HM Letter to Parents July 2017

HEADMASTER’S LETTER JULY 2017

T0 PARENTS

Dear Parents Once again, another academic year is coming to a close. We celebrated a whole host of events at Speech Day last weekend and, therefore, this letter is a little shorter than usual. Thank you for all your support over the last few weeks in particular.

Contents Page 1

Speech Day

Page 2

Speech Day

Page 3

Speech Day

Page 4

Middle Sixth Leavers’ Celebration Message fron The Chair of the Friends of Chigwell

Page 5

Activities Week

Page 6

Scholar’s Play

Page 7

Scholar’s Play Musical Theatre The School Shop

Page 8

Examination Results Days

Page 9

Droga Na Harvard Homerton Hope

Page 10

IAPS Athletics National Finalists

Page 11

Summer Comcert

Page 12

Staff News

Speech Day Thank you to all parents who supported

the various elements of the Speech Day

weekend. On Friday afternoon, Reverend Christopher Davies (Governor and Rector

of St John’s Church, Loughton) led our

service for children in the Pre Prep, Lower

One and Upper One. This was followed by a very well attended garden party in the

Pre Prep. On Saturday morning, there were two services for the remainder of the

Junior School and the Senior School at which the Reverend Canon Dr Christopher Collingwood preached. Chris is the Canon

Chancellor of York Minster and was Chaplain of Chigwell School until 2009.

On Saturday afternoon, the prize-giving itself took place and the Guest of

Honour was Mrs Johanna Southern O.C.

who now runs a marketing consultancy in California and was the first female Head of School in 1983-84. We

celebrated twenty years since Chigwell

began full co-education and four of the

other ladies who have been Head of

School in recent years also joined us: Rachel Lund, graduate of Oxford

University and Head of Insight and Analytics

at

the

British

Retail

Consortium; Sophie Halls graduate of

1

Speech Day

Oxford University and trainee lawyer; Katie Marshall student of medicine at

Oxford University; and Faith Inch

student of English at Cambridge University.

Art

and

design

and

technology exhibitions were open, and

various music groups performed during the tea which followed the award of prizes.

In the evening, the ball for

leavers and Chigwell parents took place and was attended by some three hundred and eighty people.

2

3

Middle Sixth Leavers’ Celebration Students, staff and parents came

everything they have contributed to the

farewell at half term. The year group

their parents and teachers, for the part

School over their careers here, as were

together to wish the Middle Sixth

they have played supporting and shaping

gathered for photographs, after which

the students into the young men and

there was a moving service in Chapel for

women who are now poised to go off to

students and their parents, and finally a

university and the world beyond. We

barbeque took place in the evening sunshine.

wish them every good fortune and

In various speeches, the

encourage all leavers to stay in touch.

Middle Sixth students were thanked for

Message from The Chair of the Friends of Chigwell We have had another lovely term, but it has gone in a flash.

September and 8th September from 10 am to 12 noon in the Drama Centre.

Sadly, we had to make the decision to cancel the Summer Sounds concert, due to poor ticket sales, but we continue to support the beautiful music evenings that the department hosts, with drinks and snacks.

We would like to thank you for your continued generous support. Since September 2016, we have managed to raise a fantastic £11,245.76, and this would not have been possible without the support of all of our Chigwell families.

We are now discussing a number of projects with the School which would benefit from some funding.

During June we supported both the senior and junior sports days. The sun shone and we had a fabulous time at both events; breakfast BBQ was served, tea, coffee and later Pimms flowed. Jointly both events raised £1,383 which was a wonderful achievement.

This term your donations have enabled us to put £1,000 towards the purchase of a Play House for the Pre Prep which is going to be a fabulous addition to the playground.

Thank you all for the amazing pre-loved uniform donations that we have been receiving steadily; we now have enough ‘stock’ to hold a sale. We will be selling pre-loved uniform on 25th August, 1st

Thank you from the FoC team and best wishes to you all for a wonderful summer break.

4

Activities Week

Pupils from Lower One upwards took part

in a whole host of activities during the

annual activities week last month. The aim of this week is to provide pupils with a different range of experiences to those

which they would normally have in the

classroom. Pupils took part in a variety of trips, activities on site, and some carried

out service in a variety of local community organisations. For the first time, Remove pupils carried out their Bronze Duke of

Edinburgh Award expedition at Skreens

Park and older students undertook Silver and Gold expeditions.

5

Scholar’s Play

The Sixth Form Drama Scholar’s play this year was a double bill consisting of two farces. First was “When I Click My

Fingers” by Adam Bruce. Moyo Awolesi provided suitable panache as the

‘dodgy’ hypnotist with her vulnerable subjects Simon and Maria (Rohan Sharad and Shanaiya Pithiya) who switched effortlessly from ‘normal’ to

‘weird’ at the prompt of a key work.

Their strange behaviour was baffling to

the pushy American businessman and his vacant wife (Erin Chakartash and

Mina Yusuf) but perhaps not quite so baffling to their feisty, slightly surly daughter played by Janet Sowole.

Minor parts were played by Pena Iiyambo and Nik Litovchenko.

The

acting was a high quality all through while teamwork and able direction made this a highly enjoyable first half.

“Mary Mary”, also by Adam Bruce, followed the interval. All three female

6

Scholar’s Play

Musical Theatre

to the expected misunderstandings and

Theatre Showcase performed in the

characters were called ‘Mary’ which led

Just before half term, the Musical

general confusion. In the middle of this

Drama Centre directed by Mrs Victoria Scott. It was colourful and energetic

mayhem, Oliver Slatford tried to keep

and included songs and dancing from

order with his crazy mother believing

Matilda, Lion King, Les Miserable and

she was a medium (Pena Iiyambo), the

outstanding solos from Lower Sixth

girl his mother invited over as a

students Pena Iiyambo and Kate Hawes.

potential wife (India Aujila) and the

The Drama Centre main performance

tipsy girl he invited back from the pub

space was a wonderful change of venue

(Kate Hawes). The pace of this play and

to perform with sound and lighting

the professionalism of the cast were exemplary.

rigging supplied by Mr Andy Lewis.

The audience were in

stitches and the ovation at the end was a just reward.

The School Shop

Both plays were expertly directed by

Please note that the School Shop will be

Maddie Lovett, supported by Olivia

closed from 13th to 28th July for stock

Drabwell and Amie Baker (make-up)

taking. Thereafter, it will be open at the

with Mr Andy Lewis providing the all-

following times.

important lighting.

7

31st July to 4th August

10am to 3pm

7th August to 18th August

Closed

21st August to 5th September

10am to 3pm

6th September onwards

12 noon to 5pm

Examination Results Days A Level - Thursday 17th August

GCSE - Thursday 24th August

The arrangements will be as follows:

The arrangements will be as follows:

• At 6.30am results will be sent electronically to students •

•

From 7am onwards Mr Neil Saunders, Mr Andrew Long and I will be available in school for advice or help

• Between 10am and 10.30am, Middle Sixth students should come into school to collect hard copies of their results and accompanying letter

•

• Between 10.30am and 11am, Lower Sixth students should come into school to collect hard copies of their results and accompanying letter – they will also need to confirm their A level subject choices

• •

• The Middle Sixth photograph will be taken at 11am

Between 10am and 10.30am the Upper Fifth should come into school to collect their results and accompanying letter – they will also need to confirm their A level subject choices If, post results day, the student makes an agreed A level subject change they must complete the summer work for this as well as their other A level subjects

The Upper Fifth photograph will be taken at 11am At 12 noon results will be published electronically to students and parents for those unable to come into school

Once again, requests for Access to Scripts and Re-marks can be made through Mr Dilpesh Patel. Please note that the School Bursary will need payment for Access to Scripts and Remarks prior to the application being submitted.

Requests for Access to Scripts and Re-

marks can be made through Mr Dilpesh

Patel and for the Lower Sixth requests for photocopies of scripts need to be made before Friday 25th August. Please note that the School Bursary will need payment for Access to Scripts and

Re-marks prior to the application being

submitted. It is vital for pupils that

require priority re-marks that they have the means to pay on results day.

8

Droga Na Harvard

Homerton Hope

In April, Aleksandra Lopuszko and

Some of you may be aware that Mrs

contest “Pathway to Harvard� organised

recently

Tomasz Cienkowski, participated in the

Miranda Baldwin and her husband James

by the Harvard Club of Poland. This

fantastic care in the intensive and special

educational career at Harvard College

care baby units. Thankfully, Ava is now

or any of the Harvard Graduate Schools.

home and doing well.

The prestigious nature of the contest

Miranda and James are planning to run

prompted more than a thousand

the Royal Parks Half Marathon on 8th

students to submit an application and

October to raise money for Homerton

from this group the Harvard Club of

Hope, the Homerton University Hospital

Poland selected thirty finalists. They for

Charity. If you would like to sponsor

individual

them, please go to their Just Giving

interviews with Harvard graduates.

page:https://www.justgiving.com/fundra

From this group, thirteen laureates

ising/miranda-baldwin

were chosen and Aleksandra was

honoured as a finalist, while Tomasz

was one of the chosen laureates and received his prize during the Harvard Club Gala Warsaw.

Ava.

Homerton Hospital where she received

or at university and want to pursue their

invited

to

start to life and she was transferred to the

students who study at either high school

then

parents

Unfortunately, Ava had a rather traumatic

selective competition is targeted at

were

became

at the Royal Castle in

Congratulations go to both

students for achieving so much in such a competitive event.

9

IAPS Athletics National Finalists Recently, James Brigstocke-Williams

and Millie Webster travelled to Bedford

to compete in the IAPS Eastern School Championships, an event that hosts

over fifty schools and is a qualifier for the IAPS National Finals, which is held in Birmingham.

In warm but windy conditions, Millie,

competed in the javelin and threw a hugely impressive 20.58 metres, coming first and securing her place at the National

Finals.

Amazingly,

she

followed that up by smashing her PB, throwing 24.47m at an open event at her local club Woodford Green. This

ranks her top in the UK so far this year for age 11 girls.

James, competed in the 1500m, and

also secured his spot at Birmingham, with only the first two going through in a field of 26 runners, which included last year's National IAPS U12 winner. James qualified for the final in a time of 5:03.

This is only five seconds off the Eastern

event record of 4:58.

Both James and Millie represented the East of England last week where Millie

achieved 4th place and James was

placed 8th.

10

Summer Concert The Summer Concert provided an evening for the Senior School groups to shine. The

programme opened with the powerful and majestic Great Gate of Kiev by the First Orchestra. The Wind Band presented the driving ‘Doyen’ (with hints of Mama Mia) and the Flute Group entertained with the delightfully fresh Grieg’s Holberg’s Suite.

Big Band offered a selection of jazz hits including the cool and catchy flow of Oye

Como Va contrasted with the harmonious ballad of Over the Rainbow. The Middle

Sixth leavers completed the evening with their own moving finale.

Of course the evening is also a sad occasion

when we say goodbye to musicians who have given so much of their time and efforts

to the School. Notable musicians included Henry Bird (Head of School) playing

Rachmaninoff’s Melodie and Tamra Paul

(Head Girl) playing Liszt’s Liebstraum. We wish them all the best, wherever their

paths lie, and thank them for all they have

given to the School over the past seven to eleven years.

11

Staff News As I mentioned in my speech on

Finally, I hope you all have a happy

number of colleagues. Mr Paul Fletcher

Scouts are travelling to Fordell Firs,

Saturday, we are saying farewell to a

summer and a break at some point.

is retiring after thirty years at Chigwell

Edinburgh for their camp.

School – we will miss him and wish him a very happy retirement.

I look

forward to seeing you again in

We also say

September, if not before, for the start of

goodbye to Mrs Louise Bengtson and Mr

another academic year.

David Morse who are both leaving

teaching and we send them both our

With best wishes

very best wishes. Mr Adam Crockatt, Miss Danielle Le Bas, Mrs Hannah

Tomsett and Dr Glen Winfield are all

Yours sincerely

moving on to different schools and we wish them every happiness. Finally, Mrs Jill Hunt who was appointed as part of the original team at the Pre Prep; we

Michael Punt

send her our best wishes as she retires.

I will give details of all new staff in the September letter.

12