The Packwoodian 2009-2010 by Packwood Haugh School

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The

Packwoodian 2009-2010

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Packwoodian 2009-10

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The

Packwoodian 2009-2010 Head Boy Head Girl

Henry Don Laura Cooke

Monitors Charlie Adams Olivia Annan Ianthe Bathurst Laura Cooke Henry Don William Dorrell Ned Hall Sebastian Heywood

Tatty Hunt Emelia Lavender Hamish Neill Oliver Pumphrey Daisy Raichura Elliot Robinson-Boulton Lucy Simpson Islay Stacey Olivia Wade-Smith

Captain of Soccer Captain of Netball Captain of Hockey Captain of Lacrosse Captain of Rugby Captain of Cricket Captain of Rounders Captain of Boys’ Tennis Captain of Girls’ Tennis Captain of Fencing Captain of Swimming Heads of Choir

Jamie Humes Immy Hill Tira Brown Olivia Wade-Smith Johnny Woodhead Monty Curran Charlotte Greenway Freddie Earlam Immy Hill Henry Don Laura Cooke Edward Carroll Emelia Lavender Laura Cooke

Leader of the Orchestra

Packwood Haugh School Ruyton XI Towns, Shrewsbury SY4 1HX Telephone 01939 260217 Fax 01939 262077 enquiries@packwood-haugh.co.uk www.packwood-haugh.co.uk

Packwoodian 2009-10

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CONTENTS

Review of the Year The Headmaster Salvete Valete Subject Prizes

3 7 7 8

Sixes Competition Star Prizes Industry Awards Packwood Acorns

8 9 9 10

Cambodia Boys’ Boarding Girls’ Boarding

11 12 13

14 15 15 16 16

History Geography Modern Foreign Languages Physical Education ICT

17 18 19 20 20

Science Craft, Design & Technology Music

21 21 22

24 24 25 26 26 26

The Witches Packwood May Fair Lectures Exotic Pets One Act Plays Packwood Superstars

27 28 30 30 31 31

Shropshire Primary Schools World Cup Hindu Workshop Packwood Ball 3W Election Weekend Events and Activities Cycle Awareness Training

32 32 33 33 34 34

36 36 36 36 37 38 39 40

Chester - Classics Trip Hill Walking Manchester Jewish Museum Derby Mosque and Hindu Temple Crocky Trail London Junior Boarders’ Trip to the Seaside T20 Cricket at Old Trafford

40 41 42 42 42 42 43 43

Fishing Trip to Chirk Liverpool Tate Talagerwyn – Literary Excursion Ten Pin Bowling Rugby Trip to Leeds Midlands Game Fair Indoor Climbing at Plas Power Chirk Castle

43 43 44 44 44 44 45 45

46 46 47 47 47 47 48 48 48 48 48 49 49 49 50

Creative Club Croquet Debating Drama Explorers and Collectors Film Club First Aid Fishing the Perry Gardening Girls’ Cricket Mixed Hockey Hollywood History Judo Karaoke Knitting Club

50 50 51 52 52 52 52 52 53 54 54 54 55 56 56

Lower School Orchestra Mixed Rounders Origami Pop Lacrosse Pottery Club Quiz Club Recorder Group Sausage Making Science and Astronomy Soccer Skills Club Squash Stage Lighting Club Trampolining

56 56 56 57 57 57 58 58 58 59 59 59 59

60 66 74 78 82

Cricket Rounders Riding Athletics Tennis

86 93 98 99 100

Swimming Rifle Shooting Fencing Golf Cross Country

101 101 102 104 104

Births Engagements

106 106

Deaths News of Old Packwoodians

106 107

Subjects Art Classics Religious Studies English Maths

Events School Musical – Joseph Leadership and Teamwork Training Packwood Quiz Night 1 Class Christmas Pantomime Christmas Quiz Christmas Entertainment

Trips Alton Towers Birdwatching A Christmas Carol Park Hall Farm Boys’ Leavers Trip - North Wales French Trip to Normandy Oxford - Classics Trip Girls’ Leavers Trip to Pembrokeshire

Clubs & Activities Archery Badminton Ballet Basketball Beekeeping Board Games Bridge Canoe Club Chess Club Clay Pigeon Shooting Computer Games Club Cookery Cook your own lunch Cookie Club Country Sports Club

Sports Football Rugby Hockey Netball Lacrosse

Old Packwoodians Dinner for 2005 Leavers Retirement Party

105 105

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR

The Headmaster

Extracts from the Headmaster’s Speech on Speech Day

recent overnight stay by some Packwood pupils in the spinney.

“Mr Chairman, Mr Clark, Parents, Friends of the school, members of staff and children…

I refer, of course, to The Cow Club, an organisation that deserves mention on this occasion because it was founded and formed and run by the pupils of Packwood – no staff involvement whatsoever. Its membership includes approximately 60 children from 8 to 13 years old, and its central office is based amongst the dens of the spinney. The Cow Club is a monarchy with a fully formed political system. The monarch and, not entirely coincidentally, the founder of the Cow Club is King William Dorrell. He has appointed a cabinet (previously a politically correct four boys and two girls, though I gather it is now an all-male affair) and the rest of the Cow Club population is divided, pretty ruthlessly, so far as I can gather, into first and second class citizens. First class citizens are entitled to a den and money and second class citizens are not. Mr Erskine is, I understand, the only staff member of The Cow Club, though he is still very much a second class citizen. The Cow Club currency is based around used shot gun cartridges. The King maintains a bank of 100 such cartridges, and so as to ensure that that the bank remains stable, a 50% tax is imposed upon the carrier of any new cartridges into the Cow Club domain. There was a Cow Club election recently and I believe that there were five parties: the CIP (Cow Independence Party), the Green party, the Liberal Labrador party, the Strategic Warfare Party and the Cowservative Party. The result was, topically enough, a coalition between the Cowservative

It was not easy to produce a speech this year. Whenever I sat down at home to try to write a few words on the laptop, my son, Herbert, who has become unnecessarily computercompetent for a two-year old, would climb onto my lap and insist that the screen was switched to the Fireman Sam website. And so, whilst the Packwood element of my speech may prove to be a little on the thin side this year, I can tell you a good deal about the Welsh seaside town of Pontypandy, of firefighters Elvis, Penny and Sam ‘the hero next door’, of the incompetent handyman, Mr Flood, of the pompous Station Officer Steele, and of Herbert’s favourite character by some margin, naughty Norman. And as I watched Fireman Sam rescue yet another petrified villager from the horrific dangers of another blazing napkin, I wondered whether there was any message that I could extract from this programme that might relate somehow to a Headmaster’s speech. The importance of community spirit, perhaps? The importance of risk assessments? The importance of learning from your mistakes? The importance of hiding laptops from two-year olds? All valuable lessons, I’m sure, but somehow they did not provide the inspiration that I was seeking. And then along came an episode about a group of Pontpandy children who decided to go camping in the woods, and this started me reflecting upon a

and Green parties. And how did the Cow Club get its name? – well the King told me that a herd of cows happened to be passing when the founders were first struggling for a name, but some information has since been leaked to me by a source close to the cabinet who wanted to remain anonymous, that the name Cow Club was chosen because, much to the amusement of young boys, cows produce plentiful supplies of methane… Of course, the Cow Club election was not the only election that took place this term. It reminded me of one of Mr Weston’s reports that I had read in the News section of the new Packwood website, so I closed down Fireman Sam, ignored Herbert’s attempt to throw the misbehaving laptop across the room, and opened up the relevant Packwood page... and I quote: “Since the start of the Summer Term pupils in 3W have been studying this month’s General Election and the election of 1710 during history lessons. After days of learning about such underhand tactics as the candidate in 1710 who toured Shrewsbury buying 2,000 pairs of shoes, thus securing the shoe makers vote, the pupils had their own chance to run a campaign and cast votes into a ballot box. Bea Mostyn-Owen, the Ali-B Party candidate, was the surprise winner. Bea’s victory could be due to block voting by the girls, the collapse of the Barbie Party or her promises of later bedtimes. The authorities are however investigating accusations of bribery after it was discovered that large amounts of tuck changed hands only minutes before the ballots were cast. It seems 3W have learnt exactly how elections worked in 1710...” Page 3

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR Great stuff, I thought, and another example of the breadth of events and experience enjoyed by the Packwood children this year. A year, ladies and gentlemen, that could justifiably be described as Packwood’s most successful ever. Keen to remind myself of all that has taken place, I scrolled to the bottom of the news page to the beginning of the Autumn Term 2009, flicking through the various news items, and the following caught my eye as being that little bit special… First – Geography Field Trips – and how times have changed. I remember participating in a Geography Field Trip with a group of 12 and 13 year olds something like 25 years ago when I first started teaching. The destination: a Berkshire field overlooking the M4. The aim: to count the numbers of cars and lorries. The result: there were lots and we were cold. Compare this with the Packwood Geography Field trip of last November: walking behind waterfalls, swimming in hot streams, soaked by geysers, trekking along the mid-Atlantic ridge, standing on the edge of a glacier, and climbing a volcano – the marvels, of course, of Iceland and what an extraordinary, special, and truly inspirational trip it was. Of course, as you parents will know only too well, such trips are not inexpensive, and quite rightly some of the children themselves were asked to contribute. Perhaps, a number of months ago now, you may have seen two boys in Chester High Street performing miraculous tricks with a pair of diablos. A placard read: “Please give generously – raising funds for a trip to Iceland (not the food store).” And raise the funds they did, most successfully – well done, Gus Langford and Toby Thompson. And most recently, of course, there has been the Form 2 French and History visit to Normandy – another hugely successful trip that further enthused the children, and another trip where the Packwood staff were prepared to go, literally, the extra mile in order to provide your children with the best and broadest education possible. And then the Packwood website reported upon the brilliant Sixes Music Competition, and the theme this year was ‘Queen’. For me, the highlight that evening was Bradshaw Boyces’ barnstorming belting out of Don’t Stop Me Now, but who can forget, during I Want to Break Free, the slightly disturbing sight of the head boy and the Cow Club King cavorting with vacuum cleaners whilst dressed up as Freddie Mercury in drag? Difficult to forget, certainly, though I suspect that all those in the audience on that day remain terribly keen to do so. But perhaps one of the most memorable moments was at the beginning of the judge’s summing up. Mr Richard Dunster-Sigtermans, Director of Music at Rugby, announced that just after arriving at Packwood, he had, and I quote: “met the politest boy in the world”. And the politest boy in the world, who had opened the front door to Mr Dunster-Sigtermans and Page 4

shown him to the music block, was the nineyear old Jonty Hall. Well done, Jonty. Moving on – and please forgive me for this one – certainly one of my highlights of the year, and I suspect the highlight for a number of others too, was the day in November when the 1st XV played its match against S. Anselm’s at Welford Road, the home ground of Leicester Tigers Rugby Club. What a treat that was. Johnny Woodhead, captain of Rugby, wrote a thank you letter to the headmaster of Sedbergh, our hosts on the day, which says it all: “From the minute we arrived we were brilliantly looked after. Changing in the same room that Martin Johnson has done was a huge honour…I thought that the atmosphere was brilliant and I have never experienced anything like it before. I have still got dirt on my knees from the ground and I am never washing it off." Johnny, of course, is the very muddy boy sitting over there. S. Anselm’s was one of several new rugby fixtures this year, as we determined to develop the fixture list further so as to provide even more children with the chance to play in as many matches as possible. As has already been reported, the number of rugby and football fixtures increased by a significant 25%, with many more C, D and E team matches than ever before, and more children accordingly playing in matches than ever before. We are constantly on the lookout for additional fixtures, and distance and the number of teams offered by the opposition schools remain the only limiting factors. Now, it seems appropriate at this point to recount some of the outstanding sporting successes of this year. The boys have done very well: The Under 11 cricket team won the county and regional sections of the English Schools’ Cricket Association 8-a-side tournament and five of the team were selected for county honours; Freddie Fielding, a phenomenal runner, won the IAPS regional Under 12 1500m race in an extraordinary 4 minutes 57 seconds and, a year young, was silver medallist in the National Prep School Championships;

the Under 11 Rugby Sevens squad won three of arguably the strongest Under 11 prep school tournaments in the country at Caldicott, The Downs and Packwood; six boys were selected to represent the West Midlands in the National Fencing championships; the Under 9 rugby, football, and cricket teams were undefeated in school matches; the Under 13 cricket team successfully defended the prestigious Malvern College 8-aside tournament, bedecked in multi-coloured cricket pyjamas and bright green pads; and the mighty Under 11C rugby team enjoyed their third unbeaten season in a row. Just some of the boys’ tremendous achievements…but it’s probably fair to say that, on the sports field, this has been the year of the girls: Olivia Wade-Smith and Francesca Hughes, for example, successfully saw off all-comers, boy and girl, to become the first girls to reach the final (out of 88 entrants in total) of Packwood’s ‘Duel in the Sun’ fencing tournament; five girls were selected to represented the West Midlands in the National Fencing Championships; the Under 13 and Under 12 lacrosse teams successfully defended their West Midlands’ crowns and justified once again the comment in the Tatler’s top 225 independent schools’ supplement, we suspect made by a Wycombe Abbey parent: “Beware a Packwood girl with a lacrosse stick in her hand (we say this from bitter personal experience)…”; the Under 13 girls’ hockey team was undefeated, and were winners of two tournaments; the Under 9 girls were undefeated throughout the entire year in hockey, netball and rounders; swimmers Zara Vickers, Ellie Hutchings and Charlotte Greenway, between them, broke six school records in the swimming finals;

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR Charlotte Edwards is the Shropshire 100m champion and was Shropshire Hockey’s player of the season; seven Packwood girls were selected for the county hockey and netball squads, and Tira Brown and Charlotte Edwards were selected for the Midlands Hockey Elite Squad; the Under 13 Netball team won the county championship; and we certainly should not forget the Packwood Mums’ lacrosse team who donned the green and white shirts and defeated a Moreton Hall team 9-6. Well done the girls – a tremendous set of achievements. But just to keep a sense of perspective, perhaps I should mention the one Packwood team that sank without trace this year. I refer, of course, to the Packwood Pirates, Messrs Weston, Nogues, Ford and Dougan, whose coracles failed to reach the second round of the annual Macmillan Cancer Support charity coracle race across the Severn, though several hundred pounds was raised for a very good cause. And talking of very good causes, and returning to my meander through the Packwood website, many of you will have seen that a link has been started between Packwood and the Stung Meanchey school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for disadvantaged children who would otherwise have to spend their days scavenging in a vast, dirty and smelly rubbish dump. Sue Gough visited the school last November, a school run by the IndoChina Starfish Foundation, and she has talked to the Packwood children about her experiences. Our aim is to develop the relationship between the schools, to forge links across the classrooms and to help wherever we can. And, of course, in so doing, we enlighten the Packwood children, perhaps inspire them to some fundraising initiatives of their own, and remind them how fortunate they themselves are. In fact, only two mornings ago we had an assembly at which cheques were donated to five charities, the Indochina Starfish Foundation being one of them, as a result of the splendid efforts and generosity of one and all at the Packwood May Fair. The other charities were the Severn Hospice, Midlands Air Ambulance, Help for Heroes and Hope House. The Packwood children heard a little about the selfless work carried out by all these charities, and representatives of each thanked the Packwood community for its fund-raising efforts on that exciting May day. And I, in turn, would like to thank all the parents, children and staff for all that they did to make the day so successful. I fear, however, that one member of staff sadly let the team down – and that member of staff, I have to acknowledge, was me. All I can say in my defence is that I blame the cricket and rounders coaches: the children were far, far too accurate with their wet sponges and I can assure you that I lasted as long as I could before, as the children so

sensitively put it, wimping out. But I’m jumping ahead of myself here, for I have forgotten a significant event that took place last October – our latest inspection. I suspect that I overlooked it because, frankly, inspections seem to happen almost annually now. Anyway, this one was a little different because they gave us just five days notice and we were in the very first tranche of independent schools to experience this new approach. It was predominantly a ‘regulatory compliance’ inspection. I learnt the other day that 10 years ago, when I first became a headmaster as it happens, there were six regulations that impacted upon independent schools, and now there are over 300. If only I’d known… It’s a wonder that any of us find any time to teach. Well, we passed the inspection with all boxes ticked (thanks, not least, to the sterling efforts of Sue Gough and Elizabeth Crawley), the inspectors reporting that: “The quality and presentation of the children’s written work is outstanding”; “throughout the school pupils are successful in their learning, articulate and confident”; “academic success is attributable to good, occasionally outstanding, teaching that fosters diligence, application and effort and encourages good behaviour through high expectations”; “Pupils’ personal development is excellent”; and “The Packwood Way is an excellent framework for promoting good behaviour”. Splendid stuff, I’m sure you’ll agree, and a testament to the qualities of both your children and their teachers. Now I can see that my attempt to steer a clear chronological course through the year is rapidly falling apart, and so for no good reason I am going to jump to the Spring Term, which began with an impressive victory for four 1Class pupils, William Dorrell, Emelia Lavender, Gus Langford, and Cecy Price in the Regional UK Maths Trust Team Challenge, and ended with a stunning performance in the Senior musical production of Joseph by the entire cast, but particularly, in the lead role, by Edward Carroll. It was a musical widely acknowledged to have been one of our best yet. And once again, as with the Summer Term’s brilliant production of The Witches, the Packwood theatre proved to be a wonderful venue, and it is wholly fitting that later today we will be unveiling a plaque and naming the theatre after former pupil, parent, governor and chairman of governors, Malcolm Mitchell. Malcolm’s contribution to Packwood over the years has been immense, and the wise advice and support that he provided to me as Head was invaluable and hugely appreciated. I do hope that you will join us later on the terrace of the theatre for the unveiling of the plaque, at which Hugh Trevor-Jones, High Sheriff

of Shropshire and chairman of the appeal committee for the theatre back in 2003, will say a few words. Meanwhile, back to the Spring Term, and somewhere in between the Maths and Joseph, it was becoming clear that we were beginning to accumulate scholarships and awards to senior schools at an unprecedented rate – the Packwood staff room was beginning to mutter about the possibility of a record year, and, of course, a record year for scholarships and awards it most certainly was – a remarkable 35 in total. And for a school that prides itself on both the quality and breadth of experiences on offer, the spread of awards was particularly heartening: nine academic scholarships (including Emelia Lavender’s outstanding top award to Rugby), five music awards, four art scholarships, eleven sports scholarships and six for all-round ability. A tremendous effort by the top year. And then that was followed by the equally stunning Common Entrance results – a 100% pass rate with a record 40% of all grades being A grades. This is an impressive set of results by any standard, but in a non-selective school such as Packwood, it is simply outstanding. And, hard-working though the top year surely were, it certainly wasn’t all plain sailing for the Packwood teachers. I learnt yesterday of a conversation that took place in one of Jo Lambkin’s French classes at the beginning of a lesson on tenses. “Today,” said Mrs Lambkin to the class, “today we are going to do the past.” A boy’s hand inched cautiously upwards. “Mrs Lambkin,” asked the boy, “What’s the past?” “Well, you know,” said Mrs Lambkin, “It’s like yesterday.” “Ah,” said the boy, “well I wasn’t here yesterday.” So very well done and farewell to the leavers, a hugely talented and characterful bunch. And, as such, selecting an appropriate recipient of the Allan Cup for Character, has been enormously difficult. Many names have been proposed: Alex Cros, Harrison Steeple, Edward Carroll, Olivia Annan, Ned Hall, Olivia Wade-Smith, and William Allott are just a few. But this year’s winner of the Allan Cup Page 5

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR for Character is a boy who, only a few months ago, was a fairly quiet, fairly low profile individual, and who, after a relatively late arrival at the school, had yet to really find his niche. And then he wrote a poem, a brilliant poem, and he performed it in the finals of the Elocution Competition, judged by a senior school Head of English, and he won. This achievement worked wonders for his confidence and suddenly, amongst his peers, he was no longer just ‘Jamie’, no he was ‘Nuge’ or even, I believe, ‘Nitro’ – yes, ladies and gentlemen, he had acquired the oh-soimportant nick-name. Last Wednesday it was ‘Packwood Leavers’ Got Talent’, a great evening with some wonderful acts, and the opening performance was Jamie, or Nuge, or Nitro singing a solo quite beautifully. And last night, after I had finished my speech at the end of the Leavers’ supper, and completely out of the blue, Jamie, Nuge, Nitro stood up and made a short speech thanking Messrs Bourne, Erskine and Wood for all their teaching, and presented the three of them with a large packet of chocolate minstrels. Ladies and Gentleman, for the admirable character that Jamie, Nuge, Nitro is becoming day by day, the Allan Cup for Character will shortly be presented to Jamie Nugent. Jamie, I thank you and your fellow leavers for all that you have done for Packwood and wish each of you every success at your senior schools and beyond. Farewell too, of course, and thank you, to several other leavers this term. Paul Donaldson, a very fine cricket coach and schoolmaster, returns to Australia after trying to discover how to beat England at cricket; Zoe Williams, one of our excellent matrons and a great help to me on the most recent ski trip, returns to her father’s farm in Zambia to help look after wild animals – I’m sure her dormitory experiences here will prove invaluable; Lizzie Livermore moves on to Terra Nova after two years as a thoroughly professional junior subject teacher and housemistress; and Kate Brown, after six years at Packwood, moves on to the White House. Kate has taught English and RS, coached swimming and helped organise the school library – her role as a junior Form Teacher has been crucial in the happiness and fulfilment of many children, and we wish her continued success in the future. And before I move on to the Big Four – Howard Bourne, Peter and Charlotte Erskine, and Ian Wood, I would also like to pay tribute to someone who, although not officially leaving until January, deserves mention on this occasion for her outstanding contribution to Packwood music. I refer, of course, to Jo Westlake. In the seven years that she has been Director of Music, there is no doubt that music has become a real strength of the school. Her summer concerts have become legendary, standing ovations the norm, and under Jo’s committed and inspirational leadership, the number of pupils at Packwood learning an instrument and the grades achieved have never been so high. And yet, perhaps her Page 6

greatest achievement in the seven years was persuading an ageing bachelor that it was time for him to get married, and I’m grateful to her for that too! Jo’s not going far, of course, but she will be missed… And, needless to say, we will miss Howard Bourne (26 years at Packwood), Peter and Charlotte Erskine (23 years) and Ian Wood (18 years). Many of you were able to join us for the retirement dinner for Howard, Peter and Ian last Saturday, and you will have heard two very entertaining speeches in which all three retirees were rightly praised for their extraordinary contributions to Packwood and its children over the years. And at the end of the evening, substantial cheques, donations from yourselves and former parents and pupils,

were handed to Howard, Peter and Ian, and I know that they would like me to take this opportunity to thank you all on their behalves for your generosity and friendship over the years. In many ways, of course, Charlotte Erskine, although not a teacher at Packwood, will be missed just as much. In the 23 years that she has been here, she has run the wonderful school library, assisted in so many ways in the school office, served match teas, and most vitally, as the organiser of the second-hand clothing shop, has been one the first faces seen by Packwood parents, friendly, helpful, efficient. Charlotte, Peter, Howard, Ian – on behalf of countless pupils, parents and colleagues of Packwood, thank you very much indeed. Of course, with such high-profile and significant members of staff leaving, a natural enough question that I hear from parents is: “How are you going to replace them?” Well, to be honest, it wasn’t that difficult. Packwood remains a school with a national reputation and applicants for their roles were strong. The new staff will be different, of course, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing at all, and new opportunities and initiatives will offer themselves to the pupils of Packwood. The staff that remain at the school have been quick to throw their hats into the ring for the roles that become vacant. As you know, Sue Gough and Nick Jones will become assistant heads in September 2010, and joint Deputy Heads in September 2011. Martin Ford is taking on the role as i/c new children, Steve Rigby is taking on the timetabling role, Jerome Nogues will

be Head of Day Children, Jane Jones is looking after hospitality, Nick Weston is joining the marketing team, and we have two very fine schoolmasters joining us as Head of Maths and as Head of English – indeed, a Packwood governor recently bumped into a parent at the current school of one of the new Heads of Department and the parent complained bitterly that Packwood was stealing their best teacher. And we are introducing a new system of landing tutors in the boys’ dorms. Nick Jones will remain overall housemaster, and Jo Lambkin, Ken Webster, Andy Livermore and Duncan Reavill will have pastoral responsibility for a landing each; they will, I’m sure, add significantly to the boarding experience for the boys. Martin Ford and Geraldine Lee, meanwhile, will be regular visitors to the girls at Park House, and, with the fabulous redecoration of the girls dorms now complete, the boys’ dorms are next in line for a face-lift. Two new Common rooms are being created for the 2s and below – comfy chairs, bean bags, board games and the like – a place to relax during the busy Packwood days. And, with the help of very kind donations by the leavers’ parents both this year and last, we are developing the Adventure Playground – or the ‘venchie’, as the children call it. We have ambitious plans over a period of time, and the first step for September will be the introduction of a six metre space net – a large rope construction for climbing and clambering which has already caused much excitement amongst the children. Yes, the recession has had its impact upon registrations, but our numbers are merely returning to the figure that we consider ideal for the school – around 285. And just as we can look back with great pride at all that has been achieved at Packwood this year, and with great gratitude to those pupils and staff who are leaving us, so I believe that we, the parents, the staff and the talented children of Packwood, can look forward with great confidence and excitement towards the new era ahead. Finally, I feel that I should finish with a warning to all Packwood parents – do take due care when collecting your child’s trunk. Last year, whilst attempting to manhandle a trunk into a car, a parent managed to break his finger and he spent several hours in casualty. But that, ladies and gentlemen, is not the worst of it – when he finally got home, he discovered that he had actually collected the wrong trunk… Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for your support, once again, throughout the year. NTW

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Salvete Autumn 2009 Alex Ainslie

Oliver Bureau

Zennor Harvey

James Long

Nieves Richi

Amelia Tomkinson

Dominic Ainslie

Sophia Bureau

Llyr Heyward-Jones

Esther McLaughlin

Hubert Shute

Michael Turner

Guillermo Arrechea

Francisco Calderon

Harrison Holroyd

Francis McLaughlin

Oliver Slater

Kit Warburton-Lee

Georgia Bibby

Poppy Carver

Edward Hurle

Nathan Mielczarek

Alexander Wythe

Katie Bibby

Liberty Clarke

Louisa Jarvis

Archie Mobbs

George StanfordDavis

Wilbur Blackham

Lucy Clarke

Theodora Jarvis

Gregor Montgomery

Harry Swinburne

Robert Boyes

Alejandro Cros

Thomasina Jarvis

Seren Pattinson

Felix Thomas-Davies

Genevieve Bright

William Goodall

Georgina Kenyon

Rowan Pickstock

Archie Thomason

Thomas Bright

George Hargrave

Esther Livermore

Alice Rees

William Thompson

Chanida Dhooghe

Christopher Dorrell

Ivor Fetherstonhaugh

Ollie Hall

Isabella Wythe

Spring 2010 Jay Jackson

Summer 2010 Edward Barry

Valete Scholarships William Dorrell Cecy Price Immy Hill Elliot Robinson-Boulton Charlie Adams Edward Carroll Henry Don Emelia Lavender Georgina Thurston* Emelia Lavender Cecy Price Daisy Raichura William Dorrell Laura Cooke Peregrine Beckett Freddie Thompson* Emelia Lavender Olivia Annan*

Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship (1st) Academic Exhibition Music Scholarship Music Scholarship Music Scholarship Music Exhibition Music Exhibition Art Scholarship Art Scholarship Art Scholarship Art Scholarship

Uppingham Malvern Moreton Hall Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Rugby Rugby Ellesmere Rugby Malvern Heathfield Uppingham Moreton Hall Radley Shrewsbury Rugby Rugby

Jamie Humes* Johnny Woodhead Patrick Phillips* Freddie Earlam Johnny Woodhead* Freddie Earlam Immy Hill Tira Brown* Olivia Wade-Smith Lucy Simpson* Edward Carroll Olivia Wade-Smith Laura Cooke Tilly Cooper Jake Samuel* Edward Carroll Gus Langford

Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship All-Rounder Scholarship All-Rounder Scholarship All-Rounder Scholarship All-Rounder Scholarship House Foundation House Foundation House Foundation

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Sedbergh Sedbergh Rugby Felsted Moreton Hall Moreton Hall Moreton Hall Moreton Hall Shrewsbury Moreton Hall Moreton Hall Moreton Hall Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Shrewsbury

Passsed on Scholarship Papers Islay Stacey

Rugby

Common/School Entrance (including*above) Gus Langford Sivakorn Pithayanukul Hugo Rowland, Toby Thomson Nicole Ashall, Emily Ford, Daniella Hatton Ianthe Bathurst, Angus Campbell, Kinvara Gladstone, Tansy Massey, Daisy Raichura, Rosie Shone William Allott, Charlie Beckett, Will Bruce,

Adamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grammar Cheltenham Malvern Moreton Hall

Rugby

Archie David, Freddie Earlam, Edward Graves, Ned Hall, Sebastian Heywood, Hamish Neill, Jamie Nugent, Freddie Perkins, Oliver Pumphrey, Yutaro Sato, Will Schofield, Paul Sharpe, Harrison Steeple Cecy Price, Millie Powell Monty Curran William Barlow, Charlotte Greenway Tatty Hunt

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury High Stowe Uppingham Wycombe Abbey

Non-CE leavers Guillermo Arrechea Cameron McDonald Francisco Calderon George Platt

Rory Carter-Motley Nieves Richi Alejandro Cros William Tate

Jack Humphreys Michael Turner Annie Livermore Ce-Ce Whittingham

Esther Livermore Jamie Livermore

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Prizes Subject Prizes

Junior School

Middle School

Subject Prizes

Senior School

Mathematics

Jamie Channon

Alfie Grocott

Special Scholarship Prize Emelia Lavender

English

Isabella Wythe

Harry Jenkinson

Mathematics

William Dorrell

French

Molly Bruce

Ruby Lavender

Wonnacott English

Nicole Ashall

Science

Oliver Bureau

Biology

Joseph Davies

Ollier French

Rosie Shone

Archie Fetherstonhaugh

Science

Charlie Adams

History

Isabella Wythe

Guy Morris

Harcourt Clark Classics

Henry Don

Geography

Linden Grigg

Saskia Humphreys

Headley Latin

Kinvara Gladstone

Religious Studies

Sophia Price

Jessica Clarke

History

Jamie Nugent

Music

William Holcroft

Evie Clutton

Geography

Toby Thomson

Art

Talullah Blackham

Jamie Moir

Religious Studies

Daisy Raichura

ICT

Oliver Bureau

Felix Thomas-Davies

Biology

William Allott

Latin

Charlie Jackson

Edward Stanton

ICT

Edward Carroll

Antonia Barlow-Evans

Music

William Dorrell

Form 6G prize

Jack Goodall

Daler-Rowney Cup for Art Olivia Annan

Form 6C prize

Frankie McLaughlin

CDT

Immy Hill

Ormsby-Gore Drama

Edward Carroll

Smith Drama

William Allott

Allan Cup for Character

Jamie Nugent

Bruno Bowl

Under 11 rugby 7s

Most Improved Netballer

Daniella Hatton

Dunning Prize (Rugby Candidates)

Emelia Lavender

Special Common Entrance Prizes

Oliver Pumphrey, Edward Graves, Georgina Thurston

Old Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Memorial English Prize

Cecy Price

Allott Cup

Hugo Rowland

Rugby CE History Prize

Rosie Shone

Uppingham CE Prize

Charlotte Greenway

Justin Davies Memorial Prize

Laura Cooke, Henry Don

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Robertson Cup (highest number of Greens)

George Burrell

George Burrell William Allott

Sam Bayliss Jamie Channon Thomas Simpson

Allen Cup (highest number of Sixes Points)

Ruby Lavender

Oliver Bureau

Sam Bayliss

Sixes Competitions Autumn Term

Cross-Country

Bradshaw/Boyces

Mannings/Sodens

Quellyn-Roberts Cup

Bradshaw/Boyces

Football Overall (Cooper Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Sixes Shield

Bradshaw/Boyces

Hockey (Barling Cup)

Bradshaw/Boyces

Summer Term

Music

Bradshaw/Boyces

Fencing (Bibby Bowl)

Mannings/Sodens

Quellyn-Roberts Cup

Bradshaw/Boyces

Sixes Shield

Bradshaw/Boyces

Football Junior (Burnham Cup)

Spring Term

Cricket (Cowan Cup)

Bradshaw/Boyces

Rounders (Skempton Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Athletics (Miriam Heard Cup)

Harcourt/Clarkes

Tennis (Davies-Kettle Cup)

Harcourt/Clarkes

Swimming (Prosser Cup)

McFerran/Wilsons

Rugby (Hannay Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Sports

Mannings/Sodens

Netball (Boyes Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Quellyn-Roberts Cup

McFerran/Wilsons

Lacrosse (Morrey Shield)

Mannings/Sodens

Sixes Shield

Bradshaw/Boyces

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR Star Prizes Autumn Term

Summer Term

Cecy Price Rosie Shone Will Bruce Jake Samuel Alfie Grocott Milla Harvey-Scholes Jess Clarke Evie Clutton Holly Shaw Sophie Mason Harriet Bibby

Olivia Annan Nicole Ashall Tom Baines Antonia Brine Tira Brown Sophia Bureau Jamie Channon Laura Cooke Tilly Cooper Anna Cowan Hugh Davies Henry Don William Dorrell Linden Grigg Roly Hancock Francesca Hughes Jamie Humes Tatty Hunt Emelia Lavender Ceri Lloyd Harry Marshall Louis Martin

Spring Term Tansy Massey Toby Mason Ruby Lavender Chloe Edwards

Archie Mobbs Olivia Moir Gregor Montgomery Morton Moss Poppy Raichura Alice Rees

Ben Ricks Sacha Robertson Leo Sartain Lucy Simpson Islay Stacey Harrison Steeple

Georgina Thurston Thomas Tulloch Olivia Wade-Smith Johnny Woodhead Isabella Wythe

2010 Scholars

Industry Awards Autumn Term

Spring/Summer Term

Anna Cowan

Anna Cowan, Olivia Moir

Thomas Baines, Sophia Bureau, Jack Goodall, Louisa Jarvis

Sophia Bureau, Zara Vickers

Chloe Edwards

Alex Ainslie, Ellie Mason, Archie Mobbs

Alex Ainslie, Freya Beasley

Laura Whittingham

Annie Livermore, Laura Whittingham

Dominic Ainslie

Johnnie Peel

Jamie Channon, Isabella Wythe

Sam Bayliss, Oliver Bureau, Isabella Wythe

Emily Cooper

Tia Barlow

Louis Martin

Esther McLaughlin

Ruby Lavender

Sophie Mason

Oliver Williams-Bulkeley

Toby Mason, Poppy Raichura

Nieves Richi

Francesca Hughes

Alfie Grocott

Emily Ford

Hamish Neill

Olivia Annan

Tatty Hunt

Paul Sharpe

Emelia Lavender

Emelia Lavender Page 9

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Packwood Acorns

At the end of each year we hold a very special Open Assembly which follows a traditional format: Acorns 1 play their violins; Acorns 3 are now sufficiently confident to be word perfect in their presentation, and Acorns 2 make their usual flamboyant contribution. The children receive gifts and awards, sing their favourite songs and listen to various adults sum up the Acorns year. But the

highlight for many, not least their teachers, is hearing the leavers in Acorns 1 say what they are looking forward to when they start Form 6 and what they think they will miss once they are no longer in the Acorns. This year we heard one child finish by saying that although he was looking forward to all he will learn in Form 6, he “will miss being an Acorn.”

By the time you read this, Form 6 will be well established members of the Main School, and probably won’t even remember what it was that they thought they might miss. So here to help them is a list of some of the things we got up to in the Acorns this year. We:

• walked like Egyptians on History Day (and also dressed, wrote, played games, ate, drew and built like them, although our pyramids were on a rather more modest scale…)

• went apple mad at harvest time, visiting Plas Power, and took part in lots of apple-related activities: treasure hunts, art, races, games and best of all, made toffee apples

• ventured into the greetings card business, selling our designs to friends and family and earning £89 in gardening vouchers as commission

• enjoyed a Book Week full of fun and stories and raised over £800 for the Readathon charities • learnt nine new songs for our Nativity play, Mary’s Knitting, while the teachers puzzled over how to make the all-important donkey for Mary to ride to Bethlehem (we’d always avoided choosing a play where this was an important plot device before…) • spent a chilly day in January at Chester Zoo admiring the animals our favourite this time were the gibbons - and learning about the seven life processes of animals • investigated, experimented and discovered during Science Week, learning all about air and its properties (we even made our own airpropelled rockets) • invested our money in the Acorns Savings Bank (and learnt how quickly 50p a week accumulates, and how fast it goes when you withdraw your savings to spend at the May Fair)

• made candles, bracelets and bath salts to sell, and designed gardens on a plate for the Packwood May Fair, as well as having lots of fun on the day itself • ran, jumped and threw during an unseasonably damp and chilly Sports Day, finishing with a triumphant solo relay around the track (and a good time was had by all, with great sportsmanship, manners and friendship shown by everyone) • spent a Maths Day looking at number patterns (and producing a number frieze for each classroom) • travelled back 120 years in time on our end of year trip to Blists Hill, where we shopped in the Victorian town; took part in a scene from Shakespeare given by the travelling players; sat very respectfully and quietly in the Victorian classroom, and felt very grateful that we live in 2010 when we visited the Victorian doctor and saw the tools of his trade

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR And of course we also found time for all the reading, writing, calculating, drawing, painting, singing, exploring, investigating, playing, discovering and everything else children at this stage need to do before they can go on to take advantage of everything on offer in the Main School. Just another busy year in the Acorns. EC

Cambodia Link with Stung Meanchey School, Phnom Penh In November 2009 I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to spend a week at a school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Mark Ashall, a Packwood parent and a trustee of the IndoChina Starfish Foundation charity, had asked for a teacher from Packwood to review the education programme at the ISF’s Stung Meanchey School and to produce a report for the Board of Trustees on the teaching and learning at the school – with the further aim of establishing an on-going link between Stung Meanchey and Packwood. Needless to say, when I was asked if I wanted to go, I jumped at the chance. So, in late November I travelled for 25 hours to Phnom Penh. At the airport I was met by Kate Griffin, ISF’s Country Manager. My first day, a Sunday, was spent at a football league meeting where there were a number of boys’ and girls’ teams playing. It was a great way to meet some of the children. For the next five days I was collected at 7.15 am and taken by tuk-tuk to the Stung Meanchey School. I spent my time observing lessons, playing with the children, talking to the teachers, teaching and discussing how I could, with the support of Packwood, continue to help with the work at Stung Meanchey. I was fortunate enough to be able to be given the time to visit some of the sites of Phnom Penh. One of the places I visited particularly sticks in my memory and that was the memorial at the Killing Fields just outside the city. Thousands of ordinary Cambodians had been killed by the Khmer Rouge at this site. It was a sobering thought that the teachers I was working with and talking to each day had actually lived through the horrors of the Khmer Rouge years. The most important visit, though, that I made that week was to the homes of some of the

children who attended the Stung Meanchey School. One afternoon I went with the children down to the city dump where their

homes are. I was invited into two of the homes. The contrast between my life and theirs is almost beyond description. A typical home for the children is one room with a raised platform and a small burner for cooking on. There is no electricity and no water. I visited during the dry season and I cannot imagine how awful it must be to live there during the hot and humid wet season but Kate managed to paint a pretty vivid picture of the running sewage and vile smell that pervades the area at that time.

around and look at themselves on the screen of my digital camera. On my return I gave a presentation in assembly describing my visit and the work of the charity. I have displayed my photographs and produced a photo book of my experience. The children have been very interested in my trip and have been moved by the differences in the lives of the children in Stung Meanchey and their own lives here at Packwood. Since my visit and thanks to the success of the May Fair they have been able to make a difference to the Cambodian children I had met by donating a cheque for £1180 to the IndoChina Starfish Foundation. However, our support is not only in charitable giving, but will also involve specific projects where members of the Packwood staff provide teaching expertise and our pupils help the Stung Meanchey children with their study of English. The mutual benefits of the partnership are invaluable. While the children in Cambodia receive educational support and vital resources, Packwood pupils are learning of the inequalities in the world in which they live, an experience which will help them become well-rounded, thoughtful and compassionate individuals. SG

Despite all the privations in their lives the children were an absolute delight. They laughed and smiled for most of the time and appreciated the opportunity that they were being given at the school. They enjoyed their lessons and worked hard. They loved having their photo taken and couldn’t wait to run Page 11

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Boys’ Boarding

Question: What is the difference between a beanbag and a training shoe? Answer: In the eyes of a prep school boy, nothing, they both make excellent weapons for hitting your friend with. I am often asked by people who have normal jobs and live their lives among folk who do not think that the UN should be consulted because Horace is needed for both the croquet squad and the cricket team, what is it like running a prep school boarding house? The answer is, that house parenting is really a type of refereeing, trying to ensure that everyone plays within the rules (this applies to parents as well as children) and seeing that reprimands and treats are distributed evenly. That is pretty much all there is to it. The skilful stuff, e.g. consoling homesick children or retrieving lost hamsters from the guts of a piano, is all done by Mrs Jones and the Matrons. So once again I would like to dedicate these ramblings to the truly fantastic team of ladies who get me, and more importantly the boys, through the term in one piece. As for the boys, this years’ crop proved to be a heady mix of devilment, talent, sophistication and charm (OK, maybe not sophistication), but whatever words you choose to use, the bottom line is that they are a fantastic bunch of chaps and we are lucky to have them. They get along with each other amazingly well for such a close community, friendships are made, broken and made again, but when they are asked what they think the best thing about boarding is, top of the list always comes the answer, “being with my friends”. We have continued to develop the facilities as much as we can and the boys have responded gratefully to the new large screen televisions and other odds and bobs that we have acquired. The future is exciting too with the arrival of landing tutors to help support the chaps, and a rolling refurbishment of the landings is also on the cards. The landing tutor system is not so new really – Mr Webster and Mr Adams both contribute a great deal to the house already – but it will mean that committed and enthusiastic people like them will be able to focus on one particular age group of boys, bringing yet more stability and consistency to their lives. As for me? The gods have clearly decided that I am still to atone for some crime I committed in a former life and so I remain in place for another year. Mrs Jones, who wouldn’t trust me with a dog on the end of a piece of string never mind a houseful of boys, will still be coming up stairs to check on things and, despite the day to day lunacy which seems quite normal from within, I really don’t mind. NRJ Page 12

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REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Girls’ Boarding

Park House saw a lot of changes this year: new decorations, new furniture, a new house parent, a new matron… but we’ve weathered them all and look forward to next year being more settled. We were sorry to see Matrons Gill and Zoe leave for pastures new during the year and thank them for all they have done for Park House in their time here, but were glad to welcome Matron Sarah who left the boys behind her and entered the rather more fragrant world at the bottom of the school drive. One of the things that becomes clear in the course of the year is the emerging character of each of the landings. This year we’ve had a lively, not to say crazy at times, junior landing with lots of ‘shows’, jokes and tall tales. There’s been some falling out, but even more friendship and fun. On the middle landing maturity is beginning to make itself felt and these girls have been both serious at times, helping each other out as they learn their Latin vocab or geographical features, and daft as brushes as they sing and dance their way along the landing at others. They have their heads well screwed on and I can’t help feeling that they are going to be making their presence felt in the world as time goes on. Those on the senior landing were looking for relief from the stress of exams and expectations, and found it by relaxing in their Common Room, watching DVDs together or chatting in their bedroom. There are firm friendships that have taken root amongst this group: their outstanding loyalty

to each other will serve them very well in the future. Life in Park House is enriched by the number of occasional boarders who join us, many on a regular basis, and this year we have had several younger girls staying with us on Friday nights, so this became something of a special time on the junior landing. We arranged competitions, quizzes and fun activities before bed on Friday and among other fun and games found out who had the best dressed teddy (Rosie Clarke), which team was quick enough on the draw to get all the film titles in Matron Zoe’s version of Pictionary (the team in Dorm A), and who could create the most spectacular

hairstyle on Crazy Hair Night (special mention to Matron Sarah, but the honours went to Talullah Blackham). It gave us all a laugh and is something that we are keen to continue and expand next year. Boarding at Packwood offers the girls so many opportunities to learn about themselves and each other, to try new things, to develop independence and resourcefulness: it is a privilege to be part of their growing up, to share both the fun and the trials and tribulations of this rather intense period of their lives, and to see them emerge at the end of their senior year, ready to take on all that the world throws at them. EC

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SUBJECTS

Art It has been an exciting and successful year for the Packwood art department, but as I am writing this it has crossed my mind that many talented and well motivated pupils will be moving on to their next schools and beginning a brand new experience. It is sad to see them go but at the same time there is an opportunity opening up for the next generation of talented young artists. Thinking back to this time last year, the scholars were working hard in their free time and in the extra art clubs. Freddie Thomson found inspiration in the human figure, and he was striving to perfect some work based on a Leonardo drawing by making improvement after improvement. He was quite influential upon the others by demonstrating that a drawing may be of a very high standard but not be so perfect that mistakes are not still in evidence. This year he gained a Scholarship in Art to Shrewsbury. Peregrine Beckett has a real talent with detail and beautifully crafted, realistic art. This time last year the realisation came to him that there was more to art than tight, polished realism. He began to get looser in his style, and produce work more quickly but without losing any of the quality. He gained an Art Scholarship to Radley. The most progress this year has been by Olivia Annan who, in her determination to become one of the best painters Packwood has seen in recent years, gave up using a pencil to sketch out her compositions and began using a direct painting method instead. After this her brushwork went from strength to strength, producing many works that could easily have been exhibited in a gallery. Olivia gained a superb SS grade in her Art Scholarship to Rugby. Emelia Lavender

has been one of the most outstanding all round artists of recent years, and this time last year she was working every second of her available time on numerous diverse projects. The depth of insight and extraordinary skill was evident in everything she did, be it silk painting, life drawing, wire and plaster sculpture, oil painting or all sorts of drawing. Her enthusiasm for art and artists came over in the copious notes and sketches in her sketchbooks, and her photographic project was quite ground-breaking at this level. The Head of Art at Rugby School said in his report on her performance in the scholarship exam: “Seldom have I seen such an accomplished portfolio. Most notable was the maturity of the work. I also noted an instinctive eye through the lens with a well developed understanding of composition and balance.” Like Olivia, Emelia also achieved an SS grade to gain her Art Scholarship to Rugby. Other successes this year have included the first prize achieved by Alex Wythe for his entry in the Millicent Kaye Art Competition

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3D section in the form of a fish. He sculpted the form and then spent hours and hours painting thousands of scales on the surface. He won £100 for the Packwood Art Department and a generous £50 cheque for himself. I will put the school’s prize money towards a new camera; thank you Alex. Three children who entered a Design a Menu competition also won prizes this term. They were Louisa Jarvis, Nick Yeoward and Ella Downey, and their winning entries will be printed on the children’s menus of the newly refurbished Talbot Inn in Ruyton XI Towns. They were presented with Toys R Us gift tokens. All in all it was a very successful year and one which I am sure will be remembered for many years to come. PRD

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SUBJECTS

Classics Another year passes and it seems like only yesterday that I was considering the parallels between Wimbledon and the Roman amphitheatre. Such comparisons can be interesting and indeed useful in the way they help us to understand the life and thought not only of the ancients but also of ourselves; our ideas and customs often have their roots in Greek and Roman history. We have this year as usual been confronted by these on a number of occasions. In the Autumn Term, for example, we were treated to a talk by Matthew Clark of Shrewsbury School on gladiators and chariot racing, where amongst other things we learned that, at least in the stadium, the Romans used to place bets on their favourite charioteers, who belonged to teams identified by their colours. How familiar that sounds in a year dominated by electioneering, where the blues and yellows of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties combined to defeat the Greens and the reds of Labour; and the World Cup, where every interval on ITV, at least in the early stages, was focused on viewers placing bets on who might score the next goal, receive the next yellow card, or whatever. Then again, in the summer term, 2Class went on what I hope will be the first of many visits to the Iannou Classics Centre of Oxford University, where the

children’s day began with a crash course in oratory. Here we heard how some 2500 years ago the entire ekklesia (the 43000 or so members of the Athenian assembly) would gather on a hill outside the city – the Pnyx – to vote in their elections. We discovered the root of the much overused word ‘idiot’ (idiōtēs), originally simply ‘a private citizen’, but later coming to mean ‘someone who did not vote in an election’, no doubt explaining the change in meaning of the word by the times of the New Testament, where one definition gives it as ‘an unlearned, illiterate man as opposed to the learned and educated: one who is unskilled in any art’ (Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary, as quoted at www.searchgodsword.org/lex/grk).

performances in Greek from all those who sat the papers. The Harcourt Clark Classics prize – which could easily have been awarded to any one of four or five – went deservedly to Henry Don for his success at Rugby. The Headley Latin prize went to Kinvara Gladstone, a member of the top CE set, for her AA in the Rugby CE examination and her glittering work throughout the year; again there were a good few who could reasonably have laid claim to it. Lower down the school, the subject continues to throw up the usual challenges and it is good to be able to report that the department remains in fine fettle.

My thanks again go to Oliver Lee for his work throughout the school and to Geraldine Lee for hers with the beginners in the 4s. For myself, as some of my children have lately For those who ask why we study Latin in our discovered, I am a fan of the music of the modern age or who ask why Greek stories are King’s Singers (the six voice a capella choir): included in Latin lessons, I hope these if you take any one voice in isolation you examples help to provide an answer. Happily for most such questions are not an issue and we might sometimes hear a recognisable tune; whether you do or not, however, if you take continue to have much success in class and that voice away, you will undermine the effect public examinations. This year has been of the whole. So it is I would suggest with the generally outstanding as regards scholarship and the Classics department can be as proud as Classics within our curriculum. WGI any other of the children’s achievements, with superb results in Latin and very creditable

Religious Studies I was asked this year by a prospective parent,”What do you do in RS?” This was an interesting question and one that could have been answered in various ways. I could have replied that we eat: Form 1 started the year eating polos (Prophets) and figs (Amos). Form 2 was tempted by sugary snakes (Adam and Eve). Form 3 tasted Challah bread and Matzot (Judaism). Form 4 tried burfi (Hinduism). Form 5 was taxed using sweets (Zacchaeus). Form 6 learnt about sharing sweets (feeding the five thousand). I could have said that we dress up, we role play, we play quizzes, we do origami, we go on trips and we listen to music. If I had been really clever I could have quoted to the inquisitive parent this statement from the Religious Education Council of England and Wales National Framework for Religious Education (QCA, 2004). In Religious studies we teach “about meaning and purpose in life from beginning to end. We give space for individual reflection and wondering who and why; we explore Christianity, other principal religions and world views, and how they affect the fabric of personal and social life; we identify the reality of evil, injustice and suffering and open up visions of how life for all the world's citizens may be transformed by truth, beauty and goodness.” Of course, put on the spot what I actually said was, “Oh, we have fun!” I’m not sure if the parent expected that answer. It isn’t exactly one of the attainment targets in the National Curriculum. Now with some quality time to think about what do we do in RS what I should have said is that we COMMUNICATE and we have fun.

Communication is of course vital. My department needs to have clear understanding of the syllabus and then the skills to communicate it in a way that the pupils engage with. The Lower school RS Department has consisted of Mrs Kate Brown and Mrs Lizzie Livermore. They have both been keen and enthusiastic communicators. We have had some wonderful assemblies instigated by them and some very enjoyable trips and lessons. Sadly for us they are both moving on to new schools in September and we wish them well in their new jobs. I thank them both for their great communication skills. I would also like to say goodbye to our leavers this year. They have also been excellent communicators. In class they have been honest and involved. Their CE and scholarship RS results this term have been fabulous. They communicated their knowledge and understanding most impressively. I hope they continue to communicate clearly at their next schools. The RS Department has had its internal Departmental Review this term. This means that four members of the management team came into RS lessons in the Summer Term and evaluated what was going on. This is such a valuable experience because, as a teacher, it really makes you think about what you are doing, how you are doing it and why you are doing it. Again communication is the key factor. One way of assessing what is going on in RS is to ask this question of the pupils: “Do you think your teacher enjoys teaching RS?” I hope that pupils know that we enjoy teaching the subject and that the reason they know is because we have fun. Needless to say I shall be teaching the child of the prospective parent in September so maybe they did appreciate my off the cuff answer anyway! RE

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SUBJECTS

English What to write after twenty-three years? Perhaps a non-sentence. Or three. I could start with the fact that I have loved teaching English (thirty-eight years, actually) and that I probably enjoy it more now than I have ever done. And there are two main reasons for this. Firstly is the fact that I am teaching in a school that gives me the freedom to teach what I want, how I want. Secondly is the incredibly lucky fact that I have ended my career by teaching some of the nicest, most enthusiastic pupils I have ever taught. I still remember, of course, the amazing Scholarship form of my first year, 1987 – fourteen academic awards! But this year’s 1Class has kept me entertained and enthused throughout the year and they have done well in their exams. So thank you, 1Class, for being such fun; 1W, for producing some outstanding writing; 1L, for being so cheerful and hardworking in the face of ghastly CE papers; 2Class for unbounded enthusiasm and talent; and 2F, for quirkiness, chatter, good humour and character. Now the annual bad bit: Common Entrance. The exams continue to be inaccessible, dull, vacuous, too demanding. I hope that my recent complaints to the latest member of the exam setting board (who invited comments) will register. I believe that there is a groundswell of opinion that feels as I do. The children have been tremendous in adhering to dull ‘exam technique’ and applying it successfully. The ISEB setting group is remote, unapproachable and seemingly untouchable. Boo! Back to good things. Theatr Clwyd. Over the years I have taken groups to see about thirty plays there. We have seen many remarkable productions – To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, An Inspector Calls, to name but a few. We have usually occupied the front few rows and our visits have been marked by huge enthusiasm and immaculate behaviour by the

pupils, thousands of ice-creams, incredibly kind and helpful theatre staff and audiences who are initially horrified at the sight of a school group but who always end up relieved when our children behave as they should do! It is a great theatre. We also had two productions from play-in-aday by Konflux theatre – The Aztecs, and The Gunpowder Plot. These plays are great fun and enable many more children to perform on stage than might do otherwise. The Elocution Competition was of the highest standard ever. That sounds a bit of a sweeping, subjective statement. But it is true, largely due to amazing performances at the top end of the school. We have begun to expect excellent performances from Middle and Junior sections, but the Seniors often find Common Entrance and other minor matters getting in the way. Not this time. The highlight must be Jamie Nugent’s rendering of his own poem. The adjudicator, Mr Andrew Fletcher, the Head of English from Rugby, had no hesitation in choosing Jamie as the winner, although the

The Elocution Competition Finalists: Senior: Jamie Nugent (Winner), Emelia Lavender (2nd), Archie Thomason, Ianthe Bathurst, William Dorrell, Harry Jenkinson, Edward Stubbs, William Allott. Middle: Jessie Hunt (Winner), Laura Whittingham (2nd), Archie Connolly, Alice Rees, Fergus David. Junior: Marcus Woodhead (Winner), Edward Barry (2nd), Frank Morris, Romy Grigg, Zara Vickers, Ellie Mason.

Competitions:

other finalists were outstanding too.

The Creative Writing Competition was won by the following:

Valete: Thank you, Kate Brown, for all that you have done for Form 5 (and other) English, for your tireless and invaluable help with the Libraries and Librarians, and for helping me with Book Fairs and numerous other aspects of English Department affairs. You will be very much missed by staff and pupils alike. Good luck to Cath Hammond who is taking over the Library. And very best wishes to Mr Roy Chambers who takes over the Department from me. I am sure you will want to do your own thing and start by painting over the poetry I have written on the walls of 1Class, but I have to warn you that the markers I used are strong, permanent markers and might just show through the first layer of paint, and the second and...? PAE

Form 1: Emelia Lavender, Cecy Price, Georgina Thurston, Lucy Simpson, Hamish Neill. Form 2: Alfie Grocott, Harry Jenkinson, Milla Harvey-Scholes, Antonia Brine, Toby Mason, Thea Holt-Smith, Leo Sartain. Form 3: Jemima Price, Bentley Moss, Fergus David, Hugh Davies. Form 4: Linden Grigg, Molly Bruce, Morton Moss. Form 5: Nicholas Yeoward , Harry Swinburne. Form 6: Seren Pattinson, Georgia Kannreuther.

Maths This year we welcomed Franscois Adams as an addition to the mathematics department, otherwise the staff remained unchanged, and we are now fortunate to have several experienced members of staff ready for the changes which will be necessary with the departure of Howard Bourne and myself in July 2010. I am sure the children will respond well to the challenges ahead and that Richard Cowley will ably lead this strong department. There is one interesting change to note in terms of syllabus for the coming years. The introduction of a foundation level paper at Common Entrance 13+ level came into place in June 2010. I would envisage Page 16

Packwood pupils would sit this as an exception rather than the rule, although it will be a useful possibility for those who struggle to cope with the full 13+ syllabus. The papers are set at a lower level and exclude questions on the more difficult parts of the syllabus. Maths grades at both Common Entrance and scholarship level were very pleasing, and once again we were lucky to have a good number of able mathematicians in our top year. The results in the various maths challenges have been outstanding, with more candidates achieving awards than last year. Cecy Price and Charlie Adams did particularly well in qualifying for the Junior Maths Olympiad, and Emelia Lavender excelled in receiving

a distinction in the Intermediate level European Kangaroo paper, which is designed for students of GCSE age. As well as these great individual successes there was a tremendous victory for a team of four Packwood pupils in the Shropshire regional finals of the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT) Team Challenge. The Challenge comprises four rounds ranging from Crossnumber puzzles, a Head-to-Head competition and an against-the-clock Relay Race, all of which require the children to use their maths skills, logic and deduction to solve a variety of problems.

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History I would like to start my History report with reference to the teaching and learning of 2Class and 1Class – the scholars. It has struck me that even though there are clearly very bright children in both forms, the analytical stage – the fun stage of interpreting and explaining rather than merely describing – can only be achieved by having the background knowledge of the subject. Without the knowledge, there can be no scholarly debate and opinion. Obvious, really. However, the more obvious to me this has become, the greater the emphasis I realise is needed on giving this knowledge to all of the children, from the 6s upwards. They need to know about the history of Britain and the kings’ and queens’ reigns in chronological order. This is not scholarly, academic, abstract learning – they are simple, exciting, accessible and fun stories for all. That is the beauty of History. A slower learner in a lower academic stream should not enjoy History any less than a high flying child in the top form. All children like good stories. On to Common Entrance. The one year CE syllabus, as opposed to the previous two-year plan, has worked well in my opinion. It gives enough time for the top year to zoom in on one topic from the past, in their case the Seven Years’ War, and it allows them to become experts on how to tackle the evidence section of the exam. If it is all about doing well in exams, then this has been a successful system. Their learning of History is not, however, all about Common Entrance success. That is why we limit essay-writing practice on a narrow piece of history and a heavy emphasis on sources work to the final three terms of the children’s time at Packwood. If the CE candidates all get As but give up History as soon as they can at their next school, then we have hardly done our job. The sooner the exam is made broader, the

better. The results may not be as good but the learning (and teaching!) will be more fun and their preparatory stage of being historians will set the children up with enthusiasm to go on to really love the subject. All this means that at Packwood we leave the proper learning about the past to the rest of the school, unrestricted by Common Entrance. The 6s are taught expertly by Nick Weston about the entire history of this island of ours in three terms. I say ‘expertly’ because he is an expert – knowledgeable and always learning new stuff himself. This allows him to make the stories fun, exciting and anecdotal. Lucky children! I wish I’d been taught by him at prep school at that age. This whistle-stop history of Britain stops off at all the best bits – Hastings, the Black Prince, bad King John, the English castles in Wales and even some non-military

This is not scholarly, academic, abstract learning – they are simple, exciting, accessible and fun stories for all. That is the beauty of History. stuff! The 5s are taught by Gail Wilkinson, who covers an ancient civilisation – Egypt, Greece or Rome – as well as the start of the literal history of Britain – when the Romans came and wrote information down about it. At the end of the 5s, the children have progressed chronologically up to Hastings and the Normans ruling our island. Gail gets them really well drilled and organised with their

learning and presentation. The 4s carry on from here and learn about the significant dates, events and people from each of the Norman, Plantagenet, Lancastrian and

Yorkist monarchies, which takes them up to Bosworth. This is the first time I get to tell the pupils stories and, like Nick and Gail, I feel privileged to be the first storyteller of tales such as Taillefer at Hastings or the blind King of Bohemia at Crecy. Fantastic yet true! The 3s carry on this way of learning about England/ Britain with Nick and me through the individual Tudor, Stuart and Hanoverian monarchies. This way, there is context and chronological order to the learning. Patterns start to emerge and scholarly debate can be elicited. The 2s, with Gail and me, start to write essays on topics ranging from 1066-1901 and they also start to look at the evaluation of sources; so, in a way, the 2s are preparing for CE but they do not necessarily need to know that. Therefore, it is a balance. A balance between playing the game that is Common Entrance exam passing and yet learning loads of fun stuff along the way that will make the leavers keen to keep up History at their next school. AL

UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge Gold: Emelia Lavender (+ best in School) Silver: William Dorrell, Cecy Price, Gus Langford Bronze: Ed Carroll, Henry Don, Islay Stacey Emelia Lavender qualified for the European Grey Kangaroo and received a certificate of distinction (top 25%) UKMT Junior Maths Challenge Gold:

Their victory was particularly impressive as they were a young team made up of three Year 8s (Emelia Lavender, William Dorrell, Gus Langford ) and one Year 7 (Cecy Price) while all of the other participating schools were represented by teams made up of pupils from Year 9 and Year 8. IRW

Cecy Price (+ best in school), Charlie Adams, Emelia Lavender, Edward Carroll, William Dorrell, Gus Langford, Ollie Pumphrey, Alfie Grocott, William Bruce Silver: Charlotte Greenway, Peregrine Beckett, Yutaro Sato, Angus Campbell, William Schofield, Immy Hill, Edward Hurle, Milla Harvey-Scholes, Jessica Clarke, Jamie Moir, Rory Davies, Joseph Davies Bronze: Paul Sharpe, Olivia Wade-Smith, Rosie Shone, Jamie Humes, Islay Stacey, Edward Stanton, Evie Clutton, Robert Waterhouse, Henry Oak Cecy Price and Charlie Adams qualified for the Junior Olympiad.

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Geography 2010 and Geography. Whether it is due to over population, media saturation or Hollywood, natural disasters are big news and 2010 will forever be linked with the unpronounceable (check the numerous attempts on YouTube) Eyjafjallajökull – a small and fairly insignificant volcano on an island full of volcanoes – Iceland. It brought the world to a standstill, well the bits that affected us. That is one of the many beauties of Geography. The other is that 55 children from Packwood had seen the very volcano and driven past it on a number of occasions only months previously. It was the second time the top year had descended on this amazing country and yet again it was a huge success. A new group of staff went and they were as spellbound and as enthusiastic as the children. Matron Banks came on her first Humanities trip, Cath Hammond will never be the same again after the things that she witnessed and Peter Erskine was not always miserable – it was that amazing! The ironic thing is that all of the flights were grounded due to worries about Health and Safety, but this is not an overriding issue in Iceland and during our trip was hardly in evidence at all. Serious injury and certain death possibilities were encountered frequently and even the children were intrigued by the different approaches of Iceland and the UK. Barely any warning signs, a complete lack of fences and no tour guides could send some people in to a state of mass hysteria, especially when in charge of more than fifty 13 year olds. However, it is like playing cricket without a helmet or, as a recent study proved, driving with no road markings – it heightens your senses. Which means that the children saw more, thought more and appreciated more. Whether it was waterfalls, above, behind or in, boiling hot pools, geysers,

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glaciers, unbelievably strong undertow on a beach or perhaps the highlight of the trip – a mile long walk up a river valley with sheer drops aplenty to then strip off and bathe in a naturally hot river – the children were never once in danger or indeed put themselves in danger. A credit to them, a credit to Iceland and not just to reassure parents. It was not all awe and wonder, serious work was to be done. Every child had to do a fieldwork enquiry (20% of their final CE mark) and not surprisingly they were all good and plenty were amazing. Rather than tell them what to do – as so much is these days – they all chose their own hypotheses and set about trying to prove them. Rosie Shone and Nicole Ashall deserve a mention because they got the first full marks that I have ever given. The whole year group deserve a mention because they secured the best CE and

scholarship marks in Geography that the Headmaster can ever remember. Laura Cooke got 100% in a scholarship paper and William Allot got 100% in CE. I am sorry that this article is dominated by the top year but it was an incredible trip and no doubt inspired plenty of children in so many ways, particularly Prize Winner Toby Thomson, ‘professor’ Ned Hall, ‘Geography boff’ Lucy Simpson and ‘examsare-so-limited’ Freddie Earlam. Too many names to mention them all but what the entire year have ensured is that for all future years studying Geography at Packwood, there will be more of it outside of the classroom. How far outside is probably up to others to decide, not least a rather sizeable volcano that is a lot more pronounceable than Eyjafjallajökull but also a lot more scary – Hekla. Now when this one goes off, everyone will be talking about Geography. DR

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Modern Foreign Languages This year has been one of consolidation for the Language Department. The highlights have been the great results at Scholarship and Common Entrance levels but also the 2s fabulous trip to Normandy. We have started using a Language Laboratory online called Schoolshape which has proved to be excellent in developing listening and oral skills. We have of course continued to use the very popular Linguascope website as well as the totally redesigned www.monfrancais.co.uk. The Packwood Blog has proved very popular too during the holidays and on the trip to France, and we have also used the trendy Twitter. 1Class, after their Scholarship exams, embarked on a cooking course. They produced some wonderful puddings: tarte au citron, crème aux trois chocolats, gateau au chocolat…

They filmed the whole process and presented the recipes like a real cooking show, en français s’il vous plait! Furthermore, after an impromptu music session last Easter, just before the holidays, the pupils demonstrated some brilliant musical skills which made me think that they could write their own song (lyrics and music) encore en français. The result has been fantastic! The song is very catchy and the videoclip, based on a PowerPoint presentation, accompanying it, is very funny. Unfortunately, this year we were not able to repeat the Language morning taster sessions working with Shrewsbury School due to a little glitch in both our calendars. We’re looking forward to doing it again next year. There are always a great number of things happening in the Language Department, including competitions during the holidays to keep the interest. There is a lot to come next year and I would like to thank all of the members of the department for communicating their great enthusiasm to the children who love learning French and Spanish. JN Page 19

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Physical Education The PE department has now used the sports hall for two years. How time flies! We have again strived to offer as many different sports and activities as possible over a child’s time here at Packwood.Throughout the year the pupils are exposed to a variety of sports during their PE lessons and we are committed to delivering enjoyable and engaging lessons that focus on increasing understanding, skill acquisition, maximum participation and enjoyment. In the Autumn Term, all the pupils took part in gymnastics, from British Gymnastics Awards to sports acrobatics (individual balances, in pairs and groups) and a variety of vaulting techniques. Activities involving the supporting of weight on various body parts while attempting stillness, mirroring and matching, counter-balance and counter-tension were explored during lessons as were suitable and aesthetic movements to link balances together, in order to perform a sequence of movements with balance as its theme. In the Spring Term the older pupils (1s and 2s) participated in either badminton or team building exercises. The 3s and 4s took part in health-related fitness, basketball and other such ball games. We refined ball-handling and familiarisation skills and also reinforced the importance of working together as a team to achieve success. The 5s and 6s experienced multi-skills and ball familiarisation. The Summer Term is athletics for all. The pupils run, jump and throw as fast, as high or as far as they can. We try to achieve progression across all age groups in generic running, jumping and throwing activities that build upon the core strength of our sport in

forming the basis of all other sporting athleticism. The hope is to succeed in enthusing pupils of all ages and abilities to find, and participate in, events that they enjoy and which allow them to achieve success, at whatever level. The times and distances recorded are then compared to the English Schools’ Athletics Association Awards scheme and pupils are awarded a bronze, silver or gold standard. This year saw most of the pupils achieve bronzes with some excellent silvers and a select few achieving an outstanding gold standard. The Acorns have experienced a variety of sports and games in their four sessions a week this year with a new scheme of work being implemented. In the Autumn Term the pupils experienced socialisation games, such as parachute games and hockey and healthrelated fitness. The Spring Term saw the Acorns participate in pop lacrosse, target games and multi-skills. Newer inclusions have been boccia, new age curling and bowls to the target sports component.

In the summer term, they have been exposed to net and wall games, including mini tennis, striking and fielding games (Kwik cricket, rounders and French cricket) and athletics, with preparation for sports day. Swimming and gymnastics are also part of the Acorns scheme and if they are not splashing and diving they are rolling and jumping on the springboard and trampette. The Acorns’ Sports Day, run with the invaluable assistance of 1Class, was a lovely way to finish the term and year. Throughout the Summer Term we have also been blessed to have had an extra pair of hands in the form of Mr Donaldson. Not just a regular cricket gap student, but a qualified PE teacher, as well as an absolute success on the playing field, he brought enthusiasm and a wealth of new ideas and techniques. Thank you Mr D! PE continues to be enjoyed and we hope that the pupils will continue to perform to the best of their ability and to develop their individual skills. KLP

ICT “The computer was born to solve problems that did not exist before.” – Bill Gates “I do not fear computers. I fear a lack of them.”– Isaac Asimov After spending the last 30 valuable minutes sorting out a corrupted email file, I am sure these two quotes are correct. The subject of ICT is both marvellous and frustrating - marvellous because of the amount of information and resources that are now open to us, but the frustration comes in when the thing we take for granted and rely on does not work as it should. Just ask the proud owners of the new fourth generation iPhone how they feel. A wonderful device that can do so much, but does not work if held incorrectly. So how has all this affected school? Do we all remember the swine flu epidemic, that we thought would close schools, and mean we would have to teach from home? Well, preparing for that possibility meant I taught the children about Google documents and cloud computing. They all really enjoyed designing their own theme, and some still use their Google account, but not many. We also had a problem with our Internet connection for a couple of weeks. This meant that all the You Tube video resources teachers used, and numerous other websites, including clipart, were unusable. I know I was very frustrated, but as ever, there was a way to work around the problem. We used Encarta Page 20

Encyclopaedia to find information and pictures for the fourth forms PowerPoint Zoos, and the sixes changed font colours and added borders to brighten up their work. The Form 1 and 2 classes were immune to all this, as they were either videoing an advert, or recording a Podcast. The Acorns used Logo, and wrote stories, and form 3 struggled along creating a newspaper front cover. Wouldn’t it be nice next year if everything went to plan? Perhaps it is these problems that help to keep us on our toes! SAR

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Science Shrewsbury and an SS grade for Emilia Lavender in her Rugby paper. In the June Common Entrance an impressively high number of A grades were achieved and William Allott, William Barlow, Oliver Pumphrey, Georgina Thurston, Charlotte Greenway, Tatty Hunt, Laura Cooke, Olivia Wade-Smith and Tilly Cooper all managed the significant distinction of As in all three of their science papers. Old Swinford Hospital science challenge In a new venture this year we entered a team in the Old Swinford Hospital science challenge. This followed a CSI theme and the children had to study evidence and carry out scientific tests to identify the guilty suspect in a murder investigation. Alfie Grocott, Joe Davies, Jess Clarke and Milla Harvey-Scholes gathered their evidence during the day and after interrogating the suspects about their movements on the day of the murder, they concluded that Tom had done it. However they were only half right. Had they read more Agatha Christie novels they might have considered the possibility of two of the suspects being guilty. So they did not win the trophy but they learned some useful science during the day.

The world around us can often seem complicated and confusing and the main aim of any science teacher should be to try to make it a little less so. I read recently in a book of exam paper blunders of a physics question asking whether the moon or the sun was more important to the Earth. A pupil answered that as the moon shines at night when it is dark and the sun shines in the day when it is already light, the moon is much more important to us.

Although this is the sort of rather nebulous question that the setters of Common Entrance papers might well ask, the results at both Scholarship and Common Entrance this year certainly suggest that our children would be able to come up with some better answers. In the Spring Term, Cecy Price and William Dorrell both achieved outstanding results in their science scholarship papers. This was followed in the Summer Term by an A grade for Charlie Adams and A+ for Ed Carroll at

Following the success of the new biology lab, this year some alterations and improvements are being made to the junior science lab. This will mainly involve lowering the furniture to a more suitable height for the younger children. Finally I would like to thank Sam Hughes, Paul Phillips and Nick Jones for all their hard work and contributing so much to another very successful year for the department. FRH

Craft, Design & Technology We are now well established in our new room. The topics may not have changed much – tumbling acrobats and clocks; rubber band racers and wind machines; shelters and wind powered vehicles; mechanical toys and fairground rides; soldered circuits powering lights, jitterbugs, cars, boats and hovercraft – but the quality and variety of the outcomes have certainly improved. This is directly attributable to the increased use being made of the Vacuum Former, the CNC Router, and the vinyl and card cutter with which we are all becoming more familiar. The adjacent computer suite continues to be used with increasing frequency for the 2D design program, researching ideas and writing up projects. As long as this subject remains non-

examinable, the department will always aim Success may not be guaranteed but it can to provide an enjoyable learning experience be seen to be attainable, and that is all the with the emphasis firmly encouragement that most placed on ‘learning children need. This is a Success may not be through doing and subject that positively making’ within its relaxed guaranteed but it can encourages problem workshop environment. solving skills, lateral be seen to be attainable, There is much truth in the thinking, innovation and and that is all the saying “I hear and I forget; evaluation. I see and I remember; I do encouragement that This year’s CDT prize has and I understand”, so the most children need been awarded to Immy hands-on approach will Hill who has thrived and continue to come first. excelled in all the briefs throughout her CDT The ‘Craft’ will always remain an essential, career at Packwood and more particularly equal and integral partner along with the for her commitment to her final year work, ‘Design’ and the ‘Technology’. This year saw a well-made small dressing table mirror with the addition of some metal working tools drawer and a metal candle holder. AJR which has added ‘wrought’ iron work to the range of topics for the final year children. Page 21

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Music

Music continues to be an important part of life at Packwood. With the majority of pupils learning an instrument and taking part in various ensembles each week, the department aims to bring all pupils into contact with music as performers on stage or in class. A large number of ensembles rehearse on a weekly basis including Brass, String, Guitar, Woodwind, Saxophone, Percussion, Clarinet, Xylophone, Thai Angkloons as well as Bands, Orchestras and Choirs. The Autumn Term started very positively. Regular Lunchtime Concerts and Open Day Presentations took place in the theatre involving junior and senior pupils. The entire school came together for our yearly Sixes House Music Competition, the theme being ‘Queen’, and featuring the set song Don’t Stop Me Now. An overjoyed Bradshaws Boyces came out on top singing Crazy Little Thing Called Love with some impressive jiving from Freddie Tompson and Daisy Raichura to name but two. We were also treated to a routine from Henry Don and William Dorrell which involved dressing up and parading around the stage with hoovers whilst McFerrans Wilsons sang I Want to Break Free. Many thanks to Richard Dunster-Sigtermans, Head of Music at Rugby School, for adjudicating the competition. Performances from our Senior Choir in regular church services included a Remembrance Sunday service and built up to a first class Carol Service at St Oswald’s Church in Oswestry. I was proud to prepare such a dedicated, well-tuned and keen group of choristers, though, due to my maternity leave beginning earlier than planned, the choristers were ultimately conducted at the Carol Service by Anthony Dowlen. My thanks to Anthony for taking this on at such short notice. JCW

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At the start of the Spring Term Mr Anthony Dowlen took over the leadership of the department for three terms to cover for Mrs Westlake’s maternity leave. We also welcomed Mrs Jayne Robinson as a new violin teacher in place of Mr Joyce. Mrs Robinson has had a distinguished career as an orchestral violinist in the English National Opera orchestra based at the London Coliseum, and is now active as a teacher in a number of schools in the Shrewsbury area and we are very pleased to welcome her to the Packwood music staff. Immediately the term started rehearsals began to prepare candidates for music scholarships to senior schools. In the event all five candidates were successful and we congratulate Emelia Lavender (Rugby), Cecy Price (Malvern), William Dorrell (Uppingham), Daisy Raichura (Heathfield) and Laura Cooke (Moreton Hall) on achieving such excellent results, often against extremely strong competition. Rehearsals were quickly under way, too, for the production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, scheduled for the end of term, and much hard work went in to the next ten weeks. The 3s were rehearsed in the chorus parts and numerous members of the 1s and 2s took the solo leads, all distinguishing themselves in the three performances, given to packed and appreciative houses. Two lunch time concerts were organised by Miss McEntee and featured a number of soloists together with performances by the Concert band and the Junior Choir. The Senior Choir was extremely active, too, learning a large number of new anthems for Sunday services. The Choir also sang at the Open Day in February, an occasion which included a sprightly and musical performance by the String Ensemble under Miss McEntee’s direction. Preparations for Associated Board and Trinity Guildhall exams dominated the final fortnight of the term and it was extremely gratifying that all candidates acquitted themselves so well, with many earning themselves merits and distinctions.

The Summer Term continued the work of the previous terms as all bands, orchestras and ensembles were now rehearsing for the Summer Concert. Despite numerous conflicting activities, pupils took part in two Lunchtime Concerts in the theatre, both occasions providing valuable performing experience both for the soloists and ensembles involved. 1Class attended a short concert of C18th music at the English Haydn festival in Bridgnorth. But the highlight of the term was undoubtedly the Summer Concert given to a packed theatre on Friday 2nd July. It was heartening to see so many children actively involved in a multitude of group music making, achieving very high standards. An innovation this year saw a number of the leading musicians from the 1s playing solos and duets as a ‘lap of honour’ in their final term at Packwood. The Senior Choir, too, had another very busy term learning more new music for the Sunday church services, as well as performing at the Summer Concert and at the Leavers’ Service. As a reward for much hard work during the year the Senior Choir spent a most enjoyable day at Drayton Manor Park. Music prizes were awarded to Emelia Lavender, William Dorrell and Evie Clutton in the senior part of the school, all of whom have been extremely busy in a whole variety of musical activities at Packwood. From the lower end of the school William Holcroft received a prize for his continued good work and high standards both as a guitarist and as a singer. Finally, in the last week of the term over 40 pupils faced the examiner for the termly music exams. I thank the children for all their hard work this year and also the visiting music teachers for many hours of dedicated service in teaching a wide variety of instruments so skilfully and to such a high standard. AD

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SUBJECTS MUSIC EXAMS AUTUMN TERM Laura Cooke Milla Harvey-Scholes Cecy Price Evie Clutton Tilly Cooper Tansy Massey Patrick Phillips Antonia Wordie Evie Clutton Antonia Brine Thea Holt-Smith Linden Grigg William Dorrell Guy Morris Holly Shaw Tom Baxter Joseph Davies Peregrine Beckett Ruby Lavender Freddie Beharrell Robert Waterhouse Chan Kathuria Olivia Wade-Smith Florence Wade-Smith Maddie Hall Ella Downey Roly Hancock Jessie Hunt Antonia Barlow-Evans Georgina Thurston Beatrice Mostyn-Owen Cassie Bedford Korn Pithayanukul Sacha Robertson William Holcroft Jessie Hunt Beth Cooper Simon Waterhouse Ellie Mason Freddie Houlker

Grade 6 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test

Flute Piano Piano Theory Singing Singing Trumpet Piano Singing Singing Violin Piano Cello Violin Violin Cello Piano Saxophone Clarinet Trumpet Piano Saxophone Saxophone Cornet Singing Violin Clarinet Clarinet Piano Piano Piano Piano Euphonium Singing Singing Piano Piano Trumpet Piano Cornet

Pass Pass Merit Merit Pass Pass Pass Merit Distinction Merit Pass Merit Merit Pass Merit Pass Pass Merit Merit Merit Pass Distinction Merit Merit Merit Merit Merit Distinction Merit Pass Merit Pass pass Distinction Distinction

Theory Singing Singing Saxophone Clarinet Flute Flute Trumpet Oboe Flute Singing Drums Violin Piano Clarinet Clarinet Flute Singing Singing Violin Clarinet

Merit Merit Merit Merit Distinction Merit Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass Merit Merit Pass Pass Distinction Merit Pass Distinction

MUSIC EXAMS SPRING TERM Cecy Price Kinvara Gladstone Olivia Annan Joseph Davies Antonia Wordie Charlotte Dixon Millie Powell George Burrell Milla Harvey-Scholes Oivia Hughes Felix Thomas-Davies Paul Sharpe Dot Holt Edward Hurle Francesca Hughes Mollie Jamieson Kinvara Gladstone Beth Cooper Alice Rees Andrew Tudor Bertie Jenkinson

Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 2

Archie Connolly Louisa Jarvis Amelia Tennant Rosie Clarke Jude Bedford Llyr Heyward-Jones Jamie Channon Sam Bayliss Ellie Mason David Schofield Chloe Edwards Rory Fergusson Jamie Nugent Daishi Suzuki Felix Jebb Harry Schofield Harry Marshall Zak Nicholas Romy Grigg Alexander Davies

Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test

Singing Singing Piano Violin Piano Piano Piano Cornet Singing Saxophone Clarinet Saxophone Guitar Drums Piano Piano Trombone Cornet Violin Piano

Pass Merit Distinction Merit Pass Merit Merit Merit Merit Distinction Merit Pass Merit Distinction

Saxophone Cello Singing Cello Saxophone Violin Clarinet Violin Guitar Violin Clarinet Saxophone Cornet Guitar Piano Clarinet Singing Flute Flute Singing Cello Singing Singing Cornet Singing Violin Guitar Singing Singing Piano Violin Saxophone Piano Saxophone Piano Piano Piano Piano Piano Piano Piano Piano

Distinction Merit Distinction Merit Merit Pass Distinction Merit Distinction Merit Pass Merit Merit Distinction Pass Merit Distinction Distinction Pass Merit Pass Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Merit Pass Distinction Merit Merit Pass Distinction Merit Merit Distinction

MUSIC EXAMS SUMMER TERM Cecy Price Edward Hurle Emelia Lavender Evie Clutton Daisy Raichura Emelia Lavender Jemima Price Milla Harvey-Scholes William Dorrell Edward Carroll Ce-Ce Whittingham Elliot Robinson-Boulton Florence Wade-Smith Henry Don Laura Cooke Ruby Lavender Sophia Price Sophia Price Tara Beasley Theodora Jarvis William Dorrell Linden Grigg Molly Bruce Sam Bayliss Sacha Robertson Saskia Humphreys William Bayliss William Holcroft Archie Waterworth Daisy Raichura Isabella Wythe Jake Samuel Jessie Hunt Louis Martin Mollie Jamieson Florence Wade-Smith George Burrell Korn Pithayanukul Pip Vickers Eliza Beckett Alejandro Cros Alex Ainslie

Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test Prep Test

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EVENTS

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

That this year’s production of Joseph was always going to be spectacular was never in doubt. It was to be Howard Bourne’s Packwood ‘swansong’ and there was an immensely talented group of children in the top two years. It was the magnitude of the spectacle which took us all by surprise. The first question was a chicken and egg one – which came first, the decision to stage Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat or the knowledge that Edward Carroll would fill the title role to perfection? I’m assured it was the former, but no number of BBC or ITV talent shows could have come up with a better lead than Edward. He was utterly brilliant and his singing voice outstanding for a prep school boy. Yet Edward was only one of many. Olivia Annan, Tilly Cooper, Emelia Lavender and Tansy Massey were also quite incredible as narrators on stage and sang without a hiccup or even a break for the

entire performance. From the minute the curtains opened everyone put their all into the performance with enthusiasm, fervour and obvious enjoyment. The brothers were so good they all deserve individual mention: Freddie Earlam, the wonderful Parisian crooner; Saskia Humphreys, Felix Thomas-Davies and Lucy Simpson for their solos during One More Angel in Heaven; the rocking Rastafarian soloists: Antonia Wordie, Camilla Harvey-Scholes, Harry Schofield and Fergus Connolly; Kinvara Gladstone, Nicole Ashall as the unfortunate Benjamin... and of course the wonderfully inebriated, goat-wrestling Will Schofield. One of the most appealing things about Joseph is the variety of styles of music allowing for everyone to show their particular talent and Gus Langford was no exception making a brilliant Elvis, or rather

Leadership and Teamwork Training This all started a few years ago when the Headmaster had one of his ‘good ideas’ and I was slowest out of my common room chair. The idea was that we should bring just a little science to the business of picking monitors and heads of school by having a leadership training and team building day. I subsequently got in a very nice chap who ran a watered down It’s A Knock Out. It was successful but just not the same without a Stuart Hall commentary and also I have to say that it was a bit short on fun. The next move was to employ ‘The Bush Craft Company’. This was high on fun, very successful but pretty expensive. So the latest solution was to keep the whole thing in house. This proved to be very cheap (a fiver each), scored highly on the fun factor, good for building teams and completely useless at finding monitors…Good! All the 2s met in the spinney on a sunny Sunday in June. I divided them into teams of five, gave them everything they needed to cook their own lunch and left them to it. They were really impressive, far more organised and careful than I anticipated and nobody got salmonella, which was a bonus. After lunch we played silly games and then packed up. I was helped in this enterprise by Mrs Jones, William Jones, Page 24

Mrs Cumpston and Lucy Tressider, our Australian gap student. Many thanks to all of these, and indeed to the children who were fulsome in their thanks and appreciation. NRJ

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Pharaoh, ably supported by his colourful and capable troupe of dancing girls. Other parts, not necessarily huge but still brilliantly performed were Anna Dodd as the Baker, Charlotte Dixon as the Butler, Charlie Adams as Jacob and Matt White as the Lively Lad. But it wasn’t only the singers who impressed. William Barlow was ruthless as Potiphar and Olivia Wade-Smith quite worryingly convincing as the predatory Mrs Potiphar. And then there were all the groups: Jacob’s wives, the adoring girls, the Ishmaelites, the jailers, Pharaoh’s fans, the charioteers and the guards.... They were all fantastic. There was excellent acting and singing from every single performer but the spectacle was made even more impressive by the costumes, the scenery and the props which were all beyond compare. Jane Jones and Joan Rutherford had done the most wonderful job with the

costumes – every child looked fabulous and who will ever forget the camel train with their human legs or the charioteers in their tunics, let alone the coat of many colours? Paul Dougan, Anthony Rigby and Helen Nogues performed wonders with the scenery. The huge Tutankhamun head which opened to reveal Elvis in his finery was brilliant as was the backdrop of the sphinx and the pyramids on which the choir sat. The lighting crew, Jem Bayliss and William Allott, were definitely unsung heroes. Needless to say the music department put in an enormous effort and Anthony Dowlen was invaluable as was Rachael Downey, who came on board to help direct, advised on choreography and staging, played the keyboard and much, much more. All in all this was a most memorable production – very many congratulations to Howard Bourne and his able assistants. FB

Packwood Quiz Night Veni, Vidi, Vici... is not perhaps the most accurate description of how ‘None of the Above’ rather flukily emerged as winners of the Packwood Quiz. Having said that, there was perhaps more method in the chaotic way in which a team of Staceys and Whittinghams came to achieve victory than appeared at the time. To begin with, there was the inspired choice of ringer. Although not quite in the same league as the merchant bank that once mobilised Fred Housego as a team member, we managed the next best thing in Cecy Price. Then, there was the way in which we cunningly lulled our competitors into a false sense of security by being what could best be termed as pedestrian in the way in which we bungled our way through the opening rounds. Inspiration came at first tentatively, probably stimulated by an overenthusiastic appreciation of Chateau Perry and Packwood sandwiches, but faltered immediately when confronted with low brow rounds of classical music and Shakespearean quotes. Finally, when all appeared lost, Packwood delivered with a final round requiring an appreciation of something truly challenging and intellectual at which we could really shine. It's not on to gloat as clearly not everyone can

comprehend the finer points of Benny Hill style punnery based on teams in the English and Scottish football leagues, but this is where the benefit of a proper education really shows. Thanks to all, particularly Howard Bourne, for laying on what was an excellent evening. Mr Richard Whittingham Page 25

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1 Class Christmas Pantomime This year 1Class embarked on an epic journey. This dreamlike idea to re-enact Winnie-the-Pooh as a full-length action feature pantomime (now a major motion picture) appeared over the horizon to meet the intellect that is 1Class. Ideas sprang to mind like a succession of Shurikens (wicked Ninja things). Every second was vital so we spent most of our breaks playing or lounging around the common room, deep in creative thought. After completing the script we used Yellow Pages to hire stunt doubles. The Drama budget prevented this, and funding for Pooh going to Ninja School was also refused. And then Health and Safety intervened to prevent fire-eating, trapezes, knife-throwing and many other activities. We were left with the panto. We were all looking forward to embarrassing ourselves in front of the school. A few reluctant cast members were happier to take part after gentle persuasion with a pair of scissors and a Concise Oxford Dictionary. The performance went well, until we actually started. We walked out bravely, and then the only person with a script (Mr Erskine) started the play with Scene 2 and only stopped when Winnie-thePooh intervened. Cast as follows: Henry Don (The Chicken…the WHAT?!), Elliot Robinson-Boulton (Piglet), Gus Langford (Tigger – of course), Peregrine Beckett (Roo), William Dorrell (Winnie-the-Pooh – not fat enough), Cecy Price (Fox), Emelia Lavender (Owl), Islay Stacey (Lottie the Otter), Immie Hill (Kanga), Charlie Adams (Mole), Ed Carroll (Rabbit) and Ollie Pumphrey (Eeyore). A happy time was had by all – the cast that is. Our thanks to Mrs Jones for producing the wonderful costumes and William Allott for thoroughly professional stage lighting, but mainly to us. William Dorrell and Henry Don

Christmas Quiz This year the questions varied from music, to sport, to food, to much more. There were variations on a theme in the historical and religious sections; there was a section on South Africa, where several current Packwood members of staff have links, and the quiz finished with the now customary but soon to be missed Bourne brain-teasers. Dollops of brandy butter no doubt adorned tables of Packwoodian families as they

mused at Christmas over questions like ‘Who composed a symphonic work called Standing Stone?’ and ‘Name the trainer of the 2009 Grand National winner’. In the end much useful, and indeed some far-fetched information had been absorbed by several children who chose to be examined on the quiz ‘unseen’ at the beginning of the Spring Term. The top two scorers in the senior section were Ruby Lavender and George

Christmas Entertainment After the Christmas Feast we all went off to the theatre, wondering what the entertainment would be this year. Would we see some of the teachers dressed up in ridiculous costumes? Not this year! Instead, we had an hour of brilliant magic and good humour from an entertainer called Paul Dabek. He captivated us all with doves that appeared and disappeared, ropes that seemed to change length at will, cards-tricks of various kinds, balloon tricks and much more. He involved lots of children and members of staff in some of his tricks, with Mr Wood, Mr Lee and Mr Nogues all taking part. He asked Page 26

George Weston what kind of balloon animal he would like to see (a dog maybe?) and George chose a millipede! He got his wish, although it must be pointed out that the millipede was actually a dog on its way to a fancy-dress party...! The grand finale of Paul’s act involved a bright light and a screen. Somehow, he used his hands and arms to make shadow pictures of all kinds of birds and animals. Everyone gave him a great cheer at the end of the show, and I for one had no idea whatsoever how he did any of his tricks – a great entertainer in every sense of the word. HB

Burrell, with 100% and 99% respectively, while Loris Pattinson is to be congratulated for a score comfortably over 90% in the junior section. My favourite answer came from a wag who thought that the meaning of an Eskimo kiss was frostbite! OJL

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The Witches From the very start, with the Form 6 children’s atmospheric a cappella thunderstorm and the stage thick with smoke (one of William Allott’s many valuable contributions to the show), this promised to be an exciting and energetic production. The chorus of actors handled the stylised movement of the opening scene with focus and deliberation, striking just the right balance of creepiness and comedy. Isabella Wythe as Grandma embodied the perfect blend of jaunty humour and passionate vengeance. Scene Two transported us to The Hotel Magnificent and the witches’ annual general meeting. Boy, played brilliantly by Sam Bayliss, and the spoilt Bruno Jenkins, played expertly by Llyr Heyward-Jones, found themselves in a gigantic fight to save the children of England. As the wonderful backdrop of the hotel ballroom was revealed, the witches, complete with bald wigs, arrived and a hilarious, if rather scary, scene of ‘frizzling’ ensued. Talullah Blackham and Guy Morris led the comic chorus, chanting spells and sniffing out children. Jessie Hunt as the fiendish Grand High Witch and Sophia Price as her echoing side-kick were compelling in their devilish double act. With great projection and fantastic attention to the complicated blocking we had given them, they commanded the stage. I wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of either of them while in character!

This scene saw the mice spring into action in a Mission Impossible moment and the oversized head of the Grand High Witch being projected down toward a cowering boy-mouse and trembling frog (Daniel Humes). The last scene was set up with the able hands of our backstage team. The final touches were choreographed to the Blue Danube with waiters Alex Ainslie and Nick Yeoward setting tables with finesse and more than a touch of comic timing – watch this pair – I feel they’ll go far! Another duo who had the audience in stitches was Jack Humphreys and Archie Waterworth: the pink bloomers got the loudest laugh of the night! Amelia Tennant, Linden Grigg, Beth Cooper and Roly Hancock, amongst many others, gave strong performances in more minor roles. Each scene was held together with the help of the narrators who had a lot of complicated direction to remember which they all handled really well. Will Holcroft’s lady-like flourish made me laugh every time. Edward Carroll did a superb job with the sound effects and George Burrell and Joe Davies coped admirably with a complicated lighting plot. Costume, make-up, set, props and light, added so many layers of colour and comedy to this production: thanks so

much to all the staff who put such an effort into these areas. The curtain call highlighted just how many children were involved in this play – 87 cast and crew. Mr Erskine, who staged managed, said this was the best junior play he had ever seen at the school - high praise indeed from someone who has seen and produced many a Packwood play in his time. All the children involved should be very proud of their achievement. Miss Goulding and I certainly enjoyed working on this project with such a talented and dedicated group of young people. Emily Hann

The action moved swiftly on with the fantastic transformation of the boys into mice – backstage it was more like a Formula One pit-stop with Mrs Jones and Mrs Crawley helping Sam and Llyr with the super-quick change.

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Packwood May Fair Blithely ignoring the rather damp conditions on the day, hundreds of parents, pupils and visitors enjoyed an excellent afternoon at the Packwood May Fair on Saturday 29th May. In true Bank Holiday fashion the morning began with heavy rain but the weather brightened in the afternoon and everyone was able to enjoy the huge range of stalls, sideshows and entertainment on offer. There were traditional fete stalls – cakes, toys, books, plants, tombola and raffle; a very popular Slippery Pole where children were witnessed bashing each other mercilessly with bags of straw; a hugely competitive Donkey Derby (the numerous fallers were probably grateful for the soft going!); football, rugby and golf target games; Beat the Batsman; a bouncy slide; Human Fruit Machine; egg throwing contest and many others. Children even had the opportunity to pelt their Headmaster with wet sponges – he may now be regretting those endless drills in Games working on accurate throwing and passing as most of the boys and girls unerringly (and painfully) hit the target! As well as all the stalls and competitions – most of which seemed to be won by Toby Mason who ended the afternoon with an impressive haul of prizes – there was plenty of food and drink too. Sausages and burgers from the barbecue, Pimms, Bucks Fizz and Sangria, cream teas and a wonderful Continental Café serving French and Spanish charcuterie, cheeses, breads and desserts. The Fair was held to raise money for the school and for several charities. Part of the proceeds from the day will be used to develop theatre and recreational facilities for the school and the rest has been divided between Severn Hospice, Hope House, Midlands Air Ambulance, Help for Heroes and the IndoChina Starfish Foundation through whom Packwood has established a link with a school in Phnom Penh.

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Representatives of the five charities came to Packwood on 8th July to be presented with their cheques and during a special assembly they explained to the children a little about the work of each of the charities and how the money raised would be spent. The May Fair was the culmination of months of planning, preparation and hard work by Howard Bourne, his committee of helpers and other members of staff. Mr Bourne will be retiring at the end of this term and the success of the Fair is a worthy tribute to him, but just one small example of the vast and invaluable contribution he has made to Packwood over his 26 years at the school. CEH

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Lectures India, Another Planet

Gladiators and chariot racing

In November we welcomed Hektor Krome, a photographer, who gave us a talk entitled India, Another Planet. This consisted of a whole series of slides depicting life in India, with commentary from the lecturer. There were some stunning shots of skewered tongues, corpses ready for cremation, people walking along railway tracks, crowded streets and markets - all of these shots had been specially selected to show the vastly different world over there, so very alien to our own more comfortable luxuries. Hektor Krome’s style of delivery was one of this lecture’s plus points, as he presented each slide with a commentary both informal and engaging, so that he developed an excellent rapport with the audience. All the children I spoke to afterwards gave the talk a glowing commendation, and many were spurred on to think a few years down the line when they could perhaps visit India on a gap year.

On Thursday, 1st October, Forms 1, 2 and 3, and some of those in Form 4, were treated to a lecture on gladiators and chariot racing by Matthew Clark, who is one of the outstanding team of Classics teachers at Shrewsbury School.

First World War In the depths of winter Mike Burton, Director of Studies at Uppingham came to talk to us about life during the First World War. He based his talk on a series of letters written by his grandfather who was courting his grandmother from the trenches after meeting her for only ten minutes. He portrayed a life of unparalleled horror, of mud, terror and death, where it was easier to defend than attack and thus very little progress was made. He showed us some slides that captured the atmosphere with stark realism. Two that readily come to mind showed – in colour and then in black and white – terrified-looking troops with explosions all round them, and another with wounded men queuing up for artificial legs. This was all emotive subject matter, and the lecturer inspired the rapt attention and interest of all. Mr Burton is a busy man, and it is always much appreciated by all at Packwood when teachers from public schools give up their free time to come and give such talks. OJL

Exotic Pets What a great way to spend a wet evening! Sunday 22nd November saw the return of Simon Airey, our local pet expert. Whenever he comes to Packwood he turns up with an enormous variety of creatures and talks about them with huge enthusiasm. Interesting enough you may think, but it got much better than that because Simon is totally relaxed about the children handling the animals. Snakes, lizards, spiders, scorpions, chinchillas, giant millipedes, cockroaches, frogs, toads and a half grown rat 50 cm long were handed around amongst the audience like a game of pass the parcel. Educational, fun and for some folk (like Mrs Jones) very challenging. NRJ

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Matthew gave us about 45 minutes, packed full of information about entertainment in Roman times, especially focused on the Circus Maximus – the race track in Rome with its astonishing capacity for 250,000 spectators – and the Colosseum, or Flavian Amphitheatre, where the gladiators famously fought to the death in front of cheering crowds. We learned about how people would support their chariot teams very much like modern football supporters follow their clubs, dropping a favourite charioteer immediately if he changed team; and we learned that women too might become gladiators, although how many there were is not clear – probably not very many. Parallels were drawn too with Formula One motor racing, where accidents very often used to be fatal, as was the case in Roman times when a chariot might turn over or the horses fall; then their driver could be trampled underfoot or dragged behind the remains of his chariot, unless he was able to cut himself loose from the reins with his dagger. Altogether, although we might now shrink from the idea of watching people die for the sake of entertainment, there were more similarities with modern sport than perhaps many had expected. After the talk, there was time for questions, and the children’s arms were a forest. For me, the success of the evening became clear at this point, not just because Matthew Clark had clearly kept his audience sufficiently interested to be inundated with sensible and perceptive questions, but because it demonstrated to him too how well our boys and girls receive their visitors and their desire for knowledge. I must also make a special mention of Edward Carroll’s contribution with his IT skills, assisted by William Allott, without whom the slides to illustrate the talk might not have been accessible. My thanks to them both. WGI

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One Act Plays The whole school was treated to a morning’s theatrical entertainment at the end of the Spring Term when the 3s presented a series of short plays. This was a new initiative introduced by Mr Westlake with the aim of giving every child at Packwood the opportunity to perform on stage during their time at the school. The children worked on the plays throughout the term, rehearsing when time permitted during their English lessons.

ultimately leading them to shipwreck and disaster. Next the stage became a dentist’s waiting room with four rather nervous patients being scared off by Simon Waterhouse shamelessly exploiting their fears to jump the queue. He received his comeuppance, though, in the dentist’s chair, once his deception had been discovered! Finally, four girls delivered a wonderful piece, exquisitely acted by Ella Downey, Bea Mostyn-Owen and Ce-Ce Whittingham as three imperiously haughty ladies and by Alice Rees as their more down-to-earth colleague. The message was clear: snobbery makes a person look unkind and smallminded; it’s much better to recognise the value of humility and be accepting of others. The courtroom scene from Wind in the Willows followed, again directed by Mr Webster, this time working with 3E. An exceptional performance from Harriet Bibby as the judge was complemented by great acting from Jack Ashworth as Toad and by an assortment of woodland and countryside creatures. Harriet had by far the largest number of lines to learn among all her peers but she had mastered them to perfection and delivered them with confidence and great comic timing. If these short plays were also an opportunity to seek out acting talent, then surely in Harriet we have found a star of the future!

First on stage were 3 Class, directed by Mr Webster. The audience were transported to a saloon in the Wild West where hard-drinking cowboys, dancing girls, the sheriff and others waited anxiously for the notorious Frisco Kid to ride into town. There were many superb performances here notably Jacob Rand’s authentically American-sounding cowboy, Archie Connolly as the rather slow-witted and indecisive sheriff, Chan Kathuria’s eager undertaker and Andrew Tudor as the cunning Frisco Kid who managed to deceive everyone and disappear with the bank’s money. 3W and Mr Lee took over from here with three short scenes, each with a pertinent message for the audience. The first saw an obstinate and selfimportant ship’s captain (played magnificently by Edward Beard) sailing recklessly through a fierce storm, ignoring the advice of his crew and

Finally 3L had their chance to step into the limelight. Directed by Mrs Hughes, they performed an excerpt from Roald Dahl’s BFG. Hugh Davies took the title role and coped superbly with some challenging dialogue. The part of Sophie was played by Harry Marshall in a flame red wig and little girl’s nightdress much to the amusement of the audience. The rest of the class were marauding, bloodthirsty giants intent on catching some ‘chiddlers’ to sate their hunger. They had a marvellous time stomping around the stage, angrily waving their clubs and running out into the audience in search of their supper. This was a lively and memorable finale to our morning’s entertainment. The quality of all of the performances clearly showed the tremendous effort put in by the children and their English teachers (and by Mrs Jones who produced the wonderful costumes that helped to make all the performers look the part) and also showed how much they had all enjoyed the experience – one that is sure to be repeated in future years. CEH

Packwood Superstars With its distinctive theme tune, memorable facial hair and iconic sportsmen from yesteryear, Superstars holds a fond place in many hearts – and, although the Packwood children are too young to remember it firsthand, on Sunday 22nd November they were transported back in time to the 1970s and Superstars’ heyday with a recreation of the competition at school. The Packwood Superstars competed valiantly in a range of disciplines from skilful sports such as table tennis and basketball, to the traditional running and swimming, the amusing tug of war and of course the classic gym test. Freddie Beharrell was the early pace setter with Tia Barlow putting up a strong show for the girls. The fact that every event had a different winner and every single competitor earned at least a point by finishing in the top six clearly showed that it was a success. Edward Hurle was the eventual winner showing the importance of consistency across the range of events, with Tom Marques in second - but perhaps the highlight was Ruby ‘Brian Jacks’ Lavender destroying the entire field in the gym test. It was a great way of spending a Sunday and one which is sure to be repeated. DR Page 31

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Shropshire Primary Schools World Cup On Saturday 22nd May Mr Livermore and Mr Nogues took two Packwood Under 11 football teams to the Shropshire Primary Schools World Cup hosted by Shrewsbury Town FC. The school teams were each representing a country participating in the 2010 World Cup Finals - Packwood A played as Serbia and the B team as Algeria. Each team began the tournament with three group stage matches. Algeria had a very close first match against USA, ultimately losing 1-2. Their second match was against a strong England team who controlled the game from the start and took an unassailable lead. However, Algeria picked themselves up for their final game against Slovenia and ran out 3-1 winners. Sadly one victory out of three was not enough to see them progress to the later stages of the tournament. Serbia, however, played superbly, winning all three of their group matches emphatically and progressing to the last 16 where the boys defeated the USA 5-0. In the quarter-final they came up against Uruguay - a really impressive team from a Telford primary school. Our Serbs played with determination and commitment but were eventually beaten 2-5 by the superior players. This was a brilliant tournament. Clearly loads of effort had gone into making the boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; day special in terms of the tournament organisation,

the stadium tour, the barbecues, the flags, the fantastic pitches, the experienced referees, the world cup footballs and the sheer number of schools entered. It was great to play different schools and to test our skills against unknown opposition. We did our best and played some lovely stuff. What a treat to get such a competitive kickabout in the cricket term. Great fun! Well done Serbia and Algeria! AL

Hindu workshop

A lady called Krishna came on Tuesday, 9th February to teach us about Hindus. The first thing she taught us was which gods would be on a Hindu shrine and what else would be on it, such as a bell to wake up the gods and a food tray. Then we dressed up and painted each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faces in a pattern. The girls had flowers and the boys had different coloured dots above their eyebrows. We also placed a bindi on our foreheads.

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We acted out the story of Rama and Sita and dressed up as the three gods of the Trimurti and the three main goddesses. Finally we made some Divali sweets, which were delicious. It was a really fun morning and we learned a lot. Molly Bruce

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Packwood Ball

During the Autumn Term, those of us in the 1s and 2s who had chosen to attend the Ballroom Dancing Club concentrated on learning the tango, cha cha cha, jive, quick-step, waltz and even some line dancing and Scottish reeling! Although we didn’t have much time to practise for the Christmas Ball, as a group we improved so much and can actually dance quite well now! At the end of term we were even able to pick a partner and start to dance the appropriate dance to the music Miss Willis played! We are especially good at the jive as it is most definitely the favourite dance amongst the group, although the cha cha cha was also pretty popular! The line dancing is hilarious to do and watch but the Scottish reeling is almost impossible! The Packwood Ball itself was a great success and was really enjoyed by all. The variety of dances and the mix of music made it great fun and a fantastic experience. The food brought a lot of excitement too and was enjoyed by everyone, which is no surprise! Being able to dress up in ball gowns and feeling glamorous was fabulous. The boys got to dress up too and there was a bit of a competition between them as to who had the best waistcoat! Although, as Miss Willis recognised, nobody made more of an effort or looked more outstanding than Angus in his kilt! Here are a few comments from some of the guests: ‘I thought the ball was amazing! I really enjoyed dancing the jive with Angus!’ - Lucy Simpson ‘The ball was loads of fun and I especially liked having the party food!’ - Henry Don

‘The ball was really good and I had a lot of fun – except trying to do the Scottish dancing! I liked the jive best and the food was good too!’ Paul Sharpe ‘I thought the ball was great. The music was pretty cool as was the food! The circles we made for the Scottish dancing were terrible though!’ - Charlie Beckett Olivia Annan

3W Election Early in the Summer Term pupils in 3W studied this year’s General Election and the election of 1710 during history lessons. After days of learning about such underhand tactics as the candidate in 1710 who toured Shrewsbury buying 2,000 pairs of shoes, thus securing the shoe makers vote, the meaning of ‘constituencies’, ‘swings’ and the old ‘Rotten Boroughs’, the pupils had their own chance to run a campaign and cast votes into a ballot box. The children established parties, drew up manifestos and competed for their classmates’ votes. On election day, Christopher Dorrell, the returning officer, monitored the counting of Freddie Beharrell and George Hargrave and confirmed that all sixteen voters had cast their votes before announcing the results.

Bea Mostyn-Owen, the Ali-B Party candidate, was the surprise winner. Early polls had put Simon Waterhouse’s Rat Party and Esther McLaughlin’s Pooh Bear Party firmly in the lead. The sporty boys vote had been split into the ‘Vote Beardy’ and ‘Vote Fr-immy’ campaigns and never really looked a threat to the front runners. Bea’s victory could be due to block voting by the girls, the collapse of the Barbie Party or her promises of later bedtimes. The authorities are however investigating accusations of bribery after it was discovered that large amounts of tuck changed hands only minutes before the ballots were cast. It seems 3W have learnt exactly how elections worked in 1710... NW

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Weekend Events and Activities Autumn Term

Spring Term

Trip to Premiership rugby Water-polo competition New Boarders’ Treat Equestrian One-day event Pottery activity Cinema trip Ten-pin bowling trip Trip to the Midlands Game Fair Trip to Park Hall Countryside Experience Long Mynd walk Trip to the Crocky Trail Hill-walking trip Art activities Kick-it cricket competition Packwood Superstars competition Lecture on exotic pets Cookery competition Sausage-making activity Simulated game shooting after dusk

West Midlands fencing competition Packwood Gladiators Indoor climbing wall Pom-pom making activity Pottery activities It’s a Knock-out competition Art activities Cookery Indoor soccer tournament Trip to the cinema Packwood fencing competition Walking in the Shropshire Hills Ten-pin bowling trip Beekeeping activity Braai activity

Summer Term Garden Plotters’ Sunday Packwood Gladiators Golf activity

Packwood Gymkhana Mixed touch-rugby tournament Boarders’ barbecue Fishing activities Boarders’ cycle training Junior play rehearsals Mixed fun rounders Boarders’ trip to Park Hall Countryside Experience Parent and pupil golf/tennis Boarders’ cookery activity Trip to T20 cricket at Old Trafford Boarders’ pottery activity Boarders’ art activity Clay-pigeon competition at Moor Park Boarders’ hill-walking trip Trip to the seaside Leadership Training Day (2nd Forms) Leavers’ parents matches – cricket, rounders, tennis, shooting

Cycle Awareness Training This Summer Term, 11 children from 911years old signed up for Shropshire County Council’s Bikeability course, run over two Sundays and aimed at raising the children’s awareness not only of their own cycling abilities, but also of the behaviour of other road users. The training began with a bike check, which was successful for most, and continued on the Page 34

first day with exercises on the bomb site, where the children were encouraged to look around them before setting off and before any manoeuvring, such as turning. Awareness of each other was needed for the slalom and crossroads activities, which were a little hairraising at times, and then after lunch the majority took to the road to practise what they had learned, leaving one or two to gain a little

more confidence at school. On the second day, all the children were taken onto the road, where they further developed their skills and awareness of traffic. Mrs Cumpston kindly took over on this occasion and reported that the children had behaved very well, as they had on the first day - with one or two minor exceptions, where children just needed to be gently reminded that

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silliness and over-confidence can be so dangerous on the road. After the road exercises, the children were awarded certificates, mostly at Level 2 (although not all achieved this, notably the over-confident amongst them), which was a fine achievement. My thanks to Mrs Cumpston and the excellent

trainers from the County, who each year give up their free time on Sundays to accommodate our timetable; also to Mr Bourne, who on the Leaversâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sunday when surrounded by well wishers and with a houseful of guests, was kind enough to move his car and allow the trainers to park their van in his space. I hope his successor will be as generous! WGI Page 35

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Alton Towers Tuesday 60th July 2010 produced the ideal weather for my final leavers’ trip to Alton Towers – warm with a light cloud cover. Ideal for dashing around rides without getting too hot and bothered – also ideal for me to gently peruse the gardens, beautifully laid out in the centre of the park! On arrival tickets were quickly distributed and excited groups of Packwood children headed off, determined to complete a rigorous programme of white knuckle thrills.

Rita (Queen of Speed), Thirteen, Air and Nemesis were all popular attractions, although long queues meant all were not able to complete their challenging programme.

I would like to thank Mr Phillips, Miss Willis and Mr Reavill for helping with the trip, and particularly for their vigilance in ensuring the café area was so well supervised.

I must congratulate the group for being the best on record for returning to the coach on time, and after a brief stop for tea we were ready to go. It was a strange sight to see face painted, plastic hammer wielding and tuck laden pupils boarding the bus – tired but happy!

Alton Towers’ reputation as the finest theme park in the country remains intact. All the leavers had a marvellous time and thoroughly appreciated one of their final outings before joining the ranks of the Old Packwoodians – good luck to them all! IRW

Birdwatching excellent location with two hides overlooking the pool for watching waterfowl and a hide in a small piece of woodland where small birds are attracted to feeders. Although we saw ourselves more as ‘birders’ than ‘twitchers’ we did keep a list of birds seen and this soon began to grow.

A small but enthusiastic group set out on a rather grey Sunday afternoon in February to watch birds at Venus Pools. This is an

Starting at the pool we soon identified most of the common species of ducks including shoveller, teal and widgeon. In the woodland hide we could really study the birds closely and with the help of a couple of field guides (very useful) and Mr Herzog’s expertise (less reliable) we managed to identify all three types of sparrow (hedge, house and tree) along with a number of finches and tits. We

were also rewarded with an excellent view of a greater spotted woodpecker. Back at the pool Joe Davies quickly spotted three oystercatchers which we had overlooked before and we were able to hear the calls of both widgeon and teal. In all we identified over forty different species – nothing particularly rare or unusual but plenty to interest a group of young ornithologists. So a very pleasant Sunday afternoon passed by and, as the light faded, the group of birders returned to school to roost, hopefully having gained a bit of knowledge and the desire to gain a little more. FRH

A Christmas Carol Just before Christmas Form 4 were taken to see A Christmas Carol at the Birmingham Rep theatre. The coach departed from Packwood just after lunch, there was a buzz of excitement amongst the children and everyone was in good spirits. As we arrived in Birmingham and took our seats in the theatre, the children began to talk about the story of A Christmas Carol and the characters they were eagerly anticipating seeing on stage – not least the ghosts! The story was imaginatively told through four narrators who also took part in some of the scenes. They were each dressed in costumes from different decades to show the way in which the moral of the story is relevant for all time. The opening scene took

place in Scrooge’s office on a revolving stage, which was incredibly atmospheric with all the characters bustling around and full of energy.

Scrooge’s fireplace with a flash of bright lights, dressed in a Father Christmas costume and sang fun, upbeat songs; the stage was filled with colour, music and dancing.

When I asked Form 4 what they particularly enjoyed about the show they all commented on the moment when the ghosts of the Marley brothers appeared in Scrooge’s bedroom. The narrators all surrounded Scrooge’s bed, chanting warnings and rattling chains to create the ghostly atmosphere and then the bed was lifted and the ghosts appeared from underneath in a cloud of smoke. The children also really enjoyed the scene where the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the joys of Christmas time. This ghost appeared from

The show was spectacular, the story beautifully told and certainly put us all in the mood for the upcoming Christmas celebrations! Many thanks to Sue Gough for her help with the trip and to Howard Bourne for organising everything brilliantly and for also making sure there were ice-creams for everyone during the interval! The children had a fantastic evening and came away talking animatedly about their favourite moments and wishing they could see it again! LG

Park Hall Farm On Sunday 25th April a group of us went to Park Hall Farm near Oswestry for a boarders’ outing. Park Hall is a play farm with lots of animals and things to do. We had great fun there including going to feed the lambs, enjoying the play area and looking at the Victorian school museum. Feeding the lambs was awesome. One of the farm staff took out a lamb and passed a bottle of milk around with the lamb sucking it. The play area was great fun - we played tag on it which was Page 36

really cool. It was quite a big area too with a really massive slide. The Victorian museum was very interesting. It was full of different rooms with displays which told you what happened in them. There was also a good replica of a Victorian schoolroom. Thank you very much to Mrs Parry and Miss Wilkinson for taking us. Sam Bayliss and Tom Hughes

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Boys’Leavers Trip – North Wales

On Monday 21st June, the leaver boys set off on their trip to North Wales and a couple of hours later, boys and accompanying staff arrived at the Kings Youth Hostel just outside Dolgellau. After being briefed by Mr Rigby as to the procedure for the week, the boys packed their first of many lunches and set off on their activities. The boys were divided up into activity groups and dorm groups. The activities were worked on a rotational basis with very efficient and qualified instructors. Lots of fun was had at the paintball, with Ed ‘Rambo’ Carroll being the most robust and aggressive with gun in hand. The abseiling was also much fun with many boys...and staff...overcoming their fear of heights and realising that a piece of rope is enough to hold a very, shall we say, hefty, person dangling down the side of a viaduct. We also discovered many rock climbers, with Jamie Humes literally running up the side of the mountain.

The boys also took part in activities in the evenings which involved problem solving , egg throwing , lateral thinking and group work and chocolate eating which Jake ’Willy Wonka’ Samuel won quite easily. They ended off their evening activities with a sketch presentation on the final night as well as prize giving. I think we might see one or two receiving an Oscar in the future. The boys had lots of fun and were able to do much of their own thing during free time. This was definitely a trip to remember. FA

The Gorge Walk was a highlight for many boys, everyone attired in wetsuits, helmets, harnesses and floatation devices. It involved climbing rocks, jumping into rock pools, sliding down some ‘little’ rapids attached to a rope and then finishing with a zip line slide into a large rock pool, something that ‘The Flying Weston’ enjoyed. Definitely something to test the nerves... . The raft building was also a highlight with the facilitators being very impressed by what the boys had built and making the statement, ‘the best we have seen for many years’. Patrick Phillips definitely wouldn’t be stuck on a desert island for very long. Page 37

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French trip to Normandy Germany and England, but a lot of us are trying to forget about those 90 minutes, or even the whole World Cup. The evening activity organised by Martin, our ‘animateur’ for the stay, involved a lot of running. I deviously agreed to that as I thought (and I am certain that the other members of staff agreed at the time) that running for 45 minutes before going to bed was a brilliant idea. The game ‘Vipère, Renard, Poule’ also involving a bit of makeup, was received with great enthusiasm, so much so that I plan to use it again at Packwood in the future.

On Friday 25th June, 53 children and six members of staff set off to France. Shall I say, 46 children and five members of staff on a coach; seven brave (as they had to put up with me) girls and I on a minibus. The journey was enjoyable for all, even the minibus was relatively comfy and quiet-ish. The girls were eager to demonstrate their singing skills with success. Even the driver, named Nick Jones (not as tall as the Packwood original) seemed to enjoy it. Despite this little transport glitch, a one hour delay at Portsmouth, we embarked on the super fast ferry (it only took three hours) and had a very pleasant cruise. Of course, the children wanted to have a little wander and visit the only shop on board. The shopkeepers were a bit surprised to see that many children coming up at the same time to buy (mostly) sweets, as determined as hungry wolves - or any teachers on their halfday. The only one who got a present was Archie Thomason who bought something for his grandad! Very impressive. I was also very much impressed with the savvy pupils who realised that the ‘Get 3 for the price of 2’ offer was best exploited by investing with some mates to make the most of the 5 Euros they each had. Some excellent maths was done! I have already spotted the potential City bankers. A double decker coach was waiting for us in France and we travelled an extra hour and a bit to Le Chateau des Forges where we stayed the whole time. After our very late dinner everybody was dispatched to their dorms where the beds needed to be sorted out. The ‘quilt and duvet’ generation was a bit baffled by the sight of bed sheets and blankets, the staff had to do a great number of demonstrations which brought back some fond memories from my childhood and Page 38

some, not so great, from my time in the army. After a while, everybody was feeling tired despite the excitement of being in a foreign country with their friends. On Saturday, after a typical continental breakfast washed down by some lovely hot chocolate, the group set off to Granville to the market. The pupils had free time for just over an hour to not only practise their French but also do a bit of shopping. They had two tasks to achieve though, the first one was to, in a group, find the tackiest present possible and the other one was to take photographs of some very French things. It all worked a treat; the winners of the tacky present were Fran Hughes and Nieves Richi for their multifunction Noddy (Oui-Oui in French) inflatable stick. The other winners, with a very pink, plastic car and a strange looking squidgy animal were Evie Clutton and Katie Bibby. The photography competition was won by Leo Sartain and Anna Dodd with some very inventive photos. Well done to all. After a wonderful picnic with a view, the group made its way to the beautiful Mont St Michel. Everybody enjoyed walking on the ramparts despite the blistering heat, it was easily 35 degrees. In the evening, there were two different activities: one group stayed at the Chateau to rest after a long day and the other one, attracted by the possibility of a bit of ‘paddling’, braved the 30 minute walk to a quiet beach. The paddling very quickly became more of a swim and the children had a fabulous time. The Sunday brought us to Le Chateau de la Baudonnière where the children did some orienteering and bread making. The weather was again on our side and the day was another fantastic one until we arranged to watch a certain World Cup match between

On Monday, the group set off to Bayeux where we, of course, saw the Tapestry. In the afternoon, we made our way to Arromanches where we visited the excellent D-Day museum near Gold beach and saw the leftover of the Mulberry harbour. Everybody was very impressed with the incredible engineering. The evening will also remain in the memory as we went for a second time to the beach not only to get ice cream but also to have another paddling-swimming session which was very much appreciated. On our last day of visits, we made our way to Caen to the Memorial. The place is laden with information on the different wars, especially the Second World War. The children took the information in but found it difficult, at times, to fully understand what really went on as it

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TRIPS nervous laughter. I will remember for a long time Evie Clutton’s remark: “Thank you Sir, for the trip, it was the first time I went to France and it was also the first time I got stopped at the border by Immigration!” The Normandy trip was a real success not only because the group of children we took was impeccably well-behaved but also because the members of staff accompanying me were fantastic. A big thank you to Mrs Lambkin, Mrs Lee, Ms Wilkinson, Matron Liz and Mr Livermore for their hard work. We are already looking forward to going on our next trip. JN

happened a long time ago and they do not have a direct link to the events like our generation and the ones before had. It was important to take them there, and I am sure the place will make more sense to them in the near future. The Colleville American Cemetery, just above Omaha Beach, made a tremendous impact on the children and all of the members of staff were impressed with the way the whole group conducted itself and with the respect the children showed.

replace them. I thought that it was fair enough and happily said yes to their request. Little did I know that it was a terrible mistake!! Nothing to do with the girls’ behaviour, as they were absolutely brilliant. It was ‘just’ that there was another Passport control and that these three new girls had left their passports with Mrs Lee! How embarrassing for me… It all sorted itself out in the end after 20 minutes of anxiety and

The evening was much more cheerful. The starter for our dinner was snails (that I am not fond of at all). They were really appreciated by most of the children. At times I still hear some pupils raving about them in class! Wednesday was the day of our journey back. The group was separated in two again between coach and minibus. The ferry journey went well. Some children had saved their last cent to buy more sweets – who can blame them? We just encountered a slight hitch when arriving in England. Three of the girls in the minibus wanted to swap to the main coach and found some other girls to

Oxford - Classics Trip On Thursday, May 6th, 2Class travelled to Oxford to visit the Ioannou Classics Centre and Ashmolean Museum in what we hope will be the first of many annual excursions. My aim in introducing this trip was to give some of our more able children a foretaste of the Classics at Oxford, and of Oxford University as a potential future place of study, so the original plan was to have included a workshop in the Centre and a tour of the museum – conveniently situated right next door – taking lunch in one of the colleges before finishing the afternoon with another workshop or talk in the Centre. As it turned out, it just happened that a student dramatic society was putting on a matinee performance of Mary Zimmerman’s The Odyssey at the Playhouse that afternoon,

so plans were changed to take this in. We had our initial workshop and tour of the museum, with lunch and a short tour of Worcester College; and then the play. I had been a little concerned when I discovered that the production would last nearly three hours: would the children cope, would they be bored? The coach journey there and back and a play of that length would mean a lot of sitting still; perhaps too the play might be disappointing, as Hollywood’s versions of the Greek myths so often are, and would need much unravelling and retelling afterwards. In fact, it was a treat. The script was entirely faithful to the text of Homer and the acting was so effective that it wasn’t hard to accept the many different roles played by the individuals in the cast – from goddesses to sheep in the case of the women. My only

disappointment was the omission – in the desire to keep the whole to under three hours – of Aeolus and the Laestrygonians. The time whizzed by. My thanks to Cath Hammond for accompanying me and 2Class on the day, and to all the children for their excellent behaviour throughout. Whether we can return regularly will depend on the University continuing to fund their outreach programme to schools, but I am hopeful they will. Apart from anything else, the outreach officer in Oxford is the only university outreach officer for the Classics in the country, and the loss of her position would be a sad reflection upon the state of our society. All being well, however, we will be back! WGI

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Girls Leavers’ Trip to Pembrokeshire My last trip with the girl leavers to Pembrokeshire coincided with the largest ever number of participants; so twenty-two girls, accompanied by Mr Ford, Mrs Jones, Matron Sarah and, of course, Mr Bourne set off in good time for the journey to south-west Wales. As usual we stopped for shopping and lunch at Builth Wells and then it was on to the goldmines at Dolaucothi. Most went on an underground tour and everyone joined in with gold-panning, with mixed results! Then it was on to Pwll Deri and our Youth Hostel near Strumble Head. I’ve been there many times, but that first look at the amazing view never fails to make me gasp. It is a wonderful spot and many girl leavers over the years have come to love it as much as I do. This year we were blessed with lots of sunshine and the Pembrokeshire coast was at its best. The boat trip around Ramsey Island and out to the North Bishops was great fun, with lots of wildlife to see and lots of screaming to be done as we sped across the water. It was a very calm day this year, so we didn’t get as wet as usual but everyone enjoyed the ride. The next morning we were up early to go riding at Nolton. We began up in the woods and then went down on to the beach at Druidston Haven. At low tide, it is a huge and magnificent beach, ideal for riders of all abilities – some walked, some trotted and others cantered through the water, making it a memorable experience. On Thursday we went go-karting at Haverfordwest, where there was some very fast and competitive driving. Everyone had two turns and then the five fastest raced in a final, with Millie Powell taking first place, closely followed by Olivia Wade-Smith and Immy Hill.

There was also the usual sand-sculpture competition, won this year by Emelia Lavender’s group with their galloping horse; the talent show, won by the ‘Biba Trio’ featuring Nicole Ashall; walks along the cliff path and down to the ‘big rock’; lots of swimming and jumping in the waves; and a surprise visit from Mrs Gallimore (a stalwart of this trip in years gone by) and Mrs Bourne (just checking up on Mr Bourne). We were delighted to invite them to our final barbecue on the hostel terrace, where they were able to share with us the magnificent sunset, the perfect end to a perfect few days. My thanks to Mrs Jones for her super cooking; to Matron Sarah for keeping us all fit and well; and to Mr Ford for putting up with my snoring! HB

Chester - Classics Trip On a rather warm day, 1Class visited the Grosvenor Museum in Chester and were treated to a tour of parts of the old City by a fully equipped (well, nearly – his shield was being repaired) Roman legionary. We began in the museum with a talk and workshop delivered by the education staff, including sorting archaeological material, identifying pieces of pottery (some new, some original), creating original mosaics, and, in Olivia Wade-Smith’s case, dressing up in a suit of Roman armour; not full size, but a surprisingly good fit! This was followed by a visit to the Newstead Gallery, which holds a variety of artefacts and other items relevant to the Roman occupation, among the most famous being the lead pipe bearing the name of Agricola, father-in-law of Page 40

the historian Tacitus who also wrote his biography; but there is far more beside. Following lunch we met up with our legionary – optio in rank – who marched us with stops en route through the streets to the Roman gardens. It was now becoming very warm indeed, and those children who found themselves wearing his helmet as we marched – particularly Peregrine Beckett, who must have had to bear it for half an hour – were all too glad to pass it on! We were reminded on numerous occasions that we – or, rather, our forefathers – were simply ’Britunculi’ (‘silly little Brits’) in the eyes of the Romans; Tilly Cooper was a ‘mula’ (mule) thanks to her having her hair tied up in a pony-tail; William Dorrell was a slave, fit for no more than a gruesome death in the amphitheatre; and

others suffered similar humiliation, all of course taken as intended with a pinch of salt.We were also lucky enough to have the chance to see an excavation in progress near the amphitheatre and witness the discovery of a pistol ball from the days of the English Civil War. Returning to the museum after the tour, most were too tired from the heat to want to do much more than sit, but the Webster Gallery with its plethora of Roman tombstones and other inscriptions proved fascinating enough to keep those who had the energy busy for another half hour. All in all this was a successful and memorable trip. My thanks to Lucy Tressider for her support and to John for driving us there and back. WGI

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Hill Walking

Y Garn Y Garn (meaning ‘the cairn’) is a mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales, part of the Glyderau. It is one of the Welsh 3000s - the 15 summits in Wales over 3000 ft in height. The southwesterly side of the mountain slopes gently down to the Nant Peris valley. The other, northeasterly side is of a different character, consisting of two steeply sided cwms, Cwm Clyd and Cwm Cywion, and finally Llyn Idwal and Ogwen Cottage. Along the ridge to the north lies Elidir Fawr, while to the south-east is the top of the Devil's Kitchen and Glyder Fawr. This is the Wikipedia description of the mountain we climbed on a day of mixed weather in the Autumn Term. After parking at the end of Llyn Ogwen, a group of budding Chris Boningtons, including William Dorrell, George Burrell, Robert Waterhouse, William Bayliss and Joe Davies set off for the summit. The forecast for the day was mixed, but rain was not expected. The route we took, started off at Ogwen Cottages, and headed up towards

Llyn Idwal. From here we followed the obvious path up the ridge. The path is quite steep, but allows for a break at Llyn Clyd. As we sat there, the clouds started to part, and we had wonderful views over to Tryfan, and the Glyders. After some well earned R and R we headed off for the summit where we had the obligatory photo stop, and of course another short break. Sadly the views were obscured by cloud, but that did give a much more remote and adventurous feeling to our position. We left the summit and headed for the col between Y Garn and Glyder Fawr. Here we found the path that descends the Devil’s Kitchen back to Llyn Idwal. The path although well made is still quite steep, and full concentration is needed. We then headed back to the bus, where we had some juice and a snack - after a long and tiring day, a doughnut certainly revives you! A quiet trip back to Packwood with the soft sound of snoring was a fitting end to the day. SAR

Long Mynd On Sunday 4th October, a small but intrepid group of hill walkers tackled the peaks of the Long Mynd in South Shropshire. Having already ‘notched up’ The Stiperstones and Caer Caradoc on previous trips we set out from Cardingmill Valley on a beautiful autumnal day and were rewarded with fantastic views when we reached the higher points. The beauty of walking The Long Mynd is that it is as strenuous as you make it, there are no serious inclines but it is large enough to leave you with a ‘healthy glow’ upon your return. Several of the regulars have already dragged their families around carbon-copies of previous walks on an exeat and I am sure that this one will be added to the list! MAF

The Breiddens Whenever a hill walking trip appears on the school calendar you can guarantee that there will be six boys’ names that immediately appear on the list. These are the stalwarts of the Sunday trips, but our most recent excursion was made even more enjoyable by the fact that we were joined by many others, including several senior girls. The Breiddens are the hills that straddle the Welsh/English boarder that you can see from the A5 as you approach Packwood. There are three main summits - the most well known of which is Rodney’s Pillar with the other two being Moel Y Golfa and Middletown Hill – and we set off on Sunday, 25th April to scale the former and latter. The Walking Weather Gods were more than kind to us again and it was an excellent day with spectacular views from both summits. Bizarrely, there was a football match being held at the top of Rodney’s Pillar between two sides that had just completed a sponsored dribble to the top! We walked through forests, bogs, pasture and open moorland, took a leisurely lunch on the site of an old iron-age fort on Middletown Hill and then wound our way back down to the minibus where we could rest our weary legs on the short journey back to school. MAF

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Manchester Jewish Museum All through the bus journey I was wondering about what I would see. Would I see a Torah Scroll? Yes. Would I see a yad? Yes. Would there be pews, like there are in church? Yes. I was excited. When we arrived we looked outside first. There was writing above the door. There were beautiful stained-glass windows with the Star of David in them. I was surprised by the surroundings of the synagogue – shops, shops, shops! As we went in we touched the mezuzahs on the door. It was a Spanish and Portuguese synagogue so the Bimah was at the back not in the middle. There was the main hall and a Ladies’ Gallery. We tried on the Kippahs and the prayer shawl, called the Tallit. This had

knots on the ends of it to remind the wearer of the six hundred and thirteen laws in the Torah. We had a guide called Mr Michaelson. There was a Holy Ark facing Jerusalem which was full of Torah Scrolls. We tasted some Challah bread. This is the special bread that Jewish people eat on the Sabbath. It was slightly sweeter than ordinary bread. My favourite place was on the Ladies’ Gallery because you could see everything in the synagogue from there. Here was an excellent view of the big circular stained-glass window with the golden menorah in it. The most valuable thing that I learnt during our visit was about the layout of a synagogue.

If I went again I would take my grandma with me because she loves interesting museums. Ruby Lavender

Derby Mosque and Hindu Temple The coach journey to Derby was long but it was worth it when we got there. First we went to the open centre to meet Nahida, our tour lady. Then we got back on the coach and drove to the mosque. Once we got there we had to cover our hair and take off our shoes and put them on shoe racks. We each sat in a section of the carpet which represents a prayer mat. We then went to the Hindu temple to see the deities on the marble stage. People walked on the red carpet and prayed to the deities. They left food like butter and fruit. There was also a black stone snake which they poured milk over and then water to feed it. Afterwards we had lunch and dressed up in Hindu clothes. We pretended that Robert and Rosie were getting married in India and we were all their wedding guests. We all really enjoyed it! Amber Gibbins and Rosie Clarke

Crocky Trail Thirteen intrepid junior boarders (and the equally intrepid Mr and Mrs Bourne) set off after an early lunch for the Crocky Trail, which is a sort of elaborate adventure playground and trail on a farm near Chester. Within moments of arriving, they (the junior boarders, not Mr and Mrs Bourne) were hurtling down slides, disappearing down black-holes and being flung off roundabouts. Then it was on to a replica of a sinking Titanic, where the aim was to cling on for as long as possible, followed by the trail itself.

That’s when we hit trouble! Within about a minute, Alice Shone was thigh-deep in mud. Jessie Hunt and Harriet Bibby tried to extricate her only to fall in themselves; and it was only a successful rescue by Ruby Lavender that meant that we could continue on our way. We went over various wobbly bridges and rope-swings, and eventually completed the trail. Before we could have drinks and ice-creams, certain people had to be hosed down! But everyone survived, and returned to school tired but happy. HB

London Scholarships over! So off to London for the day. It sounds ambitious, but it works. Mini-bus to Stafford, bullet-train to Euston for 9:56 am. But I was a little worried this time because, even though I had driver, ex-colleague and fount of much knowledge and wisdom, Mr Dobson with me for the last time, we also had three extras from 1W with us, girls who had done their exams and seemed ready for a day’s shopping in Oxford Street. I need not have worried. It was a brilliant trip.

new Acropolis Museum in Athens!). They astound me every time. And here was the first hint that this was a special group: they lingered, and had to be moved on. Thence to the National Gallery where they simply did not want to leave. There was argument, discussion – “Constable is best”, “Turner’s earlier paintings are wonderful”, “Stubbs’ stallion is the best horse picture I have ever seen”, etc. They received the all female string and piano trio in St Martin’s with complete equanimity despite the rock-hard pews. In First stop the magnificent British Museum similar ways the National Portrait Gallery and where we saw the amazing Egyptian and Greek the Churchill War Rooms produced a series of sculptures (in April, during a holiday in Greece, comments and questions, all enthusiastic. I saw the gap left for the Elgin Marbles in the And when nasty Mr Erskine said that there was Page 42

no time to climb on the lions in Trafalgar Square there was not a single grumble. All right, I have to admit that for some the highlight of the day was the presence of a star from Hollyoaks just down the corridor on the train journey home. But this was a splendid group. Two follow-ups: some parents have said that their children are desperate for a return journey to London to see what they missed the first time; and secondly, the three extras from 1W produced for me a wonderful book of the trip, with photographs, letters of thanks and lots of funny comments. I will treasure it: thank you so much, Tilly Cooper, Olivia Wade-Smith and Laura Cooke. PAE

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Junior Boarders’ Trip to the Seaside On a fine Sunday morning in early June, a group of intrepid junior boarders (plus a couple of day-boys who happened to be boarding that weekend), accompanied by Mr and Mrs Bourne, set off for the beach at Aberdovey. As usual there was a visit to the ice-cream shop before we all wended our way along the beach to our usual spot. It was cloudy in the morning but it brightened up in the afternoon and everyone had a lovely time. The dunes were popular with one and all, with lots of jumping and rolling; the buckets and spades were well

used on the beach; and quite a few went for a swim, watching out for marauding jellyfish as they did so! We were joined for a while by Mrs Fetherstonhaugh and Ivor, and finished off the day with a trip to the playground and another visit to the shop. Everyone agreed that it had been a great day, and at 7 o’clock a tired and sandy group of travellers arrived back at school for a long shower followed by a very sound night’s sleep! HB

T20 Cricket at Old Trafford Mr and Mrs Wood, Webster, the wrinkled family retainer, and 21 boys set off on a beautiful day to see Lancashire play Warwickshire in their T20 fixture at Old Trafford. Even such unerringly inaccurate weather forecasts as those of Mr Wood could not spoil the prospect of an uninterrupted day’s play, could they? With Lakeside Coaches kind enough to drop us right outside in very good time, we were able to establish a good vantage point high up in the stands and set up camp. Luckily, the

ice-cream van was parked strategically close and enjoyed brisk business all afternoon from the Packwood contingent! As for the cricket, it was perhaps one of the more unmemorable T20 fixtures with Warwickshire setting the home side a paltry target of 126 on what seemed to be a reasonably flat and slow surface. However, as can often happen on these occasions, Lancashire’s run chase faltered, so that they still needed eight to win off the final over, and after a wide from the opening ball, three pin-

point Yorkers produced only one further run: high drama indeed! On the penultimate ball, with six for the win, wicketkeeper Gareth Cross dispatched a drive over mid-on high into the crowd, to produce a very exciting finish when there never should have been one. Lancashire had certainly sailed close to the wind in edging home! All in all, a thoroughly entertaining day was had by all, and the children were very good company throughout it. Well done. JW

Fishing trip to Chirk The day for our fishing trip brought bright and breezy conditions which were not ideal for fly fishing, so we decided to abandon high principles and fish the puddle at Chirk fisheries where rather simpler and more effective methods are allowed. So we tackled up and armed with a jar of sweetcorn we cast our floats in and waited. William Bayliss quickly caught a fish and we decided that this was going to be easy and we would soon have caught so many that we would be bored. However, things rarely work out as simply as that in fishing and during the next hour we learned that although fish would take sweetcorn thrown in the water, they avoided any pieces with a hook in them. Then for some reason things changed and everybody began to catch fish. Felix Thomas-Davies and Oliver WilliamsBulkeley landed one after another and Robert Waterhouse lost count of how many he caught. Strangely William Bayliss caught two brown trout while everyone else caught rainbows. Time passes quickly when you are catching fish and soon it was time to return to school with our catch. Perhaps not the most rarefied of fishing experiences but at least everyone caught fish and enjoyed themselves. FRH

Liverpool Tate It all began in the minibus – 14 potential art scholars, Mr Dougan and Mrs Cooper – everyone armed with a huge variety of art materials. It doesn’t take a great leap of imagination to predict the inevitable mess that would ensue! Unfortunately the mess didn’t manifest itself from the depths of our pastel tins until we were inside the first exhibition – Mark Rothko’s Seagram Mural. As we sent charcoal and fixative flying, a perturbed curator approached us with a look of consternation

on his face. Away went the charcoal, pastels and aerosols. Oops! Once we’d buried our charcoal back in our bags, we were able to fully appreciate the staggering atmosphere that Rothko’s work creates. With effective lighting, this exhibition made a real impression. Upstairs, the Michael Landy and Jean Tinguely exhibition, Joyous Machines entertained us all with disco lights, loud music and a dance floor mixed with both traditional sculptures of figures and more

grotesque modern ones. I felt that this unconventional mix didn’t do as much justice to each individual piece as a more traditionally hung exhibition may have done. The third and final exhibition DLA Piper Series: This is Sculpture contained more grotesque, unconventional art along with more famous work such as Picasso’s Weeping Woman. Altogether we had a fantastic day and everyone learnt lots. Emelia Lavender Page 43

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Talagerwyn - Literary Excursion My last Talagerwyn! (I must stop putting ‘last’ in all my magazine articles.) But it was sad saying goodbye to this wonderful place, nestling comfortably in the foothills of Snowdonia. And for the sixth year in a row the weather (Welsh weather!) was good. The children in this 1Class were a great group, combining academic ability, civilized natures and amiability in copious quantities. They read a staggering 5000 pages in total – which includes a meagre 250 read by Sir, but excludes an unknown but enormous number of pages read by Mrs Don who very kindly accompanied the party as cook, nurse, quiz judge and explorer of Welsh wilderness. Many thanks, Sarah. And although it was only 36 hours from beginning to end the twelve members of this elite group had read prolifically (mainly half way up trees), eaten like kings, explored a magic place at the top of the hill, slept, played, acted, and seen the magnificent, faint jewel of the Andromeda galaxy in the starlit sky - and all before we had been back at school for a week. PAE

Ten Pin Bowling On a Sunday afternoon earlier in the year, the kings and queens of ten pin bowling made their way to the AMF alley in Shrewsbury. Four lanes were ours and great bowling skills were demonstrated with an incredible number of strikes and spares. Was it the warm up for the Prep Schools World Championship?

I was especially impressed with Tia Barlow’s technique, Rory Fergusson’s style and the coolness of Jacob Rand before launching one of his lethal balls. I wouldn’t have liked being a pin on the day. Everybody had lots of fun and is looking forward to coming back again to beat their already impressive scores. Well done and thanks for the lesson. JN

Rugby Trip to Leeds On Sunday 22nd November a group of 25 boys travelled by coach to watch the Guinness Premiership rugby match between Sale Sharks and Leeds Rhinos. The boys enjoyed a movie on the two hour coach trip to Leeds and on arrival many of them rushed straight to the club shop to spend their money on replica Leeds Rhino rugby balls. A few boys attended a prematch question and answer session with the ex British Lion, John Bentley. Then it was on to the game. It was a fast paced, exciting match in which the teams scored a total of five tries, all of which were converted. Leeds made an outstanding start and had a reasonably comfortable 14-3 lead at half–time. However Sale

came back from the break strongly and launched a second half fight back which saw them achieve their first away win of the season in the Premiership. The final score was 24-17 to Sale - a victory enjoyed by all the boys, who are Sharks supporters all the way. After the match the boys were able to get some autographs of past England players, Ben Cohen and Andy Gomarsall, who were playing against each other on the day. A lovely and memorable day was had by all. A big thank you to Mr Wood for his organisation of a really enjoyable trip. FA

Midlands Game Fair So many children signed up for this trip that a second minibus had to be arranged and, thanks to Mr Jones very kindly agreeing to drive, we were able to take a party of just over 30 children to the game fair at Weston Park. As usual there was a vast array of stands selling country sports equipment and a large number of displays by different countryside organisations. The children went off in small groups and were able to watch ferret racing, clay pigeon shooting, fishing and many other entertaining displays. Most of us gathered at lunchtime to watch demonstrations of Page 44

falconry and various dog related activities, including a most entertaining demonstration of sheepdogs herding runner ducks around a number of obstacles. After a further wander around the stalls in the afternoon nearly everyone managed to get back to the car park on time for the return trip to school. Once again this trip was hugely enjoyable and it was a great pleasure to see that there are so many children with an interest in the countryside and country sports. FRH

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Indoor Climbing at Plas Power “Climb when ready!” “Climbing.” All looked on in anticipation, as our intrepid volunteer took to the wall. With hands gripping the blue holds tightly, and feet carefully placed just as the instructor had said, he took his first confident move from floor to ceiling. Would he fall, or would he survive to tell the tale? The day had started with a quick change after church, and then the journey to Plas Power indoor climbing wall near Wrexham. We were met by our instructor Ian, who made everyone feel welcome. With eyes bulging, and hearts in mouths, we entered the centre and took our first look around. Lots of wows, and arghs were heard as we got our bearings. Once over the initial excitement, and with everyone listening attentively, Ian carefully went through the programme for the session. Safety was clearly very important, and this was always to be our first priority. After a clear demonstration, harnesses were put on and adjusted to fit. We then had a go at tying a figure of eight knot, which is the knot used to attach the rope safely to the harness. Some found this easier than others, but in the end we all managed to do it. Ian then showed us how to belay. This looked a bit tricky, but he assured us that,

as long as we followed his instructions, the climber would be safe. He then got a volunteer to demonstrate what we had learnt. We were shown the correct way to start climbing, making sure that both the belayer and climber were ready. After a not too confident sounding “Climb when ready!” “Climbing,” the volunteer began. At first he went faster than the belayer could take in the rope. Ian told us not to be afraid to ask the climber to stop, so that the rope would always be tight and therefore safe. After the demonstration we split up into groups, all helped by an adult, and went off to climb. We started on the beginner’s wall, and we all managed to get to the top. The groups then went to try some harder and longer climbs. These were far scarier, but with help from the adults and encouragement from our friends, we all had a go. There were a couple of people who had ‘Elvis legs’ as one teacher called it, but we all did our best and really enjoyed it. Did the volunteer survive? After such good instruction, how could he not. Would we go again? Definitely! A big thank you to Ian at Plas Power Adventure, and the accompanying teachers, for making this a great Sunday trip. SAR

Chirk Castle We invaded Chirk on the 12th May 2010. When we arrived the drawbridge was down and the guards were away from the gate on patrol so we snuck inside. We met with Mrs Roberts who helped disguise us by dressing us up as servants and maids. As we walked around the castle we learnt about the old games that the children would have played. We also talked about the different things that the rich and poor people ate. We made our own salt biscuits and investigated the servants’ hall. We then had a break for lunch. I had chocolate spread sandwiches with baked salt and vinegar crisps and some custard cream biscuits. Mr Weston told us not to leave any crumbs on the nice floor.

After lunch we learnt how to load and fire a real cannon and investigated the spooky dungeons. We even got to see an old toilet where you could shoot arrows out of the window whilst on the loo! After trying on some armour, making posies and talking about squirmy leeches we found that it was time to go home, so we went back to being school children and went back to school. It had been great fun and the guards didn’t manage to catch a single one of us! Gregor Montgomery

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Archery

Archery remains a popular activity at Packwood and 22 pupils signed up for the club. Although some were not able to attend all of the sessions, those that completed the course enjoyed themselves enormously and all showed improvement over the eight week period. Pupils were taught the ‘Point of Group 1 (shot 12 arrows) Chloe Edwards 71 Roly Hancock 67 Morton Moss 57 Marcus Woodhead 46 Harry Myddelton 35 Ned Moreau 23 Harry Griffiths 21

Balloons were sometimes pinned to the target for a bit of light relief – it is surprising how everyone suddenly started to focus more when there was a balloon to burst.

Group 2 (shot 18 arrows) Scott Walker 126 David Schofield 87 Owen Carroll 61 Loris Pattinson 58 Robert Ford 45

Badminton This year we had some children who had never held a badminton racquet before and some, such as Jonty Hall, who were accomplished players. Those new to the sport played lots of rallies with me and their coordination developed well. They made good progress and most were able to play ‘matches’ by the end of term. Those with more experience played matches each week and their skills and strategies came on well. The children really enjoyed their sessions and were very quick and helpful when setting up and taking down the nets each week. EAC

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Aim’ technique, drawing to the eye and using the arrow to aim.

Group 3 (shot 36 arrows) Alex Wythe 236 Leo Sartain 225 George Burrell 144

Additional incentive was supplied by offering a sweet for every gold scored. Most weeks we ran out of sweets. A competition shoot off was held during week seven with medals for the winners. For their final session in week eight the children were treated to a spot of field shooting. Instead of the traditional round target they found three animal targets – a small crocodile at 10 yards, a peccary (wild pig) at 15 yards and a bear at 19 yards. It was difficult to hold them back. Pupils who turned up early for their session wanted to start shooting straight away, while those whose session had finished did not want to stop! Dick Hilton

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Ballet

Basketball

Ballet classes from Mrs Moody once again took place this year for the pupils of Packwood Acorns and the juniors of the main school. Progress has been very encouraging, with all pupils learning basic ballet technique, following Royal Academy of Dancing syllabi. Anna Cowan, Sophia Price, Sophia Bureau and Theodora Jarvis have all shown immense enthusiasm. Not only has their dancing come on ‘in leaps and bounds’ but they have also learnt about the history of dance and the stories of several ballets.

This term in Basketball we learnt the basic aspects of the sport such as dribbling, shooting, attacking and defending through different games that each focus on these particular skills. These games included Basketball Tag where the children had to concentrate on their attacking skills to steal the ball from an opponent. This game also gave them practice at dribbling and defending as they had to keep bouncing the basketball and avoid having it stolen from them. We also had dribbling relays aimed at improving speed and coordination. For shooting practice we played a game called H.O.R.S.E. In this activity you have to shoot from different positions around the net. If you miss a shot you have the letter ‘H’ appointed to you; after five misses you reach the letter ‘E’ and are knocked out of the game. At the end of each session we would have a match to let the children demonstrate their new skills in a game situation. CJH

Meanwhile the older pupils, Ianthe Bathurst, Nicole Ashall and Alice Rees have appreciated the opportunity to join Mrs Moody’s private classes at Adcote School.

Beekeeping

Budding beekeepers setting off to give the school hives their awakening Spring feed before learning to make up frames and make their own candles. The four hives were very productive and a jar of their honey took first prize at the Shrewsbury Flower Show

in the open class judged solely on aroma, viscosity and flavour. A tribute to the wonderful variety of flora and fauna of the Packwood grounds that they propagate. AJR

Board Games ‘Board Games’ is a term that I interpret widely – we play any games that can be comfortably fitted in to a 35 minute session. Connect Four, Guess Who, Frustration and Othello are all popular; but so is Giant Jenga, as well as Cluedo, Monopoly and Payday. Occasionally we have all played a game of Trivial Pursuit in teams, during which we have discovered which people have the best general knowledge. Over the years, hundreds of Packwood children have played thousands of games with me and I hope that board games will continue to be a popular activity in years to come. HB

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Bridge After a successful and enjoyable Autumn Term, Bridge Club fell upon hard times in the spring, with other commitments taking away many of the most eager participants. However, along with children who put in the occasional appearance and helped to make up numbers, we had fun and Simon Waterhouse in particular developed his bidding and game playing skills. When numbers were down, we played the occasional 3-hander and many rounds of Sevens, which helped maintain interest, but I hope for a return to our larger group come September. WGI

Canoe Club This year the canoe club followed a similar format to previous years. The main aim of the club is to make sure the children feel at ease in the boat, and hopefully to provide them with some basic skills they can use if they try canoeing out of school. As always, we start off by learning how to do a capsize drill. We start without a spray deck and then learn how to do it with a spray deck. If the children are happy about tipping over, they are less likely to fall in, as they are more relaxed in the boat. This lesson seems all the more relevant after the tragedy that happened in the Lake District this year. After we have learnt how to fall out of the boat, we then learn how to control it, how to turn the boat, and how to move in the direction we want. To finish the sessions off we try to learn how to do an Eskimo roll. As ever there are varying degrees of success, but most of all everyone has a good time. SAR

Chess Club Another busy year for Packwood’s chess enthusiasts, with senior and junior clubs meeting weekly, and informal games regularly taking place in the library and amongst the giant chess pieces. In the senior club, William Dorrell once again proved himself to be the strongest player in the Autumn Term, with ‘youngsters’ Jacob Rand and Guy Morris revealing encouraging potential. William decided to take a term off in the spring to prepare for his scholarships, so others had the opportunity to secure the top spot. Robert Waterhouse clearly knew his stuff, and Harriet Bibby and Hugh Davies were learning fast, but it was a newcomer, Alejandro Cros (recently arrived from Spain)

who quickly revealed that he was a very talented player. Alejandro soon rose to first place in the league, and so William Dorrell was tempted out of retirement for a ‘battle of the best’! Both played some very skilful and tactically astute chess, with William just coming out on top in the end after Alejandro had taken an early lead. Meanwhile, in the junior club new stars of the game were emerging. Tom Baines, Theo Penney, Ali Davies and Archie Waterworth were all committed and keen participants. They developed their skills and strategies over the course of the year and I’m sure will continue to do so in the future. NTW/DR

Clay Pigeon Shooting Besides the odd Sunday spent in the spinney blasting away and occasionally connecting with clay pigs, we once again went to Moor Park to take part in their three-way Clay Pigeon Shooting Competition. We have always come second in this (when I say always I mean on the other two occasions) and on arrival I knew

we would do at least as well this year because Abberley Hall had dropped out at the last minute. Actually we did come second, but only just. The team of Will Barlow, Will Bayliss, Leo Sartain, Stamos Fearnall and Ned Hall shot really, really well. I am also proud to report that come lunch (which was lavish) we

dealt out a real pants-down thrashing to the Moor Park team; I reckon that Barlow and Fearnall alone ate more than the rest of the people present put together. Happily they did so with great dignity and all the Packwood team were praised repeatedly for their civility and politeness. Well done boys. NRJ

Computer Games Club This club was one suggested by Edward Carroll and after the success of animation club last year, I was more than happy to give it a try. The program we used is called Game Maker, and is available for download at www.yoyogames/gamemaker. The program has different tutorials; each tutorial shows you Page 48

new skills and also builds a game. The club worked through these with varying degrees of success. The most popular by far was the maze game. The instructions for this were really good, and different levels could easily be made. The stars of the club were Edward Carroll, Felix Thomas-Davies and George

Burrell. George has been working on his maze game for over a term now, and he has sent a copy of it to dozens of children. It is definitely one of the most popular free time activities in the computer room, which is a testament to the quality of his work. So what will people want to do next year? I am open to ideas. SAR

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Cookery

Every Tuesday and Thursday we run a cookery activity for children in the 3s and below. Each week we aim to produce something for them to eat on the day – ranging from cookies and cakes to ice cream and pizzas. Not surprisingly the children absolutely love this club and it is always hugely oversubscribed! They relish the opportunity not only to learn a little about ingredients, food preparation and cooking but also to supplement their daily rations! JJ

Sunday Cooking Activity On Sunday 20th September we had a great cookery activity with Miss Goulding - making chocolate brownies. Once in the cookery room, we split into pairs and helped each other to measure out all the ingredients we needed. It wasn’t long before most hands and faces were covered in flour and chocolate powder! We then mixed everything by hand – a bit of a workout! We put the mixture into baking trays and the brownies were finally ready to put in the oven. It was then time to scrape the mixing bowl, the best bit! The brownies took quite a while to cook but luckily they were done just in time for tea and were a really tasty treat to share with our friends. Alice Shone and Amelia Tennant

Cook your own lunch For a Sunday activity some lucky children from the 2s had the opportunity to forego a Packwood lunch in favour of something they cooked themselves. We started off by making pizza dough and then some of us worked on the tomato base while others chopped a huge variety of toppings – ham, mushrooms, salami, olives – finishing off with fresh basil and mozzarella. No meal is complete without

pudding, of course, so we then moved on to making a fantastic chocolate roulade. This really captured the interest of Will Arrechea who devoted himself to Mrs Jones and made a wonderful sous-chef. The children then tucked in with great relish and wolfed the lot – a sterling effort from Patrick Haszard in particular! JJ

Cookie Club After last year’s chocoholics, I was surprised to find that the group I had this year were more traditional in their tastes. I assumed chocolate would be important so we started with chocolate crispies, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate brownies (my favourite). We moved on to pancakes and despite providing a jar of chocolate spread, most pancakes were liberally sprinkled with lemon juice and

sugar after having been tossed several times, with a surprising degree of success! Rosie Shone was the best pancake flipper and Tatty Hunt got the prize for eating the most! Good fun was had by all and everyone enjoyed either eating everything they made, or sharing it with their friends who waited eagerly outside the kitchen door. EAC

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Country Sports Club The aim of this club was to introduce children to a variety of country sports-related activities. We began with a couple of sessions of fly tying and everyone rapidly acquired sufficient skill to be able to tie a simple fly. Considering ourselves to have mastered this art, we moved on to pheasant plucking. The level of skill shown here could best be described as variable and although some made an excellent job, one or two of the birds ended up more skinned than plucked. The logical next activity, after the feathers in the lab had been cleared up, was to eat the pheasants, so the next week we arranged to use the food

technology room. Despite the misgivings of Mrs Herzog, who maintains that I am a liability in a kitchen and insisted on supervising proceedings, our stir fried pheasant with fried bread proved to be an outstanding success – simple to prepare and extremely tasty. We ended the term with an evening in the shooting range where we learned how to use a variety of weapons safely and fired at an unusual collection of targets. I think that those involved in the club enjoyed the activities we did and hopefully we can repeat some of them next year and try out some new ones as well. FRH

Creative Club In Creative Club this term we have been using a number of different methods and numerous materials and tools to make art. With the added inspiration of creative artists like Hunterwasser to look at, the children have been able to make some highly original, creative pieces. As with all the activities in this club the idea is not to be too prescriptive as to the outcome, but to allow ideas and subject matter to emerge from the techniques and materials themselves. A good imagination is needed, and also the confidence that something will emerge out of nothing eventually - if you look hard enough! Having seen the possibilities demonstrated the children were more than keen to have a go, and they usually had no trouble in seeing the ‘witch’s broom’ or the ‘Emperor’s face’ emerging out of the swirls and vague shapes in the coloured inks, for example. Some needed a bit of help in getting their imaginative juices flowing, and this came in the form of a poem or a piece of music. Once success had been achieved their confidence in finding a subject noticeably increased. One of the children’s favorites this term was our session using the pearl pens that left a relief effect on the paper, and were particularly effective in the landscapes inspired by Aboriginal art from Australia. The great thing about this way of working is that you cannot fail; enjoyment is the key to becoming less self-conscious, and the quality of the final outcome is entirely personal. I think this goes to demonstrate that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. PRD

Croquet This has been an exceptional year for croquet, with more people than ever playing on the two lawns and a terrific standard of play from many. The Tuesday croquet activity has given lots of juniors the chance to learn about the game and to develop their skills – they soon learn that there is a great deal more to the game than just hitting balls through hoops! With a record entry for the annual Croquet Competition, there were a lot of matches to be played and at a busy school it is often difficult to find a time when all four players in a match are available. Nevertheless, the competition proceeded with some tremendous games; until the last week of term when the quarter-finals and semi-finals took place.

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In the end, the second semi-final and the final itself took place on the last morning of term. For the first time at Packwood we had ‘early morning croquet’ with the participants rising early to play before breakfast! The final was between two experienced and skilful pairings – Hamish Neill and Charlotte Greenway against Ned Hall and Freddie Perkins. Both pairs showed skill in striking the ball, but they also displayed tremendous tactical awareness. Before each shot there was a lengthy and detailed discussion about the best course of action; but the result was a very long game which was still going on when we were called to the marquee for Speech Day. So this year the trophy was shared. I hope that croquet will continue to be popular at Packwood, and that maybe one day an Old Packwoodian will go on to play at Hurlingham! HB

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Debating

There were three debates this year starting with the ever-popular balloon debate in the Autumn Term. The cast in order of appearance, with arguments summarised, was as follows: Beethoven (William Dorrell) – he has affected a whole series of musical traditions after his time, remains admired by so many, and showed huge talent and determination given the handicap of his deafness. Jamie Oliver (George Burrell) – a persuasive spokesman for healthy eating and hence a healthy lifestyle. He enticed all by promising that matron would bring smoothies round the dormitories in the mornings. Cheryl Cole (Daisy Raichura) – not just a pretty face, but an extremely hard-worker from a humble background who had climbed a mountain for charity. An excellent role model for all. Dennis the Menace (Joseph Davies) – a key figure in a wonderful comic book. He brought a smile to the faces of all when their world was gloomy. Boris Johnson (Evie Clutton) – he might seem unusual, but unlike many political figures he speaks his mind, is an intelligent and highlyeducated man, and is living proof that one should not judge a book by its cover. The Tooth Fairy (Tatty Hunt) – she encouraged children to look after their health, took some of the fear out of losing milk teeth and set a good example of generosity for others to follow. Predictably enough many of the floor speeches centred round Cheryl Cole, with the X Factor seemingly part of the general Saturday menu, and Daisy was a persuasive spokeswoman for her. Tatty also made an impressive Tooth Fairy, complete with outfit, wand and a winning ‘goodbye’ at the end of her speech. It was these two who made it through the first ballot, with their votes tied. William and Evie were also particularly eloquent in their arguments for perhaps less immediately appealing

balloonists. They also scored plenty of votes, though not quite enough. In the final speeches, the Tooth Fairy was perhaps the more ‘collected’, and she prevailed over Cheryl in the final count by 67 votes to 54. In January we had an excellent parent/child debate on the motion that ‘This House believes in private lives’, where the Lavenders went head-to-head with the Dorrells. For the motion Emelia and her father spoke about the fundamental right we all have to privacy, from the toilet to, where we choose it, our wider lives. Should we really expect our innermost secrets, even the contents of our tuck-boxes, always to be shared here, there and everywhere? In reply, William and his father saw the positives about press intrusion: how else can totally improper behaviour come to light? In the past, secrets, ranging from abuse to corruption and beyond, remained shrouded in secrecy, to the detriment of all; our present, more open society uncovers what should not be kept private.

Tatty also made an impressive Tooth Fairy, complete with outfit, wand and a winning ‘goodbye’ at the end of her speech. Speeches from the floor, with the notable exceptions of Evie Clutton, Harry Jenkinson, Edward Carroll, Paul Sharpe and Olivia WadeSmith, were more disappointing than usual, both in quantity and quality, but the very high standard set from the rostrum will have cowed many, as will the comparatively large number of adults at the back. It was an education for all to hear such well-crafted speeches to set the tone, and also indeed to hear a very fine politician at work. In the end the motion was defeated by 103 votes to 40, and it was sad to note that this was the last time William Dorrell and Emelia Lavender would be gracing the

rostrum at Packwood: they have been stalwarts of the Debating Club for several terms, and both have become accomplished and impressive performers. In the final event of the year we debated the motion that ‘This House believes that it is right to experiment on animals’ in the full expectation that this might prove to be an emotive topic. The speeches for the motion, by Elliot Robinson-Boulton, Evie Clutton and Ruby Lavender, argued that advances in medical treatment would not have been possible without prior testing on animals; that every effort was now made to ensure that the animals were well treated; that testing for the sake of cosmetic products was now very strictly limited. Against the motion Ned Hall, Stamos Fearnall and Francesca Hughes pointed to the fact that modern scientific improvements now meant that using animals for experiments was not necessary; that it was cruel to cause pain and abnormality to animals just for human advantage; that a vast number of animals – and not just rats and mice – were still used for such experiments. Ultimately, and predictably, it was the emotional arguments that seemed to carry the most weight with the floor of the house, the objection of cruelty to animals being counterbalanced by the argument that if one’s mum or dad could be cured using a method developed using animal tests, then so be it. Speeches from the floor were as effective and impassioned on this occasion as they were from the rostrum, and even before Elliot and Ned summed up prior to the final vote it was clear that opinions were equally divided. Nobody expected the vote to be so nail-bitingly close, however, as the count yielded exact parity, with 63 votes cast for both sides. The chairman’s two secretaries were therefore consulted, and although one was unsure the other cast his vote and yielded the narrowest of victories for the motion. An exciting end to what had been an excellent debate. OJL

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Drama In drama activity, which I have taken part in for two Drama has been really terms, we have done lots good fun and we have had of different things. In one a laugh. I wish I could do session we tried to find out as much information drama more often as possible about the person facing us in one minute, then told the rest of the group what we’d learnt. In another session we had to mirror each other. Mirroring is when someone does actions and another person watches and

copies the actions. We also had to mime what we do every day and what we had done in the holidays. Another time we listened to a tape about going to the moon. We had to mime putting our suits on and flying in and mending the spaceship. When we got to the moon we saw a computer which gave us the message “Come, see, change,” and we tried to work out what it meant. In our final session we played Chinese Whispers and made up our own stories. At the end of every session we had a game of Sleeping Lions (the 4s always lost). Drama has been really good fun and we have had a laugh. I wish I could do drama more often. Linden Grigg

Explorers and Collectors Friday afternoons are when the Explorers and Collectors meet so inevitably we are always hit by exeat weekends but, despite the reduced number of opportunities to get together, we have had lots of fun. We have used our five 40-minute sessions to look for and collect, if appropriate, a variety of items

out of doors and this term has been focused upon the natural world and the variety of life – especially bugs – to be found around the pond and surrounding woodland. The children have enjoyed the fresh air and any new discovery has generated great excitement, which is, of course, what it is all about. WGI

The children have enjoyed the fresh air and any new discovery has generated great excitement

Film Club This club ran over the two winter terms as usual. Numbers attending varied considerably from week to week because of play rehearsals, etc. but between 20 and 30 were always there (especially when there were choc ices in the penultimate week). It quickly became obvious that complaints saying “Sir, that was really scary!” meant “Please may we have more scary films?” but this presented a problem: to show scary films that had an acceptable certificate. The scariest one was definitely The Others (Cert 12) with Nicole Kidman. Girls’ screams so terrified Mr Erskine that he wanted to leave all the lights

on in the theatre at the end. Also scary was The Hand that Rocked the Cradle and I’m Not Scared (the girls were). Angela’s Ashes was funny, moving and depressing and The Bourne Ultimatum – just about the best of its genre and so much better than James Bond – was fast moving and brilliant. I’ve loved doing the Senior Film Club over the years, and hope that I have introduced the children to good films that they may not otherwise have watched. PAE

First Aid

Fishing the Perry

Imagine a world of fractured limbs, broken teeth, severed veins and arteries: a world of fainting fits and swollen digits, bleeding probosci and damaged bones, asthmatic attacks and palpitating hearts, bruises, nervous exhaustions and hysterical fits… the world you imagine is, of course, the world in which we live, yet it is a tolerable and secure world - in the privileged West at least - not least because Packwoodian First Aiders are here to attend to the needy at a moment’s summons. This year, as always, has been an interesting and successful one for this long-established Packwood club. Let’s hope next year will prove as worthwhile.

After a variety of titles such as ‘Fishing for predators’ and ‘Fishing for minnows’ I decided this year to settle for the one above – not wanting to put too much hope into the boys’ minds that they were going to return with enough fish for supper!

Our club members this year have been Tia Barlow, Harriet Bibby, Harry Marshall, Edward Myddelton, Theo Penney, Ben Ricks, Thomas Simpson and Simon Waterhouse. JL

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It was a very hot day, the water was running a little ‘clear’ and the intrepid group of fishermen were rather loud, none of which are particularly conducive to catching any larger fish of a slightly sensitive nature. We went back to basics, cut our own rods from a hazel tree, dug our worms and set to it. The nettles had been cut back (many thanks to the ground staff) and there were lots of ‘tiddlers’ loitering in the swims for the taking. It was interesting to witness the variety of techniques adopted – some operated by stealth, others by surprise whilst some gently corralled the fish towards a waiting net. One or two even adopted the approach of stunning the fish with the sonic boom from their shouts of “There’s another one!” Minnows and stickleback provided the main catch along with the odd branch, ear and finger! A successful morning of fishing was followed by a Sunday roast at school which meant that the afternoon session consisted mostly of snoozing on the bank. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday at Packwood! MAF

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Gardening

We have had another great Summer Term in the gardens and they are looking better than ever with our new raised beds. There is a profusion of colour and the annual problem of watering has been solved at last by Dave and Ray who have kindly installed a marvellous new tank which, despite a few initial overflow problems, has been a boon during the warm and dry month of June. Everyone has been working very hard on their own individual gardens and there has been much cooperation and advice given. Quite a few budding gardeners have planted edible crops, especially strawberries, which have been very popular this season. Many gardeners have taken special care in designing their gardens – one group decided to plant in the colours of the Union Jack and another had formed the word ‘Packwood’ with their plants which I personally think is very creative and imaginative. I feel sure this is one of the most innovative years for the gardens in terms of their design. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Packwood and taking part in the gardening competition has been most enjoyable. For the younger gardeners the gardening activity is very popular and I would encourage any younger pupils to ask for a garden plot in the Summer Term as it is a fun outdoor activity and you may even win a small prize in the competition as reward for your efforts! Georgie Thurston

Quite a few budding gardeners have planted edible crops, especially strawberries, which have been very popular this season. First prize: ‘First Middle Garden’ Oliver Williams-Bulkeley Joseph Davies Leo Sartain Clement Rye Edward Stubbs Second Prize: Garden No. 7 William Bayliss Simon Waterhouse

Robert Waterhouse George Burrell

Third Prize: Garden No. 1 Nichole Ashall Ianthe Bathurst

Georgina Thurston Emily Ford

Fourth Prize: Garden No. 8 Amber Gibbins

Laura Whittingham

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Girls’ Cricket There is a lot of excitement in the cricket world these days – England winning the World T20, the Aussies touring this summer, the coverage of so many games on the television etc. I therefore seized the opportunity to get the younger girls involved in the sport and created the Girls’ Cricket Group. It proved to be very popular and we played a variety of cricket formats ranging from the more traditional Kwik Cricket to the legendary ‘Gets out Goes In’ game. We had a ‘net’ session and even tried on the pads, gloves and helmets and had great fun watching each other trying to run whilst wearing everything.

The weather was kind We had a ‘net’ session and even to us and I feel that tried on the pads, gloves and many of the girls have had their appetites helmets and had great fun whetted for more next watching each other trying to year. Perhaps the run whilst wearing everything. highlight of each session was the ‘catching game’ which has a slight twist and in which the girls certainly found out who their friends were – I’ll leave it to your daughter to explain! MAF

Mixed Hockey Mixed hockey has always been a popular activity but this year we were often over-subscribed. It is meant to be a social activity and to add a little competition teams are picked by Form, nationality, year groups etc. However the ‘social’ aspect soon diminished whenever it was Boys v Girls with the latter being completely ruthless. It was not a place for the faint-hearted and never have I seen so many senior boys crying at one time!

‘agricultural’ and ponderous approach from members of the 1st XV pack. There was also a great deal of improvisation from the boys who were new to the game, which added to the entertainment. Above all it was good fun and it didn’t matter what the weather was like – they always turned out. We had it all – blood, sweat and tears (Oh yes - and the odd stitch!). Well done everbody. MAF

There is always a variety of skills on show ranging from the quick stick work and pace of the members of the girls’ teams to the more

Hollywood History Hollywood History Club proved to be the Monday evening great escape for twelve boys – Packwood’s own dirty dozen – as Mr Livermore and his wild geese dambusted their way through some classic war films at Von Ryan’s express pace.

films; these, despite being undeniably entertaining, proved to be a bridge too far. Under pressure to put on Saving Private Ryan, I needed a full metal jacket and to put das boot in to keep it all quiet on the western front.

Where eagles dared to watch in a History room besieged by the familiar thwack of footballs crashing against the windows, we showed courage under fire. Midway through the evening and this Shropshire based platoon had lost themselves in the magic of the movies. Reality seemed from here to eternity away. George Burrell, our very own deer hunter, was an ever present and was one of many miffed at Mr Livermore drawing the thin red line at watching 15 rated

With the Summer Term came the end of our club - our warmongers’ world at an end. But it’s not apocalypse now because we reach for the sky again in September where all comers are welcome – young lions, desert rats, the boys in company C and flying leathernecks – you don’t have to be on Schindler’s list to come along but we draw the line at the naked and the dead. Tora! Tora! Tora! AL

Out of Uniform

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Judo Acorns Once again the Acorns group is strong with some new players coming in during the term, all with their own little characters, but all very keen to learn. Evie Connolly quickly became the leader of the session and was a great help to the new players. I look forward to seeing them all again next term. Junior School The junior session is the strongest group and very well attended. Each year some of the older players move up from the Acorns and as always fit straight into the next level of coaching – which means playing actual Judo as opposed to introductory games. As I said in last year’s report, there is a new BJA syllabus in place and new rules were introduced at the beginning of 2010. Some of the players lost their way for a short time, but soon picked up the new techniques as I introduced them. Throughout this year the most improved players, Nicholas Yeoward, Lottie Clarke and Ned Moreau, have shown a good attitude towards their training, and this was evident in the end of year tournament where all three performed superbly winning either gold or silver medals. Middle School Enthusiastic and keen to learn new techniques, the players in this age group are very competitive. They all wanted every training session to include some sort of contest, ranging from just playing bulldogs or maybe sumo, or dividing into red and white teams to compete against each other. This competitive spirit again led to some excellent results in this year’s tournament. The most improved players during the year in this session were Timmy Robinson-Boulton, Isabella Wythe and Archie Connolly. Senior School I have had the pleasure of coaching many of the players in this session for a number of years and, sadly for me, several are leaving Packwood this time which means I will not be seeing them next term. However, I know that if they move on to a school that has Judo sessions, or join their local Judo club, the knowledge they have gained of the sport – the discipline, attitude and temperament needed to be a good judoka will be there. This year I congratulate William Barlow, Henry Don and Elliot Robinson-Boulton – these boys have without doubt worked harder during this term than any other. Their commitment and hard word have resulted in them gaining high Judo grades, brown and blue belts and they demonstrated their impressive skill levels at the tournament this year. Well done boys – please try and keep it up. Roger Houston BJA 6th Dan

Results of this year’s Judo tournament: Gold

Silver

Bronze

Lottie Clarke Ellie Mason Frank Morris Edward Don Gabriel Connolly Ned Moreau Eddie Thompson Andrew Tudor Isabella Wythe Tim Robinson-Boulton Edward Stubbs Stamos Fernall Henry Don

Zara Vickers Olivia Moir William Thompson Murray Robinson-Boulton Ali Davies Nick Yeoward Ollie Clarke Ned Warburton-Lee Ce-Ce Whittingham Louis Martin Elliot Robinson-Boulton Edward Hurle William Barlow

Zephia Barlow-Evans Freya Beasley Pip Vickers Imogen Downey Kit Warburton-Lee Gregor Montgomery Francis McLaughlin Jonty Bright Nathan Mielczarek Marcus Woodhead Edward Barry Loris Pattinson Jude Bedford

Guy Morris Jack Humphreys Cassie Bedford Antonia Barlow-Evans Mollie Jamieson Ben Ricks Archie Connolly Charlie England Fergus Connolly James Nugent Alfie Grocott Angus Campbell Korn Pithayanukul Hugo Rowlands

‘Spirit of Judo’ award Ali Davies Throw of the tournament Andrew Tudor

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Karaoke

Knitting Club

This year, there has been incredible enthusiasm for Karaoke Club. There were twenty members very eager to demonstrate their vocal skills every Friday. That might have been due to the Glee effect.

The Knitting Club has had new members this year who have joined some of the more experienced knitters who came again and shared their expertise. We have had many boys coming and showing us how to do it - Thomas Marques and Harry Marshall have been particular stars. We have made pom-poms and bookmarks. Georgina Thurston has been a great inspiration and has knitted some wonderful things. Her Christmas hat creation was particularly impressive - she knitted a turkey dinner on a plate and, needless to say she won a prize at the Christmas feast – well done! RE

There were some excellent performers and some, let’s say, not as good… My ears still ache thinking about it but, unlike Simon Cowell, I will not name and shame. The aim was to have fun and they did. Once more, the ranges of styles were very varied from rock to opera. The interpretation of Nessun Dorma, is one that I have been trying hard to forget, but it has been impossible for many reasons! Well done to all, especially to Amelia Tomkinson and Katie Bibby who were brilliant. JN

Lower School Orchestra Thirty-five enthusiastic children have met once a week with their instruments to prepare repertoire which has been performed in lunchtime concerts and finally, in their most exciting musical event, the Summer Concert. This ensemble is an invaluable introduction to the social and musical disciplines of playing in a large group. The challenge in the first weeks for Mrs Hadwick and me is to encourage the pupils to look up from their music and notice that there is a man waving his arms around in front of them in a strange manner! Our second challenge is to get them to understand why he is there and how to interpret those apparently random hand gestures. My sincere thanks go to Mr Roberts-Malpass for being ‘that man’ this year and for getting such excellent results out of our younger performers. Well done, LSO. ECM

Mixed Rounders

Origami

This activity allowed boys and girls to pit their wits against each other, all in the name of rounders. The girls, already well rehearsed in the art of rounders, brought tactics to the plate, whilst the boys The girls, brought brought brawn and the chance to tactics to the plate, slog the ball for the rounders whilst the boys equivalent of a six! At times the game was not pretty, but bit by bit brought brawn and boys learnt the tactics and the chance to slog the the played the girls at their own game. ball for the rounders Unhappy with the silly underarm bowling action required in the equivalent of a six! rules of rounders the boys adopted a ‘throw it as hard as you can’ policy, one which sometimes gifted the girls a lot of half rounders. By the end of term, the boys had seen enough and unfortunately, girls, it pains me to say it, but the boys were just a little bit better…only a bit! KLP

A small but enthusiastic group of children were introduced to the delights of origami this term. We learned about valley and mountain folds – and the importance of precise creasing – making fish, bird and waterbomb bases and some attractive two-colour boxes. Thanks go to Oliver Bureau for sharing with us his designs for two paper aeroplanes. Altogether, much fun was had and – hopefully – the children were able to take ideas away which they could then try out at home. WGI

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Pop Lacrosse The basic skills are quick to learn, although it takes quite some time to perfect them! The concepts of attacking and defending are similar to many other team sports. However, our activity teaches children to work together, particularly as our groups include a mixture of ages. There is no room for individual play, mostly because the four second possession rule encourages quick passing and sharing the ball around. In defence, players often switch, to mark other opponents, and have to master holding their position goal-side to prevent drives on goal. Children love this activity because there’s lots of running involved…some of course appreciate this more than others! The game “helps to make your stick work better” for field lacrosse, the girls say, “especially for beginners”. We have lots of incentives to improve our play, though Clary Haynes couldn’t understand why we had to wait until the end of term for Mrs D to give out the sweets!

The boys tend to find it a little difficult to establish disciplined play - especially after playing lots of rugby! Soon however, they understood the need for control, control, control and became mindful not to give away free possession. Now to the stars of the show. There are several children I must mention. Tia Barlow has been massively strong and influential. Poppy Carver found it sheer torture to play against her, week after week. Sometimes we would give Tia two opponents (yes, she had plenty to say about that!). Emily Cooper’s enthusiasm was as reliable as her stick work and good goal scoring. Scott Walker (equally enthusiastic!) had the most difficulty understanding the need for control, but proved that anything is possible! Harry and Archie Waterworth were fast and feisty (a bit scary at first for the girls). Robert Ford was undoubtedly the best boy in defence, not many scored against him. Most remarkable of all though were the two fantastic goals scored from a good distance

away by Archie Mobbs. He does admit that the first was supposed to be a pass to his team mate which ended up gliding smoothly through the centre of the net! The other was simply an awesome shot. I have enjoyed all our exciting moments. Well done, children. SD

Pottery Club Throwing pots is one of my favorite activities, and the children also seem to take a lot of pride in making them as tall as they can on the pottery wheel. To start with there is usually much hilarity and misunderstanding of what throwing a pot actually is – not literally Mr Dougan hurling pots around the art room! The children have to make a ball of clay about the size of an orange and then make it stick to the centre of the pottery wheel by releasing it downward with some force. I then help them to centre the clay further by using brute force and plenty of water. At this point the children’s’ small hands can begin to open up the clay by pushing thumbs down into the centre, then by changing to the “pistol grip” hand-shape the main walls of the pot can be formed. After it is cut off the wheel decorations and glazes are usually applied. Many other methods are used in pottery club such as slab building and coil pottery, and the subjects are as diverse as turtle pots with a lid shell, and dragon worlds. Many of the subjects are thought of by me, but as the term progresses the children have more ideas of their own, and they are better at making them without too much help. There have been many fine pieces created this term but for me the highlight this year was to see Tom Baines’ wonderful finished work into which he had put so much effort. Well done. PRD

Quiz Club Quiz Club is an activity that has happened on a Friday this year for different children in Forms 6, 5 and 4. We have a variety of quizzes – some have been about films, some about world geography, others have been word puns – have a go at this famous phrase:

ONCE 11:24 am (Answer: Once upon a time!)

Most interestingly this year we have even had quizzes created on the computer by members of our Quiz Club. Many congratulations to Oliver Bureau and Tom Hughes. The really nice thing about Quiz Club is the way the group never quite knows how the teams will be selected. Some weeks it is an individual quiz. Other weeks we have teams of twos, threes or fives. If you are a winner, of course, there will be prizes. A great way to end the week! I look forward to next year’s group of Quiz Busters. RE

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Recorder Group Throughout the course of the year 20 enthusiastic children have attended recorder group. They arrive either as complete novices eager to get hold of the instrument and initially blow down it as hard as they can, or with acquired knowledge which we have built on to make them into more accomplished recorder players. In the mixed level groups the more advanced pupils are quick to show the beginners where to put their fingers to make the correct notes, I then intervene to show them how to make a pleasing sound on the recorder, and then we are ready to play tunes together. Some of the favourites have been Joe, Joe stumped his toe, Indian Warriors and Frère Jacques. Well done to all of you. ECM

Sausage Making Earlier in the year a group of children took part in a fantastic cookery session to produce their own sausages. We used entirely natural ingredients so the end product would have no additives or preservatives or other nasty things. We began by mincing the pork and chopping herbs and then added rusk and seasoning before getting really hands-on and mixing everything thoroughly with our hands – a lovely sticky job! We loaded our gooey mixture into the sausage making machine and then with one person cranking the handle and another guiding the sausage we produced an enormous sausage – at least twice as long as Mr Jones! Then we linked them, perfecting a ‘pinch and twist’ manoeuvre to make smaller sausages. A professional butcher would have been proud of them! We fried some and sampled them with ketchup and froze the rest to take home at the exeat. Everyone really enjoyed them and said how delicious they were. JJ

Science and Astronomy Club This combination of two clubs in one again worked well and we made good use of the two evenings in the term when the skies were clear and enjoyed some other scientific activities in the lab on the cloudier nights. At the start of term it was still light enough to go outside so we spent the first evening launching a variety of rockets on the playing fields. This went well until a combination of over enthusiasm and poor judgment sent our rocket over the school and into a field. Fortunately the rocket was retrieved the next morning. Other activities included a steam engine rally in the lab, a lego car race, a November the fifth investigation of gunpowder, and hydrogen powered skittles. On the astronomy side, we had an excellent view of Jupiter and its four main moons which turned out to be, remarkably, arranged exactly as the computer program Starry Night Pro had predicted. Later in the term, we looked at some stars and constellations with excellent views of Ursa Major, Polaris, and the Pleiades. Unfortunately our attempts to find the Andromeda galaxy and look back in time over 2 million years were less successful.The difficulty could have been light pollution from the Astroturf lights or the fact that Harry Marshall kept making adjustments to the telescope with his feet. Patrick Moore definitely has an advantage over us here. FRH

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Soccer Skills Club Soccer skills club was great fun again this year. Girls, boys, those in teams, those not, fiercely competitive creatures mingling with the more Corinthian – the club was symbolic of what a good prep school should be like in the evenings – children running around enjoying the

occasion on lots of different levels. From floodlights in arctic January to fair, Spring-like, short-sleeved late March, it was also a good club for direct evidence as to how the seasons roll round. AL

Squash A small, enthusiastic group of children took part in this activity which they all really enjoyed. Firstly we discussed all the rules and techniques of the sport and then went about improving our skills by playing against each other in knockout tournaments. Freddie Beharrell proved to be a talented player repeatedly knocking us all out, though it has to be said that all the children picked up the sport relatively quickly and all improved as the weeks went by. CJH

Stage Lighting Club With another year passing in the Packwood theatre, a new pair of stage lighters joined the seasoned crew of Ed Carroll and William Allott. This year’s new recruits were George Burrell and Joe Davis. Without a shadow of a doubt this year’s dramatic pinnacle was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in which crew member Ed Carroll ditched us in the control booth for a career in the limelight. He went on to win the Ormsby-Gore Cup for his performance. Jem Bayliss, the school IT technician, and I bravely fought on without Ed, with Jem on sound and me doing the lighting. Together we made a formidable team with only the odd debate over why Jem had put the ‘follow spot’ upside down! I was very honoured to be awarded the Ann Smith Cup for my contribution to Packwood drama through my work as one of the school theatre technicians. My thanks go to Jem for teaching me, and the rest of the crew, all we know. This term the crew have managed the technical side of the junior production of The Witches by Roald Dahl. With Ed on sound, George controlling the lighting and Joe operating the follow spot. I moved backstage, where it all started, for my last ever Packwood play helping with props and taking charge of the smoke machine. According to the stage manager and Head of English, Mr Erskine, it was the best junior production he had ever seen.

Once again we have had our club meetings on Wednesday long breaks and we have all learnt more about the technical workings of theatre. At Packwood we are incredibly lucky not only to have such amazing theatre facilities but to have the opportunity to operate some of them ourselves. This year some of the proceeds of the May Fair will go to improving the theatre sound system. Ed and I would like to thank Jem for a fantastic two years in the school Stage Lighting Club. Best wishes to all future Packwood theatre technicians. William (Bobby) Allott

Trampolining Some 30 to 40 different pupils have taken part in trampolining this year, whether it has been in activities, junior boarders’ activities or senior boarders’ clubs. All of the pupils who participated are able to perform a seat landing and come up to their feet, while some have progressed onto a seat landing with a half turn to their feet or a swivel hips (seat landing, half turn to seat landing to feet). All are now able to put together a short routine including seat landings, shapes and turns. We have also been introducing the front and back landings and for some, learning to link a front landing into a seat landing.

The pupils have participated in small competitions during the sessions – for example, how many seat drops you can do one after the other and how many straight jumps you can do whilst remaining in the centre of the trampoline. Everyone has achieved and developed new skills this year (for some that may be simply learning how to get on to the trampoline without help). Well done to everyone who has joined in. JH

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S P O R T: F O O T B A L L

Football 1st XI Played 9 Won 7 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 30 Against 16 v Kingsland Grange v Wrekin College v Foremarke v Shrewsbury Under 14C v Prestfelde v Foremarke v Yarlet v Ellesmere v Abberley

(H) (A) (H) (H) (A) (A) (H) (H) (H)

Won Won Lost Won Won Lost Won Won Won

3-1 1-0 1-3 2-1 3-2 2-4 3-0 7-4 8-1

The Packwood 1st XI opened their account with a messy under-prepared victory over an unlucky Kingsland Grange on a sweltering September afternoon with the going firm to concrete. Not a day for ankles, heels and knees I recall. Three route one goals in a brutal firsthalf assault won the day. How opposite an experience it was then to see our olive green maestros pass the ball around despite the going being on the post-nuclear-winter soft side in the last footballing encounter of the campaign against Abberley in late January. The kit had changed, the year had changed as we embarked on uncharted January football, some of the players had changed but most importantly, the ethos and confidence had changed. We had started to become footballers rather than handy, athletic games players. We were thinkers, plotters, constructors of moves, hard working team-mates helping our fellow

men look good. We wanted the ball, and when we had it, we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to lose possession. We had learned how to keep it. Elegant swans on the ball with team-mates putting in the leg work to uphold the facade of calm. I would like to think that prep school football pitches are the last arenas where one will find the beautiful game unblemished, untarnished and unaffected by premiership ugliness. No shirt pulling, no appealing, no questioning refereeing decisions. The boys just play their

hearts out. The success of this campaign was that this bunch of boys added cool heads and thoughtfulness to their undeniable tenacity. I was very proud of them indeed and by far the best performance came in defeat against an athletically superior Foremarke. Against weaker opposition we were able to look classy but against the Derbyshire royal blues, it was heart-warming to witness the combination of skill, thought, guts and doggedness give superior opposition a real test. This was sport at its prep school best. The way some people judge a season is by evaluating the first and last performances of the campaign. Was there evidence of progress? I know the 1st XI boys made massive strides between September and January in terms of their calmness, constructiveness, shape and team-work. They grew up as footballers and it was a treat to watch the process. Great lads who gave their master in charge a real buzz not just on match days but in the break-time practices and Games lessons. Thank you to the Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire mafia, who supported not only their sons but the team as a whole so unwaveringly, and thank you too to the matrons for turning the boys out so smartly. The new kit is meant to represent an era of fair play, hard work and gentlemanly conduct. If anyone has fallen out of love with the beautiful game as it is crudely represented on television, come and watch footy at Packwood. It will warm your heart. Team: Jamie Humes*(Capt), Peregrine Beckett, Matt White, Fergus Connolly*, Freddie Earlam*, Patrick Phillips, Archie Thomason, Jake Samuel*, Toby Thomson, Toby Mason*, Johnny Woodhead, Will Schofield, Monty Curran*, George Platt, Francisco Calderon. AL

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S P O R T: F O O T B A L L

2nd XI Played 7 Won 3 Drawn 1 Lost 3 For 13 Against 21 v Wrekin v Birchfield 1st v Foremarke v Shrewsbury v Foremarke v Ellesmere v Abberley

(A) (A) (A) (H) (H) (H) (H)

Won Lost Drawn Lost Lost Won Won

2-0 0-4 5-5 1-5 1-7 3-0 1-0

Obviously, the results look as though it was a rather ordinary season. Not like the unbeaten season two years ago - but I am very happy to end my football manager’s career at Packwood of 15 seasons with the 2nd XI (and six 1st XI managers have come and gone in that time!) having had such an excellent team. The quality of our football just gets better and better, and this particular bunch was a delight to manage. Not only were they great footballers but they were hugely enthusiastic and dedicated. They always gave support to each other, accepted defeat with complete equanimity, and never grumbled. So why did we lose three matches? The simplest answer is that it is increasingly hard to find matches that are “matches”. One defeat was against Birchfield’s 1st XI, who had one or two excellent players we just couldn’t quite contain. Then our annual match against Shrewsbury Under 14s, usually a very close one, was not an equal contest – a hard one, obviously, to get right. Our heavy

home defeat against Foremarke was, though, all it appeared from the score. Foremarke are always our strongest opponents and they beat us fair and square with some stunning football. But that brings us to our best match, the 5-5 draw away against Foremarke. This match, players, spectators and referee all agreed was a wonderful contest. The lead changed hands, but we were 5-3 down with five minutes to go. We had a novice goalkeeper, an injured right wing, no substitutes and the goal of the season from Barney Preece. Tremendous. And the players: Charlie Cooke found himself the team’s goalkeeper almost by default, and struggled for a week or two before becoming one of the best keepers we have had for years. Our defensive line (when not being destroyed by Foremarke) of Charlie Adams, Gus Langford, Harry Jenkinson, Yutaro Sato and Ollie Pumphrey was at times almost impregnable – all five had skill, courage and an admirable physical presence. Midfield

combinations of Paul Sharpe, Will Schofield and Edward Stubbs (and Charlie Adams again) provided speed, skill and powerful passing for our wings and strikers, Edward Dolphin, Harry Schofield, and Barney Preece. Special mention to Archie Thomason, always on the verge of the 1st XI, who provided versatility, coolness and huge talent in a number of roles. Squad: Charlie Adams (Capt), Edward Stubbs, Gus Langford, Charlie Cooke, Harry Jenkinson, Yutaro Sato, Edward Dolphin, Ollie Pumphrey, Paul Sharpe, Barney Preece, Harry Schofield, Archie Thomason, Will Schofield. PAE Page 61

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3rd XI A great deal of excitement, lots of goals and no lack of honest endeavour: all important ingredients for a successful and enjoyable season.

Played 6 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 1 For 20 Against 13 v Kingsland Grange v Terra Nova U12A v Foremarke v Foremarke v Moffats v Abberley

With some tough matches scheduled, notably against Foremarke both home and away, it was soon clear that the boys were going to have to work hard as a team to get anything positive from their games, and that is exactly what happened. Whilst lacking individual ‘stars’, there was a real sense of purpose and committed team play amongst the whole squad which led ultimately to a good set of results. Kingsland Grange provided a very warm afternoon for our first encounter and though both sides wilted rather towards the end of the game, we were able to sneak a well-deserved winner through Henry Oak. The Terra Nova Under 12 side proved much too strong for us, and despite a late consolation goal from Edward Hurle, we were well beaten in the end. Foremarke always seems to be a game which abounds with goals, and this year’s home tussle was no exception, with us just pipping our visitors in a seven goal thriller. This set the return fixture up perfectly. As it

(A) (H) (H) (A) (A) (A)

Won Lost Won Drawn Won Won

3-2 1-5 4-3 2-2 2-1 8-0

turned out, it was another excellent game, ending in a 2-2 draw, with us dominating much of the play, and scoring two excellent goals; it was only a Shay Givenlike performance from the home keeper which prevented us from doing the double on our illustrious rivals. Our next foray took us deep into the beautiful Worcestershire countryside where we took on the Moffats 1st X1 and emerged 2-1 victors after a rather scrappy affair. After the Christmas break, the winter weather militated against us to the extent that we only played one of our scheduled four fixtures. Abberley had only started their soccer season in January, and on a bitingly cold afternoon accompanied by a stiff breeze, they were overwhelmed 8-0, having no answer to our pace and movement.

4th XI

My thanks to all the boys in the squad for their wholehearted efforts, and a particular thank you to Henry Don: a first-rate captain, who has never failed to lead his troops by example, and has worked very hard also to improve his understanding of the game and skill levels. Squad: Henry Don (Capt), Guillermo Arrechea, Charlie Beckett, Will Bruce, Stamos Fearnall, Ned Hall, Edward Hurle, Henry Oak, Oliver Tennant, Freddie Thomson, Anto Woodhead, Alfie Grocott, Edward Graves, Daishi Suzuki, Ed Stanton, Charlie England, Will Dorrell KJW

5th XI

The 4th XI boys this Played 5 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 1 year enjoyed a great For 17 Against 4 season. The main aims v Kingsland Grange (H) Won 3-0 of the season were v Foremarke (A) Lost 1-3 playing the ball into v Foremarke (H) Won 2-0 gaps and maintaining v Birchfield (H) Won 3-1 a positive team effort. v Abberley (A) Won 8-0 The boys grew tremendously in confidence and skill as the season progressed and while we had fun the boys also learnt much about the game. The highlight of the season was a great effort against Foremarke at home where everything clicked perfectly and the team was rewarded with a very good win. Well done boys! Squad: Will Barlow, Charlie Beckett, Archie David, William Dorrell, Charlie England, Edward Graves, Alfie Grocott, Patrick Haszard, Jamie Moir, Elliot Robinson-Boulton, Ed Stanton, Daishi Suzuki, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley. FA

Unfortunately most Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 1 Lost 0 of our opponents were For 7 Against 2 unable to raise a 5th v Foremarke (A) Drawn 2 - 2 XI, and hence the v Foremarke (H) Won 5-0 opportunities for the boys to enjoy a competitive match were limited. Nevertheless all who were prepared to give it a go got onto the field for the home match against Foremarke. I would consider results not to be too important at this level, yet several members of the team had that competitive edge, meaning the season was successful both in terms of results and the enjoyment gained by those involved. Congratulations to all who took part. Team: Leo Sartain, Hamish Neill, Joe Davies, Jamie Nugent, Alex Cros, William Bayliss, Robert Waterhouse, Archie Fetherstonhaugh, Angus Campbell, Freddie Perkins, Seb Heywood, Felix Thomas-Davies, Korn Pithayanukul, Thomas Marques. IRW

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Under 11A Played 8 Won 7 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 34 Against 14 v Kingsland Grange v Foremarke v Prestfelde v Foremarke v Birchfield v Yarlet v The Old Hall v St Winifrede’s

(H) (H) (A) (A) (A) (H) (H) (H)

Won Won Won Won Lost Won Won Won

5-2 3-1 1-0 6-4 2-3 4-1 6-2 7-1

Shrewsbury 6-a-side tournament v Elstree v Foremarke v The Ryleys

Drawn 1 - 1 Won 3-1 Won 2-1

Quarter Final v Old Hall

Won

3-2

Semi Final v Birchfield

Lost

1-2

Wrekin 6-a-side tournament v White House v West House v Newcastle Prep

Won Lost Lost

4-0 0-1 0-1

This was the first full season where Under 11 football changed from 11-a-side to a 7-a-side game after the FA directive last year. So the football at this level looked very different at the start of the school year. We had more teams playing fixtures and the layout of the pitches was altered to accommodate the smaller sided game. At the start of the season I was not sure whether it would suit the game in prep schools. Now I must admit the change has been a success. The success was in part due to having an enthusiastic and well motivated Under 11A team playing, at times, some fantastic football. The squad went from strength to strength in our matches and the seven goals we scored against a decent St Winefride’s side was a fitting end to the

season, particularly after the disappointment of missing out on competitive matches at the start of the spring term due to the icy weather. The team was built around our captain Archie Connolly in central defence and Freddie Fielding in central midfield working hard to win the ball and distribute for our wide players. Cameron McDonald and Eddie Thomson gave us the width providing the creative spark and goal scoring chances for Edward Beard who top scored with 13 goals in the eight matches played. Add to this our most improved player in Jonty Schofield and the ball skills of Archie Waterworth and the squad turned out to be quite a formidable unit. As the season progressed what pleased me most was the improvement in the boys’ decision making in matches and the speed with which they seemed able to turn defence into excellent attacking opportunities. The Yarlet game was particularly impressive when we had to defend very well for long periods early in the match. After the initial storm the boys went on to produce some superb flowing football to win comfortably against our frustrated opponents. Our only loss against the very strong Birchfield team, who won the Shrewsbury 6s tournament, was another great performance from the boys. I was very pleased with the way they adapted to Birchfield’s tactics. Edward Beard played a very different role for us by holding the ball well and bringing other players into the game. Andrew Tudor also played one of

his more commanding games in goal. Sadly we ran out of steam at the end and conceded two late goals. Cameron McDonald also scored one of the goals of the season with a terrific long-range effort from another flowing Packwood move. It was a high quality game and all the boys were a credit to both schools. Well done boys! 2009/10 was a very satisfying first season for me with the Under 11 age group. It is great to see so many footballers progressing through the school who are comfortable on the ball and work hard to improve in practice. The future of football at Packwood is very exciting. Squad: Archie Connolly (Capt), Andrew Tudor, Archie Waterworth, Freddie Fielding, Jonty Schofield, Edward Beard, Cameron McDonald, Edward Thomson. PJP

Under 11B It has been a good season Played 8 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 3 overall for the team and a For 28 Against 12 tremendous learning curve. 9-1 The boys have had some ups v Kingsland Grange (H) Won v Foremarke (H) Lost 0-2 and downs but the final v Foremarke (A) Won 4-0 game was the crowning v Prestfelde (A) Lost 1-2 achievement of the season. v Birchfield (A) Lost 2-3 They displayed some v Yarlet (H) Won 3-1 wonderful football and v Old Hall (H) Drawn 2-2 scored some incredibly wellv St Winifrede’s (H) Won 7-1 structured goals for an Under 11B side. They all made excellent progress, but the most improved players in this side have to be George Hargrave, who showed some superb skills against St Winifrede’s, the very determined Sam Bayliss, the fast and reliable Ollie Clarke and finally Chan Kathuria who worked very hard throughout the season. I have been delighted with all of the boys and it has been a real pleasure to coach them. Well done to all of you. Team: Thomas Tulloch (Capt), Sam Bayliss, Chan Kathuria, Ollie Clarke, Freddie Beharrell, George Hargrave, Tom Baxter, Jonty Hall, David Schofield and Jay Jackson JN Page 63

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Under 11C Played 4 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 14 Against 9 v Foremarke U10A v Foremarke U10B v Old Hall v Moffats U11A

(A) (H) (A) (H)

Lost Won Won Won

0-7 2-1 8-0 4-1

As is obvious from the results, we played a pot pourri of teams in a season truncated by the dreadful January weather. It was a question of trying to settle on the right standard of opposition in the new format of 7-a-side attempted here at Under 11 level for the first time this season. When the quality of the opposition was ‘wrong’ we succeeded or failed in spectacular fashion, as tends to happen in smaller-sided games. The match of the season was definitely our very closelyfought second match against Foremarke. This was a splendid team of triers, who particularly improved their passing skills as the season progressed. In goal, Robert Ford’s prehensile talons were reliably in evidence, and he made few mistakes, while Fergus David was very brave though perhaps at this stage less commanding. In defence we were represented mainly by Jacob Rand, a fierce opponent, whose surges up front could be deadly – just ask the weaver of the Old Hall netting – and Rory Fergusson who tackled well and passed intelligently out of defence.

In midfield we had a lethal combination: Rory Davies, a wholehearted captain if ever there was one, tore around destructively, while the more phlegmatic Bertie Jenkinson anticipated and distributed well. Up front we were variously represented, with Jack Humphreys, Louis Martin, Dominic Ainslie, Scott Hatton and particularly the pacey Hugh Davies lurking with intent. I say with intent, as none of our forwards favoured the shooting option often enough this season, until the last match, where ‘Wayne’ Humphreys scored all four. Throughout the season there were thrills and spills a-plenty, and with a resounding victory in the final encounter it all ended on a high note.

Squad: Robert Ford, Fergus David, Jacob Rand, Rory Fergusson, Rory Davies, Bertie Jenkinson, Hugh Davies, Louis Martin, Scott Hatton, Dominic Ainslie, Jack Humphreys. OJL

Under 11D Played 4 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 19 Against 7 v Foremarke v Foremarke v Old Hall v St Winifrede’s

(A) (H) (A) (H)

Won Lost Won Won

3-2 2-1 5-1 9-3

With the World Cup in the offing, this should have been a season to celebrate and to cherish and indeed there were outstanding highlights - Dominic Ainslie’s finishing, Ben Ricks stupendous goalkeeping, Linden Grigg’s drive and determination and Jacob Rand’s all-round supremacy. The contrast with professional football, the so called beautiful game, where too often you witness appealing for throw- ins, disputing the referee’s decision, ignorant comments from beyond the touchline as well as within it, bickering with team mates and antagonising opponents, was stark. This should not be the norm and never will be in the future of Packwood sport. Well done to all those who represented the Under 11 D team in such a sportsmanlike way - you are a credit to the school. Please do not forget you are allowed, in fact you should be encouraged, to enjoy the simple game - all it takes is a leather ball, a few friends and a goalpost in the distance. Play up, play the game and play well. Page 64

Squad: Ben Ricks, Dominic Ainslie, Linden Grigg, Scott Hatton, Charlie Jackson, Louis Martin, Edward Myddelton, Jacob Rand, Fergus David, Patrick Ashall, Timmy Robinson-Boulton, Tom Baxter, Zak Nicholas DR

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Under 10 The Under 10 teams had a very small number of fixtures this season because of the new soccer structure, which is more Under 11 orientated. But we did our best during the time we spent together. The B team won our single match against Terra Nova in convincing style and the highlight of the season for the A team was the Foremarke tournament in which we displayed a quiet determination and a strong team spirit. We unfortunately lost narrowly in the final of the Trophy, but the way we conducted ourselves on the day was fantastic. Two players showed some great skills during the season: Archie Waterworth and David Schofield who captained the side very effectively. Well done to all.

Played 3 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 5 Against 10 v Terra Nova v Foremarke v Terra Nova

(H) (H) (H)

Lost Lost Won

2-5 1-4 2-1

Foremarke tournament Group Stage v King Henry VIII B v Foremarke A v The Ryleys

Won 3-1 Lost 0-1 Drawn 2 - 2

Semi Final v Foremarke B

Won

2-0

Final v Bablake

Lost

2-3

Under 10A team: David Schofield (Capt), Robert Ford, Sam Bayliss, Linden Grigg, Archie Waterworth, Jack Humphreys, Charlie Jackson.

Under 10B team: Jude Bedford, Jamie Channon, Roly Hancock, Tom Hughes, Zak Nicholas, Scott Walker. JN

Under 9 Under 9A: Played 3 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 29 Against 1 v Kingsland Grange v Abberley A v Birchfield

(A) (H) (H)

Won Won Won

14 - 0 8-0 7-1

Prestfelde tournament v Prestfelde B v West House v Abberley v King’s Chester v Birchfield

Won Won Won Won Won

4-0 2-0 5-0 1-0 2-0

Final v Hallfield

Lost

1-2

Birchfield Tournament v Birchfield A v Birchfield U10B v Birchfield A

Drawn Won Won

1-1 7-0 2-1

Under 9B: Played 3 Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 0 For 5 Against 1 v Abberley A v Birchfield v Abberley A

(H) (H) (A)

Birchfield Tournament v Birchfield B v Kingsland Grange A

Drawn Won Won

0-0 2-1 3-0

Won Won

3-1 2-0

Under 9C: Played 2 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 12 Against 0 v Abberley B v Abberley

(H) (A)

Won Won

7-0 5-0

Under 9D: Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 0 Against 1 v Abberley B

(H)

Lost

0-1

This was a great season for the Under 9s, with lots of success at A, B, C and D team levels. This meant that a large number of boys had the chance to represent the school, with every boy in Form 5 playing at least once and opportunities for many Form 6 boys too. The A team had a fantastic season, with lots of great victories – indeed, the only disappointment was failing to win the Prestfelde Tournament for the second year running. The final was a tense and exciting encounter, but in the end Hallfield just edged it 2-1. Daniel Humes was an outstanding captain, leading by example and scoring some spectacular goals from midfield; Nick Yeoward made some dazzling and penetrating runs on the left; Frank Morris was tremendous on the right, hugely improved compared with the previous season; Gabriel Connolly was steady as a rock in defence; and two newcomers, Archie Mobbs and Alex Ainslie completed the line-up – Archie scoring goals at one end of the pitch, and Alex stopping them at the other end. Archie even scored with an overhead kick, and Alex showed amazing agility to frustrate opposition strikers. The B team enjoyed an unbeaten season, with several players who would have been in the A side in most previous years. Felix Jebb improved in goal with every passing match; Owen Carroll was skilful and reliable at the back; Harry Swinburne played with a huge amount of energy and determination, and was the most improved player in the entire year-group; Harry Waterworth was an elusive dribbler; William Holcroft scored some great goals; Michael Turner developed as a strongtackling defender; and Rowan Pickstock had the most powerful left-foot seen in the Under 9s for many a long day.

The C and D teams only had a few opportunities, but seized them with some enthusiastic performances; the only defeat came when our D team went down 1-0 to the Abberley B team. All in all then this was a marvellous season. Many thanks to all the staff who helped with training; to all the parents who supported us loyally; and most of all to the boys for their fine performances. A Team: Daniel Humes (Capt), Alex Ainslie, Gabriel Connolly, Frank Morris, Nick Yeoward, Archie Mobbs. B Team: William Holcroft (Capt), Felix Jebb, Owen Carroll, Michael Turner, Harry Swinburne, Rowan Pickstock, Harry Waterworth. C and D Teams: (from) Marcus Woodhead, Harry Myddelton, Ned Moreau, Alexander Davies, Harry Griffiths, Jack Goodall, Jonty Bright, Edward Don, Gregor Montgomery, Francis McLaughlin, William Thompson. HB Page 65

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Rugby 1st XV Played 10 Won 8 Drawn 1 Lost 1 For 266 Against 65 v Winchester House (A) v S. Anselm's (A) v Bromsgrove (A) v Winterfold (H) v Bilton Grange (A) v Abberley (A) v Ellesmere (H) v St Mary's Hall (H) v Prestfelde (H) v Terra Nova (A)

Won Won Lost Won Abandoned Won Won Won Won Won

15 - 10 22 - 10 0-7 38 - 7 0-0 17 - 0 30 - 0 20 - 12 58 - 7 66 - 12

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Let’s adjust the football and rugby seasons, we agreed, so that both sports would have more and tougher - fixtures. But as we boarded the coach for our first match after only a few days practice behind us, to compete against a school that has a very strong rugby reputation and that had been playing for half a term, I have to confess that I feared that we may have been asking too much too soon. Oh me of little faith! Unsurprisingly, the match was not of the highest quality, but what emerged very clearly was the tremendous character of this team – determination, tenacity, commitment, resilience and team-work – that would ultimately play such a vital part in a hugely successful and rewarding season. The highlight of the season, reported elsewhere in more detail, was undoubtedly the match against S. Anselm’s at Welford Road, home ground of premiership rugby team, Leicester Tigers. What a treat that was, and how well looked after we were by hosts, Sedbergh School, and by everyone at the ground. Another well-deserved win, but memories will be of changing in the Tigers’ changing room, of running through the tunnel and onto the pitch, of playing under floodlights, and of the acres of space for flowing prep school rugby. A truly great day. Sadly I was unable to join the team at Bromsgrove for the next match, our only defeat. I’m told that we struggled to get on the front foot but that we tackled tremendously well in the face of some sizeable opponents. We learnt some lessons, not least that our next encounter would be a tough one, for Winterfold had earlier defeated Bromsgrove and had remained unbeaten… We won 38-7, arguably the strongest performance of the season in all departments of the team. The forwards, spearheaded by the bulldozing charges of William Barlow and Patrick Phillips, were dominant, with the physical presence and resolve of Freddie Thomson, Stamos Fearnall, Charlie Adams, and Henry Don, combining admirably with the pace and ball-winning skills of Gus Langford and Fergus Connolly. Scrum-half Monty Curran Page 66

Leicester Tigers’ changing room

linked beautifully with the backs, whilst fly-half Jamie Humes, such a natural talent, kept the opposition guessing, invariably wrongly, with his darts, deft passes and dummies. Captain Johnny Woodhead, steadfast in defence, seized every opportunity to make decisive breaks, and Freddie Earlam was increasingly dangerous both as a runner and as a creator of space for the back three. William Schofield danced around opponents on one wing, whilst Jake Samuel’s dynamism and direct approach exploited the tiniest of gaps on the other; and Peregrine Beckett could always be relied upon to change the direction of attack from full-back. A very fine all-round performance indeed. More first-rate rugby followed, and it was good to see ‘youngsters’ Harry Jenkinson (an impressive try and debut against Abberley), Edward Hurle (times his runs perfectly), Edward Stanton (one of the best ruckers in the team) and Leo Sartain (gets his head down and goes), making such a positive impression over the course of the season.

This was a thoroughly rewarding group of boys to coach. They made tremendous progress as a team and as individuals, were very well led by Johnny Woodhead, and they adopted exactly the right spirit. The team played exciting, flowing rugby, keeping the ball in-hand and alive as much as possible when in attack and tackling aggressively in defence. My thanks to them all for their application and attitude throughout. My thanks, too, to all the parents who supported so loyally, and to the everpatient and wholly efficient back-room team of matrons, laundry ladies, kitchen staff, tea-ladies and groundsmen. Squad: Peregrine Beckett, William Schofield, Jake Samuel, Freddie Earlam, Johnny Woodhead* (Capt), Jamie Humes*, Monty Curran, Patrick Phillips*, William Barlow*, Freddie Thomson, Gus Langford, Edward Hurle, Edward Stanton, Fergus Connolly, Stamos Fearnall, Henry Don*, Charlie Adams, Leo Sartain, Harry Jenkinson. NTW

the tunnel on to the pitch – certainly the largest that any of them had played on. A great moment. A brief warm-up followed, What an amazing experience for the 1st XV! and then the long-awaited kick-off. It was a very closely fought match, and although On Wednesday 11th November at 5.30pm Packwood recorded a pleasing 22-10 win, it we kicked-off our match against S. Anselm’s, not here at Packwood as originally was the occasion itself that mattered most. planned, but under floodlights at Welford The Sedbergh v Wellington match was Road, home ground of Leicester Tigers. outstanding, with Sedbergh having to dig

Packwood 1st XV plays at ground of Leicester Tigers

The occasion arose from a very kind invitation from Sedbergh School, who had secured use of Welford Road for their match against Wellington College: ‘the best of the north v. the best of the south’. There was the opportunity for a curtain-raiser match, and Packwood and S. Anselm’s were offered this tremendous privilege. Needless to say we accepted! On arrival at the ground, the players were ushered into the Leicester Tigers’ changing room. Sitting on the benches used in the past by the likes of Martin Johnson, Will Greenwood, Neil Back and Austin Healey, they changed for the match and ran out of

deep to hold off a determined fight-back by Wellington. It was a late return to Packwood, but nobody minded – the boys had enjoyed a fantastic and unforgettable experience. An extract from the thank you letter sent to the Headmaster of Sedbergh by our captain of rugby, Johnny Woodhead, says it all: “From the minute we arrived we were brilliantly looked after. Changing in the same room that Martin Johnson has done was a huge honour….I thought that the atmosphere was brilliant and I have never experienced anything like it before. I have still got mud on my knees from the ground and I am never washing it off.” NTW

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2nd XV Played 12 Won 10 Lost 2 For 363 Against 93 v. Winchester House (A) v. S. Anselm’s (A) v. Bromsgrove (A) v. Moor Park 1st XV (A) v. Abberley (H) v. Ellesmere (H) v. St Mary’s Hall (H) v. Prestfelde (A) v. Wrekin (A) v. Oswestry (H) v. Kingsland Grange 1st XV (A) v. Yarlet (A)

Won Won Won Lost Won Won Lost Won Won Won Won Won

12 - 8 52 - 0 19 - 10 15 - 29 26 - 0 17 - 5 5 - 15 70 - 0 38 - 7* 54 - 0 19 - 14* 36 - 5 *

* ‘A’ team fixture

kind in this regard to allow us to do so, it is testament also to the hard work put in by the whole team on their passing skills and also an indicator of their willingness to play with a degree of flair. We have been complimented several times by opposition coaches and spectators on our positive style of play and we have never relied upon any individual Despite below par performances against Moor Park 1st XV and St Mary’s player to make the difference, preferring the team ethic to remain Hall, in the first half of which match we were second best in every area, the important. team has produced some excellent running rugby, great resilience and Invidious though it may be to single out any individuals, I would like to stout defence. All these qualities and more were required to grind out an thank Angus Campbell in particular for serving as 2nd team captain and impressive result in our first game against a strong and competitive performing his duties with efficiency and good grace. Mention should Winchester House: what an outstanding way to get off the mark. be made also of Harry Schofield who has not only been a most reliable There have been many highlights, but none greater than the excellent kicker from hand, but managed a ‘full house’ of conversions (ten victory away at Bromsgrove. Trailing 10-5 at half time against a very successful kicks from ten tries) against Prestfelde. Well done to him. accomplished and previously unbeaten side, we played without doubt our best spell of rugby of the season producing two excellent tries, the second Without wishing to overuse a much worn cliché, these boys have been a one going through many pairs of hands before being expertly finished on pleasure to work with and indeed to take away to matches. They have the wing (that’s how it should be, isn’t it?) to seal the victory and ensure a done themselves a great deal of credit and represented the school very well in every respect. I thank them all for their efforts and good company. weary but happy journey home. Looking at these results and knowing that the team scored an average of almost thirty points per game whilst conceding only seven, it is not difficult to understand why this has been another highly successful and enjoyable season.

Though we have lacked size, we have never taken a backward step, and the forwards have been magnificent all season not only in securing their own ball, but helping themselves to an indecent amount of the opposition’s as well! Extra encouragement can be derived from the fact that a good percentage of these boys will be available for selection again next year: what a prospect! We have tried always to move the ball quickly, ensure continuity and exploit the pace in the side, and whilst the weather may have been quite

Squad: Angus Campbell (Capt), Archie Fetherstonhaugh, George Platt, Leo Sartain, , Hamish Neill, Elliot Robinson-Boulton, Charlie England, Toby Mason, Toby Thomson, Archie Thomason, Harry Jenkinson, Yutaro Sato, Edward Dolphin, Edward Stubbs, Oliver Tennant, Alfie Grocott, Jamie Moir, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Edward Hurle, Edward Stanton, Harry Schofield (‘A’ team: Gus Langford, Patrick Phillips, Will Barlow, Stamos Fearnall, Monty Curran, Will Schofield, Peregrine Beckett, Freddie Thomson) KJW

3rd XV The third XV played Played 5 Won 3 Lost 2 some very expansive For 167 Against 53 rugby this season and v S. Anselm’s (A) Won 55 - 0 it was attractive to v Bromsgrove (A) Lost 7 - 15 watch. The boys v Winterfold (H) Won 38 - 7 started off the season v Abberley (H) Won 48 - 5 with lots of v St Mary’s Hall (H) Lost 19 - 26 conditioning drills which strengthened their bodies to be able to play this type of game. Fitness was also a core ingredient to the plan. While we were able to match any team for size, skill and pace, the boys outplayed most teams with their understanding of the game plan and what was expected of every individual player. We had much fun during the season and these young men were a pleasure to coach. Well done boys! Squad: Robert Waterhouse, Edward Graves, Korn Pithayanukul, Thomas Marques, Hugo Rowland, Jamie Moir, Ned Hall, Alfie Grocott, Joe Davies, Anto Woodhead, Harry Schofield, Will Bruce, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Daishi Suzuki, Oliver Pumphrey, Barney Preece. FMA Page 67

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4th XV Played 5 Won 3 Lost 2 For 171 Against 86 v Bromsgrove 5th XV v Bilton Grange v Ellesmere 3rd XV v St Mary’s Hall v Wrekin Under 12 A

(A) (A) (H) (H) (A)

Lost Won Won Lost Won

5 - 36 48 - 0 17 - 15 26 - 35 75 - 0

As usual, the fourth XV had an interesting selection of fixtures against teams of hugely varying abilities. In some matches we had to fight every inch of the way, whilst others resembled a walk in the park! Our opening match at Bromsgrove was probably the toughest, all the more so because we had only been playing for a few days and they had been playing all term; but we certainly put up a good battle and they had to work hard for their victory. We learned a lot that day and put those lessons into practice soon afterwards at Bilton Grange, when we dominated throughout and scored some great tries. Then came two really

close games – one against Ellesmere which we won in the dying seconds; and one against St Mary’s Hall in which the opposition proved just a little too strong. We ended our season with a big win at Wrekin, but in truth we derived much more satisfaction from the close-fought encounters. Lots of boys made a valuable contribution to the team, but worthy of special mention are Henry Oak and Alejandro Cros for their scintillating runs; Charlie Cooke, Paul Sharpe and Ned Hall for their good play in the backs; and Patrick Haszard and George Burrell for their hard work in the ‘engine-room’.

Team: Ned Hall (Capt), Patrick Haszard, William Bayliss, George Burrell, Tom Hancocks, Felix Thomas-Davies, Sebastian Heywood, Charlie Beckett, Archie David, Charlie Cooke, Matt White, Paul Sharpe, Freddie Perkins, Henry Oak, Alejandro Cros, Guillermo Arrechea. HB

Under 11A XII Played 9 Won 8 Lost 1 For 366 Against 52 v Winchester House v S. Anselm’s v Moor Park v Bromsgrove v Bilton Grange v Abberley v Winterfold v Prestfelde v Terra Nova

(A) (A) (H) (H) (A) (A) (H) (H) (A)

Lost Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won

14 - 19 56 - 0 35 - 0 63 - 7 35 - 0 14 - 12 49 - 0 49 - 7 51 - 7

The virtues of team sports are not a secret but it is a long list and this is not the time or the place. However, suffice is to say that although there are plenty they do seem to get forgotten by many, and not just the players. The vintage of 2009 were indeed a good side; there were several in the C team that in other years could have represented the full Colts side. There were also plenty of players playing out of position or rather out of their favoured position. With this year group in mind in particular, an important fact to digest is that disappointment and failure are not only part and parcel of sport but also vital. And so to the season and our first match against the much-respected Winchester House team. We were winning, then we were losing and as the final whistle went we were camped on their line. A loss and plenty of lessons learnt. S. Anselm’s and Moor Park were beaten in the next two matches and the team was beginning to come together, and then came Bromsgrove..... The team were lucky to play on the first XV pitch and the wide open spaces were exploited to the full. Cameron McDonald was outstanding and scored six tries in this match – but rugby is not a one-man game and the space for him to do Page 68

so was created by immense team work. Great rucking and sublime passing meant that some of the tries were third or fourth phase. It really was a joy to watch and the highlight of the season by far. The other matches were all won despite the team never quite reaching the same heights again - which is not surprising as that performance was of such a high standard – the best rugby I have seen from a Colts team at Packwood or anywhere else, ever. It was evident in patches again but never for an entire match. Rory Davies was immense, whether attacking or defending he could not have led by a better example. Bertie Jenkinson was always in the right place at the right time – no higher praise could be given to anyone. Andrew Tudor ate fly halves for fun – and anyone else who got in his way – and Edward Beard could have played anywhere, but at flanker/second row he was the difference between a good side and a quite breathtaking one. His kicking was not bad either – he did not miss one all season.

Jacob Rand was a joy to watch, a joy to teach and a sheer joy to have in the side – not a joy to play against though. The backs were all small, all nippy and all huge in heart. Archie Connolly converted into a fly half to add some size but it was the deftness of his passing that grabbed the headlines just as much as his defence. Jonty Schofield was a scrum half every coach would want, Jonty Hall came into the side late and had the running lines of a pro. Freddie Fielding, Freddie Beharrell, Cameron McDonald, Archie Waterworth and David Schofield were all awesome and quite bedazzling running forward and lionhearted in defence. When they were good they were amazing, when they were bad they were good. Simple as that – and a delight to coach. Team: Rory Davies (Capt), Freddie Beharrell, Archie Connolly, Bertie Jenkinson, Andrew Tudor, Edward Beard, Jacob Rand, Jonty Schofield, Cameron McDonald, Freddie Fielding, Jonty Hall, Archie Waterworth, David Schofield. DR

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Under 11B XII Played 9 Won 8 Lost 1 For 274 Against 55 v Winchester House B v Bromsgrove B v Bilton Grange B v Abberley B v Prestfelde/S’bury RFC v Terra Nova A/B v Kingsland Grange A v Ellesmere A

(A) (H) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (H)

Lost Won Won Won Won Won Won Won

17 - 19 12 - 10 55 - 0 26 - 7 12 - 0 34 - 5 50 - 0 14 - 7

Packwood Sevens Tournament Plate Winners

“There are two ways to fight a bull. There is the easy way, but all the great matadors end up mauled because for them fighting the bull is not nearly as important as how they fight the bull.”Alberto Salazar 2009 – 2010 was a season that stretched from the dark, wet days of November through to the sunnier, wet days at the end of March and over the course of which a blank sheet turned into a side that was named in an end of term assembly as a contender for the best rugby team of the year. It would be strange to begin a report on the Under 11Bs by mentioning coaches of other teams, so obviously that is what I will do. At the beginning of the year I had no players at all. This year’s new crop of talent was courtesy of the previous year’s training grounds of either the Under 9s with Mr Phillips and Mr Wood or the school-of-hard-graft that is Mr Rigby’s Under 11C team. The successes of the season belong to those three coaches for the thorough understanding and love of the game that they had inspired in the boys. Another coach and team that had an enormous influence on the side were Mr Reavill and the Under 11As. The Under 11Bs train with the Under 11As and this

year’s exceptionally talented team helped raise the skills and match readiness of the Bs. The squad was fluid with fierce competition for places; some of the B’s players went over to the A team for a match and never came back!! There are undoubtedly two types of rugby team: fast, skilful, backs with ‘moves’ and big, ugly, forwards with ‘moves’. This team were definitely the latter. From memory we did have a couple of ‘backs’ in the side and, to be fair to them, they were the toughest bunch, I think, that I have coached, conceding fewer points against them than in previous, shorter seasons. Tom Baxter, our ‘man-of-thetournament’ during the Sevens, ran a full pitch to make a tackle. Freddie Houlker brought down player after player in match after match like a man possessed. Jay Jackson recovered from his daily battering in training to play his first ever games of rugby, closing the door firmly on his opposing fly-halves. Team ‘orders’ were to run straight and hard, either scoring tries (‘green-boots-Eddie’ – six; Hugh – four; Tom, Jay, Louis, Jonty, Timmy, Jack – all two) or ‘going-to-ground’ awaiting the arrival of...

... the bulldozer forwards, big (mostly), ugly (all) and this year with try-scoring moves like ‘Blitzkrieg’, ‘Rip and run’ (Captain Bentley two tries), ‘Skittles’ (Scott Walker one try) and of course ‘The Surge’ (Ben – two; Thomas – two; Jacob – two, set up by Guy and Sam). After hours of training and long hard graft, this band of warriors was dominant at the breakdown and set pieces. Their un-greedy sticking to the ‘game plan’ created 12 tries for the eager occupants of the ‘scrum-half armchair’ David and Scott. If you had told me last November that, with the exception of the Winchester House woodwork, nobody would better the Bs, I would not have believed it possible. Fortunately like ‘all the great matadors’ these boys were never afraid to play the hard way. Team: Bentley Moss (Capt), Jacob Rand, Thomas Tulloch, Ben Ricks, Guy Morris, Scott Walker, Sam Bayliss, David Schofield, Scott Hatton, Eddie Thomson, Hugh Davies, Louis Martin, Tom Baxter, Jay Jackson, Timmy Robinson-Boulton, Jonty Hall, Freddie Houlker, Jack Humphreys. NW

Under 11C XII “If I had been a winger, I might have been daydreaming and thinking about how to keep my kit clean for next week.” Bill Beaumont

Played 5 Won 5 For 214 Against 5 v Abberley (H) v Moor Park Under 11B (H) v Bromsgrove Under 10A(H) v Winterfold (H) v Old Hall (H)

Won Won Won Won Won

48 - 0 53 - 0 30 - 5 43 - 0 40 - 0

“In 1823, William Webb Ellis first picked up the ball in his arms and ran with it. And for the next 156 years forwards have been trying to work out why.” Sir Tasker Watkins (1979) I thought I would start with a couple of quotations, as our results speak for themselves. Every year I say this is the best team I have ever coached, but I really do mean it this time. There was no weak link anywhere in the team. It is a credit to the boys, and also a sign of our school’s strength in depth at this age, that I was told by more than one opposition coach that most of our team would make their Under 11A team. A great compliment. Their play was sublime from the power and determination of the forwards, who through superb technique outplayed teams with much bigger boys, to the backs who sniped from scrum half or broke the line at fly half or centre, or the wings who flew and jinked past flailing arms. The parents who came to watch can testify to how well the boys played, and were royally treated to several displays of champagne

rugby. Attacking play is not everything. Defence is key, and as can be seen we tackled like men possessed. Virtually nobody missed a tackle, and several boys took one for the team, as they felt the crunch of someone landing on them. This was a great season and a true team effort. Well done. Squad: Scott Hatton (Capt), Thomas Simpson, Fergus David, Jude Bedford, Guy Morris, Robert Ford, Ollie Clarke, Jack Ashworth, George Hargrave, Edward Myddelton, Patrick Ashall, Chan Kathuria, James Long. SAR Page 69

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Under 11D XII We played four matches, all ending in v Bromsgrove (H) Won 30 - 10 fine victories, v Abberley (H) Won 54 - 0 particularly so against v Winterfold (A) Won 52 - 0 Bromsgrove, who ran v Terra Nova (A) Won 73 - 5 us so close last year. The wealth of talent we had at our disposal made it difficult for Bromsgrove in this match, and the other three victories were achieved in a hack-canter. Played 4 Won 4 For 209 Against 15

Pre-eminent among the squad were Ned Warburton-Lee, bonecrunching against Bromsgrove; Alex Wythe, who was particularly effective at recycling the ball from a maul; James “Hurt me and I’ll hunt you down” Long; Dominic Ainslie, whose snaking runs from his position at scrum-half set up so many of our attacks; Rory CarterMotley, whose “thou-shalt-not-pass” approach at full back produced some thrilling tackles and much despondency among the opposition. The whole team performed well, though, and it was nice that in the final two matches virtually every back figured on the score sheet.

Squad: Rory Carter-Motley (Capt), Harry Marshall, Jamie Channon, Harri Holroyd, Linden Grigg, Charlie Jackson, Dominic Ainslie, Alex Wythe, James Long, Ned Warburton-Lee, Rory Fergusson, Tom Simpson, Johnnie Peel, Zak Nicholas. OJL

Under 11E XII Played 2 Won 2 For 80 Against 20 v Bilton Grange (A) v Bromsgrove U11C (H)

Won Won

20 - 10 60 - 10

For the first time in as many years as I can recall, we had two Under 11E matches. This meant that every single boy in the U11 age group played at least once for Packwood in the rugby term. I took them on the trip to Bilton Grange and had a great time. You might imagine that the boys in this team would be just out to have fun, but no, they Page 70

went to win. They played some excellent rugby, with all the forwards getting stuck in. They drove hard in the scrum; they pushed in the rucks and mauls, and tackled their hearts out. They not only built a foundation for the backs to show their skills, but they also scored tries. Some great play by Alexander, Ralph, Llyr and Oliver led to our success. The backs were led by Simon Waterhouse, who as captain, led by example. He tackled fantastically, and did some brilliant solo runs. He was backed up by Tom, Harry, Theo, Morton, Roly and Loris. They all played their

part, and again tackled like Trojans. I got so excited by their performance that I can’t remember who scored the tries. It doesn’t matter really, as it was a team effort and each boy played his part in the victory. Well done. Squad: Simon Waterhouse (Capt), Llyr Heywood-Jones, Ralph Furse, Oliver Bureau, Alexander Wythe, Tom Hughes, Harry Marshall, Theo Penney, Morton Moss, Roly Hancock, Loris Pattinson. SAR

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Under 9A Played 12 Won 10 Drawn 2 For 360 Against 65 v S. Anselm’s v Moor Park v Winchester House v Terra Nova v Altrincham Prep v Prestfelde v St Mary’s Hall v St Martin’s v Abberley

(A) (H) (A) (A) (A) (H) (H) (H) (A)

Birchfield Tournament v Prestfelde v Birchfield v Abberley

Won Won Drawn Won Won Won Won Drawn Won

30 - 5 35 - 15 10 - 10 70 - 0 45 - 5 25 - 0 25 - 10 10 - 10 35 - 0

Winners Won 20 - 5 Won 30 - 5 Won 25 - 0

The Under 9s proved to be an excellent group of players, and once they had begun to master the basics of the game they produced some exciting and flowing rugby. All of the boys practised their skills with great enthusiasm and as a result improved rapidly over the course of the season. The group consisted of some talented and experienced players and some who had never seen a rugby ball. Thus early practices concentrated on the basics of passing and catching. However the high quality of the squad meant that the more technical aspects of the sport came together earlier than in other years. As always with this age group, a huge amount of progress had been made by Easter. The first match of the season was just after half-term in the autumn term, and it was immediately obvious that the team was of high quality – S. Anselm’s, away, was on paper a strong challenge. An excellent performance led to a comfortable win and set the tone for the season. After a convincing win against Moor Park, there followed our match at Winchester House; a 10-10 draw was the least we deserved for our efforts on a cold and wet afternoon.

The next fixtures came after the Christmas break, and were characterised by outstanding back play, the standard of the passing as good as I have seen at this level. Needless to say, this would not have been possible without the forwards producing a good supply of ball. All the matches were won with relative ease – with one exception! The game of the season was against a very strong St Martin’s side. Both teams played at an exceptionally high level, and the resulting 10-10 scoreline gave a fair picture of the relative strengths of the sides. The Birchfield Tournament at the end of the season gave the team the chance to show their worth, and they responded in excellent fashion. Three comfortable victories ensured they came away as winners of the competition, for the fifth successive year, having played some first class rugby. I am sure the team would like to thank our travel consultants Westlake Tours. With 10

away fixtures scheduled, including Brackley, Bakewell, Worcestershire and Blackburn, we have become one of Packwood’s most travelled sides – to add to our achievements on the field. Sadly the heavy frost at Stonyhurst, resulting in the match being transferred to Packwood, may have cost us the mileage record! In recent years the younger age groups at Packwood seem to have had more than their fair share of rugby talent, and I am sure the school is poised for exciting times over the next three or four years! Well done to all the boys who represented the team, and particular mention to Ali Davies, Daniel Humes, and Nick Yeoward, who all had outstanding seasons. Team: Daniel Humes, Gabriel Connolly, Nick Yeoward, Harry Swinburne, Frank Morris, William Holcroft, Felix Jebb, Ali Davies, Ned Moreau. IRW

Under 9B All members of the team improved significantly on their tackling skills and in the final v S. Anselm’s (A) Won 40 - 10 match of the season against the v Winchester House (A) Lost 5 - 40 strong Abberley team we needed v Abberley (A/B) (A) Lost 5 - 45 to defend heroically. Just like in our game against the very The Under 9B team made excellent progress dominant Winchester House, this season in all aspects of the game. Sadly, the boys had to put their bodies unlike the Under 9A team who had 12 fixtures, on the line against teams with the Bs only managed three and the final game lots of power and pace. Credit was against pretty much the full Abberley must go to all the forwards and A team. scrum half, Jack Goodall for winning the ball very well at Marcus Woodhead led the team by example rucks and mauls. This gave our backs plenty of and played mainly as fly half. He scored the opportunity to pass the ball out and attack the majority of our tries with centre, Rowan Pickstock. Both players are strong runners with opposition. I look forward to seeing how all the the ball and passed effectively to create many of boys progress next season after a very constructive rugby term. Well done! our best attacking opportunities. Played 3 Won 1 Lost 2 For 50 Against 95

Team: Marcus Woodhead (Capt), Harry Myddelton, Alexander Ainsley , Edward Don, Jack Goodall, Rowan Pickstock, Archie Mobbs, Owen Carroll, Michael Turner, Harry Waterworth, Jonty Bright. PJP Page 71

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1st VII Played 22 Won 16 Lost 6 For 652 Against 206 Terrington Hall Tournament Plate Merchiston Lost Ryedale Won Woodleigh Won Pocklington Won Cundall Manor Lost

Semi-finalists 7 - 19 49 - 0 38 - 5 19 - 12 12 - 15

Ellesmere Tournament Wilmslow Old Swinford Arnold Lodge Abberley St. Anselm’s, Birkenhead Abberley

Third Won Won Won Won Lost Won

40 - 12 42 - 0 35 - 7 19 - 14 7 - 14 50 - 0

Packwood Tournament Moor Park Sedbergh Packwood B Bromsgrove St Martin’s Ampleforth St Olave’s

Semi-finalists Won 19 - 0 Won 52 - 0 Won 45 - 0 Lost 12 - 22 Won 31 - 12 Lost 14 - 29

Nationals Rokeby Sedbergh King’s Hall, Taunton Newland House St Olave’s

Quarter-finalists Won 33 - 14 Won 59 - 0 Won 35 - 0 Won 17 - 5 Lost 17 - 26

An extremely successful Sevens rugby season was had by the Under 13s this year. The boys grew in so many ways as the season progressed. As the ‘15 man’ rugby season drew to a close the Sevens rugby intensified. The boys got fitter and their understanding of the Sevens game improved tremendously. There were many highlights for the boys during the season which included doing very well at the various tournaments as well as the overnight trips to York for the Terrington Hall Tournament and to London for The National Schools Sevens Tournament at Rosslyn Park. This was an eye opener for many of them who had not been there before. The season culminated in a great achievement when the boys won a tough group at the National Tournament and then played the winner of another group to make it through to the quarter-finals. The quarter-final match was against St Olave’s and Packwood lost narrowly, 17-26, but it was a very closely contested game that could have gone either way. In the end they finished in the top eight out of 64 participating schools! Well done, boys, on an outstanding season. It has been a pleasure being your coach. Team: Johnny Woodhead, Charlie Adams, Henry Don, Jamie Humes, Freddie Earlam, Jake Samuel, Fergus Connolly. FMA

Colts VII This was not a great team. Fact. They became a great team. Fact. Great is an overused word. Fact. Not in this article. Fact. The first Sevens outing of the year for this team was the very impressive tournament at Rugby. Packwood were well beaten in all three group matches and finished bottom of the group. Despite rallying ourselves to take victory in the final of the Bowl, we travelled back with tails firmly between legs. There then followed much practice, plenty of shouting, a huge amount of thinking, more practice and more shouting – a regular cycle emerged. Unfortunately the Moulsford tournament was rained off which left fewer opportunities to redeem ourselves and a potentially disappointing season loomed. Then, during the Packwood tournament the team gelled and got better and better and did not ever regress. The teams we beat and the scores we won by are documented elsewhere but they are not as important as the sheer quality of the standard of play that could be witnessed. It was the first time the Packwood tournament had been won by the hosts for many, many years, 57–0 in the final against Winchester House, and things were still going to get better. Mention must also be made here of the strength in depth in the Under 11 age group – the Packwood B VII won the plate at the Packwood tournament too – a fantastic achievement. The A team then travelled to the Downs – a renowned tournament that we were visiting for the first time. We beat Millfield and then the hosts in the final with the parents delighted by Page 72

the quality and the style of our play. We did not run through people; we created space, made the right decisions and played with complete patience and utter confidence. It was more than a joy to watch. Then to Caldicott – 16 teams and not one weak one. Shrewsbury House were fancied, along with plenty of others. They were beaten not only in the group stage but also in the final. Caldicott is generally regarded as the best and highest quality Sevens tournament in the country. It is therefore not outrageous to say that this season, the Packwood VII were simply the best Under 11 Sevens team in the country. They were that good. Rory Davies and Archie Connolly owned the middle of the pitch – completely. Ed Beard was a team player like no other. Freddie Beharrell and Cameron McDonald were fast, elusive, brilliant in defence and never made the wrong decision. Archie Waterworth and David Schofield were interchangeable at scrum half and fly half and they were also a year young. They were great; all of them. As was the quality, the understanding and the ethos of the much travelled subs. They not once let the team down and in other years would have played more. Freddie Fielding, Jonty Schofield,

Tournaments Rugby (Under 11) Packwood (Under 11) The Downs (Under 11) Caldicott (Under 11) Shrewsbury (Under 10)

Bowl Winners Winners Winners Winners Winners

Andrew Tudor, Bertie Jenkinson and Jonty Hall all played crucial roles. I wish them all the best for the next couple of years – they have set the bar rather high. Squad: Archie Connolly, Rory Davies, Ed Beard, Freddie Beharrell, Cameron McDonald, Archie Waterworth, David Schofield, Freddie Fielding, Jonty Schofield, Andrew Tudor, Bertie Jenkinson, Jonty Hall. DR

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Rugby 2009-10

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Hockey Senior Girls The senior girls’ hockey teams had an extremely successful season – not only in terms of results where they only lost one tournament game, but also in the improvement of their skills and adaptation to the newly implemented rules. Coaching the girls for the first time it soon became very evident that there was an abundance of skill within the group, but there was one flaw – the girls were too nice! The squad needed a little more tenacity, aggression and ruthlessness. A couple of players, Charlotte Greenway and Cecy Price had these ‘qualities’ and it slowly became infectious. At a tournament later in the season I overheard a coach telling his team that “Packwood kept winning because they wanted to” and there was more than a little truth in this. The girls were confident in their abilities without being overly so and they possessed a great desire to win. Not knowing the standard of other schools I was pleased with our 1-0 win against Bromsgrove as it acted as a yardstick for the rest of the season. We had speed in attack, a very solid defence and a hard-working midfield. There was a long break before our next game but it gave us time to work on the new rules, especially the self-pass which, when used properly, can be a very effective weapon. However, we became a little match rusty and this resulted in a slow start in the Packwood Tournament, but after an early wake-up call we played some excellent hockey and won the cup. Players were really raising their game with the likes of Immy Hill, Millie Powell and Olivia Wade-Smith dominating the opposition. They couldn’t afford to relax because players such as Tatty

Hunt, Lucy Simpson and Daisy Raichura were pushing them hard for a place in the 7-a-side team. The Denstone Tournament followed and we played exceptional hockey, again emerging victorious. On a high we went to Bromsgrove and lost in the semi-final with the last hit of the game versus Cheltenham Ladies’ College. It was an excellent game between the two best teams in the tournament, one in which we had chances to win but it wasn’t to be. The opposition went on to become the National Champions so that gives you a good idea of what an outstanding season we had! Such was the strength of the first team that players like Islay Stacey, Emelia Lavender and Tilly Cooper who would have easily made made the team on other occasions were constantly ‘knocking on the door’ and waiting for their chance. There were several other girls who in ‘normal’ years would have comfortably found themselves in the first team – players such as Tansy Massey, Francesca Hughes and Holly Shaw. What’s more, an Under 12 game versus Rydal showed me that there are many more girls coming through the ranks with a lot to offer. There were further wins against Moor Park and Abberley and a very impressive victory versus Moreton Hall Under 14s (County Champions) who used us to sharpen themselves up prior to the Regional Championships. Deserved praise should go to the County players – Millie Powell, Charlotte Greenway, Cecy Price, Tira Brown and Charlotte Edwards, with the latter two being chosen for the Midland Elite squad – but the whole

1st XI Played 5 Won 5 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 14 Against 3 v Abberley v Bromsgrove v Moor Park v Moreton Hall v Ellesmere

(A) (A) (H) (A) (H)

Won Won Won Won Won

4-1 1-0 3-1 3-1 3-0

Denstone Tournament

Winners

Packwood Tournament

Winners

Bromsgrove Tournament

Semi-Final

2nd XI Played 4 Won 2 Drawn 2 Lost 0 For 11 Against 6 v Abberley v Moor Park v Ellesmere v Bromsgrove

(A) (H) (H) (H)

Won Won Drawn Drawn

4-1 3-1 1-1 3-3

3rd XI Played 2 Won 0 Drawn 2 Lost 0 For 2 Against 2 v Abberley v Bromsgrove

(A) (H)

Drawn 1 - 1 Drawn 1 - 1

Under 12 Played 1 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 1 Against 0 v Rydal

(A)

Won

1-0

Games group have been a pleasure to coach throughout the season. I look forward to monitoring the progress of the 2009-10 hockey girls as many of them could go on to do great things on the hockey field. MAF 1st team: Tira Brown* (Capt), Laura Cooke, Olivia Wade-Smith, Cecy Price*, Immy Hill*, Charlotte Greenway*, Millie Powell*, Daisy Raichura, Lucy Simpson, Tatty Hunt, Tilly Cooper, Emelia Lavender, Charlotte Edwards, Islay Stacey.

...it soon became very evident that there was an abundance of skill within the group but there was one flaw – the girls were too nice!

1st XI

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2nd XI

3rd XI

2nd team: Rosie Shone, Tansy Massey, Thea Holt-Smith, Maddie Hall, Holly Shaw, Anna Dodd, Olivia Annan, Evie Clutton, Camilla Harvey-Scholes, Saskia Humphreys, Francesca Hughes, Antonia Wordie.

3rd team: Olivia Annan (Capt), Antonia Brine, Jess Clarke, Saskia Humphreys, Maddie Hall, Camilla Harvey-Scholes, Daniella Hatton, Anna Dodd, Thea Holt-Smith, Dot Holt.

Under 11A Played 6 Won 3 Drawn 1 Lost 2 For 13 Against 12 v Bromsgrove v Ellesmere v Lyndon Prep v Moor Park v Abberley v Moreton Hall

(A) (H) (A) (H) (H) (A)

Bromsgrove Tournament

Drawn Won Won Lost Lost Won

1-1 2-1 2-0 1-2 2-7 5-1

Quarter-finals

A challenging start to the season against Bromsgrove ended with a draw, giving us confidence going into the Bromsgrove Tournament. This was the first time I had officially taken the Under 11s and looked at them properly and it gave me a chance to try the girls out in different positions – a challenge they all rose to. We also experimented with different tactics! Ruby Lavender proved she could hold her own in the heart of defence, giving Tia the freedom to become our new centre forward. We finally went out of the tournament to Moor Park in the quarter finals, our goal scored by Poppy Carver. With plenty of parents supporting us from the sideline we clawed a 2-1 win against Ellesmere at home. Some strong tackling and defending won us the match and our determination to come back from a goal down with two strong finishes from Tia Barlow.

played the best hockey they had all season. There were two fine goals from Tia Barlow but these couldn’t have happened without the hard work of all her team mates, in particular Ce-Ce Whittingham’s man-to-man marking of the Lyndon centre forward and Flo Wade-Smith’s tenacity in midfield...and of course some fine saves from our goalkeeper, Ella Downey, in the second half!

With consistent coaching and lots of hard work and determination came a 2-0 win away against Lyndon Prep. I must say this was our finest match. The girls took on board everything they had learnt over the term and

Unfortunately we were pipped to the post in our next match at home to Moor Park. We had a great crowd of parents behind the team but we narrowly lost by one goal. A big loss against Abberley followed – their hockey

skills were the best we had seen all season and we were outplayed. However true to Packwood form we never gave up and pulled two goals back to save face! The girls learnt a lot from that game and I am sure they will go on to train harder next year and progress well with their hockey, for there is a lot of talent there indeed! Team: Ce-Ce Whittingham, Flo Wade-Smith, Ella Downey, Ruby Lavender, Tia Barlow, Beatrice Mostyn Owen, Jemima Price, Poppy Carver. SM

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Under 11B Unfortunately the Under 11 Bs have not had many matches this season. We started off against strong opposition from Moor Park, and showing that practice makes perfect managed to put three good goals past them. Our main game player in that match was Olivia Hughes at centre forward supported by some great, determined tackling from Sacha Robertson and Emily Cooper in defence and midfield. Despite their 3-0 convincing win the girls fought hard for their goals and there were some fine saves from our goalkeeper, Cassie Bedford to keep a clean sheet. Next up were the very strong Abberley to whom we lost by three goals but with our consistent tight defending we managed to keep out a lot more shots on goal. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t break through their defence, but it was a well played match. All the girls worked hard in training with their hockey skills and made strong progress as players and as a team. It is a shame we didn’t have more matches to reflect this. Also as a result of hard work in training, Poppy Carver progressed to make the leap up from B to A team, and Sacha Robertson also made her debut in the A team against Moreton Hall. Well done girls and good luck for next year. Team: Cassie Bedford, Emily Cooper, Tara Beasley, Sacha Robertson, Olivia Hughes, Alice Rees, Harriet Bibby, Esther McLaughlin. SM

Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 3 Against 3 Moor Park Abberley

(H) (H)

Won Lost

3-0 3-0

Under 10 The Under 10 hockey Under 10 team had a difficult Played 5 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 4 term playing against For 2 Against 14 many strong teams. v Bromsgrove (A) Lost 0-7 However, the results v Ellesmere (H) Lost 0-2 are only half the story. v Lyndon Prep (A) Lost 0-3 This hockey term was v Abberley (H) Lost 1-2 a steep learning curve v Moreton Hall (A) Won 1-0 for these girls and at times a difficult one. The girls’ hockey was not the only thing that improved this term – their attitude to sport as a whole changed and each and every one of them matured throughout the term. They learned that despite losing a match, they had to hold their head up high knowing they had played their best hockey. Then a couple of weeks later they had to go back out for the next match believing they were going to win – and, when they lost, they had to do the same all over again. I like to call this ‘character building’! Their first match against Bromsgrove was a very difficult one with Bromsgrove dribbling the ball up and down the pitch and around our girls very quickly. Their victory was emphatic. However, the girls came back stronger for their next match and were determined to try and beat Ellesmere. This match was extremely close and from the sideline it was clear that both teams were desperate to win, but Ellesmere were just able to get the goals on the day. During this game we noticed a very good player in the making – Laura Whittingham who played in defence and was never scared to go in for the tackle in order to try and stop the ball getting to our goal. Laura was also able to hit the ball up the pitch very well getting it to our attacking end quickly. Our next match was against Lyndon Prep. The girls again came onto the pitch hoping they would get a win. The match was close and they fought for the ball throughout but they just could not get it into the back of the net. The star of this game was Isabella Wythe. Isabella had never played hockey before this term but her hockey improved enormously throughout the season and during this particular game her determination and fighting spirit were clear for all to see. Page 76

By this point in the term the girls’ self esteem was rather low and who could blame them?! To top it off the next match was against the well known Abberley. Despite their worry, the match was fantastic! Both teams played very well and the game was very close right up until the whistle was blown for full time. I even found it difficult to umpire as it was so close! The girls narrowly lost but they played the best hockey they had played all term. After this experience they were on a roll and they deservedly won their last match against Moreton Hall. By the end of the term the girls hockey skills had improved enormously and every girl in the team had also matured a lot. They had learned that it really is the taking part that matters and losing a match just gave them even more determination to play better next time. Team: Amelia Tennant, Ellie Hutchings, Beth Cooper, Sophia Price, Alice Shone, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Laura Whittingham, Isabella Wythe, Jess Hunt, Rosie Clarke, Molly Bruce, Georgia Bibby. CH

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Under 9 This was my first Played 3 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 0 season with the For 17 Against 1 Under 9s for Hockey v Lyndon Prep (A) Won 10 - 0 and I was blown v Abberley (H) Won 2-1 away by how quickly v Moreton Hall (A) Won 5-0 they picked up the skills and the rules of the game. They were all full of enthusiasm during training and when they were playing in matches. For all of their matches the Under 9s did not play with a goalkeeper and so their defending skills were pushed to the limit. Lyndon Prep was our first match and although the weather was not on our side this did not dampen the girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; spirits. Lottie Clarke, Freya Beasley, Immy Downey, Ellie Mason and Talullah Blackham worked really hard throughout the match, putting all of their attacking and shooting skills to good use. In this match all the girls rotated so everyone had a go in the different positions. Abberley provided our strongest opposition and as you can see from the result it was a very tough match. The girls had all their skills put to the test and had to work very hard as a team. As the Abberley team was strong up front our defenders, Lottie Hill-Trevor and Chloe Edwards, had to work extremely hard and proved to be a fantastic pair who worked well together. The Moreton Hall match allowed everyone to change their positions again. This resulted in Theodora Jarvis and Romy Grigg finding a

natural defending talent and allowed Lottie Hill-Trevor and Chloe Edwards to experience playing up front. The Under 9s this term have been a pleasure to coach and I am very proud of the way they have learnt the skills and have grown as a team. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hope they can carry on the good work next season!Well done girls! Team: Romy Grigg, Chloe Edwards, Ellie Mason, Freya Beasley, Imogen Downey, Charlotte Clarke, Charlotte Hill-Trevor, Talullah Blackham, Theodora Jarvis. KE

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Netball 1st VII Played 5 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 102 Against 43 v Foremarke v Moreton Hall v Shrewsbury High v Wrekin v Prestfelde

(H) (H) (H) (A) (H)

Won Won Won Lost Won

28 - 8 24 - 0 12 - 7 17 - 21 21 - 7

Sedbergh Tournament

Winners

Under 13 Shropshire County Tournament

Winners

“What a fantastic season! What a terrific team! Rarely have I enjoyed a netball season as much as I have this one. This excellent team, full of energy and enthusiasm, thoroughly deserved their (almost!) unbeaten record. For the first time in number of seasons I had the magic combination of dedicated, skilled players who all shared the most wonderful team spirit.” This was my opening paragraph last year! When I wrote it, I couldn’t imagine that I would feel such elation and pride again so soon, but then I didn’t foresee the incredible season that I would experience just a year later... In hindsight I should have been able to predict that this would go down in history as our most successful season; after all, we have waited with excited anticipation for this abundance of talent to reach the dizzy heights of the senior squad! Back when they were mere Under 11 starlets we could see the potential they had and knew that together they would be something pretty special... and they were! It is a shame that more matches could not have been played to enhance an already impressive score sheet, but I’m a firm believer in quality not quantity so four outstanding wins out of five matches will do me just fine! An unbeaten season would have been wonderful and nothing less than the girls deserved but, for me, this season was all about the two tournaments we entered and won! The Sedbergh School Invitation Netball Tournament was held in November and not during an October exeat weekend as in previous years. This made it difficult to arrange the usual overnight stay which was a great shame. However, I must say that the absence of a two hour pizza, fizzy pop and Haribo-induced sleep the evening before had a dramatic impact on the girls’ performances that sunny Sunday morning! We won our group convincingly, played against Mowden in the semi-finals and met Terrington Hall in the final. A great match was won and Immy Hill held aloft the winning trophy with pride that afternoon. We were also honoured for our performances as The Best Attack and Best Page 78

Defence. The journey home was a good one, rounded off nicely with a celebratory McDonald’s! For the third year running, Packwood organised and ran the Shropshire Under 13 County Netball Tournament. As in previous years this was held at the Sundorne Sports Village and involved an awful lot of cooperation and patience from the girls as I had to switch between organiser and coach. With the hugely appreciated support of Lucy Tressider and former Packwood pupil, Hannah Cadwallader, the event ran smoothly and, for me, was one of my proudest days as a netball coach.

I will just say that never before has a team been so worthy of a title and that the Packwood 1st VII truly is the number one Under 13 netball team in Shropshire! The Shropshire County Netball Tournament has been played for many years. It is a prestigious event and is the opportunity for Packwood to play against teams we would not normally meet and as such it provides a real test of how strong we are. Success at this high level is greatly respected and, although we have always competed exceptionally well, the winning trophy has previously eluded us – until the spring of 2010! I could write in great depth about how superbly well the girls played, how magnificently they performed and how outstanding they were on court. Instead,

I will just say that never before has a team been so worthy of a title and that the Packwood 1st VII truly is the number one Under 13 netball team in Shropshire! Immy Hill has been a fine first team captain. She has guided her team with maturity, led by exceptional example and has supported them through an incredible season. Congratulations must be extended to three young ladies who were selected for and attended the Shropshire Under 14 County Satellite Academy. Tira Brown, Immy Hill and Charlotte Greenway were recognised as talented athletes by a panel of highly experienced Shropshire and regional netball coaches. It really has been such a privilege and pleasure working with such motivated and talented players who share the same passion and desire to succeed. All the girls have given everything and aspired to extremely high standards. It has been an exhilarating experience knowing and coaching each player and it is with great sadness that I bid farewell to this year’s first VII. This is the end of a long and happy journey with many of them and I sincerely thank them for all they have given over the years. Team: Immy Hill (Capt) *, Olivia Wade-Smith *, Rosie Shone *, Tira Brown *, Charlotte Greenway *, Cecy Price *, Lucy Simpson *, Laura Cooke*. LW

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2nd VII The statistics clearly tell the story of our netball season and what a great success it was. We scored a huge number of goals and conceded comparatively few.

Played 6 Won 5 Drawn 1 Lost 0 For 97 Against 25 v Foremarke v Moreton Hall v Shrewsbury High v Moor Park v Wrekin v Prestfelde

(H) (H) (H) (H) (A) (H)

Won Won Drawn Won Won Won

9-6 14 - 0 8-8 26 - 0 19 - 3 21 - 8

The team was made up of a very able squad of girls who played clean and well-disciplined netball throughout the season. Each Under 12 Shropshire senior girl in the squad had a turn County Tournament 3rd to be captain. The usual line-up Under 12 Packwood Tournament 3rd was Charlotte Edwards and Daniella Hatton as our very addition, some of the seconds reliable shooters, Tatty Hunt, Daisy Raichura and Maddie Hall fluently linking up the centre played in two Under 12 tournaments in both of which we finished a respectable third court play and our indomitable defence of and showed some great potential. Olivia Annan, Tilly Cooper and Millie Powell. Despite some convincing victories against Moreton Hall, Moor Park, Wrekin and Prestfelde, there were also some nail-biting moments as well, particularly against Foremarke and Shrewsbury High School. In

However, back to the team as a whole, and congratulations on an unbeaten season, girls. I would also like to thank Miss Willis for her invaluable input in practice sessions. Well done to all.

Team: Daniella Hatton, Daisy Raichura, Tilly Cooper, Olivia Annan, Tatty Hunt, Millie Powell (Capts), Charlotte Edwards, Maddie Hall, Holly Shaw, Antonia Brine, Dot Holt. GW

3rd VII A mixture of old and new was the base upon which the team was formed. Some old dogs performed new tricks, whilst some younger and inexperienced girls came along for the ride too. Essentially this was no usual third VII. These girls would normally have been in the second team, but this year the standard was simply outstanding. I think the results speak for themselves! Defensively Saskia Humphries, Dot Holt and Fran Hughes performed some brilliant interceptions. In centre court Milla Harvey Scholes kept to her defensive duties well and supported her centres of Holly Shaw and Islay Stacey. Emelia Lavender steadied the ship and made some timely passes and slowed the game down at important times. Finally the duo of Antonia Brine and Tansy Massey in the shooting circle was a revelation. Their

understanding of each other’s positions and increasing confidence to shoot from further out was a real highlight of the season. As a coach the most memorable match has to be the win against Wrekin College. They have superb facilities, their coaches are of the highest quality and they are renowned for their netball success. So how refreshing it was to go and play decent netball and come away with the win. Well done girls! Team: Islay Stacey, Tansy Massey, Emelia Lavender, Camilla Harvey-Scholes, Saskia Humphries, Dot Holt, Francesca Hughes, Holly Shaw, Antonia Brine. KLP

Played 3 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 48 Against 7 v Wrekin College (A) Won v Shrewsbury High School (H) Won v Moreton Hall (H) Won

27 - 1 11 - 5 10 - 1

4th VII Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 21 Against 21 v Shrewsbury High v Wrekin

(H) (A)

Won Lost

11 - 5 10 - 16

This has been a positive and rewarding season for the fourth VII squad and it has been a real pleasure watching every player across the senior age group enjoying the opportunity to play competitively and to represent Packwood. Our first match was at home to Shrewsbury High School. Despite a little apprehension at the start, confidence soon shone through and this match proved to be a fantastic way to start the season. We played some excellent netball

and won with a very impressive score of eleven goals to five. Our second and final match was against Wrekin College. This was a brilliant game as it gave the fourth VII a real taste of what a highly competitive match is like. We worked incredibly hard right up until the final whistle and did ourselves proud with our performance, despite the final score. The fourth VII were a great bunch of girls who were always willing to get out on court and give it their ‘best shot!’ I really enjoyed working with each and every player and I thank them for their efforts.

Team: Anna Dodd, Emily Ford, Georgina Thurston, Jess Clarke, Nicole Ashall, Charlotte Dixon, Thea Holt-Smith, Ceri Lloyd, Sophie Mason. LW Page 79

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Under 11A

Under 11B

Played 3 Drawn 1 Lost 2 For 18 Against 24

Played 4 Won 0 Drawn 1 Lost 3 For 23 Against 34

v Foremarke v Old Hall v Moor Park

v Old Hall v Moor Park v Prestfelde v Ellesmere

(H) (A) (A)

Drawn 8 - 8 Lost 3-6 Lost 7 - 10

Prestfelde Tournament 3rd

(A) (A) (A) (A)

Lost Drawn Lost Lost

3-5 2-2 9 - 12 9 - 15

S. Anselms Tournament Quarter -finals

The Under 11 A squad have had a slightly disrupted netball season with two fixtures versus Shrewsbury High School and Prestfelde being cancelled. As a result we have not had as much chance to shine as we deserved and unfortunately we travelled to the S. Anselm’s tournament with a depleted squad so were unable to improve on the second place finish we achieved last year, as I had hoped. In the end we only had three matches but in all of these we showed that we are a team of dedicated, skilled players who all share a fantastic enthusiasm for the game and great team spirit. The games were all very close and we have played some excellent netball with great linkage up the court. Every team member’s skills have progressed very well. We also played some close matches at the Prestfelde tournament. With Bea Mostyn-Owen and Tia Barlow linking up to shoot and Ruby Lavender stepping up to Goal Defence we provided strong opposition for the other teams and fought our way through to the semi finals. In a tight match against Old Hall we played our neatest netball yet and were unlucky not to progress to the final. Well done, girls, and good luck next year! Team: Ce-Ce Whittingham, Flo Wade-Smith, Beatrice Mostyn-Owen, Jemima Price, Tia Barlow, Harriet Bibby, Ruby Lavender, Ella Downey, Poppy Carver. SM

Under 10A Played 4 Won 3 Lost 1 For 27 Against 39 v Foremarke (H) v Shrewsbury High (H) v Lyndon Prep (H) v Old Hall (H)

Won Won Won Lost

5-1 6-3 9-3 7 - 32

The Under 10A team have enjoyed a successful netball term with only one defeat out of four matches. The girls began the season ready to play hard during every match in order to win. Right from the start of the term the girls played well and winning their first match against Foremarke gave them all a great boost of confidence. We defended the ball well and our passes up the court were quick and accurate meaning that the ball got to our attacking end quickly. By the second match the girls had practised hard and were really starting to work together as a team. This was a tough match against a very determined Shrewsbury High School team, but our girls won again. In their third match the team were looking to extend their winning streak and played extremely well against Lyndon Prep. Throughout the game the ball was passed quickly up the court to our two reliable shooters, Amelia Tennant and Molly Bruce to score the goals.

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The scores above don’t tell the whole story! Despite the losses they have all been closely contested matches with lots of goals and some great netball. It has been a pleasure to coach such an enthusiastic group of girls who have all been so willing to learn and improve their netball skills. In particular Esther McLaughlin’s hard work in defence paid off with her and Cassie Bedford receiving Players of the Match awards at the S. Anselm’s tournament (where they represented a mixed team of Under 11s and Under 10s). They applied what they had learnt in training in every game they played, even against the toughest opposition. Sacha Robertson took on the role of Centre at the start of the season where she played a vital role in helping the centre court link together to get the ball to the shooters.

The last match was slightly disappointing for the girls, but the result does not reflect our excellent play during the game. Our opponents were simply able to get the ball up to their attacking end and into their goal more times than we were! However, our girls fought for the ball and gave Old Hall a tough game. The Under 10A team have enjoyed a super netball term and I am proud to have been their coach. Well done girls. Team: Alice Shone, Sophia Price, Ellie Hutchings, Amelia Tennant, Molly Bruce, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Eliza Beckett, Isabella Wythe, Jess Hunt. CH

The Under 11 Bs have had a close season with plenty of goals and have shown some brilliant work in defence from Esther, Olivia Hughes and Cassie Bedford. The shooting has been shared between Poppy Carver, Tara Beasley, Emily Cooper and Alice Rees all of whom have scored many goals for the team. Poppy Carver progressed to the A team in the last half of the season due to dedicated training in between matches. Well done to all for a well played season of netball. Team: Emily Cooper, Olivia Hughes, Cassie Bedford, Alice Rees, Sacha Robertson, Esther McLaughlin, Tara Beasley SM

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Under 10B Throughout the term there are several girls who consistently played very well. Georgia Bibbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s netball skills improved enormously during the term and in every match she put 100% effort into her defending. In the central part of the court Annie Livermore also improved over the season becoming a very quick player who threw accurately and always caught the ball. These good ball skills enabled her to become a good link between the defending and the attacking end of the court. Every girl who represented the team this season tried her hardest in all of the matches, and they should all be proud of themselves.

Played 4 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 4 For 4 Against 30 v Shrewsbury High v Terra Nova v Old Hall v Ellesmere

(H) (A) (H) (A)

Lost Lost Lost Lost

0-4 0 - 15 3-6 1-5

The results from the Under 10B team matches do not reflect how the girls played this season. During games lessons they worked hard, practising their ball skills, passing accurately and catching well. They also played a lot of matches against the Under 10A team which enabled them to practise working as a team. Unfortunately for our girls the sides they played against this term were all of a very high standard. However, this did not stop us fighting for the ball during every match. Towards the end of the term the girls started to gain more confidence and play even better. We narrowly lost against Old Hall and enjoyed a good game against Ellesmere College.

Team: Amber Gibbins, Annie Livermore, Clary Haynes, Georgia Bibby, India Holt, Laura Whittingham, Pip Vickers, Rosie Clarke, Beth Cooper. CH

Under 9 What a fantastic term! The girls have had a successful unbeaten netball season, and with their enthusiasm and energy they really deserved it!

Played 3 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 42 Against 5 v Prestfelde v Old Hall v Terra Nova

(H) (H) (A)

Won Won Won

13 - 2 15 - 2 14 - 1

Our first match was against Terra Nova where we played high five netball - this is a version of the game where there are five positions and the girls rotate throughout the game. The girls picked the game up really well and played as a strong team. The format also gave us the chance to try different positions that we would not normally play in, which meant we saw Chloe Edwards shine as a Goal Shooter, Romy Grigg and Theodora Jarvis defend well and Talullah Blackham work hard as a Centre. Our next match was against Old Hall where we played a full 7 a-side match. In this match the girls again worked well as a team and adapted well to having players on the wings too. Our shooters, Freya Beasley and Talullah Blackham were again on fine form managing to receive the ball from the other players and helping each other get it through the net. Ellie Mason and Lottie Clarke shared the positions of Centre and Wing Attack, attacking well and not letting their markers get between them and the ball. Our last match was against Prestfelde where the girls switched back to high five netball. We rotated the positions and it was great to see that since the beginning of term our confidence had grown and that we were willing and able to play any position on the court. We played some lovely, flowing netball thanks to fantastic footwork and excellent team work.

Well done girls. Another super season, full of energy and fun. It has been a pleasure to teach you and again I am very proud of you. Good luck next year! Team: Romy Grigg, Chloe Edwards, Ellie Mason, Freya Beasley, Imogen Downey, Charlotte Clarke, Talullah Blackham, Theodora Jarvis. KE

Under 8 Played 1 Won 1 For 4 Against 1 v Birchfield

(H)

Won

4-1

There was only one fixture for the Under 8s this season but we really made the most of the opportunity to play a competitive game. We played very well as a team and, with some fantastic passing from all and some superb shooting from Olivia Moir and Sophia Bureau, we went on to win. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the match and it was a good experience for them. Well done girls and good luck next year! Team: Zephia Barlow-Evans, Sophia Bureau, Anna Cowan, Louisa Jarvis, Georgia Krannreuther, Olivia Moir, Seren Pattinson, Zara Vickers. KE Page 81

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Lacrosse Under 13A Played 15 Won 15 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 118 Against 16 v Westonbirt Under 14 v Westonbirt Under 13 v Cheltenham Ladies’ v Withington Girls’ v Queen’s Chester v Moreton Hall v Withington Girls’ U14 v Moreton Hall v Queen’s Chester Midlands Tournament v Wycombe Abbey v Godstowe v Malvern St James Semi-final v Bedford High A Final v St Helen & St Katharine

(A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (A) (H) (A) (A)

Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won

5-4 9-1 8-0 15 - 1 9-1 11 - 3 15 - 2 7-1 13 - 1

Winners Won 4 - 2 Won 4 - 0 Won 4 - 0 Won

6-0

Won

1-0

Just look at these statistics! They are the best ever in the school’s history! I had a sneaky feeling this team was going to have a pretty good season, but the girls overwhelmed me with their strength, skill and tenacity. There were so many great moments. The season began with our tour to the Cotswolds. We enjoyed good games against Westonbirt’s Under 14s and Under 13s. Play was a little erratic at times, but good foundations were laid. After wonderful hospitality, we played against Cheltenham Ladies’ the next day. Our performance was powerful and polished, with some fine goals in the second half. At Withington, attacking play varied between fantastic and very laboured – at least the girls realised the difference! Defences learnt to communicate better throughout the game and understand the importance of this. We were still the stronger team by far. Our attacking around the goal improved during the Queen’s match. Our girls had to realise that the ball carrier must move the ball on quickly, and enable good cuts to be rewarded… It’s a team game! Moreton Hall tested our stick work and game strategy. Their defences were tight and so our cuts had to be faster and more creative. It was a good wake-up call, even though on paper it appeared a comfortable win! In December we played Withington’s Under 14s. They afforded us plenty of room in attack, but pleasingly we kept our concentration and did not let up on the goal scoring. Another tidy game against Moreton Hall followed in January which demonstrated the need for tighter stick work, speed and holding strongly in defence. We did a good day’s work at the Midlands Tournament! Our toughest game in the group matches was the first, against Wycombe Abbey. At least it kept our defence on their toes even if our attack were holding onto the ball a little too long. In the semi-finals we had a great game against Bedford High A – probably our best of the day. It gave our attacks buckets of confidence for the final! St Helen & St Katherine were a well-coached team, we would have to mean business from the first moment. Tira Brown did just that and scored a sensational goal. Our defence held their attacks in midfield. Immy Hill and Olivia Wade-Smith played superbly here, where Charlotte Greenway supported them and initiated our drives to goal. Their first class goalie saved all (possibly ten) of our subsequent shots on goal try as we did we could not increase our lead. Luckily 1-0 was enough for us to be jubilant Midlands Champions again. I once read that “Attacks win matches, defences win tournaments” – How true this was on this occasion. Our attacks were good, but our defences were rock solid! Page 82

We finished the season in fine style at Queen’s. Our stick work was strong, our play was fast, our game was sound. I reflected afterwards upon the high quality of all-round skills that the girls had mastered, and this was, without doubt, the best squad we have ever turned out from Packwood. Very well done girls, and thank you for playing the game to your utmost. We have had an unbelievable season. My grateful thanks go to all those who have supported me throughout the year. Firstly to my lacrosse captain, Olivia Wade-Smith, who has played her part superbly, bringing out the best in her team members. To Phil Mold and his team of groundsmen, thank you for producing our fine pitches to play on… and struggling against moles, badgers and the weather! To the kitchen staff, thank you for all the refreshments, team teas, picnic lunches and late suppers. Lastly, as an era comes to the end down in the laundry at Park House, to Gwennan and Sue, for always making sure our team kit is spick and span to the highest standard. And I say a final thank and goodbye to our splendid girls’ matrons for putting out our kit and supervising the changing rooms. It is all this background work that contributes hugely to our success in matches. So you see ‘the team’ extends way beyond the list of girls below. Squad: Olivia Wade-Smith* (Capt), Emelia Lavender, Daniella Hatton, Tilly Cooper, Laura Cooke, Immy Hill*, Daisy Raichura, Tatty Hunt, Charlotte Greenway*, Tira Brown*, Lucy Simpson, Cecy Price, Islay Stacey, Millie Powell, Rosie Shone. SD

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Under 13B Played 3 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 15 Against 31 v Prestfelde U13A v Prestfelde U13A v Prestfelde U13B

(H) (A) (H)

Lost 1 - 15 Lost 1 - 12 Won 13 - 4

Our girls were overpowered quite considerably during the first two matches by what turned out to be Prestfelde’s A squad. Despite this they battled hard, with our defence under massive pressure. They gradually slowed down the goal scoring, and enjoyed the tough challenges and the goals they worked so hard for in each of the two matches were much celebrated! Over the next few weeks a lot of work and tough practising at school reaped huge benefits, with a fantastic win against a true Under 13 B side. Our girls were fully determined this time, fighting for every ball. Great play was seen from Emily Ford, Georgie Thurston, Olivia Annan and Tansy Massey. Kinvara Gladstone was very strong in attack and defence, captaining her side Squad: Kinvara Gladstone (Capt), Emelia Lavender, Ceri Lloyd, Daniella Hatton, superbly and giving confidence to all her squad. Georgie Thurston, Olivia Annan, Charlotte Dixon, Tansy Massey, Evie Clutton, Katie Bibby, Sophie Mason, Emily Ford, Ianthe Bathurst, Nicole Ashall, Mollie Jamieson, Poppy Raichura. SD Well done girls, your win was well deserved at the end of a fun season.

Under 12 Played 16 Won 15 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 104 Against 12 v Prestfelde U 13/U 12 v Withington Girls v Moreton Hall v Withington Girls’ U 13 v Moreton Hall v Queen’s

(H) (A) (A) (H) (A) (A)

Won Won Won Lost Won Won

11 - 1 11 - 0 12 - 3 4-5 2-0 7-2

Midlands Tournament v Pipers Corner v Bedford High v St Helen & St Katherine

Winners Won 12 - 0 Won 2 - 0 Won 2 - 0

Semi Final v Wycombe Abbey

Won 6 - 0

Final v Godstowe

Won 5 - 1

Packwood Under 12 Tournament v Queen’s v Prestfelde v Packwood B v Moreton Hall v Withington Girls’

Winners Won 7 - 0 Won 5 - 0 Won 2 - 0 Won 9 - 0 Won 7 - 0

What sensational results! Not only did the Under 12s play some excellent school matches, they were also winners of two tournaments - during which only a single goal was scored against them. Here’s how these victories were won! Our girls had a very good understanding of attack and defence play against Prestfelde. It was evident that they definitely meant business! We also dominated the next game, at Withington – so much so, that our defences played in attack. They enjoyed their different Page 84

roles, however the goal scoring was a little less frequent! Again at Moreton Hall, we had most of the possession. However the attacks often failed to find a clear path through their defence. With encouragement we worked this out and soon clocked up lots of goals. There were not many demands on our defence, so we made adjustments in the second half again. Clearly the girls needed more challenging opposition. This came, without doubt, from the year older, Under 13 Withington side. The game was very evenly matched and tough. We were one goal up at

half time, with our girls playing superbly in defence and working very hard in attack. The score evened and our tired legs began to show. In the very last minute Withington scored to beat us 5-4. Our girls enjoyed being dominant and were very dejected at losing. However, they were unaware of how important this tough contest had been for them. The benefits would be obvious in the tournaments that lay ahead. Whilst snow was on the ground we played on the astroturf at Moreton. We had a good Page 83

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S P O R T: L A C R O S S E contest against a mixed Under 13/Under 12 team. The ball moves fast on this surface and our girls had to work hard together to compete for the ball in a tight situation. Two of our players on one of theirs worked a lot better! Midfield was tough and this drew Charlotte Edwards mostly in to defence. The attackers had to fend for themselves! We scored a good goal in each half, which gave us confidence. This confidence oozed out of our girls at the Midlands Tournament in Bedford. We comfortably won our three group matches, convincingly beating Wycombe Abbey in the semi-finals, and then Godstowe in the final. Our attack had learnt to share the ball around really well, with Maddie Hall, Antonia Wordie and Charlotte Edwards taking control of play. Our defence were a little too aggressive at times, and had to be reminded to have their feet in front of their opponents before they

tackle! Anna Dodd was sensational as our goalkeeper. Only one goal got past her all day. This was, though, a brilliant team effort. We had five out of five wins too at the Packwood

Tournament. We were a little unpolished at the start, but it was not long before Antonia Brine, Jess Clarke, Thea Holt-Smith and Sophie Mason were well into their fast attacking mode. The midfield defence (namely Saskia Humphreys, Fran Hughes and Holly Shaw) were sound as always. Our deep defence (Milla Harvey-Scholes, Dot Holt and Charlotte Dixon) were occasionally tested. Anna was totally reliable in goal, keeping a clean sheet! Unbelievably our toughest game was against the Packwood Bs (more about them later!) The squad had played very professionally, especially with their warming up. It was good to see them bound tightly together as a team, both on and off the pitch. At the last game of the season Queen’s gave us a good contest. Without Charlotte Edwards and Holly Shaw’s speed and confidence, the rest of the squad had to raise their game and had good opportunities. Clearly the message for next year is that every ball must be caught with confidence… and at speed! Not a bad little squad for next year though, I thought, as we headed home. Well done Under 12s, you deserved all your success! The Under 12 Bs’ targets at the Packwood Tournament was to be very pleased with themselves if they scored some goals, not to get worried if they didn’t win any games, to enjoy some good moments of play, and lastly, to put up a jolly good fight! All this they did fantastically well. There was some excellent midfield play from Evie Clutton (captain), Flo Wade-Smith, Ce-Ce Whittingham and Tia Barlow. Cassie

Bedford was the goalkeeper of the day! Our A team made shot after shot at her goal, but she only let one in each half get past her – she was superb. They didn’t win any games but were close to levelling their game against Queen’s (1-2). They only lost 0-2 to Withington and Packwood A, 2-4 to Prestfelde (who finished third) and 0-4 to Moreton Hall (runners-up). If the tournament was judged on goals conceded they would have been third! Moreton actually conceded more than they did. So congratulations to the Bs who put in a fine performance.

Under 12A squad: Anna Dodd, Camilla Harvey-Scholes, Dot Holt, Saskia Humphreys, Francesca Hughes, Holly Shaw, Charlotte Edwards, Antonia Wordie, Maddie Hall, Antonia Brine, Jess Clarke, Thea Holt-Smith, Sophie Mason, Charlotte Dixon, Ceri Lloyd, Evie Clutton. Under 12B squad: Evie Clutton (Capt), Cassie Bedford, Amelia Tomkinson, Poppy Raichura, Ceri Lloyd, Harriet Bibby, Ella Downey, Ce-Ce Whittingham, Flo Wade-Smith, Tia Barlow, Poppy Carver, Tara Beasley, Nieves Richi, Ruby Lavender, Mollie Jamieson, Katie Bibby. SD

Under 11 Played 3 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 26 Against 7 v Prestfelde v Moreton Hall Under 12 v Prestfelde

(H) (H) (H)

Won Won Won

8-1 7-4 11 - 2

All the girls in this group, including some beginners, contributed to their team’s success. There was a lot to learn, especially in the first game. Without goalkeepers our defence had to mark tightly on goal side and prevent our opponents from driving to score. Our attacks had to string passes together and shoot accurately at a goal shield. Many more tactics were learnt when the girls played Moreton’s Under 12s, with goalkeepers! We were 2-0 down after five minutes but then we double-teamed in defence and won back lots of possession. Our attack tried not to crowd the goal. Flo WadeSmith played superbly in midfield and soon we were level. Cassie Bedford saved lots of shots in goal and our attacks strung together lots of passes. Good goals from Poppy Carver, Tia Barlow and Flo gave us a confident and spectacular win against competent opposition. Page 84

Dressed in full tracksuits, because of the snow showers, we played Prestfelde again, in February. As we warmed up, the passing improved and so did play around the goal. Our defence learnt to hold a solid goal side position, particularly when the opposition’s attacks were making a run for goal. The second half was pleasing and the girls’ stick work was better with lots of challenging situations. Confidence was well established, well done girls! Squad: Alice Rees, Esther McLaughlin, Cassie Bedford, Sacha Robertson, Harriet Bibby, Olivia Hughes, Ella Downey, Ce-Ce Whittingham, Flo Wade-Smith, Tia Barlow, Poppy Carver, Tara Beasley, Jemima Price, Bea Mostyn-Owen, Emily Cooper, Ruby Lavender. SD

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Under 10 Played 2 Won 0 Drawn 1 Lost 1 For 11 Against 12 Under 10 A v Prestfelde A (A) Under 10 B v Prestfelde A (A)

Drawn 7 - 7 Lost 4-5

As the autumn term got underway our Under 10 year group started playing with field sticks and a very hard ball. At this stage it is always important for the girls to have a good grasp of stick work skills and be aware of how much control is needed, in both attack and defence. It is a crucial time for establishing good habits and techniques for the future. Our lessons progressed very successfully, with lots of praise being dished out. So I was hopeful and positive leading up to our big games with Prestfelde in November. I had high expectations of them! However, when the As game unfolded our girls were like startled rabbits in the headlights! They lacked speed and drive and were only casual on to the loose balls. I was quite exasperated that at half time we were losing 5-3. Clearly we had to become inspired and show determination to secure possession of every ball on the ground. Thankfully there was a good measure of improvement thanks to Laura Whittingham in defence, and particularly Sophia Price in attack. We were saved from defeat with a lucky 7-7 draw. Meanwhile the Bs had heard my drilling about “getting stuck in”. They were to play the same squad as the As and so I did not expect them to win, however they fought with all their might

and scored lots of very good goals to only lose narrowly, 5-4. Credit must go to all these girls, but particular praise to Isabella Wythe in defence and Pip Vickers in attack. The game was shortened because of time and light, but who knows what might have happened with five more minutes of play?! So we discovered that winning games is not just about the size of the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog! Under 10A squad: Laura Whittingham, Beth Cooper, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Ellie Hutchings, Alice Shone, Amelia Tennant, Jessie Hunt, Sophia Price, Annie Livermore. Under 10B squad: Eliza Beckett, India Holt, Molly Bruce, Isabella Wythe, Rosie Clarke, Amber Gibbins, Clary Haynes, Georgia Bibby, Pip Vickers. SD

Under 9 Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 15 Against 12 Under 9A v Prestfelde Under 10 (A) Won 11 - 6 Under 9B v Prestfelde Under 9A (A) Lost 4 - 6

Now there really is some talent within this year group! It always thrills and excites me to see it emerge in our beginners. The As could not wait to be let loose on the field! Even though Prestfelde’s (Under 10s) loomed much taller, they were no match for Ellie Mason and Freya Beasley’s determination. All our girls made a confident start. Then Prestfelde had a surge of goals, to lessen our lead to 6-4. Great tactics developed in the second half. As Prestfelde attacked Ellie moved to defend, Imogen Downey and Lottie Hill-Trevor double-teamed the player with the ball to win back possession, then the ball was delivered easily to Freya and Lottie Clarke to score. This was very effective, particularly as the girls had good stick work. Yes, it was a super win, 11-6, well done girls! It was then the Bs’ turn. They played an A team. With strong opposition, it was very important to have fast feet, to get quickly to the ball, to chase and defend against our good

opponents. This was going to be a big challenge. Talullah Blackham gave great confidence to our squad (which included three under 8s!) Theodora and Louisa Jarvis scored some lovely goals, although it was rather tricky getting the ball between the posts! We enjoyed some exciting moments, and were not too disappointed to lose 6-4.

Under 9A squad: Freya Beasley, Lottie Clarke, Ellie Mason, Immy Downey, Lottie Hill-Trevor, Talullah Blackham. Under 9B squad: Talullah Blackham, Louisa Jarvis, Anna Cowan, Theodora Jarvis, Romy Grigg, Chloe Edwards, Olivia Moir. SD

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Cricket 1st XI Played 12 Won 6 Tied 1 Drawn 4 Lost 1 v St Mary’s Hall Packwood

(A) 145 for 3 163 for 8 dec

v Kingsland Grange (A) 76 all out Packwood 226 for 5 dec v Prestfelde Packwood

2010 proved to be another very successful season for the 1st XI with fantastic performances in the tournaments entered and a pleasing set of results in the established fixtures. The only low point of the season was the loss to Birkdale in the JET. After an excellent performance to beat Foremarke in the previous round a combination of the rain falling when we were in the field and poor decision making by our top batsmen led to the disappointing result. I enjoyed helping the boys improve as a team during the season and watching so many of the squad making important contributions with bat and ball when required. Once again we regularly used seven or eight bowlers in matches and four of our bowlers claimed over 10 wickets during the season. Patrick Phillips claimed the most (17 wickets at a cost of 5.9 runs each) closely followed by Johnny Woodhead, Monty Curran and Charlie Adams (all claiming 12 wickets). A Fergus Connolly hat trick against North East Wales was another fantastic bowling performance this year. Lots of batsman made excellent contributions with 5 boys making at least one half century during the season. Patrick Phillips hit our highest score of the season with a hard hitting 98 not out against Foremarke and Jamie Humes, Johnny Woodhead and Freddie Thomson all made very important scores in matches. Freddie Earlam was definitely our star performer with the bat when you consider everything Packwood has been involved with this season. Freddie scored four 50s during the season. This was a terrific effort as two of the 50s were in the Malvern tournament where Freddie dominated and picked up the batting award in addition to Packwood retaining the trophy. A feature of our play this season was a well balanced Page 86

and accurate bowling attack backed up with excellent fielding.Our batting was generally very good, scoring at a good rate to try and allow us the time to bowl the opposition out and force a win. Monty Curran as the captain certainly deserves a mention in this report. He turned out to be an excellent leader and one who improved tactically as the season progressed. His calm, considered and unselfish approach got the whole team playing purposeful, positive cricket in all the games played. He also made runs just when we needed them and took important wickets with his leg spin. His innings of 42 against Birkdale when we lost our first 4 wickets with hardly a run on the board was a memorable knock.

Drawn Won by 150 runs

(H) Prestfelde 56 for 5 1sts 103 for 8 dec Drawn

v North East Wales (H) 84 all out Packwood 139 for 5

Won by 55 runs

v Ellesmere Packwood

(H) 74 for 6 156 for 6

Won by 82 runs

v Abberley Packwood

(H) 119 for 7 Dec 109 for 9

Drawn

v Shropshire U13 Packwood

(H) 123 all out 123 all out

Tied

v North East Wales (H) 68 all out Packwood 70 for 4

Won by 6 wickets

v Abberley Packwood

(A) 95 all out 117 all out

Won by 22 runs

v Yarlet Packwood

(A) 99 for 7 187 for 2 Dec

Drawn

Jet Competition 2nd Round v Foremarke Packwood

(A) 69 all out 183 for 5

Won by 114 runs

3rd Round v Birkdale Packwood

(A) 105 for 4 104 for 6

Lost by 6 wickets

Wrekin 6-a-side Tournament

Runners Up

Packwood Wrekin B

110 for 1 28 all out

Won by 82 runs

Packwood Prestfelde

44 for 2 42 for 1

Won by 4 wickets

There were many highlights during the tournaments but the moment I enjoyed most was watching Earlam and Phillips set about many bowling attacks at the Malvern 8s. There were always times when we looked to be struggling, then someone would come on and take important wickets and enable us restrict the opposition. Johnny Woodhead produced some of his best spells of bowling during the tournament. Having players capable of raising their game at crucial times contributed to all the success we achieved.

Packwood Kingsland Grange

71 for 3 49 all out

Won by 22 runs

43 for 4 29 for 4

Won by 14 runs

66 for 3 69 for 1

Lost by 5 wickets

Semi-final Packwood Wrekin College Final Packwood S. Anselm’s

Malvern 8-a-side Tournament

Winners

Packwood St John’s on the Hill

123 for 3 42 for 5

Won by 81 runs

Packwood Abberley

97 for 4 55 for 4

Won by 42 runs

It has been another great season with lots of wonderful memories. I wish the leavers future successes on the cricket field at their new schools.

Packwood Moulsford

62 for 4 60 for 3

Won by 3 wickets

Packwood The Downs

138 for 0 62 for 5

Won by 76 runs

Squad: Monty Curran* (Capt), Jamie Humes* (Wkt), Freddie Earlam*, Johnny Woodhead*, Patrick Phillips*, Charlie Adams*, Charlie Cooke, Freddie Thomson*, Archie Thomason, Fergus Connolly, Toby Thomson, Paul Sharpe, Peregrine Beckett. PJP

Semi-final 63 for 1 62 for 2

Won by 6 wickets

94 for 0 62 for 4

Won by 32 runs

Packwood Beaudesert Park Final Packwood Sherborne Prep

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2nd XI At its best cricket is a game of skill, intrigue, cunning and beauty and its whims and charms should stay with a child for a lifetime. At its worst it is dire, inconsequential and not able to convert any neutral. Clearly the aim of the 2nd XI was to play in a positive (proper) way, score quickly, bowl with variety and field like professionals – and always understanding a close game is so, so much better than a dull game. The first match clearly showed our intent; five an over with plenty of runs. However St Mary’s Hall had their own intentions too – they did not want to lose and the sides ground out a rather uninspiring draw. The next match was against Prestfelde and we achieved a convincing victory. As the season progressed the boys settled into their cricket. Will Schofield and Will Bruce were the perfect opening batsmen, fearless, selfless and hilarious and they scored plenty of runs. Mason, Connolly and White scored too and were a year young – someone always came up trumps. 28 different players represented the seconds this season and not everyone can get a mention but they all deserved it. The amusing uniqueness of cricket was displayed against Moor Park – cleverly our astute, wise and dry captain, Ollie Pumphrey decided to give the opposition more runs. Little did he realise they were more of a bowling side. However, more was learnt in a close defeat than a victory by 10 wickets. Harry Schofield continued to ply his trade with far more thought than he let on and was mainly responsible for defeating Abberley by such a large margin. Foremarke were overwhelmed by Yutaro Sato who bowled like the wind, only faster. Birchfield tried to play for the draw but could not and then there was a hilarious return game against Abberley. We bowled well and then decided not to bat well. Scoring very quickly, particularly Yutaro who had turned himself into an all-rounder, we had plenty of overs to spare, when we were honoured to have Ned ‘The Don’ Hall playing for us as his mighty third team did not have a game. He showed precisely why he averaged 100 exactly with every delivery he faced. He also knew that if he were to stay at the crease we would win. Unfortunately an earlier encounter with a rabbit meant he could not run and yet he decided to turn for two. It is always a pleasure to see a boy walk when he knows he is out. Shame it was more of a hobble. Then with the equation getting closer and closer, more and more boys threw their wickets away. We lost by one run. Names will not be mentioned more due to lack of space than for fear of causing psychological trauma. Anyway it was a great and exciting game where parents enjoyed the contest.

five slips and two gullies. And so we ended our last game with cricket at its best, compared to the first two games when it was at its worst – it was a wonderful journey. Not in an X Factor type way but in a way that education is meant to be – the children learnt something.

The last match of the season was verging on perfect – as in how cricket should be attempted to be played. We won the toss and Archie Thomason batted well, so well that after just two overs talk turned to a hundred. Then despite trying to get himself out in all manner of ways he made it – off the last possible ball. It was a brilliant innings and more great stuff was to follow as Harry Schofield took another million wickets and Charlie Cooke got the last wicket of the season bowling fast with

Squad: Ollie Pumphrey (Capt), Jake Samuel, Will Bruce, Will Schofield, Yutaro Sato, Toby Thomson, Gus Langford, Harry Jenkinson, Matt White, Ed Hurle, Will Barlow, Toby Mason, Archie Thomason, Anto Woodhead, Fergus Connolly, Charlie Cooke, Alfie Grocott, Charlie Beckett, Barney Preece, Henry Don, Ned Hall, Ed Graves, Andrew Tudor, Eddie Thomson, Peregrine Beckett. DR

Played 9 Won 6 Drawn 1 Lost 2 v St Mary’s Hall Packwood

(H)

59 for 8 159 for 7

Drawn

v Prestfelde Packwood

(A)

71 all out 195 for 9

Won by 124 runs

v Ellesmere Packwood

(H)

56 for 8 156 for 4

Won by 100 runs

v Moor Park 1st XI Packwood

(H)

83 all out 71 for 10

Lost by 12 runs

v Abberley Packwood

(A)

88 all out 155 for 10

Won by 69 runs

v Foremarke Packwood

(A)

132 all out 134 for 10

Won by 2 runs

v Birchfield 1st XI Packwood

(H)

42 all out 115 for 10

Won by 73 runs

v Abberley Packwood

(H)

117 for 6 116 for10

Lost by 1 run

v Yarlet Packwood

(A)

47 all out 200 for 4 (Thomason 100) Won by 153 runs

Cricket 2009-10

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3rd XI Played 6 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 0 v St Mary’s Hall (H) 103 all out Packwood 232 for 5 Won by 129 runs v Ellesmere Packwood

(H) 64 all out 68 for 6 Won by 4 wickets

v Prestfelde Packwood

(H) 45 all out 159 for 3 Won by 114 runs

v Abberley Hall (H) 116 all out Packwood 153 all out Won by 37 runs v Foremarke Packwood

(H) 72 all out 73 for 5 Won by 5 wickets

v Moffats Packwood

(H) 147 for 5 dec 148 for 7 Won by 3 wickets

The third eleven enjoyed an excellent term’s cricket with some entertaining afternoon games sessions punctuated by exciting matches against other schools. In the first few weeks of term the team enjoyed some relatively easy victories. Batting first, captain Ned Hall and Barney Preece made consistently good scores enabling us to reach intimidating totals and then bowl out the opposition. During these early matches the first swallows were soon spotted, then Ned Hall saw a swift and the game had to be stopped to confirm his identification and during the Ellesmere match two pink footed geese flew low over the pavilion – thrilling stuff. The final three matches of the term were much more keenly contested and tense affairs. Abberley made us work hard for our 153 runs and when they were 87 for 1 in reply things looked bad, but some persistent

bowling from Ed Graves and Henry Oak brought about a spectacular collapse and they were all out for 116. Oliver Williams-Bulkeley noticed a peregrine during this game. Playing on the first XI square with its big boundary Foremarke managed only 72 and although we had to really graft for the runs, excellent innings from Ned Hall and Charlie Beckett enabled us to pass their score for the loss of 5 wickets. This match was keenly watched by a buzzard and a pair of skylarks. So we came to the final match of the season against Moffats first XI. Knowing that they had at least one county player in their side, we were not over confident and when they declared on 147 at tea we knew that we would have to work hard to get even close to their score. The innings did not start auspiciously when we lost our opening batsman to the first ball of the innings

but another fine innings from Ned Hall supported by Barney Preece and Ed Graves enabled us to reach the target with three wickets in hand. There were quite a few ducks in this game. So the team ended the season unbeaten due to a combination of cricketing ability, perseverance, brilliant captaincy and wonderful support from parents, many of whom faithfully turned out for every match and took an interest in the whole team’s success. Team: Ned Hall (Capt), Barney Preece, Ed Graves, Henry Oak, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Charlie Beckett, Edward Hurle, Jamie Moir, Elliot Robinson-Boulton, Leo Sartain, Anto Woodhead, Edward Stubbs. FRH

4th and 5th XI This was a season of very close and exciting matches for the 4th XI, with some nail-biting conclusions! In the opening match against St Mary’s Hall, we looked to be cruising on 45 for 5, but then wickets tumbled and we fell one run short. Next, we batted well against Kingsland Grange 2nd XI and had them at 94 for 9 before they squeezed home by just one wicket. Then came a high-scoring draw at Abberley, followed by defeat by a strong Foremarke side. Finally, the 5th XI had their moment of glory against Birchfield 2nd XI, but sadly it was only a brief moment as they fell to a heavy defeat; but they played a second innings in which things went rather better! There were a lot of good performances by 4th XI players: pick of the bowlers were Angus Campbell, William Dorrell, Daishi Suzuki, Stamos Fearnall, Alfie Grocott and Edward Hurle; star batsmen were Henry Don, Hamish Neill, Archie Fetherstonhaugh and Patrick Haszard; ever-reliable wicket-keeper was Charlie England; and lively fielders included Ollie Tennant and Edward Dolphin. All of the 4th and 5th XI cricketers enjoyed their season and I enjoyed looking after them. Many thanks to Mr Rigby for taking the 5th XI to Birchfield. Squad: Angus Campbell (Capt), Henry Don, Alfie Grocott, Patrick Haszard, Leo Sartain, Edward Dolphin, Hamish Neill, Stamos Fearnall, Charlie England, William Dorrell, Ollie Tennant, Daishi Suzuki, Edward Stubbs, Archie Fetherstonhaugh, Edward Hurle, Thomas Marques, Jamie Nugent, William Bayliss, Joseph Davies, Freddie Perkins, Sebastian Heywood, Harrison Steeple, Robert Waterhouse, Tom Hancocks, George Burrell. HB Page 88

Played 5 Won 0 Drawn 1 Lost 4 v St Mary’s Hall Packwood 4th XI

(H) 66 all out 65 all out

Lost by 1 run

v Kingsland Grange 2nd XI(H) 123 for 9 (Grocott 4 for 26) Packwood 4th XI 120 all out (Neill 28)

Lost by 1 wkt

v Abberley Packwood 4th XI

(A) 170 for 6 (Campbell 3 for 7) 196 for 9 dec(Haszard 41, Don 43) Drawn

v Foremarke Hall Packwood 4th XI

(H) 89 all out 63 all out

v Birchfield 2nd XI Packwood 5th XI

14 for 0 (A) 13 all out

(Don 24)

Lost by 26 runs Lost by 10 wkts

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Under 11A This was an extremely talented group of young cricketers. The boys won every school match or tournament (except, understandably, on National Finals Day) in which they played, with considerable ease; it was only in the two practice matches against representative sides, where they tried almost too hard to impress the county coach, that they displayed their mortality. Eight of the eleven made the county squad, either at Under 11 or Under 10 level, and, although the practice matches showed that Shropshire have a wealth of talent in this age group, it was pleasing that Packwood was so strongly represented this year. The victories in the Wrekin and West Midlands Tournaments qualified Packwood as one of the top eight teams in the country, from an original pool of 500 schools from 31 counties, for a thrilling day out at Oakham, for Finals day. We finished fifth overall – a notable achievement out of such a vast number of schools. With the team victorious in the matches in such convincing fashion this year, it might be more informative to sum up each team member, rather than give a resumé of the matches themselves. So here are my comments – in batting order. George Hargrave: an opening batsman of immense potential. Seemingly more at ease in timed cricket rather than in the more frenetic forms of the overs game, he accumulated a steady stream of runs all season. He had a very solid defence, while he notched up his runs with a great deal of style, scoring 50s against St Mary’s Hall, Abberley and, particularly laudably, against Foremarke. He also scored a century in a County match. Unfortunately his running partners had to play with fire! He also bowled off spin with good variety of pace (though sometimes also of length), and was an excellent fielder and great enthusiast. Archie Connolly: a solid opening batsman who could attack well if the need arose, with an excellent 50 against St Mary’s Hall to his name. He was a good runner between the wickets, though on more than one occasion he was run out by George. His bowling was a little wild this season, and he will need to concentrate more on achieving line and length.

Played 6 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 0 v St Mary’s Hall (A) 44 all out Packwood 158 for 2 dec (Connolly 61 not out, Hargrave 59) Won by 114 runs v Prestfelde Packwood

(H) 90 for 6 off 20 overs (Beard 4 for 19) 91 for 2 (Beard 36 not out, Thomson 20 not out) Won by 8 wkts

v Abberley Packwood

79 all out (Tudor 4 for 4, Waterworth 4 for 27) (H) 181 all out (Hargrave 54, Hall 27, Beharrell 23) Won by 102 runs

v Foremarke Packwood

(A) 110 for 7 off 25 overs 114 for 1 (Hargrave 50 not out, Beard 40 not out) Won by 9 wkts

v Birchfield Packwood

(H) 77 all out (Kathuria 6 for 25) 78 for 4 (Beard 53 not out)

v Yarlet Packwood

(H) 51 all out (Kathuria 4 for 18, including hat-trick) 193 for 4 dec (Fielding 89 not out, Hall 68) Won by 142 runs

Won by 6 wkts

Wrekin Tournament (6-a-side)

Winners

Solihull West Midlands Hardball Tournament (8-a-side)

Winners

Hardball Tournament Nationals Finals Day at Oakham (8-a-side) 5th

Edward Beard: a very exciting all-round talent. Ed was much more disciplined this season, and was thus able to build more long innings, as he did against Prestfelde, Foremarke and, for the second year in a row, against Birchfield. His attacking shots, particularly off the front foot, were glorious to watch, and he took his talents on to the wider stage, scoring 82 not out for Shropshire. His bowling perhaps lacked the last degree of accuracy, but he was distinctly pacey for this level, and pitched the ball up well. He proved himself a committed, if slightly frantic captain, who led well by example and the effervescence of his personality, and was learning to think tactically.

Freddie Fielding: much more the complete keeper this season. Equally happy against pace and spin, he was an assured presence in the field, and was becoming “gobby” (as is the modern trend for keepers!) When he batted, he was often unluckily dismissed, run out or slogging at the death, but the promise he showed was gloriously fulfilled in his very fine score in our final school match against Yarlet. Freddie Beharrell: a competent all-rounder. He was a utility player, who could bat with a good range of shots and bowl pretty accurately. He was particularly alert in the field, moving with menace towards the ball and placing the batsmen under pressure. Eddie Thomson: a mercurial cricketer. He was a punchy left-handed batsman who could tear the bowling apart if provoked: who could forget his onslaught on that county leg-spinner? He was an effective fielder at slip or gully who needed to field close to the wicket to be at his most effective.

delivery which then drifted away off the pitch. He was also a fine clean hitter (devastatingly so against Yarlet) and a fielder with a magnificent throwing arm. Daniel Humes: although still under 9, he batted and bowled increasingly well and had the makings of an outstanding fielder. He was particularly impressive in the ESCA Hardball Competition where he bowled and fielded as well as anyone in the competition. He will inevitably have a dominant role to play at this level over the next two seasons. Archie Waterworth: a promising Under 10, a spinner who was capable of some fine spells – his spell against Prestfelde was mesmerising. Both his batting and his fielding were coming along nicely. Chan Kathuria: a mercurial leg-spinner, devastating on his day. He could impart a considerable amount of spin to the ball and vary his pace well. When he becomes more consistently accurate in line and length he will be a massive handful. His batting and fielding improved through the season, and he too was a real enthusiast. Andrew Tudor: an effective first-change medium-pace bowler, who normally bowled to a nagging line and was difficult to score off. Another enthusiast, with further improvement in him. An excellent season then, greatly enjoyed by the coach, the players and the parents, so many of whom were supportive and appreciative. OJL

Jonty Hall: a very fine all-rounder. He opened the bowling, and slanted the ball in to the batsman, occasionally castling an opponent with a Page 89

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Under 11B Played 7 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 1 Abandoned 1 v St Mary’s Hall Packwood

(A) 28 all out 201 for 3

Won by 173 runs

v Kingsland Grange(A) 92 all out Packwood 95 for 5

(Tulloch 3 for 11)

v Prestfelde Packwood

(A) 73 all out 77 for 2

(Clarke 3 for 7 Robinson-Boulton 3 for 4) Won by 8 wkts

v Foremarke Packwood

(H) 36 for 7 (McDonald 4 for 9) 131 for 9 dec (J Schofield 25)

v Abberley Packwood

(A) 107 for 8 155 for 2

v Birchfield Packwood

(A) 34 for 7 (McDonald 2 for 6) 146 for 3 dec (J Schofield 53 not out, Drawn Myddelton 34 not out)

v Abberley Packwood

(H) 151 for 7 150 for 5 dec (Clarke 50 not out, Martin 30)

Won by 5 wkts

Abandoned

(Myddelton 2 for 5) (D Schofield 32 not out)Won by 48 runs

I have always enjoyed coaching the Under 11B squad and this year was to prove an exceptionally rewarding one. There is so much to learn at this level and every member of the team was incredibly receptive to all that was thrown at them. Perhaps the most pleasing trait that they possessed was the fact that they stuck to the basics and didn’t try to over-do things. Far too often you see a child of this age running in too far when bowling or trying to emulate the T20 improvisation shots. ‘Bowl straight and you will get wickets’ is the old adage along with ‘wait for the bad ball and hit it’ and how often those words proved to be true throughout the season! The long journey to St Mary’s Hall for our first game was soon forgotten when we batted first and amassed 201 with Jonty Schofield and Cameron McDonald clocking up a century between them. The bowlers did what was asked and finished the game in style. The following week and a much shorter trip to Kingsland Grange – our bowling was spot on and the opposition were all out for 92 with everybody except the wicketkeeper turning his arm over. An opening partnership of David Schofield and Jack Humphreys was discovered with the former bludgeoning anything that was loose whilst the latter acted as the perfect foil with his ‘nurdling’ at the other end. After a

Lost by 3 wkts

good start we reached the total with relative ease. Two fine spells of bowling from Timmy Robinson-Boulton and Ollie Clarke did the damage to the Prestfelde middle order in our next game which proved very fortuitous as we raced the weather and won just before the heavens opened. Confidence was growing, we continued to work on and tweak things in the nets and the boys efforts paid off when we visited Abberley for the first game in our annual ‘double-header’. Again we got off to a flyer and managed to reach 155 from our allotted overs aided by an entertaining flurry at the end with Thomas Tulloch and Louis Martin at the crease. Steady bowling from all players and particularly Edward Myddelton pegged the Abberley batsmen back and they never managed to keep up with the required run rate. The most interesting thing about the day was that there was a four, a five, a six and also a seven scored during the game! Our bowling was our strength and our batting was improving all the time. The visit of Foremarke, a large prep school that is traditionally strong at sport, would serve as a good yardstick to measure how good we actually were. We batted first and sensibly and although nobody built a real ‘innings’ we kept the score ticking over nicely reaching a teasing total at tea. It started to rain and it became

heavier and heavier and so after a brave effort the umpires called it off because their score books had dissolved! With seven wickets already taken we were pleased with our efforts. Another solid performance with the bat against Birchfield followed with another half century from Jonty Schofield and we looked well on our way to victory as the opposition made no attempt to chase the runs, but our bowlers found it hard to adjust to the sloping wicket and we just failed to dispose of their stubborn tail. And so to the last game of the season – the return fixture with Abberley. We reversed the order to give those who hadn’t accrued as much square time as they would have liked a chance to impress and Ollie Clarke promptly showed what he was capable of. He rode his luck a little but managed to reach his maiden Packwood fifty with a wide variety of shots. We set another tempting target for Abberley and to their credit they went for it. This game had everything, fielding that was both brilliant and poor, likewise the bowling, and it went right down to the wire with Abberley squeezing past the post with four minutes to spare. Ironically it was the only loss of the season but it was, by far, the most enjoyable and entertaining game that we had played. It was everything that is good about timed cricket, unlike the previous week. The Under 11 age group at Packwood is a strange one – there are so many very good athletes. Many of the boys in my team would easily grace the squares of other A teams such is our strength in depth. There are some excellent players in this team and I look forward to monitoring their progress over the coming years. They are going to do very well indeed. Well done! Squad: Cameron McDonald (Capt), Jack Humphreys, Jonty Schofield, Charlie Jackson, David Schofield, Thomas Tulloch, Edward Myddelton, Louis Martin, Ollie Clarke, Timmy Robinson-Boulton, Tom Baxter. MAF

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Under 11C What a difference a Played 5 Won 2 Drawn 3 Lost 0 lovely summer v Prestfelde (H) 37 all out term makes! Packwood 72 all out Won by 35 runs Though two of our v Abberley (H) 148 for 9 fixtures were rainPackwood 173 for 8 Drawn affected to some degree, we have v Foremarke (H) 98 all out Packwood 77 for 3 Abandoned been blessed, on the whole, by some v Moffats Under 11A(A) 94 for 8 glorious practice Packwood 115 all out Drawn and match v Abberley (A) 94 all out weather: exactly Packwood 95 for 5 Won by 5 wkts the reverse of the last two years! So a combination of decent weather and a group of considerably talented and enthusiastic young cricketers has made for a highly enjoyable season. In all of our games, the boys have responded well to the match situation and despite some rather unorthodox stroke making at times, we have always managed to score runs and put ourselves in a good position when necessary. If the rain had not intervened in the Foremarke match at home, we would have almost certainly secured another victory. Fielding in certain matches left something to be desired, and the bowling was not always as tight as it could have been, but, nevertheless, the boys have had a terrific season, and have been unfailingly enthusiastic and keen to play. This has been a particularly strong age group, and I have little doubt that in other years many of these boys would have played at a higher level. There is a good pool of

talent here for the future and I would urge all the boys to keep trying their hardest. Finally, my thanks must go to Rory Davies for being a most effective and efficient captain, and leading by example with his keen and committed attitude. Well done. Squad: Rory Davies(Capt) , Jack Ashworth, Bentley Moss, Dominic Ainslie, Jamie Channon, Robert Ford, Fergus David, Christopher Dorrell, Scott Hatton, Jay Jackson, Bertie Jenkinson, Guy Morris, Rory Fergusson, Alexander Wythe, Harri Holroyd, Freddie Houlker, James Long. KJW

Under 11D ‘Success is a Played 1 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 0 journey, not a (A) 74 for 7 destination’. If this is v Foremarke 75 for 8 Won by 2 wkts true, then the Under Packwood 11D cricket team has travelled far and wide. What a pleasant group of boys and very keen to learn. There was a big focus on the basics of the game of cricket and by the time we reached the end of the season, the boys were able to catch, throw, bat and bowl far better than when they arrived. Goal achieved! We had much fun reaching this point, by using the cricket nets, doing specific skills drills, playing fun games incorporating these skills and then also playing proper hard ball matches on the wicket. The only match that was played by this group was against Foremarke which for the majority of the boys was their first ever cricket match. Foremarke batted first scoring 74 for 7 in 20 overs. Alexander Wythe took three wickets for seven runs in four overs and Freddie Houlker took three wickets for 10 runs in four overs. Packwood then went in to bat and scored 75 for the loss of eight wickets with Ben Ricks scoring a very quick 25 runs. We won by two wickets. The experience was enjoyed by all and will not be forgotten very quickly. Well done boys on a great season.

Team: Ben Ricks, Freddie Houlker, Alexander Wythe, Patrick Ashall, Sam Bayliss, Jude Bedford, Hugh Davies, Ivor Fetherstonhaugh, Linden Grigg, Jacob Rand. FMA

Under 11E Late in the summer Played 1 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 0 term the boys from v Birchfield Under 11C (A) 58 for 1 the Colts C Game Packwood 61 for 1 Won by 3 runs were rewarded for all their hard work and effort throughout the cricket season with an opportunity to put their new skills into practice in a match situation. Full of enthusiasm the boys travelled to Birchfield to take on their Under 11C team in a limited over match. We fielded solidly and restricted Birchfield to 58 in their 10 overs before taking over the bat and comfortably surpassing the opposition’s score

with the loss of only one wicket. The boys had a fantastic time – they performed with confidence and really enjoyed their chance to play competitively. I am sure that next summer they will build on these foundations and go from strength to strength – based on this experience they will clearly relish further opportunities to represent Packwood at cricket. Squad: Oliver Bureau, Ralph Furse, Llyr Heyward-Jones, Tom Hughes, Harry Marshall, Morton Moss, Loris Pattinson, Jack Ashworth, Johnnie Peel, Theo Penney, Tom Simpson, Scott Walker, Ned Warburton-Lee, Simon Waterhouse. PJP

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Under 9 Was there ever more fun than this? Break times, Games and match winning bliss So proud a master in charge rarely seen Of his hungry, skilful cricket machine Collectively with it and keen ever as mustard Bullyish bowling and batting unflustered These heroes incongruously not even nine At the very top table of talent did dine Our captain, our leader, was naturally partial To razz up, encourage and expertly marshal It seemed our foes at times played quite shabbily From Birchfield at home; on the far fields of Abberley But what could they do with this rampant machine With heads screwed on tight under caps Packwood green? Self-possessed from wicket to wicket What joy the fun of Under nine cricket Pitching it up and holding our catches A cauldron of excellence won us our matches Deflation ... itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over, a master forlorn Wine for my men! They rode well at dawn.

Cricket 2009-10

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Team: Gabe Connolly (Capt), Nick Yeoward, Ollie Hall, Will Holcroft, Owen Carroll, Frank Morris, Archie Mobbs, Harry Waterworth, Harry Swinburne, Marcus Woodhead, Alex Ainslie, Jack Goodall, Felix Jebb, Harry Myddelton, Ned Moreau, Ali Davies, Rowan Pickstock. AL

Played 6 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 0 v St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hall

(A) (pairs) Won by 113 runs

v Kingsland Grange(H) 36 for 6 Packwood 38 for 2 Won by 8 wickets v Prestfelde

(A) (pairs) Won by 120 runs

v Abberley

(A) (pairs) Won by 71 runs

v Birchfield

(H) (pairs) Won by 111 runs

v Abberley

(H) (pairs) Won by 82 runs

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Rounders 1st XI

Played 6 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 3 For 821⁄2 Against 61 v Edgbaston High (JET round 1) v Denstone College (JET round 2) v Foremarke Hall (JET round 3) v Moor Park v Bromsgrove School v Foremarke Hall

(H) (A) (H) (A) (H) (A)

Won Won Lost Lost Won Lost

12 and an innings - 4 121⁄2 and an innings - 21⁄2 13 - 15 151⁄2 - 18 141⁄2 - 6 15 - 151⁄2

This season promised so much. Could the girls have an unbeaten season? Could they win the JET competition? Throughout the year this group of girls had met every challenge and proved that they could cope with everything that was thrown at them. Their first match against Bromsgrove School allowed them to find their groove; especially Olivia Wade-Smith now at backstop and Form 2 girl, Charlotte Edwards, who took on the bowling responsibility. A good win was met with excitement and proved a real confidence booster. Charlotte Greenway marshaled her troops and onto Denstone College we travelled for the second round of the JET. Denstone didn’t perform to their usual high standards and although we came away with a win they hadn’t given us the workout we were looking for. In our first calendar fixture we met Moor Park, traditionally a good rounders school. We weren’t prepared for their 36 ‘good ball’ game, a very different version from the ‘all out’ game that we were used to. I can liken the ‘all out’ version to a one day cricket international and the 36 ‘good ball’ game to the 20:20 format. Tactically very different! We lost – all our hard work demolished in two hours. However, we were still in the JET and this had to be our priority.

Foremarke Hall beckoned in the third round of the JET. We had the all-important home advantage. It was quite simply the best game of rounders ever to grace Packwood’s turf! Foremarke batted first and scored ten rounders. We did however, make the fatal mistake of dropping a catch from their best batter when she was on five rounders. Packwood also scored ten in their first innings so the second innings was poised to be just as close. Packwood fielded much more tightly and took some vital catches – they were out for five rounders. The momentum was swinging in our direction at last. It started to rain and the ball kept whizzing off the bat for the backstop to catch and we couldn’t build up any speed to first post. We scored three; we lost by two rounders. The girls were quite simply ‘gutted’! So we were out of the JET but we still had Foremarke to play later on in the term and the opportunity to avenge our defeat. Unfortunately illness and injuries meant we travelled with a combined first and second squad. Foremarke mixed their girls too but we were still to lose, this time by a meagre half a rounder. Such a cruel sport! Many lessons have been learnt. Catches do win matches; perhaps we need to consider having 36 ‘good balls’ in calendar fixtures; maybe we just need to avoid the formidable Foremarke Hall! When I look back I still think we could have done it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Onwards and upwards! Team: Charlotte Greenway*, Charlotte Edwards *, Olivia Wade-Smith*, Tira Brown *, Immy Hill*, Laura Cooke, Cecy Price, Rosie Shone, Tilly Cooper, Millie Powell, Tansy Massey. KLP

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2nd XI Wow! We actually Played 4 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 3 enjoyed some For 58 Against 531⁄2 sunshine during the v Bromsgrove (H) Lost 12 - 131⁄2 summer term! This v Wrekin College 1st IX (A) Lost 8 - 9 meant only one v Moor Park (H) Won 23 - 151⁄2 fixture being lost to v Foremarke 1st/2nd IX (A) Lost 15 - 151⁄2 bad weather which must be a new record, certainly in my eight years at Packwood! Looking at the statistics above, it doesn’t read well – only one win out of four – but when you look carefully, you can appreciate just how close those matches were and how narrow the defeats. As is always the case with our senior teams, we have phenomenal strength in the field. Our weakness, frustratingly lies with our batting, but the 2nd XI, full of character and spirit, ensured that what we sometimes lacked in batting prowess we more than compensated for with perseverance! Our opening match was against Bromsgrove and it was brutal. It was a very steep and painful learning curve for the girls on many levels and despite being the stronger, more skilful side, tactical umpiring left us with our first defeat. Down we may have temporarily been but out we were not! Next we were away to Wrekin. A fixture clash with the JET competition meant we actually played against their 1st XI. Although initially a little panic stricken, we calmed ourselves down and produced an outstanding performance. To lose by only one rounder to a 1st XI team is not losing in my book! Our finest hour came at home against Moor Park. Here we had our platform at last. It was a great game against great opposition and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. We relished the win and bathed in the glory; we had worked hard and certainly deserved it! The next and final fixture was against Foremarke but due to illness, exhaustion, the

economic climate... (OK, maybe not the last one!) the planned 1st and 2nd XI matches had to combine and play as one squad against a similar Foremarke side. It was an educational afternoon where we played 36 ‘good balls’, which was an alien format to us and a totally different tactical game. However, it was good fun in the sunshine and an interesting way to end the season. I really have enjoyed spending the long summer afternoons with the seconds. They have been such a pleasure to work with and I have been really proud of them and the way they have conducted themselves throughout the term with whatever was dealt them! Lucy Simpson has been a fantastic captain and a huge asset to her team. I look forward to watching the younger players progress next year and sincerely wish all the very best to those who leave us this summer. Team: Lucy Simpson (Capt), Dot Holt, Holly Shaw, Antonia Brine, Jess Clarke, Anna Dodd, Maddie Hall, Saskia Humphreys, Tatty Hunt, Daisy Raichura, Camilla Harvey-Scholes. LW

3rd and 4th XI The girls were chosen 3rd XI to make up the thirds Played 4 Won 3 Drawn 1 Lost 0 and fourths from For 68 Against 48 Game 3 and v Bromsgrove (H) Drawn 11 - 11 competition for places v Wrekin (A) Won 14 - 21⁄2 in the thirds was high. v Moor Park (H) Won 251⁄2 - 181⁄2 The regular line-up for v Foremarke (A) Won 171⁄2 - 16 the thirds was Daniella 4th XI Hatton with her Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 consistently good For 14 Against 141⁄2 bowling and Thea v Foremarke (A) Lost 14 - 141⁄2 Holt-Smith with her accurate throwing from backstop to the ever-reliable Antonia Foremarke proved to be a close and Wordie at first post; Saskia Humphreys played exciting game where we only edged in well at second post and third post was usually front in the last few balls. The fourths’ occupied by Islay Stacey or Olivia Annan; match against Foremarke was also Sophie Mason and Poppy Raichura proved to very closely contested and we were be naturals at fourth post; the deeps of Evie unlucky to lose so narrowly in the end. Clutton, Georgina Thurston, Nieves Richi, All in all it has been a successful and Francesca Hughes and Emily Ford improved enjoyable season in every respect. as the season progressed, as did all of the girls’ Some of the girls also played cricket batting. At the end of the term every girl in against Abberley and came out Game 3 was batting with greater confidence victorious on that occasion too. Well and power. Their fielding and game strategy done and congratulations to all of the was also much more reliable and cohesive. girls in the thirds and fourths. In the thirds’ matches, the first one against 3rd IX team: Daniella Hatton, Georgina Thurston, Islay Stacey, Emelia Lavender, Bromsgrove was our closest contest, ending in Antonia Wordie, Evie Clutton, Emily Ford, Francesca Hughes, Nieves Richi, Olivia Annan, a draw. After that we comfortably beat Wrekin Thea Holt-Smith, Sophie Mason, Ceri Lloyd, Poppy Raichura, Saskia Humphreys, and the next match, against Moor Park, was a Kinvara Gladstone. very high scoring game. Excellent batting in the second innings allowed us to move ahead 4th IX team: Kinvara Gladstone (Capt), Emily Ford, Charlotte Dixon, Emelia Lavender, and secure victory. Our final match against Katie Bibby, Nicole Ashall, Amelia Tomkinson, Ceri Lloyd, Mollie Jamieson. GW Page 94

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Under 11A Played 7 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 100 Against 60 v Bromsgrove v Abberley v Lyndon Prep v Moor Park v Old Hall v Foremarke v Shrewsbury High U12B

(H) (H) (A) (A) (H) (A) (H)

Won Won Won Won Won Lost Won

111⁄2 - 5 11 - 91⁄2 131⁄2 - 10 81⁄2 - 71⁄2 221⁄2 - 31⁄2 20 - 10 23 - 141⁄2

2010 was an enjoyable and nearly 100% successful season for this keen and enthusiastic team. We started the season with few natural batters and finished with a full squad of confident, consistent point scorers! We have had some extremely close matches, in particular against Abberley near the start of the season when we went in to the second innings trailing seven rounders to two! However we were not going to go down without a fight so we batted and fielded impressively well and scored a further nine while restricting Abberley to just two and a half. A fantastic game for the girls – they knew exactly how to react when the chips were down! With this win under our belts we headed to Lyndon Prep and Moor Park for two very close games. The girls produced some crucial running and slick, accurate fielding when it

mattered to steal those wins. Next was Old Hall, who were not the strongest opposition for us, but overall the girls showed how much their batting had improved thanks to all their hard work in games lessons with every single player hitting and scoring points for the team. Unfortunately this less pressurised game was not good preparation for Foremarke, IAPS Winners! They got our strongest batters out first ball in both innings which immediately put our backs against the wall, but the girls left in, particularly Ella Downey, batted very well to stay in for all 30 good balls. The girls earned compliments from their opponents too who commented on how good and accurate our fielding was as we halted their players at first post a number of times. Luckily there was a last minute fixture against Shrewsbury High School to give us a chance to redeem ourselves and again all the girls

worked together and enjoyed their last game as Under 11s. We have had some great weather this term and some fantastic dedicated support from parents which have all contributed to a very exciting and enjoyable season. Well done girls and good luck next year! Squad: Tia Barlow, Ce-Ce Whittingham, Flo Wade-Smith, Ella Downey, Poppy Carver, Beatrice Mostyn-Owen, Ruby Lavender, Sacha Robertson, Olivia Hughes, Alice Rees. SM

Under 11B Played 4 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 3 For 50 Against 561⁄2 v Bromsgrove v Abberley v Moor Park v Foremarke

(H) (H) (H) (A)

Lost Lost Won Lost

41⁄2 - 81⁄2 8 - 81⁄2 20 - 161⁄2 171⁄2 - 23

The Under 11Bs were due to have five matches this term but unfortunately one was cancelled because of bad weather. However they have enjoyed some close games and improved greatly with their overall rounders skills, individually and as a team. It has been very encouraging to see the girls progress this term, in particular Cassie Bedford, Jemima Price and Tara Beasley who have linked up as bowler, backstop and first post to get plenty of opponents out; their batting has also gone from strength to strength. I must make special mention of Emily Cooper too who has also represented the Under 11 A squad this term. As we were short on numbers to make up this squad we enlisted the help of some Under 10s who have slotted in well with the fielders. We have had some close games and were unlucky not to come out with more wins – but we always made it hard for teams to beat us which has resulted in some very exciting rounders! Our only win was against Moor Park with a very high score achieved by some

confident and strong batting from all the girls. Our fielding was slick and determined with some rapid stumps out at first post and plenty of accurate fielding to second and fourth.

Squad: Emily Cooper, Cassie Bedford, Jemima Price, Tara Beasley, Harriet Bibby, Esther McLaughlin, Chanida Dhooghe, Annie Livermore, Eliza Beckett. SM

Throughout the term the team have all achieved a good understanding of the game and improved with their batting and fielding. Well done girls and good luck next year! Page 95

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Under 10 What a fantastic rounders season this has been for the entire Under 10 squad! For me this term has been thoroughly enjoyable and filled with lots of fun and of course many exciting rounders matches for both the Under 10 A and B teams. The Under 10s started off the rounders season on a dark, damp day back in April with two matches against Bromsgrove. The two teams were of mixed ability and they all played extremely well. This was a fantastic way to get the girls ready for the other fixtures ahead.

Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 111⁄2 Against 13 v Bromsgrove v Bromsgrove

(H) (H)

Won Lost

81⁄2 - 61⁄2 3 - 61⁄2

Under 10A The Under 10A team have enjoyed an exceptional rounders season. Not only did they win three out of four matches, but also all the girls’ rounders skills improved enormously throughout the term. They started off the season with a confident win against Shrewsbury High School. It was during this match that I knew this term was going to be special. It was clear to see the girls were working together as team, talking to each other, backing each other up and supporting each other. It was also clear that all of the hard work they had done on their hitting in games practices had paid off as their batting was fantastic. Alice Shone really stood out during this game as one of our key batters as she was consistently good throughout the match. For our second match we all got on the bus (on a very hot day) and made the trip to North Wales, to Lyndon Prep School. After an extremely difficult, hot and sticky journey plagued by traffic jams the girls got on with the job and played some very good rounders, managing to win again. By the third match the girls were really starting to gel as a team. Their opponents were Old Hall and this match was much closer than the score suggests. Both teams clearly wanted a win and when fielding were quick to go for all of the catches. Similarly, when batting every girl from both teams tried her hardest to get as many points as possible. It was a very tense game but our girls kept playing well until the end of the match and on the day managed to get more rounders. Our last and probably most challenging match of the term was against Foremarke. It was clear to all who were watching that both teams

desperately wanted to win this match. Our girls were evidently nervous because in the first innings they fielded very carefully and when batting they were almost over cautious when running around the pitch. After half time the girls came back out on to the pitch playing some fantastic rounders. The fielding was excellent with only a few whole or half rounders being scored by Foremarke during the second innings. When it was our turn to bat our girls put 100% effort in and ran intelligently. However, unfortunately, it was not to be our day and Foremarke scored just a few more rounders than us to secure victory.

Played 4 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 47 Against 351⁄2 v Shrewsbury High v Lyndon Prep v Old Hall v Foremarke

(H) (A) (H) (A)

Won Won Won Lost

16 - 81⁄2 7 - 51⁄2 131⁄2 - 8 101⁄2 - 131⁄2

Every girl in this team has been a joy to coach this term. They should all be very proud of themselves as they have played well in games practices and matches alike. Well done girls on a fantastic term!

Under 10B Played 2 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 271⁄2 Against 19 v Shrewsbury High School (H) v Foremarke (A)

Won 141⁄2 - 8 Won 13 - 11

Unfortunately, the Under 10B team only had two matches this term. However, both were great triumphs! All of the girls in the team played some fantastic rounders, starting the season on a high by winning their first match against Shrewsbury High School. Our girls came onto the pitch confidently and played well as a team throughout. The hitting was extremely good during this match with the team scoring 141/2 rounders! The second match against Foremarke came towards the end of the term. This exciting game was closely fought with both teams wanting to go home with a win. But on the day Page 96

our girls’ fielding was tight and the batting was exceptional with many of the team scoring whole and half rounders. Our girls were ecstatic to go home victorious after playing some of their best rounders all term. Well done girls on a successful season! Under 10 squad: Ellie Hutchings, Alice Shone, Sophia Price, Jess Hunt, Rosie Clarke, Amelia Tennant, Molly Bruce, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Beth Cooper, Georgie Bibby, India Holt, Laura Whittingham, Pip Vickers, Eliza Beckett, Isabella Wythe, Amber Gibbins, Annie Livermore, Clary Haynes, Ellie Mason, Lottie Clarke, Freya Beasley, Lottie Hill-Trevor. CH

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Under 9 The Under 9s have again had another successful term. Our first match was against Lyndon Prep.

Under 8 Played 2 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 16 Against 91⁄2 v Lyndon Prep (A) v Shrewsbury High (A)

Won Won

81⁄2 - 5 71⁄2 - 41⁄2

After a very hot bus ride the girls played extremely well as a team. There was some fantastic fielding with Ellie Mason catching two people out and Lottie Clarke and Lottie Hill-Trevor stumping out three girls. The girls’ next match was against Shrewsbury High School where the Under 9s mixed with the Under 8s for a coaching game. They worked really well together with the younger ones responding well to the good example set by the older girls. There was some fantastic bowling from Talullah Blackham, and some brilliant fielding from Chloe Edwards and Theodora Jarvis. Ellie Mason, Lottie Clarke, Lottie Hill-Trevor and Freya Beasley all had a few extra games as they were selected to play with the Under 10B team, which was a good experience for them. Well done girls! Team: Romy Grigg, Chloe Edwards, Ellie Mason, Freya Beasley, Imogen Downey, Lottie Clarke, Talullah Blackham, Theodora Jarvis, Lottie Hill-Trevor. KE

This has been a very busy season for the Under 8s. Their first match was against Birchfield and they were all extremely excited. There was some fantastic bowling from Louisa Jarvis, and some very energetic fielding from all of the other girls on the pitch. The girls went on to win their very first rounders match.

Played 3 Won 3 For 30 Against 191⁄2 v Birchfield v Shrewsbury High v Birchfield

(H) (A) (A)

Won Won Won

141⁄2 - 71⁄2 7 - 51⁄2 81/2 - 61⁄2

The second match for the girls was against Shrewsbury High School where with the support of some of the Under 9s they played extremely well with Anna Cowan excelling on third post and some super hitting from all the girls! Their final match was again against Birchfield, but this time it was a lot closer! The girls fielded really well in the first innings and batted extremely well, with Theodora Jarvis scoring 11⁄2 rounders. In the second innings the girls maintained their high standard of play and kept the pressure on Birchfield. Olivia Moir played well as backstop with some good, accurate throws to first and second post, which with the fantastic catching skills of Chloe Edwards and Georgia Kannreuther helped keep Packwood in the game! A special thank you to Chloe Edwards, Romy Grigg and Theodora Jarvis as they were a huge help playing for the Under 8 team. Well done girls and good luck next year! Team: Zephia Barlow-Evans, Sophia Bureau, Anna Cowan, Louisa Jarvis, Georgia Kannreuther, Olivia Moir, Seren Pattinson, Zara Vickers. KE

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Riding

Inter Schools Showjumping The first May Bank Holiday Monday saw a team of Packwood riders head off to Southview in Wettenhall to compete in the annual Inter Schools Show Jumping Competition. It is the seventh year that Packwood have been represented and this year’s team were keen to repeat the successes of those who had gone before. Sacha Robertson, Tara Beasley, Jack Ashworth and Hugh Davies made a fantastic start to win the 2’3” Show Jumping class. They all finished on zero faults and had the quickest time. Hugh was also individually second in the warm-up class and Jack was joint fifth.

Sacha , Jack and Hugh also entered the 2’6” team event in which all rode well, each of them finishing with just four faults. A superb ride by the fourth team member, Charlotte Greenway, who had a double clear, helped them into fifth place overall out of twelve schools. Charlotte was joined by Tia Barlow and Thomas Tulloch to make up our 2’9” team. All three rode very well to incur no jumping faults and their riding times placed them fifth out of the fourteen competing school teams. AJR

The 14th Packwood Gymkhana The Gymkhana was held rather earlier this year, in mid-May, and attracted eighteen ponies and riders, who were fortunate to enjoy some glorious weather and good going. There were again a large number of younger competitors which bodes well for the future of riding here, though it seemed the 18” Show Jumping class would go on forever! A happy and relaxed day was had by all as they entered the Show Jumping and Handy Pony classes in the morning and the Horse and Hound, the games and the Barrel Page 98

Jumping in the afternoon. All the entrants in between times were able to pop round much of the cross country course. The ponies, mums and dads had a long and busy day and did the riders proud! Once again announcing the winner of the Green Hollow Trophy had to wait until the following morning’s assembly when Tia Barlow was able to reclaim the trophy she had held from the previous year. Scott Walker came a good second. Days like this cannot happen without considerable help. Our particular thanks go to

Matron Banks who doubled up her first aid duties with very ably running the Show Jumping classes; to our gap student, Lucy Tressider in the Handy Pony Arena; and to the various children who willingly stewarded, especially Tom Simpson. It was an enormously enjoyable day and we were delighted to be able to send £85 off to our nominated charity, Riding for the Disabled. AJR

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S P O R T: R I D I N G / AT H L E T I C S

The 8th Annual One Day Event Packwood’s eighth Annual Horse Trials was again held on the opening Sunday of the autumn term. The ground was perfect, even though the grass was rather long. It is difficult now to remember just how wet the holidays were! In total, fifteen children competed for the three trophies. The dressage tests were well learned and all performed to a high standard, with Hugh Davies’ being excellent. The competitors all know that it is essential to do well here as this discipline usually determines

the final places. The show jumping, over the Berwyn and Dee’s smart jumps, caused few problems. The cross country section troubled a few competitors but was thoroughly enjoyed by most. Hugh was unfortunately unseated at the second and another couldn’t stop her very strong pony from missing a fence on the home stretch, but with no elimination in the rules, all continued to finish. This year’s winning riders were Tia Barlow in the 2’9” Open class, Scott Walker in the 2’3”

Novice class and Annabel Robertson in the 18” Beginners class. The best dressage test was performed by Hugh Davies. Our thanks go to Flora Rigby, who judged all three disciplines, and to Matron Banks, who was Flora’s ‘writer’ as well as being the First Aid cover! With time to relax and have picnics between disciplines, a marvellous day was had by all. On a glorious sunny day, even the unmounted tried their jumping skills in the show jumping arena! AJR

Athletics The Sixes Athletics at Senior and Under 11 levels again proved to be a very competitive event with all the boys and girls having the opportunity to take part in either a track or field event. Mannings/ Sodens won the senior event and Harcourt/Clarkes the Under 11 event. The overall winners were Harcourt/Clarkes who won the Miriam Heard Cup for the second year in a row. The highlight of the Senior and Under 11 Athletics was the girls’ and boys’ 800m races. Both events were highly competitive and produced excellent winning times. In the boys’ races Johnny Woodhead and Freddie Fielding won convincingly once again, repeating their successes of last year – with those two boys in the field it was always going to be tough for the rest of the competitors. Olivia Wade-Smith produced an impressive performance to win the Senior Girls’ 800m and Ella Downey overcame Isabella Wythe on the last lap to claim victory in the Under 11 girls’ 800m. In the field events Daishi Suzuki dominated the Boys’ Ball Throw event with a 60m throw and Freddie Thomson threw an excellent 28m 20cm to win the Boys’ Javelin. Another good performance in the field events came in the Senior Girls’ High Jump. Immy Hill produced the jump of the day – 1.30m – to win

Congratulations to Charlotte Edwards and Freddie Fielding for representing the school (and the West Midlands Region) in the National IAPS Athletics Championship in Birmingham at the end of term. Freddie claimed second place in the Boys’ 1500m final and Charlotte qualified for the final in the Girls’ 100m event. PJP Page 99

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S P O R T: T E N N I S

Tennis It’s rather difficult to list all the results, partly because the fixtures involved different age groups, boys’ only matches, girls’ only matches and a mixed match. But here goes: Played 11 Won 6 Drawn 1 Lost 4 Under 13 Boys v Birchfield v Shrewsbury U 14 v Moor Park v Shrewsbury U 14

(A) (A) (H) (H)

Won Lost Won Lost

20 - 7 (games) 2 - 5 (sets) 4 - 0 (sets) 0 - 8 (sets)

Under 11 Boys v Birchfield v Moor Park

(A) Lost (H) Won

11 - 16 (games) 3 - 1 (sets)

Under 13 Girls v Shrewsbury High (H) Won 5 - 1 (sets) v Moor Park (H) Drawn 2 - 2 (sets) v Abberley (H) Won 12 - 0 (sets)

Under 11 Girls v Moor Park v Abberley

(H) Won (A) Lost

3 - 1 (sets) 1 - 2 (sets)

Because of other sporting activities, tennis matches have to be arranged at all sorts of times and under all sorts of circumstances, hence the rather fragmented results. However, the overall pattern that emerges is that the standard of tennis at Packwood is improving considerably every year. The matches that we lost were either against older, more experienced opposition (Freddie Earlam had to contend with two of Shrewsbury’s Under 15 elite!), or against Abberley girls, where tennis has been made one of their girls’ two major summer sports (and the heroic Under 11 girls came so close!). The results are also hard to gauge because some record games and some, sets. But, this was a good season frustrated by the fact that most schools will not play tennis matches at all.

And then to the Repton tournament, where we had an increased representation this year, with two Under 13 boys’ pairs, one Under 12 and one Under 11, and one Under 13 girls’ pair and one Under 12. No cups this year – Immy Hill, our Under 13 star not being available – BUT four of the pairs, most of whom had never been in a tournament before, got to the semi-final stage, and this really is a good omen for the future. The tournament is a very high standard (and beautifully run – the cream teas are unrivalled!), but I predict growing success in the future for Packwood. Of course, the improving standard of tennis is largely due to the brilliant coaching of Steve Welti and his team from the Welti centre in Shrewsbury; they do the expert coaching, the rest is up to

Boys’ squad: Freddie Earlam (Capt), Jamie Humes, Toby Thomson, Ollie Pumphrey, Monty Curran, Charlie Adams, Patrick Phillips, Charlie Beckett, Edward Graves, Matt White, Edward Beard, Jonty Hall, Guy Morris, Freddie Fielding, Jonty Schofield, Rory Fergusson.

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huge enthusiasm for the game and a number of team coaching sessions.

Girls’ squad: Immy Hill (Capt), Millie Powell, Cecy Price, Charlotte Greenway, Lucy Simpson, Tira Brown, Olivia Wade-Smith, Milla Harvey-Scholes, Thea Holt-Smith, Charlotte Edwards, Maddie Hall, Poppy Carver, Alice Rees, Jemima Price, Flo Wade-Smith, Ce-Ce Whittingham, Tia Barlow, Cassie Bedford, Sacha Robertson. PAE

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S P O R T: S W I M M I N G

Swimming

Bell Cup for swimming standards

Manning/Sodens

Prosser Cup for Sixes swimming

McFerran/Wilsons

“Don't wait for your ship to come in – swim out to it.” Author Unknown Swimming is very important to the children at Packwood. For many it is an invaluable life skill, for some a competitive sport, for others a prerequisite to water sports and for most an enjoyable free time activity. Our very youngest children, the Acorns and the 5s and 6s in Main School, are taught to swim by a team of qualified instructors. As the children progress through the school with increased confidence and improved technique, they are encouraged to perfect their strokes and learn some race tactics. Children also learn life saving skills to various levels. During free time several teachers put on ‘free swims’ or organise, ever popular, ‘water polo’ matches. The children are assessed on a regular basis and are encouraged to improve and enjoy their swimming. We have been lucky again this year to have a dedicated team of qualified swimming instructors and our thanks go in particular to Kelly Evans, Jo Hutchings, Sam Hughes and Mrs Brown. The growth and improving standard of Packwood swimming is due to their dedication, patience and skill as teachers and coaches. During the summer term, all children attempt to attain their ‘swimming standards’ alongside the serious matters of woggle races and games of Battleships. Each standard achieved earns points for the child’s Six and the four fastest from each age group are selected for the

Grand Final (results below). In a vintage year for breaking school records, congratulations go to Zara Vickers and Ellie Hutchings who managed the clean sweep of wins for their age group, smashing five records, to Korn and Charlotte on breaking perhaps the toughest top year records and to Fran Hughes who won her breaststroke race for a fifth year in succession (one to go!). Ellie also qualified for the West Midlands/North Championships and returned from Liverpool with a clutch of medals. Most children in the school are recruited by their Six for the Grand Relay which this year, as always, was an exciting (and loud) affair. Harcourt/Clarkes won the senior race, but the overall trophy winners were McFerran/Wilsons with victories in the Middle and Junior age groups. NW Long Freestyle

Breaststroke

Sprint Freestyle

Under 8

Zara Vickers

Zara Vickers*

Under 9

Ellie Mason

Nick Yeoward

Under 10 Ellie Hutchings*

Ellie Hutchings*

Under 11

Harri Holroyd

Ella Downey

Fran Hughes

Harry Schofield

Alice Rees

Under 12 Fran Hughes

Under 13 Korn Pithayanukul* Charlotte Greenway* Korn Pithayanukul* *setting a new Packwood record

Rifle Shooting Over 80 children visited the range to shoot, generally either during lesson eight activities or in the two evening Clubs. Many came to gain a qualifying score in the Packwood Pentathlon. Shooting is a discipline that needs regular practice. Debatably, even once a week is probably not enough to be seriously competitive, but there are again some very promising up and coming young shots in the pipeline. This year saw two of them break the 96 barrier (a record score that has stood, both on and off the ‘sponge’, for a number of years now). Frank Morris scored 98 and Nick Yeoward scored 97, both using a ‘sponge’. A definite rivalry has now begun here! During the year there were six Second Class and two First Class certificates awarded and Jamie Moir gained his Marksman certificate. AJR Page 101

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S P O R T: F E N C I N G

Fencing

“This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Sir Winston Churchill (Fencer) So the ‘squash-court era’ of the Packwood fencing club has ended. Four years ago, a new sport called ‘fencing’ had appeared on the activities sheet, ten clean, new, white sets of kit were laid out on the floor in the squash court and ten eager pupils heard the phrase “On Guard” for the first time. Today the thirty odd sets of kit aren’t that white anymore, the swords are a little battered and the last of those eager first recruits move on. One of them tells me that she has a shoe box under her bed “full of fencing medals”. They began their journey as the new sports hall was under construction and they leave having provided it with some memorable sporting moments. I thank them all for their humour, competitive nature, willingness to listen, and of course for putting away their kit at the end! The most important thing however is that they – Charlie Adams, Henry Don and Olivia WadeSmith in particular – have inspired and taught waves of other Packwood pupils to follow them into the sport. I have been a bit player in ‘their’ club and I thank them for letting me tag along to witness their victories. They leave behind them a club with national and even international experience, a trophy haul second to none in the region and the largest membership of any school club in the country. The fencing ‘season’ runs all year, but at Packwood we start in the winter when our rusty veterans and new recruits get a chance to test our skills against one of the country’s top clubs (Wrexham). This year we launched an Under 8 team (Edward Don, Murray RobinsonBoulton, Zara Vickers and George Weston) and whilst overall Packwood suffered a narrow defeat, the Under 8s were victorious. Page 102

Bibby Bowl Sixes trophy

Manning/Sodens

Duel-in-the-Sun Individual trophy

Fran Hughes

Wrexham/Packwood Shield

(H)

Lost

4-5

(A)

Won

4-3

Packwood Epee Cup

Runners-up

British Youth Championships (11 qualified) Freddie Houlker 20th (Epee) Edward Stanton 23rd (Sabre) West Midlands ‘Epee Champion’

Archie Connolly, Ce-Ce Whittingham

West Midlands ‘Sabre Champion’

Edward Stanton

(Eleven selected to represent West Midlands Region – eight at Under 12, three at Under 14) LPJS Ashton Open

Jack Humphreys (5th)

LPJS Warwick Open

Jack Humphreys (6th), Ella Downey (6th)

LPJS Durham Open

Freddie Houlker (Bronze)

Packwood internal competitions are fearsome encounters. The first of these is a team event where the juniors and seniors fence in a tag-team relay. Manning/Sodens, this year’s winners, won a clean sweep of victories. Their captain, Charlie Adams, was helped to victory by two young ladies, more of whom later.

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S P O R T: F E N C I N G Spring time at Packwood and the circus comes to town! The sports hall is converted to an Olympic-worthy fencing hall: metallic pistes, head-height scoring equipment and hot teas served by lovely ladies. To run such events we need an army of volunteers and I thank them all again for their tireless support of Packwood fencing. As hosts of the West Midlands Epee Championships we provided the region not only with Under 12 champions (as last year), but for the first time all eight Under 12 medallists. As the next age group band is the Under 14s it would be impossible for Under 13 Packwood pupils to win a medal, impossible of course for anyone other than those two young ladies. Charlie Adams just missed out and Captain Henry helped all day in green blazer rather than ‘green socks’ as his top ten finish at the British Youth Championships the previous year had given him a bye through the regional qualifiers. The second visit of the circus is the Packwood Epee Cup, this time with over seventy entries from as far afield as Plymouth and Newcastle. As we are keen to promote competitive fencing amongst the younger children it was great to see Gabe Connolly and Annie Livermore win the Under 10 gold medals. Rory Davies was runner up in the Under 12s and of course those ladies took gold and bronze in the Under 14s. Having qualified a record eleven fencers for the BYC National Championships the team headed north-east to Sheffield over the May Bank holiday. Pizza eating competitions and a hearty breakfast behind us, we walked into the English Institute of Sports National Arena with the comment, “Are we fencing them?!” as some very, very tall gentlemen walked into the building carrying kit bags. No, as it turned out, they had come for a national basketball event! The competition however was stiff and one by one our valiant fencers were knocked out. It is a measure of their nature that they gave of their best and were able to accept defeat without tears or tantrums. We pride ourselves on competing at the highest level and this is the highest level. The fact that we didn’t look out of place, that the fencers met old foes and friends and were recognised by many if not all of the officials says a lot for the team. Well done Tia Barlow, Archie Connolly*, Rory Davies, Ella Downey*, Freddie Houlker *, Ruby Lavender, Edward Stanton, Ce-Ce Whittingham, Henry Don* and those two ladies*. (*have another year in the same age category) The Leon Paul Junior Series (LPJS) are ‘open’ competitions across the country. The big news is that Packwood is to host an LPJS of its own. Having been impressed with our two events this year, the organisers have given us the nod and on the 28th November 2010 we will host our first Leon Paul event; ALL are invited (past and present fencers).

This season we saw the rise of a new star, left handed giant of a ten year old, Jack Humphreys. At the time of going to print he is lying eighth in the LPJS rankings, just behind a certain Freddie Houlker, also of Packwood Haugh School. In the summer we got a second shot at Wrexham fencing club, this time with a visit down the A5. Wrexham have several fantastic coaches and have produced Commonwealth and World Games medallists; to even get close to beating them is an amazing result. We won. Half an hour in and a grinning Charlie Adams reported that our hack and slash rugby forwards Charlie, Ed and Will had won the Sabre. After an hour Henry and the two ladies had polished off the Welsh Epee Champion and his team mates. A full two hour epic in, the hooter sounded and after much debate Packwood edged it, reclaiming the trophy or ‘Tea-tray’, as I like to call it. As the sun shines, so do the blades as we hold the ‘Duel-in-the-Sun’ outdoor competition. Designed to answer the question of “Sir, who’s the best?” it is the only competition where both boys and girls of all ages get to fight each other. This year saw 88 entries. Nick Yeoward, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Ruby Lavender and Will Barlow made it to the quarter-finals. The semi-finals were very tight, one going to extratime, but last year’s champion, Captain Henry Don and this year’s ‘Sabre superstar’ Edward Stanton were pipped by... those two ladies. At this stage it is worth pointing out that Olivia Wade-Smith and Fran Hughes, with West Midlands colours on their sleeves, medals and Packwood colours in their shoe boxes and names emblazoned on the back of their jackets are pretty good fencers. So good in fact that they were selected to fence against a German team, an encounter from which they returned victorious, to the phrase from one visiting coach of “Zees girls are really tough, ja!”. Ja... After a five-all stalemate Fran edged ‘Wadie’ to become School Champion. She is also taking over from the most successful boy of the last four years, Henry Don, becoming the first girl captain of fencing. Welcome to the new era. NW

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S P O R T: G O L F / C R O S S C O U N T R Y

Golf A hush descended as the event organiser, Mr Rigby, prepared to reveal this year’s winner of the Parent/Pupil golf competition. An early morning practice round by George Burrell put him as the bookies’ favourite; however there was also Jake Samuel, winner of last year’s senior boys’ competition, in the field. Two dark horses in the shape of Olivia Annan, and Tilly Cooper also left the gathered crowd wondering. And of course we must not leave out Jamie Channon, an up and coming player. The format was once again a foursomes stableford competition. This is where each pair has one ball and play alternate shots. Points are scored depending on how many shots it takes to finish the hole. Play got underway with a shotgun start, and some mixed play was seen by the parents. The children of course were cool under pressure. At the end of nine holes the cards were added up, and given in to be scrutinised. After the cards were checked, the results were very close indeed; all the teams were within five points of each other. After many years of trying Mr Burrell and George were the winners by two points. George was extremely pleased with his win, and the Draper bowl which will adorn the family mantelpiece for the year. SAR Draper Trophy (Parent/Pupil)George Burrell Woosnam Cup (Senior Boys) James Nugent Junior Boys David Schofield

Cross Country The usual format where “Oh, no! I’ve got cross-country!” turns into “That was cool. We won, and I beat him, and I get a bar of chocolate…” Cross-country, that terrifying ordeal, is really not that bad. To start with, it offers something different from the usual team games, something with a bit of the unknown, perhaps a bit of adventure. It also helps to make them fit while they are running. So after uphill and down dale it all boils down to the Sixes Cross-Country Competition in which virtually the whole school competes, and the results were as follows: Senior Boys

Junior Boys

Girls

William Schofield (7:19)

Freddie Fielding (6:11)

Thea Holt-Smith (7:47)

Harry Schofield (7:27)

Jonty Schofield (7:02)

Isabella Wythe (7:49)

Freddie Perkins (7:29)

Daniel Humes (7:04)

Cecy Price (7:53)

Robert Waterhouse (7:35)

Simon Waterhouse (7:07)

Ella Downey (7:55)

Edward Dolphin (7:39)

Archie Waterworth (7:17)

Ce-Ce Whittingham (8:09)

Alfie Grocott (7:46)

Guy Morris (7:19)

Olivia Wade-Smith (8:17)

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And for the second year in a row, look at the Junior boys’ times! Faster than the Senior boys. Partly because the Senior Rugby Sevens were away at Rosslyn Park, but partly because Freddie Fielding broke the school record, AGAIN! Can he get any faster? Yes, of course. A pity that Johnny Woodhead was away at the rugby - he just might have put up a challenge to Freddie. PAE The Sixes results were: Senior Boys: 1st Mannings/Sodens Junior Boys: 1st Bradshaw/Boyces Girls:

1st McFerrans/Wilsons

Overall:

1st Bradshaw/Boyces 2nd Mannings/Sodens

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O L D PA C K W O O D I A N S

Old Packwoodian News Dinner for 2005 Leavers

Having a reunion of Old Packwoodians of five years has become a tradition and former pupils look forward to celebrating the end of A levels and seeing many of their old school friends and teachers, sometimes for the first time since they left Packwood. We were delighted to welcome back a good number of 2005 leavers, and they were a tremendously friendly and positive group. The evening always begins with the viewing in the theatre of old photographs of the leavers when they were at Packwood, and as ever this caused great hilarity and moments of fleeting embarrassment! During the dinner that followed, the leavers spoke of their experiences at senior school and their

ambitious plans for the future. They look back with great fondness to their time at Packwood, and several indicated that they would be registering their children when the time came! It was a terrific evening, and we very much look forward to welcoming the 2006 leavers next year. Those who attended were Alice Jones, Gemma Mostyn-Owen, Alasdair Dougan, Sophie Raichura, Sophie Holt, Will Newman, Florence Evans, Charlotte James, Johnnie Lillis, Edward Trevor-Jones, Benji Howard-Baker, Matthieu Oliver, Max Bould, Henry Hunter, Freddie Herzog, Jo Allan, Katie Robertson, Harry Putnam, Ben Crawley and Scarlett Moberley. FB

Retirement Party On Saturday 3rd July over 300 people gathered for a party at Packwood to mark the retirement of three long-serving members of staff. Described by the Chairman of Governors, Josh Dixey, as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;these three lions of Packwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Howard Bourne, Peter Erskine and Ian Wood have between them been at the school for a total of 67 years. Guests included many former colleagues and pupils of the three as well as current members of staff, governors and friends. There was much reminiscing and moving tributes were paid in gratitude for everything they have done for Packwood over the years. Their dedication, professionalism and commitment have been fundamental to the continuing success of the school, which is celebrating a recordbreaking year of achievement in all spheres of the curriculum. They will be much missed and fondly remembered.

It is always a pleasure to welcome back Old Packwoodians to the school and we were delighted so many were able to come along on this occasion to help Howard, Peter and Ian celebrate their retirement. CEH Page 105

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O L D PA C K W O O D I A N S

Births To Julian Gallimore (1981) and Suzanne, a son, Noah

Engagements Daniel Kennedy (1999) to Lorraine Emily Erskine (1991) to Jonathan Baker

Deaths Captain Keith Hindle, Royal Navy 1942-2010 Keith Hindle joined the Royal Navy in 1960 direct from his school in Lancashire. He spent three years at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, following which he went to sea in a minesweeper engaged in the Borneo Confrontation. Keith volunteered and was selected for helicopter pilot training at RAF Linton on Ouse. He was awarded his pilot wings in 1966 and served in five naval air squadrons, which included tours as senior pilot and squadron CO. He met his wife, Elisabeth, at Yeovilton and they were married in 1969 and had two children, Emma and Oliver. In the late 1980s the family

Left to right: Hugh Trevor-Jones (High Sheriff of Shropshire), Nigel Westlake, Bill Mitchell, Judy Mitchell, Ian Mitchell at the dedication of the Mitchell Theatre

Malcolm was a Governor at Packwood from 1985, Chairman of Governors from 1988 to 2004 and remained a Governor until his death in 2010. In recognition of his huge contribution to the success of Packwood over the years the school theatre has been dedicated to his memory. He was also on the Governing Body of Shrewsbury School, between the years of 1988 and 2005, as an elected member representing the Staff and Headmaster, and became a Governor of Moreton Hall in 1984, later becoming Chairman of Governors, a position he held until his death. John Michael Roe 1932-2010

Elisabeth Hindle, Emma and Oliver unveil the plaque in the Hindle Building

spent two and a half years with the international NATO community in Norfolk, Virginia in the USA. Following many more moves and challenges in his career, Keith retired from the Royal Navy at the end of 1992 and joined Packwood as Bursar in 1993, where he remained until his retirement in January 2008. During his time at Packwood, Keith was an outstanding bursar and was responsible for overseeing three major building projects: a theatre, a classroom block, and most recently the sports/art/craft and design technology complex which has been dedicated to his memory. Malcolm Mitchell 1939-2010 Malcolm Mitchell attended Packwood between the years of 1947 and 1952, followed by Shrewsbury School and then Balliol College, Oxford and St Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College, Cambridge where he took a course to enter the Colonial Service. He married his wife, Judy, in 1962 and they left England to work in Northern Rhodesia, now known as Zambia. They had three children, Andrew, Fiona and Ian (both boys eventually attended Packwood) and remained in Zambia until 1974 where Malcolm finished up as Director of Elections. On their return to England, Malcolm joined Sprott, Stokes and Turnbull (later to become Turnbull Garrard) in 1975 and trained as a Solicitor. He remained there until his retirement. Page 106

Michael came to Packwood in 1963 with his wife, Judy, and their children, John and Tim, living in Orchard House, which had been built for Major Dick Pearson, an Old Packwood boy and Head of Mathematics. Michael was appointed both as Senior Master and Head of Mathematics, but as the years passed it was clear that he was not only brilliant in those two demanding roles, but that he was also more than capable of turning his hand to virtually anything. When Michael joined the staff, Packwood had an established reputation for turning out scholars, based largely on the quality of Classics. Now it had become extremely important that the scholars should be more widely skilled in Mathematics, French and Science, while retaining their acknowledged brilliance in Classics. Michael, therefore, together with Nigel Gerrans for French, had arrived at just the right time and with the Classics still flourishing under Owen Barker, Packwood began to educate a large number, not only of scholars, but of top scholars to the major public schools. It was not only in the classroom that Michael shone. He had the personality, the enthusiasm, the drive and an endearing sense of quiet humour that brought out the best in the staff and pupils. He led by example and he persuaded the staff occasionally to do things that otherwise they might never have thought of. For instance, who can ever forget the incredibly gifted performance that he and Michael Barker gave as the Ugly Sisters in the staffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s version of Cinderella? It nearly brought down the dining room roof and was certainly as good, if not better, than a professional act. Michael was an old Oundelian, and, as such, knew what rugger was about so that he was well able to produce consistently fine 7s and XVs playing exciting rugger, which was a joy to watch.

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O L D PA C K W O O D I A N S It was largely because of his enthusiasm that the swimming pool was built. He taught everyone not just to swim but to swim well, and this also meant that he gave up an immense amount of time to keep the pool in immaculate condition. He was among the first to introduce computers into the school in the very earliest stages of their existence, building, with John, the school’s first home-made computer. This was invaluable for the school’s reputation as it gave us quite a head start. He could draw and paint as well as many artists and, when the school acquired the farm next door through the generosity of Mr McFerran, he also proved himself to be very knowledgeable on trees, planting possibly as many as a thousand, nearly all of which are flourishing, and adding so much to the beauty of the grounds. Mechanically he was absolutely first class. He could, and often did, drive the school tractor to perfection and, after he retired, he had a distinguished career in his beautiful Lotus at hill climbing events.

garden and trees, but even then they still managed annual sales of plants for charities. One of the highlights of Michael’s career at the school was when the newly acquired field by the river was being leveled, and he and Judy found that the itinerant glass makers from Whitchurch had been driven out from there and set up their ancient glass works site on the school’s new playing field. This was an important discovery and it reached the national press. Michael was as good a senior master as could be found anywhere. He could, if he had wished, have been a brilliant Headmaster, but it was Packwood’s good fortune and to the school’s lasting benefit that he remained at Packwood. It has been very sad to see Michael so ravaged in these last few weeks, but he remained resolute to the end, a lasting example to all who knew him. He was blessed in so many ways, but above all, with a wonderful family life, being utterly devoted to them and they to him.

Much of his success as a schoolmaster came because he had such an easy way with the young, and all those who were lucky enough to go on his camping or canoeing trips will vouch for the fun that he was.

Rear-Admiral Sam Salt (1953), who commanded a war ship during the Falklands conflict.

Somehow in between all these very important time-consuming activities, he and Judy brought three rather dilapidated cottages at Wykey which they turned into a beautiful house with a really lovely

John Davenport Siddeley Ainscow (1944)

Roland Arthur Harding (1964)

News of Old Packwoodians 1948

1975

Lionel Jebb and his wife are moving into a house near Tetchill.

Anthony Barnett has been promoted to Associate Director of his architectural partnership and his design team has had several exciting projects. A new flight training academy for Flybe and more visits to China loom.

1960 Andrew Killick is still fully engaged at Yarm School where targets and risk assessments seem to be the buzz words. However the Classics Department continues to flourish.

1964 Andrew Wallace-Hadrill has recently been made Master of Sidney Sussex College while remaining as Chairman of much of the Classical work in Rome.

1972 John Roe is taking a break from being Department Head of Mathematics at Penn University this year which will give him more opportunities for research and writing.

Penelope Davies was recently in touch with Andrew Wallace-Hadrill. She is a Professor of Art (Ancient) History in Austin, Texas. She spent a year in Rome writing her latest book.

1977 Nicholas Barnett has recently formed a construction company and managed to obtain a Development Agency grant. He has also begun flying again and should soon regain his instructor rating.

David Bickerton has been elected Managing Partner of Clifford Chance for London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. His two older boys are at Rugby and loving it. His daughter is at St John’s College School Cambridge and intends to go to Rugby also.

1980 Peter Brown is concentrating on his baths and bathware business. Andrew Jebb has moved to Liverpool and is handling many interesting cases. Ben Mowll had four paintings accepted in London Mall Gallery this year and has been elected an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists. James Skelton is now Financial Director of B&Q UK.

Tom Rylands is still working for M E Waterhouse and captained the England Rifle Team at the South African Championships last year. He has three children, Christopher who has graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in Chemical Engineering, Louise who is studying medicine at Bristol University, and Peter who took his GCSEs last summer. He recently competed at Bisley against Toby Lehmann who was shooting for Sedbergh with his two sons, Peter and Matthew.

1974 Richard Jebb has become a member of the OP Committee. He is running his computing firm from Ellesmere and his son, Felix is now in his second year at Packwood. Sophie Jebb has taken on more work at Clare College, Cambridge. Mark Rylands has been appointed Bishop of Shrewsbury and has recently returned to the school to take an assembly.

Henry Don, Mark Rylands (Bishop of Shrewsbury) and Laura Cooke

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O L D PA C K W O O D I A N S 1981 Julian Gallimore and Suzanne now have a son, Noah. Julian is playing cricket whenever he can at Knockin Cricket Club.

1982 Guy Anstiss is now with Balfour Beatty Management and has completed building the new rail interchange station and neighbouring Haggerston Station in London. At present he is engaged in widening and strengthening Blackfriars railway bridge. Mark Anstiss is now Chief Inspector of Operations for Hong Kong Island. Charles Grubb is living in North Somerset with his three children. Susan still lives in London, working in the wine business, and doing very well. She also has three children. Joshua Mowll has recently become engaged. He has also been busy putting the finishing touches to his latest book, The Great Space Race, which will be published next August.

1984 Nicholas Brown had a very difficult time in the recession but is working extremely hard to turn things round. Adam Fletcher is working on developing some land near Swindon. Justin Fletcher has branched into a cleaning business to cope with the recession. Ben Kerfoot is very happy with his boat business

1985 Robin Bennett has finished converting ‘The Barns’ at Old Marsh Farm into offices. His excellent team of Polish workers left after 4 years, a sad departure for all.

1986 Stephen Brown’s play Future Me has toured in this country including performances at the Lowry in Manchester. He is working hard to finalise his play about Iraq and recently travelled to Syria to do more research. Julie Bowdler is always so good at sending in information on her ex-contemporaries. She reports that Natasha Vaughan-Jones (now Hewlett) is teaching and that Sophie Amphlett now lives with her husband and seven year old son in Chicago. Susan Underhill (now Wheeler) is working to market the Bodleian Library’s copyrighted books. Julie herself is now at home with her one year old daughter. Nigel Crewe-Read returned last August from a second tour in Afghanistan where he commanded an independent Warrior Company which was involved in Panther’s Claw. He appeared on television and radio. David Makinson is still working in the Home Office. Fiona McDonald has two lovely daughters, Amber and Isla. She is busy with research into cancer, while her husband is a cancer specialist Page 108

James Morris is now living in Shrewsbury and working hard to keep business brisk during the recession.

1988

Joshua Bradbury gained his PhD from Bangor to go with his MA. His father wrote expressing his thanks for the start Packwood had given him.

Myles Allsop is a Junior Director of UBS in London. He has a daughter of four and a son of two.

Emma Fanning is in the Eastern Congo working for Save the Children.

Mark Cassel has been under much pressure while resolving his father’s estate.

Alexander Dew is on a Degree Course at LSE, London.

Emma Hawksley has enjoyed her first year as a qualified nurse and will soon begin the training required to be a Community Nurse.

Harriet Erskine is really enjoying working for The Goldsmith’s Company.

Philip Makinson works for a small Frenchowned Computer Consultant Company.

1993

Charlotte Hawksley is married and has a daughter, Melody.

Oliver Dew is on a Business Degree Course at Cranfield. He is married with two children aged eight and four.

Andrew Rowley’s work at BBC radio is going well. He now commentates on the Premiership teams and co-presents a Rugby show once a week as well as covering everything from boxing to gymnastics.

1990

1994

James Roper is enjoying his work at Churchill China and doing very well.

Sara Fanning is moving to the Barnes/Mortlake area of London.

1991

Simon Rowley is still with GVA Grimley in the City.

1989

Emily Erskine is still with a Private Equity firm in London. They recently moved their office to Regent Street. Thomas Rowley and his wife, Kate, recently had a daughter, a sister for Patrick. He is enjoying working at Zeno Capital in Manchester.

1992 James Bourne is now a doctor of Clinical Psychology, working for the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Unit in Hackney, East London.

1999 Andrew Erskine is in the second year of his Law Conversion in Holborn. Daniel Kennedy is in the Army in the REME Regiment currently on tour in Afghanistan. He is due back in March and is counting down the days. He recently got engaged to Lorraine. He still plays rugby when he can.

2000 Tom Carpenter recently organized a new music festival – the Gottwood Festival on Anglesey which was a huge success and for which he received a lot of publicity. Lucinda Goucher graduated from Bristol with a 2.1 in French and Russian (having spent her third year in St Petersburg). She managed to land a job in Shoreditch with a young internet advertising company and loves it.

Don’t lose touch! The new Packwood Haugh website features a secure area specifically for Old Packwoodians to find out about forthcoming social and sports events, and to share news and photos with their fellow ex-pupils. Please contact us with your email details at opnews@packwood-haugh.co.uk so that we can issue you with a password and login.

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O L D PA C K W O O D I A N S 2001

2004

Alice Davies is currently teaching at a boarding school in Spain on her year out from Bristol University where she is studying Spanish and Portuguese. She will be back in the summer and has plans to travel round South East Asia for 6 weeks before returning to do her final year.

Jonty Goucher is now at the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester doing a degree in Commercial Land Agency and thoroughly enjoying it.

Rhiannon Evans is studying medicine at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and is planning on moving to UCL for her 4th year. Holly Kennedy graduated from Newcastle University in 2009 with a BA in Architectural Studies and is now working as a User Experience Software Designer in the jewellery quarter in Birmingham developing her department and recruiting fellow graduates. It is an interesting and challenging job (she did get to go to San Francisco on a training course) and she is hoping that Catrin Evans will participate in some work experience with her during the summer to aid her Graphic Design degree at Leeds University.

2002 Philippa Newton graduated from Cirencester with a 2:1 and now has a job in Stowe where she is completing her RCIS.

Michael Harrap is now in his first year at Durham reading Biology Guy Newton was heading off to do Raleigh International in March and is hoping to go on to university and then to Sandhurst.

2005 Charlotte James has been a prefect this year at Marlborough and Captain of Lacrosse Ed Trevor-Jones ran the London Marathon with his brother, Guy and raised ÂŁ5000 for the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Liver Disease Foundation. He is hoping to go on to Cardiff University to study Medical Engineering. Jo Allan did very well in his A Levels and is going to apply to university next year. Henry Bridge did very well in the International Baccalaureate and is going to Trinity College Dublin to read History. Alasdair Dougan got 3 As in his A Levels and is taking a gap year working in the Alps and South Africa before going to Manchester University to read English.

Freddie Herzog was Head Boy at Ellesmere in his final year and did very well in his A levels. He is now going to Birmingham to read History. Alice Jones did very well in her A Levels and is going to do an Art Foundation Course at Cheltenham.

2006 James Barlow achieved straight As and A*s in his GCSEs and is now at Shrewsbury. He was in the Whitchurch rugby U16 team which won the regional final along with William Goodwin. Johnny Harrap is enjoying Lower V1th at Cheltenham Emma Trevor-Jones has been made Head Girl of Oundle Charles Bridge is a Deputy Head of Malvern Henrietta Dyson has moved to Sevenoaks to do the International Baccalaureate. Georgina Harfitt is Deputy Head Girl at Moreton Hall. Jess Richards is running Moreton Enterprises very successfully. Chessie Rowland is also on the Committee.

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Governors & Staff Governors Dr J Dixey MD FRCP – Chairman Mrs L Lewis LLB – Vice-Chairman Mrs F J Humphreys A S Davies BSc Est Man FRICS J W R Goulding MA

W A Johnston M N Mitchell MA Mrs C Mostyn-Owen MA D R Stacey R G Tovey Cert Ed (Oxon)

Teaching Staff Nigel Westlake LLB, PGCE – Headmaster Oliver Lee MA, PGCE – Deputy Head, Classics, Head of Day Children Franscois Adams HDip – Maths Howard Bourne MA, PGCE – Senior Master, Maths, New Children Kate Brown BEd – English, Library Elizabeth Crawley BA, PGCE – Head of Packwood Acorns, Girls' House Mistress Elspeth Cumpston BSc, PGCE – Maths Elizabeth Dobson MA – Assistant to Director of Music Paul Dougan MA – Head of Art Sue Draper BEd – Lacrosse, Athletics Roz Edwards BEd – Head of RS Peter Erskine Cert Ed – Head of English Martin Ford BEd – Maths, Geography Laura Goulding BA – Form 6, Art Jane Hadwick BA, PGCE – Music Chantal Hartshorn BA, PGCE – Girls' Games, Teaching Assistant Richard Herzog BEd – Head of Science Sam Hughes MA, BEd – Girls' Games, Science Bill Inge MA, PGCE – Head of Classics Jane Jones – Cookery, New Uniform, Boys' House parent Nick Jones BEd, Cert Ed – Senior Master, Biology, Boys' Housemaster Jo Lambkin BA, MIL – French Geraldine Lee Cert Ed – French Andrew Livermore BA – Head of History Lizzie Livermore BA (Ed) – Form 6 Emma Middlemiss BEd – Acorns Helen Nogues BA, PGCE – French, Spanish, CDT, Teaching Assistant Jerome Nogues BA – Head of French Kate Parry BEd – Head of PE Paul Phillips BSc, PGCE – Head of Boys' Games, Science Duncan Reavill BSc, PGCE – Head of Geography Anthony Rigby – Head of CDT Stephen Rigby BA, PGCE – Head of IT Nicola Tomlins BEd – Acorns Ken Webster Cert Ed – English Jo Westlake BA, CPGS – Director of Music Nick Weston MA, PGCE – Maths, History Gail Wilkinson BA, PGCE – History, Geography Leanne Willis – PE, Games, Teaching Assistant Ian Wood BEd – Director of Studies, Head of Maths, Senior Master

Matrons Ali Banks RGN – Head Matron Gillian Stobie – Girls' Head Matron Caron Lane – Deputy Head Matron Sarah Jones Liz Fitzgerald Sarah Higgins Frances Wood Zoe Williams

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Mrs M T Price J J Knight A M Wright BA J M Ollier

Learning Support Staff Sue Gough BA, PGCE, Dip SpLD – Head of LS, English Tina Simms BA, PGCE, RSA Cert SpLD Jean Herzog BA, PGCE, Dip SpLD Jane Cooke BA, RSA Cert SpLD Etsuko Koshika BA, JFL Jo Kapella BSc, PGCE, Dip SpLD Catherine Hammond BA

Visiting Staff Edward Roberts-Malpass – Trumpet, Trombone Jayne Robinson – Violin Olga Lewis – Piano Anthony Dowlen – Piano, Acting Head of Music Harry Percy – Percussion Roy Johnson – Saxophone, Clarinet Jan Lumley – Flute, Clarinet John Arran – Guitar Dawn Jaffray – Singing Roselinde Glossop – Piano David Joyce – Violin Sarah Roberts-Malpass – Horn, Piano Katherine Joyce – Percussion, Piano Bethan Roberts – Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon Jane Magee – Cello, Double Bass Steve Welti – Tennis Rod Jones – Football, Cricket Dick Hilton – Archery Scott Carpenter – Golf Martine Jones – Drama Roger Houston – Judo Jo Hutchings – Swimming, Trampoline Kelly Evans – Swimming Paul Donaldson – Cricket Annie Moody – Ballet Sarah Morris – Girls' Games Lucy Tressider – Gap Student Connor Hale – Gap Student

Administrative Staff Brian Welti – Bursar Natalie Shaw – Assistant Bursar and School Accountant Linda Champion – Payroll Caroline Dougan – Headmaster’s Secretary Fiona Bridge – Assistant Secretary and OP Society Secretary Helen Cooper – Assistant Secretary Jeremy Bayliss – IT Technician Charlotte Erskine – Librarian, Second-Hand Uniform

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Left to Right from top row down Back row: Archie David, William Allott, Alejandro Cros, Monty Curran Row 2: Sebastian Heywood, Edward Carroll, Jake Samuel, Nicole Ashall, Ned Hall, Georgina Thurston, Freddie Perkins, Elliot Robinson-Boulton, Will Schofield Row 3: Jamie Humes, Gus Langford, Johnny Woodhead, Lucy Simpson, Kinvara Gladstone, Daisy Raichura, Tatty Hunt, Paul Sharpe, Peregrine Beckett, Will Bruce Row 4: Edward Graves, Charlie Adams, Oliver Pumphrey, Tansy Massey, Islay Stacey, Charlotte Greenway, Ianthe Bathurst, Cecy Price, Toby Thomson, Hugo Rowland, Freddie Earlam Row 5: Yutaro Sato, Korn Pithayanukul, Angus Campbell, Olivia Wade-Smith, Tira Brown, Emelia Lavender, Daniella Hatton, Rosie Shone, Millie Powell, Jamie Nugent, Freddie Thomson, Charlie Beckett Front row: William Dorrell, Tilly Cooper, Will Barlow, Immy Hill, Henry Don, Headmaster, Laura Cooke, Patrick Phillips, Olivia Annan, Hamish Neill, Emily Ford

The 2010 Leavers

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Packwood Haugh School Ruyton XI Towns, Shrewsbury Shropshire SY4 1HX Telephone 01939 260217 Fax 01939 262077 www.packwood-haugh.co.uk

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