park
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the Leighton Park School newsletter
Cricketers Win Berkshire U15 Vase Music Tour of Croatia and Bosnia Stunning ArtEx Displayed in Peckover
Summer 2016
Headlines viewpoints are skills that Year 9 also had the opportunity to develop during Global Mindedness Week. Debating controversial topics including the Syrian civil war, the refugee crisis and whether war can ever be justified, the eight groups created deliberately biased websites to support their arguments. The final debates saw participants eloquently engaged in verbal sparring proffering clear arguments. Perhaps they could teach the EU campaigners a thing or two!
Since the EU referendum and the consequent events, the political climate has been rapidly changing and uncertain. At Leighton Park, our confidence in the bright future of the school, with our international community of students, remains steadfast. Students, parents and staff, both past and present, know that Leighton Park will always offer an environment of tolerance and understanding, promoting the growth of relationships between people, regardless of their nationality or political position. The ability to research complex issues, to listen to others and to appreciate alternative
Links with our fellow Europeans have not been limited to the classroom as this term’s busy programme of trips has taken students to Spain, Croatia, Bosnia and France (twice!). Closer to home our Year 10 geographers have been to Dorset, Sixth form biologists undertook fieldwork in Pembrokeshire and Year 9 historians visited Hampton Court; not to mention our adventurous Year 8’s tackling an array of outdoor challenges on the Isle of Wight. The confidence to face new challenges, both inside and out of the classroom, is a genuine focus of life at Leighton Park through our small class sizes, our excellent pastoral support
Summertime Developments
and our extensive activities programme. I am always delighted to recognise the academic achievements of our students in the International Baccalaureate, A Level and GCSE examination results. However, what gives me even greater pleasure is to witness the personal journey each student has made. Through their engagement in education, with our encouragement, our inspiration and our care, they have grown into young men and women ready to fully embrace life beyond the Park in whichever region of the global community they choose. With best wishes, Nigel Williams, Head
Contents Exam Results page three
News
pages four, five, six and seven
Learning Adventurously page eight
Science
page nine
Languages page ten
Humanities page eleven
Music & Drama
pages twelve and thirteen
Sport
pages fourteen and fifteen
Art & Design page sixteen
Library
page seventeen Whilst teachers and students have been enjoying a well-earned rest over the summer, the grounds, maintenance and IT staff have been busy making the Park ready for the new term. In addition to the makeover of the boys’ bedrooms in Reckitt House and the creation of two new Beliefs and Values classrooms in Grove, there has been a fantastic renovation of Peckover Hall. Everything has been sympathetically upgraded to suit the character of the building, from the clock, originally installed in 1914, to the latest in 75” interactive screen technology for the classrooms. In addition, a complete new wireless solution has been deployed to all buildings across the Park.
Sixth Form
page eighteen
Old Leightonians page nineteen
PSC
page twenty Please visit Leightonpark.com for up-to-date news throughout the year. The front cover image shows the plans for the new Music and Media Centre, opening in Autumn 2017.
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Exam Results Awesome A Level Achievements
With a quarter of the 2016 A Level cohort achieving A or A* in three or more subjects smiles abounded on 18th August. “I am very pleased to have my results,” grinned Nat Dean-Lewis (4 A*s plus an A* EPQ), “I thought each paper had gone alright when I came out of the exams but you just never know.” Nat’s excellent grades confirm his place at Oxford University to read Maths this autumn. Owen Turner (AAB) who is looking forward to studying Zoology at the University of Nottingham summed up the
emotions of many saying, “It’s such a relief! I’m just so happy!” Core A-Level subjects saw strong results with 75% of English and 76% of Maths students achieving A*-B grades. Similar A*-B grade successes were being celebrated by Ancient History (100% A*-B), Design and Technology (75% A*-B), Religious Studies (75% A*-B) and Government and Politics (100% A*-B).
STEM Successes at GCSE
Triplets, Charlotte, George and Joseph Blundell, collected their results together supported by their parents. “They are such
On 5th July our International Baccalaureate students were delighted to score an average of 35 points against a world-wide average of 30. Five students also gained a bilingual diploma. Just under a quarter of students achieved a point score of 40 or more against a maximum of 45, including Head Boy, Finbar Aherne. “We are so proud of him” said Fin’s mother, Joanna, “The teaching staff at Leighton Park are excellent and Fin responded brilliantly to their teaching.” Marijn Vuijk, who achieved 38 points and is going to be studying in the Netherlands next year, spent June volunteering at a local primary school in Guatemala. Marijn was awarded £300 earlier in the year as part of Leighton Park’s Travel Scholarship programme, enabling her to support Niños de Guatemala, a charity offering education to children from low-income families. Lillie Sokolski will also be studying abroad, joining Old Leightonian, Finty Grace Kelly, at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Head of Drama, Geraint Thomas, commented, “It is so great for an international school like ours to be placing students in prestigious places all around the world.”
Despite a national drop in A*-C grades down to 66.9%, Leighton Park’s A*-C grades stand strong at 89% with a particularly impressive 8% increase on 2015’s A*-A grades up to 45.2%. Almost 10% of the 95 strong cohort achieved nine or more GCSEs at exclusively A* or A grade. Jonty Hyde (3A*, 6A) was one of the first out with his envelope and off into the sunshine, followed by Anna Gutierrez (6A*, 4A). “I’m so pleased,” smiled Anna, totting up her grades with her mum, Sue, “I did work incredibly hard.”
IB Students Celebrate
different characters, and of course, they have different abilities,” commented dad, John. “It’s not easy having three doing GCSEs at the same time, for them or for us!”. Once again Leighton Park’s STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) have been especially successful with A*-B grades in Maths up 8% to 90% and A*-A grades in DT and Physics, at 69% and 62% respectively.
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News Duke of Edinburgh Success! they set themselves at the start of the Award, observations they made on their expeditions and research they have done together since. These brilliant presentations covered topics such as wild flowers, the conditions of paths and bridleways and an amusing video of ‘The Adventures of Mr Rhino’, a soft toy taken on the expedition by one of the groups!
Five groups of Bronze Duke of Edinburgh participants completed their expeditions this term in Hungerford after practice sessions in Nettlebed, Sonning Common and Cray’s Pond. The training obviously paid off for our intrepid explorers as all of the groups received glowing praise from assessors and teachers alike! “Paddy Mackay (Year 10) has finished his whole Bronze Award, which is a fantastic achievement and other students in this year’s cohort are very close to the same feat.” Ann Munday, Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator, said proudly. “Over the past year an amazing twenty eight Bronze Awards have been achieved by Leighton Park students, as well as three Silvers.”
CAD Design Club Fryer students have been getting to grips with Solidworks on Wednesday afternoons in their 3D Design after school activity. The group have free reign to create objects in this industry standard software package. Harry Penman’s (Year 7) ship and Patrick Cullen’s (Year 7) round shelving were printed out on the 3D printer. “It’s great for students considering going into engineering.” commented DT teacher, Mark Smith, “They will be so well prepared by the time they get to their GCSEs.”
Lights, Camera, Action!
All of the groups have also worked on presentations since completing their expeditions, based on the aims
Students are set to become film stars after Leighton Park’s commissioning of Norfolk-based video production company, Eye for Business, for our new school video. The company spent three days on the Park filming everything from salad in Oakview to welding in DT, interviewing students and parents, capturing the essence of Leighton Park on camera ready for the launch of the film in September.
Final Collect The last gathering for Collect in Main Hall on the morning of Friday 8th July was a great occasion for sporting awards, Maths Challenge certificates and the introduction of some new prizes. The Duncan Wood Science Award was presented following a gift from the family of a recent leaver and named after a former member of staff and keen ornithologist. New awards (in the form of book tokens) for Creative Writing in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, resulted from a competition requiring participants to take a photograph of an object and create a 1,000 word poem or story. Judged on originality and relevance to the picture, the awards were won by Lily Koro (Year 8) for a well-crafted story about grief, war and ultimately hope and by Victoria Roberts (Upper Sixth) for a poem about loneliness centred around an image of a chair.
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Global Mindedness Week
Designed to challenge students to work in teams, think critically and research creatively, Global Mindedness Week is a highlight of the academic year for the whole of Year 9.
the argument my group made personally, but it was interesting.”
Eight teams were given topics to investigate, with two teams working from opposing viewpoints on each. The topics for debate included intervention in the Syrian civil war, refugee children in Britain and a global police force. The project encourages students to think globally, which many find useful, including Shaun Uppal, who said, “Global Mindedness Week is interesting because it teaches us that the world is not a perfect place.”
“Pupils engaged very well and the presentations were well researched. The websites showed a high level of design skill, and included lots of relevant information.”
Chocolate Bar Challenge! The aroma of melted chocolate spread across the Park as Year 7 classes completed their chocolate bar challenge in the last week of term. Tasked with designing everything from branding and packaging to the plastic molds for each bar, students got a taste for how products are developed commercially as well as sharpening IT, wood work and food safety skills. Unsurprisingly, a favourite part of the task for many came when they tempered chocolate for the bars and were allowed to slurp up any leftovers!
Organiser and History Teacher, Howard Shaw, was impressed with the skills that the students demonstrated, commenting,
Each student took on a role within their team ranging from web designer to debater, before working together to develop their arguments and prepare for a final debate in Peckover on Thursday 30th June. “I enjoyed Global Mindedness Week” commented Tom Rolph, “It’s good to do something different like getting a topic and working with other people. I don’t believe in
Glitz and Glamour at the Year 11 Prom Year 11 arrived at their prom on Thursday 30th June dressed to impress and ready to celebrate the end of term and exams! The Prom Committee decided on a sophisticated black and white theme, complete with balloon arches, a sparkling organza backdrop for photos and the obligatory red carpet, plus a special photo booth which kept everyone occupied before the food arrived! Leighton Park’s catering team, Thomas Franks, pulled out all the stops, with everyone feasting on a delicious three course meal including succulent beef and gooey chocolate brownies. After the food came was the moment everyone had been waiting for: the awards announcements! Twenty eight awards were voted on, including honours for ‘best smile’ and the slightly less complimentary ‘most likely to go to prison’! Thomas Ryan and Amelia Walcott were voted Prom King and Queen.
Maths teacher, Jane Mulvihill, who organised the prom with Graduate Resident, Alex Fox, commented, “It was a real joint effort! Special thanks go to the Prom Committee for designing the prom invites, creating the playlist and organising the awards, and to my co-organiser, Alex, for putting it all together with me.”
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News
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Leighton Park’s inaugural Wellness Day was held on 29th April, promoting health and well-being to Years 9 to 13. Organised by Head of Pastoral Welfare and Safeguarding, Nicola Williams, and supported by external stallholders and the school’s medical team, the event offered information on topics including healthy eating, alcohol and drug abuse, Quakerism, mental and sexual health and breast and testicular cancer. Lesley Boulkroune, Senior School Nurse, said,
Fryer Festival
On Saturday 25th June, Year 7 and 8 welcomed parents to the Park for Fryer Festival. Featuring fantastic drama and music performances, captivating displays and creative exhibitions of art, design and technology work, plus a sporting showcase, it was a day to remember. Every year, this event provides an opportunity for students in Fryer House to welcome next year’s joining students to the Park and say farewell to friends who will be moving on to one of the Senior Houses.
“The students really enjoyed the hand massages and outdoor exercises with skipping ropes and swing balls. The quiz was popular, especially with the Sixth Formers, who were full of questions.”
Social Media Savvy On Wednesday 6th July Years 7 to 10 attended digital safety workshops run by Digital Awareness UK. Delivered by Charlotte Robertson, a YouTube Vlogger and one half of the Digital Sisters, the sessions are designed to debate hot topics surrounding social media. Students discussed online safety and trolling, as well as social media’s impact on friendships. Teachers who attended were shocked to find that some students regularly spend up to eight hours on a normal Saturday online! Mark Smith, DT Teacher, accompanied his class of Year 10s to the presentation to find out more, “It was a really interesting experience,” he said “I’m glad I’m not growing up in the time that these students are, where there’s so much pressure to be dependent on devices!”
Students Become Graphic Designers for the Day At the beginning of the summer term, Librarian, Chris Routh challenged the art activity groups to create a logo for an upcoming children’s book conference, with the theme ‘Write around the World: Broadening Horizons.’ The designs were taken to the conference’s committee, The Federation of Children’s Book Groups (FCBG). A design by Tom McLellan (Year 9) was judged to be the winner, with William Parsons (Year 9) taking second place. As a prize, both students spent the morning at Clear22, a graphic design agency in Pangbourne. Accompanied by Chris and Art Teacher, Elaine King, they were able to help tweak the logo and get it ready for print. “We used programs like Photoshop and spent a whole morning making sure that the colours stood out and everything was in proportion. When it was finished it looked really professional!” explained Tom. Impressed with Leighton Park’s students, Shirley Gillanders (Designer and Proprietor of Clear22) commented, “A big thank you to Tom and Will for coming to work on the FCBG logo and discover the magic of graphic design! We thoroughly enjoyed your visit!”
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Taking Action in the Refugee Crisis After a moving Collect delivered by founder of Refugee Relief, Ruth Curtis, students and staff banded together and began working on Leighton Park’s own Refugee Relief project. The group began by advertising collections for hygiene bags which contain the essentials; toothbrush, toothpaste, baby wipes, a razor, hand sanitizer and deodorant. After a fantastic response, boxes started to fill up and packing began. During free time, volunteers sorted donations into bags and boxed them up ready to be sent to Calais. In some bags, they wrote personalised notes for the recipient. In total, students managed to collect enough items to make 138 hygiene bags, as well a box of miscellaneous donations. On 7th May, Karen Gracie-Langrick, Deputy Head (Academic), drove students to the warehouse to help pack up the lorry for transportation. Through teamwork and organisation, the group were able to pack seven pallets of donations which were taken to Calais on 11th May. Aiyana Tandon (Lower Sixth), organiser of Leighton Park’s Refugee Relief appeal, was proud but also resolute, saying,
“We feel extremely proud of the work that has been done and hope that we have made a difference, but of course, it cannot stop there. The refugee crisis is an ongoing problem with millions of people in need of help. Refugee Relief will continue collections within schools and send as much as we can to camps in Calais, Dunkirk and other parts of Europe.”
Supporting Radstock Sports Day On 22nd and 24th June fourteen Year 10 students, undertaking their Level 2 Sports Leader Award (SLA), organised Radstock Primary School’s sports days as part of their CAS sessions. Radstock pupils from Foundation to Year 5 enjoyed an afternoon of games and races. The SLA participants have been undertaking visits to Radstock throughout the term following tuition on coaching, working with children and running sports sessions. SLA Co-ordinator, Katie Coulthard said, “Our students worked so well together; they showed real leadership ability and should be as proud of themselves as I am of them!”
May the 4th Bee With You! The 4th May was an auspicious day as we took on our first colony of honeybees. Chris Lockwood (Biology Technician) drove to Payne’s Bee Farm in Sussex to collect them and it was a noisy journey home as the bees were buzzing with excitement at the thought of joining our Quaker community! They now reside in Fryer Orchard where they have been happily foraging on the apple blossom. Year 12 and 13 Biologists have all had the opportunity to inspect the hives to see the queen, and her capped and uncapped brood. We added the supers (frames where the honey is stored) at the end of June and they are filling up well. We are hoping for a good crop of delicious honey after adding the second layer in the holidays. There will be a bee keeping hobby set up in September for anyone who’d like to help out! Gemma Simms, Acting Head of Biology
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Learning
Adventurously
Year 8’s Isle of Wight Adventure The end of term bought new experiences for Year 8, as they spent an action packed (and only slightly soggy!) four days camping at the Kingswood Activity Centre. Overlooking Whitecliff Bay and surrounded by the famous Jurassic coastline, the Isle of Wight was perfectly situated for adventure! “It was fun to try new activities,” said Freddie Bibra as the tailor-made programme ensured students had plenty of novel experiences, including obstacle courses, fencing, archery, bush craft, aeroball and orienteering. “I loved how the activities challenged me” commented Winnie Zhang.
from the others, even when I was scared to do something was great!” The trip was designed to build confidence and develop life skills as the Year 8s move into the Senior School and the next stage of their learning journey. “It was an experience that I will remember forever.” said Jasmin Barley.
Year 10 Geographers Explore Bournemouth
The group were encouraged to push themselves and many tackled a fear of heights by taking on a team building exercise called ‘the leap of faith’, as well as the 3G swing. Daniel Egan was one of those students, enthusing, “The best bit was when I went to the top of the zip wire and 3G swing and told my fear of heights that I would do it!”. Fellow student Ollie Fitzpatrick agreed, “The sense of friendship and family I got
Discovering Devon’s Coastline On a sunny weekend at the beginning of term, a group of Year 12 Geographers travelled to Slapton Leys in South Devon for a residential field trip.
On Monday 13th June Year 10 geographers travelled to Dorset for a day-long coastal field trip. The students were split into groups and tasked with identifying the different zones of Bournemouth town centre, noting their defining characteristics and surveying local residents about the re-development of Bournemouth sea front. Some initially found it difficult to ask strangers questions but agreed that it got easier as the day went on and the prospect of ice cream drew nearer!
For three busy days the Geography skills of the group were tested in the field and in the classroom. “This trip is about so much more than just standing in a river, with all of us able to explore the beautiful Devon coastline and learn more about why and how our rivers and coasts are shaped. Our teacher from the Field Centre was also fantastic, providing us with advice that will be invaluable in our exams!” commented student Sophie Rowe.
“As a geographer, it was a test of everything we had learnt in class.” said Saffron Coutts. Fellow student, Chunya Munga, agreed, “The day down to the coast of Bournemouth and at Old Harry’s Rocks was a great way of seeing the geography we had studied happening in the real world.”
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Science Maths Challenge Success
Over 250,000 Year 7 and 8 pupils from across the UK sat the Junior Maths Challenge run by the UK Mathematics Trust and supported by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. Pupils at Leighton Park achieved 5 Golds, 10 Silvers and 12 Bronzes in this year’s challenge. Having achieved a high score, Alex Nam (Year 8) has been invited to sit a further competition, the Junior Mathematical Kangaroo. We are also very proud that 39% of our pupils achieved merit certificates this year. Premnath Samyrao, Mathematics Teacher
A Level Psychologists Get Brainy As part of their A Level studies into BioPsychology, the Lower Sixth Psychology students had the interesting opportunity of dissecting and examining lamb’s brains. Getting to grips with real brains helped students to identify different structures, as well as mapping the various functional areas and noting whether there was any damage to the organ. Armed with magnifying glasses, knives to take cross-sections and pins for labelling, the students went about their task with only a small amount of squeamishness!
Sampling and Sand Dunes in Orielton
Claire Gulliver, Psychology Teacher
Rocket Science! On Wednesday 20th April Year 7 Biologists got their green fingers out to plant some seeds that had been on an intergalactic adventure through space. The RHS Campaign for School Gardening has partnered with the UK Space Agency to embark on an intergalactic education project, with which Leighton Park is lucky enough to be involved. The project, named ‘Rocket Science’, gives children the chance to learn about how space contributes to our lives on earth.
Nineteen Lower Sixth Biologists spent the last week of term in the beautiful surroundings of Orielton, covering the Ecology topics on the A Level syllabus and completing much of their practical work. Following an introduction to sampling methods in different habitats at the field centre it was on with the wellies and out into the Pembrokeshire countryside. Visiting rocky shorelines, sandy dunes, fields and streams the group gained much insight into different habitats and ecosystems. Biology teacher, Helen Taylor, commented, “It was an absolute pleasure to accompany the group. For many of us, the highlight of the trip was watching the cloud of Lesser Horseshoe bats leave one of the field centre buildings at dusk whilst listening to them communicating.”
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Year 7 planted one set of ‘rocket seeds’, which were sent to the International Space Station as part of British astronaut Tim Peake’s six month mission, and an additional set of seeds that remained on earth. They will monitor the seeds over a period of time to see what growing plants in space can teach us about sustaining human life and the production of food in space. These results will be put into a national database to be compared with schools across the UK.
Languages Chinese Culture in Britain’s Capital
Study Tour to Spain
Ten Year 10 students jetted off to Malaga from Sunday 19th to Tuesday 21st June to hone their Spanish skills and absorb some of the culture. The Don Quiijote Language School provided an intensive four hour Spanish lesson each morning, with the afternoons dedicated to sightseeing, sunshine and fun by the pool. A visit to the stunning palace city of Alhambra, which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984, was the highlight for many, whilst others were equally impressed by delicious paella and beautiful beaches. Modern Languages teacher, Pablo Gorostidi Perez, who accompanied the group commented,
“It has been a very successful trip. Students worked hard and in lesson time not a word of English was spoken. In the afternoon students had to put their Spanish into practice in the town by asking for food, presents or addresses. We also had plenty of time to enjoy the town of Málaga, with its famous cathedral; La Manquita and the Arab castle.”
A Taste of France on the Cote D’Opale At the end of June, Year 7 indulged in a few days of delicious food, fun and French on a trip to the Cote d’Opale. The trip presented the students with a great introduction to the French language before starting their lannguage studies at Leighton Park in September. After arriving on a very early ferry, the first stop of the action packed trip was at a traditional French boulangerie. “We learnt how to make bread and ate pastries!” exclaimed Patrick Cullen, discovering that the croissants taste completely different to the ones at home because of the butter and the type of flour used. The group also visited a creperie and cooked their own crepes. “Everything was really nice,” confirmed Christian Wells, “They even subtly taught us French by going through the recipes in French.” he enthused. Daily language lessons were combined with
On Friday 24th June Year 9 and 10 Mandarin students travelled to the British Museum in London, visiting the Chinese Ceramics gallery to learn about the history of this beautiful art form. The gallery holds almost 1,700 objects, some of which date back to the third century! “The trip not only provided the students with a vivid image of Chinese history, but also enabled them to understand more about China as an agricultural power. The students all enjoyed it very much, and were excited when they recognised some labels in Chinese characters.” commented Lan Kuang, Mandarin Teacher.
“I’ve learnt that there are very detailed paintings on the ceramics which would have been very difficult to make. It amazed me how many there were!”
Emma Otty (Year 9) agreed,
a range of interesting activities and day trips, including a trip to Aqualud, a water park with some amazing slides, and to the Nausicaä Centre National de la Mer, an aquarium where the group came face to face with eels, turtles and sharks of all shapes and sizes. “I will most definitely go back to the Cote d’Opale because it’s a beautiful place with tons of stuff to do.” commented Bea Windsor. The trip ended on a highpoint with students braving rollercoaster rides at Parc Bagatelle, a popular theme park near Beck sur Mer, before the journey home. “Overall the trip was a complete success and it was an experience none of us will forget” said Harry Penman.
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After their tour of the British Museum, the students got a chance to visit China Town to practise their Mandarin. This was a highlight of the trip for many of the group, not least because of the presence of tasty and authentic noodles!
Humanities IB Philosophy in London
Year 8’s Royal Day Out On 17th June, Year 8 Historians spent the day at the splendid Hampton Court Palace in London, exploring how the palace operated in Tudor times. The visit began with a tour of Henry VIII’s extensive kitchens, which consisted of fifty rooms dedicated to the preparation and cooking of royal meat. The guide explained how very young children (even younger than the students on the trip!) would often work in the kitchens as apprentices and that Henry VIII would have had many sugary treats imported from Iraq and Iran to feast on in the palace.
Starting at the Victoria & Albert Museum, students enjoyed a ‘Botticelli Reworked’ exhibition where they saw renditions of “The Birth of Venus”, including pop art, textile and digital versions which led the group to question the constraints of art in modern society. The students had their work cut out for them filling their sketchbooks and attempting challenges that Philosophy teacher, Mitch Whitehead, set them.
Towards the end of the trip, one group decided that they would take their exploration of sugar to the next level by spending more than a few pennies on sweets. Claiming the purposes of educational research, one of them excitedly exclaimed, “These jellybeans make all the difference!”
Tate Britain was a highlight for many of the group as they had the chance to go through the gallery twice; once to discuss the work, and once to really think stop and think about the art before filling in the sketchbooks they were given. Students were excited to find they were able to recognise the periods the art came from due to previous lessons, and even see some of the artwork that they have seen on screen at school in person. A member of the group said, “Mitch made a trip that I initially thought would be filled with boredom into something refreshing!” With academically stimulating exhibitions, students found the trip to be a thought provoking experience which broadened their understanding of the philosophy of aesthetics; part of the IB Philosophy course. Shanaya Khan (Lower Sixth) praised the trip,
“It allowed all of us to further link our education to everyday life; a skill we all wish to have developed thoroughly so as to successfully enjoy and make the most out of our unique and special time at Leighton Park.”
Year 9 at the Imperial War Museum As part of their Global Mindedness Research Project, Year 9 visited London’s Imperial War Museum on Wednesday 29th June. Students spent the day at the Holocaust exhibition, learning more about survivors in a private lecture at the museum. “The survivor lecture at the museum involved a recap of six people who lived in concentration camps” said Daniel Gerov (Year 9), “It made me more aware of the conditions and how people arrived there.” The exhibition traces the Nazi regime and persecution of Europe’s Jews from 1933 to 1945. It features personal stories, photographs and diaries belonging to people who survived the Holocaust, as well as a model of Auschwitz-Birkenau. “Students were able to link the experiences of these people with that of the refugees they have been investigating, to understand that conflict and persecution is still going on today.” commented Howard Shaw (History Teacher).
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Music & Drama ‘An Inspector Calls’ at the Wycombe Swan
Sunshine at Music for a Summer’s Evening
On Friday 29th April, Year 9 and 10 students started the Bank Holiday in style at High Wycombe’s Swan Theatre, where they watched a new adaption of the much loved play; ‘An Inspector Calls’. The trip was not only fun but also useful, as it is one of the examination texts for their English GCSE. “It shocked me when the house exploded!” said George Lee (Year 10) in surprise, at the genius of one of the innovations in the recently conceived 70th anniversary production, devised by acclaimed director Stephen Daldry. Liam Brennan played the Inspector with a Scottish accent, lending his final speech force and power. After his exit, all of the lighting was completed by Peter Baddeley (Year 10) who works at the Wycombe Swan Theatre in his spare time – very professional it was too! Innovative and pacey, the production raced to its conclusion. The production boasted a fine Georgian bay-fronted house which, in the manner of a child’s dolls-house, unfolded, revealing the Birling family and their secrets.
Student Joins the Belgrade Philharmonic Congratulations and very best of luck to Obren Kusic (Lower Sixth) who will be spending his summer on tour with a leading European Orchestra, the Belgrade Philharmonic. A talented musician, Obren has been a member of the orchestra since he was six years old, and as a young child he travelled across Europe partaking in piano competitions and conducting musicians many years his senior. Obren was attracted to Leighton Park because of its renowned music department, and has greatly enjoyed using the piano in Field House and CFX Grand Piano in the Main Hall at a number of concerts.
Al fresco music, books and burgers entertained visitors to Music for a Summer’s Evening on Saturday 2nd July. Every year, staff, students, parents, Old Leightonians and prospective students are invited to enjoy a relaxed evening of music in the beautiful green setting of the Park. Despite a torrential downpour on the morning of the event, nothing was going to stop the Leighton Park community celebrating the busy summer term drawing to a close. Featuring musicians from Years 7 to 13 performing voice solos to wind ensembles, jazz pieces to violin concertos, the performances were a glorious testament to the breadth of musical talent at Leighton Park. Lia Hale (Lower Sixth) who performed a clarinet solo commented, “It’s always challenging performing in front of your friends but the great atmosphere and weather made me forget all about nerves and just enjoy myself!” Robyn Ellis (Lower Sixth), who performed a voice solo on the evening
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agreed, “Although daunting it’s such a great experience to perform because the atmosphere is so relaxed. It’s always an event to look forward to.” Rosemary Scales, Director of Music, was extremely pleased with the event, enthusing, “Music for a Summer’s Evening, one of the highlights of the school year for so many, was again fantastic. Bathed in sunshine, a wide variety of ensembles and soloists’ performed, providing almost five hours of continuous music. Many congratulations to everybody that performed!”
Croatia and Bosnia Music Tour On Friday 8th July, some of Leighton Park’s finest musicians hopped on a coach and excitedly made their way to the airport for their bi-ennial international concert tour, this year taking place in Croatia and Bosnia. Despite a five hour delay at Gatwick, spirits were high as the choir filled the duty free area with the sound of ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen, much to the delight of other travellers. The group arrived in Split, the second largest town in Croatia, to blazing sunshine and blue skies. Everyone made the most of the weather by cooling off in the pool and crystal clear coastal waters before rehearsing for the very first performance of the tour. Student and staff musicians played three concerts in five days; first overlooking the sea in Split, next in the glorious Old Town of Dubrovnik and finally in the southern town of Trebinje in Bosnia, where the group were warmly welcomed by a press conference and a meeting with the town’s Head of Economic and Social Affairs. The concerts were enjoyed at every venue by international audiences, some of whom hailed from Reading! The support of local people and English tourists was fantastic, with many people getting in contact with the school to sing the praises of our musicians. One holiday maker on Twitter commented, “We watched your performance in Dubrovnik tonight, what a treat! Well done to all of you!” Beyond performing, students and staff managed to get a taste of Croatian and Bosnian culture and heritage with a packed sight-seeing itinerary, and even celebrated two birthdays on tour! A cable car ride high above the city of Dubrovnik, a cruise from Split to a restaurant across the bay, singing in the ancient Diocletian Palace with a traditional Dalmatian acapella group and just a splash of morning water aerobics to cool off were all memorable highlights.
On the last night of the tour, everyone had a fantastic meal of traditional Bosnian food before the final concert. Rosemary Scales (Director of Music) was extremely proud of the students, commenting,
“This was the most extraordinary concert we have ever heard Leighton Park musicians produce. Every single performance was exceptional; a fitting way to end a very successful tour. Whilst conducting and listening, I was bursting with pride at the standards achieved and with the way students have conducted themselves throughout. Thank you to every single musician and member of the technical crew who made this experience possible.”
Summer Concert Series
This term appreciative audiences have enjoyed the Movies and Musicals Concert, the Soloists’ Concert and the innovative Music and Film Showcase, a multi-media spectacular. Talented performers given the opportunity to demonstrate their progress and skill were entertaining and enjoyable, offering a varied musical programme, including some impressive original compositions.
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Sport These Girls Can: U13 Football Finalists
The Under 13 Girls’ Football Team went head to head with some of the top teams in the region in the South East 7 Aside Tournament on 16th June. After the first three games, drawing 2-2, winning 1-0 and losing 2-0, the girls produced their best performance this season, winning with a fantastic 5-0 against Chigwell School which secured them a place against the hosts, Alleynes School, in the semi-final. After drawing 0-0 the girls held their nerve to win 3-2 on penalties, with goalkeeper Emily Dunbar (Year 8) claiming the winning shot.
Cricket Week 2016 Wednesday 15th June saw Leighton Park take on the famous Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on home turf. With many of the school’s top players sitting exams; it was going to be tough to snatch victory from the world’s most active cricket club! Leighton Park’s rising talent stepped up to the plate to fill the gaps, putting in a good performance until rain stopped play. The MCC scored 195 for 6 and we were 6 for no wickets before the weather finished the fixture with a draw. Sunshine made an appearance for the Leighton Park 1st XI game against the Old Leightonians’ Cricket Club (OLCC) on Friday 17th June. The OLCC XI scored 197 for 8, and the pick of the Leighton Park bowlers were Joe Blundell (Year 11) with 3 for 23
and Toby Gilbey (Year 9) with 3 for 32. The school innings began a little slowly, but an assured partnership between Joe and Oscar Gutierrez (Upper Sixth) put the team in a strong position with twenty overs remaining. Harry Taylor (Lower Sixth) hit the runs that led to a school win by one wicket! Commenting later on the battle between age and experience, OL Graham Carter noted, “The combined age of the final three batsmen for the OLCC was 206!”
Netballers Impress in Paris
The girls faced Royal Russell School in the final and were beaten by a strong side but having played with passion and spirit were proud to achieve a strong second place in the tournament.
Over Easter Year 8 and Year 9 netballers enjoyed the Walt Disney Studios and Disneyland whilst competing in a three day International Junior Netball Tournament in Paris. Plenty of matches were played alongside masterclasses run by England Netball, covering skills such as ball handling, defending and shooting, which the girls are looking forward to using next season! On finals day the Leighton Park C team secured 1st place for the U14 Challenger Bowl Competition with two impressive wins.
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The B team put in a fantastic performance, coming 1st and winning their pool: the U14 Challenger Plate Competition. The A Team played some tough teams in the most challenging pool but they fought through injuries to eventually finish 3rd overall in the U14 Showdown Shield. Zoe Macpherson (1st VII Netball Coach) said, “I am extremely proud of all the girls for their efforts whilst on tour. Their dedication and determination was outstanding, demonstrated by the three pieces of silverware we have brought back to the Park!”
Berkshire U15 Vase Final For the first time ever, Leighton Park reached the final of the Berkshire U15 Vase and faced Herschel Grammar School on Monday 4th July.
Students in Years 7 to 11 competed in the Reading Schools’ Town Championships on Friday 24th June with three Year 8 students achieving four medals; Archie Webb with Gold in Javelin and Bronze in 100m, Ellie Pearson with Silver in 800m and Hari Gupta with Silver in Shot Put.
After 10 overs of the Herschel innings they looked on course to win but tight bowling from Toby Gilbey (Year 9) and Dylan Wood (Year 9) restricted the scoring and then George Lee (Year 10) caught their best batsman on the boundary. In an instant the game changed and we won the match by 28 runs!
In June five of our athletes were selected to represent Reading at the Berkshire School’s Athletics Championships: Kirsty Walker (Year 11) in 1,500m, Ellie Pearson in 800m, Millie Dean-Lewis (Year 9) in 200m, Hari Gupta (Year 8) in Shot Put and Archie Webb (Year 8) in Javelin.
Rowing Champions
Sam Beattie and Alex Carr were delighted to come first and second respectively on Friday 27th May at the National Schools Regatta held at Eton Dorney. The Year 9 boys are members of the Henley Rowing Club and were competing in the Junior Under 14 Coxed Quad Sculls following other successes in the season.
Quaker Schools’ Cricket Festival On Tuesday 5th July fourteen students set off for the inaugural Quaker Schools’ cricket festival at Ackworth School, Yorkshire. In their first match, Bootham School played their 1st XI and proved too strong for our U15 team as we were bowled out for 62 and lost by 9 wickets. Undeterred for the day’s second match against Sidcot School, Leighton Park bowled first and quickly had the Sidcot boys in trouble. Sidcot were eventually all out for 55 with Rohan Sohal (Year 10) taking 5 for 10 and James Leach (Year 7) taking 4 for 17. Quickly scoring the required runs, we won by 9 wickets and were inside in time to watch the England v Sri Lanka T20 match over tea!
Athletic Achievements
The U15s have remained unbeaten all term, so it was a good experience to play against better players; to experience losing and to be challenged; mentally, physically and in the execution of skills. In this respect, the trip was a valuable learning opportunity, not just for cricket, but for life. Mark Simmons, Senior Master
The next day we were back at Ackworth to play our hosts. They had a much older team and we struggled to contain their batsmen as they ran up a huge score of 162 in 20 overs. We replied with a brave attempt and after 20 overs of our innings we were 142 for 8. Although we lost there was no disgrace; it was a spirited performance!
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Art & Design Whiteknights Trail
ArtEx
11th and 12th June saw over 500 visitors on the Park for the 16th annual Whiteknights Studio Trail; a walking tour of art in Reading.
Starting on Friday 17th June, the Leighton Park community was treated to ArtEx; a joint exhibition curated by the Art, Textiles and Design and Technology departments. Showcasing GCSE, A Level and IB work from Years 10 to 13, the exhibition was a visually spectacular success. Art pieces were housed in Peckover Hall, technology coursework displayed in the foyer and textiles pieces showcased in the upstairs gallery. The quality of work was so high, and the number of pieces so vast, that the exhibition spilled into Peckover’s winding corridors – taking up wall, floor and ceiling space! Head of Art, Mark Wood, was thrilled with the work that the students had produced
throughout the year and the high praise that the exhibition received, stating, “This exhibition has been a real opportunity to show the breadth of talent at Leighton Park. This is a fitting end to the students’ creative year and a real testament to all their hard work. I hope this marks the start of a growing presence of our Art, Textiles and DT. Watch this space!” The exhibition opened for a private viewing on Friday 17th June, which students and Old Leightonians from the Over 70’s tea came to see, and ran for a week before culminating at Fryer Festival.
Artists in Oakview An exhibition in Oakview brought together the year’s Art and Textiles work by Fryer students for the last two weeks of term. Year 7 focused on portraiture skills, producing some incredible glazed ceramic heads, newspaper self-portrait collages and greyscale self-portraits. Year 8’s theme of ‘Adornment’ included paper sculptural costumes, which they then took turns to be photographed in! In textiles, the students created ‘Mini Me’ dolls inspired by the work of artist, Cecile Perra.
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This year, Peckover corridor and classrooms became home to painter Michael Garraway and mixed media artist, Tom Cartmill; one of Leighton Park’s own teachers! Tom has been involved in the Whiteknights Trail for many years, and his highly textured, intricate work has always proved a hit. This year, however, Tom’s art also turned out to be popular with an unexpected guest: a brave fox!
Design Technology and Tables! This term, AS Design and Technologists each created a stunning and completely individual coffee table as part of their coursework. The brief for the project was carefully constructed to challenge the young carpenters and maximise the number of DT processes used. “Students designed on CAD software, learned how to laser cut and engrave acrylic and experienced creating an acrylic mold” said Mark Smith, Design and Technology teacher. They also gained experience in drilling and tapping a thread, lamination, form-bending and turning down brass on a lathe. “The students who enjoy this subject tend to learn by doing,” continued Mark “rather than by reading a book”.
Library Budding Book Reviewers As part of reaching the School Librarian of the Year Honours List (2015), Chris Routh was invited to submit five student book reviews to the online journal ‘Books for Keeps’. “We were a little bit cheeky,” said Chris, “and actually submitted six wonderful reviews by Year 9 students Alex Alison, Joseph Barley, Mia Fulton-Urry, Letitia Kansime, Lihi Othnay and Shyam Sundar.” Naturally, we were thrilled to see all six published in the ‘Good Reads’ section of Books For Keeps!
Creating a Word Walk with Gillian Cross When Librarian Chris Routh and Leighton Park’s Patron of reading Gillian Cross planned this term’s visit, it all depended on having good weather! Even though it was pouring with rain when Gillian arrived, the programme for the day went ahead as planned. The aim was to create a ‘Word Walk’ around the Park, which could be displayed for future visitors to enjoy. Each of the Year 7 classes spent time walking between chosen points, taking photos and making notes about what they could see and hear. At each place, Gillian read a poem or extract to inspire the students. Back in the library, each group wrote a poem about each of the places they had visited, resulting in eight evocative pieces.
Fryer Book Club Visit Oxford On 16th June members of Fryer Book Club spent the day in Oxford accompanied by English teacher, Alex Leighton and Librarian, Chris Routh. The morning at The Story Museum allowed the students to revisit some simple book-related pleasures; listening to stories being told and dressing up. The current exhibition focuses on the role of animals in stories and the visit included a writing workshop based on trickster tales. Later, at Oxford University Press, archivist, Martin Maw met the group at the museum and guided them through offices which formerly housed the printing works. In the adjacent library, they spent time examined a one volume edition of The Complete Oxford English Dictionary.
Bees, Beans and Books! On a sunny May morning, Year 2 pupils from St Mary’s Henley visited Leighton Park to learn about our new bee hives and the Fryer allotment. Biology teacher, Gemma Sims, introduced the group to the bees and everyone had the chance to taste some honey. The pupils then had fun labelling plants, digging up potatoes and planting beans, before planting a sunflower seed to take back to school with them. The morning concluded with a storytelling session led by Fryer Book Club in the campfire area. We are now looking forward to linking with St Mary’s own book club next year!
Supporting The Book Bus The £500 raised through the sale of books during Book Week in March has been donated to The Book Bus charity. A not-forprofit organisation set up by Old Leightonian Tom Maschler, which focuses on improving children’s literacy in Africa, Asia and South America.
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Sixth Form Fun, Games and Lip Sync Battles
On Wednesday 29th June, the new members of Leighton Park Sixth Form gathered for an Orientation Day, aptly named ‘The Apprentice Day’. The day was designed to encourage the students to step out of their comfort zones and get to know each other. Activities included cupcake making, building towers out of paper and a fully choreographed lip sync challenge featuring inflatable guitars, branded Leighton Park umbrellas and some very questionable dance moves!
Prefects Set for Success
‘The Apprentice Day’ was enjoyed by staff and students alike, with Head of Sixth Form, Helen Taylor, commenting, “The newest members of the Sixth Form gathered this week to experience a taste of the high expectations, independence and intellectual challenge of the Sixth Form. The group were a delight, entering fully into the fun activities. A great start to what is bound to be a fabulous two years at Leighton Park!”
Life on Campus at Reading Uni On Wednesday 6th July, Year 12 IB students spent the day studying Post-2000 English Literature at Reading University, attending a series of lectures and seminars in which students engaged with issues including women’s role in society and grief in unseen poetry texts. Jack Stephens (Year 12) commented, “In lectures we learned new terms such as interpellation and in seminars we applied these techniques to the engaging texts we were offered by the tutors. As an interactive visit it was more useful than any open day, as it really gives students a chance to experience what studying their chosen subject at University would be like.” IB students also got to visit Reading University library earlier on in the term with Librarian, Chris Routh, in order to learn more about research techniques for their extended essay projects, as well as acquainting themselves with how big university libraries actually are!
Celebrating the Class of 2016 49 Upper Sixth students and 24 of their dedicated teachers enjoyed a celebratory Chinese meal on Friday 20th May at Memory of Sichuan on Friar Street. Myles Nash, Head of Boarding, commented, “It was lovely to see so many House staff reminiscing with students about their time at the school and leaving with so many happy memories, whether they were boarders or day students. We’ll miss the class of 2016 and wish them all the best.” The celebrations continued throughout Leavers’ Day on 26th May with a buffet lunch in Oakview, Collect, Meeting for Worship and afternoon tea in the Caradon Garden.
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Members of the Lower Sixth elected as prefects have spent this term practising their leadership skills and learning to shoulder their new responsibilities ready for the next academic year. The senior prefects have now been named and for 2016-17 will be Robyn Ellis (Head Girl), Peter Polz (Head Boy), Aiyana Tandon (Deputy Head Girl) and Ben Butcher (Deputy Head Boy).
Old Leightonians An Enviable Sunday Roast
06s Reunion
Karl Lehmann (1939) visited the Park in May having recently celebrated his 95th birthday, speaking about his school days with amazing clarity. Upper Sixth students Victoria Roberts and Asha Sumroy asked Karl what it was like coming to England. He said, “It was a unique experience as I arrived from Germany as a refugee from the Nazis. In Germany I had a teacher who was keen on good English accents. As a result I was not mocked! My time at Leighton Park was happy from the start.” When asked if there was anything distinctive about the Park, he commented, “It was an ideal place to create roots. In 1939, my difficulty was unconditional pacifism. I followed that at school, but I had a feeling that the SS would not respond to peace overtures. The food was also the envy of visiting sports teams. I’ve never had such a good Sunday roast!”
78 former students and staff attended the reunion on Saturday 2nd July, coming from all over the world. Sipho Phiri (S 1986) came from Zambia and Lawrence Brown (F 1996) flew in from Canada! Jesse Dunford Smith (G 1966) commented, “The 20 year reunion for 1996 leavers was brilliantly organised. An impressive lunch spread, a kids play corner and plenty to do. It was a day of catching up and connecting with the current pupils and staff!” John Allinson, School Archivist said, “It was rejuvenating to be in the company of former students and colleagues! For anyone who thrives on a mixture of goodwill, nostalgia, and that almost indefinable feeling of sharing a common background, it was a great day!” Simon Stephen (S 1966) said: “Thank you for a) tracking me down and b) arranging a great day. I can’t wait for 2026, but suspect that some of us will need Zimmer frames!” More photos can be seen on the Old Leightonians Flickr page.
Over 70s Afternoon Tea
Karl studied at Queen’s College, Oxford. His studies were interrupted by a six month internment as an enemy alien. From 1942, Karl worked for the BBC Monitoring Service, listening to Hitler and translating for the Government. As the Cold War developed, Karl transferred to news, retiring as Editor in 1981.
“My life since has been quiet” Karl said. “I follow the horses. This is an excellent retirement occupation because there is a problem every morning and a solution every afternoon.” Asked what he thought of lunch on the day he visited, Karl exclaimed,
“The food is as excellent as ever!”
It was a packed afternoon which included catching up over tea and cake, a visit to the students’ Art Exhibition (ArtEx) and the OLCC v Leighton Park cricket match. Michael Mortimer (R 1953), attended with his wife. He said, “We enjoyed our visit yesterday afternoon. We were particularly impressed with the art exhibition in Peckover. It is good to know that Leighton Park seems to be going from strength to strength!”
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PSC
Music for a Summer’s Evening BBQ
Book Group
At the June meeting, in addition to our book discussion, we revealed the selection for 2016-17 and chose our favourite of the titles read this year. This time it was ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ by Sue Monk Kidd, which seems appropriate in the year beehives returned to the Park!
A big thank you to all of the PSC the volunteers who helped with the BBQ and Bar at Music for a Summer’s Evening 2016. What a superb concert from our young musicians and a joyful evening for all!
Top Tips for Teenage Parties On the 13th May, twenty parents gathered in Peckover to discuss how to keep everyone safe (whilst still having fun!) when hosting teenage parties. The evening included sharing our experiences and hearing about the latest guidelines from Nicky Williams, Head of Pastoral Welfare and Safeguarding. If you’d like to receive the summary of top tips from the session, please contact us via psc@leightonpark.com.
Kinky Boots
Can you help? We have tremendous support from parents and staff, both teaching and non-teaching, at PSC events. Without it, some of these community events simply could not take place. If you can spare a few hours to help at one of our events, please sign up to our volunteers list by emailing psc@leightonpark.com. In addition, there are some committee vacancies available. Please contact us if you’d like to know more, or come along to the Annual General Meeting.
The PSC Theatre Group enjoyed a wonderful West End trip to this award winning show on a sunny evening – thanks to Andy for joining in the fun!
A Fond Farewell… To Jo Aherne who has administrated the PSC Book Group over the last four years. Her insightful analysis will be missed as well as her friendly reminders to read the books and bake cake! Also to Fiona Mowlem who, in addition to her commitment to Friends of LP Music, pioneered the annual Parents’ Lunch in Oakview and has organised fabulous PSC theatre trips. We value her thoughtful contributions, efficiency and creativity. We thank them both for their service.
Coming up in the Autumn Term September Monday 19th October Saturday 1st Friday 21st
PSC Book Group: Room by Emma Donoghue PSC support for Annual Open Morning Parents’ Lunch in Oakview
November
Fireworks on the Park
Friday 11th
Monday 14th Thursday 17th December Sunday 11th
PSC Book Group: The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean- Paul Didierlaurent PSC AGM followed by Parents’ Drug Education Evening Decorating Peckover Hall for after the Christmas Meeting
Look out for further details in the school eBulletin!
www.leightonpark.com The Park is printed using paper from a sustainable source.
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Nearly New Shop The Nearly New Shop is open in Fryer House selling good quality school clothing from 4.00-5.30pm on the following dates. Proceeds are donated to charity. Friday 7th October Friday 4th November