news, events and updates from
SUMMER TERM 2017
WORTH KNOWING IN THIS ISSUE
NEW SIXTH FORM HORSING ABOUT SOCIAL OUTREACH WHAT'S NEW
NEW SIXTH FORM
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SWIMMING
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Musical Excellence What’s new? Design and Technology County champions Activities
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HORSING ABOUT
32 Fencing 35 Academic societies 38 Support at hand 42 Worth Revisiting 46 Taking responsibility
WHAT’S INSIDE
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48 Drama 56 Charitable work 60 Channel swim 62 Wonderful Worth 64 Art
SUMMER TERM 2017
LIFE IS ever evolving at Worth. The third edition of Worth Knowing will give you a flavour of what being a member of the Worth community is about, while emphasising two important points: the pursuit of excellence in everything we do; and the willingness to develop and move forward in search of that. Academically, we are proud of what our students achieve, but being at Worth is about so much more than this. We strive to uncover and ignite children’s passions and talents, before sending them on the rest of their life journey as confident individuals with the right values and all the tools to succeed in whatever they do. Read on to find out how we do that. HOWARD GRIGGS, EDITOR
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Much has happened at Worth since the last edition of Worth Knowing was published in February: Gervase House has opened as a new boarding house for boys from Year 9 to Year 13; St Mary’s House is thriving in its new location; Design and Technology has been introduced again after a long absence, and swimming has become a major sport option. Our public examination and sporting results have continued on their upward trend and we have seen a huge number of outstanding achievements outside of the normal run of school life, such as the Channel Swim team – the ninth to attempt the Channel in as many years – raising more than £12,000 for charity. Another significant development at Worth over the last year has taken place in the Sixth Form. This year saw the School’s largest ever cohort of pupils into Year 12. A third of Year 12 pupils opted to take the IB programme and there is a similar number of girls and boys across the year group.
The new Sixth Form café gives pupils a place where they can meet to socialise and work together, and mixed tutorial groups offer the chance to explore ideas with the tutor who will help them throughout their time in the Sixth Form and with university entrance. The School’s very clear aim is to give all Sixth Form pupils a stimulating experience of A Level or IB studies that will help them to identify their possible university path and form them as thinking, moral members of society. We have also seen exciting developments in the Chaplaincy, with an expanded team of Forerunners helping to make questions of faith and practice both enjoyable and engaging. As the following pages attest, Worth is brimful of positive energy in its staff and pupils, lessons, worship, activities, music and games. I hope you enjoy seeing and reading the evidence in this edition of Worth Knowing. STUART MCPHERSON, MA HEAD MASTER
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THE VIth STEPPING STONE WORTH WELCOMED its strongest ever cohort of new students in September, fully coeducational with a 50-50 boy/girl ratio. A Sixth Form education at Worth provides students with every opportunity to succeed in life. Whether having risen through the School or joined for Years 12 and 13, students enjoy an education in the broadest sense, with a challenging academic formation, an inspiring lecture programme, a superb range of wider-curricular activities and social events, and thus achieve outstanding results. Small classes and close monitoring of progress enables students to fulfil their potential, whether choosing A Levels or the International Baccalaureate programme. Our experienced ‘Sixth Form Team’ of academic staff also provide the best advice and support for life beyond Worth, preparing each individual for their next steps. This includes a leadership formation course run by Mr Ben Gray. Sixth Form life at Worth is dynamic, varied and vibrant. We take students from all over the world at 16+ as well as a growing number from UK state schools. Read on to find out why more are making that choice.
Worth School Newsletter
ON THE COVER THE SIXTH FORM TEAM Ms Amanda Brookfield (Director of Careers and Higher Education) “Fully committed to preparing youngsters for their future lives beyond Worth, we offer a comprehensive programme of career guidance and support with applications to university. Alongside Dr Duncan Pring, Head of Careers, I work with Heads of Year and Tutors to ensure that each pupil from Year 9 onwards has advice that is tailored to her or his needs. “We believe that it is essential to inspire pupils to identify and develop the professional skills that they will need for their future careers. This is an exciting time for our Sixth Form students, in particular, as there are great opportunities for apprenticeships as well as a wide range of degree courses at university.” Mr Richard Phillips (Head of Sixth Form) “The A Level programme at Worth continues to be very popular and highly successful. We aim to offer the widest possible range of options, with more than 20 subjects available. “Our A Level programme means that specialisation is possible, but students can also choose a broader range of subjects, with considerable freedom in terms of possible combinations of subjects. “A growing number elect to complete an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) in order to explore their passion for a particular subject well beyond the confines of the taught curriculum.” Ms Naomi Williams (IB Coordinator) “Worth has been teaching the IB for 14 years with an outstanding average of 37 points. “The IB Diploma programme is an exciting and challenging qualification with an internationally recognised status; there are over half a million students worldwide studying IB programmes. An emphasis on developing students who are academically curious, balanced, independent learners is at the heart of the IB. It is a simple idea; by educating students we create a better world. “It is an exciting time to be part of the IB at Worth as the programme welcomes its biggest ever Year 12 cohort.”
Summer Term 2017
Worth School Newsletter
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ON THE COVER was charmed by the quiet " Ibeauty of the landscape, the vibrant sense of spirituality that I could feel around me and the seriousness of the courses offered"
The question my Italian friends asked me to exhaustion before leaving for England was: “Why on earth do you want to leave?� The answer I always gave was because I wanted to make a radical breakthrough, to live in a more international environment and find a proper challenging education for the first time. I remember the first day I came to Worth and I was charmed by the quiet beauty of the landscape, the vibrant sense of spirituality that I could feel around me and the seriousness of the courses offered. I decided that Worth, out of all the schools visited, was exactly where I wanted to spend my two last years of high school. With time, Worth has allowed me to dig into the deepest corners of my mind to discover my potential and it has provided me with the intellectual tools necessary to push myself beyond what I thought possible. The support given by teachers, especially at the beginning, when I was overwhelmed by the amount of catch-up to do, gave me hope and boosted my perseverance to pursue my goals. And now, here I am, ready to face my last year of school, busy with the application process to apply for Medicine at Oxbridge. The idea of leaving now seems unreal because the truth is that, as a full time boarder, this place becomes like the home you have left, your friends the siblings you have said goodbye to and the members of staff the role models you can always rely on. At times, while looking out of the window, I think back to my first day and I give myself a pat on the back, because on that day, listening to my instinct, I took the best decision I could take. GIULIA (YEAR 13)
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difference between " The Worth and other colleges is
how Worth prepares you for the future – both as a person as well as academically"
I joined Worth in Year 12 from a local state school. I was amazed by the incredible facilities and that the members of staff were really friendly, going out of their way to learn who I was. The connection between students and staff was striking. It was also clear to me how Worth isn’t just a factory for grades. The difference between Worth and other colleges is how Worth prepares you for the future – both as a person as well as academically. Coming to Worth, I had very high academic expectations but the extra opportunities you are given in the Sixth Form, from the lectures and academic societies to the sport and music and to do things you haven’t done before, are vast and something I will personally be grateful for beyond my time here. If you told me that I would be taking part in a drama production last year I would never have believed you! PIERRE (YEAR 13)
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ON THE COVER
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ON THE COVER
A SPACE TO WORK, TO RELAX
In addition to all Sixth Form students having their own rooms, they now have another area where they can both work and relax thanks to an innovative move from the Head Master. Mr Stuart McPherson has opened a new Sixth Form café, creating an area specifically for Sixth Form students to have their own space. Mr McPherson said: “This is a place where Sixth Form students can relax, socialise and work away from the rest of the School. We believe it adds to the Sixth Form experience here at Worth.”
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MUSICAL EXCELLENCE
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MUSIC HAS a central role at Worth. With orchestras, choirs, concerts, there are so many opportunities to flourish at Worth. The Music department aims to give students a passion for music that will last a lifetime. Around 40% of students learn a musical instrument or have singing lessons delivered by a team of 25 dedicated and excellent teachers in the hugely impressive Performing Arts Centre, which is the epicentre of musical activity across the year. The annual ‘Battle of the Bands’ and ‘Worth Unplugged’ competitions are also incredibly popular, along with the hotly-contested House Music competition. Eli Barrott (Year 13) Bassoon, Cello and Guitar Being part of the Worth School Choir which sang alongside the Sistine Chapel Choir at a papal mass at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, has been the highlight of many great experiences for Eli at Worth. Having joined as a treble in Year 7, he now sings bass in the School Choir, Choral Society, Schola and is a solo cantor for weekly Parish Masses. Eli, who joined from Pound Hill Junior School in Crawley, said: “The wide variety of opportunities makes Worth the ideal place for the musically talented. Whether your musical interest is in the music of Thomas Tallis or the Arctic Monkeys, there really is something for everyone at Worth.”
Zoe Blake-James (Year 10) Cello and Piano The encouragement given by the Music department inspires students to greater heights, according to Zoe, who joined Worth from Newstead Wood School in Orpington. Also a member of the Choir, Zoe believes the emphasis at Worth on developing skills and enjoying music drives her passion for the subject. Collecting the Music award in assembly has been the musical highlight of her time at Worth to date. She said: “Worth offers such a wide variety of musical activities and lessons and this School can really help someone musical to pursue their talent.”
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Previous page: Freddie Bosshard (Year 8) Violin, Piano and Double Bass After just a year at Worth, Freddie’s music ability has come a long way. When he joined from Hazelwood School in Oxted, he could not play Double Bass but now he is showing great ability thanks to the tuition and encouragement he has received. He also sings in the Choir and believes the highlights of his first year at Worth were the London Choir trip and the Eve of Speech Day concert. He said: “Worth has helped my music ability incredibly. As someone with an interest in music, coming to Worth can improve you so much and gives you even more opportunities to excel.”
Freya Barker (Year 11) Violin, Piano, Alto and Soprano Saxophone A hugely talented musician, Worth has helped Freya decide she would like to make a life of music. Being around people who share her passion for music has helped develop Freya, who came to the School from Oakhyrst Grange School in Caterham. She was also part of the Rome Choir trip in April 2016, which helped her realise how much she loves singing. Freya, a member of the National Children’s Orchester who was also chosen to lead the National Schools Symphony Orchestra in 2017, said: “The Music department was one of the reasons why I decided to come to Worth, as it gave me a feeling that I would grow up as a musician. Anyone who is musically talented would love it at Worth, as the atmosphere is one of encouragement and support.”
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Henry Byrne (Year 9) Piano and Clarinet The Music department has given Henry the confidence to develop his skills as a musician and a member of the Choir. Having joined Worth from St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel, Henry has thrived at Worth thanks to the opportunities and the facilities offered by the School. He said: “Worth has boosted my confidence a lot. When I joined in Year 7, my ability to put myself forward to perform was a lot lower. Now I am more than willing to do so. I feel more comfortable and the opportunities to do so are very good. There is also a fantastic recording studio and facilities to make your own music.”
Amaya Malmalabaduge (Year 13) Violin, Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar The opportunity to explore a variety of ways of performing and using your musical ability is one of the Music department’s great strengths, according to Amaya. Formerly at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Amaya has flourished at Worth and cites going on the Choir tour to America and making it on to the ‘Best of Worth’ CD as her highlights. She said: “There are so many teachers who are supportive of what you wish to do. Music at Worth has definitely made me who I am today and I have enjoyed every moment of being part of making music at Worth.”
Summer Term 2017
ABOUT HORSING
WORTH’S GROWING equestrian provision is making the School stand out from its competitors. > Worth School Newsletter
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ON THE COVER
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Summer Term 2017
Not many schools have a yard with stables for up to 32 horses on its campus. Few will offer students the opportunity to bring their own horses to the School to be stabled and fewer still will offer the quality of riding lessons provided by Worth. Worth’s equestrian links do not stop there. The School has a long-standing association with Sussex Polo Club at Crawley Down, which is less than ten minutes away. There is also a Worth Equestrian Team now competing as individuals at high-level meetings and one student, Zara Lewis, has particularly enjoyed a lot of success in the last year. Corrine Thompson runs the Worth Riding School and, as part of the weekly activities programme, will teach young riders of all ages from beginners to advanced. Corrine is vastly experienced, having been at Worth since the stables were first opened 25 years ago. She said: “We cater for all levels, even those who have never ridden before. In fact, a lot of the students we teach have never ridden before. At the same time, if they come to us with lots of experience, we can teach them as well. “Horses are stabled here on a DIY basis and some of those horses are used for lessons. If there is space, students can bring their horses to be stabled here while they are at Worth. “The horses we have here are lovely and they are used to being handled. Riding can teach you so many skills – balance, coordination, care, responsibility and reliability. I see the children who ride blossom in confidence. “We have a hands-on approach and all lessons are supervised. As well as riding lessons, we teach stable management and students can also do riding as part of their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We also have students volunteering here, helping out with everything should they wish.” Previous page: A hugely successful year of competition for current Year 11 student Zara Lewis culminated in winning her qualifier for the NSEA National Schools Dressage Championships in August.
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ON THE COVER
WHAT’S NEW AT WORTH
LIFE NEVER stands still at Worth. The School is constantly evolving and moving forward. For 2017-18, there are a number of changes and additions. New Houses: St Mary’s and Gervase Houses have both moved to different locations on the campus. The move for St Mary’s reflects the growing number of girl boarders at the School. New Housemasters: There are four new Housemasters for 2017-18, bringing experience and drive to their positions. New Heads of Department: There are also new Heads of Department for Modern Foreign Languages, History, English and Maths. New activities: The activities programme at Worth has long been admired by other schools. For 2017-18, a number of new activity options have been added including Mandarin Club, African Science Club, Astronomy Club, Portraiture and Electronics with Robotics. New Design and Technology: From September 2017, Design and Technology has been added to the Worth curriculum, complementing the outstanding Art and Photography departments. New Swimming: Swimming has now been added as a Games option, following on from boys’ hockey being added last year. New Sixth Form Café: The Pitstop café has been converted into a Sixth Form Café, offering Year 12 and 13 students a place to work and relax.
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Design
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY is an exciting addition to the Worth School curriculum for the 2017-18 academic year, complementing our acclaimed Art and Photograph departments. A new, spacious facility has been opened to offer students the best possible working environment. >
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IN SEPTEMBER Worth opened its new Design centre, introducing Design and Technology for the first time, to complement our outstanding Art and Photography departments which moved into the new Art Studios last year. Paul Cheeseman will be heading up the new subject:
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Why is Design and Technology such an important addition to the Worth curriculum? Design and Technology encourages students to consider the problems of other people (the design brief), work out a solution (the drawing board) and then practically solve the problem (the product). Fundamentally, it is problem solving whilst producing fun, practical, usable items. Working as a team to solve problems is not only key in Design and Technology, but also in industry, business and commerce. I hope that introducing Design at Worth will encourage students to develop practical skills associated with modern industry that will also help them in everyday life such as computer-aided design (CAD), photo editing skills, developing dexterity and communication through traditional and digital drawing.
will give students the foundations to succeed in all areas surrounding the design industries including architecture, engineering, product and graphic design. Great Britain leads the way with its modern list of brilliant designers and engineers with Jonathan Ive at Apple, Robert Melville at McLaren Automotive, Adrian Newey at Red Bull F1 Racing and Norman Foster to name but a few and I am so excited that Worth is giving its students the opportunity to learn the subject that these great designers and engineers talk so highly of.
What type of career paths could studying Design and Technology at Worth lead to? Worth students will be involved in design projects ranging from architecture, product design and editorial design with the opportunity of using state of the art technologies such as 3D printing, computer-aided design and virtual reality. With the speed that technology is moving and the need for its use in nearly every career path, I hope that the Worth Design studio
Tell us something we didn’t know about you? My original career plan was to follow my mother’s footsteps into medicine and become a doctor. It soon became apparent (due to the amount of doodles I would draw in my science lessons) that this was probably not a viable option. I grew up in Ardingly and achieved a BA with honours at Bristol University. I worked as a freelance designer and photographer before coming to Worth. My mother and brother both work at the School.
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MAKING A WORTH ALWAYS likes to make a splash and the addition of swimming as a Games option for 2017-18 has been a significant development for the School. Students in Years 11 to 13 can now choose to go swimming under the guidance of a professional trainer as part of their Games lessons. Worth has the use of a 25-metre pool where the pupils swim for two sessions a week for the first two terms of the year. This will include squad training and it is hoped in time to arrange friendly fixtures with local Prep Schools. Swimming also remains an option on the activities programme for Year 9 students upwards. Worth is recognised as a school with strong links to swimming due to the number of its students who have taken part in the Channel Swim (see page 60).
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CHAMPIONS
FOR THE FUTURE SUCCESS AT sport starts early. Worth’s investment in its sports success begins with the youngest pupils. The elite sports programme and mentoring scheme helps talented students achieve their goals in their chosen sport. These pupils may be Sports Scholars but the Talented Athlete Support Programme is open to all athletes who aspire towards high performance levels. In the last year the support and coaching offered by the School has paid huge dividends…
Worth’s U14A cricket team won their first Sussex title of the summer when they defeated Hurst College in a thrilling Holdsworth Cup final – a knockout competition played among independent schools in Sussex. Worth reached the final by beating Seaford College in the semi-final.
Worth School Newsletter
Kitan Ojo became Sussex champion twice over when he won gold medals in the U15 triple jump and as part of the winning Crawley Athletics Club 4x100m relay team at the Sussex Athletics Championships in May. At the same event, Daniel Persad took a silver medal in the Crawley team which finished second in the U15 4x100m relay.
A trio of Worth athletes claimed gold medals at the Sussex Schools County Championships early in June to launch a wonderful sporting month for the School. Kitan Ojo won the Junior Boys’ triple jump, Daniel Persad took the Junior Boys’ 80m hurdles titles and Donald Logan triumphed in the long jump.
Worth’s U15s tennis boys, pictured below with coach Nigel Allingham, represented the School proudly in the National Aegon League South finals after qualifying for the first time by virtue of becoming Sussex champions. To do so, they beat Ardingly College, Hurst College, Sion College and Cardinal Newman School.
Worth’s U14A cricket team won their second county title of the summer when they beat Eastbourne College by eight wickets in the Lord’s Taverners Sussex Cup final on a glorious day in June. To reach the final, Worth beat Hurst College in the quarter-final and Steyning Grammar in the semi-final.
Worth’s U15 tennis girls comprehensively beat Hurst College 6-0 in the county final of the Aegon national team competition in June to become Sussex champions.
Worth’s U18 tennis boys won the Sussex Plate for a second successive year at the start of the summer. Led by Head Boy Philippe Wijs, they defeated Christ's Hospital, Hurst College and Eastbourne College to retain the trophy. Summer Term 2017
D L M B M OR J U CLU POE MEN ROG SCHO LNGU RESTO SUMD TOUCH TR IAT YOUNGH MEIS ANIMA3 BASK L CAM ET CERAM E CLASS IC BREAKICS CONCEING ARTS RT C C R > Worth has 132 R I C K activities on offer. ET CR V ScubaD Diving is just D C one of Gthem. EOGRLAUB FAIRE PHY TRAD
ACTIVITIES
JAPANEW HISTFO GYMNATCHBOOKFOOTBALFIT DRAW ESE JAZ RY SOCI STICS HE GARDENL LITERAING LIG Z BAND ETY HOCALTHY RE IN MODE RY MATHHTING AN KAYAKI KEY HO LA BIKINGL MAKIN S PUZZL D BACK NG KNI RS MYMA MULTIG MODE E CLUB MSTAGE L TTI RIENTTEHS NAT-IGYM MLUUNITED NICROBITING USTICEERING ONAL NAVSIC MU ATIONS MI UB PH PEDAL PAINTING IGATION SIC TECHMO ETRY POTOGRAKART DE TECHNI OASIS O NO NTORI OLO PO PHY PHOSIGN PHQUES PERC GRAM NG PRINRTRAIT D TOSHOP ILOSOPH AC OOL CMING RE T MAKIN RAWING PHYSICSY UAGE OUNCIL ADING CLG PSYCH PRIMARY SO ORATI SPORTS SSCIENCE CUB RUGBOLOGY P SC DOG SON STRE CHOLARS LUB SCU Y SEVEN YC H RUGWIMMINET AND M SQUASHBA DIVINS S HLON BY TEAMG TED TAODERN D STAINEDG G ENTE ULTIMATBUILDIN LKS TAB ANCE S G 3D DES RPRISE E FRISBEG TENNIS LE TENN UBI L WELFIGN ABSYEOUNG GAE VEX IQ TEXTILESIS T TBALL ARE ARC ILING AMME DESIGVOLLEYB TH ERATA BIOLOG HERY AR NESTY I NERS YOAL CS CH/CAMERAY BOAR T BADM NTERNAT UN D I E T I N ON E I G N T R O A I L E N M CLAY T ADING CAFÉ D ES B BALLE O G COM ARGET E B O C A H K T E M C LU S A I I BAND C BOOK HOOTIN STRY CH RE HOCM REATIV CONSE CLUB G CLIM ESS CH E RVATIO COMM BING OIR ROSS CE WRITIN UNITY CODE N O C G O U DEBAT NTRY D CRES OKERY SERVI Y ECOING SOCI RAMA31D T BRONZ CREATIVCE ET UK E -W E Summer Term 2017
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FENCING HAS a long tradition of success at Worth, with previous pupils representing Great Britain in the Olympics, and more recently some fabulous achievements at the annual Schools’ Championships. But fencing as a sport option at Worth is not just for the elite – it can be enjoyed by novices and advanced fencers alike. >
ARDE
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Name: Arcturus Yung Weapon: Foil Fencing highlight so far? At the Asia Junior Cadets last year in Bahrain, I came 16th in the free draw and we were champions in the team match. Other achievements? I was 3rd in U18 foil at the British Youth Championships; 5th at the Public Schools Championships; I became Scholarship Sportsman of Hong Kong two years ago; I trained with the Hong Kong national team two years ago. Why do you enjoy fencing at Worth? I can learn so much from our coach, Professor More. Also, my team-mates support me, they point out mistakes I have made and that helps improve me. What would you say to anybody thinking of taking up fencing when coming to Worth? It will be great fun, you will learn new skills, we have a great coach and if you haven’t tried fencing before you should certainly try it.
Worth School Newsletter
Name: Arturo Moya Casasola Weapon: Epee Fencing highlight so far? Winning Master of Arms in three types of sword at the Public Schools competition. Other achievements? I was second in Spain at U14 level; I finished fifth in the Public Schools Championships. Why do you enjoy fencing at Worth? You have to think in fencing but at the same time it is sport. They are the two main reasons why I like it. What would you say to anybody thinking of taking up fencing when coming to Worth? Fencing is really demanding, you have to be fit and you really should try it.
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AT EVERY
CORNER IT IS often said the more you put into your time at Worth, the more you get out of it. There are more than 40 academic clubs and societies at Worth which students have the chance to get involved with. Whether it is the Debating Society, Young Medics or the Junior Psychology Club, there are opportunities at every corner here at Worth. >
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“WE ARE educating children today for tomorrow’s world,” so says Naomi Williams explaining why her Junior Psychology Society is just one of many great options open to Worth students.
The Junior Psychology Society is open to students in Years 9 and 10, giving them a flavour of a subject they could pursue in the Sixth Form, either through an A Level or as part of an IB course. As Head of Psychology – and IB Coordinator – Ms Williams may be biased, but she believes students who join the Junior Psychology Society will be greatly rewarded. She said: “It gets students thinking about a subject they won’t be studying but could do in the Sixth Form. It is a chance to do something they haven’t done before. They might find that psychology is their thing; they might pursue it in the Sixth Form, at university and beyond.
Worth School Newsletter
“We focus on the different aspects of psychology, how psychology works, lots of practical assessments and research tasks (see picture opposite). It gets the students thinking scientifically. They study human behaviour and the complexities of human behaviour. We also look at the ethics of doing research on humans and animals. It is thoroughly enriching. “Psychology is so applicable to everyday life, it has intrinsic values that no other subject has. We are educating children today for tomorrow’s world. Psychology fits so well with that because we don’t know what tomorrow holds. It encourages analytical
IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT THOSE WHO GET THE MOST OUT OF WORTH ARE THE ONES WHO IMMERSE THEMSELVES FULLY IN ALL THE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED BY THE SCHOOL thinking that employers really value.” There are more than 40 academic clubs and societies which students can try at Worth. They include the Debating Society, Young
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Medics, Stanton Society (History, Seniors), the Walter Monckton Society (Economics and Business Studies), Creative Writing Club, French Film Club, Poetry Society and Python Programming Club.
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SUPPOR
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SUPPORT AT Worth goes far beyond the norm of Housemaster or Housemistress, tutor and teacher. At every corner, there is help at hand to guide students through their time at Worth. > Summer Term 2017
SCHOOL COUNSELLOR
Olivia Raw is the School Counsellor, running a free-of-charge walk-in service for students three days a week and providing the opportunity to speak in confidence whatever the concern of a student She said: “I see students with a range of needs, which may be worries about home or school. I see boys and girls, all year groups. It is about supporting their mental and emotional health.”
Be it the matrons for each of the day and boarding Houses, the medical department, the School Counsellor, House Chaplains or the laundry team, every angle is covered in terms of the pupils’ wellbeing and happiness. Nikki Webb is one of the five boarding House matrons at Worth. ‘Mum’ to the boarding girls of St Mary’s, Nikki sends out the girls from the House every day looking presentable, with a smile on their faces and ready for the challenges ahead.
“ IF THEY HAVE ANY WORRIES, I JUST DROP EVERYTHING AND SIT THERE WITH A BOX OF TISSUES AND LISTEN." She said: “We are here as a mum figure to the children, just as I am at home but on a larger scale. Instead of it being for two children, in St Mary’s it is many more.
Worth School Newsletter
“My job is making sure their bedrooms are tidy, that the girls are looking respectable when they go to school, making sure their laundry is done and being a shoulder to cry on. If they have any worries, be it home sickness, exams, a death in the family, a poorly uncle, anything, I just drop everything and sit there with a box of tissues and listen. “I will work closely with the Housemistress, who will warn me about any issues with the girls.
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“We get contact from the teachers as well and we will liaise with the medical department if we need to. In St Mary’s, it is a case of the Year 13s looking after the young ones as well.” Nikki believes it is a rewarding job. She said: “The proof is in the pudding in that the majority of us matrons have been here a long time. We love our jobs and we love working with the children. I have the ability to work with children for a good five years; I see them come in as innocent little Year 9s and leave as beautiful young ladies. I feel quite proud that I have had something to do with that.”
“THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING IN THAT THE MAJORITY OF US MATRONS HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. WE LOVE OUR JOBS AND WE LOVE WORKING WITH THE CHILDREN."
The vastly experienced medical department, led by Cheryl Cheeseman, are on hand 24 hours a day during term time. Surgeries are held five times a
day for routine treatment but if pupils are unwell, suffer an injury or need to talk, they can visit the nurses at any time.
HOUSE CHAPLAINS
Each of the houses has an appointed principal Chaplain, often with an Assistant Chaplain as part of the team, to provide pastoral support to the students. The Chaplaincy is located at the heart of the School community and consists of a team of monks led by the School Chaplain Fr Peter, Staff Chaplains plus four young lay evangelists called Forerunners, led by Will Desmond.
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General Eisenhower visited Worth in 1944
WORTH REVISITING Worth School Newsletter
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FROM FIELD Marshall Montgomery and General Eisenhower visiting Worth to top secret plans for the D-Day landings being discovered almost 50 years later, the School’s Second World War history is rich and fascinating. At the outbreak of War in 1939, the Prep School was evacuated to Downside in Somerset and in its place arrived the Sisters of Notre Dame, who were moved from Liverpool as the docks were a target for the Germans. However, the Sisters soon found they were in the middle of the Battle of Britain and promptly moved back to Merseyside. The Canadians were based at Worth during the War and it was they who built Cuckfield Hospital, which became the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. Graffiti left by Canadian soldiers can still be found on walls in certain areas of the campus.
In April 1944 the 8th Corps, under the command of General Sir Richard O’Connor, was moved from its headquarters in Yorkshire to Worth to plan for the invasion of D-Day, which took place on 6th June 1944.
arrived in a beautiful car, but he brought a far smaller entourage with him that ‘Monty’ would have brought. After he had spoken to the troops, he walked up to the House and had tea in the present Monks’ Refectory (now the Cowdray Room).”
It was during this time that both Montgomery and Eisenhower visited Worth. The latter arrived on 25th May 1944 to speak to the troops, who were lined up on the cricket field (now the Austin Oval). The Worth Record of the time recorded: “The Supreme Commander
When troops left Worth for the Normandy landings during the Spring of 1944, top secret intelligence documents, plans for the invasion, aerial reconnaissance photographs and maps of French coastal towns should have been
destroyed, but in the 1990s Worth’s monastic archivist Fr Bede Hill discovered by chance that not all of them had. Fr Bede recalls: “In the 1990s I was a member of the Bursar’s office staff and as part of my job I went into the walk-in safe which is behind panelling somewhere near the Head Master’s office under the main staircase. There is a solid door, then another barred door. I needed to go through all the stuff, to know what was there and chuck out what was not wanted. >
In the latter stages of the War, Worth Abbey (always referred to as Worth Priory at the time) was a significant location for intelligence gathering and planning ahead of the Normandy landings as the Allied Forces sought a conclusion to the conflict.
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I found a cardboard box and on the top of this box which was tied up with string was a handwritten note which read, ‘Major Jackson, to remain at Worth Priory’.
staff; 8th Corps. He asked to be allowed to leave these books here, when he went out to France at D+4 days. He said that if he survived he would call back for them after the War. He left no address’. As Major Jackson hadn’t called back I assumed he couldn’t have survived. I did some research, though, and found out he had survived; he had just never come back for the box which was full of military intelligence reports and aerial photographs relating
“Major Jackson was the officer in command of the intelligence unit at Worth in the preparations for D-Day. Written in pencil is the writing of a monk who was the caretaker at Worth during its occupation by the military. He wrote: ‘One of General O’Connor’s
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to the preparations for the D-Day landings. He obviously broke all the rules, keeping intelligence documents which should have been destroyed, leaving them here.” Major Jackson actually wrote a book about the 8th Corps and in it he recalls how some sappers devised a supposedly fool proof way of destroying documents – by using explosives. A stack of intelligence reports and maps no longer needed were piled up 300 yards
from the house in the Glen, below the pond, and interleaved with gun cotton, but the plan did not work and instead the air was filled with scraps of paper, blowing around in the wind. The whole area was immediately cordoned off amid fears of court martials and numerous soldiers spent the next three hours retrieving every bit of paper, including climbing trees to shake down scraps, before everything was burned.
MAJOR DICK Williams was with the 8th Corps at Worth for about a month prior to D-Day and he later told Fr Bede Hill how he nearly missed the departure for Normandy – because he had been in a pub. Fr Bede said: “On the eve of D-Day Major Williams and a fellow officer went to East Grinstead in a Jeep and visited a pub. On their way home they thought to visit the Red Lion in Turners Hill but it was so crowded they decided not to. On arrival at Worth, Major Williams’ batman was in a panic: ‘Quick,’ he said, ‘I’ve already packed your bags, we’re on the move – if you hurry with the Jeep you will catch them up’. So without more ado they raced after them and caught up with his due place in the convoy at Pulborough.” Major Williams was later part of the team that entered the Belsen concentration camp. In a meeting in 2007 Major Williams told Fr Bede: “A group of men were detailed to go out with a Jeep flying a white flag in order to reconnoitre and find out exactly what was there. They drove off and travelled some 15 miles through woods, turning off down a side track to find the camp hidden among the trees. There were sentry towers, the main gates were open and they drove in to find the camp Commandant, the infamous Josef Kramer, on parade with all his staff awaiting them, including the equally infamous Irma Grese. “My particular responsibility was to investigate the cooking, food and water supply; all were dire, with large numbers of people dead or dying of starvation.”
MARCO ABOUSLEIMAN (Year 13) is the current editor of Worth School’s student led magazine, Identity. Marco hopes to study Medicine when he leaves Worth. Here, he talks about his role with Identity and how it will help him in his future career: Why did you get involved with Identity in the first place? The advice I will always remember from the Head Boy when I was in Year 7 was “throw yourself into Worth and you will get the most out of your time here”. I enjoyed the Debating Society thoroughly and that made me want to get involved in more things here at Worth. That was the idea behind applying for Identity but I never thought I would be editor. What kind of commitment does anyone getting involved need? I like to keep the work balanced between the members of the team. By working as a team, it means we share the workload and we can still get on with our GCSEs and A Levels. The main thing it requires is passion and commitment, Fr Martin keeps all the issues and this is something which is going to be part of the School’s history. That is a big responsibility that you have in your hands.
Worth School Newsletter
What skills or experiences has the opportunity to work on a student magazine given you? It has helped my leadership skills, my communication skills and with working to a deadline. How can the experience help you in your career beyond Worth? Identity
How important is it to have a student magazine rather than, say, students writing for a school magazine? It is extremely important. One of the best ways for people to develop is to give them responsibility. This magazine is our responsibility. When I was serving as Head of House I was very keen
“THROW YOURSELF INTO WORTH AND YOU WILL GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TIME HERE” has changed my outlook on life a little. We come to School every day, we see the same people but through this magazine I have learnt things about people I would not have seen unless I actually looked for it. I would like to study Medicine beyond Worth and it has changed how I think I will work in a career because I have realised there is a lot more to people than on the surface.
on giving people more responsibility, because through that you develop a passion for what you are doing. What would you say to any young person thinking of getting involved? I think it is one of the best things you can do while you are here at Worth. In terms of advice, just write an article. It may seem a bit hard in the beginning but once you get the flow,
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once you have managed to put a few words down, you will see it is something that can be extremely enjoyable. In Year 10 and 11 you can apply, but I was writing articles before that. It is the student led magazine of the School and I am very keen that it represents the whole school, so in order to do that I need people from the lower years to write as well. What is the article you have enjoyed working on most so far? One I particularly enjoyed was the interview we had with Hollywood actor Chris O’Shea. He is a Worthian and former editor of Identity. It was a look in the past for him and a look in the future for us. To get that crystal ball into the future is really valuable. An interview I did myself which I enjoyed was with Christopher Lamb, the Vatican correspondent for The Tablet and a former Worth pupil.
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY...
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WHEN WORTH puts on a show, the School does it well. There are at least three major productions a year to allow pupils of all ages to be involved on the stage, while a variety of other performances take place at various times throughout the academic year. The drama programme at Worth is widely considered to be outstanding. The school productions are of an exceptionally high standard and have received rave reviews because of the quality of performance from the students. The three major productions in 2016-17 were West Side Story, Romeo & Juliet and The Wizard of Oz.
4 ALL
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THE WIZARD OF OZ
‘Simply stunning’, was how one parent described it. Those who watched The Wizard of Oz at Worth in May had to remind themselves that this was a junior school production rather than a West End show. The standard of acting by the children was outstanding, as they captivated an audience for two nights in the Performing Arts Centre, as well as laying on a performance for local visiting schools and taking the show on tour to Chailey Heritage School, a special school for children and young people with complex physical disabilities. The show was colourful and sparkling, with a rainbow-inspired theme to costumes. It was contemporary while still keeping traditional elements, set against a background of moving projection.
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WEST SIDE STORY
The whole school production of West Side Story was the first major show of 2017. The show was a huge success, taking theatre-goers back to the streets of 1950s America. There was lots of finger clicking, leaping and girls high-kicking, while the boys fought it out through the medium of dance. The costumes were fabulous, with lots of red, purple and polka dot, plus plenty of petticoats ad leather jackets, and the music as always was fantastic.
ROMEO & JULIET
Set in the future with a neon colour scheme to reflect that, the senior school production of Romeo & Juliet was inspired by the amazing film adaptation by Baz Luhrmann. The production had a very modern feel to it, with the opening scene set in the foyer before cast members and audience moved into the theatre. The show was full of fun and humour, without losing the traditional elements of Shakespeare.
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HOW WORTH AT ARGUABLY the finest hour of his life, John MacWilliam thought of Worth and everything the School had done to shape his destiny.
SHAPED MY LIFE
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In May, the 68-year-old became Bishop John MacWilliam, the first former Worth School pupil to be ordained a bishop. He wanted his ordination to take place somewhere special to him, a place he thought of as ‘home’; he wanted his special day to be at Worth.
the extent that I was often happier at school than sometimes during the holidays at home.”
You might have thought 18 years as a serving Army officer would have had the biggest impact on his life, but the new Bishop of Laghouat in Algeria believes his time at Worth School from 1962 to 1967 delivered the greatest, positive influence on his future calling. Bishop John said: “I can honestly say my years at Worth were very happy years. I felt very much at home. Fr Maurice Bell, one of the older monks at the time, helped me in my first term with spiritual accompaniment as a new boy and I took part in League of Christ the King, which was a sharing group. I was quite a lazy pupil, but I got through and got my A Levels. I enjoyed the sport and earned my 1st XV rugby colours. “Some of the monks thought I would be a priest after leaving school because I used to go Mass every day. It was voluntary but it was something that meant a lot to me. That was one of the things for me that made Worth somewhere where I wanted to be, to
Bishop John insists Worth stands out from other schools because, while driven to help each individual achieve one’s potential, the School also supports those who choose a different life path, as he has done. He said: “The world needs people with the expertise that comes from education and the sort of opportunities that Worth prepares people for. At the same time, there are other callings which are worthwhile not only in the eyes of God but also the world – and at Worth they see that.”
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WORTH IN THE COMMUNITY GIVING BACK means a lot to Worth students and that is why the School’s second annual ‘Worth in the Community Day’ was such a success.
From gardening for the elderly to performing songs from classic musicals for residents of local care and nursing homes, pupils made it a day to remember for those they helped. Other volunteering projects included weeding for elderly and infirm residents at Turners Hill Residents’ Park, tidying up at St Leonard’s Church and The Ark community centre in Turners Hill, clearing Himalayan Balsam from green space near Gatwick plus planting and litter picking at Mounty Noddy in East Grinstead. Another group of students spent the day helping younger children at Turners Hill Primary School with multi-skills activities and a sports tournament, while a group of 50 children from City Academy Whitehawk were welcomed to Worth for a day of activities.
Worth School Newsletter
A show in the Performing Arts Centre featured numbers from musicals including ‘Annie Get Your Gun’, ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘Sweet Charity’ and ‘Grease’, while visitors from care and nursing homes were also treated to a musical concert in the Abbey Church. The initiative in July also included helping out at Raystede Animal Welfare Centre near Lewes and taking part in a financial awareness activity provided by Nestlé UK in Crawley. Head Master Mr Stuart McPherson said: “We firmly believe in providing our pupils with the most rounded education we can. It is important to us that they can put something back into the local community.”
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CHARITABLE WORK is a huge part of life at Worth. Throughout the School year, there are numerous charitable ventures taking place, involving students, parents, teachers and support staff. Sometimes the whole Worth community will come together to support a cause. Read on to find out more about the charities we have supported over the last year. Perhaps the most unusual charitable feat of the year involved Miss Kate Reynolds, a teacher of Science and Games. Miss Reynolds had nine inches of hair cut off which she donated to the Little Princess Trust, which make wigs for young children with cancer.
Year 11 student Benjamin Jennings and his mother Charlotte, who works in the catering department at Worth, completed a 20-mile midnight walk around Horsham in aid of St Catherine’s Hospice, raising more than £1,100 between them.
Four girls from St Mary’s House walked from Worth School to Brighton Pier to raise awareness of youth homelessness. The walk also raised a sum of money for Centreport, a charity aiming to improve the lives of homeless teenagers.
The cast of the Junior School Production of The Wizard of Oz went to Chailey Heritage School – a school for children with complex physical disabilities – to perform the show in April. A collection was also taken during the two evening shows at Worth in aid of Chailey Heritage.
GOING THE
ON THE COVER The 2017 Channel Swim team – Keep the Swim Alive – smashed their target of raising £10,000 for the Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity. Fundraising included selling cakes at Speech Day.
The boys of St Bede’s House raised almost £3,000 for their House charity, Kids for Kids, through a marathon rowing challenge. After the arrival of six rowing machines in the House, the boys completed a challenge of rowing 1,000 miles between them.
Through a variety of ways, the Worth community raised a staggering £11,959.21 for Mary’s Meals, a charity dedicated to providing some of the world’s most underprivileged children one meal every day they attend school.
A remarkable blanket, knitted by St Bede’s House matron Kim Harding-Snelling, raised £500 through an auction for the Kids for Kids charity. The blanket was made up of 100 different coloured and textured squares, each featuring a different knitting technique, and took more than 150 hours to knit.
EXTRA MILE
A cheque for £2,900 was presented to the Sisters of Our Lady of Grace and Compassion in June, which was money raised through the annual Fauré Requiem concert at Worth. The money will be used to help provide care for the elderly in homes around the world.
Worth Group Financial Controller Clare Wooding and her partner Bas walked 26 miles from Brighton to Eastbourne to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. The walk took them just over nine hours to complete.
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Catering manager Emma Hickmott ran the London Marathon in April, raising £1,450 for The Children’s Trust for children with serious brain injury.
St Catherine’s students delivered a large collection of clothes and bric-a-brac to St Catherine’s Hospice to be sold in aid of their House charity. The girls are hoping to match the £1,100 their efforts raised for the charity in 2016.
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ON THE COVER A group of Year 12 students held a cake sale to raise money for the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group, a charity that aims to improve the well-being of asylum seekers and immigrations detainees through emotional and practical support. It was part of their IB CAS Project.
A member of the School’s catering team, Germaine Selwood, took on a unique challenge in aid of Cancer Research. Germaine took part in a White Collar boxing match – something she had never done before – and raised an excellent £500.
Sixth Form student Duncan Jennings took part in the London to Brighton bike ride in June to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. The 54-mile cycle ride was worth it as Duncan raised £475 for the charity.
"It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving" – Mother Teresa St Mary’s girls played Cupid ahead of Valentine’s Day, taking orders for roses to be delivered anonymously around the School. The girls purchased 630 roses and raised £540 for the Mary’s Meals charity.
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PUSHING
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LIMITS
A REMARKABLE group of Worth School students past and present was recognised in June. Every year since 2009, a team of pupils from the School has undertaken swimming the English Channel for charity. The School’s Channel Swim Reunion Supper celebrated the individual and collective achievements of those who have challenged themselves to swim the 21 miles from Dover to Calais. Since the first swim involving Worth students took place, more than £70,000 has been raised for a variety of charities. While other schools have undertaken Channel swims, Worth is believed to be unique in that a team of students from the School takes on the challenge every year. Almost 60 people attended the Channel Swim Reunion Supper, including Ben Barham and Tim Davies, who were part of the first Channel Swim team in 2009, along with representatives of all eight year group teams since.
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WONDERFUL WORTH THE BEAUTIFUL 500-acre estate that is Worth provides wonderful opportunities for keen photographers at any time of the year. Here is a selection of pictures taken by staff members at various locations around the campus.
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“SET IN 500 ACRES OF BEAUTIFUL SUSSEX COUNTRYSIDE”
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STATE
OF THE ART
Worth School Newsletter
THE ART department at Worth strives to build confident, creative individuals and the quality of the work produced by our Art and Photography students is both impressive and inspiring. Students use a variety of media, making full use of the magnificent new Art School which was opened in 2016, and regular exhibitions are held during the academic year. The hugely talented Art teachers encourage and support pupils to produce work they never knew they were capable of.
In the past, pupils from Worth have gone on to study a variety of creative courses such as architecture, fashion, art history and art foundation courses. The Photography courses at Worth have been growing in popularity and a Photograph of the Week competition introduced in 2016-17 has showcased the talents of our students in a fabulous way. There have been success stories in the four years the course has been running including Seb O’Reilly who has gone to the London College of Fashion to study fashion photography, while others have gone on take courses combining graphics and visual communication.
Summer Term 2017
WHEN IN
ROME...
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OVERSEAS TRIPS can add to the learning experience of a Worth student, enhancing their education in so many ways. In July, five different groups headed to various destinations in Europe, visiting historic sites and sampling different cultures. They included a Year 12 trip to Rome where the group visited St Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum and Basilica St Clemente, a 12th Century church built on top of a 4th century Christian church, below which are the remains of a 1st Century Mithraic temple. They also enjoyed a guided tour of EUR, Mussolini’s great urban project, and met Christopher Lamb, a Worthian who is the Rome correspondent for The Tablet. Mr Lamb gave the students insights into what happens behind the scenes at the Vatican, as well as talking about his meetings with Pope Francis. There was also a Year 10 trip to Salamanca, a World Heritage city since 1988, located in the north-west of Spain, which is a regular destination for Worth students. Among the excursions was a visit to the University of Salamanca, the oldest university in Spain. In addition, three different groups went to France: a Year 10 trip to Paris; a Year 8 trip to Normandy and a Year 7 PGL trip, which included a visit to the Vimy Ridge war memorial site. There are also regular trips from Worth to Lourdes and the Taizé monastic community in eastern France.
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FRIENDS OF WORTH BALL A FEW times during the School year the Worth community comes together for fun social events.
The Casablanca Ball in May was one such opportunity, offering guests the chance to step back in time, with a touch of glitz and glamour. The event was run by the Friends of Worth, a parent-run group that runs a variety of events throughout the school year, both to further strengthen the special environment that makes Worth so unique and to raise funds to purchase extras for the School.
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AND ON THAT NOTE... MUSICAL EXCELLENCE is a feature of this magazine and there are some excellent musical opportunities at Worth in the coming months. Next July the School Choir will be returning to Rome for a summer trip, having been there two years ago to sing alongside the Sistine Chapel Choir at a Papal Mass at St Peter's Basilica. Before then, the annual Summer Concert – on the eve of Speech Day – will be dedicated to Worth’s Director of Music Mr Michael Oakley (pictured), who will be retiring next summer after 25 years at the School. The concert, which will be on Friday 25th May, will be one of the biggest Worth Abbey has staged in many years. The Drama department is already working hard towards its first major production of the year, which will be the senior school production of Rock of Ages in December. Also that month will be the Worthians Carol Service in London, the School Carol Service and the Friends of Worth Christmas Market, all of which are tremendously popular occasions. On a sporting front the Worth Rugby Sevens Festival and the Worth Cross Country – both in March – are events which are enjoyed by many, both inside the School and beyond. There is so much to look forward to at Worth in the next year, whatever your interest. The School is home to a vibrant community where there is something for everyone.
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Editorial Team Editors Howard Griggs and Gordon Pearce Design Hannah Condry, Mercer Design Photography Howard Griggs, Katherine Bray, Paul Cheeseman, Simon Dack, Emma Duggan, Eaton & Woods, John Everest, Simon Fisher, Peter Langdown, Frances Newman Cover photograph: Alyssia Brown (Year 8), taken inside the Abbey Church
Worth School, Paddockhurst Road, Turners Hill, West Sussex RH10 4SD 01342 710200 admissions@worth.org.uk www.worthschool.org.uk Charity number: 1093914 Company registration number: 4476558 Worth School Newsletter
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