MERRY CHRISTMAS
HALE NEWS
Dear parents
I always look forward to writing Headwords at the end of term as it
gives me the opportunity to reflect on everything that has taken place since
September.
I think it is fair to say this has been a term like no other. Students returned in
September to a new schooling experience marked by one way systems, face
coverings, virtual assemblies, zones for all year groups, hand sanitiser and split
lunches. The students took to these new rules fantastically well, they have shown
such great maturity and played their role in adhering to the new systems so that the
school could continue to operate. The students came back to school with real
enthusiasm, they have been keen to learn and this has been particularly impressive
as it has been maintained throughout the term. We are hugely proud of the students
in how they have responded in what we know have been challenging circumstances
both in and outside of school.
Over the term we have had to adapt some of our traditional activities. It was great to
be able to reward students with their Junior colours ties. We held a short celebratory
ceremony on the front steps to award the ties and celebrate the achievements of the
students. The front steps have become our new venue for rewarding student
successes, recently the subject prizes were handed out to Year 11 to 13 and this gave
us the opportunity to bump elbows and celebrate the work that was done last year.
Celebrating success has always been a key element of the tradition at Hale and we
have been able to retain this, despite the challenges.
This really has been the theme of the term, looking at how we can do things.
Teachers have had to adapt to new ways of delivering lessons, we have continued to
build on the experience of on-line learning and departments such as music and
drama have developed their way of working to enable things to continue in school.
PE have not been able to provide their usual array of rugby fixtures but the House
system has enabled rugby to continue, albeit tag rugby. Table tennis has proved a hit
addition and the re-worked House Plays have seen some fantastic written
contributions across age groups. The students have excelled in writing their own
scripts showing that creative flair that House Plays always provide. Alongside this we
have had a creative writing competition and the library has run its non-fiction reading
week.
At the end of term, we will be hosting White Gloves in school. The mayor has agreed
to attend in his usual role and we have looked at how we can deliver this historic
ceremony under the current restrictions. Remembrance is also an important event in
the school calendar. This year representatives from each year group were present for
the ceremony whilst the whole school remembered appropriately in classrooms. It
was a suitable tribute and moving occasion, but we look forward to having the whole
school remember next year, along with welcoming back guests to share this
experience with us.
We end a strange year for all of us, lockdown in March, remote learning, exams were
cancelled, students were awarded centre assessed grades for the external exams and
we have returned to school in September with new rules and constantly changing
regulations. What never surprises me is the way in which the school community has
risen to the challenge it has faced. Students have returned and kept positive
throughout, they have been keen to do well and staff are determined to ensure
students can achieve their best. We have all worked together to keep the community
safe. I am immensely proud of every member of the school and want to thank all the
parents for the support we have received over the last year.
To finish, I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Stay safe
and look after each other.
Ian Hawkins
1st Prize - Mr Mark Kiff
2nd Prize – Mrs Nicola Warburton
3rd Prize – Mr Jake Hayes and Miss Lara Townsend
For any queries please contact Aissa Blanche, Finance
WHITE GLOVES AND FACE MASKS
Huw Davies Assistant Headteacher
We were not going to let a global pandemic stop
the glorious Richard Hale tradition of inviting
the Mayor of Hertford up to the school on the
last day of the Christmas term, presenting
him/her with a brand new pair of white gloves
and making a speech in Latin requesting that
they look into a sum of money that went
missing from the School’s accounts into
Borough’s coffers during the reign of George II.
Covid or no Covid, the Ceremony must go on.
Fortunately, the current Mayor of Hertford,
Councillor Bob Deering was very keen to
participate in the first ever – and hopefully last
ever – socially distanced White Gloves
Ceremony. Unfortunately, this meant that the
150 parents and guests and the 300 or so boys who normally watch this historic
spectacle were not able to be present in the hall. However, with the help of Mr Veli
and our IT team, we are still hoping to do our first live broadcast to allow students
sitting in the classrooms to watch. If this technological experiment is successful, we
will then make the recording available to parents of the prize winners through a
YouTube channel. That is the plan, and by 12.00pm on Friday 18th December we will
know if it has worked or not.
Although the Mayor will not be accompanied by the usual retinue of councillors in
their period clothing, we are hoping that a Sergeant-at-Mace will be able to
accompany him. The Borough of Hertford was granted the right to appoint a
Sergeant-at-Mace by the Charter of Queen Elizabeth I in 1589. Starring as the “Senior
Scholar” and Latin speaker this year is Ben Carter in 10 Page, with the daunting task
of memorising a long Latin text and delivering it in front of a large audience. His
assistant is Oscar Sehgal from 10 Cowper, the “Junior Scholar” whose task is to
present the white gloves to the Mayor.
The White Gloves Ceremony also doubles as the Junior Prize giving event. In normal
years a guest speaker would present prizes to four boys from each form in Years 7-9
who have been selected as prize winners for the previous academic year. With no
handshakes permitted this year, the boys will receive their applause from their seats
in the hall rather than accept their certificate in person. This year Mr Hawkins will
also read the Founder’s deed that granted Richard Hale permission from King James I
to found a school in Hertford in 1617. This reading normally takes place in church as
part of the Founder’s Day ceremony and Carol Service. We are very much looking
forward to being able to keep a small part of the Richard Hale tradition alive and well
in the times of Covid.
CHRISTMAS JUMPER/ CARDIGAN DAY
Staff and sixth form students continued the tradition of donning
Christmas themed woollens in order to fundraise for Save the Children
in such a challenging year. After several years of persistence and
badgering, Matthew Botheras was crowned this year’s staff Christmas
cardigan (and shirt) winner. He may finally purchase a new one for next
year’s title defence. Congratulations to everyone who took part and
raising £215.30.
OUR MUSICAL YEAR Thomas McDonnell 9 Croft
This year has been strange for everyone, and despite the return to school, it’s still very different. Music is no exception to this rule, but the return of clubs, our lunches are starting to seem slightly more full, our instruments slightly more used, and we’re slightly saner. At the beginning of the year, we were preparing for the 2020 music tour, however, as with everything else this year, that didn’t work out. Despite this, we continued on at home, eventually leading up to the 1st virtual concert. This was one of those rare successes in lockdown, something you listened to and thought ‘that’s actually gone really well! ’Naturally, our laptop died within minutes of us starting, but it is 2020 after all. This was followed by a series of radio appearances, which was a very welcome surprise, and taught me, if nothing else, how important other choir members are so you don’t have to hear yourself singing when recording your part! Though slow, life continued, and led up to the VE day tribute. Another fun musical challenge, but also an important sign of respect, I couldn’t help but to laugh at how I manages to be twice as fast as everyone else, who had come up with the sensible idea to use a recording. Unfortunately, I also played with the wrong rhythm. And the wrong chords, and a poor accompaniment… Moving on from my questionable performance, we arrived at the virtual summer concert. This was another one of those wow moments, with different instrumental groups, including the concert band, performing, as well as many solo performances. It was great to end the school year, if you can call it that, on a high. Throughout lockdown, and the summer, I found I also had much more time for personal project, musical or not. Some of these were two large musical pieces I was composing, and I’d say the only advantage to lockdown was having more time to work on and improve my own skills. As someone who loves music, the extra time and skills I picked up in lockdown was one of the few positives in a boring world. Despite all of this, I was still surprised to find I was looking forward to returning to school. The promise of something at least partially normal seemed almost too good to be true. Then, a few weeks in, we got the news that extra-curricular music clubs would be starting again. However, this time it was too much of a promise, and they were cancelled days before they were planned to start. After a sad couple of days, 2020 decided to feel sorry for us, and out of nowhere we were going ahead again! Theory, choir, orchestra, and various ensembles were back! This, along with the
return of face to face music lessons make life feel a little better, and every time it is something to look forward to, never failing to make my day. Coming to the end of a strange year, we can only look forward and hope that the next is a little better. However, there’s a weird sense of achievement to have got through it all, still happy, and still making music.
MOVEMBER 2020: MORE THAN A MOUSTACHE
Mr Hicks. Mr Hinckley. Mr Smith. Mr Wemyss-Cook. Mr
Chichester-Miles
money and awareness for a great charity – as
well as raising spirits and more than a few
funny looks. A motley crew was assembled
and we downed shaving tools for the month
of MOVEMBER. This charity does amazing
work raising awareness for men’s health,
specifically Testicular Cancer, Prostate Cancer
& Men’s Mental Health. 2020 has been a year like no other
with our worlds turned upside down, but one thing that
hasn’t changed is the rate of male suicide. Increased
isolation has made it even harder to let the top off when
things become too much. This Movember, it was about
more than a Moustache – it was about making a
difference, starting conversations, and letting people know they are not alone.
So, start a conversation, check in on a mate and if you can spare anything to help us
raise as much as possible for this brilliant charity the link to the donation page is
below:
m_campaign=share-team
Trinity College London
students taking music
exams on Saturday
Toby Fowler 8 Co 3 Classical Guitar Distinction
Name Form Grade Instrument Result
Jack O’Reilly 9 Cr 4 Drums Merit
Alex Polley 10 Pa 3 Drums Merit
Name Form Grade Instrument Result
Zinedine Jarbale 11 Pa 5 Flute Merit
Jotham King 10 Cr 5 Flute Pass
Aleks Snell 9 Ki 3 Flute Merit
Alexander Justin 9 Ha 2 Flute Pass
Name Form Grade Result
DRAMA PAUSED
Shelagh Maughan House Play Competition Organiser
Due to Covid restrictions it has not been possible to stage the popular House Play competition this year. However, given the number of excellent plays written by students we have seen staged over the past few years, it was decided that we would hold a House Play Writing competition this year. The students are divided into three categories - years 7 & 8; years 9 & 10 and years 11,12 and 13. It was decided to have three year groups in the last category as they were less likely to have time to write a play given the amount of work they need to catch up on for their exams.
The students were given a minimum word limit depending on their category and they had to include at least three characters although one of them could be silent. As expected, the number of entries from year 7 has far outnumbered the other categories! Currently they are being judged internally in Houses by the House Masters and a select crack team of judges who will then pass on their three winners to the main judging team. This team will consist of Ms. Baldwin, Mr Hinckley, Mrs Barnes, Miss Hancock and Miss Maughan and the winners will be announced after Christmas. The plays will be ranked within each age category as they are for the usual competition and allocated House points. The House gaining the most points will be declared the winner. The winning play in each category will get an individual trophy in lieu of the Best Actor trophies. Some of the boys have put in amazing extra efforts including their plans, stage plans and even specially composed curtain music. Although not within the bounds of the competition, I am sure we can find some way of rewarding their efforts. The team and I are looking forward to reading the plays and who knows? Maybe next year we will be able to find a way to stage some of them so everyone can enjoy them
HEADWORDS 2.0 Oliver Tatlow and Isabel Eccleston are serving as Head Boy and Head Girl this year. Hale News wanted to know their plans during this exceptional year.
What was your reaction to (a)
hearing that you had been
nominated for the position and (b)
being appointed as student leader
for 2020-21?
in hearing I had been nominated for
an interview and was determined to
give it the best shot I could. The
process had been a difficult one
with everything that had gone on,
and the extra time it had taken so it
was certainly very welcome to hear some good news! When I found out, I felt very
happy of course, although I think my mum was more! It also carried a sense of
responsibility, that I had been chosen to represent the school, both its students and
its values, and so I was very excited.’
Isabel: ‘When I found out I had been chosen to represent the school as Head Girl this
year, I felt extremely honoured. Richard Hale has provided me with so many
opportunities and opened up doors I didn't realise needed unlocking before I joined
and I couldn't wait to give back to the school this year. I felt extremely proud to know
that the school valued my dedication and I couldn't wait to continue this as Head
Girl!’
What are your plans and ambitions as Head Boy/ Girl? You might want to talk about
the unusual circumstances of the Covid restrictions.
Isabel: ‘Ollie and I both feel it's important to continue school life as normally as
possible during a time of such uncertainty. A goal for me is to be a role model for the
younger students by complying with government and school guidelines as it’s
important to keep the togetherness and community here at Richard Hale. The videos
that we participated in for open evenings, posted on the school website were an
ambition that has been achieved for me as I wanted to make sure that everyone got
to see how amazing the school is. Even during times of restriction, I feel we managed
this well!’
situation, there is a lot of
unpredictability, but I hope to be able
to build upon what had been in place,
in the resurrection of the model
United Nations conference, in
responsibilities I feel is to act as a role
model to the younger students, and
that is something I take great pride in, and even though there are fewer assemblies, I
hope to be able to make an impact, to inspire and help those who need it. Also, I
hope to be able to help the school react to anything that comes up, to improve the
experience here for everyone, not just sixth form.’
What has been the most challenging part of your role so far?
Oliver: ‘Trying to react to the changing Covid situation and implement everything
that I had hoped. Some of the things that I had planned on doing involved a lot of
interaction between year groups, which is no longer possible, and I don't want to give
up, therefore trying to adapt it all has been quite a big ask. But as time had passed,
everything has become clearer, and I have had some help from friends and staff,
things have started to come together! Another challenge has been fitting everything
in. Whilst doing my four A-Levels, I am also doing an EPQ, and so a lot of my time has
already been taken up. So just finding more time is a big challenge! It's easy to get
carried away and burn yourself out and so you have to regulate yourself, take it one
bit at a time, and just keep swimming!’
Isabel: ‘Taking on new roles and the responsibility that comes with it has been a
challenge, especially trying to adapt quickly to changes within school. We were still
able to carry out our afternoon of welcoming the new year 12s earlier this year in
person which was successful and these events as well as the technology readily
available to us has made things a bit easier. Managing my time with three A levels,
university applications as well as an EPQ and the responsibility of Head Girl has been
challenging and this year is already going by so quickly! Making sure I'm not
overworking myself and talking time to winddown has been important this year
especially.’
Most people have role models or heroes. Who inspires you and why?
Isabel: ‘While being in lockdown, I have found that my family and friends around me
have been role models for me! Seeing them push through fears and confusions
during the pandemic has reminded me that I'm not alone and it's encouraging to
know that I have people around me for support. I’ve always felt the actress Meryl
Streep has been a role model for me. Her dedication to her job is amazing and she's
been in the filming industry for a long time how. Her skill and duality when playing
different roles is almost indescribable and I really feel that's the mark of a good
actress. All of this means she's a very powerful and independent woman and I hope
to carry these qualities when I grow up.’
Oliver: ‘Someone who I keep finding myself wanting to relate to is Guy Martin. It may
seem an odd choice for some people, but his passion for everything he does, his drive
to learn more and go past the edge that most people don't even get near is what I
love. Further, his love for history, and the importance it carries I completely agree
with, and that's one of the reasons I took it! Starting out as a lorry mechanic, he has
pushed his limits, and the experiences he has had, from racing the Isle of Man TT, to
building and flying a spitfire, to taking a tractor to 153 mph, are incredible, and I'd be
lying if I said I wasn't jealous! But as I said, the passion for everything he does, his
friendliness, and unstoppable drive to push the boundaries, are the reasons I look up
to him.’
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you?
Oliver: ‘That anything can happen, and it normally does. But sometimes, you've just
got to 'lick the stamp and send it!' Basically, life is unpredictable, and the best thing
you can do is to carry on, take every opportunity and don't let doubt cloud you.’
Isabel: ‘There are a few pieces of advice that I cherish thanks to my wise parents!
One of favourites is “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” which I believe is by
Oscar Wilde. My mum told me this a few years ago and it seems so simple. It can be
hard to stay true yourself sometimes, especially with social media and the influence
people can have on our lives. However, it would be so boring if we were all the same,
and individuality and diversity are things to embrace!’
Most memorable moment so far at Richard Hale?
Oliver: ‘My first day definitely stands out! Walking into a whole new environment, far
bigger than what I was used to was scary at first, but everyone was in the same
situation, and the excitement surrounding everything I did that day, from just
meeting my teachers, to starting new subjects to playing rugby, was all
unforgettable!’
Isabel: ‘There are so many to choose from! A real stand
out time at Richard Hale was the school play in which
we performed ‘My Fair Lady’. This experience gave me
a new community of friends and I really came out of
my shell during this time. The level of talent within
school on stage as well as behind the scenes with
costume and lighting was inspirational. The work that
the students and teachers put in to bring it together
meant the outcome was truly magical and such an amazing event to have been a part
of.’
Tell us a joke
Isabel: ‘Who delivers presents to baby sharks at Christmas? Santa Jaws.’
Oliver: ‘Now cinemas are open again I went and saw a poignant film. The guy behind
me started wailing. I got hit in the back of the head with a harpoon.’
BOOKS ARE BUZZING
Maya Quin School Librarian
The library is on a mission to get students reading for pleasure! Even though the
library has unfortunately had to change some of the ways it works this year due to
Covid, it doesn’t mean the activities have stopped! From the Summer Reading
Challenge to BookBuzz, there have been all sorts of schemes and fun going on to get
our students reading this term!
Here we have four Year 7 students telling us about all the library activities they have
been getting involved in since joining RHS …
Hayden Lund 7 Page
Since I started the school, I have taken the opportunity to use the library! The RHS
library is a key to unlocking a whole new world of imagination. I am quite high on the
Accelerated Reader programme… and you can do the same! Then there is Bookbuzz.
A really generous gift from the library where you can choose from a selection of
books and the one you choose you get to keep. I chose Superhero Sidekicks which is
a very humorous book!
Danis Vijayanandana, 7 Page
An excellent thing about the library is a competition called Accelerated Reader, which
counts how many words you have read! When using the Richard Hale library, I have
really enjoyed the vast selection of books that help me get a higher score on
Accelerated Reader! If you don’t have a book at home the library is the perfect place
to go. There are lots of genres from comedy to horror. For Bookbuzz I have chosen
The Haven because I like thrillers. The BookBuzz scheme gives you a book for free
that you can read in your free time. The library helps get this book safely to your
hands. BookBuzz is a great opportunity for you to discover what genre suits you best.
Michael Hunter 7 Wallace
I have really loved using the library and all its resources. I have really enjoyed
Accelerated Reader and how you can show your reading skills and make it into a fun
competition. I also love the atmosphere and how you feel welcome. The library
lessons let you come in and do lots of reading which really encourages me! In those
lessons we did something called BookBuzz and in this we get to look through
different books and then chose one to take home and keep and read. This is exciting
because we get our books for home and get to choose out of a variety of genres and
options! I picked Home Ground because I really enjoy football and it sounded very
interesting of what I had seen of it. I haven’t read many football books so I wanted to
give it a try.
Jack Gleed 7 Wallace
I love that we have BookBuzz giving all the Year 7s the opportunity to not only be
given a book but to be able to browse and enjoy the vast collection of books. I
decided after browsing the books to choose Little Badman and the Invasion of the
Killer Aunties because I like comedy books and I can’t wait to finish reading it. I
thoroughly enjoy the library and using the computers because there is a calm and
tranquil atmosphere but you can still talk to your friends and go there after school.
REMEMBRANCE 2020
for the horrors that we met
enough to turn any sane man mad
for you cannot unsee nor can you forget.
Trenches deformed like a broken-down maze
Sodden with earth falling from above
Soldiers decomposing into the ditches
Waiting for the signal to go.
Suddenly the whistle blows
all guns are ablaze
everything seems to slow.
All forms of control immediately forgotten
Comrades collapse whilst still in motion
All the while we carry on running.
We carry on running although all is a blur
Coils of violent blood red light up the sky
Tripping and stumbling through bodies and craters
All sense of direction lost only instinct to help.
No one could have possibly been ready
for the horrors that we met
enough to turn any sane man mad
for you cannot unsee nor can you forge
INSIDE OUT – Daniel Chichester-Miles
having come from Goffs in Cheshunt. Dan lives
locally in Hertford and was brought up in the
county, going to school at Sir John Lawes in
Harpenden, before attending university at
Durham where he read philosophy. Dan has a
passion for local history and legends and is
fascinated by the history and traditions of RHS
as well as being a trustee of Hertford Museum.
What brought you into teaching – and what keeps you in the profession?
I never originally wanted to be a teacher. In some ways I come from a ‘dynasty’ of
teachers, with lots on my mum’s side, including her, my granny and great
grandmother, as well as a few on my dad’s side, so, if anything, I reacted against the
idea. As a teenager and in my early twenties I would have laughed if you suggested
where I would be in 2020! My first proper job after university was as a ‘buyer’ with
the Home Office, working at a strange ‘secret’ (not really) base in Hertfordshire. It
was interesting work and having my car checked for bombs on occasion was kind of
exciting. Ultimately, I decided it wasn’t for me, and over the coming years I worked in
a bank (which I hated and was rubbish at), recruitment, and even a spell as a sort of
‘henchman’ for a multimillionaire, which wasn’t nearly as exciting as it sounds!
A teacher friend invited me into his school to work shadow him for a few days back in
2010 though and I absolutely loved it. A few weeks later and I had left my previous
job to become a teaching assistant and progressed to taking cover lessons before
teaching RE, History and even Government & Politics in another school for a few
years. I then realised that as much as the job has its ups and downs, I liked it a lot, so
perhaps I should take the risk of a year outside of work to train and become properly
qualified. It was tough but I’ve never regretted taking that decision. It sounds like a
cliché and certainly there are days where teaching can be stressful, but seeing
students develop their skills and become more confident as they discover their
strengths and interests is a privilege. Seeing someone evolve into a successful and
happy young adult is just about one of the more rewarding aspects I can think of in
my working life.
Why RE, philosophy and ethics? In your view, why is RE still relevant?
It’s not so much that it’s still relevant, in many ways it couldn’t be more relevant than
it is today. The generation of students in school today will be amongst the most
digitally connected in the world and it follows that they will travel more and have
more global relationships than mine could have dreamed of. Religion is about so
much more than Gods and holy books, it is embedded in the culture, manners,
language and customs of every country in the world. You don’t have to be religious to
know that, in fact you could be an avowed atheist and still see the value of
understanding another person’s cultural and spiritual world view.
When we talk about philosophy or religion it’s easy to become fixated on the church
and faith leaders or mental images of smartly dressed men like Kant or
Schopenhauer, and the pipe-smoking Earl Russell, whereas that’s only a tiny part of
it. To engage in philosophical debate is to consider the history of human thought
itself. The nature of reality and our relationship with the world around us… What is it
precisely that makes us happy or sad, to applaud or condemn? What is it that makes
us ‘tick’? These are big questions that actually shape the minutiae of everyday life
and our sense of being and purpose as people. When I remind myself of this I think:
“Why wouldn’t I be interested in philosophy?”
If you hadn’t become a teacher, what would you like to have done?
I was very taken with the stories of Nelson (the guy on the column in Trafalgar
Square) as a small boy, he seemed like such an unlikely, yet real hero. As a result, I
was interested in the Navy growing up and I’m still fascinated by boats and
submarines in general.
Some people will tell you I could have been a good lawyer as I enjoy research and
looking things up as well as discussion and trying to think about difficult points of
view. My parents and teachers would probably just have told you it’s because I was
good at arguing!
These days I think if I wasn’t a teacher, I think I would probably do something
involved in farming. My family are from that background and I’ve always loved nature
and the Hertfordshire countryside.
It depends what you mean by relax I
suppose… I used to cycle a lot more than I do
now and pedalling all over the county in all
weathers (even snow on one occasion!) to
visit places and get 30 or more miles ticked
off was a lot of fun. In fact, about a decade
ago I completed a charity ride with a mate
across Vietnam and Cambodia which was
memorable in oh, so many ways. I am equally
happy walking on my own or with a close friend; we’re blessed with some fantastic
routes and scenery around Hertford and the surrounding villages, which will
hopefully mean I can reach my 40,000 steps in a day target one day... I hope RHS
students learn to appreciate what they have on their doorstep.
I love music and I have some pretty eclectic tastes, ranging from rock like Nirvana,
Guns ‘n’ Roses and ACDC, to jazz, Vivaldi and even sacred choral music, a luxury
during college Eucharist, evensong and compline that I didn’t really appreciate
properly until I had left university. I enjoy reading a lot and I’m rarely to be found
without a book of some kind. Perhaps more weirdly I often have a pen and a
notebook. Any student who has seen my marking will tell you my hand-writing isn’t
exactly great, but I have grown to like jotting down my thoughts and ideas over the
years. Some boys at RHS already know my guilty secret though: I enjoy (attempting)
to write short ghost stories…
Who would you invite to a dinner party – they could be living or dead – and why?
That’s almost impossible to answer! How big is my table? Putting aside whether the
guests would want to take a chance on my cooking, probably:
Emmanuel Kant – I have the pleasure of teaching some of his work and it would
professionally useful, as well as seeing if he was as strange as some people have
made out…
Jane Austen – A truly great English novelist and a shrewd judge of people. I suspect
she would find me aloof because I was too quiet or over talkative because I was
trying to over-compensate for my natural shyness. The most important thing though?
Was Hertford the inspiration for Meryton in Pride & Prejudice?
Henry Chauncy – He died in 1719 at Ardeley just up the road from here and was
recorder of the town in the 1680’s living in Lombard House which is now the Hertford
Club. He wrote the first proper history of Hertfordshire and I’m currently researching
his life, so him coming to dinner would be useful!
Alfred Russell-Wallace – his stories about various unusual animals must have been
fascinating, and he was an O.H, so he must have been a good egg too.
Tacitus – A Roman soldier and historian who wrote one of the first histories of
northern Europe and particularly Britain. It would be good to get his take on what’s
changed!
Ettie Fane (Lady Desborough) – In addition to opening the current school site and
being brought up by the last Earl Cowper at Panshanger, she was something of an
adventuress who lived through a time of great change and (with the loss of her two
sons in WW1) personal tragedy. If we ever get a 7th house perhaps, she should be
considered…
Peter Ruffles – Just as interesting as any other guest and given a few of the above
and being an Old Hertfordian it wouldn’t seem right not to invite him!
My granny and grandpa – I miss their down to earth humour and wisdom. They kept
my feet on the ground, and I miss them a lot sometimes.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
That’s a tough one! I’ve never really given it much thought as I think it would be a
fairly boring film! I was once told by a school friend that Matt Damon or Ryan
Phillippe would be a good pick but I think she was trying to be nice… I wear hats
sometimes and I like exploring and museums, so perhaps a grumpy Harrison Ford in
old age, or Tom Hollander as like him I’m quite short!
Most embarrassing or memorable moment in teaching?
Quite early on in my career I was covering a maths lesson and remarked I could smell
something burning. No one else could so I carried on, only to smell it again a few
moments later and a few people said they could too, but no source of the smell.
About two minutes later a girl put her hand up and pointed out the now quite
noticeable source of the smoke. One boy had been absent mindedly playing with a
lighter in his pocket and managed to set his trousers on fire. He was completely
oblivious until it was too late!
Best piece of advice you have ever received?
Try to be kind and patient, even when that’s hard. You never know just how much
difference that can make to you and the people around you.
Tell us an RE joke
Have you heard about the agnostic, dyslexic insomniac? He lay
awake all night wondering if there was a Dog…
RESOURCES Mateo Viudez-Calzada 9 Page
We were approaching the end of the century and there was no promising planet for our population to regain forces. The biggest spacecraft only had less than 15% of fuel left and was rapidly decreasing.
Watching terrified as the fuel ran out, I thought of something to do. “One more jump, let’s make it count, people”, I ordered into the neutron transmitter. Then, after that a chorus of replies came through the proton receiver. “But, master, we only have 3 grams of Loftium left: if we make the jump we will practically be paralyzed, and the frost giants will eat us. Are you sure, master?” answered the neighbouring spacecraft. He had a point the - Frost Giants were rapidly gaining on them and they would be outnumbered when they arrived. I took a few precious seconds to think it through and assess the risks. I looked at the antimatter map and zoomed in to the nearest planet <<PLANET EARTH, INHABITTED BY SINGLE BRAINED HOOMANS>> that was enough for me; if they only had one brain then they would be pretty stupid and most likely wouldn’t know how to retaliate. “Master, everything all right?” asked the captain of the neighbouring spacecraft. The vessel was called Master of Gravity because it had the special device which could manipulate gravity to its will. “Yes,
MoG I am sure. Just do it we don’t have time to lose.” I replied. The high-tech screens/windows turned dark to shield us from the brightness of an inter-universal space jump.
After a few long days we finally arrived at the solar system of the HOOMAN planet. “Well done everyone, splendid work. I think we may have lost the Frost Giants.” I took another look at the description of the planet and downloaded it into my personal memory and quickly took a quick read. “Ready the drop-ships” I barked into the neutron transmitter “Yes, master” a few minutes silence “drop-ships ready for launch, master.” We were roughly 5 light years away from the solar system and some spacecraft had already started to attract the furthest planet from their star. <<PLUTO, IDENTIFIED BY HOOMANS AS A DWARF PLANET…>> the onboard speakers started giving information of Pluto, but I turned the volume down because I didn’t care. I was looking at the one with an atmosphere, I was looking at the one that was 2 thirds water, and the rest as land. I was looking at planet Earth.
“Ok MoG, you take that G2V over there in the middle. BB, you take that big one over there”, I said whilst I sent a signal to each corresponding vessel (which had all opened their shredders and were in digestion mode) with their corresponding planets/stars. “The rest of you sort yourselves out and share the remaining planets but leave the HOOMAN planet to me.”
The War
Down on planet Earth, the humans had detected an approaching group of objects, but it was very unclear. Until the satellites on the edge of the solar system started to lose connection. Something was coming and that something was big, and it had no mercy.
“Commence digestion. I repeat, this is Master to all battleships, commence digestion”, I said into the neutron transmitter. The HOOMANS cowered defencelessly in their shelters. A few nukes came up towards us but we had already anticipated that with our 3rd brain used for seeing into the future, so the nukes did nothing and the HOOMANS had nothing to use against the highly sophisticated and highly advanced plasma dwarfs (the aliens) had eaten the whole solar system and the only proof that humans existed was the Tesla Roadster that was sent to space a few decades ago which by now had already reached the centre of the Milky Way, the home of the Frost Giants …
MY MUSIC Philip Camm Head of Music
Whenever someone asks what I do for a living, and I explain I am a music teacher, one of the first questions they usually ask is, “What sort of music do you like?” Sometimes, this is asked in a reverential way, as if my opinion and taste hold more worth than most, and on other occasions their eyes glaze over as I start to rant on about 19th century chamber music! The fact is though, boring as it may be, I like a little bit of everything. This is something I try to impress on the students I teach. You don’t have to love everything you listen you, but you should always try to expand your horizons, listen widely and find things you have never heard before. Not only does it make us better musicians, but more importantly it helps us find new ways to connect with our emotional state, something which I believe music does more convincingly than anything else. In today’s instant consumption, streaming, throw away culture music evolves rapidly. Artists and their ‘hits’ come and go far quicker than ever before and the world of music production ensures a rapid succession fresh, new music. This is a wonderful thing and should be celebrated. Inspired, talented young people can literally create and share new music from their bedroom with just a computer or tablet. However, it does often mean that young people today forget that before the technological advances of the last couple of decades music was just as exciting, innovative and expressive. There is literally a whole world of music out there ready to be listened to and everyone, myself included, should try to make time to dig a bit deeper and experience something unfamiliar. You never know what you will find! So, to help kickstart you on your journey, here are my 6 Desert Island Disc choices, in no particular order. The links will take you a recording on YouTube. Do have a listen - I hope you will find at least one new piece of music you enjoy! 1. Brahms: Violin sonata in D minor, movement II (Adagio)
https://bit.ly/BrahmsViolin The second movement is one of those heart-tugging, gut-wrenching pieces of music which still gives me goose pimples every time I listen to it. Brahms, the great 19th century Romantic composer, cleverly toys with us throughout this movement. He takes the music to a low whisper, then shoots the melody skywards again and again, before taking us straight back down to where we started. Each time he pushes us emotionally a little more. You never quite feel settled until the very end where the music reaches a sort of peaceful resolution (ready for the fireworks that will soon come in the 4th movement!). Listen to all 4 movements if you can.
2. Kate Bush: ‘A Coral Room’, from the album ‘Aerial’ https://bit.ly/KateBushCoral Kate Bush has always been something of a love or loath artist for some. Many people are stuck with the sound of high pitched wailing and image of her dancing with expressive abandon in ‘Wuthering Heights’. I absolutely love her creative approach to lyrics, song themes and versatility as a singer. She has to be one of the best, and most successful, female British singer/songwriters. You can find so many layers of detail and meaning in her songs, often hearing things differently depending on your own mood. The song ‘A coral room’ is taken from a more recent album in 2005. Her style is vastly different from her youth and the songs are paired back, more intimate and acoustic. I love the simplicity of ‘A coral room’, the delicate interplay between voice and piano, and fragility of her voice. 3. Gotan Project: ‘Best of Gotan Project’ (full album) https://bit.ly/GotanBest
Gotan Project is a French, Argentinian electronic music band. I’ve always particularly liked Central and Latin American music and find this fusion style really exciting and innovative. There is so much fantastic Argentinian tango music out there (Astor Piazzolla is a good place to start) but this breathes new life into the style - turn the bass up loud! 4. Wagner: ‘Finale’ from ‘Gotterdammerung’ https://bit.ly/WagnerRIngFinale This is a bit of an epic one, and not the faint hearted! This concludes around 15 hours’ worth of Wagner’s gigantic Ring Cycle, a set of 4 connected operas. These music dramas were ground-breaking in so many ways, not least paving the way for so many of the musical techniques and methods used in film scores today. The finale is a particular favourite of mine because in the story it is set against the demise of the old regime (after they have woefully messed everything up over the last 15 hours of drama) and the redemption and hope for the next generation. Out of the musical ashes and enormous orchestral forces comes a beautiful, innocent melody full of hope. Something of a reward for listening all the way through, perhaps!
5. Ella Fitzgerald: ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye’ https://bit.ly/EllaEverytime I could listen to Ella Fitzgerald all day, every day, for the rest of my life and be a happy man! If all the discs were washed back to sea on my desert island, I think I’d risk my life for this one, which is saying something as I not the world’s strongest swimmer (as the RNLI will testify…but that’s a story for another day!). I find her voice intoxicating and captivating. Of course much of the credit for many of her most famous recordings must go to Cole Porter, the songwriter extraordinaire, who just so happens to feature heavily in the A level music specification, it’s a hard life teaching music. This particular recording of ‘Everytime we say goodbye’ shows Ella at her finest, and on a morbid note I think I will have this played when I depart this life. I challenge you to not want to listen to more! 6. Debussy: ‘Des pas sur la neige’ (‘Footprints in the snow’) (Préludes - Book I) https://bit.ly/DebussyNeige Debussy has long been one of my favourite composers. He was one of the great French impressionist composers of the late 19th/early 20th century and contributed to a radical shift in compositional approach which continued to influence much of the 20th century. Like other impressionists, his music creates the illusion, or outline, of a picture, story or feeling. We as listeners are invited to complete the gaps as we imagine them. This particular piece, one of his many preludes, is sparse and almost pontilistic. The silence is just as important as the notes, mirroring the complete silence created when snow lies on the ground. Debussy, with his mastery of the piano, exploits the instrument from every angle and gives time for each and every note to linger in our memory.
HOUSE COMPETITIONS TO DATE
Steve Robins KS4 Coordinator
It has been really pleasing to see so many students involved in House competition
this term. The return to school has allowed us to run many of our usual autumn term
activities and whilst a few have had to be adapted in the current climate, boys have
as always really committed themselves to each event with the usual hard but fair
competition between the houses.
We started off the term with the traditional cross country event- this is usually a
quite challenging race held in the fields and farm tracks behind Morgans School. With
the restrictions in place this year and much to the delight of a number of boys, the
course was dramatically reduced in length and ended up as a 3 lap race around our
main field.
Year group winners
Year 7: Wallace
Year 8: Hale
Year 9: Page
Year 10: Hale
With house basketball on hold currently, we decided to run a table tennis
competition and what a success that turned out to be. It was really pleasing to see so
many boys turn up to represent their house and the standard of play and
sportsmanship between all who took part was fantastic to see. We saw some really
competitive matches in all year groups and some budding Desmond
Douglas/Matthew Syed’s playing. You have to be of a certain age to know who they
are. My thanks go to Mr Smith for running this competition.
Year group winners
Year 7: Croft
Year 8: Page
Year 9: Cowper
Year 10: Cowper
Year 11: Hale
House rugby this year took the form of a 9 a side touch tournament. This really gave
the boys a chance to showcase their running and handling skills and we saw some
fantastic running over the 3 weeks of competition. Each age group was eagerly
contested, none more so than the Year 8 final which saw Wallace take advantage of
the new kick for points rule after a try has been scored in which missing the harder
kick would have cost them the overall win but by scoring it would make them
champions. The Wallace kicker calmly stepped up to take on and make the higher
point scoring kick and win the tournament for his form. Thanks to Mr McNamee for
organising the competition and adjusting the rules this year to enable it to take place.
Year group winners were
Year 7: Kinman
Year 8: Wallace
Year 9: Hale
Year 10: Hale
The House reading competition is currently running with every Year 7 and 8 pupil
contributing to their House’s success with every single word they read. This is an
element of the competition that truly does involve every pupil.
Every time a pupil finishes a book, they complete a reading quiz and the number of
words read are logged and tallied. The aim is to reach 1 million words, or more! At
the end of the year, the tallies for each form group will earn their House some vital
last points in the competition.
As the first school term draws to a close, here are the top readers in each form so far.
It has been fantastic to see our first millionaire reader already. Thanks to Miss Harvey
for running this event.
Leading readers so far
Hale: Daniel McGinty - 416, 889 words
Kinman: Oliver Ashton-Jones - 477, 737 words
Page: Danis Vijayanandana - 820, 090 words
Wallace: Michael Hunter - 2,606, 151 words
YEAR 8
Kinman: Mark Bateman - 139, 963
Wallace: Billy Parsons - 324, 290
The current standings in the completion are as follows:
Current House League Table
40
SUBJECT PRIZES 2019-20 We were unable to hold Senior Presentation Evening this year, an event held at the end of this term to which we invite parents and carers to enjoy watching their sons and daughters receive their very well-deserved subject prize for 2019-20. The students listed below received their awards from Mr Hawkins on the Main Steps on a chilly morning earlier this month. A walk up the steps one side, followed by an elbow bump, a photo and a walk back down was reminiscent of collecting the FA cup at Wembley. These students impressed their subject teachers with their commitment to learning, whether under normal classroom conditions during the first part of the school year or via remote learning that had to be employed after the school closed in March. This ability to adapt to unfamiliar situations and work independently will stand these students in good stead for the future. Our warmest congratulations to all prize winners.
Subject Year 10 2019-20 Year 11 2019-20 Year 12 2019-20
Art Dylan Rix Jude Barkey Alexandra Offer
Biology Mackenzie Robb Matthew Crosby Leah Laker-Jones
Business Studies Finlay Deards Byron Hart Henry Ready
Chemistry Elias King Daniel Fitzgerald Grace Hagan
Computer Science Thomas Moorcroft George Clarke Kieran Paxton
Design & Technology Freddie Maguire Finlay Dowton Matthew Chandler
Drama Finn Menich Harry Winsor Ellie Gray
Economics Joshua Holland
English Liam Jenkins Toby Golding Alastair Murray
Food Technology Ethan Primett Lewis Stevens
French Liam Jenkins William Reilly Phi-Khanh Buingoc
Geography William Critchley Matthew Crosby Adam Lee
Geology Lauren Cates
History Henry Walden Mitchell Magner Isabel Eccleston
Latin Daniel Buswell Matthew Francis
Mathematics Joe Grierson Daniel Fitzgerald Keshitha De Silva
Media Studies Alicia Buckle
Physical Education Tom Moring Daniel Ireland Oliver Gates
Physics Jakub Pickering Tamir Sharif Oliver Tatlow
Politics Georgia Burr
Psychology Thomas Shepherd
RE Zane Green
once a week
distancing
respect
further education
education
given to them
8. Thou shan’t steal nor kill
9. Thou shall treat peers with respect
10. Thou shall be kind, loving and grateful
to everyone
SCHULORDNUNG
Students in Year 9 have been writing some school rules in their German lessons.
Which ones do you think we should adopt here at Richard Hale?
Man darf Kaugummi kauen.
Man muss nicht ruhig in der Bibliothek sein.
Man kann Fußball in dem Gang spielen.
Man darf Cola in den Klassenzimmern trinken.
Man kann Mützen mit der Uniform tragen.
Man muss Schuluniform tragen.
Man kann auf dem Schulhof essen.
Man darf nur coole Musik spielen
Man muss laute Musik hören.
Man muss im Klassenzimmer zuhören.
Man darf in den Toiletten nicht rauchen.
In der Bibliothek darf man nicht laut sein.
Man darf nicht mit dem Lehrer streiten.
Tom Bishop, George Brown, Harry Cox,
Kentaro Frith, Frank Hunter, Deniz Isen
Editor’s addition: Eltern, bitte schalten Sie Ihren Automotor auf dem Spielplatz aus,
um unsere Gesundheit zu schützen
ANSWER SMASH
Fans of Richard Osman’s House of Games will know this one well. In our version, the
aim of the game is to identify the Richard Hale House by smashing together the two
descriptions or definitions. Easy? Answers at the back.
Example
Hawk Hawkins Insight
Members of a family Richard Hale House Ole’s team
Farmstead in Scotland Richard Hale House Zero
Bovine Richard Hale House Spot on
Computer in 2001 Richard Hale House Online trading
Exclusive secretary Richard Hale House Children born after 2010
RUGBY REVIEW
Brett McNamee Head of Rugby
At Richard Hale we wish to create a culture that has
a positive and long lasting impact on the player
throughout their School life and beyond. The
autumn rugby term was an ever changing
environment and certainly encountered numerous
obstacles and challenges that we would have never
had predicted when the planning of the 2020/21
season took place. This year would have seen one
of our most competitive fixture cards with countless playing opportunities against
quality opposition and it is with great pride that many well-known rugby schools
continue to request for block fixtures.
In September, we welcomed the news from the RFU that the Government had
approved the new adapted Ready4Rugby touch version of the game along with
limited and restricted contact rugby training. This was an important and positive
phase for the return of rugby, as it would ensure, both new and experienced students
would have the fundamental core skills required to perform and maintain a safe and
effective environment when returning to contact and competitive rugby match play.
In November, we ran in parallel an A+B
House rugby competition adhering to
the Rugby4Ready non-contact version of
the game. This provided a wonderful
opportunity for an inclusive sporting
event for all students with differing
rugby experiences to represent their House and raise participation levels. The
tournament mirrored a World Cup format with a seeded group stage, followed by the
knockout stages that determined the final standings. This new adapted version of the
game promoted and developed the student’s core skills and was easily adaptable for
the age and stage of learning to ensure a positive and enjoyable experience for all.
We also introduced a modified form of the conversion that proved crucial in the
outcome of certain matches!
Team captain Alastair Murray writes:
My rugby experience at Hale has turned something I took part in on the weekends
into something exciting and special I will love for the rest of my life. The buzz on
Saturday match days is unbeatable and the opportunity to play some huge fixtures
under lights and in front of a crowd, such as the victory over Haileybury last year, I
will remember forever.
The culture Mr McNamee has embedded in the seniors has made the experience all
the more enjoyable. To be given the captaincy and the opportunity to lead the team
out this season is absolute honour. Although the start to the season was not what we
wanted, training has remained electric, and the recent RFU announcement has given
us hope for the new year. With a string of fixtures being organised in the New Year it
is looking all the more likely that we will be able to resume matches, once again,
before the season ends.
Year 10
Year 10 proved to be a very a competitive tournament. Houses with most success
looked to score with minimal phases, creating pressure through speed of ball against
a disorganised defence whilst exploiting the available space. The final was a closely
fought contest with Hale beating Kinman 19-14.
Final Standings
Position House
1st Hale
2nd Kinman
3rd Cowper
4th Croft
5th Page
6th Wallace
Year 9
go forward and support both in
attack and defence; teams working
out how to be most effective within
their allocated phases to manipulate
the defence whilst creating the
opportunities to score. There were many occasions where teams and individual
brilliance exploited defensive mismatches through creativity and awareness. In the
final, Hale won by a converted try, 12-10
A team competition
conditions to that of the Year 9/10
competition. This allowed further
opportunities to overload the attack
and create the mismatches in defence. However, more importantly it created the
opportunity for all players to make decisions in both attack and defence whilst
continuing to practice their core skills in an enjoyable and positive environment.
Both the Year 8 final and 3rd/4th Playoff were a high scoring affair. Page beat Kinman
22-19 for 3rd place with Wallace securing a 32-29 victory over Hale.
Year 8 A team competition
Position House
1st Wallace
2nd Hale
3rd Page
4th Kinman
5th Cowper
6th Croft
Position House
1st Cowper
2nd Kinman
3rd Wallace
4th Page
5th Hale
6th Croft
Year 7 have had over 50 students training regularly throughout the term and seen
students with limited or no rugby experience before joining the School developing
their core skills alongside students with significant rugby experiences. The numbers
attending training is a testament to their resilience and desire to represent RHS when
competitive rugby returns in the New Year, which is fantastic to be part of.
Year 7 A team competition
Position House
1st Kinman
2nd Hale
3rd Wallace
4th Page
5th Croft
6th Cowper
Position House
1st Hale
2nd Wallace
3rd Page
4th Kinman
5th Croft
6th Cowper
Finally, Wednesday 2nd December enabled the School to begin adapted training in preparation for local fixtures to commence in the New Year. The DfE confirmed that we can return to playing sport in line with approved NGB action plans. This is a momentous milestone and something we look forward to with great anticipation when we return in January.
Nathan Gunnell, 7 Hale
The Wall Wallace Ace Ventura
Members of a family Richard Hale House Ole’s team
Kin Kinman Manchester United
Croft Croft
Cow Cowper Perfect
Hal Hale e-commerce
P.A. Page Generation alpha