HM Letter to Parents April 2015

HEADMASTER’S LETTER

T0 PARENTS

CHIGWELL SCHOOL SCHOOL CHIGWELL

APRIL 2015

Dear Parents Welcome back after the Easter holiday and to the start of the Trinity term.

I hope you have managed to enjoy some of the good weather and some time off together.

Contents Page 1

Careers Convention Summer Ball Blue Calendars Gopal Kambo Emma Cadman & Lauren Keiller ISFA

Page 2

Olympiad Physics Success

Page 3

Choir - Oxford & Canterbury in One Weekend

Page 4

Duke of Edinburgh

Page 5

Trip to Nice

Page 6

Speech Day Staff News School Fixtures

Page 7

And Finally

Careers Convention

Gopal Kambo

As I mentioned in my last letter, we will

Gopal has a conditional offer to study

be holding our careers convention on

modern languages at St John’s College

Thursday 23rd April.

There will be

Cambridge. In addition, we heard just

representatives from a range of careers

before Easter, that he has also been

and we hope that students will take the

offered a choral scholarship. This is a

opportunity to learn as much as possible

marvellous achievement and it is the

about

fourth Oxbridge choral scholarship in

the

potential

opportunities

available to them and how they can best

four years.

make themselves attractive to potential Fifth should attend but those from the

Emma Cadman & Lauren Keiller

Sixth Form and other year groups are

Congratulations to Emma and Lauren

also very welcome. We are grateful to

who have been selected to spend a week

parents, Old Chigwellians and friends

at a university in July as part of the

who have given up their time to make

‘Inspire’ scheme. These courses are

this event possible

heavily oversubscribed and we look

employers. Students from the Upper

forward to hearing about the girls’

Summer Ball

experience when they return.

A ticket order form and details of the Summer Ball to be held on the evening

ISFA

of Saturday 4th July are being been sent

Congratulations to Jake David and

out by e-mail. This is always a very

Tommy Redhead who represented the

popular event and you are urged to

ISFA U14 side and to Alec Osborn who

apply for tickets as soon as possible as

played for the U15 side over Easter, both

they are allocated on a first come first

teams against a Notts County side. As a

served basis.

result of his performance, Alec has been selected to play against Aston Villa and

Blue Calendars

Manchester United later this term.

As usual, the Trinity term calendars are being distributed to pupils who should also bring home a copy.

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Olympiad Physics Success As I have mentioned before, Bianca Andrei performed very well in her physics Olympiad competition and was one of just fifteen A level physics students from across the country selected for a final assessment in Oxford over Easter. The purpose of that assessment was to select the physics team of just five students which will compete on behalf of the UK at the International Physics Olympiad in Mumbai in early July. Bianca was selected to be part of that team which is an outstanding achievement. She and her four team members will compete against eighty other countries in the event which has been running since 1967.

2

Choir – Oxford & Canterbury in One Weekend The families of many members of the choir

cathedral and the overall ensemble, even in

travelled a considerable distance this

the

weekend. Many went to Oxford where the

comments and reports that followed the

Chapel Choir sang evensong at St Michael

service from clergy, parishioners and

at the North Gate, before an Old

visitors from around the world, exclaimed

Chigwellian gathering at Trinity College.

the brilliance of the choir. They now

Without fail, all those who heard them

prepare this term for their tour of AndalucĂ­a

commented on the quality of their singing.

in July.

The following day, however, the choir headed south to Canterbury where they had been invited to sing Evensong at Canterbury Cathedral. The performance was possibly the best performance the choir has given in recent years; the boys sounded mature, the girls sang as one flawless line with a full sound that filled the

3

psalm,

was

immaculate.

The

Duke of Edinburgh For five days during the Easter break, seven Upper Fifth students took time out from revision in order to participate in their practice expedition for the Silver Duke of Edinburgh award. They chose canoeing and were trained at the Essex Outdoor Centres. The students were required to canoe several miles each day, taking all their kit, food and tents with them. After a gruelling paddle, they then had to set up camp and cook their own meals. They responded to this with good humour and a sense of fun, and coped extremely well with the physical challenges. They are now looking forward to doing the assessed expedition, which will take place after they have sat their GCSEs. Meanwhile, sixty six Lower Fifth students took part in a two day training expedition for their Bronze award. This training focused on all the basic expedition skills: camp-craft, cooking, equipment, and navigation training. All the staff were impressed with the speed with which the group learnt new skills.

4

Trip to Nice Mrs Leyla ChĂŠry, Mr Paul Fletcher and Mrs Elise Feeney accompanied a group of Senior School pupils to the South of France over the Easter break. The group visited Cannes, Monaco and attended morning classes in the "France Langue" school in the heart of Nice. Some Sixth Formers were on work experience in restaurants and hotels. This was a great opportunity for them to be immersed in French daily life as well as enhancing their language skills. The students also learnt about the history and the culture of the Provence region. They enjoyed learning French in a relaxed atmosphere and lovely sunshine.

5

Speech Day The programme for Speech Day and its related activities will follow the usual format: Friday 3rd July

Saturday 4th July

2.15pm

Pre Prep, Lower I and Upper I Service in St Mary's Church

3.30pm

Pre Prep Garden Party

9.45am

Junior School Service at St Mary's Church

11.30am

Senior School Service at St Mary's Church

2.30pm

Speeches and Prize Giving in the Marquee

The Guest of Honour at Speech Day this year will be Michael Marshall Smith O.C. (1974-1983).

Michael studied at King’s College Cambridge and became a writer and performer with the BBC. His first novel, ‘Only Forward’, won the August Derleth Award for best novel and his more recent novel ‘Intruders’ was made into a BBC series. Michael lives in America with his family and we look forward to welcoming him back to Chigwell.

The preacher at the services on Saturday morning will be Father Tony Chantry O.C. (General Superior of the Mill Hill Missionaries). The preacher at the service on Friday afternoon is Professor David Hatch of the Woodford Wells Ecumenical Church.

Staff News We are delighted to welcome Mr Andrew

Hannah Spark and Mr Will Tomsett who

Bewick who joins us as Outdoor Pursuits

got married over the Easter break. Miss

Leader.

outdoor

Spark will now be known as Mrs Tomsett

education across the School and some of

but Miss Nairac will keep her maiden

you will have met him already through

name for the time being.

He

will

develop

the Duke of Edinburgh training that he has carried out this holiday. We hope he

School Fixtures

will be very happy here.

During this busy time of year when many

We are also pleased to welcome back

students have important public exams,

Ms Emmy Creber who returns from

we would appreciate your continued

maternity leave this term.

support in encouraging your sons and

Our congratulations go to Miss Charlotte

daughters’ commitment to sporting

Nairac and Mr Jamie Sliwa, and to Miss

fixtures throughout the term.

6

I look forward to seeing you over the coming weeks and thank

you

for

your

continued support of the School and your children.

With best wishes

Yours sincerely

Michael Punt

7

Term Dates Half term: Saturday 23rd May to Sunday 31st May (INSET day Monday 1st June) Term ends: Wednesday 8th July 2015 Michaelmas Term First day: Thursday 3rd September Half term: Saturday 17th October to Sunday 1st November Term ends: Wednesday 16th December 2016 Lent Term First day: Thursday January 7th Half term: Saturday Feb 13th to Sunday Feb 21st Term ends: Wednesday March 23rd 2016 Trinity Term First day: Monday April 18th Half term: Saturday May 28th to Monday June 6th Term ends: Wednesday July 13th