The Peterite 2014-2015 by StPetersYork

THE PETERITE 2014-2015

St Peter’s School • York • YO30 6AB Tel: 01904 527300 • Fax: 01904 527302 Email: enquiries@stpetersyork.org.uk www.stpetersyork.org.uk

Cardiff University University of Bath The University of Birmingham The University of Sheffield University of Bath Art College The University of York Oxford Brookes University The University of Edinburgh The University of Sheffield Gap Year Queen Mary University of London University of Dundee Newcastle University University of Cambridge University of Bristol Gap Year Newcastle University Manchester Metropolitan University Oxford University Durham University Gap Year University of Southampton Oxford University The Manchester Metropolitan University The University of Edinburgh Cardiff University The University of Birmingham The University of Manchester Employment Gap Year Newcastle University Gap Year Newcastle University Loughborough University University of St Andrews Gap Year The University of Sheffield Gap Year University College London University of Cambridge Newcastle University University of Leeds University of Exeter Swansea University Gap Year University of Bath Birmingham City University Birmingham City University The University of Warwick The University of Manchester Gap Year University of Bath Gap Year The University of Manchester Gap Year Nottingham Trent University The University of York

Lucy Wootton Abdulmuminu Yahaya

Gap Year The University of Edinburgh

Ancient History Economics Modern Languages (4 years) Chemical Engineering (4 years) Economics

Leavers’ Destinations 2015

Giles Jagger Matthew Jones Jemima Jordan Thomas Kelly Patrick Knutson Vivian Ko Heather Lam George Langford Tobias Latham Jenna Ledden Oliver Leedham Patrick Litten Christa Liu Thomas Macnab Emily Mahon Dominic Marsh Pippa Martin Tom McCullagh Tobias McGill Helen Megone Bill Mo Tristan Prince Oliver Proctor Maciej Psiuch Isaac Ransome Sophie Reed Beatrice Rhodes-Blangsted Emma Richardson Harry Richardson Charlotte Rose Jessica Scott William Shaw Duncan Smith James Sowerby Lily Spencer Marianne Spencer Edward Stephen Anna Stephens Harry Stothard Simon Tang Helen Taylor Joseph Taylor Anna Thrussell Stuart Tolley Matthew Tse Benedict Turvill Farrell Voase Emma Walker Hannah Whitehouse Elizabeth Whiter Charles Widdicombe Ben Williams Emily Williams Kerra Williams Gemma Willink Sarah Willis Jacob Wilson Henry Wong

Social and Political Sciences Economics, Politics and International Relations History Biochemistry (3 years) Politics Mathematics Combined Honours Modern and Medieval Languages History Mechanical Design & Manufacturing Engineering Ancient History Classics Finance Geography Chemistry Politics International Business Sociology Law Classical Studies

Marketing Mechanical Engineering Media, Culture and Society History Geography Engineering (Civil) Law Surveying and Mapping Science Theatre and Performance Environmental Science Civil Engineering Accounting and Finance (with professional placement) Foundation Year: Acting Textile Design English and German Literature (4 years including year abroad) Music Natural Sciences Classics Accounting & Finance Accounting, Business Finance & Management with a Year in Industry Architecture

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Contents

The Peterite 2014-2015 Issue No. 432 Contents Commemoration

Salvete

Valete

House Reports

Visits & Exchanges

News, Events & Activities

Creative & Cultural

123

Postcard Portraits

151

Sport

153

Leavers’ Destinations

216

The Peterite editorial team (left to right): Polly Moss, Jessica Webster, Daniel Kondratiev, Mr Keith Wright, Peter Gray, Bethan Bradley and Concetta Scrimshaw

Heads of School 2014-15: Benedict Turvill and Sally Hicks

The Peterite 2014-2015

Editorial

From the Head Master Another year in the long history of our school and another edition of the flagship almanac that is The Peterite. The text and images in the pages that follow celebrate the unique character and vibrant energy of our school community. We are treated to abundant evidence of the sheer range of activity and enjoyment in all aspects of learning and community life. If you have an idle moment, just count the smiles! My warm congratulations and heartfelt thanks go to the pupils on the Editorial Team and our expert and eagle-eyed Editor, Mr Keith Wright, for nurturing the 2014-2015 edition to completion. It’s a heartening read. I certainly took great pleasure in finding a quiet corner and dipping into this year’s edition. I hope you do too.

Editorial This issue of The Peterite is the 432nd in a sequence which has run for 137 years. The magazine was initially intended to come out eight times a year, and to include a two-way flow of news items: to Old Peterites from the school, and from Old Peterites to current members of the school’s community. Thus it was begun with an editorial team of four: two in York, and two in Oxford. It is tempting to think that those reading the first issue of the magazine in 1878 would find today’s range of activities beyond their wildest imaginings, but a glance at Volume I, No 1’s 16 pages (and no pictures) reveals that the Amateur Dramatic Club was active, poetry was being written, cricket, rugby, library matters and debating were being reported, and that a hot topic for discussion was whether the new fives courts should be open or closed (or, indeed, whether there should be one of each). Reports of OPs in Oxford and Cambridge were included, and we learned that two recent pupils of the school were on active service in the Khyber Pass. All these things presumably constituted just one-eighth of the noteworthy events of that year. Looking at this year’s edition of the magazine, perhaps the scholars of the 1870s wouldn’t be surprised to hear that sports are still being played to a high standard, that the arts, languages,

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sciences and humanities are all in vibrant good health, and that charitable work is being carried out. They might reflect on the busy-ness of a year which has seen the rugby players travel to Canada and the musicians to France, whilst young scientists met astronauts in Florida and other visits took in Morocco and Italy. All these things are, of course, taking place in addition to the usual range of academic activities. The magazine couldn’t be produced without a good deal of work behind the scenes. Individual articles have come from a variety of sources, including housemasters and housemistresses, heads of department, sports coaches, expedition leaders and pupils. The pupil editorial team, pictured on the previous page, has taken care of a number of tasks, and David Morris has continued to document the year’s activities with his camera. The design of the magazine has again been handled with great flair by Amanda Holmes of Hutton Peach Design Solutions, whilst Linden Richardson has ensured that the final stages of production have run smoothly. My thanks go to them all. Mr Keith Wright Editor, The Peterite

Commemoration 2015

Commemoration

Commemoration 2015: the Head Master’s address In my line of work, you get to read a lot of CVs. Hundreds of CVs, accompanied by carefully crafted personal statements that shimmer with the promise of impressive qualifications, fine achievements and indispensable skills. Most of the CVs that come my way make inspiring reading; some are unremarkable and some of them are clearly works of fiction. Just a few are truly memorable, but not always in the way the applicant intended. In this latter category, I warmly remember the person who, when applying for a secretarial post, wrote: ‘I am very quick at typing. I can do about 30 words per minute - 45 with strong coffee.’ There was the candidate who wrote of his ‘excellent memory, strong maths aptitude, good people skills, and excellent memory.’ My all-time favourite was the applicant who left out a vital comma as she informed her potential employer that her ‘hobbies include cooking dogs and interesting people’. A comma is so much more than a dot with a tail … In his book, The Art of Stumbling, David Brooks distinguishes between two sets of virtues. Firstly, the author considers what he calls our ‘CV Virtues’. These are the skills that we bring to the job market; the measurable elements

that we present to the world and through which we convey ourselves as ambitious achievers. Alongside these assets, Brooks says that all of us possess what he terms our ‘Eulogy Virtues’. These qualities run much deeper. They tell the story of the kind of relationships we form: whether we are kind, gentle, brave, honest, loyal, compassionate or hopeful. They are the character traits that will be mentioned at our funeral.

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Most of us would instinctively say that Eulogy Virtues are more important than CV Virtues. Yet, Brooks laments, our education system appears to be much more interested in accreditations and certificates than it is in Eulogy Virtues. When we come to think of it “most of us have (much) clearer strategies for how to achieve career success than we do for how to develop a profound character.” This is not to say that we should shrink from pursuing and celebrating success in all its many forms. Of course, we should. And of course, we have to build our CVs. It is rather a matter of emphasis. The thing that all loving parents want is a happy child who has a clear purpose in life and knows how to be good. We love our children for what they are. Parents and schools have the same mission at heart: we nurture, celebrate and develop the character of the youngsters in our care. So: what is the character of a Peterite? Of course, there is no single version of a Peterite. However, there do seem to be some hallmarks:

• they are themselves

• they participate

• they’re good with people

• they look after each other

• they give of their best

The pupils who leave St Peter’s today started their journey through the senior school on 6 September 2010. Their first day was my first day at St Peter’s. We are co-travellers. Five years on, I can clearly remember the nervous thirteen-year-olds who endured third-form RS lessons with the new Head Master. During the intervening five years, they have gone through extraordinary physiological changes. Their brains have absorbed untold amounts of experience, facts, theories and ideas; their minds have expanded and flourished under the unique twin challenge of learning and adolescence. Their bodies have changed at a rate they will never know again; their characters have developed and blossomed.

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Meanwhile, their Head Master has also learned much over the past five years: learning about headship, about the community of St Peter’s, and learning how to accept the inevitability of hair loss. For our school, this has been a year brim-full of energy and achievement. We began in August with a strong crop of A-level results showing a second consecutive year of significant ‘value added’ through excellent teaching and learning. More than 75% of our leavers went on to Russell Group destinations, and we enjoyed our best ever Modern Languages and Mathematics results at iGCSE. We have seen the introduction of Further Maths GCSE and the Extended Project Qualification is now embedded as an option within the sixth-form programme. We have planned a carefully phased introduction of the new linear A-levels. A fresh database system was successfully launched last summer and we are well underway with our IT renewal programme, prioritising wired infrastructure and classroom PCs. Perhaps the most exciting learning innovation this year has been the creation of a new Horizons course which all pupils will follow through fourth and fifth form. The course is directly linked to our school values and to the principles of the ‘Action For Happiness’ educational model which promotes positive engagement with the challenges, risks and opportunities we face in life. It is both practical and reflective, with no formal prep but pupils keeping a learning journal. Traditional elements of personal and health education are re-cast into more discursive and holistic work on the skills needed to handle stress, anxiety, risk and the various temptations of modern living, and to engage with wider questions of how they can contribute to society. Our increasingly outward-looking approach to careers education is bringing some great opportunities to our pupils and we have been working hard on proactive communication and networking, upping the social media profile and staging our biggest ever Careers Convention. The St Peter’s team had a terrific run in the UK Schools’ Challenge competition, making the regional finals and the last eight in the country.

Commemoration

Individual and collective successes are too numerous to capture everything: we will be able to read about them in the next edition of The Peterite. You’ll read of excellent sporting seasons, with our girls’ sport in particular going from strength to strength. No fewer than four girls’ hockey teams had unbeaten seasons as did the senior rounders IX, whilst the first tennis team also went undefeated for the second year running. Nicole Moir ran crosscountry for England, Katarina Bonner qualified to swim in the national finals and Hannah Lawrence made the national hockey training squad. We made a bit of rowing history with two St Peter’s girls’ eights competing in the women’s Head of the River race. In boys’ sport, the first XV got to the last 16 in the national cup from 400 entries and the under-16 sevens squad won tough tournaments at Sedbergh and QEGS, Wakefield. More recently, our under-15 XI cricket team made the Yorkshire finals of the T20 cup and our senior tennis IV reached the semi-finals of the Clark Trophy in the Independent Schools’ Tennis Championships at Eton College. Sam Dickinson made the breakthrough to compete for Great Britain in triathlon, Robbie Brown ran for England, and Will Huffer was the England under-17 football goalkeeper whose penalty save in the shoot-out against Spain takes the national side to the World Cup finals in Chile next year.

Art, music and drama are all thriving. There are thirty-four Grade Eight certificate-holders in the school with sixteen at distinction and twelve at merit. Large numbers of pupils have taken part in events as diverse as the concert at the University of York, Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Music Festivals and informal concerts and sold-out Cabaret Concerts, before heading off for the Paris tour. We’ve enjoyed a stunning and upbeat production of Guys and Dolls and some wonderful middle- school plays and other original creations. Those of you who have visited the Art and Design exhibitions will agree that our pupils have scaled new heights, even by their own very elevated standards. This year will have seen our pupils travel on school-organised trips and tours to Canada, the USA, Morocco, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Belgium and France – and, of course, the North York Moors. Those seeking intellectual travel have been able to enjoy a rich array of speaking events through our own Public Lecture Series and the school’s involvement in the York Festival of Ideas and the Literature Festival. We have hosted public events on the legacy of World War I, cancer research, coalition politics, the London Underground, astronomy, prime ministers, weather prediction, stargazing, the search for intelligent life in the universe, the case for the existence of God, the role of women in society, and the space travels of a world-famous astronaut. We also ran a

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Commemoration

hotly-contested mock election which turned out to predict, with uncanny accuracy, the Conservatives’ unexpected majority victory! It was a privilege to speak at the Sunday Times Festival of Education at Wellington College on our partnership work in York which has now achieved national beacon status. We successfully secured a further slice of government funding to create a primary Mathematics Partnership which is now up and running. Our pupils have profited from the intellectual challenge of masterclasses, which were held at St Peter’s, and the social benefit of meeting people from a range of backgrounds. The school is becoming a hub for regional events of various kinds: a sixth-form Philosophy Conference for the North; the Physics Olympics and the Science Technicians’ Conference, to name a few. The new Memorial Hall is a terrific concert and events venue and, with the return of the bridge, the work on classrooms, the extension to the Manor boarding house and the development of the new entrance and expanded Monkey Cage, the school is moving forward. It was a wonderful accolade for the school that the new entrance won the York Design Awards ‘People’s Choice’ award which was voted for by local people. We have now created a Master Plan for the development of the school campus over the next ten years with some exciting projects to deliver. The key focus here is to ensure that a St Peter’s education is uniformly an experience of quality and excellence, with the pupil experience at the heart of all our planning and development over the coming years. Commemoration is an occasion for looking back and giving thanks for all that has gone before. Today is the final day at St Peter’s for a number of teaching staff to whom we are enormously grateful

The Peterite 2014-2015

for all their efforts over their time at the school. Several colleagues are striking out for new territory. Mr Richard Myhill takes up a teaching post at Tadcaster Grammar School; Dr Jemma Senczyszyn is moving to St Paul’s Girls’ School in London; Mr Simon Mortimer jets off to run an Art department in Manila; Mrs Pat Chandler, our long-serving Librarian, has secured an exciting role in Singapore; and Miss Alice Lambert is crossing the Channel to be a Lectrice d’anglais in France. Mr Will Allan, who has taught for six happy years at the school, is now answering an even higher calling: to become an ordained minister. Mrs Jane Dawson retires from fulltime teaching having made a truly exceptional contribution over more than three decades of association with the school. We also marked the 25th year of service of Mr John Shaw, our Modern Languages Technician and the wonderful Mrs Lesley Holdsworth, who runs the school laundry. Not only has Lesley performed this role with commitment and leadership for a quarter of a century, she has also completed numerous academic courses, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, at the same time as keeping the pupils cleanly clothed. Lesley is a living embodiment of the twin virtues of loyalty and learning. These are virtues shared by our Physics Technician, Mark Robinson. Mark is typically self-effacing, so it was a real pleasure to see him receive national acknowledgement as, only yesterday, he collected a Science Technician of the Year Award. I’m immensely grateful to the teaching, office and administrative staff; the matrons and nurses; the cleaners, facilities assistants, grounds and estates staff; the IT team; the catering staff and all who have worked to inspire, support and care for the pupils this academic year. We are indebted to all who have held positions of responsibility; to each and every St Peter’s parent for their support

Commemoration

of the school; and to our excellent and committed Board of Governors, led expertly by the Chairman, Bill Woolley. This year’s team of monitors has fully merited the honour of donning the blue gowns. Led with character and humility by our two excellent Heads of School, Ben and Sally and their highly capable deputies, Izzy and James, they have been a terrific team and done the school proud. Our young are living in an age of unprecedented possibility. Our children carry the burdens of their own dreams and expectations; and the challenges of great competition. They are surrounded by choice and dazzling evidence of progress. But, as a civilisation, humankind still has so many things yet to get right. As educated people, they know that our world is also a place of unprecedented inequality, benighted with events of malevolent darkness: the radicalisation of young Muslims; the use of child soldiers; the desperate economy of human trafficking; the global reality of disadvantage, disease, hunger and fear. Together with all young educated men and women, our leavers carry the weighty burden of striving to right the wrongs that still prevail in our world. Western culture consistently mistakes perfection for wholeness. Living with a sense of obligation to others, however this finds expression, is one of the virtues of a St Peter’s education. I hope that our pupils learn that the ultimate joys in life are moral joys; that the ultimate virtues are Eulogy Virtues. The virtues that illuminate our youngsters must be bright enough to guide them on life-paths that are not simply about selfsatisfaction and the amassing of riches and experiences. The light of their Eulogy Virtues must shine even more brightly than the lesser light of their CV Virtues, impressive though those may be. We need their light to seek out the darker places and make them brighter. 800 years on from the signing of the Magna Carta - the ‘big charter’ between King John and his restless Barons - what is the charter that we make between those who are in positions of power and influence and those who need to be guided and cared for? What is the charter between the old and the young, between the educator and the educated, between the leader and the led? I fervently hope that the pupils of this fine school, which is, as you know, older even than the Magna Carta, have entered into a charter with themselves and with the world they are about they enter as young adults: a charter to improve themselves and the world around them. I wish all our leavers every happiness and success. Even more fervently I hope that, as they pursue their goals in life, they will live in ways that are true to their deeper selves. May their minds grow in wisdom. May they carry all of life’s burdens with lightness of heart, with a sense of service and, above all, with hope. Mr Leo Winkley Head Master

The Peterite 2014-2015

Friends of St Peter’s

The Friends of St Peter’s (FOSP) All parents are Friends of St Peter’s, but it is managed by a committee of volunteer parents familiarly known as ‘FOSP-ers’. This year the committee was the largest ever with 17 parents plus Justine Williams as staff representative and Mr Winkley as President.

outside activities had to be abandoned. Attendance was still high, the Memorial Hall was full for the lecture, and everyone enjoyed all the exhibits down at St Olave’s. Mr Morris and the Physics department kindly donated a telescope and appropriate books for the raffle.

The aims of the Committee are to provide a friendly face for all parents, new and old, to help at school social events (we are the people in the blue satin FOSP sashes) and to raise funds to help with internal school projects.

In February the committee met to discuss the support of school projects through internal bids co-ordinated by Justine Williams. The committee supported the purchase of a pair of debating trophies for the junior and senior Debating competitions, a quiz buzzer for the St Peter’s Challenge, a remote-controlled drone camera; stopwatches for the Swimming department and a cox box for the school’s Boat Club.

As usual the FOSP committee calendar started off with boarders’ parents’ tea at the beginning of the Christmas term where we managed to acquire our first new volunteer of the year, Deborah Lockett – always particularly good to get a boarding parent on board! And, for the first time, we also helped at the parents’ Open Day.

The AGM in September saw the handover of the chairmanship to me from Kate Fordy. Kate did a fantastic job in growing the committee in 2013/14 both in numbers and funds. Sian Fraser stepped down, having served her four years, including being Chairman in 2012/13. The Christmas Concerts were very successful, with the help of the drinks, food and raffle tables being located in the new foyer, delicious canapés from the catering department, and some innovative raffle prizes including a large free-range duck, a generous Barnitts’ voucher and afternoon tea at Burythorpe Hall (co-owned by Eric Clapton). Half of the raffle proceeds went to the Music School with the other half to FOSP coffers. In the Easter term, Stargazing 2015 was slightly dampened by the weather – overcast with gale force winds – which meant that all

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The Summer term involved FOSP help at the Induction Morning in June and led to four new volunteers for the 2015/2016 committee: Jean Maguire (Grove), Helen Wilson (Temple), Nicky Calvert

(Dronfield) and Vicky Hobson (Grove). The Cabaret Concerts were as wonderful as ever. The Sound of Music theme gave the committee the chance to dress as nuns or to show off the FOSP’s blue satin sashes with the rest of the team in white. The bar team did a tremendous job in keeping parents and guests suitably refreshed and the raffle team raised over £1,000 – half of which went to support the Music School’s trip to Paris. As always the standard of the performances by the pupils was amazing. In particular, the Choir’s rendition of the Sound of Music medley was outstanding and, for anyone listening, summed up what St Peter’s is all about – our children, their potential and our hope for the future. My grateful thanks to Julie Cranston (Secretary), Tracy Walker (Treasurer), Andy Elliott, Kate Fordy, and Maggie Langford who all step down this year each having served three or four years on the committee. My thanks too to Karen Burdass, Wendy Chapman, Sue Corner, Sara Esler, Rachel Leedham, Deborah Lockett, Julie McLeish, Catherine Tannahill and Shelagh Turvill for all their help this year and, finally, I wish my successor, Gill Pycock, all the best as Chairman for 2015-16. Mrs Caron Guffogg (Chairman 2014/15)

Salvete

Miss Laura Pearson Miss Pearson was born in England and spent the first few years of her life in Rye – in a windmill, no less – but moved at the age of seven to Nelson, New Zealand. After attending a ‘slightly old-fashioned girls’ school’ in Nelson, she began studying for a Law degree at the University of Wellington before deciding that it was ‘too boring’ and making the decision of switching to a double-major degree in Art History and English, with a smattering of Classics. She says that she has been engaged ‘forever’, and tells me that her most interesting job was working in a gallery (‘well, I thought it was interesting’). She tells me that her family were actually originally from York! Upon being asked about what attracted her to St Peter’s, she answers that it has the ‘right balance’ of things that she looks for, including a good level of history, the right atmosphere or a ‘vibrancy’ to the community , and the fact that the school is slap bang in the middle of town! Miss Pearson seems to find the proximity of the city useful because she tells me how, at previous schools where she has taught, one had to ‘store up tins for winter’. What strikes her most about St Peter’s is that the pupils are independent and have many interests outside the school. She insists that she is ‘the most boring person in the universe’ but amongst her interests are ceramic collecting (‘rock and roll!’ she laughs) and her dog, Dotty, who, I am told, is a ‘rare-breed Glen of Imaal terrier’ and gets her name from the character Dot Peerybingle in the Charles Dickens novella The Cricket on the Hearth. She can also bend her elbow backwards, a ‘party trick’ of hers. I wish Miss Pearson many happy and successful years within the English corridors of St Peter’s. Concetta Scrimshaw, LVI

Miss Alicia Matts Miss Matts joined us in September 2014, and has already become a valuable addition to the school, both academically and in cocurricular activities. Not only does she teach History of Art to the sixth form and Classics to the third and fourth form, but she also

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Salvete

helps out with the senior girls’ hockey teams and even has time to be an assistant in Wentworth Boarding House. Miss Matts grew up in Northamptonshire, coming from a farming family, and was educated at Rugby School, Warwickshire. She originally wanted to become a mounted police officer and it wasn’t until studying History of Art at Edinburgh University that she realised her love of it. After experimenting in a wide range of interesting jobs during her student years, including telesales (which to her dismay did not include being on the television and actually only involved selling cavity wall insulation), legal secretary and matron of a sixth-form boys’ house, she was drawn to St Peter’s because she loved the whole rounded approach which was similar in nature to her own school, and found the city of York to be extremely inviting. So far it has lived up to her expectations with what she believes to be the ‘friendliest staff room’ that she has yet been part of. In her spare time, Miss Matts’ three great loves in life are art, her dog (Talisker, a Scottish husky), and ‘being outdoors’. She leads an active life, being in the process of swimming the entire length of the River Thames (on sunny days of course) and has recently joined the school staff squash team. Known for her good whistling and accent talents, perhaps she will even take part in the dramatic aspects! With an ‘optimistic outlook’, it is clear that Miss Matts has rapidly become entwined in the school life here and we wish her all the very best in her career at St Peter’s. Jessica Webster, V

Mr Camron Miller This year we were thrilled to welcome Mr Miller to the school, teaching in the English and Classics departments as well as being involved with the Drama department (notably directing one of the middle school plays, Lord of the Flies, which was as superbly unsettling as one could have wished). Mr Miller grew up in St Bees on the Cumbrian coast and at 17 he joined an exchange run by the English-Speaking Union to Lawrenceville in the USA. He studied for a degree in English Literature and Classics (with the former sparking a passion for reading and a ‘never-ending quest’ to read his way through the canon of English literature, from

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Chaucer to the present). From there, Mr Miller went on to train as a teacher at Oxford, followed by a variety of jobs including working in London for a management consultancy, teaching English as a foreign language and even a role at a nuclear engineering firm (which he claims was ‘boring and scary in equal measure’). Mr Miller also likes to travel: when forced to pick his ‘funkiest’ destination, he chose Tijuana in Mexico, describing it as an ‘insane, lawless, party town’ which was an interesting experience! Drawn to the school by an admiration of its ethos and the value placed on friendship, Mr Miller has found his first year to be ‘very good’ and comments that ‘the location is perfect, the food is delicious and the children are acceptable!’ Whether he is inspiring us in the classroom or cracking us up with his American accent in play rehearsals, on behalf of the pupils I’d say that Mr Miller is an amazing addition to the teaching staff: we are lucky to have him, and we hope that he has a truly enjoyable time here at St Peter’s. Peter Gray, LVI

Mrs Emma Greenhalgh Mrs Greenhalgh is the newest member of the Chemistry department as well as the school’s newest rugby coach. Having grown up in Boston Spa and attending school there, she attended St John Fisher’s and St Aidan’s Associated Sixth Form (‘a rather long winded name!’) where she discovered a passion for science. She then went on to study Biochemistry at the University at Nottingham. Despite her scientific background, Mrs Greenhalgh lived for some time in Japan and worked as an English Language teacher.

Salvete

Following a brief stint as a model for Hello Kitty’s clothing line there (only the one time however), she returned to England. Another addition to her varied talents is her love for rugby. Mrs Greenhalgh was drawn to the school because of its sense of pride in its tradition – as well as the age group! So far she is enjoying her time here and it is living up to her expectations. We wish her all the best in her role, and hope that she continues to flourish at the school. Polly Moss, V

Dr Iain Harrison Dr Harrison is the most recent addition to the large Music department here at St Peter’s. Having originally started at the school in September 2013, as a teacher of the saxophone, he now works full-time as a music teacher. Dr Harrison grew up in Cumbria, and after achieving the status of head boy at Dowdales School, he attended not one, but two universities to achieve three degrees. Starting at Hull with Music and Drama, he moved on to Huddersfield in order to specialise in contemporary music. Dr Harrison’s wife (also a contemporary musician – a pianist) was born and bred in York so as soon as his PhD was completed, they decided to settle here with their two children, Beatrice (2 years old) and Miles (5 months). The first teaching role he undertook was part of his PhD where he taught the saxophone to children in the Kirklees area. Although he stumbled into teaching, he thoroughly enjoys his time here at St Peter’s and the logical teaching process we have!

Mr John Malia In January 2015 Mr Malia joined the school as Head Chef, and he has since rolled out a new menu across St Peter’s, St Olave’s and Clifton Prep. He prefers to think of his role as ‘catering for an academic hotel’ rather than just making school food, because of the boarders here. In this new menu, Mr Malia has aimed to make the food look fresher and taste more aromatic as well as mixing up the sandwiches and salads for more variety and interest. These changes have gone down very well for everyone passing through the dining hall (and I am particularly pleased with the introduction of cheesecake!) Mr Malia grew up Newcastle, completing a City and Guilds catering course before going to work in private hotels and restaurants in places all over the world (including the French Alps, Australia and Italy). He has been a chef for 26 years, saying that it is ‘not the easiest job in the world, but the most enjoyable’ and has appeared on Countryfile and various other television programmes during his career. Mr Malia is loving his time at St Peter’s so far, and particularly appreciates the worklife balance, allowing him to spend more time with his four-yearold boy as well as enjoying the new experience of working in a school. We are so fortunate to have such an accomplished chef at St Peter’s and we wish him all the best for his time here! Peter Gray LVI

Although it is fair to say that his hobbies revolve around music, surprisingly, the first pay cheque of Dr Harrison’s career was for his role as an actor for the Stephen Joseph Thetre Company in Scarborough at 18 years old, and he took part in a UK tour as part of this. This was not the only tour he has taken part in since he is a member of multiple contemporary music groups that have toured around Europe. Even though he claims he is ‘boring’, he is also one of the founding members of a Prince tribute band (as the saxophonist of course) that are actually quite popular! His latest ‘gig’ was just opposite Regent’s Park in London. We wish Dr Harrison a continuing enjoyable time at St Peter’s and give him our gratitude at the dedication he has shown so far. Jessica Webster, V

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Mr Richard Myhill We saw the arrival of Mr Myhill into Business Studies this year, as well as his exit from St Peter’s after a year reaping the benefit of his expertise. Growing up in Yorkshire but moving around the country, he settled in Stoke-on-Trent to obtain a degree in Business Studies. He came to St Peter’s after years of experience working at Halifax Building Society (HBOS), being attracted to the school because of its reputation and wellrounded ethos. His involvement in singing – most notably in the Huddersfield Choral Society and his church choir – has spread into the school choirs, as he has taken an active part in concerts alongside pupils. He has toured all over the world with his choir, from Japan to the Albert Hall, which he describes as ‘the Wembley of music’. On behalf of St Peter’s I would like to thank Richard for his support and expertise throughout his time, and wish him good luck in the next stages of his career. Bethan Bradley, LVI Richard joined the department at the start of the academic year and very quickly settled into the St Peter’s routine. His approach to the Business Studies classroom was organised and meticulous and brought a welcome change from the organised chaos that usually exists on my desk. The pupils have benefitted hugely from his support and care and have been inspired by Richard’s passion at linking theoretical concepts to real-world examples. Indeed the ‘when I worked at Halifax’ line has become legendary in his classes. The upper sixth were particularly quick to recall quotes from Richard’s lessons, including one of his favourites: ‘is it cake day today?’ (yes that’s Richard asking, not the pupils), to (an exasperated) ‘no you can’t leave early’, ‘do you understand Eddy?’ and ‘yes, you can use the mini-whiteboards, Eddy’. Joking aside the upper sixth are deeply grateful for Richard’s care and the attention that he gives to the development of each pupil. Trips to Rolls Royce and York University, and conferences in Manchester, have been highlights of their year. His commitment to school life beyond the Business Studies classroom is well valued by pupils and colleagues alike. Whether it be supervising off-games , involvement

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in choir, running cross-country, taking trips, helping cover in Clifton, taking Horizons lessons, or supervising the library – the list goes on and on – Richard has always been quick to volunteer his expertise and support the smooth running of the school and I know a lot of colleagues are extremely grateful for that. He has also sung with the Chapel Choir, School Choir and Choral Society where he became affectionately known as the ‘House Tenor’ of St Peter’s! Following the completion of his PGCE in 2013, Richard made no secret of his desire to gain a full-time role and was delighted to secure the post of full-time teacher of Business Studies at Tadcaster Grammar School from September 2015. We thank him for brightening this place up with his infectious enthusiasm and energy and we wish him every happiness in his new role. Mr Ben White

Mr Lennart Boneder Mr Boneder came to St Peter’s in September 2014 as our German Assistant, but has proved himself an active member in many other areas of school life, making him an invaluable part of the community. Along with rugby, he has taken up squash and cycling, and continues to play sport alongside pupils and teachers alike. Growing up near Munich and going to University there also, he is fluent in three languages and as a consequence has spent a year in Madrid as well as his time in England. He was attracted to St Peter’s by the outstanding sporting opportunities it offers, as well as the good reputation it has gained from previous German Assistants. We wish him well with his future pursuits and thank him for all his help throughout the year. Bethan Bradley, LVI

Mr Michael Carter Mr Carter was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. As his childhood went on, his main hobby was playing various sports – principally rugby up to the age of 16. At that point his new passion became hockey: he played for the local club’s first team and also represented the county of Buckinghamshire from the under-13s all the way up to adult level, and alongside that he very soon started coaching, too. At school Mr Carter never knew exactly what kind of career he would like to follow: he wanted to see

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what the exam grades showed first. Having done so, he decided to take his hobby a step further by completing a degree in Sports Coaching and Physical Education at York St John University, and then took the opportunity to work at St Peter’s. Mr Carter speaks passionately about coaching hockey, highlighting the most pleasing aspect in his view: being able to see how someone who struggles to begin with can make progress very quickly. He explains that it is very rewarding to watch as people improve both as individuals and as team players. Outside St Peter’s Mr Carter enjoys several other activities: whenever he has some spare time, he likes playing golf and walking, or even simply relaxing whilst reading a book – all those sports indeed require much time and effort! He continues his hockey training too, playing for the City of York’s first team and spending his holidays and days off doing that. The reason behind his love for this activity, he remarks, is that he was basically brought up on it: both his parents played hockey and wanted him at least to give it a try, and their enthusiasm has rubbed off on him. In the near future Mr Carter is planning to undertake formal training to become a qualified PE teacher, taking students from third form up to GCSE level and beyond. Daniel Kondratiev, V

Mrs Pat Chandler When thinking about Pat whilst composing these paragraphs, I was reminded of some words heard recently in Chapel. We had a visiting speaker who talked of ‘little acts of human kindness’ – from Wordsworth’s Tintern Abbey, exploring the idea of the influences on ‘a good man’s life … his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness.’ It is Pat’s unrelenting, unceasing acts of kindness that we should celebrate. Some examples: Take the frisson of excitement over the holiday reads which appeared in the staff room at the end of the summer term. Not only had Pat characteristically hopped onto the zeitgeist of the end of term, but from the coos of delight and the aggressively acquisitive way in which these books were snapped up, Pat nailed it every year by anticipating what we might like to start the holidays with. We have the newspapers we want; the magazines we want; the books we want – and even some we didn’t even know we wanted – but with Pat’s gentle steering found we couldn’t do without. The staff book group, nurtured by Pat – and largely fed and watered by her also – has been treated to an evening each half term which is an utter delight; Pat’s jaunty

follow-up e-mails confirming the enthusiasm for reading and book talk that she generated and sustained. Pat, as – I believe – our most skilled head of department, worked with everyone and no-one. Everyone includes: all of us, all the pupils, all the Old Peterites who ever wanted to know any kind of minutiae about school, the Foundation, St Olave’s and Clifton, and of course the visiting authors and speakers. Pat undertook some of our most important outreach work with other schools: who can forget the vision of Pat in the corridor one cold Monday evening, clutching Andrew Motion’s fedora and velvet coat in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other; even great poets need little acts of kindness! And what of the pupils? … the Christmas Literary Quiz is notable and increasingly popular for its festive attitude to catering and its completely inclusive approach. The Library Committee, managed by Pat – quite an eclectic group of pupils – became an autonomous and strident body, buying stock for the library, producing a superb newsletter, and having their own badges which apparently go for an eye-watering amount on Ebay. And the work Pat did with our classes: she was a constant and tenacious presence in RLR lessons but managed to occupy the liminal space of ‘non-intrusive expert’ – a rare thing. With project work, our very youngest pupils benefitted from this expertise; Pat even managed to steer the third- former who wished to use the exploits of Kim Kardashian as her starting point towards credible sources and databases: that’s how good she was! From the very able, most academic of our pupils to the nervous, under-confident emergent teenager, the words ‘it’s ok – I’ve seen Ms Chandler’ meant that things really were OK. Pat was with us for ten years – squeezed into odd, Dickensian spaces from which she emerged, bright-eyed and smiling, clutching her glasses and waving her list. Her move to Dulwich College, Singapore, is incredibly exciting and it seems to have come upon us so quickly. Back to Wordsworth: Pat feeds us with lofty thoughts That neither evil tongues Rash judgements, nor the sneers of selfish men Nor greetings where no kindness is, nor all The dreary intercourse of daily life Shall e’er prevail against us, or disturb Our cheerful faith, that all which we behold (in a library of her making) is full of blessings. Mrs Jo Lawrence

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Mrs Jane Dawson Jane joined St Peter’s (for the first time) in 1981 as Miss Trepte, having read Mathematics at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. The Peterite at the time announced that Miss Trepte would be coordinating the girls’ sports programme, and it’s also clear that Jane started sorting everyone out quickly, as apparently ‘At the end of the Summer term it was decided that we should change the name of what has been known as the Masters’ Common Room (MCR) to the Senior Common Room (SCR) to acknowledge the fact that three ladies are now full-time members of the common room.’ Quickly spotted by soon-to-be husband, Mike, Jane then left in 1986 when the first of their two children came along, after building up a wonderful reputation. Much of what her then Head of Department, Guy Shuttleworth, wrote in The Peterite at the time is more than relevant today, testament to a teacher who never considers winding down as retirement approaches: ‘she has great patience with the children, was very capable in and out of the classroom, and achieved very good results’. Absolutely. ‘As a colleague in the Mathematics department she was first-class’. Starred first, I would say. ‘Nothing was too much trouble for her and she was always willing to help out at a moment’s notice.’ How true. After a short period of teaching at Queen Ethelburga’s, Jane moved to the Sixth-Form College, where I met her once or twice at meetings. She then re-joined St Peter’s in 2005 saying then that she would stay for ten years: she’s certainly accurate with numbers. Jane has a wicked sense of humour and we are certainly going to miss the fun she brings; just occasionally she is so tickled by something that she almost loses control! In the Maths department we will miss her highly competitive streak when we have our ‘who can open the new calculator wrappers the fastest’ race. Who said that maths isn’t fun? Not only is Jane often described as my ‘work wife’, but she is really my unofficial second in department. I am exceptionally grateful for all that she has done to help me and the department to thrive, and it is hard to list everything she has done: volunteering to teach extension units, helping with so many organisational matters, and just generally being incredibly proactive and always one step ahead. She has also been a real sounding-board with her intellect, experience and straight-talking manner. As Chair of the SCR, she has been nothing less than phenomenal. The link that she has skilfully fostered between the Senior

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Leadership Team and the Common Room has been invaluable. She knows the school and all of the staff incredibly well, and her good and fair judgement along with her straight-talking, considerate and compassionate approach to the role has benefitted us all enormously. Jane is a hugely attentive and kind member of the staffroom, and she enabled us to join in with personal celebrations through announcements of significant birthdays or engagements, as well as dealing with the more serious matters of staff professional concerns and anxieties. There are so many other contributions Jane has made to the school. We will all remember Jane’s unbelievably moving address in Chapel. Ivan Cheng played the theme tune from Schindler’s List as Jane told a very personal account of her mother’s experience in Nazi Germany during the Second World War. She has been incredibly committed in Temple, as a tutor and as Assistant Housemistress; and then there’s Community Action. I don’t think I could begin to express just how much work was involved in running and developing this for years: an enormous feat, with Silver Surfers, Macmillan Coffee Mornings, Valentine’s Day , grannies’ tea parties, Snappy … the list goes on. Jane always relished the opportunity to be involved with all parts of school life, and she accompanied countless school trips and tours, including many with the Music department: she was at St Paul’s this year, and also with them in Paris. In the Cabaret Concerts she was singing in the choir and she has played in the Wind Band. On stage there have been Jane’s memorable performances as The Fairy in the staff pantomime, and as Sandy in Summer Lovin’, the staff entry to the House Singing Competition. Jane was also part of the (winning) staff team against the pupils in the St Peter’s Challenge and she happily dressed up as a domino for Comic Relief, and as Doc with the Maths department as the Seven Dwarfs. Finishing work isn’t really finishing work for Jane: it’s more like a very short sabbatical before we haul her back in to teach Lisa Middleton’s maternity cover. I know that she has many things planned for when she hangs up her gown, and one domestic task that she admits to really enjoying is hanging out the washing because (quote) ‘Mike gets it wrong.’ We often claim that at St Peter’s it is the children who are the first to know, but in fact it’s Jane. With her ear to the ground and years of experience she has always been a source of sage advice. She once said ‘When you don’t succeed, keep going; try again, and if all else fails, eat chocolate.’ We are going to miss Jane so very much. In the classroom, as a colleague and for many, many of us as a friend. There aren’t really words to say how grateful we are for all she has done, and what a hole she will leave in the life of the school. Mr David Spencer

Mr Will Allan Will joined us as an unqualified, inexperienced and fresh-faced teacher in September of 2009, and worked hard to change

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the first two of these but, because of his endeavours, the third succumbed as well ... just a little. Will’s involvement with the school has been comprehensive in its scope, as he brought to his work tremendous energy and kindness, and enviable eventemperedness under pressure. He arrived straight from university and, having spent some time establishing our Cross Keys society in the then-headmaster’s living room, moved into teaching Geography. Although teaching did not come easily in those early months, he became a natural and accomplished teacher – someone that we had the pleasure to rely on. Will’s eagerness to learn characterised his time with us and he was keen to take all available opportunities for professional development, working through the Buckingham iPGCE and growing ever more confident in the world of education. Throughout his time he acted as the Geography department’s resident IT consultant and general guide to the 21st century. He has been a stalwart of fieldwork near and far, and his taste for whisky is, I’m sure, nothing to do with the now annual lower-sixth visit to the Arran Distillery. Will soon added responsibility for the newly-formed Horizons department to his portfolio, and further developed his reputation as a Swiss Army Knife by being recruited to help out with RS too, whilst being an outstanding tutor, bringing his trademark warmth and showing a genuine interest in six generations of Queen’s pupils – most recently as their Assistant Housemaster. And all this has been alongside his coaching of rugby, of hockey, and of tennis, his singing in the Choral Society and in silly staff songs and being our very own Michael Fish (if you can remember the drought in 1976) or Darren Bett (if you can’t). Who can forget his emailed meteorological disclaimer: ‘I get blamed a lot for certain types of weather,’ he complained; ‘I’m not in charge of the weather – I simply have a machine that can measure it.’ With all this going on, it is no surprise that Mr Bembridge recollects that, when here for his interview for his job, Will was the guy running around doing everything. ‘It would have been no surprise at all’ he remarks, ‘to see him come whizzing by, at some point, on a lawn mower.’ Wherever life takes him, I hope York will always be a very special place for Will. It is here that he has set up his first home with Mary and where, 18 months ago, little Joel was born. Earlier this year, the burgeoning family Allan made the big and bold decision to leave not only St Peter’s, but school-teaching aswell, to strike out for a career in church ministry. Given the passion and support

he has shown for our Chapel throughout his time with us (which once saw him serving himself dog food during a sermon) this comes as little surprise, and perhaps at some point he will return to a lucky school somewhere in the guise of a Chaplain. Will has been a much-treasured colleague, guide, gentleman and friend to so many of us, and we wish him the very best. Mr Martin Lawrence

Mr Simon Mortimer Three and a half years, Simon’s time in the Art School at St Peter’s, have gone very quickly and when this happens it is always a sign that things have gone well. Just so! Getting to know Simon was an easy and enjoyable process. How could anyone not enjoy the company, both at work and outside work, of someone whose existence revolves around making the most of opportunities and living life to the full? Being without airs and graces, Simon hated pomposity and showed complete humanity. He made friends with everyone he met and was wellliked by all. Simon’s contribution to the department and the school was more than substantial. He quickly established a great working relationship with his pupils and in a short space of time they came to trust and respect his guidance and constant encouragement. He more than played his part in our excellent examination results at GCSE and A-Level over the past three years. How we teach Art is different from how most other subjects are taught and much of what our pupils achieve is down to long hours spent in the department with their teachers. Simon was certainly not work-shy. Simon’s ability and interest in sport was put to good use by the Games department and in his time her he coached football and running. He also took it upon himself to organise the staff five-a-side football and staff squash. When not playing football or running in marathons and taking part in triathlons, Simon played tennis or swam or exercised at Mrs Tooby-Smith’s ’bums and tums’ classes. He also helped with DofE expeditions and two Morocco treks and was a tutor in School house. Simon is simply one of the best blokes that I have met, both as a colleague and a friend. He will be remembered with much affection by all who came into contact with him and on behalf of the school I wish him and his partner Thuelmna the very best of good fortune in their new life in Manila. Mr John Darmody

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Dr Jemma Senczyszyn Jemma was with the Chemistry department for two years, although it felt longer. I mean this as a huge compliment. She immediately got fully involved in the department with her humour and engaging personality. Although she was new to the game of teaching she brought plenty of ideas to the classroom, and the pupils enjoyed her style of teaching and her vast knowledge of the subject. Jemma also found herself fully involved in the wider school life, as an excellent, caring tutor, a water polo coach and as leader of the odd Zumba class. Jemma will be missed by pupils and staff alike; we wish her all the very best in her teaching career and her life journey. Mr Graham Smith

Miss Alice Lambert Although Alice only joined us two years ago, her enormous contribution to the life of the school has been such that it seems as if she has been with us for a much longer period of time. She came to us as an NQT after having achieved a first-class degree in English and French from the University of Southampton. However, what attracted us to Alice was not only this academic excellence but, more importantly, the breadth of experiences for one so young, having previously worked as a lifeguard, an electrical sales assistant, a Keycamp courier, an animatrice in south-eastern France and an admin assistant in the Commonwealth Office. Then, when she impressed us during the interview, showing wisdom beyond her years, her fate was sealed. Alice’s adventures at St Peter’s have been similar in some ways to Lewis Carroll’s slightly more famous Alice in her very own version of Wonderland. In the same way as the fictional Alice learned about the importance of time from the White Rabbit, our Alice found that any notion of time that she may have had before joining St Peter’s vanished in a puff of smoke and she had to learn quickly that her new job would require the skill of doing a lot of things within a pressured amount of time. Thanks to her incredibly impressive organisational skills and her uncomplaining nature she was able to adapt to all situations and, unlike Carroll’s Alice, she was able to get herself through the difficult first months of this new world without swimming in her own tears. In fact, the proof of her success at the end of this first year was a French iGCSE group that scored 22 A*s and one A. Moreover, our Alice, in a similar way to the heroine in Carroll’s tale, was able to transform herself into many different roles within

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in the school in a very short time-span. A few of these are: DofE, rowing, the Choral Society, duties in a boarding-house, assistant in a day-house, cultural visits and a week-long trip to Spain during the Easter holiday where she found the time to fit in some Spanish lessons as well as getting in some early-morning practice runs for the Beverley 10k. During Alice’s much-needed breaks from school, her sense of adventure continued. As well as using this precious time to be with family and friends she also embarked on more exciting ventures: skiing in France, spending the entire summer cycling to Paris and back, trips to Portugal and, of course, Scotland where she no doubt rubbed shoulders with a few mad hatters on a night out in Glasgow. These trips would have been used to recharge batteries but I’m sure that in the back of her mind – like all good language teachers – there would have always been the thought that she could practise and hone her language skills. Alice now departs on another adventure to France where she has accepted the placement of a lectrice d’anglais in the University of Nantes. Alice might look back one sunny day and remember her time in the wonderland of St Peter’s as a pleasant dream or a bit of a nightmare. Ultimately, we all hope that she has learned much from working in such a pressured and challenging environment and it will serve her well for her position in France. We would like to see Alice returning to this profession in the future as she has much to offer as a colleague and a friend, and we promise that anytime, should she come back to visit, one of us could take on the role of the Queen of Hearts and provide a few ‘eat me’ jam tarts for a little celebration. Mr Mike Duffy

House Reports

CLIFTON

Clifton has enjoyed something of a ‘Golden Age’ this year at the top end of the house, with the honours of both Head Girl (Sally Hicks) and Head Boy (Ben Turvill) being bestowed upon pupils within the house; added to this were three appointments as monitors (Fenella Hayes, Oliver Leedham, Toby Latham), showcasing the strength of student leadership and character within the house. However, a house is so much more than its ‘headliners’. Of course, our collective aim is to be the best that we can be both as individuals and in our various guises as teams but there is arguably more satisfaction to be gained from endeavour and improvement than from victory. It is the spirit of a team from which I take delight, rather than the performance of it.

medal by way of reward, but I am confident that he will reflect, in years to come, on how his teamwork grew over each of the years and feel that his participation has, in some way, enabled that growth. That growth is the real reward: no trophy can replace it. The cross-country is a dreaded event because there is nowhere to hide. There is no excuse for personal underperformance and it lays bare effort and commitment. It is a great test of spirit and results actually speak volumes of the character of the individual rather than their athletic and aerobic ability. The ‘winners’ are not those who finish ahead of others, but those who give their all. Therefore, it is frequently the house with the strongest characters coupled with a few stand-out athletes that enjoy the event the most. It is testament to the recognition of personal challenge, however, that the final finishers are frequently applauded with more warmth (and empathy!) than the victors because each one of us knows how hard it is to try to do something that we do not find easy.

Yes, we have been victorious in some of the events that we have taken part in – the junior girls’ rounders and netball, and the junior boys’ cross-country – and have also achieved runnersup status in several other, high-profile events (unlucky, but well played, boys!). But, what if we hadn’t? Would we have enjoyed the experience any less? Would be any less of a ‘house’? It’s nice to have trophies in the house photos to go on the wall, but we remember the sparks of friendship much longer than the triumph of victory. By way of example: Joe Copley has been a member of every Clifton house Great Egg Race team from his third form until his final, uppersixth, year. Will he remember the positions of each of the teams that he was a member of, or will he remember how much enjoyment he has gained from participating? I suspect that there will always be a longing for a championship

Our Chapel this year discussed inspiration and its origins and it was marvellous to see members of all the year-groups working together to deliver such a thoughtful address. One of the lessons that can be learnt from the preparation of a Chapel service is that there is inspiration to be gained around us by working with those that we might not ordinarily have the opportunity or inclination to work with.

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House Reports

Another such opportunity is the St Peter’s Challenge competition, which allows individuals the opportunity to test themselves in a high-pressured environment and frequently allows stars that had not been seen before to shine that little bit brighter. But, just like the night sky, some bright stars can seem to outshine or eclipse others and there is a danger that by highlighting the successes of some of the events that we take part in together, we

forget some of the personal triumphs and overlook the richness of the collective achievements and so lose the real sense of who we are as a house. It is our job as members of a community to recognise the challenges of those around us and to lend a hand when we are needed. One of the events that allows us to truly work together to see what our capabilities are as a collective is the house singing competition. This year’s rendition of In the Jungle was delivered with the enthusiasm that the competition hopes for, if not quite the musicality. We did have an enormous amount of fun in the rehearsals and I must thank the sixth-form team for helping to organise and deliver such a great performance. My continuing thanks go to the students and parents of Clifton; to the Clifton tutors, Mr Fuller (upper sixth), Mr Spencer (lower sixth), Mr Wallace (fifth) and Mrs Lundardi (fourth), who have supported the students so admirably, and finally to my invaluable Assistant Housemistress Miss Lambert (third form), who (unfortunately for us) will be moving to France at the end of the year to further her love for language, travel and teaching. Hopefully, some of the Clifton spirit will remain with her on her travels. Yellow and proud! Mr Rob Snelling

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House Reports

The Peterite 2014-2015

House Reports

DRONFIELD It’s been a good year in Dronfield. House competitions have offered great opportunities for the girls to work together as a team. However, more importantly, the friendships and day-to-day goings-on in the house have provided the foundations for the various successes. Sixteen new additions to the house across three year-groups all settled in well and soon immersed themselves into boarding life, and contributed towards making Dronfield a vibrant and happy house. We also welcomed our new house tutors Mr Miller and Mrs Chapman, and our resident assistant Mrs Brough. Kath was also a very welcome addition to our domestic staff. Our debating teams both had a successful run in the house competition, with our senior team of Lily, Alice and Abi reaching the finals. They defined their motions and explained their arguments with a strong voice and good presentation skills. What must not be forgotten is the time spent preparing for the debates, working together,

researching and structuring their cases. Our junior team of Katy, Holly and Alice were a great team, and show great promise for the years ahead. Lily is congratulated on her Debating Prize, received at Commemoration.

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Annabel’s idea to run a first aid course for boarders became a reality when a good number of the Dronfield girls attended two St John Ambulance first aid sessions. The response to Annabel’s idea received great support from her peers, and it was a pleasure to see so many participate positively in the training. The lessons were delivered as part of a first aid course by Vicky Rountree from St John Ambulance North East region. The first aid training taught pupils to use Primary Survey to assess injuries, and included modules on communication, casualty care, and choking. Annabel said: ‘completing the first

House Reports

aid course really helped me understand the importance of the small things we can do to help someone in need. The training was a lot of fun, and now I feel more confident to help with a first aid situation.’

Our runners won the senior house cross-country cup early in the year, with top-twenty placings for Pippa, Georgia, and Abi, and notable performances from Holly, Issy, Eleanor, Liv and Min. Particular congratulations go to Nicole for her first place, winning by over a minute.

School colours were awarded at the end of the summer term to Georgia and Nicole. Eleanor was awarded her colours for rowing, and Sarah was awarded half colours for rounders. Mention must also be made of Sarah’s captaincy of the second netball team this year, and Georgia for her significant contribution to school firstteam sport. The Lister Trophy for contribution to Dronfield house sport was awarded to Georgia this year. Jemima’s end of year Cabaret performance of the Whitney Houston classic Saving all my love for you was a musical highlight, and anyone who was privileged to hear her sing will have been struck by the quality of her performance.

The girls were placed second in the inter-house Swimming, with two school records set by Nicole. Our senior hockey team made it to the semi-finals, and the house collectively did themselves proud in the inter-house singing competition. It must be noted that Min was instrumental in the house winning the coveted house mince pie competition, with Mrs W winning the staff competition. The steady trickle of merits for good academic work over the year was recognised with a creditable third place in the Merit Cup at the end of the year. Well done to all. There have been some other notable individual successes this year. Pippa was honoured at the annual Physicist of the Year Award ceremony, organised by the Ogden Trust and the University of York. Pippa’s award recognised the most promising A-Level Physics pupils in the region from the schools they partner.

Vivian’s art work was rewarded with a prize at Commemoration, and staying with the arts, particular mention must be made of Edith’s GCSE devised drama performance, and those who took part in the middle-school plays – Ella, Shania, Holly and Lauren. Praise must go to Holly and Jemima, who have carried out their role as Heads of House with calm and composure, and to Georgia

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House Reports

in her role as a school monitor. We thank them for their hard work over the year. We congratulate Issy on her appointment as Head of School for next academic year, and Pippa in her role as Deputy Head of School. We look forward to next year with Pippa and Zoe taking the helm as Heads of House. The sing-off on opposite sides of St Peter’s Grove at the end-ofyear house barbeque brought the girls together as a team one last time. Apart from some slightly iffy dance moves from the housemaster, there was a lovely spirit and togetherness. We send our love and good wishes to Miss Lambert as she heads off to pastures new in France, and thank her for giving her time and support to the girls in the house. Thank-you to Holly, Jemima, Lily, Georgia, Farrell, Vivian, Sarah, Carol and Phoebe who have contributed so positively to the house, and for most over such a short amount of time through the two sixth-form years. Memories of you in your orange convict

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suits on Red Nose Day will stay with us, and remind us of what a good team you were, even if you were handcuffed and roped together. May the light of friendship guide your paths together, as you move on from D-block. Mr Jon Whitehouse

House Reports

HOPE

With Hope House Chapel only two weeks into the Christmas term, the upper sixth chose their theme and laid down the gauntlet to the house (and the wider school community): this was to be a year of self-improvement! Many responded to the challenge, galvanising themselves into action for cross-country. In the boys’ races, Charlie Higginbottom and Edmund managed to secure places in the top 25, performances matched by Megan and Annie in the junior girls’ race. Also in the junior girls’ race, Katarina’s excellent run secured her first place, whilst the senior girls’ event saw Livi, Phoebe, Katherine and Rosalind all placed in the top 25, securing fourth place overall for the house.

As the year progressed, fourth place became something of an emerging theme: in group B, we were placed fourth in the girls’ inter-house hockey, following a valiant effort in our opening matches (Izzy, Marianne, Hannah, Jess Scott, Ilana, Beth, Rowan, Phoebe Phillips, Annie, Phoebe Hall, Katarina, Eve and Georgina); an enthusiastic and hugely supportive senior girls’ team secured fourth place overall in the inter-house netball (Izzy, Marianne, Phoebe Phillips, Beth, Eve, Rosalind, Jess Hart, Rowan, Lucy and Laura); despite some skilled play in the inter-house squash, we

lost 3-1 to Clifton in the play-off for third and fourth places. Of course, the exception was the inter-house swimming where, once again, we dominated the competition. Katherine Spencer almost broke a school record, Sarah Avery too swam extremely well, as did Katarina and Lucy, who won Mrs Burdass’ ‘Swim of the Day’. Other inter-house sports teams – although not quite as successful in their placings – nonetheless played with typical sportsmanship and showed outstanding support for each other and the house in general: spirited games were played in the boys’ football (James Bottomley, Lewis, Sowerby, Jake and Callum), and all the sixthform girls had a lot of fun in the senior rounders competition where, although we established a good target for other teams to match, our fielding skills could not contain our various opponents. It was left to the junior girls’ rounders team (Felicity, Phoebe, Annie, Megan, Katarina, Georgina, Sarah, Rebecca), and junior boys’ cricket team (Charlie, Fred, Jack F, Will, Zac, Harrison, Max A) to demonstrate how it should be done! Our sporting year was rounded off by the inter-house tennis. Never before have we had, nor are we likely to have again, two pairs of sisters representing the house; an emotional tournament for those involved

The Peterite 2014-2015

House Reports

(and their parents!): Izzy and Phoebe Hall, Hannah and Livi Whitehouse. Although the inter-house performances may suggest that Hopefuls do not shine at sport, nothing could actually be further from the truth. Several pupils have excelled in their own arenas this year: Harrison represented Yorkshire in the under-15A rugby side, Ted represented Yorkshire at cricket, Charlie was selected to train with the elite county hockey squad, and Katarina continues to swim at a regional level. Very many congratulations to you all. The creative talents of Hopefuls are second to none! The Great Egg Race is a competition that Lewis has been involved in every year since he joined the house and he was determined to put in a memorable performance in this, his last. Ably assisted by Jordon, George and Charlie, the task was to build and race a paper hovercraft. Had the race track been wider, we might have vied for the top spot, but whilst the team’s creation moved swiftly across the floor, it did have a tendency to move sideways, adding another fourth place to our growing total! Inter-house singing, a highlight in the year for many, was well prepared. Izzy and Marianne, assisted by a hugely enthusiastic James Bottomley, shaped our entry and encouraged more junior members of the house to smile and try to look as though they were enjoying themselves, and the musical team of Edmund, Max Auty and Ella kept as many as possible in tune and time. The gathering of the whole house and chanting outside the front door

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to get everyone ‘psyched’ for the performance before they left en masse for the Memorial Hall was quite something to watch from my office window; Hope team-spirit was a force to be reckoned with! Be it music, drama or art, Hopefuls have won acclaim across all disciplines this year: Max Auty, Jack Hargrave, Eve and Will led the way in the Music Award Holders’ concert back in October, showcasing their considerable talents, and continued to do so throughout the year in a variety of concerts and competitions. Jack won the brass class of the Junior Music Festival with his lively trombone performance, whilst Phoebe Hall won the woodwind class for her beautiful rendition of Elgar’s Chanson du Matin, and Felicity scooped wins in both the piano and harp classes, playing with confidence and poise in both. The production of Guys and Dolls was outstanding this year, with Hopefuls involved both on stage and behind the scenes: Rosalind’s performance as Sarah Brown was exceptional in every respect, and Will managed to inject some comedy into his role as Lt Brannigan. Rowan performed with the singing, dancing Hot Box Girls, whilst Beth and Jack joined the musical ranks of the Salvation Army and, behind the scenes, Livi was a dedicated and hugely reliable member of the stage crew. The Shakespeare Festival and middle-school plays gave middleschool pupils further opportunities to shine: Katherine Spencer, Rowan, Jack and Livi were all involved in Hamlet at the West

House Reports

Yorkshire Playhouse this year, and Jack took on the role of Phil in Dennis Kelly’s DNA as one of the middle-school plays. A quietly understated performance which saw Jack eating for most of the play whilst at the same time leading the cover-up of a group of teenagers, was priceless and still makes me smile today. In Art and DT, Izzy, Marianne and Hannah have all had their talents duly recognised. Hannah’s inspired project completed in collaboration with York Hospital is truly extraordinary, and Izzy’s Lobster-cum-man, and Marianne’s Sunflowers, their main pieces in their art portfolio this year were equally outstanding. I look in awe at some of the pieces our pupils produce, and hope that some might be showcased in the house before too long. We have celebrated many academic successes again this year too. The Science Quiz team (Jess Scott, Lewis, Georgina and Jaedon) came a very respectable ninth out of 20 teams, and our MFL team (Jeff, Marianne, Tom Dabbs, Jordon, Jack Coulthard, Natasha, Annie, Rebecca and Ella) also fought valiantly on Languages Day. The St Peter’s Challenge team have been hard at work too, vying for the top spot, ably led by Lewis and James, with many others involved, and the junior team was led by Rebecca whose breadth and depth of knowledge secured her a place on the school team. We were pipped to the post (again!) for the Merit Cup, but very much in the running, Rebecca and Barney leading the way in the house. Our prize-winners must also be congratulated: Rebecca, Barney, Harriet, Jack Hargrave, Katherine Spencer, Livi, Izzy, Hannah and Will Hartley. Congratulations must also go to Rosalind who has been appointed as a Monitor and I am delighted that she and Jordon have accepted the roles of Head of House next year; I have every confidence that they will make an excellent team. I must extend continued and heartfelt thanks to the tutor team who are always so generous with their time and support of the house and without whom the house would not run as smoothly. We say good-bye to many this year: Mr Noy Scott who, having

done such a terrific job with the current lower sixth, joins Queen’s house as Assistant, Mrs Kinread, who has been extremely patient with the fifth form, Miss Matts, who, having only been with us a short time, leaves to take on the Assistant’s role in The Grove. Her energy and enthusiasm with the third form will be much missed by them, and Mrs Heaton, who leaves us to move to Bath with her family. She has been a very loyal and dedicated member of the house whose expert handling of the third form in their settling into senior school has been hugely appreciated. We wish them all well in their new roles.

We must also bid a fond farewell to the upper sixth. Since their third-form days, they have been a tightly-knit group who have supported each other through thick and thin. They have been a truly outstanding year-group who have re-energised the house and raised the collective spirit still higher. They remain resolute that Mrs Watkinson’s comment from their early days in Hope, ‘it’s not about the taking part that counts, it’s the winning’ should remain their legacy, but they have left behind so much more: a house full of Hope! Miss Libby Ullstein

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House Reports

LINTON Mud, sweat and tears whilst enduring the greatest hardships is what truly shapes men. For generations Linton house has turned boys into men, as their physical abilities have been put to test in the most drastic conditions. Be it playing rugby in the thick autumn mud as the drops of rain strike from the skies, or surviving the inter-house Cross-Country event, there is no doubt that Linton breeds some of the greatest athletes. It is therefore no surprise that yet again the unbelievably athletic senior members of the house secured the Cross-Country trophy for yet another year.

tense. Despite the warmth of the early spring days the Linton water polo team was at the peak of their concentration. The squad of ten incredible players could not afford to get complacent because after a difficult day of academic study, the afternoon was only going to get more challenging. No heat could put them off their target: victory. This was the day that their endless nights of training were to be put to test versus the more experienced sides. After their first game, Linton was drawn against The Manor. True motivation roots from within and even without our York City water polo wonder kid – Sam Raper – we persevered all the way to the final. With Manor swept aside, the Linton Lobsters had their claws on the chalice of victory. The last step was to defeat Temple house. In this David and Goliath encounter, Goliath destroyed David with a record-breaking score of 6-0. In the inter-house Football competition Linton achieved a very credible third place, having reached the semi-finals. Our Soviet defence, captained by Andrii Fokin and ably supported by Nicolae Bolocan, was most impressive and received several congratulatory notices.

The start of the summer term began as yet another sunny day for the Peterites. However in Linton house the atmosphere was

The Peterite 2014-2015

There are of course numerous innately talented athletes in all the year groups in Linton. However it was Harry Richardson and Elliot Millman who impressed their coaches the most. Harry has been honoured with a place in the North of England rugby team, whilst Elliot Millman represented his county in several rowing competitions. Being able to perform at such high levels is truly impressive and the two young Lintonites bring pride to the entire house.

House Reports

As you might have gathered by now, Lintonites are renowned for their sporting abilities. This however is by no means the only thing we are good at. Although we play football like the Red Devils, we can also sing like angels. We possess some exceptional talent and came second in the inter-house Singing contest. Having sung Enrique Iglesias’ ballad, Hero, conducted by Patrick Litten, the Lintonites were in fact true heroes since despite our underdog status we achieved praise. Of course in every team there are individual leaders and in the case of Linton house they were Josh Ramalingam and George Pindar who were so good that they won classes in the Senior Music Festival. Tom Collinson contributed just as much and his efforts were reflected in his achievement of a second place.

For fifteen years, The Great Egg Race trophy seemed far from our grasp. Many talented physicists and engineers have come through Linton house without having achieved victory in such a competitive event. However a dynasty of warriors at heart, inspired by their captain Will Emery and supported by the loudest of crowds, put an end to this winless streak. A time far better than any of the other houses’ was achieved as the unstoppable machine glided over the floor of the Memorial Hall. A hard-fought

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House Reports

victory was secured thanks to the team’s deep knowledge of aerodynamics and material science. Will Emery’s special exterior design and the unique Winterburn switch were more than a match for our opponents. Of course Linton house was not all fun and games. Our impressive sport achievements are mirrored by our even more impressive academic record. Not only have our upper- sixth members secured places at some of the top universities, but many of them have also won school prizes for their academic achievements. Will Emery put all his quantitative abilities to great use as he achieved the Mathematics Project prize. Similarly, Andrii Fokin was presented with the Economics and Business prize. Patrick Litten’s effort as President of the Debating Society was recognised by his attainment of the Debating prize. This academic excellence stems from the hardworking nature of Lintonites, who have inspired the whole house with their endless hours of hard toil.

Finally, we must mention the memorable House Chapel. Embarking on the telling of a story as old as western civilization, we in Linton house re-enacted the tale of the Nativity in our own, unique way. The Tony-worthy performance of the delicate innocence of the Virgin Mary, as portrayed by Samuel Blott, or the world-weary grittiness of Michael Qiu’s immortal line, ‘We come bearing gold, frankincense and maths‘ made the Linton House Chapel both memorable and one to be spoken about with reverence. It has been one of the greatest years for Linton house and it is with utmost sadness that we in the upper sixth are to move on. But we do so with gratitude that a house that we have known and loved like a family not only made us the men we are today, but will continue to make great and able men. We would also like to wish Joshua Ramalingam all the best as he takes over as Head of School – the third Lintonite to be honoured with this position in the past five years. Well done!

According to Federico Fellini ‘a different language is a different vision of life’. Indeed, being able to speak foreign languages opens doors and allows one to better one’s understanding of the world. Members of Linton house are therefore some of the world’s most open-minded people. Our ability to understand different cultures is reflected not only in our welcoming nature towards the international members of the house, but also in our annual excellence in the Language Quiz. This year we were placed third in a hard-fought battle of wits and yet again impressed the crowd by being able to answer the most abstract and challenging questions.

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Andreii Fokin and Patrick Litten, UVI … I would like to thank Andreii and Patrick for their invaluable help in writing this Peterite report: thank you. May I also wish the upper-sixth leavers well as they depart the House: they will be missed. As a boarding house our thanks must certainly go to the band of people who keep the house ticking over, especially to Matron, Tracey, Dawn and Lisa, whose work in ensuring the house is spotlessly clean and tidy can never be taken for granted. Mrs Justine Williams

House Reports

QUEEN’S

As another year passes we wave goodbye to our upper sixth and welcome in our new third and lower sixth-form members to the house. This year the house was ably led by Alice Appleby and Finlay Craig, who helped to organise house teams and events and lead the Queen’s pupil body. The Christmas and Easter terms were notable for the sheer number of activities going on: senior pupils were kept busy with the Debating and St Peter’s Challenge competitions. We’re still waiting for another cold winter, but at least this meant most

of the sports fixtures went ahead as planned. There was a large turnout for the inter-house Cross-Country competition, with Ed Johnson securing victory and the junior boys’ cup. October also saw the Queen’s House Chapel, ably led by Luis Fox and Chris de Planta de Wildenberg. The inter-house Singing competition was once again a triumph of enthusiasm with the house dancing along to Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie. Many of our students performed in the musical, Guys and Dolls, in November, in which Rosie McLeish (third form) had the honour of being the youngest performer selected for a whole school production. The winning tradition

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House Reports

continued in the inter-house Rugby Sevens competition at the end of term, despite awful weather conditions. In the Easter term the junior girls were more successful on the court and in the swimming pool, securing third in the interhouse Netball and Swimming competitions. This term also saw the culmination of a successful St Peter’s Challenge campaign, underpinned by the broad general knowledge of Ed Kettleborough. The summer began with the unfortunate cancellation of Sports Day because weather conditions made the grass track unsafe.

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It is hoped that a by-product of the A-level reforms might be a re-positioning of Sports Day to a more clement time of year! Activities continued despite the obvious emphasis on, and absence caused by, exam season, with enthusiastic participation in interhouse Tennis, Rounders and Cricket competitions. And so we come to the end of another year of activity, and look forward with anticipation to what next year will bring under the new Heads of House, Ellie Dobson and Ed Kettleborough. Mrs Cath Hempsall

House Reports

The Peterite 2014-2015

House Reports

SCHOOL

We began the term by celebrating the various success stories from the summer examination season. Congratulations go to every individual but particular praise is due to our outgoing upper sixth, sitting 49 A-levels between them, and achieving eleven A*s, 27 As, ten Bs and one C: a truly amazing set of results and well-earned success for this hard-working and talented year-group.

Inter-house competitions feature heavily on the 2014-2015 highlight reel and it was the cross-country event that kicked things off at the start of term when Tom Robinson (second) and Sam Hudson (sixth) led the senior boys to a third-place finish.

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The senior girls also finished third, with Alice Greswold (fourth) and Hannah Lawrence (twelfth) leading the way. Third place was also secured by the junior boys with Nathan Goyea (sixth) and Jamie Dunsmore (twelfth) leading us home but pride of place was reserved for the junior girls who were crowned winners, led by Lucy Lawrence (second) and Maddy Bennison (third). In the same week, the language quiz teams of Nick, Emily, Hannah, Lucy, Katerina, Maya and James successfully brought the trophy back to School house and our squad of Emily, Alice, George, Rose and Maya reached the semi-finals of the St Peter’s Senior Challenge. Meanwhile our Great Egg Race team of Zak, Nathan, Tom Kelly, Tom Robinson, Ashraf and Alistair almost saw more success but their hovercraft contraption didn’t quite go as fast as some of the other houses’! The annual house singing competition always brings much joy to all involved and after much deliberation our upper sixth decided that Reach for the Stars was the song that would guide us to victory this year. Alas we didn’t break into the top three but once again a huge amount of fun was had along the way. Success was found on the astroturf in the girls’ inter-house hockey competition as the team, captained by Keira and inspired by fellow midfielders Hannah and Alice, defeated Dronfield, Hope and Grove in the group matches. At this stage Anabel had kept three

House Reports

clean sheets, Lucy Lovisetto and Izzy Cotter keeping the defence organised, whilst top-drawer performances from Lucy Lawrence, Maddy Palmer, Maddy Bennison, Jess, Ellie Spencer, Pippa and Keira ensured a repeat of last year’s final where we faced Clifton. Despite some awful weather conditions, the girls did superbly and an even contest was settled by goals from Ellie and Pippa and a 2-0 victory ensured we finished as champions for 2014. Over on the rugby pitches, the junior boys did very well but were faced with some very tough challenges and bowed out before the semi-final stage. The senior boys, despite losing Tom to injury in the first match, qualified from the group stages with style. Charlie, Tristan, Joe, Alex and Alistair shared the forwards’ duties between them whilst Hugo, Nick, Sam and David (who scored five tries) provided the attacking flair as we went all the way to the final, but there was no shame in finishing as runners up to a Queen’s team including many of the first XV. All competitions on the day were played with great team-spirit, fierce competitiveness and loud and encouraging support – just what we expect from School house pupils! A quick kit-change was needed immediately as some of the pupils ran straight from the sports pitches to the Christmas

Pippa, Gemma, Lily, Maddy, Vicky, Jenna, Jess, Izzy and Alice did brilliantly to finish in third place on the netball courts. The junior girls, captained by Anabel, also did superbly to finish fourth and it was great to see such wonderful team-spirit amongst the girls across both age groups. With competitions coming thick and fast it was the squash team up next and Hannah, Gemma, Alice and Izzy swept aside all before them before proving too strong for Queen’s in the final to bring the trophy back to School house. In the final week of term our breadth of sporting talent and potential was demonstrated when, out of 20 heats, 19 of the girls qualified for the inter-house Swimming finals where there were some particularly impressive results at junior level with both individual and team successes.

Literary Quiz where Maya, Rose, Jess and Hannah enjoyed mulled wine and mince pies in a festive test of their literary knowledge. The Easter term is always a rollercoaster that is jam-packed full of academic work and co-curricular events and this year was no different. Our senior debaters of Alistair, Jess, Freddie and George have enjoyed the experience despite coming up against some tough opposition, whilst we had enough volunteers to enter four teams in the inter-house science quiz. In inter-house badminton, Keira, Gemma, Hannah and Alice did superbly to go one better than last year and return victorious to become the 2015 champions, and there was no letting up for the girls as Keira,

The boys were not to be outdone on the sporting front and, although the footballers couldn’t hold onto the inter-house trophy that they won last year, the hockey players managed to go one better and – led by captain Nick Fullick – they toppled Temple in the final and became the 2015 champions. The final week of term was spent polishing up tactics and formations as the ‘School House Seahorses’ water polo team was re-formed. We swam, we

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House Reports

scored, we conceded but alas our lack of true water polo experience meant we were eliminated before the final stages! Towards the end of February we performed the annual house Chapel, delivering the important message on the issue of healthy living on the British Heart Foundation’s ‘Wear Red’ day. The Chapel will live long in the memory for Alistair Duffey’s inspired performance on the xylophone; I don’t think I have ever heard a round of applause as long or loud as that day: it was a true gift to all those who were listening. We finished the term with our annual house dinner where Heads of House Keira and Alistair regaled us with a witty speech and stories from each year group; I was even more impressed to see every member of the sixth form making it in for 8.25 am roll-call the next morning – they certainly lived up to the ‘work hard, play hard’ attitude of all Peterites! In the summer term we were destined for bronze medals on the tennis front as both the boys and girls qualified with style through their group stages but bowed out in the semi-finals. Nick Fullick also reached the semi-final of the Alcuin Cup before being defeated against last year’s winner 2-6, 6-2, 4-6. There was time to squeeze in one final senior competition for the girls before exam leave, the inter-house rounders. Captained by Gemma, with some powerful batting by Keira and Pippa, we swept all before us and recorded a comprehensive victory against Dronfield in the final to become champions, a fitting way to end the sporting year. The St Peter’s Junior Challenge enabled plenty of volunteers to represent the house and with quick fingers on the buzzers and a vast array of general knowledge; our teams comprehensively

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marched through to the semifinals before losing to the eventual winners. Back on the sports fields, the boys donned their cricket whites and, captained by Luke Huffer, with some powerful batting from Charlie Hudson and Matt Ubhi, they made an excellent start to the group stages before going out to the eventual winners in the semifinal. The girls, meanwhile, were making some excellent progress over on the rounders pitches with some outstanding work in the field in particular to restrict the opposing teams and we eventually finished in third place. To finish, I would like to thank the outstanding tutor team we have in School house and as well as bidding farewell to our upper sixth, we also say goodbye to Mr Mortimer, who will be sorely missed, and we wish him every success in his new role as Head of Art as he moves to Manila in an exciting new venture.

As I once again reflect on the year and our unique community, I marvel at the breadth and depth of talent that exists within the house. We have gone from strength to strength and I hope this will continue next year: indeed I’m sure it will. Brown is good but maroon is better! Mr Ben White

House Reports

TEMPLE

2014-2015 has been my seventh year as Housemistress in Temple. For many people the number seven is a lucky number and I have to say that I feel incredibly lucky to have been in charge of such a lovely and successful house this year. At the top end I have had great support from the upper sixth, ably led by Chloe and Charlie as Heads of House and at the lower end (although the groups in the middle haven’t been bad either!) we have had an excellent group of third-formers who settled in amazingly well and have behaved in an exemplary fashion throughout the year, skilfully guided by the experienced hand of their tutor, Mrs Dawson. We are very unlucky in Temple to be saying goodbye to Mrs Dawson this year. She has been my rock in the house ever since I took over as housemistress and we will miss her helpful advice, her genuine care for the pupils, and above all her sense of fun. She is also very adept at spotting a short skirt, the wrong colour tights and the unsubtle make up! Mrs Dawson was tutor for three years

to the current lower sixth and it is very much thanks to her that I am confident that the pupils taking over the role of upper sixthformers – and thus role models for the rest of the house – will do an excellent job with Beth Bradley and Rohan Choudhury in charge as the new Heads of House. We wish Mrs Dawson all the best for her retirement, although we will still be seeing her around the school for most of next year as she covers Mrs Middleton’s maternity leave. I always say to parents on induction day that the key to a happy and thriving house is good communication and this year Temple have proved that they are the best communicators with victories for our teams in the finals of both the senior (Helen Taylor, Duncan Smith, Alex Woodruff) and junior (Marcus Dobson, Alex Leahy, Felix Fraser-Krauss) inter-house Debating competitions during the summer term. In addition Alex Woodruff has been

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House Reports

appointed to the role of President of the Debating Society for next year. You could say that this means we are the most argumentative and opinionated house and after all there is nothing wrong with that. Healthy discussion and the confidence to express one’s opinions are to be encouraged. The successful communication of knowledge was also in evidence this year with the senior and junior St Peter’s Challenge teams reaching the semi-final and final respectively and the inter-house Science Quiz team finishing second out of 17 teams. We still need some more girl-power on board though! Good communication is also important to ensure good teamwork and our sports teams have enjoyed a considerable amount of success over the year. The highlight has to be victory in the senior girls’ inter-house netball competition which is definitely a first under my reign. In both the relatively new inter-house Football and Water Polo competitions we finished runners-up and in the Cross-Country competition congratulations go to Concetta Scrimshaw who finished second in the senior girls’ event and Robbie Brown who won the senior boys’ event. Robbie has been selected twice for the England mountain-running team this year, which is a remarkable achievement. He is leaving us as at the end of the fifth form to pursue his sixth-form studies at Millfield School, where he will be able to follow a structured and intensive training programme alongside his academic studies. We wish him well and will miss him as a very personable young man as well as a talented sportsman and musician. Music is an area in which Temple has traditionally been very strong and this year has been no exception, starting with the musical Guys and Dolls in the Christmas term where there were notable performances on stage from Charlie Widdicombe, Duncan Smith, Peter Gray and Jack McCartney, as well as major contributions to the orchestra from Fleur Booth, Ellie Richardson, Steph Frankland and Libby Brown. Libby’s highlight of the year has to be her stunning performance of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto at York University in March for which she received a standing ovation, and Steph won the overall Senior Music Festival with her virtuosic performance on the alto saxophone of Pequeña Czarda by Petro Itturalde. In the Junior Music Festival we were also well

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represented and Alex Leahy won the boys’ singing section with Amarilli by Caccini. I do include inter-house Singing under musical achievements, despite its ‘House Shout’ nickname and this year it was expertly organised and conducted by Emma Richardson. Although we were not placed, the quality of the singing and the instrumentals in our rendition of McFly’s Stargirl was highly praised by the judges. The traditional entertaining ending to the music calendar is the Cabaret Concert and this year’s did not disappoint, with many Temple pupils involved as either soloists or as part of an ensemble or choir. What continues to impress me is

House Reports

not just the amount of work pupils put into rehearsing but also the obvious enjoyment they get out of performing and supporting each other. There is an infectious and palpable nature to it. I mentioned last year that drama is another area where Temple pupils continue to excel and this was nowhere more obvious than at the fourth-form performance of Remote where over half of the Temple fourth-formers were involved in this absorbing and tense portrayal of teenage life. This was repeated in the four middleschool plays where members of the third form joined them. As well as budding performers we also have emerging writers in the house with Duncan Smith involved in writing, directing and performing this year and Concetta Scrimshaw winning the senior Creative Writing competition. House Chapel gave pupils the opportunity to showcase their creative talents as, having been encouraged through previous chapel addresses to explore the possibilities of play, Temple organised an extravaganza of music and dramatic readings to get the day off to a most enjoyable start. That completes my summary of this year and as ever I apologise to anyone I have missed out. It remains to say a big thank you to

my team of tutors in Temple. Dr Senczyszyn (I still have to look up the spelling of her name! ) is leaving us after two years to take up a Chemistry post at St Paul’s Girls’ School and I thank her for the help and support she has given to the fifth form, who have been a wonderful group for her to work with, getting on with everything with a minimum of fuss and giving her a very enjoyable and pleasant first experience of what it is to be a tutor. I also thank Mr Johnston for helping the lower sixth make the transition into the sixth form and for getting to Temple before me in the mornings so that I don’t have to search my handbag for my keys! I thank Mr Matkin for being so flexible and agreeing to support the upper sixth through their higher education applications and their exam stresses. Last but not least I thank Mr Parr for being such a supportive and unflappable assistant housemaster and fourth-form tutor: he is willing to step into the breach whenever he is needed and I value his assistance greatly. I wish the upper sixth well as they go off into the big wide world and I hope they continue Temple’s new-found reputation as good communicators by staying in touch and keeping us informed about their progress. Mrs Jenny Houghton

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House Reports

THE GROVE

Among my many duties as a housemaster is welcoming visitors to the school, usually potential parents and their children. These visits comprise a meeting with the Head Master followed by a tour with one of The Grove’s finest before catching up for a chat in my office. I often feel that it is when I describe the way in

which the house fits into pupils’ lives, both as administrative and pastoral entities, that our visitors are most impressed. The senses of belonging, collaboration, ownership and ultimately of pride that the houses engenders among pupils and staff are all palpable and authentic. Our house meeting, which kicks off Saturday mornings, is a chance to get us all together and celebrate our achievements and there is a genuine sense each week of togetherness and

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investment in one another; this is not just a time to organise teams and grumble about kit in common rooms and signing in and out! This year, alongside academic progress, we have celebrated sporting achievement, dramatic performance, musical brilliance and the more intellectual pursuits of debating and quiz teams reflecting the strength and breadth of Grovite participation. Our teams have thrived again this year and to list all the results and participants would make this report impossibly long. Our junior sports teams have given much to cheer about and, in capturing the silverware in the Rugby Sevens, Hockey and Cricket, the junior boys claimed what they have since coined their ‘Triple Crown’ as well as the commensurate bragging rights. The rugby result was sealed on a foul day, under the leadership of Max Courtis (who had been in the winning team the previous year too) while the senior seven lost to the eventual winners in the semi-final. Under the guidance of Ralph Sinclair and on a much finer day, our cricket fielding proved the difference against the pre-competition favourites and our noisy neighbours, in a gripping final. Grove tennis continues to enjoy rude health and while the boys’ team were runners-up (after a sudden death tie-break), the girls prevailed amid shrieks of delight still etched on the eardrums. The junior girls’ rounders team were runners-up (following a countback to separate us from Clifton), our footballers were fourth, our cross-country runners fifth and it was a great shame

House Reports

that the Yorkshire climate put paid to Sports Day, denying some of our finest athletes their moment in the metaphorical, and literal, sunshine. Sports teams represent perhaps the most obvious, but by no means the only, way that Grovites have come together to compete this year. In the more intellectual spheres we have thrived and, under the guidance of Arkwright Scholarship-holding Joe Waterhouse, a hovercraft built for The Great Egg Race stylishly skimmed its way to third place. Meanwhile, our senior debaters reached the semi-final and we retained the Literary Quiz title, led (again) by Bea Rhodes-Blangsted. In the junior competitions, our pupils have been dominant with Daniel Hicks masterminding his Debating and St Peter’s Challenge teams to final appearances. Arguing with passion and clarity, Daniel was declared best speaker (and scooped the Junior Debating Prize) but our team was edged out by a more experienced Temple team. In the Challenge, revenge was ours as Temple were seen off by 270-110 and so we retained the cup.

singing. Song choice, rehearsal planning and choreography are left entirely to the pupils, and it is more than impressive to watch the thing come together from nervous disorder to polished performance. This year saw us taking on Bon Jovi’s You Give Love a Bad Name, but sadly, despite all the fun, we were robbed by the judges and unplaced (again). Better luck next year! The house is blessed with many musical and dramatic performers of note and it is always a pleasure to see them performing in the rich variety of concerts and productions across the year. Sam Lightwing and Daniel Hicks qualified twice each for the Music Festival finals and Sam, Millie Grant and, particularly perhaps, Emily Brown, played key roles in the spectacular Guys and Dolls before Christmas. Marcus Thomson showed his comfort and presence on stage in his performance in the junior production of Sparkleshark. Alongside these there have been a host of Grovites selflessly giving time to our Community Action programme. Be it helping in a charity shop, volunteering at a care home or helping at the junior school, these pupils have given generously in time and energy and have embodied the school’s values of friendship and compassion.

This year, our two Heads of House, Sophie Reed and Ben Gibson, have proved to be a potent pairing providing both organisational accuracy and pastoral antennae. Their energy made many things happen in the house from a highly civilised meal out together to revitalised house kit. But perhaps their most public and celebrated role is bringing the house together for the annual inter-house

The summer term saw the arrival of an outdoor table-tennis table to the Grove lawn which has proved hugely popular as a pursuit before and after school, at break and at lunchtime, in sunshine, wind and rain … in fact, all the time. With it placed outside my window, I have greatly enjoyed observing its communal use and

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House Reports

seen it slicing through the barriers between year-groups that can prove quite impenetrable. With no staff intervention, long and entirely democratic queues have formed to challenge the current ‘King’ and the only loser would appear to be the lawn which now has a doughnut-shaped bald patch! And so to our leavers … The departure of our upper sixth as they disperse to their chosen courses, travels and careers brings an

annual mixture of sadness and excitement. Their journey with the school now complete, we hope to see them return to The Grove with their news in the not too distant future. Ed Coidan leaves after his fifth form to pursue his studies in the classical world while Will Huffer also leaves at the same stage for a life in professional football. Will has been a great servant to school and house sport and has somehow managed to squeeze playing for England under-17s into his GCSE year. His is a career which we will follow particularly

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closely. The house says goodbye to two of our tutors this year. Mr Carter has worked as a Graduate Sports Assistant and has been tutor to our lower sixth form. He has brought fresh ideas and interest to his tutor meetings and has gained a strong knowledge of each of his tutees in his brief time with us. Mrs Middleton, our third-form tutor and most enthusiastic supporter at house events, leaves us, temporarily, on maternity leave and we send her on her way with our very best wishes for her new arrival. To Mrs Middleton, and all those leaving the Grove family, we say bon voyage! Mr Martin Lawrence

House Reports

THE MANOR

The Manor is a boarding house transformed as the separate report on our refurbishment and extension attests. I reiterate my huge thanks to all those who enabled this to happen. We all have been beneficiaries of this change.

Indeed the facilities available to the boys seemed better-used than ever before. The gym, sports hall, tennis courts and various pitches are used regularly on an evening; there are few occasions where computer games are being played.

Christmas Term

Inter-house rugby is always a highlight, perhaps just as much for the design of the house shirt as for the occasion itself. It was great to see our juniors reach the final after a huge win over our dear friends in Linton, where both the experienced and newer players gave their all for the team.

Eight third-formers and four lower-sixth joined us in September and they made a very good contribution to the house and the school during the year. Thando Moyeni, our exchange student from Selborne in South Africa, also joined us for six weeks and made the very most of the opportunities on offer. Inter-house cross-country was the year’s first house event, where Rory Combe featured strongly. The team competition depends as much on the seventh-placed person as the first, so as a house we finished a bit lower down. Sam Dickinson’s performance in both duathlon, where he achieved GB representative honours, and triathlon, was a notable sporting feature of the year and he, along with quite a few others, availed themselves of the swimming pool during the week to train.

The house dinner was the final act of term and as ever it was delightful event. An excellent speech from the Head of House was the most appropriately humorous I have heard, and the whole house appreciated the panoramic view, and commentary, that is possible from a wind turbine!?! Easter Term Football was our strongest sport in house this term. A number of boys represented the school first and second teams. Hopes were

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House Reports

high for the inter-house football competition and this year we did not fail to live up to expectations. An excellent performance in the final saw us win this and bring some silverware back to house. Our inter-house hockey teams were less successful, but it showed just how willing the boys were to play for the house and be part of the team. The inter-house water polo competition is very popular and our team was a strong one, losing only to the eventual winners. Music continues to flourish, with many learning instruments and performing in both the junior and senior Music Festivals. It was always going to be difficult to follow on from last year’s interhouse singing victory, but the boys really impressed with a gutsy, well-organised and well-delivered performance. Our joint second place was richly deserved.

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Our House Chapel this term was also very well received and was all based around the International Day of Hugging. Both preparation and delivery were excellent. Summer Term The summer term prior to exams was short and it is my great hope that the new exam reforms bring improvement in this respect in the future by eventually removing lower-sixth exams. Thankfully this did not stop many taking part in the Beverley 10K event and, on a more regular basis, from being involved in various sports teams. It is essential that exams, while having their place, do not come to dominate life and prevent young people from doing what they both enjoy and are good at.

House Reports

That said, necessary revision was done and the atmosphere in house was better than ever before in terms of purposeful work. I hope all are well rewarded for their efforts. Post-exams there was a really enjoyable wind-down to the end of term and thankfully little to think about in terms of major structural developments! The People This year’s upper sixth joined the house when Dori and I did. It has been an immense privilege to live alongside them for the last five years. They have all developed in so many ways, and spending so much of this time in their company, you get to learn so much about what really matters in education. Sam Dickinson has led the house ably and in this he has been supported in various ways by all the member of the year-group. I wish them all the very best in their future endeavours.

Dori and I are ably supported by a strong team of tutors and in-house support staff. Dave Ray and Dave Robinson share the evening duties with me, and Laura Pearson does some Sundays as well. Colette, our Matron, and the team of cleaners continue their remarkable job. So often when showing round prospective parents they comment on this. As ever, my final thanks go to my wife and children. Without their support, understanding and enjoyment of what we do it would be nowhere near as much fun as it is. It has been another excellent year! Mr Steve Gwilliam

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House Reports

THE RISE

Another year has flown by already at The Rise, which has seen the girls work hard, play hard and enjoy much success along the way.

and Charlotte Hollinrake, who have since been regular twilight figures running through York after prep.

Christmas Term

House Chapel was next on the agenda. Under the highly organised and motivating leadership of Alicia Cranston, the girls explored the very important topic of ‘not judging by appearances.’ It was thought-provoking and imaginatively written, and involved most girls in the house, avoiding the dreaded ‘drama moment’. Emily McDonald sang Lights Will Guide You calmly and with great feeling.

We welcomed our new third-formers, Alexandria Johnston, Elizabeth Naylor and Ksenia Trubacheva, who made friends very quickly and supported each other admirably through the newness of the first term and beyond. The efficiency with which they went about their morning duties was staggering: three girls with supplies for the whole house, and all before morning call. We also welcomed three new lower-sixth pupils: Charlotte Chong, Darja Lapika and Emily Lockett (next year’s Head of House). Remembering the house mantra: ‘it’s not the winning but the taking part’, the girls braced themselves for the formidable challenge of the inter-house cross-country. The balmy conditions were perfect for the race, and the girls all did brilliantly. Their gritty determination paid off and the junior girls took second place. Particular stars on that day included Annabel Blott, Anna Fairbank

The inter-house singing competition proved to be a particularly memorable and joyous occasion. Under Alicia Cranston’s leadership (again) and with Anna Thrussell’s excellent conducting skills, the girls committed themselves to countless practices of All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor. The musicality, unity and sassy fun of their final performance was outstanding, and the victors’ cup was ours. The girls waited patiently for the Great Egg Race date to be announced as it is always a great favourite in The Rise. Our team – Ksenia Trubacheva, Kitty Clapham, Anna Van Harwegen den Breems, Annabel Blott, Emily McDonald and Darja Lapika – made a valiant attempt to make a hovercraft. Were there a prize for innovative design they certainly would have won, but the fickle luck of the first test-flight determined all and we were, in a word, unsuccessful. The school production of Guys and Dolls was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Christmas term for the whole school. Eve Bracken and Maddie Day stunned as glamorous Hot Box Girls while Jodi Smith’s and Grace Moody’s brilliance backstage contributed to the professional edge that was so frequently commented upon. The Autumn Concert continued the musical theme where we were treated to a wealth of musical

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House Reports

talent. The Rise was admirably represented by Jodi Smith, Emily McDonald, Cassie Bythell and Eve Bracken in the Wind Band and Chapel Choir. We rounded off a very busy but fun term with our sumptuous house dinner. The girls and their guests enjoyed a fine event, the first to use the new foyer for pre-dinner drinks. The Head of House’s speech is usually the most nervous moment for house parents. Will their chosen leader display the wit, sense of affection of the house, knowledge of pupils and good sense for which they were appointed, or will the progress of western civilization be halted whilst in-jokes and vitriol are aired? Alicia Cranston set a new standard: sharp, witty and affectionate, and with a devastatingly accurate and pithy account of the year’s events, she managed to deliver a memorable speech which was entertaining, honest and quite remarkably delivered entirely in rhyming couplets. All the girls must be complimented on their elegance and style, and ability to walk in their spectacularly high shoes. Easter Term The typical cold, dreich, beginning to this new term could not dampen the spirits of the Rise girls and they quickly set about settling themselves back into their routines and preparing themselves for the new challenges ahead. The girls showed great team effort, determination and willingness to participate in the inter-house netball, swimming and squash. Very well done to Grace Moody, Lily Naylor, Emily McDonald Cassie Bythell, Alicia Cranston, Anna Fairbank and Tracy Yip who swam valiantly on behalf of The Rise.

participate in the York Spring and Summer Regattas as well as the National Schools’ Regatta. Remote was an exceptional and unusual play about a girl living in a tree and observing daily life from above. Maddie Day and Charlotte Hollinrake brought the characters to life superbly while Jodi Smith and Grace Moody were invaluable backstage. The performance of Mozart’s Missa brevis in F and Vivaldi’s Gloria at York University at the very end of term saw many of the girls singing in the School Choir, and playing in the Wind Band and Symphony Orchestra. This term also saw the controversy that was inter-house debating for both seniors and juniors. I was truly impressed by the eloquence with which the girls spoke and their thorough preparation. Although they did not make the final rounds they must certainly be congratulated on a wonderful team effort. Well done to Heather Lam and Wendy Wan in particular for their thorough and excellent preparation. Summer Term

Our rowers, Tracy Yip, Maddie Day and Jodi Smith, continued their excellent team efforts in the York Regatta, the Schools’ Head of the River Race in London, the schools’ competition at Yarm and on a trip to Ghent. Later on, in the summer term, the girls were to

Exams loomed as we returned from the Easter break and it was not long before the house became eerily quiet as many of the girls went home or shut themselves in their rooms in their rooms

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House Reports

away from all temptations. Nevertheless, many girls turned up to support Grace Moody, Maddie Day, Charlotte Hollinrake and Kitty Clapham in the middle-school plays, DNA and Girls Like That. It was a most enjoyable night for all. Congratulations too to Jodi Smith again for her excellent work backstage. The arrival of Tess, our beagle, also provided much diversion for the girls. As the term rushed on, it was soon time to say goodbye to the upper sixth (Alicia, Emily, Heather, Lucy, Anna, Christa, Annabel and Anna F) as they began the next exciting chapter in their lives. It has been a real pleasure getting to know them, and their help, advice, good humour, chats and giggles have been invaluable to me throughout the year. Mr Gillies, Ellie and I will miss them all but hope that they will visit us at The Rise whenever they can. We wish them every success and happiness in the future. We will be saying early farewells to Cassie Bythell who will move to School house as a day-girl and Anna van who leaves St Peter’s to pursue the IB at Oakham School. Their strong personalities and good sense will be missed in the house but we hope to see them whenever possible in the future. Special thanks must go to our brilliant Head of House, Alicia Cranston, whose help, advice and good humour has been much appreciated as has been her support to new girls coming into the house.

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The Rise may be the smallest house, but it is full of conscientious and talented girls. At the final assembly, Mr Winkley announced that we were the winners of the Merit Cup. What a way to finish the year! I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to the other key members of the house, without whose help The Rise simply could not run and whose work we appreciate enormously. Thank you very much indeed therefore to our house tutors Mrs Barnard, Mrs Robinson, Miss Wilson and Miss Lindley for their excellent work. We are also indebted to Lesley, Jenny and Laura who keep The Rise shining and immaculate. Special thanks go to our matron, Jane, who truly is the linchpin of the establishment and who does so much for us all. Her efficiency, organisational skills, friendliness, sense of fun and sewing skills are so appreciated by us all! And so the year concluded with the house barbecue and a trip to Flamingoland. A busy year but in many ways too short to savour every moment. We wish those leaving us all the best and wholeheartedly encourage them to keep in touch. Mrs Dorothy Gillies

Visits and Exchanges

Rugby Tour 2015: Canada ‘Good players inspire themselves; great players inspire others.’ This quote from the British Lions tour of South Africa in 1997 sums up the way Sam Hudson led the tour and the way all the players on it responded. It was a truly memorable experience for all of us, on and off the field. I hope that the pictures and a few words will convey the very special spirit of this tour and the real camaraderie that the young men who went on it will share for ever. Ten wins from ten games in Canada and USA, including the best of Alberta under-16s and under-18s and British Columbia under-16s and under-17s, at the beginning and end of the tour, exemplified the performances on tour.

Sam was a true leader on and off the pitch, but there were others who led from the front!

… in training and off the field …

teamwork was the key to everything, in attack and defence.

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From scrum to lineout, from ruck to maul; decent ball.

From kick-off until the end of the game.

Some of the Man-of-the-Match awards:

Our IT man, cameramen and water-boy:

The Luge:

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The other water-boy and cameraman! And the ‘Selfie Twins’.

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The views:

White Water Rafting:

Banff and Sulphur Mountain:

Lake Louise:

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Seattle:

The baseball game:

Back into Canada:

Culture and Kayaking!

Whale-watching and a good soaking!!

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Playland theme park:

Grouse Mountain:

Hospitality we received:

Those final games:

Truly ‘Brothers-in-arms’, as a whole squad:

Unbeaten in ten games!

All the talent in the world won’t take you anywhere without your team-mates. Mr Paddy Stephen

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Music Tour 2015: Paris Let’s start at the very beginning – a very good place to start ...

Day 1 We just travelled really, but it was also Will Hartley’s birthday ... or was it?

Day 2 The early morning running squad was established and we were then thrown straight in with a concert in St Sulpice, which is the second largest church in Paris after Notre Dame. We sang the Mozart Missa brevis in F, the first of several performances of this work on tour, and Max McLeish gave a superb performance of the third movement of Albrechtsberger’s Trombone Concerto to an appreciative audience of around a hundred. After a brief three hours or so of queuing, we then ascended the Eiffel Tower and were met with a full view of Paris.

Day 3 This day was spent in Chartres, a small, sleepy town that was interrupted by DJ Dowdy’s beats on our arrival! We were lucky enough to perform in the mesmerising cathedral in the afternoon to a packed Quire area, with around 300 present. Special mention goes to Steph Frankland for her playing of the slow movement of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and to Charlie Widdicombe for his lyrical solo in The Three Kings by Cornelius. Congratulations also to those who spoke so well to the audience in French, announcing the various pieces.

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Day 5 We started a busy day with a trip to the Louvre. Having tackled other tourists successfully in the scrum to see the Mona Lisa we moved on to ascend the Arc de Triomphe, where we were greeted with another beautiful view of Paris. After spending what little free time we had on the Champs-Élysées, we travelled to the bandstand in the Luxembourg Gardens. Unfortunately the weather was not playing ball, but it did not stop the Choir, Swing and Wind Bands from performing to a welcoming public. Max McLeish and Charlie Widdicombe engaged in an improvisatory duel and Will Hartley had a charismatic solo in In the Mood. In the evening we played ‘splut’ (splat) before returning to the hotel.

Day 4 DISNEY!!! Fun was had, ears were bought, dreams were made (plus there was a lot of queuing ...). Having eventually found our meeting-point with the co-ordinator, aptly named the ‘Pluto’ gate, we engaged in an intense game of charades. It turns out English people can entertain themselves anywhere, even in a packed backstage room. The Wind and Swing Bands then performed a range of repertoire on the Videopolis stage. It was warmly received by an audience of all ages, and was followed by an afternoon of fun at the theme park. Dreams were partly shattered when we ran out of time to watch the fireworks, but we cheered ourselves up by singing Happy Birthday to Will Hartley on the bus. Was it today?

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Day 6 The morning was spent at Versailles, viewing the extravagant palace, taking boats out on the lake and screaming at wasps. Following this – and arguably the highlight of the whole tour – was our participation in the Mass at Notre Dame in the evening. Despite not having any idea whatsoever as to what was going on in the service, Mr M-K and Mr Wright led us superbly through the Mozart Mass and Parsons’ Ave Maria respectively. Sally Hicks, Fenella Hayes, Will Hartley and Charlie Widdicombe must also be

Day 7 Sadly our time in Paris came to an end as we travelled back home and we said thank to you our tour guide Sylvia and our driver John. On the way home the tour party found a piano in the concourse of St Pancras International Station and engaged in a ‘Flashmob’-type performance with Mr Spencer on the piano, the Choir giving our final rendition of the medley from The Sound of Music and the Barbershop entertaining crowds of people.

mentioned for their solo singing in the Mozart in this service and throughout the week. It was a truly special way to end the tour – apparently we are now ‘part of the building blocks of Notre Dame’ as one of the priests told us after the service. The late evening was spent on a Bateau Mouche, cruising along the River Seine. As we got on to the bus to return to the hotel the Barbershop gave a rendition of their greatest hits, and Izzy’s dance was accompanied by coach-driver John’s strobe lighting!

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Huge thanks to our ‘pod leaders’, Mr Hall, Mrs Dawson, Mr Grant, Mrs Appleby, Miss Ullstein, Mr Spencer, Mr Wright and Mr and Mrs M-K for a truly memorable tour and a lovely way to end our experience at St Peter’s. So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good night. Alice Appleby, Lauren Caley, Izzy Hall, Will Hartley, Fenella Hayes, Sally Hicks, Marianne Spencer, Emma Walker, Charlie Widdicombe, Kerra Williams – all UVI P.S. Happy Birthday Will (18 on ?)

Visits and Exchanges

Morocco Expedition

We had the first morning to explore the Marrakech medina with its sprawling souk, and the Djemaa el Fna square, before it was time to travel away from the city to discover more of the magic of Morocco. Marrakech sits in the foothills of the snowcapped Atlas Mountains, and just 45 miles away is Oukaimeden, Africa’s highest ski resort, the village perched at 2,600m and its chairlift rising to the peak of Jebel Attar at 3,258m. Our trek team had already set up camp just outside the village, but not quite far enough away to remain out of the watchful eye of the local authorities. Uneasy about so many camping in their village, we were offered secure lodgings for the night. Oukaimeden was the start of our trek and we set off on our journey the following morning.

The Toubkal National Park offers a network of village gîtes for accommodation, which generally makes camping unnecessary unless you’re trekking far away from the villages. However, the opportunity to camp and eat together in the Berber-style tent in the Atlas Mountains adds a special element to the trek. We were treated to a remote high camp for our second night, providing an unforgettable camping experience for our group.

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By the second day the group had settled in to the routines of trekking, and really started to enjoy the adventure and the clean mountain air and spectacular scenery. With Jamal at the front and Hussein always walking with the slowest in the group, the trekking can be done at a pace to suit the individual. The first of our three gîtes was the Tigmi Tachddirt Guesthouse. The location gave us a unique chance to be a part of a remote Berber village, without any touristic dimension. There was an opportunity for our pupils to walk into the village, to meet the local people and get a sense of how they live. We spent our final night on trek in a small village high up (2,314m) in the Atlas Mountains, the highest settlement in the Rhirhaia valley, up a steep dirt track and looking up to Mount Toubkal. With many of the most beautiful and culturally-interesting places in Morocco being inaccessible by car, trekking is a great way to

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experience the true Morocco. Just a few hours from Marrakech we were able to experience an unhurried pace of life, visiting places relatively untouched by the modern world. We spent two nights at the Gite Tigmmi N’Tmazirte near Ijoukak. Our pupils split into small groups and spent a morning working with the local Berber families. Some turned their hand to making the traditional clay tagines, whilst others cooked or worked out in the fields. Although this was hard work for many, a football match against an established local Moroccan team proved a tougher test. We headed over to the coast for a couple of nights, with many of our group proving more adept at riding the waves than on the back of a camel. It didn’t take long for many to get into their stride, bartering for their souvenirs in the souks of Essaouira. A final day in Marrakech rounded off a great trip for the fourth form. Mr Jon Whitehouse

Visits and Exchanges

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Visits and Exchanges

Ski Trip 2015: Sestriere, Italy On the final day of the Easter term, 31 excited students set off for what has now become the annual St Peter’s ski trip. We ranged from absolute beginners to over 80 weeks in experience so we hoped that the Via Lattea (Milky Way) would prove perfect for all abilities.

The coach journey went much quicker than anyone expected and it was quite a shock to arrive in the resort at 10.30 am. The sun was shining and the snow that had fallen three days previously meant there was real anticipation to get out there on the slopes. The following day we started bright and early (9.00 am) and considered ourselves very fortunate to have some excellent instructors. They managed to get the right balance between teaching and guiding, enabling students of all abilities to really

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enjoy their week. Their knowledge and expertise was really tested by the fact that we were unfortunate to have the Jetstream located right above the Alps. I later found out that other resorts had had to close for the entire week because of high winds. For us the main issue was the gondola link to Sauze d’Oulx which restricted the skiing to Sestriere, and to only four and a half days. Thankfully there were some great runs here and also a snow park which the fourth-form boys seemed to want to make their home (apparently it was really “sick”). It was also great to see the beginners make so much progress and be able to ski their first black run before the week was out. The skiing was really enjoyed by all who came along. Off the slopes the lower-sixth boys installed themselves as residents at Pinky’s pizza place and the local shops were plundered for food, despite the inordinately large amount of snack bars that were brought with us. The behaviour of all was exemplary throughout the trip, the biggest issue of all seeming to be who sat where for the return journey! It was an absolute pleasure to spend a week with all the students who took part and with the staff who helped so well, especially in dealing with minor injuries and a sickness bug, and boosting morale when needed! In February 2016, 40 students will be heading to Davos and Klosters – it promises to be excellent! Mr Steve Gwilliam

Visits and Exchanges

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Visits and Exchanges

York-Washington DC Exchange Peterites in Washington, October 2014 Sixth-formers had the opportunity to spend over a week experiencing the educational, cultural, historical and political life of the Land of the Free during October half-term last year. Of course, Washington DC, being the capital of arguably the most iconic, and certainly the most powerful, modern democracy was the perfect place for politics and history students to visit. An understanding of the political life of the United States of America was central to the exchange. We received the opportunity to be taught politics by very committed and enthusiastic teachers at a leading school, Walt Whitman High. The relationships fostered through class discussion and staying with families of pupils at the school proved an essential element of our political education and complemented visits to some sites of great historical interest.

A cycle tour around DC’s beautiful parklands and spectacular sights achieved consensus as the highlight of the visit, taking in memorials such as those to Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt and Martin Luther King Jr. However, another moment greatly valued by Peterites was the opportunity to prepare meals at DC Kitchen, providing food for the homeless. This proved to be a fantastic way of contributing to the wellbeing of the community that was hosting our trip to the States, and also emphasised for us the need for the political life of a nation to be attuned to the reality of life for its citizens.

In its relatively short national history, the USA has of course produced a huge cultural output, which we had the privilege of sampling. This was principally achieved through visits to the many excellent museums of the capital. The American History Museum, the Air and Space Museum and the National Archives put us faceto-face with the history of the nation and its political contexts. In this light, the Newseum proved highly popular by charting

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that was well supported by vocal fans of ‘The Vikings’. Americans, since achieving independence from us, have been intent on bettering the British in every possible area of competition. We long ago accepted their far superior economic power, but the emergence of a serious footballing nation that poses a real threat to our fragile national teams may be too much for many Brits to handle. Having watched Whitman play, it is unfortunately inevitable. the way in which the American media has presented the various historical upheavals the nation has experienced, which is of course inextricable from political concerns. Media politics was as basic in 18th-century America as it is today.

Thanks must go to Mr Fuller for organising our end of the trip, and to Mr Bob Mathis of Walt Whitman High School, for introducing us to the life of the school and organising the visit in such an effective way. We would also like to thank Dr Goodwin,

However, an interest in the cultural life of the nation provided some highly enjoyable light relief. We saw a wonderful play, Fetch Clay, Make Man, an entertaining artistic representation of a historically and politically fascinating topic: Mohammed Ali’s private and public battles set against his participation in the controversial Nation of Islam. America is known for its acting talents which were certainly on display in this absorbing production. America is of course the greatest sporting nation on the planet, and Peterites enjoyed watching the first ‘Soccer’ team of Walt Whitman High School defeat its opponents in a home match

the Principal, for hosting us at the school and especial thanks must of course go to our kind host families who displayed generosity and hospitality par excellence. A thoroughly enjoyable trip very much enjoyed by all. Benedict Turvill, UVI

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Visits and Exchanges

Whitmanites in York, June 2015 Nineteen excited Americans arrived in York for the return leg of the exchange in June. We started their visit by exploring York and debating the relative merits of the British and American political systems in class.

morning, in time to walk along Whitehall, pose for photos with the mounted guards at Horse Guards and take a walk down Downing Street. We were allowed through the security gates which have protected the Prime Minister from terrorism since 1989 and posed for photos whilst Mr Fuller and the policeman on the door explained the history of the street.

A day in London helped us all to get a better feel for the British system, with visits to the legislature (Parliament), executive (Downing Street) and judiciary (Supreme Court). We arrived mid-

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After some relaxation in St James’ Park we stepped back in time – to the life of the wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who spent most of the war living and working in underground rooms beneath the Treasury. We then headed across to Parliament, via a brief visit to the Supreme Court. Here guides gave us an ‘access all areas’ tour allowing us to stand in the chambers of Commons and Lords and walk through the voting lobbies. Staff and students then enjoyed relaxing and shopping in Covent Garden before supper there and a late train home.

Visits and Exchanges

Trips to sights in North Yorkshire followed – taking in Helmsley Castle, Rievaulx Abbey and Whitby. Highlights of the trip were a cycle ride to Beningbrough Hall and a talk on the ecological importance of water by Mr Dawson as we sat on the sunny banks of the River Rye and he showed us a freshly caught trout, en route to Rievaulx. Best of all though, were the times our British and American students spent together in their homes and boarding houses, striking up warm friendships so that by the time the visit ended many did not want to part. Au revoir until the next meeting … I am particularly grateful to Mr and Mrs Bollands for all the help they gave on both the Washington and York legs of the Exchange. Mr Ben Fuller

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Arran 2015 On a rainy Saturday morning, we left a dreary York for an up-beat Arran at the crack of dawn. The long arduous journey to Arran had many peaks and troughs such as the failed phone robbery by the dodgy-looking guy with dreadlocks and his ‘glamorous’ assistant at Glasgow station. We arrived in Brodick after an adrenaline-high ferry trip, newly subsidised by the Scottish Government, to be greeted by a huge uproar of voices from the busy Brodick port as the island’s illustrious triathlon was taking place when we arrived. After a long trip in cars we had arrived! That’s when the party really began.

For the first couple of days we gathered lots of data from the salt marsh to support our hypotheses made in the Arran Awaits session during Exploration Week. The girls took most interest in presenting the data, while some of the boys were more interested in the food, the Kit-Kats and the banter. These classroom lessons always offered both education and enjoyment value, including non-stop banter from DJ Meander (Mr Allan), DJ Drumlin (Miss Ullstein), and DJ Braided Channel (Mrs Tooby-Smith).

Wall-e was the most enthralling aspect of every evening which was normally won by Ollie Fryer, our resident Ashley Cole. However we all understood that the most interesting and thought-provoking part of our trip was the salt marsh!

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Unfortunately two key members of our group had to depart early on Tuesday, much to the dismay of the field centre. However this did not stop the party. To lift our spirits and escape the

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The final evening of the trip we were treated to a meal at the Catacol Bay Hotel. Here we had the chance to reflect on the great memories we had from the trip, such as making new friends with the other school (some made better friends than others), seeing deer after deer after deer and looking at the stacks and stumps across the island. There’s nothing you wouldn’t love in Arran! We had so many memories from one trip; Mr Allan must have millions of memories after his annual excursions with lower-sixth groups: you can tell he loves it! This rounded off a great trip and gave us some useful notes to take back to look at ready for the A2 Geography exams next year …

rain on Wednesday morning, we walked to the Arran Distillery and embraced Arran’s whisky history, recounted to us by an enthusiastic tour guide, called Richard. Sadly we couldn’t taste any of the whisky there, but later on that night we were all allowed one shot of the Arran Cream Liqueur, which some people enjoyed more than others. However, after that excitement we were hit by the news that another school group had joined us in the field centre. The day ended with a football match, St Peter’s vs. the new school. They had one player, nicknamed ‘The Girl Messi’ after she picked up the ball and dribbled all the way through the team. With Ben Megginson being St Peter’s star player, the game finished 1-1. Throughout the next couple of days we looked at bio-geography, the way biology interacts with geography, and the creation of unique coastal landforms. We also looked at the geology of Arran and met the infamous JB (one of the field centre staff). If ever

We would like to thank all the teachers for their help throughout the trip and to wish Mr Allan all the best for whatever comes next in his life. Ollie Fryer, David Bird and Eleanor Ingram, LVI

there is a geography department vacancy at St Peter’s, we think he should be the guy who gets it: his enthusiasm was infectious and he offered the boys a lot of humour and amusing phrases, with his endless knowledge of the geological features on Arran.

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News, Events and Activities

Spacecamp 2015 During the Easter holiday of 2015, thirteen third-form pupils embarked on an inspirational journey into the heart of the world’s biggest scientific and engineering venture, at the doorstep of humanity’s greatest achievement. The pupils had the chance to meet with some of space exploration’s elite on an exclusive journey behind the scenes of the NASA space programme and lots more besides.

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin became the first man in space in 1961 and the first Space Shuttle was launched in 1981, both on April 12. These significant anniversaries were celebrated during the group’s visit to Kennedy Space Centre. The pupils were awe-inspired by the Saturn V rocket and the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibition. Another highlight was to ride on a simulated Shuttle launch which had been designed by ex-Shuttle astronauts. There was a talk from a Space Shuttle pilot and the chance to meet with him afterwards. The chance to see the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The group’s first attempt at a launch was thwarted by an anvil-shaped cloud,

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causing the launch to be ‘scrubbed’ with a tantalising three minutes to go - a real disappointment, although there was the sight of a US nuclear submarine being escorted out to sea and an osprey clutching its dinner. A second opportunity arose two days later and this time there was no disappointment. The rocket was launched successfully carrying a Dragon capsule to the orbiting International Space Station. The brightness of the rocket’s flame, the beautiful curve of its trajectory and the crackle of the engines will surely be treasured memories for many years to come.

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The pupils were incredibly honoured to be able to rub shoulders with some of NASA’s elite during some of the evening meals. They met with Jay Honeycutt, who had been the director of Kennedy Space Centre during the late 90s. He gave the pupils an insight into the ethos that has allowed NASA to be so successful, through his anecdotes and answers to so many questions (well done, Ewan!). Two evenings were also spent in the company of Kevin Mellett, a senior NASA engineer who was once responsible for the Space Shuttle. Kevin fielded lots of technical questions and also really inspired the pupils. He said, ‘I believe the first person to stand on the face of Mars is alive today.’

than it looks on TV, Anna Geddes was the most controlled in the vertical wind-tunnel, which was blowing at 120mph! The whole of the Cape area is a wildlife reserve. The group took the opportunity to go and see some of the local flora and fauna at a state reserve centre. The pupils had a go at ‘Seining’ which involves using large nets to dredge up small animals in a lagoon. The weirdest find was a horse-shoe crab, which looked so strange it could have been mistaken for an alien. Other life-forms spotted on the trip include: alligators, snakes, ospreys, armadillos, eagles, turtles, lizards, shrimps and manatees (perhaps a dozen, adults and babies!). The pupils were keen to get the full Florida cultural experience, and so there was a trip to an enormous shopping mall near Orlando. Other downtime was spent by the hotel pool, on the little kids’ pirate ship(!) enjoying the free wifi and Face Timing everyone at home. Inevitably with a trip to America, food was a big feature of the trip. Some highlights were breakfast waffles (but onion gravy for breakfast?), breakfast burrito roulette (very bad but tastes good), giant barbecue pterodactyl legs, butter-beer, giant shrimps, huge burgers and toasted s’mores by the camp-fire.

To make the most of the opportunity and to experience a few g of acceleration, the pupils took a trip to Universal Studios, Island of Adventure. The chance of experiencing the legendary Hulk ride and going to Harry Potter World was much anticipated by everybody. A thrilling day was had by all: the maximum acceleration experienced, no matter how giddy it made the pupils feel, was about a fifth of that felt by astronauts. The excursion was enormously fun and a great way to give the idea of a ride into space some physical perspective. Astronauts receive a lot of aeronautical training, which includes skydiving. This seemed like a good excuse to go to an indoor skydiving centre. The pupils were given a lesson about the science of skydiving by a local expert. The instructors gave a few demonstrations first and seemed to enjoy showing off their awesome skills, before the pupils had a go. Surprisingly harder

So much of the trip was simply awe-inspiring and unforgettable. The pupils have been truly inspired by their experiences and the people they met. Space exploration is arguably man’s finest technical achievement, behind which are very talented people. The pupils got to meet some of these people, who are outstanding in their field, but kind and approachable and down-toearth. There was a real sense of broadened horizons and greater aspirations for one and all on returning home, and this must be the hallmark of a great school trip! Mr Andy Parr

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Economics and Business Trips

In business, there is no substitute for taking a personal viewpoint on the inner operations of large firms and that’s exactly what our Business Studies pupils did, when they visited Rolls-Royce Aerospace in November. Rolls-Royce is a great British global success story, no longer producing luxury cars, but exploiting their rich engineering heritage as a worldwide manufacturer of jet engines. Pupils gained an insight into how the Rolls-Royce business has expanded its operations over the last 40 years. They saw at first hand how Rolls-Royce’s production methods, use of cuttingedge technology and focus on quality have all contributed to its success and also to the wider UK economy. Our lower-sixth Business Studies pupils have also taken part in the Business, Accounting and Skills Education Competition 2015,

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arranged by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The competition, held in February at York Racecourse, involved analysing financial and ethical risks to a hypothetical business, as well as future growth opportunities, and concluded with a presentation by each of the eight teams. After some tough competition, our team finished third overall. This was a very creditable performance from the pupils, faced as they were with some searching questions during their business presentation. It was our first time taking part in this event and the judges publicly commended our team, who just missed out on going forward to the national final. Competitions continued throughout the year and over a hundred St Peter’s pupils entered the 2014-2015 Student Investor Challenge, where each team invested a virtual £100,000 into the stock market with the task of growing their

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portfolio via trading to make the largest profit over a threemonth period. Congratulations go to the third-form team of Alex Philips, Pierre Herrenschmidt, Tom Raper and Jamie Dunsmore, who pipped two upper sixth-form teams in the final few days of trading; please direct all financial questions to this young group of future traders! Meanwhile A2 economists headed to the University of Huddersfield for their annual transport economics conference to discuss some of the key issues and problems facing the UK economy in the field of transport. HS2: is it a £50bn piece of vital infrastructure investment or could the money be used elsewhere? Heathrow is at 99%+ capacity: what should be done for the UK’s growing airport capacity problems? How should we solve the permanent gridlock and congestion issues on UK motorways and main roads?

After AS-Level exams, economists turned their attention to three external essay competitions from the Royal Economic Society, Institute of Economic Affairs and Cambridge University’s Marshall Society. This gave pupils the opportunity to extend their independent research skills, investigating a wide range of optional essay titles and honing their extended writing techniques. At the same time both business and economics pupils began the production of Peternomics 2015, our in-house magazine which contains a wide variety of business and economics-related content. Printed copies are now available in the library and in reception and many took the opportunity to see their hard work published in print. Mr Ben White

Academic Extension Trip to Cambridge

On Thursday 22 January 2015, 48 pupils and staff travelled to Cambridge as part of an Academic Extension trip. The aim of the trip was to give pupils in the fifth and lower-sixth-forms a taste of university life and a first-hand account of studying at and applying to Cambridge.

The visit saw the pupils explore this historic city and visit the many museums, colleges and churches it is renowned for. The highlight of the day was when the group met up with seven Old Peterites who are now studying at Cambridge University, who escorted the pupils around the city and their colleges. Mrs Ella Mallard

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Religious Studies and Biology Trip to London In May, the third form once again travelled to the Natural History Museum in London for the annual Religious Studies and Biology trip. The pupils spent the day going through the Museum’s four different zones and seeing some of the 80 million specimens at the museum including ‘Dippy’ the dinosaur and a full-size blue whale skeleton. In the red zone, the pupils entered through an Earth sculpture and explored the different forces that shape the planet, experiencing an immersive earthquake simulator. They learned about evolution and the environment, and explored the Darwin Centre in the green and orange zones, before moving to the blue zone, where there was a human biology gallery as well as exhibits on dinosaurs, amphibians, mammals and reptiles. Pupils also thought about the architect of the building, Richard Owen. Owen’s inspiration to design the building came from his belief that God was revealing knowledge through science. This helped pupils engage with their RS GCSE topic of Spirituality and Architecture and ponder the nature of inspiration. It was a brilliant example of taking some time to wonder at the world. The day was partially (and brilliantly) organised by a pupil-led committee. The premise behind the visit was to enable students to engage with material relevant to exam specifications, but allow everyone to explore their own curiosity concerning the world around them. It also was a good example of how ‘Brown is Good’: the conspicuous colour of our uniform was very helpful in herding over one hundred pupils safely through the underground. Mr Christien Bembridge

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The trip was a huge success. We began slowly, organising our meetings and allocating jobs for each of the designated groups, but rather quickly our meetings became increasingly productive, often filled with interesting discussion and positive ideas. We divided the responsibilities, and each of the groups contributed questions and other work to be used in the booklet or on the day. We wrote for each of the areas of the museum and openly discussed them in the weekly meetings. On the day there was, whilst standing at the station, a palpable buzz of excitement, not only among those on the committee, but also in the year-group generally. Travel to the museum was wellexecuted and the train to London gave an opportunity for groups to socialise, relax and prepare before the knowledge-filled day to come. After the hours of learning and interesting discussion, most sat down to a filling lunch before returning to York. The experience was, undoubtedly, an unforgettable one and I feel I can speak on behalf of the committee’s members by saying that it was very rewarding to see the results of our group’s endeavours. Moreover, I’m sure they would also, myself included, like to say a huge ‘thank-you’ to all those staff that organised alongside the committee and those students who participated. All-in-all, the day was a great experience packed with knowledge, fun and unforgettable memories, and we are sure next year’s third form will enjoy it as much as we have. Jaedon Munton, III Committee Leader

News, Events and Activities

Archives

From July onwards researchers were contacting the archives for information about several of the Old Peterites located through the Great War virtual memorial. The BBC sought information on Captain K J Roy prior to the televised ceremony; a CNN researcher also requested help. November was a particularly busy month for media enquiries. Filming took place in school for a BBC Newcastle Look North feature on independent schools’ contributions during the Great War, with former pupil Ian Reeve conducting the interviews. On the same day BBC Radio Leeds broadcast a live telephone interview about Guy Fawkes.

October saw the visit of Oliver Green, Research Fellow of the London Transport Museum to talk about the contribution of Frank Pick, OP, to the design of transport in London. Oliver’s lecture offered a fascinating insight into Frank’s career and influences. The number of virtual galleries has been increased to include sports and uniform. There is also now a resource page for Guy Fawkes and a number of whole-school photographs have been digitised and uploaded. A talk on the history of St Peter’s was given to the Haxby Probus Club in May. Thanks are due to the following people for donating items to the archives this year: Mrs Bramall: items from her time as Head Mistress at Clifton School Mr Nicholas Blitz, OP: St Peter’s whole-school photo, 1968 and Queen’s photo, 1968 We are always keen to know if you are planning to re-home photographs or memorabilia from your time at school, and would be very pleased to have any items of interest, especially those which may help to fill gaps in the archive. Once again, I would like to say thank you to Angela Sanderson for her enthusiasm and help with many aspects of the archives over the year. Mrs Pat Chandler

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The Alcuin Library The introduction of the Extended Project Qualification in the lower sixth has prompted a new look at the resources that the library offers. Being a pupil-driven challenge, the chosen topic could come from any discipline. With that in mind we now have a subscription to JSTOR for schools, which is also good news for all departments. In addition we have begun subscribing to Oxford Art Online to help support the new Art History courses.

National Poetry Day Competition 2014 We invited pupils to write poems that would explore the theme of Remembrance. Many entries were received, but the standout submissions as judged by Mrs Heaton came from Katherine Spencer (Hope) and runners-up Julia Crowther (Temple) and Emma Nelson (Dronfield).

Man Booker Shadowing, October 2014 This year’s Man Booker shortlist provided new challenges as several of the titles were unavailable on announcement. Lack of availability in print was fortunately overcome by employing the library’s Kindles to make up the shortfall. Once again, we welcomed a room full of literature-lovers to chew over what we thought would be the best book for this particular award. Mrs Lawrence’s team of A-Level pupils briefed us as to the merits of each title. Ben Turvill’s persuasive arguments steered us towards J by Howard Jacobson. He managed to keep one point ahead of Helen Megone’s spirited promotion of How to be both by Ali Smith. Toby Latham’s passion might have led us to the actual prize-winner, Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North, if the first round’s voting pattern had continued. Thanks to the English Department and the pupils for another very entertaining evening.

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Winter Wonderland Story tweet competition Ever mindful of the need to find an engaging competition the Library Committee came up with the idea of a complete story in a tweet. Exceeding the character limit saw some entries disqualified. However, we received an eclectic collection of amusing, sad and some slightly alarming bite-sized stories. After much deliberation Mr Robinson selected the winning entries, which came from Sophie Green (Dronfield) and runners-up Emily McDonald (Rise) and Annabel Ellis (Hope).

Christmas Literature Quiz Six rounds of the Literature Quiz took place in the last week of term. It was by no means a foregone conclusion, but Grove’s slick team, unchanged from last year, once again notched up the highest number of points. As ever a huge amount of support, for which I am very thankful, came from the Library Committee, Mrs Lawrence and members of the staff team. Our quizmaster this year, Finlay Craig, executed the role perfectly.

World Book Day, March 2015 Sarah Maine We were fortunate to be able to host a Literary Lunch with special guest, Sarah Maine, courtesy of Mr Fuller. An invited audience from the Literary Society, Keystone, Library Committee and the staff book group gathered together to hear about Sarah’s journey to publication involving her debut novel, Bhalla Strand. On the same day we launched our Big Book Relay. From assembly onwards the book hurtled through school to collecting our book recommendations. It now contains a fascinating selection of good ideas for our next read.

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Anthony McGowan Anthony visited us for a day in March and provided lectures for all of our third-form pupils, all J5 pupils from St Olave’s, and visitors from Millthorpe School and Canon Lee School. He talked about how he found the inspiration for writing and demonstrated how difficult it is to tell the difference between real and made-up stories. Later on, Anthony led a creative writing workshop for third- and fourth-form pupils in which adding descriptive detail was the focus.

Library Committee 2014/15 Luckily, the Library received great support from our enthusiastic Library Committee members over the past year: Alicia Cranston, Daniel Horne, Charles Dunn, Bea Rhodes-Blangsted, Eleanor Brierley, Concetta Scrimshaw, Jessica Webster, Edith Norvor, Iva Sharp, Jake Wilson, Chris Bower, Freddie Eaden, Mia Morris and Mr Robinson. Thank you all very much. Mrs Pat Chandler

Guinness World Record Attempt As a new venture we decided to take part in a nationwide world record attempt to swap the most books in school libraries on one day. This provided a great opportunity to share books and recommend them to others. We are still waiting for the official verdict, but we are hopeful of securing the record.

Library in a Box Appeal Following a request from the York Minster Lions we appealed for donations of reading books for children in Sri Lankan schools. We have been able to send several boxes to help towards the goal of replacing libraries lost in the tsunami.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Congratulations to the nine pupils have completed the Bronze Award, four who have completed the Silver and five pupils who have worked towards Gold over the year undertaking a range of library skills.

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News, Events and Activities

Debating Society President’s Report The Debating Society has had an eventful year encouraged by an atmosphere of political engagement in the run-up to the general election. We started the year with an issue that has grown ever more relevant: whether or not Britain should leave the European Union. The team of Patrick Litten, Alistair Duffey and Toby Latham narrowly defeated the Eurosceptic team of Luis Fox, Thomas Dabbs and Henry Wong. Later debates in the term, leading up to a closely-contested presidential debate for the society, saw argument over the separation of Church and State and of the usage of Euthanasia, in which Emma Richardson and Olivia Anderson defeated Frankie Anderson and Jack Guffogg, with the aid of the other candidates. Later in the term we debated whether to deploy troops against ISIL in Iraq. Duncan Smith, Toby Latham and Thomas Dabbs argued passionately for intervention on humanitarian grounds, but the debate was eventually swayed by the ‘message from history’ delivered by a team of Sam Colthup, Luis Fox and Jack Guffogg. We concluded our ‘serious’ debating topics for the term with the question of whether or not sanctions should be placed on homophobic governments. Georgia Calvert, Antonia HedlamMorley and Henry Wong gave speeches on the need for actions rather than words for important issues like authority. They were ably matched by Olivia Watts, Thando Moyeni and Ed Kettleborough who spoke of the need to encourage free trade and

the exchange of ideas as opposed to isolationism. The vote was inconclusive, and this memorable debate was a rare tie. The Christmas debate, ‘This house believes that the Grinch’s attempted theft of Christmas was a triumph for justice’ had memorable speeches from Andreii Fokin on the faults in the festive judicial system and a rousing call to arms against the erosion of a traditional Soviet Christmas, and from Luis Fox, who provided a startling exposé on the Nazi roots of Santa, and how

the Grinch was but a freedom fighter. The Easter term resumed with the tragedy of the Charlie Hebdo killings in France, and a packed debate on the meaning of free speech with teams headed by Concetta Scrimshaw and Sam Colthup. A majority of the Easter term was taken up with the business of house debating. From the opening debate, ‘This house believes that the monarchy should be abolished on the death of Elizabeth II’, to the final of the group stages – ‘This house would ban rugby in schools’, debates had both strong turnouts from all houses and impassioned speakers, demonstrating the very best of school debating. The final of the competition pitched Dronfield against Temple to debate ‘This House would make voting compulsory.’ Dronfield were led by Lily Howells, with Alice Roberts in support of the proposition and Abi Harrison summarising. Temple’s team of Duncan Smith, Alex Woodruff and Helen Taylor opposed the motion, arguing that mandatory voting would be illiberal. Three wise heads – those of Miss Pearson, Mr Bateman and Mr Vann – listened carefully to the debate and gave feedback to both teams, concluding with the announcement of the winner for 2014-5: Temple! All in all, it has been a very good year for the Debating Society, with larger, more engaged crowds at many debates and passionate

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(and organised) speakers willing to put in a lot of time preparing for these motions. I would like to thank my Vice President, Alistair Duffey, for his support and help organising such an active society. I would also like to thank Miss Pearson, for her work with the junior society and Mr Fuller, for his continued support of the Debating Society and help in getting people to speak – even at the last minute. Finally, I would like to thank the retiring upper sixth, who will hopefully go on to greater things, as well as the strong efforts of the lower sixth and fifth form in stepping up and engaging in debates. Next year the President of Competitive Debating will be Edward Kettleborough (Queen’s) and the President of Debating Society will be Alex Woodruff (Temple) so I know that we are leaving debating in capable hands. Patrick Litten, UVI President of the Debating Society 2014-2015

Junior House Debating This year has seen a dramatic rise in the number of junior debaters, many of whom have been put through their paces in the junior inter-house Debating competition. Following a series of closely-contested heats, Temple qualified for the final, beating Dronfield, whilst The Grove went through after a nail-biting match against Hope. The final saw The Grove’s team of Daniel Hicks, Tom Raper and Henry Brown proposing the motion ‘This house would abolish the St Peter’s School uniform’ against Temple’s side of Marcus Dobson, Alex Leahy and Felix Fraser-Krauss. The debate

was ably chaired by Jamie Dunsmore (School) and Rosie McLeish (Queen’s) kept her eye on the clock. The teams were judged by the formidable panel of Mrs Lawrence, Mrs Wright and the Chaplain. Both teams were on fine form, and it was clear from the outset that the result would be a close one. The Grove argued that our school uniform was unpopular with those who wore it, needlessly expensive, and marked students out as targets for those who are opposed to the independent sector. Temple countered that uniform preserved the school’s tradition, meant that students were not competing in what they wore, and closed with the popular adage ‘brown is good.’ By a narrow margin, the judges ruled that Temple were victorious, and kindly gave me the award for best speaker. Daniel Hicks, III

Model United Nations visit to the Cheadle Hulme Conference St Peter’s School MUN group sent two delegations to the annual conference at Cheadle Hulme School, Cheshire, in October – representing Rwanda and Poland. This conference is the biggest MUN event in the North of England. Two St Peter’s students comment on their first MUN experience:

Patrick Litten, UVI, represented Rwanda on the Security Council: The Security Council at Cheadle Hulme was an immense amount of fun, a mixture of working on both serious resolutions about the Ukrainian crisis and more light-hearted motions to evict the permanent five members of the Security Council after yet another veto. The General Assembly – where all the students met and debated together – was a great experience. We were able to speak on the issues of the crisis and send around notes to many of the people we had met that day. Another highlight of the conference was being voted as

both ‘best dressed’ and ‘best tie’ in the joke awards, which was a fun conclusion to an excellent weekend.

Jack Guffogg, UVI, represented Rwanda on the Economic Committee: Cheadle Hulme was an interesting event for someone like me who had very little previous experience of speaking about political issues in large groups. The weekend was a mixture of serious lobbying and discussion about the economic committee’s main issues of poverty, oil and governmental corruption and fun debates involving a joke resolution which would set up an oil theme park. The General Assembly was an opportunity to speak on and listen to the results of all the committees and pass a lot of notes, both ours and on behalf of Poland. Overall the weekend was a lot of fun, with the presentation of the joke awards, where I won ‘best shoes’ and – more seriously – received a ‘commended delegate’ award.”

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Mock General Election Alongside the General Election campaign the school enjoyed the excitement of its own mock election. Two strong teams of candidates – one from the sixth form and one from the middle school – ensured that there was serious debate as they fired up interest and discussion across the school. We held a series of hustings culminating in an election Question Time in front of the whole school one Thursday morning. Heads of School Ben Turvill and Sally Hicks took the David Dimbleby role. Sixth-form pupils Edward Kettleborough, Alistair Duffey, Duncan Smith, Patrick Litten and Luis Fox representing the Conservatives, the Green party, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and UKIP respectively, answered questions on a variety of topics including the economy, the NHS and defence. These candidates were supported by middle school pupils Daniel Hicks (Conservative), Oliver Williams (Labour), Tom Raper (Liberal Democrat) and Jaedon Munton (UKIP) who had previously spoken in their own debate.

Our polling took place on Tuesday 5 May, two days before the General Election. Results were announced in Assembly on the Thursday morning, giving an early foretaste of the surprise national result: Conservative candidates Kettleborough and Hicks claimed victory with 228 of the 553 votes (48%). Smith and Williams for Labour came second with 100 votes (18%), narrowly ahead of Duffey for the Greens with 96 votes (17%). Fox & Munton scored 47 votes for UKIP (9%) with Litten and Raper scoring 33 votes for the Liberal Democrats (6%). Heads of School Ben Turvill and Sally Hicks acted as Returning Officers.

Ben Turvill said: ‘Pupils across the school have been really keen to be involved in the mock election. We had opinionated and informed candidates for all five main parties here, with lively discussion about the issues at the hustings – where the candidates were all given a tough time! It’s been great fun and valuable education, too.’

Sally Hicks said: ’The work the candidates put into their posters and speeches paid off for all of them – the turnout was an impressive 91%, well above what it was in the real General Election.’ I was very pleased that all the candidates had a really good grasp of the issues at stake and campaigned seriously whilst catching the attention of students. Our mock election really brought the General Election alive for St Peter’s. Mr Ben Fuller

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Public Lecture Series Great minds and exciting lives challenge and inspire Our Public Lecture series, now in its fourth year, was busier and more exciting than ever. In addition, sixth-form lectures which form part of the Global Perspectives programme and occasional invitation lunches gave Peterites opportunities to think and reflect in the company of interesting people with a wide variety of experiences. To mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War I, David Reynolds, Professor of International History at Cambridge, spoke in September. He expanded on the themes of his book and BBC TV series The Long Shadow to place the war in context and explore how it had shaped the twentieth century culturally, politically and socially as well as militarily.

more. Oliver told us about the vision with which Pick picked up a faltering underground to make it a coherent system with a strong identity. In November Professor Tom McLeish, Professor of Physics at Durham, spoke on Faith and Wisdom in Science. Professor McLeish helped us think about the nature of investigation and knowledge and the insights religion and science can bring to each other.

Mr Ben Fuller

Peterites down the years have been proud of the achievements of Frank Pick OP, recognised with a plaque under the Queen’s arch, so it was wonderful in October to welcome Oliver Green, formerly Head Curator at the London Transport Museum and author of Frank Pick’s London: Art, Design and the Modern City to tell us

Keith Ward, Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus at Oxford, spoke on The Evidence for God in January. Professor Ward is a favourite among many philosophers and theologians and his presence usually attracts hundreds of people. He is a fellow of the British Academy and has written many popular books on philosophy, religion and Christian theology. A sell-out audience listened avidly for over an hour whilst Professor Ward (without notes of any kind) constructed a logically sound and coherent argument for God’s existence. He set out a cumulative argument that began with his surprise at how atheism is becoming fashionable. He furthered the argument by drawing our attention to art, beauty, morality

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and the spiritual values that can be found in science. After that he listened to and answered questions on his view that there is an overwhelming amount of evidence around us that points to the existence of God. It was a very special evening that ended with the opportunity to talk at depth with a man who has been taught by, and who has taught, some of the greatest contemporary names in Philosophy of Religion. I don’t think I will ever forget the moment when Professor Ward drew the Head Master, the Chaplain and me closer and asked quietly ‘Do you want to know what A J Ayer really thought?’ Mr Christien Bembridge

The highlight of the year was once again our partnership with the York Literature Festival – ten days in late March during which we put on seven events. With the election just weeks away two speakers provided context. Matthew d’Ancona, author of the definitive account of the Coalition, In it Together, took us through the five years just ending and helped us look ahead. Professor Peter Hennessy, contemporary political historian par excellence, entertained and informed in equal measure with his talk Watching Prime Ministers. We were fortunate to have one of the headline names of the festival, Dame Jenni Murray, in conversation with the Head Master. Poet Shash Trevett, a survivor of the Sri Lankan Civil War, shared some of her poetry with us in both English and Tamil and told us much about the Civil War and its unresolved aftermath.

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Three authors spoke about their work and specialist areas. Lindsey Davis has written over twenty crime novels set in the Roman empire and spoke both to a group of our classicists and to an evening audience. Historian Tessa Dunlop brought the indomitable Bletchley Girls alive in the hall whilst the comedian, actor and debut novelist Helen Lederer gave us the funniest and most relaxed evening of the Festival in hilarious conversation with the BBC’s Elly Fiorentini. At the beginning of the summer term the General Election was just days away so it was timely to welcome The Guardian’s political sketch writer, John Crace, who was criss-crossing the country with the candidates. He talked about some of the more bizarre elements of the coalition period and helped us to penetrate what was a hard-to-read campaign.

Our final event was part of the Festival of Ideas. Seventy years on from the liberation of Auschwitz, Iby Knill, who was imprisoned there, came to tell us her story, first of escape then internment and finally survival. Iby captured the audience’s attention,

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speaking in a quiet, matter-of-fact and sometimes humorous way – but there was no doubt about the horror that had been perpetrated. We were honoured to hear this chilling piece of oral history – and of all the lectures we have enjoyed over the last four years this is the one which will stay with me most clearly.

or sports team?! Finally the ever-popular Mike Hurst, a former member of the Springfields, returned to give a talk on the history of popular music.

We had three excellent and varied sixth-form lectures during the year, two through the healthy contacts book of Mr Johnston who put us in touch with OPs and friends Gordon Tait and Will Randall. Gordon, Professor of Sociology and Philosophy at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, made us think anew about the importance of different forms of study and ways

The Memorial Hall lunches allow a smaller group of students to hear from a speaker and to question him more informally. Fresh from his work as an observer in the Ukraine elections Anthony Robinson gave an illustrated talk at a lunch in November, helping us to understand the conflict there. In April Dr Tim Heppell, Associate Professor of British Politics at Leeds, led us in an interactive consideration of the various different outcomes then considered likely in the General Election as we worked in groups to build viable coalitions. of thinking, and introduced us to academic disciplines new to most sixth-formers but which they might study at university. Will Randall told us about various adventures he’s encountered around the world as a teacher, aid worker and traveller and encouraged us to see the world from different perspectives. Both Gordon and Will demonstrated that they could inform us whilst entertaining us, making us think under the guise of making us laugh – perhaps skills they first developed in a St Peter’s classroom, common room

The lectures are a team effort. I’d like to thank all those who work hard to make them so successful, especially Sara Burns our Technical Director, Steve Howarth in Estates, Debbie Calvert in Catering and Hannah, Nathan and David in Marketing, and all their teams. I’m also grateful to the Head Master who has enthusiastically supported the series since its inception. Mr Ben Fuller

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MFL European Day of Languages

Nouvelle Vague Study Day

European Day of Languages is held each year on 26 September in order to encourage language-learning across Europe.

Following the success of last year’s trip to the BFI we jumped at the chance to head back down to London for a day of French cinema with this year’s upper sixth. At A-Level our students study the life and work of the director François Truffaut, a prominent figure in the French New Wave, so this study day was a great opportunity to learn more about the themes, techniques and other directors associated with this influential movement. It was an early start for most, with many waking to snow, whilst our boarders grabbed a few extra minutes in bed before getting their taxi (!) to the station. But we had plenty of time to wake ourselves up as we travelled across London, enjoying du café et croissants. Arriving just in the nick of time, our students were instantly thrown into a two-hour lecture, delivered exclusively in French. The upper sixth really embraced the spirit of the day, getting stuck in and participating actively in the discussions. After lunch we were treated to a screening of one of Truffaut’s most celebrated films, Les 400 Coups, featuring Truffaut’s on-screen alter ego, Antoine Doinel. It was an extremely rewarding experience, giving the students an opportunity to consolidate and enhance their understanding of the movement with many of our students choosing to refer to the film in their oral and written work later in the year.

The general objectives of the European Day of Languages are to: • alert the public to the importance of language-learning and diversify the range of languages learned in order to increase language-learning and intercultural understanding; • promote the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe; • encourage lifelong language-learning in and out of school. In keeping with these objectives, people young and old are encouraged to take up a language, or take special pride in their existing language skills. Also, those responsible for providing access to language-learning are encouraged to make it easier for people to learn a range of languages, and to support policy initiatives to promote languages. There is also emphasis on learning a language other than English. In order to celebrate EDL in school we hold a few special events as we like to celebrate the many nationalities of pupils who come to our school. We organise an EDL Chapel with a hymn in English, French and German. Pupils in the lower school vote for the non-language teacher who speaks most of a foreign language in their classes: this year we had Art classes taught in Spanish, Maths in French and RS in Italian. There was also an international menu in the dining hall and a house quiz in the evening with rounds ranging from Oscar-winners to celebrated Disney films in foreign languages. This year the quiz was won by School house in a magnificent competition. Mr Mike Duffy

Miss Alice Lambert

German Theatre Visit In January a group of fourth- and fifth-form pupils studying German were invited to Queen Margaret’s School to watch a performance by Onatti Productions theatre company. The play, performed by German actors, was entitled Meine neue Schwester (My new sister) and it proved to be an entertaining and colourful afternoon. The play was completely in German but the use of visuals as well as language which pupils were familiar with from their iGCSE course ensured that the pupils followed the storyline with ease. St Peter’s pupils entered into the spirit of the afternoon by going up on stage and getting involved in the play which combined comedy and topical themes with the ultimate aim of improving pupils’ comprehension skills. It will certainly be something we do again next year and hopefully pupils across all year groups will be able to get involved. Mrs Jenny Houghton

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Salamanca: a pleasant sunny walk through history The Spanish study trip to Salamanca began on a clear but cool Sunday morning in March as we set off by coach towards Stansted airport. The drive down to London passed without incident and the flight was just as uneventful, which made me worry that something amiss was about to happen. I need not have worried as when we arrived our Spanish driver, Javier, was waiting with a smile to whisk us off straight to Salamanca. After a twohour drive our host families were waiting to greet us with best wishes and kisses and to escort us to our homes for the coming week. The next morning was clear and dry but slightly chillier than expected and classes started at 9.00 am where the students were left in the capable hands of their teachers, Hester and Maria, whom they would be seeing for over four hours every day for the next five days. After the first day’s classes we managed to explore the local area and discovered a city rather like York which has the special feel of a modern university town but with a rich culture of Gothic and Romanesque architecture. There were of course the impressive historic facades of the old university and cathedral, but there were also the incessant succession of strollers and the packed café terraces that one would expect to find in all Spanish cities. In the midst of all of this the sun began to emerge on that first day and remained by our side for the entire week, so we were able to enjoy sitting in the sunshine in the Plaza Mayor watching the world go by while stuffing our faces with every flavour of ice cream that we could get our hands on. After the second day the sun finally put its hat firmly on and we were blessed with summer temperatures for the remainder of the week which were appreciated by some of the pupils, those who basked like lizards, more than others, those who were looking for a BOGOF deal on factor 50. As well as spending a lot of time in La Plaza Mayor there were many trips including: visits to the cathedrals to look for la Rana de Salamanca, a visit to the Casa Lis to look at the scary dolls and a trip to El Huerto de Calixto, a lovers’ garden where couples have taken up the Italian habit of locking a padlock to a wrought-iron well in the gardens, to signify their everlasting love. Two of the lower sixth decided to portray their undying admiration in this way and then had an argument before leaving the garden, and so tried to remove the token of love. We also had

a memorable day in Avila which is an impressive walled city, sometimes called the ‘Town of Stones and Saints’, which claims to be one of the towns with the highest number of Romanesque and Gothic churches per head in Spain. Unfortunately this trip wasn’t to everyone’s taste and some pupils didn’t know why we were wasting our time with walled cities when there was a perfectly good bowling alley in Salamanca. We had lunch and dinner on most of the days with our families: the majority of the group seemed to enjoy the meals provided as they were given a real gastronomic treat with a variety of Spanish cuisine. Our own host Ana cooked every Spanish dish under the sun and tried to force-feed Miss Lambert every day which she did her best to work off by going out running after breakfast on a couple of mornings. It is a positive experience to meet people this welcoming and our host was open and willing to converse at all times with us in the homestay. All of the other families and staff at the school were typically Spanish in their unreserved approach and showed a genuine welcome towards all members of the party. We did try to sample the local vida nocturna when we ventured out for tapas, a movie and a visit to the zona de los bares but the Spanish work on a different body-clock so while they were getting ready to go out we were already tucked up with hot milk and Cola Cao. There were many highlights on this trip: 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 most important advantage that emerges from these trips is that our pupils learn more about the hospitality and warmth of a genuinely charismatic race of people. Thanks go to Miss Lambert and the students for their participation and good humour throughout the week. Mr Mike Duffy

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French Debating competition – North-East Heats The inaugural 2014 north eastern heat of the Joutes oratoires (French debating competition), took place in November at St Peter’s School, York. We welcomed schools from our region to debate some difficult issues which gave both the audience and participants much food for thought: On devrait permettre l’utilisation des drogues dans le sport professionnel The use of drugs should be permitted in professional sport Chaque enfant devrait posséder un téléphone mobile. Each child should possess a mobile ‘phone. La littérature est une perte de temps, on peut tout apprendre de la télévision Literature is a waste of time – we can learn all we need from television Participants were extremely well prepared and impressive with their factual knowledge, strength of conviction, and ability to debate skilfully especially during the lutte acharnée (open debate) even after long periods of heated verbal pugilism. The winning teams of the four pools, RGS Newcastle, All Saints’ School, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield, and St Peter’s contested two closely-fought semi-finals with a male team from QEGS (Mina Soliman with Jed Rigby) and a female team from All Saints’ (Eleanor Griffin with Sophie Hope) narrowly battling through to the final. These two teams finally confronted each other, with

much confidence, courage and flair, on the issue of whether immigrants were essential for our society. This final debate was adjudicated by Cathy Dantec, Language Degree Programmes Coordinator from the University of York. Attributing the victory was a difficult decision, both teams having given a very strong performance but in the end a winner had to be chosen and All Saints’ triumphed thanks to their excellent performance in the final summing- up. All Saints’ School were then invited to the 2015 national final, hosted by the French Institute in Kensington, in March, where they eventually finished in third place overall. The participants seemed to have enjoyed the occasion, which gave them a brilliant opportunity to practise their French, as well as their debating skills in a heated, intense but supportive atmosphere - excellent training for those who would be taking their A2 oral exams in the summer. It also gave a welcome opportunity for students and teachers alike to socialise with their peers from other schools and many useful contacts were made on the day. St Peter’s are keen to support this event and to see it grow further. This will involve more languages and hopefully more schools taking part. We plan to organise debates in French, German and Spanish next year and we see this as an excellent way to promote languages in our schools in the north-east. Mr Mike Duffy

Spanish Cultural Evening El Flamenco y el Rock español This year both lower- and upper-sixth Spanish students have attended Spanish culture lectures at York St John University (all in Spanish). Back in October, having braved the torrential rain, we settled down in the lecture theatre to hear a talk on the History and Art of Flamenco (Flamenco: su Historia y su Arte). Unfortunately, due to ill-health the visiting lecturer from Madrid University cancelled at the last-minute so a Spanish Flamenco dance teacher from the Instituto Cervantes in Leeds stepped in. She described the origin and meaning of this style of music and dance and took us through an Andalusian journey. She talked about the different aspects of Flamenco, cante (singing), toque (guitar playing), baile (dance) and jaleo, which refers to the vocalisations and rhythmic sounds of palmas (handclapping). Once the lecture was over, we all gathered at La Tasca restaurant in town for a bespoke salsa lesson. 45 minutes later our sixthformers were transformed into salsa and merengue dancers (or something similar). We spent the rest of the evening savouring a selection of Spanish tapas – albóndigas, patatas bravas, tortilla de patatas, pescado blanco frito and the odd exotic limonada!

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Later in the term we returned to hear another lecture, this time on the History of Spanish Rock Music (La Historia del Rock Español). Sara Nandez talked about the evolution of rock music in Spain, from the end of the 1950s when Franco’s dictatorship began to open up to outside influence. In particular she looked at the influential 1980s Movida Madrileña cultural movement in democratic Spain. We look forward to attending more lectures next year. Mrs Anna Robinson

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School Chapel The academic year began a little earlier than usual for the chapel this year with a morning service making an appearance on OP day. This was a new venture for us but it appears to have been well received (the singing of the OPs who attended the service was characteristically hearty) and one that I hope will become part of the regular calendar of events. For many Old Peterites, despite the many hours that they spent sitting on the hard pews, the chapel is the first stop on any visit that they make to the school. I take that as a good indication that the building is seen as a spiritual home to the whole of our community which, as is often the case, has meant the space playing host to the weddings and baptisms of a long list of teaching and support staff, OPs, governors and/or their children. It was with great sadness that the chapel was also the venue of the funeral of Dick Hubbard, for which we welcomed back the Reverend Steven Harvey to take the service. The esteem in which the chapel is held by the Old Peterites was also demonstrated this year with the installation of a new stained-glass window which celebrates the 150th anniversary of the first dedication of the chapel, which we marked back in 2012, and was given by the Old Peterite Club. The window was designed by Ann Southran whose studio is on Burton Stone Lane and shows the school’s seven values growing in our community like fruits on a tree. At the top of the window is the text, ‘Prepare your minds for action,’ from 1 Peter. The window was dedicated at the service on OP day and is intended to reflect the school’s vision of education: it now provides a beautiful and striking reminder of that every time you walk through the chapel doors!

in rotation, take responsibility for the setup and care of chapel as sacristans, a job that they have carried out under the watchful eye of the Senior Sacristan, Phil Hodgson. I like to think that the variety of voices in chapel is one of the strengths of what we do. Our living Christian heritage forms the foundation of what happens in chapel but it is also a space in which we can listen to and learn from the voices of those outside our own tradition and so, among the usual list of staff and clergy speakers, this year we welcomed Kelsang Lekmo from the Buddhist centre in Pocklington. And she wasn’t our only monastic visitor: Brother Jacob’s visit was, I hope, the first step in renewing the school’s link with the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield. Our programme also regularly includes members of the Minster Chapter and this, along with my being asked to be an Honorary Minor Canon, I see as a good sign of the health of the relationship between St Peter’s and the Minster which is, after all, our historic home. I am grateful for their support. Whilst looking outside the school walls, we have been supporting the work of Little Feat as our chapel charity; this is a group set up by Lavinia Taylor (OP) to work with orphaned children in Kenya. Pupils are also now in the habit of bringing in provisions to our Harvest Festival which is used by Carecent to feed homeless people across York. On a personal note, I want to say thank you here to Will Allan for his support of the life and work of the chapel. Will arrived at the school to run Cross Keys, the Christian Union, which has flourished under his care and, after turning his hand to classroom teaching, he now leaves us to train to be a minister. We all wish him well as he continues to follow where God calls. The Reverend Daniel Jones

The regular chapel calendar now includes celebrations of more of the major festivals in the church’s year such as Epiphany, Candlemas and Ascension. As part of our keeping of Lent, over the past couple of years we have developed a pattern of keeping short times of silent prayer rather than spoken intercessions. Keeping silence alongside nearly 600 other people is profoundly moving and has become for many one of the high points in the chapel calendar. This year the usual chapel ‘Holy Week’ included some stunning Lenten dramas largely put together by Beth Bradley. Other notable contributions to our chapel services have included the many musical performances that we have heard, Linton’s nativity play (which really had to be seen to be believed) and the composition of a new hymn for use at the Leavers’ Eucharist by Ben Turvill. I have also been grateful this year to the Chapel Committee who have humoured my attempts to enlarge their remit. The committee now consists of two pupils per house who,

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Religious Studies and Philosophy Sixth-Form Working Lunches One lunchtime in January some of our Religious Studies sixthform pupils had the opportunity to meet and talk with Brother Geoffery Tristram. Brother Geoffrey Tristram is the superior of the Society of St John the Evangelist (SSJE), an Episcopal religious community in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Brother Geoffrey was born in Wales and studied Theology at Cambridge University before training to be a priest at Westcott House theological college. He went to the United States eleven years ago to join SSJE and has pursued a ministry of teaching, spiritual direction and retreat-leading, and for three years he has served as chaplain to the House of Bishops. Before joining SSJE he served as a parish priest in the diocese of St Albans, as well as being Head of the Department of Theology at Oundle School. We were fortunate to be able to ask all the questions we could about what it is like to be a member of a religious order. Preconceptions of what it means to live a monk’s life were blown

away and we thank our Head of Science at St Peter’s, David Morris, for introducing us to his brother-in-law. On another occasion The Revd Canon Dr Christopher Collingwood was able to join us from the Minster to talk to us about Evil and The Problem of Suffering. Dr Collingwood has been Canon Chancellor of York Minster since July 2013, mainly responsible for all the learning, theological reflection and outward engagement in the Minster. In particular, Dr Collingwood has been the Chair of the Ebor Lectures Committee and a key contact person between the University and the Minster for various activities. What was of particular interest to us was Dr Collingwood’s interest in Zen Buddhism. We listened to an engaging talk about the how different religious ideas deal with suffering and how the two approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Mr Christien Bembridge

The new school entrance The new school entrance and reception area, designed by Harmer Fitz Ltd of Derby: winner of the York Press People’s Award (voted for by readers of The Press) at the York Design Awards, June 2015.

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Manor House Redevelopment

The redevelopment of The Manor has been a project-in-waiting for some time and it has taken various forms over the years. Whilst delays have no doubt frustrated those of us who wanted to push on with the much-needed changes, the one positive is that it enabled a more significant and long-lasting development to emerge. Both form and function were central to the thinking: the Manor needed to look and feel much better than it did and it also needed to better serve those that live here on a day-to-day basis.

the house downstairs as well as in the number of visitors who feel comfortable and welcome in the new spaces provided. While snapshots are what they are, it was a real delight to hear the Chairman of the Boarding Schools’ Association describe the redevelopment as the best he had seen, making it clear that this wasn’t about fixture and fittings but much more about the feel that had been created.

From the beginning of the drive, right through to the showers, the whole of the ground floor has been redeveloped. It is more appealing on the eye for sure, but more importantly the entrance, kitchen, TV room and especially the games room now carry out the kind of functions they should. The effects of form and space on atmosphere are perhaps best left to the Kevin McClouds of this world to comment on. But what I can say is that there has been change for the better both in terms of the atmosphere in

I am extremely grateful to all those who worked to make this happen, to the boys whose patience in the first term was admirable and, in particular, to Graham Fennell who worked hard to ensure the job was done very much with the needs of the boarders in mind.

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Mr Steve Gwilliam

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Exploration Week 2015 On their return from the AS examination period, the lower sixth returned to Exploration Week 2015, a week of different learning experiences incorporating some university-style lectures and practical activities, some careers guidance opportunities and teambuilding and debating experiences. The week was designed to take the pupils away from exam specifications and ‘normal’ teaching, and gave pupils the opportunity to explore a smorgasbord of events. Staff-led seminars and practical sessions included Courtroom Drama, Cryptic Crosswords, Beginner’s Italian, Code-breaking and Behavioural Economics. Staff expertise also saw pupils drawn into lectures and practical sessions on Stargazing, Philosophy, Advertising, and Restorative Justice amongst many others whilst external speakers added variety to the week with lectures and sessions on such diverse topics as Forensic Science, Flower Arranging, Pathways to Success and Business Risk.

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There was a day of public speaking and debating workshops led by the English-Speaking Union; a UCAS preparation morning focusing on the application system, tips on personal statements and other insights into the process. The entire year-group also took part in a team-building day, focusing on aspects of leadership and teamwork in attempting to complete 25 different activities. On top of this, there were also sessions of a more practical nature, such as a Cookery Masterclass (the homemade burgers were excellent), Chess, and Bike Maintenance.

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All-in-all this six-day programme provided some really interesting opportunities: no prep or formal lessons, just thinking, talking and enjoying a range of intellectual and practical exploration. Our lower sixth should be commended for their wholehearted approach to their engagement in this opportunity to further their thoughts and preparations for life beyond St Peter’s. Mr Ben White

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Cookery Course for Sixth-Formers

We took over the cookery room at St Olave’s for three sessions, learning or improving cooking skills to prepare for self-sufficiency at university or living away from home. Most of the basics were covered: hygiene, washing and preparing, chopping, sweating vegetables and making simple sauces, cooking pasta and rice;

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it was all simple student fodder aimed at being nutritious, straightforward and economical, to arm the sixth form with a range of skills to enhance their social standing. How to make friends and influence people! Mrs Wanda Hopgood

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Maths ISSP Maths Masterclasses In March and April, twenty-seven year-six pupils from seven primary schools across York attended the ISSP Mathematics Masterclasses at St Peter’s School delivered by Jenny Kinread and Lisa Middleton. The aim of this series is to inspire pupils to think about mathematics more deeply and to engage them in activities that are beyond the curriculum. With the title An Introduction to Knot Theory the sessions were certainly above the usual standard expected of this age-group. We dipped into the world of mathematical knots (and unknots), considering the key questions of Knot Theory: ‘is this knot an unknot?’ and ‘are these two knots the same?’ To investigate these questions pupils made knots with string, rope and themselves, drew knots, classified knots and coloured knots. They made insightful observations and discussed eloquently the similarities and differences between knots. We also looked at how Knot Theory has applications in biochemistry and

DNA research. The pupils enjoyed learning about an area of maths which is completely different to the kind of things they learn in school and are looking forward to the next masterclass to be held in York this term. Mr David Spencer

United Kingdom Mathematics Trust Challenges 2014-2015 Senior Team Challenge George Gao, Luis Fox, Jack Robins and Olivia Li competed in the regional final of the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust Senior Team Challenge, at Fulford School in November. The competition tests mathematical, communication and teamwork skills, and students compete against teams from other schools and colleges from their region. 20 schools from the county were represented, and the St Peter’s Team were placed sixth.

Senior Mathematics Challenge This challenge encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using mathematical techniques. In November 48 St Peter’s sixth-form pupils took part. 21 received Bronze Awards, twelve gained Silver, and Gold Certificates were awarded to Luis Fox, Alistair Duffey, George Gao, Emily Williams, Georgia Calvert, Bill Mo, Idorenyin Etuk, Jack Robins and Olivia Li.

Senior British Mathematical Olympiad and Kangaroo Because of their high marks in the UKMT Senior Maths Challenge, six pupils were invited to take part in higher rounds of the competition. George Gao, Emily Williams, Jack Robins and Olivia Li sat the one-hour Senior Kangaroo Challenge. Luis Fox and Alistair Duffey were invited to take the British Mathematical Olympiad Paper. The BMO lasts three and a half hours and contains six complex and involved mathematical problems for which full written solutions are required.

Year 10 Team Mathematics Competition Four fourth-form pupils made the short journey to Bootham School in March to compete in the Further Maths Support Programme Year 10 Maths Feast. The competition consisted of several rounds, all requiring teamwork and a range of mathematical skills, including flexible approaches to problemsolving as well as the creation of a Columbus Cube. The St Peter’s team of Katarina Bonner, Marcus Brown, Maddy Bletcher and Jack Hargrave worked well together throughout a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon to finish in second place out of the 17 teams competing.

Junior Team Challenge In April, Jamie Dunsmore and Tom Raper, together with Katie Bonner and Harry Jones from St Olave’s, competed in the Regional Final of the UKMT Team Challenge, at the Mount School. 27 teams competed. There was a group competition, a crossnumber, a headto-head and a relay race. They worked very hard during the day on these activities and finished fourth overall.

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Intermediate British Mathematical Olympiad and Kangaroo Jamie Dunsmore, Tom Hatfield and Luke Dunsmore were invited to sit the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust Intermediate Maths Olympiad following their outstanding performance on the Intermediate Maths Challenge in February. This is a national competition and only the best mathematicians are able to cope with the very challenging questions. Around 1,600 students participated. Jamie and Luke performed very well indeed and they were awarded a Merit.

Intermediate Mathematics Challenge This challenge is targeted at the top third of pupils in English schools. The question papers are designed to make students think by using mathematical techniques to solve non-standard problems. In February, 69 St Peter’s middle-school students took part, with 17 pupils achieving a Gold certificate, 34 a Silver and 14 a Bronze.

Because of their excellent performance in the Maths Challenge, Tom Raper, Shania Wong, Alice Whitaker, Barney Baker, Lily Naylor, Ella McLaughlin, Rebecca Dowson, Katarina Bonner, Maddy Bletcher, Sam Lightwing, Robbie Brown, Katherine Spencer and Freddie Heijbroek were invited to sit the European Kangaroo paper. The questions involved thought-provoking situations requiring the use of logic as well as mathematical understanding, and pupils from over forty countries in Europe and beyond took part. Robbie was awarded a Certificate of Merit for his excellent performance. Mr David Spencer

Maths Inspiration Lectures, West Yorkshire Playhouse Maths Inspiration is one of the largest maths enrichment programmes for teenagers in the UK. It’s a chance for pupils to experience the UK’s most inspiring maths speakers live, in big venues, presenting mathematics in the context of exciting, realworld situations. In March a group of lower-sixth Further Maths students attended the Maths Inspiration Lectures at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. There were three talks:

Adventures in the Fourth Dimension - Matt Parker Humans live in a three-dimensional world, but Mathematics does not stop there. In a mind-expanding talk, TV presenter and stand-up mathematician Matt Parker started in two dimensions and then carefully stepped into the world of four-dimensional shapes and their three-dimensional shadows. In his unique, entertaining style, Matt covered some mind-bending concepts in a highly visual and easily accessible way.

The Maths of TV Game Shows - Rob Eastaway TV game shows are big business – indeed the success or failure of many TV companies depends on them. But behind the showbiz glitz there is probability at work. In this interactive talk, Rob Eastaway analysed the maths behind some of the leading gameshows, looked at the tactics behind winning and the secrets of devising a good TV game.

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Pigs, Chickens and Criminals - Lisa Collins How’s your pet feeling? Anxious? Excited? Angry? And what can mathematics tell us about feelings like these? Lisa Collins explored a wonderland of behaviours that are hidden to the human eye, but not to an algorithm. She discussed how fractals (typically used to describe swirling galaxies and coastlines) can help us understand complicated and bizarre behaviours and the feelings of everything from a worried chicken to a plotting criminal. Mr David Spencer

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Community Action The Community Action year began as usual with the annual Macmillan Coffee Morning held in break time. The efficient and enthusiastic Monday group decided that cake was far more important than coffee so a large selection of appetising cakes was on sale, donated by students and staff, as well as the ever helpful catering department. Over 150,000 coffee mornings are held around the country each year and we at St Peter’s are delighted to able to join in and raise money for this worthwhile cause. More funds were raised in February for Arclight, our local charity for the homeless in York. The beautiful Valentine’s chocolates sold out before Valentine’s Day and proved a popular way for students and staff to express their affection for one another! The largest amount of money raised in the academic year was for Red Nose day and a record £1,300 was sent off to Comic Relief on behalf of St Peter’s School. The range of fancy dress outfits was as impressive as ever. Memorable outfits included mime artists, Scrabble pieces and the Manor farmers, as well as the English department’s Quidditch team and the Maths department’s domino set. At Easter, the library organised the collection of ten boxes of children’s books to be sent to Sri Lanka via the Minster Lions. These books are needed as a vital resource for children to practise reading in English, as lots of books were destroyed as a result of the 2004 tsunami. Thanks go to everyone who brought in a book and donated it for this cause. We look forward to this book appeal being an annual event. As usual, the Community Action year was full of parties and Christmas was a particularly busy time. The highlight of the year was the Christmas party for children from The Island, a charity based in York. The theme was the animated film, Frozen, and the first Sunday of December saw visiting children arrive in outfits of various characters from the film. Our pupils did an excellent job of organising the party games and creating some festive Christmas cheer. Particular kudos goes to the team of face-painters who diligently painted many of the children’s faces that afternoon, with little rest. At the same time, across the school, another Christmas party was being held for children from Lollipop, York’s charity for those with hearing loss. St Peter’s pupils helped in the craft room and expertly navigated creating Christmas decorations with the children who attended. At a slightly slower pace, the

annual Christmas party also took place for elderly members of the community. Thanks go, as ever, to the Music department who provided outstanding entertainment during the afternoon, as well as to Mr Spencer for leading the singing of the Christmas carols and creating a festive atmosphere on the piano. Mr Hall provided spectacular entertainment by calling the bingo on his new bingo machine (ably aided by Anna van Harwegen den Breems) and we look forward to seeing whether the bingo machine makes another appearance next year! Of course Christmas is not the only time for parties, and monthly Contact the Elderly afternoon tea parties also take place at school. These provide a valuable opportunity for elderly people to maintain social contact and Emma Walker and Ed Contreras have provided great company for them as they meet and enjoy a fabulous afternoon tea once a month. We also hosted our Silver Surfers visitors every Saturday, proving that you’re never too old to get to grips with technology. We had some new faces along with some ‘Surfers’ who have been coming for several years and some laptops made an appearance as well as new Facebook accounts set up. At the other end of the age spectrum, our sixth-form volunteers continued to help at SNAPPY, a play facility for children with special needs in York, and in various charity shops around the city. We are pleased and proud to continue our relationship with them and look forward to sending more volunteers in years to come. In a similar way, our relationship with the Wilberforce Trust has been strong this year. Ten sixth-form volunteers met an adult with sight loss and other disabilities every week as a befriender. Our pupils

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well as numerous lessons where a St Peter’s student assists the class teacher with interest, reliability and common sense. Hob Moor Oaks School also benefited from the Community Action Design group who produced bespoke garden planters and installed them, guided by Mr Whitehouse. This enabled the children at Hob Moor Oaks to enjoy their outside space and our students learned valuable skills of designing an item that meets the specific needs of a group of children.

have provided valuable companionship for Wilberforce’s residents around the city and appreciate being able to visit at a time that fits in with their other commitments. It has been excellent preparation for any future career involving interacting with other people and has been invaluable experience for them to take on to later life. Many of our pupils in all year groups volunteer weekly in clubs and lessons at St Olave’s and Clifton Prep School and Nursery. This year has seen sewing club, cookery club and karate club, as

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The Glen was again the location for this year’s fifth-form volunteering week under the leadership of Mr Noy Scott. The Glen provides respite care for disabled children in York and their beautiful garden is part of the welcoming environment they provide. A group of cheerful and hardworking students mucked in to help improve the lovely garden space for the children there. On the whole we were blessed with good weather which made the gardening tasks a lot more pleasant, as well as helping the paint dry on the cycling track and garden furniture! On the Tuesday of volunteering week, the fifth form joined the third form in hosting nearly 100 visitors from Mencap for the annual Mencap Day. The day saw boccia, cycling and the ever-popular drumming workshop take place, amongst other activities. The third form did an excellent job in hosting our visitors and helping those with

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learning disabilities to enjoy the activities on offer. Mencap Day has become a firm fixture in the school year and we are pleased and proud to continue to host it. Congratulations go to Emma Walker, Kerra Williams and Charlotte Rose who were this year’s recipients of prizes at Commemoration. They have shown continual commitment to Community Action activities throughout their time in the sixth form and before, and are a superb example to us all. Particular mention goes to Charlotte, who raised money for SNAPPY under her own auspices, by selling a calendar she had produced and created herself.

who supply all our visitors with delicious food and drinks throughout the year with nothing being too much trouble. Finally, a huge thank-you goes to all our Community Action volunteers at St Peter’s who continually show that volunteering is a worthwhile and enjoyable thing to do. Mrs Laura Chapman

The Community Action programme hopes to instil a sense of the value of volunteering, compassion for others and willingness to take on challenges. None of this would be possible without the hard work of Mrs Dawson, Mrs Robinson and Miss Ullstein who have supported me and provided invaluable hard work throughout the year. We wish Mrs Dawson a relaxing retirement (from Community Action, even if she might make a reappearance in the Maths department!) Thanks also go to Mrs Bainbridge who has continued to help, largely behind the scenes, as she handed over the role to me in September. Community Action’s activities could also not happen without the support and hard work of the catering department

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Red Nose Day 2015

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Young Enterprise

Young Enterprise enables students to find out what it’s really like to set up and run a business. Throughout the academic year, our lower-sixth company at St Peter’s, called Lux, have made all the decisions about their company, from raising the initial share capital through to designing their product to sell directly to customers. All this has taken place with the support of Owen Turner, a business adviser who has brought a wealth of business knowledge and expertise to the team. Owen runs a successful business in York, called United by Design. Lux’s product was a candle in a cup; a candle with a variety of scents and colours, and in a choice of vintage tea cups. The team sourced bone china teacups and up-cycled them, adding value and a new life to the cups. As well as up-cycling it was decided to reduce the product’s carbon footprint by using soy wax, which is a completely natural and renewable resource, and has a longer burn time. Lux attended Venturefest in March, a networking event for professional businesses at the Knavesmire. They set up sales opportunities in school, and took part in other events organised by the North Yorkshire branch of Young Enterprise.

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All team members have played their part in making the year a success. When things have gone wrong Lux have realised that it’s all about how you sort out the problems and how you learn from your mistakes, and a few mistakes have been made this year. The team have enjoyed the year in business, and would like to thank the business adviser Owen Turner and teachers Jon Whitehouse and Jan Miles-Kingston for their support, and Young Enterprise for the opportunity to take part in the Company Programme. The team of Alex Woodruff, Xanthe Cook, Jordon Wilkinson, George Doyle and Henry Tannahill represented Lux at the North Yorkshire regional competition, and were supported by Lucy Galloway, Henry Graham, Jo Waterhouse, Josh Burton and Sophie Booth. Lux were the runners-up in the North Yorkshire region this year, and received an award at the York YE event for the social, environmental and ethical aspects of the business. Mr Jon Whitehouse

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Science Department Trips and Outreach 2015 The Sounds of the Cosmos

Ogden Trust York Schools Science Partnership We are now entering our third year of the Ogden Trust Schools Science (Physics) Partnership in York, with St Peter’s being the hub school. Canon Lee School, Fulford School, Archbishop Holgate’s School, The Joseph Rowntree School, Selby High School and Manor CE School work alongside York University Physics Department’s Outreach Officer/Ogden Officer, Katherine Leech. The aim of the partnership is to enhance the delivery and uptake of physics by promoting the subject within the partnership schools, encouraging collaboration between them and giving their teachers access to the best support and professional development available. They aim to inspire young people to take physics further. This is an exciting initiative and we look forward to continuing to strengthen relationships over the coming years. The partnership schools were encouraged to attend the public lectures and contribute to the Stargazing Live Exhibition. We held the second York Schools Science Quiz and there were also two Institute of Engineering and Technology Faraday Challenge Days, the Science Technicians’ Conference and the Physics Olympics as jointly-attended events. The partnership has funded the purchase of physics equipment for the partnership schools and we hope that it will be able to continue to do this. We were also able to loan the demonstration cloud chamber out to Fulford School and Archbishop Holgate’s School and to the University for their Open Days and the Ogden Trust’s Schools Physicist of the Year Awards Ceremony.

In the middle of September a group of 22 sixth-form physicists accompanied by Mr Morris, Mrs Dawson and Mr Hall headed to Sheffield for a breathtaking voyage to the outer limits of the universe with Gustav Holst’s astronomical tour-de-force The Planets performed by the Sheffield Rep Orchestra. The music was combined with short talks about the cosmos, and real-life images of interplanetary odysseys and newly-commissioned visuals were projected onto the sides of Sheffield’s ‘Octagon Voyager’. Pilot, commander and tour-guide Paul Crowther (Professor of Astrophysics) led the mission. We learned about our incredible Sun and other far away stars. We witnessed the birth of new stars in mind-blowing stellar nurseries and ventured into faraway galaxies, exoplanets and distant worlds, all accompanied by the magnificent music, and in a mesmerising setting. After the performance there was an opportunity to experience the spectacular touring exhibition ‘Seeing the Universe in all its Light’ which featured stunning science images and interactive exhibits, and which has previously been on display at the Houses of Parliament and BBC Stargazing Live. As an added bonus we met Angelina Warburton, who was playing her harp in the orchestra. Angelina was a pupil at St Peter’s before taking up a place at Chetham’s School of Music. All in all it was a unique experience and one that will be remembered for ever.

European Researchers’ Night To quote the European Union, Researchers’ Night is a ‘mega event’ taking place every year on a single September night in about 300 cities all over Europe. The event, under the title Yornight, was one of five such events in the UK – and the only one in the north of England. It aimed to bring researchers to the general public and to increase awareness of research and innovation activities with a view to supporting the public recognition of researchers; creating an understanding of the impact of researchers’ work on citizens’ daily lives, and encouraging young people to embark on research careers. As the St Peter’s contribution, we hosted a public lecture entitled Stem Cells and Human Cancer: Turning Biology

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Professor in the Public Engagement of Science, University of Surrey, presented the certificates before being interviewed by Sarah Thompson, Professor of Physics and Head of the Physics Department at the University of York. During the summer of 2014 Alistair Duffey and Jessica Scott carried out their Nuffield projects at York University Physics Department and Laura Carrigan also undertook a research project at the University Astrocampus. Alistair’s project was on Techniques of Radio Astronomy, Jessica’s was on Magnetic Nanoparticles as a Hyperthermiabased Cancer Treatment and Laura’s was on Investigations in Spectroheliography. into Treatments, by Professor Norman Maitland, YCR Professor of Molecular Biology and Director of the YCR Cancer Research Unit at the University of York. The YCR Cancer Research Unit has pioneered the study of these cells, and is developing drugs to eliminate the stem cell components in human prostate cancer, now the most commonly diagnosed tumour in men. In his lecture, Professor Maitland described his ground-breaking research on these cells.

Nuffield Research Placement Presentation Ceremony How Science Really Works – lessons from Nobel Prizes in Chemistry How to measure next to nothing when you don’t even know what it is. On Wednesday 15th October, we were delighted to welcome Dr Dewi Lewis, Senior Lecturer at UCL Chemistry Department, to present the next in the series of public science lectures.

In late September the Nuffield/STEMNET award ceremony was held for the sixth-formers from local schools who had taken part in research placements in various institutions dealing with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. The body of work undertaken by the students in their research placements earns them a Gold Crest Award and the presentation of the certificates took place in the Yorkshire Museum in a special ceremony prior to one of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society’s series of lectures. The students displayed their posters and were quizzed by members of YPS before the lecture. Jim Al-Khalili, Professor of Physics and

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‘The scientific method’ is ‘how science works.’ But how do scientists know what questions to ask? What to look for if we don’t already know the answer? In his lecture Dr Lewis discussed a number of Nobel Prizes to try to show how amazing chemical discoveries can be. They spanned discoveries that have had major impacts on medicine, industrial chemistry, agriculture, the economy and our future, but also reminded us of what we might now consider mundane science certainly wasn’t and still is far from being so. Central to this was a discussion of a piece of equipment from the early 20th Ccntury capable of measuring 0.0000001 grams of a gas which we knew nothing about, without which the periodic table would be incomplete and our school chemistry even more perplexing.

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Guy Fawkes Public Lecture The School held the fifth Guy Fawkes Public Lecture on Wednesday 12 November. The lecture was entitled: Solar Max by Dr Lucie Green who is a Royal Society University Research Fellow based at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UCL’s Department of Space and Climate Physics. Lucie has presented the BBC’s Sky at Night and Horizon television programmes. There is more to our Sun than meets the eye. Observations from spacecraft have, over the last 50 years, revealed astonishing activity that cannot be seen from the Earth. The level of activity follows a cycle and the current cycle was predicted to peak in 2013. In her talk Lucie discussed where we are in the solar cycle and whether the Sun has indeed reached the maximum in its cycle. It also showed us the science behind the activity including how eruptions of the magnetic field from the Sun’s atmosphere are formed and how these eruptions can interfere with modern life through damaging electricity networks and satellites and disrupting our communications.

After the lecture Dr Green chatted with guests and had a look at our cloud chamber in the school foyer – the piece of equipment that displays visual evidence of cosmic rays passing through the atmosphere.

The day was particularly significant for space physics, as it was the day that the European Space Agency’s ‘Rosetta’ mission successfully landed the Philae lander on the surface of a comet.

Challenges of Predicting the Weather and Climate On Monday 1 December it was our pleasure to welcome to our region Professor Paul Hardaker. Meteorology is still a relatively

young science with lots of interesting challenges remaining for physics, and so physicists continue to play an important role in improving predictions of our weather and climate. In his talk Professor Hardaker outlined some of these science challenges, in particular the development of computer-based prediction methods, the contributions made by improvements in both modelling and observations and how we handle uncertainty in predictions. He also touched on the challenges of communicating the science and the predictions to both the public and policy-makers. Paul is currently Chief Executive of the Institute of Physics, the UK’s Professional and Learned Society for Physics. He is also Chairman of Sense about Science, a charity that campaigns for better reporting of science in the media, and a Visiting Professor in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Reading.

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GCSE Science Live

Stargazing Live 2015

At the start of December we took the whole of the fourth form to the GCSE Science Live event which took place at Leeds Town Hall. During the course of the day the pupils saw and heard five of Britain’s top scientists, all working at the cutting edge of their specialisms. The scientists were carefully chosen for their ability to communicate with students of this age in a direct and exciting way. The day was fast-moving, exciting and thoughtprovoking and gave the students the chance to raise issues with the scientists and allowed them to see that science really does

Now in its fifth year, this year’s Stargazing Live event combined a public lecture with an exhibition, a mobile planetarium and numerous other attractions. 450 people attended the sell-out lecture, with up to 200 more attending the public exhibition.

offer solutions for many of the world’s great problems. Each pupil received a well-produced booklet with details about the scientists and the lectures, and some general articles about studying science and working as scientists – as well as a number of pieces from an experienced chief examiner on success with Science GCSE. The scientists appearing throughout the day at Leeds were Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Professor Alice Roberts, Professor Dave Cliff, Professor Steve Jones and Dr Lucie Green.

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The event included exhibits by the National Space Academy, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, among many others. The lecture was delivered by Professor Ian Morison, who spoke on the topic of Are we alone? The search for life beyond the Earth. His talk considered the prospects of finding evidence of extraterrestrial life. Perhaps we might find evidence of simple life forms within our solar system on Mars or under the ice-crust of Jupiter’s satellite Europa, and then far beyond by studying the atmospheres of distant planets looking for signs of oxygen that could only be present if plant-life is present. Could we perhaps come into contact with another intelligent race by detecting signals that have traversed the space between the stars? A subject termed SETI and which the speaker was directly involved in around the turn of the century. Finally how does what we now know about our planet, the Earth, other solar systems and the evolution of life affect the likelihood of life existing elsewhere in the cosmos. Could we really be alone? Professor Morison served as the 35th Professor of Astronomy at Gresham College and previously worked at Jodrell Bank. In 2003 an asteroid was named after him in honour of his work.

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Demand for the event was huge, with all tickets going. It was great to welcome people of all ages from across York and the region to share in the wonder of science. The enthusiasm it generated was infectious and we are already looking forward to next year’s event.

European Southern Observatory Space Camp

Copies of his books A Journey through the Universe: Gresham Lectures on Astronomy and An Amateur’s Guide to Observing and Imaging the Heavens were on sale during the evening. The event was run in conjunction with York University Physics Department and York Astronomical Society who once again turned out in force with an amazing array of telescopes. Unfortunately we were not blessed with clear skies, but everyone still enjoyed looking at the telescopes and we were very grateful to the Friends of St Peter’s who again ran a raffle and manned a food stall.

Over the Christmas holiday upper-sixth pupil Alistair Duffey visited the Alps on an all-expenses-paid week-long trip to the European Southern Astronomy Camp, having won a competition in which entrants discussed Astronomy and Myself. Alistair was one of just four students in the UK to be selected. Alistair writes: ‘Between Boxing Day and the first of January, I attended the second-ever European Southern Observatory Astronomy Camp. This year’s camp was in the lovely alpine village of Saint-Barthelemy in Northern Italy. It was run by professional researchers and lecturers in astronomy and attended by about 50 awesome people from all over the world. The astronomy taught focused on methods by which we can measure distances in the universe. A really interesting topic which encompassed a huge range of ideas; from parallax measurements of our solar system to estimates of the distances of galactic clusters using Hubble’s Law. In the evenings (and one very, very early morning) we made use of the telescopes at the observatory to perform a whole host

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of observations and just looking up with the naked eye made for a spectacular view of the stars and the Milky Way because of the complete lack of light pollution. Other highlights of the week included an afternoon skiing and a trip to the Matterhorn. All in all it was a great week. I met a lot of fantastic people, learned some physics and enjoyed the Italian food immensely. I’d like to thank Christina Olivotto and Sterrenlab for running the camp, the Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley for hosting us, and the Science and Technology Facilities Council for generously paying for my trip.

Physics Challenge for Girls On Thursday 15 January eight fourth-form girls travelled to the University of Nottingham’s Physics Department as part of the Heat Shield Challenge, which attracted over thirty school teams of fourth-form and fifth-form girls.

One of the participants, Clare Hornby, writes: We started off the day with a talk, speaking about thermal conductivity and explaining our challenge. Our task was to build a heat-shield, similar to those on spacecraft returning to Earth. It had to withstand temperatures similar to those that would be reached when re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, which are caused by the high pressures put on spacecraft. This had to be done for at least four minutes if possible (as this is the time taken from entering the atmosphere to reach Earth). We were allowed nothing more than three 10 cm square sheets of metal. These were copper mesh, steel mesh and aluminium foil. The heat-shield was then attached to a steel rod, on the end of which was glue that would melt when it reached a high temperature, making the structure fail. The winning team was the one which built the heatshield that stayed up for the longest time. Once our task had been explained to us, we had approximately 45 minutes to come up with a design for our heat-shield and test it using a blow torch. It took a while for our team to settle on a final design, but we all agreed that having big air gaps was most important, as air is a poor conductor, and so by using strips of the steel mesh we made sure that the sheets of metal were held to keep large gaps between them. During the testing our heat-shield held up for about 2 minutes, and the other St Peter’s team’s shield stayed up for an impressive 5 minutes. After lunch we were allowed a further 45 minutes in order to build our final heat-shield for official testing. After a few minor adjustments to our design, we completed our shield and took it to be tested along with all the other teams. Both the St Peter’s teams were within the first six teams to be tested. By the end of the testing, amazingly the two St Peter’s heat-shields were still holding up along with one made by a school from Ashby.

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Whilst the three heat-shields were still being heated, we were given a very interesting talk on MRI scanners and how they work, using liquid nitrogen and specific lengths of radio waves. This was concluded by the result of the challenge being announced. Astonishingly the three shields held up for well over an hour, and had been heated for so long that the decision was made to stop heating the three heat-shields and the winner was judged by measuring the temperature of the bolt holding the heat-shield. As our team’s bolt was at the lowest temperature, we won, with the other St Peter’s team coming third, which was an excellent end to a fun day.

Fulfilling your Dreams and Ambitions Inspirational NASA Astronaut Michael Foale spent two days at St Peter’s School, meeting pupils and staff from all three schools. Dr Foale delivered a public lecture, Fulfilling your Dreams and Ambitions, on the evening of Wednesday 4 March, before speaking at an assembly at Clifton School and Nursery on Thursday morning and talking to pupils from St Olave’s and St Peter’s, in two sessions.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Faraday Challenge Day On Thursday 29 January pupils from St Olave’s School took part in the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Faraday Challenge Day. The event was held at Canon Lee School and featured six teams from local schools designing and creating a prototype Smart Beacon which could be used to communicate information to cyclists. The competition is part of a programme to encourage children to study and forge a career in engineering. The pupils had to assign themselves various roles within the team including a project manager, electrical engineer, 3D designer, 3D engineer and accountant, and were given a range of electrical components to create the beacon, including a 3D printer. The pupils were commended for their hard work and original design, and their final presentation was expertly delivered. They had an enjoyable and valuable day being real engineers.

Michael is a British-born NASA astronaut and astrophysicist. His six space missions included him bringing the Hubble Space Telescope back to life, being Commander of the International Space station and saving the Russian MIR Space Station as it tumbled out of control around the Earth, following the only ever collision in space. He has also held the record for the longest time spent by an astronaut in space. In his talk he described his incredible opportunities and achievements and emphasised to all the young people present that they can adopt the NASA ‘you can do it’ spirit and go on to be whatever they aspire to be.

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Second York Schools Science Quiz On Thursday 12 March, thirteen schools from in and around York came together for the second York Schools Science Quiz. 22 school teams competed along with four teacher teams for the trophies and prizes. Each team consisted of four pupils of lower-sixth and fifth-form age. The event took place as part of the York ISSP and also the York Schools Ogden Partnership, with a large thank-you to the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Physics for some of the prizes, the Rotary Club of York Vikings for the water bottles and the Ogden Trust for the 8 GB memory sticks and Amazon voucher prizes. The quiz was put together and presented by Sarah McKie, Head of Biology at St Peter’s School, and consisted of Biology, Chemistry and Physics rounds alongside an Observation Challenge and a Hitting the Headlines round amongst others. At the end of the quiz the teams waited with bated breath for the results to be announced. It turned out that three teams were tied for second place, so a tie-breaker was needed to separate them. The tie-breaker question was: What is the distance in miles ‘as the crow flies’ between London and Rome? Pieces of paper were circulated to the three teams concerned and they made their estimates. Team ‘Crick’ from Archbishop Holgate’s School was the closest with 895 miles, with team ‘Hadrons’ from Fulford School being squeezed into overall fourth place.

Solar Eclipse On Friday 20 March the Moon passed in front of the Sun, blotting out just over 90% of its disc from our vantage-point in York. It was the fullest solar eclipse visible in Britain since August 1999 and there will not be a more complete one again until 2026, so this was a relatively rare event and one to be taken advantage of. First contact was at 8.28 am, with the maximum eclipse occurring at 9.34 am with fourth contact at 10.43 am. We were

Winner – Schools without sixth forms: ‘Millthorpe Lions’ (Millthorpe School) Winner – Open Competition: ‘Watson’ (Archbishop Holgate’s School) I was delighted with the positive support from the schools of York and I hope that the competition continues to grow. Many of the questions were very demanding, the answers from the pupils were impressive and no doubt much science would have been learned on the evening.

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delighted that York Astronomical Society chose St Peter’s as their centre for viewing the eclipse and after the cloudy skies that we have experienced at recent Stargazing Live evenings and the not-so-promising weather forecast for the Friday morning, we were not overly optimistic of the clear skies that we needed on this occasion. Preparations started before 7.00 am with what looked like some breaks in the cloud possible. As it turned out

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would improve his presentation skills and he wanted the chance to enthuse younger learners. He did this with his excellent demonstrations, his humour, energy and enjoyment of the subject. The young pupils left the chemistry lecture theatre buzzing with excitement and full of questions. This is now going to be a regular feature in the Chemistry calendar. Maciej is going on to study Chemistry at Oxford University next year.

we had fairly unbroken clear skies from about 8.00 am onwards until about 10.00 am at which time everyone who had wanted to see the eclipse had managed to. Clifton School and Nursery had been making pinhole cameras in the build up to the eclipse and nearly all their pupils came across to the viewing area to look, not only through their own homemade devices, but also through the multitude of telescopes on display and the live projections on the screens in either of the two gazebos. As maximum approached there was a noticeable drop in temperature (about 7 degrees) and it did get darker, although by not as much as one might have expected. Members of the teaching and non-teaching staff joined the pupils from all three schools to make this a truly memorable occasion. My thanks go to the members of York Astronomical Society for making this possible and my overriding feeling is that we really were so lucky to get such great viewing conditions.

Chemistry is Fun Lecture Also in March upper sixth-former Maciej Psiuch delivered a Christmas-themed chemistry lecture to Clifton Prep pupils entitled Chemistry is Fun. The idea came from Maciej following his involvement in the Science Christmas lecture. He felt that it

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NE/NW Science Committee for Science In May, for the sixth year running, St Peter’s hosted the NorthEast North-West Standing Committee for Science Technicians’ conference. This was attended by over 80 technicians largely from the leading independent schools across the North of England, and it continues to grow and provides a focal point for the technician

community. Thanks to the St Peter’s technicians, especially Mark Robinson who led one of the workshops, for helping to make the day such a big success. Each year Mark designs a piece of physics equipment that the physics delegates make and take home with them. This year it was a Fuse Man Board that demonstrated the principles of mains plug wiring, electrical earthing and fusing.

York Festival of Ideas 2015 In June we hosted two public science lectures as part of the York Festival of Ideas, which was launched in June 2011 by the University of York, with the aim of enhancing York’s reputation as a city of ideas and innovation. The Festival offers the highest calibre of public events to local, regional and visitor audiences and thereby demonstrates the transformative power of education.

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The festival has grown rapidly, and we at St Peter’s were delighted to be able to play our part in it. More than 150 events took place across a thirteen-day period during the Festival.

Delivered by Professor Jeff Forshaw from Manchester University Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Quantum Universe was based on Professor Forshaw’s book of the same name which he co-authored with Professor Brian Cox. Underpinning most of modern physics, quantum physics describes a very strange and counter-intuitive world, where tiny particles act as if they are in several places at the same time. Professor Forshaw presented the crazy rules that control the behaviour of a quantum particle and showed how they impact upon questions about the world around us. Three days later Dr Lewis Dartnell, UK Space Agency Research Fellow at the University of Leicester, presented his talk Astrobiology: The Hunt for Alien Life.

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University of York, there was a lecture entitled Is there anybody out there? by Professor Tim O’Brien, Associate Director of Jodrell Bank observatory, Professor of Astrophysics at University of Manchester. Jack Robins and Pippa Simpson were the two recipients from St Peter’s.

Gratnells Science Technician of the Year Award

Astrobiology is a brand new field of science, encompassing research into the origins and limits of life on our own planet, and where life might exist beyond the Earth. But what actually is ‘life’ and how did it emerge on our own world? What are the most extreme conditions terrestrial life can tolerate? And where in the cosmos might we reasonably expect to find ET? Dr Dartnell took the audience on a tour of the other planets and moons in our solar system which may harbour life, and even further afield to alien worlds we’ve discovered orbiting distant stars, to explore one of the greatest questions ever asked: are we alone?

Physicist of the Year awards The Ogden Trust and York University held their School Physicist of the Year Award ceremony on 16 June 2015. The annual awards ceremony recognises the most promising Year-12 A-Level physics students in their region, drawn from schools with which they work and the students receive book tokens to the value of £25 for each prize-winner. The sixth-form students, together with parents and teachers, were invited to the ceremony which took place as part of the Big Telescopes astronomical festival that featured the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) roadshow: Seeing the Universe in all its Light. After the official presentation of their prizes from Professor Sarah Thompson, Head of the Department of Physics at the

This is the premier award open to Science Technicians in secondary schools, colleges and academies for students up to 18 years of age and it was my pleasure to nominate Mark Robinson earlier this year. Mark joined the Physics department at St Peter’s in June 2011 and has made himself a huge asset, greatly assisting the teaching and learning that takes place. He sets himself the highest standards, consistently and independently applying thought and effort to ensure the continued smooth running of the department alongside all members of our team. He takes a key role in helping to organise and deliver the annual science technicians’ conference that we hold at St Peter’s and can be relied on for support with all of our outreach activities. Mark received his award at the National Science Learning Centre in York on Thursday 2 July, from BBC’s Science Presenter, Fran Scott, in front of a packed audience of technicians on the opening day of a two-day conference organised by the ASE. The Awards generated a high-level of entries from across the UK and were scrutinised by a strong panel of judges from leading science associations and professionals. As well as winning £750 worth of Gratnells science storage and other equipment for St Peter’s School, Mark also walked away with a trophy and a personal cheque of £250 for coming second in this annual award for Science Technicians. Both Mark and David then had lunch with Fran Scott before listening to her keynote presentation Igniting the Imagination.

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‘We both had a fantastic day and are grateful to Gratnells for organising the awards and to the sponsors for their generosity. Anything that recognises the often unsung work of science technicians is to be welcomed’, said Mark as he returned back to his labs, with happy memories of an inspiring day.

Liverpool University Physics Olympics Competition On Saturday 18 October Alistair Duffey, Georgia Calvert, Tom Kelly and Simon Tang set off for Liverpool University for this year’s Physics Olympics competition. Thirty-five schools were competing against each other and our team (Team Galileo) was ready for the challenge. There were five practical tasks during the day (each taking about half an hour) alongside the Fermi Quiz that was to be completed in between events. The teams had to build an electromagnet that could pick up the most paper clips, build and then fire a rocket the furthest distance, locate the position of a gamma source that was embedded in an aluminium cube, build a boat out of a couple of sheets of acetate and straws that would support the greatest mass and finally create a slowfalling projectile that took as long as possible to hit a target below. We came sixth, second, twenty-second, thirtieth and third respectively in these five challenges and also finished a very creditable third in the Fermi Quiz. In the Fermi Quiz estimates have to be made to the nearest power of ten. One of the questions in this year’s quiz was: How many humpback whales would be needed to balance a set of scales with a Saturn V rocket on the other side?

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Overall we did tremendously well to come third, picking up Bronze medals and the prized Physics Olympics T-shirts. Well done to our team, who – the boat game apart – performed impressively throughout.

Nuffield Research Placements 2015 Nuffield Research Placements provide over 1,000 students from across the country each year with the opportunity to work alongside professional scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. This year Olivia Watts and Christian Brennan carried out Nuffield projects at York University Biology and Physics departments respectively. These placements give experience to the students that is not usually possible until beyond the second year of an undergraduate degree and we are very grateful to the university for providing the opportunities to our sixth-formers as they move from the lower sixth into their final year of study at school. Mr David Morris

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Nuffield Project Reports My five-week project was at the University of York’s Cancer Research Unit, performing mutational analysis on prostate cells that had been genomically edited to give them a mutation in a tumor suppressor gene named PTEN. This mutation was to give the cells detectable differences between their PTEN alleles, something required for a technique one of the researchers hoped to use on the cells in order to observe whether PTEN was being epigenetically silenced in prostate cancer by a phenomenon called monoallelic expression. I was essentially checking in which cells the genome editing had actually worked and caused mutation, and how these mutations affected the suitability of the cells for further experimentation.

British Physics Olympiad Competition, AS Competition and Physics Challenge for GCSE Students In the British Physics Olympiad for Year-13 students Alistair Duffey received a Silver award and James Field received a Bronze II award with nine other students being commended. In the AS National Physics Competition Robert Croft received a Silver award, Christian Brennan a Bronze I award, Eleanor Dobson, Matthew Fok and Jack Robins Bronze II awards with eight other students being commended.

The five weeks there were a huge learning curve for me, both in terms of the background reading required to understand the science behind my project, and also the jump in the level of practical work. For example, techniques I learnt included genomic DNA extraction, PCR (gene amplification), gel electrophoresis, and SURVEYOR mutational analysis. However, I found this was what made the placement especially gratifying for me; I was never patronized and was fully involved with the lab group, and as a result it has been an incredibly challenging yet rewarding experience. The placement was also useful in that it gave me a more rounded picture as to what scientific research is actually like. Although some experiments didn’t initially go to plan, it was a valuable experience learning how to approach problems methodically and solve them, and also probably gave me a more realistic picture of what being a scientist is actually like. I was lucky that the subject topic is genuinely fascinating, and it felt amazing to be helping research at the cutting edge, confirming to me that I want a career in research. I am grateful Mr Morris for helping me contact Professor Norman Maitland at the CRU, who alongside John Packer was very kind and warm in providing and supervising the placement, and to both of whom I owe many thanks.

Front row: Alistair Duffey, Eleanor Dobson, Christian Brennan; Back row: Robert Croft, James Field, Jack Robins, Matthew Fok In the National Physics Challenge for GCSE students Robbie Brown received a Silver award, Luke Dunsmore and Jessica Webster received Bronze I awards, Steven Jones, Katherine Spencer and Samuel Stanford received Bronze II awards with sixteen other students being commended.

Olivia Watts, LVI I spent the August of 2015 doing a four-week-long physics placement at the University of York, sponsored by the Nuffield Foundation. I was supervised by Dr Charles Barton and was working at the University’s Astrocampus, where I worked on the new radio telescope. I was measuring the redshift of clouds of hydrogen gas to measure the rotation speed of the Milky Way at increasing distances from the Galactic Centre. These measurements can be used to calculate the total mass of the galaxy, and provide strong evidence for the existence of Dark Matter. I worked with another student to create a report of all our readings and calculations, as well as the theory behind them, and a poster to display our findings. I found the project extremely useful as it improved not only my knowledge of astrophysics, but also of how research is carried out. I would like to thank Mr Morris for setting up this project and Dr Barton for supervising me, and would recommend this placement to anyone considering a career in the sciences. Christian Brennan, LVI

Front row: Katherine Spencer, Robbie Brown, Jessica Webster; Back row: Luke Dunsmore, Steven Jones, Samuel Stanford

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Cambridge Senior Physics Challenge 2015 The Cambridge Senior Physics Challenge is a five-day course run by the University of Cambridge that serves as an introduction to university-level physics for those considering pursuing physics as an undergraduate. Top physics students are nominated by schools, with about 70 nationally being selected. This year Christian Brennan was fortunate to be offered a place on the course, staying in Peterhouse and also experiencing life at several other colleges. Mr David Morris During the final week of the summer term, I attended the Senior Physics Challenge Summer School in Cambridge. I stayed in accommodation at Peterhouse, the oldest college in Cambridge, with seven other students from around the country. Each day consisted of two lectures, one on each of classical and quantum mechanics with time to work on various problems, and a practical session on the topics covered in the lectures, all of which took place in the Cavendish Laboratory just outside Cambridge. In the evenings we ate at one of the many colleges in Cambridge, including St John’s and Trinity, then took part in a more laid-back activity to contrast with the demanding workload. These included a team Fermi Quiz, a lecture on relativity and juggling, and some time spent punting on the river. I found it to be a very challenging but fun week and would recommend it to anyone interested in studying physics. Christian Brennan, LVI

St Peter’s Physics Olympics Competition This was the ninth year of the competition and we again reached our capacity with an entry of 35 schools and indeed had several more on the reserve list. We were pleased to welcome a good number of new local schools alongside our regular participants from across the north. Each team consisted of four year-8 pupils and the teachers also competed alongside the pupils.

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The day consists of six individual, mini egg-race-type events in which the pupils combine their physics and mathematical knowledge with teamwork and communication skills to work together to complete a task against the clock. The day is designed to be fun, but also challenging and stimulating and in the Olympic spirit it is a competition with winners in the individual events and also Gold, Silver and Bronze medallists. The pupils should come away having both enjoyed their experience and importantly also having learned some new physics. Once again we received generous backing from the Institute of Physics, the Rotary Club of York Vikings, the Ogden Trust, Taylors of Harrogate and Nestlé. Sponsorship money paid for the T-shirts, medals, trophy, water bottles, 8 GB memory sticks and Uncle Albert Physics books that the pupils took away at the end of the day in their goodie-bags.

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This year’s lab-based events included making an electromagnet, calculating the mass of a fluffy duck, building a solar-powered boat, building a lighthouse tower and building a boat to carry the largest number of marbles. There was also the usual Fermi Quiz in which the students have to make estimates of physical quantities to the nearest power of ten. One of the questions in this year’s quiz was to estimate the mass of air in kg in the atmosphere above the county of Yorkshire (answer: 100,000,000,000,000 or 1014 kg). At the end of the day two teams were tied for first place, St Aidan’s C of E High School and Bootham School, so to decide who won the Gold and who won the Silver medals we looked to see who had come highest in the Fermi Quiz. Bootham School had come 9/35 and St Aidan’s had come 8/35 and so won by the very narrowest of margins.

Winners: Good Vibrations: Team Weber (Terrington Hall School) High Light: Team Feynman (King James’ School) Payload: Team Gamow (King’s School, Chester) Pulling Power: Team Tesla (Minster School) Solar So Good: Team Faraday (Scarborough College) Fermi Quiz: Team Newton (Hymers College) Bronze Medal Winners: Team Hawking (Archbishop Holgate’s School) Silver Medal Winners: Team Schrödinger (Bootham School) Gold Medal Winners: Team Hubble (St Aidan’s C of E High School) I would like to thank all my colleagues, the support staff and the dedicated sixth-form helpers who helped on the day to make this year’s event the biggest and best so far. In particular, Mark Robinson showed his willingness and expertise in the designing and making of much of the equipment for the games and Mark Edwards once more displayed his wizardry on the computer in collating and presenting all the competition data. Clearly the competition could not happen without any of them.

Science Society Christmas Lecture:

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The Evolution of Dance There were three performances of the Christmas Lecture this year, two to the St Peter’s pupils and one evening public performance. Starting with the Big Bang, the early universe gained structure due to a ‘cosmic dance’ between its particles and radiation. Overall the entropy (disorder) of the universe is increasing, but nature finds a way to re-order itself in pockets where patterns spontaneously appear as patterns do in an intricate dance. This has resulted in the evolution of the universe from the formation of the elements, to structures and galaxies and the evolution of life itself. The audience was shown an entropy demonstration of colour-mixing and un-mixing ‘reverse entropy’. Chemistry demonstrated its own version of reverse entropy by showing a Mercury Thiocyanate reaction forming a cross keys pattern (but this was actually a reversed video). Dancing cornflour monsters were demonstrated on stage by making a non-newtonian fluid and vibrating it on a speaker cone. Protistas are examples of common cells which dance and move together. Mr Harry Vann appeared as an example of a dancing humanoid, with his band The Protistas. Bears, dolphins, apes and birds were shown to dance in the animal kingdom – the birds forming patterns from seemingly random situations. Upper-sixth chemists demonstrated their iodine clocks set to music with special appearance from Maciej Psiuch. The physics of dance included demonstrations of pupils spinning on a

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chair to show conservation of angular momentum and some tricks dancers achieve by transferring their centre of mass. The audience was invited to join in with an experiment about a specific musical tempo, which led on to ideas about oscillation of the body. Chemistry demonstrated a famous oscillating reaction ‘Turing Reaction’ live for the audience where, just like a murmuration of starlings, intricate patterns spontaneously appeared from randomness. Biology showed the importance of the evolution of dance in the animal kingdom, for courtship and communication. No lecture would be complete without a slide-show of the

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Science Department’s annual outing, this year to the Strictly Come Dancing show (where else!). The finale to the lecture involved Mr Smith and his sixth-form chemists exploding hydrogen balloons to the tune of the 1812 Overture. Particular thanks to Mark Robinson, Barry Gill, Bob Ledger and Trevor Gant for their technical help in preparation and presenting of the Christmas Lectures and to Mr Smith’s sixth-form Chemistry team who also put in many hours of preparation this year. Mr David Morris

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Jessica House - Sailing journey In the summer of 2014, Jessica House took part in a transatlantic journey aboard a sailing-ship run by the Jubilee Sailing Trust. This is her story: … On 14 August 2014, STS Lord Nelson (‘Nellie’) departed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to begin a 3,600 nautical mile transatlantic voyage taking 38 days, sailing back to London. ‘Nellie’ is a 180-ft three-masted barque run by the Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST), and this was the tenth and final leg of her round-the-world journey, which began on Trafalgar Day (21 October) 2012. She visited over 100 countries, crossed the equator four times and travelled over 55,000 nautical miles. I had been planning and fundraising to go on this adventure for two years, and with some trepidation, I joined the ship with all my 39 crewmates and 10 permanent crew (Captain, Mate, Navigator, Bosun, Cook, Chief and 2nd Engineers, Bosun’s Mates and the Cook’s Assistant) for the adventure of a lifetime.

‘Nellie’ is one of two ships in the world which are fully equipped to accommodate people of all abilities and disabilities. She has been specially adapted for wheelchairs with wide gangways and lifts between decks, Braille signs, a talking compass, low pin-rails, a hearing ‘loop’ system and so much more; it’s really incredible to see how everyone just mucks into the job, regardless of age or ability. Nothing stands in the way of a good time! Prior to sailing with the JST for the first time, no previous sailing experience of any kind is required: you just rock up with your kit and off you go! The voyage crew split into four ‘watches’, and each watch takes control of a quarter of the ship’s deck: I was in ‘forward port’ watch. A ‘watch card’ reminds you what times

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you’re on watch, and when you’re on ‘mess duty’. Everybody has a chance to do mess duty, which involves helping Cookie in the galley (kitchen) by preparing vegetables, washing up and serving meals. When on watch you spend most of your time on the bridge, (except when you’re in the galley making hot chocolate or eating pineapple upside-down cake at 4.00 in the morning!). The bridge houses the helm (steering wheel), the magnetic and gyro compasses, controls for the engines and the dials for wind speed and direction. Watch duties include helming, keeping look-out, taking bearings, learning how to use the navigational equipment, rope work or just getting to know your crew mates and having a laugh. Those on look-out sometimes spot the odd whale-fin or spout, passing ships or even dolphins! When not on watch there was loads to learn and do: I spent much of my time aloft (up the masts and on the yards) taking in the incredible views of just sea and horizon – it was breathtakingly beautiful and it feels like you’re on top of the world. I also spent time learning how to splice and whip ropes, how to make a heaving line and tie a Monkey’s Fist. I was the youngest person on this trip (at 16) and I took part in a scheme called Youth Leadership@Sea.

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This involved learning more about the running of the ship and required me to practise leading a watch, taking control of setting the square sails and learning how to plot on and use charts with latitude and longitude. My main task was to make a log line – a piece of equipment traditionally used to measure the speed of a ship in knots (nautical miles per hour). I spent some time in the Engineer’s workshop creating it, and then prepared and presented a short speech to the crew all about the log line and its origins. After departing Halifax we headed south to Lunenburg and then out to sea. That was the last time we saw land for two weeks, and what an amazing two weeks they were! Every sunrise and sunset was witnessed and so many bonds of friendship were made. We got into a really good rhythm of day-to-day life at sea, including daily ’Happy Hour’, when all the crew works together to clean the ship – scrubbing decks, hoovering floors, washing the heads (toilets), shining the brass in the chart room and making the ship sparkle, before a cup of coffee and freshly baked cake at ‘Smoko’. 1,500 nautical miles later we arrived in the sunny, hot and volcanic islands of the Azores. The land there was incredibly green and lush, and we spent four glorious days visiting the island of Faial with the most beautiful lighthouse I’ve ever seen, at Capelinhos. After swimming in the 26ºC sea and enjoying the local delicacies, we set sail again but this time for London, a further 1,500nm away. Dark days lay ahead however as the bad weather set in and we faced the elements - thunder and lightning hit us hard with massive squalls, five-metre swells and force-eight gusts – almost too rough for the sails. However it didn’t dampen our spirits as we kept making each other laugh and we sang songs to drive away the rain. In the Channel things started to get exciting for those on look-out: there was an increase in marine traffic, and also dolphins! A school of twenty dolphins swam alongside the ship and it was an amazing and very beautiful sight, to see them playing in the waves and at the bow of the ship. Heading up the Thames, it felt like I’d been on board Nellie for about two weeks, let alone five, and so much had happened! We had an amazing grand finale for our voyage – Tower Bridge was raised for us and the Royal Marines and a

quartet of Buglers welcomed us as we moored up alongside HMS Belfast. It was a very emotional time, marking the end of the most exciting adventure of my life so far with amazing people by my side; something I will never forget and will treasure forever. There were tough times, such as helming the ship out of the dock in Faial, Azores with the Captain and Engineers standing beside me giving me orders, with me thinking ‘I have control of this fourhundred tonne ship and it’s so big and I don’t want to get this wrong!’, but there were also the best times of my life yet. One my favourite moments was on the midnight to 0400 watch: I would love to lie on deck and gaze up at the starry skies, spotting every

constellation and shooting star, whilst the boat rocked and the mast swayed against the star-lit backdrop of the heavens. And if there were dolphins swimming by the ship at night, they would look like torpedoes because they would disturb the tiny microorganisms in the water called ‘phosphorescence’ which emit light when agitated, and as the dolphins swam they would leave a trail of light behind them – it was truly magical. My voyage on Lord Nelson was the most exciting, exhilarating, challenging and utterly amazing thing I’ve ever done in my life so far and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone and everyone out there seeking an adventure and the time of their life, because life on land is good, but life at sea is better. Jess House, LVI

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Careers Convention, March 2015

This annual event is a celebration of careers guidance and encourages education providers to bring together students, local employers and advisers through various careers activities. Events arranged at St Peter’s during the week included informative talks on careers in the NHS, engineering and zoology and the importance of work experience in pursuing them. The Careers Convention was the culmination of the week’s activities. Held in the Memorial Hall, the Convention was open to pupils in the fifth- and lower-sixth forms, and welcomed more than 65 guests from a variety of industries. BBC Look North presenter and Old Peterite Harry Gration opened the event.

Work Experience Highlights Whilst our pupils are encouraged to engage with work experience from fourth form onwards, we occasionally come across pupils who have had the most extraordinary experiences, which we would like to share. Tom Pycock recently travelled down from York to the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre near Exeter for a five-day insight course: Day 1. We were greeted by a commando who promptly led us to the officers’ accommodation. Following an opening address and safety briefing we were then led down to the stores where we collected kit. Day 2. We woke up at 7:00 am and all headed to breakfast, then over to Woodbury Common where we were introduced to the endurance course: a series of 30m tunnels, pitch black with sharp corners. Recruits have 73 minutes to pass this test and must carry 21lbs of equipment and a rifle and for officers it must be completed even quicker! After lunch we had a lecture on weapons which gave us an insight into what the Royal Marines did with these weapons.

Head of Careers and HE, Mrs Penny Bollands said: ‘The whole week has been a great success. We have had a high turnout at all events and a fantastic variety of people from many professions talking to pupils about their careers.’

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Day 3. Was filled with a gym test which was a mock for the POC (Potential Officers Course). This involved aiming for 13 on the bleep test, 60 press-ups and 80 sit-ups all in two minutes. After this we got changed and were introduced to the swimming phase of training which involved jumping off a platform into the water, followed by a swim and then having to tread water. After lunch we were introduced to the assault course. This was followed by performing a regain, which was a 30-foot-long rope above a giant pool of water,

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the regain involved dangling then pulling ourselves back up. At the end we were all told to let go and that we had to swim (which was very hard in boots!) back out. After this we were told to prepare for our lectures which we could do on anything as long as we spoke for three minutes. Day 4. We headed out to perform the three-mile run. The first half was run as a group in ranks, however, on the way back it had to be completed in under ten minutes and was an individual run. Day 5. After having breakfast and returning our kit, the instructor went through our scores, then following our debrief, it was time for us to go. Overall the trip was an experience of a lifetime and a definite ‘must’ if you are interested in the Royal Marines. Ben Bond applied for, and was accepted onto, the PwC Business Insight Week: Not your average week’s work experience …that is how I would have described my Business Insight Week at PwC. The selection process started way back in March, with 1300 applicants for only 50 places! Sending off my application, psychometric testing and finally a telephone interview was the procedure I had to go through before I was given an offer. More like your UCAS application than just applying for work experience. However, despite the tedious, tense and perhaps long-winded nature of the process as it felt at the time, it certainly did teach me a lot of very valuable skills, such as making sure you are prepared for an interview and how to write an effective personal statement. Birmingham was the location to attend an introductory day to learn a bit more about PwC: who they are, what they do and why they are the best professional services firm in the UK. During the course of this day there were multiple presentations and activities that gave us insight into the services that they offer. For the rest of the week I was based in Leeds. During my time in the Leeds office I experienced what it was like to work in both the tax and assurance practices. I was expected to execute all of the tasks that any other employee of the firm would, eg I had to conduct part of an audit for a client as well as doing the tax returns for another.

The week culminated in a competition. We were required to create a concept for a client of PwC and pitch our idea to them. If we were successful we would open up a new link for PwC allowing them to boost their revenue, and if that wasn’t daunting enough we were competing against other teams from around the country. Luckily my team came up with an idea that the client really liked and therefore selected our model to be used as a base for a totally new branch of their firm. Not bad considering that we only had three hours to do it. In order to discuss this further, my team and I were invited down to Tower Bridge to attend lunch with the Head of Student Recruitment for PwC and the Head of Student Recruitment for the firm we had pitched to. What a week it was.’ Mrs Sharon Hogg

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City of York Independent/State School Partnership York’s Independent/State School Partnership (ISSP) continues to flourish and its ever-increasing programme of events offered a superb array of opportunities this year to pupils across the city. Staff and students from St Peter’s were heavily involved yet again and contributed to our busiest and most successful year yet. October half-term offered its first ISSP event of the year where third-form pupils were given the opportunity to attend ISSP’s first residential course in Brathay, Ambleside. Pupils from York were given the opportunity to study a variety of courses and take part in a number of gruelling outdoor activities. Places were limited and, as always with ISSP, they were oversubscribed, nevertheless Felix Fraser-Krauss from St Peter’s was lucky enough to gain a place. In November nine pupils from the fourth to upper-sixth form visited the University of York’s Centre for the first Applied Human Rights evening entitled ‘Opinionate’. This was an excellent opportunity for pupils to debate questions on legal and political aspects of human rights. February saw the second ‘Opinionate’ event for our senior pupils. News of the first event must have spread as we took an impressive fifteen pupils from the third to the sixth form to this event. Here pupils were again able to debate issues surrounding human rights, focusing on women’s rights (the ‘He for She’ campaign) and Immigration. March is always the busiest time of year for ISSP as it sees the annual Masterclass programme, and this year had the most challenging and exciting programme yet. We were honoured to hold this event here at St Peter’s School. This year the classes were held over three consecutive Saturday afternoons where the event

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sought to challenge 180 pupils aged 13-18 from schools across York. The question addressed through this year’s Masterclasses was ‘What is a human?’ Pupils were encouraged to explore this question in any way that interested them, whether they chose to follow a scientific, creative arts or humanities approach. The pupils also examined the philosophy of the question, considering it from a range of different perspectives. These were again highly popular and successful and have carved the way for a new format of masterclasses to be repeated in future years. In June we travelled back again to the University of York for the junior ‘Opinionate’ event where pupils from the third form and St Olave’s were invited to attend this Human Rights event. This proved so popular that ISSP had to restrict numbers as it was oversubscribed. We also re-launched our GCSE Latin course in June, where we offer Latin GCSE to pupils whose schools do not deliver the subject themselves. Third-form pupils are selected from the eight state schools in the ISSP to take part in this course, during which around five years of Latin is taught in just 2 years, to achieve a full GCSE qualification at the end of the fourth-form year. Competition for this is always great and so we welcomed 52 pupils into St Peter’s to sit an exam to gain a place in the class of 30 under the talented leadership of our very own Mr Vann. We ended the year with a half-day conference held at York High School for the third form. The theme of the conference was ‘Confidence, Inspiration and Motivation’. This was a fitting end for a busy year with ISSP where events really do help to inspire and motivate all our enthusiastic and interested young minds. Mrs Ella Mallard

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St Peter’s Challenge Senior Competition The Christmas term saw the welcome return of the ever popular St Peter’s Challenge competition. Each week, pairs of houses competed against each other, answering an array of general knowledge questions. It was very obvious from the start of the competition that this would be tightly-fought – and that its growth in popularity quickly moved us out of classrooms and into the arena that was the Lecture Theatre and Mr Smith’s lab! After five rounds we had reached the semi-finals where Queen’s took on Temple, and Linton played School. After impressive displays of knowledge and quick buzzer skills we saw Queen’s and Linton progress to the final, where Queen’s were victorious, winning by 580 to 230. Congratulations to the Queen’s team and to all involved in the competition. This is a superb house event and is always an impressive display of our pupils’ general knowledge and their wonderful house spirit! A huge thank-you to all who took part, helped out and came along to support!

Staff versus Monitors The end of term brought with it the entertainment that is the Staff versus Monitors match. The Monitors put up a very strong team of Alistair Duffey, Patrick Litten, Ben Turvill and Helen Megone but they were defeated 360-160 by the staff ‘dream team’ of Mrs Lawrence, Mrs Dawson, Mr Gwilliam and Mr Vann. Thank-you to all involved – and a special thanks to Mr Lawrence for writing the questions.

Junior Competition In the summer term it was the turn of the third and form forms to display their talents in the junior competition. Once again we witnessed some superb matches, displaying our wonderful house spirit and the breadth of our pupils’ knowledge. The semi-finals and final were much anticipated (as we had to wait until Exploration Week and exam week were over to conclude

the competition). The final was played out in the last week of term on a very hot Tuesday lunchtime. We saw very impressive teams from The Grove and Temple battle it out with The Grove winning 270 to 110. The interest and participation in this competition is a credit to the school as all houses managed to get many of their third and fourth form involved (many teams swapped players each week to allow many students to participate). It not only displays a great house spirit but also shows off the diverse (and numerous) talents of our pupils. Mrs Ella Mallard

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National Schools’ Challenge Competition

St Peter’s entered the National Challenge competition for the second time this year. This general knowledge quiz competition has been running since 1978 and attracts entrants from across the UK. And this was certainly our most exciting and successful year yet … The first round of the competition saw the team of Patrick Litten, Edward Kettleborough, Jack Lawrence and Daniel Hicks travel to Ripon to play Ripon Grammar School. In a thrilling game the team won by a score of 760-740, with the match coming down to the very last starter question: ‘Where was the Prophet Muhammad born?’ This was correctly answered by our captain, Patrick. This drew the scores level and answering two bonus questions before the gong gave us the narrow victory. The answer, of course, was Mecca. St Peter’s School then travelled to Lincolnshire where the team of Edward Kettleborough (captain), Luis Fox, Daniel Hicks and Rebecca Dowson played King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth. St Peter’s team had a rather slow start but then began to wake up and get into their stride. It was a tense competition with the teams on 370 points each with five minutes to go. But then with a string of starter questions and full bonuses awarded to our team, they finished the game in spectacular style (570-490) to progress into the regional finals of the Schools’ Challenge Competition.

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Thankfully we didn’t have to travel far for the Northern final as the match between St Peter’s and Wingfield Academy, Rotherham was held in the Memorial Hall at St Peter’s. Home support certainly helped our team to a 700-530 win as they were against formidable opponents who were so quick on their buzzers that we had to rely on stealing bonus questions to clinch victory. This win gave us the Northern Challenge prize and led us into the national semi-finals where we played Calday Grange Grammar School from the Wirral to decide who would go through to the national final. Unfortunately our winning streak came to an end in this competition; after a close-fought match, Calday Grammar edged a win with 720 points to our 650. This was the furthest we have progressed in this competition and was a superb achievement. Our team had the breadth of knowledge necessary to impress and my thanks go to all who participated, for offering what was always an entertaining, informative and nail-biting half hour of general knowledge quizzing. My thanks also go to Mr Lawrence for all his help and support (and for travelling all the way to Liverpool). And congratulations go to all pupils involved in the competition this term. Mrs Ella Mallard

Creative & Cultural

Drama Guys and Dolls With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and first premiered in 1950, this great Broadway show is still ranked amongst the most popular musicals and we were delighted to stage a full production here at the end of November 2014. Based on short stories by Damon Runyon written in the 1920s and 1930s, the musical is set in New York and tells the tale of the underground gambling scene of that period.

With a large cast, crew and orchestral players drawn from the student body of the school, we had over fifty pupils involved overall to help bring this project to life. The early part of our production run was mostly focused on the musical numbers, and we were very fortunate to secure the help of choreographer Hayley del Sanderson, which allowed us to incorporate some slick dance routines and involve the whole cast in these at times. Both Mr Wright and Mr Spencer provided me with welcome support, running simultaneous rehearsals of various groups each week, allowing us to learn the music quickly and efficiently. Miss Lindley’s direction had already been characterising and enlivening the musical numbers during the first half of term, and she then set about linking the dialogue and action into the musical numbers in earnest after half-term, with help from Mr Miller. It was at that point that the cast fully realised the size of the task in hand, with a first act of an hour and 15 minutes and a second act of 45 minutes to learn and raise to performance standard.

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The week before the show a fantastic set appeared designed by Miss Lindley and Miss Burns, our new technical director, which transformed the Memorial Hall into a proper theatre space. The show also benefited greatly from a first-class lighting rig, created and run by Miss Burns, and the most advanced sound set-up we have used so far operated by Mr Wright, assisted by Lizzie Whiter. This gave the whole cast a huge lift and started the excitement that was to flow into the performances in the following week. From the first night to the last, the whole company worked as a team to deliver a highly entertaining production. The cast had reached a really good understanding of the play and was able to communicate the ropey ‘jokes’ and questionable plot, which is underpinned by the casual sexism typical of that era, so that the large audiences were comfortable and able to laugh generously at the sentiment of the lines, rather than with them. The musical numbers were also enriched by a 17-piece orchestra, composed of students, academic staff and visiting music teachers, which brought a warm sound-world to the show. Mr Spencer, as he has done on so many productions, supported my musical direction from the piano at the heart of this ensemble.

Adelaide linked all the physical, vocal and ‘psychological’ elements of her character together to powerful effect opposite Toby McGill’s smooth Nathan Detroit. The mischievous trio of Sam Lightwing as Nicely, Nicely, Peter Gray as Benny Southstreet and Max McLeish as Rusty Charlie delighted the audience with some hilarious scenes and tuneful singing, with Sam’s Sit down, you’re rocking the boat being a highlight of the production. There were also other memorable solo numbers from Emily Mahon as Mimi, Pippa Martin in the Havana scene and Charlie Widdicombe as Arvide Abernathy. The larger-than-life gambling characters of Harry the Horse and Big Jule were skilfully played by Duncan Smith and Phil Hodgson, and Emma Walker as the General and Will Hartley as Lieutenant Brannigan both gave strong performances in their supporting roles.

There were some fine individual performances. Ben Turvill as Sky Masterson acted and sang with an assured presence opposite Rosalind Tait’s well-judged, naive Sarah Brown. Emily Brown as

It was, though, very much a team effort, and congratulations should go to all the cast - Hot Box dancers, the Salvation Army and the Gamblers, as well as to our director Miss Lindley, on a highly successful production. My thanks also to the crew, led by Jodi Smith and supported by Mrs Heaton and Mrs Bewers, for their work in creating flow and momentum in the performances and finally to Mrs Appleby for tireless work in the box office and at front of house throughout the run. Mr Paul Miles-Kingston

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Creative & Cultural

Shakespeare Schools’ Festival: Hamlet The Play’s the Thing Twenty-four pupils performed a 30-minute version of Hamlet at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York in October, presenting their work alongside that of three other schools, as part of the Shakespeare Schools’ Festival. This was the third time we have taken part; it is an excellent opportunity to get experience of working in a professional theatre, to meet people in the industry and to see other shortened Shakespeare plays.

The talented ensemble worked incredibly well together to produce a stunning and slick performance. The festival coordinator congratulated the cast on the clarity, volume and expression of their lines as well as their focus and commitment to telling the story. Marcus Thompson (fourth form) delivered a mature and heartfelt performance as Hamlet, absolutely secure in his understanding of the difficult text and with a huge range to capture the emotional journey the character goes through. Claudius (Spencer Ingall) was a calculated and manipulative villain with a conscience, Gertrude (Amelia Bell) was an emotionally unstable, grieving woman with a position in society to maintain, Polonia (Maddie Hunter) was a fierce and independent single mother and Ophelia (Charlotte Hollinrake) was the naive troubled teen whose drowning sequence was visually haunting. Laertes (Toby Johnston) returned with fury for the charged three bouts at the end, choreographed by a professional fight director from Ting Tang theatre company.

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The festival coordinator also congratulated Louise Gould and Emily McDonald, who underscored the production with a live soundtrack they had chosen themselves. She said she knew The X Factor was happening at the moment, but she thought the best singers were on stage in St Peter’s Hamlet! Charles Barry opened the play as the director giving Hamlet’s advice to his players: he said they should ‘hold as ‘twere, the mirror up to nature’ and I think this was one of the play’s huge successes; the actors made the text their own and the events real for the audience. What makes it even more incredible is that they achieved this in such a short rehearsal time.

National Theatre Connections: Remote National Theatre Connections is a nationwide festival which gives pupils the experience of engaging with brand-new writing and performing in a professional theatre. This year’s play was Remote, a fantastic new script by British playwright, Stef Smith, about a girl called Antler (Maddie Day) who steps out of her front door and throws her phone on the ground. She stamps on it. She then climbs the tallest tree in the park. She doesn’t

want to be found, not by anyone. The play sees the lives of seven teenagers intertwine over the course of a single evening. Desk (Charles Barry) has lost his glove and Oil (Marcus Dobson) has lost his girlfriend. Blister (Nathan Goyea) and Skin (Kitty Clapham) terrorise whomever they meet in the park and Crystal

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Creative & Cultural

A-Level In A2 Drama and Theatre Studies pupils have the task of working collaboratively to create a unique and original piece of theatre in response to a stimulus or published play. The two performances 57 Minutes and Down to a Sunless Sea were both imagined and devised by the performers themselves.

(Lucy Butters) is unfortunate enough to run into them. However Finn (Martha Horner) is brave enough to stand up against her former friends. What makes the play particularly special is the importance of the ensemble in allowing us into the conscience of the characters as they narrate their journeys. Twenty-three pupils formed the cast and crew for this production. Lauren Moir made her debut as Stage Manager and worked on the set with Miss Burns. Our partner venue was the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough where the production was performed in April. We had an excellent two days in Scarborough doing the technical rehearsals, watching other plays and completing a workshop. We still found time to eat fish and chips and ice-cream on the beach in the rain.

57 Minutes by Lily Spencer, Anna Thrussell and Emma Walker was a moving piece of theatre focused on the events of 7/7: 2015 marks the tenth anniversary of this tragic day. The title refers to the time over which the four bombs were detonated. The group transformed the drama studio into a tube carriage with the audience sitting in traverse in an intimate space, and the actors as commuters, in close proximity, often sat amongst them. Verbatim text from three survivors was delivered with sincerity and truth reminding the audience this was real life. As the group researched personal accounts of the day they found many references to chance reasons why the commuters were or were not on those particular trains. They used this idea to expertly craft the structure of the play, allowing the audience to determine the order of the scenes by chance whilst the performance was happening. This was a brave and successful venture, giving each performance a live organic feel and challenging the conventions of theatre.

Middle School Plays Since so many fantastic pupils auditioned for the middle school play, the Drama department wanted to embark on a project that allowed the cast to get their teeth into a play and a character. So, instead of one play, thirty-eight pupils became the cast of four playlets, directed by Miss Lindley, Mr Miller and Mrs Wright. We named the collection Folie à Quatre as all four plays presented teenagers who gang together to victimise an individual, and behave collectively in a way they would not alone; sharing the ‘madness’.

Down to a Sunless Sea by Emily Brown, Phil Hodgson and Duncan Smith was a relevant and provocative piece of new writing by the group themselves. It used the notorious holiday destination

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of Kavos as a vehicle to explore the alcohol abuse endemic in ‘Britain abroad’, when social rules and self-respect are seemingly exchanged for indulgent rights of alcohol and shameless fornication. The play followed three teenagers on one such night, as they learned the ultimate consequences of unbridled freedom. In a quick turnaround the drama studio was transformed into a nightclub, complete with strobes and a live DJ to immerse the audience in the atmosphere. The text of Down to a Sunless Sea was raucously funny and silently sad, it was vulgar and poetic. The talented three actors made the audience think, whether they were teachers, parents or pupils and I genuinely believe - from the post-show discussion – that the play may well make a difference to future teenage holidays in a positive way.

Look Up Three groups used a video on YouTube called Look Up by Gary Turk as stimulus to create some devised performances. Look Up is a spoken word film for an online generation. This media we call social, is anything but when we open our computers, and it’s our doors we shut – Gary Turk

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Creative & Cultural

GCSE In April 2015 the GCSE pupils performed a quartet of plays for a full audience, including a visiting external examiner.

illnesses: amnesia, obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. We saw the conditions from the point of view of the patient, the doctor, and family or friends.

Dissocia Charles Dunn, Tom Dowdy, Beth Hartley The Wonderful World of Dissocia by Anthony Neilson is originally a full-length play with 27 characters altogether. The group adapted the text to fit the examination brief. It follows the protagonist Lisa in her real world and her also into her invented world of Dissocia.

100 Eve Bracken, Sophie Gill, Toby Johnston, Sam Lightwing, Tansi Marshall Four characters in ‘the void’ were asked to choose a memory from their lives by The Guide. They were told they would relive this memory for eternity, so it was a very important decision.

Watch Me Vanish Amelia Bell, Eleanor Caley, Edith Norvor, Esme Wright

Anonymous Louise Gould, Gabrielle Richardson, Rowan Tait This play was devised and written by the group themselves. It was inspired by our theatre trip to Gecko’s play Missing and the book The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sachs. It was a case-study of three patients suffering from mental

This play was imagined and put together by the group themselves. It largely used the text from Sarah Kane’s 4:48 Psychosis with some from Crave to examine the psychological state of the playwright herself. Sadly 4:48 Psychosis was Sarah Kane’s final play, as she committed suicide in 1999 before the play was actually performed. The play was revolutionary at this time as it was written without characters, plot or stage directions. The group used this freedom within the text to create a unique piece of theatre. Miss Helen Lindley

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Design and Technology Awards 2015 The annual exhibition of work from GCSE and A-level Design and Technology pupils from St Peter’s School took place on Monday 4 May in the Whitestone Gallery. The projects on display were judged, and the awards presented, by Mr Mike Dawson, Head of Design and Technology at St Peter’s School up until 2007. Work on display included projects influenced by other cultures, MP3 speaker-units, self-assembly products, LED lighting, and five individual projects from the A2 pupils, each identifying their own project brief.

Awards Patrick Hayes (fifth form): A commendation for his MP3 speakers made from veneered plywood and acrylic.

Daniel Kondratiev (fifth form): A commendation for his coffee-table made from American whitewood and shaped plywood forms. Oliver Harvey (lower sixth): An Innovation Award for his LED desk light.

Olivia Whitehouse (fifth form): Cordwainers’ Prize for Design, for her African-inspired seating. New this year, the prize was gifted by Mr David Hobman, Master Cordwainer 2013-14. The Company of Cordwainers is one of the seven York Guilds and Companies still in existence.

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Tom McCullagh (upper sixth): Minster Engineering Award for his adjustable desk, designed to fit with the style of the Apple range of computers.

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Hannah Whitehouse (upper sixth): Dawson Award for Outstanding achievement. The starting point for Hannah’s project was a visit to York Hospital’s Child Development Centre. Children’s physiotherapist Katie Graver identified the need for a piece of equipment to assist young children to learn to use the stairs, and particularly those with cerebral palsy or post-operative rehabilitation. Hannah presented her project at the regional Inspirations Competition at Elvington Air Museum on 25 June, where she received four awards, including the Merchant Adventurers’ Post-16 Challenge Award for the project with the greatest potential to ‘take to market’. Hannah has been invited to the National Big Bang Competition at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham next March. Mr Jon Whitehouse

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Music

Autumn Concert Our first major concert of the academic year was held just before the October half-term break, with a wide variety of our ensembles involved, including the Chapel and Chamber Choirs, the Clarinet Choir, the Guitar Group, both Junior and Senior String Quartets, the Boys’ Barbershop, the Wind Band and the Swing Band. An audience of around 200 enjoyed a range of ensemble repertoire from the Magnificat in G by Sumsion to Two Dances by Granados and there were also solo songs by Gurney sung beautifully by George Pindar, Jack McCartney and Charlie Widdicombe. The Chamber Choir was in very fine form, singing a spiritual, My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord, arranged by Moses Hogan, directed by Keith Wright, and the Barbershop also sang well in an arrangement of Randy Newman’s Dayton, Ohio by the King’s Singers. The Guitar Group as always played with real delicacy and poise in an intricate Andante by Leonhard von Call and both String Quartets produced some lovely sounds. The Wind Band was under the direction of our new Head of

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Instrumental Music, Dr Iain Harrison, and provided a rousing start to the second half with a concert march by Osterling and the Mancini classic Baby Elephant Walk. The Swing Band closed the evening with a punchy arrangement of Stevie Wonder’s driving 70s funk song, I Wish.

Evensong in York Minster The Chapel Choir sang a lovely Evensong service in York Minster on 17 November. Beginning with the bouncy, early baroque Responses by Ayleward, the choir continued into Psalm 89, producing some beautiful phrasing. The canticles were Sumsion’s lyrical Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G with the arch-shaped lines evoking the geography of the Malvern Hills, where the composer lived and worked. The highlight of the service was though perhaps the dramatic rendition of Balfour Gardiner’s Evening Hymn, a grand composition in a late Romantic style, that allowed the choir to demonstrate their rich sound. We were as ever supported by Mr Wright’s assured accompaniment on the organ throughout.

Creative & Cultural

It is always a pleasure to be in our ‘home’ Cathedral, and to continue the long historical association between our two institutions.

Christmas Concerts We enjoyed lots of festive music in these two concerts, with a range of ensembles playing a wide variety of repertoire. The Wind Band set the tone with their Christmas at the movies and Sleigh Ride. This was followed by a complete performance of the Christmas Concerto by Corelli from the String Orchestra, which provided a lovely contrast and allowed some of our players an opportunity to take on solo parts.

To finish, the School Choir performed an extended medley of music from the hit Disney film Frozen and our Head Boy, Ben Turvill, delighted the audience with a cameo appearance as the snowman ‘Olaf’. Perhaps not the highlight of Ben’s notable dramatic career so far, but certainly a contrast to his Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls the previous week! It was a fun evening and my thanks to all the staff and pupils involved.

The second half started with an atmospheric rendition of Rubbra’s two Christmas songs, A hymn to the Virgin and Jesukin with our Head Girl, Sally Hicks, singing beautifully accompanied by Lily Kirkby and Felicity Edwards on the harp. We then moved into full ‘cabaret’ mode with the Boys’ Barbershop and the Barbieshop performing arrangements of well-known Christmas pop classics, such as Rockin’ around the Christmas tree and Santa Baby. It was good to see all three numbers in the boys’ set arranged by members of the group. Mrs Blood’s Flute Group showed great promise, with many middle-school players involved, and the Swing Band swung through Winter Wonderland and Let it Snow with some fine improvised solos.

Carol Service It was a lovely service this year in the Minster, even though it was once again a chilly one! Rosie McLeish (third form, Queen’s) delivered a poised solo first verse of Once in Royal David’s City to start the service, and our three choirs went on to sing well throughout.

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Highlights included a well-phrased performance of A Tender Shoot by Goldschmidt from the Chamber Choir, and a memorable baritone solo in The Three Kings by Cornelius from our Head Boy Chorister, Charlie Widdicombe. The Brass Ensemble provided their customary strong support to the congregational hymn singing, and Mr Wright kept us all on track with his assured playing on the organ. Our students and staff also read their lessons with real clarity as we re-visited the timeless story of Christmas.

Senior Music Festival The pupils produced some lovely performances in the festival this year, with many highlights. We heard 97 individual performances in the rounds before half-term and 30 were put through into the finals. We welcomed Dr Alasdair Jamieson as our adjudicator, who teaches in the Music Department at Durham University and has been conductor of York Opera for 25 years and York Symphony Orchestra for the past 10 years. He spoke with authority and

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humour in his feedback to the pupils and commented afterwards on the ‘formidable standard of playing and singing that was a credit to the school’. Even more important though was the warm atmosphere in the hall, with many parents, staff and pupils clearly enjoying all the playing and providing the performers with a supportive platform throughout the evening. The winners of the categories were as follows: Tuned Percussion

Alistair Duffey (xylophone)

Guitar

Joshua Ramalingam

Woodwind

Stephanie Frankland (alto saxophone), with Libby Brown (clarinet) highly commended

Girls’ Singing

Rosalind Tait, with Jemima Jordan highly commended

Brass

Max McLeish (trombone), with Edmund Meredith Clark (horn) highly commended

Drum Kit

Min Lee

Strings

Max McLeish (cello), with Jack McCartney (violin) highly commended

Creative & Cultural

Boys’ Singing

Sam Lightwing, with Charlie Widdicombe and Peter Gray highly commended

Choral Society Concert

Piano

George Pindar

This year we gathered at the Central Hall of the University of York for our annual choral and orchestral concert in March. The Wind Band provided an upbeat start with the rousing English Folksong Suite by Vaughan Williams, directed by Dr Harrison. This arrangement of various well-known English folk melodies gave the band plenty of opportunity to express themselves with a wide dynamic range and many enjoyable moments. Following this, Libby Brown produced some beautiful solo playing in Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, supported by the String Orchestra and directed by Mr Wright. Libby had put in many months of hard work to learn the entire concerto and this was a memorable performance, blending technical wizardry with warm, lyrical phrasing.

The winner of the Senior Music Festival Prize for 2015 was Stephanie Frankland for a virtuosic performance of Pequeña Czarda by Petro Itturalde. Mr Paul Miles-Kingston

Evensong in St Paul’s Cathedral On Monday 9 March, the Chapel Choir travelled to London to sing Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral, London and although we found ourselves walking in circles around King’s Cross we arrived early at the cathedral. After a short rehearsal we were lucky enough to go up to the Whispering Gallery and then, for those of us who had a head for heights, we went right up to the Golden Gallery. After scaling at least 200 steps, we were greeted by a mesmerising view overlooking the city. The relief on Mr Miles-Kingston’s face was clear when we all safely returned to ground level! Evensong was a resounding success: particular highlights were the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis from the Fourth Service by Batten (a former Organist of St Paul’s) a committed performance; of Henry Purcell’s anthem Remember not, Lord, our offences; and managing to cope with the eight-second acoustic! Having received many positive comments, we were rewarded with a trip to Pizza Express. Our thanks go to the teachers who successfully managed to supervise 53 students through the busy streets of London and special thanks should, of course, go to Mr Miles-Kingston and Mr Wright for their superb conducting and organ-playing.

The second half involved the School Choir and our Choral Society: around 220 voices in all. The Mozart Missa brevis in F, written when the composer was only 18, was sung with plenty of bounce and agility by such a large choir and the solo quartet of Sally Hicks, Fenella Hayes, Will Hartley and Charlie Widdicombe produced some lovely sounds. Vivaldi’s famous Gloria then closed the concert, with both the choir and soloists really enjoying this well-written masterwork and singing with vibrancy and elegance. Particular mention should be made of the accomplished singing of Fleur Booth in her duet with Mrs Goodson and the beautiful cello playing of Max McLeish in several movements. Mr Paul Miles-Kingston … and a pupil’s view: It was a tremendous privilege to be part of such a wonderful musical menagerie as that which St Peter’s put on in the University of York’s Central Hall on Tuesday 24 March 2015.

Charlie Widdicombe and Sally Hicks, UVI

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The Wind Band started proceedings with their wonderfully evocative and ebullient rendition of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Song Suite which was conducted in an appropriately energetic style by Dr Harrison. The joyful image of our ‘green and present land’ was realised for all. However, the eagleeyed amongst the audience members would have noticed that Libby Brown, the Head of Wind Band, was not present during their performance. Rather she was preparing for her tour de force performance of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. Half an hour peeled away as the audience feasted blissfully upon the aesthetic utopia of Mozart’s transcendent genius with Libby, as clarinet soloist, as our conduit. Her spellbinding, preternatural performance was a veritable pageant of musical technical fluidity. Never was a bouquet of flowers more deserved! We then moved on to another Mozart piece, his Missa brevis in F. This being Mozart, ‘brevis’ is a term that must be used ambiguously to describe around half an hour of devotional music

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composed at the tender age of 18. It is a piece full of the joys and tribulations of youth, and we had four accomplished young people as our soloists: soprano Sally Hicks, alto Fenella Hayes, tenor William Hartley and bass Charlie Widdecombe. The reward of such an opportunity was richly deserved by these four uppersixth formers who, throughout their musical careers at St Peter’s, have shown the greatest dedication to the art form. They displayed a great range of skills, lavishing both the solo and soli lines and co-ordinating with one another, the school choir and the orchestra wonderfully.

Indeed, the large pieces involving the St Peter’s School Choir and Choral Society were a wonderful exhibition of the plethora of musical talents at our school. The singers excelled themselves with committed and rousing performances of the Missa brevis, and Vivaldi’s famous Gloria. They were supported in both by a reduced orchestra of highly skilled pupils and teachers and in the latter by another round of soloists. Fleur Booth responded heroically to what was essentially an eleventh-hour call-up by Mr Miles-Kingston to sing the second soprano in the Laudamus te movement of the

Creative & Cultural

Gloria. Miss Judith Cunnold, on the first soprano solo line, and Miss Laura Baldwin (who also responded heroically at the last minute) as the alto complemented each other marvellously and brought fantastic professional technical expertise to Vivaldi’s masterpiece. The concert was, therefore, of a very high standard with our Peterite performers keeping up with the professionals, and profiting from the experience of sharing the stage with learned artists. Great thanks must of course go to Mr Miles-Kingston, Mr Wright and Mrs Appleby for their tireless efforts in making the concert such an artistic and logistical success. The concert was, of course, only a brief tableau of the marvellous music making that flourishes all through the year at St Peter’s, and which manifests itself in such wonderful displays as this concert precisely because of their stewardship. They gave all the upper-sixth performers, and particularly the soloists, a wonderful experience by which to commemorate their musical careers at the school. Benedict Turvill, UVI

Junior Music Festival This was an enjoyable evening of music-making with an appreciative audience of parents, friends and staff. Our adjudicator this year was Gareth Green, formerly Director of Music at QEGS, Wakefield, and a senior ABRSM examiner. He gave both positive and constructive feedback for the pupils, highlighting commendable features of each performance and also offering thoughts on how the playing or singing could be taken to the next level. The winners of the categories were as follows: Piano

Felicity Edwards, with Anthony Lam highly commended

Girls’ Singing

Isabella Crook, with Rosie McLeish highly commended

Brass

Jack Hargrave (trombone)

Harp

Felicity Edwards

Woodwind

Phoebe Hall (flute)

Boys’ Singing

Alexander Leahy

Strings

Rosie McLeish (viola)

The winner of the Junior Music Festival Prize for the outstanding performance of the evening went to Isabella Crook for her beautiful interpretation of Fauré’s Après un Rêve in the girls’ singing class.

Cabaret Concerts I had such a good time directing the show this year. Although the lack of rehearsal time is always a bit hairraising, I was fortunate to have a very talented group of upper sixth-form soloists who were really focused and had good suggestions for repertoire from the outset. With a mixture of principals from Guys and Dolls and established soloists from our concert programme, their combined experience was never going to let us down. The Swing Band had also been working really hard throughout the year on fine

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detail, picking up on elements of articulation and style, and this showed in their confident and assured individual items and their accompaniments. The Memorial Hall was absolutely packed on both nights. We were treated to some well-known swing charts with various soloists, featuring the popular songs Beyond the Sea, The Lady is a Tramp, Feeling Good and Minnie the Moocher, an audience participation number led by our Head Boy, Ben Turvill. This worked very well in contrast to the atmospheric, slower ballads supported by students and staff on the piano, or with the rhythm section only, with the songs Skinny Love, Feels like Home, Like a Star and I Can’t Make you Love Me. There was then a combination of the two styles in Saving all my Love for You. It was also a pleasure to feature the instrumental charts Sing, Sing, Sing and The Shadow of your Smile with solo drumming and solo saxophone playing respectively. The Little Big Band and Chamber Choir were in entertaining form, and the Barbieshop set was a particular highlight with some

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really tight ensemble singing and strong solo performances. I was delighted to see the Barbershop sing the original song Cold Stranger, composed especially for the occasion with music by Max McLeish and Charlie Widdicombe and words by Ben Turvill. Before the boys’ set, the audience also really enjoyed the impromptu item I Wanna be like You performed and rehearsed entirely by the pupils involved. However, for me the most memorable moments of the evening were the School Choir’s performances of songs from The Sound of Music, marking the 50th anniversary of the film and providing

Creative & Cultural

an emotional farewell to Mrs Jane Dawson, who is retiring this year and has been such a support to the Music School during her long career in the school. As always my thanks to all the staff who helped me on the show, especially the full-time Music team of Keith Wright, Iain Harrison and Jo Appleby and my colleagues David Spencer, Sara Burns, Mark Edwards, Richard Myhill and of course Mrs M-K!’

Instrumental and Singing Examinations This has been another strong year for our instrumentalists and singers in their public examinations. We congratulate the following on achieving these successes at the highest level, Grade 8: Jack McCartney

Piano

Ellie Richardson

Trumpet

Sarah Willis

Singing

Will Hartley

Singing

Merit

Will Hartley

Trumpet

Merit

Sally Hicks

Clarinet

Merit

Sally Hicks

Piano

Merit

Will Kimpson

Saxophone

Merit

Sam Lightwing

Clarinet

Merit

Josh Ramalingam

Guitar

Merit

Katherine Spencer

Piano

Merit

Helen Taylor

Piano

Merit

Ben Turvill

Saxophone

Merit

Robbie Brown

Trumpet

Distinction

Peter Gray

Bassoon

Distinction

Jemima Jordan

Singing

Distinction

George Pindar

Singing

Distinction

Anna Stephens

Clarinet

Distinction

Charlie Widdicombe

Piano

Distinction

We also had a wonderful success for a new lower sixth former in her DipABRSM diploma examination: Stephanie Frankland passed her saxophone performance with distinction.

Commemoration Service We were again in the majestic surroundings of York Minster for our service this year. The Brass Ensemble played a wide range of repertoire before the service, which they were later to perform on tour in Chartres Cathedral and St Sulpice, Paris. The Chamber Choir then began with Palestrina’s beautiful motet, Tu es Petrus, sung from the West End. Both the School and Chapel Choirs contributed canticles to the service and the Chapel Choir’s performance of Henry Balfour Gardiner’s Evening Hymn was a highlight. We welcomed Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore as our speaker this year. Professor Blakemore is a leading authority on the connection between neuroscience and education and gave a fascinating address about the adolescent brain, its development and the ability to continue learning. The Head Master also delivered a speech on this year’s achievements and pupils and staff read lessons and led prayers. Mr Paul Miles-Kingston

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Creative Writing The English Department: in and out of the classroom There was a distinctly Gothic feel to our trips out and about at the start of the year. We started with Dracula: the ballet. Yes – vampires in tights, which did a great deal to kick-start enthusiasm for studying the genre and the production underpinned some of the key Gothic tropes we were set to explore for the rest of the year without a great deal of subtlety! We then visited Haworth and were given a fascinating insight into Brontë life by the education department’s wonderful tutor. It was, happily, a misty, damp and suitably Wuthering Heights type of day, with Toby Latham dealing admirably with slippery Victorian cobblestones whilst on crutches. As draining for him but slightly more cosmopolitan was our trip to London, where we visited the Terror and Wonder exhibition at the British Library (the actual draft of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, complete with marginal notes by Percy Bysshe Shelley) and then on to the National Gallery where our expert-in-transit Mr Hall gave us a fantastic lecture on Gothic art, standing in front of the seminal works The Fighting Temeraire and An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump. Back to York, then, to see the National Theatre’s version of Frankenstein beamed into the cinema, with Benedict Cumberbatch as the creature and Jonny Lee Miller as an excessive, over-excitable Victor Frankenstein. Less Gothic but as edifying was a visit to see Andrew Motion speak at Bootham School, as part of the York ISSP scheme, and we welcomed poet Shash Trevett to speak, both at one of Keystone magazine’s regular Tuesday meetings and also as part of the York Literature Festival. In conjunction with the library,

we welcomed acclaimed young adult author Anthony McGowan, Carnegie Medal short-lister and creator of The Knife that Killed Me, made into a recent film. This leads us nicely on to our creative writing section. The first few extracts were born of the creative writing workshop led by Anthony McGowan: opening paragraphs with one of his own (true) stories as stimulus material. The question we faced: did he or did he not shoot the dog with the crossbow? We were gods. We carried death. Yesterday will always be scratched into our minds. ‘You did this, you fix it,’ kept replaying to me. How could I ever forget those large brown eyes and the almost silent whimper? Charles Barry, IV The crossbow feels heavy. It’s a crucifix capable of the most sinful of sins. Chris and I have dreamt of a moment such as this. Finally, the power of such a destructive weapon is the push of a finger away from death itself. Jack Lawrence, IV The air was filled with a sense of opportunity, a sense of wonder and yet something also seemed indifferent about that day. The dew lay calm on the grass. We trampled naively through the dense greenery and death crept closer and closer. Jack Williams, IV Chris walks away from his friend. His hands are cold and wet against the weighted metal crossbow, the moisture a result of the cool morning mist condensing on his fevered, panicked body. Or maybe it’s the blood. Maddie Day, IV The Creative Writing Competition this year was launched as a voluntary activity but also as a curriculum initiative, with all year-groups involved in one way or another. Below is a sample of a range of work, some with a common stimulus and some completely unique. The winners of each category were invited to share their writing in Chapel and they did so with great composure. We look forward to even greater participation next year. Mrs Jo Lawrence

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Cold Control Although it hasn’t snowed since, I can still effortlessly visualise last winter like it had only just passed. What I remember the most was waking up a few mornings to a delicate glimpse of sunlight which shone through the crack in my emotionless curtains and melted the icicles that formed when the sun had done its day of work from the day before. I usually spent my mornings outside, either plodding through the piled-up snow piles which were like mountains, or occasionally trying to clear the deserted roads from the evening blizzards which occurred far too frequently. However, I stepped outside one frosty morning to see what the weather witch had left for us, even though I wasn’t expecting anything new and then the silence hit me like a snowball in the face. Drip! Drop! The only sound that was to be heard was of the melting snow drops that had built up around the front door frame. Painfully, the frosty air pierced my skin like an elusive pinprick as I stepped further into the sheet of snow. Describing each morning as a surprise was irrelevant last winter because I knew that I would wake up to the same view every day. The trees were deprived of life. They lost their ability to dance and sway. Sadly, their life-like characteristics vanished. I pressed my warm cheeks against the icy glass and peered out to the ghostly world. Nothing. No cars or humans dared to destroy the blizzard’s perfect, fresh new blanket. I only saw shapes of orange contours which were silhouetting the inside lights of all my neighbours’ houses. My house smelt of friendly reassurance. Maddie Hunter, IV

Changing Rooms The river smokes in the glacial air. A lone boat breaks the tranquil surface, cutting through the veneer of thin ice. Deep under the water the last leaf of autumn is entombed, its auburn tones divide the black abyss. A fragile shell of a tree casts a shadow by the dim orange glow of a nearby streetlamp. Only this disobeys the sombre atmosphere. Thin layers of mud and grass gasp from within the frost, when the ancient pulse of germ and birth is crushed by the cold’s harsh touch. Even if winter for the most part restrains nature around it, as if it had been put on pause, in itself it flourishes; crystal-like snowflakes dance in the dense air to embrace all they rest on, each dainty particle caressing the face of Mother Nature. When the chill confronts my coat, the downy softness of it neutralises the argument. The sharp freeze nibbles on my fingertips with affection like soft kisses. Only my eyes can be seen: the rest encompassed by cloth and leather. Then the crunch from my enraged boots echoes throughout, and gives away my location. Down by the river it is destitute, only the stars to watch me, and by their side the moon, revealing every danger that dares to hide. Behind me looms the boathouse, with its metal shutters plastered with illegible sprays. The harsh brick is painful to look at as it stares at you. Such a rugged building but the slope towards it gives it a kind of importance only understood by those willing to gaze

inside. An inward breath burns the hairs that line my nose; the intensity forces a tear from my eye, warming the flesh it streams onto. Stepping into the changing rooms with others like myself, a wave of steam and a potent odour constrict my airways. Just lines of crammed girls with bare flesh pink from the change in temperature, in a frenzy to escape the claustrophobic atmosphere now created by the sudden intake of other cold souls, scream to be heard over the raucous din. Items of clothing strew the floor, each one as petite as the next. A vest limply hangs on a peg abandoned by its owner long ago, searches to belong. In the corner stands a hockey-stick bearing her battle scars, each one a memory of its own. It seems that puddles of sweat line the foreheads of many of the girls, beads rolling down and dripping off their protruding chins. Warm bites at my frozen fingers and leaves a sting that is paralyzing. Louise Gould, V

The Beach As I approached the beach I could see the golden glow of the sand hitting everything with a bright spectacular show of light. People the size of ants threw themselves against the booming, crashing waves only to be spat out again a few seconds later. A sweet chatter of people drifted through the fresh sea-sprayed air and the shore whispered quietly, unnoticeably beneath the quiet giggles and cries of the ant-like people. As I got closer the colours of the ocean danced and skipped, hovered and gleamed on the sea surface. The sunlight glinted on the warm welcoming sea hypnotically, like thousands of tiny little stars lying calmly across the colours of the universe. The warm salty air squirmed around in my sun-dried throat. I could feel the beach’s warm breath squeeze through the gaps in my hands, making my hair stand on end. The palm trees were the most welcoming family members, waving melodically and warmly through the exhausted air. Kids tripped and stumbled through the rolling windswept dunes trying to run away from their playful friends. Sun rays burst through the amber clouds falling down onto the unsuspecting public. The beaten, battered gulls circled the sky, blocking out the sun in a mess of feathers, scouring the ground for a potential target. Seagulls fought each other in a messy array of clashing greys. As I reached the beach, the soft chatter of children became a mixture of screams, cries, whoops and cheers, but still those gentle whispers from that honey-glazed shore droned on beneath the rabble. Chris Nelson, IV

Shelter from the storm Raindrops race the grey sky, On a bitter and tiresome gale, Forming clods of dark and sodden mud, That fill your boots like pails.

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Your feet ache on as bound up piles, Of cold and faltering meat; Sobriety held by wistful dreams, Of a cosy place to sleep.

the shoreline, to prevent the tide from seizing us into the unfamiliar depths of the ocean. When the tent had been put up and a bonfire started, we finally were able to sit down and enjoy the tranquility of the waves whispering to the sand.

The path you wander forks and snakes, Like an endless family tree, But for all imagination’s sake, A destination can’t be seen; Till a rock, masked by trodden tufts Of wet and slippery grass, Has you fall and crack your skull In a grave and humourless farce.

Wishing for a few moments alone, I withdrew from the campsite and wandered towards the oceanfront, only stopping when I felt waves crashing onto my skin. The coolness of the water contradicted the heat of the humid summer air. Memories of my childhood drifted into my mind, when I used to come to this very beach. Running across the sand, giggling; building what, at the time, seemed to be glorious palaces of sand, fit for a king, but probably looked more like mounds of dirt. I grinned. From what could remember, it was never an exceptionally busy beach, but I had always preferred it that way. It felt freer with less people; more open; more limitless. Like there were no boundaries …

The darkness of your ringing head Drinks in pearlescent scenes, Of days you danced beside a girl, Steeped in sunlight’s precious beams, Who, as you croak a groggy yawn, And tremble, gasping, to your feet, Crowns the hilltop, like sweet dawn, Beaming, naked, from the east. She beseeches you a sorry hand, Amidst the hail and sleet, And bestows to you, on her soft breast, A long unbroken sleep. Duncan Smith, UVI

MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGHLY COMMENDED: Afterglow (extract) The midsummer sun was just kissing the horizon, casting a display of magnificently piercing colours across the evening sky, an abstract painting of crimson, violet, fuchsia, and coral. It was windy, although not an unpleasant, biting wind; it was more of a soft, balmy breeze that just hung in the air. A gentle melody was playing out of the car radio. I reached out, turned a dial to raise the volume and hummed along as the shore came clearer into my view. There was a lack of cars on the road and people on the sand, which I put down to the fact that not many people wanted to be at the beach on a Monday evening, with the exception of my friends and me and a handful of dog walkers. The overpowering scent of salty, sea air became apparent as I jumped out of the now-stationary car and stared at the skyline. Ant-like boats were dotted across the sea, voyaging towards the horizon, causing me to stop and wonder where their destination was. The mass of brilliantly blue water tumbled onto the sand over and over. It was hypnotising. Seagulls squawked over my head, snapping me back to reality. Directly in front of me, the stone steps beckoned. Taking a breath, I ran until I felt the hot sand underfoot, pursuing my two friends, following them down to where they were attempting to construct a tent with great difficulty. I chuckled. Understandably, they had set up far from

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India Reilly, IV

O Conto da Cara Bruxa (extract) The fleshy, stinking fumes instantly escaped from my onceuntouched face. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. I crashed dramatically to the damp, uncomforting sand and did not attempt to rise, but once the horrifying aroma of my magically scorched face diminished, with all my efforts, I arose. The world around me was a deathly black. ‘It must be midnight,’ I thought and therefore returned to the mould that my injured body formed in the beach. Then I remembered. Today’s events flashed with great horror and inexplicable eagerness through my mind; flicking from image to image at high speed; each scene the seedling of a different emotion, yet the most common: fury. She had induced this outrage. She had induced this suffering. She had caused my blindness. I had realized that the darkness of the night was false and that it was in fact my broken sight that accompanied my singed features. Thus, this warm daylight hid from my vision but I could still sense her presence ‘Do you not fight back? Or is it that you are too feeble? What is the matter, sister? Does my presence frighten you? Dare leak those salty tears and I shall rip them from those ducts just as I ripped those pathetic features from your sickening face!’ She was touching me. I felt her sharp, square-toed boot poke me in the side. I did not budge. ‘Wake from your lazy slumber! How could you ever be marked better tha –‘ Before she could finish her satanic words, the third witch was no longer. I changed that day. I looked an easy target. Now, however, I was the unsuspected suspect – I was indeed the stronger one. Everyone said I was. Lucy Dabbs, IV

Creative & Cultural

MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNER: Nwiloedd (extract) ‘Fair is foul and foul is fair, Hover through the fog and filthy air…’ Griff never really liked sunny days. He prefers ‘bad’ weather: rain, grey skies, howling winds. They always seem so much more dynamic. As Griff steps out of the house, he breathes a sigh of contentment. It’s foggy. nwiloedd, as his ma insists on calling it, sticking to her Welsh roots. All he can see is ten feet of muddy ground ahead of him, and then a bank of impenetrable white, covering the rest of his sight. He can’t even see the looming silhouettes of the hills, though he knows they must be there. All is shifting blankness and changing shadows. The world around him drops away, and only he remains. He loves fog. It’s so peaceful and calm. After a moment to collect his thoughts, Griff sets off again for the top field. It was quite windy last night and the gate might’ve blown open, and he can’t have the sheep running away. Aeron refused to come with him ‘though, and just lay down by the door instead, which is odd. He usually jumps at the chance to go out. Perhaps he’s just spooked by the fog. Dogs get frightened by the simplest of things. Anyway, today feels special. There’s something about this morning, something in the air, a smell Griff can’t place. Adventure, maybe? Under his feet, the sodden ground gives way to rocky hillside, dotted with tussocks of hardy grass. As he ascends the slope, half walking, half scrambling, he listens to the sounds or rather, the silence of the valley behind him. The fog seems to block everything, muting and softening the usual rumble of traffic far below. Even the sheep, lost somewhere in the white, keep quiet as if they know something miraculous is going to happen. Griff shakes himself. No, nothing is going to happen. Stop being such a dreamer! He’s always like that, ‘though, always with his head stuck in the clouds, always away, imagining some great personal feat. His mind meanders like a stream flowing through a vast plain and – Stop it! Concentrate! But you’re not doing anything now. You have time to dream. And so, Griff lets his mind wander as he nears the top gate. Ideas and thoughts wander aimlessly through his head. He almost trips over the body. Griff stands, shocked. He lies, dead. The world reels in a silence so profound it hurts his head. Questions race across his mind: Who is he? How did he get here? Is he really dead? His eyes travel over the corpse, from the worn hiking boots, up to his muddy torso, to his bearded, scraggly face and then back down to his throat, which had been ripped open. Yes, he is definitely dead. The smell, the stench, which Griff realizes is not adventure - stupid thought!

but instead blood and rotting flesh overpowers him. He turns away and is sick. The acid taste burns. He is dizzy, light-headed, fainting … Jack Hargrave, IV

UPPER SCHOOL HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Bus Station (extract) I trailed through the bleary dusk as the faint light succumbed to the impending darkness. Night was falling, ushering in drops of rain which transformed into sheets when the wind felt like urging it on. Perfect. The bus station was in sight now; I could see the pathetic light which was flickering spasmodically from the ceiling. Lugging my sagging suitcase behind me, I made for the door. I creaked the grimy glass door open, allowing icy winds to surge through and disrupt the single member unfortunate enough already to be sitting in the dark, damp and dusty room. Bright, brash letters glared menacingly at me from what seemed to be an electric bus timetable. I almost laughed. What would they think of next? DELAY. One innocent word evoking so many feelings of despair. Sighing at the predictable bad luck that hovered over me, I slumped into a sticky seat. This was not ideal. You would be surprised at how devastating the conditions of the hut were compared to that modern encroachment; it stuck out like an authentic Irish accent in a Guiness beer advert. 50 minutes to go. My eyes wandered up to the ceiling where unscreened, flicking lights buzzed and hummed in contradiction with each other. Dingy, black paint was gradually peeling off the ceiling like scabs off an old wound and I couldn’t decide if the tiles, encrusted with filth, were the result of mingling odours of sour breath merged with leakages trailing from the roof or a perfunctory attempt to clean the once crystal white squares with cold water. Loud posters ambushed the walls; slapped on in haphazard ways to casually warn us that we probably have cancer. The irony of the placement of health warnings in what was probably the most highly populated place for microscopic bacteria made me smile. I could feel them seething and swarming beneath my seat: a human’s disregarded gum, a bacteria’s dream. 20 minutes to go. I was almost pleased when the old lady strutted into the room as quietly as an electric saw meeting a 15th century oak knot. Her hot-pink, kitten heels struck a rhythmic tattoo onto the greasy lino floor. At least it was something new. As she perched on the edge of the cleanest looking seat, a dishevelled look became fixed onto her face. She gave me a smile which was all lipstick and only one coat thick, her blonde hair had clearly come from a bottle and she was cadaverously thin. It was clear she has not aged well; her face looked like one of those wardrobe space-saving bags that had had all the air sucked out of it. When wafts of a cheap, fruity

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odour came my way, I think I made my disgust clear. Ten minutes to go. I decided that the Antarctic conditions dwelling outside couldn’t possibly be as bad as being trapped in that shack so I ran to the door, challenging the torrents to stop me. The icy winds stung. I perched on one of the many vacant benches outside, letting the downpour flatten my hair and waited for the delightful ping of the delay sign finally giving in. In the dark. In the rain. In the cold. Jessica Webster, V

I’ve been still for quite a while now, save for the odd bump. It’s been a nice rest after all that anarchy. It’s very dark without my sunny friends though. Receipt’s been very quiet as well. God, I’m bored. Also, there’s been an incessant rumbling sound to go with this all this jiggly wiggly movement I’ve been experiencing, so it’s not been a completely relaxing rest but hey, you can’t have everything –

UPPER SCHOOL WINNER:

Spoke too soon. I can feel the plastic prison heaving and swaying, no, please stop, I already feel a bit nauseous –

Getting the Boot (extract)

Voices. I can hear voices. That was a good bargain. I’ve never paid so little for a pair of boots.

The light blazes down on me, scorching my skin. The heat comes from many suns, lots of suns, all long and rectangular in shape. They are all my friends, and their light is more white than yellow, come to think of it, no, blue actually, yes, a harsh clinical blue, and one sun is blinking now, its fluorescence twitching in regular spasms, it’s becoming really annoying now, I wish it would stop – My companion doesn’t seem to notice. I am attached to him with a piece of black elastic, bound for as long as I can remember. He has skin, like me, and it is a deep mahogany colour. He also has a long stitch running all the way up his body: it looks like a very tidy stitch, I notice, a long line of lattice. I wonder what I look like. I wonder if I look like him – My word, someone is touching me. They’re picking me up; the suns look all the more blinding from this angle, their lights become distorted and askew as I’m manhandled before being dropped on the floor with a feeble plop – Come to think of it, I was hoping to make a more resounding noise than just a plop. More of a bang, or a crack, or a – Zzzziiip. Someone is ripping open my companion, the lattice being torn apart. He doesn’t say anything, doesn’t retaliate, doesn’t fight back. I desperately try to call out for help, but no words come, I begin to panic and I want to scream but – My companion is stitched back together, and relief washes over me. He looks so much better without that unsightly rip in his skin. But my frenzied alarm has no reason to subside; for I am now being carried to a blindingly shiny, white table, and I can see all my friends the suns reflected in its gleaming surface – OK, I’ll just keep quiet. I won’t panic, I won’t say anything. Mind over matter. Breathe in for five seconds, out for five – Before I can even take my first breath, I hear a loud beep and a red flash. Ouch, that hurt. I am being thrust into a plastic bag. Don’t these people know that I will suffocate? I can’t survive in here, amongst these hostile, noisy folds. This bag smells as well, a sweet, cloying smell that reminds me of newness – I am squashed painfully under my companion. I desperately want out. I don’t even have a chance to complain before I meet a new lady who has been thrown into this crinkling, rustling prison. She

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says her name is Receipt, and I see that she is white and papery and covered in symbols. I see the words ‘leather’ (what’s ‘leather’?) and ‘like us on Facebook’ (well, I certainly will not like you, because you have put me in this plastic bag and I want to get out now) –

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What’s a boot? Am I the boot? Concetta Scrimshaw, LVI And finally, overall winner of the competition and therefore of the Skrentny Creative Writing prize and the Poetry Prize, awarded at Commemoration, is Ben Turvill. Here are two poems from a comprehensive collection written over his years at school.

Sonnet 1 I see the snow light glowing from your hair. There is no beauty, not in all of space Of form or character that can compare. Amid the ruckus, the decay, the race That endless stretches in disordered life I find my universe’s rest in you. You are my healing antidote to strife, And gleaming temple of my knowledge true That love in you is beautiful, secure; A force that’s passionate, a great force free, But glorified and noble, true and pure The love that you through love inspire in me. Let us, oh love, enshrine our lives in gold, That we shall never die, together growing old.

In Memoriam Seamus Heaney 1939-2013 I see you crafting poems ripened in the earth. I watch you hone them down, remove all ugly growths That fall so beautiful as shavings cut and skinned from this organic and sustaining ball of life. Such love and care of craft at knife or pen: Potatoes shaping into poems and arts Served up for teaming mouths in hope of peace. The mouths of generations yet to come. Excuse my snatching hands, my teeth That bite and rip, devouring all Grown in the earth that you now feed: Those mud-stained hands, a face I cannot see.

Creative & Cultural

Giles Jagger

Vivian Ko

Chloe Burdass

Upper and Lower Sixth

Emily Brown

Katie Harrison

Abdul Yahaya

Concetta Scrimshaw

Antonia Hedlam-Morley

Maddy Palmer

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Alice Appleby

Lauren Caley

Upper and Lower Sixth

Isabel Hall

Ilana Bartlett

Joseph Copley

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Darja Lapika

Creative & Cultural

Xanthe Cook

Hannah Whitehouse

Lucy Galloway

Sophie Reed

Oliver Harvey

Marianne Spencer

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Charlotte Rose

Upper Sixth Photography

Beatrice Rhodes-Blang

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Emma Walker

Creative & Cultural

Mia Morris

Jack Coulthard

GCSE

Vivian Mok Lucy Leedham

Nicole Moir

Maya Wordsworth

Isabella Cotter

Alice Connolley

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Upper Sixth Fine Art Exhibition

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Postcard Portraits

Señora Dori López

Which three people, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party, and why? Well, both my grandparents died when I was young so I would love to spend a dinner with them so I could get to know them better. Oh and of course my husband, Mr Gwilliam, whom I take everywhere! Which three things relating to St Peter’s would you put in Room 101 and why? From what I understand, Room 101 is a very horrible room so I would never put anything or anyone in it, especially from St Peter’s, because I wouldn’t want to ever go near a room of such negativity myself! What do you consider to be your greatest achievement to date and do you have any unfulfilled ambitions? My greatest achievement would be becoming a mother – twice! I enjoy watching the children grow up day by day and adore looking after them. I try to learn something new each year; so far I am on track! Which three items would you take to a desert island with you and why? Definitely my socks and trainers (they can count as one thing) because I need to jog regularly to release my stress and I am sure it would be very stressful on a desert island! Apart from that, food and water because ideally I would want to stay alive. Which celebrities or public figures do you detest the most and why? Of course, I am not going to mention any names but I do not like those celebrities who seek to be famous just so that they can be noticeable. I believe your life should be spent doing and accomplishing enriching things so that you can enjoy your own life to the maximum. Which aspects of teaching do you like most or hate most? I really love being able to work with children and passing on the knowledge I have by creating new and interesting ways to teach them. The administrative tasks? I don’t love them quite so much! What are your best and worst fashion moments? My best moment would definitely have been on my wedding day – I still like to get my dress out every so often! My worst was the box fringe I used to have in the eighties and the platform shoes I used to wear. They weren’t quite so good! If you weren’t yourself who would you most like to be? I am completely happy with where I am now so I don’t think I would want to be anyone else. How do you imagine Heaven and Hell to be? Hell would just be anywhere with anything nasty for me. I imagine Heaven to be somewhere full of happiness …and good food, of course! Polly Moss, V

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Mrs Ella Mallard Which three people, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party, and why? Lord Byron, because I’m fascinated as to what he was really like … and I’m convinced that he’s terribly handsome! I’d also invite Virginia Woolf – she’d be fascinating. And alongside them, probably Bear Grylls. This is turning out to be a really weird mix!

And what would be on the menu? If Bear Grylls were there, hideous things – like urine! Lord Byron actually had an eating disorder; he would drink loads of soda water with whatever he ate, so maybe he would just have some soda water. I’d probably put steak on the menu, as long as I wasn’t cooking. I’d get Mr Mallard to cook!

What is it about teaching that made you want to do the job? Which aspects of teaching do you love and hate the most? When I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher so that I could tick books and take registers! I wouldn’t do anything else now, though. I don’t think I’d change much about it, but what I don’t like about it is whingeing students and continuous admin; I’d much rather be in the classroom.

What are your best and worst fashion moments? Which three things relating to St Peter’s would you put into Room 101 and why? Saturday school (everyone says that, I’m sure), cropped trousers (which are not allowed anyway but I’d put them in there just to keep them out), and whingeing students.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement to date and do you have any unfulfilled ambitions? My greatest achievement has to be having two children. As for unfulfilled ambitions … I did always want to be a vet, which is in no way similar to what I’m doing now!

Which three items would you take with you to a desert island? Can I take Mr Mallard, Ted, and Oscar?

Which celebrities or public figures do you detest most and why? I hate those ‘celebrities’ who are on Geordie Shore, who are famous for nothing, apart from their hideous behaviour. I hate celebrities who are pseudo rolemodels.

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The best has to be my wedding dress, because it’s the only time in my life I remember being thin! My worst … I once wore a pair of shoes decorated with gold studs to school, and the school got a phone call from a parent at CPS complaining that there was a sixth-former wearing inappropriate shoes – it turned out it was me!

If you weren’t yourself, who would you most like to be? Probably a writer, who wasn’t messed up in some kind of way! I keep thinking I want to be Virginia Woolf or Sylvia Plath, and then I remember that I don’t want to be them, but I want to write like them. You can either go down the J K Rowling route, and make lots of money by writing very little, or you could actually have a talent like Shakespeare … that would be amazing.

How would you imagine Heaven and Hell to be? Hell is probably living with whiny students in a Geordie Shore life, whereas Heaven would be at home with my family. Concetta Scrimshaw, LVI

Community Action

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Sport

GIRLS’ HOCKEY It was a great season for girls’ hockey at St Peter’s, with four senior teams and four junior teams running. The fixture-list continued to grow, and with so many senior girls involved, it is hoped that there will be a much busier fixture-list for the third and fourth teams in the 2015/16 season. The first XI finished a pleasing second in the North-East Independent Schools’ Hockey League, losing out on first place to Ampleforth, and in the National Schools’ competition all age-groups qualified for the County round. The under-14 and under-16 teams also qualified for the North-East round, and the under-16 team competed in the North finals of the competition at The University of Leeds, where they came second in the group stages. The third team also achieved their second consecutive unbeaten season. It was particularly pleasing to see the strength and depth of players that we have in the squads as a school. This is integral to the continued development of hockey at St Peter’s. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the girls who were involved in the hockey programme for their continued commitment, effort and determination. You are a credit to yourselves and St Peter’s! Mrs Emma Brough

First XI This year saw a fresh first XI taking to the pitch, owing to the loss of eight players to university. Even though the majority of the team was relatively inexperienced, we improved throughout the season both individually and as a team, always bringing a positive mindset to each game. The first match was against RGS Newcastle. We started the match slowly, still recovering from the two-hour coach journey, and the score was 2-2 at half time without us really reaching our full potential. However, we came out all guns blazing after half time and with a stunning hat-trick by Millie Grant we won the match by five goals to two, a great way to start the season. Next came

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distributing the ball in a calm and precise manner. This was an area on which we had been working all season. It led to sustained pressure on the opposition and, eventually, our two goals. Another pleasing match was against Giggleswick in which we managed to convert one of the short corner routines we had been practising in training. Although Giggleswick managed to get a goal back we didn’t panic and held firm in our formation, eventually leading to our winning goal in a match that ended 2-1. our closest home rivals, Queen Margaret’s, and despite letting two goals in when we were caught on the counter-attack we managed to bring the match home, winning 4-2. As usual we had some disappointing results along the way, losing to a strong Ashville team (1-2). The match against Ampleforth was a crushing result (a 0-4 loss). For 50 minutes out of the hour-long match we had possession of the ball in their half and spent most of our time having shots at their keeper; however, we struggled to convert. Ampleforth, on the other hand, managed to convert all of the shots they took and if it hadn’t been for some outstanding keeping by Hannah Whitehouse, the scoreline would have been much worse.

When we came up against weaker opposition we broadened our team, letting some of the younger members of our squad gain some experience ready for the years to come. Even with the youngsters in our side we managed to achieve some convincing wins against Scarborough College (5-0) and Yarm (6-0) with some exceptional individual play by Hannah Lawrence and Alice Greswold among others.

We came up against a very fit and skilful Hymers team and although we had been putting a lot of time into getting our fitness to the highest standard possible we lost the match 2-5. Contrastingly, we had some fantastic wins, with one of the highlights being our 2-1 victory over Worksop, which is a renowned hockey scholarship school. Our defence managed to cope with a number of short corner attempts by the opposition whilst

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To finish the season we had our traditional match against Pocklington. The tension was palpable because we obviously wanted to finish the season on a high. After a slow and quite boring first half, both teams came out fighting after the half-time talk. This led to a much more exciting second half with both teams

Sport

Second XI

having chances. In the end we came out on top with a last-gasp goal meaning we retained the trophy from last year.

The second team had another impressive year, losing just one game, against Yarm School’s first team. The team played maturely throughout the season, producing some impressive performances to beat Hymers College, Sedbergh and Worksop convincingly. It was great to see the younger players, mentored and supported by their senior counterparts, gaining in confidence and tactical understanding as the season progressed. This team spirit was particularly evident in the closely-fought match versus Hymers College. The girls showed real determination and camaraderie to ‘grind out’ an impressive 2-1 win!

Sally Hicks, LVI (first XI captain)

Mrs Emma Brough

Results: RGS Newcastle Queen Margaret’s Ashville College Barnard Castle Giggleswick Ampleforth Worksop Sedbergh Scarborough Pocklington GSAL Yarm Hymers Greenhead College

won won lost won won lost won drew won won lost won lost lost

5-2 4-2 1-2 2-0 2-1 0-4 2-1 1-1 5-0 1-0 2-4 6-0 2-5 1-5

The following girls represented the first team this year: Ilana Bartlett, Amelia Bell, Annabel Blott, Chloe Burdass, Georgia Calvert, Anna Fairbank, Millie Grant, Alice Greswold, Sally Hicks (captain), Hannah Lawrence, Lucy Lawrence, Helen Megone, Helen Taylor, Hannah Whitehouse

Results: RGS Newcastle Queen Margaret’s Barnard Castle Giggleswick Ampleforth Worksop Sedbergh Pocklington Hill House Yarm Hull Collegiate Bradford Grammar Ripon Grammar Hymers College GSAL

won won won won won won won won won lost won won won won won

5-1 2-0 2-0 3-1 3-1 1-0 2-0 1-0 8-0 2-1 5-1 3-1 1-0 2-1 10-0

The following girls represented the second team this year: Keira Barnard, Amelia Blackburn, Eleanor Caley, Lauren Caley, Eleanor Dobson, Jenny Elliott, Katherine Harrison (captain), Beth Hartley, Jessica House, Pippa Martin, Phoebe Phillips, Jessica Webster, Emily Williams, Sarah Willis

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Third XI The third team again went unbeaten this season and did so without conceding a goal! This was particularly impressive, given that they played Yarm, Ashville and Bradford Grammar School’s second teams, a change from last year’s programme. The team showed improving technical and tactical awareness as the season progressed and it was great to see them scoring so many goals this season; indeed, versus Queen Margaret’s they scored seven in one game! The progress made by the girls was a testament to their hard work and effort during the season: congratulations to all of those involved!

Results: Giggleswick Ampleforth Yarm Sedbergh Hymers

won won won lost won

2-1 1-0 2-1 5-0 2-0

The following girls represented the fourth team this year: Vicky Brook, Cassie Bythell, Rose Gabbertas, Sophie Gill, Alice Gilman, Clare Harris, Isobel Hedley (captain), Tilly-Mae James, Emily Kelly, Nicole Moir, Ellie Richardson, Zoe Stone, Lizzy Whiter

Mr Phil Hardy Results: RGS Newcastle Queen Margaret’s Ashville Barnard Castle Ampleforth Sedbergh Bradford Hymers Yarm Pocklington

drew won won won won won drew won won won

0-0 7-0 1-0 3-0 1-0 3-0 0-0 2-0 3-0 3-0

The following girls represented the third team this year: Olivia Calvert, Millie Clapham, Alice Connelly-Bosson, Isabella Cotter, Julia Crowther, Helen Ford, Isabel Hall (captain), Catherine Hughes, Lucy Leedham, Emily Lockett, Mia Morris, Emma Nelson, Maddie Palmer, Pippa Simpson, Farrell Voase

Fourth XI The fourth team worked extremely hard and showed real improvement in their matches during the season. There were some fantastic, close games (versus Giggleswick, Yarm and Ampleforth) in which the girls showed real enthusiasm and effort. It was obvious that there was substantial progress made both tactically and technically as the season progressed. The girls fought particularly hard against Ampleforth in a game where they maintained lots of possession, and showed real resilience before finally scoring in the closing minutes of the second half! A fantastic season, showing great promise! Miss Alicia Matts

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Under-15As The under-15A team had a successful season, resulting in them losing only two games, against Sedbergh and Pocklington. During the course of the season the girls faced strong opposition such as Scarborough College and Ampleforth, which required them to play fluid hockey as a team, rather than as individuals. They made some pleasing improvements both individually and as a team as the term progressed; this was particularly evident in their final game versus Pocklington. Mr Mike Carter

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The following girls represented the under-15A team this year: Anabel Chan, Kitty Clapham, Alex Craig, Lucy Dabbs, Rebecca Green, Sophie Green, Charlotte Hollinrake (captain), Maddie Hunter, Lucy Lovisetto, Emily McDonald, Lucy Moss, Emilia Proctor, Katherine Robinson

Under-15Bs The characteristics of the under-15B team this season could be measured through enjoyment and continuous improvement. It would be fair to say the team was ‘buzzing’ with success in the final three games on their fixture-list. Plenty of self-belief was evident, nurtured through hard work and learning from early mistakes at the beginning of the season. Supportive and encouraging of one another, this created fantastic teamwork and generated twelve goals in their final three games. This was an excellent season, showing great promise for the future! Results: RGS Newcastle Queen Margaret’s Scarborough Barnard Castle Giggleswick Ampleforth Worksop Sedbergh Hymers Pocklington

won won drew won won won won lost won lost

8-1 6-0 3-3 6-0 10-0 2-1 6-2 0-3 6-0 1-2

Mrs Helen Barnard

Results: Sedbergh Pocklington Hymers Queen Margaret’s Ashville Barnard Castle Ripon Grammar Ampleforth

won won won lost drew won lost lost

4-1 3-0 5-0 3-5 0-0 3-0 5-0 0-1

The following girls represented the under-15B team this year: Eva Carlyle, Phoebe Hall, Annabel Fox, Lydia Palmer, Grace Moody, Holly Drake, Annabel Ellis, Lauren Moir, Alice Brooks, Imogen Matthews, Emily Booth, Maddie Bletcher

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Under-14As The under-14 girls’ hockey kicked off to a great start with the team achieving three consecutive easy wins – against RGS, Hill House and Queen Margaret’s (our long-term rivals)! Special mention must be made to Alex Johnston (goalie) who did not let a single goal in. We then faced the first round of the National Schools’ competition where we won every match, finishing North-East champions. However, we then went on to lose against Pocklington in the semi-finals to penalty flicks. In between the National Schools’ competition games we had great wins against Barnard Castle, Giggleswick and Hymers with the whole team playing fantastically well with only one draw, against Ripon Grammar School. The A-team only had two sad losses all season – to Sedbergh and Worksop College, although we did not have the full team. Finishing off a very successful season with a great win against Pocklington, winning 3-0, understandably this being our last match and having lost to them before, everyone was very happy to end the season this way. Throughout our first season playing at St Peter’s, we all played very well together. It has also been a very successful season for our B-team with great wins against Giggleswick and Sedbergh (winning an exceptional 5-1 in this game). We would like to thank Mrs Williams and the other coaches for giving us such a great season of hockey. Issy Eaden, III

Under-14s This was a great first season for the under-14A and B teams. All the girls trained and worked exceptionally hard throughout the term, and with a lot of movement between the teams it was fantastic to see their efforts rewarded. They did well to progress to the North-East round of the National Schools’ competition and it was pleasing to see every girl work with commitment and dedication. The final games for both A and B teams against Pocklington were a reflection of just how far the girls had come since the start of the season, with their positional understanding and skill-execution hugely improved! Mrs Justine Williams

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Results: RGS Newcastle Hill House Queen Margaret’s Barnard Castle Ripon Grammar Giggleswick Ampleforth Worksop Hymers Sedbergh Pocklington

won won won won drew won drew lost won lost won

2-0 4-0 3-0 4-0 1-1 5-0 0-0 0-3 3-0 0-2 3-0

The following girls represented the under-14A team this year: Alex Johnston, Grace Freshwater, Issy Eaden (captain), Maddie Bennison, Tara Jones, Hannah Bilton, Lily Naylor, Josefien Heijbroek, Imogen Bulinski, Eleanor Spencer, Georgia Lawrence and Jess Frazer

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Under-14Bs The under-14Bs had a very competitive year of hockey, playing six matches in all. The beginning of the year did not start too well with the team losing 3-1 to Queen Margaret’s but, with a bit of practice, we drew our next match against Ashville 2-2. Despite the slow start to the year we managed to get into the rhythm of things and won our match against Giggleswick 1-0. After this we had some tough competition with another draw against Hymers. When playing Sedbergh we won 5-1, but unfortunately we finished the year with a loss against Pocklington. Overall a good year for the under-14Bs considering a lot of the team had never played together before joining St Peter’s. Well played, girls! Alice Whitaker, III Results: Queen Margaret’s Ashville Giggleswick Ampleforth Hymers Sedbergh Pocklington

The following girls represented the under-14B team this year: Zosia Johnson, Hannah Coleman, Georgina Edwards, Alice Whitaker, Olivia Kimpson, Amy Webster, Farah Mackenzie du Lieu, Tiffany Cheung, Erin Esler, Isabel Brown, Rebecca Dowson, Bethany Jackson

Inter-House Hockey For the second year running, house hockey ran over three games sessions, on-site. This was once again successful, and indeed a number of pupils and staff were able to enjoy watching the impressive standard of the competition. Results:

lost drew won won drew won lost

1-3 2-2 1-0 4-0 1-1 5-1 1-2

1st

School

2nd

Clifton

3rd

The Rise

Dronfield

Mrs Emma Brough

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NETBALL The 2015 netball season was a huge success. In the area tournaments involving all schools in the York and District, St Peter’s won the under-14s, under-15s and under-16s, and were runners-up in the under-19s tournament. From here, three agegroups reached county and the under-16s went through to the regional finals. Considering that all competitions take place out of season, this is a tremendous achievement and the first time all age-groups have won through to the county rounds. In the fixture list (excluding tournaments), we competed against stronger schools in a number of new fixtures. In all, 73 matches were played across ten teams, resulting in 62 wins, ten losses and one draw. The seconds, fourths and under-15As remained unbeaten all season and the under-15s also reached the quarter-finals of the Independent National Schools’ competition and scored an impressive 353 goals in these fixtures alone this term! Below are the individual team reports:

Senior Teams We have seen an outstanding level of netball across our senior teams this year; the girls have really bought into the performance programme and demonstrated the high level of talent we have here at St Peter’s. A sense of determination and drive has continually focused all four teams in their success this season, in particular their ability to introduce set principles of play at critical times has been key in further developing their technical understanding of the game. Ballspeed, straight line/lateral ball and error-rate has been the main focus and evidently been central in the levels of development on and off the court.

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This season has seen some new fixtures added to the list. Some of the season highlights for the senior programme started with a full fixture against Worksop, producing a convincing clean sweep in every age-group. The girls’ use of set principles and tactical play were overwhelming for Worksop and they struggled to move the ball through our zone defence, an area of particular focus across all four teams. Exceptional movement and strong prelim moves helped us find flow in our attacking circles, leading to our success rate of centre pass attack to goal of over 90%. The 2015 netball season went from strength to strength as the first team continued to evolve. Ultimately, they were only defeated in two of the 14 fixtures played over the season,

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Individual athleticism was developed by the incorporation of strength and conditioning sessions into our continued training. The match results were no doubt due to our plyometric focus; the specific training and fitness became evident on the court and enabled the team to step up and challenge higher levels of competition.

throughout which the girls displayed great strength of character and progression. Our success derived not only from our individual strength, but from the co-operation of the unit. Whether it was Georgia’s relentless drives, Millie’s court vision, Pippa’s final balls in, or Frankie and Olivia’s impassable defence, collectively the team was a dynamic force.

The specific work on the co-operation of the court units and applied principles helped the team to achieve greater feats. Most profoundly in our fixture against GSAL, with elitist and even league players the team knew that there was to be a tough game on our hands. Despite having a few essential defensive players missing, as a team we played fluidly. Not only did we match play but we also took the lead, only falling in the final quarter. In the past, a GSAL fixture has been out of sight and we learn from the experience; however, this time we left with the drive that such fixtures are within our grasp. Mention must also go to the second and fourth teams who finished their seasons unbeaten, and the third team only losing one fixture. These results show not only the breadth and depth of our teams this year but also the healthy enthusiasm for female competitive participation.

First IX Ampleforth Giggleswick Worksop College GSAL St Aidan’s Barnard Castle Ashville RGS Newcastle Bradford Grammar Silcoates Pocklington Yarm Queen Margaret‘s Hymers

W W W L D W W W W W W W W L

16 - 4 23 - 3 34 - 9 17 - 26 18 - 18 21 - 15 22 - 14 35 - 13 32 - 28 16 - 10 22 - 8 31 - 10 32 - 17 14 - 24

Squad: Keira Barnard (captain), Phoebe Phillips, Pippa Martin, Jessica Webster, Millie Grant, Frankie Anderson, Olivia Anderson, Georgia Calvert, Olivia Calvert

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Second IX Ampleforth Giggleswick Worksop College GSAL Barnard Castle Ashville RGS Newcastle Bradford Grammar Silcoates Pocklington Yarm Queen Margaret‘s Hymers

W W W W W W W W W W W W W

16-4 7-5 27-10 17-15 39-20 38-17 34-19 38-19 14-9 30-20 40-7 45-8 28-17

Squad: Sarah Willis (captain), Olivia Calvert, Annabelle Blackburn, Xanthe Cook, Sally Hicks, Tilly-Mae James, Jenny Elliott, Ellie Richardson

Third IX Giggleswick Worksop College Barnard Castle RGS Newcastle Pocklington Yarm Hymers

W W W W W W L

32-7 26-2 16-9 32-11 16-10 31-2 15-20

Squad: Isabel Hall (captain), Marianne Spencer, Amelia Bell, Maddie Palmer, Beth Hartley, Ellie Brierley, Rosalind Tait, Catherine Hughes

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Fourth IX Ampleforth Worksop College Barnard Castle Ashville Pocklington Hymers

Under-15s W W W W W W

18-1 41-9 32-0 16-24 20-8 10-5

Squad: Lucy Galloway, Emma Nelson, Mia Morris, Eve Adcock, Helen Ford, Gaby Richardson, Ellie Caley, Amelia Clapham, Ellie Richardson, Lucy Leedham, Cera Ledden, Alice Gilman, Vicky Brook Keira Barnard, UVI (First IX captain)

The under-15 A team remained unbeaten all season and many of the girls were also members of the under-16 National Schools team, where they progressed to the regional rounds – a step away from national finals. A full squad of 20 under-15 netballers meant they were able to fulfil a packed fixture-list in the Easter term with both A and B teams. The girls practised and played with professionalism and competitive intent, resulting in good skills progression. Plenty of fitness training helped them to maintain focus over long periods, particularly in tournament play. Both under-15 A and B teams won their respective York and District competitions, despite inclement weather and burgeoning darkness. I hope the girls are looking forward to continuing their hard work next year.

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Under-15A Harrogate Ladies College Worksop College The Mount St Aidan’s Newcastle High Ashville Sedbergh Pocklington Yarm Queen Margaret’s Hymers

W W W W W W W W W W W

37 - 3 34 - 3 28 - 5 29 - 5 31 - 17 27 - 5 45 - 17 44 - 7 20 - 17 47 - 6 17 - 16

Squad: Katherine Robinson (captain), Alex Craig, Maddie Bletcher, Rebecca Green, Felicity Edwards, Anabel Chan, Emily Booth, Emilia Proctor

Under-15B Worksop College St Aidan’s Newcastle High Ashville Sedbergh Pocklington Queen Margaret’s Hymers

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W L L W L W W W

27 - 0 8 - 11 10 - 17 23 - 9 20 - 33 24 - 9 25 - 6 21 - 17

Squad: Lucy Moss, Lucy Dabbs, Sophie Green, Lucy Lawrence, Lucy Lovisetto (captain), Annabel Ellis, Phoebe Hall, Lydia Palmer, Lauren Moir

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Under-15C Worksop College Newcastle High

W L

20 -0 5 - 14

Mrs Cath Hempsall

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GIRLS’ TENNIS Senior Girls’ Tennis Report 2015 I am pleased to say that our standard of play throughout the season was the highest without a doubt for several years. The girls put in some terrific performances in highly entertaining matches, none more so than when we played against Ampleforth and Queen Margaret’s. We were undefeated during the season, and also we retained our under-18 York Junior Tennis League title, having now won for two years in succession. I would like to thank our upper-sixth leavers, namely Lauren Caley (captain), Sally Hicks, Helen Taylor and Keira Barnard, for their sterling effort and commitment as seniors over the last three years. We shall miss them both on and off the court, and know that they will all continue to play tennis at a high level. We are lucky to have such strength in depth on the tennis circuit at school, and we were fortunate to gain Daria Lapika from Latvia into the lower sixth. She is an extremely strong hitter, and found a compatible partner in Ellie Caley. They did well as third pair this season, as well as fitting in external exams! They, along with Phoebe Phillips, who missed the whole season following ankle injury at netball, will feature well in 2016, as well as a host of other girls. Well done girls; we are proud to field four senior teams, and this reflects the popularity and high standard of tennis amongst the girls.

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A big thank you to our coaching team and especially to Mark Hamilton and former ATP player Marius Barnard for making the sessions so rewarding and productive. The following girls represented the teams: Lauren Caley, Helen Taylor, Sally Hicks, Keira Barnard, Daria Lapika, Ellie Caley, Isabel Hall, Sophie Reed, Millie Grant, Alice Greswold, Rosalind Tait, Hannah Whitehouse, Rowan Tait, Helen Ford, Olivia Calvert, Annabelle Blackburn, Julia Crowther, Emily Brown, Xanthe Cooke, Beth Hartley, Maddie Palmer, Antonia Headlam-Morley, Lucy Leedham, Olivia Whitehouse Colours were awarded to Daria Lapika and Ellie Caley, and reawarded to Keira Barnard and Helen Taylor. Caps were awarded to Lauren Caley and Sally Hicks. Results: Queen Margaret’s (home) U18 League

1st IV

5-1

2nd VI

6-3

3rd VI

4-5

4th VI

3-6

RGS Newcastle (home)

1st VI

6-3

Ampleforth College (away)

1st VI

6-3

2nd VI

3-6

3rd VI

2-4

Pocklington (home)

1st IV

5-1

Queen Margaret’s (away)

2nd VI

4-5

Worksop College (away)

1st VI

8-1

The Mount (home)

1st IV

6-0

Ampleforth College (away)

1st LVI

4-5

Pocklington (home)

1st IV

4-0

Newcastle High

1st IV

3-1

The Shepherd Cup 2015 Following a good entry, the final was played on the last Wednesday of term. In the best-of-three tie-break sets, Daria Lapika, our very strong singles player from Latvia, defeated Ellie

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Under-15 Girls’ Tennis The squad was unusually small and sadly reduced further when Lucy Dabbs suffered a bad knee injury at the start of term, which put her out of action for the whole of the season. In the Aegon National Schools’ competition, we came up against fierce opposition, the strongest we have encountered in several years. We did not win a match in this league as Pocklington, Ampleforth and Queen Margaret’s were so good in this particular age group. We did, however, win the majority of our three-pair friendly matches, and particularly enjoyed the mixed fixture against Ampleforth near the end of term, partnering and carrying our St Peter’s boys! The squad were fun to coach and worked hard. They show promise to go further at senior level once they have mastered the art of consistency, depth of shot, net play and confidence. Overall, an enjoyable summer, although not helped by the cold wind in May and June, but the standard of tennis was very hot! Well done. The following girls represented the teams: Maddie Bletcher, Tara Jones, Emily McDonald, Anabel Chan, Alex Craig, Rebecca Green, Annabel Ellis, Phoebe Hall, Kitty Clapham, Yulia Trubacheva, Vitaliya Bortalevich Results:

Caley 6-1, 6-3. I would like to thank all of the girls who entered the competition: Wendy Shepherd would have been so proud of the very high standard of girls’ tennis now being achieved across all age-groups at St Peter’s.

Girls’ Inter-House Tennis 2015 As always this is a popular summer event, open to girls of any age. What was so special this year was the fact that four pairs of sisters played together for their houses: Isabel and Phoebe Hall, Ros and Rowan Tait, Lauren and Ellie Caley, and Hannah and Olivia Whitehouse. It was lovely to see the competition between them all, and the hard-fought close matches. In the final, The Grove beat Queen’s 5-4, and the losing semifinalists were Temple and School.

RGS Newcastle (home)

U15A VI

6-0

Woodhouse Grove (home)

U15A VI

9-0

Ampleforth College (home) U15A IV L 1-5 Aegon League

U15B VI

Pocklington (away) U15A IV L Aegon League Yarm (home)

U15A VI

8-1 -6 7-2

Queen Margaret’s (away) U15A IV L 1-5 Aegon League

U15B VI

4-5

Worksop College (away)

U15A VI

7-2

Pocklington (home)

U15A VI

9-0

Ampleforth College (home) mixed U15A VI

1-8

U15B VI

2-7

U15C VI

7-2

Newcastle High (home)

U15B IV

2-2

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knockout. Having won some closely contested matches – Lauren Caley and Sally Hicks were unlucky to lose to Benenden in the last 16 of the main event, a match we could have won – Daria Lapika and Rosalind Tait had fierce opponents at the same stage, losing to a very powerful Culford pair. For both pairs to reach the last 16

National Schools’ Independent Tennis Championships, Eton Once again, it was a pleasure to enter the ISTA Championships held at Willowbrook, Eton College, in June 2015. The under-15s started their campaign on the first day, and both pairs enjoyed the opportunity to play in their round-robin groups. This was against some strong schools from the south of England, as well as coming up against our local Yorkshire rivals. Maddie Bletcher partnered Tara Jones, a talented pair, with the latter playing a year early as a new third-former at St Peter’s. They finished fourth in their group, whilst Anabel Chan and Emily McDonald finished fifth overall. Maddie and Tara progressed further in the plate competition, but lost to a strong St Swithun’s pair, 2-8. For the first time, our seniors competed in a different format of the Loveband Trophy, playing in round-robin groups rather than a

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in this prestigious tournament is a fantastic achievement, and is the furthest that our senior girls have ever got. Well done, girls! Overall, very hot tennis, an unbelievably high standard, played in hot weather. It was a privilege for St Peter’s to compete against some of the top tennis schools in the country.

Under-14 Girls’ Tennis Enthusiasm for tennis was extremely high following our lovely tennis trip to Portugal at Easter, which most of the squad of 15 girls had enjoyed. The first two pairs quickly established themselves after the beginning of term with Tara Jones partnering Georgina Lawrence. They were well supported at second pair

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by Josefien Heijbroek and Grace Freshwater. In the York Junior Team Tennis League we finished runners-up to a strong Queen Margaret’s team, so coming second in the league. The squad had lots of fixtures, both in the league and friendlies, with every girl participating at some point in the season. There is good strength in depth, and some individuals were pressing for regular first-team places mid-term, notably Alex Johnston, Ellie Spencer, Lily Naylor and Georgie Edwards. I would like to thank the squad for their commitment to the tennis programme, and also Mark Hamilton who was the regular coach on the Monday practice sessions. Really well done, girls, despite the cold and windy weather!

Portugal Tennis Tour

The following represented the team during the season: Tara Jones, Georgina Lawrence, Josefien Heijbroek, Grace Freshwater, Georgie Edwards, Ellie Spencer, Ellie Naylor, Alex Johnston, Shania Wong, Imogen Bulinski, Jess Frazer, Ella Meere, Erin Esler, Hannah Coleman, Olivia Thew and Bethany Jackson Results Hepworth Cup Queen Mary’s

overall finished 2nd and 3rd

RGS Newcastle (home)

U14A VI

7-2

Woodhouse Grove (home)

U14A VI

8-1

Ampleforth (home)

U14A VI

8-1

U14B VI

6-3

Pocklington (away)

U14A I

5-1 League

U14B IV

6-0 League

Yarm (home)

U14 (8)

5-3

Queen Margaret’s (away)

U14A VI

2-7

U14B VI

1-8

Bootham School

U14B IV

1-5

Worksop (away)

U14A VI

7-2

Queen Margaret’s (away)

U14A IV

2-4 League

The Mount (home)

U14B IV

6-0 League

Pocklington (away)

U14A VI

7-2

U14B VI

6-3

Queen Margaret’s (home)

U14A IV

4-2 League

U14B VI

0-6 League

Newcastle High (home)

U14A IV

1-3

Barnard Castle (away)

U14B VI

6-0

March/April 2015 At the beginning of the Easter holidays, 27 pupils and four teachers escaped the dismal British weather to enjoy the sun of Portugal and experience the excellent coaching of the 5-star Tennis Holidays team. There were two coaching sessions each day as well as the opportunity to use the courts during our free time. However, although this was a tennis holiday, there was also plenty of free time in which we enjoyed playing football, swimming and relaxing in the sun. All the stunning apartments of the Dunas Duradas Beach Club were fitted with a modern kitchen, lounge and three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, plus the added extra of a hot tub outside in the garden. Three meals a day were provided at the restaurant conveniently situated next to the courts and on the Monday night there was a barbecue and a karaoke evening, although we politely declined the latter. We did, however, enjoy the opportunity to watch some of our coaches play against each other on the show court. The coaching was made very enjoyable and benefited everybody in many ways. There was a good balance between fitness and coaching drills, fun games and serious matches. An improvement could be seen in each player’s game no matter what the level of ability was. Each day the yellow jersey was awarded for the player or players of the day and they were expected to pose for a photo and wear the jersey with pride. We had a great time and would like to thank Mrs Houghton, Mrs Whitehead, Mr Busby and Mr Matkin, without whom the trip would not have been possible. Marcus Brown & Seth Williams, IV

Mrs Margaret Whitehead

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GIRLS’ SWIMMING There was a mixed bag of results in the swimming calendar this year with surprises all round. The girls won matches they didn’t expect to win and lost others that they would ordinarily have hoped not to. However the results were still good and very much in their favour. A smaller group of girls came up from St Olave’s in September, bringing a fresh set of challenges to the under-14 age-group, mainly trying to get a full team out for each match. There were many last-minute call-ups to gather a team together and I thank the girls for stepping in at a moment’s notice. I must however thank Eleanor and Maddy in particular for always being the core partnership of this age-group. Although the under-15s had a larger group of girls to choose from, many of them would often be unavailable due to first-team clashes in other sports. However, despite these obstacles, both age-groups won well over half of their matches which showed how versatile and able many of these girls are. Conversely, in the senior age group I was fortunate to have enough girls to select both an A and a B-team and they were the most successful of all the age-groups this year, winning nearly all their matches. During the terms many of the girls have extra sporting commitments alongside music commitments, yet they have always shown their enthusiasm and never failed to give of their best. But it is the leaving upper-sixth girls whom I must particularly thank this year. The girls have been a fantastic bunch to coach and have always shown great camaraderie throughout their time at St Peter’s. Libby has progressed from being the top match scorer, on poolside, to representing the team in the water in several matches – and it all started by keeping up her fitness after injuries in athletics. Emma joined the team in the sixth form, showing huge potential, and it was a shame she was not with us for longer. She was always striving to swim better and faster, and she always achieved exactly that. Harriet has been a dedicated swimmer throughout, attending every training session and being a main team-member for the past five years. She may always have been the first one to ask if it was time to get out in training, but there was never any doubt that she would give her absolute all in the races she swam in. Chloe and Sophie have always been consistent and reliable members of the team since third form. I taught them both when they started school swimming at Clifton Prep so it has been rewarding to see them continue their swimming throughout their time at St Peter’s. I thank Sophie for the effort she put into her captaincy this year and she summed up her time in the pool perfectly in her report at the girls’ sports dinner – from swimming across the width of the pool in the famous CPS Year 2 ‘Splash’ competition, to swimming a mile in the open waters of Lake Windermere at the Great North Swim in the sixth form. A great number of lengths have been swum in the twelve years in between! To me, it was a perfect analogy of the achievements the girls have made. I wish these girls the very best of luck in the future – they have been a pleasure to coach and I shall miss them all.

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Results: Harrogate Ladies

(H)

Won

184-121

Queen Margaret’s

(H)

Lost

182-201

The Mount

(H)

Won

107-64

Bootham

(A)

Won

124-102

Harrogate Ladies

(A)

Won

181-128

Queen Margaret’s

(A)

Lost

128-140

RGS Newcastle

(H)

Lost

86-130

The Mount

(A)

Won

102-79

Bootham

(H)

Lost

91-99

Ampleforth

(A)

Won

94-70

The following girls have represented the school: Under-14s: Sarah Avery, Maddy Bennison, Erin Esler, Lily Naylor, Eleanor Spencer, Shania Wong Under-15s: Maddy Bletcher, Katarina Bonner, Alex Craig, Holly Drake, Sophie Green, Emily McDonald, Lauren Moir, Katherine Robinson, Lydia Theos Seniors: Sophie Blackburn**, Chloe Burdass**, Libby Brown +, Harriet Fordy *, Lucy Garnett**, Abi Harrison, Helen Megone, Nicole Moir*, Emma Richardson+, Katherine Spencer*, Tracy Yip (+ half colours, * full colours, ** full colours re-awarded) The Fowler Cup, for the best performing upper-sixth swimmer, was presented to Chloe Burdass.

Inter-House Swimming One of the highlights in the swimming calendar is the interhouse swimming finals, always a great finish to the two terms of swimming. Non-team swimmers line up against team swimmers to represent their own house this time and it always proves to be a fiercely competitive event. Hope house was overall winner once again in the combined junior and senior gala. Four records were broken this year, two in the junior age group by Katarina Bonner and two in the seniors by Nicole Moir. Fantastic swimming once again by all the houses. Results: 1st

Hope

118

2nd

Dronfield

School

Clifton

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Great North Swim 2015 For the fourth year running a coach full of parents, pupils and teachers went to Lake Windermere for the 1-mile Great North Swim. The number of swimmers from school was smaller this year owing to its being in the middle

of exams, but nevertheless great fun was had by all and we were thankful for the increase in water temperature (up to 15 degrees) caused by the previous week’s sunshine! Mrs Karen Burdass

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BOYS’ TENNIS tough opponents. Warm thanks for some top-class food and drink provided afterwards by the catering team!

First VI A strong season for the first VI saw them start convincingly with a 7-2 defeat of Pocklington School, giving the team the momentum and confidence to go unbeaten against all other school teams. They were led by a dynamic duo at first pair, with the height and power of Stephen Jones combining with the athleticism and skill of Robbie Greenall to make a formidable combination, gaining vital points to win close matches against our great rivals Ampleforth College and Hymers, 5-4. They were backed up by Ed Cotter and Nick Fullick at second pair, with Nick’s serve and volley keeping points short proving a great asset, and the third pair of James Field and Matthew Jones providing entertainment for all both on and off the court and producing some important wins during the season. Three matches against the Old Peterites, Rowntree Park and York Lawn Tennis Club resulted in narrow defeats; however, these proved to be a learning experience for all against some

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The inter-house tennis competition saw Clifton defeat defending champions The Grove in a tense championship tie-break decider, the tie having ended level after the initial round of matches. In the Alcuin Cup, fourth-former Robbie Greenall gained revenge for his previous year’s defeat in the final by defeating Stephen Jones 6-0, 6-2, showing that the future of the first team is in good hands in the younger years, with a lot of bright talent coming through; fifth-formers Archie Stephenson and Freddie Heijbroek both made appearances for the first team during the season.

A great ‘thank you’ to Mr Shread and Mr Allan for providing wonderful support to all throughout the season. Edward Cotter, UVI, (captain of tennis)

Second VI The second team frustratingly had only two matches, owing to other schools lacking numbers. At the start we beat Pocklington convincingly 9-0, showing promise for a successful season. Our only other game was against a very strong Ampleforth team. They put us to the test and forced us to play up a level, beating us 2-7. Despite the lack of matches, it has been an enjoyable season

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with some very good tennis played. My thanks to the upper sixth, Charlie Widdicombe and Tim Goodwin, who have been part of the team and squad for three years, setting a great example to younger players by playing good tennis and simply enjoying the game. We have a number of fifth-formers who have shown much potential and I look forward to hearing of their success in the coming years.

doubles both home and away and the mixed doubles match at home. Sadly as the season progressed so did Ampleforth prove to be ever stronger opponents, but what was most satisfying was to be able to take three teams away and provide a match-play opportunity for some who might otherwise not have had the chance.

Mr Will Allan

Under-15 Tennis Under-14 and under-15 tennis took on a new look this year. Full-time tennis has become available and we were flooded with under-15 interest at the start of the season. Only two tennis stalwarts were forthcoming from the under-14s but they integrated well with the older boys and we found ourselves competing well with what was, to all intents and purposes, up to three under-15 VIs. There were fixtures aplenty – ten in total including mixed doubles against Ampleforth – and this helped to provide focus for the training which was ably provided by Dom Shread. The straightforward system of engaging the boys in ladder matches in their pairings helped to establish the playing order.

In a season when we lost Peter Konstantinov and Nathan Goyea to injury and Freddie Bateman became a utility partner in several matches in the latter stages of term, Robbie Greenall stepped in on a couple of occasions to boost the numbers. It is difficult to provide an exact record of the season’s pairings but the following is a reasonable attempt: Seth Williams and Jack Lawrence; Max Courtis and Barney Baker; Marcus Brown and James Mahon; Anthony Lam and Oscar Lee; Henry Barker and Max Boswell; Marcus Dobson and Oscar Hales; Ben Chamberlain and Charlie Tannahill; Spencer Ingall and Chris Nelson; Tom Lister and Harry Sharp. Mr Matthew Grant

Matches were generally tight affairs although the under-15A team notched up convincing wins early in the season against Pocklington, Hymers and Bootham, which helped to boost confidence. Ampleforth furnished us with a trio of fixtures: boys’

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National Independent Schools’ Championships at Eton College Unfortunately we lost two of our top four players before we even arrived at Eton College and so a major reshuffling of the pairings had to take place. This left the Captain Edward Cotter (with his broken leg) spectating from his wheelchair! The first IV faced a difficult first round match against a Millfield side seeded number two and which also contained the 95th-seeded adult in the country in the Youll Cup: the school went down by two matches to love.

In the under-19 plate competition the first team faced The Leys School. The first pair of Nick Fullick and Robbie Greenall won their match 7-6 and 6-2. The second pair of James Field and Matthew Jones lost narrowly 6-4, 3-6 and 6-10 in the tiebreak to 10. Hence a match score of one-all, resulting in a deciding singles set between Robbie Greenall and an opponent who was four years his elder, and Robbie went down by 2-6. However, after a hard-fought set the Leys’ number one was unable to continue the following day and without a reserve St Peter’s were rewarded with progress into the semi-finals of the plate. This proved to be a difficult encounter against a very able Radley side with the School losing by two matches to nil. The under-15A pair of Jack Lawrence and Seth Williams defeated Bradford GS 6-4 and Hymers College 6-2 before losing to Radley

4-6. In the plate competition they went down to Ampleforth College by 4-6. The under-15B pair of Barney Baker and Max Courtis defeated Rugby 6-3 but lost to Culford 0-6 and Bradford GS 3-6. In the plate competition they defeated Hymers 6-1, Yarm 6-4 and Colstons 6-0 before going down 3-8 to Radley in the last 16. Colours Colours are awarded for the first time to the captain, Ed Cotter, and to Nick Fullick, James Field and Matthew Jones. Colours are re-awarded to Robbie Greenall and Stephen Jones. The captain of tennis for 2016 will be Stephen Jones. Mr Bob Shread

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SQUASH Girls’ Squash The squash season spans all three terms, making it a unique opportunity for the girls involved to improve their skills considerably over a whole year. The first team plays in the York and District Ladies league and many of our matches were exceptionally close. There were standout performances from Alice Greswold, whose sheer determination to win stood her in great stead to overcome many of her opponents. Gemma Willink (captain) and Livi Whitehouse had some excellent wins during the season too. Hannah Lawrence, seeded at number one, always had tough opponents but she improved markedly during the year. The girls also entered the Riley Rose Bowl tournament for the first time and beat many teams in the divisions above them to reach the finals held at Dunnington squash club in May. With tough opponents from the top of the first division in the final and over 100 people watching, the team of Hannah Lawrence, Lauren Caley, Alice Greswold, Gemma Willink and Emily Brown played courageously and used their greatly increased skills to put up a good fight, but unfortunately their efforts were not quite enough and they were defeated.

The inter-house squash tournament was won by School house this year: they had an exceptionally strong team fielding all first-team players. Congratulations to Hannah Lawrence, Alice Greswold, Gemma Willink and Izzy Cotter. Well done to everyone in the the squad: Hannah Lawrence, Lauren Caley, Alice Greswold, Livi Whitehouse, Emily Brown, Izzy Cotter, Edith Norvor, Alicia Cranston and a special thank you to Gemma Willink, the 2014-15 captain. Louise Cotter

Boys’ Squash

The last school year proved to be a very successful one for St Peter’s boys’ squash, with a record number of boys playing and trying the game. The first team was undefeated against the local schools and squash clubs during match play. With up to twelve matches planned for this coming school year at both first-team and under-15 level, I am looking forward to a successful season. We will continue our very successful staff-versus-students squash matches, and introduce a St Peter’s open squash tournament. With fixtures at Ampleforth against the boys’ team and a new regular fixture against the St Peter’s staff, the girls enjoy a variety of different players to compete against during the year. This will hopefully prepare them to use all their experience and have the confidence to go on and play squash in clubs and universities for the rest of their lives.

Strength in depth at sixth-form level with players such as Oliver Harvey, Alex Greenwood and Jack McCartney, and at middleschool level with strong players coming through the ranks, I am excited by the growth and standard of the sport at St Peter’s. Well done to all. Mr Matt Bridson

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B O AT C L U B This has been another successful year for the Boat Club with a lot of hard work followed by a rush of great results in big events as the summer term drew to a finish. Highlights of the year included: •

Two girls’ eights racing the women’s Head of the River race, over the official Boat Race course in London.

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The first St Peter’s finalists at the National Rowing Championships since 2009.

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The appointment of a boathouse manager.

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The third- and fourth-form girls’ and boys’ squads winning a bronze, silver and two gold medals at the Peterborough Junior Championships.

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Another OP being selected to represent Great Britain in the World Rowing Senior Championships.

Winners: Women’s J15 double scull: Katarina Bonner, Jodi Smith. Women’s novice scull: Lily Howells. Novice quad scull: Rob Croft, George Doyle, Jack Coulthard, Joe Copley.

Ancholme Head, Brigg, 12 October

Chester Long Distance Sculls, 28 September We had a very good day in beautiful conditions, racing 300 crews from all over north-west England in two big 5K time-trial races. The J15 (fourth-form) girls’ squad had the most successful day. They raced four crews which were placed sixth, fourth, second and first in their events – tremendous successes this early in the season. Second places: Women’s novice sculls, women’s novice quad scull and women’s J15 quad sculls.

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A record 70 rowers competed in 34 crews at Ancholme Head, racing against 160 club and university crews. All the crews performed very well on and off the water with ten winners and eight second places. The third-form crews deserve special praise in their first competition after so short a time on the water, showing great sportsmanship and helpfulness as well as racing hard. Second places: Girls’ J15 quad scull, J18 quad scull, novice quad scull and novice single scull. Boys’ J15, J16 and J17 double sculls and J18 quad scull. Winners: Girls’ J15 quad scull, J18 single scull. Boys’ novice quad, novice double scull, J14 and J16 doubles, novice four, J14 quad, J15 and J18 single sculls.

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Nottingham Autumn Head, 18 October During half-term a small group of rowers raced in two longdistance events at Nottingham with great success. Over 120 boats took part in very windy conditions which created difficult rough water. In the first race, a 5.8-km single sculling race, our boys were led home by Stan Schofield who was third in the J17 event, closely followed by Jack Robins and George Snell. Joe Copley was second in the J18 event. Katie Hinton was our only girl single sculler. She raced very well and won her women’s J18 event. In the second division boats raced over a slightly shorter course and again there were great successes. The J15 double scull of Zaki Ward and Harry Exley–Moore performed really well, beating five senior boats, including a double from Bradford University many years their senior. The J15 girls also took up the challenge and beat 30 other boats (again all much older) including some very experienced senior women’s crews from local Nottingham clubs: both great achievements. Our other two crews both won their events. The novice quad scull (Joe Copley, Jack Robins, George Snell and Stan Schofield) had a great race coming in 20 seconds ahead of their nearest competitors and in fourth place overall. Stan steered very well on what is a tricky course with several bends and bridges.

Fours’ Head London, 5 November The senior boys’ quad scull (Joe Copley, George Snell, Jack Robins, Stan Schofield) raced at the Fours’ Head in London. This is a 7-km race over the world-famous Boat Race course which attracts over 400 crews from northern Europe and included several Olympic and World Champions. In windy conditions the crew raced and steered really well to come 180th, a good result in this standard of competition.

Rutherford Head, Newcastle upon Tyne, 29 November We had a very successful day on the Tyne in the two 5-km head races. Racing against 260 eights and fours, mostly university and club crews, from as far afield as Aberdeen, everyone performed well both on and off the water. Fifth places went to the fifth- and sixth-form girls’ crews in the women’s coxed and coxless quad sculls with the senior boys picking up fourth places in both the open men’s coxed fours and intermediate men’s quad sculls. The girls’ eight also came fourth in their event. The boys’ fours joined together to race in the men’s novice eights where they were placed an excellent second out of 13 crews. But the outstanding result of the day was the fourth-form girls’ eight, who beat eleven women’s eights, nine of them university crews: a great performance from them!

The J18 girls’ double scull (Alice Appleby and Katie Hinton) were the third women’s double scull home and beat the opposition in their event by over a minute, a great achievement for a combination that had not raced together before.

White Rose Head, York, 6 December 17 crews raced in the White Rose Head, a university event on the Ouse. Amongst 116 entries from 17 Universities, racing as

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freshers’ and senior crews, St Peter’s had a very good day. In particular the third- and fourth-form crews shone, beating many university crews. The J14 girls’ quad beat five university crews whilst the J15 boys’ octuple scull raced with superb timing and poise and ended up beating 65 crews. Another excellent performance came from the girls’ J14 octuple scull which beat eight women’s eights and the J15 girls’ eight who beat every freshers’ eight and two senior women’s eights. On the senior side, the boys’ eight finished ninth overall, and their two quads third and fourth. The fastest three crews – allowing for age, boat type and gender – were the J15 boys’ octuple scull, the J14 boys’ quad scull, and the J15 girls’ eight.

South Yorkshire Head, 7 Feb A very successful day was had at Doncaster. The testing course of 4km attracted 200 crews from clubs, universities and schools. For the third form it was their first major event and they all raced very well over this big distance. St Peter’s had six fourth and third places. Second places: Third-form boys’ double and quad sculls, and the girls’ double. Fourth-form boys’ and girls’ double sculls, the girls’ and boys’ novice fours, and the senior boys’ eight, who missed a win by just one second. Winners: Girls’ fourth-form eight, who were the fourth women’s eight in the whole event, and the senior girls’ eight.

Trent Head, Nottingham, 1 March This long and winding course attracted many top-class crews from the south of England hungry for big races. Our boys’ eight led off eighteenth in the first division, ending sixth in the J18 eights, with the girls’ four third in their event. The second division saw the boys spilt into fours, coming second and fourth, with the J15 girls’ eight, racing in the age-group above, winning their J16 event, another good result for them.

Annual Boat Club Dinner Dance, 31 January Once again the Boat Club Supporters organised a brilliant dinner dance at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall with delicious food and wine and great company. This year our speakers were the St Peter’s captains of rowing and rugby from 2005 (James Clark and Alastair MacLeod) who horrified the audience as they related their account of racing the seven-day Marathon des Sables in the Sahara Desert earlier in the year. Tales of temperatures of 50C, dehydration, sore feet, dried food and running 84km in a day gave the audience a challenge. James and Alastair raised £47,000 for the NSPCC to which the rowers had contributed over £4,000 from their sponsored Boston Marathon row. The captains once again entertained us with their speeches.

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Women’s Head of the River Race, 14 March It was wonderful to see two St Peter’s women’s eights racing on the tidal Thames in this tremendous race, with 300 club and university eights from all over the UK and some from Europe racing the full 7km of the Boat Race course. Into a strong headwind both crews raced extremely well, each overtaking several other crews. The senior girls came a very creditable

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45th out of 142 in their category after only a few practice outings. The fourth-form girls were the youngest crew on the river by a long way and raced for the first time on this very long and challenging course. They rowed a really mature race and ended up beating 70 of the other crews, a tremendous achievement.

Schools’ Head of the River Race, 16 March Back on the same course within three days, this time against 350 school crews, the J15 eight again produced a superb performance, the school’s best result, having had a couple of training outings on the river. Building on their experience of racing the course two days previously, they made the top girls’ rowing school, Headington, work very hard to get past them and then went on

Ghent Senior Rowing Camp and International Regatta, 9-15 April 19 St Peter’s rowers went on the annual senior rowing camp to Ghent, in Belgium, which ended with the two-day International Regatta. With eight countries racing, many for selection for their national squads, the standard was, as usual, very high. Our crews raced 2,000 metres, the full international distance, between four and seven times over the two days. There were many very good performances, particularly as several rowers had only started rowing in the Christmas term. Some events had over 60 crews racing. Many of the St Peter’s crews learned from the first day’s racing and stepped up their performances substantially on the second day. Our best results were: Fifth places: Girls’ J18 coxless four, boys’ J18 quad scull. Fourth places: Jack Coulthard in the J16 single sculls, fourth-form girls in the J18 coxless four.

to beat some very accomplished crews, finishing in ninth place. The senior boys’ eight raced hard and ended 33rd in their division with the fourth-form boys; eight, in their first expedition on this big river, beating six crews in the J15 category. The senior boys’ quad scull had an excellent race, finishing 22nd in their category. The senior girls’ four raced exactly to plan and ended 17th after a tough race.

Bronze Medal: J18 quad scull: Joe Copley, Stan Schofield, George Doyle, Jack Robins. Silver medal: Lightweight men’s quad scull: Stan Schofield, Henry Graham, Jack Coulthard, Jack Robins. All the rowers are to be congratulated on their behaviour and discipline on and off the water and their sportsmanship and helpfulness to make this such a successful camp.

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Big thanks go to Iain Robertson and Ian Doyle for organising the very successful trip once again. Very many thanks also to fellow coaches for their coaching and good company and lastly to the Boat Club Supporters’ Association who, as always, helped in funding the trip.

York Spring Regatta, 2 May Our 40 crews had a great day’s racing at York Spring Regatta. On a chilly day with a blustery wind there were many very good performances, with semi-finalists and finalists galore. The racing over 800 metres side-by-side was fast and furious from 9.00 am to 5.45 pm. The best performing squad in terms of wins was the J14 (third-form) girls who were part of three great victories. Winners:

Junior Interregional Regatta, 26 April A record thirteen St Peter’s rowers won their county vests representing Yorkshire and Humberside at the Interregional Championships. Raced on the multilane international rowing course in Nottingham they all performed very well in their first big races on this course.

Mixed J14 octuple scull: Zosia Johnson, Libby Kimpson, Lily Kirby, Pierre Herrenschmidt, Tom Raper, Harry Booth, Henry Brown, James Smith, Ewan Henworth Women’s J14 double scull: Ellie Pyrah and Eve Gilbert Women’s J14 single scull: Hattie Doyle Women’s intermediate 2 single scull: Katie Hinton Women’s Intermediate 1 single scull: Katie Hinton Men’s IM2 double scull: Maciej Psiuch, Ben Turvill

In extremely difficult and rough conditions the girls’ J14 double scull (Ellie Pyrah and Hattie Doyle) did very well to secure eleventh place against very strong opposition, thus earning points for the Yorkshire team. The J14 boys’ double scull (Elliot Millman and Pierre Herrenschmidt), after finding the water very difficult in their semi-final, ended in tenth place having been in eighth, but unluckily catching a crab in the rough water very near the finish. Rowing a year above their age group, the J15 girls’ eight (Ellie Gath, Sophie Haslam, Jodi Smith, Lydia Theos, Maddie Day, Kat Bonner, Lucy Butters, Martha Horner and Amber Rose) managed second place in their semi-final only to find that the course timing system had broken. In the final race they came seventh overall, the best a Yorkshire girls’ eight has ever achieved.

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Mixed eights: Jodi Smith, Alice Appleby, Jack Coulthard, Henry Graham, Joe Copley, Rob Croft, Pippa Simpson, Jack Robins, Min Lee.

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Tees Regatta, 16 May Nine crews raced at Tees Regatta in very difficult, windy and rough conditions and all acquitted themselves well. The fourth-form boys’ double sculls made the semi-finals and found conditions very tough to race in. Ed Johnson in a single scull came second in the final, a great achievement in such difficult conditions. The third-form girls raced in a double scull which missed the final by a small margin, and in a quad scull. In a four-boat final the crew of Hattie Doyle, Lily Kirby, Ellie Pyrah, Eve Gilbert and Libby Kimpson gradually pulled away from the other crews to establish their first win of the regatta season, a great achievement. The third-form boys had five races altogether and were placed third and fourth in the quad sculls. Moving into double sculls, in the final Kieran Whyte and Grayson Townend came a very good second place and the event was won by Sam Gowland and Tom Raper, a great credit to both crews.

This quad had a great time-trial with a huge entry in their event. As with the boys’ double they missed out on the semi-finals by only three seconds, but again this was a really good result in their first year of rowing. Sat 23 May Boys’ first eight: George Doyle, Ollie Millman, Stan Schofield, George Snell, Jack Coulthard, Jack Robins, Josh Ramalingam, Rob Croft, Peter Gray. Another large entry again saw stiff competition. From the time-trial the boys qualified for the C-final where after a tough race they eventually came sixth. Girls’ championship single scull: Katie Hinton. Katie raced a good time trial and missed qualifying for the semis by only two places. Girls’ championship double sculls: Pippa Simpson, Eleanor Ingram. With an entry of 28 to get down to a six-boat final, this was a very tough event. They raced a good time-trial but again missed out on the semi-finals. However they are both a year young for the event so with hard work can step up next year. Girls’ J15 eight: Kat Bonner, Jodi Smith, Lydia Theos, Maddie Day, Martha Horner, Amber Rose, Sophie Haslam, Lucy Butters, cox Alice Appleby.

National Schools’ Regatta, 22-24 May 3,500 rowers aged 14-18 from across Great Britain competed in this event – the biggest junior regatta in the calendar – with about 10,000 spectators watching over the three days. This year we had eight crews competing, and as usual the competition was the best in the country. Against this background St Peter’s did well. All events had big entries and often very harsh criteria for making the semi-finals and finals.

This event has increased in popularity over the last few years and had 19 entries this year. A good time-trial saw the girls into the semi-finals where they raced well to come fourth. Although this did not qualify them for the final it put them in eighth place overall on time, a step up from their last national race. Sunday 24 May Championship coxless four: George Snell, Jack Robins, Josh Ramalingam, Rob Croft.

Fri 22 May Boys’ J14 double scull: Pierre Herrenschmidt and Elliot Millman were first off. They raced well in the time-trial but only twelve out of 23 could qualify. In the end they finished 14th, a very small margin behind the semi-final places and a very good effort from them in their first year of rowing in this top class field. Girls’ J14 quad scull: Eve Gilbert, Harriet Doyle, Ellie Pyrah, Lily Kirby, Olivia Kimpson.

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Mostly composed of the top boys’ eights racing in two halves, this event was as stacked as usual. The boys raced well into a strong head wind, favouring heavier crews, but did not make the semifinals. Championship boys’ double scull: Ollie Millman, Stan Schofield. This event had the biggest entry of the regatta with only twelve to qualify from 45 crews. Our boys had a good row into a strong headwind, and acquitted themselves very well, but came away without a semi-final place. As usual we are deeply grateful to the supporters who manned the gazebos and provided fantastic back up for our crews with food, drink and moral support.

The girls’ J18 four (Alice Appleby, Eleanor Ingram, Kat Bonner, Pippa Simpson and Min Lee) raced a solid time-trial into a headwind, but again failed to make the top group for side-by-side racing. Four of this crew are young enough to race again here next year.

York Summer Regatta, 21 June With Henley, DofE and various other school events we only had a small contingent of thirteen crews. Although there were no winners there was a lot of close side-by-side racing and several finalists.

Durham Regatta, 13 June There were great results for St Peter’s against fast student opposition. The fourth-form boys’ eight raced a very tight race and came within a few feet of defeating a Durham students’ eight several years their senior. The third-form girls raced well in double and quad sculls, gaining a lot of valuable racing experience. After getting through the previous two rounds, beating their arch–rivals Yarm School, the senior boys’ eight was beaten by a small margin in the final of the men’s intermediate eights by the students of St Cuthbert’s Society. Half of the St Peter’s eight then won through three rounds of the intermediate fours and in the final – their seventh race of the day – were beaten by only a few inches.

Henley Women’s Regatta, 19-21 June It was lovely once again to see St Peter’s racing two crews here, in the country’s most prestigious women’s regatta. The beautiful setting in Henley belies the toughness of the competition with the best from Great Britain and many other nations competing. Both the events had time-trials and restricted entries: for the J15 girls only eight crews could enter the main regatta. The girls’ J15 four (Martha Horner, Jodi Smith, Lydia Theos, Sophie Haslam and Amber Rose) set off fast and furious in their time trial. An exceptional crew tried to overtake them but they were having none of it and fought them off all the way down the course. Eventually they did not make the top eight, but they learned a lot from the experience for next year.

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Henley Royal Regatta Qualifying Races, 26 June The senior boys’ eight entered the qualifying races where 46 eights from all over the world were reduced to 32 for the main regatta. They raced as hard as they could into the headwind but did not make the top 32 required, along with fourteen other crews. However, they are all lower sixth, and now know the standard they have to achieve next year.

Peterborough Junior Championships, 27 June We had our best day ever at the Peterborough Junior Rowing Championships. It was lovely to see almost every third- and fourth-form rower competing. Racing was at its usual very high standard, and all crews tried their hardest, showed great sportsmanship, and acquitted themselves well. We ended up with six finalists: the third-form girls’ quad (Eve Gilbert, Lily Kirby, Harriet Doyle, Ellie Pyrah and Olivia Kimpson) just missing out

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by one place in their semi-final. The third-form boys’ quad had a great battle all the way down the course and just missed out for a bronze in the dying stages of the race. Ed Johnson, in the J15 single scull, raced very maturely and was neck-and-neck down the course, only missing a bronze medal by less than a second. Bronze medal winners were the J15 girls’ quad scull (Sophie Haslam, Lydia Theos, Jodi Smith, Lucy Butters and Maddie Day) who had a great race, ending only two tenths of a second behind silver. Silver medals were won in great style by the recently-formed J15 boys’ quad of Zaki Ward, Jack Hargrave, Harry Exley–Moore, Angus Wilson and Charles Barry. Gold medals went to the J14 boys’ quad scull who won by a superb ten second margin: Pierre Herrenschmidt, Kieran Whyte, Elliot Millman, Grayson Townend and Henry Brown. The final of the J15 girls’ single scull also proved to be a great race for St Peter’s. Kat Bonner stayed level with the others scullers until halfway, when a lovely tactical move saw her pull away from all the other girls to win by a huge six seconds. All the crews competing really worked hard all year and deserve great praise.

Great Britain National Rowing Championships 18-19 July Five fourth-form girls continued training after term had finished and their quad scull raced in the British Rowing Junior Championships at the international course in Strathclyde Park, Glasgow. They were up against the best in the country over the full international distance of 2,000m. Their first race was a time-trial to decide which crews made the two top semi-finals. In this race, in conditions made very tricky and rough with a strong, gusty crosswind, they came a superb fourth, though with a group of crews very close together on times. This great result put them straight into the top semi-final. On Sunday the conditions were a bit better for the semis. Only the top three crews from the semi-finals were to go through to the A-final, ie the fastest six crews. Again the St Peter’s girls raced a superb race keeping with the pack till halfway then putting in two

impressive bursts which allowed them to push out ahead and gave them a superb second place, straight into the A-final. The crew was back on the water again after just four hours’ rest. The wind had picked up and conditions worsened. They had a great first half then could not quite hold on to the leading group, ending in sixth place, the highest placing for a St Peter’s crew for nearly a decade. This was a superb result for this squad who have worked very hard and impressed all year. In addition, the cox on this occasion, Jodi Smith, won the D-final in the single sculls. The crew: Bow – Sophie Haslam, 2 – Lydia Theos, 3 – Katarina Bonner, Stroke – Amber Rose, Cox – Jodi Smith.

Summer Sculling Course The tenth summer sculling course once again proved very popular, attracting record numbers of girls and boys. They learned a lot about safety, technique on the rowing ergometer, practical lessons in safe boat-lifting, and, of course, sculling and coxing. They had a very useful session in the pool learning capsize technique and swimming in kit. By the end of the four days all were competent at sculling in octuple and quad sculls and some even ventured out in coxless quad sculls, doubles and singles with great success. In addition we enjoyed a great barbeque. All performed well and showed great sportsmanship. My congratulations to all the scullers who tried so hard. Many thanks to the coaches, OPs and present rowers who helped to coach, inspire and enthuse these young rowers.

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The captains, Joe Copley and Katie Hinton deserve praise for leading from the front, performing their duties well and showing the younger ones what the Boat Club is all about. In addition, their own dedication ensured their squads’ and their own excellent rowing performances. A huge ‘thank-you’ also to the Boat Club Supporters’ Association, who have done a huge amount to support the rowers, the club and me. I am tremendously grateful for what they do, whether providing hot tea on freezing days at York events, organising the Quiz Night and the annual Dinner Dance, or putting up the marquee and feeding the rowers at the National Schools’ Regatta. It would be impossible without them.

Thanks The coaches are a great, experienced and hard-working team, delighted to work in weathers fair or foul and the performance of our rowers owes a lot to them. A very special thank-you to them.

And finally the Boat Club could not stay afloat without the huge time and effort put in by Jon Whitmore (OP) who works tirelessly repairing and renovating our fleet. He has ensured that boats are returned to use as soon as possible and even comes down on regatta days to make sure we are all river-worthy. We appreciate his work tremendously and could not survive without him.

Messrs Chris Hall and Mike Hall and Mrs Cath Hempsall all coached the J15 boys who ended their season with a crew silver medal at Peterborough Championships. Mr Ian Doyle joined us in January in the exciting new post of Boathouse Manager. Along with Mr Harry Vann, Patrick Copley and Paddy Reilly O’Donnell they brought on the J14 boys to great effect ending with two finalists and a superb gold medal at the Peterborough Championships. Sadly Paddy has finished his time in York, after three years coaching with us, and is going off to coach in New Zealand, where we wish him the best of luck. Mr Alec Gilchrist and Chris Wright coached the J16-18 boys and took them to a variety of successes in sculling and rowing. Joe Foss and Anne Homa again provided Wednesday coaching to St Peter’s and St Olave’s for which we are very grateful. Miss Alice Lambert coached the third-form ‘Round Robin’ followed by the third-form girls in the Easter term. Her calm input was much appreciated and she will be missed when she goes to France. She was aided and abetted by Harriet Falshaw and in the summer term Miss Steph Wilson who both did a great job. Charlotte Jukes has coached with us for the last two years whilst studying for a sports degree at York St John University. Sadly she leaves us now but we are grateful for all she has done for the club. Laura Mulligan, our fifth New Zealand Gap student, did a great year coaching with us. We were really sorry to see her go home in December and wish her all the best in her university and rowing career. She is always welcome back at St Peter’s. Belinda Dryden took over from Laura in January. She arrived from Christchurch, New Zealand, to a very wet, cold UK. Already a junior national champion in New Zealand she rapidly picked up how we do things here and did great work with the J15 girls’ squad and beginners. A perceptive and very reliable coach, she stays with us until Christmas 2015.

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OP News Tina Stiller has been selected to row for the senior Great Britain team in the World Rowing Championships this summer. Tina is already a World under-18 bronze and World under-23 silver medallist, and has now stepped up into the Great Britain senior women’s team. Rowing Awards and Colours Half Colours: Holly Harrison, Maciek Psiuch, Ben Turvill. Full Colours: Alice Appleby, Joe Copley, Jack Coulthard, Robert Croft, George Doyle, Henry Graham, Peter Gray, Katie Hinton, Eleanor Ingram, Oliver Millman, Joshua Ramalingam, Jack Robins, Stanley Schofield, Philippa Simpson, George Snell, Tracy Yip. Dr Jamie MacLeod

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FOOTBALL The 2015 football season started with the inaugural St Peter’s seven-a-side tournament on the 3G pitches at Roko. Team-spirit was high as we competed against Bootham, Silcoates, Ampleforth and Woodhouse Grove. The St Peter’s A-team finished third after a tentative start, with the Bs and Cs finishing in similar positions within their group.

– Abdul Yahaya scoring two quick early goals against Ampleforth, who fought hard, but with the St Peter’s midfield creating chance after chance, we commanded the play and recorded a convincing 6-2 win. Our next home fixture was contested against Silcoates where there were numerous unconverted chances, leading to a 2-0 defeat.

Our first key fixture was away at Ackworth and with adverse weather conditions, the team were apprehensive at the start, yet we settled nicely into the second half with Phil Hodgson scoring twice and Andy Hulmes displaying key defensive skills as we ran out 5-1 winners. The second XI played Ampleforth, bringing home a 3-2 win with Tom Gill’s two fine finishes. The first XI took on Bootham next and despite missing some key players, made a great start, with Ed Cotter’s second goal of the season, but despite intense pressure from St Peter’s, Bootham

scored a late counterattack goal to clinch a 2-1 victory. With renewed determination on our next fixture, we made a great start

Pivotally, St Peter’s had their first football fixture away against GSAL where we took the lead against a strong Leeds defence and a James Field effort was cruelly deflected onto the crossbar to deny us widening the gap. Leeds equalised and were then awarded a penalty through Oli Newman mistaking his defensive duties with the goalkeeper’s. The real keeper, Will Huffer, then saved the penalty but could not reach the rebound (unlike his efforts for England under-17s, where he made the critical penalty save to impressively take the team through to the under-17 World Cup Finals in Chile). In the return leg against Bootham, we knew we had a tough battle on our hands

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and in an attacking game we led 2-1 at half time. Without a goal for 20 minutes, a game-changer led to a 3-2 Bootham lead with five minutes remaining but in the dying seconds a free kick was awarded to St Peter’s. Phil Hodgson placed the ball 25 yards out from the goal and created the moment of the season by slotting the ball past the keeper for the draw, which was the least we deserved. Barnard Castle, away, proved to be a convincing win with outstanding defensive work from Nicolae Bolocan and Andrii Fokin. James Bottomley rattled a 35-yard drive into the top corner, only to see it be disallowed as the whistle had already been

blown. However he made up for it later to take the lead before Toby McGill made his claim with one of the goals of the season, a cracking header into the top right corner giving their keeper no chance of a save for a 4-2 win.

The away fixture at Ampleforth saw the team collectively battle hard with Sam Raper producing some dynamic reaction saves to secure a 4-2 victory. Woodhouse Grove was the most impressive team we faced during the season, with St Peter’s managing to hold them to a draw in the first half. Dan Jones created two opportunities with a tearaway run from his own half and later rattled the crossbar with a strike. We had a great team performance only losing 2-0 to a quality side. The final match of the season was away at Silcoates and Joel Ngana’s pace down the left wing was a relentless threat, securing

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a lead. Silcoates never lost determination and with the end in sight we had a fragile lead of 3-2. Alas, a last-minute equalizer meant a hard-fought draw brought the season to a close. Football continues to develop at St Peter’s with enough pupils to constitute a third XI, who were victorious twice against Ampleforth, 4-0 at home and 3-1 away. House football also proved popular and competitive where Manor were ultimately victors against Temple in the final. Our end-of-season awards were given to Ed Cotter for ‘Top Goalscorer’, Toby McGill for the ‘Players’ Player of the Season’, Phil Hodgson for ‘Goal of the Season’, Dan Jones for ‘Most Improved Player’ and James Bottomley for the ‘Manager’s Award’. Dan Jones will also captain the first XI in the 2015/2016 season. Evidently, this was an all-round impressive season from the St Peter’s football teams. On behalf of all the players, I would

like to thank Mr White and Mr Lawrence not only for their fixture-coordinating but also for their informed coaching and management. In addition to this, thanks go to all the other members of staff who committed their time during the season to establish the success we have seen on the pitch. James Bottomley, UVI (First XI Captain)

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INTER-HOUSE CROSS-COUNTRY

Individual winners: Junior Boys

Ed Johnson

Junior Girls

Katarina Bonner (new school record)

Senior Boys

Robbie Brown

Senior Girls

Nicole Moir (new school record)

Houses:

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Clifton

Junior Girls

School

Senior Boys

Linton

Senior Girls

Dronfield

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BEVERLEY 10K AND 2K RACES

Sunday 10 May 2015 Warm and cheerful conditions greeted the runners from St Peter’s arriving in Beverley for the 10K and 2K races. This year a record field of 1,318 runners completed the longer distance; the St Peter’s team comprised 40 runners for the 10K and 19 for the 2K. This is the 17th time that the school has entered the event, which is now in its 22nd year. The 2K runners were treated to a dry and fast course at the start of the day. The winner of this race completed the course in 8:01, and the fastest runner from St Peter’s was Stephen Johnson in 8:47 – more about his older brother later in this report. Half an hour later the 10K race began and by this time the mercury was rising. Already sweaty, the tightly-packed competitors only found some elbow room after about a mile from

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the start, when they had wound their way out of town centre. Many spectators lined the route and cheered on the runners as they returned to town over the Westwood. Along the way, the drink stations were well managed and much needed. Waiting at the finish were more cheering crowds and the finishers experienced a fantastic sprint to the line as hundreds lined the finishing straight. ‘The Missile from The Manor’ (AKA Sam Dickinson) had been ruled out of the race because of injury – a shame, as he was one of our best-ever hopes for an outright winner of the race. It then fell to the slightly younger legs of Ed Johnson to complete the course in the fastest time for St Peter’s, winning the under-18 category in 39:17. Ed has quickly graduated from a third place in last year’s 2K race: He put

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in a terrific performance to be the first fourth-form pupil to win the Tooby Cup for long-distance running by finishing first for the school. It was great to see more girls running this year, with some terrific performances amongst them. Nicole Moir improved on her time of last year (44:18) to come second in her age category and sixth female overall. Nicole was followed closely by Libby Brown, just eight seconds behind. Sally Hicks finished in 54:42 but couldn’t quite catch mum, Rachel (50:01). Maddie Hunter put in a really steady run, finishing in 55.59, and Phoebe Hall made a great effort as a fourth-former in her first 10K, recording 58:49. Max, Matthew and Rory, can be seen as in the table, had a close battle finishing around the 44-minute mark. The Manor boys’ breakaway group of Ben Raubitschek, Theo Hedley and Toby Johnston came in close together, in around 48 minutes. In all, there were many other satisfying personal achievements and close battles on the day. I know that some competitors have really caught the running bug this year and have enrolled in further 10Ks and half marathons! A selection of the top results for St Peter’s: 1 Edward Johnson 1st U18 2 Mr Simon Mortimer 3 Mr Ed Noy Scott 4 Nicole Moir 6th female, 2nd U18 5 Libby Brown 5th 18-35 6 Max Mcleish 3rd U18 7 Matthew Jones 8 Rory Combe 5th U18

39:17 40:10 42:18 42:55 43:03 43:20 43:59 44:10

The course itself is picturesque but deceptive in its undulations, and twists and turns. The finish, over the cobbled streets of Beverley, has the potential to mislead runners into thinking that they are nearly at the line and can cause them to sprint far too

soon. The course is a real challenge, especially in the hot weather and was not without its effects on our runners, despite their great Peterite spirit. Speaking of which, it was great to see such warmth, compassion and camaraderie throughout the day, amongst all taking part from the school. The morning’s exertions were compensated for with the traditional hog-roast and ice-cream back at school. The runners concluded the day with a real sense of pride in taking part, despite the sore legs. No pain, no gain!. This year we were raising money for the Chapel charity, Little Feat. The charity’s founder, Old Peterite Lavinia Taylor, ran alongside St Peter’s this year. Well done to all the runners this year who worked hard in pursuit of personal achievement, team work and raising money for charity. I finish with a note from Lavinia: ‘I am honestly humbled by the school’s backing for Little Feat and in particular those who ran in aid of it for the Beverley 10K. I hope everyone is recovering well from the run and a massive “well done” for completing it!’ Mr Andy Parr

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SAM DICKINSON Interviewed by Mrs Tooby-Smith

Do you come from a sporting background? Dad is a keen runner and was captain of the Army water polo team which won the Yorkshire Cup. Mum is not really sporty but bakes a good cake following a race! Was there a rivalry between you and Tom on the sporting front? For the first 15 years of my life Tom beat me in every race and then finally at a Parkrun I beat him by 30 seconds and I have never looked back! Swimming is your weakest discipline in the triathlon. What are you doing about this? I have massively improved over the last year largely through my drive and motivation to put in the hours at the pool, and it has certainly paid off. What has been your proudest achievement to date? Qualifying for the GB Triathlon team last March which then qualified me for the European Duathlon Championships in Madrid. What has been your most disappointing performance to date? The European Triathlon qualifying and national ranking event in Wales. I had a great swim and cycle, but 500m into the run I was forced to pull out because of a foot injury. How do you prepare yourself mentally before a competition? I try not to over-think the situation and focus on the training I have done. I have a strong self-belief in my natural ability. … and nutritionally? The night before a race I eat a normal high carbohydrate meal – for example mash, pasta or beans. I never try new foods. On race days I eat small meals and snack on bananas, cereal bars and so on. What is a typical week’s training? I would do six swim sessions a week, cycle for up to twelve hours (both outdoors and turbo), and run four sessions which would include three quality sessions and one long run. How do you treat yourself following a competition? I allow myself more biscuits than usual, but food isn’t a treat for me. Socialising with my friends and family would be a treat as this is what I miss out on by training so much. How do you spend a day off from training? I would still do some exercise but make it fun – like running in a Parkrun. I can have days off, especially if I’m injured, but prefer to be active.

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I am expecting you to say that the Brownlee brothers are your heroes? No, a local triathlete Gordon Benson is probably my number-one hero. He is a Yorkshire lad who has made it through to the WorldClass Podium Squad. He is very encouraging towards me and down-to-earth and that’s what a hero should be. What was it like wearing a GB tri-suit for the first time? It was such an honour. My tri-suit had a huge Union Jack down the side, and lining up against the other athletes in the European Duathlon Championships in Madrid made me proud to be British. It was amazing! Your third place in the English Schools Cross-Country was an outstanding performance, given that you are a triathlete. My tactic was to get to the front of the race and test my head – and it worked! I was so happy to be running up there with the best in England and never dreamed that I would win a medal. You’ve had your fair share of injury already: what advice would you give to someone in a similar situation? To look after the injury and don’t be tempted to train on it. Find a physio that you can trust and do exactly what they say. What is your lifetime goal? To look back on my time competing in the triathlon and be satisfied that I gave myself every opportunity to fulfil my potential whatever goal I achieve. Do you think drug cheats should ever be allowed to return to their sport? I think they should be allowed to return if they have learned their lesson and reformed. But perhaps I am being too nice? Where do you intend going from St Peter’s? I want to study Sports Science at either Leeds or Loughborough. My head says Loughborough (small training squads concentrating on specialism), but my heart says Leeds (born in Yorkshire and nearer to family and friends). We’ll see! What advice would you give to someone setting out as a young athlete? That you don’t have to be the best in the country from a young age as no-one remembers a successful junior.

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ROUNDERS First IX The 2015 rounders season was a very successful one from the start. It began with a fantastic win against The Mount which ended 43-8. This turned out to be our best result, closely followed by a 30-4.5 win against Scarborough College. Another highlight of the season included our match against Ampleforth in which the opposition, much to our surprise, brought a mixed team including a very cocky bunch of sixth-form boys. For this reason we particularly enjoyed beating them comfortably in a 25-13.5 win. This year’s season has been arguably the best season the St Peter’s first team has ever had. We have won every game played, which is a great achievement and one that hasn’t happened since 1999 when some current members of the team weren’t even born! I’d like to give a special mention to Gemma Willink and Anna Fairbank who, with me, make up the all-important triangle of bowler, backstop, and first base. They have both excelled on the pitch this year each, with many catches to their names. Well done too to Sarah Willis for her deep-field play and to Anna Thrussell for her strategic batting. In fact, everyone has shone both individually and as part of the team so congratulations to all who played this year, including those who have had to step in at short notice. Georgia Calvert, UVI

Under-15s The under-15s had a successful season with pleasing numbers attending training and participating regularly in matches. The As were unbeaten throughout the season and it was pleasing to see the improvements made by both teams in their batting and fielding as the season progressed. The A-team produced a particularly impressive performance against Giggleswick’s first team, whom they beat with some dynamic and determined play, 28.5-22. The Bs competed well in some challenging matches, particularly against Queen Margaret’s and Giggleswick, where the final scores possibly did not reflect the close nature of the games. All the girls involved showed real commitment to the programme and the progress that both teams made throughout the season was testament to their hard work! Results: The Mount Harrogate Ladies’ College Harrogate Ladies’ College (B) RGS Newcastle Queen Margaret’s Queen Margaret’s (B) Ampleforth Giggleswick Giggleswick (B)

won won lost won won lost won won lost

21 - 9 30 - 7 6.5 - 22.5 4.5 - 3.5 30 - 13.5 23 - 28 16 - 9 28.5 - 22 18.5 - 32

Pocklington Barnard Castle Barnard Castle (B)

won won won

37 - 21 22 - 7 14 - 10

The following girls represented the under-15 team this year: Emily Booth, Eva Carlyle, Kitty Clapham, Izzy Crook, Holly Drake, Felicity Edwards, Ellie Gath, Felicity Head, Charlotte Hollinrake, Ella Huckvale, Maddie Hunter, Lucy Lovisetto, Imogen Matthews, Grace Moody, Lucy Moss, Lydia Palmer, Emilia Proctor, Katherine Robinson, Chloe Wong

Under-14s The under-14s had a very positive year, winning five of their seven matches. Despite being a relatively inexperienced team, the girls worked hard from the outset to develop their tactical understanding during games. The pinnacle of the season was their impressive win, 22-20, versus Pocklington. This was an extremely close game throughout but, with some dynamic fielding, and mature batting, St Peter’s won with the final few balls of the game. Congratulations to all the girls involved in the squad this term; you have been a credit to yourselves and St Peter’s! Results: The Mount Harrogate Ladies’ College RGS Newcastle Queen Margaret’s Ampleforth Giggleswick Pocklington Barnard Castle

won won lost won won lost won lost

14 - 5 24 - 15.5 6 - 11.5 17 - 15 20 - 9 7 - 23 22.5 - 20 14 - 7.5

The following girls represented the under-14 teams this year: Sarah Avery, Safiya Benaddi, Hannah Bilton, Isabel Brown, Frankie Chapman, Tiffany Cheung, Rebecca Dowson, Elizabeth Ubhi, Amy Webster, Alice Whitaker

Inter-House Rounders This year saw the addition of a senior inter-house rounders competition to the summer calendar. Both junior and senior competitions were closely fought, with all teams showing real determination and a positive competitive spirit. The standard of play in both tournaments was pleasing to see, and the teamwork was particularly notable. Results: Senior: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

School Dronfield The Rise Clifton

Junior: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Clifton Grove School Queen’s

Mrs Emma Brough

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RUGBY First XV

Following a short team-building pre-season tour to Edinburgh the first XV were ready to take on the retiring captain’s team from the previous year. This was a thoroughly exciting game, culminating in a comeback for the school to tie the game at 15-15. The next game saw us up against the powerful GSAL team that went on to reach the final of the NatWest Cup. Unfortunately we were thoroughly outplayed with a 59-7 defeat. Some hard training ensued and there was a determination to move things forward. Our next challenge was against Woodhouse Grove, who came with a strong reputation. Finishing the stronger, the school fought hard for a 27-17 win. The front row of Will Shaw, Sam Blott and Ben Gibson were strong throughout and helped to provide that all-important flow of set-piece ball. A loss against Hymers and a win against Ampleforth followed. The back row of Hudson, Kimpson, Tolley and Marsh were linking

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well and making numerous tackles. A heavy defeat to QEGS followed by a defeat to Pocklington saw confidence levels drop. At this point we entered the cup competition and an improved performance was required. A win against Ilkley Grammar provided this. Outstanding play from all the backs enabled us to score some impressive tries. Centres Tom Robinson, Ben Bond and Harry Richardson were always an attacking threat with wings Ben Williams and James Bottomley providing excellent finishing. The half-backs of James Field, Oliver Leedham, Freddie Greswold and Eddie Stephen were controlling games well and making good decisions.

Some mixed performances after half-term resulted in a draw against Barnard Castle, a win against Durham and losses against RGS Newcastle and Bradford Grammar. Our cup run was not over, however, and an excellent win against Prince Henry’s, Otley took

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us into the last 32 with an away match against Hutton Grammar from Preston. An excellent performance saw a 50-8 win with strong performances from the second rows of Josh Ramalingam and Jakob Esler and also Harry Stothard at full-back scoring impressively. This win put us into the last 16 in the country away at Wilmslow. In awful conditions we bowed out with a spirited performance against a stronger team on the day.

This was a mixed season, with some impressive performances at times, culminating in an excellent cup run, taking us to the last 16 in the country. Well done to all the squad and I do hope they will all continue to play. The season’s record reads: played 14, won 6, lost 6, drawn 2.

Squad: Will Shaw** (captain), Sam Blott*, Ben Gibson*, Jakob Esler*, Josh Ramalingam*, Sam Hudson*, Will Kimpson, Stuart Tolley*, Dominic Marsh**, James Field*, Oliver Leedham*, Ben Williams*, Tom Robinson*, Harry Richardson**, James Bottomley, Harry Stothard*, Eddy Stephen*, Freddie Greswold, Ben Bond* ** Caps *Full Colours Representative Honours Harry Richardson: Yorkshire under-18s, North of England under-18s Mr Steve Williams

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Second XV The second team season this year was certainly a successful one. Under the coaching of Mr Savage and Alex Crockett, the team became a solid unit early on, and it showed the calibre of the players that the majority were called up to the firsts at some point during the year.

We got off to a slightly shaky start against GSAL, with a narrow defeat because of a last-minute penalty, whilst also losing our scrum-half Toby Latham to a serious injury which would put him out for the rest of the season. However, we bounced back from this with a series of fine results under the leadership of our evercommitted captain, Finlay Craig. During these games a strong centre partnership started to form between Charlie Bellingall and Hugo Adams, which combined subtlety and a demon step with brute force and a skilful offloading game, resulting in many tries from midfield. Unfortunately, because of fine performances across the team, we were often disrupted by players being taken up to the first XV, meaning that we had to readjust our tactics each week, which was often frustrating. However sometimes it was to our benefit, particularly in the game against QEGS Wakefield when we acquired the services of first-team utility back James

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Field, who scored two important tries in a very satisfying win. Other players we were lucky to have included Tristan Prince, Toby McGill and Will Kimpson, who combined with a strong backrow unit of Alistair Duffey, Max McLeish, Alistair Stent and Tom McCullagh, which helped to achieve our game plan of quick ball from the breakdown. All the forwards helped to contribute to this which meant having a very fit pack including Alex Taylor, Sam Lodge, Patrick Knutson and George Metcalfe. Our wingers, Toby Courtis and Nick Fullick, provided pace on the outside and towards the end of the season they were joined by Ed Cotter who had a purple streak in the last few games, in particular almost scoring a hat-trick in his first match but for a cynical slide tackle from an opposition player. At fly-half we had either Eddy Stephen or Dougie Whiter, who both added creativity and a decent kicking game to the team, with Dougie having a particularly memorable moment, making a last-minute try-saving tackle against Barnard Castle to win the game. Despite the ever-changing team, what remained constant was the unanimity in the team and also a strong competitiveness that helped us to win the majority of our games. Thanks to everyone who played in the team, particularly captain Finlay Craig and

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this comprehensive result, the away fixture against Barnard Castle was never really in doubt. Matthew Dickson and Matthew Jones provided much structure to a somewhat piecemeal game from the centres and the team ran out comfortable, if cold, winners, 24-0, in the first clean sheet of the season.

vice-captain Hugo Adams, to our coaches Alex and Mr Savage, and of course to Mr Gwilliam who, whilst refereeing us, made sure we were never finding a game too easy. Max McLeish, LVI

Third XV The Gentlemen of ‘The Club’, as ever, had to hit the ground running this season, with the first fixture against Scarborough College’s first XV away only a few days into the start of term. In addition to the challenges presented by two year-groups playing together for the first time, the greater training opportunities afforded to a first XV proved decisive, and Captain Jagger’s Chaps were defeated for the first and last time of the season 15-7 in a hard-fought contest – the return fixture was to be the titanic struggle of the year. A straightforward win at home against Hymers (42-0) which provided much-needed opportunities for the squad to gel into increasingly familiar units and patterns was followed by the significant challenge of Ampleforth away. The St Peter’s Gentlemen had to withstand a barrage of determined and welldrilled Ampleforth attack from the very able opposition, not to mention some pretty determined tweed and corduroy support from the touchline, and despite leading narrowly at half-time, it was clear that a moment of inspiration was required. Fortunately, such was provided mid-way through the second half when a further assault on the St Peter’s line was overturned by a Rohan Choudhury monster tackle, and the tide suddenly turned. The backline, marshalled by Zac Ransome and Joe Waterhouse at numbers nine and ten, growing into the roles in this game, found space and rhythm, with the pace of Hulmes and Gill able to exploit the gaps out wide. The forwards, sensing their moment, roared forward time and again; the Jagger, Spearman and Coe battle cries fortunately remaining internalised, but evident from the yards in carries and impact of their turnovers; in turn, they were ably supported by Megginson and Taylor from the second row and the ever present back row of Buskin, Jones and Newman giving full vent to their most feral persuasions, usually reserved for Economics lessons. The final scoreline of 31-7 was hard-earned and well-deserved. QEGS Wakefield provided a conglomerate side between the under-16s and senior players which played a very entertaining brand of rugby in a home fixture at St Peter’s, but the home side’s increasing structure and, on occasion, dare I say it, flair, proved decisive and the Gentlemen romped home 33-7. On the back of

A home fixture followed against another conglomerate side, this time of two schools, Read and Hipperholme, which enabled all members of the squad some much-needed game-time. A very entertaining game resulted, somewhat Barbarian in character as space on the first XV pitch was available for all with the wit and skill to use it, and The Club eventually triumphed 32-21. The performance of the season followed, away at RGS Newcastle against a very strong side. Although the Gents had become accustomed to playing against bigger sides, even with the fortification of Jake Wilson in the front row, this was the sternest test of their resolve all year. Their larger size was matched by their physicality in the tackle and in the loose play, but the St Peter’s team did not flinch for one second. Again, it was Choudhury who provided the standout moment, picking the ball up in his own 22 and scything through the opposition defence single-handedly to score, one of the highlights of the season. The final score of 31-0 was a tremendous achievement, especially away from home; to keep a clean sheet against such a relentless side showed great character. The final game of the season was the afore-promised titanic struggle against Scarborough College at home. To describe it as attritional would be to do it a disservice – I was reminded of timeless images of hordes of local villagers scrummaging against each other in traditional local derby games, the origins of which have long since been lost in the warm empty beer glasses of the after-match bar reconciliation. The thirty-something players could barely stand at the final whistle, many entirely unaware that it had, quite rightly, ended in a 14-14 draw: a very satisfactory conclusion of a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining season’s rugby. Mr White and I thank all the boys for their contributions and commitment to training and fixtures and look forward to another sterling season in 2015/16.

The following represented The Club: Giles Jagger (captain), Matthew Coe, Jake Wilson, Tom Spearman, Henry Tannahill, Alex Taylor, Ben Megginson, Oliver Newman, Patrick Knutson, Harry Dickson, Zac Ransome, Matthew Jones, Joe Waterhouse, Nick Fullick, Andy Hulmes, Matthew Dickson, Rohan Choudhury, Tom Gill, Ed Cotter. Mr Harry Vann

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Under-16s ‘In our country, true teams rarely exist … social barriers and personal ambitions have reduced athletes to dissolute cliques or individuals thrown together for mutual profit … Yet these rugby players, with their muddied, cracked bodies, are struggling to hold onto a sense of humanity that we in America have lost and are unlikely to regain. The game may only be to move a ball forward on a dirt field, but the task can be accomplished with an unshackled joy and its memories will be a permanent delight. The women and men who play on that rugby field are more alive than too many of us will ever be. The foolish emptiness we think we perceive in their existence is only our own.’ Victor Cahn

Many of the lads started training in July and the lucky ones played their final match for St Peter’s in the last week of March at Rosslyn Park. During this time they played some wonderful rugby and won some pulsating games. They also lost and had their disappointments along the way, but at no point did they stop believing in themselves ‘True champions aren’t always the ones that win, but those with the most guts.’ The boys and parents who witnessed one such defeat will know about the game I am referring to when I say that ‘success without honour is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won’t taste good.’ Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their team: if people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish. Joe Simpson is one such captain and leader whom the words of John Qunicy Adams sum up so well: ‘If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.’ We were blessed with a squad of young men who stepped up to the plate week-in, week-out, training hard and covering for the inevitable injuries that occur in this most physically demanding of

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sports. To lose both Will Fordy and Charlie Rae for the most part of the 15-a-side season could have been disastrous but in the end it enabled others to step forward and show what they were capable of. Our front row was not big, - in fact it was normally physically dwarfed by our opponents; however Jake, Adam and Paddy were never found wanting for courage and skill and finished the term with a magnificent display against a huge Stonyhurst side in December. The ‘engine-room’ of the pack saw George, Tom and Charlie perform equally well in both the tight and the loose. Our back row was excellent with James, Joe and variously Tom, Charlie and Rory all knocking players down, contesting the ruck and supporting in the loose. We were fortunate to have Ethan and Ben to cover across the front five until Ben got injured. From lineout to scrum and from ruck to maul the forwards provided good ball and a lot of real grunt when it was needed. At half-back we were very lucky to have the talents of Ted, Sam and Cam to call on during the season. Rugby has become too focused on size and power of late and these three real sportsmen give the lie to the fact that you can only get front-foot ball with big players. They sniped, chipped, drew players on, fed passes and challenged all defences with their heads-up rugby. Sam’s electric individual try in our first home game against Leeds set the tone for the rest of the season. All three showed real courage in defence and Cam`s try-saving tackle away at RGS summed up their commitment to improving this aspect of their game. Ted has developed a great pass off the ground which gives his back-line the opportunity to play. At centre we started the season with James and Will, until his unfortunate injury at Hymers. James remained the absolute stalwart of our midfield defense with his crunching try-saving tackle early on in the QEGS game utterly typical of his commitment. As the season progressed we were able

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to move him into the back row where he fitted in very well with the style of defence we were using. Our increased confidence in defence allowed us to use Archie and Cam in the centres as well as Felix as the season progressed. The back three gave us real options out wide and Felix, Will and Nathan proved strong in attack and led our kick-chase. They also developed a great counter-attacking game that allowed us to make the most of turnover ball. I would add here that, in many other seasons, Ed Bottomley, George Ingall and Tom Hawksworth would have had far more opportunity in the A-team. That they did not is testament to the depth of talent in this age group. It also meant that the so-called B-team was

huge part in the team’s success. We had four centres to choose from, all bringing their own strengths: Archie was excellent in terms of communication and drive and deservedly moved up quickly to the A-team; Jonny was full of power and physicality, Matthew showed great composure and insight; and Alex had the style and silky skills as well as the hair! In the back three we were truly blessed with Ed, Tom, Will and Ashraf who all had good skills and game understanding. It was also good to see Edmund show such improvements as the season continued and become more confident not only in training but also playing. I would like to thanks the lads for their huge commitment to each other and the team, and to George Elliot and Gareth Sharp who worked with passion all season not only to gain results but more importantly to improve skills, communication, understanding of positions, styles of play and defensive patterns. As Babe Ruth so eloquently put it: ‘The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.’ Mr Paddy Stephen

excellent. They trained very well and made huge improvements in skill levels and game understanding. Up front Sam, Joe and Sam worked with real passion at scrum time and were ably supported by Oli and Ethan when required. I will always remember Sam`s splendid support try at Barnard Castle as it summed up the team’s work-ethic. The locks were selected as pairs so Ravin and Ian worked as one pair and Oli and James as the other. James and Ian also proved very useful in the back row where the captain Steven Jones played through the season at number 8. Mark Butcher wrote of captaincy in the following terms: ‘my best tip is to use your ears and not get too fond of the sound of your own voice. A captain who is forever making pronouncements and speeches can miss the one vital point: to win, you need everybody to contribute.’ Steven made sure all were supported and involved in the success of the team. Rory, James, Ian, Charles, Dan and Ravin all played their part in the back row alongside Steven. The whole pack worked very hard at the set-piece, proving excellent in the line-out and at scrum time. They simply outplayed a number of sides in the loose so we often had decent ball to play with. When George was playing up in the A-team, Tom and Buddy shared the scrum-half position with George a fixture throughout at ten. His game-understanding and excellent communication played a

Under-15As With the season beginning away at GSAL for the under-15As and Bs, it gave the coaching team a good opportunity after only a week’s preparation to watch both squads in action, with a view to identifying all the potential talent for future development and selection. Our initial aims for the season – which included the NatWest Cup competition – were to develop a style and structure in which players could develop their game understanding and management. The squads had previously enjoyed excellent playing success at under-14 level, built on

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time: the game was full of spirit, physicality beyond the players’ years, and no little skill. Our season finished on a high with a solid result against Bradford Grammar School. We gave 28 players an A-team opportunity, using squad rotation, and also gave the B-team squad greater strength in depth, developing a more uniform training regime for the whole group. a running rugby game-plan. The season’s development would include: team structure; game-planning; patterns of play aimed at continuity; and forward- and back-play, building on the players’ natural ability to attack from all areas of the field. Selection was based on performance in all practices and games, with several former B-teamers buying into the work-ethic and gaining A-team selection. The coaching team soon enjoyed the benefit of well-organised winning performances from both As and Bs, before our first reversal, which came against QEGS Wakefield, where we received an object lesson in how to play to patterns, and how to combine structure with pace and power. From this defeat we were able clearly to identify the team and individual player skill-sets to work at and develop. We modified our practice sessions to focus much more on the aspects necessary for our own NatWest Cup progress and team development. Although we instigated a tougher approach to training and practice, players also soon bought into the new programmes, and led the way with self-appraisal. The squad performances became more controlled, showing a much more patient and organised game when put under pressure from the opposition, particularly when playing away fixtures with their many distractions! It was at this stage that we also began a process of preparing players for the next big step forward in their individual development: ‘next season’, and the requirement of the school’s rugby section working towards first XV plans. Our successes took us to a home NatWest Cup game against Durham School, and with a strong 22-man squad we had high expectations for the day. Giving away two early tries to Durham was our undoing in the final analysis. We did remarkably well to come back and very nearly tip the balance in our favour, losing in the end 31-35. The watching crowd had been entertained by one of the best spectator games seen at this age-group for a long

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Many thanks to all who played, and to the coaches, especially Mr Smith and Mr Robinson. Mr Colin Clark

Under-15Bs School-age rugby proves to be challenging for many reasons. Principally, the players’ developmental rates vary enormously, and this leaves coaches with quite a conundrum at times. This season proved to be no different in this regard. The boys have acquitted themselves admirably this season. The aforementioned development meant that a great deal of the players who we considered to be stalwarts of the under-14B side were elevated to the dizzy heights of the A-team, but we were more than compensated by the introduction of boys coming through the ranks or even players of incredibly high standards coming to play for us where competition was fierce in the As. Many of the boys were on the fringes of the A-team this year, but still played a fantastic role for the Bs. We had glimpses of the powerful running of Peter Konstantynov, the pace of Matt Ubhi, and the physicality of Feifei Rawnsley. Boys worked their way through the ranks, with Charles Smith playing a vital role as a utility forward (our back row and prop forwards were undoubtedly the keys to our success this year), as well as some vital input from Harrison Savage, Spencer Ingall and Zaki Ward. The boys had yet another unbeaten season. This is a remarkable achievement as the changes in terms of personnel sometimes meant we had something of an unorthodox line-up. Possibly the proudest achievement amongst many this year was the defeat of Ampleforth (63-0) or indeed GSAL (68-0), although in fairness the scorelines do not truly reflect the opposition faced. It is impossible to credit all the boys with a direct mention in an article as small as this, but to every member of the B-team

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set the tone. The backs played with more fluency and released Nana Danso-Appiah on a regular basis. Harry Booth caused havoc from number 8, kicking and making ground on every occasion. Gaby McGill’s kicking was flawless. Our line-speed in defence was excellent.

Ampleforth: lost 32-18 this year, whether they be regulars or those who played a cameo role, I wish to convey heartfelt thanks for outstanding effort and attitude. The boys represented their school with pride, wore the St Peter’s badge with pride, and behaved in the manner expected of some of the school’s finest. The team this year was selected from: Jack Amsden, Max Auty, Max Boswell, Marcus Brown, Ben Chamberlain, Tom Cowans, Marcus Dobson, Isaac Faithful, Will Farr, Nathan Goyea, Oscar Hales, Theo Hedley, Luke Huffer, Ollie Hughes, Spencer Ingall, Peter Konstantynov, Alex Leahy, James Mahon, Chris Nelson, Ben Parkes, Ben Raubitschek, Feifei Rawnsley, Harrison Savage, Ralph Sinclair, Charles Smith, Charles Tannahill, Edward Thompson, Marcus Thomson, Edward Turvill, Matthew Ubhi, Zaki Ward, Seth Williams and Rory Winterburn. Mr David Robinson

We defended well for the first 15 minutes against a talent and quick backline. We were unable to respond to the line-speed of Ampleforth’s defence and failed to attack in the backs. The forwards were again good on the floor for the majority of the game. In a 15-minute spell after half-time we failed to keep our defensive patterns and a few players missed tackles. Lodge and Darbandi were outstanding in the loose as were the front five in the set and lineout.

QEGS Wakefield: lost 54-19 Again, first-time tackles cost us dearly and the game was over as a contest in 15 minutes. The opposition played organised rugby with a simple pod system. We marked them up but failed to knock down their runners behind the gain-line. There was some confusion in our backline defence which was regularly exploited. Some of the team relied on others to make their tackles and against good sides this never works.

Pocklington: won 38-5 We were better in all departments than the opposition. Our defence showed massive improvement working as a line and removing the space from their runners. We won quick ball which the backs exploited. Nana Danso-Appiah had a field-day and scored four tries. Sam Beighton showed great footwork in beating six men to score a great solo try. Once again our back row was outstanding.

Under-14As GSAL: won 15-7 The first game of the season was a disjointed affair with timing of runs and passes awry. Ben Lodge and Zac Darbandi were outstanding in the back row with powerful runs from Albert Pollard lending to a good forward effort. The new combination in the backs struggled for any fluency but defended well.

Woodhouse Grove: lost 10-31 The scoreline does reflect the game but we didn’t play badly. An enormous size difference especially in the forwards meant our defending was generally on the back foot, conceding the gain line. This gave the opposition the advantage which they used well. Nana Danso-Appiah scored an excellent try from a flowing backs’ move. The front row worked tirelessly in the set, where they were at a massive disadvantage. Most pleasing was the tackling, which never ceased.

Hymers: won 53-5 We played extremely well as the scoreline suggests. In the opening exchanges it was our ability on the floor to turn over the ball that

Barnard Castle: won 47-5 Again we played well in all departments and gained a comfortable win. Gaby McGill kicked well in the conditions. Tom Mayfield was outstanding at full-back . Despite terrible weather we still played some attractive rugby with all players wanting to carry the ball.

Newcastle RGS: lost 7-32 Once again we failed to knock down bigger players and let the opposition get a start. We were in the game for large sessions but failed to convert this into points. Ben Lodge was outstanding in both his defence and his willingness to carry the attack to the

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opposition, but under pressure we failed to maintain our patterns. The team showed character in the second half.

Durham: won 22-19 At last some patterned play and excellent discipline from the team. Harry Booth showed that he has developed into a good number 8 both in attack and defence. Freddie Adcock as always showed his talent finishing a good move. Overall a very pleasing win in difficult conditions. Gaby McGill’s goal-kicking was outstanding.

Bradford GS: won 57-5 As the score suggests, this was a comfortable victory. Bradford could not cope with the physicality of some of our play. Ben Lodge set the example playing with skill and determination. All the backs prospered and the forwards supplied them with plenty of front-foot possession. A pleasing end to the season. This group of players have been a pleasure to coach. They are always attentive and give of their best. Most pleasing is their willingness to support each other at all times. Mr Mike Johnston

Under-14Bs Every September the new school year offers all kinds of new beginnings in classes, houses and on the games fields. The freshly kitted-out and enthusiastic arrivals on the Riverside pitches embark on their rugby journey with the school and there can few more interesting jobs than sorting them all out. Matches begin with a few sessions and, as the teams bed down, characters emerge and styles of play develop. It is always a pleasure to look at the first XV pitch and see which boys have developed the skills and tenacity to finish playing at the school’s top level having had what are too easily thought of as humble beginnings in the under14B XV. Equally interesting is to project forward and imagine which of this year’s crop will manage the same. This year’s results indicate (correctly) a very successful season for this group of boys but they only tell a fraction of the story of their play; you can, after all, only beat those in front of you! This team was not blessed with size and therefore learned a brand of the game which depended more on running around the opposition than through them – a refreshing sight at under-14 level! In many games, their ability to do this was just too good for the opposition and somewhat one-sided afternoons resulted. Defensively, the team showed considerable collective discipline and individual bravery and to only concede 43 points over the course of the season adequately tells this tale. To select highlights from the season is very difficult and inevitably arbitrary. Big scores are, perhaps, obvious choices but there is less to enjoy in beating markedly inferior opponents than there is overcoming the equally-matched, or even those seemingly stronger. The QEGS result stands out, not the score but for the way game unfolded. The first ten minutes saw almost total possession and territory advantage for our guests whose greater

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size hinted at a very one-sided and long afternoon. Having conceded early and done the majority of the tackling, the St Peter’s team underwent something of a transformation, showed tactical judgment in kicking penalty opportunities for points and, returning to coached principles of fast and open play, their rapid recycling of possession created space for our fitter, faster backs to exploit. At the full-time whistle the emotions were of surprise and pride as much as they were of exhaustion and the confidence established endured and grew thereafter. In total, 30 boys pulled on a shirt on match day and, of these, 22 managed to score. Seven were ever-presents in all ten fixtures and of these, five played behind the scrummage in what proved a very stable back-line. These were kickers Oliver Coulthard (our top scorer with 53 points), Will Morrison (40 points) , Benji Denison (the demon tackler) and the centre pairing of Jamies (Steenberg and Dunsmore) whose ability to exploit the space before them proved too incisive for many opponents and who scored 60 points between them. In the pack, the hardworking Jamie Smith and Jay Davies played in every game too. The team was selected from: Barnaby Baker, Freddie Bateman, Zachary Buttle, Henry Campbell, Oliver Coulthard, Jay Davies, Ben Denison, Jamie Dunsmore, Jack Farrington, Will Foster, Felix Fraser-Kraus, Alex Harrison, Joshua Harrison, Oliver Head, Harry Hey, Tom Hulmes, Noah Kennedy, Jack Mayfield, Will Morrison, Tim Panfilov, Owen Pudsey, Sam Raper, James Smith, Jamie Steenberg, Freddie Stothard, Marcus Taylor, Tom Uren, Fergus Waterhouse, Sam Wordsworth and Wasim Zaman Results: P LAYED WON LOST POINTS FOR 10 9 1 345

POINTS AGAINST 43

GSAL

(h)

5 - 0

Woodhouse Grove

(a)

0 - 21

Hymers

(a)

49 - 0

Ampleforth

(h)

36 - 12

QEGS

(h)

25 - 5

Pocklington

(a)

50 - 0

Barnard Castle

(a)

13 - 0

RGS Newcastle

(h)

57 - 0

Durham

(a)

49 - 5

Bradford GS

(h)

66 - 0

Mr Martin Lawrence

Sevens Under-14 Sevens The under-14s played two tournaments. At our own St Peter’s tournament the team were a little slow to adapt and went out in the semi- final of the plate competition. At Bradford a muchimproved performance saw us win the group, eventually losing in the semi-final. Well done to all the boys involved.

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Under-15 Sevens The under-15s were in three tournaments and showed good levels of improvement throughout. The best performances were at Ampleforth, where they won their group and went out at semi-final stage, losing narrowly to Sedbergh, and at the Bradford Sevens, where they finished second in a tough group, progressing again to the semi-finals of the cup.

Under-16 Sevens ‘Winning is not everything, but wanting to win is.’ Vince Lombardi I could not have asked for more from the lads who turned up to train in their lunchtimes twice a week all term. The lads who commit to the sevens season do so knowing that they will be doing this alongside their hockey or other sporting commitments, in addition to music and drama, coursework and the demands of their academic subjects. That they did so without complaint and accepted that selection is dictated by all these considerations and that only twelve can go to any one tournament, and especially Rosslyn Park. In all we played five tournaments, winning at Sedbergh and Durham and winning the plate at Pocklington and coming third at QEGS, (losing only one of six games, by four points ). In the end we only fielded the Rosslyn Park squad at QEGS and in the National Sevens. The whole squad played a huge part in winning these tournaments and I had to leave six players who had won at Sedbergh, Durham or Pocklington, behind when we went to London. That these young men accepted the decision with maturity and no bitterness towards their teammates says so much about their character. There were obviously highlights; with Will Fryer’s wonderful tackle in the semi-final at Sedbergh alongside Nathan’s three crunching tackles in the first half of the final and Felix`s two last-minute tries to win both semi and final at that venue, then there was the collective team performances in the semi and final at Durham with George Ingall playing the rugby of his life and Felix sprinting in vital tries against Durham, Barnard Castle and WHG; Will Fordy’s first-minute try against Millfield and the kick-offs of both Cam and Sam; and Charlie Rae`s tackling and ability to make much bigger opposition look rather foolish; watching our side rise from the ashes of defeat against Millfield; to win with such passion in our final group games at Rosslyn Park; George’s impression of Courtney Lawes; Nathan refusing to take a backward step; Cam’s sidestep and Sam`s quick hands and vision throughout the season; and Ted`s ability to win the physical battle with lads twice his size. Then there are all the unsung moments from the ‘dogs of war’: Will, Rory, Charlie, George, James, Adam, James and Joe who competed at the breakdown, chased kicks, got over the opposition like a rash. Sevens is physically and mentally demanding and the whole squad deserves to feel part of the overall success this term and to feel part of the huge disappointment of not getting out of the group at RP. As Winston Churchill once said, ‘Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm’. These young men have learned from all the setbacks during the

season and I have no doubt that in the coming two years and beyond they will use these to fuel future success. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to have held the reins with this group this year and I know they will go from strength to strength My final thanks go to Sam and Joe; Sam for his unfailing ability to pass on messages and to help organize sessions and to Joe as one of the finest captains I have known at St Peter’s. ‘The supreme quality of leadership is integrity.’ Dwight Eisenhower Mr Paddy Stephen

First VII A positive start to the season at Ampleforth saw us win the group and progress to the semi-final where we went out to eventual winners Sedbergh. On the artificial pitch at Newcastle Falcons we played the Durham Sevens. Playing at times some excellent sevens rugby we went out in the group stage on points difference, unfortunately picking up a number of injuries along the way. Hymers Sevens was played at Hull Ionians RFC, and wins came against Ampleforth and Sedbergh, meaning that we progressed to the cup semi-final, losing out narrowly to Durham. At Rosslyn Park we narrowly went down in the first match to Epsom College, but good wins followed against Queen Elizabeth, Kirkby Lonsdale and Marling schools, and we eventually finished third in the group. This was a good season, ably led by a strong upper-sixth contingent with the lower sixth slotting in well and adding to the team. Unfortunately having a small squad cost us when we were hit by injuries. Squad: Harry Richardson, Ben Williams, Harry Stothard, Dominic Marsh, James Field, Sam Hudson, Will Quinn, Tom Robinson, Will Kimpson, Oliver Leedham

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BOYS’ HOCKEY

First XI The squad was: Ben Williams* (captain), Sam Lodge, Toby Latham, Alex Martin, Finlay Craig, Oliver Leedham, Freddie Heijbroek*, Sam Hudson, Tom Robinson, Oliver Fryer*, Nick Fullick, Will Quinn, Will Kimpson (*caps) The season was very much weather-affected and sadly four matches had to be cancelled. This was a strong school side losing only one fixture all season to a good Worksop side. Overall we played seven matches, winning six and losing one. We scored 29 goals and conceded only 13.

next season. Will Quinn led the line with hard work and patience. He understands the need to play high and stretch defences and this allowed others room to play. Ben Williams showed great pace with the ball and developed the ability to shoot both open and reverse. He also captained the team well. Will Kimpson showed some good touches, setting up a number of fine goals – when he relaxes he is a threatening player. Nick Fullick showed great determination to be in the first team. He used his pace well and caused problems. The highlights of the season were a good win over The Pandas team, followed by a 4-3 win over Ampleforth in the last game of the season. The team were a pleasure to coach and I look forward to next season with eight of the squad returning. Awards The Stick: Oli Leedham The S M Burn Trophy: Sam Hudson The Pandas Cup: Ted Patmore Mondial Shield: Temple Hubbard Cup: The Grove Mr Mike Johnston

In goal Sam Lodge made some outstanding saves and was always reliable. In the middle of defence were Alex Martin and Finlay Craig. Alex is always composed and rarely gives the ball away. He has good skills and is developing a strong aerial pass. Finlay’s strength was his uncompromising tackling, and he began to improve his distribution. Toby Latham developed well in the difficult left-back position, especially his ability to transfer the ball. Meanwhile, on the right Oli Leedham became not only a sound defender but also a good overlapping attacking threat. In the middle of the field Freddie Heijbroek, in his third season, was outstanding, dominating games and adding workrate to his excellent skills. Either side of him were Sam Hudson and Tom Robinson, who both have big engines and never stop competing. They will not take a backward step. Sam’s skills improved, allowing him to utilise his vision. Tom does the work off the ball that makes teams successful. Oli Fryer played behind the twin attackers. He has the ability to beat players and caused panic in opposition defences. His confidence grows and I am confident he will score many goals

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Second XI ‘There may be people that have more talent than you, but there is no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.’ Derek Jeter

It was a real pleasure to help coach the second XI this season. Fundamentally they were a decent side full of good games players who had a desire to play and to improve. It was sad that too many of their games were lost to opposition cry-offs. Sadly this is a situation we have become ever more familiar with in recent years. Playing good opposition is the only way to really improve and too often this was not the case. This inevitably means that when you play the better sides the edge is not there for the duration of the match. When we were at our best we played some great hockey, scoring some super goals, built right from the back through midfield and then executed well in front of goal. David Bird and Andy Bartlett were our normal strike force and both repeatedly got themselves into scoring positions only to be thwarted in the act of scoring. Despite this they proved very effective with both positioning and stickwork improving throughout. Eddy Stephen played at the top of the diamond where his close stickwork was often excellent and this coupled with the ability to find good passes made us a threat up front.

James Benaddi and Freddie Greswold were our normal wide men in the diamond and both showed increasing confidence in both receiving the ball under pressure and in picking the easy passes. Both will have learned much from this year and this will benefit them next season. All three of these players could also learn from increasing their ability to get back defensively when the ball is in transition. Joe Waterhouse gave huge energy to the back of the diamond and has real potential for next season. He still gives away too many technical fouls but his work-rate and desire are exemplary and his stickwork has improved a great deal. Across the back we were lucky to have four quality players in Tom McCullagh, Sam Blott, Oli Procter and Hugo Adams. As the season progressed and our half backs began to press more effectively in midfield, they became ever more sure at the back; once they increased the tempo of the transition from defence into attack they became really good at moving the ball away from their own goal. George Metcalfe also found his feet in this back line often enabling Hugo to move forward. Dan Hopwood-Robinson also gained very useful experience at the back alongside Sam and Oli who were sure in defence throughout. Up front and in midfield we also called on the services of Ed Contreras and Toby Courtis who proved to be versatile and keen to improve; again the confidence built up this year will be invaluable next season. The side was captained with

real quality by our very fine goalkeeper Dan Clough who made a string of outstanding saves during the season. He is very quick off his line, has the ability to make himself big at the right times and is utterly fearless.

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I would like to thank the lads for all their hard work this season as their efforts in practice also hugely benefit the first team. I would also thank Mike Johnston for the patience he has shown with all the doubling up we have to do to ensure that both the hockey and the sevens can be properly staffed. His organisation of this sport is second to none and only those close to it understand just how much hard work goes into making the season successful across all the age-groups. ‘The five Ss of sports training are: stamina, speed, strength, skill, and spirit; but the greatest of these is spirit.’ Ken Doherty Mr Paddy Stephen

Under-16s With the under-16s being an odd year where some schools choose to play with under-16s and others choose to put their players into senior hockey, there weren’t too many competitive fixtures for this year’s team. However, in the matches played , they were very fluent and scored many goals. Particularly good was their transition from attack into a good press in defence and also converting defence into rapid counter-attacks. The season started away at Worksop, a very strong hockey school and traditionally a tough opening opponent. The A-team had a great game, coming out 5-0 winners, and the B-team were 2-1 victors. The B-team then played Scarborough’s A-team a week later, winning easily, 9-0. The A-team then went on to play Barnard Castle and Ampleforth winning 7-1 and 8-0 respectively. The team also participated in the national knockout tournament,

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winning the Yorkshire rounds but then unfortunately losing out to Egglescliffe on penalty flicks in the North East final. Although it was a short season it was a very successful one, with many players moving up and making first-team appearances: Ted Patmore, Alex Martin, Freddie Heijbroek and Will Andrews all represented the first XI. In the under-16s Tom Hawksworth, Will Fryer and Cameron Burdass were the pick of the players. Thanks are due to Mrs Brough and Mr Carter for all the help with coaching. Sam Elliot, V

Under-15As The under-15A hockey season was good season with four wins out of six and sadly losing the county tournament. However the season started with a 2-0 loss to Hall Cross, but we came out the next week with a win against Worksop 3-2. Unfortunately, the next three games against Egglescliffe,

Thirsk and Ampleforth were all cancelled due to bad weather. Next was the junior inter-house hockey competition where Grove came out winners against Queen’s in the final. Another win for the team came against Ashville where we won 3-1. We then played in the county tournament qualifiers where we won all of our games scoring 21 goals and conceding none, thanks to the great defence and goalkeeping. The next game was against Yarm where we won again 2-0. Our final block fixture was against Ampleforth which we won 6-0. After qualifying through to the county tournament finals, we played Thirsk who we lost to 2-0. The squad was good all round, with Marcus Thomson in goal providing us with safety and reliability and pulling off some great saves. Henry Barker at left back played well and was very consistent in his defending; Alex Liley at centre back was the spine of the defence and controlled things well; Jack Amsden at right back played really well both attacking and defending; Adam Brown at central defensive midfielder was also part of the solid core of the side. Charlie Higginbottom on the right of midfield played really well and created many opportunities; Robbie Greenall on the left of midfield also created opportunities and helped out in defence;

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Max Courtis at central attacking midfield scored quite a bit, created a lot and helped the team move forward. Jack Williams at right wing made good attacking runs and finished and created well; Charlie Hudson at striker made good attacking runs and finished well. Harry Contreras played on the left Wing, and was one of our best attacking threats, finishing well whilst also tracking back to defend. Seth Williams offered great skills and vision in midfield. I would like to thank Mr Ramli and Mr Sharpe for their help coaching and umpiring our matches. Mr Mike Johnston

Under-15Bs The under-15Bs had a strong season, playing some fluid hockey which certainly progressed over the term. Overall we won four matches and lost two, which is particularly impressive when most of the games were played against ‘A’ teams. The season started and finished with matches against Pocklington which really demonstrated how well the team had improved: we won in a tight game 3-1 at the beginning and then dominated in a controlled and effective finale, winning 6-1. Playing some more skilled ‘A’ teams such as Ashville College meant that the team did

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not get complacent but learned and built on their performance. The way we moved the ball around became more fluid and we were able to create some good chances on goal. The highlight of the season was our match against Scarborough’s ‘A’ team away. It was a tight game, and through some good play by the opposition we went 4-2 down in the second half. A quick goal gave us a boost of confidence and a belief we could win. We scored another and with minutes to go we heaped on the pressure and managed to get a final goal to win the game 5-4. This was a great testament to the team’s persistence and determination. There were many players in the under-15B/C squad and it was great to have an opportunity to field our ‘C’ team in a third match against Pocklington ‘A’ team. Although we lost, we played some good hockey and everyone seemed to enjoy the occasion. Well done to all who represented the school for a successful season. Mr Will Allan

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CRICKET First XI ‘The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they do not play together, the club won’t be worth a dime!’ Babe Ruth

also allowed the squad to gel and gave us plenty of chance to see which areas we needed to develop and work harder on throughout the course of the summer. What was clear from the outset of this season was the wonderful sense of friendship and team-spirit that these boys had. There was a healthy mixture of skilful maturity and youth who were happy in each other’s company and who were all eager for success. However, even with all the talent on display, looking around the dressing-room in April there were too many good players with a fear of failure and too much self-doubt.

It has been my immense pleasure to have coached this group of young men. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with each and every one of them and watching an outstanding group of boys develop and enjoy their cricket as individuals and to enjoy each other’s success and company so much.

The 2015 season started back in April with two glorious days pre-season against Cheltenham College, hosted here at St Peter’s. It made an ideal opportunity for the boys to start practising their skills outside against good quality opposition. We played some good cricket for early season over the two days and managed to play 180 overs of cricket, which was excellent match practice; it

The boxer Evander Holyfield said, ‘When at a young age you learn to face your fears, it makes the difference between people being champions and people not being champions.’ As always, we try to go about our business with an aspiration to achieve high standards in everything we do and to be the best side in the area. Excellent and gritty early-season wins against the Yorkshire Gentlemen and Bradford Grammar got the season off to solid start. Over the course of this outstanding summer we only lost one regular season Saturday fixture, against Leeds Grammar – our only ‘speed bump’. This did however give us a chance to re-group and set better plans, firstly as individuals, to back our skills, to take

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against Pocklington and by 113 runs against Trinity Grammar, Melbourne. Three excellent victories at the King’s Bruton Cricket Festival saw us score over 650 runs and take 30 wickets in three games. A win in classic clash against the Old Peterites rounded off a wonderful summer for everyone involved with the XI but especially for those boys who played their last game for the school.

calculated risks, to be self-confident, self-assured and ruthlessly determined – and, as a team; to be clinical, prepared, to play for each other and to be resilient in every situation and to expel any fear of failure that was lurking in our kit-bags. Our annual HMC National T20 campaign got off to an excellent start with a 10-wicket win against Hymers, in which Harry Stothard scored a remarkable 96 not out from 58 balls and with a walkover against local rivals Ampleforth, we faced a strong Durham side in the second round of the cup. Having beaten them only the previous weekend in a gritty and well-fought game, confidence was high. We secured victory by 38 runs in a great all-round team performance and with some exceptional fielding (which was a real feature of this side). The North-East final was against last year’s winners of the tournament, Woodhouse Grove. The defeat was a real disappointment for everyone involved: a lack of game practice and the pressure of exams had a large bearing on our performance, but it was the same for both sides and the long and short of it was, for the first time all year, we just did not turn up to the races. The mark of great players or great teams is always how they bounce back from situations of loss or hurt: ‘Great champions have an enormous sense of pride. The people who excel are those who are driven to show the world and to prove to themselves just how good they are.’ (American golfer, Nancy Lopez)

And 2015 was a great team! Our return from this was a stretch of nine straight wins on the reel: a 132-run win against Hymers; a thrilling one-wicket win against the MCC: a great game, and one that the captain of the MCC said was the best game against a school side he had been involved in; by six wickets against the Saints, by four wickets

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The Players Harry Stothard: expertly captained the XI with calm and controlled confidence; his captaincy and management of the side was instrumental in the performance and the attitude of the side and I would like to thank him for his leadership and support. He also recorded nearly 400 runs and took 17 wickets and played some vital innings for the side when it mattered, like a true captain. I will never forget his reverse sweep on the second day of the OP game – talent! Harry Contreras: in his debut season as a fourth-former, showed his class on a number of occasions with quiet authority. Grew in confidence as the summer progressed, developed understanding in his role and looks set for some big seasons ahead. Will Huffer: had a great summer, he set the team up with a number of solid opening stands for us to build on and bowled a more-thanuseful ‘nippy’ spell when required. ‘Huff’ leaves us this summer to pursue his football career with Leeds United. His character, maturity and skills with bat and ball will be sincerely missed.

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Hugo Adams: played some very eye-catching innings over the summer but by his own admittance never really made enough of his many positive starts at number four; very useful ‘go to’ man with the ball and an excellent team player who played the game in the right way, with a smile! Toby Latham: one of the major heartbeats of the side, full of enthusiasm and love for the game. Toby always asked his teammates to achieve the standards we promised to reach. Set the tone for us as fielding unit from his position behind the stumps. An outstanding gloveman, with a stoical work-ethic, and a tenacious middle-order batsman. Sam Lodge: a classy and powerful middleorder player who didn’t quite fulfil his potential this summer with the bat; no doubt next year will be a big year for him. Developed himself into a fine new-ball bowler, a wonderful second string to add to his bow. Oli Leedham: what a team man! ‘Vicecaptain fantastic,’ inspiring left-arm swing bowler, weekin, week-out, developed into a very reliable middle-order batsman (and opener, when required) and exceptional in the field – took two of the best catches of the summer. Will Shaw: came in as a last-minute replacement early in the season but deserved to hold his place all summer. Excellent lower-

order impact player who saved the day a number of times, safe pair of hands and a really good team-man. Ben Williams: an unfortunate back injury held him back until halfterm with the ball. Great to see him back to his best at the back end of the summer. A handy lower-order batsman; always a man with wise words and an attitude for winning. Tom Spearman: a leg-spinner of real class, a superb pair of hands and studious pupil of the game. Tom will lead the XI next summer with a steely determination and strategic planning. Ted Patmore: a fabulous three-dimensional all-rounder. An aggressive batsman; who will have a great summer next year with the bat. This summer’s leading wicket-taker and one of the best fielders around. Never stops smiling. Cameron Burdass: came into the side towards the later stages of the season, a typical left-hander, he has his own style but showed real promise with the bat and ball; another excellent fielder. Felix Van der Borgh: showed promise with ball, lots of hard work and focus to his skills this winter and the sky is the limit. I would like to thank all the boys for their huge efforts and hard work throughout the year; they were excellent company on away trips and superb ambassadors for St

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Peter’s cricket the length and breadth of the country. Also our groundsmen Peter, Sheldon and George worked tirelessly all year to prepare great schoolboy cricket pitches for us to practise and play on, week-in, week-out. Thanks also to Edward Turvill in his tenure as first-team scorer: he has been great value, even with his questionable ‘banter’; to Paddy for all his help and counsel, especially in the under-15 festival; to David Foster, who has put a huge amount of time and energy into cricket across the school – all the boys have benefited from his knowledge, input and professional demeanour – and finally to Ken Featherston, our unfaltering man in the white coat, who next season enters his 50th and final season as an umpire, 20 of them for St Peter’s. Our leaving senior players will be sadly missed next summer, for their friendship, aspirations, talent and team work. I wish them all the very best of luck and good wishes for their future: thank you, gentlemen!

Bowling Will Huffer

‘When you leave school, finally you find that life is a game, sometimes serious, sometimes fun, but a game that must be played with true team spirit …’

Best Average

152

6-14

10.8

Cameron Burdass 32

116

5-23

11.6

Ted Patmore

376

4-28

14.4

Harry Stothard

262

4-31

15.4

Averages

Tom Spearman

91.3

352

3-0

16.7

(not including HMC T20 fixtures)

Oliver Leedham

111

367

4-23

18.3

Sam Lodge

220

2-8

Hugo Adams

143

3-2

20.4

Ben Williams

241

4-41

24.1

Sam Hudson

2-12

Tom Gill

1-6

Felix Van der Borgh 22

1-19

Batting

Innings Runs Not outs Best Average

Will Huffer

450

97*

34.6

Toby Latham

364

72*

33.1

Harry Stothard

394

26.2

Hugo Adams

328

75*

25.2

H.arry Contreras

342

24.4

Will Shaw

173

21.6

Tom Spearman

Oliver Leedham

205

55*

18.6

Cameron Burdass

27*

18.3

The following boys have represented the first XI this season: +* Harry Stothard (captain) +* Hugo Adams, +* Toby Latham, +* Oliver Leedham, +* Ben Williams, +*Will .Shaw, +* Will Huffer, *Ted Patmore, *Sam Lodge, *Tom Spearman, *Cameron Burdass, *Harry Contreras, Felix Van der Borgh, Tom Gill, Sam Hudson, Alex Liley, Will Quinn, Eddy Stephen, Ed Turvill (scorer)

Ted Patmore

15.1

+ = Capped player *= Colours

Sam Lodge

138

12.5

Ben Willams

3.1

Also batted: Felix Van der Borgh 0*; Tom Gill 0; Alex Liley 1; Will Quinn 4.

212

Overs Runs Wickets

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Results summary 2015: played 19, won 15, drawn 0, lost 4 (abandoned 1); win ratio: 78.95%. Mr Graham Sharp

Sport

Second XI Our first match was against Bradford, and batting first we scored an impressive 157-5 in 30 overs before managing to bowl Bradford out for 57. Against Leeds some powerful hitting from Stuart Tolley, ably supported by Tom Gill saw us reach 171-4 in 30 overs. GSAL in reply managed 139-7, giving us another very good win. Next came Ampleforth, where we posted another excellent score of 179-5. Ampleforth were 150 all out in reply. This was followed by a fixture against Durham where we again secured the win with an impressive performance with both bat and ball. Wins followed against Hymers and Pocklington to secure the unbeaten season. Well done to all the boys who played in the second XI this season! Mr Steve Williams

Under-15s ‘To me, it doesn’t matter how good you are. Sport is all about playing and competing. Whatever you do in cricket and in sport, enjoy it, be positive and try to win.’ Ian Botham The season started for many with nets in the Easter term and finished at school with the Cricket festival in the final week of term. During this time the boys all worked with determination to improve their skills and concentration. The weather at the start of the season was pretty cold, wet and frankly miserable! However we were able to play most of our games. At Bradford we were 67 for nine with Alex Liley having scored 29 of these before our last

pair of James Black and Charlie Hudson batted very well to see us to a respectable 126 with both scoring 20. As we started to bowl so the drizzle started to fall! After 17 of the scheduled 30 overs they were 47-3 and we had a good finish on our hands but at this point the drizzle turned to rain and we had to abandon the game. Next came Leeds with Alex Liley, Marcus Thomson, Oli Hughes, Ben Raubitschek and James Black (52) all contributing with the bat to give us a total of 176-7. Our bowlers performed well with Ralph Sinclair and Jack Amsden both taking four wickets in Leeds’ reply of 126 all out. Our next game came in the national T20 with Alex Liley scoring a fine 110 in seventeen overs! Jack

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short as James Black and Ben Raubitschek were playing for the second XI. This was a disappointing loss as we did not really play well in a game we could have won with more application with the bat. From here on in we learned from this and showed real focus in the field and with bat and ball. Good wins over Ashville, Hymers and Pocklington saw us through to the end of our regular season.

Williams bowled particularly well taking four wickets for eight runs in three overs, helping us to a good win. Our next T20 saw us beat All Saints in terrible weather conditions with Ben Lodge scoring an impressive 50 not out. Ben and Gaby McGill joined us in the T20 from the under-14s and proved most useful as the season progressed. A good win over Pockington in the next round – where again our bowling and fielding were excellent, exemplified by two superb catches from Ben Raubitschek – saw us into the semi-finals against Hatfield College where we fielded and bowled superbly again and managed to win comfortably. This took us into the Yorkshire final against a very strong Shelley College side. Shelley batted first and posted a good 134. The bowling at the death of Jack Williams and Charlie Hudson is worthy of note as was our catching in this game. We started well with the bat but lost Harry Contreras to a direct hit and got a bit bogged down in the middle overs. Despite that Oli Hughes (16), Jack Amsden and Ralph Sinclair (15 not out) took us to 109 in the final few overs showing us what might have been. Our only loss during the normal season came against Durham when we were two players

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In the final week of term we hosted an under-15 festival at St Peters involving Oundle. Trent College, Cheltenham College and ourselves. We took this as an opportunity to look at a number of the under-14s including Ben Lodge, Gaby McGill, Marcus Taylor and Sam Wordsworth. Although our bowling and fielding stood up to the challenge we found the longer form of the game more difficult as batsmen, often playing ‘shots’ too early in an innings, not really getting in, and therefore putting pressure on the incoming player. The clear exception to this was the splendid partnership between Marcus Taylor and Gaby McGill which enabled us to beat Trent College on the Tuesday. The festival was a real success, played in a great spirit and in beautiful weather. I hope the lads from all four schools realised how lucky they were to have this opportunity and I very much hope that it continues next season. The under-15B cricketers have had a successful 2015 season. The boys won three of the four competitive matches they played, amid other fixtures which were rained off. There were sparks of individual brilliance during the term, which were knitted together with a strong team-spirit. Beginning with the batting: Theo Hedley’s batting really matured during the season; this culminated in a terrific knock against Ampleforth, where his unbeaten 39 combined solid defence with great timing, hitting seven fours. Harrison Savage tweaked his batting technique in the nets, became more secure in defence and upped his strike-rate. Feifei Rawnsley batted with great spirit and

Sport

was often a tough nut to crack for the opposition, batting in the lower order. Charlie Smith has a good eye for the ball and struck it powerfully; he now needs to work on his defence! Michael Hopkins opened the batting in most of the matches and grafted some fine innings, the best of which was his 31 at Hymers. The most notable bowling performance was from Rory Winterburn at Ampleforth. He produced a truly outstanding spell, taking eight wickets for 15 runs in his five overs. Alex Leahy bowled with real venom and found more control as the season progressed. Will Farr was a revelation as a bowler, producing an inspired spell at Hymers, where every ball was on or around the top of the off stump and he was rewarded with one wicket in the game. Max Auty showed the greatest improvement of any of our bowlers and took a wicket with his first ball of his spell in the match against Hymers. Amongst the all-rounders, Eddy Thompson backed himself both with bat and ball, bought his own luck at times and enjoyed his cricket a great deal. Charlie Higginbottom bowled well and worked hard on his technique with the bat. Before injuring his hand, Adam Brown showed much promise as a bowling all-rounder. Matt Ubhi did a fine job as captain, executing some thoughtful plans and was also great with the bat and ball, in the field and as a stand-in wicket-keeper.

field very well. Marcus Thomson is not yet a T20 batsman but will develop in the longer form of the game and proved a fine fielder at short extra cover in the festival. I felt – as did Mr Parr – that the bowling and fielding developed very well across all twenty-plus lads; however I felt that we needed to have spent more time on batting. This will come as the boys mature and play more 40- and 50-over matches. It was a real pleasure to coach these young men this season and I thank them and Mr Parr for all the enthusiasm shown throughout. I would also thank Jack Williams, Alex Liley and – in the T20 – Harry Contreras for their captaincy of the team and their mature understanding of the need to give each player the chance to develop and not just the few. ‘There is so much uncertainty in cricket. One day you can get a hundred ,the next you can be dismissed for a zero. It makes you become practical about things. Teaches you to accept both success and failure. I think I have learnt a lot about life from cricket.’ Mahela Jayawardene Mr Paddy Stephen

The boys developed their skill levels, teamwork and concentration as the season progressed. In particular, the high degree of improvement in all the bowling this year has been magnificent: surely a credit to the hard work that the boys put into the practice sessions. It was a pleasure to see the team play with intensity and with a strong competitive spirit. I was pleased with the positive attitude showed by the boys and the good grace with which they won their matches, but above all the fact that they enjoyed their cricket. Well done all! To summarise the season in but a very few sentences does not do justice to the efforts of all the boys. This is especially true of those who worked hard at their technique but because of the weather and the short form of the game, did not really get their chance to shine. Luke Huffer is one such individual whose medium pace could prove very useful next season; his performance in the Hymers match showed real promise with the ball. Kevin Williams did not really get enough batting and as his defiant display in the Cheltenham College game showed he really can bat as well as

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Leavers’ destinations

Hugo Adams Francisca Anderson Olivia Anderson Alice Appleby Keira Barnard Andrew Bartlett Sophie Blackburn Annabel Blott Samuel Blott Nicolae Bolocan James Bottomley Lucy Bower Libby Brown Emily Brown Chloe Burdass Phoebe Burley Lauren Caley Georgia Calvert Laura Carrigan Carol Chen Laura Clark Daniel Clough Samuel Colthup Joseph Copley Edward Cotter Toby Courtis Finlay Craig Alicia Cranston Thomas Dabbs Lauren Darley Christopher de Planta de Wildenberg Samuel Dickinson Alistair Duffey Jonnie Eleanor Shannon Ellerton Clement Elliott William Emery Idorenyin Etuk Anna Fairbank James Field Andrii Fokin Harriet Fordy Luis Fox Nicholas Fullick George Gao Ben Gibson Timothy Goodwin Nathaniel Green Jack Guffogg Isabel Hall Holly Harrison Katherine Harrison Jessica Hart William Hartley Callum Hatzel Fenella Hayes Lewis Hernaman Sally Hicks Kathryn Hinton Philip Hodgson Lily Howells Charles Hunter

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German and Italian (4 years)

Lucy Wootton Abdulmuminu Yahaya

Gap Year The University of Edinburgh

Ancient History Economics Modern Languages (4 years) Chemical Engineering (4 years) Economics

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THE PETERITE 2014-2015

St Peter’s School • York • YO30 6AB Tel: 01904 527300 • Fax: 01904 527302 Email: enquiries@stpetersyork.org.uk www.stpetersyork.org.uk

The Peterite 2014-2015

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