6 minute read
Master’s Review
Prize Day Speech
As the Marlburian community met online for the second year in a row for Prize Day, marking the passing of a most extraordinary year and celebrating our unique boarding community, I could not help but think of the world of ancient Greece – of the era of Homeric epic poetry – of Odysseus, famed King of Ithaca whose homecoming – or nostos – from the Trojan War to his beloved Kingdom saw him face seeming insuperable challenges on his gruelling 10 year homeward journey. Odysseus, in Homeric text, is referred to again and again as polutlas, meaning much enduring. Everything that he knew, everything that he held dear was kept from him, almost suspended in time, until he could at last return home to a land recognised but changed. And I have no hesitation in describing every member of this community as polutlas. For this last year, every single Marlburian, every single member of staff has been tested, has faced unprecedented challenge, has extended themselves in a way that was hitherto utterly unthinkable. But, of course, Odysseus came to be known as polutropos – metaphorically it means a man of many ways/devices – he was agile, he was cunning, he would not be defeated, he adapted to his environment, he shaped himself to the trials and to the characters he encountered. And, if there was ever an adjective that could be said to be applicable to how our own community has responded to present Covid 19 challenges, it must be polutropos. The agility, the determination, the resilience with which each one has faced this global pandemic has been inspiring and it has been humbling. All at Marlborough have learnt from these times and we have had our limits tested but, as the smiles confirmed when we came together on site towards the end of a Lent term of lockdown, this will be a stronger community for the challenges that we have faced, and we will certainly appreciate what is important in life, if we didn’t before.
Marlborough, beyond these challenges, is enjoying a sea change in ambition: I see more ambition and aspiration in our pupils than ever before, and it is of the moment, but not unprecedented, that this should happen in such starkly challenging times. This ambition extends far beyond the academic and the co-curriculum. Our pupils’ contribution to outreach, to partnership, to seeing beyond themselves, to making a difference to this community and to society as a whole is inspiring indeed; and very much paves the way towards Marlborough’s desire to be a yet more inclusive and diverse school – to welcome pupils and staff from all walks of life with all manner of means.
On the academic front, pupils and colleagues have coped brilliantly, remaining focussed on what is important, despite inhabiting an ever-shifting landscape, and I am happy to report that our grades last year did our pupils and our school great credit. In 2020, at GCSE we saw 50% of entries awarded grades 8 and 9 (which is the equivalent of an old A* grade), with over three-quarters of the year group achieving eight or more grades at 9 to 7 (the equivalent of an old A grade). At A level and Pre-U, 60% of our grades were A*s and As, or D1 to D3 at Pre-U. I thank all teaching colleagues for their remarkable contribution this year – to have been required to both create and then deliver an internal assessment process is beyond the bounds of the expected remit of a school. Our pupils have done well to withstand the pressure and turbulence; and so too have the staff.
Jonte Catton
Poppy McGhee
Charlotte Stafford Charlotte Longden
Josh Dingley
Sophie Herrmann
Our pupils’ academic ambitions remain undeterred – and perhaps all the more determined. Oxbridge, US college, medical school and top university, art school and conservatoire applications continued to soar this year. Pupils have participated in national competitions and seen great success – Rupert Plaistowe (B1 2016-21) won Gold in the Chemistry Olympiad, Marco Cheung (BH L6) and Edward Fuller (CO L6) in the Physics Olympiad; Jonte Catton (C2 2016-21) won Silver, coming 14th nationally, in the British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad; in French, Zara Blakey (MO U6) and Freya Høgevold (NC U6) came third in the national Joute Oratoires Competition. Our state-of-the-art Innovation Centre has been built, while work has recently begun on our historic Science Block to ensure that pupil and staff academic ambition and application are supported by the very best facilities.
There have been some incredible achievements in sport. Charlotte Longden (NC 2016-21) has been selected for phase 5, the final round, in her bid to become a fully funded elite Team GB Skeleton Bobsleigh athlete; Sophie Herrmann (DA L6) won gold in the Junior Ladies’ British Shooting Shotgun Series, which will aid her selection bid for the British Olympic Skeet team for the 2024 Paris Olympics; and Josh Dingley (C1 2016-21) plays for the Bath Rugby Senior Academy Squad. In cricket, the 1st Junior Colts won the England Schools Cricket Association’s U15 Wiltshire T20 competition, and the 1st Yearlings won the Wiltshire Cup. In girls’ tennis, our Open teams won the Independent Schools’ Girls’ Tennis League. The Drama Department delighted with a superb radio play of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, while the Music Department saw 150 entries for our Music Festival weekend in May, a wonderful Songs from the Shows concert, an Ensembles Gala Concert, May Day Madrigals, online Chapel Choir performances, regular lunchtime concerts and much more. Bassoonist, Emily Ambrose (MO U6) won the Two Moors Festival Young Musicians Competition and Poppy McGhee (NC L6) was awarded a Rotary Young Citizen Award for using her musical talents, in collaboration with the Amber Trust, to help blind, partially blind and disabled children. Poppy will also be awarded a Diana Award, in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, said to be the most prestigious accolade that a young person can receive for social action or humanitarian work.
And the College has been awash with inspirational art and photography during this year of lockdown, with 14 pupils winning scholarships to top art schools. Lottie Rose’s (CO 2019-21) work of art, Avni, was chosen for an exhibition at Blue Shop Cottage, London; and Charlotte Stafford (MM 2016-21) submitted etchings and drawings to the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. I thank all those pupils and members of staff, teaching and support, who contributed so enthusiastically throughout the year; to those who contributed to CCF, Duke of Edinburgh, to Prefectship, to House Captaincy, to reinstating the White Horse on Granham Hill, to tour guiding, charity initiatives, to Chapel podcasts, to academic and co-curricular societies and clubs. Despite every possible hurdle placed in their way, our pupils have continued to immerse themselves in the incredible opportunities that the College has to offer, and they have excelled. All these efforts, every small contribution that is made, has helped to build Marlborough into the great school and beacon that it is.
