The Radleian ST19

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The King’s Singers | Art History in Italy | Climate Change | Drama Artificial Intelligence | Declamations | Michael Portillo | World Book Day Chamber Music Concert | News | Young Sport Leaders | Vales THE RADLEIAN

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THE KING’S SINGERS Singing is at the heart of Radley: over 100 boys have singing lessons, a similar number are in the choir, and the recent recording of hymnsinging in Chapel reminded us of the visceral power of the ‘Radley sound’ when the whole school sings a favourite hymn.

The Lent Term started with four days of professional recording for the Chamber Choir, Chapel Choir and Choristers in Keble College, to be released later this year. The focus and aspiration of the boys was outstanding, resulting in a really exciting recording. However, the undoubted highlight of the singing year was a phenomenal pair of concerts at the end of March.

The stunning Sheldonian Theatre was packed to the rafters twice with audience and performers for a celebration of choral singing, which brought together Radley’s choirs with the world-renowned ensemble the King’s Singers, the Radley Choral Society, and children from eight local primary and secondary schools.

The concerts raised £4000 for Kamran’s Ward (Children’s Oncology and Haematology) at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in support of the remarkable care they give to children and families. This cause is particularly close to the hearts of the choir, as one of our choristers

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is currently undergoing treatment there. It was moving in the concert to hear from another singer, from John Mason School, who had received treatment when a young child and spoke compellingly about the wonderful care he had received.

Over the preceding weeks, rehearsals and workshops have taken place in schools across the local area, led by the Radley Music Department in partnership with the school’s own teachers. Meanwhile, King’s Singer Chris Bruerton led a series of inspiring rehearsals with Radley’s choirs, alongside singers from John Mason School, Headington School and Desborough College. Composer Cecilia McDowall wrote a thrilling setting of a new poem, ‘Shadow-Maker’, by poet Kate Wakeling especially for the event.

This received its world premiere in the afternoon concert, and is now being used in thousands of schools across the country as part of the visionary ‘Friday Afternoons’ project.

It was paired with the world premiere of a new arrangement of the celebratory song ‘Kelele’ by Angélique Kidjo which celebrates the joy to be found singing, sung by over 300 primary school children with the King’s Singers. Music by former King’s Singer Bob Chilcott and contemporary Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo brought

together the massed forces of the Radley Choral Society, Chapel Choir and secondary school choirs, filling the Sheldonian with glorious sound, whilst the King’s Singers gave a tour de force of a capella singing, with music ranging from Renaissance polyphony to pop song arrangements.

In a memorable finale, members of the Radley Clerkes stood side by side with the King’s Singers to perform the iconic arrangement of Billy Joel’s ‘And so it goes’.

The quality and attention to detail were of the highest level, but most memorable was the palpable shared joy in singing and performance.

An inspiring day of music-making was a potent reminder of the power of singing to bring together people of all ages and backgrounds. It is especially exciting to see Radley’s musical partnerships with local schools and musicians continuing to flourish, and a privilege to premiere new music which will enrich the lives of many more young singers over the coming years.

Sam Gladstone Precentor

ART HISTORY IN ITALY The trip started in Rome and upon arrival we visited the Vatican City, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. The evening was spent wandering the cobbled maze of the Italian capital and we intentionally stumbled upon an oasis of undisturbed history of Roman culture. The next day we looked onto the Colosseum from afar, whilst being lulled by Mr May’s rendition of Byron’s reminiscence of his own visit to the famed city, before shooting off via train to Florence.

Florence was our next city. We set off under the light of the street lamps, passing landmark after

landmark: from the likes of the Palazzo Vecchio to the Duomo and the Baptistery. On the next morning we were whisked off into the bustle of the city for another fast-paced tour. We broke away from the steady stream of tourists and shot down alleyways to discover the real secrets of such a great city. A particular favourite was the content of the Opera del Duomo Museum.

Another spectacular occasion, of which there were many, was visiting the Uffizi Gallery. Although we had seen the works so many times before in lessons, there was something very humbling about

seeing them in person and up-close.

Seeing Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia really did strike down all preconceptions we had for what we thought would be an over-rated piece of rock. Having imbibed all these cultural riches, we set off once more by train for our final destination: Venice.

It is hard to explain what Venice is really like, because there is nothing to compare it to. We completed a whistle-stop tour around various museums to finish what was a highly memorable trip.

Ned Carter 6.1, H Social

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CLIMATE

While attending a ‘School Strike for Climate’ in Oxford, Matija Conic and I ended up chatting to researchers from the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) who had set up a stall there. I realised as I badgered the scientists with questions just how much there was that I didn’t know beyond the basics taught in the curriculum; I realised how intellectually unequipped I was to approach the issue and to argue against deniers; and I realised just how interesting climate change is.

One of the strengths of Greta Thunberg is the simplicity of her message: a recognition of the extent of the problem and a logical plea for a political response that is commensurate to the extent of the problem. However, the complexities of environmental change are still important to engage with for two reasons. Firstly, because the nuances of the issue are where debate happens, and being able to cope with this kind of debate in an informed and efficient way is vital if things are going to get done.

Secondly, the complexities are where things get most interesting.

Talking to those climate scientists,

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I began to engage with climate change’s complexities, but scrolling through the ECI website I began to appreciate its breadth. The disciplines and departments there ranged from physics and biology to economics, politics, ethics, social science and more. Ecological and climate issues span across disciplines like nothing else.

So I organised the ‘Climate Change Lecture Series’, trying to get a few researchers from different disciplines to talk about what they do in an effort to get across some of the excitement of the complexities and breadth of environmental topics. The series has ended up being more on the scientific side of things, but really, where better to start?

For the first talk Dr Friederike Otto, Acting Director of the ECI spoke on ‘Angry Weather: How climate change is affecting

extreme weather events around the world.’ She spoke about the methodology behind ‘Attribution’ studies, which show if an extreme event was more likely to happen as a result of anthropogenic climate change or not. These look at the frequency of similar events in the past, combining this with data collected on the ground afterwards and computer models, synthesising it all to compare the difference in ‘return time’ between the real world and a simulated unwarming world. She went on to raise broader questions on what an extreme weather event actually is: pointing out that the absolute temperature or precipitation should be considered alongside the location’s infrastructure and geography, before finally saying how these

CHANGE

studies are being used in legal cases, with individuals suing based on the blame that can be asserted with this evidence.

Next we had Professor Myles Allen, the head of climate research at Oxford University, speaking on climate modelling. He brought a glass cylinder, filling it at the top while water flowed outwards into a bucket at the bottom at the same rate, explaining how the water flowing in was the amount of energy entering our atmosphere from the sun, and the water flowing out was what was reemitted into space. Tightening the valve and restricting the outflow was equivalent to emitting greenhouse gases. He broke down a differential equation, which modelled the water

flow of the system and showed how the same equation could be used to model atmospheric temperature, allowing us to change certain parameters of the equation to try and see which best matched the observed data on Excel spreadsheets around the room.

Finally we had Yadvinder Mali, Professor of Ecosystem Sciences at Oxford talking on ‘What is the Anthropocene and what do we do about it?’ At its core the Anthropocene describes how human activity can now breach planetary boundaries, beyond which occur fundamental shifts in the functioning of the Earth System. Prof. Malhi went on to explain the term from a range of other perspectives: going from the Earth System Sciences to Geology, detailing the contentions in the scientific community around the move to formalise the Anthropocene as an official

geological epoch; then to Biology, where he showed how humans have uniquely changed the distribution of species around the world; and finally to the social and historical, detailing the debate about whether the Anthropocene began with the ‘Great Acceleration’ in the 1950s or earlier, with the extinction of the megafauna.

Off the back of this series, a Radley Environmental Group will be formed, which will create a space for the broad and intellectually exciting topics related to the environment, out of which can arise practical ideas for tackling the environmental problems at Radley, in our own lives and in the wider world as we leave.

Climate and ecological breakdown are truly worrying; but if we engage appropriately with this vast and interesting problem – so vast that it includes something of interest for everyone – and look forward to the intellectual and practical challenge of finding solutions, then we stand a better chance of success.

Jamie Walker 6.2, K Social THE RADLEIAN

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DRAMA R THE CRUCIBLE (REMOVES) This year’s Remove Play was ‘The Crucible’, a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953 as a fictionalised account of the Salem Witch Trials that took place in Massachusetts in 1692-93. It is a very topical play as the predominant theme is one of truth and the evidence of that truth; this shone through in the scenes showing the condemnation of characters.

The production was set in the Drama Studio in-the-round designed by the Director, George May, Stage Manager, Matt Barker and Set Design, Jon Goodall.

Members of the cast performed behind metal, prison-like fencing and they dramatically manipulated the feelings of the audience by making various noises, such as pulling violently at the fence in front of them or shouting the same phrase in unison.

The costumes were designed by Lianne Oakley-Rowland, who was assisted

by Katinka May. The whole cast were wearing denim dungarees with an orange t-shirt featuring the words ‘Juvenile Inmate’ on the back. The only real distinguishable feature between characters was a red headscarf, tied to indicate gender. The lack of individuality between each character amplified how society operates as one and is its own entity.

There were some very convincing performances and the play as a whole was performed to a very high standard.

The performances of Harry Plumstead and Joshua Thompson (as John Proctor and Mary Warren respectively) were particularly credible and conveyed the true emotions one endures when wrongly convicted, but due to lack of credibility in society, can do little to argue their case. The performance contained many different emotions making it hugely engaging.

Albi Tufnell F Social, 6.1

GRIMM TALES (SHELLS) This year, the Shell Play was the fantastical Grimm Tales. The production was staged throughout Mansion in a promenade style.

The first tale Little Red Riding Hood, was performed in Blue Room. The boys who played Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf both did a very good job, supported by several characters around the room who swiftly explained the story. The staging was also very smart, as

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it appeared as if Little Red Riding Hood and Grandmother climbed out of the Wolf’s belly!

The second story was The Three Little Men in the Woods set in Stone Hall; a story about being kind to one another.

Following this, the audience travelled downstairs to the JCR for Hansel and Gretel. The play followed the original Grimm’s story; this segment was excellent, featuring some of the best

ROUNDUP A COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY (6.1) It is not often that you get to perform a show with the single intention of making the audience laugh, so as soon as I saw that ‘The Comedy about a Bank Robbery’ was this year’s 6.1 play, I had to sign up.

It seems we found the key to putting on a Bank Robbery. Take the brilliant direction of Mr Asbury, combined with the amazing costumes and set we are so

lucky to have, then add a hard-working group of 6.1s. What could go wrong?

performances overall, showing great dedication from all of the actors.

Overall, we thought the Shell Play was a varied and engaging set of productions that succeeded in delivering the most famous of the Brothers Grimm Tales.

Excellent performances from everyone involved which shows great promise for future productions.

Thomas Reed K Social, 6.1

The cast knew the challenges of putting on a comedy right from the start of the process, with everyone being required to perform a multi-role monologue where one actor played three people having an argument and eventually a fist fight. The difficulty of the production was not seen as a problem by the cast, but an exciting challenge.

A great example of this was a moment in the second Act of the play. This came when Mr. Freeboys, played by Rupert Woods, was hitting my character, Warren Slax, with a variety of objects to demonstrate which is harder. Through lots of hard work, this was transformed from an extremely difficult, potentially dangerous, moment to one of my most enjoyable moments on a stage at Radley.

The final tale was Rapunzel, set once again in Blue Room with the audience watching from two sides. Like the previous tales, Rapunzel had excellent costume designs using sound effects to keep the audience immersed and engaged, rather than an over-reliance on props.

Sebastian Codet and Ruairidh Holden C Social, Shells

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ARTIFICIAL IN Radley and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: how will AI change us?

The Context The development of technology, especially in the areas of machine learning, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality and robotics – and they are all linked to other developments in general-purpose technology (GPT) – is so rapid that many scientists, technologists and futurologists admit they just can’t anticipate the full effects on our future life and society. For example, the Internet of Things (IoT) may well bring many benefits, but we will also be head-deep in a world of huge-scale and constant datamining. In some ways we are already there, as those with Fitbit devices, Alexa, Amazon accounts and phone apps already know. How will tech and other corporations and governments use this Big Data?

These ‘transformations’ could bring utopia, dystopia or even the end of mankind, depending on who

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you read! Estimates by big-hitter analysts such as PWC, McKinsey, the OECD, World Economic Forum (and many others) suggest between 30-50% of jobs will disappear in the next twenty years. We are not alone in wondering what our educational response should be to questions far bigger than Radley.

What is ‘Education’ The better futurology writers don’t argue against the three Rs, but for a radical rethink of our educational system.

For Radley (and we have started well with some of this) to prepare boys well for what is coming; we need more time spent on critical thinking, communications skills, left-field quirkiness, problemsolving and analytical reasoning.

Anthony Seldon, vice-chancellor of Buckingham University, notes that Oxford Martin School listed ‘judgement and decision-making; fluency of ideas; active learning; systems evaluation; originality;

learning strategies; deductive reasoning; complex problemsolving; systems analysis and monitoring’ as the top ten qualities likely to be wanted by employers.

Properly embedding all these into the overall school menu needs some thought. We are therefore giving it much thought… In terms of our curriculum, STEM is very important but the humanities, arts and social sciences will continue to provide the thinking and creativity (call it ‘soul’, perhaps) which differentiate us from the machines.

The school is bringing in experts from the relevant fields to advise and help us plan. We will go to more centres of technological innovation – in the UK of course, but Silicon Valley, Canada, Europe, Israel and the Far East. I visited Silicon Valley in July 2018. My colleague Roger Shaw, Second Master, will further develop our links there in October.

NTELLIGENCE Inter-school Collaboration on AI We are very excited to announce that Radley College and Sevilla International College San Francisco de Paula are launching a cooperative project focussed on the educational impact of The Fourth Industrial Revolution. It is the firm belief of both schools that spectacular advances in ‘the Internet of Things (IoT)’, the ‘datafication’ of society and the use of AI in even, for example, journalism, painting and musical composition are forcing a radical rethink in how young people are taught in school and prepared for life outside it. Sevilla International College has strong links with the University of Seville and the Joint Research Council of the EU, based in Seville. Radley is developing links with technology companies and university departments at

Oxford, Buckingham and in the USA. We feel we are in an excellent position to share best practice and debate with one another.

The primary focus will be, day to day, on learning and teaching with AI. To this end, both schools will be sampling and testing intelligent tutoring systems and other convergent technologies deploying AI and data analytics. These will be trialled with groups of 13 year old students (Year 8 in Spain, Year 9 in UK) allowing us to better adapt the content of our courses to the different capabilities and work rhythms of each individual. These tools will allow for continuous and diagnostic assessment, providing a much more personalised approach than is possible even

with conventionally small teaching groups. These trials will start in Science and Mathematics, since, at the moment, it is easier to deploy AI in these subject areas.

Some strategic partnerships have already been started involving Century (https://www.century.tech/) and Inkpath (https://www.inkpath. co.uk/) with Radley College and Aonia Nueva Educación (https:// www.aonia.es/) with Sevilla International College. These companies are all leaders in educational innovation, harnessing new technologies for learning and teaching.

The times ahead will test us, but if planned for properly, will make us even stronger.

Stephen Rathbone Academic Director

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DECLAMATIONS I arrived early to get the feel of the stage and after taking my seat in the competitors’ seating, waited anxiously as the hall slowly filled with an audience who sat chattering loudly about their thoughts on a potential winner. Occasional shouts of “good luck” punctuated the rising buzz. Mr Scott stood up to give his introduction and the hive fell silent, accepting the thanks that fell to them as participants in that year’s competition. Everyone now waited as his speech came to an end and the declamations began.

The speakers opened with two regulars. Caspar opened with a moving recital of John of Gaunt’s speech from Richard II, by William Shakespeare.

While he spoke, we saw the dying strength of a proud man making his final will known, as Caspar OsborneYoung delivered a powerful rendition, encapsulating the senses of calm, rage and hope that a dying man should have.

After the initial serious tone, I felt almost foolish to shift the tone to a

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market in Ankh Morpork, but tried nonetheless to conjure death to the Silk Hall without the use of the Rite of AshkEnte. Then David Sun stood up and delivered a humorous extract from Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels,

by Guy Ritchie which kept everyone laughing and engaged as through his Cockney accent, he begged and bellowed at us to buy his wares.

Next, another shift of tone, as Will Way stepped into the breach and declaimed an extract from Prayer Before Birth, by Louis MacNiece. While a familiar piece for the audience as it had been a GCSE anthology poem, the anger and fear that Will evoked hit home and left a lasting impression as he embodied the unborn child.

After Will’s serious tone, it was fortunate that Arthur Eliot-Cohen then took his place on the box and recited Storm, by Tim Minchin. This lighthearted poem had the whole audience laughing with him as he captured the confusion of storm and matched it with the indignation of the speaker.

Then once again the mood shifted back to the darker side as Jake Elliott finished off the group with a moving rendition of Counter-Attack, by Siegfried Sassoon. At once, he tore us away from the warm dining room with Storm to the cold trenches and held our gaze on a single soldier, bleeding and drowning in the wet mud.

As Jake returned to his seat the audience began to chatter again, but were stopped by the judges who returned to pronounce their verdict.

After some brief but insightful advice, the judges pronounced their podium.

I was third, Arthur second, and Will gained the olive crown. It was an exciting event with very enjoyable pieces to listen to.

I am sure everyone would like to thank Mr Scott for his hard work in making the event another successful competition.

Thomas Isaacs J Social, 6.1

MICHAEL PORTILLO GREAT BRITISH RAILWAYS In February Michael Portillo presented an episode of the ‘Great British Railway Journeys’ series, from Warwick to Radley. The programme was broadcast on BBC2 and was filmed at Radley last Autumn to explore the life and times of the British composer George Butterworth and outline his contribution to the College.

Having arrived in the early afternoon Mr Portillo began filming with Anthony Williams, Head of Instrumental Music at Radley, and an enthusiastic admirer of Butterworth. George Sainton Kaye Butterworth was an English composer from the late Romantic period, tragically killed at the Somme in the Great War. Having taught at Radley in 1909 the school has been

continuing his legacy; we have held events such as the Centenary Butterworth Festival in 2016 where we performed every extant work and frequent performances around College showcasing his work.

Mr Portillo interviewed Anthony Williams outside Mansion before the filming moved to Chapel, a place where Butterworth will have spent most evenings during his time here.

Alex Knipe and I were asked to perform a short song by Butterworth for the filming. We began warming up in Chapel before the team arrived. We performed ‘The Lads in their Hundreds’, one of Butterworth’s beautiful settings of poems by A.E. Housman. When all the cameras were in position Alex and

I ran through our piece, once, then twice, then three times and so on…

At the end of each run-through Mr Portillo introduced himself and asked us a few questions on camera.

Alex and I explained about our tradition of not speaking when passing under Memorial Arch in order to pay respect to Radleians who fought and died in the war, and about our various ways in which we remember Butterworth, mentioning the glass engraving by the famous artist Laurence Whistler and a blue plaque on the wall of The Lodge where Butterworth lived while he taught at Radley. After about an hour of filming, we were back to school life.

Clem Giuseppetti J Social, Fifth

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WORLD BOOK DAY Reading is ‘on the up’ at Radley, with book groups thriving and boys actively taking responsibility for their intellectual development. ‘Serpentes’, the boys’ new academic journal, is a prime example of this desire to learn, as is the incredible breadth of book requests the Library receives on a daily basis. To feed this intellectual hunger, this year’s World Book Day presented the perfect opportunity for a book fair, where Radleians had the chance to browse at their hearts’ content.

Of course, no World Book Day is complete without an author talk, so several Shell forms were invited to meet Martin Stewart, who had come all the way from Scotland to read and chat to them.

The official celebration of World Book Day was organised by Radley College Library, assisted by several dons as well as boys who were keen to help promote reading. “Our aim is to spark the boys’ curiosity by reading around their subjects as well as plain textbooks. We hope this will deepen their understanding and develop a genuine enthusiasm for the subjects they are studying.” Miss Mühlberg, the Librarian, suggested.

A vibrant Book Fair was set up along Covered Passage during Central Hour, featuring book tables for

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every academic Department of the college and several other areas of interest, such as philosophy, medicine, sport, and various book clubs. Each Department featured books from their recommended reading lists, so many exciting books were on display. There was a lot of interest, with many boys and dons stopping to browse on their way to and from lunch. All books were available for borrowing, so it didn’t cost anyone a penny. By the end of the Fair, nearly a hundred books had been taken away to read.

This was the first such Book Fair at Radley, so will it happen again in this format? “Almost certainly,” said Miss Muhlberg, “We might even request some extra input from boys next time, as we found students keen to chat to each other about what they’d recommend to read, and they often have a better idea as to what their friends and classmates might enjoy.”

And on the evening of World Book Day, we were lucky enough to have author Martin Stewart talk to us in Mansion.

Martin is an author of fiction books, who has written two books so far: ‘Riverkeep’ [2016] and ‘The Sacrifice Box’ [2018]. His career originally started when he published ‘Riverkeep’s’ first chapter as a short-story, and the readers loved it so much and so

wildly, that they expected there was a full book on the way. I remember him saying that when people told him they couldn’t wait for the full book, he was pretty scared, as he had no idea people wanted more of his work, so he had nothing prepared. But a healthy career was on its way. So when Martin had to take time off work as an English teacher because of an unfortunate hiking accident, he had all the time he needed to develop his first novel.

People loved the way he wrote, and he does this very well indeed; after hearing only a short portion of ‘The Sacrifice Box’ during his talk, I was hooked on the story and wanted to envelop myself in more of it.

So I, and many others who attended his talk, grabbed a book as soon as our paws could get a hold of it. He very generously signed them all, and less than an hour later, I was three chapters in, hooked on the story and amazed at the contrast of how different each chapter felt.

Alan Cao and Freddie Hall, F Social, 6.1 and Shell

CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT IN EXETER COLLEGE On the 13th of April 2019 Exeter College Chapel, Oxford played host to Radley’s first chamber music concert outside College. The event filled the incredible Chapel with a great audience, who were treated to a wide range of music: from the 16th century to pieces composed in the last decade and performed by nearly 50 boys who had been rehearsing for months leading up to this concert - and it showed. Numerous comments were made about the concert, highlighting the standard of performance: “The standard of musicianship is always so high – and more importantly, done with so much feeling too which reflects great maturity.”

“The variety was extensive – with most musicians performing several times in differing styles which truly shows their depth of musicality.”

Comments like these make it clear how impressive performances from Radley Music can be, as well as highlighting how appreciated they are by communities around the College.

The Brass Ensemble opened the concert, playing ‘Canzon a 8’ by Gabrieli. The piece was played with

great confidence, attention to detail, dynamic contrast and rhythmic character, crucial when playing a piece played in two choirs. It suited this wonderful venue and heralded some special and compelling performances from a number of other ensembles, each boy-led, performed without a conductor Highlights included a piece composed by fifth former Clem Giuseppetti, titled ‘Van Gogh Self Portrait’. This was performed by a string trio consisting of fifth formers – Clem on cello, Alex Knipe and Ben Zhang on violin, playing with a well-blended sound to show off the composition.

A Minuet by Saint-Saëns was performed by Justin Lam on piano, Will Robson on trumpet, Ben Zhang and Kevin Zhang on violin, Felix Reynish on viola, Sebastian Foxon on cello and Rohan Haripaul on double bass. This was significant both in the quality of its playing but also showing that Shell boys were heard playing. This is testament to the teamwork and respect across year groups that music can encourage.

piece by Don Freund for tuned percussion, strings, saxophone and woodwind as well as an a cappella vocal group, a number of other small ensembles and an accomplished and committed performance by the Radley String Quartet to finish.

Obviously, this is just a small selection of the wonderful performances on the night, but the whole Concert is available to listen to online on the Radley video website.

The Concert represented months of rehearsal and regular commitment from Radley musicians. It not only showed the musical excellence of the Department, but an ability to work in groups, many led and organised by the boys, across a large range of ages.

This concert will hopefully be one of many Radley performances held in amazing venues outside school and many of its performers were playing again at the Warden’s music this Summer Term.

Alec Cooke J Social, 6.1

The concert also included the UK premier outside Radley of an exciting

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NE Academic  Spanish Exchange, 23rd April Over the Easter break, 15 Spanish GCSE students had the opportunity to travel to Barcelona and immerse ourselves in its historical culture. After saying our goodbyes to Señorita Burns and Señor Beattie we spent the next five nights with our host families. The Montuenga family were very kind and made a top effort to make me feel at home. The week’s activities included things like visiting Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, Camp Nou, Tibidabo and Las Ramblas. We are all truly grateful to the teachers, at Viaró and Radley, for organising such a great trip and to our host families for being so welcoming.

Archie Hedges, A Social Remove  Philosophy Society, 7th May We had the privilege to hear Olly Thorn, a popular YouTuber and a populariser of philosophy, speak to us about “Why philosophy matters today”. He addressed three main areas: metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, the ignorance of which he showed us can lead to life-and-death matters, especially in the context of transgender people (metaphysical sceptisism), women (epistemic injustice) and other marginalised groups. Pointing out the increasing focus on efficiency and the growing neglect of morality in structuring our society, he prompted boys to think about a more ethical future and stop endorsing the status quo at all costs. All in all, a really refreshing take on how a seemingly niche field known for its trolly problems, mind-body dualisms and other abstractions can be crucially important in our everyday experience.

Matija Conic, F Social 6.2  Academic Trip to London, 8th May Departmental outing days offer the opportunity to get away for the day and early May saw this opportunity seized by a group of 6.1 boys along with Mr Mosedale and Dr Rumbold on a joint English Department/ Curriculum Extension trip to Hampstead.

The Freud museum was the first stop of the day and a guided tour of the house where Freud lived for the last year of his life gave a fascinating insight into his life as well as the cultural and literary significance of

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psychoanalysis. Lunch in Hampstead was followed by a visit to Keats House where after an introduction by Dr Rumbold, the boys were given time to discover their own inner Romantic poet. Some were more successful than others. A bracing walk on Hampstead Heath was the final part of the day and boys (and dons) who had brought their swimming trunks had the opportunity to enjoy some outdoor swimming in the bracingly cold waters of the Men’s pond. Suitably refreshed, the group returned to Radley after a stimulating and educational day out.

concluded the formation of the copper and lead was from hydrothermal veins created by superheated liquid with these metals in solution. The boys use these fieldtrips to gain the Practical Endorsement in Geology – an accreditation that demonstrates their ability to carry out practical work and is

 Chemistry Trip, 21st May The Chemistry Department took a few non-biologists to the Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton near Cambridge. It is one of the world-leading organisations for genomics research and computational biology and was a leading player in the Human Genome project. The boys were treated to a short talk about the use of functional genomics (using vast amount of data to find relationships between DNA sequences and the function of a gene or DNA) to understand the effect of genes on medical treatment.

After extensive discussions we toured the sequencing facility and gained a glimpse into the future of medicine.

The hugely informative and fascinating day concluded with an informal discussion about the use of genetic data for the development of ‘personalised medicines’.  Peak District, 19th June In June, the 6.1 Geologists went to Ecton Hill in the Peak District. Ecton Hill is home to copper and lead mines that date back as far as the Bronze Age - they were used right up until 1891 and the area is now available for educational trips. We were able to go down the mines and to see the folded outcrops that surround them.

The folded rocks suggest that there had been compressive forces acting on the area, and we

needed if they wish to do a science-related degree at university.

We also go on trips to the Dorset Coast, Dudley and the Bristol Channel during the two-year A Level course.

WS Activities  Inter-Social Chess, 8th March

This year’s inter-social chess finalists were veterans, with F and H Social now having played each other for two years running. After an hour of

 Japanese Exchange Visit, 4th March During this year’s Japanese exchange visit the students talked to us about Haikus. They taught us about the format, rules and history of the traditional Japanese poetic format. At first, I thought I knew enough about Haikus to write one myself; with the commonly known Haiku rule where it consists of 17 syllables in total, in three phases of 5 – 7– 5 respectively. But I learned about a new rule in Haiku-writing: there needs to be a “Kigo”, or a seasonal word.

The exchange students then proceeded to teach us a few Japanese Haikus by Bako and we wrote a few ourselves. All in all, it was a very productive and educational lesson.

Ben played the ‘Toccata’ by Khachaturian and ‘Les sons et les perfums tournent dans l’air du soir’ by Debussy.

The piano showcase was testament to the pianists’ hard work, enthusiasm and commitment. The quality of playing was consistently excellent and often truly exceptional. There was an emotional engagement, intelligence, technical control and musical understanding running through all the performances and the breadth and depth of musicianship and pianism on display was outstanding. This year’s Wharton Prize was an inspiring, enjoyable evening and a beacon of musical excellence and a celebration of piano playing at its highest level.

Freddie Skrine, G Social Shell

 CCF Weekend, 1st April CCF and DofE groups spent the first part of their Easter holiday in South Wales. Eight Removes took part in the CCF Adventure Training Camp, undertaking various activities, including: indoor climbing, bouldering, route planning, mountain biking, walk along the Brecons Ridge, gorge walking, indoor caving,‘real’ caving, indoor high-ropes and zip line. Thirteen 6.1 boys completed their DofE Gold Training and Practice Expeditions – a 60km walk around the Black Mountains and they all passed. A mixed group completed their 80km trek around the Brecon Beacons and passed their DofE Gold Expedition. The external assessor was, once again, very impressed with the training and preparation of our ‘Qualies’. The pupils were accompanied by a skilled group of 12 Dons who ensured that all activities were efficient, safe, and successful. play, the two remain games were decided within minutes, F Social took control and won 4-1, reclaiming the trophy, which was jubilantly carried back to social.

Christoph Wallendahl, F Social 6.2

 Wharton Piano Prize, 22nd May The Wharton Cup, the annual prize for the College’s best pianists, was won by Ben Zhang, Fifth. The Recital took place in Silk Hall and the adjudicator was the distinguished international pianist and teacher, Graeme Humphrey ARAM. It was a concert to remember, with some extraordinary musicianship on display.

 Town and Gown Charity Run, 5th May 6.1 boys and a number of staff ran in the Town and Gown 10k in Oxford. We arrived at Oxford University Parks with the sun shining. This endured throughout the run, which helped keep spirits up when reaching the last few kilometers. We chose to fundraise for the charity “Walking with the Wounded” and were very fortunate to have Duncan Slater with us on the day, who is an ambassador for the charity. Duncan Slater is a double amputee following a roadside IED in Afghanistan and is now an inspirational endurance runner, being the first double amputee to complete the 250 km Marathon des Sables in 2017. He filled us with inspiration on the Sunday morning and brought out extreme efforts from each boy in their running. Being part of such an event will encourage us to participate in similar challenges beyond our time at Radley.

Raphaël Chu , D Social 6.1  Beagles Fundraiser, 30th June On the last Sunday of term, the boys cycled around the perimeter of the Radley College Beagles country to raise funds for the beagles and for charity CHICKS (Country Holidays for Inner City Kids) which provides children with well-needed breaks in the countryside at three different locations across Britain. The 85 mile cycle was completed in one day and the fundraising efforts have not only helped the Radley Beagles but also the many children who might be living in poverty, be young carers, be victims of bullying or abuse, or have been bereaved.

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Cultural  Gunn Cup, 5th March For this year’s annual Gunn Cup competition it was the turn of Radley’s brass players to show their mettle.

It was a delight to welcome back Simon de Souza who taught French Horn here for 10 years before leaving in 2003. In the Festival Class he heard 16 performances and then spent a few minutes with each boy working on a particular aspect of their playing. He engaged with them wonderfully and anyone who then played again showed signs of improvement.

The class was won by Harry Stanwell, Shell, H Social. The evening competition was of a particularly high standard, five of the eight performers were 6.2 boys, and after 50 minutes of quality music-making Will Robson, 6.2, H Social emerged victorious.  Play reading in Theatre, 27th April During April, a group of actors joined us for a workshop in the Drama Department, based on a play that I wrote last summer. I had no idea what to expect when I first presented Miss Buse with an unfinished draft of my play.

A year later, award-winning playwright, Tonia Daley-Campbell, reviewed my work which focused on the theme of ‘hope’ in turbulent political times.

Fast forward a few weeks, and Tonia returned with a group of young actors from the Midlands for the first reading of my play. In just a few hours the words came to life before my eyes. With the faith of Miss Buse and Tonia, and such a talented creative team, I’m immensely looking forward to the next step.

 Rogation Service, 19th May

 String Concert, 13th June

On Sunday 19th May Radley celebrated Rogationtide, an ancient service dedicated to agriculture and the harvest. The school prayed for British farmers and their communities, particularly the Radley agricultural community.

During the afternoon of 13th June an informal lunchtime concert showcased some of the College’s string players in the beautiful surroundings of the Blue Room to a full audience.

The service was held outside on the lawn in front of Mansion while the Chaplain gave an interesting sermon. The service, which celebrated nature, the environment, crops and fields, is an ancient tradition and was enjoyed by the many who attended.

After opening with an ensemble number (coached

by Ms

 The Milligan Cup, 19th May The Milligan Cup, for Musical Theatre Performance, was held in the Theatre on the evening of 19th May. Forty boys entered this year’s competition, with eleven finalists representing all Radley year groups.

This year’s winner is Thomas Reed for his outstanding performance as Michael (Michael in the Bathroom) in ‘Be More Chill’..

It was an honour to welcome actor, singer, dancer and choreographer William FolanConray, an artist with an extensive and international performance career, as adjudicator. William has built a wonderful career in the Performing Arts industry, starring in numerous Broadway and West End hit shows.

The audience was treated to a thoroughly entertaining array of songs, from West End Classics through to new Broadway hits.

Whit Cook, A Social Fifth  Organ Recital Series, 2nd June  The Warden’s Music, 12th May It was great to see so many boys taking part in the Music Department’s main Summer Term event. The Warden’s Music was a thoroughly entertaining and eclectic evening for all with wonderful performances by Radley’s large instrumental ensembles: orchestra, big band, concert band, pipes, brass, strings.

Highlights included variations for orchestra

by American composer Charles Ives, chamber music by Don Freund, film music, folk melodies, and music for orchestra and electronics. brass, strings.

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For the last few years Radley has had a summer organ recital series before Chapel, featuring dons and boys in various combinations., with suitable refreshments provided.

This year, solo recitals are being given by Dr Tim Morris, Succentor, and Dan Mathieson, Assistant Organist.

There is a recital in the final week of term given by boys; and as a farewell to the East End organ, no longer required after the Chapel extension and new organ, there is a recital of concertos for two organs by Antonio Soler, played by various combinations of dons and boys.’

Theresa Finzi), the programme presented solo performances by Quincy Ng, Nicholas Xu, Warren Chan and Man Hei Lui, as well as a duet by Nicholas Xu and Warren Chan.

All pieces were well-received by an appreciative audience.

Sport

 Golf ISGA Matchplay, 28th April

 Pre season Hockey Tour, 7th January

At the start of the Hockey season, during Lent Term, the 1st XI and Colts 1 Hockey teams toured Barcelona in their annual pre-season friendly. Based in the suburb Terrassa, both

Radley Golfers James Duffy, Freddie Horler and Andrew Liu competed in the final of the ISGA Matchplay competition at Royal St George’s on a beautiful spring day at the beginning of term.

This is a competition with some of the finest schoolboy and schoolgirl golfers in the country, and despite not challenging for the title, the team made a fantastic effort to make the final and hopefully had a very enjoyable few days.

An extended team including George O’Connor, Marcus Stalder, Bertie Southgate and Will Nicholson also made the South Central regional finals of the HMC Foursomes competition, only losing to a very strong Wellington side on the last hole of the last pair, again another fine achievement.  Racing at Warsash, 28th April Once again, brave souls from RCSC journeyed South to Warsash over six weekends in March and April to measure their strength and courage against the great and good of the Sportsboat fraternity.

Once again, they returned (reasonably) triumphant, with 3rd Places in both the Series and the Championship.

Particular mention should go to our four intrepid Shells and those boys who ventured onto the sea for the first time.

The resilience on display was impressive in the face of very challenging conditions Many thanks, as ever, to all the boys involved, and particularly to George Barker, our coach, for his tireless efforts on and off the water.  Athletics, 22nd May

teams were put through their paces during the fiveday tour.

A spell of fantastic weather, combined with top quality hockey facilities, helped the teams to learn a lot from an intense period of matches and training sessions,.

The boys worked hard and always displayed great character throughout.

The Remove and 6.1 athletes attended the Oxford City Open Graded meeting at the Horspath athletics track in Cowley. The event is pre-entered as individuals with expected times given. The organisers of the athletics event at Horspath then sort the races out so that the competitors are racing against others of their own ability. This leads to athletes being pushed more and able to achieve nearer to their potential.

This was certainly shown by the Radley athletes who placed well in many of their races (even taking the top four positions in one of the 1500m races), and them achieving

an average of 1.5 PBs (personal bests) each.

The races featured were 100, 300, 400 and 1500m. The obvious refuelling spot on the way back was Burger King, which was very much appreciated!  National Schools’ Regatta, 26th May The Radley College Boat Club enjoyed one of their most successful National Schools’ Regattas for a number of years on the Bank Holiday weekend.

Over the three days of racing, various Radley crews aged J14 - J18 competed extremely well on the Olympic Rowing course at Dorney.

Ultimately, this saw RCBC finish the weekend in third place overall on the medal table and the highest-ranking school, with four gold medals and four bronze medals.

Stand out performances came first from the Shell year group on Friday, where all four octuples made it into the top 12, with the J14.1 and J14.2 crew winning excellent gold medals in their categories. The two J15 crews, 1st VIII and 2nd VIII won four further medals on Saturday (three bronze and one gold) and the outstanding win for the 2nd VIII was the pick of the bunch, who in doing so broke the event record with a time of six minutes flat (previously held by Radley Boat Club). Felix Rawlinson and Ned Rae-Smith added the final gold on Sunday in the Championship pair in another record-breaking performance, lowering the Championship time to six minutes and 50 seconds.

The senior coxless and coxed four also raced brilliantly in achieving bronze and fourth respectively. A very memorable weekend for the Club, with huge thanks going to the boys, parents and staff.  Polo, 13th June It has been wonderful to see so many new boys sign up for Polo this term. The progression of the beginners in particular has been extremely impressive: a number of our new players, Dan, Wilf, Lochy and Lucas, even took part in a friendly match against a Stowe team of much more experienced players and got stuck in.

The A team: Frank, Zac, Harry and Ben, won their first match of the season against Stowe 5-3 - a fast-paced, competitive match. We have been unlucky with cancelled matches due to the weather, and are eager to compete in more competitive fixtures next season. With more fixtures lined up for next year, we are shaping up to have a truly competitive Radley representation on the Polo field! Follow us @ RadleyPolo.

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YOUNG SPOR The ‘Young Leaders in Sport’ programme for 6.1 boys is designed to offer the skills and training required to complete a Level 1 coaching qualification. The course takes place over two terms and includes safeguarding and First Aid. The programme is growing at Radley and we have young sport leaders coaching or umpiring junior Radley teams in games sessions and even in fixtures against other schools.

Having passed my Level 1 Hockey Umpiring qualification, I was eligible to oversee matches and crucially gain experience from the sport from a different perspective.

My first experience umpiring was with a Midgets 3 side at Marlborough. With the best seat in the house as umpire, I enjoyed the entertaining quality of hockey, with the ball often hitting the post in addition to several wellorchestrated short corners.

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When taking the course, the satisfaction you derive as an umpire was often mentioned, after you know you’ve made a correct call which is confidently and clearly delivered, with all the right working parts: whistle, signal, communicate – aiming to keep the game as continuous as safely possible!

Fouls inside the ‘D’ are always tough to catch as an umpire, partly due to the density of bodies and sticks which you have to filter out in your ‘eye line’ to the ball. This appreciation and further respect for the difficulties of umpiring was reflected in my playing of the sport throughout the rest of my season in the 2nd XI. The Hockey Dons at Radley will agree that I can become rather ‘passionate’ at times on the pitch and thus the understanding of how challenging some of the decisions are aided my reformed and calmer response to particular calls that didn’t go in my favour.

A key challenge to an umpire, as I discovered when umpiring a Radley v Cothill match with fellow 6.1, George Tompkins, was not bowing to the pressure of the crowd. With around 50 Shells in attendance supporting their peers in the Midgets 6 side, calls against them did not go down brilliantly with the ardent congregation of Shells.

This inaugural year of the Young Leaders in Sports Scheme has been a fantastic success and I could not recommend it highly enough to fellow Radleian sportsmen. As well as being useful during my time here at Radley, it is a qualification I can keep for the rest of my life and it will also provide an active and enjoyable income stream at university (where it will be needed most!) and beyond.

Ed Roest E Social, 6.1

RTS LEADERS The Young Sports Leaders programme is an excellent opportunity for any boy at Radley, no matter how much sports experience they have.

The programme is aimed at boys interested in taking their sports into other areas than just being on the pitch as a player, perhaps as an umpire or as a coach. There have been opportunities for boys to take part in courses aimed to help them receive their qualifications such as becoming Level 1 hockey umpires or Level 1 tennis coaches.

Both of these courses took place on Sundays during term time and took a little dedication from the boys to complete.

For the hockey Level 1 umpiring course, an external official came into school on a Sunday. In return for giving up just one Sunday during term, we went on to

receive a Level 1 hockey umpiring certificate which was really rewarding. This applied to games that are played at a lower standard.

The boys taking part also gained experience umpiring real hockey games, including a game between Radley and Marlborough.

Similar to the hockey umpiring course, the Level 1 tennis coaching course took place across three Sundays in a row, between 10am and 4pm. This was an excellent way to gain an easy qualification.

Chris Holland from Wycombe Abbey school came to Radley to teach and finally assess the boys on what they had learned in order to pass the course. Every one of the boys who took part in these courses passed and they now have qualifications in each of these areas. The qualifications will open up a host of opportunities, be it

mentoring boys at Radley, applying for a summer job or even a gap year placement.

The Young Sports Leaders programme doesn’t just focus on the sports. As an umpire and a coach, there are other requirements, such as safeguarding in sports and first aid. Luckily as a part of the programme, this is all done on Monday afternoons.

Everyone involved in the course now has their DBS certificate, a safeguarding certificate in sports for young children, and their first aid certificates, all of which are essential when trying to complete a course which is orientated around sport.

Alex Haynes J Social, 6.1

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VALES David Edwards I met DCKE back in 1991, when he breezed into Uppingham as the new Head of Drama like a breath of fresh air. Debonair, distinguished, he’d already had successful spells at Durham and Christ’s Hospital.

Within a year he’d directed a hugely-successful Show, ‘West Side Story’. Within two years he was running the new Girls’ House, The Lodge, helped by Helene. Adored by his sixth-form ‘gels’, somehow DCKE still had the energy to organise an unforgettable ‘Theatre Night’ with Stephen Fry. Two children followed, Philippe (OR, now an actor) and Stephanie, to accompany Natasha.

Ian Ellis Ian Ellis. Head of Art at Radley since 1994; artist in residence before that. And what an impact he has made on the lives of so many who have passed through the doors of the Sewell Centre. The newly refurbished Department is a wonderfully apt and characterful reflection of Ian’s vision as an artist, and his respect for, and encouragement of, the variety and individuality of his young charges.

Many pupils have been lucky enough to benefit from Ian’s guidance and many colleagues have enjoyed his warmth, hospitality, his home brew, frozen lobsters, oddly shaped vegetables and his sense of fun... and his wonderful exhibitions.

I remember a stunning display of his artwork after a sabbatical took him on an artist’s tour of Italy. Common Room announcements are legendary, and we always await the obligatory reference to ‘ glass of fizz’ that accompanied all Sewell Centre exhibitions. There are many stories of varying degrees of unsuitability that could be told, and many a late night discussion, wandering back from some social event or other, that might colour this vale.

However some degree of restraint must be imposed and after consultation with TRGR, a couple of notorious events might give some sense of past excitements when with IPE. On one occasion, on a trip to the Hayward Gallery, a group of burgeoning young artists were waiting patiently on the bus with TRGR to make the return journey to Radley. A flustered looking Ian leaps onto the bus and announces that they must leave immediately. Unfortunately he had pursued a boy into the gents loo, slapped a hand onto his shoulder and demanded that he follow him outside immediately. He then discovered that the utterly bewildered young man was not a Radleian, and a speedy and embarrassing retreat was necessary.

On another occasion, a trip to the London Eye prompted emergency measures, as Ian pressed the red ‘Stop’ button of his pod as it reached the top end of the wheel. With pod swinging precariously back and forth, he phoned TRGR to say that he was keeping the boys on board calm, but that there was a suspected bomb under a seat. It turned out that all pods had a first aid box readily available on board: this he had mistaken for said bomb.

But jolly anecdotes aside, there is no doubting the impact Ian has made on the artistic life of the College. He is an incredible artist and an extraordinarily creative force. He has built a department that is the envy of all schools, and to see a campus literally showcasing boys’ work at every turn, with architectural design often governed by the need for light and wall space to display artistic achievement, is remarkable. Radley has been so lucky: so here’s another ‘glass of fizz’ to toast a great colleague and a wonderfully inspirational teacher.

IPE! DCKE

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Time moves on and DCKE moved to Radley in 1996: again initially as Director of Drama, overseeing the development of the New Theatre. But you can’t keep DCKE away from housemastering for too long and AWM was quick to offer him H Social. Over the next decade, DCKE moulded H Social in his own image and into one of the most successful, in-demand Socials at Radley. The achievements were many. Nine times, under his stewardship (2001-12), H won the coveted top academic prize, the Smale Casket (usually complete with Havana cigar). There were no fewer than five H Senior Prefects during DCKE’s reign, plus five Second Prefects. Twice in his tenure, both Senior and Second Prefects were H boys – further testimony to the success of the Social. It was no surprise that AWM entrusted his son to DCKE’s care. Several members of Council were swift to follow suit.

In addition to producing high-achieving boys (despite H’s reputation for being ‘unsporty’, Nick Gubbins OR was another of David’s proteges) the Social proved a training-ground for new Tutors. Under DCKE’s guidance, no fewer than three H sub-tutors became Tutors (TRGR, HC, TCL). Again, contrary to impressions, DCKE had to deal with some tricky customers in the early years and was more than capable of adopting a firm hand when necessary. Recent Radleians may not have seen this side of him, but when DCKE loses his temper (once every three years?), boys get the message. He means business.

All this was achieved with grace, style and humour. Hard work yes; but fun times were had by boys and ‘subbies’ alike. H Social was the place to be for dons during Wednesday and Saturday cocoas. DCKE was, in addition, a charismatic presence on the Radley stage, with starring roles in ‘Daisy’ and ‘The History Boys’.

‘Do it for Dave’ read the old green-and-gold banner on the InterSocial touchlines. And they did. Never a bad word from his boys, never a suggestion that they’d rather be anywhere else than H. DCKE. It’s impossible to imagine Radley without him. We wish David and Helene success in Portugal, Hampshire, Canada. Who knows, an acting career may still beckon?

AC

Keith Halliday Keith has two nicknames, coined by the boys. The best known one is “Chemical Keith”; not, perhaps the most original or subtle, bearing in mind that he is a chemistry teacher, but actually quite appropriate, for Keith is a real chemist. Unlike those of us who have merely done a degree in the subject, he has been out there, in the field, as it were. But his passion for the subject started well before that, when aged 10 he persuaded his father to convert the garage into a well-equipped lab, complete with enough substances which today would have had him locked up for 20 years on the Terrorism Act! After his degree at Nottingham and Ph.D. at Christ’s College, Cambridge, Keith tried various jobs before settling into a research position with ESSO, which he did for 15 years before coming to Radley. He is an intelligent, thoughtful and calm person; a man you find yourself pouring out your heart to, because you know he is someone of the utmost integrity and discretion. The boys realise this too, hence his second nickname: “Uncle Keith”, a lovely reflection of his kind and thoughtful nature.

John Beasley The role of John Beasley requires a skilled actor. A man of known talents, he still surprises. Woe betide the unsuspecting numpty, whose careless actions prompt our protagonist’s blunt curses. Yet the muse could also elicit such honeyed tones that one would go hunting through the Department for this choral scholar. On paper too, he could be the lawyer, the story-teller or the poet, as fitted best. His reports were fun – one Shell ‘would, without doubt, have been among the first to answer the call in 1914, fibbing if needs be about his age to get a crack at the Hun, follow the colours and pick up, perhaps, a wound in a suitably artistic place for Crispin’s Days to come’. Our actor needs endurance, for John gave so very much to Radley, to dons and especially to boys.

For the former, he was the confidante of and advisor to many, the champion of the opposed. For the latter he was everything, their sage, their teacher, their guide, their coach. Few have been so routinely and publicly cited by senior boys as the epitome of the Radley don.

John cared deeply that every boy was given every opportunity to flourish, no matter how late they decided to, or his competing commitments. Regular was the sight of him sitting with one or two boys, patiently rehearsing some dusty corner of history. Our actor would also need a phenomenal memory, such were John’s skills of intellectual hoarding. His social prayers were improved recitals of radio programmes, his lessons embraced the wisest maxims filleted from experts, he could prompt any stumbling declaimer, and give you the bowling figures of 15 years ago, all without notes. An appetite would help too, as John stayed agile by eluding his wife’s spies in pursuit of a real breakfast or the last golden biscuit at break.

He has been a wonderful teacher and Head of Department, combining deep knowledge of the subject with sensible innovation. He was great at taking the Department into the outside world with excellent trips to the University of Bristol, the oil refinery at Fawley, and who could forget the memorable visit to a cul-de-sac in Swindon for a seminar on Fuel Cells…!

RDW writes: “I was interviewed by KH in his role of Head of Chemistry and Science in 2011 and was impressed by his sophistication and breadth of knowledge. His ability to share his experiences and understanding with his classes and the surety of his grasp of the subject means Keith commands the utmost trust and respect in the boys and colleagues. It would not be wrong to say he is leaving at the height of his powers. He is the teacher I would like to teach my children.”

His time at Radley has not all been about chemistry. Although, as my Granny said, he has not wasted too much time chasing balls, he has done his bit on the games fields with football, rugby and tennis teams. He has been a loyal and dependable sub Tutor in C, J and E Socials and a wise Form Master. He will be sorely missed in the Music Department, where his excellent trumpet playing has been a huge benefit to numerous ensembles, including the College musicals, Choral Society and Concerto concerts.

SLN writes: “He has been a wonderful member of the Community Service Concert Parties team, each Monday performing at venues alongside boys. He is absolutely brilliant - with boys, with elderly people, with nurses/carers - such a lovely caring person. An awesome trumpeter too. I am going to miss him buckets.” She is not the only one for sure.

HDH

John held many roles after arriving in 2000 – five years of care and frustrations as Tutor in E Social, seven as head of cricket, head of Shells, chairman of the Consultative Committee and trusted coach of hockey, rugby and golf – but his informal roles were no less of value. He helped us do things properly, by hosting well, proof-reading scholarship papers, ensuring fairness in the McPhail trophy and defining Fast and Furious cricket. He directed two dons’ plays, acted in boys’ productions and inspired with his half-time talks. He nurtured understanding and thinking. One exam board unusually reported that ‘it was evident from the responses that the students had clearly enjoyed their studies’ on an obscure A level option only taught by John.

John retires with Ann, to Norfolk and walks with Tetley. As Hector, he once sighed “There’s nothing of me left. Go away. Class dismissed.” But worry not, there is plenty of John left. Oh f***, we will miss him.

TCHN

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Emilie Danis

Lucy Nott

Claudia Piller

With the departure of French teaching titans like JLM and CRB in 2011, the Department needed an established and experienced specialist and, in Lucy Nott, we were lucky to find just that. Like a well cut pedagogical diamond, her brilliance comes from her multifaceted character.

She teaches to a very high standard across all year groups, she is preternaturally organised and efficient, she cares, she is kind, she bakes, she laughs but what singles Lucy out is her ability to listen. Got a problem? - go and see LEN.

Soft heart – hard feet; straight-talking, no-nonsense, impeccable standards, meticulous planner with a heart of gold.

Her Teutonic love of order, punctuality and distain for authority inevitably led to BJH finding a natural fit for her in H Social. We have adapted to her foibles, laughed at her jokes and devoured her cupcakes.

Boys and dons alike will agree that her powers of intercession, conciliation and discretion are extraordinary. This may come from being the daughter of a bishop, but I suspect it stems from her clarity of understanding of what is required of a compassionate and caring member of the College community.

Emilie Danis was recruited as a French assistant from the University of the Cote d’Opal in June 2004. By 2008, her talents in the classroom had been recognised; she had completed a PGCE and become a fulltime teacher in the Department. By 2010 she had established herself as a first-rate classroom practitioner with an impressive record of results behind her. She has made a colossal contribution to the success of the French and Spanish Departments since then.

For many years, she shouldered the burden of all the French A level oral exams for boys in 6.1 and 6.2, a ferocious undertaking that required dedication, organisation and vast reserves of patience. She has a reputation as a determined and highly effective classroom practitioner.

In the early years, she listened to and borrowed from her mentors, in and out of the department, but principally JLM and JFCN and she introduced her own methods of rigorous classroom instruction. Her acquisition of idiomatic English, in her early years, was prodigious by anyone’s standards.

Those lucky enough to have been taught by her will remember her imaginative jargon and catchphrases: “Gentlemen, it’s not hard, it’s challenging…remember it’s party time tonight because you have a French prep…. my pink pen is tingling in anticipation of giving a smiley face”. She is an assertive teacher who is prepared to trim the sails of the more exuberant individuals and encourage them back into appropriate behaviour with a firm “On lève la main” or an “assied-toi correctement jeune homme”.

Emilie leaves many friends behind, as she heads off to run the French Department at Stowe. She also leaves a legacy of rigorous and disciplined teaching that has allowed many generations of Radleians to appreciate the importance and the joys of second language acquisition. Bonne chance Em et merci mille fois.

SB

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Initial reports from the boys were reserved – who was this Boho, peroxide, red-head challenging the Bollinger Bolsheviks of 6.2 and attempting to bring her European cuddly ways with her. Claudia quickly established herself as a dedicated and determined German and French teacher but it was her Form Mastering that brought a new level of excellence and care to the role, as testified by parents and boys.

As Head of French, Lucy has been a reformer, an organiser of and believer in systems that do not strip away the autonomy of individual teachers. She introduced regular, formalised, vocabulary and grammar testing in the Sixth Form and her legacy of topic specific Quizlet lists continues to benefit 6.1 and 6.2 boys. She has been a a valued member of the child protection team, a sub-tutor in H Social, an organiser of trips and a mentor to new and established dons.

Many generations of boys have loved being taught by Lucy and it has been a privilege, over the past eight years, to observe her lessons. She plans and prepares her classes carefully, gently correcting the boys in her charge, nurturing their strengths while forgiving them their frailties. She is a class act and we are very sorry to see her move on to Dr. Challoner’s Grammar School where she will no doubt continue to flourish.

Never one to kowtow, she always put the needs of ‘her boys’ first, based on unconditional care for those around her; a desire to help shape emotionally robust young men, intense loyalty to her charges and disapproval of most Social Prayers (boys would surreptitiously observe her, rather than pay attention to the hapless speaker explaining exactly how his ideal prep school would be organised). Her previous life of managing clients from Ballantine’s Whiskey and Arnold Schwarzenegger Fitness Products, was the ideal preparation for the rigours of the modern day school mastering.

Success in her Happy Jackson bedecked classroom was founded on being highly organised, meticulous control of any situation and covering every possibility.

As young Master Hordern put it: ‘You want to do well for her; she strives for excellence in her pupils but is delighted with whatever they achieve.’

SB

Claudia lives life by the adage ‘put your heart and mind and soul into even the smallest acts’. Though Tom, Jon and Claudia leave a gaping hole for us to fill, we have left our mark on her, as her recent conversion to Labradorism testifies.

GHSM

Nick Pilborough

Dawn Shand

Margie Asher

There are three words that capture some core elements of Nick: family, Teacher and Cycling. Nick is a dedicated father and husband. I know this because after his morning ‘burn’ we had a family tea (scones from Devon, eaten by his Cornish wife Liz – confusing). His children are delightful, and I noted with some schadenfreude that Sebastian has as much energy as Nick does – good luck with that!

Ms Dawn Shand arrived at Radley in 2013 after a concerted effort from Mr John Sparks (JMS) who had the foresight to know that she had the right qualities to be a successful pastoral housemistress (PHM).

The PHM is often referred to as the boys’ mum away from home, and the G Social boys could not have asked for a better mum to take care of them during the past five years.

Her ‘stand-in’ term, Michaelmas 2013, quickly became something far more permanent as she proved JMS correct.

Not only has she dealt with the usual challenges posed by looking after so many teenage boys, but she has also had to look after two Tutors, and indeed introduce a new tutor (SRG) to the subtleties and demands of pastoral care in Social. She did this all with great aplomb.

The boys always came first, and were therefore looked after so well. As a bastion of reliability and a sympathetic ear, the boys knew they were in safe hands and always had someone to call on. Dawn knew them all so very well and they knew this too, creating a pastoral second home that the boys appreciated very much.

Margie’s caring nature is obvious for all to see, and she has a special place in the hearts of all the boys in G Social.

“Margie” is usually the answer given when prospective parents ask their G Social tour guides what the best thing is about their social, and this is a fitting tribute to her dedication to the boys during the past five years.

A feature of Margie’s approach to her job has been her willingness to provide the little “extras” which the boys appreciate so much. Cakes are always baked on boys’ birthdays (I will miss her famous red velvets!) and if an unwell boy has to go home or to the medical centre he will always return to a room that has been tidied by her.

Dawn threw her heart and soul into making C Social a special place over the past six years. She has done an excellent job and leaves with the boys of C in great shape.

Yet Delilah and Sebastian also have that gentle and fun manner that we see both in Liz and in Nick.

The decision to call time on her role as PHM was difficult, but well considered and sensible, as she looks forward to spending much more time with her family. The novelty of weekends will also take some time to wear off!

It is something of a cliché to note that Nick is an exceptional teacher (although he is) and so I would note the myriad conversations we have had about teaching: how to do it; what works; what works less well; what to change and why…Nick does not know how to rest on his laurels and his desire to be better is palpable. He is a harsh critic of his own performance – though he need not be.

You probably did not know how very talented Nick was as a skater, or that he raced in national cycling competitions (he was ranked 244 in the nation in 2014). As a non-expert I can better understand the sheer stamina and dedication needed to reach such dizzy cycling heights by telling you about a day our families spent together in Devon over Easter. While we were walking on Dartmoor Nick noted that he had cycled up the hill next to us on that morning for a bit ‘of a burn’. Now, if you can picture Dartmoor, or indeed a stupidly steep hill, then you can appreciate the tenacity and sheer grit one needs to undertake such feats.

I wish I had the space to say more: but if you consider a talented, caring, fun and humble man then you are certainly ball-park.

The PHM also needs to be able to discipline boys, and she has the rare gift of needing no more than the simple statement “you have disappointed me” to get the message across to a boy who has got things wrong.

Margie’s exceptional people skills endeared her to everyone she dealt with: boys, colleagues, parents alike My family and I will miss her dearly, as will her fellow PHMs and the cleaning, catering and medical centre staff.

We are sad to see Margie leave, but she has a wonderful future planned up north, where she can enjoy a slightly less hectic job with her beloved sons and grandchildren nearby.

She will be sorely missed by all in the C Social community and beyond.

SRG

We wish all the happiness in the world she deserves it.

GRK

RKM

THE RADLEIAN

23

Dan Matherson and Lizzie Lewis

Cook Fellows

Language Assistants

Lizzie Lewis arrived at Radley in September 2017, the first in a new post as Graduate Musician in Residence. She has had an extraordinary impact over the last two years, doing so much to raise the profile of contemporary popular music at Radley. The camaraderie amongst the boys in the recent Battle of the Bands mirrored Lizzie’s own kind, warm and tireless support of so many musicians in the school. She has provided them with innovative performing and recording opportunities alongside specialist producers and guest musicians, championed song-writing and given the boys huge amounts of time (the most precious commodity at Radley). She is often to be found late at night in the Music Department, working with song-writers, bands and jazz groups preparing for a ‘Live Lounge’ performance or outside gig. As a talented cellist, Lizzie has coached the orchestra cello section and played a key role in the Prep Schools Orchestra Day; she has been bassist for the College Musical, Milligan Cup and countless jazz events; and she led a team of boys composing music for the College Play ‘Oedipus’. She has particularly relished her pastoral role in E Social. She will be hugely missed here, but we are thrilled that she has been offered the exciting role of Deputy Housemistress and Music Teacher at Beau Soleil School in Switzerland. Her legacy at Radley is considerable.

The first year of the Cook Fellow programme has gone extraordinarily well. Ali Raza Galani (U of Memphis) has been a superb pioneer of this initiative which aims to expose the boys to different modes of teaching and conversation, involving high calibre graduates from the USA. Raza, together with Sam Wallace-Perdomo (who stays on for another six months), working with the Academic Director, developed a system by which the Cook Fellows are based in particular departments (in this case History and Politics), but also contribute widely elsewhere. Great assistance with both timetabled lessons and so-called ‘extension’ activities has been provided to many other subjects by the Fellows including, for example, in English and Geography. In this way, the boys see the importance of a broad outlook and ‘interdisciplinarity’.

Having well-informed and dynamic MFL assistants is a real treat. At Radley, we are very lucky to offer our students the opportunity to speak to young and interesting people who they can easily relate to and establish a productive educational bond. Cécile, Côme, Ferran and Sebastian have been a brilliant source of authentic insight and knowledge for our boys. Cécile has helped an enormous amount providing the French Department with fabulous resources and general support in anything that was needed. Apart from the enthusiasm and expertise that Côme, Ferran and Sebastian brought into the Department and their one-toone sessions with the boys, they fully immersed themselves into school life.

Each of them supporting the coaching of rugby and football teams throughout the academic year. We will miss them next year, as they have been fantastic members of the Department and Common Room for the past year. They are leaving us to pursue very exciting studies at university. We wish them all the best!

Dan Mathieson arrived from Oxford as Assistant Organist in September 2018 and immediately became a key figure in the Chapel music team. He has been an inspiring colleague, introducing new repertoire to the choir and working particularly closely with the Radley choristers. He has been an excellent organ teacher and accompanist, has taught theory and aural lessons with kindness and patience, and gave a memorable recital in Chapel this term.

Dan is also distinctive for his astonishing efficiency, whether chasing up missed music lessons, tackling the choir library, organising registers, or co-ordinating food orders for choir trips. He played a particularly significant role in the choir recording in January, not only accompanying brilliantly, but also doing so much to ensure the smooth running of such an ambitious project. Dan now returns to continue his study at Oxford alongside a post at Worcester College.

The world of employment tells us we can’t do too much to stress the importance of a more ‘Renaissance’ outlook, where narrow ‘silo-thinking’ is discouraged. The Cook Fellows have both run discussion groups, led the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) training for Oxbridge candidates and been the lead speaker at two Oxbridge dinners at the Warden’s House. Boy response to the arrival of the Cook Fellows has been as positive as that of Common Room. Boys regularly comment on how they can speak to the Cook Fellows in a way which is different from the dons – respectful, of course, but driven by different dynamics which Radleians really appreciate and understand is stretching them in ways unlike conventional lessons and beyond the normal interactions of boarding school life. Additionally, fresh observations about how Radley might continue to improve as a school are provided by the Fellows, who bring insight and, sometimes, friendly criticism of what we do. This is to the advantage of all.

We thank Raza for his great work and warm friendship. Next term, we welcome Johanna Rhyins (University of Colombia), a social anthropologist, who has worked in a number of roles since leaving tertiary education and most notably with underprivileged young men in deprived areas of New York. Johanna will be based in the Geography Department, but like her predecessors, will work with other departments too.

SRG

SR

24

THE RADLEIAN

GCP Design Assistants Everything Annalise Saucier has done has been accomplished with a broad smile on her face. She has helped the boys to bring their designs to fruition and has had a marvellous way with all students. She has been instrumental in setting up the ‘Hacker Maker Space’ with a number of dedicated Designers.

Annalise has created lots of highly sophisticated display material and her direct influence on the Department will last for many years. She has introduced Radley to new CAD packages and has developed teaching materials to enable Radleians to assimilate all the new technology.

Ian McKibben has clocked up thousands of hours in the workshop. He has guided many boys through the process of design and manufacture, and has been responsible for carefully nurturing some of the weaker candidates and inspiring the gifted this year. He has been happy, dedicated, helpful and keen all at the same time – what more could we ask for? Ian and Annalise have been involved in all aspects of College life. They will be greatly missed by all.

WOCM