Trinity 2016 ISSUE 22
Sherborne News Comment …each boy is unique and we’re helping him navigate the ever-changing landscape of his adolescence…
www.sherborne.org
I must admit to having had some preconceptions about Sherborne before joining as the new Deputy Head (Pastoral) back in September. Mostly they were shaped by many Old Shirburnian friends and former colleagues of mine, but in part they were derived from dim and distant memories of playing against Sherborne as a young boy...when the UK was in the EU. The beautiful town feels marinated in history and so did the School when I nervously crunched across the Courts on my first morning at work. Tradition, in the best sense of the word, is strong here. It is seen in the buildings, heard at Lists when we sing the Carmen and felt on The Upper when the XV play in fixtures that have stretched back to the nineteenth century. I value that enormously as a history teacher and as someone who has experienced other schools without such an established identity. The things I could not have known, some of the deeper truths my experience here has revealed, show that Sherborne is far greater than that. I have been deeply impressed by the sense of service embodied by our pupils. I immediately think of the huge fundraising efforts by the staff and boys of The Green when running through the night for Macmillan Cancer Research. The pleasure of working here and living alongside my colleagues and the boys is in seeing the little things that shape our ethos in action every day. I remember
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the concern shown by a third former who helped a lady who tripped over in Cheap Street; the genuine happiness on the face of a boy when applauding his friend after a recital in the Methodist Chapel one Friday lunchtime and the gutsy rugby tackle made with grim determination on a windswept pitch to save the game for the Colts B team. Each small act is an example that shapes one’s self and School at the same time. I see it as my task, and that of all the staff here, to nurture the boys’ recognition of how special it is to be part of the Sherborne experience. That does not just mean telling them that they are lucky and expecting everything to be alright. We must model the care that we expect to see in the boys if we are to continue seeing it in them. The environment of support created by our pastoral systems is special and I see it as a key task of mine to safeguard the selfless commitment I have so often seen and which makes this School stand apart from the crowd. At the same time, I believe there are always improvements that can be made and a thorough review of tutoring is underway to identify where this is possible. The challenge is complex because each boy is unique and we are helping him navigate the ever-changing landscape of his adolescence, but that is what makes it so rewarding to those of us privileged to be associated with Sherborne School.
MATTHEW JAMIESON DEPUTY HEAD (PASTORAL)
Congratulations to the recently appointed School Prefects:
Congratulations to Ally Collins (L6f), who has been appointed as Head of School Designate.
Congratulations to Finnbar Blakey (L6a), Harry Clark (L6a), Tom Crinks (L6b), Archie Cripwell (L6c), Archie Denholm (L6g), Gabriel Healy (L6m), Ben Heber (L6f), Gus Johnson (L6d), Seb Key (L6a), Jake Lightfoot (L6e) Jeremy Newman (L6c), and Toby Trumper (L6d) all of whom have been appointed school prefects for the coming academic year.
Celebrating Alan Turing OS, Sherborne’s greatest Mathematician and Scientist In 1926, Alan Turing arrived in Southampton aged thirteen to begin life as a boarder at Sherborne. He arrived in the middle of the General Strike; all the trains were cancelled, so he cycled alone the 63 miles from the docks to Dorset. 90 years later, Sir Dermot Turing, Alan’s nephew and Sherborne School proudly celebrated
his life whilst also encouraging any future Alan Turing’s. On 30th June, Sir Dermot (h78) both unveiled the plaque and gave a short talk about Alan’s life based on his recent book Prof. In addition to this, Foucault’s pendulum experiment was also re-enacted in the same stairwell that Alan used to reconstruct the experiment whilst at Sherborne.
Commem BOW AWARD This award is given to a boy who has made an outstanding contribution to the pastoral welfare of the school. This year’s recipient is James Alan (U6 m).
Music
BY JAMES HENDERSON DIRECTOR OF MUSIC The Music School remained as busy as ever this term, with more than twenty concerts taking place in addition to examinations and
competitions. As always, the opportunity to perform at the Sherborne Abbey Festival, a celebration of music whose reputation extends far
beyond the town, was heralded with a performance of solos and chamber music in the Abbey itself as part of our year-long Friday Lunchtime
Concert Series. Not to be outdone, there followed a typically assured and flamboyant performance from the Swing Band to a capacity audience in the Powell Theatre and the Chamber Choir performed alongside the
Barbershop Singers in a concert of popular songs from shows arranged especially for male voices by Paul Drayton of ‘King’s Singers’ fame.
The Patrick Shelley winner - 2016
The Friday Lunchtime Recital Series continued throughout the term with brass, pianists, strings and woodwind all featured. Amongst others, Henry Delamain (U6c), Alex Stagg (U6f) and Harry Reynolds (U6e) gave a taste of great things to come for the Leavers’ Concert, playing Doppler’s Rondo for flute, Glière’s Equisse for piano and Brahms’ Sonata in F minor for Clarinet respectively. Performances including Franz Strauss Notturno from Ben Maclean [5b] on the horn, Elgar’s Salut d’Amour by Finnbar Blakey (L6a) on the cello and the Third Horn Concerto, Second Movement by Mozart played by Benedict Mercer (3b) gave a taste of the future. The Ilminster Academy, Bristol, Partnership
Project was taken a stage further when a return visit to Bristol was made by the same group of boys who had hosted the primary school children in music-making at Sherborne last term: on this occasion, an already superb and uplifting experience was further enhanced by the gifting of four violins to the Academy as a result of the Duke of Edinburgh and music fundraising initiatives. In addition to their performance at the Abbey Festival, the Swing Band put the finishing touches to their preparations for the Barbados Tour just after Commem. Their final All Stars concert on the 27th May concluded what has been an almost unprecedentedly busy year
of concerts, and on the 25th of June the band had the privilege of being invited to perform in a Charity Concert for Child in Hope (Uganda) in Poole to a standing ovation. Just before the festivities of Commemoration began, the Patrick Shelley Competition for Advanced Instrumentalists, adjudicated this year by Paul Drayton, saw a phenomenally high standard of music-making which received comments on every category focusing on the high quality of every competitor’s performance. The overall winner was Peter Folkes (5a) who gave performances in the piano, singing and woodwind categories, while
the category winners were Ally Collins (L6f) on the piano, Theo Beeny (U6c) on the French horn in the brass category, Freddie Knott (L6m) on the cello for the strings, Jack Miller (U6a) in singing and Charlie Smith (5g) on flute in the woodwind class. Commem itself contained something of a mini-music festival. The Leavers’ Concert on Thursday evening, containing many superb final performances, was followed by Music for a Summer’s Afternoon, the Gala Concert and then the Commem service music and jazz both in The Courts and Abbey Grange garden.
Tibetan Monks at Sherborne Eight Buddhist Monks, from the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, took Junior Chapel one morning. Calls to prayer on the long horn (dungchen), a Buddhist purification dance, a Buddhist peace litany and, finally, a Buddhist blessing began the day. Students from Sherborne School, Sherborne Girls and Sherborne Prep attended classes in the Powell Theatre on Buddhist dance, mudra prayer, debate and meditation as well as their own chance to blow the long horn! There was even the chance for some of the boys at Sherborne to play football with the monks during break, which was thoroughly enjoyed by both boys and monks alike.
BY REVEREND NICHOLAS MERCER - ASSISTANT CHAPLAIN
Patterson Recitation Cup A thing of beauty is a joy for ever; so, too, is learning and reciting such lines as“A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” This is why all boys in the Third and Fourth forms learn poems that they perform to their peers. On 8th June, the best of these competed in the finals of the Patterson Recitation Cup, named after, and judged by, Robert Patterson, former Head of English. All finalists showed grace under pressure: in third place was Oscar Chandler (3c); second (and squeakily close to first) was Matthew Tse (4e); and the winner was Ollie Dixon (3g).
TOM PAYNE - TEACHER OF ENGLISH
Art Offers The Art Department has had great success with applications to Foundation Art and Design courses. Of the eight students that applied, all have been accepted to at least one course of their choice, with only one student being offered a place on a reserve list. Offers have been accepted from institutions as diverse as Central St Martins to Oxford Brookes.
Young Entrepreneurs Challenge Teams, made up Fifth Form boys and Sherborne Girls, competed in Sherborne’s own Dragon’s Den, the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge. This year the winning pitch was by Skin Saver, who designed a walk-in sun tan lotion booth for installation on beaches.
What is Good Design? In this technologically advanced world, young designers can be tempted to seek out complexity in the pursuit of ‘better design’. The Fourth Form travelled to London to experience what is contemporary in automotive, interior, and product design; as well as in architecture and engineering, to discover what they feel is good design. They looked at the clean and elegant designs of B&B Italia, as well as 20th century’s design classics, and contemporary developments, in Conran. Whilst in The Design Museum, the students listened to a number of designers talking about their vision for making cycling more accessible and safe.
PETER CHILLINGWORTH HEAD OF DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
German Exchange It is, of course, always rewarding to welcome overseas visitors to Sherborne and we welcomed a group of fifteen students and two staff from our exchange school in Berlin, Gymnasium Steglitz. This represented the return leg of the exchange trip which had seen students from the Fourth Form and Lower Sixth visit Berlin over Easter and our German visitors saw Sherborne in all its glory, with cricket, academic lessons and summer rain to enjoy. The partner students were taken on a trip to Poole, to visit a water park and the beach, climbed the tower of Salisbury Cathedral and toured Sherborne Castle, as well as enjoying the food, hospitality and friendship the School has to offer. Languages exchange trips represent the gateway to life-long friendships and we thoroughly enjoyed their visit.
JUDY THURMAN AND STEPHEN BYRNE MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT
Bolivia Expedition The boys spent three days training in North Wales ahead of an expedition to Bolivia in July. The conditions were testing with heavy snow high in the mountains and at times visibility below 20m. The boys began to develop into a cohesive team and were certainly pushed to their limits at various stages of the trip. In Bolivia, the boys will be helping a local project to diversify the nutritional intake of the people who live in the harsh environment of the high plains. They will be building a greenhouse so that families are able to grow vital fruit and vegetables. They will also use ice axes and crampons to summit a mountain of over 5,000m in height.
JOSHUA WILSON AND JAMES KIMBER TEACHERS OF GEOGRAPHY AND PHYSICS
Battlefields’ Trip 2016 It seemed ironic that we travelled over to France, for the purpose of examining a conflict in which the British and French stood shoulder to shoulder on the day that Britain decided to leave the European Union. The Thiepval Monument, on which there are carved the names of 16 Shirburnians, was in a state of high security awaiting the visits of many dignitaries. In Poperinghe, we visited Talbot House (Toc H), where off-duty soldiers of all ranks could enjoy Christian fellowship and wholesome entertainment. There, we were led in prayer by Rev. Nicolas Mercer and found ourselves reflecting on the, often very powerful, experiences of the whole trip. A wreath was laid at the Menin Gate in memory of the 221 Old Shirburnians who fell in the Great War, including the fourteen whose names are inscribed on the Gate. The journey up to Ypres showed the low lying boggy landscape, wet even in the summer, which must have been so hard to fight in. The boys will be presenting their findings from the trip back to their classmates. One boy said to me 'This will take some time to think about sir: I don't know whether to feel sad or proud of what happened' - we will have some excellent presentations.
GILES REYNOLDS - HEAD OF HISTORY
Royal Navy Trip The Royal Navy (RN) CCF Field Trip began with a day at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. Low Ropes and a (very realistic) bridge instilled the importance of teamwork. We then drove on to HMS Raleigh, where all new entrants join the RN and undergo initial training. After marching smartly to breakfast, the next two days were spent power-boating and sailing. Overall the boys enjoyed the challenge and excitement of a variety of activities, gaining an invaluable insight into life in the Royal Navy.
COMMANDER HARRY STRAUGHAN CCF OFFICER
Army and Royal Marines Trip to Sennybridge The cadets of Army and Royal Marines sections deployed to a wet and windy for the culmination of their CCF year. The boys experienced a wide-range of activities including live and blank firing, laser-tag in a forest, eating rations, sleeping under a basher, and escape and evasion at night. We were well supported by Army and Royal Marines cadet training teams to enhance the experience for the boys. There were plenty of examples of grit, determination and leadership and the boys (and staff!) were exhausted at the end of the trip.
ROB LE POIDEVIN - MASTER IN CHARGE OF CCF
Sherborne Crowns Iron Cadet Congratulations to Gus Johnson (L6d) for being crowned The Iron Cadet, after winning the annual competition to find the school’s fittest cadet.
Lyon House Retreat The Lyon House Third Form departed for the annual pastoral retreat to the Brecon Beacons to further develop a sense of team and explore the idea of consequence. Day one was a visit to the Sgwd yr Eira (Waterfalls of Snow) which were in full flow following some pretty poor weather the day before. Communication was hampered by the sheer thundering noise of the sheet of water that forms a curtain around the footpath behind. Back at the hostel they cooked a splendid meal for each other before preparing to ascend Pen y Fan (Top of this Place) that evening. The boys were very supportive of each other and as night fell the summit was reached.
Leadership and Teambuilding Course The Leadership and Teambuilding Course saw the Fifth Form jump from exams to Brownsea Island. The course started with an inspirational address from double Paralympic medallist Ian Rose. Ian spoke passionately about learning to cope with setbacks and the importance of perseverance in achieving success. The boys then went to Brownsea Island to complete a series of leadership and teambuilding tasks. The team dynamics are fascinating and the boys learn a lot about themselves in this environment. They cooked their meals and continued the fine annual tradition of performing a conservation task for the National Trust. This year they chopped enough wood to fuel the bio-mass boiler and ensure the island had enough hot water for over a month. Upon return to the School they completed and discussed the results of their communication and leadership styles questionnaires and gave each other powerful peer-to-peer feedback.
We ask the boys to celebrate the positives each individual displays on the course, but we also ask the boys to ‘look in the mirror’ to identify areas that they should seek to address as they make the transition into the Sixth Form and beyond. The boys then have the option to study for an award in Leadership and Management. This year it was evident there are many boys with fantastic leadership and teambuilding attributes.
ROB LE POIDEVIN MASTER IN CHARGE OF CCF
The dawn chorus greeted the Lyon team as they set out for Morlais Quarry for a spot of abseiling followed by a more thoughtful journey to a World War II plane crash and they reflected on the meaning of sacrifice for others for what is right and good. The team also found another Geocache with the names of the previous Lyon trips.The climax of the trip was travelling to Dinas Rock for a spot of canyoning. They walked, swam and jumped their way to a waterfall impasse. This was the big one and a jump for joy.
JAMES KIMBER LYON HOUSE TUTOR
Three Peaks Challenge The summit is empty; shrouded in a swirling, disorientating smog; clouding sight and mind. The ghostly outline of the cairn, which should be standing bold against the skyline, is a pale grey silhouette. In this gloom even the orange of our “World Vision” tee shirts is as monochrome as the grey world we have entered.
Ten Tors
Both the CCF and Lyon House teams set off in good spirits. They began their journey walking for 13 hours on that first day, with the CCF team moving at a good pace. The Lyon team started well but by lunchtime were finding it harder going. On Sunday the teams were up early in order to start walking by 6am. The CCF team continued to make very good progress through their remaining checkpoints and crossed the finish line at 1pm, led by their captain Tom Stagnetto (4a). The Lyon team edged ever closer to their goal but it wasn't fast and they had little time to spare before the cut-off. Calculations were made and re-made by the staff. Could they make it? And then another time would appear on the board and everyone could breathe again. The times kept appearing and hope began to grow. They were at last spotted
and crossed the line with only 10 minutes to spare before the 5pm cut-off time. They crossed it as a complete team, with team leader Will Bond (4b) in front carrying someone else's tent under his arm.
The Three Peaks Challenge (climbing the three highest mountains of England, Scotland and Wales) is a demanding, physical, logistical and mental challenge. It was one we had undertaken to raise money for, and create a greater awareness of, the work of “World Vision”, a charity which is “working to bring real hope to millions of children in the world’s hardest places”. Our real purpose in the mists of The Three Peaks was to bring a chink of light, a ray of hope, to those who are far less fortunate than us.
SIMON TREMEWAN
The walk to the medal presentation area, cook house and back to the bus was a painful one. Stories were recounted of the heat and of horribly blistered feet, of physical exhaustion and chaffing where it hurts. But the staff were proud, very proud, of their teams.
NICHOLAS SCORER MASTER IN CHARGE OF THE CCF
Boys have enjoyed two surfing trips to the stunning beach at Polzeath, Cornwall.
Duke of Edinburgh The Duke of Edinburgh Award is proving ever-popular, with a high level of enthusiasm throughout the year groups. Many congratulations to Rory Coughlan (U6e), Henry Delamain (U6c), Charles Morris (U6a), Ben Poe (U6d), Harry Reynolds (U6e) and Archie Swan (U6b) for completing their Gold Award, and to James Thorne (U6e) who is due to complete this summer, the first boys to do so at Sherborne for 17 years. Over half of the current Third Form has signed up for their Bronze Award next year: 30 Fourth Form boys have already gained their bronze award and many have signed up to continue with their silver award next year, whilst many of the Fifth Form are starting to complete their Silver Awards.
LAURIE PHIPPARD MASTER IN CHARGE OF D OF E
Parents’ and Sons’ Annual Clay Shooting Competition A group of boys and parents met at the Dorset Shooting School for the Fourth Annual Parents’ and Sons’ Clay Shooting Competition. The weather was overcast but this did not dampen the family esprit de corps. It was good to see previous supporters of the day joined by enthusiastic newcomers for the event. In the competition for the boys’ trophy, the high gun was won by Tom Pope (5m), closely paced by Henry Jackson (U6c) and Harry Case (4g). Tom Pope was also high gun out of all participants.The parents’ trophy was won by Roger Clough. The highlight of the day was the parent and son competition which was won by the Pope family. New for this year, we introduced an Open Pair, won by George Clough (OS) shooting with Harry Case (4g).
NICK HENDERSON - MASTER IN CHARGE OF CLAY SHOOTING
Two Swimming Records Broken Congratulations to Tom Hoare (5e) for setting two new school swimming records this term. Tom broke the 100m freestyle with a time of 1min 02.62s and the 50m backstroke record with a time of 31.00 seconds (the old record had been standing since 1986!).
PADI Open-water Congratulations to Will Barker (4m), Ben Carter-Savigear (4d), Tom Dudgeon (5d), Ollie Dudgeon (L6d), Patrick MacDonald (L6d), Alex McGinty (4f), Malhaar Shah (4a) and William Shelly (5c), all of whom braved the chilly waters of Vobster Quay to complete their PADI Open Water course.
TIM FILTNESS - DEPUTY HEAD (ACADEMIC)
Sport
Tennis Roundup A busy year of tennis has produced some excellent opportunities with over 50 team matches and four hosted LTA rankings tournaments. The 1st VI opened with a memorable victory at Marlborough 7-2. Losses followed against Millfield, Monkton Combe and Orbital Tennis Team, but they bounced back with four consecutive wins over, King’s, Taunton, Bryanston, Canford and the Pilgrims. A senior clean sweep at Bryanston was ensured by the 2nd VI, 3rd VI, and the Colts. In the National Schools Championships, an excellent win 7-6 away versus Torquay Grammar preceded a narrow loss to Ivybridge Community College in the quarter finals. Junior highlights were the Mini Colts beating Millfield 6-3 and the Junior Colts playing out an 8-8 draw with Canford and wins v Poole Grammar in the Dorset League and from 4-2 down to win against the Sherborne Tennis Club 5-4.
DAVID MUCKALT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SPORT
This year’s, hotly-contested, sports day was won by The Digby.
Stop Press -
Ben Childerley (5f) and Nick Burt (5f) retained the 420 class championship today at the school's sailing champs with Harry Guy (L6b) and Tima Malikov (4f) securing second place.
Sailing Success Ben Childerley (5f) has been selected for the Great Britain Sailing Team to participate in the World Under-18 Championships in Dublin this August. Ben finished second overall in a competition over Christmas off Miami and qualified for the British side thanks to a final position of fourth in an event over Easter in North Wales. STEPHEN BYRNE
Cricket Roundup Despite being adversely affected by the weather throughout the first half of term there have still been some excellent cricket matches played by teams across the whole school. The 2nd XI have had excellent victories against King’s, Taunton and Marlborough, and the three U14 teams have only lost a handful of games between them. There is some real quality at 4th and 5th XI too whilst the Colts have had more competitive matches than normal.
LOOKING FORWARD...
• Pre-season Rugby 1st XV – Tue 30th August to Fri 2nd September 2nd & 3rd XV – Mon 29th to Wed 31st August (Match on Wed 31st) Colts A & B – Mon 29th to Wed 31st August (Match on Wed 31st) Junior Colts A & B – Mon 29th to Wed 31st August (Match on Wed 31st) • Parent/Teacher Meetings Third Form: Parent/Tutor Meetings – Friday 23rd September Lower Sixth: Parent/Teacher Meetings – Friday 21st October Upper Sixth: Parent/Teacher Meetings – Friday 18th November • Term Dates Travelling Day: New Boys – Sunday 4th September Travelling Day: Remaining Boys – Monday 5th September First Exeat: Friday 23rd – Sunday 25th September Second Exeat: Saturday 8th to Sunday 9th October Half Term: Friday 21st October to Wednesday 2nd November Third Exeat: Friday 18th to Sunday 20th November End of Term: Saturday 10th December
The 1st XI have come up against strong opposition at times and, despite a solid win against Free Foresters and an outstanding victory against Millfield, they will be looking to improve in the second half of term. More recently the U14 A team made it to the semi-final of the County Cup losing a very tight contest on The Upper, whilst the U15 A team put in a great performance in their semi-final against Poole Grammar School in the County Cup T20 Finals Day, only to lose out in the last over of the final.
ANDY NURTON MASTER IN CHARGE OF CRICKET
SHERBORNE SCHOOL ABBEY ROAD SHERBORNE DORSET DT9 3AP T: 01935 812249 E: enquiries@sherborne.org www.sherborne.org Photographs: Peter Chillingworth, Phil Dowding, Tim Filtness, Chris Hamon, Sophie Harris, James Henderson, Will Hester, Jack Lewis, Mark Ollis, Robert Le Poidevin, Giles Reynolds, David Ridgway, Nicholas Scorer, Ben Sunderland, Harry Trump and others Registered Charity No. 1081228