THE
L E N T 2018
RADLEIAN
Art | Clay Pigeon Shooting | National Youth Orchestra Musician in Residence | Charities | Dublin | News Round Up | Henley Chapel | Oedipus | Adventurous Activities | Chess THE RADLEIAN
1
ART AT R Studying Art at Radley places pupils at the heart of a vibrant, art-centred community. We offer our Radleians regular opportunities to visit major exhibitions and collections in both this country and abroad. Our mission and goal is to imbue a passion for creativity that lasts long after boys leave the College. This dialogue of creativity, expression and appreciation is at the centre of our teaching ethos and we hope it will remain so for countless future generations of talented and gifted Radleians. Ian Ellis Head of Art Surrealist Landscape by Archie Nickerson, B Social, Shell I enjoy the freedom of art. I love being able to use different elements and mix them together. During the course of this term we have used different media to create artistic pieces, such as a collage, or the Surrealist photomontage, using Photoshop. The Surrealist artist that had the most impact on my digital art composition was Salvador Dali. I love the way he juxtaposes different objects and makes us question what is real. I liked one of his works so much that I placed a part of it in my work, the tiger on the left.
Barn Owl by Jago Gourlay, E Social, Remove Growing up surrounded by woods and fields, I have been gripped by the freedom of nature from an early age. Animal behaviour fascinates me more than anything, and when I was 13 I picked up a camera and realized how I could express this fascination. This photographic image was a struggle to capture. I had to climb the tree, whilst ensuring the safety of the Barn Owl and not disturbing it. I kept my distance and moved slowly and quietly. Once up, I was able to compose the image. The natural frame of the hole in tree meant I could draw attention to the subject and although the ‘rules of composition’ go against placing the subject in the centre of the frame, I wanted to make the image all about the Barn Owl. Nothing else. 2
THE RADLEIAN
RADLEY Scroll Vase by Sam Perez Quane, K Social, Fifth This piece is based on Freedom of Speech, Edward Snowden and the Charlie Hebdo crisis, 2015. I have attempted to make a magazine/ newspaper-like structure out of clay which tells a front page story. Using bleak blacks and reds to symbolise oppression and conflict, I also incorporated lighter tones to show the rising importance and understanding of the value of freedom of speech. I enjoyed the challenge of clay and the uncertainty of the firing process.
Eagle by William Irons, G Social, 6.1 Inspired by visiting a falconry and seeing the delicate perfection of the birds’ flight, paired with their mechanical efficiency, I wanted to explore all this in a three dimensional sculpture. I aimed to create a piece with motion and the mechanical perfection that I saw in the birds at the falconry. Drawing on work by artists like Ptolemy Elrington, who creates animals out of salvaged car parts, which have a mechanical feel to them, and Anna Willi-Highfield, who uses ripped paper to achieve movement in her sculptures, I set about my task. I used sheet metal to imitate the paper and visited a garage to get more mechanical parts for the bulkier areas. The end result was ‘Eagle’.
THE RADLEIAN
3
Hierarchy by James Skinner, B Social, 6.2 Inspired by Caravaggio’s ‘Cardsharps’, my piece focuses on tenebrism, a compositional technique pioneered by Caravaggio himself, conveying a dramatic scene whereby subjects are illuminated by an intense light. The theatrical nature of Caravaggio’s work is what initially interested me. The narrative behind Cardsharps is simple: he casts two cheats, working in unison, to target a naïve boy and fix the result of the card game. However, I felt that the petty crime scene (by modern day standards) is outdated and unfamiliar in the present day and I wanted to generate my own modern interpretation of the viewer, yet maintain the murky theme of the piece.
Incomplete by Incomplete by Sven Winkler von Stiernhielm, H Social, OR I don’t aim to create pieces that look unfinished, but rather, I like my pictures to feature fragmented sections of highly detailed painting and drawing. Using orderly patterns, texture and matt colour, this painting of my father explores the use of negative space. As a perfectionist, I have always been attracted to using detailed life around me as the subject of my work, whether that be drawing and painting inanimate objects or human models. Over the last couple of years I have enjoyed incorporating portraits into my work. This painting aims to capture strange but reliably true proportions. I decided to include the whole body of my subject, as the proportions of the figure are more accentuated. This image of my father is common to me and my family in everyday life, but I had not seen a composition like it painted before. I found the photographs that I took of him seemed to capture a movement and atmosphere of being there, in the moment and that is what I set out to portray. Sven Winkler von Stiernhielm left Radley last year after taking his A levels. 4
THE RADLEIAN
CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING Clay Pigeon shooting is alive and thriving in schools across the country and, after a break of several decades, shooting is once again part of the sporting life at Radley. It was reintroduced in 2015 and the School quickly found its stride on the busy inter-school shooting circuit. In their very first competitive outing the team, led by Alfred Spreckley (a), won the flush at the Fido May competition, which is organised by Harrow and hosted at the EJ Churchill Shooting grounds.
This season, the club is led by Alfred’s brother, Theo, who commented: “The reintroduction of clay shooting has been a fantastic opportunity for pupils who are relatively experienced shots to keep themselves in form and also to introduce an exciting sport to those who have never shot before. Many are fortunate to have experience of game shooting but shooting clays challenges us in different ways, as well as adding a significant level of mental pressure. It is both an exciting and dynamic sport and I would encourage everyone to give it a try.”
The pleasing challenge facing the club has been trying to organise enough shooting days to accommodate the demand, with well over a 100 boys from across the years seeking to participate in afternoons at the Oxford Shooting School. There are also a number of highly talented young shots, such as Charlie Rooth (j) and George Tompkins (h), who compete exceptionally well against the older boys. The opportunity to shoot at School has also provided the gateway to compete away from Radley. Henry Williams (e) is a fine example who comments: “winning high gun in the Inter-Social shooting gave me the confidence to attend a Highlands and Islands series shoot at which I was invited to a GB talent identification day. As a result, I have been training with GB on their development pathway programme for the last year. Being trained by Olympic coaches has really helped me develop my trap shooting, which seemed worlds apart from what I was used to.” The Inter-Social shoot has added another healthy level of competition and Radley are grateful to Mr & Mrs Spreckley for providing the cup that is annually awarded to the winning Social. The current holders are H Social, who wrestled it from the inaugural winners, A. As was expected, it was the captain Theo Spreckley having the last word who, along with his father, triumphed at the recent father and son Beagles Clay Pigeon shoot, an event that is organised each September at Radley by Mr & Mrs Beor-Roberts. Richard Greed Master i/c Clay Shooting
THE RADLEIAN
5
NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA Wikipedia describes The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYO) as: ‘An Orchestra of 165 of the best young musicians from the United Kingdom. Members are bound together by their love for classical music, their desire to be challenged, and their enthusiasm for inspiring others. The NYO’s aim is to be “the most inspirational orchestra for young people” and, in 2011, the Orchestra was shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Best Ensemble Award. In 2012, the NYO received the Queen’s Medal for Music.’ Naturally, as an aspiring musician, I wanted to be part of this amazing
6
THE RADLEIAN
Orchestra. I have three years experience with the National Youth Wind Orchestra and have enjoyed studying at the Junior Royal Academy of Music for two years, as well as the full commitment of Radley College’s brilliant Music Department. So I was determined to audition! After success in the first round I was invited to a final audition in London during Leave Away. It was quite a gruelling process, with over 100 clarinet players auditioning for just seven places; but I also enjoyed it and was both amazed and speechless when I heard I had been successful.
So between now and the Summer of 2018 I will have 48 days with the Orchestra and will be playing in concerts with the best musicians from Great Britain. We will be playing challenging and exciting repertoire at venues such as the Barbican with the LA Philharmonic Orchestra, The Royal Festival Hall, The Manchester Royal Concert Hall and The Royal Albert Hall. Somehow I also need to study for ‘A’ levels! Jasper Perry F Social, 6.2
MUSICIAN IN RESIDENCE The role of Graduate Musician in Residence is such a brilliant opportunity for both the boys and myself here at Radley. As both a classically trained and contemporary musician and composer, I am able to assist with many aspects of the Music Department: from running a film music composition society, to working in the studio and mentoring individuals with their original songs.
There are many more exciting projects in the pipeline for this academic year, including a Shells Bands Night to kickstart the Lent Term and an experimental compositional workshop involving the Theremin!
I am thoroughly looking forward to continue working alongside such proficient students throughout the rest of my time here. Lizzie Lewis Musician in Residence
My initial focus for this role is to specialise in contemporary popular music and I have been incredibly fortunate to be involved in a number of exciting projects this term. One of the highlights has been working with a small group of students to compose original music for the College play, ‘Oedipus’. The composition and sound design team consisted of boys with contrasting musical backgrounds and abilities, which made the process not only interesting but also inspiring. A particularly enjoyable part of my role has been working alongside such talented musicians during band coaching sessions, where many of the boys play their own music. We have some amazing original music composed by students here at Radley and showcasing this is something I feel very passionate about! After a hugely successful Bands’ Night in the JCR, I am looking forward to spending more time on developing this aspect of music at Radley by setting goals for the bands and artists and recording their music. The students will be working with professional studio technicians from Air Studios and Abbey Road, as a part of this process. I have also been working with students on plans to launch the Radley Radio Podcast in early 2018, which will be a great tool to enable exposure to those who would like their original music heard, alongside other aspects of Radley life that we hope to include.
THE RADLEIAN
7
FIFTH FORM Sylva Foun dation
cy Foodbank Abingdon Emergen
SOFEA
The Sylva Foundation is an organ which was isation created to protect Bri It plants tr tish forests. ees and mai nta in Britain w hich have b ins forest areas ee rapid rate. While we w n decreasing at a ere to weed an d protect th there, we helped e orchard w just been p hich has lan and I particu ted. It was very intere stin larly remem staff. It is a ber the frie g very worth n dly wh protects so mething no ile charity which body wants to lose. Fergus Mo sedale, F S ocial
don Thrive Abing
ol primary scho ed at a local lp t he ar us st d of Four a wall an break down last term to ill allow the w is Th . rden r the work on a ga ter school fo af ay behind as a w It . ub Cl children to st d Gardening te ta with ns d ei le -r ly ril new ere th ork but we w help to t ea gr lt day of hard w fe eted and it pl m co e w t wha ity. cal commun within the lo an, K Social Xavier Coughl
8
THE RADLEIAN
Last term, a small group of us went to help out at a charity called SOFEA (South Oxfordshire Food and Education Academy). The organisation takes food from nt supermarkets that receive an excess amou types the gh throu sort ct, produ of any of food, separating them into categories, and ships them out to charities in the surrounding area. They also provide work experience and some teaching in Maths GCSE for some of the workers there. After a brief introduction, our first block of work consisted of sorting out carts of miscellaneous food types into their respective groups (e.g cereals, soft drinks in etc.), and then stacking crates of the food our ed finish had we When way. ed order an lunch break, we helped to find and bring several boxes and crates of food which were to be sent out to charities who had made specific orders. Overall, the day was productive and enjoyable, with nice friendly company from It all of the other workers and staff present. e. rienc expe was a worthwhile Usman Ladan, F Social
, we ergency Foodbank At the Abingdon Em for dy rea ms d got ite prepared boxes an an ll, the charity offers the next day. Overa d foo of ge ran d d varie extremely wide an if they se oo ch to le ab which people are this, the leaflet. As well as have the required anybody for ce an ch a ers foodbank also off th tea and biscuits wi to come in and have to discuss is it er eth wh ff, some of their sta t worried about or jus something they are the day, of d en the rds wa a general chat. To ing and I were unpack one other Radleian and packed d ive arr t jus d ha the food which lly, e cupboard. Persona it away in the storag l fee I d an have helped I was very happy to uld wo did all we which as though the work rably. have helped conside cial Edward Elliott, D So
Radley P rimary
School
At Radle y Primary their ga rden wa School, we were s infeste told tha thorns. O dw t u weeds a r job was simply ith weeds and nd thorn to re m ove the s, which garden a wo cc it look n essible to stude uld make the ice nts and make morning . We were there a fo the staff nd had one bre r the whole a ca k, for whic me out with dri when one of ha n hard lab ll were thankfu ks and biscuits, ou l. Althou gh it wa help out r, it was nice to s leave a where h de elp was needed. sk and Ned Rae Smith, A Social
M CHARITIES ch UK Cancer Resear
Helen & Dougla s House
Footsteps Foundation
I spent seven ho urs with Helen and Douglas House working in their charity shop in Oxford. For all of us volunteerin g, the work was very enjoya ble. It involved working with the kind, selfles s and regular vo lunteers sorting out the shop. I also felt that I benefited from it, as it helped me see the real world and I felt out of my comfort zone working behind the till; it was a lot more pressurising th an I had imagin ed. It was a new experienc e and something I very much enjoyed. William Nichol son,, E
Social
Barnardo’s
, Charities Day e Fifth Form ity th ar of ch rt ’s pa do As ar lp at the Barn at we went to he Barnardo’s is a charity th ord. facility in Oxf ung people by supplying yo n offers help to commodatio nges from ac e visited, aid, which ra yw At the facilit pped to education. specially equi s om ro e m e of m so they had so ed lp gy, which he with technolo s children. The building ed the special ne me for these children, ho a y el iv ct is effe facilities and t by both the made eviden helped tidy on offer. We e m co el w weeds and warm by digging up up the garden ltimately it was a very es. U el cutting bush I certainly fe perience and fference to the ex rewarding di p, we made a that as a grou . community
mot, C Social Joseph McDer
The Footsteps Centre is a place for children and young adults to come and have intensive physical therapy for various neurological and neuromotor disorders. Therapy ultimately aims to improve the quality of life for the child by giving them extra confidence and independence. They aim to do this in a way that is fun for the child, by combining traditional physiotherapy exercises with games. We went there and were under the guidance of a music therapy masters student, who taught us various musical-based games. We each had an instrument and combined our playing with physical exercises for the children in games - for example, having the child be our conductor and only playing when they move. The music and sound seemed to have a tremendous psychological benefit on the children. One boy crawled the furthest he had ever crawled since being at the Centre. It was extraordinarily rewarding for us to see the joy on the children’s faces as they realised that THEY were controlling the sound that they heard- a joy that we certainly reflected back at them. Jamie Walker, K Social
e largest arch UK is th Cancer Rese arch charity, se re cancer independent ention, search in prev conducting re eatment of cancer. d tr diagnosis, an ibus down to taken the min alk down to a ng vi ha r te Af to w e proceeded ople Abingdon, w et with the pe m e w e, er Th e day o. th sc t Te en e rg sp la arch UK. We se for Re er ng ki nc from Ca e Tesco, as ce outside th d ie an tr tr e en W e . th ns pi at well as selling ore people, donations, as tice m en to s ic ct d wearing a variety of ta up in tutus an the ng si es dr g includin ere given nally, some w wigs. Additio of cards from ck de a to buy icks opportunity use magic tr to e attempted w d an o, sc Te e donations. to attract mor cial John Fu, D So
RAW Workshop RAW Workshop is a wonderful organisation that helps thos e who can’t fin d jobs for various reason s and teaches th em new workshop skills. They recycle ol d products and materials to produce new pi eces of furniture made by those with di sabilities, and others who wouldn’t have the opportunity to work otherwise . We spent the day helping paint and sand odd chairs to help produc e a colourful ne w product and to give new life to old disuse d chairs. Everyone worki ng at RAW wor kshop, from the managemen t to those worki ng with the materials, m ade us all feel extremely welcome into th eir team. We al l left with new skills for w orking in a team and we learnt valuable lessons about th e workplace environment.
Oliver Skelley, J Social
THE RADLEIAN
9
The Abingd on
Bridge
Macintyre
Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon The Abingd on supports yo Bridge is a charity w hich ung people w through dif ficult and ch ho are going allenging circumstan ces. People at the Abin Bridge give gdon helpful advi ce children an d guide them to troubled future. towards a better At the Abin gdo managed to n Bridge a group of us cr logo and to eate a new, more attr active make the w ebsite pag appealing e more to children /t ee would attr nagers. Do act ing this would ackn troubled people and they owledge th at available. T there was he help then publici staff at The Abingdo n se their ch arity by giv Bridge away and g ing iving talks to local sch fliers thoroughly ools. We enjoyed wo rking with and learnin the charity g about ch ild backgroun ds. We wish ren from tough them a succ future. essful Rory Henry ,B
n Barto Thrive
Social
provides Christ’s Hospital of Abingdon Almshouses, the people of Abingdon with over the for the local townsfolk who are financial age of 50 and don’t have the r own security to afford to live in thei no longer homes. Usually, these people they find have any family members so es. But it difficult to live by themselv pital, they Hos ist’s Chr of aid through the and are provided with a home, food t life. san plea a g livin for s essential item we helped During our charities service day, is owned to clean up Albert Park, which gdon. We by the Christ’s Hospital of Abin sweep of h oug thor very a do managed to unts amo e larg the whole park collecting bin six nd arou to up ed add ch of litter whi e us all a bags worth. Seeing all those gav e, knowing sense of satisfaction and prid tribution con that we had put in our own for the ner clea look park to making the later local Abingdon community. We met went to see the Almshouses and live there. the wonderful residents who day was The most enjoyable part of the of the houses getting to meet the residents ningful and engaging in great and mea to be conversations, which turned out uctive prod and ing rest inte ly an extreme stories afternoon. Listening to their life tive on the really gave me a better perspec a whole new me e world around me and gav interesting and zing ama the of perception d. live lives that these people had
n, a g Barto hrive rovide youn ssary T s a e w p c y e o it n t r a e ks Our ch which wor ple with th nt around o e y e it char rivileged p First, we w to clear s p h. under s to flouris itter picker h in order ie hl bis it it b u w r a f to facil e o locals cal ar ream the lo und and st rea for the , we tidied t a o the gr ide a clean ime in. Nex building, t e v e iv o r r r u h p T is o , we e t e their l rden of th oss. Finally the d n e a , m sp g h d c k n c ba ben ds a up the g up wee s to build a seating in t a a e ll by pu ooden pall as provide e used as b w used w of which hich was to se purpo a caravan w locals. ial in the , E Soc a are io for ’Leary d O u s t s e Jam music
10
THE RADLEIAN
ial Blake Hannaby-Cummins, B Soc
s veral of u er Term se ernoon. m m u S e d of th r the aft At the en cintyre fo elp at Ma l charity providing h to t n e w na ies. is a natio g disabilit Macintyre eople with learnin n g si a d p te support to me there, we crea ir new e r ti During ou r the entrance of th ed us all fo llow m a e it th s a h it t, a w gre ing to This was start gett building. em and to erwards, we th h it w e to engag mbers. Aft g of the me nd playin know each ith them, talking a g, as in st re w te e in spent tim lso really t each of ich was a u games wh to hear more abo us it allowed , E Social their lives. Lucas Ely
WaterAid
Water Aid aim s to deliver cl ean water an sanitation to d the millions of people in developing co untries who liv and therefor e without it e are at grea ter risk of dise Many childre ase. n have to trav el a great distance ever y day to get water and W Aid aims to st ater op an education. this, so they can receive Having arriv ed in Newbu we were gree ry, ted by a repr esentative fr the charity w om ho gave us so m buckets, t-sh irts and toile e collecting t outfits whi proved very ch usef later in the da ul for attracting attentio n y. We then w alked up and down the New bury High St re donations, ta lking to peop et collecting le about wha Water Aid do t es and hand ing ou By the end of the day the th t leaflets. ree groups ha managed to collect over d £160. Sam Tucker, K Social
THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT IN DUBLIN Boys from the 6.1 and 6.2 Years met Dons early on the 27th October at Heathrow, before departing for the Irish Capital, full of excitement. Once in Dublin we took a coach to our accommodation, Jacob’s Inn Hostel, near the centre. We had a break for lunch, before reconvening at the Irish Writers’ Museum for a look around, accompanied by an audio guide. This proved very useful in understanding the background of writers such as James Joyce and playwright John Millington Synge. Afterwards, we headed to the Abbey Theatre to meet our guide for the Walking Tour of Dublin, James Hickson. We began by visiting the Liberty Hall. Following this, we walked down to the waterfront, where we were shown the modern Sean O’Casey pedestrian bridge, named after the famous Dublin-born playwright. Parallel to this was the Beckett Bridge, named after the writer of ‘Waiting for Godot’. We paused briefly outside the Abbey Theatre and were told of its long history as the National Theatre. Upon arrival at the Ambassador’s Hall, our guide informed us that the building to the left was in fact the main maternity ward of Dublin. After seeing various statues depicting influential figures such as Padraig Pierce and Joyce, the tour wrapped up at the Abbey and, after a hearty supper followed by a quiz on Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’, we retired to bed. We began the second day with a tour of the Abbey Theatre itself. Our excellent guide James Hickson’s vast knowledge of Irish literature and drama clearly shone through, with a detailed look at its history and the staging for the closing day of Dermot Bolger’s adaptation of ‘Ulysses’, which we would return to see later. Our tour of the Theatre closed with a presentation on the Abbey’s most controversial performances over the years. These included Irish classics such as ‘Portia Coughlan’ and ‘The Playboy of the Western World’.
That afternoon we went to watch the Dublin final of Hurling, contested between the bitter rivals Cuala and Kilmacud Crokes. The atmosphere was electric before kick-off, with both boys and teachers unsure what to expect. The game itself was very enjoyable and by the end, I am sure most of the boys would be up for a game themselves! Cuala emerged victorious. Later that evening, we attended the aforementioned performance of ‘Ulysses’ at The Abbey. I personally found it a very interesting take on Joyce’s novel. The costumes and acting were excellent and I would highly recommend The Abbey. On Sunday morning we visited Sandycove Beach, near which the Martello Tower is situated. The Martello Tower was featured in the opening pages of Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’, after Joyce himself had stayed there. The Tower had been converted into a museum and was set out exactly how it would have been during Joyce’s stay. We had the chance to visit the roof of the Tower, from which we could see the whole Bay. After our visit to the Tower, we came across a typical Irish market and both boys and dons greatly enjoyed this. We returned to Dublin and briefly looked around Trinity College, Dublin with the help of our guide, Orleith. The university itself was a beautiful campus and included the Book of Kells, a famous religious manuscript made of vellum, which we got to see first-hand. The impressive Trinity Library is among the largest in the world, with over six million books to its name. We then returned to Dublin Airport and, after a short flight, arrived in London Heathrow, ready to start the second half of term. Jess Beardsworth 6.1, H Social
THE RADLEIAN
11
NEWS RO Academic Free Speech Lecture , 14 September
Dr Joanna Williams of the University of Kent came to speak to a collected Radley and St. Helen’s 6th form audience about the contemporary issue of free speech and its importance within the academic world, especially at the UK’s leading universities. The first thing she did was carry out a poll among the audience by asking for a show of hands of who was in favour of freedom of speech within the law, to which almost everyone raised their hand, setting up a tone for an interesting talk. Dr Williams also crucially highlighted the issue of ‘intellectual safety’ among members of the public: a concept where people are only allowed to portray moderate views in order to maintain a ‘comfortable’ atmosphere. She argued that in an academic context, this notion is damaging in itself to younger generations, as it suppresses the desire for debate, as students feel they cannot express themselves. Overall, the talk was extremely eye-opening as Dr Williams exposed the blurred boundaries between free speech and the law and how the assumption of vulnerability among the students has now spread throughout society. She also expressed her strong disapproval, in her view, that if people were paying expensive tuition fees for a high class education, they deserved the right to freedom of speech. Xav Coughlan and Will Barker, K Social and D Social 6.1s Philosophy Society, 18 September
The first Philosophy Society meeting of Term saw a good crowd, many of them visitors from St Helen’s, Headington and Larkmead, descend on the Coffee Shop to hear the Reverend Professor Rob Gilbert speak about ‘Beauty and Science - why you have to be human to work things out.’ It was a wide-ranging and engaging talk, with lots of audience discussion and interaction, and Rob’s combination of the perspectives of a clergyman and Professor of Biophysics at Oxford led to some real food for thought. A very stimulating start to the season’s philosophising. Medieval Manuscript, 27 September
During the morning on Wednesday 27th September, Art Historians and Theologians met in the Library for a fascinating presentation 12
THE RADLEIAN
and a rare opportunity to get close to an early sixteenth century Flemish manuscript on vellum. The music manuscript, which retains its original binding with heavy bosses and incised decoration, is designed for use by a choir singing a service Radley Union Debate, 3 October
The largest audience for any Radley Debate in recent memory gathered in the Coffee Shop on Monday evening, October 2nd, as IKC, Angus Parker and Benedict Yorston took on the might of RKM, Ed Dillon-Robinson and Will Shott. The Motion was ‘This House believes that Socialism is superior to Capitalism’. The Debate was won by the Proposition on a “swing” vote; ‘Best Speaker’ was adjudged by the Chair, Christoph Wallendahl, to be Will Shott.
USA Politics Trip, 28 October
24 boys and four dons enjoyed a busy week visiting Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York. Highlights included tours of the Capitol building, the Supreme Court and the White House, visits to the National Archives, the
The event was brilliantly organised by Christoph Wallendahl – whose organisational and publicity efforts resulted in such a large audience attending that the Debate had to be switched from its initial location, The Blue Room, to the Coffee Shop. Study Day with Oxford High,
5 October
6.1s from Radley and Oxford High met for a joint study day. The day offers the students to choose from a wide range of electives covering everything from Art,Literature,Language and Culture to Science and Engineering. Having myself sat in on the Arabic Studies course with nine other Radleians and Oxford High girls, I certainly found the day to be fascinatingly enriched with a whole different culture.I was particularly interested with the side of Arabic and Islam which isn’t very much talked about: peace and culture.The day was spent learning parts of the language,basic phrases in conversation such as hello “alhan”/my name is “ismi”and much about the Arabic way of life and history,such as the golden age of Arabic cinema and watching some classic Arabic cinema such as ‘Caramel’. The day was a real eye-opener into the Middle Eastern language and life and I am sure that it was a similarly enjoyable day for all the 6.1s and Oxford High girls. Milo Brett, C Social 6.1
Arlington Cemetery, the Washington monuments, the Smithsonian museums,and talks from Mr Ziad Ojakli,Head of Ford’s Global Government and Community Relations team, Professor Adam Shiengate,Chair of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University and a group of speakers from the British Embassy in Washington.
OUND UP Activities
.
Honduras, 2-20 July
The boys made a major contribution to the Conservation work of Operation Wallacea. They were one of the largest groups to visit Honduras and
A number of groups made it to the very top of Mount Cusuco, sitting to rest on the spot where a wild Jaguar had been filmed on a camera trap only days before - close enough! Shell Tug of War, 10 September
During the afternoon on Sunday 10th September, the College community gathered to watch the Shell Inter-Social Tug of War. It was a great event, enjoyed by all who came to support the annual contest. Well done to all Shells who participated and congratulations to A Social who emerged victorious as winners of this year’s closely fought battle. Afterwards everyone was treated to a College BBQ on the games field. CCF Camp, 11 September
During the Summer, as every year, a large number of Removes went on CCF Camp to the Lake District, near Helvellyn. They pursued a number of outdoor activities, including rock-climbing, under the expert supervision of TCHN and mountain biking. They also had the chance to do some serious hill-walking and orienteering - planning the routes for themselves. A great time was had by one and all. College Standards, 30 September
also one of the fittest physically. As a result they were allocated many of the toughest survey areas in Cusuco National Park, often climbing a vertical mile in a day and giving scientists, who had been living in the jungle for 10 weeks, a run for their money.
During the day on Saturday 30th September, the ‘College Standards’ took place. It is an Inter-Social event challenging boys to a wide range of activities; testing strength, endurance, speed, agility and ergo. A broad range of events featured; including speed bounce, long jumps, long distance running, nerf throwing, 500m ergo and grip strength. Each event was measured and some great fitness results were recorded. Jurassic Coast Trip, 11 October
6.1 A Level Geology students and three dons headed south to Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The boys produced some excellent work that will go towards the Practical Endorsement
component of their A Level and suggests that they are already well on their way to a successful time with their Geology. This was also the first outing for the ‘geo-drone’ which took some great aerial shots that really helped to emphasise the 3D aspect of the topography and geology of the area. Community Service, 8 November
Along with the many other Community Service activity groups who leave the College each Monday, a group of 24 boys perform music for residents and carers in old people’s homes and hospitals in Oxfordshire. We do this as it is not only beneficial to the people in care homes, but is an important life lesson for us: it teaches us strength, courage, kindness and, above all, determination. Once we start performing, we always have a good reception: elderly residents love it. Harry Young, K Social Fifth Radleian Film Project, 10 November
Clem Giuseppetti, J Social Remove, has been busy filming scenes for his epic production, a drama featuring Sherlock Holmes as a boy. The filming took place in Oxford’s prestigious Blackwell’s bookshop which, according to the Guinness Book of Records, houses the largest single room selling books in the world. The team has been working on the production for a considerable time and hope to premiere the film this summer. Last 6.2 Lecture of 2017, 5 December
A large number of Radleians from all yeargroups (and indeed dons) were present in the Theatre for the last 6.2 Lecture of the Michaelmas Term. This took place on Friday, December 1st and featured Douglas Murray, author of the acclaimed international bestseller,‘The Strange Death of Europe’. Naturally, given the subject of Douglas’ book (“Immigration, Identity, Islam”), the talk generated a great deal of interest and debate: with a series of lively questions from both boys and dons. Afterwards, a select number of 6.2s had the privilege of lunching with Douglas in Hall.
THE RADLEIAN
13
Cultural Watermill Theatre, 20 September
On the afternoon of the 20th September, Mr Crump took the 6.1s studying English to the Watermill Theatre in Newbury to see a production of ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’. The Oscar Wilde adaptation was superb, with an all-female cast which combined the seriousness of the original Classic with some contemporary slapstick humour. The play demonstrated the key themes of the novel brilliantly in a performance which both the students and teachers thoroughly enjoyed. Despite not studying this text for A Level, it was an educational experience for everyone who went, as the novel signified an important landmark in the history of English literature. Xav Coughlan and Will Barker, K Social and D Social 6.1s Why Tragedy Matters? 26 September
Cambridge University’s Professor Simon Goldhill came to speak to an audience of Radleians and pupils from local schools. A prominent name in the study of Greek tragedy, his visit was perfect ahead of Radley’s production of Oedipus later this term. He gave us a snapshot of every aspect of life in ancient Athens, from politics, war and social divisions to philosophy and even a life lesson, showing not only what theatre represented in the ancient world, but also how applicable it is to us, even today. It was the kind of talk that comes only once in a Radley career. All who went were thoroughly pleased to have done so, and learnt a great deal also. Declan McCarthy, B Social 6.1 Evensong at Winchester Cathedral, 28
September
The choir had a great day in Winchester Cathedral We sung the Magnificat and the Nunc Dumittis by Murrell which went very well, due to full commitment and delicacy with the piano moments. One of the final pieces we sung was the anthem ‘All wisdom cometh from the Lord’. This has become a personal favourite for most of the Choir. It allows us to really show the full force of a 120 person Choir which is a rarity these days. Ethan Clarke sung a mature and controlled solo which echoed beautifully around the ancient Cathedral. It was a great day overall and hopefully the congregation went away satisfied having heard a top class performance. Arthur Tapner, F Social 6.2
14
THE RADLEIAN
Classics Trip, 4 October
During the afternoon on Wednesday 4th October, the sixth form Classicists had the rare opportunity to see a piece of ancient literature explored in a fresh and exciting way. Antigone, a tragic heroine torn between the law of man and the law of the gods, was put on trial, prosecuted by real lawyers and defended by experts in Greek Tragedy, in a case overseen by a real judge, all held at the Supreme Court. The trial was engaging, both sides putting their respective skills to good use, the prosecution making an effective case for the importance of Law and Order and the lack of knowledge of the will of the gods. The defence, rich in detail and sophisticated knowledge of the subject matter, pointing out the accountability of leaders and the right of every man to burial. Most important, however, was the cause the event supported. Classics For All aims to fund and support the teaching of Classical subjects in state schools, sharing the gift we receive at private schools with those who would otherwise never have had the opportunity.
The atmosphere created by the hymns was a sound that could never be forgotten. The sound that emerged from the trumpet during the Last Post was moving and played with precision, but feeing the aircraft’s thunder and seeing it fly over us all and the Memorial Arch was truly special. Raph Koudounaris, D Social Remove
Declan McCarthy, B Social 6.1 Scholars’ Concert, 5 October
This year’s annual Music Scholars’ Concert was opened by Maximo Lopez and Ben Zhang, with the dramatic ‘Concertino for Two Pianos’ by Shostakovich. This piece set the scene for the rest of the concert, with its twists and turns and unexpected changes in the journey. As the concert progressed, the Music Scholars showed great dexterity and a high level of accuracy in each individual’s playing: both as a main part, or within a larger group. The high level of professionalism could be seen in the last piece alone, when a powercut meant the finale piece, “No Surprises” by Radiohead (arranged by Dr Hawkins), was performed by torch light, whislt being conducted by our very own Charlie Pemberton. The high standard of performing and unique ending meant this was a concert to remember for years to come. Jasper Perry, F Social 6.2 Remembrance Day, 13 November
The Radley College Remembrance Service was a day that will live with me for years to come.
Spanish
Theatre Trip, 14 November One of the 6.2 Spanish sets went to see an English production of the Spanish play“La Casa de Bernada Alba” at the Cervantes Theatre in Southwark, London. It is a play we are currently studying for our A level exam and it was brilliant to see the characters and emotions we have imagined, whilst reading the play, come to life.A hugely worthwhile trip. Joe Trafford, B Social 6.2
Sport SB20 World Championships, 5 September
The Sailing Team took an SB20 keelboat to the World Championships at Cowes. The crew consisted of Toby Bennett (d) at the helm, with Richard Butterworth (g), Charlie Spraggs (j) and Bertie Barker crewing. Warm and sunny
Rugby, 11 September
Rackets, 4 October
Radley came back after Leave Away facing three games in a week – Marlborough, Cheltenham and Abingdon. Add to that the pressure of still looking for the first elusive win, despite playing some fantastic rugby. On Saturday 11th November, Radley welcomed Marlborough and, against a truly dangerous XV, were able to produce their best performance of the season, scoring five tries to win the game 31-19. A brilliant win and a great week of rugby.
It was an exciting start to the Rackets season with competitive fixtures against Marlborough College and Haileybury. The First Pair at Marlborough had a thrilling match, in which the Radley pairing of Captain Harry Foreman and Harry Purton came through to win 3-1. The Second Pair, Oscar White and Rory Marshall, went narrowly down against Marlborough 2-3 but had the opportunity to play First Pair against Haileybury a week later and played with grit and determination to win a match. With some depth now in the 6.1 year group, it is allowing us to put out more pairs at senior level and at Second Pair against Haileybury. The Colts pair of Theo van der Meerschen and Edward Crowston started the season with the same promise that they ended last year and the other Colts pair of Frank Barlow and George Bishop also progressed in the first few weeks of term, winning a nail-biting match against Haileybury. Additionally, it has been fantastic to see so many Shells on court in the first few weeks of term and, following the Shell Circus, there is now a core of ten players who play regularly.
Fencing Club, 25 September
The Fencing Club’s first fixture of the year was against Abingdon. Felix Rawlinson and Morgan O’Connell competed in the foil team, which was captained by Christoph Wallendahl. Wishing to better the previous year’s result, the team started strongly. It was a close match, with the lead alternating between the two teams. There were several very strong performances, starting with Morgan O’Connell, who scored six consecutive points, which put the team into lead position. Felix Rawlinson later scored 6-0 winning one bout and this was followed by Christoph Wallendahl, who scored nine points in one bout putting the team one point ahead. Going into the last bout, the team was one point down. It was always going to be a tough one, with the two teams’ anchoring fencers facing off. Wallendahl started well, scoring several points to take the score to 41-40 to him. However, after several rushed attacks and strong fencing by his opponent, the Abingdon team narrowly triumphed, in what was their closest match of the season. Olympic Dressage Success, 2 October
weather prevailed almost throughout, which made for challenging sailing conditions. The resulting light winds proved as mighty an adversary as the worldclass competition, meaning that even the smallest of mistakes was hugely magnified. The boys no doubt hoped for a higher finish than their final placing of 77th, but considering their level of experience and time spent sailing together, they can be truly proud of what they achieved.
After a strong 2017 season with a Nations Cup Team place, reserve for European Championships and several International Podiums, Angus Corrie-Deane, 6.2 has received confirmation that he has been selected for the prestigious Excel Talent Programme, supported by British Equestrian Federation and part of Sport England. The ‘Excel Talent Programme’ is embedded into the equestrian talent pathway and helps to identify and nurture up-and-coming riders who demonstrate potential to win medals in the future within the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines: dressage, para-dressage, eventing and show jumping.
GB Rowing Trials, 18 November
Radley College Boat Club travelled to Boston so six senior boys could tackle the tough 5000m time trial held on the River Witham in their single sculls. The event marks the beginning of the trialling process for candidates to start staking their claim for seats at the Junior World Rowing Championships or Coupe de la Jeunesse later in the summer of 2018. Radley had six single scullers taking part in the event. These boys were Archie McChesney, Felix Rawlinson, Ned Rae-Smith, Max Senior, Theo Metcalf and Luke Miles. All of the boys raced extremely hard over the course, and produced some encouraging performances, which should act as solid building blocks to work from as the season progresses. The top Radley sculler was Archie McChesney, finishing in 24th place overall. This follows on from his previous strong showings at Henley Sculls, and winning the Woodgate Sculls earlier in the term. The next Radley sculler over the line was Felix Rawlinson, in 55th place, which signalled a significant step up for him. There was a cluster of four Radley scullers within 10 seconds of each other in the middle of the pack, ranging from Felix in 55th, to Theo Metcalf in 72nd. Overall, a solid showing from our GB trialists, who now will need to post their best score over 5km on the rowing machine as the next stepping-stone in the selection process.
THE RADLEIAN
15
HENLEY ROYAL As is the case every year, Henley Royal Regatta was the main focus to the College rowing season. The first eight’s season up to Henley could have been described as ‘solid’ and relatively ‘unspectacular’. Never far off the mark, but not quite on the right side of where the squad wanted to be. This was evident with the two commendable 5th places at the season’s other major events, a shortened Schools’ Head, and National Schools’. After National Schools’, the squad began to develop physically and mentally and a hunger to do better than earlier in the Season shone through. The selection for the crew was extremely tough, with some very tight margins between boys, which whilst very stressful and tough, often
16
THE RADLEIAN
means you are likely to have a fast boat when the dust settles. Indeed the crew entered Henley with some promising performances under their belt, from Metropolitan and Marlow Regattas, and spent four days training on the course before getting underway.
boat ultimately controlled the race and ran out winners by two-thirds of a length. This acted as a good wakeup call to the Radley boat that every crew steps up their game for Henley, regardless of previous positions earlier in the season.
The crew were understandably nervous before their first race against Episcopal Academy, USA, and were anxious to get it right. They delivered a very measured race and won by one and a half boat lengths. After the race they found out that they had equalled the course record to the barrier marker, in a time of 3 minutes and 3 seconds, a record that had stood since 2009, when Eton College set the marker.
Friday of Henley always sees some big crews facing each other, as it is often when the seeded crews first meet. Radley were faced with opposition from overseas again, in the form of St Albans, USA. The focus for Radley was very much on delivering a strong race from start to finish and the crew executed this very well, leading from stroke one to control the race for a three quarters of a length victory.
On the Thursday, the crew met a dogged St Edward’s boat. The Radley
As had been predicted, this victory saw the boys race a very strong crew
L REGATTA 2017 from Shiplake College in the semifinals. Shiplake had won the Schools’ Head and a National Schools’ Bronze medal earlier in the year. The biggest challenge for the crew was to believe they could beat a crew they had been behind all season. The race itself was an absolute cracker and did not disappoint. The pre-race talk had been about potentially looking to control the race from behind, knowing Shiplake had a very fast start in their armoury. This was exactly how the early stages of the race panned out, with Shiplake pushing out to a length lead, but the Radley crew never lost complete contact, and at around the halfway mark, made a sustained move. Through Remenham Club, the momentum had swung firmly back to the Radley crew. They showed a lot of grit and determination to draw level,
move through and take a place in Sunday’s final by one length. The final was to be against a much fancied and very powerful Australian crew from Scotch College, Melbourne, who had knocked out very good crews from St Paul’s and Eton College in earlier rounds. It was always going to be an extremely tough ask, but the Radley boat raced extremely hard to stay on terms with the Scotch boat. However, 2017 was not to be the year, and the impressive Scotch College crew managed to gain an early advantage off the island and gradually extend this through the middle of the course. To the Radley boys’ credit, they never let the Scotch boat fully go and stuck to their task admirably, holding the deficit to a length and two-thirds at the finish line.
It had been an extremely successful campaign for the crew and sometimes you need to accept that a better crew had taken the victory on the day. A valuable lesson for the boys to learn and one they handled gracefully. As ever, the support from parents, Old Radleians, Mariners and members of staff throughout the course of the week was outstanding, and was hugely appreciated by the crew and their coach. The squad has been firmly back into training since September and are hungry to try to go one better this season. Sam Townsend Master i/c Rowing
THE RADLEIAN
17
CHA The first time I walked into the Chapel at St Peter’s College, Radley I fell in love with the place. That may now be many years ago, but there is something still very special about gathering each evening in Chapel for Evensong and to share the Eucharist on a Sunday. The boys, of course, sing beautifully but there is something else – something that is deeply warm within the stonework – it is the many years of worship and prayer that infuses through the whole building. The founding principles of the Oxford Movement and the beauty of worship captures the imagination and gives space for the boys and
18
THE RADLEIAN
staff to sit collectively in a tranquil setting and reflect on the struggles and joys of the day past. The beauty of the Anglican way is that it is all embracing and welcoming. Within our national life Her Majesty the Queen is the head of the Church of England and our Bishops serve within our national Parliament. The established Church serves each and every person that lives within the parochial system of England. In the same way Radley reflects the established order in that the Chapel and Chaplains are employed to serve each and every person within our community. Within our daily gatherings we welcome all – Christian, people with doubts
and boys of other faiths – the community of the Chapel is central to the experience of the whole life of the boy and don alike and all are welcome. As you might imagine, I approach any changes to the life of Chapel from a conservative perspective, believing very much in evolution rather than revolution. When the Warden spoke to me personally with regards to the possibility of expanding the College and increasing the number of boys who attend Radley, my first reaction was to make the case for whole School Chapel. My passion for whole School Chapel is borne from the founding principles of the Oxford
APEL Movement, in that community is more important than the individual - not least when that community gathers around the Lord’s Table at the Eucharist. For me a boy is a Radleian first and last and that is best expressed by the whole meeting in Chapel. I have been included in some of the design development and consider that the proposals to increase the seating in the form of apses on the north and south of the Chapel will provide appropriate seating to extend the Chapel capacity, whilst maintaining the focus across the Chapel to others within the community, particularly in the evening service. There may be some limited visibility during communion services towards the focus of the altar, in the very rear seats of the apses: although with the revised widening of the arch to the sanctuary, this is likely to be limited and the continued use of the lectern for the sermon with a clear view will prevent any sense of exclusion.
Whilst I am not qualified to comment on the architectural history or precedence of particular features, the retention and suitable location and prominence of the most “holy” features, including the reredos and the altar seems improved by the proposed alterations. The Bishop of Dorchester in a meeting with the College endorsed this approach and the additional widening of the arch to the sanctuary. From a practical point of view and in terms of functioning on a day to day basis, the proposal will make a large improvement in terms of capacity and for inclusive
wheelchair space. On the occasions where a more complex “High Church” service is held, with full vestments, communion, incense and bells, usually accompanied by full orchestra, choir and organ, the removable seats and the space around the sanctuary will significantly enhance the reverence and spiritual reflection of those attending and participating. I am delighted with the proposed design of the College Chapel and I give it my full support. With God’s Blessings. David Wilson Chaplain
Architectural proposals and visualisations by Purcell Architects
THE RADLEIAN
19
OEDIPUS In my limited theatrical experience I have only been directed by a handful of people. The differences between directors is therefore very noticeable to me. Early on this term I had to learn that one must adapt as an actor to different directing styles, just as directors have to adapt to different actors. Coming into a role both parties have ideas of what they want the character to be and success comes when they can negotiate and propose and compromise, so that the end product is a synthesis of their two interpretations. Quickly this mutual understanding developed, and meaningful work could be done. Over the summer I had researched what it means to be a tragic hero. I must be relatable: not too good, not too bad. The audience needs to feel that Oedipus is a person not too dissimilar to themselves, that his fate could just as easily have been theirs. I must also fall. The fall needs to be an experience that induces catharsis, a cleansing through vicariously
20
THE RADLEIAN
suffering the tragic hero’s fate. The audience cannot suffer and be cleansed through Oedipus if they do not see themselves in him. Oedipus has good qualities, the greatest of which I felt to be his care for his city and his just ruling of it, and bad qualities: his temper and his pride. The fall that occurs during the play must be gradual. These ‘bad qualities’ corrupt his original good intention of saving his city. He is so eager to learn everything he can about how he can save the city that he rapidly loses his temper when he encounters those people who get in the way of this goal. His hubris, leads to this anger. He cannot even consider that the people he feels are against him are actually trying to protect him. He is so proud as to feel completely above any negative situations they warn him of. Yet the audience mustn’t feel that Oedipus is so bad that he deserves his fate- that somehow his fall is justified. I tried to draw attention
in the last scene to what extent Oedipus was doomed from the very start of his life. No matter his flaws or virtues, the man the audience sees before them, contorted, lonely and blind, always had to happen. Oedipus, through no fault of his own, was ensured this fate from the moment of his birth. In this sense the play relies on apprehension, rather than surprise, for its success. Many of the audience already know that things aren’t going to end well for Oedipus. Indeed, I as the actor know that things aren’t going to end well for Oedipus; but Oedipus, alas, does not. I found it an interesting exercise, as I went on stage each night, to simultaneously hold in my head both the actor’s knowledge of the unhappy fate of Oedipus, and the character’s own lack of knowledge at virtually everything. Jamie Walker K Social, 6.1
Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is a tragedy which explores the notion of human identity. It deals with the central question: ‘How do we know who we are?’ The notion of identity and knowing what to believe are issues which strongly resonate with today’s society, as the increasing use of social media and ‘fake news’ become ever more prevalent in the younger generation’s world. The theme of knowledge is echoed in the reference to the crossroads, ‘where three roads meet’. On the surface, it appears that Oedipus is to make a practical choice as to which path to take, which will affect the direction of his future. But this also has resonance with Oedipus’ mental state: just at a time when he thinks he’s taking control of his life by escaping his fate, he’s actually at a mental crossroads and, unbeknown to him, when he thinks he’s asserting his independence and free will, he’s walking freely towards his tragic fate. The crossroads were echoed in this Production’s design: changing the traditional positions and size of the parodoi (stage entrances) and connecting them to a raised platform leading to Oedipus’ residence created a ‘crossroads’ downstage centre. This design feature acted as a visual reminder of the physical and mental crossroads in Oedipus’ past which has returned to haunt him.
jeopardy. This has been passionately illustrated in London’s reaction to Brexit with many citizens taking to the streets to express their strong views about Britain’s independence. Therefore, conceptually, the Chorus built on the idea of a political and a communal voice; instead of using the traditional fifteen male Theban elders, the Chorus were a group of protesters, representing a cross-section of a city’s society, gathered to challenge Oedipus on taking action against the plague which is in the process of destroying their city. I wanted to visibly embody the plague destroying the city in the production’s design elements. Through the set,
the walls of Thebes extended out to the auditorium, providing more of an immersive experience for the audience and perhaps suggesting that the Chorus was an actual extension of themselves. The exterior of Oedipus’ residence was untarnished and pristine, like the appearance of Oedipus himself; however, as the city walls extended away from his residence, the signs of the plague and protest became very visible in the crumbling and deteriorating stone and almost toxic graffiti.
Victoria Buse Head of Drama
Unlike some other tragic Greek protagonists, Oedipus becomes a strongly relatable character. Putting aside his heroic and regal status, not to mention patricide and incest, the common human flaw of pride clearly plays a part in his downfall. How many times have we felt we were in the right and, despite being given advice by others, have refused to listen because of sheer stubbornness or conviction in the belief that we know best? Oedipus’ pride is heightened to such an extent that it ultimately leads to a blind ignorance and a self-destructive lack of control. Political debate was a recurring feature of Classical Greek democracy and I felt it necessary therefore to find a modern-day equivalent to represent this tradition. The production reflected a political context; it was set in a modern-day city, with Oedipus having a prime-ministerial role amongst the citizens. Having established an equivalent for Oedipus, my attention then moved to the Chorus. It was essential that the group of ‘Elders’ was a relatable collective body, expressing concerns for the state of their city. Now more than ever, we are reminded that citizens from all social backgrounds take part in protests to voice their opinions when they feel the future of their city will be put in THE RADLEIAN
21
ADVENTUROU At Radley the many Adventurous Activities are designed to give boys a flavour of different disciplines, where they can learn new skills, build their fitness, work as a team and learn to make correct decisions when exposed to some risk. The intention is that the activities are enjoyable and challenging, and boys may return to similar activities later in life. There are three CCF Adventurous Activity Camps – one at the end of each term. They go to the Lake District in the Summer and Brecon at Easter and Christmas. On these trips the boys are exposed to a great variety of activities including:
Via Ferrata; orienteering; mountain biking; ghyll scrambling; an overnight expedition, which includes a wild camp and ascent of Scafell Pike; indoor climbing at King Kong Centre, Keswick and Llangorse, Brecon; outdoor climbing; a walk along the iconic Brecon’s Ridge; gorge walking; caving; high ropes; and abseiling. We have also run a short bushcraft trip which helps boys reconnect with nature in a primal way. With all the CCF trips, we use ‘close supervision’ with most of the activities, giving the boys a little more responsibility as appropriate, as they become more efficient. Therefore they are essentially ‘taster trips’, but do serve to develop the boys’ personal skills, confidence, knowledge and ability to make decisions in potentially risky situations. These are all good attributes for future activities adventurous or not. We also work on some non-adventurous skills through the communal cooking and clearing up after meals. Watching and aiding the boys’ first attempt at chopping a pepper/onion, or loading a dishwasher, or using a tea-towel, can be almost as rewarding as coaxing a terrified boy down his first abseil. Probably the most recognisable activity undertaken is the Expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Expedition, where we run Bronze and Gold. We give the boys thorough training, starting in the Shells, and it continues through the Remove CCF year, then with a concentrated training period just before their Gold Practice Expedition, to prepare them for the ‘wild country’ they experience at that level. The training covers all that they need to know and they implement all that they have learnt in their practice and qualifying expeditions. Every decision that the groups makes, or problem that they encounter, has to be tackled by them only - they cannot just find/Email/call a Don. They need to work through it, as a group, and this gives the boys a wonderful sense of autonomy and builds confidence greatly. Obviously the Dons are nearby, acting as safety cover and
22
THE RADLEIAN
US ACTIVITIES we have procedures in place, but in the spirit of the Award, this is mostly remote. The boys learn a great deal from this, and on final debriefs they really do appreciate the training given to them, the support from Dons, and the opportunity to undertake such a monumental challenge. The ‘Three Peaks’ series of challenges are popular. Not only is there the National Three Peaks (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, Snowdon), but also the Yorkshire Three Peaks (Ingleborough, Pen-y-Gent and Whernside) and the Welsh Three Peaks (Pen y Fan, Cadair Idris and Snowdon). Again, safety cover and procedure are in place, but the boys need to work as a team to decide on route choice, when to take rest breaks and look after each other’s safety and wellbeing. Although it is not a race, there is some competition between the groups to log a faster time than their peers. This means that the decision-making process becomes more pressured, with more control needed as the participants become more tired.
We take shorter trips out to local facilities during the term, such as: paintballing, climbing at Oxford Brookes, go-karting, high-ropes at Culham and lazer-quest. These trips can build further skills and are good team-building for the boys. Each trip will give different experiences and benefits to each participant, depending on their fitness, prior knowledge, others on the adventure, the weather and many other factors. We hope that the boys come away with a much better understanding of the importance of preparation, a better understanding of their particular strengths and weaknesses and a better appreciation for others. They also give them something to aim for in future. Paul Fernandez Head of Aventurous Activities
We have undertaken several relay events, on various terrains. The ‘Radley Ridgeway Relay’ is a continuous relay along the 86 miles of the National Path. Slightly more hilly was the ‘Bob Graham Round Relay’ - a very tough challenge 72 miles, scaling 44 peaks of the Lake District. On the Radley track we have run the ‘50km relay’ several times with teams of 3-6 dividing up the distance between them. Slightly more extreme is the 24 hour relay - last time we managed 216 miles. Running through the darkness of night is something that many boys have never experienced. We have also undertaken challenges on two wheels. The ‘C2C’ or ‘Clock Tower to Clock Tower’ was an overlapping relay along the 100 mile cycle of the Thames Valley Cycle Route from Radley to Big Ben. The ‘A2B2C’ or ‘Abergavenny to Brecon to Carlisle’ is a 70 mile cycle along the Taff trail, with the majority being downhill, which makes the cycling more enjoyable! THE RADLEIAN
23
CHESS Chess is an important part of life at Radley for many boys. There are plenty of informal matches over the boards in Coffee Shop and the Library also has boards for those who want a bit more peace and quiet whilst playing. There are also chess boards available in socials and both G Social and H Social have recently hosted Gerard O’Reilly, the captain of the local Cowley chess team, for Social Prayers, after which he took on all-comers in a multi-board simultaneous match in Social Hall. There was even some chess controversy in a recent edition of The Radleian when the question of whether chess should be considered a sport was debated. The fact that the last Captain of Chess, Harry Bligh (h) was awarded half colours for chess raised a few eyebrows, but
24
THE RADLEIAN
was just reward for his efforts over two years. For those who want to play chess competitively, there are matches against local teams in the Michaelmas and Lent Terms as well as the annual National Schools chess competition. Last year saw Radley qualify for the regional stages of the competition, after a hard-fought first round match against a number of teams at Winchester. We didn’t have the strength in depth to make it further, but with a number of strong players in the School there is potential for the future. Playing for Radley competitively also allows boys to wear the quite distinctive green chess tie and the allure of a tie as a motivational tool is not to be underestimated! The highlight of the chess year at Radley, however,
is the Inter-Social Chess in the Lent Term. Matches are played on Thursday evenings after prep and whilst enthusiasm rather than skilfulness is the theme of many matches, they are hard-fought and the splendid Margaret Pugh Trophy is the reward for the Social that triumphs. The current holders are F Social after they defeated H Social in a close final earlier in March. There is a chess saying that ‘Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe’ and it is this almost infinite capacity for challenges at every level of competence that makes chess such a compelling game. Long may it continue to thrive at Radley. Kevin Mosedale Head of Curriculum Extension