Trinity 2013 - Alleyn`s School

Transcription

Newsletter Trinity Term 2013
Alleyn’s School
Pupil voice:
Learning
Council
‘As co-chair of the Learning Council it has been very interesting
to work alongside Mrs McAuliffe in trying to develop the way
we learn at Alleyn’s. The council has made some great
suggestions on what we think works well and we would like
more of; it is great to be a part of shaping the future of how we
are taught.’ Jamie Savage, Learning Council co-chair
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Co-educational,
academic excellence
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8
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In Advent 2011, the Director
of Studies together with
two Year 13 students
developed the idea of a
Learning Council which
would be composed of a
mixture of pupils from Years
9 to 13 and members of
staff and would provide
a forum for pupils to
discuss issues relating to
Teaching and Learning. The
Headmaster enthusiastically
supported this idea and the
first meeting was convened
in Lent 2012 with fifteen
pupils and five members of
staff attending and cochaired by the three
‘founders’. The brief of the
Learning Council is to
discuss and investigate
what goes on in the
classroom, what sort of
feedback pupils get and
would like to get and what
kind of dialogue goes on
between teachers and
classes and individual pupils
in general. To this end, the
Learning Council devised
and carried out a survey of
all pupils in the school and
the results were presented
to staff and pupils. Another
area for investigation is
pupils’ use of the intranet
and what they want from
such a learning platform.
The Learning Council was
also asked to give their
views on the new grade
system that was introduced
in Years 7 to 9 this year and
their feedback was also
taken into account in the
review process at the end
of the first year.
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18
House News & Charity Events
Thorpe Park
Nearly all Year 9, 10 and 12 Roperians accompanied
by staff had an evening of pizza and games organised by Year 12 before
camping out for the night. The next day was a fun-filled day at Thorpe
Park.
House rounders
involves
all pupils in a friendly afternoon
of games. It is another good
opportunity for different year
groups to mix and competition
is fierce between loyal House
groups.
‘Just a Minute’ for SANE
Field Day: For the Year 9s
not involved in CCF, Mrs Joel
organised a day of circus-skills
training which culminated in a
show put on by all the groups in
the afternoon. Learning circus
skills is clearly harder than it looks
but pupils threw themselves into
the endeavour and produced
some enthusiastic and skilled
routines.
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ALLEYN’S SCHOOL NEWSLETTER TRINITY TERM 2013
This term the Lower School chose
to support the charity SANE, a
cause which offers support to
people with mental illness. We
were reminded constantly of the
symptoms of depression with an
enormous black dog gracing the
entrance of the main building.
For the first time we held a ‘Just
a Minute’ competition which
was hugely popular. Our four
competitors were Dr. Savage,
Mr Piper, Miss Jenney and
Mr Geldeard, who spoke on a
range of amusing subjects like
‘The selection of the Head Boy’,
with our Head Boy, Will Durgan,
being appropriately the chair of
proceedings. The event raised
£220 and was won by Dr. Savage
in a tie break with Miss Jenney.
Along with other fundraising
activities we have raised £2000
so far for SANE.
(Timetabler), then Director of Studies for several years; and for
the past six years, under Colin Diggory and then me, he has
been Deputy Head [Pastoral and Personnel]. To these various
roles Jon habitually brought his seemingly boundless energy,
intelligence and attention to detail, undertaking all tasks with
a good, old-fashioned sense of duty and conscientiousness.
We shall all miss him terribly as he moves on to new things –
including lots of travel – with Denise and their two children,
Chris (AOB) and Rebecca (AOG). We wish them every happiness
and hope that they, like all our departing colleagues, will come
back and visit us at Alleyn’s very soon.
From the
Headmaster
I am writing this piece after an especially busy and enjoyable
week at our busy and enjoyable school, which encompassed
the annual Summer Show of Art, Design and Media work; the
Year 9 Circus Skills Show; the Decades Reunion for Old Boys
and Old Girls, ably chaperoned by current School Prefects; and
lots of excellent Enrichment sessions and (weather-permitting)
summer sport. It is gratifying that, even in the iron grip of the
examination season, Alleyn’s can still be Alleyn’s, developing
the whole person through a vibrant co-curriculum, and knowing
that there is life before, during and after exams.
There is life after Alleyn’s too, of course, both for the pupils
who leave us each year, and for the staff who are moving on
to new things. Dr Marion Long (p/t Learning Support) left us in
April to take up a new challenge in the maintained sector in
Kent. Dr Andreas Antoniou (Economics); Mr Oliver Blaiklock
(History maternity cover); Mrs Sue Chaplin (Biology maternity
cover); and Miss Emma Ladell (Physics maternity cover) are
all moving on after a year of excellent work in their respective
departments. Miss Hannah Williamson (Art) is leaving after
seven years at Alleyn’s to pursue her career as an artist; while
Mr Dominic Tuohey (Physics) is moving on after six years to run
his own department at King Edward’s School, Birmingham. We
wish all these first-rate colleagues all the very best for the future.
In addition, two long-serving colleagues are retiring this year.
For the past eighteen years, Mrs Sheila Arthur has been a
dedicated, hard-working and popular teacher of Chemistry,
a stalwart of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, and a
mainstay of the Christian Union. We wish Sheila all the very best
for a long and happy retirement with her family and friends.
As always, I am also indebted to Mrs Robin Tottenham and
the hard-working members of the Alleyn’s Parents’ Association
which she has Chaired for the second time this year; and to
Dr Colin Diggory, my predecessor as Headmaster and – as per
Alleyn’s tradition - this year’s President of the Edward Alleyn
Club. The members of both these organisations – the APA and
EAC – really do put in a huge amount of hard work on behalf of
the School, helping in all sorts of ways to enrich the experience
of the wider community. Alleyn’s wouldn’t be the same without
them, and I am hugely grateful for all their help and support
again this year.
You will be aware that the first phase of our exciting capital
building programme will begin this summer, with the Swimming
Pool closed for a major refurbishment until May 2014, and the
Music School (though remaining open for business) getting an
extension and facelift which should be completed by October
2013. Though we will of course work hard to minimise it, I hope
you will tolerate any disruption and, above all, enjoy all the
benefits of these developments over the coming months and
years. They should serve to enhance the experience of pupils,
parents and staff in these two highly-valued and important areas
of the Alleyn’s curriculum, sport and music; and presage further
developments to the site in the not-too-distant future.
I hope that you all – colleagues, pupils, parents and the wider
Alleyn’s family – enjoy a really good, relaxing and interesting
summer. Natalie and I both look forward to catching up with you
again at the beginning of the new academic year in September.
With very best wishes
Mr Jon Lilly is also retiring this year, after an astonishing
thirty-nine years of service to the School. Over the years since
September 1974, Jon has taught History with shrewd expertise
and obvious relish; he helped to set up the Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award Scheme, and was heavily involved in establishing the
School’s Field Centre in Buxton; he was Senior Teacher
Headmaster’s Book for outstanding achievement
Agnes Halladay
Alastair Walker
Alex Riley
Alexandra West
Alice Handy
Alice Russell
Anna Dighero
Anna Dolan
Anna Mallon
Anna Pringle
Anna Silverstein
Aoi Nishizaki
Ben Harris
Ben Kirwan
Bethan FullerWillett
Caitlin Leithead
Charlie Hodgkiss
Charlotte Schofield
Chloe Beddow
Daniel Lyness
Daniel Newton
Eleanor Maidens
Elena Kirwan
Ella Standage
Finlay Glen
Francesca Long
George Barnard
George Hill
George Raikes
Georgia Fox
Georgie Bowen
Grace Mallon
Gregory Hartley
Hannah Kirwan
Haroun Hameed
Harry Martin
Helena Barlow
Helena Heyndrickx
Honor Wellington
Ieva Wade
Jahkaan Wray
Jake Ruddleston
Joe Johnson
John Tayleur
Jordan Clive
Josephine SolowiejWedderburn
Joshua Hitt
Jude Mack
Lucy Sherrington
Lydia CalmanGrimsdale
Maddy Gowers
Marie Hajiantonis
Marthe Naudts
Matilda Palmer
Matilda Scarlett
Matthew Chandler
de Waal
Max Daniel
Max Gill
Mimi Pattinson
Minka Grut
Molly Johnson
Monica Fearn
Natasha O’Connor
Oscar Baker
Phoebe Wayman
Scarlett
Rafee-Ul Islam
Rianna Henriques
Robert Stutter
Romy LeonardParsons
Sally Day
Saskia Millard
Sogo Akintaro
Thomas Good
Tom Glenister
Tom Hickson
Tristan Carman
Yennah Wong
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Summer Show
Art
It is the morning after the Private
View of our Summer Show and I
am exhausted but so proud of
what our pupils have achieved
in the Art Department this year. It
was lovely to see so many
parents, brothers and sisters
exploring the Summer Show and
celebrating the creative work of
our pupils. There were 72 Art
shows to see and hundreds of
pieces of work on display from
painting and drawing to
printmaking and video
installations. The sculpture this
year was especially strong as
pupils made ambitious pieces in
clay and mixed media. I am
pleased to see the individuality of
our pupils shining through and
their artistic voices emerging.
Making Art can be a frustrating
process and each piece of Art in
the show has behind it a series of
failures and an immense amount
of hard work, which makes me
even more proud of the quality of
work the pupils have achieved.
I would like to thank the
passionate Art teachers for the
daily support they give our pupils
and Jackie Hosein, our amazing
technician. They have put up with
me changing almost everything in
the Art Department over the last
three years and have worked so
hard to implement the new
curriculum. Last night I could see
that the Art department I wanted
Sound into art
For my Art AS exam project, I chose the title of ‘Chiming’. I quickly
drew a connection to sound in general, opening up a far broader
subject area and also posing the question of how to represent
something that is invisible in the
form of visual art.
The analysis of sound and
the effect of sound on matter
using physics and research into
the mathematics behind the
phenomenon of sound proved
to be an ideal starting point for
such a project. Together with
great support and enthusiasm
from Physics Technician, Mr
Tober, I then used equipment
from the Physics department (including lasers, speakers, the so-called
resonating ‘Chladni Plates’, non-Newtonian fluids, frequency generators
and amplifiers) to explore a variety of different methods of visualisation.
The work developed over four weeks to create a wide array of images
which gave several pieces of music a graphical identity, ultimately
making them visually recognisable and differentiated from one another.
The addition of further elements which responded to the sound
vibrations in their own often random and unpredictable way, such as
water and scraps of plastic film, produced beautiful, complex and
organic patterns by refracting and dispersing light, further adding depth
to the work I had undertaken and the patterns produced.
Max Daniel 12DH
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to create when I came to Alleyn's
three years ago is finally coming
together.
Esmé Acheson, Chris Allen,
Maddie Anderson, Finlay Clark,
Jess Polkey, Oscar Rainbird-Chill
and Emily Shepherd are heading
off to Art College in September
and Katherine Thornton is leaving
to study Art History. I wish all of
them the best of luck in their
creative careers. Clare Marie
Goldsworthy, Head of Art
Although production constitutes
only half of their final marks,
alongside the academic theories
they analyse and evaluations they
produce, all seems set fair for
the summer. Congratulations to
all the students and the teachers
and support staff who enable
this creativity to flourish.
Mark Grogan, Head of Media
Studies
Design and technology
Media
This year’s Media Studies
section was a more focused
affair than previously. On the
shiny department Macs Year 12
displayed their two-minute film
openings in a variety of genres
from social realism to a neo-noir
offering alongside stills from their
work, highlighting the technical
codes and conventions used.
Year 13 presented more detailed
research and planning for their
trailer alongside evidence of the
magazine front cover and film
poster they produce as ancillary
tasks. The attention to detail was,
as always, of a very high standard
and top grade work was evident
throughout. Parents employed
in both film and television
commented favourably on the
quality of the students’ efforts.
A wide variety of products from
Graphics and Resistant Materials
GCSE and the Product Design
A Level have been on display in
the Show. Products range from
new band promotions and CD
packaging to an eco bug house,
an urban gardening system,
a bike pannier and a clock
made out of a recycled bicycle:
demonstrating a mixture of
design and manufacturing
processes ranging from computeraided design and manufacture
to high-quality hand-sketched
and hand-crafted products.
The Design and Technology
workshops and studios have
been a hive of industry as the
number of pupils taking DT
increases along with the
complexity of their designs.
Angus Macmillan Head of Design
Technology
School Trips
Geography and Biology
Field Trip
On the 11th June, Year 8 went on
a Biology and Geography field trip
to Epping Forest in Essex. We
went to solve a historical murder
mystery. We completed different
activities including testing different
soil types and rock permeability.
We learnt to identify different types
of plants and calculated the age of
the trees as well as how to use a
compass. In the afternoon we did
a compass trail through the forest
to find more clues. This all helped
us to compile more evidence of
where the suspects had been
when the King’s men who had
been transporting gold to London
were murdered in the 18th century.
It was great fun and we all
thoroughly enjoyed the day, even
though some of us got lost during
the trail… Thank you to all the
teachers who helped us
throughout the day. Saskia Millard
and Lohita Allen-Aigbodion 8MR
Geography Field Trip
This term we spent an exciting
day travelling around London.
We visited the Crystal building
and were shown round by a guide.
Everything in the building was very
futuristic: their vision of the future
reminded me of Nineteen EightyFour by George Orwell. We then
got the cable car across the
Thames and went and listened to
a speaker who talked about
developments on the Greenwich
Peninsula and around the area of
the 02 Arena. Afterwards we
caught a river-boat, giving us a
great chance to see some of the
sights of London before the train
home. It was such a great day
and really gave us a chance to
see what the future of London
and cities around the world could
be like. Jake Preston, 10MJ
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School Trips
Lower School Languages
Trip to Valencia
Having set off from school
in the early hours, we arrived in
Valencia at midday in warm,
sunny weather. After dropping
our bags and eating lunch at our
lovely hotel we were shown
around the stunning city of
Tyson’s and Brading’s
House Trip to Disneyland
Paris
After reaching the end of a tough
exam week, around 50 members
of Tyson’s and Brading’s House
set off by coach to Paris, where
we would spend the weekend
together. At Dover, we changed
to a ferry which took us quickly
to France. By 11pm we finally
arrived at the hotel, tired but
looking forward to the events that
were to follow the next day.
Saturday began with breakfast
at the hotel before a short journey
to Disneyland itself. We spent
much of the day in the main
section of the park, enjoying the
extremely warm weather. There
were many rides to experience;
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Valencia by a tour guide. We
saw amazing animals at the
Bioparc, a zoo with no cages
where all the animals live in
conditions as close as possible
to their natural habitats. The
Science Museum, housed in
a fantastic futuristic building,
was fascinating, as was the
aquarium where we saw a
breathtaking display by dolphins.
Even our morning at the
language school was great fun!
As well as learning how to make
paella and a delicious drink called
horchata we did our fair share of
ice-cream eating! We couldn’t
have done it without Mr Strain,
Mrs Anderson, Ms Hale,
Ms Yurdakul and Ms Ackerman.
Thank you so much for taking us!
Anna Mallon (7GA), Tamaris Ellins
(8VS), Angharad Jones (8JS) and
Francesca Long (8JS)
some thrilling, some haunting
and some just good fun! Space
Mountain and the Indiana Jones
rides were favourites among the
group. Towards the end of the
day, the group transferred to Val
d’Europe, a huge shopping centre
around five kilometres away from
Disneyland. Here we spent an
hour, refreshing ourselves with
food and having a look at some of
the many shops. In the evening,
we drove back towards the
capital itself, Paris. An entertaining
journey allowed us to have a
rapid tour of the sights before
eventually stopping at the Eiffel
Tower. This was an amazing sight,
made even more exciting by the
stunning flash lights display which
lit up much of the area.
On Sunday morning, Tyson’s and
Brading’s travelled back towards
Disneyland. Here, we spent the
morning experiencing the Walt
Disney Studios Park. This was a
theme park full of exhilarating,
scary and fast rides, including
‘The Tower of Terror’ and the
‘Rock n’ Roller Coaster’. Everyone
enjoyed their time here, with many
buying gift and souvenirs, some
ridiculous, to take home! After
lunch, we began the journey
home having had a wonderful
and thoroughly enjoyable
weekend away. Mr Reid,
Mr Green, Mrs Wells, Mr
Workman and Mrs Thurlow kindly
accompanied the trip and all the
pupils were very grateful for this.
Oscar Baker 9NG, Tyson’s
What Buxton
meant to me
– the class of
7OH
‘Buxton was great fun and gave us a break from school which also helped
us improve friendships and gain trust.’ Charlie Dighero ‘A very enjoyable
stay, the class bonded more as a whole. Overall it was great and I
could have stayed longer. Alas, I had to leave Terry the dog behind.’
Sam Arbuckle ‘I had an amazing time trying new activities and the whole
class bonded.’ Helena Marshall ‘Trying out new things and conquering some
of your fears’ Amy Carey ‘Buxton allowed me to become better friends
with my classmates. It also allowed me to conquer my fear of heights.’
Casper Carlsson Metcalf ‘Buxton was a really fun experience that allows you
to test yourself and try new exciting things.’ Emma Gillie ‘It was really cool and
a nice change of scenery and a fun change to the daily routine. It was also fun
to push yourself.’ Ben Harris ‘Buxton was more than amazing! There were
plenty of new experiences to enjoy and ones that might challenge your self
belief, strength and teamwork. I really thought I got to know the class better
and overall I had a great time!’ Isabella Hedley
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from Sinfonietta (with some
excellent playing from the small
solo group), a crisp pair of
pieces from Clarinet Ensemble,
sumptuous singing from
Chorale, a second performance
from the newly-formed Brass
Band, and more toe-tapping jazz
from Swing Doctors. Wow!
‘A Lot of Hot Air’
Music Notes
Cast of hundreds perform
to capacity audiences
Around 260 pupils (over a
quarter of the school) took part
in the two concerts for larger
ensemble in the first half of term
– and they performed to full
houses as well! Both concerts
displayed the usual balance of
detailed musicianship and
exuberant enthusiasm that we
have come to expect of our
musicians, and showed that all
the hard work over many weeks
in rehearsal was so worthwhile.
The concert programme at
St John’s Smith Square had the
regular, wonderful ingredients
all mixed and cooked to usual
perfection – it proved another
feast for the senses. Symphony
& Chamber Orchestras,
Chamber Choir, Jazz Band and,
this year, Saximus Maximus
again pulled great performances
out of the bag, providing many
moments of real quality as well
as energy. Special mention
should go to Seamus Conlon
(piano), Eloise MacDonald
(violin), Hannah Yang (violin)
and India Kakkar (saxophone)
for their wonderful solo concerto
performances. Jazz Band’s
repertoire provided the
opportunity for a number of
members to improvise solos,
whilst Chamber Orchestra’s
String Serenade by Suk and
Chamber Choir’s Africaninspired The Making of the
Drum provided a great stage
for their skilful ensemble.
The Lower & Middle school
concert in the Michael Croft
Theatre again displayed the
depth of talent emerging from
the younger ranks. No one in the
audience could be disappointed
with the range of music on offer
– a Baroque concerto grosso
Following great feedback at
this event in previous years,
Mr Bennett coordinated (and
hosted with characteristically
gentle wit and flair) the directors
and players of the growing
number of small chamber
groups for woodwind and
brass instruments (ranging
from beginner to advanced).
Once again, in a Jools Hollandstyle staging, five performing
‘platforms’ were created,
utilising all three floors of the
EAB Atrium. As ever, the evening
had an air of informality as the
audience stood and moved
around, with drinks in hand.
There was great consistency in
the level of performance with
some very impressive intonation
and ensemble. The audience
was unanimous in its positive
response; well done to all the
groups who performed.
Junior School, at which many
Senior School pupils and alumni
and parents came together for
a great evening of music and
sketches; choirs sang at the
Chapel Services; ensembles
playing at Founder’s Day; the
Year 9 pupils completing their
KS3 musical curriculum with
the vibrant Year 9 Music
Festival; and there was the
Leavers’ Concert in the Michael
Croft Theatre, at which we said
a fond goodbye to the Year 13
musician leavers.
Calling All Singers
Sprinting to the
end of term ….
We are keen to create a large
Alleyn’s community choir, which
will combine the staff and
students in Choral Society with
the parents in Parents’ Choir.
The Music Department warmly
invites all parents, pupils and
staff to come and be part of this
wonderful event. Parents’ Choir
will rehearse on a number of
Thursday evenings from midSeptember to early February,
culminating in the Choral
Concert in early February. Come
and give it a go, whether you
count yourself as a strong or
hesitant singer! Further details
will be on the school website at
the beginning of next term, or
you could contact the Music
Department on 8557 1460 or
[email protected]
As a rousing musical finale to
the year, in the last two weeks
of term we had: a Pupils’
Recital; a fabulous 20th
Anniversary Concert for the
See page 24 for a review of
the recent Alleyn’s International
Concert Series with Jacqui
Dankworth.
9
Drama
Lower School Production
– Salman Rushdie’s
Haroun and the Sea of
Stories
‘There was once, in the country
of Alifblay, a city so ruinously
sad that it had forgotten its
name and in the depths of the
city lived a happy young fellow
by the name of Haroun, the only
child of the storyteller Rashid
Khalifa.’ Earlier this term, a cast
of 41 Lower School pupils took
their audience to the moon of
Kahani and back with Salman
Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea
of Stories – a rich celebration
of the power of storytelling
and freedom of speech, full
of strangeness and humour,
powered by a great 60s
soundtrack and lashings of
psychedelia. Once again the
design and technical elements
were managed by a first rate
crew of Lower School and
Year 9 pupils who demonstrated
terrific concentration and
stagecraft.
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Posters announcing that,
‘Haroun and the Sea of Stories’,
the Lower School play, was
coming to The Michael Croft
Theatre aroused lots of
excitement. For me, it was an
opportunity to show my passion
and love for drama. Quick as a
flash I whipped out a pen and
wrote in scrawly handwriting on
the sign-up sheet, “Zrey
Sholapurkar”. First audition,
Wednesday lunchtime. Well, I
was more than happy to give up
one lunchtime for a chance of a
part in the Lower School play!
I felt an overpowering sense
of anticipation and nervousness
as I pushed open the door
leading to the Michael Croft
Theatre. Year 7s and 8s, all
looking as nervous as I felt, were
milling about with scripts in their
hands. Taking a script from Miss
Cooper, I joined the others and
started to rehearse.
The audition had a very
relaxed atmosphere that
encouraged everyone to feel
natural and want to be a part of
the whole process. I felt like I
had done my best and when the
sheets announcing the second
round of auditions were put up,
I was over the moon to see my
name on them. If the first round
of the auditions was informal,
the second round was about as
formal as a birthday party! We
had a fun lunchtime of working
in groups creating ‘still images’
such as a Broken Clock and
walking like animals and
exercises like ‘Leading yourself
by your arm’. How, I wondered,
could that help Mr Piper
determine who would be in the
play and who wouldn’t? But,
of course Mr Piper and Miss
Cooper knew exactly who they
wanted in the play and as you
can imagine, I was ecstatic
when yet another turnout sheet
stated that I had made it!
First rehearsal, next
Wednesday in the old Gym.
I dumped my bag in a corner
and sat in a circle along with
the other members of the cast.
We read through the entire play
that afternoon, and I was more
excited than ever to be a part
of it. The next rehearsal was one
I would never forget. Mr Piper
made us stand in the middle of
the old gym, and split us into
eight groups. Perfectly simple.
Apart from the fact that I wasn’t
in a group. My mind began to
run wild. What if he’s decided to
chuck me out of the play?
I thought desperately. What if
he made a mistake choosing me
after all? There were three other
Year 8s standing next to me,
but they did not appear to be as
nervous as I felt. Did they know
something I did not?
‘Main character?’ someone
asked in disbelief. It had been
a day since I found out I was
going to be one of the Harouns
but I still couldn’t quite believe it.
‘Yep,’ I replied grinning happily.
‘Awesome,’ the person said,
slapping me on the back.
Suddenly I realised, whoa – I
was one of the main characters.
It was pretty awesome.
The rehearsals passed in a
blur of excitement and treasured
memories of learning lines,
perfecting exits and entries and
all the other technical details
that are the lifeblood of any
theatre production. Before I
knew it, it was the dress
rehearsal. And nobody was
ready for it. The night before
the play, we were all fluffing our
lines, forgetting where they
were meant to be, messing up
entrances, exits, and – on one
occasion – an entire scene was
somehow missed out!
16th May, 2013, the opening
night. There was a whole
cauldron of feelings, all fighting
for attention in my mind – hope,
nerves, happiness, the feeling of
achieving something brilliant,
anxiety, butterflies in my
stomach and so much more.
My heart leapt as I strode
out onto the stage. My eyes
adjusting to the harsh white
light, I looked into the audience.
Months of rehearsing had come
to this. I opened my mouth
and…
It was brilliant. We had
managed to pull ourselves
together and it was a great
opening night after all. All the
hard work put in by Mr Piper,
Miss Cooper, the cast and the
technical team had paid off. It
Reduced
Shakespeare
Company
The Complete
Works of William
Shakespeare
(abridged)
[revised]
As people gathered
in the beer tent before
the first of two sold-out
performances of the
RSC’s Complete
Works, I greeted a
mum who had brought
along her two brooding
www.reducedshakespeare.com
hulks of early teenage
manhood. Neither
of the boys looked particularly thrilled to be there. ‘Relax,’ I said,
‘look at it this way, at least you’ll be able to say that you’ve seen
all 37 plays, heard the sonnets and poems and lived to tell the tale’.
Well, perhaps not. While the RSC claim to cover all of Will’s
works in a 97 minute romp there are, inevitably ( and hilariously)
a few judicious cuts. Messrs. Stratton, Fannin and Pearson –
three performers with enormous energy, chutzpah, Yankee
can-do attitude (and, curiously, only one US passport between
them) – blitzed their way through the Bard’s finest moments.
Highlights included the Othello Rap, Titus Andronicus – the TV
food programme (not for vegetarians) and, of course, Hamlet in
reduced, further reduced, speeded up and (finally) backwards
versions.
Fabulous fun for all the family (and rude enough for
10-year-olds to thoroughly appreciate). And, if you can’t
say you’ve seen all the plays, at least you’ve seen Will
at his funniest. David Young
t
M he
C ic
Th ro ha
ea ft el
tre
View from the cast…
was a night that I will remember
and treasure all my life. The
Lower School play is a magical
experience that all drama-lovers
and techie-wizards will never
forget.
Zrey Sholapurkar 7LB
Year 11 GCSE Shows –
West by Steven Berkoff
Mike and his Hackney lads
prepare to take on the might of
the King of Hoxton in Berkoff’s
classic 1983 tale of brutality and
gang warfare in London’s East
End. Year 11 Drama presented
their spin on this story of bruised
courage and battered dreams in
a grand display of theatrical
verve and visceral energy. While
the theatre was being over-run
by the dark lord of Bezaban, in
D1 and the Old Gym, the
Year 11 Drama cohort
showcased some stunning
physical theatre skills and
wonderful handling of Berkoff’s
quasi-Shakespearean language.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
– Notes From
Bermondsey Street
This summer Bear Pit Theatre
will once again be heading to
the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
We are devising an original show
– Notes from Bermondsey Street
– and will be performing in the
venue C+2 from 19th to 26th
August, so if you are north of
the border this summer come
along and see Alleyn’s on tour –
tickets are available via the
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
box office.
11
Sport
Athletics – Boys
• 3 boys were selected to
represent Southwark at the
London Championships;
• Kaspar Senft (9RO) came fifth in
shotputt behind 4 boys who all
threw English School qualifying
distances;
• Joe Smith won the high jump
with a height of 1m 62cm – only
4cm short of the School record
and only 2cm short of English
Schools’ qualifying height.
Above left, Millie Parry and
above, Sam Wattles.
Left: participants in the Alleyn’s
Biathlon, Victoria Andrews and Holly
Highfield.
Athletics – Girls
Congratulations upon the
following achievements this term:
• Freya Cooper (Senior Pole Vault)
and Saskia Millard (Junior
1500m), were selected to
represent Alleyn’s and London at
the National Schools’
Championships in Birmingham in
late June;
• Saskia has had an outstanding
term by also being selected to
represent London at the Regional
Combined Events Championships
and setting two new records in
the 1500m at the Main and Year 8
London Schools’ Championships;
• the following girls have set new
athletics records this term:
Saskia Millard – new U13 record
in 800m and new School record
in 1500m
Lohita Allen-Aigbodion – new
U13 record in 75m Hurdles
Millie Parry – equalled U13 High
Jump record
Emmanuella Okon – new U14
200m record
Renée Austin – new U12 High
Jump record
Freya Cooper – new Pole Vault
record;
• The Lower School team
qualified for the Regional Cup final
where some more excellent
performances were produced.
They also produced a very good
score at the Trinity Schools event
– both in very blustery conditions.
Basketball
• The U19 London Independent
Schools Basketball Association
Cup Final was held at the start of
this term. We reached the final
after defeating Dulwich College
by 86 to 70 in the semi-final.
We then won the final, beating
City of London by 55 to 47.
12
Biathlon – Girls
Cricket
• The National final of the
Schools’ Biathlon championships
took place just at the end of last
term and we were delighted that
Saskia Millard was crowned U13
champion and Renée Austin was
placed 5th in the U12 national
final;
• Our own Alleyn’s Biathlon took
place in the penultimate week of
term. To date almost 200 people
have completed the course and it
has been a real pleasure to see
how many people deserve a huge
pat on the back for their efforts in
what is the most gruelling sports
event at Alleyn’s.
• In cricket it has been another
successful season with all teams
enjoying success in their
respective London Cup
Competitions;
• The U12 XI have had a most
successful season, winning 12 of
their 13 games so far. Their only
defeat was against London
Schools. They have reached the
semi-final finals of their two
London Cup competitions;
• The U15 XI have reached the
London Cup Final having
defeated City of London in the
semi-final by 45 runs;
• The 1st XI have reached the
semi-final of the U19 competition
after a closely-fought victory over
Dulwich College in the quarterfinal. The semi-final and final will
be played during the last week of
the term;
• The 1st XI have had a
successful season, so far, winning
seven and drawing two of the
thirteen matches played so far;
• Sam Redmayne (101 not out v
Kingston Grammar School, 102
not out v MCC) and Finlay Glen
(104 v Ibstock Place) have scored
centuries for the 1st XI.
Cycling – Girls
• At the Dulwich Inter-Schools
Cycling Championships on May
Day Bank Holiday, Alleyn’s took
their teams to the Herne Hill
Velodrome to take a full part in
the competition. With Team
Pursuit (2nd), a Points Race (Amy
Good 2nd) , Australian Pursuit
(Isabel Doherty 3rd), Match Sprint
(Amy Good 1st) and a Scratch
ISFA Football coaching
During a rare glimpse of South London heat in early
June, the inaugural Independent Schools Football
Association (ISFA) London Coaches’ Conference
at Alleyn’s saw 27 candidates go through different
sessions designed to inject fresh ideas into the
world of Independent School football coaching
ISFA coaches Spencer Leach (John Lyon School,
formerly a coach of Fulham Academy), Jeff Hawkins (Thomas’s Battersea, formerly an academy
coach at Charlton) and Paul Holder (Brighton and Hove Albion Head of Coaching and formerly
a senior coach at the FA) delivered three excellent sessions to the eager coaches.
The three sessions were based around coaching different school teams, specific aspects of
the game (coaching attacking play, coaching defending with school teams) and possession-based
sessions. The coaches in attendance were from both senior schools and prep schools and so,
bearing in mind the mixture of experience and the varying age groups of the teams with which
they will be working, the sessions were broadly-based and all of the attendees were able to take
a great deal from this intensive day of being coached themselves.
Race (Amy Good 2nd , Maia
Webb 3rd) all on the programme,
Alleyn’s did extremely well winning
the Team Award and Amy Good
winning the Golden Chainring
Award for the best girl at the
competition.
Fives
• Andrew Hubbard (Year 12) won
the National Schools’ Open
Singles Plate;
• Julian Hanton and Ben Kirwan
lost narrowly in the final of the
National Schools’ U14 doubles;
• Julian Hanton and Ben Kirwan
reached the semi-finals of the
National Schools’ U14 singles
competition;
• Zach Brubert reached the semifinals of the National Schools’
open singles and the semi-finals
of the open doubles with Sam
Redmayne;
• The U14 A team had an
unbeaten season;
• Tom Dawber (Year 10) won his
qualifying group in the National
Schools’ Colts singles
competition and reached the
quarter-finals of the Colts doubles
with Isaac Jagger (also Year 10).
Pentathlon, Laura then went on to
win silver at the English Fencing
Championships thereby qualifying
to represent England in the solo
event later in the year.
Rounders – Girls
• We have missed a few matches
due to wet grass but the U15s in
particular have had a good season.
Tennis – Boys
• The U15s narrowly missed out
on qualifying from their pool,
finishing in second position after
wins against St Bede’s and
Wilson’s;
• The internal ‘Road to
Wimbledon’ tournament was held
for boys in Year 9. The winner
was Louis Tardy-Joubert who has
now progressed to the County
round of this competition.
Tennis – Girls
• Tennis has flourished with many
girls taking the opportunity to take
part in the occasional extra
sessions on offer after school for
their age group. We are looking
forward to the Lower School
Tennis tournament in the final
week of term.
Football Boys
• The 1st XI made Alleyn’s history
in qualifying for the final of the
prestigious Boodle’s ISFA National
Cup competition for the first time.
Alleyn’s did well to hold an
impressive Millfield side to 0-0
with 15 minutes left and actually
created the better chances in the
first half. However, the school
from Somerset, in their 7th final,
came out on top winning 2-0.
Alleyn’s took over 300 supporters
to Milton Keynes’ stadium MK,
including a band, who played
tirelessly throughout the evening.
Hockey – Girls
• Congratulations to Georgie
White and Emily Naylor who have
both been selected for Junior
Regional Performance Centre Tier
1 as a result of their performance
at Academy level during the
2012–13 season.
Modern Pentathlon – Girls
• Congratulations to Helen and
Laura Sheffield who at the recent
National Pentathlon
Championships qualified for the
English team competing in
Portugal in July. Finishing 3rd in
her age group in the Modern
the most recent triangle gala with
Emanuel and St Dunstan’s, as
well as several London School
competitions. Well done to Sam
Wattles and James Gillie for their
continued success in the pool as
well as Oscar Williams who has
been selected to represent
Southwark in the forthcoming
championships;
Swimming – Boys
• It has been another successful
swimming season this year with
all age groups having performed
well in the pool. There has been a
mixture of friendly galas, as well
as London School competitions
and championships;
• Boys from Year 7 through to
Year 13 have competed in over
ten galas so far this year, and
many congratulations to the U12,
U13 and U14 teams who finished
6th , 6th and 4th out of 40
schools in the London Schools’
Grand Final;
• Many congratulations to all
those who took part in the Bath
Cup held at Crystal Palace earlier
in the year. It was a very
prestigious gala with nearly every
public school in the country taking
part. The girls’ and boys’ teams
did themselves proud as they
were competing with swimmers
4 to 5 years older than them. The
team finishing 24th out of 53
schools and the boys’ team
finished 5th out of 23 Schools in
the Alderman cup;
• As well as all of this there has
been a mixture of friendly galas
where Alleyn’s gained 1st place in
Water Polo – Boys
• The U14 boys qualified for the
ESSA (English Schools’
Swimming Association) National
Finals and finished sixth in the
country;
• The U14 boys also enjoyed
success in their SWPL (Schools’
Water Polo League) competition
where they remained undefeated
in this competition;
SWPL finals out of 17 competing
schools and finished as
champions;
ESSA National Finals and finished
fifth in the country;
SWPL quarter-final stage of the
competition from the 18
competing schools;
SWPL Cup Final with notable
victories along the way against
Dulwich College and KCS
Wimbledon, eventually losing to a
strong City of London team;
ESSA National Bowl Finals and
finished as Champions of this tier
of competition.
Water Polo – Girls
• The U14 Girls qualified for
the ESSA National Finals as
champions of the South of
England and retained their
National Championship title
(Gold Medallists) from last year
remaining undefeated throughout
the whole competition;
• The U16 girls qualified for
the ESSA National Finals as
champions of the South of
England and finished third (Bronze
Medallists) in the country;
• The U18 girls qualified for the
National Finals and finished third
(Bronze Medallists) in the country;
Cycling success
Building on our outstanding
achievements in this year’s
Dulwich Inter-Schools Cycling
Competition the cycling team
continues to go from strengthto-strength. There is a regular
group turning out on
Wednesday afternoons in rain
or shine to experience the
ongoing improvements to
Herne Hill Velodrome.
This term the inner warmup track has been used to
great effect and the floodlighting is now in place ready
for the drawing-in of the
evening light during Advent.
Training is now more
focused and near the end of
term we had our first Durney
session: being pulled along
up to race pace in the slip
stream of motorbike and an
impromptu competition was
held in which we more than
held our own.
Water Polo – Boys & Girls
• Particular congratulations to no
less than seven of our Alleyn’s
Water Polo playing pupils who
have recently been recognised
with ‘Representative Honours’.
Ben Tinkler-Davies (10MJ) and
Sasha Tinkler-Davies (8JS) have
both been selected for their
respective age group ‘England
Talent Squads’, Kevin Girard
(11MW) has been involved in the
equivalent programme for his age
group and represented the
London Region, Antonia Sawyer
(10TS) has represented the
London Region & Kent County,
Nick Moore (10TS), Morgan
Gaysford (10PR) and Isobel Evans
(10MJ) have all represented Kent
County;
• Last academic year was the first
time that Alleyn’s water polo
teams played over 100 fixtures
throughout the season and
reached five out of six National
Championship Finals (the only
school in the country to have
achieved this). It was thought that
such an achievement would never
be matched again, but this year
Alleyn’s achieved the exact same
success with the teams reaching
five out of six National Finals
which is an outstanding effort.
13
Water polo:
a generation inspired
James Gillie
This academic year James Gillie 9NG (pictured above, centre)
was selected to represent Surrey at the ASA National County
Team Championships in Sheffield (in the event he could not
attend due to prior commitments with School, but he has had
notification of his inclusion in the pool of potential swimmers
for October 2013)
Following his reaching the final in the 100m freestyle and
1500m freestyle at the 2012 ASA British National Age Group
Championships James was selected for the ASA England
Talent Development Programme for 2012–13.
James has achieved National Qualifying Times for 100m,
200m and 400m freestyle this year and he will be competing
in these in the 2013 British National Age Group
Championships in Sheffield in July.
He won first place in BAGCAT points in this year’s ASA
Surrey County Championships. (This is a points scoring
system that takes a swimmer's highest FINA points score in
each of the following disciplines to produce a total: sprints,
form, 100s, long free and medley)
Due to his Welsh heritage, he is able to enter the ASA
Welsh National National Championships and this year he
won both events he entered, 100m and 1500m freestyle in
the 14 Year Age Group. He has been selected to represent
London in the upcoming ESSA Inter-Divisional Championships
in Liverpool on 29 and 30 June 2013.
James trains with the Beacon Programme at Crystal Palace
National Sports Centre and is a member of Wandsworth
Swimming Club.
Many congratulations also to James, despite almost two
months off proper training due to illness and injury, James
managed a PB at the end of June in the 100m freestyle at
the London Regional Championships. He swam the race in
55.23, winning a gold medal and setting a new event best
performance (the previous one was 55.54 and was set in
2009, before the FINA swimsuit regulations changed.
Refurbishment of the Swimming Pool will begin this summer and
‘will provide great benefit for the whole School community’.
14
I remember vividly last summer
sitting in the London 2012
Olympic Water Polo Arena with a
very good friend of mine as the
Great Britain Women’s team
‘swam off’ against one of the
Olympic favourites Spain in the
quarter finals. As the game
evolved my friend and I continued
to catch up as we used to spend
evenings, weekends and holidays
together with a common goal and
we sat proudly watching the
impact of our hard work as ten
from twenty squad members of
this Women’s Great Britain
Olympic team had featured at
some point in our Women’s Youth
Great Britain squad which we had
coached together. As we had
both reached another phase in
our lives the common interest
and enjoyment that we had
experienced through water polo
from a very young age was still
very much one of our true
passions, with us both still being
involved in the sport we care so
much about. As proud as I was
watching an Olympic water polo
match in front of me where this
was the first ever occasion that
the women’s Great Britain team
had featured in the Olympics I
spent the next twenty minutes
going through the successes of
the last academic year’s Alleyn’s
School water polo teams and
after an exhaustive description
I think he may have wished that
he hadn’t asked!
With the successes of
reaching five out of six National
finals last year and the only
School in the country to have
achieved this, I really didn’t feel
that such an achievement would
ever be possible again. However,
in true Alleyn’s fashion the pupil’s
always like to prove you wrong
and an even more successful
season has been achieved with
five out of six National finals
being qualified for; retaining
National Champions at U14 Girls,
Bronze medallists for both U16
and U18 Girls teams, fifth in the
Country for the U16 Boys team
and sixth in the Country for the
U14 Mixed team. The U18 Boys
were National Bowl Champions,
quarter finalists in league and
Cup finalists the Schools Water
Polo League and the U15 team
were crowned as Champions and
the U14 team had an undefeated
season in the Schools Water Polo
League too. The eight teams have
played over one hundred fixtures
across the academic year and
Alleyn’s now has numerous
pupils playing outside of School
continuing to enjoy water polo at
Beckenham Water Polo Club.
Pupils have received
representative honours this
academic year too and
particularly congratulations to no
‘London Region’, Antonia Sawyer
‘London Region’ & Kent County,
Gaysford (10PR) and Isobel
Evans (10MJ) have all
represented Kent County. Many
pupils have also represented
Southwark in the London Youth
Games which has provided
another opportunity for our pupils
to continue to enjoy water polo
outside of Alleyn’s.
In addition to the four open
practice sessions that the pupils
have the opportunity to attend at
lunchtimes the Inter-House (Year
9-13) and Inter-Form (Year 7 and
Year 8) water polo competitions
have been particularly successful
allowing all pupils a chance to try
the sport for the first time, or
build on the skills that they may
have already acquired in an
environment where all feel
confident to give it a go! I have
been fortunate this year to be
able to provide a couple of taster
sessions to the Year 5 and Year 6
pupils from our Junior School
who have seemed to equally
enjoy the experience of a new
sport whilst building on the
wonderful swimming programme
that is delivered.
Far left: ESSA U14 Girls
National Champions.
Left: ESSA U16 Girls National
Bronze Medallists.
Far left: ESSA U18 Girls
National Bronze Medallists.
Left: U16 Boys National
Finalists, 5th in the Country.
Far left: ESSA U14 Mixed
National Finalists, 6th in the
Country and undefeated in
the SWPL.
Left: ESSA U18 Boys National
Bowl Finalists Champions, ?
Final SWPL and Cup Finalists
in the SWPL.
Alleyn’s commitment to sport
and co-curricular opportunities
never ceases to amaze me as we
enter a new exciting phase with
the refurbishment of our existing
swimming pool which was
originally built in 1967. Having
been involved in the planning
and development phases of the
refurbishment (see drawing, left)
I am thrilled with the way this
exciting new project is going to
provide great benefit to the whole
School community. For me sport,
and water polo in particular has
provided so much enjoyment,
opportunity, self-belief, friendships
and the chance to test oneself to
the very highest levels and I hope
that this new facility will help to
inspire existing and future
generations in the same way!
Mr N. Green
Far left: SWPL U15 Champions.
Left: Water Polo Rep 2012/13.
Particularly congratulations to no
‘London Region’, Antonia Sawyer
‘London Region’ & Kent County,
Gaysford (10PR) and Isobel Evans
(10MJ) have all represented Kent
County.
15
CCF
Year 9 Camp
For the Trinity term Field Day
the Year 9 cadets visited the
St Martin’s Plain in Folkestone.
On Friday we went around in our
sections and fired live rounds
and were given the opportunity
to develop our section attacks,
constructing bashas, cooking
and harbour areas. After we had
had dinner, we prepared for our
overnight exercise in which we
walked to a nearby forest and set
up a harbour area in our platoons.
On arrival back at the camp we
continued with our training.
Before dinner we did dismountedclose-combat training which all
the cadets loved. We also
underwent command tasks and
section attacks. After dinner we
did archery, radios and a
challenging obstacle course.
These activities helped build our
independence, taught us to work
as a team and taught us about
leadership. After so much fun with
our friends and NCOs it was sad
Bronze Dof E
Practice Expedition
North Downs 2013
At the beginning of the Trinity
term 56 Bronze Award
participants took part in their
practice expedition. This was
the first time they were walking
without staff, carrying a full
16
rucksack and fending for
themselves. After a fantastic day
the groups are looking forward to
their qualifying expedition in the
New Forest and it was pleasing to
see that all their training paid off.
packing up our belongings from
our billets but we are all so
excited for CCF next year and
more camps to look forward to in
the future. Alice Rea, 9PC (Army)
and Alastair Walker, 9RA (RN)
Biology
Over the last few years we have
noticed increasing numbers of
Alleyn’s pupils opting for the
A level Biology course. This
reflects an international trend in
recognising Biology as the
science of the future. We try very
hard to give our pupils a good
idea of what Biology has to offer
as well as anticipating what
questions they might need to
consider not long from now.
The Medical Society, under
the supervision of Lucy Butcher,
has continued to deliver excellent
speakers on the range of
medicine-related subjects, ranging
from Schizophrenia and Mental
Health to Social Medicine and
Médecins sans Frontières. It is
no surprise that this, an entirely
student-led society, dedicates
a significant amount of time to
bringing speakers who will not
only give our pupils an overview
of a range of medical careers, but
also give advice on applications
to medical schools, of which we
have many. This has been another
successful year for the Society
and the huge number of pupils
across year groups, as well as
members of staff who attend it, is
a testament to the hard work of
Johnny Scott, Alice Alphonse and
Tibi Balazs who have organised
most of the speakers.
This year again, we have
worked with the School Librarian
to produce a Biology reading list,
which proved extremely popular.
Upper School students have been
borrowing the suggested books
and we are very pleased with
additional suggestions that have
arrived from their own research.
All this avid reading was reflected
in the quality of the Biological
essays that were submitted for
the Governors’ Research Project
Prize where, for the second time,
there are Biologists among the
top three.
Earlier this year, Year 7
enjoyed a day at the London Zoo
that was the part of their course
on animal adaptations and
behaviour. The whole year group
visited the Zoo and armed with
the help of their Biology teachers
and questionnaires, spent a day
observing the animals and
Above: Ecological investigations in
the School pond.
Left: A cell model produced by
Year 7 pupils.
explaining their adaptations.
Equally impressive was the Year 7
work on Cells that showed off
how Biology and Art can lead to
an impressive set of Cell models.
Practicals and activities form
the backbone of class activities,
with an investigative approach
taken where ever possible. Each
Biology lesson is different and we
use the practical sessions not
only to develop experimental
skills, but also to teach our pupils
to work together, to organise their
work and to present their findings.
The highlight of the A level every
year is the Rat Dissection
practical which allows our
students to see all the organ
systems in situ, to develop their
dissection skills and learn more
about ethical issues when it
comes to working with sensitive
material. We are always
impressed with the sensitivity
of our students and how careful
they are when working with
such material, but also how
understanding they are of this
unique opportunity to learn about
whole organism biology. Year 9,
10 and 11 use their Biology
lessons to develop more
traditional practical skills in a
range of investigations from
investigative Biochemistry to the
study of reflexes and the human
nervous system.
We have achieved a lot in
two terms, but our pupils still
have a lot to look forward to:
following their examinations Year
12 students will be carrying out a
range of experiments in the field
of Molecular Genetics, while
younger pupils will be taking the
advantage of good weather to
carry out ecological investigations
within the School grounds.
17
Speech Day and Founder’s Day 2013
Clubs and
Societies
Alleyn’s Fine Food Society
Earlier in the year, Alleyn’s Fine
Food Society hosted a thoughtprovoking talk about sustainable
fishing and a delicious sushi tasting
by Caroline Bennett from Moshi
Moshi. However, our most recent
Enrichment
Kenya Enrichment Talk
Year 12 had another surprise as
part of their Trinity term series of
Enrichment talks: although this
time the two guest speakers had
come to Alleyn’s from much further
away. Teachers Susan Wanjiru and
Felix Tanui, (pictured above with
pupils), were here for a two-week
visit from Kenya, as part of moves
to create a link between Alleyn’s
and their school, and they spoke
eloquently to us about the culture,
food and, most unforgettably, the
nation-wide post-election violence
of 2007 in Kenya.
Apart from the talking, we had
a round of singing: a popular
Kenyan song ‘Jambo Bwana’
which, being infectiously catchy,
success was an event run by
Brindisa: Monika Linton, founder of
Brindisa and Alleyn’s mother, joined
us for an afternoon with head
chef at Casa Brindisa, Leo Rivera.
We learnt about the foods and
flavours that make up Catalan
cuisine, tasting the finest of
Spanish ingredients. Smooth,
creamy and with a distinctive citrus
acidity, the monte enebro goats’
cheese was a hit, especially with
Dr Savage. We also tried Brindisa’s
famous jamon ibérico, boquerones
(anchovies), and verdel (mackerel).
Chef Leo then showed us how
to prepare some classic Catalan
dishes. We had xató, an endive
salad served with tuna, anchovies,
olives and a special nutty romesco
sauce. Next, a fabulous fideuà, a
dish similar to paella but made
with short strands of pasta rather
than rice, which stand on end like
a hedgehog after cooking! It was
accompanied by a perfect all i oli,
a garlic mayonnaise which
complemented the seafood
dish very well. We finished with
traditional crema catalana,
wonderfully rich with a crunchy
burnt sugar top. Theo Pigott
13MM & Zach Brubert 13AM
In March, an enthusiastic group
of students visited Colfe’s School
for a friendly chess fixture. The
captains this year were Jordie
Clive and Alex Fiennes (who have
both contributed significantly to
chess at Alleyn’s), with Ethan Luc
and Artem Naumenko as U14
captains. Everyone had the
chance to play two or three
games each and were well looked
after by Colfe’s who provided
plenty of food! Games were
played in the right spirit and
both age groups performed
impressively – a number of
players ended unbeaten and the
younger players showed promise
for the future. Well done to
Economics Society
resonated around school for some
time after the talk. The most
interesting part of the lecture was,
however, the honest explanation
of a period of unrest that I am sure
few of us knew much about, apart
from what we had seen on the
news at the time. The political
backdrop, public frustration and
shocking brutality of 2007 was a
provocative subject and, complete
with photos of the bloodshed, left
a lasting impression on Year 12.
Constance Sjodin 12PH
a film which us Year 12s watched
in an Enrichment session upon
returning from our exams, aims to
convey.
Directed and produced by
Hugh and Anson Hartford, the film
follows eight Table Tennis players
over the age of 80, on their quest
to achieve gold at the Over 80
World Table Tennis Championships
in Inner Mongolia. Incredibly these
eight players have over 703 years
of experience between them, all
with different inspirational stories
to tell. The two players from the
UK were Les D’Arcy, who sadly
passed away earlier this year at
the age of 91, and Terry Donlon,
a long term battler of cancer.
Amazingly Les continued to
compete at the Championships
until his death, and Terry is still
ping-pong-ing away despite being
in his mid 80’s.
Having watched the film, we
had a Q&A with the producer
Anson Hartford (pictured left), who
gave us a deeper insight into the
lives of the players and what it was
like to get to know them. Despite
the sad reminder that we will all
one day grow old, this was a truly
inspirational and touching film
which highlighted the idea that
no matter how old you are, if you
put your mind to it, anything is
possible.
Beyond the
Classroom
Ping Pong
When we think about sport, we
picture fit, young men and women
who compete at the highest level
in their field, battling for success.
The lean bodies, abnormal stamina
and long muscular arms and legs.
However this is not always the
case, and that is what Ping Pong,
James Wilson, Anson Hartford
and Lucy Hook
Johnny Battle, Barry Bui, Lomy
Mincher, Filip Mijovic, Theo Pigott,
Dominic Beardmore, Angharad
Jones, Ianto Jones, Alex Skelton,
Harry Turner and Nick West who
have all represented the School
this year.
Chess Club
Around 60 people crowded into
Room 005 to witness the debate
that ‘This House Believes
Thatcher’s Economic Policies
Should Be Considered A Success’.
The potentially intimidating
atmosphere did little to quell the
strong anti-Thatcher views held by
the opposition, with Ollie Brenman
attempting to rip apart the motion.
Among other things, he cited
high unemployment, increased
inequality, and sky-high inflation
as more than enough reason to
consider Thatcher’s period in office
an economic disaster. However,
members for the motion were
quick to point out the fact that
policies of Thatcher, such as the
closing of the mines, were simply
a continuation of work of the
previous Labour government. They
also argued that it created a more
aspirational society with the long
term supply side through the
benefits of privatisation and
increased efficiency outweighing
the short-term difficulties.
A key pro-Thatcher debater
was Matt Hankin who said:
‘the sale of industries meant the
government not only got a
cash injection, but also failing
industries were removed from the
government's portfolio’. However,
Hankin's argument, with his team
of Will Durgan, Stefano Cattaneo
and Keiran Lewis, was deemed
weaker by the floor than Ollie
Brenman, Finlay Glen and
Nancy Geddes who narrowly
won the floor vote. Johnny Battle,
13PH, a co-founder of Economics
Society
Carnegie Medal shortlist
For the past few months, twenty
Alleyn’s pupils in Years 7 to 10
(pictured right) have been reading
books on the Carnegie Medal
shortlist. The Medal is named after
the philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie,
who had a crucial role in establishing
British public libraries. The award is
for an outstanding book for children
published in the UK and written in
English.
We have been meeting every
Thursday in the Library to talk
about the eight shortlisted books:
A Boy and a Bear in a Boat,
Dave Shelton; Code Name Verity,
Elizabeth Wein; In Darkness, Nick
Lake; A Greyhound of a Girl, Roddy
Doyle; Maggot Moon, Sally Gardner;
Midwinterblood, Marcus Sedgwick;
The Weight of Water, Sarah
Crossan and Wonder, R J Palacio.
Dulwich College hosted an
afternoon with Alleyn’s and JAGS
pupils, English teachers and
Librarians to discuss the books
and to vote on who they think
should win the prize.
The Carnegie Medal was won by
Sally Gardner with Maggot Moon.
To Kill a Mockingbird
A group of Year 10 students visited
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre to
watch To Kill A Mockingbird. Here’s
what they thought:
‘It was a pleasure to see all of
the themes of the book coming
together.’
‘Atticus and the children stole
the show for me – their idealistic
performances and consistency
offered a different take on the novel.’
‘A modern interpretation of an
all-time classic! Great actors
conveying the emotions of prejudice
excellently. Truly inspirational.’
‘I enjoyed the feeling of an open
air theatre as it felt like the streets
of Maycomb and was easier to
visualise.’
‘I think it was very clever how
the narrators emerged from the
audience in the initial scene, and
how their ‘normal’ accents when
narrating contrasted with the
Southern accents ‘when they were
performing as a character.’
19
Photographs: Robert Newcombe
Development
and Alumni
news
Leavers’ barbecue:
8th September
Advancing Alleyn’s
Receptions
We continued our programme of
professional networking receptions.
The Engineers’ Reception was
hosted by Professor the Lord
Kakkar (Roper’s 1977–82), chair
of Governors, and Headmaster
Dr Gary Savage at the Royal
Academy of Engineering on
23rd April. The Media Reception
was held on 8th April at the
RSA with 160 guests joining the
Headmaster and AOG Nell Butler
(Tyson’s 1977–84), Executive
Producer at ITV Studios.
Guests at both these receptions
heard about the School’s
development plans and took the
opportunity to network and mingle
will fellow-workers, all under the
umbrella of Alleyn’s. As one guest
put it afterwards, ‘I discovered
all sorts of surprising connections
with people I didn't realise had
Alleyn’s connections at all – so
as a networking experience it
definitely worked for me!’
Summer reunion
Alumni – and their teachers –
whose 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th and
even 60th anniversary of leaving
school falls this year were ably
guided around the School site by
sixth-formers. Some parts of the
site were firmly rooted in their
memories, such as the Old Buttery
(now Sixth Form Centre) and the
Great Hall, while the newer
buildings, such as the Edward
Alleyn Building and the Junior
School, were a complete revelation.
Higher Education Day
At the time of going to press,
preparations were underway for
the Year 12 Higher Education Day,
a day where students learn about
the process of applying to
university. Alumni who are still at
university – or who have just
graduated – come back to School
to talk about their courses and
universities to our Year 12 pupils.
The Development and Alumni
Office was swamped with offers of
help for the day from recent alumni
– the 20 places available were all
20
Elio D’Aversa, Claire Hall,
Megan Hewlett, Jessica Lawrence,
Rhiannon Lloyd-Jones, Grace
Maher, Sadie Neve, Ghislaine
Odjevwedje, Mackenzie RobinsonHunt, Henry Stones, Daniel
Watson.
For this summer’s leavers, looking
ahead to that time of life beyond
Alleyn’s is both exciting and
daunting. After the exam results
have been announced and plans
post-A levels fall into place, the
Edward Alleyn Club is hosting a
relaxing Welcome Barbecue and
leisurely rounders game for its
newest recruits to the Club. This
will be held at the Clubhouse
(83-85 Burbage Road) on Saturday
8th September from 3pm. All Year
13s will be invited and this year,
we’ll also extend the invitation to
recent leavers. Please remember
to RSVP by 5th September so we
know how many burgers, buns
and rounders’ balls to bring.
Date for your diary: tribute showing
of Young Winston in memory of
AOB Simon Ward (MCT), Sunday
15th September, 4.00pm
Alumni summer reunion
taken in the first hour of sending
out the request for help! When we
emailed our surprise at the response
rate, one of our alumnae replied
‘It's because Alleyn’s is great!’.
First Report on Giving
Following the launch of the
Advancing Alleyn’s fundraising
campaign at the end of 2011, we
sent out our ‘First Report on Giving
to the School’ to all parents and
alumni. This included messages
from Professor the Lord Kakkar and
Dr Gary Savage, as well as articles
written by the Bursar, Stephen
Born, Governor Iain Barbour
and the Director of Development,
David Young.
It is worth highlighting from the
report that only 3p in the schoolfee pound is left over every year for
future investment in new capital
projects. It is vital that we seek
funds from other sources in order
to ensure that Alleyn’s School can
respond to the challenges of
21st-century learning. If you
haven’t received your copy of the
Report, please contact the office
and we shall gladly send one out
to you.
New Nato Post
Telephone campaign
Plans for the School’s first
telephone campaign in support of
the on-going Advancing Alleyn’s
programme continue apace. The
campaign will take place in the
last three weeks of July and those
members of the Alleyn’s community
who will be rung will be contacted
by letter in advance of the
telephone campaign to alert them
to this call. In addition to raising
money to fund bursaries and
provide facilities to allow the next
generation of pupils at Alleyn’s
School to benefit from their time
at school, we hope to gather
feedback about the School which
will be useful when planning future
projects.
Our callers are recent Alleyn’s
School leavers and they will be
working under the championship
of former Alleyn’s parent Vicky
Maxwell alongside the direction of
our consultants, RBA. Vicky, is a
Director of Boyden UK, part of
Boyden World Corporation, one
of the world's largest executive
search companies.’
The student callers are:
Frances Beddow, Shadi Brazell,
Former Edward Alleyn Club
President, Air Marshal Sir Chris
Harper KBE, will become the
Director General of NATO’s
International Military Staff on
24 July 2013. Relinquishing his
current appointment as the United
Kingdom’s Military Representative
to NATO and the European Union,
Sir Chris will, in his new position,
lead and manage some 580
military and civilian personnel
from all 28 NATO nations.
For more information about
alumni activities please contact
Mrs Susannah Schofield,
Head of Alumni Relations
on 020 8557 1466
[email protected] or visit:
www.edwardalleynclub.com.
A warm greeting to all,
The Trinity term is positively stuffed with
APA activities; we kicked off with our termly
Committee meeting on the first day back to
school after the Easter break. This was an
important and productive session, the primary
focus of which was how to disburse the
substantial funds we have raised over the
past few years, now that the Pupil Support
Fund is financially robust. After much discussion and as a result of some
advance canvassing, it was agreed that we should spread our net a bit
more widely, funding equipment that will ultimately be used by the entire
school population. As a result the APA has agreed to purchase two
concrete table tennis tables this year and have committed a substantial
amount to the future purchase of an electronic Swim Timing System for
our soon-to-be refurbished swimming pool. I am told that work will start
as soon as school breaks up, and while we will be pool-less for a while,
the results will most definitely be worth it. We also agreed that the focus
of the Founder’s Day Raffle should, for the second year running, be the
Manicaland Educational Charity, but more on that later.
As May rolled around the events came thick and fast: our Pastoral
Evening this year concerned ‘E-Safety’ and if that seems too ambiguous,
our wonderful speaker, Carl Hopwood (pictured second left, below), left
us in no doubt about the fast-moving world of social media and internet
communications and how we can cope, as parents with children of ALL
ages, in this constantly changing arena. The evening was, as always,
beautifully organised by Jon Lilly and Alleyn’s Events Manager, Sue Miles,
who imbued the Great Hall with a wonderful dinner party atmosphere,
with year groups allocated to round tables, laden with drinks and nibbles,
to lubricate the post-talk discussion and subsequent question and
answer session. We hope we have now lit on a formula that works well
for everyone, and promotes relaxed discussion among the parents during
the evening, as well as providing vital information. Our aim is to collate
that information and post it on our web pages for those who were unable
to attend the session, watch this space.
One week later our volunteers were at the New Parents’ Evening,
welcoming Year 7 and (new) Year 9 parents to the delights of life at
Alleyn’s. This is always such a happy occasion, and one on which the
APA really shines, as our volunteers exude warmth and hospitality, while
organising the hosts for the Year 7 class parties as well as Class Reps.
This year, thankfully, there was no need to collect email addresses as that
is now done by the School on our behalf, but if you haven’t ticked the
box saying you want to be kept informed of your Class/House/Form
activities, then please do contact us via our webpage and we will happily
add you to the list. Thanks to Frannie Hewitt, our Lower School
Coordinator, for all her hard work over the past year, and to all the
volunteers who help make the new parents feel so welcome on the night.
The week immediately after half-term saw not one, but two, major
APA events: Race Night, and the following morning, the Secondhand
Uniform Sale (pictured above). Both were, by all accounts, roaring
successes. While the secondhand uniform slumbered on tables in the
main dining hall, a group of around 100 Alleyn’s parents raucously
populated the Staff Dining Room, socialising and, more crucially, beating
the odds (well some did, anyway!) as they bet on the video horse races
...oh, and I seem to recall a pig race? Or had I had a bit too much by that
point? Never mind, it was a great evening and thanks must go to Paul
Raikes and his able helpers who manned the bar and Holroyd Howe
catering for the delicious curry meal. The following morning saw the first
outing for our new Secondhand Uniform Coordinators, Jacqui Greenlees
and Charlotte Hindle, and they confidently picked up the reins from June
Brockbank and produced a terrific result (details to follow in the next
newsletter); we do know they have exceeded previous sale totals, so
very well done to them both and much thanks from the APA.
As I type this we are busily preparing for Founder’s Day, where dozens
of volunteers will be helping us to man the various activities for which we
are responsible: as always, the Year 7s are doing the Barbecue and the
Year 8s the Raffle, but we also oversee the Giant Inflatable Slide and this
year we will be helping with a new Climbing Wall and Abseiling. Thanks,
in advance, to all of you who make this happen, and fingers crossed the
sun shines on us, even in the midst of this somewhat gloomy (thus far)
summer.
So to conclude, genuinely, as this will be my final missive as Chair, I must
say how grateful I am for the support, energy and enthusiasm I have
experienced, from the Committee, the parents and the School, over the
past three years as an Officer of the APA. I cannot depart without saying
a huge and heartfelt ‘thankyou’ to my fellow Officers, retired Treasurer
Niki Martin, current Treasurer Jocie West and, most of all, my amazing
Secretary, Sharon O’Connor, without whom I literally could not have done
this job. It has been a privilege to be at the helm of the APA and I am
looking forward to stepping, gracefully I hope, back into the ranks of
‘ordinary’ volunteers come next October’s AGM; I know you will embrace
my successor, Anne-Marie Lawlor, and her team, with the equivalent
warmth and cooperation that I have experienced.
Very best wishes for a wonderful summer holiday,
Robin Tottenham, Chair, Alleyn’s Parents’ Association
[email protected] 020 7274 3397
Membership of the Alleyn’s Parents’ Association is open to all
parents or guardians of pupils or former pupils, and to all others
who subscribe to the aims of the Association: to encourage
communication and relationships through social and educational
activities and, by supporting the parents and the School, to
advance the education of the pupils attending it.
21
of energy and has welcomed
opportunities within the Chemistry
Department for taking on
responsibilities and getting things
Andreas Antoniou
done efficiently. As our Chemistry
Andreas came
Key Stage 3 co-ordinator for
to Alleyn’s with
many years Sheila was constantly
a wealth of
involved in updating schemes of
experience which
work and producing appropriate
he interwove
resources for the delivery of the
throughout his teaching. His
Chemistry curriculum. Over
CV includes Deputy Director,
the years Sheila has constantly
Economic Affairs Division,
inspired different pupils to produce
Commonwealth Secretariat in
amazingly creative pieces of
London, a professorship and
numerous prestigious publications. scientific work in Chemistry.
Sheila has taught every section
His practical and theoretical
of the Chemistry A-Level course
overview of Economics meant
and has achieved excellent results
he effortlessly illustrated links
with her students. She has also
between the topics. He created
up to date and thought provoking spent her last year here acting
as a mentor for one of our newly
lessons. Being a Greek Cypriot
qualified teachers and has enjoyed
his personal insights into the
the task of passing on her
economic crisis in Greece and
knowledge and advice.
even more recently the retail
Sheila is always one who says
banking crisis in Cyprus drew
out the human cost as well as the ‘Yes’ when extra help is required
and even in these last few weeks
necessity for difficult economic
of term the picture has remained
decisions. Rigorous questioning
the same: Sheila was to be found
techniques stretched the very
helping out in Epping Forest
best students to university level.
where the Geography and Biology
All this was delivered with a great
Departments were doing Field
sense of fun and an enjoyment
work with Year 8 as well as
for teaching young adults. He
spending time with Year 7 in
has been a greatly valued and
fascinating colleague to work with. Buxton in Derbyshire where she
We wish him and his family all the did all the caving, abseiling and
walks alongside the pupils
very best for the future. AWR
throwing herself into everything
100% as usual.
Sheila Arthur
Since coming to Alleyn’s Sheila
Sheila Arthur has
has driven the school minibus on
just completed her
countless Duke of Edinburgh
eighteenth year
expeditions and has helped out
teaching Chemistry
at all levels, sometimes giving up
here at Alleyn’s.
over 20 Days in the year to take
She was appointed
part in Bronze, Silver or Gold
in September 1995 by
expeditions. She also teaches
Headmaster Colin Niven well
before we took laptops, Clickview D of E on all of the Thursday
and i-phones for granted! She had sessions and even comes in on
her days off to attend meetings
previously been Head of
or expeditions!
Chemistry at Sydenham High
As a committed Christian,
School for girls but had
Sheila has always been public
taken time off to raise her family
about her faith in Jesus and she
and was looking to return to
has faithfully run a staff prayer
teaching part-time.
group for many years
Sheila qualified as a Chemistry
Sheila has been professional in
graduate at Liverpool University
her dealings with pupils, staff and
in 1972. She specialised in
parents throughout and has made
Inorganic and Physical Chemistry
many friends within the Alleyn’s
and became a qualified teacher
Community during her eighteen
the year after. She has remained
years along the way. As she
a most committed teacher with
abseils into her new life of
the utmost enthusiasm for her
retirement, we all wish her a happy
subject. Her preparation for each
and wonderful onward journey.
lesson is always thorough and
appropriate and specially adapted She will certainly be missed and
remembered by everyone here.
for the specific class she has in
Sheila shows us that not all
mind. She is always clear about
Chemists wear white coats all
the tasks that the pupils have to
of the time! WLC
complete and the learning that
they are going to take away with
Oliver Blaiklock
them. She does not stand any
nonsense and is always prepared Oliver Blaiklock
leaves us having
to flag up and reprimand any
joined the History
student who does not pull their
and Politics
weight.
Sheila is always positive and full Department at
Leaving Us
22
Alleyn’s to complete a one year
maternity cover. He had previously
been lecturing on British history
to eager undergraduates at King’s
College University in London
before deciding to pursue a career
in teaching. Oliver has made a
great impact in his short but busy
time here, quickly becoming a
valuable colleague. His sartorial
attire has brought an element of
class to proceedings, whilst his
calm and measured personality
has been well received by the
department. Staff will miss his
quirky knowledge of Japanese
culture and his love for offbeat
comedy and cricket statistics,
while pupils will have appreciated
his friendly and approachable
teaching style. It has been an
active year of transition for Oliver
having completed a PhD during
his time here, but the School has
reaped the benefits, exploiting his
new title of ‘Dr Blaiklock’, with his
expertise on British socialism
being showcased in a fascinating
lecture to enrich the pupils of the
school in recent weeks. Always
professional and committed, Oliver
is an excellent History and Politics
teacher and we would like to wish
him every success at Mill Hill
School and in his future career.
NCH
Sue Chaplin
Sue joined us back
in September as
a maternity cover
teacher, but her
involvement in both
the Department and the School
is such that we all think of her as
a permanent member of staff.
She never shied away from going
the extra mile to help with the
departmental business. She
was enormously helpful and
enthusiastic at the Year 13 Biology
Field Trip and pupils have valued
her contributions and help.
Within the department, Sue
contributed enormously, finding
and developing new resources
and took responsibility for the
‘Biology in the News’ noticeboard
and kept updating it regularly. It
has been pleasing to see so many
pupils read Sue’s selection of
interesting items.
In October Sue started the
Youth Amnesty group at Alleyn’s
and has worked tirelessly
throughout the year to get this
project off the ground. Pupils
involved in the group are
enormously grateful to Sue for
her help and support, as are we
for her dedication to making our
pupils more aware of global
issues and what they can do to
effect change.
Sue will be moving onto a
different school now, but what she
started at Alleyn’s will remain.
What is more, we will remember
her for her warmth and dedication
to the department and her
willingness to help each and every
one of us whenever we needed
help. We wish Sue all the best for
the future. AZ
Emma Ladell
Emma Ladell
has been an
outstanding
addition to the
Physics department
this year and we are very grateful
to her for the great deal she has
done while providing maternity
cover.
Emma has taught classes from
all year groups, quickly becoming
a well-respected and popular
teacher amongst staff and pupils.
Emma has provided a great deal
of support to her pupils who have
especially appreciated her
willingness to offer such support
in forums such as Science Club,
lunchtime revision sessions and
in many, many of her well-earned
break-times.
While Emma has been with
us, she has helped lead two
school trips, played a part in the
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Scheme and if the hectic schedule
of an NQT programme had
allowed, she was eager to get
involved with the musical life of
the school. While we may not
have benefited from this,
Cokethorpe School, Oxfordshire
certainly will; Emma has secured
the role of Physics Teacher there
where she begins in September.
We thank Emma very much
indeed and wish her all the best
in the future. BEJ
Jon Lilly
After an astonishing thirty-nine
years of exemplary service to
Alleyn’s, we bid farewell to Jon
Lilly at the end of the Trinity term.
Jon joined Alleyn’s in 1974 after
graduating from Southampton
University, where he studied for his
first degree in History, and then
the Institute of Education where
he completed his PGCE. One of
his references from Southampton
described him as a ‘vigorous
young man’; and it is true to say
that his energy and enthusiasm
remain as obvious in his thirtyninth year at Alleyn’s as they were
in 1974!
Jon arrived as a teacher of
History, a subject which he has
continued to teach with obvious
expertise, enthusing and
stimulating numerous pupils,
many of whom have gone on to
read History at university.
Pupils in every Section of the
School have also benefited firsthand from Jon’s wise counsel
and balanced guidance as a Tutor,
including a lengthy stint as House
Tutor in Spurgeon’s.
Jon’s commitment and
contribution to the co-curricular
life of Alleyn’s has also been
enormous. In sporting terms, he
has actively coached School
teams in Basketball, Football and
Badminton over the years, though
more recently the burdens of
deputy headship have restricted
his involvement to supporting
regularly from the touchline.
He has also accompanied
numerous academic, walking
and skiing trips; and he was also
heavily involved in establishing
the School’s own Field Centre in
Buxton.
Perhaps Jon’s biggest
co-curricular contribution to
Alleyn’s began in 1978, when
then Headmaster Derek Fenner
asked him to identify an activity
that might appropriately sit
alongside the Combined Cadet
Force as the School became fully
co-educational. The Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award Scheme was
suggested and DoE was founded
at Alleyn’s. Many hundreds of
pupils have since derived
enormous personal benefit from
this scheme, and it is a testament
to Jon’s legendary planning skills
and meticulous attention to detail
that it continues to thrive thirty-five
years on, with several of the
expedition training days that he
first set-up remaining virtually
unaltered to this day.
That attention to detail
and thoroughness have been
apparent in the many positions of
responsibility that Jon has held at
Alleyn’s, as have his intelligence,
keen sense of logic and calm
assurance. As School timetabler
for many years, acting Head of
History, Assistant Head (Director
of Studies) and finally, for the
past six years, as Deputy Head
(Pastoral and Personnel), Jon has
left a deep and lasting legacy.
He has provided clear and firm
leadership, always determined
to get the details right, but never
losing sight of the bigger picture
and the people that will be
affected. His various innovations
and initiatives have improved the
experience of all within the School,
both pupils and colleagues, to all
of whose welfare Jon has always
been deeply committed.
Thirty-nine years ago Alleyn’s
was an all-boys’ school unsure
of its future; today it is fully coeducational, confident of its vision
and values but with the same
ethos underpinning all that we do.
Jon has contributed significantly at
every level on this exciting journey
and has helped significantly to
shape the Alleyn’s that we see
today. A man of the highest
integrity, Jon has always been
motivated by the best interests of
the School rather than by personal
ambition; as such, he is widely
admired and respected by the
widespread Alleyn’s community
for which he has done so much.
As one would expect, Jon’s
retirement plans are detailed and
thoroughly considered! There will
be lots of travelling with Denise,
more time with his grown-up
children Chris and Rebecca, and
in due course a spot of househunting in the Rutland area. Such
things will surely keep him very
busy; but we hope that he will
come back and visit us often, as
we shall sorely miss him, at the
same time as wishing him an
active, healthy and enjoyable
retirement. It is thoroughly
well-deserved. SPC/GJS
Irene Ray
We are sad to be
losing our Food
Technician, Irene,
after many years
ably assisting the
Head of Food Technology.
She is said to be ‘organisation
on legs’ and will be sorely
missed. She is a very talented
cake decorator who gives
masterclasses at the end of term
and can mould sugar frosting to
make to make a wonderful
array of leaves, petals and more.
She leaves Alleyn’s to retire and
we wish her much happiness.
SKM
Louis Senn
Kindness and
gentleness
personified, Louis
Senn retires this
year, bowling his
last over for Alleyn’s before a life,
no doubt, spent watching even
more cricket.
Louis joined Alleyn’s as Physics
Technician ten years ago, a school
where his two sons, Alexander
and Adam, would eventually
attend and thrive. Indeed Louis
acknowledges what a joy and
privilege it has been for him to
see his two sons grow and
develop in such close proximity to
him and admits that school, as
well as home, has been rather too
quiet now both are at university.
Louis has worked incredibly
hard for the school, supporting
the Physics department superbly
well with characteristic dedication
and endless modesty.
We thank Louis very much
indeed for the many years of
service at Alleyn’s and wish him
and his wife Xenia, all the best
as they begin retirement. BEJ
Dominic Tuohey
Dominic leaves
Alleyn’s School
after six years
teaching in
the Physics
department. A popular member
of staff, Dominic has contributed
enormously to the development
and growth of the department and
has been a teacher with great
influence on pupils across many
other areas of school life. We will
miss him very much indeed.
In the classroom, and behind
the scenes, Dominic’s love of
teaching and learning has been
obvious; his contributions to
the development of processes,
resources and schemes of work
across all Key Stages have been
enormous, all driven by his
underlying passion for the growth
of pupils and love of Physics.
One of his focuses has been the
stretching and challenging the
most able, and for some time he
administered and prepared pupils
for the Oxford Physics Olympiad;
also under his co-leadership the
School's Physics and Maths
Society has gone from strength
to strength, providing unparalleled
opportunities for pupils to discuss
and learn about Physics in a peerled environment. It is testament to
his commitment that he leaves this
outstanding society is such good
health. Furthermore, Dominic has
organised successful trips to the
Oxford Diamond Synchrotron and
Greenwich Observatory and, as an
A Level examiner, he has brought
a great deal of experience to the
teaching of A-level in the
department.
With a Level 2 hockey coaching
qualification, Dominic has led a
number of school teams, most
recently managing the School
1st XI hockey team. Dominic has
also re-founded the School Chess
Club, which has been really well
attended and this year saw its first
external fixture. He has been a
highly-valued Middle School tutor
with deep involvement with the
House system, providing strong
pastoral support for many of his
pupils. It is clear from this
summarised list that Dominic will
be remembered by many pupils
for years to come and leaves big
shoes to fill.
Dominic has had broad
involvement in the organisation
of the School sitting on numerous
committees; he will no doubt take
this wealth of experience and
bring great benefit to his new
school. Dominic leaves Alleyn’s to
become Head of Physics at King
Edward VI School, Edgbaston,
Birmingham, a highly reputable
school. We thank Dominic and
wish him all the best as he moves
to Birmingham. BEJ
Hannah
Williamson
Hannah leaves
Alleyn’s after six
years of service, to
pursue a full time
career as an artist. During her
time at the School she was an
inspiration to both colleagues and
pupils, with her original and
innovative approaches to artmaking.
Hannah has a particular skill
in turning the simplest materials,
such as paper and paint
fragments into amazing works
of art and her pupils' work was
often the most innovative and
experimental. She has imparted
much of her in-depth knowledge
to budding artists of the future and
many of her previous pupils are
now studying Art at University.
She served as a Lower School
tutor for several years as well.
We hope that she will bring
to her new career all the happy
memories and experiences of
Alleyn’s. Hannah has already been
selected for several exhibitions this
year in the UK, and we wish her
Trinity, Oxford, twenty-four years in
international banking and business
development, and as he started
with us he was just completing a
part-time Masters at Birkbeck.
An active choral singer, musician,
skier, hands-on father of three and
David Young
husband to Sarah (their youngest
David Young is
daughter is a pupil at Benenden)
leaving Alleyn’s
his outgoing bounciness and
after four-and-a-half
energy has been a fantastic
years, initially as
example for many in his time here.
Director of
The Development and Alumni
Development and Finance
team, under David, has become a
(Deputy Bursar) and latterly as
close, supportive and effective
Director of Development and
unit, working its way through a
Commercial Relations. His
departure, to become the Director wide range of activities including
alumni events around the country,
of Development at Benenden
memories days at school, ‘legacy’
School, one of the country’s
events, a telephone fundraising
leading boarding schools,
campaign, strategically planning
represents a really sad loss for
the trajectory of fundraising for
us, but, we hope, it will be a
Alleyn’s, developing and promoting
fantastic move for him.
the MCT theatre ‘brand’, all
David’s complex job title
when he arrived at Alleyn’s in 2009 the while building relationships in
the various Alleyn’s communities
illustrated the number of things
locally, nationally and
we were trying to achieve in one
internationally. Much of this has
person: to start a Development
come about as a direct result
Office and a fundraising structure
of David’s great skills at getting
and to generate commercial
activity using the School’s facilities, alongside people and making the
most of the friendships he creates.
both in order to provide funds for
We thank David for his
pupil bursaries; to manage the
fantastic work while being here;
integration of the Burbage Road
we will very much miss him, but
sports ground and help generate
we wholeheartedly wish him the
stronger, lasting links with the
Edward Alleyn Club and the wider very best for the next step in his
career. SRB
alumni work already founded
under Susie Schofield; to support
the finance function in the school,
and deputise for the Bursar when
necessary.
In hindsight, we were
incredibly fortunate that David
came to us, and he has
Wendy Collins
demonstrated huge capability in
all of these diverse aspects – and Our Chair of Science, travelled to
South America, in her sabbatical
many more – and moved these
term hiking to Macchu Pichu,
elements of Alleyn’s forward a
practising her newly acquired
massive amount in the time he
Spanish during the trip. She learnt
has been here.
a great deal about the history of
Perhaps we shouldn’t be
the region and of the Incas and
surprised that he could manage
found it enriching to step outside
these disparate aspects so well;
her usual field and explore new
something of a human dynamo,
David came to us with an MA from paths.
the very best for the future in this
exciting new venture. Her friendly
and warm personality will be much
missed by the Art Department.
CMG
23
Richard Alldrick, Annabel Boltsa, Stephen Born, Sam Bourne, Anthony Buckley, Janet Carlsson, Sue Chandler, Felicity De Salis, Gavin English, Antony Faccinello, Clare-Marie Goldsworthy, Neil Green, Mark Grogan, Catherine Horan, Christina Hughes-Onslow, Ben Jones, Mick Keates, Tim Kermode, Neil Kinnear,
Angus Macmillan, Sue Mathieson, Astrid McAuliffe, Susan Miles, Robert Newcombe, Rob Ody, Rachel Ottey, Jeremy Piper, Melinda Pokorny, Annie Reeve, Gordon Reid, Clare Robertson, Susie Schofield, Vincent Strain, Andreas Tober, Marilyn Walker, David Young, Adam Zivanic + Parish Print
Alleyn’s International Concert Series
In late June, the School had the privilege of welcoming the jazz
vocalist Jacqui Dankworth and her band for an afternoon of
workshops followed by a concert in the evening as part of the
Alleyn’s International Concert Series. Members of Jazz Band,
Swing Doctors, Saxophone Quartet, and Jazz Quintet took part
in an enriching and exciting afternoon in the Music School. During
the workshops some of the School’s female vocalists (Alex Howe,
Becky Handley and Meredith Mack) had the chance to sing to
Jaqui Dankworth and respond to the advice of a true jazz legend.
Meanwhile the other members of her band offered
instrumentalists advice on how best to accompany a vocalist.
The evening concert then provided us with the perfect opportunity
to see such virtuosic players in action, as the band played a
mixture of jazz standards and original compositions – we were
even lucky enough to hear the world premieres of a couple of
numbers from Jacqui's soon-to-be-released latest CD.
We would like to thank Ms Dankworth and her band for all
their advice, and for how generous and approachable they were
throughout the workshops. In addition, we would like to thank
Mr Bennett, Mr Smith and the music staff for organising such an
inspiring day. Charlie Hodgkiss 12KG
Painter-Stainers’ Art prize
Finlay Clark (13JP) visited Painters’ Hall in the City to be awarded the
prestigious Painter-Stainers’ Art prize. An exhibition of 28 students’
work in the gallery was followed by speeches from the Master Painter
and his colleagues. Each student was awarded £100 to spend on art
materials and a book which would had a signed nameplate put inside
for the prize giving. As well as each prize awarded to the students,
there was a prize for the most influential art teacher. After the
ceremony, there was another viewing of the exhibition with tea and
coffee. It was an extremely uplifting day for everyone involved and felt
amazing to be part of such a long-running history of prize winners.
Confirmation
Thirteen Alleyn’s students were Confirmed by the Bishop of Woolwich,
Dr Michael Ipgrave, at a packed service at St. John’s, Goose Green,
in May. Congratulations to Daisy Calder, Alex Cochrane, Georgie White,
Charlotte Beaumont, Allegra Goldsworthy, Gregory Hartley, Helen
Sheffield, Ralph Leng, Holly Sleep, Lara von der Brelie, Emma McPhee,
Emma Pak and Maddy Derungs for taking this step and, as ever,
representing the School so well on this public occasion. They also have
consumed a large number of Chaplaincy biscuits over the year and
their discussions have been of the highest quality. AGB
៑ DATES
FOR YOUR DIARY
SCHOOL DATES
៑ New pupils/Years 12 & 13:
Tuesday 3rd September
៑ Term begins: Wednesday 4th September
៑ Half Term: 21st October – 1st November
៑ Term ends: Wednesday 18th December
៑ Year 12 Welcome Evening:
10th September
៑ Year 9 Housemasters’ ‘At Home’:
12th September
៑ Year 12 Parents’ Evening: Monday
៑
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
• Tuesday 17th September tour guides to
be Year 12s and Year 13s with afternoon
free periods (16+ open afternoon)
• Wednesday 18th September tour guides
to be all Year 13 students (11+ and 13+
open afternoon)
• Saturday 12th October, morning
of obligation for all pupils Years 7–13
(whole-school open morning)
• Tuesday 5th November tour guides to
be Year 12s and Year 13s with afternoon
free periods (16+ open afternoon)
• Wednesday 6th November, tour guides
៑ Year 11 Options Evening: 19th November to be all Year 11 pupils (11+ and 13+ open
afternoon)
៑ Year 7 Parents’ Consultation Evening:
EDWARD ALLEYN LECTURE
Wednesday 14th November
៑ Monday 4th November 7.30pm
៑ Year 13 Parents’ Evening: Wednesday
ALLEYN’S ASSOCIATION
27th November (including students)
11th November (including students)
៑ Open Days
Our Open Days will be taking place next
term when we shall once again rely on the
goodwill of our pupils to show visitors
round the school and talk to them about
life at Alleyn’s. We consider our pupils our
finest ambassadors and cannot manage
such events without them, so we ask
parents’ help in avoiding any other outside
commitments, doctors’ appointments, etc,
on these dates:
24
៑ AGM Tuesday 8th October 7.30pm
៑ Education Evening (PE) Thursday
14th November 7.30pm
៑ Holly Fair: Saturday 30th November
MUSIC
៑ Pupils’ Recital Monday 7th October
7.00pm
៑ Instrumental Scheme Parents’ Evening
Monday 25th November 6.00pm
៑ DATES
FOR YOUR DIARY
៑ Orchestral/Choral Concert Concert
Monday 2nd December 7.30pm (MCT)
៑ Lower & Middle School Concert
Thursday 5th December 7.30pm (MCT)
៑ School Carol Service
Tuesday 17th December 7.30pm
៑
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
៑ Kate Adie Book Talk
Thursday 21st November
៑ Gonzo Moose: I am an Aristocrat, Get
me out of Here Saturday 23rd November
៑ Nice by Folded Feather (children’s
production) Saturday 7th December
DUKE OF EDINBURGH
៑ Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Dinner
Friday 6th December 7.00pm
៑ Bronze Field Day, Headley Heath
Friday 18th October
៑ Silver Field Day, Leith Hill
Friday 18th October
CCF
៑ Remembrance Day
Sunday 10th November 10.50am
(Christ’s Chapel)
DRAMA
៑ Bear Pit 28th – 29th November
៑ Upper School Play
20th – 22nd November
MCT
៑ Showstoppers
Saturday 28th September
៑ Max Hastings Book Talk
Thursday 3rd September
Information about ticketing for the
concerts and plays mentioned here
will be sent via Alleyn’s Post and
placed on the Parents’ page on
the website prior to each event.
Please remember to book online via
the Michael Croft Theatre Box Office
www.michaelcrofttheatre.org.uk

Trinity 2013 - Alleyn`s School

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