the
Culfordian PREP & PRE-PREP SCHOOL | 2016 – 2017
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Contents Welcome Academic Focus Prep School Prize Giving Prep School Celebration Day Visual and Performing Arts Sporting Achievements Trips and Activities Pastoral Care Salvete and Valete Upper Third Valete PP2 Valete News from the Foundation
Editors: Tessa Black and Anna Paterson Editorial Team: Michelle Davey Tom Huggins and Paul Wellstead Design: Newman Design Print: Fuller Davies Edited by Graham Hayday With grateful thanks to all who contributed articles and photographs. Photo Credits: Wendy Turner/Red Shed Photography, Simon Jones/Bonjour Photography, Warren Page/Page Pix Sports, Honest Ideas, Tom Soper, Richard Bailey Photography and all pupil/parent contributors. Culford School makes reasonable effort to include accurate information in The Culfordian but makes no warranties or representations as to the accuracy of the published content. Registered Charity No. 1142794
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Pupil Editorial Team – Back row (left to right): Calla Richeda, Cameron Magee and Aaron Goodman. Front row (left to right): Yazmin Celik, Tallulah Ironmonger, Lucy Allum, Josie Gooderham, Adam Sussex and Daniel Kemiki.
WEL C OM E
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
WE L C OME
Welcome from Prep and Pre-Prep School W
elcome to the latest edition of the Prep and Pre-Prep Culfordian. As usual it has been an incredibly busy year. You will no doubt see from the pictures and articles that follow just how much fun and enjoyment the children and staff have had at the Pre-Prep and Nursery. We said a fond au revoir to Madame Mackenzie who retired after teaching French at the Pre-Prep for over 12 years. Our PP2s had another successful residential trip to Whitwell Hall in Norfolk and we had a variety of visitors and outings across the year. Enjoy your read and treasure the memories! Sarah Preston
I am again delighted to present to you our Prep and Pre-Prep Culfordian. It features a huge variety of school-based events, showcases, concerts and developments from the last year. It is amazing how much we manage to fit into the year and it is nice to be able to look back and have the memories captured in this way. Our new Prep boarding facilities in Cadogan have been superbly received by all concerned. The benefits will stretch well into the future as we continue to modernise the building on all floors.
The same is true of our newly refurbished classrooms which are all now taking on their own unique themes. As the Prep School grows we are delighted that our provision for music, drama and art continues to encourage even more participation. This was demonstrated by the number of concerts offered last year, as well as the fantastic nativity and school production of Lost in Time. We have also this past year planned for the launch of our enhanced curriculum, with the needs of current and future pupils at the heart of our thinking. Given the incredible rate of technological change that is happening around us, it is clear that we need Prep School children to be comfortable acquiring knowledge in a variety of ways, and then having the confidence to question how to use it effectively. We are convinced our pupils will not only embrace their experiences of learning in a very different manner, but that they will also be able listen, adapt and share ideas in the worlds of education and work without fear of failure. I hope you enjoy your read and the images published in the magazine, and will join me in celebrating the wonderful successes of our very talented pupils and staff. Mike Schofield
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It has been a busy, vibrant and exciting year at Nursery, writes Nursery Manager Kirsty Trow.
Focus on Nursery I
t has been another exciting and busy year in Nursery. The children have participated in many school events including Harvest Festival, the dance show, the nativity, sports day, music workshops and Peppa Pig Muddy Puddle Walk. The year finished on a high with a truly outstanding Nursery show, Helping Humpty Dumpty. The children practised hard to learn their lines and enjoyed making their own t-shirts to depict their character in the play. We were so proud of all our children getting up on stage and confidently performing to the audience. Highlights of the Nursery week include our Forest School sessions, in which the children are encouraged to explore and enjoy the natural environment surrounding them. Activities have included natural art, den building, minibeast hunting and of course lots of wonderful mud play! There are also
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
our Hartbeeps sessions, when the children’s imaginations come alive as they explore different topics through singing, dancing and dressing up.
we followed their interests and explored patterns. The children became detectives and spotted many different patterns in the indoor and outdoor environments, and on their own clothes. They were eager to discuss their findings with others.
We have linked our learning to lots of different topics including under the sea, toys, bears, colours and patterns. The children enjoyed going on a bear hunt, talking about their favourite toys and turning the role-play area into a toy workshop. As part of our transition, the older Nursery children were thrilled to go on their first school trip with the PPR classes, visiting Baylham Rare Breeds Farm in the Spring term. The children were so excited to be going on a bus and taking a packed lunch! They had a wonderful time feeding and stroking all the different animals on the farm.
We would like to thank all of our parents for their continued partnerships and support in Nursery.
In the Summer term the children enjoyed listening to the Elmer stories; from here
Kirsty Trow
These are just a few of the highlights from this year. The Nursery children never cease to amaze us with their wonderful unique characters. No two days are ever the same; our children are all happy, caring individuals who share many wonderful experiences together.
FOCUS ON NURSERY
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FOCUS ON P RE -PR E P
Headmistress Sarah Preston reflects on another extraordinary year at Pre-Prep.
Focus on Pre-Prep I
t has been another successful year in the Nursery and Pre-Prep. It is amazing how much has been achieved by the children, staff and parents in one year, from the academic to the sporting and the creative arts. We have also benefitted from the fundraising exploits of the PTA. We achieve so much because we work together as a team. This is one of the greatest strengths of the Pre-Prep. Our year began with the new PPR children and their parents planting a tree to celebrate the beginning of their journey at Culford. PP2 started their topic on the local area by visiting Lackford Lakes and learning how to track, read maps and pond dip. Mrs Combes organised a superb whole school Gamelan workshop, which inspired the children and teachers to learn more about the music of Indonesia. PP1 went on an adventure into the past when they visited Moyse’s Hall. We also received a very important letter from Buckingham Palace! The children had sent a personalised birthday card with beautiful drawings of the Queen when she was younger and now. The creativity and dramatic flair in the Pre-Prep is astounding. The dance show organised by Ms Mandie demonstrated this by showcasing the range of skills the children
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acquire in ballet, modern and tap. Our annual nativity highlighted how talented our youngest members of the Pre-Prep are as they performed Shine Star, Shine to their families and friends. Spring brought with it the wonderful PP2 residential trip to Whitwell Hall. The children came back with exciting tales and fond memories of den building, riverboat racing and orienteering. Easter in the forest gave the children the opportunity to use the beautiful grounds to hunt for clues and create natural crafts. PP1 and PP2 joined forces to recreate a medieval castle’s day in the Weston Hall. In the Summer, PP1 concluded their topic about food and hygiene by making their very own pizzas at Pizza Express. PP2 children learnt about animals and their habitats in science and made bug bottle houses to hang up in their gardens – some of their houses had residents before they had finished making them! The PTA held a wonderfully successful summer fete; the children, parents and staff enjoyed delicious food from the BBQ, fairground games and giant inflatables. The year ended on a high with the superb leavers’ play, People Who Help Us.
Sarah Preston
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It was a momentous year for us all with new endeavours coming to the forefront and at the same time bidding farewell to others.
Focus on Prep L
earning is a journey and Culford Prep School is a special place where we encourage the children to explore and find their way. So here is the all-essential A to Z of our academic year. Academics are at the heart of what we do in the Prep School. We are tenacious and resilient learners and we don’t give up. Benefecits. We rise to the challenge of being the best that we can be, and 283 benefecits were awarded for all areas of academic life. Common entrance. This summer saw our last common entrance candidates take their June exams. Upper Third worked extremely hard throughout the year and focused all their efforts into those three days. They produced some superb results of which they can be very proud and showed us quite how far they had come. Saying goodbye to common entrance also allows us to say hello to the enhanced curriculum, designed to provide a smooth and successful foundation for the new GCSEs. Drama. Mr Calvert led us out of this world and into the future with Lost in Time, which was a resounding success.
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Enriching with excitement, energy and enthusiasm. The Prep School is the place to be for an exciting approach to teaching and learning. Whether it’s taking part in workshops or being practical in the laboratory, there is always so much going on.
Jubilee. The Jubilee for us is both our library at the centre of our school and a scholarship that many aspire to. To be awarded a Jubilee Scholarship you have to be an exceptionally strong all-rounder. It is an extraordinary honour and highly fought for.
Fun is one of Culford’s learning aims, along with challenging and enriching. Pupils at Culford love learning not least because their teachers make it fun.
Knowledge. We encourage a hunger for knowledge and this is why we are placing more and more emphasis on guided independent study. Pupils inspire each other with what they have discovered and learned and take delight in sharing it.
Growing. The eco-garden designed and beautifully tended by First Form under the direction of Mrs Guntrip and Mrs Dearman is a triumph. The RHS awards they have received are a worthy recognition of their hard work. History comes alive for pupils throughout the year. Whether it is Lower Second dressed up and learning ‘on the job’ at Kentwell Hall, or Lower Third meeting and chatting to a Kindertransport survivor, the children learn and reflect on our rich history. Interesting. In Mr Schofield’s words, “Culford pupils are interesting and interested.” Our presentation assemblies recognise and celebrate the many achievements of pupils of all ages.
Languages day is now a cornerstone in our calendar. We celebrate the language and the culture of France and Spain. Costumes are de rigueur and it is a day filled with joie de vivre with a soupçon of “Ooh la la!” Motivation. We know that children work hard when motivated so we work hard to provide encouragement and appropriate reward. We focus on strengths and encourage developing talents. Nurture. We nurture a desire to learn and a determination to do well. Culford pupils make the most of every situation.
FOCU S ON PREP
Opportunities abound at Culford through the curriculum and whether it is representing the school in the Salters’ Chemistry Festival or bringing creative writing to the forefront with a visiting author or illustrator, pupils work hard to succeed. Praise. We focus our praise on the effort as well as the strategies, focus and perseverance, with particular emphasis on learning and progress. We want Culford pupils to find their work meaningful and to take pride in their growing skills and understanding. Questions. We ask and encourage openended questions to build critical thinking skills. Asking questions that don't have one right answer encourages our pupils to respond creatively without being afraid of giving the wrong answer. Resilience. We talk about resilience and emotional wellbeing throughout the year and help the children understand how resilience will help them adapt to adversity and will enable them to manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. These skills are essential to academic success.
Skills. Our programme of Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) helps our pupils make the most of their teaching and learning. Whether they are being effective participators or creative thinkers, our PLTS focus provides a framework for the qualities and skills needed for success in learning and life.* Teachers at Culford Prep are specialists in their subject areas. Pupils see them as experts in their field and they provide the best possible learning opportunities for their classes. Understanding their place in this world and their role in society is something that the children are becoming increasingly aware of. Through RS in particular, pupils are encouraged to think about the big questions. Visitors. We have been blessed with a variety of visitors this year, from Vikings to French theatre. Each and every one brings another learning opportunity. Workout. We encourage each child to see that their brain will get stronger and will work better the more they use and challenge it. A workout is for the classroom as well as the sports field.
X-factor. No, not the television programme but that special something that Culford pupils have. They are happy and confident children who are engaged in their learning. Yet. As in ‘not yet’. Some academic challenges can seem insurmountable but we encourage the children to see them as ‘not yet’ rather than ‘never’. Persistence and tenacity are key. Zzzz. We worked hard and played hard this year and by the end of the year, we were all ready for our well-deserved break!
Claire Bentley Prep School Deputy Head
* Culford School PLTS • • • • • • •
Effective participator Creative thinker Team player Self manager Reflective learner Independent enquirer Tenacious learner
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ANNUAL PR IZE G IVING
Left to right: Outgoing Head Boy, Dean Hafermann with guest of honour Rod Taylor, Prep School Headmaster, Mike Schofield and outgoing Head Girl, Holly Reynolds.
Culford Prep School celebrated their annual Prize Giving on the last day of Summer term. The guest of honour was Mr Rod Taylor, Director of Savills Global Residential division.
Read extracts from the Headmaster’s speech below.
Headmaster’s Prize Giving Speech T
his year’s Upper Third sat 16 papers over the course of three and a half days taking the opportunity to show their skills and knowledge on everything from railways in the early 1800s to coastal erosion in North Norfolk, from unseen 20th century poetry to French translations of European theme parks. The list could go on… Our pupils undoubtedly continue to benefit from the library we opened in September 2015. We placed a £2.3m building at the heart of the campus as a fitting symbol of what we are; a school dedicated to the pursuit of academic learning. But we are also a community dedicated to the growth of the individual in other forms and so September 2016 saw our new artificial hockey pitch and set of new indoor tennis courts opened by Olympic hockey gold medallist Laura Unsworth and GB tennis star Tim Henman, respectively. Both represent fabulous additions to our facilities and were achieved through close and supportive partnerships with Bury Hockey Club and the Lawn Tennis Association.
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We also opened our indoor golf teaching facility; you will also be aware that phase two of the Campaign for Culford is well underway as we look to modernise our arts, design technology and digital IT provision. Centenary Hall and theatre space is undergoing wholesale modernisation to do justice to the growth in drama and theatre that so many children, teachers and parents hold dear. More than facilities, however, it is people that really matter and there are, of course many whom we need to thank for their contributions to our success over the past year. The state of our grounds and gardens, Houses and classrooms; the care taken over our food, our health and our wellbeing; and all of the organisation behind the scenes that ensures that we have the support we need whether as pupils, staff or parents – all depends upon the effort of many unsung individuals who take great pride in making Culford what it is.
This has been another vibrant and successful year for the Parents Association under the leadership of Mrs Taylor and a highly dedicated committee and increasingly broad group of helpers. The association continues with modernisation and new ideas are in abundance. Purchased this year: • New school playground equipment • Upper Third hoodies • End of term raffle prizes among many supported events such as languages and celebration days Monies raised for charity 2016-2017 • • • • • • •
St Nicholas Hospice – £230 Save the Children – £365 Children with Cancer – £500 Cerebral Palsy (Scope) – £366 Save the Snow Leopard – £ 332.50 Save the Elephants – £1,000 George Pantziarka TPS3 Charitable Trust – £623.20 • GeeWizz Bonfire, Christmas Fayre, Sports Day Bucket Collection – £1,900
ANNUA L PRIZE GIVING
I am delighted to report that total donations for this school year are £5,316.70. This means that since 2009, the Prep PA has raised more than £35,000. Please join me in thanking them for their hard work and fundraising efforts. This brings me on to music. Whether it’s First Formers just beginning to play an instrument via the starter scheme, or more advanced musicians such as Monica, Alice, Melisse, Molly-Anne and Florence whose excellent performances we heard on the day, it's very clear that music has continued to go from strength to strength through the year. This is good news because music and theatre plays a central and delightful part in our life at the Prep School and beyond. There have been over 200 performances in concerts across the year. We also have the choir singing every week in Collective Worship and at events such as Remembrance, the Cathedral Service and end-of-term concerts. I’m delighted that we also take music out into the community.
Just under 100 of our Second and Third Form pupils entertained audiences with our production of Lost in Time, in which we were taken on an imaginative journey to key historical dates and saw the villainous Pheonix try to change the past and bring about a new future under her control. Another incredibly busy year for sports comes to an end and it was fantastic to see so many of our Third Form pupils receive awards during the end of term Sports Presentation Evening. Culford has maintained its position as one of the leading tennis academies in the country and is now recognised as the No 1 co-educational tennis school in Great Britain. The programme continues to flourish with over 40 Prep School pupils playing regularly throughout the year. Our swimming programme continues to move forward with our swimmers taking part in a full timetable of squad training sessions as well as individual technical sessions which include underwater videoing and analysis with feedback.
We currently have 30 swim scholars or performance swimmers across Prep and Senior School, with 18 swimmers taking part in an IAPS swimming regional round. Three participants reached the national finals. George King finished in 12th position in the U12 50m backstroke. Imogen Gotch finished in 11th position in the U11 25m butterfly and Grace Baxter finished in Sixth in the 50m freestyle final. In golf, 18 pupils enjoyed the beginner’s activity this term. Particular highlights include Henry Meadows finishing Third in the U11 IAPS championship and Josh Izod winning the U12 IAPS Championship. Luke Green finished 21st in the U13 category of the US Kids European Championships in Scotland, which sees him enter the international scene. This year in cross country, a number of pupils were selected to represent Suffolk at regional level including Imogen Gotch, Georgia Ironmonger, Lily Ironmonger, Harry Wakefield and James Smith.
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ANNUAL PR IZE G IVING
In athletics the Bedford Eastern Prep Schools Competition was the main focus. Guy Salisbury excelled in both the high jump and 200m events, to qualify for the National Prep School Athletics Finals in Birmingham. Emma Stow (triple jump), Madeleine LorrimanHughes (javelin) and the Upper Second boys relay team (James Smith, Robbie Stow, Guy Salisbury and Adam Waterman) were other standout performers.
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parents. County caps have been awarded to William and James Bettley who play for Essex. In netball, the U13 A girls had a successful season and exceeded expectations at the IAPS tournament by winning five out of their seven group stage matches. Holly Reynolds has been selected in the Satellite Academy. Alicia Hassan, Isobel Melville-Ross, Emma Stow and Madeleine Lorriman-Hughes have been selected in the Development Academy.
Not to be outdone, the U12 athletics teams performed exceptionally well against 16 other schools from West Suffolk to both finish second in their competitions and so qualify for the County Athletics Finals. Outstanding performances in the U12s came from Lucy Sansom-Jamil, Harry Wakefield and Guy Salisbury, who were all among the top five scoring athletes in the initial competition out of more than 130 competitors.
Prep School rugby continues to develop, with evidence of this coming from the consistent appearance of our players in the Northampton Saints elite squads – Arthur Wildish and Paul Ekpe were selected this year. At U13 level, sevens rugby has continued to grow with the most recent success seen in the Northampton Saints Cambridge series sevens, where we narrowly lost in the semi-final.
Cricket in the Prep School has continued to focus on developing skills, with the most able playing county level. The introduction of six girls cricket teams has been most rewarding to watch for both pupils and
In the U13’s boys hockey the highlight of the season was beating RGS High Wycombe to go through to the second round of the national cup followed by wins against Moreton Hall and Barnardiston.
PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
The girls U13A hockey team also had a very good season, which saw them beat the IAPS champions Orwell Park 4-1 in their last match. The highlight of the season was the plate win at IAPS and a third place at county finals, along with Louisa Gooderham, Alicia Hassan, Holly Reynolds, Evie Hall and Emma Stow all being selected for their county. Developments in Cadogan House continue to build upon the success of ‘New Dorm’. New furniture is en route and, on the girls’ floor, our plan is to free up more communal space in the middle of the dormitories. A further five dormitories will be refurbished. We also plan to modernise the Common Room and further improve our IT provision in the House for pupils. As pupils move to Senior School or onward in their educational journey the close boarding community inevitably share mixed feelings. Education is about progression and a learning journey, but we all feel a mixture of pride and joy tinged with sadness at this time of year.
ANNUA L PRIZE GIVING
Left to right: Incoming Head Boy Harry Wakefield with guest of honour Rod Taylor, Prep School Headmaster Mike Schofield, and incoming Head Girl Edlyn Rai.
Madeleine Lorriman-Hughes and Aaron Goodman are our newly appointed Head Pupils of Cadogan and they are looking forward to leading their team of Prefects. Thanks must also go to the outgoing team of House Prefects and Heads of House, Evie Hall and Matthew Beardmore, for their support and help with boarding routines. Our highly effective charity committee raised a considerable amount for numerous charities including Suffolk Community Foundation, St Nicholas Hospice, Save the Snow Leopards and the cancer charity the George Pantziarka TP53 Trust. Of particular note was the highly successful Save the Elephants charity day, led by Mme Mackenzie, Josie Gooderham and Lucy Allum, which raised £1,000. This year our School Council has continued to highlight the needs and wishes of the pupils in their aspirations to improve aspects of school life and facilities. In particular, suggestions for new play equipment have been followed through, again generously funded by the PA.
This is also an appropriate moment to congratulate all those Lower Third girls and boys who have been appointed to positions of responsibility for the next academic year. Thanks must also go to our outgoing team of School and Cadogan Prefects, Chairs of Charity and School Council committees, Librarians and Activity House Captains and Activity House Sports Captains.
This academic year has certainly been ‘challenging, enriching and fun’ for both pupils and members of the Common Room, and at times for parents too. On behalf of our staff I would like to thank you as parents for all the support you offer throughout the year – be that on sports fields, at concerts, plays, parents’ meetings or Celebration Day workshops.
Also many thanks must go to our outgoing Head Girl and Head Boy, Holly Reynolds and Dean Hafermann, who have been very committed in their roles. It has been a delight to watch them grow and to stand beside them as they present to parents and guests at Open Mornings and the like. Despite the inevitable nerves which exist for us all under such pressure, they are truly a credit to themselves and a delight to us.
On a final note, I would like to extend my thanks to a great team of dedicated and talented teachers who work tirelessly for the school.
I wish to congratulate all those Lower Third girls and boys who have been appointed Prefects and to positions of responsibility for the next academic year, and especially to Edlyn Rai and Harry Wakefield, our new Head Girl and Head Boy respectively.
At Culford Prep School one significant focus we wish your children to have is that of developing and nurturing a passion in life – I really like this quotation…
“If you can’t figure out your purpose yet, don’t worry, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose and you will become a success in any community.”
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AC ADE MIC AN D CR EATI VE ART S C EL EB R ATI ON DAY
Prep School Celebration Day
Culford Prep School parents and pupils enjoyed an exciting day at the annual Academic and Creative Arts Celebration Day in May.
P
arents and guardians were invited to join their children for the day, participating in ‘have a go lessons’ in art, science and religious studies. They were also able to see first-hand what their children have been learning in a range of subjects by visiting their classrooms and viewing their work, and also by taking part in lots of activities, including a look at the new garden. The pupils demonstrated their creative abilities and entertained the audience throughout the afternoon. All year groups performed five-minute musical sets, which included everything from singing to playing glockenspiels and the recorder. The celebratory day finished with everyone enjoying afternoon tea in the sunshine.
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AC ADEMIC AN D CRE ATIVE ART S CELE BR ATION DAY
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Visual and Performing Arts The arts have been celebrated across Pre-Prep and Prep School, with performances that spanned time travel and star gazing and inspired by cultures from across the globe.
VISUAL A ND P ERFO RMING A RT S
Lost in Time The Prep School delivered a fabulous performance of Lost in Time, writes Alice Wilson (Upper Third).
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
L OS T IN TIME
Act 2 was very thrilling! Di is close to solving history. However the Phoenix is very close to destroying history, and making it her own.
I
n March, Culford Prep School put on a spectacular performance of Lost in Time in Centenary Hall. The performance was bursting with acting, singing and dancing from Lower Second to Upper Third pupils, from opening scene to final curtain! At the beginning of Act 1 we were whisked away into a classroom where we first saw the hero and heroine of the story, Arthur and Di Star, together with their bored classmates. The play develops when we find out that Di Star (played by Holly Reynolds) is different from the other students – she has no background, family or memories. She starts to realise that history has changed, but she is the only one who knows this. Her trusty friend Arthur (played by Aaron Goodman) later learns that Di needs his help to find out what is going on, and why history is changing. But this is only the start. On a school trip to an old museum, Di and Arthur are taken on a journey through time, from the great gunpowder plot of 1605 with Guy Fawkes (played by Freddie Preston) to peasants accusing a villager (played by Lyla Endean) of witchcraft at the edge of Eyam Woods. Then it was on to 1666 and the Great Fire of London, where the audience could almost feel the heat from the fire. We certainly smelt the smoke! Next we were whisked to the D-day beaches of 1944, where we joined the soldiers as robot armies came ever closer to them on stage. It is in these places that we encounter the baddies of the story: the Phoenix (played by Emma Stow) and her evil sidekick Cyber (played by Harry Wakefield). They want to conquer the world by meddling with time. ‰
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Act 2 was very thrilling! Di is close to solving history. However the Phoenix is very close to destroying history, and making it her own. When the Phoenix catches a glimpse of the key to time threaded around Di’s neck, she makes several attempts to grab it. Unfortunately she succeeds, but when we think all is lost Di manages to get it back. Distraught that Di snatched the key, the Phoenix orders her robot army (played by the chorus) to take over. The pupils in the chorus linked the show together with their singing and dancing. The Phoenix infects Arthur with a disease, hoping to blackmail Di. Di and Arthur set out on a further adventure, to save time once more. All the fabulous actors were assisted by superb scenery and special effects, which were expertly handled by a team of backstage pupils. Through numerous scene changes we were effortlessly transported to each era in time and back again. Special mention must be given to the robot army which sang, danced and terrified us through history with fantastic songs and choreography. A wonderful evening was had watching a superb production from the pen of Jason Calvert and Tina Stagg. Thanks were given to them and all the teachers who gave up so much of their time to create such a memorable evening. Alice Wilson
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PRE- PR EP P ROD UCTIONS
Pre-Prep Productions Nativity – Shine Star Shine All the children shone like stars on the stage this year in our nativity. Theo Tattersall, the biggest star in the sky, was struggling to shine on that very important night. The smaller stars – Emily Dodd, Luka Zukaite, Bronwyn Fairley and Louisa-Bella Foster – tried their hardest to help him shine by telling him jokes and singing loudly to him, but nothing worked. The angels – Calista Truman, Kitty Abrey, Harriet Clarke, Sienna Cozens, Rose Ellis, Tansy Goodall, Willow Ryder and Ava-Lilly Spittle – sent word that Jesus had been born and requested that the shepherds and kings find him. However, Bethlehem was clouded in darkness; the shepherds (Aurelia Truman, William Hicks and David Markesteijn) stumbled and tripped along with their sheep (Noah Barker, Maxwell Etue, Austin Speed, Joseph Holiday-Scott, Laszio Nand-Chercoles and Benjamin Zagni) in search of the newborn king. The three kings – Frederick Louis, Scott Jones and Hayden Garnett – made their way through the desert on their trusty camels Alfred Euston, Jacob Ford and Mason Phelps. Once the big star had found the stable and seen Jesus he began to shine brighter and brighter. Mary (Iris Woolley) and Joseph (Benedict Smith) welcomed their guests along with their stable companions Jonah Elia, Rafa Richardson, Mason Tarrant, Emerson Wadsworth, Callum Nichols, Henry Young and Hugo Plumridge. PP1 and PP2 sang beautifully and helped to create a real Christmassy atmosphere in the Pre-Prep.
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PR E-PRE P PRODUCTIONS
Dance Show The children took part in another spectacular dance show led by Ms Mandie. We watched as Nursery confidently performed routines about being under the sea. The PPRH children were toys that magically came to life in a shop and PPRS were guests at the wedding of the painted doll. They have made super progress and are now performing without any help. The charismatic PP1 had been studying modern dance, learning how to leap and wiggle. Some of the children were the Pirates of the Caribbean, while others took us on a journey to the Hundred Acre Wood where they became the characters from Winnie the Pooh. PP2 showcased their tap skills with the girls dancing to Give a Little Whistle from Pinocchio, and the boys dancing to Walking in a Winter Wonderland. All the children worked extremely hard, especially learning their dance routines in less than 10 weeks.
People Who Help Us End of Year Production PP2 closed the year with an outstanding performance based around the many people and professions who help us on a daily basis. Harriet Smith and Max Cattliff were the inspiring script writers who encountered a thief at school who stole
their prized play. The police officers Jasmine Steady and George Hansgate tried to establish a motive for the theft and set off to find the culprit.
in the ambulance to the hospital. All of a sudden the sirens were blaring and they noticed a fire engine driven by Nicholas Cameron.
On their journey home with their mother (played by Charlotte Anderson) they learnt how to cross the road safely with the expert help of the lollipop man, Benji Jacobs-Robinson. While at the play park, one of the children fell and hurt their arm; the first acting paramedic, Thomas Cameron, bandaged him up and took him
Back at school the thief was apprehended and unveiled to the children. They were surprised to see a familiar face underneath the mask – it was none other than their very own teacher (Charlotte Anderson). She promised then that she would try to perform their play. However she was quite reluctant to play the role of the teacher!
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Highlights from Pre-Prep and Prep School Productions
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HIGH LIGHT S FROM PRE -PREP AN D PRE P SC H OO L PRODUCTIONS
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Music Pre-Prep Music Music plays a very important part in Pre-Prep and Nursery life. Music is fun, lively, varied and interesting. Everyone can take part.
I
n the Autumn term, the children were introduced to the traditional ensemble music of Java and Bali in Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussive instruments. Gamelan is a set of instruments consisting mainly of gongs, metallophones (instruments with rows of tuned metal bars that are struck with mallets) and drums. Parents and guardians were invited into school in the afternoon to hear the children play their pieces. Our annual concert took place in the Spring term and included singing, ocarina and recorder playing. The event was a musical extravaganza and began with PP2 playing two pieces on their recorders. The children had practised listening carefully to each other, placing their fingers over the holes and blowing gently in order to perform. The Nursery then sang When Goldilocks Went to the House of the Bears with actions; they particularly enjoyed growling at the end. Both PPR classes sang a song called My Dog with actions, and held up pictures of their own dog or imaginary dog to illustrate the performance. PP2 enjoyed their rendition of What Can Make a Hippopotamus Smile? as they mimed the hippo riding a bicycle or oozing through the mud; this certainly made them smile as well as the audience.
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
To conclude the first part of the concert, PP1 performed. First, they played Old MacDonald and Little Bird on their ocarinas; it was particularly good to hear how the children had developed their listening and reading skills since September, as they played these pieces so carefully in time and in tune with each other. Finally, they sang heartily about a penguin that enjoys dipping and diving with its scaly flippers. The second part of the concert was a performance of The Musicians of Bremen. A new enrichment group has been running this year in Pre-Prep for children to develop their musical skills by providing opportunities other than class music and instrumental lessons. This group has enabled children to work on rhythm, accompaniment, singing in parts, reading, miming, acting and narrating. The whole school had worked on The Musicians of Bremen through class activities. The story is about four animals abandoned by their owners. The donkey decides to go to Bremen to be a musician but along the way he meets other animals and they become friends. They never do go to Bremen as they decide to stay in a house and sing all day. This is probably just as well, as the noise made by a dog, cat, donkey and cockerel can be rather terrifying, as our children ably demonstrated!
Olesya Pisareva introduced the performance and accompanied the actions with some incredible sound effects. The donkey, dog, cat and cockerel outwitted the frightened robbers in the story. The donkey was played by Benji Jacobs-Robinson, who sang a delightful solo as he described being thrown out by his farmer. The children thoroughly enjoyed working together and took this new challenge completely in their stride. They demonstrated some excellent dynamics, special effects, rhythmic and melodic patterns, and new styles of singing, and maintained their own parts when accompanying all the songs. A big ‘congratulations’ from Mrs Combes to all the children and a huge ‘thank you’ to the Pre-Prep team for their support and encouragement. The children in PP2 also entertained the residents at Risby Care Home throughout the year by singing the much-loved songs from the leavers’ play, People Who Help Us. The residents and staff thoroughly enjoyed the musical journey and we will continue our partnership with the care home next year.
Suzanne Coombes Head of Pre-Prep Music
M USIC
Prep School Music Music plays a central and delightful part in the life of the school and has continued to go from strength to strength over the past year.
A
s well as the regular contribution of music to our weekly Collective Worship and the various special occasions that mark the passing of the school year, there were over 220 individual performances at concerts. On top of these, there were many group performances, such as the choir's wonderful singing at the Winter Wonderland event at Risby Care Home, and before Opera in the Park. The choir has blossomed this year and our musical ensembles have been developing strongly and tackling more challenging repertoire. All the groups and ensembles have produced excellent performances and it is clear from the enthusiasm and evident enjoyment of audiences that all the hard work is paying off. Our team of instrumental teachers continues to play a vital role in the success of music in the Prep School and their hard work and commitment is greatly valued by everyone. Results in Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exams have also been very good, with more than half of the passes achieved this year being at merit or distinction level. We were also delighted that Melisse Markesteijn achieved a place at the Dutch Royal Conservatoire. During the year Molly-Anne Gimson gave excellent service as Performing Arts Captain, which is an important role in promoting music and the arts in school. Lyla Endean has already made a good start as the incoming Captain. A key factor behind the growing success of music in the school is our investment in the starter scheme, in which there has been strong uptake since its inception four years ago. Signs of the musicianship that the scheme fosters in some of our youngest pupils can be seen feeding through to the quality of music-making across the school. This can only continue in the coming year. Stephen Clay Director of Prep Music
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Art Pre-Prep Art It has been another busy and productive year at the Pre-Prep for art and drama. We were visited by a group of students from West Suffolk College who were performing their own educational plays, incorporating audience participation, art and dance.
P
PR and PP1 became detectives when the evil shape genius stole 2D shapes from the families of Shape Land to build his very own 3D statue. The children helped Isabelle and her dog, the brave Sherlock Bones, find the missing shapes. They had to identify the shapes, talking about how many faces, corners and sides they had. The student theatre group captivated their audience and taught them about shapes while having lots of fun. The students used a mixture of dance and drama to teach the PP2 pupils about the ever-changing seasons. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part and being able to learn through dance. For European languages day the children in Pre-Prep travelled around Europe (figuratively speaking), learning about new cultures and traditions. They enjoyed some Irish dancing, listened to Let It Go in Welsh, steered their gondolas through Venice, and made some
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
pasta and the Leaning Tower of Pisa! In Switzerland they learnt how Toblerone is made and sampled some traditional delights including chocolate and cheese. In Russia they talked about Russian dolls and in Germany they were lucky enough to have a guest speaker, Mrs Chapman (the mother of Max in PP1).
Centre. The Nursery and PPR pupils personalised their canvas with handprint fish, chickens and insects. PP1 and PP2 were introduced to press printing by Mrs Whiter, Head of Art at Prep School and some of the Prep art students. It was a good opportunity for the parents and children to come together and explore other parts of the school.
The children had lots of fun getting ready for Easter. Nursery and PPR made Easter bunnies, cracked eggs and worked as a team when hunting for puzzle pieces to complete their rabbits. They particularly enjoyed finding the eggs left by the Easter bunny. PP1 and PP2 used their tracking skills to hunt for clues in the woods. The children also decorated their own polystyrene eggs in class which were judged by Mrs Preston, who was looking for the most creative and individual designs.
The children’s art exhibition was set up in the new library, which covered Nursery to PP2, showing progression and artistic flair. The Nursery created a collaborative piece with an assortment of flowers in a vase. PPR used water colours, collage and print to create work inspired by the theme of ‘under the sea’. PP1 used pastels to draw fruit and vegetables and PP2 displayed mixed media work, demonstrating natural collage and charcoal drawings of Tudor houses.
In the Summer term the children enjoyed an afternoon of creativity at the Pringle
Kelly Harrison Senior Class Teacher
A RT
Prep Art Pupils in the Prep School have completed another vibrant year’s work. From the youngest to the oldest, the children have risen to the challenge of learning new skills and produce outstanding work in every medium.
T
he exhibition on Celebration Day was a showcase for pupils’ work. In the final Prep School exhibition it was possible to take advantage of the superb May weather and the displays extended into the quad. Over the course of the year, pupils in Art Plus have led a series of workshops for parents and children in Pre-Prep. These young people are great ambassadors for the Prep School and their involvement demonstrates all that is best of Culford School. The Prep School art room has served very well for many years but pupils have outgrown it. This, combined with a lack of storage for art materials and no space for the children’s finished work, is going to be rectified. It is a very exciting time and I am looking forward to the challenge of re-establishing Prep School art/DT in the Pringle Centre. The children will have so many more opportunities available to them and they will continue to thrive and have the space to produce bold work on an even larger scale! Pupils will be able to access the first rate facilities the Pringle Centre has to offer. There will be a purpose-designed room suitable for pupils in years three to eight. A bright, spacious and modern environment will be created, a stark contrast to the current Prep School art room. The Pringle Centre will provide a vibrant atmosphere in which to work, surrounded by GCSE and A Level pupils’ inspirational work, and it will provide an opportunity to showcase Prep School pupils’ work in a gallery setting. Helen Whiter Head of Prep Art
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Pre-Prep Sport
Christmas Tennis Tournament
Tennis Match
PP1 and PP2 joined forces to take part in a fun Christmas tennis tournament in December. It was a great opportunity for the children to showcase their skills and techniques, which they have been working really hard on during their tennis sessions. The children were split into two teams (yellow and blue) and looked after by two coaches (Ashton and Anthony). All players showed great energy and understanding, and we were really impressed with their improvement. It was a great morning of tennis with the yellow team/Anthony edging out the blue team/Ashton 40 points to 39.
In November a PP2 tennis team consisting of George Hansgate, Thomas Cameron, Nicholas Cameron and Riley Cozens took part in a Mini Tennis Red event held at Culford Sports and Tennis Centre. There were ten teams from different schools, clubs and counties competing. PP2 finished in a respectable sixth position. It was the first time most of the team had competed and all players really enjoyed the experience.
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SPORTING AC HI EVE MENT S
36
Swimming Gala
Pre-Prep Tennis Tournament
The Pre-Prep pupils participate in weekly swimming lessons throughout the year and the swimming gala is a chance for them to put their skills into practice. The PPR children swam widths with the aid of a float. Each race focused on a different stroke, with pupils doing front crawl, back crawl and breaststroke. They then took part in a relay race, working in two teams using their chosen swimming style. Importance was placed on making sure their technique was correct rather than winning, but the children enjoyed the competition! Pupils of all abilities in PP1 and PP2 also swam to a chorus of cheers. The stronger swimmers, aged six and seven, wowed the audience by swimming lengths using complex strokes without floats.
Pre-Prep and Nursery children took part in our annual tennis tournament at the sports centre. It was wonderful to see the progression through the year groups. The Nursery children used balloons and worked on their spatial awareness, while the PPR children used rackets to stop the ball and pass it back to their partner, demonstrating good hand-eye co-ordination. PP1 and PP2 participated in mini tournaments where we enjoyed some spectacular rallies. Red House were the overall winners of the tennis tournament.
PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
PRE - PRE P SPORT
Sports Day
Haverhill Gym Trip
We were blessed with a beautiful, sunny day for our Pre-Prep and Nursery Sports Day. The Nursery children enjoyed moving around different stations, displaying their excellent travelling, throwing and jumping skills. This was followed by fun races, including the ice cream race in which the children built some very tasty looking ice creams using cones and beanbags! The rest of Pre-Prep then showed off their skills around the various sports stations, including football dribbling, hockey, ball throwing, hurdles and more. This was followed by lots of fun races, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. Well done to everybody for trying their very best! Congratulations to the overall winners, the Yellow House.
The Pre-Prep children enjoyed a fun-filled trip to Haverhill Gymnastics Club. In small groups, they experienced rope climbing, balancing while travelling on beams at different heights, working on the bars, and much more. We also had a lovely picnic in the sunshine at a nearby park. This was a great follow-on from all of the gymnastics lessons we had at school and the children all benefited greatly, spending the morning with huge smiles on their faces.Â
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SPORTING AC HI EVE MENT S
The annual Prep School sports day took place at the beginning of July 2017. Blessed with sunshine after overnight rain, the school field quickly became a colourful canvas of pupils jumping, throwing and supporting their House team as the field events got under way.
Prep School Sports Day
T
he track events started with the hurdle races before the pace slowed a little for the middle distance events. The 800m race involving the Third Form boys was the event of the day, with a battle developing during the first lap between Matthew Beardmore, William Smith and Gene Swain. The second lap saw Matthew and William pull away from Gene, and these two continued to fight for the lead for the remaining 200m, with Matthew managing to hold on to win by less than half a second. Jasmine Westcott set a new record in the Second Form girls 100m, while Polly Cailes equalled the record for the Second Form girls 200m. Leigh set a new record in the Second Form girls relay race. The First Form pupils had completed their field events earlier in the week but excelled with their efforts on the track. All pupils from those year groups took part in sprint and longer distance races. The presentations at the end of the event saw Guy Salisbury awarded a trophy for outstanding achievement, recognition of his qualification for the Prep School National Athletics Finals in Birmingham in both the high jump and the 200m.
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
The Victor and Victrix Ludorums are awarded to the top athletes in Third Form for their performances in a combination of three track and field events. This year’s recipients were Arthur Wildish for the boys and Holly Reynolds for the girls. Newman House were the delighted winners of the House cup for this year – it is some time since that cup has been decked in green ribbons!
PRE P SC HOO L SPORT S DAY
Track Event Winners
Field Event Winners F1 Girls High Jump
L1 – Henrietta Wilson U1 – Charlotte James L1 – Ned Cailes U1 – William Brown L1 – Isobel Dutton U1 – Charlotte James L1 – William Brown U1 – Joel Cutmore L1 – Caitlin Magee U1 – Charlotte James L1 – Rocco Richardson U1 – James Bettley
90cm 1m 95cm 1.03m (NR) 2.61m 2.56m 3.14m 3.18m 17.1m 15.8m 24.3m 32.3m
F2 Girls High jump F2 Boys High jump
Anoushka Fernandes Cardy Guy Salisbury
1.15m 1.20m
F3 Girls High Jump F3 Boys High jump F2 Girls Long Jump
Lucy Sansom-Jamil Finn Keane Jasmine Westcott
1.20m 1.20m 3.77m
F2 Boys Long jump F3 Girls Long jump
Guy Salisbury Lyla Endean
4.22m 3.90m
F3 Boys Long jump F3 Triple Jump
Paul Ekpe Matthew Beardmore
4.38m 8.80m
F3 Girls Triple Jump F2 Girls Javelin
– Alex Edwards
– 15.20m
F2 Boys Javelin F3 Girls Javelin F3 Boys Javelin F3 Girls Discus F3 Boys Discus F3 Girls Shot Putt F3 Boys Shot Putt
Cameron Magee Emily Morton Evan Banks Emily Morton Guy Hall Holly Reynolds Nikita Korobeinikov
14.05m 26.25m 22.21m 16.75m 22.06m 6.96m 9.20m
F1 Boys High Jump F1 Girls Long Jump F1 Boys Long Jump F1 Girls Ball Throw F1 Boys Ball Throw
F2 Girls Hurdles (70m)
Bella Sinclair
13.52m
F2 Boys Hurdles (70m) F3 Girls Hurdles (70m)
Guy Salisbury Florence Wilson
11.83 sec 12.93 sec
F3 Boys Hurdles (70m) F3 Girls 800m
Henry Derbyshire Holly Reynolds
11.69 sec 2.45m
F3 Boys 800m F2 Girls 600m
Matthew Beardmore Imogen Gotch
2.27m 2.02m
F2 Boys 600m F3 Girls 300m
James Smith Georgia Ironmonger
1.57m 53.01 sec
F3 Boys 400m U1 Girls 400m
Arthur Wildish Esther Almond
69.5 sec 1min 26 sec
U1 Boys 400m L1 Girls 300m
Joel Cutmore Henrietta Wilson
1min 27 sec 63 sec
L1 Boys 300m F2 Girls 200m
Rocco Richardson Polly Cailes
59.23 sec 30.96 sec Eq Record
F2 Boys 200m F3 Girls 200m
Guy Salisbury Emma Stow
30.65 sec 29.9 sec
F3 Boys 200m Fm 1 Girls 60m Final Fm 1 Boys 60m Final F2 Girls 100m F2 Boys 100m F3 Girls 100m F3 Boys 100m F2 Girls A Relay F2 Boys A Relay F2 Girls B Relay F2 Boys B Relay F3 Girls A Relay F3 Boys A Relay F3 Girls B Relay F3 Boys B Relay
Luke Green Esther Almond Joel Cutmore Jasmine Westcott Joshua Wharlton Alice Wilson Paul Ekpe Leigh Leigh Newman Newman Floyd Newman Newman Leigh
29.5 sec 9.84 sec 9.63 sec 13.97 sec (NR) 14.66 sec 13.96 sec 12.54 sec 67 sec (NR) 65.89 sec 75 sec 70.56 sec 63.14 sec 58.77 sec 68.62 sec
F1 = First Form, F2 = Second Form, F3 = Third Form, U1 = Upper First, L1 = Lower First T HE CULFORDIAN
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SPORTING AC HI EVE MENT S
Prep Tennis We have had an amazingly successful year in tennis, surpassing the achievements of any previous year in the history of the school.
W
e are the No 1 co-educational school in Great Britain, ranked as one of the top six LTA academies in Great Britain, and reached the national final of the year 8 and under National Schools Championships – a tournament that involves all state and independent schools.
Prep School Team Tennis Tournament, May 2017
Our leading players also continue to perform superbly in both UK and international tournaments. We currently have eight that are Prep School tennis scholars and full programme players, along with eight very promising performance players. The school tennis development programme continues to flourish, with a further 20 players who play regularly throughout the year.
LTA Team Tennis Year 8 and Year 10 National Championships, December 2016
The inaugural Prep School team tennis tournament proved a huge hit with 32 pupils playing. The children from all year groups except Lower First scored points for one of four selected teams and also for their Houses. The event was played across 16 courts with all the children playing six short matches. It was a great spectacle. We were delighted with how it went and were grateful for the support from parents who attended. Congratulations to the winning blue team, comprising the following pupils: Gene Swain, Evan Banks, Max Griffiths, Edlyn Rai, Archie Jones, Harry Wakefield, Toby Williams and Spike Chapman. Congratulations to all the pupils representing Leigh, the winning house.
Tennis Awards Evening, May 2017 Our U13 girls team qualified for the AEGON Team Tennis Schools National Championships at Bolton Arena in December. The year-end competition is the culmination of eight months’ competition. It starts in April with the county qualifying stage, leading to regional qualifying and then finally four teams qualifying for the national championships. Over 1,200 school teams from across the country entered in 2016. Our U13 girls team were No 1 seeds and played Trent College from Nottinghamshire in the first match, winning comfortably 6-0, and then defeated Manchester Grammar School 7-6 in a tight match. This set up a title decider against Talbot Heath School, Bournemouth. Unfortunately we were defeated 5-1 after some close matches but a second place finish is one to be very proud of. Many congratulations to Millie-Mae Matthews, Jana Higazy, Justice Hall and Ella Wood, who were all magnificent.
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
Our third annual tennis awards evening for children aged between five and 18 was held in Centenary Hall, with over 170 guests attending. It is really pleasing to see how the event has grown over the years. The evening recognised the achievements of Culford School and non-Culford School pupils who attend the tennis coaching programme. For the list of Culford School pupils who were either winners or nominated for one of the categories see page 41.
PREP TEN NIS
Category
Player of the Year (Boy)
Mini Tennis Red U8
Player of the Year (Girl)
Most improved (Boy)
Charlotte Anderson (winner)
Mini Tennis Orange U9
Rocco Richardson (winner)
Mini Tennis Green U10
Will Anderson (winner) Max Griffiths (nominated)
U12
Ralph Bartlett (winner) Josh Mumford (nominated)
U14
Gene Swain (nominated)
Justice Hall (winner)
ISTA Independent Schools National Championships, July 2017 Andrea Pineda (Upper Third) and Millie Mae Matthews (Fourth Form) had outstanding results at this year’s National Independent Schools National Championships at Eton, winning the U15 girls doubles, defending the title won by Kira Reuter and Abby Taylor last year.
IAPS National Prep School Championships July 2017
Most improved (Girl) Charlotte Anderson (nominated)
Archie Jones (winner) Alex Skinner (nominated)
Imogen Callaghan (winner)
Josh Mumford (winner) Evan Banks (nominated) Toni Cursach (nominated)
Edlyn Rai (nominated)
Gene Swain (winner)
• Max Griffiths reached the semi-final of the U11 boys singles, losing to the eventual winner, and partnered with Alex Skinner to reach the semi-finals of the U11 doubles. • Evan Banks and Josh Mumford reached the quarter-finals of the U13 singles. • Guy Manley reached the quarter-finals of the U11 singles.
LTA Team Tennis National Under 18 Tennis Championships, July 2017 Andrea Pineda and Justice Hall were part of the U18 girls A team that finished third in the LTA Team Tennis National (U18) Tennis Championships. The event, known as the Aberdare Cup, is the most prestigious competition in the calendar and involves all state and independent schools. Culford was the only school to have two boys teams and two girls teams at the event. The teams deserve a special mention for their outstanding play during the four-day event. The girls performance in the semi-final was superb – they came very close to beating Talbot Heath School, the No 2 seeds, losing the tie-break shoot-out 10-8. On the last day they produced a faultless performance to defeat Cheam High School 4-0 to finish third overall. Head coach Andrew Richardson was delighted with the 19 Culford players who competed. He said: “All the players representing the school performed superbly and should feel very proud of their achievements.”
Culford School continued its amazing run of success at the IAPS National Tennis Championships, with three further national titles. We have now won 12 national titles in the championships in the last ten years. A team of 18 Culford pupils travelled to Millfield School, competing in U11 and U13 age groups. The squad played to a tremendous standard across the three days of the event. It was very rewarding to see all their training pay off. Many thanks to Mr Schofield for his support. The following pupils were successful in later rounds: • Justice Hall won the U13 girls singles and teamed up with Edlyn Rai to reach the U13 doubles final. • Ralph Bartlett won the U13 singles, beating fellow Culford squad player Gene Swain in the final. He then teamed up with Gene to win the U13 doubles title, playing against Dean Hafermann and Antonije Vujadinovic.
Individual player highlights Andrea Pineda Winner U14 Tennis Europe, Nottingham, April 2017 Winner U14 Tennis Europe, Bournemouth, July 2017 (breaking her into Europe’s top 100), and U14 doubles with Millie-Mae Matthews Quarter-final U14 Tennis Europe, Waiblingen, Germany, July 2017 Finalist U14 Tennis Europe, Waiblingen, Germany, July 2017 Winner National Junior Championships of Great Britain Girls U14 Singles and Doubles
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PRE P H OC KE Y
Prep Hockey Boys Hockey
Girls Hockey
U9
U9
All the boys in Lower First and Upper First played hockey for the school. Strong performances came from William Brown (U1), William Brown (L2), William Kelly and Joel Cutmore.
All the girls in Lower First and Upper First played hockey for the school. Strong performances were seen from Millie Hansgate and Olivia Edwards in the narrow loss and draw at Orwell Park School.
U11
U11
The U11 A squad show a lot of promise. The team completed a highly successful season and won all their Wednesday fixtures convincingly during the Spring term. Highlights were victories against Framlingham Prep School and Town Close School. The side just missed out on qualifying for the eastern area IAPS finals by drawing their last game in their pool. The B team also played well, winning three of their five games. In the C and D teams there were strong performances from Cameron Magee and Harry Cattliff, despite mixed results.
The A team won three of their nine fixtures, with Lulu Surti and Josie Gooderham standing out. A particular highlight was the win at Town Close and a well-earned draw at Old Buckenham Hall School. In the B team, Georgie Stammers and Kate Gibbs were strong performers, and they had a great wins at Town Close School and Barnardiston Hall Prep School. In the C and D teams Megan John, Elsa Godfrey, Emily Fothergill and Olivia Dearman all did well, with their draws and a victory at Ipswich Prep School proving particular highlights.
U13 U13 In the U13s boys hockey, the A team had a challenging season this year. They often played well but lacked confidence in front of goal. A good example was the match against King’s College School – performances were outstanding on both sides but King’s were luckier in front of goal and therefore won that match. Highlights of the season were beating The Royal Grammar School High Wycombe on penalty flicks to go through to the second round of the National Cup, and decent wins against Moreton Hall Prep School and Barnardiston Hall Prep School. The Bs won two of their six games, with Alex Hutchison and Nikolaj Winter catching the eye. The Cs and Ds had a challenging season, only winning three games between them. Their best performers were Luke Sussex and Will Fitch.
The U13 A team started this hockey season with two losses against a strong Barnardiston Hall Prep School and Town Close School. Winning the plate at IAPS was the turning point for this team, and with a third place at the county tournament the confidence and belief was there to finish the season strongly. Wins against Gresham’s School, Old Buckenham Hall School and a 4-0 victory against IAPS regional champions Orwell Park School proved how much the team has grown this year, both as individual hockey players and as members of a close-knit team that would do anything for each other to win matches. The Firsts won five and drew one of their 10 games. Holly Reynolds, Emma Stow, Alicia Hassan and Louisa Gooderham put in performances of note. Holly Reynolds, Alicia Hassan, Emma Stow, Louisa Gooderham and Evie Hall were all selected for Suffolk Hockey. The Bs won three of their seven games; Alice Wilson and Georgia Ironmonger performed at a consistently high level. The Cs and Ds only won two games between them, but praise is due to Lily Ironmonger and Lia Cutmore.
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SPORTING AC HIE VEMENT S
U9
Prep Rugby Expansive and dynamic displays across the teams deserve considerable merit, says Director of Prep Sport and Head of Rugby, Mark Bolton.
All the boys in Lower First and Upper First played rugby for the school. Both the U8 and the U9 teams were very successful, with the U8 team unbeaten in the season. Both teams played with courage and creativity. Strong performances came from Illias Zachariou, Joel Cutmore and Teilo Ruffles-Frances. The U8s stars were Rocco Richardson and William Brown.
U10 The U10 team played some excellent rugby, winning five of their seven fixtures. Monte Stamper, Max Watson and Archie Jones all shone. The B team also fared well, winning two of their three games. Their stand-out performer was Josh Wharlton.
U11 The A team were competitive, winning four of their eight games and narrowly losing the other four. This team has great potential; Guy Salisbury and Robbie Stow are certainly ones to watch. The B team applied maximum effort and they too had a good season, winning two of their three games.
PREP RUGBY
U12 The U12 team played with effort and enjoyed their rugby despite only winning three of their eight fixtures. The team were competitive in every match and narrowly lost several fixtures. The skills shown by George Williams, Freddie Preston and Harry Wakefield were of particular note.
Prep 1st XIII The Firsts had a super start to the season, winning four of their five fixtures before half term. After that the team were competitive but lost every game. Everyone performed well and played a fast, expansive and dynamic style of rugby. Captain Arthur Wildish, top try scorer Paul Ekpe, Matthew Beardmore and William Fitch all caught the eye. The school has also continued with a rugby sevens programme. The team narrowly lost in the semi-final of the Northampton Saints (Suffolk series) Sevens. Two of the team were selected in the Northampton Saints developing player pathway.
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SPORTING AC HI EVE MENT S
Prep Cricket Girls and boys cricket at Culford is thriving. A strong coaching team led by Mr Northcote ensures that progress is being made at each stage and that, where appropriate, matches are played to ensure every pupil gets a taste of what it feels like to be a cricketer. Our Culford cricket programme is flourishing and giving all players the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful game for the entire season. The future is bright.
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
U9 Boys and Girls This group is one of our most exciting across both boys and girls. James Bettley remained a strong candidate for county selection, being consistent with bat and ball across the summer. Charlotte James and Caitlin Magee took to cricket with ease and dominated the sole fixture the girls played. Matches generally take place on the Astroturf hockey pitch which creates the perfect target for the boys – who can hit the biggest six, up and over the fence? On reflection, hitting any kind of six is a stiff challenge at this age and only James Bettley managed it, away at Moreton Hall Prep School. Across the group our focus was to improve general understanding of the game, play with freedom and enjoy the time in the sun. Truly, a wonderful year of cricket led by Mr Robins. U9 A Boys Player of the Season Most Important Player
James Bettley Ned Cailes
U9 B Boys Player of the Season Most Important Player
William Brown William Kelly
U9 A Girls Player of the Season Most Important Player
Charlotte James Caitlin Magee
U9 B Girls Player of the Season Most Important Player
Kyla Chapman Connie Fitton
PRE P CRIC KET
U11 Boys
U13 Boys
The group played an impressive 12 fixtures this year, creating a base for further player growth. This is a key year of school cricket as a hard ball, pads and helmets are introduced. Every boy in the Second Form played a fixture, for which credit must go to Mr Anns and his team of coaches. The U11 A team have had an excellent season. After losing their first two games they won four and tied one of the next five matches. Highlights included the exciting tie against the Suffolk U11 county team and the convincing victory over Ipswich School. The U11 B team played in some nail-biting finishes and were led superbly by Finley Baker, who put in consistent performances across the year.
Culford First XI have developed into a side that can beat most schools in the region on their day. William Bettley has performed consistently well throughout whilst batting and has often starred with the ball as well. Max Brais captained the school side amicably and led his team with great maturity all summer. The boys played particularly well in their last game against Town Close School. William and Alex Bettley had a second wicket partnership of 52 runs off 53 balls and together kept us in the game until the very end. A full, well-rounded season of development by the XI. Oliver Marrs and Luke Sussex performed consistently for the B team in a tough year of results. It was pleasing to see so many boys continue to push for selection in the First XI.
U11 A Boys Player of the Season Most Important Player
Alex Bettley Archie Jones
U13 A Boys Player of the Season Most Important Player
William Bettley Max Brais
U11 B Boys Player of the Season Most Important Player
Finley Baker Charlie Webb
U13 B Boys Player of the Season Most Important Player
Oliver Marrs Luke Sussex
U11 C Boys Player of the Season Most Important Player
Cameron Magee Charlie Hollingsworth
U13 C Boys Player of the Season Most Important Player
Tom Lebbon Joel Hope
U11 Girls
U13 Girls
This group made steady progress through the summer, competing in four games. The girls played in the correct spirit and matched the boys’ attacking flare, an approach we encourage across both schools. Focusing on the core principles of the game, we developed their ability to bowl consistently and strike the ball cleanly, allowing games to progress nicely.
The group has made lots of progress since the beginning of the term with their knowledge and understanding of the game. The season has been mixed in terms of results but they have shown themselves to be good all-rounders. They have played mainly soft ball games and I look forward to seeing them progress to hard ball next year.
U11 A Girls Player of the Season Most Important Player U11 B Girls Player of the Season Most Important Player
Polly Cailes Anoushka Fernandes Cardy
Olivia Edwards Kate Gibbs
U13 A Girls Player of the Season Most Important Player
Emma Stow Louisa Gooderham
U13 B Girls Player of the Season Most Important Player
Lyla Endean Lily Ironmonger
Andrew Northcote Head of Senior Sport
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Prep Netball
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PRE P NETB ALL
U9
U12
The U9 girls showed great potential this year, particularly the Lower First girls who demonstrated lots of natural ability. They played High 5 Netball, which gave them the chance to play many different positions as well as keep time and score. There were numerous opportunities for all girls in the First Form to play netball. A highlight was the mini netball festival we held against Brookes Cambridge, which saw a thrilling final between our A team and Brookes Cambridge. While the game eventually ended in a 0-0 draw both teams had plenty of opportunities to score.
The team had an outstanding season, working tirelessly in training and lessons to learn new tactics and skills. They gave up their lunchtimes in the build-up to the IAPS netball tournament and this really paid off. They are now playing a very strong game, regularly incorporating the centre pass and backline pass routines. They won every match this season apart from the contest against Orwell Park School, which could not be completed due to rain. In defence Edlyn Rai was outstanding and gained numerous turnovers. Isobel MelvilleRoss linked the ball from defence into attack and managed to supply Lucy Sansom-Jamil and Madeleine Lorriman-Hughes with the ball to score the goals. This team is definitely one to watch next season. The U12 B team had a very large squad to choose from and this meant that every girl represented the school in a match this season. They improved with each game and played some very pleasing netball.
U11 The U11s had a good season, with all the girls playing in more than one match. The improvement in skills and tactics across the year group is a credit to their dedication and hard work. Joining both the U10 and U11 girls throughout the season allowed combinations and partnerships to grow and develop. The A team began to work well as a unit and had some excellent wins against Barnardiston Hall Prep School, Town Close School and Old Buckenham Hall School. In defence the girls used their height to make valuable interceptions and feed the ball up the court to the shooters, who gained confidence as the term progressed. The B team showed excellent spirit and had lots of success this season. They showed fantastic commitment and determination both at practice and in matches to win the ball and learn from their errors. The Lower Second girls have stepped up in this team and have shown lots of potential for next season.
U13 The U13 girls had a successful season. They exceeded expectations at the IAPS tournament by winning five of their seven group stage matches, missing out narrowly on going through to the playoff rounds by one point. The defensive combinations of Emily Morton, Emma Stow and Evie Hall were influential in denying oppositions the opportunity to score goals and were supportive up the court into attack. Alicia Hassan and Holly Reynolds have developed a strong shooting partnership over the past two seasons. Their good movement off the ball around the circle helped secure victories during the term. The centre court have been versatile and worked tirelessly during matches to drive on to the ball and support both defence and attack. Molly-Anne Gimson performed well at centre and fed the ball nicely into both shooters. Like the U12s, the B team had a large squad to choose from and this meant that every girl in the year played for the school in a match. They improved throughout the season and have learnt from their errors for future games. Charlotte Olley Head of Netball
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PREP SWIM MING
Imogen Gotch, Grace Baxter and Olivia Whyte
George King
Prep Swimming Suffolk County Championships 2017
County Development Meet 2017
The 2017 championships got underway with the long distance events taking place in January at UEA Sportspark in Norwich, and the main block happening at Crown Pools in Ipswich in February.
The month of June saw a team of West Suffolk swimmers head to Ipswich to compete in the 2017 County Development meet at Crown Pools. The Culford swimmers were on fire – and not just because it was one of the hottest weekends of the year! There was no better place to be than on poolside for 16 hours, with the dads particularly happy to spend their Fathers Day cheering on their children!
Olivia Whyte, 11, led the way, competing in nine events over the three weekends. Olivia’s top finish was in the 200m individual medley, where she came in ninth. Imogen Gotch swam a strong 100m butterfly for the U12s and finished seventh in the county. Grace Baxter (11 years 100m backstroke) just missed out on a place in the finals with a top placing of 12th in the 12 year-old girls 200m freestyle event. George King picked up 11th place in the 100m backstroke race. Ruth Almond, competing in her first ever county championships, qualified for one event. She finished 39th in the 12 year-old girls 50m freestyle.
There was some fantastic swimming across the two days from the Culford team, who included Ruth Almond, Grace Baxter and Imogen Gotch. Between them they won one gold medal, three silvers and one bronze. Gold medal winner: Grace Baxter (11 years 100m backstroke) Silver medal winners: Grace Baxter (11 years 200m IM) Imogen Gotch (11 years 50m breaststroke) Imogen Gotch (11 years 100m breaststroke) Bronze medal winner: Grace Baxter (11 years 100m IM) Well done to everyone who competed over the weekend, with West Suffolk winning the Top Club Trophy for the fifth consecutive year. Top three clubs: 1st – West Suffolk SC – 1243.5pts 2nd – Beccles SC – 693pts 3rd – Teamipswich SC – 637pts
Dan Pilbrow Head of Performance Swimming
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P REP CROSS C O UN TRY AN D ATH LETICS
Cross Country and Athletics Prep Cross Country Cross-country running makes full use of the marvellous parkland that we have here at Culford. From the all-inclusive inter-house competitions in the Autumn term through to training for the Suffolk Schools competitions, it is always good to see our pupils making the most of what Culford has to offer.
Inter-house Cross-country Winners: Third Form Girls Third Form Boys Second Form Girls Second Form Boys Upper First Girls Upper First Boys Lower First Girls Lower First Boys
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he inter-house competition this year was blessed with beautiful sunny weather. The Second Form were first to run, with Bella Sinclair the comfortable winner of the girls’ race, ahead of Georgie Stammers and Jasmine Westcott. James Smith stormed to victory in the boys’ race, followed by Guy Salisbury and Guy Manley. By the time the Third Form ran it felt like a summer’s day, and the high temperatures caused some of the runners to find the going even harder than normal. Holly Reynolds was victorious in the girls’ race, followed by Lyla Endean and Georgia Ironmonger, while Matthew Beardmore claimed the winner’s medal in the boys’ race, ahead of Harry Wakefield and Arthur Wildish. The youngest members of the Prep School raced in the afternoon, their course being two laps of the school fields. This was a new experience for some of the Lower Firsts, and it was great to see their effort and commitment. Connie Fitton won the Lower First girls’ race, with Isobel Dutton in second and Henrietta Wilson in third. William Brown won the Lower First boys race, with Rocco Richardson in second and George Frankland in third. For the Upper Firsts, the finishing order for the girls was Esther Almond, Charlotte James and Eliza Westcott, and for the boys was Ross Jones, Illias Zachariou and Teilo Ruffles-Francis.
Holly Reynolds Matthew Beardmore Bella Sinclair James Smith Esther Almond Ross Jones Connie Fitton William Brown
Following on from their performances in the inter-house competitions, a number of pupils were invited to take part in the Suffolk Schools series of cross-country competitions. These races took place at the Royal Hospital School in October, here in Culford Park in December, and at Woodbridge School in January. Pupils who perform well across the three rounds have a chance of representing Suffolk at a regional schools competition, which was held in Northampton. Culford had a number of pupils selected: Imogen Gotch (Upper Second), Georgia Ironmonger (Lower Third), Lily Ironmonger (Lower Third), Harry Wakefield (Lower Third) and James Smith (Upper Second). All are to be congratulated on their achievement. The final event of the cross-country season was the Eastern Prep Schools Competition held at Woodbridge School in March. The weather was not kind – to say it was wet and cold does not truly reflect the harsh conditions, nor the depth of the mud on some of the hillier sections. All the runners coped well and should be proud of their performances on a course which would have been described as testing even in drier conditions. The best run of the day came from James Smith, who finished third in the U11 boys’ race. Cross-country colours for the season were presented to: Holly Reynolds (Full) Matthew Beardmore (Half) Georgia Ironmonger (Half)
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PREP CROSS C OUNTRY AND ATHLET IC S
Prep Athletics The Summer term is a busy one, and it is always great to see so many Prep School pupils participating in athletics.
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he Third Form gave a good account of themselves in the Schools Cup – an event in which individual performances earn points towards a team aggregate. On the track it was good to see William Smith, Matthew Beardmore and Harry Wakefield battling it out for fast times, while for the girls Holly Reynolds, Emma Stow, Lucy Sansom-Jamil and Georgia Ironmonger all scored well. After half term, the Eastern Prep Schools Competition at Bedford was the main focus. Guy Salisbury excelled in both the high jump and 200m events to qualify for the National Prep School Athletics Finals in Birmingham. Emma Stow (triple jump), Madeleine LorrimanHughes (javelin) and the Upper Second boys relay team (James Smith, Robbie Stow, Guy Salisbury and Adam Waterman) were other standout performers. The standard at this competition is always high, and an excellent platform for our pupils to learn how to compete as individuals. A team of Second Form pupils took the opportunity to show their potential in the western area Quadkids competition. This was the first time Culford had entered this competition, which sees every member of the team run in a 75m sprint, a 600m distance race, throw a vortex howler, do a standing long jump and then take part in a relay
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PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
race. This was an exciting competition in which the Culford team excelled, qualifying for the County final in July. In a similar fashion, both U12 athletics teams qualified for the county finals in Ipswich by finishing second in their western area qualifying rounds. Outstanding performances in the county finals came from Lucy Sansom-Jamil, Harry Wakefield and Guy Salisbury, as Culford gave a good account of themselves against some of the larger Suffolk Schools. The athletics season finished with the U11 Quadkids county finals. Competing against 19 other schools from Suffolk, the Culford team repeatedly showed their dominance in the track events. James Smith, Guy Salisbury, Robbie Stow, Cameron Magee, Bruno Endean, Jasmine Westcott, Polly Cailes, Patience Leslie, Anya Lorriman-Hughes and Olivia Edwards should be justifiably proud of their performances as they were announced as the overall winners of the event – a fantastic way to finish the school year.
Liz Long Head of Athletics and Equestrian
PREP GOLF
Prep Golf
Josh Izod and Henry Meadows
The second year of Culford’s golf academy proved to be yet another success with some outstanding individual and team performances as well as the installation of our state of the art indoor swing studio.
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he swing studio is powered by TrackMan, the most respected ball tracking system in golf, gives pupils access to the most accurate swing and putting data available both in lessons and private practice sessions. The addition of this fantastic space shows Culford’s commitment to sporting excellence and allows us to promote an all year round golf programme whatever the weather. Josh Izod showed why he is a golf scholar at Culford when we travelled up to Shropshire for the IAPS Championship. This tournament was held at the awkward Macdonald Hill Valley, a course that requires careful placement of shots throughout. After nine holes Josh had put himself within touching distance of the lead, lying just two shots back. After breaking for lunch Josh put together a back nine that went from good to great and saw him crowned the U12 champion 2017.
The Culford order of merit title, which is competed for by both Senior and Prep School students, came to an exciting climax with two pupils from Prep battling it out over the final round. This handicap event is open to Culford pupils only and is competed for over the entire year. Henry Meadows, who was our youngest competitor at the time, was determined to win. He never missed a single event and when he went into the last round just three points behind Luke Green he knew he had a chance. Having not had the lead throughout the entire year Henry put together the round of his life and, despite having a poor last hole where he thought he had thrown it away, he managed to win by one point. With his name being the first stamped on the new trophy I am sure he will remember this moment for ever. Lawrence Dodd Head of Golf
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SPORTING AC HI EVE MENT S
Pre-Prep Sporting Achievements The children at Culford Pre-Prep shine inside and outside of the classroom, demonstrating an interest in all kinds of areas such as music drama and sport. Below are some sporting highlights from pupils and teachers at Pre-Prep from 2016-17.
Jasmine Steady (PP2) came second in a tumbling competition held at Bury St Edmunds Spectrum. Jasmine had to complete three different tumble runs, which included cartwheels, forward rolls, backward rolls as well as half and full turns. Jasmine also completed her level one in acrobatic dance in October. She had to pass 28 different moves, which she managed to complete in just four classes. Harriet Smith (PP2) joined her local Brownies and began working towards her Brownie badges, as well as achieving her Primary in Dance award from the Royal Academy of Dance. Other achievements included William Hicks (PPR) taking part in several horse riding competitions as well as the best-dressed pony and George Hansgate’s (PP2) tennis team, coming first in an U8 tournament at Euston.
Jasmine Steady
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Harriet Smith
PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
William Hicks
The Teachers at Pre-Prep were also busy as Miss Widger and Mrs Brown completed the Great East Swim at Alton Water. They both swam one mile in the open water event and raised almost £500 each for their chosen charities. Following a summer of training Mrs Hansgate also took on a sporting challenge. She travelled North to Newcastle to take part in the Great North Run, raising money for Cancer Research. Conditions were favourable for the 50,000 runners with sunny skies and warm temperatures, helping to make the 13.1 mile course feel a little less intimidating. Mrs Hansgate was pleased to finish in just over two hours and enjoyed a wonderful experience as part of the world's largest mass participation event.
Mrs Hansgate
Trips and Activities While Prep School pupils explored Tudor times and journeyed across Europe, their Pre-Prep and Nursery counterparts enjoyed a smorgasbord of trips that ranged from owls to orienteering.
Prep Trips Kentwell Hall Visit At the start of the year, Lower Second dressed as Tudor servants and peasant folk on a visit to Kentwell Hall. The 50 pupils arrived and were greeted by a guide who only spoke in ‘Tudor speak’. The tour around ‘Tudor England’ began with a visit to the kitchens. The children saw chefs preparing a calf’s tongue, the seamstress who was sewing maids’ clothes and the wood and clay dens where the maids made instruments and clay pots. They then moved on to the main house where the children met the resident gentry who spent his free time singing, writing and reading. It was a fantastic day and enjoyed by all. The pupils ended their trip by visiting the souvenir tent and having lunch back in the modern world.
Harry Potter Book Night Prep pupils embarked on a magical journey in February 2017. The excited young witches and wizards enjoyed their Hogwarts experience for Harry Potter Book Night; a global celebration of JK Rowling’s bestselling series. Once sorted into their Hogwarts’ Houses, the pupils, led by Hagrid (Mr Calvert), took a lantern-lit walk down to the great hall, more widely known as the school library. The hall was decorated with flying owls, Hogwarts House colours and a ghost. On arrival, they were welcomed by Professor Dumbledore (Prep School Headmaster Mike Schofield, in full beard, wig and robes) before sampling a range of magical classes.
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P RE P TRIPS
Harry Potter book night
French trip
In divination, tea leaves and crystal balls foretold the future, while in potions, magical concoctions bubbled, smoked and changed colour. Pupils created and learned how to care for magical creatures, while history of magic required pupils to devise and act out scenes of magic and adventure. The evening finished with a feast of Butterbeer and cauldron cakes before pupils were returned to the Muggle world.
Upper Second French Trip Prep School pupils enjoyed their school trip to France over the Easter break. They visited historic world war burial grounds and Mont Saint-Michel, and engaged in a variety of fun activities over the week-long trip. “The boat and coach journeys were calm and we had plenty of time to explore the boat. I really enjoyed the day out to the D-day landing beaches and Mont Saint-Michel. One of the scenes in Harry Potter was filmed here, which made the visit even more exciting. We were accompanied by an animateur from the chateau called Guillaume, who was very nice and explained lots of different things to us. He taught us French vocabulary related to the activities we were doing. We had a go at archery, fencing, assault courses, aero-ball, bread making, initiative exercises and French lessons. After dinner each evening we had another activity, which included a French dressing-up night – the teachers dressed up too! On two of the days before the afternoon activities started we had the opportunity to do cider making, which was great fun, and we were also allowed into the chateau’s farm to feed the turkeys, chickens and the two pigs. This was the most amazing trip!” Charlie Hollingsworth
Switzerland trip
this we went to the American cemetery. The atmosphere made us feel sad but proud, and we walked around silently and thoughtfully. In the evening, after our French dinner, we had a treasure hunt around the massive gardens of the chateau. On Thursday we went to the market where we had to shop while speaking in French; we all bought lots of wacky and fun presents. We had a picnic and then drove to the historic Mont St Michel, which was fascinating to learn about. Thursday evening was the best night. We had our talent show, which was rather interesting with a large mix of acts; some amazing, and some rather different. On Friday, our last day, we took part in lots of activities in the lovely sunshine around the grounds of the chateau, and in the evening we had our goodbye campfire. Merci to all the teachers and the chateau staff for making it so special!” Tilly Miller-Comrie
Upper Third Trip to Switzerland In the summer term, the pupils, accompanied by Prep Headmaster Mike Schofield and director of Prep sport Mark Bolton, had an actionpacked week in Switzerland. It included biking 10k through the valley to Villeneuve, followed by a lakeside lunch and an afternoon at the lido. To the pupils’ delight, there was an open-air diving platform and lake pontoon which provided hours of fun. Pupils also had a chance to shop in Montreux after walking along the Lake Geneva Riviera. They were then dropped off in a mountain past the base camp for the poshest BBQ and camping experience. Another activity for the week was a four-hour alpine hike to Lac du Taney for a swim and lunch, followed by dinner and sports. At one of the pupil briefings the camp instructors complimented the children, not only for their enthusiasm but also for their attitude and behaviour.
“We boarded the coach to Portsmouth to join the ferry to Caen, France. On board the ferry we had fun – we explored, went shopping and enjoyed the activities, including the limbo, disco and dinner. We arrived at the chateau very late and were all very tired, but when we got there we were welcomed by steaming chocolat chaud and a very friendly and squawky parrot. We were placed into our dorms, which were named after the animals on the chateau farm. On Tuesday we had our history day. We went to see the Bayeaux Tapestry, which was amazing but extremely long! We then went to the 360° cinema and the landing beaches of Arromanches. We saw an amazing film of the second world war D-day landings, which showed us the planes, tanks and ships. After
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Pre-Prep Trips The children in Pre-Prep have enjoyed a range of educational and fun trips over the year. These have included PP2 visiting Lackford Lakes where they designed their own mini nature reserves. While pond dipping they discovered an assortment of creatures including lesser water boatmen.
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P RE-PRE P TRIPS
he PP1 class began the year by visiting Moyse’s Hall and experiencing a Victorian wash day as part of their history topic about changes within daily life. They used Victorian washing equipment including a posser, a dolly, a washing board and a slug iron. They enjoyed looking at some Victorian toys including a spinning top and zoetrope.
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The most talked about trip of the year is always PP1’s excursion to Pizza Express. They had a fabulous time finding out about pizzas and making one of their own. This trip consolidated their design and technology work focussing on food hygiene and preparation. Much fun was had by all and everyone thoroughly enjoyed eating their handmade pizza for lunch back at school.
PPR were lucky enough to visit RAF Lakenheath as part of their topic about flight. Mrs Etue, whose son, Max, is in Nursery, was able to organise an amazing, once-in-a lifetime opportunity for them to see the jets up close. The class began their trip watching them take off from the base and soar across the Suffolk and Norfolk countryside. The children were then escorted on to the runway to look at the jets and learn about how they can travel faster than the speed of sound. The class then went inside to try on some flight equipment and saw the tiny televisions inside the visors. The children rounded off their day having lunch in the officers’ restaurant. They had such a wonderful trip and enjoyed writing about their experience.
Each year PP2 visit Whitwell for a three-day residential trip. This year’s class particularly enjoyed orienteering and tracking, managing to find most of the muddy areas en route, and some losing wellies as a result of much squelching! As always the boat race was a great hit; the children made and decorated their boats before racing them with enthusiastic cheering from the river banks. They were also able to go river dipping this year, catching a multitude of creatures including a red-clawed crayfish. Miss Trow ably led the singing around the campfire while toasted marshmallows were enjoyed by all. Sleeping (yes, they did sleep!) in a dormitory was a new experience and one that all the children are eager to repeat. Well done to all PP2 for being such a credit to themselves, their parents and the school with their excellent manners and behaviour – it was a pleasure to take them away.
In literacy, PP1 read the story Owl Babies and set off on an adventure to the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary at Stonham Barns to see if they could find Percy, Sarah and Bill! The children were introduced to a variety of birds of prey and got to see some of them very close up. The highlight was the flying display which included a barn owl, a buzzard and a kestrel. The children also enjoyed the challenge of completing their own stamp safari and finding their way in and out of the maze. The children in Nursery and PPR enjoyed their trip to Baylham Rare Breeds Farm, learning about signs of spring in the animal kingdom. They met newly born lambs and piglets, saw the sheep in the maternity unit and learnt that the spots painted on their backs represent how many lambs they are going to have. They particularly enjoyed feeding the cows, who gave them some very slobbery kisses!
PP1 finished the year by spending the morning as guests of Abrey Farm. There, they learnt about the processes for growing plants, including preparing the soil, drilling, vegetable identification and irrigation. This was followed by a very interesting tour of the farm, looking at the tractors and machinery, grading (which included wearing the very attractive hair nets!) and packing. Afterwards the children enjoyed a picnic lunch in the sunshine. We would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Mr Abrey and his team for making us so welcome and for the delightful gifts of fresh produce.
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TRI PS AN D AC TIVITIES
Charities Pre-Prep Charities Winter Wonderland The children joined the residents of Risby Care Home to enjoy an afternoon of magical fun at their annual Winter Wonderland. They rode colourful horses on the carousel, skated along the ice rink, bounced inside a giant snow globe, met Santa's reindeer, drank hot chocolate and visited Santa and Mrs Claus in their grotto. Mrs Fitton and Mrs John always organise such a wonderful event and it is a great opportunity for the children to meet the residents and share their stories of Christmas. Muddy Puddle Walk The Nursery children were joined by our parent, baby and toddler group to help raise money for Save the Children. They took part in the Peppa Pig Muddy Puddle Walk through the grounds of Culford, locating Peppa Pig and her family, spotting wildlife and thoroughly enjoying jumping in the muddy puddles. They raised over £100. Kids on the Catwalk Some of the Pre-Prep and Prep children joined together for an evening of fashion. They confidently walked and danced along the catwalk before finishing with a winning smile and pose.
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C H ARITIES
Pre-Prep Winterwonderland trip
GeeWizz charity event
Prep Charities It has been a busy fundraising year in the Prep School, with over ÂŁ5,000 being collected for a variety of charities including St Nicholas Hospice, Save the Children, Cerebral Palsy and Save the Elephants, to name just a few. The children enjoyed many non-uniform days, cake sales and raffles to raise awareness of and money for these wonderful charities. In September 2016 the Prep School pupils presented local charity GeeWizz with a cheque for ÂŁ305. This money was raised at the Summer Fayre where a variety of games and activities included bouncy castles, limbo dancing and a hog roast. The charity was set up by Old Culfordian Andrew Long (1969-78) and his wife Gina. As well as providing crucial equipment for poorly children and young adults, GeeWizz helps to fund sarcoma and breast cancer research. Presenter, explorer and biologist Dr Niall McCann visited us during the summer term as part of our Save the Elephants fundraising. He treated us to a captivating presentation on his charity and conservation work, as well as his high-risk expeditions and brushes with danger. Katie Clarke Prep School Teacher
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Pastoral Care Boarding at Prep School provides every child the opportunity to develop and grow as an individual. However, they do not take this journey alone but with the enduring support of the Culford community.
PAS T OR AL C ARE
Cadogan House Housemaster Jon Herd reflects on another special year at Cadogan House.
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C ADOG AN H O USE
nother year has flown by and I find myself sat at my desk mid-June with the sun beating though my office window, reflecting on the months that have passed since those nervous footsteps were heard on the Cadogan doorstep in early September. Those footsteps mark the start of a journey into unknown waters for many new pupils and parents. It is a journey of self-discovery and personal development.
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been our Cadogan Head Prefects, and also their team of boarding Prefects. Having a strong Upper Third sets a great tone and provides an excellent example for the younger boarders. We will miss our Upper Third pupils as they move on, but watching the continuation of the personal and collective journey from a distance is one of the major joys of working at a school such as Culford.
It is a given that the vast majority of our pupils have tried their best and made significant academic progress, that Cadogan House continues to look after rising stars in swimming, tennis and golf and that, no matter the ability level of the individual, all pupils remain keen and available to represent the school in the main games, on the stage or in Collective Worship through pupil participation. The sense of community and collaborative progress stays at the very heart of who we are as a group of pupils and staff. I believe, in a nutshell, that the sense of shared pride and common values and goals are what define us as a unique boarding community.
We were sad to see Mr Pook leave our community, but delighted to welcome Mr Orton and Mr Venables to Cadogan. Both have sporting backgrounds and respect the collective strength of a team. Their willingness to be flexible with duties coupled with their boundless energy and fun but fair manner has added further strength to our residential staff body. The pupils have certainly enjoyed their company and consistency on duty.
Being part of the successes, personal and intellectual growth and increased independence of our youngest boarders is a true privilege for staff. I know that I write on behalf of the entire residential team and Prep Common Room when I express my pride in the achievements of the Cadogan boarders this year. I would like to thank Evie Hall and Matthew Beardmore, who have
We were delighted to welcome Mrs Bettley, our visiting matron, to assist Mrs Tattersall. Both matrons immediately gelled and the boarders really value having them available in the mornings just before school, to help them get ready for their day. One of Mrs Tattersall’s new roles has been to prepare the weekend programme of events. She has been able to combine old favourites with a host of new activities, and the result has been a vibrant and enjoyable weekend programme. There have been many highlights over the course of the year,
but the following have been particularly memorable: zorbing, Battlezone Archery, survival skills and go karting. At the time of writing we are still to visit Pleasurewood Hills, which is always our final activity of the year, and our Saturday evening camp out is just around the corner. Pupils are excited about both events, and are plotting which of the roller-coasters they will be brave enough to try and who they will share a tent with. I am delighted to report that we will be getting new sofas in our Common Room for September. We will also be starting our planned redevelopment of the dormitories, and are hoping that five of them will be ready before we reconvene for the new school year. Our vision is to create more space for groups to relax in the middle of the dormitories by using bunk beds that fit the available space much better. This has been another very special year in Cadogan House. Bucking national trends, our Prep School boarding is as busy as ever and is continuing to thrive. Successful boarding is infectious among the pupil body. We all learn from our peers and strive to be as individually and collectively successful as possible. We are immensely proud of our boarders, and we admire the personal skills that many continue to acquire and develop within this unique community. Jon Herd Housemaster
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C OM MON ROOM VA LET E AN D SALVETE
Valete and Salvete Pre-Prep Common Room Valete Goodbye Madame MacKenzie We would like to wish Madame MacKenzie all the best for the future and hope she enjoys a well-earned rest. ‘I have loved my teaching years at Culford School and actually being able to use my native tongue to good effect. I started teaching in the Pre-Prep which then extended into the Prep School. The capacity for children, particularly in the very early years, to pick up languages is amazing and the joy of teaching the very young children is their lack of awareness that they are actually learning a language. They enjoy all the varied activities so much! I will miss them terribly however, I must spend more time with my own little grandchildren, who are growing in number! I hope to be able to teach a little French too in my spare time.’
Prep School Common Room Valete Anna Bunting joined Culford in September 2010 after teaching for several years in Spain. She immediately became a valued member of the First Form team and has taught the Upper First pupils for the seven years that she has been here.
Anna has been a warm and friendly member of the Common Room who has taken things in her stride with a wry sense of humour. She has always put the children first, along with her husband, Michael and her dogs, Pacco and Holly.
From the start, Anna infected the First Form with her great sense of humour and bubbly personality, whilst maintaining a down to earth and efficient teaching style. Pupils and staff alike have benefited from her experience both on the games field and in the classroom.
Anna will be greatly missed on the sport’s field, in the classroom and in the Common Room. We wish her the very best of luck in her new adventure and very much hope that she will stay in touch.
Anna has taught all of the sports, but her particular passion is for hockey. There will be many pupils who will fondly remember Anna first sparking their enthusiasm for this sport.
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C OMMON ROOM VALETE AND SALVETE
What will you miss most when you leave? I shall miss the Culford community and the park. I shall also miss all the opportunities, which Culford offers. I have been fortunate to have been on so many residential trips, day visits, sports fixtures, and professional development courses and had such fun in the time I spent as a resident. What are your goals for the future? My goals are personal as opposed to professional in the immediate future. I am looking forward to living with Julian, my fiancé, in our home just outside Bristol and supporting him in his aspirations for his career. It is a relatively new part of the country to me so I will spend time exploring the area and enjoying the luxury of having the time to take on any new opportunities which come my way. I have already joined the tennis club and have been playing in the Avon County League, so hitting lots more tennis balls and getting much fitter is high up on my plan.
Julie Hatton joined the school in 1989 and was only here initially on maternity cover, then planned to stay for five years and now leaves us some 28 years later. In her years here she has covered every role imaginable from Form teacher to head of department, director of studies and latterly deputy head pastoral, whilst also running a department. Change to read: She is now leaving boarding, where she started all those years ago to begin her new life with her soon to be husband, Julian. We want to give Julie our thanks, thoughts and very best wishes.
Miss Hatton interviewed by Lucy Allum, Yazmin Celik and Josie Gooderham What will be your best memory of your time at Culford? My best memory will be the sense of community, with pupils and colleagues in the wonderful rural environment of Culford Park. I have some stunning photos of the Park taken on walks so I shall always cherish those memories. The members of the Prep School Common Room are so talented and
are so very supportive of one another and there are always many laughs amongst us, they are all memorable. What’s the funniest or favourite moment you’ve had in the classroom, boarding house or sports field? On the Upper Second French trip a few years ago we were playing handball one evening. An angry goat, having escaped from its pen first got the better of Mrs Hollins, then when Mr Hopton tried to intervene he was chased backwards and forwards and it was like a Benny Hill sketch, so hysterically funny for those of us watching! What unique quality do you think you brought to Culford? Tough question! I have always tried to remain calm and non-judgemental when faced with different situations. Showing kindness, being patient, trying to make fair decisions and trying to do the best I can has always been at the forefront of my mind. I would recommend the ABC code: Aim high, be brave, be compassionate
Old Culfordian Pip Kirby-Smith now leaves us after three years in the Common Room, during which time she undertook teacher training and went through her newly qualified teacher’s year. She moves on to gain wider experience and to develop her career. Pip was a central part of the language department and a stalwart member of the Jocelyn House team. She will be missed. ‰
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C OM MON ROOM VA LET E AN D SALVETE
Miss Kirby-Smith interviewed by Cameron Magee and Adam Sussex How long have you been and Culford? And what was your role? I have been teaching French at Culford for two and half years but I was here as a pupil.
Prep School Common Room Salvete
What will be your best memory of your time at Culford? The plays in Prep School! What’s the funniest or favourite moment you’ve had in the classroom, boarding house or sports field? There are too many to pick from but I have enjoyed everything I have done. Some of the funniest moments have been in classes where pupils have made me laugh uncontrollably. I will miss that about Culford. What unique quality do you think you brought to Culford? I brought enthusiasm and craziness. What will you miss most when you leave? The pupils! What has been your greatest achievement in your life so far? Becoming a teacher. What are your goals for the future? I would like to become a Housemistress and have lots of pets.
Siobhan O’Neill joined the Prep School as Head of English. Miss O’Neill has taught English in Suffolk schools and has a passion for theatre and drama. Under her guidance, her previous school won the Suffolk poetry competition and were chosen to perform Shakespeare to HRH The Prince of Wales.
Miss O’Neill interviewed by Calla Richeda and Tallulah Ironmonger
What’s the one thing you know now that you wish you could have known when growing up? That Shakespeare’s plays are not as scary as I thought they were! What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire – William Butler Yeats.
Tell me about your path into teaching… I have always loved learning: a school is an ideal environment for me as I have the opportunity to learn new things all the time. I have been a teacher for eighteen years and always taught English. Why did you want to be a teacher? I was inspired by a teacher earlier in my education who had a positive impact on me and, particularly, made me passionate about English. Celia Almond also leaves us this year and we would like to pay tribute to her for all that she done over the past fourteen years with all matters swimming, lifeguarding and training. Thank you for all your years of support, dedication, passion and caring nature. We wish you and your family well for the future.
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What do you love most about teaching? When pupils love English as much as I do and I see a ’light bulb’ moment then I know that someone is as enthusiastic as me. What did you want to be when you were younger – and why? I wanted to be a journalist, as I love words.
David Venables joined the Prep School as a teacher of science. Prior to Culford, Mr Venables taught in two Norfolk high schools and applied his degree to roles in industry. David now combines a love of science with a passion for sports. As well as his interest in rugby and golf, he manages a local Sunday football team.
U PPER T H IRD VAL ETE
U3 Valete Alex Lorriman-Hughes Alex has been at Culford for four years. He was a Cadogan House Prefect, School Prefect and Head of Honess. Alex enjoyed the weekend activities, including the Upper Third Switzerland visit. He loves playing sport, especially football. In the future he would like to play for Liverpool FC.
William Smith William has been at Culford for two years. He was a School Prefect, Cadogan House Prefect, Form Captain, House Captain of Leigh and a representative of the charity committee. He was awarded full colours for rugby. His favourite subject is geography and his interests are cycling and football and he aspires to join the RAF or be a professional cyclist.
Pip Colegrave Pip has been at Culford for a year and has many friends and enjoyed spending time with them. Her interests are horse riding, cycling and surfing. She loved the Upper Third Switzerland trip, especially going on the banana boat ride. Pip hopes to be a professional horse rider or a photographer.
Gene Swain Gene has been at Culford since Upper Second and was Sports Captain of Floyd. A tennis scholar, he was the Under 14s’ most improved tennis player. He enjoyed maths and going on the French trip. He loves all sports, social media and being outdoors. Gene’s dream is to be a professional tennis player.
Matthew Beardmore Matthew has been at Culford for two years and was a Prefect and Head of Cadogan. He was awarded full colours for rugby and hockey and half colours for cross country. He has enjoyed the experience of boarding and the trip to Switzerland. Matthew hopes to join the RAF in the future.
Dean Hafermann Dean has been at Culford for ten years. He was Head Boy and was House Sports Captain for Newman. He was awarded a 13+ sports scholarship and full colours for hockey. The activity he enjoyed most was football and the best trip was the Upper Third Switzerland visit. His hobbies include football and hockey and he aspires to be a sports teacher.
Hannah Dearman Hannah has been at Culford for eight years and was a Prefect, Form Captain and leader of the orchestra. She enjoyed both the French trip and the Pioneers’ camp out. Her interests are swimming, violin, rounders and netball. She is looking forward to her time in Senior School.
Marta Sagardoy Valverde Marta joined Culford this year as an EAL student. Her favourite subject is maths and she enjoyed playing hockey and netball, taking part in the after school activity Art Plus and being part of the school production backstage crew. Marta hopes to be a doctor or follow a career in biology.
Luke Sussex Luke has been at Culford for three years and was player of the season for hockey. He enjoys playing football, hockey and golf. His other interests are DT, snooker, table tennis and playing video games. Luke looks forward to the upcoming challenge of Senior School.
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Louisa Gooderham Louisa has been at Culford for four years and held the position of School Prefect. She was awarded half colours for hockey, which she also plays at county level. She enjoyed the Upper Third Switzerland trip. Louisa’s interests are hockey, tennis and horse riding. She hopes to be a hydrotherapist or an interior designer.
Guy Hall Guy has been at Culford for one year and thoroughly enjoyed both his time in the boarding house with his friends and the Upper Third Switzerland trip. His interests include hockey, cricket and DT. Guy has been awarded a 13+ academic scholarship and looks forward to Senior School and the opportunities it affords.
Nicolas Long Nicolas has been at Culford for two years. He was a Cadogan House Prefect and a Librarian. He enjoyed the Cadogan House Prefect trips, especially bowling. Nicolas’s interests include hiking and learning new languages. He aspires to be a globetrotter.
Isobel Westcott Isobel has been at Culford for three years and was a Prefect and Librarian. Her most memorable school trip was to France in Upper Second. Her favourite subject is history. A keen swimmer, Isobel is completing a lifesaving course. She loved Pioneers, especially building and camping in dens. She aspires to be an obstetrologist.
Monica Wu Monica has been at Culford for one year and was a Librarian, a role she most enjoyed. Her favourite subject is science and her interests are basketball, answering maths questions and reading. Her favourite school trip was to Switzerland with the Upper Thirds. Monica hopes to be a doctor in the UK.
Max Brais Max, who joined Culford in Pre-Prep, was Prefect and Cricket Captain. He enjoys sports and has revelled in the excellent facilities that Culford provides. Cricket is his passion and plays for Mildenhall Cricket Club. He loves animals and keeps exotic reptiles, insects and a parrot. Max hopes to be a biologist, discovering new animals, or a sports coach.
Emma Arbuthnot Emma has been at Culford for ten years. She was a School Prefect, and gained a 13+ drama and academic scholarship. Her favourite subjects are RS and English, and she enjoys reading and playing netball. Emma also took leading roles in the school productions, The Witches and Lost in Time. Emma’s dream is to be an author or a human rights lawyer.
Holly Reynolds Holly has been at Culford for 11 years and was awarded a jubilee scholarship. She was Head Girl, Hockey, Netball and Swimming Captain and Sports Captain for Honess. She was awarded full colours for hockey, netball and cross country, and half colours for athletics and swimming. Out of school she plays hockey for JAC Suffolk and Satellite Netball. Holly enjoyed sport, art and the teachers and aspires to play sport professionally.
Sarah Gu Sarah has been at Culford for two years. She was head of EAL students, was a Form Captain and a Cadogan House Prefect. In her first year she was player of the season for hockey and most improved player in netball. Her favourite subject is maths but also enjoys art, DT and piano playing. Sarah enjoyed working backstage during the school production, the boarders’ bowling trip and Switzerland trip. Sarah would like to pursue a career that involves maths.
PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
U PPER T H IRD VAL ETE
Gleb Pisarev Gleb has been at Culford for four years. He was a Cadogan House Prefect and enjoyed the experience of boarding in Cadogan House. He was Captain of Hockey and was awarded half colours. His interests are football, outdoor pursuits and hockey. Gleb aspires to join his father’s business.
William Fitch William has been at Culford for six years and was a School Prefect. He was awarded half colours for rugby and plays rugby for Bury St Edmunds. He also enjoys football and plays for Sporting 87. The trips he has liked the most were the Upper Second French trip and the Lower Third trip to the Jewish Museum. In the future he would like to be an engineer.
Alexandre Bellot Alexandre has been at Culford for three years. He was a Librarian and was also part of the editorial team for the Culfordian. His favourite subjects are maths and science and his hobbies are football and astronomy. Alexandre’s ambition is to be a surgeon or something linked with science and biology.
Nicholas Holt Nicholas has been at Culford for nine years and was House Captain of Floyd. His favourite subjects are maths and science and his favourite hobby is playing football. The most memorable school trip was the visit to the Jewish Museum in Lower Third. In the future he would like to have a career in a zoo environment.
Alex Hutchinson Alex has been at Culford for nine years. He was a School Prefect and House Captain of Newman. He enjoys playing tennis but his favourite sport is rugby, for which he was awarded half colours. He enjoyed the French trip and the Upper Third Switzerland trip, especially the banana boat ride. Alex aspires to be a rugby coach.
Luke Green Luke has been at Culford for one year and was awarded a 13+ golf scholarship for Senior School. He thoroughly enjoys his golf lessons, maths and the Upper Third Switzerland trip. Luke aspires to be a professional golfer.
Antonije Vujadinovic Antonije has been at Culford for one year and was awarded an exhibition scholarship for tennis. He has enjoyed his time in Cadogan House as a boarder. His favourite subject is maths and he also likes basketball and music. The best trips were to La Manga in Spain for tennis and with the Upper Third to Switzerland. Antonije hopes to attend an American university.
Emma Stow Emma has been at Culford for one year and was Athletics Captain and Form Captain. She was awarded half colours for hockey, full colours for netball and was hockey and netball player of the season. She was awarded a 13+ jubilee scholarship. She enjoys all sports but her passion is hockey. She also enjoyed Mr Calvert’s RS and history lessons, reading, writing and taking part in the school production. Emma aspires to study politics and philosophy, to be a human rights lawyer and/or an international hockey player.
Molly-Anne Gimson Molly-Anne has been at Culford for five years. She was a Prefect and Performing Arts Captain. She gained a music exhibition and received an arts tie. Her favourite trips were to France in Upper Second and Switzerland in Third Form. Her interests are sport and horse riding, and she aspires to work in the equine industry.
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Emily Morton Emily has been at Culford for nine years. She was a School Prefect and Sports Captain for Leigh. She was awarded an academic exhibition. She enjoys sport, especially javelin, netball and athletics. Her favourite subject is maths. She loved all the activities on the Upper Third Switzerland trip. Emily is unsure what her future career might be.
Harriet Taylor Harriet has been at Culford for five years. She was House Captain for Leigh and enjoyed being head of choir. Her favourite trip was the Upper Second visit to France, and the best activity was the Pioneers’ camp out. She enjoys maths, baking and skiing, and loves cars. Harriet hopes to work for the family business in accountancy.
Guy Soane Guy has been at Culford for one year and was a representative on the school council. He enjoyed the after-school activity Art Plus, and his art lessons. His favourite excursion was the geography field trip. His other interests are skateboarding and taking walks with his dogs and his family. In the future he would like to be a Prefect in Senior School.
Evan Banks Evan has been at Culford for one year and is a tennis scholar. His favourite subjects are maths and ICT. He likes having fun and travelling. He enjoyed playing tennis in La Manga, Spain, and the Upper Third Switzerland trip. He is looking forward to continuing his education and eventually going to university.
Alice Wilson Alice has been at Culford for nine years. She was House Captain of Floyd and attained the music exhibition. Her interest is athletics and she enjoys science with Mr Venables. She enjoyed the trip to Switzerland, especially the views from the glacier and seeing the husky dogs. Alice’s future career might involve the legal profession.
Henry Townsend Henry has been at Culford for two years. His favourite school outing was the geography field trip. He loves trampolining and going skiing with his family. He also enjoys playing the guitar and likes to spend time with his dogs. Henry aspires to be a car mechanic.
Lily Gaywood Lily has been at Culford for three years. She was a Librarian and deputy head of choir. She enjoyed going on the Upper Second French trip. Her favourite activity was Pioneers, especially the camp out, and loved the netball season. Her hobbies are horse riding, swimming and trampolining. Lily’s dream is to be an interior designer.
Florence Wilson Florence has been at Culford for nine years and was Floyd House Sports Captain. She enjoys playing sport, especially hockey and athletics. She achieved grade four in ballet and her other interests are photography, fashion and music. The trips she has liked the most were to France and Switzerland. In the future she would like to be a fashion photographer.
Paul Ekpe Paul has been at Culford for two years. He was a Cadogan House Prefect and was a representative on the school council. He was awarded full colours for rugby and a rugby scholarship. His other interests are hockey and football, and his favourite subject is maths. He enjoyed the Upper Third Switzerland trip. Paul’s ambition is to be a professional rugby player.
PREP & PR E- P RE P SC HOOL | 2016 – 2017
U PPER T H IRD VAL ETE
Emily Holt Emily has been at Culford for two years and was Head of Charities. She very much enjoyed the Upper Third Switzerland trip. She is interested in fashion and enjoys photography and music, and she has achieved grade five for piano. Emily hopes to be a psychiatrist.
Evie Hall Evie has been at Culford for four years. She was head of Cadogan House, a School Prefect and was awarded a 13+ jubilee scholarship. She enjoys art and playing sport, especially when representing Suffolk in hockey and Satellite Netball. Evie is looking forward to the upcoming challenge of Senior School.
Ben Flux Ben has been at Culford for two years. He was a School Prefect. He enjoyed the trip to Switzerland, especially the banana boat ride and the husky sledging. His favourite subject is maths and likes most sports, but especially football. He loves all animals and enjoys walking his dog. Ben aspires to work with zoo animals.
Arthur Wildish Arthur has been at Culford for four years. He was Rugby Captain and Sports Captain for Leigh. He was awarded full colours for rugby and a 13+ rugby scholarship. His favourite trip was to Switzerland in Upper Third. He enjoys rugby, triathlon and parcour. Arthur aspires to be either a professional rugby player, military engineer or Royal Marine.
James Miller James has been at Culford for seven years. During his time at Culford he was Head Librarian and loved doing martial arts. He thought the best trip was the Upper Second France trip. His favourite subject is physics and his hobbies are keeping tropical fish and baking. At present he is not sure of a future career.
Alicia Hassan Alicia has been at Culford for five years. She was awarded a hockey scholarship and received full colours for hockey and netball. She plays hockey for Suffolk and plays Satellite Netball. She has most enjoyed the trips away and IAPS tournaments. In her spare time she loves to chat and likes to eat chicken.
Tayla Edwards Tayla has been at Culford for ten years and was House Captain of Honess. She enjoyed the Swiss trip and likes spending time with her friends. She loves roller-skating and sewing her own clothes and making bags. Her favourite subject was RS with Mr Calvert. She has loved performing in the school productions. In the future she would like to be a fashion designer.
Hannah Hilsum Hannah has been at Culford for two years. She was a School Prefect and House Captain of Newman. She appreciates the opportunities that Culford provides and has enjoyed playing netball and most sports. Her favourite subject is French and she enjoyed the trip to Switzerland. A committed horse rider, she loves to compete in trials and one-day eventing on her horse, Hobnob. Hannah’s ambition is to be an equine vet.
Sophie Walker Sophie has been at Culford for two years and was Sports Captain of Newman. She loved the school trip to Switzerland and enjoyed her science lessons and the photography club. Her other interests are swimming, archery, netball, and rollerskating. Sophie also likes to go surfing and skiing. In the future she would like to be a marine biologist because she loves science, animals and the sea.
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PP2 VALE TE
PP2 Valete Our PP2 class of 2016 made the move over to our Prep School in July 2017. We will remember this class fondly for always being such a quiet and passive group whilst moving through the school. This stayed the same even with the arrival of Benji in PP1, who brought lots more enthusiasm and energy to the group! The children were a sporty bunch, with many excellent tennis players amongst them. They were also very musical, playing the cello, violin, guitar, drums and piano to name a few. Their leavers play about people who help us was very apt as they will also be remembered as a class who were very kind and really looked after each other. We wish them well as they continue their journey into the Prep School and look forward to hearing lots more about them. Good luck! Sarah Preston
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P P2 VALE TE
We would like to wish all our PP2 pupils the best of luck for Prep School. Before they left, we asked them what their favourite thing about their time at Pre-Prep was‌
Thomas Cameron really enjoyed giving instructions in Numeracy to follow a grid.
Harriet Smith loved all the art lessons whilst on the residential trip to Whitwell Hall. She especially enjoyed making a model of a person on top of a mountain.
Riley Cozens loved making a paper boat whilst on the residential trip to Whitwell Hall and racing it. His boat was very successful, coming second twice and third once!
Jasmine Steady enjoyed making her own pizza at Pizza Express.
Benji Jacobs-Robinson loved all of his playtimes with friends.
Carys Fairley liked making her junk model vehicle because she was able to use her creativity to design it herself.
Charlotte Anderson loved having her 7th birthday whilst on the residential trip to Whitwell. She especially enjoyed the coffee cake!
Max Cattliff really enjoyed the residential trip to Whitwell and had lots and lots of fun.
George Hansgate liked learning how to knock nails in when he made his boat on the Whitwell Hall trip.
Samuel Chamberlain liked doing pottery and making his very own owl.
Nicholas Camera loved going on the residential trip to Whitwell Hall and eating all the delicious food!
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THE CULFORD FOUNDATI ON
Friendraising and Fundraising for Culford School
The Foundation 25 YEARS SINCE LEAVING REUNION
The Culford Foundation exists to friendraise and fundraise for Culford School. The Foundation team (pictured left to right: Tom Guntrip (Intern), Samantha Salisbury, Jo Johnson-Munday and Alex Day) are located in the Hartley wing of Culford Hall and we work together to: • Organise reunion, sporting and networking events in the UK and overseas • Connect alumni who want to be in touch • Share alumni news in our annual magazine, FOCuS • Send regular enewsletters with alumni and School news as well as information about events, fundraising activities and future plans • Fundraise for projects within The Campaign for Culford • Seek potential work placements for alumni, make careers advice introductions and invite relevant alumni to careers workshops for current pupils • Preserve and develop the Culford School and Estate archives
Katharine Moore (née Long) and Rebecca Richardson (née Boulter) with their children
OCS RETURN FOR OXBRIDGE FORUM
Tom Hargreaves, Jessica Ferrari-Wells and Eloy Torres-Ramon
LONDON DRINKS 2017
All pupils can become Old Culfordians on leaving the School and may register with Culford Online, an online database which enables members to update their own details and share them, if they choose to, with other alumni culford.co.uk/get-in-touch. Alternatively they can complete our Contact Form and we will ensure that they receive event invitations, FOCuS magazine, fundraising updates and enewsletters; please email foundation@culford.co.uk or telephone 01284 385310 for a copy of the form.
Events 2016/17 We organise a programme of annual events for former pupils, staff and parents as well as other friends of the School. These range from sporting fixtures and year group reunions through to social events open to all alumni and staff, including the annual London Drinks reception which usually takes place at a prestigious private members club in the city.
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Louisiana Ogunfowora, Sean Jun, Charlotte Bell, Lucy Berwick and Henry Morton
For the past four years we have also organised the Summer Opera in the Park events, as well as the first ever Roots in the Park concert in Summer 2017. See pages 78-81 for more on these great events which have raised some £20,000 towards The Campaign for Culford.
THE CULFO RD FOUN DATION
What’s next for The Campaign for Culford?
With the generous support from our donors, Phase I of The Campaign for Culford saw us open the landmark Library at the academic heart of the School, amongst several other smaller projects including the refurbishment of the Workman Library and the Foundation Art Gallery. Launched in 2017/18, Phase II aims to raise funds for these key areas: • • • • •
The Art Studio today
Redevelopment of our Art facilities Upgrade the Ashby Dining Room Refurbishment of teaching facilities in Hastings & Skinner Refurbishment of Big Hartley as an Archive and Heritage Lounge Creation of a £2.5million Bursaries Fund
CGI of how the redeveloped building may look
A New Art Studio We are now close to reaching our £350,000 target towards the estimated project cost of £650,000 to redevelop the main Art Studio. This huge space has little changed since the 1950s and now requires structural improvements, as well as a new roof. Once complete, it will be a stunning new studio, filled with light from a glass frontage with sliding doors to an outside space, echoing the design of the new Library and offering a space for pupils to work in that we can be truly proud of. JOIN OUR WALL OF FAME!
Request a Campaign Pack
How £100 can help
A brochure setting out the detail of all the projects within Phase II of The Campaign for Culford is now available. If you would like us to send you a copy, please email us: foundation@culford.co.uk or telephone 01284 385310.
One of the fundraising initiatives launched to help achieve the balance of funds for the new Art studio is the chance to buy a Pop Art Portrait of yourself, a family member or favourite pet for £100. These fun canvases are on display at different locations around the School and each portrait will be returned to the purchaser at the end of a year. We hope that many Culford families, alumni, current and former staff and other friends will help us reach our target by buying their own Pop Art Portrait. For more information, please visit: culford.co.uk/popart or email foundation@culford.co.uk
culford.co.uk/foundation
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Summer Nights at Culford
Opera and Roots in the Park 2017 Organised by the Foundation team, Culford was thrilled to welcome 900 guests through its gates for both Opera and the new Roots in the Park event on 17 and 18 June 2017. On the hottest weekend of the year, everyone enjoyed the brilliant weather, beautiful location and fantastic music over both nights on the South Front stage.
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O PER A AND RO O T S IN THE PARK 2017
The fourth Opera in the Park saw London Festival Opera performing Madame Butterfly and other operatic favourites. Culford were again delighted to welcome back talented former pupils Florence Taylor (1997-2011) and Joseph Dodd (2004-2011), who sang with the company. There was also a charitable purpose to the evening, with generous opera goers donating over £900 to a raffle for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice (EACH) and any profits from the event going towards the projects within The Campaign for Culford. There was a mellow vibe on Sunday afternoon for Culford’s first ever Roots in the Park with chilled out sounds from artists Winter Mountain, Robert Vincent and The Delta Bell.
The audience were also wowed by the talent of pupils who took to the stage for a set before the party ended with Norfolk-based The Vagaband turning up the volume as the sun set and everyone got dancing. Foundation Director, Jo Johnson-Munday, said: “This was a fabulous weekend of music with something to suit all tastes. We were also delighted to welcome many new visitors to Culford and share two stunning summer days with everyone, from toddlers and their parents to our oldest ‘Old Culfordian’ who left the school in 1945! We are very grateful to everyone who supported the events and are already looking forward to next year.” The events have raised some £20,000 for The Campaign for Culford since they began four years ago.
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HANDELSBANKEN BURY ST EDMUNDS
We build our mortgages around you At Handelsbanken, relationship banking still lives up to its name. We focus on satisfying our customers, providing a personal service and giving sound advice, with the power in each branch to take the decisions that matter. What makes us different? As a local relationship bank, based on traditional values, we believe our branches know their customers best. Our customers benefit from only dealing with people they know: bankers with experience who understand the local market; and from timely, clear decisions made within the branch. Because we do not pay bonuses or sales incentives to staff, you can be confident that the advice given and the decisions taken are always done with our customers’ best interests at heart. This different approach has helped us to attain top ranking for customer satisfaction in an independent survey of British bank customers for the ninth year running (EPSI Rating, October 2017).
Strength and stability Handelsbanken was founded in 1871 and has over 800 branches in more than 20 countries. Based on our consistently high credit ratings, Handelsbanken was named the world’s third safest commercial bank by Global Finance magazine (World’s Safest Banks, November 2017).
Mortgages at Handelsbanken Whether you are looking to buy your new home, to remortgage or to buy an additional property, we will endeavour to find a solution that works for you. With a direct line to your dedicated account manager, we take time to understand your needs and circumstances, and are able to help you throughout the entire process.
Contact us We would be delighted to meet up over a cup of coffee to see if you can benefit from more personal banking. Sue Stephenson-Howlett
Janice Matthews
Individual Banking Manager Tel: 01284 761385 Mobile: 07436 838729 Email: sust10@handelsbanken.co.uk
Individual Banking Manager Tel: 01284 762443 Mobile: 07436 838730 Email: jani22@handelsbanken.co.uk
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Please note that our lending facilities are only available to persons aged 18 or over and are subject to status. Written quotations and Terms & Conditions are available on request.
handelsbanken.co.uk/burystedmunds Handelsbanken is the trading name of Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ). Registered Office: Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ), 3 Thomas More Square, London, E1W 1WY. Registered in England and Wales No. BR 000589. Incorporated in Sweden with limited liability. Registered in Sweden No. 502007-7862. Head Office in Stockholm. Authorised by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen) and the Prudential Regulation Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority, and regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.
Culford School Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP28 6TX T: 01284 728615 E: admissions@culford.co.uk
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