No. 6 14/15 End of Summer Term July 2015 Dear parents Claremont

No. 6 14/15 End of Summer Term
July 2015
Dear parents
Claremont Fan Court Senior School has continued to make wonderful progress and the pupils and staff
have worked so hard throughout the year to build skills and readiness for challenges ahead. Once again, it
has been a most busy year with events in every department supporting a strong curriculum and focused
pastoral and co-curricular provision. Thank you for your support of this School.
Summer Meeting showcases our year’s work and was a wonderful day that included guest speaker, Dr
Natalie Starkey, Planetary and Space Scientist. Summer Meeting was warm and dry and classrooms
throughout the Senior School were filled with displays, demonstrations and performances. Thank you for
coming to this most important event.
This mailing includes the final exam result grade card for your child in Year 10, the reports for Years 7 and
10 and the Parent Information Booklet for 2015-2016. Again, this Booklet has been extensively edited and is
a key document for parents, new and established alike, to ensure they have access to the procedures and
standards of the Senior School. Please keep it to hand throughout the coming year.
Summer term is, without exception, an eventful time. It has been very much focused on exams and we look
forward to seeing first class results from our A level and GCSE students this summer.
This half term, lessons and events continue to the last moment of term and it is a great pity if pupils miss
these last days. We expect holidays to be carefully planned so that all pupils attend every School day right
up to the end of term to enjoy Summer Meeting, commendations assembly, sports day, house competitions
and end of year final tutor sessions.
A level (Lower and Upper Sixth) and GCSE (Years 10 and 11) results and review days
Results of external examinations will be available for collection at School on Thursday 13 August 2015 for A
level results and Thursday 20 August 2015 for GCSE results, from 9.00am. These results days will be
followed the next day by review mornings between the hours of 9.30am and 12.30pm for students who may
need to amend their courses for next year (no appointment is needed). Course changes may still occur in
the first days of the autumn term.
Induction days and first day of next academic year
Incoming Year 7 pupils should be in School on Wednesday 2 September at 1.45pm meeting in front of the
Mansion. New pupils to other year groups should meet on Wednesday 2 September at 2.30pm in the
Drawing Room. The entire Sixth Form should also attend on Wednesday 2 September at 1.00pm in the JGC
for timetable confirmations.
All pupils should be at School on Thursday 3 September at 8.30am. I will write to you at the beginning of
September with the meeting rooms for each class on the first day of School.
Summer Meeting
Summer Meeting was held last Saturday and it was wonderful to have a bigger attendance than
ever of families, past pupils, relatives, friends and visitors. Thank you for coming and I trust you
could clearly see how vibrant and happy the School has been over the last year.
This year’s guest speaker, Dr Natalie Starkey, spoke about her career and gave such sound
advice to the pupils about following their interests to open doors into areas yet unknown in the
future. The morning proceeded with many displays and activities involving Senior School pupils
who showcased their learning and activities throughout the morning.
There were activities and displays aplenty in the Senior School prepared by staff and pupils which
gave parents the opportunity to view the varied and outstanding achievements of this year. Thank
you for your attendance on this most important celebratory day.
Next year’s Head Students were announced at Summer Meeting. Freddie Brown will be Head
Boy and Maddie Bell will be Head Girl. They will lead the pupil body and will be ably supported by
their deputies: Cameron McIntyre, Deputy Head Boy and Victoria Banham, Deputy Head Girl. The
following have been appointed as Prefects for the 2015-2016 academic year: Gabriel Barling,
Cameron Bradley, Kate Bradford, George Bunney, Alex David, Christina Davies, Alexandra
Drenth, William Dyson, Lara Fenocchi, Harvey Gillett, Jemima Hobbs, Ben Huntley, Charlotte
Jukes, Alexandra Kisel, Catherine Kydd, Riley Latcham, Oliver Macnaughton, Fraser McIntyre,
Ellen Scott, Jamie Sellers, Matthew Shah, Matthew Timms and Eliza Tracey. Congratulations are
extended to this fine group and the School looks forward to their leadership and contribution
throughout their Upper Sixth year.
Staff changes
In addition to the leaving staff I wrote to you about in the summer half term newsletter, we will
also say goodbye to Mrs Alison Callander and Mr Alastair Coomes who have both worked so
effectively in the individual needs department and to Miss Jenna King in the science technicians'
department.
New Staff
In September we will be welcoming new staff in the art and photography, PE, maths, English and
drama departments.
Mrs Karen Murphy, BA (hons), PGCE, attended Bournemouth and Poole College of Art, Belfast
College of Art and the University of Exeter. She joins Claremont Fan Court as our new Head of
Art and Photography from Worth School having also taught at Whitgift, Bryanston and
Woldingham Schools. With two young children, she also continues to maintain an active artistic
interests. We welcome Mrs Murphy to department leadership at our School.
Miss Hannah Gibbs, BA (hons), QTS, attended St Mary’s University and has taught at Maidstone
Grammar and Kent College. Returning to England from Swans International School in Spain,
Miss Gibbs will take up the maternity cover position of In Charge of Girls’ PE. Miss Gibbs is an
active netball player and enjoys keeping fit, skiing and learning Spanish. We look forward to her
leading girls sport during Mrs Gardner’s maternity leave.
Mr William Maxwell, BSc (hons), PGCE, attended the University of Exeter and the University of
Portsmouth. He has been teaching at Salesian College and joins our mathematics department.
Mr Maxwell has interests in rugby, athletics and chess and we look forward to him working with
us.
Miss Emily Fisher, BA (hons), QTS, attended Liverpool John Moores University and joins us
from Wirral Grammar to take up a maternity cover position for Mrs Culley in Girls’ PE. Miss
Fisher is an active netball player and also enjoy lacrosse, fitness, gymnastics and hockey. We
look forward to her being a big part of girls’ PE in the coming year.
Miss Katherine Ashcroft, BSc (hons), PGCE, attended the University of Portsmouth and Bath
Spa University. She joins our Girls’ PE department as an NQT teacher and along with travelling
and dance and drama, enjoys all sports; in particular netball, running, sailing and skiing. We are
sure she will enjoy her time at Claremont Fan Court.
Miss Shereene Ashlee, BA (hons), attended Roehampton University and is well known to us as
both a past pupil and also a co-director and choreographer for numerous Senior and Prep
School productions. We welcome Miss Ashlee back to Claremont Fan Court and she will take up
a position as part time teacher of drama and will also direct a second production in the coming
year exclusively for Years 7,8,9.
Miss Jade Foolheea, FDA, BA (hons), PGCE, attended City Colleg Brighton and Hove,
Northbrook College, and the University of Brighton. She joins us from Lingfield Notre Dame and
will teach A level photography in our art and photography department. Miss Foolheea plans on
offering photography club activities to other year groups and we look forward to her working in
this busy department where she will also work as our art technician.
Mrs Catherine Sabben-Clare, BA (hons), PGCE attended Oxford and Cambridge universities
and taught most recently at James Allen’s School. She joins our English department as a part
time teacher. Her interests include poetry, reading, languages as well as netball and cycling. We
wish her well as she joins our vibrant English faculty.
Miss Madeline Taghon, BA, attended university at Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina
and joins Claremont Fan Court as our new lacrosse coach. Her degree is in the history of art and
history and art remains a deep interest for her. She is coaching lacrosse at Ampleforth College,
York and we look forward to her contributing to one of our favourite girls’ sports at Claremont in
the coming years.
Update telephone and address details
Please ensure that family telephone numbers, mobile numbers, address and email details, are
updated regularly. This information should be written on the Data Collection Form which will be
sent to you at the beginning of the autumn term for you to confirm or amend.
Year 11 and Upper Sixth Prom
Our end of year Senior Prom was once again held at the lovely Burwood Park and our seniors
certainly looked the part and enjoyed the evening.
Upper Sixth Form Graduation
The Sixth Form Graduation ceremony celebrates the end of school education for our Upper
Sixths and their families. Music, prose, remembrances and speeches offer an eclectic and broad
review of the Sixth Form. This black tie event includes drinks on the mansion lawn and a formal
dinner for Sixth Formers and staff. This memorable evening, held in the JGC and Great Room,
was our opportunity to wish our leaving Upper Sixths the very best as they leave Claremont Fan
Court School to enter university.
Sixth Form Graduation 2015
Exiting School onto the Portsmouth Road
Please drive with care exiting School via from the top car park onto the Portsmouth. Vehicles
turning left should take great care of pedestrians also crossing the road.
Parent Talks
Parent talks have been growing in popularity with families across the whole school. Speakers
booked in for the new academic year include the autumn talk titled Slow Parenting: Bringing up
Children in a Fast World with Mr Carl Honoré as well as a talk on Sex and Relationships
with Ms Gill Hines in Spring. We look forward to these talks and having you in
attendance.
Parents Information Evenings and Sixth Form Parents/Teachers Evening
Please enter the dates for these meetings in your diary for the new academic year:
Monday 7 September
Year 11 Parents Information Evening: Study Skills, Great Room, Mansion 7.00pm
Tuesday 8 September
Year 9 Parents Information Evening, Great Room, Mansion 7.00pm
Thursday 10 September
Year 8 Parents Information Evening, Great Room, Mansion 7.00pm
Monday 14 September
Sixth Form Parents Information Evening, Great Room, Mansion 7.00pm
Tuesday 15 September
Year 10 Parents Information Evening, JGC 7.00pm
Monday 28 September
Sixth Form Experience Day and Open Evening, JGC and Mansion 6.00pm for Year 11 pupils
Thursday 19 November
Sixth Form Parent/Teacher Evening, JGC
Senior School staff and I wish you an enjoyable summer. We are already planning a full and
comprehensive academic programme for next year including a range of enrichment trips.
This year has been one of success in all fields (academic subjects, sports, arts and clubs)
especially in national exams and the increased numbers, activities and stature of this School.
Thank you for your continuing support of the Senior School.
As the academic year closes, we wish our leaving students all the very best for their university
careers. We hope each of them will keep in touch with us at Claremont Fan Court School via the
alumni pages on our website and by visiting us.
I look forward to seeing you and your children in September for the beginning of a new academic
year.
Yours sincerely
Mr Jonathan Insall-Reid
Headmaster, Senior School
News from this term
This half term has again been a busy one even though examinations form the focus of our
activities. Major activities this term include the following:
Royal Visit
We welcomed Prince Gregory of Bourbon-Sicily, a direct descendant of Louis-Philippe, King of
the French, on a visit to Claremont Fan Court School. Prince Gregory was also accompanied by
his wife and his godmother; the Marchioness of Orleans-Chaponay.
Louis-Philippe and Marie-Amelie once resided at Claremont. Prince Gregory is the great-greatgreat-great grandson of Louis-Philippe and great-great-great-grandson of the Duke and Duchess
of Nemours who also lived at Claremont and so he has strong historical connections with the
building.
The Duchess, who was a favourite cousin of Queen Victoria, died in childbirth at Claremont and
so Prince Gregory’s great-great-grandfather was brought up in the Mansion under the watchful
care of Marie-Amelie.
Both Prince Gregory and the Marchioness of Orleans-Chaponay have another connection with
Claremont as they are also directly descended from Leopold of Saxe Coburg who became the
first King of the Belgians and whose first wife was Princess Charlotte. They too lived at Claremont
for some time. Many of the classrooms are now named after these former royal residents.
Bell ringing for Magna Carta
To celebrate 800 years since the
signing of Magna Carta, Years 7
and 8 rang the old school bell 800
times at one o’clock. The bell
sounded out throughout Esher and
each pupil rang it five times. Some,
however, admitted that it was much
heavier to ring than they had
thought! At the end, staff also joined
in to ring the bell to celebrate the
importance of democracy.
Visit by Beth Tweddle, Olympic gymnast
We were delighted to welcome Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle into School to meet with our Year
7 and 8 pupils.
Beth was invited as part of a prize for Year 8 pupil Lewis who had won a poster-designing
competition organised by the Potato Council. The brief had been to design a poster to showcase
the benefits of potatoes to athletes and Lewis’ winning design has since been turned into a
printed poster.
Beth gave an inspiring assembly detailing how she had become an Olympic bronze medalwinning gymnast through hard work and determination. She also demonstrated some gymnastic
skills and even coached four brave pupils who were keen to show her their abilities.
After the assembly, a class of food technology pupils attended a workshop run by the Potato
Council where they learnt to cook a delicious chicken and potato curry. Beth was also on hand to
help out and judge the cookery competition where she praised all the pupils on their cooking
technique.
Sixth Form Enrichment Week
Enrichment week for the returning Sixth Form students began with a day of life skills. Instruction
was given in first aid, cooking and self-defence.
The students were extremely positive in their response to the activities, so much so that they
were keen to demonstrate both the self-defence and first aid on each other after the sessions.
Self-defence instructor Rob Gillott was extremely enthusiastic and effective in communicating his
techniques. Mrs Wells, ably assisted by a number of other Claremont Fan Court teaching staff,
expertly supervised the cooking of a range of budget student meals and the School Nurse, Jackie
Coppellotti, very effectively showed how to put someone in the recovery position, deal with
choking and administer CPR.
This years Year 7,8,9 enrichment week saw our pupils fly off in many new directions. Here are
there reports:
Coasts and Volcanoes Enrichment Week trip
Twenty-nine pupils, four teachers, three volcanoes, three coastal hillside towns, an uncovered
city, a hotel with a pool and amazing views and the beautiful UNESCO heritage coast
encapsulates our Italian experience.
We climbed the cone of the extinct Monte Nuovo with stunning views across the bay and a huge
wooded crater. Climbing the steeper, more active Mount Vesuvius was more of a challenge with
its overpriced shops but priceless views. The dormant Solfatara volcano definitely had the wow
factor and was deemed to be cool with sulphur, hollow ground and massive steam vents which
relieve the pressure of Mount Vesuvius.
The shops in Sorrento were cheaper than in either Positano or Amalfi. We stayed in the former,
also going bowling, exploring it in a town train, and making lemon sorbet in a gelataria. The other
attractive towns were accessed by road and sea.
The remains of the town of Pompeii which have emerged from the ash mantle deposited by the
eruption of Vesuvius in AD79 were impressive; especially the imprints of some of its inhabitants
whose body shapes had been captured in plaster.
Ardeche Enrichment Week trip
Greek Multisports Enrichment Week trip
Italian Food Enrichment Week Trip
Hunger Games Enrichment Week Trip
Enrichment Week Day Trips
Wye Valley Enrichment Week trip
Each one of the enrichment trips was a great success with pupils enjoying being away from
School and home and dealing with new challenges.
It is also very important to this School that pupil’s conduct themselves well whilst away
representing the School. It was wonderful to receive the following letter from a member of British
Airways staff.
Sent: 16 June 2015 16:51
Subject: Wonderful passengers to Athens!
To all at Claremont School.
I am cabin crew for British Airways. Yesterday (15th June) I operated on the flight to Athens that
some of your pupils were travelling on for the start of a school trip.
I just wanted to write and say what a delight all of the children were. They were so polite and well
behaved. All of the cabin crew commented on it.
We carry a lot of school groups on board and I can honestly say they were the best I have ever
come across! They are an absolute credit to your school, teachers and parents and I felt that I
needed to pass these comments on! I would be happy for you to share these comments to
parents, pupils and teachers if you wish.
Many thanks and I hope that the children have a fantastic trip in Athens.
British Airways
Year 7 trip to Southsea
The latest Year 7 art project
has focused on the ocean
and its conservation. Having
studied still life of sea
creatures, created abstract
ceramic sculpture and learnt
about pollution effects on the
sea, the final part of the
project saw Year 7 travel to
Southsea as part of World
Ocean Day.
Firstly, everyone took part in
a
litter
pick.
It
was
encouraging that the beach
was not too littered but even
so, the pupils gathered six
black sacks of rubbish.
Then, after a short play on
the beach, the pupils split into two groups. One group visited the aquarium whilst the other went
into Southsea castle to explore and draw artefacts in the shelter of the stone walls. Despite
having to finish early due to poor weather, this was a fun and informative day trip.
Year 8 Seven Sisters Country Park visit
Year 8 enjoyed the fabulous weather and a walk along the meandering River Cuckmere to aid
their geography studies. Pupils made annotated field sketches and marked photographs of the
river with the key features of a meander.
Then, whilst having lunch, everyone visited the beach to view the chalk cliffs and other
geographical features of the Seven Sisters park. These included examining the unusual layers
of flint located within the chalk itself and observing the direction of the longshore drift.
There was also time to fit in a quick ice cream before returning to Claremont.
Year 10 History and Business Studies trip
Year 10 history and business studies pupils
headed into London for an enrichment trip to
support their GCSE studies.
The history pupils visited the Museum of
London where they focused on how London
has changed in the last fifty years
particularly looking at the impact of
immigration and the influence of fashion,
culture and music on the youth of Britain.
Business studies pupils visited the museum
at the Bank of England to learn about the
Bank’s role in setting interest rates and
managing the currency. They then walked
through the City of London taking in some of
the key sites including the Lloyds buildings, the Gherkin and the London Metal exchange as well
how the city changed as it moved from the city into the area of the East End.
All the pupils also walked Brick Lane to see how migration has provided London with a mix of
different culture. Lunch was enjoyed in Spitalfields market followed by a group visit to Canary
Wharf and the Docklands Museum.
The weather was fantastic and all pupils got to see both what life would be like as a commuter
and the diversity of London; particularly in comparison to Esher!
A Level and Year 10 Design Technology trip
A Level and Year 10 textiles pupils visited the New Designers exhibition at the Business Design
Centre in Islington. This exhibition showcases work by recent degree graduates in Textiles and
Fashion, Costume Design, Jewellery and Precious Metalwork, Ceramics and Glass and
Contemporary Design Crafts.
Over 1,800 universities and colleges showcase the work of their students who have graduated
this year. The high calibre of the work was inspiring and provided our pupils with an insight into
the kind of work they would be producing at university level. A recent graduate acted as a guide
and our pupils were able to ask questions about the methods and construction processes.
Later, they visited the Victoria and Albert Museum so that the Year 10 pupils could visit the
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
exhibition and the A level students
could visit the recently opened
Shoes, Pleasure and Pain exhibition.
McQueen’s designs were presented
with the dramatic staging and sense
of spectacle synonymous with his
runway shows. The Shoes, Pleasure
and Pain exhibition looked at the
extremes of footwear from around
the globe, presenting around two
hundred pairs of shoes ranging from
a sandal decorated in pure gold leaf
originating from ancient Egypt, to the
most
elaborate
designs
by
contemporary makers.
Textile Exhibition
Our A level textile design students displayed their work in an exhibition showcasing a wide variety
of textile outcomes including dresses, cushions, wall hangings, a chair, a child’s quilt, a
decorative neck collar and a decorative box.
The AS work was displayed in Leopold enabling
each student to display their design sketch books,
mounted boards and final outcomes. The work
included a wide variety of constructed mixed media
textile techniques. Two very striking black, white and
red dresses inspired by decorative architecture were
constructed by Charlie and Tammy. Eliza and
Connie embellished wall panels and explored floral
and sea patterns which were creatively printed,
quilted and embroidered.
The exhibition continued with the A2 work on display
in Capability Brown. The ornate decor provided a
striking setting for a series of five beautifully
embellished floral canvases constructed by Robin. A
Victorian styled corseted dress, constructed skilfully
by Connie, looked well-placed against the tapestry
walled room. A nautical theme inspired an
innovative long dress constructed with originality,
precision and attention to detail by Robin.
The students’ parents were able to visit and
celebrate the achievements of the students.
Finalist in Young Fashion Designer
Competition 2015
On Saturday 4 July,
Charlie Jukes
participated in the Young Fashion
Designer UK (South) Finals at Kent
College, Pembury. She was among five
finalists selected in the AS category . The
standard was extremely high with 148
entrants from schools in South East
England.
Each
student
creatively
displayed their work, showcasing their
folios, sketchbooks, presentation boards,
final designs and outcomes.
A panel of eight judges from education
and industry interviewed the students
and judged their work in terms of
innovation, creativity and industrial
knowledge. Charlie Jukes produced work
of a very high standard, creating a highly
experimental and innovative 3D final
outcome inspired by architecture and was among five finalists in the AS category receiving
finalist certificates. During the day Charlie attended drawing workshops and was very inspired
by the new methods she was shown and will be using them in her A2 assignments. Charlie
found the day to be an excellent experience as it was both challenging and enjoyable.
Tammy Rudd received an AS highly commended certificate for her architectural inspired Sixties
dress and Niamh Wilson received a GCSE highly commended certificate for her African
inspired reversible dress.
The Real Game
The whole of Year 8 gathered excitedly in the Great Room to experience the world of work by
playing the Real Game. The game allows each pupil to assume the role of a single young adult in
the work force. The roles are chosen randomly and each pupil has to understand the
qualifications which led to the job, the salary and hours worked and the annual holiday.
More importantly they discuss the transferable skills which go with their role.
Firstly, they filled a dream cloud with pictures of their dream accommodation, transport, yachts,
holiday villas and ponies! Then they worked out a monthly budget. “The government takes how
much?” was heard more than once during this process.
Help was given to estimate how great household expenses would be as well as how much time to
allow for sleeping, cooking and cleaning in order to gauge how much free time would be left
during the week for leisure activities. Pupils then had to adjust their dream clouds and negotiate
house shares and mortgages as necessary.
The game ended with each team working together to plan a group holiday. It was heartening to
see how they shared resources to enable the lower paid workers to participate fully, negotiating
their way round package tours, staying with friends and planning their trip around everyone’s
annual leave.
Year 7 Travel Show
The annual geography Year 7 Travel Show was another excellent event. The pupils worked
incredibly hard in lessons to prepare for the day. They researched many different countries and
had to include information on factors such as climate, wealth, population, location, when to go
and how to get there.
The props were spectacular including a vuvuzela, kimonos, Australian aboriginal art and an
antique Japanese doll. There was also lots of tasty food including Peruvian milkshakes, Hawaiian
smoothies, paella, churros and chocolate dipping sauce, dried Kenyan bananas, Italian
Neapolitan cakes and Swiss cheese. Everyone who came left very well fed.
There were some wonderful comments from the parents congratulating the Year 7 pupils on the
wonderful displays and confident speaking.
Year 8 Food Technology trip to Goodwood Home Farm, Chichester
In May, as part of their food technology curriculum, Year 8 travelled to Goodwood Home Farm
near Chichester. This trip provided a stimulating experience of a modern, organic working farm
and enabled pupils to make the connection between what we eat and how it is produced on the
farm. We looked at the process of grass to milk, saw how cows are fed, housed and milked and
discussed the constraints and demands of crop growing and animal husbandry and the merits of
free range versus intensive agriculture argued with a greater understanding of the realities.
Despite a terrible forecast, the weather was kind to us and pupils had an enjoyable and interesting visit which they then summarised in reports, films and photographs for a competition.
The photos below are the two prize winning photographs (cows by Edward Wright and milk
drinks by James Stewart)
Tennis report
Tennis at Claremont remains an important sports activity and competitive tennis continues for
those who have developed their skills to a high degree. Surrey tennis is thriving and local independent schools have strong teams and some have academy tennis so it was good to enter two
very capable teams into Surrey leagues this season.
The under 13 team of Rayhan Bari, Elliott Bolton, James Fiorucci, Patrick Walsh, Val Walsh,
Jamie Tutty and Kyran Goodbrand competed very well. While the Team Tennis league was
tough with losses against Cheam High, King’s and Reed’s in the narrowest of matches, we won
against Ibstock. In the Surrey Schools’ league, our team beat RGS Guildford comprehensively,
Aldro and a brilliant win against Hampton with Rayhan and Elliott beating their opposition first
pair 6-0. Three wins took our team to the quarter finals and a match against Kingston Grammar
also resulted in a 6-3 win to Claremont and a place in the semi-finals. Enrichment week
clashed with this next match sadly but the under 13 team certainly have the skill to compete
with the best.
The under 15 team of Lukas Obel, Callum Wells, Luke Mace, Charlie Tajasque, Conrad Zuurmond and Ben Sumrie also had tough matches in the Team Tennis league and Surrey School’s
league. While there is work to do, more wins are not far away.
In open competitions, Fred Obel, Lukas, Rayhan, Callum and Elliott won against Trinity College
but lost the area quarter final against Langley Park in the LTA Nationals. In the Rootham Shield,
St John’s proved too strong, yet in the Surrey County Knock-out where Claremont has done so
well in the last few years, Fred and Lukas made it through to the finals again but a lost a thrilling
match against Ham and Petersham LTA.
The Independent Schools’ finals are the culmination of the tennis year. This year we entered at
under 15 with two boys’ teams of Lukas and Callum, and Charlie and Conrad. Lukas and Callum had excellent wins against Loughborough and Bedford but lost against Hampton and St
Georges narrowly missing the cut to progress to the main draw. Charlie and Conrad also had a
tough box losing to Mill Hill, Whitgift, Winchester and Marlborough.
Our two under 13 boys’ teams of Rayhan and Elliott, and James and Patrick, also faced stiff
opposition in this national championship. Rayhan and Elliott played brilliantly with wins against
HABS, Bradford and Hampton and topped their group to progress to the main draw. With
excellent wins against Colstons, HABS and Dulwich, it was tough to lose against Warwick in the
quarters. Nevertheless, the results left this talented pair in the top eight in the country; an
excellent weekend for Rayhan and Elliott. James and Patrick had terrific wins over Reigate and
RGS Newcastle but lost to Abingdon and Warwick again just missing the cut. In the plate event,
they won against St James, Reigate and Hymers but lost against UCS – again a good result for
an up and coming pair.
Our under 13 girls’ team of Val Walsh and Marisse Zuurmond played extremely well winning
against Hymers and St Helens but lost to Surbiton and St Marys Calne. In the plate event, wins
against St Helen’s, St Mary’s Calne, Bradford and Yarm and a narrow loss to Wycombe Abbey
took them to the plate semi-final where they lost against Reigate. This is a brilliant result for a
Year 7 team playing in an under 13 national competition and augurs well for next year’s
championships. Well done to all pairs.
House tennis finished the year and the final was held on Summer meeting. The winners were:
Year 7: Esher, Patrick Walsh and Amy Rowe Williams
Year8: Longcross, James Fiorucci and Amelie Lamprecht
Year 9: Radnor, Charlie Tajasque and Freya Gladstone
Year10: Norwood, Ben Sumrie and Phoebe Leake
With wonderful coaches in our partners, Tennis England, every opportunity is in place for further
progress in the coming years. Well done to all tennis players on a sportsmanlike and successful
season.
House news
This term house events have included tennis, softball, rounders, orienteering, athletics and
swimming.
Norwood has performed admirably throughout the year winning the tennis and orienteering.
Esher exhibited an awesome ability to hit a homerun; this helped them be victorious in the
softball.
Longcross ran rings around the other houses in the rounders round robin competition winning the
junior division and being second equal in the intermediate division.
Radnor performed well in the House swimming.
Athletics was the last and the biggest house event this term. The weather was exceptional and
made it a pleasant experience for all involved. Esher house won the Junior and Intermediate
Girls, Norwood won Junior and Intermediate boys and Longcross were victorious in the combined
Sixth Form events. The points from each division were included and the overall athletics positions were Norwood: 1st; Esher 2nd; this left Radnor and Longcross finishing 3rd and 4th respectively.
This left the points for the summer term with Radnor in fourth, Longcross and Esher were very
close only 150 points separating them. However the athletic skills of Esher put them into second
which means that the summer term house champs are Norwood.
Now to the overall results:
In fourth place on 8550 points is Longcross. For the first time in the history of the School House
system, we have a joint second place. On 9850 points are Radnor and Esher.
Therefore in first place on 12650 points is Norwood. This is a huge lead on the other houses
which is testament to Norwood’s continued and consistent effort throughout the year. Norwood
has shown superior participation and determination which has led to them gaining maximum
points in many events.
House Orienteering
Senior School pupils spent a week of lunch breaks discovering several corners of the campus
that they had never seen before by taking part in the House Orienteering.
There were six courses of different lengths and levels of difficulty which took pupils to the
furthest corners of the grounds, with a final ‘score’ course in which competitors could visit the
controls in any order provided they returned within a strict time limit of twenty minutes. The
competition was busy and brisk with over a dozen competitors every day and was won
comprehensively by Norwood.
The score course was also used as one of the ice-breaking and bonding exercises for the
incoming Sixth Form students on their Induction Day. The whole event was very popular and
thoroughly enjoyed by all who took part.
Inter-Schools Orienteering Festival
Brilliant sunny weather greeted the nine runners selected to represent the School at the first
ever Surrey Inter-Schools Orienteering Festival at Newlands Corner.
Following last week’s House orienteering competition, the team had high hopes of success and
expressed cautious optimism as they weighed up the opposition at the start. One after another,
the team members set off into the forest at two minute intervals, running at a cautious pace and
keeping a close eye on their map and compass.
The dense summer vegetation however, obscured many paths and other identifying map
features, making navigation considerably harder than it had been at School last week and the
team experienced mixed fortunes.
The four runners on the yellow course acquitted themselves creditably, all setting times between
13 and 19 minutes, with first-timer George coming in 14th place out of 54, while on the orange
course Oliver and Robert did brilliantly to secure first and second places. The other three runners
unfortunately got lost in the undergrowth at the far recesses of the forest.
Overall the Claremont team came third and agreed that they had thoroughly enjoyed
themselves.
Sports News
The summer term has passed in a blur with any number of sporting events and competition
taking place. From cricket to horse riding, pupils have been representing the School in a wide
range of activities.
Cricket and athletics have been the main activities played by the boys this term. Cricket fixtures
were curtailed somewhat by the weather before half term but, as things warmed up, most year
groups have been able to enjoy a number of fixtures. The U13 team have been the School’s
most successful team with some excellent individual performances. Max Andrew and Finn
Blakeney have become potent strike bowlers whilst Max Madden and Kieran Goodbrand have
become the mainstay of the batting line up. Max has scored heavily including 53 against Esher
High School and maintaining an average of 45 for the season.
The U12 team had a good end to the season after finally getting their first win against Esher
College. At U12 developing the confidence to play a match winning innings is crucial if teams are
to become successful. In this case, the captain and the team’s most successful batter were both
at the crease and put together a partnership of 93 which took them to within sight of victory.
Normally we would expect a clatter of wickets at this age but George Coomes and Max Taylor
held their nerve to complete a final ball win. This was an outstanding performance from both
boys and a fantastic way for the team to end their season.
The girls have been very busy this half term with rounders matches. This is a sport which is
thoroughly enjoyed by all the years. The U14 team have done very well this season, despite
nearly half of their fixtures being cancelled due to bad weather. The A team have had some
great wins with strong batting from Freya Gladstone and some excellent fielding by Georgina
Goodwin. The B team have had some close games with great bowling from both Riya Singh and
Annis Caine. The team have been focusing on their batting accuracy and power during games
lessons this year and they were able to demonstrate these skills in their matches.
The U12 rounders has had a successful rounder season with some great wins. The girls have
shown excellent fielding skills and batting form both team. Val Walsh has been an outstanding
batter for the A team achieving many rounders. Leila and Marisse have demonstrated excellent
fielding, working well together to help with the successful wins. A special mention goes to Amy
who started off as a B team player but has shown fantastic progress with both her batting and
fielding and became a valuable member of the A team.
U15 A team have been unbeaten all season. They are a very talented side who have scored
many rounders. Notable performances have come from Annabel Niven and Elizabeth Lewin. The
U15 B team have enjoyed their rounders games despite only winning one out of their three
games.
Athletics continues to be a high priority here at Claremont Fan Court School and we continue to
be successful in our competitions with the local schools. The junior meeting saw the Year 7 and 8
teams perform well against some of the bigger local schools. With such strong opposition, both
the girls and the boys achieved creditable results coming fifth overall. The Year 9 team currently
boast a number of excellent individual performances. James Riley-Hards and Junmin Lee have
developed a rivalry which is driving them both on to faster and faster times and is making them a
force to contend.
The culmination of the inter school athletics season is the Claremont Invitational Athletics event
with some ten schools taking part. Local schools look forward to this event and it has become a
highlight in their schools’ sporting calendars. The dominant school in this event has been
Hinchley Wood in the boys and Notre Dame in the girls and again these two schools secured the
overall victories. However, in coming third in both competitions, Claremont has once again
punched above its weight, competing successfully against schools with significantly bigger
numbers , which shows the dedication and hard work of our pupils who train and develop their
performance.
Of particular note was the performance of Oliver Wilson who finished the season by breaking the
junior boys 800m record. Earlier on this term, he performed brilliantly at the Surrey County
Athletics Championships, running in the U13 800m event as an U12 in a personal best time of
2.19s which ranked him tenth in the country.
This is an amazing achievement and is a reward for the unstinting dedication to training that
Oliver has shown throughout the year.
Tennis this summer has produced mixed results with the senior side coming up against some
extremely strong sides. However, our junior side has demonstrated its potential with an
outstanding set of results including a fabulous win over Hampton. The season again culminated
in the Eton tennis tournament.
With tennis such an important part of the School’s sporting credentials, a girls ‘social tennis
team has been set up which has played regularly on Monday evenings. This has allowed a
number of girls to represent the School and have the opportunity to play competitive but fun
tennis.
Another performance of note has been that of Phoebe Leake. On Friday 26 June, Phoebe
competed at the Hickstead Derby in the BSPS Heritage Welsh Section C class. She was placed
second which qualified her to ride in the Supreme Open Ridden Championship held in the
famous International Arena.
Phoebe will be returning to Hickstead at the end of July as she is one of only 21 under 18 year
olds in the UK who have won the opportunity to compete at the Royal International Horse Show
in the Ponies UK Young Riders Championship.
Thank you to all the staff who have supported sport. Mr Whitehead deserves special mention for
an incredible term’s work organising the Ardeche trip in enrichment week and the entire
athletics meetings during the term. Mrs Gardner and Mrs Culley are both now away for
maternity leave and Miss Roberts and Miss Saunders both leave to begin roles in new schools.
They have made a fantastic team. Thankfully we have managed to replace them with equally
brilliant staff.
Preseason rugby training begins on Monday 24 August through to Friday 28 August from
10.30am to 12.30pm each day for the senior rugby squad. Lacrosse preseason training will be
held on Saturday 5 September.