Staff and students celebrate German Unity
South Africa Hockey and Netball Tour
Richard Girvan
A word from the Principal
The summer, now behind us, provided rest and relaxation for many of our community, as well as important examination outcomes and confirmation of university destinations for those who completed Year 11 and Year 13 in July 2024.
As ever, we are tremendously proud of our students’ achievements. At GCSE over half of all results were at the highest grades of 8 or 9, with almost 1 in 3 of all grades a 9, and nearly 90% at grades 9-6 (A*-B in old parlance). At A Level, 48% of all grades were A* or A, and 75% A*-B. University destinations were as eclectic as they were impressive, with students taking up places at many of the UK’s top universities, including Oxford, UCL, Imperial, Warwick and Bristol. As ever, a large number of students applied across a range of world universities, receiving offers from US Colleges, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong and Japan. Yet again, all those students holding offers to read Medicine met the grades to take up a place at their first choice university. Well done to all of our students!
As we reach the halfway point of the term, our schools have already become hubs of activity once again after the summer break, filled with the energy and engagement of students, staff, and parents alike. This first half of term has been marked by a host of enriching events, each contributing to the life and spirit of our community.
At the start of the term, our Clubs and Societies Fair gave students a chance to explore new passions and dive into extracurricular activities anew. Whether joining a longstanding club or discovering a new interest, the enthusiasm from students across all year groups was palpable.
Our Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, always a highlight of the term, saw Year 10 students embracing the challenge and adventure of the outdoors in large numbers, building resilience, navigation skills, and teamwork. Similarly, Year 12's trip to Go Ape provided our nascent sixth formers with an opportunity to strengthen bonds and test their mettle high in the treetops, reminding us all of the value and fun inherent in shared challenges, building confidence and camaraderie.
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Over the summer we were especially proud to celebrate the life of one of our distinguished alumnae, Richarda Morrow-Tait, who in 1948-49 became the first woman to fly around the world. A Blue Plaque now commemorates her remarkable achievement, serving as an inspiration to our current students as they pursue their own dreams; the sky’s the limit!
This spirit of academic and personal excellence was also reflected in two of our brilliant Year 13 Head’s scholars, George and Rohan, who attended invitational Physics and Chemistry residentials following outstanding performance in national competitions. Their dedication and passion for their subjects are a testament to the opportunities that lie ahead for all our learners, should they choose to reach for them.
These communal and personal achievements provide an essential balance to the academic pressures many of our students face, especially as we head toward mock exams for Years 11 and 13 in the early part of the spring term. It is through these shared moments, the challenge of a Duke of Edinburgh hike, the excitement of a club discovery, or the inspiration of an alumna’s extraordinary feat, that our students develop not only their academic abilities but also the resilience and breadth of character that will serve them well in life.
As always, I am deeply grateful for the continued support of our parent and alumni community, as well as the dedication and enthusiasm of my colleagues, and I look forward to what the rest of the year has in store.
Wishing everyone a happy half-term.
Richard Girvan Principal
Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
Art and Design Summer Exhibition 2024
The Law Society trip to Cambridge Magistrates’ Court
Rising to the Challenge: Year 12 Induction Programme
by Jacqueline Paris
Life is full of challenges, and we should expect no less. Often, it is through managing these challenges in life that we learn the most.
The start of the academic year brings significant changes and new challenges, especially for students beginning new courses or a new school. To help the Year 12 students embrace these changes, and to face the new challenges head on, our induction programme included a variety of engaging activities.
Although large numbers of the Year 12 students were old friends, having come through the Senior School, there are a significant number of new students joining from other schools in the UK and across the world. To help the students settle in, the first day of term was spent in tutor groups, getting to know each other and getting to know their new tutor. After the usual admin and issuing of iPads, timetables and the like, everyone decamped to our Latham Road sports’ ground for a picnic lunch and a tutor group challenge - to launch an egg as far as possible by constructing a trebuchet - and then to catch it unbroken! The first challenge (launch) was better met than the second challenge (an unbroken catch). Irrespective of the success or otherwise of the designs and catching ability of
the groups, the students’ ably demonstrated their inventiveness, collaboration and sense of humour.
The second day of term was spent at Go Ape in Thetford Forest. There were three activities, a set of team challenges, a set of puzzles and the high ropes course in the trees.
The aim of the day was to give students, both old and new, the chance to mix with others from different groups, get to know each other, work together, solve problems, engage in friendly competition and to challenge themselves on the high ropes course.
Starting A Level studies can be daunting as it is a step into the unknown, no matter how prepared you are and how well you know your subjects. Spending time together, making new friends, reacquainting with old ones, engaging with physical and mental challenges, trying something new, encouraging others and being encouraged, all help to build the tools and whet the appetite for the future. The students are now well settled into their new routine, enjoying the confidence that comes from successfully navigating their GCSEs and getting stuck into the challenges of A Levels.
Latest news
From Chess to Classics: A day of discovery at the Clubs Fair
by Jenny McLeod
Monday 9 September saw the buzz of the annual clubs fair for all Senior School and Sixth Form students in the Senior School Hall. All of our subject areas were represented, each offering a range of clubs to enthuse and engage the students in activities beyond the curriculum.
The students thoroughly enjoyed spending time talking to staff about the clubs as well as trying to defeat the staff at chess and re-enact scenes of the past with props from the Classics and History Departments. Clubs are now in full swing, and it is fantastic to see so many students taking part in the wide variety of co-curricular and enrichment activities on offer.
European Day of Languages
European Day of Languages took over the Senior School Library on Thursday 26 September - a chance for us to celebrate modern languages across the world. We had students and staff sharing their languages, going beyond what we offer on the curriculum. Sixth Formers led the tasters. Nico challenged students with a Modern Greek word search, Maya presented conversation starters in Hebrew and Jennifer led the Chinese chopstick challenge.
All the students enjoyed the fun activities, such as making German paper fortune tellers, balancing Spanish sombreros and solving French puzzles, as well as having language tasters in Italian, Russian and Japanese. The KS3 Classics Club popped by with their language detectives armed with worksheets, looking for links across the many different languages, between classical and modern, Romance and Germanic, Indo-European and beyond. It highlighted to all of us how many languages are spoken by students and staff within the school community and this is definitely something to be celebrated!
Celebrating German Unity: Sixth Form Germanists host a
breakfast
Every year the Sixth Form Germanists mark the date of Germany’s reunification with a Germanic breakfast. 3 October 1990 was the “Tag der deutschen Einheit”the day of German unity and is celebrated every year in Germany.
This year we had Brezel, Aufschnitt, Brot, Käse, Obst, Lebkuchen und Stollen, plus the square Ritter Sport chocolate bars - quadratisch, praktisch, gut! We presented the students with a “Kultour” quiz along the theme of German history and culture, finished by a showdown on Quizlet with vocabulary challenges. Year 12 against Year 13. It became extremely competitive! All in all a superb way to celebrate 34 years since the Wiedervereinigung.
House Update
Sports Day concluded the summer term with a bang, as ten impressive records were broken, with Year 9 student Francesca B claiming three of these records. Street House emerged victorious for Sports Day.
At the end of term assembly, the anticipation was palpable as the new House Captains awaited the announcement of the summer term and overall House champions. Cattley House clinched the summer term title, while Kennett House was crowned the overall House champion for the year.
With all points reset for the new academic year, the House competition is wide open. Who will be crowned the autumn term champions? You’ll have to wait and see!
Corporal Knight brings WW1 to life for Year 9
by Year 9 student Carla CR
Year 9 will be studying the First World War this year and, on the first day of term, we had the privilege of Corporal Knight coming in to show us first hand items and clothes from the war. For example, he brought in all the different coats, uniforms and even underwear to the presentation. Soldiers in the army would wear these clothes for 2-3 weeks as they always had to be prepared to fight.
The uniform ended up full of lice! Soldiers would have to fight carrying everything they needed on them, like pots and pans for washing and food, weighing 34 kg in total. I learned lots, such as that in order to prevent getting diseases, soldiers would urinate on a sock and put it in their mouths. I also learned that poisonous gases were more effective than rifles as they could kill many people at once and (unless you wore the stuffy gas mask) you couldn't survive. It was a memorable experience.
Year 12 students witness justice in action at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court
In late June, Year 12 attendees of the Law Society had the unique opportunity to observe the justice system in action during a trip to Cambridge Magistrates’ Court. Students took their seats in the public gallery to witness prosecutors, defence solicitors, and magistrates at work during various court cases.
Year 12 student Dorrian said: “Our trip to the Cambridge Magistrates’ Court was extraordinary: by exposing ourselves to the inner workings of the British judiciary system, we gained crucial insight into both the academic and professional sides of law. As prospective legal students, beyond collecting material for our personal statements, we were able to enjoy the court’s deliberation, and heard interesting personal stories, bringing to light the more human element of legal practice, and allowing us to empathise more directly with the defence and prosecution outside of the pages of a textbook. Overall, the visit was both educational and inspiring, helping us to nuance our understanding of the structure, function, and purpose of the law in the modern world.”
THE Sixth Form CABARET
Friday 8 November, 7:30pm £8/£4
Our first theatrical event of the season is the inaugural Sixth Form Cabaret. As always, for one night only, our Senior School Hall will be transformed into a glittering candlelit cabaret bar with audience members seated at tables. Come and join us for an unforgettable evening of music, dance and comedy, all performed by members of the Sixth Form, with guest performances from students in Years 10 and 11.
This year’s theme is Casino Glamour and whilst dressing up is not compulsory, we would love you to dig out those glad rags and come suitably attired! Mocktails and table snacks are included in the ticket price and all proceeds from the event will go to charity.
You can book your tickets here.
Library Update
By layat Riaz Head Librarian 11-18
We had a bumper week of activities for the Senior School Library in our efforts to mark National Poetry Day! With not just one, but three, speaker events arranged, students across Years 7 to 9 were treated to a range of speakers, all of whom spoke eloquently and enthusiastically about the magical gifts of poetry.
Mark Grist captivates Year 8 students with inspiring poetry
Our Year 8s were captivated by the style of poetry that poet Mark Grist delivered to our students, who felt that the topics that he raised in rhymes and storiesparental relationships, Senior School life, and teenage angst and anxiety - were fun and entertaining with ‘important topics covered in a non-heavy way’, which enabled our students to engage in the life experiences of teenagers their own age from different walks of life.
Overall, our Year 8s were deeply impressed by Mark’s energetic delivery and found his poetry to be utterly inspirational and relevant to today!
As ever, we are deeply grateful to all of the poets and authors who visited the Senior School Library and gave our students the opportunity to be inspired by the gifts of their imagination through the form of their literature.
Mark Grist
Inspiring Minds: Lewis Buxton’s poetry resonates with Year 7
Our Year 7s were greatly amused by the style of poetry that poet Lewis Buxton shared in his morning presentation, and they were even more impressed by how engaging and impressive his poetry workshops were throughout the school day.
It is safe to say that it requires a lot of stamina and energy to keep our Year 7s engaged and motivated and it is even safer to say that Lewis delivered this time and again through his beautifully curated workshops. Students were taught by Lewis how to tap into their imagination and creativity and to pour out their thoughts and emotions into their illustrated Poetry zines, which they were delighted to be allowed to keep.
They were enthused by their connection to Lewis’s work, and they felt so inspired and refreshed by the positive energy that Lewis radiated throughout the school day!
Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho shares his journey
To wrap up our National Poetry Day celebrations, Ms Kedie, our Head of English, and I were absolutely delighted to welcome the 2024 winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing and the Children’s Laureate (2022-2024), Joseph Coelho OBE, who spoke to all of our students in Years 7-9 about his experiences of meeting the King and the Queen, and how he rose from his humble beginnings in South London to becoming the Children’s Laureate for literature! In the words of one of our Form Tutors:
‘I thought his comments about finding magic in his day to day life were insightful and would be relevant to many of our students. The idea that he "didn't have a fancy wardrobe to escape to Narnia" meant he had to take inspiration from his own surroundings.’
Students were deeply impressed by the time and dedication that Joseph gave, all whilst underpinning his poetical words of wisdom with an ode to the importance of libraries. Students commented that they felt ‘It was a lovely, calming beginning to the day’.
Seminar with Thomas Harding, writer of The House by the Lake
On Friday, 4 October, we were delighted to welcome Thomas Harding, the author of The House by the Lake, which has been translated into more than eighteen languages and was shortlisted for the 2013 Costa Biography Award.
Thomas Harding was winner of the 2015 JQ-Wingate Prize. In addition to The House by the Lake, he has written several other books and contributed to various newspapers, including the FT, Sunday Times, and The Guardian
We were grateful for Thomas’s time, joining us from Washington D.C. for an online seminar. We enjoyed interviewing him and learning more about the summer house project - the Alexander House - how it evolved, his family’s connection to Germany, before and after the project, and how the project became a book.
History and German students from Year 10 and above took part in this seminar, led by a panel of Sixth Formers: Noah, Emma, Livia, Juliette and Phoebe. The panel asked Thomas insightful questions about his family’s story, and we were impressed by both their interviewing skills and Thomas’s candid responses.
This led to a fascinating discussion touching upon identity, key historical events in Germany’s recent past and Judaism, and Thomas’s efforts to gather evidence about the summer house’s history and mobilise the community to protect it. His family also had mixed feelings about the past, but the story of perseverance and reconciliation struck us all as something to be treasured, that people are willing to work together for a common, positive goal and it’s wonderful to see history reflected in the building over the years,
experiencing great moments as well as some very dark events. Discussions also touched upon politics in Germany, Europe and beyond.
It was a positive story about reconciliation and moving forward together. Thomas spoke in such an engaging way and was keen to hear from students their views about identity, the past and how to tell a story.
The Alexander House is now a beautiful place and Thomas has done a wonderful thing in reinstating it to its former glory, connecting with the community and his family as well as far beyond. We were so pleased to have such an interesting seminar which helped us to mark the occasion of 35 years since the historic event, the turning point, die Wende, which was the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989.
www.thomasharding.com/thehousebythelakesummary
The House by the Lake
Named a Best Book of the Year by The Times (London), New Statesman (London), Daily Express (London), Commonwealth magazine,
In the summer of 1993, Thomas Harding travelled to Germany with his grandmother to visit a small house by a lake on the outskirts of Berlin. It had been her soul place, she said, a holiday home for her and her family, but also a refuge until the 1930s, when the Nazis' rise to power forced them to leave.
The trip was his grandmother's chance to remember her childhood sanctuary as it was. But the house had changed, and when Harding returned once again nearly twenty years later, it was about to be demolished. It now belonged to the government, and as Harding began to inquire about whether the house could be saved, he unearthed secrets that had lain hidden for decades. Slowly he began to piece together the lives of the five families who had lived there: a wealthy landowner, a prosperous Jewish family, a renowned composer, a widow and her children, a Stasi informant. All had made the house their home, and all but one had been forced out.
The house had weathered storms, fires and abandonment, witnessed violence, betrayals and murders, and had withstood the trauma of a world war and the dividing of a nation. Breath-taking in scope and intimate in its detail, The House by the Lake is a ground-breaking and revelatory new history of Germany, told over a tumultuous century through the story of a small wooden house.
Honouring a Pioneer: Alumna Richarda Morrow-Tait
by Ava M and Alison H
Alison and I had the honour to put together a display to commemorate the achievements of alumna Richarda Morrow-Tait, the first woman pilot to fly around the world.
It was amazing to learn about her achievements and the various setbacks she overcame and collate these into a display to mark the 75th anniversary of her adventure.
It was so special that this display was shown at Marshalls at the unveiling of Richarda’s blue plaque. Richarda was truly inspirational in how she overcame prejudice surrounding her gender, particularly media coverage suggesting that she was a bad mother for ‘abandoning’ her daughter at home with her husband. Richarda’s perseverance and grit to continue her flight despite horrendous weather conditions and her plane being damaged numerous times can serve as an inspiration to us all.
Richarda Morrow-Tait (1923 - 1982)
A blue plaque was unveiled to commemorate Richarda Morrow-Tait (known as Dikki), a pioneering alumna who made the first round-theworld flight by a woman. The unveiling took place on 19 August 2024, marking the 75th anniversary of her historic journey, which began on 18 August 1948, and concluded a year later.
Dikki, born Prudence Richarda Eveleen Routh in 1923 at Norman Hall, Ickleton, Cambridgeshire, is a remarkable figure in aviation history.
Book by José Fernandez
Music by Steve Margoshes
Lyrics by Jacques Levy
Conceived and developed by David De Silva
Title Song " FAME " written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore
Join us as we travel back in time to the 1980s to follow the lives of a group of ambitious, hopeful students at New York’s High School for the Performing Arts as they navigate their way through the highs and lows, the romances and the heartbreaks on their quest for success.
Based on the 1980 phenomenal pop culture film of the same name, Fame the Musical is packed full of fabulous numbers, including the Oscar-winning title song. Featuring a large cast of talented dancers, singers, actors and musicians from Years 10-13, this show will have you dancing in the aisles and believing that you too can live forever.
Tickets can be purchased here: Thursday 28 November, 7:30pm Friday 29 November, 7:30pm Saturday 30 November, 2:30pm
Isaac Physics Senior Physics Challenge
by George D
On a school trip to the Cavendish Labs, the Physics department at the University of Cambridge, and Fitzwilliam College early in Year 12, we were encouraged to take part in the Isaac Physics Senior Physics Challenge.
I completed over 3,000 question parts on the Isaac Physics website for the Senior Physics Challenge and was chosen along with 49 other students from across the UK to attend a Physics residential at Churchill College and the Cavendish Labs. These questions include content taught in Year 13, and some content not on the syllabus of the A Levels I am doing, so I had to teach myself a few of the topics involved. However, the way in which Stephen Perse Cambridge teaches Maths and Further Maths meant that I had covered lots of the material required, making it significantly easier to understand the remaining parts, and teachers were always happy to explain additional topics I didn’t fully understand.
At the three day residential I got to meet lots of new people who are interested in the same things as me, I attended several interesting lectures and took part in challenging practicals. The lectures covered waves and quantum mechanics, as well as a bit of
fluid dynamics and how flight works. The practicals involved working out the wavelength of light emitted by a laser and the time period of a conical pendulum with varying length. In the evenings, we had social time at Churchill, which also provided us with all of our meals, apart from a formal dinner which we enjoyed at Corpus Christi College.
I would strongly recommend that Year 12 Physics students have a go at the Isaac Physics Senior Physics Challenge, as doing all of the questions to get onto the residential has really helped with my A Level s and was also useful practice for university entrance tests and interviews. In addition, I learnt some really interesting Physics on the residential and am still in touch with some of the other students who attended, who are also interested in Physics. This has been useful as we have been able to help each other with questions we’ve come across when reading beyond the A Level syllabus, especially in A Cambridge Quantum Mechanics Primer, a book which we were given, and started working through, on the residential.
George D
A Memorable Performance: review of Oedipus Tyrannus
by Year 12 student Amelie Grace N-G
We were incredibly lucky to be able to attend a production of Oedipus Tyrannus at the ADC theatre with the Stephen Perse Cambridge Classics Department.
I was aware of the disturbing themes of the play beforehand, but I found that one of the highlights of the trip was watching the absolute shock of the younger students at the Sophoclean tragedy. Although part of me did know what crazy events were to come, I could not help but share in the shock of my younger peers, gasping along with them at every sickening twist.
This was due to the incredibly high standard of acting exhibited that night, despite it being an amateur performance. Every actor so clearly understood and was vehemently passionate about each element of the complicated tragedy and therefore every line was delivered with a fierce intensity that made the entire performance incredibly moving. Oedipus in particular was absolutely phenomenal. I felt thoroughly devastated at every wretched misfortune he suffered, his misery perfectly translated to each audience member.
The stage choreography was beautifully crafted, in particular in one of the final scenes during which blood-red ribbons which were used to symbolise Oedipus’s dreadful fate completely entangling him as he hung limp and hopeless, entirely defeated. The imagery was deeply disturbing and immensely moving. Another highlight for me was the music.
The chorus used acapella chanting in some scenes to amplify the intense dialogue and though the music was simple, it was incredibly effective in creating the foreboding, brooding atmosphere that outlines the entire play. There were too many positive features of the performance to note them all, but in conclusion I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to see such an excellent performance. This experience has given me a deeper appreciation of the works of Sophocles and of ancient tragedy in its staged context.
Amelie Grace N-G
George D (left) Rohan A (right)
Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
Rohan A and George D
In June, we participated in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge (C3L6), a challenge designed for pupils taking Chemistry in Year 12 around the country. We were awarded the highest possible award, Roentgenium (after some preparation in Chemistry Extension sessions!).
We managed to be in the top 0.5% of students (71) across the country taking the C3L6 test, and so were invited to a residential held in St Catharine’s College and the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge.
We arrived at St Catharine’s College on Friday evening, receiving our room keys and then doing an icebreaker followed by a formal dinner. Everybody found it rather amusing that the majority of us were taking the same A Levels (Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry). At the formal dinner, we were served a delicious three-course meal whilst getting to know some new people from different schools, as well as the professor and university students who were running the residential.
We went to the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry on Saturday, where we had some lectures in the morning and a practical in the afternoon. We covered some theory surrounding organic reactions, which is helpful for our problem-solving abilities. In the practical, we did a titration and had our experimental values assessed and ranked, which gave it quite a competitive edge. In the evening we had some pizzas and were going to watch a film but technical difficulties arose. Instead, we decided to play some card games which a few of us took a fancy to play for the rest of our free time.
On Sunday, we did more theory and practical work in a similar format to Saturday. We covered some undergraduate content, such as atomic orbitals and wave functions, which was complicated but very well explained. In the afternoon, we had to formulate a method for our practical to ensure its accuracy. This time, we were measuring the conductivity of washing up liquid at different concentrations. We then overwhelmingly voted to have another theoretical lecture in the evening after dinner about Schrödinger’s Equation. Later in the evening a group of us roamed around the city, visiting a few random places around the river and the backs of Cambridge.
When Monday came, we had a morning lecture with lots of amusing demonstrations that wrapped up the theory we learnt over the weekend and then we headed home. The weekend passed really quickly and everybody was sad to see it end, making sure to take each other’s contact information and setting up a group chat. We were really glad to be able to go to the residential; it was a wonderful experience and totally worth the preparation for the challenge!
Art Department Update
Cambridge Arts Society Competition
Rotary Photography Competition Update and Success
Year 12 students were invited to submit an artwork for the annual Cambridge Arts Society Competition. Work was displayed at the Michaelhouse Cafe in the centre of Cambridge for a couple of weeks at the start of June.
Mrs Bloomfield-Proud and the Year 12 Art students were invited to the private view and presentation. Congratulations to Dora Y, Phoebe G, Frank O-M, Emilea S and Lola C on their entries, which showed the individual and diverse work created by Year 12 Art students in their first year of A Level .
Update and more success for Horatio M. Having won first place in both the Rotary Cambridge competition and then the Rotary District competition, the winning photograph has now progressed to win third prize in the Rotary National Competition Great Britain and Ireland in the Intermediate category. Well done Horatio.
Art and Design Summer Exhibition 2024
This took place on Friday 14 June in the VAC. It showcased the work created by the Textiles, Art and 3D Design GCSE students and the A Level Art students. It is always a wonderful event to celebrate the creative and individual work created by the students. Alumna Em Cooper officially opened the exhibition. Em is an artist and film director working in Cambridge. She creates hand painted artworks in oil paint. These become individual frames, which she takes into film and animation. Her work has been used in advertising, film and music videos.
Most notably to date she is the 2024 winner of the Grammy for best music video for her oil painted video for the Beatles I’m only Sleeping, commissioned in 2022 for the re-release of Revolver. Students, staff and family were able to watch the music video, see an actual Grammy Award and listen to an encouraging and inspiring talk about following your passions and how success can often come from this.
Sport Update
Welcome to new sports staff
Tom Skeath - Football specialist
Tom has joined Stephen Perse Cambridge following 8 years at Peterborough United Football Club, where he worked in the Academy and on their U19 Sport Scholarship programme. As well as being a Level 4 FA and UEFA qualified coach, Tom has over a decade of experience coaching football from grassroots through to elite level.
Tom has also coached and worked with a number of players who have gone on to play professionally in the English Football League and represented their country at youth level.
Joanne Moxham - Netball specialist
Jo started playing netball from an early age: she played at county and regional levels and at 18 years old was selected for the England school girls squad. From there her netball career progressed to being selected for the England U21 squad, where she participated in the World Youth Cup in Fiji. She soon moved into the full England squad, playing in various test series against South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.
The pinnacle of Jo’s competitive career was representing England in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, where the team won a bronze medal and put England Netball onto the podium. In 1999, Jo captained the England team at the World Championships in Auckland, which once again won a bronze medal.
Since retiring from international netball, Jo has developed a passion for coaching and has worked with Surrey Storm and London Mavericks. She has coached at the University of Cambridge for the past three years and still continues to help at her local club in Royston.
Youth Schools Tennis National Championships Finals
After winning our division we qualified for Nationals, which happened during the last week in June at the Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre with the top 16 Girls tennis schools taking part. Our team members included: Sophie J (Year 10); Bea W (Year 10); Millie H (Year 12); and Daisy W (Year 12).
In the first round, we faced a formidable Culford team and unfortunately took a loss, which placed us in the Plate Quarter Finals. There, we encountered Peter Symonds College for Girls in a tightly contested match that went down to a shootout, where our team emerged victorious. Advancing to the Plate Semi Finals, we took on Strathallan School from Scotland, securing a commanding win that earned us a spot in the Plate Final against King’s High School. In a hard-fought final, the girls triumphed once again, finishing as Plate winners and securing 9th place in the country.
Year 9 Students Embrace Inclusive Sports with Power2Inspire
In September, we had the privilege of hosting John Willis from Power2Inspire for a day with Year 9 students. Born without fully formed arms and legs, John delivered an inspiring talk about his life, his remarkable achievements, and the challenges he overcame to participate in sports alongside his able-bodied peers.
The students then engaged in a variety of inclusive sports, including boccia, sitting volleyball, goalball, and new age kurling. Thirteen of our Year 9 students went on to compete at the Power House Games the following week, joining forces with university students and students from SEN schools.
The students had a wonderful experience at the Power House Games, embodying the charity’s motto, ‘no one left on the bench’. To date, Year 9 has raised an impressive £465 for Power2Inspire, which will be used to deliver and provide inclusive sports opportunities for all. If you would like to donate to this charity please donate here
South Africa Hockey and Netball Tour
On the first day of the summer holidays, we embarked on an 11.5-hour flight to Cape Town, South Africa, with 30 students from Years 9-12 for an exciting Hockey and Netball Tour. Despite bringing the British weather with us, enduring rain and winds for much of the 10-day trip, nothing could dampen our spirits as we explored this incredible country.
The tour was packed with memorable experiences, from playing hockey and netball matches to volunteering at the ‘Be the Difference Foundation’ and visiting the Kayamundi township. Our adventure culminated in an unforgettable safari.
Here’s what some of our students had to say about the tour:
Year 11 student Sophia E said: “The tour was amazing! It was such a good opportunity to mix with people from different age groups I hadn’t really spoken to much before. Although the weather was not always the best, the teachers always tried their best to make the most out of what there was. My highlight was helping at the school because we actually got to meet people who lived in South Africa and got to know what life was like for them. We prepared meals and were teaching the children netball. I also loved the Safari, as it was so special to see all the animals in the wild and we also got to go in the pool at night, which was very fun! From the tour, I took away that sport really brings people together!”
Year 12 student Livia B said: “The tour was so fun, I had a great time! I had never been anywhere like South Africa so it was really interesting! I really enjoyed the safari in the morning, playing netball with the children we met when helping out with the ‘Be the Difference Foundation’ and also the restaurants that we went to, which were so good! I found the tour
very insightful because I had never really experienced anything like it and also I learnt about South African culture and the need for conservation when we were at the safari.”
Year 11 student Rose B said: “The South Africa tour was amazing! My favourite parts were getting to interact with year groups and teachers we wouldn't usually interact with in the way that we did in South Africa. Also getting to experience once in a lifetime experiences like safaris and playing hockey with a view of the mountains. What I took away from the tour was although we get to have these amazing experiences we shouldn't take any of it for granted.”
Year 13 student Daisy W said: “The South Africa sports tour was amazing. It was the perfect combination of playing lots of sports and matches, while also sight seeing and learning more about the history of South Africa (in particular Cape Town).
I loved playing against different schools and meeting new people. We were able to see what different cultures looked like, for example how they had mini
ceremonies at the end of each match and would give small prizes as a sign of respect. It was such a lovely group of people that went and the teachers were fantastic.
My highlight from the tour was definitely volunteering with the ‘Be the Difference Foundation’. It was so much fun coaching the kids netball and helping make the school meals. It was a very eye opening experience, which made us all realise just how lucky we are. I also have to mention the sunset and sunrise safaris. It was mesmerising seeing all the animals in the wild, surrounded by the beautiful landscape, however Mrs Wells and I found it slightly terrifying at times! I learnt so much about the history of Cape Town, which I had no idea about before, and learnt more about the culture (including traditional meals and drumming). I also think looking around Kayamandi was a significant and crucial part of the trip. Being able to talk with the locals and see the living conditions was a striking and unforgettable experience. Finally, I was also able to develop my hockey and netball, during training sessions and learn from others at the local schools. Best trip ever. It is an experience I will never forget!”
Cricket Update
Lots of cricket took place over the summer term. Here are just a few highlights.
Cillian Honoured as U13s Player of the Season
During the summer, Cillian had a successful season representing Cambridgeshire. He was honoured with the prestigious U13s Player of the Season award for the County. His outstanding performance included a high score of 110 not out during a tour in Somerset. This achievement is a testament to his hard work and dedication.
Year 7 and Year 8 Midlands Cricket Tour to Derbyshire
34 students embarked on a successful mini tour to the Midlands. The tour included matches against club and school teams, a tour of Derbyshire County Cricket Club, a live T20 match at the iconic Trent Bridge and the final day included a trip to Alton Towers. The students were a credit to the school and thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
Forty XL Club fixture 25th June 2024
The third edition of the XL Club Fixture was played in glorious sunshine at the end of last term. As is tradition, our visitors batted first and declared on a sporting total of 218/5 off 47 overs. The 1st XI faced a tough challenge in the heat, but managed to keep the opposition’s score in check. Wickets were shared among Aaran B, David T, Ben I, Ben L and Ollie J.
The 1st XI’s response with the bat was initially shaky, losing four early wickets to be 24/4 and then 49/5. However, Aaran B (74) and Ben I (27 not out) formed a crucial partnership, steadily rebuilding the innings and frustrating the visitors with a brilliant 88 run.
The game ultimately ended in a draw, with the 1st XI finishing their innings on 151/6.
It was a fantastic match enjoyed by all involved. We extend our gratitude to Sirisha G, David T and Will D for their valuable contribution to school cricket over the years. This was their final match for the school, and we appreciate their dedication and commitment.
Player of the Season Cillian
Forty XL Club fixture
Cricket Tour to Derbyshire
Hockey Update
This term has been a very busy one with lots of girls hockey fixtures & tournaments.
The U12’s have started well with matches against The Leys and Bedford Modern School. The U13’s performed well at County finishing 6th overall with some good performances in their games. The U14’s have taken to 11-a-side well and are starting to play with confidence. The U15’s have started brightly with matches against Kimbolton, Bishops Stortford College and King’s Ely.
Our indoor inter school friendlies between the U16 & U18 boys and girls squads have been fiercely competitive and bode well for fixtures in the future. Our U14’s have qualified for the East Regionals after coming runners up in the Tier 2 County Tournament. They won one, drew one and lost one over the course of the day.
Our U16’s have been crowned T3 County Champions
and will now go on to represent the East in the Regional tournament later this term. They won all three games scoring an impressive 22 goals and only conceding one.
Our U18’s have also been crowned T4 County Champions and will go on to represent the East in the Regional tournament later this term. They won all four games without conceding a goal. Fantastic results!
U14 Hockey Team
U16 Hockey Team
U18 Hockey Team
Equestrian Update
Hara-Leyani represented Stephen Perse Cambridge this summer at the NSEA Grassroots Championship at Hickstead.
She performed the most amazing clear round, from 156 riders, and she is now ranked 9th in the country. Next stop NSEA National Championships at Addington in October, we wish her every success.
Fencing Update
Congratulations to Rosie R, who as a result of winning a Bronze medal, has continued to climb up the ranking to 10th in the England U14 in Foil. She has also improved her European ranking to 12th. This is an amazing start to the season and we wish her well as she continues in her bid for GBR selection.
Netball Update
Our U14 athletes (led by Claudia) represented the school in the County qualifying netball tournament at The Perse. They displayed an excellent afternoon of netball, managing to secure three wins, a draw and a loss, earning them a well deserved second place and securing a place in the County Tournament in November.
Our U19 Netball team (led by Orla and Juliette) played their first fixture against a strong Oundle school in the Sisters n Sport cup competition this month. The match was closely fought till the end, with some crucial turnovers in the last quarter, securing a good, well deserved win.
Our U12 (led by Alba and Sophie) played their first match away against St Joseph's this month for the Sisters n Sport U12 cup competition. Although we started a little tentatively, it didn’t take long for our students to find their feet and dominate the fixture, coming away with a secure win.
U19 Netball team
U12 Netball team
U14 Netball team
Olympic Cup Athletics Competition
Just over 50 athletes competed at the Olympic Cup Athletics Competition at The University Athletics track in Cambridge. It was as always a very hot and highly fought competition. All students did themselves and the school proud. Results as follows:
Age group success:
Year 9 team:
Boys 2nd place
Girls 3rd place
Overall 2nd place
Year 7 team:
Girls 1st place
Boys 4th place
Overall 2nd place
1st Places:
Year 10: Maks Eamon P - Javelin
Year 9: Kuzey Y - Triple jump
Year 9: Fran F - Shot
Year 9: Bora B - High Jump
Year 9: Shouchen W - 300m
Year 9: Imogen T - 800m
Year 9: Toby R - 300m
Year 9: Boys relay (Bora, Pat, George, Toby)
Year 9: Girls relay (Fran, Stella, Shouchen, Kamilia)
Year 8: Girls relay (Phoebe, Claudia, Juliet, Romy)
Year 7: Martha R - High Jump
Year 7: Daphne B - Discus
Year 7: Rowan A - Long Jump
Year 7: Priscilla T - 100m
Year 7: Rowan A - Hurdles
Year 7: Henry R - Shot
Year 7: Girls relay (Amy, Priscilla, Emily, Ellie)
Individual athletics successes
Congratulations to Rowan A, who won the long jump at the Regional Club Athletics Championships and is now ranked 1st in the East and 16th in the country.
Also congratulations to Fran B, who was selected to represent Cambridgeshire at the English Schools Athletics Championships in the 100 metres. These national championships are the pinnacle of the schools athletics programme so an outstanding achievement.
Football Round Up
This term has been packed with football action, with over 30 fixtures played across all year groups for both boys and girls. Our teams have displayed fantastic skill, determination, and teamwork throughout.
A standout moment came from our Year 8 team, who triumphed 3-1 over Finnborough in the National Cup, securing a well-deserved win.
The U15 girls have been in superb form, advancing to the second round of three different national competitions. They recorded an incredible 15-0 victory in one game and followed it up with a solid 4-1 win in another. Their consistency and drive continues to shine through.
The reintroduction of our 1st XI boys' team has been a great success. The team has shown real progress and resilience in training. They have now advanced to the third round of the National Cup after a 2-0 win over The Perse School. We look forward to seeing them continue with their efforts next half term.