The Packwoodian 2010-11 by Packwood Haugh School

The

Packwoodian 2010-2011

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 1

The

Packwoodian 2010-2011 Head Boy Head Girl

George Burrell Jessica Clarke

Deputy Head Boy Deputy Head Girl

Harry Jenkinson Evie Clutton

Monitors George Burrell Jessica Clarke Evie Clutton Fergus Connolly Joe Davies Charlotte Dixon Dot Holt Francesca Hughes

Harry Jenkinson Sophie Mason Henry Oak Leo Sartain Archie Thomason Robert Waterhouse Oliver Williams-Bulkeley Antonia Wordie

Captain of Soccer Captain of Netball Captain of Hockey Captain of Lacrosse Captain of Rugby Captain of Cricket Captain of Rounders Captain of Fencing Captain of Swimming Heads of Choir Leader of the Orchestra

Toby Mason Holly Shaw Charlotte Edwards Antonia Wordie Archie Fetherstonhaugh Matt White Thea Holt-Smith Francesca Hughes Francesca Hughes Antonia Brine Fergus Connolly Evie Clutton

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 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 2

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

Boys’ Boarding Girls’ Boarding

11 12

Modern Foreign Languages History Geography Physical Education ICT

16 17 17 18 18

Science Craft, Design & Technology Music

19 19 20

Bush Survival One Act Plays Lectures Christmas Quiz Visiting authors New Children’s Barbecue Royal Wedding Fun

26 26 27 27 28 28 29

Packwood Dog Show Gundog Training Hindu Workshop Cycle Awareness Training Weekend Events and Activities

30 31 31 31 32

33 33 33 33 34 35 36 36

Derby Mosque and Hindu Temple London Trip to Mulberry Alpacas Ice Skating Tamworth SnowDome Fishing Trip to Chirk Lady Lever Gallery White Water Rafting

36 37 37 38 38 38 39 39

National League Hockey Snowdon Weekend Twickenham - England v Samoa Midlands Game Fair Indoor Climbing at Plas Power Chirk Castle

39 40 40 40 41 41

42 42 42 43 43 43 43 43 44 44 44 44 44 45 45

Card Making Creative Club Debating Gardening Drama Fly Tying Juggling Mini Tennis Squash Explorers and Collectors Lower School Orchestra International Film Club Girls’ Cricket Quiz Club Judo

45 45 46 47 48 48 48 48 48 48 49 49 49 49 50

Origami Mixed Hockey Pop Lacrosse Table Tennis Packwood Life Newspaper Pottery Club Recorder Group Stage Lighting Club Touch Rugby Trampolining Science Club Volleyball Wednesday Socs

51 51 51 51 51 52 52 52 52 53 53 53 53

54 59 64 67 70 73

Rounders Riding Athletics Biathlon Cross Country and Fun Run Rifle Shooting

78 82 82 82 84 84

Fencing Golf Swimming Tennis

85 85 86 86

Marriages Deaths

88 88

News of Old Packwoodians

Subjects Art Classics English Religious Studies Maths

13 14 14 15 16

Events Dream On 22 Leadership and Teamwork Training 23 Christmas Entertainment 23 Perkin and the Pastry Cook 24 Packwood Quiz Night 25 The Packwood Panto 25 Old Swinford Hospital Summer Festival 25

Trips Alton Towers Fishing The Perry Cinderella 1Class Trip to Hay-on-Wye Boys’ Leavers Trip - North Wales Girls’ Leavers Trip - Pembrokeshire Chester - Classics Trip Manchester Jewish Museum

Clubs & Activities Archery Aussie Rules Football Ballet Badminton Basketball Board Games Bridge Canoe Club Cookery Ballroom Dancing Beekeeping Boys’ Hockey Cookie Club Croquet Chess Club

Sports Football Rugby Hockey Netball Lacrosse Cricket

Old Packwoodians Dinner for 2006 Leavers Engagements

88 88

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 3

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

The Headmaster Extracts from the Headmaster’s Speech on Speech Day Mr Chairman, Mr Turner, Parents, Friends of the school, members of staff and children… At the end of each summer term, as part of my ‘Headmaster’s Lessons’, I give each form a questionnaire which covers many aspects of their lives at Packwood Haugh School: what is your favourite lesson? What is your favourite Packwood lunch? Who should be Head Boy and Head Girl? What has made you proud this term? etc, etc and I usually finish with: if you were Headmaster, what changes would you make to improve Packwood even further? A good number of children ponder for several moments and then, reassuringly, write ‘Nothing’, but others are more expansive. Recent suggestions have included the following: Rowan Pickstock would like just “one lesson a day” though he didn’t add which lesson he would like to last all day; Freddie Fielding would order “better desks in 4G”; Jonty Bright would like an ice cream van in free time; Seren Pattinson would provide all boarders with an electric toothbrush; and Romy Grigg, somewhat radically, wants to “choose what lessons you go to”. Harry Marshall wants “more stuff” on the adventure playground; Ali Davies, would like us to “plant more trees”, and Fergus David would invest in some “bird feeders”. Toby Mason would like “more football” and Stamos Fearnall would like “more rugby”. More ambitiously, Will Bayliss wants “golf buggies to get around and a ski resort chair-lift up from the bottom field”, and, in the same vein, Fergus Connolly suggests a school tram that he could conveniently hop on and off. Simon Waterhouse wanted to be “able to sleep after lunch on Sundays” and Jonty Schofield insists that Packwood should be “more modern”. And the politically minded Ollie Tennant simply demands that the school must “give people more freedom!” And finally a particularly thought-provoking suggestion from Frank Morris: “A Discovery Term” – what an interesting idea, I thought, and I started to mull over all the exciting crosscurricular educational opportunities that a “Discovery Term” might offer…until I happened to glance again at Frank Morris’s sheet of paper and realised that I had misread: Frank Morris did not want a “A Discovery Term” – no, Frank Morris actually wanted “A Disco Every term”… But I’m pleased to report that some of these ideas have already become a reality: children are allowed to slip up to their dorms for a siesta on Sundays, 4G have better desks, a space net and a tree house have appeared on the adventure playground, Jonty Schofield’s dormitory has been duly modernised, one

more tree has been planted, and I do still quite like the idea of a Discovery Term. And other changes will surely be around the corner. And change, of course, is healthy for any organisation and Packwood has seen its fair share of change this year. On the staff front, this academic year was always destined to be an interesting one. We have a new Head of Maths who is also a new Director of Plays, a new Head of English, and a new Head of Music, and new staff bring exciting new ideas and a fresh perspective. In the English department, for example, Roy Chambers has taken children to the Hay Literary Festival, to performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and, in the open air theatre at Regent’s Park, a stunning performance of Lord of the Flies; there have been inspirational visits from two authors, numerous entries into Radio 2’s 500 word essay competition and the production of a very impressive and informative “Packwood Life” newspaper. And, for the performers at Packwood, to complement the Elocution Prize and the Debating Club, Roy is currently looking into the possibility of English Speaking Board assessments or LAMDA drama exams.

on the instrumental ensembles side of things, children will continue to begin in small ensembles, then move into a new Packwood Training Orchestra. From there, they will be selected to move up into one of two major ensembles, the Packwood Chamber Orchestra or the Packwood Big Band, depending on which instrument they play. And a new instrument this term, sitting proudly in the corner of the music room, is the organ. It has encouraged great interest and six pupils have already signed up for organ lessons next term.

Nick Weston, meanwhile, who moves from the Maths department to become Head of History In the Maths department, Richard Cowley has from September, has new trips planned to the been teaching the children about computer likes of Montgomery Castle and Warwick programming as an introduction to aspects of Castle. And, although Anthony Rigby will still algebra, and the children have been challenged be teaching some classes, he hands over the by the “Maths Puzzle of the Week”. For reins of the CDT department to Elena Nogues, September, Richard is restructuring and who has plans to introduce Food Technology updating the syllabus so that we are more in (Cookery) to the CDT syllabus and jewelleryline with the national curriculum guidelines, making to the clubs programme. And we whilst at the same time stretching those who welcome back, of course, the highly-regarded need to be stretched and maintaining an Jon Onions, as Head of Classics. emphasis on formal teaching techniques and And this year we have seen Sue Gough and times tables. And we are adjusting our Nick Jones as assistant heads, soon to be approach towards Maths setting so that many more pupils will be taught in groups specific to Deputy Heads, Martin Ford as i/c new children, Steve Rigby as our timetabling guru, their Maths ability. Jerome Nogues as i/c day children and i/c Plans for the music department are also foreign pupils, Jane Jones looking after exciting. Next September Sarah Boutwood will hospitality and Nick Weston joining the be replacing the senior choir with two separate marketing team. All have worked tirelessly and choirs, Packwood Girls’ Choir and Packwood slipped seamlessly into their new roles. Boys’ Choir. They will wear choir robes for And further changes continue apace. We plan, Sunday services and work towards earning for example, to create a ball-free play area for medals with different coloured ribbons. And Page 3

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 4

REVIEW OF THE YEAR traditional games such as hopscotch, skipping, and hula-hoops. And, as you’ve already been informed in an Exeat letter, we are introducing talks to parents on a variety of topics such as Boarding, Dyslexia/Dyspraxia/Dyscalculia, Drugs and Alcohol, Revision, Reading with your Child, Numeracy – How to help at home , and the first, in September, on Internet Safety. You will also be aware of the slight adjustment to our approach towards boarding, so that ‘transitional boarding’ will apply up to and including Form 4. This will make a difference to the children who start boarding aged seven or eight, and though transitional boarders are a very small percentage of the overall number of boarders at Packwood, there is already evidence that the flexibility that this new approach offers is encouraging even more boarders at these young ages. We have continued to expand the range of evening and weekend activities, and I’m sure that this goes some way towards explaining the very healthy number of boarders at Packwood at present. We finish this term having again reached our optimum number of 285 pupils altogether throughout the school, and with over 150 boarders – a figure which (so far as I can tell from published statistics) secures our place as the prep school with the highest number of boarders north of Oxford…and this term we have more girl boarders than we have had, certainly since 1995, and for as long as many can remember. I’d like to pay tribute to and publicly thank all the staff involved with the boarding here at Packwood – the housemasters, the boarding and landing tutors, and the matrons in particular of course. The roles that they play in caring for and entertaining your children are many and varied, and they need to be ready for anything: at breakfast recently, for example, Matron Sarah became aware of an eight year old boy standing behind her brandishing a banana as if it were a gun. “George, are you shooting me with a banana?” Matron Sarah enquired. “No matron,” replied George. “I’m using you for cover...”

and Milla Harvey-Scholes. Common Entrance candidates all passed to their selected schools with a set of grades that compare very favourably with previous years. With two new Heads of key academic departments, this is a notable achievement and bodes well for the future. And this year’s leavers have been very successful, as we are still to hear, in many areas of school life, and they have also been a tremendously enthusiastic, friendly and teamspirited bunch; they’re not perfect, of course, (none of us can claim to be that) but overall they have set a very fine example at the top of the school. And they leave as well-rounded, confident individuals with a strong sense of what is right and with an awareness of their responsibilities to others, both inside and outside the Packwood community. Bringing up and educating children with the right values, ensuring their development as individuals of character is, I believe, one of the greatest and most important challenges that both school and parents face, particularly with the array of external influences and peer pressures faced by the young today. We continue to do all that we can at Packwood, working alongside you as parents, to develop the right qualities of character in your children. Part of that process, for example, is in the support that we provide for a variety of different charities, 15 in total this year, and through this support we raise the children’s awareness of the less fortunate and encourage a can-do attitude towards helping those in need. And it’s equally important, of course, that we encourage the children to help themselves, to make the most of the talents that they have been given and of the opportunities around them. And I think that we must be doing something right in this regard, for the quality and breadth of the children’s achievements this year is staggering. In addition to the scholarship and Common Entrance success...

• Packwood pupils (Oliver Bureau, Jude Other changes? Well, I’m personally delighted Bedford, Jamie Channon and Dominic to see the return of the Packwood Ski Trip, once Ainslie) won the Old Swinford Hospital again off to Saas Fee in March. We’re very Science Trophy, much looking forward to the Packwood • Zak Nicholas achieved first place in celebrations that we are planning next summer Wrekin’s Emerging Talent Art Competition, for the 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. And with an encouraging • Rory Davies achieved a Gold in the UK number of new children due to start in Under 16 Maths Challenge and Maxwell September, we are returning to two Form 6s, Horler was awarded a Gold medal in the with traditional Form Teachers in each of these Primary Maths Challenge, forms. • William Bayliss, William Holcroft and But enough of the future, what about the Harriet Haynes, as one child put it, recent past? More specifically, what can ‘elocuted’ brilliantly in the Elocution Prize; Packwood reflect upon with pride over the last • and Rory Carter-Motley, Ruby Lavender, three terms? Academically, it has been another Thomas Tulloch and Alexander Wythe good year. 21 scholarships in total (academic, achieved regional success in a National music, art, sport, information technology and Spelling Bee competition. all-rounder), and the eight academic Times, clearly, have moved on since a seven scholarships were awarded by seven different year old was overheard giving his younger schools, including top academic scholarships brother, who was just about to start school for to Shrewsbury and Stowe from Alfie Grocott Page 4

the first time, some fraternal advice: “Whatever you do, don’t learn how to spell CAT, because if you do, after that the words just get harder and harder.” In sport, there have been some extraordinary team and individual performances: Athletics: Charlotte Edwards – 100m gold medal in the national prep school athletics championships, and Freddie Fielding – silver medallist in the 1500m; Fencing: Francesca Hughes – rated in the top ten nationally at Under 14 epee, and the girls Under 11 Epee team – Antonia Barlow-Evans, Georgia Bibby, Jessie Hunt and Isabella Wythe – silver medallists in the national epee team event; Swimming: Ellie Hutchings – countless gold medals for swimming events across the country; Hockey: seven Packwood pupils representing the county and Charlotte Edwards also selected for the Midlands; Lacrosse: Under 13 Midlands lacrosse champions; Biathlon: Gold in the Wrekin team event for Jack Ashworth, Simon Waterhouse and Harri Holroyd; Netball: Under 13 county champions and Charlotte Edwards captain of Shropshire Under 14 squad; Riding: Jack Ashworth, Scott Walker, Simon Waterhouse and Thea Holt-Smith first in their Arena Eventing class and Sophie Barlow an individual winner in the qualifiers for the National Schools Equestrian Association Championships; Rugby: Under 13 and Under 11 winners in the prestigious Moulsford Sevens Tournament, and in the top eight at the National Under 13 Sevens Tournament for the second year running; Football – Winners of Under 11 Shrewsbury Sixes Tournament; Cross country – Under 13 Shropshire Silver medallists and winners of the Shrewsbury High Invitational; Cricket: Malvern Under 11 and Under 13 tournament winners, Shrewsbury Under 11 tournament winners, Under 11 English Schools National Hardball Regional winners and Finalists, and of course, 3rd XI bowler Jamie Moir – six wickets in six balls, all clean bowled; Rounders: Final four in the Under 13 national tournament… The list goes on – a remarkable 17 tournaments won over the year. …all of which may well be an indication that Packwood is blessed with some outstanding sportsmen and sportswomen (which we are, with Charlotte Edwards’ record this year being quite exceptional), and blessed with some

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 5

REVIEW OF THE YEAR knowledgeable and committed coaches, but I see Packwood’s sporting success, whether at national level or at unbeaten Under 13E football team level, as an indication of the character of the Packwood children. Time and time again the Packwood coaches tell me that we have won tournaments against sides that they happily acknowledged to have been better than us in terms of individual talent, because the Packwood team has had the team spirit, the will to win, and the self-belief to overcome the odds. At the end of the Christmas term, for example, I was both amused and encouraged when an eight year old boy started to tell me, with admirable honesty and confidence, about his rugby experiences that term. “Sir,” he began, “there was this time when I was really quite extraordinary….” Simon Waterhouse was extraordinary, too, in the 500m run at the National Biathlon semi-finals. Approximately 20 runners took their marks and then, at the start of the race, everyone rushed to get into the inside lane and Simon Waterhouse, not one of our larger boys, was bundled over; he was hurt and looked up, on his knees and elbows, at the other runners disappearing into the distance. After only a moment’s hesitation, Simon pulled himself to his feet and, in the words of our running coach and Head of French, Jerome Nogues, “wiz ze ‘ighest determination zat I ‘ave ever seen in a 10 year old”, started to sprint after the pack and gradually started to close down and then overtake the runners – first the back-markers, then the middle of the field and finally he reached the front runners. Surely he couldn’t win…and, no, actually, he couldn’t – this is real life, not another Chariots of Fire moment, but he did achieve an amazing fourth place, and he was cheered every inch of the way by the entire crowd who fully appreciated that they were witnessing a run of massive character and determination. Simon, as someone whose best distance at prep school was about 5 metres, I salute you.

dorm with the boy who snores or the girl who sings Abba hits in her sleep, missing out on that birthday table again, revising that essay on William the Conqueror and then it doesn’t come up, being caught reading after lights out just as you were getting to the good bit; buzzing a split second after Archie Fetherstonhaugh, again, in the Sixes Quiz Challenge; getting yet another Green that the teacher forgets to sign up…and so on, and so on. Interestingly, the busier and more expansive the school becomes in terms of what it offers, the greater the chance is that disappointments will arise. If we offered very little, there would be very little to be disappointed about. Logical though this may be, I suspect that it is of little consolation to the nine year old whose conker has just been obliterated by Edward ‘conker champion’ Hurle. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we have a conker championship at Packwood, and no goggles are worn. And we have a spinney too, where children can go and build dens, and we have a space net where children can play and, occasionally, fall off. No cotton wool approach here at Packwood, and that’s characterbuilding too, so I have to confess that I was quietly pleased when a new boy this term, having climbed to the very top of our new space net – kindly donated by last year’s leavers’ parents, I might add – ran up to his mother and said, “You know, Mum… Packwood’s rubbish at Health and Safety!”

But all these challenges, these downs and disappointments, hopefully alongside ups and achievements, are very much part of life at good prep schools and very much part of life at Packwood Haugh. And whilst I can understand it, completely, if parents, poised on their white chargers, leap to their son’s or daughter’s aid at times of difficulty, sometimes it’s better just to let little Johnny or little Janey claw their own way out of the trough of despair and disappointment. Tough call, though – when, as a parent, to step in and when to step So, yes, 17 tournaments won, but, of course, back? I watched my son, Herbert, three years the 17 tournaments won tells only part of the old now, in his first Sports Day only recently – story. In many other tournaments, Packwood an egg and spoon race – and I watched in has had to taste defeat in the group stages, as barely contained horror as the egg (a tennis semi-finalists or finalists, and we continue to ball actually) fell off his spoon (a huge ladle stress with the children how important it is to actually). Somehow I resisted the temptation both win and lose with good grace. Indeed, to launch myself, helicopter-parent-like, into learning to deal with disappointment is one of the melee, grab the tennis ball and place it, oh the most character-building experiences that so very carefully, back on the huge ladle, give we all face. Out first ball at cricket, out first ball Herbert a reassuring hug, and slip quietly back at rounders or simply not being selected for a amongst the screaming parents, hopefully team, or, in the non-sporting arena, one mark unnoticed. But resist I did, and then something off a distinction in a music exam, a lower miraculous happened. Herbert bent over and Common Entrance grade than expected, picked up the egg/tennis ball and placed it on missing out on the lead role in a play, signing the spoon/huge ladle…all by himself, and up just too late to go on an exciting Sunday trip, then continued with the race – actually it the sausages running out just as you reach the wasn’t a race – no winners or losers when servery area, discovering that your allocated you’re only three, you see – but, anyway, I was partner in the staff/pupil croquet competition a proud Dad and I hadn’t intervened, and the is a teacher who has just given you a Red and point, a fairly obvious one long since lost who has no ball skills whatsoever, being told amongst spoons and helicopters and conkers by the headmaster to have your haircut when and space nets, is that it is how children deal you think it looks just fine, finding yourself in a with disappointment and defeat as well as

success, that marks them out as individuals of character. There are two individuals of character that I’d like to mention by name now, and they are our Deputy Head Boy and Deputy Head Girl, Harry Jenkinson and Evie Clutton. Gosh it was hard choosing the head boy and head girl this year – I had some exceptional children to choose from, and our Head Boy and Head Girl have indeed been exceptional, and more about them later. Harry and Evie’s final year at Packwood have been interestingly similar. Both could be forgiven for having had a tinge of disappointment that they were not selected as Head Boy and Head Girl and both would undoubtedly have been excellent in those roles; both worked their socks off, over a number of years, for scholarships – Academic and All-Rounder at Oundle for Harry, and Academic and Music at Wycombe Abbey for Evie – and both just missed out. Harry managed to injure himself just as the Rugby Sevens season, perhaps his favourite sport, began, and Evie skied extraordinarily well in the prep school ski championships, winning her section, the Under 13 girls’ individual slalom, only to be informed at the end that the organisers had decided that the Under 13 girls’ individual slalom did not exist. So, how did they respond to these knocks – did they grumble and have an adolescent sulk? – absolutely not…they continued to give of their all in every area of school life and continued to set a very fine example to the younger members of the Packwood community. Harry recovered from injury in time to play a key role in the Sevens success in the Nationals, and Evie rightly received the biggest cheer of the night for her stunning cello performance in the recent summer concert. Both Harry and Evie have dealt admirably with disappointment and have made very special contributions to Packwood over the years, and in acknowledgement of their qualities, Evie and Harry will shortly be awarded the Allan Cup for Character. Harry, of course, played Quince in the hugely entertaining and amusing senior production of Dream On, Richard Cowley’s first production at Packwood. I genuinely laughed until I cried when I first saw Harry, Fergus Connolly, William Bayliss and Stamos Fearnall in the ‘wall’ scene. And the junior production, Perkin and the Pastry Cook, threw up some very exciting talent in the shape of Talullah Blackham, Ollie Hall, Alex Ainslie and others. Indeed, the Packwood theatre, the Malcolm Mitchell Theatre, has seen some wonderful occasions this year – form assemblies, visiting speakers, school debates, a lesson in stage fighting, the brilliant Bassistry Percussion workshops which inspired and energised as ever, the summer concert with well over half the school performing, and, as recently as Wednesday evening, the annual Packwood Leavers Got Talent competition; the finalists were ‘stand-up comedian’ Leo Sartain and Himawari Nishida, who captivated the children with her ballet dancing, which was Page 5

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 6

REVIEW OF THE YEAR simply beautiful. I’m not going to say who won because I don’t want to upset Leo, but the occasion once again reminded us all of the breadth of talents possessed by your children. And most recently, of course, Packwood Acorns finished another hugely successful school year with a splendid Final Assembly in the theatre. Elizabeth Crawley and her team were rightly thanked for their devotion and commitment to their young charges. The standard of work produced by the Acorns children moving up to the main school has been higher than ever, a credit to the children and a credit to the teachers themselves. Elizabeth, as we all know, quite rightly sets high standards, and the children rise to the challenge. Only a few days ago, Elizabeth demanded during a rehearsal for the Final Assembly that the children sing so loud that they blow their music teacher, Mrs Westlake’s, socks off. But they’re quick this lot. “Mrs Crawley,” said one, “she’s not wearing socks”. “That’s all right”, said another, “we’ll blow her T-shirt off”. But I have spoken for too long already. It’s time for some farewells. The leavers, of course, I have already mentioned, though I would like to add that I believe that the Head Boy and Head Girl this year have been quite exceptional. Jess Clarke – who first came to my notice in a mock trial that I held in one of my headmaster’s lessons a few years ago and who was the best I have ever seen in her crossexamination as prosecuting counsel – has steered a remarkably mature course through the pitfalls and challenges of Head Girlship. She remains both popular and respected by her peers, her teachers and the entire school – not an easy balance to find by any means. It is wholly appropriate that she has donated a trophy this year, the Clarke Cup, which is to be awarded to the most highly-regarded pupil, as voted for by all the children, at the school. Jess is not allowed to win, but she would be a very worthy recipient. In fact the children of Packwood have voted for Daishi Suzuki, a boy who joined us from Japan with virtually no English just three years ago and who has impressed in so many ways. Daishi will be presented with the Clarke Cup shortly. George Burrell, meanwhile, Head Boy, has more or less run the school this year. Ever-present, ever-reliable, and ever-ready to step in, help out, tidy up, and to organise us all – pupils and staff – in that charming, affable and very effective way of his. Over six foot tall and often mistaken for a member of staff, he was the perfect boy to meet and intimidate opposing rugby teams as they stepped out of the bus – “Are you the referee?” they’d ask. “No,” George would reply, “I’m a boy and I’m playing prop forward for the seconds,” before dissolving into his trademark fit of giggles. What fine leaders these two have been. And, finally on the top year pupils, it is perhaps worth adding that this year’s leavers passed to 21 different senior schools across the United Kingdom (Abbotsholme, Adams Grammar, Page 6

Blundells, The Corbet, Ellesmere, Eton, Gordonstoun, Millfield, Moreton Hall, Shrewsbury, Oakham, Oundle, Queen Margaret’s York, Radley, Repton, Rugby, Sedbergh, St David’s, Stowe, Uppingham, and Wycombe Abbey) and also to one or two abroad, confirming Packwood’s credentials as a school with national and even international reach.

parents who have contributed generously to Oliver’s retirement gift, which will be presented after the Sports later today. Oliver, thank you from all at Packwood, past and present, and we wish you a splendid and peaceful retirement.

But three members of staff leave us too. Andy Livermore joined Packwood three years ago and made an immediate impression in many areas of school life. Children love his history lessons and the grades that he has achieved have been exceptional; on the games field, he has taken Packwood football to new heights and his record as an Under 9 cricket coach, unbeaten for something like 12 years, is extraordinary. He leaves us for Terra Nova so as to be closer to his children, and we wish every success in the future – so long as his teams are not playing Packwood… Bill Inge leaves too and his generous and gentlemanly approach to schoolmastering has been much appreciated. During his time as Head of Classics Bill has gone out of his way to help numerous children through Common Entrance and he has introduced Classics trips to Oxford and Chester. He is a kindly, thoughtful figure in the staff room and he will be missed. He moves on to take on new challenges and we extend all good wishes to him and Simone for the future. Now you may be surprised to learn that one of the leaving members of staff this year was once a member of the very first boy band. No, I am not speaking of Mr Livermore, nor Mr Inge; no ladies and gentlemen, the member of staff who was once a member of the very first boy band, was none other than retiring Deputy Head, Mr Oliver Lee. The band was known as ‘The Scholars’, they were formed at his prep school, cut a record, and were even reviewed in The Times. But Oliver decided instead to pursue a career as a teacher, and for the last 11 years has been deputy head at Packwood Haugh. As headmaster, I valued his wise advice and appreciated his loyalty, and as a Latin teacher, well I can put it no better than a recently received e-mail from a Packwood parent: “As a teacher of Latin, Oliver is inspiring. Our three eldest children have benefited greatly from his enthusiasm for the subject and perhaps more importantly, his ability to transmit this meaningfully to the children. Far from being the ‘dead’ language that some consider it to be, Oliver has brought Latin to life for many Packwood children and inspired an interest in the classics that many, including our own, continue to pursue in their later academic careers.” And then there’s Oliver tremendous success with the Under 11 cricket, unbeaten again this term, his introduction of Debating to the Packwood clubs programme, and his key involvement in the development of the muchvalued Personal Tutor system. Oliver’s contribution to Packwood and its pupils has been immense and I’m very grateful to all the

Which brings me, more or less, to the end of my speech, though perhaps I should not conclude without making reference to my Headmaster’s Appraisal which took place earlier in this term. Thank you to all parents who took the trouble to respond to the questionnaire, and, since the Appraiser took the view that those who did not reply were probably happy, my thanks to all those who did not reply too. As it happens, after an experience last Thursday night, I do feel that I have now finally made it as a fully-fledged headmaster. When I first started teaching 26 years ago at a school in Berkshire called Sunningdale, I was on duty and heard an odd noise coming from the boys’ loos. I entered cautiously and there was the Headmaster, the very experienced and highly-respected Nick Dawson, brandishing a plunger, trying to unblock one of the loos. “Gosh”, I said, “I didn’t realise that the headmaster would have this job”. “Every headmaster worth his salt should unblock a loo from time to time”, he replied, so I left him to it. Ladies and gentlemen, witnessed by half a dozen mums on the night of the disco last Thursday, I brandished a plunger and unblocked a loo, and it made me proud. I now feel that I am fully equipped to lead Packwood onwards and upwards in the years to come. I have a great team of staff behind me, a wise and helpful board of governors, a very supportive parent body and a school full of talented and happy children. Packwood looks forward to the future with excitement and confidence and I would like to conclude by thanking you all – governors, staff, parents, and children – for all that you have done for the school this year. Thank you. NTW

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 7

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Salvete Autumn 2010 Pablo Baillo

Ben Cowley

Maxwell Horler

Jack Lock

Himawari Nishida

Rosie Simpson

Hermione Bathurst

Rufus Farmer

Alfred Hughes

Sophia Maldonado

Lucy Oakley

Tod Supornpaibul

Theo Blythe

Beatrice Grigg

Alice Hughes

Caspar Massey

Lawrence Rathbone

Frederic Thompson

Joseph Bowdler

Honor Grigg

George Hughes

Nat McAllister

Sebastian Rathbone

Gideon Turner

Lulu Bright

Irene Hernandez Carrera

Jacob Jones

Elizabeth Mellor

Elena Rengifo

Robert Vick

Jamie Chambers

Thomas Kenyon

Piers Merison

Annabel Robertson

Myles Wilkinson

George Clowes

James Hinwood

Maya Leavey

Lucy Mielczarek

Ana Rodriguez

Luke Williams

Hal Cowan

Juliana Hinwood

Grace Lloyd

Georgiana Nicholas

Sacha Sandbach

Tom Williams

Adam Pattenden

Joseph Pattenden

Amelia Peterson

Edward Peterson

Daniel Richardson

Irene Aranguren

George Compston

Harriet Haynes

Piers Nyhan

Lexi Samuel

Toby Turpin

Sophie Barlow

Carlota Fraile

Oscar Holt

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Rugby Uppingham Gordonstoun Stowe Stowe Moreton Hall Ellesmere Ellesmere Radley

Milla Harvey-Scholes Antonia Wordie Charlotte Dixon Charlotte Edwards Toby Mason Holly Shaw Antonia Wordie Thea Holt-Smith Fergus Connolly Felix Thomas-Davies Matt White

Music Scholarship Music Scholarship Art Exhibition Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship Sports Scholarship ICT Scholarship House Foundation

Stowe Moreton Hall Malvern Millfield Shrewsbury Rugby Moreton Hall Queen Margaret's, York Sedbergh Repton Shrewsbury

Eton Radley Shrewsbury

Robert Waterhouse Evie Clutton Harry Jenkinson

Abbotsholme Adam’s Grammar Blundell’s Corbet Eton King William’s

Thea Holt-Smith Queen Margaret’s, York Felix Thomas-Davies Repton Antonia Brine, Maddie Hall, Patrick Haszard, Barney Preece, Poppy Raichura, Holly Shaw, Daishi Suzuki, Oliver Tennant, Anto Woodhead Rugby Fergus Connolly Sedbergh William Bayliss, Charlie Cooke, Charlie England, Stamos Fearnall, Thomas Marques, Toby Mason, Leo Sartain, Harry Schofield, Edward Stubbs, Tod Supornpaibul, Archie Thomason, Matt White Shrewsbury Oliver Williams-Bulkeley St David’s George Burrell Uppingham

Spring Term Rory Carter-Motley

Summer Term

Valete Scholarships Alfie Grocott Joseph Davies Jessica Clarke Saskia Humphreys Henry Oak Milla Harvey-Scholes Dot Holt Saskia Humphreys Francesca Hughes Charlotte Dixon Jamie Moir

Academic Scholarship (1st) Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship (1st) Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship All-Rounder Scholarship All-Rounder Scholarship All-Rounder Exhibition

Passsed on Scholarship Papers Archie Fetherstonhaugh Jamie Moir Edward Dolphin

Rugby Wycombe Abbey Oundle

Common (or School) Entrance Exam Clement Rye Edward Stanton Thomas Hancocks Anna Dodd, Mollie Jamieson Edward Hurle Saskia Humphreys Katie Bibby, Ceri Lloyd, Sophie Mason, Amelia Tomkinson Charlotte Edwards Himawari Nishida

Moreton Hall Millfield Oakham

Non-CE leavers India Aranguren Pablo Baillo Antonia Barlow-Evans Zephia Barlow-Evans

Evie Connolly Gabe Connolly Carlota Fraile Clary Haynes

Irene Hernandez Carrera India Holt Ellie Hutchings Kezzie Hutchings

Jay Jackson Ruby Lavender George Lloyd Grace Lloyd

Sofia Maldonado Elena Rengifo Ana Rodriguez William Thompson

Page 7

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 8

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Prizes Subject Prizes

Junior School

Middle School

Subject Prizes

Senior School

Mathematics

Maxwell Horler

Jamie Channon

Mathematics

Alfie Grocott

English

Theodora Jarvis

Ruby Lavender

Wonnacott English

Saskia Humphreys

French

Lottie Hill-Trevor

Jemima Price

Ollier French

Fergus Connolly

Science

Archie Mobbs

Theo Penney

Science

Archie Fetherstonhaugh

Biology

Simon Waterhouse

Harcourt Clark Classics

Jess Clarke

History

Gabe Connolly

Rory Carter-Motley

Headley Latin

Ed Stanton

Geography

Alex Ainslie

Oliver Bureau

History

Patrick Haszard

Religious Studies

Chloe Edwards

Alice Rees

Geography

George Burrell

Music

Amelia Peterson

Llyr Heyward-Jones

Religious Studies

Francesca Hughes

Art

Piers Merison

Chanida Dhooghe

Biology

Joseph Davies

Latin

Archie Mobbs

Alexander Wythe

ICT

Felix Thomas-Davies

CDT

Harry Griffiths

Ana Rodriguez

Music

Charlotte Dixon

Ellie Mason

Ed Beard

Daler-Rowney Cup for Art Jamie Moir

Form 6 prize

Will Shaw

CDT

Himawari Nishida

Charlotte Edwards

Ormsby-Gore Drama

Fergus Connolly

Smith Drama

George Burrell

Allan Cup for Character

Evie Clutton, Harry Jenkinson

Bruno Bowl

Under 9 Rugby team

Dunning Prize (Rugby Candidates)

Patrick Haszard

Special Common Entrance Prizes

Charlotte Dixon

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

Alfie Grocott

Allott Cup

Oliver Williams-Bulkeley

Rugby CE History Prize

Patrick Haszard

Clarke Cup

Daishi Suzuki

Justin Davies Memorial Prize

George Burrell, Jess Clarke

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Robertson Cup (highest number of Greens)

George Burrell

Alice Shone

Murray Robinson-Boulton

Allen Cup (highest number of Sixes Points)

James Hinwood

Ruby Lavender

Sixes Competitions Autumn Term

Cross-country

Mannings/Sodens

Football Junior (Burnham Cup)

Bradshaw/Boyces

Quellyn-Roberts Cup

McFerran/Wilsons

Football Overall (Cooper Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Sixes Shield

McFerran/Wilsons

Hockey (Barling Cup)

Harcourt/Clarkes

Summer Term

Music

McFerran/Wilsons

Cricket (Cowan Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Fencing (Bibby Bowl)

Harcourt/Clarkes

Rounders (Skempton Cup)

Bradshaw/Boyces

Quellyn-Roberts Cup

McFerran/Wilsons

Athletics (Miriam Heard Cup)

Harcourt/Clarkes

Tennis (Davies-Kettle Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Swimming (Prosser Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Sixes Shield

McFerran/Wilsons

Spring Term

Sports

Harcourt/Clarkes

Rugby (Hannay Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Quellyn-Roberts Cup

McFerran/Wilsons

Netball (Boyes Cup)

Mannings/Sodens

Sixes Shield

Mannings/Sodens

Lacrosse (Morrey Shield)

Harcourt/Clarkes, Mannings/Sodens

Page 8

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 9

REVIEW OF THE YEAR Star Prizes Autumn Term

Summer Term

Jess Clarke Alfie Grocott Milla Harvey-Scholes William Bayliss Holly Shaw Saskia Humphreys Harriet Bibby Harry Marshall Jemima Price Oliver Bureau Charlie Jackson Alice Shone Zak Nicholas Freya Beasley Gabe Connolly

Evie Clutton Archie Fetherstonhaugh Dot Holt Harry Jenkinson Henry Oak Antonia Brine Fergus Connolly Francesca Hughes Barney Preece George Burrell Charlie Cooke Charlotte Edwards Maddie Hall Charlie England Poppy Raichura Leo Sartain Alice Rees Jack Ashworth Ben Ricks Juliana Hinwood Linden Grigg Isabella Wythe Beth Cooper

Spring Term Saskia Humphreys Ruby Lavender Alexander Wythe Guy Morris Jonty Schofield Theo Penney Chloe Edwards

Morton Moss Archie Mobbs Lottie Hill-Trevor Imogen Downey

Harry Griffiths Olivia Moir Gregor Montgomery Frankie McLaughlin

Harry Waterworth Thomas Dix Georgiana Nicholas William Stanford-Davis

2011 Scholars

Industry Awards Autumn Term

Spring/Summer Term

Form 6 Thomas Dix, Georgiana Nicholas

Thomas Dix

Frankie McLaughlin

Olivia Moir

Olivia Moir, Zara Vickers

Owen Carroll

Annabel Robertson

Annabel Robertson, Romy Grigg

Freya Beasley, Gabe Connolly, Piers Merison Archie Mobbs

Laura Whittingham

Zak Nicholas

Alice Shone

Alice Shone, Caspar Massey

Roly Hancock

Robert Ford

Sophia Price

Oliver Bureau

Emily Cooper

Juliana Hinwood

Ana Rodriguez

Alice Rees

Ruby Lavender

Poppy Raichura

Tod Supornpaibul

George Burrell, William Bayliss

George Burrell

Anna Dodd

Antonia Brine, Archie Thomason, Charlotte Dixon

Charlotte Dixon

Jess Clarke

Page 9

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 10

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Packwood Acorns There is a point in the school year when the oldest children at Packwood have finished all their exams and as a special treat are allowed to come and spend some time in the Acorns. For some of them, it is the opportunity to revisit the haunts of their youth, left behind six years before. Others have only heard of the fun that is to be had among the sandpits, Lego and dressing up clothes. And so down they troop, ready for a nice relaxing day of playing alongside the school’s youngest members. And it’s all a con! They are put to work, hearing the children read, helping them with construction projects, supporting them as they write, drawing and painting with them, carrying out practical Maths activities and scientific explorations, joining in PE and IT sessions. The Acorns children absolutely love having the older ones around and the seniors are…exhausted! They never knew it was such hard work! They don’t think they could ever be a teacher! They didn’t know small children talked so much! Where do we get the patience from? (It’s all rather gratifying). But they don’t see it all…

they watched TV programmes from those far off times, learnt about the moon landings and had a go at recreating the art of Andy Warhol and other Pop artists. Book Week, (which is something that one of our leavers told the audience at our end of year assembly was the thing he would miss most about the Acorns) saw the usual array of fabulous characters from literature, and of course we played our part too. And the children were sponsored to read lots of books, raising £612.70 for the Readathon charities. The children in the Acorns also raised money by designing cards for ‘Britain in Bloom’ which were bought by their parents and the resulting profits in the form of gardening vouchers will be ploughed back into the Acorns play area. Last year’s efforts brought us a dipping pond, kindly built by our wonderful grounds staff. This year: who knows? We visited Wonderland at Telford Town Park and played on the climbing frames and rides, visited the fairy tale houses, and got lost in the maze; looked at, discussed and drew examples of modern art in the Tate gallery in Liverpool; and spent a sunny day at the mere in Ellesmere, enjoying woodland challenges, a picnic and the terrific playground.

They didn’t get to dress up for a start. Those who know the Acorns well know how much the staff must enjoy the opportunity to put on fancy dress. Why else would we have spent the whole day dressed in various shades of crimson, scarlet and vermilion for Red Nose Day? I came to school wearing red glittery deely boppers (“I think Mrs Crawley is an alien” one child wrote in his diary) purely in the name of raising money for Comic Relief – and we did! Just 40 children, supported by parents and grandparents, raised £207.44 by doing all things red: dressing up; guessing the number of red things in Miss Middlemiss’ jar; decorating cup cakes; laying a penny trail around the patio, and creating an art gallery of funny faces.

Classroom life is fun too: among other things in the summer term Acorns 3 grew vegetables, made a salad (which everyone tried and most liked) and threw a potato party for Acorns 1 and 2, featuring the potatoes they’d grown themselves. Acorns 2 sailed the high seas as pirates, making grog and ships biscuits (which everyone tried, but no-one liked). Acorns 1’s whirlwind tour of the world allowed them enough time to try their hand at arts and crafts from around the globe and they designed African necklaces and Aboriginal paintings as well as learning about the explorers, inventors and pioneers who helped us discover our world.

We had two Maths Days this year, one focusing on pattern and one on time. We always try to teach the subject in a fun and When it came to History Day, there we were hands-on way, but to again valiantly be-wigged, hippied or Mary have a whole day Quant-ed up for the occasion and celebrating the 1960s.The children looked even groovier as devoted to one aspect Page 10

gives us the opportunity to explore it in greater depth, and the children made pictures consisting of triangles, used their favourite shapes in making a patchwork quilt and designed patterns based on circles. They also used a stopwatch to find out how long they could hold a malteser in their mouth before it melted, constructed sand timers to take the Sand Timer Challenge and made clocks to illustrate stories about time. Science week was all about water: we filled our dipping pond and planted round it. We explored where our water comes from, where it goes to and how much we use. We made underwater volcanoes, submarine eggs and fountains. We could have got very wet, but it was March, so we cleverly avoided that. We welcomed back Mrs Westlake as the Acorns music teacher: Acorns 1 started to learn the violin, we all learnt some great new songs and we enjoyed the visit of the wonderful Bassistry Arts. Oh, how we all loved it, again, the staff just as much as the children (or maybe, even more…) And at the end of the year we said farewell to the 13 children who left us to go to Form 6, ready to take on the challenges and fun of life in the Main School. And their turn will come in six years time: they will have the chance to return to the Acorns, wearing their rose tinted glasses and discover that it wasn’t all sand, Lego and swings. EC

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 11

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Boys’ Boarding

So here we are, four years after saying “I’ll help out with the boys’ boarding for a year”, the parole board have finally met and let me out on license. Though it ruins my claim to martyrdom, I have to say that I have really enjoyed myself; for one thing it has renewed and increased still further my respect for, and gratitude to the Matrons. Very few parents and maybe even fewer members of staff get to see the immense amount of “behind the scenes” work these ladies do. And talking of behind the scenes support, we have trialled for a year the “Landing Tutors” scheme for the boys and it has been an unqualified success, this is particularly true for younger boys. When I can report that Mrs Lambkin’s Junior Boarders

went in number from five in September to thirteen in July it clearly tells its own tale. And this is not a one-off blip; numbers of Junior boarders are very healthy next September too. Mr Webster has done sterling work with the 3s. Silly games and stories are the norm with KJW, so it was nice to see him trying them out with the boys too. The older boys who didn’t think they needed soppy Landing Tutors soon realised the benefits of having another adult around to lead them in their play and listen to their tales of the day. The boys themselves are an endless source of fun, irritation, inspiration and frustration. A quick scan through their self reports is very telling; yes they would like jacuzzis on each landing, later wake up times and tuck every day but the fact that their “complaints” are so, well frankly, trivial is further proof that they are a very content and happy bunch. The 2s moved into their new accommodation after the summer break and it looks superb. Perhaps inevitably the Seniors soon shouted “Foul” and so they will get their makeover next year.

“Double foul” was the immediate cry from the seniors, “that means that the current 2s get two new landings in succession”…see what I mean? It only remains for me to wish Jon and Ally Onions well when they take over the reins in September, I have not the slightest doubt that they will go down a storm, and to thank Mrs Jones, the parents and of course the boys themselves for their help and support over the last four years. Oh, and thanks too for the patience shown when having to repeat every sentence to me – I am being dragged to the hearing specialist this summer whether I like it or not. NRJ Page 11

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 12

REVIEW OF THE YEAR

Girls’ Boarding

Coming down to Park House in the evening to go to bed must be a bit like coming home to a very large family: someone will always be pleased to see you and want to know how your day has gone. There’ll always be someone who’ll want to sit down for a chat or take turns in testing you on your Latin vocab or your knowledge of capital cities. Somebody is always going to want to mess around or practise a dance routine or play a game. And because there are so many ‘siblings’ to choose from (55 at the end of the year, which, I am told, may be more than there have ever been in Park House) there is always someone to spend your time with even if you happen to have fallen out temporarily with your usual partner in crime. Of course there will also always be someone who will want to check you’ve brushed your teeth, ask you where you put your school shoes or enquire why you chose to thunder along the junior landing when their lights were turned out a good hour ago, but you can’t expect everything to go completely smoothly...

Life on the middle landing is very sociable: the aim in the evening seems to be to get showered, into pyjamas and then to spend as much time as possible in someone else’s bedroom before lights out, preferably trying on clothes if there is an event like the Moreton Hall Amnesty Ball, the Ballroom Dancing Club hop or the July disco coming up. These sessions sometimes turn into full blown fashion parades, the catwalk being the landing and the paparazzi being any member of staff who can get hold of a camera.

The seniors are more interested in spending time in their common room with hot chocolate and a DVD (most often Tangled – surely something to do with the number of times they are asked, told, reminded and begged to keep their hair tied back in the never ending campaign against nits). Choosing the right DVD could be a challenge: embracing a democratic system on the final night of term meant that it took 20 minutes to decide what to watch during their midnight feast and camp-out on the common room floor. The Just as at home, the dynamics of life in Park ability to get up cheerfully and promptly when House vary with the day of the week, the time of day and where you happen to be at any given asked is not an attribute readily attached to those embarking on their teenage years, so we time. On the mornings when beds are to be were all impressed by how many of them were stripped all semblance of a calm routine disappears in a flurry of sheets and pillowcases. On Saturday nights the atmosphere is chilled as the girls settle down with their hot chocolate and a film (unless it is Mama Mia night or Grease night or the karaoke evening, when the noise has to be heard to be believed). Sunday mornings can be tricky: that extra half an hour in bed doesn’t go very far when you’re really tired. The juniors this year have been remarkably well-organised, funny and supportive of each other. They love welcoming their friends in to board and, on Friday nights when many younger girls come in, we try to organise a special activity for them: they loved the foot massage evening; Matron Sarah particularly enjoyed the relaxation sessions, but on reflection the limbo party was probably a mistake. Page 12

prepared to get up a little earlier after their exams in order to help the younger ones get ready in the mornings. Each term has ended with a special occasion for the girls: dorm decorating, prizes and certificates in December; Matron Sarah’s Hen Party in March (complete with pink fizz, wedding cup cakes, games and a gorillagram – surely a first for Park House) and the ‘Has Park House Got Talent?’ garden party in July. (It had.) Guest judges Marcus Rowland, Amy Thomas and Mr Crawley were treated to an extraordinary performance of singing and dancing from the girls and the prize was awarded to the 3s for their original and amusing routine involving each of them dressed in many layers of unnamed clothing and doing a high energy dance while singing their own lyrics about lost property to the tune of YMCA. This may have been the highlight of the year for me... By the time you read this we will have a new set of seniors, new faces in the girls’ ‘family’ and the dynamics of the house will have changed again, but I’m sure next year will be just as much fun, just as exhausting and just as entertaining. EAC

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 13

SUBJECTS

Art It has been another good year in the Art department with many successes and lots of new things going on. One of the highlights for me was when Zak Nicholas won the first prize in his age group at the Wrekin College Emerging Talent art competition with his super seascape in acrylics in the style of Van Gogh. Nick Yeoward won third prize in his age group for a very nice pastel of a tiger done in the style of Franz Marc. As the name of the competition suggests, the talent that they have shown in their art work this year could well develop into a lifelong interest or career option, as it has for so many Old Packwoodians, who told me this when I met them at their reunion at the end of the summer term. The scholars have done well again this year with awards to Malvern, Moreton Hall and Radley. Joe Davies narrowly missed out on the Shrewsbury art scholarship this year but he certainly deserves a mention here as his dedication and talent have contributed so

Joe Davies

much to the Art department during the time he has been at Packwood with his pictures regularly adorning the walls of the school. The theme of this year’s Millicent Kaye art competition was the circus, and Piers Merison won second prize for his colourful, detailed oil pastel of a clown in the ring. There were about 400 entries from ten different schools so his prize of £25 for himself and £150 for the Art department was quite an achievement. I will be putting the money towards a new camera. The work of other Packwood children who had entered the competition was also exhibited at The Qube gallery in Oswestry. A new development for the 3D art this year has been the involvement of local artist and potter, Tony Quinn, who in exchange for firing one of his remarkable sculptures has promised to help in some way with the ceramic sculpture we do in school. Tony used to be a monk, and he has an amazing talent with clay, producing hand-built pots

sometimes on quite a large scale. The children have been inspired by what they have seen so far, and I am looking forward to liaising with Tony in the holidays to see what he can do. PRD

Jamie Moir Jamie Moir

Joe Davies Page 13

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 14

SUBJECTS

Classics A shorter report is called for this year – I will try! So, just one thing I learned on our trip to Chester that I hope will surprise you too. Apparently the amphitheatre at Chester, calculating from the excavations so far, was the largest stone built amphitheatre of its time outside Rome, with a floor area the same size as that of the Colosseum. Amazing! This year we have sadly to say goodbye to another superbly successful set of Classicists. The Latin prize went to Edward Stanton for his consistent and excellent efforts over the last two years in the Scholarship stream, while the Classics prize was won by the Head Girl Jess Clarke, whose tremendous SS Latin result at Rugby appeared to be primarily what tipped the balance in favour of her attaining her Scholarship award; Jess also did well in her Greek paper after lots of hard work and extra lessons, for which she would regularly drag me from my coffee – an example to us all. There were other impressive results, too – Alfie Grocott at Shrewsbury and Milla Harvey-Scholes at Stowe each excelled themselves – and with the exception of just two boys, every child entered Common Entrance at level 2 or above. But this is not just the end at Packwood for our 1s, as both I and Oliver Lee are also moving on. Oliver is retiring to pastures new and I wish him every joy – he has been an unparalleled colleague and friend during my time here, and his teaching has been truly inspirational. He has been responsible for the top CE set and Scholarship streams for the last two years and the results speak for themselves, but it is

the firm grounding he has given to all his pupils at every age that has laid the foundations for their success. I am immensely grateful – as I know are countless current and Old Packwoodians – and I trust he will make the very most of the opportunities the freedom from bells and timetabling will give him. Please keep in touch, Oliver. For my part, I am off to Heath Mount in Hertfordshire, where I shall be stepping into the shoes of ... Mr Jonny Onions (for a The Latin prize went second time!) He in turn is to Edward Stanton for returning to Packwood after an absence of four his consistent and years to take up the reins of excellent efforts over not only the Classics the last two years department – he won’t find very many changes – but also the boys’ boarding house, and the Latin room is moving to Oliver’s classroom opposite the Housemaster’s front door. There are changes afoot also with the organisation of the teaching, so that Jonny will be responsible directly for all the children learning Latin above Form 4. With the support of Geraldine Lee, who has taught the 4s so well over the last two years, I know the department will be in excellent hands. Valete omnes! WGI

English One of the great things about learning English is surely the opportunities it affords for work beyond the classroom. This year we have been keen to keep what has been established and develop even more opportunities for pupils to enjoy their work. Thus stalwarts like the One-act plays, Creative Writing and Elocution competitions have remained and flourished alongside new projects like the Spelling Bee, 500-words writing competition and school newspaper. It has been great to see Packwood children embrace and excel in all of them. All the 3s enjoyed their plays-in-a-day and gave excellent performances; this year’s themes were Evacuation and Cleopatra. Teachers also worked hard at preparing their classes for a vintage year of One-act plays (well done to my mentor for writing and directing two of them!) It will be hard to forget some of the individual acts of brilliance in the school competitions – Alex Wythe’s Narnian first chapter which won the creative writing, we were also thanked for and William having the loudest supporters Bayliss’s snarling rendition of Badger and best banners in the Elocution competition spring to mind. I am grateful to Kristina Leslie, Head of English at Shrewsbury, for her expert judging of the latter. On new ventures I am pleased the pupils managed to produce several editions of Packwood Life, a school newspaper and something of a first. Created in senior and junior clubs largely by children rushing around and interviewing people, these were intentionally produced with a limited circulation – although enthusiasts for rare first editions may still find them on the school website. In the spring a hastilyformed spelling team from 2Class made a successful bee-line for the national semi-finals as they triumphed in the local heats. Rory ‘The Dictionary’ Carter-Motley was declared last man standing and – until we lost in the semi-finals.

Page 14

Trips also abounded, and it was occasionally hard to accommodate the opportunities alongside the nagging need to prepare students for exams. 1Class Creative Writing Competition winner: enjoyed the Hay Festival and a Form 1: Milla Harvey-Scholes, terrifying adaptation Francesca Hughes, William Bayliss, Charlie England of Lord of the Flies in Regents Park; the 1s Form 2: Alexander Wythe, Esther McLaughlin, saw an unabridged Hermione Bathurst, Freddie Houlker and very physical Form 3: Archie Waterworth, version of A Antonia Barlow-Evans, Midsummer Night’s Amber Gibbins, Morton Moss Dream at Moreton Form 4: Ellie Mason, Talullah Blackham, Hall and several Annabel Robertson forms welcomed Form 5: Anna Cowan, Jonty Bright authors. Packwood Form 6: Jacob Jones Mum Cecily Jenkinson delighted the juniors with her Oli and Skipjack series and local girl Sita Brahmachari, recent winner of the Waterstone’s prize, enchanted the 2s and 3s with her first children’s novel Artichoke Hearts. Back in the classroom it was a delight to see the success of such able English scholars in 1Class as Alfie Grocott (top at Shrewsbury), Milla Harvey-Scholes (top at Stowe) and Saskia Humphreys (two scholarships) to name a few. The group as a whole was full of talented writers who no doubt will go on to excel at their senior schools. At Common Entrance it was pleasing to see a large number of As, many of which were in the comprehension paper and came from the ‘lower’ groups, as well as very few grades below C. Four sections in two papers asks a lot of the less able students in this subject, and it remains to be seen whether the exam will modernise in the face of emerging alternatives.

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:16

Page 15

SUBJECTS

Religious Studies Did you know that 1st March 2011 started the “Celebrating Religious Education” month? This official month was launched by many special speakers at the House of Commons. This information might make us ask two questions: 1. What is Religious Studies/Education all about? 2. Why does it need a special month? Let us look at the first question, “What is RS all about?” Well, I believe that RS is crucial to all of us living a well rounded and wholesome life. I am not talking about everyone becoming religious, I am simply talking about everyone becoming well educated, well grounded and well balanced! This verse from a specially commissioned song sums it up: With strong foundations, we build a place For all world values and every race; From mosque or synagogue, from church or shrine, A place of trust where we can shine.

This year our pupils have built some strong foundations in RS. Firstly we have had some excellent assemblies that have helped us all focus on the right way to live our lives and to follow the Christian teachings and The Packwood Way. Secondly Form 4 has been taught enthusiastically by Mrs Lee for the first time this year. They were fortunate enough to have a Hindu Workshop here at school in the autumn term. Then they visited a Hindu temple and a mosque in Derby during the summer term. Form 3 enjoyed a trip to a synagogue in Manchester during the spring term. These are all hands-on experiences that develop not only the children’s religious education but also their spiritual and social education. This brings me back to my second opening question – Why did Britain need a national month of Religious Education? This is in response to the new English Baccalaureate, which excludes RE from the core curriculum. I, for one, cannot quite believe that a subject so fundamental for living in the real world could possibly be missed out from education

I am grateful to my predecessor Peter Erskine for leaving the department in rude health: one great legacy must be the appetite for reading instilled amongst the pupils at Packwood. Despite the relaxation of Rest on weekdays, such a hunger is still fed through library lessons, book fairs, visiting authors and times snatched around

policies for the next generation of our children. We should all write to our MPs and encourage them to sign the motion calling for recognition of the ‘importance and relevance of religious education by including it as a core subject in the English Baccalaureate.’ Surely we all want our children to be well educated, well grounded and well balanced individuals. I believe Religious Studies can do this. Talking of well educated, well grounded and well balanced people, take a look at this year’s leavers! They have worked very hard. Their Religious Studies CE results reflect all that hard work and the way they have listened so attentively in class. I was very proud of them all. They should be equally proud of their amazing success in the exams and of the knowledge they now have in this subject. I feel that, as the verse quoted above says, Religious Studies at Packwood has been... “A place of trust where we can shine.” Shine on! RE

the edges of such a busy week. Finally I am grateful to the retiring Oliver Lee and the good service he has given to the English department over the years alongside his expertise as a classicist – we all wish you a very happy retirement. RAC

Page 15

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 16

SUBJECTS

Maths It was very kind of Ian Wood, the outgoing Head of the Maths Department, to allow me to visit him a couple of times before I took over and I was able to see him and the department in action. It was great to see Ian’s accomplished teaching, and generally to be welcomed by my new colleagues. This year I have been observing all around me. It has been a real pleasure to see that I have a great team of enthusiastic teachers in the Maths Department. My only disappointment is that Nick Weston will no longer be sharing his teaching time between Maths and History. As the new Head of History, we will miss his inventiveness and fun; and I noted his ability to create real enthusiasm for Maths in the classroom. Most will agree that the key to Maths teaching is variety. I feel that a child not only needs to practise and do exercises, but should have challenges, and different ways of approaching topics. We are improving the resources for practical work, and have considerably developed our IT software. I have noted the success of setting the children across the year group in Maths, and am extending this further, in September 2011. In fact I am reviewing the curriculum in general. In line with recommendations from the ISEB, the school will follow more closely the National Curriculum, while keeping our own fast track on certain topics, including tables, and formal calculation techniques. This has the added bonus that children entering the school at any stage should be able to smoothly integrate their Maths knowledge within our curriculum. To try and stimulate the joy of solving puzzles and problems I have introduced a weekly ‘Maths Puzzle’ to stretch any taker’s mind. The problem is put up on a board on a Monday and any successful solutions handed in to me by Thursday are rewarded with some tuck! We are continuing the tradition of entering various competitions with considerable success. Of note, Rory Davies did especially

well in the UKMT intermediate competition, gaining a gold certificate in a test open to those taking GSCE, and he still has another year at Packwood. Congratulations also to Ruby Lavender, Alex Wythe, Dominic Ainslie and Max Horler for gaining Gold certificates in their respective competitions. I was also impressed with the number of silver and bronze awards gained generally. I am pleased to say that the 1s did very well in their Common Entrance and scholarship exams. Special mention must be made of Alfie Grocott, a sharp mathematician, for producing the highest mark in the advanced maths scholarship paper to Shrewsbury.

Wrekin. 76 pairs entered: Max Horler and Felix Jebb, came fourth equal, while Archie Mobbs and Ben Cowley came twenty-fifth. They had a great day out, and I am planning to send more teams, senior and junior, next year. Finally it was really great to see ‘Maths on Stage’ in an assembly. After the exams in the summer term 4G practised for an assembly called ‘Primes, Primes, Primes!’ The Posh Primes got their comeuppance as the ‘ordinary’ numbers gradually asserted their value during the performance. They all acted excellently, and clearly enjoyed the experience! RHC

This year, from Form 4, we entered a team of two pairs to a maths quiz competition at

Modern Foreign Languages It’s been another good year in the Language Department. The pupils have enjoyed another set of good results in their scholarship exams and at Common Entrance. Well done to all.

impressed with the results and the rest of the school enjoyed watching some of the videos during assembly at the end of term. It was a lot of fun for all.

We have continued to use the ever popular and very useful Language Laboratory online, Schoolshape. The Mon Français website has continued to grow and has become part of the pupils’ holiday routine as the place to download work and take part in competitions. We have even started appearing on Facebook which has been a great tool to communicate with everybody. Watch this space! We have quite a few more developments on the cards.

It’s time for a French trip to take place again and we will be drifting away from Normandy this time. Two destinations have been selected so far but I have to say that being from the south west of France, I am very keen to take a group of children to the Toulouse area. There are great numbers of things to do, beautiful things to see and some excellent food. The thought of it makes me hungry! We have made some good progress but it has not been finalized yet. The prospect of the trip provides another good reason to look forward to coming back to class and have the joy of speaking foreign languages. JN

After their Scholarship, 1Class demonstrated their artistic talent by creating a video based on the lyrics of the song Tout le Bonheur du Monde, a famous French song with a very catchy tune. I was very

Page 16

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 17

SUBJECTS

History My three years as Head of History have been fun times in the classroom, where Packwoodians of all ages and abilities have learned stories of the past and had the opportunity to think about them and discuss them. I am sure it is more fun for teachers of certain subjects when the academic ability of the pupils is strong but with History, it really does not matter. We all love a good story and in the history of our island, ancient civilisations and past non-European societies, there are plenty. As disturbing as it may sound, the juniors at Packwood being exposed to Nick Weston, is a great thing. He is a historian so he can tell the children stories and go off on glorious tangents. I’ve seen his lessons and they are memorable. Gail Wilkinson is something of an expert on the Tudor and Stuart period. What fortunate children in the 2s, for example, to be in the hands of an expert. There have been many highlights this year, most memorable of all perhaps, was the extraordinarily moving assembly delivered by Mr Warburton-Lee back in the autumn term. In November, I was teaching 3P and the topic of bravery cropped up. Ned Warburton-Lee informed us all that his great grandfather had been awarded the Victoria Cross. Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee was 44 years old and serving in the Royal Navy during the Second World War when he commanded the British 2nd Destroyer Flotilla in a surprise attack on German destroyers and merchant ships in the First Battle of Narvik on 10th April 1940. The attack was successful and was almost immediately followed by an engagement with five more German destroyers, during which Captain Warburton-Lee was mortally wounded. He was awarded posthumously Britain's highest decoration for valour in combat, the Victoria Cross. During World War II, only twenty-three Victoria Crosses were awarded to members of the Royal Navy and Royal Naval Reserve. I was delighted that Ned’s father agreed to come to Packwood and talk to us about his grandfather’s story. His talk was an assembly that I shall remember for a long time and more importantly, so will the children. To touch a real Victoria Cross and start to understand its significance was an important moment for those fortunate Packwoodians present. It was extra-special to hear the story from an eloquent and passionate grandson of Captain Warburton-Lee, who was so kind to tell this proud family story of valour to the whole school and bring in the Victoria Cross as well as other medals and photographs. Thank you, Mr Warburton-Lee. This year again saw Packwood pupils compete in the Townsend Warner History Prize – a history quiz for prep school children across the country. The requirement of a breadth of knowledge is what makes it such a good test on Paper One. Paper Two requires and

rewards knowledge of the past translated by children in extended writing. Both Paper One and Paper Two past papers are terrific lessons for scholars throughout the school. It is history children should know and one could do worse than shape a syllabus around it. A number of our children got through to Paper Two with Rory Carter-Motley coming top in the Packwood class. Something new this spring term was the introduction of Wednesday Socs giving boarders the chance to take part in a range of additional extra-curricular activities. During one session of Scholars Soc we spent a very interesting evening studying Nazi propagandist art. We looked at about one hundred poster images of spin, hatred and visually stunning attempts to indoctrinate the German public. Poster art was a mainstay of the Nazi propaganda effort, aimed both at Germany itself and occupied territories. It had several advantages. The visual effect, being striking, would reach the viewer easily. Posters were also, unlike other forms of propaganda, difficult to avoid. Imagery frequently drew on heroic realism. Nazi youth and the SS were depicted monumentally, with lighting posed to produce grandeur. I hope the boys who were there enjoyed the talk and will have formed an opinion about a part of the past that is both exciting and chilling. They may well revisit this topic in their senior schools. As I move on from Packwood it is reassuring to be leaving the department in the capable, experienced hands of Nick and Gail. Our subject is amazing; it is fun; it is incredible; it is real; it is tangible; it is as academic as we want it to be; we can place ourselves in past situations imagining a whole spectrum of feelings and consequences. And finally, what lovely children I have had the pleasure to teach here. AL

Geography ‘Geography is everything and everything is Geography’ is a slightly pithy remark that I thought of and used in passing in one lesson a while back. Since then it has been quoted back to me by children on so many occasions that it has almost become the motto of the Geography Department – or in today’s speak, the mission statement. It seems to encapsulate the ongoing balance between man and the planet and how everything is connected. Yet again this year there have been several moments when nature has wreaked havoc on our ever growing population, pretty much all of them will have been commented on and discussed in Geography lessons. Relevant and contemporary issues that are affecting the earth will always make children think and that is of crucial importance for children at Packwood. This has been highlighted by a surge in interest in education from local businesses (or are grants available!?)

A local farm, a local zoo and a local brewery have all bent over backwards to help, which is greatly appreciated and further enhances the diversity of the subject. Congratulations must go to the children who had to sit external exams – a string of impressive scholarship results and a host of As at Common Entrance seems to show that some of our ramblings go in and inspire some of the children. Next year sees a few changes in the subject. The advent of Geography Oscars, another trip to Iceland but also the absence of Martin Ford, who moves on to do more sums. Many thanks to him for his contribution and to all of the children – without them teaching would not quite be the same. DR

Page 17

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 18

SUBJECTS

Physical Education The Physical Education department has seen a few changes this year. Forms one and two now enjoy double PE lessons every other week and Form six every week. The other forms continue to have a single lesson once a week. This has seen an improvement in the number of skills covered and the progress made. The curriculum provides all children with games, athletics, gymnastics, net/wall, striking and fielding components plus much more. The younger children do socialisation games and health-related fitness whilst the older children explore leadership style challenges. A new athletics national award scheme (Aviva) was introduced during the summer term. This will reward all children, not just the elite performers. The ladder of success will allow the children to record their personal bests and can be improved upon year on year. The PE kit that has served us so well is now being revamped. The new kit will provide warmth in the winter, keep the children cool in the summer and still have the manoeuvrability needed for team sports. This will be phased in throughout next year. Mr Donaldson, who taught PE last summer has boomeranged back and fitted in some PE lessons around his Maths commitments. Once again his lessons have been informative and fun. The sports hall continues to be utilised by all. Once lessons are over the children can use it to play with their friends and activities and clubs have also made good use of this space. The PE department has had another very good year with no fewer than six sports scholarships awarded. Well done to Charlotte Edwards (Millfield), Holly Shaw (Rugby), Toby Mason (Shrewsbury), Fergus Connolly (Sedbergh), Thea Holt-Smith (Queen Margaret’s, York) and Antonia Wordie

Sports Scholars 2011 (Moreton Hall). We have also had county representatives in hockey, netball, swimming, fencing, football and cricket, regional representation at fencing, swimming and hockey and national success in fencing. We are proud of all the children’s achievements – well done!

Next year sees London hosting the Olympics. We will draw the children’s attentions a little nearer to home and make them aware of the part Much Wenlock has played in the Olympics’ history. We shall also feature some Olympic themed events throughout the summer term. A very busy and fruitful year. Next year looks just as busy and twice as fun! KLP

ICT “Computers make it easier to do a lot of things, but most of the things they make it easier to do don't need to be done.” Andy Rooney “Computing is not about computers any more. It is about living”. Nicholas Negroponte

Congratulations to Felix Thomas-Davies, Packwood’s first winner of an ICT Scholarship. Felix won his award to Repton school, and I am sure he will have a great time there. Felix has been instrumental in the use of Game Maker in school and the children are often to be found in the IT room playing a game that has been created by him. I am sure they will continue to be used in the future. Within IT this year, there has been an emphasis on child safety on the Internet. The Form 3 children have been taught about the SMART acronym, and have used the resources created by CEOP, through their Thinkuknow website, to try and instil in them the need to be ever more vigilant in the digital age. For next year, Office 2010 will be introduced, as well as a new intranet, based on the Windows SharePoint platform. I have also been teased with the possibility that the Geography fieldwork project may be no more. I will not hold my breath. SAR

Page 18

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 19

SUBJECTS

Science With the recent completion of the new Biology lab and refurbishment of the junior Science laboratory this has been a year of stability in the Science department. However the Bunsen burners have still roared, animals and plants have been rigorously examined and projectiles have flown in a variety of directions at a variety of speeds. Practical work and hands-on investigation remain at the heart of the work in our department. This enables children to investigate and learn about the world around them in a stimulating way and to acquire some useful skills as well. In addition to this there are so many other ways of increasing their knowledge and experience in Science. Computer simulations, video clips, pictures and information on the internet are increasingly used to enhance and extend the work done in the laboratories. Scholarship and Common Entrance exams in the sciences are challenging and generally stimulating and of course preparation for these is a major part of the work in the senior part of the school. To get A grades in either exam is a significant achievement and congratulations go to Alfie Grocott and Joe Davies who were both awarded A grades in the Shrewsbury scholarship. In the Common Entrance, Charlotte Dixon, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Felix Thomas-Davies, Mollie Jamieson and Katie Bibby all managed to get A grades in all three science papers. In June, 3Class took a day off school to attend the Old Swinford Hospital School summer festival. The Science challenge involved a range of activities including a Chemistry demonstration with bangs and flashes, building bridges, studying cells and a quiz. Packwood’s team of Oliver Bureau, Jude Bedford, Jamie Channon and Dominic Ainslie won the challenge and, as well as being praised for their knowledge and enthusiasm, were presented with a magnificent trophy. Once again I would like to thank Nick Jones, Paul Phillips and Sam Hughes for all their hard work in making the department run smoothly and for continuing to enthuse the children in their scientific pursuits. FRH

Craft, Design & Technology The topics may not have changed much over the years – 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 fans – but the quality and variety of the outcomes have been improving year on year. Increasing use is being made of Computer Aided Design and machines. The range of resistant materials on offer is constantly being enlarged, as are the tools to work with. The latest addition being a band saw needed for cutting plastic. Mrs Elena Nogues has been busy acquainting herself with the work done at all levels throughout the school and will be assuming the role of Head of Department from September. It is nice to know that there is not too much that she wants to change but food technology will feature more prominently and other areas, like jewellery, which will benefit from the welcome ‘feminine touches’. Success may not be guaranteed but it can be seen to be attainable, and that is all the encouragement that most children need. This is a subject that positively encourages

problem solving skills, lateral thinking, innovation and evaluation. This year’s Senior CDT prize has been awarded to Himawari Nishida for her Final Year work on an item of storage. Her artefact was a particularly well designed, executed and decorated ‘Flower Petal’ shaped box and matching coasters. For the first time, CDT prizes were awarded in the Middle and Junior parts of the school as well. The Junior School prize was deservedly won by Harry Griffiths whose grasp of the principles introduced in the 4s Shelter and

Wind Powered Vehicle topics was immediate and he has worked with consistent attention to accuracy. The Middle School prize went to Ana Rodriguez who, like Himawari, was also only here for one year. Maybe it is the newness of this subject area to foreign students that marks their refreshingly different approach to interpreting briefs but both these girls ‘thought outside the box’ to successfully complete some delightfully original pieces of work. AJR

Page 19

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 20

SUBJECTS

Music The autumn term was another busy one in the Music department. We introduced a new clarinet ensemble directed by Miss Roberts and amalgamated the Senior Orchestra and Concert Band into one large ensemble rehearsing on Thursday afternoons. The latter meant we had a far more productive session than in the past and enabled new members to find their feet quickly. The orchestra worked on three pieces, Match of the Day, Walking in the Air and Oom-Pah-Pah! from Oliver! Ensemble, sight-reading and the confidence of the group as a whole improved greatly during the term.

(trumpet). The Senior Choir sang anthems on eight Sundays during the term and Antonia Brine and Fergus Connolly proved to be worthy Head Choristers. Sight-singing and tone quality, which had been worked on consistently throughout the year, continued to improve and the Senior Choir excelled at the end of term carol service.

Three lunchtime concerts in the second half of term provided opportunities for the percussionists, brass groups and a number of soloists to perform, as well as the enlarged Concert Orchestra to perform Oom-pah-pah! Mr Roberts-Malpass took charge of the Lower School At the end of September eight of the senior musicians spent an enjoyable Orchestra and led them in a spirited rendering of Nightflight. It is encouraging to see so many promising instrumentalists in the lower part and profitable time attending the Malvern College Arts Day and took of the school which augurs well for Packwood music in the future. part in an orchestral performance of the Galliarde and Pavane from Le Roi s’amuse by Delibes. The first five weeks of the term were devoted Another innovation saw the Acorns Christmas nativity play to rehearsals for the Sixes Music Competition in mid-October. This year’s accompanied by a small instrumental ensemble consisting of Charlotte theme was ‘Songs from the Shows’ and for the first time, as well as Dixon (flute), Antonia Wordie (clarinet), Evie Clutton (cello) and Chan singing the set song Consider yourself from Oliver! and another of their Kathuria (drums). There is no doubt that this sort of experience is choice, each Six was represented by three solo performers. The invaluable to the development of all musicians and all the children competition was adjudicated by Roger Paul, Director of Music at involved enjoyed the experience greatly, adding colour and panache to Ellesmere College and was extremely closely contested with only eight the spirited singing of the Acorns. points dividing first and last position – the winners were As I hand over to Mrs Sarah Boutwood I would like to thank all McFerran/Wilsons. Packwood children for their enthusiastic and lively contribution to Just two days later the Senior Choir, with soloists Antonia Brine and Packwood music in 2010 and the visiting music staff, and Miss McEntee Antonia Wordie, performed two of their Sunday anthems at the Open in particular, for their support, help and friendship during my year as Morning and it was good, too, to hear polished and confident solo Acting Director of Music. Good luck to you all for the future! AD performances from Joe Davies (saxophone) and George Burrell In an effort to encourage even more pupils to take up an instrument, early in the spring term almost all of the peripatetic teachers came into junior class Music lessons, assisted very ably by a number of willing older pupils, to demonstrate their own instruments. The pupils then had the opportunity to try many of them out which they thoroughly enjoyed. It was surprising every week what undiscovered talent there was at the junior end of the school! A lot of music went on outside the classroom this term too. The Senior Choir added several new anthems to their repertoire to sing at church services, and we were able to make use of the newly built gallery under the tower at the back of the church; this has provided a splendid setting for soloists and small groups to complement the main choir. In our school hymn book there is a hymn called Fill thou my life, O Lord my God. As far as I know, we have never sung it at school, but perhaps we should, as I think that verse three describes the Music department very aptly: Praise in the common things of life, Its goings out and in; Praise in each duty and each deed However small and mean. For a start, there is a lot of ‘going out and in’. Over 75% of Packwood pupils learn an instrument, and many learn two or even three. Many of the activities that happen in the Music department are indeed ‘small and mean’ things – daily individual practising, choir and ensemble rehearsals. But, as in the hymn, all of these seemingly insignificant deeds build up together to produce a fabulous final product – without the menial duties and deeds of daily practice there would be no Music department.

Page 20

Early in the term, we were delighted to have good news for some of our most senior musicians. Milla Harvey-Scholes auditioned on a multitude of instruments to win a top Music scholarship to Stowe, Antonia Wordie won a Music scholarship to Moreton Hall, and Evie Clutton very much impressed the Music staff at Wycombe Abbey where she will be starting in September. Keen to develop my own personal interest at Packwood, I arranged a visit to Shrewsbury School chapel for a demonstration of the pipe organ. Everyone then had a go at playing and I was very impressed by how quickly many of the children understood the different keyboards and stops on the organ. Shrewsbury has very kindly donated, on permanent loan, a three-manual electronic organ to our Music Room, so we have now begun to offer instrumental lessons on the organ. This is an

extremely useful instrument for those hoping for Music scholarships in particular, as well as being highly satisfying to play! The spring term finished in fine style with some splendid performances of Dream On. Form 3 had worked hard in their class Music lessons to learn the chorus songs, which they performed very well. The singing was accompanied by a small band featuring two of our instrumental teachers along with Marcus the gap student and 3W’s own Llyr Heyward-Jones. A mixture of 1s and 2s provided some very impressive solo singing – Harry Schofield in particular surprised everyone with his talent. Two weddings provided a romantic start to the summer term. Both choirs, accompanied by the Brass Ensemble, helped to give a patriotic end to the viewing of the Royal Wedding by performing three verses of the National Anthem. Then, the following week, 22 members of the Senior Choir led the singing at the wedding of Old Packwoodian, Fleur Watson, in Baschurch. The congregation seemed to enjoy the singing and the choir seemed to enjoy the refreshments at the reception afterwards, so a good time was had by all! Later in the term, the Junior Play, Perkin and the Pastrycook, was preceded by a musical overture featuring all of Form 6 on various instruments from tambourines and triangles to flutes and guitars. They had worked very hard on Sing a Song o’ Conga in their Music lessons, and performed it most professionally in the shows. Then, later in the term, they had a chance to sit back and listen to other people performing instead. A woodwind quintet of pupils from Shrewsbury School gave a fabulous afternoon’s entertainment to the

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 21

SUBJECTS Acorns and juniors, playing ensemble and solo music. We were introduced to mini-bassoons and oboes, the full-sized instruments being rather too large for beginners, and given the opportunity to try out various instruments with a view to learning them at school. I was delighted at how much interest in these ‘rare’ instruments was gained from this demonstration. Another very successful visit was made by the Bassistry Arts duo, professional drummers and guitarists who led their now-regular post-exam bash – in more ways than one – for two days of workshops with singing, dancing and rhythmic improvisation. An extremely impressive performance provided a superb start to the final exeat of the year. The musical ‘event of the year’, the culmination of so many ‘trivial rounds’ and ‘common tasks’, was the annual Summer Concert. Around 140 children took part in some way, the 2s with their own arrangement of Beatles songs, all of Form 3 playing together in a xylophone ensemble, and various other

instrumental ensembles – strings, brass, guitar, flute and clarinet. The Senior Choir, Lower School Orchestra and Concert Orchestra all contributed, and we heard solo items from our three scholars, Antonia, Evie and Milla. With a day’s rest in between, the Senior Choir performed again extremely well at the Leavers’ Service to finish the official musical year in fine style. Of course, there have been numerous other musical events – over the course of the year 94 Associated Board exams have been taken and passed, there have been lunchtime concerts and many children performing pieces before and during assembly, not to mention the everyday instrumental and classroom Music lessons. I have thoroughly enjoyed the

MUSIC EXAMS AUTUMN TERM Anna Dodd Antonia Wordie Antonia Brine Saskia Humphreys Milla Harvey-Scholes Evie Clutton Linden Grigg Dot Holt Chan Kathuria Ellie Mason Cassie Bedford Rory Fergusson Alice Shone Beth Cooper Freddie Houlker Simon Waterhouse Romy Grigg Dominic Ainslie Ellie Hutchings Anna Cowan Ned Moreau Felix Jebb

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

Trumpet Clarinet Singing Singing Oboe Piano Piano Piano Saxophone Singing Violin Saxophone Singing Piano Cornet Trumpet Violin Violin Singing Violin Trombone Trombone

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

Theory Singing Singing Piano Clarinet Flute Clarinet Clarinet Singing Singing Singing Piano Piano Cornet Clarinet Singing Singing Violin Violin Recorder Flute Violin Clarinet Piano Clarinet

Merit Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Merit Pass Merit Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Merit Pass

MUSIC EXAMS SPRING TERM Jemima Price Jemima Price Antonia Wordie Edward Hurle Ruby Lavender Sophia Price Mollie Jamieson Francesca Hughes Sophia Price Sacha Robertson Antonia Barlow-Evans Anna Dodd Juliana Hinwood Sam Bayliss Bertie Jenkinson Linden Grigg Archie Waterworth Beatrice Mostyn-Owen Holly Shaw Jacob Jones Amelia Peterson Rosie Clarke Roly Hancock Jacob Jones Amber Gibbins

Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 4 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 1 Grade 1

Zak Nicholas Llyr Heyward-Jones Felix Jebb Sophia Bureau Freya Beasley Theodora Jarvis Immy Downey Zara Vickers

challenges of two terms in the Packwood Music Department, and I am looking forward to my first autumn term in September. And whilst praising in ‘each duty and each deed’ may not always seem easy on a day-to-day basis, I am ultimately grateful that these deeds are happening. So thank you to all those who carry them out – the hard-working children, the loyal and patient peripatetic teachers and my omniscient assistant, Miss McEntee. SB

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

Cornet Saxophone Trombone Piano Piano Piano Piano Violin

Pass Merit Pass

Cello Piano Singing Clarinet Flute Theory Singing Singing Saxophone Trumpet Flute Singing Cornet Saxophone Flute Singing Singing Singing Piano Piano Piano Cello Cello Saxophone Saxophone Saxophone Singing Bassoon Cornet Piano Piano Piano Piano Violin Oboe Saxophone Flute Piano Trumpet

Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Merit Pass Merit Merit Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Merit Merit Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass

MUSIC EXAMS SUMMER TERM Edward Hurle Milla Harvey-Scholes Evie Clutton Jemima Price Charlotte Dixon George Burrell Luke Williams Felix Thomas-Davies Joe Davies George Burrell Olivia Hughes Beth Cooper Florence Wade-Smith Chan Kathuria Tara Beasley Louisa Jarvis Jessie Hunt William Holcroft George Clowes Llyr Heyward-Jones James Hinwood Alexander Wythe Esther McLaughlin Louis Martin Alice Rees David Schofield Ellie Hutchings Felix Thomas-Davies Freddie Houlker George Burrell Theo Blythe Isabella Wythe Alexander Davies Anna Cowan Clary Haynes Nathan Mielczarek Olivia Moir Amelia Peterson Alice Shone

Grade 7 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 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 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Prep Test Prep Test

Page 21

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 22

EVENTS

Dream On The Seniors’ production of Dream On performed at the end of the spring term more than lived up to the high standard of school plays set over previous years. Based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this was the first Packwood senior play directed by Richard Cowley and his personal enthusiasm and great talent for humour shone through the production. Mr Cowley and his co-directors, Rachael Downey and Roy Chambers, truly brought out the best in a large, multi-talented cast. The play opens with Duke Theseus and Hippolyta (confidently played by the richly costumed Ollie Tennant and Harriet Bibby) planning the entertainment for their wedding – a job charged to their servant, Philostrate (a part to which Jess Clarke brought great comic timing). Philostrate unearths a troupe of actors who are blissfully unaware of their woeful lack of talent. These five, Bottom, Quince, Flute, Starveling and Snug, collectively the Rude Mechanicals, provide numerous comic moments throughout the play. The weddings of Lysander and Hermia (Harry Schofield and Antonia Brine) and Demetrius and Helena (Leo Sartain and Charlotte Dixon) are planned for the same day...but some Midsummer mischief ensues that almost derails their arrangements. Enter the Fairies. Titania, played superbly by Ella Downey, is being pursued relentlessly by Robert Waterhouse as Oberon, King of the Fairies – partly for love, partly in an effort to persuade her to allow him access to the services of her accountant. In a voice dripping with disdain, Titania spurns Oberon’s advances, but this only makes him more determined. He turns to the impish Puck for help – a wonderfully wicked and subversive character brought to life brilliantly by Ed Stubbs in black leotard and fluorescent green wig. Puck creates mayhem both accidentally, by causing the wrong people to fall in love and,

deliberately, by endowing Bottom with the head of a donkey and magically making him the object of Titania’s affections. After much confusion, misunderstanding, fighting – and amusement – the situation is resolved by Oberon and Puck and the weddings finally take place. The Rude Mechanicals’ entertainment is predictably terrible and hilarious. Fergus Connolly’s over-acting is wonderful and spectacularly self-important. Will Bayliss, Felix Thomas-Davis and Chan Kathuria all play their parts brilliantly and with great comic timing – and Stamos Fearnall gives a magnificent, scene-stealing performance as the hilariously miscast heroine of their play. Never has a boy been more proud of his red, velour dress and fake bosom! There are songs and music throughout the play and special mention must be made of some superb, confident singing, notably from Charlotte Dixon, Ella Downey, Fergus Connolly and Antonia Brine. It is daunting enough to remember lines and stage directions but to deliver songs so beautifully as well reveals in all of them true theatrical talent.

The large supporting cast of fairies, courtiers, mafioso and the chorus (comprising all in Form 3) were all invaluable components contributing hugely to the whole spectacle. Music was expertly directed by Sarah Boutwood and the play was enhanced, as ever, by the ever-resourceful Mrs Jones’ fantastic costumes and the spectacular scenery created by Sir Anthony, Mr Dougan and Mrs Nogues. Many more helped behind the scenes and all deserve credit for their part in creating such a magnificent production. CEH

Page 22

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 23

EVENTS

Leadership and Teamwork Training Question: What do we as a school, look for when selecting monitors? Answer: I’ve no idea, every member of staff applies their own criteria. These may include good citizenship, helpfulness, responsibility, kindness, setting the right example and so on and so on… What the eventual selection most definitely does not rest on is a pupil’s ability to cook a sausage on a disposable barbecue in the spinney. So what is the 2’s leadership and teamwork day about? With every passing year this Sunday activity moves further away from what it originally set out to be; namely, a chance for pupils in the penultimate year to show us what they can do when faced with some initiative tests and team exercises. It is now far more about building a year group spirit, having fun and demonstrating to the individual that they can achieve far more and with greater efficiency if they work as a team. To that end fifty, yes fifty, 12 year olds congregated in the forest school and in teams of four cooked for themselves with virtually no adult assistance a lunch of sausage, burgers, corn on the cob and melted jelly. The only help came when Mrs Boutwood or I tested the meats to make sure that they were cooked through. When the resulting odours wafted up to school we were also joined by Miss Goulding whose idea of testing food, we soon learnt, seemed to centre on eating it.

After lunch we played some silly games then we tidied up and returned to school to await an outbreak of salmonella…as it never occurred I count the day as an unqualified success. NRJ

Christmas Entertainment With excitement mounting and a festive spirit in the air the last week of the autumn term saw all at Packwood enjoying the traditional Christmas feast and hat competition. As ever there were some magnificent creations on display demonstrating innovative design, limitless imagination and the use of copious quantities of PVA glue. Judging was the unenviable task of Mr Dougan, Mrs Nogues and Mrs Shaw who after long and careful deliberation picked the winners. The feast was a fantastic occasion, surpassed only by the entertainment that followed! A crowd of children high on sugar and seasonal goodwill proved to be the most enthusiastic, appreciative and noisy audience as the brave (foolhardy?) teachers took to the

stage for a staff revue. There were musical numbers betraying hidden talents and a taste for skin-tight satin jumpsuits; spoof quiz shows including a brilliant re-working of a Two Ronnies Mastermind sketch; an interview with a mad professor and his very eloquent gorilla, Gerald; a ‘flash mob’ dance routine in which the enthusiasm of the participants more than made up for their lack of finesse and numerous other sketches and performances all interspersed with computer animated clips featuring members of staff as dancing Christmas elves. The evening was rounded off with an uproarious rendition of Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody with those on stage soon drowned out by the eager participation of the audience. Truly a memorable night’s entertainment! CEH

Page 23

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 24

EVENTS

Perkin and the Pastry Cook

Another colourful extravaganza graced the Packwood theatre in early June as the juniors took to the stage for their production of Perkin and the Pastry Cook. The play continues the story of the hapless Emperor Sigismund XIV who has recently been tricked into parading through town in an invisible suit of clothes. The action takes place a week after this mortifying episode when the bumbling Emperor, played very effectively by Dan Humes (first half) and James Hinwood (second half), is preparing to punish those responsible. Both boys played their part perfectly as the ineffectual, hen-pecked husband very much under the thumb of the terrifyingly imperious Empress, portrayed superbly by Freya Beasley and Louisa Jarvis. The tricksters responsible for the Emperor’s humiliation, Sly (Harry Swinburne/Marcus Woodhead) and Tinker (Jonty Bright/Jack Goodall) manage to escape from the palace by fooling the inept and suggestible Wat (Ollie Hall/Felix Jebb), a former pastry cook in the

Page 24

palace kitchens. Wat lost his job for causing numerous injuries by mistakenly making a batch of cakes with plaster of paris instead of flour and has been demoted to work with palace odd job man, Perkin (Alex Ainslie/Nick Yeoward). Wat and Perkin are given three days to recapture the prisoners but further trouble ensues for the pair when they are falsely believed to have kidnapped the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Sophie (Talullah Blackham/Zara Vickers), who has actually willingly gone along to help. The army is dispatched to join the hunt and “rescue” Sophie. Wat is fooled again by Sly and Tinker who capture the princess but in the end levelheaded and courageous Perkin saves the day, single-handedly seeing off the menacing woodland creatures and a terrifying dragon. Perkin saves the princess and captures the villains. Justice is finally served as Sly and Tinker are imprisoned, Perkin receives a knighthood and Wat gets his old job back. Alex and Nick gave stand-out, confident performances as Perkin and both boys had exceptional stage presence. Here, certainly, are a couple of stars of the future. Talullah too was most impressive demonstrating a superb sense of comic timing and oozing self-confidence – her performance on opening night in particular, stole the show. Harry, Marcus, Jonty and Jack were born to play the mischievous trouble-makers Sly and Tinker and performed their roles very convincingly. Ollie Hall and Felix Jebb were no less credible as the rather slow-witted, gullible Wat (excellent acting, of course!) – Ollie’s expressive face and brilliantly judged mannerisms brought the part to life. Special mention should also be made of the

splendid town criers, Ed Barry and Nathan Mielczarek and guard captain, Ali Davies all of whom played their parts with great selfassurance. Beginning with a musical performance by Form 6 and interspersed with music and dance the whole play was full of life and action. The spectacle was enhanced by the magnificent costumes produced by Mrs Jones and Sir Anthony’s and Mr Dougan’s authentic scenery. Producers, back stage team, assistants and most of all the children (aged ten and under, every one!) should all be tremendously proud of their magnificent, fun-filled production which judging by the volume of laughter and applause, delighted packed houses on both evenings. CEH

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 25

EVENTS

Packwood Quiz Night A healthy turnout of parents, friends and children promised a lively night for this year’s quiz. With subjects ranging from British Birds, through Trivia to Identifying Food Labels as well as the traditional All about Packwood round there seemed to be questions to suit all tastes. With the inexorable onward march of technology, there was no firm guarantee that technical skulduggery would not advance the causes of some of the more unscrupulous participants, and indeed much ‘contemplating of the navel’ did seem to occur in certain areas of the dining room! The winners, I am reliably informed, used no dubious underhand tactics in powering their way to victory though there team must have comprised at least 20 children, most of whom appeared to have no connection whatsoever with either the Clarkes or the Masons but had evidently only turned up for the excellent bangers and mash served during the interval. We hear, however, that the intellectual might of Mr Ian Mason will not be available to bolster

his team next year in their quest for a hat-trick of victories as he is being posted to Venezuela: surely too far for a guest appearance next May? A convivial evening was enjoyed by all, and my thanks to all who participated, and to staff who helped in every way, but particularly to Jane Jones for her advice and invaluable assistance. KJW

The Packwood Panto 1Class prepared for the Christmas holidays in the time-honoured Packwood way of producing an entertaining play for the whole school following their end of term exams. This year we decided to return to the traditional idea of a pantomime, having stumbled on a script for ’The Packwood Pantomime’ when foraging through the English department archives. And very amusing it proved to be – a tribute in no small part to Ann Smith’s script; we were very pleased that the author was also able to attend this revival. All should be mentioned in attempting to

review what proved to be a highly entertaining and festive half hour: Harry Jenkinson introduced and leant valuable assistance in direction; Edward Dolphin again proved reliable back stage; Robert Waterhouse ably assisted the indomitable George Burrell (1Class for a day) with sounds and lights; Dot Holt and Charlotte Dixon unearthed a fantastic fairytale wardrobe of costumes and props with the help of Mrs Jones. Front of stage Saskia Humphreys impressed as Little (Blue) Riding Hood; Jamie Moir looked particularly attractive as Cinderella; Archie

Fetherstonhuagh invented a funny ‘wickid’ Witch; Evie Clutton went down well as a Welsh Snow White and Ed Stanton flitted onto stage in his tutu as the Fairy Godmother. Among the increasingly surreal parts, Alfie Grocott amused as a mincing Big Bad Wolf, Joe Davies played a bolshy tomato and Rory Davies toadied up to Henry Oak’s dashing Prince Charming. The fairy-tale script was bent further to include Bo-Peep (Jess Clarke) who had lost her sheep (Milla Harvey-Scholes). The fun was finished by a whole-school Christmas singalong, and a good time was genuinely had by all. RAC

Old Swinford Hospital Summer Festival On Thursday 16 June 3Class took a day off school to attend the Old Swinford Hospital School Summer Festival. One group took part in the music activity, one in drama and two teams entered the science challenge. The musicians prepared pieces which they performed at the end of the day. The drama group worked on plays about bullying which were also performed in the afternoon. The science challenge involved a range of activities including a chemistry demonstration with bangs and flashes, building bridges, studying cells and a quiz. Packwood’s team of Oliver Bureau, Jude Bedford, Jamie Channon and Dominic Ainslie won the challenge and were presented with a magnificent trophy. This was a brilliantly organized event with a superb range of activities which the children all hugely enjoyed. FRH Page 25

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 26

EVENTS

Bush Survival

Anyone taking a Sunday afternoon stroll around our bluebell carpeted spinney on the second weekend of the summer term would have had their reverie disturbed by two tribes of semi-feral children enjoying a day of bush survival. Twenty five children in all from the 1s and 2s took part and they soon found themselves lighting fires by rubbing things together and cooking trout, corn, mushrooms and sweet potato over the resulting pyres. It’s amazing what children will eat if they have cooked it themselves. In addition to narrowly missing a dose of botulism, we also built weatherproof shelters which were soon put to good use when the rain gods made their presence felt. NRJ

One Act Plays Introduced last year, the idea behind these short plays is that every child in the school should have the opportunity to appear on the stage at some point during the school year. The 3s are often involved in minor roles in the senior play but the One Act Plays give them the chance to be the stars. They spent the spring term working with their English teachers on their plays which they performed to the whole school on the last Tuesday of the term. The entertainment opened with 3P’s performance of an extract from Stig of the Dump – the scene in which Barney (played by Morton Moss) is confronted by the bullying Snargets. Ralph Furse, India Holt, Laura Whittingham and Zak Nicholas played the aggressive and menacing brothers who threaten to attack Barney for daring to venture into their dump. However, they don’t know about Barney’s secret weapon – Stig (played by Ned Warburton-Lee), who comes to Barney’s rescue and chases the terrified Snargets away. The whole cast were superb – they had mastered their lines perfectly and brought the scene to life with authentic accents and confident performances.

particular to the Ladybird (Amber Gibbins), the Spider (Pip Vickers), the Earthworm (Alice Shone) and best of all, Caspar Massey’s selfimportant Centipede who delivered his lines perfectly and amused the audience with his proud boast “I am a PEST!” The whole cast was word perfect and impressively well-rehearsed.

very amusing sketch featuring Llyr HeywardJones, Loris Pattinson and Johnnie Peel as full-time protest marchers who, on finding themselves with no protest scheduled (having discovered that the protest for left-handed screwdrivers was scheduled for next week) decide to demand ... a protest!

3W followed with three short sketches, the first featuring a magnificent performance from Molly Bruce as a garrulous hairdresser who gets so carried away talking non-stop to her clients that she accidentally chops off all the hair of one unsuspecting woman. Beth Cooper played the indignant victim of this disaster and stormed off stage very convincingly, threatening to sue – which did no more than elicit from Molly the rather optimistic response “Another satisfied customer!”

3Class gave the final performance of the morning in a sketch written by Mr Webster and featuring the children as themselves – needless to say, parts they played brilliantly. The scene opened with a lacklustre Sophia Price and Isabella Wythe complaining of boredom. When joined by their classmates, discussion eventually turned to devising their own television programme with each of them taking roles as presenters, interviewers, performers etc. The star of this performance was undoubtedly Luke Williams who reprised his role as a slow-witted dullard (Dave) worryingly convincingly! Luke’s presence on stage was enough to have the audience laughing and his facial expressions were almost funnier than his lines – and certainly funnier than David Schofield’s appalling jokes!

The second sketch featured three people in a solicitor’s office waiting to hear what they would receive in the will of their recently deceased relative – the grasping trio, convincingly played by Antonia Barlow-Evans, Georgie Bibby and Scott Walker, seem to think they are owed a living and, despite their spendthrift habits, deserve their bequests. However, they are unaware that the fourth Next on stage were 3E who re-enacted the person (Robert Ford) at the meeting is the scene from Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach in which James first meets the enormous “deceased” in disguise who is so disgusted by his greedy relatives that he reveals himself to insects inside the peach. Again this was a confident performance with some super acting, them and immediately sets about writing them especially from the insects – special mention in out of his will. Finally 3W entertained us with a Page 26

All in all, the 3s provided us all with a wonderful morning’s entertainment and, along with their English teachers, must be congratulated for all the hard work they clearly put in to preparing their plays for performance. CEH

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 27

EVENTS

Lectures

50 marathons in 50 days

Schools Challenge

In December we welcomed Barney Preece’s uncle, Hugh Williams-Preece, who gave us a fascinating talk on a remarkable project he had just undertaken. He had run 50 marathons in 50 days, from Lisbon to London, raising a huge sum of money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. We heard about his training programme, and of his determination to let mind rule over matter. This was particularly in evidence during the run itself, when he pulled a quad muscle in his leg and had to walk his marathons on days 7 and 8. We saw slides of his remarkable run, which ended in Trafalgar Square four days before the beginning of the London Marathon. We were amazed as he produced from two cardboard boxes the mass of food he needed every day to give him energy, including Snickers Bars (17 on one occasion). We winced as a volunteer from the audience, the admirable Harry Jenkinson, immersed both feet in buckets full of ice, to simulate the kind of ordeal that a marathon runner has to go through in his training. This was an enlightening hour’s talk, and it was interesting to note that at the end a show of hands indicated that around 95% of the audience now wanted to run a marathon when they were older.

The next event was not a lecture, as such, but it was a visit from Harry Spry-Leverton, Head Librarian at Uppingham School, who brought a “Schools Challenge” to Packwood. This was based on TV’s University Challenge, complete with buzzers and scoreboard. There were four teams, one from each Six. Each team fielded a select group of four “boffs”, captained by a member of staff attached to the Six. The winning Six, after a thrilling final, was Harcourt Clarkes, but the star of the show was indubitably Archie Fetherstonhaugh, razor quick in his reactions and extraordinarily broad in his command of general knowledge: we may see him in the real show in a few years time. Mr Spry-Leverton made an excellent quiz-master, in the Gascoigne, perhaps, rather than the Paxman mode, and it was very kind of him to bring his expertise all the way from Uppingham and provide us with an evening that was enlightening and memorable. Taming Space and Time At the beginning of March we welcomed Mr Steve Adams, Head of Science at Shrewsbury, who gave us a fascinating lecture entitled Taming Space and Time. He started aptly enough by explaining pictorially what was meant by a billion – or indeed several of them – before enumerating the number of stars, and he proceeded to discuss the universe, its history and almost indefinable bounds. He used a number of slides to illustrate his talk, and all were captivated by the sheer mystery and extent of it all. The questions at the end were notable for their perspicacity, and reports came from the dormitories later about how children were looking up information on The Big Bang, a sub-topic which seemed to inspire a lot of questions and interest. At the end, by happy coincidence, we all left the theatre and were greeted by a beautiful starlit evening. OJL

Christmas Quiz Every year 100 questions, grouped into ten sections, are sent back at the end of the autumn term to fill idle moments after the brandy on the Christmas pudding has been extinguished. The quiz is voluntary, and those who wish are invited to complete it again, unseen, at the beginning of the spring term, having committed researched answers to memory. This year the questions ranged from music to the weather, from wives/ husbands to sport, from the Classical world to more current affairs, with several uses of language thrown in. There were many who seemed to work out that the most obvious way of

scoring 22 points with a four letter word in Scrabble was “Quiz”. I marked scripts from over 60 volunteers, and many of the results were impressive. In 3rd place came Sophia Price with 95%, in 2nd was Ruby Lavender with 98%, but the worthy winner, hard on the heels of another very impressive score in the 90s last year, was Loris Pattinson on 99%. His only slip-up was to think that Claudius was not a Roman Emperor. Very many congratulations to him – Loris, that is, not Claudius. OJL

Page 27

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 28

EVENTS

Visiting authors Cecily Jenkinson

Sita Brahmachari

At the end of the autumn term we were delighted to welcome children’s author, and Packwood mum, Cecily Jenkinson to school for the afternoon. The children in the 4s, 5s and 6s were lucky enough to spend a library session with Cecily and to learn a little about writing for children and about book publishing.

On Friday 20th May, the 3s and 2s were very lucky to have a talk with Sita Brahmachari about her book Artichoke Hearts which won the 2011 Waterstone’s Children’s Book prize.

Cecily has written a very successful series of books about the adventures of two boys called Oli and Skipjack and she spoke to the children about the inspiration for her books and how she comes up with ideas for each new story. Cecily had a bag of props for each book which the children were able to dip in to and Cecily then explained the connection between the objects they selected and the ideas they had inspired. The children were also fascinated to learn about first drafts, editors, designers, illustrators and printers and all the various stages of producing a book. They were amazed to learn that printing just one of the books required 16 miles of paper! The children couldn’t wait to get their hands on the books at the end of the afternoon and it’s great to see them in their classrooms avidly reading. CEH

Artichoke Hearts is her first book – before beginning work on it she wrote scripts for plays. Sita inspired herself by writing a diary about her life and thought one day she should make it into a story based on her life. She is hoping to write a sequel too, all about her daughter Mira getting a ticket to India for her 15th birthday and her travels to India by herself. I’m very much looking forward to reading it! Although Sita’s father was born in Calcutta she went to Adcote School here in Shropshire so she said “It’s very special coming back to this part of England!” Sita’s best friend at Adcote was Caroline Beasley (whose daughters Tara and Freya are Packwood pupils) and they are still very good friends. Thank you Sita for coming to visit us at Packwood and for sharing with us Artichoke Hearts and your very interesting life! We will never forget you and we are all very excited about your sequel – maybe you could visit us for that as well! Hermione Bathurst

New Children’s Barbecue On the first weekend of the autumn term we had a barbecue for the new boarders and their shadows. We were blessed, as we often are in September, with fantastic weather and while I prepared a selection of sausages, burgers, chicken and sweetcorn, Mr Jones and the children played some silly games in the sunshine. It never ceases to amaze me how much food small children can Page 28

consume – all the barbecue goodies, vast quantities of home grown salad, cucumber and tomatoes, home-made ice cream and meringues and, when the children thought it couldn’t get any better, Theo Blythe’s granny produced a cake the size of our dining table! This is always such an enjoyable event and I’m sure it helps the new children settle in and form new friendships. JJ

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:17

Page 29

EVENTS

Royal Wedding fun

Friday 29th April was a day of entertainment and celebration for all at Packwood in honour of the Royal Wedding. There was a lie-in and special breakfast for boarders and day children had a later start to their day too. Many were splendidly dressed in patriotic red, white and blue and the younger children had the chance to add to their outfits with crowns they made themselves and decorated with ermine (cotton wool!) and jewels. While the juniors were busy doing this the older pupils completed a royal quiz. Inevitably some children took the quiz less seriously than others and enjoyed the challenge of coming up with amusing, incorrect answers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; while it may conjure up a lovely image, Sarah Ferguson was not married to Sir Alex Ferguson! 1N, 2Class and 3Class were the winning forms and 14 prizes were awarded to children in the 4s, 5s, 6s and Acorns for the most creative crowns. Everyone then gathered in the theatre to watch the wedding ceremony on the big screen which was followed by a rousing performance of the national anthem by the Senior and Junior Choirs and Brass Ensemble. The festivities continued with an excellent roast lunch rounded off with a treat from the ice cream van that made a special visit to school for the day. We spent the afternoon playing a variety of fun and silly team games including one which involved much gurning and facial contortion to manoeuvre as many slices of cucumber from forehead to mouth as you could in five minutes. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where Mrs Parry comes up with these ideas but the children had great fun having a go and Gideon Turner proved to be remarkably accomplished at it! We all had a really great time and are very grateful to Ms Gough, Mrs Parry, Miss Willis, the school cooks and everyone else who helped to make it such a wonderful day. CEH Page 29

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 30

EVENTS

Packwood Dog Show

2011 meant it was once again time for our biennial dog show. Not that the term “dog show” really does justice to the event. The Packwood version is all about having fun and getting families and their mutts together for a day of entertainment and socialising. A brief glimpse at the results below will indicate that our show is unlikely to come under the jurisdiction of the Kennel Club anytime soon. About fifty families in all came along, all of them undeterred by the drizzly weather. I can safely say that the principal aim of having fun was duly achieved and a pawky (pun intended) sum of £536 was raised as well. This money is being put towards creating an outdoor “peaceful place” for children to sit quietly and read, juggle their hamsters, chat or whatever. My sincerest thanks must go to all the Packwood staff, most especially Mrs Jones, who willingly gave up their time to help out, and of course to the families with their hounds who turned up on the day. NRJ Results: Dog with the Waggiest Tail Tatty (Oliver Bureau) Dog Most Like its Owner Tilly (Theo Blythe) Most Obedient Dog Bracken (Mrs Houlker) Best Dressed Dog Tiffin ( Kitty Peel) Grand Mass Dog Race Digby (Mr Schofield) Greatest Glutton Betty (Freddie Beharrell) Fastest Retrieve Bracken (Mrs Houlker) Obstacle Course Betty (Freddie Beharrell)

Page 30

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 31

EVENTS

Gundog Training

Hindu workshop At the end of January a lady called Krishna came to Packwood to talk to the 4s about the Hindu religion. She told us about the shrine and the many gods and goddesses that the Hindus worship and she had brought along lots of dolls dressed up as the gods to show us. We acted out the story of Rama and Sita that we had learned in lessons. It is a very ancient story of how good overcomes evil. After that we all lined up to dress up in Indian costumes, the girls wore beautiful saris and the boys wore turbans. We had our faces painted with colourful dots and flowers and we were allowed to choose a pretty bindi for our foreheads. Then Krishna played some Indian music and we were shown a traditional dance with sticks. It was amazing fun and we all learned lots! Alex Ainslie and Theodora Jarvis

I am told that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. So it was that I found myself as the metaphorical one-eyed man in charge of twenty-two gundogs, accompanying Packwood parents and their offspring. By the time my dog (the exemplar) had already helped himself to a visitor’s picnic followed by their rather cute lady dog for dessert; it became clear that this was not going to be an afternoon which would produce a Field Trial Champion. No matter, it was a lot of fun and I hope that the visitors picked up one or two tips which may help in their training regime. Ask me what the number one tip is? Well it’s exactly the same as with children, get them to sit, stay and walk to heel and everything else is a piece of cake. NRJ

Cycle Awareness Training This is the third year that the Bikeability course has been run at school and it was as successful as ever. In all, ten children were taken through the basics of cycling proficiency on two Sundays under the excellent supervision of Bill and Peter from Shropshire County Council. The first stages of the course, leading to the Level 1 certificate, are all about knowing your bicycle – checking everything is in proper working order – and confidence – being able to signal and look behind (the ‘life-saver’ look) without losing control. Thereafter the training moves onto the road where the children’s confidence is further tested in typical traffic situations, leading to Level 2 for those who sufficiently demonstrate their ability to cycle safely – and remember that all-important life-saver look. The second day this year coincided with the Packwood Dog Show, so the traffic was rather busier than it had been, and the afterlunch session was postponed to the following Wednesday, when almost all the children attended. Altogether, all bar three (who were not able to attend every session) achieved level 2. I would like to thank Bill and Peter for their kindness, patience and generosity, and I congratulate the children for their excellent behaviour throughout. Finances are tight in the Council and it may be that the course will not

be available in the future, which would be a great shame. It is such a valuable and popular activity, and I hope that it will be able to continue next year. WGI Page 31

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 32

EVENTS

Weekend Events and Activities Autumn Term

Spring Term

Summer Term

New Boarders’ Barbecue

West Midlands fencing competitions

Garden Plotters’ Sunday

Trip to Mulberry Alpacas

Football 1st XI vs Mr Preece’s XI (parents)

“Great Escape” Activity

Equestrian One-day event

Packwood fencing championships

Fencing Nationals at Sheffield

Trip to the Midlands Game Fair

Ice skating trip

Trip to Mulberry Alpacas

Mixed soccer tournament

Mixed Sports hall games

Parent and pupil tennis/golf

Cinema trip

NSEA horse riding championships at Addington Manor

“Ryder Cup” Golf activity

Ten-pin bowling trip Junior Boarders Mini-egg hunt Touch-rugby tournament Trip to Crazy Knights Adventure Zone Hill-walking trip Drama activity Art activity Simulated game shooting after dusk Leon Paul fencing competition at Packwood Cookery activity

Trip to Shrewsbury School Sporting Experience Biathlon semi-finals Trip to National League Hockey Indoor minor sports tournament Trip to indoor climbing wall

Packwood Gymkhana Bush Survival Day Trip to Children’s concert, Shrewsbury School Wrekin Biathlon Cycling Proficiency Course Moor Park clay-pigeon tournament

Birdwatching trip

National Schools’ Equestrian two-day event at Leamington Spa

Drama activity

Packwood Dog Show

Art activity

White water rafting trip

Gundog training day

Cinema trip

NSEA Riding Area Qualifiers at Southview

Beekeeping Activity

Form 2 Leadership Training Day

Easter-egg hunt

Art activity Cookery activity Fishing trips Boarders’ hill-walking trip Leavers’ parents matches – cricket, rounders, tennis

Page 32

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 33

TRIPS

Alton Towers For as long as anybody on the trip can recollect, an end of term jolly to Alton Towers has been organised and what a treat it is. This year, rather than spending the late afternoon in traffic and the rest of the evening at the rather well-known grounds of Packwood, the children did not leave until they were literally chucked out. This enabled the intrepid thrill seekers to go round and round the extreme rides with virtually no queues. It enabled

others to try and digest the copious quantities of highly nutritious food they had purchased. The children had a fantastic time and it was a pleasure for the four accompanying staff to take them on the trip – although that came as no surprise to us. Despite some rain, all that was witnessed all day were smiles, laughs and the odd rather pale face. This trip was a well-deserved reward for the top year, and if

next year’s top year is anything like as good as this one we might even get there earlier too! Many thanks to all of the children who came back late and went straight up to bed, although perhaps not straight to sleep after Marques, England and Fearnall unveiled their plans for a new super theme park of the future, expounding in unbelievable detail well into the early hours of the next morning. A great day, a great year. DR

Fishing the Perry On the final Sunday of term there are certain things taking place that have become deeply ingrained into Packwood tradition. The Parents– Pupils cricket and rounders, the Leavers’ service, the Old Packwoodians’ Dinner and… ‘Fishing the Perry’! We go right back to basics – our rods are chosen from hazel trees, a simple line tied with a small hook and weight, we dig for our own worms and then supposedly wait patiently for a fish to enter one of our swims. Now patience and children are not normally two words that you can use in the same sentence but the former can come in varying degrees. Two girls actually walked back up to school before they had even started fishing – possibly put off by the thought of putting a worm onto their hooks, others had a concentration span that only lasted until the Senior girls were playing rounders nearby, but two boys,

Freddie Houlker and Thomas Simpson, would still be there today if they were not physically removed from the bank! There doesn’t seem to be the number of fish that there used to be in the Perry. I hope that this is because of the otter that now frequents the area – the population certainly wasn’t affected by the anglers as a total catch of three minnows was scant reward for their efforts. The biggest fish of the day award went to Carlota Fraile. The biggest scream award to Chanida Dhooghe when Carlota’s fish slapped her on the side of the face! And the biggest ‘catch’ of the day to Maxwell Horler...an oak tree! It was another fantastic summer day (we always seem to be lucky) and one which made you appreciate the beautiful grounds of Packwood. MAF

Cinderella On 9th December all of Form 4 went to see the pantomime of Cinderella at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury. It was an amazing theatre with all the bright lights shining on you. At the beginning, Cinderella met an old woman in the forest but she was really a Fairy Godmother. The old woman was looking for firewood but couldn’t find any so Cinderella gave her the wood she had collected. Cinderella also met the Prince in the forest and he fell in love with her! Cinderella’s best friend, Buttons, who was very funny, was also secretly in love with Cinderella. Cinderella was asked to a ball by the Prince. The VERY ugly stepsisters gave Cinderella her ticket but then forced her to rip it up. Suddenly the Fairy Godmother arrived and granted Cinderella a wish

for helping her in the forest. So Cinderella wished that she could go to the ball. She arrived in a beautiful dress with a carriage and horses. She had so much fun that she forgot to keep track of the time and had to run back as fast as she could but she left one of her glass slippers behind. The Prince ordered that everyone should try on the glass slipper but the ugly stepsisters locked Cinderella in the cellar. After everyone else had tried on the slipper there was only one person left – Cinderella. Buttons went looking for her and found her in the cellar. She tried on the slipper and it fitted! So then Cinderella went to live in the palace with the Prince and Buttons was very proud because he was made a manservant and he loved his new jacket! Annabel Robertson

1Class Trip to Hay-on-Wye The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts is an annual event held in Hayon-Wye, Powys. On average, 80,000 people attend the festival, and this year I was one of them as 1Class was taken to visit by Mr Chambers and Mrs Draper. We went to see two authors – Alyxandra Harvey and Marcus Sedgwick. Alyxandra Harvey is a Canadian writer, who writes vampire novels called The Drake Chronicles. These novels include drama and romance. The Drake Family has to choose between the people they love or the way they were born. The books are fairy tales mixing reality with fiction. Marcus Sedgwick is an English writer, who writes gothic fiction. His newest series is The Raven Mysteries Series.

This is a gothic, comedic series of adventures featuring the Otherhand family whose resident pet at Otherhand Castle is a raven. He has also written many other books – the most recent being Midwinterblood. After our talks we were able to go into the book shop where various authors were signing books. I was able to get the signatures of Alyxandra Harvey, Marcus Sedgwick and Jason Bradbury (who wrote Dot Robot). After having our books signed we had lunch and went to explore a bit. On behalf of the whole of 1Class, I would like to say thank you to Mr Chambers for organising the trip and Mrs Draper for driving the bus. Dot Holt

Page 33

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 34

TRIPS

Boys’Leavers Trip – North Wales

Coming to a cinema near you (Dolgellau Palace, tickets £3, £1.50 concessions) the latest blockbuster from the Packwood Leavers’ Productions: Return of the Raft. See the boy leavers abseil the heights of the Barmouth Slabs; see the leavers leap fearlessly into gushing plunge pools and scramble down roaring river paths; see the leavers open fire on their nearest and dearest, dodging paintballs; see the leavers conquer the ‘Minotaur’ mountain paths of Coed-YBrenin cycle tracks only then to conquer their fears ascending mighty forest pines; listen to the leavers sing at the summit of Cader Idris;

spot the merry band of brothers navigate the Merionethshire forests following ancient maps, laugh in hilarity as the friends perform sketches to entertain their fellow guests. Watch, with the teaching staff, in amazement as one of the raft building rafts actually floats! The secret it seems is tightening ropes by inserting rocks. Rocks to help something float...who other than Thomas Marques would have thought that?! Cheer with admiration as the young men return friends forever. Production thanks go to Guy and David at King’s Youth Hostel; Rich and his team from Snowdonia Adventures; Jon ‘Pies’ Smith and his team from GetWet and finally Steve from Beics Brenin. No minibuses were killed in the production of this movie, for a change. SAR & NW

Page 34

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 35

TRIPS

Girls Leavers’ Trip – Pembrokeshire

The Form 1 girls set off for Pembrokeshire in June for some serious R & R but in reality there wasn’t much time for any. We travelled down to St David’s on Monday and spent the afternoon at a Surfing School. Some were better than others it has to be said, but one or two did manage to stand by the end of the session. Wet and exhausted we returned to our Youth Hostel at Pwll Deri which is located in one of the most picturesque settings I have seen and were treated to the traditional first night meal – ‘Mrs Jones’ Spag Bol’!

Tuesday and no let up. Rib boating around Ramsey Island spotting wildlife and then tearing around the bay at breakneck speed followed by an afternoon in a fancy swimming pool type thing with lots of tubes and waves. Another fine meal to round off the day and then it was up to Dorms to prepare for the next day. Wednesday – Oakwood Theme Park with it’s terrifying rides, watching Mrs Jones go pale as we talked (duped) her into riding the appropriately named Megaphobia, laughing at the girls who wondered (and then found

out) why one ride was called Drenched and then off to Nolton Stables for a 2 ½ hour ride into the woods and through the surf. We ended the day with a very welcome fish and chip supper. Thursday – a quiet day? No – Go Karting and when some of these girls turn 17 I’m staying off the road! The afternoon was spent on the beach at Whitesands Bay and then a barbecue on the patio to watch the sun go down. Many thanks to Mrs Jones, Geoff and Natalie and also to the girls, who helped to make it such a memorable trip. MAF

Page 35

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 36

TRIPS

Chester – Classics Trip This was my third Classics trip to Chester, on this occasion with a younger age group. We were as always made to feel very welcome by Lorna Kernahan and her team at the Grosvenor Museum, where we began with a look at the Roman stones in the Webster gallery. This was followed by a workshop upstairs, where the children were divided into small groups, one investigating the evidence behind the death of a man whose skeleton was discovered in a well, another looking at Roman pottery and building materials, the third sorting various items; in the meantime,

Rory Carter-Motley became a Roman soldier and waved his heavy metal (replica) sword around just a little too much for comfort! After lunch in the Kings Arms Kitchen, we moved outside to join our Roman soldier guide, with whom we walked as far as the Roman amphitheatre. (Jacob Rand must get a mention for his fortitude, having to trail along with the group up and down some unforgiving cobblestones on his recently acquired crutches – not easy at all, and yet he never complained once.)

As in previous years, some of the children found themselves on the receiving end of the soldier’s banter – Mima Price for one will never look at a sponge in quite the same way again (and I don’t think any of us will forget her dismay at discovering that it was wet!) – and one or two almost felt the blunt end of his stick. Altogether it was a very good day out and my thanks go to Kate Wythe and Marcus for their assistance, as well as to the staff of the Museum and our legionary. I am sure it was a day on which we all learned something new, and I hope one the children enjoyed as much as the accompanying staff. WGI

Manchester Jewish Museum We arrived full of expectation. The synagogue was special because it was a Spanish and Portuguese synagogue. It was built in 1874. An intricate Hebrew sentence was written on the wall and there was an arch in the Moorish style. Inside the doorstep there were mezuzahs made of colourful brass. Our guide, Mr Michaelson, informed us about all the things we needed to know. We looked at the stained glass windows that were full of mesmerizing colours. There were no humans in the stained glass pictures. We were told that men should wear their kippahs and tallits before they prayed. The Holy Ark was enshrined with golden Hebrew writing and the menorah had seven candle holders on it. We viewed the exhibition of the Polish Jews who had survived World War II. This was extremely interesting but sad. We visited the Ladies’ Gallery upstairs, where women would have prayed. Men and women sat separately in this synagogue. The displays told us about how the Jewish people had lived in Manchester in the past. Lastly I looked at the bimah. This platform had a Torah Scroll on it that was 200 to 300 years old. The parchment looked like sand filled with silver. The Hebrew was handwritten by a scribe.

My favourite part of the synagogue was the Holy Ark. Its marble columns were an elaborate pink colour. I loved it when each of us tasted the challah bread. This synagogue is now a museum. It was so enjoyable and the most fascinating trip I’ve ever been on. Archie Waterworth

Derby Mosque and Hindu Temple When we arrived at the Derby Open Centre our guide showed us to a room where later we would hold a pretend Hindu wedding ceremony. We then walked to the mosque which was very beautiful and were told many interesting things about the Muslim religion. Afterwards we went to the Hindu temple and saw many of the things that we had learned about in RS lessons with Mrs Lee such as the puja tray and the various Hindu gods including Rama and Sita, Ganesh, the Elephant god, Vishnu, Brahma and his wife Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning. We were also told to take our shoes off because it was a holy place of worship. The preacher gave us a sweet each (yum!) and we then made our way back to the centre for lunch. After lunch we had the Indian wedding, we got dressed up in some pretty Hindu clothes and had some photos taken while we were in our costumes. Afterwards we had a quiz about what interesting things we had seen during the day. Then we got back on the bus and made our way back to Packwood to become normal Packwood boys and Page 36

girls again! It was really fun and we learned lots of new things. Ellie Mason & Freya Beasley

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 37

TRIPS

London Having woken up at six o’clock for our trip to London everyone was tired. So we had our breakfast and got on the bus and immediately fell asleep. We reached London whilst it was pouring with rain but went straight to the Science Museum where we had an hour or so to look at whatever we wanted to. The best part of the museum was the space project in my opinion. It showed things about Apollo 11 and the V2 rockets. At some point while we were in the Science Museum the rain must have mainly stopped to a slight drizzle and when we reached Regents

Park it had changed into brilliant sunshine. We watched a play version of the Lord of the Flies and the whole class thought that it was absolutely amazing! After the play there was a session in which we got to talk to the actors about the acting and the novel itself. After having a great time in the outdoor theatre in Regents Park we went to the local Pizza Hut and we all had a huge meal and got back on the bus very tired after loads of fun. We got back at ten and we all thought that it had been amazing. I would really like to thank Mr Chambers and Mr Livermore for the trip so much. Rob Waterhouse

Trip to Mulberry Alpacas We had beautiful weather for our Sunday afternoon trip – the sun shone and there was a breeze; perfect for viewing the pretty herd of alpacas in Knockin Heath. We started by making friends with the three cria from last summer – Delilah, Darius and Daniel. Clary was very patient and tried hard to get a hand massage whilst the alpacas fed from her hand. Later on Chloe haltered Daniel and the girls could feel his soft fleece. We then moved on to meet the females and they were keen to have a nibble. When we went to feed the boys, Sacha was amazed to see how much Crispus had grown – she remembered him from her last visit. In fact most of this group had been before. Amber has been every year so she knows the herd very well! We met the six chickens too. They were one of the reasons the alpacas had been introduced because they protect the hens from foxes and badgers. Amber was thrilled to find a blue egg in the nest. The girls then had a look at all the things that can be made using the alpaca fibre. Jess started a fashion show and they modelled the scarves, hats, gloves, bags and necklaces! We took some alpaca wool and made some funky pom-poms which looked great, a variety of sizes and colours. We had some hot dogs and chocolate crispie cakes before returning to school. Hopefully we will have more alpacas to see on our next visit because five of the females are pregnant. The cria are due in August, so if you are in the area do come and see them. RE

Page 37

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 38

TRIPS

Ice Skating On Sunday 16th January, 13 children and Mr and Mrs Chambers went ice skating at Telford ice rink. It was really cold and Theo was even wearing socks for gloves. The rink was fairly crowded. In our group we had a range of abilities from beginners to really good people like Scott.

With Mr and Mrs Chambersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; help, by the end of the session most people were doing fairly well and were having great fun. When we had got our shoes back and were no longer on blades, some people were having difficulty standing up. Everyone enjoyed the trip and we had lots of fun. Ruby Lavender

Tamworth SnowDome For a Sunday trip at the end of January Mrs Parry and Miss Wilkinson took a group of boarders to the SnowDome at Tamworth. The journey took about an hour and a half and then we had a safety briefing before were allowed in. Inside there was an escalator which took us up to the top of a fifty metre slope of real snow. Then we jumped on our sledges

and raced to the bottom. We had a great morning whizzing through the snow and racing against each other and we were all sad when it was time to set off back to school. A totally brilliant day out! Joe Davis and Oliver Williams-Bulkeley

Fishing trip to Chirk

A bright and breezy day at the end of April saw five hopeful Packwood Piscators set off for the waters of Chirk fisheries. Not for us the methods of Halford or Skues with their artificial flies, no Sir, we were followers of Isaac Walton and fished with natural baits. The water being clear, we were able to observe the reactions of the fish to our offerings and we quickly discovered that fish are not quite as Page 38

foolish as we had hoped. Nevertheless by experimenting with different techniques we eventually managed to deceive a few. Max Horler proved to be particularly skilled, landing no less than four fish to his own rod. Walton might have been disappointed that we met no fair skinned milkmaids on our trip but he would have been impressed by the fine basket of trout which we brought back to school. FRH

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 39

TRIPS

Lady Lever Art Gallery Ten art scholars set off to the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight on a drab day (quite ironic!) with Mr Dougan and Mrs Cooper. First we went into three rooms full of drawings by artists, some more famous than others, such as Rembrandt. Then after an hour, we all wandered around exploring the remaining galleries which included a wide variety of exhibits from marble statues to vases to paintings such as Joseph Turner’s The Falls Of Clyde. We had lunch outside in a dry pond before returning to the galleries for a few more hours and then, much to everyone’s delight, we went into the shop to buy cards and other mementoes. It was a really enjoyable, and educational, trip for all. Joe Davies

White Water Rafting

On Sunday 5th June Mrs Parry and Miss Wilkinson took eleven of us white water rafting. After putting on our wetsuits and walking the boats to the water, we entered the first pool where lots of people threw each other out of the boats. Once we were all soaked we entered the first rapid with the rather alarming name of Dead Man’s Tomb. The instructors steered us back into the rapids splashing us with water. We went down two more rapids and had two more big splashes then we piled on to the front of the boat spraying all our faces at once.

Afterwards we all went in for a swim. Everyone swam down one rapid then we all swam back at it. It pulled us in, then when we pushed our legs down it spat us back out really quickly. Everybody really enjoyed themselves and all of us really want to do it again. It was an extremely amazing trip, thank you! Ruby Lavender

National League Hockey Hockey is becoming a more and more popular sport at Packwood and so in the spring term we took a group of enthusiasts to see a National League game at Cannock. Enthusiast you had to be because the weather was so poor that only a true devotee to the game would have been brave (or stupid?) enough to face the elements. It is good to see world class players in any sport and when you stood pitch-side you were able to fully appreciate the speed and skill that is needed to compete at this level. Perhaps the most entertaining part of the day

was during the pre-match warm up where the Packwood children stood behind the goal (and also behind a fence!) when the teams were having shooting practice. The ball can be hit upwards of 130mph and the keeper somehow manages to enjoy standing in front of it without even flinching, whereas the children were leaping all over the place. A good day – which was made all the more enjoyable by the hospitality and tray of chips provided by the hockey club! MAF

Page 39

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 40

TRIPS

Snowdon Weekend

“Sir, my hat is wet.” Little did I know that our weekend camping trip to climb Snowdon, would also be a physics lesson. The lesson for the day was, if you leave things out in the rain, they get wet. And boy did it rain. We arrived at Capel Curig in heavy rain, and just about managed to put the tents up. The boys didn’t mind, as it was going to be an exciting night under canvas. Little did some of them know quite how exciting. After some hot chocolate and doughnuts, it was time for bed, they all rushed into their tents to try and stay dry. The rain continued to pour, and the wind howled around the campsite.

After quite a stormy night, morning broke. It was still very cloudy, but the rain had eased. Outside the tents huge puddles had formed, and unsurprisingly the hats that had been left out were a touch on the soggy side. After a quick breakfast, we packed up and set off for Snowdon. The boys were still in good spirits, and had enjoyed the adventure of the night before. We set off from Pen-Y-Pass, along the Miners’ Track, and made good time. The boys were really good company and loved the beautiful views and wildlife around Snowdon. I did warn them that the

weather may not be good enough to reach the summit, but as it turned out, although windy, the summit ridge was manageable and so we made our way carefully to the top. After another gift from the weather gods, this time in the form of hail, and a well deserved lunch, we began our descent down the Pyg Track. We soon got below the clouds, and the views once more opened up. Tired but happy we returned to the bus, pleased with our achievement of climbing the highest mountain in England and Wales. SAR

Twickenham - England v Samoa The day began with a rude awakening by Matron but our bleary eyes soon cleared as the exciting prospect of the day ahead kicked in. We dressed, had breakfast and then jumped on to the coach, chanting rugby songs and the national anthem, and set off for Twickenham. Ahead of the match, we were each given a generous amount of spending money, which

most often changed hands for mini rugby balls or bags of chips. As we walked into the stadium the atmosphere was electric and we sat down to watch eighty minutes of our heroes slugging it out with the Samoans. Samoa scored the first try of the match but England pulled it back with some memorable tries and eventually claimed a 26-13 victory. We were all ecstatic with the result, but there

was some fairly vociferous post-match discussion about the merits of the Samoan team. Mr Westlake and Mr Adams provided us with an exhilarating day out, and going to watch an England rugby match with the 1st XV is something that every talented Packwood rugby player should look forward to. Alfie Grocott

Midlands Game Fair Once again this trip proved immensely popular and we were able to take two minibuses of children to Weston Park at the beginning of the autumn term. Once everybody has been provided with the two essentials of packed lunch and pocket money, the children go off in groups to enjoy the numerous displays and exhibits. The most popular tend to be falconry, gundogs and shooting but there is something for everybody to enjoy including a huge number of trade stands where you can buy just about anything from a peacock to a Purdey. Despite my occasional worries about the safety of the children, everybody gets back to the bus at about the right time and nobody has yet bought either a peacock or a Purdey so hopefully we will be allowed to go again next year. FRH

Page 40

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 41

TRIPS

Indoor Climbing at Plas Power On Sunday 13th February a group of potential Chris Boningtons went to Plas Power Indoor Climbing Wall. The trip had been a great success last year, and so a good time was expected again. As before, we were given a warm welcome, and were soon kitted out and ready to go. Our instructor, Kieran, gave the boys a thorough safety briefing, and showed them how to tie onto the rope correctly. They then split up into pairs with an adult and went off finding more and more challenging routes. Many of them loved to squirm up the corner, where a natural crack has been made, and others tried their hand at some of the overhanging climbs. Big smiles and cries of “This is brilliant!” were in abundance, which made the trip really worthwhile. It was also great to see how well the boys encouraged each other and helped if someone got stuck on a route. You could see many of them grow in confidence and self-belief as they conquered climbs they didn’t believe they were capable of. It was a great trip. Thanks Plas Power. SAR

Chirk Castle We invaded Chirk on 11th May 2010. When we arrived the drawbridge was down and the guards were pleased to see us. We dressed up as maids and servants. As we walked around the castle we saw a four poster bed that Charles I had slept in. The bed had curtains because the bedroom was also a corridor! We learnt about the old games that the children would have played. We sat on the floor in the Long Gallery and played ‘hoopla’. We then went into the kitchens, talked about the different things that the rich and poor people used to eat and rolled out some salt dough that we tied carefully into knot shapes. We then had a break for lunch. We had chocolate spread sandwiches with baked salt and vinegar crisps, fruit and some custard cream biscuits. Mr Weston told us not to leave any crumbs on the nice carpet. After lunch we put on some armour. We put helmets on; they were really big for us! We were taught how to use a pike and charged across the courtyard shouting “Mortimer, Mortimer”. Then we went down into the dungeons, the guard said he would leave us there, he didn’t really!

After trying on some fancy clothes, making posies and talking about fat leeches we left the castle and watched an archer fire arrows at targets. He shot arrows a really long way, but didn’t hit any cows! Then we went home. It was really fun and we hope we go there again. Did you know? In the olden days people pooped out of the window! Alice Hughes & Fred Stephens

Page 41

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:18

Page 42

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Archery Archery continues to be a popular activity with 19 pupils taking part this term, although some could not make all of the sessions because of other commitments. Those that stayed the distance seemed to enjoy themselves and all showed improvement over the eight week course, many building on what they’d learned last year. Pupils were taught the ‘Point of Aim’ technique, drawing to the eye and using the arrow to aim. The emphasis was on having fun and enjoying yourself rather than on strict archery technique. Additional incentive was supplied by offering a sweet for every gold scored and on some weeks by the instructors nominating a secret colour – if you hit the colour you got a sweet but you were not told what the colour was until after you had shot. The sweets were a bad move on our part as the pupils were getting to be too good and were costing us a fortune – some weeks we ran out altogether. On week six balloons were pinned to the target for a bit of light relief – it is surprising how everyone suddenly started to focus and get more competitive when there was a balloon to burst. We finished in week eight with a Medal winners fun shoot, hunting life size animal Groups 1 & 2 Groups 3 & 4 1 Ali Davies 35 1 Harry Marshall 85 targets. There were three targets, 2= Jacob Jones 30 2 Scott Walker 75 small, medium and large with 30 3 Robert Ford 40 both the medium and large targets 2= Owen Carroll placed at distances greater than the pupils had shot before. It might be a fun shoot but it was going to be challenging. We combined the ‘championship’ with the fun shoot with groups 1 and 2 shooting against each other and groups 3 and 4 likewise. Jacob Jones established an early lead in group 1 and managed to hang on to it all the way to the end but was then beaten by Ali Davies in group 2. Scott Walker in group 3 stormed into what appeared to be an unassailable lead with 75 points but was then pipped at the post by Harry Marshall in group 4 who managed 85. Both Scott and Harry should be congratulated for putting in an excellent performance. Dick Hilton

Aussie Rules Football The fields of Packwood played silent witness to a new spectacle on Friday afternoons this summer, Australian Rules Football. The boys were slightly sceptical to start with at the prospect of learning a new sport, but as the weeks wore on their eagerness to learn was nothing short of awesome. We were all excited at the thought of using our brand new ‘footies’ (old, unwanted rugby balls), in a new and exciting game and I was amazed how quickly the boys picked up the skills of the game – they were actually looking like footy players towards the end of term. We took a fairly traditional approach to learning the game, moving from basic skills, to game scenarios and match simulations. They were a very talented, athletic group and were all able to adapt their knowledge of other sports such as rugby into the way they played their

football. Harry Swinburne proved to be a star with his powerful, physical approach to the game and his speed while carrying the ball. However, a real highlight for the term was watching the older boys nurture the younger ones understanding of different skills, providing a real showcase of the Packwood spirit, and showing us all what sport is all about. Overall I have been honoured to teach these fine young gentlemen and hope they have all enjoyed their taste of a new sport. Aussie Rules Football is a fantastic game and being able to kick a footy around with the kids here at Packwood has been a great thing to look forward to each week. Well done boys – I look forward to having a kick in the field with you all next term! PD

Ballet This year we have had a record number of Acorns attending ballet classes and we have had great fun. As usual we have always started classes with some syllabus work – foot and back stretches, plies, tendues, classical walks etc. and then, once concentration levels have been exhausted (!), we have incorporated these movements into little ballets or dance story sequences. We have performed The Princess & the Pea, Cinderella and The Sleeping Beauty amongst other stories. The girls – Poppy Stephens, Isabel Morris, Lucy Mielczarek, Grace Lloyd, Georgina Kenyon, Lulu Bright, Genevieve Bright and Eliza Blackham – have become, for a while, beautiful princesses, the nastiest ugly stepsisters, or the most ethereal fairies, butterflies and other magical creatures. Worthy of particular mention this year is our sole boy student, Freddie Thompson, who has made wonderful contributions to the class by being an ever-smiling, gallant prince.

Page 42

We often finish our class, (bowing to popular demand), with the "squeals of delight producing" balletic version of musical statues, in which any pixie who does not manage to fly to a magic flower in time, runs the risk of being captured by the wicked witch, (self!). Classes for the older group, made up of Anna Cowan, Sacha Sandbach, Harriet Haynes, Chloe Edwards and India Holt, have followed along similiar lines,although obviously, slightly more serious, more advanced syllabus work has been incorporated into the class, with a more grownup approach to performance. Himawari Nishida came to classes at Adcote this year and had private classes at Packwood during the summer term. She performed beautifully at the leavers’ talent competition, winning a standing ovation. She is exceptionally talented and should, I hope, achieve great things in the future. Annie Moody

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 43

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Badminton We have had some very good badminton players this year, some of whom have come back a year older and with more experience. These pupils have generally played their own matches whilst I have helped get the beginners going. We started by trying to hit the shuttlecock as many times as we could into the air and then progressed to short rallies. It was good to see the children improve their skills. They have enjoyed playing ‘round the world’, which gave every body a chance and with three lives they were able to stay in for a quite a long time, unless Rowan did one of his very effective smashes. EAC

Basketball

Board Games

Seven keen participants learned the basics of basketball this year. Freddie Beharrell, Edward Dolphin, Jonty Hall, Johnnie Peel, Barney Preece, Jonty Schofield and Thomas Tulloch met in the Sports Hall on Wednesday evenings in the autumn term to practise their dribbling, shooting, attacking and defending skills. We played lots of different games – H.O.R.S.E to practise shooting, dribbling relays to focus on speed and co-ordination, and basketball tag where the boys had to try and win the ball off each other and then defend against losing it while bouncing it all the time. We then tested our skills in a match situation at the end of each session. CJH

Bridge The Bridge Club this year was unfortunately rather undersubscribed before Christmas and gave way to a variety of card games of a lesser nature. However, following the holiday, the numbers were healthier and a number of hands were played, although the bidding war sometimes led to some unrealistically optimistic contracts. I don’t think we ever quite had a bid of seven, but it came close on occasion! The other card games – notably Whist and Sevens – continued to be of interest, and overall we enjoyed our evenings. I trust that next year there will be a larger uptake and hope that perhaps the local representative of the EBU might be persuaded to rejoin the fold; his knowledge and advice were sorely missed. WGI

Board games activity involves a variety of games played by children of different ages and abilities. This year we played Connect Four, Operation, Snakes and Ladders, Ludo and Cluedo amongst others. We also incorporated War Hammer and children brought things along that they wanted to play. Fun for all. RE

Canoe Club

They came, they saw, they got wet. We had lots of fun again this year. Falling in the water, learning the not falling in strokes (high and low brace), trying to stop our boat bashing into the side by using sweep strokes, and having a go at the T rescue. Next year sees the Olympics, and I have tickets for the canoe finals. Can’t wait. SAR Page 43

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 44

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Cookery Cookery continues, not surprisingly, to be a very popular activity. This year the children have continued to bake the usual delicious array of cookies, cakes and pizzas – which barely have time to cool before being shared out and devoured by the cooks and their friends who can often be found waiting expectantly at the kitchen door! We certainly have some budding chefs in the making. However, their washing-up skills need a bit of fine-tuning! Unfortunately, halfway through the autumn term I had an argument with a tree which put me out of action for five weeks and, boy was I made to feel guilty! Luckily the plaster came off my arm ready for the spring term and all was well again in the cookery room. JJ

Ballroom dancing Ballroom dancing had been a much loved club at Packwood long before I arrived nine years ago and it was with much trepidation that I agreed to follow in the footsteps of my predecessor, Barbara Gallimore. I had been a dancer for many years in my youth but teaching the Quickstep and Cha Cha Cha to eleven, twelve and thirteen year olds was a very different challenge indeed! Yet, here I am, many years on, writing my annual article to highlight once again what a thoroughly enjoyable term was had by those in the 2s and 1s who joined me each Thursday evening to ‘dance the night away!’

Beekeeping

As in previous years, mixtures of traditional Ballroom and Latin American dances were practised – the Waltz, Quickstep and Tango in the ballroom section and The Jive and Cha Cha Cha for the more up tempo Latin style. For added variety and hilarity, some line dancing to the likes of Cotton Eye Joe and 5,6,7,8, by Steps, was also attempted! It was a great disappointment that the Christmas Ball did not take place this year. Unfortunately severe health problems meant I was unable to arrange the annual event and I do apologise to all the children in Form 1 who missed out on attending this year. I hope your future is filled with many enjoyable parties and balls where you can impress your peers with your dazzling footwork! LW

The apiary’s four colonies all successfully came through the long and cold winter and are thriving although inspection visits have not been too regular because available visiting slots must coincide with clement weather. The bees however decided this year to ‘visit’ us for a change. One large swarm took up temporary residence in a Park House Xpelair vent and a smaller one made its presence felt around (and in) the Presentation Room disrupting the New Children’s Day assessments. It looks like being a very productive year for their honey. Maybe this will be the year that supply meets the demand! Several old Packwoodians have gone on to become keen beekeepers and Harry Boutflower was chosen to captain a Young British Beekeepers Team, competing against twenty other countries, in Austria this summer. They came seventh. AJR

Boys’ Hockey

Cookie Club

Every Monday a small but enthusiastic group of boys wandered down to the AWS to play hockey. The band of merry men included some who had never picked up a hockey stick before to others who had been regulars for several years. We worked on skills and played matches and we even discovered one or two budding goalkeepers. A fun session where a lot was learnt – well done! MAF

This year we have mixed, whisked, beaten, folded and tossed. We have moved away from our predilection for chocolate and apart from making the favourites such as chocolate crispies, brownies and rocky roads, have made flapjacks, fairy cakes and pancakes. I provided lemon juice and sugar to go with the well tossed pancakes but a few pupils had a craving for Nutella which they satisfied by reducing the contents of a large pot to a mere scraping left at the bottom of the jar by the end of the session! EAC

Page 44

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 45

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Croquet

Chess Club

This junior activity on a Tuesday afternoon, proved very popular with the 6s. Most were starting pretty much from scratch this year, but all progressed quickly. To start most were internalising the moves allowed, and taking as many of the opposition pieces as they could. But as soon as they could cope with ‘Check’ and ‘Mate’, the children’s ability ran up a notch, and many found ‘Check’ pretty cool – though magically making a pawn into a Queen was the best of all! They were an enthusiastic and sharp bunch of children. Senior Chess club ran on Thursday evenings. We didn’t just play, but discussed how to make cunning strategies, and how to lure the opponents into clever traps! Alexander Wythe was the star of the club. He showed bags of intelligence, and was improving at a rapid rate. In the end he was a real match for me. RHC Croquet has continued in its place as a popular sideshow in the hectic summer term: a welcome change of pace for boys and girls from the daily slapping and chasing of leather. A good number of juniors have been introduced to the game through the weekly activity, many of whom join us having already played the lawns of Shropshire on Sunday afternoons. Some are even keen to introduce their own house rules – feet and all. At times it was hard to wean the children off these amateur habits and adopt a more ruthless version of the game in preparation for senior school! The laws apart, croquet is great fun and this was most shown by over a hundred entries in the annual knockout tournament. Some seemed to merely sign up for the prestige and fell by the wayside as the term passed, with only the most tactical pairs surviving to the latter stages: the Waterhouse brothers, Mrs Lee and Annabel Robertson, Tom Marques and Jack Goodall to name but a few. The final was played in front of a small crowd on a damp Magnolia Lawn on the penultimate day of term. Mrs Cumpston and Tia Barlow were beaten by Edward Hurle and Jonty Schofield – well done to the 2011 champions. RAC

Card Making There are some budding young artists at Packwood and during this academic year the children have enjoyed creating and putting together a variety of different styles of cards, for all sorts of occasions, in card making club. Both juniors and seniors have taken part and the standard has been very high. Among other things they have made intricately detailed pop-up cards of animals, flowers and even treasure maps, some very effective 3D cards using black ink and special occasion cards for Christmas, Mother’s day, Easter and various family birthdays for which they used glitter, sequins, ribbons, stick on jewels, pom-poms and many other decorative materials. I know Mrs Hammond was particularly impressed with the feathery Easter card she received from Oliver Williams-Bulkeley! The children have really enjoyed coming up with their own designs and I have been impressed by what they have produced – perhaps they will go on to make their own in the future! LG

Creative Club “Look at this cork giraffe!” said Seren Pattinson, while finishing off her model made out of plastic corks which she had taken out of a bag containing hundreds of them that were never used but instead found their way into the Art room via the Aladdin’s cave that is Scrappies. I visit it about once a term to stock up on all sorts of scrap materials ranging from odds and ends of fabric, plastic bottles and bits of perspex to unused cones from the textile industry. It is very reasonable

and a great source of inspiration for the children in the Creative Club who love the shapes, colours and textures of the materials when used in a completely different context to the one that they were designed for. Run by volunteers in Church Stretton it supplies many local schools with art materials that are unavailable in the usual catalogues. Often, apart from a small briefing on the creative attitude needed to make original art, the only starting point for the children is a

demonstration of the method of working and the unusual materials themselves. All sorts of wonderful art has emerged from this process; a garden of flowers at night, futuristic boats, robots, and many types of imaginary creatures. We have used inks, wax resist, watercolours, stamp prints, collage methods and many more. In fact the only limit on the finished pieces of art is the children’s vivid imaginations and willingness to explore unique avenues of artistic creativity. PRD

Page 45

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 46

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Debating

There were three debates this year, a balloon debate, a staff “extravaganza” and finally a more traditional school debate which was among the finest in recent years. In November, six appropriately costumed balloonists all tried to persuade the audience to spare them the drop. In order of appearance they were as follows: The Policeman (Harry Jenkinson): Reliable, and the inspiration for so many in literature and film, the policeman is vital for the smooth running of society. Without him everything would descend into chaos. The Grandma (Jacob Rand): Lovable, loving and the fount of so much experience, she had better claims than anyone else. Who could possibly throw their granny out of the balloon? The Sportsman (Henry Oak): We all need our idols, and sportsmen satisfy the need we have in our conversations and our interests. They are deeply rooted in the culture of so many countries. The Builder (Christopher Dorrell): Not only our own homes, but all we need and admire in terms of architecture have been fashioned by builders. Everything, even cultural “treasures”, are built. The Tramp (Leo Sartain): Not all tramps are self-seeking beggars. Some are desperate to improve their situation, and we should give them a second chance to get a foothold. The Matron (Evie Clutton): Underestimated, but generous of their care, and kind, matrons are worthy of our respect. With our mothers absent they take on the role of a mother and give us reassurance. If this had been a contest of spotting the best speech, Harry Jenkinson, outstanding as the Page 46

policeman, would surely have won. All the other speeches were also of particularly high quality this year, but it was the builder and the tramp who struck the strongest chords with the House. It was they who survived after the first ballot, and in his final speech Leo Sartain played the “Mr Cool” card which is so telling in balloon debates. Although Christopher Dorrell’s arguments throughout the evening had been potent and wellconstructed, in the acting stakes needed on such occasions he was just outpointed, The Tramp winning by 53 votes to 50. In January we had an excellent staff debate on the motion that “This House believes that winning is more important than taking part”, where the victory-hungry Mr Weston and Mr Chambers were pitted against the alsorans (but at least they ran) Mr Livermore and Mr Cowley. For the motion Mr Weston suggested that Sir Winston Churchill had urged us to fight them on the beaches (very definitely to win, not to take part), while Mr Chambers reminded all present that the first question asked by children of each other after a match was, “Did you win?”. Meanwhile against the motion Mr Livermore informed everyone that The Packwood Way exhorted all to “do your best to be your best”, not to “be the best”, and Mr Cowley told a tale of a French goalkeeper, dropped from his village team, who used his hands to catch a child jumping out of a window during a fire. The quality of these speeches was out of the very top drawer, a hugely beneficial experience for all who listened, and there was a pleasing maturity shown in the speeches from the floor too. Tom Hughes’ heartfelt avowal that he was just delighted to be picked for any team won him the

memorable moment award, and it was symptomatic of the debate beginning to swing against the motion after matters had earlier seemed equally poised. Summing up, Mr Livermore, speaking from the heart, and Mr Weston, relying perhaps more on logic, were again excellent, bringing a most enjoyable debate to a close. The motion was defeated by 81 votes to 46. Finally in March we debated the sixties adage that “We have never had it so good”. For the motion Charlotte Dixon, Christopher Dorrell and Chan Kathuria argued for the many virtues of progress, particularly in technology, medicine and education. These arguments were counterbalanced by the opposition, who pointed out the many terrors of modern warfare, and also dwelt on the greed caused by cravings for the latest gadgets and luxuries. Speeches from the floor were sensible, well-argued and in many cases heartfelt. One or two impassioned references to personal or family medical treatments which had saved lives made a particularly strong impression, and in the end they seemed to tip the balance against the strong moral arguments adduced by the motion’s opponents. One’s own personal experience is often a crucial influence on the way one thinks, of course, even when moral rectitude is under discussion, and the debate ended with a very narrow victory for the “ayes”, who won by 51 votes to 49. This was a debate which combined topical, moral and intellectual issues very successfully, and the speeches from the rostrum and from the floor were first-rate, bringing the debating “season” to a top-class conclusion. OJL

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 47

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Gardening

This has without doubt been the very best year for the gardens in the eleven years that I have been at Packwood. It has also been the most harmonious and this can be attributed to the raised beds which have been such a boon, as there have been few, if any, disputes over ‘territorial rights’ this season.

Over fifty children have enjoyed the gardens this term and I have been really impressed with the amount of time and energy they have invested in their little patches of land. There has been much building of slate paths and ponds to attract wildlife, frog spawn etc. The designs have been very creative, one garden designed to imitate the shape and colours of the family crest which I thought most innovative. Others have successfully combined flowers, soft fruit, herbs and vegetables – an approach to gardening which uses their small plots of land to maximum effect. As always many colourful blooms have transformed the gardens and you need only take a look at the’ before’ and ‘after’ photos to realise how hard the children have worked to transform what looked like a barren wasteland into a green and pleasant corner of the school in a matter of weeks. First prize: Garden No. 14

My thanks, as always, goes to the marvellous grounds staff who have kindly managed to keep the tank filled with water in case of drought and improved the soil with a good sprinkling of compost at the beginning of the season. Congratulations to the winners. GML

Theo Blythe, George Clowes, Olivia Moir, Sophia Bureau, Toby Turpin and Edward Don Second Prize: Garden No. 13 Amelia Peterson, Lottie Clarke, Immy Downey, Lexi Samuel, Talullah Blackham, Rosie Simpson, Ellie Mason, Annabel Robertson and Sophie Barlow Third Prize: Garden No. 15 Seren Patterson, Zephia Barlow-Evans, Tommy Jarvis, Evie Connolly

Page 47

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 48

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Drama

Fly tying

Juggling

We have had a lot of fun in Drama this year and have done a mixture of activities. These have included mime, improvisation, working in groups, making up short plays, movement to music and listening and following drama story tapes. What I have enjoyed particularly is not only the drama itself, but watching the children grow in confidence and join in with such enthusiasm – they have been a pleasure to teach. Every session begins with the eager question “What are we doing today?” and I can always guarantee that the children will throw themselves wholeheartedly into whatever I have in store for them, and at the end we always finish with a game of sleeping lions. GW

Anyone passing the science lab in the evenings in the spring term might notice some strange equipment being used and an unfamiliar language being spoken. Tables littered with feathers, animal skins, brightly coloured wool, vices and scissors and talk of threads, hackles, nymphs, buzzers and spiders – welcome to the slightly mysterious world of fly tying.

The famous British statesman John Selden wrote that “The world cannot be governed without juggling.” I am not sure what he would have made of the new activity on Monday afternoons and I am not sure that because of it the world is more governed now, but fun was had by all. Juggling has been recorded in many early cultures including Egyptian, Chinese, Indian, Greek, Roman, Norse, Aztec and Polynesian civilizations and these days is promoted as an activity that will boost children’s co-ordination and brain power. The idea of putting on a show for the school proved to be a bit beyond the small group as too many times the balls, bean bags or whatever would land on the floor rather than return to the air, but without a doubt progress was made and Will Shaw was certainly the star of the club. I hope that juggling will thrive at Packwood – it is a good skill to learn when you are young. DR

This year’s group was enthusiastic and quick to learn new skills. We tied a different pattern of fly each week including the universally popular pheasant tail nymph and another fly using pheasant feathers called a Mrs Simpson. Mrs Simpson is a rather flashy American fly presumably designed to catch the king of fish. Great skill was shown by William Bayliss, Clement Rye and Oliver Williams-Bulkeley but the champion tier was undoubtedly Thomas Marques. His Mrs Simpson was a fine example of the fly tier’s art. FRH

Mini-tennis Kvitova and Djokovic may have won Wimbledon, but if they now feel a certain complacency about being champions, they are enjoying something shortlived. A visit to Packwood would wipe any complacent look from their faces. The Juniors of tennis have been hard at it, practising their ball control skills, bouncing the ball from one side of the racquet to the other with a twist of the wrist. There is confidence in the Packwood mini-tennis athlete, not to be mistaken for self-satisfaction. Our male and female Under 9A and Under 9B this year have developed disciplined eye-ball coordination and this control and handling of ball have been impressive. I think Petra and Novak would be up against it if they were challenged. Packwood’s powerful underarm serves would unnerve the bravest, putting them on the back foot and forcing them into errors. Perhaps it’s best that the Packwood mini-tennis players keep quiet about their growing talents: why after all, take from the Wimbledon champions some of their glory? One day they will know of the dangers hiding in the Shires. JL

Squash A group of boys from the 2s enjoyed the opportunity to play squash this year. We learned the rules of the game and discussed techniques before practising our skills in matches against each other. There were some particularly competitive games between Scott Hatton, Freddie Houlker, Bertie Jenkinson and Guy Morris. Throughout the boys showed good sportsmanship and were a great group to work with – they all showed excellent hand-eye coordination and speed around the court and all improved their stroke play. Well done boys! CJH

Explorers and Collectors When I first started this activity, it was intended to be an introduction to archaeology, and, as with much archaeological exploration, it has lasted a very long time and so far yielded very few results of great interest! Nevertheless, the children do not seem to mind, just so long as they get the chance to scavenge a bit in the Spinney and (in theory) to keep what they find, be it anything from a whole clay to an old broken piece of Packwood. This term proved no exception and some stalwarts from last year were joined by new faces, each one eager to risk life and limb on the school rubbish tip. There, Page 48

We picked up the pieces Of long gone days Of old fashioned people And old fashioned ways. We picked up the pieces Where nothing remained And put them away 'Til they're wanted again. One for the memory One for the road One man's rubbish Is another man's gold. So true! WGI

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 49

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Lower School Orchestra

LSO is perhaps less prestigious than its namesake, the London Symphony Orchestra, but certainly its equal in enthusiasm and determination. Or maybe it should be, from the past two terms’ experience, the Learning Steadily – or Swiftly – Orchestra. Playing an instrument on your own in a practice room or at home is one thing, but playing that same instrument alongside other people is a completely different matter. For most LSO players, this is a new experience and one which takes some getting used to. And then there is the added complication of having not only to keep playing regardless, but to do so at a speed determined by someone else’s hands. Plus the fact that those around you might well be playing different music entirely.

Still, all of this is as much what learning an instrument is about as playing solos, and this year’s ‘LSO-ers’ have practised and progressed admirably. Since January we have worked hard on two contrasting pieces, Tropicana, a calypso by Ian McKenzie, and an arrangement of the folksong Bobby Shafto. I have been impressed with the amount of musical knowledge which the children have gained: dynamics, repeats, codas and various Italian musical terms – and, above all, teamwork. We have some very promising musicians coming up through the ranks. Well done, LSO! SB

International Film Club For some, watching films is a form of idleness and not much more than a means to pass time with little effort. For others it is a form of escapism – a way of forgetting reality for an hour or two and imagining the world is more terrible than it really is, or better, or more funny, or sadder, or simply just different.

objectively, sometimes not: “good” films tend to be those in our preference category; “bad” films are often classified according to our negative prejudices.

So it comes as no surprise that the members of the film club view the films critically according to whichever wind of celluloid happens to be For yet others watching films is an education, a blowing (and there are usually several winds vehicle for developing perception, of coming to of different character blowing simultaneously). Generally there is understand something previously unknown, appreciation shared by all. The film club is or misconstrued – a valuable tool to enhance unpretentious in its showings – and there is no imagination and perhaps consciousness. agenda other than to expose quality to the And for all of us, we watch films sometimes for criticism and appreciation of the viewers. Fresh one reason or at other times for other reasons, and simple narrative seems to work best – but depending on our mood, our circumstances fresh and simple in the sense of and our aspirations. We critique, sometimes unsophisticated, that is, unpretentious. The list

is below and if anyone finds that the films of yesteryear are no match for the sophistications of today, then they should consider again or perhaps for the first time, the art of the moving picture that tells a simple but meaningful tale. We have had a thoroughly enjoyable year. JL The Secret of Roan Inish (John Sayles 1994) Singing in the Rain (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly 1952) Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis 1993) Life is Beautiful (Roberto Benigni 1997) Whale Rider (Niki Caro 2002) Kiki’s Delivery Service (Studio Ghibli 1989) Muppet’s Treasure Island (Brian Henson 1996)

Girls’ Cricket

Quiz Club

The girls’ cricket activity actually became a popular mixed cricket one as we swept up a group of boys from somewhere else, but that only added to the entertainment. We generally played the fast and furious ‘gets out – goes in – gets the ball – bowls’ game so that everyone is fully involved. You can quickly spot the girls who have had to bowl endlessly at their Dads or older brothers in the back garden and although some of the batting technique was heavily influenced by their rounders background they still had an excellent eye for the ball. The highlight of the term was the boys versus girls match which went down to the last wicket with the girls needing just three runs to win – they did! Never have I seen such celebrations as the boys were left to regret asking if they could join the group in the first place! MAF

Quiz club always begins by everyone watching the BBC’s children’s news programme, Newsround, so we all know a little about what is going on in the world. Then we have a variety of quizzes. Some are about animals; Amber Gibbins was very good on one about guinea pigs. Other quizzes this term have been about geography, Harry Potter and Dr Who. Tom Baines was our Harry Potter champ. However, this term our overall Quiz master was Tom Hughes. He has an amazing general knowledge about many varied subjects. Well done Tom. RE

Page 49

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

7/10/11

14:12

Page 50

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Judo Acorns Over the year the Acorns section has grown and it’s true that from little acorns you get strong trees, but in this case you get young judo people full of energy and the need to learn. It has been an exceptional term with the largest ever group for this age. Euan Montgomery and Libby Clarke have been the leaders, showing the new children how to do this level of judo – let’s hope the interest continues next term. Results of this year’s Judo tournament: Gold

Silver

Bronze

Frank Morris Isabella Wythe Timmy Robinson-Boulton Ned Moreau Edward Stubbs Jonty Bright Stamos Fearnall Nicholas Yeoward Robert Vick Olivia Moir Kit Warburton-Lee Annabel Robertson

Zara Vickers Laurie Rathbone Edward Don Gabe Connolly Imogen Downey Edward Barry Guy Morris Adam Pattenden Ellie Mason Luke Williams Jude Bedford Alfie Grocott

Zephia Barlow-Evans Pip Vickers Ned Warburton-Lee Gregor Montgomery Frankie McLaughlin Edward Peterson Nathan Mielczarek Ali Davies Loris Pattinson Lottie Clarke Morton Moss Honor Grocott

Throw of the tournament Jonty Bright

William Thompson Antonia Barlow-Evans Alex Wythe Tommy Jarvis Andrew Tudor Sebastian Rathbone Fergus Connolly Tod Supornpaibul Evie Connolly Murray Robinson-Boulton

‘Spirit of Judo’ award Alex Wythe

Junior School The junior session is 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 taking on board the syllabus change, by which I mean playing fewer games and moving on to actual judo. Every report I write about the juniors must sound like a cracked record, but it’s true, they all show up on time and give a good account of themselves. Throughout this year Zara Vickers, Edward Don and Jonty Bright in particular have shown a good attitude towards their training, and it was evident in this year’s tournament, with the level of medals gained. Middle School Enthusiastic and keen, that sums up the Middle School group. I show them new techniques, they are all very competitive and train well together, with all of them wanting the session to have some sort of contest in it. I feel this is where the youngsters really start to understand what judo is all about, the throwing and the holding, the Japanese terminology, the British Judo rules etc. This year there have been a few students that have stepped up to the mark – Annabel Robertson, Luke Williams, Talullah Blackham and Pip Vickers. The players from this section all had a great tournament – well done to them all. Senior School At the end of each year I know that some of the students from the senior section will be moving on to new schools and I can but hope that some of them attend a school that has judo as a sport, or that they join their local Judo club. The knowledge of the sport, the discipline, attitude and temperament needed to be a good judoka will be in them. The fitness that the boys and girls bring to the senior section is fantastic; although I try, I struggle to tire them – they are a credit to Packwood. This year I congratulate Stamos Fearnall, Timmy Robinson-Boulton, Mollie Jamieson, Guy Morris and Edward Stubbs. These boys and girls have without doubt worked to a high level during the term and have gained good judo grades winning brown and blue belts. Roger Houston BJA 6th Dan

Page 50

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 51

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Origami

Mixed Hockey

The origami club enjoyed more of the same this year, with many new faces and a few old lags, for whom the repetition seemed to be just as exciting the second time around. With mountain folds and valley folds, with bird bases and fish bases, with rumti-tum-tums (or should that be -ta?) and various boxes, animals and birds, there was plenty to keep little fingers occupied – and to keep the teacher folding, unfolding and refolding for those who came unstuck! It has been a pleasure to learn something of this craft in teaching it and to see the fun that the children have had from it. Final mention should go, though, to the children from 1K who, inspired by a swan created in the final moments of last year’s 2Class, created their own (500 or so triangles needed for this one!) and presented it to Mr Webster, complete with Easter egg, as an Easter gift. I know it was very much appreciated. WGI

The members of the Packwood mixed hockey club were a very hardy bunch. There seemed never to be a mild Monday evening – it was always cold, windy, wet or frosty or perhaps it was just a sign of me getting old and that my circulation ‘isn’t what it used to be’. However the youngsters never seemed to feel it and the level of play soon warmed even the most reluctant of participants – me! It is a very sociable, fun activity but as soon as the teams were picked, be they Boys v Girls, England v The Rest of the World or 1s v 2s then the competitive streak kicked in. The general rule was that I was only allowed to play for a losing team which suited me as it meant that I could have the occasional rest and admire the standard of the hockey. It is, these days, a very fast game and one that is easy to pick up for a beginner, and as the majority of the participants stayed in the group for two terms they always worked well together no matter how the teams were selected. Well done to all. I wonder if the Bursar has ever considered under-floor heating for the AWS...? MAF

Pop Lacrosse “Hello everybody, there’s no room for daydreaming, or having a cup of tea in this activity, I’m afraid,” shouts Mrs Draper across the Astroturf! “That’s right, make sure everybody marks someone! Goal-side when you’re defending and you’ve got to get right in front of them or you’ll never stop them – especially Harry Myddelton or Seb Rathbone!” The defending part always seems to be the toughest, but some people, like Evie Connolly get it right all the time. It certainly makes your footwork faster and you have to keep your eye on your opponent. It’s great to run with the ball, but, “You must look for a free player to pass to or you’ll run out of time!” Great attackers this year included Ellie Mason, Lottie Clark, Annabel Robertson and Georgie Kannreuther. Good defenders like Chloe Edwards and Kezzie Hutchings, knew that if their opponents didn’t keep moving, or get into “a big, big space” it was easy to mark them. Seren Pattinson, Zephia Barlow-Evans and Tommy Jarvis gained great confidence and were highly motivated to keep up with the others, by

earning their rewards. There was no stopping Alice Hughes, Honor Grocott and Sacha Sandbach, who were always trying to get the most! All in all, it was a fun activity and a good opportunity to bed in the skills for when we play field lacrosse. You never know, as feisty little Georgiana Nicholas said, “You could be a lacrosse champion one day!” SD

Table tennis This year’s table tennis club produced a wide range of abilities from absolute beginners to some rather accomplished players, so it became evident from the first session that two separate ‘divisions’ would naturally emerge, and so it transpired. There was no formal competition as such, but a variety of improvised games developed over the weeks including doubles, ‘Kings’ and ‘Round the world’ all of which were equally enjoyed. Even those who had arrived with little or no knowledge of the game improved their

basic technique, while the more experienced boys had some very close games with those of a similar standard. Those attending were Pablo Baillo, Will Bayliss, Rory Davies, Christopher Dorrell, Jack Lock, Tod Supornpaibul, Tom Hughes, Matt White, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Bertie Jenkinson, Guy Morris, Bentley Moss, Edward Dolphin and Barney Preece and I would like to thank all of them for their enthusiasm and commitment. KJW

Packwood Life Newspaper This was the first year of Packwood Life, a new school newspaper written by the students and for the students, created during evening clubs. In the autumn term the seniors produced two separate editions, each with plenty of interviews, photographs, quizzes and school-based news: ‘Space Net Climbed by Mr Herzog’ was our memorable first headline. George Burrell took the lead as news editor here, his sourcing of stories and media ethics, of course, always beyond reproach. In the spring term the juniors produced an edition of their own which included interviews with new staff and something more in the way of

funny photos and jokes. A typical 40-minute weekly slot often involved small groups of children running off in different directions for interviews, photographs and to ask Mr Webster for more jokes before scurrying back to the ICT lab to type things up. Most reliable newshounds here were Theo Blythe and Sophia Bureau. Many commented positively on what all the pupils produced, with just a little help in the way of typesetting. All good preparation for working as a journalist –who said tabloid newspapers were on the way out? RAC Page 51

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 52

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Pottery Club This year we have made a lot of pots and had a lot of fun in pottery club. It is always popular and many children have signed up to take part so I was very grateful to Mrs Nogues who was there to kindly help out – many thanks to her! The most popular things to make were animals, such as the turtles made out of coils of clay. The body was used as a container for potpourri and we glazed the coils to make an effective pattern for the lid. As usual we have learnt to make pots on the wheel (bowls, vases), in the slab pot method (lamp houses), the coil pot method (as for the turtles), the thumb pot method (dragons) and hand modelling (penguins, cats, masks of the world etc). As I have mentioned in the Art department article Tony Quinn, a local potter and sculptor, is going to come and help and advise from time to time next year, and his expertise has already been an inspiration to the young potters in the form of his remarkable “Green Man”. The children can make an impression in clay from the half human/ half tree face and recast it, applying the glazes with their own design. With many new creations this term and exciting things to come I think that the Pottery club is going from strength to strength. PRD

Recorders

Stage lighting

When contemplating producing my magazine article this year I thought I would go direct to the source and ask children who had participated... Fred Stephens thoroughly enjoyed his recorder activity in the spring term – “I thought it would be really hard, but I tried it out and it was surprisingly easy” he said. He certainly mastered Hot Cross Buns and London’s Burning in no time. In the summer term Jacob Jones thought that Samba and Red Hot Tongue Twister were the best pieces for him and enjoyed their foot tapping rhythms. ECM

The stage lighting club this year has been made up of George Burrell, Joseph Davies, Thomas Simpson and Alex Wythe. Alex and I did the sound and lighting for the senior play, Dream On, with Joe helping backstage. During the junior play in the summer term Common Entrance meant I had to take a back seat, so Alex and Tom were in charge with Jem. Sadly during the Summer Concert none of us was available to help because we were all performing. As a club we have had a great year and I would like to express my thanks to Mr Bayliss for everything he has taught us and for all his help and support. George Burrell

Touch Rugby Two touch rugby sessions were run during the autumn and spring terms, one for the juniors and one for the seniors. We had lovely bright weather when we began in the autumn term but eventually had to move to the AWS to use the floodlights during winter. When we started with the juniors, it began as tag rugby, which meant having a waist band with a Velcro strap attached to it. If your strap was pulled off while you were in possession of the ball, you were caught. This was a fun game, which appealed to the very mixed ability of the young group and which we then developed into a touch rugby game. Over the two terms, it was very apparent that the skills Page 52

of all the participants improved. We had a few boys who were regular Under 11A rugby players (Nick Yeoward, Gabe Connolly, Archie Waterworth) and also many girls who had never played rugby before, including Freya Beasley, Ellie Mason, Annabel Robertson, Sacha Sandbach and Louisa Jarvis. I do think, however, that some of the girls, had they been playing rugby for as long as the boys, would definitely be able to show them a thing or two.

involved in the Club were members of the Under 13 VII squad – Harry Schofield, Stamos Fearnall, Toby Mason, Daishi Suzuki, Rory Davies, Ed Stubbs, Fergus Connolly, Alfie Grocott, Charlie England, Ed Stanton, Ed Hurle, Jonty Schofield and Ed Beard. As the weeks progressed so did the ball handling and running lines of the boys. Their communication on defence also showed a very big improvement and this proved vital in their Sevens rugby matches.

The seniors touch rugby took place on a Monday evening on the AWS and was aimed at working on basic defensive and ball handling skills. The majority of the boys

The boys regularly braved the cold winter nights and they were a great group to be involved with. I wish them all the best rugby success for the future. FMA

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section 1 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:19

Page 53

C L U B S & AC T I V I T I E S

Trampolining Friday has now become the regular slot for trampolining usually starting with the 4s, 5s and 6s in junior activities in the afternoon followed by the junior boarders and lastly the seniors in the evening. The junior activity slot usually comprises those children new to the school and the old hands who can demonstrate – I’m getting too old to keep climbing up onto the trampoline! Some children have the delights of double trampoline sessions as they are boarding for a Friday night and at the end of the day I can be found struggling to get the seniors off the trampoline at 8pm.

The children have been taught a variety of shapes and different landings (seat, front and back). As the sessions progressed, they were able to link moves together and complete some short routines. This year saw the first attempt at a front somersault by Tia Barlow and other senior trampolinists were at various stages of the somersault. Everyone has achieved and developed new skills this year (for some that may be learning how to get onto the trampoline without help). Well done to everyone who has participated. JH

Science Club

Volleyball

On Friday evenings in the autumn term the science syllabus and the health and safety documents are put firmly where they belong so that enthusiastic scientists can take a less conventional approach to the subject. This year we tried a few old favourites like rocket launching and hydrogen skittles along with some new activities. These included an evening making invisible inks and fire writing, (which proved that you can have smoke without fire) an indoor firework display on November 5th and an activity where a bomb had to be detonated after a period of 30 seconds. This produced a lot of ingenious ideas, most of which were successful although some of the timings were a bit unpredictable. All this without any danger to anybody or to the lab. We did nearly set the sports hall on fire with our hot air balloons but the less said about that the better. FRH

This activity involved boys and girls from 7 to 11 years old. We met every Tuesday and the remit was to have a go at and learn more about the sport of volleyball. The first few weeks saw us get to grips with the dig and volley. Initially the children worked in pairs, then threes and then larger groups trying to keep the ball up for as long as they could. Warm-up games involved their favourite of Round the World and we did also have the occasional ‘Choccie Challenge’.

Wednesday Socs

We played a modified game using a badminton net (some of the seven years olds were too small for a real volleyball net) trying to see who could get to 11 points first. Next we played a doubles version of this game – Gabe Connolly and Archie Mobbs proving stiff opposition in the older age group and Fred Stephens and Thomas Dix in the ‘littlies’ group. As the term drew to an end we played three versus three and four versus four games. There were a few bruised knees and elbows along the way, but all in the name of fun. This has been an enjoyable activity to coach especially on the sunnier days when we were able to play outside – beach volleyball next year? KLP

Spring term 2011 saw the launch of Wednesday Societies or ‘Socs’ as an addition to our regular programme of evening clubs which run on every other weekday evening. The idea behind Socs is to give boarders the opportunity to take part in a range of additional extracurricular activities, changing every week, so that there will always be something fun, engaging (and educational) for everyone. Scholars Soc is aimed at children who are working towards taking scholarship exams and provides them with a range of subject matters designed to stretch and broaden their minds. This year Scholars Soc covered subjects as diverse as the stock market, cryptic crosswords, Nazi propaganda and, one week, the chance to take part in a mock trial. In Film Soc children watched some classic movies and teachers’ favourites including Lord of the Rings and Twelve Angry Men. Sport Soc offered badminton, volleyball and korfball among others. Children signing up for Cooking Soc produced party food with Mrs Cumpston and Miss Wilkinson and then enjoyed the fruits of their labours at their very own party with traditional fun and games. Drama Soc included one Wednesday evening devoted to learning about film making and another on stage fighting. To encompass all those other activities and interests that fall outside the five main categories, there is also Odd Soc when the children had the chance to play Wii games and Dungeons and Dragons to name but two. The first Socs were a great success with many children enjoying the chance to do something new and different on the dark, cold Wednesday evenings of the spring term. CEH Page 53

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 2

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

Football 1st XI The Ajax football academy for young players judges a boy on one thing and one thing alone. You will not be accepted unless you have this. It is the one trait that I have come to realise is more important than anything, more important than skill, size, pace, fitness and technique. It is simply character. Each campaign should be judged on the progress in performances and how well the boys have translated onto the pitch how you want them to play. I want my headmaster and colleagues and the discerning Mr and Mrs Connollys, Mr Whites, Mr Masons, Mr Thomsons, Mr Cookes, Mr Thomasons and even the Mr Schofields of the world to appreciate how the boys are trying to play. This is an ethos shared by an excellent schoolmaster at Packwood whose first post-match question to me is always the same: “How did they play?” rather than “Did you win?” Answering the latter reveals pretty much nothing about whether my aims for my team are being achieved. We, as prep school masters in charge of the performance, conduct and attitude of the top sportsmen in the school, have this wonderful responsibility that no outside coach could ever understand. We can help mums and dads develop character. The reason I enjoyed taking this set of boys for Games and matches is because they had character. Of course our captain Toby Mason is a fantastic dribbler, passer and reader of the game; Fergus Connolly is tactically amazing and as tough as old boots; Matt White is the coolest man on the planet in possession; Edward Beard has spectacular ability, quick feet and a greed for goals; Harry Schofield has iron in his boots and Mediterranean-esque, exceptional technique; Archie Thomason is utterly reliable and switched on; Harry Jenkinson fast, composed and much better than I realised; Edward Hurle can combine brutality with calmness; Charlie Cooke can play anywhere with a majesty and assurance; Freddie Fielding could run to

Foremarke and back before, during and after each game; Jay Jackson is utterly reliable in goal; Anto Woodhead and Ed Stubbs are much, much more than merely willing, fit and fast boys and Jonty Schofield is Jonty Schofield with his magnetically appealing energy and dynamism.

Played 13 Won 10 Drawn 2 Lost 1 For 45 Against 21 v Shrewsbury High (A) v Prestfelde (H) v Foremarke (A) v Foremarke (H) v Shrewsbury (A) v Wrekin (H) v Birchfield (H) v Yarlet (A) v Shrewsbury High (H) v The Dads (Preece Cup) (H) v Abberley (A) v Abberley (H) v Ellesmere (H)

Drawn Won Won Lost Drawn Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won

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

†

won on penalties However, this all counts for nothing without character. It was the character of this, my last, 1st XI at Packwood that allowed me to enjoy match days so much because I felt proud to be able to trust the heroes in olive green to try always to do the right thing. I would like my legacy to be a reminder that football, and no I don’t mean the doomed professional version, is a thing of elegance.

The ball is your friend, boys. Wine for my men. We ride at dawn. Squad: Toby Mason* (Capt), Jay Jackson, Matt White*, Harry Jenkinson, Edward Hurle, Archie Thomason*, Edward Stubbs, Charlie Cooke, Fergus Connolly*, Harry Schofield*, Freddie Fielding, Jonty Schofield, Edward Beard, Eddie Thomson, Edward Dolphin, Barnaby Preece, Andrew Tudor, Anto Woodhead. AL * Indicates school colours have been awarded

2nd XI Played 7 Won 5 Drawn 2 Lost 0 For 18 Against 7 v Prestfelde v Foremarke v Shrewsbury v Foremarke v Abberley v Abberley v Ellesmere

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

Won Won Won Drawn Won Won Drawn

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

I vaguely remember stories of a bloke called Johan Cruyff and the ‘total football’ of the Dutch team in the 1970s. Little did I realise that I would see it re-enacted on prep school fields. All credit to a wonderful season must go to Mr Livermore and his insistence that the boys play total football. I will never forget the session where he was so keen for them to achieve this that he bellowed the immortal words, “Why don’t you just relax?!” The weird thing is the boys understood what he meant even though they were too shell-shocked to put it into immediate practice. The second XI was very lucky to have him and the fact that he insisted on a whole game approach rather than specific drills meant the whole game was learnt. The results that were gained were almost irrelevant and there were times when this style Page 54

of football was a bit too much to demand of those slightly less skilful or younger boys but they all learnt and they all improved. The team was an interesting mixture of old and young, big and small as it should be and there were times when they played exquisite football and there were plenty of times when they didn’t, but they were trying to. The leavers, who added so much to the team – Barney Preece, Ed Dolphin, Stamos Fearnall, Ed Stanton, Oliver Tennant and the occasional and far too good Jenkinson and ex-captain Woodhead – all played properly and will all be missed, as will

Mr Livermore. The year-young boys should all be pressing for first XI honours next year, which is the way it should be. In fact most things were which is why it worked so well. Squad: Anto Woodhead, Barney Preece, Ed Dolphin, Stamos Fearnall, Ed Stanton, Oliver Tennant, Harry Jenkinson, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Leo Sartain, Oliver Clarke, Freddie Beharrell, Andrew Tudor, Jonty Hall, Jonty Schofield, Eddie Thomson, George Hargrave, Chan Kathuria, Patrick Chambers. DR

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 3

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

3rd XI Played 6 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 22 Against 10 v Prestfelde v Foremarke v Moffats v Wrekin v Foremarke v Abberley

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

Won Won Lost Lost Won Won

2-1 6-2 2-5 1-2 3-0 8-0

A season which promised much fizzled out rather tamely with the much anticipated return fixture against Moffats falling victim to the weather, so reducing our spring term fixtures to a single match: a very one-sided affair against Abberley. There have been some high points to the season, though, none more so than early on in the excellent all-round team performance away against Foremarke in which we gave the rather stunned opposition an object lesson in how to attack with pace and take the chances on offer in front of goal, with Henry Oak helping himself to a welldeserved hat-trick.

Rather low-key performances against Moffats and Wrekin away from home rather took the gloss off our good start, but we tried always to play good attacking football and though our defenders were caught flat-footed at times, they have operated well as a unit and given much confidence to Daishi Suzuki in goal. Alfie Grocott has led the team by example and been at the heart of everything in defence, along with Jamie Moir, Timmy RobinsonBoulton and Ollie Tennant, as well as Stamos Fearnall before his promotion to the second XI along with ‘midfield dynamo’ Edward Stanton. Our attacking potency has come largely from Christopher Dorrell, Hugh Davies and Thomas Tulloch on the flanks who between them have laid on many chances for Henry Oak up front. Jamie Chambers – a very effective striker of the ball – and Chan Kathuria, small but skilful, have worked hard in midfield along with Scott Hatton, and it is particularly encouraging to see that these three are amongst the younger members of

4th XI

the side who will have gained much experience for next year. Tod Supornpaibul, Pablo Baillo, Charlie England and Freddie Houlker made fleeting appearances in the Foremarke match due to selection calls from above and acquitted themselves well in that game. As ever, it has been a most enjoyable season, and my thanks go to all those who have worked so hard in practice and in matches, and in particular to Alfie Grocott who has been an excellent captain in an efficient yet understated way. Squad: Alfie Grocott(Capt), Stamos Fearnall, Ed Stanton, Daishi Suzuki, Tod Supornpaibul, Pablo Baillo, Freddie Houlker, Charlie England, Timmy Robinson-Boulton, Jamie Moir, Henry Oak, Jamie Chambers, Thomas Tulloch, Ollie Tennant, Chan Kathuria, Hugh Davies, Christopher Dorrell, Scott Hatton. KJW

5th XI Played 4 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 16 Against 2 v Foremarke v Wrekin v Foremarke v Abberley 3rd XI

As with all our seasons so far, our main focus was to play a game of football that looked good and made the boys into more rounded ball players. We worked on support play as a main focus and communication as well. The boys grew as mature footballers as the season progressed and should be commended for their positive attitude towards the game. The depth of talent was evident as we were able to comfortably compete with teams who were on paper much stronger than we were. The boys were a pleasure to coach and I look forward to following their progress as footballers.

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

Won Won Won Won Lost Won Won

Team: Charlie England, Thomas Marques, Rory Davies, Bertie Jenkinson, Guy Morris, Louis Martin, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Pablo Baillo, Fergus David, Tod Supornpaibul, Harri Holroyd, Tom Baxter, Patrick Haszard, Rory Carter-Motley. FMA

Won Lost Won Won

8-0 0-2 5-0 3-0

Aside from a 2-0 defeat to a large Wrekin team, the fifth XI enjoyed a successful season which included two big wins against Foremarke both home and away (8-0 and 5-0 respectively). Moreover, there was enough strength in depth for the away team to be made up of more than capable replacements for those suffering from a flu bug. Well led by Joe Davies and his enthusiastic deputy Archie Fetherstonhaugh, the fifth XI always looked threatening up front; it was frequently a case in matches of trying to score a sufficient number of goals before our more fragile defences were revealed. Having said this, Robert Waterhouse warmed well to the task of being our regular goalie by the end of the short season. In terms of strikers we were well served by Freddie Houlker’s hat-trick in the opening game, and two by his ally Rory Fergusson.

Played 7 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 27 Against 7 v Shrewsbury High 2nd XI v Prestfelde v Foremarke v Foremarke v Birchfield 2nd XI v Shrewsbury High 2nd XI v Abberley

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

3-2 3-0 3-2 1-0 2-3 5-0 10 - 0

The new-look strike force in the last game, a result of both illness and promotion, impressed just as much with Bentley Moss scoring two and stand-in captain Fetherstonhaugh memorably ploughing into the box from midfield to blast the ball over the keeper and into the scorebook. In the January reprise the fifths were then given a surprise fixture against Abberley third XI which they won comfortably, Jacob Rand scoring twice. Team: Joe Davies (Capt), Robert Waterhouse, Jack Lock, Luke Williams, Jack Ashworth, Jacob Rand, Archie Fetherstonhaugh, Edward Myddelton, William Bayliss, Freddie Houlker, Rory Fergusson. RAC Page 55

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 4

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

6th XI and 7th XI It was a measure of the numbers and talent at Game 3 level that we were twice able to stage ‘last man standing’ fixtures against neighbours Prestfelde. When Harry Marshall came off the bench to play in goal (for the first time) for Packwood seventh team at Prestfelde, all seniors had represented the school at least once this season – some for the first time in their fledgling careers. All were suitably impressed with their efforts, as these two lower teams carried all before them in two enjoyable quadrangular encounters with Prestfelde: both times both of Packwood’s sides came out on top. Special mention must be made of Gideon Turner, who scored five goals against them at

Played 9 Won 8 Drawn 1 Lost 0 For 26 Against 2 v Prestfelde v Prestfelde v Abberley 4th XI

(H) (A) (A)

Quadrangular tournament with 6th & 7th VIIs Quadrangular tournament with 6th & 7th VIIs Won 11 - 1

home, and Jacob Rand who repeated the compliment away. The heroics continued after Christmas as well, as a sixth XI memorably defeated Abberley fourth XI 11-1 away. Patrick Ashall scored an astonishing five goals here, including a textbook penalty and a wonderful goal off a corner. Not to be forgotten either were four more goals for Gideon Turner and two for Clement Rye. This group, along with the

Winners Winners

fifth XI, was a highly enjoyable bunch of boys to coach, many of whom should be jostling for places in more illustrious teams next year. Squad: George Burrell (Capt) Felix ThomasDavies, Simon Waterhouse, James Long, Tom Hancocks, Theo Penney, Patrick Ashall, Alexander Wythe, Bentley Moss, George Burrell, Clement Rye, Gideon Turner, Thomas Simpson, Harry Marshall. RAC

Under 11A This was the second season where all competitive Under 11 football has been a 7-aside game rather than 11-a-side after the directive from the FA. The impact of this change has certainly been a positive one for Packwood football. It has been great to see more and more Packwood Under 11 boys looking comfortable on the ball and having the opportunities to express themselves at all levels during the season. I had another enthusiastic and well motivated Under 11A team who overall had an excellent season. Looking at the results they had a fantastic start and finish to the campaign with three disappointing results in the middle somewhere. The highlight of the season was very early on with the success in the Shrewsbury 6-a-side tournament. In the tournament Archie Waterworth and Caspar Massey showed their class going forward and David Schofield was the rock in the centre of defence. Packwood was very good value for the excellent 3-2 win in the final against the strongly fancied Foremarke Hall. Our loss of form coincided with the unfortunate loss of David Schofield who hardly played again after the first few matches. David proved very hard to replace initially and I think it took until our final matches after Christmas to hit top form again.

Humes gave us the solid base providing the width and excellent support for Caspar Massey who top scored with 18 goals in the 10 matches played. Add to this the quality of Dominic Ainslie’s play and the shot-stopping skills of Robert Ford in goal. The squad turned out to be another formidable unit in our later games, as St Winefride’s found out to their cost in the final game of the season. As the season progressed the boys’ decision making improved. At times we panicked and made silly defensive errors in the middle of our season but by the end the defence was excellent and controlled nearly all our later games. Sam Bayliss (our most improved player!) thrived in his new role as an attacking left wingback. He even got three goals himself in the final game. Well done boys! 2010/11 was another encouraging year for the Under 11 age group. I look forward to next season with the current Under 10 group and wish all the best to the boys moving on to the senior teams.

Played 10 Won 6 Drawn 1 Lost 3 For 47 Against 22 v Shrewsbury High v Prestfelde v Foremarke v Foremarke v Birchfield v Yarlet v Old Hall v Shrewsbury High v Abberley v St Winefride’s

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

Won Drawn Lost Lost Lost Won Won Won Won Won

8-0 3-3 2-4 1-4 1-4 2-1 5-2 6-1 7-2 12 - 1

Shrewsbury 6-a-side tournament: Winners v Hallfield v Yarlet v Terra Nova

Won Won Won

2-0 1-0 1-0

Quarter Final v Beech Hall

Won

4-0

Semi Final v Lockers Park Final v Foremarke

Drawn 2 - 2 (won on penalties 5 - 4) Won

3-2

Squad : Archie Waterworth (Capt), Robert Ford, Sam Bayliss, David Schofield, Daniel Humes, Nick Yeoward, Caspar Massey, Dominic Ainslie, Ivor Fetherstonhaugh, Linden Grigg. PJP

The team was built around our captain Archie Waterworth who when playing at his best gave us the creative edge and driving force in midfield. He also contributed with some spectacular goals in a total of 13 scored for the season. Well done! The back three of Ivor Fetherstonhaugh, Sam Bayliss and Daniel

Under 11B It’s been a very positive season for the Under 11B team. The boys played some superb football but they have lacked consistency at times and underperformed on one or two occasions. In my opinion, the best games they played were not the big victories over Foremarke or Yarlet but when they showed a lot of ‘guts’ against Birchfield and Old Hall. The latter match was extremely close and the whole team had to work really hard to achieve a draw. Page 56

It is very difficult to single out the best player throughout the season as they have all sharpened their skills considerably. I have been impressed with their superb team spirit and I envy their coach next year. Team: Archie Mobbs (Capt), Gabe Connolly, Linden Grigg, Harry Swinburne, Frank Morris, Charlie Jackson, Rowan Pickstock, William Holcroft. JN

Played 7 Won 3 Drawn 2 Lost 2 For 25 Against 16 v Prestfelde v Foremarke v Foremarke v Birchfield v Yarlet v Old Hall v Moor Park A

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

Won Drawn Won Lost Won Drawn Lost

2-1 2-2 6-1 5-6 6-0 2-2 2-4

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 5

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

Under 11C Played 9 Won 6 Drawn 1 Lost 2 For 26 Against 13 v Kingsland Grange v Prestfelde v Foremarke U10A v Moffats U11A v Foremarke U10A v Old Hall v Moor Park U11B v Abberley Hall v Moffats U11A

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

Won Won Lost Won Lost Won Won Drawn Won

1-0 2-0 1-3 3-1 3-5 6-2 3-1 1-1 6-0

This season proved to be successful, with some handsome victories interspersed with glorious defeats against some classy footballers from Foremarke. Only in the drawn game against Abberley did we have “a bad day at the office”, when we didn’t seem able to turn our massive superiority into a victory. The two games against Foremarke showed the team at its very best, as its strength was in its

Under 11D

Felix Jebb proved a worthy goalkeeper, sound and with a good clearing punt. The defenders Scott Walker and Jude Bedford, both strong boys, were uncompromising slaughterers of opponents, and it took quite a cocktail of skill and luck to get past them. Not quite so instantly effective as they, but perhaps more promising for the future, was Ben Cowley, who tried several different positions, but was at his happiest in defence; he showed good anticipation and the ability to move up-field from deep. In midfield we were represented by Jamie Channon, Tom Hughes and James

Under 10

Played 8 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 5 For 9 Against 33 v Shrewsbury High U11C v Prestfelde v Foremarke v Moffats v Foremarke U10B v Birchfield U11C v Old Hall v Shrewsbury High U11B

battling qualities rather than in its finesse. The wizards from Foremarke ran rings round us, if truth be told, but we tackled like demons and disrupted the brilliance of the opposition. This had quite a demoralising effect, and it forced enough mistakes for us to score three times in the thrilling away match, where it looked at times that we might actually salvage a draw.

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

Won Won Lost Won Lost Lost Lost Lost

4-1 1-0 1-8 2-1 1-2 0-15 0-3 0-3

The 7-a-side format has proved to be an excellent way of developing the players’ skills and they were all keen to learn. Thanks to Mr Phillips for finding us so many fixtures, despite the fact that many schools couldn’t raise a D team against us. As a consequence the boys had a mixed set of results as we were often pitched against B and C teams, but against other D teams we were pretty successful. The team developed well as a unit through the season. Alex Ainslie, our goalkeeper, had an amazing finish to the season, making saves well above this standard. Zak Nicholas, who could play anywhere, was our unflappable captain. Owen Carroll, though lacking in pace, was our key striker – elegant and skilful; while Roly Hancock was always reliable in midfield. Nat McAllister was the most improved player, developing a wonderful strong left foot. Marcus Woodhead showed bags of talent, and a great turn of speed, but now needs to develop a football brain! Ned Moreau, Piers Merison, Ali Davies and Adam Pattenden made up the rest of the team and could always be relied on to give their best. They were a fun group to coach.

With very little preparation the Under 10 boys performed very well indeed at the Foremarke tournament. The A team remained undefeated in the group stages and reached the semi final playing some attractive football along the way. They are a very promising team and I feel sure exciting times lie ahead.

Hinwood. Channon kicked the ball well, and played with heart more than style; Hughes could move up his flank and unfurl a powerful shot, though he found it difficult to adapt his game to different situations; Hinwood, massively keen, was a skilful and unselfish link man, who will improve when he becomes more decisive. Up front we had the nippy legs of Ollie Hall. He proved on occasions that he didn’t act particularly well on “heavy going”, but in the early matches he was very nimble and effective, scoring some fine goals. Rowan Pickstock had a colossal left foot, scoring twice with real thunderbolts: he will be even more effective when he uses his right foot more willingly. A good season then, with a whole-hearted group of players. Squad: Scott Walker (Capt), Jude Bedford, Felix Jebb, James Hinwood, Ben Cowley, Tom Hughes, Ollie Hall, Rowan Pickstock. OJL Foremarke U10A tournament 4th v Foremarke B v Fairfield v St Wystan’s

Won Drawn Won

7-0 1-1 7-0

Semi Final v Hallfield

Lost

1-2

3rd / 4th place play-off v Twycross Lost

0-1

Foremarke U10B tournament Medal runners-up

The boys in the Under 10B team have worked very hard together this season and v Birchfield Lost 0-3 demonstrated a superb team spirit at the v King Henry VIII Lost 0-2 Foremarke Tournament. The group matches did v Pennine Way Lost 1-2 not prove to be very successful but the team Semi Final Medal started to play together and lost narrowly in the v Foremarke C Won 2-0 third match against Pennine Way. They Final Medal competed in the Medal Tournament after lunch v Foremarke A Lost 0-1 beating Foremarke C after a hard battle. The highlight had to be a superb goal from Rowan Pickstock which was applauded by all spectators around the pitch. In the final, Packwood had to play Foremarke A and performed very well. They lost a very close match but they can hold their heads high. This team will do well next year. Keep it up boys! Under 10 squad: Daniel Humes, Nick Yeoward, Gabe Connolly, Harry Swinburne, Frank Morris, Rowan Pickstock, William Holcroft, Felix Jebb, Ben Cowley, James Hinwood, Ollie Hall, Marcus Woodhead, Piers Merison, Ali Davies, Nat McAllister, Owen Carroll, Alex Ainslie, Ned Moreau. JN

Team: Zak Nicholas (Capt), Marcus Woodhead, Roly Hancock, Piers Merison, Ali Davies, Nat McAllister, Owen Carroll, Alex Ainslie, Ned Moreau, Adam Pattenden. RHC Page 57

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 6

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

Under 9A The Under 9 season was mixed this year. At times we played some excellent football whilst on other occasions we seemed bereft of ideas. It was evident from the start that the side would consist of some Under 8s and we would therefore struggle on the physical side of things at times and this was very evident when we met Prestfelde – an excellent side with a lot of footballing nous. We had plenty of spirit, Jack Goodall and William Stanford-Davis would always be close to a state of spontaneous combustion at the end of every game such was the effort that they had put into chasing a bag of leather full of air, but we lacked that collective skill. We needed to find a keeper and after a few combinations Jonty Bright stepped into the fray and acquitted himself nicely. Our defenders started to become more spatially aware and the Alfred Hughes and Maxwell Horler approach of “Well I’ve run this far, I may as well kick something” spread fear amongst the opposition (and team mates if unlucky enough to be in the way). We were somewhat ‘raw’ for the majority of the season but what was particularly rewarding was how the boys started to understand the game more and look like a team whilst on the pitch, the improvement was very visible. Joseph Pattenden arrived in the second

half of the season and with his fellow classmates, Oliver Holcroft, Thomas Dix and Fred Stephens, all of whom will be playing in the Under 9s next year, the future looks promising! A couple of wins and losses and a 4-4 thriller kept the ever-faithful fans happy – many thanks to those and well done boys.

Played 6 Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 3 For 19 Against 30 v Shrewsbury High v Abberley v Birchfield v Prestfelde v Abberley v St Winefride’s

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

Lost Won Lost Lost Won Drawn

0-5 7-5 2-6 2-8 4-2 4-4

Lost Won Won Lost Lost

0-2 2-0 3-0 0-5 0-1

Birchfield tournament v Prestfelde v Shrewsbury High v Abberley v Hallfield v Birchfield

Team: Jack Goodall, Harry Waterworth, Alfred Hughes, William Stanford-Davis, Thomas Dix, Maxwell Horler, Joseph Pattenden, Jonty Bright, Edward Don, Oliver Holcroft, Fred Stephens. MAF

Under 9B and 9C I was very pleased with both the Under 9B and Under 9C teams this year. They may have lost more games than they won, however their effort was fantastic, and you can’t ask more than that. From the goalkeepers at the back, to the outfield players, everyone tried as hard as they could at all times and never once gave up. Hopefully a little more luck next year will see a few more victories. Well done.

Under 9 squad: Theo Blythe, George Clowes, Nathan Mielczarek, Gregor Montgomery, George Weston, Murray Robinson-Boulton, Oliver Griffiths, Luke Jackson, Will Shaw, Kit Warburton-Lee, William Thompson, Jacob Jones, Frankie McLaughlin, Edward Barry, Robert Vick, Lawrence Rathbone. SAR

Under 9B: Played 11 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 7 For 11 Against 15 v St Winefride’s v Shrewsbury High U9A v Abberley v Abberley U9A v Abberley U9B v Prestfelde

Page 58

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

Won Lost Lost Lost Lost Lost

2-0 2-3 0-2 0-2 0-3 0-1

Under 9C: Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 1 Against 5

Birchfield U9B tournament v Prestfelde v Shrewsbury High v Abberley v Hallfield v Birchfield

Lost Won Won Lost Won

0-2 3-0 2-0 0-2 2-0

v St Winefride’s v Birchfield U9B

(H) (H)

Won Lost

1-0 0-5

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 7

S P O R T: R U G B Y

Rugby 1st XV

A sadly depleted list of fixtures due to the winter snow, and a disappointing start, but overall this was a very fine season and a very fine team. 20 names appear below in the squad list and, as usual, this reflects a series of injuries and illnesses that gave reserves the opportunity to shine; less usually, our significant strength in depth meant that these reserves were very talented players in their own right, and it would be very hard indeed to pick a ‘top 15’. Let’s get the opening two matches out of the way briefly: at St Mary’s Hall we were raw but, as conclusive victory in the return match confirms, potentially the better team by some margin. Against Bromsgrove, we were still some way off our best, though the truth is that we would have lost even if we had been at our best – Bromsgrove were exceptional this year, as became evident from their unbeaten season and success in the National Sevens tournament. Moor Park was not a poor team by any means, but they met our players in a particularly determined mood, keen to rectify the impression given by the previous result. And rectify it they did, with a performance that combined power, pace, skill and teamwork. Past Packwood teams have all possessed two of these four qualities, often three, but all four is rare, and had the weather been kinder to us, I’m confident that these players could have become one of the best teams of recent years.

But the snow did arrive, Played 7 Won 5 Drawn 0 Lost 2 matches were cancelled, and For 248 Against 104 the opportunity to capitalise v St Mary’s Hall (A) Lost 12-17 upon the Moor Park v Bromsgrove (H) Lost 0-58 momentum was lost. It was v Moor Park (H) Won 51-7 over two months before our v Wrekin U13A (H) Won 55-5 next meaningful practice and v Abberley (H) Won 24-17 next match, and although v St Mary’s Hall (H) Won 38-0 Wrekin posed few problems, v Prestfelde (A) Won 68-0 we understandably took a while to wake up against Abberley. Happily, the return against St Mary’s Hall was next, and both minds and bodies were fully focused as the opportunity was presented to rectify the perceived injustice of the away match result; we controlled the game with forceful, fluent, confident rugby and were back on track. And so to our final match against Prestfelde and it was terrific to see it all come together so well, against perfectly respectable opposition. Again, it was a genuine team effort, though every individual deserves a mention. The forward pack, led by the indomitable Archie Fetherstonhaugh, was a real force throughout the season. Jacob Rand, Leo Sartain, Edward Stanton, Jamie Moir and Stamos Fearnall bulldozed all in their path, whilst the decisive back row of Edward Hurle, Rory Davies and Fergus Connolly, stole and retained possession time and time again. Half-backs Toby Mason (Jonty Schofield, too) and Edward Beard combined deft touches with bursts of acceleration, whilst centres Harry Schofield, Archie Thomason, Harry Jenkinson and Daishi Suzuki possessed the talent and size to unlock any defence. And the back three – combinations of Charlie England, Ollie Tennant, Edward Stubbs and Alfie Grocott – had the pace, power and elusive running skills to ‘finish’ with a flourish. It was very sad to see the season end after just seven matches, for this was a team with outstanding talent and potential in every department. I am very grateful to all the players for their effort and enthusiasm, to Mr Franscois Adams for his expert and inspirational coaching, to parents for their unstinting support and to the Packwood ‘backstage’ team for enabling it all. Squad: Archie Fetherstonhaugh*(Capt), Jacob Rand, Leo Sartain, Edward Stanton, Rory Davies, Fergus Connolly*, Stamos Fearnall*, Edward Hurle*, Daishi Suzuki*, Toby Mason*, Edward Beard*, Harry Jenkinson*, Archie Thomason, Harry Schofield*, Edward Stubbs*, Oliver Tennant, Alfie Grocott*, Jonty Schofield, Charlie England, Jamie Moir NTW Page 59

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 8

S P O R T: R U G B Y

2nd XV On the training pitch this season the second XV have given their more illustrious opponents in the first team an extremely good run for their money in practice matches; such has been the relative strength of our top two years. Selection for the teams has never been straightforward as hitherto hidden talents thrust themselves into the limelight as the season unfolded. There has been much to admire in the style and positive play of the team; they have flourished with ball in hand and again proved resolute in defence. The point scoring has by no means been confined to a few individuals; in the last match of the season, for example, there were six different names on the score sheet. Highlights have been the away victory over St Mary’s Hall – though the return fixture against their Under 12s proved more problematic – and the excellent battle with Bromsgrove which we managed to shade by the only score of the game, courtesy of Harry Schofield, whose ever-improving array of skills and general ability led to an early promotion to the first XV. It has been heartening to see so many youngsters in the squad, and it is hoped they will have gained valuable experience for their reintroduction at the same level next year.

What they may have lacked in size, they have certainly made up for in endeavour, commitment and attitude. We all look forward to their performances in the senior teams next year. Congratulations to all the boys who have played for the second team; it has been another excellent season and one which I have enjoyed enormously. Team: Freddie Fielding, Ben Ricks, William Bayliss, George Burrell, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Thomas Marques, Joe Davies, Bentley Moss, Andrew Tudor, Jonty Schofield, Freddie Beharrell, Barney Preece, Edward Dolphin, Tom Baxter, Harry Schofield, Bertie Jenkinson, Jonty Hall. KJW

Played 10 Won 9 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 389 Against 63 v St Mary’s Hall (A) v Bromsgrove (H) v Wrekin A (H) v St Mary’s Hall U12 (H) v Terra Nova (H) v Oswestry A (H) v Birchfield 1st XV (H) v Prestfelde (H) v Shrewsbury High (H) v Yarlet A (H)

Won Won Won Lost Won Won Won Won Won Won

48-17 5-0 55-5 5-14 56-5 54-0 34-5 54-0 42-12 36-5

3rd XV Played 6 Won 5 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 159 Against 53 v Bromsgrove v Moor Park v St Mary’s Hall v St Mary’s Hall v Wrekin College v Prestfelde

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

Lost Won Won Won Won Won

0-33 50-5 36-10 5-0 29-5 39-0

For well over forty years I have been involved in team sports and have been fortunate enough to have played in countless matches. There are, and I am sure this is the same in many of your own experiences, a mere handful of games that stand out as ‘special’. The reasons why they are so memorable are varied but there was one such game during the third XV season that I have already added to my list of ‘special games’. Read on! Rugby is strong at Packwood and it is a rare season that we don’t experience success at third XV level. We are well drilled, have games every day and you can barely walk to the office without running the gauntlet of numerous rugby balls flying past your head! We had a good team this year. An industrious pack supported by a quick set of backs. In fact we had so many good players that even picking the side proved difficult such was the competition for places. Players such as Robert Waterhouse, Scott Hatton and Guy Morris would grace the A team at many other schools. Boys proved equally adept in the pack or in the backs – Ollie Clarke and Freddie Houlker to name a couple and boys who are nice, polite and, dare I say, gentle around school would metamorphose into crazed beings once they donned their Page 60

mouth guards. Jay Jackson, Tom Hancocks and Fergus David were terrific in providing good ball and with fliers such as Hugh Davies and Patrick Ashall we were always going to prove a handful for most of the teams we would face. Games against Wrekin, Moor Park and Prestfelde resulted in some excellent team play and relatively comfortable wins. As well as speed and flair going forward we were perhaps more impressive in defence – our tackling was tenacious and we quite simply didn’t like conceding tries. Success, however, is relative and there is always someone around the corner waiting to put you in your place. For us Bromsgrove was that ‘someone’ – we played well, tackled superbly and certainly weren’t disgraced. We were simply beaten by a much better side! And so to that ‘special game’, our home match versus St Mary’s Hall. We knew it would be tough as we had met them once before but what a game it turned out to be. The opposition were well matched, our ‘big guns’ Gideon

Turner and the aforementioned Jackson and Hancocks were tamed and their players were pushing harder and harder for a score. It was the defence that won the game – the last ten minutes was spent in our own twenty-two and we tackled until we could barely stand. Not only did Jack Ashworth, Hugh Davies, Robert Waterhouse and Eddie Thomson continually throw their bodies ‘on the line’ but all of the team showed a great sense of pride and commitment and for all of the reasons that rugby probably doesn’t get noticed for, it was perhaps the best schoolboy performance that I have witnessed. 5-0 may not sound like a terrific game but how results can deceive! Squad: Robert Waterhouse (Capt), Tom Hancocks, Jay Jackson, Gideon Turner, Patrick Ashall, Ollie Clarke, Fergus David, Hugh Davies, Jack Ashworth, Scott Hatton, Louis Martin, Thomas Tulloch, Eddie Thomson, Chris Dorrell, Guy Morris, Freddie Houlker, Henry Oak, Edward Myddelton. MAF

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 9

S P O R T: R U G B Y

Under 11A XII

Played 7 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 2 For 206 Against 83

It seems odd to start a report of v St Mary’s Hall (H) Lost 10 - 17 a season lauding the virtues of v Bromsgrove (A) Won 47 - 0 losing – but both the St Mary’s v Buchan (H) Drawn 21 - 21 Hall match and the Moor Park v Moor Park (A) Lost 21 - 35 match were not only excellent v Terra Nova (A) Won 17 - 5 games, they were also great. v Birchfield (A) Won 40 - 0 Losing is a very important v Prestfelde (A) Won 50 - 5 experience for children to have and these two matches were the making of the season. From a group of boys with hugely talented individuals, they became a team, never displayed better than in the pulsating draw against the Buchan players who were bigger, stronger, fitter and better drilled. There were many other highlights and many stunning tries, breathtaking tackles and great passes. The team just continued to develop. Squad: Sam Bayliss, Ivor Fetherstonhaugh, David Schofield, Archie Waterworth, Caspar Massey, Robert Ford, Jude Bedford, Charlie Jackson, Edward Peterson, Ned Warburton-Lee, Nick Yeoward, Daniel Humes, Gabe Connolly, Harry Swinburne. DR

Under 11B XII “Work is the price paid for reputation.” Baltasar Gracian

Played 7 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 3 For 190 Against 92 v St Mary’s Hall B (H) v Bromsgrove U10A (A) v Old Hall A (H) v Prestfelde B (H) v Ellesmere A (H) v Shrewsbury High A (H) v Yarlet A (H)

Won 26-15 Lost 10-20 Lost 0-19 Won 56-0 Lost 0-10 Won 42-21 Won 56-7

It snowed, it rained, fortress Packwood fell, fortress Packwood was rebuilt; this was a season of hard knocks and glimpses of a bright future. Roughly half of the team were Packwood Sevens Tournament: a year young, which in rugby Plate Winners terms can mean nothing or everything. It would be too easy to say that we beat our fellow B teams and fell foul of three A teams, but the Packwood Under 11Bs are always a tough bunch, we expect to make the tackle, we expect to keep the ball for most of the game, we expect to cross the white line, we expect the other team not to, we expect to dominate up front, we expect our backs to score, we expect our forwards to score. If Nelson was sending the command, he’d need a lot of flags. From the ballerina to the head hunter, from the terrier to the golden boot, from the sneaky scrum half to the link-man fly half and the impassable full back, from the brainy bulldozer to the ball-getting brothers, from the ugly forwards to the uglier backs, the bus trips might have been shorter this year, but the journey has been longer, we even got the cones out and learnt how to catch. Trust me; this journey has only just begun. Well done everyone for ‘doing your best to be your best’ and giving your all. Team: Johnnie Peel, Scott Walker (Capts), Dominic Ainslie, Alex Ainslie, Jude Bedford, Oliver Bureau, Felix Jebb, Rowan Pickstock, Harry Swinburne, Ollie Hall, Marcus Woodhead, Frank Morris, Linden Grigg, William Holcroft, Zak Nicholas, Ned Warburton-Lee, Morton Moss. NW

Under 11D XII Picture the scene: November, long bus trip, a cold wind, cold rain, boggy ground, brilliant opposition. Any sensible young chap would down tools, wouldn’t he? Or would he? This was very far from the soft underbelly of Packwood rugby. All the boys who played in our only match, even the frozen sub when brought on, played with panache, élan, sang-froid, every French word one could think of. The scrum may have been pushed back, the ball may have been dropped, possession may have been scarce, but not one boy flinched. There were some very brave, forthright tackles made, and all members of the team ran purposefully towards the areas where danger lurked. Yes, and Ben Cowley even sneaked over for a consolation try.

4th XV

Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 34 Against 20

Perhaps too often the talent of v St Mary’s Hall (A) Won 22-5 a year group is judged by the v Bromsgrove (H) Lost 12-15 performance of the high fliers at the top. Of course many congratulations are due to the First Game for their outstanding season; but quietly, down below, some stunning rugby was being played by the Second Game. From my point of view it is quite hard to define what the fourth fifteen is or was. For a start off, there was so much talent in what would have been the Third Game that we had to incorporate them into the Second Game. This resulted in us having third and fourth squads rather than teams, with many players putting in a performance and doing their bit for both the thirds and the fourths. Although the weather reduced the fourths to only two fixtures, a lot of good games were played “in house” against the thirds and come the Sixes matches, when everyone was chucked into the melting pot, I know that many of the prima donnas from the firsts were pleasantly surprised (or shocked) to discover what their mates from the lower game could do. Very well done chaps! Team: Matt White (Capt), Luke Williams, Rory Fergusson, James Long, Clement Rye, Patrick Haszard, Timmy Robinson-Boulton, Chan Kathuria, Thomas Tulloch, Henry Oak, Louis Martin, Simon Waterhouse, Eddie Myddelton, Jamie Chambers, Harri Holroyd, Thomas Simpson, Alex Wythe, George Hargrave, Patrick Ashall. NRJ

Under 11C XII

Played 4 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 137 Against 87

I suppose it had to come to an v Moor Park U11B (H) Won 42-14 end sooner or later, our v Bromsgrove U11B (A) Lost 38-42 unbeaten run that is. It is v Terra Nova U11B (H) Won 50-21 several years since the Under v Birchfield U11B (H) Lost 7-10 11C team lost a match, and I thought I would be a bit upset about it, especially as we lost to Under 11B teams, but I am not. The reason is simple, we lost to bigger and better teams on the day, but we gave an heroic effort each time, and the scores show how close we came to pulling off surprising wins. Both teams we lost to had a much bigger and faster team, and it was only our excellent attitude and technique that kept us in the match. Our tackling and rucking were as strong as ever this year, and once again we shoved much bigger boys off the ball, purely because we had great technique and were committed at the breakdown. Once the ball was won, we managed to get it wide and used the pace of our two excellent wingers to score several great tries. As I say every year, I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching these boys this year. They have all given 100% in both training and matches, and you can’t ask for more than that. They have made so much progress which is a real tribute to their effort and attitude. A great season and a true team effort.Well done. Squad: Jamie Channon, Ralph Furse, Piers Merison, Ned Moreau, Archie Mobbs, Ali Davies, James Hinwood, Tom Hughes, Adam Pattenden, Harry Myddelton, Owen Carroll, Sebastian Rathbone, Nat McAllister, Ben Cowley, Loris Pattinson. SAR Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 5 Against 40 There was a huge amount of v Bromsgrove U10B (A) Lost 5-40 enthusiasm shown in the practice sessions, so much so that it was difficult for Mr Rigby to decide who deserved a place in the next team up. The only shame was that with all the bad weather we could not play any more matches, to see the enthusiasm turned – yea – into the occasional victory. Squad: Loris Pattinson (Capt), Llyr Heyward-Jones, Piers Merison, Nat McAllister, Ben Cowley, Roly Hancock, Harry Myddelton, Sebastian Rathbone, Owen Carroll, Harry Griffiths. OJL Page 61

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 10

S P O R T: R U G B Y

Under 9A Played 5 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 150 Against 70 v Moor Park v Terra Nova v Birchfield v Prestfelde v Abberley

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

Lost Lost Won Won Won

20 - 35 15 - 25 65 - 5 25 - 0 25 - 5

Birchfield TournamentWinners v Birchfield Won v Abberley Won v Prestfelde Won

30 - 0 30 - 5 25 - 0

The Under 9A proved to be an excellent team this season. After a shaky start in our early matches before and just after the frosty Christmas period the squad developed into a formidable unit by Easter. The group rapidly improved on the basic skills of passing, catching and running with the ball. However, the main reason our performance improved so dramatically was that we were organised in defence and we played with a tremendous team spirit led very well by the captain, Jack Goodall. In the first two matches we played, the boys showed great spirit and the quality of our play was very good at times. In those early games we relied heavily on Maxwell Horler driving the team forward with his ball winning skills and powerful running. Sadly the Moor Park and Terra Nova teams had a little more experience at that stage and we struggled to

defend against the pace of their backs. After lots of work on the training pitches in February the boys seemed to grow in confidence and the uncertainty of previous matches vanished as we prepared for the next stage of the season. The last three fixtures were a delight for all coaches and parents who saw the team concede only two tries and score plenty. Jack Goodall and Harry Waterworth were our halfback combination whilst William StanfordDavis and Jonty Bright were well balanced centres. William Thompson, Francis McLaughlin and Robert Vick were our skilful and hard-tackling wings. The forward duties were shared between Edward Don, Maxwell Horler, Alfred Hughes and Nathan Mielczarek.

The Birchfield tournament gave the team the opportunity to show their worth, and they responded in excellent fashion, three comfortable victories ensured they came away as winners of the competition, having played some excellent rugby. Well done to all the boys who represented the team and it will be good to see how they progress in the next part of their rugby education with the Under 11 game next season.

determination to retain the ball and running over five tries!

despite the scarcity of matches, a rewarding and enjoyable season.

This final game, a victory against a small Abberley side, still showed up an area of weakness in the Packwood man-marking and tackling which will need to be addressed in order for these boys to reach even greater heights next season. Well done though to all for the good start made to the sport and,

Team: Gregor Montgomery (Capt), Nathan Mielczarek, Jacob Jones, Oliver Holcroft, Joe Pattenden, Murray Robinson-Boulton, Lawrence Rathbone, Francis McLaughlin, Kit Warburton-Lee, George Weston, Fred Stephens, George Clowes, Theo Blythe. RAC

Team: Jack Goodall (Capt), Harry Waterworth, William Stanford-Davis, Jonty Bright, William Thompson, Robert Vick, Francis McLaughlin, Edward Don, Edward Barry, Alfred Hughes, Maxwell Horler, Nathan Mielzarek, Jacob Jones. MAF

Under 9B Played 3 Won 1 Drawn 2 Lost 0 For 105 Against 90 v Moor Park v Prestfelde v Abberley

(A) (H) (H)

Drawn 15 - 15 Drawn 30 - 30 Won 60 - 45

This group of boys, virtually all of whom were new to rugby at the start of the year, progressed massively over the course of the season despite various interruptions for snow, holidays and football. All the matches were closely fought affairs as the scores suggest, and it was always a pleasure to see both sides run over a good number of tries on the small Under 9 pitches. The age group contains many hearty forwards who regularly held their own when battling for the loose ball: Mielczarek, Montgomery, Jones, Weston and Warburton-Lee gave us plenty of options when selecting the scrum. At scrum-half Holcroft proved a highly effective runner, scoring several tries and also served the backs with useful ball. Here McLaughlin (who also played for the As), Pattenden (a terrific tackler), Stephens (great all-round potential), Robinson-Boulton and Rathbone (both greatly improved) all ran well at the opposition and scored an impressive number of tries between them. Clowes and Blythe also played very well when picked for our final game, the latter dramatically revealing a late-season Page 62

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 11

S P O R T: R U G B Y

1st VII Played 34 Won 27 Drawn 2 Lost 5 For 682 Against 305 Terrington Hall Tournament Packwood Tournament Ellesmere Tournament Bromsgrove Tournament Moulsford Sevens Nationals

Plate Winners Semi- finalists Runners-up Plate Winners Winners Quarter-finalists

This season was another very successful one for the Under 13 VIIs squad. The boys worked very hard during the season and were able to apply many aspects of what was practised into match situations. We were fortunate to have a balanced squad in some mobile, strong

forwards with a skilful back line. We also had the advantage of many boys who were skilful enough to move easily between playing in the back line as well as the forwards. While there were many highlights of the Sevens season, two stand out for me in particular, the Moulsford Tournament and the National Sevens. At Moulsford, the boys did very well to see off some really strong opposition such as The Downs (twice) and Winchester House to be named as tournament champions. A great achievement! The boys also rose to the occasion at the prestigious National School Sevens where out of 64 participating schools we made it through to the final eight. To get

there we had to beat Cheltenham, which the boys did very convincingly, 31-17, after losing 5-45 to them at a previous tournament.

of the Plate competition, we came up against Sedbergh, and despite leading on two occasions in the match, the physical toll of a long afternoon’s Sevens proved to be too much and we allowed the game to slip from our grasp through one missed tackle. The most pleasing part of the afternoon was that the team tried very hard to play the game as it should be played, and enjoyed themselves tremendously in doing so.

manage a good victory against our local rivals, Prestfelde. Our exit from the tournament in the Plate semi-finals came at the hands of a useful Wilmslow High School side, who were simply too strong for us.

Many boys were part of the Sevens squad during the season and every single one played with guts and determination and were excellent sportsmen both on and off the field. I am proud of all of you. Well done boys! Team: Harry Schofield*, Stamos Fearnall*, Fergus Connolly*, Alfie Grocott*, Toby Mason*, Ed Beard*, Daishi Suzuki*, Rory Davies*, Ed Stubbs*, Jonty Schofield, Harry Jenkinson*, Anto Woodhead, Ollie Williams-Bulkeley, Ed Stanton*, Ed Hurle.* FMA

2nd VII Packwood Tournament Ellesmere Tournament

Plate Semi-finalists Plate Semi-finalists

As well as our normal outing at the Packwood tournament, we were invited to take part at Ellesmere after a late withdrawal: an extra bonus for the boys who were on the fringes of the first VII. Our own tournament provided very exciting moments, and some outstanding performances; these included a group stage win against Ellesmere A and a quarter-final victory against Prestfelde A. In the semi-final

The tournament at Ellesmere matched us against some very large sides, and the sheer power of our opposition was to be our undoing in two defeats. We did, however,

I am glad that the squad has played more Sevens than in normal years, and I cannot fault them for their tremendous attitude and determination. Well done. Squad: Archie Thomason, Andrew Tudor, Tom Baxter, Joe Davies, Anto Woodhead, Charlie England, Ed Stanton, Ed Hurle, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Oliver Tennant, Ed Dolphin, Thomas Marques. KJW

Colts VII As the XII-a-side season merged into the Sevens season, the squad was dealt a hammer blow – a year young winner of the Caldicott tournament was out for the entire season. Despite that the Sevens team still excelled. At the Packwood tournament they won some physical matches, gained revenge over St Mary’s Hall and almost caused a huge upset in the final. At Caldicott we were given the biggest compliment of all – everyone was talking about us. We were the perfect guests

and lost to the hosts in extra time due to a horrific bounce of the ball. At Moulsford there was the most astonishing comeback when the team was not only 21-0 down but also 28-14, but still prevailed due to nous, patience and being rather good. To win such a tournament is, of course a wonderful experience and one that every single boy listed below thoroughly deserved.

Tournaments Shrewsbury (Under 10) Packwood (Under 11) Caldicott (Under 11) Moulsford (Under 11) St Mary’s Hall (Under 11)

Semi-finalists Runners-up Quarter-finalists Winners Semi-finalists

Squad: Sam Bayliss, Ivor Fetherstonhaugh, Archie Waterworth, Caspar Massey, Nick Yeoward, Daniel Humes, Gabe Connolly, Harry Swinburne, Charlie Jackson, Robert Ford DR

Page 63

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 12

S P O R T: H O C K E Y

Hockey 1st XI Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 1 Against 3 v Moor Park v Ellesmere College

(H) (H)

Lost Won

Denstone Tournament

Winners

Packwood Tournament

3rd

0-3 1-0

Moor Park Tournament

3rd

Bromsgrove Tournament

4th

Ellesmere Under 12 Indoor Tournament

Runners-up

I have been at Packwood for twelve years and this was by far the worst winter I’ve experienced; many training sessions, particularly necessary with a young squad, and matches were lost to frozen pitches and snow. Our first match came against Moor Park, always a force, and they looked more comfortable on the ball, had a better sense of position and took their chances well. It was a good first outing and it helped the girls to appreciate just how much work we had to do and to experience the standard of hockey at this level. Charlotte Edwards, hockey captain, was a tremendous help; as a county player herself she was able to demonstrate skills and led from the front in every match, always conjuring something out of nothing. Her short corner routine was feared by many of our opponents.

2nd XI

We then set off on the road to many tournaments. First to Denstone College, who could forget the driving sleet? There were many tears as we lost the feeling in our hands due to the cold. Yet, we never gave up; we gritted out teeth and little by little won every game, beating Foremarke in the round robin final. At our home tournament we won our group comfortably but lost at the semi-final stage to a ‘golden goal’ – always a cruel way to go out. So far so good, a young squad, a few old heads and the combination seemed to be working. Flo Wade-Smith, Ruby Lavender and Tia Barlow were the pick of the younger girls. They were never fazed by the older more physical girls and certainly earned their places on merit. In goal I have to make a special mention of Evie Clutton, quietly she went about her work but oh so fearless and gutsy. She was the reason we did so well at the Bromsgrove tournament – many a compliment from other schools and coaches! Finally Mr Ford took off some Under 12 girls to the Ellesmere College indoor tournament. With very little practice and not really knowing what to expect he was delighted with their performances and the girls were very worthy runners-up. We played Ellesmere later in the season it was end to end stuff and a draw was looking the most likely outcome. However some good midfield work and clever passing allowed us a clear shot and there was no mistake – a goal and a win. I thoroughly enjoyed coaching this bunch of girls. There is an abundance of talent and the best news of all is that many are still around for next season. Many congratulations to Charlotte Edwards on making the West Midland squad, Evie Clutton on getting into the Midlands development squad and Holly Shaw, Fran Hughes, Flo Wade-Smith and Ruby Lavender on making the county hockey squad Team: Charlotte Edwards* (Capt) Evie Clutton*, Holly Shaw*, Ruby Lavender, Flo Wade-Smith, Tia Barlow, Antonia Wordie*, Fran Hughes, Saskia Humphreys, Poppy Carver, Sophie Mason, Thea Holt-Smith, Milla Harvey-Scholes, Maddie Hall, Antonia Brine, Anna Dodd, Dot Holt, Tara Beasley. KLP Page 64

The matches against Queen’s Played 4 Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 1 Chester and Abberley were For 12 Against 9 cancelled because of the snow v Moor Park (H) Won 4-1 so there was a reduced fixture list for the second XI this season. v Bromsgrove (H) Drawn 3 - 3 v Moreton Hall (H) Won 5-0 The team had a mixed bag of v Foremarke (A) Lost 0-5 results – they seem to have either drawn, lost by a lot or won by a lot. Whichever way you look at it there were plenty of goals in every match they played – always a real crowd pleaser. They played some good hockey schools and did really well to win against Moor Park and Moreton and to hold their own against Bromsgrove. Their undoing was the disappointing defeat against Foremarke. However, they came through it to fight another day. Well done girls! Team: Ella Downey, Dot Holt, Milla Harvey-Scholes, Anna Dodd, Flo Wade-Smith, Sophie Mason, Thea Holt-Smith, Maddie Hall, Poppy Carver, Jemima Price, Antonia Brine, Jess Clarke, Bea MostynOwen, Saskia Humphreys. GW

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 13

S P O R T: H O C K E Y

3rd VII

4th VII

Two further matches against Abberley and Queen’s Chester unfortunately had to be cancelled because of the severe weather.

Played 4 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 3 For 5 Against 13

Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 0 Against 3

v Bromsgrove

v Foremarke

(A) Lost

0-4

The thirds tried hard this year but they came v Moreton Hall (H) Won 5-0 up against some tough opposition such as v Ellesmere (H) Lost 0-2 Bromsgrove and Foremarke. Packwood was v Foremarke (A) Lost 0-7 gracious in defeat and I feel sure that the girls learned much from the experience of playing against stronger teams. I was very impressed with the way they never allowed their heads to go down and they kept on doing their best until the end. Team: Antonia Brine, Charlotte Dixon, Juliana Hinwood, Bea Mostyn-Owen, Dot Holt, Sophie Mason, Jess Clarke, Harriet Bibby, Sacha Robertson, Tara Beasley, Alice Rees, Ella Downey, Katie Bibby, Sofia Maldonado, Poppy Raichura. GW

(A) Lost

0-3

The scheduled match against Queen’s Chester was cancelled due to the weather and so the only match the fourths competed in was against tough opposition – Foremarke. However, they played well, never gave up and came out with some credit. Team: Emily Cooper, Olivia Hughes, Charlotte Dixon, Katie Bibby, Mollie Jamieson, Cassie Bedford, Poppy Raichura, Ceri Lloyd, Sofia Maldonado. GW

Under 11A A poor start to the season made us train harder to ensure the rest of the season was unbeaten!

Played 4 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 5 Against 8 v Moor Park v Lyndon Prep v Ellesmere v Foremarke

(H) (H) (H) (H)

Lost Won Won Won

0-8 1-0 3-0 1-0

The girls have made much progress with Rugby Tournament Group 1 Stage their hockey skills Foremarke Tournament 3rd Place individually and as a Medallists team, the big loss at the start of the season only made them more determined to get better – and they did!

A goal in the last minute of the Lyndon match seemed to give the girls the boost that they needed and they went into their next match against Ellesmere with positive attitudes. There were some impressive goals from Georgia Bibby, Amelia Tennant and Ellie Hutchings and the team was strong in defence too. Our most satisfying win of the season has to be against Foremarke who had previously beaten us 1-0 in the Foremarke tournament. It was a hard fought match against tough opposition, with some great defending from both teams. Our training in games lessons really paid off in this match with one particular move! All of the girls had been working hard to perfect the ‘’grass cutter’’ backward strike, a hard but impressive hand skill to master at their age...and that is exactly how Ellie Hutchings got our winning goal, set up by Amelia Tennant and Georgia Bibby, to give us a sweet victory against an extremely strong side. Our defence has proved to be our strongest asset this year, with Antonia Barlow-Evans and Jessie Hunt working tirelessly at the back as we struggled to get our attack to gel at the start of the season, and

they never gave up. Neither did our superstar goalkeeper Issy Wythe who saved some unbelievable shots this season. We have also had two reasonable successful tournaments where we reached the top group stage at Rugby and came away from Foremarke with third place medals. Unfortunately due to the snow the last two games were cancelled. All of the girls have worked hard to improve this season and I have been very proud of their efforts – well done girls and good luck for next year. Team: Isabella Wythe, Ellie Hutchings, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Jessie Hunt, Georgia Bibby, Amelia Tennant, Sophia Price, Alice Shone, Beth Cooper. SM

Under 11B It was a difficult term for the Under 11B team always playing such strong opposition and not having many games – unfortunately the weather meant their last two matches were cancelled. However the girls have enjoyed their hockey and have all improved. We started off with some very tough opposition away at Bromsgrove who were much the better team, and next came a very strong Moor Park B team. Not letting those results get them down, the girls continued to work hard in training to improve their skills individually and as a team. As a result of their hard work Molly Bruce and Laura Whittingham have both represented the A team this season, and Beth Cooper made herself a permanent fixture with the As earlier in the season, showing that hard work is rewarded!

We teamed up with Played 3 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 3 the Under 12B squad For 0 Against 14 for what would be v Bromsgrove (A) Lost our last match v Moor Park (H) Lost (thanks to the v Moreton Hall (H) Lost snow!) and had a closely fought competitive game against Shrewsbury High School.

0-7 0-5 0-2

Well done girls and the best of luck next year. Team: Beth Cooper, Laura Whittingham, Pip Vickers, Amber Gibbins, Clary Haynes, India Holt, Molly Bruce, Eliza Beckett, Rosie Clarke. SM

Page 65

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 14

S P O R T: H O C K E Y

Under 10A Played 5 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 23 Against 8 v Bromsgrove v Lyndon Prep v Ellesmere College v Foremarke v Shrewsbury High School

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

Lost Won Won Lost Won

0-2 8-0 7-0 3-4 5-2

The hockey season started with a challenging match against Bromsgrove. However, I realised from this match that this group of girls was a tough group who wanted to win and did not like losing! Needless to say for the second match against Lyndon Prep they came out onto the pitch determined to win and played well and hard until the final whistle. Ellie Mason and Lottie Clarke both constantly fought for the ball and when they got it, moved at speed to the attacking end and always took a strong shot at goal. Between the first and second match the girls had put in lots of practice time during games lessons. They had all worked on their ball skills and match play for many hours which was evident when they were playing together during the second match. A few days later the girls played Ellesmere College at home and carried on their winning streak. During this match all of them were taking more shots at goal and many were successful. Freya Beasley was playing out on the wing particularly well. She watched where the ball was and always got herself in the right place at the right time to receive the ball and take many shots at goal, scoring often. By this point in the term they were passing the ball around the pitch better and using all of the girls in the team. It was becoming very exciting to watch! The next game was against Foremarke. We knew this was not going to be an easy match

Under 10B

(A)

Lost

1-6

As the result of bad British weather most of the Under 10B matches were cancelled. However, they managed to play one match at the start of the hockey season against Bromsgrove. This was not an easy game but the girls played well throughout. They fought hard for the ball and kept going even when Bromsgrove were on a roll of scoring goals. A big thank you must go to our girls from the Under 9 age group who came up to play in this match. Under 10 squad: Annabel Robertson, Chloe Edwards, Freya Beasley, Ellie Mason, Lottie Hill-Trevor, Imogen Downey, Lottie Clarke, Talullah Blackham, Rosie Simpson, Theodora Jarvis, Romy Grigg, Louisa Jarvis, Olivia Moir, Zara Vickers, Georgia Kannreuther. CH Page 66

match against Shrewsbury High School. This was another successful game with all girls playing their hardest. For this game Annabel Robertson played out of goal – and was just as good! Goalkeeping duties were taken over by Imogen Downey and Theodora Jarvis who shared the position and both played superbly. The girls had a very successful term as a result of their own hard work, grit and sheer determination to win. Well done on a fantastic start to the sporting year! CH

Under 9

Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 1 Against 6 v Bromsgrove

and from the first whistle the girls fought hard for the ball. During this match all of the girls played some of their best hockey of the term. Annabel Robertson, our main goalkeeper, showed what an outstanding and gifted goalkeeper she really was. Foremarke took many, many shots at goal and Annabel kept saving them despite the freezing cold conditions. After the match many parents of Foremarke children commented on Annabel’s excellent performance. Towards the end of term the team played its final

The Under 9 team only had one hockey match this term, against Birchfield. After practising all of their hockey skills the girls were ready for a match. This term saw Lousia Jarvis wear a goalkeeper’s kit for the first time, Zephia Barlow-Evans and Sacha Sandbach played in defence while all the other girls put into practice their attacking, dribbling and shooting skills. The girls really tried hard this term and this was shown in the match. They were determined and pushed forwards as much as they could, but Birchfield kept finding the back of the goal. Zara Vickers earned herself player of the match because of her neat tackling and her brilliant dribbling skills.

Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 1 Against 4 v Birchfield

(A)

Lost

1-4

The girls really enjoyed their hockey and if there had been more matches, who knows what could have happened? Well done girls and good luck for next year! Team: Zephia Barlow-Evans, Sophia Bureau, Anna Cowan, Louisa Jarvis, Georgia Kannreuther, Olivia Moir, Seren Pattinson, Zara Vickers, Harriet Haynes, Sacha Sandbach. KE

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 15

S P O R T: N E T B A L L

Netball 1st VII Played 5 Won 5 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 99 Against 43 v Foremarke v Prestfelde v Wrekin v Shrewsbury High v Moor Park

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

Won Won Won Won Won

16 - 7 17 - 5 28 - 10 17 - 12 21 - 9

instead I use it as a platform to help me establish potential candidates for my senior squad the following term. It is fair to say that the girls were indomitable and I knew then that the aptitude and tenacity they displayed that day was just the beginning of something truly great.

Sedbergh Tournament Winners Under 13 Shropshire County Tournament Winners Cheltenham Ladies’ Under 13 Netball Tournament 3rd in group

Packwood organised the Shropshire Under 13 County Netball Tournament for the fourth year running. My sincere thanks are extended to Gail Wilkinson and Steph King for their help with I have sat and pondered long and hard trying to running the tournament and allowing me to focus on being a coach. I could draft an opening paragraph that could do write an article alone on the absolute justice to the first VII team. To exceptional standard of our play that encapsulate in words just what they have day, the maturity and relentless drive accomplished in an incredible and rewarding for success we showed and the admiration I season is virtually impossible. Both 2009 and felt watching the team pounding the court until 2010 brought unprecedented success but the the very final whistle; instead I will just say that first VII of 2011 really have firmly etched their Holly, Charlotte, ‘Briney’, Maddie, Milla, names into the history book as the most Saskia, Fran and ‘Wordie’, you truly are the successful Packwood senior netball team to supreme Under 13 netball team in Shropshire! date. Watching Holly raise the winning cup through Success at Sedbergh was fantastic and triumph tears of exhaustion and joy is a moment I will at the Under 13 Shropshire County tournament cherish for a very long time. Back in the for the second year was exhilarating but to summer of 2010, I saw a very special quality in finish the season as unbeaten champions is Holly Shaw and I knew she had the potential to phenomenal and a first, so as you can imagine, be a great captain. I was not disappointed and evokes an immense level of pride. she has been the finest first VII captain I have had the pleasure to work alongside. She has led The Sedbergh Netball Tournament was once her team with maturity and character and has again held in November and not during our exeat and so we could not enjoy the traditional supported them through the most incredible season. overnight stay. However, the girls graciously accepted the early start (with the help of Congratulations must be extended to three several bags of Haribo!) I always face this young ladies who were selected and attended tournament with very few expectations; the Shropshire Under 14 County Satellite

Academy. Holly Shaw, Charlotte Edwards and Maddie Hall were identified as talented athletes by a panel of highly experienced Shropshire and regional netball coaches. This is the most successful and gratifying netball season I have enjoyed during my nine years at Packwood. It is with genuine sadness that I say farewell; each player brought a spark of individuality that will be sorely missed and impossible to replace. It will be a very long time, if ever, that I see anyone replicate the incredible ‘Saskia Stretch!’ I thank each one for their dedication and memorable humour and wish them all every happiness and success for the future. Team: Holly Shaw (Capt) *, Antonia Brine *, Charlotte Edwards *, Maddie Hall *, Antonia Wordie *, Camilla Harvey-Scholes *, Saskia Humphreys *, Francesca Hughes*, Anna Dodd, Tia Barlow. LW

2nd VII School where we eventually came out victorious by only one goal.

Played 4 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 42 Against 18 v Terra Nova v Foremarke v Wrekin v Shrewsbury High School

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

Won Won Won Won

12 - 7 6-4 19 - 3 5-4

Under 12 Packwood Tournament 3rd Under 12 Shropshire County Tournament 3rd Under 12 Bromsgrove Tournament 4th

You have only to look at the results for the netball season to appreciate how well the seconds performed. Indeed within those fixtures were some schools well known for their high standard of netball. We got the season off to a really positive start with a 12-7 win against Terra Nova, followed by a close match against Foremarke and a comfortable win over Wrekin. Our last match was a nail-biter against Shrewsbury High

Some of the seconds also played in the Under 12 Packwood, County and Bromsgrove tournaments where they certainly did not disgrace themselves. The second team was made up of a formidable defence of Dot Holt, Anna Dodd and Tia Barlow, some very able centre court players such as Jess Clarke, Flo Wade-Smith and Ruby Lavender, and the two extremely reliable shooters of Thea Holt-Smith and Poppy Carver. All were ably captained by Dot Holt. I would like to thank Miss Willis for her coaching and encouragement and the girls themselves for making it such an enjoyable season. Well done! Team: Dot Holt (Capt), Anna Dodd, Tia Barlow, Jess Clarke, Flo Wade-Smith, Ruby Lavender, Thea Holt-Smith, Poppy Carver, Bea Mostyn-Owen, Tia Barlow, Juliana Hinwood. GW Page 67

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 16

S P O R T: N E T B A L L

3rd VII

Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 15 Against 6

The third team played some good netball 10 - 0 this term and made very pleasing progress v Terra Nova (H) Won v Wrekin (A) Lost 5-6 indeed. They had a most encouraging win over Terra Nova and a narrow defeat to Wrekin. I look forward to seeing how they progress next year. Some of them also played successfully in the Under 12 tournaments throughout the term. Team: Katie Bibby (Capt), Bea Mostyn-Owen, Jemima Price, Tara Beasley, Poppy Raichura, Ceri Lloyd, Ella Downey, Alice Rees, Juliana Hinwood, Anna Dodd. GW

4th VII

Played 1 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 35 Against 3

In their only match (A) Won 35 - 3 the fourths showed v Wrekin how much depth Packwood netball has got and they easily won against Wrekin. They should be justly proud of themselves. Team: Mollie Jamieson (Capt), Charlotte Dixon, Emily Cooper, Sacha Robertson, Olivia Hughes, Cassie Bedford, Harriet Bibby, Sophie Mason. GW

Under 11A Played 6 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 43 Against 52 v Moor Park v Terra Nova v Foremarke v Prestfelde v Old Hall v Lyndon Prep Prestfelde Tournament S. Anselm’s Tournament Rugby Tournament Bowl

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

Lost Won Won Won Lost Won

4 - 10 9-7 15 - 5 6-4 1 - 25 8-1

Plate Winners 4th Runners-up

The Under 11 A netball team has enjoyed a tough season and played some impressive netball.

Reflecting on our first match we managed to defend the ball well and pass neatly and quickly up the court to our own shooting circle but could not finish off as many shots as our opposition, despite still playing some very good netball. After working on our shooting skills we were able to secure three wins in a row, two of which were extremely close and well fought for by the girls. We had practised working the ball around the circle to gain a better shooting chance and scored some brilliant goals – that couldn’t have happened without the hard work of centre court or our defence. The ball was quickly and neatly played out of defence up to our shooters to give them the scoring opportunities. Our shooters took it upon themselves to practise in their free time and improved a great deal.

We had a disappointing game against Old Hall who are always strong but this year put out an extremely fine team who went on to qualify for the IAPS Nationals Under 11 Tournament, however their coach was extremely impressed with our circle defenders Isabella Wythe and Antonia Barlow-Evans, who worked tirelessly and never gave up, and she did joke about poaching them for that tournament! We were able to redeem ourselves in our last match to finish the season on a high, an impressive win for a very hard working squad. They have been keen netballers throughout the season and a pleasure to coach, well done girls. Team: Antonia Barlow-Evans, Isabella Wythe, Georgia Bibby, Jess Hunt, Ellie Hutchings, Alice Shone, Sophia Price, Amelia Tennant. SM

Under 11B The results from the few Played 3 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 3 matches the Under 11B team For 4 Against 27 has had this season do not (H) Lost 2-6 reflect how well the girls played v Old Hall 2-8 and how much they enjoy their v S. Anselm’s (A) Lost v Moor Park (A) Lost 0 - 13 netball. They are an extremely keen group of girls who have worked hard in games lessons practising their ball skills and movement up the court to get the ball to their shooter.

shooting stats were low the scores do reflect how well the team did defensively this season, in particular Laura Whittingham and Amber Gibbins, who have made some fine interceptions and worked together well to gain possession off some good attackers.

Despite a heavy defeat at the end of the season the other matches were very close, and well played by all members of the team. Although the

Team: Laura Whittingham, Amber Gibbins, India Holt, Pip Vickers, Rosie Clarke, Beth Cooper, Molly Bruce, Clary Haynes. SM

Molly Bruce’s shooting efforts and extra practice in games lessons enabled her to come and participate in the S. Anselm’s Tournament at the end of the season with the Under 11A squad. Well done girls, and good luck next year!

Under 10A The Under 10A team has enjoyed a successful netball term this year. They started with a close match against Moor Park early on in the term and a week later the girls were warmed up and ready to play against Foremarke. The girls went out onto the court fighting and wanting to win. They played some very good netball throughout the game. Their passing was accurate and they all moved around the court well. The two shooters, Amelia Peterson and Freya Beasley, were both on top form on the day managing to get the ball through the netball hoop easily. The next set of matches was played at the Bromsgrove Tournament. The first game against Warwick Prep was won easily and got our girls in the mood to play some good netball. The second match against Bromsgrove was much more of a challenge. Bromsgrove seemed to be able to move that bit quicker around the court compared to us and once their shooters had the ball it nearly always went through the Page 68

hoop. However, this was a good match for our girls to play as it made them all the more determined to win their next match, which they did. The player of the tournament was Ellie Mason for her sheer determination to get every ball in all of the matches. Next the girls came up against Old Hall. This was a great game to watch as both teams were evenly matched. Lottie Clarke stood out during this match as a very impressive Wing Attack who was constantly running all over the court in order to get the ball and send it up to our shooters who were eagerly waiting at our attacking end. At the final whistle the match was won by Old Hall but all of our girls should be very proud of their excellent play throughout. By the next match, against Lyndon Prep, the girls were playing some very good netball and playing well as a team. Freya Beasley was player of the match for her superb shooting throughout the game.

Played 8 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 3 For 51 Against 39 v Moor Park v Foremarke v Old Hall v Lyndon Prep v S. Anselm’s Bromsgrove Tournament v Warwick Prep v Bromsgrove v TDMCP

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

Lost Won Lost Won Drawn

5-6 12 - 6 5-7 13 - 2 5-5

2nd in group Won 8-0 Lost 0 - 11 Won 3-2

After a very, very long coach journey to the Peak District we arrived at S. Anselm’s for the Under 10A team’s last match. The match finished in a draw which reflected both teams’ equally good play. I would like to say well done to all of the girls who played in the Under 10A team throughout the term and good luck for next year! CH

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 17

S P O R T: N E T B A L L

Under 10B Played 3 Won 0 Drawn 1 Lost 2 For 2 Against 8 v Prestfelde v Old Hall v S. Anselm’s

(H) (H) (A)

Lost Lost Drawn

0-2 2-6 0-0

Unfortunately, the Under 10B team did not have many matches this year and the results do not tell the whole story. All girls in this team have improved enormously this year. Their first match against Prestfelde was very close

with the girls only losing 2-0. The next match against Old Hall was more difficult but the girls still managed to score two goals as a result of their quick passing on the court. The team’s last match against S. Anselm’s was their closest and most exciting to watch. After a very long journey the girls walked onto the court and were ready to play some of their best netball of the term. They all fought hard for the ball right from the first whistle. Unfortunately, it was just one of those days when the ball was not going

through the netball hoop! All of the girls in the Under 10B team should be very proud of the progress they have made throughout the term. Well done girls! Under 10 A and B squad: Annabel Robertson, Chloe Edwards, Freya Beasley, Ellie Mason, Lottie Hill-Trevor, Imogen Downey, Lottie Clarke, Talullah Blackham, Rosie Simpson, Theodora Jarvis, Romy Grigg, Amelia Peterson, Louisa Jarvis, Zara Vickers, Georgia Kannreuther. CH

Under 9 Played 3 Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 0 For 5 Against 2 v Prestfelde v Birchfield v Lyndon Prep

(H) (H) (H)

Birchfield Tournament

Won Drawn Won

2-0 1-1 2-1 2nd =

The Under 9s have had a fantastic netball term this year. The girls really seemed to bond well as a team and picked up the game of High 5 quickly. Our first match was against Prestfelde; this match also saw the Under 8s join us as we played three different matches and Georgiana Nicholas was chosen to play for the Under 9s. Both of our Under 9 teams won 1-0 with Sophia Bureau and Seren Pattinson scoring the goals; our Under 8 team drew 0-0. Our next match was against Birchfield; again we split the team in to two and with the help of Georgiana and with the brilliant captaincy of Sacha Sandbach we went on to draw one game apiece. We then played a tournament at Birchfield. Not only was this a first for the girls at this age but they also had to learn how to play 7-a-side netball! In the group round our first match was against Prestfelde which we lost 1-3, but the girls kept their heads high and went on to win the next two matches 3-0 (against Stafford Prep) and 3-1 (against Old Hall). These results took us through to the play offs where we met Old Hall again and this time drew 0-0 meaning we finished the tournament in joint 2nd

position. Throughout the tournament there was some fantastic shooting from Georgia and Sophia, but this would not have been possible without the hard work of Louisa, and Zara who played as our Centre and Wing Defence and Olivia and Zephia who played as our Goal Keeper and Wing Attack. Our last match of the term was against Lyndon Prep. This again was a 7-a-side game and the girls won 2-1. This match showed how they had all really improved throughout the term and they showed a great standard of netball for their age. Well done girls! Team: Zephia Barlow-Evans, Sophia Bureau, Anna Cowan, Louisa Jarvis, Georgia Kannreuther, Olivia Moir, Seren Pattinson, Zara Vickers, Sacha Sandbach, Harriet Haynes, Georgiana Nicholas. KE

Page 69

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 18

S P O R T: L A C R O S S E

Lacrosse Under 13A Played 14 Won 13 Drawn 1 Lost 0 For 100 Against 15 v Cheltenham Ladies’ (A) v St Helen & St Katharine (A) v Westonbirt (A) v Withington Girls’ (A) v Queen’s Chester (A) v Withington Girls’ U14 (A) v Moreton Hall (A) v Queen’s Chester (A)

Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won

12 - 0 6-2 9-2 8-0 10 - 0 7-3 14 - 3 13 - 1

Midlands Tournament v Godstowe v St Helen & St Katharine v Malvern St James v Prestfelde

Winners Won Drawn Won Won

3-2 1-1 6-0 5-1

Semi-final v Moreton Hall

Won

5-0

Final v Wycombe Abbey

Won

1-0

Unstoppable? Definitely! These results show how we carved our way to so many brilliant victories last season and often we had put ourselves under pressure playing tough opponents…Challenges are always good – they stretch us! Our season began with a tour. The first game was against Cheltenham Ladies’ College, who indeed made us work hard despite what the final score suggests. It showed our strengths and made us aware of what needed developing. We were strong in midfield and attacked well. Antonia Wordie’s fine “quick stick” goal will stay in my memory for a long time. The defence also looked promising with Holly Shaw and Saskia Humphreys’ speed and strength on the wings. St Helen & St Katharine were next to provide us with huge pressure. We worked mighty hard to be 3-1 up at half time. Our cutting around the goal improved and we finished on 6-2. It was tough but a great experience. We then played Westonbirt who proved to be more challenging than had been expected. Our drive and concentration had slackened off and we were only winning narrowly 3-2 at half time. However, the defence tightened up and the attacks did their work to end up with a good win. The tour had enabled many girls to make dramatic improvements and build confidence. It was also a fine exhibition of great lacrosse. Two weeks later we headed up to Withington where after a slow start we put together some better attacking play, especially around the goal. In November we played at Queen’s Chester. Our attacks played a balanced perimeter attack and our fast and reliable stick work made the game look easy. We then went back to Withington to take on their Under 14s! At first we were set back by their taller, stronger and faster girls. However, our 12 to their depleted squad of 10 enabled us to play “2 on 1” and close down their attacking drives. This Page 70

double-teaming often enabled us to get possession back and feed it to our fast-cutting attacks. Anna Dodd, in goal, played very competently, with a cool-head. A 7-3 win was more than we could have hoped for. Our match against Moreton Hall was a good opportunity to fill the team with confidence, take good catches, get a good flow going and work together in attack and defence before the Midlands Tournament. Were we ready? I really hoped so. Play began and it seemed really hard work with too many dropped catches. We only narrowly beat Godstowe and drew against St Helen & St Katharine. Then we had good wins against Malvern St James and Prestfelde and the right things were happening at last. We played and beat Moreton Hall in the semi-final, who proved to be a much improved side from a few weeks earlier. The final was against Wycombe Abbey. Antonia Wordie led her hard-working and slightly battered team very well from the front, with superb stick work and skill in midfield. Charlotte Edwards’ strong, determined and faultless performance was remarkable. A goal from her in the middle of the first half gave our girls the biggest incentive in defence to stop every driving attack from scoring. We held them off to win once again. Our defence showed no weakness and our attacks, even the less confident, rose mightily to the challenge. It was unbelievable! We wound the season up back at Queen’s again. In all my years at Packwood, I haven’t seen play like it around the goal area. The timing and speed of their cuts,

their awareness of space, the excellence of their stick work and the accuracy of their shots was first class – and all this from some girls who began the season only as average players. Certainly Sophie Mason and Antonia Brine were at their very best. It was a wonderful way to end the season and hardly surprising that I took the unprecedented step of awarding colours to every girl in the first team! Very well done girls. The girls’ and my great thanks go to Matron Sarah and the magical laundry ladies. They have travelled to “the ends of the earth” to share our fun and great moments, thank you all. Thanks also to those in the kitchen who have spent many hours putting together endless packed meals. Finally, we thank Phil Mold and his team of groundsmen. So I “close the book” on another season feeling that we have each played our part in so many rewarding experiences and above all, done our very best. Thank you everyone. Team: Antonia Wordie* (Capt), Anna Dodd*, Dot Holt*, Charlotte Dixon*, Milla HarveyScholes*, Fran Hughes*, Saskia Humphreys*, Holly Shaw*, Charlotte Edwards*, Antonia Brine*, Jess Clarke*, Maddie Hall*, Sophie Mason*, Thea Holt-Smith*. SD

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 19

S P O R T: L A C R O S S E

Under 13B / Under 12B with great determination all round.

Played 2 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 1 Against 22 v Prestfelde U13A v Prestfelde U13A

(H) (A)

Lost 1 - 8 Lost 0 - 14

I must apologise to the girls for not quite “getting it right” when it came to matching up the strength of their opponents. Prestfelde were a class team, on both occasions – sorry! Nevertheless, the girls knew what they were up against, and, undeterred, they made great efforts to contain the strong players. There were some fantastic moments of really good play,

In the November game, the play was really exciting to watch especially in midfield where Poppy Raichura, Katie Bibby and Sophie Mason worked like Trojans. It was also a great achievement to have seven complete beginners play their first match. And in the Spring game, Emily Cooper’s play in goal was remarkable. Midfielders Juliana Hinwood, Sofia Maldonado and Charlotte Dixon fought hard. Undoubtedly these girls have worked immensely hard this season and so many in the group are now becoming very capable players.

Unfortunately, the results of their matches do not reflect this, but they have all given me great pleasure by their efforts and have all come a long way. Well done girls! Team: Katie Bibby, Poppy Raichura (Capts), Amelia Tomkinson, Cassie Bedford, Sophie Mason, Evie Clutton, Sofia Maldonado, Charlotte Dixon, Maya Leavey, Mollie Jamieson, Himawari Nishida, Chanida Dhooghe, Hermione Bathurst,Irene Carrera, Ceri Lloyd, Juliana Hinwood, Ana Rodriguez. SD

Under 12 Played 12 Won 6 Drawn 2 Lost 4 For 53 Against 27 v Withington Girls’ v Withington Girls’ U13 v Moreton Hall v Queen’s Chester

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

Won Drawn Lost Won

10 - 1 4-4 4-8 8-0

Midlands Tournament v St Helen & St Katharine v Wycombe Abbey v Pipers Corner

3rd= Won Lost Won

2-1 2-3 6-1

Semi Final v Bedford High

Lost

1-3

Packwood Tournament v Cheltenham Ladies’ College v Packwood B v Moreton Hall v Queen Margaret’s York

Bronze medallists Lost 1-3 Won 5-0 Won 7-0 Drawn 3-3

In this year of play the girls needed to consolidate their skills, become dependable and learn very important game strategies. They also had to develop the concentration to take control of the game and play as a team. All this took a fair bit of doing but, as you will find out, we got there in the end! We had two fixtures against Withington Girls’ School. The first was a straightforward game, with our girls being the more experienced. Tia Barlow and Flo Wade-Smith took control in attack, but play around the goal was rather crowded so that it was difficult to cut, catch and shoot. The second game was more challenging and against Withington’s Under 13 team. The girls played hard, but found it difficult to contain the faster attacks. However, Tia and Flo were strong in attack and drawing 4-4 was a good result. Unfortunately, the frost and snow cancelled our match against Moreton Hall, but we played them on the first Saturday back in January. This was a rather disappointing performance and we were unable to work together to stop the fast, driving Moreton attacks. Two busy weeks of practice followed and we were slowly improving. The Midlands Tournament in Bedford was to provide more learning experiences. We enjoyed good wins against St Helen & St Katharine and Pipers

Corner, but better organised teams, with tighter stick work left us finishing in equal 3rd place. We went back to the drawing board, and worked on some important positional changes and drilled the attacks to pass the ball to each other. We were tested mightily against two of the strongest teams ever to come to our Packwood Under 12 tournament. The first was Cheltenham Ladies’ College. We won every centre draw and had most of the possession, but wasted shots on goal and held onto the ball for too long. Confidence grew as we played and won against Packwood B and then Moreton Hall. Thankfully much had improved since January! Queen Margaret’s York, were the second tough team of the day. We fought back from 1-3 to 3-3 proving we had learnt to harness fast attacks by defending as a team – hooray! Tara Beasley was now strong enough to play on the wing with fast Poppy Carver. Tia Barlow, Alice Rees and Bea Mostyn-Owen were to concentrate on goal scoring. Harriet Bibby and Jemima Price were quick and determined on the wing, with Ella Downey, Ruby Lavender, Sacha Robertson, Olivia Hughes and Esther McLaughlin all competing for straight defence positions. We finished the season at Queen’s with the plan to “do the simple things really well.” It

paid off. Flo was, as always, superb in the centre and worked well with Tara on the wing. All the final positional changes were right at last. Things were, I thought to myself, looking a lot better for next year and certainly the harder we practise, the luckier we’ll get! The Under 12 Bs played like Trojans in the Packwood tournament. Despite not winning any games, they remained cheerfully determined to the end and relished the challenges. Emily Cooper played superbly in goal and was an excellent captain. Several promising Under 11 players swelled the ranks, with Georgia Bibby and Amelia Tennant showing fine potential. Under 12A team: Cassie Bedford, Bea MostynOwen, Olivia Hughes, Esther McLaughlin, Sacha Robertson, Harriet Bibby, Ella Downey, Flo Wade-Smith, Tia Barlow, Tara Beasley, Alice Rees, Jemima Price, Ruby Lavender, Poppy Carver, Emily Cooper. Under 12 B Team: Emily Cooper, Irene Carrera, Ana Rodriguez, Juliana Hinwood, Chanida Dhooghe, Hermione Bathurst, Maya Leavey, Laura Whittingham, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Isabella Wythe, Georgia Bibby, Jess Hunt, Amelia Tennant, Alice Shone, Sophia Price, Ellie Hutchings. SD

Page 71

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 20

S P O R T: L A C R O S S E

Under 11 Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 1 Lost 0 For 8 Against 3 v Prestfelde v Moreton Hall U12

(H) (A)

Won 6 - 1 Drawn 2 - 2

The girls can’t wait to play their first game with tackling. I, however, absolutely dread it! No matter how much I emphasise the need for control, there are always frantic, wild and upward checks, and then loss of our goal-side defending position – the worst sin of all. But, like a lot of skills, the girls have to find out for themselves the best tactic for success.

We umpires thought it best to coach and encourage our girls when we played this first game. “Hold the body!” I found myself shouting, as they came running towards us, only to see more big swipes that missed the stick and luckily, the opponent’s head! After a few more grillings, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Issy Wythe and Laura Whittingham all got the measure of things. Prestfelde worked us hard and made us aware of how we needed to improve our stick work. Moreton Hall’s Under 12’s tested us too. They had good control with their sticks and were fast. Our match experience proved valuable, whereas Moreton’s correct stick work was their

strength. It was a really close game, ending in a 2-2 draw. Many of the Under 11 girls played in the Under 12B team at our tournament in February. It was superb experience with Jessie Hunt, Georgia Bibby, Amelia Tennant and Alice Shone working really hard in the midfield. Team: Georgia Bibby, Beth Cooper, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Molly Bruce, Laura Whittingham, Issy Wythe, Jess Hunt, Amelia Tennant, Sophia Price, Alice Shone, Rosie Clarke, Clary Haynes, Amber Gibbins, Ellie Hutchings, Eliza Beckett, India Holt, Pip Vickers. SD

Under 10 The girls made a Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 1 Lost 0 good transition from For 19 Against 15 pop sticks to field v Prestfelde (H) Won 8-4 sticks, finding it easy v Prestfelde (A) Drawn 11 - 11 to catch and throw. The finer skills of keeping the cradling going, especially while picking up the ball, would prove to be more difficult. They made a fine start against Prestfelde in November, when they linked together some lovely passes and scored some thrilling goals. Ellie Mason pushed most of the centre draws out to Freya Beasley, with Talullah Blackham and Annabel Robertson quickly gaining confidence. Down at our defending end, Imogen Downey was brave, strong and fast. She was well backed-up by Chloe Edwards and Lottie Hill-Trevor. It was an immensely good win against a mostly Under 11 side and potentially this group of girls looked very exciting. Unfortunately, snow and ice cancelled the girls’ match against Moreton Hall, but milder weather in January enabled us to play again at Prestfelde. The score was very tight throughout the game, with Packwood slightly ahead. A little more disciplined and strong goal-side defending was needed to keep the opposition from getting to their goal, but Under 11 girls are not easy to stop!

Well done girls, you have the makings of a splendid team, with determination written all over you! Team: Rosie Simpson, Lottie Hill-Trevor, Chloe Edwards, Romy Grigg, Imogen Downey, Ellie Mason, Freya Beasley, Lottie Clarke, Talullah Blackham, Annabel Robertson, Theodora Jarvis, Amelia Peterson. SD

Under 9 Played 4 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 2 For 40 Against 38 Under 9A v Prestfelde Under 9B v Prestfelde Under 9A v Prestfelde Under 9B v Prestfelde

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

Lost Lost Won Won

9 - 13 6 - 11 13 - 8 12 - 6

All of our Under 9s and Under 8s played in two 5-aside games against Prestfelde. Neither our As or Bs were familiar with playing this type of game on a very small pitch, so the first experience in November was very much a learning one. The A team was only two goals down at half time (when I had to leave them to umpire for the Bs). The B team was then 15 down, but massively improved to score five more goals in the second half – unfortunately, Prestfelde also scored five! It was a very exciting contest.

Page 72

By January, the penny had certainly dropped! Our girls showed that they knew how to hold the upper hand! It was such a turn around for both the A and B teams. The As had strong and fast defenders – Olivia Moir and Louisa Jarvis whose safe stick work turned many ground balls to our possession. Then the drive in attack from Zara Vickers was very exciting. She was well supported by Georgia Kannreuther, Sophia Bureau and, in the second half, Georgiana Nicholas. A narrow lead of 7-5 midway extended to be a very comfortable 13-8. The B team girls subbed on and off but were also very focused. They knew every ball had to be won. It was quite remarkable how individual girls’ performances (even the most timid and polite!) were seen to rise with confidence and determination – way above any of my expectations. Zephia BarlowEvans, Evie Connolly, Kezzie Hutchings and

Tommy Jarvis were tough little defenders. Sacha Sandbach linked well with some great catching and scooping up to feed to Alice Hughes, Anna Cowan, Honor Grocott and Seren Pattinson who so enjoyed popping the ball in the net! A very large and supportive group of parents enjoyed cheering and encouraging the team to a tight 4-3 lead at half time, which rose to a fantastic 12-6 at the final whistle. All the girls in both teams (and myself!) were pretty pleased; we knew it was a great achievement! Under 9A team: Kezzie Hutchings, Louisa Jarvis, Olivia Moir, Georgia Kannreuther, Zara Vickers, Georgiana Nicholas, Sophia Bureau. Under 9B team: Sophia Bureau, Tommy Jarvis, Evie Connolly, Zephia Barlow-Evans, Sacha Sandbach, Alice Hughes, Honor Grocott, Seren Pattinson, Anna Cowan. SD

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 21

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

Cricket 1st XI

Played 10 Won 7 Tied 0 Drawn 2 Lost 0 Abandoned 1 v St Mary’s Hall Packwood

It has been a wonderful season for the 1st XI and while it has been successful there are far more important things than winning. Cricket is the ultimate team game. Children need to enjoy and understand it and all of its many facets. Particularly fielding – at the start of the season we dropped seven catches against SMH, by the end of the season stunning catches were being made on a regular basis. The boys played with a smile on their faces. The captain’s job was to think about his team and the individuals within it; a precious skill that Matt White performed well. This year’s 1st XI listened so well, practised so well and thought so much that at times the opposition were made to look, to the uneducated eye, a poor outfit. This was rarely the case. Many a

time the team came up against players of much higher quality, power or skill but who were not allowed to display it.

Our first home fixture, against a Shrewsbury Under 14 team, proved to be the most memorable of all. Both sides found the Under 11 square rather slow for them, and the match became a battle of nerves after Shrewsbury rearranged their order in pursuit of a modest 56 all out. Tudor steamed in, radar well-adjusted, and took two wickets before tea. He later combined with Stanton (three wickets) and Oak (two) – who bravely brought himself on at the end – to polish Shrewsbury off with just a

Drawn

v Shrewsbury School U14C(H) 108 all out Packwood 111 for 4

Won by 3 runs

v Foremarke Packwood

(H) 137 for 1 112 for 9

Drawn

v Abberley Packwood

(A) 151 all out 170 for 9

Won by 19 runs

v Sedbergh Packwood

(A) No innings 84 for 7

Abandoned

v Prestfelde Packwood

(A) 151 for 5 166 for 6

Won by 15 runs

v Shropshire Packwood

(H) 55 all out 56 for 1

Won by 9 wickets

v NE Wales Packwood

(H) 72 for 8 76 for 2

Won by 8 wickets

v Birchfield Packwood

(A) 136 for 4 137 for 5

Won by 5 wickets

v Shrewsbury High Packwood

(H) 44 all out 152 for 9

Won by 108 runs

There were disappointments along the way: being knocked out of the JET, too much rain, too many injuries - the list goes on. But the boys did not make excuses, they simply played cricket properly and that is why they won so many matches and the Malvern tournament, again. Individuals should be mentioned but space is limited. The best players got their glory during the season, and every player deserves credit in equal measure. It was a pleasure to coach them and there were many highlights. Perhaps the biggest one of all was the fact that every single leaver can move on knowing that they were part of a very good side that was successful and improved throughout the season. Team: Matt White* (Capt), Charlie Cooke*, Harry Schofield*, Toby Mason*, Fergus Connolly*, Ed Stubbs, Anto Woodhead, Daishi Suzuki, Ed Beard*, George Hargrave*, Jonty Hall, Eddie Thomson, Chan Kathuria, George Burrell (scorer) DR

2nd XI The second XI enjoyed a season of mixed fortunes. We had a nicely balanced side of top and second year boys, several of whom should go on to represent the school at a higher level next year. Our first match, on a typically windy square at St Mary’s Hall, produced arguably our best batting performance of the season. A team effort gave us a decent score of 150 thanks to useful knocks from Jenkinson (29), Schofield (29) and Tudor (24). Having declared at tea the match seemed headed for a draw until, after Dorrell had opened the door with the first wicket, Myddelton bowled 3 wicket maidens with his skiddy medium pace. At 6.15pm however, it was time for home with a winning draw.

(H) 145 for 7 168 for 8

Played 6 Won 2 Drawn 2 Lost 2 boundary to spare. Our first win had emphasised the importance of sound fielding, even more important on the small ground at Foremarke. Our decent total here was thanks to Tudor (31) batting through with Grocott (30) for the ninth wicket to rescue us from 75 for 8. In reply the wickets were shared, including two for off-spinning prodigy Woodhead, to bowl the hosts out 30 runs short.

v St Mary’s Hall Packwood

(A) 93 for7 (Myddelton 4-8) 151 for 6 Drawn

v Shrewsbury U14D(H) 52 all out (Tudor 4-2) Packwood 56 all out

Won by 4 runs

v Foremarke Packwood

(A) 115 all out 146 all out

Won by 31 runs

v Abberley Packwood

(H) 59 for 6 58 all out

Lost by 4 wickets

v Sedbergh Packwood

(H) 127 for 4 126 all out

Lost by 6 wickets

v Prestfelde Packwood

(H) 85 for 7 147 for 6 (Stanton 47)

Drawn

The batting collywobbles recurred against a strong Abberley side, as Packwood were skittled out for just 58. Three wickets for Tudor were not enough to stop them overhaul our meagre total. The next match against Sedbergh, the first of its kind, was another close and enjoyable one. Packwood’s total of 126 for 8 declared was built upon Stanton’s successful promotion as a highly patient opener – he was to score an excellent 47 in our final match. As the overs dwindled Sedbergh upped their chase to steal a deserved victory in

the final over. Packwood were not so fortunate in their final match, running out of time to bowl out Prestfelde after they batted on after tea. Despite this our solid captain Oak juggled his bowlers imaginatively throughout the season and managed to communicate in the squad a love for the game; long may their enjoyment of it continue. Squad: Henry Oak (Capt), Harry Jenkinson, Jonty Schofield, Leo Sartain, Andrew Tudor, Ollie Clarke, Alfie Grocott, Oliver WilliamsBulkeley, Edward Myddelton, Chris Dorrell, Edward Stanton, Anto Woodhead, Daishi Suzuki. RAC Page 73

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 22

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

3rd XI Over the many years that I have been fortunate enough to take the third eleven for cricket there have been many exciting games and a number of unforgettable incidents. This season’s most exciting match was the final game of the season against Moffats where we chased a score of 113. With two overs left we were nine wickets down and needed four runs to win. It was a magnificent moment when Oliver Tennant swept the second ball of the over to the boundary to finish in style a great game in which every member of the team contributed.

Jamie Moir

Played 6 Won 3 Drawn 1 Lost 2 v St Mary’s Hall (A) 49 all out Packwood 161 for 7 Won by 112 runs v Foremarke Packwood

(H) 98 for 8 197 for 9 Drawn

v Abberley Packwood

(A) 115 for 4 114 all out Lost by 6 wickets

v Sedbergh Packwood

(H) 52 all out 212 for 2 Won by 160 runs

v Prestfelde Packwood

(A) 115 for 2 114 all out Lost by 8 wickets

The unforgettable incident was of course v Moffats (A) 113 for 5 dec Jamie Moir’s amazing over against Sedbergh Packwood 114 for 9 Won by 1 wicket in which he clean bowled six of their batsmen encouraged and to change the score from 48 for 2 to 48 for 8. It has been the subject of much debate as to whether this is a ‘totally unique’ achievement or supported each other equally whether we just ‘fairly unique’ but I am confident that nobody who witnessed it were winning or losing. Secondly the great support from parents who will ever see such a thing again. took an interest in not only their own children but in all of those who There were many other notable individual achievements during the played in the team. My thanks to the players, parents, grounds staff season including innings of 67 by Barney Preece, 32 and 33 by Archie and suppliers of tea who all contributed to such a fine summer term’s Fetherstonhaugh, 76 by Jamie Moir (you just can’t keep that boy out cricket. of the news) and a gritty 58 from Ed Hurle. Team: Barney Preece (Capt), Jamie Moir, Edward Hurle, However, great though these things were, in my view there were two Bertie Jenkinson, Stamos Fearnall, Archie Fetherstonhaugh, much more important things which made this season both Jamie Chambers, Louis Martin, Guy Morris, Timmy Robinsonmemorable and enjoyable. The first was the spirit of the team who Boulton, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Oliver Tennant. FRH

4th and 5th XI The 2B game was made up of a lot of enthusiastic boys, mostly from the 2s. They were keen to improve their skills, and I noticed that many of them spent hours in the nets in their free time. The result was that we had a very strong 4th XI, improving all the time. Until our last match against Prestfelde, the boys had gained three dominant victories. Prestfelde however matched our ability, and it would have been a closer finish had the 4th XI been cooler at the beginning of their innings and avoided their best batsmen all being run out at the start! Thomas Tulloch was a real all rounder, a stylish batsman, and an accurate and reliable bowler. Patrick Ashall was our best fielder, and an elegant batsman. Fergus David’s bowling and batting was improving in great strides all year, and by the end he was one of the best players in the team. Jay Jackson,

Ed Dolphin, Tom Baxter and Rory Fergusson, all had a good eye and could hit the ball a long way. Ed Dolphin scored the highest score of 75, while Scott Hatton took five wickets in an innings against Abberley. Harri Holroyd, Tom Marques and Charlie England all contributed to a successful season.

Played 5 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 2 v St Mary’s Hall (A) 61 all out Packwood 4th XI 127 for 5 (Dolphin 75)Won by 66 runs v Foremarke (A) 66 all out Packwood 4th XI 119 all out

Won by 53 runs

v Abberley (H) 62 all out Packwood 4th XI 162 for 6 (Morris 51) Won by 100 runs v Prestfelde (H) 151 for 7 dec Packwood 4th XI 104 all out

Lost by 47 runs

The 5th XI had just one match v Birchfield 2nd XI (H) 107 all out against Birchfield 2nd XI. They Packwood 5th XI 65 all out Lost by 42 runs bowled and fielded magnificently, getting their mighty seconds out for 107. Tod Supornpaibul was the star bowler. Only introduced to the game this year, he ripped the heart out of their top order. Joe Davies, Rory Davies and Gideon Turner also impressed. Squad: Will Bayliss, Thomas Marques, Charlie England, Fergus David, Edward Dolphin, Jay Jackson, Patrick Ashall, Thomas Tulloch, Tom Baxter, Scott Hatton, Rory Fergusson, Harri Holroyd, Joe Davies, Rory Davies, Gideon Turner, Tod Supornpaibul. RHC

6th XI Packwood turned out a sixth XI this year, to ensure once again that all pupils had the chance to represent the school in a derby fixture against Prestfelde. Our opponents brought a well-organised side and managed to score an impressive 123-4 off their 20 overs.Well-directed bowling from Ben Ricks, James Long, Clement Rye and Felix Thomas-Davies for Packwood, however, meant that the score was not unreasonable on the small Game 2 square. After tea Packwood impressed their temporary coach in response by keeping up with the required rate, although regularly losing wickets. The innings was held together though by Robert Waterhouse playing an important captain’s knock (22), batting through until Ben Ricks, at number 6, started to find the boundary (including a couple of 5s through overthrows as the pressure mounted). He was sensibly Page 74

supported at Played 1 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 0 the death by v Prestfelde (H)123 - 4 Clement Rye Packwood 126 - 8 (Ricks 43 not out) Won by 2 wickets as, back from a short retirement, Ricks knocked off the runs with some well-timed stroke play and nine balls to spare. The happy result aside, it all proved a highly enjoyable 20-20 fixture in which all players on both sides were thoroughly involved with either bat or ball. Team: Robert Waterhouse (Capt), Rory Carter-Motley, Hugh Davies, Bentley Moss, James Long, Ben Ricks, Thomas Simpson, Clement Rye, Felix Thomas-Davies, Luke Williams, Simon Waterhouse. RAC

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 23

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

Under 11A

Team: David Schofield (Capt), Archie Waterworth, Oscar Holt, Daniel Humes, Nick Yeoward, Frank Morris, Archie Mobbs, Gabe Connolly, Dominic Ainslie, Caspar Massey, Felix Jebb.

We had no Olympian hopes for this team as the season commenced, and were expecting to win some, draw some and lose some. In the event a huge wealth of raw talent and fighting spirit led to commendable success. Early on it seemed to be the Waterworth and Humes show, and indeed Archie Waterworth’s scores of 91, 100 and 84 not out, plus a 56 were huge for this level. Daniel Humes was meanwhile stepping in with his own triumphs, scores of 59, 40, 39, 34 not out, 32 and 30. This meant that in the earlier contests few others had time to express themselves. The tournaments at Malvern, Shrewsbury and Solihull required collective responsibility, however, and there was some magnificent batting from beefy David Schofield, Nick Yeoward and Frank Morris, with gritty defence from Archie Mobbs, Gabe Connolly and Dominic Ainslie, without which we would certainly not have enjoyed the success we did. In the bowling department there was no outstanding performer, but so many could bowl well that some could succeed when others failed. With pace from Dan Humes, Archie Mobbs, Felix Jebb, Gabe Connolly, subtlety from David Schofield, Archie Waterworth and Dominic Ainslie, and total unpredictability from the occasional Frank Morris and Oscar Holt, almost all could contribute. The only omission here is Caspar Massey, a raw but improving allround cricketer. A real strength of this team, though, was its fielding, with superb efforts in the tournaments, where small-sided teams have to cover so much ground. The alertness, enthusiasm and speed to the ball cost many opponents dear, and in one or two of the matches this excellence was a vital ingredient in the face of classy opposition. The fielding, for example, in the final of the Hardball

Competition against the Warwickshire number 4 batsman, the cleanest under 11 hitter I have seen, was so demoralising that, with the long boundaries, fours were turned into twos by gazelle-like outfielding. He finally became so frustrated that he perished trying to clear the ropes, which led to a costly spate of wickets and victory for us. Individual champagne moments of the season? Waterworth’s century against Old Hall; Holt’s superb reflex catch at Prestfelde; Mobbs leaping skyward to catch a Yarlet danger man; Morris’s breathtaking six when told to play carefully in that brilliant run chase against Sedbergh;

Ainslie’s astonishing spell at Prestfelde; Humes’ non-stop jabber-jabber from the fine leg boundary; defeat off the last ball in the ESCA National Finals against Rokeby, the eventual winners, as the result of an inch-tight run-out. This was a delightfully keen group of boys. Nobody could call them classical in their stroke play or massively penetrative with the ball, but they seemed to rise to every challenge with grit and boundless determination, willing themselves to victory. All the boys were a joy to coach, and the season will live on for a long time in the memory of all who partook, coached or supported. OJL

Played 8 Won 7 Drawn 1 Lost 0 v St Mary’s Hall (H) 50 all out Packwood 187 for 3 dec. (Waterworth 91 not out, Humes 59)

Won by 137 runs

v Old Hall Packwood

(H) 78 all out (Ainslie 4 for 10) 200 for 4 dec (Waterworth 100 not out, Humes 40, Schofield 23) Won by 122 runs

v Foremarke Packwood

(H) 87 all out (Mobbs 4 for 12) 88 for 5 (Humes 39)

Won by 5 wkts

v Abberley Packwood

(A) 101 for 6 (25 over match) 102 for 4 (Humes 34 not out, Schofield 31)

Won by 6 wkts

v Sedbergh Packwood

(H) 180 for 2 dec 181 for 5 (Waterworth 84 not out, Humes 30, Morris 20 not out)

Won by 5 wkts

v Prestfelde Packwood

(A) 28 all out (Ainslie 4 for 0) 108 all out (Waterworth 56)

Won by 80 runs

v Birchfield Packwood

(A) 76 for 4 88 for 8 dec

Drawn

v Yarlet Packwood

(H) 20 all out (Mobbs 4 for 7) 177 for 7 dec (Schofield 39, Yeoward 34, Humes 32)

Won by 157 runs

Malvern Tournament (8-a-side)

Winners

Shrewsbury Super 12 Tournament (8-a-side)

Winners

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

Winners

Hardball Tournament Nationals Finals Day at Repton (8-a-side)

5th out of 512

Page 75

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 24

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

Under 11B

What an excellent season it has been for the Under 11B team, not just in the fact that the team was undefeated but also because every player contributed to the team’s success with bat or ball (and often both!) As ever at this level a lot of work was put in at the nets, working on the boys’ bowling, finding out their ‘stock’ delivery and then trying to produce consistency in both line and length. On two occasions during the season all of the outfielders bowled against the opposition such was the standard of the bowling. Any boy, at any time, was capable of producing a devastating spell and the wickets were shared out evenly. Against St Mary’s Hall, after a good knock from Nick Yeoward and Felix Jebb, both of whom would be destined to move to the A team, our bowlers picked off the opposition at regular intervals. We also looked pretty sharp in the field and had four run outs. The game against Old Hall, our only limited overs match, was a very turgid affair on a pitch with enormous boundaries and quite long grass. In fact nearly 200 runs were scored and the ball didn’t cross the boundary once! The following week versus Foremarke was the exact opposite – boundaries galore, especially from Charlie Jackson, who, although he rode his luck slightly, played some excellent strokes on his way to 53 not out. At 102 for one Foremarke was looking good but up popped Zak Nicholas and took the vital wicket of their big hitter after which Ollie Hall bowled superbly picking up five wickets for only four runs! Continually growing in confidence we played Abberley next and, as happened time and again throughout the season, when one person failed, others would step in. This time with the bat Robert Ford reached an unbeaten 50, ably assisted by William Holcroft and the total was comfortably protected by some tight, straight bowling. Prestfelde next and an impressive total posted before tea with Tom Hughes and Robert Ford sharing a lively and entertaining partnership. Our bowling, again, was excellent and led this time by Charlie Jackson who only conceded one run off his spell. We had been put in to bat (or chose to bat first) in every game thus far and the general pattern was to lose a quick wicket and then somebody would dig in and set us up nicely. Ollie Hall’s turn this time with a solid 37 again gave us a good target to bowl at against Birchfield but their wickets tumbled quickly and three for four from Jamie Channon’s leg-spin brought the game to an early end. Page 76

Played 7 Won 7 Drawn 0 Lost 0 v Old Hall Packwood

(A) 84 for 4 102 for 6

v St Mary’s Hall Packwood

(H) 55 all out 169 for 7

v Prestfelde Packwood

(A) 41 all out 155 for 7

v Foremarke Packwood

(A) 124 all out (Hall 5 for 4) 157 for 3 dec (Jackson 53)

v Abberley Packwood

(H) 98 all out (Nicholas 2 for 3) 148 for 9 dec (Ford 50) Won by 50 runs

v Birchfield Packwood

(A) 36 all out (Channon 3 for 4, Swinburne 2 for 2) 143 for 9 dec (Hall 37) Won by 107 runs

v Shrewsbury High A (H) 131 all out Packwood 132 for 7

Won by 18 runs (Jebb 2 for 0) Won by 114 runs (Ford 33)

(Massey 50)

Won by 114 runs Won by 33 runs

Won by 3 wickets

The success of our A team meant that we gained a fixture against Shrewsbury High School A and it would prove to be a very good test. Our bowlers had to be accurate as they had a couple of very nice batsmen. Similarly, their bowling was good and we earned a last over victory because of some very measured and intelligent batting set up by a great unbeaten knock of 50 by Caspar Massey. There was always a terrific team spirit throughout the season and it was very noticeable how the success of others was celebrated as much as the individuals. Well done boys! Squad: Charlie Jackson (Capt), William Holcroft, Harry Swinburne, Robert Ford, Ivor Fetherstonhaugh, Tom Hughes, Ollie Hall, Zak Nicholas, Jamie Channon, Roly Hancock, Sam Bayliss, Caspar Massey, Linden Grigg, Marcus Woodhead, Owen Carroll. MAF

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 25

S P O R T: C R I C K E T

Under 11C Despite few fixtures this season, the boys made the best of those they had. A strong Foremarke Under 10 side in the first match was far too good for our rather erratic bowling, and though we did not disgrace ourselves chasing their substantial total, we were well beaten. Against Abberley, we were asked to play pairs cricket, and it soon became obvious that our more experienced players and particularly the big hitters, were going to see us take advantage of some loose opposition bowling which led to a comfortable victory. By far the most enjoyable fixture was against Moffats. Having seen our visitors post a very respectable target of 135 for 7 declared at tea, we went on to win the game with a few minutes to spare and five wickets in hand: a very good game which could have gone either way. Not many school matches then, but there has been great improvement in all the players over the term. They have been willing to learn and have enjoyed the various forms of the game which we have tried during our games sessions, perhaps none more than the five day ‘Test’ between Sri Lanka and Australia which resulted in the narrowest of winning margins (five runs!) for Sri Lanka.

Played 3 Won 2 Drawn 0 Lost 1 v Foremarke U10A Packwood

(H)

172 all out 74 all out

v Abberley Packwood

(A)

(pairs)

v Moffats Packwood

(H)

135 for 7 dec 136 for 5

Lost by 98 runs Won by 135 runs Won by 5 wickets

Well done to all of the boys in the game and particular thanks to Jude Bedford for taking on the thankless role of captain, ably assisted by Edward Peterson: together they have made a very effective combination. Team: Jude Bedford (Capt), Alex Ainslie, Oliver Bureau, Owen Carroll, Harry Myddelton, Zak Nicholas, Johnnie Peel, Edward Peterson, James Hinwood, Scott Walker, Ben Cowley, Harry Griffiths, Ali Davies. KJW

Under 11D Improvement was the key word that we used as an aim for the term this summer, and improvement is indeed what we got. The boys should be very proud of the efforts that they have put into their cricket and it has been great to see their talents progress. It has been a true pleasure taking these young Packwood stars of the future and only time will tell of their movement up the grades to that elusive first team spot.

a touch; however there have been glimpses of greatness which suggest that there is plenty more to come from them all.

The one match we played ended in a slightly disappointing result, going down to Foremarke away from home. A result I believe would be very much reversed should we have had a full term of training under our belts; however our total of 115 for 6 was one I thought we would defend. Credit must go to Ralph Furse whose Boycott-like performance of one run, off 12 During games sessions the boys have been eager, competitive, keen and a very motivated overs provided a backbone to our innings and allowed the runs to flow at the other end. Nat young bunch of cricketers. They haven’t let McAllister was the pick of the bowlers with his their perceived lack of ability get in the way of accurate medium pacers and finished with having a red hot crack during matches which figures of 1 for 14 off 4 overs, a fine has been crucial in their overall improvement this term. Sometimes skills have let them down performance. However, a player called

Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 v Foremarke Packwood

(A) 118 for 1 115 for 6

Lost by 9 wkts

Sundries stole the day for the opposition and with his total of 68 the Foremarke team was always going to be tough to beat. Well done boys! Keep working hard and the improvement will come; I am excited to watch your progression throughout the next few years. All the best! Team: Ralph Furse, Loris Pattinson, Llyr Heyward-Jones, Adam Pattenden, George Compston, Morton Moss, Piers Merison, Nat McAllister, Seb Rathbone, Ned Warburton-Lee, Ned Moreau. PFD

Under 9 Played 6 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 0 v St Mary’s Hall

(H) Won by 150 runs

v Abberley

(H) Won by 84 runs

v Sedbergh

(A) Won by 70 runs

v Prestfelde

(H) Won by 26 runs

v Birchfield

(A) Won by 101 runs

v Shrewsbury High (A) Won by 233 runs

This was a super little team, who did the most important thing any team should do over the course of a term. They improved. I thought they all played their part in making match days special, proud and fun occasions. I shall, however, remember these outstanding little men for their commitment to break times and games lessons, the key to the success of the term. Wine for my men. We ride at dawn. Team: Jack Goodall, Harry Waterworth, Thomas Dix, Will Stanford-Davis, Will Thompson, Toby Turpin, Oliver Holcroft, Maxwell Horler, Joe Pattenden, Alfred Hughes, Edward Don, Gregor Montgomery, Fred Stephens, Luke Jackson, Frankie McLaughlin. AL Page 84

Page 77

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:25

Page 26

S P O R T: R O U N D E R S

Rounders 1st IX With only one remaining squad member (Charlotte Edwards) from the previous year I really didn’t know what to expect from the season. It was clear from the outset that the girls had a good work ethic and wanted to learn. This year we decided to move away from just playing the traditional ‘all out’ format and so over the course of the season we played 20, 27, 30 and 36 ‘good ball’ innings as well as timed and all out. This meant the girls had to be flexible in their fielding positions and tactically aware – choosing when to risk and when to play safe was a big part of our season. Our first match saw us play Malvern St James in round one of the JET competition and we won quite comfortably with some excellent batting from Charlotte Edwards and Thea Holt-Smith. Next we faced Moor Park; always a tight match, we knew it would be mistakes rather than moments of brilliance that would win the match. In the end it was our fielding that won the game with some inventive fielding positions – Holly Shaw seemed to be everywhere and they simply couldn’t keep up with us. Back to the JET and we faced Wolverhampton Grammar School in round two. They put up more of a defence with the bat as research on the internet showed us that they had an England batter. We were apprehensive as we stepped up for the first ball but it became evident that one player doesn’t make a team and we soon made light work of their batting order and won comfortably. We then played Foremarke in round three of the JET, and it was a shame that we lost our first post, Holly Shaw, after only the second ball of the game to a split lip. That just made us more determined to win .Their batting in the first innings was a little apprehensive and they didn’t take their chances so we led at the halfway point. Foremarke started to fight back in the second innings but some fine batting from Carlota Fraile put us out in front and they eventually conceded. Two more matches followed against Prestfelde and Terra Nova and more wins were notched up. Finally we had a long trek up to Queen Margaret’s York for the quarter-final of the JET competition. Looking back, we were tired and really should not have stood a chance but the girls have never failed in their desire to win and the support of their parents meant we had got there and were certainly not going to roll over and lose. We fielded first and they really didn’t know what had hit them. Charlotte Edward’s bowling was the best and the quickest I had seen and, by the looks on their faces, that they had seen too! They

Played 4 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 0 For 67 Against 371⁄2 v Prestfelde v Shrewsbury High v Moor Park v Terra Nova (1st/2nd IX)

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

Won Won Won Won

18 - 8 and an innings 18 - 4 and an innings 19 - 17 12 - 81⁄2

JET National Rounders Tournament

4th

v Malvern St James v Wolverhampton Grammar v Foremarke

(H) (H) (H)

Won 281⁄2 - 8 and an innings Won 81⁄2 - 8and an innings Won 16 - 15 and an innings

Quarter-final v Queen Margaret’s York

(A)

Won 13 - 71⁄2 and an innings

Semi-final v Wellesley House (at St Edward’s, Oxford) Lost 5 - 131⁄2 3rd/4th place play-off v Badminton School(at St Edward’s, Oxford) Lost 14 - 16

couldn’t connect and we skittled them out quickly. We batted slowly but surely taking chances when presented. The match was over in 50 minutes and we’d booked our place in the finals at Oxford. The finals day arrived and we’d drawn Wellesley House in our semi-final. We started exceptionally well and got them all out for three rounders but we didn’t back this up with the bat and only scored 31⁄2, we led but only just. Wellesley House woke up and really showed us how to play. They scored 101⁄2 in their second innings to put on a massive score. We simply did not do ourselves justice with the bat and as a result we found ourselves in the third/fourth place play-off against Badminton School. Badminton had an England bowler, but we’d practised against Charlotte Edwards all term and so were well prepared. However, we put in a lacklustre performance in the field, and even with changes in personnel and positions we had given ourselves too much to do. We lost, but we would certainly have taken that at the start of term. At times our rounders had been exceptional and at others disappointing. We learnt a great deal on our season’s journey and if nothing else I hope the girls realise that their talent is only half of what makes a good performance, the other half is the way you work with and support each other. Team: Thea HoltSmith* (Capt), Charlotte Edwards*, Holly Shaw*, Antonia Brine*, Ruby Lavender, Antonia Wordie*, Jessie Clarke*, Maddie Hall*, Flo Wade-Smith, Carlota Fraile, Anna Dodd, Francesca Hughes, Tia Barlow, Sophie Mason. KLP

Page 78

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 27

S P O R T: R O U N D E R S

2nd IX Played 5 Won 4 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 691⁄2 Against 491⁄2 v Moor Park (H) v Shrewsbury High (H) v Terra Nova (H) v Foremarke (A) v Queen’s Chester (A)

Won Won Won Lost Won

22 - 101⁄2 141⁄2 - 11 151⁄2 - 61⁄2 71⁄2 - 131⁄2 10 + innings - 8

The first IX and second IX traditionally train alongside each other every afternoon overseen by Mrs Parry and myself. This year there has been a particularly strong bond between the two squads as the depth of talent in Game 1 has been extraordinary with many individuals having enjoyed opportunities to play in both the second and first IX and also in the JET matches. The second IX has enjoyed a positive season in all respects. Not only have the results been fantastic but as a squad, the girls simply were the most charming group I could have wished for. As players they were conscientious and skilful, as friends and team mates they were loyal and gallant but as a squad they were a real force to be reckoned with and an absolute delight to be around. Our opening match was at home to Moor Park and it was a brilliant start to the season! A splendid win by eleven and a half rounders made everyone sit up and pay just that little bit more attention! As is always the case with our senior teams, we have phenomenal strength in the field. Our weakness is usually with the bat. Not this season though! My goodness, Poppy Raichura, Tia Barlow, Sophie Mason and Carlota produced some awesome batting, and you couldn’t help but feel sorry for the opposing fielders as they groaned each time

one of them stepped into the batting box! Another home fixture against Shrewsbury High followed and with a slightly different squad, we again clinched an impressive victory. This time it was Poppy Carver, Anna Dodd and Fran Hughes who stole the show with their excellent batting. However, for her incredible catches and all round spectacular fielding, Saskia Humphreys must also be applauded. An impressive performance against Terra Nova gave us our third home win and highlighted just what an exceptional squad this was. The usual suspects – Poppy Raichura, Fran Hughes and Anna Dodd, produced some exquisite batting performances but the second batting innings was totally dominated by Saskia Humphreys, Tara Beasley and Evie Clutton who took everyone’s breath away with their power and precision. Jemima Price, our calm, proficient and scrupulous bowler also added her name to the impressive score sheet. The next match was away against Foremarke but due to a fixture clash with the JET, I was unable to travel with the girls and so handed my reins over to Miss Wilkinson for the afternoon. It was to be the first and only loss of the season but when you’re competing against some very fine batters and the traditional ‘summer showers’ all can be forgiven! The final match was away against Queen’s Chester and was a very pleasant and friendly

3rd and 4th IX The third and fourth rounders teams had very few matches this term as unfortunately the Bromsgrove fixture for both teams was cancelled due to rain. In games lessons the girls worked hard to compete for places. There was little to choose between our two bowlers Olivia Hughes and Maya Leavey. Hima Nishida and Alice Rees both played well at second post, as did Sofia Maldonado and Katie Bibby at third and Charlotte Dixon and Hermione Bathurst at backstop. There was also much competition between deep-fielders. Unfortunately, the thirds were slow off the mark at Abberley but their second innings saw them come out fighting, scoring more rounders, and playing their very best. They lost, but with good grace having worked well as a team and under pressure, and were pleased with their individual perfomances. In their second match they played between heavy showers at Foremarke. Here the girls had a great start and scored well. Maya bowled superbly, with none of their girls being able to hit her “donkey drops!” Concentration in the field waned a little, but Sofia Maldonado took

three fantastic catches, and Ana Rodriguez showed good form at fourth post. The girls were very excited to win and it was thoroughly well deserved. A last minute fixture against Adcote’s Under 12 team was organised for the fourths during our games lesson, to make up for the cancellation of our Bromsgrove fixture. Whilst both teams’ fielding skills were as good as each others, Adcote outbatted us with some superb deep hits, into the open space, to beat us convincingly. Let’s hope we can organise more games with Adcote in the future and match up our teams accordingly. Teaching this group of girls has been immensely satisfying for Miss Wilkinson and I. Frequently competing (for lollies) to improve their batting, catching and throwing, the girls have made tremendous progress. The thirds even won against the seconds in practice and the fourths also beat the Under 11B team in a fun match. They have gained confidence and performed well under pressure. There has been much cheering, fun and laughter echoing

affair. The first and second squads were combined and two equal teams emerged to ensure a fair and equally competitive match could be enjoyed by all. The team which I supervised played with integrity and composure and the game ended with Packwood winning by an innings. It has been an absolutely delightful season and I am genuinely sad that it had to come to an end. The second IX have been such a pleasure to work with and I am thoroughly proud of them both individually and as a squad. Saskia Humphreys has been a first-rate captain and a positive asset to her team. I bid farewell to this year’s leavers and thank them for their innumerable contributions to Packwood over their time here and wish them a very happy and successful future. Team: Saskia Humphreys (Capt), Dot Holt, Fran Hughes, Poppy Raichura, Sophie Mason, Anna Dodd, Evie Clutton, Camilla Harvey-Scholes, Jemima Price, Tara Beasley, Ella Downey, Sacha Robertson, Bea Mostyn-Owen, Tia Barlow, Poppy Carver, Carlota Fraile. LW 3rd XI Played 2 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 251⁄2 Against 26 v Abberley v Foremarke

(A) (A)

Lost Won

17 - 19 8½ - 7

4th XI Played 1 Won 0 Drawn 0 Lost 1 For 10 Against 20 v Adcote U12A

(H)

Lost

10 - 20

deep along the spinney. Who knows? Some of these girls might play for the 1st IX next season. After all, this year’s captain did just that! 3rd IX team: Charlotte Dixon (Capt), Maya Leavey, Olivia Hughes, Cassie Bedford, Alice Rees, Ceri Lloyd, Sofia Maldonado, Evie Clutton, Ana Rodriguez, Amelia Tomkinson, Emily Cooper, Mollie Jamieson, Harriet Bibby, Katie Bibby. 4th IX team: Himawari Nishida, Katie Bibby (Capts), Maya Leavey, Hermione Bathurst, Irene Carrera, Harriet Bibby, Esther McLaughlin, India Aranguren, Chanida Dhooghe, Juliana Hinwood, Olivia Hughes, Cassie Bedford. SD Page 79

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 28

S P O R T: R O U N D E R S

Under 11A Played 6 Won 3 Drawn 0 Lost 3 For 541⁄2 Against 48 v Moor Park v Abberley v Old Hall v Foremarke v Terra Nova v Shrewsbury High

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

Lost Lost Won Lost Won Won

91⁄2 - 13 7-9 7-6 51⁄2 -6 1⁄2 8-5 171⁄2 - 81⁄2

Rugby Tournament

Plate Runners-up

This was a somewhat disrupted season thanks to the weather but it had its successes and all the games have been fought very closely indeed. Despite the two losses at the start of term, the girls never let their heads go down and the matches were very close. We needed to tighten up our fielding and become more consistent so we didn’t give the points away. We worked hard in games lessons on our batting and fielding and by the Foremarke match it was clear to see the improvement from each member of the squad. Our throw from backstop to first post got their best batter out not only in the first innings but the second too! A number of other Foremarke batters suffered the same fate. Antonia Barlow-Evans made the most amazing catch after a ball had been hit at tremendous speed straight towards her and our fielding to our posts to stop the points was excellent! Our best day out was the Rugby Tournament, strengthened by Under 10s Lottie Clarke and Ellie Mason, the weather was on our side and

with the support of many parents behind us we finished as runners-up in the Plate. There was much individual success for every girl at some point throughout the day, batting and fielding. A particular highlight of the competition was when we convincingly beat the eventual shield runners-up! Overall it was a most enjoyable day for everyone. We played another close game against Terra Nova away with lots of support from parents who braved the wet conditions, and with tactical batting and safe running secured a well deserved win there too. Lastly we took on

Shrewsbury High at home, a great match to finish the season with all the girls batting strongly and our fielding was the sharpest it had been all season! Jessie Hunt took away player of the match this time with a flawless performance. This was a really enjoyable season, throughout which the girls just got better and better! Well done all, good luck next year. Team: Amelia Tennant, Ellie Hutchings, Alice Shone, Sophia Price, Rosie Clarke, Beth Cooper, Jessie Hunt, Antonia Barlow-Evans, Georgia Bibby. SM

Under 11B The Under 11B team Played 5 Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 2 has played some For 831⁄2 Against 881⁄2 excellent rounders and v Moor Park (H) Won 241⁄2 - 211⁄2 the girls have been v Packwood 4ths (H) Lost 15 - 26 successful as a team v Prestfelde (A) Won 191⁄2 - 15 and also achieved great v Shrewsbury High (H) Drawn 16 - 16 individual success as v Queen’s Chester (A) Lost 81⁄2 - 10 well. As we were low on numbers Under 10s the end of the day, we filled up the squad and have all shown improvement in understanding of the rules and won the first innings! They played brilliantly overall rounders skills and it has been great to include all the girls this season. Isabella Wythe as a team especially fielding to second and has captained the squad with strength and fourth post where Pip made an appearance in the A team more than Vickers and Laura Whittingham reliably once, as has Laura Whittingham. Both these girls have shown that hard work and dedication stopped a number of points. Each member of the team scored points and fielded wonderfully does pay off and has its rewards. with a few fabulous catches too. Another As the scores reveal there was some impressive bright, sunny day saw lots of proud parents batting and tight fielding under pressure to win sitting on the bank ready to watch what turned the games against Moor Park and Prestfelde. All out to be a closely fought game against the girls have worked hard to improve their Shrewsbury High. With both teams batting and catching and throwing and also conquer their fielding tightly a draw could be the only fear of the ball when it comes to them at speed. outcome – a fantastic match for all the girls. Lastly we made the journey to Queen’s Chester All the Under 11B squad played in a friendly with a squad made up of all the available Under fixture against Packwood fourths on a 11s. Although they were thrown together beautifully sunny day with lots of supportive playing with people they weren’t so familiar parents on the bank. Although it was a loss at Page 80

with, they all played extremely well and with good sportsmanship – which is more important than a win sometimes. A very proud season for the Under 11Bs – they have played excellent rounders, been a pleasure to coach and improved so much. Well done girls and good luck next year. Team: Isabella Wythe, Pip Vickers, Laura Whittingham, Clary Haynes, Eliza Beckett, Amber Gibbins, Molly Bruce, Theodora Jarvis, Lexi Samuel, Romy Grigg. SM

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 29

S P O R T: R O U N D E R S

Under 10 Wow, what an exciting term of rounders it has been for the Under 10A team this summer! The team has enjoyed a successful term with four wins and one draw. We started the term practising our throwing, catching and batting and thinking about match tactics during games lessons. These practices were clearly evident during our first match against Abberley. All the girls played extremely well showing spectators their much improved fielding and very impressive batting. During the next match the girls’ play went from strength to strength. They were batting very well but it was their fielding that was particularly good. They worked well together and were looking like a close-knit team. The game against Foremarke was very close with both teams being evenly matched. The

fielding was tight and the batting was very good. Unfortunately, due to rain we had to finish early. Surprisingly, but appropriately, the game finished with both teams on the same score. By their last two matches the girls were into the swing of playing very good rounders and playing as a team. The results clearly reflect this superb and much improved play. Their throwing was accurate and they were all catching the ball well. Their batting had become exceptional throughout the term with the majority of team members scoring several rounders. The members of this year’s Under 10 team have been an extremely determined and strong group of girls who believe that winning

Played 5 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 0 For 741⁄2 Against 29 v Abberley v Old Hall v Foremarke v Shrewsbury High v Queen’s Chester

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

Won Won Draw Won Won

18 - 7 15 - 2 71⁄2 - 71⁄2 17 - 31⁄2 17 - 9

is the only way! Each girl in the team should be very proud of the progress they have made and their achievements this term. Well done girls on a fantastic season! Squad: Annabel Robertson, Chloe Edwards, Freya Beasley, Ellie Mason, Lottie Hill-Trevor, Imogen Downey, Lottie Clarke, Talullah Blackham, Rosie Simpson, Amelia Peterson, Sophie Barlow. CH

Under 9 Played 6 Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 1 For 701⁄2 Against 54 v Terra Nova v Birchfield v Prestfelde v Abberley v Birchfield v Terra Nova

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

Lost 111⁄2 - 161⁄2 Drawn 1-1 Won 141⁄2 - 8 Won 12 - 8 Won 15 - 9 Won 161⁄2 - 111⁄2

The Under 9s have had a fantastic rounders term, not only have they had six matches, and good weather for all of them, but they have all played extremely well. Our first match against Terra Nova was only two weeks in to the term and so was a good warm up match for the girls. They all played well and although they lost, this only made them more determined for the following matches. They faced Birchfield next and the girls all pulled together well. They really worked on their teamwork and communication which showed when Louisa Jarvis pulled some fantastic bowling out of the bag. The following matches saw all the girls’ batting really improve and in the game against Prestfelde Harriet Haynes and Georgia Kannreuther hit some brilliant shots way out into the deep! Our final match was against Terra Nova again, this time at home. With the great support of the parents the girls went on to win this match with exactly the same score as the first time the teams met, but swapped around. By this point the girls all knew each other’s strengths and so with some fantastic teamwork between Olivia Moir on second base and Sophia Bureau as backstop, we managed to stump out a few of their batters. There was

also great fielding work from our deeps, Zephia Barlow-Evans, Seren Pattinson, Zara Vickers, Sacha Sandbach and Anna Cowan and the match gave the girls a brilliant win to finish on. The girls have been a pleasure to teach this term and with their determination and enthusiasm they have really improved throughout the term and have become a great team. Well done girls! Team: Zephia Barlow-Evans, Sophia Bureau, Anna Cowan, Louisa Jarvis, Georgia Kannreuther, Olivia Moir, Seren Pattinson, Zara Vickers, Harriet Haynes, Sacha Sandbach. KE

Page 81

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 30

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

Riding The 9th Annual Packwood One Day Event The Packwood One Day Event has become a regular fixture for the first Sunday of the Autumn Term. Both the ground and the weather were ideal and a very pleasant day was had by all. Our thanks go to Flora Rigby, who was again our most able and fair dressage judge and to her writer, Matron Banks. Matron’s first aid skills were thankfully not required and she also ran the show jumping phase with Flora. The cross country course was ridden in both directions with competitors only setting off as another returned. The 2’9” Open class was won by Thomas Tulloch and the Robertson family cleaned up the 2’3” and 18” classes which were won respectively by Sacha and Annabel.

The National Schools Two Day Event Later in the school year we also entered a team in the National Schools Two Day Event at Offchurch, in Warwickshire. There were three sections in the Schools Novice and each one had about 38 competitors. Thomas Tulloch was placed third in his section and Tia Barlow and Archie Fetherstonhaugh were both twelfth in their sections. There were approximately 18 teams in the team event and we came third. It was extremely competitive and we only missed winning by 1.5 penalties. The two teams that beat us were both senior school teams, the winners were a mixed team and Stonar finished second, so all our team, with fourth rider Ivor Fetherstonhaugh, really did exceptionally well. The time in all four phases on Sunday played a huge part and the children all managed to get it spot on.

Inter Schools Show Jumping For the eighth year now we have entered the excellent May Bank Holiday Inter Schools Show Jumping competition which takes place at South View, in Wettenhall. They have an excellent and very large outdoor arena and for many riders the course was larger than anything previously experienced at pony club level. We entered two teams in the 2’3” classes. The Packwood riders made a very promising start in the opening Warm Up Class with Sophie Barlow taking second individual and Thomas Tulloch coming fourth. In the School’s Challenge round our Hedgehoppers team of Sacha Robertson, Sophie Barlow, Hugh Davies and Jack Ashworth came second. The 2’6” class was less successful and we were placed eighth but the 2’9” team, made up of Thea Holt-Smith, Holly Shaw, Jack Ashworth and Hugh Davies were in the rosettes with fourth place.

Sixes Athletics 2011 As always the Sixes Athletics was a fiercely contested competition at Senior and Under 11 levels with all the boys and girls having the opportunity to take part in either a track or field event. Harcourt/Clarkes won the senior event with 28 points, Mannings/Sodens came out on top in the Under 11 event with 21 points and the overall winners, claiming the Miriam Heard Cup for the third successive year, were Harcourt/Clarkes.

the Boys’ Shot event with a throw of 9m 30cm and Oliver WilliamsBulkeley threw an excellent 32m 90cm to win the Boys’ Javelin by over 10 metres – a throw that could well have got him into the medals at the National IAPS Championship. Well done! Other good performances in the field events came in the Senior Long Jump – Jamie Moir and Florence Wade-Smith produced the winning jumps of the day with 4m and 3m 52cm respectively.

There were some fantastic performances in the field events and in particular, Edward Peterson and Clarissa Haynes showed lots of promise On the track, all events were highly competitive and produced excellent in the Boys’ Ball Throw and Girls’ Long Jump. Daishi Suzuki dominated winning times. In the boys’ races Freddie Fielding won convincingly once again (by 20 seconds) in the 800m and Stamos Fearnall destroyed a strong field in the 200m final. Charlotte Edwards produced an impressive performance to win the Senior Girls’ 100m and Antonia Barlow-Evans overcame Juliana Hinwood on the final bend to claim the Senior Girls’ 800m. Congratulations to Charlotte Edwards and Freddie Fielding for representing the school in the National IAPS Athletics Championship at the end of term. Freddie claimed second place in the Boys’ 1500m and Charlotte won the Girls’ 100m event. A fantastic achievement! PJP Page 82

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 31

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

The 15th Packwood Gymkhana The Gymkhana was again held at the end of May and attracted nineteen ponies and riders, who were fortunate to enjoy some glorious weather and good going. There was again a large number of younger riders which bodes well for the future of riding at Packwood, though it did make for a seemingly interminable 18” Show Jumping class! Everyone enjoyed their long and busy day competing in Show Jumping and Handy Pony classes in the morning and the Horse and Hound, the games and the Barrel Jumping in the afternoon. A variation this year introduced a jumping team relay. The bending poles

challenged some jockeys but the event will be repeated. The Green Hollow Trophy was retained by Tia Barlow but a strong challenge was made by her younger sister, Sophie, who came a good second. Days like this cannot happen without considerable help. Our particular thanks go to Matron Banks and to our two ‘senior’ riders Holly Shaw and Thea Holt-Smith who effectively ran the event. It was an enormously enjoyable day and we were delighted to be able to send £95 off to the Riding for the Disabled.

National Championships The 2010 National Championships, postponed from the big December freeze and re-run on the first weekend in January, saw our qualifying individual and two teams really do Packwood proud. At 70cm Hugh Davies came a fantastic fifth as an individual and for his second ride joined Scott Walker and Simon Waterhouse, in the only all-boy team there, to make the third round team jump off and finish in the ribbons, just, in eighth place. Our 80cm Arena Eventing team did even better with Thea Holt-Smith, Holly Shaw, Jack Ashworth and Hugh Davies finishing in fourth place. A long round trip but worth it and we have it all to do again this year!

National Schools Equestrian Association’s Arena Eventing and Show Jumping Over the summer half term we entered our area qualifying round of the National Schools Equestrian Association’s Arena Eventing and Show Jumping competitions, also held at South View. As well as having to go ‘Clear’ over a long combined show jumping and working hunter style jump course, both the rider and the rider/horse combination were marked on their style. In pouring rain, our 80cm team won the Arena Eventing ‘in style’ and came second in the Show Jumping, qualifying in

both disciplines for the National Championships at Addington Manor in Bedfordshire over the autumn half term. It will be a busy and interesting weekend with Jack Ashworth and Simon Waterhouse just returned from the Iceland trip joining Scott Walker and reuniting with Thea HoltSmith coming down from her new school in York. They will be joined at Addington by Sophie Barlow who was the individual area winner in both her 70cm classes. AJR

Biathlon Packwood entered the biathlon competitions thanks to the ever enthusiastic Nick Weston who has been running not only the fencing at Packwood but also the swimming, very successfully for the last few years. He also got super swimming coach, Kelly Evans, involved and kindly invited me to join the group as I am a running enthusiast.

The highlight of the season for me, however, was the most incredible race I have ever seen at school level. Simon Waterhouse, who was running his 500m heat, A large group of boys and girls made their way to the regional got himself entangled at the competition at Solihull last November and performed admirably well start and landed quite for first timers. The Under 13s had to run 1000m and swim 100m: Fran badly on the track injuring Hughes and Archie Thomason after a great effort ended up in the top 10. his elbows and knees. He The Under 12s ran 500m and swam 50m. Jack Ashworth won a bronze could have stayed there medal; Ella Downey finished fifth and the Packwood team (Freddie and given up, but Simon Fielding, Jack Ashworth and Simon Waterhouse) won Gold. There was showed the most an impressive individual Gold for Ellie Hutchings too, representing the unbelievable spirit and Under 11 age group. determination. He got up These results meant Packwood biathletes qualified for the semi-finals at and started running like he Macclesfield a few months later. The competition was fierce. The had never run before. He Ellie Hutchings swimming and running times were very impressive and we could feel overtook most of the field that the level was a few notches up. The Packwood team did well overall and finally finished fourth but only Ellie ‘super fast swimmer’ Hutchings managed to qualify for – an incredible feat! the final at Crystal Palace. She finished in 41st place – a great Well done to all competitors and coaches – we hope to do more of the achievement and an excellent experience for her. Well done Ellie. same next year, even better! JN

Page 83

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 32

S P O R T: C R O S S C O U N T R Y A N D F U N R U N / R I F L E S H O O T I N G

Cross Country and Fun Run

As you might have gathered I am a keen runner. I managed to get a place in the New York Marathon in November 2010 and I ran to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Before this event, the Headmaster kindly allowed me to organise a Fun Run at Packwood to raise some additional sponsorship money. The children had to run a mile wearing a silly hat, a wig, or some other weird and wonderful headgear brought from home, created by themselves or kindly lent by Mrs Jones who opened her props and costumes store to help out those who had forgotten what was going on… Everybody had a great time and we managed to raise £1300 on the day thanks to the parents’ generosity. Absolutely incredible!

well done to all of them. The boys also had an excellent run. Our running superstar Freddie Fielding had an outstanding race and won a Bronze medal. He completed the course in the impressive time of 9min18s. The other boys impressed too: Jonty Schofield finished in 10min13s, followed by Simon Waterhouse in 10min31s. Thanks to these brilliant efforts, Packwood was awarded a Silver medal in the Team event – not bad for a first time!

Well done to the rest of the team: Guy Morris, Robert Waterhouse, Bertie Jenkinson, Jack Ashworth and Scott Hatton who ran very well on the day. Special thanks to Jonty, Guy and Scott who stepped in at the last minute due to some of the team members’ illness. This was a On the Cross Country side, Mrs Parry and I were fantastic effort from a keen and enthusiastic team of runners and I am looking forward to delighted to take the first ever Packwood team taking them to more competitions. to the Shropshire County Championship on 11th December. We entered two Under 13 Boys’ We entered a few more races during our rookie teams and one Under 13 Girls’ team. Both year: the Abberley team Cross Country, and the groups had to run 2675m on a wet, slightly hilly Malvern National Prep School Cross Country in and muddy course. The girls started first and which Daniel Humes, another future running competed well. The opposition was very star, did very well, and our regular good strong, mostly made up of teams from athletics performers, Jonty Schofield and Simon clubs rather than schools. Our first girl in was Waterhouse, distinguished themselves. It was Ella Downey who ran in 12min 12s, followed the last race of the year, though, at Shrewsbury closely by Sophie Mason (12min25s). High Prep that put Packwood in the limelight. Thea Holt-Smith finished in 12min59s (despite The weather was beautiful and the conditions a twisted ankle) and Holly Shaw in 13min were perfect for running. The girls started first exactly. We can be very proud of our girls who and in a strong field of runners performed well had never run such a distance before – very despite having competed in the Packwood

Sixes Cross Country only a couple of days before. Isabella Wythe finished 11th in 8 minutes and 10 seconds, followed closely by Ellie Hutchings (13th in 8min12s). Georgia Bibby, a promising newcomer to the team, finished 21st in 8min33s and Jessie Hunt 28th in 8min52s. The boys had to run 2,200m on a challenging course and performed admirably. The team was glad to welcome Freddie Fielding back after having been out for a while with a broken collarbone. He was already on a high after beating his own school record by running the Sixes Cross Country in 6 minutes exactly! Freddie had a great start and led the way throughout the race winning in a very impressive 8min19s! The other members of the Packwood team did fantastically well too: Jonty Schofield got the Bronze medal in 9min22s, Simon Waterhouse finished 4th in 9min23s, Harry Jenkinson was 5th in 9min25s and Robert Waterhouse was 10th in 9min54s. This was a very impressive effort indeed and it earned Packwood the Under 13 Boys’ trophy – a great way to finish the Cross Country season. Well done to all involved and looking forward to more of the same next season. JN

Rifle Shooting Over forty children visited the range to shoot, either during lesson eight Activities or in the Clubs evenings. Some came in the summer term to gain a qualifying score in the Packwood Pentathlon but most managed to shoot regularly throughout the year. Shooting is a discipline that needs regular practice. Debatably, even once a week is probably not Page 84

enough to be seriously competitive, but there are still a few promising young shots in the pipeline. In the year there were seven Second Class and six First Class certificates awarded and Bertie Jenkinson gained his Marksman’s certificate. AJR

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 33

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

Fencing “Commanders when they meet with a new enemy that is of reputation, before they come to join battle, should cause their soldiers to make trial of them by some light skirmishes; to the end that, beginning to know them, they may be rid of that terror which report and reputation have put them in.” General George Monck (Fencer) Taking General George’s thoughts to heart, Packwood has played host to three major fencing competitions this year, by doing so we have grown more familiar with our opponents ‘on the circuit’ and established Packwood as a national venue (international in fact, thanks to Keishi’s visit from Japan). The results speak for themselves. ‘Access’ to the sport is taken seriously: With two junior activities sessions, a senior club, a games slot and the ‘everyone can enter’ Duel-in-the-Sun competition, 108 children (a third of the school) have ‘had a go’ this year. With 60 fencing every week and 54 registered with the British Fencing Association, we are the largest school club in the country. “Hit first and shake hands later” ... fencing is one of the few times you’ll hear a teacher say that. After five years we’ve picked up boxes full of ‘Leon Paul Series’ medals, but one colour had evaded us until Jessie broke the curse on a snowy afternoon in November. Fast forward to the rain showers of April and the ‘future’ of Packwood fencing not only grabbed a clutch of medals, but helped us to our best results in the Under 10 British Foil, victory (at last) in the Packwood Epee Cup and the ‘double’ victory over our neighbours and intense rivals, Wrexham Fencing Club. Under 11s Jessie, Issy, Antonia and Georgia went on tour to London, losing in the finals of the National Teams to City of London Freemen’s by a single hit. They were presented with their medals by Linford Christie, “Who’s he Sir?” Seven of our best were invited to join the West Midlands squad for the British Championships at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield (Fran for a third year in succession, Charlotte our first female Sabreur, Stanton for both Epee and Sabre, Scott, Jessie, Issy and Antonia in Under 12 Epee). Fran became the third Packwood fencer to make it into the top ten in the country, our first ever in the ultra-competitive Under 14s, an outstanding achievement from an outstanding Captain. “The pen is mightier than the sword if the sword is very short, and the pen is very sharp” Terry Pratchett (Fencer)

Team British Schools Team Championships Runners-up (Under 11 Girls’ Epee) Packwood Epee Cup

Winners

Wrexham/Packwood Shield

(H) Won

5-4

(A) Won

5-3

Bibby Bowl Sixes trophy

Harcourt/Clarkes

Individual British Epee Championships

Fran Hughes 10th (Under 14 Girls’ Epee)

British Foil Championships

Louisa Jarvis 13th (Under 10 Girls’ Foil)

West Midlands Under 14 Sabre

Edward Stanton (Runner-up)

West Midlands Under 12 Epee

Antonia Barlow-Evans (Runner-up)

(Seven selected to represent West Midlands – four at U12, three at U14) LPJS Packwood Open

Jessie Hunt (Gold), Edward Don (Silver) Seb Rathbone, Lousia Jarvis (Bronze)

LPJS Warwick Open

Issy Wythe (5th), Edward Don (10th)

‘Spirit of Fencing’ Houlker Trophy

The Waterhouse Brothers

Duel-in-the-Sun Champion

Fran Hughes (the first person to win it twice!)

Thanks to everyone who has helped over the year, without you it wouldn’t happen, a fond farewell to the seniors – we hope to see you all again soon – and well done to every child that picked up a sword, especially those who gave them back! I often get thanked for the time I put in, think about it: pizza, crazy socks, singing in the bus and getting to coach you lot – I’m the luckiest bus driver in the world. NW

Golf The parent pupil golf competition this year saw a few early nerves from some but everyone soon settled in to their game and began to enjoy themselves. Then the heavens opened! Fortunately the rain failed to dampen their spirits and the downpour didn’t last long so most finished their round with the sun on their backs once again. Tea was taken in the theatre foyer, and the cards were handed in. After careful inspection, it was clear that there was a new champion. Charlie Jackson and his father Nick managed to beat last year’s winner George Burrell and a host of other competitors and were very happy recipients of the Draper Bowl. Well done to Charlie and to everyone else who took part. At the end of term we had the school golf competition. A select field and close finish saw Edward Hurle just pip Charlie Cooke to the title. SAR Draper Trophy (Parent/Pupil)

Charlie Jackson

Woosnam Cup (Senior Boys)

Edward Hurle

Page 85 93

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 34

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

Swimming Bell Cup for swimming standards

Manning/Sodens

Prosser Cup for Sixes swimming

Manning/Sodens

Swimming is very important to the children at Packwood from the youngest Acorns all the way through the Main School. 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. It has been our busiest year yet: IAPS Swimming wins (national finals for Ellie), Biathlon/Pentathlon wins at the regional finals in Birmingham and Macclesfield (national finals for Ellie), Aquathon wins at Wrekin, and alongside the serious matters of woggle races and games of Battleships, we’ve trained at larger pools for our three gala matches against Abberley, Moreton and Old Hall. Old Hall remains the local team to beat; we pipped them in the Aquathon and are getting closer in the pool! The rising standard is clearly visible, but if we needed further proof, eleven children managed to achieve the new ‘Four-in-Forty’ (four lengths in 40 seconds) challenge and seven of the ‘all time’ school records were broken (in some cases smashed!).

Congratulations to all of the swimmers who have been involved in the squad and everyone who made it to the individual finals (results below). Special mention to record breakers Ellie Hutchings, Alfred Hughes and William Stanford-Davis, to Fran Hughes for a great year as mother goose (sorry Captain), she also won the breaststroke race for a sixth year in succession, and finally to the dedication, patience and skill of our team of teachers and coaches (Kelly Evans, Jo Hutchings, Sam Hughes and Nick Weston). NW Long Freestyle

Breaststroke

Sprint Freestyle

Under 8 Kezzie Hutchings

Georgiana Nicholas William Stanford-Davis*

Under 9 Alfred Hughes*

Alfred Hughes*

Under 10 Rosie Simpson

Rosie Simpson

Under 11 Ellie Hutchings*

Ellie Hutchings*

Under 12 Alice Rees

Harri Holroyd

Ella Downey

Under 13 Fran Hughes (Capt) Fran Hughes (Capt) Fran Hughes (Capt) *setting a new Packwood record

Tennis It has been a transition season for the Packwood tennis team this year. Both boys and girls have played a few fixtures and managed to win plenty of sets along the way but the opposition was, most of the time, superior to us. If I had to summarize the season in a few words, it would be ‘The Rise of the Under 12’. They were by far the most consistent throughout the term and demonstrated great ability which bodes well for next year. The highlight of their season has to be the boys’ pair of Jonty Hall and Guy Morris as well as the girls’ pair of Poppy Carver and Carlota Fraile both reaching the semi-finals of the fantastic Repton Tournament. Well done to them. Congratulations also to Matt White and Toby Mason who were in a very tough group and managed very well overall. Milla HarveyScholes paired with Antonia Wordie, and Jess Hunt and Amelia Tennant had a very good day too but, unfortunately, did not make the cut. I would like to thank Steve Welti for his great help in training the different teams – I am convinced that it will pay off next summer. The parent/pupil tennis competition in May saw play of a highly impressive standard with some very close matches and some incredible shots. In the end the Cup, which was won last year by Ned Hall and his Mum, was won again by the Halls but this time it was Jonty who partnered Mum to victory. Well done to both of them and to all of the other competitors who will still have their work cut out next year as with the youngest Hall brother, Ollie, yet to take part few would bet against the family achieving the treble! JN

Page 86

Played 7 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 6 For 28 Against 39 v Shrewsbury School v Birchfield v Moor Park v Shrewsbury School v Shrewsbury High v Abberley v Abberley

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

Lost Lost Won Lost Lost Lost Lost

2-6 3-7 11 - 4 3-5 2-4 3-7 4-6

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 35

S P O RT

Page 87

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 36

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

Old Packwoodian News Dinner for 2006 Leavers

The annual get-together for Old Packwoodians five years after they have left has become a Packwood tradition and is fast becoming a date “not to be missed”. This year’s reunion proved the point with a record turnout. Only the few who lived abroad or were on school leavers’ trips missed out.

writing has been encouraged and with Martin Ford on hand to prompt their imaginations it seems some very interesting careers lie ahead: did you know that you can do Party Studies at Oxford? Or that among last year’s school leavers we have captains of darts and tiddlywinks?!

The recipe for the evening works well – a gaggle of “post-exam high” teenagers settle down to watch a slide show featuring their 11 year old selves and before long the whole school is resounding with howls of mirth and extreme embarrassment. Will Goodwin and William Dingwall-Fordyce in particular brought the house down this year as beautiful “ladies”, their figures enhanced by enormous balloons.

We were delighted to welcome back James Barlow, Theo Bathurst, Charlie Boutflower, Charles Bridge, James Brown, Joshua CharltonBriggs, William Dingwall-Fordyce, Charles Dodson-Wells, Henrietta Dyson, William Goodwin, George Hanmer, Georgina Harfitt, Jonathan Harrap, Charles Heard, Aubrey Higgin, Stefan Hindmarsh, William Hutchinson Smtih, Charlie Lewis, Rosie McAlpine, Jessica Richards, Harry Robertson, Francesca Rowland, Bertie Russell, David Stott, Emma Trevor-Jones, Jack Trowbridge, Camilla Williams, Maddie Wilson and Trini Woolley. It was an excellent evening, thoroughly enjoyed by all – particularly Mr Ford! FB

Dinner follows and a chance to chat with those members of staff who’ve haunted your dreams (or nightmares) since leaving prep school. Before the end of the evening, everyone writes down a brief resume of their lives over the last five years for inclusion here. Now – here’s the problem! Throughout their entire school careers creative

Engagements

Marriages

Deaths

Mark Pilling (1986) to Rowena Dreyer

Emily Erskine (1991) to Jonny Baker

Harriet Erskine (1993) to Steve Taylor

Argie Taylor (1994) to Harriet

Sarah Fanning (1994) to Mike Campin

Georgiana Woolley (1984) to Marc Paul Seigneur

Page 88

James Atkinson (1956)

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 37

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

News of Old Packwoodians 1956 Richard Matson was involved in fund raising for the horse drawn ambulance in aid of Help for Heroes on its journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats. 1958 David Brooke has now retired after a long and distinguished Headmastership at Medbury School, Christchurch, New Zealand. Fortunately his house survived the earthquake, although it was badly shaken, but life there is not easy and they are constantly suffering aftershocks. 1961 John R Kenyon is still the head Librarian at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. He was awarded a PhD by Cardiff University in the summer of 2010 through the School of History & Archaeology, as a result of his publications over the last ten years. His latest book, The Medieval Castles of Wales, was published by the University of Wales Press in October 2010. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His wife, Chris, is about to retire from Cadw, the historic environment service of the Welsh Assembly Government. Their eldest daughter, Pippa, works for an arts organization in Manchester, while Jo teaches in the Junior School at Howell’s in Llandaff, Cardiff, a school that forms part of the Girls’ Day School Trust. 1964 Andrew Wallace Hadrill has been elected to a British Academy Fellowship, an acknowledgement of academic distinction. 1975 Anthony Barnett declined an offer from his firm to run their China office, and is now working on his own. Christopher Currell has set up and manages his own successful surveying business in London, but recently he attended a John Osborne Foundation Course on short story writing in Clun and was good enough to go and visit Edward and Margaret Pease-Watkin. He still trains regularly and sprints in the Over 40 100 metre races to a high standard.

David Bickerton has been appointed Managing Director for the UK and Middle East at Clifford Chance, but still managed to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats last summer. 1978 William Lees-Jones has taken up the reins of public office and is now High Sheriff of Cheshire in Nomination. 1980 Ben Mowll has been very busy getting a painting exhibition ready at his home in Sandbanks. He has been elected as an Associate Member of the Royal Society. 1981 Tullis Matson was recently awarded the prestigious Marsh Christian Award. The awards support areas such as conservation and volunteering. Tullis, who runs AI Stallion Services was recognised for services within the fields of genetic biodiversity and conservation biology. 1982 Mark Anstiss has been promoted to Superintendent and has returned to the Marine Branch of the Hong Kong Police as commander of the Small Boat Division. Guy Anstiss is still working on the widening of Blackfriars Bridge – not without incident when a crane driver dropped several tons of ironwork into the river. Richard Hopkinson-Woolley is now a partner in Berwin Leighton Paisner, and is heavily involved with commercial property. Joshua Mowll married Sonja in London at the Chapel Royal in St James Palace, a truly memorable occasion with the Chapel Royal Choir and all the trimmings. They now live in Amsterdam where Joshua continues to write and work for the Mail on Sunday’s live colour magazine. 1985 Robin Bennett is now married and he has completed the conversion of the barns at Marsh Farm into offices. He gained an award for the Best Small Commercial Development in Flintshire. 1986 Stephen Brown has written a new play with support from the National Theatre. He also translates books, etc. from German into English. David Makinson has been working in the Cabinet Office and now has a second daughter. Fiona Stewart (née McDonald), an oncology consultant, was asked to speak on her work in Barcelona. This is the first time the Royal Marsden Hospital has had anyone so junior asked to speak at an international meeting. 1988 Nigel Hibbert is married with two young sons, happily settled on the Wirral. In May 2011 he left Deutsche Bank (previously Tilney) after 13 years to join Cheviot Asset Management as a Partner to establish a Liverpool office for them with his team.

Tim Roe and his family met up by chance with John O'Connor (1976) and family at Mwagusi safari camp, Ruaha, Tanzania during their summer holiday – a great meeting place for OPs! Pictured L to R: Ben, Tim, John, Turley (John's father). 1977 Nicholas Barnett has regained his Flying Instructor’s rating.

Philip Makinson has had a great year working in New York, Cairo, Mexico and Slough. 1989 Richard Edwards is a Media Consultant (auditing) in London Nicholas Heard works for the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Foundation for the protection of endangered species. Kirsty McDonald is married to Simon, and recently gave birth to a second daughter, Alexia

Page 89

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 38

O L D PA C K W O O D I A N S 1990 Kate Edwards is a professional advocate representing people with severe learning difficulties and also working with asylum seekers. 1991 Miriam Heard is in Chile working on a four-part television project about Chile 200 years ago, based on Maria Graham (played by Miriam) and her diaries. Gareth Lee is still with KPMG living in Los Angeles with his wife Jacqui and is involved with a 10 billion dollar project. 1992 Emma Fanning is still working for Save the Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo and will be there for two more years. 1993 Andrew Rowley is often responsible for the main Saturday afternoon sports show on BBC TV. 1994 Sara Fanning has recently returned from South Africa 1995 Simon Rowley is to marry in August and will live in London where he works in commercial property and his wife will be starting a year’s degree course at Roehampton.

William Kerr has just finished his second year at Manchester University doing a Masters in Pharmacy. Antonia Lock is graduating from Newcastle University with a BA(Hons) in Classical Studies and will be interning for three months this summer with Nicole Farhi's marketing department, with the hope of starting a career in fashion marketing. William Matthews finished his second year at Cardiff UWIC studying Tourism and Events Management and is working over the summer with a boat company in North Wales. He is also setting up an ice cream business on a tricycle with Luke Gerrard! Olivia Okell has finished a great Erasmus year in the South of France and is going back to Edinburgh University in September to finish her French degree. 2004 Anna Matthews completed her first year at Cardiff University and then did a ski season in Verbier. She is now moving onto her second year of Optometry in September. 2005 Jo Allan has spent a gap year travelling in Canada and working in Zimbabwe and is now going to Oxford to study English. He has also successfully auditioned for the National Youth Theatre.

1999 Andrew Erskine has started working for S J Berwin in London and is sharing a flat in Clapham with Charlie Reston. 2000 Sam Davies graduated as a doctor from Cardiff University in June 2010. He is currently working at the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil. Felix Paterson came out as top history student of his year at Trinity Dublin. 2003 Luke Gerrard spent a long time travelling in Australia and doing a ski season. He has finally settled down and finished his first year at Nottingham University studying Business Management and Finance. He’s spending the summer setting up an ice cream tricycle business with William Matthews. Celine Goodwin is studying International Business and French at Loughborough University. She is currently on a placement year working for Amadeus, a Global Distribution company, on the Cote d’Azur in Nice. She is still enjoying hockey and has joined a local club – however the French style is a lot more relaxed so there is more wine and cheese consumption than training! Sadly this Mediterranean life style will soon be coming to an end and in September she will be leaving the sun and sea to return for her final year at University. Adam Kidson is just about to finish his second year at Newcastle University, where he is studying Psychology. After graduation he will have a place to start Royal Marines officer training in September 2012. Alastair Lloyd is about to start a placement job in London as a marketing assistant for a company called “RateMyPlacement”. They are in the final of a Barclays Competition to be one of the best new companies to work for in London with a chance to win £50,000. Then he will go back to Manchester to finish his degree in Advertising and Brand Management. He is having a good time at university, getting a lot of wakeboarding done (he started a club at university) and is still mad on football.

Page 90

Alasdair Dougan spent a fantastic gap year travelling in South America and is going to Manchester to study English. Charlotte James is improving her Arabic and working with children and young people suffering from physical and learning disabilities in Morocco. She returns in mid-August and then starts her degree course at Warwick in the autumn. 2006 Theo Bathurst intends to study Geography at Leeds or Edinburgh. Charles Bridge took the International Baccalaureate at Malvern and is now going to Christ Church Oxford to read History Ancient and Modern. Joshua Charlton-Briggs is currently living in Singapore and has been offered an amazing opportunity reading History of Art at Glasgow University. Before he does this, he will be completing an Internship at an art dealer in Singapore. Jenny Draper had a fantastic time on Lacrosse tour in Canada at the beginning of the summer and is going to Durham to study Classics.

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 39

O L D PA C K W O O D I A N S Henrietta Dyson is planning on having a gap year divided between skiing in Canada and completing her Human Rights internship in Mongolia. She is also applying to Oxford and Trinity Dublin to read PPE or History. William Goodwin has been signed for the Newport Gwent Dragons. William Hutchinson Smith has finished at Milton Abbey School and is going to read Business Management and Marketing at university. Charlie Lewis has just completed his A levels at Shrewsbury. He hopes to read History of Art at either Edinburgh or St Andrews. Rosie McAlpine is taking a gap year before studying medicine. Chessie Rowland has completed A levels in Biology, Maths and Chemistry at Moreton and wants to read veterinary medicine at university. She is taking a gap year first and travelling through Africa and South America. Emma Trevor-Jones was Head Girl of Oundle and is applying to university to do medicine. Jack Trowbridge is hoping to read English and Classics at Bristol in October. He was captain of the Radley XI Football team and a college prefect. Maddie Wilson has been at Uppingham since leaving Packwood and in that time has been in the first Lacrosse, Squash and Athletics teams and Captain of Rounders and has also gained a merit in Grade 6 Violin. She has been offered a position to read Rural Enterprises and Land Management at Harper Adams next September.

2007 Hettie James has been made joint Head of Southfield House at Millfield for Autumn Term 2011. 2009 Jess Bibby is enjoying sailing at Rugby and has done her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award. Ella Edwards is enjoying Moreton and has done her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award. Josie Hall has done her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award at Rugby Rada Kathuria made the Under 15 netball squad at Cheltenham Ladies’ College and is going to South Africa on a sports tour this summer. She has also done her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award. Louis Lees-Jones was the top Under 16 cross country runner in the East Midlands School Championships as well as first Under 16 runner and fifth in the whole school in the Routh run at Uppingham.

Don’t lose touch! The 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.

Trini Woolley has been playing a lot of polo and is going to study hospitality at university. Charlie Boutflower played in the 1st Hockey team at Shrewsbury, completed his Gold Duke of Edinburgh award and is hoping to go either to Glasgow School of Art or to Florence to study Interior Design. Charles Dodson-Wells was very much involved with the Shrewsbury School Boat Club and was awarded his 1st VIII colours. He is going to Reading to read Business Studies and Geography. James Brown has continued his thespian interests at Shrewsbury. He has directed shows at school and taken a musical to the Edinburgh Fringe. He is planning to study Audio Engineering at SAE in Liverpool. Georgie Harfitt has been at Moreton Hall since leaving Packwood, playing a lot of sport including lacrosse, tennis and netball. She is going to Australia to work in a school coaching lacrosse and tennis before going on to Edinburgh to study Sports Science. In the meantime she is helping Mrs Draper with lacrosse at Packwood. Jonathan Harrap has been living in Virginia Beach, USA and Washington DC. He completed his A Levels at Cheltenham College and is hoping to study Physics with Astrophysics at Bristol. In 2010 he went trekking in Nepal, reaching a maximum altitude of 5400m after 12 days’ walking. Charles Heard is planning on studying medicine at Sussex. Stefan Hindmarsh has been offered a place to read Medicine at either St Andrews or Aberdeen. He continued to play cricket and tennis at Shrewsbury and during his final year was a Praeposter and Captain of Golf. Jess Richards has finished at Moreton Hall and hopes to travel before going to Leeds to study French and International Relations. Harry Robertson has taken up two new sports, rowing and mountain biking, since leaving Packwood. He coxed the 1st and 2nd eights from 2008-2010 and was the youngest competitor at Henley in 2008. He was also in the winning 3rd eight at the National Schools’ regatta. At present Harry is setting up his own mountain biking centre in his area. David Stott took Maths A Level early and got an A*. He is planning to go to Manchester to do a four-year course in Physics. Page 91

Packwoodian 2010-11

Section2 051011:Layout 1

5/10/11

12:26

Page 40

Governors & Staff Governors Dr J Dixey MD FRCP Chairman Mrs F J Humphreys A S Davies BSc Est Man FRICS Mrs L Lewis LLB W A Johnston

Mrs C Mostyn-Owen MA D R Stacey R G Tovey Cert Ed (Oxon) Mrs M T Price J J Knight

Teaching Staff Nigel Westlake LLB, PGCE – Headmaster Oliver Lee MA, PGCE – Deputy Head, Classics Nick Jones BEd, Cert Ed – Assistant Head, Biology, Boys' Housemaster Sarah Boutwood BA, PGCE – Director of Music Richard Cowley BA, PGCE – Head of Maths Roy Chambers BA, PGCE – Head of English Elizabeth Crawley BA, PGCE – Head of Packwood Acorns, Girls’ Housemistress Elspeth Cumpston BSc, PGCE – Maths Elizabeth Dobson MA – Assistant to Director of Music Paul Donaldson BSc, Dip PHE – Maths Paul Dougan MA – Head of Art Sue Draper BEd – Lacrosse, Athletics Roz Edwards BEd – Head of RS Martin Ford BEd – Maths, Geography, New Children Laura Goulding BA, PGCE – Form 6 Catherine Hammond BA – Form 6, Librarian Chantal Hartshorn – Girls' Games, Acorns Teaching Assistant Richard Herzog BEd – Head of Science Sam Hughes MA, BEd – Girls' Games, Science, English Bill Inge MA, PGCE – Head of Classics Jane Jones – Cookery, New Uniform, Hospitality Jo Lambkin BA, MCIL – French Geraldine Lee Cert Ed – French, Latin, RS, Second Hand Uniform Andrew Livermore BA – Head of History Emma Middlemiss BEd – Acorns Helen Nogues BA, PGCE – French, Spanish, CDT, Teaching Assistant Jerome Nogues BA – Head of Modern Languages, i/c Day and Foreign Pupils. 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, i/c Timetables Nicola Tomlins BEd – Acorns Ken Webster Cert Ed – English Nick Weston MA, PGCE – Maths, History Gail Wilkinson BA, PGCE – History, Geography Leanne Willis – PE, Games, Teaching Assistant

Matrons Ali Banks RGN – Head Matron Sarah Jones – Girls' Head Matron Caron Lane – Deputy Head Matron Sue Heath Sue Perry Frances Wood

Page 92

A M Wright BA J M Ollier M Turner MA

Learning Support Staff Sue Gough BA, PGCE, Dip SpLD – Head of LS, Assistant Head, 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 Helen Cooper – Teaching Assistant, Secretarial Support

Visiting Staff Edward Roberts-Malpass – Trumpet, Trombone Olga Lewis – Piano Harry Percy – Percussion Roy Johnson – Saxophone, Clarinet Jan Lumley – Flute, Clarinet Jane Hadwick BA, PGCE – Piano John Arran – Guitar Dawn Jaffray – Singing Roselinde Glossop – Piano Katherine Joyce – Percussion, Piano Bethan Roberts – Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon Jane Magee – Cello, Double Bass Jayne Robinson – Violin Steve Welti – Tennis Mike Markham – Tennis Rod Jones – Football/Cricket Dick Hilton – Archery Scott Carpenter – Golf Rachael Downey – Drama Roger Houston – Judo Jo Hutchings – Swimming, Trampoline Kelly Evans – Swimming Annie Moody – Ballet Sarah Morris – Girls' Games Stephanie King – Gap Student Marcus Rowland – Gap Student Amy Thomas – Gap Student

Administrative Staff Brian Welti – Bursar & Clerk to the Governors Natalie Shaw ACCA – Assistant Bursar Caroline Dougan – Headmaster’s Secretary Fiona Bridge – Assistant Secretary and OP Society Secretary Ursula Prudence – Events Co-ordinator Jeremy Bayliss – IT Technician

Back row: Tod Supornpaibul, Pablo Baillo, Thomas Marques, Archie Thomason, Himawari Nishida, Toby Mason, Mollie Jamieson, Patrick Haszard, Charlie England, Edward Stubbs, Oliver Tennant Row 2: Anto Woodhead, Matt White, Leo Sartain, William Bayliss, Sophie Mason, Maddie Hall, Sofia Maldonado, Holly Shaw, Edward Hurle, Fergus Connolly, Henry Oak, Robert Waterhouse Row 3: Felix Thomas-Davies, Tom Hancocks, Jamie Moir, Antonia Brine, Milla Harvey-Scholes, Poppy Raichura, Charlotte Edwards, Thea Holt-Smith, Edward Stanton, Stamos Fearnall, Harry Schofield Row 4: Clement Rye, Barney Preece, Edward Dolphin, Amelia Tomkinson, Ceri Lloyd, Dot Holt, Charlotte Dixon, Antonia Wordie, Katie Bibby, Alfie Grocott, Daishi Suzuki, Charlie Cooke Front row: Joe Davies, Anna Dodd, Archie Fetherstonhaugh, Evie Clutton, George Burrell, Headmaster, Jessica Clarke, Harry Jenkinson, Saskia Humphreys, Oliver Williams-Bulkeley, Francesca Hughes

Left to Right from back row down

The 2011 Leavers This photograph has been reproduced by kind permission of Gillman & Soame photographers and can be re-ordered by visiting www.gsarchive.co.uk or telephone 01869 328200

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