Dear Parents,
Thank you very much for your attendance at so many school events. The Spring Term calendar is enclosed with this mailing. Please also visit our new website at www.exeterschool.org.uk .
ACADEMIC
At GCSE, there was a 99.4% pass rate, with 62.6% of grades at A* or A. These are both new records. 28 pupils scored 10 or more A*/As and 45 pupils scored 8 or more A*/A grades. Rowena Caine (Spanish) and Julian Frazer (German) received letters telling them that they finished in the top 10 candidates nationally at Edexcel GCSE this summer, from fields of over 15,000 and 19,000 respectively!
At A level, there was a pass rate of 100% in all subjects for the fifth consecutive year. Most pupils, including 14 of our 15 successful Oxbridge candidates, met their university offers. 39 of our 109 pupils scored three or more A grades. The A-B pass rate was 78.8% (78.2% last year).
Chris Malone, Josh Jenner and Max Taylor were shortlisted in the final 25 of thousands of entries in their respective categories in the Daily Telegraph poetry competition and Chris finished second nationally. The final judging panel was led by Poet Laureate Andrew Motion.
In the regional round of the Schools' Challenge competition, the A team (Tobi Herpoldt-McCrone, Henry Renninson, Lulu Chrupek and Lucy Harrison-Prentice) beat Wellington 640-400 and Torquay BGS A team 700-470, but lost 610-800 to Devonport Boys' HS in the final.
Our team of Ben Eccles, Guy Millward, Stuart Hoddinott, Joe Lyons, Will Edwards, Laura Collison and Jocelyn Trayler-Clarke represented the school in the Bank of England Interest Rate Challenge at the Lord Haldon Hotel, Dunchideock.
The following pupils went to West Buckland to compete in the regional 'Linguafest': Robert Brailey, Archie Gebbie, Matthew Twomey, Joshua Richards (3rd Form), Lulu Chrupek, Lucy Harrison-Prentice (L5) and Max Taylor and Leela Arshi (U6). Max and Leela were joint winners of the senior category.
A team consisting of Lulu Chrupek, Henry Hoult, Ellie Moore and Ollie Stephenson competed in the Top of the Bench competition at Exeter University and finished second out of 14 teams.
A team consisting of Jack Hunter, James Rampersad and Sam Jellard competed in the regional round of the Geography Worldwise Quiz at West Buckland School. The boys won the event, beating nine other schools.
OPTION CHOICES
The new Sixth Form and M5 option choices booklets, explaining AS and GCSE courses beginning in September 2009 are enclosed, for present U5 and L5 pupils respectively.
TRIAL AND MODULAR EXAMINATIONS
The trial examinations for U5 pupils begin on Tuesday 6 January. Most U6 formers will be sitting AS and A2 modules. There will be no formal lessons for the U6 on 15 January, owing to the large number of modular examinations on those days.
ARTS
DRAMA
Olivia Selley appeared in Burial at Thebes by Seamus Heaney, which was staged by The Farringdon Arts Society as part of the Totnes Festival, at Dartington Hall.
A Midsummer Night's Dream took place in late November to great acclaim. The play involved a large cast and supporting team and gave great opportunities for our leading actors, musicians and technicians to shine. Over a hundred people - pupils, former pupils, staff, parents and friends - contributed in some way to this sparkling show. Leading roles were played by Claire Harrill, Hope Ritchie, Will Parslow, Henry Renninson, Aaron Lynn, Bevis Bowles-Bray, Charlie Gould-Smith, Olivia Selley, Annabel Clark and Ewan Harvey. The charming quartet of confused lovers at the Court of Theseus were sorely tried by the ministrations of a nimble and outstanding Puck from the Fairy Kingdom of Oberon and Titania, while the bumbling 'Mechanicals' stole the show with their hopeless but hilarious rendition of the 'play-within-a-play', Pyramus and Thisbe. Mrs Giles and her team created sumptuous costumes and the make-up team was led by Miss Doyle. The splendid original musical score, directed by recent OE Richard Robbins, was composed for the production by Richard, Rowena Caine, Hugh Collins, Noah Mosley and Ted Waters Adams. Lucy James choreographed the imaginative dancing. Congratulations and thanks to directors Mr and Mrs Chrupek.
MUSIC
Hannah and Fionn Connolly played in the National Children's Orchestra's 30th anniversary Gala Concert at the Birmingham Symphony Hall on Sunday 31 August.
A joyful Chamber Concert in the Chapel featured some of our most gifted musical pupils. As ever, the standard was extremely high. The soloists/vocal groups were Hannah Partridge, Bethany Partridge, Noah Mosley, Hannah Connolly, Michael Dawson, Brittany Harris, L6 newcomers Georgina Snowdon-Brett and Ben Lee, Hugh Collins, Rowena Caine, Tom Tresidder and Katie Clark. The main ensembles appearing were the Chamber Choir and Chamber Orchestra, performing music by Purcell, Bach, Mozart, Haydn and Philip Glass among others.
The National Trust Christmas Concert in Exeter Cathedral got the festive season off to a flying start. A packed cathedral heard performances by the Symphony Orchestra (Vaughan Williams' Seventeen Come Sunday) and Chamber Orchestra (a duet from Bach's Christmas Oratorio) the Middle School, Chamber and Senior Choirs, the Brass Ensemble and several solos, including a Bach 'cello piece by Michael Dawson, an excerpt from Don Giovanni, played by the Chamber Orchestra and sung by Noah Mosley with Ben Lee on mandolin, and a trio of Partridge sisters sang Rutter's Christmas Lullaby. The concert was enormously enjoyed by over 1000 people, who joined with choirs and orchestras to sing three carols.
The Christmas Concert brought together all the main ensembles in the school hall. There must have been some 260 pupils involved as singers or players, 106 of whom were in the Senior Choir. Mrs Williams' Junior Orchestra opened the proceedings with joyful renditions of The Snowman and Square Dance. Mr Bowen's Impro Group played two subtle pieces and Mr Painter's Jazz Band 2 entertained with the Mission: Impossible theme and the Senior Jazz Band with Cantaloupe Island, amongst others. There were several classical contributions of note: the Piano Trio's Frank Bridge Romance and the String Ensemble's Brandenburg Concerto no 6, directed by Mrs McLean. There were some memorable solos: Rowena Caine singing Gershwin's Someone to Watch over Me, Ed Pocock's version of I'm Feeling Good and their duet (from Moulin Rouge) of Come What May.
SPORT
ARCHERY
Ben Glover's archery career continues to go very well. He has performed as follows: Welsh Open Field Championships, Rhondda Valley: 1st in age group, U18 Gents Open Welsh Champion: Grand Western Archery Society Regional Field Championship, Cheltenham: 1st in age group, Regional Champion U18 Gents: Cheshire Open County Field Championships: 1st in age group, U18 Gents Open Champion. On Saturday 18 October at Bradford he won his age group and also retained his National Champion title.
CANOEING
Tom Sharpe (OE) finished 9th at the World Marathon Kayaking Championships.
Mr Scott and his kayakers drew plenty of applause when they conducted their Mexican Roll relay between The Mill on The Exe and the Quay, raising over £2,000 for the Ladakh Ecological Development Group, the charity they will support on their 2009 expedition. They attended a training weekend on Dartmoor at the end of the holiday. In cold weather conditions, they undertook useful white water training on the Upper and Middle Dart.
CROSS COUNTRY
The top boys in the Exeter and District Cross Country Championships held in Okehampton were: Year 7: Sam Boddington (9) and Donald Comer-Calder (14), Junior: Nat Newman (33) and Joe Allen (34), Inter: Will Slade (8) and Henry Holmes (11). The top girls' results were: Year 7: Charlotte Stacey (4), Rebecca Armstrong (9) and Emma Hitt (10), Junior: Laura Stacey (4), Katie Taverner (7) and Tara Davidson (15), Inter: Helen Smith (6), Gaby Smallwood (14) and Claire Richardson (15). The top 16 in each category competed in Exeter Area match v East Devon.
Finishers in the top 16 of that match were selected for the County Championships. Many of the runners came close to selection, but Charlotte Stacey (12th in the Year 7 girls) Katie Taverner (15th in the Junior girls) and Will Slade (16th in the Intermediate boys) all made selection.
FOOTBALL
David Hood signed a full contract for Tiverton Town FC and scored in the FA Youth Cup match vs Newport County. He played for the Devon Schools' U18 side. So far, the 1st XI has played four matches and won three, quite convincingly, against Clyst Vale and Teignmouth CC and Torquay BGS, drawing against Sidmouth College.
HOCKEY
This year for Tier 1 level (which is between County and Divisional standard) Lucy Parsons (U15 Hipac), Amelia Sydenham (U16) and Alex Helliar (U18) have been selected. At Tier 2 (Divisional standard) Sean Flynn, Chris Mason (OE) and Izzy Smith (all U18) and Jack Pritchard (U16) were selected. They played in the Futures Cup for The Wessex Leopards over half term in Cannock, competing for England selection. For the school to have 4 players in the top 70 in the country is quite an achievement. The U18 boys' indoor team has qualified for the West of England finals on 11 January.
GIRLS' HOCKEY
The girls' hockey season so far has been extremely successful. They won five matches, drew one and only lost one. Our teams qualified for County Finals at U18, U16 and U14 age groups, played in the U13 Blundell's invitation tournament where we were runners up and played competitive hockey at The Millfield U12 Invitation tournament where the girls were placed third. 46 girls were lucky enough to go on tour to Bath to play hockey and netball which was organised by Mrs Gimber.
The U18 girls have been ably captained by Izzy Smith and are having a very successful season so far, beating West Buckland, Kelly, The Maynard, Plymouth College, Wellsway School Bristol and drawing with Blundell's.
The girls played in the first round of the national schools competition drawing with Blundell's and Colyton beating Maynard and Okehampton. They qualified for the County Finals as runners up. In the Devon Final at Torquay they drew with Kelly College and Kingsbridge lost to Blundell's and beat West Buckland, to finish runners up.
The 2nd team have played fixtures every Wednesday involving more than 30 different players.
In their National Schools competition, the U16 girls drew with The Maynard and beat Okehampton to qualify for the second round as winners. In the second round they lost to Blundell's and beat Colyton on penalty strokes to qualify for the County Finals as runners up. At the County Finals they lost to Blundell's, drew with West Buckland and Plymouth College and beat Torquay. The girls were runners-up.
The U15 girls have improved as the season has progressed and have achieved some excellent results in friendly matches with many of the squad playing in the U16 squad for the National Schools tournament. They beat West Buckland and Colyton, drew with Uffculme and lost to King's Taunton. The following girls were selected to attend Junior Development Centres: Hattie Helliar, Gaby Smallwood, Joely Harris, Claire Richardson, Kat Turner and Sophie Hines.
The U14 girls have been committed and trained well, qualifying for County Finals which has been an exceptional achievement. They won two matches and drew two to finish second in the county.
They have played friendly fixtures drawing with West Buckland and beating The Maynard and Stover. In the first round of the National Schools competition they drew with Sidmouth and Kings Ottery and beat Exmouth to qualify for the second round as winners. The following girls were selected to attend the Junior Development Centres. Laura Thomas, Georgia Reece and Becky Glover.
The U13 girls A and B teams have enjoyed a successful season so far beating Colyton,West Buckland, Tiverton High School King Edward's Bath, Uffculme, and St Margaret's. They played in the Blundell's Tournament at the start of the season and they beat Queen's, Wellington and Plymouth College and drew with St Peter's Lympstone. They played King's Hall in the semi finals and won 1-0 then played St Peter's Lympstone in the final finishing as runners up. The following girls were selected to attend Junior Development Centres: Katy Taverner, Izzy Gibber, Lucy Swiggs, Sally Crawford and Laura Stacey.
The U12 girls' A and B teams are a talented group that has great potential. They have beaten the following teams so far this season: Plymouth College, St Margaret's, King Edward's Bath and Uffculme. They played in The Milfield Hockey Tournament and lost to Millfield, beat Wells and Wellington and lost to Taunton. The girls were placed third overall. The following girls were selected to attend Junior Development Centres: Charlotte Stacey, Emma Willson and Lizzie Godwin.
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P |
W |
L |
D |
|
1st XI |
11 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
|
2nd XI |
10 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
|
U16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
U15 |
10 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
|
U14A |
10 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
|
U14B |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
U13A |
8 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
|
U13B |
7 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
U12A |
6 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
|
U12B |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
HORSE RIDING
Rob Trobridge is to represent England at two friendly international horse competitions after winning the national A squad competition at the inter-regional level, competing for the South West. He has also been selected for National Training as a Young Rider (18-21 year olds).
NETBALL
Although this is the girls' hockey term, there have been a few friendly netball matches and the U14, U16 and U18 teams have played in their respective National Schools Tournaments. The U12 A team won against King Edward's, Bath 17 -11 and against St Margaret's. They are an athletic team and were very unlucky to lose two matches by just one goal, 9 - 10 to Queen Elizabeth's, Crediton and 12-13 to West Buckland. They also lost to Maynard. The U12 B team has shown potential and has had some excellent results. They lost 9 - 11 to West Buckland but beat King Edward's 7-3 , Q.E. 8 -6, St Margaret's 17 -5 and Maynard 9-0.
The U14 A team played St Margaret's and won 17 - 11. The Under 14 team performed well in the 1st round of the National Schools Netball Tournament winning 2 out of 3 of their section matches, losing the semi-final but winning their play off and therefore finishing 3rd out of 8 overall. The Under 16 team consists of keen and competitive players and plays to a good standard. The team lost 9-11 to St Peter's A team, won 13-9 against St Peter's B team and won 31-16 against St Margaret's. In the 1st round of the National Schools Tournament, the U16 team won against St Luke's and St Margaret's but lost to Q.E. They finished 4th out of 8 overall.
The girls in the Under 18 1st team are very keen, competitive and athletic and made a good start to the season with an excellent 30 - 4 win against St Margaret's. In the 1st round of the National Schools Tournament, Exeter School lost to Maynard and Exeter College but beat St Margaret's 8 -2, Q.E. 14 -8 and Okehampton 16 -8. We came 3rd overall out of 6 teams.
It has been a most encouraging start to the netball season and our finishing places are the best we have ever achieved in the National Schools Tournaments in one season. Hannah Gee continues to play representative netball for the U16 East Devon Academy and we are very pleased that many of our younger girls qualified for the 2nd trial for the U14 East Devon Academy. Rebecca Glover, Georgia Reece, Hope McLeod and Laura Thomas in the L5 and Verity Ashford, Lauren Dixie, Isabella Gibber, Amelia Hines, Lucy Swiggs and Katie Taverner in the 4th form.
RUGBY
This has been an extremely successful season, with a win ratio of 64% across all the teams. The 1st XV had an excellent season with 16 victories. In the Daily Mail U18 Cup, the 1st XV played in the third round against Filton College (the Bristol RFC academy side), losing 6-34 in a gritty performance. They played in the final of the Devon U18 Cup at Sandy Park, the home of Exeter Chiefs RFC. The boys gave their all and were ahead twice in the match. Despite their best efforts, they were beaten 10-13 by a strong Plymouth College side who had a much heavier pack. Our captain, Tom Howell-Richardson, was outstanding.
The U15 team played in the area final of the Devon Cup, beating the holders, St Peter's HS 36-3. They played Torrington in the Daily Mail Vase competition, winning 47-0. They play both their next Daily Mail Vase match and their Devon Cup semi-final in January.
The U13 has won the area competition and on Tuesday 2 December, they played Ivybridge in their Devon Cup semi-final, drawing 17-17. Sadly, therefore, the away team qualified for the final.
The U12 team started playing competitive matches after half term and, with 7 out of 9, wins show much promise.
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SQUASH
The courts have been well used during the term and we have an U15 duo who have won their first two matches in the National Schools Competition, which means they are now through to the last 32 in the country.
Mr Moon's 12-hour swimming marathon was well attended and over 65,400m were swum, with all monies raised to be divided between the West of England School and the Community Project in Namibia next year.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Mr Clark writes: "Following very successful Silver and Gold expeditions to Slovenia in the summer, the Award has had a busy year. The Bronze Award group have had an intensive period of expedition training culminating in completing their assessed expedition. They will begin a 3 month Red Cross course and then prepare for a summer expedition to Switzerland. The Silver cohort finished the aims for their summer expedition and will now focus on the other sections of the Award. The U6 completed their Gold expeditions last year and must now complete their expedition aims, work towards finishing other Award sections and plan their residential courses."
Sam Huish has passed his private pilot's licence. He is likely to be presented with his wings at St James' Palace in due course.
Apart from the regular chapel services on Thursdays and Fridays, there is something happening in Chapel almost every day of the week. On Mondays "Ultimate Springboard", the Christian Union group for M5 and U5, meets in the vestry; on Tuesday the Pudding Club (members of L5 who help to plan and deliver the Junior group's activities) meet there too; on Wednesday, the Chapel Radio team practises recording techniques and prepares for making regular programmes once again; on Thursday Junior Springboard attracts between 30 and 40 of the younger years. Also chapel-related are Sixth Form Springboard activities: a "Discovering Christianity" discussion group on Mondays, a prayer breakfast in the vestry on Wednesdays, and other social activities.
The Abbots' Way walk between Buckfast Abbey and Tavistock College took place in poor conditions. There was much disruption to the event; the Dartmoor Rescue organizers had to divert walkers significantly from the route, on account of the swollen rivers. Our senior team managed to walk the whole route and most others got to Princetown.
The following pupils have been accepted on to the BSES expedition 2009 to the Amazon: Annabel Clark, Daniel Betney, Alex Helliar, Brittany Harris, Adam Jackson, Richard Maddock and Alasdair Sherry. Hattie Davies and Matt Allen have been accepted on the expedition to Himalaya.
On Wednesday 12 November, Mr Morton took a U5 team to the local round of the ESU public speaking competition. The team was Wilf Gilbert, Hugo Marino and Ben Honey; Wilf spoke on the topic "Freedom is an illusion", whilst Hugo acted as Chair for another team and Ben acted as the Questioner for that team. A team also represented the school in the ESU Mace competition at Kelly College.
The following charities are supported by the school for the 2008/9 academic year: Autumn Term Cancer Research, The Lord Mayor's Appeal. Spring Term Interface Uganda: Doctor clinics, Medic Malawi: St. Andrew's Hospital, Pingalwara Hospital, India. Summer Term Chicks: Holidays and respite support for children, Lily Foundation: Mitochondrial Disease research, Shelter Box: Disaster Relief Aid, The West of England School for the Visually Impaired.
The Sixth Form held its annual charity day, with Hawaiian shirts as the theme, in aid of The St Olave's Trust which assists disadvantaged young people. There were various events in the course of the day, notably a very well supported lunchtime talent revue, involving various energetic pupil acts, in the Drama Studio.
OTHER INFORMATION
Our Guest of Honour on Speech Day, Mr Peter Randall-Page, gave a thought-provoking address about the place of the Arts in our society and inspired us to appreciate and include things of beauty in our lives. Before having lunch with Mr Mason, Miss Doyle and several senior Art prizewinners, he held a short workshop with the Junior School Art Club.
In the summer holiday, the school was deeply saddened by the death of two exceptional school masters, Mr Pettifer, who passed away after a protracted battle against leukemia, and Mr Moss-Gibbons who passed away after surgery. Both made a great impression upon pupils, colleagues and parents, Mark during 31 years as a teacher of Chemistry, Head of Goff House and Teacher Training Mentor and David for over 30 years in many roles at Bradfield College, Reading and latterly here as Ten Tors supremo and Careers Adviser. They are much missed. The school held a Memorial Service for Mark in the Chapel on 22 November, which was very well attended and the retiring collection raised over £580 for the Exeter Leukaemia Fund.
On 21 March 2009 in the Cathedral we are putting on a particularly exciting production to mark Dr Foxall's final Choral Society concert before retirement. The work is Bach's St Matthew Passion, a piece which it has long been his ambition to perform on this occasion. Many people regard this masterpiece as the greatest composition ever written. It is an intensely moving piece for two choirs, six soloists and two orchestras. A superb set of specialist professional musicians will be coming down from London for the event. We hope to have as large a choir as possible. Please encourage your children to join us, particularly U5th and 6th form boys. Rehearsals start on the first day of term (Tuesday 6 Jan.) and last from 4.00 to 5.00 p.m. Practices then continue weekly, with three Sunday rehearsals before the concert. Music copies will be provided and invoiced in the end of term bill (£10).
The Christmas Fayre was wonderfully well organised by Mrs Aggett. There was something for everyone, with numerous professional stallholders, the main raffle (with over 50 prizes) and pupil stalls fundraising for the BSES, Ladakh, D of E and Namibia trips next summer.
I should be most grateful if all visitors to the site would observe the speed restrictions: there are often small Junior School children crossing the main areas.
All pupils must sign the late book, if they miss registration, immediately they arrive in school. If your child is ill, please ring the school office on 01392 273679 on a daily basis.
Bob Griffin
