College Life Trinity Term 2023 by St Edmund's College and Prep

College Life SUMMER 2023

THE NEWSLETTER OF ST EDMUND’S COLLEGE

Combined Cadet Force Our College Combined Cadet Force continues to go from strength to strength’

Cultural diversity day We celebrated the diversity of cultures that make up our College

Enrichment week 2023 Our students participated in a wide range of activities, ranging from fun and lively interactive on-site activities, to residential trips and outdoor pursuits

India

After a four-year gap, Rhetoric 1 returned to India to visit schools in and around Bangalore.

France trip Highlights from the Elements Adventure trip to Meymac, France

Vex IQ Robotics • Interhouse bake off • Literary Festival • Mary Poppins and much more...

Avita Pro Fide Autumn/Winter 2019

Welcome to another packed edition of College Life. We finished Trinity Term with all the usual excitement of Exhibition Day and over the summer went on to celebrate outstanding GCSE and A Level results. Our A Level Further Maths students secured 100% of grades at A*-A, whilst those studying French achieved 100% at grades A* – B and in Art 50% of grades were awarded at A* – A. 88% of our A Level cohort also secured their first-choice destinations which included places at the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Manchester, Warwick, and the University College London (UCL). They will pursue degrees in a range of disciplines such as Law, Engineering, Anthropology, History and Pharmacy. Leavers were also accepted onto degree apprenticeships with prestigious firms such as J. P. Morgan. We congratulate them all.

Vex IQ Robotics Elements students Jamie, Monty, Toby and Felix started attending Young Engineers club as a period 7 activity during the last academic year and began working with Vex IQ Robotics. The team were working to build a robot that they would use in the Vex IQ 2023 competition ‘Slapshot’.

Last year’s cohort now become Old Edmundians – part of our worldwide community of alumni – ready to change the world for the better, perhaps by great deeds, but, most of all, by being living examples of kindness, decency, moral fibre and, above all, unselfishness. This is, and always has been, what we want for Edmundians, because if you take a good look at the world, such people tend not only to have very successful lives, but also very happy lives. Life is only a rat race if you are a rat. I hope you find examples of how our pupils and staff community are a living embodiment of these values through the selection of articles and links which follow. Enjoy! Matthew Mostyn, HEADMASTER

Cultural Diversity Day We celebrated Cultural Diversity Day early at St Edmund’s due to summer exams, as it is important that we celebrate many different cultures. Students and staff came together to create information boards, traditional clothing, cook and share delicious food, from Japan, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Argentina, Italy, Turkey, Czech Republic and many more countries all over the world.

Their robot needed to have the ability to release large counters from several obstacles, which included being able to push, lift and turn the mechanisms on the obstacles as well as shoot the counters under a low bar. All of this would be achieved by coding the different parts of the robot and driving it with a controller. The students faced lots of issues along the way, showing great perseverance, problem solving, teamwork and communication in order to overcome these and progress. They had some great ideas, and through their collaboration, managed to build a robot which was able to operate all of the obstacles successfully. Through their hard work, our Vex IQ Robotics team managed to achieve first place in the local competition they attended. Well done Jamie, Monty, Toby and Felix!

College Life Summer 2023

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Hello!! Farewell to our Rhetoric 2 students

Following success in their exams our Rhetoric 2 students have moved onto to various universities and work placements both in the UK and overseas - we wish them all the best for the future!

Headmaster’s Book Huge congratulations go to all of the pupils listed below who were invited to sign the Headmaster’s Book as recognition for their outstanding work during the past term: David C

Christopher V Elena B S Liam S Zak J Patrick M Finn C Teodora E Millie L Zoe C George K Pippa W Chengxi (Mary) H Rongyue (Charis) C Shinichiro A Rowan Hails Devon G Cornelia S

Ahana M Guy O Jaden T

Writing a poem about Pentecost Science ICT Playing Bouzouki in Greek Cypriot outfit Leading Stations of the Cross The Inter House Prose Competition Setting up the Rock Band for the Coronation Setting up the Rock Band for the Coronation ICT Research Project Writing a poem about Pentecost IELTS examination English English CCF - Cambrian Patrol CCF - Cambrian Patrol IELTS examination IELTS examination CCF - Cambrian Patrol CCF - Cambrian Patrol CCF - Cambrian Patrol The Industrial Cadets Silver Award Chapel Prayers Speaking about Faith in Action at Mass in Hertford The Industrial Cadets Silver Award The Industrial Cadets Silver Award Behaviour, effort and attainment Charity work, contribution in Boarding

I am so pleased to have this opportunity to introduce myself to you all in this latest issue. My name is Jeanette Ariano, and I am the new Director of External Relations here at St Edmund’s College & Prep School. What does that mean exactly? Basically, I oversee all the marketing, admissions, and alumni relations activity – alongside a supportive and hardworking team. I have over 20+ years’ experience in marketing in an education environment – which makes me feel very old…I previously held a similar role at St Mary’s School, Cambridge, and at the Stephen Perse Foundation, so I know the sector very well. I am hugely passionate about education, and the transformational way it can shape someone’s life. I have recently completed my MBA via distance learning, while also having a full-time job, and being mum to my own three children. I absolutely love to study and keep my brain active, and love working in education, and particularly schools. Seeing how incredible teaching and learning can spark imagination and curiosity in young people is really rewarding. Having only been at St Ed’s for a short time, I am still finding my feet, however already I can see, and am experiencing, why it is such a special place for staff to work and for pupils to learn. It is a hugely supportive and unique community. I am looking forward to ensuring more people know about the work that is done here, and what our exceptional pupils, staff and alumni achieve every day. I hope to meet you all soon! Jeanette

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Synagogue trip We visited the Borehamwood Orthodox synagogue and spent time finding out about the main features of a synagogue such as the Bimah and the 10 commandments. The students also learnt about Judaism from the Rabbi, who showed us the Torah scrolls and some Jewish prayer books. We then headed over to St Alban’s Cathedral and ate lunch in the park, followed by a visit into the cathedral itself for a talk and to look at the various displays, and learn about the difference between Catholic and Protestant practices. The day ended with a visit to the gift shop and an ice cream from the van outside. It was a brilliant day! The students learnt a lot and had great fun.

GSK trip Our 3 teams of Bronze Industrial Cadets from Rudiments were invited to GSK in Ware to visit their pharmaceutical production labs as part of the voluntary STEM projects in which they are currently participating. Firstly we visited the OSD lab where medicinal tablets are produced in massive quantities from the first stages of mixing the ingredients, through to compression and marking of the tablets and coating of the final products. Secondly, they learnt about the production of a new type of inhaler designed for severe asthmatics or sufferers of COPD. Finally they had a tour of the labs where batch samples from the products are taken to ensure their efficacy and safety for the patients. Thank you to all at GSK who were involved, especially the mentors for each Cadets’ Team, who gave up their time over the last couple of months to guide our students through their projects.

Mixing bowls, recipes and scales at the ready: it’s Bake Off! Our first interhouse Bake Off, since Covid, happened 14 June 2023. Students were given a product type and an ingredient that had to be used in their making. The junior and intermediates were only given an hour to complete the task and the seniors received two hours. Under extreme conditions, with temperatures reaching into the thirties, and limited time, the students produced some amazing products. Juniors were given the task of producing a muffin containing chocolate chips. We enjoyed some wonderful flavour combinations and incredible presentation. 1st – Douglas (biscoffy choc chip muffins) 2nd – Challoner (banana and choc chip muffins) 3rd – Talbot (chocolate button and choc chip muffins) Intermediates created choc chip cookies in an array of different sizes and styles. It was a very close call and only a point between first, second and third place. 1st – Talbot/Challoner 3rd – Douglas Seniors had a fierce battle and all the judges were blown away by the standard of products produced – restaurant quality for sure. They were given the task of producing a tart containing chocolate. 1st – Talbot 2nd – Pole 3rd – Poynter/Douglas Well done to everyone who participated for their hard work and determination.

College Life Summer 2023

The end of Trinity term saw our students participate in a wide range of activities, ranging from fun and lively interactive on-site activities to residential trips and outdoor pursuits, as part of this year’s enrichment week. Language cafe The MFL Department ran a Languages Café for Grammar. Excited, hungry students first learnt how to ask for a wide range of French, Spanish, German and Polish food in the correct languages and practised role plays in the classroom. Their faces lit up as they then went into the café which was decorated with flags and full of food. However, all the food had to be ordered in the correct language! Students enjoyed tasting speciality food and are now confident that they will not starve when travelling abroad. The languages day continued with a ‘Guess the language’ quiz and then taster sessions of Polish and Russian, led by our Eastern European language specialists. In the afternoon there was great excitement when a pizza van came on site and students could order authentic Italian pizzas. An excellent day all round with many HPL awards for empathetic, creating and risk taking.

Alpacas Our Element's students visited Yew Tree Farm in nearby Anstey. it's a small rural alpaca business with a herd of approximately 40 alpacas used for breeding and walking duties. When we arrived it was very exciting as one of the female members of the herd was in labour and within half an hour of us being there she had given birth to a baby cria (baby alpacas) who they allowed us to name Zoe! We then started off learning more about Alpaca's including where they are from in the wild, their diet, adaptations and differences to their wellknown cousin the Llama. Our host explained the commercial uses of alpaca and how their fleece which is soft, hypo-allergenic and extremely warm, can be spun into yarn to make knitted products or used to fill pillows or cushions. Our adventure continued as we were taken to meet 6 members of the male herd. We were shown their teeth and hooves and how they behave as a

pack, and also told how you should lead an alpaca, ensuring that you walk behind their ears so they can always be alert for danger. The students then walked their own alpacas in pairs. Some of the students managed to get them to go over a little jump and also in and out of barrels as part of a small agility course. Lastly, we met the females and their cria (baby alpacas) - they were very trusting and inquisitive and couldn't wait to come and get some carrot snacks from the students! The Edge All Syntax students who were based in the College for enrichment week had a day at The Edge. Although we had all sorts of weather thrown at us, we had a fabulous time during a rotation of activities including archery, high ropes, air rifles and mountain boarding. Even the most scared of us had a go at the high ropes with amazing views across the lake with encouragement from the instructors, our peers and teachers.

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French trip 2023 The Elements adventure trip departed for Meymac, France on Friday 30th June. After a slightly late departure we were able to make good time travelling overnight to arrive on Saturday afternoon. The group settled in to the accommodation, had lunch and then set off on a walk through the forest followed by an evening meal at the centre followed by some team activities and an early night. Sunday started with a beautiful Mass in the town of Meymac followed by an afternoon of canoeing along the Dordogne River which was simply spectacular. The group paddled their way to a point where they could stop for lunch before heading back up river to play some fun games and then back to the start point.

very warm day! Following dinner the day was completed by a visit to Mount Besson which provides wonderful vistas over much of the South of France! Tuesday was based at the centre with students having the choice of archery/rifle shooting; climbing, orienteering and mountain biking which kept them bust all day until dinner. Any energy that the students had left was well and truly used in the evening flag game. Wednesday morning started with a trip to the local high ropes course followed by an orienteering course round the town in the afternoon and an evening Disco.

Monday provided an opportunity for the group to visit the town of Rocamadour for a little retail therapy and some well-earned ice creams! This was followed by a visit to Gouffre de Padirac. Once again the students were blown away by the beauty of this underground cave system, as well as enjoying the cool air in the caves on what was a

Our final day was based at the lake for watersports, the students completed paddleboarding, sailing, canoeing and kayaking. We then returned to the center for dinner before departing for home.

Mary Poppins Prep performance Towards the end of last term Forms 5 and 6 from the Prep School put on an absolute supercalifragilisticexpialidocious performance of Mary Poppins. The talent was impressive and all the hard work and effort put in from the rehearsals, props, hair and make up to the costume and set design could be seen. Well done to all involved!

College Life Summer 2023

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Success at Badminton and Windsor Matthew H, a talented young equestrian, has recently showcased his exceptional skills at two prestigious events, Badminton Horse Trials and Royal Windsor Horse Show. With a remarkable performance, he secured second place out of 20 ponies at Badminton and achieved a second-place finish in all three races at Windsor, leaving a lasting impression on spectators and fellow competitors alike. Excitement now fills the air as Matthew and his team eagerly await news about his selection to ride as part of the team in Germany. This potential opportunity could be amazing progress for Matthew. Well done Matthew!

Annual charity dog show

In June once again the grounds of St Edmund's College were alive with the sound of man's best friend as we were joined by around 40 dogs for our Annual Charity Dog Show. This year was our biggest event yet despite having to change the date at the last moment due to worries over the heat! The dogs were able to compete in the following events: Handsomest Boy, Gorgeous Girl, Best Trick, Waggiest Tail, Cutest Puppy, Best in Agility and new for this

year, Best Veteran. From a St Bernard and a St Bernard Husky cross, to Cockerpoos, a Springerdor, Dobermans, miniature Schnauzers, Red Fox Labradors, Show Cocker Spaniels, Italian Greyhounds, a Dalmatian, a mystery rescue dog and a whole lot more we were spoilt for choice with so many wonderful different breeds of dog! The whole event had a fantastic atmosphere as students enjoyed meeting their friend's dogs, cheering them on as they ran around the agility course, and watching with bated breath as they performed their best tricks and fussing over the selection of cute puppies! Voting for the complimentary Student Choice round was very competitive as this gave the winner a free pass into the Best in Show round at the end of the event. In addition, this year we had professional photos taken of the dogs and their owners, a huge refreshment stall, paw print glitter tattoos and a tombola. Thank you to all those who donated prizes to the tombola including Furdography for a free doggy photo shoot,

Mrs Howell for her doggy hamper, Mii-Pro for their Puppy Hamper, Nosey Barkers for free sessions in their doggy field and Zoe@Saks for her Gel Manicure Voucher.

Our Winners were: Best in Show = Cookie (A 6 year old St Bernard, who stole a whole pizza (box included!) and ate it all! She loves cuddles and often will sit on Maisie's lap!!) Handsomest Boy (Jnr) - 1st Rocco (Fabien J) 2nd Joey (Millie L), 3rd Ziggy (Florence B) Handsomest Boy -1st Woody (Olivia M), 2nd Hugo (Erin S), 3rd Ralph (Mrs Clemo) Best Veteran Cromwell (Isaac B) Gorgeous Girl (Jnr) - 1st Mabel (Florence B) 2nd Coco (Ava G), 3rd Zoe (Harry E) Gorgeous Girl - 1st Cookie (Maisie J) 2nd Poppy (Harry A), 3rd Clemmie (Mr Mostyn) Best Trick - 1st Jenny (Miss Chilton) 2nd Rocco (Fabien J), 3rd Esmerelda (Anastasia B) Cutest Puppy - 1st Bella (Laylah H) 2nd Pepper (Miss Toogood), joint 3rd Ozzie (Mrs Chimes) and Winston (John R) Waggiest Tail - Sky (Quincy F) Agility - Wilf (George J) and Joey (Millie L) Student Choice - Hugo (Erin S)

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Cambrian Combined Cadet Force Cadet Patrol competition

The College Combined Cadet Force continues to go from strength to strength, and we end this term celebrating many of our cadets’ and officers’ successes.

Contingent Biennial inspection

June saw the first appearance of the SEC CCF competition team in the Cambrian Patrol competition in the Brecon Beacons, Mid Wales. This marked the first attendance of a SEC CCF or Brigade CCF in this prestigious and highly challenging event. The competition comprises a two-day patrol over arduous terrain on the Sennybridge Training Area, where cadets operate independently through various challenges designed to push competitors beyond their comfort zone. Whilst expectations were not high throughout the Brigade for our team’s first endeavour - with many experienced teams failing to complete the competition - our cadets, against all odds, surpassed expectations, returning with bronze medals.

This year’s Biennial inspection took place on the 15 June. An RAF led event, with Inspecting Officer Group Captain (Gp Capt) Dr Maxine Fletcher, accompanied by the OC RAF, Flt Lt H Duffy (HR Dir). Cadets and Staff formed an Honour Guard, which was inspected by the Gp Capt, Headmaster and Contingent Commander (CC). The Gp Capt joined officers and cadets for lunch and held on- to-one meetings with Headmaster and CC, as well as OCs Army and RAF, where the future of the Contingent was assured. Later in the day, the Gp Capt, enjoyed a taste of some of the syllabus training by our cadets, including interacting with our students on the recently acquired flight simulator, operated by Acting Pilot Officer L Mills, as well as a display by our newly formed drums and bugles, led by Capt Shaw and Lt Eliasson (Psychology). Further activities included STEM tasks with Pilot Officer Chapman (Chemistry), various command tasks and a patrol lane with Captain Upton (OC Army). Gp Capt Fletcher highlighted in her final address to the Contingent, the recent success and growth of our CCF, in comparison to our last inspection. She noted the impressive confidence, positive approach to challenge, humour, and humility of St Edmund’s College Cadets.

Huge congratulations to our successful Cambrian Team, which comprised; Sgt Anthony H, Sgt George K, Sgt Lydia G, Cpl Erin O (Goffs Academy), Cpl Pippa W, Cpl Devon G and Cpl Rowan, under the leadership of their Team Manager, U/O A Archer (Transport).

All action with the army section We look forward to welcoming our new batch of Grammar recruits in September, range days, and October camp for all years. There will be the possible opportunity of attendance at the Combat Cadet competition in Thetford, as well as a possible return to Wales in the summer.

College Life Summer 2023

Welcomes & Farewells We bid a fond farewell to all cadets who leave our ranks this year, as well as warmly welcoming our new cadets, adult volunteers and officers, as they join our CCF family. A special farewell to our senior cadets who move on to bigger and better things, and of course to our cadet RSM, Cadet Warrant Officer Joe Y (RAF Section), who has held the appointment for the last two years. The search is now on for his successor, so watch this space. New School Staff Instructor (SSI) / College Sergeant Major We take this opportunity to wish a very warm welcome to our new SSI, Leighton Wilks, who will also hold the new appointment of College Sergeant Major (CSM). The role will see the CSM working towards improving dress and standards throughout the College (this includes you and me!). Leighton joins us following an exemplary career of 25 years in the Welsh Guards. Following the start of his colour service at just 16, he carried out tours of Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo. On completion of his time in the Welsh Guards, he achieved the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) as the Regt RQMS to the Regt Adjutant. Leighton’s proudest moment in a diverse and varied career was planning and participating in the Late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. He participated in many Troopings of the Colour, the Queen’s Funeral and Queen’s Guards, and he joins us with a wealth of experience. His honours include his Long Service, Good Conduct Medal, and Accumulated Campaign Service Medal. He also achieved a silver medal as a Guardsmen in the Cambrian Patrol Competition. Since joining the St Edmund’s family, he has participated in our Biennial Inspection, Exhibition Day, and recent summer camp in Sennybridge, Brecon. Leighton has three children and is a foster parent to grown up twins. His son is in catering services in the Royal Navy and is working towards his commission as a naval officer. In his spare time, Leighton enjoys football coaching and fishing. Along with the Contingent Commander, Leighton is looking forward to continuing to build on our successful team, opening further opportunities and giving our cadets the best experience possible.

Summer camp 2023 The Contingent returned to the Brecon Beacons in July, this time for a week of summer camp that took the shape of a battle camp / military training, which included ranges (in the appropriately named, Journey’s End!), blank firing exercises, other syllabus training and challenging pursuits. The cadets operated from Gam Rhiw (Farm 2), where the unpredictable Welsh weather did not disappoint, with us experiencing all four seasons daily! The week’s camp culminated in a 24-hour field exercise, sleeping under the stars, with a 5am reveille, to carry out a dawn attack on a remote farm. Working with Capt Brian Pratt, MBE (Para) and our own Contingent Commander, Major H Gledhill (Para), the cadets showed great stamina, camaraderie and the usual good humour expected from both cadets and officers.

Eyes to the sky with the RAF selection This year we look forward to a week in RAF Cranwell at our October half term Camp, where we see our own Flt Lt Duffy taking on the role of Camp Commandant for this UK-wide cadet camp. Flying and gliding will continue apace, with 15 gliding slots up for grabs in August, and more flying dates anticipated next academic year. We look forward to the Royal Air Squadron Trophy Competition at Shuttleworth in November. Congratulations to Cpl Erin B on being selected to attend the National Air and Space camp in August, a flagship training camp in RAF Syerston, and look forward to hearing of her incredible experiences.

Looking ahead Of the numerous events, functions and challenges that took place this year, the culmination was the King’s first Trooping of the Colour, attended by the Headmaster, Contingent Commander, OCs Army and RAF and College Sergeant Major. A great day had by all. We look forward to building on the successes of a great year within the Contingent, as we thrive to support our students in the education for the whole person, our colleagues, and wider College Community. This in mind, we are always on the lookout for driven, motivated individuals looking for new challenges, so come and see what we do on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:30pm. We thank the Board of Governors, Headmaster, and all departments for their continued support of this ever-strengthening jewel in the College crown.

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High Performance Learning... Language leaders Our Language Leaders have been teaching at the Prep School as part of the Language Leaders Award Programme. They enjoyed all the stages of planning and preparing their lessons including creating lovely activities and resources (PowerPoints, worksheets), and delivered them with confidence and humour. They really cared about the pupils’ understanding and progress. If a pupil was stuck or not sure about anything, they were very helpful and empathetic. The pupils at the Prep School completed feedback sheets for the Language Leaders. The feedback they received has been absolutely brilliant.

Young engineers Our young engineers recently joined together with other local schools to build their Vex IQ robots! Students were asked to approach a task which posed many challenges and build their robot to perform many different functions. They had to break this task down and decide on a suitable approach, creating new ideas and developing them. They faced many setbacks throughout the day when their ideas didn’t quite work as planned, but showed resilience in their efforts to keep trying new ideas. They had to collaborate, think creatively, problem solve and most importantly work as a team to achieve successful outcomes. All the things that we love about High Performance Learning!

College Life Summer 2023

#EveryoneCan

Art exhibition Our Exhibition looked at how Art has the power to influence change in the world and how we as learners can aspire to be that change. We are wanting to embed HPL into what we are as a school but in an interesting and educational way. The Ambulacrum is an immediate and central space for parents and visitors too. If this is successful, we will move onto exhibits of Designers, Inventors and so on.

Elements & Rudiments ambassador led workshop Our Rhetoric 1 HPL Ambassadors led a workshop with our Elements and Rudiments HPL Ambassadors today. They helped the younger pupils gain a deeper understanding of some of the areas of the HPL Framework. Pupils had a go at hula hooping to understand the need for perseverance and practice, they worked with sign language to go deeper into the area ‘Empathetic’ and explored links and problem solving with a variety of word puzzles. The younger pupils clearly enjoyed working with our Rhetorician’s who were excellent teachers and leaders.

HPL ambassadors led a workshop Rhetoric 1 HPL Ambassadors led a workshop for Rhetoric 1 students in how to apply the HPL philosophy and framework language for their individual A Level subjects. Students worked in small groups to put together feedback on which areas of HPL would support them in their response to the given A Level question. When giving feedback to the rest of the year group Business Studies and Economics came out top in the accurate manner in which they were able to identify the exact areas used and how, in relation to their question. Students should now feel better armed in using the language to aim high and raise their grades!

Industrial cadets awards

Roman trip

Back in March four syntax students Ahana M, Cornelia S, Guy O, and Rowan H started a project on a Biodiversity Assessment as part of the Silver Award for Industrial Cadets. They were asked to look at a local ecosystem to study and their choice was the pond by the sports field. They researched the pond life and used ecological sampling techniques to assess the organisms in the pond.

Our brilliant Grammar students, visited the Roman Verulamium Museum in St Albans. These bright minds have been delving into the world of Roman artifacts, unravelling the mysteries of their origins, and identifying which group of people they belong to: Elite, Craftsmen, Farmers, or Slaves.

Working under a tight deadline which included internal assessments to contend with and after a huge group effort to complete the project, the team traveled to Cambridge to the Illumina Campus to present their work. They created a written report, poster, and PowerPoint which they presented to the judges. Their hard work and dedication paid off as they won the “Most Innovative” award. Congratulations to the whole team!"

They have been contemplating various aspects of each item, such as its composition, purpose, the distance it travelled to reach Verulamium, whether it serves a functional or decorative role, and the specialised knowledge and skills required to create it. It is awe-inspiring to witness our students exploring history hands-on and piecing together the stories of ancient civilisations. The past truly comes alive through their curious minds and analytical prowess!

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House Relay A massive well done to all the Houses for the great effort in this years House Relay! The competition was intense, there were many close calls, a few stumbles and even the odd dropped baton, but Pole House took the lead and won overall! All Houses should be praised for their hard work and commitment. Well done to all!

Literary Festival June saw our first ever St Edmund’s College Literary Festival; a week spent with a range of fascinating Authors, Poets and Illustrators. Pupils from every year group had opportunities to attend author talks or poetry performances, and many took part in creative writing or manga illustration workshops.

At the start of the week our HPL Ambassadors presented an assembly on the science backed reasons why reading is so important and explained which areas of HPL were strengthened through reading. The Literary Festival reminded us that reading can be inclusive, fun, stimulate our intellectual curiosity and raise our confidence. What are the science backed ways that reading makes you smarter? Reading improves our ‘Theory of Mind’. Theory of mind refers to a person’s ability to see outside of oneself. A person with great theory of mind is an empathetic person. Reading literary fiction that incites sympathy towards the characters is one of the best ways to practice one’s theory of mind. Reading a novel is like muscle building for the brain. A study using MRI scans at Emory University found that the brain retains activity for as much as five days after reading a book. Increases in connectivity were found in the areas of the brain associated with comprehension. Reading a novel is kind of like lifting weights, but this time for your brain. We can see how reading makes us better at HPL Linking - improving connection finding and big picture thinking.

Colour Run Despite the rain the 2023 Colour Run was a huge success. From Nursery all the way through to the College, the students bounced their way over the obstacle course, under ropes, through hurdles and over tyres, whilst being bombarded with explosions of colour, all for charity! Was the rain and mess worth it? I think the smiles say so. The event finished with coronation cakes and juice whilst the school band was playing, and just as the day ended the heavens opened, which was our cue to go home!

College Life Summer 2023

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An Indian summer

After a four-year gap, students from Rhetoric 1 returned to India to visit schools in and around Bangalore as well as to see the sights.

We were treated like rock stars at Bishop Cotton’s Boys’ School and had to shake hands or sign autographs with hundreds of students (out of a school size of 6000). This contrasted with the poorer schools visited in rural India in the villages of Kanamanapalli and Gangasandra. However, students here were no less excited to see us, and we were still treated like celebrities. We also got to see where the money we had raised throughout the year was spent, as well as where money from previous years was being used. Travelling by train and tuk-tuk to get to Kanamanapalli meant we got to experience life as an ordinary Indian for a day. There was also time for sightseeing, and we visited Hindu temples (the Big Bull temple and Ganesha temple), a state-sponsored cultural village (where we had our first traditional South Indian lunch on a banana leaf), as well as plenty of shopping. Riding around in a caged bus at the National Park with lions or tigers mere feet from the group was another huge highlight. The final few days were spent travelling to Mysore. Visiting rural villages and witnessing cottage industries, such as sugar cane, biogas and silk production certainly brought home the differences between city life and village life in India. However, the illuminations at Mysore Palace had to be a favourite experience as well as staying in a 4-star hotel at the end of a long and tiring trip. Although we were all very tired by the end of the 10 days, this once in a lifetime trip will stay with everyone forever.

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South Africa tour 2023 Over 70 staff and students travelled to South Africa to embark on a once in a lifetime sports tour at the start of the summer holiday. The tour began in Cape Town, and students enjoyed visiting infamous tourist sites including Table Mountain, Robben Island, VA Waterfront, Cape Point, Drakenstein Lion Park, Boulders Beech and more. They were also treated to an incredible experience when visiting a township in Cape Town to work with students and young families who live in extreme circumstances. We donated netball and football kits to the School, as well as cleaning products and medical supplies. The students were a huge hit with the Okasi Soccer School and African Impact. We also travelled to Cape Town and Johannesburg to participate in Girls Football, Netball and Hockey, Boys Rugby and Football against some excellent schools. The students got the incredible opportunity to enjoy the Culture of South Africa, as well as experience local food, dance and entertainment. A highlight of the tour was the Mabula Game Reserve Safari where the student saw their favourite animals. They also learnt about Apartheid, Robben Island and Soweto. Discovering the History of South Africa was a unique experience and created some excellent discussions while travelling. Everyone had a fantastic time, and I hope the South Africa Tour 2023 lives a long time in their memory.

Ava representing Great Britain in golf... Congratulations to golfer and Challoner House student Ava who was selected to represent Great Britain this summer. Ava recently won the IMG British Junior Golf Tour Championship tournament which took place at The Cambridge Country Club and as a result will represent Great Britain in the girls 11-12 years category in San Diego, California. We caught up with Ava to ask her about her passion for golf: How did you get into golf? I got into golf when I was 7 years old following the footsteps of my uncle Lee Slattery, who plays on the European tour. How long have you been playing? I have been playing for 4 years now, starting at Kingsway Golf Centre and then becoming a member at Chesfield Downs and East Herts golf club. What have you achieved whilst playing golf? I play for Hertfordshire and have won various junior opens with Hillside being my biggest achievement as it was a 36 hole competition, on the hottest day of the year!!!

College Life Summer 2023

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3rd at the English Schools Championships!

Meet our new Director of Sport

Marcus A, Ava G and Ronnie S produced three outstanding rounds of golf at Woodhall Spa to seal third place in the Championships. The three students from the College and Prep School battled on a thrilling golf course at Woodhall Spa against outstanding opposition.

My name is Karrelle Dixon, and this edition of College Life allows me to reintroduce myself to those that I have not met in my first term as the new Director of Sport here. I have always looked to take on the next challenge, which is why I chose to retire from my role as MD at a top advertising agency in America to pursue a career in education. The last three years have been both challenging and incredibly fulfilling as I trained to become the best Maths teacher I can be. I still love Maths and will continue to teach it at the college, but I joined the Edmundian family because I have a passion for sport and I want to be a part of an aspirational team that makes a meaningful impact in every student's life through sport.

Supported by the parents and staff, the students had a practise round on the Tuesday before engaging in the contest on Wednesday 5th July. It is an outstanding achievement, a massive well done to all three students!

The first term has been action-packed with various sports and activities (Battlebox). I am pleased that so many students are keen to represent the College & Prep and look forward to a great pre-season, where everyone improves their skills and general fitness.

Sports day An incredible day for the College on 29th June. The Whole School travelled again to Wodson Park for a brilliant day of Track and Field. Furthermore to the success of Sportsday and a thrilling athletics season, the College had Bradley Moran, Harold Reville and Lucas Hick compete in the County Athletics Championships in June.

Boys sport What a term of cricket! 3 cup finals, and a semi final across four age groups! An outstanding display from all involved in cricket at the College.

Bancrofts and Hitchin School set the side up for an outstanding display against Aldenham School. The side have improved their fielding and bowling this season, and continue to progress with the bat.

The Elements side proudly won their final after a fine batting display by Rudy Rodman sealed a memorable victory. The away team scored 122 runs in 20 overs, and the Elements side scored 123 runs in 18 overs. The side had recorded some excellent victories throughout the season and should be exceptionally proud of their win.

The Grammar side had an excellent season, recording some fantastic victories against Bancrofts, Hitchin and Aldenham School. The side also won their semi final against Simon Balle and hope to play the Cup final soon. The side was well captained by Oliver Scott, and Lewis Abdul Karim added some aggressive batting to the side.

Syntax also find themselves in a cup final soon. The side performed exceptionally well in the summer term. Joss Rodman The Rudiments with outstanding batting and side battled well leadership of a talented group this season, and played some strong of players. Highlights of the season, were victories against Sandringham, opposition. Two Parmiters and Bancrofts. narrow losses to

The Newsletter of St Edmund’s College

Hockey trip During Enrichment week 42 students and 5 staff embarked on a mixed hockey tour to Eindhoven Holland for an action-packed week. After day 1 of travelling, Tuesday morning saw our first two training sessions with Oranje-Rood hockey club. The group were introduced to their coaches, who have a wealth of knowledge as first team players. The students were challenged in all areas, from attacking strategies including lifting the ball, to defensive play. This put the students in a good position for their first fixture against HC Horst. Team two, set the tone with a 4-2 win, despite going a goal down early in the game, which demonstrated an impressive come back. Teams three and four were up next but unfortunately, team four, couldn’t secure the win but made vast improvements during the game. Team three, exploited the width on the pitch, creating several chances leading to a 3-1 victory. The final game saw team one, play in an end to end thriller, resulting in a 1-1 draw. Day 3 started with another training session, and in the afternoon the group travelled into Amsterdam, for the spectacular 5D flying experience of ‘This is Holland’. This was an excellent experience soaring over the Dutch must see locations. On day 4 we headed to the Duinrell Amusement Park and Tiki pool for a thrill-seeking day of roller coasters and water slide fun, this was followed by our final fixtures of the week against HC Helmond and HC Geldrop. Team two were victorious in both their fixtures, with our goal keeper not touching the ball once. Team three and four both had great fun, and competitive games to finish their fixtures. Team one had two tough fixtures against well drilled opposition but this didn’t dampen their spirits to finish on a high. On our final day, we had one last training session with Oranje-Rood before heading home. Thank you to the staff and students for a great week.

Girls summer sport The trinity term brings sunshine and smiles as the girls whole-hearted immerse themselves in summer sports. In 10 short weeks they have competed in 46 fixtures across four sports. April saw the replay of the U13 Independent Schools Netball Plate Final against Birkenhead School at Loughborough University. A tense game, which displayed determination and passion right till the final whistle. Both teams battled hard to maintain the momentum, and at the end of the first quarter St Edmund’s were 6-11 behind but with some rotations and new tactics in place, the girls came off 1 goal ahead at half time 17-16. Unfortunately, we lost the match by 5 goals, but it was a thrilling game, the squad should be proud. An incredible achievement! The Hertfordshire County Athletics League has witnessed consistent sprinting performances, alongside strong field disciplines. Not forgetting the gruelling long distance runs that the girls have performed competitively in each week. Girls’ football is going from strength to strength and thank you to all staff who have made this

possible. Memorable highlights from the term include the U13s 2-0 and 1-0 wins over Chigwell and Queenswood respectively. The U14s 3-0 win against Chigwell and a thrilling 3-4 match against Forest. With the U15s winning 10-2 against Queenswood. It has been excellent to see the girls applying attacking principles to their game, which they have learnt in training. In the team tennis competition, a huge congratulations to Ella H, Ana F V, Alyssa T and Blanca R P S N, who as U14s, have won the U15 county division they were playing in resulting in a place at the county finals day. Unfortunately, the finals day was unable to be play before the end of term but we are looking forward to playing in September. In our tennis fixture programme, the U13s and U14s had a convincing win over Chigwell with dominant performance where the girls were able to play impressive groundstrokes to the corners of the opposition court. After another successful term we look forward to seeing as many girls as possible at preseason training in preparation for the new term.

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College Life Summer 2023

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