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.
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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’.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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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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.
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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.
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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
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20
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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.
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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
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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