Dear Parents,
Thank you very much for your continued strong support of so much that goes on at the school Please also visit our website at www.exeterschool.org.uk for regular news.
| ACADEMIC |
We were delighted to hear recently of the school’s placing in the Financial Times’ Top 1000 Schools report, published on 20 March. This assesses schools’ A level results from Summer 2009 in terms of their quality and quantity. Exeter School was placed 115th nationally and top in Devon. For the full tables please see www.ft.com/topschools.
Congratulations to the following pupils, who gained Oxbridge offers this winter:
Oxford
John Baldock
Engineering
Exeter
Daniel Barnes
Engineering
Keble
Andrew Clay
Engineering
Lady Margaret Hall
Ben Glover
Engineering
St Hugh’s
Henry Renninson
Modern Languages
St Catherine’s
Michael Walker
Physics
Lincoln
Cambridge
John Broadbent
Engineering
Queens’
Hugh Collins
Computer Science
St Catharine’s
Adam Jackson
Engineering
Pembroke
Will Ouldridge
Computer Science
Homerton
Izzy Smith
Natural Sciences
Girton
Jocelyn Trayler-Clarke
Land Economy
Newnham
In the British Physics Olympiad 2010 Paper 2 the awards were as follows: Silver - Will Ouldridge, Bronze I - Jake Ayres, Dan Barnes, Ben Glover, Will Hamlyn, Adam Jackson and Michael Walker, Bronze II - Matt Allen, John Baldock and Andrew Clay, Commendations - Hugh Collins, Michael Ladhams and David Rowell. Nationally, there were 1014 entries from 217 schools.
All of the Lower Fifth and Middle Fifth forms were entered for the Intermediate Maths Challenge this year, and nearly half of those gained awards. There were 49 Bronze, 33 Silver, and 5 Gold certificates. Four pupils did well enough to be entered for further rounds: Joe Allen M5 (94/130) qualified for the Hamilton competition. Will Bell M5 (83/130) qualified for the Pink Kangaroo competition. Mike Twomey L5 (82/130) qualified for the Grey Kangaroo competition. Tom Grant L5 (72/130) also qualified for the Grey Kangaroo competition.
Miss Marshall took our team of Aja Garrod-Prance, Ellie Moore, Julian Dupré and Tom Senior to take part in the Devon Team Maths Challenge at Exeter College, reaching the Grand Final to be held at the Met Office. A team consisting of Emily Boother, Ben Stone, Marcus Hoddinott and Dan MacLaurin competed in the Team Maths Challenge at Exmouth Community College. They finished 14th out of 29 teams.
| ARTS |
Drama
Miss Jakes’s wonderful production of Bugsy Malone was a joyful success in early February, playing to 1100 people over four performances. The production was in rehearsal since mid-autumn and involved a huge amount of work by the director, producer, cast, support staff and crew. It had something for everyone: major acting, singing and dancing roles, a strong supporting cast of dancers, Speakeasy customers and many individuals taking on several roles. There were many highlights: the Fat Sam’s Speakeasy dance scenes, the Down and Outs’ routine, the Hoods practising their inept thuggery, the training session at Sluggers’ Gym, Fizzy’s wistful singing of Tomorrow to subtle choreography, the Lena Marrelli Show auditions (including Saturday night’s special guests Mr Fawkes and Mr Mason), the band invading the stage to join in the splurging, and more…
Particular credit must go to the principals: Tyler Wootton was a slick Bugsy, Ellie Partridge’s singing was fantastic as Blousey, Alastair Hardie sustained his accent well and captured the seething frustration of Fat Sam; Jack Wride was a confident Dandy Dan, Natalie Filor displayed great flirtatious chutzpah and power as Tallulah, Andrew Brind was an ever-hopeful caretaker, Henry Cowling was an accidental boxing hero, thanks to the patronage of Cagey Joe, Austin Robison, Charlie Holmes and George Hoult made enjoyable interventions as the bumbling agents of the NYPD, memorably in slow motion, and young Ed Wilson stole the show as a would-be TV star in audition. The excellent choreography was conceived and led by Miss Jakes, with help from lead dancer Aja Garrod-Prance and assistants Lauren Cole and Vicky Palmer. Hugh Collins led an accomplished pupil band and the Lines family and friends excelled themselves, as ever, in matters technical. The stage crew, led by Mr Armstrong, was very efficient and ran all the changes seamlessly. Mrs Giles and her team’s countless costumes were imaginative and the changes required great discipline from the wardrobe team and the cast. Miss Doyle led a large make-up team very well, sadly for the last time, ably assisted by Mrs Chamberlain.
The Exeter Dance Festival ran at the Barnfield Theatre in half term, with over 1500 dancers competing. Will Trafford won the 14 & under song & dance solo, the U16 song & dance duet, the overall Festival Comedy Cup and the Most Promising Senior Boy Trophy.
Music
Mr Tamblyn took our senior musicians to give a lunchtime concert as part of a special series at St Giles’ Church, Sidbury. It was well attended by local music lovers of all ages, including a class from the local Primary School. Izzy Clarey, Will Sarjeant and Hannah Connolly were impressive violin soloists, and Bethany Partridge, Sophie Hopkins and Hugh Collins sung a varied repertoire. The school's Senior String Quartet performed some Tchaikovsky with panache, and Eleanor and Michael Dawson were consummate soloists on, respectively, the recorder and the church's splendid organ. Mr Daldorph provided accompaniment, and the programme was rounded off with three light but brilliantly executed numbers sung by Mr Sutton's well drilled Vocal Ensemble.
The annual series of informal concerts continued with the String Concert in front of a good sized audience of parents and friends. The Junior Chamber Orchestra, Junior Quartet and Senior Quartet framed the event, with some spirited and confident playing from the young ensembles, which bodes so well for the future of string playing. Highlights included confident performances from young ‘cellist Charlie Austin and violinist Ettejean Girvin and a very accomplished Dance Rustique played on ‘cello by Alice Greenwood. There was a family atmosphere: Gwyneth and Juliet Everson played folk-influenced music very evocatively, and both Elspeth and Patrick Mabin performed with confidence. There were sparks and bravura from Will Sarjeant’s Mozart, Fionn Connolly’s Bach, Tara Brind’s Kuchler and Beth Partridge’s Kol Nidrei, as well as a more cerebral and serious Brahms from Tom Tresidder.
The Choral Society performed Haydn’s Missa in Angustiis and Rutter’s Magnificat at Exeter Cathedral on 18 March. A very good audience thoroughly enjoyed the professional performances of two very appealing pieces. Mr Tamblyn’s thoughtful and sensitive conducting carried the choirs and orchestra through the complexities of two potentially challenging scores wonderfully well. As ever, it was a fantastic community event for the school, with over 200 performers drawn from the pupil, parent and staff bodies. The strong professional soloists for the Haydn, including Mr Sutton, were excellently complemented by the pupil soloists in the Rutter: Rowena Caine, Brittany Harris and Bethany Partridge sang with poise and power and their performances were received with great delight by the audience. The professional orchestra, led skilfully by Mrs McLean and including a number of our visiting instrumental teachers, also gave major performing opportunities to a number of our pupils: Will Sarjeant, Michael Brailey, Hannah Connolly, Freddie Crowley, Michael Dawson, Harry Parham-Connolly, Marcus Colville, Matt Cole, Aidan Dominy, Hugo Marino and Jake Ayres.
Cathryn and Marcus Buechel have been selected to join a group of ambassadors for the Devon Youth Wind Orchestra’s local learning community activity: they will go into primary schools to assist younger children with wind instrument learning.
At the Devon Performing Arts Festival, our Intermediate Quartet won the String Ensemble Trophy and Will Sarjeant and Michael Dawson won the Strings Duet Trophy. Eleanor Partridge won the Harp Solo. August Aalto, Fionn Connolly and Hannah Connolly won their respective String Solo classes. Fionn and Hannah also won the String Duet. Eleanor Dawson won the Recorder Solo and Andrew Brind the Brass Solo.
| VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL AND EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS |
Mrs Sail invited Dr Fogwill to speak to the 4th Form, presenting the case for the immediate exploitation of Antarctica; he is a Lecturer in Environmental Change at the University of Exeter. Mrs Sail and Mr Davidson accompanied a group of our Geographers to a GA lecture at Wellington School given by Dr Wild of Oxford University on China in a Global World.
A group of senior English pupils interviewed author Mr Philip Pullman at Exeter University. They were representing a new magazine called Exepress and the interview was set up by Seb Sutcliffe, who was accompanied by Aja Garrod-Prance, Maddie Kirk, Jonny Davidson, Ben Honey and Jonny Frost.
Recent speakers at the Medical Society have been parents Dr Dow, a local trauma specialist, and Dr Wride, a local GP. Dr Gibson (OE) spoke to the Medical Society; he was the team doctor on last summer’s school kayaking trip to Ladakh and spoke about expedition medicine.
Mr Morton and the English department took a senior group to see The History Boys and Hedda Gabler at the Theatre Royal, Bath. They also took a group to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Tobacco Factory in Bristol and GCSE groups went to see the set text Journey’s End in Bracknell and Poole. Mr and Mrs Chrupek took their L6 Theatre Studies set to see The Country Wife at the Bristol Old Vic and a group to see Theatre Alibi’s Ministry of Fear at the Northcott.
There was the usual diverse range of trips for Field Day: the CCF Army section went to Plymouth, the RAF went clay pigeon shooting on Haldon Hill and the Navy undertook micro-navigation and field cooking on Dartmoor. The Duke of Edinburgh groups either trained overnight on Dartmoor, carried out community placements or visited the climbing wall at Bristol. Mr Hunt’s Community Service group made home visits. A group went to Oak House residential home in St Leonards Road and carried out a range of activities there, including making a “memory wall” of residents’ historic documents and photos to assist with their long term memory and producing a new activities board. Mr Hunt accompanied a group down to Belmont Chapel’s elderly outreach group. Mr Tamblyn took an Impro group of senior musicians to give a concert at Wynstream Primary School, where they played to two Year 6 classes. The L5 either went to the dry-ski slope with Mr Willson, to Cardiff with Mr Tyrer or the Bovington Tank Museum and Maiden Castle with Mr Sljivic. Mrs Cloke led the 4th Form trip to Paignton Zoo and Mr Trelawny took the 3rd Form on a History walk around Exeter.
Mrs Fenner and Mr Charters took a group of GCSE hispanists to a Study Day at Bristol University.
Mr Hunt and Mr Sljivic took our L6 Geographers to Bristol to conduct urban field studies.
Mr Baker, Miss Murphy and Mr Willson accompanied our Sixth Form politicians to London. They visited the Houses of Parliament and the Cabinet War Rooms, staying overnight on HMS Belfast.
Karl Pfeiffer of the Goethe Institut, London gave a talk in the Andrews Hall to around 40 pupils and staff on the topic of Germany since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The M5 geographers undertook fieldwork at Bristol Docks and Cribbs Causeway with Mrs Sail, Mr Davidson, Mr Hunt and Mrs Cloke.
Exeter School’s second annual version of a “mock trial” saw a teenager on trial for the robbery of a watch, wallet and mobile phone. Four L6 “barristers” effectively ran the show, together with court staff and witnesses made up mostly of fellow pupils. Mr Charlesworth (former Exeter School parent) was at the helm as the judge with little time for any barrister that did not meet his expectations!
Mr Boddington took a group of L5 pupils to Peninsula Medical School for a Biology Workshop.
Mr Walker took our team of Ollie Wannell, Adam Jackson, Dominic Spiers and James Gibbins to take part in the IFS Young Investor competition regional final in Bristol, meaning that they were in the top 0.5% of the country, with 10,000 teams competing nationally.
A series of weekly lunchtime Model United Nations (MUN) meetings since the start of the academic year culminated this term in ten Sixth Form pupils attending the three-day MUN conference at Haileybury College, Hertfordshire from 19 to 21 March led by Dr Wilson and Miss Murphy. The aim of the conference is to simulate the working of the United Nations through committees, the General Assembly and the Security Council and by doing so extend the abilities of the delegates to socialise, empathise and compromise as well as improve their debating skills and their understanding of the workings of the United Nations and of international diplomacy. Representing the countries of Saudi Arabia and Uganda (which had a non-permanent seat on the Security Council), Exeter School pupils performed admirably with some extensive lobbying and fine contributions to debate.
| SPORT |
Canoeing
8 of our 6th Form paddlers have completed their Level 1 Coach Course (involving 2 weekends training). 6 of our keenest WW kayakers have successfully completed the first part of the new BCU 4 Star River Leader Award.
Cross Country
On Saturday 6 February Helen Smith, Shannon Robertson, Laura Stacey and Abby Pelling took part in the Devon Cross Country Championships. Helen, Shannon and Laura were selected for the South West Championships.
In the Stover Cross-Country, Shannon Robertson won the event and the girls’ team consisting of Shannon Robertson (1st), Charlotte Stacey (5th), Katie Olding (6th), Harriet Pike (10th) won the team competition. In the U13 boys’ competition Sam Boddington was 5th, Jacob Towl 8th, Alex Newman 12th and Louis Keliher 15th
The Exmouth to Budleigh cliff race took place on Wednesday 10 March. We hosted the cliff race and on the day had runners from King’s Taunton and Exeter School
running – our top performers were Harry Reece and James Collett.
Helen Smith is running for Devon in the National Schools’ Cross-Country Championships in Manchester. She was placed 112th in the AAA intercounties U17 race at Birmingham and she took part in the British Youth Duathlon Championships at Loughborough.
Football
The A Team has had a very successful term, following on from last term’s steady start to the season. We drew against Shebbear before beating QECC, Blundell’s and King’s College, Taunton respectively. The last two of these have been in the Isca League. On Thursday 11 March the U18 XI played Wellington and won 8-0, thereby retaining the Isca League with a 100% record by 5 clear points. Our scorers were David Hood 3, Nick Hobbs, Josh Barlow, Harrison Thorne, Tom Boother and Cameron Hansson. The B Team completed its programme with a win against King’s Taunton and a defeat against Blundell’s.
Boys’ Hockey
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In the U14 County finals Michael Walker won an award as top goal scorer in the tournament. The U16 and U14 XI were both runners up in their respective finals. The following boys have been selected for Devon JAC (i.e. county squad) hockey training:
U14: Ed Leger, Tom Poustie, Paddy Poustie, Will Marsh, Matt Marsh, Luke Crocker, Jamie Telford, Michael Walker, Rob Brailey and Chris Richardson.
U17: Jack Pritchard, Ed Bower, Henry Hoult, Richie Wilkinson, Jonny Rusbridge.
Mrs Marsh and Mr Fawkes took our U12 boys’ hockey team on a mini-tour to Bath. The boys were very successful. They played King Edward’s School Bath; the A team won 7-0 and the B team lost 3-1. Both teams won their matches vs Prior Park College; the A team 12-0 and the B team 2-1.
At the top end of the school a dynamic and young U15 and 2nd XI have shown much promise and the 1st XI have secured some solid wins. The arrival of Mr Skinner and the continued presence of Mr Jones have added a real vitality to school hockey and playing numbers are visibly increasing at the junior end. A number of our girls and boys attended the Junior Academy Centre U14 hockey tournament at Clifton and Millfield with Mrs Marsh, for selection for the Junior Regional Performance Centres. The girls were placed fourth and the following girls were selected to attend the JRPC: Lucy Swiggs, Izzy Gibber, Lizzie Godwin and Charlotte Stacey. The boys came second and the whole team was selected to attend the JRPC, which included: Tom Poustie, Michael Walker, Will Marsh and Paddy Poustie.
On Saturday 20 March, a squad of 16 boys and 3 staff left Exeter School to take part in the annual King Edwards Bath Hockey Festival. The tournament consisted of over 40 independent school teams, with Exeter School playing two matches on the Saturday and one on the Sunday. Results: Warminster School – won 4-1, Bryanston School – lost 5-3, Seaford College – lost 2-1. The boys played exceptionally well over the weekend, narrowly missing out to some strong opposition.
Netball
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It has been a very busy, exciting and successful netball term. We have had a total of 67 fixtures, not including tournaments, and have won 36 matches. Our teams have also performed very well in the end of season tournaments. In the Exeter Area Tournaments, our U16s finished 4th, our U13s finished 3rd, our U12 and U18 teams finished 2nd and the U15 team performed outstandingly to win their tournament. These were our best overall performances in these tournaments. Our U13 team also played well at the Queen’s tournament to reach the semi finals. The U14 B team played against A teams from other schools in their Exeter Area Tournament as the A team were in a hockey tournament that day. Exeter School netball players performed well in the Netball Academy trials with Emily Ackland, Verity Ashford and Lauren Dixie progressing through the first rounds of selection. One of the highlights of the season was when Denise Ellis, the South West Regional Development Coach, came in to coach our U12, U13 and U14 team players in attacking play. |
Rugby
On Saturday 23 January, the 1st XV travelled to RGS High Wycombe to contest their match in the last 16 of the Daily Mail U18 Cup. They played well in a physical encounter, but sadly lost, 8-28.
On Sunday 30 January, Mr Daws took the Under 16s to the Wellington Sevens’ Tournament. Once the ground had defrosted they played 5 matches. After being knocked out of the cup competition by a strong Millfield team, they progressed into the plate competition, where they beat West Buckland and Queen’s Taunton to win the trophy.
On Wednesday 3 February, the U18 squad contested the senior Devon 7-a-side tournament at West Buckland. They beat Blundell’s 12-0 in the final. Exeter School thus completed a memorable double, becoming County 15s and 7s champions in the same season.
On Wednesday 10 February, the U18 squad contested the Kelly 10-a-side tournament. They were runners up, losing narrowly to Plymouth College, 7-12 in the final.
On Thursday 11 the U15 7s team took part in the Exeter and East Devon Tournament, reaching the semi final against Blundell’s.
Will Taverner has been selected for the South and South-West U16 squad to play Ireland over Easter.
Squash
Our two teams in the National competitions, the U19s and U15s, having won all their matches in the Autumn Term won their next matches which took them both through to the last 16. The U19s played Sherborne and won 5-0 and the U15s beat Royal Grammar School, Guildford 3-2. The U19s had to play Wellington College, Berkshire and despite all the matches being close we lost 0-5. In the U15s , in a titanic match v Bishop Luffe, Chichester we won 3-2, which took us through to the quarter finals. Here we met a very strong Lancing College side and lost 1-4. It has been another excellent year and it looks as though our U17, U15 and U13 sides are going to progress through to the Devon League Finals later on in the season.
| CCF |
In the SW Air Squadron trophy our cadets performed very well, with three top three finishes. They were placed 1st in Shooting, 2nd in RAF Knowledge and 3rd in Fitness. Overall it was an exceptionally tight competition this year. The team came 3rd in the SW (1 point off 2nd and a place in the national final).
The British Schools Small-bore Rifle Association has selected 4 pupils to shoot for England in the Home Countries International Match 2010: Mike Snell A team, Dave Rowell B team, Emily Chamberlain C team, Mike Ladhams D team.
The RAF Section Shooting Team has been awarded the RAF Air Cadet National Assegai Trophy for 2009, with a score of 592 / 600 in 1st place. The team won the trophy in 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2008.
The RN section has gone from strength to strength under the leadership of an excellent U6 group of NCOs. After a successful initial training programme for new recruits last term, a record 40 cadets elected to join the section and they are now nearing completion of their ABs qualification and Naval Proficiency. As a new initiative this year we are offering a Bronze Medallion Lifesaving course in the summer and in preparation for this, and the D of E scheme expedition, cadets are working on a First Aid course delivered by Mr Wybrow. We were also fortunate to have a presentation from Squadron Leader Scott on the Joint Services Expedition to Makalu, the 5th highest mountain in the world. Field Day saw the new recruits completing a round robin of training tasks on Woodbury common, while trying to avoid becoming embroiled in a shootout which was part of a marines exercise. The remainder proved themselves capable of high quality micro navigation and quite extraordinary gourmet cooking on Dartmoor.
On 14 February Dr Wilson took ten M5 RAF cadets flying in a Grob Tutor at RAF Colerne.
Mr Harris represented the school at the Cadet 150 static display in the presence of HM The Queen at Wyvern Barracks. A number of our leading CCF cadets were in attendance or involved in displays.
| DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD |
The Spring Term is the quiet season for DofE because no expeditions are allowed, however, we are busy planning for the summer. In particular, the summer Field Day will see DofE’s biggest expedition push ever with 9 individual groups (60 pupils) doing Silver and Gold practice expeditions in the local area and on Dartmoor. We are also planning another exciting Gold Expedition this summer to Morocco with two U6 teams and three L6 teams. The Silver group will complete their expedition on Exmoor.
| CHAPEL |
Chapel has benefited recently from the installation of two new plaques (in memory of OEs Jack Sadler and Keith Mackay) and the re-covering of pew cushions. The “Springboard” groups in Chapel now number four, all meeting over morning break times rather than lunchtimes as before: Junior (3rd, 4th, L5), Micro (4th, L5), Ultimate (M5, U5) and Sixth Form. Sixth Formers are also helping to run the Junior group. Numbers average around 55-65 across the groups. There is also a Tuesday early morning prayer meeting for Sixth Formers and staff, which widens to a more extensive prayer breakfast twice or three times a term. Chapel Radio has been slow to get off the ground this year, but a broader team has been established, and regular work is being done.
| ESPA |
The ESPA quiz was a big success on Friday 12 March, with 43 tables, including plenty of colleagues. Many thanks to the organizers Dr Morris, Dr and Dr Gilbert and Dr and Mrs Van de Noort and to Mr Mason and Mr Fawkes for running the South Africa tour squad’s involvement in serving and marking at the quiz.
THE ESPA committee warmly invites all parents to the Summer Pimms Party at the Cricket Pavilion on Friday 2nd July from 6.30pm. More details to follow.
| CHARITIES |
Following a request from pupils an additional mufti day (which involved cake sales and coin laying in the Chapel) was held in aid of the Haiti Relief Fund and Shelterbox. We welcomed Mr Baker from Shelter Box to Assembly to give an important presentation and to receive the school’s cheque £1564.89 in support of the organization’s work. The main thrust in the next few months is to raise funds and awareness for the work of CLIC and Hospiscare and effort in the summer term will be directed overseas to schemes in Ladakh and South Africa. As part of our charitable fundraising and Sport Relief effort, the Sixth Form girls played a rugby match on 19 March. The U6 narrowly defeated the L6.
| STAFFING |
Mr Strugnell leaves the staff at the end of the term. He has taught English here for 10½ years and has contributed to the development of creative writing whilst achieving some excellent public examination results. He will be remembered for his involvement in the direction of a number of wonderful drama productions including The Tangled Web, Anything Goes, The Wedding, The Crime of the Ancient Mariner, The Blue Planet, Exetera!, Bilbo and the Beast, Bugsy Malone. He will be succeeded by Miss Hartill, who joins the staff from Mullion School in Cornwall. I am very grateful to Mrs Scott, who has worked for my office in School House for 4 terms during Mrs Brook’s maternity leave.
| OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST |
The annual matches took place against the Old Exonian teams. The girls won the morning netball match 17-13; in the afternoon a mixed OE team led by Sarah Williams and Signe Hulbert beat our girls 5-2 and our boys beat the OE men 4-3.
The annual Oxford Old Exonian dinner took place at St Hugh’s College on Friday 12 February.
Can I please draw your attention to the school’s revised Anti-Bullying and Child Protection Policies? These appear in “Policies” on the “About Us” section of the school web site and have been updated in line with new safeguarding regulations.
The Founders’ Day Service will be held in Exeter Cathedral on Wednesday 21 April at 2.15 and our preacher will be The Right Reverend Robert Evens, The Bishop of Crediton. The whole school and staff will attend and parents are most welcome to join us.
I am sure that you will have read in the press about the dangers of the substance mephedrone, which has been misused by young people recently, with tragic effects. Some useful information for parents and children is available on the web site www.talktofrank.com under the A-Z of Drugs page; the site also has a section about the risks of “legal highs”. Please be assured that we will not tolerate substance abuse of any kind and we continue to educate against it.
May I wish you and your families a very Happy Easter?
Bob Griffin
March 2010
