Headmaster’s Welcome

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Aylesburian magazine for 2017-2018. This publication stands as the definitive historical reference for the School and so we hope that you enjoy reading the articles. Our thanks go to Mr Dallas and the whole editorial team for this year’s production.

2017-2018 has provided many successes and opportunities but equally, it has brought us challenges and a deep sense of loss. It is through our core values that we have all demonstrated our compassion, our humility and excellence when the time has come.

To all the family, friends, staff, students who knew and laughed with Charlie, thank you for your strength, your friendship and your support. Charlie Dunne is a true Aylesburian; taking part, trying new things, always giving his best with a smile. Always supporting and helping others, raising money for charity, going above and beyond and making a difference to all our lives.

His legacy at School, in Denson House and across the community will be one of fun, smiles, confidence, selfless contribution and friendship. He will always be remembered, once an Aylesburian, always an Aylesburian.

The climate played a major role in some of the key decisions across the year. The whole school photograph, planned once every five years, was delayed not once, twice but three times. There were also two snow events causing the closure of the School on transport and safety grounds, once in December and again in March. This was followed with a scorching summer and 50 plus days without rain.

These conditions did not deter the examination cohorts of 2018. At both A Level and GCSE, the level of change had been unprecedented with new linear courses and at GCSE a new grading system. The staff have planned and delivered the courses with great expertise and professionalism. The overall outcomes were outstanding as the students demonstrated their understanding and adoption of the changes with record results.

We have seen the departure of a number of key staff across the year, with the retirement of Mrs Jiggins in April and the departure of Mr McCarthy in July. Mrs Jiggins left at Easter 2018, a time when the Geology team had become national

champions. This accolade was testament to her continued focus on the progress and excellence of all the students. Across 23 years, she has been an outstanding teacher, Head of Year and Head of Department.

For Mr McCarthy, his legacy in basketball has led to AGS having a national reputation for excellence. Alongside the Basketball Academy and the Bucks Hornets club, Mr McCarthy has developed, nurtured and progressed basketball to a new level over his 15 years at the School. Both will be greatly missed.

In all areas of curricular and extra curricular activity, the rich and vibrant life of the School continues to impress. This is made possible by the relentless energy and commitment from the staff alongside the enthusiasm of the students. Visits to the USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and numerous visits in the UK. Sports fixtures against fierce local rivals and national excellence in a range of sports. Debating and public speaking success, geology and Warhammer success, Maths challenges, science Olympiads, languages, engineering, computing and the list continues. All made possible by the staff and the desire of the students to excel.

The House competition remains the vibrant heart beat of the School. With the array of competitions and events ensuring every student can participate in the life of the house. This is the 6th time since 2000 we have had a double winner of the Watson and Brodie Trophies, Denson’s second double following the success of 2001.

Denson now move to joint second in the all-time Brodie winners list, level with Ridley but still two behind Phillips. Only Denson’s second Watson win in 17 years but both times as part of a double triumph. A fitting victory for Denson following the tragic loss of one of their most colourful and charismatic members.

In our development of learning, we have hosted the eminent professor Guy Claxton this year as well as hosting Secondary Headteachers from across the county to discuss the culture of excellence and high performance.

We have experienced great success over the last few years in winning bids to the government to improve the infrastructure of the School. Previous projects include the Science block roof, main block heating and the Sixth Form refurbishment.

This year, we were successful in our two bids to improve our electrical sustainability and to repair and replace windows across the site. Over the summer the incoming electricity supply has been upgraded to ensure further resilience and hopefully no more events like the one that struck us in December.

Windows in the main block have

been repaired and others are being replaced across the site. IT1 and IT2 have been completely refurbished with new hardware and furniture, while the tennis courts were resurfaced. These two projects courtesy of the generosity and success of the PTA and the Aylesburian Annual Fund. Our sincere thanks to all the PTA members and the families who have supported the School across the year.

To all the staff and students who

have endured such a tough year, thank you. To all the families and especially the Cox family and the Dunne family, thank you for your strength and humility.

We hope you enjoy this publication.

M Sturgeon Headmaster

Head Boy’s Reflections 2017 - 18

This academic year has been one of enjoyment and success for the entire AGS community.

The school has excelled in an incredible range of areas, which reflects the passion and ability of the students across such a variety of interests. Above all, the school’s success is consistently achieved in the spirit of the school’s core values: to respect and aspire.

As a team, Toby Higgs, Adam Woodage and I made it our main objective to increase student involvement across all aspects of school life this year. Consequently, we have seen the birth of the Student Research Panel, a select group of students who have been working to explore methods which could increase extra-curricular participation of students living further from school. We hope the findings of this group can be implemented in the future as next year’s Head Boy team takes up the reigns. Also, a reorganisation of the School Council and Student Executive Board has made it easier for students to have an effective input into the workings of the school. We have more students involved in this system than ever before which has led to many suggestions being implemented within the school. The 2017-18 academic year has also seen changes to the school. There has been a major refurbishment to the ‘Old Gym’, which no longer looks so ‘old’. We have also witnessed the first full year of use for the new science department, appreciated by students and staff alike. The schoolwide focus on the AGS Learner has continued to give a framework for all students to work towards, serving as an aide-memoire for the type of work ethic that we can aspire to. To name just a single example of the school’s achievement this year, there has been particular success for the school’s Mathematics department in both individual and group ventures

– the senior team finishing in the top 25 nationally.

On a personal note, I would like to thank the Year 13 cohort with whom I have spent the past seven years. I have always believed we have been a very tight knit and inclusive yeargroup and this has been verified over the past academic year. It is no secret that the final few months of our school careers have been difficult with the stresses of exams as well as plans for life after AGS. However, as a collective, we should all be very proud of ourselves for making it through. I wish you all the very best of luck with your exam results and for the future. The memories of the past seven years will always be important to me and thanks to all of you for being a part of it. On behalf of the entire year-group I would like to thank the staff of AGS for all the time and effort you have invested in us over the past seven years – we will always be grateful for your commitment and enthusiasm.

I owe my thanks to all the Senior and School Prefects, who have been integral to the school’s functioning. I would like to thank all the Head Boys of House and their deputies; your roles are invaluable and you have all gone above and beyond to aid the running of your respective Houses in addition to being involved in running numerous school events this year. My sincerest thanks also go to Toby and Adam, my Deputy Head Boys of School. You have both been incredibly committed and I have truly enjoyed working with both of you this year. A great deal of the work that all of the above have done has happened behind the scenes and sometimes goes unnoticed, so thank you from the entire AGS community for all the hours you have put in over the past 12 months.

Good luck to next year’s student leadership team of Finn Bell, Sam Carter and Sam Robertson, I hope it is a successful year for you all. It has been a pleasure to be Head Boy this year and it will always be a year I look back on with great fondness. Thank you.

Max Hutt – Paterson 13