The Peterite 2010-2011 by StPetersYork

2010-2011 Il

The Peterite 2010-2011 Issue No. 428 Contents Commemoration

Valete

Salvete

House Reports

Visits & Exchanges

News, Events & Activities

Community Action

Creative and Cultural

Postcard Portraits

119

Sport

122

Leavers' Destinations

185

•

Head Boy and Girl Ben France and Polly Fairbank

Cover note: Ex pupil Jonathan Bairstow is congratulated on his Man of the Match debut for the full England Cricket Team by Indian Cricket legend Rahul Dravid.

Editorial Imagine the scene. Hong Kong International Airport August

shirt and you realise things just have got much worse. These boys

6th 2011. You're sitting in the middle aisle of a Boeing 747. There

are not on route to a stamp collecting convention or a discourse

are only a few minutes left before take off. Your partner has

on romantic poetry they're RUGBY PLAYERS! - not normally

settled down behind a newspaper and is describing the events

associated with conventional rules of social behaviour.

unfolding in London and other cities back in England where youths some as young as 12 are fighting with police, burning vehicles, damaging property and looting.

12 hours later you have had a pleasant breakfast, you're feeling relaxed and you have chatted with and enjoyed the company of some very personable young men. The 747 has now

Half concentrating on what's being said your mind meanders

landed in Auckland, New Zealand and as it taxis to a halt the

to the 12 hour long haul flight that is about to commence and

captain makes the customary announcements -"the temperature

you're looking forward to it about as much as you would a visit to

outside is 5 degrees, we hope you have enjoyed the flight and will

the dentist. Sleep is always difficult if not impossible when

travel with us again." Followed by "The flight crew would like to

trapped inside the iron maiden which is the economy seating

give a special thanks to the 50 boys on board from St Peter's

arrangement of the aircraft and the prospect of on board food is

School in York, England and we wish them the best of luck on their

about as appetising as last week's lost kebab now rediscovered

rugby tour of New Zealand. They are the most polite and well

under your pillow. The best you can hope for is a quiet flight and

behaved school party we have ever had."

you're thinking please don't let a family with young children sit next to me. Suddenly, you're jolted out of your daydream when out of the corner of your eye you see what appears to be a group of youths approaching the very seating area in which you are trapped. The realisation of what is happening makes your heart sink, your temperature rise and your mouth forms words which if said aloud would result in you being escorted from the aircraft.

Incredible though it seems similar comments were made by the captain and crew on each of the four long haul flights made during that tour. The pages of this magazine will give a flavour of what we do and how we do it but they will not illustrate our end product. I hope that the words above give some indication of that.

The aisles are now full of blue shirted youths wearing their ridiculously large earphones, and carrying their invidious portable electronic telephonic gadgets. Oh no! Things can't get worse but

I was privileged to be one of five staff on that tour. J. Darmody

then you notice the embroidered crest emblazoned on every blue

The Peterite Team The reporting team once again were magnificent this year. I am grateful for their hard work, dedication and enthusiasm. Special thanks to The Photo Magician - Mr. Morris, without whom many of the pages of this magazine would appear very ordinary. Also special thanks to The Magician's Apprentice Maria Mikhaylenko for taking hundreds of photographs. Grateful thanks also to David Peach, Amanda Holmes and others at Mutton Peach and Linden Richardson for their help in the production of this magazine. Also many thanks to my team of proof readers, Penny Bollands, Pat Chandler and Richard Trevett. J.Darmody Editor

Maria Mikhaylenko

Left to right: Bradley Smith, Edwina Denison, Lipmunn Tang, Ellie Binks, Justin Wong, Emily Freeman. The Peterite 2010-2011

Commemoration. Head Master's Address July 8 2011 Back in April a six year old girl called Lulu asked a question. The question was as direct as it was perplexing. Lulu asked: "Dear Cod, how did you get invented?" Lulu's father sent this question to the Scottish Episcopal Church (no reply), the Presbyterians (no reply) and the Scottish Catholics (a nice but theologically complex answer). For good measure, he also sent it to The Archbishop of Canterbury. Many people were struck by his elegant response to Lulu's question: Dear Lulu, Your Dad has sent on your letter and asked if I have any answers. It's a difficult one! But I think God might reply a bit like this'Dear Lulu - Nobody invented me - but lots of people discovered me and were quite surprised. They discovered me when they looked round at the world and thought it was really beautiful or really mysterious and wondered where it came from. They discovered me when they were very very quiet on their own and felt a sort of peace and love they hadn't expected.

Commemoration

Then they invented ideas about me - some of them sensible and some of them not very sensible. From time to time I sent them some hints - especially in the life of Jesus - to help them get closer to what I'm really like. But there was nothing and nobody around before me to invent me. Rather like somebody who writes a story in a book, I started making up the story of the world and eventually invented human beings like you who could ask me awkward questions!' It's important to ask awkward questions. As human beings we sit here in this wondrous and holy place with minds that are always full of questions. At this precise moment, I suspect the most widespread question will be: "How long is he going to bang on for?" Our minds are rarely free of questions - questions about ourselves; questions about others; questions about the world itself.

Schools Guide: St Peter's was named the best independent school

It is fitting that we end the academic year gathered here in

in the country for GCSE Additional Science for boys. This award,

the Minster, a place of deep and mysterious answers. As a school

made on the basis of results for the past three years, is a great

we value beyond words our bonds with the Cathedral Church of St

credit to all the members of the science faculty and the efforts of

Peter, bonds that reach back over the ancient ways. We are

their pupils. This is just one example of the exam success our

honoured to be here for our Commemoration and we are grateful

pupils achieve. We hope for the very best in August for all our

to the Dean and Chapter for this day and for all the answers they

pupils who have taken external exams this summer.

help us to find, through governance and through working in such close association.

However, exam results are of course a cold and starchy measure of what our pupils have been doing. Sadly, the media

For me, and for the school, this has been a year of questions.

persist with these increasingly devalued, clumsy and trivialising

As a new HM, I have asked many - some big, some small, some

league tables. The fiasco of the government's E-Bacc tables illus-

naTve, some searching. Questioning and dialogue are at the heart

trated ever more sharply how difficult it is to measure academic

of a classical Western education. And there are so many questions

success, let alone to agree the right measures of a good education.

we can ask. Questions of the simplest sort: Who, what, where, when? Questions seeking understanding: How? Why?

We have to be ever more savvy in how we prepare our pupils for

But perhaps the most important are questions of identity, belief and belonging. Essential questions. For St Peter's, these are questions like - What kind of school are we? What kind of school do we want to be? What do we stand for? It's vital that we are able to answer these questions with conviction. At a time when more and more regulation is applied to schools, more and more is

university life - both in terms of getting to the right place, but also equipping them to thrive. This year we've embedded careers advice in our 6th Form curriculum. From September, the Head of Careers and Higher Education will now be full time and will have an additional assistant to help with interviews, work experience, research and developing our network of contacts and advisors. There has been plenty of development in our intellectual and

made of inspection, compliance and results, we need to be clear

cultural life.

what we are trying to do.

burgeoning. We sent pupils to the Model United Nations for the

As well as asking our colleagues and parents such questions, we asked the pupils at our whole school Symposium in March. We've had some great answers. One question was: "what would you like St Peter's to be known for?" The five top answers were: Breadth of achievement and well-rounded pupils (x20) A warm, friendly and welcoming community (x18)

Our Virtual Learning Environment, i-Fawkes, is

first time and ran a trans-Atlantic Politics exchange. We have gazed at stars, considered supersonic cars and pondered X rays, as part of the excellent public physics lectures; our Christmas science lectures were full of creativity and fun.The Physics Olympics fascinated and challenged pupils from 34 local schools.

We have

created a Complementary Studies team to lead and develop Horizons and Global Perspectives - golden bits of non-assessed curriculum time. We have entered a record number of pupils for

Academic success (x18) Sporting achievement (x11)

Open University modules; hosted and sent pupils to a number of Masterclass events as part of our role in the Independent State School partnership in York. Classics is booming, and in September

Happiness: a place to be enjoyed (x10) Last August saw St Peter's best ever results at CCSE and our 3rd best ever at A level.

We are successful in exams - this is

we will be offering a two-year Latin GCSE course, free of charge, to pupils from schools across York.

because our pupils and staff work hard together to get the best

We have taken pupils as far afield as Morocco, USA, France, Belgium, Spain, India - and Scarborough! We've hosted numerous

out of themselves. Our Upper Sixth have, as a cohort, done so

visiting speakers and author visits and hosted regional conferences

well in gaining offers from good universities in what is the most

for Modern Linguists and Science Technicians.

competitive year ever. Eight of our pupils are aiming at Oxbridge

dinary exhibitions and talks have occurred in the Whitestone Gallery and we've taken part in the York Open Studios programme.

offers. Last week we received some great news from the Good

Some extraor-

The Peterite 2010-2011

Commemoration

To take a walk through our Art block is to experience a festival of

lavish and inventive Senior School Musical, our own adaptation of

talent and application: our artists have justly earned a very strong

Shakepeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with music from the

local reputation.

Our Young Enterprise company reached the

golden age of Hollywood. Drama students spent a week in Greece

regional finals and scooped awards for best presentation & best

in October; on their return, the GCSE Drama groups then

managing director, answering all kinds of questions of them as a

performed a modern version of "Oedipus Rex". Two upper sixth

team, along the way. Our designers have produced some stunning

formers later directed the irreverent Greek comedy Lysistrata - a

work - inventive, stylish and well produced. Sport asks questions of us as individuals and team players and again, this year has seen great participation excellently supported by our sports staff and committed teaching colleagues. Girls' sport first - 80% of our girls have represented

brilliant achievement. The Middle School play, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, was a wonderfully engaging romp from start to finish. As drama thrives, we'll have two additional members of staff in September, including the new role of drama technician supporting productions across the three schools. Music is woven into the fabric of the

the school and they have been hugely We are U18 North of

school and our musicians have practised

England Hockey finalists; U14/15 North

and performed with phenomenal skill and

successful.

of England Athletics Champions; and

energy.

U14 North Yorkshire Tennis Champions.

year, we have sung a memorable evensong

In our Director of Music's debut

Most recently we became U16 National

at Durham Cathedral, and given a hugely

Champions in Rounders. Our girls have

enjoyable Christmas Concert.

played

Our tradi-

whole-hearted

tional Carol Service in the Minster, with

determination.

choir and brass leading the event, set the

Turning to boys' sport and highlights

spirits soaring. The Chapel Choir produced

include our U16 rugby squad's heroic

and dogged performances that made

Homestart

commitment

with and

spine-tingling contribution Concert.

the

There was some

them the first Yorkshire school to win

fabulous solo playing in the Winter Concert;

the Northern Floodlit Cup in 21 years,

the performance of the third movement of

defeating Manchester Grammar School.

Mendelssohn's

We were U16 North of England Hockey

memory closed the event and left the

finalists and our 1st XI hockey and 1st VI

audience open-mouthed. We held a major

tennis teams were undefeated against

Choral concert here in March, featuring a

school opposition. Our 1st XI cricketers

first

won the Bruton Cricket Festival.

Unfinished Symphony.

Rowing, a thoroughly co-educational sport, asks big questions of endurance and belief. We have this year recorded our highest ever number of wins. At the Schools' Head of the River Race, we recorded our first ever win at this national event, winning the Schools' Fours. The National Schools' Regatta followed in May, with 5 crews reaching semi-finals, our first gold

Piano

Concerto

class performance

from

of Schubert's

There was a high

profile visit by the Chapel Choir to Christ Church, Oxford to sing evensong. And of course the wondrous Cabaret concerts were stylish, slick with wonderfully accomplished performances. It's worth noting that 3 of our outgoing U6 have 7 grade 8 distinctions and 2 diplomas between them; and we are saying goodbye today to 7 further grade 8 musicians.

medal since 2005 in the Junior 18 coxed fours. This same crew

Performances have raised money for Jessie's fund; the earth-

also won Gold at the Ghent International Junior Regatta in April.

quake appeal for Christchurch, New Zealand; and Yorkshire Air

Our senior 8 made the last 16 at Henley last week and one boy

Ambulance. But, it's not just our musicians who have been fund-

has been selected for final Great Britain rowing trials. There have been some notable individual successes in sport this year, with two England Hockey trialists, and a total of 19 pupils playing for Yorkshire across a variety of sports. Whether it's a home fixture, an away fixture, a tour to New Zealand or Barbados, a practice match or coaching session - playing hard and fair is a key tenet of the school. Sport brings us into contact with

raising - the Beverley 10k and St Peter's half marathon saw pupils and staff running together for local charities. The MacMillan Coffee Morning and Valentine's Appeal for Arclight Shelter both did well. Red Nose Day elicited some very fine fancy dress. In my book, it was the Chaplain's highly authentic 'Guy Fawkes' that stole the show, albeit narrowly, from a pair of dice, a 6 foot crayon and two 'Henry the Hoovers'.

people from different settings, and with our fabulous new

The inspirationally led Community Action programme has co-

swimming pool now being used not only by members of the

ordinated volunteers, hosted social events and built links with

school community, but also people from across York, we can see

numerous local and national charities.

the way in which sport brings people together. I would echo my

vimpact award for 150 hours of volunteering and 12 pupils have

thanks to all those people who worked to make the pool happen.

achieved v50 awards. Wonderful things have been done, and I

Drama has also brought us into contact with the local community. The year opened with performances in the York Mystery plays to audiences of over 4,000 and three Peterites took up places in the National Youth Theatre. Sequins sparkled in the The Peterite 2010-2011

One pupil achieved a

blow the trumpet now for community action not in a spirit of satisfaction but as a call to arms for the years to come. In such activities, we ask questions of ourselves and challenge some of our more cosy and simplistic answers. As a school we must look

Commemoration

evermore beyond our 47 acres. Expanding the Bursaries scheme is a vital part of this openness.

We have fantastic teaching staff at St Peter's - multi-talented, dedicated, hard-working. I would like to pay warm tribute to my

This year saw increasing numbers in both the CCF and the

colleagues who have worked tirelessly this year.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. We started the year with 155

Several valued colleagues are leaving the School today. The

cadets in the Army and RAF sections and 143 participants in the

Chairman mentioned The Chaplain - he has been a rock, a beacon

Bronze, Silver and Gold awards of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award

of dignity, theological seriousness and wise guidance for 15 years.

Scheme. This excellent picture is credit to a very well-led team of

Give Hodsdon retires from the Modern Languages department

dedicated staff who give up time during the week and at

and we wish him 'bonne route' as he cycles away from St Peter's

weekends and holidays, to support and inspire pupils to ask

for the final time. Helen Morgan is moving to Cambridge with her

themselves tough questions and develop leadership and self-

family after 9 good years teaching Physics.Tom Marriott goes with

reliance.

our best wishes to teach History at Cranleigh. Ali Cameron is off

Ill

to a Maths post at Abbotsholme, and Toby Moschard is moving south for post-graduate study. We thank all these colleagues and hope they will take St Peter's with them in their hearts. I would like to thank all the support staff - our colleagues in the bursary, estates, domestic, catering, porters, matrons and nurses, grounds-staff, maintenance, technicians. Without them, we'd be nothing. And I must take this chance to celebrate the career of Mr Graham Metcalf who has been a technician in the Physics department for a remarkable 37 years. I know that he will be sorely missed - he is a man of unflappable calm and diverse talents; a true professional and the epitome of all that is great about this school. Pauline Cammidge, Matron in the Rise, also leaves us today after 27 loyal years working at St Peter's. I thank my senior team sincerely for seeing me in so meticulously; the Master of St Olave's, who has been a wonderful support and a good friend, and the excellent Head Mistress of Clifton Preprep, Mrs Arkley, whom we all wish well as she retires. I'd also like to thank staff, parents and pupils who have welcomed my family so warmly. December's ISI inspection report stated simply that St Peter's is a successful school, where pupils are well educated and attainment at GCSE and A-level is excellent. They found us to be a strong, happy and supportive community, with high quality pastoral care.

The Ofsted inspection of boarding found us

outstanding. The inspectors commended the excellent relations between parents and school, and I would like to thank all parents today. Whether through the Friends of St Peter's or in your support of school events or in our individual contacts with you over your children's progress, we are lucky to have such a The Peterite 2010-2011

Commemoration

supportive parent body. The spectacular flowers on show today were arranged by parents. Thank you. The inspection report rightly found Governance at the school to be excellent. I would like to thank Nick Shepherd, Chairman of Governors, for his unerring support and wise advice. The Chairman is supported by two excellent Vice-Chairmen and a fantastic Board, who are generous with their time and expertise. The inspection team threw down some challenges. We have

And amongst this excellent year group, I must single out our Head Boy, Ben France, and Head Girl, Polly Fairbank - they have been great ambassadors and advisors. They have answered every question asked of them; they are tremendous examples of what the school stands for and I thank them for all they have done. The monitor

taking exams. With this in mind we have formed an academic discussion and policy group, named after a legendary St Peter's teacher of the 19th century, Mr George Yeld. The Yeld Group will spear-head academic innovation and improvement.

has

really is a vintage year by all accounts.

been working hard on creative teaching methods, a spirit of adventure and enquiry, a love of learning, as well as proficiency in

team

been superb too - this

Commemoration is about honouring and sharing our vision - it's about looking back

and

looking

forward; a day for the

As the Chairman remarked, our wide-ranging whole school

rear-view mirror and

consultation this year, has generated a new clarity about our

for the road ahead.

values and aims. We feel confident that we have captured the

And, if

our

essence of St Peter's and set it in a fresh and forward-looking way.

speaker

today

This is a vision founded on the sure rock of the school's traditional

kindly forgive the pun

Christian ethos, and looking to a future of openness and invention.

- it's about motion.

We will be launching the Three Schools new aims in September.

Albert

guest will

Einstein

said: "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving". Schools are, by their very nature, always in motion - new pupils arrive and staff come and go, new questions are asked; new answers found. Our motto, Super Antiques Vias, 'over ancient ways', has motion implicit in it. This is a moving school, a school that is about balance - about encouraging our pupils to grow in mind, body and spirit, to be rounded. And, of course, our school is a place of preparation, a place where questions are asked and answers sought. In his first letter, St Peter, our patron, exhorts us to get ready, The Upper Sixth who leave us today embody so many of these values - friendship, compassion and care for others, trust, roundedness, work ethic, humility and hope. You become Old Peterites today - and, from the various dinners and events I've enjoyed attending this year, many of these in the good company of the

to be prepared. Peter writes: "Therefore, prepare your minds for action".

Prepare your minds for action. As we commemorate

today the values of our school, and all the endeavours, achievements and friendships of Peterites down the years, I really hope that our Leavers feel prepared to act.

President and Secretary of the OP Club, I believe you are joining a

To our Leavers, we say farewell. We thank you for all you've

very fine club indeed. Those following behind you in the years

given to this school. We are grateful. We wish you a life of

below can look up to a year group that has been true to the values

learning and friendship. Keep asking questions. And don't lose

of the school - hard-working, honest and great companions to one

touch.

another, as was strongly evident at the excellent Leavers' Ball last week.

The Peterite 2010-2011

Commemoration

Friends of St Peter's Chairwoman's Report The Friends of St.Peter's covers many areas and it exists for the

Widdicombe, has no equal in the world of Raffles. She can

absolute benefit of pupils in school. Any profits we have as a result

galvanise, organise and make a profit selling ice to the Eskimos.

of events we organise in school are shared between requests from

Diana has increased our profits many fold and is an irreplaceable,

various departments, which we now call 'bids', and our nominated

hard-working and supportive colleague. My year as Chair would

charities. We exist because we volunteer our time and efforts and

have been difficult without her. Sara Mason is an expert Secretary,

take pride in the results of our endeavours. Without groups like

produces superb minutes, keeps the Committee focused and

these in schools there would not be the extra equipment provided

forecasts almost exactly how many bottles of wine to buy. Jenni

or the extra initiatives or opportunities to have a lot of fun organ-

Bartram, our Treasurer, keeps expert accounts and calm counsel

ising important school events.

and has been a stalwart Friend for many years. The rest of the

For instance, we join in a welcome tea for new parents of Boarders each September. It is a wrench to leave children behind at school; tea and biscuits does not help too much, but a friendly

committee has provided vital support, ideas and solutions for which I am extremely grateful. It has been a pleasure to work with each and every one.

and understanding face can. This year has been no exception for

We supported another superb Cabaret Concert this year with

FOSP and we are pleased to report our success in supporting many

the bar and marvelled yet again at the standard and musical

departments throughout the school.

abilities of students at St. Peter's. The Cabaret is certainly a

We welcomed the new Head Master in September last year and I think, because he came so willingly to our second meeting, we must have made a good impression. We promised to keep to our Agenda, which is very difficult when there are so many excellent ideas around the table and as much as we wanted to try new ventures in new pastures, we took guidance from Mr Winkley and we glided gently through the school year supporting and organising what we have come to do best.

highlight of the FOSP Agenda. All our functions would not be possible without the excellent help from the Catering Staff, the Maintenance Teams, including those at St. Olave's, the patient St. Peter's Office Staff, the Headmaster's Secretary, the Bursar and all the other backup staff who do so much to ensure slick and seamless events. We have divided our profits this year to plants for Dronfield gardens, Big Band Stands for the Music Department, a Coronado

The first event was joining in with St. Olave's and Clifton Prep at Mulberry Hall in York for a Shopping Evening. Temptation • beyond belief. Then at the end of the Autumn Term we worked with the Drama Department and organised the drinks receptions

Personal Solar Telescope, floats for the new swimming pool, equipment for the Science Department and a bench for dedicated - and tired - parents to use down by the Tennis Courts. As well as our continued support for the Leavers' Ball.

for the nights of the school musical production "Dream a Little

I hand over this year to Diana Widdicombe and wish her well

Dream". Friday night was the superb Gala Night. Black Tie dress

and urge parents to remember the work of FOSP. We need more

code. First class entertainment. FOSP as supporting cast.

support as the years go by. Remember too, we exist purely for the

Our work continued through the Spring Term and at our very productive meetings we fine tuned the Committee, invited bids to

added benefit and enjoyment of pupils, staff and parents at St Peter's and another way of looking at it is this:

the table and discussed the possibilities and potential of future

Forward thinking

events. At these meetings I was hugely indebted to the work of

Outstanding

Wendy Shepherd, our FOSP Staff Representative. A bastion of St.

Special

Peter's, a tireless and committed Friend, an unconditional guide to me and an indomitable spirit. She is a remarkable example of pure determination and I owe her many thanks. My Vice Chair, Diana

Partnership Dawna Goss, Chair, Friends of St. Peter's

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Jeffrey Daly When Jeffrey asked me if I would speak about him at today's leavers do I felt a pang of worry as I was not entirely sure what tone I should take. However John Darmody alleviated my concerns by describing the decision as less of the "Sublime to the ridiculous" but more the" Divine to the Profane". So with this in mind

here

go;

Jeffrey came to us in 1996

both

Chaplain and Head of RS, which at this stage comprised the treasured job of teaching GCSE

to stroppy teenagers and a very fledgling A level

department. In many walks of life retirement brings with it special recognition of service to the community that goes well beyond the norm; in this vein I believe that he deserves some sort of medal for dealing with the disaffected masses with the patience and good humour that he has done so, for so long. If ever there was evidence that miracles can happen, just look at the B grade he managed to secure for my son Will two years ago! As our pupils grow up and mature, they really start to properly appreciate Jeffrey's unique intelligence and care for them. His development of A level RS, (morals and philosophy), has been a great success and was really where his intellectual strengths were most effectively used. I well remember the boys in the Manor (Big

Sterile 2010-2011

Pete Townson et al), who were in one of the first groups to study

parts of Commemoration and again gives us the chance to end our

to A level, discussing issues in house that he had brought up in

academic year and say goodbye to our leavers with a real sense of

class; this positive engagement was testament to the way Jeffrey

our place in the history of this school.

taught and to the way he wanted his pupils to learn independently and to think for themselves. He certainly enjoyed the more informal nature of the A level and was never afraid to surprise the pupils with his knowledge of recent events in school!! The success of this style of teaching has benefitted our pupils not only here but also at University. The fact that Jeffrey and has made the A level part of our academic landscape is a lasting legacy to his time with us. However lasting this legacy is it will not deflect from, as TMS say , Jeffrey's champagne moment; the naming of Hope house after our former Archbishop. As Chaplain he has had a central role in our community for 16 years. He has christened our children, married others and sadly presided over the memorial services and funerals of former staff, old Peterites, colleagues and pupils. That he has retained the very important role of chapel at the very core of the school is a great personal achievement. In all these years as chaplain Jeffrey has spoken to us three days a week for 38 weeks a year; in all well over 600 hours of chapel. During this time we have learnt about his love of Greece , and of good food and wine, the place of the King James Bible in our culture, all about platform 9 % , the perils

However I must finally refer to Jeffrey as the colleague who transformed Red Nose Day and put the fears of management into perspective. Those of us who remember Jonny Depp arriving with all guns blazing will never forget it; many of the pupils really thought it was Jonny Depp and not our very own Chaplain. Since then of course we have also been treated to a Pantomime Dame and the "tremendous Yorkshire accent" of our most celebrated OP, Guy Fawkes. The thought and care put into these services was appreciated by all and meant that Friday Chapel on the day was a centre point of the school's celebrations. There will be a little more of this in but a second, for which we will need to thank David Spencer and his trusty group. However to finish; Jeffrey we will miss you as an academic colleague of great intellectual strength, as a Chaplain who has looked after us all from christenings to confirmations, from marriage to memorial and as a friend who has given quiet and kind advice without ever breaking confidence. We wish you all the very best in your retirement, God bless you. P.Stephen

of Intelligent Design and I could go on and on. In that time, those of us who have at some time run a house know that there are recalcitrant chapel attenders who lead us a merry dance with plausible excuses, unexplained absences and so on but the proof of the pudding is in the eating and I would tell only one story, of many, to show why this

part of our community is so vital and

why we owe Jeffrey so much for maintaining it for us. When the tsunami hit on Boxing Day 2004 a recently left OP and his girlfriend died. At their memorial service held in the chapel were hundreds of family and friends, including a former pupil and member of the Manor. He had come all the way from Portsmouth and was returning directly after the service; he told me that he desperately wanted to come back to say goodbye to Robert and it was the only place he knew he could do it property, without feeling embarrassed. As far as I am aware this was one of only two occasions that this young man ever came to chapel voluntarily, the other was the Leavers' Eucharist! Jeffrey has made this specific service a pivotal cog in the leaving process, a fact I can readily attest to having shared it only recently with both Jeffrey and my son.

Jeffrey has also sat through hundreds of HoD meetings, housemasters' meetings, SCR meetings and all the other initiatives we have been a party to over the past 16 years. In all this time his contributions

have always been measured, well

considered, thought provoking, utterly professional and kind. Even when Jeffrey is in disagreement with a point of view he always does the courtesy of listening to it and properly considering it; we will miss his sage advice and quiet dignity.

Claire Wike I still recall the shocked silence in chapel. One could sense

Dignity and his real sense of occasion have allowed us to deal

each and every one of the students and many teaching staff not

properly with the poignancy of Remembrance Day and to end

quite believing what they had just heard. 'Did the Rev actually just

each Christmas term in the Minster with a Carol service that

say that school will be closed on Saturday?' A moment's

shows the school off at its very best. Each service is different and

hesitation, then the cheers and applause.

yet retaining the traditions that make it such a privilege to be part

Appointed Acting Head in January 2011, during those

of St Peter's on those days. He has also managed to keep the best

legendary snow falls, this memorable decision was one of the first

The Peterite 2010-2011

Claire made in her new role.

Only fools, however, would be

Claire has that rare quality of being able to command respect

deceived into thinking our new leader would take the easy, crowd

from those she is in charge of whilst also being very much in touch

pleasing course.

On the contrary, Claire proved on numerous

with what it is like 'at ground level'. It is clear that Claire

occasions during her two terms at the helm that she is a leader

considered her Senior Management role one that included all

with great strength and conviction who tackles issues head on.

aspects of school life, whether taking part in the Beverley 10K, for

Claire will not shy away from a difficult decision.

example, or participating in the school trip to India. Such contact

Those of you who have been associated with St Peter's for some time will know that Claire has been part of our community for years. Joining the Mathematics Department in 1995, Claire threw herself wholeheartedly into the life of the school. It has always been clear that Claire thoroughly enjoys the classroom

has ensured her genuine understanding of important issues. Claire's nature is also to be extremely approachable, and many staff have valued this quality, which has also assisted her in being an extremely effective link between the Senior Common Room and the Senior Management.

environment and her pupils have thrived as a consequence of the

It is with very great sadness that we say goodbye to such a

high quality maths teaching she delivers, always with care of the

respected member of staff, and on a personal note I will miss her

individuals in her classes. Unsurprisingly it was not long before her

strong and valuable contribution to the Mathematics Department.

pastoral strengths were recognised and in 1997 she was promoted

We all wish her the very best, certain that a teacher of her calibre

to Housemistress of Clifton House. As a tutor in Clifton myself, I

and strength will find a new and fulfilling chapter ahead. Never

know how much Claire supported and encouraged the students in

could it be more true to say that our loss will most definitely be

her charge, allowing them to thrive in their school environment.

someone else's gain.

In 2003 Claire was promoted once again, this time to the role

David Spencer

of Senior Teacher, which was a new Senior Management position. This involved her taking on a number of significant tasks including the development of the School's Performance Review and Support Programme for all staff. Her success in this post meant that when the school needed an Acting Deputy Head in 2007 she was the natural choice. It was no surprise when she was selected as the successful candidate when the position became permanent. Her many qualities ensured that she was extremely effective, gaining much respect for her straightforward, honest approach.

Clive Hodsdon Clive joined the school in 1990 and one of his primary tasks was to steer the department -and the school- out of the dark ages and endeavour to modernise, not only the equipment, but the methods of teaching within the MFL department. He was ahead of his time when he introduced technology into the department and he also courted controversy and broke years of tradition by

Claire is very family orientated and her two children, Helena

employing a woman! His tenure began quite painfully since he

and Tristan, came through the school. This gave Claire a valuable

spent a good part of the first year on his back - not because of his

insight into a different side of school life, enabling her to under-

love for fine, red wine but due to an excruciating slipped disc.

stand issues from both a staff and parental angle. Tragically, early

However by the end of that academic year most of the pain had

in 2007 Claire's husband Steve lost his long battle with leukaemia.

subsided and the Language department had moved into the

Claire and her children showed tremendous dignity and strength

revamped Grove block which now boasted computers, videos - all

during this unimaginably sad time and it is testament again to Claire that she remained fully committed and utterly professional earning deep respect from many of her colleagues. Helena and Tristan are now young adults on the cusp of beginning their careers and both are a great credit to Claire and Steve. When the previous Head left, Claire stepped up to the mark, becoming Acting Head for two terms. Those who do not know Claire could be forgiven for thinking she would merely keep things 'ticking over'. Not Claire. Her two terms of office was a time when the school continued to move forward.

It was also an

exciting time for Claire personally as she became engaged to Mark. Of course, becoming Acting Head of St Peter's took Claire into new territory, and typically she threw herself wholeheartedly into all aspects of the role. A frequent visitor to other areas of the school, she was to be seen supporting sports' fixtures, concerts, community action events, pre prep nativity plays - the list goes on.

Claire has a great sense of fun. Who could forget her majestic performance in the staff pantomime, nor indeed when the Deputy Head's legs were the first to appear on stage when the staff entered the Inter House Singing Competition! Always quick to volunteer to take part in musical tributes to leaving colleagues,

The Peterite 2010-2011

hi tech at the time-

bevy of beauties, the gadgets, fine wine and cultured conversation,

and the "piece de

I think we may have found ourselves the replacement for Daniel

resistance" a large,

Craig when he decides to hang up his bow tie.

tracking satellite dish on the roof.

The last comment has to come from the pupils because, from a teaching and learning point of view, it is probably the pupil who

The department

knows best as they are the target audience and they can certainly

has expanded beyond

judge when they are being well taught. One current Upper 6th

recognition,

it has

pupil who is not well known for giving praise lightly said to me at

doubled in terms of

a recent meal "I like Mr Hodsdon both in the classroom and when

the teaching staff and

he gives advice because you can trust his judgement, when Clive

almost doubled in the

tells you everything will be alright you feel confident because you

number

know that you are being told the truth."

rooms

needed for teaching. The MFL department acquired

SH1

and

We all wish Clive a long, happy and stress free retirement. M. J. Duffy

SH2 in 2002 and now CO4 is being used more often as a teaching space and room L has had to be equipped for language teaching. He also changed the methodology of teaching where he allowed and encouraged pupils to work independently on the essential skills needed for language learning and has continued to do this consistently over the past twenty years.

Jean Green It is a particular pleasure for me to offer a few words of thanks, to try to do justice to all the hard work Jean has put in to this place and to ensure that she knows just how much we value that contri-

Clive has always sought to push the pupils beyond their

bution despite unforeseen early retirement. After all, it is rare for

comfort zone to improve the learning experience and one of his

both parts, Teaching and Administrative staff to join together to

greatest achievements was the management and running of a

express our thanks, jointly, but for someone like Jean it is both

successful exchange programme for seventeen years. He never

appropriate and heartfelt.

tired of watching the pupils' reactions as they left the comfort blanket of home and had to quickly adapt to their new surroundings upon arrival in France. It may not have always been

Being the longest serving teacher amongst us, I can reflect on the unique position that the Head's Secretary holds.

a pleasurable occurrence for all those who took part in the

Over the last thirty five years we have had eight different

exchange over the years but it was an experience that they will

backsides fill the chair behind the Head's desk. During that same

certainly remember well into their adult lives. It also gave the

time we have had only three secretaries to the Head.

pupils the opportunity to make close contacts with French families and there are a number of pupils who have remained lifelong friends with their French correspondents.

The School has changed out of all recognition, from one of just under 400, mostly boarders and with a handful of girls in the 6th form, whose parents were rarely seen and never heard, to a

Clive has been a faithful and devoted tutor who has worked in the Grove from his arrival in 1990, a rare event in this new environment of change, and has worked his way through six housemasters, including Paddy Stephen twice. He has helped out and supported school events: D of E, he was a regular on the Geography field trip when Derek Paterson was at the helm, helped out as a marshal on the St Peter's half marathon and he and Judith have been keen spectators at many musical and theatrical performances. St Peter's is the school where his two children, Laura and Matthew, started their educational journeys however it is obvious that the son learnt very little from the father as he has now also become a teacher. They do say that the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree. Clive does not intend to slow down or go to seed. He is sharing his knowledge of technology by helping out at Silver Surfers in Haxby. He will be sharing his knowledge of French with The University of the Third Age and would also like to get involved with the organisation of Area 8, which organises important language conferences. His love of cars will be kept up to date as he becomes part of the committee at Malton Motor Club. He will also be keeping himself fit and lithe with a bit of ballroom dancing - I've heard that he is a dead ringer for Gavin Henson when he whips his shirt off. If you put all of these together: the cars, the The Peterite 2010-2011

place bursting at the seams with some 550 boys and girls, mostly day, whose parents are definitely seen and who have quite a lot to say.

Part of this change is reflected in the expansion of the Administration side of the School. Whole new departments have been created, then doubled and even trebled in size, but during this time, though ably supported by the School Office, we have only had one Head's Secretary. They are the glue that sticks this whole place together, they ensure the smooth running of both sides: teaching and administration. As well as keeping a close eye on co-ordinating everything, to ensure no clashes occur and that this whole complicated jigsaw puzzle fits together and works together. Jean has been at St Peter's for over 20 years. Five as Secretary to the Bursar and then fifteen as the top secretary, to four different Heads, ensuring they don't lose their "Heads"!! Her skills in this post are legion and her professional approach has ensured exceptional levels of hard work, organisation and coordination, confidentiality and loyalty. All the Teaching Staff, particularly those in the pastoral side of things realise we have been very lucky to have someone with Jean's ability, whose hard work often goes un-noticed but whose

has successfully led workshops, passing on his skills to the next

many qualities have been tested these last few months , since her

generation of technicians.

services were no longer required. Such is the level of her professionalism, few would have realised.

All of us in the department rely on him hugely on a daily basis and if ever he is away there is a bit of a panic and the department

I could go on but I do not wish to cause further embar-

almost grinds to a standstill.

rassment as we all know of Jean's modesty. On a wider level Graham was in charge of all things audio We are all very sad to see her go and wish her all the very best

visual throughout the school before the IT team arrived and he

for the future.

recorded the sound for many school events including the Carol

J. Owen Barnett.

and Commemoration Services in the Minster for many years. At one stage or another almost everyone has been along to ask him to try to mend some broken item of theirs and he has always done

Graham Metcalf

his best to help in any way that he can. He goes about his job in a quiet and unflappable manner and I would like to thank him for

Graham joined St. Peter's in 1974 as Senior Laboratory

putting up with us and those before us with such good grace for

Technician, having already gathered invaluable experience working

the last 37 years. We are all going to miss him not only as a

at,

amongst

other

colleague, but also as a friend and an integral member of our

Vickers

team. In this day and age it is rare that people stay in a job for

Instruments and Leeds

such a long time so I thank him for the loyalty he has shown to St

places,

General Infirmary. He

Peter's and for the continuity that he has provided, particularly to

has

the Physics department.

been

vital

member of the Physics department, designing

Graham has many outside interests; he is heavily involved in

and making with great

music and is a highly talented musician playing a variety of

skill many pieces of apparatus; without him the Physics Olympics

guitars, including the banjo and singing semi-professionally almost continuously since the age of 17. He has a passion for railways and enjoys photography, genealogy, water colour

competition could not

painting, caravanning, astronomy and the list goes on, so I don't

have happened and he

think that he will struggle for things to do when he has finished

has of course been the

working. I hope that Graham enjoys a long and happy retirement

key member of the

with Eileen. I also hope that he will continue to keep in touch with

staff team in the Great

all of us here and he will certainly always be welcome back at St

Egg Race every year. In the last couple of years he has helped to organise and establish the annual Technicians' Conference held at St. Peter's and

The Peterite 2010-2011

Peter's. D. Morris

Alistair Cameron "Please Sir, can we play 'Hot Seat' today?" This is very often the request I receive from my classes, particularly towards the end of term. 'Hot Seat' is a game in which

that Paul used when describing Ali: 'From the moment he arrived in Manor, he was the consummate professional. He had a quiet but firm approach and the kids always responded brilliantly. Or maybe they were trying to impress Sarah who usually accompanied Ali! I'm sure you'll miss him.'

pupils try to describe a mathematical word to a team member

Ali moves to Abbotsholme School in Staffordshire. He will be

without actually saying it, and before a picture of a bomb

very much missed at St. Peter's and will, I am sure, prove to be a

explodes. The pupils love it, and it is just one of the popular

superb appointment. The saying 'our loss is their gain' could not

classroom resources that Ali introduced to the department. Of

be more fitting.

course underlying all the fun is the fact that the descriptions

D.Spencer

pupils use can be of great help to their understanding

Tom Marriott

mathematical terms (although a favourite

Tom joined St Peter's straight from Cambridge University. He

description of Force is

was interviewed for, and accepted, the position of teacher of

'May it be with you!'

history even before he had taken his final examinations. Inevitably

and

imagine,

can

we had to 'knock off

is rarely the

some of his rougher

you

undergraduate edges

circle divided by its

(not wearing a jacket,

diameter!)

missing Chapel etc.)

circumference

Something that Ali

and in Paddy Stephen

else

the school had the H

introduced,

ideal man for the job!

this time to the 6th form, is 'the cake mistake'. If a fundamental or critical error is made by a student, they are expected to provide a cake in the following lesson for all to share.

This has gone down tremen-

dously well with both staff and pupils, and has been adopted by other members of the department, including myself. (I appear to have gained a little weight though, whilst Ali has remained slim... testament, I'm sure, to his very good teaching!) Ali is highly professional. He has built up excellent relationships with all of the pupils that he teaches and they have the utmost respect for him. He has also been fully involved in the wider school community where his commitment has been greatly appreciated. He has supervised Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions and Mountaineering Club trips, he started a Mountain Biking Club, he has regularly run Hockey training sessions and he has gone on a number of school trips including an expedition to India. In every one of these activities he has proved to be talented and highly professional; the students have certainly gained much from Ali's

Tom was taken under his considerable wing and developed into a prolific coffee drinking, sport's

kit

wearing,

marathon running...! Like Paddy, Tom committed

himself

wholeheartedly to everything he did. He was an outstanding teacher of history with a passionate belief in his pupils. He had both an enviable breadth of knowledge (less enviable tastes in DVDs!) and a genuine love of intellectual argument; he often argued against his natural position for the sake of a good debate. Moreover, he achieved some of the best results within the department. For instance, one of his GCSE sets achieved 20A*s and one A in their exams; his other group that year had the best value added results of the department.

guidance. Ali is very competitive and I often hear of his success in

The school worked Tom hard and he threw himself fully

some demanding weekend run or marathon. Even on the school

(though not always uncomplainingly!!!) into all that he was asked

trip to India he enjoyed being first up any of the hills! Ali's wife

to do. He was a very successful resident assistant housemaster in

Sarah has also been involved with school life, joining Ali on trips

Linton and was a non-resident assistant in Manor before that. He

with pupils to see Leeds Rhinos as well as accompanying him to

participated fully in the school's extra-curricular programme -

India with St. Peter's pupils.

taking the heavy burden of being master in charge of rugby teams,

Ali has been described as the 'Maths Department iFawkes Champion', and I have certainly very much appreciated all of the work that he has put into this area. The maths home pages that he has created are attractive and fun. There's Shrek, maths quotes, radio and video clips, as well as various maths jokes (yes, they do exist!).

rowing squads and girls' cricket teams.

Despite these heavy

commitments he still managed to enthuse his charges and oversaw a great deal of success with them. Tom Marriott will be impossible to replace. St Peter's loss is undoubtedly Cranleigh's gain. R.J.P.Trevett

Ali's work in The Manor has been greatly valued by both Steve Gwilliam and Paul Taylor. I couldn't agree more with the words

ThePeterite2010-2011

She has taught physics in St. Olave's, providing a very

Mr.Graham Denteith

productive link between the two schools.

Graham was only at St Peter's as Deputy Bursar for two years but he will be remembered with fondness and respect by everyone he worked with. He

events, which has definitely brought us all closer together as a

and his family decided to

move

back

On a personal level Helen has always been 100% supportive of me and has been proactive in organising departmental social team.

Cheshire and that was

She has a determined streak in her nature, has recently taken

just a little too far to

up cycling and earlier this year did the 100k Acorn bike ride,

commute.

personally raising £800 for the Alzheimer's Society.

Graham

put great importance on

listening

She will be a big loss to St.Peter's; we wish her, Rob and

Thomas well in their new life in Cambrdge, and hope that she will

colleagues and really

keep in touch with us and will come back to visit. If she doesn't

cared about finding a

get a job straight away she could even come back for our Physics

solution that was fair

Olympics next year.

to all. This often lead D. Morris

to long days but he gave the time willingly to achieve the best

Lee Taylor

outcome. He is a loyal Manchester City supporter and often braved the M62 through the winter to see his team; in the bursary we became accustomed to checking the results so we knew what to expect the following day. Graham would often conclude a meeting by sharing one of his jokes which occasionally would need explaining.

Lee Taylor arrived at the school in 2008 having completed his PGCE at Worcester and taught at Warwick School. He was closely involved with school rugby, despite a dubious background in the wrong discipline. Lee was a tutor in School House, conveniently positioned close to his department and the coffee machine. He

His good humour and kindness will be greatly missed and we

was a fan of film and could often be found discussing this and his

wish Graham and his family the very best for the future and if he

other academic interests in the common room. He has left the

every strays over to the right side of the Pennines he will always

school to work for HM Government and we wish him the best of

be welcome to call in for a cup of tea and a Jaffa cake.

luck for the future.

P Lacy

C.Hempsall

Helen Morgan

Adrian Upton Adrian joined St

Helen joined St.

Peter's

Peter's full time in

School

September 2008 as

2002 and immediately became fully involved

Finance Officer. He did

in school life, coaching

not take long to fit

badminton

into Bursary life and

and

soon became a very

rounders and was a

popular member

committed tutor in

the Bursary team and

Temple house.

with In 2004 Thomas

the

teaching

staff. His tea making

was born and Helen has been part time since then. She has been

skills were legendary

an excellent teacher of physics and a strong member of the

and the kettle in the Bursary kitchen was rarely off the boil!

department. She has a lot of energy and enthusiasm and has an

He is a keen cyclist and often travelled the 20 miles to and

environment where her students both learn and enjoy the subject

from Malton by bike and would appear at the office kitted out in

and always know what is expected from them.

all the appropriate gear. In September 2010 he and his partner

outstanding

classroom

management

skills,

creating

Alison had their first child - a little boy named William. In recent years she has taken a leading role in organising many School's

In April 2011 Adrian decided to move on from St Peter's and

Industry/University Liaison Coordinator for science. In the Physics

took up the post of Bursar at Terrington School and we wish him

Science

Society

events

and

has

been

the

Olympics she has led a game each year and has formed a dynamic partnership with Barry Gill that will be impossible to replace.

The Peterite 2010-2011

success and happiness in his new appointment. P. Hobbs

Ben Fuller Mr Fuller, an ex-student of St. John's College, Durham joined St Peter's in September and made an immediate impact upon his sixth form Politics sets and also on his third form historians.

describes himself as quite geeky as he has always

enjoyed

History and Politics and liked being in the sixth form so much that after taking part in an HMC teaching taster week he decided to study for his PGCE immediately

after

gaining his degree. The first thing that struck Mr Fuller about St Peter's was that it is a friendly, relaxed and purposeful school that 'isn't uptight so gets things done'. He and has enjoyed getting to know his colleagues and the pupils. Mr Fuller has already started to make his mark though as he has set up the first St Peter's Model United Nations and has continued to manage the Politics Exchange to Washington. Mr Fuller is looking forward to the return leg of this exchange and other school trips as his time at St. Peter's progresses. Despite having had a 'busy and positive' time here so far Mr Fuller has found time to return to Reading each weekend. He hopes to have found a permanent home in York before the start of the next academic year. Mr Fuller has many interests including driving and last summer he enjoyed exploring the North Yorkshire Moors in his MG. Already impressed by Mr Fuller's dynamism, he's even completed the Coast to Coast Walk, we are sure that he will have a great time at St Peter's and wish him well for his time here. Ellie Binks UVI

Katherine Barker Miss Barker joined us this year as a teacher in the Classics and Latin Department. Having studied Classics at Oxford and trained as a teacher at Cambridge, Miss Barker then taught at Magdalen College

School

Oxford.

Miss Barker

chose

teaching

because of her love for Classics. Following in her family footsteps Miss Barker opted to teach straight

after

university in preference to studying for a PhD. Her move to York and here

Peter's

School was inspired by a

desire

somewhere

try new.

Mi^^BI

The Peterite 2010-2011

However teaching was not always her dream and at a younger age, Miss Barker hoped to be a vet before realising that sciences were

Jeremy Connor

not her strong point!

Mr. Connor joined us as a member of the Latin and Classics

When asked about her proudest achievement, Miss Barker said that it had to be playing in a band after Chesney Hawkes and getting a bigger crowd! Besides music (singing and the trombone in particular), Miss Barker really enjoys cooking and sport including running and cycling. Her favourite films include 'Ghostbusters', 'Truly Madly Deeply' and, a Classics teachers' favourite,'Gladiator'. However Miss Barker says that she has a strong dislike for poor grammar and spelling and pupils turning up to lesson without a pen! And when asked what three things she would put in Room 101 she responded with mushrooms, house spiders and some of the questions asked in this interview!

Department

the

beginning of the year. He hails from Brighton and studied Latin at Manchester University. Mr Connor has always been interested in Latin and Classics and was first

encouraged to

study Latin by a 'cool young teacher'

(Just

like him). However, Mr

Miss Barker would describe herself as happy, laid back and

Connor was inspired to

energetic and ends the interview with a Latin phrase: 'mens sana

teach by his sister who

in corpore sano' meaning 'healthy mind in a healthy body'. We

was

wish Miss Barker every success for her time here at St. Peter's and

seemed

hope that it is a long and happy one!

come back home each

a teacher to

him

and to

day happy and fulfilled. Mr Connor's previous job also involved

Edwina Denison UVI

working with children, which he greatly enjoyed.

Gareth Callan Having taught Chemistry at Abingdon School in Oxfordshire,

His favourite classical person he decided, after much deliberation, is King Leonidas, who lead the Spartan 300 against the Persians.

Mr Callan joined the Chemistry Department last year, partly

Mr. Connor stated that he was drawn to St Peter's as it felt like

because he wanted to "teach girls as well as boys". A more

his old school. He also likes the ethos and variety of activities that

personal reason was that as a student, he played against St Peter's

are available to the pupils. The friendliness of the staff struck him

at cricket and rugby and always lost so held the school in "high

first about the school (which he apparently wasn't expecting). So

regard".

far, at St Peter's, his best experience was seeing the U14 B's rugby

In addition to teaching Mr Callan has also worked for Mars and Pepsi Cola.

team achieve their first win. Outside of school life, Mr. Connor enjoys cricket and cooking.

When not teaching, Mr Callan enjoys running, spending time with his children, going to church and coaching at York Rugby Club. He also enjoys watching movies and his favourites include 'The Shawshank Redemption', 'Gladiator' and 'Casino Royale'. Music is also on Mr Callan's list of interests and he enjoys a full range of styles from Mozart to AC/DC. When asked to sum up his first impressions of St Peter's in

This links with his personal greatest success - cooking a 5 course Christmas dinner for 23 people! Mr. Connor has had a few weird and wonderful experiences, but decided that the oddest was having his legs waxed for charity. Not something I think he will be repeating for fun. His main aims in life are to be happy and successful and we wish him all the best in his time at St Peter's. Emily Freeman LVI / Justin Wong UVI

three words Mr Callan chose "breadth" (in terms of its education), "friendly", and "content" (as in happy, satisfied). On the subject of his intentions for the future after settling in, Mr Callan stated that he hopes one day to become

Head

Chemistry or Science. On behalf of the

Richard Chester Mr Chester joined the Modern Languages Department whilst our own Mrs Lunardi was away

maternity

leave. Having taught

school I wish him the

for a good number of

best of fortune for his

years at King Edward

future and hope he will

VII School the major

enjoy his time at St

reason why he decided

Peter's.

to come to St Peter's

Justin Wong UVI

The Peterite 2010-2011

was because he knew some of the teachers

teaching, she gradually

here who had worked previously at King Edward's. When not busy marking, his interests include reading - with his favourite book being Madame Bovary - playing and watching any sport. He likes well-behaved children, and has a

fine

awareness for good value for money. Mr. Chester lists amongst his dislikes the Scots and Australians (when it comes to sport), and his fear of bungee jumping was tested out when he refused to participate in said activity during a school trip to Hackett Bridge

fell in love with it. Mrs Lawrence now claims her job to be the best in world; she loves the creativity and learning something new every day.

in New Zealand, despite the fact that many older teachers were

As far as hobbies go,

up for it! His most memorable moment included achieving his

Mrs Lawrence discloses

50m breaststroke certificate when he was younger.

that they are 'typical of

To sum up the school in three words, he chose "impressive", "sporty", and "academic", stating that they are "the words that people usually say." If he had the chance, he would retire and possibly live in France, developing his French and Spanish further. His advice to me was "Be good, but if you can't be good, then be careful." I hope that he had an enjoyable time during his stay at St Peter's, and I wish him well in whatever he does next. Justin Wong UVI

a teacher'; these include cycling,

reading and

gardening. She lists her pet hates as the 'comma splice', text language, see through insects and also, surprisingly Star Trek! On the other hand, she likes Haribo 'a lot', with great emphasis on 'a lot', and also is a secret fan of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and Gok Wan. Being a literary enthusiast we asked her for her favourite books which include The Shipping News', 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

Tina Kelley

and 'King Lear'. When asked which three books would best sum her up as a person, she chose Stephen Fry's 'The Ode less Travels',

Having completed her undergraduate degree at Leeds

'Gothic Nightmares' and Stanley Wells 'Shakespeare for all time' -

Metropolitan and her postgraduate at St John's, York, Ms Kelley is

definitely a Shakespeare fan. Also, Mrs Lawrence appears to be

no stranger to York and she already felt at home when she joined

quite 'with it' as a keen follower of Elbow and Florence and the

us as a member of the Design and Technology Department. She is

Machine as well as Debussy and Squeeze.

responsible for teaching Textiles, a new addition to the Design Curriculum.

Already

we have seen textile products,

including

some pretty cool hats, appearing

the

display cases in the

Finally, during her time at Peter's she aims to go on a 'great crusade' of enlightening the school about the budding arts within the school. She hopes to expand the drama department and get more people enthused about literature. We wish her all the best for her time here (again). LipmunnTang UVI

Monkey Cage. Previously

Kelley has taught at Altrincham School in Cheshire,

independent

girls'

school and she also worked

for

several

years in the IT Training industry

including

time working in Singapore as an IT Project Manager. Outside of teaching Ms. Kelley enjoys travelling, skiing, fine dining, theatre and stand-up comedy (though hopefully not all at the same time). We wish Ms. Kelley well during her time at St Peter's School Justin Wong (UVI) and Bradley Smith (LVI)

Toby Moschard Mr. Moschard, a former student at Durham University, joined St Peter's at the beginning of the year as Assistant Director of Music.

His interest in

music began at an early age and he sang as a choir boy as well as played the piano, organ and clarinet. When asked who his favourite composer was, he thought hard, but came up with Bach and Poulenc. However, he listens to a wide

Jo Lawrence It would appear that Mrs Lawrence just can't get enough of St Peter's as she joins us (yet again) as a member of the English

range of music himself, from Bach to jazz music. Mr

Moschard's

Department. However, she did not always want to be a teacher;

main aim in life is to have fun and hopefully inspire people to also

she originally hated the idea of it, but after a small taster in

study and play music. This wish also led him to teach. The Peterite 2010-2011

He lists amongst his achievements so far conducting the Bach St. John Passion and completing a half marathon.

Robert Spelling Mr Snelling joined the English Department this year as

Mr. Moschard was first struck by the business of St Peter's more than anything else. He was drawn here by the fact that he has often visited York as a child, and wished to return. Having the opportunity to perform in different places is Mr. Moschard's favourite thing about St Peter's and his best experience with the school so far has been on the Chapel Choir trip to sing in Christ

maternity cover for Mrs Mallard. He studied Philosophy at King's College London and moved to York after finding London too expensive and overcrowded. Mr Snelling

Church College in Oxford.

did not always aspire As we write this article in June 2011 it is sad to say that Mr.

to be a teacher and

Moschard is leaving us at the end of this year, and we wish him

instead considered the

well for the future.

occupations

marine biologist, RAF

Ellie Binks UVI / Emily Freeman LVI

pilot

and

lawyer

before unexpectedly

Alex Newport

following his father into

teaching.

Mrs Newport joined St Peter's Modern Languages Department

chose English as his

this year having always known that she wanted to be a teacher.

subject as it gave him

However prior to teaching Mrs Newport had a range of exciting

opportunities to discuss the impact of literature. Mr Snelling's

jobs abroad including being a tour guide for walking holidays in

decision to enter the teaching profession was partly due to the

Italy, Austria and France. She also has worked for cosmetics

advice given him by his best friend (a primary school teacher) who

companies including Dior and L'Oreal before returning to study at

told him that he would make an excellent teacher. Before teaching

the Institute of Education in London. Although Mrs Newport

Mr Snelling worked in retail at Harrods, but unfortunately never

always knew that she wanted to be a teacher she thought that

received any complimentary Krispy Kremes!

working, travelling and 'getting into trouble' abroad would benefit When asked what three things he would put in Room 101, Mr

her first before settling

Snelling responded with: intolerance, judging a book by its cover

down to teach. When

and exclamation marks!!

asking what made her

Despite teaching English Mr Snelling

hates Harry Potter, yet says if he had to teach any other subject it

want to be a teacher

would be Defence of the Dark Arts. His interests include trekking,

she responded with an

cooking (but not baking), cars and sport. Mr Snelling also loves

enthusiasm to pass on

sandwiches and would choose Subway as his favourite fast food

her love of languages

restaurant despite having an obsession with making sure that the

to teenagers, who she

sandwiches are symmetrical before he eats them! He describes his

enjoys teaching 'most

idols as Eric Cantona (although he can't spell his surname) and

of the time'.

Aristotle. Mrs Newport says that

she felt

welcomed

into

Mr Snelling also has a passion for films and has set up 'The

very

Roundhay Society' already, showing some of what he claims to be

the

great films including'Carlito's Way' and 'Dead Man's Shoes'.

school and describes the school as hard-

First impressions are important and of St Peter's Mr Snelling

working with friendly

says" it's the best school in the area by some distance with excep-

staff and interactive students. Nevertheless, when asked about her

tional students and welcoming staff."

pet hates she replied with annoyance, when students attend lessons with missing equipment or un-tucked shirts. Outside of the classroom, Mrs Newport really enjoys dancing (especially jazz and contemporary), hill-walking,

We wish Mr Snelling a very enjoyable and happy time at St Peter's and apologise for the use of exclamation marks in. this

outdoor

swimming, European cinema and cooking. And she especially loves

report!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edwina Denison / Lipmunn Tang UVI

cooking her favourite food, anything Italian! When asked which three words best describe her, Mrs Newport answered with 'enthusiastic, talkative and fun-loving', attributes that were all shown in her interview! We welcome Mrs Newport to St Peter's School and hope that her association with the school is long and happy.

Matthew Thomson Dr. Thomson joined us this year as a new member of the English Department. He studied at Nottingham and Cardiff Universities completing a MA in Journalism and a PhD in American Military Politics and New Media.

Edwina Denison UVI After his time at university, Dr. Thomson took a gap year

The Peterite 2010-2011

travelling the world,

achievement was, he pointed towards his son Oscar, the first baby

including places such

Mallard.

as Hong Kong, Bali,

Mr Mallard was educated at Sheffield University, completing a

Malawi, Mozambique |

degree in Genetics, and subsequently a PCCE at Norwich. He has

and Mexico to name but

also taken time out to travel and do volunteer work, incidentally

a few. A well-

how he met Mrs Mallard!

travelled man he has also explored most of

At the time of writing this article Mr and Mrs Mallard have

Europe. Always looking

been appointed as House Parents of The Rise from next

for a new challenge, Dr.

September.

Thomson aims to climb

We wish them good luck next year with their new venture.

peaks in the Himalayas Lipmunn Tang, Edwina Denison, Ellie Binks UVI

including K2. In addition to his love for his subject Dr Thomson is an avid sportsman. He hopes to inspire young minds in the classroom through reading and literature (he claims Catch

Andrew Severn Mr Severn is an unusual person to be featured in this section

His hobbies include triathlons,

of the Peterite as he is returning to St Peter's from what he calls a

climbing, rugby and music. He is also a fan of Inception and 'The

'16 month holiday' - that's right, Mr Severn traded in a life of

Tragically Hip' (a Canadian rock band). He's not a big Harry Potter

relaxation in front of the sea, fine wine and Spanish food to teach

22 to be his favourite book).

fan and hates it when the cover of a book is folded back. When asked which three words Dr.Thomson would choose to describe him best, he chose 'tired', 'exhausted' and 'Lookingforward-to-half-term'. (Strictly seven words but we'll let him off seeing as he's an English teacher not a mathematician.) Obviously then, Dr. Thomson is not used to our six day week, but he believes it to be worth it as he likes to be involved in so much around the school.

again. Although he is enjoying being back at Peter's,

Saturday

school has made him miss Spain just a little but as he thinks that a hatred

Saturday

school cannot be cured by any amount of time away. Mr Severn has an

We wish him well during his time here.

interesting perspective

Lipmunn Tang / Edwina Denison UVI

of the school as he is able to clearly compare St Peter's life now to

Ed Mallard

how it was a couple of years ago; for him the

Mr Mallard joined us as cover for Mrs

culture of the school is changing and everyone seems

Cowling's

maternity

relaxed and happier, though he notes that some things such as the

However Mr

photocopier not working will never change! We hope that the

leave.

Mallard did not always

positive changes that Mr Severn has identified continue and we

want to teach, despite

wish him well for his remaining time here. Mr Severn wanted to

the fact that he loves

make good use of this report by informing his colleagues that they

to tell facts and calls

need not worry as he is certain that he will not be resurrected

himself a 'know-it-all';

again!

he grew up wanting to follow

Ellie Binks UVI

David

Attenborough's footsteps,

and

hopefully succeed him. In addition to his love of David Attenborough,

Mr Mallard

loves keeping marine fish, talking about marine fish, looking at

Sarah Emson, Head Master's PA Mrs Emson joins us from Bedales School in Hampshire where

marine fish, being with marine fish, shopping for marine fish...

she worked for nearly seven years. She is no stranger to the area

going to the gym, Harry Potter, computer games and spending

as she was born and brought up in York, attending Mill Mount

time with his family. He relishes cheesy or explosive films such as

Grammar School as a student. From a young age, she was always

'Empire Strikes Back' and 'Total Recall' which he describes as

aware of St Peter's "excellent reputation".

'awesome' and 'mint' and enjoys singing along to Michael Buble. However, if Mr Mallard had a room 101 it would be filled with

In her (limited) free time, Mrs Emson enjoys dancing, including

warm milk, football, and ITV. When asked what his proudest

"jive dancing" and "ballroom". She has recently taken this pursuit

The Peterite 2010-2011

further

as she

joined

has

a School of

everybody that works here, so much so, I still haven't been for a swim.

Dancing in Thirsk. Mrs Emson's

other

interests

include

gardening and DIY, with her

proudest

In my spare time I enjoy cooking, walking the dogs and spending time with the family on days out at places like Kirkham Abbey, hoping the children don't turn it into any more of a ruin than it already is." We hope that Rachael will have a great future here at St

achievement being the conversion of a tworoom bungalow to a five-bedroom

Peter's and wish her well in all that she does. JDa

house.

When it comes to her reading interests, she enjoys all sorts, but in particular,

Alistair Carr Alistair joined us

period

crime/detective novels

such as Agatha Christie. Her musical tastes include many types of

integral member of

genre, from Classical to Country and Western.

The Foundation team.

Always enjoying a cup of tea, she said that she is used to the expectations and deadlines that the job demands. Summing the school up in three words, she chose "traditional", "solid", and "lively".

May

be an

He is no stranger to Yorkshire having lived in the county since 1998.

Previously

Alistair has worked at

We hope she has a long and excellent time at St Peter's.

the University of York in a variety of roles,

Justin Wong UVI

including the Careers Service, organising the

Rachael Baldwin Originally

from

York, Rachael attended the

Bar Saints,

Ceremonies and the enrolment

before

joining the army in 1990. She served in the Royal Logistic Corps for four years, completing

returning to "civvy"

new

Alistair is very happily married to Jennifer, and when not working they have enjoyed holidays in South Wales and North Scotland. They are both keen on amateur dramatics, and recently have appeared in many shows in York. Alistair confesses that he can get a little bit over-excited about Doctor Who, Morrissey and Barnsley Football Club. Oh well it takes all sorts! We welcome Alistair and Jennifer to the St Peter's community

tours of Bosnia and Northern Ireland. On

students. He was also employed as a Train Planner for Vossloh IT.

Convent

Grammar School, now All

G r a d u a t i o n

and hope that their time with us will be long and fruitful. JDa

street, Rachael began working for Betty's tea rooms during which time she completed an honours degree in History at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Marie Johnson New addition to the Finance team Marie Johnson was born in Grantham, but moved to York at an early age. Marie says she enjoyed being a teenager in the 80s wearing ra-ra skirts, big

Building on her love of history, Rachael moved into heritage management, working for English Heritage and then the National Trust before joining York Minster as Operations Manager in 2007.

shoulder pads, having big hair and waiting to find out who shot JR in Dallas!

She completed her Masters Degree in Heritage Management in

Having graduated from Sheffield Polytechnic in 1989 with a

2009 and moved to the Houses of Parliament, working on their

BSc (Hons.) degree in Industrial Studies Marie then travelled the

public engagement strategy before finally joining St. Peter's in May

world for a year.

of this year. Rachael states "St Peter's is a fascinating place to work and the breadth of the role of Deputy Bursar keeps me very busy; which I enjoy. Since joining, the new pool has been a major focus along with getting to know my way around and the names of ThePeteriteZOIO-2011

She has had a variety of jobs including working at the Yorkshire Evening Press for a couple of years and working in the motor trade for 16 years with Honda. Marie enjoys life with her husband, Richard and two boys,

Luke 12 and Harry 9

through the night), and says the hardest part was keeping her eyes

who, she says, keep her

open at about 3.00 am!

busy.

JDa

Marie likes to try and keep fit and takes an active interest in

Jane Hardy

sport, but she states "sometimes participation

the is less

than it should be".

being

friends

and

socialising

has undertaken interim HR work at Northern Rail, Drax Power Station and the NHS. Previous to that, she worked in HR at East

Her other interests include

Jane joined St Peter's in August 2010 to cover maternity leave as the Human Resources (HR) Officer. For the past four years, Jane

with

Riding College, Humberside Police and East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

family, and

spending quality time together. I have it on good authority that Marie also has passions for shoes and Coronation Street.

Jane states that the role of HR Officer at St Peter's School is varied and challenging - with no two days the same. By her own admission she says that she 'fell' into Human Resources on returning to work after having taken time out

Marie strikes me as a generous, warm and friendly person.

to have a family and

Therefore it came as no surprise when she told me her motto - 'life

support her husband,

is too short so enjoy every moment and live every minute to the

Richard on the family

full'.

farm near Driffield.

We hope that Marie will enjoy her time at St Peter's to the full.

Outside school life, Jane

enjoys

playing

tennis and hockey up

JDa

until recently, as well as walking, reading and

RachaelJohnson Rachael joined us this year as Finance Officer. Born in West Yorkshire she attended Brighouse Girls' Grammar School and decided from an early age that she wanted a career working with numbers. She did a BA (Hons) in Accounting &

watching her two boys, Tom and Kieran, play rugby union and she nearly knows all the laws! JDa

Finance and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1991 whilst training with Grant Thornton in Leeds. Rachael spent a year on secondment in the Bahamas which she says took a bit of getting used to as nobody was ever on time for anything! On her return to the UK she moved to London where she worked for Lehman Brothers bank

and

Investment then as

Financial Controller for an American property investment company. Rachael and her family moved up from the

south

back

Yorkshire last summer. She has two children, Joe and Ruby, who keep her on her toes outside of school. When not reconciling numbers Rachael likes cooking, going to the gym, trying to play golf and spending time with her family. She has completed the London Moonwalk twice (a 26 mile walk around London ThePeterite2010-2011

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House Reports

Chris Burn V Tonia Monoyiou V

Robert Campbell V

Harriet Langford V

House Reports

Dronfield I sat looking out of the office window watching the boys from Linton go to breakfast at 07.30 on the first morning in September, and wondered why it was so quiet along the corridors in Dronfield. It really is true. Girls do spend hours getting ready, and even when they're at school. In their defence, Tansy and Sian were up early, and continued to do so every morning with military regularity. Vicki and Becky also started to appear first thing, having decided that it was their duty to beat Matthew Wong into breakfast, preventing him from being the first through the doors. However, the novelty of such a challenge soon wore off. So we settled into the first term, having welcomed eight new girls into the house. Becky, Torie, Bethany, Jessie, Izzy, Vic, CJ and Sophie joined Vicki and Kate in the Lower Sixth. A few weeks passed, and seven of the eight really started to find their feet, whilst Sophie missed her dogs, and her friends and family back in Scarborough. Having decided that boarding was not for her, Sophie said farewell to all of us in Dronfield. Izzy found her running feet, and was hot on the heels of Hettie Cust in the senior girls' cross country race. 2nd place was a great achievement. Torie donned her lime green t-shirt and headed off to Snappy's every Saturday, to offer a helping hand. Vicki, Becky and CJ all represented the school on the Netball court, while Bethany's target was a set of ten pins. Jessie turned her hand to developing her Art, but struggled with our fascination for the great British soap operas.

Dronfield welcomed Mrs Huysamen as resident house tutor and Miss Barker, who would assist Mrs Hutchinson in looking after the 5th form. The girls also welcomed Anna Thomas from Clarendon College, who brought with her great spirit and energy for life. Anna's infectious spirit got everyone dancing, and many an hour was spent putting together a film of everyone getting in the groove. We were very pleased when we heard that Chloe had been chosen to represent St Peter's School, for a return visit to Clarendon during the 2011 summer holidays. In the Easter term we welcomed Zita Zeimer from Germany, who made her own quiet mark on our lives in Dronfield.

We said goodbye to Maddie at the end of the Spring term, as she became a day pupil. At the end of the year we also said farewell to Imogen, as she packed her blades and headed off to her sixth form at Yarm. We wish both Maddie and Imogen well. Imogen and Jo set their alarm clocks for many early morning sessions on the river or in the gym, and they have both had their fair share of success on the river throughout the year. Rachel and Chloe have enjoyed first team success with their Netball this year, while Heather has also put in a fine performance at school team level. When Tilly has not been bouncing back from her bouts ofTonsillitis she has been bouncing up and down on the trampoline. With no third form intake, the fourth form still found themselves as the youngest in the house, and with the pleasure of collecting the bread and fruit for the house each morning. However, house competitions soon became the focus of their efforts. Emily, Jenny, Maria, Emma, Sian and Bussy all played their part in House Debating, and took the team to the final against School House. Having settled for the runners-up slot, attention was turned to House Netball. Our strength around the net with Georgie and Emma, and with Sian in defence and Tansy in the centre, we were surely in with a shout. Dronfield found themselves against The Rise at the end of the group stage, and with the scores level, three extra minutes were played to decide who would go through.Three quick scores by the Rise in as many minutes

Dionfield roiwujfc

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House Reports

saw us miss out on a place in the final. Despite solid support from Yaz and Maria, The Rise took the honours again in the final of the Rounders competition later in the year, beating a very strong Dronfield team, including our five A team players and Angie putting in a solid performance. The fourth form have represented the house well this year, and with a strong team spirit. Congratulations to Sian, Emily, Laura, Emma and Tansy for being part of the winning team at the National U16 Rounders competition. A number of girls in the house have taken to the stage this year, with Vic in Dream a Little Dream, and Dewi's part as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sian's role as Malvolio and Jenny's very spirited part as Sebastian in Twelfth Night. Dewi, Sian, Maria and Laura's roles in Oedipus Rex added to a very full year of theatrical involvement. Laura also won a place in the Junior Music Finals this year, in both the singing and strings categories. Kate's commitment to the musical life of the school took on a new dimension with her weekly appearance at the end of Wednesday Chapel services, playing us out on the organ.There were other notable musical performances by Kate, Sian, Tansy, Laura, Chloe and Ellys in the Homestart concert, and Charley in the senior music finals. Ellys, Kate and Charley sang in the Barbieshop group, with Ellys giving a stunning solo performance in the summer Cabaret concert.

mmemum, Sian, Georgie, Jenny, Imi, Laura, • i . Emma and Bussy packed their bags for Morocco, and enjoyed ten days of trekking, surfing, shopping, and working with local families in the mountain village of Imelghas. Ceorgie made do without her hair straighteners, whilst Jenny got a little carried away with the Henna. Laura had her birthday on trek, with others finding creative ways to celebrate the occasion. Other notable celebrations took place in Dronfield on April 29th, with plenty of flag waving and a few tears shed over the royal wedding. Despite William walking down the aisle, the Dronfield 'fit wall' continued to see plenty of new talent coming through, with notable appearances from the Head of Mathematics, alongside the muscular physiques of the Hollywood youth.

There has certainly been a real glow in Dronfield this year, and plenty of opportunities for everyone to shine in their own way. Even though we have had to settle for 2nd place in so many house competitions this year it has been a great year in Dronfield. Sarah has lead the house with a warmth and friendliness that is ever so important, and we thank her for being an outstanding head of house. Dronfield is a happy house, and we look forward to the new year with excitement, and fresh enthusiasm, under the leadership of our new head of house Izzy Holding. Our congratulations to Vicki, on her appointment as Head of School, and to Kate as a school monitor and head of the school choir. jenna, Abi, Charley, Claire and Ellys, and Sarah as head of house have led the way this year in so many respects. Ellys has been a fine captain of girls netball, whilst Abi has represented Dronfield as a school monitor. Claire has baked her way into our hearts, and Charley has treated us to many musical delights throughout the year. Jenna has shown us that we should all look to the future and spread our wings. In fact, all our six leavers have a very positive outlook on the future, and will I am sure be very successful. The words from the Dronfield house song this year 'All Star', illustrates this. Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb So much to do so much to see So what's wrong with taking the back streets You'll never know if you don't go You'll never shine if you don't glow People who work hard in school may become smarter, but they may not get street smart, which seems to be what Smash Mouth's lyrics suggest in, "your head gets dumb." In life, there are many things to do and see. Here "taking the back streets" is a metaphor for having a different perspective on life. One will never get a fresh perspective, if one does not get out, travel, and have significant experiences. We say a big thank you to the staff, and in particular to Mrs Hutchinson, who will not be with us in Dronfield next year. We also wish all the girls leaving Dronfield this year the very best for the future. In the words of an old Irish blessing; May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand. J.Whitehouse

The Peterite 2010-2011

House Reports

Grove The start of the year saw an intake of 15 into the third form who had joined St Peter's from a total of four different schools, hence the settling in process was clearly going to take a little longer. However, as I contemplate the year it is hard to imagine that eleven months previously a number of the new intake into the house were complete strangers to each other!

best performance in the show and our static choreography was particularly impressive - seeing sixty four Grovites swinging in complete unison clearly helped us in achieving a highly commendable third place!

In August the fifth, lower and upper sixth received their results from their formal examinations. The fifth form achieved a staggering amount of 76 A* and As in their GCSEs, with three individuals, Alex Akehurst, Tom Kimpson and Lucy Taylor securing the maximum 10 A*s. It was so pleasing to see the hard work of all the seniors being rewarded and everyone should be congratulated on their performances. The upper sixth also performed exceptionally well and a large proportion of the year group progressed onto the universities of their choice. As customary the Great Egg Race heralded the start of the inter house competitions. The team consisting of George Gao, Alex Shaw, Ben Lightwing, Ed Parker and Dougie Maitland had to construct a tower using spaghetti and jelly babies - the team got off to a great start but unfortunately, after their

fish and chip supper, their formidable design encountered a number of structural problems! would also like to thank Dougie Maitland, Jonny Bew, Jack Harrison and Ben Lightwing for taking part in the Science Society Pub Quiz, a commendable 13th place for their efforts - well done! Finally a creditable third place for our very able language quiz team was awarded to Laura Field, James Field, Amy Dodds, Olivia Frost and Alex Akehurst. The House sing was the next major house competition and after much deliberation the song chosen was 'Aint no mountain high enough' by Marvin Gaye. As predicted, by myself, it was definitely the

The Peterite 2010-2011

Alison Thornton V

In the first term it was also Grove's turn to assume responsibility for the Chapel service. Despite the onset of the Christmas holidays it was decided, in the aftermath of the Government's 'happiness' pledge - to base the service on the theme of happiness! Alex Akehurst, Alice Mason, Lucy Taylor and Emily Freeman started the service off with a very upbeat version of 'Pack up your Troubles'. Olivia Frost wrote a wonderful sermon which was delivered beautifully by the house and Bekka Taylor's final command, to the whole school, to SMILE NOW certainly ensured the day started off well and was greatly received by both the staff and students! Carrying on the dramatic theme, a number of Grovites continued to excel in drama productions throughout the year. Dream a Little Dream was the first production and Bekka Taylor, Bradley Smith and Elle Illingworth were part of the cast. All three were fantastic and Elle and Bekka's singing and dancing enabled them to really shine and show how talented they are. The acting tradition continued into the third and fourth form with Bella Adams, James Field, Emily Brown, Shannon Ellerton and Jake Stephenson taking part in the Middle School Play-A Midsummer Night's Dream. EUe Illingworth must also be congratulated on being chosen to become a member of the prestigious National Youth Theatre - a fantastic achievement. There are many talented musicians within the house and particular mention must go to Daisy Noble who gained her grade 8 singing this year and good luck to Alice Mason who is working towards the same level. The fourth form boys, Alex Harrison and Will Waterhouse are also making great strides in drumming and are most certainly names to watch out for in the

House Reports

future! The first inter house sports event of the year was the cross country competition.The girls had to all participate in the event and there was a number of very pleasing results. Jake Stephenson and Freddie Jagger both came a commendable 2nd in their respective age groups. The house rugby was a very hard contested competition this year - but the boys battled bravely! The senior girls' netball team came a very admirable 3rd in the house competition and Beth Barker's outstanding racquet skills enabled the Grove girls to achieve very good results in the badminton and tennis house competition (placed 3rd in each) - well done. Highlight of the sporting calendar was most definitely the boys' achievement of first place in the house athletics competition - it was particularly satisfying to beat, all be it narrowly, Queen's House.

impeccably and, as the pictures show, had a great time. It was most certainly a night to go down in the History of Grove House. My initial worries of the dance floor being too small was soon proven wrong with 63 teenagers managing to fill the space rather snuggly! Having read the final academic reports of the year it never ceases to amaze me just how busy some members of Grove House are. They represent the school, wholeheartedly, in everything they do and, as such, get huge Joe Himsworth V amounts back, giving their time and energies tirelessly. On the same note I would like to thank all the individuals for their commitment and willingness to represent the House in all the inter house competitions and events, such commitment will ensure that Grove remains a vibrant, happy and successful institution.

t 9 » r

r -•» ft . y

May I also take this opportunity to wish the following good luck as they aim to finish off their Duke of Edinburgh gold award: Freddie Proctor and Tom Fynn, Abbie Gill, Laura Field, Jack Harrison, Ben Lightwing and Dougie Maitland are currently in the process, at time of writing, of completing their silver award and Alex Akehurst has embarked on her gold award - well done to all and good luck in completing the course. House dinner was a great success and I would particularly like to thank Mrs Nozedar for suggesting a river cruise - it was fantastic and

I would like to thank the tutors for all their hard work and help throughout the year. Mr Hodsdon leaves Grove at the end of the year after 21 years in the house and he would particular like to thank the U6th (his tutor group) for making it both an easy and rewarding final year - in his own words, 'You were all fantastic!' Mrs Cowling departed us just after Easter to start her maternity leave and three weeks later saw the safe arrival of Sebastian Cowling. I have thoroughly enjoyed being House Mistress of Grove - I will miss it. I wish Mr Hall well as he takes over - he will be brilliant. Many thanks to Dom Eaves and Olivia Frost, their help has been greatly appreciated and on many occasions needed! I wish Alex Akehurst and Dan Bowie well as they take over the reins; I know their guidance and help will be greatly received by Mr Hall.

most definitely one of the highlights of my year. Everyone behaved J.Williams

ThePeterite2010-2011

House Reports

Hope Having just been entranced by the art display and with the sounds of the Cabaret Concert ringing in my ears I am once again impressed by the talent, energy and commitment of our pupils. These annual events encapsulate much of what a House aspires to be - a community, working together, celebrating individual talent and collectively producing a cohesive and productive whole. Just as the format and individual performances and art change from year to year, so too the house changes subtly as one year group makes way for a fresh faced energetic third form. I am delighted that the underlying values of a strong work ethic, consideration for others and a sense of purpose remain constant. Whilst there have been notable successes on the sports field it is perhaps in the creative and performing arts that members of Hope have been most evidently successful this year. The Phillips sisters and Lucy Any have led the way in terms of prizes but there has been much stunning art by members of the house. Thankfully the drama has generally been on stage rather than in common rooms, but we have been treated to superb performances from the upper sixth to the third form. Georgie and Hannah have been prolific in their contribution to school drama each performance different but all carefully crafted and boding well for a final year. Izzie G gave a thoughtful and convincing performance in Oedipus Rex and there is clearly much talent amongst the current 3rd form exhibited in Twelfth Night on stage and behind the scenes. Special mention must be made of Robbie whose performance in 'Dream a Little Dream' was a revelation. Although we failed to win the House singing, the practices were not only superbly led by Robbie, but well conducted by Mary and the house was expertly accompanied by Robbie, Ben and Alex G. Having the competition in the Autumn term gave an opportunity for the house to focus on a common target and helped the third form to feel very much a part of the community. Many Hopefuls have contributed strongly to the musical life of the school over the last year, but special mention must be made of the Upper Sixth - Alex

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and Ben in the Barber shop; Alex also in the Jazz trio, orchestra and choir and Robbie whose versatility is matched by the standard of his music which is outstanding. Nick will have a hard act to follow in the next two years! The girls have once again out performed the boys in sport, with Hettie winning the cross country and being joint winner of the Victrix Ludorum Cup, the girls winning the senior netball and also triumphing in the tennis.The extra time in the netball was especially exciting and the girls' determination and splendid team spirit gave them a well deserved win and was a lesson in self-belief and good sportsmanship. As always the hockey was keenly contested and we look forward to a strong show in this next year. Hannah was an intrepid goalie - not an easy task for a third former in her first term. The boys did not fair well in the senior rugby - though perhaps had Callum not been taken out by one of the opposition things might have been slightly more promising! Perhaps the summer tour will energise the Hope sixth form next term! The junior boys, though not natural 7s players, put up a sterling performance and nearly won through; Marco's energetic and focused leadership was notable as was the commitment of all the players. Oli and Rob were runners up in the tennis with Oli gaining the same result in a well contested and exciting Alcuin Cup final. Runner up for three consecutive years is a considerable achievement in such a competitive event. It is important to play to win, but also vital to foster a good team spirit and to encourage everyone to play their part and be valued for their contribution. I was especially pleased that in the swimming and the athletics members of the house volunteered very willingly and gave their all whether or not they were serious contenders for winning positions. Once again we were runners up in the Science quiz - Temple need to be aware that there were plans afoot to sabotage a certain member of their team - maybe next year! Similarly Callum led the runners up in the Egg Race, there were also good team efforts in the

House Reports

languages quiz. It can be daunting for y o u n g e r members of the house to participate in some of these events but they gain confidence from joining in and can in turn encourage y o u n g e r members as they become more senior in the house. Debating was slightly disappointing this year - perhaps surprisingly when there are plenty of Hopefuls with strong views that they are happy to share with others! The Upper Sixth led the way in Community Action with Mary deservedly gaining one of the community action prizes. Mary, Alex T, and Holly have come a long way from being Father Christmas's little helpers, but their commitment to the Community Action programme has never faltered and I know that they will continue to seek opportunities to serve the community in their time at university. Sarah, Anna, Becka, Claudia, Callum and Rob have also given much time and care and I am delighted that there is such a strong commitment to community action in each year group. Many of the fifth form took part in the post GCSE project, enjoying a purposeful few days and learning some valuable team skills.

they have had three years in the 'new' house and are the penultimate year group to have opted to leave their original St Peter's house. They have been immensely supportive of each other, have led by example in terms of being considerate, accepting responsibility and working hard - and I suspect the computer room will be used just as much by next year's sixth form! I wish them well in their future careers. Holly, Alex and Robbie have fulfilled their monitorial duties reliably and with dignity and integrity. Elizabeth also leaves us and we wish her well - she would have contributed much to the sixth form. We congratulate our prizewinners - Robbie, Holly, Sarah, Mary, JJ, Jamie, Lucy and Oliver. We say good-bye to Mr Duffy who has been a great support to me over the last three years though I shall be glad not to have to 'tune in' first thing in a morning!

Relatively few names have been mentioned in this report - yet I could find something that every individual has contributed over the course of the year. I am particularly grateful to the Upper Sixth We also thank Miss Kelley who leaves us having guided the third form through their first year. Lastly and by no means least, I should like to thank Robbie most sincerely for all his help and support this year. He has been a highly respected Head of House and the warmth with which his assured and humorous speech was received at the House dinner was evidence of the high regard in which he is held. So we look forward to another year - we have been consistent in winning two trophies each year - it would be good to add to this tally next year - perhaps the Merit Cup? More important (though winning is important!) is that the friendly and positive atmosphere within the house is maintained and the talents of each individual are celebrated and nurtured. Congratulations to Hettie as Head of House and to Georgie and Jess who have been appointed monitors. Remember - we live in Hope! S Watkinson

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House Reports

Linton It was a pleasure to welcome back 40 boys into the house in the Autumn term. Eight new third formers joined the house and quickly settled into the routine. Toby Simpson joined the fourth form from Durham School and Zac Lu joined the lower sixth from China. On the staffing front we were lucky to have Mr Callan join us as fifth form tutor and to take over some evening and weekend duties. Academically last year's lower sixth returned with some really good results at AS and began the process in earnest to complete their UCAS applications. The new lower sixth gained an outstanding set of GCSE results with well over 80% of grades at A/A*. As ever, rugby occupied most of the boys during this term with some outstanding performances throughout the season. Jake Taylor was selected to play for Leeds Carnegie and new third formers George Wall, Harry Richardson and Sam Blott became permanent fixtures in the U14A squad.

led for the majority of the game, but a last minute try from Queen's saw us miss the trophy by the narrowest of margins for the second year running. The team deserves praise for this great effort, well done: Andrew Neal, Michael Chan, Tom Nelson, Toby Hinchcliffe, Henry Gray, Hugo Aiken and James Chantry. House singing was approached in our usual enthusiastic manner though the choice of 'Year 3000' by Busted was not to everyone's taste (blame the Head of House!). With plenty of free-style dancing and some choreography from Patrick Litten and George Wall we did get some really positive applause for entertaining the crowds. Sadly, we were not placed in the final three. A tired, but contented house ended the term in the usual fashion with a splendid house dinner. Behaviour was at its best and it was good to see the boys had not forgotten the words to the house song! A very cold start to the Spring Term meant that school was covered in a carpet of snow for many weeks.The Linton boilers were put through their paces keeping the old place warm. So it was left to our rowers Rory Wells, Jeff Cho and Ali Stephenson to put in the early morning training and the talk this year was of a Vintage' crew. They did not disappoint, gaining first place in the coxed-fours at The Schools' Head in London. This dominance of schoolboy fours continued all term with the crew beating many club and university boats. During the Easter holidays the crew travelled to Ghent in Belgium and won their first international race against strong opposition from across Europe.

Our performance in the Great Egg race was much improved on previous years. The task was to build a tower out of spaghetti and jelly babies to support an egg. With tactics such as hardening the jelly babies on a hot radiator we were able to produce a very tall structure, but were unable to beat the Clifton monstrosity, pushing into second place. There was a very good turnout for house cross-country as ever, and many boys gave credible performances, particularly in the senior race. In junior house rugby we have some very good players, but having to select seven players from a pool of only 14 boys (and with a few of our better players injured) we struggled to match the pace of other teams. In the senior event it was a replay of last year with ourselves and Queen's dominating the early rounds. In the final we

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The Summer Term arrived too soon and exams were quickly upon us, but the boys really knuckled down to the grind of revision and continued also to take an active role in life outside of the classroom.This year we were defending the sports day House Shield

House Reports

and we were able to field a full squad in both the junior and senior competition. This ensured that Linton was placed highly and some fine performances were achieved. Lintonites continued, as usual, to fill the ranks of the CCF with a high proportion of them also donning rucksacks and taking part in their Duke of Edinburgh expedition. Our time in the house was all too quickly over. We have really enjoyed four outstanding years in Linton as well as over twelve years as part of the boarding community at St Peter's. It was tough at times to juggle the demands of new parenthood with running the house, though Linton will always be a special place to us where we have shared some really good times with some outstanding young men. It has also been home to our two young children, Miles and Imogen. We will continue to follow with great interest the progress of the boys in the house and do wish our successors, Mr and Mrs Williams, the best of luck as they take over the role in the summer. The job over the years has been made a whole lot easier with the

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generous help given by many people. We would like to thank our matron Michelle who has continued to work in a professional manner, always putting the boys' interests first. Tom Marriott has been an excellent assistant housemaster. He stepped up to the mark without complaint when our daughter was born in the term-time and we wish him much success in his new role at Cranleigh. It is also appropriate to thank 'the old guard': Mr Stephen, Mr Callan and Mr Miles-Kingston who form the strong team of tutors that supported the boys really well again this year. As the term draws to a close we wish our leavers a fond farewell. Callum and Jamie Hatzel leave boarding to become day boys. In the upper sixth seven boys move on to university and beyond. Josh Burley was an outstanding Head of House this year, always taking a keen interest in house issues and a very good role-model for the younger boys. We wish him and the other upper sixth good luck in the next stage of their education - well done, boys. M and SJ Hall

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House Reports

Manor Being a Housemaster of a boarding house has been described as one of the most rewarding forms of masochism in existence. Being the only form I am familiar with, I can still nevertheless see the point! It is an old truism that you only get out of life what you put in, and this year the boys of Manor have put their hearts and souls into the life of the house and the wider school. It has been an immensely enjoyable year and I am very proud of both the effort and achievement demonstrated.There have been unlikely successes, near misses and some hopeless failings but through it all fun and learning went hand in hand. What I write below can only capture a small glimpse of the year but I hope it gets the point across.

The Autumn Term We welcomed seven new third years and two new lower sixth to house in September, as well as Lwazi Volsak, our well-liked and extremely impressive exchange student from Selborne College, South Africa. The third year continued the annual tradition of being the worst 3rd form yet at duty, at least until next year's Manorites, but they soon settled into the swing of life here. As a year group they show good promise and I look forward to watching each individual develop. Tom Calvert was a fine acquisition and joined the 4th form in November settling very quickly. Ricky was welcomed into the L6th and impressed quickly. Added to the boys already in house it has been a real pleasure to live together and my wife and two children have really enjoyed getting to know everyone.

juniors did their best! Hearing Manor musicians (a particular mention should be made of the talents of Chris Ma, Will Smith and Guy Newson) play and seeing them perform with great skill in the school play (Freddie Wintrip and Will Hartrey) was a joy. The End of term was marked by the house dinner - an event that really demonstrated communal boarding living at its best. Sam Jefferies gave a very well judged speech and proved a very good Head of House all year. The highlight of the first half term was undoubtedly the House Singing competition. While for many we were rank outsiders, we had Guy "Vanilla Ice" Newson. Though known better for song composition, his arrangement of the all-time classic Jedward version of Under Pressure was superb.The Egg Race did not go quite so well but the boys still enjoyed the challenge. Later on in the term came the House Rugby. A strong senior team was defeated in the semis, the

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The Easter Term After the extreme cold that marked the run-in to Christmas, the spring term brought fairer weather and a continuation of all that was positive in 2010. The Tapas nights proved popular introducing new foods such as fried aubergine dipped in honey (surprisingly wellliked!)

House Reports

Plenty of drama was on show this term and many Manorites were involved in Lysistrata, The Cut, and Cutting Edge. We tried our brains out in the Science Pub Quiz though did not succeed this year. Were there to be an inter-house Call of Duty competition - then we would win something! House hockey went well at both senior and junior levels and it was good to see a great number of the boys involved.

The Summer Term On the sports field junior house cricket was the highlight of the summer term with a great victory secured in the semi-final before a more comfortable final that went our way. In Tennis, Will Smith and Adam Carter came close to winning as well. The junior music festival was the cultural highlight and it was pleasing to see so many boys involved. Ivan Cheng has been impressive all year and deserved his award. Exam season quickly kicked in however which limited further events. I was impressed with how well the boys knuckled down and it was clear that they wanted to do very well. For the L6th exams were complete two days after half term and they were able to welcome two students into house from the USA exchange.

The People For the U6th I have been the third housemaster in 5 years here and it is to their great credit that we managed to get along so well. I wish each member of the year group all the very best and look forward to following their future with interest. For some this marks a very long time at St Peter's and I am convinced their experience here will have served them well. I thank the other years too - it has been a real pleasure to move into a house of pleasant young people. The tutors, as always, require great thanks. They do a lot of hard work on a regular basis which the students greatly appreciate. Mr Cameron, my non-resident assistant, moves to a new school and I

thank him for all his evenings and Sundays on duty this year. His calm assuredness will be missed. Dave Ray is a Manor stalwart and continues to look after the boys with great enthusiasm and interest. His sound advice and good instinct has been invaluable. Thanks to go to Mr Darmody, Mr Adams and to Mr Connor for all they do. A special note also goes to the retiring Reverend Daly whose evening visits each half term have been much appreciated. Colette, our Matron, and the team of cleaners (Katy, Karen, Kath, Gill) look after the boys superbly - they really are lucky to have them. My final thanks however go to my wife, Dori. Without her support, guidance and positive enthusiasm for the life of the house I would have to choose between work and family. Her positive embrace of the Manor (along with our children) means no choice needs making. S. Cwilliam

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House Reports

Queens

This has been a very successful year for Queen's House, led and inspired by the Upper Sixth. They have had a hugely successful year in all their ventures academic, musical, dramatic and sporting. Special mention must go to Julia Megone, Katie McLeish and James Bullock for securing Oxbridge places for next academic year, and Tom Lovett and Katie for their starring roles in Dream a Little Dream. We welcomed 14 new Third Form in September from St Olave's, and by Christmas it was clear that they fitted in like the furniture, in some cases literally. The Upper Sixth took their role as mentors seriously, helped by the sibling ties between the two year groups. The current Lower Sixth are looking forward to assuming this role when our 14 new Third Form arrive from more disparate starting points next September.

entry literally towered above those of other houses. The House music competition really pulled the house together before the October half term, securing us a moral if not actual victory, thanks to the musical direction of Katie McLeish and the enthusiasm of TomTom. Further sporting success followed, particularly for the senior boys,

Success in inter-house competitions came quickly, with house team victories in the EDL Foreign Language Quiz and the Egg Race, where the Queen's

with victory by the smallest of margins in the Senior Rugby 7s, and more convincingly in the Hockey the following term. The girls were similarly dedicated and enthusiastic in their Nick Stephen V

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Laura Barren V

House Reports

endeavours, securing a fine second place in the inter-house tennis, despite the absence of some senior team members. The house has been very ably led by Will Stephen and Edzy Denison this year, and their calm and stalwart approach has been appreciated by house staff and pupils alike. The prize for best decorated common room at Christmas, instigated by

TomTom and sure to become a house tradition now that it has its own trophy, was rightly won by Katie, Justin, James and Julia, who managed to install a full size Christmas tree in their common room. This was by no means the most outlandish item that found its way into the house however, although the 3rd form mini-fridge loses out to the attempt by TomTom to install a sixth form fish tank in their common room which was twice thwarted by vigilant house staff. Clearly their strategy to avoid staff attention by hiding the fish tank in their bomb site of a common room was not as successful as hoped! We look forward to continued success across all of our ventures in the forthcoming academic year. Every school year has its own individuality, as pupils pass through the school, develop and leave to pursue their ambitions elsewhere. This has been a vintage year, but given the depth and strength of Queen's, its success will not be unmatched in the future. C.Hempsall

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-louse Reports

Rise

The annual Peterite House report can really only provide a taster of this year's achievements. It has indeed been a busy twelve months; the girls of The Rise have once again thrown themselves into house fixtures and activities with enthusiasm and aplomb. The happy and secure boarding environment we all strive for enabled our new third formers to settle quickly and make their mark in the community: Phoebe Burley, Alicia Cranston, Jenna Ledden and Anna Fairbank soon became a force to be reckoned with. Vicky Zhang and Lauren Burdass joined the Lower Sixth and again, quickly established themselves as hard working individuals, with a sense of purpose and an understanding of community and the need to support each other. As will become apparent, The Rise has again been successful, both on the games field and in the classroom. We had a fine sprinkling of hockey players, competing at all levels and in all age categories, however, despite heroic efforts we had to settle for fourth in the Inter-House hockey competition, but importantly, only after having secured a 2-1 victory over our nearest and dearest rivals, Dronfield! Having won two of the last three Egg Races, we came a mediocre fifth place, but thanks still go to Phoebe Burley, Phoebe Liu, Amber Espositio, Helen Skinner and Ellie Binks for their best efforts against stiff and determined competition. In squash matches, Fabienne Roth and Flora Dallas were joined by a very eager Molly Bythell, desperate to do well - which she did! EUie Binks, Helen Skinner, Phoebe Burley and Harriet Falshaw were loyal to their commitments on the river, though outings drew to a standstill after half term due to record breaking cold weather, which saw the Ouse actually freeze over! Our senior debating team of Ellie Binks, Laura Mounsey, Molly Bythell, Lizi Hart and Helen Skinner beat The Grove and Linton at senior debating, only to lose to School House in the semi-final. The Rise's record of making the top three in the House singing competition was well and truly shattered this year. Despite over half the house being in the school choir, our rendition of'Rolling on a River'was, as we all agreed way off the mark and we withdrew gracefully to settle for 8th place. However, House morale was once again restored, with fantastic performances in the Cross Country. Spirits were high and determination was galvanised as even the "I'm not very good at running" girls donned their trainers and went for it. Scarlett Shaw, Anna

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Fairbank, Harriet Falshaw, and Natalie Mounsey all came in the junior girls' top ten. Summer Taylor, Lavinia Taylor, Ruby Wilson and Pip Gray also made the top ten of the senior race. Consequently, The Rise won both events with flying colours and a genuine sense of collective achievement. The first few weeks of the Easter term are amongst the hardest of the year: trial examinations, poor weather and not a great deal to look forward to - except more examinations! However, The Rise entered all House events with typical enthusiasm and more collective responsibility. We saw off Dronfield in the final of the Junior Netball, winning 10-4. Fabienne Roth, Molly Bythell, Flora Dallas and Lizi Hart played well on the squash court, losing to Dronfield in the final. In swimming, Ellie Fletcher and Sophie Jones were joined by Phoebe Burley in the school team, though the House competition was postponed until the summer term, when the new pool would be completed. This year saw St Peter's entering the Model United Nations competition for the first time; Ellie Binks, Amber Esposito and Laura Mounsey spent the weekend at Haylebury School as 'Jamaica'. No victories, but an event very much enjoyed by all; this will no doubt become a permanent fixture in the St Peter's calendar. This year we entered four teams in the science pub quiz. Our best result came from 'Hart's Tarts': Lizi Hart, Flora Dallas, Jenna Ledden and Bea Murray-Nag endured the questions, to be rewarded with fourth place and a pie and pea supper. There are some fine musicians amongst the senior years and Sophie Jones performed brilliantly in the senior music competitions to be awarded a recommendation for her saxophone playing. Down at the art school, Bea Murray-Nag received 'Highly Commended' for an ambitious and well executed drawing in this year's Albert Moore Drawing Competition. Sports' Day was a hard fought competition with some excellent results. All competitors score points for their respective houses, so it's important that all events are entered, as even an eighth place gets a point. This year Scarlett Shaw, Ruby Wilson, Polly Fairbank, Harriet Falshaw and Lavinia Taylor all came first in their respective events. Scarlett, Polly, Harriet, Ruby and Lavinia, along with Pip Gray all came second in other events, with Alicia Cranston coming third in the junior shot. When the points were added up, The Rise came out on top, beating Temple by just one point! Lavinia also won the

House Reports

Campbell Cup as the senior 200 metres winner. A great way to start the term! Laura Mounsey captained the school senior rounders team, with Pip Gray, Flora Dallas, Polly and Jess Fairbank all playing at first or second team level. Our success at rounders was clearly evident at junior level later in the term with Scarlett Shaw and Natalie Mounsey being part of the U16 national champions' team. Scarlett and Natalie along with the rest of the third and fourth Form went on to win the inter-house rounders competition, once again meeting Dronfield in the final, beating them by one and a half rounders. Our rowers built on their winter training to put up fine performances at a variety of national and local fixtures. Helen Skinner deserves particular mention after winning gold as coxswain of the boys' U18 Coxed Fours at the National Schools' Regatta and then steering the boys' eight into the last 16 of the Princess Elizabeth Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. The now annual pilgrimage to Beverley for the 10k race was completed without too much fuss by Zoe Pindar and Natalie Mounsey and Molly Bythell whilst Bea Murray-Nag, Lavinia Taylor and Jess Fairbank endured heat, cold, wind and rain to complete their D of E silver expedition in the wilds of the Lake District. Back indoors, Alicia Cranston provided props for this term's middle school play, a highly entertaining and very accessible adaptation of'Twelfth Night'. The girls of The Rise have worked hard both on and back stage in a variety of productions this year, including Pip Gray taking a lead role in 'Dream a Little Dream', plus the contributions of many others to 'Oedipus Rex', lysistrata' and 'The Cut'. Lizi Hart proved to be a focused and formidable MD for the Young Enterprise Scheme team and Natalie Mounsey exercised another of her many talents by winning the woodwind section of the junior music competition. This year the girls of The Rise have involved themselves in school and house activities more than ever before. Their success on the games field culminated in being presented with the Cambridge Cup, awarded to the house with the most success at inter-house sporting events. The Rise also won the Merit Cup for the second year in succession and therefore proved their brain power as well as their brawn! Several individual are worthy of a special mention; Scarlett Shaw has represented the school at A team level in hockey, netball, rounders and athletics this year. Alicia Cranston has done the same in tennis, netball and hockey. Ellie Fletcher is playing hockey for the North of England and Harriet Falshaw came very close to gaining a place in the GB riding squad. All deserve praise for their achievements and efficient time management. This summer Judith and I leave the house after eleven very happy and fulfilled years. This year has provided many lasting memories to take away with us. They include the hundreds of balloons left at the bottom of the house staircase to celebrate the Upper Sixth's last day of lessons, along with notices saying, amongst other things: "All boys allowed upstairs", "Visible bras compulsory" and perhaps most apocalyptic of all, "Tom Daley visit cancelled" which of course it was! The now traditional house barbeque was better than ever, with a bouncy castle and a bouncy slide! On the

last night of term, after once again enduring the delights and perhaps now slightly predictable Lightwater Valley, the Upper Sixth drank champagne and released paper lanterns into a starry Clifton sky... it is perhaps best not to record what happened next; suffice to say, Guy Fawkes himself would have been proud! These recollections appropriately revolve around air, in some cases hot air, which is of course particularly apt for a house of 30 teenage girls... My thanks go to our loyal and hard-working team of tutors and assistants: Wendy Shepherd, Cherry Fricker, Sarah Morgan and Helen Barnard; all of whom have worked tirelessly to promote the relaxed yet structured atmosphere that is The Rise. Just as importantly, thanks to our support staff: Jane Feetenby, Jenny Feetenby, Lesley Carr and Pauline Cammidge, who have been a significant part of the house community throughout our time in office. Pauline retires this summer after an incredible 27 years in The Rise. She leaves with our sincere thanks and best wishes for a long and well-earned retirement. The Rise is fortunate that Jane has been primed to take her place and will, I am certain, do a sterling job. The Upper Sixth this year have done a fantastic job; they have galvanised the troops, encouraging even the most under confident to have a go. Their gentle and persuasive manner has helped get the most out of each member of the community and very importantly,

they have practised and preached collective responsibility to the very last day of term. Judith and I are particularly grateful for the surprise party that was organised in our honour, with such precision and attention to detail. It was indeed heartening to see so many old Rise girls together again under one (marquee) roof, to share stories and eat an enormous black and white cake generously provided by Polly Fairbank and her mum! Special thanks go to Head of House, Ellie Binks, who clearly has a sparkling career ahead of her in Events' Management! Next year's Head of House will be Lauren Burdass; we wish her well. I must add my personal thanks to my wife Judith. We have very much run the House together as 'House parents'; without her, the place would not be what it is. She has, more often than not, had to play bad cop to my good cop and therefore has taken much of the daily grind firmly on the chin. I am sincerely grateful for her support and wisdom over the years. Finally, all that remains is for me to wish Ella and Ed Mallard and Oscar all the very best as they move in to take our place after the summer. If they have half as much fun as Judith, Izzy, Phoebe and I have had, they will be very fortunate indeed. Chris Hall

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House Reports

School Writing this in the calm of the penultimate week of term when the 5th form and Upper sixth form are on exam leave and the middle school are on internal exams, I wonder what the fuss associated with running a day house is all about! Taking over as Housemistress from Mrs Lunardi who left at the end of the Christmas term on maternity leave was always going to be a tough act to follow, but at the same time everything was left so ship-shape and orderly I couldn't possibly fail! My arrival into School House was met with approval particularly from the relatively new 3rd formers who were delighted to have an even more recent newcomer to the House, but their supposed confidence soon earned them a demotion from the top floor where they

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were 'out of sight out of mind' to the common room next to School House office within the first week of my taking over! The first inter-house competition of the year was the Great Egg Race where the tower of spaghetti and jelly babies constructed by Adam Fletcher, Alex Payne, Will Fynn, Nick Fullick, Ross McDade and George Hourston didn't win the competition, but at the same time didn't come last either! Was their tower lacking connectivity! So who did eat all of the jelly babies? A number of individuals within the House also had a great success in drama during the year beginning with the senior school play 'Dream a Little Dream' in which Guy Cowma n-Sharpe played Theseus, Bill Goss played Puck, and Emily Mahon was a Ginger Rogers I was thoroughly entertained by such amazing and diverse talent displayed by these budding thespians. In the middle school play of'Twelfth Night' Emily Mahon performed again playing Feste the jester and she must be congratulated on how strikingly she lived up to her role, whilst Lily Spencer playing Maria the maid was hilariously entertaining! The House's musical talent was further put to the test in the annual House singing competition where the choice of song 'Never gonna give you up' directed by Heads of house Gabby and Angus and accompanied by Guy Cowman-Sharpe on guitar, Bill Goss on keyboard and Nick Fullick on drums was enthusiastically delivered but sadly didn't make the top 3 positions. (Were the judges wearing their hearing aids?) Other musical talent included Alistair Duffey and Nick Fullick's performances in the Junior Music Festival in addition to many other students gaining numerous musical grades in private exams throughout the year, in particular, Beth Hall and Olivia Hourston achieving impressive grade 8 for singing, and Guy Cowman-Sharpe achieving grade 7 singing. A further demonstration of how much School House members are dedicated to their chosen commitments is Tristan Prince's runner up prize in the Junior Albert Moore Drawing competition. The Art and DT exhibitions further indicate that there is significant talent in the house, and in particular Beth Hall's amazing portfolio of sculpture and fine art work.

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The first inter-house sporting competition of the year was the cross-country event which involved the most house members participating en masse. Battling it out on the Ings, School House was victorious in the senior boys event where Ben France impressively demolished the rest of the field to demonstrate that despite ongoing injury problems, he is still a force to be dealt with. Our most successful team was the junior girls who stomped home in a credible fourth position. Other notable sporting successes of the year included the junior house netball in which School House closely contested Rise in the final, narrowly losing by just 1 goal, and some excellent skill and team play was performed by Minna Gabbertas, Sophie France, Lipfon Tang, Emily Taylor, Sophie Blackburn, Emily Mahon, Gemma Willink, Lily Spencer and Pippa Martin. But there was no doubt over the winners of the junior boys inter-house hockey competition which was emphatically won by School House under the successful captaining of Ollie Smith. The team included Ollie Smith, Will Fynn, Alex Eyre, Nik Ubhi, Harley Shaw, Tristan Prince, Nick Fullick and Cameron Lynde. On sports' day both the boys and girls teams finished an outstanding fourth with many individual successes. Ben France 1st senior boys' 3,000m; Ben Elliott 1st senior boys' 800m; Tom Edwards 1st senior boys' Discus; Ben Irving 1st senior boys' 400m and 'surprise' winner of The Proudly Trophy'; Minna Gabbertas 1st junior girls' 100m; Dan Clough 1st junior boys' Shot; and Sophie Blackburn 1st junior girls'High-Jump. The senior boys' also ran impressively in the 4x100m Relay to clinch 2nd place (C Norell, T Edwards, B Elliot and A Taylor). Minna Gabbertas and Pippa Martin must also be congratulated on both going on to win their events in the York and

House Reports

District Athletics Championships, and Minna continued her success by winning the 200m in the North Yorkshire Championships - an

their unending commitment to not only organising activities and other house

School House junior girls made a big

members, but successfully representing

splash in the new swimming pool by finishing second in the interhouse gala and there were many remarkable performances not least

the house themselves in an array of inter-house competitions. Ben France

of all School House's victory in both the medley and freestyle relays

also earned colours for representing the

- well done Minna Gabbertas, Keira Barnard, Sophie France and

House on numerous occasions and

outstanding achievement.

providing School House with the honour

Sophie Blackburn! Other notable sporting achievements worthy of mention include Adam Janes' selection to the GB junior rowing squad; OUie Cohen's award of'North Yorkshire UZIbadminton player of the year' and Josh Cooper's successful orienteering season for North Yorkshire. We all follow their sporting progress with keen interest.

of providing the school with a Head Boy. Ben was a great ambassador for the House as well as the school and fulfilled his role entirely. Other recipients of

Kate Reid V

house colours were Duncan Collins-Adams and Ella Nadian who unassumingly gave up much time and energy on behalf of the House. 1 would also like to take this opportunity to wish our leavers - Gabby,

School House's biggest victory of the year however has to be in the inter-house debating, proving too much competition for other

Olivia, Millie, Beth, Ella, Lipmunn, Angus, Ben, Tim, Adam and Duncan

houses where our members should be renowned for'talking the hind leg off a donkey'. Both the junior and senior debating competitions

all the very best for the future. I sincerely hope they achieve the necessary A2 grades to embark them successfully on the next stage

were thrillingly won by School House. The senior team comprised Gabby Naismith, George Hourston, Adam Janes and Tom Edwards,

of their academic career, and that they take the experiences and skills learnt in School House with them. I would also like to wish

and the junior team was made up of Alex Payne, Will Fynn and

Katie Elliott and Jack Downey in the 5th form all the best in their

Patrick Copley. One could say that School House has the gift of the gab!

new academic institutions.

Yet

again,

many and

unassumingly been involved in various Community

formers successfully settle in and are proof that the sum of the two

Action projects throughout

halves actually makes more than one whole!: Mr Northfield whose

the year - Lipmunn Tang,

endless experience and wisdom once again soundly prepared the upper sixth for life beyond St Peter's - there is life beyond St Peter's

have

tirelessly

Tom Perkins, Gabby Fullick,

(and me also!}; Mrs Garbutt and Dr Thomson for helping the 3rd

Becca Wooton, Charlotte

he tells us! And lastly, many thanks to Mr Chester who in his short

Terry, Izzy Taylor; Sophie

time at the school built up a lasting rapport with his 5th formers; and the return of an old favourite (emphasis on 'old') Mr Severn who

Sweetland, '

Mrs

Lawrence my assistant and the 4th form tutor who has done a remarkable job in keeping her 4th form on the straight and narrow

members of School House

Sophie SweetlandV

Finally, thanks to all the tutors of School House for their invaluable help and support during my first two terms:-

Sophie

Katie

Willink|

Elliott, Sopnie

Blackburn, Gemma Willink and Pippa Martin have all been committed volunteers on projects such as Silver Surfers and Monday

picked up the lower sixth. Both Mr Chester and Mr Severn will be leaving us at the end of the summer and we wish them well in their future employment/retirement.

Group. A special mention must go to Lipmunn Tang however, whose extremely reliable and appreciated involvement at Clifton Pre-prep School earned her school colours. School House took charge of the chapel service during the Easter term, and Head of House Gabby Naismith did a fantastic job in organising and directing many willing house members deliver a very thought-provoking and stimulating service on the theme of

A R Tooby-Smith

Life in School House A Head of School House's perspective:

Emily Mahon, Lily Spencer, Alex Eyre,

From an U6 student's perspective, life in School House over the last year has been one of the best we have enjoyed in our time here.

Angus Taylor, Adam Janes, Hamish Lynde, Tom Edwards, Ben Elliott,

We've switched common rooms, re-allocated furniture and kicked

Ben France and Liv Hourston were the main deliverers but the whole

the third form off the comfortable chairs during house meeting, but

house must be congratulated on successfully standing up and

still managed to produce a record number of teams for the science

bravely 'sprinkling' to the opening song.

quiz, and an unfailingly enthusiastic rendition of Never Gonna Give

'standing out in a crowd'.

School House Dinner was an occasion to say our formal

You Up in house singing.

goodbyes to the upper sixth and speeches made by our Heads of

This enthusiasm is what has made the last year such a good one;

House Gabby and Angus were not only informative, but very enter-

one example of this is the junior girls netball team who were not

taining and involved many prizes being awarded to house members

deterred by injuries sustained in a particularly competitive match

in recognition of their 'unspoken' talents. As a relative newcomer to

with Temple, and cheerfully went on to place second. This has made

School House I felt it most fitting to summarise my two terms' experience of School House in the form of a ditty, the last verse of which read as follows:So School House should be proud by and large Success in music, art, sport and lots more,

mine and Angus' job as Heads of House so much easier. Finding volunteers has never been a problem, even for such delightful things as sports day, regardless of ability. The junior debaters stepped up to the mark in spite of the fact that none of them had tried it before, and went on to win the competition.

I've really enjoyed being in charge So three cheers for the best house of all!!

like to thank all of our tutors and especially Mrs Lunardi and Mrs

In recognition for the time, energy and commitment shown to

Tooby-Smith for focusing our energy to create what is, undoubtedly,

School House over the years, colours were awarded to our two Heads of House Gabby Naismith and Angus Taylor to acknowledge

Most importantly, though, the school house community would

the best house at school. Gabby Naismith The Peterite 2010-2011

House Reports

Temole As I am writing this report it is hard to believe that I have just completed my third year as Housemistress of Temple. They say time flies when you are enjoying yourself and this year has been no exception. In September we welcomed 15 new Third Formers to the house and their tutor, Mrs Newport, along with four new Lower Sixth girls who settled in quickly with the help of their peers. We also received a visit in the first couple of weeks from the new Head Master, Mr Winkley, who described Temple as "a very friendly house" and it is good to think that this is the first impression visitors get when braving the stairs to Temple.

Little Dream" and the Middle School Play "Twelfth Night". Special mention should go to Anna Thrussell who got down to the last four girls in auditions for a major ITV Sunday night drama.

The year 2010/11 proved to be another entertaining one with plenty of talent on display, particularly in the area of music or drama. We were well represented once again in the Senior Music Festival with many excellent performances in very competitive categories, the highlight being Rebecca Widdicombe's win in the Singing section with her rendition of Ave Maria. This was followed in the summer by the Junior Music Festival where Helen Taylor won the piano and Charlie Widdicombe the brass section. Congratulations should also go to Charlie for being invited to join the Young Simfonia Orchestra based at the Sage in Gateshead following a recent audition. The wealth of musical talent in the house never ceases to amaze me and I look forward to hearing more from pupils in the future. Before leaving the topic of music, mention must be made of House Singing at the earlier time of October. Temple produced a very polished version of "Dancing in the Moonlight", expertly choreographed and conducted by Joe Hall. His slinky moves and sense of rhythm certainly caught the judges'attention. Although we were defeated by the ice cool dudes of Manor, it was an entertaining afternoon and a fun end to the first half term.

The sporting year got off to a good start with the news that EUie Martin had been selected to join the North of England hockey training squad for which she should be congratulated. Although we have had no victories in house sporting competitions this year, we came very close at times, particularly on sports day when the girls missed out on retaining the girls' athletics cup by an agonising margin of one point, despite notable victories from Libby Brown in the 800m, Helen Taylor in the 200m, Ellie Martin in the shot put, Georgie Ward in the javelin and Claudia Green in the 100m and high jump. Claudia was also awarded the sprint trophy and shared the Victrix Ludorum for her overall performance. Libby, Helen and Ellie

Temple is also emerging as quite a force on the stage with large numbers of pupils getting involved in the school musical "Dream a

The Peterite 2010-2011

Rebecca Widdecombe V

House Reports

went on to represent North Yorkshire in their respective events as did Patrick Brown who won the junior boys' 200m. Another highlight of the boys' event was Ed Scott's impressive performance in the Intermediate Boys' 100m sprint where he was the clear winner. Ed leaves us this year to do his A levels at South Hunsley School near Hull. He will have a little longer in bed in the mornings but we will miss his sporting talent as well as his cheerful, friendly presence in house. Other pupils whose achievements are worth a mention are Stuart Tolley who was part of the U14 cricket team who won the Pocklington six a side competition and lona Harrap who continued to show great devotion and commitment to rowing as Head of Girls' boats alongside her academic studies. She showed that it is possible to achieve high standards in both when being successful in gaining an offer of a place at Oxford to study medicine.

if I have missed anyone out, the most important thing for me is that everyone in house is prepared to get involved in the life of the school and the house in whatever areas they can even if they do not always play to their strengths. It helps to boost confidence and build a sense of community. I do feel that the pupils in Temple have a strong sense of community and do look out for each other and this was clearly demonstrated in our House Chapel this year, written by Claudia

This brings me on to the topic of science where Temple are the undisputed champions. This is rather ironic as science was my worst subject at school, a good reason to appoint Rebecca Widdecombe V physicist Mr Parr to help me out as Assistant in house following Mrs Dawson's decision to step down at the end of the autumn term. Despite rumours of a plot to kidnap Daniel Spencer, he was present for the annual House Science Quiz ably assisted by Eddie Frost, Jamie Macnab and Sebastian Dobson resulting in a win for the third year in a row. Jamie Macnab went on to win a Silver award in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge and Daniel Spencer won a Cold award in both the Maths and Physics Olympiad, the latter meaning that he was invited to the Royal Society to receive his award and attend a lecture. Dan was also entered for the prestigious British Informatics Olympiad in December where he gained a merit. Whilst all of these achievements are noteworthy and I apologise

Green on the theme of bullying. It had a hard hitting message and was eloquently delivered by pupils in the house. I would like to wish the U6 well as they leave for pastures new and do hope that they will send us regular updates on their progress beyond St Peter's. I would particularly like to thank Natasha Scroggs who has been a very efficient and effective Head of House and Sophie Scotter and lona Harrap who have represented Temple so well on the body of monitors. We also say goodbye to Emily Williams who is to join the Rise as a boarder in September. Be kind to us on the sports field, Emily. Last but not least I would like to thank my two assistants, Mr Parr and Mrs Dawson and my tutors Mrs Newport, Mr Matkin and Mr Johnston. They do above and beyond what is expected of them and have a great knowledge and awareness of the needs of their trustees. I look forward to another exciting year in September with Josh Wilson and Lauren llsley at the helm as Heads of House but now it is time for some rest! j Houghton

The Peterite 2010-2011

Politics Trip To Washington D.C. Monday 25th October-Tuesday 2nd November 2010 As we all gathered in the Horseshoe at 2.30am to register with Mr Fuller, Mrs Shepherd and Glen there were two main thoughts running through our minds: 'AH! Where did I put my ESTA?' and 'what kind of person will my exchange be?'. During our coach journey to the airport some of us slept while others (Daisy, Flo and Charly) 'Facebooked' their exchanges and their comments of 'ooh I think she might be a cheerleader' and ' is there a Glee club at Walt Whitman?' show just how stereotypical our views of Americans were before our exchange. Upon our arrival at Washington Dulles it was clear who had spent the flight sleeping and who had spent the flight making the most of the onboard entertainment. There was no time to feel tired though; Charlie had to report to lost luggage as his suitra" had gone astray and the rest of us had to find our hosts. We \ greeted at arrivals by a bunch of smiling faces; the parents wei frantically checking lists of names to allocate us all to cars and ou exchanges were happy to see us and glad to be missing school ti collect us. For three of us, Gabby, Daisy and myself, we wer> picked up by Julia and her dad, at her house we discovered , shared interest in 'Gilmore Girls' and then went pur separate way to get to know each of our host families.

Visits & Exchanges

We all had a bit of a shock on Tuesday morni

The next day we turned into proper tourists as we had a lie in

started at 7.40 am and for those of us who hadn't slept on .....

while our hosts went to school and then - after a short metro trip

plane or coach, we had gone for at least 24hrs without sleep

from Bethesda in to the centre of Washington - we had a tour

before going to bed on Monday evening. We weren't worried

around Congress. This was after Pip and Flo befriended a Capitol

though as a stop off at Starbucks on the way to school revived us

Security Guard!

for what was in store....

It was very interesting to see inside the Capitol building as we

Walt Whitman High School has just under 2000 students and

had just had our first half term of studying American Politics and

the main building is made up of three virtually identical floors

for the keen beans, who weren't at the ice hockey match, our visit

lined with lockers -just like in the movies! Indeed the class rooms

to the American History museum in the afternoon was great as

were just like what we see on T.V. and we were all astonished that,

along side Judy Garland's ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz and

throughout the various classes we attended, pupils are allowed to

Kermit the Frog, we were able to see the Star Spangled Banner and

eat. We were all pretty nervous about spending two days in

enjoyed pretending to be the President.

school as it would be so easy to get lost, however Mr Mathis and Mr Sonnabend (both Comparative Politics teachers at Whitman) welcomed us straight away and we all enjoyed lessons with them. Of course, it was quite hard to find our way around and on one occasion this led to Daisy, Will, Eddie and me facing a huge class of Freshmen asking us questions which were mostly 'do you find it strange to hear our accents'. Our two days in school were really enjoyable, we all experienced AP Maths and French so the early starts were worth it, especially as we found America's answer to Phillipa Gray - that is right; Whitman has its very own version of our star politics student. Our hosts ensured that we didn't just experience American education as on the Tuesday evening we attended a Whitman Viking's volley ball match; this was interesting as none of us had played it at a particularly competitive level. However, it was Glee that was the highlight of most of our evenings as Series Two was just starting in America and we had a sneak peak at the Halloween episode, which was apt as after school on the Wednesday a large

Friday was our second day exploring DC and we started off by going round the White House, sadly we didn't bump in to Obama as he was busy preparing for the impending mid-terms. (Obviously we would have been welcomed in to the Oval office with both Barack and Michelle if the Democrats weren't so worried about the election).

Understandably we went through many

security checks on our trip; at the airport, Capitol and the White House but we were hardly expecting a bag search to have lunch, however. Because we went to the Old Post Office for lunch Gabby had another opportunity to look like a security threat (she set off every body scanner bar one on the trip!) Although DK and Charlie were disappointed not to be going to the zoo, the afternoon was well spent going around other Smithsonian museums; the Air and Space Museum and the Holocaust Museum. Both had very good exhibitions but it was the Holocaust Museum that made the biggest impression. For those of us who had been to Auschwitz on the 5th form history trip a few years ago, the museum brought back poignant memories.

group of us went to the Mall to buy things for Halloween.

The Peterite 2010-2011

e we spent the evening having tea at the Hard

I he next morning seemed strange, it was a Monday yet we

>und the corner from the Ford Theatre where

seemed to have fitted in so much that it couldn't possibly have

Abraham Lincoln was shot) with our host families, from there we

been only a week since we set off from school, but it was and

went on to a Capitol Steps performance in the Ronald Reagan

sadly we had less than a day left. Mr Fuller still had plans for us

building. Capitol Steps is a group that performs topical comedy

though as we spent the morning visiting the US Constitution and Bill of Rights which was a fitting end to a Politics trip, and of

sketches and songs. School was finished for the weekend so after a morning of waffles and pancakes we all descended on the Fear and Sanity Rally on the Mall which was attended by at least 215,000 people. We all loved seeing the signs, slogans and costumes. After a while at the rally we left the crazy costumes behind and headed for China town to re fuel before playing/watching football, American of course, at Whitman before heading to Emma's (an American who wasn't actually a host, but was extremely kind to us all week) to carve pumpkins as Halloween was the next day.

of our stereo typical views were proved wrong as most things that we had experienced had been 'just like in the movies', however as some of us attended a Halloween parade it was clear that the event wasn't just a commercial occasion, it was a really community orientated time of year as neighbourhoods were full of decorated houses and everyone was coming together to make (We were included as children -

alongside the dozens of five year olds dressed as Harry Potter - as it was deemed our first 'proper' Halloween).

The Peterite 2010-2

Starbucks. The trip wasn't quite over though as DK's host family held a farewell party which provided a good opportunity for photos, goodbyes and thank yous. Over all the trip was a huge success - bring on the return leg! We all made some new friends, enjoyed our little taste of American life and yes, it was just like in the movies. Thank you to Mr Fuller, Mrs Shepherd and Glen for running such a great trip. By Ellie Binks U6th

It was on Halloween, our final full day with our hosts, that all

sure that children had fun.

course before returning to pick up our bags we had to stop at

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Visits & Exchanges

Around the World in 18 days

As any sportsman/woman knows pre season tours are all

and visitors crowded into the three districts of Kowloon, Hong

about bonding and fronting up to the challenge of the forth-

Kong Island and New Territories. In August temperatures can be in

coming season. Usually, pre season tours are played in one

the high 30s and the combination of heat and humidity left

country. Few teams, even professional, are lucky enough to be

everyone feeling as though we had walked into a sauna. Even at

afforded the opportunity to visit and play in places as diverse and

night there was no escaping the uncomfortable sensation of

as far afield as Hong Kong, New Zealand and California.

moisture and heat.The conditions made even walking difficult. I'm glad that I was not a player. (How the boys coped with this will be dealt with later in Steve Williams' report on the matches.)

Hong Kong

Three days in Hong Kong is not long

The route from the airport to

enough to take in all of the sights and to gain

our base in New Kowloon gave a

more than a brief understanding of the history

foretaste of the amazing views and

stunning

and culture of the former British Colony.

architectural

However, we did our best and the highlights

features which were to be seen

included a visit to a Chinese temple where

everywhere we went during the

devoted Buddhists worshipped alongside and

first leg of our tour. Crossing the

almost oblivious to the crowds of foreign

Tsing Ma Suspension Bridge, the

tourists with the cameras flashing at a rate of

world's longest, was an unforget-

knots.The acrid aroma of incense filled nostrils

table experience and the first of many

illustrations of

and pervaded the darkened space which was

human

ingenuity in overcoming the obstacles of the difficult terrain of

cluttered from floor to ceiling with Buddhist idols and artefacts. Witnessing devoted worshippers kneeling,

the region.

bowing and praying for their own intentions in a most solemn The day was already coming to and end when we arrived at

manner was a truly humbling experience and I for one felt that I

our hotel but we were in time to take a stroll around the Cultural

was intruding upon their privacy. We were instructed not to photo-

District and Victoria Harbour where we were afforded a

graph the worshippers, especially the older Chinese as they

spectacular view of the city at night.

believed that photographs would capture their souls.

Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas of the world with over seven million inhabitants and countless tourists

j .^SMBT^"*

-^ t

It was pleasing that our boys were highly respectful throughout the visit.

Visits & Exchanges

Lunch on day three was at The Jumbo Floating Restaurant. This was accessed by sampan, a traditional Chinese flat bottomed fishing boat. The ride took us around the Aberdeen fishing village where old dilapidated fishing vessels vied for space alongside luxurious ocean going yachts and motor cruisers, including one belonging to Jackie Chan, and here more than anywhere else it was apparent that HK was a place where wealth and poverty existed side by side. Our evenings in HK were spent taking in the sights and smells of the city. A traditional outdoor market afforded us the possibility of purchasing fake designer goods at knock down prices. It wasn't difficult to barter and bargains were obtained. Both on and off the field our boys had a great time in HK and a few of the delights of the Orient were, we believe, investigated but what goes on tour stays on tour.

New Zealand Nowhere in the world is as obsessed with rugby as is NZ. Even the in flight safety video featured members of the All Blacks and the outside of the plane was embellished with the words Crazy about rugby. After the heat and humidity of HK we were not prepared for a New Zealand winter. The

recent

earthquake

which hit Christchurch put an end to our intended visit to that city and instead we were rerouted to the outskirts of Auckland and Wesley College- so named after the co-founder, along with his brother Charles, of Methodism. Wesley College is renowned for producing rugby players of some repute and include Jonah Lumu amongst the alumni.

It would be fair to say that our first encounter with the staff and pupils of Wesley was an intimidating affair as shortly after arrival we were invited to meet with the Wesley community for a service in their school chapel. Filing past the assembled lines of their pupils I felt like Gulliver in Brobdingnag as huge Maori faces scrutinized my comparatively insignificant physique.

Visits & Exchanges

The welcoming service included us having to sing a song and rather predictably we chose Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Whilst we gave it our best shot it was a feeble effort compared to their incredible response. Wow! They blew us away with their much more upbeat and raucous version of the same song before treating us to some deep resonating Maori chants.

*i^^^^

Paddy's Bungyjump

The short flight to Christchurch

and

coach journey brought us to our next base. Timaru, on the Eastern Coast of South Island. The topography as seen The following day at Wesley was taken up with matches and

from

the

patching up our walking wounded but during the evening our boys

windows

were taught how to stage the Hakka by the Wesley pupils who had

compared

coach was, to

Hong

rather

non-

by this time become firm friends. A final service during the evening

Kong,

included the by now familiar but still mind blowing Maori chants

descript and after a

but this time we responded with a solo performed on a borrowed

couple

violin by Nick McLeish which clearly astounded the Wesley

Timaru Holiday Park,

audience who gave rapturous applause.

which

nights

came

know as Stalag 19, we were ready to move on to

Queenstown. But

not before the tour court which took place on the last evening. Several perpetrators of crime

were

brought

before Judge Edwards by

Chief Prosecutor

Nelson. Innocent until proven guilty was not a term that There were many moments of magic during our stay at Wesley College. Too many to mention here, but I am sure that the experience was one of most memorable of the tour and one which will remain with us all for a very long time. It was not so much the place as the people who were the most friendly, most genuine, most generous and most humble people I have ever met. They taught us much about humility and trust during the short time we were there.

registered

with the court and all who were summoned suffered humiliation and like a bush tucker trial the most revolting tests of endurance were dished out. I refrain from revealing the details of the crimes and punishments in order to spare the more squeamish of our readers. All that I will reveal is that Charlie Norrell became a young George Cote lookalike whilst most of us now have recurring nightmares imagining mean I

Peterite 2010-20'

\7isits & Exchanges

Not long after leaving Timaru the landscape began to change and as we drew nearer to the mountains of The Southern Alps our spirits were raised as the flat lands began to rise and snow capped and clouded mountains, turquoise lakes and rushing rivers came into view. With no matches to play in Queenstown we were left to

California Our third 12 hour flight of the tour took us from freezing NZ to sunny California. With the Eagles' 'Hotel California' and The Mamas and Papas version of 'California Dreaming' buzzing in my head I settled into

simply enjoy the experiences on offer and boy did we? White

my coach seat and stared out at the sheer enormity of The City of

water rafting, skiing, dry slope luge riding, golf and the vibrant

Angels as we travelled along the iconic Route 66.

streets of Queenstown itself were all on offer. Bungy Jumping at an exorbitant cost and far too dangerous for most of us was off limits. However, Henry Scroggs and Paddy- yes that's right Paddy

The Current Hotel, complete with swimming pool, was a little way off the main drag. However, it was only a short shuttle bus ride to the action.

took to the air and flew like birds or at least in Paddy's case a Dodo. (See Pic). As a bit of a Tolkien freak I was awestruck at seeing some of the actual places where Peter Jackson filmed his version of Lord of The Rings and in particular passing through the fictional Pillars of the Kings, whilst on the white water experience.

If you have never been to California you might think, as I did, that Venice Beach would be a sun kissed strip populated with tanned and toned roller skating Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston lookalikes. Imagine our disappointment to discover that it was really a final resting place for old hippies, hobos and weirdos of all descriptions. Iggy Pop would have looked a veritable smartie pants

The stay in Queenstown was all too short. However, had we

in this company. Tattoo parlours and medicinal marijuana clinics

stayed any longer we would not have been able to complete our

were amongst the more respectable joints (ignore the pun) on the

itinerary as ours was the last flight out before the impending snow

strip.

storm engulfed the airport closing it for several days. There was no snow to greet us when we landed back at Auckland. However, the cold wind which blew up from the Antarctic cut through our sou'westers as we boarded the yachts which took us around Auckland harbour. Auckland, like the rest of the country was preparing for the World Cup and posters, billboards, souvenirs, replica shirts and other references to the great occasion were everywhere. Visiting Eden Park, the final venue was memorable and even though it was empty one could sense the atmosphere that was to come on the day of the final. Games against Auckland Grammar took up most of our second day in the city and all were impressed by their facilities and their honours boards with names of pupils who had gone on to become All Blacks in abundance.

gil The Peterite 2010-2011

Santa Monica, just a little further up the coast was a different kettle of fish and whilst it had its seaside attractions including an excellent pier the ambiance was much more up market.

Visits & Exchanges

iiv I

Our matches in LA were against a local club whose players were in the main 'Giant Haystacks' or 'Big Daddy' impersonators with beards. (For those of you too young to remember Giant Haystacks or Big Daddy the wrestlers try Google images) Our opponents we were told were not adults but when was the last time you saw a sixteen year old with a beard that would shame ZZTop! Our penultimate evening was spent at the liveliest Mexican restaurant I have ever experienced. Final Tour speeches and awards were administered and spirits were high (and cheap). All good things come to an end and what an end. Now I have never been a fan of theme parks and I would rather stick pins in my eyes than go to Alton Towers. But if you ever get the chance to visit Universal Studios in LA don't pass it up. The whole experience was mind blowing. We've all seen 3D movies, but not like this. Travelling in an open tram we entered Skull Island - the home of King Kong. Suddenly out of total darkness we are engulfed in a tropical rain forest inhabited by ferocious primeval monsters. The big ones eat little ones and we feel like the little ones as Tyrannosaurus Rex makes a grab for the tram which is shaking and coming apart as a result of the ground shaking battle of the dinosaurs. Suddenly out of nowhere King Kong appears and using his might he battles with the

Rugby Reports from Tour Match 1 - Hong Kong Barbarians Three matches were played on a 3G pitch surrounded by sky

Not

scrapers, this gave everybody the opportunity to play and enjoy

only can we see

three good wins. All matches were fairly one sided with all the

this

boys experiencing their first rugby matches of the tour.

dinosaurs. in

high

definition

super

duper multi vision virtual

Match 2 -Wesley College

unimag-

Against one of the strongest rugby playing schools in New

inable reality we

Zealand, we again played three matches. Playing some excellent

are also splashed

attacking rugby our 1sts lost an excellent match 23-20,the 2nds

with guts, gore

were beaten 46-6 and our 3rds lost 37-22 in an entertaining

and saliva which

match full of determination and commitment.

spurts

and jets

from the mouths of the antagonists and the torn apart flesh

the

defeated. The sound is deafening and had it gone on longer the 4D experience might have become unendurable. As we left Skull Island there was a sense of unbelief. We couldn't comprehend the seeming reality of what we had just witnessed.

Match 3 -Timaru Boys Two games were played here and both proved to be tight affairs. The 1sts were ahead 19-5 but a comeback from Timaru enabled them to come out on top.The 2nds lost an even closer match 10-5 playing their best rugby of the tour so far.

Match 4-Auckland Grammar Playing one of the best rugby playing schools in New Zealand

There were many other amazing experiences to be had at Universal and we all wished we had more time to spend there. What a way to end the tour!

both sides knew the challenge ahead. The 1sts finished strongly scoring some well worked tries to lose 42-22 and the 2nd's lost 32-17.

Our fourth and final 12 hour flight brought us back to blighty and as we arrived at Heathrow, though glad to almost be home, there was a slight sense of regret that the tour was over.

Match 5 - Los Angeles Cardinals RFC An interesting venue which had Softball pitches on either ends

In 18 days we had circumnavigated the world from West to

of the pitch provided the setting for our last two games. Playing

East. We bonded and faced up to some incredible rugby teams, we

the same team made up of players who were physically much

shared unforgettable experiences, made friends and learnt much

bigger than us, the 1sts edged out a close contest 26-20 and the

about other people and ourselves.

2nd's lost 17-5. A special mention to the 2nd's in this game who played a team much bigger than them but never gave up and

On behalf of everyone a huge thank you to Steve Williams our

tackled their hearts out.

Tour Leader. S Williams J Darmody The Peterite 2010-2011

Visits & Exchanges

Hadrian's Wall 2011 On Thursday afternoon, 9th June, 21 Classics students from the 4th form and three of their teachers made the annual two hour bus journey to Ninebanks Youth Hostel: the home for good food and noisy bunk-beds. After a sumptuous evening meal, a short walk and many games of Jenga prolonged 'Lights Out' for a good hour. At 8 o'clock the following morning a full English breakfast began the busy day ahead. First off was a trip to the Roman fort of Housesteads, where the pupils were given 10 minutes to compose a poem and then give a recitation from the

Wall. After this poetry battle of the sexes and a photo competition, we enjoyed a walk around the walls of the fort, though the girls mistook the gate house for the latrines! An easy blunder to make...When the boys had been dragged away from the Roman 'dress-up' box, we travelled to a different part of the wall for lunch, with amazing views all round and then on to Vindolanda for a very interesting talk by the on-site archaeologist about the excavation site. He disclosed the scandalous information that women had actually been living in the soldiers' barracks, against the Roman law! We then moved on to the museum, containing numerous artefacts found in Vindolanda, including the body of a murdered 11-year-old girl, who was the same height as Emily- proving that even in Roman times, she would have been small! Here is the winning poem, written, of course, by the girls! "We live on the wall, but we never fall: Have you seen the view? Oh, look, there's a ewe! There are lots of rocks but no sign of the Scots; The grass is green but don't use the latrine; The natives are funny but don't give them money; Outside are the wags, inside are the lads; Here in the hills, we live for the thrills; We is da Romans, don't mess with our omens!" Hannah Burke / Emily Cray IV Form

The Peterite 2010-2011

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Visits & Exchanges

picture-postcard

ramparts

made Essaouira a great stop after the trek. It's the kind of place

where

you'll sigh

deeply, relax and just soak up the atmosphere. The temperate waters and climate of the Atlantic coast offer great opportunities for surfing in Morocco with usable waves all year round down most of the coast, with larger swells in winter months. Essauoira is a good spot for beginners, and it was there we settled for an overnight stop, enjoying a little more luxury in the hotel, and an opportunity to try out some bartering in the souks within the town walls. Most of the group enjoyed a three hour surfing lesson and a chance to show off their skills on

Thank you to Mr & Mrs Huysamen, Miss Barker and Mrs er, and to all the forty students who made the 2011 trek a great experience. The money raised from our quiz night earlier in the year has been used to set up The Peterite Fund in Morocco. This year the money has been used for the supply of water pipes and materials to a poor village just eastward of Imelghas.The money will provide a considerable distance of pipes, and depending on the distance from the well/reservoir to the houses, probably quite a few houses will benefit from running water. We are also setting up a scholarship fund. The money will be made available to children whose families cannot afford books and pens, so cannot attend school. A small amount will make a large difference to them. Also a sum will be made available on a much stricter basis to one or two children a year that have the ability to go onto further schooling in Azilal, but need financial help in order to leave their families and move down to the city. We will have a local teacher nominate a boy and girl of potential each

the board, while others headed into th

hours on

horseback. A final night in Marrakech allowed us to reflect on a great trip, and to feel grateful for the lovely people who had worked with us on trek, and those we had met in the villages. Our trek leader

year and £500 each will be made available to them to buy the required (second hand) computer, materials and perhaps even food until they can get themselves settled. It is great to be able to give something back to those who helped to give us such a great experience on our trip this year.

Jamal and his team became great friends. They couldn't have

The 2012 Morocco group will hopefully be able to see

worked harder, and made our group so welcome. Such gestures of

evidence of the money invested in 2011, in addition to raising

friendship are what transforms a good holiday into a great

some funds themselves to continue the work of the Peterite Fund

experience, for then you are no longer just visiting but really living

in Morocco.

the Moroccan experience.

J.Whitehouse.

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Salamanca - A walk through history The

Spanish study

trip

Salamanca did not begin all that well as we left York at 11.00am on Sunday 3rd April in a minibus that looked like the inside of a Glastonbury tent (after the festival) and was left to run on fumes. However we did manage to make it to a local petrol station but unfortunately they didn't accept any of the school's credit cards so I was left to pray that this was not to be the pattern for the remainder of the week. Fortunately the drive down to Luton passed without incident and the flight was just as uneventful. We arrived in Madrid on time but were forced to wait in the airport for our pack lunches as Pedro, our bus driver,

the week. As well as spending a lot of time in La Plaza Mayor there

tried to figure out how to use his mobile 'phone for over an hour.

were many trips including: visits to the Cathedrals to look for "la

We eventually set off for Salamanca but things did not look

Rana de Salamanca", the Universities where we saw the walls

promising as we drove through driving rain all the way to meet our

marked with the legacies of students, who, upon graduation, have

host families who were waiting, brollies in hand, to escort us to our

written their initials in an ink made from bull's blood and olive oil.

homes for the week. The next morning was dry but slightly chillier than expected and classes started at 9.00am where the students were left in the capable hand of their teachers for the week: Patricia - a petite firecracker of a woman and Stef, more sedate but with typical Spanish energy and enthusiasm for life. After the first day's classes we managed to explore the local area and discovered a city rather like York which had the special feel of a modern university town

We also had a memorable day in Segovia where we saw the aqueduct made celebrated in Laurie Lee's famous novel, "Here were churches, castles, and medieval walls standing sharp in the evening light, but all dwarfed by that extraordinary phenomenon of masonry, the Roman aqueduct, which overshadowed the rest". We also visited the Alcazar which is said to have inspired Walt Disney and was the basis for Cinderella's castle in the Magic Kingdom.

superimposed on a tapestry of Gothic and Romanesque archi-

We had lunch and dinner on most of the days with our

tecture. There was of course the impressive style of the old

families, the majority of the group seemed to enjoy the meals

University courtyards and classrooms but there was also the

provided as they were given a real gastronomic treat with a

incessant succession of strollers and the packed cafe terraces that

variety of Spanish cuisine. Our own hosts Juan Carlos (not the

one would expect to find in all Spanish cities. In the midst of all

king!) and Rosa cooked every Spanish dish under the sun and tried

of this when the sun began to emerge on that first day and

to force feed Miss Wright every day by making her feel guilty,

remained by our side for the entire week so we were able to enjoy

"pero la nina come muy poco" being Rosa's favourite phrase. It

sitting in the sunshine in the Plaza Mayor watching the world go

was a positive experience to meet people this welcoming and

by while stuffing our faces with every flavour of ice cream that we

these two were open and willing to converse at all times with us

could get our hands on.

in the homestay.

After the second day the sun finally put its hat firmly on and we were blessed with summer temperatures for the remainder of

All of the other families and staff of the

"escuela" were typically Spanish in their unreserved approach and showed genuine warmth and hospitality towards all members of the party. We did try to sample the local'vida nocturna' when we ventured out for a special meal but the Spanish work on a different body clock so while they were getting ready to go out we were already tucked up with teddy. One could say that there were many highlights on this holiday: the usefulness of the classes, the exposure to the language or the first-hand experience of Spanish history and culture but I would say that the constant that we find in Spanish society is the humanity and affability of a genuinely charismatic race of people. Thanks go to Miss Wright and the students for their participation and good humour throughout the week. M.J.Duffy 2011

The Peterite2010-2011

Arran 2011

The North-West of Scotland isn't the most obvious of places to go on a school trip. Stories of rain, exhausting walks and mosquitos as big as Mr Patterson's hands had hardly given us the "right impression" as Ms Ullstein put it. She assured us that Arran had none of these factors and was in fact an island with tropical weather, clear sea water and was home to the most famous football team in the world....Loch Ranza FC. So, as the 18th of June came around, it would be a lie to say that there was not an atmosphere of excitement amongst the group. As we boarded the coach, we wasted no time in getting our "mate" William Allen involved in the banter (which by the way he loved). The five hour coach journey was eaten away by classic films such as Anchorman, #tweetingnonestopaboutarran and listening to Harriet's iPod and speakers....which had some very questionable music. On arrival at the ferry port we realised we would have to

wait another hour for the ferry to arrive! The ferry itself took another hour to cross the murky waters so when we arrived in Brodick we had been through a fair amount of travelling. We finally arrived after a half hour bus journey and it was at this point that we realised Ms Ullstein and Mrs Tooby-Smith had actually lied t Arran having tropical qualities. Even if they weren't lying, it became apparent that we must have gone in monsoon season!

.„**-

/isits & Exchanges

Work wise the trip certainly delivered. Over the next few days

nature.

we were to use techniques which required using quadrats,

Geddes

clinometers and spirit levels. We measured a range of things from

Lewis

the number of plant species in a metre square to the mean b-axis

also managed to

Sam and Cower

of rocks. All of the data that we collected during the day would

make

appear-

then be analysed in the classroom afterwards with the help of our

ances

for

very W*S ;

able

the

legendary Loch

teachers Mike

Ranza

and

p e r s o n a l

Allison

FC!

(Sorry Mrs TS,

favourite

Ullstein

the boys' adapted version of I Spy. The constant search for signal

and Mr Allen;

in free time led to many trips down to the beach and castle where

was

we just don't

(if weather permitting)

feel there was

amazingness of Arran.

e n o u g h commitment from you). I think it's safe to say that a select group of boys make a connection with Mike which included myself, Andrew Neal, Gareth Nash, Thomas Hitchenor.Tom Edwards, Josh Wilson and Seb Murgatroyd. In fact our connection was so strong, we named our dinosaur egg after him! Out of working hours we could pass our time watching TV, playing table football, pool, darts and other games of a "sneaky"

The trip ended with the whole group going out for a pub meal which was by far the best meal of the trip, just beating the stale cheese sandwiches of day one. Everyone was in good spirits on the last morning as we bid farewell to the magical island of Arran where we had learnt so much from the centre and the Wise man Mike. A big thank you needs to be said to the three members of staff that were able to make the trip as enjoyable as it was; Ms Ullstein, Mr Allen and MrsTooby-Smith. Luke Hawthorn L6th

5#"

The Peterite 2pl(K20rt ">•'•-""

we could relax and bask in the

Interview with The Head Master After almost a year we felt that the time was now right to interview our new Head Master given that he has had the chance to get his feet under the table. Questions:

1a. Your father was a Headmaster (and still is). Was it always the case of "to the manor born" or did you have other ambitions when you were at school? Growing up in boarding schools as a teacher's child and then a pupil, I've always loved the community and sense of belonging you get in schools. After university, I lived and worked variously as an EFL teacher in Paris, restoring a chateau in the Loire Valley, delivering leaflets, washing-up in a restaurant, labouring on a building site, making tea in a geriatric ward, overnight shift-work in a bakery - all sorts. I really enjoyed the variety. Then aged 23,1 got a job teaching for one term as temporary cover for an RS teacher - that turned into a five year stay.

1b. When at school or university was there any teacher / lecturer in particular who inspired you to become a teacher yourself? The Chaplain at my school always went on very interesting digressions - I sensed from him that you can teach the course material whilst having fun along the way. But it was really my dad that inspired me to work in schools.

2 a. There is a degree of disagreement concerning the public perception of St Peter's. Most believe that the school is highly academic and sporty. Was this your perception before you arrived and how would you like the school to be perceived generally? My impression of St Peter's was that it is a great 'all-round' school. I still think that's the case. We are a 'both-and' school, not an 'either-or' one. I want us to be known for working hard, aiming for excellence in all we do. We have a really special mix here and a very strong feeling of community. I do think that we need to engage more and more with the world around us, both locally and further afield. When people don't feel included, they tend to be suspicious. We enjoy a privileged existence. We need to be aware of that and do things that open doors to the wider community, such as our public lecture series and open Art studios. These things help give a truer impression of the warmth and goodness of our community.

The Peterite 2010-2011

News, Events & Activities

2b. Following the pupil symposium and numerous discussions with governors, parents and staff it is evident that change is in the air. Could you outline some of the things that might change in the near future and are you in favour of revolution or evolution? As Head Master, I'm custodian of a school with a proud history and long-established strengths. Part of my job is to

projects under consideration.

5a. Our association with The Gunpowder Plot suggests that St Peters was once a hot bed of Catholicism. What are your views on Faith Schools and should we be admitting Christians only or is there a place here for pupils and staff with affiliations to other religions or even atheists?

look after the specialness of the school, ensuring that we are

Our school's name gives everyone a clear and simple mes-

living by our values. We need to keep being excellent. We

sage: we are a Christian School. St Peter was the apostle on

also need to keep inventing and growing. We're in a good

whom the Church was founded. Our cherished and long-

financial position to develop the site and keep the curricu-

running association with York Minster (The Cathedral Church

lum and opportunities outside the classroom fresh and excit-

of St Peter) speaks volumes. But, the Christian values that

ing. Evolution is probably more my style but sometimes

shape and guide our community are not exclusive - they are

radical, quick change is necessary and healthy.

universal values. Tolerance and freedom of expression are

2c. As from September 2011 the school uniform changed. Let's be honest brown is not always good and is a difficult colour to co-ordinate. Do you think the changes go far enough and in the light of recent news regarding some schools making trousers compulsory for girls, because of the shortness of their skirts do you think it is time to review our sixth form dress code?

marks of a civilised society and the school is and will remain open to members of all faiths and those with no faith. Any pupil at the school must accept the key role played by the Chapel and be respectful of the Christian tradition of the school.

5b. Guy Fawkes - famous or infamous? I don't like to cast such judgments on former pupils... I'd prefer to talk about Jonny Bairstow.

Brown is good: you'll not shake me on that. Uniform is important because it helps to express our collective identity. I don't find the micro-debates on skirt length very interesting, to be honest. However, we have a clear code which needs to be followed. No code stands for all time and we must always keep such things under review.

3. It has been proven in football by the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger that long term management pays dividends. Do you believe that this is also the case in schools such as ours? Good question. I think that leaders always need to be learn-

7. It is now well known that you are a 'Gooner'. How did this come about and on a scale of 1-10 how passionate are you about Arsenal? My uncle lived by the old Highbury ground and used to take me to games. I was born in 1971, when Arsenal did the double. I'm not great company when Arsenal lose - I'm not sure how that rates on a scale of 1-10. I'm an avid watcher of test cricket and international rugby too.

8. Apart from Arsenal what other interests do you have outside of school?

ing and adapting, however well-established they may be. It pains me to say it, but I'm not sure Mr Wenger has really adapted his style enough over the years. In terms of heads of schools, I think you develop things gradually; you need to be respectful of the traditions and culture of a school. That means you need to be in for the long haul. So, yes, long term - but adaptive - management is good.

4. The new swimming pool is the first major new building in the school's recent history. Was this in your opinion a brave move considering that we are still in the grip of a recession and, if you are at liberty to say, what plans if any does the school have to expand or improve facilities further in the future? The pool is a huge asset to all our three schools and indeed the wider community of York. The Governing Body has been far-sighted and very wise in its planning; the financial side of the school has been run expertly and we are therefore in a strong position at the moment. We've made some significant improvements to the changing facilities in the day houses. There are certainly some appealing longer term The Peterite 2010-2011

One of the great privileges of working in schools is that there is so much going on - I hardly need to have any other interests. You live and breathe the school. I can watch sport, attend concerts, exhibitions, lectures and plays and enjoy all the activities taking place in the school. I always enjoy spending time with my family and I like distance running. Holiday time is when I catch up with friends and with my reading. We would like to thank Mr. Winkley for taking the time to answer our questions and wish him and his family the very best of good fortune in the years to come at St Peter's. Ellie Binks and Justin Wong UVI

& Activities

The School Archives

Photo of Justin Wong examining the Chapel copy of The King James Bible during the 400th Anniversary, which was presented by The Old Peterite Club to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Following the death of John Barry (John Barry Prendergast, St Olave's and Temple 1943-1949) in January there was a flurry of interest from the press. Even the New York Times checked facts

Donations have been received with thanks from: Mr Le Tocq, Mrs Daphne Golightly, John Owen-Barnett, Mr Hollway and the family of Douglas Knowlson.

with us rather than rely on what was available on the Internet. Angela Sanderson has given help with the archives this year We received a number of visitors to the archives researching interests, such as the history of cricket and rugby in public schools,

and her assistance with various projects has been greatly appreciated.

aspects of school history and a number of former pupils returning to show members of their families where they spent their school

If you have any photographs or items connected with St

years. The furthest travelled this year came from Singapore

Peter's that you no longer wish to keep, please let us know as we

arriving in the coldest winter we have seen for years.

do have gaps to fill.

Work on the digitisation of The Peterite continues. So far, the

Pat Chandler

issues from 1878-1934 are now searchable on DVDs, which will in the long run help to preserve our print copies.

The Peterite 2010-2011

News, Events & Activities

The Alcuin Library Having the Virtual Learning Environment up and running has proved to be a great opportunity for the Library to provide better access to online resources and library guides. Much work has been done this year to package and highlight both free and paid for resources and create subject guides.

A further

upgrade to the Library Management System, Oliver, has lead to significant improvements

in the

appearance and operation of library functions.

Man Booker Shadowing 2010 Preparation for the Man Booker Shadowing event started in August with the final balloon debate taking place in October in the Library. Mrs Mallard once again lead the debate and our panel of Sixth Form pupils (Claudia Green, Rebecca Taylor, Kate

the decision to write the narrative from a 5 year old boy's

Shaw and Robbie Haylett) argued the merits and sometimes the

perspective was really interesting."

weaknesses of their particular novels.

The Room by Emma The title selected by the Man Booker judging panel this year

Donoghue was voted winner. We asked for Claudia's thought on the winning book "I found Room a surprisingly humorous read - I think it's inter-

was The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson

National Poetry Day 2010

esting that an author was able to approach such a sensitive issue such as kidnap and confinement - similar to the Josef Fritzel story - whilst still putting an entertaining twist on it. In my opinion, it shows quite a mature and complex style of writing;

This year's theme was Home and provided inspiration for a lot of entries. Winners of the competition were: Lauren Caley, Will Booth and Isabelle Taylor.

Christmas Quiz launch A decision to launch our Christmas Bauble Quiz at lunchtime paid off as the library heaved with keen competitors. Mince pies and Christmas music accompanied the event.

Author visit - Jason Wallace In May we were fortunate to receive a visit from award inning author, Jason Wallace. Jason's first novel, Out of Shadows, r

on the Costa Children's Book Prize and was shortlisted for The

Carnegie Medal and Booktrust Teenage Book Prize. Jason spoke to all of our third years about a writer's life and how he used his own experiences in writing. Mr Snelling arranged for two of the third years, Ben Turvill, and Jake Stephenson with assistance from James Bullock, to interview Jason. The interview can be found in full in this issue of the Peterite.

News, Events & Activities

World Book Day, March 2011 The World Book Day Pairs activity got everyone talking as pupils collected literary pairs around the school. Thanks to this year's Library Committee members for their participation in representing their Houses, support in running library events and abundance of ideas over the year.

The Library Committee for 2010/11 Clifton

Harriet Diggory

Donations Donations have been received from the following leavers and their parents, grandparents or guardians at the time of going to press:

Leavers in 2010 Arabella Murray Nag

Kate Fenton

Kirstie Robertson

Emma Milligan

Sarah Askham

Rebecca Askham

Dronfield

Victoria Herrenschmidt

Grove

Alex Akehurst

Hope

Callum Hernaman

Claudia Green

Charles Emery

Robert Forsyth

Eleanor Binks Sophie Jones

Linton

Leavers in 2011 Daniel Green

Manor

Gareth Nash

Katie McLeish

Queen's

Angus Freeman

Angus Taylor

Chris Ma

Rise

Helen Skinner/Vicky Zhang

Alexandra Turnbull

Anna-Louise Hannah

School

Lipmunn Tang

Edward Parker

Freddie Gabbertas

Temple

Hugo Corden-Lloyd

Patrick Marunda

Edwina Denison

Mrs J Lawrence

Ben France

Daisy Noble

Alexander Ward

Frederick Proctor

Duke of Edinburgh Award Congratulations to Kai Pampus, Dylan George, Alex Hart, Daniel Harding, Charles Cornock, Ben Lightwing, Jack Harrison and Frankie Whitaker who have all completed Library skills as part of their award this year.

Kenneth Liu

Polly Fairbank

Justin Wong

Julia Megone

Samuel Jefferies

Jordan Kay

Adam Carter Further items have been received from Mr Richard Barrett (Manor 1971-1976), Dr Ann Wroe, Ms Elizabeth Sandie and the South African Exchange students. Thank you all for your generosity. Patricia Chandler

The Peterite20lO-2011

News, Events & Activities

Jason Wallace interview - 3/5/11 Jake, Ben, James 'Why did it take TOO publishers to get the book out there?'

'So were there people like Nelson and Greet and Ivan?'

'Yes, of course, the seniors did what they wanted, they would

'Well, the writing industry takes a very long time; reading

hit you with a stick, tease you etc. and at every school there are

takes a very long time, most new writers need a literary agent to

always people like Ivan - good looking ones, ones who are good at

find a publisher as most publishers are too busy to take on new

sport, everyone wants to be with them. The thing with Ivan

books so the literary agent introduces the book to the publisher.

though is that he's actually horrible and a bully but has charm &

However, if you haven't been published before it can be very

character which draws people in and certainly in the book good

difficult to find a literary agent. What you do is you get a Writers

people, people like Robert like him. With Nelson, it is an African

and Artists Yearbook which is a listing of agents and publishers, so

school but with mostly white people because back in the

I went through, sent off to hundreds of literary agents but not all

Rhodesian days only a few or no black people were allowed to

at once as I just couldn't afford it. I sent off something like 30 at a

attend the school. For people like Nelson in a classroom of white

time, each one first three chapters and a quick synopsis. If they like

boys back in the Rhodesian days it must have been frightening to

it they would get back to me, as it happened only one said they

be that one black person, someone whom the government said

would like to take this novel on. My literary agent then approached

was inferior and the boys would feel the same, it must have been

a number of publishers, around 10-15 publishers liked the idea but

a very daunting situation, a new situation where you are the only

only one published it- Adison Press. So, yeah, writing is a very

one of your kind. In the same way that Robert finds it that he is

difficult industry to get into as it's highly subjective, you can show

the only English person or 'pommie', Nelson is the only black

it to the publisher and they might be in a bad mood and don't like

person or kaffir'.

it whereas another person might be in the right mood- it's never easy to catch the right person at the right time and the right book

'When you were at school was there grief or resentment following Mugabe's election?'

for the right person. Very tricky.' 'No, but there was lots of uncertainty, especially within the 'What advice would you give to new writers?'

white population. The whites had ruled for years in Rhodesia

'Try everything you can do. Find as many names as you can

without any opposition in and had been horrid to the blacks, as

and send off to as many as you can. You'll keep receiving rejec-

such the whites thought that as soon as the black people ruled the

tions, but keep on trying, keep on picking yourself up and believe

country they would turn on the white people and kick them

that it's good enough, be patient, don't give up, keep trying. It took

around and take their land off them, they thought they'd be perse-

me 6-8 months before the book was published. So the key things

cuted as an inferior minority race so yes, for the whites there was

to getting published are perseverance and patience.'

much uncertainty about their future and whether or not they would even have one. However, fairly quickly it became apparent

'Was the book based on your own experience and was this the meaning of dedication "To my mother June and my stepfather Richard who took us on an adventure"?'

that that would not be the case and that Mugabe would be more concerned with asserting power in the country and with killing his own people. Firstly he wanted to supplant officials in the

'In a sense my life was the same as the main character's-

government with those from his own tribe- the Shona. He was a

Robert Jacklin. When I was 13 my mother and stepfather took me

very clever man but cruel and evil and nobody realised it was

and my brother not just to another school but to a new country,

happening, nobody realised that he was trying to undermine first

in fact a new continent on the other side of the world where there

the matabele and eventually the white population. People did

was a whole new culture. In the book RJ is scared and lonely; he

worry, they felt black people should not be in power and felt that

doesn't understand the new ways of thinking, even the new accent

they had stolen their country which I suppose is what the Africans

which is exactly what I was feeling. Lots of things go through your

must have felt like when the colonials from Europe came over to

mind like about how everything's so new, how do I survive, who do

Africa and claimed ownership of the land that was rightfully theirs.

I turn to, how do I get people to like me? So yeah, it was based on

But all in all Mugabe was such a sly man that everybody thought

what I felt at the time. The other thing that immediately hits you

to begin with that there would be no more fighting and that

is the new scenery, what Southern Africa looks like, the smells etc.

nobody would be targeted, in the long run of course they were

In my book I tried to make the shock as real as possible like the

wrong.'

way people think, go to another country and the people over there don't think the same especially following the horrific war that

'Doyou think that personal experience helps write a good book?'

almost tore the country apart, so, yeah, I tried to describe that in

'Yes I do, one of the key things for a writer to be able to create

the book as well as possible. Something else was that there was

a good story is to write about what you know, in other words to

quite a lot of bullying such as racism, but I suppose that's common

base it on your own experiences such as family experiences, in my

in most schools, that said I did try and fictionalize it as much as

case moving to Zimbabwe at the age of 13 was the experience

possible.'

that I drew the idea of the book from. If you know what it's like to be in a situation then it's easier for you to write in a much more

The Peterite 2010-2011

exciting way for the reader, and to write better for the reader

from my past, fictionalised them, put them in the book and wrote

because you're not writing as if you've got no idea about what its

a story, if I had just told it as perfect, it would have been boring I

actually like to be in a certain situation and there's the risk of

needed friction for a truly good story. School for me was very

losing impact and for me, writing what I wanted to be a thriller

difficult being an English boy, the only English boy, I didn't know

novel it's all about impact.'

the people who lived there and I didn't have any idea about the

'So you're saying It helps as you understand what's going on and the feelings and emotions that go with it.'

culture and, yeah, I got picked on, I got pommie beats from some of the boys but it was difficult for everyone to survive because the seniors could do whatever they wanted and you're just an insignif-

'Yes, if you want to write a book- any book- you have to know

icant 3rd former. It was a strict school but it definitely taught me

about what you're writing about. For example you could write

a huge amount not just inside the classroom, it taught me about

about Henry VIII and, because he's dead, you would do some

life, how to think for myself, how to deal with difficult situations,

research, you might go to a library to read about the topic or you

it taught me self-accountability and often you weren't told how to

might watch a DVD or use the internet or whatever; you would

make decisions and what to make decisions on, it was all left up to

find out about the living conditions, smells, how people were with

you. Also it's a very beautiful country and a very nice place to be

one another, stuff like that. But above all look for a good story,

in terms of the surroundings. So yeah, the school developed me

make sure you have a good story, I wanted to write a thriller novel

hugely, it gave me awareness and discipline to do all sorts of things

so it's got to be exciting, the reader's got to want to know what's

in life including writing a book, I feel, for example, that the school

happening, its got to encourage an adrenaline rush, it's got to be

gave me the skills that are necessary for being a writer: self-

page-turning and not full of facts that make it "ploddy"- I didn't

accountability, determination and patience, at my school there

want to write a textbook but I suppose part of that comes through

were never any excuses and at the end of the day the only person

believability and that requires author experience.'

to let down is yourself. I'm very thankful to my parents for getting

'All in all did you enjoy your time in Zimbabwe?'

me a great education at a great school, a school that gave me the independence and confidence just to sit down and do it; to get on

'Definitely! People ask whether I hated school, not at all, I really enjoyed it. What I did was I remembered bits, anecdotes

with life.'

News, Events & Activities

'What were the main differences between schools in England and school in Zimbabwe?'

'Lots of differences.The main difference that I noticed straight away was that the school I went to in Zimbabwe was far stricter at that time than schools in London. It was an old-fashioned discipline, some people used to say it was like stepping back in time 30 years and that it was like how boarding schools used to be in this country during the 50s. The levels of discipline between boys and teachers and between boys and other boys was quite oldfashioned in that it was school policy that senior boys were superior to junior boys, there was also a strong emphasis on sports which I imagine is the same as schools here, but it depends on the school. We would have lessons that would start at 8 but you had to be up at 6, lessons would finish at 1, then there would be lunch, every afternoon all afternoon there would be sports so the academic side to school was restricted to the morning, and sport to the afternoon. But other than the discipline it was pretty similar; it was a school like any other with its own difficulties and its own cliques of friends and its own personality.' 'The book gives insights into ways people like Ivan and Nelson think, most people would immediately feel sorry for the African population but the book gives white perspectives as well. Did your time in Zimbabwe give you insight into the way the white population thought about what was going on in the country and into their fears for the future?'

'Definitely, it's very easy to say whites had no leg to stand on and that it was not their land in the first place. The European whites as you probably know went to Africa, colonised it, created the slave trade and they took away land and made it theirs, the British made it part of the empire. Hopefully in the book I managed to show that yes it was wrong but that it's not as simple to say 'it was wrong, the whites shouldn't have taken the land, let's reverse it we'll take white land and start oppressing them'. It just doesn't work like that, we all know two wrongs don't equal a right. Of course people thought that that was the way to solve the problem including Mugabe himself, it's not as simple just to turn it all around because circles of hate develop between blacks and whites and there can be great civil unrest and that's terrible, it's the same as what happened in Ireland between Catholics and Protestants and the IRA, you need to understand the way people think before you can fully understand the situation. For example in the book Ivan is nasty, he's a racist, a thug, and a murderer but I hope I also communicated some degree of sympathy, you can see why he acts the way he does- his dad filled his mind with racist thinking with entrenched hatred for black people and Ivan's dad will have had exactly the same thing. The whites and blacks in Zimbabwe felt the same way about the country- that it was their home, you couldn't just send the white African people away to Holland or Britain or where they came from originally because Holland or Britain isn't their home, their home's Zimbabwe. I hope the book provides greater insight into a very important issue and provides two clear arguments on both the black and white sides and explains the need for a compromise- you can't solve an issue by having war to make a new problem you need to forgive and forget and to move on.'

The Peterite 2010-2011

'Has your experience in Zimbabwe helped you sympathise with people like Eugene Terreblanche?'

'Well, firstly, just to make it clear, he was clearly not a very nice guy and a very nasty person with some frankly insane ideas but what's vital is understanding why people act in certain wayswhy, for example, the whites felt superiority over black people. Now, although it's wrong, the reason for the awful racism that went on in South Africa and Rhodesia was that people feared for the loss of everything they had; the farms that had been in their family for 300 years; the only home they had ever known. What happened then was that there was reverse extremism in that angry blacks clashed with angry whites and wars started like the 15 year war that nearly destroyed Rhodesia. It's like what happened in Ireland and Palestine, it happens everywhere in the world, but it will never get better with constant battle. My experiences made me think about why things are the way they are and appreciate that we're all human, we all have emotions and it's not as simple as saying "that's right, that's wrong." 'Will there be another book?'

There will be another book, but definitely not a sequel, not an African book. It will be completely different, different country, different point in time but it will also have interesting characters. What I can say though is that it's based around a big moment in 20th century history and it will definitely be exciting and pageturning: Out of the Shadows but with a different setting.' Interview by Benedict Turvill and Jake Stephenson. Notes taken by James Bullock.

News, Events & Activities

Goldman Sachs All 6th Form girls were made aware of the Goldman Sachs A Level Girls Programme, a two-day event which introduces the world of financial services through a tailor-made programme of presentations, interactive case studies and skills sessions. Interested pupils had to complete an application to be considered for the programme. Sophie Jones successfully applied for a place and this is her report:

different divisions that make up a company like Goldman Sachs. Later that evening, we played an interactive trading game. The girls were split into groups of ten people and we had to buy and sell concert tickets. This was by far my favourite activity of the whole workshop, especially because my company made over ten million pounds, theoretically. The second morning started bright and early with lectures about life after education. We were taught communication skills and how to differentiate oneself from other job applicants in CVs and interviews. Later, we were put to the test in mock interviews and were given feedback afterwards. Overall, the second day was incredibly informative because I learned important skills that will help me, regardless of my career choice.

Sophie Jones Walking into the Goldman Sachs London offices for the first time was quite an overwhelming experience, especially when I was about to attend a workshop with two hundred fifteen girls I had never met before. I had read about the Goldman Sachs A-level Girls Programme on the Careers notice board in Rise; Goldman Sachs was holding a workshop for girls in year 13 interested in the world of finance, and they were willing to pay for transport to their London offices in addition to providing food and accommodation. There seemed no harm in applying so I sent in a CV and received an email a few days later saying that I had been accepted into the programme. Then a couple days into February half term, I took a train down to London, not really knowing what to expect.

Even though I was thoroughly exhausted by the end of the second day, I really enjoyed the workshop. I learned a lot about investment banking and met many interesting people. I would strongly suggest this programme to any girls in lower years who are interested in business or finance. Sophie Jones VI

The first activity was an "Ice Breaker" session so that all of the girls could get to know each other; I met girls from all over the country and from all different types of schools, but we all shared the same interest in finance. I soon found a group of friends and we stuck together for the rest of the two days. After playing "Get to Know You" games, all of us were ushered into the lecture theatre. Throughout the day, we listened to lectures about the

The Peterite 2010-2011

News, Events & Activities

L6 Careers - Visit to Nestle June 2011 We started off the day with a refreshing morning walk to the Nestle Factory where we were greeted by the smell of delicious chocolate and a very friendly receptionist. We began in the 'KitKat room' where we were given a thought-provoking talk and a vast range of scrumptious Nestle products which we all did a good job of depleting. Our favourite part of the day was the tour in which we had to 'kit-up' into big boots, white coats and a helmet in order to explore the huge, over-whelming factory. We were led through the labyrinth of storage blocks, giant refrigeration units and processing equipment where we saw an unprecedented amount of chocolate, sweets and savouries and the fascinating way in which it was made. After several other interesting presentations we were led back into the 'KitKat room' to collect our bags of goodies and partake in a friendly, food-orientated quiz. We all left laden with chocolate and ready to return back to school having learnt a lot more about the inner workings of a major British company. It was definitely a beneficial trip and was one which we will all be reminded of every time we smell the chocolaty smell of York. Tom Edwards and Hettie Cust LVI

St Peter's Half-Marathon The St Peter's

half-marathon

took place for a second year on a balmy January morning. 30 runners comprising largely staff assembled at the far side of Scarborough Bridge to race/run/amble their way for 6.5 or so miles out along the River Ouse up over the Knavesmire - and along the Selby cycle track - just to turn around Mr Hodsdon and retrace. This year's winner, Head Boy Ben France, was a good 5 mins ahead of the 2nd position and his spectacular time of Ihour 19 mins stands as a new course record, although some smartAlec wearing one of these 'newfangled' GPS systems announced on finishing that PB's would be broken on this course as it was in fact about 400m short! But who cares - it's all about giving us 'not getting any younger' staff a bit of a boost and we look forward to doing it all again next year. The top 10 finishers were as follows:-

The Peterite 2010-2011

Position

Christian Name

Surname

Staff/Pupil/Guest

Gender Time (Hr:Mn:Sc)

Ben

France

Pupil