PLYMOUTH COLLEGE AGENT NEWSLETTER - WINTER 2025
admissions@plymouthcollege.com 01752 505 120
Plymouth College, Ford Park, Plymouth, PL4 6RN
PLYMOUTH COLLEGE AGENT NEWSLETTER - WINTER 2025
IN THIS ISSUE: WELCOME NEWS ACADEMIC SPORT AQUATICS ARTS BOARDING CO-CURRICULAR
WELCOME The final term of the school year has been full of excitement and activity, and we are finishing the year with positivity and drive. In October, I visited China to explore pupil recruitment and immersion camps, whilst our Admissions Manager, Fiona Smith, travelled to Miami in December to meet with agents from our Latin American community. At the start of next year, we look forward to meeting with our contacts across West Africa, Central Europe and beyond. We are excited to continue expanding the diversity within our school, welcoming pupils from all over the world to enrich our community. Recently, the benefits of belonging to the Galaxy Group have been seen more tangibly, with the long-overdue restoration of the school’s astro training pitch now underway. This marks the first phase of a wider improvement programme the College hopes to deliver over the next two to three years, significantly enhancing opportunities for all of our pupils. Our sports teams, fencers and swimmers continue to perform strongly both locally and nationally, while our musicians and artists have also enjoyed a busy and successful term. This newsletter serves as a powerful way of capturing both the wealth of opportunities and the range of talent on display at the College. With the school now entering its winter break, we reflect with pride on a year of progress and ambition, and look ahead with enthusiasm to the next chapter of growth and collaboration.
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, ADMISSIONS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS We are pleased to welcome Aku Clemmet to Plymouth College as the Director of Marketing, Admissions and External Relations. Aku joins the school at an exciting time and looks forward to partnering with our global network of agents. In her role, Aku will oversee the marketing, admissions and external relations functions on behalf of the College. She will work closely with colleagues across the school to ensure that Plymouth College’s values, ethos and academic strengths are clearly communicated throughout the admissions journey. A key focus will be ensuring a seamless and supportive experience for agents, families and pupils, from initial enquiry through to enrolment and beyond. A note from Aku: “Agents are a valued and integral part of the Plymouth College community and are often the first point of contact for families, guiding them through one of the most important decisions they will make for their child. We greatly value the trust you place in us when recommending the College and are committed to building strong, open and collaborative relationships with you. As the year draws to a close, we would like to thank you for your continued support and engagement, and we send our best wishes to you and your families for the season and the year ahead.”
NEWS PLYMOUTH ALBION PARTNERSHIP
GALAXY GLOBAL?
Plymouth College is pleased to further strengthen its partnership with Plymouth Albion, joining the club this season as a Match Day Hospitality Ticket and Board Sponsor.
partnership formalises a connection that already feels very natural, and I’m excited to see pupils and players benefit from it throughout the season.”
Rugby remains a core part of Plymouth College’s sporting identity, and it is already encouraging to see our pupils benefitting from the opportunities this collaboration provides. During Albion’s recent Super Saturday, a group of our Prep School pupils enjoyed an exceptional behind-the-scenes experience, including a tour of the changing rooms, use of the fitness suite, forming the guard of honour, and supporting the team from the stands. The strong turnout from Plymouth College families further highlighted our school community’s support for the club.
This partnership demonstrates our shared commitment with Plymouth Albion to the development of young people, showcasing the power of sport, education, and community working together to inspire the next generation, both on and off the pitch.
Albion captain and Plymouth College High Performance Rugby Coach, Dan Pullinger, commented: “It’s fantastic to have the school join the Albion family. I’m fortunate to see the strengths of both environments up close, and the core values, ambition, community, and family focus at both the school and the club are incredibly similar. This
PLYMOUTH COLLEGE SPORTS FACILITIES USED FOR FILMING It was an absolute pleasure to welcome the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and their coach development team to Plymouth College, where they filmed a series of new, game-based indoor practices designed to support coaches in running successful indoor cricket programmes this winter. We’re proud to play a part in shaping the future of cricket coaching. Recognising Plymouth College Aquatics as one of the top swim programmes in the country, we were delighted to be approached by Arena to take over our pool for Arena Italy's new campaign shoot. Arena has a long-standing tradition of supporting high-performance swimmers, and they continue to equip our athletes with world-class swimwear. We can't wait to see our pool in action on the big screen across the globe!
ACADEMIC ANTARCTIC OPPORTUNITY We are thrilled to announce that Year 11 pupil, Ewan, has been offered a place on the British Exploring Society’s Antarctic Research Programme for Under-17s. Beginning this January, Ewan will join volunteers from the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust at the historic Port Lockroy base, one of the most remote and remarkable locations on the planet. Through this online placement, Ewan will work alongside leading experts to explore the complexities of Antarctica’s environment, climate, wildlife, and human history. He will also develop vital skills, both academic and personal, that will support his future study and career ambitions. This achievement is a testament to Ewan’s curiosity and ambition, we encourage our pupils to think boldly, explore widely, and pursue opportunities beyond the classroom and Ewan has done just that.
U.S. UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP
LANGUAGE AMBASSADORS
Huge congratulations to Matthew, who has officially signed his scholarship to attend Auburn University in Alabama, where he will study Aerospace Engineering.
In exciting news, 63 pupils from across all year groups and all four houses have volunteered or were put forward to become Language Ambassadors for our community.
A dedicated swimming scholar here at Plymouth College, Matthew has truly risen to the challenge of his role as Plymouth College Aquatics captain this year, leading his team through competitions and even representing Swim Ireland on the international stage. We couldn’t be more proud and can’t wait to see him begin his next chapter in September. Could Matthew be joining the array of OPMs at the next Olympics? Fingers crossed!
Each ambassador received their flag during House Assembly. These flags represent a country or culture they have chosen to champion—this may reflect their heritage, a language they speak, or simply a culture that they are passionate about. The purpose of this initiative is to support new pupils, strengthen our international community, and celebrate the rich diversity of cultures and languages within the school. Our ambassadors are already full of ideas, and you will see them getting involved in various activities or events throughout the year. We are looking forward to seeing their enthusiasm shine!
LANGUAGE LEARNING COMPETITION Well done to our Year 10 International Students Arthur and Anderson! Congratulations to our two international students in Year 10 for achieving the highest scores on EAL Languagenut, our learning platform. Together since September, they earned an impressive 452,200 points (284,000 and 168,200 points respectively) - a fantastic achievement!
SPORT FOOTBALL OPPORTUNITY
HIGH PERFORMANCE NETBALL CAMP
Our High Performance Football Team had the privilege of playing the very first fixture on thebrand new 4G artificial pitch at Plymouth Argyle Academy’s emerging Foulston Park site. Although the wider facility is still under development, we were honoured to be invited in early to play this weeks fixture.
Over half term, 12 of our talented young women headed to Tignes with Ms Fabian and Mrs Riley-Harling for our Perform Better Netball Camp.
The boys rose to the occasion brilliantly, winning well and showcasing the teamwork and development that sits at the heart of our programme. This opportunity reflects the exceptional pathway and environment we are committed to offering our pupils: access to the highest level facilities, high-quality coaching, and experiences that ignite ambition and supports all pupils to succeed.
It was a truly fantastic experience and a real celebration of teamwork, resilience, and growth as a squad. Every single player made visible progress, developing not only their netball skills but also their confidence, leadership, and teamwork. The girls were an absolute credit to the school from start to finish, showing maturity, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude throughout. We are proud to help every pupil perform at their best, discover their potential, and grow.
TEAM GB FENCING SELECTION
HOCKEY SELECTION
Fencer Saskia has been selected to represent Team GB for a two international fencing events in France and Denmark. After recently competing in an intense international tournament in Budapest, featuring over 400 fencers from 34 countries, Saskia achieved an impressive 84th place overall.
Ella S, Maggie F and Rowan M have been selected for the England Hockey Talent Acadmey. It is an U18 Regional training group based at Exeter University and is a pathway for players to make it into the England teams. They will train every other week until July and will play fixtures against other TA’s including Bristol, Bath and Oxford with the National tournament taking place for all TA’s in England in Nottingham in August.
Her skill and determination in lots of close fought matches secured her Team GB place at 2 more upcoming international events, and her amazing efforts have moved her from 14th in GB rankings, all the way up to 5th! Plymouth College is now proud to coach two of the Top 5 female Epée fencers in Great Britain, with Olivia E ranking 4th (U20), and Saskia now ranking 5th (U17). This is thanks to our fencing athletes and to our outstanding fencing coach, whose expertise and dedication continue to deliver success on the international stage.
DEVON CAG CRICKET AWARDS Five of our talented cricketers picked up awards at the Devon County Age Group Presentation Evening. Matt W - U18 Boys Bowler of the Year Jake D - U16 Boys Bowler of the Year Maggie H - U16 Girls Bowler of the Year Archie H - U15 Boys Bowler of the Year Stanley B - U14 Boys Batter of the Year As well as this, numerous players also picked up awards for stand out performances throughout the season Matt W - 5/49 vs Berkshire U18 Boys Matt W - 6/76 vs Cheshire U18 Boys Maggie H - 5/24 vs Wilshire U18 Girls Warrick G - 5/21 vs Wiltshire U15 Boys Stanley B - 100 vs Wiltshire U14 Boys Stanley B - 107 vs Dorset U14 Boys A huge congratulations to the award winners on a fantastic season representing their county.
AQUATICS BRITISH RECORD BROKEN Congratulations to Toby N-D who has been selected for the Swim England Youth Squad, folowing his record-breaking performance in the 100m backstroke, breaking the English age-group record that had stood since 2009! He will be representing England at the prestigious Euro Meet in Luxembourg in January. We are all very proud of Toby.
TEAM IRELAND SENIOR SELECTION Matthew H has been selected to join the Senior Pathway Cohort of Ireland’s swimming team, and has also represented Ireland at the European Short Course Championships in Poland this December. His coach, Roberto Pavoni, shared: "Matthew is a huge part of the Plymouth College Aquatics team and we are immensely proud of his selections. He encapsulates everything we wish to instil in our performance swimmers here at Plymouth College. Matthew has strong integrity, is resilient and kind. He provides service to our team through his position as Swim Captain, and also throughout the wider school network as a Senior Prefect." "Matthew is hugely ambitious and determined to reach his lofty goals and through his hard work over the last 6 years since he joined the school and swimming programme, he is well on his way to doing so." Matthew now joins a long list of athletes from Plymouth College who have gone on to represent their countries at the highest level.
LIBBY’S DIVING JOURNEY AT PLYMOUTH COLLEGE 'Plymouth College has given my daughter a chance to dream big, and the self confidence to follow her dreams.' We believe every child should have the confidence to dream big and the opportunity to make those dreams a reality. For Libby, that journey began when she joined us in Year 7. From her very first day, she embraced both school and boarding life with enthusiasm and determination to succeed. Originally joining as a high-performance diver, Libby has since become an integral part of Plymouth College Aquatics, balancing her international diving commitments with regional swimming competitions. Her passion truly embodies the Plymouth College spirit. Over half term, Libby returned to her home nation of South Africa to compete in both diving and swimming events. We are incredibly proud to share that she was crowned Gauteng Diving Champion and has been invited to compete in the National South African Age Groups in December. She has also earned an invitation to the KZN (KwaZulu-Natal) Swimming Trials, where she’ll swim to secure a place at nationals. Libby’s journey is a shining example of what can be achieved when talent meets opportunity, something we are deeply proud to nurture here at Plymouth College. We have no doubt we’ll be seeing Libby standing proudly on an Olympic podium one day and she will have the unwavering support of our school community to do so!
ARTS PLYMOUTH MUSIC FESTIVAL WINNERS The Jazz Band gave an exceptional performance at the Plymouth Music Festival in the Youth Ensemble category, achieving a Gold Award with a distinguished score of outstanding, 94/100. This result marks a significant accomplishment for the ensemble and reflects a notable improvement of six points compared with the previous year. The ensemble is now diligently preparing for its next major engagement, the Music for Youth Regional Festival taking place next term. In addition, pupils are undertaking preparations for the forthcoming music tour to Naples, which will provide valuable performance and cultural opportunities. The Brass Band also participated in the School Ensemble category, where it was awarded a Gold Award and received an official commendation for its performance. This represents a significant achievement for the ensemble and reflects the continued dedication and progress of its members.
CAROL SERVICE Our school community came together for one of the most treasured events of the school year, our annual Carol Service by candlelight. Our talented choir delivered a truly beautiful performance, supported wonderfully by the staff choir, our dedicated instrumentalists, and the enthusiastic voices of the Year 7 and Sixth Form choirs. We are also incredibly grateful to our readers and all those who worked behind the scenes to bring this magical evening together.
BOARDING IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS IN BOARDING! The boarding houses have been full of seasonal spirit this term, beginning with some brilliant pumpkin carving at Halloween, where boarders showcased their creativity with an impressive range of designs. More recently, the focus has shifted to Christmas decorating and festive activities. Our Heads of House joined Miss Haynes on a trip to choose the Mannamead and Colson Christmas trees, which are now proudly on display. Boarders have also been busy building and decorating gingerbread houses, working together to create some fantastic edible masterpieces. Many pupils came together to decorate the boarding houses with an array of Christmas decorations, making the spaces feel warm and welcoming. All the boarders also recently enjoyed our annual Christmas shopping trip to Exeter, where they had the chance to pick up gifts and soak up the festive atmosphere. Everyone in boarding exchanged Secret Santa gifts before the annual Christmas dinner, where they enjoyed a wonderful three-course meal followed by a Christmas disco!
GOLF TRIP
EXPLORING PLYMOUTH
Our boarders enjoyed a weekend visit to the driving range for some friendly competition and fun on the golf course.
At the start of term, a group of our EAL learners set off for Plymouth’s historic Hoe and Barbican.
It’s been fantastic to see them settle back into school life so smoothly, forming meaningful friendships across year groups and nationalities, and warmly welcoming new boarders into our school community.
The sun shone brightly as we explored the charming harbour, searching for clues and discovering fascinating facts about Plymouth’s past. The streets were full of music and energy, making the experience even more memorable.
Boarding at Plymouth College is a welcoming home away from home for our pupils, where they are supported and cared for during their time with us.
A real highlight was visiting the Tudor Rose Tearoom, where everyone experienced a traditional cream tea – warm scones, jam, and clotted cream! For many of our students, this was their very first taste of this very English tradition, and it was a delicious success. Days like this are a wonderful way to bring learning to life. Our students had the chance to practise their English in real situations, enjoy local culture, and share lots of smiles together. We are already looking forward to the next EAL trip!
CO-CURRICULAR
ICELAND TRIP This October half term, 52 adventurous pupils from Year 9 to Upper Sixth swapped the classroom for the glaciers, geysers, and volcanoes of Iceland, turning textbook geography into real-life discovery. Highlights included: Day 1: Exploring the Reykjanes Peninsula and venturing into a lava tube cave Day 2: Standing beneath Seljalandsfoss and scaling Skógafoss before tackling a once-in-a-lifetime glacier walk Day 3: Experiencing Iceland’s Golden Circle: Kerið crater, Gullfoss waterfall, the Great Geysir and Þingvellir National Park, where two continents meet Day 4: A cultural day in Reykjavík, from Hallgrímskirkja’s heights to the Sun Voyager’s sculpture Throughout the trip, pupils saw geography come alive beyond the classroom, including the incredible Northern Lights From plate tectonics and glaciation to geothermal energy and tourism, every stop offered a chance to deepen their academic understanding through real-world experience and most importantly, made memories to last a lifetime.
CHARITY FUNDRAISING On Monday 17th November, 21 pupils set off on our Race Against the Sun Challenge 2025, raising money for the Luna's fund! In groups of three or four they were dropped off 25 km away from school with no map, no phone and no idea where they were. They raced all the way back to school, with the first team to touch the flagpole outside the Main Building winning the challenge. All the Sixth Formers who partook in the challenge made it back (the last came in around 15:30) and did indeed, beat the sun, so all won! Although, if we are looking for specific victors, that would be Hugh, Max, George C and Harry G who raced back and arrived by 12:30! Our Sixth Formers who took part in the Race Against the Sun challenge 2025 raised an impressive total of £2034.75 for Luna’s Fund! Fantastic fund-raising!
VICE LORD-LIEUTENANT OF DEVON’S VISIT On Thursday 25th September 2025, we were pleased to welcome the Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Rear Admiral Chris Snow CBE DL. The Lord Lieutenant and his Deputies are His Majesty’s personal representatives in the County of Devon, and their role is to promote Devon communities, culture, services, heritage, business and charitable success while drawing attention to those addressing challenges and problems in the County. Heads of School, Noah B and Anna A, took the Vice Lord-Lieutenant on a tour of the school, and shared their experiences of being a Plymouth College pupil.
SIXTH FORM BEACH DAY On a Friday afternoon in September, the Lower Sixth set out for Bigbury, hoping both for a hassle free journey, unlike last year, and for the weather to hold. It turned out that they were fortunate on both accounts with a smooth journey had by all and, despite the forecast fluctuating between sun, rain and thunder all week, they only had fantastic sunshine and a low tide, albeit with a strong wind at times. Pupils enjoyed time in the slightly chilly water, a surfing lesson, dinner together at the Venus Cafe and then an impromptu game of French Cricket. It was a fantastic way to start the year as a community, giving pupils all the chance to create memories and bonds beyond the classroom!
PLYMOUTH COLLEGE Ford Park, Devon, PL4 6RN T: +44(0)1752 505100 ADMISSIONS T: +44(0)1752 505100 Email: admissions@plymouthcollege.com