Comment - Sherborne School

issue fourteen
TRINITY TERM 2014
SherborneNews
TEAM BUILDING
CCF
SPORT
COMMEM
Comment
BY REVEREND GORDON PARRY
CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS
... a flourishing
community of
teaching, learning
and achievement.
It is a particular privilege to have been asked to
contribute to ‘Sherborne News’ as I come to the end
of my first year as Chair of Governors of this
remarkable school. I visit many independent schools
and find much of immense value in all of them, but
Sherborne has a unique blend of history and
modernity which it combines with a sense of the
importance of integrity of character and wide-ranging
achievement. I have seen and felt this during the time
I have been spending in the school. Shirburnians are
highly regarded the world over for these qualities
and I know that the school is every much as
committed to them now as it ever has been.
Over the Trinity Term I have spent a considerable amount of time in the school because I
regard it as vital that I get to know Sherborne as thoroughly as possible. This has included
following a Fourth Former for a full day of his lessons and re-visiting concepts and principles in
the sciences, English, Art and Drama which I had not encountered for some time! The
techniques of the teachers, as well as the responses of the boys, have given me substantial
and very positive evidence that the central activity of Sherborne is in good shape and the
subject of continual professional reflection.
www.sherborne.org
Governors, with their legal responsibilities for Sherborne, are also servants of the school and
are there to support the Headmaster and his staff in ensuring its ongoing progress and
success. I know that the entire governing body is committed to do all in its power to focus
resources on all those aspects of the school, human and physical, that contribute to its
effectiveness as a flourishing community of teaching, learning and achievement. I know too
continued ...
that Sherborne continues to value not
only individual and collective endeavour
but also a sense of all those attributes
that make for a holistic engagement with
human personality and understanding.
I wish all readers of this Newsletter a
summer that brings family life together
and that furthers engagement with the
extraordinary richness of human life.
Leadership and
Teambuilding Course
GORDON MW PARRY
CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS
Bow Award
The Award is given to a boy who has
made an outstanding contribution to
the pastoral welfare of others at
Sherborne and this year’s recipient
is Ed Kennedy (U6f).
‘He is a genuinely nice
person. Offered to help me
out even if it doesn’t suit him
many a time and he was one of
the first boys I met as a new boy
in the school. I’ve always had a
lot of respect for him.’ Current Pupil
The Leadership and Teambuilding Course
began with an inspirational talk from the
partially-sighted, multiple medal winning,
Paralympic Judo player Ian Rose, who
spoke about dealing with adversity and
the importance of leadership and
teamwork. The Fifth Form boys were then
put into groups for a series of leadership
and teambuilding challenges on
Brownsea Island over three days. As well
as undertaking these challenges, the boys
supported the National Trust with
conservation tasks including moving an
entire section of fence line. This is
something the boys will be able to point
to in future years if they go back and visit.
As important as tackling a variety of
physical and mental challenges is the
process of reviewing and reflecting upon
both individual and team performance.
Additionally the boys completed a
communication style questionnaire which
provided a real talking point for
considering self-development. The school
was able to link the leadership
experiences on the course to the Level 3
Award in Leadership from the Institute of
Leadership and Management and a large
number of boys elected to study for this
award. Most of the boys that went to
Brownsea will have learned valuable
lessons about their interactions with
others, which will be of benefit long after
they leave Sherborne.
BY ROB LE POIDEVIN
CONTINGENT COMMANDER
COMBINED CADET FORCE
Fourth Form University Trip to Oxford
The Oxford trip was a chance for
boys in the Fourth Form, to begin
getting a feel for the kind of further
education they would like to go on
to. A group of about 20 boys had a
guided tour of Merton College. This
included various lectures from
people attached to the college,
either as tutors, or post and under
graduates, as well as a brief outline
on what an Oxford further education
entails. It was indeed a very interesting experience that enabled us to decide whether
an Oxford education would be the best option for each individual. Amusing anecdotes
from Mr Crouch about his time as a mature student gave a personal, exciting and
intellectually daring side to the university.
BY OSCAR FEARNLEY-DEROME (4e)
‘I feel Edward has shown his
kindness and community
attitude within the school, by
being Head Chapel Warden. He
is an inspiration; someone who
is always willing to listen to you
– a loyal friend.’
Current Pupil
JUNIOR SCHOOL POETRY RECITAL COMPETITION
The Patterson Cup, named in honour of a
former Head of English, Mr Robert
Patterson, who retired in 2009, is
competed for annually by all members of
the Third and Fourth Forms, and is
awarded for the best recitation from
memory of a short poem. The winner of
this year’s final, held in the Powell Theatre
and judged by Mr Patterson, was Joss
Nelson (3e) reciting John Donne’s ‘Holy
Sonnet 7’. Henry Dennis (4g) was second,
and Jack Leigh (4g) third.
BY PATRICK HAIGH
Lower Sixth University Visits
T20, Somerset v Glamorgan
With the AS exams behind them, the
Lower Sixth began a structured
programme of individual interviews with a
member of the careers department and
workshops on how to write a UCAS
Personal Statement and what to look for
when choosing universities and courses.
Almost the entire L6 visited a number of
different universities and art colleges. 86
Lower Sixth boys attended the School’s
trip to the Open Day at Bristol University
where they had the opportunity of
attending lectures, visiting academic
departments and speaking to Admissions
Tutors, looking around the
accommodation and asking questions of
the Bristol undergraduates who were
acting as Ambassadors on the day. A
group of A-level Philosophers visited
Southampton University. The day was a
great opportunity to see what tuition at
university is like and to explore areas of
Philosophy not on the A-level course, in
particular political philosophy and
epistemology.
BY KIM DUNNING
MANAGER OF HIGHER EDUCATION
BY ANDREW GILLOTT
HEAD OF THEOLOGY
©Alex Davidson (4f)
To most teenagers, the idea of going to see a cricket game does not inspire
ideas similar to that of going to see a rugby or football game, however the 70
or so boys who turned out to watch the Somerset Sabres against Glamorgan
Dragons proved otherwise. Before we had even sat down, we were treated to
some incredible shots played by the guests, who started to put on a high run
rate. Nearing the latter stages of their innings, we saw some inspirational
catches by the likes of Peter Trego and Alfonso Thomas. The match really came
down to the last moments; in the last over Somerset, at a push, could have won
the game and Trego could have got his century. Unfortunately the Glamorgan
bowling proved just too good for the hosts and they retired on 169 runs for 4. It
was a fascinatingly close game, and even those who had honestly just come to
have a good time, or were taking a break from exams, were interested and
enthusiastic throughout the game.
BY MONTY PILKINGTON (U6f)
Travel Photography
Competition
Entries are invited for a Travel Photography
Competition to celebrate the European Day of
Languages. Deadline for entries is 9pm Friday 12th
September. Please email your entries to
Mrs Greenrod at [email protected]
German Exchange
Return Visit
Sherborne School and Gymnasium
Steglitz Berlin have an annual
exchange programme and June saw
the return visit of 11 German pupils.
They were hosted in boarding houses
by members of the Fourth Form who
study German and took part in all
aspects of school life. The German
pupils enjoyed the stimulating and
interactive nature of lessons at
Sherborne and took full advantage of
the sports on offer. We look forward
to next Easter’s exchange trip to
Berlin for the current Third Form.
BY JUDY THURMAN
HEAD OF MODERN LANGUAGES
Lower Sixth Interview Training
A number of Lower Sixth boys were
subjected to a morning of rigorous
training in order to improve the way they
come across at interviews, whether for a
university place or a job. They were
taught the importance of first
impressions, body language and diction.
Other issues included how not to panic
when faced with a difficult question, how
to appear engaging and enthusiastic
without going over the top and how to be
comfortable with pauses. The Boys found
it a thoroughly useful experience and
look forward to putting what they learnt
into practice.
BY TIM DAWSON
HEAD OF SCHOLARSHIP
Army and Royal Marines Field Trip
SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL FOR 15 YEARS
SHERBORNE FOUNDATION
The Royal Marines and Army sections went
to Woodbury Common by the Royal
Marines’ Commando Training Centre (CTC)
at Lympstone. The boys went on a number
of night patrols with the aim of capturing the
flag from each others’ base. They were put
through their paces by the Royal Marines at
CTC doing drill and physical training. As well
as this they went kayaking on the River Exe
and on Woodbury Common practiced newly
acquired skills for the stalking, battlefield
first aid and section attack activities. We
shared the training area with Royal Marines
that were going through training, giving the
boys an insight into the hard work and
determination that has benefit beyond the
military. At the end of the three days the
boys were exhausted but they learned
valuable lessons about perseverance and
resilience. There were some fantastic
displays of leadership particularly from our
impressive group of Sixth Form boys whom
enjoyed the responsibility of looking after
the younger boys.
Navy Field Trip
The Royal Navy section headed to
the Britannia Royal Naval College
at Dartmouth, where they went
power boating from HMS Raleigh
and finished kayaking in Poole
Harbour.
BY ROB LE POIDEVIN
CONTINGENT COMMANDER
COMBINED CADET FORCE
Young Entrepreneurs
PARENT LECTURE – TALKING TO
CHILDREN ABOUT ALCOHOL
If there was one life lesson you could take away from the Young British
Entrepreneurs Course, it would be that life, like business, is all about attitude;
to be more specific 80% attitude and 20% skill. If you acquire the right
attitude in identifying and then solving a problem you have a potential
business model. In this respect there was a lot to take away from the course
and apply it to life in general, however the course was also very informative in
terms of how business works and its logistics.
There was a big practical element to the course which proved most fulfilling
and rewarding, in particular, in the final task of pitching to an exclusive panel
of Dragons. Team ‘Petcount’ won with their idea of a dog collar that monitors
the health of your pet. The Dragons liked the potential for their idea, backing
it up with credible and well thought out statistics.
BY JAMES ALLAN (5m)
Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Expedition
Congratulations to all six teams who
successfully completed their expedition
which took place on the Mendips Hills.
Teams navigated with impressive accuracy
and the boys were in excellent spirits having
thoroughly enjoyed their challenge.
BY LAURIE PHIPPARD
MASTER IN CHARGE OF DofE
The school was very lucky to have Helena
Conibear, Director of The Alcohol
Education Trust, with us on Saturday 7th
June to give the last in this year’s series of
parent lectures. Helena very adeptly took
those present through the science behind
the Chief Medical Officer’s
recommendation that children under the
age of 15 shouldn’t be drinking alcohol.
As a parent of teenagers herself, Helena
gave a brilliantly practical session full of
exceptionally useful tips for how to
manage those potentially tricky
conversations about alcohol, parties and
festival going.
The parents’ area of
www.alcoholeducationtrust.org
is very much worth visiting for advice and
guidance. The Alcohol Education Trust
also has a parental newsletter – May’s
edition looks at post-exam parties and has
a variety of helpful tips. We have another
exciting programme of parental lectures
planned for the next academic year.
Further details to follow……..
BY SUE SALMON
ASSISTANT HEAD PASTORAL
Third Form history trip
to Bovington
Dartmoor’s Ancient
Boundary Perambulation
Over the second May bank holiday, an
intrepid team of Lower Sixth boys set
out on the 50 mile circumnavigation of
the ancient Dartmoor Forest. The
team opted for a clockwise journey
from Princetown to Yes Tor before
descending in relentless rain to sleep
at Runnage Farm, ending a mammoth
14 hours of walking. With a true show
of determination and perseverance
the boys set out in ever improving
conditions and made it to Princetown
after a further 10 hours of hiking.
Congratulations to the team, a real
achievement!
BY JAMES KIMBER
HEAD OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION
On 3 June 2014 the Third Form embarked upon a day of
history. We began with a lecture on ‘Aviation Technology
and the Great War’ presented by David Morris, Head of Engineering at the Fleet Air
Arm Museum. He portrayed a vivid image of the impact aviation had on the course of
WW1. At Bovington Tank Museum, we had a stimulating tour in which we learned
about the clothes soldiers wore and the conditions in the trenches followed by the
opportunity to look at WW1 tanks, comparing the A7V German tank and the only
Mark One tank in the world! We were lucky enough to go inside a Mark Four tank,
enabling us to see what it would be like to work in the tank and opening my eyes to
the harsh reality of what the soldiers endured.
BY DOUGLAS HICKLING (3c)
Parent and Son Clay Pigeon Shooting
On the last Sunday of term, a group of 34 boys and parents met
at the Southern Counties Shooting Grounds for the annual
Parents’ and Sons’ Clay Shooting Competition in glorious
sunshine. Members of the Sherborne squad were keen to show
off their prowess and the parents were of equally high
competitive spirit. The trophy for highest scoring boy was
awarded to Felix Pinney (3a), highest scoring parent to Ben
Baldwin and highest scoring team to Ben and Max Baldwin (4b).
BY NEIL BRADSHAW AND NICK HENDERSON
MASTERS IN CHARGE OF CLAY SHOOTING
Music
The Unplugged, just before Half
Term, displayed the huge musical
strengths of the current Upper
Sixth – something of a vintage
year in the Music School. There is
less of the original composition
than has been the case in recent
years, but cover versions have
been superbly performed and the
wealth of instrumental and vocal
talent is undoubtedly inspiring for
younger musicians.
A Prep Schools’ Jazz Day saw
participants from Sunningdale,
Mount House, Sherborne Prep
and Fulham Prep taking part in a
day of improvisation and blues.
The transformation of
improvisation style between the
beginning of the day and the end
of it was something of a marvel.
THE ANNUAL PATRICK SHELLEY COMPETITION FOR ADVANCED
INSTRUMENTALISTS WAS THIS YEAR ADJUDICATED BY ALAN GOUT.
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Winner of the Patrick Shelley Cup: JAMES RICHARDS (L6a) (piano, clarinet, cello)
Woodwind: CHARLIE SMITH (L6m) (flute)
Strings: THADDY MULLER (U6a) (cello)
Piano: DOUGLAS MAK (4c)
Brass: ROBERT HAM (L6e) (tuba)
BY JAMES HENDERSON
Singing: ROBERT FOLKES (U6a)
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
Drama
RABBIT
The Fourth Form GCSE Drama group performed, a play called
‘Rabbit’ by David Foxton. This short, highly dramatic piece is set
in a post-apocalyptic world and centres on a group of boys who,
having been left parentless, must fend for themselves. Foxton’s
piece focuses on whether the boys can find a sense of common
humanity sufficient to protect the vulnerable in their group,
despite the incredibly difficult circumstances they find
themselves in.
The play’s naturalistic style is a tremendously challenging one for
any year group requiring as it does, subtlety, a high level of
concentration and consistency of characterisation.
FIFTH FORM GCSE PERFORMANCES
The Fifth Form produced two extraordinary pieces this year.
The first was the ‘Tell Tale Heart’ by Steven Berkoff and the
second was ‘Bouncers’ by John Godber.
Berkoff, our
practitioner for ‘Tell
Tale Heart’ devised a
new approach which
became known as
‘Total Theatre’, where
the actor uses their
entire body to narrate
the piece and create
the environment,
instead of using props
or a great deal of
technical resources.
Although the boys
took all of Berkoff’s
sometimes eccentric
ideas with a pinch of salt, their levels of confidence and their
belief in each other was a real testament to the Fifth
Formers’ commitment and the hours they were happy to
spend in the rehearsal room perfecting their work. ‘Bouncers’
benefited from the same absolute dedication and was a
superbly-timed, highly-controlled piece which also happened
to be very, very funny.
BY IAN READE - HEAD OF DRAMA
Stop Press
25 boys took LAMDA Speech and Drama awards
and 16 of those were awarded Distinction.
Sports Day
Despite the weather, the school congregated on mass for Sports Day. Unfortunately, after the medley relays had taken place the
weather worsened further leaving no option but to abandon.
Visiting speakers Claudia Sturt
(ex Governor of Dartmoor,
Winchester and Belmarsh prisons) and
The Rt Hon Lord Powell of Bayswater
KCMG both inspired and
encouraged boys and parents,
while the Headmaster and two
Heads of School provided
insight and reflection on the
school year past and hinted at
exciting plans for the future.
As ever the quality of the
music was exceptional, led
expertly by the choir,
augmented generously by
volunteers from the
Sherborne Girls School choir
who had stayed behind after
the end of their term.
Commemoration
SATURDAY MORNING'S
COMMEMORATION
CELEBRATIONS GOT UNDERWAY
AS HEAVY SHOWERS PROWLED
THE WEST COUNTRY. MUCH TO
EVERYBODY'S REGRET THE WET
WEATHER PROGRAMME HAD TO
BE CALLED, BUT THIS DID NOT
DETRACT FROM THE GRANDEUR
OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
Sport
round up
BY DAVID GUY
DIRECTOR OF SPORT
“ANOTHER BUSY TERM OF SPORT AT SHERBORNE HAS SEEN A HUGE
NUMBER OF BOYS ON THE LAKES, COURTS, SQUARES AND TRACK. THE
DAMPNESS OF EARLY WEEKS HAS GIVEN WAY TO GLORIOUS SUNSHINE
AND THE BOYS HAVE TAKEN FULL ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY
TO PRACTICE AND COMPETE. WELL DONE TO ALL WHO HAVE
REPRESENTED THE SCHOOL WITH SUCH DISTINCTION THIS TERM!”
SAILING
ATHLETICS
Athletics: In addition to the recent good weather there have been many highlights on the
athletics front this term. Amongst other notable team performances the Fourth Form squad
won the North Dorset Schools’ Team Championships, while the Third Form finished second,
and more recently won their competition at Canford School. Individual success has been
attained too with a number of boys being selected to compete at the County Championships,
where Christian Pugsley (U6d) won the Senior Boys long jump and Tom Lewis (5a) won the
Intermediate Boys 400m. From this, Tom and Christian qualified for the South West
Championships.
LOOKING FORWARD...
28 June - CCF Summer Camp
28 June – DofE Canoeing Expedition
28 June – World Challenge Expedition to the Himalayas
30 June – Swing Band tour in Barbados
26 August – DofE Silver qualifying walking expedition, Peak District
31 August – Travelling day for new boys
1 September – Travelling day for all other boys
Friday 19 to Sunday 21 September – First Exeat
Saturday 4 to Sunday 5 October – Second Exeat
Wednesday 22 October to Sunday 2 November – Half Term
Sailing: The boys have enjoyed the fine
weather, pushing on with developing
their skills on a range of the School’s
boats. They have been rewarded with
success in the variety of competitions
held this half of term, most notably 9th
position at the British Schools Dinghy
Association Thames Valley Regatta.
Stop Press - Ben Poe (5d)
finished fourth in the RS Tera Pro
European Sailing that took place in
the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Ben
Childerley (3f) was competing in
the Europa Cup in Weymouth
where he successfully came
seventh.
The 1st VI hosted Millfield School
on June 14 and rose to the
occasion by winning 7-2. Victory on
the superb Sherborne grass backed
up last season’s hard court win at
home. Charlie Symonds (3c) and
George Clifford (3a) progressed to
the Under 15 County Finals. They
both won their first matches in
Bournemouth, and Clifford a
further match in the main draw
consolation. The Under 15 team
won both of their recent matches
against QE Wimborne and Twyham
School in the Aegon Dorset
League 2.
WATERPOLO
Hugo Houlton (5d) has been
selected for the Under 16 Dorset
County team. He will be playing in
the South West Waterpolo
championships at Millfield in
September.
POLO
Guy Young (3c) captained the
Novice polo team for a tournament
at Kirtlington Park Polo Club near
Oxford. For team members James
Thorne (5e), Charlie Barker (3b) and
Vincent Hagg-Davies (3f) it was
their first polo tournament. The
team played well in the scorching
heat to win two games, draw one
and only narrowly lost one to a
much more established team,
placing them in joint second.
CRICKET
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TENNIS
Since the past update we have seen some major events on the cricket front here at
Sherborne. The Under 14’s have been crowned the County Champions with a fantastic
victory over Canford at Dean Park, whilst the Under 15’s were runners up in the County
Cup T20 respectively. The Under 14’s have also seen two centurions, Harry Fisher (3m) 108
v Taunton, and Dominic Prest (3d) 106 v Cheltenham College. The 1st XI senior cricket has
continued to flourish, with wins over Taunton School and Blundell’s, and an epic game
against local Dorset rivals Canford that ended in the first ever tied match between the two
schools. The final week of term sees Sherborne cricket welcome King’s Parramatta and the
Singapore CC, as well as the annual OS game on the Saturday of Commem.
SHERBORNE SCHOOL ABBEY ROAD SHERBORNE DORSET DT9 3AP
T: 01935 812249 E: [email protected] www.sherborne.org
Registered Charity No. 1081228
Photographs: Harry Lane, Kenny Primrose, Ian Reade, Laurie Phippard, Alex Dunham, James Kimber, Alex Davidson (4f), Tim Dawson, Rachel Hassall and others