ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE 1 SUMMER 2019 | VOLUME XXXIX

1 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

CHRONICLESUMMER 2019 | VOLUME X X XIX | NUMBER 679

Raising the RoofTopping out the new Library and Academic Centre

Life in HarmonyGetting to the heart of things with the Head of Pupil Wellbeing

Shaken and StirredJames Bond brings a dash of intrigue to an effervescent Gaudy Week

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The front cover shows pupils reviewing their photos of the Rock on the Roof event held to mark progress on the Quad Development. See page 5 for a full report.

Chris Jones, Chair of Governors, Guest of Honour, Pippa Bennett-Warner OSE and the Warden enjoy the jolly speech by outgoing Heads of School Annabel MacDonald-Smith and Toby MacLachlan at Gaudy

Eyes left

It is always astonishing that our pupils and staff are able to mount such a shimmering summer festival at the end of the busy exam term. Under the virtuoso direction of Mr Tester, Gaudy Week is ever expanding in terms of scope and outlook. Alongside the traditional highlights at School, this year’s programme saw a magnificent concert in one of Oxford’s great venues, the 300-year-old Sheldonian Theatre, the Assembly Room of the University of Oxford designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It was a superb occasion: see pictures in our Gaudy spread from page 22, and in our Gaudy video on the website.

The geographical reach of Gaudy Week went well beyond Oxford this year. Mr Albrighton and Mr Strachan led a walk in the Chilterns, and Mr Clapham organised an engrossing cultural tour of London, which took in another Wren masterpiece, the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, along with Tate Modern, the National Portrait Gallery and David Mamet’s Bitter Wheat at the Garrick Theatre.

At School, the traditional favourites were as wonderful as ever. The Bond-themed Dance Show played to an audience of more than 800 in the Marquee and was truly spectacular, with over 80 talented dancers bringing the elegance and glamour of international espionage to life – under the watchful eye of Fergus Flory as a sharp-suited Mr Bond. The Art, Drama, Music and Academic events were equally impressive and, on the sporting front, our 1st VIII gave us three

powerful, thrilling races at Henley Royal Regatta, and the 1st XI a glorious week of cricket.

As you will see from the splendid photograph on the cover, the Quad Development is progressing well. Sixth Former Alicia Bouaziz reports on the topping out ceremony, Teddies-style, on page 5, and you can see early designs for the ground floor café and social learning space on page 7.

Elsewhere, you can find out more about our three new HMs – Clare Hamilton in Apsley, Jonathan Burbidge in Sing’s and Lucy Hamblin-Rooke in Corfe – to whom we extend a very warm welcome, and you can discover what influences and inspires our Art teachers in a feature from page 16.

Of course summer wouldn’t be summer without exam results. Congratulations to our IB pupils whose impressive results were published in July. Particularly notable were Ilana Cope with 44 points and Tim Hohage with 43; read more about the IB results on page 4. Both Ilana and Sybilla Hamilton achieved the points they required to take up their places at Cambridge – we wish them and all our outgoing pupils the very best of luck as they prepare for next steps or await A Level results. Best of luck too to our GCSE pupils for their results day in a few weeks.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and I look forward to seeing you in September.

Stephen Jones

Mark D

ouet



Class of 2019

Shell Trip to Brecon

Evie Faber, Lettie Neame, Sophia Majzub, Seva Khusid, Ella Mival, Sybilla Hamilton, Lucy Hope, Barnaby Singfield, Charlie Gosling, Mehrshad Shahabi and Will Monks at the hugely entertaining leavers’ photo at the end of term

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Pictured are, among others, Elise Rance, Freddie Boanas, Ted Cole, Jack Hemmings, Omar Termanini, Cosmo Prior, Oliver Sedgwick, Joseph Osei, Leon Gurel and Miss Moss in the Brecon Beacons in June

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right


The following achieved outstanding results:Ilana Cope, 44 points, Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, Robinson College, Cambridge, after a gap yearTim Hohage, 43 points, Engineering at a university in Germany after a gap yearSybilla Hamilton, 42 points, Modern and Medieval Languages, Fitzwilliam College, CambridgeKyla Haslett-Hawkins, 42 points, Law at DurhamKais Mussa, 42 points, Columbia University, USAMichael Proskuryakov, 41 points, University of Virginia, USAAlice Isola, 40 points, will apply for English after a gap yearPippa Smith, 40 points, Law at BristolOctavia Hamilton, 39 points, will study History and Modern Languages after a gap yearAnish Mehta, 39 points, will apply to study MedicineJosh Moore, 39 points, Dentistry at CardiffBianca Pigorini, 39 points, destination tbcMaria Gorovater, 38 points, will study Geography at a destination tbcHenry Parsons, 38 points, English and Spanish at Bristol after a gap yearArkadiy Petrov, 38 points, destination tbcIzzy Degroot, 37 points, will apply to study MedicineEvie Faber, 37 points, English and Philosophy at Edinburgh Hattie Harries-Jones, 37 points, Business and Management at DurhamLucy Hope, 37 points, destination tbcCharlie Lappin, 37 points, Philosophy at BristolCharlie Watson, 37 points, destination tbc

Please note that the above is based on the latest information available at the time of going to press. Re-marks may be applied and university choices are subject to change. Please let the Communications team know of any updates at [email protected].

Our largest ever IB cohort produced a strong set of results in July, with 87% of all Higher Level grades at Levels 7-5. More than half (53%) of all Higher Level grades were at the very top end at Levels 7/6. Overall, 28% of pupils achieved 37 points or more, equivalent to a string of A* and A grades at A Level. The average point score was 33.6.

IB Diploma Results

The Warden said, ‘We are delighted to see so many pupils achieve such high marks. Beyond these stellar results, countless more pupils worked extremely hard and were rewarded with the results they need to attend top universities in the UK and overseas. I wish all our outgoing Upper Sixth the very best, whatever their plans, and I look forward to welcoming them back as OSE in the coming years.’

Ilana Cope

Pippa Smith

Sybilla Hamilton

Kyla Haslett-Hawkins

Michael Proskuryakov and Kais Mussa

Tim Hohage

mailto:[email protected]


Rock on the Roof ‘Topping out’ the Quad DevelopmentBy Sixth Former Alicia Bouaziz

In June, as many pupils and staff as the site team could accommodate were invited up to the top floor of what will become the new Library to see the facilities taking shape. It is usual to mark reaching the highest point of a new building with a ‘topping out’ ceremony. Often these occasions feature the laying of a brick or similar but given the range of creative talent available in School, it was decided to give the event a Teddies twist – and so Rock on the Roof was born. The Catering Department provided delicious canapés and rock shandies (keeping the theme going…) to make the event a special one. It was fascinating to see how much progress had been made and it was wonderful to be able to appreciate the structure of the buildings from the inside.

The ‘rock’ came in the shape of a guest appearance by popular pupil band, the Sofa Heads, featuring Oscar Ross on vocals and Joel Lytton Cobbold on guitar. Their soulful, expressive performance of two songs they had composed themselves, Walk and Talk and Countryhousecatman, brought originality to

the occasion and the music was a fitting prelude to the Warden’s talk about the building’s future. He explained that we were standing in the middle of what would become the elegant Reading Room, looking down on the emerging first floor of the Library where pupils would be able to share ideas and study together.

Matthew Albrighton, Deputy Head Academic, spoke next praising the ‘wonderful teamwork’ that it had taken to reach this point. When I interviewed the head architect, Nick Hardy from TSH Architects, I asked him what was behind the design of the Development as a whole. He explained that the Library and Reading Room had

been inspired by the libraries of Oxford University and that the oval

shape of the Hall was intended to represent

the inclusiveness of the Teddies

community.


Next year’s Head Girl, Gwendoline Davenport, said, ‘It’s all very exciting. We are so lucky to be able to see the building emerging before our very eyes and I cannot wait to see it all complete.’ Isaac Brennan, Head of House in Sing’s next year, commented, ‘As much as it’s a shame that we will not experience this building ourselves, it is undoubtedly an exciting development for the School and it will be great to be able to come back to see it as an OSE.’

Overall, Teddies pupils are very eager for the building works to be finished so that we can enjoy this wonderful new space.

Clockwise: the Reading Room; Alicia interviews Nick Hardy from TSH Architects; an artist’s impression of the ground floor café and social study area; the Sofa Heads rocking the roof; and an artist’s impression of the new Hall.

7 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLETSH

Architects


Lucy Hamblin-Rooke What will you be doing at Teddies from September?I will be HM of Corfe, teaching Physical Education and Head of Netball.

Tell us a bit about your career so far. I’ve taught at Pangbourne College for the last nine years where I was also Head of Girls’ Games for a period. I was an Assistant HM too and for the last three years, I was HM of a girls’ boarding house.

Tell us about your partner. Jack and I have been together for eleven years; he is a tailor and a keen sportsman. At every opportunity, Jack will be supporting Teddies from the side of a pitch! We are very much looking forward to starting a new chapter of our lives together at Teddies.

What made you want to work at Teddies?Teddies is a school that I have always admired and I couldn’t miss the opportunity when the role of HM became available. The all-round approach to education is an ethos that caught my eye - I cannot wait to get stuck in.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role?I am really looking forward to getting to know the girls, their parents and the house staff in Corfe. I am passionate about inspiring girls and giving them the support and guidance they need to be the best they can be.

What other areas of school life will you be involved in?I will be coaching hockey, netball and tennis. On top of this I will be making sure I support the girls in all areas of the co-curricular programme.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?There are two pieces of advice that I have been given that stand out for me right now: every so often, put yourself out of your comfort zone to experience something new, as you will gain a lot from it; and secondly, find the positives in every situation: your attitude and the way you look at life can have a huge impact on how you lead your life.

Celia H

odgson OSE


Being and Doing WellDebra Clayphan added the new role of Head of Wellbeing to her existing position of Head of Learning Development at the start of the academic year. We caught up with her to find out what the new role entails, how it sits alongside Learning Development and what our coaching culture means for our pupils.

How do your two roles fit together?Developing a young person’s learning depends on their wellbeing. Happy young people will be productive young people. Wellbeing may seem a new buzz word but it’s not really new. Pastoral care has always been important, particularly here at Teddies.

So what’s the thinking behind the new role?Young people face more and more pressures in today’s world. There are higher expectations of them in the race for

university places and top results, and they face other pressures such as the constant presence of social media in their lives. There is a great deal for them to navigate during their teenage years.

High expectations can be a force for good, of course. We believe that every single one of our pupils can achieve great things if they take responsibility for their learning, engage in their lessons and work hard. However we must not let their lives become unbalanced; we must not let them think that they are valued for what they achieve, rather than who they are. Debra Clayphan

Flora Welchman, Niamh Brown, Anna West, Nellie Needham and Ruby Faulkner

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Tell us a bit about your approach to Learning Development?I’ve always known that young people can do amazing things. Here at Teddies, pupils regularly join us with a learning profile that might suggest that they will find academic work really challenging. Through our very deliberate and carefully planned Learning Development programme, all of these young people are encouraged to discover coping strategies to help them overcome these challenges.

We actively manage against what I call ‘learned helplessness’. Taking a pupil out of lessons for one-to-one support is something many families expect if they have experienced it elsewhere. This is not how we do things here at Teddies.

All our teachers are skilled at meeting the needs of all the pupils in their classroom, whatever their challenges.

Our approach is very different to that of other schools in our sector. We never have Learning Support lessons – we don’t need to: we have good tutoring and good teaching. Parents are often surprised initially, but we have a conversation and they generally understand and support our culture. Some parents start the conversation with a challenge to us:

what are you going to do for my child? After our conversation, they understand that we will be helping their daughter or son to find their own strategies and to be resilient. Once they leave school, they won’t have a Learning Development team to fall back on, and we want to make sure they go out into the world ready to embrace all that it has to offer. We’re not teaching our pupils how to cope – but how to thrive. Our approach is much more about the pupil’s approach to his or her learning than about perceived difficulties.

I work with Special Educational Needs Coordinators at our feeder schools – we explain our model, and we demonstrate that it is working. Since we stopped taking pupils out of lessons for one-to-one support some five years ago, our results have gone up, not down.

Is the coaching culture important in this context?It’s absolutely vital. It’s another area I manage, and it’s the forum for so much that is important about our culture. It’s where relationships are formed, where productive and supportive conversations happen and where advice and guidance can be tailored exactly to the needs of the individual pupil.

In general, coaching means having conversations that encourage the individual pupil (or member of staff) to think through their own workload and challenges, and to find solutions for themselves. What went well in your test and what didn’t go well? How could you have done things differently? What steps are you going to put in place this week to work towards a different outcome next time? These are the kind of conversations, full of open questions and active listening, that prompt young people to be self-aware and to make the right decisions. It’s not always easy, but they are surrounded by people who can help them at every stage.

Can you give us some examples of what you mean?A pupil came to me recently ahead of the end-of-year exams and said, ‘Miss, I don’t know how to revise.’ I asked lots of questions and it became clear that in fact, she did know how to revise. So then we moved on to working out what was stopping her from revising. In her case, it emerged that anxiety about exams was having a paralysing effect on her work. We worked out a practical, day-by-day programme to ensure that she started to

Appointed after a rigorous selection process, Peer Listeners for 2019/20 are: Niyaz Kanayev, Katya Jacobs, Billy Sallitt, Charlie Woodall, Mfon Awak-Essien, Samuel Newman, Hamish Smart, Olivia Heath, Aimée Joubert, Bunny Lytle, Phoebe Forbes and Alexandra Herrtage

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tick off her revision topics. Over time, her fear of failure diminished as the amount of ground she’d covered grew. The skill as a coach is to help pupils to get to the absolute heart of the issue, to isolate it from all its attendant emotions, and to help them find that first pragmatic step out of the quagmire.

Of course, we as coaches must stay on top of things. It’s important to hold the pupil accountable for their own plans – are they sticking to the timetable? There are often setbacks along the way, things don’t always run smoothly. But we are prepared for that. These are the teenage years, after all.

Can you give us another example? A few years ago, a new Sixth Former joined us with debilitating mental health issues. He was incredibly bright but very anxious. Even tiny incidents or minor setbacks could overwhelm him. In coaching terms, I believed that he had the capacity to tackle his anxiety within himself.

Together, we developed a sequence for managing that surge of anxiety, about analysing the reality of the situation – if this test doesn’t go well, are there really any long-term consequences? We encouraged him to talk to friends and other staff so the worry wasn’t all bottled up. It’s about finding a coping strategy. For him, the anxiety will probably always be there on some level, but there are ways of dealing with it. This particular pupil had enormous determination. I was really impressed with the way in which he addressed his anxiety. In situations such as this, and in so many similar situations, the coaching methodology can be transformational.

Tell us a bit more about the wellbeing agenda.In this area, I work very closely with the Deputy and Assistant Pastoral Heads, James Cope and Rachel Bellamy. We’ve just carried out our first wellbeing survey (organised by Gemma Ferrier in the Health Centre) with all pupils and we look forward to sharing the results in the autumn.

An important element of our wellbeing framework is our team of Peer Listeners, Sixth Formers trained to provide a listening ear and to know when further help is needed. These pupils apply for the

role and are vital members of our teenage community – they are role models, and can do much to shape our culture. Our Peer Listeners understand life from the pupils’ point of view and they often have

brilliant ideas for making a difference. They recently organised a focus week on ‘healthy relationships’, and they work very closely with House Matrons to be the eyes and ears on the ground.

Noah Wilmot, Ben Wright and Oli Degroot

Olivia Johnson, Zoe Forbes and Philippa Koh


Trading PlacesIn June, three pupils joined us from the Doon School in Dehradun, India, to spend the second half of term at Teddies. We find out below what our visitors most enjoyed about their short stay in OX2.

Shivya MajumdarLiving in a country that I have never been to before and attending a school which is very different from my own school in India was a fantastic experience. I chose History of Art, a subject I wasn’t familiar with, and learned about many topics ranging from Florentine sculptures and paintings to the diversity of Pop Art. During my Music lessons, I learned various ways to improve my playing and even tried my hand at the harp!

I will definitely miss being a part of Avenue. The bright and warm ambiance of the House along with the kindness of the girls and staff was something that truly

Raghav KediyalI really enjoyed the luscious green grounds that sprawl over countless acres. I also enjoyed the visits I went on to Garsington Opera and to some of the Oxford colleges - I will forever cherish these memories. There are a great many differences between the Doon School and St Edward’s: we aren’t allowed phones, home clothes or food from outside school and the Doon is an all-boys’ boarding school with the exception of a few girls whose parents are teachers.

made me feel at home. Both the pupils and teachers at Teddies are very welcoming and, thanks to them, I never felt out of place.

Aryaman KhoslaBeing allowed to go into Summertown every day or into Oxford at weekends is so important, because it stops people feeling like they’re in a bubble or cut off from the real world. During my stay, everyone was so supportive and welcoming, and I’ve made some really great friends who I’ll miss dearly. From helping me out with my schedule and routine to just showing me a really great time, I’m extremely grateful to all the people who made my stay here what it was. I want to specially thank my Housemaster, Mr Palferman, who was always helping me out and making me feel welcome.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone in Cowell’s Lower Sixth for making my stay so amazing, both in School and outside. I was lucky to meet such a great bunch of people and experience Teddies with them.

Heads of School and Prefects

Shivya Majumdar, Aryaman Khosla and Raghav Kediyal

Prefects for the academic year 2019/20 are Alessandro Corrias, Aniella Weinberger, Carlo Graeser (Head of School), Caris Baker, Eva Livingstone, Ella Leeson, Ferdi van der Heiden, Helena Beccle, Gwendoline Davenport (Head of School) and Giles Wordsworth

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Scholarships 2019Shell Scholarships and ExhibitionsThe Brewer Williams Academic ScholarshipKira Wolcough (Pinewood)The Lord Halifax Academic ScholarshipGeorge Freeland (Cheam)The Lord Egerton Scholarship for ClassicsDouglas Campbell (St Hugh’s)The Douglas Bader Scholarship for LeadershipKira Wolcough (Pinewood)Academic ExhibitionsTom Bailey (Brockhurst)Elliot Coakes (Twyford School)Prisca Olagunju (Cottesmore)Music ScholarshipsWilliam Allen (The Dragon)Michael Hirst (The Pilgrims’ School)Music ExhibitionsElliot Coakes (Twyford School)Algy Low (Hill House School)Sport ScholarshipsHonor Kidd-May (The Dragon)Buster Relton (Caldicott)Jack Routledge (St Andrew’s Pangbourne)Matthew Sell (Fortismere School)Lysander Tarrant (The Cotswold School)Annabel Todd (Brockhurst)

Sport ExhibitionsTessa Challis (Godstowe)Dylan Driscoll (Wheatley Park School)Charlie Jones (St Neot’s)Charles Mason (Moulsford)Phoebe West (Winchester House)Art ExhibitionEvie McGill (St Hugh’s)All-Rounder ScholarshipKira Wolcough (Pinewood)All-Rounder ExhibitionsOliver Gurney (The Beacon)Matilda Ross (Oxford High School)Cameron Thomas (Godstowe)Jack Wood (St Hugh’s)Drama ExhibitionsAngus Hayes (Fulham School)Millie Jones (St Hugh’s)Dance ExhibitionSadie Newman (Notting Hill & Ealing High School)Sixth Form Scholarships and ExhibitionsAcademic ScholarshipMashia Jaafari (Milton Keynes Academy)Sport ScholarshipsCaitlin Adams (Formby High School)Millie Holme (The Buckingham School)Edward Sanderson (The Cherwell School)Sport ExhibitionEliot Hyman (Abingdon)Drama ExhibitionNia Willis (Headington)

Shell scientists produced a wonderfully creative collection of models for a display in the foyer of the Ogston Life Sciences Building – stop by to enjoy them if you can

Headteacher Jonathan Willis serves up an end-of-term BBQ for pupils at neighbouring Northern House Primary – lunches are supplied daily to the school by the Teddies Catering Department

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Will W

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ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE 14 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE 14

Becoming a Mission-led SchoolBy English Teacher Lauren Bray

In April, we were fortunate enough to host guest speaker Julian Astle, Director of Creative Learning and Development at the Royal Society of Arts. Astle has worked as Deputy Director of the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit and as Senior Policy Advisor to the previous Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg. Astle has also worked as a Post-Conflict Advisor to the British government in Whitehall, and to the United Nations in Bosnia and Kosovo. Invited to speak at St Edward’s as part of our academic inset programme, Astle delivered a compelling argument for the importance of becoming a ‘Mission-led School’.

Astle’s solution was clear - in an era of change, instability and polarisation, schools need to take brave decisions about what and indeed how they teach children. These decisions start with a mission. But what does a school with a mission look like? For Astle the answer is as simple as it is complex: a school with a mission is a school which has a clear shared purpose and a set of established values that converge to create a distinct identity.

Since starting work here at St Edward’s in September of last year, I have experienced first-hand the philosophy which Astle articulates. Teddies is already a school which seeks to educate the whole child. Our classrooms are centres of open debate and discussion; we are creative, expressive and forward thinking. Our pupils are challenged and in turn they challenge others – in lessons, on the sports fields and in houses – ideas are shared, evaluated and developed. Exam grades are important, but we acknowledge that they are a fundamentally reductive metric – our true measure, as Astle believes, is how well prepared our school leavers are for the challenges of further study, employment and life in the modern world. Because of this, we do not ‘teach-to-the-test’ but beyond, igniting curiosity and encouraging ambition. This is not to say that our mission is achieved; as a school and as individual educators we must continue to adapt to the ever-changing world beyond our walls – the educational landscape is always evolving, our role is not to catch up but to lead the way.

Opening his discussion, Astle painted a picture of the world our current school leavers are about to enter. He spoke of the post-truth age, the rise of angry populism and the advent of the intelligent machine. In Astle’s view, liberal democracy and truth are under threat and education must provide a defensive vanguard. For Astle, the measure of a school should no longer, and perhaps should never have been, performance numbers gathered from high-stakes tests in “subjects that count” but a judgment on how well schools are providing a “complete and generous” education.

This considered, we must confront the central question: how are we preparing our pupils to engage with, survive and improve the global landscape Astle describes? If public debates are dominated by the ‘deliberately offensive and the easily offended’ - how do we give our students a voice which will be heard? How do we equip them with the tools required to assess new information with both a critical and open mind? Matthew Albrighton, Deputy Director Academic, and Julian Astle

Lauren Bray

Christopher C

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Ashleigh EatonWhat do you do at Teddies?I’m the Domestic Bursar which means that I oversee the Catering Department, Domestic Services and Lettings, the international summer schools we host during the Easter and summer holidays.

How long have you been here and what did you do before? I’ve been at Teddies for 10 years. Before that, I ran catering facilities at heritage sites such as the Ashmolean and Stonehenge.

Tell us a bit more about running a catering operation for a largely teenage community.Food is incredibly important to our pupils of course! In keeping with wider food trends, we’ve increased the range of salads available and we’ve also introduced a tasty range of lighter options on the deli bar. We’re always looking to broaden our pupils’ tastes too. Some of the newer additions to the menu are among our most popular: prawn curry and salmon niçoise, for instance.

We cater daily for a range of different nutritional needs – from elite athletes who need protein and carbs, to Shells who crave the familiar. We also make provision for a variety of special diets including gluten-free, vegan, Halal and dairy-free. We play our part in safeguarding too – my staff can be the first to notice that a pupil isn’t eating properly. We are wired into the pastoral network

Beyond the pupils, you run a varied operation – what else do you cover?On top of the regular 2,000 meals a day for the school community, we also enjoy providing food for a whole host of events including House dinners, fundraising balls, sports teas, canapé receptions, fine dining and the occasional wedding for OSE.

Does the fact that you’re in a school make a difference to the catering operation?It does in the sense that education is everywhere and we believe in educating and developing our teams. Our chefs

regularly attend courses in new food trends, and many have progressed from working in the plate wash area to having completed their NVQ Level 3 as a chef.

What are you looking forward to about the facilities in the new Quad Development? Working on the design for the new Sixth Form Common Room, Cooper’s, was really enjoyable and the space has been a great success. We’re really looking forward to launching another new catering area where we can continue to extend the range of food choices for our pupils (see page 7).

What sort of events do you manage?I’m very involved in the operational organisation of events such Open Day and Gaudy. During Gaudy Week, we send a team to Henley Royal Regatta for our famous lunch and tea events in the Cricket Club to which former pupils beat a path every year in search of Head Chef Ralph’s monkfish and rosemary kebabs.

What do you like about working at Teddies?It’s such a beautiful place – and I love seeing the pupils develop throughout their time with us. There’s always something new to get involved in. We provided catering at Blenheim Triathlon this year to support the staff and OSE teams, and we served canapés on the building site for the recent Rock on the Roof event (see page 5). In the past, we’ve organised a dinner on The North Wall stage and another in The Ogston Music School. And a new addition to our calendar is the Steeplechase Tea hosted by the Friends of St Edward’s, which is always a really lovely afternoon involving the whole school.

We also play our part in the local community by providing 120 lunches daily to our neighbours at Northern House, a primary school for children with emotional and learning difficulties (see page 13). We cook Christmas lunch for them every year which the pupils enjoy in the Teddies Dining Hall – always a very lovely occasion.

Who is your favourite cook?Rick Stein.

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ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE 16

What is your discipline? I’m a portrait artist working with oil on canvas.

Where did you study?Glasgow School of Art.

Have you always been a teacher? I was a self-employed artist for nine years, including a year’s artist-in-residence post at Mascalls Academy in Kent. I then did one year of teacher training at Watford Grammar School for Girls before starting at St Edward’s in 2010.

What inspires your work?The possibilities of paint. Whether it be the smooth, photorealist paintings of Richter, or the thick, impasto, expressive portraits of Auerbach, the manipulation of the painted surface always fascinates me.

Favourite artists?Frank Auerbach, Gerhard Richter, Michael Borremans and John Singer Sargent.

If you could have an exhibition anywhere in the world, where would it be? The National Portrait Gallery, London.

What do you enjoy about working in the Art Department at St Edward’s? My colleagues. They make every day a pleasure. We are a great team who work for each other to ensure the pupils get the best education possible. www.adamhahn.co.uk

In April, The North Wall hosted an exhibition of work by our talented Art teachers, all of whom are practising artists and makers. We caught up with a few of them to find out more about their life, work and inspiration at Teddies and beyond.

Adam Hahn Head of Art

The Fine Art of Teaching

Savanna

Aria Aria

Debbie Benjy

http://www.adamhahn.co.uk/


What is your discipline? I mostly create drawings, paintings and prints and primarily use oil and ink on canvas or various papers.

Where did you study?Glasgow School of Art, the Hungarian Academy of Fine Art in Budapest and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Have you always been a teacher?I was a lecturer on the BA Hons course in Fine Art at Glasgow School of Art from 1989 – 1995, started teaching in 2005 and joined St Edward’s in 2008. I have exhibited widely in Glasgow, Hungary, Oxford, London and Edinburgh. What inspires your work?My paintings evoke transient snapshots and memories of places visited - my recent work is based on memories of Scotland and Iceland.

Favourite artists?I love the work of Mark Rothko, Leonardo da Vinci, Olafur Eliasson and Artemisia Gentileschi.

Rothko’s painting transports me to a place of beauty, questioning our sense of being. Leonardo da Vinci’s work is the epitome of curiosity, always searching for something. Olafur Eliasson’s installations of natural phenomena evoke both beauty and the relationship we have with nature and the earth. I admire Artemisia Gentileschi for the narrative commentary and skill within her paintings and her powerful portrayal of women.

If you could have an exhibition anywhere in the world, where would it be?New York, Tokyo or London.

What do you enjoy about working in the Art Department at St Edward’s?I absolutely love working at St Edward’s. My particular responsibility is for A Level and IB

Lorraine Turley

Art. Coming from a lecturing background, I feel that St Edward’s Art Department is the closest any school can get to being an Art Foundation. We are very successful in sending our pupils to art schools, notably Glasgow School of Art, Central Saint Martins, Edinburgh College of Art and Parsons School of Art, New York – to name but a few. The pupils are wonderfully enthusiastic and a real pleasure to teach. The staff are all practising artists and work in a variety of disciplines. The success of the Department is due to the great relationship we have with our pupils and with each other. Communication and sharing of ideas is central to our teaching.

I enjoyed being given the opportunity to create designs for the acoustic baffles in the Ogston Music School. The baffles are large-scale reproductions of my paintings but they also fulfil an important function in the acoustics of the building. www.lorraineturley.com

Crepuscular, 2015 Bidean nam Bian, Scotland, oil and ink on canvas

Blue Light, Iceland, oil and ink on canvas

http://www.lorraineturley.com/


What is your discipline?Ceramics.

Where did you study?Camberwell College of Arts.

Have you always been a teacher?I was apprenticed to potter Clive Bowen in Devon, and then set up my own studio in Oxfordshire in 1995. I was a full-time ceramist until I started teaching here 11 years ago.

What inspires your work?Many aspects of sculpture both contemporary and historical. Nature and bravery in other artists’ work.

Favourite artist?Phyllida Barlow RA, a British sculptor known for using everyday and industrial materials.

Jane Bowen

If you could have an exhibition anywhere in the world, where would it be? The Royal Academy of Arts, London.

What do you enjoy about working at St Edward’s? The general rapport in the Art Department is fantastic. We are incredibly lucky with our colleagues and pupils. Our pupils can be taught fairly individually which means we are always kept on our toes, and faced with new ideas, excitements and challenges. There is never a dull moment! We also get to know our pupils well which is a great privilege.http://artshopandgallery.co.uk/artists/jane-bowen

http://artshopandgallery.co.uk/


After studying at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford, I went into teaching but, during my first term, received a letter from the Royal Academy Schools informing me that there was a place on the three-year postgraduate course. Caution (an artist’s worst enemy!) was thrown to the wind: I left my job, went to London and continued my studies learning to draw and paint. The RA schools were at the hub of the art world in London in the 1980s, which was an important element in my becoming an artist. During

Peter Lloyd-Jones

my postgraduate years I met a great many of the Royal Academicians who are the teachers at the RA schools and, more importantly, I met my wife, the artist Victoria Rees.

An Elizabeth Greenshield Scholarship funded my first year as a practising artist and I went on to have 10 one-man shows in London as well as numerous exhibitions in group shows and art fairs in the UK, USA, Holland and Hong Kong. I still exhibit regularly and like to show in London about every three or four years. I am

currently working towards a show next Easter at Anthony Hepworth Fine Art in Walton Street.

My favourite artists run to quite a long list. For drawing I look to the quick ink studies of Raphael, the biblical pen, brush and ink studies of Rembrandt and life studies of Rodin and that’s just the letter R! For painting interiors I turn to Vuillard and Bonnard but also to painters like Robert Motherwell and Joseph Albers. For help with still life Morandi cuts to the chase and Chardin reminds me not to be lazy. The list goes on and all these great masters both inspire and dwarf in equal measure but ultimately you are on your own and need to put away the great masters!

I have taught at Teddies for a great many years. The Art Department continues to inspire young people and I enjoy working in it alongside my extraordinarily talented colleagues. My job is to help our aspiring young artists open their eyes and minds to the world, throw caution to the wind and see beyond grades. It is not how intelligent you are but how you are intelligent in life that counts and grades do not always recognise this fact.

One of my favourite quotes is: ‘No man of sense ever supposes that copying from nature is the art of painting; if the art is no more than this, anybody may do it, and the fool often will do it best, as it is a work of no mind’, taken from Volume 2 of Life of William Blake, edited by Alexander Gilchrist. All too often the good grades go to the fool!www.peterlloyd-jones.co.uk

peterlloydjones1

Yellow House, Richis, Transylvania, oil on canvas

http://www.peterlloyd-jones.co.uk/


What is your discipline?Textiles.

Where did you study?Loughborough University, School of the Arts.

Have you always been a teacher? I started my career as a textile designer after winning a placement after my Degree Show in London. I spent several years working for Designers Guild, Monsoon and Accessorize. I then became a freelance designer until I started working at Teddies about eight years ago. In my free time I run art courses for children and adults.

What inspires your work?Travel inspired a great deal of my early work. Nature seems to be my new obsession, however. Different techniques and materials inspire me as I am always looking for new things to try!

Sharon Keen

Favourite artist?I have no favourites but at the moment I am really enjoying Alice Fox’s Rust Diaries, a series of works exploring the marks and stains made by found rusty metal.

If you could have an exhibition anywhere in the world, where would it be?I’d love to exhibit my botanical prints at Kew Gardens in London.

What do you enjoy about working in the Art Department at St Edward’s? We have an incredibly creative Art Department at Teddies. I love that all of us are practising artists working in different mediums. We all constantly bring new ideas and techniques into the Department and the standard of work is not only very high but also very diverse. It almost feels like an Art School.

sharonkeenart


Clare HamiltonWhat will you be doing at Teddies from September?I will be taking over as HM of Apsley alongside teaching Geography and Global Politics.

Tell us a bit about your career so far.I’m joining Teddies after a 16-year career as an Army Officer, which has given me some wonderful opportunities. I’ve worked all over the world in interesting places and deployed on operations. Having been an educator throughout, I’m passionate about developing people, be it in the classroom or on top of a mountain. Most recently I’ve worked at the Defence Academy and before that I ran Army education for the south east of England and the rest of the world.

Tell us about your family. I will be moving into Apsley with my husband, Alistair, and our seven-year-old daughter. My husband is a retired Bomb Disposal Officer and now works in a Prep school.

What made you want to work at Teddies?The Warden was kind enough to allow me to spend a day with the Geography and Politics Departments back in January and I found the culture at Teddies to be extremely inspiring. All the staff and pupils I met were highly motivated and passionate about their subjects. There are also some exciting new educational developments at Teddies and it was important for me to work in a forward-thinking school with a global outlook.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role?I’m looking forward to getting to know the Apsley boys and further building on Apsley’s esprit de corps.

What other areas of school life will you be involved in?I hope to be involved with some of the more outward-bound elements of school life, drawing on my experience to date.

What are you looking forward to about being in Oxford?Having spent my undergraduate days in Oxford, I’m thrilled to be back. Oxford is home to some of my favourite places – the Pitt Rivers Museum, Christ Church Picture Gallery and Port Meadow.

Did you enjoy your schooldays?Yes I did. Having been both a weekly boarder and then a full boarder, I really loved the environment; it furnished me with many life-long friendships and an adventurous spirit.

Naughtiest thing you did at school?I certainly had my daring moments at school; however, the Apsley boys can rest assured I’m firmly in the ‘gamekeeper’ camp these days!

Best advice you’ve ever been given?I’ve heard lots of ‘good’ advice over the years but my favourite is that ‘you’ve got to give yourself the chance to get lucky…’ quite simply if you don’t have the courage to put yourself forward, you’ll never know what you can achieve.

Celia H

odgson OSE


Gaudy Week

Tiggy Jones in the Dance Show; work in porcelain by Lettie Neame; Ella Mival at the Gala Art Private View; Jenifer Ellis, Isabel Llabres Diaz, Ruby Freeland, Tatiana Nelmes and Uliana Bogdasarova in the Junior House Rowing; fireworks after the Leavers’ Ball; and Izzy Degroot receiving her prize at Gaudy.


Necklace by Sasha Withers Green from the Gala Art Private View; Cosmo Habibb, Vivienne Shao, Lola Mora Balil, Xander Watkins, Isaac Brennan, Ferdi van der Heiden, Robert Sheppard-Capurro and Mr Strachan in the Chilterns; Alicia Bouaziz and Maria Gorovater in the Dance Show; Beekeeping for Beginners during Gaudy Week; Josie Denvir, Josie Piech and Vania Lay at the Sheldonian; the 1st VIII at Henley; Olivia Johnson presenting her Warden’s Project; Heads of School Annabel MacDonald-Smith and Toby MacLachlan giving their speech at Gaudy; Guy Fabian-Hunt, Benjy Bailey and Ben Courtney-Guy at the Sheldonian; and Finn Cambell and Arkadiy Petrov at the Gala Art Private View.


Soloists Lizzie Williams, Annabel MacDonald-Smith, Tomas Magnusson and Sam Ward at the Sheldonian Concert; the Warden and Mr Powell after the firing of the cannon; work in mixed media by Arkadiy Petrov; Tabitha Emmott, Izzy Hall, Finn Cowan, Molly Spencer, Hakon Nicholas, Will Hearn, Lucas Lawton and George Spencer, winners of the Fourth Form Filmmakers Competition; enjoying the skittle alley at the Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich during the English Department’s cultural trip to London; the 1st VIII at Henley; and the name’s Bond – Fergus Bond.


Benjy Bailey at the Sheldonian; Jonathan Alpha receiving his prize at Gaudy; Lucy Hanslip, Zac Adeboye, Badger Asprey and Carbew Patarasatienkul, winners of the Gaudy Shell Science competition; Sebastian Williams at the Dance Show; work in ceramic by Ella Mival; Lizzie Williams and Annabel MacDonald-Smith at the Sheldonian; the Lower School rehearsing 500 Words directed by Lauren Mackrell; and the 1st XI.


Dr Jonathan BurbidgeWhat will you be doing at Teddies from September? I will be Housemaster of Sing’s, and teaching Geography and Classical Civilisation.

Tell us a bit about your career so far. Having worked in the City after leaving Durham, I moved to the USA to train as a teacher. After qualifying, I chose to fulfil a personal goal and pursue a PhD, staying in the US for a further few years. On moving back to the UK I began work teaching Geography at North London Collegiate School, where I enjoyed a wonderful two years. Following that I moved to Dulwich College, where my wife worked as a Chemistry teacher. Whilst at Dulwich I have spent the last three years teaching Geography, working as an Assistant Housemaster, and coaching both rugby and cricket teams.

Tell us about your family. My wife Lizzy is a Chemistry teacher currently working at Emmanuel School in Clapham. On June 13th our family grew to three people with the arrival of William, so we are currently operating on rationed sleep!

What made you want to work at Teddies? I work with several OSE who have always spoken with warmth about their old school, and having visited and got a flavour of the atmosphere I can say that it seems like the perfect place to move up a gear professionally and settle as a family.

What are you most looking forward to in your new role? Meeting everyone and getting to know the boys.

What other areas of school life will you be involved in? I am hoping to get involved with the sports, preferably coaching some rugby (I am currently nursing my playing career into old age!), and perhaps helping out with swimming.

What are you looking forward to about being in Oxford? Walking the dog in Port Meadow. Getting to know the city properly, and having the odd “quick” drink in the Bicycle Shed.

Did you enjoy your schooldays? I had a wonderful time at school. I was a full boarder in Wargrave House at Eastbourne College. I had a spell of homesickness in my first year, but after that the friendships and fun meant I didn’t want to be anywhere else.

Naughtiest thing you did at school? Among other things, my friends and I were avid explorers of the Victorian rooftops of the boarding house - making sure to leave our names scratched into the brickwork. VERY silly behaviour!

Best advice you’ve ever been given?Asking for help and apologising are often misconstrued as weakness, but are in fact signs of strength.

Which book would you take to a desert island? Waterlog by Roger Deakin.

Celia H

odgson OSE


Grief, Youth and FriendshipAs you read this issue, our Sixth Form Drama company, Cup & Dagger Productions, will have just completed their run at the Edinburgh Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, where they performed their new play, If it Didn’t Matter.

Through the School’s innovative relationship with The North Wall’s professional and outreach programmes, this year’s Edinburgh company were extraordinarily fortunate to have a play written specially for them by upcoming young playwright, Siofra Dromgoole. In writing the play, Siofra worked closely with the pupils and used their authentic teenage voices to shape much of the dialogue.

The title, Siofra tells us, is taken from the book Levels of Life by Julian Barnes, in

Christopher C

ornwell

Pictured are Evie Faber (Hal); Ben Courtney-Guy (Hal’s father, Rob); Milly Bracey (therapist Diane Humphreys); Selena Thompson (Eliza); Alicia Bouaziz (Bella, Hal’s sister); Aniella Weinberger (Kate); Katya Jacobs (Fiona, Kate’s Mum); Victoria Iliffe (teacher Jane Vitty); Phoebe Taylor (Penny); Matt Wilkins, (Ned); Josie Piech (Jo); and Assistant Director Caris Baker

which he discusses life after the death of his wife. Talking about grief, he says, ‘Nature is so exact. It hurts as much as it is worth, so in a way one relishes the pain. If it didn’t matter, it wouldn’t matter.’

In the play, young people grow up, negotiate their relationships with each other – and discover what it is to care, and what happens when that love and care suddenly and involuntarily become grief. Deeply moving, timeless and unexpectedly funny, If it Didn’t Matter explores the life of 17-year-old Hal as she tries to come to terms with the death of her mother. The impact of grief on her father and sister, and on her relationships with her friends and teachers, is starkly illuminated.

Siofra describes the process of involving the pupils in the writing of the play: ‘In a

workshop, I asked the pupils to write down what they feel and what they think – and I gathered up the pieces of paper afterwards. Lots of the pupils’ own words are in the play – lovely things like, ‘I feel Friday afternoon all the time – I feel opened up.’

If it Didn’t Matter was directed by David Aldred and produced by Katrina Eden.

‘A gripping new play to delight punters.’

‘If it Didn’t Matter is arresting theatre – well supplied with character and incident – making it ideal Fringe fare.’

‘Presented with welcome physicality and live music from Henry Parsons, this is a show not to be missed.’

★★★★Chris Gray, The Oxford Times

Look for Teddies Talks on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher to listen to Grief, Youth and Friendship at the Edinburgh Fringe in which you will also hear the beautiful score composed and played live on stage by Sixth Former Henry Parsons.


Katie Greves, fourth from right, winning Olympic silver in the women’s GB eight at Rio 2016 – after achieving fifth place at Beijing 2008 and London 2012

Inspiring People By Shell Patrick Maxwell

In the second of my series based on The North Wall’s Inspiring People talks, I asked English Teacher, Rowing Coach and Olympic Games silver medallist Katie Greves who she would pick as an inspiring person. She chose fellow former Headington pupil and rower Kathryn Stewart.

Why did you pick Kathryn as your ‘inspiring person’?I am deeply inspired by people – like Kathryn – who are exceptionally diligent and hard-working. I find it harder to relate in this way to people I don’t know, and Kathryn’s presence and example at Headington played

a big part in my own personal development as an athlete and as a rower. She was the person who inspired me to start rowing in the first place. The ability to push yourself really hard, physically and mentally, and to grab opportunities with both hands, is key to rowing, as I found at school and when

rowing at international level, and Kathryn demonstrated these aptitudes brilliantly. She taught me that it was OK to have rowing as your prime ambition.

How specifically did she inspire you?Kathryn is very small for an elite rower, much smaller than others, so she had to work really hard to reach the top of her game. When I was at Headington School, the rowing programme was just starting out. Kathryn was one of the first to go to the Junior World Championships and so she made me feel that reaching this level was actually possible. I saw her work really hard to get there, and I saw her succeed as a result of her hard work rather than just natural ability. Her effort and experience really made me feel that I could achieve something similar. I was


More Inspiring People

intimidated by her at first because she was older than me – but she was generous with her encouragement and we became friends. She was the first person I spoke to after winning the silver in the women’s eight in Rio – the first medal Team GB had ever won in this category.

Rowing is just one part of your life – you’re also an English Teacher and now also a time trial cyclist. Which of these is your real driver? Rowing. For me, the academic side of my life is extremely important, but rowing is the thing that really drives me. I love literature, books and poetry, but they are not the only things that get me up in the morning. I need both in my life. I now get a huge kick from coaching. I feel almost as much excitement from the results of the girls’ crews I’m coaching at Teddies as I did from racing at the Olympics.

Book now to hear more about Lucy’s fascinating career: Monday 23rd September, 7.30pm in The North Wall, tickets £10 www.thenorthwall.com or 01865 319450.

Be even further inspired by impressive individuals in the ongoing talks series organised by St Edward’s and The North Wall. Coming up this autumn is Lucy Obolensky OSE, who has the tantalising job title of ‘adventure medic’. She is a GP who specialises in expedition medicine and global health, and she leads the Global and Remote Healthcare Masters programme at Plymouth University. Lucy has worked on Planet Earth, Blue Planet 2 and Our Planet with Sir David Attenborough and she co-founded the charity Future Health Africa which delivers health and social care programmes in East Africa.

Caption for image

Patrick Maxwell and Katie Greves

http://www.thenorthwall.com/


Trip to MalawiBy Sixth Former Octavia Hamilton

On 8th July, a group of 12 Teddies pupils and three teachers found themselves in the middle of a bustling Heathrow Airport, relative strangers but about to embark on an adventure which would unite us.

As we enjoyed the many films provided by Ethiopian Airlines, the views of spaghetti-winding motorways of London gave way to veins of dusty orange tracks branching off from the main tarmac road of Malawi. When we got off the plane, our faces were hit by the familiar heat of holiday.

A bright yellow bus welcomed us at Blantyre Airport and took us to our accommodation. Along the way, we passed the morning market: stalls made from tall, whittled sticks flanked by men, women and children. The smell of burning coal and plastic filled our noses as we gawked at the mountains which circled majestically around us, the sun painting them gold.

Finally, we turned off onto a bumpy dirt track which wound its way round hand-tilled fields and a couple of brick houses with their corrugated iron roofs held on by stone piles. Scrawny-looking trees lined the road as our

driver expertly avoided most potholes. Then we heard the children. A few at first who leapt up waving leafy branches after the bus, but then more and more joined in with the song ‘Hey! Ho! The visitors have arrived!’.

Our first event was an opening ceremony. We each grabbed a chair and carried it over to the designated spot, but we were hilariously put to shame when some children – perhaps half our size – took over and carried three chairs with ease. The ceremony opened with drums and dancing, and we were encouraged to join in – which we did, despite the heat and our hesitancy over the dance moves, making our hosts roar with laughter.

The next day, we made rapid progress on our project, getting used to digging many holes with a crowbar-like pole for the playground and learning how to mix cement and build upon the loo block foundations. Fuelled by delicious snacks ranging from ‘mandazies’ (a surprisingly irresistable Malawian snack made from flour mix and oil) to papaya and pip-full yet tangy oranges, we worked enthusiastically – the wooden poles became climbing frames, windows were put in on the

loos, clothes and skin became spattered with paint and we soon mastered the flick of the wrist – a sophisticated plastering technique.

Our evenings provided time for much-needed rest as we scrambled for our sun-heated bucket showers. Whilst some evenings were spent with the children, we also squeezed in group games before supper, such as the adrenaline-fuelled ‘satsuma game’ and a few lively rounds of ‘Empires’ or poker to keep morale high after long, sweaty days.

On some days we helped out at the nursery’s feeding centre for 80 hungry young mouths. Spending time in the kitchen learning how to cook the traditional meal of rice, beans and cabbage with our wonderful head cook, Fanny, was great and also gave rise to some interesting conversations about women’s role in society. Max also got the chance to show off his butchery skills in preparation for our chicken lunch.

The safari on the last two days was a complete treat and the highlight was the dazzlingly beautiful sunset on the river listening to the brays of the hippos. Back at our campsite the faint smell of animals and heat

Sasha Wolcough, Octavia Hamilton, Tabitha Emmott, Louis Harvey Wood, Jade Young Yu, Isabella Sheppard-Capurro, Arn Caesar, Max Lang, Ella Mival, Ella Leeson, Kitty Howard and Emma Wrigley

Nick C

oram-W

right


The Teddies team were based at Kasupe Ccap Primary School, with their project work taking place at a nearby care centre for the under 5s where they built a colourful playground (decorated with hand-prints!) and a toilet block. The elephants were among many spotted by the team at the Liwonde National Park.

Nick C

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right

wafted around – hardly surprising as we shared it with the elephants who came trampling at 2am. We finally managed to get up close to the elephants on our boat safari as they drank and bathed in the river. Crocodiles lay like statues further on and pods of hippos lazed in the sun.

Overall, it was an even more rewarding experience than I could ever have imagined. We had signed up to build some crucial structures for the children of Masu village and the Joshua schools, and we left with a whole new sense of the world. Witnessing the energy of a community pushing for development and equality in girls’ education (slogans were written on the walls) was inspiring, and left me with a strong desire to work with them again in the future. Thank you to the staff who accompanied us: Mr Coram-Wright, Miss Bellamy and Mrs More O’Ferrall, and to our inspirational leaders Ali, Carlyn, Stevie and Hilda who were so helpful in translating conversations. Malawi really was an unforgettable experience.

This is an extract from Octavia’s comprehensive and entertaining report. Read the full version in the news section of the website at www.stedwardsoxford.org.

http://www.stedwardsoxford.org/


The D-Day LandingsFormer pupils and staff of the School have played their full part in all major conflicts of the past 150 years dating right back to the Ashanti and Zulu Wars, the Boer War, British Empire disputes, the two World Wars, Japan and Korea, and right through to those in Northern Ireland and the Middle East more recently. June 6th marked the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, the largest seaborne invasion in history, in which a number of OSE took part. We were very sad to learn recently of the deaths of Michael Parker and Edward Burn OSE, who both survived the landings. Michael was a gunnery officer on HMS Warspite (below), the battleship that fired the first shots of the entire operation, and Edward landed on the British beaches with the Buckinghamshire Regiment. To honour Michael and Edward, and all OSE who contributed, Archivist Chris Nathan recounts the experiences of former pupils on Sword Beach on that fateful day 75 years ago.

Sword was the easternmost of the D-Day landing beaches, the responsibility of the British 3rd Division, and it was here that many OSE saw action, amongst them Peter Coop, Edward Burn, Tony Lewis and Nevill Lawton Smith.

Peter Coop, a lieutenant with the Rifle Brigade, was sadly killed in action a week after D-Day. Edward Burn arrived on French soil determinedly wrapped around the gun barrel of a tank to ensure that he wouldn’t be fighting in wet socks and boots. In later years he became Tutor in Law at Christ Church and was known to justify not wearing a helmet when riding his bicycle by saying ‘I did not wear a helmet on Sword Beach so why should I wear one on the Woodstock Road?’. Tony Lewis and Nevill Lawton Smith also survived and both went on to distinguish themselves in the remaining months of the war.

The stamp above was issued in June 2019 to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day; Michael Parker OSE would have been on board HMS Warspite when this photo was taken. Right: a stamp issued to mark the 50th anniversary in 1994.


1st Special Service Brigade, Lewis was chosen to lead No 6 Commando. At the age of only 24, he became the youngest Lieutenant Colonel (albeit Temporary) to command a combat unit in the British Army. Field Marshal Montgomery was astonished at his youthful appearance and always referred to him as

the ‘boy colonel’. Lewis led his unit through a succession of engagements as the allies moved inland, often in the thick of the fighting. In 1945 he was again in charge of No 6 Commando as they pushed into Germany capturing Wesel and Osnabruck, then crossing the Weser under heavy barrage. The crossing of the next river, the Aller, required an assault on a heavily defended bridge. ‘Tony – take the bridge – Out’, was the stark and doubtless chilling order issued. Lewis decided on an old-fashioned bayonet charge straight into the enemy, the last such charge undertaken in World War Two by the British Army. Later, Lewis led a successful crossing of the River Elbe, taking the town of Lauenburg a few days before the surrender. He was awarded the DSO (pinned on by Montgomery) as well as receiving the Croix de Guerre from the French. In 1953 he was awarded the MBE.

Tony LewisPeter CoopNevill Lawton Smith

Tony Lewis had already had an eventful war, evacuated from Cherbourg with the Dorset Regiment when France fell before going on to fight in Norway, Algeria, and North Africa. Only six days after D-Day, as a result of the wounding of Lord Lovat, Commander of the


Nevill Lawton Smith had joined the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1939, later transferring to the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion. He had spent the first years of the war in Northern Ireland and his first real action, after rigorous training in Scotland, was D-Day itself. His assault craft put to sea on 3rd June only to be recalled in the early hours of the following morning when a storm hit. During this time, Lawton Smith was very sea sick, like so many others, not ideal preparation of what was to follow! Aged 26, he was a captain in an anti-tank platoon and landed at dawn on D-Day with the first wave on Sword, their task to set up guns to defend the landing forces against the German Panzer divisions. Once off the beach, Lawton Smith’s unit moved towards

Caen encountering stiff resistance. He was mentioned in despatches after single-handedly loading and firing an anti-tank gun, after its crew had been killed. Later he was transferred to the Gordon Highlanders who had taken heavy losses and he was on the front line in actions across the Ardennes. During one advance, he had the narrowest escape as the two men by his side were both killed but a bullet passed through his beret and he survived.

It was not only on Sword Beach that OSE played their part on D-Day. Many fought on other beaches or supported the invasion in the air or at sea. Amongst them were the aforementioned Michael Parker on board HMS Warspite, from which the first salvo of the day was fired, and Peter Forrow was also offshore serving with the Royal Marines.

For a comprehensive and absorbing account of OSE involvement in the Second World War, look out for Chris’s book, Let it Roar, Let it Rage, We Shall Come Through, to be published in the autumn, 80 years after the outbreak of this brutal conflict. You can read more about this important publication in the autumn edition of the Chronicle.

Left and above: Sword Beach D-Day Memorials in Ouistreham, Normandy

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Izzy Rayner OSE, GB TriathleteInterviewed by Sixth Former Jenny Hannah

The Harriers were lucky to end the cross-country season with Izzy Rayner OSE coming back to School to lead a training session and to inspire us with her experience as an U23 GB triathlete. Since leaving Teddies, Izzy has been reading Geography at Glasgow University alongside training. She is currently ranked 20th in the world for triathlon and won bronze for Team GB at the European Championships in Russia in July.

During her time at Teddies, Izzy was in the 1sts for netball, hockey and athletics. In addition to sports, she took part in many extracurricular activities, including drama and ballet, both up to grade 8. All through her school career sport played a significant part in Izzy’s schedule but she became even busier

during the Sixth Form when she discovered triathlon. Izzy fell into triathlon by accident. ‘At first it was just a way of cross training in between injuries’, she told us. Izzy had represented Oxfordshire at cross country nationals and had run the 1500 in athletics, but her achievements seemed to plateau due to a series of injuries. Recovering from the injuries Izzy began cycling and swimming and this led to her being encouraged to take part in a duathlon. Despite competing in her first duathlon on her mother’s old bike, the foundations for her subsequent triathlon success were set.

Alongside Geography, PE and Biology A Levels, Izzy began to train regularly for triathlon. Early morning swimming and

6am runs became routine. After that first duathlon, Izzy was approached by a local club and got funding for equipment. Now at university, Izzy will often train twice a day; first from 7-8 am, then again in the evening, amounting to 22 hours a week. Izzy’s next goal is to be selected for the senior league team next year. For Izzy, time spent training benefits wider aspects of her life other than just improving sporting results: ‘It keeps your mental health in check, it’s a stress release and it allows you to focus on something other than work’. Her parting advice to school athletes was simple and straightforward: ‘take every opportunity and don’t worry about what others think: stay motivated and driven’.

Maxi Madrian, Daniela Rafart Cardona, Lola Mora Balil, Joseph de Ferranti, Jenny Hannah, Izzy Rayner OSE, Katinka Hughes, Oscar Inglis-Jones, Arkadiy Petrov, Katya Jacobs and Elaine Gschwandtner



RowingBy Adam Moffatt, Master i/c Rowing

ShellsThe Shell group took on all the challenges presented to them and can be proud of their first year with the Boat Club. With the weather playing its usual part, training on the water didn’t get going until around March and the group had their work cut out to put themselves in a good position come the National Schools’ Regatta. The early sessions consisted of matched crews, aiming to create a large team atmosphere, in which everyone’s contribution was valued. This then progressed to two mixed A/B crews and a C crew for the boys. The attitude of the group and their desire to succeed in training and competition contributed hugely to their progress and the Easter camp held at the Boat Club provided valuable time in the boat.

At the National Schools’ Regatta the boys’ A crew raced to a brilliant 8th place (the highest placing any Shell group has had in this event for a decade). The B crew raced to a remarkable 10th (despite having two subs on board) and the girls’ A crew finished 14th in an extremely competitive field. These results are very encouraging, and we look forward to seeing their progress next year.

J15The highlight of the year has to be the girls coxed 4 of Jenifer Ellis, Ruby Freeland, Tabitha Emmott, Cecily Taylor and Adelaide Del Mar who won a bronze medal at the National Schools’ Regatta. A well-executed race plan saw the crew sit in 4th place and then a final sprint pushed them into the bronze position. A fantastic achievement for an inexperienced crew who should be looking to step up over the next few years into senior rowing.

The boys had a difficult year where there were many lessons learnt regarding training, technique and racing. There is a core group who will take on the challenge of training with the seniors next year, providing them with a solid base from which to continue their development.

J16 girlsThe season started with strong showings in head races with wins at Wallingford Head and Burway Head. A winter Head season largely weather-hit meant many events were cancelled including the Schools’ Head of the River. Illness and injury saw progress between the Temple Easter training camp and National Schools’ Regatta interrupted but substitute Jenifer Ellis

(Fourth Form) provided great cover in the four at the only race the crew raced at Wallingford.

The coxed four of Jessica McPhail, Saskia Ward, Isabel Llabres Diaz, Daisy Speir and Abi Drennan performed fantastically at the National Schools’ Regatta and broke the old national record by two seconds in winning a silver medal behind an excellent Irish crew from Enniskillen Royal Boat Club. Isabel and Saskia returned the following day to row very well to claim 4th in the WJ16 2x.

Following the completion of exams, the girls raced at Reading Regatta losing to a very fast Kent School crew from the US. To this point the only domestic crew that had beaten them was Marlow RC at Wallingford Regatta. At Henley Women’s Regatta the crew misjudged the time trial and were the first crew not to qualify in a tight field, where they were just five seconds off the crew that qualified third.

Saskia Ward finished the season on a high note with the reserve spot on the GB team. This is a reflection of her hard training through the winter that culminated in a good ergo score and a fifth-place finish in the WJ16 single at the GB trials in February.

In addition, Isabel and Saskia were asked to attend a GB Training Day at the beginning of July as they both look ahead to trialling next season.

J16 boysThis has been the first time for some years that we have boated a J16 VIII and it has certainly proved to be rewarding. After a successful Easter camp in Temple-Sur-Lot, they picked up a win at Nottingham City Regatta, 3rd place at Wallingford Regatta and were seen as one of the contenders for a medal at the National Schools’ Regatta. The conditions were quick and with margins of qualifying coming down to less than a second, the VIII needed to put together a perfect race. Sadly, they missed out on the A Final but put together a strong race in the B Final to win and were ranked 7th in the country.

Although the crew had hopes of finishing with a higher ranking, the squad continued to improve throughout the season and has a solid foundation from which they can make the next step up into senior rowing.

Jessica McPhail, Saskia Ward, Isabel Llabres Diaz, Daisy Speir and cox Abi Drennan at the National Schools’ Regatta in May


Barnaby Singfield, Arun Grewal, Alexander Gowans and William de St Croix at Henley, with Thibby Mulot, Nicolas Farah, Nicholas Sawyer, Felix Abel and cox Alexander Byas out of shot

SeniorsWith the J16 boys being kept separate, the decision was made that the senior boat for the Schools’ Head and National Schools’ Regatta would be a four. The crew picked up several wins throughout the season including Kingston and Hammersmith Head, and were favourites going into the Schools’ Head but unfortunately the weather caused their event to be cancelled. The Easter camp showed signs of what the crew were capable of over the shorter distance and a strong race at Wallingford Regatta in the open coxless fours, as well as a win at Nottingham City Regatta, demonstrated the boat was picking up speed nicely. At National Schools’ the Championship 4- event was of the usual high quality and the boys put together two good races and made the A Final. This proved to be one of the races of the day and, with a margin of just four seconds separating 1st to 6th, the crew can be proud of their 5th place finish, just one second off a bronze medal.

With the National Schools’ Regatta over for another year, attention turned towards Henley Royal Regatta. With just three weeks to get an Eight together, we managed to go one better and put two Eights out! With a 1st VIII and 2nd VIII selected we set off to

Reading Regatta wondering how these crews would fare with such little time together. The 2nd VIII lost against Southampton University 1st Eight in the opening heat but, for a crew with an average age of 16, they had plenty to be pleased about and continued their learning experience by racing at the HRR qualifiers in The Temple Challenge Cup – an event primarily for university students.

At the Reading Regatta, the 1st VIII had drawn King’s College School Wimbledon who were in the A Final of the Championship Eights at the National Schools’ Regatta and were an established A crew. Our worries were quickly quashed when the St Edward’s VIII won the race by a length and a half and progressed through to round two against Reading Blue Coat, who were also quickly dispatched. On to the final against Abingdon School who had also spent most of the year in this boat class and with high hopes for Henley Royal Regatta. The 1st VIII led from the front and with a winning margin of half a length, were crowned victorious – not a bad start!

They moved on to Wallingford Regatta and made the final of Senior Eights, finishing 5th but demonstrating good speed in the second half of the race against Eton and Shrewsbury.

Both of these results meant that when the draw was done for Henley Royal Regatta, the 1st VIII found themselves to be one of the eight seeded crews, a great achievement for a crew only formed three weeks prior.

Round one against King’s School Canterbury went as planned and allowed the crew to gain valuable experience of racing down the course and they controlled the race throughout. Round two saw them up against King’s College School Wimbledon again, out for revenge after the Reading Regatta. Once again, our 1st VIII led from the start and showed incredible maturity throughout, winning by almost two lengths. A quarter final place was achieved and a showdown with 2018 winners and 2019 National School Champions, St Paul’s. This race demonstrated that we still have plenty of work to do before we can break back into the top three and, although the 1st VIII put in plenty of effort, we could not match the efficiency and ruthlessness that St Paul’s showed.

It will be sad to see our Captain of Boats, Barnaby Singfield, depart after five years of commitment to the Boat Club. With 17 of the senior group back next year, however, there will be a clear aim of breaking back into the top end of British junior rowing.


NetballBy Beckie James, Head of Netball

The Netball Club enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in recent years, with an impressive 59% win rate across all teams. As well as a large number of wins, the Club worked hard to develop a positive and focused training environment, which played a big part in helping the teams to perform on match days.

SeniorsThere were only three senior players from the 1st VII of 2018 this season, with the majority being Upper Sixth last year. This meant it was a season of rebuilding, but the team jelled quickly with some talented Fifth Formers moving up into the squad. Lola Timms captained the team brilliantly alongside vice-captain Livi Tomacelli and we came away with six wins and five losses. Lola and Livi, alongside senior players Rose Fawcett and Poppy Sullivan, helped to create a very enthusiastic and motivated training squad who were determined to improve and to succeed. They welcomed the Fifth Form into the squad and

their encouragement and support definitely helped grow the confidence of their younger teammates. The physical style of play from the Fifth Form centre court combination of Sasha Withers Green, Sophie Tompkins and Tiggy Jones was invaluable to the intense gameplay we were striving to produce. In addition, Aniella Weinberger and Daisy Helling worked tirelessly on their shooting accuracy across the term, attending early morning sessions. With this core of players still around for the next couple of seasons, it will be exciting to watch how this team progresses.

The 2nd VII were unfortunate not to come away with more wins. They came up against some very strong 2nd teams and did well to hold their own. Like the 1st VII, they are dominated by younger players, so it will be interesting to see how this team develops. One of the highlights of their season was a toughly contested 24-20 victory over Dean Close where the girls held their nerve under pressure to come away with the win. Player of the Match was shared between Freya Burdon and Lily Helling. The 2nd VII made massive improvements in both their individual and team game over the course of the term and have strong foundations on which to build next year.

The 3rd VII came up against some very tough sides and had to work hard to play the ball around, maintain possession and take their shots on goal when they had the chance. They took wins against Bloxham, Cheltenham College and Malvern College in what were physically demanding matches with Grace Flynn, Florence Howard and Rose Bourdillon awarded Player of the Match respectively.

The 4th VII had a great season, coming away with a number of convincing wins. Most notable was a 31-7 win over Stowe where Amelia Brooks was awarded Player of the Match. The team trained hard over the netball term and made massive improvements from their performances last season.

An enthusiastic 5th VII worked well throughout the term, with a strong emphasis on fun, fitness and teamwork in their sessions. They played six matches, taking wins against Stowe, Cheltenham College,

Dean Close and Bradfield College. A special mention to defender Hannah McCrum who received the greatest number of player of the match awards.

The 6th VII and 7th VII only had a few games between them but when they got the chance they competed well on court. Particularly of note was the 6th VII against Wellington College where they narrowly lost 12-13 in what was a thrilling match. Shooters Daisy Persaud and Eliza McCrum stood out in this game.

JuniorsThe U15A squad had a very successful season and were undefeated in their block fixtures. They built on their strong season in Shells and with the addition of the versatile Nellie Needham, they impressed on the circuit. Consistent stand out performers were Saskia van der Heiden at GS and Anna West at GD.

The U15B squad had a much improved season from their Shell year, winning six, drawing one and losing two of their block fixtures. A highlight of the term was their 13-10 win over Cheltenham College, where Izzy Hall was recognised by the opposition and awarded Player of the Match. A special mention should also go to Ella McBrien, who captained the team so maturely throughout the term.

The U15C squad had a positive season and a very impressive team spirit both at training and in matches. They came away with a creditable six wins and two losses, including a number of very convincing score lines. Special recognition goes to Sasha Wolcough and Lara Brech for their strong mid-court partnership.

The U15D squad worked hard throughout the term, coming across some experienced teams and suffering some tough score lines. Their resilience and determination paid off, though, in an excellent win against Wellington College 16-13, which was the highlight of their season. Well done to captain, Raya Alsalloum who provided wonderful encouragement to her teammates and helped them become more confident on court. 1st VII Captain Lola Timms in action v Dean Close


The U14A squad enjoyed an excellent season, winning 9 of their 11 matches. A determined group of sportswomen, the team pushed each other in training and put on some outstanding performances on match days. The formidable shooting combination of Jemima D’Arcy and Coco Timms often made the difference in tight games and the pair were consistently recognised by their opposition for their accuracy and movement in the circle.

The U14B squad were the most successful team in the Netball Club. They won their first 10 games and at the end of the season were challenged to play Bloxham’s U14A side, to whom they narrowly lost 10-12. This group of players worked tirelessly in training, pushing themselves against the U14A team. They delighted in numerous large score lines, and Jemima Paganuzzi, who also captained the side, should be mentioned for her shooting accuracy. It is superb to see the strength and depth we have in the Shell A and B sides and it is exciting for the future of St Edward’s netball.

The U14C squad had a solid campaign, winning five and losing five. They made a great deal of progress over the term and it was fantastic to see how much they enjoyed their netball. Many of the team received recognition from the opposition for their strong performances, and it was lovely that it was such a team effort. Grace Kulubya stood out with the most Player of the Match awards across the term.

Despite many of the players in the U14D squad never having played netball before, the enthusiasm, spirit and determination that they displayed was admirable. They won an impressive half of their fixtures and it was lovely to witness how supportive the players were of one another. Again, a lot of the players received Player of the Match for their strong performances but defender Erika Makhmetova and Ohemaa Dompreh were recognised most consistently.

Finally, none of this could have been achieved without our dedicated and enthusiastic netball coaches. A massive thank you to them for the time and effort they put into planning and delivering fun and engaging sessions throughout the term. Everyone in the Netball Club should be proud of what they have achieved this season. Tiggy Jones in action v Dean Close


Boys’ HockeyBy Jamie Davies, Head of Hockey

The 1st XI had a tough year. Every game, however, was extremely hard fought and competitive throughout. The season had some memorable highlights in which captain, Toby MacLachlan, was to the fore. On the first morning of pre-season the boys’ fitness was fully tested, perhaps too rigourously as we then travelled to Bloxham and lost in the afternoon. Later in the season we managed to turn that result around and beat them 3-2. The counter-attack formula we utilised very nearly proved its worth at Rugby when we went from 3-0 down to 3-2 with 10 minutes to go. Unfortunately, we lost in a nail biter, but a breakaway goal from Will Monks was one of the goals of the season. The highlight of the season, however, had to be beating Abingdon 3-2 at the St George’s Sixes, including a last minute deflection into the top corner by Max Liddy. The Upper Sixth leavers – Toby MacLachlan, George Newson, Max Liddy, Will Monks, Charlie Watson and Harry Power – led incredibly throughout the season

and will be hugely missed, whilst the Most Improved Player award went to Tom Leeson.

Highlights for the 2nd XI included the 3-3 draw against Rugby and the excellent performance against Cheltenham College. The game against Radley was a case of ‘what might have been’ having been 2-0 up at half time before collapsing in the second half to lose 5-2. Over the course of the season, Alessandro Corrias performed with distinction in goal, William James was dynamic in midfield and Fergus Hill scored a number of important goals.

The 4th XI showed real spirit, determination and a warrior-like attitude when faced with some impressive opposition. Whilst not a vintage season in terms of results, the focus of this team was to improve as the season developed, which certainly proved to be the case. Anchoring the defence with muscle and hard-hitting clearances, Max McNicol provided support to the midfield axis of Jack Piesse and Oliver Ward who were relentless in their efforts to seek and

defend possession of the ball. Their efforts were duly rewarded with goals from various players, giving the team confidence by scoring in most matches, often though they found themselves being beaten at the last by some stiff opposition. The most notable win came against Wellington College, with a score of 6-4.

The U15A showed good progression through the season and all involved added to the team, to their individual skills and to their understanding of the game. A tight 1-2 loss to Abingdon started the season, and losses to Stowe and Radley followed a cancellation against Bradfield, but a good win against Bloxham got the season back on track. A slightly depleted Wellington side were up next, but they still had some quality and the ability to threaten. Our strongest away performance of the year swept them aside with a convincing win. Marlborough were our next opponents, a good side and a well-matched game. The final game of the season was Cheltenham. This was a tight affair in the first half, but the Teddies boys probably came out on top. A much stronger second half, with our most dominant attacking performance, resulted in a quick four goals, with the team hungry for more. The U15C were a large group this year who showed great enthusiasm and took their opportunities whenever they could to improve their game over the course of the season.

The U14A had an excellent season which was not reflected in the results. As a group, many of whom had not played much hockey, they made a lot of progress and the fact that many of the games were lost by only a single goal indicates what they can hope to achieve in the future. It was very much a season of good approach play but lacking an edge in front of goal; dominant first half displays against Abingdon and Rugby could not be converted into a lead and 1-2 and 0-3 losses followed. They showed tremendous grit and skill to recover from two goals down against Bloxham and Stowe, but were overpowered by a good Radley side and a Cheltenham team with some excellent corner routines. Oscar Cawthorne, Bertie Withers Green and Freddie Walton were the commended players of the season.George Newson v Marlborough


Tennis

The U14B team had a very encouraging season on the hockey field this year. They showed real dedication over the course of the season, both in training and matches, which allowed them to perform against some strong local opposition. The highlight of the season was definitely a succession of hard-fought draws against Marlborough and Stowe. The boys really raised their game when playing some of our tougher opponents and all team members developed a much better tactical awareness of the game. Thanks to Ndiana-Abasi Awak-Essien for all his efforts as captain and thanks also go to Luca Howard and Jackson Davies for their support as vice-captains. Congratulations to Harry Day voted Player of the Season by the team. All in all, a very positive season.

The highlights for the U14C were the victory against Bloxham and the draw against Cheltenham. Also pleasing was the relatively small scale defeat at Marlborough because the boys showed much greater resilience in that match than the previous week at Wellington. The captain, Rhys Merriman, was the outstanding player all season and never gave up in any match, often attempting to play in every outfield position, seemingly simultaneously! William Tozer and Toby MacLachlan v Marlborough

Lila Howard and Lola Mora Balil were successful in making it to the second round of the knock out stages in the U19 Loveband Trophy at the Independent Schools’ Tennis Association Championships at the beginning of July. A full report on the summer’s tennis action will appear in the autumn issue.


Rugby SevensBy Rob Cottrell, Master i/c of Rugby

1st VIIWith a tough 15-a-side season under their belts, the 1st team faced the challenge of living up to the very strong pedigree of success at Sevens. They certainly didn’t disappoint.

Having despatched Cheltenham, Radley and MCS with superbly convincing victories in the opening weeks of the term, the boys’ confidence was riding high for the Oakham 7s tournament a few weeks later. They won their group to reach the Cup draw, beating The Perse, Trent College and Royal Hospital School along the way, only to be stalled in the Quarter Final with a now depleted squad due to injuries, requiring the call up of some of the U16 players. Still, their pride was certainly intact and they were relishing the next challenge of the Rosslyn Park National Schools’ Sevens tournament - by playing numbers, the biggest rugby tournament in the world. The National Sevens tournament sees hundreds of teams and some 9,000 players descend on south-west London for this most prestigious of tournaments that draws teams from across the globe.

St Edward’s entered sides in all three of the boys’ age groups this season. First to play were the 1st VII who were looking to achieve what so few teams do in reaching the second day of the tournament for the third time in four years. The 12-man squad had a simply outstanding day amongst a field of 280 other teams, winning all of their pool matches against some reputable sides, often by sizeable margins - most notably a 59-5 drubbing of XVs rivals Malvern. Their first match was against RGS Worcester and they had the added, and rare, bonus of being selected for live broadcast. The 1st VII did themselves proud with a 19-5 win, following it up with a powerful performance against Prior Park, which they won 45-0. As the afternoon games began, Teddies found themselves on the main show pitch, with live broadcast and full commentary to accompany their 33-5 win over Reed’s, before the match against Malvern completed the pool stage.

The elimination match drew Teddies against one of the perennial tournament favourites in Epsom. The score line didn’t

tell the story in what was actually a highly competitive game, but unfortunately the match ended 0-27. Teddies held their opposition to a 0-0 second half until the very last minute which showed their strength of character under such a tough onslaught by a team that recently won the prestigious Surrey 7s by beating Cranleigh in the final. Wednesday brought entry to the Bowl competition and an opener against last year’s Vase finalists, St Peter’s, York. St Peter’s showed their mettle and demonstrated why their name comes with a reputation, but a final win by 46 to 17 against an Eastbourne side that had already seen off Marlborough and Wycliffe, among others, was no bad way to end the tournament for the 1st VII.

William James’ performance saw him stand out as one of the tournament’s best players as remarked by several head coaches and organisers. With well over ten tries to his name over the two days of competition, he was one of the highest try-scorers of the tournament which is a remarkable

1st VII Squad at Rosslyn Park Schools Sevens 2019


Sailingachievement. For many of the Upper Sixth it was their last touch of the oval ball for Teddies, and Tom Wyles and Will Monks scored a wonderful interception try and a deftly-taken conversion respectively to finish off their rugby playing careers in style.

All in all, an excellent tournament for St Edward’s to conclude a Sevens season that has promised much and produced it on several occasions.

Colts 7s and Yearlings 7sThe 7s season started in weather more appropriate to the 15-a-side game with torrentially wet conditions at the Oakham 7s. A couple of narrow losses to Bedford and the Royal Hospital School in the group stages (after a flying start against The Leicester Grammar School) meant the squad would play in the Plate Competition. The boys shared the playing time and dug deep mentally to make the final. One final effort from all the players who were left standing ensured Teddies lifted the Plate, beating The Royal Grammar School in the final and avenging the loss in the group stages. Unfortunately, the Oakham 7s and the precarious nature of rugby robbed the squad of several players. At one point, out of the starting seven players, only two were fit to start the pool stages at Rosslyn Park. Between these two competitions, the boys won a game in their pool at the Merchant Taylors tournament. However, apart from that, we failed to pick up any more victories. Despite this, the squad of players fought bravely in every game and a number of fringe players found themselves with a significant amount of game time. The squad that performed so well at Oakham perhaps deserve the most credit for the success they produced in such appalling conditions.

At Rosslyn Park, the U16 and U14 squads found themselves in competitive groups. The U16 VII deserve credit for their battling displays and can be pleased with the tries they scored, with two each against Eton, Malvern and Hampton. The U14 VII should also be mightily proud of their performances, with tight games throughout their pool matches ensuring that, though they didn’t proceed beyond the pool stage, they could leave the tournament with their heads held high and with a great deal of experience banked for the future. They began with a 19-21 loss to RGS Worcester before running Cheltenham close at 26-38 and finishing their matches with a 19-42 defeat against another of those strong Epsom sides. Joe Porter and Sailing Captain Leo Wilson

Sailing Captain Leo Wilson and Joe Porter battling the elements at Farmoor Reservoir as they prepared for the Itchenor Sailing Club Schools’ Sailing Championships. It was a positive championship for the Teddies Sailing Club, especially given that the team had not sailed at sea before and were using unfamiliar boats. Particular congratulations to Leo Wilson (Helm) and Archie Screech-Dean (Crew) who placed 35th overall across the 10 races, having also come 22nd in Race 6. Elsewhere, Carlo Graeser (Helm) and Leon Gurel (Crew) placed 44th, and Joe Porter (Helm) and Thomas Sheppard (Crew) came 49th.


FootballBy Nic Bond, Master i/c Football

The 2019 season was a positive one for the Football Club. Senior football is always a bit of a lottery and we were happy to be able to field four strong teams week in and week out. All teams, from 1st to 4th, enjoyed some success throughout the season, with pupil engagement and enjoyment at the heart of the Club’s spirit.

The 1st XI had a competitive season, winning half their fixtures. Under the leadership of Jimi Feather, a stalwart of the 1st XI in the 2018 season, Teddies immediately looked to press on from the highs at the end of the previous campaign. The season started with a pre-season camp at St Edward’s with some basic skill development and team bonding sessions. This was followed by a highly competitive triangular with Abingdon and Malvern where we acquitted ourselves well, but were undone by two squads that had played many more games together.

The start of the school term brought the first competitive fixture in the form of an away day at Bromsgrove. The physicality of the game came as somewhat of a shock to some of the newer members of the XI. We were a little lackadaisical going forward and occasionally

loose at the back, resulting in a 4-1 loss, which didn’t really do us justice. There were positives to be taken and clear signs of a competitive team moving forward. As the XI moved through the season they moved from strength to strength, working hard in training sessions to develop their passing, communication and utilisation of width. The first signs of the hard work paying off were at Bedford School, a highly competitive fixture, where the 1st XI came back from 2-1 down to take the draw 2-2. This game showed the first signs of the fighting spirit that the team had been needing and left the coaching staff with new hope for the forthcoming fixtures.

From there we moved into the next gear, showing that we could put the ball in the net with a convincing 5-1 win vs Kingham Hill. With goals coming from both forward players, this was a good performance on a tricky pitch. The positive approach of the 1st XI continued through the season, with the group of players becoming more aware of each other’s strengths, using the speed of Roman Bricusse and the strength of Ollie Paymaster-Billington to work past some impressive defence. This was until Teddies came up against a strong

MCS who were allowed to cruise to a 5-0 victory. With Radley next in line it would take something special to come back from a heavy defeat like that; and special it was. In some of the best football we have seen on Avenue Field St Edward’s worked tirelessly, a new formation let the 1st XI really attack from the moment the whistle blew, an early disallowed goal only adding fuel to the fire, with St Edward’s coming in 1-0 up at the break. The second half showed some fight from Radley bringing the score line back to 1-1 but a second half brace from Roman Bricusse, to complete his hat-trick, sealed the game 3-1. A fantastic game for the 1st XI, who finally understood how good they could be when working collaboratively.

The second half of the season saw more wins for the team, seeing off Cheltenham 3-1 and Burford School 3-1 with minor blips versus Shiplake and Marlborough. A return leg versus MCS concluded the season. After losing heavily to them previously it was a fitting tribute to the team and the work that they have put in to win this final game 4-3.

The season can go down as a successful one for the 1st XI, with some strong foundations set for the team and Club moving forward.

Felix Burton dribbles through the Marlborough midfield

Award winners were: Top Goal Scorer, Roman Bricusse; Coaches’ Player, Tom Wyles and Players’ Player, Jimi Feather.

As is often the case in life, looking at the numbers will only tell part of the story. The 2nd XI had a new coaching combo and a number of new recruits when they first met up in January. The Lower Sixth, who had patiently waited three years, finally had their chance to represent their School with the spherical ball and showed a committed approach to training from the outset, taking the lead from an experienced core of Upper Sixth. After a shaky start to the season (conceding 14 goals in 2 matches), a match that will live long in the memory saw a stunning display versus Bedford. A re-shuffled back four, a new keeper and a change in formation, played in challenging conditions against an evenly matched side made for a fantastically exciting tussle. With Teddies 2-0 up within 20 minutes and all looking rosy,


a lapse in concentration at the back gifted Bedford a soft goal and it was game on. As the second half progressed, we found ourselves camped in our own half, though still looking dangerous on the counter. As full time drew close, panic set in, culminating in St Edward’s conceding a last minute penalty. A hero was needed. A hero was found. Freddie Methuen, our debutant keeper, who had performed brilliantly all game, played sufficient mind games and gave it the infamous ‘Grobbelaar’ wobbly knees, ensuring the Bedford star striker slammed his spot kick against the crossbar. Cue wild celebrations as we hung on for a well-deserved 2-1 victory.

The confidence gained took us onwards into the next game against Kingham Hill where the 2nd XI played with a swagger rarely seen on a Teddies football pitch. A comfortable 4-0 win, with the goals shared around the team.

The second half of the season was less about results, more about endeavour, team spirit, sportsmanship and getting it right in terms of respect. Continuing these values into next season will serve us very well.

The 3rd and 4th XI battled hard this season, showing bags of potential and fight throughout. The 3rd XI came together for an emphatic win versus Kingham Hill and continued to develop as a team unit. Both the 3rd XI and 4th XI found success versus Cheltenham College and showed their spirit throughout the season against some tough oppositions.

It is an exciting time for the Football Club as we move forwards, continuing to grow and to develop. We look forward to a new batch of players and continued success in the 2020 season.

Roman Bricusse drives towards the goal v Marlborough

Award winners were: 2nd XI Golden Boot: following the slightest flick of a backside in the last game of the season, Laju Atake (any striker worth their salt would claim it Laju!); Champagne Moment: Freddie Methuen’s debut in goal in our victory over Bedford - a combination of bravery (some might call it foolhardiness!) and skilful keeping; and finally, Player of the Season as voted by the coaching staff: Ben Hutchinson for his performances and leadership both on and off the pitch.


Cricket TourBy Peter Ades OSE, Tour Captain

An early Thursday morning in February was when it all began – leaving School and the English winter behind for a few days in order to go to the stunning Caribbean to play cricket was the opportunity that 16 young men had before them, and their excitement was soon to be completely fulfilled. It was a tour that consisted of extreme heat and promising performances but, most of all, a real sense of enjoyment from each other’s company.

As a team we had spoken about the opportunities that this tour offered, especially to the younger members of the side: playing cricket in a completely different environment, growing as a team, and also enabling each individual to develop their personal skills. The performances and the results were a little mixed: two narrow T20 losses to a West Barbados Schools Select XI (by 1 run) and

then Wanderers CC (by 4 wickets with 2 balls to spare) in our first outing, followed by a comfortable 39 run victory against Grantley Adams School, then losses to two of the strongest schoolboy sides in Barbados – The Lodge School (by 4 wickets) and Combermere School (by 2 wickets) – before concluding with a hard fought 12-run victory against Coleridge and Parry School. Many lessons were learnt.

The most consistent performer was James Marsh, who took 8 wickets (at an average of 13) and also scored valuable middle-order runs. Other important all-round contributions came from Jamie Regan and Ben Jacobs, who were both appearing for a St Edward’s cricket side for the very first time.

The enjoyment did not stop with the cricket as the squad sampled a huge range of extracurricular activities, including watching

Kunal Barman bowling

England successfully break their run-chase record in defeating the West Indies in the 1st ODI at a bouncing Kensington Oval, and a catamaran cruise in which we all quickly made a new best friend: the Factor 100 sun cream!

As all good things do, though, our time in Barbados unfortunately had to come to an end. One thing that is for certain, however; memories had been made that will last for life, and friendships had been strengthened over the course of those eight days.

Special mentions to Will and Henrietta (OSE) Oakley for hosting us for a spectacular beach BBQ at the Cobblers Cove, to Mr and Mrs Keen for a wonderful evening at their rented villa on Sandy Lane and to Mr Swainson, Mr Simpkins and Mr Roche who gave up their Half Terms to accompany us and allow us to have a tour that none of us will ever forget.

PEOPLEAt the end of term, we said goodbye and good luck to Lucy Baddeley, Ben Pyper, Ollie Richards and Matt Parker after long and successful Teddies careers; to Annabelle Rose, who leaves to teach at a school in Witney; to Carmen Austin who will take up a new role; and to Denise Kohlhepp who leaves to explore other career opportunities. The Bursar, Stephen Withers Green, will step down in December after more than 20 years in the role.

In September, we welcome: Clare Hamilton, who has been serving in the Army, as HM of Apsley and to teach Geography (see page 21); Jonathan Burbidge from Dulwich College as HM of Sing’s (see page 26); Lucy Hamblin-Rooke from Pangbourne College as HM of Corfe and to teach PE (see page 8); Kevin Reid from The Royal Hospital School as Head of Maths; Holly Hyams from The Henry Box School to teach Maths; Adam Griffiths from the International School of Lausanne and Willem Truter from LVS Ascot to teach Chemistry; Christopher Irvine from Lord Wandsworth College as Head of Physics; Marc Gillingwater from Gresham’s and Joe Cazabon from Bradfield to teach Biology; Ellen McGillycuddy from Caxton College in Spain to teach MFL; Anastasia Elliott from Godolphin and Latymer to teach English; Svenja Schmidt, straight from her PGCE at

Oxford University, to teach German; Camilla Holder, a former teacher and artist-in-residence, to teach Art; Hari Choudhury, who has just completed a BSc at Imperial College, and Sarah Wheeler from City of London Freemen’s to teach Physics; and Catherine Holliday to teach Jewellery.

In Houses, new Assistant HMs are Emily Moss in Cowell’s, Beth Watts in Mac’s, Lauren Mackrell in Avenue, Suzanne Arbuthnot in Corfe and Ross Simmonds in Cooper Lodge. New Resident Tutors are Andy Rush in Mac’s, Willem Truter in Tilly’s, David Caro Solano in Segar’s, Lauren Bray in Oakthorpe, Naomi George in Avenue, Sophie Barnes in Corfe and Svenja Schmidt in Cooper Lodge.

Elsewhere, Paul Davies joins us as Matron of Kendall. A former Thames Valley Police Officer, Paul was most recently working at Hill View School in Banbury. Karen Oliver will take over as Matron in Oakthorpe during Sophie Sydenham’s maternity leave. Rachael Henshilwood joined us part-time at Half Term and will take up her full-time role of Development Director from September. David Bates joined us as Director of IT in July. Two members of staff joined the Registry in June: Chloe Pugh as Admissions and Database Officer, and Emily Starbuck as Admissions and Events Officer.

In internal changes, Neville Creed stepped down as Director of Cultural Activities at the end of term. Neville was Director of Music from 2003-2009, and took up the wider role thereafter. He continues to teach Academic Music and will also continue as Chorus Master of the London Philharmonic. From September, Alex Tester will expand his areas of responsibility to become Director of Music and the Arts. Tom Holdsworth has been appointed Head of Outdoor Education and Huw Thomas as Assistant Head of Sixth Form.

In personal news, congratulations to Amy Rutherford and Rob who were married in April (see back page); to Heather Murphy and Liam on the birth of Senan on 6th May; to Anneli Ruehle and Fabian on the birth of Lily on 4th June; to Jonathan Burbidge and Lizzy on the birth of William on 13th June; to Liz Boast and Andrew who were married on 13th July; and to Nic Bond and Melissa who were married on 20th July.

It is with sadness that we announce two deaths in the Teddies community. Derek Henderson OSE, who also taught at St Edward’s, died in June, remaining on the OSE Committee right to the last. Fittingly for such a stalwart supporter of Teddies, Derek was buried in the Memorial Quad. Jane Haddock, who was a Matron at Teddies for over 20 years, died in April.

Matt Parker, Ben Pyper, Lucy Baddeley and Ollie Richards

47ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

The official opening of the playground in Masu, Malawi, built by pupils and staff during their trip in July – read a full report by Sixth Former Octavia Hamilton on page 30

Tom Pearce, Chef de Partie, Germano Telo, Sous Chef, Carl Parsons, Pastry Chef and Ralph Wiskin, Head Chef at the Guild of Chefs Annual Dinner in AprilKendall Matron Amy Millin and her husband Rob at their wedding in April


Documents

ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE 1 SUMMER 2019 | VOLUME XXXIX