House Reports

Sally Gray

Sally joined St Peter's from King Edward VI Girls' High School, Birmingham five years ago, moving to York with her husband and young daughter. At once she made her presence felt in her new school and her love of learning was immediately effective in the classroom. Sally is invigorating of mind and purpose and pupils quickly came to enjoy her lessons for the style with which she taught, for the variety which she employed and for the enthusiasm with which she conveyed her subject matter. Of "S.--"-.''' course, the famous biscuit breaks were warmly welcomed, especially in the dark and gloomy months of winter timetable; but it was Sally's passion for her subject that drew the pupils to her. They were lucky to be taught by someone of Sally's calibre, they knew it themselves and were grateful for the opportunities she gave them.

Within the department Sally's presence brought an air of positive energy and generosity of spirit. Among the staff she rapidly established firm friendships and voluntarily undertook the essential task of helping to proof-read the Peterite. For five years Sally has been supportive with her time, advice and resources. She has been a superb friend and colleague, great company on trips and will be sorely missed. She leaves to teach at the school where her daughter, Flora, will be joining as a pupil. We wish Sally all the best in her move to Bootham and hope that she will return to see us often.

MJ Adams

Ben Wall

Ben joined the school in September 2007 as a Newly Qualified Teacher and leaves us to take on the role of Second in Department at his new school, St Albans.

Ben quickly established himself in the school and in his role as Teacher of English, yet unlike other NQT's he did so with great confidence and authority. In fact, I rarely thought of him as an inexperienced teacher as he got to grips so deftly with the syllabus, teaching all classes and with working in a busy and demanding school and department.

It is rather odd to think that Ben was only with us for three years as he had such an impact in the school as a whole. Ben contributed widely to life in the school, be it Duke of Edinburgh, Mountain Biking, Running, Debating, Assistant in School House (and the list goes on.) Personally, I feel he had the biggest impact in the classroom where he taught with great skill, knowledge and enthusiasm. I am sure that all who have been taught by Mr Wall would agree that he was an inspirational, charismatic teacher who always had time for each student and who gave his best in everything he did. Some may go slightly further... In fact, he was certainly a popular member of staff with a number of our female students. It is certainly common knowledge (as she announced it in chapel) that Mr Wall has 'the voice of an angel' and I once had the pleasure of overhearing a group of fifth year girls gushing wistfully 'I wish Mr Wall would read me poetry'! Thus, there is a Mr Wall shaped hole left in the hearts of many!

I feel truly grateful to have worked alongside Ben and to have got to know him over the last few years; he is a super young man (I must be old if I feel ok calling him a young man!) who has brought a great deal of humour and enthusiasm into the department, and has been able to inspire both colleagues and pupils alike. He will certainly be missed. We wish him all the very best in his new role and thank him for the past three years.

E. Mallard

Claire Fletcher

Claire joined the school from Barnard Castle in 2005 and immediately made an impact upon all areas of St Peter's life, where she was not only an English teacher, but Resident Assistant in Dronfield and an experienced and very popular rowing coach.

Claire had an immediate impact on the department where her 'no nonsense' approach to students and lessons was always to be feared and revered. I am certainly in awe of the way that she could crush a student with a mere look and I really miss the days of overhearing a great Fletch telling off! Yet she also brought endless fun and enthusiasm into her teaching and so was liked and respected by all who were taught by her. She was also a superb colleague who was always there to listen to and to assist all members of the department, and was always the person you approached if you needed innovative teaching ideas or schemes of work (or to borrow a video from the vast, and rather eclectic, collection in her classroom.)

also the girls in Dronfield, where she was an ever popular assistant, tutor and confidant. Claire spent many years in the house where she used her level-headed, straight-talking and caring approach in all areas of boarding life and thus was ever popular. I am certain that her previous tutor group (the leaving UVI girls) will have a lot of memories of her time with them in Dron. Claire has always shown great strength in the pastoral side of teaching and I hope that she will be able to return to this in some capacity one day as I feel she has a great deal to offer any school and all students.

Being a keen (and very good) rower herself, Claire also had an immediate impact in the boat house where she coached the juniors throughout her time at St. Peter's. I am sure that all students benefited from her expertise and from the dedication and enthusiasm she always offered the club.

Claire leaves St. Peter's in order to spend more time with her family, to pursue a Masters in Creative Writing and to take up a part-time position teaching English at The Mount. (So much for a quieter life!) We will certainly miss her but feel reassured that she hasn't gone far and I am certain that she will keep in touch with the many friends she has made at St. Peter's over the years.

Claire, we will miss you very much and wish you, Cliff and Harry all the very best for the future!

E. Mallard

Chris Belsom

Last summer Chris Belsom retired from his position as Head of Mathematics at Ampleforth, which he had held since 1990. I am sure the last thing he expected shortly after finishing was a phone call from me asking if he would be able to help at St. Peter's. I needed a part time teacher to take responsibility for two maths classes for the final two terms of the academic year whilst Claire Wike took on the position of Acting Head, and who better than Chris. He is a highly experienced teacher who has also taken a major role in the development of mathematics at a national level, working with the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education for the UK and with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. He acquired extensive experience as an examiner for both GCSE and A level and he authored and edited a number of school textbooks.

I was absolutely delighted when Chris agreed to take the position; I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him, and the pupils have benefited enormously from his experience and expertise.

Penny Stirling

Penny Stirling joined us in September 2004 and immediately started to work wonders with our String Orchestra. She obtained a crispness of attack and clear unified sound and real attention to tuning and ensemble. Her work with our Chamber Music has been so impressive and hearing Schumann's Piano Quintet develop over a period in 20082009 was quite thrilling.

Her pupils have always gained so much from their lessons with her; she has often been a hard task-master but at the same time always encouraging. We will miss her strong musical personality in the Music Department and wish her well as she concentrates on her work with Yorkshire Young Musicians, Pro Corda and her international work for the Associated Board.

Andrew Wright

Clifton

Life at school has a certain rhythm and melodies which change with the seasons, which at times feel slow and gentle and at others rapid and incessant, and at the end of the year composing this report the latter is never more so the case. Faces look pale and drawn, the shoulders are not as straight, shoes tend to scrape along the ground and the school uniform hangs limply. These are young people (and the parents who do the daily drop off and pick up!) who feel that they have been through the mill and in a week or so they will have slept off the end-of-year weariness and will look back with satisfaction on a fulfilling year.

At the House dinner earlier in the term I referred to each of the year groups as the various sections of a musical ensemble: the Third form as the string section; the fourths as the voices; the fifths the raucous brass section; the lower sixth the keyboard; and the upper sixth as the percussion section for it is here that we get our rhythm and our lead. Here the tone is set. Years of waiting give these young men and women the opportunity to take the lead at the head of the house and we certainly have leaders in this year's Upper Sixth. It is in their psyche to provide a model for the work ethic in the house: their future is at stake; the next stage of their career is just around the corner; life as an independent young adult awaits them; they are on the verge of greatness.

Dylan Ba

The Upper Sixth drives the house in competition and this year group has been no exception. It is in their hands to dictate the success of Clifton, if not in terms of results but in terms of participation. As Head of House Frankie Cross certainly had her hands full when she took on responsibility for ordering house hoodies, trackies and zippies. The outcome was terrific and I know of no one who was disappointed. JJ, Joe and Duncan have encouraged participation in sports events; Rebecca, Sarah and Ciara have shown their artistic flair; Ed and Charlie their musicianship; Harriett has

been a veritable queen of drama; and Fi has, I think, participated in more House events than any other senior.To them we owe a debt of gratitude and hope that their example will be emulated by next year's leaders.

As results go in competition Clifton has yet again not been awarded much silverware, but the girls did win the Inter-House Hockey Tournament this year and Dom reclaimed the Alcuin Trophy for tennis. We were arguably runners-up in the Great Egg Race (after all we did hit the target) - well done Oli Spearman, Joe, Dom, Tim, Ed and Frankie - and in the House Sing (the adjudicator apparently preferring the names of houses that begin with a voiceless glottal fricative rather than an aspirated voiceless stop). The junior boys were second in the cricket — Charlie Elliot, Chris, Oli Grimwood, James Contreras, Liam, Henry, Felix - and we came third in the House Art.

On Sports Day there were some good individual performances: Fi (1st 200m; 2nd 800m); Felix (1st shot); Will Catchpole (1st high jump); Harriet Langford (2nd javelin; 5th 800m); Lucinda (2nd 100m; 4th high jump); Ricky (2nd high jump); James Contreras (2nd 200m); and further points were won by Tonia, Alice, Sam, Holly, Laura, Georgy, Josie, Charlie Elliot, Liam, Niels, Rob, Freddie Gabbertas, Max, Joe, Marcus, Dylan, Oli Hicks, Chris and all relay teams. Well done and thanks!

Clifton fared well at Prizegiving with eight taking to the rostrum to receive recognition for their efforts: Ellie, James Webster, JJ, Sarah, Charlie Hubbard, Ed, Harriett and Fi. Charlie Mannion was also credited with a Gold Award in her Young Enterprise exam. Well done to all!

Membership is not just about winning or being the best, it is foremost about belonging: I always encourage all to try to be the best, for in so doing they honour their opponents and make a vital contribution to the whole. Some have been mentioned above but those who haven't must take heart that their presence has been a vital part of the smaller house community or the broader school. We can't all be the very best, only the best we can be, and being part of the support team is crucial.

To finish on a musical note, I leave you with the words of Bono, lead singer of U2: 'music can change the world because it can change people,' and Jimi Hendrix: 'music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.1 I would like Cliftonites to find harmony in their lives and to think of themselves as musicians: go out into the world and change what needs to be changed.

Dronfield

It is with both pride and sadness that we review the last year in Dronfield: pride in what the girls have achieved and sadness that this is the last time that we shall be writing the house report for Dron.

Dron's most obvious success was in sport for which we retained the Inter-House Cup; given the excellent sportswomen the house boasts, and the leadership of Head of House Livi Herrenschmidt, this was not a surprise. As last year, we won the junior netball event with the Veteran' fourth years - Rachel Moore, Imi Leigh, Chloe Lister, and Heather Goodall - being joined by Sian Bigger, Tansy Tomlinson, Emily Easterby, Georgie Cornock and Emma Stephenson from the new third year. We won the Inter-House swimming gala with our formidable sixth form school representatives - Jess Elkington, Maddie Hall, Livi Herrenschmidt and EUys Lockitt - combining well with Dewi Sarginson, Chloe Lister, Rachel Moore and Sian Bigger. Dron should enjoy great success in the new pool when it opens! We enjoyed much success in the racquet sports thanks to the efforts of the two Herrenschmidts, Fi Marsden, Sara Drake, Kate Shaw, Chloe Lister, Rachel Moore, Angie Sunuwar, Maria Mikhaylenko and Georgie Cornock all of whom represented Dron on the tennis, badminton and/or squash court during the year. There were a number of outstanding individual performances during Sports' Day for which the House came second in the girls' competition: Bobby Gardner won the senior javelin; Jenna Cammish came second in the high jump; Vicki Herrenschmidt won the senior discus and Imi Leigh the junior; Chloe Lister won the junior 200 metres. In all other sporting events Dron put out both full and competitive teams which were superbly supported. This was particularly true of Inter-House cross country in which so many sixth formers, including new girls Abi Goodwin and Charley Green, chose to run. However, not everyone was as successful as Maddie Jackson who finished seventh in the event. Indeed we should like to apologise to Sarah Adjepong for not seeing her over the finishing line: we had left, assuming everyone had already finished, before she staggered home!

Beyond sport, a number of girls displayed great talent in other areas. Bussy Wells was a finalist in the Harrogate Art College's fashion competition, designing a dress made entirely of paper money. Old girl Georgie Hall made it through to the regional final of another fashion /design competition for which her sister, Tilly, acted as a model. Maria Mikhaylenko proved to be in much demand for her outstanding abilities as a photographer: her pictures of the upper sixth's final day were truly wonderful. Finally Kirstie Robertson impressed all with her encyclopaedic knowledge of the High School Musicals, Vampire Diaries and Stephanie Meyer novels. Indeed it was her influence which led to the entire House outing to see New Moon (for which Lydia Hawthorn wore her Team Edward T-shirt) at the cinema and a lifesize cut out of Edward Cullen being bought for the study!

Kirstie and Livi Herrenschmidt also played important roles in helping to organise the House singing entry 'It's Raining Men' along with Nicci Deedes. It was a performance of great gusto ably accompanied by Vicki Herrenschmidt on drums. However, the outstanding performance of the year had to be Fi Thompson's in the House Chapel at the very start of term: has there ever been a more deadpan act?

As a House, the girls in Dronfield have sought to broaden their horizons beyond the confines of St Peter's. To this end, Louisa Maxwell was a driving force. She established an Amnesty International noticeboard which she kept updated each half-term.

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(There was also a 'fit man' board in the computer room to which every girl contributed; the least said about this the better!). She also invited in her mother to talk about life in Nepal - a country in which Mrs Maxwell had completed the Everest Marathon. Despite our technical difficulties with the projector, Mrs Maxwell's talk was very enthusiastically received and led to coppers being collected for charity in the House thereafter. Mrs Kirby (ex Houseparent of the Rise) also kindly agreed to talk about her charitable work for a school in Rwanda. This was met with particular enthusiasm by the third form who decided that they wanted to help the school as an ongoing project. Inspired by the charity cake sales of Charlie Nelson, Caz Cook and Fi Marsden the entire third form - Yasmine Kumordzi, Jenny Frazer, Laura Nichols, Daisy Wall, Imi Jeffries, Bussy Wells, Emma Stephenson, Angie Sunuwar, Maria Mikhaylenko, Emily Easterby, Sian Bigger, Georgie Cornock and Tansy Tomlinson - baked continuously for a week and were able to present Mrs Kirby with a cheque for £200. Much of this appeared to have been donated by Jo Clark who had a particular weakness for the banana bread! Furthermore, these charitable endeavours led to the 'Take a 10p to Chapel' initiative which was followed rigorously by the end of the year.

The kitchen in Dronfield was under great strain last year. Lydia Hawthorn, Dewi Sarginson and Emma Stephenson each cooked for the whole house on a Saturday (providing a rest for Mrs T!). Jess Elkington, aided by Lou Maxwell, could often be found producing the most intricately designed icing on cakes: they were art forms in themselves. However, the queen of the kitchen had to be Claire Jordan and her baking: her scones were sublime!!

We will always remember our time in Dronfield with great affection. We should like to wish Mr and Mrs Whitehouse all the best for next year and hope that they find their time in Dron is as fulfilling and as happy as ours has been. We should like to thank all those who have helped us, in particular Mrs Bollands, Mrs Hutchinson, and Miss Whitehead. Miss Ku proved to be an outstanding Assistant Housemistress who was liked greatly by both the girls and us alike; we wish her every happiness in her new life in Germany. Our thanks also go to Mrs Cowling for her quiet enthusiasm and considerable help in the House. Our Heads of House - Kirstie Robertson and Livi Herrenschmidt - made our lives more straightforward than they would otherwise have been. They were both utterly reliable and proactive in all that they did - as were the rest of an outstanding Upper-Sixth: Fis M andT, Caz, Charlie, Maddie, Bobby, Jess, Lou, Lydia, Sara and Nicci. We shall miss their company greatly and wish them every success in the future. Finally, we should like to thank all the girls in Dronfield for so many things including introducing us to the Twilight Saga (!!!) and for allowing us into their lives.

Mr and MrsT.

Grove

eerie calmness has descended over Grove the top floor is deserted and the two juni mon rooms have been involved in intern; followed by a variety of end of term even hustle and bustle from the rest of the year i ally returning to my memory and, as such, I to write a succinct account summarising tf and, at times, frenzied 'goings on' and aca ments of those in the House. As we break ui holidays Bradley Smith is off to South Afric exchange programme and I am looking for on his return, watching his video diary of th

ble 4th in the tition: Longbottom, E 5 Maitland, Ben ing, Joshua Frost and Alex he youngest competitor, taw, must be congratulatj on his input as his design was rie one which was adopted by the rest of the group.

;t before the October half was the turn of Grove to large' of the chapel serv.e - the theme decided on, after a lot of it Festival and Bekka Taylor skilfully took over the directing of the service. The school was entertained and amazed by Eddie Brown as he played his cello at the start of the service and enjoyed the acting by our competent fourth f performers as they stomped round the chapel dressed as farmers!

A number of individuals within the house also had great success in drama during the year - Michael Bailey's memorable portrayal of the miser, Harpagon, in Moliere's play L'Avare, was truly notable and clearly gave Michael the ability to show off his comic acting skills. Marcus Yeoman's depiction of Maitre Simon was also magnificent as was Bekka Taylor who played the formidable Maitre Jacques. Emily Freeman and Bradley Smith were also members of the cast. It was pleasing to note that the third and fourth formers were also carrying on the acting tradition - Hannah Tolley's soliloquy in the middle school play 'Mistero Buffo' was exceptional and Jack Harrison, Elle Hlingworth, Alison Thornton and Henry Roach also performed outstandingly in the play. Bekka Taylor must also be congratulated on being chosen to become a member of the prestigious National Youth Theatre - a fantastic achievement.

I

Needless to say with such a wealth of artistic and musical talent available - Grove's performance in the annual House singing 'tition was, in my opinion, superb! wn rendition of 'Grove', copying lau Ballet's 'Gold' was sung and, at - -'"outed enthusiastically by all ups, needless to say I was isappointed that we were placed in the competition!

The first inter house sporting competition of the year was the Cross Country event. Freddie Jagger secured an impressive win in the junior boys' competition helping to conclude a second place for the house team. The senior boys were lead in by Henry Lee and secured a pleasing fifth place. Both the junior senior girls' teams had to rely on icipation from all the girls within ouse and it was gratifying to see i all competing with such determina- well done. Other notable inter

house sporting successes of the year was third place to the senior boys rugby team. The following boys represented the team: Henry Lee, James Longbottom, Michael Bailey, Alex Dickinson, Dominic Eaves, Tom Fynn, Freddie Proctor, Liam Hancy and Jonnie Bew. Also achieving an impressive third were the junior girls in the netball competition, with only seven girls eligible to play the feet was even more remarkable! The following girls represented the team: Laura Field, Abi Gill, Hannah Tolley, Sasha Hinde, Amy Dodds, Elle Illingworth and Harriet Andrews. Both the boys and girls came third on sports day with many individual successes, Alex Dickinson was awarded the Robinson Walker trophy for 800m and Henry Lee the Proudly Trophy for 400m. Tom Kimpson must be congratulated on once again competing in the National Schools final of the 400m- an outstanding achievement.

Yet again many members of the Grove have tirelessly and unassumingly been involved in various community action projects throughout the year, Alex Langford and Olivia Frost have volunteered for the Wilberforce trust and a number of sixth formers have worked in charity shops. Hannah Tolley also played an integral part in helping to organise the first tea dance for elderly members of the community which was both an enjoyable and extremely successful evening. It is also pleasing to note that many of the house are also fully involved in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

The last house event before the senior years embarked on their study leave was the full House Dinner. As has become a tradition in Grove House (apparently!) this event took place at Jaipur Spice. Henry Lee's organisation of the evening was brilliant and we all enjoyed a splendid meal. As it was such an excellent evening I am confident the tradition will continue for many years to come!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our leavers all the very best for the future.The U6 have been a wonderful year group, their experience and inside knowledge of the house has been invaluable! I sincerely hope they achieve all their grades at A level and I am confident they will embark on the next stage of their academic careers with great gusto and enthusiasm! I would like to take this opportunity to thank Alex Langford and Henry Lee for carrying out their duties as Heads of House so cheerfully throughout the year - their support has been invaluable. I am confident that Olivia Frost and Dominic Eaves will also become fantastic and reliable ambassadors for Grove House as they take up their positions next term.

Finally I would like to thank all the tutors in Grove for their invaluable help and support throughout the year: Mr Hodsdon, Mr Morris, Mr Gant, Mrs Pickles, Miss O'Leary and Mrs Cowling.

Hope

According to Ricky Cervais the second 'series' is always the most difficult. Hopefuls were not greeted with the smell of new paint, new carpets and new furniture, but any fears that Hope House had lost the sparkle and sense of purpose of its first year were soon dispelled. It has been a privilege to be with such a group of talented and supportive young people this year - each one adds something positive in his or her own way and I am sorry that it is not possible to mention everyone by name in this report.

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The new third form soon made their presence felt - initially slightly wary of a tutor they could barely understand who has a black belt in karate, they overcame their apprehensions in no time and have proved a lively addition to the house. The Upper Sixth have organised house events with minimum fuss and commendable support from the rest of the house and Tamsin has been a strong leader, encouraging and coercing as required!

If there is one area of school life that has been particularly outstanding for Hopefuls this year, it must be the music.Tamsin led the house enthusiastically to success in the House Singing Competition, ably assisted musically by Helena and Robbie. An unbeatable team who managed to get most of the house singing in tune and persuaded them to smile and sing with apparent pleasure - Livin' on a Prayer seemed an appropriate choice for a house named after a former Archbishop. Robbie went on to win the Senior Music Festival and Nick and Oliver won their sections in the Junior Music Festival. These performances were all memorable but they form but a small part of the musical contribution made by members of the house over the year. Robbie and Nick in particular have delighted audiences at many a concert, as indeed have Helena and Alex Green. We were well represented in the Gala concert which I am sure will linger in pupils' minds for a very long time, and the recent Cabaret Concert was a splendid occasion with a large number of the house taking part. Robbie's 'Old Man River' was especially moving.

Whilst considering the 'arts' Jess P is to be congratulated on being awarded the Junior art prize - I'm so pleased that 'the L door' made it up L and down Jelbert •"• Way without disaster striking! The art exhibition indicated that there is significant talent in the house, as in turn had the DT exhibition, with Mitch the worthy winner of the DT prize. The drama continues to challenge the audiences and Georgie, Hannah and Izzie have all performed with conviction and assurance this year. I hope the Mystery Plays go well.

Juliet Buffey

House sport has been something of a curate's egg this year, but has always been played in the right spirit with great determination and sense of sportsmanship. Team spirit has been strong and if we increase our wins by 50% each year the future looks rosy. Having retained the senior girls' netball trophy, led by Catriona, Oliver and Rob F also won the senior boys' tennis. We were runners up in both the girls' swimming and the squash, and third in the hockey, with a good goal from Katharine which promises well for next year. Hettie won the Senior Cross Country and also shared the Vitrix Ludorum athletics cup. Michael won the junior discus and the senior girls put in a good performance in the relay to win. We are yet to seriously challenge in the boys team sports - the juniors lost every game in the rugby 7s, but did manage to get through to the second round of the cricket - perhaps next year? The boys should be able to field a full Hope House senior 7s next year with welcome new talent in the Lower Sixth form. It is perhaps a shame that there is no house rowing as Oliver would have had a crew of enthusiastic and able juniors to support him this year.

I am well aware that many members of the house are accomplished in expressing their views and this was used to good effect in both debating competitions this year. The seniors had a strong team and were well briefed by Kate. The fourth form are well practised in arguing their points of view and were close runners up in the competition. Lucy and Jamie were particularly impressive in their research and passion - the least said about MacDonalds the better!

It is fitting that a community that is generally very supportive within the house should also be so keen to give of their time and energy in the wider community. Kate received a Community Action prize deservedly for her long and committed role in the Community Action programme. It would be invidious to single out other individuals, but members of the house spent time with the elderly, the disabled, danced, read, collected money, baked cakes, helped in shops and at charity events and received praise wherever they went. Most of the fifth form coped with unusually hot weather to clear paths etc after their exams. I hope that everyone involved in Community Action found that what may have been started with an eye to a UCAS form or Duke of Edinburgh award ended as being a much richer experience.

The strong work ethic in the house is evidenced to an extent by the academic prize winners at the end of the year and Cathy, Mitch, Sarah, Hannah, Jess, Jamie, JJ, Lucy and Katharine are to be congratulated. However, the end of year reports suggest that accolades should go far beyond these few. If everyone handed in their merits perhaps the merit cup would also be Hopeward bound!

My thanks go to the Upper Sixth - a group small in number but big in heart and commitment. They have led by example and have been most reliable in organising house events. Tamsin has been an excellent Head of House - she knows the different year groups and has encouraged and cajoled people into volunteering for events masterfully. I have valued her thoughts and help throughout the year. She and Cathy have been worthy of their gowns, fulfilling their roles with integrity. My best wishes go to all of the Upper Sixth - for their results and for successful university careers. My band of tutors have, as always, been generous with their time and support. I am indebted to my assistant, Mr Duffy, and to Mr Shread, Mr Edwards, MrWright and Miss Ullstein who has been a most welcome addition to the team! Their good humour, energy and determination to bring the best out each of their charges is very much appreciated. It is with great sadness that we say good-bye to MrWright at the end of this term.The fifth form will have to find someone else to look after next year! We wish him a very long and happy retirement.

Another year over, we look to the future, as Tamsin would have us say - 'with hope in our hearts'. I congratulate Alex, Holly and Robbie on being appointed monitors and look forward to working with Robbie in his capacity as Head of House next year. No longer perceived as the 'new' house, we will I am sure go from strength to strength, appreciating each individual for his or her contribution so that the whole may in turn contribute to the wider school community.

S. Watkinson

Linton

Autumn Term

Forty Lintonites returned after the summer holiday and it was a pleasure to welcome two new boys into the lower sixth as well as five members of the new third form. Mr Marriott escaped from The Manor to join us as assistant housemaster, and Paddy Stephen took over as Lower Sixth tutor. All settled in well back into the pace of school life with the vast majority occupied outside of lessons either on the river or on the rugby field.

Academically last year's Upper Sixth scored an astonishing number of A grades at A-level and both Gary Ng and Josh Noble returned to Linton with a full clutch of A's at AS.

Sam Ash led (or misled?) the Great Egg Race team to the wooden spoon! The brief was to design a machine to launch a ball to a target five metres away. Despite the abundance of brains around the table the team was only able to build a (wonky) tube and, using brute force, sent the ball in completely the wrong direction!

House cross-country was a big event this term with a large team of Lintonites squelching around the Ings course. In the juniors Hugo and new Lintonite Roman Faithfull took second and third placings. In the seniors we had a strong house turn out though a certain aging housemaster had to work hard to keep just ahead of the fastest Lintonite, Rory Wells, who came fourth overall in the race. Linton were pipped to second place by the old enemy.

In senior house rugby we surprised even ourselves by progressing easily through the first three rounds. In the semi-final a fine try by Andrew Neal gave us the victory. Having beaten Queen's in the first round we were very confident going into the final. However, luck was not on our side and a mistake gave Queen's a last minute try beating us by one point on the whistle! This was a really good effort and it certainly was pleasing to see how the three year groups worked well as a team: Andrew Neal, Jeffrey Cho, Michael Chan,Tom Nelson,Toby Hinchcliffe, Erik Prenzlin, James Chantry, Josh Noble and Sam Ash deserve the praise.

House dinner ended a great Autumn Term. The venue (much improved in our opinion) of the Dining Hall really added to the atmosphere and certainly Sam Ash's speech was one of the best we have witnessed for years: the investigation into the 'sleeve thefts' brought down the house, though I wonder if Mr Whitehouse will ever forgive him...

Spring Term

The first half of term saw the Linton garden covered in deep snow and large numbers of games fixtures were unfortunately cancelled. The Upper Sixth could not settle on a final song for house singing and with only days to go PMK stepped in and 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' by Queen became our choice. Not universally popular initially, the boys did eventually get stuck into it. With Roman on the drums and Tom Bright on bass we did a fine job and

were unlucky not be seeded in the first three. Physical actions together with the improvised wailing of Josh Burley and James Chantry certainly got us biggest laughs and claps of the night - well done boys.

In sport Sam Ash and Andrew Neal captained the under 18 and under 16 hockey teams respectively to a number of very good wins. The trio of rowers Rory Wells, Jeff Cho and Ali Stephenson continued to dominate in the coxed four, gaining an outstanding silver medal at the Schools' Head of the River in London. These boys then went on to win the fours event at the Yorkshire Head by a huge margin over club and university crews.

Peter Clark, aided by a number of others in the Lower Sixth, produced an excellent house chapel based around the theme of "Hatred" in today's society.The football chanting of the Lower Sixth together with Roman Faithfull's shock admission helped to lighten the otherwise serious message. Sam Burley performed a worryingly accurate rendition of a 'chav' with Tom Bright demonstrating his upper class breeding!

The term closed with Lintonites fully involved in ever larger aspects of school life, including representation at the Rosslyn Park 7s and the Duke of Edinburgh Gold & Silver award. Linton provided two candidates for the 'mock' election: Will Grice (a.k.a Bill Rice) stood for the Liberal Democrats aided by his dark spin-doctor Mr Fergus Lane, and also James Chantry stood for the UKIP. Both battled hard against four other candidates with Linton coming out with 1st and 2nd placings with Will on top with over 100 votes.

It is worth at this point mentioning the impressive rugby representation this term: Sam Ash (England U18 Barbarians), Toby Hinchdiffe (Yorkshire U17), Tom Nelson (Yorkshire U16) and Jake Taylor (East Yorkshire U14).

Summer Term

As the inevitable exam session kicked in it was still a pleasure to see the boys working hard for success outside on the classroom. Linton entered a strong team into Sports Day, winning the prestigious House Shield by a good margin. Top performances came from wins for Frazer MacRostie (senior discus and shot), Toby Hinchdiffe (intermediate javelin and 100 metres), Tom Nelson (intermediate discus), Roman Faithfull (junior 800 metres) and Daniel James (junior javelin). Sam Ash was placed second in both the senior 100 metres and 200 metres, giving him the Clive Lewis sprint cup. Of particular note was the small but successful junior team: four of the third form contested 16 events between them, scoring valuable house points.

On the river the boys four (comprising of three Lintonites) carried on their success from last term and gained a place in the final 5 boats at the National Schools Regatta - an excellent reward for alt their hard work over the year. These Lintonites formed a third of the Henley VIII which put up an impressive fight against a strong crew from Salisbury School USA.

We would not have been able to survive this year without the hard work from all staff involved in the house. Michelle and her cleaning team continue to work miracles and the maintenance staff keep Linton looking in fine shape. Our fantastic team of tutors have supported the boys very well and thank Mr Stephen and Mr MilesKingston for their great help. Mr Whitehouse finishes his time with Linton this term. He has been an excellent help in the house over the last three years; very efficient and certainly incredibly thorough in the way he works. We wish him and his wife Lucy best wishes with their new role as houseparents of Dronfield. Finally big thanks to Mr Marriott who as new assistant housemaster has gone out of his way to support us in our work and he is thoroughly respected by the boys in the house.

As the term drew to a close we wished all our leavers a fond farewell. Charlie Bilton moves over to Hong Kong to complete his education, and Erik Prenzlin down to Exeter to finish sixth form. In the Upper Sixth we lose eight long-standing members of the house. They will certainly be missed as we have shared so many good moments with them over the years. So, goodbye and farewell to Sam, Ferg, Josh, Will G.Tom, Gary, Frazer and Will P.

M and SJ Hall

Manor

Head of Maintenance, Graham Fennell, and his team worked hard on Manor again over the summer of 2009. Although there weren't the glamorous improvements of the previous summer, rooms and corridors were painted. My number one objective remains the games room, when appropriate funding can be found. It has been, however, another year of fine achievements by the boys of Manor. Last year's Upper Sixth by and large achieved their A Level grades as predicted and have now started the next stage of their careers.

Alex Ward spent six weeks in July and August at our exchange partners, Selborne College, in East London, South Africa. I am sure that Alex would recommend the exchange to anyone. In return we received Litha Dweba who turned out to be one of the best Selbornians of recent years. I thought that he might have trouble living up to the expectations , «*» -'-- created by Vaughan Guest last year but he met and possibly exceeded them by getting along extremely well with everyone he encountered.

The three trophies won this year reflect the most successful year in recent times in the inter-house tournaments. The first of our triumphs this year came in the senior house debating cup. Our side of Sam Jefferies, Ali Newton and Litha Dweba sailed into the final to meet odds-on favourites, Dronfield. Arguing that child labour is acceptable, the boys successfully framed the debate in terms of what third world countries would lose, in spite of their own opinions! The juniors gained valuable experience before bowing out as Dronfield gained revenge.

We defended the senior cross-country trophy and, although the margin of victory was not as comfortable as last year, the boys won with some ease. Particular mention should go to Alastair Newton who ran with great success in both the cross-country and track events this year, and he should be congratulated on his selection for the North Yorkshire team. In the juniors, third year Tom Dickinson impressed and should be in with a shout of the title next year.

Kenny Liu must be commended for his outstanding commitment to the Boat Club and his appointment as captain for next year. Will Smith played first team hockey and tennis, managing to combine his sporting commitment with musical excellence. Will Easterby was part of a school riding team that enjoyed considerable success this year and I do hope that we will hear more publically about this sport, in part to educate the ignorant townies!

We also successfully defended the junior six-a-side cricket trophy. School House were dispatched in the first round following excellent batting from skipper Sam McCullagh and Charlie Cornock and good bowling from all five players. Finals day saw us beat Queen's in the semi before taking on pre-tournament favourites Clifton for a re-match of last season's final. Special mention here for the other two Manorites in the Yorkshire Twenty 20 U15 Cup winning side, Dan Harding and Tom Dickinson. Along with Sam, Charlie, Tom Colthup and Harrison Medley, they ensured a reasonably straight forward victory.

Both senior and junior rugby 7s teams reached the semi-finals of the inter-house competition before exiting to eventual winners of both tournaments, Queen's House. The seniors were particularly unlucky, losing to a last play drop-kick conversion from the touchline. There is little doubt that whoever won that semi was always going to win the final and we rued missed chances. The juniors lost to an exceptional side but demonstrated great tenacity. Queen's proved to be our bete noire this year and also did for us in the final of the inter-house hockey competition.

My personal highlight of the Christmas term was the school production of Moliere's L'Avare. Manorites contributed to a hilarious and professional performance with Freddie Wintrip again demonstrating his talent in a lead role and fourth year Will Easterby adding genuinely comic moments. Tom Miles and Will Smith were behind the scenes with the video and audio. The quality of school productions is a testament to the remarkable hard work of all involved. Freddie should be congratulated on his achieving a place in the National Youth Theatre this summer. The juniors also enjoyed their drama in the summer term with Harrison Medley, Will Hartrey and Tom Riley joining Will in the production.

The boys chose to recognise the continuing evil of prejudice in our annual house chapel address. It was crafted very thoughtfully by Sam Jefferies in conjunction with James Coates and James Deri. I hasten to add that it was far more eloquent than anything that I could have scripted but, in an era of relative success for the BNP, it served as a reminder that discrimination in terms of race, gender and sexuality continues to boil just below the surface of British society.

It was a pleasure to work with this year's Upper Sixth who proved to be a thoughtful and talented group. David Glen was an excellent Head of House and I would like to thank him for his support and loyalty. He was ably assisted by the other two "old boys" Tom Bilton and Jamie Getty. The remaining seven in the year group joined us in the Lower Sixth and totally changed the face of the year group. Ollie Burdass was the most improved sportsman in the year, an excellent all-rounder as were Ben Owen and James Deri. James Coates and Nick Rosenberg set excellent examples for all, as did Ben Chan who possessed a remarkable work ethic. Laurence Cowen left us with talent to burn. I have written little about their individual achievements as they will be well documented in the sports section; far more importantly, all ten have developed into lovely young men.

As we leave The Manor, on behalf of the boys, I would like to thank all the people who help to make this such a special community. First of all, my assistants David Ray and Alastair Cameron, without whose dedication and care Manor would not function. Secondly, my tutors, Matthew Adams, John Darmody and John Owen-Barnett, the latter of whom I have always seen as my mentor. Thirdly, Colette, our incredible matron, who does far too much for the boys! Fourthly, a wonderful team of cleaners: Brenda, who retired this summer having seen out three different housemasters, Karen, Kath, Jill and the indomitable Katy are worth their weight in gold. Finally, Kirstie and Megan get the raw end of the deal and it is time for me to put that right.

PC Taylor

Queen's

i go and save the best for last" sang Vanessa Williams. It was certainly true this year. We won more, did more and perhaps even enjoyed more than ever before. In my final year as Housemaster of Queen's I can look back fondly on this last year. As ever all of what I write can only be achieved with the support of the tutors, parents but most of all the students. The house group of 2009-10 are a fine bunch and I look forward to following their progress from across the road.

The value of an all-round education is clear in this report. Academics matter, but the experiences in all the activities below build a much fuller person. It has been a delight to watch, and take part in, the successes, the failures and most of all the fun and learning.

Boys Sport saw our biggest success this year. It all started with the Senior House Sevens and two memorable moments. The first was a touchline dropkick conversion in the semi-final to win by two points; the second a dramatic injury time try in the final to win by one point. Both were scored by Dave McDermottroe but both belonged also to the team who created the opportunities. After years of "nearlies" in the house rugby this was enjoyed by all. The Juniors, a really talented house team, made things rather easier meaning we had a clean sweep in rugby this year!

The boys' successes continued. There were victories in the Inter house hockey where Calum Craig excelled; and in the Inter-House Swimming with great contributions by many including both Clarksons. Indeed all the boys' sports at both Junior and Senior level upported this year. We have talented individuals se spirit which really showed. On Sports Day McDermottroe won the Senior Boys 100m; Tom White the Senior Javelin and the senior team won the 4 X 100m relay. Charlie Greswold won the Inter boys 200m and Joseph Smith the Junior 1500m.

"iris Sport went well again this year. What was impressive was the ease with which teams were filled.' was strong in all events whether we were com""" live or not. Hockey wa strongest sport when unlucky not to win, I in the end in the fin; penalty flicks. We rea the final also in sq tennis and badminton Worsman sisters gave; service in all three oft! Charlotte McDermottroe won the 100m on Sports Day.

TomH.tch.nor

In the Senior Music Festival Katie McLeish won the ... guitar. Katie was deservedly appon prize for composition was awarded to Emily Gee with Hannah Gee commended in the Junior festival.

The House Sing was good fun if ultimately unsuccessful. We certainly enjoyed ourselves but our choice of song, in the end, didn't t late well to the stage and perhaps was a

complex. The work done by the senior students in getting this together was admirable and a great deal of progress was made in the short practice sessions. My thanks go to Monica Peach in particular for her efforts here.

The other (equally important) stuff

House debating continued this year organised by Justin Wong. We were unlucky to go out and certainly we have some real talent for next year. Yet again our Egg Race team did their best but just failed at the last.Thanks to all who took part in this (John Hamilton; Tom Whitaker; Toby Clarkson; Eddy Clarkson; Nick Stephen; Sam Philpott)

House chapel, on the theme of International Women's Day, went well again this year being well organised by the two Heads of House with all readers impressing.

This year, once again, a great number were involved in various community action programmes. I continue to be amazed by the commitment shown by a great many of the students to the various programmes and in particular would like to congratulate Alex Telfer, Harriet Yates, Justin Wong, Patricia Swiers, Emily Gee and Edwina Denison for their noteworthy contributions. Justin Wong was recognised for his efforts by the Minster Lions. the start of the summer term. She will make a fine housemistress and I am sure by the time this report is read she will have made her own positive impact on the students. Mr Lancaster has served as a tutor in Queen's for (we think) 23 years! In this time he has given an extraordinary amount to the students in his care and I have particularly valued his help in preparing students' UCAS applications. I wish him all the best in his retirement. As ever though, my last thanks go the students. They have put in a tremendous amount of effort over the year, in and out of class, and I fully commend them on all they have achieved.

S. Cwilliam

The People

I have been delighted with the two Heads of House, Will Peet and Sophie Worsman, who got on with their jobs with the minimum of fuss and set a fine example to others. I really appreciated their efficiency, reliability and affability. The U6th by now will be in pastures new and I hope they are really enjoying what they do. It was a pleasure to have them in house.

The tutors, as always, require great thanks. They do a lot of hard work on a regular basis which the students greatly appreciate. Mrs Hempsall has provided excellent support in the last year as Assistant Housemistress, not least of which was when I was stuck abroad at

Rise

Scarlett Shaw, Zoe Pindar, Ellie Fletcher, Natalie Mounsey and Harriet Falshaw joined the house in September to make up a formidable Third Form. As the youngest contingent of the house they have proved to be useful both in and out of the classroom and have been a real asset to the house throughout the year. Into the Lower Sixth we welcomed Pip Gray and Sophie Jones; again, both girls have really made their mark in the house and wider school community.

Mrs Barnard also joined The Rise as tutor to the Third and Fourth Forms and has done an excellent job ensuring her charges are well cared for by steering them through a busy and sometimes pressured year.

Once again, despite being the smallest house we have made our mark in the inter-house programme. The Rise came first in both the Senior and Junior Cross Country competitions. The Great Egg Race was a seriously fought but good humoured contest and again we came top. Fabienne Roth, Jess Foxley, Sophia Lu, Bea Murray-Nag, Natalie Mounsey and Laura Mounsey successfully fired ping-pong balls through a target to make The Rise reigning champions for the third time out of the last four years. Who said girls can't do Physics!

The hockey players performed well at all levels with Laura Mounsey and Rosie Dallas playing regularly for the school's first team. In the interhouse tournament we came a respectable fourth, beating our nearest and dearest rivals from across the road. On the river the rowers enjoyed wonderful weather right through the Christmas Term. This would end after the holiday when snow and ice stopped most activities - even rowing!

We have a fine batch of actors and all took full advantage of the opportunities thrown at them by Tim Coker. L'Avare proved to be a hilarious antidote to the end of a long and tiring term. Pip Gray took a leading role as Elise with other great performances from Ruby Wilson, Tilly Binns, Ellie Binks and Fabienne Roth. The now regular boarders/Music Department trips to Opera North saw us at Cosi Fan Tutte preceded by the now customary dinner at Kendall's bistro. Equally successful nights out to see La Boheme and Mary Stuart would follow later in the year.

The customary evenings out to Berwick Kaler's panto and iceskating proved once again to be popular and thanks to Mrs Shepherd for arranging both. try conditions that would last well into the term. The decision to close the school for the weekend two weeks into term because of the atrocious conditions proved to be popular with most parents and all pupils and the school and The Rise fell into eerie silence as the snow continued to fall and York came to a standstill. Those stranded at school enjoyed unexpected freedom and an expedition to the City Screen to see Avatar. Snow ball fights were commonplace and the dining room became mysteriously devoid of tea trays...

More drama this term provided a welcome distraction for all, with great performances from Pip Gray, Ellie Binks and Tilly Binns in Woyzeck and Polly Fairbank and Jess Foxley working hard behind the scenes. All houses rose to the House Sing challenge; contrary to popular belief, The Rise did not practise for longer than other houses, but

took the challenge seriously to be placed a very respectable third. We were also third in the house badminton thanks to Tilly Binns, Summer Taylor, Molly Bythell and jess Fairbank. The cold conditions meant the netball season was severely disrupted and this year's First Team captain Sarah Munro did not perhaps get as much opportunity as she would have liked to develop her role.

just in time to hear Sophia sing a Chinese folk song in Mandarin.The Senior Music Competition again saw The Rise well represented. Sophia won both the piano and singing categories and Sophie Jones on her saxophone narrowly missed a placing. However her talent was recognised when she came first in both the York and Regional rounds of the Rotary Club's Young Musician of the Year.

Girls' cricket proved to be popular with the Lower Sixth in the summer term. Tom Mariott brought his team up to scratch; Leeds grammar was the competition. Unfortunately they were too good for us. Maybe next year! On the river Ellie Fletcher's and Harriet Falshaw's single scull wins proved that hard work really does pay off. Phoebe Liu also performed well at numerous regattas and was awarded the Riverman trophy for her enthusiasm and hard work both on and off the water. School tennis and athletics were well represented by Rise girls with Scarlett Shaw, Fabienne Roth and Natalie Mounsey playing first team tennis and Ruby Wilson and Lavinia Taylor proving their worth at long jump and on the track.

Sports Day saw some great performances from Harriet Falshaw (300m), Cus Aiken (800m), Polly Fairbank (shot) and Lavinia Taylor

It is a tribute to the girls of The Rise that we are able to boast so many varied achievements within the space of just a year. Apologies to those I have missed out and congratulations to all who have contributed in any way to events that make the house the busy community that it is. It is particularly pleasing to mention those who have quietly got on with activities that often have little significance within the bounds of St Peter's but nevertheless illustrate determination and regard for others. Outside school Zoe Pindar, EHie Fletcher and Harriet Falshaw have all done well in gymnastics, hockey and riding respectively. Gussie Aiken, Sophia Lu and Jess Foxley have contributed hugely to the Community Action Programme; Jess was rightly awarded the Community Action Prize at Commemoration for her work with a variety of outside organisations.

(javelin); despite the freezing conditions The Rise was in first place up until the 4 x4 relays when we were severely beaten and had to make do with second. The Rise also settled for second place in the Interhouse rounders, with some tremendous play from Natalie Mounsey, Lavinia Taylor, Scarlett Shaw and Jess Fairbank. We lost by just half a rounder to Dronfield. However the following week justice was done when we beat Dronfield by a mere 0.003 of a merit to win the Merit Cup; this was a great achievement for the whole house.

In drama, Pip Gray again proved her versatility in her monologue. Ruby Wilson and Lavinia Taylor were both excellent in Misero Buffo with Ruby going on to play opposite Bill Goss in the brilliant Zoo Story. Down at the Art School both Rosie Dallas and Bella MurrayNag collected drawing awards and The House brought home the House Art shield for the second year of its existence. The Junior Music Competition saw Natalie Mounsey win the singing category, Gus Aiken successfully completed his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award and Ellie Binks headed a very successful Young Enterprise team.

My sincere thanks go to Mrs Barnard, Mrs Fricker, Miss Morgan and Mrs Shepherd for their hard work, intuition and time. Thank you also to Mrs Cammidge and the ladies for another year of domestic bliss and finally to Rosie Dallas whose brilliance as Head of House has made for a smooth and (relatively) trouble free year.

Next year Ellie Binks, Pip Gray and Helen Skinner will all be monitors and Polly Fairbank will be Head of School. Finally congratulations to EUie who takes over from Rosie as Head of House.

C.W. Hall

There was a definite buzz of excitement and anticipation for the new school year beginning in September 2009 in School House. Each new year group was settling into their new common rooms, all dressed exquisitely in new school uniforms or suits (oh so smart!) and I was, excitedly yet anxiously trying to find the keys to my new office! School House in 2009 welcomed a new third form, Ella Nadian and Angus Taylor to the L6 and Mr Wall and Mr Taylor to the tutor team as well as me as a new House Mistress. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that it proved to be a great start to what continued to be a wonderful year in School House.

The eagerly anticipated House singing competition was for many the highlight of the year and it was amazing to see such a great, joint effort in singing the Take That anthem 'Shine', chosen by our shaggy - haired, enthusiastic and apparent Take That fan, Froggy, aka Matthew Norell, our strong Head of House this year. Whilst in the past, School House has been known for its singing , prowess, this year was not as suc' cessful. We certainly did 'shine' though, showing enthusiasm, producing loud singing and all conducted expertly by Froggy and Phoebe Mannion. Special mention has to Bill Coss and Gu man-Sharpe of the fourth form for their wonderful instrumental accompaniments on keyboard and guitar respectively. Sadly, we could not repeat the triumph of the previous year but we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and we laughed lots! The House Chapel similarly was wellsupported by an interesting cast of willing participants, but the organisers (Cabby Naismith and Matthew Norell) were sensible and straightforward in their approach, producing a clear, solid message for the rest of the school.

School House certainly proved to be an enter- - — taining House throughout the year displaying an array of talents; Charlotte Terry notably for her humorous and extremely professional performance in the adaptation of Moliere's L'Avare and her success in the Senior Music Festival, alongside a great performance by George Hourston on his classical guitar, beautiful singing by Beth Hall and an expert drumming performance by Max King. Bill Goss and Guy Cowman-Sharpe both performed in House chapel and the Junior Music Festival and there have been many students who have gained numerous musical grades in private exams. School House is certainly a house dedicated to their chosen commitments.

Success on the sports field was not entirely evident this year in Inter House events, but once again, School House pupils showed a great dedication and patriotic attitude to the house with no captains struggling to field full teams. Our greatest House success this year was the Junior Boys Hockey team who won the Inter House competition! There were however, many individual sporting achievements. Ben France won the senior boys' cross-country race after a wonderful effort and determination to pace himself! Oliver Cohen has had a wonderful tennis H season at school this year and outside of school he has been making a name for himself in the world of Badminton. He has represented and been a victor with the North Yorkshire team in many national competitions. I would like to congratulate him on his past, and future, successes. He is clearly a very talented racquet sports player and we wish him the very best of luck. Back to House then and the U6 and L6 particularly have been very dedicated sportsmen and women. Matthew Norell, Max King, Harry Booth and Angus Taylor were regular members of the successful 1st XV rugby team. Harry and Angus both also represented the 1st XI hockey team and the 1st XI cricket team which enjoyed a successful summer. At this point, I'd like to mention the great achievement of Hamish Lynde who is a 4th former and was called up to represent St Peter's 1st X1 cricket team -

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a wonderful accolade; well done! Isabelle Taylor and Alex Eyre should also be congratulated on their selections for North Yorkshire hockey teams this year. The Boys Rowing has been particularly successful this year, helped in no small part by two School House pupils; Adam Janes and Ben Elliott. As I write this report, Adam is currently rowing for a National Team. Many congratulations boys!

School has a wealth of artistic talent and it was a great pleasure to go and see the final results of art work at the final exhibition. I had seen only preparation stages of much of the work and I was in no way disappointed, on the contrary I was astonished. Beth Hall, who has been working towards 2 Art AS levels in painting and sculpture, stole the show for me followed very closely by Lipmunn Tang, many of the 5th form as well as and Kate Spencer who came 3rd in the Senior William Etty Life Drawing competition. Amazing work!

As I have mentioned, the special trait of School House pupils which has particularly impressed me above the countless others this year has been the commitment to any event and the Community

Action members certainly have been busy. Michael Lennox, Ben France, Lipmunn Tang, Rebecca Wootton, Tom Perkins and Ben Irving were all involved on a weekly basis, dedicated to their projects and giving up their time in holidays too. I know that their time, effort and selflessness have been thoroughly appreciated. Lipmunn was also part of the successful Young Enterprise team this year and I congratulate her on her wonderful efforts. I feel too that Tim Darmody in the L6 deserves particular mention for his formidable dedication to the CCF this year. He has supported Mr Howman and the new recruits with sensitivity and effectiveness.

Of course, such activity, diversion and academic performance could not have been achieved without an amazing tutor team and School House can certainly boast that. Mr Northfield who has worked tirelessly with the, at times under motivated but extremely sociable and fun-loving U6, Mr Taylor helped L6 get used to their new role and lifestyle as members of the sixth form which they have done with great maturity and conviction, Mrs Garbutt who worked with, in her words "the best tutor group in the school" and it is true to say the 5th form are an artistically and musically talented and academic bunch. Mrs Mallard adores her 4th form tutor group despite the rather chatty nature of each individual, all of whom have entertained us on the stage and on the sports field alike, and of course, last but certainly not least, Mr Wall. He supported the integration and acclimatisation of the new 3rd form into School House and life at St Peter's. They were an excited and excitable group who Mr Wall supported wholeheartedly throughout the year. He was also a fantastic, supportive and good-humoured assistant to me, and I and his tutor group will be very sorry to see him go but we all wish him the very best of luck in his new position at St Alban's.

The end of each year is always greeted with excitement about summer holidays, freedom and new pastures ready to be explored and of course is tinged with sadness as we say goodbye to some good friends; the U6 and Oliver Cohen from the 5th form. We wish all of you the best of luck for your future careers and successes, and we hope that you carry the memories of your time at St Peter's with fondness and contentedness.

School House has had a fantastic year and whilst it has not been a year filled with whole house accolades for sport and such like, it certainly has been a triumphant house in terms of house spirit, enthusiasm and team work; each individual playing their part no matter how big or small. Every single member of School House this year participated in at least one event. I could not ask for any more from a wonderful group of sociable, fun-loving and dedicated young people and staff, who have made my first year as House Mistress truly enjoyable and unforgettable. I look forward to another successful, entertaining year beginning in September 2010.

"El que la sigue, la consigue"

J. Lunardi