The Cranleigh School Newsletter Issue No 44
Cranleigh School, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 8QQ Tel: 01483 273666
Michaelmas 2012
Head s Up APPOINTMENT OF NEW HEAD Dear Parents,
It s not often a Headmaster gets to announce his successor and the building of a new School in Abu Dhabi in one go: it has been an exciting term! I am delighted that Martin Reader is the Governing Body s choice as my successor: I believe that he has the energy, experience and vision to carry Cranleigh forward for the next generation of Cranleighans. I am sure you will agree when you meet him; in the meantime, I hope you enjoy getting to know him a little better reading his interview here. Likewise, I hope that the feature on Cranleigh Abu Dhabi provides the answers to some of the questions I am sure many of our parents and staff will have about this spectacular project. The characteristic that the Abu Dhabi team felt really defined Cranleigh was the sheer breadth of school life here and this term has been no exception. The pupils and staff have studied in the classroom, raced around sports pitches, captivated audiences with no less than seven plays and sketches, entertained with fifteen or so concerts, expressed their artistic creativity and climbed mountains literally, in the case of the group who scaled the Himalayas this summer. I feel compelled to also mention the extraordinary achievements that have been notched up in the wider sphere be it an open invitation to our choir from St Paul s Cathedral, a national award in Art or unprecedented regional and national success in hockey, netball, rugby and riding. Gratifyingly, many OCs continue to shine in professional sport while 2012 leaver Henry Lamont has been picked to play for Oxford on the wing, one of the youngest blues in Rugby Varsity Match history. Pupils and staff alike have worked hard, played hard and competed hard in what has been an extremely productive and, I hope, fulfilling term: I hope that they, and you, are able to now rest, relax and rejuvenate over the Christmas break, in readiness for the New Year.
Guy Waller Head
The Governing Body has recently announced the appointment of Mr Martin Reader as Cranleigh s next Headmaster. He will take over the reins from Guy Waller in September 2014, when Guy retires after seventeen years of outstanding service. We hope many of you will have the opportunity to meet with Martin over the coming months; in the meantime, we ve presented him with a few of the questions we thought some of the Cranleigh community would be wanting to ask...
Where did you grow up? Petts Wood, Kent If your wife Amanda had to describe you in three words, what would they be? Suave, sophisticated and hopeful! And your children?! Not for publication! If you could pick any event in the world to go to, what would it be and why? Wildebeest migration: must be one of the great natural events in the world. Migration of any type is a marvel. Even better than a Lions tour, which will have to wait until I retire! What do you think are the key attributes required of a Headmaster? Integrity, principled decision-making, empathy and remembering you are not that important. What has been your: funniest teaching moment? Last year I came across a boy with his right arm in a sling. He explained to me he d injured himself while mucking around on the school field at break. Soon after, I came across another boy in the same year, sporting the same injury. A little confused, I asked how he came to have the same injury as James. He explained that he d found the way James had hurt himself so funny, he d been showing the rest of the year how it was done most memorable teaching moment? In my second year of teaching, I got very carried away teaching Paradise Lost to an A-level class and missed the bell for the end of the lesson. There was a very quiet student who played lock in the 2nd XV from whom I think I never succeeded in extracting more than a dozen words. He was last to leave the class, put his hand on my shoulder and whispered I love it too, sir and left.
overall highlight of each school you have taught at so far? There are so many, it is difficult: they usually involve someone achieving something extraordinary and surprising me or making me look at the world in a different way. However, some less serious that stick in my mind are my U15As at St Edward s thumping Wellington College! At Oundle, it was watching Match of the Day and eating curry with the Sixth Form on Saturday nights in the boarding house: as a West Ham fan, I usually got plenty of stick. Most recently, it was the Thanksgiving Service in the Wellington School Memorial Chapel to mark the restoration of its beautiful ceiling. It symbolised all that we had worked for to bring the community together in a building that means so much to generations of Wellingtonians. And my first School Captain, Alys Metcalf, returning to perform Tell me on a Sunday a few weeks ago. I was very proud. What is your philosophy on teaching, in a sentence (or two)? It is about their learning. Work out where the pupils are before you start each lesson and talk to them through your questions and activities. For that lesson, they are your priority. What is your philosophy on extra-curricular activities? If you think back to your own school days, you will remember little from lessons but a huge amount from the matches, plays, concerts etc. Aside from the obvious about skills development, we all need enrichment and challenge and fun, and none more than young people. It is therefore absolutely vital. My children have been very privileged in attending an independent school. I have a daughter who plays the cello and sings, has acted in plays, and enjoys netball, hockey, athletics and fencing. I have a son who loves his rugby and cross-country running, fences, sings in the choir and plays the French Horn and his favourite lesson is drama! They are good at some, less good at others, but find them all fun and fulfilling. If I want that for my own children, I will want all the pupils in my care to have those opportunities. My priority is to know that every child is finding something that inspires and fires them, whilst making sure that some are not so exhausted or drawn thin that they cannot enjoy fully what they are doing or are hindered from reaching the levels they aspire to. This is down to good management by leaders, tutors and house staff. Were you a keen participant in any sports? As a boy, I really wanted to be a professional cricketer. The
For full details of all School and House news, please visit the website at www.cranleigh.org/community
Continued over.....
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only barrier to success was the fact that I was a no. 11 batsman and a fourth change bowler. I enjoyed rugby, athletics (discus and 200m) and basketball and I enjoy skiing now, but participant probably hits the right note for most of those. The most important question(!)... What position did you play in rugby? I was an openside, but I have played every position apart from scrum-half, fly-half and full-back so anywhere that did not require skill! You led the RAF section at St Edward s. Can you see introducing an RAF section at Cranleigh? The CCF is not for all but I have seen many students love it and develop into the most remarkable young leaders and I will support it wholeheartedly. I will only add to an already busy programme if it is not going to diminish what we do. Anyway the MOD have to agree! What was the most important lesson learned from your MBA in Educational Leadership International? It taught me a different way of thinking and helped me to think through what was really important in education. What is it that attracted you to the position of Head of Cranleigh? It is a school with an ethos I thought I could champion, and where the intangibles and the immeasurable qualities of community and friendliness and personal development were seen as central. Important as they are, it was not just about results. What attributes do you think you have that make you the most suitable candidate for the position of Head of Cranleigh? I think the governors considered I was the best fit in what I believed and the experience I bring. I believe good Heads develop teams and individuals that take responsibility for their own areas and have a deep moral commitment to what they do. I saw that in Cranleigh and jumped in front! Having experienced both single-sex and coeducational schools, what is your take on the singlesex versus co-educational argument? In short, I think girls and boys have got to work and live alongside each other for the rest of their lives. The sooner they learn to respect each other s qualities and differences the better. My experience is that boys and girls together make for a much more enriching environment. Instinctively, it is what I want for my own children. You ve also headed up both day and boarding schools. What advantage do you think a boarding school gives its pupils (day and boarders)? Time for opportunities and a knowledge of pupils that only comes from living alongside them. In a boarding school, if someone gets it wrong and a teacher has to reprimand them at one point in the day, there is usually an opportunity on the same day to praise them for something they have done well. They get to learn that it is not them that is the problem but what they have done. This fosters the good relationships and happy environments in which children flourish. In a day school that is far harder. Boarding schools are more like long distance races where everyone needs to pace themselves and find a rhythm; day schools are more akin to sprints with fast pace and purpose. I like the Cranleigh boarding model because day pupils and boarders live alongside each other and because the families also get to see their children too!
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As only the top grades become increasingly important in the business world, how do you think this sits with Cranleigh s ethos of an all-round education? I think one feeds the other. Successful businesses also want people with outstanding interpersonal skills, teamwork, time management etc. and much of that is developed through an all-round education. These skills and the confidence gained transfer across to the academic side and vice versa. I believe the top performing independent schools, which usually out perform the top performing grammars, do so precisely because of the all-round education we offer. However, we have to get the balance right: it cannot be all play: the reality is that universities differentiate on academic performance.
How important do you consider Oxbridge success to be within a school? As a school we must encourage excellence, embrace it and celebrate it, from academic success to sport and music. However, it must not mean that those who are not going to go to Oxbridge are not given equal support and value: our education must be about giving students the best range of options for their futures. Sadly, the biggest challenge for all schools will be that to achieve excellence, individual choices to favour one thing at the expense of another will sometimes need to be made sooner. Cranleigh s just announced the setting up of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi. Do you believe that international diversity is an important element within a school, and can it be married with Cranleigh s local boarding school element? We live in a global world and children from cosy Surrey need to be aware of it. Anything that enables them to do that has got to be a good thing. Networks and organisms are the major paradigms for young people today and Cranleigh Abu Dhabi enables us to take advantage of the many opportunities there will be to develop them through the potential for partnerships it brings. Giving Cranleigh a global, in addition to a local, profile is surely aspirational.
DEPUTY HEAD S POINTS If you re thinking about buying a laptop for your child over Christmas then here are some key pointers from our IT Department in terms of what s suitable for use at School: Don t let the pupils convince you of the necessity to have a laptop at School. It is NOT obligatory... the School has PCs available for pupils to use during work time. If you do purchase a computer, we strongly recommend laptops over tablets. Tablets are great for staying in touch, but not for creating work. The entry-level PC is more than good enough for school work. You do NOT need a £2,000 Mac book pro a standard Dell PC will do the required job! The higher end models are necessary for music, graphics, digital imaging processing, games, movies... If a pupil really needs these facilities for work, then there are suitable machines available in School.
Cranleigh has recently set up the Cranleigh Foundation, and one of its key aims is to provide places to children who have been brought up under extremely difficult circumstances. How important do you see this? Anything which enables a young person from a disadvantaged background to benefit from a Cranleigh education has got to be a good thing. And I have seen the benefits it can bring to a whole range of children. Wellington (Somerset) was the last school in the country to lose Direct Grant status in 1978 and the Headmaster secured 30% assisted places. It has been at the heart of what makes it a special place and I will throw my weight behind anything that supports such a purpose at Cranleigh. Cranleigh has made large investments in a number of new school developments: the £10 million Academic Centre, the Chapel restoration and new Mander organ, Bluett s rugby pitch and an indoor cricket bubble. How important do you think it is to have the most up-to-date facilities? I am fully aware of the need for good facilities, I have seen how modern facilities can really inspire young people and clearly the best equipment allows skills to progress. However, if you ask me whether an inspirational coach, director, musician, teacher, chaplain has often made more difference to the pupils than a facility I will have to say yes. When Old Wellingtonian David Suchet opened our new performing arts facilities two years ago, he was delighted that the school was investing in drama but spoke most about his inspirational teacher who got him into acting in the first place. It is a balance. Cranleigh is celebrating its 150th celebrations soon after you arrive. How important a milestone do you think this is, and what do you think the key celebrations should centre around? It is a gift for a new Head. Plenty of opportunities to bring the diverse Cranleigh family together to celebrate the School where it has come from, what it does well, its future plans and to consider its roots in the Cranleigh village community. It should be a strengthening time. You have previously lived in Cranleigh. What is your favourite thing about the village? The fishmonger, the butcher, Manns and Winterfold: the best place for spotting nightjars I have encountered.
Finally, please ensure that if your child does have a computer, it comes equipped with Anti Virus and Office software. For full details and guidance, please visit www.cranleigh.org/school-life/IT Thank you, Griff
SAVE THE DATE Charity Fashion & Dance Show for Tildy s Trust
PURELY ACADEMIC STUDY LEAVE SUMMER 2013
7.30pm Speech Hall
In anticipation of the external exam period next summer, parents are advised that the following arrangements will be put in place for Study Leave next Summer Term:
Tickets: £10 adults, no charge for children but suggested donation of £5.00
Upper Sixth Study Leave will begin for Upper Sixth pupils after school activities on Friday 24th May.
Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th March
QUOTE
OF THE TERM
Lower Sixth Study Leave will begin for Lower Sixth pupils after school activities on Thursday 9th May and will run until the end of Long Leave. Lower Sixth pupils will be expected back in School for the
second half of the term at the standard published time of 9.00pm on Sunday 2nd June for boarders, or for the 8.10am Call-Over on Monday 3rd June in the case of day pupils. Upper Fifth Study Leave will begin for Upper Fifth pupils after school activities on Saturday 11th May. All pupils in these year groups are encouraged to note that their teachers will be available in School during the Study Leave period for consultation and advice as required. Every year some of our pupils find it easier to revise for exams at School rather than at home for at least some of the Study Leave period, and this is often a sensible approach to take.
We are proud to have forged this partnership with one of the UK s most well-established educational institutions. Cranleigh Abu Dhabi will be a centre of excellence in science, arts, technology and Arabic curriculum. This is indeed another remarkable demonstration of how TDIC is partnering with the best in every sector as Abu Dhabi is investing heavily to boost the local educational sector
FIRSTS FOR THIS TERM Cranleigh have been crowned National Champions in no less than three separate equestrian disciplines! Please see the Personal Bests section for full details.
Cranleigh s Head of Performance, Richard Saxel, has given two recitals in Rome this term at the invitation of HM British Ambassador to Italy, Mr Christopher Prentice CMG, as part of the celebrations for the Queen s Diamond Jubilee. The VIP guest list at the Villa Wolkonsky included the Leader of the Opposition in Italy, several ministers, politicians, the Defence Attaché and various high-ranking officials.
in their health and well-being. We are still aiming to get every child at Kawama School sponsored but have not yet reached our target; we hope this campaign will encourage us all to embrace the challenge and be moved to give generously. Cranleigh U16 girls are County Champions in both outdoor and indoor hockey. After winning the outdoor County Championship on 8th November, beating old rivals St George s College, they went on to become Surrey indoor hockey champions, competing at City of London Freemen s School on 23rd November. Both victories are firsts for Cranleigh girls, and good luck to both teams in their quests to represent the South Region in the respective National Championships next term.
Philip Scriven, Cranleigh s Organist-in-Residence, has recorded the first professional CD from the Chapel s Mander organ. Demonstrating the instrument s extraordinary versatility, Sounds of Cranleigh incorporates a wide variety of styles and periods. To purchase the CD, recorded with Regent Records, please contact Cranleigh s Music department. A group of 15 Lower School pupils have been working with Templar Publishing this term, reviewing and providing feedback on young adult books that will be released early next year. Most recently, they have been editing manuscript submissions and deciding whether they warrant publication at all! Keep your eyes peeled for Cranleighans reviews gracing the blurbs of 2013 s new releases, and beyond.
On December 3rd, Cranleigh Lived Below the Line , experiencing what it s like to live on the type of food that those that truly do live below the poverty line including the children at our Beyond Cranleigh partner school in Zambia live on. Pupils from previous trips to Zambia organised the campaign, helping to cook and serve the meals. Its aims were to raise awareness, and to inspire a desire to sponsor a child at Kawama School, assisting
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Brother and sister duo Will and Charlotte Calnan have both been selected to play for England hockey squads a year young Will for the U18 squad and Charlotte for the U16 squad.
For weekly updates of all of Cranleigh s news and events, please visit the website at www.cranleigh.org/community
CRANLEIGH ABU DHABI
Last week Cranleigh made the exciting announcement that it would be opening Cranleigh Abu Dhabi in 2014. Here we speak to Michael Wilson, Head of Cranleigh Prep, who along with Sam Watkinson (2&3 South, 1987) and Rick Johnson (1 North, 1991) led the project, to get the full update on the thinking behind this spectacular new campus. 1. Why did Cranleigh decide to set up in Abu Dhabi specifically, and when did discussions for this project first begin? In December 2010 a group of Old Cranleighans with longstanding connections in the region approached Cranleigh with the initial idea of setting up and running a school in Abu Dhabi. A project team flew out to Abu Dhabi in May 2011 for exploratory talks with both the Royal Group and the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC). Right from this first meeting the School s motto, Ex Cultu Robur from culture comes strength seemed to resonate with Saadiyat Island and its cultural identity. 2. What attracted Cranleigh to the Emirate? Initially it was the passion and vision for Saadiyat Island articulated by His Excellency Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi, Managing Director of TDIC at our first meeting with him in June 2011. It is truly extraordinary, what they are planning on Saadiyat. It is set to become the cultural epicentre of the region. The opportunity for Cranleigh to be a part of that vision was too good to miss. The combined TDIC, Royal Group and Cranleigh project team have worked closely together on the project ever since. It has been hard work but we have had fun, and I think that this is reflected in the
school that we have designed with our architects, Godwin Austen Johnson. We have not lifted Cranleigh into Abu Dhabi; we have translated it into the local setting and are very excited with what has been achieved.
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3. Why is it important for places such as Abu Dhabi to tie up with international names such as Cranleigh? Education has been described as a conversation between generations , and schools are where these conversations take place. Cranleigh has been educating pupils for almost 150 years, so there have been generations of conversations , and over that time a way of educating children a unique ethos has been built up. We think that Cranleigh s ethos is quite special. It is an ethos that is founded upon our core belief in the importance of an all-round education, that places the school at the heart of the community and that is based heavily on the relationship between its pupils and teachers. Many people, including those in Abu Dhabi, feel that this ethos is something they would like to share. They are impressed with the passion that the Old Cranleighans have for their School and also slightly bemused that I taught the five OC s that have worked closely on the project! 4. How involved will Cranleigh be in the building and launch of the Abu Dhabi site? Cranleigh has been
closely involved with the design of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi; it is already working on the detailed curriculum, policies, job descriptions etc, and will be actively involved in the preparation and monitoring of the curriculum both inside and outside the classroom. Moving forward, the original Cranleigh team will form the core of Cranleigh s representation on the Board of Trustees for Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, while a clear game plan, inspirational leadership, committed teachers and careful quality control from Cranleigh are all considered to be vital ingredients in the success of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi. And the success of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi will, of course, reflect back on Cranleigh. This partnership is intended very much to be a symbiotic relationship.
5. Will some UK staff transfer to Abu Dhabi? Yes, it is envisaged that some Cranleigh staff will want to expand their teaching experience in Abu Dhabi. Likewise, it is expected that some Abu Dhabi staff will come to the UK. We feel that such exchanges will be hugely beneficial to both schools. 6. Will there be student exchanges between the UK and Abu Dhabi schools? Most definitely, and it is the most exciting part of the project. To be able to experience, understand, embrace and respect other people, their beliefs and cultures, is one of the greatest gifts that we can give our children. For Cranleigh pupils to be able to spend some time in Abu Dhabi while continuing their learning, and vice versa, will be an opportunity they will remember for the rest of their lives. 7. In what other ways will Cranleigh School benefit from the opening of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi? It already has. The fact that, of all the schools they could have chosen to work with, the Royal Group and TDIC (led by His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan) in Abu Dhabi feel that Cranleigh has the experience, ethos and educational standards that they are looking for is
surely the ultimate accolade. It is a testament to all that we do here that we are considered the Best of British . Abu Dhabi is selecting only the very best for Saadiyat in all sectors business, the arts, sport, architecture and education. To think of a school bearing the Cranleigh name surrounded by the Sheikh Zayed Museum, a Guggenheim and a Louvre is a bit special really.
The Term in
PICTURES
A selection of highlights from all that has gone on at Cranleigh this Michaelmas Term, intended to give just a taste of Cranleigh life Please refer to the website/The Cranleighan for a more detailed review of all news and events. Pictures, from left to right, working across: A round on Cranleigh's golf course Design and Technology pupils at work Music lesson House Cross-Country Competition Girls hockey House Performance competition French lesson Classics Lecture: Professor Chris Pelling, Oxford University Christmas Concert Kawama School, Zambia, Long Leave Girls U18 Hockey match Helen Wareham Wind winner, Ellen Talbot Taking the Show-Jumping Championship title Service of Remembrance Duke of Edinburgh expedition School Play: Rhinoceros Senior Music Scholars Phil Scriven recording Sounds of Cranleigh Opening of Bluett s rugby pitch Purvis Society: Mrs Goodman, Litigation Partner, Withers LLP Snowman musical schools tour School Play: Rhinoceros Rainbow over the South Field National Big Draw , painting Neil Bennett trophy winners UVIth Play: 'Short Plays by Samuel Beckett' Three-times National Riding Champions National Big Draw , drawing Water Aid Relaxing in the House West House Play: It s not you, it s me Climbing at Edale Building work at Kawama School, Zambia, Long Leave Fundraising Concert for Rowley Day Centre Christmas Dinner in the Dining Hall KK Ndewere scoring one of his 14 tries of the season Purvis Society: Mrs Laura Witjens, National Gamete Donation Trust Senior Music Scholars Concert Helen Wareham Piano winner, Olivia Chesser House Challenge winners, Loveday Cubitt House Play Fourth Form Dance HRH Princess Alexandra, unveils the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Commemorative Plaque Inter-house Badminton match, boys Inter-house Fives match, girls HRH Princess Alexandra greets Cranleigh pupils Summer expedition to the Himalayas
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For weekly updates of all of CranleighÂ’s news and events, please visit the website at www.cranleigh.org/community
SPORTS ROUND-UP With the weather really in our favour, the last 14 weeks have been quite extraordinary in sporting terms, with both boys and girls performing regularly at a level rarely seen at Cranleigh.
The Rugby club has had possibly the most successful season ever, with a win ratio of 74% of all matches from 1st XV to U14D. The 1st XV have been hugely successful on a tough fixture card, winning 10 of their 12 matches, scoring 413 points and conceding 127, including a huge 40-point
victory over Epsom and a last-minute try to defeat an unbeaten and incredibly strong Hampton side. KK Ndewere scored 14 tries this season, and with ten Lower Sixth players representing the team, next season looks promising. The U16As had one of the most successful Colts seasons for a large number of years, only losing once and beating Wellington 15 5 in November. In fact, all four U16 sides won that day, again another first we believe for a year group over that opposition. The U16C s and U14Cs have gone through the season unbeaten. A similar story has been witnessed with the girls as the Hockey club have virtually swept all before them at A team level. The U14s, U16s and U18s all qualified through the Surrey rounds and the Regional Heats to get to the South Regional finals a first for Cranleigh, and the only school to have representation at all three
PERSONAL BESTS ACADEMIC
D1 in Fine Art (Ceramics) Pre-U, Cambridge International Examinations: Henry Taylor (Loveday, 2012) received recognition to acknowledge his outstanding performance in the June 2012 examination series. Published work: James Brookes, OC (1999-2004) and current Williams Librarian and English teacher has had his first full volume of poetry published by one of the world s leading poetry presses, Salt. The Dante-inspired title is Sins of the Leopard . Copies can be obtained through Amazon and select bookshops or from the publisher: sales@saltpublishing.com
SPORT
RUGBY County-level representation: six 1st XV players have already represented their county this season: KK Ndewere, Dave Forster, Luke Chitty, Tom Farrelly, Sam Arnold and Charlie Piper. Elite Academy programme at Harlequins RFC: Charlie Piper, Sam Arnold and Ben Gasson. KK Ndewere also has a trial in the holidays after scoring 14 tries for the 1st XV in 11 matches. Over 10 pupils are involved in the School of Rugby programme at Harlequins. We have won over 80% of our block fixtures this term the School s best achievement ever. The 1st XV have a win ratio of 85% this term, the U14A-D s have only lost 4 games out of 36 played and the U14C s are unbeaten. Our U16A-D s all beat Wellington and the U16C s are unbeaten. RECENT OCS: Varsity Match: Henry Lamont (East, 2012) has been selected to play for Oxford University. He becomes one of the youngest ever to play in the 149-year-old fixture. Harry Elrington has represented Loughborough 1st XV in his fresher year. He is only the 2nd player to do this in 5 years. EIGHT OC S PLAYING PROFESSIONAL RUGBY THIS SEASON Harlequins 1st team: Henry Taylor (last year s 1st XV captain), Seb Stegmann, Will Collier and Sam Smith. London Welsh: Greg Bateman. International rugby: Luke Braid and Tats Latimer are playing in New Zealand for the Auckland Blues and Waikato Chiefs respectively. Ben Smith is playing in Italy as well as New Zealand for the Bay of Plenty. CRICKET (OC) Surrey County Cap: Stuart Meaker was presented his Surrey County Cap by the Surrey CEO and Captain a fine achievement to be awarded after just two years with Surrey.
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Will Setterfield, Dave Forster, Tom Farrelly, Nick Kelly, Will Yeeles, Luke Chitty.
age groups at this late stage of the competition. It has meant that almost one in four of ALL the girls at Cranleigh took part in Regional Finals. With the 1 st VI winning the St George s Sixes competition for the second successive year and all the junior A XIs going unbeaten, amassing 169 goals for to 13 against and this despite a strengthening of our traditional fixture list the club truly has had a remarkable term. In the pre-season term, U14, U16 & U19 Netball teams are all through to the County Finals in March, with the U14s undefeated in the qualifying tournament. The U16s are also through to the Regional Finals in Feb, and undefeated in the qualifying tournament. The girls Lacrosse, the Squash and the Fives clubs have all had an enjoyable term. The Golf club (who play Hampton next term in the semi-final of the HMC Foursomes) is looking forward to the Summer, with 10 single-digit handicaps currently at Cranleigh. In Cross Country, Maddy Austin (West), Harry de Blaby (Cubitt) and Tabitha Bowden (West) all qualified for the Surrey Championships. And finally, the riders had an incredible National Show Jumping, Dressage and Arena Eventing Championships, winning three National titles. The various achievements of teams and individuals are there to be seen in the Personal Bests section.
There have been some outstanding performances this term by Cranleigh pupils (individuals and teams) competing/performing at the very highest level, deserving of a special mention:
HOCKEY Surrey County Champions: Girls U16s. Surrey County Runners up: Girls U18s and U14s. South Regional Finals: Girls U18, U16 and U14 teams (ie the top four teams across seven counties). It is a rare achievement for any school to do this. South Regional Runners-up and through to one play-off match for the National Finals: Girls U18s and U16s. Indoor Surrey County Champions, Indoor South Region Runners up and through to the National Indoor Finals: U16s. England U18 squad: Ali Clift, James Gall and Will Calnan (a year young) are in the final 26 players of the England U18 Boys squad for 2012/13. England U16 squad: Charlotte Calnan (also a year young) is in the final squad of 26 players of the England U16 Girls; she is one of the youngest players selected. Tier 1 squads: Emily Robinson, Georgia Lord, Katie Robinson, Jen Vincent, Olivia Camsey, Gaby Gerrard, Emily Thorpe, Charlie Firth and Charlie Thompson each represented one of the twelve Tier 1 squads operating around the country. Tier 2 squads: Chloe Nicholls and Megan Batchelor went one step further and were selected for one of the four Tier 2 regional hockey squads, playing at the England Futures Cup and HiPac respectively. RIDING National Schools Show Jumping Champions: Tom Lane; Henrietta Walker-Duncalf; Fred Philips and Amelia Adorian. National Intermediate Show Jumping Champions: Henrietta Walker-Duncalf; Amelia Adorian; Amelia Shotter and Amelia Holden. National Novice Arena Eventing Champions: Caileigh Faure; Sophie Miller; Chantelle Phillips and Phoebe Wates. NETBALL Through to County Finals in March 2013: U14, U16 & U19 teams (with the U14 s undefeated in the qualifying tournament). Through to Regional Finals in Feb 2013: U16s (also undefeated in the qualifying tournament). Satellite and county academies (representing a county standard): Poppy Bathurst, Clemmie Ryder-Smith, Jemima Stephenson, Ellen Talbot and Sophie O Neill .
MOTOR RACING GINETTA JUNIOR WINTER SERIES: Will Palmer took a very strong third and two fourth place finishes at Rockingham to secure third overall in the three race Ginetta Junior Winter series.
FLYING COLOURS Rugby:
by Tim McConnell-Wood, Assistant Deputy Head
MUSIC
It has been a particularly busy term for Cranleigh s Music department, but highlights include: The Chapel Choir singing Evensong at St Paul s Cathedral Cranleigh Voices singing the Victoria Requiem The Christmas Concert, with strong performances showcasing the Symphony Orchestra, Strings Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Band, Concert Band and Big Band. Fundraising Concert for Rowley s Day Centre an extraordinary display of instrumental talent, which raised over £1,000. Helen Wareham, Piano Junior Section Winner: Olivia Chesser Second place: Fayruz Megdiche Third place: Ed Walsh Senior Section Harry McCagherty, Hebe Westcott & Ben Rudolf are through to the Final. Helen Wareham, Woodwind Junior Section Winner: Ellen Talbot Second place: Fayruz Megdiche Third place: Tim Ayling Senior Section Harry McCagherty, Rachel Hurst & Cathy Hobbs are through to the Final.
OUTDOOR ED
Jonny Pike, Imara Gluning, Henry Graham-Rack, Oscar Chan and Abby Doherty have completed their entire Gold Award (Physical, Skill, Volunteering, Residential & Expedition) an impressive feat to have done before leaving school and will be invited to receive their certificates at St James Palace shortly.
ART
National Art Competition: Willow Senior, Fourth Form, won first prize in her year group for her Portrait of Our Queen earlier this year, and attended an Awards ceremony in London. Private Exhibition: Poppy Glaister (LVth) exhibited (and sold) her art in the Allen Gallery in Hampshire.
DRAMA
For a review of the wonderfully entertaining array of drama performed at Cranleigh this term, please see Peter Longshaw s round-up opposite and the Cranleigh website.
Well done to the following, who have been awarded their School Colours this term: Hockey:
Katie Batchelor, Emily Robinson, Georgia Lord, Bea Stephenson, Ellie Sutherland, Alice Eamey, Mollie Gardner, Becky Hennell, Ellie Smith
Lacrosse: Bea Stephenson, Emily Robinson Squash:
Ben Wilson
FOUNDATION FOCUS It s been a busy term for the Cranleigh Foundation. Jim Turley (OC and Governor), has recently taken over as the Cranleigh Foundation Director and is being supported by Chris Allison as Assistant Foundation Director. They will be communicating with parents in the New Year with regards to the future of the Cranleigh Foundation as the School heads towards its 150th anniversary in 2015. They hope that all supporters of Cranleigh will join us in celebrating its many achievements and consider supporting the School and its pupils as it seeks to offer the opportunities at Cranleigh to individuals who might otherwise never have the chance to develop their full potential something that is at the heart of the Cranleigh ethos. In the meantime, the Foundation s fundraising efforts have continued unabated, with this term seeing the now annual Foundation Christmas Fair being held at Cranleigh Prep, at the beginning of November. This year, as previously, the Fair attracted a big crowd thanks to its enticing selection of stalls and culinary temptations, and raised around £7,600 for the Cranleigh Foundation. The atmosphere was buzzing and it has obviously turned into a popular event, not only at the two Schools but also locally. We would like to say a sincere thank you to the organisers especially Belinda Graham-Rack and Lulu Hampson, who each year demonstrate extraordinary energy and enthusiasm in bringing it all together and also to all those who support it.
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the many Old Cranleighans who contributed so generously towards Cranleigh s new 1st XV rugby pitch, named after much-loved Old Cranleighan, David Bluett. A glorious autumnal day early in November saw its official opening by former England international player and Director of Operations at the RFU, Mr Rob Andrew MBE. The day started with an Old Boys side beating an invitational Rosslyn Park XV 19-17. Then followed the official opening by Rob Andrew and a touch-rugby tournament in honour of the former Cranleigh Head of Rugby and ex-England international Neil Bennett. Already seen as one of the finest school pitches in the country, Bluett s will be used not only by Cranleigh but also by other local schools to help develop their rugby as part of the ongoing Sport Cranleigh project, which is looking to develop strong links between the School and local community.
PERFORMING ARTS ROUND-UP by PJL
It was another vintage term for drama, kicked off by James Copp s evening of Beckett which startled, moved and alienated the audience in a depiction of the tragicomic potential of the human condition. In Krapp s Last Tape Adam van Schaik conveyed an air of the desperate and unhinged; the haunting and lyrical spools of nostalgia were balanced by the physical acting: his face, banana-stoppered, and eyes, wide and emptied of mind, were the very embodiment of Absurdist theatre. All four plays drew beautiful and inspiring work from all involved. Light relief came with the Cubitt comedy sketches ingeniously compiled and co-directed by Ed Clarke. Many talented and experienced actors were called upon: Alex Clarke, Cameron Scheijde, Angus McConnell-Wood, Weston (and Georgia) Lord, to name but five. Another highlight of the evening was the performance of The Playwrights, the Cubitt band: Guy Trevellyan, Luke Halls and singer Theo Golden. On the same bill, the West Play was It s Not You It s Me by Don Zolidis. The audience relished the comic acting and the show was a clever choice to enable a large cast of West girls (eleven) to be paired up with actors from the two twinned Houses. Rhinoceros was directed by Nikki Lockwood: such an experienced and talented director was needed for this challenging Absurdist drama. The cast was a true ensemble, consisting of
some very experienced young actors. Alex Livingstone impressed hugely, as did Orlando Taylor and George Collecott, who both played two parts. As Berenger, Ben Castle-Gibb gave a performance that will haunt the memory for years as he is one of those compelling actors who make it hard to watch anyone else on the stage: his whole body expressed the suffering and bewilderment of being an island of non-conformity in a sea of troubles. In the Cranleigh School Concert Series it was an especial joy to welcome back OC Jonathan Hennessy-Brown s Santiago Quartet and thus again have an OC among the world-class musicians for the term s three concerts. Phil Scriven also launched his fascinating cycle of Romantic organ music. Virtually all of our current musicians took part in the Charity Concert in aid of Rowleys 50+ centre, supported by Cranleigh Lions and Cranleigh Rotary Club. The full range of soloists, ensembles and orchestra were also heard in the ever-popular Christmas Concert. Yet again Bob Wilson s Big Band stole the show, along with Phoebe Bagge singing Blue Moon . There is room only for a few more personal highlights from all the concert and competition performances of the term: Hebe Westcott playing York Bowen; Ben Rudolf in Chopin; Harry McCagherty s oboe piece by Grovlez; Izzie Simpkin duetting with Richard Saxel in Ravel; Catherine Hobbs playing Berkeley; and the debut of John Sandford s new jazz quintet Simply Blue .
ART AND DESIGN
On Wednesday 10th October, Cranleigh artists enjoyed an afternoon of creative endeavour, as Cranleigh s contribution to the National Big Draw. Most pupils were focused solely on drawing in various ways, while ceramics and textile students also took the opportunity to turn their hand to activities that would not be possible in the normal course of a school day. Here is a small selection of the resulting masterpieces...
Nicolay Novikov William Munday
Georgie Gegg Livi Burgon
7
Ceramic Poppies by the Fourth Form
Katie Batchelor
Poppy Glaister
For weekly updates of all of Cranleigh s news and events, please visit the website at www.cranleigh.org/community
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
A quick-glance round-up of some key events (in-school and out) to which parents are warmly invited: JANUARY Tuesday 8
2.45pm Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schumann Organ Recital 4, Chapel. Admission free Friday 18 7.30pm Concert Series: Merriman Concert Orchestra, Love and Tragedy, Speech Hall. Tickets: £16 (£12 concessions) Tuesday 29 5.00pm Concert Series: Fontanella Recorder Quintet, Pastime with Good Company, Prep School Chapel. Admission free Wednesday 30 7.30pm Concert Series: Organ Recital, Christopher Herrick, Chapel. Tickets: £10 (£8 concessions) FEBRUARY Friday 1
7.30pm Helen Wareham Competition: Brass Performance, Merriman Music School Tuesday 5 7.30pm South/Loveday House Plays, Thursday 7 VCT Saturday 9 7.45pm Big Band Supper Dance, Emms Atrium Tuesday 12 7.00pm Cranleigh Voices sing Evensong at Salisbury Cathedral Wednesday 13 7.30pm Concert Series: Andrew Fuller (cello) & Richard Saxel (piano), Merriman Music School Tickets: £12 (£9 concessions) Tuesday 26 7.30pm Parents and Staff Prayer Supper, Jubilee Memorial Pavilion (stc@cranleigh.org) MARCH Friday 1 Tuesday 5
A WARM WELCOME THIS TERM TO:
Edward Clarke (Classics), Dan Fox (Geography), Becs Gibson (HoD, RS), Gemma Greenwood (Biology), Ed Griffiths (Chemistry), Michael Harrison (Physics), Martin Johnson (Maths), Tom Leeke (History and Politics), Athina Mitropoulos (Classics), James Nairne (Director of Art), Charlotte Osner-Clark (Maths), Andrew Robinson (French) and Rohit Trivedi (Maths), Emma Reid (Assistant Head of School Administration, Marketing) and Gayle Betts (Assistant to Domestic Services Manager).
Tuesday 5 Friday 8 Friday 8 Sunday 17
FOND FAREWELLS TO Phil Parker , who leaves Cranleigh to take up the post of Vicar of St Andrews in Frimley Green after eight and a half years. Over his time at Cranleigh he has led the chaplaincy team, helped with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and CCF (including providing an ever-cheery and calming presence on expeditions, no matter how extreme the conditions) and initiated the Devizes-to-Westminster canoe race into Cranleigh tradition (leading valiantly by example on more than one occasion!), as well as teaching Religious Studies at GCSE and Alevel. His patient and thoughtful leadership in all these departments will be sincerely missed and we wish him, and Isabel, all the best in their new role. 8
Ron Smith, who joined Cranleigh as
Clerk of Works in 2002, upon leaving the Army. He immediately set about maintaining the School to the standard that we now all expect, and particularly enjoyed the challenges of new project work most notably the extension of Cubitt, the refurbishment of the Rhodes Centre for the Art Department, the rolling refurbishment of Loveday and the restoration of the Chapel. In amongst these substantial projects he has also extended the Prep School Chapel, built Prep School staff working areas, renovated many of the School s staff houses and turned old boarding accommodation into Humanities Department classrooms. His projects were always completed on time and within budget. Ron is unfortunately an avid Manchester United supporter and also a keen skier and squash player. We wish him and Jayne well in their future endeavours overseas.
...and finally, Cranleigh Staff would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy and relaxed festive season! For weekly updates of all of Cranleigh s news and events, please visit the website at www.cranleigh.org/community For House news, please visit the dedicated Houses section the website.
Monday 18 Tuesday 19
7.30pm Helen Wareham Competition: Jack Cook Strings Performance, Merriman Music School 12.45pm Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schumann Organ Recital 5, Chapel 7.30pm School Play, Tis Pity : an Adaptation of John Ford s classic Carolean play, Speech Hall 7.30pm Helen Wareham Competition: Vocal Performance, Merriman Music School 7.30pm Chapel Choir Choral Concert: Requiem , Mozart, G Live, Guildford Tickets: £18 (£14 concessions). Tickets are only available through the G Live Box Office on 0844 770 1797 or on line at www.glive.co.uk 7.30pm Dance and Fashion Show, Speech Hall
N.B. For those events that do require tickets (see above), please email tickets@cranleigh.org (with the exception of the Mozart Requiem at G Live). For full details of all of next term s events, including individual teams sporting fixtures, please refer to the School Calendar and to the termly Events Guide (also available online at www.cranleigh.org).
GOOD LUCK IN THE HOLIDAYS TO ALL THOSE HEADING OFF TO THE: History and Politics trip to the USA Boys Indoor Hockey: Regional Final U18 Boys U18 Hockey tour to the Netherlands Gold D of E Expedition to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, to tackle Toubkal (4167m) under winter conditions (where it is likely to get well below -10oC overnight!) For comments and requests for content you would like to see featured in Cranleigh Matters, please email egmd@cranleigh.org A sincere thank you to Stephen Owen for providing the photography featured within, and to Nick Smith at Andesign for all the design and artwork.