SHERBORNE
Lent 2024 ISSUE 45
N E W S
W e L c o m e f r o m
H e A d B o y
A L e x U p T o n ( U 6 e)
As the Lent Term draws to a close, now is a fantastic time to look back on what has been a fantastic term and look to the summer. This term, the new boys have now fully settled in, and have completely involved themselves in life at Sherborne, as they continue to enjoy our facilities for sport and recreation
The Prefect team have been continuing to develop in their roles, as we all learn about the commitments and responsibilities of leadership positions Days like our Joint Schools’ Leadership Conference have widened this to the entire Sixth Form, enabling all of us to learn about ourselves and our styles of working, which is a massive boost to our personal development
I am extremely thankful to be working alongside Hector Kennerley (U6g) and the rest of the Prefect team, to ensure the School continues to run smoothly and effectively, and to deliver the change that our pupils hope to see
Those with exams in the summer, mostly Fifth and Upper Sixth are now well on the way to exam readiness, with revision in full swing and a focused atmosphere around the School That being said, it is still an important time for those not taking public exams, as the Third Form have now chosen their GCSE options and thus will be looking to ensure they are prepared for the step up to Fourth Form, and Lower Sixth will be preparing for their important internal exams To everyone at Sherborne, I wish you a fantastic Easter break as we look forward to the Trinity term and all that it brings
A c A d e m I c e n r I c H m e n T
The school trip to the Numatic Factory in Chard, Somerset, proved to be an enriching and enlightening experience for all Lower and Upper Sixth pupils studying Business A level and/or Enterprise/Entrepreneurship Led by the Operations Director, Marketing Director, and HR representatives, pupils were treated to engaging talks that provided invaluable insights into the inner workings of a successful business These talks not only complemented their theoretical knowledge but also offered practical examples that brought their syllabi to life
One of the highlights of the trip was the visit to the factory floor, where pupils witnessed first hand the manufacturing processes involved in producing iconic products like the Henry vacuum cleaner This hands-on experience not only deepened their understanding of operations management but also sparked curiosity about the intricate logistics behind large-scale production
The most memorable part of the trip was undoubtedly the collaborative activity where pupils were tasked with building a Henry
vacuum cleaner from scratch, without any instructions This challenge not only tested their problem-solving skills but also fostered teamwork and communication among the pupils As they worked together to assemble the components, each pupil brought their unique strengths to the table, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in achieving common goals
Emma Wimhurst Teacher of Business and Enterprise
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B U S I n e S S A n d e n T e r p r I S e
p H y S I c S
This term the fifth form and Upper Sixth completed their Trial examinations and now have the finishing line firmly in their sights.
Some are still waiting to start their final sprint, but the majority are now in the revision mindset and are doing independent revision in their own time Hats off to the all the boys who are busy making their own notes and flash cards I’ve been very impressed with what I have seen.
Due to a number of interested boys, we are resurrecting the Astronomy and Electronics Clubs. These only work when we have keen boys who are committed to putting in the time and effort to make them a success
We currently have a small group of boys who are keen on astronomy and are working through the equipment to see what we can get back up and running
They have a lot of skills to work on even if the weather is not being kind to us!
We have a large amount of equipment for the electronics boys to explore and they will be having some fun learning by building small projects and getting it wrong
Dr Richard Brown Head of Science
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G e r m A n e x c H A n G e T o B e r L I n
over half term Sherborne’s pupils travelled to Berlin on the first leg of this year’s German exchange.
The trip was a resounding success with 11 boys from Fourth Form - Upper Sixth Form and six girls from Sherborne Girls taking part A packed programme included city tours, museum and
exhibition visits, ice-skating, visiting Frederick the Great’s New Palace, and seeing the Berlin Polar Bears defeat the Augsburg Panthers in an ice hockey match. Pupils stayed with families in Berlin and are now looking forward to welcoming their exchange partners back to Sherborne in the summer
pupils from the Third form Triple Languages set participated in the UK Linguistics olympiad, a language decoding competition, where pupils work out linguistic patterns in unfamiliar languages.
Our linguists excelled themselves, winning gold certificates, which are only awarded to the top 5% of the national cohort:
• George Brookes (3g)
• Henry Ferguson (3e)
• Fin Gardner (3m)
• Mark Geweiler (3g)
• W illiam Persse (3m)
• Freddie Risso-Gill (3g)
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U K L I n G U I S T I c S o Ly m p I A d
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Some good news from the fourth form We took two teams to the maths feast in Bridport. rounds tested logic, teamwork and some really quite tricky maths.
It was extremely close between some very good teams, with only four points between the top four teams Our teams overall took fourth and fifth place out of ten teams Fifth place were Ian Liu (4d), Tom Cao (4a), Seb Quinlan (4b) and Marley Mighty (4e)
Fourth place were Joe Zhou (4e), Jinmo Koo (4b), Chun Lok Choy (4f) and Hugo Shiu (4b) They made an extremely impressive rhombidodecahedron in the final round
Separately, Fifth Form mathematicians attended the Maths Inspiration Show at Bristol Beacon Highlights were Ben Sparks’ talk on numbers and irrationality, and meeting the “maths comedian”, Matt Parker The line-up for the day also included talks from a glaciologist and climate scientist, the next President of the Institute of Maths and its Applications, and a Maths Artists and Community Mathematician.
Maths Inspiration is a national programme of interactive maths lecture shows for teenagers that give them a chance to experience the UK’s most inspiring maths speakers, presenting mathematics live in the context of exciting, real-world applications.
Boys from the Third, fourth and fifth form took part in the Intermediate maths challenge just before half term and achieved some excellent results which we are delighted to share:
The impressive results included 22 Gold, 25 Silver and 42 Bronze certificates overall, with three of the Golds coming from Third Form boys Special mentions go to Josh Spolton (3m) and Joey Wang (3b), as well as Kotaro Taki (3e) and Johnny Moesel (5c) who were best in their years and a big shout out to Joe Zhou (4e) who was the best in school
Well done to all the boys who took part – a fantastic performance!
Rebecca Fraser Head of Mathematics
I n S p I r AT I o n
Charlie Miller (5d) with Matt Parker
I n T e r m e d I AT e m AT H S c H A L L e n G e
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THIrd form
cLASSIcISTS vISIT BATH
The Third Form Classicists enjoyed a cold and sunny visit to the Roman Baths in Bath Following an in-house worksheet alongside the museum ’ s audio tour, the boys worked their way
through this beautifully-preserved bathing and socialising complex, all surprised at the 46°C natural heat of the spring water Although not literally, they were able to immerse themselves in this
interactive and visual museum, even chatting to a Roman centurion mid-way!
Stephen Heath Head of Classics
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While many of us were relaxing in bed on new year’s day, Thomas Langley (L6e) was embarking on the first of two ultra marathon runs he has undertaken this term, raising money for children in need. The following article appeared in the march 2024 edition of The Sherbor ne Times:
Oddly enough, the idea of doing ultra-marathon distance running has been something I have wanted to do for two years now. It all started when I completed Ten Tors with Sherborne, in 2022 From this, I fell in love with Dartmoor
Living in Devon meant I could frequently go on long trail runs which I very much enjoyed I was also inspired by Kevin Sinfield who had just completed his seven ultramarathons in seven days challenge, to raise money for MND Association; Kevin Sinfield’s running challenge, pushing himself whilst raising much-needed funds for a charity, was of great inspiration to me
After a little thinking, I planned a series of personal challenges which I wanted to aim to complete in 2024, but I needed to pick a charity It was then November and after I watched the BBC Children in Need live event on TV and knew that this, was the charity which seemed a perfect fit for what I was planning
I remember telling my parents, two weeks before Christmas, that I was intending to run 100km in one day for Children in Need Their initial reaction was
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shock, as to them it seemed to have come from nowhere; but once they realised I was serious they rapidly mobilised into support crew and we got straight into organising the challenge.
In preparation for the run, I began to increase the distances of my regular runs, to build fitness and endurance whilst ensuring my feet became accustomed to hours in trainers! I set up an Instagram page dedicated to promoting the run and charity, which instantly gained significant interest
I started my run early on New Year’s Day when some people were likely still up late partying and the first thing I did was apply blister plasters, as I knew this would make or break my run! Before the run I had made myself aware of the 100km world record, which is 6h 5m 35s, 16km/h pace or a 19 minute 5km This speed was out of the question, however instead, I estimated that the run would take me about 14 hours
For large periods of the run, it was very lonely, sometimes I would go two hours without seeing a single person but the motivation of the challenge and what I had set out to do, kept me going At kilometre 50 I received large amounts of support from some volunteer friends from the Park Run community, this was a highlight for me and offered some much-needed motivation The tough moments came around kilometre 65 onwards as the weather closed in and the rain became ever heavier I could feel the blisters forming with the conditions becoming quite extreme, I wasn’t sure I would complete the run and my Dad stepped up to run the last 15 kilometres with me as support
In one day, the Just Giving page received more than £650 in donations, which meant we had reached our goal of £1,000 In the days following this, the total increased to £1,472 and I am motivated to continue my year of challenges for charity I plan on doing six more runs this year, with increasing difficulty
not content with this, Thomas went on to double his distance, running 200km over two days in early march and he has ambitious goals for the summer. An absolutely magnificent effort, pushing the total raised to date to over £3,000
To find out more and to sponsor Thomas with a donation, please visit: www.instagram.com/200kmdays
congratulations to yan Taborov (U6f) who, when visiting his home country of Ukraine at christmas, received a national award for ‘The most talented children of Ukraine’ The award was presented by the ministry of education of Ukraine.
In July 2023 Yan participated in the final stage of the National Mountain Biking Championship in Ukraine Yan won first place and officially became a national champion Yan was also awarded with the title of Master of Sports of Ukraine for his high achievements in sports, which will allow him to become a coach and train others in the future
It is fantastic to see Yan being recognised for his achievements and contribution to sport by receiving the award in December In addition, among 1,200 participants, Yan was one of three individuals honoured with the highest award Order of Giftedness, in the nomination of science, sports and computer technologies
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T H I S I S y A n N A T I O N A L A W A R D W I N N E R M A T H E M A T I C I A N M O U N T A I N B I K E R
S H E R B O R N E
S C H O O L S
T o G e T H e r W e : A r e I n T U n e
Joint Schools’ musical Showcase
early in the term a Joint Schools’ musical Showcase, requiring significant logistical organisation, started a series of joint musicmaking for both schools, and demonstrated a huge breadth of ensemble music-making; some excellent chamber music was complemented by some superb singing from the Joint Schools’ choir, the close Harmony/ Barbershop group and Sherborne Girls’ madrigal Society.
The Gransden Hall in The merritt centre at SG was packed to hear exceptional performances of the first and fourth movements of Beethoven’s famous Fifth Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s March Slave, ethel Smyth’s overture to her opera The Wreckers and malcolm Arnold’s English Dances.
James Henderson Executive Director of Music
T o G e T H e r W e : e m B r A c e T H e c H A L L e n G e
Joint Schools’ Leadership conference
Sherborne School and Sherborne Girls believe that Leadership needs to be on the curriculum
This is why, along with other leadership events throughout the year, we host our annual Sixth form Leadership conference. on Tuesday 23rd January, all Sixth form pupils, across both schools, attended workshops and talks focused on our guiding leadership principles:
At Sherborne, we believe that leaders:
• serve others, exhibiting compassion, humility and moral courage
• actively pursue lifelong learning, embracing global diversity
• create, inspire and motivate successful teams towards achieving positive change
• communicate with clarity, skill, and passion
Both events concluded with the pupils giving their own individual presentations on leadership: the Lower Sixth pupils gave a brief talk on a leader who inspires them –some talked about their mother, the father, their matron, their housemaster/ housemistress
The Upper Sixth pupils gave a talk on how their thoughts on leadership have developed during the Sixth Form – many commented on how they used to think that the leader was the one doing the talking, but have learned that a skilful leader is more often the one who does the most listening!
The Conference is a key event in our calendar We want our pupils to embark on their lives beyond school with a useful leadership toolkit, so that they can go on to make a positive impact upon society and lead with skill, humility and emotional intelligence.
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T o G e T H e r W e :
J o I n f o r c e S
pupils arrange Question Time event which raises £9,000 for military charities
Question Time, a Sherborne ccf charitable initiative organised by Upper Sixth cadets from Sherborne Schools raised a fantastic £9,000 and counting for military charities in february
The main event was a live ‘Question T ime’ talk with distinguished military guests, including Colonel Erica Bridge, Brigadier Rob Hedderwick and Brigadier Nick Pound Discussions focused on current affairs, such as Gaza, the threat from Putin and the impact of AI, as well as the military’s future
T icket sales and funds from the silent auction will be used to support the work of the Royal Naval Association, Royal Marines Charity and the Army Benevolent Fund
A huge thanks to all the parents, pupils, staff, CCF members, representatives of military charities and the local community who attended the event and gave so generously
d I v e d e e p e r
Joint Schools, debate
Well done to Lower Sixth boys Alex Trinkler (L6m) and Seb Helliwell (L6b) who took part in a Joint Schools’ debate with Sherborne Girls In pairs they discussed the pros and cons of a four-day work week
Two pupils advocated for its benefits, arguing that it would increase motivation and employee retention while the others raised concerns about long-term productivity, expressing that a shorter week would inevitably lead to more stress as workload is squeezed into four days
It was great to see everyone having the confidence to participate and stay composed while answering some difficult questions, not only from each other but also the judges
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chinese new year of the dragon
chinese new year of the dragon was celebrated with a banquet lunch and entertainment organised by a team of pupils from both Sherborne Boys and Sherborne Girls.
Guests enjoyed a fantastic three-course meal as well as speeches, games, music and dance
Competition was fierce in the House Decorating Competition and the judges were awed by the team efforts of pupils and Matrons The judges were very nearly swayed by the delicious dragon-themed cake and dragon hand art in Wallace, but eventually chose Harper as the winner thanks to the intricate origami dragon, handstencilled dragon panelling and background Chinese music
Claire Greenrod Teacher of MFL
L e T o U r H A I r d o W n
Sixth for m Black-Tie Socials
on a Saturday in early february, a total of thirteen Black-Tie dinners took place across the Sherborne Schools for our Sixth form pupils
A huge thank to you the catering team for their efforts in providing the delicious food
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L e n t Te r m a s e v h e a d y m i x o f s F o r m G C S E p u p i t h e i r e n d - o f - t e r m a n d r a l l y i n g t h e U s o m e a c t i o n f Tr i n i t y Te r m e x a t h e d a y - t o - d a y r h A r t D e p a
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v e r, h a s b e e n a s t re s s e d F i f t h i l s p re p a r i n g f o r m e x a m i n a t i o n , U p p e r S i x t h i n t o o r u p c o m i n g a m s , a s w e l l a s h y t h m o f a b u s y a r t m e n t . g o f t e r m , b o t h p s h a d a f u n d a y g i v i n g t h e m t h e o d i s c o v e r a n d t o b e g i n t h e i r s w e l l a s t h e e a t t h e i r o w n d e l i c i o u s f o o d a B i z a r re !
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p r e p S c H o o L
J u s t t o a v o i d a n y m t h i s t e r m , w e d e c i d e g re a t o p p o r t u n i t y t o u r d o o r s t o l o c a l p a m e m o r a b l e d a S h e r b o r n e S p e c i a l t t h e A d m i s s i o n s Te a m A r t Te c h n i c i a n s f o r t h i s a m b i t i o
Over the course of th opened our doors to them to see Sherborn great art, and eat humanly possible at While these days h rewarding, they ha enjoyed by all Inde have received from t heartening to read at tiring term, so much this out again nex recuperate Matt Directo
W o r K S H o p S
o m e n t s o f i n a c t i v i t y e d t h a t i t w o u l d b e a
t o o n c e a g a i n o p e n
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m a n d o f c o u r s e t h e w o r k i n g w i t h u s o n o u s p ro j e c t .
he Lent term we have prep pupils allowing e at work, make some as much jelly as is lunchtime (literally) ave been hard but ave been uniformly ed, the feedback we these days has been the end of a long and so that we might roll xt year if we have ed in time!
Bone r of Art
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T H e AT r e T r I p S : B L U e B e A r d
In early february, Sherborne School’s Third and fourth form drama groups attended a production called ‘Bluebeard’, at the Theatre royal in Bath.
The performance was captivating, filled with excitement and horror In my opinion, the play was remarkable for many reasons, including the tremendous effort put into the song and movement. I appreciated the use of mirroring and synchronised routines to emphasise the characters’ feelings
The story is about a man named Bluebeard, who murders his wives and keeps their bodies hidden in a locked chamber The performance was outstanding, and I am sure everyone else would agree. Big thanks to Mrs Clayton, who organised the trip, and to everyone else who was involved
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George Johnstone (3d)
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on a surprisingly warm february morning, blessed with plenty of sunshine, I, along with the fourth form GcSe drama pupils and drama scholars from other years, set off on a trip to Bath to watch the production ‘feel me’ created by The paper Birds Theatre company The performance took place at the egg Theatre in Bath, which is interestingly connected to the main Theatre royal Bath a building we have visited on numerous occasions in the past that boasts a truly “royal” appearance
The performance was exceptionally unique and undeniably successful Our mobile devices were integrated into the first quarter of the performance, allowing us to interact with questions posed by the actors. This served as an induction into the production’s theme of empathy with a focus on the concept of being forced to flee one ’ s home I found this production particularly useful for our own GCSE drama coursework, as it was full of well-choreographed, precise, and synchronised movements and slowmotion sequences, which I personally found to be the most impressive aspects of the performance
Moreover, the production conveyed a strong and significant message From personal experience, I know it can be
challenging to present and execute a theme in a way that is both engaging to the audience and effective in highlighting an ongoing societal issue However, the actors delivered an excellent performance, achieving both objectives from my perspective The survey conducted at the end of the show confirmed that the performance successfully brought the harsh realities faced by refugees in foreign countries closer to the audience The actors executed their roles flawlessly, with great use of facial expressions, and the organisation of some devised movements was quite fascinating Oh, and not to forget, enjoying some Five Guys just outside the theatre was the perfect way to wrap up what has been an extraordinary trip!
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Kyryl Mykytyuk (4f)
L e n T T e r m p L A y S :
d I G B y H o U S e p L A y
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B y d e n n I S K e L Ly
Work on the play ‘dnA’ by dennis Kelly began in late September, and from the outset, it was clear to all involved that there was potential to create something special. miss cant (Head of english) very kindly took a break from Abbey House to direct the play alongside Archie eadie (U6m) and cassius Hammick (U6m) With an amazingly talented cast under the guidance of miss cant, the play showed serious promise.
On both nights, every boy had their moment in the spotlight to showcase their incredible acting ability Someone who took full advantage of this was Albi Robinson (5m), who gave a riveting portrayal of the character Adam He may have only been on stage for a mere scene, however, his performance left the audience in a state of shock The seriousness of many scenes was expertly balanced with Harry Sykes (5m)’s witty line deliveries, which Friday’s audience clearly loved, judging by the sheer amount of laughter that echoed around the Powell Cassius proved himself to be a master of multitasking as he showed that he could not only direct the play but also deliver an excellent performance as the twisted character of Kit.
His portrayal was unnerving, as you could never quite grasp what he was thinking or going to do next However, it must be said that the star of the show was W illiam Perry (5m); his performance was nothing short of Oscar-worthy Even when silent, you knew exactly what he was thinking and just how betrayed he felt. When discussing the final scene, where it’s decided that Adam will be killed, an audience member described his portrayal as “ proper acting ”
The Digby House play did not disappoint, as it can safely be called a success and, just maybe, one of the best House Productions in recent years Each member of the cast and crew should be immensely proud of what they accomplished
Sebastian Helliwell (L6m)
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L e n T T e r m p L A y S :
W A L L A c e H o U S e p L A y
B L U e r e m e m B e r e d H I L L S
B y d e n n I S p o T T e r
dennis potter’s ‘Blue remembered Hills’ is a heartfelt threnody to childhood innoncence (masterfully adapted By freddie fineman (L6e) to suit an all-male stage production) that takes its audience on a nostalgic journey back to a simpler time, exploring the complex dynamics of childhood friendship against the dark backdrop of World War II.
The plot revolves around the interactions of seven children during a summer day in the 1940s Set against the rural beauty of the Forest of Dean, the play delves into the innocence, cruelty, and vulnerability that defines childhood camaraderie Each character is carefully crafted reflecting unique quirks and insecurities, which were thoughtfully brought to life by the talented cast
The strength of “Blue Remembered Hills” lies in its ability to provoke self-reflection and contemplation about the universal themes of friendship, innocence, and the loss of childhood. Particularly controlled and sensitive was Rupert Dorey’s (3e) performance as W illie Oliver Bibbey’s (4e) convincing emotional portrayal of Donald captivated poignantly the potential for cruelty in children and evoked strong pathos and a cause for reflection that, without a doubt, stayed with the audience well after the curtain fell, and Jack Stebbings’ (3e) thespian debut as John combined a constant electric energy with a boyish ‘Just W illiam’ demeanour that kept the atmosphere light-hearted and honest The delicate balance of lighting furthered the dramatic contrasts between the themes of cruelty and innocence which added an ambient layer of drama over the already capable ensemble
Freddie’s and Mrs Thurman’s seasoned directorial guidance skilfully navigated the razor ’ s edge between laughter and tears, constantly engaging the audience both emotionally and intellectually Such a bright coincidence of talent amongst an all lowerschool cast promises much further success which I am certain will be looked forward to in future
Very well done to all involved for yet another shining example of Wallace’s theatrical capability and talent
Bruno Ardern-Norris (U6e)
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We were delighted to welcome pupils from farleigh and port regis to compete in the inaugural prep Schools’ drama competition in the last week of term
The visiting pupils performed in solos or small groups selected excerpts, before enjoying a Sherborne lunch and a drama skills workshop, led by our Drama Scholars
The standard of performances was exceptional, making decisions very hard for judges Mrs Darnley and OS W ill Jonas (21d) All groups are to be commended on their performances, but especial congratulations to:
SoLo prIze WInner
Gabriel (Port Regis)
dUo prIze WInner
Margo and Imogen (Port Regis)
GroUp prIze WInnerS
Ralph, Tabitha, Scarlett and Emily (Farleigh)
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m U S I c
Although a short ter m, Sherbor ne’s musicians have been as busy as ever.
The programme at this term’s Joint Schools’ Musical Showcase was a considerable achievement for the Symphony Orchestra, who rose to the challenge of these demanding works and gave powerful renditions under the batons of James Henderson, Clare Jackson, Robert Costin and Benjamin Davey The Symphony Orchestra had not performed this Beethoven Symphony for well over a decade, with the Sherborne performance being distinguished through use of a full brass section in the first movement (something Beethoven himself reserved for the last movement) as there is such playing quality in the School at the moment
Another high point of the term was the joint schools’ choral performances that took place in Exeter Cathedral for Choral Evensong in February, Handel’s Messiah in the Abbey just before half term, and then our own Chamber Choir singing a Festive Evensong for the feast of St Joseph followed by the annual dinner in the OSR
A Brass Day, led by the Onyx Brass group, and an externally adjudicated Woodwind Competition (Lianne Barnard, from the LSO), were followed by an Unplugged in the T indall Recital Hall for the Sixth Form and
an “Open Rehearsal” for parents given by the Sinfonia It’s always good to hear the music staff performing and again proving what talented staff lead the Music School, and the occasion when Head of Instrumental Studies
Clare Jackson (flute) and Head of Keyboard Studies Benjamin Davey (piano) performed a T indall recital was a magical evening that included performances of Rabboni’s Sonata no 7 in F and Ian Clarke’s Sunday Mor ning
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describing the start of a Shirburnian’s day .
The weekly Friday Lunchtime Recitals given by Pianists, Strings, the mighty W ind Band, Brass, Woodwind, four “Instrumental and Vocal Soloists” recitals, and
the jazzers, continue to be the mainstay of the Music School’s hectic diary Dinner and Jazz, as the term ended, was a complete triumph that saw the Swing Band reaching even greater heights than in an ‘All Stars’ concert earlier in the winter The trumpets
in particular Henry Cannon (U6c), Charlie Burtt (U6c), Archie Beardsell (U6f) and Archie Gibbons (5f) were thrilling in their exuberant playing of old favourites Yardbird Suite, Salt Peanuts and One Mint Julep in a set list that contained some
twenty-two numbers Vocalists
Orlando Tavener (U6b), James Coleman (U6a) were on finest Sinatra form for The Lady is a tramp and many other favourites, while Hector Kennerley (U6g) had the dance-floor heaving during his lively rendition (though maybe
not as lively as the hearty singing from the band between phrases) of Louis Prima’s number Angelina waitress at the pizzeria It is possible that the band was in its finest form for several years, and it is worth booking tickets for the Tuesday
night of Commem week when many of the band perform for the last time, it being an Upper Sixth heavy ensemble at the moment
James Henderson Executive Director of Music
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Weathering the colder months of Lent Term, our 160 duke of edinburgh’s Award participants have spent the term working towards the other sections of their award. competing in sport teams for physical, excelling in the music department for Skills, and supporting House charities, the Sherborne Abbey and the prep for volunteering, the boys have been hard at work completing their sections before their qualifying expeditions in Trinity.
This term has been a term of kit preparation, expedition planning and skill-building as we ready our participants for Expedition Season Additionally, during the first week of the Easter holidays, the Silver and Gold participants will be off in Cornwall and Wales respectively doing their Practice and Training Expeditions
This term we had nine boys complete their Bronze Award and five complete their Silver Well done to Caspar Bridge (U6f), Henry Cole (L6g), Robert Chitty (U6d), Toby Davies (e23), Archie Eadie (U6m), Alfie Hunter-Inglis (U6a), and Lars Ropied (U6g) for completing their Gold Award!
Best of luck to all our boys on expedition over the Easter Holiday, and we look forward to an expedition packed Trinity Term!
Mark Stuart DofE and Outdoor Education Assistant
T e n T o r S
T r A I n I n G
Twenty-five pupils from Sherborne and Sherborne Girls endured the most challenging conditions Dartmoor can offer at the end of term – battered by strong winds and relentless rain whilst navigating in poor visibility. Other schools relied on Mountain Rescue to aid their students off the moor – yet all five teams completed the training without serious incident.
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c o m B I n e d c
It has been a characteristically busy in all types of weather and increase for our Biennial Inspection. We we nick perry dSo mBe as our Inspec cadets really rose to the occasion. and carry out training on carey’s inc by our royal navy section, the sto form cadets and excellent fieldcra form in our royal marine and A culminated in our black tie S General perry giving a t
The preceding week our expedition including live firing on Straight Point Navy section had a Field Gun day, our Training Centre and encountered the going through tunnels submerged in hosted by 6 RIF
A selection event was held for our P teams, and it was great to see over weather on Carey’s on a Sunday after set the benchmark for leadership in yo modelling They also shone through and Silent Auction, generously ba £9000 for the Army Benevolent F and the Royal Na
Next term, we have Field Trips planned as well as a parachuting trip and
Rob Le P CCF Continge
A d e T f o r c e
term for the ccf. We have trained ed the amount of drill in readiness re thrilled to have major General cting officer on 20 march and the . He was able to see them march cluding a field Gun demonstration orming of a building by our fifth aft lessons delivered by our Sixth Army sections The inspection ixth form dinner night with ruly wonderful speech
nary CCF went to various locations ranges for our Fifth form, our Royal Royal Marines visited the Commando e legendary ‘sheep dip’ with cadets n water, and our Army section were FLES in Exeter
ringle Trophy and Rifles Cadet Cup 40 cadets turn out during biblical noon Our senior cadets continue to oung people through wonderful role arranging the Question T ime event cked by parents, raising close to Fund, the Royal Marines Charity aval Association
d for Scraesdon Fort and HMS Raleigh d adventure training in Norway
Poidevin nt Commander
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According to official reports, february 2024 was the warmest on record in the UK. It was also one of the wettest, with central and southern england experiencing some of the worst weather imaginable with floods, winds and plenty of other challenging conditions. However, as befits men of courage and distinction, our boys carried on regardless and enjoyed many weeks of healthy activity in a number of outdoor locations from Sutton Bingham reservoir to Sherborne Golf club and carey’s field to the druid’s Lodge polo club.
Whilst matrons might have struggled with mountains of wet muddy games kit, and our grounds team have persevered to get pitches fit for play, the key message has been that at Sherborne, rain does not stop play!
S p o
THowever, a new trend is emerging in this sector with a healthy number of astute young men realising that it does not rain in our shiny new sports centre The badminton court is a perfectly stable temperature and basketball is unaffected by whatever mother nature throws at the ‘boys outside’. The facilities we have and the range of indoor activities we are now able to offer are simply outstanding and it has been wonderful to see so many of our boys enjoying them whether that is in formal games, during cocurricular practices or as part of the wider inter house and social programmes
Boys at Sherborne will always relish the opportunities within major team sports such as rugby and cricket, but as times change and interests vary, we now have the capacity to cater for all tastes and passions
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d a v i d G u y d i r e c t o r o f S p o r t
r U G B y
We are thrilled to announce the outstanding success of our rugby 7s teams in recent tournaments! our U14 squad displayed exceptional skill and determination as they clinched the plate at the prestigious Sherborne 7s tournament. meanwhile, our U18 team showcased their prowess at the West of england 7s, emerging victorious in the plate competition. What’s even more impressive is that three U16 players made invaluable contributions to the U18 squad, under the leadership of the indomitable captain, Toby Bemand (U6a).
Their journey to victory was marked by impressive victories over formidable opponents such as Blundell’s, Monmouth, and Christ College Brecon Our U14, U16 and U18 squads will be representing the School at the upcoming Rosslyn Park National 7s, where they will undoubtedly continue to make their mark on the rugby scene
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to both teams for their remarkable achievements and wish them the best of luck as they prepare to represent our School with pride on the national stage
Chris Smith Master i/c Rugby
f o o T B A L L
The Lent Term has once again marked the increasing popularity of football at Sherborne School, with an all-time high of 270 boys selecting football as their main games option. These healthy numbers have enabled 8 of our 13 teams to compete in new, competitive leagues, set up by dr manning, to promote a higher standard of football across the year groups – this is the South West Independent Schools’ (SWIS) league and results can be found on fA full time.
mini colts U14
The Mini Colts C & D players were led by Rev Campbell and Miss Page this term, who inspired many individual promotions, and found perfect content for upcoming homilies after a monumental 6-0 victory against Millfield
Junior colts U15
The Junior Colt As squad reached the quarter-final of the ISFA trophy in January, and George FosterKemp’s (4a) long-range goal against Teddies Oxford marked great promise in the B team, too
colts U16
The Colts A Team impressed against U18 sides this season, with a 2-2 draw against QEH Bristol, and victories against Monmouth and Teddies Several boys have received call ups to the 1st XI team as a result of this.
3rd and 4th xI
Mr Senneck’s 3rd XI have seen much success in their campaign this term, scoring 41 goals in just 8 matches, with Freddie Hallett (U6m) and Archie Eadie (U6m) both delivering 5 goal performances Their goal of the season came from Seb Helliwell (L6m), who struck a 35-yard screamer against BGS, typifying what has clearly been a stellar season for the 3rds
The 4th XI recorded two hard fought victories against Dauntsey’s, and a draw with Clayesmore’s 1st XI The ‘topscorer ’ rank has fallen to the natural athlete of the squad, Tom Collin (U6c) but Thomas Arbon Valderrama (U6e) has played with his usual skill and flair in defence
2nd xI
After enduring tough results early on, the 2nd Team achieved a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bryanston, paving the way for a decisive victory against Millfield An excellent team performance, with Ollie Schwinge (L6m) and Arlo Fitzsimmons (L6a) standing out
1st xI
And finally, to the 1st Team. After narrow defeats early in the season, the 1st Team turned up to canford with a thirst for victory, and achieved it by 4 goals to 2, raising spirits going into the weekend.
Just two days later, we achieved back-to-back victories against a competitive Millfield team, with Robert Chitty (U6d) slotting in a composed penalty, which was even witnessed by the Headmaster This provided the platform for the boys to bounce back from 1-0 down at half time, to a rampant 4-1 victory in the second half
Dominant challenges from Finn Watson (U6a) and Freddie Ohlson (U6a) and special mentions for Peter Henderson (U6b) and Max W ilson (L6a) for their fine defensive contributions
Thanks to the organisation of Dr Manning and Mr Weale, Bryanston beat us early in the season in a 5-4 thriller A 7pm kick-off under the floodlights at Sherborne Town Football Club was the most highly anticipated game of the season, with a great atmosphere, despite our boys losing 2-1 on the night
Joey Lye (U6g) Captain of Football
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H o c K e y
The 2024 hockey season has been a challenge. playing many of the country’s top hockey schools including the likes of millfield, canford and Whitgift has certainly challenged our teams. not to mention the imminent encounters against Blundells and a rematch in the national plate against millfield.
Despite many testing trials the First team has demonstrated great maturity and willingness to learn A major focus has been on how to grow and progress hockey Coming off the back of a 6-0 win, combined with an open and engaging leadership group and the possibility to advance in the plate we look to finish the season on a high We have set ourselves high standards to achieve with an aim to grow the programme here with the ultimate aim of putting Sherborne School back on the map for hockey
Despite lower numbers of hockey players this year, this has not affected Sherborne’s ability to defeat all-comers on all levels
A big shout out to the 2nds under Angus Brewster’s (U6b) captaincy They remain unbeaten with a solo draw against Millfield, amongst 5-0 wins against the likes of Clayesmore, Canford and Wellington Let’s hope they can see out their last few games and secure a deserved unbeaten season.
Despite a few early hiccups, the threes are finding fine form One great aspect of Sherborne’s hockey programme is the chance for young talent to progress quickly W ith Fourth Formers playing in the First team and Third Form stepping up to play in the Seconds to make significant contributions
This season ’ s successes have served as a testament to the character of the boys, with their eagerness, and willingness to learn and improve, which we hope will continue next year
Looking ahead, the team is optimistic about our future with an abundance of talent and passion
Fraser Henderson Director of Hockey
one of oUr SporTInG HIGHLIGHTS of THe yeAr TooK pLAce JUST AfTer HALf Term – THe InTer-HoUSe croSS coUnTry.
SeT In THe BeAUTIfUL SUrroUndS of SHerBorne cASTLe, We Were overJoyed To See So mAny WILLInG fAceS TAKInG pArT, deSpITe THe IncLemenT WeATHer.
I n T e r - H o U S e c r o S
c o U n T r y
Congratulations to Harper House who won all three team events (Whole House, Intermediate and Senior)!
The Top 3 Individual winners were:
InTermedIATe rAce
W illiam James (3c)
Christian Piney (3f)
Seb Noori (3c)
SenIorS rAce
Charlie Perry (L6b)
Tom Foster (L6a)
Sam Baring (U6d)
Well done to all the boys who took part and gave it their all, and a huge thanks to all the staff who supported what was a great afternoon
S
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S A I L I n G
The sailing programme, continued unabated throughout the cold, wind, rain and some sun. victories over millfield, clifton and a team of “sailing has beens” from the Solent were achieved by a mixture of the Senior and the colts team. There was a very tight match against the old Shirburnians who fielded a strong team with the result being a draw of two races a piece before the wind died thereby preventing a decider.
Sam Nokes (U6g), Oliver Thompson (U6f), Yasha Malikov (U6f) and George Gillespie (U6c) represented the school at the schools keelboat fleet racing championship over the second exeat at Queen Mary Sailing Club and came a very impressive second out of 18 teams
The annual parents versus pupils sailing match took place on the final Saturday of term with over 20 competitors representing the parents and 26 boats on the water Victory went to the pupils once more
Finally the interhouse sailing competition took place on the final Thursday of term, with seven houses represented from the boys school with two from the girls school Victory went to Lyon House with Harper House second
Sam Nokes convincingly won The Childerley Trophy for sailor of the term
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Michael Ewart-Smith Master i/c Sailing
c L I m B I n G
A climbing team of six boys attended the Independent Schools’ climbing competition at The White Spider climbing wall in Surbiton. There were 206 competitors forming 32 teams from 22 schools competing in bouldering, top-roping and lead climbing. The level of ability and grades was exceptionally high and the boys did really well. The junior team should be especially praised.
Gabriel Cheng (5e) came second in the Junior Bouldering and third in Bouldering overall, climbing V7 in the process
Joshua Cheng (5e) came third in the Junior Bouldering and ninth in Bouldering overall
Will Bennett (5e) did well to come sixteenth in the Junior Bouldering and twelfth in the Junior Top Roping. If there was a top Junior Bouldering Team prize we would have won it.
The seniors, Freddie Sington (U6b), Jim Harrison (U6d) and Henry Perrin (L6m) had a really good go against stiff competition
Overall, Sherborne came 13th out of 32 teams and that was with no Lead Climbing at all. Now we have our new wall and some excellent juniors, we have lots of potential for a very competitive Senior team next year
G o L f T e A m
A n d G o L f c L U B
rain, rain and more rain! In fact it was the wettest february for 250 years at Sherborne Golf club. Luckily, we have a superb new simulator to keep the swing lose and the golf going. Singles, foursomes, fourballs, matchplay and strokeplay competitions have all been thoroughly enjoyed by many many boys on some of the great golf courses of the world – and all in the dry and warmth of the indoor simulator
Despite numerous matches having to be cancelled, when we have managed to venture outside the team enjoyed a good win against Truro School in the Swift’s Foursomes competition but narrowly failed against a strong Taunton School side to reach the regional final of the ISGA Singles competition Captain Theo Anderson Gannon (U6e) remains unbeaten this year and is now a regular in the full Men’s Somerset golf team
W ith 1st, 2nd and U16 golf teams now fully up and running, and plenty of fixtures arranged for next term, all we need now is for the clouds to clear and the sun to shine!
p o L o
Sherborne polo has had an exciting term of training and match chukkas in the arena, which have seen some rapidly developing talent at all levels. At the start of february, we played friendly chukkas, and in march a pre-tournament coaching session, against marlborough
Amid a month of heavy rain, the sun shone at Vaux Park Polo Club on 24th February as Millfield suffered a heavy defeat to Sherborne, 21-2 At the SUPA (Schools & Universities Polo Association) tournament at Rugby Polo Club on Sunday 3rd March, the A team played really well against strong sides from W inchester, Cheltenham and Felsted
The B team also played strongly in their draw against Stowe, Cheltenham and Marlborough
To close off the arena season the rain returned, but that did not prevent two teams taking on Eton and winning the first game 11-10 and drawing the second 6-6
The teamwork between the players has been superb and each person has been instrumental in securing a successful season and setting us up for a competitive grass season in Trinity term
Players: Jake Bamford (5b), Ben Spencer (U6g), Cassius Hammick (U6m), Algy Lindsay-Fynn (L6b), Freddie Facer (5a), Teddy Instone (3c), Josh Spolton (3m)
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Alistair Hatch Master i/c Golf
Julia Slade Master i/c Polo
W AT e r p o L o
The water polo squad is delighted to have plenty of keen younger players taking up the sport, which bodes well for the Junior House Tournament next term. They had their first friendly match against local team, the yeovil Spartans in January, and enjoyed a 14-1 win. Senior players douglas Groves (U6c) and Josh Blackwell (L6e) have been helping coach the newcomers, and all have benefited from mr Gordon’s monday evening water polo club as well as the Thursday games session.
Claire Greenrod Master i/c Water Polo
f I v e S
It has been an extremely busy term for Sherborne fives It began with Sherborne hosting the West of england Schools’ championships involving Schools from all over the country. Alex Upton (U6e) and Theo Anderson Gannon (U6e) won the Senior doubles plate competition. They, along with Gareth Kwong (U6e) and rudi Beard (U6e), played a further seven School fixtures through the term
The Old boys match was an especially enjoyable occasion with eight OS joining the boys and staff for a mini-tournament with an OS and current pupil paired up The ultimate winners from the eight pairs was Nick MacIver (Pilgrim) with Johnny Moesel (5c) There was also a healthy fixture list for Colts, Junior Colts and Mini Colts teams, with a victory at all age groups against Malvern being a particular highlight Alongside fixtures we have a regular group of senior and junior players who enjoy Fives three or four times a week To finish the season, in the first week of the holidays, Alex and Rudi will be heading to London for the National Doubles and we wish them well for that
Nick Scorer
Master i/c Fives
B A S K e T B A L L
Basketball at Sherborne has proved a popular option this year with participants from the third form right through to boys in the Upper Sixth. It has been excellent to see the junior boys learning the basic skills and progressing quickly to build their confidence in the game and their enjoyment of a fast-paced sport. for many boys it is their second or third year through which has created a competitive team with fantastic spirit
Fixtures have been in the Lent term with the Firsts and Colts both losing close matches against W inchester College 45-33 and 54-37 respectively to open the season Lessons were learned with the First team returning with a comprehensive victory against Wells Cathedral School 66-31 with Tom Foster (L6a) and Theo Knott (5m) top scoring with 20 points each Next saw the Firsts team compete away at Canford with a narrow loss 67– 64 with time slowing for a last second “buzzer beater” from Theo that rebounded from the ring
A trip to Gillingham saw a slow start with our First team running out eventual winners 28-39 and latterly Sherborne First team led from the start against the return trip by Canford winning 54-35 with Tom top scorer with 17 and points well spread between Dusan Vukcevic (L6a), Tom Thomas (L6a) and Cassian Ali (5c) The final match sees W inchester College return with both their teams W ith many of the Colts boys stepping up into the First team when required the team is in good hands for a number of years as their skills and game awareness develop
James Walker
Master i/c
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Basketball
c H A r I T y & c o m m U n I T y o U T r e A c H
It has been another busy term for Charity and Outreach at the School with Houses supporting their charities in a range of ways. For example, The Green has rekindled its relationship with the Yeatman Hospital which is just across the road from the boarding house. This community hospital provides a wide range of services to Sherborne and beyond. Currently, several of The Green Sixth Form pupils are in the process of creating a new promotional video that will go on the Friends of Yeatman webpage to aid awareness and fundraising efforts.
Looking forward to the summer term the Friends of the Yeatman organisation will be hosting their annual Garden Party at The Green Meanwhile, Harper House feel privileged to be supporting and serving Sherborne Primary School as their House charity and outreach partner Alongside raising funds for play and games equipment, plans are afoot for Harper boys to visit the primary school on a weekly basis to run sports and games activities for Year 3 and 4 pupils This addresses a specific need identified by Sherborne Primary’s Headmistress to encourage pupil school attendance and improve concentration in the classroom.
Looking beyond Sherborne, Lyon House charity is Prodigal Bikes which seeks to change lives in Africa and the UK. This fantastic charity sends refurbished bikes to Africa, as well as to refugees and asylum seekers in the UK The bikes provide transformational access to those who might not normally have it, reducing travel time to doctors, schools and water collection. To support the charity further, Lyon House are undertaking several charitable initiatives in house and planning a sponsored event for the Trinity term to raise money
Christopher Foyle Head of Charities and Outreach
c L U B S & A c T I v I T I e S
L
Lent term in the library got off to a flying start with the launch of Book Trip, the library’s new book club Staff and pupils have been busy signing up for their own personalised book trips and everyone has loved the surprise of having a book chosen for them All our Book Trippers have shared some fabulous comments about their books for others to enjoy Look out for the display in Undercroft after the Easter holidays to see what everyone thought!
Following the revamp of the MFL section in the Upper Library to create a one-stop shop for pupils, MFL pupils and staff have been enjoying their new section and the English A-level pupils have been making the most of their newly created English Literature section
The much-anticipated InterHouse Literary Quiz final was a hugely enjoyable event and, after many tense and nail-biting moments, the team from Lyon
was victorious, with The Green claiming second place
Term rounds off in the library with some visits from Year 8 pupils from Sherborne Prep School for a ‘Starting to Search’ workshop in preparation for their PSPQ projects
Sue Gransby Library Manager
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y
I B r A r
I G H L I G H T S f r o m T H I S T e r m . . .
H
Lego Club continues to go from strength to strength with a dedicated team of creative builders, who have enjoyed challenges, such as rescuing a minifigure, creating a mirror world dragon, designing and making a food café and constructing a modular build cinema
Just before half term, some of the third form had great fun exploring the non-fiction books, did a book scavenger hunt, and built their own Lego ‘Island Adventure’ story during a reading lesson
Sue Gransby Library Manager
Inter-School public Speaking competition
Sherborne hosted the annual public speaking competition for pupils with English as an additional language. We enjoyed presentations on a range of topics including Alfonso Gayán Villagrán (3c) on ‘Planes’, Joey Wang (3b) on ‘Lego’ and Mark Geweiler (3g) on ‘Environmental Conservation’ The event gave pupils the opportunity to meet with those from other schools and develop public speaking skills in a friendly and supportive environment
First place went to Charlie P from Sherborne Prep for a quirky and humorous presentation entitled ‘Fun Facts about Korea’ In second place was Chloe C from Sherborne Girls with an assured presentation about ‘Strictly’ Fumino S from Sherborne Girls achieved third place with an engaging talk about ‘Japanese Gaming’
Claire
Greenrod Teacher of MFL
Crossfire (The School’s Christian Union) ha Thursday to share a meal and listen to a v from the Bible This term we also had a de joint with Sherborne Girls, which was atten
Pupils R yan Lee (L6a), Andy Chung (U6b), Thomas O’Sullivan (L6b), George Brookes involved with Student Robotics had a succ competition for the national student robo
To give a flavour of the virtual competition video
Board Games Club is a fantastic opport Monday after school All are welcome, games to introduce to others. This term ‘Poetry for Neanderthals’, ‘Don’t Mess ‘Blood on the Clocktower’
c r o S S f I r e
r o B o T I c S c L U B
L e G o c L U B
e n G L I S H A S A n A d d I T I o n A L L A n G U A G e
B o A r d G A m e S c L U B
as enjoyed meeting together each isiting speaker, or to look at a passage elicious supper in the Old School Room, nded by about 25 boys and girls
Nick Scorer
Harry Nicholson (4f), Henry Perrin
Hector Kennerley
who are cessful weekend in the virtual Robotics tics competition
n, cLIcK Here for a link to part of the
tunity to relax and socialise on a and players often bring their own m, we have particularly enjoyed with Cthulhu’ and the ever-popular
Claire Greenrod Teacher of MFL
It was a great morning in every way as over forty boys (and one girl) were confirmed in Sherborne Abbey at the end of February The Rt Revd Trevor W illmott, an associate Bishop of Salisbury and former Bishop of Dover, presided over the service and made everyone present in the large congregation feel a part of the confirmands’ big day The entire occasion was enhanced beyond measure by the superlative singing of the Chamber Choir under the direction of Mr Henderson
Confirmation involves publicly affirming a lifetime commitment to follow the way of Jesus of Nazareth and all of the candidates did so with great maturity and dignity The service followed several months of preparations in which the basics of the Christian faith and the challenges of living as a Christian person in the twenty-first century were taught and discussed
Dr David Campbell Chaplain
Now well established in the Sherborne community’s Thursday night routine, one Radio Sherborne broadcast this term featured an interview with special guest, Sir Mark Sedwill Sir Mark discussed topics such as whether the House of Lords (of which he is a member) should be slimmed down, and how the UK could work with the US if Donald Trump becomes president.
Well done to Rocco Taylor (U6b), Angus Brewster (U6b), Caspar Bridge (U6f), Ivo Finney (5d) and Hattie S from Sherborne Girls for their efforts in organising the interview
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(L6m), (3g),
(U6g)
o n f I r m AT I o n
c
r A d I o S H e r B o r n e
Congratulations to our Careers Manager Zoe Fraser, who has qualified as a Level 6 Careers Advisor af ter studying with the Careers Development Institute and this places Zoe on the register of Career Development Professionals.
f U T U r e
p A T H W A y S
We are extremely proud of our dedicated, non-teaching Careers Team, who dedicate their time to suppor t each of our boys to find the right pathway for them while also helping parents and colleagues with outst anding careers advice.
B U S I n e S S B r e A K f A S T
Sherborne’s Business Breakfasts are fantastic opportunities for boys to meet and learn from professionals from a wide variety of different industries and job roles
This term’s events have welcomed guests: James Pearmund, Portfolio Solutions Manager at Schroders Bank, Mike Clapp from Symington Family Estates (pioneering winemakers), Alan Ringe, Managing Director at GJR Architects, John T immis, Director at Abbey Manor Group Ltd and Ed Beckett, Chief Strategy Officer at Peak
We thank them for being so generous with their time and sharing their experience
o p e n T o A L L y e A r G r o U p S
B o A r d I n G
following the success of last year’s event, we again welcomed matrons from prep and senior schools to our second matrons’ conference in early march.
This year ’ s theme was neurodiversity in a boarding context and was delivered by trainer, Franck Brown from Conscious Clarity. After a welcome from Headmaster, in which he highlighted the vital role that matrons play in the life of a boarder and a keynote presentation from Franck, matrons where then involved in a workshop, focusing on the various strategies available to support neurodiversity in the boarding house
Thank you to our School donors for helping to support this event through the Sherborne foundation and to our printers, Shelleys for funding the cost of the conference packs m
After lunch, there were presentations from our Director of Boarding, Ben Sunderland and in-house nutritionist, Jack Blades
Our Senior Matrons, Rachel and Nicky (who were the ones who originally recognised the need for such an event) then led two round-table discussions
The Matrons’ Conference is a much-needed opportunity for these integral members of boarding staff to come together, develop their knowledge and skills, and share their expertise and experience with others
As the Headmaster mentioned in his welcome address, “Boarding schools just do not work without really good matrons. They make the house a home I am hugely grateful for all that they do, and we are proud to acknowledge and recognise the valuable role they play ”
n S ’ c o n f e r e n c e 2 0 2 4 : T H e n e U r o d I v e r S I T y T o o L K I T
AT r o
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Ben Sunderland Director of Boarding, Sherborne
Putting staff wellbeing first at Sherborne
I was struck by just how tired all the Housemasters looked; I almost suggested it would be a good idea for all of them to try and get some more sleep, but thought better of it, knowing only too well the challenges of the role!
“
After 12 amazing, rewarding and fruitful years as Housemaster at Sherborne School, I only just feel I have had a chance to reflect on this chapter of my life. In the last Housemasters’ meeting of the Michaelmas half term, I was struck by just how tired all the Housemasters looked; I almost suggested it would be a good idea for all of them to try and get some more sleep, but thought better of it, knowing only too well the challenges of the role! Living, breathing and working in a boarding community, as a Housemaster, Resident, Matron or as a duty tutor is an all-consuming, whilst incredible rewarding occupation – it challenges you physically, mentally and perhaps moreover anything else, emotionally. Everything we do is about education, not merely academic, but much more broadly, helping pupils navigating their way through social dynamics, their interactions with others, developing resilience and ultimately building their emotional intelligence. It happens constantly, for the entire time the pupils are in school and in a full boarding School the opportunities for pupils to
grow and become the best version of themselves are vast, with the right support. It requires a very special type of person to take on these roles – there are no half measure here, you have to be ‘all in’, and it is vitally important that everyone in the boarding team pulls together to enable our young people to thrive.
Working with highly motivated, extraordinarily committed and ‘can do’ people is what nourished and sustained me through my time in the House; however, it is vital we ensure that we carve out time in our busy working lives to allow ourselves to take breath, talk, share, off-load and bounce deas around for us to realise, that in amongst the ‘busyness’ we are doing is vital. It is enriching and can be life changing and being part of this, being able to contribute to shaping young people to flourish is truly a privilege.
Ben Sunderland, currently serving as the Director of Boarding at Sherborne Boys, assumed the mantle of this Senior Leadership Team role this term after an enriching 12 year tenure as Housemaster of Lyon House and Senior.
F EATURE 3 STAFF WELLBEING / STAFFING MODELS IN THE BOARDING HOUSE >>> c L I c K H e r e T o r e A d T H e f U L L A r T I c L e p A G e 8 5
d I r e c T o r o f B o A r d I n G W r I T e S o n S T A f f W e L L B e I n G I n n A T I o n A L p U B L I c A T I o n
We are delighted to see the article written by mr Ben Sunderland, our director of Boarding in the BSA magazine mr Sunderland describes the importance of staff wellbeing within the Boarding Houses.
As quoted by Mr Sunderland: ‘’ the entire time the pupils are in School and in a full boarding School the opportunities for pupils to grow and become the best versions of themselves are vast, with the right support It requires a very special type of person to take on these roles -
there are no half measures here, you have to be ‘all in’, and it is vitally important that everyone in the boarding team pulls together to enable our young people to thrive’’
However, Mr Sunderland continues to explain that it is crucial to take time in our busy working lives to allow ourselves time to breathe, talk, share, offload and realise that the work we do within the Boarding House, shaping young people’s lives is vital
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