HOUSE R EPORTS
Hope Another year, another set of amazing achievements and unexpected challenges: the Hope House 2019 vintage was anything but dull. As ever, so much of the success a House achieves derives from the work of its Upper Sixth, and this year’s crop provided the usual eclectic mix of skills to offer and contributions to make. Under the leadership of Will Morrison and Rebecca Dowson, House teams were organised efficiently and ahead of time, and a huge range of pupils represented Hope across a dizzying array of competitive activities.
“Pupils represented Hope across a dizzying array of competitive activities.” House Singing is always a major highlight of the Christmas Term, with every year hoping to emulate or out-do the achievement of their most recent forebears. Last year we won, which always presents a particular challenge in the year that follows, not least the daunting prospect of first on stage. ‘I’m a believer’ presented the right sentiment and the right level of musical challenge, with plenty of memorable moments in the melody for everyone to latch onto; and they did. Harriet Edwards led the musicians and the
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The Peterite 2018–2019
Upper Sixth combined to provide robust advice in rehearsal and develop some good choreography, and the overall effect was very commendable. Sadly the judges did not put us on the podium, but the comments reflected the energy and effort that was universally invested and we were all able to head into half-term full of belief! Once again, Hope House’s contribution to the performance arts across the school has undoubtedly been an outstanding feature of the year. There was too much dramatic achievement to list, but perhaps ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was the unsurprising highlight, with Hope making a bigger contribution in actors, musicians and stage-hands combined than any other House. It was a phenomenal production in which so many pupils shone. On the concert stage too, Hope House pupils remain everywhere to be seen. The Brass Group, for example, was almost an entirely Hope House outfit and Harriet Edwards deserves mention for the vast array of outstanding musical achievement she has balanced throughout the year. Debating too has continued to see conspicuous success but this year it was particularly refreshing to see Harry Hall lead the House Hope Junior House Challenge team’s assault on the trophy. They defeated some intimidating opposition as they made their way to
