Wellington
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SUCCESS FOR OXBRIDGE CANDIDATES
1ST XV MAKE RUGBY HISTORY
THE MILLENNIUM REPORT DANCE SHOW
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WELLINGTON TODAY LENT 2020 EDITION
WELCOME TO WELLINGTON
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Wellington College Fireworks 2019
FROM THE EDITOR September, season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, and for many a sign that the year is all but done, has its own special place in Wellington life. Far from signalling an ending, for us it is all about new beginnings, the spring of our academic year. 267 new pupils joined the College, along with 18 new members of the teaching staff, all ready to play their part in the ongoing story that is Wellington. And this year, perhaps most importantly of all, saw James Dahl, the 15th Master of Wellington, take over the leadership of College. And with that came new purpose and vigour, and a reaffirmation that Wellington really is so much more than just a school. Medea, the musical written and directed by one of our Sixth Form pupils set the tone for the Michaelmas Term, and reminded us that anything is possible at Wellington if only the dreams are big enough. More great drama and dance followed with the annual dance show and a stunning performance of Our Country’s Good. The choir toured Germany, sang evensong at Guildford and graced no less than five carol concerts. Orchestral and Jazz concerts, singer songwriter evenings and regular informal soirees all played their part too, as did the Welly Fringe, a week-long celebration of creativity just before half term. Unbeaten hockey seasons for the girls, national rugby titles for the boys and unparalleled success for both boys and girls in the Queen’s rackets championships were but some of the sporting stories that our talented youngsters wrote. Festivals of Leadership, Service projects and Global Citizenship reaffirmed our values, while Remembrance Week allowed current Wellingtonians to pay respect to those who had gone before. And as the term – and decade – came to its end with mock (and real) elections, so too came a sense that 2020 would see more new beginnings and even greater opportunities for all the girls and boys at Wellington, who, as these pages show, have already done so much to make the very best of themselves. It is, after all, only right that Wellington’s pupils should be the living proof of the Duke’s own words that greet all our visitors as they enter Front Quad for the first time. Virtutis Fortuna Comes.
Tim Head
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WELLINGTONTODAY TODAY LENT LENT 2020 2020 EDITION EDITION WELLINGTON
Success FOR OXBRIDGE CANDIDATES
Many congratulations to the 18 Wellingtonians (12 into Oxford and 6 into Cambridge) who have recently been offered places to study at the UK’s two leading higher education institutions. With competition for places, both from national and international candidates, stronger than ever at both universities, it is fantastic news that well over 100 Wellingtonians have now been offered places over the past five years. With over 30 pupils also moving on to US universities each year, many to Ivy League institutions, there has never been a better time to be a Wellington College Sixth Former in terms of success rates to elite universities. It is particularly pleasing to see such a wide spread of courses across Maths, Engineering, Earth Sciences, Japanese, Classics,
PPE and many other subject areas. Every department has enjoyed success. Equally inspiring is the generous and positive contribution these Wellingtonians have made to the wider life of the school. Among the pupils who have gained success you will find members of the College Choir, Symphony Orchestra and A capella group; a member of the National Debating winning team; a singersongwriter who wrote and produced her own musical, and representatives from the College 1st XI Hockey (Girls) who have won three national titles. Well done to them all!
“EQUALLY INSPIRING IS THE GENEROUS AND POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION THESE WELLINGTONIANS HAVE MADE TO THE WIDER LIFE OF THE SCHOOL.”
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US UNIVERSITIES CONFERENCE For the 10th year running, Wellington College and The Good Schools Guide held the ever popular ‘Applying to US Universities: Advisor Training Conference’, with parents and career counsellors pouring in from across the UK, others catching early morning flights from Germany and Lithuania, and one delegate making the journey from Singapore. Experts and admissions officers from top American universities gave behind-the-scenes insight on every angle of the process: a beginners’ overview panel on the US system; detailed advice on essays; an explanation of SATs and ACTs; guidance on reference letters; the difference between US and UK universities; and how to guide pupils to the best fit. Speakers from Harvard, Bowdoin, the University of Southern California and the University of Chicago were joined by admissions officers from Claremont McKenna College, Babson College, Boston College and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wellington’s own specialist US advisors were also present to give detailed advice on the whole process. Undergraduate study in the USA is an increasingly popular option for Wellingtonians, with between 20 and 25 students a year crossing the Atlantic when they leave Wellington.
PETER FRANKOPAN PRIZE FOR ACADEMIC EXTENSION In a new competition this year, sixteen Fifth Form students took the opportunity to delve deeply into beyond-the-syllabus subjects of their own choice. The idea was to extend our scholars by getting them used to independent work, while also preparing them for the rigours of Sixth Form study. On the Presentation Evening an audience of parents, staff and students witnessed an eclectic range of topics, many of which would only be encountered at top universities. The winners of the inaugural Peter Frankopan Prize for Academic Extension were Gregor Maclaine, Alan Xu and Ollie Heywood who studied Artificial Intelligence; Advanced Algorithmics; and Graph Theory with Python and Game Theory. Their ability to understand complex theories, explain them clearly and concisely, and then relate them to everyday life was impressive. Highly commended were Locky Almanza and Elodie Sinclair, who explored Particle Physics and Astrophysics. The evening showcased an impressive array of thought-provoking subjects. More importantly, the competition allowed our students to develop excellent research skills while stretching their horizons way beyond their standard courses.
“THEIR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND COMPLEX THEORIES, EXPLAIN THEM CLEARLY AND CONCISELY, AND THEN RELATE THEM TO EVERYDAY LIFE WAS IMPRESSIVE.” 5
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Wellington Leadership
We are fortunate to have a Wellington Leadership and Coaching Institute (WLCI) at Wellington, founded eight years ago to research leadership and to design and deliver leadership and coaching training for pupils and staff from Wellington and across the world. It is proving to be an exciting year: coaching and leadership courses were delivered in Mozambique; there was a leadership programme for pupils in Johannesburg; a Heads of School Conference in Dublin; and our first ever Year 5 Young Leadership Festival involving 66 children rafting across the outdoor pool. November saw 70 pupils battle the challenges of low ropes and team games as they learnt about the importance of kindness and values in leadership. This was run excellently by our Welly Leaders with an inspiring keynote speech from Will Greenwood about creating a culture of safety and looking out for one another. For pupils both in and beyond Wellington, the highest impact work of the WLCI, has been Global Social Leaders (GSL). Global Social Leaders is a unique transformational leadership movement with a vision to create a global movement of socially conscious leaders. Since 2011 almost 6,000 young people in 83 different countries have participated in GSL programmes, many of which have been hosted by Wellington
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College and involved pupils from across the Wellington Family. WLCI and our partners, Future Foundations, delivered a leadership stream at Ed Fest where we announced the winners of our Global Goals Competition. This competition saw young people create over 620 social action projects, spanning 83 different countries, each project linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The atmosphere was incredible as we live-streamed Mark Milliken-Smith (Governor at Wellington) announcing the winning team from India. Do watch their video on our GSL website: https://www.globalsocialleaders.com/ ggcompetition/ It is truly inspiring! This summer, we hosted our flagship World Summit programme at Wellington College. We welcomed a global mix of 100 young people and educators, from 17 different countries. Together we are building a truly international community of diverse young people who recognise the importance of understanding oneself in order to make meaningful and positive change in the world.
Emmie Bidston, Director of the Wellington College Leadership and Coaching Institute
“Together we are building a truly international community of diverse young people who recognise the importance of understanding oneself in order to make meaningful and positive change in the world.”
FESTIVAL OF LEADERSHIP On November 29th, 60 twelve- and thirteen-year olds came to Wellington for our annual Festival of Leadership, a fantastic day of high energy activities and discussions. The day’s theme was how to create a culture where people can become the best versions of themselves. Our Welly Leaders (over 20 Lower Sixth and Fifth Form pupils) led the entire day with incredible energy and enthusiasm, ensuring our young visitors had lots of fun, whilst also growing in selfawareness and practising leadership. They put the teams through their paces on the low ropes, ran discussions on the importance of values and kindness, and got them working together on team games. All the visiting students were invited to join Wellington’s Global Social Leaders (GSL) competition and set up social action projects, aimed at achieving the United Nations’ Global Goals,
and to join a global movement of socially conscious leaders. We look forward to seeing their projects and celebrating their impact at the GSL stream of Ed Fest in June.
in the same direction. This culture of service, humility and vision led to them winning championships whilst teams with stronger teams on paper languished behind them.
Iain Sutcliffe, Deputy Head, (Co-curricular,) opened the day by comparing two cricket teams he had played for when he was a professional. He considered how the performance of the teams was not correlated to the number of star players, but rather to the culture that the leader created. In the winning Leicestershire team, there was a real sense of togetherness, everyone made sacrifices for the team, no individual was bigger than the team and everyone pulled
Will Greenwood finished off the day with a reflection on leadership lessons from rugby and a call to focus on character and create teams which are safe and honest so people can learn from their success and mistakes and keep growing – exactly what our Welly Leaders intend to do as they move on to their next projects and events.
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Global Perspec WCPCI VISIT RWANDA WCPCI’s return visit to Rwanda saw us reunited with some old friends as well as building connections for the future with new partners in peacebuilding. 19 Lower and Upper Sixth and three teachers made the trip in the October half term, landing in Kigali and visiting the National Genocide Memorial before undertaking a packed itinerary that saw them travel throughout the country. The focus on the 2019 trip was to learn how Rwanda has been able to move on from the tragic events of a quarter of a century ago where the Genocide saw the mass slaughter and rape of over a million Tutsi. By applying principles of openness, equality and community engagement, Rwanda has become a vibrant and forward looking country and also a country determined to ensure that such events never happen again. During the trip our pupils visited the Muzanze Gorilla Gardens to see sustainable tourism at first hand and also the Rwandan Peace Academy, which trains military forces from around the world to prevent genocidal terror. Although a relatively impoverished country,
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Rwanda sends the second greatest number of personnel to UN peacekeeping missions. The students also visited a school, St. Etienne Shyogwe, and after much singing and general excitement were able to unpack the clothing donations they had brought, before enjoying a hard but fairly fought game of football which saw the hosts run out 3-1 victors! Other highlights were trips to: Azizi Life, a widows collective; the river border between Uganda and Rwanda, the scene of appalling mass execution in 1994; genocide memorials at Nyamata and Ntarama and finally the beautiful new cricket stadium in Kigali, a tangible sign of the country’s regeneration and its determination to move forward peacefully. The trip, although at times difficult and harrowing, was also instructional and uplifting: it will live long in the memory of both students and staff, and plans are already underway for another visit in 2021.
ectives CARE FOR CALAIS The last weekend of November saw 28 Wellingtonians travel to Calais as part of the WCPCI initiative to help the charity care4calais carry out its ongoing work to provide aid to refugees. Speaking in Chapel after their trip Rosie Wrigglesworth (L6th) and India Parsons (L6th) had this to say about their experience: “The main aim of our trip was to restore elements of humanity to the lives of the refugees we interacted with; taking the opportunity to hear some of the stories these resilient people had to share, whilst allowing us to reflect upon everything that we are so fortunate to take for granted. Over the course of two days we sorted donations in the warehouse to prepare for upcoming distributions, in addition to handing out warm clothes to camps in Calais and Dunkirk. During the two visits to refugee camps we started games of football and volleyball, as well as bringing along music, all of which was thoroughly enjoyed by all and provided a temporary distraction from the daily struggles of the refugees living in such tough conditions. What struck us most about meeting refugees who had fled for a variety of reasons, was their
shared sense of positivity and the overwhelming presence of hope in the face of adversity.� WCPCI will be visiting the Calais refugees again in June this year; for more information contact Denise Brown, Head of WCPCI.
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Wellies 4 Welly & Giving Day ‘THE POWER OF THE WELLY’ When we met with the newly appointed Prefects in the summer term one of the topics that came up for discussion was our fully funded bursary programme. It was clear from the conversation that as students they felt they didn’t know enough about the programme and the more they heard the more motivated they were do something to raise awareness and funds; Wellies 4 Welly and Giving Day was the result! The Prefects felt the Wellies 4 Welly side of the day would be a perfect way to raise awareness with the students and that the Giving Day side would be the fundraising element and targeted at the parents and OW community. The Prefects challenged the entire student body to take part in an interhouse ‘Design a Welly for the Master’ competition (that was
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WHY WELLIES FOR WELLY? won by a ‘Jackson Pollock’ inspired design from the Lynedoch) along with a Junior and Senior Welly-Wanging competition. The student involvement culminated with a mass Welly Wang on Rockies on the Saturday morning – next year we will be aiming to beat the world record! Alongside this all the efforts of the students were broadcast to the parent and OW community via the wonderful world of social media. Results were remarkable and inspired nearly 200 parents and OWs to donate online raising a staggering £110,000 in a mere 36 hours – testament to the power of the humble welly boot and a highly motivated and creative Prefect body.
The Wellington boot was ‘invented’ by the Duke of Wellington. The Wellington boot was for many decades the preserve of only the wealthy and privileged. Today the benefits of wearing warm, protective, practical footwear are available for everyone. Whether you call them wellies, galoshes, mud boots, rain boots, mucking boots, billy boots, or gumboots – the welly boot is the people’s boot. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to make the education that Wellington provides available to as many young people as possible?
Dance for Mind
“ERADICATE THE STIGMA AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND START TALKING AND LISTENING TO EACH OTHER.” Congratulations to Lottie Leach (U6th) for organising a brilliant 24-hour Danceathon, raising a total of £3,000 for the charity, Mind. Lottie delivered a powerful address in assembly on Monday, in which she talked about the need to “eradicate the stigma” around mental health and called for us all to “start talking and listening” to each other. Lottie encouraged all members of the Wellington community to join her Danceathon and to “boogie [their] stress away!” After such a rousing speech, it was no surprise that pupils and staff came in their hundreds to support the event.
energy levels dipping. This Tweet from the Master sums up the atmosphere perfectly: “With 10 minutes to go, Old Gym is rocking to the sounds of YMCA. Brilliant atmosphere and an amazing cause. Well done, Lottie!” Thank you to everyone who took part and well done to members of the Combermere Upper Sixth who danced through the night.
Throughout the day on Thursday 19th September and into Friday 20th, the Old Gym was buzzing with energy, as people emerged from all corners of the College to join Lottie on the dancefloor. By early on Friday morning, there was no sign of the
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40 Years
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SINCE GIRLS JOINED OUR CCF
Last term marked 40 years since the first girls entered the Wellington College Combined Cadet Force, in September 1979. At that stage they were only permitted to join the Royal Naval section, as it was felt that this was “better able to accept them and to provide training in which they were interested”. Today, all sections of the CCF are open to girls and, this year, the senior cadets in the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force sections are all female. Emily G (U6th), who has recently been awarded an Army Scholarship, will head up the Army section; Molly Senior (U6th) takes on the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force section is in the capable hands of Natasha Murrin (5th). At Wellington, we are fortunate to have a flourishing CCF and much depends on the dedication of our staff, who are brilliantly led by Contingent Commander Ian Frayne. Many members of the teaching staff are involved on Wednesday afternoons and some, like Maths teacher Clare Edwards, go above and beyond. Clare is a Senior Officer in the RAF section at Wellington, but she is also heavily involved in the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO) outside College. As a volunteer on the Air Cadet Leadership Course, held at RAF College Cranwell, Lincolnshire, Clare guides cadets towards their Gold Award, the gold standard leadership badge for cadets. She also volunteers at the South East Area Cadre, held at RAF Henlow, where she trains cadets for the bronze and silver leadership awards. So significant is Clare’s involvement in the ACO that she has recently been asked to take part in a marketing campaign for the RAF section, the aim of which is to encourage more adult volunteers into the Combined Cadet Force. Clare commented: “Wellington’s core values are Respect, Integrity, Courage, Responsibility and Kindness, and these of course overlap the RAF’s own values of Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence. As my father had been an officer in the RAF it was a natural choice for me to join the RAF, and I can honestly say it has been the best decision I have ever made”.
WELLINGTON PUPILS AWARDED ARMY SCHOLARSHIP Congratulations to Emily Gubby (U6th) and Hugo Swift (U6th) both of whom have been awarded an Army Sixth Form Scholarship and are guaranteed a place at Sandhurst Military Academy after university. Emily commented: “I am delighted and honoured to be awarded this scholarship as the selection process is very challenging. I would not have got through the long process without the support of the Wellington CCF department. It’s uncommon at 17 to have such a concrete plan for life after university but, for me, that’s one of the many benefits this scholarship gives. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me”.
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“WELLINGTON’S CORE VALUES ARE RESPECT, INTEGRITY, COURAGE, RESPONSIBILITY AND KINDNESS, AND THESE OF COURSE OVERLAP THE RAF’S VALUES.”
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Politics Society students, Evie Campbell (U6th) and Kenshu Tanabe (U6th), invited Dr Philip Lee, one-time Conservative MP for Bracknell Forest, to Wellington on the 20th September. Dr Lee, who created national headlines when he crossed the floor to join the Liberal Democrats, spoke about Brexit, the decision that lay behind his crossover and his general thoughts on the prospects for UK Politics. He spoke with passion and conviction, providing interesting answers to a whole range of challenging questions that were fired at him from a large and knowledgeable audience of students and staff alike.
A Wellington College General Election was held on the 12th December. Again facilitated by Evie and Kenshu, and ably supported by their PolSoc team, it provided an exciting climax to the Michaelmas Term: Great School, transformed into our polling station, was a hub of energy and enthusiasm all day.The final result, which failed to see the Conservatives gain an overall majority, provided an interesting contrast to the nationwide poll held on the same day! Wellington College Results
UK Results
Conservatives: 39.66%
Conservatives: 43.6%
Liberal Democrat: 34.17%
Labour: 32.2%
Labour: 12.65%
Liberal Democrat: 11.6%
Green: 7.59%
Green: 2.7%
Independent: 2.1%
Independent: 0.1%
Interestingly the Wellington spoiled ballots included treatises on the inadequacy of the first-past-the-post voting system, the shortcomings of various party figures, and interesting visual expressions of Brexit boredom!
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HIGHLY COMMENDED FOR GUY IN RGS & FINANCIAL TIMES ESSAY COMPETITION Many congratulations to Guy Zilberman (L6th) for being highly commended in the joint Royal Geographical Society and Financial Times essay competition. Guy, who also runs Wellington’s Environmental Society, impressed the judges with his essay on “Is it better for the world to be wealthier or to be more equal?”.
Fireside Talks Every Monday evening, the Master opens up the sitting room of the Lodge and invites in an outside speaker to share their experiences.The main aim is to make the students think and question their preconceptions, rather than teach them about a particular topic.The Q&A, a major element of the talks, is often animated, drawing questions from pupils of all ages. Highlights last term included Oxford University history professor Peter Frankopan. He asked pupils to question why they focus so much on UK specific history, such as Henry VIII’s wives, rather than looking at the history of China and South Asia and considering the perspective of the rising powers of the East. Former England cricket captain, Sir Andrew Strauss, discussed how to achieve the seemingly unachievable through marginal gains, by breaking a mission down into achievable steps. Talan Skeels-Piggins was left paralysed from the mid chest down after an accident, but he explained how he set about his goal to represent GB in the Paralympics. His determination and sheer willpower were inspirational: “It’s what you do that defines you”. Prof Matthew Goodwin explained the rise of national populism and the need to engage and deal with challenging issues in our society. Gareth Patterson QC outlined his role as a prosecutor, working with police to build a case and prove a suspect’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. We have lined up an exciting programme of talks for this term including Sir Anthony Seldon on politics and leadership, Mary Berry on her life and career, the British Ambassador to Romania talking about 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Prof Chris Budd discussing whether mathematics can save the whales.
ANDREW STRAUSS
TALAN SKEELS-PIGGINS
AFUA HIRSCH
MATTHEW GOODWIN
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hockey
An excellent season for girls
Girls hockey at Wellington continues to go from strength to strength, and 2019/20 is proving to be another outstanding season. Particular congratulations go to Darcy Bourne (U6th) who has been selected to be part of the England Development Programme (equivalent of England A) and Emily Guckian (U6th) who has joined the England U21 squad. Goalkeeper Raph Robeson (L6th) has won the Girls Hockey Writers’ Club Youth Award. Our Under 15 A and B teams both enjoyed unbeaten seasons, as did the Under 18 Indoor team, who qualified for the National finals in January. 16
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RAPH AWARDED HOCKEY WRITERS’ CLUB YOUTH AWARD Raph Robeson (L6th) has just been awarded the prestigious Hockey Writers’ Club Youth Award, receiving her award at the annual presentation lunch on January 15th at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Knightsbridge, London. The judging panel sought information from coaches, clubs and schools, with the judges considering not just hockey ability but players’ personal qualities and potential for future development. As well as playing brilliantly for College this season, field hockey goalkeeper Raph joined the senior squad at Wimbledon Hockey Club and has completed half of the season in the Ladies 1st Team in the Investec East Conference Premier Division in 2018 and currently plays for the Ladies 2s. “She has done amazingly well, being such a young person within a very talented adult environment,” said Simon Organ,
Wimbledon coach. “I am very proud to see how she has developed both as a goalkeeper and how she has matured with her thinking and communication skills amongst older people. After being an England U16 NAGS goalkeeper since 2017, she has been reselected for the U18 England Hockey NAGS squad. Raph has also trained with England Hockey to be a Level 1 umpire, and is also active as a coach with Wimbledon’s junior goalkeeper programme. She has also established her own website for goalkeepers, with objectives to provide support and guidance. She is a fine swimmer, having completed two official cross channel swim relays at Wellington (2017 and 2018) and raising £15,000 for charity.” Many congratulations Raph – we are all very proud of you.
JOE SLIPPER – SELECTED FOR JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Congratulations to Joe Slipper (4th) who has been selected as a member of the Royal Yachting Association UK junior squad after another busy and successful season. Competing in the Mixed RS Feva World Championships in Italy this summer, Joe and his partner Katherine Burgess came a stunning 8th out of a field of 200 international boats. Joe then went on to compete in two national selection events, winning at Draycote Sailing Club which secured selection. Joe started sailing several years ago as part of an Outward-Bound camp. Although a cold and damp Cornish winter was perhaps not the best sailing baptism he soon fell in love with the sport, joining the Silver Wing Club in Middlesex and quickly attracting attention from Regional and National selectors. Not surprisingly, as well as competing at such exalted level, Joe has already had a considerable impact on the Wellington team.
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Rackets National Champions The first day of the Christmas holidays was one of celebration for Wellington on finals day of the National Schools Rackets Championships at The Queen’s Club. Over recent years the girls’ doubles tournaments have run alongside the long-established boys’ singles in the final week of the Michaelmas Term. In the junior (under 16) division Cesca Sweet (5th) and Sophia Grillo (5th) had a match point to beat Cheltenham 3-0, but failed to win that point and shortly afterwards found themselves at 2-2. However, they held their nerve and eventually won the fifth game 15-11. The senior final followed, with Issie Thorneycroft (U6th) and Lauren Gooding (U6th) defending the title they narrowly won last year.This year they showed themselves
to have reached an even higher level, and convincingly beat a very competitive Cheltenham pair 3-0. The final event of the day was the Foster Cup, the senior boys’ singles championship, and one of the oldest titles in the sport. Freddie Bristowe (U6th) was appearing in his second consecutive final, and this year made no mistake with an authoritative display against a strong Etonian opponent bringing a convincing and impressive 3-0 win in dramatically quick time. Winning three trophies in one day represents remarkable, possibly unprecedented success, reflecting the dedication and determination of all five players and indeed Wellington’s outstanding professional Ryan Tulley.
INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS FOR JASPER SMITH-GORDON 2019 was an extraordinary year for Wellington gymnast, Jasper Smith-Gordon (L6th) who in April competed in his first international for Great Britain in the 24th Junior Team Cup in Berlin. As well as contributing to the Under 18 team’s overall success, Jasper won an individual Bronze in the Vault. This achievement led to more international experience and eventual selection for the inaugural Junior World Championships, in Gyor, Hungary. On the final day of the championships he once more competed in the Individual Vault, his stunning score of 14.183 again securing Bronze. Consistently good performances throughout the year in all disciplines ensured selection for the Great Britain Under 18 National Squad, where he trains each month with the nation’s top gymnasts in preparation for this year’s European Championships, the biggest competition for his age group. Remarkable, well done Jasper!
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Triathletes Take on Brighton and Hove
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7am swims in the local lake, mountain bike trails through Swinley Forest and running the tracks of Crowthorne’s delightful topography – can there be a more fun and varied sport than triathlon at Wellington? Last year was another impressive year for our Wellington triathletes, with many pupils trying the sport for the first time, some impressive results, and two pupils chosen to represent Great Britain at the World and European age group triathlon championships in Lausanne and Kazan. This year’s season is now underway and in September, 10 Wellington triathletes set off for Brighton Beach, ready for what was for many their first triathlon and first competitive sea swim. The Third and Fourth Form started first, diving over the waves for their swim, before a fast and furious bike ride and a 2.5km sprint along the promenade. The Fifth Form competed in the GB age group selection race. Well done to Elodie Sinclair (5th) who, despite a puncture, bravely carried on to the end, giving her best knowing she couldn’t get selected. It was also fantastic to see two teachers racing – Chris Ewart and Emmie Bidston – especially as Chris’s daughter was also competing in the earlier race. Katy Granville-Chapman, Head of Triathlon at Wellington, said:“Triathlon is brilliantly demanding and hugely character building, but the best thing about it is the sense of community, and the lifelong passion it develops for sport. The fact that different year groups and genders train together, whilst often juggling several other sports, results in a real sense of camaraderie. Our triathletes also regularly cross paths with wonderful OWs who can’t get enough of triathlons and are still on the GB age group team at the races we attend”.
SUCCESS FOR ANNABELLA AT THE EUROPEAN DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS Congratulations to Annabella Pidgley (4th) who competed at the European Dressage Championships in Poland over the summer. In the team test, she was the top-placed rider in Great Britain, finishing 14th out of 60 riders and helping the GB team achieve 4th place overall. In the individual event, Annabella finished 11th in Europe and was again the top U16 rider in Great Britain.
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS FOR ELISSA Elissa Herrmann (3rd) represented the UK in the Pony Jumping Grand Prix in Stuttgart in November. Elissa, one of the youngest competitors in the Under 16 competition, gained valuable World Cup qualifying points, with a brilliant ride over the tricky and tight 1.40m course, finishing 9th overall. She started riding when she was only 5 and began competing seriously two years ago. As well as coping with the busy Third Form curriculum, Elissa manages to ride twice a week after school, as well as finding time to travel back home in order to school her own competition ponies.
POLO PRO: Lower Sixth Former Joins Sainte Mesme Ned Hine (L6th) had an extremely busy polo season, as he continues to compete with and against some of the best professionals in the world. This year, Ned played three tournaments with one of England’s top four internationals and alongside the Captain of Chile. Ned has also been invited to play in the ‘Championnat de France de Polo’ with the leading French team, Sainte Mesme – polo’s equivalent of Paris Saint-Germain. This is Ned’s first professional contract, and an incredible opportunity for him to further his international exposure and experience. Last weekend, Ned competed in the Tournoi d’Autumne, the closing competition of the Polo de Paris season. Ned’s team, Sainte Mesme, defeated their biggest rivals, La Concepcion, 6-5, and Ned scored the winning goal. Ned, along with this brother, Louis (3rd), also won the West Sussex Cup at Cowdray Park Polo Club just before the start of term.
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1st XV
Make Rugby History
This has been a record-breaking season for Wellington’s 1st XV rugby team who have become the first school in the UK to win back-to-back Champions Trophies, as well as securing the prestigious St Joseph’s Festival title in October. The team played 21 other schools, including all tournaments and competition matches, winning 20 of their matches, and only losing to Sedbergh 10-20 in a hugely physical match between the two best schoolboy XVs in the country. Our boys defeated Millfield, Brighton, Hampton, RGS Newcastle and Kirkham Grammar School on their way to securing the St Joseph’s title at what is renowned as the toughest competition in15-a-side schools’ rugby. Having defeated Epsom College 41-24 in the semi-final, the boys capped off their season with a convincing 43-19 victory against Rugby School in the Champions Trophy final held in December at Saracens’ Allianz Park. Remarkably, the Upper Sixth boys in the team have never lost a home school fixture in five years at the College. The team was brilliantly captained by Fin Baxter (U6th), who also captained England U18 in South Africa last summer, and no fewer than 36 different boys represented the team at some point through a gruelling and injury-filled season. Given the strength in depth of rugby at the College, it was no surprise that the 2nd XV also enjoyed a stellar season during which they were unbeaten.
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“Remarkably, the Upper Sixth boys in the team have never lost a home school fixture in five years at the College.”
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WELLINGTON TODAY LENT 2020 EDITION
Golfing Three of our top young golfers have been carrying all before them this autumn and winter.
Justin Chan (U6th) played in the Portugal Junior Open (U21) at Quinta Do Lago in December, managing to overcome a 4-stroke deficit on the final day to run out the winner after defeating local favourite Calvin Holmes (a 3-time Portuguese National Junior Champion) in a playoff. Remarkably this was his third World Amateur Ranking win for the season, a performance, that will surely see Justin’s World Amateur Golf Ranking continue to improve. Towards the end of November Oscar Fuentes (U6th) spent a week in Portugal playing in The Daily Telegraph Justin Rose Junior Championship, after qualifying with a stunning 5 under par at Bearwood Lakes. He eventually finished 8th, but impressed several good judges along the way, including Justin Rose himself. Over the Christmas holiday, Ella Hammond-Baveystock (L6th) played in the Doral-Publix Junior Golf Classic at the Trump National Doral, Miami. Playing on the showpiece Red Tiger course, which features two island greens, Ella impressed the coaches of several USA Universities who were there to scout new recruits. Although she initially found it tough to adapt to the challenging conditions, she soon settled, qualified for the third and final round, and finished a highly commendable 27th place. Not surprisingly, shining as she did in such a competitive field gained her serious interest from the Women’s NCAA Division 1 coaches.
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Heroes
CHARITY NETBALL
NETBALL STARS
At the start of each academic year in September, the College remembers Jimmy Higham, an outstanding young Wellington teacher who lost his life to cancer at the age of 24.
Congratulations to Fifth Formers Scarlett Creasey and Katy Head, who are making great strides on the Netball front. The girls, who both play for the Weston Park Blades U16 side which recently finished runners-up in the English Netball Cup, have been attracting attention from two national Franchise Clubs. Scarlett has been representing the Surrey Storm Under 19 side, while Katy made her debut for Wasps Under 17s just before Christmas.
The Bursary Fund, set up in his name, aims to provide life-changing educational opportunities for young athletes.The Jimmy Higham 5K and 10K fun-run on the first Sunday of the school year, has become an established part of the school year. In order to build on this, and to celebrate the vital importance of coeducation, the 1st VII Netball girls took on the 1st XV Rugby boys in an Exhibition Netball match on Friday, 10th January. The game was played in the Robin Dyer Centre in front of a large and vocal crowd and was a truly epic encounter, which saw the girls run-out deserved winners, 22-15.
CHARLIE GOULD – CROSSFIT STAR Charlie (4th) has reasonable claims of being one of the fittest boys of his generation, or so his performance in last autumn’s CrossFit Challenge would seem to suggest. For the uninitiated CrossFit is both a physical exercise philosophy and a competitive fitness sport, incorporating elements from high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, gymnastics and cardio endurance, to name but a few. The CrossFit Challenge, open to members of over 13,000 affiliated gyms (the majority in the USA), involved five separate workouts between October and November. Competing in the Under 15 category, Charlie came 6th in the UK and 235th in the world, narrowly missing the chance to compete in the World CrossFit Games in Wisconsin. He hopes to better that performance next year, as well as concentrating on his two other great sporting passions, rugby and triathlon.
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WELLINGTON TODAY LENT 2020 EDITION
House Singing Competition
If it’s the beginning of the Lent Term it must be the House Singing Competition, and on Friday 17th January the Annenberg rocked to the sound of Glastonbury, as all 17 houses brought their own special brand of musical creativity to the stage. ‘Glasto Headliners’ was the theme this year, and we enjoyed offerings from Blur, Beyoncé and the Beatles to name but a few. It was not only the singing that impressed the judges, but also the colour, choreography and sheer energy that every house displayed. Congratulations to all the performers, but special mentions to the Benson, winners of the best Harmony, the Orange, best A capella, and to the three runners up, the Anglesey, the Blücher, and the Talbot. However, it was the Combermere who ran out overall winners on the night, their rendition of the Kings of Leon ‘Use Somebody’ raising the roof and showing a house, not only full of spirit, but also perfectly in harmony with itself.
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OUR COUNTRY’S GOOD ‘Our Country’s Good’ is a challenging play: set in the 1780s it features the first group of convicts who have been transported to Australia for various small crimes (as you know, Australia was a penal colony for many years). There is a debate among the officers responsible for guarding them as to whether they should be punished or redeemed. One young officer suggests getting the convicts to rehearse and perform a play – George Farquhar’s The Recruiting Officer – and this is the central motif that carries the action forward, and which allows Timberlake Wertenbaker to explore themes such as crime and punishment, redemption, nature or nurture, love and hate, and ultimately the astonishing endurance of the human spirit. Above all else, Our Country’s Good asks us to consider the transcendental power
of art, and so it was entirely appropriate that Director Jo Brayton transformed the CLT into a barren stretch of Antipodean shoreline. It was a stunning set, and her decision to play it in the round shattered the fourth wall, placed the audience right at the heart of the action and ensured that for the cast there was literally no hiding place from the uncomfortable truths they were forced to confront. There were strong performances from Baxter Westby (L6th) as 2nd Lt Ralph Clark, our idealistic impresario, and Josh Hogan (5th) as the fever-wracked Midshipman Brewer. Freddie Gillmore (U6th) was all Caledonian menace as Major Robbie Ross, his demand for harsh penalties sympathetically counterpointed by the excellent Izzy Melville (U6th) as Judge David Collins. Evie Campbell (U6th) and Stella Lindfors (L6th) were convincing convicts, and Honor Bridgman’s (L6th) nuanced performance
as Mary Brenham teased out many of the play’s subtler themes. Ben Wigram’s (U6th) empathetic Governor Philip was frequently confronted by the bombastic Captain Tench, effortlessly portrayed by Caitlin Strachan (L6th), while the role of Liz Morden, the most honest yet provocative of all the prisoners, was brilliantly explored by Honor Woollett (L6th). Our Country’s Good makes significant demands on its cast, but this production will live long in the memory, not just for the excellence and ambition of all the actors who worked so hard, but also for the way it reclaimed the Christopher Lee as a proper venue for serious theatre. It was indeed a transformative work of creative genius, so many congratulations to all who made it so.
ON THE TRAIL OF J.S. BACH During the October half term, 30 enthusiastic choristers and instrumentalists set out for Germany to learn about the great Baroque composer, J. S. Bach, performing his music in its original setting. The choir were thrilled to sing in the stunningly rebuilt Frauenkirche in Dresden (flattened in WWII) and the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, where Bach himself was Kantor. A visit to the composer’s house in Eisenach, now an intriguing museum, was an opportunity to investigate historical instruments. Later, a pilgrimage to the medieval Wartburg Castle where Martin Luther retreated to translate the New Teastament, dramatically perched on a mountain, provided a useful schooling in the events of the Reformation. The tour reached a climax with concerts in Mülhausen (another Bach church) and Rudolstadt, with opportunities for organists Ethan Gunning (L6th), and Ollie Dewar (U6th) to play solos on historic organs. All involved agree it was a musical and cultural week to remember!
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WELLINGTON TODAY LENT 2020 EDITION
Medea The Musical:
Mother or Monster?
The Michaelmas Term saw another Wellington first: student Hayley Canham (U6th) wrote, produced, directed and starred in a full-scale musical. ‘Medea The Musical’ was a tour-de-force: a riotous display of ‘Hamilton-esque’ choral numbers, brilliant character acting, and a powerful reworking of a classical tale brought to life a powerful reworking of a classic tale. Hayley commented, “A passion for theatre, a love of song-writing and a deep interest in Classical civilisation do not tend to offer a vast range of exciting combinations but, fortunately for me, they have allowed me to accomplish one of my life’s goals: to write and stage a musical. ‘Medea The Musical: Mother or Monster’ has been an absolute labour of love and, thanks to a wonderful student cast and crew, a thoroughly enjoyable, if sometimes stressful, experience with such a tight timescale to put on the show for the two dates in September!” Hayley started writing the show a year ago, drafting the initial script over Christmas, and beginning casting and rehearsals in the summer. It was an incredible tour de force and a stunning directorial debut for Hayley, who is of course better known for her own brilliant performances on the Wellington stage. Many congratulations Hayley!
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WELLINGTON TODAY LENT 2020 EDITION
Welly Fringe
fes
“It was a flurry of creative The idea behind this year’s WellyFringe was to bring the activity, which will surely be Arts into the centre of Wellington and encourage students developed in the future” to create their own short and impactful events.
The emphasis was on creativity and within one-hour time-slots over two days, there were plays, concerts, dance and art. The Crypt was turned into a reflective space, with art and music; the chapel displayed large-scale art; Waterloo Hall featured acrobatics, and photography lined the colonnades of the Combermere Quad. Highlights included concerts in the Master’s Lodge, in the Benson and in the Combermere, and the Chapel Choir previewed their tour music in the Chapel. There was a poetry reading in the Joanna Seldon Reading Room and a live screening of Frankenstein (with students on beanbags) in Waterloo Hall. Live music was a feature in the Dining Hall, there were improvisations in the Library, while choral music in the dark of the quad lent a unique (and slightly gothic) atmosphere to College. Plays took palce in the Concert Room and Waterloo Hall and the CLR saw a concert performance of Hayley Canham’s (U6th) wonderful Medea The Musical. All in all, it was a flurry of creative activity, which will surely be developed in the future.
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stival
PHOTO FINISH
When flying across a Namibian Desert in a small plane, Jasper (4th) took a series of photographs of the impressive dunes. As this black and white image stood out with its interesting and unusual perspective, he decided to submit it to the Sony World Photography Competition. He was delighted to discover that his photo had been shortlisted and featured on their website and Instagram pages, which led to much praise from many prestigious photographers who commented on its unusual and ambiguous treatment of one of the world’s most inhospitable yet stunning landscapes.
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WELLINGTON TODAY LENT 2020 EDITION
The Millennium Report DANCE SHOW Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas at Wellington without the annual Dance Show, and this year’s production, The Millennium Report, sparkled and shone with glitz and skill. Featuring twenty separate pieces (three conceived solely by pupils) and over a hundred dancers, The Millennium Report followed the major news stories from the last twenty years, choreographing them in an eclectic mix of genres, from Tap to Street, from Ballet to Contemporary. At times serious and profound, at others witty and fun, the show challenged dancers and audience alike as it took us on a journey that was always stylish and sassy – but also dangerous and thrilling. Effortlessly narrated by newscasters Lizzie Vincent (U6th) and Cyrano de Clermont-Tonnerre (4th), twenty years were jampacked into two hours of high energy routines, taking in the grisly events of Soham; the magic of Hogwarts; the most famous couch in Manhattan and even Banksy-style urban wastelands, before ending up on the Strictly set in a high energy number that allowed our Sixth Formers to bring the evening to a rousing climax. Many congratulations to all the performers, and in particular to Caroline Kenworthy and Clare Cooke whose inspirational direction masterminded the show, and who ensured that the
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whole range of Wellington dance was on show. Few schools could so confidently platform all ages from Third Form to Sixth, incorporating not only both academic and co-curricular dancers, but also boys and girls – so if Dance really is ‘the hidden language of the soul’ then it is a language that Wellington effortlessly commands. While all the performances were brilliant, it would be wrong not to highlight Ella Hammond-Baveystock’s (L6th) chilling Arachnid, Will Sheng (U6th) and Alex Mullen’s (3rd) Aftermath, and the high-altitude skill and daring of Joely Collier (L6th) and Jemima Bland (L6th). Congratulations too to the Eagle House dancers who cast such a convincing spell, and final thanks to Belle Banwell (U6th), Honor Crawford (U6th), Celeste Knowles (U6th), Lottie Leach (U6th), Selina Liu (U6th) and Anna Morgan (U6th), our Sixth Form dancers who made such a magnificent contribution, not only to this show, but to Wellington Dance over the years. As the pre-show publicity claimed, it really was the best show ever!
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WELLINGTON TODAY LENT 2020 EDITION
The First 10 Years
Wellington College International We were delighted earlier this year to join Wellington College China’s 10 Year celebrations, which marked also 10 years of the existence of Wellington College International here in Crowthorne.
delivering excellent quality education (and exceptional exam results). All are seen as the best schools in their region, with Shanghai International now rated as one of the top International schools in Asia. To support their ambition, Joy has also established the Huili Institute of Learning, focused on innovation in education approach to bring together the teaching philosophies of East and West, as well as English and Mandarin languages, for bilingual and bi-cultural fluency. The IoL itself is now a leading voice in the study of bilingual teaching, researching such areas as how the language of teaching can positively impact learning in certain subjects.
It was in 2009 that our first International partner, Joy Qiao, signed the initial agreement to develop schools with Wellington, then under the leadership of 13th Master, Sir Anthony Seldon. Their aligned vision was to bring the premium quality, progressive, holistic education offered at Wellington, to a new audience in China.The primary focus was on enhancing opportunities for international engagement; a bringing together and understanding of cultures that can lead In 2016 WCI signed a second agreement, with Darika to a global outlook and citizenship (Seldon readily admits he Lathapipat and Gurdist Chansrichawla, and in 2018 we was particularly fascinated by China). opened our International school with them in Bangkok. Though only four terms in, it is already of the highest quality; WCI International Director Scott Bryan, Wellington College a truly impressive school that is authentically Wellington. It is Head of Partnerships Iain Henderson, and Wellington also different in many ways to our schools in China – unique College Governor Mark Milliken-Smith, travelled to China to to its place – and that is how it should be. join the celebrations. They heard Joy speak not only of her pride in the achievements of Wellington College China and WCI has met more than 70 prospective partners since her wonderful team, but also of her pride in the partnership we set out on our expansion programme; that we have with Wellington College. She spoke too, of her ongoing proceeded with only two to open schools demonstrates the ambition to bring together the best of East and West. exceptional level of rigour we have applied. Only those with the deep commitment to our educational approach and The success of this is very much in evidence.The schools are values, as well as the capacity to deliver world class campuses each tangibly Wellington but also unique to their cultural and in leading cities have been selected. We intend to maintain community setting.They are successful, growing communities our focus on the highest possible standards.
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The expansion of Wellington College internationally has always been much more than a commercial venture. Just as for Seldon, current Master James Dahl champions the opportunities for international engagement and understanding: “I was so impressed by our schools when I visited last summer. They are alive with the Wellington spirit, and deliver an outstanding education. The immense opportunity for lively cultural and academic exchange as they grow, is particularly exciting for all our students and staff ”.
of Asia. We are now well on our way to becoming one of the leading global brands in premium education; increasingly partners seek us out first as UK public school partner of choice, because of the excellent schools that we have already established, and the close and authentic relationship that they enjoy with Wellington College. So many people have contributed to Wellington College International over the decade. Our first International Directors both deserve a mention; Paul Cabrelli, who played an important role in the opening of our first schools, and then Helen Kavanagh, who went on to become Chief Executive of Wellington College China demonstrating how closely we work with our partners and the value we bring to each other. Our current Director Scott Bryan is leading the next phase, with an equal focus on development of both our current and potential partnerships.
It is also about a broader education impact, about widening access to our Wellington education within and beyond the campuses we build. In all these things our schools are successful, with so much more that can and will be done. But it is true too that the expansion is now delivering substantial sums on an annual basis, that support our bursary programme (broadening access further) and the continued investment we are making back at College to ensure we We are proud to mark the first 10 years of WCI, and of our remain one of the world’s leading schools. partners and the schools we have built. And we look forward to the next decade as we support our schools towards ever Part of the International project was also to build Wellington greater successes, and carefully expand our network to College’s brand. While strong in the UK, we were less well embrace an even greater global diversity. known internationally and hardly at all in China and the rest
“WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT DECADE AS WE SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS TOWARDS EVER GREATER SUCCESSES, AND CAREFULLY EXPAND OUR NETWORK TO EMBRACE AN EVEN GREATER GLOBAL DIVERSITY.”
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Wellington College, Crowthorne Berkshire, RG45 7PU www.wellingtoncollege.org.uk +44 (0)1344 444 000