The Suttonian 2017 by SVS Foundation

VOL. 39 NO. 2

2017

THE SUTTONIAN

The Suttonian 2017 The Suttonian is the magazine of Sutton Valence School in Kent, a co-educational day and boarding senior school for pupils from 11-18 years.

Editorial Team

Contact Details

Editor Mr W Radford Editorial Assistance Miss L Cansick Mrs H Knott Mrs S O’Connell Mrs K Williams Design Mr W Radford

Address Sutton Valence School North Street Sutton Valence Maidstone Kent ME17 3HL

Photography Mr D Clarke Mr T Cope Mr J Lewis Ahuvi Photography

Headmaster

Mr BCW Grindlay www.svs.org.uk enquiries@svs.org.uk 01622 845200 radfordw@svs.org.uk

Group Photography

Bentley Photographic

Website Email Phone

Photography Editing

Stagg Creative

Editorial Email

Printing and Binding Lavenham Press

Editorial Note

his is now my second year editing The Suttonian, but the first without the reportchasing expertise of Sarah Collins, my predecessor. In filling her void and collating together the various reports, write-ups and reviews that comprise the magazine, what becomes clear is the enthusiasm and willingness of staff and pupils alike to provide the content. Whether the articles relate to music concerts, drama productions, field trips or sporting triumphs, there is a genuine eagerness to document School life, in what is essentially its yearbook. The community ethos that is so vital to Sutton Valence is underpinned by the pride that the community shares in its achievements, and that is hopefully evident in the content herewith.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the editorial assistance I have had in pulling together the publication; the likes of Helen Knott, Sarah O’Connell, Karen Williams and Lauren Cansick (2013 F) have been of invaluable support, and I am indebted to them for their efforts. That said, this is very much the pupils’ magazine, and my thanks ultimately go to them and the academic staff who have contributed. It has been a fantastic year for the School, with highlights ranging from the concert at St John’s Smith Square that graces the front cover, to the Rugby tour of North America, the forging of new international links with the opening of the HIK SVS preparatory school in Tianjin and the development of the new Fifth Form exchange programmes to India, New Zealand and Australia. As the School continues to evolve and develop, I hope The Suttonian provides the opportunity to take stock of our successes and celebrate the present.

HIGHLIGHTS

Contents Highlights

Academic Updates

Art and Design

Performing Arts 45

Music and Concerts

Community and Charity

Combined Cadet Force

Duke of Edinburgh Award

119

Sport and Games

127

Valete 2017

171

Page 1 - The Suttonian 2017

HIGHLIGHTS

Headmaster’s Welcome

s we look to the future, Sutton Valence sees our 450th anniversary appear on the horizon for 2026. As we plan for this important milestone, we are also using it as a springboard to look to the future to see what we want the School to be and to provide, going forward, for future generations of Suttonians. In order to prepare for this, much work has been done on creating an exciting vision for our future and this was summarised in our Vision for the Future document that we released at Speech Day this year. In drawing up this strategic plan, much consultation took place and I am grateful to the Student Council, the Parents’ Consultation Group, the Staff and Governors for their input in setting the direction of the School in the years to come. The genesis of this work began at a Governors’ Strategy Day last November. Before any detail was examined, the Governors wanted to revisit what we do well, why we do it and whether these should change or evolve going forward. To my delight, all at that meeting agreed that SV is absolutely focused on improving outcomes for our pupils and this must not change. We don’t want to become more selective; we don’t want to become any bigger and we don’t want to lose sight of what’s important: every individual’s journey through the School. We need to remember that the distance travelled by all of us is so much more important than our varied starting points: everyone’s outcome will be different, but as long as we have collectively improved upon these, then we have all been successful. Nowhere has this been more apparent this year than in us reaching the top two per cent of schools for improving academic outcomes. I hope you enjoy reading about the impressive outcomes that are clear for all to see in the following pages that document another hugely successful and diverse year at SV. I thank all of our community for participating, trying and working so hard to achieve all they have this year. I would also like to reserve a special thank you to Mr Will Radford for all that he has done as Editor of The Suttonian. He has invested huge levels of care and attention in his task as evidenced in every page of this impressive record of our achievements. For most of the year his job is a thankless task, but, upon publication, I hope that my thanks will be echoed by all who read the ensuing pages. Best wishes

Mr Bruce Grindlay Headmaster

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HIGHLIGHTS

A Level and GCSE Exam Results Mrs R Ball, Academic Deputy Head

gainst the background of more rigorous linear A levels, we were delighted that 14.2 per cent of this year’s A Level cohort achieved the coveted A* grade, up from 13.2 per cent last year.

Many of our Upper Sixth also took the Extended Project Qualification, with 90 per cent achieving A* to A grades. Recognised by universities as providing students with skills they look for, the EPQ is a self-motivated project that requires self-discipline and independent research and helps students to stand out in the UCAS application process. A quarter of the cohort achieved two or more A* to A grades, with five students impressing with their outstanding set of top grades. Jessica Grindlay (four A*s and an A* EPQ) is now at St Hilda’s College, Oxford reading Mathematics and Philosophy; Sam Gray (two A*s, one A and an A* EPQ) is currently taking a gap year ahead of Oxbridge re-application; Emma Simpson (two A*s and an A) is at Durham studying Marketing; Lixin Huang (three A*s, an A and a B) is at UCL reading Engineering and James Collins (two A*s and two As) is also at UCL studying Mathematics.

cent of all results at A*-A and 77 per cent at A*-B (the best in five years), these new highs are a reflection of the success currently enjoyed at the School for Value Added. Twenty per cent of pupils achieved four or more A* grades, a remarkable achievement for this year’s cohort. High-achieving individuals included Ellen Crombie who, earned 11 A*s, Alexander Webb who, received nine A*s, as well as Olivia Smith and Tiggy Teare who each gained seven A*s apiece. Music continues to be one of the School’s particular strengths, with 75 per cent of pupils achieving a top A* grade. However, the results were tremendous across all subjects and in many, including Biology, Chemistry, English and Physics, more than 60 per cent of all students were awarded A* or A grades, again setting new records across the School.

On average, our students continue to gain results at A Level that out-perform their predicted grade on entry to the School by 0.5 of a grade. The results from our previous year’s cohort saw us ranked in the top two per cent for Added Value (something I will go on to talk about in more detail across the page) and this year’s results continued to demonstrate the School’s consistent ability to deliver impressive predicted grade increases. At GCSE level, we celebrated our best ever set of GCSE results, including a 70 per cent increase in the top A* grades. With 45 per

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HIGHLIGHTS

Top 2% for Added Value Mrs R Ball, Academic Deputy Head

n recent years, there has been much talk in education circles about marginal gains – doing those little things that, when added together, can make a difference to a pupil’s performance. One of the areas of expertise that we pride ourselves on at Sutton Valence is the way we add value to our pupils’ outcomes our own version of marginal gains generated by the knowledge and expertise of our teachers. In October last year, these marginal gains (based on the previous academic year’s results) resulted in the School being ranked in the top two per cent of schools nationally for adding academic value. We have always strived to be in the top ten per cent, but this outstanding achievement was fantastic news and a true measure of the success of the School. The Headmaster often reminds pupils that the only people they are in competition with are themselves and he challenges pupils to achieve and exceed their own potential. The talents of one child will be very different to the skills of another and we fully embrace this. Value added is a measure of the progress students make between different stages of education. At the start of First Form,Third Form and the Sixth Form, our pupils take an adaptive test, which is then analysed by the CEM Data department at Durham University. In this way, an individual student’s progress is compared with the

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progress made by other students with the same or similar prior attainment. At Sutton Valence we use this data to give us a baseline of potential and then through our academic care and professional knowledge, we add value by improving outcomes. Adding value is one of the ways, and I believe the best way, a school can measure the success of its teaching and of its pupils. Furthermore, with our bespoke curriculum, we improve opportunities for success by ensuring our Fifth and Third Forms make wise and considered choices for the next stage of their education. Our Junior curriculum offers a breadth of experience allowing our youngest pupils the chance to find the talent that is unique to them. Following mock examinations, the Fifth and Upper Sixth Forms should be aware of where their weaknesses lie and the small tweaks (and in some cases big) that they could make to ensure they achieve their potential in the summer examinations. However, pupils are not alone. Departments run clinics at lunchtimes, and in some cases before and after School, when pupils complete past papers which staff will mark for them. All of my colleagues will give up time to help pupils who need it and many of our teachers are examiners who know and understand the requirements of external examinations. To enable the very brightest to achieve a crop of A* grades is special, but to ensure that someone whose talents may lie elsewhere achieves beyond their predictions is outstanding.

HIGHLIGHTS

SPEECH DAY A

s ever, Speech Day offered an array of events as the School opened its doors to celebrate the successes of the past academic year. As well as the Sports Day finals, there was a highly successful Art Show in Gulland Hall as well as an informal concert in Groves Hall, featuring pupils from all age groups.The celebrations culminated in the Speech Day ceremony itself featuring our Guest of Honour, Martin Bell OBE. Lady Vallance, Chairman of Governors, welcomed all of our parents, guests, staff and pupils to the afternoon’s prize-giving ceremony, recapping some of this year’s highlights, before encouraging our leaving students to be brave and take risks. Mr Grindlay spoke in more detail of the School’s success, using the theme of ‘Fake News’ to show the latest developments in the life of the School. With the prize-giving complete, Martin Bell OBE took to the stage, speaking passionately about embracing the challenges life offers, and encouraging pupils not to choose the easy path. The speeches ended with a departing offering from the Summer Term Head of School, Sam Gray, who gave a brilliantly well-measured thanks to the staff on behalf of the Leavers.

FIRST FORM PRIZES

SECOND FORM PRIZES

THIRD FORM PRIZES

Academic Excellence Award Scarlett Washington

Academic Excellence Award Suma Rai

Academic Excellence Award Tarik Abed

Achievement Awards Elizabeth Goodwin Struben Savage Hannah Slipper

Achievement Awards Holly Clark Charlotte Farrell Jonny Russell

The Macdonald Prize (Current Affairs) Tarik Abed

Effort Awards Helen Chambers Joshua Fawell Grace Wilson

Effort Awards Chloe Alexander Anna Smith Alexander Tolhurst

Most Improved Charles Wood

Most Improved George Abrehart

All Round Contribution Awards Tobias Butler Millie Sands Ethan Wynne

All Round Contribution Awards James Latter-Lumsden Michael Summers The Junior Macdonald Prize (Current Affairs) Jonny Russell

Achievement Awards Ewen Barr James Crombie Alexander Duckett Callum Hanna Daisy Hills Mariana Mason Effort Awards Joseph Crump Philippa Dow Diego Dualde Valiente Muhing Okhrabu All Round Contribution Awards Nicole Avery Rory Baillie Charlotte Gilman Patrick Mullen

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HIGHLIGHTS

FOURTH FORM PRIZES Academic Excellence Award Lara Savage Achievement Awards Pescha Cordell Tom Gray Tianyi Huang Oliver Laird Amelia Semmens Noah Swaine Effort Awards Isabelle Busby Paige Davidson Jade Neale Edward Wheble All Round Contribution Awards Amber Brinkman Elizabeth Cavell Hugh Harman Max Savage

FIFTH FORM PRIZES Academic Excellence Award Ellen Crombie Achievement Awards Edward Curling Samuel Grindlay Sean McKeating Francis Romano Olivia Smith Alexander Webb Effort Awards Nina Harman Henry Jones Asher Regal Phoebe Sharp All Round Contribution Awards Alexander Bartleet Imogen Forknall Fergus Fowle Georgia Mancais Harry O’Rawe The Coles Prize (All Round Contribution to School Life) Emily Smith Maberly Prize for Achievement Pamela Papa-Adams

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HIGHLIGHTS

LOWER SIXTH PRIZES Academic PE Prize Jonty Martin

Music Prize Laura Horley

Photography Prize Fynley Young

Art Prize Lily Crampton

Religious Studies Prize Laura Horley

Physics Prize Marco Hu

Chemistry Prize Marta Chronowska

Further Mathematics Prize JieJie Chen

Theatre Studies Prize Eliza Lewis

Design Technology Prize Naomi Lijesen

Geography Prize Olivia Ferris

Economics Prize Rishi Roy-Mukherjee

History Prize William Dransfield

Effort Awards Archie Averill Harry MacLeod Angus Michie Faber Swaine

Kitchener Prize (Mathematics) Rishi Roy-Mukherjee

ICT Prize Archie Averill

Spanish Prize Eleanor Agu Benson

Biology Prize Jack Hayes

French Prize Sophie Watson

Psychology Prize Jemma Stuart

English Prize Francesca Ash

Media Studies Prize Verity Smith

All Round Contribution Awards Laurence Eastman Rehannah Houghton-Judge Sophie Watson Anna Wilson OSA Prize (All Round Contribution to School Life) Edward Mazumdar

UPPER SIXTH PRIZES Angell Prize (Mathematics) Nejla Eco Biology Prize Sabin Gurung Bloxam Prize (English) Sam Gray Spanish Prize Sam Gray Bossom Prize (Public Speaking) Bethany Nicholls Economics Prize Henrietta Taylor Fry Prize (ICT) Charlie Pratten Further Mathematics Prize Jessica Grindlay Wood Prize (Physics) Jessica Grindlay Winstanley Prize (Chemistry) James Collins Geography Prize Georgia Ridge

Amy Lovegrove Prize (Outstanding Female Achievement in Sport) Georgia Ridge Academic PE Prize Georgia Ridge Grizelle Prize (History) Sebastian Shaddick Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award Sebastian Shaddick Joyce Drayson Art Prize Abbie Butfoy Music Prize Matthew Corpe Wheeler Prize (French) Amelia Kent Psychology Prize Jasmine Neale Religious Studies Prize Annabelle Blake Theatre Studies Prize Annabelle Blake

Media Studies Prize Ruby Deighton-Smythe Photography Prize Sangharsha Gurung Design Technology Prize Sophia Dunne Edward Craven Prize (Outstanding Male Achievement in Sport) James Bevan-Thomas All Round Contribution Awards Emelia Browning James Croke Jamie Drewe Annie Gledhill Oliver Smither Hongrui Zhang Headmaster’s Prize Max Rossiter Headmaster’s Prize Molly Alexander Headmaster’s Prize Sam Gray

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HIGHLIGHTS

Clothworkers’ Prize (All Round Contribution to School Life) Cameron Knight Ricketts Prize (All Round Contribution to School Life) Matthew Jones The Marjorie Popay Prize for Educational Achievement George Deptford CCF Sword of Honour Benjamin Stuart

The WBP Aspinall Prize (Outstanding Originality of Thought and Action) Chiara Schurr Serrano Headmaster’s Special Achievement Prize Charles Court The Spirit of the House Competition Cup Olivia Richards

Richard Horn Prize (Outstanding All round Performance in Drama and Music) William Grabowski The Froud Innovation Prize Nicholas Payne

COPY PRIZES Academic Enrichment Elizabeth Goodwin (First Form) Callum Hanna (Third Form) Scarlett Washington (First Form) Biology Ellen Crombie (Fifth Form) Lara Savage (Fourth Form) Drama Annabelle Blake (Upper Sixth) English Eline Foulger (Upper Sixth) Sam Gray (Upper Sixth) Jessica Grindlay (Upper Sixth) Amelia Kent (Upper Sixth) Rosie Larchet (Second Form) ESU Public Speaking Lara Savage (Fourth Form)

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Extended Project Qualification Ella Capaldi (Upper Sixth) James Collins (Upper Sixth) Eline Foulger (Upper Sixth) Annie Gledhill (Upper Sixth) Jessica Grindlay (Upper Sixth) Sangharsha Gurung (Upper Sixth) Mariana Mason (Third Form) Maisie Rixon (Third Form) French Lara Savage (Fourth Form) Geography Henry Stacey (Upper Sixth) Florence Watkinson (Third Form) History Alexander Duckett (Third Form) Suma Rai (Second Form) Jonny Russell (Second Form)

Mathematics Rosie Larchet (Second Form) Suma Rai (Second Form) Media Studies Ruby Deighton-Smythe (Upper Sixth) Psychology Eleanor Agu Benson (Lower Sixth) Eline Foulger (Upper Sixth) Anna Wilson (Lower Sixth) Science Nicole Avery (Third Form) Francesca Barton (Third Form) Alice Gotke (Third Form) Mariana Mason (Third Form) Spanish Sam Gray (Upper Sixth) Chiara Schurr Serrano (Upper Sixth)

HIGHLIGHTS

Reception Opening Mr W Radford, Alumni Relations and Development Manager

his year’s Speech Day programme of events also included the much-anticipated opening ceremony for the School’s new Reception Building. The School’s guest of honour on the day, Martin Bell OBE, cut the ribbon on the new development in front of a group of guests including governors, staff, parents, Old Suttonians and current pupils. The new building forms a striking focal point in the Quad, providing the School with a welcoming space which reflects our strong community ethos.

With the area behind the original building previously serving as a mixture of sheds and storage facilities, the decision was taken to extend the building to the rear to create a large office space which now houses the entire Bursary staff, as well as the Deputy Headmaster and School Secretaries. This ensures that key staff are more accessible, and in turn it has allowed us to free up classrooms in Centre Block, previously housing the Bursary, which over the summer have been converted back into teaching space.

The original front section of the building, which has seen many uses through the years ranging from day-rooms to a teaching space for Religious Studies to a drama studio, was most recently used as the School Shop. It’s prominent position at the heart of the School made it the obvious place for the much-needed new Reception facility, which not only provides a more obvious contact point for guests, but also enhances the School’s security arrangements with visitor sign-in at the point of entry onto the site.

Other key aspects of the development include a new state-of-the-art conference room, which has been named the Hamilton Room, after Second Lieutenant Eric Hamilton (1910 W), who was the first Old Suttonian in the Royal Flying Corp to lose his life in the First World War. In addition, between the Reception Building, Groves Hall and the Refectory, a new glass-roofed canopy has been installed to provide shelter for the lunch queue and create a flexible outdoor entertainment space.

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HIK SVS

HIGHLIGHTS

his summer, a delegation of staff and governors travelled to China for the opening of the new HIK SVS International School in Tianjin. The school, set in the heart of the city, is an English-speaking, domestic and international primary school for children aged 7-12. The venture represents a unique collaboration between Hopeland International Kindergarten and Sutton Valence School, a partnership that has been developed over the last two years, with HIK’s input, led by Old Suttonian Zhong-Yi Yin (2006 W). He thoroughly enjoyed his time with us and understands the School and our educational philosophy. The brand of the new HIK SVS Primary School is very much driven by an ‘Excellence in Education’ ethos. The Hopeland Group was founded in 2001 by Zhong Yi’s mother in Tianjin and has been focused on providing exceptional quality private kindergarten services for the last 15 years. It is now a premier brand in the sector, rated by industry research institutions, based on its facility standards, revenue and campus size. Hopeland International adheres to the philosophy of ‘Holistic Education, Happy Growth’, and continues to improve, research and evolve – working with SVS and SVPS is part of this exciting growth and a search for excellence in academic, co-curricular, leadership and community provision. The HIK Group currently operates three kindergartens, with an associated educational farm. The Shuishang Campus, established in 2002, is a unique all-villa kindergarten located in the ‘Chelsea’ of Tianjin. The Haiyi Campus, established in 2010, is located in Meijiang Bay, right next to the Jin River. The Meijiang Campus,

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opened last year, is located in the villa area, south of Meijiang and on the east side of the Weijin River, enjoying a beautiful waterscape and a tranquil environment. The advantages to Sutton Valence are numerous. Of course this will enhance our standing as a leading English independent school; it will develop an international reputation and offer a global level of prestige of which William Lambe, our founder, could never have dreamed. It will make possible staff and student exchange visits, sporting and cultural tours or virtual curriculum connections and the sharing of best practice from two powerful educational cultures. Most importantly, we will receive a generous annual licensing and service fee, which the School will invest in a trust fund. The income will support The 1576 Fund and provide bursaries for able and deserving children, particularly those in the immediate locality to the School. Over time this will make possible more fully- or partfunded places in our wonderful community for a wider range of high quality and committed young people. Apart from the benefits to the School, this project is also, and in particular, a venture in which two foundations, two traditions, and two educational philosophies are being developed as one in a single school. The synergy and energy created by such a project make it very exciting – we have the opportunity to be an international leader in bringing these traditions together through a first-class curriculum and a set of educational principles carried through into practice.

ACADEMIC UPDATES

ACADEMIC UPDATES “

Through the year, our academic departments provide an array of trips, lectures and activities that underpin our day-to-day academic programme. This year has been no different with Biology and Geography heading off on field trips around the country, the Drama and English departments offering London theatre experiences, and our Academic Scholars attending a range of talks through the Kingdon Society. This year has also seen the introduction of an expanded EPQ award for our Sixth Form to add value and points to their UCAS applications. In a year that has seen us produce record-breaking GCSE exam success, our academic programme continues to offer our students an excellent variety of activities and opportunities.

”

Mrs R Ball Academic Deputy Head

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Academic updates

CELEBRATION OF SHAKESPEARE Dr L Grindlay and Mr C Davenport, English

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Academic updates

"He was not of an age, but for all time."

owards the end of November, staff, pupils, parents and governors gathered in the Baughan Theatre to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare. The English department’s ‘Evening with Shakespeare’ was a chance for the whole community to celebrate the Bard’s work with readings and performances woven into a script that took us through Shakespeare’s life. In fact, we know very little about Shakespeare’s life: there are no letters or diaries and of course this was long before the world of Facebook and Twitter feeds. So, in the absence of tangible proof, we turned instead to the words of the plays and poems themselves, and the evening was structured, like a Shakespeare play, in five acts. After a charming reenactment of the famous speech ‘All the World’s a Stage’ by First Formers, Act 1, ‘Shakespeare’s Early Years’, centred on his Warwickshire childhood, his (probably) miserable school days, and the imagery of nature in the plays that lead us to believe that Shakespeare was a country lad at heart. After this, Act 2 explored ‘Shakespeare in Love’, wondering whether this enigmatic young man, who had a shotgun marriage to an older woman, was a cynic or a romantic at heart. We heard readings from a range of plays that seemed to suggest both. Act 3 found Shakespeare in London, making his way as a playwright. Entitled ‘The Game of Thrones of His Time’, it showed just how he kept his often rowdy audiences happy with tales of bloodshed and gore as well as beautiful language. By Act 4, Shakespeare was at the top of his game. We looked at some of the many parts he has written for women, including the way he could make his audiences laugh as well as cry. Act 5 took a darker tone, exploring personal tragedy and the end of Shakespeare’s life. Is it a coincidence that after the unexpected death of his son Hamnet aged just 11, Shakespeare wrote the tragedy of Hamlet, one of the most profound, and experimental, explorations of the human spirit that exists? As Shakespeare grew older, other notes of despair certainly crept into his plays, from King Lear’s banishment of his children to Macbeth’s bleak ‘tomorrow and tomorrow’. Fellow playwright Ben Jonson wrote that Shakespeare was ‘not of an age, but for all time’, and this was truly an evening for all. Where else could you see the Head of School joining with two Third Formers to throw insults at a female prefect (all in the name of reading from A Midsummer Night’s Dream!), or the Chairman of Governors read a sonnet and the Headmaster become Prospero from The Tempest? Or the Head of Media Studies as a cockney King Lear, surrounded by two English teachers and the Academic Deputy Head as his daughters? Second Formers thrilled as witches from Macbeth, whilst Fourth Formers became the evil Richard III, and Fifth Formers showed us just what Romeo and Juliet meant to them. A range of readers from our community of English A Level scholars read and performed speeches from a plethora of plays, sharing the stage with their teachers. The fact that these wonderful volunteers from across the Sutton Valence community joined together in celebration, seems a fitting tribute to a national treasure.

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Academic updates

Matt Dickinson Visit William Ervine, First Form

hree weeks into the Michaelmas term, the First Form all enjoyed an interesting and inspiring talk from Matt Dickinson. He is an author who climbed Mount Everest and wrote a book about his discoveries. Matt also wrote the North Face as well as many other fictional stories. The event took place in the School Library and was organised by Mrs Carter. The talk was informative and listening to Matt was very interesting. I was very lucky to be able to interview Matt at the end of his talk. He became an author because he likes writing for children. He has four sons and a daughter and as a father, he gets great pleasure from seeing his own children enjoying his books. He gets his ideas for his novels from real life, the places he has been and the experiences he has been through. His books start with a tiny idea such as wondering ‘What it would be like to be a 16-yearold boy who disappeared on Mount Everest’. This story was based on his own time on Mount Everest. Matt believes it is important to write about what you know. He also believes it is important to know what the ending is going to be before knowing the beginning.

The books he enjoyed as a child have influenced his writing: Swallows and Amazons, African Adventure and books by Alfred Hitchcock and Willard Price. He was inspired by adventure at a very early age. He has recently enjoyed the Harry Potter series and admires J.K. Rowling and was even lucky enough to have tea with her. Matt’s advice is to start writing as soon as you can, start a Blog site of your own, set yourself targets on the number of words you are going to write in a set time. It takes a long time to get a book published and he received many rejections. We were lucky at the end of the talk as we could purchase a signed copy of one of his books. I was also very grateful that Matt allowed me to interview him.

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Academic updates

Roald Dahl Day Mrs C Carter, Librarian

o celebrate Roald Dahl Day on 13th September last year the Library ran a ‘fizzwiggling’ quiz for the First and Second Year pupils to test their knowledge of the acclaimed author and the multitude of characters made famous by his books. The day itself was a national celebration on what would have been Dahl’s 100th birthday. In total, he has sold over 200 million books including the likes of The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox and Matilda. In a life made famous by his successes as an author, it is also worth noting his successful earlier career as a fighter pilot during the Second World War, when he rose to the rank of Wing Commander. Roald Dahl’s life outside of this writing made up large parts of the quiz, with questions on topics such as his favourite composer (Beethoven), his favourite food (caviar) and the names of his dogs (Amber and Cookie). In a tightly-fought quiz, there were three winners in total, who all received a ‘gloriumptious’ prize pack consisting of Quentin Blake-designed notebooks and chocolate. The joint winners from the First Form were Lily Goodwin and Struben Savage (pictured). From our Second Form, the winner was Jessica de Lucy. All-in-all, it was a ‘swashboggling’ day in the Library and a fitting celebration of the life of such a renowned and muchloved author.

World Book Day Mrs C Carter, Librarian

n Thursday 2nd March, World Book Day was celebrated in style in the Library and English Department with books and bunting aplenty. The First and Second Form came to the Library to try the 'Find the Right Book for Your Personality' quiz - a really fun way of generating book suggestions in different genres. There was also a book tombola which the pupils found very exciting with lots of lucky winners. At break time over forty children came to the Library where we had special World Book Day buns and bubbles whilst listening to The Midnight Gang by David Walliams read by Mrs Carter and Mrs Westlake. The English Department gave each Junior pupil the gift of a personally chosen favourite novel, and pupils were encouraged to enter the ‘Design a National Book Token’ competition where winners were awarded hundreds of pounds worth of book tokens. The Library also offered book and chocolate hamper as prizes.

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Academic updates

BIOLOGY FIELD TRIP

ISLE OF WIGHT Marta Chronowska, Lower Sixth

n June this year, the current group of Lower Sixth biologists headed out on a Biology field trip to the beautiful Isle of Wight. As we were studying biodiversity at the time, the aim was to get a hands-on experience to bring the topic to life and acquire some valuable practical skills to help us going forward. During our time there, we travelled across the island to investigate a variety of habitats. We compared outgrown and grazed areas, where we sampled the different plants and talked about the ways the government attempts to increase biodiversity and the consequences of doing so. On the next day, we began by heading to the sea-coast to see dinosaurs’ footprints in the rocks that are scattered all over the beach, before proceeding to a nearby saltmarsh. This region was a fascinating example of an environmental gradient, where, on a transect of 20 metres, we could observe significant changes in both biotic (relating to living organisms) and abiotic (physical rather than biological) factors.

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On the third day, despite inclement weather, we bravely set out in the direction of the sea, where we spent a few hours paddling knee-deep in search of various organisms, such as the velvet swimming crab and Japanese wireweed. We then quickly examined the correlation between grazing of algae and the presence of limpets, before running away to hide in a nearby café from the heavy rain. The evenings were spent in the laboratory writing up and talking about our results. To extend our knowledge, we did additional experiments, such as analysing soil content, and even setting up traps for rodents and moths; the overnight statistics were fairly positive with numerous catches and only one death. The field trip has taught us the key practical skills required for biological examination and for me, as an overseas student, made me appreciate England’s beautiful nature. Hopefully, amongst the group, it has sparked an interest in biodiversity that will perhaps even lead to a career in that area.

Academic updates

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Academic updates

English Gothic Tour Dr L Grindlay, English

ast September, Upper Sixth English Literature students were given the opportunity to sample some of the many Gothic treasures that London has to offer. We began the day in St Pancras Station, admiring this masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture. The journalist Clive Aslet described this building as ‘rising like a red, turreted cliff above the ever-moving sea of the Euston Road’. St Pancras Station was designed by the English Gothic revival architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, and its ornate curved arches and turrets recreate the style of buildings in the Middle Ages.

Tale of Two Cities, where the character Jeremiah Cruncher goes out ‘fishing’ for the corpse of a man whose funeral he has recently seen. The graveyard is also associated with Thomas Hardy, who worked as an architect before becoming a poet and novelist. As a young man in the 1860s, Hardy was in charge of the excavation of part of the graveyard, in the course of the construction of London St Pancras Station. Hardy had to supervise the removal of hundreds of jumbled coffins from the site. The experience led him to write his rather macabre poem called The Levelled Churchyard, and in memory of this poem, the graveyard now houses a tree, surrounded by a jumble of tombstones, called ‘The Hardy Tree’.

From there, it was a short walk to St Pancras Old Church graveyard, which is an extraordinary spot, rich in literary heritage. Our redoubtable guide, Lester, was a mine of information on some of the many literary and historical figures who are associated with this gem of London history. The writers Mary and Percy Shelley chose the graveyard as a rather unusual venue to meet whilst they were courting, as Mary had a cottage on its outskirts. The macabre nature of this setting perhaps accounts for the vivid and often shocking imagery of Mary Shelley’s masterpiece, Frankenstein. In the novel, Dr Frankenstein creates his monster by sewing together body parts: it wasn’t a huge leap of faith to see how St Pancras graveyard may have stimulated Mary’s imagination, as it was a popular haunt of body snatchers, who would exhume corpses and sell them to medical schools.

Our next stop was Covent Garden, where we all sat down to a team lunch at Zizzi’s before making our way, with some trepidation, to the Fortune Theatre to see The Woman in Black. This terrifying masterpiece really brought home to us the theatricality of the Gothic genre, as we sat in a dark space dreading, but also almost waiting for, the play’s shocks and horrors. The students are all studying Dracula, which begins with a rational young man visiting Dracula’s castle in Transylvania and finding that his values and confidence become eroded by an encounter with the supernatural. We realised that The Woman in Black follows a very similar structure, leading to interesting comparisons between the two texts and thoughts of how the Gothic genre is about unsettling one’s established belief systems.

Charles Dickens was similarly fascinated by the gruesome practice of body snatching. Dickens lived close to St Pancras graveyard for a time, and made it the location for a Gothic scene in his novel A

All in all, it was an excellent, enriching day which we hope will help the students in their continuing explorations of the complex, thought-provoking Gothic genre.

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Academic updates

Engineers of the Future Mrs A Morávek-Hurst, Mathematics

ifteen Third Form students, accompanied by Mr Westlake and Mrs Morávek-Hurst, were lucky enough to be able to attend the Institute of Engineering and Technology ‘Engineers of the Future’ day in London last October. It was a day that promised fun activities based on Mathematics, Engineering and Computing. The journey up was, thankfully, uneventful, and we arrived at a sunny Savoy Place, by the Thames, ready to participate in the day. Once registered, we went to the first Lego League session.The task was to program a Lego robot to go into an area devastated by an earthquake and clear rubble, without causing any more destruction. The students went into groups and had a ‘mission director’ awarding them points for leadership, teamwork and design. They were then put to the test to see how well their programming skills had paid off and whether the task had been achieved. It’s safe to say that some aspects were more successful than others. Thank goodness it was only using Lego and not a real-life rescue! Following that, we viewed the exhibition, seeing a variety of stands ranging from Rolls Royce to 3D printers and even virtual reality iPads and remote-controlled machines. Following our delicious lunch, we were all excited to attend the lecture on coding and programming, presented by Fran Scott (of CBBC fame).

She de-constructed a computer, showed us a Raspberry Pi, exploded balloons and, most amazingly, managed to explode a hydrogen balloon using a banana as part of the computer. To illustrate the importance of instructions, Mrs Morávek-Hurst and Mr Westlake were volunteered, by their lovely students, to go to the podium, be blindfolded and draw something from the specific instructions of a pupil. Our students, as well as those from the other schools, found the talk both extremely entertaining and informative. We look forward to next year’s event.

Russian Revolution Study Day Mrs A Sunde, Head of History

he Sixth Form historians had a taste of university life on Tuesday attending a ‘Russia in Revolution’ Study Day at University College London. They had the privilege of hearing five distinguished historians discuss their latest research on the Bolshevik Revolution, Lenin and Stalin, some of whom had been flown in from the USA to speak at the conference. The themes of the lectures ranged from the widespread use of terror to secure power, to how the Bolsheviks swept away the Orthodox Church only to supplant it with their own unique communist rituals such as having children ‘Octobered’ rather than baptised.The star speaker of the day was Orlando Figes (pictured) who appeared to have a number of groupies as shouts of ‘Orlando, we love you’ could be heard as he took his place at the lectern. After five lectures, the students soon got a sense of how different university was in comparison to the classroom, but it was nice to hear that some have been inspired and the day made their resolve to study History at university even stronger.

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Academic updates

CAREERS

CONVENTION Mrs C Carter, Head of Careers

n important part of the School’s careers provision is the biennial Careers Convention. The 2017 event offered current students the chance to talk to 50 different employers, universities, colleges and training providers in an informal environment. The Convention offers students an insight into a broad range of careers and opportunities, by giving them the opportunity to talk face-to-face with those working across the different fields. I firmly believe that events such as this provide students with the valuable opportunity of talking to members of the School’s wider community with whom they can readily identify. The Sutton Valence community has a common educational experience but demonstrates that there is an enormous range of career openings available, with each giving a very different experience of working life. Young people have to start thinking about their careers early and the chance to discuss their options with industry experts provides a useful sounding-board. The more advice students seek and receive the more informed and confident their vocational choices will be. One of the benefits of events such as this is the ability to invite Old Suttonians back to the School to pass on their collective wisdom. This year, we were delighted to welcome back Charles Slater (1955 M) who offered his expertise on civil engineering, Jeremy Pilgrim (1972 W) and Robert Sinclair (1967 M) who discussed surveying and Oliver Taylor (2016 F) returned with his father, Nicholas, to talk about environmental consultancy. In addition, Paul Wiggins (1967 M) proved popular with his insight into financial services and Dr Will Selway (2004 G) and Peter Bannister (2013 H) both returned to talk about their careers in healthcare. We are indebted to them all for giving up their Saturday morning to take part.

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Academic updates

“

The more advice students seek and receive the more informed and confident their vocational choices will be.

”

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Academic updates

Extended Project Qualification Mr J Soman, EPQ Coordinator

n Extended Project Qualification, commonly known as an EPQ, is a stand-alone research project which can be undertaken by Sixth Formers alongside their A Levels. Students who opt to complete an EPQ must undertake thorough research into a self-selected area of interest and then produce a product based on their research. This product can be an essay, an event, or an artefact such as a video, a presentation, a model or piece of art. The research process is an excellent opportunity for students to try out university-style learning, which is far more independently focused than the standard A Level curricula. Along the way, the project also provides an invaluable chance to develop skills such as project-planning, decision-making, record-keeping, evaluation, and presenting. As a result, universities are increasingly looking for EPQs as they evaluate candidates, with some institutions offering lower entry requirements to students with an EPQ, whilst EPQs also translate to UCAS points (worth exactly half of the UCAS points of a standard A Level subject).

Written reports

ture ychopathic Killers: na Emelia Browning: Ps vs nurture? ng ather affect the feedi Ella Capaldi: Does we ? ks ar hniques of sh habits and hunting tec into e Out: An exploration Ashley Evans: Insid es us echanisms the brain the psychological m to alter pain. ot of men always the ro Eline Foulger: Are ts? ctorian tex female madness in Vi rence t, if any, is the diffe Annie Gledhill: Wha ild ly ne raised as an on ch in sociability of someo d an , gs raised with siblin compared to someone beneficial? are these differences cond the impact of the Se Sam Gray: Examine ree th in y tit en id es of World War on them erature. works of post-1940 lit ort A scientific rep Jessica Grindlay: n ee tw be relationship investigating the to e ns po res mple group’s mathematics and a sa music.

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Whilst students at Sutton Valence have had the option to complete an EPQ in previous years, 2016-17 saw the first year of an expanded EPQ programme. As a result, 13 Upper Sixth pupils completed one, with over 90per cent of entrants gaining an A or A* grade. Each pupil gave a great deal of commitment to their projects, which ranged from academic essays in the fields of Biology, English and Psychology to artefacts such as a play script based on Shakespeare’s women; a lecture linking Mathematics and Computer Graphics; a scientific report about the relationship between Mathematics and Music; and a dyed Japanese kimono. It was a pleasure to see these 13 pupils dig their teeth into projects of their own choosing and devising, obviously gaining much in terms of both research skills and knowledge about how they work most effectively. I sincerely congratulate all 13 pupils on their EPQ work and look forward to seeing more innovative and impressive EPQs in years to come.

lege! Checking Your Privi Sebastian Shaddick: and es Speech: ‘Its Us An analysis of Free Abuses. a what extent would Henrietta Taylor: To the ncy be beneficial to single global curre global economy?

Artefacts

ree ay script, featuring th Annabelle Blake: a pl m, ylu as ines in a mental Shakespearean hero s’ entitled ‘Weird Sister SE re, for those with GC James Collins: a lectu e th ing lor t) entitled: ‘Exp Maths (or equivalen I.’ CG in g and texturin Maths behind lighting ry sign of a male accesso Sophia Dunne: The de o oli rtf ing research po box with accompany anese : The dyeing of a Jap Sangharsha Gurung ri techniques. Kimono using Shibo

Academic updates

ESU Public Speaking Competition Miss J Manning, Head of ESL

n February, the School's public speaking teams headed to the English Speaking Union (ESU) Churchill Public Speaking competition’s regional semi-final hosted at Lingfield Notre Dame School. Our two teams competed against the likes of Bennett Memorial School, Tonbridge School and Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School, who finished as runners-up in the national finals last year. For our first team, Lara Savage (Fourth Form) served as our speaker, delivering a compelling and heartfelt speech about euthanasia. She was highly commended on her ability to put the audience in the position of somebody facing the prospect of euthanasia. Ellen Crombie (Fifth Form) acted as chairperson and Francis Romano (Fifth Form) was questioner; both were equally impressive. In the second team, the speaker, Noah Swaine (Fourth Form) gave a thought-provoking speech about technology: ‘Can smartphones get any smarter?’ Making up his team was Tom Gray (Fourth Form) as questioner and Paige Davidson (Fourth Form) as chairperson. Both teams worked well together and were hugely impressive in their commitment and enthusiasm for the competition. Sadly, on this occasion Noah, Paige and Tom were not rewarded for their hard work. However, we are delighted that Francis was awarded 'best questioner' and Lara won 'best individual speaker', and as

a team, Ellen, Francis and Lara won the semi-final, seeing them progress to the final which was held a month later at the ESU headquarters in London. Making the final was a huge achievement, with Lara, Ellen and Francis following in the footsteps of illustrious finalists including the likes of TV presenter, Sandi Toksvig. At the finals, where many of the speeches focused on the oftdebated topics of Brexit and Donald Trump, Lara opted for a different approach, writing a fascinating speech arguing in favour of grammar schools; full of facts and statistics. Her delivery was impeccable - speaking from memory rather than notes and using pauses to great effect. Supporting her, Ellen worked brilliantly as chairperson, putting the audience at ease and keeping the proceedings running on time. Francis, was equally excellent as questioner, an ideal position for someone of quick intellect as it requires the ability to think on your feet. Sadly, despite their best efforts, the Sutton Valence team did not win anything on the night. However, we all enjoyed the beautiful surroundings of Dartmouth House and as ever, the students learned more about the art of public speaking, which will serve them so well in the future. My thanks to the students for all of their hard work as well as to Mr Ellmers and Mr Webster for their constant advice and support.

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Academic updates

GEOGRAPHY TRIP

CEREDIGION Mr A Bee, Head of Geography

s is customary, the Lower Sixth Formers descended on Tregaron for 72 hours over the Summer Solstice in order to harvest some data for their individual A Level investigations. With the new syllabus, each student had to carry out their own unique tasks roughly in a four mile radius of Tregaron Square. This was the time of the hottest heatwave in Ceredigion since 1976 and at 9.30pm most of the crew were to be seen swimming in the River Teifi in order to cool down after a roasting day. There are times when, under extreme environmental conditions, one has to modify the risk assessment for the greater good. Some of the stand-out performances came from Maxwell Harrison and Laurence Eastman who gathered over 50 questionnaire responses in a little over 24 hours. In fact, by the time Thomas Aiken had summoned up the courage to approach the general public in his quest to work out how this close-knit ‘gemeinschaft’ community should re-brand itself, the public had had enough. Elsewhere, Kalil Kayani’s insect traps and Thomas Lazarides’ discharge measurements were something to behold. No one could see Harry MacLeod collect his data as he was so well camouflaged, but it could be that one day he will discover an entirely new species of insect, so meticulous was he in identifying each one. Camping on fields seems like a good idea, but I have to say, as one mellows with age and creature comforts become more entrenched, attempting to sleep on some poorly constructed air mattress in a horribly cheap ‘festival tent’, in a field with 20 odd 17-year-old rugby hearties, takes some doing. Every year on return to Sutton Valence, I wait for the dust to settle before a final evaluation. It seems that every one of us returned to our mothers intact; all reputations were either enhanced or untainted and so, quite possibly, 2017 will go down as the finest A Level trip of its kind in my time.

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Academic updates

Foundations for Thinking Deeply Eliza Lewis, Lower Sixth

group of Lower Sixth Academic Scholars were given the opportunity to venture up to London in March to attend the Academy Conference ‘Foundations for Thinking Deeply’ day. The conference, held in association with the University of Oxford, was based around the subject of Philosophy and included the foundations for clear thinking, as well as an introduction to the Philosophy of Science. The day was designed to allow aspiring academic students to think outside the curriculum by stretching their thought processes and sharing ideas. To begin the conference, Julie Arliss, a well-known international educator of gifted students and the founder of Academy Conferences, proposed the question: ‘Who am I? What Can I Hope For?’. Throughout this lecture the theory of the mind debate was explored, which led the students into the process of thinking about the idea of ‘selfhood’ and how our minds gather knowledge of the possibilities of life after death. This was an intriguing proposition that set up the foundations for the next lecture, ‘The Philosophy of Science’, led by former CERN physicist from the University of Oxford, Dr Andrew Pinsent. During this, the students were informed about how scientific knowledge is tested, and whether it is observations, mathematics or ideas that are examined first. Dr Andrew Pinsent gave examples, from leading scientific endeavours, to engage us with the ideas which allow scientific methods to operate. After a short break, our minds were further tested as Dr Stephen Law, who has published a number of philosophical works, proposed the question, ‘What Should I Believe?’. The session surveyed how beliefs occur, which aligns with the subject of brainwashing,

persuasion and reason, resulting in the question: ‘Isn’t reason just another form of thought control?’. This gave the students some guidelines for how our beliefs are affected throughout our daily lives and thoughts. The final speaker was Professor Tom Greggs, who was awarded a Double First Class Honours Degree from Oxford, completed a PhD at Cambridge and was the country’s youngest professor at the age of 29. The professor based his lecture, ‘What Ought I to Do?’, on the subject of morality; he proposed the argument of whether moral values lie in a moral community or whether they are found in tolerance, consequence of choices or if they are fixed and absolute? This was a fascinating lecture, which allowed us to question the actions and choices we have made through our life, giving a more personal edge to the day. The most exciting aspect of the day was seeing my fellow pupil, Eleanor Agu Benson, propose her own question during the open discussion ‘Does the extent of evil and suffering mean that God cannot exist?’. During this, pupils were given the chance to convey their school's approach to this philosophical issue, and each lecturer of the day was given the chance to respond. Sutton Valence School gave the argument that evil is surely subjective and can only be classed ‘evil’ through the eye of the beholder. Eleanor was an excellent representative, speaking fearlessly on microphone to hundreds of students, staff and academics. The day was an eye-opening, intriguing opportunity, which allowed our minds to be tested and our brains to be flooded with plenty of fascinating information. A massive thank you must go to Dr Grindlay and Mr Jones for giving us the opportunity to attend and adding to the experience by proposing captivating arguments along the way.

Prep School Science Day Dr M Brown, Physics

t the end of the Lent Term, children in Year 4 at the Prep School had an action-packed science day, hosted at the Senior School. A company called Working Science came in to conduct experiments on eco-electricity, sound and vibration.The children created their own batteries using fruit, wind and light and made some stunning tunes using everyday objects. In the afternoon, they learned about the solar system, and worked with Sixth Formers on chromatographic finger printing. The pupils looked at what patterns they had on their fingers and then produced prints so they could identify the marks in more detail. It was fantastic to see our Sixth Form volunteers taking such an active role in helping the Year 4 pupils understand the topic and enjoy the day.

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Academic updates

Kingdon Society Dr L Grindlay, Head of Academic Scholars

he Kingdon Society has enjoyed meetings on a wide range of topics this year, giving our Scholars and Exhibitioners the chance to widen their minds and to discuss issues in the relaxed environment of the Headmaster’s House. In very different ways, all the speakers have captivated and challenged, offering the chance to find out about many relevant and thoughtprovoking subjects.

Junior Kingdon Animal Magic and Victorian Writing

ur juniors enjoyed two very diverse meetings. In the first, we were joined by the veterinary surgeon Rachel McMeeking. Rachel talked to the pupils about her time working with zoo animals, and her ten years of experience as a horse anaesthetist. Today, she looks after smaller animals as her practice deals with dogs, cats, rabbits and hamsters, and even the occasional spider. Rachel showed the students pictures of some of the most complicated (and gruesome!) cases she has handled throughout her career and talked about the issues and challenges that are involved. The students were particularly enthralled by case studies on anaesthetising a giraffe, and an eighthour operation on a baby elephant. Many were fascinated to learn about the extent of knowledge needed in veterinary practices today, from ultrasounds, to physiotherapy water treatments. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of this interactive session was how it gave us the chance to become vets ourselves, as we checked the heartbeat of a miniature dachshund, held a snake and saw the ways that a vet can treat a tortoise. Rachel’s passion for her topic and her level of expertise was infectious, and the students were bursting with questions at the end.

For the summer meeting, our speaker was the writer and art historian Lucinda Hawksley, who is the great-great-greatgranddaughter of Charles Dickens. Lucinda’s topic was how a writer can change society. The students were moved to hear about Charles Dickens’ childhood and all the struggles he faced, and were intrigued to find out that his father went to debtors’ prison where his family were forced to join him. Lucinda showed them how Charles Dickens campaigned strongly against poverty and cruelty to children in novels such as Oliver Twist. It was also touching to see how many lives he saved with his book Nicholas Nickleby, which portrayed the cruelty of schools in the Yorkshire Dales where boys were starved and treated appallingly. Lucinda’s talk opened the students’ eyes to what the power of words can achieve.

Intermediate Kingdon Life as a hostage, and the Maths of Juggling

n the Michaelmas Term, the Intermediate Kingdon Society were captivated by a talk given by Camilla Carr. Camilla and her husband Jon visited Chechnya in 1997 as volunteers to work in a rehabilitation centre for children who had been traumatised by war. Two months into their stay, they were kidnapped by Chechen guerrillas, who wanted money in exchange for their lives. Camilla and Jon were held hostage in Chechnya for 14 months, some of which they spent in a concrete box with no light or fresh air. Camilla’s talk on her experiences pulled no punches: she told students, for example, how she was raped over the course of three months by one of her captors. It was truly humbling to hear her talk about this so calmly. She also told us how she used techniques such as tai chi, visualisations and even laughter to survive. Her talk showed her extraordinary strength of spirit, and all were moved by the compassion and understanding she showed towards her kidnappers. The meeting took a very different turn in the Lent Term, when Colin Wright, aka ‘Colin The Mathmo’ made a welcome return to the Society. Colin primarily explained the unexpected mathematics behind juggling, but by the end had further convinced his audience about the reality of time travel, and that it really is worth joining the juggling society at university!

Junior Kingdon - Lucinda Hawksley

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Colin has a PhD from Cambridge in Combinatorics and Graph Theory, and is the director of a company that specialises in software for marine radar. In a high-octane speech which was high on jokes, students were presented with the problem of juggling five balls at once…a skill that would usually take the best part of two years to master; however Colin explained how it took him just three months with the help of some simple Mathematics. Some juggling tricks can be explained using a series of patterns and lines on a diagram, and we were presented with a couple of rules that all sequences must abide to. Most importantly, the ‘SpaceTime’ diagrams only work when we’ve made the assumption that

Academic updates

basis, and also gave them a taste of the style of teaching they can look forward to at university level, whatever discipline they decide to study. The Lent Term speaker was Professor John Mansfield, who talked about genetic modification of plants, with specific reference to food crops. Professor Mansfield is an Emeritus Professor at Imperial College, London, and specialises in plant science. He opened the discussion with an explanation covering the basic concepts of DNA replication using RNA (Ribonucleic acid) to form proteins, the fundamental requirement that allows a cell’s genes to carry out their individual purposes. He then navigated the group through a brief history of the evolution of certain crop types, such as maize.

Intermediate Kingdon - Camilla Carr

our hands are only full for half of the time. Consequently, the flight time of a ball is always one less than the time from throw to throw, and so to put it simply, there comes a point when the air time of one of the balls is in fact -1. Yes, this ball has time travelled. All enjoyed the evening hugely, and many were compelled to find out more about Mathematics and inspired by Colin’s infectious enthusiasm, but also slightly tempted to try juggling for themselves.

Senior Kingdon This History of Linguistics, and GM Crops

he Senior Kingdon Society enjoyed two very different intellectual treats. In the Michaelmas Term, our guest speaker was Professor Andrew Linn, whose topic was the History of Linguistics. Professor Linn is Pro ViceChancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Westminster, and a world expert in the field of the History of Linguistics. Linguistics is the scientific study of language and its structure, but we learnt how, as a discipline, it has a foot in many other camps including Literature, Modern Foreign Languages, Cultural Studies and Philosophy. Professor Linn’s talk was a wide-ranging and fascinating study of linguistic changes throughout the centuries, even posing the question of which language was actually spoken in the Garden of Eden. He introduced students to a number of key thinkers, including Noam Chomsky, who posited that we are all born with an innate knowledge of syntax termed the Universal Grammar. This allows us to produce an infinite number of sentences in our native languages from a very early age, with very little actual formal teaching. Another linguistic giant in Professor Linn’s talk was Ferdinand de Saussure: Saussure saw language as a system of signs, showing that the relationship between the word – or signifier – and what it refers to – the signified – is an arbitrary one. Why should the collection of vowels and consonants that cluster together to make the word, or signifier, ‘apple’ actually mean the signified of the fruit itself? This excellent talk encouraged Sixth Form Scholars to think more deeply about the languages they all speak on a day-to-day

Professor Mansfield outlined the various mechanisms of genetic modification of crops. He explained the myriad of problems facing the world that would benefit from a more widespread use of GM crops. An example of this is the growing world population in relation to the amount of food that can be produced. We are facing a situation where the number of mouths that need to be fed may potentially exceed the amount of food we are able to produce at any one time in the near future. Professor Mansfield suggested that using GM techniques could potentially solve this problem. He further outlined the successes of GM crops being used as a mainstream source of food crop. However, he recognised that there are also many issues brought about by GM techniques being used, a prime example being cross-pollination with other plant species, as well as ethical issues. He then opened the discussion up for debate to the whole group, which provoked many interesting questions and viewpoints being put forward by teachers and students alike. Additional contributions from Hannah Slipper, Helen Chambers, Lily Goodwin, Scarlett Washington (all First Form), Ellen Crombie (Fifth Form), Sam Gray and William Grabowski (both Upper Sixth).

Senior Kingdon Professor Andrew Linn

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Academic updates

MODEL UNITED NATIONS Dr L Grindlay, Head of Academic Scholars

n October last year, 100 students convened at Sutton Valence School for the United Westminster Schools Foundation’s Model United Nations. Twenty delegates from Sutton Valence, Emanuel School, The Grey Coat Hospital, Queen Anne’s School, Caversham and Westminster City School spent the day discussing and debating a range of global issues. The students had all done a great deal of preparation for the day. Each student had been allotted a country to research: Sutton Valence students were given either Cuba, Denmark, India, Japan or South Korea. In pairs, they also had a topic to research, such as women’s economic empowerment in a changing world of work, climate change, or access to vaccines for preventable diseases. They then wrote a resolution related to this topic from their country’s

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point of view. On the day itself, the students acted as delegates for their chosen country, and all came armed with their individual resolutions. In the morning, they split into five groups, representing the UN committees of Peace and Security, the Economy, Human Rights, Development and the Environment. An hour of fierce lobbying ensued, where the students, fully in role as delegates, tried to get as many signatures of approval as possible for their resolutions. The most popular resolutions were then debated, and each committee voted for one winner, which went through to the afternoon’s finals. For the finals, all 100 students met in the Old Gym, which had been decorated with the flags of all of the delegates’ countries. The winning five pairs then presented their resolutions which

Academic updates

were debated by all of the delegates in a heated and intellectually stimulating afternoon, expertly chaired by Mr Roy Blackwell, the Clerk of the Foundation. Sutton Valence was the only school to have two winning resolutions, both from students representing the country of India. The first, proposed by seasoned debaters William Grabowski and Sam Gray (both Upper Sixth), was a fluent and persuasive resolution addressing the economic challenges posed by the migrant crisis. The second, from Samuel Grindlay and Francis Romano (both Fifth Form), was an extremely well-researched argument on the topic of how to keep teenagers from joining gangs. Sam and Francis, held their own in the face of some tough questioning from a room full of students who were predominantly Sixth Formers.

The UN was founded in 1945 to promote international cooperation in the wake of the Second World War, with an aim of preventing another such crisis occurring. The fact that the overall winner of the day was a resolution on combating the threat of extremism speaks volumes about the continuing violence that exists in the world. It underlined just how important the Model United Nations is as an event, as it enables students both to learn about, and take responsibility for, the world in which they live.

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Academic updates

Preparatory School Maths Competition Mrs L Mitchell-Nanson, Head of Mathematics

n 21st April, the School once again played host to its annual Preparatory School Mathematics Competition. Schools from across the county came to compete in this highly-competitive event which sees teams of four given a series of problem-solving questions to tackle in a relay format. The team with the most correct answers at the end of half an hour is declared the winner. This year, Jessica Grindlay (Upper Sixth) set the questions. The winning school in the Under 12 contest, with an impressive 85 points, was King's Rochester Preparatory School and the Under 13 contest was once again won by Wellesley House. The Sutton Valence teams all competed gallantly, but sadly finished outside of contention. For the first time in the competition’s history, both the Under 12 and Under 13 Girls teams beat the Under 12 and Under 13 Boys teams, demonstrating that Mathematics is not just a subject for boys! Apart from the participants, the stars of the show were the excellent pupil volunteers who marked and scored the competition. At times, they forgot they were not actually competing, and some found themselves offering inspiring words to cheer on their respective old schools. An enjoyable evening was had by all, and we thank the visiting schools for travelling to compete.

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Academic updates

UKMT Challenge Mrs L Mitchell-Nanson, Head of Mathematics

very year, the School takes part in the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust Challenge, divided into junior and senior competitions. At junior level, the School competes as a team, and at senior level, pupils compete as individuals.

At junior level, the School was represented by Tarik Abed and Alexander Duckett from the Third Form, and Charlotte Farrell and Jonny Russell from the Second Form. The challenge involves four separate rounds where pupils’ mathematical knowledge is tested, whilst performing under timed conditions. After a slow but steady start to the competition, the final round saw the team really accelerate, playing to their strengths as a relay round. Unfortunately, this was a little too late to alter the final rankings for the team but, considering the group were up against some very experienced and competitive teams, to finish 11th out of the 23 teams is an impressive feat. At senior level, 16 pupils were all awarded certificates. Of those, a special mention must go to Adam Carroll (Upper Sixth), who

not only achieved a gold award (the only SVS student to do so) but also qualified for the British Olympiad. Receiving silver awards were Jessica Grindlay, Lixin Huang and Henrietta Taylor from the Upper Sixth, as well as Marta Chronowska, Youlin Jiao and Rishi Roy-Mukherjee from the Lower Sixth. Finally, bronze awards went to James Collins, Nejla Eco and Yilin Xu from the Upper Sixth, as well as Archie Averill, George Gaston, Marco Hu, Naomi Lijesen, Grace Mortley and Jingyi Zeng from the Lower Sixth.

Phantom Of The Opera Holly Thompson-Frost and Gracie Rigby, Lower Sixth

small group of students attended Her Majesty’s Theatre to watch one of the world’s best-known musicals; The Phantom of the Opera. It was unanimously decided that the best part of the musical, was the extravagant chandelier falling from the ceiling of the theatre when the Phantom made a statement. At this point in the musical everyone was on the edge of their seats due to the unpredictable actions of the Phantom; however, it was clear from our faces that we were not expecting the chandelier to crash to the ground. To call The Phantom of the Opera dramatic is an understatement. We were blown away by the set, music and outstanding acting. The cast used the stage effectively, creating a diverse set up for every scene, which kept the audience on their toes for the entire show. We were captivated by the scene where the Phantom took Christine on his boat to his lair. The boat swaying on the stage realistically mimicked a boat on a river and the blanket of fog, which engulfed the stage left the audience forgetting they were watching the musical on a stage in London. Most of us who were watching had not experienced operatic singing before, so it was a magical moment for many. The variety of pitches which reached every corner of the theatre left us with goosebumps and a new passion for opera. Our negative views towards the Phantom diffused when the Phantom and Christine performed their duet. His beautiful voice changed our opinion towards him, as we saw the beauty within his soul, as he sang.

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Academic updates

The Shawshank Redemption Eliza Lewis, Lower Sixth

he Lower Sixth went to see the stage adaptation of the film The Shawshank Redemption at the Marlowe Theatre in September. The story is told through the lead role of Andy Dufresne, played by Paul Nicholls, who had been wrongly imprisoned and served a double life sentence for two murders he had not actually committed. Many of the students had seen the 1994 film version, however, we were pleasantly surprised after seeing it performed live, especially as we were two rows from the front, so we were able to fully engage with the story. It was also an incredible experience to have seen the play being performed at the newly-furnished Marlowe Theatre, you truly felt like you were in the West End. The trip was a great opportunity for the new Sixth Formers to get to know their fellow pupils. A big thank you must go to the staff who took us on the trip and to Mrs Porter for organising it.

Much Ado About Nothing Asher Regal and Gabrio Capaldi, Fifth Form

n January, a group of Fifth and Sixth Form students ventured out to the Haymarket Theatre to watch a Shakespearean comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.The purpose of the trip was to solidify our knowledge of the GCSE text, whilst still having fun and relaxing to get ready for our mock examinations. The plot follows two pairs of lovers, Beatrice and Benedick, and the obstacles of the union of the two main lovers, Claudio and Hero. Claudio and Hero seemed to be a ‘match made in heaven’, but this is challenged by a 'plain-dealing villain', who seeks to destroy all prospects of love. We also have Beatrice and Benedick, with their 'merry war' of sharp wit and disdain between them, to be tricked later by their friends into loving each other. Mix drama, tension and comedy into one pot, and we end up with a very enjoyable Shakespearean play, filled with various hilarious moments between Beatrice and Benedick, with sharp battles of wit, complete with various innuendos and euphemisms. No matter how funny the play is, it still raises many important questions of true love and trust in any relationship, and the length people will go to prove a point. We would like to thank Mrs Carter, Mr Fewson, Dr Grindlay and Mrs Porter for organising, preparing and orchestrating the trip. We will all walk away from this with a firmer grasp of the set text, and no matter how many times we read and watch the play, we always find ourselves coming back for more.

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ART AND DESIGN

ART AND DESIGN “

This academic year has been a busy and highly successful one for the Art department. Michaelmas Term saw the re-introduction of life-drawing classes for our GCSE and A Level artists, as well as a Sixth Form Photography trip to Dungeness and Rye.The annual Westminster Foundation Exhibition was held in November, with a range of work by SVS and SVPS students on display. Further excursions included trips to the British Museum, the Royal Academy, the National Portrait Gallery and the Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate. The year ended with the School’s annual exhibition at Gulland Hall – an exceptional display of Art and Photography work. Results in August were some of the best in the department’s history, with all A Level and GCSE Art students achieving an A*- B pass, and 60 per cent achieving an A* or an A grade.

”

Mr M Thompson Head of Art

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ART AND DESIGN

Phoebe Dawson, Upper Sixth

Sangharsha Gurung, Upper Sixth

Sophia Dunne, Upper Sixth

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Sangharsha Gurung, Upper Sixth

ART AND DESIGN

A LEVEL

PHOTOGRAPHY

Edward Simmonds, Upper Sixth

Sangharsha Gurung, Upper Sixth

Abbie Butfoy, Upper Sixth

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ART AND DESIGN

DUNGENESS

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mr M Thompson, Head of Art

group of 24 A Level Photography students travelled to Dungeness, to undertake a landscape-based photo-shoot as part of their ‘Passage of Time’ coursework project. Challenging weather conditions added to the atmosphere of the many discarded, crumbling fishing shacks and boat wrecks that lay along the beach. Pupils captured images that were reminiscent of a bygone era – a working fishing village that had evolved into an outdoor museum. After a quick brunch at the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway station café, it was off to Rye, to capture the quaint antique boutiques and local galleries, as well as the ancient cobbled streets and impressive church. There was even time to visit an exhibition of work by local photographers, that included the images of a certain Mr D E Clarke! Despite the almost constant rain and treacherous driving conditions, much fun was had. Everyone returned a little wetter, but were perhaps warmer for the cultural experiences gained throughout – not least the ‘beautiful’ singing that radiated from the back of my minibus!

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ART AND DESIGN

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ART AND DESIGN

Juliette Henin, Fourth Form

Boyuan Zhang, Upper Sixth

Kathryn Douglas, Fifth Form

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Ava Deighton-Smythe, Fifth Form

Phoebe Kelly, Fifth Form

George Cook, Fifth Form

ART AND DESIGN

Phoebe Aucamp, Fifth Form

Eliza Lewis, Lower Sixth

Maelle Dassier, Fifth Form

Eliza Lewis, Lower Sixth

Phoebe Dawson, Upper Sixth

Edward Cardoza, Upper Sixth

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ART AND DESIGN

BRITISH MUSEUM Mrs N Sutton, Art

uring the Lent Term, a small group of GCSE Art students visited the British Museum in London to undertake personal research and drawing as part of their GCSE Art exam preparation.

The students had chosen a diverse range of themes to explore from the exam paper, including ‘Celebrations’, ‘Illusions’, ‘Superstitions’ and ‘Public Transport’. The huge collection at the British Museum provided a wealth of ideas and source material for the students to explore and develop as the starting points for their individual projects. They spent most of their time studying and drawing artefacts in the Americas, Assyrian, African and Middle Eastern galleries and managed to concentrate well on their drawings, despite the attention from enthusiastic primary school children and onlookers. After a quick snack at the museum (the raspberry and white chocolate muffins were a definite highlight) the group headed home via Charing Cross station, where some more valuable imagery of public transport was gathered.

National Open Art Competition Mr M Thompson, Head of Art

n September last year, we were delighted to discover that Jemma Yusuf (First Form) had received second place in the 2016 National Open Art Competition. Budding artists, aged 14 and under, were encouraged to submit paintings, drawings, prints, illustrations, photographs, wall-hung installations, digital art or moving image pieces to the UK’s leading open art competition, with the aim of celebrating, encouraging and developing young talent. This year’s Children’s Laureate, the highly-celebrated writer and illustrator Chris Riddell, judged the children’s competition. Gaining this level of recognition at the tender age of 11 is a major achievement and we congratulate Jemma for her success. Jemma’s achievement won her a personal prize and the School a donation toward the Art Department. However, the greatest accolade was for her to see her work hanging in the NOA26 Winter Exhibition at the Mercer’s Hall, in the City of London, alongside all of the adult winners.

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ART AND DESIGN

National Portrait Gallery Anisha Thapa Magar, Fourth Form

n a cold and windy day at the end of January, the Fourth Form GCSE Art group travelled up to London to visit two art exhibitions at the Royal Academy and the National Portrait Gallery. We took the train to Charing Cross station and walked as a group through Leicester Square to The Royal Academy Gallery to see the James Ensor ‘Intrigue’ exhibition. James Ensor was a Flemish artist who worked at the end of the nineteenth century and the first part of the twentieth century. His painting often shows images of masks, and the theme of carnivals run through much of his work, from vibrant colours and flamboyant costumes to very strange portraits. It was really interesting to visit the exhibition and see the paintings ‘in the flesh’. Ensor’s paintings were creepy but captivating at the same time. By standing in front of artworks and drawing them, I felt more connected to the piece and it helped me understand more clearly how Ensor had made his compositions and applied his materials. After lunch in Leicester Square, we then walked to the National Portrait Gallery to visit the ‘Picasso Portraits’ exhibition. I immediately noticed that Picasso’s portraits were less ‘creepy’ than Ensors and I was surprised to discover that Picasso had such a wide range of styles.We started off looking at some very realistic portraits in charcoal and moved on to look at some really abstract pieces, consisting of simple flat colours and defined shapes. Personally I preferred the Picasso exhibition to the Ensor, because Picasso had such a wide range of styles. Overall it was an enjoyable trip and I found all of my notes and drawings really useful in my artist research for my GCSE Art ‘Disguise’ project.

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ART AND DESIGN

Henry Jones, Fifth Form

Phoebe CharlesDawson, Sparrow,Upper Fifth Form Sixth

Angus McVarish, Upper Sixth

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Emily Hall, Fifth Form

ART AND DESIGN

Abbie Butfoy, Upper Sixth

Phoebe Dawson, Upper Sixth

Ava Deighton-Smythe, Fifth Form

Oliver Dent, Fifth Form

Angus McVarish, Upper Sixth

Jamie Oliver, Fifth Form

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ART AND DESIGN

Phoebe Dawson, Upper Sixth

Harvey Truman, Upper Sixth

Patrick Beech, Upper Sixth

Bertie Hobson, Upper Sixth

Hugo Fahie-Wilson, Upper Sixth

Media Studies Coursework Mr J Zane, Head of Media Studies

ithin the A Level Media Studies curriculum, one of the key parts is the practical production. The creativity and excellence of our students in the Media department is beyond question and the work the Upper Sixth produced this year for their coursework projects was once again of the highest quality. As a department, we are very flexible in the creative options that we offer and, as such, there is always an eclectic mix of media products on show. As evidenced in the coursework shown above, this year’s cohort continued this trend of producing a real variety of ideas, ranging from gothic horror, zombie and rom-com film marketing campaigns (such as Harvey, Hugo and Patrick’s work) to reality TV show concepts. Magazines were once again a favourite medium (including Bertie and Phoebe’s work above) and these varied in topic, reflecting the interests of our students.

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The students worked tirelessly, honing their ideas to ensure that their finished products really looked the part. Creating the media artefacts involved a range of skills and processes. Their ideas had to be good, the photography had to be original and then they all had to design their products on Photoshop. Furthermore, the language they used had to reflect the register of the products they were creating; no mean achievement given that some wrote fullyfledged double page feature articles. Also worthy of mention are the students who chose to make film products, examples of which, for obvious reasons, cannot be reproduced here. We were pleased to see a fantastic trailer for a crime drama, which used the conventions of the genre with aplomb to produce a tense and gripping short film. Another effective audio visual piece was an anti-drugs campaign advert that used a range of emotive signifiers to reinforce its powerful message.

PERFORMING ARTS

PERFORMING ARTS “

To say that my first year at SVS has been a whirlwind would be an understatement! The selection of Hamlet for the senior production was not taken lightly. I am a passionate advocate of Shakespeare in schools but the students must possess the resilience and sensitivity to give the text the performance that it deserves. It was clear from an early stage however, that my gamble was going to pay off. The production was hugely successful, particularly in the way that the cast were able to apply the themes of the script into a modern context. Mulan at the end of the year was excellent in a completely different way. The younger cast members threw themselves into the production with energy and dynamism, managing to leave the audience smiling throughout. In addition to these productions, there have been examined performances and another excellent set of LAMDA results. It has been wonderful to join such a vibrant, creative and well-supported department and I hope to see it continue to thrive in the year to come.

”

Mr B Fewson Head of Drama

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PERFORMING ARTS

HAMLET SENIOR PRODUCTION Sam Gray, Upper Sixth

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PERFORMING ARTS

hat convinced Mr Fewson to put on perhaps the most well-known and revered of Shakespeare’s plays, no one can say, but what they can say with some certainty is that he pulled it off with style. Drawing on the current political climate, he ambitiously decided to set our production in the modern Kremlin palace. An understandably nervous atmosphere permeated the room on the day of our first rehearsal. How would we transform this bare stage into the masterpiece that Shakespeare wrote? We began this momentous task in true thespian style, with some warm-up activities, vocal exercises, and stretches. The first timid attempts to perform were met with awkward laughs or giggles, as we became acquainted with the language and each other. Yet weeks into the production, we were functioning as a true Shakespearean cast, without school-boy embarrassment, and with a conviction and a purpose. Mr Fewson’s eventual aim for our Hamlet was a play that told the story, and one that did not pay too much reverence to the language. In a word, a play that was accessible.As actors, we were all encouraged to think about our motives for our actions and the dynamics between our own characters and others. As a sort of parallel to these directions from Mr Fewson and Ms Williams, the Upper and Lower Sixth English students were receiving a more formal education on Shakespeare’s language, thanks to Dr Grindlay. Her tutelage meant that even before it came to rehearsing, the cast had a good understanding of the underlying themes of the play, the nuances of the absurd prose, and the deep sense of pathos in the verse. A few weeks before the performance itself, all these different elements of the cast’s education came into play. The understanding of the lines acquired in English lessons married with good direction and Mr Fewson’s vision for our own production of Hamlet and of course Ms Williams’ keen attitude towards line learning and the idea of motivation and purpose on stage. In those days leading up to the performance, tensions were high but the cast pulled together. Ironing out the final creases in our play gave us purpose. When it came to the first night, amidst the general feeling of terror, there was a sense of camaraderie that drew us together. Once we were pushed out on stage in front of the audience, the fear faded, and the momentum of the lines pushed us through. I can honestly say that performing the lead roles with two of my oldest and closest friends, Sebastian Shaddick and Annabelle Blake as Claudius and Gertrude, as well as a stunning cast featuring Nina Harman as Ophelia, William Grabowski as The Ghost and Charles Court as Laertes, has been one of the greatest highlights of my school career. Many thanks must go to Dr Grindlay, for her careful examination of all the lines of the play; to Ms Williams, for her vigour and her belief in the production and the cast, and to Mr Fewson for his vision, and his passionate and kind mentorship of us all.

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PERFORMING ARTS

SVS DANCE SHOW 2017 Paige Davidson, Fourth Form

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PERFORMING ARTS

his year’s dance show, held on Wednesday 22nd March, was once again a huge success raising over £500 for the charity CLIC Sergeant (supporting children with cancer).We were fortunate enough to be entertained by performers from all year groups, who brought a huge variety of different dance styles.

The theme of the show, ‘Musicals’, was evident in two performances from the award winning film La La Land, both lyrical and contemporary. Modern dance featured prominently amongst the performers who wowed us with their rhythm and timing. Standout pieces included Anisha Thapa Maga and Isabella Eyers’ (both Fourth Form) dance to Little Mix, and Fynley Young and Grace Mortley’s (Lower Sixth) performance to Baby Boy by Beyoncé. In contrast to this, Olivia Smith and Pamela Papa Adams (both Fifth Form) performed beautiful contemporary pieces. The First Form girls, despite their young age, performed to an exceptionally high level with a breathtaking closing number from Calia Cordell (First Form).

Once again, Max (Lower Sixth) and Katie Harrison (Fifth Form) blew us away with their dynamic and perfectly rehearsed Cha Cha and Jive. A number of students chose to mix a variety of dance styles to create an eclectic mix of moves, including Jade Neale and Paige Davidson (both Fourth Form) whose performance of Issues by Julia Michaels combined contemporary and modern dance. We were given a sneak preview of a dance from the musical Mulan, which over 27 First Form students took part in, alongside two of the leads - Paige Davidson and Isabelle Cook (Fourth Form). They demonstrated impeccable timing combined with acting skills. This left the audience buzzing and eager to attend the performance which took place later in the Summer Term. An enormous thank you must go to all those involved. Mrs Mathews has done another fabulous job of organising this lovely event; thank you so much for all the time you have taken to put the show together. We look forward to next year, with new dances and performers.

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PERFORMING ARTS

MULAN William Ervine, First Form

ncient China came to the Baughan Theatre when the eagerly awaited production of Mulan was staged for three summer nights in June. The play tells the story of a girl who enlists in the army in the guise of a man to save her family’s honour, and although Mulan has been popularised by Disney, it is in fact is based around an ancient Chinese poem. The Ballard of Mulan, dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty, tells the story of overcoming adversity, tradition, honour and the role of women in society, and was brought to life by lead actors Paige Davidson (Mulan), Isabelle Cook (Mushu), Finn Swaine (Captain Shang) and Samuel Pope (Emperor) backed by a cast from the First to Fourth Forms. With the songs, dances and costumes complementing the Chinese production, the theatre came alive especially when solo songs such as Reflection sung by Paige and Keep ‘em Guessing performed by Isabelle and the Mushettes, alias the First Formers, made the production a truly magical experience. The production was brought to the stage by Miss Davies, Director, and Miss Williams, one of the assistant directors, described the play as: “Astonishing and captivating, packed full. It’s a very lovely piece; it’s about a headstrong girl who fights her way through to gain respect from others and it’s a modern tale from an ancient world. The cast worked extremely hard to produce a production that had true passion and meaning, to touch each and every audience member with laughter and sorrow.” For Paige, taking the lead role of Mulan was “an honour” and her polished performance on the night did not reveal that she had to conquer her nerves to deliver the part. “At first, I was quite nervous as I suffer from stage fright, but I overcame it through the course of the production. Singing the solo of Reflection, I was petrified, but once I started I soon got into it. The theatre lighting meant you couldn’t really see the audience very well and I just looked up to Mr Soman who was conducting. ” Bringing the production to life through music was Mr Soman, Musical Director, who conducted the singers from the back of the theatre in the sound box.: “Especially when there is a particularly hard section, I would encourage the cast to look up so that their head would be up to the audience and where they would also see me and I would try and make big gestures to let them know when to start and when to stop singing.” All-in-all, it was a fantastic production, and credit goes to the hard work of everyone involved, it was a Junior production that will live long in the memory.

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PERFORMING ARTS

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PERFORMING ARTS

GCSE Drama Performances Ms L Williams, Drama

Fifth Form – Group Scripted Performances

of an evil man willing to do all he can to get his hands on the baby of the queen. Asher as the creepy little man, contrasted well with the stereotypical king. A more modern retelling worked into the story of a drugs baron made for an exciting twist and the audience left feeling empowered by the princess’s overall triumph at the end.

Hedda Gabler

Fourth Form – Group Scripted Performances

Samuel Grindlay, Nina Harman, Katie Harrison, Francis Romano and Alexander Webb took on the reworked Henrik Ibsen classic after seeing it performed at the National Theatre. Taking their inspiration from many gritty modern theatrical productions, they performed in a naturalistic style using innovative lighting techniques and soundtrack to create a modern feel to the nineteenth century text. Audience members remarked on the high standard of emotive performance from the group as they were immersed in the raw emotion of the central character, Hedda.

Women of Lockerbie

t has been a busy year for GCSE Drama. Our Fourth and Fifth Forms have been under examination scrutiny for performances ranging from monologues to full group performances.

4.48 Psychosis This group comprised of Emily Bottle, Melissa Dawson, Ava Deighton-Smythe and Isabella Hughes performing in our studio for the visiting GCSE examiner. Creating an immersive experience influenced by theatre practitioners such as Punchdrunk, audience members were invited to be visitors to a mental health ward where each patient evoked a sense of what it must be like to experience the isolation and harrowing effects of a deep depression. The audience were left feeling as though they had been exposed to the inner workings of a troubled mind. Their quality performance, rooted in complex character back-stories and all written individually by the girls added weight to an already heavy original text.

Little Red Cap Each group in Mr Fewson’s Fifth Form Drama class took on a macabre classic from the Grimm Brothers, re-imagined by the poet Carol Ann Duffy for the stage. Firstly, Gabrio Capaldi,Thomas Cavell and Jack McNama presented a weird and wonderful version of the Little Red Riding Hood tale. The characterisation grotesque, the lighting vivid and bold, it made for an interestingly vile and gory take. The audience left with a feeling of revulsion as the contents of the wolf’s stomach are removed. A truly Artaudian approach to the twisted tale used dark lighting, suspenseful music and was intensified with creepy performances that took the audience to the dark side.

Hansel and Gretel Physical theatre was at the heart of the re-imagining of this classic fairy tale with performers Sophie Baxter, Cameron Evans, Alistair Gooding and Harry Mitchell and technical elements designed by Ben Purvis. Stylistic movements paired with an over-exaggerated characterisation meant that each performer could play their archetype with relish and delight. The sinister nature of the piece meant that the audience left feeling uneasy. The technical elements, which included an under-stage light for the oven in the witch’s house, made for an eerie and foreboding atmosphere.

Rumplestilskin Archie Crouch, Harry O’Rawe, Pamela Papa-Adams and Asher Regal presented a stylistic and exaggerated approach to the tale

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Mr Fewson’s class took on the play, modelled on a Greek tragedy, which was based around the 1988 Lockerbie disaster. The play centres on the struggles faced by the families left behind after the tragedy. Students were challenged with finding the depth of feeling that presents itself in the script and their emotive performances left the audience moved. Amber Brinkman, Suzanna Fullick and Jack Hughes tackled the desperation of a search for a son that was never found, bringing some delicate emotion to their piece. Katie Lang and Thomas McLaughlin took on Maddie and Bill, a couple struggling to deal with the death of their boy. Jenna Boltman, Arthur Genders and Edward Wheble tackled some of the more bitter-sweet elements found in the play, whilst Luke Bernicchi, Daisy Fenton, Anna Harrison and Max Savage all played various aspects of Greek theatre around the character of Madeline, played by Paige Davidson. All students in this piece played with depth and were able to expose the tragic sadness of this shocking disaster.

Find Me Verity, at 20 years old, was charged by the police with damaging a chair in the institution were she was a patient. Miss Davies’ class took to this mature script, developed some complex roles, and aimed to delve into the emotive complexity of the play. Charlotte Bowyer, Josiah De Bono, Oliver Jones, Amelie Rossiter and Thomas Taft took to the stylised presentation of the text beautifully. Charlotte took on the central role of Verity exploring the difficulties faced every day. Isabelle Cook, Tom Gray, Estelle McInerney and Matthew Teare had real depth to their extract with raw emotive characterisation as Verity struggled to deal with her challenging situation and emotions ran high for all the characters.

The Crucible Arthur Miller’s classic tale documenting the witch-hunts in 1690’s Massachusetts was the text tackled by Ms Williams’ class. The group handled the complex roles and plot deftly. In the studio, Isabelle Busby, Nathaniel Easton, Bethan Pepler and Herbie Stephenson created tension as they worked through a scene where a suspicious clergyman visits a couple accused of witchcraft. Tensions in Salem at the time were explored with the extract performed by Samuel Pope, Finn Swaine, Jamie Warman and Benjamin Watkins who took on sparring villagers despising the newcomers with Gabriella Romano providing the gentle authority of Rebecca, Salem’s wise nurse. Alice Busby, Oliver Carter, Gabriella Howarth, Arthur Moffatt and Jack Stanton-Gleaves, presented one of the play’s many domesticated scenes centring around Abigail Williams who was accused of witchcraft. Their performances required a heightened naturalistic style from students who rose to the challenge admirably creating some great dramatic moments.

MUSIC AND CONCERTS

MUSIC AND CONCERTS “

With so many talented musicians in our Upper Sixth, this academic year was always going to be exceptionally strong from a musical perspective. In a year that saw us enjoy a fantastic tour around Amsterdam, combine with the Preparatory School for an excellent Joint Concert and perform as part of the stunning Foundation Concert at St John’s Smith Square, we have seen so many musical highlights. The breadth of musical diversity that we offer – whether it be choral, orchestral or more contemporary offerings, is reflected in the following reviews and reports, which hopefully show the continued success and enjoyment of such a well-supported and vibrant department here in Groves Hall.

”

Mr P Horley Director of Music

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DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

REPORT W Mr P Horley, Director of Music

hen asked to write my report, the first thing I do is worry that I will miss something or someone out. If I do, will that person be offended? Accordingly, if I miss someone in this report then please forgive me. In the Music department we pride ourselves on being a very friendly, approachable bunch who always try to get the best out of the students whether they are a pre-grade one trumpeter or a post-grade eight violinist. The first half of the year saw the Chapel Choir at the fore. The Choir is made up of about 60 pupils, which constitutes more than 10 per cent of the School. Learning new repertoires and revising old repertoires to present in

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Chapel every Monday makes every choir practice intense. Among the usual highlights of the year are the three special services at Christmas. Carols by Candlelight is one of the most beautiful services presented by the church. The Choir decked out in their cassocks and surplices leading the singing in a packed Chapel is always a magical event and a fantastic curtain-raiser to the end of term and Christmas. Another highlight came in early January when the Choir departed for Amsterdam. Led by Mr Soman, they performed in several beautiful churches located in and around the city. Not only did we sing, but the Choir visited some attractions such as Anne Frank’s House (very moving), windmills (lots of them) and a space

MUSIC AND CONCERTS

centre. Whilst the pupils were gorging themselves at Wagamama, I managed to get to the Rijksmuseum to see one of the most famous paintings in the world, Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. Not content with Amsterdam, the Choir managed to squeeze in a visit to Bruges and a chocolate factory before boarding the ferry for the final drive home. My thanks must go to Mr Soman and Miss Gray. The visit to Amsterdam would normally be the highlight of any year, but in May 2017 we took three ensembles up to London to perform at St John’s Smith Square. For several years the United Westminster Schools Foundation has run choir concerts led by VOCES8, which we have not taken part in, so this year we booked St John’s ourselves and invited the other schools to attend. The church is now a concert hall in Westminster which hosts many recitals given by world-famous international artists.The School had the honour of opening the concert. The Chamber Orchestra performed first, playing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 2 (Slow movement) with Jessica Grindlay (Upper Sixth) as soloist.This was a truly mesmerising performance, directed by the Headmaster, with music made famous by the film Brief Encounter. However, the standard remained very high as the Senior Strings then performed Samuel Barber’s celebrated Adagio for Strings. The memory of conducting this will stay with me for the rest of my life. We then changed the mood totally with the Chamber Choir singing three works - including a solo by William Grabowski (Upper Sixth) and ending with an exciting version of The Rhythm of Life from Sweet Charity. Even though I am biased, I do feel that the School were unsurpassed in what we performed both in quality and style. I believe that this experience may be one of the highlights of my, and all the pupils who took part, school life. Even walking the five miles from Headcorn station to Sutton Valence at gone midnight did not alter my enjoyment of the day.

Literally straight after the London concert we performed at our own concert starting in the Chapel. The Chapel Choir performed Vivaldi’s thrilling Gloria accompanied by a small ensemble of string players led by Mr Holmes. The orchestras repeated their programme from London, then we promenaded across to the Music School for a lighter second half. The Chamber Choir sang, then we had Band ending the concert with three numbers; American Pie, Eye Level and finally Charles Court sang Sweet Caroline, which included a completely unforgettable dance with me. This concert showed everything the Music Department is justly proud off, high performing standards, original and demanding repertoire and lots of energy and fun. Throughout the year the department puts on a series of informal concerts, designed to allow any pupil to perform in an informal setting in front of parents and friends. It is wonderful to see Upper Sixth Formers performing post-grade eight works alongside new First Formers giving their first ever public recital to an appreciative audience. I could not miss out the end of year Leavers’ Concert.This year our Upper Sixth have been a delight to have around the department and we will truly miss them. I am surprised that at the Leavers’ Service they managed to perform Rutter’s The Lord Bless You and Keep You without breaking into more tears. There is so much more I could add, the masterclasses with Professor Miller from the Royal Academy of Music, various services including the Confirmation Service, individual highlights from concerts or even recordings we do for the GCSE and A level classes. My thanks go to all of the visiting music staff, but I could do none of the above without the tremendous effort and companionship from Mr Soman and Mr Holmes, who make the department what we are. Roll on 2018.

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Chapel Choir Report Jessica Grindlay and Sam Gray, Upper Sixth

n September, the Chapel Choir were a little shocked when Mr Soman and Mr Horley presented them with Christmas music, despite the vast number of shopping days left. However, as always with the busy Michaelmas term, Christmas and the annual Carol Services were around before we knew it. The Choir therefore spent the Michaelmas term practising old favourites, in preparation for the January tour to Amsterdam, and preparing Christmas carols, ready for the Carol Services. As always, when December came around, the Carol Services were a huge success, with the Choir putting the large congregations that attended all three, into the festive spirit. With new carols, such as The Sussex Carol, and old favourites, such as Torches, we all greatly enjoyed preparing and performing in the Carol Services, and the mince pies afterwards did not disappoint! After a brief Christmas respite, the Choir set off on their tour to Amsterdam. We are yet to discover whose idea it was to reach Holland by coach, but suffice to say, following the long haul across Europe with 31 complaining teenagers, they definitely regret it now. We eventually reached the beautiful city of Amsterdam, where we had the honour of singing in two prestigious venues within the city centre (the Amstelkerk, and the English Reformed Church) and an enchanting church in one of the surrounding villages, Monnickendam. As well as the musical aspect of the tour we got to visit the chilling Anne Frank’s House museum, the space expo centre, a traditional Dutch village, experience a canal tour and the Amsterdam

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dungeons, and stop off for a burger at the local Hard Rock Cafe. It was a brilliant experience for the Choir to sing their repertoire, and a beautiful place to visit to combat the post-Christmas blues. Following the tour, the Choir reconvened in Sutton Valence to prepare for the Lent concert. Here, we were to perform the entirety of Vivadi’s Gloria. Although an arduous undertaking, we managed to work through the entire piece, and greatly enjoyed the challenge. The performance was received with praise and warmth, and the solos in particular, performed by various members and combinations of the Choir, were extremely successful. As summer loomed, the numbers of the Choir began to dwindle, with various revision clinics and coursework meltdowns, and once again the darkness of exam season began to spread across School life. However, before the Fifth Form and Upper Sixth study leaves began, the Choir reunited once more for the annual Chapel Choir Dinner and Games Night. The evening started with a formal dinner, with everyone dressed in smart attire. After dinner, Mr Horley, Mr Soman and ourselves gave speeches (with varying degrees of success) after which the new Heads of Chapel Choir (Francesca Ash and Angus Michie) were announced. After dinner, the games began, and following last year’s success, the games were bigger and more ludicrous than ever. Of course, there was the chubby bunny round, and the quiz round this year had a magical Hogwarts twist.The doughnut-eating challenge (won by the incredibly competitive duo of Nina Harman and Annabelle Blake) got very sticky, whilst the picture round (draw

MUSIC AND CONCERTS

a member of the Music department staff) was just as amusing and borderline offensive as before. However, the climax of the evening was certainly the karaoke round, making its debut this year. Favour Daka (Upper Sixth) kicked off the night with a rendition of Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You, and hot on his feet were Sebastian Shaddick and William Grabowksi (both Upper Sixth) with their entertaining, if a little disturbing, performance of the iconic Titanic number, The Heart Will Go On. The singing progressed with varying degrees of success, including numbers from Toy Story and Frozen, but the winners of the round were indisputably William Ervine and Maximus Woods (both First Form) with their incredible rendition of See You Again.

During the Summer Term, the Choir continued to rehearse regularly, improving their current repertoire and expanding, in preparation for the larger concerts the following year. In the final weeks in June, the whole Choir, even those lost to study leave, reunited for the Leavers’ Service, a particularly poignant affair for the Choir this year, with 11 Upper Sixth leavers. The Choir performed a favourite anthem, O Thou the Central Orb, as voted for by the leaving Upper Sixth, and then the leavers sang The Lord Bless You And Keep You. For all of us leaving the Choir, it was a perfect send off and end to another busy year.

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FOUNDATION

CONCERT Sophie Watson, Lower Sixth

t the start of the Summer Term, the Senior Strings and the Chamber Choir were honoured to have the opportunity to perform at the world-famous St John’s Smith Square in London as part of The Foundation Concert. The baroque church in St John’s Smith Square is well-known for its beautiful English architecture and musical significance. Sutton Valence is part of the United Westminster Schools’ Foundation which consists of independent, state and coeducational schools. Performing in St John’s Smith Square is one of the few occasions when all of the schools that are part of the Foundation unite to forge links between the different schools and celebrate the wide array of talents that everyone has to offer. The Senior Strings opened the concert with Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No 2: II Andante, with Jessica Grindlay (Upper Sixth) playing the piano solo. This performance was met with resounding applause and was a huge achievement for Jess who played with much emotion. The evening continued with the Senior Strings showcasing their musicality and dedication as a group with Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Later in the evening, the Sutton Valence Chamber Choir, which is conducted by the Headmaster, took to the stage with a wide-ranging repertoire beginning with I’m Beginning To See The Light, followed by The Rhythm of Life and Bring Him Home from Les Misérables with William Grabowski (Upper Sixth) reprising his role as Jean Valjean from 2016’s outstanding production. The evening was brought to a close with all the Foundation Schools singing together, which was a lovely way to end the evening in such a special place. Performing in St John’s Smith Square was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I know that we will all remember performing in such an impressive venue.

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Joint SVS and SVPS Concert Mr J Soman, Assistant Director of Music

s we approached the Easter break, the Prep School’s Bates Hall played host to the biennial Joint Concert; a celebration of musical talent from both the Senior School and the Preparatory School. With well over one hundred students from across both sites taking part, the concert featured pieces of many musical styles and standards, all prepared and performed to the highest level.

There was jazz music from the Senior School’s Chamber Choir, conducted by Mr Grindlay, who performed Cole Porter’s humorous Miss Otis Regrets and Duke Ellington’s infectious I’m Beginning to See the Light. Mr Keeping formed the Combined Rock Group, who performed Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive, with pupils from both sites, whilst SVPS wind and brass players joined the Senior School Concert Band in the opening number: The Final Countdown. Charles Court (Upper Sixth) was a charismatic soloist in the Concert Band’s other number – Sweet Caroline – which featured an impromptu and memorable dance sequence from Charles and Mr Horley. More serious music came in the form of two concerto offerings accompanied by the Senior School’s String Orchestra: the achingly

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beautiful Andante from Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto Number 2 featured delicate and sensitive piano playing by Jessica Grindlay (Upper Sixth), whilst two movements from Finzi’s charming Five Bagatelles profiled expressive clarinet playing by Matthew Corpe (Upper Sixth). Under the careful direction of Mrs Geering, the Prep School’s Director of Music, the singers of the Prep School’s two senior choirs and the four bold flautists of their Flute Quartet performed with real confidence. The string players in the Prep School’s Senior Strings, directed by Mr Holmes, were joined by some keen Senior School violinists in a selection of the music from Harry Potter.The concert concluded with a Joint Choir, including over thirty pupils from each site, singing the glorious opening movement of Vivaldi’s Gloria, conducted by Mr Soman. Overall, the 75-minute concert was a true showcase of the wealth of talent and time which is invested into music at both our schools. The audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves, as did all of the performers, who could encourage one another and seek inspiration from those of different ages and ability. Our sincere thanks go to the tireless effort of all the staff who made this concert possible (and who may well have already begun planning for March 2019)!

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Cello Masterclass

Rock Concert

Martha Tatnell, First Form

Jasper Van Diepen, Fourth Form

n the Michaelmas term, the School welcomed worldfamous cellist, Anup Biswas to do a masterclass with some of the Music Scholars. It was a memorable morning that offered the School’s cellists a fantastic musical opportunity. First, in assembly, Mr Biswas played some incredible Indian cello music, accompanied by other traditional instruments which sounded quite different from the usual cello pieces we might play, but it was amazing. It opened my eyes to other possibilities as I continue to learn this instrument! It was so inspirational to watch a man so passionate about his music. Then, back at Groves Hall, Mr Biswas asked us each to play a prepared piece for everyone to enjoy. This was a challenge for me as a new Music Scholar. I was nervous, but I enjoyed the experience and I was very impressed with the standard of the other experienced Scholars. We also had time for individual feedback, improving our technique. Finally, we had great fun with Mr Biswas as he demonstrated his renowned skill at musical improvisation with his cello and encouraged us all to “close your eyes and play whatever comes to you”! It took me a while to get comfortable with this, but it made me realise what I really could do if I put my mind to it.

or the annual Rock Concert this year, held in Groves Hall, we were all treated to a rousing array of musical prowess. Pupils and teachers from both Sutton Valence Preparatory School and the Senior School came together for a concert of rock and pop classics. Junior guitar groups, many of whom were performing for the very first time, mixed with drum soloists, voice and guitar combos and a full-on rock band.Works played included Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah, James Blunt’s You’re Beautiful, Jack Johnson’s Better Together, the Guns N’ Roses guitar classic Sweet Child O’ Mine and Amy Winehouse’s Valerie. The mothers’ choir, Mumma Mia, gave a sterling rendition of Toto’s classic Africa. Lara Savage (Fourth Form) presented a video recording of her own composition The Final Deal, to great acclaim and a standing ovation. The entire concert came to a close with everyone performing Sweet Home Alabama, with a great electric guitar solo from Mr Pike from the Maintenance staff. The collective sense of community and great atmosphere made this an exhilarating experience to be part of. Special thanks must go to Mrs Gearing, Mr Keeping, Mr O’Donovan, Mr Pike, Mr Selby and Mr Tunbridge.

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AMSTERDAM CHOIR TOUR Jessica Grindlay and Sam Gray, Upper Sixth

his year, the Sutton Valence Chapel Choir defied the January blues, by beginning 2017 with a tour of the beautiful city of Amsterdam. We departed Sutton Valence on 3rd January, and travelled to the cold canals of Amsterdam by ferry and coach. We arrived at our hotel, Hotel Aan Zee, which was, in typical choir-tour style, rather basic and space efficient. On our first day in the Netherlands, we visited the Noordjwik Space Expo Centre. There, we tried space simulations, explored the interior of rockets, and tried anti-gravity slides, allowing some of the staff (Mr Soman) to regress to their childhood. We then went to Zaanse Schans, a traditional Dutch village, fully equipped with windmills, canals, cheese factories and crêperies. We visited the saw mill there, where we entertained the workers with a rough edition of Torches (a Christmas favourite). We enjoyed pancakes for lunch, followed by lots of free cheese in the factory! In the evening, we travelled into Amsterdam, where we were to perform our first concert in Amstelkerk. The audience could perhaps be described as a little lacking, but we all enjoyed the opportunity to perform lots of old favourites in such an intimate venue.

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The next day we had a lunchtime concert in the English Reformed Church in the centre of Amsterdam, full of fairy lights and beautiful paintings. We all enjoyed this concert, where the audience certainly made up for the less-attended concert the night before! In the afternoon, we visited the incredibly moving Anne Frank’s House and Museum.The house is beautifully restored, allowing the pain felt by so many during the Holocaust to still remain raw, but yet also show the power of humanity to overcome such things. For all of us, this was an incredible experience, and something that will remain with us. We then went for hot chocolate in the centre of Amsterdam, and then returned back to the hotel. In the evening we visited the local bowling alley, for a “friendly game,” which became incredibly competitive for many. On our last full day in the Netherlands, we enjoyed a canal cruise in Amsterdam. It took us on a route around one of the 165 canals, and allowed us to see many of the 1281 bridges. It is a cultural and captivating city (on the most part…), and we all enjoyed the free time exploring following the canal cruise. In the afternoon we visited the Amsterdam Dungeons, which outlined the Gothic elements of the history of this city. We were all a little shaken by the experience, but no one as much

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as Elliot Stirling, whose screams are probably still resonating through those dungeons. Following dinner at the Amsterdam Hard Rock Café, we sang our last concert at the Nicolaas en Antoniuskerk in Monnickendam. This was possibly the most enjoyable concert, due to the incredibly enthusiastic audience. It was particularly special for the Upper Sixth, for many of whom it marked the end of an era, having toured Rome and Cologne with the choir, and many of us having been part of this group for seven years. The next day we travelled back to England, stopping off at Bruges for more hot chocolate and a meal in the centre of this city. We returned to England all enchanted with the city of Amsterdam, and having truly overcome the January blues! We would like to thank Mr Soman, for making this trip possible, Mr Horley, for his organ accompaniment and Miss Gray, for being the number one Chapel Choir groupie! Also, to all of the Choir: it was a pleasure to share our last tour with all of you, so thank you all.

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Strings Masterclass Marta Chronowska, Lower Sixth

n Friday 11th November, we were lucky yet again to welcome to Sutton Valence School’s Music department a long-time friend, Professor Nicholas Miller. He visits every year to conduct a Strings Masterclass, where the most passionate young musicians can gain valuable advice and inspiration. Professor Miller is a violin teacher at the Royal Academy of Music, an active orchestral and chamber musician and a recording artist, who has performed throughout Europe and the United States, appearing in venues such as the Purcell Room in London and the Alice Tully Hall in New York. Before his time at the Royal Academy he had been teaching at the Yehudi Menuhin School, where Menuhin himself said “I have admired the teaching I have seen you do and the results you have obtained as well as the quality of playing which you have inspired.” Having a musician of such high calibre listen to and comment on your playing is an incredible opportunity for anyone, especially our school-age performers. The purpose of the class is to help with playing in a very broad sense of it – Professor Nicholas never commands anything, but rather gives ideas as to where the piece could be taken further. He has an extraordinary ability to spot where a player’s weakness lies, and recommend a perfect exercise, of which his knowledge seems to have no limit. Everyone agrees that his guidance is inspirational and develops student’s musicality as a whole.

The master class is open to the public and everyone is welcome to come and listen – there are always spaces left for a small audience, the presence of which enriches the student’s experience even more. We are all looking forward to seeing Professor Nicholas Miller again, and until then we prepare by practising diligently with his expert suggestions.

Senior Strings 2016-17

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COMMUNITY

AND CHARITY “

The Sutton Valence community not only continues to thrive, but this year it has grown as our international outreach has opened new doors for both the School and its pupils. As well as the opening of the new HIK SVS Preparatory School in Tianjin, the School has worked hard to develop international links by starting designated summer experience programmes for our pupils in Australia, New Zealand and India. This year also saw the community’s successful Nepal fundraising come to fruition with the school in Nepal rebuilt and reopened. Back home, our house competition has been as closely fought as ever with some fantastically tight contests throughout the year. All-in-all a busy, but highly enjoyable year.

”

Mr D Sansom Assistant Head

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NEPAL FUNDRAISING Dr L Grindlay, Head of Academic Scholars

uring the February Half Term break, the Headmaster and I visited Nepal for the official opening of the Tamang Kharka School in the Himalayas. Our experience there is very difficult to put into words. It was a whirlwind trip, truly exhausting and truly exhilarating, which left us humbled and uplifted in equal measures.

The amazing Sutton Valence community set about the task of raising the £60,000 needed to rebuild this village school, raising sufficient funds in a breathtaking ten months. The money was given to the Pahar Trust, a charity which builds schools in Nepal, and the new building, a single-storey facility with six classrooms was completed and fully functioning in time for our visit.

Here is a brief recap of the background to our trip. The devastating Nepal earthquake of April 2015 razed to the ground the tiny village of Gumdi in the Himalayas, which had been the home of Sutton Valence parent and Gurkha Major Bishnu Ghale. Bishnu is the father of OS Asbin Ghale (2015 M). Gumdi’s village school, attended by 600 children from the village and surrounding areas, was also completely destroyed by the disaster.

Our trip to the village of Gumdi brought home just how remote this village is. We had hired a jeep and driver, but it soon became clear that the off-road experience was like nothing we had ever experienced, taking us on steep and often treacherous mountain tracks. After a particularly tricky moment attempting to cross a river, the jeep’s alternator cut out, and for the rest of the trip it was necessary to push start the vehicle whenever it stopped.

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This became particularly high-stress as we negotiated through vertiginous terrain where the dirt tracks had the consistency of dry, heavy sand. In the end, we abandoned the jeep and trekked the steeper parts of the route as it became increasingly clear that with the weight of its passengers, the vehicle would not make it. As well as reducing our nerves to shreds on many an occasion, the journey left us awe-struck that the school had actually been built at all, so poor is the infrastructure of roads that lead to the village.

Villager after villager greeted us in the traditional Nepalese way, wrapping kharda (scarves) or garlands of flowers around our necks, with the traditional greeting of ‘namaste’. It was a word, I subsequently discovered, that has a wealth of meanings, going far deeper than the traditional ‘hello’ or ‘good afternoon’. Instead, it is delivered with a respectful half bow, a truly heartfelt greeting that seems to wish one health and happiness, and incorporates a real joy and appreciation that you are here.

We finally arrived at Gumdi, dusty, exhausted and three hours late, to be met by the welcome of a lifetime. The whole community had come out to meet us, and our progress to our seats at the opening ceremony was slow and celebratory. A traditional band, a Naumati Baza played throughout to herald our arrival.

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MOVEMBER FUNDRAISING

in the month-long, beard-growing challenge. Top fundraiser, William Grabowski (second from the left), collected over £300 for the charity, with James Collins (centre) picking up the prize for the ‘furriest’ beard and Edward Cardoza (third from the right) was deemed to be the most stylish.

In total, seven Upper Sixth students abstained from their usually immaculate grooming to compete against one another

Sam Gray, Hugo Fahie-Wilson, James Bevan-Thomas and Bertie Hobson also took part, and all should be congratulated on raising the impressive total of £1474.67 for MIND.

et again, the Headmaster gave special dispensation to a group of students to enable them to support Movember and raise money for the Maidstone branch of MIND - the mental health charity that campaigns to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding of all mental health conditions.

Juniors’ Tuck Shop Holly Thomson-Frost, Lower Sixth

he School’s Lower Sixth pupils launched a tuck shop for the Juniors this year. The tuck shop sells a variety of snacks, which the Juniors appreciate and a selection of free fruit is also provided. Located in Lambe’s, the shop is adjacent to the Junior Day Room, providing the Juniors a dedicated tuck shop in their own area. The space allows them to head straight down to the Juniors, rather than using the main tuck shop in the Refectory. The Sixth Formers have had a few struggles, including getting there on time and even finding the keys for the door! This is a new facility in the School and the current team of Seniors are the first of the students to be running it. The Lower Sixth have enjoyed volunteering in the tuck shop and serving the Juniors, who are really respectful of the shop and thankful to the older students.

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Sponsored Walk Mrs H Knott, Development Manager

he School took to the countryside for the annual sponsored walk on 17th October 2016. More than 400 students, plus members of staff, families and dogs trekked along a five-mile route. The walkers were lucky, after a week of typical autumn weather, the sun shone and it remained dry. The annual walk takes advantage of the beautiful location of the School, and everyone enjoyed stunning views of the Weald of Kent as they walked. As has become tradition in recent years, a number of the more adventurous staff and students ran the route, pitting themselves against Major Prem. The walk is, generally, the School’s major fundraising event of the year, drawing sponsorship from families, friends and even work colleagues. This year, funds raised were donated to the Mathieson Music School in Calcutta, which features later in the magazine, after a group of Fifth Form students were given the opportunity to visit the School during the summer holidays.The Mathieson Music School seeks to give underprivileged children the chance of a decent education whilst encouraging innate musical talent.We were delighted to be able to send the school £1997.58, which will be a significant contribution to their running costs.

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SIXTH FORM

BALL

Emma Simpson, Upper Sixth

t the end of the Lent Term, the everyday Refectory was transformed into a breathtaking setting for the annual Sixth Form charity ball.The constellation theme was echoed through the starry ceiling, sparkling cocktails, space-like orb balloons and individually made star-sign table decorations.

Everyone looked very glamorous in their black ties and gowns, with prizes going to the best dressed.While the revellers posed for Mr Clarke’s formal photographs and had fun in the photo booth, Mr Devine and his team added the finishing touches to the fabulous three-course meal. My highlight of the evening had to be Mr Bee’s commentary on the heads and tails game and the raffle; his witty remarks provided for great entertainment until it was time to 'throw some shapes' on the dance floor! The evening raised over £2,000 for Cancer Research and the Oxfam Yemen Response. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped achieve this night, be it a big or small contribution in set-up, raffle prizes or moral support! However, extra special thanks must go to Mrs Porter for allowing it all to happen. I hope everyone had as much fun as I did!

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AN AUSTRALIAN SUMMER Emily Smith, Fifth Form

his summer, Imogen Forknall, Kathryn Douglas and I were fortunate enough to have experienced a sevenweek exchange trip to Roseville College, an all girls school in Sydney, Australia. Soon after finishing our last GCSE paper, we were packed and ready to face our long 24-hour flight, but we were excited to get there. Our first week in Australia was packed full of fun activities, as we settled into life down-under with our host families, and began to explore the amazing city of Sydney. Our first week included visiting the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, and having a spectacular day on one of the host family’s boats cruising around Sydney Harbour and the coast line. We took in sunset views from Palm Beach, visited The Taronga Zoo to see kangaroos and koala bears, and enjoyed lots of lovely Australian barbecues. Despite it being winter in Australia, we all were determined to make lots of trips to some of the famous Australian beaches, with paddle boarding at Manly Beach being one of our favourite activities. The second week brought our first day at Roseville College. The students and teachers at Roseville couldn’t have been more welcoming and we made many new friendships. A lot of laughter was had when we were asked to say various words numerous times in our apparently ‘very thick’ English accents! School life at Roseville proved to be busy but fun. We were fortunate to be selected to play for Roseville’s 1st XI Hockey team. Wallaby sightings were a regular occurrence during hockey practice as were, unfortunately, 6am starts for training sessions! However, our first match (and win!) of the season at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney made it all worthwhile.

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As well as our timetabled lessons, we also started coaching some of the junior years in sport, and worked on various school projects. We completed a week of work experience on our third week in Australia: Imogen at a physiotherapist practice, Kathryn in a marketing role and I taught at a junior school. A few of the other highlights of our seven-week trip included climbing Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, a long weekend skiing in the mountains, a weekend in the capital city of Canberra, attending our first live rugby match of “The Rabbitohs” at Sydney’s Olympic Park, horse-riding in the Blue Mountains, and finishing school hockey matches on a Saturday morning in time to have lunch on the beach watching the waves and exploring the spectacular Australian coastline. We had the best summer with some of the most incredible experiences of our lives, thanks to the amazingly warm welcome extended to us by the Principal, teachers and students at Roseville College and our incredibly kind and generous host families who quite literally opened their homes to us and made us feel part of their families. By the end of the seven weeks, we felt so much part of the Roseville College community, and so much part of our Australian host families, that leaving was not easy but we were excited for our exchange partners to come back to England and experience life at Sutton Valence. A huge thank you to Mr Farrell for setting up the exchange and to Roseville College and our host families for such an amazing experience.

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KOLKATA

EXCHANGE

Olivia Smith, Fifth Form

fter completing their GCSE exams, five Fifth Form students travelled to the Mathieson Music School, which seeks to educate the most disadvantaged children of Kolkata, on a gap programme organised by Sutton Valence School.

Kolkata is busy and diverse unlike any city I had seen before. Culture seemed to seep from every building and street, even when we were experiencing it through a car window, when I wasn’t too busy focusing on the chaos of the roads!

This was by far the biggest trip any of us had been on without parents or teachers, so naturally we felt nervous in the weeks leading up to it, and even on the journey from London to Kolkata (all 12 hours of it!). However, we shouldn’t have been. The moment we arrived we were welcomed into a kind, positive and supportive community.

However, we didn’t solely see the city from a car but were taken on a number of trips. Travelling to the market, Tagore House and many other historic spots. My favourite day-trip was an excursion on a boat down the River Ganges; some of the students from the Mathieson School came with us and we had a brilliant day, drawing, playing games and flying kites.

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Nothing made me happier than spending time around the school, or with the students and their refreshingly eager attitude towards work. We began our two weeks with one-to-one lessons; this gave us a chance to work on English conversation and reading with students from all classes. Although I loved listening to the same stories from their English textbook again and again it was a pleasant change when someone requested Geography or Science help. However, I did draw the line when Bengali books started appearing! For the majority of our second week, we worked in groups with the talented students to create short plays, songs and artwork to show to the rest of the school. Probably my favourite part of the day was playtime. Each day when the students’ school and music lessons had finished, I crossed

the playground, avoiding being swallowed into games of kabadi (a mixture between bulldog and Rugby) or Cricket, that aren’t easy for uncoordinated people like myself! Instead, choosing to play with the younger children who took my hand and taught me their favourite games and rhymes. Our two weeks in India flew past, but I look back on the many memories I made fondly; dancing in the hot evenings to both English and Indian music, hearing shouts of “good morning aunty” when I walked into the classroom for the first lesson of the day, countless games of UNO and splat, watching the students share their musical talents in the daily lunchtime concerts… It was a wonderful and humbling experience that will stay with me for many years to come.

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Ski Trip Michael Summers, Second Form

hen I found out that this year’s ski trip was going to be in America, I really wanted to go and, despite not being able to ski, I put my name down for the trip and started to have a few beginner lessons.

We travelled to Boston and, although it was a longer flight than I had flown before, it was great fun to travel with friends and the time went really quickly. When we left Boston Logan Airport, you could feel how cold the air was, and everyone started to get excited. We arrived at our hotel quite late, having raided a petrol station en route; it’s amazing how much money pupils can spend on root beer, doughnuts and spicy chicken wings! Our hotel, The Indian Head Resort, was much more comfortable then I thought it was going to be, and full of things to do. Not only did it have a games room where we could hang out after skiing, but there was also had an outside pool and hot tub for skiers to soothe their tired muscles! The ski groups were mixed, I started in the beginners group but after a couple of days of great instruction (and a few falls) I got moved to the intermediate group and started to go down the harder slopes. Having never skied before, I was blown away by the breath-taking scenery when we got to the top of the slopes, the air was clear and the sky was so blue. The extra trips the teachers laid on for us were great fun. We visited the Funspot Family Entertainment Center, which is a video

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arcade that not only has the largest collections of late-1970s to mid-1980s games in the world, but also includes over 500 video games, pinball machines, outdoor and indoor miniature golf courses and a 20-lane ten-pin bowling alley. Given all of this, it is unsurprising that Funspot was officially named the ‘Largest Arcade in the World’ by Guinness World Records in 2008. We also visited an American mall, which went down well with the girls, and again it’s amazing how many doughnuts pupils can eat! This was an amazing trip, with some very funny memories. Despite the many falls along the way, no-one got hurt, and we laughed a lot as a result! Having got into skiing, I’m now really looking forward to going again this year.

COMMUNITY AND CHARITY

CHAPLAINCY

REPORT Mr G Davies, Chaplain

his has been a busy year in Chapel, which gave us many opportunities to reinforce our community’s Christian principles, to come together to celebrate and to consider a variety of speakers’ views during Monday Assemblies.

On Friday 11th November, Edward Simmonds, as Head of Corps, read at a moving Remembrance Service as the School continues to mark the respective100th anniversaries of Old Suttonians lost in battle. This was followed by the whole School assembling on Prefects’ Lawn at 11.00 to mark the Armistice with a two-minute silence and the playing of The Last Post and Reveille.

in Monnickendam, which was very well received and ended in a standing ovation. In May, Bishop Trevor returned once again to Chapel and confirmed six members of the School community, including two parents. All were welcomed into the Christian faith which underpins our School ethos. It was an intimate and joyful family service, held in the building which embodies the spiritual life of our School community.

At Christmas, the Carol Concert was as popular as ever and we now have two services to accommodate the sheer numbers wishing to attend. The quality of the singing always brings a tear to the eye and a big thank you must go to Mr Horley and Mr Soman whose hard work and dedication never fail to impress. The integral contribution that the Choir makes to Chapel life cannot be overstated. During the School holidays, the Chapel Choir travelled to the Netherlands, basing themselves in the seaside resort of Noordwijk, on the outskirts of Amsterdam. In the evening the Choir sang in the beautiful Amstelkerk Church in Amsterdam, before an afternoon concert the next day at an English Reform Church. The tour ended with a performance at the Nicolaas en Antoniuskerk

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Gardens Report Mr G Pullen, Head Gardener

ith so many thousands of plants at our disposal, it can be hard to decide what to plant in our gardens. The possibilities can be endless, but there are a few good ways to narrow it down.The first and most important way is to only use plants that thrive in the given situation. There is nothing worse than watching your favourite plant struggle because it doesn’t like the conditions. Conversely, a healthy plant that thrives in its spot will soon become a favourite by virtue of its success. The second way to narrow down the options is to use self-imposed restrictions. I struggle to choose plants for an area until I have set upon a theme that fits the space and its surroundings. For instance, here at SVS, the Sports Hall bed is planted only with plants that would thrive in the Mediterranean Maquis. These plants must be tough enough to endure the thin stony soil and harsh weather conditions of the area, as well as withstanding frequent bombardment from footballs and rugby studs. Plants with small waxy leaves have evolved to cope, so we have planted lots of herbs. Plants that like to nestle in the rocks are afforded the protection of their surroundings and others that are happy to be snapped need no protection, so they work here too. By imposing restrictions, I have limited our choice of plants to those that will cope. Another garden is modelled on my - probably inaccurate - vision of the English Riviera in the 1920s. I am not trying to be historically accurate, but I have a strong idea in my mind of what plants might fit into my theme. The idea developed because the garden already had a couple of mature palm trees and the hard features are suggestive of a tiered promenade. The garden is south facing and backed by mellow ragstone that stores and then radiates heat, so we can get away with plants that might not thrive in other areas. I like to imagine an Agatha Christie plot line is working its way round to a climactic scene in this garden, perhaps with one of the vicious Agave spikes as the murder weapon. The plant choices in the main Centre Block gardens are restricted not to a geographical location, but to historical planting style and a colour theme. The Centre Block buildings were built within the era of the Arts and Crafts movement, and whilst the buildings are not overtly of this style, they do show a few of the flourishes in the tilework. So, the gardens are planted like a garden of this era, with mixed herbaceous plants, shrubs and plenty of roses. The St Margaret’s bed is filled with hot pinks, burgundy and orange, which glow in the strong afternoon sun. On the other side of the lawn, in the bed next to Westminster boarding house, we have planted pale pinks, blues and whites that sit well in the gentle morning light and don’t vanish in the shadows of the afternoon. By restricting the colour palette, we have created a tight planting scheme that stays coherent all year. The self-imposed restrictions on the planting must be influenced by the surroundings in question. Both the dimensions of the plants and their style have to fit the space. The small plants of the Mediterranean Maquis wouldn’t work in the wide borders of the Centre Block and the sub-tropical planting of the English Riviera would struggle by the Sports Hall, but by matching the theme to the surroundings we have created planting schemes that work practically and visually.

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Drone photography by Tom Gray (Fourth Form)

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arlier this year, we had the pleasure of welcoming back Old Suttonian Jan Hamáček (1996 W) who had not returned to Sutton Valence since he left 21 years ago. Since leaving the School, Jan has carved out a successful political career in his native Czech Republic where he currently serves as Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies and Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic Party. He was accompanied on his visit by the Czech Ambassador to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Libor Sečka.

Jan Hamáček Visit Will Radford, Alumni Relations and Development Manager

Jan spoke at Headmaster’s Assembly, recounting memories from his own time at the School, before embarking on a tour around the site with two of last year’s Heads of School - Molly Alexander (2016 S) and Sam Gray (2016 H). As he visited his former haunts, including his room in Westminster, he remarked that it still felt like home all these years later. For a student who only spent a year at the School, it was good to hear that he had so many fond memories. The day concluded with a lunch reception at the Headmaster’s House, where he had the chance to catch up with some familiar faces from his time at the School. Amongst those returning for the event were David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001, 2009-2015), Chris Parkinson (Staff 1978-2005) who served as Jan’s former Housemaster in Westminster, Dr Ray Sabine (Staff 1980-1996) and Anne Wilkinson (Staff 1984-2016). They were joined by existing members of the Common Room including John Harcourt (Staff 1977-), who was Jan’s former German teacher and Phil Horley (Staff 1990-), his former House Tutor. We were also pleased to welcome back Vendula Hoppeova (2016 S), a past HMC Scholar and Czech alumna. The reception provided an excellent opportunity for Jan to talk to some of our Sixth Form, including our current HMC Scholars, about their studies, their time at the School and their career plans. We are hugely grateful to both Jan and Mr Sečka for taking time out of their schedules to visit the School.The event provided an invaluable opportunity and insight for our students, and equally we hope the day provided a welcome trip down memory lane for Mr Hamáček. The School continues to look at ways to engage with its international alumni and we hope that this visit will open doors for further collaboration in the future.

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Grandparents’ Day Mrs H Knott, Development Manager

s part of the extended community, our grandparents are valued for the support they offer both their families and the School. Fortunately, the cool weather in May did not deter them, and some escorting parents, aunts and uncles, from coming in record numbers to enjoy time with their grandchildren. Appreciated by both grandparents and the pupils, the annual event is now in its twelfth year, and this year saw the largest attendance yet with grandparents’ visiting pupils from the First Form all the way through to the Lower Sixth. The day gives the two generations time together to better understand what goes on at Sutton Valence School, with many familiar faces returning year on year. After a quick coffee, they embarked on a full tour of the site, taking in every aspect of our pupils’ lives in classrooms, Music, Sport, Drama, even venturing down into the village to visit Art and Design Technology. They returned to the Refectory, where they were greeted by the Deputy Headmaster, Jeremy Farrell, who gave a brief résumé of the highlights of the School year. Sitting with their grandchildren and other families, the visitors had a delicious and very welcome lunch and had time to catch up with those they had met in years before. As ever, the warmth of the School community, the welcome grandparents received and the opportunity to spend time with their grandchildren were commented upon as being a really positive experience for all.

As one accompanying parent emailed: “We were very impressed with our son’s knowledge of the School history and buildings and thoroughly enjoyed the tour, which was packed with interesting and sometimes amusing facts. It was lovely to see him so confident and settled in his surroundings as he proudly showed us around and a very different experience to viewing the School as a prospective parent. It was a special and wholesome day and all topped off with a typically delicious SVS lunch!”

Celebrating the Year of the Rooster Miss J Manning, Head of EAL

s part of the School’s Chinese New Year celebrations, a group of Chinese Sixth Form students were invited to give a short presentation about the celebration for the children in the Pre-Prep. JieJie Chen and Jingyi Zeng (both Lower Sixth) and Jinyin Hong (Upper Sixth) wore traditional dress as they explained about the significance of the colour red, receiving red envelopes and the 12 animals which make up the Chinese zodiac. Hongrui Zhang (Upper Sixth) and Shizhao Zhou (Lower Sixth) then explained about the customs which are important at this time of year, such as cleaning the house to get rid of bad spirits. As well as helping the Pre-Prep children learn about the topic, it also allowed our Chinese Sixth Formers a taste of teaching young children.

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Beresford House 2016-17

Beresford House Mr C Davenport, Housemaster

he motto ‘We’re all in this together’ became synonymous around Beresford House during Mr and Mrs Davenport’s first year in charge of the junior boarding house. The year was packed full of communitybased events including a whole house outing to see both School productions, Hamlet and Mulan, as well as the Dance Show. The pupils also enjoyed our Christmas celebrations in-house as well as our April Easter egg hunt in the lovely grounds of the boarding house. Two successful sleepovers were held to introduce some First and Second Form girls to boarding life, and the full-time boarders, Edwin, Muhing and Suma, all enjoyed a variety of trips out during the year. These included Dover Castle, the Battle of Hastings reenactment, Headcorn Aerodrome, Sissinghurst Castle (pictured), Chartwell, the Prep School bonfire and fireworks night as well as a beautiful, classical Music Concert at School. We would both like to thank the Second Form pupils for making our first year at Beresford so enjoyable and we wish them well as they (Edwin Harding, Jenson McInulty, Harrison Murray, Marko Jankovic, Muhing Okhrabu and Suma Rai) move on to the senior boarding houses. Beresford is a special place and must be visited and seen to be truly believed and fully understood. It has been, and will continue to be, a wonderful start to boarding for so many young people. We look forward to 2017-2018 with anticipation and excitement.

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Sutton House 2016-17

Sutton House JieJie Chen, Lower Sixth

utton House has always been an integral part of the School’s boarding community, and this year we have yet again tried to lighten the boarding atmosphere by creating memories together through our well-organised activities.

Sutton started its year with a trip to Canterbury, which was a great opportunity for the girls to get to know one another and get a feel for the historic city that is such an important part of the British heritage. All of the girls were impressed by the stunning cathedral and could not take their eyes off its amazing architecture. There were many vintage shops and restaurants around the city, where the girls could purchase souvenirs and try out different cuisines. What really made their day was the riverboat experience, which enabled them to get a great overview of the city. Our historical exploration did not end with Canterbury; we followed it up with a trip to Battle Abbey in Sussex to watch a reenactment of the Battle of Hastings. On this evocative landscape, where thousands of soldiers had lost their lives in 1066, the girls really got a feel for the historical importance of the original battle - the result of which changed England’s history forever. We then moved on to admire the abbey ruins, with its beautiful stonework. Overall, it was a very inspiring day where many unforgettable memories were created. One of the most exciting events of the year is the Boarders’ve Got Talent competition, when hidden powers amongst the Sutton girls were revealed! It was by far the loudest of these annual events, due to the endless clapping and laughter. The hosts of the show were

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Molly Alexander and Bethany Nicholls (both Upper Sixth) who did a wonderful job, making the event such a great success.The winner of the competition was Anya Livtchak (Lower Sixth) who had only just joined Sutton House at the time, and yet she still managed to steal the show. Her amazing singing really made our hearts soar. The evening was filled with a variety of performances ranging from comedy to dancing and included participants from the Third Form all the way through to the Upper Sixth. The most stressful event of the year was the Boarders’ Kitchen Takeover, as we discovered that feeding 100 hungry pupils and making them content is not an easy task! Volunteers from the three boarding houses participated in this event with each house selected to prepare either the starter, main course or dessert. At the end of the meal, we were delighted to see that we had avoided burning the kitchen down, and all the boarders seemed to have enjoyed our selection of food, as even the curry plates were left clean! As well as being good fun, the idea of the Boarders’ Kitchen Takeover allows us a better appreciation of the hard work that Mr Devine’s catering team puts in to feed the boarding community every day. As is tradition, one of the highlights of the Michaelmas Term was our trip to the Winter Wonderland where the girls got into the Christmas spirit. As we walked into Hyde Park, the Giant Wheel instantly grabbed our attention and we could not resist exploring all the treats that were on sale at the festive market. Another rather appealing option was to go to Oxford Street, where all of the shops’ windows were decorated and the lights that appeared

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later in the afternoon really put us in the mood. Our Christmas celebrations did not end there, as we then got to enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner that was served in the Refectory during the last week of term. This was followed by boarding parties in each of the houses, where Secret Santa presents were given out. Paintballing was arguably the most adventurous event that took place this year, and the Sutton girls were happy to be in the thick of it. Participants all dressed up in overalls, covered their faces with a mask and armed themselves with a paintball gun. Although the majority of the girls were not familiar with shooting, they still managed to beat the boys using tactics which included a rear-guard attack! It was the first time the boarding community had done an activity like this, but it was evident that people really enjoyed themselves, despite all of the bruises on their bodies! As part of Clothworkers’, Sutton has always performed in an excellent manner and this year, it was announced that Sutton girls had significantly improved the average effort grades for the House. Our hard work was rewarded, as Clothworkers’ came out victorious in the School’s annual House Competition. On top of that, some Sutton girls were also heavily involved in Music, and their participation in many of the formal concerts has made our

House shine even more. The Dance Show that was organised by our Housemistress, Mrs. Matthews, was also dominated by Sutton girls, and their performances really impressed the audience. Then in the Summer Term, our ‘drama queen’, Paige Davidson (Fourth Form) showed her incredible talent in acting and singing by performing as the main character in the brilliant junior drama production of Mulan. Although the Summer Term is often considered the hardest due to the pressures of the exams, Sutton House did its best to reduce the level of stress by having evening yoga sessions and film nights, where the girls could forget about everything and just enjoy themselves. Every story has a conclusion and in this one, the Leavers’ lunch symbolised the end. It was difficult to say goodbye to the Upper Sixth girls who were leaving us at the end of the year, but we wish them the best for the next chapter in their lives. One of the Sutton House’s aims is to create a friendly environment where the girls can feel the warmth of a second home and, on the basis of this year, it continues to fulfill it.

Battle Abbey Visit Marta Chronowska, Lower Sixth

he community of boarders from all four houses (including Beresford - the junior house) travelled to Battle Abbey for the chance to see a reenactment of the Battle of Hastings on its 950th anniversary. Arrows flew through the air and swords clanged as more than a thousand soldiers in period dress clashed to honour a battle that changed the course of England’s history. Although the result of Duke William and King Harold’s duel was already known, it didn’t stop the crowd from cheering loudly for their chosen side. Throughout the day, there were activities and attractions to appeal to the wide demographic of visitors to the abbey. For the youngsters, a Kids’ Battle of Hastings and Havea-Go Archery. Animal lovers had the pleasure of petting horses and period music enthusiasts had ‘Music with Hautbois’. The brilliantly named ‘Time Will Tell’ theatre group presented cabaret entitled ‘1066: What was it all about?’, and there were also various historic falconry shows. The whole day was filled with unusual experiences and the fact that it will never happen again made it an even more meaningful trip. A big thank you to Mr Head who made the trip possible, and the staff who accompanied us.

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St. Margaret’s House 2016-17

St Margaret’s House Mr S Head, Housemaster

he year beginning September 2016 was definitely one of transition. Having lost 30 members of St Margaret’s at the end of the previous term, the House felt very different, but with a willing Sixth Form, and an outstanding Head of House in-the-making in the form of Cameron Knight, the future looked bright. It was clear to see that we had maintained the usual air of friendliness and our welcoming nature, and the new members of the Sixth Form quickly stepped up to help mentor the more junior members of the House, and this reaped rewards with the ease that they settled in. As the first term moved onwards we quickly settled into our routines and for the most part it was smooth sailing, with only the occasional bump. It was clear that we had a great many sportsmen in the House across all of the years, and it was a fantastic experience to be able to see them play at a high level for the School, and also to represent clubs outside of the School. With the change in the weather after the half term break, it would be expected that the mood in the House would drop, However, with the impending approach of Christmas, and the festivities it would bring, spirits remained high. The build-up to Christmas was, as ever, a fantastic time for the House to be together, with the usual spread of festivities including the ever popular house raffle - always a good end to a long term. Following the Christmas break, everyone returned to the House somewhat subdued, no one ever likes the cold of January, but they

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all quickly got back up to speed, especially those that needed to revise for exams. In all, the House seemed to be working well, and again there was considerable representation on the sporting field, and also in the inter-house competitions. As the year wound on, it became time to revise in earnest for the summer exams, and it was pleasing to note that the House became a hive of diligent activity during this time (let’s forget about the flour incident!). It was also great to be able to spend some time with the leavers before they moved on to pastures new. It was good to see that most of the students attained well in the summer exams, and this is something that I would like to build upon in the coming year.We have another new cohort coming into the House and it is time to begin anew. I have every confidence that Daniel Teare and Angus Michie will do as good a job as their predecessors and I look forward to seeing how the year develops. My thanks, as ever, go to my team within the House. Beverley Sparrowhawk, works tirelessly in her role as Matron, ensuring the House is immaculate, and the pupils likewise. Ever-willing in her provision of pastoral support, she is highly-regarded and trusted by the pupils. I was also fortunate enough to have two very willing House Tutors this year in the form of Mr Ings and Mr Soman, both of whom have brought so much to the House. Mr Ings leaves the School to return to his native Canford School, and we thank him for his valuable support over the course of the year. Finally I would like to thank my out-tutors, Mrs Sutton and Mr Holmes who remain an invaluable asset to the smooth-running of the House.

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WINTER WONDERLAND JieJie Chen, Lower Sixth

ith Christmas approaching, the boarding community visited one of the most popular destinations for festive celebration - Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland!

As we stepped into Winter Wonderland, our attention was immediately drawn to the festive fairground rides and we could not wait to get our hearts pumping! We were also lucky enough to have a go on the world’s largest transportable roller coaster, called Munich Looping, which was erected to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Winter Wonderland in London. After many exciting rides, we headed over to the Christmas market, where we were spoilt by an enormous collection of unique gifts, traditional Christmas decorations and culinary delights. One of the highlights was definitely the delicious hot chocolate that many of us had. We were amazed by the spectacular shows that were being performed in the beer gardens at the Bavarian village, and we soon got into the festive spirit. Some of the girls were especially attracted to the adorable puppet show, and the more fearless of us couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to go ice-skating. The other festive option was to have a walk down Oxford Street, where hundreds of shops can be found. Although the Christmas lights were not on, we were still amazed by the wonderful street ornaments and sparkling shop window decorations, which really got us into the Christmas spirit. Sadly, the end of the day came rather quickly and it was time for us to return to School. On the way back, many of us were exhausted as we were laughing the whole day! Many thanks go to Mrs Mathews for organising this wonderful trip.

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DOVER CASTLE TRIP Paige Davidson, Fourth Form

ne of the first boarding trips of the year saw the Sutton Valence boarders travel back through time to the magnificent Dover Castle. Many boarders enjoyed wandering around the deep, dark wartime tunnels mapped under the Castle. The views were also breathtaking; after clambering up thousands of staircases (that were never ending), we finally got an eagle’s-eye view of the Castle’s grounds with the sea shimmering in the background, along with the famous White Cliffs of Dover. Many were fascinated by the great cannons, weapons and clothes in the museums, which gave us activities to complete and lots of information to remember. The Saxon church (St Mary’s), was a beautiful building with huge stained-glass windows which lit the church with a rainbow of colour. Next to the church stands the Roman lighthouse, which is now used as a monumental bell tower. All of the boarders were amazed by the architecture of the castle, and enjoyed looking in all the nooks and crannies hidden on the site. Others appreciated a rest on the lawn, taking in the glorious sunshine. Of course, everyone loved strolling around Dover Castle’s gift shop, buying souvenirs to remember their experience of the lovely day out. Everyone had a fun day; thank you very much to Mr Head for organising the trip and thank you to Mr Davenport for accompanying us on our exciting adventure.

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Westminster House 2016-17

Westminster House Archie Yorke, Lower Sixth

t was a very lively year in Westminster House with an array of new boarders becoming part of the Westminster family. Over the course of the year, as a boarding community, we took part in activities and events, which provided entertainment for the boarders and staff. One of the highlights of the year was the annual ‘Boarders’ve Got Talent’ show, which proved to be a big hit. All of the boarders had a great night, watching their friends perform in the competition. The acts included singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and even some stand-up comedy. Westminster also excels in its ability to host its own social events for the other houses. For the fourth year running, the now acclaimed Westminster Fright Night was another huge success. As Halloween fell over Half Term, the event was held shortly after we got back to School in November. All the Sixth Form put an incredible amount of effort into making this year an equally horrifying and enjoyable night as last year. Once a term (weather permitting), we also enjoyed barbecue nights, where all of the houses would come together and eat out on the School grounds, enjoying each other’s company and playing different games such as Rounders or Football. These events are a great way of making new friends in the other houses, or becoming better friends with people you knew already, strengthening our whole community. We would like to thank the staff who made the year so memorable - our matron Debbie Aitken, our Housemaster, Mr James, and the House Tutors - Mr Westlake and Mr Clapp.

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The Juniors 2016-17

The Juniors Mr R Carr, Head of The Juniors

estament to the health of the School, it was deemed necessary to increase the number of tutor groups in the Juniors from six to eight this year. This meant that we were able to welcome three new tutors in Mrs Head, Mrs Sunde and our new Head of Drama, Mr Fewson.They have all proved to be dynamic new additions to the team. Ensuring that the tutor groups consist of pupils from just one house has proved to be a real boon and it has definitely helped to improve, and build on, house spirit and loyalty day-by-day. It has also helped to develop more competitive yet friendly, rivalry between the groups. Whilst this manifested itself in an even more competitive inter-house tug-of-war, more importantly it gave a good edge to our charity-giving with each house sponsoring one of four different special causes. With this new initiative, it was thrilling to note that the Junior tutor groups raised over £700.00. Clothworkers’ raised funds for Mully Moo, Founder’s for the Lily Foundation, Holdgate for the Stroke Association and Lambe’s for the local Demelza House hospice. Particular thanks must go to Miss Davies’ group who raised the most money. In September, the long awaited opening of the new tuck shop for the Juniors took place. This much-appreciated new facility, so well run and organised by Mr James and his Lower Sixth volunteers, has proved to be a great success. It is to be found in the Almshouses quad, where the Juniors are able to purchase a wide range of healthy snacks in their own space far away from the hurly-burly of the Refectory. It has not only meant that the senior pupils can develop their business acumen, but it has also enabled us to emphasise to our charges the importance of that great British tradition which is ‘the queue’, along with the etiquette which is required and expected!

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Once again the Juniors’ Christmas movie and party was a great success and it has now become a firmly-established tradition on the last Tuesday of the Michaelmas Term. The children enjoyed watching the old classic Home Alone which kept them all spellbound, before retiring to the day-room, which had been splendidly decorated by 1A in truly festive fashion. The occasion was greatly enhanced by an outbreak of dancing, lead magnificently by William Ervine (First Form). One huge disappointment of the year was the sad but necessary cancellation of the First Form annual visit to London in May. This year we had planned to visit both Westminster Abbey and the Cabinet War Rooms, but following the tragic events on Westminster Bridge a few days earlier, we could not go ahead as planned. Nevertheless, the annual outdoor water activities trip to Mote Park was a great success (so expertly organised by Miss Gray and her Junior Leadership team) as was the Second Form visit to the Historic Dockyard at Chatham in October. At the

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latter, the children learned how rope was made, walked through a Cold War submarine, enjoyed participating in a quiz about the largest exhibition of lifeboats in Great Britain and also explored the World War Two destroyer, HMS Cavalier. As ever, the children behaved in an exemplary fashion and it was heartening to hear members of the public commenting on this. The replacing of the Junior Prefects with Tutor Captains has proved to be a great and welcome success. This has given the opportunity for three Second Form tutees per group to act as the right hand for the tutor day-by-day. Many have risen significantly to the challenge in a fantastic fashion and the role has greatly helped to develop their self-confidence and leadership potential. With the increasing numbers joining our First Form the number of tutor groups will increase to 12 next year. This will, I believe, improve still further the high level of our pastoral care in the Juniors as each tutor will only have a maximum of 12 tutees to look after. It is hoped that there will be no more than 11 children per group. This has necessitated the appointment of a number of new tutors and I am delighted to welcome Miss Akehurst, Mr Braddick, Mrs Gosden, Mrs Harris, Mr Henderson, Mr Latham (2012 C) and Mr Wellings to my team. At the same time, I would like to thank Mr Mathews and Dr Brown as they leave us for pastures new. Their contribution to the life of the Juniors has been much appreciated. With her well-earned promotion to Assistant Head, I would also like to thank Mrs Rose

for all her help, support and guidance over the last few years as my Assistant Head of Juniors. She has consistently set the gold standard with regards to tutoring with her dedication, enthusiasm and knowledge of her tutees shining through day-by-day. Quite simply, she has proved to be an absolute star! All being well, things will go from strength-to-strength next year as we continue to foster the belief that in the Juniors ‘all care for each, and each cares for all’. Our mottos for next year will be ‘always listen to the other view’, ‘work hard and be kind’ and ‘never bolt a door with a soggy carrot!’.

The Penny Race Jessica De Lucy, Second Form

he annual Penny Race is a fun charity event organised by Miss Clement-Walker that raises money for local charities. During the Lent Term and over the Easter holidays, all of the Junior pupils were tasked with collecting pennies to be used as part of the event. Having gathered coins from home and around School, it was time for the race. We all gathered in the Sports Centre waiting for the race to commence. At the blow of the whistle, eight pupils from each team eagerly began to line their pennies to form the longest, straightest lines. The competition was fierce and hard-fought with all of the houses using different tactics. In the end, Founder’s finished in fourth place, Lambe’s finished in third and Holdgate finished as runners-up. This meant that the winners were Clothworkers’. At the final count, 8425 one penny coins had been collected, totalling £84.25. As well as finishing as runners-up in the race, Holdgate also achieved the feat of collecting the most pennies 3211. All of the money raised will go to four different charities that the Junior houses are each supporting this year. Holdgate gave their £32.11 to The Stroke Association, Clothworkers’ gave their £18.18 to The Milly Moo Foundation, Founder’s gave their £22.64 to The Lily Foundation and Lambe’s £11.32 went to Demelza House.

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Holdgate House Mr G Alderman, Housemaster

aking over the House from Mrs Andersen was always going to be a tough act to follow as she had it working like a well-oiled machine. However, it was all change; pupils left us, new pupils joined us and a change of leadership.

We started the year well with a plethora of blues points appearing in my inbox and I was hopeful that this would be indicative of things to come. I was right, as by the end of the Michaelmas Term there was very little to separate the Houses. As the house competition season really kicked off, the pupils committed themselves with the usual enthusiasm and there were many close encounters which saw us just missing out on the top two places. This saw the other Houses just start to open up a lead in the points tally. Undeterred, the boys took to the pitches for the Rugby competition; some fantastic performances ensued with the Seniors finishing second, the Fifth Form came first, with the younger two years coming second and third respectively. The girls had their own mountain to climb in the Hockey with the Seniors finishing second and the younger years coming either second or fourth. These competitions, combined with the tug-of-war and shooting, saw us finish the term in fourth position overall. Some coaching tips for next year would include: shoot straighter, pull harder and score more goals or tries than the opposition! With all still to play for we started the Lent Term with purpose; House Debating, Boys’ Hockey, Netball and the Baton Race were all up for grabs. We had some great results, particularly in the Debating and Senior Netball, coming second and first respectively. Things were looking up! The big event of the term and the most exciting is the House Singing. You never know what you are going to get. As usual the event was great fun, however a change of song at the last minute did our endeavour no favours and we came last. This was costly and the House was fearful it was going to affect our overall standing. However, because of our academic prowess

we collected many awards in this sphere and it was this that kept us in the fight. We finished the term in third place, but second was within grasp. By Summer Half Term, we had nudged into second position. This was mainly through the hard work of the Junior’s in the Penny Race and Mixed Rounders, but our academic prowess saw us gain even more blues points. There was all to play for and I was hopeful that the spirit of Mrs Andersen was watching over us to see us through to victory. The main event for this term is always Sports Day; always fiercely competitive with some fantastic individual performances. I accept that it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but this is the ultimate team event. The Intermediate Girls were courageous in their win, along with the Junior Boys and Girls coming second, but, unfortunately, this was not enough to make up for our lack of success in the more senior competitions. Those who supported the House deserve our gratitude, they performed heroically. All that said, we finished the Summer Term in second position. However, with all three terms tallied, we finished third overall by the smallest of margins: 25 points. Whilst we may not have won the House Cup there is much to look forward to next year. A new House structure with positions of responsibility for the older pupils taking a higher profile; a mentoring programme to help the younger members of the House and that spot at the top of the House Competition, that eluded us this year. I would like to thank Miss Blackhall, Miss Gray, Mr Howell, Mr Penfold and Miss Radford for the care and support they have given their tutor groups and for really getting to know their charges so well; guiding them in the right direction. This applies to not only the academic and co-curricular spheres, but also through the social minefield that School can sometimes be.

Holdgate House 2016-17

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Clothworkers’ House 2016-17

Clothworkers’ House Mr A Bee, Housemaster

lothworkers’ has rewritten history over recent years, emulating Holdgate by winning the Baughan Cup three times consecutively. This proved the perfect moment to step aside and allow someone younger to take hold of the reins and gorge themselves on all those parental emails that tend to flood in during the early hours. The proudest moment during my six-year tenure was winning one fixture in the senior seven-a-side Rugby tournament. Founder’s were the whipping boys that afternoon. Selecting a team of Sixth Formers both willing and able to turn out, and place their bodies in the way of physical punishment, is difficult for a House with the fewest boys from which to select. So seeing them front-up and punching above their weight raised hairs at the back of one’s neck. Also, the euphoria as the whole House sang Sweet Caroline to win the House Singing Competition was probably the warmest, most mellifluous few moments I have experienced in almost 30 years in this career. It left Mr Soman in rare musical awe.We sang as a House louder and clearer than any other, our spirit was unquenchable and still, to this day, under the new guidance of Mr Jones, the student body that is forever Clothworkers’ still roars out the hymns as though it is some devine right for a Clothworker to lead from the front. A strong House depends ultimately on a strong team of tutors and Dr Hiscocks, Mr Jones, Mrs Mitchell-Nanson, Mr Zane and Senior Tutor, Miss Pritchard, represented surely the strongest assemblage in recent history. Actually the job of being Housemaster of Clothworkers’ can be likened to a very strong hand of trumps in a bridge game. Easy.

Clothworkers’ House Holdgate - Baughan Cup 2016-17 Winners House

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COMMUNITY AND CHARITY

Founder’s House Jonty Martin, Lower Sixth

ounder’s started the new academic year brightly as always. The new students and teachers taking no time to settle in due to the togetherness and kind atmosphere the House fosters.

Senior Girls’ teams also did well to finish second in each of their competitions. Overall, Founder’s competitors found themselves competing for first place in most events, and everybody who took part did so with enthusiasm and one hundred percent effort.

Founder’s enjoyed a formidable start to the competition year having huge success in winning the House Kicking Competition; putting Founder’s as one of the main front-runners for the Baughan Cup. This start continued to the end of the Michaelmas Term with a strong display in the House Quiz, requiring good teamwork within tutor groups and between all the age groups, which was no problem for us.

Once all of the points were totalled together, we ended up finishing third overall on-the-day, but our strong position from earlier in the year meant that we finished second in the overall Baughan Cup competition with a total of 1565 house points. Congratulations go to Clothworkers’ for their win in the competition, however Founder’s will be looking to go one better next time around after coming so close this year.

Our strong House spirit continued throughout the year in all of the competitions including the Baton Race and the House Singing Competition. We particularly excelled in House matches, with good teamwork and strong support from the rest of the House. Given it was Mr Cope’s first year as Housemaster, following on from Mrs Collins (formerly Ms Easter) who left at the end of last year, he settled in really quickly and by the end of the year Founder’s was neck-and-neck with Holdgate for second place in the Baughan Cup Competition going in to Sports Day.

As a House, we looked to improve the House unity and morale throughout the course of last year, and this remains a target for the coming year with the introduction of tutor group mascots and more regular House meetings. We have already started to see the benefit, with improved relationships between members of different years, including the Founder’s Juniors.

At Sports Day, we had some fantastic results from our Junior Boys’ team and our Senior Boys’ team, both of whom finished top of their respective competitions. Our Intermediate Girls and

We would like to thank all the Founder’s tutors for their work and support over the past year and especially Mr Cope for the hard work and commitment he has put in to his first year as Housemaster. I am looking forward to 2017-2018, and I am sure Founder’s can build on the successes of this year.

Founder’s House 2016-17

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COMMUNITY AND CHARITY

Lambe’s House 2016-17

Lambe’s House Harriet Aburn and William Bryant, Lower Sixth

House Points

End of Michaelmas Term

We had a particular strength in the Senior Rugby team who were consistently at the top of the House league tables. Our efforts were also rewarded elsewhere, for example in the Debating Competition, we put up a good fight. Special thanks has to go to Francis Romano (Fifth Form) who was an excellent coach throughout.

End of Lent Term

For the House Singing Competition we sang American Pie by Don McClean. This was an amazing, lively and energetic performance, with outstanding efforts from all of the pupils involved; William Grabowski (Upper Sixth) sang an enticing solo at the beginning and a small group sang a heartfelt verse. We finished in second place, which is consistent for a competition in which Lambe’s has always historically fared well.

Pre-Sports Day

Some great team spirit was shown on Sports Day, trooping the colour in the House’s fabulous regal red. Over the course of the two days, we showed our House strength in both the running and field events. The day was not only successful from a competitive standpoint, it was also enjoyable as the pupils had the opportunity to bond and get to know one another over the course of the event. We hope that the coming academic year can bring more success and memories upon which to reflect with fondness.

End of Summer Term

ambe’s has enjoyed many highs and lows throughout the year, and there have been some outstanding moments. I feel I can truly say our best efforts were put into everything we participated in, whatever the end result.

1st Clothworkers’ 640 2nd Lambe’s 560 3rd Founder’s 550 4th Holdgate 530

1st Clothworkers’ 1295 2nd Founder’s 1095 3rd Holdgate 1060 4th Lambe’s 1040

1st Clothworkers’ 1495 2nd Holdgate 1280 3rd Founder’s 1255 4th Lambe’s 1160

1st Clothworkers’ 1845 2nd Founder’s 1565 3rd Holdgate 1540 4th Lambe’s 1320

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COMMUNITY AND CHARITY

BATON

RACE Mr G Davies, Chaplain

he shouts of encouragement rang out across the School site as the eager runners competed in this year’s Baton Race. Once again grey skies dominated, but the threatening rain did not dampen the competitive spirit between the Houses.The history of the race goes back more than 80 years and, originally, was run through the School and along surrounding village roads. Now, due to increased traffic, it is run within the School boundaries but still includes tough uphill stretches and long straights. All our House competitions are hotly contested and none more so than the Baton Race. Tactics are set and champions selected as the whole School competes to win vital House points. Junior, intermediate and senior races set off around the course, checking in at ten points before returning to Prefects’ Lawn. Lambe’s won the junior race and Clothworkers’ the senior and intermediate races putting them first in the House competition as they went into the last term of the School year.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

COMBINED

CADET FORCE “

Through its wide-ranging programme of activities, the CCF at Sutton Valence continues to offer cadets the opportunity to develop self-discipline, responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance, leadership and a sense of service to the community.The emphasis is on providing a challenging, safe and enjoyable experience within an active and disciplined environment, both here at the School and also on trips further afield, which this year have included The Lake District, Penally, RAF Scampton and our annual pilgrimage to the Bisley shooting competition. The following section covers many of the highlights of the year, both in terms of the three respective sections, but also on an individual level with notable experiences and successes for the likes of S/Sgt Laura Horley (Army), AC Richard Sawyer (Navy) and Cpl Henry Zhang (RAF).

”

Maj. G Millbery Contingent Commander

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

REPORT

CONTINGENT COMMANDER

Maj G Millbery

t has been a whole year since I took over the reins and it has been a very busy year. The Biennial Inspection took place in May, when the contingent was inspected by Wing Commander Larwood-Hughes. In spite of the torrential rain, the cadets did a fantastic job of showcasing the CCF and the skills and attributes it develops. Throughout the year the cadets have been involved in Remembrance Sunday (three parades), field days (three), National Sailing Regatta, windsurfing and flying as well as shooting at regional and national competitions. It has been a pleasure to also see cadets grasping the opportunities offered by the Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training with Staff Sergeant Laura Horley taking an interest in climbing, including a trip to Spain, and others either starting or improving kayaking. The year ended with a CCF camp in Wales and the return of a victorious Bisley team whose silverware is adorning the Headmaster’s reception. The scope of the activities that the CCF is involved in is vast and when reading the CCF reports in The Suttonian, I am impressed by the time and effort given by the cadets, the NCOs and in particular the staff, who not only attend the events, but also spend a long time in the planning and preparation required to make them a success.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

CCF NCO Dinner Maj G Millbery, Contingent Commander

n Wednesday 3rd May, the NCOs, officers of the CCF and invited guests gathered in Groves Hall for the annual CCF Dinner. There is a tradition in the military of dining out those who are leaving, so, as the Upper Sixth NCOs approached the end of their time in the CCF, the officers came together to thank them for their commitment, perseverance and service to the School’s Combined Cadet Force.

Following the meal, the three Heads of Section – Regimental Sergeant Major Cameron Knight (Army), Petty Officer Sebastian Shaddick (Navy) and Flight Sergeant Adam Carroll (RAF) all delivered excellent speeches reflecting on their time in the CCF. Further speeches by the Headmaster and the Contingent Commander, Major Millbery, highlighted the role the NCOs have played in the organisation and efficient running of the SVS CCF.

This year we were honoured to have the Commanding Officer of 36 Engineer Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Hawkins, as the Guest of Honour. 36 Engineer Regiment is a Force Support Engineer Regiment, which is part of Force Troops Command. The unit provides specialist engineering solutions to various force elements and remains poised to deliver theatre entry, indirect support to combat operations, military-civil transition and recovery.

After the speeches, a new tradition was started with the presentation of the CCF Sword Of Honour - traditionally given out at Speech Day. The honour is bestowed upon the Upper Sixth NCO who, in the eyes of the officers, has best exemplified the qualities of the CCF. This year, it was awarded to Petty Officer Benjamin Stuart.

As well as Lieutenant Colonel Jack Hawkins, the event was also attended by other guests from the military who have assisted the NCOs during their respective time in the CCF, on courses or Field Days. Prior to the dinner, all of our guests congregated outside Groves Hall for the traditional group shot (pictured above).

The dinner remains a special event on the CCF calendar and it is excellent to see the NCOs dressed up alongside regular personnel in their Mess Dress finery. My thanks go to Mr Grindlay for his continued support of the CCF, our guests on the night and John Devine for a wonderful meal.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

CCF Night Walk AC Richard Sawyer, Fifth Form

n February, a group of 30 cadets from the Third Form to Sixth Form, along with several teachers, set off in the buses to Great Chart, just outside Ashford. After the 30-minute bus journey, it was almost dark. Major Millbery handed out trackers and maps to each group and gestured enthusiastically, “It’s that way.” My group ended up taking a slow pace to start with as Jacob decided he was going to put his waterproof trousers on. But we eventually caught up with everyone else. When we arrived at the first check point we were greeted by Lieutenant Horley, Mrs Wilkinson and Mr Worcester holding hot chocolate. Between this checkpoint and the next, everyone (except the Sixth Form boys) stuck together. We were together in a group of about 20 and had a few hills to climb. Following several stops where we fuelled up on refreshments and confirmed our location, we eventually arrived in the fields near School that were full of poly tunnels. We could hear the road that Lieutenant Horley was waiting on, but we just didn’t know how to get there. After twisting and turning through the tunnels and wading through a stream, we arrived at the final checkpoint where Lieutenant Horley was waiting. After this checkpoint, the route is the same as the sponsored walk, so we knew where we were going (sort of). We set off across the fields and when we arrived at the road, we decided the safest bet would be to stay on it. We walked

SVPS YEAR 4

ENRICHMENT DAY

Maj G Millbery, Contingent Commander

upils from Year 4 at the Prep School brought their enthusiasm and energy to an enrichment day in June to get a taste of both the Senior School and what it is like to be a cadet in the CCF.

The year was separated into eight groups and undertook various tasks to develop their knowledge and understanding of what the CCF has to offer, the challenges it brings, as well as the fun and enjoyment.

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back, past the prison and along the road towards Sutton Valence. We arrived back at School at 0100 hours, surprisingly, 30 minutes faster than last year. On behalf of everyone who took part, I would like to thank Major Millbery for organising the walk, Mrs Wilkinson, Lieutenant Horley and Mr Worcester for being our bus drivers and Mrs Horley and Major Prem for their encouragement. Well done to everyone who took part in the event and we managed to raise £300 for the Blind Veterans Charity UK.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

Biennial Inspection Maj G Millbery, Contingent Commander

idway through the Summer Term, the Sutton Valence School CCF had its Biennial Inspection. The Reviewing Officer was Wing Commander LarwoodHughes – who is in charge of all the CCFs in the country. He was met by a Guard of Honour made up of Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth cadets and a bugle call specially written by Lieutenant Horley and played by Staff Sargeant Laura Horley (Lower Sixth). Wing Commander Larwood-Hughes visited a range of stands and displays showing the various activities associated with the School’s three CCF sections. These included a trip to the swimming pool to see the Navy’s remote-controlled boats, a visit to the obstacle course and bouldering wall as well as a ‘pilot down’ task run by the RAF. In addition, there were other stands put on by our sponsor units, including displays on mine detection and a display of current military weapons. In spite of the heavy rain that blighted the day, the cadets were brilliant ambassadors for the School’s CCF and gave an excellent account of all the activities on display. In his closing address, Wing Commander Larwood-Hughes offered his thanks to the cadets and staff at the final parade, and reminded them to continue taking advantage of everything that the MOD offers – the experiences, skills and camaraderie that it gives as part of its overall value.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Becky Norris March and Shoot CWO Anup Ale, Lower Sixth

he March and Shoot competition got off to a reluctant start with a few late replacements needed in all sections due to injuries occurring in the days before. With all three sections now with their full complement of five cadets, we were excited to begin the warm-up and get ready to start the competition. We immediately realised how hard the race would be with the smouldering heat of the sun beaming down upon us. Nevertheless, all 15 cadets enthusiastically put on their webbing and helmets and were raring to go. The course was a full lap of BM, which may only be a mile long, but when your team is carrying a full jerry can and an egg (to test the care in which the equipment is being carried) with all their kit on, it was a lot harder than we first thought. Some teams raced ahead and got a good lead but it was the team who paced themselves, maintaining a steady speed that were victorious. With the run finished, it was the Army who won and held a lead with three points, the RAF with two points and the Navy with one point. With a short time to recover, we all got some water on board and began the obstacle course. The aim of the obstacle course was to show as much teamwork as possible, whilst completing it in the quickest time. All 15 cadets had to climb

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walls, do commando rolls and crawl on the floor in their teams of five.With the Army doing it the fastest, they were beginning to gain a lead on the other sections. The final phase was about the shoot. All the cadets at this point were feeling the effects of the previous tasks, but we had to quickly regather our concentration in order to guarantee our best possible grouping at the 25 metre range. The cadets had shot and without knowing who had won in the shooting we were waiting nervously on BM to see who had been awarded the Becky Norris Trophy by Mr Farrell. With the Army section being announced as the winners, the team all walked up proudly and were presented with the trophy. I would like to finish with a massive thank you to the whole CCF for supporting and cheering on those people who took part. We are also very grateful to the members of staff who helped run the competition and for those staff who were egging on their teams in a very competitive manner. Most importantly, a huge well done to the 15 cadets competing; they were all volunteers and that says a lot about them as people to sign up to do something so testing.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

HEAD OF ARMY REPORT

Capt S Head, C/O Army Section

or this year, we introduced new rotations for the Third Form and this helped to showcase the Army section and what it can offer to the cadets as they move through the School. These rotations also helped the NCOs to develop the teaching skills that they had gained in the Fifth Form, and to brush up upon their own knowledge. Towards the end of the first Half Term, we attended our first Field Day at Pippingford Park in Sussex. Although we were a little caught out by the sub-zero overnight temperatures, all seemed to enjoy themselves and some very effective training was held, allowing all of the senior students to show their capabilities. It is a sight to behold when a successful night ambush is conducted by the cadets with minimal intervention from the staff. The autumn and winter weather certainly allowed the NCOs to show their camp-craft skills in School, and this in turn helped the junior members of the section to learn techniques in an effective manner.This, coupled in rotation with field-craft skills, meant that by the end of the Lent Term students were in the best possible position to choose the section with which they wanted to continue. For the Summer Term, we now had those cadets that had shown a key interest in the Army section and, with the departure of the Upper Sixth NCOs, we managed to develop the training of the Lower Sixth. We worked hard to improve all their skills, and with the knowledge gained in the first two terms, once the junior students were given the rifles to look after, it was clear that the NCOs had done an excellent job. The final phase of the year was to attend our Field Day at Mereworth camp. This was run in a slightly different way this year with eight of the more senior NCOs being taken away under the guidance of 36 Engineer Regiment to develop their core knowledge more rapidly. Once they came back, it was clear that they were going to make excellent leaders for the coming year. The future looks bright for the Army section and I hope that the levels of enthusiasm remain high and that the cadets get a lot from the time ahead.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

ARMY CAMP PENALLY 2017 Capt S Head, C/O Army Section

fter the end of the Summer Term, 13 cadets and three officers made the long journey to the other end of Wales to take up the opportunity of training in an unfamiliar environment, but under the expert tuition of the Welsh Guards and Engineers. After some quick orientation we were allowed a rest day at the start, something we grasped with both hands after the end of a long term, and used the opportunity to develop our navigation skills around the Pembrokeshire coastline; the highlight being dolphin-spotting from the cliffs. Following this, we had a day on the lake learning how to build rafts and then had the opportunity to race them, as well as taking part in the power-boating and assault craft demonstrations. Everyone

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managed to get wet, but with the fun being had it was easy to forget about the cold water! The only bad weather that we had was our day on the range, but fortunately the weather held off long enough for all of our cadets to shoot. Some showed exceptional skills, including Suveen Gurung (Third Form) who was awarded his marksmanship badge. In the evening, the weather cleared sufficiently to allow us to shoot clays as well; a great end to the day in the summer sunshine. We moved to the Adventure Training section of the week, with an excellent day of climbing and kayaking under the expert tutelage of the instructors. There were lots of fun games to be had and all students managed to get something from the day, in line with the skills they possessed; some of them even managed to develop skills they were not aware they had!

COMBINED CADET FORCE

Our final exercise was in the field preparing for section attacks and ambushes. This was again done in a fun, but purposeful, manner and having been immersed in the Army way for a week, it was great to see the cadets continue to evolve and to have the confidence to lead unfamiliar cadets from other schools. In all it was a great trip, and all cadets came back tired but happy, having shown that they could respond positively to the advice given. As a group, they showed the willingness to improve themselves in an unfamiliar environment, and for that they are due significant credit.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Senior Field Day Capt S Head, C/O Army Section

t the end of the academic year, those who have chosen to continue within the Army section of the CCF travelled to the familiar surroundings of Mereworth training area. This year we managed to arrange the activities in a different manner, meaning that the senior NCOs were given the chance to undergo some specific leadership training under the watchful eye of the regular soldiers from the Engineers. The rest of the section was given a range of tasks to do from basic drill reminders, all the way up to learning about and carrying out some ambush drills. This also gave the more junior NCOs the chance to shine in a leadership role, most of whom did very well. In the morning, after some sleep and thankfully with the weather behaving kindly, the camp was quickly cleared, again under the calm supervision of the NCOs and the group moved to doing the final round of activities. The highlight of the morning was the multiple section attack drills we practised, giving the senior NCOs the chance to lead others with their newly-honed skills. From a leadership perspective, this proved to be a very interesting experience in seeing how they adapted. All-in-all, this was a very successful couple of days, and it is always good to see the students coming back exhausted, but happy, from the trip. Some of the war stories they were telling showed how much they had enjoyed themselves, and we are now looking forward to a successful year ahead and a continuation of their skills development.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Junior Field Day Maj G Millbery, Contingent Commander

his week saw 83 new cadets set off for the Sussex countryside for a two-day CCF field trip. Upon arrival, the cadets were put through their paces with sessions on drill – essentially learning how to stand and march correctly.This was followed by a navigation exercise to help them get to know the camp.The night exercise involved being captured, prison transport drivers crashing, the appearance of friendly forces and evading enemy forces to get to safety – all under a full moon. The following day saw them undertake a series of different activities including command tasks, observation, shooting, first aid, stalking and the obstacle course – all good basic military skills. After two days in the late summer heatwave, all of the cadets arrived back home, tired, but having had a good introduction to what the CCF can offer.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

ROCK CLIMBING S/Sgt Laura Horley, Lower Sixth

n October 2016, I did my DofE residential in North Wales. I did it through a group called CCAT (Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training). They offer many different types of adventure sports, such as mountain biking, canoeing, sea kayaking, rock climbing and mountaineering. I chose to do the Basic Rock Climbing course as it is something I’ve also wanted to do but never really have had the chance to living in the middle of Kent. The course is part of a nationally-recognised qualification for climbing. Leaving Kent and travelling to North Wales by train all by myself was something that made me nervous, especially the thought of ending up in Scotland. However, by the time I was at Crewe it was easy to tell the other people doing the CCAT courses from their bags and ages. Because of this, we quickly formed a group even though we did not really know each other and we all stuck together for the rest of the way to Betws-y-Coed. During the journey we all learned about who was doing what course and got to know one another. As the course was in October, the weather was not good, but this never stopped us from climbing and the instructors knew the best and driest places. After each day of climbing we stopped at a particular café to grab a warm drink and, for most days, ended up meeting with other CCAT groups before going back to the camp. Although the days were packed, we always got time at the end after dinner to mingle with each other no matter which course we were on and spent time getting to know people who were from the opposite ends of the country. For me, the best part of the whole experience was how well the group got on. Travelling up to Wales, I was by myself and knew no-one, but coming back I travelled as part of a group who had all became friends and who still talk as a group today. As I enjoyed this course so much I wanted to take my climbing further so I then did my Intermediate Rock Climbing during the summer in 2017 with CCAT. I learned different skills and techniques on how to climb, but also learned the background information on how it is done in relation to the different ways in which we can lower people down, different types of climbs and how to set them up, knowing how to put your own equipment on and then having to trust it when we climbed. However, the best opportunity that CCAT provided was to do another Intermediate Climbing Course, though this was in Spain, based in Alicante. It was only for people doing rock climbing and there were only six cadets, but it was an experience I will never forget.We had four instructors, so I was fortunate enough to have an instructor all to myself for the week. We went to different parts of Spain and developed our leading technique, which is where we are the ones that go up first and connect ourselves to the climb. The best memory from this trip was climbing the Penon, which is one the most famous climbs in that area of Spain. I would encourage any cadet to do these courses; they can be daunting but I have made some firm friends from different parts of the country and also now hold nationally-recognised qualifications in climbing.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Head of Navy Report PO Anna Wilson, Lower Sixth

n the Navy this year, we have been on some very exciting trips and had many adventures along the way, including the Sailing team’s first regatta. The first of these was the October Field Day, when we visited HMS Excellent. As part of the visit we stayed on board HMS Bristol, which was an amazing experience. The trip was combined with the RAF section which provided an extra responsibility, as the Navy cadets had to teach the RAF cadets the basics about how to sail and drill. The first evening, we got to relax and use the cinema room on board HMS Bristol. The next day, despite the various moans about the 6:30am start, we were off crewing a range of vessels from sailing boats to speed boats. It was all great fun, my personal favourite being the speed boats, which although bumpy, were really exciting. Mountain-biking and canoeing came next, at our summer Field Day at Fort Purbrook. When we got there, we set off in groups for either mountain biking or canoeing. When we got back, we were then shown where we would be staying. We were a bit concerned, as the building looked a bit run down and old. However, after we had been on a tour we were able to see what it would have been like when it was used as a fort. After the tour, we were split into three teams to play a game of laser tag. We all got to take part in two games, which were played

in part of what used to be the fort’s moat, with wooden crates, old tyres and trees to hide behind. The aim was to capture the opposite team using the skills of attack and stealth we had been taught. We had a great time putting our new tactics into operation, but have no idea who won! At the end of the game, we returned to our tents where we were able to rest and relax for the rest of the evening, which was just as well as we were up at 7am the next morning! We swapped activities so those who had been mountain-biking went canoeing and the group that had gone canoeing went mountain-biking. Everyone had a great time on the water, once they had learnt how to keep the canoe upright and moving in the right direction. We got to play an number of games on the water, the favourite being ‘stuck in the reeds’; similar to ‘stuck in the mud’ but complicated by being on water and having a canoe and paddles to deal with. As well as these trips, we also went on our usual summer visits to Rye to go windsurfing and sailing. As well as being good fun, this also allows us to gain our sailing qualifications; a number of our senior Navy officers are working towards their level five qualification, and one to his instructor level. This a nice change and refreshing break from School. As well as sailing, there is also the opportunity to go windsurfing, which although difficult at first, is really exhilarating once you get used to it. It’s been a really good year, and we would like to thank Lieutenant Wood for her leadership of the section.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Navy Field Trip to Southampton AC Karina Callaway, Lower Sixth

s we gathered together in the Quad ahead of our journey to Hampshire, there was great excitement amongst the group for the trip ahead. Unfortunately though, there were a few complications with the buses, which resulted in a three-hour delay at School. Thankfully, these were eventually resolved and we were on our way. The bus journey was long but that didn’t stop the cadets expressing their excitement in a loud and joyful manner. A few hours later, we arrived at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, and were all eager to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. We were then split into groups, determined by which bus we had arrived on, with each group doing a different activity. My group started off with mountain-biking on the first day. It was certainly a challenge for some of us, and not one we were expecting. Neverthe-less, it turned out to be a very enjoyable experience with a bit of healthy competition between the boys. After an exhausting hour of cycling uphill, we returned to base where Lieutenant Wood and Lieutenant Hammersley greeted us to show us where we would be staying the night. At first glance, Fort Purbrook caught us by surprise. It looked old, creepy and entirely uninviting, but after a tour around the site, we began to imagine what it was like when it was still a fully functioning fort. The history of the place made it quite a unique venue for us to be staying in. After a few groans, squabbles and a lot of moving around, we all had found our tents and got settled. It was then time to play a game of laser tag. We were escorted by an employee from the fort to a tunnel, which led to a room where we were equipped with our weaponry. The group was split into three teams before being led out of the fort into what used to be the moat, where we discovered our arena - an area equipped with wooden crates, old tyres and trees.

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The teams went to their designated corners of the arena and the game began. There were six games in total, each team playing two. It was great fun, to the point that I now can’t remember which team won, but we all we learned new tactics on how to ambush the opposition, how to attack and how to be stealthy. After an exhausting few games, it was time to congratulate the winners, return the guns (much to the disappointment and protest of some of the group) and go back to our tents where we were given free time for the rest of the evening. We were not the only school at the fort, and when the boys from another school started a game of football, the Sutton Valence boys were quick to get involved. Soon, all the boys were playing and laughing together as though they had been friends for ages. 10pm soon came around and we all sleepily went to bed, anticipating the excitement of the next day. Morning came with an early start, much to everyone’s delight! We packed our things, cleared out the tents and clambered onto the minibuses once again. My group went canoeing,whilst it was the other group’s turn at mountain-biking. We arrived at the canoeing venue and were issued with wetsuits and buoyancy aids, which were compulsory. We were fitted with the right canoe and were then sent out onto the water with the instructor hot on our paddles. Having quickly mastered the basics, it was time for some games. ‘Stuck in the Reeds’ was a strong favourite amongst the group - essentially a water-based version of ‘Stuck in the Mud’ with a canoe and paddles! An eventful few hours later, we were all on dry land again and changed into warm and dry clothes, which were welcomed by all. It was then back on the buses once again to start the long journey back to Sutton Valence.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

ROYAL NAVY

NATIONAL REGATTA AC Richard Sawyer, Fifth Form

n October 2016, Major Millbery drove Able Cadet Jacob Baldwin and me to HMS Raleigh in Plymouth where we were to compete in the Royal Navy CCF National Dinghy Regatta. After arriving late due to bad traffic, we settled into the accommodation and got to know some of the other competitors.

We were woken at 0630 hours, changed into our uniform and were marched to breakfast. After breakfast, we got in the buses and travelled the short distance to HMS Raleigh's watersports centre, Jupiter Point. Once we were changed and our double-handed boat was rigged, we were onto the water. We travelled downwind to the start line with the spinnaker flying perfectly. There were two races in the morning and three in the afternoon. As we started the first race, we were cut up by another boat, forcing us to hit a marker buoy, this resulted in us having to do a 360-degree penalty turn before the next marker buoy. As we were in congested waters, we headed for clear wind and water. Unfortunately, the race officer did not see us do our penalty turn, which led to a disqualification for that race.The subsequent four races went without too many problems! In a regatta, the winner of each race is awarded one point and so on (i.e. the person in last place is awarded the same number of points as the number of entries in the competition). To win overall, you have to be the team with the lowest amount of points. A disqualification incurs a score of last place, plus two points.There was one discard for this racing series with means that each team's worst race is discounted excluding disqualifications. In our case, for the first race we incurred 12 points as there were ten entries. Over all five races our best position was second. Unfortunately, overall we came ninth out of ten teams. Despite that, it was a really good event to attend and we learned a lot as it was our first race. I think this is a good starting point to relaunch the SVS CCF's Sailing team after many years. Both Jacob and I would like to thank Major Millbery for taking us all the way down to Plymouth, and also Lieutenant Wood for organising our entry.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Head of RAF Report Flt Sgt Max Harrison, Lower Sixth

he past year in the section has been really exciting, as well as productive. The increase in the number of cadets allowed the NCO team to develop and improve some of the more fundamental aspects of RAF life, such as drill and dress. In addition, due to the special attributes and involvements of some NCOs, this allowed the section to venture into more creative tasks, such as first aid and navigation. The success of the section was highlighted by achieving a 100 per cent pass rate in the Part One exams. It is this kind of dedication and hard-working attitude that, we believe, sets the RAF section apart from the others. The year started off by visiting HMS Bristol, in a combined trip with the Navy.This trip allowed RAF cadets to experience activities such as sailing, which would not usually be available to us. Back at School, we focused predominantly on the academic approaches of cadet life. This involved developing skills such as airmanship knowledge and aircraft recognition. We also focused on our leadership skills, with five cadets undertaking MOIs, which made them eligible for the leadership lanyard. This meant that during CCF sessions, more command tasks could be incorporated, focusing on skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. Furthermore, the year was also successful on a more individual basis. In February, Flight Sergeant Adam Carroll (Upper Sixth) was a staff cadet on the South-East NCO Cadre, helping to organise the Leadership course, whilst Corporal Matthew Corpe (Upper Sixth) continued to work alongside the St John Ambulance service, giving an insight to RAF cadets on first aid, and its uses. Following them,

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I undertook the formidable ACLC, held at RAF College Cranwell, which I successfully graduated with Merit, serving as Flight Section Leader for my flight. On behalf of the RAF section, I would like to thank Squadron Leader Cope, Flight Lieutenant Kitchen and Pilot Officer Westlake as, without their dedication and support, the RAF section would not be as enjoyable and informative as it is.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

RAF TRIPS

Sgt Angus Michie, Lower Sixth

RAF Scampton

Dover Tunnels Trip

he RAF section was extremely privileged to visit RAF base Scampton, home of the Red Arrows. With great anticipation we set off for Lincolnshire by coach. The journey was long, but eventually we arrived quite late at night and were issued our rooms. The next morning, we had an early start and a full RAF breakfast to fuel us for our busy day ahead. Our first activity was a tour of the hangers where the Red Arrows are stored and repaired. Red One was undergoing inspections, so we were lucky enough to see a close-up view of the leading plane and were given an overview of how it worked. We then made our way to the Red Arrows’ briefing room where we were allowed to watch a training brief, which was an amazing experience. Once the briefing was over, we proceeded outside, where we watched the pilots train in the air, putting into action the manoeuvres we had witnessed them talking about earlier. Once they were safely on the ground, we were able to meet the pilots and take photos. To end the day on a high, Squadron Leader Cope and Corporal Hongrui Zhang (Upper Sixth) persuaded the Red Arrows to let us sit in on the final briefing, which was fascinating. It allowed us to see honesty and precision in debriefing, and the leadership ability of being critical yet supportive. The trip was only possible thanks to Corporal Hongrui Zhang and his efforts helping the Red Arrows on their tour of China, which he describes on the following page. At Scampton, he was invited to be a passenger in Red Ten, but unfortunately due to inclement weather, this was not possible.

owards the end of the Summer Term, the RAF section set off on a field trip down to Dover, where we were given the opportunity to visit the castle, before heading down into the tunnels below.This labyrinth of underground bunkers and passageways provided shelter and an operations room for key figures during World War II and the Battle of Britain. Leaving Dover, we then proceeded to the Battle of Britain memorial at Capel Le Ferne where we visited the interactive museum and had some time to walk around the grounds and see the cliffs, as well as the moving memorial to The Few. Heading slightly further along the coast, we then stopped in Broadstairs and enjoyed fish and chips, as well as the opportunity of some free time on the beach. The next day, we visited a Spitfire museum where we saw one of the actual Spitfires that gave service in the Battle of Britain. The museum was fascinating and included various other aircraft that were instrumental in the air defence of our country. We had lunch in Ramsgate, before heading into the depths of the Ramsgate Tunnels where we were given an entertaining tour of the tunnels and their history, most notably being the first such tunnel complex built in the country. Finally, to conclude our trip we enjoyed a paintball match, where we recreated scenarios such as the D-Day landing. It was an enjoyable trip, organised to precision by Squadron Leader Cope.We would also like to thank Flight Lieutenant Kitchen for her support. It was a great way to finish the year with the RAF.

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WORKING WITH THE

RED ARROWS Cpl Hongrui Zhang, Upper Sixth

aving heard that the Red Arrows were coming to my hometown of Zhuhai, in southern China, during Michaelmas Half Term, I successfully applied to be part of their support team. The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team was making history by performing nine public displays in China for the first time in 52 years. During their stay, the team carried out a practice display and many ground engagement activities, including visits to universities, schools and businesses, before the full display in front of thousands of people on the opening day of Airshow China, with over a billion estimated to be watching on television. I was assigned to assist the pilots and ground crew, and to help with transport and logistics as they toured Guangdong Province. My experience in the RAF section of the School’s CCF was a great help as I knew about protocols and the organisation, so was able to help things run smoothly for them. With the crew stationed at a local airport, I acted as an interpreter, liaising between the Mandarin-speaking ground crew and the RAF service personnel. Although much of the translation was fairly straightforward - relaying weather reports and organising transport to and from hotels - it often involved more complex translation as well, particularly when it came to the technicality of the aircraft and the necessity of ordering parts. In the build up to the show, I was on hand in Air Traffic Control to assist Wg Cdr Higgins and Flt Lt Youle (Flight Operation Officer) during the press day, and was also involved with British Embassy and Consulate personnel who were promoting the STEM program, education and British industries, including aviation brands such as Rolls Royce and Airbus. When it came to the show itself, although I had been given a draft script, I was required to translate live during the show for Red 10 (Squadron Leader Ling) and Red 11 (Wing Commander Higgins, Officer Commanding Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team) as they commentated on the display; the first official Red Arrows commentary in Chinese. It was a real pleasure to work with the Red Arrows crew, and on completion of the airshow, they invited me up to visit their home base at RAF Scampton. In discussing this with Sqn Ldr Cope, we were able to organise a trip for 15 SVS cadets to visit the facility in March this year, which Sgt. Angus Michie reports on elsewhere in the magazine. The whole experience has been truly memorable, I’ve followed the aerobatics team for some time and it was a privilege to be able to help them during this significant visit to my country. Being able to engage with some of the best in the RAF is a truly astonishing experience as a pupil and an air cadet, and to top that off with the chance to bring my fellow cadets to visit them at their home base, was a real honour.

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In the two top photos, Hongrui appears with Flt Lt Stew Campbell, Flt Lt Mike Bowden, Sqn Ldr David Montenegro (Red 1 Team Leader), Wg Cdr Higgins (OC RAFAT), Sqn Ldr Mike Ling (Red 10, supervisor), Flt Lt Tom Bould, Flt Lt Steve Morris, Flt Lt Matt Masters, Flt Lt Si Taylor and Flt Lt Emmet Cox. In the bottom photo, he appears alongside the Red Arrows crew and other Royal Air Force personnel, as well as representatives from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, colleagues from the Department for International Trade and airshow volunteers.

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Bisley Shooting S/Sgt Laura Horley, Lower Sixth

n the first week of the summer holidays, while most of the Upper Sixth were boosting the Greek economy, Warrant Officer Benjamin Murray and Corporal James Collins (both Upper Sixth) were leading the Shooting Team at Bisley.

they had fired this rifle. They also had to get used to different jobs; either shooter, spotter or registered keeper. Ben and I coached the seniors, whilst Pilot Officer Westlake and Lieutenant Horley looked after the juniors.

Bisley is the home of the National Rifle Association and the occasion was the Schools’ National Shooting Championship.There were just over 100 schools taking part with over 1000 pupils shooting.These include some large and famous schools such as Wellington College, Gresham’s School, Dollar Academy and The Oratory.

Several members of the team gained top 100 places. These were:

On Monday, there was the 5.56 A2 shooting competitions, which is the standard British Army rifle. There are various competitions involving running in full combat uniform, shooting at targets at random distances from 100 to 300 metres and also shooting in different positions; lying down, sitting, kneeling and standing. At the end of the competition the A team of Ben, James, Corporal Harriet Aburn, Able Cadet Alexander McDermott (both Lower Sixth), Able Cadet Jacob Baldwin (Fifth Form) and I had won the Cadet GP trophy and the Marling Trophy – 12 Gold medals. The last A2 competition is the Falling Plate – running 100 metres in combats before shooting metal plates at 200 metres – all against another team from another school. SVS entered three teams of four. The A and the C teams were knocked out fairly early, but the B team of Harriet, Jacob, Cadet Lara Savage (Fourth Form) and I progressed into the shoot-off for bronze. Unfortunately, with Harriet breaking her ankle several weeks before she was unable to take part leaving the remaining three to do the shoot. It was noticed that the two girls got to the end of the run before Jacob, but we got the plates down quickly and won the bronze medals. The rest of the week was spent shooting the 7.62 target rifle at 300, 500 and 600 metres. For some of our team it was the first time

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•

Ben Murray (82nd) and James Collins (87th) in the 300 metre Aggregate

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Jacob Baldwin (11th), Ben Murray (21st) and Daniel O’Brien (93rd) in the 600 metre Aggregate

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Jacob Baldwin (51st) and Ben Murray (52nd) in the Cadet Grand Aggregate

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Jacob Baldwin (86th) and Ben Murray (88th) in the Cadet Rifle Aggregate

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Jacob Baldwin (92nd) in the Tuesday Aggregate

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Ben Murray (46th) in the Wednesday Aggregate

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Jacob Baldwin (59th) and Alexander McDermott (66th) in the Iveagh

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Ben Murray (66th) in the Schools Hundred

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Ben Murray (35th), Jacob Baldwin (57th) Daniel O’Brien (62nd) Laura Horley (71st) in the Victoria Cup

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James Collins (82nd) in the Wellington

In the final competition, The Ashburton, we came 17th, beating opposition including Oundle School, Campbell College and Shrewsbury School. In doing so, we achieved one of our highest positions ever. It was great to see so many parents and Old Suttonians on that day, and also Major Millbery and Mrs Wilkinson. Our thanks go to the ever cheerful coach, Pilot Officer Westlake, Lieutenant Wood (for all the tidying up she had to do) and to Lieutenant Horley for trying to be in charge!

COMBINED CADET FORCE

CADSAAM - July 2017 Cpl James Collins, Upper Sixth

n 30th September 2016, eight members of the Sutton Valence School Shooting Team travelled to Hythe to compete in the Cadet Skill at Arms Meeting (CADSAAM) competition. There were 29 teams from all around South East England taking part (CCFs and ACFs), amounting to a total of 116 cadets competing. Our B Team, consisting of Staff Sergeant Laura Horley, Corporal Harriet Aburn (both Lower Sixth) as well as Cadet Lara Savage and Cadet Reuben Hodson (both Fourth Form) finished second in the CCF Team Electronic Target Range (ETR) competition and third place in the CCF Team Snap Competition. Our A Team, consisting of Warrant Officer Benjamin Murray (Upper Sixth), Able Cadet Alexander McDermott (Lower Sixth), Able Cadet Jacob Baldwin (Fifth Form) and I had a fantastic competition, winning both the CCF Team Converted Gallery Range (CGR) and the CCF Team ETR. The team was also awarded the Best Overall CCF Team, as well as the Best Overall Cadet Team. In terms of individual achievements, I was awarded second place in the Over 16 Champion Shot, and Jacob Baldwin won the Under 16 Champion Shot. James and Jacob, as well as Alexander McDermott, should also be congratulated on finishing with respective scores of over 400 (Brigade Marksmen level); an achievement earned by only six of the 116 competitors. All-in-all a fantastic result for the School which set the team up for a promising season ahead.

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The Sergison Trophy WOII Benjamin Murray, Upper Sixth

he final weekend in May saw Sutton Valence host the annual Sergison Trophy at the School’s .22 range. The competition is held in honour of Captain Sergison, the School’s CCF Officer from 1951 until 1974. It is a four-way shoot, team dependent - consisting of a team of pupils, a team of parents, a team of staff and a team of Old Suttonians. As a current pupil, it was great to see so many OS coming to try their hand at the shoot. For some, it was nearly 50 years since they had left the School, and it was enjoyable to talk about all of the changes that had occurred since. Despite a brief thunderstorm at the beginning of the day, the shoot went ahead under warm, clear skies. Outside the range, refreshments were organised by the ever resourceful Major Prem Ale, ably assisted by Major Millbery. The match itself was highly competitive, not least because the staff had managed a somewhat dubious victory last year, so the pupils were desperate to regain the trophy. As we approached the end of the day, it was down to Major Millbery to announce the results. In joint third place were the parents and OS teams, with some highly-respectable individual scores. The staff team had put in another strong performance, with an average of 81 led by Major Millbery and Lieutenant Horley, but finished as runners-up. That meant the pupils won with an average of 86, led by Warrant Officer Ben Murray (Upper Sixth), Staff Sergeant Laura Horley (Lower Sixth) and Corporal Edward Ervine (Fifth Form). Thanks go to Major Millbery for organising the day, Major Prem for the barbecue and Lieutenant Horley for running the range. A big thank you to all parents and OS who joined us, and we hope to see you again next year.

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DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD “

This year has been very busy; we currently have 22 pupils working through their Gold award, ten at Silver level and many more at Bronze. There have been two major success stories this year. The first was that three Old Suttonians, Anna Baker, Asbin Ghale and Tom Lennard received their Gold award at Buckingham Palace on 24th May 2017. Secondly, 2016 saw the 60th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. As a charity they set up the Diamond Challenge to help raise money for its charitable activities. Three of our Fourth Form pupils, Oliver Carter, Paige Davidson and Lara Savage took up this challenge, each raising money for the charity and receiving certificates and pins for the hard work they put in to complete the challenge.

”

Mrs C Kitchen Duke of Edinburgh Award Manager

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Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award Charlotte Gilman and Joseph Crump, Third Form

his year, we both participated in the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. To achieve the award, we needed to complete four different sections, each designed to be a personal challenge to get us out of our comfort zones and engage us in activities that will benefit us in different ways. The first three of the four sections are volunteering, skills and physical, all of which we needed to complete for a minimum of one hour per week over a three-month period. The Bronze award then finishes with the final section, a two-day expedition, which we completed in the countryside around the School. Here we will talk about our experiences in each of the different sections:

Charlotte Gilman Firstly, for the volunteering section, I worked at a retirement home. As part of this, I helped the staff with all of the activities that the elderly residents participated in, and also helped on a trip to Spadework. I found the whole volunteering process thoroughly enjoyable, especially as the residents didn’t often see young people helping. For the next two sections - physical and skills, I completed my requirement at the School. Firstly, for the physical (sport) section, I played Netball during the Lent Term. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this, as I improved my spacing and passing. Then, for the skills section, I performed in the Junior production of Mulan during the Summer Term, playing the role of Grandmother Fa. I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this successful production because I got to work as part of a team and bring together a spectacular play.

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Last, but certainly not least, was the expedition section, which I found quite challenging, I discovered that you should never pack too much because it can really weigh you down! As a positive though, I did learn to map-read and really learned the benefit of working as a team.

Joseph Crump For my volunteering section, I worked at a charity called Space 2 Be Me, which helps children with disabilities as well as support their parents and families. I helped by organising events and providing support to young children. I found this very insightful to see the struggles of having disabilities. Like Charlotte, I then completed both my skills and physical requirements at School. For sport, I chose Rugby during the Michaelmas Term. I really enjoyed this as I managed to play multiple fixtures and improve my skills in tackling and passing. Then, for my skill section, I did laser-cutting in the Design Technology department, which I enjoyed as I got to see my skills progress and was able to create various products. Finally, there was the expedition section, which I also found quite difficult. On the practice expedition, I managed to get lost and ended up arriving with my group a few hours late. I did however learn what to include when packing your rucksack to save weight. Overall, this has given both of us excellent skills for later life such as working with other people and understanding other mindsets.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD

Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award Imogen Forknall, Fifth Form

ike the Bronze award, there are four parts to the Duke of Edinburgh Silver award, which have to be undertaken over a period of time. Once these are completed, you must provide evidence to the teacher in charge of your group so that it can be submitted.

The first of the four parts was the volunteering section. For this, I sung in the Chapel Choir for six months, performing in all the School concerts and services including the fantastic summer concert at St John’s Smith Square. I really enjoyed this and as a result, I continue to sing as part of the Choir. On a similar theme, for my skill section, I took singing lessons, I have been working towards my Grade 6 singing, learning a range of different songs, including one in a different language. My aim, which I achieved, was to learn all of my grade six songs and songs from higher grades on top of that. For my physical requirement, I played hockey for three months both in and out of school. I took part in training every week and played in matches most Saturdays for the School and most Sundays outside of school. My aim was to increase my fitness and make my stick skills better, as well as improving my goalkeeping technique. Last, but not least, was the expedition section. Unlike the Bronze expedition, the Silver one is far longer, lasting three days. I did a practice expedition in the Lake District in 2016, before tackling my qualifying expedition this summer around Kent. Over the three days, I learnt a lot about map reading, bearings and working as a team. I also learned the importance of being in a group with people that you get on well with, as you are spending three days with them!

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ADVENTURE TRAINING Lara Savage, Fourth Form

n a scale of one to ten, the Adventure Training trip to the Lake District was a definite ten. It was by far one of the greatest physical challenges of my life and I am sure that every student who took part can agree with me on that. Despite the tediously long, six-hour journey and the startlingly early mornings – to the sound of Major Prem on the infamous ‘red air horn’ – the trip was incredible from start to finish. We were all given the opportunity to try new and thrilling activities such as ghyll-scrambling, canoeing, abseiling, mountain-biking and rock-climbing as well as taking part in a practice walk, which consisted of a two-day, one-night expedition for the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh groups. The final few days of the trip for the Silver Duke of Edinburgh group were our expedition days.

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After using every spare second in the evenings to plan our route, we had decided on our three-day course of action and were ready to hike. We were very enthusiastic – or perhaps others would argue naïve – as we begun our walk with the greatest challenge yet, Skiddaw. But, with team spirit and lots of encouragement, we made it over the top and reached our first campsite, Dale Bottom Farm, in good time.This allowed us to set up our tents early and enjoy delectable ration pack meals. The second day was as close to flat as we could manage, and we walked a stunning route around Derwent Water, arriving at the Seathwaite campsite with plenty of time, where we had great fun playing cards and admiring the incredible photos taken that day. The final day required extreme endurance on everyone’s part as, one member down, the team struggled up and over Catbells and

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD

then on to Latrigg, finally reaching the Blencathra Centre a whole 22 hours of walking later and in desperate need of a shower! However challenging the trip was, I am sure I can speak on behalf of everyone who took part by saying that we would do it all over again in a heartbeat. A big thank you must go to all the staff that accompanied us, for making this amazing trip a reality and of course to all the Old Suttonians for all their help and encouragement. I must also give a special mention to Harriet James (2010 S) for stepping in at the last minute, to walk with us Silver Soldiers, on the last day of our expedition.

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Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Angus Michie, Lower Sixth

rom 2nd to 5th April our group of seven determined hikers embarked on our Duke of Edinburgh Gold practice expedition. We began our journey with an early start and an ascent up the Grisedale Valley to the Grisedale Tarn which sits between Fairfield and Helvellyn. We passed over and down the other side of the valley steadily making up the time until we reached Grasmere. Our campsite was not much further, only over Dow Bank and into Chapel Stile. However, with the prospect of another hill after the steep ascent in the morning, some of our group began to dread the hill on our weary legs with such heavy packs on. As a group, we helped each other along pushing each other with words of encouragement and exhausted laughter. By the time we reached our campsite in Chapel Stile, we could do nothing but sit on the ground and laugh at our tiring journey. We pitched our tents, cooked our meals and readied ourselves for the next day’s hike. When the teachers came to see us, the minibus got stuck in a mud bank and it took all of the boys in the group and some friendly campers to push the heavy vehicle out and back onto the tarmac path.Truly tired now, the group was eager to get to bed. After a cold night, we collapsed our tents quickly as we wanted to get away early knowing that we had a long day ahead. With heavy bags, we continued on our arduous journey at a steady pace, each one slowly growing harder than the last until we made it up to the top of Latterbarrow where the stunning views of the south lakes refilled us with energy. From the top, we were able to see where we had come from and where we had to go and this fuelled us for the final leg of that day through the Grizedale Forest to a sweet little village called Satterthwaite, where we pitched camp for the night. We set out early on our third day knowing that it was the longest of our practices where we would travel back up the length of the Grizedale forest, across the Little Langdale valley to Great Langdale. Our navigation had been almost perfect until this day where, in the depths of the forest, we took many wrong turns causing us to retrace our steps numerous times. However, eventually we made it out of the dark forest and into the open air. We then travelled up and over mountain ranges, through slate quarries, around tarns and lakes until we reached our final ascent of the day, but also our

highest and steepest; up the infamous Wrynose pass to Bleat Tarn. This proved a challenge for the group but we made it and almost rolled down the other side into our campsite for our final night. Our final day looked relatively straightforward on paper, however it contained our highest and steepest climb, up Langdale Fell to Rossett Pike and Angle Tarn. It was a long climb and halfway up the wind picked up and we were nearly blown off the mountainside. Once at the top, we could see heavy rain-clouds rolling towards us, so we didn’t stop at the tarn for long. We then we made our way down the hill into a seemingly endless valley where the path had been bogged over by recent rainfall. Seeing the School minibus at the end of our trek lifted our spirits with the feeling of success in what we had accomplished. After a break from our practice to regain our strength, train for the qualifier and pack more efficiently we set out on 5th August for our final expedition in the Duke of Edinburgh programme.The weather on our first morning was worse than expected, however we set off with brave faces and warm anoraks. Our very first hurdle was Helvellyn, the second highest peak in the Lake District, but with fresher and stronger legs than on our practice expedition we made it to the peak in good time despite the weather beating against us. The cloud was thick, but as we climbed to the highest cairn a burst of sunshine shone through the clouds in a way that made the climb feel rewarding. We had been making good time all the way along the top, however, when we began our descent into Grasmere Charlotte slipped on the wet rock and cut her knee. Fortunately, it was not deep or serious, so we bandaged her up and continued with caution. Once we got into Grasmere, the sun came out and the day brightened as we ate our lunch at our first church, St. Oswald’s, which is famously connected to the Wordsworth family. On our way over to our campsite in Chapel Stile, we also stopped at the Holy Trinity church for a rest and to take down information about the church which was our aim for the expedition. We woke early the next morning and set off as quickly as possible because we had a long way to travel, heading south from the Langdales to Hawkshead and then through the Grizedale Forest to Coniston. Charlotte had mentioned that her feet had been hurting, so at the church in Hawkshead we stopped and had a look at her feet. She had many painful blisters and, with her cut knee as well, she was in too much pain to continue so our leaders picked her up. Learning from our mistakes during our time in the forest on our practice expedition, we navigated almost seamlessly through the winding tracks amongst the tall trees. As we came out the other side of the forest, we had a brilliant view across Coniston Water to the town, campsite and then towering over, the Old Man of Coniston, which we faced as our challenge for the next day. On our way down to the lake we came across a field of cows. Fortunately, we made it through in one piece, however the cows watched us as we walked away from their field.We then made our way around the top of Coniston Water to our second church of the day. It was here that it began to rain on what had been a very fortunate day in terms of the weather. We had a 20-minute walk to our campsite, so we pushed on through as the rain got heavier.This meant that we had to pitch our tent in the wet. That evening we were glad of our hot meals as the rain pattered against our tents. The third day held our biggest challenge of the expedition.The Old

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DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD

Man of Coniston. We started up the path, which was already steep, only to find ourselves in bog land a couple of kilometres away from the path at the base of the Old Man.We took a bearing and headed west until we finally reached the path, which was rocky and only got steeper. By this point, Alex was also struggling so we shared some of his equipment between us and rallied each other on up the final short but harsh climb to the top. Surprisingly, we made it up the hardest section in under 20 minutes when we had left ourselves almost an hour in our plan. Despite this, we then missed a turning and subsequently ‘dog-legged' our way to the peak. From the peak we had some fantastic views and could see where we had come from, where we were going and as far as Blackpool Tower. The journey down the Old Man was even harder as the hard slate steps under our feet, which held the weight of our heavy bags became difficult after a while. Halfway down from the peak we also came across a slate quarry, where loose shale caused us to slip. Fortunately, there were no major injuries but it did not help our already tired state and we weren’t even halfway around our route. Having powered up and down the Old Man in incredible time, we subsequently collapsed onto a bench to eat lunch by a church. Reenergised by our lunch, we set off back to the Grizedale Forest, which also meant going back through the cow field. However, this time they didn’t seem so interested in us. It could have been our tiredness, but the forest seemed hardest to navigate this time and

we had to stop regularly at every junction to check that we hadn’t gone wrong. We eventually made it through and to our church in Satterthwaite, which was only a five-minute walk from our campsite. That night we were allowed by the campsite to build a small fire and we were donated wood by some friendly campers who also gave us a powder that made the fire burn a brilliant blue and green colour. As it was our last day we woke especially early so that we could be finished early. We set off at great speed and made it to our first of four churches in under half an hour. From there we trekked crosscountry to our second church and on to Newby Bridge, however, the path that we were to take from Newby Bridge was almost non-existent and it was only by chance that we managed to spot the stile, which was overgrown with brambles and the path beyond disappeared into the long grass. After our third church we climbed a steep hill into some woods.The path had become overgrown and was untraceable, so we pushed our way up through the ferns until we came across a track where we met workers laying a boardwalk through the forest. The boardwalk was not finished so we made the final part of our journey through the woods along muddy paths. After lunch, and within an hour, we had made it to our final church where we lay on the floor, joyous with the accomplishment of our Gold Duke of Edinburgh Expedition.

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Duke of Edinburgh Diamond Award Oliver Carter, Fourth Form

o celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh award, the charity which helps young people across the country develop their life skills and increase their employability through completing the awards, set a task for the nation; to complete a fundraising challenge whereby each participant raises at least £60 for the charity. With a free choice over how to raise money and the reward of the Limited Edition Pin in our sights, Paige Davidson, Lara Savage and I all embarked on our own individual challenges to join thousands of people across the country to help the cause. Paige decided to enter the world of work and raise money by doing various jobs and volunteering in her community. Lara opted to improve her skill set by learning to crochet, being sponsored by her family to make a blanket from scratch by hand.

Tom Lennard (2016 H) receiving his Gold Duke of Edinburgh award from Johanna Konta at Buckingham Palace

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I decided to do a sponsored five kilometre run, being encouraged by friends and neighbours with the aim of reaching a personal best time; a goal I managed to achieve after training before the day of the race. Needless to say, we all thoroughly enjoyed getting outside of our comfort zones in three very unique ways to raise money for a worthwhile cause.

SPORT AND GAMES

SPORT AND GAMES “

Having taken on the mantle of Director of Sport last summer, it has been a positive year with a number of strong performances from our senior teams. Our 1st XV Rugby, 1st XI Cricket, and 1st XI Girls’ Hockey all finished their respective seasons with a positive win-loss ratio and the 1st XI Boys’ Hockey was unlucky not to do similar. The outstanding senior team performance must go to our 1st VII Netball team who managed an undefeated season, only the third time this has happened in the School’s history. The following reports provide an account of those teams as well as the junior teams, many of which emulated the successes of their senior peers. In a year when the Headmaster highlighted some of our ‘fringe’ sports during his Speech Day address, it would be remiss of me not to mention the successes of our Equestrian, Skiing, Golf, Athletics and Swimming teams, all of which demonstrate the range of sports on offer at the School.

”

Mr M Howell Director of Sport

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NORTH AMERICAN

RUGBY TOUR Daniel Teare, Lower Sixth

hursday 7th July saw a selection of students from the Fifth and Lower Sixth Forms gather at dawn to board the coach for the North American Rugby Tour. After a ten-hour flight we found ourselves in Vancouver, Canada and were met by Dwain, who would be our bus driver for our time away. He drove us to our first stop, Simon Fraser University where we settled into our on-site accommodation. This was quickly followed by lunch and a training session that afternoon, which allowed us to adjust to the time zone, heat, and humidity of Vancouver. Cycling round the lake of Sandy Park and zip-lining through the valleys of Grouse Mountain gave us the opportunity to explore the amazing surroundings of Vancouver, as well as encounter some of the local wildlife. However, our mindset quickly changed as we prepared ourselves for our first match against Yale High School. The first ten minutes were difficult for SVS, as we conceded a number of penalties whilst adjusting to each other’s playing style and scorching heat. Nonetheless, we overcame these issues and began to break through Yale’s defensive line via the combination of quick rucks and powerful running. Our efforts were not helped when we received two yellow cards for foul play. Despite this, SVS grew into the game, becoming more expansive and confident with each other’s skill-set and playing ability, not being phased by the yellow cards. As a result, we continued to stretch and break through Yale’s defensive line as well as denying them any possession of the ball. This left the final score at 42-0 to SVS. We were then greeted by our billets, who we would be staying with for the next couple of nights. Our billets allowed us an insight into a Canadian way of life, as they individually toured us round Vancouver’s countryside of Abbotsford. Soon after, we left our billets and were once again met by Dwain who would take us across the border down to Seattle, USA.

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Once in Seattle, we had the time to visit the amazing Space Needle, giving us a 360 degree view of Seattle, 180 metres above the ground. The afternoon was then ours to eat, shop and experience the city. We were later met by our second set of billets, who we would be staying with for the next few nights. The following day allowed us to re-gather for another training session, as we were eager to eradicate any errors that were made in the previous game, and also adjust to our new surroundings. Once we finished, we met our billets, who showed us their way of life and illustrated Seattle from their perspective. This provided us a valuable opportunity to compare the difference in cultures. Our final day with our billets was the day of our second game of the tour against Liberty Rugby Club. Liberty are a renowned club in the state of Washington, winning multiple leagues and championships. However, SVS had picked up where they left off, scoring a number of tries early in the game in quick succession. Liberty then attempted the same, but were unable to break through our defensive line. With confidence in both our attacking and defensive structure increasing, we were able to execute every chance there was to score. This led to great frustration from Liberty, as they found themselves with a yellow card. Heat and exhaustion began to set in late into the game for SVS, resulting in a number of injuries. Despite this, the score finished at 53-0 to SVS. Dwain then met us to take us back over the border to Canada to board a ferry to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. The four-hour journey left us with just enough time to go whale watching. Whilst on our three-hour excursion, we boarded boats to travel a few miles off the coast of Vancouver Island, where we were lucky enough to encounter a number

SPORT AND GAMES

of whales and sea lions. We were then taken to the world renowned Shawnigan Lake School. Our accommodation was one of the nine boarding houses which came with a vast array of facilities. We immediately took advantage of, with strength and conditioning activities in one of the two gyms, a number of training sessions to continue to improve our fitness, attacking and defensive structure and, to cool off, with a swim in Shawnigan Lake. We were also given the time to watch the British Columbian ice hockey team trials in Shawnigan Lake School’s very own ice rink. The final match of our tour was due to be played against the province of British Columbia. However, complications with the fixture saw British Columbia withdraw, leaving us to play Sandbach School from Cheshire, who were also on tour in North America. Sandbach had a touring team of forty players which was nearly double that of SVS, and had recently played in the NatWest Vase (National Tournament), where they had reached the top 20 in the UK. This was a challenge for us that we were willing to take on! However, the extent of the challenge was quickly realised as we conceded a try in the first ten minutes and struggled to get a foothold in the game. SVS regrouped, and slowly started to implement our defensive and attacking structures, which lead to us scoring our first try of the game. There were continuous shifts in momentum between Sandbach and SVS, which saw tries being scored from both teams. However, we were beginning to stretch our lead, which left the score at 19-12 to SVS. We returned back to Vancouver the following day, where we said goodbye to Dwain and departed for London. Everyone from the team would like to thank Mr Howell, Mr Dawling and Mr Cope for an amazing and memorable tour, filled with incredible experiences.

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1st XV Rugby

1st XV Rugby Max Rossiter, Upper Sixth

think that it is fair to say that this 1st XV has had one of the most successful seasons in recent years.With two strong rugby year groups coming together to form a formidable side, there were always going to be high expectations for the 2016/17 season.With a tough fixture list lined up, the opportunity to prove ourselves as a squad was ready to be grasped. After a hard week in the Harlequins’ pre-season training camp at the School, the boys quickly became fired up, ready for the coming matches. Our first fixture was a home game against an Eastbourne College side. Our hard work in pre-season and perseverance in attack paid off to result in a 27-19 victory. This well-fought battle set a fantastic foundation for the boys and highlighted what we were capable of. The following week, on the day, we just did not perform to our usual ability. Sevenoaks School were allowed to get on top because of many unforced errors. This truly painful defeat served to remind us that we were not invincible and that there was a lot of hard work to be done to fix some of the problems highlighted by this game. After this sobering match against Sevenoaks, the boys threw themselves into training, determined to consolidate and strengthen our skills. We found ourselves facing a strong St Dunstan’s College side. We slowly eroded away the opposition’s defence to win the game 22-7. This was the catalyst that led to a string of victories.

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Record: Played 10, Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 3

With this good form returning, we managed to beat Colfe’s School 38-12.This convincing victory came as a result of precision in attack and sturdiness in defence. St Lawrence College was our next opposition. With the weather making the game slippery, we found it difficult to adjust in the first half.We soon found ourselves in a tight game, but by digging deep, we managed to score some excellent tries in the second half, winning again 38-12. In our final game before half term, we faced a strong Whitgift School side. We just managed to sneak in a try in the final stages of the game, to take the victory from under their noses, leaving the score at 26-21 to Sutton Valence. This was an astounding half to the season, with an 83 per cent win ratio going into Half Term. Despite this, we knew there was more work to be done with some of the hardest matches still to come. Following a disappointing loss against Reigate Grammar School after Half Term, we went into the next game against Emmanuel School and came out with a draw of 28-28. In spite of the draw, this scintillating game was one of our gutsiest performances and gave a real boost to the team’s confidence. This was then carried through to the next week, Duke of York’s Royal Military School, where we came away from our rivals with a 17-8 victory. On 10th December we came to our final match and one that had been at the forefront of our minds all season, The King’s School,

SPORT AND GAMES

Canterbury. Coming out of the changing room ready to go, we began the game strongly but unfortunately, in the second half we began to make some unforced errors allowing them to gain points. During the final quarter of the game we regained some brilliant form, but unfortunately it was too late and we narrowly lost. The game showed flashes of brilliance and the courage that the team showed was a testament to Sutton Valence Rugby. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Howell and Mr Dawling for all of the coaching and work to make us a better team throughout the season. The performances would not have been possible without the support staff and we are grateful to have had

such an opportunity. I’d also like to mention all the players that came from the Lower Sixth who proved themselves to be valuable assets to School sport as they have shown a bright future for 1st XV Rugby at Sutton Valence next year. Squad (from): Anup Ale, Elliot Aiken, James Bevan-Thomas, Samuel Chitty, James Croke, Alexander Crosbie, George Deptford, Jamie Drewe, Hugo Fahie-Wilson, Sabin Gurung, William Harrison, Guy Kennedy, Cameron Knight, Hugo Loxton-Barnard, Jonty Martin, Thomas Millington, Louis Regnier, Max Rossiter (Capt.), Ross Sinclair, Oliver Smither, Daniel Teare, Gareth Thomas, Alex Thorogood, Callum Traynor and Jacob Wilkinson.

2nd XV Rugby Mr R Carr, Master I/C

his was one of the most successful season for the 2nd XV in recent years, and it will live long in the memory, not just because of some stunning results and the quality of the attacking rugby played, but also because of the fraternal team spirit which was there for all to see match-bymatch. The season started on a miserably wet afternoon, with the toughest match of the year against a very strong and well-drilled Tonbridge School XV. As the side had never played together before, the 0-24 result was not a big surprise.What was a surprise was to witness Iyobosa Idubor-Williams being lifted high in the air whilst being dump-tackled. Sadly, he was unable to play any further part in the match. Despite the score, there were signs of encouragement, most notably from Matt Webb at full back.

Record: Played 10, Won 7, Drawn 0, Lost 3

if we were playing their undefeated 4th XV. After a horrendously long journey, we did not kick off until 3.15pm and we were lucky to be able to finish the match in the misty gloom of a damp, autumnal afternoon. This was a titanic battle which saw us win 17-12. The team showed a huge amount of guts, as the senior players carried the day; most notably Jacob Wilkinson, who had been promoted from the 1st XV for the occasion, and Joshua Aucamp who scored a crucial try. The match away to Emanuel was another tough fixture, with it being played away from home on a Thursday afternoon. We suffered from an early yellow card and soon found ourselves staring down the barrel at a 0-15 deficit.Amazingly, this was turned round in the second half and we were actually winning 22-20, with two minutes to go. Next, ecstasy turned to agony as we conceded

The next match against Sevenoaks School saw a complete turnaround as we trounced them 56-5.The quality of our attacking rugby was stunning and the Sevenoaks players spent most of the afternoon chasing shadows. They left Sutton Valence licking their wounds and with their tails between their legs; a heartening sight! St Dunstan’s College were equally put to the sword the following week, as we comfortably ran out winners by 59 points without reply. We were now confident that if we stayed focused we could go the rest of the season unbeaten. Sadly, this turned out to be a pipe dream when we came up against Colfe’s School, but we only had ourselves to blame. Winning 19 – 14 with a minute to go we then made a horrendous defensive mistake to let them score a winning try in literally the last two seconds of the match. Having outplayed a strong side for long periods, this was a bitter pill to swallow. How would we respond, I wondered? The answer was magnificently, as we smashed St Lawrence College away from home 62 – 0. We then dismantled Claremont School’s 1st XV in just 40 minutes, 34-0, with the game being ended extremely early by a very sympathetic Mr Farrell. This was a real showcase of running rugby, played on the ‘theatre of dreams’ which is Stoney. After Half Term, our first game was away at Cranleigh. This was a new fixture and we knew that, as one of the foremost Rugby schools in the south of England, this was going to be tough, even

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2nd XV Rugby

SPORT AND GAMES

a really soft try, when we failed to find touch from a penalty. A quick counter attack, coupled with a lucky bounce of the ball, saw Emanuel score in the corner. This was really galling after our amazing comeback; hey ho, two matches to go! In our penultimate game we travelled away yet again, this time to the Duke of York’s Royal Military School. Perhaps over confidence got to us and we did not hit our best form, but we still won comfortably 39-14. The stop-start nature of the game and the pedantic refereeing of someone who was used to officiating games at a much higher level, did not help either side.

3rd XV Rugby

Finally, on 10th December we travelled to The King’s School, Canterbury, determined to finally beat them at 2nd XV level. The quite astounding 48-5 result is one which yours truly, and all the team, will remember for years to come. This was as scintillating a performance as I have seen in my 35 years as a rugby coach. King’s were quite literally blown away by attacking rugby of the highest quality. It was a truly stunning ‘once in 20 years’ victory and one which put the icing on the cake. In fact, not only was the cake iced, it had a candle put on it, which was then lit for all to see and admire. Squad (from): Joshua Aucamp, Archie Averill, Jack Baker, Patrick Beech, William Bryant, Samuel Chitty, Connor Cook, James Croke (Capt.), Laurence Eastman, Sabin Gurung,William Harrison, Jack Hayes, Bertie Hobson, Iyobosa Idubor-Williams, Henry King, Hugo Loxton-Barnard, Jonty Martin, Edward Mazumdar,Thomas Millington,William Osborne, Henry Overy, Louis Regnier, Ross Sinclair, Oliver Smither, William Sturges, Matthew Webb and Jacob Wilkinson.

3rd XV Rugby Alexander Hill, Lower Sixth

he 3rd XV team, or as we like to call ourselves Mr Cope’s Blue Army, have had a balanced season. We started the season well with a victory against Sevenoaks School 177. Our second game against Kent College 1st XV was always going to be hard. Although they managed to put 36 points passed us, they had superior skill and were twice our size, so the score does not represent how well our defence coped. We finished the season well, with two victories. Firstly we had a massive 59-0 win against Duke of York’s Royal Military School. Towards the end of the game, we lost our prop Edward Mazumdar to a dislocated knee cap – sounds a lot worse than it was, but he was unable to play for the rest of the season; a huge shame as he was one of the centre pieces of our squad. The final match of the season, our grudge match with The King’s School, Canterbury, where the boys put

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Record: Played 6, Won 3, Drawn 0, Lost 3 in an excellent performance to win 27-5. My thanks go out to Mr Cope and Thomas Scambler (our Gap Year Assistant) for making this a memorable season with enjoyable training not too serious, not too strict; the perfect balance between the two to make games sessions something to look forward to. I think the whole team put in a huge amount of work to attain the results we did, and also to look defeat in the face and still hold our heads high. Squad (from): Thomas Aiken, Angus Barclay, Connor Cook, Charles Court, Jack Fenton, Louis Fulford, Alexander Hill (Capt.), Bertie Hobson, Matthew Jones, Henry King, Michael Law, Ryan Mansfield, Edward Mazumdar, Benjamin Murray, Tivey Nichols, Daniel O’Brien, William Osborne, Charles Page, Edward Simmonds, James Smith, Charles Sparrow, Max Stanton-Gleaves, Jonty Watson and Archie Wooff.

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 16A Rugby

Under 16B Rugby

Mr J Farrell, Master I/C

Jack McNama, Fifth Form

his year’s Under 16A squad can reflect with pride on a season that saw them make huge strides on both a collective and personal level. Three narrow defeats by a total of eight points, dented confidence. However, an improved attitude in training was richly rewarded with a moraleboosting victory over an Epsom College XV.A heavy defeat against Whitgift School side did not dampen enthusiasm. Consequently, an undefeated second half of the season will be the lasting memory. Whilst the captain, Jenkins Kiwanuka, can take much credit for the transformation of the side’s fortunes, all of the squad played their part in a hugely enjoyable season. As Jenkins writes: “A season riddled with injuries, is one we have become accustomed to over our past few seasons. However, our adaptation to these upsets was poor, resulting in three narrow losses. We were not playing rugby with the Sutton Valence composure and spirit, and this left us on the bad side of three very winnable matches. A convincing victory over a strong Epsom College side showed some of our best rugby yet, and this was followed by another great victory over Wellington College. These two wins set the tempo and standard for our rugby, as we beat then Tonbridge School side that we had previously lost to in the season. This was a great landmark to show how far we had come. The final match of our season was against The King’s School, Canterbury, a side we have struggled against in the past. We did not let any previous results alter our performance, as we took a two-try lead. A frenetic second half saw both sides score again, before the final whistle signalled a 17-12 victory.” Such a change in fortunes truly did reflect a collective effort. It would therefore be invidious to single out individuals.

Under 16A Rugby

Squad (from): Joseph Agu Benson, Gabrio Capaldi, Archie Crouch, Felix Dont, Lars Eastman, Edward Ervine, Fergus Fowle, Alastair Gooding, Jenkins Kiwanuka (Capt.), Barnaby LoxtonBarnard, Liam Massingham, Sean McKeating, Harry O’Rawe, Ben Purvis, Richard Sawyer, Miles Stockman, Harris Tunks and Harry Yorke.

Record: Played 4, Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 3

he Under 16B team did not have the best of success, losing all but one of our matches. Despite these losses, the team still battled on and never gave up. There was always a streak of determination amongst the players.

Our first game of the season was against Tonbridge School which was, by far, one of our best games, as we had a strong team and had trained well. In the first half, we started strongly, constantly attacking their lines pushing them further and further back and scoring two tries. However, we also conceded two. In the second half, we started to get back into the game making some cracking tackles and runs and a special mention must go to Jamie Oliver. We lost 12-14, but no one can say we didn’t try. At the following training session, we started to focus on our fitness and tackling methods. The next game we played was away against Colfe’s School. Determined to win, the boys came out ready to play. In the first half, we conceded a couple of tries but also scored a few of our own, leaving the score at half time 14-20. In the second half, we came out fighting with some superb runs by Finley Heine and Harry Mitchell, but some good tries by the opposition left the final score 35-43 to them. Sadly, the next game finished in a heavy loss to a strong Wellington College side, due to us having a deflated team hit by injury. The only game we did win was against St John’s Leatherhead, but we did have help from the Under 15A team members who should take much credit, as they are some of the best rugby players I have ever played alongside. A special thank you goes to Mr O’Donovan for coaching us this term and the parents who came to our matches to support the B team. Squad (from): Joseph Agu Benson, Alexander Bartleet, Thomas Cavell, George Cook, Edward Curling, Oliver Dent, William Dickinson, Shaad Dogra, William Ellis, Cameron Evans, Samuel Harris, Finlay Heine, Max Hogan, Henry Jones, Barnaby Loxton-Barnard, Sean McKeating, Jack McNama (Capt.), Harry Mitchell, Adam Moore, Jamie Oliver, Ben Purvis, Asher Regal, Thomas Saltmarsh, Joshua Scott and Harry Yorke.

Under 16B Rugby

Record: Played 9, Won 5, Drawn 0, Lost 4

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Under 15A Rugby

Under 15A Rugby Mr S Head, Master I/C

he Under 15A team came into the start of the Rugby term full of confidence and with some exciting new members. It was clear from the first training session that there were a number of talented players and we hoped this would result in some good results during the season. Our first fixture was away at Tonbridge School and, after a slow start, we proved to be the stronger side, coming away with a good win. We hoped to follow this up in our next fixture at Sevenoaks School, but a mixture of poor play and missed chances meant that we had our first loss, a chastening experience, but one that we were able to use to develop as a team. We moved on with good wins at St Dunstan’s College and Colfe’s School before the half term break, knowing our most difficult games were yet to come. One of the highlights was beating a St Lawrence College side that had not even conceded a try to that point, and then only losing by one point to a very strong Whitgift School side, another team that had enjoyed an excellent season. The remainder of the term was spent building up to The King’s School, Canterbury game, and the players began to really work on their fitness and general skills. After a scare against the Duke of York’s Royal Military School, winning in the last minute, we took to the field knowing that we had one last chance to prove how good we could be. After

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Record: Played 12, Won 9, Drawn 0, Lost 3

an outstanding performance we managed to gain a good 29-17 victory, and to end the season on a high note. Overall, there were some excellent performances: Benjamin Watkins leading well as Captain; Brandon Jackson, scoring tries for fun and showing just exactly how tackles should be made; Emmerson Jones really growing into the role of hooker; Matthew Teare tirelessly tidying up the ball around the rucks and Max Savage adding the x-factor in the backs. The overall statistics make for very pleasant reading, scoring 392 points and winning nine of the 12 games played. It should be an exciting couple of years ahead for this group of players, and it is my hope that they can learn from the skills and guidance of their future coaches to reach their considerable potential. Squad (from): George Baker, Luke Bernicchi, William Bull, Nathaniel Easton, Arthur Genders, Awishma Gurung, Hugh Harman, Jack Hughes, Toby Hurst, Brandon Jackson, Emmerson Jones, George Jones, Jack Lewis, Sebastiaan Lijesen, Joseph McInerney, Thomas McLaughlin, Arthur Moffatt, Isaac Owolabi, Matthew Rackliffe, Max Savage, Jack Stanton-Gleaves, Finn Swaine, Thomas Taft, Matthew Teare, Benjamin Watkins (Capt.) and John Wilson.

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 14A Rugby Sam Allison, Third Form

s we all met our new teammates, we knew we had to bond quickly as our first game was against Tonbridge School in the Cup matches. We started the game with energy; all the boys were making big tackles, especially Theo Nelson.We ended the second half in the lead. As we tackled well and were slick in the back line, we ended the game 21-15; a fantastic result and hopefully an indication of things to come. Our next match was against rivals Sevenoaks School, which is always a fiercely competitive game. We started the match slowly and our passing and tackling was poor. Consequently, they scored twice in the first half. A try from James Mardon gave hope of a comeback, but it was too late and the final score was 10-27. Disappointed with this result, we started with real pace against St Dunstan’s College. We put them under lots of pressure throughout the game and once we got into our stride, we ended the game at 48-12. We trained hard during the week, knowing the game against Colfe’s School would be a tough one as they had some big players. We put strong and consistent tackles on the opposition and did not let them through. Harvey Jeffery made an outstanding tackle, saving us the match at the end with the final score 38-24.

Record: Played 10, Won 5, Drawn 0, Lost 5

All the boys were frustrated with the loss, but came back with a vengeance when we played Whitgift School.We knew we were up to their standard and put a try on them straight away; however, they had some big players out wide and used their pace to get around our wingers. We finished the game at 7-15, but our performance was much better. The next game, we were determined to finish winners, as we knew we had the potential. What a start we had, we were all over them, pushing them backwards in defence and scoring plenty of tries, finishing the game with a good win, 61-0. We had a long journey on the bus to Duke of York’s Royal Military School, but still started the game powerfully and with the backline dominant, we out-played them in every facet of the game, which was very rewarding as we won 43-10. Our last game was against The King’s School, Canterbury, a tough side, so it was always going to be an aggressive, hard-playing match. With James Mardon giving us a good start, we capitalised on all the chances we had; however, they had plenty of pace on the ball and slick hands, so unfortunately won 17-31.We ended the season with some pleasing results but, now we have played as a team, we are looking forward to September to making even further progress. Squad (from): Sam Allison (Capt.), Harry Arkley, Rory Baillie, William Bewsher, Bishesh Bhandari, Luca Capaldi, Elliot Gooding, Suveen Gurung, Robert Humphris, Harvey Jeffery, Cameron Lindsay, James Mardon, Edward Marsh, Theodore Nelson, Joshua O’Brien, Finnian O’Keefe, Oliver Payne-Cook, William Saltmarsh, Thomas Sharman, Myles Simmons, Jack Truman, Jack Walker, James Yeabsley, Archie Yorke and McKellen Young.

Under 14A Rugby

Playing The Skinners’ School was the game that meant the most to us, as we played on the 1st XV pitch with what seemed like the whole School cheering us on. They came out strong and put a couple of tries on us through sloppy defence, and we never really recovered, eventually losing 17-48. Our next game was St Lawrence College and with a depleted forward line, we lacked power and drive and disappointingly ended up losing 0-27.

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Under 13A Rugby

Under 14B Rugby

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 14B Rugby

Under 13A Rugby

Joseph McDermott, Third Form

Joshua Laird, Second Form

Record: Played 9, Won 8, Drawn 0, Lost 1

Record: Played 11, Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 8

or the 2016 season, the Under 14B rugby team managed to achieve an amazing 8-1 win record. We won our first eight games with ease, but lost our final game against The King’s School, Canterbury.

We got our first win of the season in a tightly-contested match against Tonbridge School. It was a close game throughout, especially during the second half when they mounted a comeback. We managed to hold on though and came out with a 12-10 victory, which was a tremendous result against a strong school. Our second game saw us up against old rivals Sevenoaks School. This turned out to be one of our most exciting games - we went 5-0 up early on, then collapsed in the middle part of the game, going 5-14 down. However, we picked ourselves up and fought back with numerous tries, leaving the final score at 31-14. We went on to win the next six games very comfortably, keeping five clean sheets in a row, with games against Colfe’s School, St Lawrence College, Whitgift School and Wellington College. Our run of shut-outs ended, when we conceded during a 48-7 victory against a good Duke of York’s Royal Military School team. Our last game was a sore loss against The King’s School, Canterbury 38-0, which was frustrating, as we could have gone the whole season undefeated. In spite of that result, we had an excellent season overall and our team showed a great fighting spirit throughout. We would not have been half as successful had it not been for our teamwork and support for each other. A massive thank you must go to Mr Sansom for his support and coaching that helped us to achieve all that we have done this season. Squad (from): Tarik Abed, Harrison Ashdown, Bishesh Bhandari, Luca Capaldi, William Chambers, Jed Chipchase, Alfie CollinsSmith, Samuel Crisp, James Crombie, Joseph Dale, Alexander Duckett, Edward George, Conor Grant, Suveen Gurung, Louis Hillier, Nathan Horgan, Robert Humphris, Rory Lello, Joseph McDermott (Capt.), Patrick Mullen, Archie Plugge, William Russell, William Saltmarsh, Thomas Sharman, Finlay Sprent and Thomas Wilkins.

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his season, on paper, our record is not great. However, match-for-match the games have been close and we have put in some very good performances, with a never-give-up attitude.

We played our best rugby when we got the ball out quickly and moved it to our fast players. The likes of Tom Barton, Oscar Vas and Benjamin Baker then did what they do so well - run with the ball and score some electric tries. In attack and defence, Jenson McInulty had a very good debut season for the School, he looked very strong and put in some big hits. However, that was the reason why he spent several weeks out injured with a broken collar bone, and we hugely missed his presence in midfield. Credit must also go to the handling ability and elusive running of Jamie Latter-Lumsden. In the scrum, we had some powerful forwards such as Joshua Forknall and Alex Bowyer. Jonny Russell and Harvey Morris also did their jobs well in the rucks, mauls and scrums. Alec Martin, Jonte Hillier and Alfie Jarrett, all in the First Form, played very well throughout the season and became key members of this team - they will, hopefully, continue this as they become the senior members of the Under 13A team next year. A final special mention should go to Tom Barton, Oscar Vas and Ben Baker who showed great commitment and drive throughout the season. I have enjoyed being captain to a hard-working and fun team. My thanks also must go to Mr Howell and Mr Davenport for their coaching and support. Squad (from): Benjamin Baker,Tom Barton,Alexander Bowyer, Fergus Dickinson, Joshua Fawell, Joshua Forknall, Edward Gaston, Jonte Hillier, Alfie Jarrett, Ben Knighton, Joshua Laird (Capt.), Jamie Latter-Lumsden, Daniel Lenehan, Alec Martin, Jenson McInulty, Harvey Morris, Clayton Olson, Joshua Pantony, Freddie Rigby, Jonny Russell, Joe Savage and Oscar Vas.

SPORT AND GAMES

RUGBY

SEVENS Mr M Howell, Director of Sport 1st VII

he Lent Term saw the boys compete in the highlyprestigious Reigate Charity Sevens and the national Rosslyn Park Sevens. At Reigate, the team played some tough teams, but won against Wisbech Grammar School and lost by one try to Wellington College, in a hugely-entertaining affair. At Rosslyn Park, the boys beat King John School and beat a strong team from The Oratory School. Unfortunately, the team missed out on progressing through to the next round due to points difference. A slow start cost us dearly, however the boys showed huge endeavour and ambition beating a very strong Oratory team.

Under 16 VII

he Under 16 team played in three competitions, all of which were hotly contested, against a selection of some of the best rugby schools from around the country.

At the Kent Under 16 Sevens, hosted at the School, we won all of our group fixtures, before bowing out in the quarterfinals. Following that up, at the Queens Elizabeth Barnet VIIs, the team picked up an excellent win against Aylesbury Grammar School, but lost narrowly to Denstone College and Wellington College, meaning they did not progress. At Rosslyn Park, the boys were outstanding, beating Reigate Grammar School, Uffculme School and Ampleforth College, who went through winning the group, again on points difference. The team were extremely disappointed not to progress into the later rounds, but could take a huge amount from beating such excellent opposition.

Under 14 VII The School entered the National Under 14 Sevens competition at Rosslyn Park for the first time this year and gave an excellent account of themselves. The team beat Berkhamstead School and Uffculme School before losing narrowly to Marlborough College. They gained a great amount of experience attending such a hugely famous rugby competition and all this will give them invaluable experience when they return as Under 16s. All sevens teams played with excellent spirit and valour, showing what excellent rugby players and teams we have at Sutton Valence in the shorter version of the game.

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1st XI Girls’ Hockey

1st XI Girls’ Hockey Georgia Ridge, Upper Sixth

he 1st XI had an extremely enjoyable and successful season, winning eight, drawing three and only losing three of their matches. The season kick-started with an intense three-day pre-season, where some Canterbury Elite players came to the School to get us back into the swing of the game and teach us some new tactics and skills, which we were able to put into action in the rest of our matches. Our regular season started well against Duke of York’s Royal Military School, managing a resounding 14-1 victory. We looked like a formidable team, working efficiently from the back, with Charlotte Percival (Lower Sixth) in goal, to our young forward line of Jenna Boltman (Fourth Form) and Georgia Mancais (Fifth Form). Subsequent victories came against Christ’s Hospital (3-1) and Cranbrook School (3-2), the latter of which represented our first senior victory over them since 2012. Despite a humbling 9-1 loss to Ardingly College, we then bounced back with one of our best performances of the season against St Lawrence College, who boasted a number of junior international players in their line-up. Our slick play neutralised the threat from their experienced players, and some impressive saves from our keeper allowed us to bring home a 5-1 triumph.

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Record: Played 14, Won 8, Drawn 3, Lost 3

Eastbourne College was another memorable match. Having experienced six years of embarrassment against them, with Eastbourne outplaying us year-after-year, we managed to use all our experience to play simple and effective hockey and come out with a 5-3 victory. Rehannah Houghton-Judge (Lower Sixth) worked tirelessly in the midfield and Alexandra Sacker (Fourth Form) stepping up to put in some outstanding tackles. This was the only victory the 1st XI has experienced over Eastbourne since 2006. Epsom College was one of our toughest games of the season, with Epsom being a lot more physical than the opposition in our previous matches, leaving Olivia Richards (Upper Sixth) to lead from the back, putting in some show-stopping saves, preventing them from taking the lead. Sixteen yard hits were taken quickly and effectively by Emilia Hollingsworth (Lower Sixth), allowing the ball to reach the likes of Verity Smith (Lower Sixth), Eliza Lewis (Lower Sixth) and Henrietta Taylor (Upper Sixth) on the wings, where we were able to overload their defence and capitalise, resulting in a 2-1 victory. To finish off the season, we accumulated all of our experience, hard work and tireless effort into one finale of a match against

SPORT AND GAMES

The King’s School, Canterbury. Although the game ended in a 2-2 draw, we managed to maintain the majority of possession, with Naomi Lijesen (Lower Sixth) making the occasional step up from the defence and Sophie Baxter (Fifth Form) being relentless in her work rate.

Our Player’s Player this season was undoubtedly Olivia Richards. Her continuous enthusiasm from the back kept our heads up, even in the toughest of games; her never-ending tackles, that caught a number of international players out and her distribution of the ball, allowed us to launch effective counter-attacks. To only lose two matches throughout the entire season proves how successful we were this year, and the whole squad should be proud of the results we achieved. Squad (from): Molly Alexander, Sophie Baxter, Jenna Boltman, Emelia Hollingsworth, Rehannah Houghton-Judge, Eliza Lewis, Naomi Lijesen, Georgia Mancais, Grace Mortley, Charlotte Percival, Olivia Richards (Vice-Capt.), Georgia Ridge (Capt.), Lauren Robinson, Alexandra Sacker, Emily Smith, Verity Smith, Verity Streek, Jemma Stuart, Henrietta Taylor, Ella Williams and Fynley Young.

2nd XI Girls’ Hockey

As well as our regular season fixtures, we also experienced a memorable County Cup tournament, with group stage wins against Dover College (6-0) and Duke of York’s Royal Military School (3-0). Those results saw us qualify for the semi-finals. In that round, we played a strong Sevenoaks School side, where we completed one of our closest matches to date, narrowly losing 1-0 and missing out on the chance to qualify for the regionals. As well as the County Cup, we also reached the semi-finals in the Frank Mason Tournament, narrowly losing to strong teams on flicks.

2nd XI Girls’ Hockey Molly Alexander, Upper Sixth

his season has been a tough, but enjoyable, experience for the 2nd XI. The team was of mixed ages, from Fifth Form to Upper Sixth girls. The team had limited experience in working together, but this showed little effect in the first match of the season where the girls communicated well with one another, showing great determination and the game ended in a well-deserved win. Despite multiple losses, the girls remained enthusiastic, both on the pitch and in training sessions. The team developed as their skills improved throughout the season. Phoebe Aucamp (Fifth Form) and Melissa Dawson (Fifth Form) were key players in holding a strong defence on the back-line. Also, Grace Mortley (Lower Sixth), Emilia Bonny (Lower Sixth) and Verity Streek (Fifth Form) worked well together in midfield to carry the ball up the pitch with speed and skill. Our most memorable game was away at St Lawrence College.The weather was not on our side, as it poured down for the majority of the game. However, this did not stop the girls from performing

Record: Played 10, Won 4, Drawn 0, Lost 6

to their best standard. With Jemma Stuart (Lower Sixth) and Lauren Robinson (Lower Sixth) swiftly taking the ball up the right wing together, the ball found itself in the back of the net three times before half-time came around. After a motivating team talk from Miss Hallett and Miss Gray, the goals increased and the game ended in a 6-0 win for us. All-in-all, we had an enjoyable season. As much as we would have liked to have won more games, we still had some great achievements and the girls should be congratulated on their successes. A huge thank you must go to the team for their commitment, but also to Miss Hallett for all the effort she put in, as well as having to put up with such energetic and eager girls! Squad (from): Harriet Aburn, Eleanor Agu Benson, Molly Alexander (Capt.), Phoebe Aucamp, Emilia Bonny (Vice-Capt.), Harriet Cage, Melissa Dawson, Imogen Forknall, Eliza Lewis, Grace Mortley, Pamela Papa-Adams, Lauren Robinson, Verity Streek, Jemma Stuart, Isabelle Turner, Sophie Watson, Ella Williams, Kate Woodford and Fynley Young.

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SPORT AND GAMES

OS vs School

HOCKEY TOURNAMENT Georgia Ridge, Upper Sixth

fter a year’s hiatus, the traditional Old Suttonian versus School Hockey tournament returned on Sunday 8th January. This year saw a slightly alternative format with the matches played indoors, rather than out on the AstroTurf. With the tournament featuring both a boys’ and girls’ competition, it was a busy morning, which saw some really competitive play. As is traditional, the boys’ match was contested for the Alex Hatch (2001 F) Trophy, named in honour of an Old Suttonian, who had previously competed in the annual match a day before he sadly passed away.The boys’ trophy was supplemented this year with the introduction of the new Susannah Townsend (2007 G) Trophy for the girls’ competition, which was awarded to celebrate Susannah’s

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representation at the Rio 2016 Olympics and her subsequent MBE award. The girls’ team opened the morning’s play with a warm-up match, designed to allow the Old Suttonians to get used to the boards and the indoor variations to the rules. After a three-week Christmas break, the School team was slow to get going, and the quick conditions of the indoor format meant that players struggled to maintain any kind of continuity.They may also have underestimated their Old Suttonian rivals, and as a result, the OS team came out victorious with a hard-fought 2-0 win. The School team was out for revenge in the actual trophy match, with quick balls being fired up the boards to the forwards by Olivia

SPORT AND GAMES

Richards (Upper Sixth) and some fierce tackling from Alexandra Sacker. Nevertheless, the Old Suttonian team, which featured the likes of the Baxter girls - Lucy (2012 F), Amy (2013 F) and Emma (2015 F), as well as Natasha Lindsay (1990 F), Lauren Neve (2006 L), Hannah Davies (2015 H) and Katie Latter (2016 F) remained resolute in their defence, with the School’s attack failing to get past the excellent Elena Sagrott (2013 F) in goal. As the OS team got more comfortable, their quick one-two play overcame the School side and they deservedly lifted the inaugural Susannah Townsend Trophy. In the boys’ competition, the School team faced a well-represented OS side. The number of Old Suttonians competing allowed their team to take advantage of unlimited substitutions, giving them

regular injections of energy as they brought on a number of last year’s 1st XI players, including Guy Backhouse (2016 F), Patrick Backhouse (2016 F), Joseph Deveson (2016 C) and Tom Lennard (2016 H). Of the three matches played, the Old Suttonians won two, lifting the Alex Hatch Trophy in the process. The morning was finished off with a mixed match, before both teams and the various spectators on the day headed down to The Queen’s Head for lunch and a chance for the Old Suttonians to reminisce over a pint. All-in-all an enjoyable morning of hockey with some excellent play. As well as the OS who came to compete, the Sydney Wooderson Sports Centre was full of spectators, and we are grateful to everyone who came along.

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Under 16A Girls’ Hockey Emily Smith, Fifth Form

he Under 16A Hockey team had a very exciting season this year. The addition of some new squad members, together with the continuity built up over the last couple of years, resulted in possibly our best season yet.

With the team having no early season matches (due to many of us moving into the 1st XI and 2nd XI), our first time playing together came in the form of the county tournament. Last year, we performed well at the tournament, narrowly losing to Sevenoaks School in the final. This year, we were determined to go one better, but faced an uphill struggle having been drawn in a tough group that included our rivals, Sevenoaks. Some great teamwork between our midfield and our strong defensive line, combined with some fantastic goals from our forwards - Jenna Boltman (Fourth Form), Kate Woodford (Fifth Form) and Georgia Mancais (Fifth Form) resulted in us finishing second in our group behind Sevenoaks.

Under 16A Girls’ Hockey

Pleased by how we had played in the group stage, we were more confident going into the next round against Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School. This match turned out to be the highlight of our tournament, with everyone working well together, resulting in a resounding 8-0 victory. In the final, we found ourselves up against The King’s School, Canterbury. Unfortunately, just before we started the game, Georgia Mancais got injured, so we started the match on the back foot. Despite putting up a good fight, we eventually lost 2-0 to a very strong King’s team. The consolation though was that as runners-up, we qualified for the regionals.

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Record: Played 9, Won 6, Drawn 0, Lost 3

Arriving at the regionals, we were ready to work hard, as we knew our game had improved. We got off to a great start with goals flying in from Jenna Boltman, set up with some excellent runs up the wing from Georgie and Sophie Baxter (Fifth Form). Our midfield quartet of Alexandra Sacker (Fourth Form),Verity Streek (Fifth Form) Melissa Dawson (Fifth Form) and I were distributing the ball well and our strong back line including Anna Harrison (Fourth Form), Phoebe Aucamp (Fifth Form), Pamela Papa-Adams (Fifth Form),Charlotte Heard (Fourth Form) and our goalkeeper Imogen Forknall (Fifth Form) created a great defensive team, that made it very hard for the opposition to get any goals past us. With all the team working so well together, we soon found ourselves a match away from nationals.We fought as best we could in this match, but due to players being injured and playing a very strong side, we ended up losing the game and just missing out on our place at nationals. Although we were disappointed on missing out, I think we should be proud of how far we got. I want to say well done to all of the girls in the team this year and for contributing to our very successful season. A big thank you must go to Mr Wells and Mr Mathews for taking us to regionals and coaching us so well. Squad (from): Phoebe Aucamp, Sophie Baxter, Jenna Boltman, Melissa Dawson, Imogen Forknall, Anna Harrison, Katie Harrison, Charlotte Heard, Georgia Mancais (Vice-Capt.), Pamela PapaAdams, Alexandra Sacker, Amelia Semmens, Emily Smith (Capt.), Verity Streek and Kate Woodford.

Under 15B Girls’ Hockey

Under 15A Girls’ Hockey

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 15A Girls’ Hockey

Under 15B Girls’ Hockey

Anna Harrison, Fourth Form

Gabriella Howarth, Fourth Form

Record: Played 9, Won 4, Drawn 0, Lost 5

Record: Played 9, Won 6, Drawn 2, Lost 1

t has been a very successful and impressive Hockey season for the Under 15A team this year. Despite the absence of a few key players, we started the season with an extremely talented, dynamic team. With the help of our consistent, skilful front line consisting of Daisy Fenton, Gabriella Romano and Isabelle Cook, we managed to score an impressive 20 goals. This was backed up by the strong, fearless defence consisting of Jemima Bruce-Lockhart, Katie Lang, Anna Harrison, Charlotte Heard and Amelie Rossiter, who only conceded nine goals throughout the whole season. These fantastic results would not have been possible without the hard work from our midfield, consisting of Amelia Semmens, Elizabeth Moore and Charlotte Wooldridge, as without their consistent tackling and distributing of the ball, our forwards would not have had the opportunities to score. A special mention must be made of our challenging match against The King’s School, Canterbury. Although we eventually lost against a very strong opposing team, we played some superb Hockey. Starting with the exceptional defence, we managed to stop many impressive attempts at goal and, thanks to the amazing footwork from our goalkeeper, Elizabeth Drummond, we successfully kept their free-flowing team in check. Next, with the super distribution from our midfield and strong tackling, it allowed our superior forwards to slip in a few goals past their county-level goalkeeper. Although the score was not in our favour, it did not reflect our excellent play as a team. I would like to thank Mr Wells and Mr Mathews for all the expert coaching we received, and for the constant support and tactics. Lastly, I would like to give a huge thanks to all the supporting parents who came to our matches, we could not have achieved such an impressive season without you. Squad (from): Amber Brinkman, Jemima Bruce-Lockhart, Isabelle Cook, Pescha Cordell, Elizabeth Drummond, Daisy Fenton, Anna Harrison (Capt.), Charlotte Heard (Vice-Capt.), Katie Lang, Elizabeth Moore, Bethan Pepler, Gabriella Romano, Amelie Rossiter, Amelia Semmens and Charlotte Wooldridge.

he Under 15B Girls’ Hockey team had a season to remember. Not only did we win two-thirds of our matches, we did it in style with some crushing victories along the way. Our free-flowing style of play allowed us to score a lot of goals, averaging nearly four per match. Our season opened with the visit of Duke of York’s Royal Military School. We dominated the match, coming out with an impressive 7-0 victory. We backed this result up with another strong performance a week later, against Christ’s Hospital School in a match we ended up winning 5-1. A 2-2 draw against a strong Ardingly College brought us back to earth slightly, but we bounced back with an emphatic 6-0 victory over St Lawrence College. Our last match before the Half Term break saw us face Eastbourne College away, in what is always a tough fixture. This year proved no different, as we struggled to break them down and ended up on the wrong end of a 2-0 loss. In the second half of the term, we got back to winning ways with a couple of hard-fought victories. Firstly we defeated a good Epsom College team 1-0, before stepping up to face the Claremont School Under 15A team, which again saw us battle to a narrow 2-0 win. The season ended with a 1-1 draw at home to The King’s School, Canterbury and a 10-0 victory over a weakened Sevenoaks School Under 15D side. Over the course of the season, we played well as a team and every player had something to be proud of and went home smiling. We took on every match with a fighting spirit.We would all like to say a big thank you to our coach, Miss Radford, as the season wouldn’t have been the same without her. It was a privilege being given the team’s captaincy and I am proud of our season. Squad (from): Amber Brinkman, Alice Busby, Isabelle Busby, Elizabeth Cavell (Vice-Capt.), Isabelle Cook, Pescha Cordell, Paige Davidson, Erin Densham, Isabella Dransfield, Elizabeth Drummond, Isabella Eyers, Daisy Fenton, Juliette Henin, Gabriella Howarth (Capt.), Tianyi Huang, Annabel Mansfield, Lily Marsh, Bethan Pepler, Lara Savage and Anisha Thapa Magar.

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Under 14A Girls’ Hockey Maisie Rixon, Third Form

eflecting on a remarkable season last year and with the injection of new players, this season was set to be a good one.We lived up to our high expectations and did not fail to produce some amazing results against tough schools.

The Under 14A girls had a prodigious season with numerous highlights and proud moments. We were unbeaten for the first five block fixtures of the season, thanks to strong defending, outstanding goalkeeping and an unstoppable, pressing attack resulting in 21 goals. Every single member of the team gave 100 per cent effort and were totally committed and focused all throughout these matches, which paid off as shown through our strong results. On Monday 10th October, we competed in the County Cup in Canterbury. We won four games and lost just one in our group, which progressed us into the semi-finals; a closely fought match against The King’s School, Canterbury. With a 0-0 score at full time after a nail-biting end-to-end game, we had our first experience of penalty flicks. Sutton Valence scored two fantastic goals and there was some highly impressive goalkeeping by Florence Watkinson during the flicks, which was indicative of the season as a whole. After a very long and exhausting day we unfortunately lost the final match against Cranbrook School 1-0, but as well as silver medals, we secured ourselves a well-deserved place at the regional finals in Norwich.

Under 14A Girls’ Hockey

We travelled to Norwich the night before the finals and stayed in a local hotel, prior to making our way to the University of East Anglia,

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Record: Played 20, Won 12, Drawn 1, Lost 7

where the tournament took place. We were unable to progress passed this day and, if we are honest with ourselves, we did not play our best Hockey. However, it is important to remember that to reach the regional final was a massive and commendable achievement and we learnt a lot from this experience, even if we did not compete quite to the standard we did on other occasions during the season. Nevertheless, we are extremely grateful to have had the support from so many parents as well as the time and patience given by the teachers over the two days. After Norwich, the remainder of the season flew by with only one game being lost outside of tournaments, making the overall season immensely successful. In total, the team scored 50 goals and conceded only 22, proving that we are a team to be feared! As a squad, we look forward to the next Hockey season when we can build on our successes, develop our skills and reflect on any losses, to make us even stronger. None of this would have been possible without the wonderful coaching and support from Mr Braddick, Mr Clapp, Mr Mathews and Mr Wells; thank you! Squad (from): Francesca Barton, Jessica De Lucy, Philippa Dow, Charlotte Farrell, Alice Gotke, Olivia Heard, Daisy Hills, Charlotte Lang, Sophie Lee, Desiree Loxton-Barnard, Tess Pritchard, Maisie Rixon (Capt.), Alice Samuels, Katherine Sawyer, Katie Swift and Florence Watkinson (Vice-Capt.).

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Under 13A Girls’ Hockey Charlotte Farrell, Second Form

When we played in the County Cup in October, we had King’s Rochester, Duke of York’s Royal Military School and St Lawrence College in our pool. We won the first two games 3-0, but then unfortunately lost the third 3-1. This meant we went on to play Junior King’s Canterbury, where we ended up losing 4-2 after a hard-fought match with Charlotte Lang and our goalkeeper Grace Wilson, defending well. A special mention should also go

Under 13B Girls’ Hockey Holly Clark, Second Form Record: Played 10, Won 9, Drawn 1, Lost 0

his term, the Under 13B team have had tremendous success in their Hockey matches and training. All of the girls have made significant improvements to their respective games and persevered through imperfections in game play. The determination of the team to improve has seen us record some excellent results.

to our substitutes Louisa Yorke, Demi Finch and Lulu Pankhurst, who stepped in brilliantly when players started to get tired. Overall, we had a great season with seven wins, two draws and three losses. This could not have happened without the coaching from Mr Mathews and Mr Wells.We also had the support of many parents who cheered us on, giving us momentum in every game. I hope that next season is just as great as this one and cannot wait for next Hockey season. Squad (from): Chloe Alexander, Holly Clark, Jessica De Lucy, Charlotte Farrell (Capt.), Demi Finch, Grace Finch, Olivia Heard, Charlotte Lang, Lily Mostowfi (Vice-Capt.), Katherine Sawyer, Anna Smith, Grace Wilson, Louisa Yorke and Jemma Yusuf.

Under 13A Girls’ Hockey

fter coming back from a long summer break, the team, with its new members, started the season slowly. After the first few games, we started to get used to one another as a team, meaning that Katherine Sawyer and I were able to distribute the ball out wide to Jessica De Lucy and Chloe Alexander. We scored many goals by doing this, as well as from short corners hit in by Olivia Heard.

Record: Played 12, Won 7, Drawn 2, Lost 3

As a whole, the team has worked on strong accurate hits this term. The defence, in particular, has been hugely successful by using a variety of jab, shave and block tackles. This has seen them concede only seven goals all season, including five clean sheets.As well as our defence, our attackers definitely improved their strategy and skills, which saw us score an average of nearly five goals per game. The team would like to thank Mrs Rose for her terrific coaching and encouragement throughout the term. We have had an amazing season and I hope the girls enjoyed it; they should be very proud, and here’s to an equally good season next year!

Under 13B Girls’ Hockey

This year, we enjoyed nine wins, one draw and no losses, making a total of ten matches played unbeaten.The girls should be very proud of these results, which included notable wins against Vinehall School (10-0), Ashford School (6-0) and Saint Ronan’s School (7-1).

Squad (from): Chloe Alexander, Holly Clark, Calia Cordell, Jessica De Lucy, Kristina Duckett, Emily Ferris, Demi Finch, Charlotte Lang, Lily Mostowfi, Lulu Pankhurst, Katherine Sawyer, Anna Smith, Scarlett Washington, Grace Wilson, Louisa Yorke and Jemma Yusuf.

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1st VII Netball Georgia Ridge, Upper Sixth

his season has been extremely successful for the 1st VII Netball team, remaining undefeated throughout. In the history of Netball at the School, this is only the third time in 30 years such an accomplishment has been achieved. This is testament to the hard work and determination of the girls throughout the season in their training and matches. Our first game of the season was a tough fixture against St John’s School, Leatherhead. With a home crowd supporting us from the balcony, the girls put in a strong first quarter, with Naomi Lijeson pulling out some incredible interceptions from our defensive D, allowing her to distribute the ball to our centre court players. Emelia Hollingsworth and I worked hard to move the ball around their taller defenders, with Emelia’s effortless shooting allowing us to capitalise from every opportunity. We managed to maintain this lead throughout the game, with the final score a deserved 24-18 victory. Another highlight of the season was beating Sevenoaks School in a closely-fought match. Olivia Richards gained player of the match for her distribution of the ball, and the continuous pressure she placed on the opposition’s shooters, forcing them to miss shots at the most crucial of times. Millie Bonny also worked closely with Eliza Lewis, moving the ball down the different channels and putting in accurate overhead passes to Emilia Hollingsworth, racking up our score count.The final quarter was a close battle, however, the girls’

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Record: Played 12, Won 10, Drawn 2, Lost 0

determination meant that we were able to hold the lead, finishing the game 23-20. Other victories throughout our season included a narrow 15-11 victory over Christ’s Hospital and a more emphatic 41-11 win at home to King’s Rochester. As the season progressed, we scored a solid 30-22 win against Cranbrook School, a 31-16 triumph over St Edmund’s School and an equally impressive 33-16 win over St Lawrence College. The season culminated in a show-stopping match against Kent College, Pembury. Having worked so hard through the course of the season to maintain our undefeated run, there was extra pressure going into this finale. Thankfully, the match saw us call on everything we had learned during the season, combined with elements we had worked so hard on in training, to result in an outstanding performance. The defence intercepted any balls coming into the D and the centre court players worked tirelessly to distribute the balls to Emelia and me. All of this resulted in a final score of 41-25, and meant that after 12 gruelling matches, we had finished the season undefeated. Squad (from): Emilia Bonny, Emilia Hollingsworth, Rehannah Houghton-Judge, Eliza Lewis, Naomi Lijesen, Georgia Ridge (Capt.), Olivia Richards, Isabelle Stevens, Jemma Stuart and Fynley Young.

SPORT AND GAMES

2nd VII Netball Henrietta Taylor, Upper Sixth Record: Played 9, Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 2

he Sutton Valence girls began the season with a strong start; two impressive wins over St John’s School, Leatherhead (2612) and Claremont School (21-6). With some impressive defending at the back from Harriet Cage and Isabelle Turner, we managed to prevent both teams from scoring, keeping their goal totals down. At the other end, with excellent shooting from Lily Crampton, our goal total rose. Unfortunately, in our third game of the season, this time against Christ’s Hospital, we suffered our first of only two losses during the season. We learned from this defeat though and managed to improve our game as the season went on with wins over: Lancing College (13-8); King’s Rochester (20-7); St Lawrence College (38-13) and Kent College, Pembury (27-7).

1st VII Netball

Our most intense game came in the sixth week of term, which was, of course, against Cranbrook School, our closest rivals. With some lovely play in the centre court from the likes of Issy Stevens and Verity Smith, the girls managed to stay ahead for most of the first half by only one or two goals. However, it was hard for our defenders to stop Cranbrook from coming back strongly. With the opposition holding the ball for the last few minutes of the game, we managed to intercept and gain one last goal from Hettie Taylor to secure a 20-20 draw. I would like to thank all the girls who played in the 2nd VII team and all the support we received throughout the season, especially from Miss Hallett. Squad (from): Harriet Cage, Ella Capaldi, Lily Crampton, Phoebe Dawson, Grace Mortley, Verity Smith, Isabelle Stevens, Jemma Stuart, Henrietta Taylor (Capt.) and Isabelle Turner.

3rd VII Netball Ella Capaldi, Upper Sixth

2nd VII Netball

Record: Played 8, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 3

he 3rd VII had a very successful season, winning four out of the eight matches that we played and drawing one. Successfully defending and shooting led us to score 157 goals throughout the term and only concede 114.

Highlights of the season included victories against King’s Rochester (26-3), Claremont School (28-3), and a tightly contested 22-20 win over St John’s School, Leatherhead. With so many people in the squad, everyone worked together extremely well and played many different positions, our diversity serving us well. This allowed us to modify our team depending on the oppositions strengths, allowing us to thrive. Squad (from): Harriet Aburn, Eleanor Agu Benson, Molly Alexander, Caitlin Allison, Ella Capaldi (Capt.), Phoebe Dawson, Annie Gledhill, Bethan Miles, Charlotte Percival, Gracie Rigby, Lauren Robinson, Jemma Stuart and Faber Swaine.

3rd VII Netball

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Under 16A Netball

Under 16A Netball Emily Smith, Fifth Form

he Under 16A Netball team has had its best season so far, finishing the term unbeaten. Despite playing some tough competition in the form of The King’s School, Canterbury and Lancing College, we still managed to come out with a great winning streak. Even with a number of matches having to be cancelled, this was definitely our most enjoyable season yet. Having had our opening match against Duke of York’s Royal Military School cancelled due to snow, we started our season off with a solid 22-14 victory at home to St John’s School, Leatherhead. Next we headed to a triangular fixture against Christ’s Hospital and Lancing. With a good 20-12 against Christ’s Hospital, our closest game of the year then came against Lancing, which we managed to edge 15-14. Hosting Sevenoaks School on the first weekend after Half Term, we took on both their Under 16B team (winning 2418) and their Under 16A team, which we won 23-20. We finished the season off with a trip to The King’s School, Canterbury, and managed to retain our undefeated streak with a 23-18 victory. Following on from our successful Under 15A season last year, some of our positions changed around this year, which seemed to make our team stronger than ever before. With a great defensive line-up including Georgia Mancais and Verity Streek, it meant interceptions were a regular occurrence this season, which made it very hard for any opposing teams to have a chance to shoot at goal. Sophie Baxter in wing defence worked well with the defensive duo,

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Record: Played 7, Won 7, Drawn 0, Lost 0

helping them to move the ball up the court to me and Phoebe Aucamp at centre and wing attack.The ball was then swiftly moved into the hands of our talented shooters, who almost always made the shot. Imogen Forknall, Ella Hughes and Kate Woodford were our three shooters this year and without them we would of not have been able to have as good a season as we did. It was very reassuring knowing that once the ball was in our D, it was in safe hands. Watching our team work so well together this year was great to see. With everyone being more aware of the rest of the team’s positioning on court, the game play flowed very smoothly. This really increased our confidence as a team and we went into every game determined to do our best and give it our all, which, as you can see, really paid off. I want to say a huge well done to all the girls who played in the Under 16A Netball team this year and thank you for contributing to our very successful season. A big thank you must go to Mrs Pankhurst for taking us again this year and coaching us so well. Hopefully our winning streak will continue into next year! Squad (from): Phoebe Aucamp, Sophie Baxter, Imogen Forknall, Ella Hughes, Georgia Mancais, Emily Smith (Capt.),Verity Streek and Kate Woodford.

Under 15B Netball

Under 15A Netball

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 15A Netball

Under 15B Netball

Annabel Mansfield, Fourth Form

Pescha Cordell, Fourth Form

Record: Played 12, Won 10, Drawn 0, Lost 2

Record: Played 10, Won 7, Drawn 0, Lost 3

his term was a very successful season for the Under 15A team, winning ten out of our twelve matches. We had a very strong and motivated team who worked extremely well together throughout the season, and this was reflected in the results. One of the highlights of the season was the game against Benenden School. After a really hard-fought game, we emerged victorious with a deserved 16-11 win. This was all the more meaningful, as we had lost against them in the previous season. Anna Harrison and Alexandra Sacker worked hard in defence to stop their attacking force entering the D. Listening to the advice of our coaches and taking on board the practice from training, our centre passes worked exceptionally well using the set play, allowing the ball to enter the shooting D smoothly. The highlight of the season for most of the girls was the excellent 40-1 victory against Claremont Senior School. Charlotte Wooldridge and Jemima Bruce-Lockhart played incredibly well to force interceptions and pass the ball to the shooters. Our defence and attacks also worked well to allow space and support to ensure we got the goals. Another memorable moment was winning our match against King’s Rochester 51-12. Jenna Boltman played exceptionally well throughout the match with her consistently good shooting.

he Under 15B Netball team had an amazing season with a 70% win rate. Through the course of the Lent Term, we achieved notable victories over the likes of Claremont School (30-7) and St Edmund’s School (2010) but our greatest triumph was in our match against King’s Rochester, where we won 34-6. Another notable success came in our triangular tournament against Lancing College and Christ’s Hospital. We won against both schools, beating Lancing 27-7 and Christ’s Hospital 22-6. The player of the tournament was Isabella Dransfield, for her incredible shooting throughout. Towards the end of the season, despite losses to The King’s School, Canterbury and Cranbrook School, we also managed good victories against St Lawrence College (34-13) and Kent College, Pembury (23-7). As a team we worked really well together. In defence, Charlotte Heard, Katie Lang and Elizabeth Moore played excellently all season, limiting the opposition’s scoring opportunities, which led to us conceding a minimal number of goals in six of our matches. Lara Savage and Isabella Dransfield worked really well together in the D, which helped us to secure many goals and wins.

The whole team was enthusiastic throughout the entire season and, given our excellent string of results, we were devastated when the season drew to an end. This has been our best year yet with our overall goal score of 318 to 152. As a group, we can’t wait for next season and are looking forward to the South Africa tour next February.

Daisy Fenton (wing attack) and Amelie Rossiter (wing defence) worked really hard in the centre court, and Gabriella Romano was a vital member of the team, because of her versatility in the positions she could play. We learned how to play together as a team, and learned new skills throughout the course of the season. Thank you to our coach, Mrs Head. We all had so much fun, and can’t wait for next season!

Squad (from): Jenna Boltman, Jemima Bruce-Lockhart, Isabelle Cook, Daisy Fenton, Anna Harrison, Gabriella Howarth, Katie Lang, Annabel Mansfield (Capt.), Alexandra Sacker, Amelia Semmens and Charlotte Wooldridge.

Squad (from): Isabelle Cook, Pescha Cordell (Capt.), Isabella Dransfield, Daisy Fenton, Charlotte Heard, Katie Lang, Lily Marsh, Elizabeth Moore, Gabriella Romano, Amelie Rossiter, Lara Savage and Amelia Semmens.

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Under 14B Netball

Under 14A Netball

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 14A Netball

Under 14B Netball

Sophie Lee, Third Form

Nicole Avery, Third Form

Record: Played 6, Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 5

Record: Played 6, Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 5

ur first match of the season was supposed to be against Duke of York’s Royal Military School but, unfortunately, it was cancelled. However, it gave us another week to train for the match the following weekend against St John’s School, Leatherhead. We set off for this match positively, even though we had heard how strong St John’s was. The first match took us by surprise as the opposition was scoring goal after goal, and we were finding it difficult to get into our circle to shoot. Finally, we managed to find space and use short and quick passes, which resulted in several goals. Unfortunately for us, St John’s were an extremely strong team with an immense defence, resulting in a devastating loss. The following weekend, the team’s confidence was knocked due to the loss the week before, which rubbed off in the way we played, and left the final score as 3-24 to Christ’s Hospital. After practising our shooting and defence during the games sessions throughout the week, we went out with a good attitude to play Cranbrook School. The match was extremely close the whole way through. The SVS girls were marking the opposition tightly and passing the ball quickly down the court, resulting in us taking the lead. However, Cranbrook managed to use their tall shooters and quick centre to their advantage and, unfortunately, beat us with a close score of 18-15. The season ended with a brilliant match against The King’s School, Canterbury, which we set off determined to win. The score was tight all the way through the match. However, luckily, we scored a goal in the last minute and King’s were unable to come back. The final score was 19-18 to Sutton Valence. I would like to thank Mrs Pankhurst and Mrs Rose for coaching us this year, and the girls and I are looking forward to the next season. Squad (from): Chloe Alexander, Francesca Barton, Charlotte Farrell, Charlotte Gilman, Alice Gotke, Daisy Hills, Cameron Lamont-Brown, Sophie Lee (Capt.), Desiree Loxton-Barnard, Muhing Okhrabu, Tess Pritchard, Maisie Rixon, Alice Samuels and Florence Watkinson.

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he Under 14B Netball team had an up-and-down season during the Lent Term. After a really successful season last year, the team worked hard to improve its skills and looked forward to taking on St John’s School, Leatherhead in the first match of the season. Unfortunately, it was St John’s day and after a grueling match, where the Sutton Valence girls tried their hardest, they were sadly beaten 45-2. We were especially proud of Cameron Lamont-Brown who won player of the match as wing attack. Determined not to be deflated by this, the team practised harder than ever to prepare for their next match against Lancing College at home. The hard work paid off, as the team were rewarded with a hard-fought 11-11 draw. Unfortunately, the next three matches were all losses, despite the team’s best efforts and commitment during training sessions. Not once did the team give up and they rallied together after every loss, resulting in closer and closer scores. The last match of the season took place on a sunny March day, at home, against The King’s School, Canterbury. This was our last chance to really show what we were made of and we were determined to put on a good show. The match started with a flurry of goals by the King’s School’s super-tall goal shooter, but slowly we managed to pull the score back. In the last quarter, we were finally edging ahead with a score of 15-14, but King’s proved to be just as determined with a late rally of their own. As the final whistle blew, we had once again been defeated with a final score of 17-18. Despite losing the majority of our games I was very proud of how the team stayed positive throughout a tough season. Squad (from): Nicole Avery (Capt.), Emily Baldwin, Jemma Brown, Philippa Dow, Grace Finch, Amelia Kirk-Brown, Cameron Lamont-Brown, Mariana Mason, Muhing Okhrabu, Lulu Pankhurst, Tess Pritchard, Alice Samuels, Katherine Sawyer, Katie Swift and Molly Veasey.

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 13A Netball Chloe Alexander and Jessica De Lucy, Second Form

he Under 13A Netball team had a very successful year. We started out at a triangular tournament with two other local schools. After a tough first match against Holmewood House School, which we lost 5-13, we came back fighting to win against Saint Ronan’s School 6-4, meaning we finished second in the tournament. After a tough first few matches, we worked on our weaknesses in training and within the space of a couple of sessions we had improved significantly. We put these skills into practice helping us come out on top. This included wins against Marlborough House School (18-16), Invicta Grammar School (17-9) and Wellesley House (28-10).

Under 13A Netball

We also had a very tough match against Dulwich Prep, Cranbrook, which was well-contested by all the girls.The game was very open, with end-to-end play throughout. After a motivational half-time team talk by Mrs Pankhurst and Mrs Rose, we were full of energy and determination and came out in the second half fighting, earning a well-deserved 20-20 draw. Overall, we had an outstanding team which showed great dedication and skill throughout all of the matches and tournaments.

Record: Played 6, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 1

Charlotte Farrell (goal attack) and Charlotte Lang (goal shooter) had an amazing season, their shooting was impeccable and their perseverance helped to keep the rest of the team’s heads held high. Grace Finch (centre) and Jessica De Lucy (wing attack) were fierce in their interceptions and skillful in quickly moving the ball up the court. Finally, at the back, Katherine Sawyer (wing defence) and Olivia Heard (goal defence) did a fantastic job at helping Chloe Alexander (goalkeeper) to keep the ball away from our goal. We were very proud to captain such an amazing team, which persevered against anything in its way. We would like to say a special thank you to Mrs Pankhurst and Mrs Rose for helping, supporting and encouraging us throughout every game, along with all of the families and friends who cheered and supported us throughout the season. I can’t wait for next season to play with the team again and hopefully bring in some more wins. Squad (from): Chloe Alexander (Co-Capt.), Holly Clark, Jessica De Lucy (Co-Capt.), Charlotte Farrell, Demi Finch, Grace Finch, Olivia Heard, Charlotte Lang, Lily Mostowfi, Lulu Pankhurst, Katherine Sawyer and Anna Smith.

Under 13B Netball Scarlett Washington, First Form Record: Played 4, Won 3, Drawn 0, Lost 1

Under 13B Netball

he Under 13B Netball team this year played four games and won three of them. We fought hard and got through to the knock-out rounds in the county tournament, but unfortunately came up against the eventual winners.

We were very strong in defence, with Kristina Duckett, Demi Finch and Freya Penfold keeping it out of our D and making it virtually impossible for the opposition to create chances. In attack, Emily Ferris and Libbie McNamara got forward well, setting up Lulu and me to shoot. Louisa Yorke was our centre and was darting around, distributing to our out-players.We used our good communication to pass the ball efficiently, which led to us winning so many of our matches. As a team, we didn’t necessarily have any stand-out performers, but collectively we worked fantastically together. If we could improve on one thing, I would say that we needed to get to know one another’s game more. This would help us to predict passes, and use space more effectively. We need to build on our strong foundation; Freya Penfold was excellent in defence and our hard passes helped us get the ball out of danger quickly. Overall, we were amazing this year and I am confident that we will be even better next year. Squad (from): Holly Clark, Kristina Duckett, Emily Ferris, Demi Finch, Olivia Heard, Charlotte Lang, Lily Mostowfi, Lulu Pankhurst, Anna Smith, Scarlett Washington, Louisa Yorke and Jemma Yusuf.

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SPORT AND GAMES

1st XI Boys’ Hockey

1st XI Boys’ Hockey William Harrison, Lower Sixth

he 2016/17 season saw a young 1st XI perform to a standard of Hockey beyond expectations. We reached the semi-finals of one cup competition and the quarterfinals of another, as well as putting in some outstanding performances during our regular fixtures.

Record: Played 14, Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 7

recovered the score to a more respectable 2-2 by the end of the first half.

Early highlights of the season included great wins against traditionally strong Hockey schools, such as Ashford School (3-0) and The Skinners’ School (5-2). The latter of these two was in the opening round of the County Cup, which led us to a quarter-final match against Kent College, Canterbury. In a hard-fought game against an aggressive opposing team, we managed to grind out a 1-1 draw. The match would be decided on penalty strokes, and we were pleased to come out with a 3-2 win. This meant the team progressed to the semi-final, to once again face Ashford School, whom we had already defeated in the early weeks of the season.

At half-time, it was clear that our energy levels were low and we knew we were in for a tough battle in the second half. In contrast, the Ashford team came out in the second half looking refreshed and their swift plays resulted in a collapse in our structure, which saw them score two goals. Rather than let our heads drop, in true Suttonian spirit we pushed on with our captain, Jamie Drewe (Upper Sixth), leading from the front, cutting lines and causing problems for their defence. This resulted in left winger, James Bevan-Thomas, stealing the ball and blasting us back into the match with an excellent goal. Unfortunately, we couldn’t continue the comeback though and the game ended 4-3 to Ashford School. Despite being knocked out the County Cup in the semi-finals, we were delighted to get so far with such a young team.

In the previous matches, we had shown excellent understanding on the pitch, so we entered the semi-final match with a lot of confidence. The first whistle went and we were blasted by a constant wave of attack, in sharp contrast to the defensive play Ashford had shown in our previous encounters. This shock of intensity saw us concede two early goals. The SVS boys rallied from the early assault and came back with heightened aggression of their own, epitomised by Cameron Knight (Upper Sixth) who

As well as the County Cup, we also entered the Frank Mason Tournament, which proved to be a day to remember. Hosted at St Edmund’s School in Canterbury, we found ourselves in a group against St Edmund’s, Eltham College, and once again,Ashford School. Despite a 2-0 loss to Eltham College, we managed to beat Ashford School (1-0) and St Edmund’s (2-0) which saw us progress from the group into the quarter-finals, where we would face St Lawrence College. Unfortunately, we lost that match 1-0, crashing out of the

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SPORT AND GAMES

Special mentions should go to the departing Upper Sixth players: our captain, Jamie Drewe, whose outstanding enthusiasm set a benchmark for future captains to follow and vice-captain, Cameron Knight, who caused mayhem in midfield with his persistent ability to get under the opposition’s skin. James Bevan-Thomas put in some excellent performances down the left wing, with his devastating stick skills and pace on the ball. In addition, James Croke’s ruthless tackling in defence was effective in breaking up opposition attacks, and Angus McVarish’s hawk-eye vision provided excellent supply to the forward line, with his furious acceleration from the middle of the park. Grateful thanks must also go to Mr Braddick and Mr Harrison for their coaching and especially to our Head Coach, Mr Mathews, for setting us up for an amazing season.

2nd XI Boys’ Hockey

tournament, and then faced them again the following Saturday, in a regular block fixture, which we could only draw 3-3. Enough said about that. Our end of season form dipped with only a solitary win from our final matches. That came against Duke of York’s Military School, which we won 4-1. Aside from that, we suffered defeats to The King’s School, Canterbury (5-3), Cranbrook School (4-2), Eastbourne College (3-1) and Ardingly College (5-0).

Squad (from): James Bevan-Thomas, James Croke, George Deptford, Jamie Drewe (Capt.), Lars Eastman, Laurence Eastman, Edward Ervine, Jack Fenton, George Gaston, Sabin Gurung, William Harrison, Cameron Knight (Vice-Capt.), Thomas Lazarides, Angus McVarish, Thomas Millington, Harry O’Rawe, Henry Overy, Max Savage, Alex Thorogood and Matthew Webb.

2nd XI Boys’ Hockey Fergus Fowle, Fifth Form

he 2nd XI Hockey team of 2016-17, led by Mr Cope and captained by Charles Court (Upper Sixth), had a really strong season, with some great results along the way. We played as a team, not as a group of individuals and, rather than having one or two stand-out players, the whole group contributed towards our successes. The team genuinely wanted to be at every match they played, and we all had respect for one another’s ability, which resulted in us playing as a well-oiled machine. With our first match of the season against Caterham School cancelled due to the early January snow, our season started a week later against Ashford School in a match we won 2-0, with goals from Thomas Lazarides and Angus Barclay (both Lower Sixth). This match gave us great confidence and led to a winning streak of three matches, in which ten goals were scored and only one goal conceded. The first of these victories was an efficient 4-0 win over St Lawrence College, which we followed up with a 4-1 triumph over The King’s School, Canterbury on the first weekend back after Half Term. A hard-fought 2-2 draw, against local rivals Cranbrook School, was the only dent in our early season form, but we bounced back a week later to claim our biggest win of the season against Duke of York’s Royal Military School - a resounding 6-0 demolition away from home.

Record: Played 7, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 2

At that point in the season, with four wins and a draw out of our first five games, we boasted a better record than the 1st XI. Unfortunately though, the run had to come to an end. The following week we faced Eastbourne College, traditionally a strong Hockey school, which is always one of the toughest fixtures in the calendar.The 50-minute war finished in a 2-1 victory to Eastbourne, however, the Sutton Valence team put up a mighty battle and should be proud of their performance. With confidence knocked, this loss carried through into our final game of the season, which we sadly also lost 3-1 to Ardingly College. Looking past this, we can reflect on a successful season for the 2nd XI, with many excellent performances from the boys. Despite the end of season blip, it was a season to remember and we look forward to pushing for 1st XI places next year. Squad (from): Thomas Aiken, Anup Ale, Angus Barclay, Tim Anthony, Charles Court (Capt.), Archie Crouch, George Deptford, Felix Dont, Laurence Eastman, William Edwards, Edward Ervine, Fergus Fowle, George Gaston, Alistair Gooding, Sabin Gurung, Alexander Hill, Thomas Lazarides, William Marsh, Sean McKeating, Harry O’Rawe, Alexander Schuller, Miles Stockman, Jonty Watson and Harry Yorke.

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Under 15B Boys’ Hockey

Under 15A Boys’ Hockey

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 15A Boys’ Hockey

Under 15B Boys’ Hockey

Max Savage, Fourth Form

Arthur Genders, Fourth Form

Record: Played 13, Won 10, Drawn 2, Lost 1

Record: Played 6, Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 3

fter another very enjoyable, but intense, Hockey season, the Under 15A team had their best season yet. It all started with a very comfortable win against Ashford School 4-0, which gave the team a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, we followed that up with a loss against a strong St Lawrence College team, in what would be our first of two losses to them during the season. We bounced back strongly though with an excellent 4-2 win away at The King’s School, Canterbury. Following that victory, we went into the Peter Firminger County Cup tournament on 3rd March feeling confident. Winning two of our three group matches, we progressed to the quarter-finals where we faced Kent College. A good 2-1 victory set up a semi-final showdown with Tonbridge School, which we also went on to win 2-1. Unfortunately, we came up against our old nemesis - St Lawrence College - in the final, and again, they came out on top, wining 5-3 on penalty flicks in the final. We finished the season with four straight victories against Cranbrook School (4-1), Duke of York’s Royal Military School (10-0), Eastbourne College (4-0) and Ardingly College (5-1). We dominated all of these games with Louis Ridge and Ben Watkins on an amazing scoring streak up front. This was backed up by a very solid defence, which saw us really limit the opposition attacks. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the season, and we would not have been half as successful without the amazing help of Mr Wells, supporting us the whole way through. His encouraging team talks before the matches and at half-time had a really positive impact, which I hope you can tell from the results we achieved. Squad (from): Sammy Blakely, Nathaniel Easton, James Gotke, Hugh Harman, Jack Hughes, George Jones, Oliver Laird, Arthur Moffatt, Jack Stanton-Gleaves, Louis Ridge, Max Savage (Capt.), Finn Swaine, Noah Swaine and Benjamin Watkins.

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he Under 15B Hockey team had a positive season with two stand-out performances against Duke of York’s Royal Military School and Cranbrook School.The squad was a little slow starting the term, but once we got into our stride, playing with width and accuracy of passing, we played some excellent Hockey towards the end of the season. After the cancellation of our first game against Caterham School, the season finally got underway against Reigate Grammar School, but unfortunately we struggled and came out with a 3-0 loss. A week later, in a match against St Lawrence College, we suffered another defeat, though our performance was much improved. With another cancellation and the Half Term holiday, it was a month before we played our next game. The wait was worth it, as we put in an excellent display against Cranbrook, playing with much better fluency. Our high-tempo approach proved too much for a very strong opposing team, and we came away with a solid 3-0 victory.The success continued a week later as we put four goals past Duke of York’s Royal Military School, where our determination really shone through, along with our fitness. The season finished with a 2-2 draw against Eastbourne College and a 3-1 loss to Ardingly College. To pick out some individual successes of the season, Brandon Jackson deserves a mention for being outstanding in goal, especially as he had never played Hockey before this term. In addition,Thomas Taft’s skill down the wing was always a threat to opposition teams and he worked extremely hard in every game, dribbling past defenders as if they weren’t there.Well done to all players and thanks to Mr Fewson and Mr Howell for coaching us this term. Squad (from): George Baker, Luke Bernicchi, Daniel Cloke, Arthur Genders (Capt.), Awishma Gurung, Reuben Hodson, Brandon Jackson, Emmerson Jones, Oliver Jones, Jack Lewis, Sebastiaan Lijesen, Thomas McLaughlin, Samuel Pope, George Samuels, Noah Swaine, Thomas Taft and Jamie Warman.

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 14A Boys’ Hockey Alexander Duckett, Third Form

Record: Played 9, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 4

Lawrence College (5-1), as well as late season losses to Eastbourne College and Ardingly College.

In total, we won four matches, drew one and lost four. Our best win was a 12-0 away victory against Duke of York’s Royal Military School, and our most unfortunate loss was a 5-2 defeat to Eltham College, in a match that saw us crash out of the County Cup at the quarter-final stage. The score did not represent how well we played, with the few defensive slips we made being punished every time.

Looking forward to next season, we have lost two key players from the team, as they have now left the School. Luca Capaldi, who has moved to America, offered great defensive play from left back and William Bewsher offered rigid structure in midfield. Both will be sorely missed by the team. Overall, we had a strong season and hopefully we can build on that next season, focusing on working more as a team.

Other notable victories came against Ashford School (4-2), The King’s School, Canterbury (1-0) and Duke of York’s Royal Military School (3-0). Three days after our disappointing Eltham College defeat, we also fell to another heavy defeat at the hands of St

Squad (from): Sam Allison, Ewen Barr, William Bewsher, Bishesh Bhandari, Luca Capaldi, Alexander Duckett (Capt.), Callum Hanna, Louis Hillier, Joseph Lenehan, Theodore Nelson, Jack Price, Finlay Sprent, Jack Walker, Archie Yorke and McKellen Young.

Under 14A Boys’ Hockey

his year’s Under 14A Boys’ Hockey team season had a shaky season. Unfortunately, we failed to proceed further than county level in our cup competition, but had some promising individuals and some strong team play. Some stand-out performances included Jack Walker, whose strength in defence offered great protection to our goalkeeper, Theo Nelson, who himself put in some amazing saves. In the middle of the park, Joseph Lenehan distributed the ball well, and up front Louis Hillier put in consistently strong performances.

On an individual basis we had some great players – Louis Hiller is a JRPC player, and we also had four Kent players – Sam Allison, Joseph Lenehan, Jack Walker and me. Our best goal of the season came from Sam Allison, when he managed to angle a mid-air deflection into the top right hand corner of the goal against Ashford School.

Under 14B Boys’ Hockey Patrick Mullen, Third Form Record: Played 7, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 2

his year, the Under 14B Boys’ Hockey team had a brilliant season, resulting in only two losses from our seven matches, and only conceding four goals throughout all of those games.

Under 14B Boys’ Hockey

We started the season with a trip to Reigate Grammar School, which was definitely our hardest game of the season. It was a close match, which saw some great saves by both keepers. In the last couple of minutes though, James Yeabsley broke away and scored a brilliant goal, sealing a good win for us. One of our best matches was against The King’s School, Canterbury. We played amazingly well, with Oliver Payne-Cook scoring two goals in an excellent 6-0 win. After a draw the following week against Cranbrook School, we bounced back with a good 5-0 win against Duke of York’s Royal Military School. Overall, we had a brilliant season and we have to say a massive thank you to our coach Mr Clapp for helping out in every game, and for all the support we got throughout the season. Squad (from): William Bewsher, Luca Capaldi, William Chambers, Jed Chipchase, Alfie Collins-Smith, James Crombie, Elliot Gooding, Suveen Gurung, Cameron Lindsay, James Mardon, Edward Marsh, Patrick Mullen (Capt.), Oliver PayneCook, Jack Price, Myles Simmons and James Yeabsley.

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Under 15B Boys’ Hockey

Under 15A Boys’ Hockey

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 13A Boys’ Hockey

Under 13B Boys’ Hockey

Joshua Laird, Second Form

Joshua Forknall, Second Form

Record: Played 25, Won 21, Drawn 1, Lost 3

Record: Played 13, Won 6, Drawn 4, Lost 3

he Under 13A Hockey team had the fullest programme of any of the School’s teams, playing a total of 25 matches over the course of the Lent Term. We won two tournaments along the way, and finished third in another. All-in-all, a successful season with some excellent performances to be proud of. The season started very well, winning 8-0 in our opening game against St Edmund’s School in Canterbury. We took a lot of confidence from this match, as we headed into a local tournament at Ashford School. The tournament went really well, as we achieved three straight 3-0 victories against Buckswood School and both the A and B teams from Ashford School. Those results meant we won the tournament in style. A month later, we then entered another tournament, this time at Dulwich Prep, Cranbrook against nine other schools. On the day, we scored nine goals across our five matches, and only conceded one. With group game victories over Saint Ronan’s School, (3-0), Junior King’s Canterbury (1-0) and King’s Rochester (3-0) we progressed to the semi-final, where we beat Rose Hill School 1-0. This set up a final against the hosts, Dulwich Prep, which finished 1-1 after extra time. In a nail-biting penalty shootout we won 2-0, coming away with the tournament victory. Later on in the season, after some impressive wins against Marlborough House (8-1) and Duke of York’s Royal Military School (7-1), we faced our toughest tournament of the year, against most of the top schools in Kent. We won our group against the likes of Sir Joseph Williamson Mathematical School, Sir Roger Manwood’s School and Eltham College, which then put us into the semi-final against Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, which we narrowly lost 1-0. However, we then won the third and fourth play-off match, which meant we finished third in the county - an excellent finish to an enjoyable season. Squad (from): Tom Barton, Jonte Hillier, Joshua Laird (Capt.), Jamie Latter-Lumsden, Daniel Lenehan, Felix Plant, Freddie Rigby, Jonny Russell and Joe Savage.

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he Under 13B Boys’ Hockey team had a mixed season, winning six games, drawing four and losing three. Our first match against St Edmund’s School was a great start for the team with an 8-2 win. The following week, we went to an Under 13 tournament in Ashford, where we topped our pool, but unfortunately were then knocked out in the next round. It was a bitterly cold, foggy day, but all the boys showed great determination! The next match against Duke of York’s Royal Military School was a 9-0 win to us, with Finn Page and Michael Summers showing excellent skill in attack. Unfortunately, the following match was against St Lawrence College, which we lost 3-0 despite good defence from Alfie Jarrett, Andrew Loy and Clayton Olson. A 9-3 win against Dulwich Prep Cranbrook and a 3-0 win against Marlborough House followed. The following week saw the Under 13Bs entered into an A team tournament at Canterbury. Our first match was against a strong Chatham and Clarendon Grammar School team, but the boys dug deep, and the game finished 1-1. Then came Langley Park School for Boys, where we battled hard, but were defeated 0-2. Throughout the day, Tom Barton, Joshua Pantony and Charlie Wood played well in midfield. We came second in our pool, but were knocked out in the next round after losing 1-0 to Kent College. The whole team should be congratulated on playing so well at this tournament, as we were the only B team there on the day, and finished 13th out of the 25 teams. Our final match of the season saw us draw 1-1 against New Beacon School. The Under 13Bs had an enjoyable season and we thank Mr Harrison and Mr Wells for their coaching throughout. Squad (from): Benjamin Baker, Tom Barton, Joshua Forknall (Capt.), Jonte Hillier, Alfie Jarrett, Andrew Loy, Clayton Olson, Finlay Page, Joshua Pantony, Michael Summers, Oscar Vas and Charles Wood.

SPORT AND GAMES

Senior Boys’ Tennis

Under 15A Boys’ Tennis

Laurence Eastman, Lower Sixth and Lars Eastman, Fifth Form

James Gotke, Fourth Form

his season, despite having a young team, the Senior Boys’ tennis squad was able to put in some good performances against tough opposition. Although we ended the season having lost more matches than we won, we remained competitive throughout and were unlucky to have lost a couple of the fixtures. We seemed to excel in the County Cup competition, with our best performance of the season coming against Kent College, Canterbury in a match we dominated in a 5-1 win. That result sent us to the semi-finals of the competition where we lost closely to The King’s School, Canterbury. Despite the round of matches finishing 3-3, we were unlucky to lose on game difference. On an individual basis, there were some stand-out performances during the season from James Gotke (Fourth Form), Lars Eastman and Harry O’Rawe (both Fifth Form) and Laurence Eastman (Lower Sixth). James must get a special mention as he improved his ranking from a 7.1 to a 6.1 over the season, making him the highest ranked player in the School. Therefore, at the tender age of 14, he became the team’s first seed. Looking to next season, this squad has the potential to surpass the achievements of this year. Despite our strong showings throughout, there are still areas that need work, highlighted by the disappointing results. However, we are looking forward to an exciting next season with a stronger and more experienced team. Thanks must go to Alex Brown (Tennis coach) and Mr Cope, for all the hours of practice and expertise they have given the team over the year.

Senior Boys’ Tennis

Squad (from): Favour Daka, Lars Eastman, Laurence Eastman (Capt.), James Gotke, Harry O’Rawe and Henry Overy.

he Under 15A team had a busy 2017 season and faced a number of strong tennis-playing schools. The team performed well, even if the results did not always reflect that.

The team consisted of Diego Dualde Valiente, James Gotke, Emmerson Jones, Arthur Moffatt, Patrick Mullen, George Samuels, Finn Swaine and Noah Swaine. Primarily, the main doubles pairings were James Gotke and Finn Swaine, and George Samuels and Noah Swaine. The first match of the season was against Sevenoaks School, which we lost despite some close matches. James Gotke managed to win his match, and other members of the team were close to doing similar, but lost out to some tough opposition. Following that result, the team practised hard every week to improve various strokes and to get the pairs more experience of playing together. This led to further improvement as the season progressed. After the Sevenoaks School defeat, there were four further matches over the summer. The first of those was against Cranbrook School, where Finn Swaine played a great match to win, and again the rest of the team fought hard, with both doubles pairings narrowly winning. Unfortunately though, despite these good results, we lost out 5-4 overall. We then faced The Judd, which is always a tough proposition. Again, unfortunately, we lost overall, but there were some strong singles performances - including a win for James Gotke. The match that followed was against Norton Knatchbull Grammar School, with Arthur Moffatt making his debut and playing really well. He and Finn Swaine won two matches together, and George and Noah continued to play strong tennis and also won one match. The final match of our season was at The King’s School, Canterbury, another strong opponent. Arthur Moffatt and Finn Swaine impressed again while playing aggressive and consistent tennis to win two of their matches, as did George Samuels and Noah Swaine, who deserved great credit for their play. Despite the eventual 6-3 loss, it was clear from the performances on court how much we had improved as a team over the course of the season. I am confident that we will approach matches next year with a can-win attitude, and hopefully this will be reflected in a more positive set of results. On behalf of the team, I would like to thank Mr Cope for his dedication in getting practices arranged, and for transporting the team to their matches at various Kent schools. Squad (from): Diego Dualde Valiente, James Gotke (Capt.), Emmerson Jones, Arthur Moffatt, Patrick Mullen, George Samuels, Finn Swaine and Noah Swaine.

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SPORT AND GAMES

Senior Girls’ Tennis Nejla Eco, Upper Sixth

s Miss Hallett exclaimed after our final victorious match of the season against The King’s School, Canterbury, “This has been the most successful tennis season at Sutton Valence since 2002.” Whether or not that is the case is contentious, but what it does show is how much all of the girls have tried, given their best, practised and supported one another throughout the season. Sutton Valence tennis has flourished throughout the year, culminating in an amazing nine wins and only two losses for both first and second teams. Having played on many surfaces under many different weather conditions, the girls sometimes struggled to adapt to the dampened bounce of the ball, which was the main cause of our defeat to Kent College. I was so proud of the team that day, as they battled well against an opposing side that boasted two county players. Despite this, we still managed to stay in the match, narrowly losing 4-5. Our second team had an amazing season, with many more matches than expected. In fact, they played six matches this season. We have to mention the amazing wins against traditionally strong tennis schools; for example Epsom College and The King’s School, Canterbury.

Senior Girls’ Tennis

Attractive tennis and domination against Cranbrook School and St John’s School, Leatherhead, will always be remembered as the best tennis of the year, where Sutton Valence showed how strong and mentally prepared our girls were. Furthermore, our girls stayed persistent, and even when the exam season started, we had our tennis courts full of neat white skirts and shirts, and busy practice sessions. I am proud to say that we had no matches cancelled, unlike some of our opponents, who had to cancel simply due to lack of girls interested in playing. There lies the strength of our School! The community spirit and willingness to do and try new things, eager to win every single time we show up anywhere. Throughout the season, there were numerous striking shots of high efficiency and the finest precision. Serves seemed to be improving with every practice and by the end, serving was our opponents biggest enemy. If they were able to return, aggressive net playing would simply and effectively end the point in our favour. To sum up, all the segments of the play were quite strong and attitudes were positive. What would the last report be without mentioning all the people involved in the success? Firstly, I have to thank all the fellow leavers, Molly Alexander, Georgia Ridge and Henrietta Taylor, for everything they have done, for all the stunning shots and happiness they shared on the courts. Furthermore, thanks to my regular doubles partner, Emelia, for her calmness and quality of tennis at moments when I needed it the most. Grace, Sophie, Faber and our two youngest team members, Georgia Mancais and Kate Woodford. Thanks to all the other girls who played more or less, and girls who came to practices, but did not play matches. As a team, we really appreciate the dedication and support of the staff behind us: Alex Brown (our Tennis Coach); Miss Hallett and Mr Cope. Other mentions should also go to Hannah Rogger-Amies, who helped with the away matches and Ollie Clarke, who was always eager to play some tennis after school. An enormous debt of gratitude and respect from the bottom of my heart goes to these people, who made this tennis year extremely successful and happy for all of the girls. Squad (from): Emelia Bonny, Nejla Eco (Capt.), Emelia Hollingsworth, Eliza Lewis, Georgia Mancais, Georgia Ridge, Henrietta Taylor and Kate Woodford.

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Under 12 Girls’ Tennis

Under 13 Girls’ Tennis

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 13 Girls’ Tennis

Under 12 Girls’ Tennis

Chloe Alexander, Second Form

Scarlett Washington, First Form

The A team players made it to the knockouts, but there was a slight twist as both the doubles, Charlotte Farrell and I were up to play against Katherine Sawyer and Olivia Heard, our own team mates! In this head-to-head match Olivia and Katherine won, meaning they moved onto another match. Unfortunately, despite Olivia’s one-of-a-kind serve and Katherine’s sharp volleys, they were not able to win their next match, also getting knocked out!

Our second team comprised Kristina Duckett and Louisa Yorke, who matured as a tennis pair very well over the course of the season. As a four, we all went to a tournament at the Bromley Tennis Centre, with Lulu and myself coming tenth and Kristina and Louisa not far behind. I cannot forget to mention those who formed our third and fourth teams though. Emily Ferris, Demi Finch, Millie Sands and Grace Wilson all played spectacularly well, and collectively improved the most over the season. Together with the other First Form girls with whom we trained, our hard work and dedication in training sessions really paid off.

his year, we had a strong Tennis team filled with energy, determination and skill. We started off the season with a win against Tunbridge Wells Grammar School, by the resounding scoreline of 12 – 0. On Friday 5th May, our A and B teams then enjoyed a tournament at Bromley Tennis Centre, which was filled with extremely competitive and outstanding tennis schools, but this did not put us off.

The team scored some excellent victories during the season, including matches against Kent College (7-2) and Marlborough House (6-2). As a team we also suffered a few losses, but this just gave us more motivation to improve in our games lessons. I’d like to say thank you to all of the parents who cheered us on in all weathers, travelling far and wide. Furthermore, a special thank you should go to all the games staff, who gave us team talks and points of improvement, which helped us to go into our next matches with a fight inside us and a motivational spirit. I am proud to have been a part of such a committed and talented team. Squad (from): Chloe Alexander, Holly Clark, Charlotte Farrell, Olivia Heard (Capt.), Charlotte Holmes, Alice Roberson, Katherine Sawyer, Anna Smith and Scarlett Washington.

verall, this year’s Under 12 Tennis team performed well. We won a fair few of our games, but we still have room for improvement. Lulu Pankhurst and I formed the first team, and we bonded and worked really well together. Lulu was outstanding at the net, taking every chance she got, and I worked hard to send ground-strokes back to our opposition.

We have worked well as a team, celebrating and losing together. We supported and pushed each other to reach the very best of our abilities, whether it be a doubles or singles match. I am thrilled to think of what next year might bring as we progress into the Under 13 team. All of the team improved so much this season and, on behalf of the Under 12s, I would like to thank all of the teachers who helped us train throughout the Summer Term. Squad (from): Eliza Averill, Lily Bailey, Kristina Duckett, Emily Ferris, Demi Finch, Libbie McNamara, Lulu Pankhurst, Millie Sands, Martha Tatnell, Scarlett Washington (Capt.), Grace Wilson, Millie Wright and Louisa Yorke.

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SPORT AND GAMES

1st XI Cricket

1st XI Cricket Mr V Wells, Head of Cricket

aving lost some key players last year, the start of the 2017 season was always going to be an interesting one. The winter had been one of full-on commitment from some of the squad, but also limited commitment, for various reasons, from some players.We were lucky to welcome Lower Sixth and Kent Under 17 cricketer Rishi Roy-Mukherjee to the School in the winter months. Rishi’s leg spin bowling and batting skills were certainly going to be a big bonus to the side.The 1st XI, on paper, had a strong bowling attack with pace bowlers Elliot and Thomas Aiken backed up by Matthew Webb and spinners William Edwards and Rishi. The big question though was with the run scoring, if Captain James Bevan-Thomas, Jamie Drewe and Rishi did not fire. The boys were certainly capable of having a good season, but unfortunately, the overall winter work ethic carried on into pre-season and things were not looking great as we approached our first match. Full credit to this group of boys, after a few conversations the whole XI upped their game and with practice and commitment improving, the team was now heading in the right direction. The first game of the season resulted in a fine nine-wicket victory against The Forty Club. Chasing 132 to win, thanks mainly to a fine bowling display from left arm spinner William Edwards (3-14). The opening pair of Rishi Roy-Mukherjee (77 not out) and Joshua Aucamp (35) comfortably set about knocking off the runs with overs to spare. This was an important start and set the team up nicely for the rest of the season.

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Record: Played 14, Won 9, Drawn 1, Lost 4 Our second fixture was against Reigate Grammar School. This year, SVS was in a small league with Sevenoaks School, The Judd, Eltham College and Reigate. Batting first, a strong Reigate XI posted 226-4. In reply, a fine 59 from Captain James BevanThomas, 37 from Jamie Drewe and 31 from Hugo Loxton-Barnard kept us in the game, but the loss of a few quick wickets resulted in Sutton Valence eventually finishing on 175-5 and losing by 51 runs. Unfortunately, our next match against The MCC was cancelled due to heavy overnight rain. However, our next three games before Half Term resulted in three good wins and team performances against Sevenoaks School (league), Worth School and Tenterden. The boys were certainly enjoying their cricket and now playing very much as a team. Winning four out of five games was a good way to go into the Half Term break. The second half of term started with a new Cricket fixture against St Lawrence College. The boys seemed eager for this match after their break. A good bowling performance, with four wickets for Matthew Webb on his debut and 3-21 for the consistent William Edwards restricted the opposition to just 114. This was never going to be enough on another good Upper wicket and the boys reached their target without loss, with Rishi finishing on 77 not out and Thomas Lazarides 37 not out. The boys continued their fine form in their next game against The Judd, scoring 191-7, with Rishi again in fine form with 79. SVS then bowled The Judd out for 104, with William Edwards recording a fantastic 5-25, which resulted in an 87-run victory for the School.

SPORT AND GAMES

This brought us to our eagerly anticipated match against The King’s School, Canterbury. This fixture has resulted in some good games in the past and it always seems to bring out the best in the team. Unfortunately, the boys put in their worst performance of the season. The effort was there, but it was just one of those days. Restricting the opposition to 225 in their 50 overs, we were still in the game. Despite the loss of a few early wickets,William Edwards (40) and Michael Law (40) steadied the ship but, unfortunately, some poor shot selection and some good bowling from King’s resulted in us eventually being dismissed for 177. Our next game was against a very strong Old Suttonian XI. A wonderful day as always. Unfortunately, being in the middle of exams, the 1st XI were a few players short, but a great chance to look at some future 1st XI cricketers. The game, as always, was played in a tremendous spirit with the OS posting a daunting 273-4 declared. This was always going to be beyond the boys, but they battled hard with Thomas Lazarides scoring a fine 56. SVS eventually finished on 159-9, earning themselves a draw. As always, it was nice to see some old and new faces at our wonderful cricket ground. Our next game was a 20/20 fixture against Cranbrook School, which resulted in an 88-run victory. SVS scoring 164-5, with James Bevan-Thomas scoring a fine 56 and William Edwards 36. In reply, the visitors never really got going and were eventually dismissed for 76, with Matthew Webb the pick of the bowlers with 3-11. The next day, The Band of Brothers were our visitors. Deciding to bat first, they eventually scored 264. This was always going to be a tough ask and, despite a fine 40 not out from Thomas Lazarides, the boys could not quite hang on for a draw and were bowled out for 171.

224-6 declared. In reply, a young SVS team were never in the game and The Headmaster’s XI ended up comfortable winners. The boys had certainly performed well and, most importantly, they had grown and developed into a team as the season progressed. They should all be extremely proud. This year, we lose captain James Bevan-Thomas, wicket keeper Jamie Drewe and Elliot Aiken, William Edwards, Joshua Aucamp, Hugo Loxton-Barnard, Oliver Smither and William Sturges. These boys have all been committed members of SVS cricket; I would like to thank them and wish them all good luck for the future both on and off the sports field. Next year, will see a younger SVS side take to the field.The winter months will be important preparation for next season, especially with regards to the batting line up and putting competitive totals on the scoreboard. The South Africa tour is in place for February and will be a great focus during the winter months and a good way to start 2018. The commitment from the next group of players is already in place and there will be a lot of competition for places. A big thank you once again must go to Harrison Wells (2013 C) for his continued support in coaching the boys through the winter months and, to Ian Avery, Kevin Stickles and the ground staff, John Devine and his catering team, umpires Philip Higgins (1970 F) and Andy Cox and Daniel Hammond (2014 C) for scoring. Squad (from): Elliot Aiken, Thomas Aiken, Joshua Aucamp, James Bevan-Thomas (Capt), Jamie Drewe, William Edwards, Arthur Genders, Michael Law,Thomas Lazarides, Barnaby Loxton-Barnard, Hugo Loxton-Barnard, Rishi Roy-Mukherjee, Max Savage, Oliver Smither, Jack Stanton-Gleaves, William Sturges, Benjamin Watkins and Matthew Webb.

Unfortunately, our next game (and the final league game of the season) against Eltham College was cancelled due to rain. However, victories against The Judd and Sevenoaks School meant that we had finished as runners-up behind Reigate Grammar School. On the penultimate Friday of the Summer Term, SVS set off to try to defend their title in the four-team Twenty20 tournament at The King’s School, Canterbury with The Judd and Sevenoaks School. In our semi-final, we defeated The Judd by ten wickets. Winning the toss and inserting the opposition, the boys bowled extremely well and bowled The Judd out for just 88. Thomas Aiken (2-20) and spinners Rishi Roy-Mukherjee (3-20) and William Edwards (2-20) doing the damage. This was never going to be enough on a good wicket, SVS reached their target comfortably with openers Rishi finishing on 39 not out and Joshua Aucamp 37 not out. This set up a repeat of last year’s final against The King’s School, Canterbury, who had beaten Sevenoaks School in a high-scoring match. Following our earlier defeat in the season, the boys were really enthused about this game. SVS batted first, with Rishi scoring 52, Jamie Drewe a fine 45 and Joshua Aucamp 33. A total of 162-6 was going to be a challenging total on a wicket with some pace and turn. A fiery opening spell, from Elliot Aiken (3-11) and Thomas Aiken (3-17), meant the King’s innings never got going and, aided by some good fielding and back-up bowling, the boys recorded a fantastic 56-run victory. This was a fitting end for the Upper Sixth boys Elliot Aiken, Joshua Aucamp, James Bevan-Thomas, Jamie Drewe, William Edwards and Hugo Loxton-Barnard. Once again, with the senior boys all away, the final game of the season against The Headmaster’s XI, was a good chance to look at some younger players for the 2018 season.As always, this is a great way to finish the year. Batting first, The Headmaster’s XI scored

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SPORT AND GAMES

2nd XI Cricket

2nd XI Cricket Mr S Head, Master I/C

or some of the boys in the 2nd XI, this was going to be the last of three years of being in the team. We were determined to see how good a year it could be, and finish their Sutton Valence Cricket careers with a flourish. With the welcome addition of some very strong Fifth Form students, it promised to be one with excellent results. We began the season with a new fixture away to Reigate Grammar School. The opposition chose to bat first and, unfortunately, some indifferent fielding on our part allowed them to post a solid 119-6 from their 20 overs. On paper, this wasn’t the easiest of targets for a team in their maiden match, however, a very steady 36 not out from Thomas Saltmarsh, and some explosive hitting from Matthew Webb (74), meant that we passed their score after only 16 overs, resulting in a deserved victory in our first league game of the season. We followed this with a heavy defeat against a strong Claremont School side, before heading off to Sevenoaks School for our second league game. Again, some wayward bowling and poor fielding allowed the opposition to post 149-3 from their 20 overs. This again looked like it would be a tough target, but Lars Eastman (89 not out) and Will Dickinson (33 not out) steered us home with six overs to spare. Our next game against Worth School was a very close one, but we also dropped 12 catches in the match. If only a couple of those had

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Record: Played 7, Won 3, Drawn 0, Lost 4

been held, we would have run out easy winners, but lost instead in the last over of the game. Another sub-par performance meant that we lost to Kent College, despite Thomas Saltmarsh grafting for an impressive 47; he was not helped by the six ducks! Our final league game was held away at The Judd. After a much more impressive all round performance, we managed to get them all out for 55 in return for our 108-4, with Anup Ale (33) showing that he knows how to swing a bat effectively. This meant that we won the mini league, and showed that the boys performed best when it really mattered. Our final game of the year was against a strong side from The King’s School, Canterbury, and with our side depleted due to exams, we just could not compete with them, losing by 50 runs. My thanks must go to the members of the team that always made themselves available, and for making the season so enjoyable, and a great way to enjoy the afternoon sunshine on a Saturday Squad (from): Anup Ale, Tim Anthony, Edward Cardoza, Samuel Chitty, Charles Court, William Dickinson, Lars Eastman, Laurence Eastman,William Harrison, Bertie Hobson, Cameron Knight (Capt.), Barnaby Loxton-Barnard, Thomas Millington, Daniel O’Brien, Max Rossiter, Thomas Saltmarsh, Till Schlicht, Oliver Smither, Max Stanton-Gleaves, William Sturgess, Daniel Teare, Matthew Webb and Harrison Woods.

SPORT AND GAMES

Under 15A Cricket

Under 15B Cricket

Arthur Genders, Fourth Form

Mr G Alderman, Master I/C

Record: Played 11, Won 6, Drawn 0, Lost 5

Record: Played 6, Won 3, Drawn 0, Lost 3

After a bad start, we hoped for a change in fortune in our opening County Cup game against St Simon Stock Catholic School. We dominated the game with both the bat and ball, and came out with a comfortable ten wicket victory. This was followed up with another commanding performance the following week against Worth School, which we won by seven wickets. Feeling confident from those two results, we came up against The Skinners’ School, in a fixture that would prove to be the highlight of our season. The match went down to the last ball, and we managed to come out on top, winning by a single run. The match had even more significance as it meant we had progressed through to the next stage of the County Cup.

In addition, protecting the wicket and being alert when it comes to running between the stumps with backing up, is of paramount importance and yet, time and again, we failed to do this. Many of the team had the habit of stepping away from the stumps when making a shot, rather than standing their ground and protecting them.

Unfortunately, after this great win, we then lost two games in a row against The Judd School and Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School, the latter of which saw us knocked out of the County Cup. We finished the season with a victory against Cranbrook School, which we won by 27 runs. Overall, at the end of the season we had a mixed bag of results. Some great wins, but also some games where we should have come out on top. I would like to thank Mr Fewson for all his help and support as our coach, and the boys are now looking forward to the challenges of senior cricket in 2018.

Under 15A Cricket

Squad (from): George Baker, Luke Bernicchi, Nathaniel Easton, Arthur Genders (Capt.), Max Hansford, Hugh Harman, Jack Hughes, Emmerson Jones, George Jones, Oliver Laird, Jack Lewis, Oliver Payne-Cook, Louis Ridge, Max Savage, Alexandra Sacker, Jack Stanton-Gleaves, Benjamin Watkins and McKellen Young.

here have been times this season when the team has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and vice versa. Generally, the team was quick and reactive in the field and could bowl most effectively when the strike force concentrated. At the crease, we needed to learn to play defensive as well as attacking shots; many of the team had been out too often when hitting across the line of the ball, either getting bowled or caught.

Over the term, there have undoubtedly been improvements, but now the team must look for consistency and, with a few refinements to technique, have much to look forward to next year. This needs to be worked on in the nets; certainly shot selection and the important wicket protection. It is not all about hitting the ball as hard as possible. It has been a learning season for the Under 15B team; there is much talent that needs moulding a little further. We played six fixtures, winning three and losing three. The reason for the losses is clear. Conversely, the matches we won were done not so much with the bat, but by determined bowling and fielding. As I say, this is a talented group and many, including the captain, Emmerson Jones, should be pushing for an A team place. Squad (from): Luke Bernicchi, Sammy Blakely, James Gotke, Awishma Gurung, Emmerson Jones (Capt.), Oliver Laird, Jack Lewis, Joseph McInerney, Arthur Moffatt, Matthew Rackliffe, Alexandra Sacker, Herbie Stephenson, Finn Swaine, Noah Swaine and Jamie Warman.

Under 15B Cricket

he boys and I had a very tricky start to the season, losing our first two games by very narrow margins. The first was a disappointing loss by six runs to Reigate Grammar School, then the following week we lost by ten runs to Sevenoaks School.

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SPORT AND GAMES

Under 14A Cricket

Under 14B Cricket

Joseph McDermott, Third Form

Sam Allison, Third Form

Record: Played 7, Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 6

Record: Played 6, Won 6, Drawn 0, Lost 0

The team had a slow start to the season, losing by seven wickets to Reigate Grammar School, and then by 87 runs to a good Sevenoaks School side. Two more losses followed with an eight-wicket defeat to Worth School and a six-wicket loss to St Lawrence College. Our one victory then came against The Judd School, when we put in a strong batting performance to score over 200 runs. The Judd struggled to match that total and we won by 43 runs. Unfortunately, we never managed to build momentum from that victory and inconsistent performances saw us lose our final two matches. We had a good batting line-up, with standout performances from Cameron Lindsay, Joseph McDermott, Oliver Payne-Cook and James Yeabsley. However, we could not extend individual performances to a large enough team score, leaving us short on too many occasions. The bowling line-up was spearheaded by Elliot Gooding and Finlay Sprent, ably supported by the spin twins - Ewen Barr and McKellen Young. Collectively, they bowled with skill and endeavour throughout the season, without the rewards that they deserved. We hope to improve our skills and team chemistry over the winter to build up to a successful 2018.

Under 14A Cricket

Squad (from): Ewen Barr, James Crombie, Elliot Gooding, Callum Hanna, Cameron Lindsay, Joseph McDermott (Capt.), Joshua O’Brien, Finnian O’Keefe, Oliver Payne-Cook, William Saltmarsh, Finlay Sprent, Jack Walker, James Yeabsley and McKellen Young.

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he Under 14B team had an outstanding season of Cricket, winning all six of their matches to finish top of their league. Their teamwork was evident from the start with all of the players gelling instantly from practising in the nets for the first match. Sam Allison, Patrick Mullen and Archie Yorke led the batting well, hitting some fantastically placed shots to get simple and easy runs that would form the basis of big scores for the team. In the bowling ranks, Harrison Ashdown, Joseph Lenehan, James Crombie and others proved that the team had an abundance of talent to take valuable wickets. Starting the season with an excellent seven-wicket victory over Reigate Grammar School, we followed that up with a threewicket victory over a good Sevenoaks School side. Full of confidence, the wins kept coming with a nine-wicket demolition of St Lawrence College and an equally impressive 48-run victory over The Judd School. Our toughest game of the season was the match against The King’s School, Canterbury. We started the game slowly, which wasn’t like us, but we came back and finished well, winning by six runs in the final over. Despite the victory, we learned a lot of lessons from that game and worked hard in the nets. Our last game against Cranbrook School was our highlight of the season, as we came into the game with our heads up and with great determination. We knew if we won this game we would go away with an unbeaten season and the winners of our league. It proved to be the case as we came away with a nine wicket Twenty20 victory. Squad (from): Sam Allison (Capt.), Harry Arkley, Harrison Ashdown, William Bewsher, Bishesh Bhandari, Luca Capaldi, Alfie Collins-Smith, James Crombie, Harrison Endenburg, Suveen Gurung, Louis Hillier, Joseph Lenehan, Patrick Mullen, Theodore Nelson, Finnian O’Keefe, Thomas Sharman, Jack Walker and Archie Yorke.

Under 14B Cricket

or the Under 14A Cricket team, it was a tough season, only winning one match. That said, our win-loss record does not do justice to the hard work the team put in, or the progression we made throughout the season. It is also not necessarily a fair reflection of the matches themselves, many of which were very closely contested, with Sutton Valence only losing by a couple of runs, or with only a wicket or two to spare. On reflection, if certain big moments in the matches had gone our way, the results could have been very different.

Under 13A Cricket Jonny Russell, Second Form Record: Played 12, Won 6, Drawn 0, Lost 6

he Under 13A team had a mixed season; we won six matches and lost six. Most of our losses were in fact pretty close, so, hopefully, we can improve on this in 2018. The English weather was very kind to us and we only had one cancellation. The season began well with a win against Reigate Grammar School, beating them by two wickets. We then lost a few matches on the trot, which was disappointing, but most of them were very close, so not a reflection of our play although our fielding needed to be tighter. As the season progressed, we started to play more as a team and had some great wins over Worth School, The New Beacon, Sevenoaks Preparatory School, Bethany School and St Edmund’s School. Our fielding and catching improved to make these wins possible. Throughout the season, there were some great batting performances from Jamie Latter-Lumsden, Alec Martin, Felix Plant, Ollie Smith and Jonny Russell who scored a century in the match against St Edmund’s. The fast-paced bowlers who took some great wickets were Andrew Loy, Alec Martin, Freddie Rigby and Jonny Russell. Our medium-paced bowlers were consistent; well done

Under 13A Cricket

SPORT AND GAMES

to Alfie Jarrett, Joshua Laird, Ollie Smith and Joshua Farwell, who moved up from the B team. Michael Summers, our spin bowler, was very useful and took many wickets in the later stages of our matches and Joe Savage was a consistent wicket keeper throughout. Thank you to our coach Mr Davenport, who encouraged us, gave us some great training allowing us to practise our skills in game scenarios and who made the whole season fun. Squad (from): Tristan Button, Joshua Fawell, Jackson Hardwick, Alfie Jarrett, Joshua Laird, Jamie Latter-Lumsden, Andrew Loy, Alex Martin, Jenson McInulty, Oliver Murch, Joshua Pantony, Felix Plant, Freddie Rigby, Jonny Russell (Capt.) Joe Savage, Struben Savage, Ollie Smith and Michael Summers.

Swimming Team Miss L Gray, Master I/C

he swimming team has flourished this year; training sessions have been incredibly popular and it has been very encouraging to see some of our ‘home-grown’ swimmers compete in galas for the first time. This year, in October, we took part in a charity relay race, called Swimrelay. The Senior team took first place out of 37 teams, swimming 108 lengths in 30 minutes. The Junior team came a close second, with a total of 97 lengths. Students raised £615 in sponsorship money, which was split between Children in Need and the Hurricane Matthew relief effort in Haiti. On the back of this huge success, we entered the Lent Term with a strong and well-prepared team, ready to embrace gala season. We took part in five competitive galas in total. We swam against King’s School Rochester, both at home and away; we won both of these convincingly. We lost to Ashford School, which was a new fixture to our calendar, however this spurred students on to train hard ahead of the annual inter-school gala held at The King’s School, Canterbury. Students attended two extra early morning training sessions, to prepare them for the

50 metre races. We took a team of boys; the Seniors came third, whilst the Juniors and Intermediates came fifth. George Gaston came first in his 50m backstroke event and Jack Hayes came second in his 50m front crawl event. Andrew Loy came third in his individual event (50m breaststroke) for the juniors. Students have been very keen to represent the School in swimming events, which has seen our team expand this year. Our swimming captains, Holly Thomson-Frost and Alex Hill, have done an excellent job with their encouragement to younger students and enthusiasm to see this sport grow. Under 13A Cricket

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SPORT AND GAMES

SVS Equestrian Event Miss E Davies, Equestrian Team Manager

n the last Sunday of the Summer Term, the School held its inaugural Charity Showjumping event at Duckhurst Farm in Staplehurst. The event was open to individual riders and school teams from around the county, and we were delighted that 88 competitors from 16 schools took up our invitation to attend. While the event was designed to provide our novice Equestrian team with a ‘home’ competition, it was also intended as a charity fund-raiser to support a local riding charity. Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), whose Chalkdown group is managed by former SVS parent Pauline Roestenburg, provides riding therapy and enjoyment to people with disabilities all over the UK. Overall, the day raised £1,433, which is a fantastic achievement. In terms of the competition itself, classes ranged from 30cm to 1m with Sutton Valence School represented at most heights. Maisey Russell (Year 6) finished second in the 30cm class and fourth in the 45cm class; and Clayton Olson (Second Form) finished fourth in both the 80cm and 90cm classes. Also competing in the 90cm class, Elizabeth Cavell (Fourth Form) finished sixth, Kathryn Douglas (Fifth Form) finished third, and Jessica De Lucy (Second Form) finished second. Collectively, all four of our entrants’ results meant that the Sutton Valence Team finished first overall. Finally, in the one metre class, Kathryn and Jess continued their strong performances on the day, finishing second and fourth respectively. Once again, their combined results meant that the Sutton Valence School team finished first in that class too.

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SPORT AND GAMES

Equestrian Team Miss E Davies, Equestrian Team Manager

t was an extremely busy year for the School’s Equestrian team. The team competed in numerous events in a range of disciplines; arena eventing, show jumping and dressage. The events have taken us all over the country, including a weekend to Keysoe in Bedfordshire for the Championships Plate competition and also to Bury Farm in Buckinghamshire for the County Dressage Championships. Emma Simpson (Upper Sixth) was a brilliant senior team captain throughout her time in the Sixth Form and we wish her well with her future equestrian endeavours. Daisy Hills (Third Form) stepped up to the challenge of Junior Team Captain exceptionally well and we look forward to watching her progress with her equestrian pursuits in her senior years.

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SPORT AND GAMES

SPORTS DAY 2017

riday 30th June and Saturday 1st July saw the School’s annual Sports Day, the most eagerly anticipated House event of the year. Students competed in a range of disciplines in both track and field to ensure valuable points for their respective Houses. This year saw 17 School records broken, which shows the hard work our young athletes have put in throughout the year. In the Junior events, the records broken included the Junior Girls’ Shot Put, with Grace Finch (Second Form) throwing an impressive 9.30m. On the track, Benjamin Baker (Second Form) broke the Junior 100m record in a time of 12.44 seconds; Oscar Vas (Second Form) broke the Junior 200m record with a time of 26.22 seconds and Tom Barton (Second Form) smashed the Junior 400m record with a time of 1.01 minutes. Records also fell in the Intermediate events, with Maisie Rixon (Third Form) claiming new benchmarks in both the Intermediate Girls’ 100m (12.75 seconds) and the Intermediate Girls’ Shot Put (10.70 metres). In the boys’ events, Brandon Jackson (Fourth Form) set a new best in the Intermediate Boys’ 100m (11.18 seconds) and Tom Gray (Fourth Form) broke the Intermediate Boys’ 800m record in a time of 2.13 minutes. Finally, in the Senior competitions, Katie Harrison (Fifth Form) was hugely impressive in setting new benchmarks in the Senior Girls’ 200m (27.56 seconds) and the Senior Girls’ 800m (2.30 minutes). In the boys’ events, Tivey Nichols (Lower Sixth) broke the Senior Boys’ 400m record (56.63 seconds),Till Schlicht (Lower Sixth) broke the Senior Boys’ 800m record in a time of 2.14 minutes and Alexander Crosbie jumped impressively as he set a new record in the Long Jump (5.86 metres). Overall success this year went to Clothworkers’.

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SPORT AND GAMES

“

This year saw 17 School records broken, which shows the hard work our young athletes have put in throughout the year.

”

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SPORT AND GAMES

UWS Athletics - Godfrey Trophy Mr M Howell, Director of Sport

n Friday 12th May, the School’s Athletics Team travelled to Reading to compete in the United Westminster Schools Foundation Athletics meeting. The annual event sees Sutton Valence compete against our sister schools in the Foundation - Queen Anne’s School, Emanuel School, Westminster City School and The Grey Coat Hospital. The venue for the competition rotates each year between the respective schools, and this year was the turn of Queen Anne’s, Caversham to host the event at the nearby Palmer Park Stadium. Up against some strong opposition from the other schools, our athletes rose to the challenge and performed brilliantly across a range of events and disciplines. From the Junior events, a mention should go to Oscar Vas (Second Form) who ran an excellent race to win the 100 metres, Joshua Forknall (Second Form) who won the discus, Lulu Pankhurst (First Form) who was victorious in the javelin and Demi Finch (First Form) who won the shot put. In addition, Tom Barton (Second Form) was victorious in both the 300 metres and the shot put, and in doing so won an individual prize for the highest Junior Boys’ individual score across two events. Jonny Russell (Second Form) also won the javelin, and should get a special mention for breaking the existing event record by throwing a huge 30.86 metres.

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In the Intermediate events, Max Savage (Fourth Form) put in an excellent performance to win the 200 metres, Tom Gray (Fourth Form) was victorious in the 1500 metres and Arthur Moffatt (Fourth Form) threw brilliantly to come away with victory in the discus. From the Girls’ Intermediate events, there were victories on the track for Jenna Boltman (Fourth Form) in the 100 metres and Amelie Rossiter (Fourth Form) in the 300 metres. Maisie Rixon (Third Form) should get a special mention for her victory in the high jump, and for also collecting an individual prize for the highest Intermediate Girls’ individual score across two events. To cap off a fine afternoon for the School, our boys secured the Godfrey Trophy by winning the overall track and field competition. This is the first time since 2004 that Sutton Valence has won the trophy, and marks a significant leap forward for the School’s Athletics programme. Competing against strong athletes, particularly from Emanuel School, who had won the competition in all but two of the past 20 years, our team not only came out victorious, but did so in style. Congratulations to all of the students who took part in a fantastic day of Athletics, and we look forward to defending the trophy next year.

VALETE 2017

VALETE 2017 “

The strength of our community is something to be proud of. As our Upper Sixth leavers depart, we trust that our community has supported and set them up for success as they head off to the next stages in their lives. Likewise, as we bid farewell to the departing members of the Common Room, we recognise the vital roles they have played in ensuring that all of us continue to enjoy the benefits of working in an environment which is both stimulating and caring in equal measure. Consequently, it is with no little sadness and much gratitude that I write these words as an introduction to the farewells for the departing members of our community. They have new and exciting challenges to face and I hope that they will remember fondly the time they have spent with us.

”

Mr J Farrell Deputy Head

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VALETE 2017

Elliot Aiken

Molly Alexander

Joshua Aucamp

Matthew Avery

Jack Baker

Patrick Beech

James Bevan-Thomas

Annabelle Blake

Emilia Browning

Harry Brunt

Abbie Butfoy

Ella Capaldi

Edward Cardoza

Adam Carroll

James Collins

Matthew Corpe

Charles Court

James Croke

Favour Daka

Phoebe Dawson

Ruby Deighton-Smythe

George Deptford

Jamie Drewe

Sophia Dunne

Nejla Eco

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VALETE 2017 Elliot Aiken (2017 C) Academic and Sport Scholarships; English Copy Prize (Second Form); 1st XI Cricket - Half Colours and County Representative, 1st XV Rugby - Full Colours

(Singer), We Will Rock You (Yuppie), LAMDA – Bronze; Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Flute Group, Jazz Band, Grade 5 Singing, Grade 6 Flute; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh

Molly Alexander (2017 S) Headmaster’s Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of School, Boarding House Prefect, Prefect, Model United Nations; Hamlet (Voltimand); Chamber Orchestra, Grade 5 Flute; 2nd XI Hockey - Captain and Half Colours, 3rd VII Netball, 2nd Team Tennis

Harry Brunt (2017 F) Effort Award (Third Form); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form); Head of House – Founder’s; We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew); Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band; CCF - Leading Rate (LH); Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 3rd XI Hockey

Joshua Aucamp (2017 C) Sport Scholarship; Macbeth (Son of Macduff), Bugsy Malone (Shady), Romeo and Juliet (Friar John); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Cricket - Full Colours, 1st XI Football, 2nd XV Rugby - Full Colours Matthew Avery (2017 L) Head of House – Lambe’s; Romeo and Juliet (Set Manager) Jack Baker (2017 F) Debating Team, Head of Charity (Founder’s), CCF - Corporal (Cpl); Silver Duke of Edinburgh; 2nd XV Rugby - Half Colours Patrick Beech (2017 M) Head of House – St Margaret’s; 1st XI Football; 2nd XV Rugby - Half Colours James Bevan-Thomas (2017 W) Sport Scholarship; Edward Craven Prize (Upper Sixth); Boarding House Prefect; Prefect; 1st XI Cricket – Captain and Full Colours, 1st XI Football, 1st Team Golf – Captain, Full Colours and Regional Representative, 1st XI Hockey – Full Colours, 1st XV Rugby – Full Colours Annabelle Blake (2017 C) Music and Drama Scholarships; All Round Contribution Award (First Form), Achievement Award (Second Form), Effort Award (Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Theatre Studies Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Religious Studies Prize (Upper Sixth); Theatre Studies Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect, Model United Nations, Ball Committee; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Macbeth (Caithness), Bugsy Malone (Blousey Brown), We Will Rock You (Yuppie), Romeo and Juliet (Prince of Verona), Les Misérables (Eponine), Hamlet (Queen Gertrude), LAMDA - Gold (Distinction); Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir Emelia Browning (2017 F) Academic and Music Scholarships; Achievement Award (Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect, Model United Nations,Yearbook Committee; Macbeth (Gentlewoman/Servant), Bugsy Malone

Abbie Butfoy (2017 H) Effort Award (Third Form, Lower Sixth), Joyce Drayson Art Prize (Upper Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form) Ella Capaldi (2017 C) Academic, Art and Design Technology Scholarships; Achievement Award (First Form, Second Form, Third Form); EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of House - Clothworkers’; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Bugsy Malone (Singer), We Will Rock You (Yuppie); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 3rd VII Netball - Captain Edward Cardoza (2017 C) Art Scholarship; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 2nd XI Cricket, 3rd XI Hockey, 3rd XV Rugby Adam Carroll (2017 H) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (Fourth Form); Bugsy Malone, We Will Rock You, Romeo and Juliet, Grease, Les Misérables, Hamlet, Mulan (Technical Crew - Sound); CCF - Head of RAF, Flight Sergeant (F/ Sgt), Instructor Cadet; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh James Collins (2017 F) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Chemistry Prize (Lower Sixth), Winstanley Prize for Chemistry (Upper Sixth); EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); House Prefect, Prefect; CCF - Corporal (Cpl); 1st Team Shooting – Vice Captain and Full Colours Matthew Corpe (2017 F) Music Scholarship; Music Prize (Upper Sixth); Music Copy Prize (Lower Sixth); Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, Orchestra; CCF Corporal (Cpl) Charles Court (2017 C) Music Scholarship; Achievement Award (Third Form), The Coles Prize (Fifth Form), OSA Prize (Lower Sixth), Headmaster’s Special Achievement Prize (Upper Sixth); Music Copy Prize (Lower Sixth); Prefect; Bugsy Malone (Knuckles),We Will Rock You

(Yuppie), Romeo and Juliet, Les Misérables (Javert), Hamlet (Laertes); Chapel Choir, Sixth Form Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, Orchestra; Sergeant (Sgt); 2nd XI Cricket, 2nd Team Golf, 2nd XI Hockey – Captain and Full Colours, 3rd XV Rugby James Croke (2017 F) All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect; CCF - Corporal (Cpl); Silver Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Hockey, 2nd XV Rugby – Captain and Full Colours Favour Daka (2017 W) Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir; CCF Able Rate (AB); 3rd Team Tennis, 1st Team Badminton Phoebe Dawson (2017 S) Boarding House Prefect; 2nd VII Netball Ruby Deighton-Smythe (2017 F) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (Fourth Form), Effort Award (Fifth Form), Media Studies Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth); Media Studies Copy Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth); Head of House – Founder’s; We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew), Romeo and Juliet (Apothecary), Hamlet (Guildenstern), LAMDA – Merit; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh George Deptford (2017 W) The Marjorie Popay Prize (Upper Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form); Boarding House Prefect, Boarding Deputy Head of House; 2nd XI Football, 1st XI Hockey – Half Colours, 1st XV Rugby - Full Colours Jamie Drewe (2017 F) Sport Scholarship, All Round Contribution Award (Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Religious Studies Prize (Lower Sixth), All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect; CCF - Head of Juniors, Lance Corporal (L/Cpl); Silver Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Cricket – Full Colours, 1st XI Hockey – Captain and Full Colours, 1st XV Rugby – Full Colours Sophia Dunne (2017 H) Design Technology Scholarship; Achievement Award (First Form), Effort Award (Second Form), All Round Contribution Award (Third Form), Design Technology Prize (Upper Sixth) Nejla Eco (2017 S) Academic Scholarship; Physics Prize (Lower Sixth), Prize for Mathematics (Upper Sixth); Boarding Deputy Head of House, Prefect; Chapel Choir, Sixth Form Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra, Senior Strings; 1st Team Tennis – Captain and Half Colours

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VALETE 2017 William Edwards (2017 W) History Copy Prize (Third Form); Head of House - Westminster, Boarding House Prefect, Model United Nations; 1st XI Cricket – Full Colours and County Representative, 1st XI Football, 1st Team Golf, 3rd XI Hockey, 3rd XV Rugby Ashley Evans (2017 F) Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Eline Foulger (2017 H) Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form), English Copy Prize (Upper Sixth), EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth), Psychology Copy Prize (Upper Sixth), Religious Studies Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); House Prefect Rory Fry (2017 H) Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Annie Gledhill (2017 L) Biology Prize (Lower Sixth), Kitchener Prize for Mathematics (Lower Sixth), All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect, Debating Team; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 3rd VII Netball William Grabowski (2017 L) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (Third Form), Effort Award (Fourth Form), All Round Contribution Award (Fifth Form, Lower Sixth), Richard Horn Prize (Upper Sixth); Mathematics Copy Prize (Third Form); Prefect, Model United Nations, Debating Team; Macbeth (Donaldbain), Bugsy Malone (Bugsy Malone), We Will Rock You (Yuppie), Romeo and Juliet (Tybalt), Les Misérables (Jean Valjean), Hamlet (Old Hamlet); Chapel Choir; Chamber Choir; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Swimming Sam Gray (2017 H) Academic and Drama Scholarships; Effort Award (Fourth Form), Achievement Award (Fifth Form), English Prize (Lower Sixth), Spanish Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Headmaster’s Prize (Upper Sixth) Bloxam Prize for English (Upper Sixth); English Copy Prize (Second Form, Upper Sixth), Spanish Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of School, House Prefect, Prefect, Suttonian Committee, Model United Nations, Debating Team, Public Speaking; Macbeth (Wounded Captain), Bugsy Malone (Fat Sam), We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew), Romeo and Juliet (Paris), Les Misérables (Feuilly), Hamlet (Hamlet), LAMDA – Gold; Head of Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir; 3rd XV Rugby – Captain, 1st Team Swimming

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Jessica Grindlay (2017 F) Academic and Music Scholarships; Academic Excellence Award (First Form, Second Form, Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Music Prize (Lower Sixth), Further Mathematics Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Wood Prize for Physics (Upper Sixth); English Copy Prize (First Form, Second Form, Upper Sixth), Mathematics Copy Prize (First Form, Third Form), Religious Studies Copy Prize (First Form), Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form), Geography Copy Prize (Third Form), EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Macbeth (Old Woman/Messenger), Bugsy Malone (Singer), We Will Rock You (Yuppie); Head of Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir, Leader of Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra, Leader of Senior Strings, Grade 8 Piano with Distinction, Grade 7 Violin with Merit; CCF - Head of Juniors, CSM (WO11); Silver Duke of Edinburgh Sangharsha Gurung (2017 W) Academic Scholarship; Effort Award (First Form), Achievement Award (Second Form, Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Photography Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth); French Copy Prize (Second Form), EPQ Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Bugsy Malone (Dancer), We Will Rock You (Yuppie) Sabin Gurung (2017 M) Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (First Form, Second Form, Third Form, Fourth Form, Fifth Form), Geography Prize (Lower Sixth), Biology Prize (Upper Sixth); French Copy Prize (Second Form); Boarding House Prefect, Prefect; CCF - Lance Corporal (L/Cpl); 2nd XI Hockey, 2nd XV Rugby - Half Colours Kevin Ho (2017 C) Effort Award (First Form, Second Form); French Copy Prize (Second Form); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball Bertie Hobson (2017 M) 2nd XI Cricket, 1st XI Football, 2nd XV Rugby Jinyin Hong (2017 S) Boarding House Prefect Lixin Huang (2017 S) Iyobosa Idubor-Williams (2017 W) Boarding House Prefect; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 1st XV Rugby

Matthew Jones (2017 C) All Round Contribution Award (First Form, Second Form, Fifth Form), Ricketts Prize (Upper Sixth); Prefect; Bugsy Malone (Leroy), Romeo and Juliet (Technical Crew), Les Misérables (Technical Crew); CCF - CSM (WO11); Gold Duke of Edinburgh Amelia Kent (2017 S) Academic and Music Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Fifth Form), Effort Award (Lower Sixth), Wheeler Prize for French (Upper Sixth); English Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Boarding House Prefect, Prefect, Model United Nations; Hamlet (Rosencrantz) Cameron Knight (2017 M) Sport Scholarship; Clothworkers’ Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of House – St Margaret’s, Prefect; CCF - Head of Army, RSM (WO1); Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 2nd XI Cricket – Captain and Half Colours, 1st XI Football – Vice-Captain, 1st XI Hockey – Vice Captain and Full Colours, 1st XV Rugby – Vice-Captain and Full Colours Hugo Loxton-Barnard (2017 M) Sport Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Third Form); Boarding House Prefect; 3rd Team Basketball, 1st XI Cricket, 2nd XI Football, 1st XV Rugby Ryan Mansfield (2017 L) 3rd XV Rugby Angus McVarish (2017 L) Effort Award (Second Form), Art Prize (Lower Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 1st XI Hockey - Vice-Captain, 3rd XV Rugby, 1st Team Tennis Harry Mercer (2017 L) Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 1st Team Tennis Benjamin Murray (2017 C) All Round Contribution Award (Fourth Form); Captain of Shooting; CCF - CSM (WO11); Silver Duke of Edinburgh; 1st Team Basketball, 3rd XV Rugby, 1st Team Shooting – Captain and Full Colours Jasmine Neale (2017 S) Psychology Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth) Bethany Nicholls (2017 S) Bossom Prize for Public Speaking (Upper Sixth); Head of House - Sutton, Boarding House Prefect, Prefect

VALETE 2017

William Edwards

Ashley Evans

Eline Foulger

Rory Fry

Annie Gledhill

William Grabowski

Sam Gray

Jessica Grindlay

Sabin Gurung

Sangharsha Gurung

Kevin Ho

Bertie Hobson

Jinyin Hong

Lixin Huang

Iyobosa Idubor-Williams

Matthew Jones

Amelia Kent

Cameron Knight

Hugo Loxton-Bernard

Ryan Mansfield

Angus McVarish

Harry Mercer

Benjamin Murray

Jasmine Neale

Bethany Nicholls

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VALETE 2017

Nicholas Payne

Charlie Pratten

William Presland

Olivia Richards

Georgia Ridge

Owen Rixon

Max Rossiter

Chiara Schurr Serrano

Sebastian Shaddick

Edward Simmonds

Emma Simpson

Oliver Smither

Henry Stacey

Elliot Stirling

Benjamin Stuart

William Sturges

Henrietta Taylor

Michael Tilley

Harvey Truman

Jacob Wilkinson

Harrison Woods

Yilin Xu

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Hongrui Zhang

2017

VALETE 2017 Nicholas Payne (2017 C) Design Technology Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Fourth Form), Achievement Award (Fifth Form), Design Technology Prize (Lower Sixth), The Froud Innovation Prize (Upper Sixth); CCF Head of Stores; Gold Duke of Edinburgh Charlie Pratten (2017 C) Music Scholarship; ICT Prize (Lower Sixth), Fry Prize for ICT (Upper Sixth); 1st XI Football, 1st Team Badminton William Presland (2017 M) Boarding House Prefect, Debating Team; Hamlet (Soldier/Waiter/Assistant Director); CCF - Lance Corporal (L/Cpl); 2nd XI Football Olivia Richards (2017 H) Sport Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Fifth Form), The Spirit of the House Competition Cup (Upper Sixth); Prefect; We Will Rock You (Yuppie), Romeo and Juliet (Clown); CCF - Head of Navy, Leading Rate (LH); Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Hockey - Vice-Captain and Full Colours, 1st VII Netball - Half Colours, 1st Team Rounders - Captain and Half Colours Georgia Ridge (2017 F) Sport Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Fourth Form), Academic PE Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth), Geography Prize (Upper Sixth), Amy Lovegrove Prize (Upper Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Second Form), Portfolio Work Copy Prize (Third Form); Prefect, Model United Nations; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Hockey – Captain and Full Colours, 1st VII Netball – Captain and Full Colours, 1st Team Tennis – Full Colours

Team, Student Council; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Macbeth (Seyton/ Murderer), Bugsy Malone (Paper Boy), We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew), Les Misérables (Enjolras), Hamlet (Claudius); Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir; CCF Head of Navy, Petty Officer (PO); Gold Duke of Edinburgh

Misérables (Thenardier), Hamlet (Polonius); Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir

Edward Simmonds (2017 M) House Prefect, Boarding House Prefect; Head of CCF, Cadet Warrant Officer (CWO), Full CCF Colours; Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 2nd XI Football, 3rd XI Hockey, 2nd XV Rugby

William Sturges (2017 F) History Prize (Lower Sixth); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XI Cricket, 2nd XI Football, 2nd XV Rugby

Emma Simpson (2017 C) Drama Scholarship; Effort Award (Fifth Form); Head of House – Clothworkers’, Ball Committee; Bugsy Malone (Singer), We Will Rock You (Backstage Crew), LAMDA – Silver; Equestrian Team - Captain Oliver Smither (2017 C) Sport Scholarship; French Prize (Lower Sixth), All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect; CCF - Able Rate (AB); 1st XI Cricket - Half Colours, 1st XI Football, 1st XV Rugby - Full Colours Henry Stacey (2017 W) Geography Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Boarding House Prefect; Gold Duke of Edinburgh; 2nd XI Cricket, 1st XI Football – Captain, 2nd XV Rugby Elliot Stirling (2017 F) Achievement Award (First Form), Effort Award (Third Form); Information Technology Copy Prize (Third Fom); Ball Committee; Sweet Charity (Junior Ensemble), Macbeth (Doctor), Bugsy Malone (Louis), Romeo and Juliet, Les

Benjamin Stuart (2017 H) CCF Sword of Honour (Upper Sixth); Head of House; CCF - Petty Officer (PO); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; Archery (Team Captain for first UK NASP Team)

Henrietta Taylor (2017 F) Economics Prize (Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth); Prefect, Model United Nations; 1st XI Hockey – Full Colours, 2nd XI Netball – Full Colours, 1st Team Tennis – Full Colours Michael Tilley (2017 W) Ball Committee Harvey Truman (2017 W) 1st XI Football, 3rd XV Rugby Jacob Wilkinson (2017 C) Head of House – Clothworkers’; Macbeth (Murderer/Messenger); Bronze Duke of Edinburgh; 1st XV Rugby - Full Colours Harrison Woods (2017 W) Boarding Deputy Head of House; Able Rate (AB); 1st XI Cricket, 2nd XI Football – Captain, 2nd XI Hockey, 3rd XV Rugby Yilin Xu (2017 S) Hongrui Zhang (2017 W) All Round Contribution Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect; CCF - Corporal (Cpl); 1st Team Basketball, 3rd XV Rugby

Owen Rixon (2017 F) CCF - Corporal (Cpl); Gold Duke of Edinburgh Max Rossiter (2017 M) Sport Scholarship; All Round Contribution Award (Lower Sixth), Headmaster’s Prize (Upper Sixth); Head of School, Prefect; 2nd XI Cricket - Half Colours, 2nd XI Football, 1st XV Rugby – Captain and Full Colours Chiara Schurr Serrano (2017 S) The WBP Aspinall Prize (Upper Sixth); Spanish Copy Prize (Upper Sixth); Boarding House Prefect; Prefect Sebastian Shaddick (2017 F) Music and Drama Scholarships; Grizelle Prize for History (Upper Sixth); Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award (Upper Sixth); Prefect, Model United Nations, Debating

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VALETE 2017

Kay Andersen (Staff 1988-2016) Mrs F Porter, Head of Sixth Form

ay joined Sutton Valence School in the September of 1988. She was appointed as a part-time Home Economics teacher when the School had only just become co-educational and the staff room appeared more like a gentleman’s smoking club, rather than a staff common room. She soon became a valued and well-respected member of the staff, not just because of her thorough professionalism or her Yorkshire dry wit, but because she always gave more of her time than was asked, her strong sense of fairness, her ruthless organisation and attention to detail and her practical understanding of how to get the best out of the teenagers in her care. We are losing someone who has not only witnessed, but been a fundamental part of, the changes the School has undergone during her 28 years of service. In that time she has excelled in a number of positions of responsibility, whether as Head of Home Economics, Head of Valence Girls’ House, Head of Year, Senior Mistress, Head of Professional Development, Head of the RAF Section of the CCF, Head of Holdgate or as residential visits coordinator. The wide variety of roles, academic, pastoral and cocurricular, are a testament to the contribution Kay has made to the School to which she has been so fiercely loyal. Through her inspiring example, she has also helped countless new members of staff learn those things that cannot be taught about teaching. Kay has the ability to have eyes in the back of her head, never missing a trick. She is a fantastic pastoral leader, full of empathy and understanding, and with a no-nonsense approach. Her focus on community and individual responsibility meant pupils learnt the important values of respect for themselves and each other, as well as the importance of community spirit. She has always supported team matches, music concerts and the School’s drama performances. It is no accident that Holdgate is top of the leader board for winning House competitions, and raising the most for charitable causes. Not many people know this, but she was the instigator of the annual Valentine’s Day carnation collection.

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I got to know Kay through a number of years attending the CCF’s Easter Adventurous Training in the Lake District. Her organisation and calm practicality back at the Blencathra Centre ensured hearty meals for all those who spent long days out on the hills. She also organised trips to no less glamorous and potentially challenging destinations, including Swanage, Switzerland, York, two trips to Martinique and three trips to India. I was lucky enough to go to India with Kay in 2015. It was an experience of a lifetime for me, Mr Hammersley and the Fourth and Fifth Form pupils who attended. It was entirely down to Kay’s professional organisation and attention to detail that the trip was such a success. Sutton Valence is losing a very valuable and precious colleague. She is irreplaceable. I know that she thoroughly deserves her retirement and wish her and Brian all the best for the future. I know that she will keep in touch.

VALETE 2017

from his wealth of expertise in methods of manufacturing. Dan’s skill in putting together a jig to aid manufacture was particularly memorable. Aside from ensuring that the pupils had the tools to reach success at GCSE and A Level, Dan was keen to make sure that they had an understanding about how Design and Technology translated to life in the real world. He was pivotal in arranging trips for the pupils. From visiting top design universities, such as Loughborough University, to arranging for the pupils to spend some time in a top notch architecture firm in London, the pupils were given plenty of opportunities to gain inspiration. As a result, the department has seen a number of pupils take up positions at top universities to study design and engineering courses, and following that, a number have gone on to choose design-related careers. Many of the Old Suttonians continue to keep in touch regarding their progress, which is a fine example of the impact that he had on many of their lives. Dan’s dedication to Sutton Valence did not stop there; he also held the position of Lieutenant RN, Head of Navy Section for a number of years and ran several field trips to Portsmouth. Further to this, through his own passion for Fencing for the Royal Navy and the UK Armed Forces (for which he received colours for both), Dan held the position of Head of Fencing at the School. Annually he led some very successful teams of Sutton Valence pupils and took them to represent the School at the Public Schools Fencing Championships at Crystal Palace.

Dan Keep (Staff 1999-2017) Mrs E Lesourd, Design Technology

an Keep joined Sutton Valence School in April 1999. He arrived with an abundance of skills, acquired from his DATEC Diploma in Silversmithing and his National Design Diploma in Goldsmithing and Silversmithing. Further to this, his talent led to him being awarded the National Design Award with the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. Having found his passion in teaching, he completed a BEd (Hons) in Craft Design and Technology. Following this, he achieved his MA from the University of Greenwich where his major focus was on ‘The transition and transference of skills from KS2 to KS3’, a topic which was sure to influence his later role at SVS as a Head of Year within the KS3 age group.

In addition to his academic roles, Dan held the positions of Tutor, Head of Year, Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator, as well as participating in the School Choir, Jazz Band and Orchestra, where his talent as a flautist really shone through. His diversity and expertise in all of the above areas were appreciated by the staff with whom he worked. The Design and Technology department, nestled away in the village, will no doubt take another new exciting direction. However, it goes without saying that Dan has left a permanent imprint within the memories of all those he taught and those who had the pleasure of working with him. We wish Dan the best of luck with his new role as Teacher of Design and Technology at Highworth Grammar School for Girls, Ashford.

Dan had a number of previous employment successes, both working in, and leading, Design and Technology Departments at Maidstone Grammar School,Vinters’ Boys School and Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, where he became the Head of the Technology Faculty. With such a wealth of expertise, Sutton Valence School was in for a treat. Following a period of seven years as the A Level Design Technology moderator for Sutton Valence School, Dan secured the position of Head of Design and Technology. He worked with commitment and passion for the subject for 18 years, or 55 terms! During this time, in keeping with the style of the subject, development and problem-solving were his key strengths, often finding unique ways to guide the pupils through the ever-increasing demands of GCSE and A Level studies. The children certainly were able to benefit

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VALETE 2017

Gary Harris (Staff 2005-2017)

Angela Mathews (Staff 2011-2017)

Mrs A Morávek-Hurst, Mathematics

Mrs E Agu Benson, Matron of Sutton and Mrs P Hallett, Head of Academic PE

his summer we said goodbye to our colleague, Gary Harris, who left Sutton Valence after 12 years of teaching Mathematics. Gary joined the School back in 2005, having taught in a variety of schools in London and Humberside. His pure passion for the subject proved to be an inspiration for many of the students at the School and he was always on hand to help encourage students to achieve more than they thought possible. He had the highest expectations of all his pupils, no matter what their level. Philosophy and Mathematics often go hand-in-hand, and Gary’s in-depth knowledge of such topics would often be brought up in conversation, both inside and out of the classroom. With music as one of his hobbies, we were also occasionally treated to the sound of his guitar playing upstairs in the Mathematics and ICT Block. Over his time at the School, he served as a Head of Year and Assistant Head of Department, where his no-nonsense, matter-of-fact approach came into its own. Whatever role he took on, he never deviated from his guiding principle that we should do everything in the best interests of the pupils, and he worked tirelessly to provide the best possible care. His patient support of the individual contributed enormously to the success of our community, aiming towards Oxbridge and other top universities as he guided them for the entrance examinations. We all thank Mr Harris for his contribution to our School community, and wish him well in his new role and the future.

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ngela Mathews joined the School in a part time capacity as Head of Dance in 2011 from Kent College Canterbury and went on to become Housemistress of Sutton House in September 2012.

Caring for a house of 40 teenage girls would be challenge for anyone, but Angela’s energy, attention to detail and go-forit attitude soon earned her fans. As one parent put it on her departure, “In our opinion, Mrs Mathews has been an absolute tower of strength running Sutton House and has always been there when our daughter has needed her for support during testing teenage times”. Angela encouraged and championed the girls in all their academic efforts, whilst motivating them to experience and excel in sports and the arts, two areas close to her heart. In addition to helming the smooth running of the boarding house, Angela staged a dance show in aid of charity every year. These performances were always a delight and revealed several students with creative, hidden talents. In her final year, Angela stepped in to cover for Kelly McConnachie while she was on maternity leave, and worked in the Academic Physical Education department teaching A Level to the Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth, together with teaching GCSE to a Fourth Form class, made her sports science background a welcome addition. Angela has now moved on to a new boarding role at Gordon’s School in Surrey. On behalf of the Sutton girls and their parents, we wish Angela, David, Ella and Zac all the very best for the future.

VALETE 2017

David Mathews (Staff 2009-2016) Mr M Howell, Director of Sport

avid Mathews joined the Sports department as Head of Hockey in 2010 from Kent College, Canterbury. With an outstanding playing pedigree behind him, at both club and international level, David came to Sutton Valence with a big reputation. As the School’s Head of Hockey, David instilled his winning nature into all of his Hockey teams and his super-competitive approach translated into teams of all ages competing fiercely against some of the best schools in the South East. He was passionate about his sport and this was evident in the way he drove the pupils to be the very best they could be, although they did not necessarily appreciate this at the time. In David’s time as Head of Hockey, he has led the School to numerous county championships, and has taken many teams on to regional tournaments. His tactical nous, knowledge and experience of the game often provided the team with that extra few per cent to snatch a victory away from the jaws of defeat. He was never without his trusted whiteboard to illustrate to the pupils exactly what was needed in order for them to win. David was not only our Hockey guru but was also instrumental in getting Golf back on its feet after a brief hiatus. He organised a complete set of fixtures each year against some of our biggest local competitors. He populated his Golf Team with pupils across all of the age ranges, always putting out solid teams producing equally solid performances. Over the years, we have often competed in regional competitions, the success at these then saw us through to national competitions. All of this considerable success was because of David’s drive and passion to do well.

place. David himself was a talented cricketer and he wanted the boys to achieve their very best under his direction. His knowledge and understanding of the game was invaluable and the teams he coached over the years flourished. Apart from his sporting attributes, David was a fine tutor in the The Juniors and spent many an hour looking after the children in his care, ensuring that they were happy and often solving problems along the way. He continued his pastoral role assisting his wife Angela in the running of Sutton House. With their children at Sutton Valence Preparatory School, they both fully immersed themselves into the Sutton Valence community, and were familiar faces around the site. In her own right, Angela was also a huge asset to the School, leading dance activities and choreographing numerous pieces for School shows. Angela also headed up our running and athletics clubs as well as teaching A Level Academic Physical Education during this past academic year, which added a huge amount to the Academic Sports department. I know Angela’s role is covered more substantially in her own valete opposite, but it would be remiss of me not to mention the significant impact she had within the Sports department. The Mathews family move on to take up the roles of Housemaster and Housemistress of Augusta House, a girls’ boarding house at Gordon’s School in Woking. David and Angela, I am sure, will once again find their sporting niches within their new school and prove to be highly successful in all that they do. On behalf of all of my colleagues, we wish David, Angela, Ella and Zac all the very best for the future.

David’s talents do not finish there, as he could often be found in the cricket nets smashing the boys wayward deliveries all over the

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VALETE 2017

Dr Marc Brown (Staff 2008-2017) Mr R Webster (Staff 2001-2015) and Miss M Halleron, Head of Physics

r Marc Brown, or ‘Doc’ as he was affectionately known, arrived at the School in 2008 to teach Physics and serve as a House Tutor in St. Margaret’s. He joined as something of a man of mystery, but quickly established himself as a fondly-regarded member of the Common Room. Marc’s love of Physics was always evident in his lessons, offering quirky anecdotes to pique the interest of his audience and creating an infectious appreciation for how the subject relates to the world. He endeavoured to make his lessons as interactive as possible: shocking pupils with static and launching water rockets were his particular favourites. He had the ability to make the subject accessible to all, whether that was in his role as Junior Science Coordinator or in his remit of delivering the GCSE and A Level curriculum. Many pupils, both past and present, attribute their success to his support. His caring nature was evident in his various roles within the School and he would gladly give up his time to help pupils with their studies.

From a House perspective, it was clear from the outset that he was a trusting and caring addition to the St. Margaret’s family. His extensive collection of DVDs rapidly became the House movie library! But it was some of his other wacky hobbies and interests that enabled him to engage young people of all ages in comfortable conversations and balanced relationships. His Star Wars paraphernalia would intrigue everyone whenever it appeared, and his dedication to Dungeons and Dragons-type gaming diminished

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any remoteness that might have been created by his Doctorate in Physics. Nobody who appears in Is This The Way to Amarillo dressed as Darth Vader could ever stand aloof. A stout supporter of house events, particularly barbecues, Doc was clearly a gourmet of some standing. Few knew that he would spend time on the badminton courts to maintain his fitness and appetite for the cornucopia of digestive delights which are the lot of boarding house staff. Strange then, that in his dedication to fitness he would insist that the delivery man carried his weekly groceries up all four flights to his flat whilst he, Doc, merely opened the doors! Fun to be with, though he loved playing devil’s advocate in light-hearted arguments on a whole range of subjects, Marc was keen on precision when scientific topics arose. Generous with his time, he could often be found in the evenings requisitioning the office to lead tutorials for residents and even strangers from ‘The Dark Side’ who knew how much they could learn from this genial gent. In all the time I worked with him, I cannot remember him putting his own wishes before those of the children he worked with. ‘Doc’ Brown added much to the life of St. Margaret’s while he was there, showing himself to be a trusting, caring, sharing and helping friend and teacher. We wish him every success and happiness in the future as he continues to blend his scientific and pedagogic skills for the benefit of others.

VALETE 2017

Lindsay Mitchell-Nanson (Staff 2010-2017)

Jamie Ings (Staff 2015-2017)

Miss K McConnachie, Head of Netball

Mr A Bee, Head of Geography

sked to help with compiling Mrs Mitchell-Nanson’s valete, a group of pupils gave this warm and heartfelt reply: “Caring and enthusiastic, although sometimes too enthusiastic about Maths!” This sums up Lindsay well; her pastoral care was as exceptional as her teaching. She was highly regarded by her tutees, who would refer to her as their ‘School Mum’, indicative of their readiness to turn to her for help and support. Lindsay made a big impact in many areas of School life in her seven years with us at the Senior School. As Head of Academic Scholars, she stretched our gifted and talented pupils, and as Head of Mathematics, she inspired staff and students alike. She also dedicated a lot of time to sport as a Rugby coach for the boys, as well as taking control of the track finishes on Sports Day. She always made it a priority to organise a Girls’ Games staff meal at least once a year; her sense of fun and community was welcomed by all. This is only a short and sweet valete as it is not technically a goodbye, but more of a message of good luck to Lindsay as she heads off to the Prep School to take up the roles of Head of Mathematics and Academic Timetabler. She is a brilliant teacher and a wonderful colleague and will undoubtedly be a real asset to the Prep School when she takes up her new roles in September 2018. We wish her the very best, not just for the move across the road, but, more immediately, with being a new Mum! I look forward to our next Senior and Prep Games staff meal!

pending his first two years in the profession at Sutton Valence School, Jamie Ings made an immediate and profound impact. He had been parachuted in from Tesco to a teaching career in a matter of weeks, but fell on his feet and within his first 12 months of teaching had already harvested three A* grades amongst his A Level students. His clear and concise communication skills flow like a pure, untainted mountain stream. As a team-player, Jamie has been a vital cog in the establishment of the Physical Geography scheme of work in the new A Level. His work ethic has a rocklike reliability and he added to the human resources of the Geography Department in a manner that few can emulate. On the pastoral side Jamie proved an efficient House Tutor, able to deal sensitively with issues as they arose, yet he quickly became an approachable, acceptable face of the establishment. He ran the cross-country club, leading from the front, with few adolescents able to match his prowess as a long-distance runner. Now totally qualified, Jamie leaves us having ticked a lot of boxes and looks set for a long and glorious teaching career. He departs SVS for his alma mater, Canford School, where he will doubtless be an asset to their Geography department. As a further measure of Jamie’s all-round capabilities, it would be remiss not to mention his forthcoming wedding to the last lady Geographer to have delivered at Sutton Valence, Miss Moore; she of a thousand potential suitors. We wish them both happiness as they start the next chapter of their lives in Dorset.

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VALETE 2017

Heather Blackhall (Staff 2016-2017)

Brian O’Donovan (Staff 2016-2017)

Miss L Gray, Religious Studies

Mr M James, Housemaster of Westminster

Throughout her time at the School, Heather has been a very reliable, kind and willing colleague, who has worked diligently in the planning and execution of her lessons. Her firm but fair approach has been well-respected, and we will all miss her daily emails asking for the whereabouts of students who have not managed to make it to her lessons!

During the Summer Term he came into his own. Managing to pick up more PE and Games on his timetable, he became a cricketing and shot putting aficionado, loving his umpiring app and hurling shot puts 20 feet into the air with skills that would have made Daley Thomson proud. Personally, it has been a pleasure to have had Brian on the team. A great guy and good training partner for 6.30am gym sessions (all three of them he turned up for after Christmas!). He’ll be missed by the sporting team and we wish him all the best for the future.

eather packed an awful lot into her year at Sutton Valence. Not only did she complete her Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) qualification, she also served as a tutor, was a huge help with Junior Leadership and planned a School trip to Barcelona…it’s just a shame that all that planning and effort only amounted to a trip to Gatwick airport, as the trip fell foul of the British Airways cabin crew strike!

Living on site, she was a familiar face around the School, whether it be in the gym, the running track or in The Queen’s Head on a Friday night. Although her time in rural Kent has been short, it has been a pleasure to work alongside her this year, and we have all enjoyed getting to know her and see her grow as a teacher. Leaving Sutton Valence, she heads off for her next adventure, which sees her tackle the tough world of event management for the Institute of Physics in London. Her attention to detail and meticulous approach to her work will stand her in good stead. On behalf of the Common Room, we wish her all the very best for the future and thank her for everything she has done this year.

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rian O’Donovan or ‘Dangerous Brian’ as he was affectionately known, was only with us for a year, but in that time became an important cog in the Sutton Valence sporting machine. He began as coach of the Under 16B Rugby team, injecting his Spanish-Irish-James Bondlike enthusiasm into a group of players that needed a focal point.

From a House perspective, Brian has been a wonderful acquisition for Westminster; the boarders loved him. They loved his enthusiasm, his guitar and his authentic care (including discipline). It was touching on the last morning of the Summer Term, listening to Josiah de Bono (Fourth Form) speak warmly about how much the Tutor group will miss him. As Housemaster, I appreciated Brian’s care for the boarders, his willingness to step up when needed, and his outstanding report proof-reading and UCAS reference-writing. I also value Brian’s friendship and look forward to keeping in touch. On behalf of all of my colleagues, we wish you, Erika and the girls all the very best for the future.

OBITUARY Adrian Wyles (Staff 2008-2015) Mrs K Andersen, Staff 1988-2016

drian Wyles joined Sutton Valence nine years ago to be our Head of Sixth Form. He quickly established the role and brought order to Cornwallis. By the time he left the Sixth Form to take up his well-deserved role as Academic Deputy Head, the Sixth Form’s A Level results were the best in history, improving year-on-year under his kind and balanced stewardship. Once he was promoted to Academic Deputy Head, he introduced the Sutton Valence Blue, with the ultimate accolade of pupils being awarded the Blue Gown. This is a reflection of his philosophy: to always celebrate the success and achievement of each individual, and balance that with high expectations. This was no more firmly evident than in his first passion as a Geography teacher, a role that he always prioritised despite the many other demands on his time.Adrian Wyles brought an infectious optimism to the Geography Department and the knowledge of a fine, all-round Geographer. His results spoke volumes about his quality as a front-line teacher for all abilities, including aiding a number of our pupils to achieve success through Oxbridge. Adrian had a strong interest in all aspects of School life. He could regularly be found on the touch line on a Saturday afternoon and he always supported the School Drama productions and Music. He initiated the very successful and talented Barber Shop as well as ensuring an annual presence at the Oxbridge debating competition. It was a delight to work with Adrian, a sentiment I know all of the staff who worked alongside him for those seven years would share. He left us in July 2015 to take up the role of Headmaster at The Oratory School. It was devastating to hear of his passing in May this year; he was a firstclass teacher, colleague and friend and he will be sorely missed.

Sutton Valence School North Street Sutton Valence Maidstone Kent ME17 3HL