG Squad. William plays his club Cricket at Egham, and this year as a U14 has played Senior 20x20 midweek and 50 over matches at weekends, often rushing off to senior matches after school morning fixtures. Recently in his first senior T20, he opened the batting scoring 41 runs. William captains Halliford’s U14A team and has been a key player this season, following his recovery from a hip injury. We wish him the best of luck with the Surrey selection process.

CRICKET Rajveer Johal, Year 7

Rajveer has impressed the PE staff with his abilities this year, and he has also been a key player for the U12A team throughout this season. Rajveer plays his club cricket at Sunbury, and was selected to represent Hounslow Borough U12s within the Middlesex cricket pathway this year. He was made captain for the first fixture against Harrow Borough, which took place in May, where he made a good start with opening the bowling and returning figures of two for 14.

GOLF Richard Baker, Year 7

Richard has had a fine first year at Halliford and has impressed in the U12A team for cricket this term. His real passion is golf! He was recently invited to participate in the Surrey Junior Golf Development Programme for his age group. It is a highly selective program and is a great experience for him. We have no doubt this will develop his golf game further, and we keep our fingers crossed he is able to take advantage of this opportunity.

The hockey club season resumed in early April, followed by trials in May for the England Hockey (EH) Pathway Academy Centre for Middlesex. Nishaan was really pleased to have been selected to join the Middlesex County Squad for training. Nishaan has been selected for the core Middlesex Squad for the inter-county matches, despite a short training programme and intense competition. In atrociously wet and windy weather, he played in defence for the first round, which unfortunately they lost 3-2 against Surrey. His coach’s feedback is that he is an outstanding player with great potential to go further on the EH Player Pathway Programme. His club (Walton and Sunbury HC) have also recognised his potential and given him the opportunity to play in the Men’s 5th team, where he has quickly established himself as a key player. Nishaan’s next inter-county match is against Berkshire, and he is convinced that Middlesex will win. The family will be travelling with him to Reading in support.

HOCKEY Nishaan Bains, Year 8

Following the easing of restrictions, both Oscar and Paul-Louis were able to resume training with Harlequins Developing Player Programme at Surrey Sports Park. They have been training every Sunday and will do throughout the summer, and throughout the school holiday, they will also have additional midweek sessions added to the training regime. The training has been intense, and the boys are constantly being evaluated due to the loss of the season. They will also be provided with the opportunity to play against other Academies in a tournament format, giving them both an opportunity to showcase themselves on a quality stage. We hope the summer training period goes well for the boys and wish them lots of luck as the evaluation of individuals involved in the programme takes place.

RUGBY Paul-Louis Howard and Oscar McArdle, Year 11 Harlequins DPP

Harry is a talented athlete who has been frustrated by the loss of the last athletics season due to the lockdown period. He regularly represents the school in athletics competitions arranged in the Summer Term and always impresses in House Cross Country and Sports Day events. In the recent Surrey Schools Championships, he chose to do the 800m (despite 1500m being his preferred distance) and beat his PB by an incredible ten seconds to 2.12.51. It was his first competition in 20 months, and he will take great confidence from this race. Harry did have a frustrating period when managing a knee injury, which caused lots of pain, particularly when training. We are delighted that this has passed, and he is finding his best form on the track. Over the summer, Harry will focus on club competitions for Walton, who he represents.

ATHLETICS Harry Tuckman, Year 10

Follow us on Twitter

We use Twitter to post about our sporting progress. Please follow us @HallifordSport

HALLIFORD LIFE

Speech Day Reception

Drama in the Theatre

Upper Sixth Form Leavers’ Prom PSHE Week

The Joseph Garden of Rememberance opens After-School Cricket Nets

HALLIFORD LIFE

Speech Day

Sports Day

Lower Sixth students take part in BP InterviewsMr Slocock’s Whole School Assembly - Break the Stigma of Mental Health

Sixth Form students help at the PTA Ball Year 9 Residential Trip