Visits & Exchanges

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.

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 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

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

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. The Rise may be the smallest house, but it is full of conscientious and talented girls. At the fi nal assembly, Mr Winkley announced that we were the winners of the Merit Cup. What a way to fi nish 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 effi ciency, 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 fi eld. 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, exemplifi ed 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 fi eld … teamwork was the key to everything, in attack and defence.

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

From kick-off until the end of the game. The other water-boy and cameraman! And the ‘Selfie Twins’.

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

Our IT man, cameramen and water-boy:

The Luge:

The views:

White Water Rafting:

Banff and Sulphur Mountain:

Lake Louise:

Seattle:

The baseball game:

Back into Canada:

Culture and Kayaking!

Whale-watching and a good soaking!!

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

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 fi rst 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.

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? 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 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

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! 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 fi nal rendition of the medley from The Sound of Music and the Barbershop entertaining crowds of people.

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 ?)

Morocco Expedition

We had the fi rst 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. 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 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.

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 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

Ski Trip 2015: Sestriere, Italy

On the fi nal 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 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 fi rst 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!

The coach journey went much quicker than anyone expected and it was quite a shock to arrive

Mr Steve Gwilliam

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

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.

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 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.

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,

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

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.

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 midmorning, 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.

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.

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

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.

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! 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).

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

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

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. 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 …

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

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, 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.

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.’

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 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.

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

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, 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