Chigwell School Headmaster's Newsletter - End of the Trinity Term 2021

Headmaster’s Letter to Parents

July 2021

Dear Parents At the end of the academic year, it is perhaps worth reminding ourselves that we, and more importantly the pupils, have been living through one of the most significant historical events of modern times. Eighteen months ago, few of us would have expected our lives to have been disrupted quite as they have but pupils and staff should be proud of the way in which they have worked to preserve a sense of normality. Once again, thank you for all your support. Hopefully, next term will have fewer restrictions but, in the meantime, I hope all Chigwell families have some well-deserved time off together over the summer.

Best wishes Michael Punt

Mr Michael Punt M.A. M.Sc. P.G.C.E. Headmaster mpunt@chigwell-school.org

Contents

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Eisteddfod Eisteddfod Sports Day Cricket Drama Drama Girls’ Football Girls’ Football Congratulations Sally Jacob Waldman Tennis Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh RSC Analysist Competition Euro Football Summer Camp Charlie Croker Refugee Week Summer Hockey Course Speech Day and Summer Ball Summer Ball Exam Results Covid-19 Testing in the Michaelmas Term Staff News Young Musician of the Year Young Musician of the Year Young Musician of the Year Sixth Form Academic Induction Day Message from the Chaplain

Eisteddfod During Activities Week, Remove students participated in Eisteddfod an inter-House arts, music and literature festival. Working in their respective Houses, the students created original performances, songs and interpretations of scenes from Shakespeare plays. They also participated in a group dance and created a number of artistic pieces for each of their performances.

1

At the conclusion of the week, the Director of Music, Mr Howard Ebden declared Lambournes to be the winners!

Congratulations to everyone who took part in this unique event. A particular thank you to Mrs Rea and Mr Aitken for enabling the opportunities for pupils to collaborate across the academic and practical disciplines and to create ‘live art’.

2

Sports Day and Rose broke the record for the 300m with a time of 48.48s. Both girls showed great composure and grit, in what are different but equally taxing disciplines. Again, there was a show down between Caswalls’ and Lambourne, with the House in red taking the victory again. The Senior School Sports Day prizes for this year went to Andre and Amelia on the track, Oliver and Ruby in the field, with Andre winning the Victor Ludorum and Karolina and Lizzie sharing the Victrix Ludorum.

With the Tokyo Olympics just around the corner, after a year’s delay, it seemed fitting that the first major House event of the year to go ahead was the Senior School Sports Day. Before and during the afternoon there was a palatable buzz in the air, suggesting that many pupils have missed everything this event encompasses. There was an excellent atmosphere of encouragement and camaraderie with the overall participation rates at 89% of pupils from Removes, Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth.

The Lower Sixth results had a big impact on the overall standings for Sports Day and Caswalls’ swooped to take a decisive victory. The Senior School Sports Day prizes for this year went to Hari and Holly on the track, Onur and Beatrice in the field, with Hari and Beatrice also winning the Victor Ludorum and Victrix Ludorum.

The Removes, full of enthusiasm, represented their Houses well and embraced the day. Caswalls’ and Lambourne went toe to toe throughout the afternoon, but through a good haul by the Lambourne boys, they snuck the victory in the end. The Senior School Sports Day prizes for this year went to Ewan and Kitty on the track, Narayan and Pranay and Rebecca in the field, with Pranay and Sophia winning the Victor Ludorum and Victrix Ludorum respectively.

The overall results for the Senior School Sports Day are as follows – 4th was Penn’s, 3rd was Swallow’s, 2nd was Lambourne and the winners were Caswalls’.Outcomes aside, the real win was seeing the whole Senior School being active and developing and reinforcing those House bonds, in a year that has seen so much disconnect. A huge thank you to the staff for their help in making sure the afternoon ran smoothly and to the pupils for their positive approach.

The Lower Fifth, having missed their first Sports Day last year, were experiencing this event for the first time. They too approached it with verve and eagerness with two new records set. Isabella broke the record for the 800m with a time of 2:59.39s

3

Cricket As Chigwell cricket is predominantly played during the Trinity term, it was the first sport to recommence fixtures following the easing of restrictions, and this was inevitably going to be a challenge. Battling through the season with a mountain of obstacles, rules and regulations, there were many positive lessons.

We knew that the bad weather, internal exams and last but not least, Covid-19, were the strongest opponents!

The U11s and U10s have shown exceptional potential throughout the season. The U11s had a great experience of playing in the U11s East of England Regional finals, hosted here. Although they did not qualify for the nationals, they did win their first match and narrowly lost the next two. It was a wonderful experience as they played against some very talented players. The U10s are a force to be reckoned with; they are an enthusiastic group of cricketers who have the fire in their belly to succeed in whatever sports they play.

The U15s and U14s really struggled in terms of fixtures this season as their age groups suffered from the repercussions of the virus. Students here and elsewhere had to selfisolate, although the U15s did have more time to play matches and they have made massive improvements since last season.

One of the highlights this term was seeing the number of U9 and U8 cricketers coming to practice on a Thursday evening. The enthusiasm was incredible and we really hope to see this continue.

Fortunately the U13s and U12s have had an outstanding season in terms of development. We want to give more pupils a chance of developing and enjoying their cricket against other schools.

Chigwell has had a long history of female talented producing cricketers. The U11 girls played in a competitive match and we have a number of girls who experienced success playing in the senior boys’ teams. Women and girls’ cricket is the fastest growing female sport, and we hope to continue inspiring and encouraging our budding young female cricketers at the School.

The highlight of the season for the U13s was being unbeaten apart from in a cup match against an older opposition. The U12s reached the final of the Essex Cup; they bowled their last opponents out for 34 in just under 6 overs.

4

Drama In drama this term, we have been delighted to get back into the Drama Centre and get on with performances. In April, the Lower Fifth GCSE sets performed their devised pieces to invited, socially distanced audiences from the same bubble as the actors. Students offered acting, light, sound, costume and make up, and set design for assessment. It was great to see the students performing on stage once again and the work was very strong indeed. Pieces explored issues around domestic violence, relationships, mental health and religion.

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Finally, the end of term was marked by the GCSE Showcase. This was a range of monologues performed by the new GCSE students in Remove to a select audience from their own bubble.

Themes ranged from relationships, bullying, addiction, mental health, racism and many more. This was a great way to end the term and get students excited about performing in GCSE drama.

6

Girls’ Football Girls have really taken to football as the

and having the confidence to shoot

principal summer sport.

more frequently. As they continue to

The U15 season has unfortunately been

develop their skill level and apply what

disrupted by the pandemic although

they know about their other team

they did manage to have a re-match

sports of hockey and/or netball, they

against Haileybury College in which

will only become more potent. In their

they drew and won in small side games

most recent fixtures, they have enjoyed

against a very talented opposition.

wins against Queenswood and Forest.

Considering the changes, the girls

The Junior School age groups have

adapted well and were able to play

equally enjoyed their football. Within

some quick paced and skilful football. In

some of these teams and/or age

their last game of the season, the girls

groups, there is some exceptional

lost to a strong Forest side. They

footballing talent and future stars.

acquitted themselves well, continued

The U13A team competed for only the

to have a positive attitude and played

second time in the ISFA Cup South

all the way to the final whistle. They are

Central Regional Qualifier. The team,

still developing and finding their feet,

led

but are showing great promise for

improvements

future years.

progressed. They drew with St.

The coaches Mr Stephen Moore and Mr

Joseph’s, Thomas Clapham and lost to

Richard Hume have heavily praised the

Belmont Mill and Ipswich High. Whilst

U14 age group, who have come on

they did not progress out of the group

leaps and bounds as a squad since they

stages, they more than held their own

started in April. Their technical level has

and made such great improvements in

improved, to the extent that girls are

their game management.

taking one quick touch to control the

The U12 girls have really thrown

ball and then another to get off a shot,

themselves into football during games

7

by

Evie,

made as

the

significant afternoon

sessions and the position of goalkeeper

they too played tremendously in their

has been especially popular. Since my

first competitive tournament. Emily and

last letter, they have played matches

Pia in particular, were strong in the

against Forest and St. Edmund’s

tackle, outwitted their opponents well

College, where they have one and lost

and created opportunities for the team.

respectively. Forest were a physical

The U10s have played another small

team and the girls learnt a lot about the

side, whole year group fixture against

importance of that side of the game

St. Aubyn’s. There was some excellent

from their counterparts, which I hope

leadership and play from Ruby, Maddie

they will take forward into future

and

fixtures.

opportunity.

The U11 and U10 age groups have a

It has been a great term for a sport that

cohort of some capable footballers.

is new to the Trinity and I am very

The U11A team entered the ISFA Cup

excited to see how it will progress in

South Central Regional Qualifier and

future years to come. Well done girls!

Sadie,

who

relished

the

Congratulations Sally Congratulations to Sally in the Upper Fifth who, having worked her way up through the age group teams, has just been selected for the for the full Essex Women’s cricket side. We will follow her ongoing success with interest.

Jacob We send our congratulations to Jacob

summer of 2022. Having trained so

(Lower Fifth) who has achieved a place

hard, we are delighted and proud that

in the U16 GB table tennis squad for the

Jacob will be representing Great Britain

Maccabi Games to be held in the

– this is a marvellous achievement.

8

Tennis For the first time this term, tennis has

and went on to play with greater

been offered in Games time to all girls

confidence in their second, securing

at KS2. Seeing the younger pupils

a win. A small group of U12 boys have

develop their skills, confidence and

represented

interest in the sport has been most

playing alongside the much larger

encouraging with many girls showing

squad of U13 boys. The U13s have

the potential to do well in coming

gained some impressive results,

seasons. After school clubs for boys

especially among the top pairs. In our

and girls from Year 7 upwards have

annual

proved

with

Bancroft’s we were delighted to gain

consistently good attendance over

a win; the first since the fixture

the term.

started a few years ago. At U14 and

very

popular

the

boys

School,

fixture

often

against

U15, the girls’ squads are large and Unfortunately, the weather meant

with an increasing number of boys,

that

were

particularly at U14, showing an

cancelled, however, on occasions

interest, it bodes well for some larger

the sun was kind and came out just in

senior fixtures in the coming seasons.

some

early

fixtures

time for us to fit the fixture in, before the rain returned. The girls across U12 to U15 have enjoyed fixtures against Brentwood, Bancroft’s and Forest, and the boys against Brentwood and Bancroft’s. Due to COVID, our U12 girls missed out on experiencing tennis last year meaning that many were novices, however, they quickly learnt the rules in their first fixture

9

Duke of Edinburgh been

78 pupils completed their silver

exceptionally busy for the Duke of

expedition this term. The canoe groups

Edinburgh groups. With all expeditions

completed their rowing on the River

cancelled

the

Stort and Chelmer, but our walkers

opportunities were seized to arrange

went to the South Downs and

them for this year as soon as camp

completed their training and assessed

sites were opened and restrictions

expeditions in one trip. This was quite a

were eased.

jump for many of the students as they

This

academic

year

during

has

2020,

had not fully experienced a Bronze

The first group out was the Lower Fifth

expedition due to Covid restrictions

who didn’t complete their expedition

stopping them camping and carrying

when they were in the Removes. They

the kit they would normally have.

made the most of the good weather during the October half term and

Finally the gold groups travelled up to

benefitted from the Award allowing

Scotland, for a much more normal

expeditions to occur without the need

experience. 24 Sixth Formers went to

to camp out. It was a local walk around

Ullapool, Linn of Dee and the Great

Chigwell and Hainault which was

Caledonian canal to complete their

repeated at Easter for the current

expeditions. These trips will continue

Remove group. 140 pupils completed

into the holidays with the canoe group

their Bronze expedition this year.

returning on the 27th August.

The Trinity term has been very busy, with all remaining expeditions almost occurring back to back in order to catch up and get the new cohort through.

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RSC Analysist Competition Covid-19 restrictions this year have meant that the Royal Society of Chemistry Analyst Competition could not take place in its normal format in the undergraduate laboratories at QMUL. However, we were delighted that 24 of our LVI students volunteered to take part in the event held at School instead.

They followed complicated instructions and worked together as teams of three – gaining a great deal from the experience.

“It was really enjoyable taking our pre-existing chemistry knowledge and applying it to identify unknown substances. A great afternoon!” Kiran, Year 12 Read more: https://www.chigwellschool.org/news/the-royal-societyof-chemistry-rsc-analystcompetition-at-chigwell

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Euro Football Summer Camp We are looking forward to our Euro Football Summer Camp, 15th – 16th July, on our new 3G pitch - run by Mr Bruce (Head of Boys’ Football and Course Director) and Mr Payne (England C team GK coach, Technical Manager for England amateur team.

UEFA qualified A licence). Whether it is learning the basics or improving existing football skills, the Euro Summer Camp is open to all. This year we will have strong links to the Euro 2021 Tournament, on the second day encouraging students to wear their colours with pride.

Charlie Congratulations to Charlie (Removes)

attend a regional trial for U18 East of

who continues to have remarkable

England. Charlie will be part of the

golfing successes.

team to play Wales at Rolls of

Amongst these,

Monmouth Golf Club in August.

Charlie was part of the team which won the South East England Team Championships U18 Competition; he was the youngest competitor in the Open Qualifier at Princes Golf Club, Sandwich, in which he came 52nd out of 144 and he has been invited by England Golf to

13

Refugee Week To mark Refugee Week, assembly addressed the challenge the World faces, regarding Amnesty International’s estimate of 26m refugees. Old Chigwellian, Jodie Spencer, who studied history at Oxford University and now works with organisations who support refugees, contributed material for the assembly and we hope she will visit the School next term.

Read more: https://www.chigwellschool.org/news/refugee-week2021/

Summer Hockey Course On 15th - 16th July, there will be a hockey course on the School's astro pitch, coached by Mr Tomsett (Head of Boys’ Hockey and Course Director) and Chris Gladman (England Talent ID and Development Coach). The course is suitable for those who are new to the sport, as well as those with previous experience.

Find out more: https://www.chigwellschool.org/news/cme-football-andhockey-summer-camps-2021/ testing at-home.

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Speech Day and Summer Ball As you know, in a change to our plans,

has worked for ITV News as a political

we will now be holding Speech Day and

journalist and is co-presenter of the ITV

the Summer Ball on Friday 3rd

News Politics Podcast. We look

September at the Metropolitan Police

forward to welcoming Shehab back to

Sports Club at Chigwell Hall, just the

Chigwell.

other side of Roding Lane. All parents

In the evening, there will be the

are warmly invited to join us for

Chigwell Summer Ball in the marquee

prizegiving and we ask pupils in the

to which all parents are invited and

current Years 3 to 12 to attend. All

the Middle Sixth leavers of 2020 and

pupils who have been awarded prizes

2021. If you have not yet purchased

have been notified and we would

tickets, given that this is always a very

obviously like them to attend as well.

popular event, you are urged to do so

Prizegiving will begin at 1.30pm

as soon as possible. Please contact

promptly in the marquee and we ask

Mrs Tina Page on 020 8501 5711 or

everyone to allow plenty of time to take

tpage@chigwell-school.org

their seats. Parking will be available at

You will appreciate that these are

the Police Club and pupils should

exceptional arrangements in exceptional

register with their tutors inside the

times. We hope very much that Speech

marquee. We anticipate the event will

Day 2022 will take place on site at the

finish by 3.15pm and will be followed by

end of the academic year as normal but

afternoon tea.

we also hope that as many parents as

The Guest of Honour at Speech Day

possible will join us at the beginning of

this year will be Mr Shehab Khan who

September.

left Chigwell in 2012. Shehab attended Warwick and Cambridge universities and worked as a political commentator for The Independent. Since 2019, he

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16

Exam Results GCSE and A level examinations did not take place in the normal way this year and results will be issued slightly earlier than usual.

A level results will be issued on Tuesday 10th August:

 At 8.30am results will be sent electronically to students. UCAS Track updates with course confirmations at the same time.

 From 8.30am onwards Mr Neil Saunders, Mr Simon Coppell and I will be available in the Sixth Form Centre for advice or help along with other senior colleagues.

 There will be no paper copies of results issued.

GCSE results will be issued on Thursday 12th August:

 At 8.30am results will be published electronically to students and parents.

 From 8.30am onwards members of senior staff will be available in the Sixth Form Centre for advice or help.

 Students should confirm their A level subject choices to Miss Roxanne Darkin, Sixth Form Coordinator, in person or by email (rdarkin@chigwell-school.org) on the day.

 There will be no paper copies of results issued.

 If, post results day, the student makes an agreed A level subject change following parental request to the Head of Sixth Form, they must complete any holiday homework for this as well as their other A level subjects.

 Finally, a reminder that if a student achieves a grade 7 in a subject taken at GCSE or IGCSE which they intend to take it at A level, they should contact the Head of Sixth Form. A result of less than a 7 will mean they will have to consider an alternative subject.

I will write with further details of how appeals may take place.

17

Covid-19 Testing in the Michaelmas Term Testing from the new academic year is subject to the latest public health advice. We will confirm the position later in the summer but we are preparing for a variety of scenarios.

 There is a plan to test pupils in the Third Form and above on their return to school. These will be three to five days apart.

 We anticipate that these pupils will need to continue twice weekly testing at-home

Staff News We send our congratulations to Mrs Miranda Baldwin and her husband James on the arrival of their baby daughter, Grace Ivy, and also to Mrs Rebecca Williams and her husband Ollie on the arrival of their baby daughter Ella Claire.

We have three colleagues getting married over the summer – Ms Niamh Feeney, Dr Chloe Hirst and Miss Imogen Morris. We hope they all have a wonderful day and enjoy their celebrations.

Sadly, we say farewell to a number of staff who are leaving at the end of this term. Miss Heidi Baber will be joining the Royal High School, Bath and Dr Chloe Hirst will be joining Roedean School.

Mrs Samantha Lawrence and her family are relocating to Northamptonshire, whilst Ms Elize Erzepa and Miss Sarah Munro are moving overseas. We also say goodbye to teaching assistants Mrs Julie Fox and Mrs Emma Wiles, and to Mrs Claire Jones who is standing down as Clerk to the Governors.

We shall miss them all and hope they will stay in touch.

18

Young Musician of the Year Thank you to the perseverance and

music teachers, and the music

tenacity of our pupils over the last 18

teachers beyond who have inspired

months, in particular if we consider that

and have kept our young charges

the majority of music lessons have

working so well throughout this last 18

been on line, and not face to face. If we

months.

also consider that the majority of our pupils have not engaged in any

This year our adjudicator was Mrs

ensemble work in 18 months, because

Sarah

of the restrictions imposed on us, then I

pianist and violinist and graduate of

think this Young Musician of the Year

Goldsmiths College London. She is

has

currently

possibly

been

the

most

Henderson,

director

accomplished

of

Music

at

spectacular day that I have had for 27

Woodford Green Prep and an active

years as a teacher, because our pupils

member of the local orchestral. Huge

have really shown that they have been

congratulations to the Junior Winner,

able to develop their own skills. I think

Samuel on the trumpet and Noah on

alongside that we have also got

the piano and the Senior Winner

to

Dominic on the clarinet and Ben on the

acknowledge

the

significant

trombone..

perseverance of that too, and the significant learning curve of the visiting

19

20

21

Sixth Form Academic Induction Day Day students planning to enter Chigwell’s Sixth Form this September had their academic induction day on Tuesday 29th June. New joiners had the chance to meet students already at the school, as all were given talks by Mr Coppell, Head of Sixth Form, as well as Miss Nairac, Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Savage and Mr Punt. All our students, new and old, followed a timetable for the day in which they had a lesson in each of the subjects they plan to take this autumn, as well as a session in their House.

Holiday homework was explained by their teachers and they were also given brief details of a summer project open to all of September’s incoming Lower Sixth.

22

Message from the Chaplain It has been a remarkable school year all round and chapel has been no

organ. As the builders were closed

different. During the various times of

formuch of last year, our anticipated

lock-down we held online services

date for the instrument being re-

which built up a steady following,

installed has been delayed. Work has

including many Old Chigs and others

now re-started and we anticipate the

with no school connection who just

new organ being in place by next

liked to join in. With students back at

Easter. Pictures from the builders

school our normal arrangement of

give a tantalising view of what the

two year groups per service wouldn’t

new organ will be like and our organ

allow for social distancing so we have

scholars are already thinking about

held single year group services for

pieces to play for the re-dedication

much of the year. In fact this has

recital.

worked rather well and will probably

Hopefully the next school year will

continue from September. The one

bring back some much-needed

part of chapel life that we have sorely

normality and in the meantime I hope

missed has been singing and I look

you have a happy and restful summer

forward to our first week back in

break.

September when we will throw wide

With all blessings

the chapel doors and let the school

The Chaplain

echo to the sound of ‘Jerusalem’!

Another casualty of the pandemic has been the rebuilding of the chapel

23

TERM DATES 2021 Michaelmas Term Staff meetings and INSET: Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd September First day: Monday 6th September Half term: Saturday 16th October to Sunday 31st October Term ends: Wednesday 15th December