The Breconian - Lent 2026

Editor’s Note

It is my pleasure to share with you this Lent term edition of The Breconian.

This issue aims to capture the spirit of competition at our school. From the roar on the sidelines of fiercely contested house and team matches, to the harmony of voices and instruments in artistic showcases, this term has been a celebration of talent in all its forms.

Within these pages, some of the features you will find include musical talent on the stage and in the community, outdoor adventure and challenges, national sporting success and outstanding individual achievements.

I hope that these pages capture the dedication, passion and excellence that have characterised all areas of our school life this term.

I am delighted to present this issue to you, and my sincere thanks to all who have contributed, whose dedication and insights have made this paper full of inspiring content.

I look forward to the opportunities and success that the term ahead will bring.

LENT

2026

A Celebration of Creative Arts

On Wednesday 25th March, a new initiative took place with a gathering of all those who contribute to the wider creative life here at Christ College, in the form of a Creative Arts Appreciation Evening.

Held in the Neuadd, the Art, Drama, Music and Photography departments came together to celebrate success, determination and talent, with short speeches, performances and displays, and then a delicious meal and ‘social’ to round off a very happy evening.

Drama

House Speech and Drama

The Lent term has been an exciting one for Drama, beginning with the vibrant House Speech and Drama Competition at the end of half term, where pupils in Year 9 to Year 13 showcased exceptional talent before School House were crowned champions.

We were delighted to welcome adjudicator Rebecca Hodson, Acting Coach at Perform Ready and Talent Agent at AKT Management, whose national work across film, television, theatre and stage made her insights invaluable.

Appreciation Evening

As you will have already read, this term also marks our first Creative Arts Appreciation Evening, bringing together Drama, Music, Art and Photography to celebrate a successful year of creativity and accomplishment.

Perform Ready Showcase

Lottie, Tomos and Keira also had the remarkable opportunity to perform at the ICC Wales on Sunday 8th March as part of Perform Ready’s renowned showcase, attended by casting agents and talent scouts actively seeking emerging talent.

Alongside these achievements, our Drama department has been a hive of activity with pupils preparing for LAMDA examinations, GCSE scripted and devised performances, and BTEC devised work.

Creative Arts Showcase

Our Creative Arts Showcase was held on Friday 20th March, which celebrated LAMDA pieces, drama school monologues and work created during the post 4pm programme and Saturday sessions. The evening was presented in a cabaret-style for family and friends to attend.

Harrison performed ‘Money’ from Cabaret.

"Creativity is contagious, pass it on." - Albert Einstein

Art Portrait Workshop

House Art Competition

Well done to all our artists and photographers, who took part in this year’s House Art competition, they have much to be proud of.

Our thanks to gallery curator, Suzette Pratten (who runs the Oriel Cric in Crickhowell) for judging the competition. She was impressed by the variety and imagination of the work and the evident commitment that went into it’s creation.

Congratulations to Donaldson’s house, who were overall winners of the competition, with de Winton house coming a close second (and winning the best display). Congratulations also to Alway house, who won a long list of prizes and were given much praise by the judge.

This term, pupils in Year 10 and Year 12 had a fantastic portrait painting workshop with renowned local artist and printmaker Lee Wright.

Lee works and teaches in his studios near Crickhowell. He was a most inspiring teacher and shared his techniques and approach to portrait painting with the pupils, using a limited ‘zorn’ palette (inspired by the artist Anders Zorn) and focusing on composition, tonal values and colour mixing.

Pupils were totally immersed in exploring and experimenting, and under Lee’s expert guidance they all produced an impressive portrait painting in acrylics. Lee emphasised the building blocks of painting - skills that the pupils can take forward to any theme of artwork that they do in the future.

Fused Glass Workshop

We were delighted to have local glass artist Sue Thorne in the art department on 12th March, working with our year 10 and year 12 pupils.

They had a full day designing and making fused glass panels which will make fabulous additions to their coursework projects. Pupils were excited to have a vibrant range of glass to choose from and they were able to get lots of hand on experience in making their pieces, experimenting with light and colour.

Sue inspired us all with the wonderful examples of her beautiful landscape glasswork which she brought to show us. It was a very successful day and the pupils all made imaginative and impressive compositions.

We are very fortunate at Christ College to have a fully equipped glass studio and specialist glass kiln. Mrs Houghton will guide pupils in the next stage of the project, adding the detail and tones in black Reusche glass paint before the glass goes in for two further firings.

Lunchtime Concerts Take Centre Stage

Since January, our regular programme of weekly lunchtime concerts has continued to provide an opportunity for individual and group performances in front of a small and friendly audience. We have started to ‘theme’ some of these concerts, with the first being for woodwind instruments, and another for percussion.

Another new initiative took place this term, with CCB musicians entertaining those gathered at the St Mary’s Church Community Cafe for a short lunchtime concert. For this inaugural event, our Senior Piano Trio (Kurumi, Moriaki and Mr Alan Davies) performed some beautiful music by Frank Bridge. Our aim is to hold a lunchtime concert at St Mary’s once a month during term time, supporting this beautiful and welcoming church at the very heart of our local community.

Kurumi and Moriaki performing at St Mary’s Church with Mr Davies.

Prep School Eisteddfod

Following on from this, only two days later, was the Prep School Eisteddfod, where the three houses, Wye, Taff and Usk, performed songs together and several instrumental soloists were chosen from preliminary rounds to compete in the final on the day. A full report on this is to be found in the Prep School section!

A Level Showcase and Festival Succes

Four of our A Level music students gathered for a formal evening of performance in the Neuadd, with their parents and friends invited. This was a new initiative, designed to provide a suitable focus for this significant part of their A Level course, accounting for 30% of the total marks. They all performed beautifully, with several pieces taken from the Musician of the Year competition, as well as some new repertoire also being heard.

The very next day, one of those musicians, Roshan (Y12 SCH), was singing in the final of the Brecon Choral Festival Solo Singing Competition, where he distinguished himself alongside some very tough competition drawn from across South Wales.

Musician of the Year: A Night of Excellence

Thank you to our adjudicator, Anthony Merryweather, Director of Music at City of London

The annual Musician of the Year Competition took place on 27th February, again generously supported by Old Breconian W. Hugh Phillips JP, FCOptom. The adjudicator, Anthony Merryweather, Director of Music at the City of London Freemen’s School, was very impressed with all our performers, awarding first prize for the Instrumentalist of the Year to Kurumi (Violin Y13 DON) and Singer of the Year to Roshan (Y12 SCH), with Kurumi winning this for the third time, and Roshan for the second time! Runners Up in the instrumental competition were, in second place, Moriaki (Piano Y13 SCH) and in third place, Bella (Cornet Y12 DEW).

In the singing competition, in second place was Louisa (Y13 DON), and in third place, Summer (Y11 DEW). There was again a ‘Rising Star’ award, kindly donated by Mr David Grant, this year awarded to Megan (Y12 DEW) for her singing and to Ferdie (Y11 ORC) for his electric guitar performance. This year, we decided to make this evening a ‘black tie’ event, which went down very well indeed, and resulted in some lovely post-concert photo opportunities!

Creative Arts Showcase

The Creative Arts Showcase, a collaboration between Music and Drama departments, took place on Friday 20th March. The audience enjoyed performances from several of our musical ensembles, including percussion, guitars, woodwind, and the invitational Film Orchestra, which traditionally meets this term to prepare music from famous film soundtracks. The String Orchestra will perform in the summer term, with the Chamber Choir and Senior Piano Trio.

Choirs in Harmony

And finally, the Prep School Choir (Years 5-8) and Junior Choir (Years 3-6) sang at Theatr Brycheiniog on Thursday 26th March, performing alongside the Band of the Prince of Wales as their special guests at their annual concert. One of our senior musicians, Bella (Y12 DEW) was also invited to perform with the band as their guest, having hugely impressed them last year with her cornet playing ability, but due to her involvment in the girls rugby Rosslyn Park Sevens team, she was unable to perform this year.

There was no Chapel Choir tour this year, as we operate this on a biennial basis, though both this group and the Prep School Choir have been busy rehearsing weekly to lead the singing in services, with a Confirmation service also taking place in the first half of the term.

Clementine Lovell Trio

On Thursday 7th May, we will be welcoming back Old Breconian, Clementine Lovell to CCB, who will be joined by virtuoso fiddle player, Duncan Menzies and multi-instrumentalist, Gergely Nagy on percussion, guitar and synth.

Tickets are now available to book online on TicketSource

TRIO

A voice that “resonates and shimmers” (Americana UK)

07 May

Y Neuadd Gof f a Christ College Brecon 6:30pm

A Note of Thanks

I would like to thank all members of the Music Department staff, including Mr Cooper and our 10-strong team of visiting instrumental and singing teachers, who do so much to support our pupils.

Mr Grant and his Tech team are also always working behind the scenes to ensure that concerts run smoothly andlook and sound great.

Thank you also to all those people, parents, staff and other pupils, who come to support, whether that be for our lunchtime concerts, or other events on site or further afield.

Prep School Giving Day

On Thursday 29th and Friday 30th January, we celebrated this year’s Christ College Giving Day. Pupils in Years 2 to 6 took part in the 1541 Litter Pick, with the ambitious goal of collecting 1,541 pieces of litter.

Impressively, the children far exceeded this target through their hard work and enthusiasm. They represented the school brilliantly, with many members of the public stopping to praise them for their efforts and community spirit.

Sport

It has been a fantastic term for sport at Christ College, with plenty of action across netball, football and boys’ hockey. Our teams competed in fixtures against schools including Moor Park, Monmouth, Hereford Cathedral and The Downs, Malvern.

Our Prep School Girls’ Cricket team has enjoyed remarkable success, winning two rounds of the Indoor Cricket Championship and earning a place in the South Wales final in Cardiff.

Several pupils also represented the school at the Powys Cross Country in Newtown. Congratulations to Phoebe, Oliver and Carson, who then progressed to represent Powys at the National Championship.

Adding to the celebrations, our Under-12 boys’ hockey team remained undefeated at the Regional Qualifier in Swansea on Tuesday 10th March - an outstanding achievement!

Continuing the theme of this significant number, Years 7 and 8 also took part in the ‘154.1 PE Challenge’, where they worked together to walk a combined total of 154.1 miles during their PE lessons. We are delighted to say that they successfully achieved their target!

Away from the challenges, we also held a collection for Brecon Foodbank and organised a Prep School cake sale. We are delighted to share that the Prep School collected the greatest amount of food in the competition, and the cake sale alone raised a fantastic £181.00.

Trips

Years 2, 3 and 4 spent the day with The Canal Trust, exploring the history and mechanics of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.

Years 7 and 8 had an enjoyable visit to Bristol’s Old Vic Theatre to watch Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A great opportunity to see the play brought to life on stage!

Author Visit

We loved welcoming author and Old Breconian, Dan Tambling, for a two-day writing workshop. Our pupils were excited to start reading his new releases Chicken Day and Test Day in the weeks that followed. It was a hugely inspiring visit for all of us!

House Speech & Drama

We held our Prep School House Speech and Drama Competition this term. Congratulations to Team Usk ! It was another fantastic opportunity for our pupils to perform and showcase the incredible talent across CCB!

Thank you to Mrs Richards and our Sixth Form pupils for helping to judge the competition.

Eisteddfod

Our annual Eisteddfod took place on Monday 2ndMarch, with pupils proudly dressed in Welsh attire. The Neuadd was a sea of red, filled with rugby shirts, dragons and traditional costumes, and the atmosphere was electric. Each house, Taf, Usk, and Wye, enjoyed tremendous support as children sang, recited and performed with enthusiasm.

The morning ended with our House Song event, which this year, was judged by our Senior Music students. After much excitement, Usk won for Years 1–6, Wye triumphed in Years 7 & 8, and Wye proudly claimed the overall Eisteddfod crown!

Band of the Prince of Wales Concert

On 26th March, for the fourth consecutive year, we were honoured to perform at the Band of the Prince of Wales Concert. This year’s concert, A Celtic Celebration, featured performances from both our Prep School Choir and Junior Choir. It was a truly memorable and magnificent occasion for all involved.

Environmental

“Since becoming the Environmental Prefect, I have worked closely with establish a framework for future environmental endeavours.

This started with thinking about what our ‘Forest School’, the area of the aspirational goal is to be worked towards starting this year by incorporating

Take a look at the wonderful design below, illustrating just one idea of what the months ahead to come up with a plan that is manageable for our staff

Environmental Endeavours

with Reverend Richard Wootten, and Martin Draper of On the Verge, Talgarth to the school’s grounds beyond the sports pitches, could look like in the future. This incorporating more eco-based activities for Alway and St Nicks.” - Harrison, Year 13

what the area could look like in the future. We will be brainstorming more ideas in staff and pupils to maintain and enjoy.

Development and Foundation

Giving Day 2026

At the end of January, we held our third Giving Day with the aim of raising money to support four key funds: CCB Foundation, Giving Back Fund, Chapel and Heritage Fund and the Pupil Opportunity Fund. We have raised an amazing total of £33,458 thanks to the generosity of our 170 donors.

During the day, pupils from St. Nicholas House took part in a litter pick and collected well over 1,541 pieces of litter in the local area. Pupils in year 7 and 8 also walked, ran, rowed and cycled for a combined 154.1 miles during a single PE lesson. The Prep School also held a cake sale to raise money for the Foundation.

Additionally, we have secured the necessary funding to install air conditioning in the Neuadd which was the focus of the Pupil Opportunity Fund this year. The much-needed installation of Air Conditioning will greatly enhance the experience for all.

Furthermore, the success of Giving Day 2026 enables us to support even more Scholarships and Bursaries, continue to invest in key school facilities and undertake essential work on historic school buildings, preserving them for future generations.

Mountain Challenge

Join us for the Christ College Brecon Mountain Challenge on Saturday 6th June!

Get ready to challenge yourself in the beautiful Brecon Beacons, whilst raising awareness and funds for Brecon Mountain Rescue Team and the Christ College Brecon Foundation.

Take on the 10,13 or 26 mile route, grab your friends, get outdoors and get those steps in!

Our thanks to Velocity Fitness and Pearce Transport for sponsoring this year’s event!

We were also able to help the local community with a collection for the local Brecon Foodbank which amounted to 240kgs of much needed items.

Our third Giving Day has built upon the successes of 2023 and 2024, we hope to make Giving Day in June 2027 even bigger! #GivingDay2026

A Tale From The Archive

Big School - the mystery solved!

For many, the library’s ‘new’ name—Big School—may seem something of a mystery, but it carries a surprisingly long and meaningful history.

The Big School building was constructed in 1881 to provide the additional teaching space needed for a school that was rapidly expanding under the leadership of Revd Daniel Lewis Lloyd (Headmaster 1879-1890). There were four classrooms on the ground floor, and more teaching and learning space on the upper floor.

At the top of the new staircase on the left (now the Middle School Hub common room) was a brand-new science laboratory and lecture room. Impressively, the science facilities built in 1881 were among the first purpose-built school science facilities in all of England and Wales.

On the right was the big schoolroom, most often known as “Big School”, where boys did their evening Prep. In common with other similar schools, the arrangement was a remarkable example of economy in terms of heating and lighting – and only one master was required to supervise the roomful of boys.

Taking advantage of the large open pace, school assemblies, concerts and Prize days were held there. It was also used for exam, slide projector shows, and dramatic productions until the Memorial Hall (now the Neuadd) was built in 1955.

In 1957, the Big Schoolroom was converted into classrooms and a library, which was furnished with bays of oak bookshelves and the oak tables that are still in use on the mezzanine today.

The layout remained unchanged until a major refurbishment in 1997/98. The classroom walls were removed to reopen the space and create the Kendrick Edwards Library. At the same time, a new mezzanine (now the R J Boulton Archive Room) was added, with teaching and study space beneath it.

Carefully crafted to complement the building’s original features, the relatively new mezzanine blends so seamlessly that it looks as if it has always been part of the original structure. The more distinctly modern glazed area (now the Hub study area) was created as the school’s first IT classroom.

Since its more recent refurbishment in 2023, the room now brings together the traditionally furnished mezzanine and exhibition space with a spacious teaching and learning area that can be configured flexibly for study, lectures, meetings, concerts, or examinations.

Although current teaching methods today differ greatly from the pedagogy of the 19th and 20th centuries, the ways in which Big School was originally used and how it functions now are more similar than might first appear.

In its new life as a flexible learning space, Big School revives elements of its original purpose, while the revival of its original name celebrates the continuity and the change that have shaped the school’s story.

To find out more visit Objects 12 and 15 in the 1541 Exhibition:

https://ccbcommunity.co.uk/pages/object-12-postcard-big-school

https://ccbcommunity.co.uk/pages/object-15-pendarts

Rugby Sport

Sport in the Lent term is like an 800m race; fast, furious and has a lot going on.

We have seen boys' and girls' hockey, rugby 15s, rugby 7s, netball, and boy's football. We have also had indoor cricket tournaments running throughout the term. We have also launched our Aspirational Pupil Pathway for pupils in year 7 to year 13, this should help support the development of our aspirational sporting pupils, where we can truly say we ‘grow our own’.

To fit everything in this term often involves Sunday competitions alongside regular Saturday and mid-week fixtures, which makes for some very busy pupils and staff. The slight irony of this term is that the more success we have, the busier we become as more competition rounds are added in. It is incredibly noteworthy that the level of competition we are attaining for the size of school we are – where we are competing against (and often beating!) schools who are two, three, or four times our size.

The approach from the CCB pupils to see these types of schools as an opportunity to face and to rise to the challenge is hugely impressive and is a rare trait amongst small schools.

I hope you enjoy reading about all sports across the school. I have certainly enjoyed seeing them firsthand this term.

Sam Hewick Director of Sport

A strong start to the year

Since the start of the calendar year, rugby at Christ College Brecon has continued to produce strong performances across both the XV's and Sevens programmes. The teams have shown encouraging development, with several notable wins and competitive fixtures against strong opposition.

Sevens success

In Rugby Sevens, the teams have enjoyed a positive run of form, including an impressive victory at the Collegiate 7’s tournament, highlighting the team’s attacking ability and improving cohesion in the shortened format. Performances in tournament play and festival fixtures have shown good depth within the squad, with younger age groups also gaining valuable experience and demonstrating some very good performances through competitive fixtures.

Testing ourselves in the XV game

The XV-a-side programme has continued to provide competitive matches throughout the term, with several strong performances across the senior and junior teams. Fixtures against schools such as Harrow and Hereford sixth form college have provided challenging opposition and opportunities for players to test themselves in structured match environments. These games have allowed the squad to build continuity in attack and defensive organisation as the season progresses.

Overall, the rugby programme since January has been marked by strong effort, key wins in Sevens competition, and continued development across the XV squads. With further fixtures and tournaments still to come, the focus remains on building momentum and continuing to improve performances across both formats.

Netball

This term has been another really positive one for netball at Christ College, with some excellent performances across the age groups and a number of girls achieving well-deserved individual success.

A historic win for the U13s

A particular highlight came from our U13s, who recorded a fantastic win over Haberdashers’ Monmouth — their first victory against them in nearly a decade. The girls showed great determination and teamwork throughout the match, and this result is a brilliant reflection of the progress they have made.

League experience for years 9 and 10

Our Year 9 and Year 10 teams have also been competing in a league against local schools. Both squads have produced several encouraging performances and have continued to grow in confidence and cohesion as the term has gone on. Their commitment in training has been evident in the way they have approached each fixture.

1st VII on the tournament stage

The 1st VII have had valuable opportunities too, taking part in 7s tournaments at Bristol Grammar School and Collegiate. These fastpaced competitions provided excellent experience early in the year, and the girls represented the school brilliantly, showing resilience and adaptability against strong opposition.

U19s compete for National Finals

The U19 squad also competed in their playoff fixture this term, but unfortunately were unable to secure the win needed to progress to the National Finals. Despite the result, the girls played with real determination and should be proud of their efforts throughout the campaign.

County success and representative honours

We are also incredibly proud of the girls who were selected for county and went on to make the final 12, competing at Intercounties — a superb achievement and deserved recognition of their hard work:

U16: Izzy, Zara, Tallulah and Anna U14: Aurora, Angharad and Freya

These achievements highlight the dedication shown by our players and coaches, and it has been great to see such strong commitment across all age groups.

Well done to everyone involved on a very successful term.

Cricket

Indoor season success

The Alway and U15 Girls Cricket teams have had a very successful Indoor winter season. The U13 team won their regional and SE Wales Finals competitions without losing a match.

IOn Wednesday 25th March, the U13 team played in the South Wales Final at Sofia Gardens in Cardiff. This is the first time we have reached the South Wales finals and the girls finished as runners up, after winning 2 and losing 1 game. Well done girls!

The U15 team have also won their regional tournament and play in the regional final on Wednesday 11th March. Well done to both teams.

Preparing for a busy summer

All the Cricket squads have been busy training and preparing for the forthcoming summer 2026 season, we have over 100 fixtures planned for the summer term. We are looking forward to taking a boys and girls Cricket team on tour to Sri Lanka in October half term.

We are also planning to 'live stream' one Cricket match every Wednesday and Saturday on YouTube in the summer. The matches will be free for anyone to watch.

Hockey

The Lent Term has been another exciting and successful period for hockey at Christ College Brecon, with strong performances across both the boys’ and girls’ programmes and continued growth throughout the age groups.

Back to back National Champions

The highlight of the term came from the 1st XI Boys, who successfully retained their title at the U18 National Schools’ Hockey Championships, winning the competition back-to-back. Their achievement is a testament to the hard work, discipline and commitment shown by the entire squad throughout the season, particularly during a year where the boys’ fixture list was more limited than usual. Despite the reduced schedule, the attitude and dedication of the players never wavered, allowing them to maintain high standards and deliver when it mattered most.

1st XI girls shine on the National stage

The 1st XI Girls also enjoyed an outstanding campaign, finishing 3rd at the National Schools’ Championship Finals. Their run ended in a tightly contested match against the eventual champions, highlighting both the quality and resilience of the squad against the very best school sides in the country. We are extremely proud of what they have accomplished this year.

Further down the programme, the U16 Girls performed exceptionally well to qualify for the National Finals. With a relatively young squad, the group has shown great promise and continues to build valuable experience that bodes well for the future of girls’ hockey at the school.

Junior teams represent with pride

At junior level, both the U12 and U14 Girls and the U14 Boys represented the school with pride at their respective Regional Schools’ Hockey Finals, gaining important competitive experience to couple with the skills they've developed throughout the Term. Meanwhile, the U12 Boys achieved qualification in their National Finals with some very promising displays, both individually and as a team. They will be competing at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff and we are excited to see how far they can go. Best of luck boys!

Success on the Performance Pathway

Hockey at Christ College Brecon continues to benefit from excellent representation within the regional pathway. This season saw 27 pupils selected for their respective county programmes, with the majority competing at the County Championships during February half term, 13 of whom have been chosen to progress to the Regional Development Squad! This is a great accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud of all those who have committed their time and effort to self-improvement in the hopes of representing Wales at age group level. We are also delighted to have pupils nominated to attend the U13 South Wales Dragons trials. We wish them the very best of luck as they look to secure places within the programme.

A special mention must go to Tilly, who has been selected for the Welsh U18–21 Emerging Squad. This is a fantastic achievement and an important step in her development as she works towards selection for Wales at the Women’s Junior Hockey World Cup. We wish Tilly all the best as she strives to achieve her dreams of playing at the highest levels of the game.

Cross Country

Cross country continued to feature prominently in the sporting calendar during the Lent Term with the House competition in January, followed by the Powys Schools Championships in Newtown and the Welsh Schools Championships, held in Brecon.

After a postponement owing to icy surfaces, the House competition went ahead in wintry conditions but that did not stop pupils turning out in numbers to gain important participation points for their Houses. It was a joy to see runners of all ages battle hard against the elements on the low level route with their House flags waving in support as they crossed the line under the H-Bush to receive their finisher's token.

Congratulations to Izzy, Will, Anna, Wilf, Phoebe and Oliver for coming first in the age divisions.

While they were navigating laps of the school perimeter, 30 senior pupils took on the elite race - the

Football

As our first ever whole-school football season draws to a close, it’s been a fantastic year of growth, competition, and achievement across all age groups. A total of 26 fixtures have been played, giving pupils more opportunities than ever to represent the school and develop their skills on the pitch.

A strong start to the season

The 1st XI have enjoyed a strong campaign, securing impressive victories over Brecon High, Haberdashers’ Monmouth, Hereford Cathedral School, and Hereford Sixth Form College. Their performances have set a brilliant example for the younger teams coming through.

annual running of the DRG. An established challenge now in its fourth year, runners ascend the rocky Cefn Cantref climb and return to the school grounds via a multi-terrain loop including a steep descent. There were a number of fallers this year, thankfully on very soft ground, but every participant brave enough to take on the challenge - including the ever-present DRG himself - finished the 6.5km route in one piece!

Congratulations to both Will and Sally who earned their DRG ties and their name up on the honours board for the 2026 event.

Progress for the U14s

Across the lower age groups, progress has been clear to see. The Under-14B team, in particular, finished their season on a high with a superb win that showcased just how far they’ve come.

With this year’s success as our foundation, we’re already looking ahead. More fixtures, more training opportunities, and even greater participation are planned for next season.

The future of football at the school is looking very bright.

On to the Powys Schools in Newtown, where CCB showed up in strength. On a beautiful winter's day, a total of 6 runners finished in the qualifying positions to take them forward into the Welsh Champs. Will, Anna, Belle, Carson, Phoebe and Oliver collected their Powys vests and locked in for the chance to represent their county.

Congratulations to them all for battling it out against the very best runners in the country. A special mention must go to Anna who was placed 12th and narrowly missed out on a chance to run for Wales. She did, however, get the chance to represent east Wales in early March at a UK Athletics event in Nottingham. Such a valuable experience will undoubtedly have spurred Anna on to continue enjoying her running and inspiring others along the way.

DRG

Academic News Theatre Trip: Macbeth

Senior Essay Society

The Senior Essay Society convened earlier in the term to hear two superb papers delivered by Roshan and Seniru.

Roshan explored the ethical dilemmas surrounding peaceful protest and drew on a number of relevant case studies to explore the issues involved. Seniru presented a section of his prize winning essay analysing the benefits of MRNA immunotherapy to combat cancer cells.

Well done to you both and thanks to the wider group for such reflective, well-informed discussion. Many thanks also to Society co-chair Freddie for his high quality chairing throughout!

Before the end of term, the Sixth Form group met to hear an excellent paper delivered by Mabli.

Mabli explored the role of individuals and society in causing historical change and drew on the example of the suffrage movement in Britain to emphasise her thoughtful judgement.

The group engaged in wide ranging discussion before congratulating Sophie and Freddie on their expert chairing of the Society this year ahead of handing over the reins to the Lower Sixth next term during study leave. Well done to all!

Junior Essay Society

Mr Pearson led an engaging seminar for our Junior Essay Society members in Years 9-11.

Exploring the current controversies surrounding Greenland, Mr Pearson challenged the pupils to consider a range of perspectives and diplomatic issues. The pupils delivered eloquent and well considered presentations considering the issue from a range of national viewpoints.

Well done to all those who attended and for engaging with current affairs so thoughtfully - a great example of enrichment beyond the classroom!

At the end of February, Year 11 travelled to the Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol to experience a bold new production of Macbeth.

From the very first moment, the production established an eerie, unsettling atmosphere, with the witches’ prophecies drifting in as ethereal whispers from speakers positioned behind the audience. What followed was a lean, fast moving interpretation, punctuated by bursts of elemental, ritualistic dance. The in the round staging made the experience even more gripping, placing pupils just inches from the actors.

The battle sequences were particularly thrilling, with staff swords clashing alarmingly close to the front row, while Macbeth himself chose to sit next to a rather uncomfortable Dr Evans to deliver one of his final soliloquies.

Year 11 were especially impressed by the creativity of the ensemble cast: with only ten performers, the production made inventive use of doubling and tripling roles to bring the world of the play to life. One of the most memorable surprises came during the banquet scene, when the Macbeths performed a haunting musical rendition of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29.

The trip proved not only exciting and immersive but also valuable revision as pupils prepare to sit their English Literature examination in May. They returned energised and full of ideas to explore back in the classroom.

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair”

Japan Mathematical Olympiad

Hiroto met with Mr Pearson to receive his congratulations following confirmation of his performance in the recent round of the Japan Mathematical Olympiad. Remarkably, Hiroto placed 170th out of over 4,500 participants!

Whilst this placement did not meet the level required for the final selection camp Hiroto can be justifiably proud of such high level performance in the Olympiad.

In addition to his Mathematical prowess, Hiroto has also participated in the Japan Linguistics Olympiad and has been selected as a member of the Japan team for the Asia-Pacific Linguistics Olympiad held in March. Quite the feat!

Well done and many congratulations to Hiroto on such an impressive range of achievements undertaken in his year with us at Christ College!

Thriving Minds Conference: Oxford

Our Lower Sixth pupils enjoyed a day of considering big ideas and making connections across disciplines at a fantastic AC Learning conference in Oxford.

We were asked to think about Plato’s virtues, consider Aristotle’s concept of courage and see the power of music on the brain. A final talk advocated the quality of slow thinking for both teachers and pupils.

A walk around the city with an obligatory visit to the Bodleian and Blackwells were a fitting end to a day of stretch and challenge.

Oxford Medical School Gazette

Congratulations to Seniru on receiving the impressive news that his entry into this year’s Oxford Medical School Gazette essay competition was one of five Highly Commended entries.

Seniru wrote an eloquent, analytical response to this year’s topic challenging entrants to explore what the most important medical breakthrough of their lifetime will be.

Seniru’s entry was one of the strongest five nationally and recognised by the Oxford judges for its levels of research and overall quality.

This is a superb example of our pupils actively seeking opportunities beyond their Sixth Form courses to explore their academic passions and areas of personal interest.

University Offers

Congratulations to our U6th pupils who have received offers for their chosen university courses through the UCAS application process.

We are pleased to celebrate particular success in Medicine, Engineering, Architechture, English Literature and Modern Languages. Offers received amongst others from Imperial College, Bristol, Manchester, Exeter, Warwick, Bath, UCL and Edinburgh.

Combined Cadet Force

House Drill Competition

As usual, the first part of the Lent term saw the cadets preparing for this year’s eagerly anticipated House Drill Competition. As the day of the competition drew closer, it became a common sight to see groups of pupils spending their lunchtimes and break times marching around the school in all weathers. After some last-minute ironing of uniforms and polishing of shoes, the day of the competition arrived.

This year we welcomed Sqn Ldr Lynne Maitland, the RFCA Schools Cadet Engagement Officer, as our guest judge. In front of an appreciative audience of parents, staff and pupils each house was first inspected by Sqn Ldr Maitland, before demonstrating their well-honed drill sequence, which had this year been made a touch trickier with the addition of some new movements. As usual, the final scores were close but de Winton House emerged as the victors this year, whilst Cdt Sgt Sam H picked up the award for the best squad leader.

Exercise Gold Dragon

The week following the Drill Competition saw 21 senior cadets, accompanied by Maj Kerr, Lt Goodrich and Sqn Ldr Cooper, taking part in Exercise Gold Dragon, which took place at the Longtown Outdoor Learning Centre, situated high above Hay-on-Wye in the Black Mountains.

In weather ranging from snow to (almost) clear skies, the cadets took part in a variety of leadership exercises, as well as taking part in a number of confidence-building high-rope challenges.

Exercise Black Dragon

Exercise Black Dragon, a CCF field training exercise undertaken in conjunction with Haberdashers Monmouth CCF was completed by 23 of our intrepid Year 10 and senior cadets!

It is a tough and gruelling overnight event, which involves sleeping in fields, cooking and consuming military operational rations and practicing fieldcraft tactics using blank ammunition and pyrotechnics. Our cadets enjoyed glorious conditions for the time of year on Sennybridge training area, world renowned for its uncompromising climate and terrain.

One of the highlights of the exercise was the night patrol, led by Ollie, which moved stealthily (lit only by the waning moon) across the training area on the lookout for ‘enemy patrols’ in order to maintain the security of the patrol base.

Very well done to all involved particularly Talullah and Grace, for whom this was their first overnight field exercise with Christ College CCF. Also a big thank you to the CCF staff who once again so ably supported this challenging and rewarding event for our cadets.

CCB Adventure

Climbing to Success

The new year adventures began with the Wednesday programme concentrating on our climbers. We now have an established team of competent climbers and some new starters, the majority of whom took part in the annual House Climbing competition in January.

The competition continues to grow in climbers’ skill levels and a fiercely competitive round of climbing and bouldering saw Orchard House for the boys and de Winton House for the girls emerge as victorious.

Axel completed his speed climb in 5.4 secs - outstanding! Last year’s champ (and favourite- Nick), made a slight error in reaching for his penultimate hand hold and thus was the difference, which saw Axel win the top boy climber and an excellent performance all round saw Anna crowned as champion for the girls!

Saturday Adventures Return

The Saturday adventure programme began at the end of February, challenging our pupils with a variety of awesome activities. Groups of pupils paddled the River Usk, walked the Beacons and solved new bouldering and climbing problems set by the Llangorse Climbing Centre staff. The programme continues, with our Year 9 pupils engaging in challenging and enjoyable outdoor activities each Saturday.

Midweek Outdoor

Opportunities

Wednesday adventure is also back in the programme with Mr Francis running his MTB club, hillwalkers taking to the local hills and Mr H developing our paddlers skills at The Prom. Lots on offer for our budding adventurers as we see the conditions becoming a little more favourable for our outdoor activities.

Give to Gain

Celebrating International Women’s Day

On Sunday 8th March, we celebrated International Women’s Day. A day to celebrate all the important women in our lives, family friends, and women we aspire to, we also thought about the very first young women who walked through our doors and helped to shape the vibrant, inclusive school community we are proud of today. Their courage to step forward and show their talent and determination, paved the way for generations to gain opportunity, confidence and belonging at Christ College.

From the classroom to the stage, from the science lab to the sports field, from leadership roles to creative arts, our pupils continue to enjoy the incredible variety of activities available to them.

In the year we celebrate 40 years of co-education, we reflect on the progress, possibilities and the legacy of those pioneers who began our co-educational journey all those years ago.

To the trailblazers who said ‘yes’ when it mattered most - thank you. Because you gave, so many others continue to gain.

An Editor’s Perspective

A story of co-education,

written by Ella

It’s hard to imagine our school as anything other than what it is now, fully co-educational, balanced, and inclusive. And yet, not that long ago, it was something completely different. Learning about that shift has revealed a story in which courage and adaption have allowed something once quite radical to become our normal.

One of the most striking discoveries for us was how recent the change really happened, with co-education only beginning 40 years ago, something many of us assumed had happened much earlier. As one pupil mentioned “It feels like it must have been ages ago, but it really wasn’t.” That sense of closeness makes the story feel less like distant history and more like something that still shapes the school life we experience every day.

Even more surprising was how it all began: not with a large intake of girls, but with just one. The idea of a single girl joining a school that had been boys only for more than 400 years feels almost unimaginable now. And yet, that’s exactly how it started. What stands out isn’t just the imbalance, but the confidence it must have taken to take that first step. It’s hard not to admire that level of bravery, walking into a completely different environment and knowing you’re making history. As many reflected in our tutor groups following the co-education assembly, it was “extraordinary that it began with only one girl”.

While it would be easy to assume that there was widespread resistance or tension from the boys, many accounts suggest otherwise. In fact, “most of the boys were accepting” and some even noted “how kind and welcoming the boys were”. That doesn’t mean the process was effortless, but it does highlight something important: change doesn’t always come through conflict, it can also come through quiet adaptation and mutual respect.

Years later, “there were still small numbers of girls” and it “took so long…to get to 50/50”. But this gradual shift reminds us that while change takes courage, sustaining it takes patience. The school didn’t transform overnight; instead, it evolved step by step, shaped by each new group of pupils who joined and adjusted to an ever-evolving environment.

Looking back over the stories shared so far this year, what feels most striking for me is how normal it all seems now. Today, co-education is simply part of our everyday life, so much so that it’s easy to forget it was ever different. That sense of normality is, in many ways, the greatest success of all. What was once new, uncertain, and even radical has become something we barely question.

Ultimately, the story of co-education at our school isn’t just about numbers or timelines. It’s about the people, those who took the first step, those who adapted, and those who helped shape the environment we benefit so much from today. Their experiences remind us that the school we know now didn’t just happen; it was built through the courage, openness, and a willingness for change.

The summer term will mark the final term of our 40 years of co-education campaign. We hope you have been enjoying the stories that have been shared this year and have learnt more about how Christ College became the thriving co-educational community we are today.

We will continue to share our wonderful school’s history with the return of our #throwbackthursday posts in September. We love receiving your stories, so please do share them with us to help extend our incredible school archive.

Email: archive@christcollegebrecon.com

Summer Adventure Camp

Calling all young explorers, thrill-seekers, and outdoor adventurers: start your summer adventure at Christ College Brecon by registering for our Summer Adventure Camp!

Open to children aged 10-12 and young people aged 13-16, our week-long Summer Camp is packed full of exciting activities, with each day bringing new experiences and unforgettable memories.

It’s all about making friends, challenging yourself, and having an absolute blast! Whether you’re into high-flying ropes courses, surfing the waves, creating cartoons, or music-making, we’ve got something for everyone.

Located at Christ College Brecon, our Summer Adventure Camp is perfectly situated to explore the incredible Brecon Beacons National Park and Gower coastline by day, before relaxing with evening activities back at the cosy boarding house.

Parents, rest assured that your children are in good hands. Our activities are designed to foster teamwork, build confidence, and, most importantly, ensure everyone has fun in the great outdoors.

So, if you’re eager for your children to make lifelong friends, and embark on the adventure of a lifetime, look no further.

Don’t forget to pack your wetsuit, hiking boots, and, of course, marshmallows for cosy nights around the campfire. Get set for an unforgettable summer at Christ College Summer Adventure Camp!

“The camp fire, eating smores, singing and dancig was the best part!”

What Are The Dates?

July Camps:

Camp 1: Monday 6th – Saturday 11th July

Camp 2: Sunday 12th – Friday 17th July

August Camps:

Camp 1: Sunday 2nd – Friday 7th August

Camp 2: Sunday 9th – Friday 14th August

How Much Does It Cost?

Camp Fee: £549

As always, we are offering a 5% sibling discount on subsequent sibling bookings when enrolling more than one child from the same family.

Get In Touch

If you have any questions or would like to know more about our Summer Adventure Camp, please contact Ben, in our Summer Adventure Camp team who will be happy to help.

Call: 01874 615 440

Email: summeradventurecamp@christcollegebrecon.com

In Other School News

A Royal Visit

On 4th March, our staff and pupils were very excited to hear the news that the Royal helicopter would be landing at Christ College ahead of a service at Brecon Cathedral.

We were delighted to see Prince William, Princess Anne and the Duchess of Edinburgh step out of the helicopter once it had landed.

Following the service, they returned to CCB and took some time to chat with our pupils who had gathered to wave them off, wishing the girls luck for their netball match later that afternoon!

Volunteering with BISA

Every Friday from 6:30pm–7:30pm, we volunteer at Brecon Disability Sports Club (BISA) at Brecon Leisure Centre. It is a fun and enjoyable experience where we help create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone, no matter their ability.

Each session is full of energy and positivity, and it is great to be part of something that brings people together through sport.We take part in team sports like basketball and football, as well as other activities, making sure everyone is involved, supported, and having a good time. We encourage participants to join in, try their best, and build confidence in a relaxed and friendly setting.

It is really rewarding to see people improve their skills and enjoy themselves each week. Volunteering at BISA has also helped us develop our own teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. It has given us more confidence and the chance to meet new people, while making a positive difference in the community. It is something we always look forward to, and we would highly recommend getting involved. - Tia, Year 13.

“making a positive difference in the community”

MFL Debating Competition

In March, we had a successful trip to Cathedral School, Llandaff for a Modern Foreign Languages debate.

Our French and Spanish teams both did a fantastic job debating the two sides of the motion they had prepared. They took part in three rounds of the same debate against other schools and represented us brilliantly throughout.

Congratulations to Megan and Sophie, our French team, who were runners-up after making it through to the final round. Well done as well to Archie, Summer and Harry, our Spanish team, who performed extremely well but missed out on a place in the final. Thank you to Amalia for coming along to support the teams!

It is never easy to stand up and debate a motion in your first language, let alone in another language, and they all rose to the challenge. A fantastic effort from everyone involved, very well done!

Book a visit

Holistic education for boys and girls age 4-18. Boarding from age 10

Open Afternoon

Monday 4th May

Join us for our Open Afternoon on Monday 4th May. Take a tour of the school, meet our friendly staff, enjoy a delicious afternoon tea and find out more about life at Christ College Brecon.

We can’t wait to meet you!

Keep up to date with all the upcoming events and how you can get involved on our Instagram page!

4th May

Open Afternoon

6th June

Christ College Brecon Mountain Challenge

4th July

Prize Day & Summer Ball

July and August

Summer Adventure Camp multiple dates available - see our website for details

Shop

As we approach the Summer term, you may be looking for gifts for U6th leavers, friends, family or OBs!

Take a look at our website for all items available to buy from the CCB shop. www.christcollegebrecon.com

Boxer Shorts