The Canfordian 2022/23

Canfordian THE

C E N T E N A RY E D I T I O N

2022/23

the

canfordian

Contents SPEECH DAY 2023 3 SALVETE AND VALETE 6 THE CENTENARY 13 ACADEMIC 29 ENRICHMENT 38 PASTORAL 40 THE ARTS 53 COMMUNITY & PARTNERSHIPS 69 THE CANFORD COMMUNITY 74 BUILDING DEVELOPMENTS 77 OUTDOOR ENTERPRISES 78 SPORT 81 2023 LEAVERS’ BALL 91

The Headmaster speaks This is an abridged version of the speech delivered by the Headmaster at Speech Day on 30 June 2023.

‘There were many paths that led up into those mountains, and many passes over them. But most of the paths were cheats and deceptions and led nowhere or to bad ends; and most of the passes were infested by evil things and dreadful dangers. The dwarves and the hobbit, helped by the wise advice of Elrond and the knowledge and memory of Gandalf, took the right road to the right pass. Long days after they had climbed out of the valley and left the Last Homely House miles behind, they were still going up and up and up. It was a hard path and a dangerous path, a crooked way and a lonely and a long way. Now they could look back over the lands they had left, laid out behind them far below. Far, far away in the West, where things were blue and faint, Bilbo knew there lay his own country of safe and comfortable things, and his little hobbit-hole. He shivered. It was getting bitter cold up here, and the wind came shrill among the rocks.’

Just as Bilbo Baggins left the comfor t and security of The Shire to pursue his adventures across Middle Ear th in J R R Tolkien’s The Hobbit, so you are all now stepping out of a place which I hope has given you warmth and suppor t into a wider world which is both exciting but also challenging – although hopefully one with fewer orcs than Bilbo had to tackle!

On his adventures, Bilbo acquired insight, experience, skills and tools to help him along the way, and he learned much about his own strengths and weaknesses. In your time here we have sought to give you space to develop and grow organically and independently. Alongside this space we have also endeavoured to provide a framework which has maximised oppor tunity and potential so that you have the right skills and qualities in your bag – and the confidence and adaptability to use them at different times in different ways to suppor t good choices in life, professionally and personally.

You may not be fully aware of all this right now but I am sure that as the years ahead unfold, you will see and understand more clearly the value of the insight, expertise and experience you have absorbed and developed at Canford.

Canford opened 100 years ago with just 148 boys and nine masters and claimed to offer a general education embracing both classic and scientific elements, but just eight subjects were taught. There was little by way of ar ts, although music lessons were available at three guineas a term. The facilities were basic, although the prospectus stated: ‘The sanitation has been carefully examined and is as perfect as the most recent knowledge and skill can make it.’

We are now around 660 strong with a split of

65% boarders from a broad geographical spread and 35% day pupils from the local area. Our community is far more balanced and reflective of society, with the intake drawn from over 60 different schools in the UK and overseas. We are also a much better and stronger school for being truly co-educational, with 55% boys and 45% girls. Our outstanding team includes a dedicated Governing Body and Senior Leadership Team, over 100 highly qualified and wholly committed teaching and coaching staff and around 350 excellent suppor t staff. We are also blessed with some wonderful and hugely suppor tive parents and I thank you, too.

The vision of our founder, the Reverend Percy Warrington, was to place Canford amongst leading independent schools: a worthy aim which remained little more than an acorn for many years. Aside from the myriad achievements of our pupils across so many areas of school life, Reverend Warrington would have been very pleased also to see the national recognition afforded to Canford over the past year where we have been recognised through a number of awards and been shor tlisted for the Times Educational Supplement Best Senior Boarding School of the Year.

I think Rev. Warrington would be justifiably proud to see how the Canford acorn has emerged to become a strong and sturdy oak, well rooted and full of potential.

We are a warm, suppor tive, vibrant and dynamic community which draws strength from the threads of continuity alongside the capacity to embrace change.

When Rev. Warrington founded Canford in 1923, his aim was to ‘fit boys to take their place in the battle of life and develop their character in every way’. This foundation was based on Christian values focused on building a tolerant, caring and compassionate society for all. A century later, those values which our founder set out endure. You have heard me speak many times of our school values: purposeful engagement; courageous attitude; humble ambition; gracious leadership. I urge our leavers to hold these values close and reflect on them often as you step out on your journey. I am sure you will see the relevance they have in so many aspects of life and how putting them into practice can help you to navigate the difficult times and embrace the good times which lie ahead.

It has been such a privilege and a pleasure to work with the class of 2023, an inspiring and inspirational group of young people. As a staff we watch with excitement as they move into the wider world in the knowledge that they have so much to give, but there is a tinge of sadness as we say farewell after a journey which we have shared together. Please don’t lose touch with each other or our school community.

“This foundation was based on Christian values focused on building a tolerant, caring and compassionate society for all. A century later, those values which our founder set out endure.”

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ACADEMIC

speech day

Salvete & Valete Members of the academic staff who joined in 2022/23 Nathalie Elias, BSc, MA Nathalie joined Canford from Twynham School, Christchurch.

She currently teaches French from Fourth Form through to Upper Sixth and is responsible for preparing pupils for French oral examinations. In addition to her role at Canford, Nathalie is an online language coach for the French online learning app, Holy Owly, and is also an experienced translator and proofreader.

Elizabeth Haynes, BEd Elizabeth is a native Spanish speaker and is originally from Mexico, where she worked in both education and industry.

Elizabeth moved to the UK 21 years ago and since then has spent time teaching Spanish to both adults and children in schools and colleges across Dorset, sharing her love of her native language, culture and traditions.

Lee Mahony, BA, MLitt, PGCE Lee served in the Submarine Service before leaving to read History at the University of Liverpool. Graduating with a first-class honours degree, Lee went on to complete an MLitt before entering teacher training at Cambridge. In addition to teaching History at Canford, Lee coaches hockey and instructs cadets undergoing training with the CCF. He is an EPQ supervisor and a tutor in Wimborne House.

Alex McFetrich, BA, PGCE On completion of his Business Management degree from Newcastle University, Alex worked in marketing at Surrey County Cricket Club before moving to Bournemouth to take up a role at a craft drinks wholesaler. The emergence of Covid and lockdowns required a rethink and a move into education, with his teacher training and PGCE achieved while working at a boarding school in Romsey.

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Vicky O’Gorman, BSc Vicky has worked in Business Studies and Economics teaching roles in a range of different schools across the country both in the north of England and in Hampshire.

Beyond work, Vicky is kept busy with her three children and enjoys reading, yoga and visits to local beaches when time allows.

Catherine Perkins, BA, MPhil

Catherine joined Canford as a teacher of both Classics and Philosophy and Theology, following a period of research at Cambridge University.

Catherine is a Classical linguist and religious historian, specialising in the relationship between Graeco-Roman ‘mystery cults’ and early Christianity. She has recently been invited to present her research on archaeological and textual contextualisation of the New Testament at national and international conferences as an emerging subject specialist. Alongside teaching Classics and Theology, Catherine is passionate about supporting student welfare. Outside the classroom, Catherine enjoys learning new languages, reading and walking, and is an accomplished choral musician and cellist.

Paul Scott, MPhys, MSc, PGCE

Before joining Canford, Paul spent four years working in South Korea as a Physics teacher at North London Collegiate School, Jeju. Before moving into teaching, Paul worked as an environmental consultant specialising in environmental technologies. His hobbies include running, cycling and hiking.

TONJA ACKROYD Tonja came to Canford in 2013, initially as a Germanspeaking assistant for our Fifth Form pupils, before taking on the Sixth Form pupils as well. She then also taught Sixth Form classes, provided maternity cover for Shells and Fourth Form classes and taught individual pupils who were taking their IGCSE courses outside the main timetable. She was passionate about helping her pupils to enjoy their learning of the language and to communicate and gain the confidence to express themselves on a range of topics.

Originally from the state of Thüringen in the former East Germany, Tonja added an extra level of expertise and personal experience to our teaching of life in the GDR, the Cold War and the effects of reunification.

Tonja was able to explain these complex areas of history and politics in an accessible way, offering the pupils a different perspective to what they might have read in a textbook or seen in a documentary. This also fitted seamlessly with her teaching of the Pre-U cinema component under the theme of ‘Divided Germany’.

In her Sixth Form speaking lessons, she helped the pupils, both bilingual and non-native, to prepare compelling discussions on a wide variety of complex and challenging topics, ranging from Karl Marx, the Berlin Airlift and state-sponsored doping in the GDR to veganism in Germany, Germany’s renewable energy policy, Germany’s multiculturalism and much more besides.

The pupils really benefited from her patient, kind and supportive manner and she was always generous in providing additional sessions to anyone who needed or asked for them. For many of us, language learning is perhaps a uniquely personal process and Tonja’s sympathetic and encouraging approach helped to open up the language for her pupils, particularly for those who were hesitant or lacking in confidence. She covered selflessly for absent colleagues and willingly gave up her time to get involved in other activities and duties around the school. Her colleagues in the MFL department always appreciated how approachable and easy to talk to she was, as well as her reassuring presence.

We wish Tonja all the best as she moves on to the next stage of her career after ten years at Canford.

Richard Wilson

Salvete & Valete

Members of the academic staff who left in 2022/23 CAROLINE CHOUROU Caroline joined in 2020/21 as a full-time teacher in the Art Department. She started in the midst of the hardest year any of us have experienced in education. Following ten years teaching at Bryanston School, Caroline has also spent time working on her own practice as an artist.

In her own work she uses paper for its instant transformational possibilities; the materiality of paper, and its ability to create an embodied presence when folded and formed, moves it away from being a support for image-making. While employed as an architectural conservator, she used materials such as natural stone pigments, copper/gold leaf and steel to make structural and decorative repairs to ornate stone carvings and frescos.

Many of her practical skills, varied experiences and interests fed into the projects and activities Caroline delivered for the pupils. She tried hard to initiate the White Space Project where pupils could access the studios when they needed a supportive, inclusive, quiet space to be creative without the need for thinking about schoolwork. The hot chocolate and relaxed atmosphere created a haven for them. Caroline threw herself headfirst into every aspect of school life as a teacher, house tutor, badminton coach and colleague. Her energy and positivity when she arrived at Canford were infectious and encouraging. She gave wholeheartedly to the Art Department. We have lost a good colleague, but the next adventure in her life will be the most exciting and we wish her happiness.

Nicola Will

ALEX CRONIN Alex initially joined Canford as a graduate before continuing to become the school’s first Head of Athletic Development.

In that role he has had a real, positive impact in areas like nutrition across the school.

Not only did he make big strides in developing our high performers across a number of sports, he created an inclusive atmosphere and made everyone feel that they were welcome to use the gym facilities. This achievement was born of his fantastic personality and his ability to empathise with both staff and pupils. He will be tough to replace, but he has pioneered a very important role within the Sports Department that will hugely help our pupils in the future.

Tony Diprose

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Salvete & Valete

ANDREW FEARNLEY Approximately 30 years ago, a young, fresh-faced Andrew took the drastic step to move from the USA back to his native Britain. Armed with cowboy boots and a slight American twang, Andrew was employed as a teacher of Politics at Canford and resident tutor in Monteacute. He quickly made a reputation for himself amongst colleagues and pupils for his quick wit and devious sense of humour.

Andrew’s true passion was the annual History Department battlefields trip. As a keen military historian, he was, and continues to be, in his element when on these tours. Indeed, both Mark Rathbone and Keith Hay expect Andrew to be a contestant on Mastermind with the battlefields as his specialist subject. Andrew has relished showing pupils the many battlefield memorials but most of all, he enjoys digging for World War I artefacts. Back in the day, when health and safety did not really exist, Andrew used to take the pupils off into local fields to dig for artefacts. One year, a delighted pupil raised something in the air, shouting, ‘Sir, look what I found!’ The pupil was holding an undetonated shell, which Keith Hay promptly removed from him.

As Andrew’s teaching career progressed, his reputation amongst the pupils as an excellent practitioner was firmly established. Andrew has always worked extremely hard for his pupils, generously laying on extra after-hours clinics to support struggling students in Politics and History.

In return (not unreasonably), he expected his pupils to work equally hard for him. With the introduction of email, Andrew was able to chastise pupils not only verbally but also online, which he has used in abundance. When pupils have failed to live up to Andrew’s justifiably high expectations, they have received one of his typically sharply worded emails, which have become urban legends amongst the pupils and almost a badge of honour.

In 30 years, Andrew has witnessed a huge amount of change, with colleagues coming and going throughout that time, but Andrew has always been a steady source of wisdom for countless pupils and colleagues alike. In my first few years as HoD with the dark days of TAGs and CAGs, Andrew was always there to listen to me rant and swear and to offer help when needed. He has taught multiple generations, including current colleagues and their children, and it is a testament to his incredible career that all fondly remember being taught by Mr Fearnley.

A colleague with enviable experience, a track record of outstanding exam results and unparalleled historical and political knowledge, he will be sorely missed by the pupils, the department and the wider school community.

For all his wit, sharp tongue and bravado at times, Andrew is a generous, kind, caring, thoughtful and very gentle man. He possesses an oracle-like knowledge of life lessons far beyond any exam syllabus and will leave a huge void in the History and Politics Departments. I consider him a valuable friend as I know with certainty that if I ever needed him, professionally or personally, he would be at my side without hesitation. There is not a day that he doesn’t make me laugh, or frustrate me in equal measure, but there is no one quite like Andrew and I feel hugely privileged to have worked with him and to know him.

Rachel Lines

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DANIELLE POULTON Danielle joined Canford in September 2020 (right in the middle of the Covid pandemic) from Magna Academy – a significant change of scenery during ‘normal’ times, never mind in the era of face masks, lateral flow tests, quarantining of lab equipment between uses and, of course, long periods of time teaching remotely. She met all these challenges without breaking her stride, delivering excellent lessons and forging highly productive relationships with her students of all year groups. Her supreme levels of organisation, attention to detail and conscientiousness that she brought to her many roles, including as swimming coach, boarding house tutor and, of course, Biology teacher, earned her the trust of pupils and colleagues alike, and her calm guidance helped her many Sixth Form tutees navigate the tricky journey through A Levels. She leaves us to take up a position at Talbot Heath School with our thanks for all her hard work and dedication to the Biology Department.

Nick Warde

LUCY READ Lucy is leaving after her second spell at Canford, so received a more lengthy review of her time with us in the 2018/19 edition of this magazine. She rejoined the school as Head of Netball in 2021 following a period in the United Arab Emirates developing netball in schools and clubs. Throughout her Canford years, Lucy has been a really positive influence not only on the netball programme but on the Sports Department as a whole and we wish her well for the future.

Natasha Wilson

KRISTINA SYMONS Having started as deputy, Kristina became Head of SFL and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator. A strong character who believed in plain speaking, she didn’t believe in wasting time. No-one was better than she was at busting through the admin of applications for exam access arrangements. In quiet moments, though, she was always up for a cheeky chat, revealing her sense of fun and her ability to see the comical side of life. We will remember, too, her creativity, her great line in summer dresses and her love for French bulldogs – pupils were charmed when she brought in a puppy. Kristina also greatly enjoyed being a Fourth Form tutor in Lancaster.

Pagan Bishop

Janice joined us in November 2022 as maternity cover for Helen Ryan. An experienced teacher, Janice took little time in settling in and her no-nonsense approach to teaching drama meant that classes were cracking on with courses with little or no time wasted on ‘getting to know you’ sessions! Janice’s wealth of knowledge and examiner experience benefited not only her classes but also all drama classes and, working closely with Jack Shannon, she soon had Shell classes exploring a range of texts and the background behind each play. Alongside her classroom teaching, Janice directed a brilliant production of Find Me and also directed the Mechanical scenes in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, bringing plenty of slapstick comedy to this Shakespeare favourite. Many thanks, Janice, for your professionalism and we wish you well at Stowe School.

Rikki Jackson

Salvete & Valete

JANICE WRIGLEY

GRADUATE ASSISTANTS Ben Brunton-Douglas, who is moving on to Brighton College to get his PGCE, had a great positive outlook and assisted hugely across cricket and hockey.

Annabel Eglington did a fantastic job running the lacrosse programme almost single-handedly, was loved by the girls and created huge enthusiasm for the sport.

Two very good years from Adam Forbes saw him have real positive impacts on the pupils, particularly in cricket and hockey.

Rebecca Hooper gave great support to Lucy Read in netball throughout her year at Canford.

A vital part of the rowing programme, Isobel Nicholl will be missed and we wish her well on her travels.

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THE C ANFORD

Centenary

“The emphasis was also that whilst we wanted to reflect and celebrate Canford’s first 100 years, it was also important to look to the future.”

I was interviewed for the role of Development Director eight years ago in Autumn 2015 and I remember Headmaster Ben Vessey saying as part of my conversation with him at the time, ‘…and of course in 2023 Canford will celebrate its centenary, so we will be looking to the successful candidate to organise the celebrations….’ 2023 seemed a long way off at that point and a great deal has happened in the intervening years, but looking towards the centenary year has always been in the background.

A centenary steering group was formed and, following much discussion and ideas from staff and OCs, the decision was taken to ensure that events must involve the whole Canford community. Given the facts that Canford is a school first and foremost with a very hectic calendar and that the Development team consists of two people, the centenary focus would be on two main celebrations with some smaller events added here and there. The emphasis was also that whilst we wanted to reflect and celebrate Canford’s first 100 years, it was also important to look to the future.

Canford’s Christian foundations confirmed that a suitable setting would be required for the Foundation Service. On Friday 28 April over 1200 members of the Canford community, including pupils (travelling on thirteen coaches and ten minibuses), staff, parents and Old Canfordians, arrived at Salisbury Cathedral for a service at 10 am. We enjoyed fabulous music from Canfordians, staff and OCs, ably conducted by Director of Music Chris Sparkhall and accompanied on the organ

by OC James Aiken. The Introit, ‘Up’, was composed by OC Howard Moody especially for this service. Former staff members Richard Knott and Rev. James Dudley Smith addressed the congregation with a reflection and sermon respectively.

It felt only right that a celebration should take place at Canford. Along with the Foundation Service, Centenary Proms in the Park took around two years to plan.

Good weather for the day was crucial. A glorious day dawned on 25 June and guests gradually arrived and set up picnics on Mountjoy. They enjoyed mini Canford tours, played lawn games, rummaged through archive materials, bought Canford and OC memorabilia and finally enjoyed a spectacular concert, again performed

by Canford musicians. Some OCs, staff and parents took part in the opening number – the theme music from Chariots of Fire – with a starring role played by Headmaster Ben Vessey.

Other events marking the centenary included the launch of Always a Canfordian, a film which continues to be viewed by many across the globe, together with an archive film created to look back on Canford’s past through archive photographs. Staff joined in a centenary bake-off competition on Canford’s actual birthday, and Old Canfordians took part in a row-past at Henley Royal Regatta. At the end of the Christmas Term we unveiled a very special centenary sculpture.

Rowena Gaston

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THE CENTENARY

Service

“Many months in the planning, everything came together perfectly – musically, liturgically, logistically and even socially.”

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ON Friday 28 April, over 900 Canford pupils, parents, staff, OCs and guests came together to celebrate the school’s centenary with a service in Salisbury Cathedral.

It was a magnificent occasion held in one of the finest church buildings in the world. Many months in the planning, everything came together perfectly – musically, liturgically, logistically and even socially.

Mr Sparkhall, along with Mr Aiken on the organ, orchestrated a musical feast fit for the occasion. The service began with the choir, at the west end of the cathedral, singing a specially composed anthem, ‘Up’, by OC Howard Moody – an appropriately uplifting setting of the school Psalm (121). The processional hymn, ‘All my hope on God is founded’, raised the roof and there was a clear sense that we were part of something very special.

The Headmaster and the outgoing Head of School, Mia Ashby-Rudd, brought two scripture readings, before the combined choirs sang Walton’s ‘Jubilate Deo’. Former Deputy Head and School Archivist Richard Knott then shared a brief history of Canford. Not shying away from difficult times around the Great Depression and World War 2, when the school’s future was in doubt, Richard opened our eyes to aspects of Canford’s heritage of which many would have been ignorant, while at the same time reminding us of Rev. Percy Warrington’s vision for a school with a distinctively Christian ethos.

A rousing rendition of ‘Bread of Heaven’ preceded the sermon by former French teacher and now vicar of St John’s, Yeovil, Rev. James Dudley-Smith. Speaking from the parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew’s

version of the Sermon on the Mount, James reminded us of the difference between cleverness and wisdom, showing how Jesus claimed that true wisdom was found in hearing and putting into practice his teaching: ‘Words of love to the rejected, words of forgiveness to the guilty, words of grace and truth and holiness. Words of wisdom such as the world has never heard before or since.’

Words upon which our school was founded.

Following the sermon, the combined choirs performed ‘Hear my words, ye people’ by Parry, with Thomas Sparkhall and Eliana Covell singing beautiful solos, which led directly into the next congregational hymn, ‘O praise ye the Lord’, and a chance for pupils and staff to attempt the much-practised ‘Amens’ at the end. After a short time of prayer, all that was left was to sing the unofficial school anthem, ‘Jerusalem’, as the recessional hymn.

After the service, many lingered to enjoy catching up with friends and family, not least OCs and former staff who gathered in the cloisters to share stories and enjoy refreshments. It was a deep joy to see so many together to celebrate and to thank God for 100 years of Canford.

Special thanks must go to Rowena Gaston and the Development team for masterminding the logistics and to Mr Salmon for implementing the unenviable task of transporting 800 or so pupils and staff to Salisbury first thing on a Friday morning – and then he went straight to Dartmoor for Ten Tors over the exeat! And finally, thanks to Salisbury Cathedral and its staff for making us so welcome and for being warm and accommodating to us in so many ways.

Rev. Philip Jack

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THE CANFORD CENTENARY

Canford Centenary

PROMS IN THE PARK

Over 2,200 past and present pupils, staff, families, members of the local community and other friends associated with Canford gathered on Sunday 25 June for a ‘Proms in the Park’ garden party to mark the school’s centenary year.

Guests, including OCs spanning every decade from the 1940s to the 2020s, arrived in glorious sunshine to picnic on the lawns. There were tours of the school, art workshops, and lawn games to entertain children and adults alike until 3pm, when the centenary music concert began on the outdoor stage with Canford Manor as an impressive backdrop.

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IN 100 OBJECTS Left: The author presents the Headmaster with a copy of Canford in 100 Objects.

“Between them, the objects needed to cover the whole of Canford’s history, with a reasonable balance between the different areas of school life.”

LOOKING at Canford now, it is very difficult to believe that for much of its first 25 years, the school’s future was in doubt. Percy Warrington’s energy and ambition, which allowed him to found a dozen schools and colleges, generated optimism amongst Canford’s pioneers, but that was soon tempered by real life. Those first 25 years included a stuttering start under Clarence School’s popular Headmaster, who didn’t enjoy the new role he had to play (or working for the demanding Warrington); a major fire; Warrington’s dodgy financial dealings that would have led to bankruptcy had Legal & General insurance not stepped in; and then the war.

All this was written about in more detail in Michael Rathbone’s excellent 1983 history, so enough has been said about that period. Rathbone’s book influenced how we would celebrate Canford’s centenary. A number of people expected a new history, but the first sixty years had already been well covered and, once the decision had been taken to publish something, there was too little time to do the necessary research needed for an updated history.

I was keen to write something that could be enjoyed by those who hadn’t been to Canford, so decided not to focus on individuals or the success of particular sports teams. It was while walking the dog that my wife suggested that I should join those following in the footsteps of Neil McGregor’s History of the World in 100 Objects. I set some ground rules: any object chosen

must still exist, so that it could be photographed, and it needed to act as a hook on which to hang something important in Canford’s history. Ideally it would be unique to Canford, although that requirement could be flexible if there was an interesting story attached to it. A 20thcentury concordance is not in itself that interesting, but if it was used by John Hardie to prepare his sermons, it becomes less ordinary. Between them, the objects needed to cover the whole of Canford’s history, with a reasonable balance between the different areas of school life.

Below: A 1930s spectroscope which works as well as it did then. The Physics Department still use it occasionally.

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The History of Canford

THE CANFORD CENTENARY Above: Kenneth Uprichard, Dr Julian Reade and Prof. John Russell inspect the Assyrian frieze in May 1992.

Above right: Derek Shackleton wore this MCC sweater when coaching at Canford. It was bought recently in an auction.

“This was not going to be just a coffee table book filled with beautiful images, but the photographs would add interest and variety.”

Right: The crested vegetable dish from the 1930s.

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Whereas McGregor had the vast collection of the British Museum to select from, my choice was much more limited. There was also a huge imbalance in what the archive held: lots of things made of paper (drawings, letters, programmes, posters) or connected to sport (cups, banners, clothing, equipment), but much less directly linked to the pastoral and academic sides. The good news was that there were some interesting and unexpected objects (such as a maths prep written by a ten year-old boy in 1923), but there certainly were not a hundred that were worthy of inclusion. However, if I was short of objects, I certainly wasn’t short of photographs, so planned to use several to support each of the headline objects. This was not going to be just a coffee table book filled with beautiful images, but the photographs would add interest and variety.

The search for suitable objects began. I tracked down the children of former Headmasters, wrote to all OCs, trawled through the boxes in the archive, visited all the departments in the school and spoke to a number of former staff. Choosing some objects was very straightforward: the Assyrian frieze, the original Grant of Arms and remnants of the mediaeval manor house discovered when foundations for the Beaufort building were being dug would all feature. We also had a number of things inherited from the Guest family, some of which were quite valuable, but others were harder to find.

What would represent co-education? Or boarding?

Or parents? For several important areas of school life there seemed to be nothing suitable. At the other end of the spectrum, we had a few objects that were very interesting, but there was no obvious area which they could represent: a piece of the Berlin Wall, a volcanic bomb and a first edition of Tennyson’s Morte d’Arthur probably fell into that category.

There was also a small number of objects which were interesting in themselves, but it was far from clear whether it was right to include them. A piece of bamboo that might have been used as a cane by prefects was one such item and a Polynesian skull, given to the school in the 1970s, was another. The final group were the ones that were offered but then could not be found, such as the Bridge Tie, commissioned by the large group of pupils who were sent home for a time by Martin Marriott after being found drinking on the old railway bridge, halfway down Lady Wimborne’s Drive.

That the school should own some of the objects is surprising in itself. Clive Chancellor, who had been a

Left: Probyn March taught geography at Canford while doing his teacher training in 1951. He is Canford’s oldest surviving teacher and now lives in Jamaica after being their ambassador in Paris.

“A silver music baton, given to the music master at Clarence School in 1886, found its way to Canford via Australia after I had spotted an article about it online.”

Frank Ahern, my predecessor as archivist, read every word and made some important suggestions (as well as writing the articles on Martin Marriott and English). Ben Vessey did the same, despite a busy workload, and I am very grateful to both of them.

The book was my swansong as archivist, since Jess Bichard will be taking over in September. Although writing it has been my main focus for the last eighteen months, I have uploaded hundreds of photographs onto the new archive website. They include a number of informal ones as well as the more obvious school, house and team groups. A large number were unannotated and it is quite hard to work out the year when they were taken, or even what they are (an athletics team looks very similar to a boxing team or cross-country team when they are wearing vests). I enjoyed the challenge of ascribing dates and names, but there will be mistakes, so please send Jess any corrections and/or names, using archive@canford.com.

Richard Knott

Left: The DSO and bar, two of the medals awarded to Alan ‘Sticky’ Murphy, the most decorated OC during the war.

Below: The finished volume.

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THE CANFORD CENTENARY

pupil then teacher at Clarence School before becoming a long-serving member of staff and Housemaster at Canford, was a great hoarder. His squirrel-like tendencies mean that our early records are more complete than some later years and several of his jottings have been very revealing: the ten-year-old’s maths prep was on the back of one of his sheets of paper and the original allocation of rooms in the Manor House on another.

Other objects arrived through unusual routes. A silver music baton, given to the music master at Clarence School in 1886, found its way to Canford via Australia after I had spotted an article about it online. The medals belonging to our most decorated OC were tracked down to South Africa, where his grandson now lives, and an unsorted box of drama miscellanea included a photograph of the experts from the British Museum accompanying Prof. John Russell when they inspected the Assyrian frieze before it had been identified as genuine. An earthenware vegetable dish with the Canford crest on it was discovered in a bric-à-brac shop by an eagle-eyed member of staff and only a few months ago, the Guests’ visiting players book, dating back to 1886 when the court was built, was discovered when a cupboard in the Real tennis court was being tidied.

I wanted the book to be interesting and occasionally to surprise, but the subject matter of the photos was more important to me than their photographic quality; those taking them were not all professionals.

In addition, Ben Vessey was keen for there to be pupil involvement. I feared that this might add to my workload, but in fact a good solution emerged. Daniel Deng, an Upper Sixth pupil interested in photography, took photographs of most of the objects (helped by Lucas Francis) and the art scholars were asked to complete drawings of the objects which were then included at the start of each section.

Their contributions are certainly a significant addition to the book.

THE CANFORD CENTENARY

Centenary Music A PUPIL’S VIEW

“What an honour to play for such an extraordinary occasion, on probably the biggest instrument I shall ever face.”

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IT is no secret that music at Canford is really rather special, and being part of the wonderful centenary celebrations was nothing short of marvellous! Amongst the dazzling array of musical delights already on offer throughout the Canford year, two tiny gaps were found in the calendar for two mighty and much celebrated events.

Resplendent in the April sunshine, Salisbury Cathedral was the perfect host for the centenary foundation service. Fervent rehearsal was duly rewarded as the combined choirs, enriched enthusiastically by a sprinkling of staff and alumni, delighted in sharing rousing hymns, stunning anthems, and a beautiful original composition by OC Howard Moody. Musicians at Canford enjoy a great many unique and inspiring experiences as they journey through their studies. I have particularly enjoyed learning to play the organ and was thrilled to be entrusted with playing a voluntary, alongside fellow pupil Tom Clark and the wonderfully talented Mr Aiken, before the service began. What an honour to play for such an extraordinary occasion, on probably the biggest instrument I shall ever face.

Gorgeous June weather brought the Canford community together once again for the centenary

garden party featuring Proms in the Park, and what a treat it was! Staging the entire combined ensembles, including seasoned musicians from the wider Canford community, was an impressive sight, with our striking Manor House as backdrop. Mr Vessey thrilled us with his courageous opening B flat in ‘Chariots of Fire’ which he then repeated, on the beat (almost!), throughout the whole piece. Jazz Band has always been a muchloved feature of my Canford life and toes were certainly tapping to favourites including ‘Mr Blue Sky’ and ‘Sir Duke’. As a percussionist, however, my personal highlight had to be our West Side Story medley. There was so much content that percussion instruments were flying everywhere, with nature adding her own dramatic embellishments via fluttering sheet music and clattering music stands toppling in the breeze.

As a 2023 leaver, I now proudly call myself an Old Canfordian, but I will always remember sneaking a peek from the organ loft as the eager congregation filled the cathedral and gazing over the partying park from behind my timpani, feeling immense joy in being a part of such a vibrant, enduring community.

Erin Bruce

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PROMS IN THE PARK IN the dark depths of December, Mr Sparkhall sits in his office in the music school, praying for sun. He does so a little too successfully; by the end of summer, it is close to 30 degrees and, in the last moments before pupils ascend the stage, staff are rapidly trying to stretch the sun cream. Against the stunning backdrop of the Manor House, days before have been filled with al fresco furniture moves, stage set-ups and pyrotechnic rehearsals. MCs, stage technicians and engineers have all worked tirelessly. Some musicians are already looking a little pink following dress rehearsals in the park.

Others, plagued by humidity, desperately try to tune their instruments for a fourth time. The brass section don bow ties and sunglasses. Mr Aiken finds his golden waistcoat and Mr Sparkhall his straw trilby. Older pupils softly whisper their news to one another, having returned for one of their last times to Canford after examination leave. Juniors share tips on which food stall they’ll be aiming for after their piece is through. The livestream flickers onto the music school screens. The tension is palpable. The crowd await. Then it’s time: the Proms in the Park concert is under way.

Mr Vessey, today Canford’s own Mr Bean, begins his solo. The crowd relaxes into the familiar melody of ‘Chariots of Fire’. Pupils of all years are joined by community musicians: staff, parents and OCs. The musicians finish to thunderous applause and look out to a sea of faces of families and pupils past, present and future, transported to a realm of symphonic splendour – all while snacking on sumptuous picnic spreads.

There is a moment of pause as the music lingers. But not for long. It’s back to reality as the concert continues apace, with stage changes, instrument swaps and pupil and conductor rotations. From ‘Jupiter’ to jazz, swing to soul, the music soars. Backstage, clipboards in hand, no one rests until everyone is back on stage for Beethoven’s Fifth. As a breeze brings light relief to most, Mrs Holloway clutches her music particularly closely. It is her job to launch the pyrotechnics, but they cannot be set

off if there is any risk of harm. While the audience watch on, blissfully unaware of the complex logistic plan that has now been set in action, staff muster at each corner of the Sunken Lawn, breathing in each crescendo, watching each beat of the conductor’s baton until, at the last chord, sparks fly to gasping breaths. We did it.

The Proms in the Park was a celebration not only of the centenary but of the power of music to unite and uplift. From backstage to the audience, the event brought all members of the Canford community together in a way that transcended the boundaries of age and background. Credit is due especially to our music staff for their Herculean efforts in planning and rehearsing for the concert and to the indomitable spirit of our pupils, who so finely rose to the occasion despite the unforgiving heat. As the sun dipped below the horizon and the final echoes of the music hung over the park, there was a palpable sense of fulfilment among all who had gathered, tinged with confidence that the legacy of music at Canford will grow ever stronger over its next 100 years.

If you would like to watch the event for yourself, the Proms in the Park concert can still be streamed on the Music Youtube channel (@CanfordMusic).

Catherine Perkins

“From backstage to the audience, the event brought all members of the Canford community together in a way that transcended the boundaries of age and background.”

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THE CANFORD CENTENARY

Canford Centenary FROM CRICKET TO C AKES Three old oak trees on the golf course. These, more than any others, speak to me of ancient parkland and the Park in the heyday of Lord and Lady Wimborne.

100 TREES I came to trees late in life. Having spent many years farming before coming to Canford, I had been apprenticed to mentors who viewed the land as a means of food production with limited regard for environmental benefits. Canford has enabled me to view things in a different way with the trees of the Park being an important part of that. So for the centenary, I wanted to highlight the richness and diversity of the tree stock here. Starting 100 days before Speech Day, I would use one photo and some words a day to showcase 100 trees for 100 years of the school on the school’s internal media site. With their busy lives, I’m sure many staff and pupils are unaware of or unable to fully enjoy what is here. If, by publicising this, I could encourage just one person (hopefully a pupil) to appreciate the value of trees much earlier in life than they would otherwise have done, then the project would be a success.

With a self-guided tree tour of about 100 trees already in place, I thought it would be reasonably straightforward to base everything around that. It all took a little bit longer to prepare than anticipated, but I enjoyed doing it and others seemed to enjoy the results. Andrew Powell kindly agreed to host two tree tours allied to the project also. I used to think trees blocked the view but now they are the view.

Kerry Mapp, Grounds and Gardens Manager

‘ALWAYS A CANFORDIAN’ VOOP PRODUCTIONS, a video production company producing content for brands and business and owned

by Will Holloway (OC), was tasked to create the main video to celebrate Canford’s centenary year.

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Will met with the marketing and development teams and it was agreed that the film had to work as both a centenary and a wider marketing piece. After exploring various options, the concept that was decided upon saw various OCs returning to the school and interacting with the environment and the students while reflecting on how Canford had informed their lives going forward.

The film also featured many members of the school community stating various tenets about what Canford meant to them, and a scene with Ben Vessey and the two previous Headmasters, John Lever and Martin Marriott.

The film was shot over several days in the Summer and Christmas Terms with a full production team, including a drone pilot, and covered various areas around the school. It was released with great success and praise and everyone involved was delighted with the result!

Watch the film on Canford’s YouTube channel.

Will Holloway

TO commemorate Canford’s centenary, award-winning sculptor Zoë Wilson was commissioned to create a sculpture for the school that reflects the ethos and values of this special community. The inspiration for this piece came through Zoë’s research visits to Canford. She felt a strong sense of the spirit of the school, articulated in Canford’s four core values couplets of Purposeful Engagement, Humble Ambition, Gracious Leadership and Courageous Attitude. Zoë designed a complex geometric pattern to represent these values, consisting of 8 interconnecting circles carved into a sphere. Each circle is integral to the pattern, reminding the viewer of the significance of every value for a well-rounded individual and community. Recognising the sculptural nature of carvings, Zoë has created a work that invites the viewer to move around the piece, looking at it from different angles, watching the pattern change. The stone is incredibly tactile, and the sharp edges of the cut against the smooth polished surface tempt the viewer to trace a finger over the surface. Zoë says: ‘My carving is simple in its manufacture, using only a mallet and chisel. Geometry relies on perfect accuracy to create intricate patterns. I feel our eyes have become accustomed to seeing the precision that machine production creates, raising the bar for traditional crafts. The chisel marks seen in the finished carving remind the viewer that this is handmade.’

To contrast the style of Zoë’s work, the qualities of the stone and process of carving, we also commissioned Brighton-based illustrator Fay Troote to develop and create a large-scale collaborative mural to grace the wall at the entrance to the Art School. This exciting project aims to celebrate the community, heritage and beauty of Canford by incorporating the rich history, iconic architecture, natural wonders, and vibrant community that define Canford. By bringing together the collective talents, stories and imaginations of pupils, the mural is a living tribute to this wonderful place. A series of summer workshops provided pupils with the exciting opportunity to contribute their unique talents, perspectives, textures and creative ideas, helping to form the foundation of

STOWE THE centenary year saw us organise a number of fixtures across sports with Stowe, which shares both the same founder and the same anniversary as ourselves.

Although poor weather took its toll on a number of the

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THE ART LEGACY

the final mural design. Created using a combination of Photoshop and hand-printed techniques, where vibrant colours, textures and characters inspired by our pupils are digitally interwoven, the large-scale final mural stands as a dynamic celebration of the spirit of Canford.

Nicola Will

arranged fixtures at various times during the year, it was great to see our hockey players, golfers and cricketers in competitive and exciting fixtures. The highlight of this friendly competition saw an Old Canfordian VIII involved alongside Old Stoics in a ceremonial row-past on the Tuesday of Henley Royal Regatta.

Tony Diprose

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THE WHOLE SCHOOL WALK AT the early stages of planning for the centenary, the idea of a sponsored walk around Dorset was suggested.

In the event, the whole Canford community came together in a remarkable demonstration of solidarity and commitment to undertake a challenging yet gratifying journey. The event not only tested the physical capabilities of those who took part but also showcased their dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of others.

Devastatingly, in July 2022, Canford lost a muchloved member of its community: Bella Linley-Adams, daughter of Laura (teacher of Biology and former Salisbury housemistress) and Will (teacher of Biology and Housemaster of Franklin). Despite being vaccinated against the disease, she sadly passed away from a variant of meningitis called pneumococcal meningitis, which the vaccines currently cannot protect against.

The 20-mile walk thus took on a dual purpose: not only to celebrate the centenary but to raise money for the Meningitis Research Foundation, who work hard to continue updating vaccines to protect more people from meningitis. Being a passionate and tightly knit school community, we wanted to support Will and Laura in their desire to help fund research which could make life-saving differences to other families and other communities.

Preparations had been going on for months to ensure that the day would be a success – the route rehearsed, staff selected, authorisations acquired, portaloos positioned, marshals manoeuvred, snacks stacked-up and lunch laid out. The whole community had been keen to play their part and were generous with their time: all of the teachers were walking or standing in the sun at pre-arranged locations, and there was also enthusiastic assistance from catering, HR, admissions, marketing, development, the drivers and the health centre. The question was: how would the pupils respond?

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The sun-filled morning buzzed with anticipation as the participants gathered by Lancaster Lawn to begin the walk. The sudden realisation that they were really going to walk 20 miles resulted in a few nervous faces.

Some wondered whether they would even make it to lunch. In fact, the pupils were fantastic. They simply got on with it without complaining and supported each other to ensure that they got round. Some provided a musical soundtrack, some bribed themselves with sugary snacks and a few even distracted themselves by playing ‘I Spy’ in Spanish. The marshals supplied plenty of supportive words but the pupils’ determination shone through. ‘We need to get this done for Mr LinleyAdams’ was the mantra for one group. Overall, the rate of progress round the route surprised the organisers – some of the pupils were so fast that many marshals were only just in place as the first of them arrived. It is no surprise that Franklin were determined to be the first group back.

It was a circular walk, starting at school and going through Horton, Witchampton and Badbury Rings before returning through Wimborne. It presented both physical and mental challenges as participants traversed varied terrain, climbed steep hills and battled fatigue, but the lush green landscapes and some of the best countryside Dorset has to offer added a touch of tranquillity to the event. Above all, the unwavering support from fellow-walkers and the enthusiasm of the marshals on the sidelines served as a constant source of motivation. The countless moments of achievement and triumph etched smiles on the faces of participants, who found resilience within themselves they didn’t know existed. The result was that 99% of the participants completed the walk, many in times far quicker than the organisers had anticipated.

The walk left an indelible mark, not only on the participants but also on the wider community. All of the funds raised during the event were donated to the Meningitis Research Foundation, where they continue to further improve vital defences against meningitis.

Beyond the immediate impact, however, the event left a lasting legacy, reinforcing the spirit of giving, compassion and community involvement that will endure long beyond the final steps of the walk. It was a shining example of what can be achieved when a community comes together.

David Neill

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CANFORD IN STITCHES I thought it would be a great idea to commemorate Canford’s centenary by doing a cross-stitch of the school building. I picked a photo from the many that Paul West shared with me and sent the image to an online company who would convert the picture into a workable chart in pdf format. This was then uploaded into an app on my tablet, which allowed me to electronically mark off the stitches I had completed, rather than using the old-fashioned paper format. The project used 100 different colours, with each one having an assigned symbol; when this symbol was selected, the app would highlight where all the same symbols were in the chart, which allowed me to see where I needed to put the next stitch with that same colour.

The cross-stitch was started on 14 June 2022 and the final stitch was put in on 19 February 2023. Through this time I worked on it for 148 days, fitting it around many other projects that I was doing in this same time frame, to ensure that there was a variety and I didn’t get bored with just one project. The total stitch count was 125,268 stitches, and the sky alone was just over 26,000 stitches, using three different shades of blue.

When walking through the school grounds, I would visualise where I was on the cross-stitch. It gave me great pleasure to create this artwork and to help to commemorate Canford’s centenary celebrations.

Wendy Tobin

THE WHOLE SCHOOL PHOTO HISTORICALLY, teaching staff and pupils have been part of the biennial Canford whole school photograph, but for our centenary year we wanted to extend this to all support staff too. Tempest Photography confirmed we could include up to 1000 people, and we nearly reached that figure in a celebratory centenary shot.

Our own in-house photographer, Paul West, captured the moment on a brilliant timelapse camera which you can see on our Canford YouTube channel.

David Neill

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BAKE-OFF

THE EYTON PAINTING ANTHONY Eyton RA is the last of the Euston Road painters, a group founded in October 1937 by William Coldstream, Victor Pasmore and Claude Rogers. The group had its pre-war premises at 314-316 Euston Road and later emerged at the Camberwell School of Art after 1945. This group became synonymous with aesthetically pleasing paintings derived from close observation, precise measurement, subtle use of colours, structural composition, and balance.

Anthony began his artistic journey as a boarder in Beaufort in 1941. He received guidance from Ian Fleming Williams and William Coldstream. Coldstream remained a significant influence on Anthony’s work, leading him to join Camberwell School of Art in 1947 after his demobilisation from the Army. In 1976 he was elected a Royal Academician.

Anthony’s dedication to direct observation and meticulous study allows him to capture the essence, history and intangible essence of each place he paints.

For him, a landscape is not just a picturesque view but something to be experienced from all angles. He was strongly influenced by Constable, whose belief that ‘painting is another word for feeling’ resonates in his work. The proximity of the river and mill at Canford drew him closer to Constable’s works.

Anthony approached Canford a couple of years ago with the offer to paint the school and present the finished piece to Canford for its centenary – which happened to coincide with his own 100th birthday!

He finally made it to Canford in June 2021. He spent two days at Canford in June 2021 and produced a beautiful painting which was personally presented to the Headmaster in May this year, in the week following Anthony’s own centenary. It now graces a wall in the new Canford Guest Room for visitors.

There is a limited edition of fifteen signed giclée prints available to purchase from www.markflawnthomas.com/ canford.

Rowena Gaston

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WELL it wouldn’t be a birthday without cake!

On Canford’s actual birthday – Monday 15 May – we invited all staff to enter the Canford Centenary Bake-Off. There were two categories: a single cake, or 8-12 small/cup cakes. The theme was Canford’s centenary and it was to be judged by Lee, our Development Chef, on presentation and taste. It was a fun competition – we weren’t looking for a Star Baker! We simply thought it would be a nice way to celebrate Canford’s actual birthday with all staff.

We were delighted with the response, as were staff who all joined us in John o’Gaunt’s at break time to admire and share the cakes that had been made. We had everything from a perfectly baked Victoria sandwich to a cake in the form of Canford Manor and everything in between. And to make it the perfect birthday celebration, there was even a rendition of Happy Birthday!

We weren’t keen to focus on a winner as it was far more about taking part and sharing some great bakes. However, our expert judge, who took his role very seriously, awarded first prize for presentation to Anna McEvoy (Admissions) and first prize for taste to Sam Crouch (English Department).

Rowena Gaston

ACADEMIC ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ Peter Drucker THERE is no doubt that as a school, Canford has strong systems and resources in place to support our pupils academically. These include, but are not limited to, academic and pastoral monitoring and interventions, regular and useful assessments, subject clinics, talented and dedicated teachers and a staff development programme with a real focus on teaching and learning.

More importantly, we have an incredibly strong, community-wide culture and ethos.

As a result, Canfordians once again thrived inside and outside the classroom by grasping the wonderful learning opportunities available. Pleasingly, the academic year culminated with some amazing examination results at both A Level/Pre-U and GCSE. There was some forceful and fairly relentless messaging from the Department of Education aimed at rebalancing results and recalibrating expectations after the last few years, all of which have had some element of Covid-related grade inflation baked into the outcomes. This year schools had been heavily advised to use 2019 examination results as a yardstick.

Consequently, we are delighted with the outcomes of our Upper Sixth and Fifth Form pupils: Canford’s overall results are extremely strong, significantly higher than in 2019 and in line with some of the best results we have ever achieved.

At A Level/Pre-U, 30% of all the examination grades were A*, with 66.4% at A*/A. At GCSE, 23.1% of grades were at level 9 (higher than the old A*) and 72% were at 9-7 (A*/A). These results far exceed the national average and the average results within the independent sector.

The cold hard data is impressive but behind the statistics we really see the commitment, emotional resilience, dedication and collaboration that ensure that our pupils succeeded so well. Quite simply put, they were extremely well supported by their teachers (and support staff) but they were also prepared to put the hard graft in and apply the time and effort required to really learn and understand and properly practise and prepare. Often easily said but not so easily done.

It would be easy to overlook the impact that Covid lockdowns had on these two particular year groups.

The Fifth Form’s ‘foundational’ experience at Canford was significantly disrupted and the Upper Sixth had not had the experience of sitting any public examinations.

We can therefore be extremely pleased with the way they have overcome the obstacles and difficulties in front of them to secure such impressive results.

Strong academic outcomes don’t happen by chance.

As always, our thanks go to our colleagues, governors, parents and especially our hard-working pupils. All of these make up a community which strives to create an educational environment which has high expectations of each other and just enough pressure

(and a significant amount of support) to ensure that our children have the opportunities to flourish and thrive.

As I have stated before, academic success should never be measured merely by examination results.

Right through the whole year, pupils in all year groups have benefited from a smörgåsbord of activities, clubs, academic extension tasks, societies, house events, socials, sport, music and drama.

I believe that Aristotle was correct when he argued that the point of human life is to seek eudaimonia (human flourishing). This is not something that is easy nor can it be done quickly. Lifelong learning is a mindset and I believe our Canford community (polis) is set up to allow our pupils to develop the attitude and mindset of intellectual curiosity and a willingness to try (and perhaps fail in order to learn) and progress. Like all good communities, this culture is built upon a requirement to look beyond oneself, to be kind and supportive of each other – to have common shared experiences and a real sense of purpose and belonging.

It is not true that ‘education is wasted on the young’.

Rather, it is vital to get the foundations, frameworks and culture in place to allow people the best chance to grow and flourish throughout their lives. As Albert Einstein said, ‘Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.’ We strive hard to ensure that our own pupils are exposed to ideas and opportunities that challenge them and help them grow academically but also as fully rounded, interesting human beings.

It is easy to be ‘cheesy’ or overly sycophantic and offer insincere flattery, but I find myself reflecting on the achievements, outcomes and – most importantly – attitudes of our pupils, colleagues and community over the last year and I am incredibly proud to be part of it.

Ieuan Weir, Deputy Head (Academic)

“It would be easy to overlook the impact that Covid lockdowns had on these two particular year groups.”

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ACADEMIC

Biology “These results were in no small part down to the extraordinary togetherness and collective determination of the whole group, driving each other onwards in a way that highlights the Canford academic culture at its best.”

Right: Upper Sixth pupils building molecules to understand their structures better.

As the Covid pandemic became an ever-more-distant memory, fading into the depths of the rear-view mirror (but leaving behind the undoubted feeling that we are destined for a reunion someday), the Biology Department enjoyed another year of good old-fashioned normality.

Our group of 56 Upper Sixth biologists, the largest cohort we have had for many years, delivered some excellent A Level results that were right up there with the best of their predecessors: 30% A*s, 66% A*-A. These results were in no small part down to the extraordinary togetherness and collective determination of the whole group, driving each other onwards in a way that highlights the Canford academic culture at its best. We congratulate and send best wishes to all of them as they proceed to their next steps. At GCSE we also saw marked successes, albeit against the nationwide backdrop of a reeling in of the Covid-era generosity in grading at this level.

This year saw Canford host a new experience for our prospective pupils of medicine, veterinary science or dentistry, with the visit of a team of cardiothoracic surgeons from St George’s Hospital, London. They provided a surgical taster session, sharing an insight into their careers in cardiothoracic surgery, including their routes into medicine and surgery through university and various training courses after medical school. The pupils were given the chance to try their hand at a range of surgical skills, including tying off blood vessels at depth, applying various forms of sutures to wounds, inserting and securing chest drains in a pig thorax, and finally testing their hand-eye co-ordination and keyhole surgical skills on a VATS (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery) simulator.

This was the first time that the team at St George’s had run a session of this kind in a school, and all three of our visitors were really impressed at how enthusiastically our pupils got involved and how quickly they picked up these key surgical skills. We will certainly be looking to repeat this in the coming years.

I must finish by expressing my most sincere gratitude to my colleagues in the Biology Department for all of their hard work and dedication to the pupils under their tutelage. Particular thanks to Danielle Poulton, who leaves us after three years, and Andrew Powell who retires (again!) after many years of service to Canford.

Nick Warde

Chemistry There were street protests across the world from Hong Kong to Chile, Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion emerged, Teresa May resigned and was replaced by Boris Johnson as Brexit continued to divide the nation and Donald Trump was first impeached. These events of 2019 were the same year as that when pupils last sat ‘real’ exams, until this summer. After CAGs, TAGS and pre-release material, it was incredible how well the Upper Sixth performed at A Level. The hallmark of any school and department therein is the performance of its pupils, and we are proud to report that the Chemistry Department continues to excel in this regard. The dedication of colleagues and, more importantly, the hard work of our pupils culminated in 30% of pupils achieving an A*, over 70% an A or A* and 100% a C or better. This achievement underscores the department’s commitment

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to maintaining rigorous academic standards and fostering a superb learning culture.

GCSE results were also magnificent as the pupils were sitting meaningful exams for the very first time. With over 50% achieving a 9/8 (equivalent to an A*), over 80% 9-7 (equivalent to an A) and 100% pass rate, all the pupils should be proud of their accomplishments.

A number of pupils sat the RSC Chemistry Olympiad (aimed at Upper Sixth) and the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge (aimed at Lower Sixth). Well done to our gold award winners: Charlotte Kersey in both, Michael Huang in the former and Adriano Hedley in the latter. We also had five silver awards in each. Such challenging competitions are sat by only the very brightest pupils in the country and these awards are very significant achievements.

All of the Lower Sixth took part in the RSC Schools’ Analyst Competition, which consists of a series of practicals to hone their skills. This year’s winners were Dominic Bates, Adriano Hedley and Eddie Quick.

These remarkable achievements in both academic examinations and prestigious competitions underscore the department’s unwavering commitment to excellence.

Our expertise, tireless dedication and passion for teaching, combined with our pupils’ enthusiasm and determination, have propelled us to even greater heights.

Gary Shaw

Classics The highlight of another great year for the Classics Department was undoubtedly our trip to Athens and Delphi in February. Despite our use of VR and other technologies to ‘visit’ these places, the opportunity to see the sites, statues, art and buildings in person cannot be beaten. The fifth- and sixth-formers came away with both wonderful memories and the first-hand knowledge that enriches their understanding of the culture.

We also had our annual visit to the British Museum for the GCSE years, where the pupils can, once again, appreciate the material culture they have been studying.

We have decided to introduce some more Roman culture into the Latin GCSE and so took the Fourth Form to Bath, the examination of which site, along with Roman villas, is part of the new paper they will sit. As we benefit from living in ‘Roman Britain’ in Canford’s local area, we managed to visit Rockbourne Roman villa and Maiden Castle, too.

The Shells embraced our new course, and we continue this year to eat Roman food, play Roman games and follow the life of Sabina in 64AD. After our celebration of

the centenary of the school, my colleagues and I were invited to visit Salisbury Cathedral’s library. Not open to the public, it contains an astounding collection of original Greek and Latin texts (some of which pre-date the cathedral itself) which we were able to view. We plan to take our fifth- and sixth-form linguists to this very special and enriching place later this year.

We continue to attend live talks and performances, one by Dr Emily Hauser of Exeter University proving particularly popular with the Sixth Form. We are planning to attend more of these in the future, including the UCL Greek play after Christmas. Performed in the original Greek (with subtitles), it is a remarkable experience.

As ever, the pupils acquitted themselves well in the summer exams, with some superb results in both Latin and Classical Greek. The new Intermediate Certificate in Classical Greek was also a great success and we have doubled our numbers for this coming year.

The annual Classics dinner remains a favourite, although this year’s theme – a deity who is not an Olympian (prizes for the most obscure) – was more challenging than usual. Now we start the preparation for next year’s trip – to Rome.

Anna Berry

Computer Science After recently delivering a report on AI in education to the governing body, I can honestly say that we live in interesting times. The advent of user-achievable AI is touching all of our lives. The Computer Science A Level course is slowly adapting to this change, but our pupils are beating them to it. Every year we get a fantastically interesting crop of projects with AI elements, and this year is no exception.

Lili Robertson’s work on an AI that played Tetris and demonstrably got better at the game – no mean feat – was fascinating. Other fantastic NEAs were: Merlin Cork’s magnificent game of Go; Benjy Bishop’s complex and complete Roguelike; Rex Batt’s detailed and physically accurate orrery; Lexing Zou’s suite of satellite tools; Ed Fillingham’s procedurally generated biomes with evolving life; and Forrest Li’s near-AAA Portal-like in which you must use and rewind time itself in order to solve problems.

We have also invested in some cutting edge 3D fabrication technology in the department. It uses AI to automatically detect ‘spaghetti’ when prints go wrong. We are using it for electronics projects in the department, but it is a very potent bit of kit and departments such as

Left: The Classics Department trip to Delphi will have created unforgettable memories.

Left: A game written

by Forest Li for his Computer Science A Level. In it you must solve puzzles, using parkour and rewinding time.

He scored 74/75.

Design Technology Design is rarely undertaken in isolation – you need to collaborate, bounce ideas around, test and refine your solutions, and bring many different disciplines together, to achieve a successful outcome. 2022/23’s cohort really embraced and applied this idea to the way they worked within the department, with the Upper Sixth setting the standard, often seen working on their folios sitting around a large table, occasionally stopping to ask questions of someone else and supporting each other’s endeavours.

This relaxed yet purposeful and very productive way of working encouraged and improved the work of all involved, and was a great example of how collaboration and mutual support can raise the collective performance.

Some lower school pupils chose to join this group and gained from associating with the leaders in the school.

The department was again a hive of activity as their NEA projects were tested, refined and then final prototypes manufactured. It was great to see the range of different projects undertaken from pure engineering solutions (‘Wheelyboat’ access ramp) to the more aesthetically focused (adjustable desk lamp, world clock), with each pupil working in a productive and independent manner.

From our prizewinners at A Level we were particularly pleased to see Maddie Nickell tackle a pure engineering solution to how wheelchair access could be achieved

“Every year we get a fantastically interesting crop of projects with AI elements, and this year is no exception.”

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ACADEMIC

Physics, Classics, Politics and Geography have used it to manufacture unique artefacts for teaching.

We have had another exciting year in the Shells with a curriculum focused on programming more than ever before. We continue to run the very successful and hugely creative and instructive Robotics project jointly with DT. Every year we get some fascinating creations, all trying to deliver much-needed cargo pods on our simulated Martian surface.

Our exam results this year have been very pleasing once again, in what has been a terrifically strong year for Canford overall. We gained 33% A*, 66% A*-A and 100% A* -B. This was a great achievement by the pupils as the exam boards migrated back to 2019 levels. In particular Forest Li and Ed Fillingham, recipient of the Gilhooly Quaich, both achieved near perfect scores in their NEA coursework. However, the best A Level result overall belonged to Benjy Bishop, a wonderful achievement from a first-class pupil.

We continue the amazing international BEBRAS coding challenge. If you want to get started early or love puzzles and challenges, then go to bebras.org and discover if you have the problem-solving skills of a computer scientist.

Simon Rood

ACADEMIC

Work by pupils in the Design Technology Depar tment 1

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Economics and Business It has been another great year in the Economics and Business Department. Teachers and pupils alike have worked tirelessly, but a special mention must be given to our exam year pupils, who worked incredibly hard and showed great determination.

Early in 2022, a dozen of our sixth-formers accepted the challenge of creating a new business that would equally consider profit and society. In the Christmas Term, these pupils formed a couple of teams and pitched their ideas. Both teams had compelling arguments and it was clear they were driven to make a profit. The first team, headed by Charlotte Gibbons and Ntemi Ngwenya, organised a masquerade ball. It was a fantastic evening, with all the sixth-formers, dressed in their best, enjoying the pre-ball drinks, fine dining, mock casino, close contact magician and dancing.

The second team identified the need for the Canford catering truck to be open on busy Saturday sports afternoons. The team led by Theo Snell served a range of drinks and snacks to hungry and thirsty pupils and parents alike during the Easter and Summer Terms. These driven teams of budding entrepreneurs were able to donate £1000 to the Children’s Garden Home, a school and orphanage in Kenya. The donation has been used to fund basic school equipment and food provisions.

In the Easter Term, we were fortunate to have Jo Toy deliver a lecture on the life and work of Arthur Lewis, the first black economist to be granted a full professorship at Princeton University and subsequently the first to receive the Royal Bank of Sweden Economics prize in honour of Alfred Nobel. Canford’s lecture theatre was bursting with pupils, not only from our Business and Economics cohort but also interested parties from the History and Geography departments.

The Upper Sixth business pupils also enjoyed a great day off campus at the Mini factory in Cowley. A full tour of the car builder’s factory allowed them to relate their classroom learning to real-life business operations.

During the academic year a number of our Sixth

Form economists worked hard to submit an essay to one of the prestigious institutions running Economics essay competitions. Oscar Feingold received an honourable mention for his submission to the Dorian Fisher prize competition. He attended the London offices of the Institute of Economic Affairs for lunch and prizegiving for the winners and selected honourable mentions.

Steve Emery

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from a floating pontoon to a specially adapted boat. Her time working with a charity and talking with users over the previous summer was her inspiration. As a keen rower, Jess West looked at the existing boathouse and investigated ways of improving the delivery of training while offering better facilities for parents to visit and support. Jess intends to study Architecture and Maddie Engineering after taking a year out to travel the world, gaining inspiration from the different cultures they visit.

We also had some very pleasing GCSE projects, including Tim Ka’s adjustable worksurface focusing on lightweight construction, which pushed him to explore honeycomb construction techniques, and Anton Cox’s world clock, an aesthetic design for an international dealer. Tom Fox-Pitt looked at compact design and working from home and his final solution was a functionally elegant writing desk, while Inca Benton-Jones, a keen equestrian, won our GCSE design prize with an outstanding folio and prototype exploring the difficulties in moving hayfeeders on your own.

Jonathan Martin

English This year, the English Department had the rare pleasure of welcoming a teacher from our Ghanaian partner school, Samuel Amoasah. Samuel engaged with pupils in all forms of creativity, and his work with classes on Ghanaian fiction and poetry gave them invaluable insights into literature from another culture.

In September, new Fourth Form classes bonded over challenges to engage them with their IGCSE poetry anthologies; they explored the diverse range of poets and engaged with the poems’ themes through raps, cake baking and entertaining re-wordings of popular songs.

October saw us celebrating National Poetry Day with visiting poet Carinya Sharples, who inspired pupils to write their own poetry in workshops for all year groups.

The entire Fifth Form were treated to an excellent production of An Inspector Calls at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, gaining valuable insight into how their coursework themes tracked throughout the play.

Literary Society events reached new heights of attendance and engagement with a wide range of extracurricular delights, from film and pizza nights exploring wider texts to visiting speakers such as published author (and OC) Matt Knott.Yellow Hour returned to the fairylights-and-fire-lit woods with the largest attendance we’ve seen, and song and poetry once again echoed through the Canford copse.

Early in the new year, the Shells were taken to The Valley of Fear (a Sherlock Holmes play) to inspire their writing, while the Lower Sixth were invited to a talk from Simon Armitage – a rare opportunity to meet such a renowned poet, and a priceless source of inspiration to many of them.

The Shell Music and Poetry evening was again a huge success, displaying the creative and musical talent of our youngest year group. On a crisp March day, renowned poet Owen Sheers, whose poetry they are studying for their A Level coursework, led the Lower Sixth up the feature which inspired much of his poetry, Skirrid Hill, and discussed pupils’ coursework poems with them.

“Yellow Hour returned to the fairy-lights-andfire-lit woods with the largest attendance we’ve seen, and song and poetry once again echoed through the Canford copse.”

Left: Seeking inspiration where poet Owen Sheers found his.

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Right History Battlefields trip.

This year also brought our best results in the National Poetry by Heart competition. Among a sweep of impressive commended and highly commended entries, Shay Glynn attained the award for ‘Best in County’, which after 2000+ entries across the country is an incredible achievement.

The year ended with another high-energy term as the exam year groups prepared for the final push. We were delighted with the excellent results – over 50% of our GCSE pupils achieved grade 8/9 in both English Language and Literature, and over 60% of our A Level pupils achieved A/A* – and so proud of all the pupils for their hard work.

Jennifer Plater

Geography

“In this world of increasing health and safety requirements etc, it is great to still be able to offer our pupils the chance to experience handson learning outside the classroom.”

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The Geography Department has continued to provide our pupils with a comprehensive and engaging curriculum, aimed at developing their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. One of the major highlights of this year was the inaugural GCSE trip to Sicily, which aimed to provide our pupils with a first-hand experience of the geographical wonders of this Mediterranean island. Pupils had the opportunity to explore the stunning landscapes, immerse themselves in the rich history and culture, and participate in adventurous activities.

Canyoning was a particularly thrilling activity that allowed pupils to navigate through canyons, overcoming obstacles and appreciating the natural beauty of the Sicilian terrain. A trip up Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, provided an awe-inspiring experience and allowed pupils to witness the power of nature first-hand. To add a touch of cultural indulgence, pupils also enjoyed copious amounts of gelato and pizza, immersing themselves in the local cuisine and flavours.

Throughout the academic year, day trips to various locations were carefully designed to complement the curriculum and provide real-world examples for pupils to analyse and study. Excursions to local ecosystems, urban areas and geographical landmarks gave pupils practical opportunities to observe and analyse the processes shaping the natural and built environment. In this world of increasing health and safety requirements etc, it is great to still be able to offer our pupils the chance to experience hands-on learning outside the classroom.

An immersive Poverty Trap simulation for the Shells was part of our commitment to providing a comprehensive education. It aimed to raise awareness about the challenges faced by communities in developing countries and promote empathy and understanding among our pupils. During the simulation, pupils were assigned different roles and had to navigate through a series of challenges and obstacles, simulating the difficulties faced by those living in poverty. This activity stimulated critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork skills, while also encouraging pupils to think about sustainable solutions and the role of geography in addressing global issues.

In the classroom our pupils have also been busy and we achieved another set of very strong results. Our key requirement for pupils is that they are enthusiastic about Geography, and our results prove that this, along with hard work, can result in real personal triumphs. We would like to thank staff, pupils and parents for their continuous support and enthusiasm throughout the year.

Alex Boulton

History The academic year 2022-2023 has been an eventful and successful year for the History Department. In November, a group of our senior pupils embarked on a memorable and educational Battlefields Trip to France and Belgium.

The trip provided a unique opportunity for pupils to deepen their understanding of World War 1 and World War 2. The trip served as a poignant reminder of the importance of studying history and of its relevance to the present.

Our annual History Dinner, held in February, was a resounding success. This prestigious event brought together pupils, staff and distinguished guests to celebrate the study of history. We were honoured to have Professor Mark Stoyle, an eminent historian, as our guest speaker.

Professor Stoyle’s captivating talk on Prince Rupert’s dog, a fascinating and lesser-known aspect of the English Civil War, enthralled the audience. His insights and expertise left a lasting impression on all attendees, inspiring a renewed appreciation for the depth and breadth of historical research.

In June, our Lower Sixth pupils had the opportunity to immerse themselves in history at the Chalke Valley History Festival. This annual event, renowned for its rich programme of talks, demonstrations and re-enactments, provided a vibrant learning environment for our pupils.

They engaged with renowned historians, explored interactive exhibits and gained exposure to a wide range of historical periods and topics. The trip served as a catalyst for their academic growth and sparked a passion for further historical exploration.

This year marked a significant transition for our department with the retirement of a valued member of staff, Andrew Fearnley. Andrew has been an integral part of the History Department for the past 30 years, making an indelible impact on both pupils and colleagues.

The department has once again achieved excellent results at both A Level and GCSE, demonstrating the dedication and hard work of both our pupils and staff.

At A Level, 60% of our pupils achieved the highest grades of A*-A. At GCSE level, our pupils have also excelled: an impressive 57% of pupils achieved grades 9-8, with a remarkable 39% securing a coveted grade 9. These results demonstrate our pupils’ depth of understanding and passion for history. It also highlights the exceptional teaching and support provided by our department. We

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In the Christmas Term the Lower Sixth hispanists remain committed to fostering a deep appreciation for returned to the Teatro Cervantes in London, where they history, nurturing critical thinking skills and inspiring a saw Un rumor de sangre, a production by the Teatro del lifelong love of learning among our pupils.

Rachel Lines Duende where three actors, Manuel Galiana, Germán Esteban, and Miguel Caballero, interpreted and sang three vital stages of Federico García Lorca’s life. The play was a huge success and a moving homage to the life and work of the Andalusian poet and playwright.

As December approached, the traditional ‘Chocolate The academic year 2022/23 saw the departure of One con churros y villancicos’ was thoroughly enjoyed in a Seok Lee in December and the arrival of Mrs Lucy Ralph festive spirit by the Shell pupils, who were also delighted in January. Jack Wilson, already a current Maths teacher, with the celebration of La Chandeleur in February with stepped into the role of 2 i/c and, as a department, we lots of crêpes. enjoyed a whole raft of successes across the year groups.

Our Sixth Form French film nights continued to be a In the first ‘normal’ set of exams since 2019, and against great way to discover French cinema, and to expand the the national picture of A*/A results falling, over 66% of ways in which we interact with the language and embrace our A Level mathematicians achieved these top grades. the culture. Likewise, the Upper Sixth pupils enjoyed a Perhaps even more impressive were the Further Maths cheese tasting event just before their study leave. results, with 85% of all grades at A/A*, surpassing the first The Upper Sixth hispanists attended a lecture on Del year of Covid grades. We enjoyed equal success at GCSE amor y otros demonios by Professor Stephen Hart (UCL) too, with over three-quarters of all results at level 7 or that proved to be intellectually enriching. This session above (equivalent to A*/A). delved into the complexities of García Márquez’s novel, It has always been our aim to extend our brightest offering a nuanced understanding of the cultural and mathematicians beyond the exam syllabi, rather than historical contexts that shape its narrative. enter gifted pupils early for public examinations. As such, Several pupils across different year groups entered we have put more of a focus on preparation for external national competitions. The Oxford University French Mathematics competitions over the past couple of years. and Spanish Flash Competition saw fifth-formers writing We were delighted, therefore, to receive record results 100-word short stories. Pupils’ creativity and command of in the National Senior Maths Challenge, with 22 pupils the language were challenged by such a tight word count, receiving a Gold Award (seven of whom also qualified and the stories produced were very impressive. We also for the British Maths Olympiad follow-on round), an had a number of pupils entering the Stephen Spender achievement given to only the top 10% of entrants. The prize (translation of poems), and the Cambridge Language National Senior Maths Challenge is organised by the Collective School’s essay competition, showcasing the UKMT (United Kingdom Mathematics Trust) and is open excellence in creative expression and linguistic prowess to pupils in Years 13 and below. It is generally taken by of our pupils on a national platforms. Furthermore, Clare sixth-formers, but this year seven Fourth and Fifth Form Robinson submitted an insightful article to the Bulletin Canfordians also entered, all achieving Gold Awards. In of Advanced Spanish that they considered worthy of addition, seven pupils received Silver and four Bronze publication. The article explored the theme of magical Awards. The questions in these competitions require a realism in Gabriel García Márquez’s María dos Prazeres, deep understanding of complex mathematical techniques analysing the Nobel prizewinner’s literary style convincingly. as well as excellent problem-solving skills; to see so many The Hispanista magazine continued to go from strength pupils, across different year-groups, exhibiting these traits is to strength as our Lower Sixth pupils contributed with very encouraging indeed. articles in both Spanish and English to celebrate the Finally, we are particularly proud of the following successes of Hispanic women in a variety of sectors from pupils who are off to study Mathematics at university: writers to political activists or artists.

Ed Crutchley (Newcastle),Yutong Li (University College Throughout the year, a group of Sixth Form pupils ran London), Elliot Hilton (Durham) and Charlotte Howat an after-school French and Spanish club every Monday (Bristol).

Stuart Gordon afternoon in a local primary school, Heathlands Primary Academy. Canford pupils taught French and Spanish to Year 4 children. These involved pupils preparing lessons under Mme Harrison’s and Mrs Jess’s guidance, including games, songs and activity sheets that they created and adapted. The pupils did an amazing job of presenting and delivering the lessons in an engaging way.

Examination results were as strong as ever across the department with a vast majority of our pupils achieving The past academic year was exceptionally productive on distinctions at Pre-U level, and with a comparable all fronts, through a combination of cultural experiences, performance in the various IGCSE courses. With June community engagement and academic achievements. It 2023 also being the last official year of Pre-U exams also brought some changes to the Modern Languages nationwide, the German Department was particularly Department as we said farewell to the excellent Pre-U proud that Sophia Westberg-Orton and Camilla Cotterell course that our sixth-formers enjoyed studying for over achieved the best scores ever seen at Canford in the a decade, and we embraced with enthusiasm the new speaking exam and the literature section respectively. The A Level course that has preserved some of the Pre-U course’s features. Dynamic as ever, the department hosted ongoing energy crisis in Germany provided compelling discussions on politics and the environment, while learning a wide range of events, from talks to film evenings, that about aspects of life in the former East Germany remained engaged both the lower and the upper school in large the focus of the German cinema component. Linked to numbers, to create a vibrant hub of cultural immersion.

Mathematics

Modern Foreign Languages

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Philosophy and Theology

Right: Studying contemporary events in Germany gives a context to learning the language.

“Canfordians continue to fully engage with Modern Language learning as they recognise the reality of a globalised world where linguistic and cultural diversity is the norm.”

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this, 9 November 2022 marked the 33rd anniversary of the ‘Berliner Mauerfall’ (fall of the Berlin wall), a pivotal event in world history, and we were delighted to join the International Society on this day in celebrating German culture with cultural quizzes and a themed lunch in the dining hall.

Beyond the curricular languages, this year we were very pleased with our native-speaker, bilingual and non-native pupils who took lessons and examinations in Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Turkish. GCSE results were excellent and congratulations go in particular to Louisa A’Barrow and Varya Darling on getting A grades in A Level Portuguese and Russian respectively, with Louisa also achieving a D3 in Spanish. All pupils involved in our Other Languages programme deserve our high praise and admiration for their dedication and linguistic success, and our thanks and gratitude go as always to our teachers for their support, guidance and expertise.

Canfordians continue to fully engage with Modern Language learning as they recognise the reality of a globalised world where linguistic and cultural diversity is the norm. We are, as ever, particularly pleased to see that the vast majority of our Sixth Form linguists have opted for university courses involving Modern Language learning. It was lovely, too, to hear the news of former pupils and their ongoing involvement in languages since Canford. Maria Price (2019), currently studying French and Russian at Edinburgh, is now spending her third year abroad in Grenoble and Tallinn in Estonia. Sasha Mowat (2019), studying Russian at Edinburgh, is living in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, studying Russian, and will also be spending time in Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia and Uzbekistan. After gaining her BA in Japanese from SOAS in 2022, Beatriz Mowat (2019) was then offered a place on the Japanese government’s JET programme and spent a year working at a school in Osaka, having already worked for Christian Dior in London.

Finally, we bid a fond farewell to Frau Ackroyd after ten years as our German speaking assistant and Sixth Form teacher. As a native speaker originally from the former East Germany, she was able to provide pupils with her unique insight and direct first-hand knowledge of everyday life there, both before and after re-unification with West Germany in 1990. In her speaking lessons, pupils always found her very supportive and friendly and quickly gained confidence and fluency through her guidance and warm encouragement. We wish her all the best for the future.

Francisco Compan, Esther Saurel and Richard Wilson

Our GCSE and A Level pupils have delivered outstanding results this year. A commendable 95% of our A Level pupils achieved grades A*-B. Likewise, 91% of our GCSE pupils attained grades 9-7. Individual accolades, such as Lara Ela Ulkeroglu holding the Philosophy and Theology Prize, deserve recognition.

A big thank you goes out to our PT mentors, Louisa A’Barrow, Eliana Covell, Mimi Stanley, Lara Ela Ulkeroglu, Nat Merrell, Charlie Smith, Imy Woodcock and Indiana Lukaitis, for their unwavering commitment and tireless efforts.

During the Easter Term, the Shell group participated in an essay competition and was tasked with answering one of the following questions: ‘Are you the same person at birth, age 5, or age 10?’ and ‘Is it possible to harm an AI bot?’. In this rigorous contest, Phoebe Lewis secured the first place, with Ed Fitzgerald taking second and Libby Cranton capturing the third spot.

Prof. Jennifer Riley from the University of Aberdeen graced our annual Philosophy and Theology Sixth Form Supper in November. She captivated attendees with her insights on ‘Grave Goods’. The evening, accentuated with an interactive Q&A session, was seamlessly hosted by our adept PT mentors.

The Philippa Foot Society had an eventful year. Our Sixth Form hosted talks from personalities like Dr William Lane Craig, Tom Holland (OC), Prof. Peter Singer, Dr Julian Baggini, Prof. Shelly Kagan, and Dr Andrew Mark Henry from the ‘Religion for Breakfast’ YouTube channel. Once hailed among the 50 most influential living philosophers, Dr Craig expressed his delight and keenness to return.

Our OCs have embarked on their academic journeys in various esteemed universities as of September 2023: Lucy Fitzgerald (Religious Studies), Edinburgh; Rupert Hutton (Philosophy), Edinburgh; Indiana Lukaitis (Philosophy and Theology), Edinburgh; Jack Martin (Philosophy and Economics), Royal Holloway; Charlie Smith (Philosophy and Economics), Bristol; Joe South (Philosophy), King’s College London; Lara Wilkinson (Philosophy), Bristol; Imy Woodcock (Philosophy), Newcastle; Seb Gallego (Philosophy, Politics and Economics), Leeds.

For regular updates and a glimpse into our activities, follow us on Instagram at Canfordptdept.

Sam Leiper

Physical Education The academic year 2022-23 has gone in a flash. Like other departments, we have not had time in the classroom directly affected by Covid, but there have been the knock-on effects of previous time off school.

Bearing that in mind, the facts that over 50% of our grades at A Level were A* and that no one scored below a B are a testament to how hard this latest Upper Sixth cohort have applied themselves to their studies.

This set of grades represents the best set of results we have ever achieved. To what can we attribute this? One

Physics It has been another busy year in the department, in which we continued our commitment to providing pupils with a vehicle to explore the world of Physics and problem solving.

A group of Lower Sixth pupils picked up the Formula 24 mantle this year. With a new chassis from the previous year, the team learned how to deconstruct and reassemble the car’s electrics and steering. Thanks to wise management of the budget, the car has made significant advances this year.

The Physics Book Club met twice this year after reading Quantum – A Guide for the Perplexed by Jim Al-Khalili and Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. The pupils became very engaged with the battles happening on the horizon of human understanding and there was some fantastic debate about science’s unfinished business. The evenings are accompanied by talks on research topics that the pupils have chosen, and we were treated to some excellent presentations. The winning presentations were given by Daniel Sanchez with Ethan Bikhazi-Green and Dominic Bates with Adriano Hedley respectively.

One of our many highlights of the year took place at Bournemouth University in March, when Canford entered three Shell teams into the annual STEM Challenge. The aim of the competition is to encourage girls to see that there is a place for them in STEM fields and that they can have a big impact on creating a sustainable future for future generations. The team of Phoebe Lewis, Willa Knatchbull, Lili King and Cata Gata won the Year 9 category with their idea for cost-effective temporary shelters for refugees. Annie Cai and Brooke were runners-up with their early warning systems for earthquakes and tsunamis, and Zoe Watson, Ellen Carneigie, Matilda Benady and Leena Kachmad were unlucky not to finish in the top two with their wildfire alert system. All the girls were tremendous, and we are extremely proud of their efforts and ingenuity. There is no doubt that this can be the start of some glittering careers in STEM fields.

John Allison

Politics It has been another successful year with good A Level results. Congratulations to Mia Ashby-Rudd, who has won a place to study Politics, Government and International Relations at Georgetown University in Washington DC. She worked very hard to secure this coveted place, and I wish her well in her future studies.

With the current turmoil of modern politics, we find our text books rapidly date the moment they come off the press. Increasingly our examples of trends, principles and developments come from what we collectively gather from the news. This is one of the joys of teaching and studying the subject: the ability to study an A Level subject in real time, a feature we share with the Economics A Level.

Politics pupils invariably study both, so the excitement and the fun is the study of the interrelationship of the two disciplines. As we look to next academic year, there is the prospect of both a UK general election and a US primary candidate selection process, followed by a presidential election. In the past year we have studied the shifting political landscape in both countries ahead of these events.

I welcome as the new Head of Department Dr Felicity Johnson, who takes over the reins from me. She comes to Canford with plenty of experience, and she brings a welcome combination of fresh eyes, new ideas and an antipodean flavour to the department. After 30 years of service at Canford, it is time for me to quietly retire. And what a busy, active and invigorating 30 years it has been. I can honestly say that Canford pupils have been, and remain, wonderful people to teach. I am also very grateful for the consistently sterling support provided by Mrs Collison over the past six years.

Andrew Fearnley

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word: attitude. To a person, they applied themselves to the course with an unprecedented determination and it paid off. Preparation for tests, mock exams and weekly assignments was very thorough.

The GCSE grades were not quite as sparkling, but we still managed 61% of candidates in the 7-9 range, and this group has provided a healthy crop to take the subject into the Sixth Form. For the first time we have over 100 pupils taking PE as an exam subject; a big part of this is a really healthy cohort of three sets in the Upper Sixth. This is great news, although I will be pestering the bursar for another classroom soon!

At the end of the year Lucy Read left us for a new post in London, where she will undoubtedly continue the good work she was renowned for here. Her sense of humour and innovative teaching methods will be missed. She is replaced by Ellie Gibbons, who joins us from RGS Worcester, where she was head of netball and a GCSE and A Level teacher. She also played for Surrey Storm netball team in the National Super League.

Nick Baugniet

“What a busy, active and invigorating 30 years it has been.

I can honestly say that Canford pupils have been, and remain, wonderful people to teach.”

Support for Learning The department continues to support our pupils fantastically well, either one-to-one or via small groups. The Learning Skills lessons in the lower school are a valuable time for pupils with additional learning needs to receive support from specialist teachers. They are relaxed and flexible lessons centred on the requirements of the pupils who need additional time to focus on their studies.

Some of our pupils have received a diagnosis of ADHD this year and although there has been controversy in the media regarding online services, we have found that our pupils’ experiences of these agencies have been largely positive. In an age when it can take two years to receive a diagnosis through the NHS, online agencies can be a welcome alternative for some of our pupils who are struggling with inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.

The group, Open Minded, has offered our neurodiverse pupils a safe space for talking about their difficulties and receiving down to earth advice from their peers. In addition, the Emotional Literacy Support Assistance (ELSA) team support our neuro-diverse pupils with a range of emotional difficulties. ELSA is a six-week intervention where pupils can receive targeted support for anything that they might feel is preventing them from thriving at school.

In September we are welcoming a new and very experienced Head of Learning Support, Andrew Farbridge.

Please feel free to email Andrew on axf@canford.com if you have any SEN questions.

Kristina Symons

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ENRICHMENT

Above: Emma Henderson speaks to the Festival of Ideas about ‘Project Wingman’.

“The purpose of this was to expose the pupils to some slightly ‘out of the box’ ideas regarding futures beyond Canford.”

Right: Science show presenter Ian Dunne captivates pupils with his ‘Science Magic’ at the Festival of Ideas.

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ACADEMIC Enrichment at Canford has been a significant part of the school’s curriculum for a long time and it is central in helping to create the hardworking academic culture that the school is proud of.

The development of our enrichment programme is one way that we have ensured that our pupils are outwardlooking, broad-thinking and inquisitive. There is a wide offering of supra-curricular activities for our pupils to engage with and we are extremely proud, both of the quality of our provision but also of the level and quality of engagement we see from them.

October saw the return of our flagship enrichment event, the Festival of Ideas. Seventeen speakers visited the school in total, with each year group having its own bespoke programme of talks. Given the huge events of the last few years, there has been a large amount of change, both globally and locally and so it seemed fitting that the theme if this year’s event was ‘Changing People, Changing Places’. Our speakers included Emma Henderson MBE, who spoke of her experience delivering the ‘Project Wingman’ initiative during the pandemic, where airline staff traded in their wings to offer wellbeing support to front-line colleagues. Dipo Faloyin, author of the critically acclaimed Africa Is Not a Country, spoke to the Sixth Form about misconceptions of African nations, pushing back against stereotypes and myth-busting.

A new and exciting addition to this year’s festival was the introduction of Upper Sixth scholars delivering talks

to the Shell year group. For a number of years our senior scholars have delivered talks to junior scholars as part of our scholarship programme, but with the aim of opening up this experience to a wider audience, the pupils that delivered three of the strongest lectures from the previous year were invited to speak at the festival. The quality of these three sessions was superb, the themes being: ‘Concussion in Sport’, ‘Nature vs Nurture’ and ‘The Human Perception of Sharks’.

The annual Baynham Essay Competition also took place in October. The competition sees every member of the Lower Sixth write a short essay on a topic of their own choosing. The standard of these essays is always impressive, with pupils demonstrating their extensive interests outside the standard confines of their A Levels.

This year’s winners were Millie Jeffries with her essay titled ‘“The limits of my language are the limits of my world.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein. In what ways is this true?’, and Grace Mansfield who answered: ‘Will the ancient stereotype of hysteria and mischaracterisation of female anatomy continue to be a fatal problem in women’s medicine?’

The end of the academic year saw the Fifth Form return to school following their GCSEs. As part of this return, the whole year group attended an ‘explore morning’. The purpose of this was to expose the pupils to some slightly ‘out of the box’ ideas regarding futures beyond Canford. The pupils heard from three visitors, all with different stories to tell via their careers. Former The Apprentice finalist Kathryn Burn spoke of her experience in starting her own businesses, while Annabel Taylor-Ross talked about the variety of rarely thought-about careers that exist in conflict zones. The final speaker was the adventurist and travel writer, Ian M Packham.

Our ongoing Fifth and Sixth Form enrichment programme also continued this year. Pupils spent two weeks with each subject of their chosen five, exploring the disciplines beyond the confines of the standard exam curriculum. This course enables pupils to extend their learning in new and exciting directions, largely determined by the specialities of our fantastic teaching staff.

Jamie Ings

Global Connections ‘Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.’

Malcolm X

IN today’s interconnected world, education is no longer confined within the boundaries of a classroom or limited to the knowledge of one’s local community. Rather, global connectivity in education has the potential to expand horizons, foster collaboration and prepare young adults for an increasingly interconnected future. Not only does a global education provide a platform for expanding diverse cultures, perspectives and ideas, but it also serves to break down barriers of distance and encourages a global mindset.

Whether through Model United Nations (MUN) meets with Craighouse School, Chile, organising the Holocaust Memorial Day as a whole school event, or engaging with the Let’s Shake Hands app to support Ukrainian school pupils, Canfordians have been afforded a range of opportunities to engage and connect with their peers beyond the gates of Canford. Such exposure has nurtured empathy, tolerance and a deeper understanding of the world, encouraging Canfordians to become ever more considerate global citizens in a rapidly changing environment.

An early highlight of the year was the inaugural Castle Court and Bourne Academy Mini MUN, prepared and administered by Sixth Form pupils who attend the Global Connections (GC) Monday afternoon activity.

Pupils representing different nation states drafted viable resolutions that addressed the root causes of slavery and the secondary effects of modern-day slavery, as inspired by the thought-provoking BBC documentary, The Real Mo Farah. The day culminated in all nation states attending a mock Social, Cultural & Humanitarian Committee meeting to debate the chosen resolutions.

The energetic debate, and rapid re-drafting to include suggested amendments, was ably supported and impressively chaired by Canfordians, including our newly appointed Pupil Leader for GC. This successful event was closely followed by a joint MUN, using Google Meet, with Sixth Form pupils from Craighouse School – a mere 7000 miles away – following their successful rugby and hockey visit to Canford in September. From this, the idea to set up a virtual pen-pal opportunity for Canfordians looking not only to strengthen their Spanish reading and writing skills,

but also to gain an insight in Chilean life and culture, was born.

Behind the scenes, new opportunities were being woven into the Monday afternoon GC provision.

Pupils discussed contemporary global topics, including Fast Fashion and Myth Busting in Sport with respect to the Commonwealth Games. Furthermore, it was a pleasure to listen to informative presentations from our international pupils who served to widen our understanding of Chinese New Year and of living in Turkey as a young woman. A standout session was that delivered by Samuel Amoasah, a visiting teacher from our Partnership School, Awutu-Winton School, Ghana. His visit created great excitement, given the re-introduction of our Lower Sixth partnership trip to Ghana in the summer.

February sadly marked the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which continues to cause significant upheaval and heartache for many Ukrainians, including members of our own community. Such a date warranted recognition, no matter how small, so the Let’s Shake Hands project was introduced to sixth-formers to allow them to connect with others, regardless of distance and conflict. The project was initiated by a desire to help Ukrainian children return as far as possible to their daily lives as students after they have been deprived of the opportunity to continue their education since being forced to leave their native country. Canfordians were able to become mentors, helping Ukrainian children return to a peaceful life and access the lifelong gift of education.

As technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for global connectivity in educational opportunities are boundless, promising a future for all our Canfordians where learning potential transcends borders, empowering individuals and societies worldwide.

Lenka Collison

“Not only does a global education provide a platform for expanding diverse cultures, perspectives and ideas, but it also serves to break down barriers of distance and encourages a global mindset.”

Left: Holocaust Memorial Day.

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ENRICHMENT

Left: Model United Nations.

PASTORAL

Above: Lower Sixth boys enjoying the buzz from the music played to boost mental wellbeing on one of our ‘dance like no one is watching’ days..

“We continue to look at opportunities to involve our pupils in leading wellbeing initiatives, recognising the importance of pupil voice.”

Right: Sleep Champion, matron Charlotte Banyard, working through part of the Sleep Education Programme in one of the boarding houses.

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THANKFULLY we had a more ‘normal’ start to the academic year in September 2022 and it was a relief to return to familiar routines and interactions without constantly thinking about the pandemic. There was some re-adjustment required and of course those pupils and colleagues who had joined Canford in the preceding year were in some ways ‘starting again’, experiencing the full range of Canford life in person.

The houses remain a focal point for pastoral care and to see the ‘house families’ reuniting and welcoming new members was a highlight. Social events and weekend activities returned and were embraced whole-heartedly.

Our pupil leaders picked up the reins with enthusiasm and were instrumental in re-igniting the school through assemblies on topics such as managing stress, anti-bullying and kindness. At this time we were all acutely aware of the need to focus on wellbeing in the broadest sense as we all made re-adjustments to school life.

Wellbeing has been described by some as a fluctuating homeostasis (balancing) of one’s mental, physical and emotional health. We recognise that every Canford pupil manages their wellbeing in different ways. There is no ‘one size fits all’. Our key ethos is to support our pupils in exploring a variety of different ways to help manage their wellbeing and to ensure that our education provision reflects the needs from a physical and mental health perspective.

The Boarding Schools Association considered entries from a vast array of prestigious schools for its Wellbeing Initiative Award. Our award was based on our sleep education programme. As the first school to implement a strategic holistic plan to improve sleep health and the value of sleep amongst our pupil body, we were delighted to win this award. The sleep programme

continues to be taught and used throughout the academic year, involving in-house sessions and as part of the ‘Beyond the Gates’ syllabus.

The competitive nature of the Health in Education Association’s Wellbeing Champion for All-round Excellence award involved a thorough deep dive into all aspects of our wellbeing provision and we were thrilled to win this. One of the strengths identified was how we ensure that our interventions and education are provided for all year groups and provide access for all. Highlights identified included the sleep programme, peer mentor programme and pelvic floor health study day, as well as pop up days using creativity to manage wellbeing such as our ‘dance like no one is watching’ and ‘karaoke’.

Following on from the pelvic floor education study day last academic year, in conjunction with Brunel University, we are delighted to announce the publication of the research. This year we conducted small group followup sessions, giving pupils the opportunity to revisit the information and have an open space to ask questions.

After evaluating the day, we were pleased to see strong results from our pupil body on the value of the day.

We continue to review the programmes discussed above, while also continuing to focus efforts in other key areas such as anxiety management. We continue to look at opportunities to involve our pupils in leading wellbeing initiatives, recognising the importance of pupil voice. We would like to take this opportunity to give special thanks to Harriet Wade, who was an Upper Sixth pupil, for her delivery of a powerful, impactful, articulate, sensitive assembly to the whole school on body image and body positivity. She focused on encouragement amongst our community not to judge one another, to use positive language when speaking about each other and to respect the fuelling of our body for what it needs to do. Harriet highlighted again the bombardment and fake nature of much of the social media world.

Nicola Hunter, Deputy Head (Pastoral) Melissa Clinton, Head of Wellbeing

‘We need diversity of thought to face new challenges.’ Tim Berners-Lee AS in the wider world, equity, diversity and inclusion continues to be a central focus for the Canford community. Underpinning the numerous conversations that take place here is a structure that promotes healthy discussion and debate about contentious issues. The approach has been to try to foster diversity of thought and to avoid the pitfalls of ‘groupthink.’

For Canfordians today, this means developing critical thinking and an awareness of the beauty of diversity in all its forms. This awareness and thinking process permeates all that we do at Canford. In every classroom is displayed an EDI Charter as a reminder of the principles that we have agreed to adhere to: kindness and respect to all.

Our curriculum aims to be diverse, and teachers aim to deliver it in a way that interests and engages all our pupils regardless of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality or neurodiversity. A key development for 2022-23 has been the ‘Beyond the Gates’ lessons (PSHE curriculum), written and led by Cathy Byng, that allow pupils to consider their own identity and their place within many different contexts. These teacher-led weekly discussions are supported by inputs from external experts such as Bob Tait, Jemma Roye, Bold Voices and the Safer Schools Team.

Outside the curriculum, we have a team of EDI pupil leaders who work to ensure that there is discussion of these EDI issues with the pupil body. The pupil leaders host weekly voluntary informal breaktime meetings on a range of different diversity issues for pupils who would like to find out more. The ‘Rainbow Alliance’ has worked to support members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies. They have organised activities for Pride month, including a themed lunch with recipes taken from LGBTQIA+ chefs.

The self-named ‘Open-Minded’ group has worked with pupils at Canford who are neurodiverse to ensure there is discussion in houses about dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity), ASC (autistic spectrum condition) and other forms of neurodiversity.

The ‘Challenge Sexism’ group worked with Bold Voices, attending online seminars to further develop their understanding of gender and its link to sexual harassment and violence. They produced a poster campaign to raise awareness of this nationally underreported issue.

Finally, the BBMC (Black Beautiful Mixed Heritage Children) group, supported by Let’s Start a Conversation, met to plan a range of speakers and activities for Black History Month in October. They had regular breaktime meetings and launched a book of the month that was displayed in pride of place in the school library.

Once again Canford has marked numerous EDI events over the year, chosen and led by its pupils: International Men’s Day, International Women’s Day, Pride, Black History Month, Chinese New Year and Holocaust Memorial Day. These days were marked with pupilled assemblies, external speaker talks and charitable fundraisers. EDI pupil leaders also raised money for

Women for Afghan Women by selling multi-coloured roses for Valentine’s Day to mark the fact that love comes in different forms. A particular highlight of the year was hearing Samuel Amoasah, our visiting teacher from Awutu-Winton School in Ghana, presenting on Ghanaian culture and history in assembly on Ghana’s Independence Day. The aim of our approach is always to embed awareness, understanding and respect in our school community and culture.

Despite this established top-line approach, aimed at exploring and celebrating diversity in all its forms, it has been necessary to develop a bottom-line system for when things could have been more effectively managed in this area. Pupils have a QR code up on posters around the school site which they can scan to report a concern about anything that they feel has caused offence or harm to themselves or another pupil. This pupil referral system is coupled with the ‘Things Not Going Well’ posters that remind pupils of the different staff in school they can always approach. Training with staff has aimed to develop a wider awareness of these matters so that they are able to handle any such issue that presents itself. The annual pupil survey has also been adapted to include a range of equity, diversity and inclusion questions to ensure that Canford is a welcoming and inspiring place to all our pupils.

Canford is known for its beauty, its academic excellence and the breadth of its educational offering.

The work on EDI with pupils and staff, which is also regularly reported to the wider Canford community, aims to uphold that reputation. In the words of Maya Angelou, ‘in diversity there is strength and there is beauty.’

Richard Redwood

PASTOraL

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

“The aim of our approach is always to embed awareness, understanding and respect in our school community and culture.”

Below: Co-founder of the Black Excellence Network, George Obolo, speaks as part of Black History Month.

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PASToRaL

BEAUFORT AS a centenary year for the school and a coronation year for the nation, there was much to celebrate in 2022/23. Beaufort joined in the spirit of festivity with our ‘Beaufort at Home’ picnic blessed with glorious April sunshine and summer Hawaiian-themed BBQ with Court and Franklin. We also celebrated with Mr and Mrs Walker (née Snooks) the birth of their beautiful baby boy, Barnaby, and welcomed Miss Jones (and her partner, Ruth) to Beaufort as assistant housemistress.

The Beaufort ‘pack’ was strengthened by the addition of three more canine friends – Captain, Crumpet and Dora. And the Beaufort family photo was a triumph with 62 girls, nine staff, one baby and four dogs all smiling for the camera. No Photoshop needed!

Photoshop was required – and employed to great effect – in this year’s House Art entry. The Beaufort girls were challenged with re-creating Grayson Perry’s ‘The Vanity of Small Differences’. Ana Queiros’s interpretation of the brief highlighted our unity as a house, stemming from a mutual respect for individual differences. Everyone made their mark (quite literally) in this and, whilst the final image may not have won any prizes, the concept behind it demonstrated true class.

We certainly had our fair share of wins this year, with convincing victories in the House Gallops, Squash and Tennis, successes in the film awards and a joint first with Franklin in the hotly contested Christmas gingerbread competition! The Beaufort girls also saw some incredible results in their A Level and GCSE examinations.

However, for me as housemistress, my proudest moments stemmed from the Beaufort girls’ support of others through their charitable and voluntary work. Yutong Li ensured that there were more Beaufort helpers than ever at the City Reach Christmas Party, Evie Young set up a school-wide shoe collection for underprivileged families, Ntemi Ngwenya organised a superb Masquerade Ball in aid of the Louis Ross Foundation, and our Lower Sixth collected sports equipment for our partnership school in Ghana.

Charlie Howell, Head of House, and indeed all our Upper Sixth led the way in 2022/23, demonstrating their leadership through mutual support and service to others. They leave a legacy of kindness behind them and, in the words of Charlie Mackesy, ‘Nothing beats kindness....it sits quietly beyond all things.’

Clare Jess

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PASToRaL

COURT STARTING our year with ‘Hooked on a feeling’ resounding through the house and fields, the Court Gents showed that this was a feeling of camaraderie and joy – and it lasted throughout the year.

This was expressed in many ways, from waffle nights to a variety of cultural celebrations and our annual Halloween extravaganza, to mention a few, but it was also seen in the commemoration of the remarkable reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Charlie Smith, our head of house, organised a picnic in the garden, with sandwiches, scones, cake and excellent speeches – our resident head of school, Thomas Windsor, read a poem for the Queen and Charlie gave a toast to the King – as well as some rousing singing.

It is a matter of pride to the Courtiers to show kindness and courtesy – and to give. To exemplify: a third of the Ghana Partnership crew – Will Fountain, Albert Blackburn, Sam Reeve and Theo Snell – were Courtiers. They care, and they have the resolve and the soft skills required. For the colour run, we had 20 chaps getting involved in running the event or running in it.

The Louis Ross Award for community spirit was awarded to one of our own: Kerry Gunu.

While kind and humble, they still want to compete – and win – when possible. And win they did: our flying Courtiers ripped up the course for the sixth successive year in House Crosscountry; we took home House Debating, senior House Tennis, junior House Football, and the chaps got the silver in most of the remaining competitions. No wonder, considering we had the captains of all cricket teams, three of the rugby teams, several hockey teams – and Dill Howell being chosen as the school’s pupil leader for sport.

While the scorching Summer Term left the volleyball arena a Saharan wasteland, the exams were as bounteous as could be. All our leavers won places at excellent university courses, and twelve out of thirteen got their first choice. Two of our fifth-formers, Harry Todd and James Hatherley, won academic scholarships for the Sixth Form due to their stupendous performances in their GCSEs. So yes, we’ve been hooked on a good feeling, and it is one I’m sure our heads of house, Theo Snell, Zac Ashby-Rudd and Sam Reeve will keep alive for the year ahead.

Sindre Vandvik

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PASToRaL

DE LACY THE de Lacy girls continue to amaze those around them with just how much they fit into their days, term and year.

A well-planned and diligent approach to work is a must in order to maintain their high grades yet also to fit in the range of events that the girls undertake – be it the many annual house sporting events, where we even had multiple entries at times, both group and individual musical performances, or creative displays. The seniors did a fantastic job of motivating others and leading these teams, taking an inclusive approach that not only made them fun but also led to lots of trophies.

This community-minded approach has naturally also spilled into other areas of life and many of the girls have taken on new leadership roles, leading initiatives in inclusivity and sharing information with others. I am always pleased that when asking for volunteers for committees as well as teams, the house does not disappoint, and I hope they see the positive impact they are having on others around them.

All that productiveness is of course accompanied by lots of laughter, support and even some quiet moments in house.

The girls have formed ever closer friendships as they sit and chat, take part in social house events and put the new games room to good use. House families have included lots of dance-offs on the new Wii, while outdoor events have ranged from tennis and rounders to toasting marshmallows and cocktail making in the garden.

The communal spaces around house, including the new quiet room (the old boot room!), have also been put to good use, with the girls using them to do project work, practice interviews and prepare for their many exams.

Results have been excellent and the girls should know that their families, the house team and I are proud of how they have not only worked hard but supported each other in a kind and inclusive way.

A boarding house should be a home-away-from-home, where people feel safe and able to be themselves and I believe the past year really has achieved this for the girls.

Thank you to all of the house for their contribution, and I wish those moving on good luck.

Sascha Deblander

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PASToRaL

FRANKLIN IT has been a wonderful year in Franklin. The Upper Sixth, led by Alex Landale (head of house) and deputies George Bolland and Will Pickard, brought the house together in September, organising a very successful house song, ‘Grenade’ (Bruno Mars). It was brilliant to watch Joe South for one final time in the House Contemporary with an unbelievable guitar solo, backed up by some fantastic performances on vocals from Alex Landale and Oscar Bailey. The Upper Sixth led by example throughout the year and they performed well in cross country, art and rugby in particular. The Fourth Form came close to winning House Rugby, with the leadership of Ralph Boldt shining through for the house team, as it did for the U15A team, who reached the national cup quarter-finals.

The attention of the Upper Sixth started to switch towards exams as we moved through the Easter Term and the Lower Sixth have steadily risen to the challenge with a number taking key roles in house sport, drama and debating.

They took up the reins after Easter with huge success, led by Sam Janaway as head of house and deputies Samuel Symes and Oscar Lineker-Bennett. There were strong performances in House Athletics and junior House Tennis, the latter lost on a tie-break point. Building on strong foundations, the Sixth Form have increased the warmth within the house and the feeling of us all working together to make Franklin the best place it can be. The leadership team were entirely responsible for organising the very successful house party with Beaufort and Court.

In terms of trophies, it was a year of near-misses which is a little frustrating, especially given how competitive we all are. However, life is about a lot more than trophies, and the strength of character shown by the pupils in Franklin to support my family after the tragic death of our daughter, Bella, this year has been unbelievable. They have shown such tremendous warmth, kindness and strength throughout the toughest of times. I am immensely proud of their characters and the way that they check how we are doing, knowing the answer will probably be hard to hear. They are incredible humans and we look forward to further success (and a bulging trophy cabinet!) next year.

Will Linley-Adams

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PASToRaL

LANCASTER I will confess to being a little worried about moving out from our home of 25 years into a new part of the school, but within just a few days it was clear that my concern had been misplaced as the pupils brought all their fun, spirit and enthusiasm across with them to our new and more spacious accommodation. The new leaders were instrumental (quite literally sometimes!) in organising and then running short, sharp practices of the House Song and there was absolutely nothing ‘Hot and Cold’ about our performance that afternoon! The charity concert stayed in its new second term location and once more provided a brilliant stage for us to perform. At school level, Eliana Covell’s solo song at the jazz concert was amazing and Max Lockyer provided more of his rock music and some personal compositions.

In fact, such has been the influence of Max’s ‘rock’ that the school musical went this way, too, and he starred in his sinister role in Dead Dog in a Suitcase. But it has to be the retaining of the House Film ‘Oscar’ that was the acting highlight. A deep plot unfolded with a super chase around the school to catch the villain. Joe Stephenson’s camera work and Tom Kiff ’s directing

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deserve a special mention here; Who Killed Phil Pearson? will not be forgotten in a hurry!

It was a successful year in sport for Lancastrians at school level, too. Once more having three major club captains from one house in Lauren Corn, Henry Wittram and Oscar Feingold was amazing. Once more the 1st VIII included four Lancastrians and we also had international recognition as Eddie Jack toured Australia with the England Under-19 cricket team. At house level, the winning of the senior football trophy was our finest hour.

Although having five or six players from the school first team helped, the unity and inclusiveness between year groups got us over the line.

We had a lovely evening at the Waterpark together in mid-May and one of our very best Christmas dinners with the entertainment being from the top drawer. Some great senior prefects have left their legacies but we would all like to thank Tyndale Kwan and Lauren Corn for the huge amount that they did to promote, enhance and drive our team spirit.

Owen Parkin

PASToRaL

MARRIOTTS MARRIOTTS is a happy house. The notice boards are full of joyful photos of house competitions, social events and much more, and girls often comment on what a homely atmosphere there is amongst the Marriotts community. This is in no small part due to the fantastic Upper Sixth this year, who have led with genuine care and gentleness. They have also set a high benchmark academically, demonstrating a work ethic and a measured attitude to the exam season which has set a wonderful example to the younger year groups, especially the Fifth Form.

In January the Lower Sixth took over house duties from the Upper Sixth, and judging by their example so far, they promise to be another excellent top year group. The four new Lower Sixth girls who joined this year fully integrated within days and are now very much part of the fabric of the house. We also welcomed ten new Shells in September and two more in

November, as well as a new fourth-former, all of whom have been welcomed with warmth.

Loyalty to the house and a willingness to represent Marriotts in competitions of all sorts is one of our strengths. We won best girls’ House Song again this year, best participation in House Art and best performance in House Drama. Our sports teams have also done extremely well, often putting out two teams instead of one, a great testament to the house spirit of getting out there and doing your bit.

None of the above would be possible, however, without the care and support of the Marriotts tutors and matrons. They go above and beyond to make sure the girls are as happy as they can be. We are sad to be saying goodbye to Miss Read and Miss Nicholl, but wish them all the very best for their new positions elsewhere.

Katie Salmon

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PASToRaL

MONTEACUTE THIS was an important year for the house. It was the moment that we finally moved into our new building at the south end of the Park. The delayed move was much anticipated and when we finally got in at the start of the Easter Term, our new surroundings did not disappoint. The house will be a great space for many generations to come and will continue to promote the sense of togetherness that we have enjoyed since moving in.

I was delighted to be able to move with my family and the boys to new Monteacute before stepping down as Housemaster this summer. It was an ambition to make sure we were in and settled before disappearing into the sunset. I felt a great deal of satisfaction in what the boys achieved this year and how special they made my final terms. The third successive win in House Music tells a great deal about shared endeavour and ambition, as does the first place in House Art. Well done to all the boys who headed up these events as they require real determination while also remaining busy with all that takes

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place at Canford. Add to this all the sport and events such as House Drama, where a wide range of characters and talents could represent their house.

We welcomed a great addition to the house for a term, Samuel Makosah. He was a wonderful person to have around in the dark winter months and his talks on life and culture in Ghana – as well as his cooking – added warmth and happiness to the house. The excellent matrons and house team kept the boys safe and happy. Snr Compan departed as a tutor following twelve years of full commitment. We also said thank you to other fantastic tutors, Mr Graham and Mr Cronin. Thanks also to Jocelin Child and Jansci Motsi as my last two heads of house: both young men who have an amazing ability to listen, not to judge, but to always say and do the right things.

I wish Monteacute the very best in the coming years and good luck to Matt Pringle. It has been an honour and I will continue to wear my yellow crocs with pride.

Dylan Lloyd

PASToRaL

SALISBURY THE Summer Term saw Salisbury House metamorphosise from a millhouse to the wing of a stately home. After many years in the beautiful Millhouse, Salisbury moved to the Manor House, completing the triumvirate of day houses. We have settled in quickly: it didn’t take long for the Shells to break a window or the Fourth Form to find a location for indoor cricket. Nothing is more delightful than watching a spectrum of ages playing games in our beautiful new house room, accompanied by the regular piano ring.

Our newest recruits, the Salisbury Shells, have impressed us with their joie de vivre and camaraderie. Many have kept up the Salisbury tradition of leading the assessment tables in effort and engagement, and we have some strong leaders coming through the ranks.

The House Music competition was a highlight of the year as Salisbury prepared to defend the title of House Song winner. The song bowl wasn’t to be ours this year, but our classical and contemporary were superb, winning us the joint overall House Music prize. We are privileged to have such strong musicality and work ethic amongst our ranks.

There have been many entertaining performances from Salisburians on the stage. Johannes Bishop-Weston stole the show in the school musical, Dead Dog in a Suitcase, with Charlotte Kersey masterminding the tech, ably assisted by James Benamor. Daisy Pinner, Jasmine De La Haye and Dila Aslan seriously spooked us in their powerful production of Dracula and mesmerised us in their outdoor performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Our seniors dominated House Cross-country, and Salisbury reclaimed the House Regatta plate. Salisbury junior boys (together with Wimborne) were crowned House Rugby winners, and our Fourth Form boys won House Tennis.

Three Salisbury football teams contested House Football (senior boys, junior boys, and girls), ably managed by Thomas Sparkhall. I am always impressed by the Salisbury spirit and tenacity – we want to show up and do each other proud. So much so that Toby Lemans sacrificed a collar bone, and some suffered heat exhaustion in the line of duty!

We will miss our Upper Sixth leavers tremendously. Our outgoing heads of house have been exceptional: Jess West and Ryan Woodford nurtured a strong house identity and can-do spirit. They brought much fun and laughter, too.

Hannah Ryan

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PASToRaL

SCHOOL HOUSE AS I look back at 2022/23, it is easy to think that little has happened and perhaps the house has lacked a focus. However, this feeling is driven by the exceptionally challenging preceding two years, when Covid, and then the move of School House from the Manor to our new home, were all-encompassing. In truth, stability has been the main effort of the year: finding ways to establish the house’s rhythm and to ensure solid foundations from which the School House pupils can live, work and thrive.

As part of this work, I have talked regularly to the boys about the importance of becoming ‘men of good character’, and through these discussions we have selected a set of house values to support this ambition and the school’s wider ethos. While the house highlighted a swathe of values, now encapsulated in the School House crest, those that stood out were Loyalty, Integrity, Respect and Commitment – remembered through the poor spelling of lyric (LIRC) and now ‘touted’ on various bits of School House literature!

Connected to this, the house has created the Lion King Award, bestowed on a termly basis to the pupil who, in the

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Head of House’s eyes, has best embodied these values. The award has been given posthumously to honour Samuel Smith, who left School House in 2021 but sadly died suddenly last summer. He epitomised everything that this award is designed to represent and inspire. He is therefore our first ‘Lion King’, with Leo Vorobyev, Hugh Blake and Guy Marton following this year in his footsteps.

The other area of focus, aimed at helping house cohesion and togetherness, has been our house units, now rebranded house families. We are making more and more use of these groups, with the half-termly house games nights, informal house suppers and ongoing house competition breeding friendly rivalries and bonds across all year groups.

After 100 years, School House is thriving, with the boys happy and contented in their surroundings, but still with that curiosity and hunger for adventure and purpose – let’s see where things are in another 100!

Ben Coward

PASToRaL

WIMBORNE WHAT a year it has been in Wimborne! We got off to a flying start with our tuneful rendition of ‘Pompeii’ by Bastille, earning us the title of victors in House Music after a long drought period.

Success clearly breeds success as we went on to collect gold in junior girls’ football, gold in senior House Netball, gold in junior House Rugby with Team ‘Wimbury’, and were awarded ‘Best Screenplay’ in House Film.

The Christmas Term was jampacked and saw lots of pupil-led fun, from the Wellbeing Gingerbread House Challenge to the brilliant pub quiz and hotdogs evening, organised by Isaac Siggers and Will Lowbridge, which saw around 60 Wimborne pupils pit themselves against one another. The charity concert was once again an immense success with Esther Browning, Ruby Anand and Erin Bruce stealing the show with their electrifying singing. Erin also provided a beautiful piano accompaniment throughout the evening. Leo Burnet stepped up with his political gameshow and Ethan Gallagher, Millie Bowley, Harry Jones, and Ruby Hindell took up the mantle of the Four Yorkshiremen Shell Sketch. Overall, the £2225 raised for #Willdoes charity will have a tangible and lasting impact on the lives of many young people in Dorset and

I am immensely grateful for the way in which Wimborne pulled together for this event.

Wimborne has really come up with the goods this year with regards to involvement in the various plays and musicals on offer, being involved in both starring and supporting roles.

On the sports pitches, the river and beyond, there was great sportsmanship and it was lovely seeing groups of Wimborne pupils walk alongside one another and encourage each another to finish the challenging 30km sponsored walk for Meningitis Research Foundation in memory of Bella Linley-Adams.

Our Upper Sixth all leave us to take up places at excellent universities, head off on exciting gap years, or step up into the world of work. I am indebted to them for the leadership, support and fun that they have provided to the house, particularly Ollie Glen and Esther Browning as the Head of House and Head of Pastoral Wellbeing. Taking over leadership of the house this year are Tom Hopwood and Liv Fordham as Heads of House and Isaac Siggers as Head of Years.

Naomi Ings

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PASToRaL

Chaplaincy ‘I know just how much I rely on my faith to guide me through the good times and the bad. Each day is a new beginning.’ Queen Elizabeth II, Christmas broadcast 1983.

“Christmas holidays arrived with a magnificent carol service in Wimborne Minster on the last night of term, with all three choirs in fine voice.”

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WHILST this year felt like a new beginning post-Covid, it started with the sadness of Her Majesty’s death, and the first whole school gathering of the year was a thanksgiving service for her remarkable life and reign.

She often spoke of how her faith shaped her character and life of service, so it was fitting that our weekend chapel services were themed around the question of identity. Guests included Ayo Awotona, Anthony Bewes and Zak Tomlinson, who helped us think about how issues like appearance, popularity and achievement interact with the Christian faith. Scott Darlow, aboriginal singer and World Vision spokesperson, once again visited Canford, sharing his message of FLUTE (Forgiveness, Love, Understanding, Tolerance and Empathy) in chapel, Connections and the classroom.

The Christmas Term also featured a moving Remembrance Service, where Kerr Wells (husband of

Wimborne matron, Carol) was our guest speaker, sharing his experience of faith and conflict in the Falklands – fittingly in the fortieth anniversary of the war. Christmas holidays arrived with a magnificent carol service in Wimborne Minster on the last night of term, with all three choirs in fine voice, and more informal but rousing carol singing in the Gisborough Hall to draw term to a close.

The Easter Term brought the return of confirmation classes and the Lent Addresses. Frederick Bowater, Tess Byng, Abi Crossley-Wier, Brooke Howells, Ilsa Knatchbull, Alice Laird, Ivor Ritson, Rose Sanderson, Ed Timberlake, Emily Von Schirnding, Leo Vorobyev, Clem Watts and Poppy Young all attended weekly preparation sessions for a joyful service at the beginning of the Summer Term, led by the Bishop of Sherborne, Karen Gorham. After half term, we welcomed a team from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics to lead the Lent Addresses.

Clare Williams addressed the rationality of faith, Dr Ben Thomas explored to what extent faith is liberating, and Dr Max Baker-Hytch presented the historical evidence for Jesus. All were very well attended with lots of excellent questions asked by Canfordians throughout the week.

The highlight of the Summer Term was undoubtedly the centenary service in Salisbury Cathedral, but the regular schedule of Chapel services and Bible studies continued in full swing. The midweek services focused on the great description of agape love found in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, considering each characteristic in turn. Both junior and senior Bible studies were well attended, as was Crossfire for day pupils. At one point over 30 pupils squeezed into the Merryvale living room!

The final act of the year was the leavers’ service at Wimborne Minster. OC Anastasia Posner (née Chitty) was the guest speaker and she spoke personally and warmly of not allowing success or failure to shape our identity, with leavers Varya Darling, Nuala Binnion and Leo Burnet also sharing highlights of their time at school.

Finally, I would like to express my thanks to Mr Shannon for his brilliant service as ‘gaplain’ this year. He has thrown himself into school life in so many ways. As well as speaking regularly in Chapel, he has excelled in the drama department (not least in directing Woyzeck), brought energy and enthusiasm (if some inexperience!) to the sports pitches, and warmth and care to his involvement in houses and Bible study groups. I am delighted that he is able to stay for a second year to build on his excellent work.

Rev. Philip Jack

THE ARTS - MUSIC AS a bit of a gardener, I enjoy two small apple trees in my garden, and I have discovered that for no discernible reason, there are some years which see them produce better fruit than others. Such seems also to be the case with musicians. Canford has always been a reliably cropping tree when it comes to musical fruit – and over the years many fine performances and musicians have emerged from the concert hall. 2022/23, however, has been a year of particularly abundant musical bounty.

Whether it is a result of the extensive preparations for the school’s centenary and the significant musical contributions to mark it, or simply a happy coincidence that this auspicious year has coincidentally enjoyed some exceptionally talented musicians at the top of the school, I do not know. However, there is no doubt that this year has been one of abundant musical fruit – of quality as well as quantity.

The first term saw a particularly fine House Music competition. Over recent years the general quality of performing has improved markedly, if not universally: some houses inevitably fail to remember the correlation between quantity of practice and quality of outcome.

However, this year saw some particularly excellent chamber music (Salisbury) and contemporary music (School House). The overall prize was shared by Monteacute and Salisbury. Other highlights of the Christmas Term included the major termly concert in November for our various large ensembles. The orchestra’s performance of part of ‘Scheherazade’ allowed Rupert Hutton to demonstrate his considerable talents and expressiveness as a violinist.

The choirs have been in excellent voice this year, with the chamber choir singing what is now an annual tradition of evensong at Winchester Cathedral, and the carol service including a challenging work by Simon Preston (OC), marking his passing in May 2022. This service afforded us the chance to enjoy solos from, amongst others, Max Lockyer and Eliana Covell – two more of our Upper Sixth musicians who have done huge amounts not only as singers but for the wider musicmaking at Canford.

The musical at the end of the term is reviewed

elsewhere, but it is worth noting that the musical director role was performed with consummate skill

by Erin Bruce – certainly the first pupil to MD a full school musical in my time at Canford, and no small achievement.

The Easter Term saw a singers’ masterclass with Julia Doyle (another happy ‘annual tradition’), the ‘Shell Music and Poetry’ event and the A Level recitals. The highlight, though, was ‘A night at the musicals’. A large and appreciative audience were wowed by the singing and playing, not to mention the superb lighting and setting. The sheer joy of the musicians was infectious.

Tom Clark gave a superlative lead to the jazz band from the principal alto desk. It has been a pleasure to conduct what, in the words of Benjy Bishop and Charlie Howell (two more of our exceptional Upper Sixth) is their ‘favourite’ ensemble. Ethan Bikhazi-Green is another of those musicians who has led by example, with his capable drumming having underpinned numerous ensembles.

Pupil-led activity has been another aspect of the bountiful harvest this year. A trio of pupils, Rupert Hutton, Jason Zhang and Ella Webb organised themselves to rehearse and perform a challenging Brahms piano trio, while the barbershop quartet were

“Canford has always been a reliably cropping tree when it comes to musical fruit – and over the years many fine performances and musicians have emerged from the concert hall.”

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the arts “Nice to hear such a good choir; and one which knows how to process’ paraphrases their feedback and reflects, concisely, the two things the pupils had worked so hard on.”

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similarly self-driven. A high-quality arrangement of Piazolla’s ‘Libertango’ for cello quartet by one of the Lower Sixth made several appearances in concerts, and the leavers’ concert at the end of the Summer Term was replete with further examples of the enthusiasm of our musicians to come together and make music.

The risk of pupil name-dropping in articles like this is of an inadvertent omission; hoping to avoid this, we have also enjoyed some beautiful singing from Imy Woodcock, who, along with several others, passed a diploma this year, and some accomplished flute playing and singing from Melissa Smith. Joe South has carved a stylish niche for himself on the guitar and in contemporary performance. Ella Webb had the lonely role of being the orchestral viola player, so I am glad we were able to enjoy some spirited performing from her with more prominent roles in the string quartet repertoire. A number of other musical stalwarts leave us this year, and thanks to them all for their contributions to ensembles.

Academic music is, regrettably, a declining subject nationally. I am happy that Canford bucks the trend. Our A Level music results saw five A* grades and one A. To give that some context, in the exam board we use (Edexcel), which is the largest A Level board for music, just 103 pupils nationwide achieved an A*: 7% of those taking the subject. For five of them to be at Canford is a remarkable achievement. Our ‘fruit’ is academically

talented! Our GCSE results were respectable, too, with nearly half of the grades at level 8/9. Another sign of the health of the department is in the fact that we saw no fewer than twenty-one grade 8 exams and five diplomas successfully passed. Four of the diplomas were at distinction level, and nine of the grade 8s.

The Summer Term brought the sad news of the death of long-term supporter of Canford’s music, Charles Rawlinson (OC). Charles had funded awards and bursaries for music lessons for a significant number of years, as well as introducing us to Britten Sinfonia and Julia Doyle, and funding the first masterclasses and workshops with them. A passionate advocate for music, not only at Canford but much more widely, Charles was a familiar face and powerful friend to the department.

His legacy lives on in the musical experiences which he facilitated for very many Canfordians, alongside a generous bequest to continue the good work, and he will be much missed.

My brief for this article was to skate over the centenary events as they are reviewed elsewhere, but the service in Salisbury Cathedral and then ‘Proms in the Park’ have loomed large for the department.

The powerfully moving service marking the school’s foundation rested heavily on the input of Canford’s choirs, whose professionalism was noted by the vergers at Salisbury. ‘Nice to hear such a good choir; and one which knows how to process’ paraphrases their feedback and reflects, concisely, the two things the pupils had worked so hard on. Lest his name be omitted elsewhere, the Assistant Director of Music, James Aiken (OC), must also be acknowledged for his magnificent organ playing on that occasion, and on numerous others during the year. ‘Proms in the Park’ must surely be the biggest concert ever given at Canford, certainly in terms of audience size. Once again, the professional approach of the pupils to performing saw some accomplished and memorable playing.

For all that 2022/23 has been a superlative musical year at Canford, we can already see a fine crop of Lower Sixth developing to lead music in 2023/24. Let us hope that the maggots on the horizon (who, in their plans for this sector, are writhing ever closer to the perceived lowhanging fruit) don’t destroy the harvest in their covetous attempt to consume its bounty.

Christopher Sparkhall

the arts

A Night at the Musicals IF music be the food of love (as someone far more erudite than I once wrote), then (to add a little Donna Summer) let’s dim all the lights, and play on. But what type of food are we talking about? Is this going to be a cultured and sophisticated amuse bouche that one of our more experimental chefs has developed? That would be a delicate gavotte by Mozart, performed by a string quartet. Or perhaps a crown roast of lamb, with a full range of vegetables plus homemade mint sauce. Here, Beethoven is regaling us with one of his full, romantic power-symphonies.

No, when the band strikes up, we are presented with a massive rump steak, triple-fried frenchies, onion rings, seared portobello mushrooms – the works! This is big band music, a huge sound, and it is meant to overwhelm your senses. So I, along with plenty of other hungry customers, piled into the Music School auditorium to see what fare would be cooked up for us this year. Our musical taste-buds were not to be disappointed.

In the first section of the concert, Alistair Hardie gave the orchestra a run-out and set the tone. There were lush and generous strings in the overture from Oklahoma!, the wind section adding genuine heft in support. Then back to the East Coast, with a trip through West Side Story. The melodies were delivered with a real New York urgency, accentuated by the snap, crackle and pop of the percussion section. In the more contemplative airs of ‘Tonight’, the yearning lilt of the trombones tugged at the heartstrings before handing over the story to the trumpets. And in the final theme, ‘America’, the bounce of the dance rhythms was given added piquancy as the xylophone cut through.

I always look forward to the enjoyment of the mass participation event that is the combined wind orchestra and concert band, with over seventy young musicians on stage under the batons of Mrs Salmon and Mr Aiken.

They returned to New York with some Gershwin, then some Sondheim, and finally on to ‘The bright lights of Broadway’.

After a quick canapé stop, we had a real change of tempo, and numbers on stage. We enjoyed a witty and harmonious interlude with Three Toms and a Max – a

highly polished barbershop quartet who took us to the alleyways and dives of the Lower East Side and told us to ‘Sit down, you’re rocking the boat!’ from Guys and Dolls.

Then the main course in our banquet; the head chef came on stage and fired up his favourite hobs to full heat. The Jazz Band started (as they meant to go on) with energy, power, yet the skill and dexterity to move into more ‘smooth’ passages, as they delivered the overture from Gypsy. I did so enjoy the tight togetherness of the quintet of saxes throughout this section of the show. We had some marvellous vocal renditions, delivering some of the greatest show numbers ever sung on Broadway. I hope these chanteurs and chanteuses realised and appreciated the privilege they had to follow in the footsteps of some of the brightest stars who ever appeared on the musical stage.

Hart and Rodgers, Bell and Bowman, and finally Frank Loesser (back to Guys and Dolls) provided the toetapping tunes and bittersweet lyrics to give us all goose bumps and take us back to our memories of crooning alone in the shower.

So another triumph for the Music Department, and I have already bagged my seat for next year’s extravaganza.

Jo Toy

“Then the main course in our banquet; the head chef came on stage and fired up his favourite hobs to full heat.”

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the arts - drama THE year began with an intense first half of term – excellent devising plays from our GCSE classes and a highly impressive and challenging piece of devised drama exploring the issues highlighted by the ‘Me too’ movement showcased the strong academic ability of our drama pupils. This was followed by our Fourth Form classes, who staged two contrasting pieces of children’s theatre: Wolves in the Walls and The Twits.

Finally, our new Lower Sixth A Level group produced an atmospheric and charged production of Dracula just in time for Halloween.

After half term, the focus was on the musical, Dead Dog in a Suitcase, and the annual panto, this year written by fourth-former Cecily Sarson. For Mrs Ryan, however, the focus was on having her baby and so we welcomed Miss Wrigley to the department. Along with Mr Shannon, also new this term, she brought new ideas and a wealth of experience to her teaching.

Dead Dog in a Suitcase is reviewed overleaf. The writer, Carl Grose, on seeing photographs of our production, tweeted: ‘Whoa! That’s some West End work right there! Looks amazing.’

With a rapid turnaround over a weekend, the dingy world of gangster Macheath and corrupt Peachums became the dingy world of Dick Whittington who, along with his cat (with its major attitude), went to work in trying to defeat the gangster, King Rat. Cecily’s panto was a lot of fun and we welcomed local schools as well as our families to two entertaining performances to end a busy Christmas Term.

In the Easter Term, the Lower Sixth drama class performed Act 1 of A Clockwork Orange, a stylised and physical version of Anthony Burgess’s dystopian classic, and then Miss Wrigley directed the moving Find Me. It is a play that now could feel quite dated, but this staging made it fresh, relevant and all too familiar for many people in the audience.

The term ended with another first: a site-specific, promenade performance of Woyzeck. Audiences moved around every part of the theatre, from the foyer to stage to backstage to auditorium to areas around the theatre, as we followed Woyzeck’s tragic demise. Mr. Shannon is to be hugely admired for his creative vision and strength in throwing himself into his first production at Canford, and with the incredible support and design skill of Kevin Wilkins and his team, the production was a triumph.

The Summer Term began with practical exam performances for our GCSE and A Level pupils and the final production of the year was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, staged in the gorgeous surrounds of the Round Garden. The weather was kind to us and the colourful, energetic and genuinely magical performance, including direction of the fairies by Lower Sixth pupil Millie Jeffries, concluded this year’s season of plays in a joyful and upbeat manner.

With regular Friday foyers, weekly drama workshops with Beaucroft pupils, tech club, theatre visits, play screenings, a House Film competition (well done Lancaster again) and a talk from the former National Theatre’s Director of Communications, the year was full of opportunities and achievements. It was with real pleasure that at the end of the year we were nominated for innovation in the performing arts by Talk Education magazine and we were also a finalist in the Independent School’s Association awards for best performing arts school. These nominations are a real testament to the brilliance of Kevin Wilkins, Jonathon Ledger and Charley Danby (who sadly left us in April), the teaching staff in the department and above all the outstanding and committed pupils who give so much to Canford drama.

Rikki Jackson

“The term ended with another first: a site-specific, promenade performance of Woyzeck.”

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the arts

Dead Dog in a Suitcase

“The show wouldn’t be a Kneehigh production without anarchic humour, social comment, high-octane music and some highly effective puppetry.”

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KNEEHIGH’S Dead Dog in a Suitcase is not an ordinary school musical. Based on John Gay’s Beggar’s Opera, it moves the story from Gay’s 18th-century underworld of seedy goings on to the modern world of corrupt politicians, business owners and police officers. The cast were true to Kneehigh’s style of theatre and treated the audience to a powerful, comic, thought-provoking and relevant musical satire.

The characters from Gay’s original are there. Peachum is the owner of a pilchard-canning empire and Lockit is transformed into the corrupt chief of police. Macheath is a charming yet ruthless hitman who is irresistible to women and is hired by Peachum to kill the one decent politician, Mayor Goodman, so Peachum can become mayor himself. Macheath marries Peachum’s daughter and jilts Lockit’s pregnant daughter, Lucy. Although Macheath is able to escape the hangman’s noose, his misdemeanours eventually catch up with him. Peachum is haunted by Goodman’s ghost and his wrongdoings. It is Widow Goodman who exposes the corruption, and in the final moments of the play we learn that it is Mrs Peachum who is behind the ‘real’ businesses of drug dealing, gambling, gun running and prostitution. The play ends with a message of man’s apocalyptic destruction.

There were many stand-out performances, and credit must also be given to musical director, Erin Bruce, who ensured that the band and the singers complemented the quality of the action very successfully. The show wouldn’t be a Kneehigh production without anarchic humour, social comment, high-octane music and some highly effective puppetry. The titular dog ends up dead in a suitcase as he may be a witness to Mayor Goodman’s assassination, and the puppet dog, dead and alive, was operated very skilfully by Molly Rodber.

The most extraordinary set was a dilapidated end of a seaside pier dominated by a working helter-skelter.

A Punch and Judy show acted as a commentary on the actions of the protagonists, deftly carried out by

the sinister puppeteer, Johannes Bishop-Weston. The multi-functioning areas on either side of the helterskelter transformed into rooms, prison cells and a seedy private member’s joint, ‘The Slammerkin’. The ending of the show was spectacular, with images of a spectral dog projected onto boards held by the ensemble, creating an unforgettable image in the minds of the audience.

The production was a resounding success, showcasing the immense talent and dedication of its young cast, musicians and technical crew. It was meticulously crafted in every aspect, and will continue to inspire and shape the future generation of performers. It will have left all those involved with a clear understanding of Kneehigh’s approach to theatre-making.

Janice Wrigley

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the arts

Find Me

“This is a difficult, disturbing play for pupils to tackle but as ever, Canfordians rose to the challenge.”

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FIND Me is an early verbatim theatre piece about the misunderstanding of mental health during the 1970s.

The author, Olwen Wymark, based the play on the true story of Verity who, at the age of 20, was charged with burning a chair in the locked ward of a mental hospital where she was a patient. She was remanded in custody for three months and eventually admitted to Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital. Wymark spent time with Verity’s parents and was given access to Verity’s writings. Because her contact was with Verity’s family rather than with Verity herself, we see the play through the eyes of a girl who couldn’t be contained and whose illness was not recognised. Verity’s symptoms obviously point to a potential diagnosis of autism for a modern audience, but this was poorly understood at the time and Verity, along with her family, was left to pay the price.

This is a difficult, disturbing play for pupils to tackle but as ever, Canfordians rose to the challenge.

The story is told through a series of flashbacks, interviews with the main characters and set scenes from Verity’s life. Verity is played by a series of five actors, showing her at different stages of growing up. All of these actors come together when Verity is locked up, creating a very effective sense of her being overwhelmed. The set (designed by the ever-brilliant Kevin Wilkins) was symbolic, with a series of tall boxes which were variously social service offices, a French town, a swimming pool and the interior of Broadmoor.

Will Lowbridge designed the lighting and projection, contributing masterfully to the effectiveness of the play.

The actors and set created a real sense of the 1970s, with the tone set by the appropriate ‘SOS’ by Abba. At times funny (the cringe-worthy scene of Verity on holiday in France, embarrassing her parents by interacting with a French family, and the patients at the geriatric ward in which she is locked at one point,

attempting their exercises, are both memorable), on the whole the play is harrowing and moving, with the cast working together to create a very powerful piece of drama.

The scene where Verity (played by all five versions) is at the swimming pool, slowly synchronising her swim and sharing her inner thoughts, was superbly staged.

A real sense of the mother’s guilt and frustration was created, as she gradually turned to alcohol for support.

The embarrassment, frustration and sense of neglect felt by Verity’s brother were clearly shown through the interview with him that opens the play. The final scene, as Verity is locked in Broadmoor and calls out to be found (once again with all five Verities in unison), ended the short but powerful play like a gut punch in the audience’s stomach.

Sam Crouch

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the arts

Woyzeck “This innovative production of Woyzeck was a reminder of the versatility of theatre in the hands of a skilful director, a talented cast and a highly creative crew.”

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AUDIENCES attending Jack Shannon’s ambitious and sharply conceived production of Georg Buchner’s haunting 1839 drama, Woyzeck, were treated to a truly memorable and thought-provoking evening.

The immersive experience began in the Assembly Hall, doubling as the entrance to an isolated army outpost, where we were met by theatre manager Lisa Perry in role as an officious donkey-jacketed security officer, armed with a clipboard, who barked out orders and issued us, grim-faced, with security badges. Ushered out into the floodlit dark to step through the gap in the intimidating corrugated fencing, we found the already preoccupied Woyzeck and his loyal friend and fellowsoldier, Andres. In this, the most positive scene in the play for the tragic protagonist, he is already eating the peas of which his diet must solely consist, having sold himself for medical experimentation in order to provide for Marie, his common law wife, and their child. We were moved through the foyer – a stiflingly crowded barracks – to meet the resourceful Marie and then ordered outside again through the fires to the circus where the Showman offered both a moment of escape for Woyzeck and Marie and a brutal symbol of the social hierarchy for the audience.

Driven back indoors, this time backstage, by the everuncompromising guards, we watched Woyzeck, forced to earn extra cash by barbering, shaving the exploitative Captain, who sowed the seeds of his psychological humiliation through allusion to Marie’s unfaithfulness.

Ushered in this way from pillar to post, we witnessed up close the pain of Woyzeck’s existence and felt all too strongly the speed of his unravelling. By the time we returned to the foyer – via the gallery, the stage and studio, offering excruciating medical experiments at the hands of the doctor and an angry but futile brawl with Marie’s lover, the drum-major – the initial shock of our

immersion into this had subsided into compassionate horror, just in time to view through the windows the violent explosion of Woyzeck’s anger and the fatal stabbing of Marie. The final fragment in this tale took us to the car park, where we found Andres cradling the corpse of Marie and the searchlights were turned on the broken Woyzeck as he disappeared into the trees beyond – yet another inventive use of the space and an interesting variation on the usual drowning.

Hugely uncomfortable, constantly challenging and sometimes bewildering in its fraught intensity, this innovative production of Woyzeck was a reminder of the versatility of theatre in the hands of a skilful director, a talented cast and a highly creative crew, and of why Buchner’s play is such a seminal piece.

Kathryn Watts

the arts CAST Woyzeck Andres Marie Margaret Captain Doctor Drum Major Grandmother Showman/Dealer Showman’s assistant

Ollie Glen Will Vessey Maddie Nickell Evie Connolly Alex Geng Millie Todd Sam Stirling Adaya Brandon Hannah Jeffery Alex Pan

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream

“It was a nice touch that as Lysander and Hermia eloped through the wood, he was carrying an Ordnance Survey map, she a heavy rucksack.”

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THE Round Garden on a summer’s afternoon is a magical place, an apt setting for Shakespeare’s most magical play. None of the customary hazards of an outdoor production – a sprinkle of rain, airliners taking off from Bournemouth Airport, appeals for lbw from the adjacent 1st XI match against Stowe – could break the spell woven by this talented cast and imaginative production.

In many ways it is a very simple play and this production kept it simple. The set was the grass in front of three dwarf trees hung with ribbons and dreamcatchers. Costumes distinguished the three groups of characters: the members of Theseus’s court simply wore their own clothes, both formal and informal, the rude mechanicals all sported blue overalls and flat caps, and the fairies were dressed in light, summery variations of green. Suitable music, played through speakers hidden in the flower borders, was used sparingly. Balancing this simplicity were the frenetic energy levels of the cast.

Almost every entrance and exit was conducted at a run, not least by a Puck whom one could well believe had put a girdle round about the earth in forty minutes.

It is also a very funny play and the production brought this out admirably. Much of the fun was provided by the artisans, led by an authoritative Peter Quince and an uninhibited, show-stealing Bottom, but the story of the four lovers provided opportunities for humour as well.

It was a nice touch that as Lysander and Hermia eloped through the wood, he was carrying an Ordnance Survey map, she a heavy rucksack. While Helena and Hermia discussed love, Demetrius and Lysander rolled around the grass in a fight that was alarmingly realistic but somehow also very funny.

If this was all the piece had to offer, it would still be a fine play, but the best productions, like this one, find a

deeper level which examines both the joyous side of love, represented by a winning Helena, and the dark side, expressed by a hurt and bewildered Hermia.

Shakespeare explores the thin line that divides love from hate and even cruelty, shown by a regal Oberon towards Titania and a petulant Egeus towards Hermia.

Love may conquer all but, as Theseus points out, the lover has a distorted view of the world, shared only by the poet and the madman.

This was a compressed version, running to a little over an hour, but it was to the credit of whoever edited the text, as well as to the cast, that it fully explored all these layers of the play while still providing excellent entertainment.

John Newth

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THE ARTS - ART

Above: Laura Buckle, Canford’s Artist in Residence.

“As a cohesive exhibition it was one of the finest I have experienced and a fitting finish for the Pre-U qualification at Canford.”

Right: Lili Robertson.

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CENTRAL to the Art Department’s ethos is the idea that creative subjects act as a conduit for translating our experiences and interactions with the world around us.

In Art we strive to connect to the world outside school so that events and issues faced by our wider national and global community feed our ideas. So engaging with practitioners, exhibitions, visits and lectures is important to maintain currency in our thinking and to strengthen the academic aspects of study.

We have once again seen evidence of the high level of thought, research and creative connections in our results from Pre-U Art and Design. In our final graduating year (as we change to A Level) we have proudly supported successful applications for degree and foundation diploma courses in Art and Design to Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL), Central St Martin’s and Camberwell (UAL), Newcastle, Exeter, Loughborough and Bath Spa. Serena achieved the highest award at Pre-U (D1), having

exhibited ‘Conversation Over Wine’, a performance installation expressing the connection between people and the uniqueness of the moment. Through performance and manipulating the atmosphere, sounds, textures and lighting, she emphasised the importance of a moment that, once passed, turns into a precious memory shared between the artist and the visitor.

The whole cohort achieved a wealth of excellent grades, including four D2 and two D3 qualifications. The end-of-year exhibition showcased the breadth of talent and imagination, with a range of outcomes reflecting their individuality: sculpture, printmaking, film and drawing, large scale paintings by Melissa Smith and Lili Roberston, Ana Querios’s intricate illustrative textiles, Alex Smith’s painstaking hand-rendered geometric textiles and paper sculptures, and sculptural jewellery by Mimi Stanley. As a cohesive exhibition it was one of the finest I have experienced and a fitting finish for the Pre-U qualification at Canford.

We have once again ventured from the confines of the school campus. This year the Fifth Form visited the V&A Museum, an unparalleled resource for creative projects, and we fully appreciate the opportunity to spend time

Left: Ana Querios.

“Thanks to a very generous donation we can fund an artist who will work alongside pupils for the Christmas and Easter Terms 2023/24.”

Below: Zoë Wilson at work.

Below left: Created at Zoë Wilson’s stonecarving workshop.

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gathering inspiration and ideas.

The Dorset Arts Society hosted their annual lecture at the Arts University Bournemouth with our Sixth Form in attendance. Anna Moszynska, a London-based lecturer and writer specialising in contemporary art, delivered a lively and engaging lecture on ‘Art in the 21st century’. Chances such as this always enhance the pupils’ education and we are fortunate to be invited to attend.

Annabel Seabrook competed in the annual ARTiculation competition in the regional heat in Salisbury, followed by the semi-final at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Although she didn’t win, she presented a fluent, well researched, captivating talk about the work of artist Yinka Shonibare. She presented his work with particular reference to his piece called ‘The British Library’ and discussed the influence and impact of migration within his work and ideology. It was a brave undertaking for Annabel and a fantastic opportunity to compete against eloquent and passionate speakers. The experience will resonate with her as she continues her creative studies at UAL Camberwell.

Perhaps one of the most exciting developments in the Art School involved our search for an Artist in Residence. Thanks to a very generous donation we can fund an artist who will work alongside pupils for the Christmas and Easter Terms 2023/24. Our search for a practitioner whose ideas, approach and practice would enhance, challenge and energise our pupils and colleagues has resulted in the appointment of Laura Buckle, who also works under the pseudonym Flora Bucket (www.florabucket.com). She describes herself as: ‘An artist, researcher, educator and activist, whose practice focuses on the textile industry, in particular textile waste. In my current research I am attempting to detangle the tightly knit problems interwoven into the global textile industry, and explore the intersectional issues of class and environment.’

She goes on: ‘During my Canford School residency I will work with the pupils, hosting a variety of workshops, focusing on textile waste. These events will be open to anyone of any age, background and ability in the school and facilitate conversations to discuss such a huge global issue but on a local scale. I believe the best way to create change is through community and the best way to bring communities together is through making.

‘I will collect textiles that cannot be recycled, strip them back to their original forms (ie. separating the elastic and cotton, etc) and re-spin the material into new

the arts Right: Alex Smith.

Below right: Melissa Smith.

“Sometimes we are more visible, sometimes we blend into the day to day running of this place.We are, however, always doing something to connect, to challenge, to amuse and to communicate.”

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threads. This practical work will help demonstrate the issues around the mixing in our materials. I will create a weaving with the newly spun thread, which will be exhibited at the culmination of the residency.

‘I intend to set up a roughly six-foot-square loom made from scaffolding tubes. This will be open to anyone who wishes to participate in a communal weaving. Over the course of the residency, the loom will fill up to create a large community weaving, made entirely from materials that cannot be recycled.’

Award-winning stone-carver Zoë Wilson delivered an extremely popular and oversubscribed carving workshop for pupils in April. Zoë’s work reflects a love of geometry and celebration of the process and qualities

of the materials she works with. It was an unusual process for pupils to experience, and we acknowledge the special nature of such a historic and technical skillset. Every participant felt a sense of achievement and immense pride through the production of each individual tile. One pupil review reflected the enjoyment felt by all in attendance: ‘I had the pleasure of being able to attend Zoë’s stone-carving workshop to learn a vast range of skills and discuss her creative process.

Zoë demonstrated how different mallets and chisels affect the marks and how the pressure and angle of the chisel is important. We started by drawing a simple 5-point star. This was probably the hardest part. I hadn’t realised how much trigonometry influenced this craft.

Zoë’s explanation of the process made it seem so easy; I am still no Michelangelo but I know my way around a chisel now! We also had an insight into Zoë’s creative journey and how she got to where she is today, which is truly inspirational and gives me confidence as an aspiring artist.’ (Charlotte Gibbons, Upper Sixth) Our donation also enabled us to fund a large-scale artwork created by Canford pupils and illustrator Fay Troote that will be printed to 3m x 5m and installed on the wall at the entrance to the Art School. Pupils from across the school participated in the process from the inception of the project, generating the aspects of school life to be depicted, then working alongside Fay to create the subtle textures, patterns and colours that form the image. It will be a joyous, contemporary expression of our school from the landscape and architecture to the people that embody it.

We have a vibrant and busy department that I often feel quietly beavers away, celebrating our passions and proclaiming against the injustices, putting work up, taking it down, moving it around. Sometimes we are more visible, sometimes we blend into the day to day running of this place. We are, however, always doing something to connect, to challenge, to amuse and to communicate.

Although apparently misattributed to Queen Victoria, the quote, ‘Beware of artists. They mix with all classes of society and are therefore most dangerous’, feels pertinent. Watch out!

Nicola Will

community & partnerships

Community Action AS I sit at my desk just before the centenary Speech Day of 2023, reflecting on the past twelve months, I am pleased with what we have achieved. All three strands of the community action programme – Monday afternoon service to the community, links with City Reach in Southampton, and the Shine project – have had successful years.

Our biggest section is Monday afternoons. The real bonus this year has been able to rely on a team of five dedicated school bus drivers: Tony, Peter (who retired at Christmas), Gareth (who took over from Peter), David, Steve and Ian. Not forgetting the transport manager, Sam. These individuals are the glue that holds the activity together. I would estimate that between them, they transport around 100 to120 pupils around the local area on a Monday afternoon. No task is too great, be it navigating a flood on the road or the horrendous road works that have been going on around us this year, to pupils needing to be picked up early or dropped somewhere different. I cannot thank them enough as without them, we would have no meaningful Monday programme. Tony retires this summer and we wish him all the very best.

The external programme is back to pre-pandemic levels and all buses are full. If we had another driver, I would look to expand as there is a call in the community for our pupils and they are valued highly wherever they go. A great example of this, which worked very well this year, was a new link with the Barchester Upton Bay care home. The home approached us as they had a resident with dementia who had started speaking in her native tongue of French. Up stepped Lucy Rogerson, who, armed with her Pre-U French, volunteered freely and tirelessly each week to help where she could.

We were also approached by a local member of the community, Natalie, who has strong links with an orphanage in Kenya. Richard Wilson and a group of six Canfordian (plus two Bourne students for a short while) ran the ‘Chat Club’, an activity where they met up with the orphans once a week via Teams to offer friendship and discussion. This was also backed by Steve Emery’s business enterprise group, who planned and ran a very successful masked ball at Canford at the end of the Easter Term. They also manned for a few weeks the catering van from which people can buy drinks and food on a Saturday when they are watching matches,

“These individuals are the glue that holds the activity together.”

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COMMunity & partnerships “One of the best things I do is to call organisations we work with and receive the glowing feedback about our pupils.”

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and were allowed to donate the profits to Chat Club.

The money is still being counted but we are optimistic that over £1000 will have been raised for the Kenyan orphanage. This money will go a long way; the costof-living crisis has not been felt just in the UK and the orphanage is struggling with grain prices that have nearly doubled in the last twelve months. I am also grateful to Phil Jack for allowing one of the school’s mufti days to go to this worthy cause.

All our other activities rolled out as per usual and it is great to see the enthusiasm of both pupils and teachers running these activities, be it teaching primary school children to swim, running a Spanish or French club at a primary school or even running Art class in a local school: all great, meaningful initiatives. Clive Jeffery’s explore box has also continued to grow (www.canford. com/community/community-links/the-explore-box) and has also been rolled out to the local care homes in the community.

It was good to invite well over 90 elderly local residents to the school in December for a Mince Pie and Christmas Sing Along that was run very successfully by Alex Boulton – a good time was had by all. A big thank you also goes out to Mike Doherty for his work running the Community Bridge Club, which has seen its numbers grow this year.

We were very pleased to receive City Reach again for the annual Christmas meal. Turnout from both sides was excellent; over 50 City Reach youngsters (a coachful) and an equal number of Canfordians (a record) made the party a real highlight of the year. It was great to see everyone chatting, laughing and generally having a good time. The Canfordians made me proud (and made my life very easy) when it came to helping with the food, sorting out the party room and looking after the youngsters in the pool. We are also very grateful for the financial support the Friends of Canford offer in giving us a grant to allow these activities to take place.

We were lucky enough to go back to the PGL Centre on the Isle of Wight at the start of May for the weekend.

This is a big weekend for many in City Reach and, for a lot of youngsters at the club, the only time they will get away all year. We were hoping to welcome City Reach to us in June for a camp, but unfortunately they were unable to staff the weekend, so we are planning a gettogether in September. I do need to thank Ella Webb and Yutong Li for their help with these activities. They were enthusiastic and eager to help, and provided good company when we visited City Reach in Southampton a few times this year. Big thanks also go out to the 30+ pupils who walked from Studland to Canford to raise well over £2500 for City Reach. This money has

just gone to City Reach and has been very gratefully received. My thanks to Steve Ives, Clare Jess, Sam Crouch, Charlotte Banyard, Jane Skellett, Hannah Ryan, James Aitken and David Neill for their company on this walk as without them, it would not have happened.

This year we have seen some big changes in Shine.

Firstly, we welcomed the Elm Academy in West Howe into the fold in the autumn. They have been great to work with and have been very enthusiastic, helpful and fully committed for the future. We are also looking to expand the programme to three new schools: children from Manorside School, Talbot Primary School and Milldown Primary School will be joining the programme.

We have our inaugural meeting with the heads at the end of September and I am excited to get this project up and running. I am also very grateful to Jack Shannon, our graduate assistant in Drama, for helping me to run the programme this year, as well as Craig Risbey, Jenny Platter and James Crickmore for helping set up and run the Shine outdoor pursuits morning and Shine day of sport.

As I look ahead to 2023/24, I am excited by what I see. Both the Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth were fantastic ambassadors for the programme this year. One of the best things I do is to call organisations we work with and receive the glowing feedback about our pupils. I hope the current Lower Sixth will prove to be good role models for the current Fifth Form as they start on the programme.

I would also like to thank Clive Jeffery for all of his help and support in running the programme this year, in particular for very coolly taking my assembly, registering the pupils and driving a minibus one Monday afternoon at very short notice when I was ill.

Dave Allen

TWELVE pupils and three teachers flew to Ghana on Saturday 8 July to spend two weeks at Awutu Winton High School, with which Canford has had a partnership link since 2014. The school was established by the EDP Trust, which aims to promote educational initiatives in the developing world and is the only free secondary school in Ghana, making it reliant on charitable donations. Money raised by individual and group fundraising events such as a Ghana Partnership Sixth Form dinner at Canford will go towards new projects within the school, and there is also a focus this year on giving access to sporting opportunities through donations of equipment and team kit.

During their stay, the Canfordians immersed themselves in Ghanaian school life as well as having the opportunity to experience wider Ghanaian culture.

Delicious food was prepared by chef Aggie, ranging from morning fruits to chicken and rice, while the school’s new pineapple press provided a daily dose of ‘Abrofresh’ juice. Canford pupils worked on a project digging, shovelling and raking ground in preparation for new school lawns and then experienced the unusual task of planting grass blade by blade. Time in the classroom gave the chance to study with the Awutu students in maths and learn from each other about different perspectives on colonial history and the slave trade.

On the new sports ground, our pupils were no match for the football skills of the Ghanaians, but volleyball, netball, cricket and rugby also gave the opportunity for some wonderful interaction in the afternoons. The Canfordians led two full school assemblies (known as ‘moral talks’) during the visit and also emerged victorious from a debate about the threat of AI technology. Music features across assemblies and school life in general, and our pupils had great fun with the Awutu students comparing dance moves on many an evening after supper as well as thrilling the crowds with an exhibition of British dancing at its best in the farewell assembly!

Canfordians had brought with them clothing and sports kit, including bags of football boots kindly donated

by Canford families, and these were given both to the

Awutu students and to children at a local orphanage that the group visited during their trip. As one pupil wrote: ‘Shedrack had high hopes for starting a football team and his face lit up when we showed him the supplies of football boots and kit.’

Another pupil summed up the way everyone felt: ‘It was amazing to see how education could bring such happiness to children even in the most unfortunate conditions.’

Staying at the school, getting to know our hosts and seeing a little of Ghana itself was an awesome experience, and eye-opening in all the right ways. There were certainly challenges, but that was when we saw the very best of the pupils, and it is hugely to their credit that they maintained such a positive and engaged approach throughout. We smiled and laughed a lot, and they always threw themselves into every new experience.

As ever, the best part of travel was sharing with the people we met, and Awutu-Winton school provided an environment which would not be available on a holiday or sight-seeing tour. The memories and impact will last for years to come.

Richard Salmon

“There were certainly challenges, but that was when we saw the very best of the pupils.”

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Awutu Winton High School, Ghana

COMMunity & partnerships

The Bourne Academy “The two concerts were a wonderful showcase of the progress that year 7 made last year on their respective instruments in the MiSST programme.”

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THIS is my last Canfordian article as chair of the Bourne Academy as I am stepping down from the role this autumn. The academy and the very special relationship between Canford and the Bourne continue to thrive.

There are a growing number of joint pupil activities, the scholar programme Canford helps support is flourishing and this year at Canford we have for the first time appointed a pupil leader focused on supporting the relationship. It has been a huge privilege being the chair and seeing the academy through the trials of Covid and back to its flourishing normal again. Of course we continue dealing with the all the challenges of running an academy in a very disadvantaged area and supporting our pupils, but first and foremost it is a wonderful school full of lovely people where lots of fabulous things happen.

The year 13 cohort have achieved some excellent results and should be extremely proud of their achievements, especially given the circumstances leading up to them. Particular mention should go to Ryan Cowan, who is the academy’s first pupil to have secured a place at the Royal Veterinary College, London, and to Matyas Bana, who is the academy’s first pupil to gain a place at Loughborough University, studying Aeronautical Engineering.

MiSST – the scheme that ensures every one of our year 7 and year 8 pupils studies a musical instrument for two years – is now fully embedded in our DNA. Six of our year 7 pupils performed in the MiSST tenth anniversary concert. The show took place at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, and celebrated ten years of empowering children through music education. Bourne Academy pupils performed alongside Lord Lloyd Webber, Jess Gillam, the Kanneh-Masons and Jason Donovan. The show was outstanding and an unforgettable experience for all those who performed and attended. We feel incredibly honoured to have been part of it.

We held our first annual MiSST Proms over two summer concerts. All year 7 pupils have been studying either the violin or flute and had prepared a number of pieces which were performed in front of large audiences.

The two concerts were a wonderful showcase of the progress that year 7 made last year on their respective instruments in the MiSST programme.

The Bourne Academy was honoured to receive the School Games Gold Mark Award for the 2022/23 academic year from the Youth Sport Trust. We are extremely proud of our pupils for their dedication to all aspects of academy sport, and thank sports leaders and, of course, the Bourne Academy staff who enabled this success.

To mark their 100th birthday, the BBC invited the Bourne Academy to take part in their ‘Share Your Story’ workshop. Ray Gillies, a BBC researcher, gave an inspiring talk to pupils, demonstrating how he overcame anxiety and depression to achieve a successful career. Pupils joined in a question and answer session.

A select group of Bourne Scholars from the academy joined Their Majesties The King and Queen, members of the Royal Family, representatives of Commonwealth nations and 750 schoolchildren and young people from across the UK to celebrate Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey.

The Performing Arts Department worked incredibly hard to create a jaw-dropping performance of Beauty and the Beast in December 2022. Pupils excelled in their

roles and tickets sold out fast, a fantastic opportunity to try out new talents on stage or in production behind the scenes.

The academy was awarded ‘Bronze School’ status in the ‘Unite against Bullying’ programme. This is a huge achievement and we continue to work hard on this very important issue throughout the next academic year Dylan Hulbert, an exceptionally talented year 8 Bourne Scholar pupil, won third prize in the renowned Oxford University Creative Writing Competition 2023.

The competition asked pupils to craft a piece of creative writing of up to 1000 words. This could take any form and they had to take their inspiration from one or more of the images from the Manar al-Athar Photo Archive.

We are very proud of our Sixth Form pupils who were invited to Buckingham Palace to receive their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. The Gold Award ceremony was hosted by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

Sixty pupils from years 7 and 8 graduated in the Bourne Scholar Programme. We had the privilege of celebrating our Bourne Scholars Graduation in the Long Gallery at Canford. It was an honour to welcome the scholars and their families to celebrate and recognise the successes they have achieved this year.

Mr David Mastrocola, Head of Visual and Performing Arts, won the prestigious ‘Certificate of Excellence’ in the Pearson National Teaching Awards category of ‘Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School’. Sponsored by Nord Anglia Education, this esteemed recognition celebrates Mr Mastrocola’s remarkable contribution to education and his exceptional dedication to nurturing young talent.

Under his guidance, the Bourne Academy’s music and performing arts programme has flourished, consistently producing exceptional results and fostering a love for music among its pupils.

We also received an award of ‘Highly Commended’ in the category of ‘Outstanding School Music Department’ at the National Music and Drama Education Awards 2023, and were ranked highest secondary school in our category.

COMMunity & partnerships

Nineteen GCSE pupils headed for Malaga, Spain, and had a busy week visiting Alcazaba, the city centre, Malaga FC stadium, the Picasso Museum, Malagueta beach and the Pompidou Modern Art Centre, as well as taking a day trip to Seville. The pupils also visted Arroyo de la Miel, where they learned to cook the authentic Spanish paella from a professional chef – who was giving them instruction in Spanish only!

We hosted our first PVT event since Covid. A spring chocolate family bingo was a fabulous start back to fundraising events post-Covid. Pupils and staff provided invaluable support, from chocolate and raffle donations through to chair-stacking at the end. We had an overwhelming amount of wonderful comments regarding the event, all agreeing that it was a resounding success and definitely to be repeated! The event raised over £800.

We planted over 200 hornbeam trees to create the perimeter of our new outdoor theatre performance space. We received overwhelming support from the community in our ‘Sponsor a Tree’ project, which assisted the ongoing development of our outdoor education site. Pupils from years 7 through to year 13 took part in planting the trees with a fantastic team of community volunteers. We look forward to a summer season of events and performances in 2024.

John Wines (aka Old Grey Guitarist) has been an inspiration to countless pupils, sharing his deep passion for the guitar at the Bourne Academy. John, who went viral on TikTok over Covid, was selected for America’s Got Talent, where he captivated the judges and audience with his awe-inspiring guitar skills, securing four resounding ‘yesses’ from the panel.

Forty-four pupils and five staff spent a week skiing in Passo Tonale, Italy, over the Easter break. The group had an incredible time, building their confidence and ability on the slopes while making new friends and having so much fun!

The Bourne Academy was originally the first school in the UK to gain all eight ‘Gatsby’ benchmarks, the gold standard of careers provision. In 2023, the Bourne Academy, the lead school for the Dorset Careers Hub (DCH), is delighted to be ranked in the top tier of the 82 schools in the DCH network, outperforming DCH and national average results in every category.

Henry Bishop, Chair of Governors

“The group had an incredible time, building their confidence and ability on the slopes while making new friends and having so much fun.”

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THE CANFORD COMMUNITY

“It has been a privilege to be part of a special year.”

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OUR work in the Development Office this year has been heavily focused on the centenary celebrations. However, to all intents and purposes, our traditional annual events and activities have continued as normal, so it’s been very busy!

We offered the usual OC reunion lunches, which always provide the pleasure of seeing OCs who have sometimes not returned for years come back to Canford and reunite with old friends. We have also seen a lot more OC visitors this year. This has been a combination of more freedom of travel and socialising following the pandemic and OCs wanting to come and see Canford in its hundredth year.

Parents and OCs generously gave up their time once again to attend the Careers Convention and talk to our Lower Sixth pupils about their careers and offer advice. It was a pleasure to welcome back OC Sam Jones (founder of Gener8, who wowed the Dragons on Dragon’s Den and came away with significant investors on board) as our main speaker for this event.

Our support of the various Friends groups continued, starting with a Friends of Canford lunch for Shell and new Fourth Form parents in September, followed by numerous other events for parents including a shooting morning, the annual quiz night, golf day and a memorable sell-out spring lunch with a former dressmaker to the late Queen Elizabeth II as our speaker.

The Friends of Canford Music have been very busy this year supporting the Music Department with the centenary performances, and it was a delight to have a full house yet again for the annual jazz concert.

The centenary presented quite a special year for the Friends of Canford Rowing. Towards the start of the season, parents not only supported Canfordian rowers to take part in a twelve-hour Erg to raise money for a new boat but also took part themselves! They then went on to host the annual house regatta and boat club dinner. A row-past involving Stowe and Canford was organised at Henley Royal Regatta to mark both schools’ centenary year, which successfully brought the season to a celebratory close. The Canford boat consisted of

former boat club captains across the years, kitted out in special centenary zephyrs. A lunch reception followed, with record numbers of OCs and parents attending.

This reception also saw the official launch of the Old Canfordian Boat Club.

All Friends groups are headed up by current and former Canford parents who work hard, supported by the Development Office, to provide an enjoyable and sociable time for parents during their time at Canford and also after their children have left.

Our fundraising for bursaries continues. It is a joy and an honour to talk with pupils who have been in receipt of a bursary just before they leave Canford and hear about the difference it has made to their lives.

At the end of the summer holidays, some of you may have received a call from our young OC callers during our telethon which we run every two years. Thank you for taking the time to speak with them and for supporting our bursary fund if you were able to. The stones on Lady Charlotte’s Walk, which also contribute to our bursary fund, continue to grow in number and we are now starting to populate the opposite side. It will be good to see yet more stones laid over the winter, many for our youngest OCs who have just left.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for supporting us this year in so many ways. I do hope that you have enjoyed our centenary celebrations. They would not have been such a success without the strong Canford Community coming along, helping and getting involved. It has been a privilege to be part of a special year and I look forward to welcoming you back to many more events to come.

Rowena Gaston

THE Friends of Canford School have once again enjoyed a bumper year of events, all of which attracted record numbers. Our thanks to the committee members and school staff for their help, without which we would have been lost!

Quiz Night was so well supported it had to be accommodated in the Great Hall, Maureen Rose (dressmaker to the late Queen) held us spellbound with her talk in the Old Library during our spring lunch in March, and golfers were treated to a sunny day as we finally managed to host our FCS Charity Golf Day in June, our first for three years.

Thankfully the weather was on our side this year: both the History Tour and Arboretum Tour were enjoyed on balmy evenings and the weather held for the school’s centenary celebrations which, whilst not FCS events, were supported by members of the committee. Our ‘Have a Go’ events were also well attended, with participants trying their hand at Real tennis and testing their aim on the rifle range, too. All events raise funds for local

the canford community

Friends of Canford School

charitable causes and our thanks go to parents for their support of our work. For dates of future events please visit www.canford.com/whats-on-at-canford/events.

Tiffany Fleming

Friends of Canford Music THIS year the Friends of Canford Music celebrated the school’s centenary, culminating in the Proms in the Park concert. We supported the Christmas Term concert and the jazz concert – ‘A Night at the Musicals’ – in our usual style with a warm welcome and a refreshments bar for parents and friends.

For the jazz concert, the music school auditorium was decorated with long drapes and mood lighting akin to a musical theatre. A stunning array of table flower arrangements from the Ministry of Flowers promised a special musical evening. So it proved, with performances from the Wind Orchestra, Concert Band, Barbershop

Quartet and Jazz Band as well as solo singers and a trio.

Stunning performances and a night to remember.

Proms in the Park was attended by a 2500-strong audience! The Friends supported the Music Department in helping to manage the stage, chairs and stands. In addition, there was a Friends of Canford Music gazebo helping to distribute free CDs and merchandise from days gone by for those parents and friends wishing to be part of the nostalgia. The musicians – OCs and current pupils – were exceptional and a fine tribute and celebration to 100 years at Canford.

Martin Hancock

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the canford community

Friends of Canford Rowing CANFORD may be a school that rows rather than a rowing school, with budgets to match, but it punches above its weight through rowers’ sheer determination and hard work. FoCR had the pleasure of watching and supporting another successful season for Canford’s boat club. After a slow start with two-thirds of autumn head races cancelled due to bad weather, the crews competed well across multiple head races and regattas.

FoCR provided food, drinks and support for rowers, parents and other supporters.

In the spring, rowers took turns to keep three rowing machines running for twelve hours as the first step in raising money for a much-needed race-spec boat.

The rowers covered 487 km (305 miles) and, thanks

to matched funding from a very generous anonymous donor, just over £11,000 has been raised. Hopefully this will become an annual event. Further funding is needed and any donations would be gratefully received by the Development Office.

The boat club dinner was the year’s social highlight.

This year Siobhan Cassidy was the guest of honour and after-dinner speaker. Siobhan is a former Cambridge Boat Club chair and a director and interim chair of the Boat Race Company. The season culminated with lunch at Henley Royal Regatta, preceded by the boys’ 1st VIII racing against Westminster and a Canford row-past to celebrate the school’s centenary.

Jonathan Stuart

Old Canfordian Society Left: Twenty years on – the 2003 reunion.

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IN this centenary year, the school’s Development team has provided some wonderful opportunities for Old Canfordians to participate in events and activities that celebrated Canford and its history. In the spirit of ‘Once a Canfordian, always a Canfordian’, the school has now taken on the role, previously fulfilled by the OC Society, of keeping in touch with OCs across the world of all ages and interests, including funding the new sOCiety magazine. On leaving Canford, every Canfordian now automatically becomes a member of the OC Society and does not pay a subscription, so it was agreed in February that the accumulated funds of the Society be transferred to the school to support these activities.

The school’s relationship with OCs is now stronger than ever, with the Development team as the main point of contact. The team organises and promotes a number of events each year involving OCs in different ways, from those who attend the careers convention and offer mentoring to young OCs, to the various OC sports clubs, now including football and rowing, to reunion lunches and the OC London drinks party.

Sheila Way

BUILDING DEVELOPMENTS

DURING its near 30-year run on BBC TV in the 1970s, 80s and 90s the children’s show. Record Breakers, regularly featured ever more impressive attempts to break the Guinness World Record for domino toppling.

The secret to success was always meticulous planning and patient execution and the current world record is just shy of 4.5 million dominoes!

Nowadays, the phrase, ‘the domino effect’, is applied to chain reactions and sequences of events that don’t involve anything physically toppling. The Estates Plan at Canford is such a case in point, with each discrete element dependent on a number of others to ensure that the school can continue to operate at full capacity while work goes on to achieve the improvements and enhancements that will keep Canford at the top of its game well into its second century.

Creating additional dining space required moving the old library in Canford Manor to an interim location in the old Sixth Form centre while the new outdoor education centre was constructed, which in turn allowed the old CCF building to be demolished to make way for the new library. The construction of the new School House allowed the upper floors of Canford Manor to be converted to provide space for the three day houses, and Monteacute has moved to a new-build home ready for the Sixth Form Hub to be formed from the old Monteacute/Wimborne building in 2024. The marketing, admissions and development departments are now co-located in the ground floor of the Manor House extension that was previously home to Lancaster.

Work to build the new Upper Sixth boarding accommodation will begin in Summer 2024 after the old medical centre (san) has been demolished. The san has already been moved to the old bursary building, suitably converted into a state-of-the-art medical facility, and the bursary, together with the careers staff, have moved temporarily into the old Monteacute building while their new home in the watermill is converted from its previous function containing Salisbury. The watermill will

also be the new location for the exams office, which is currently lodging in a meeting room in the Nash building, and reception is already in place in the old careers ‘bungalow’, allowing easier access for deliveries and visitors.

Confused? Hopefully you won’t be once the results of our labours come to fruition. Already our pupils are benefiting from a modern library, enlarged assembly hall, more spacious dining facilities, two brand new boys’ boarding houses and freshly refurbished day houses in Canford Manor. Prospective parents and couples looking to hold their wedding reception at Canford are welcomed into an impressive reception room alongside admissions and five new multi-use/meeting rooms are already in operation with more to come. What’s more, the combination of new and refurbished buildings has made a major contribution to cutting the amount of gas we use for heating by 27% in the last twelve months, and the fitting of solar PV panels is doing the same for our electricity bills. Together with an increasing number of electric vehicles, these initiatives are eating into our carbon footprint.

Every capital project we complete can be seen as another domino toppled. I’m just glad we’re not aiming for a world record – at two or three projects a year, it will be a while before we get to 4.5 million!

David Brook

Above: The new Monteacute.

“Together with an increasing number of electric vehicles, these initiatives are eating into our carbon footprint.”

Left: The Wimborne house room.

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CCF

“Two top-three finishes in the same year showcase the phenomenal strength in depth of our cadets to be able to compete across the board at such a high standard.”

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THE Combined Cadet Force has enjoyed many successes on both an individual and a collective level this year, continuing the excellent legacy left behind by the outgoing contingent commander, Lieutenant Colonel D P Culley. We have reached record numbers in terms of participation, 95% of the Fourth Form choosing the Royal Marines, Army or Navy detachments as their enterprise option. The NCO cadre course has also grown in popularity with over a third of the Fifth Form taking part and hoping to be selected for continuation into the Sixth Form. The growing quality in our NCOs has enabled us to give the Sixth Form more responsibility in the training and mentorship elements of the CCF, which in turn better prepares them for leadership roles in the future.

With such high levels of uptake within the CCF, some cadets have chosen to pursue careers in the military after Canford. Several have taken these first steps this year with successful applications for Army scholarships.

The process for the awarding of these is rigorous, with interviews and multiple-day selection boards deciding on deserving recipients. The last two summers have seen three Canford pupils achieve these scholarships: Charlie Smith, Abigail Crossley and Henry Lane. Our congratulations go out to them all and we wish them best of luck when the time comes to take up their scholarships.

There were also strong showings at the two national CCF events. The Pringle Trophy is contested by the nation’s Marine cadets across a variety of military skills.

These include section level attacks, camouflage and concealment and observation, before concluding with drill and a best effort through the endurance course

used by the regular marine recruits. Our team, led by Hugh Blake, placed well in most of the stands en route to a third-place finish, securing our highest placing in nearly a decade.

The Rifles Cup is competed for by the Army cadet units affiliated with the Rifles Regiment. The competitions follow a similar pattern and this year took place in Longmoor Training Camp, with challenges to test the cadets on patrolling, marksmanship, first aid, section attacks and much more. The team led by Charlie Smith nearly managed to repeat the success of 2019, and only narrowly came in second place.

However, two top-three finishes in the same year showcase the phenomenal strength in depth of our cadets to be able to compete across the board at such a high standard. Much credit must also go to Major Rob Hoey and Major Ben Coward, who give so much time, knowledge and advice to channel the cadets’ enthusiasm into a highly skilled performance. The challenges of the two-day competitions will live long in the memory and the lessons learned in resilience and teamwork will be of great benefit to the cadets in the future.

The entire contingent was also able to run both of its Field Exercise weekends in October and May. These took place in Bovington, Braunton Burrows, Isle of Wight and Highwood Heath Training Areas, allowing the Fourth Form to practise the skills learned on a Monday

Prizewinners were as follows: Benner Award WO1 Smith Clive Meyer Award WO1 Windsor Drum Major’s Bugle Ldg Hand Whelan Best Junior NCO LCpl Vrettos Best Junior Navy Cadet Cdt Anpilogov Best Junior Marines Cadet Cdt Jackson Best Junior Army Cadet Cdt Landale The highlight of the year in many ways, though, was the return of the Norway cross-country skiing expedition. A casualty of various travel restrictions in recent years, it was finally able to make a return to the school calendar. February half term saw 25 cadets and three staff members take the long journey to Hovden and be taught the skill of cross-country skiing. Despite numerous falls initially, all were able to show good

progress. Once combined with lessons on mountain and adverse weather survival, they were ready to begin their three-day expedition into the Norwegian mountains. The scenery was stunning and the physical demands extreme, but the cadets showed they were up to the challenge. The wet conditions and comparatively warm weather made staying in a quinzee or snowhole impossible but did not lower the spirit amongst the explorers. As the snow fell around us on the final day, the achievement of completing the challenge was evident to all.

Other trips in the summer holidays also saw strong numbers, with adventure training opportunities in the Wye Valley (kayaking) and Forest of Dean (mountain biking). A brave few also completed a trip through the Brecon Beacons (as they were then still called), following some of the trails used by the SAS as part of their selection process. This then followed straight into the Rifles Battle Camp: a five-day training week based in Caerwent Training Area, designed and run by Major Ben Coward and supported by personnel from 1 RIFLES. Quite ambitiously for cadets, this gives them an opportunity to engage in platoon level training, a true rarity in the cadet world. Along with the ability to converse with regular soldiers and officers, the freedom to run through a whole day’s worth of battlefield scenarios is a unique opportunity. There were also cadets taking part in a range of MoD-run camps – rock climbing, leadership course and cadet marine camps – with pupils from other schools.

All of this and so much more that could not be contained within this article could not have been achieved without the tireless support of Captain Craig Risbey and Lieutenant Matt Coward. I would also like to thank all the other officers and school staff who lead, support and enable the high-quality activities the CCF enjoys. The last word must go out to the cadets themselves, whose passion and energy transforms the various trips and experiences into lifelong memories for all involved.

Major W A Moreland

“The scenery was stunning and the physical demands extreme, but the cadets showed they were up to the challenge.”

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afternoon in a new environment and to take them outside their comfort zones. Under the watchful eyes of the CCF staff, the Sixth Form NCOs led the training through these days and were rewarded with some excellent efforts. The ability of our sixth-formers to lead, and to showcase excellence while doing so, no longer shocks but does not cease to be impressive. It is this day-to-day work by Sixth Form cadets and staff which has led to Canford being considered a ‘gold standard’ by the cadet training teams in the region.

All this training comes to a crescendo at the Annual Parade, as ever blessed with good weather despite being held in March. This was a glorious occasion, allowing the parents to see first-hand the various activities their children have been engaged in. Magnificent performances in the field gun challenge, stretcher races, command tasks and assault course sent off the leaving Upper Sixth in style. This year we were honoured to have Colonel Chris Haw MBE, Commandant of the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone and an OC, as our inspecting officer. He spoke to the contingent during the presentation ceremony of his own time at Canford as a cadet and the foundation for success it gave to him.

outdoor enterprises

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme

“While there are plentiful choices, fitting these into and around a busy school day represents an organisational challenge that focusses the mind and at times requires real sticking power.”

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IT has been heartening to see a rebound in Duke of Edinburgh’s Award activity following the trickier Covid era – it is clear that there is a thirst for such things amongst young people, Canfordians included. The 2022/23 school year has seen an encouraging takeup, inspired perhaps by tales of adventures in Wales on foot and, notably, in Scotland by canoe. We have also started to build links on the DofE front with the Bourne Academy, and while plans to run a series of joint expeditions didn’t quite come to fruition, the appetite and potential for such collaboration bodes well for the future.

The school DofE year kicks off with the Gold Expedition presentations, where the new Upper Sixth tell the story of their expedition carried out over the summer holiday. Amongst the tales of hardship, hills climbed and hilarity, the presentations give a valuable opportunity for expedition members to reflect on the significance of what they have just achieved. Those in the Lower Sixth embarking on their Gold are helpfully inspired by what they hear and by what they realise is possible, and it sets the tone rather nicely for the year ahead.

Effort soon switches towards identifying individual activities to fulfil the criteria of the various sections of the Award, and it is here that Canfordians finds themselves in the enviable position of being able to choose from a wide range of activities on offer.

Fortunately, the challenge is rather greater than simply opting for an eligible activity, and it is arguably here that the real benefits of DofE in a school such as Canford emerge. While there are plentiful choices, fitting these into and around a busy school day represents an organisational challenge that focusses the mind and at times requires real sticking power. It takes commitment to keep turning up to volunteer in the Community Action programme when others are opting for a rather more self-directed option, and likewise for a CCF senior cadet to commit a whole weekend of training in the face of academic and university application deadlines.

A significant benefit of DofE is the structure it places around a particular activity, with the need to make choices, identify then pursue goals, and review progress with an assessor. It has been heartening to witness the

progression Canfordians have made in their chosen activities, whether improving their tennis skills, seeing a creative project through to completion, or mastering the next level of musical proficiency. In a world where choices ebb and flow, it is great to see long-term commitment to improvement and the realisation that sustained hard work does pay off, and not just in terms of recognition by others.

The credit for some 27 Canfordians being invited to Buckingham Palace in June for their Awards to be presented lies primarily with them, not least with sticking through with the Award in less than ideal circumstances. But I suspect that they would wish to pass some of that credit on to the wider DofE team in the school for the time, effort and energy they apply to making the programme work. The Award depends upon people being willing to give of their time, and it is rather fitting that those running DofE are largely volunteers themselves. Much of the success of this year’s programme rests firmly on the legacy established by Mr Dan Culley, and I’m sure a generation of Canfordians would echo that appreciation.

Looking forwards, enrolments of the current Lower Sixth are higher than ever before, with ambitions to conduct expeditions across the disciplines of walking, canoeing, sailing and horseback riding. Watch this space!

Rob Hoey

2022/23 saw the celebration of Canford’s 100th year and it was fantastic for sport to be involved in those festivities as well as continuing to give pupils further opportunities for them to explore, express and excel and strive to be the best they can be.

Touring was back on the agenda and our centenary year saw our hockey players in Spain and Holland and our rugby players in France and Scotland, both trips making memories and experiences that will last long past the pupils’ time at Canford. As well as all this enjoyment, there were many moments of excellence in the year just gone, with the school regularly competing strongly against the best in the country across many sports. A large number of pupils also continue on performance pathways alongside their sport at Canford.

With wellbeing a constant theme as part of the sports programme, it has been fantastic to see our school sleep programme recognised with several independent school awards during the year. The ability to educate our pupils

further in these areas will pay dividends as they look to meet the challenges they will face in their lives postschool. Linked in with a growing athletic development programme and physiotherapy service, we continue to aim for a reduction in the number of injures in school sport.

Unfortunately, this year saw Canford say goodbye to some sports staff who have given hugely to the school over a number of years. Peter Short said farewell after eleven years of running Canford’s rugby in which he has developed an excellent programme that has seen boys enjoy the benefits of the sport and of being a part of teams at all levels. Alex Cronin moves on to Hampshire CCC having set up our rapidly growing athletic development programme over the last few years and Lucy Read, in her second spell at Canford as head of netball, leaves having inspired many of the girls on our courts. Exciting new recruits and replacements are in place, and I am looking forward to them continuing to drive Canford sport forward.

With new staff and positions in place and with the ongoing development of programmes, Canford’s sport continues to push itself forward for the growth of all the pupils. Inspiration has been easy to find over the summer break with the men’s and women’s Ashes and the Lionesses’ World Cup run showing both the excitement and the enjoyment that sport can bring. There are no reasons why this next generation of Canford pupils cannot achieve their potential in sport and put in place the foundations to promote their physical wellbeing throughout their lives.

Tony Diprose, Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing

“Canford’s sport continues to push itself forward for the growth of all the pupils.”

Athletics THE athletes started the season with a bang, with the juniors competing in the Track Field Cup competition at King’s Park, Bournemouth. Strong performances were seen by Joe Stevenson in the javelin, Ben Jack in the shot and the girls’ 4x100m relay team, comprising Poppy White, Bella Jenkins, Josie Carswell and Poppy Young.

During the same week, selected athletes competed in the Poole and East Dorset trials and gained selection to represent the area in the county championships. Well done to the following juniors: Elsa Kenny, Mille Bowley, Josie Carswell and Harry Williams. Successful inter athletes were Megan Mowbray, Isaac Ameyaw, Lawrence Al Hariri and Harry Pilkington and seniors, Jansci Motsi, Elisabeth Koppert and Evelyn Young.

It was wonderful to see four Canford athletes being selected to represent Dorset in the South West Championships, which were held in Exeter. Jansci Motsi performed admirably in the 100m, making it through the heats and into the final, and gained the bronze in the long jump. Evie Young enjoyed the favorable conditions this year, after throwing the discus in a downpour last

year, and gained 4th position. Elisabeth Koppert should feel proud of achieving a new school record in the discus, with a throw of 33.86m and the title of South West Champion. Megan Mowbray performed excellently in the triple jump, smashing her own school record and setting a new target of 11.16m; this jump gained her selection for the English Schools Championships. At this event, which was held in July at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, Megan achieved a jump slightly below her personal best in horrendous weather conditions, but was ranked in the top five in the country, which is an impressive achievement.

In the last week of term, the Shells and Fourth Form took part in an inter-house athletics competition. All field events were performed as normal, with the introduction of an extra event, the cricket ball throw. The track events were split into multiple different relay races. This helped to maximise participation while adding an element of fun.

Congratulations to Lancaster and Marriotts for gaining the 2023 titles.

Natasha Wilson

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CANFORD COMMUNITY

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SPORT “I was constantly impressed by the determination, courage and cheerfulness with which our runners approached every session, always seeing the positives and pushing their limits.”

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Cricket

Cross-country

IT was a remarkable season for our girls’ cricket club.

Winning the Dorset indoor county cup in January allowed us to progress to the national finals in Bristol, an experience from which we will take great pride. In July, the U18s were runners-up in the national T20 cup, losing the final to a strong Ipswich. The U15s lost to Gresham’s in a tough semi-final, but won the play-off to finish third in the country. All players and staff can be incredibly proud of feats that surpassed all expectations.

Although statistically the season looks a little disappointing for the boys’ 1st XI (W 9, L6, NR 3) we have lots of positives to take away. After our 2022 success in the national cup, we were promoted to the top tier. This meant playing much tougher opposition, but we reached the last 32 nationally. A comprehensive 41run win against Wellington College was the highlight.

Five players scored over 200 runs and three bowlers took 15+ wickets (Kit Blomfield taking most wickets for the second season). Dill Howell led from the front as captain, scoring 502 runs at 45.64.

The 2nd XI had another successful season, losing only one game and winning the 100-ball cup. Jamie Elviss dominated the batting with 350 runs at 87.50, and with the ball Will Allen stood out as the most consistent.

The U15s successfully defended their title as Dorset U14 cup holders by winning again as U15s, losing only one game in the season. This was an outstanding effort considering the number of players lost to long-term injuries. Leading batter and captain was Seb Rowland with 389 runs at 43.33, showing great maturity as leader.

Gabe Davey was the most consistent bowler, finishing with 17 wickets at 16.53.

For the U14s it was a tough season in terms of results.

Excellent in training, they just need to transition this onto the field. Felix Inglis scored heavily with little support – 285 runs at 40.71 – while the top bowler was Hector Hedges with 5 wickets at 21.40 Congratulations to Upper Sixth pupil Eddie Jack for his very successful summer, representing not only Hampshire 2nd XI but England U19s in the Test series v Australia.

Matt Keech

THE 2022-23 season started at a great pace with Canford hosting a PEDSSA event for around 450 runners from 29 local schools ranging from year 5 up to year 13. This set the scene for an exciting and enjoyable two terms of running, with Canfordians making full use of our Dorset location, including the big fan favourite River Run along the Stour, trips to Wareham Forest, hills and twisty trails on Canford Heath, the beaches of Studland and Sandbanks, and the Castleman Trailway. Plus of course the whole school getting involved in the annual House Cross-Country in the final week of the Christmas Term.

In competition running we have had some superb results. At the Dorset County Championships, captain Abi Crossley led by example with a stellar ninth place in the Senior Girls, automatically qualifying for the Regionals, alongside Tom Camilleri who finished eleventh in the Inter Boys. Abi went on to represent Dorset at the Nationals, qualifying as sixth fastest in the Dorset team and in the top 250 in the country. At the Sandbanks Stampede, it was a clean sweep of 1-2-3 in the Junior Boys with Henry Lyddon first over the line and Harry Jones and James Benamor next respectively, while in the Inter Boys, Santi Sastre had a sizable lead over second place and Alex Forbes was also on the podium. Our runners have also done us proud at meets such as Downside, Sherborne, Bryanston and Milton Abbey, including a number representing Canford for the first time.

Sadly, a number of fixtures through the season were cancelled due to high winds, flooding or general poor weather. On many weeks, our runners had to contend with sideways rain, strong winds and very wet underfoot conditions, and I was constantly impressed by the determination, courage and cheerfulness with which our runners approached every session, always seeing the positives and pushing their limits. There have been huge improvements for every member of the team and they have been a pleasure to run with this year.

Jamie Ings

CANFORD’S Oaks, Acorns and newly named Mountjoy had a very enjoyable year. There was a steely determination from the Oaks, a ruthless drive from the Acorns and endless enthusiasm from the Mountjoy XI. With a massive 52 fixtures played across the three sides, a solid record included 20 wins and 9 draws.

The Oaks were able to try their hand in several competitions, including the Wessex Independent Schools League, County Cup and ISFA Cup. Captained by Henry Wittram, the side had a steely grit about them and managed to play some great football in the process.

Wins against Milton Abbey (1-0) and Bryanston (2-1) were the highlights, plus a tight penalty loss to Ringwood after being down 2-0 from early on in the game. Last year’s Lower Sixth stars, Henry Wittram, Tyndale Kwan, Nat Merrell and Max Lockyer, continued in style. George Bolland, Joss Ransom-Esposti, Alex Landale and Jack Martin were great additions.

The standout performers were the Acorns, led brilliantly by Mme Saurel, and captained by Jocelin Child.

Wins came quickly for the Acorns, particularly in the Easter Term, where they were brilliant against Taunton (6-1), Bryanston (5-2) and Milton Abbey (9-0). Tom Norman, Jamie Elviss, Ben Fowle, Jocelin Child, Alex Geng and Freddie Homer were a spine every coach is envious of: a solid defence, creative in midfield and a lethal striker.

The Mountjoy XI had a great programme, led brilliantly

by Gent Legend Huge Blake, and racked up eight games.

After a tough start, the boys finished the year with a run of four wins, beating Blandford (4-1) and Sherborne (40) in the process. Star players included Alex Cochrane, Felix Church, Charlie Smith, Tom Windsor, Jack Niu and Oli Fox Pitt.

The highlights of the year were seeing our Upper Sixth leavers playing as a year group in games against Old Canfordians and the Corinthian Casuals.

James Crickmore

SPORT

Football

Golf OUR first match against Winchester College away allowed Leo Vorobyev to impress by single-handedly beating their top two golfers in matchplay. Suzy Cribb and Tom Williams competed well but lost 4&3 and debutants Max Williamson and Arthur Keen struggled, playing competitive golf.

We then travelled to Stowe School to play in a Centenary Match on their new golf course. Despite only being a few years old, the course was superb, and our pupils had a very enjoyable afternoon despite losing all six single matches. They were quick to blame the travel as the reason rather than some very strong Stowe golfers!

The last match of the term against Sherborne was a very wet affair. As Sherborne brought along nine players, Guy Green and Tom Williams took on three of them in a very unconventional 5-ball format. The overall match score was a 2-2 draw, but all players should be congratulated for persevering through the awful weather!

After receiving a bye in the first round of the HMC Foursomes, we faced King’s College Taunton in March. All three Canford pairs started slowly and found themselves behind their opponents owing to a mix of good golf from the latter or being too ambitious themselves. After nine holes we started to play much better, and perhaps more conservatively, but by this point a very good King’s Taunton side were in the lead in all three matches by a few holes. Sadly, it was a case of one step forward, one step back and none of the three pairs could narrow the advantage that King’s had built up on the first few holes.

After losing this match and withdrawing from the Finals of the ISGA Championship after Leo and Suzy decided to concentrate on their GCSEs, that was the end of the competitive golf season. Various teams played friendly matches against Milton Abbey and QE School in the Summer Term and all players had great fun competing against others of similar ability.

Thanks to Tom Williams for his positive and purposeful engagement with golf over the last three years. He has always played with a smile on his face and enjoyed his golf come rain or shine, bogeys or birdies!

This will be my final golf report as I pass over to Joe Davis and wish him all the best over the next few years with the changes being made to schools golf.

Gary Shaw

“There was a steely determination from the Oaks, a ruthless drive from the Acorns and endless enthusiasm from the Mountjoy XI.”

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sport “The passion and commitment displayed in every match truly exemplified the spirit of Canford’s sporting ethos.”

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Boys’ Hockey

Girls’ Hockey

A challenging 2022-23 boys’ hockey season was particularly rewarding on multiple fronts, with high levels of engagement and a healthy appetite for training and competition evident. Over 140 boys proudly wore the traditional Canford royal blue in matches at all levels.

The scale of participation demonstrates the popularity of hockey among the boys and highlights the dedication of both players and coaching staff. The passion and commitment displayed in every match truly exemplified the spirit of Canford’s sporting ethos.

A significant feature of the season was the character, quality and togetherness exhibited by the 1st XI. Captained expertly by Monty Hooker, this group of gifted players had a memorable season, especially the tour to Barcelona in January, where they participated in the prestigious Reyes Festival at the Real Club de Polo. Playing against outrageously talented sides from all corners of Europe, they were tested both mentally and physically in an environment that fostered growth and camaraderie for the matches that followed. The Barcelona tour was about more than just hockey; it was an enriching cultural experience that brought the team closer together, forming unbreakable bonds that extended beyond the hockey pitch.

While the results of every match may not have always gone in their favour, the older players in the senior teams set a positive and inspiring tone for their younger counterparts. Collectively, the four senior teams managed to secure victories or draws in two-thirds of their matches. This progress is testament to the hard work, discipline and team spirit that the boys brought to the field. Their performances were not only competitive but also played in the right spirit, embodying the values of sportsmanship and respect for opponents.

The U16 team showcased great promise, reaching the last 16 of the prestigious National Tier 1 Cup. Their tenacity and dedication translated into impressive performances on the field, and they left a mark on the competition. In addition, the U15 and U14 sides also produced a number of eye-catching displays and contested lots of very closely fought games. There is work still to do, but the opportunity to improve their tactical insight, fitness levels and core skill execution leaves them in good stead for the future.

The boys can look back with pride on their achievements and with excitement for their future hockey exploits. The dedication of the players and coaching staff, as well as the unyielding support from the school community and parents, made this a fulfilling season for everyone involved.

Matt Collison

OVER the course of the 2022-23 season, the Canford girls’ hockey teams demonstrated tremendous growth and resilience, both as individual players and as cohesive teams. The resurfacing of the Brook astro, to be rebranded as the Rossiter pitch, and subsequent official opening versus Craighouse from Chile made a fitting start to the campaign.

As the 1st XI navigated through triumphs and challenges, they left a lasting impression with their determination, maturity and commitment to the sport.

On the field the 1st XI, led impeccably by Honoré Cutler, played with passion and skill, showcasing their prowess in every match. They exhibited not only technical finesse but also a strategic approach that belied their years. Their performance was a testament to the hard work put in during training sessions and a collective determination to push their limits.

Notably, the 1st XI had a fantastic experience during their tour of Barcelona over half term. The team enjoyed the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich hockey culture of the city and competed against local sides boasting impressive facilities. Winning three matches during the tour added to their sense of achievement and camaraderie. Beyond the matches, the cultural experiences and team bonding that occurred during the trip were invaluable. Meanwhile, the other four senior teams also had a commendable season. The strength in depth became evident as they faced formidable opponents from across the region. Despite a challenging fixture list, the teams consistently demonstrated tenacity and a never-give-up attitude, while their performances remained strong throughout the season.

The U15 and U14 year groups were no less significant, as they had several opportunities to develop their core skills and tactical acumen. A series of competitive matches challenged them physically and emotionally, but the nurturing environment provided by the school and coaching staff allowed them to flourish, and these young players showed great promise for the future of Canford’s hockey programme.

None of this would have been possible without the tireless efforts of the coaching staff. They imparted not only technical skills but also invaluable life lessons that will undoubtedly stay with the players for years to come. Additionally, the parents played a crucial role in supporting the teams. Their unwavering encouragement and presence at matches created a sense of unity and community around the hockey club. The players drew strength from this support, knowing that it showed belief in them and their abilities.

Matt Collison

LACROSSE continued to develop as a sport at Canford under the tutelage of graduate assistant Annabel Eglington. The development of the girls in friendly matches across the season was really positive and saw us progress the furthest we have ever done at the national finals at Aldershot.

Day 1 of the finals was a challenge and not only on the field. Coach Eglington had been struck down by a virus, leaving Miss Toogood (a rowing coach) and Mr Diprose (not known for his lacrosse) in charge of getting the team there and into action. They were also, thankfully, helped by OC Nori Warner, who was supporting her sister at the event. Day 1 fixtures are notoriously hard and particularly against powerhouses of the game like Caterham and Berkhamsted. A strong performance against a Bedford Girls team (who went on to win Division 2) was the highlight and the team knew that

Netball THIS year has seen the highest number of games and pupils playing netball. Sixteen teams took to the court to play competitive, fun netball for their school. It has been truly wonderful to see all pupils progress this year.

The Shells had a competitive fixture list and were excited to play new schools that brought new challenges each week. They worked on resilience and learnt a lot about their teammates and how to work together.

The U15s were a competitive group of students, which allowed for movement throughout the teams.

They loved their training sessions, building on their skills learnt last year and introducing more tactical elements, which they put into practice in their matches. The U15As became county champions in a nail-biting final against Parkstone GS. The U16s produced solid performances each week and played against a lot of senior teams, holding their own and growing from strength to strength. Lots of movement throughout the teams meant that they had to adapt and overcome obstacles quickly and efficiently, and they did this extremely well.

The seniors have been the standout year group. The Lower and Upper Sixth coming together to form a record six teams each week was spectacular. The 1stVII were denied a national final spot by one goal against Millfield, but this put fire in their belly and they made it to the ISNC plate final against Epsom, where they were just pipped to the win once again. However, they played with grit and determination and showed great camaraderie.

Special mentions to Mia White for winning the player’ player award and Daisy Brown for player of the year in the1stVII. Esther Browning was awarded the first-ever netball club player of the year award for her all-around work ethic and for always putting the team before herself. Co-captains Daisy Brown and Lauren Corn, alongside team-mates Mia White and Georgie Boon, were awarded netball caps for outstanding contributions to the netball programme throughout their time at Canford.

Lucy Read

on day 2, against similar level opposition in the Division 3 cup, they would have their opportunities After a night recovering at the local Premier Inn, the girls headed out with ambition. The morning saw wins against St James and Loretto School before a loss to North London Collegiate. Our results were, however, good enough for us to make the semi-finals of Division 3, a new high point for the Canford lacrosse programme.

Loretto awaited us in that semi-final, looking for revenge, and they took an early lead. The girls pegged them back to 1-1 before the Scottish side edged back in front. The last minutes were all Canford pressure and as the hooter sounded, the ball found its way into the Loretto goal. 2-2? Unfortunately not, as the umpire ruled that the ball had crossed the line after the hooter had sounded. A tough one to take, but the girls had been a credit to themselves and the school, both at the nationals and throughout the year.

Tony Diprose

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Lacrosse

“The U15As became county champions in a nail-biting final against Parkstone Grammar School.”

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Real Tennis and Squash

“Henley Royal Regatta hosted a centenary row-past of Old Canfordian captains from the boat club’s illustrious past.”

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IT has been great to have the carousel and activity sessions back up and running and we now have a large cohort of Shells who are loving their Real tennis and squash. Also, with the new School House and Monteacute boarding houses completed and situated next door, the future is looking bright!

Our U14s, U16s and U18s Real tennis squads faced their regular foes of Radley, Wellington and the Oratory.

All players put in superb efforts across the year and, with lots of younger pupils showing interest, I am excited to see how things develop over the next few years.

We continue to have a close link with our local club over at Bridport, with home and away fixtures against their members; we just came out ahead this year with a victory away and honours even in the home leg.

In the Real Tennis Schools Doubles Championships, we took four pairs to the Queen’s Club for the U18s and two pairs over to Radley for the U16s. No silverware to speak of but solid semi-finals for U16 pair Gabriel Davey and Toby Lemans and U18 pair Merlin Cork and Ed Timberlake.

We played fourteen squash matches across the year against local rivals Bryanston, Clayesmore and Sherborne. We also faced the Dorset junior squad for the first time and celebrated the school centenary with a match against Stowe. Congratulations to Beaufort, who were crowned both girls junior and senior House Squash champions. School House completed the double for the boys, beating Court in the final of both.

Ethan Bikhazi-Green and Tom Clark had the honour of captaining the squash and Real tennis teams in their final year. Albert Blackburn did tremendously well to reach the final group of the Real Tennis Junior British Open at Queen’s in the summer, facing off against three of the best juniors in the world; he will be one to watch as he enters his final year at the school. Albert also won the school Real tennis championships, lifting the Canford Royal Tennis Cup first presented by Cleeves Palmer back in 1980.

Our assistant, Vaughan Hamilton, has sadly departed us for pastures new at Prested Real Tennis Club, but he made a fantastic impression on the school and club and we wish him all the very best in his new exciting venture.

James Ryan

Rowing THROUGHOUT the season, our Canford crews acquitted themselves admirably – and enjoyed themselves.

At the Schools’ Head of the River on the Tideway, the 1st VIII came third – a great result. So did the mixed VIII (four boys, four girls) in a new event.The girls’ 1st VIII took eleventh place, showing a standard of rowing which made them great role models for the club.

The 1st VIII then stayed on for the next day’s racing in the Head of the River, finishing 118th overall and ninth in junior VIIIs.This was a brilliant result considering two backto-back races over the 4¼-mile course – slightly different from our River Stour!

With over 6000 competitors aged between 14 to 18 years old, to make a final at the National Schools’ Championships at Dorney Lake is a great achievement, while to win a medal is a bonus.The coxless IV did just that, winning the bronze medal, while the coxed IV just missed out in fourth place in their event.Three J15 crews took part in the Junior Sculling Head at the same venue, which was a big step up with hundreds of children from around the country representing their schools and clubs.

In the House Regatta, over 100 pupils competed in 14 events featuring 90 races. As ever, the coxed pairs and coxed IV events provided some very close racing, while the senior single sculls also provided some tight contests. In the quarter-finals, Oli Stuart capsized inches away from the finish line, but had sufficient momentum to just keep ahead of his rival, James Hornung! Salisbury were the overall winners of the regatta.

At Henley Royal Regatta, drawing Westminster, the finalists at the National Schools’ Championship, in the first round was always going to be a challenge.The confident Canfordian VIII (Rex Batt, Edward Fillingham, Archie Jones, William Fearnley, Arun Samra, Daniel Coupe, Benjy Bishop, Oliver Stuart, coxed by Imy Woodcock) raced to their full potential but could not contain Westminster, who eventually won by three lengths.

Henley Royal Regatta hosted a centenary row-past of Old Canfordian captains from the boat club’s illustrious past, which included a Stowe crew as they also celebrate 100 years.

Members and guests celebrated the establishment of the OC Boat Club with a social gathering at Henley cricket ground. OCs and parents gathered to catch up on events past and present, and it was amazing to see so many Canford Boat Club blazers!

Ian Dryden

SPORT

Rugby CANFORD Rugby saw a lot of ups and downs during the 2022 season. The 1st XV were capable of pulling out the biggest victories at their best, such as a last-minute victory over Blundell’s, while also managing to fall short; a disappointing loss to Bryanston comes to mind. The season was consistent in its inconsistency. However, it should be remembered that this was a team full of Lower Sixth, who were guided well in their first year of senior rugby by the Upper Sixth. Any success that comes about this year will be thanks to lessons learned from the year before.

The senior squad also enjoyed a trip to Edinburgh to take part in the Merchiston Festival. Despite only managing to win one game, the boys played some great rugby and were unfortunate not to come away with some more victories. The 1st VII had a decent year, winning the plate at Portsmouth 7s while producing some outstanding play at Rosslyn Park but falling short in their quest to qualify for day two.

The U16s continued to improve as they made strides

Tennis THE senior girls had a mixed season. The 1st team showed off their matchplay skills to pull off some impressive wins against Sherborne, Bryanston and Milton Abbey. Our depth this year enabled us often to be victorious in the 3rds and 4ths, playing up against other schools’ 1st and 2nds; whilst the matches were harder, this was a young group of fifth-formers, which bodes well for the tennis club future as they move up the school.

The U15s had some great performances and accomplished wins against Millfield and against Bryanston, showing real growth throughout the term. The U15Cs did themselves proud, working incredibly hard and playing against teams who were significantly better, but never giving up. The U14s as a group were fantastic, performed well in all the fixtures, stayed positive and all really progressed throughout the season: some pupils to really watch out for in the seasons to come.

The senior boys had a very pleasing year, and with lots of young new players entering the team in the 1sts and 2nds, it bodes well for the future. We play against schools

towards senior rugby. The performance of the season came against Bishop Wordsworth, winning 24-10 and avenging their U15s national cup exit. Meanwhile, the U14s took their first steps into the world of Canford rugby and definitely have the makings of a strong group.

This potential was shown by their performances on the 7s circuit, where they made the semi-final of the Sherborne 7s.

The U15s had an excellent season, equalling the best result the school has ever had in the national cup and reaching the quarter-finals. The peak of this journey came in the last 32, where they triumphed over a strong Millfield side at home, winning 8-7. Although the quality of the talent was extremely high, it was their unity and competitiveness that often gave them the edge.

Finally, a big thank you to Peter Short. Thanks to this ironically named gigantic human, Canford rugby is in a strong place and the future looks bright. However, there was one area Peter really excelled and that was using rugby to prepare our boys for life. Yes, pupils definitely left Canford as better rugby players than they were when they arrived, but they also left as better people.

Tomas Roberts

“The season was consistent in its inconsistency.”

that offer two terms of tennis, but the boys performed well all term, trying to do the right things and producing some stunning tennis. For the 1st and 2nds, the Dauntsey’s match showed this, and the boys have worked hard on how to set up points with a good serve and return.

The 3rds and 4ths enjoyed a season of varied results, but often they were playing against other schools’ 1st and 2nds teams to ensure that we were getting good match-ups. The U15s had much better results than last year as Shells, which is pleasing to see as many of those have a real chance to play up in the senior teams next year. The U14s had enough for two teams this year, which was great, and they had great exposure to varied levels of opponents. The most notable win was against Sherborne, where it all came down to the final match.

Thanks to all the outgoing Upper Sixth, as they are a tennis-loving cohort. A special goodbye to William Pickard, who has been in the first team since Shells, and Lara Ela Ulkeroglu and Rupert Hutton, who have played in the first team since the Fourth and Fifth Forms. Thanks also to the Canford staff – I couldn’t run the club without your dedication.

Emma Bennett

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2023 LEAVERS’ BALL

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Including photography by Paul West | www.paulwestphotography.com

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