AUTUMN 2016
NEWS FROM CHIGWELL
CHIGWELL SCHOOL
CELEBRATING SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CHIGWELL SCHOOL COMMUNITY
In this Issue 02 Results Days
03 World Class Physicist
Exhibiting Young Talent
09 for 20 Years
and much more...
Risham Sarao Sixth Form Centre Completed FIND A WAY OR MAKE A WAY
ACADEMIA
A Level Results Chigwell A level students, their parents and teachers came together as this year’s A level results were released. For students, results marked the end of school careers and the beginning of life beyond Chigwell but the day gave much for all to celebrate.
This year, over 79% of A level grades were at B grade or above and 51% were at least an A grade, indeed, of all the grades awarded, grade A was the most common at Chigwell. 24% of students achieved at least three A grades; 11% gained at least four A grades, and 5% leave Chigwell with five A grades or more. In addition to their three or four A level subjects, eight students opted to take the Extended Project Qualification and of these, six were awarded an A* grade. Headmaster, Mr Michael Punt commented, “For the
vast majority of students, this A level success enables the start of university study at some of the most selective institutions, mostly in the UK but, for a small number, in the USA, mainland Europe and Canada. From the year-group of 83 students, seven students will be studying at Oxford or Cambridge; six will be studying medicine, dentistry or veterinary science as well as a whole host of other disciplines. We hope these university years will prove to be fulfilling for the individuals concerned, as well useful preparation for future careers
and lives. We are very proud of all our leavers who have achieved so much. They have some stunning results and are wellequipped to thrive in life beyond Chigwell. Their success is due to many years of effort, enthusiasm and co-operation on their part, as well as the dedicated support and encouragement of their teachers and parents. We thank these young people for all that they have contributed during their time at School; we wish them every future success and happiness and hope that they will stay in touch.� n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
ACADEMIA
GCSE Results Once again there was much to celebrate following the release of Chigwell pupils’ GCSE results. Two thirds of all grades awarded were at least an A, with 34% of all grades awarded at A*, over five times the national average. One fifth of pupils achieved at least seven A* grades with four pupils achieving ten or more A*s. Particular congratulations go to Tom Lockley and Isma’eel Zia who
achieved eleven A* grades and to Yasmin Antoniou who achieved ten A* grades and two As. In addition to their GCSEs, eleven pupils opted to take the HPQ, which involves independent research into a topic of their choice. Of these, nine achieved A* grades. Ella Gupta, Kavindu de Silva and Gregory Jackson have all been awarded Arkwright Scholarships which are given to the most promising potential
engineering pupils by the Arkwright Trust. Mr Michael Punt, Headmaster, commented: “We are very proud of all our pupils who have worked hard to achieve the very best they can. Behind every set of results is a great deal of combined effort from pupils and their teachers, not forgetting the encouragement of parents. It is always very pleasing to see pupils open results and know
that they have achieved the very best they can. We wish all these pupils every success with the next stage of their educational journey.” n
World Class Physicist Bronze for Bianca at the International Physics Olympiad Year 13 student, Bianca Andrei, had the honour of representing the United Kingdom at the International Physics Olympiad in Zurich. She was the only girl in the British team and was only one of 25 girls in the whole competition final in which there were 400 young physicists from 90 countries. Bianca performed extremely well and secured
a bronze medal, her second because she also represented the United Kingdom in Mumbai at last year’s event. Finalists had to undertake two exams which were both five hours long. The first one was an experimental task which contained two questions investigating semiconductors and phase changes, two topics not covered in A level physics. The theory exam included three questions, one about mechanics and rotational mechanics, one
about electronics and the last one about the Large Hadron Collider. Bianca remarked that the questions were extremely interesting and very challenging, as everything was aimed at university level – she hopes to study Natural Sciences at Cambridge University next year.
She commented that she enjoyed the challenge greatly, and that all her hard work was rewarded with several trips around Switzerland. One highlight was a tour of CERN. Later she visited Geneva and Zurich. She also had a cruise on Lake Lucerne. n 02 | 03
ACADEMIA
Speech Day 2016 Once again, Speech Day was a celebration of the last 12 months at Chigwell.
preached at the two services on Saturday morning and Guest of Honour at the prize giving in the afternoon was Sir David Pepper OC, former Director of GCHQ.
On Friday, the preacher at the Pre Prep and Year 3 and 4 Service was Mr Jagraj Singh, and this was followed by a garden party at the Pre Prep. Bishop Peter Hill, Bishop of Barking,
The celebratory day culminated with the Summer Ball in the evening. This was well-attended by nearly 400 parents, staff, Old Chigwellians and Year 13 leavers. n
Leavers
In the week after Speech Day, the School held a service for the leavers which was followed by a BBQ.
We are proud of all the students of the year group of 2016 and all that they have achieved during their time at Chigwell. We wish them well for their future journeys and hope they will stay in touch. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
ACADEMIA
Howard & Mitchell Essay Presentation Evening Nearly a hundred Chigwell pupils, staff and parents attended the annual presentation of the winning essays in the Howard and Mitchell Essay competition. This competition is open to Year 12 students whose essays, chosen, researched and written independently, enter either the Howard (arts and humanities) or Mitchell (maths and sciences) contests. This year’s winners were (Mitchell) Lara Hobbis, on ‘Should the germ line genetic
modification of humans be allowed in order to treat or prevent disease?’, and (Howard) Autumn Foord, on ‘To what extent has the portrayal of mental illness in literature differed in representation over time and how has it impacted modern perception?’. Both talks were expertly prepared and confidently delivered – as evidenced by the wealth of perceptive questions which followed each. The presentations were followed by a dinner, which included a talk by former Howard winner, Isabella Bird. n
Top Biology Awards for Chigwell Students The Biology Olympiad is an online quiz run by the Society of Biology for students in Years 12 and 13. Approximately 7,200 pupils took part in the competition this year including a team of 21 from Chigwell. The results were very good with eight of the team achieving medals. Congratulations and well done to Anna Chelchowska and Julia Kotowska who came in the top 6.6% so were awarded gold medals; Lauren Keiller who gained
a Silver Medal by coming in the top 9.5% nationally; Jada Coker, Michael Scott, Emma Cadman, Andrew Voong, Kayden Chahal who came in the top 15.5% and achieved bronze medals. Zuzanna Borawska, Rohan Chandra, Tanu Kugathasan, Rahul Aggarwal, Kian Nikookam, Zayan Uddin were highly commended (top 16.7%) and Evey Zheng, Tamra Paul, Iva Mohora, Anatoliy Tiavlovsky were commended (top 16.7%). Mr Eardley, Head of Biology, commented that he was particularly pleased that students achieved two gold medals this year. n
Biology Challenge
Leavers 2016
Meanwhile, the Society of Biology Challenge is for pupils in Years 9 and 10. Over 30,000 pupils took part in the competition this year including a team of 14 from Chigwell. There were some very commendable performances, particularly from Poppy Bradley and Suli Scatchard who both achieved Gold Medal standard. The full team was Aine
Nikookam, Poppy Bradley, Leon Raj, Zoe Wright, Deetya Patel, Stella Kearin, Radia Ar-Rumi, Catherine Liyanagama, Suli Scatchard, Cayley Cochrane, Venetia Bailey, Jasmine Iley, Justine Voong and Charlotte James-Pajwani. Overall the team achieved 2 Gold Medals, 2 Silver Medals, 6 Bronze Medals, 3 Highly Commended and 1 Commended. Congratulations to all who took part and well done for maintaining the school’s high status in the competition. n 04 | 05
ACADEMIA
The Williams Project This venture is named after Sir Bernard Williams, one of the foremost British philosophers of the 20th century, and an Old Chigwellian.
As part of the Learning+ programme it provides opportunities for pupils at Chigwell School to broaden and deepen their intellectual life. It encourages them to understand that thought is not divided into school subjects, and it urges them to gain
Sir David Pepper
Chigwell students from Years 8 to 13 spent the afternoon grappling with the knotty linguistic problems posed by this year’s UK Linguistics Olympiad.
such a realisation of their own specialism that they can explain its intricacies to others. Fortnightly meetings are held in two sections for Years 7 and 8, and Years 9-13; this offers our younger members better access to our speakers. Among the many speakers who came to Chigwell were two Old Chigwellians. The first was Sir David Pepper (former Director of the intelligence agency GCHQ) who gave an authoritative talk on the effect of the internet and the digital revolution on the work of the intelligence services. The second was Tim Collins (former MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Education, and now Chairman of the political division of the global communications agency Bell Pottinger). He explained to the younger pupils what
Tim Collins being a Member of Parliament actually entails, after which he discussed the business of political lobbying with the senior pupils. n
All meetings are written up on our archive, for more information please visit: www. williamsproject.org.uk
UK Linguistics Olympiad Our youngest pupils were faced with French, German, Spanish, modern Irish, Chinese and Amele – a language spoken by only a few thousand people in Papua New Guinea. At Intermediate level Chinese
and Amele were also on the menu along with Kaqchikel (spoken in Guatemala) and Estonian. Meanwhile, a small number of sixth-formers attempted the most demanding components of Round One
at Advanced Level which is sat as an exam and can lead to the award of certificates by the national organisers and the chance to participate in later stages of the competition. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
ACADEMIA
BBC School Report Chigwell’s young reporters helped celebrate the 10th anniversary of BBC
School Report. More than a thousand schools and 30,000 pupils took part on Live Day 2016.
Our reporters looked at the EU referendum, how the future of technology will affect education, women’s sports coverage on television, pupil extra-curricular activities and whether they interfere with studies, the dangers of Segway users and the probabilities of winning the lottery or being
attacked by a shark. Our pupil reporters, from Years 7 and 8, were ably assisted by their senior school mentors, including Jack Beadle, Emma Cadman, Thomas Bromwich, Christopher Collins, and Abigail Whelan. Special thanks to our parent journalists for their diligence and expertise. n
Chigwell’s EU Referendum As part of the School’s EU referendum week, students from A level economics and politics classes participated in an eight-way assembly hustings. The format for the debate resembled the recent ITV programme, with pupils representing either the Britain Stronger in Europe or Vote Leave official campaign teams and questions being taken from amongst the Senior School audience. There were
some febrile exchanges over the future of the UK economy, EU migration and Britain’s sovereignty. Detailed research had been carried out on both sides, resulting in a range of convincing interpretations of the issues at stake in regards to Britain’s future connection to the European project. Armed with this information, pupils across the Senior School then voted on the referendum polling day itself, with an identical ballot paper to the one issued by the Electoral Commission used in the voting process. Pupils ultimately backed ‘remain’, with 60% of votes cast in favour of
the UK’s continued membership and 40% against. Lastly, in an entirely separate ballot on EU membership, 84% of Chigwell staff voters supported the
‘remain’ option. It remains a matter of debate as to whether turnout in both of these polls was adversely affected by the unseasonably wet weather! n
Cambridge and Oxford Schools National Debating Finals Ben Kennedy and Marija Marinovic represented Chigwell School extremely well in the two national debating finals days that they attended.
Unions and consisted of four debating heats before the semifinals. Each team were given the title of the debate for the round and then had 15 minutes to prepare. After the results were announced the teams had time to get feedback from the adjudicator of their debate.
The debating days were held in the Cambridge and Oxford
Mr Roderick Lonsdale commented that if the
Cambridge and Oxford finals results were combined Marija and Ben managed a 4th, two 3rds and five 2nd places. In the face of very tough competition from around the country, they acquitted themselves really well at the highest levels. They were also excellent ambassadors for the School. n 06 | 07
ACADEMIA
Poetry by Heart: National Poetry Finals in Cambridge Will Weightman represented London Northeast at the National Finals of the Poetry by Heart competition. This competition aims to engage young people from diverse social backgrounds and all types of schools to discover the pleasures of poetry.
Each pupils is challenged to memorise and recite two poems – one published before 1914 and one in or after 1914 or one from a special collection of World War 1 poems as part of the centenary commemorations. The competition is a pyramid of participation from individual classrooms to whole school contests, regional semi-finals and the grand final is held at Homerton College, Cambridge. It was a superb achievement for Will to reach the National
Finals. Although he did not quite make the final cut of nine finalists, he was one of the very few awarded a commendation for his recitation of ‘The Stretcher Bearer’. One of the highlights was the readings by the panel of judges, all practising poets. Sir Andrew Motion, the co-founder of the competition and now resident in Baltimore, acted as chair and was obviously delighted by the very high standard reached by so many over the two days. n
Festival of the Foreign Word A new event from the Modern Foreign Languages Department was the inaugural Chigwell Festival of the Foreign Word. This is a competition for the Dales’ MFL Reading Prize, which is presented at Speech Day. The event was judged by guest of honour Sir Richard Dales, who alongside his work as a Governor and his long career in the diplomatic service had a very personal attachment to the speech day prize since it
was donated by his father in the 1940s. Being able to read and present in a foreign language opens a door into another culture and all present were treated to a variety of excellent presentations and performances ranging from 17th-century French drama to a modern German novel. Many congratulations go to Laurence Brooks, who won the competition, performing Segismundo’s soliloquy from La vida es sueño by Calderón de la Barca, a fantastic tale that asks the central question, if life is a dream, as well as exploring Spanish identity in the 17th century. n
Chemists React Well to Competition
Three Year 12 students, Rahul Aggarwal, Evey Zheng and Julia Kotowska, worked very hard to achieve second place in the regional heat of the Royal Society of Chemistry Analyst Competition. The competition is held at Queen Mary College University of London every year, and this year sixteen schools from this region entered. Rahul, Evey and Julia took part in a three hour practical including the
standardisation of hydrogen peroxide, serial dilution of a Ti(IV) solution and concentration determination via spectroscopy. Much of this work is degree level chemistry and the students worked extremely hard as a team. They were rewarded with second place and a book token each. Mr Long, Head of Sixth Form, who accompanied the students, was hugely impressed by their professional approach and teamwork, he commented that “this is another excellent experience taking what they have learnt in the classroom and using it in a real world situation”. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
ART & DESIGN
Art & Design and Design & Technology Exhibition The 2016 Senior and Junior Art & Design and Design & Technology Speech Day Exhibition was a great success. The opening evening was attended by pupils, staff and friends of the school in the Arts and Technology Centre. The exhibition featured an amazing range of themes and projects. Displaying an impressive use of art, design and DT media the exhibition was a fantastic opportunity to see the wide and exciting range of practical work senior and junior school
pupils had completed during the academic year. The amount of thought and skill that was present in their work was very
impressive indeed, and the exhibition highlighted the important contribution that creative subjects and activities
make to the life of the school and the development of our pupils. n
Exhibiting Young Talent for 20 Years
The 20th Chigwell School Open Junior Art, Design and Technology Exhibition The Chigwell Open Junior Art and Design Exhibition has been an annual event since 1997. It is an ‘open’ exhibition in every sense; maintained and independent schools are invited to submit up to eight pieces of 2D or 3D work without restrictions on size or medium. The Exhibition is
held in the Gallery and work is professionally presented. This year we mounted and displayed 206 pieces of art from artists aged between 3-11 years of age.
from beautiful still life studies, William Morris inspired silk ties,
to a wonderful frieze inspired by Remembrance Day. n
A special Private View was held for all of the children, their teachers, parents and friends. This year there was a wonderful selection of art on display from 22 schools, ranging
Old Chigwellians Inspire a New Generation of Artists The Art and Design department was delighted to welcome back Old Chigwellian, Ryan Peterson.
gallery in the exhibition ‘4 Years’. His work was exhibited alongside the fashion designs and garments of Naomi Cooper (another Old Chigwellian).
After graduating from Central St Martins Ryan has worked with the photographer Nick Knight and is continuing his own career as a photographer
at i-D Magazine. It was fantastic to see Ryan and hear him talk about his work and the passion he has for art and design. n
At Chigwell, Ryan studied art and design at GCSE and A level before continuing his studies at Central St Martins in London. Ryan very kindly agreed to speak to our pupils about his experiences as an art student and also his activities as a photographer. A selection of Ryan’s fashion photography was on show in the school 08 | 09
ART & DESIGN
Chigwell host Art Teachers’ Weaving Workshop Art teachers from Essex and Hertfordshire came to Chigwell for a day of weaving. The artist and designer, Emma Collins, came to show a group of primary teachers clever and effective ways to weave. They used hula hoops and CDs to weave on, and old cut up t-shirts and leggings to weave with. Mrs Claire Tilbrook, Head of Junior Art, Design and Technology, commented that the room was completely silent while the class focused on the
task at hand. She added that one of the teachers described it as better than a day at a spa! All wove onto a hoop and a CD, which when finished, looked like colourful dartboards. The results were varied in colours, textures and yarns, but made a wonderful eye-catching display and all knew the difference between warp and weft by the end of the afternoon. The aim of the day was to bring primary school teachers together to share expertise and ideas that can be taken back into the classroom for the benefit of pupils. n
Three Year 11 pupils have been awarded Arkwright Engineering Scholarships, following a rigorous selection process that seeks to identify future leaders in engineering from across the UK.
More Art At Chigwell...
In the final stages of the assessment, Ella Gupta, Gregory Jackson and Kavindu de Silva sat an aptitude exam followed by the final selection day at
Imperial College, London during which they took part in a team exercise to solve a hands-on engineering problem, working alongside other candidates. Arkwright scholars receive mentoring and work experience to support their A level studies and university application. Ella, Gregory and Kavindu will attend the Arkwright Trust presentation ceremony at The Institution of Engineering and Technology later in the year. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
CHARITY
Chigwell Challenge Year 7 pupils volunteered at local charities as part of the ‘Chigwell Challenge’.
played games and enjoyed tea with the residents, brightening their day and hopefully making them feel more connected to their community.
Chigwell pupils are encouraged to consider ways in which they can help their local community. They are required to give up a little of their time to try and make a difference. One form group visited Woodland Grove, a local care home, to spend time with some of the residents. This brought together the younger and older generation and both benefited from the experience. Chigwell pupils
Another of our groups visited the Chigwell Riding Trust, a horse riding charity set up for riders with special needs. The physical and emotional benefits this centre offers the riders makes this a unique and important charity. The group split into two teams; one cleared out and tidied the main gallery and the other swept down and tidied the edges of the riding path. A third group visited ELHAP which is an
adventure playground specially designed for people with disabilities. Pupils tidied and cleared the outdoor play areas.
The final group of pupils helped clean up the local area by litter picking in the Chigwell Nature Reserve. n
Pre Prep Charity Events
Special things are always happening at the Pre Prep!
For our pupils, finding a pony in the playground one morning was an unexpected and delightful moment. Tansy the pony came on a visit with Deborah Hall from Chigwell Riding Trust as part of the Pre Prep’s ongoing charity work. Deborah chatted to
pupils about breeds, looking after horses, their habits and the cost of keeping them. She explained how the Trust enables less fortunate children to ride and how much pleasure they take from it. Pupils showed real interest in all these facts especially as each class has adopted its own Chigwell Riding Trust horse which they generously support through donations in their class money box! For parents the sight of all pupils and staff enthusiastically performing a dance designed to celebrate the Rio Olympics was an exciting and entertaining occasion and one which they fully supported in great numbers. On the two mornings that the dance was performed, parents also supported the Pre Prep’s Charity Coffee Mornings and gave generously to Cancer Research UK and the Chigwell Riding Trust. In terms of Charity work, Mrs Evelyn Gibbs, Head of the Pre Prep, commented on how the personal and social development of children is very important and how fundraising work seeks to support this
by developing a sense of responsibility and empathy towards those less fortunate and in need. The school has special ties with Chigwell Riding Trust and Cancer Research UK and Chigwell families always support fundraising events and give generously. In the Summer term alone Pre Prep pupils and their families raised over £600. n 10 | 11
CHARITY
Polar Bear on the Streets of London! Mrs Gill Punt broke the Guinness World Record at the London Marathon for the fastest marathon in a full-body animal costume. She ran dressed as a polar bear, one of the mascots for Cancer Research UK. The previous Guinness World Record stood at 4:30 hours and Gill beat this by nine minutes to set a new record of 4:21 hours raising thousands of pounds for Cancer Research in the process.
Gill said that despite being knocked over four times the day was about having fun, although she didn’t know what was worse: the heat or the limited visibility. Having the added challenge of running as a polar bear and attempting a Guinness World Record gave a massive boost to the fundraising endeavours. Gill first began to raise funds for cancer charities 17 years ago when her father died, but her efforts were revived when the Chigwell School community was touched by this dreadful disease and, sadly, families continue to contend with cancer.
Team Chigwell fundraising Chigwell parents, staff and Old Chigwellians came together to run in the Vitality London 10,000 and the team raised an amazing £8,000 for Cancer Research in May. Over 100 have signed up for the team’s next outing at the Royal Parks Half Marathon where last year they raised an amazing £93,000. n
Successful Pantomime – Oh yes it was! Chigwell staff take to the stage to raise money for charity The tenth biannual staff pantomime took place, directed by sixth form Drama Scholars, Will Weightman and Barney Walsh. This year’s performance was Peter Pan and a cast of sixteen staff including teachers and support staff, provided songs,
dance and much slapstick comedy to two full houses who were entertained with a really good, fun panto. The performances raised £2,500 which was split between Save the Children and the Timothy Pruss Memorial School in India, which is supported by Chigwell. A good time was had by all, not least Barney and Will who commented that the panto was an undeniable success, not only due to the laughs, but also due to
both nights being sold out. They wished to thank the participating staff and all those who came to
support these two special evenings for two good causes. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
DRAMA
Sixth Form Actors Go To Great Lengths To Impress... Set in Vienna, Measure for Measure tells the tale of Angelo, a deputy, who is promoted by the Duke in order to clean up the streets. This he does by adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to vice only to realise that he himself is guilty of sin when he is tempted by the beautiful Isabella. Jusden Halabi, as Angelo, gave an outstanding performance which tracked his character’s fall from austere, ‘snow-broth’ efficiency to predatory monster. Ellie Sibley was brilliant as Isabella as this is a demanding role for any actress since it requires a mixture of purity and defiance which is never easy to balance. Barney Walsh’s innate sense of comic timing was called upon and he stole the show in the scenes he had as the mischievous Lucio. Angus Brown and Henry Bird turned in polished performances as the Provost and Escalus both good characters in a dark world. Rajas Chitnis had his acting range tested as he played both Pompey the bawd and Friar Thomas, both equally well and Christine Lee turned in emotive performances as two different broken women, Mariana and Juliet. Joe Deeks was utterly compelling in the scenes he was in as the victim of Angelo’s lack of mercy. Of course, the star of the show was Laurence Brooks. As the Duke and the Duke-in-disguise-as-the-Friar, Laurence was on stage for virtually the whole play and the number of lines he had to learn was immense. At all times he was compelling. n
A Midsummer Night’s Dream An enthusiastic audience was given a real treat with a stylish performance of a cut-down version of Shakespeare’s playful comedy.
with fascinating patterns and shades while Oberon (Angus Brown) looked as though he might have sprung from the forest trees. Rohan Chandra doubled the parts of Theseus and Bottom with elan while Hermia (Serena
Dench) changed deftly into Flute/Thisbe. The ensemble work was excellent with the broad stylised comedy of the mechanicals contrasted with the eerie and sometimes threatening world of faery. An evening to savour. n
A series of coat stands semicircled the stage with both actors and costumes draped over them because many actors had several different roles to perform. These coat stands gave the setting a forest-like feel though it was the superb make-up that really caught the imagination. Puck (Justin Morse) danced around with bluish body paint complete
12 | 13
DRAMA
Key Stage 2 Fairy Tale Production:
Scintillating Cinderella Chigwell Junior School pupils took to the stage for an ambitious performance of Cinderella. Director, Miss Jamie Kershberg, said that all of the sixty eight pupils involved worked brilliantly from beginning to end, working hard on their characterisation and
acting skills. Indeed, so many pupils were keen to participate that the main roles were taken by two actors each. The richness of the performance was increased by the combination of all the characters including the fairies, gnomes, mice, market place people and ballroom dancers. Year 9 pupils, Sam Lott, Ali Shah and Max Kenmir-Sherry, created magical scenes through their lighting and sound effects. All the pupils involved will long remember the experience. n
Fantastic Mr Fox Beguiling Performances of Roald Dahl Classic Year 7 and 8 pupils staged a wonderful production of Fantastic Mr Fox in the Drama Centre. They took to the stage to put on three public performances and a dress rehearsal which was performed to an audience of 150 children. Director of Drama, Mr Joe Maingot, commented: “The charming tale of Fantastic
Mr Fox starred two pupils who shared the role of Mr Fox. With a big cast, innovative set and colourful costumes not to mention on stage JCBs, the cast entertained full houses and were brilliantly directed by Miss Janey Foster. My thanks go to everyone involved with the production.� This polished production will be long remembered by actors and audience alike. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
DRAMA
Scholars’ Play:
The Government Inspector The Scholars’ play turned to Gogol’s farce where a pretentious and feckless young man, Hlestakov, is mistakenly identified as a visiting dignitary from Saint Petersburg. As various town officials vie with each other to flatter and bribe him while both
the governor’s wife and her daughter attempt to seduce him, Hlestakov revels in the attention and the new-found wealth. The play gives great scope for clowning, sudden entrances and at its centre, mistaken identity. Justin Morse revelled in the part of the phony inspector while around him cameo roles were played with great verve. The bumbling and argumentative Dobchinsky and Bobchinsky were played with great skill and timing by Michael Chamberlain and Thomas Bromwich. The Governor’s wife and daughter, Serena Dench and Christine Lee provided much flirtatious comedy while Rohan Chandra was suitably flummoxed as the ambitious and pompous governor. n
GCSE Scripted Performances Over two evenings, four groups performed really contrasting plays that ranged from farcical comedy to the darkest tragedy. Pupils offered light, sound, costume and make up as well as acting. Last Tango in Little Grimley gave three of the cast – Scarlett Caplan, Alice Carter and Alex Sugar – a chance to revel in well-defined caricatures,
but it was the ‘straight’ role, played by Leon Raj, that kept everything together. It was an impressive display of timing and teamwork. There was some particularly effective use of make up in the short play In My Room where Lottie Metrebian showed great skill in making Sophia Mouzourides up as a ghostly mother from the 18th century. It was also technically quite complicated and both Alex Barnes and Louis King should be commended for this.
The second evening started with Antigone, unusually staged with just two actors. Both Becky Howarth and Zoe Wright played their roles with passion and depth and with an impressive maturity. The lighting was complicated too, so congratulations to both Nikhil Mohindra and Ryan Farrant. The last play, written by Janey Foster, was Not Waving But Drowning with Tess Kelly playing the leading role of a girl descending into depression and
despair. She sustained this role with considerable skill. Chloe Stack also provided outstanding costume for this short play, providing a strong sense of the passing of time and the different phases of a young girl’s life. Well done to all involved in two nights of excellent drama. n
14 | 15
MUSIC
Chigwell School Young Musician of the Year Competition The annual Young Musician of the Year Competition saw Chigwell musicians from across the School compete in both the junior and senior categories for this highly regarded competition. This year the adjudicator was the Emmy and BAFTA award winning composer, John Altman. He had the unenviable task of selecting just ten finalists who performed in the evening concert: Myrtle Watts, Rosie Singha, Oliver Jackson, Yasmin Antoniou, Maddie Lovett, Tamra Paul, Rowan Jones, Aaran Vijayakumaran, Hana Edwards and Max Albert. In the Junior category Rosie Singha received a ‘Highly Commended’ for her vocal performances whilst Rowan Jones received a ‘Highly Commended’ in the Senior Category on the clarinet. The
winner in the Junior category was Oliver Jackson with his colourful and amusing vocal rendition of The Bird Catcher Song from Mozart’s Magic Flute, followed by his confident performance of, Ständchen by Schubert. The
award in the Senior Category and ultimate winner of Young Musician of the Year went to Aaran Vijayakumaran. Aaran’s technically intricate violin presentation of Sicilienne & Rigaudon by Kreisler and breathtaking musical interpretation
of Ladies in Lavender by Nigel Hess, was truly mesmerising and confirmed him as the worthy winner. Aaran’s prize will be to present the Concerto at the next Spring Choral Concert at Christ Church, Spitalfield’s on Saturday 25th March 2017. n
ever performance from memory. A delightful vocal duet and harmonious vocal trio interspersed the rousing Saxophone Group playing Down by the Riverside and the Clarinet Ensemble with The
Entertainer. The musical feast was completed by the String Orchestra playing Holberg Suite, Preludium, directed by Bradley Winand. A most satisfying evening was enjoyed by all. n
Chamber Concert Tables with crisp, white tablecloths laden with a variety of refreshments greeted the audience at the Chamber Concert.
The concert opened with yet another stunning performance from the Chapel Choir, followed by a variety of musical contributions from the two Flute Ensembles and from the Brass Group, with their first
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
MUSIC
Choral Concert at Christ Church, Spitalfields accurate rendition of the score but also a thoughtful interpretation of the text. It was wonderful to see pupils, former pupils, teachers, parents and friends join together in a truly uplifting occasion. Before the Rossini came a bravura performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concert No 1 featuring the 2015 Chigwell School Musician of the Year Gopal Kambo.
A choir of over one hundred accompanied by a full orchestra gave a spiritual and exciting performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solonnelle at Christ Church, Spitalfields. The fourteen soloists, apart from the contralto Daniella Thomas, were all pupils. A specific mention must be made of the sopranos; Kate Hawes, Maddie
This was an incredibly assured memorised rendition of a piece which makes huge demands on the pianist. The audience were able to admire Gopal’s skill and enjoy the piece itself in equal measure, partly thanks to the use of video technology with live camera feeds onto screens magnifying the dynamics and capturing the finer details of the performance. n
Lovett, Brooke Newton, Alice Melvin and Lara Hobbis, the altos; Hana Edwards, Rhea Gupta, Tamra Paul, Yasmin Antoniou and the tenors; Max Albert, Gopal Kambo, the baritones; Michael Scott, Jusden Halabi and the bass, Lucas Abrami-Gill and Henry Bird. They were certainly not overawed by the grandeur of the architecture and, indeed, rose to the occasion producing some wonderfully tuneful, beautifully phrased, confident singing. They were backed by a well-trained chorus which gave not only an
Summer Concert: Music from Stage & Screen The final musical event of the year celebrated music from Stage and Screen including music from the films The Incredibles, The Simpsons, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, An American in Paris and Platoon. From the musicals: Bugsy Malone, Wicked, Into The Woods, Funny Girl, Chicago; and from Operas The Magic Flute and the great Tristan und Isolde.
performance from Musical Theatre Group (from pupils in the Junior School), the colourful First Orchestra, a tumultuous Symphonic Wind Band, the lyrical and beautiful Chapel
Choir and powerful grooves from the Big Band. The Year 13 Leavers crowned the evening with their own exquisite solos and moving finale. Our Director of Music, Mr Howard Ebden,
commented that he wished them all the best, wherever their paths lie and thanked them from the heart for all they have given to the School over the past 7 to 11 years. n
It featured the diversity of ensembles including a feisty 16 | 17
MUSIC
Junior School Summer Concert
The Chigwell Junior School provided a wonderful evening of entertainment at their summer concert. The Stringles opened the diverse musical evening with the familiar pieces of Batman and Can Can followed by a gentle vocal solo from Orin Daniel
singing Handel’s How Beautiful are the Feet. An unforgettable highlight proved to be the male staff joining the Boys’ Choir with the familiar We Built This City, casting many in the audience
back to the hits of the mid1980s. The Chamber Group, clarinet solo from Dominic Tunks and vocal duet from Aoife Foskett and Sophie Mackenzie all set a melodic summer tone before Hear The Drummer Get Wicked from the Year 7 Drum Corps closed the first half of the concert. Two stylistically different pieces opened the second half from the Junior Orchestra; Beethoven Hymn to Joy and Autumn Leaves (arranged by our own Gina Streeks, cello teacher). Octet Minus 1 and the String Quintet both delivered enthusiastic and well executed pieces whilst the Girls’ Choir produced a wonderful vocal sound. The Flute Group added to a great celebration of success and achievement with April Showers and the evening closed with the unforgettable Medley from Bugsy Malone from the Musical Theatre Group. This was another fabulous musical evening where the children not only displayed their talent but their joy to be on stage. n
Oxbridge Choral Scholars Congratulations to Rhea Gupta and Hana Edwards who were awarded choral scholarships by their Cambridge colleges.
Rhea is heading to Clare College to read Classics and Hana will read Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Trinity College. Six Oxbridge choral scholarships have been awarded to Chigwell students in the past four years. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
OUT & ABOUT
Duke of Edinburgh Awards This Award Scheme continues to go from strength to strength at Chigwell. Many pupils completed awards this year and they should be congratulated on the effort and time they put into finishing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award during its diamond anniversary year. Training and final expeditions took place in Chigwell and Chelmsford for the Bronze groups. The pupils learned a lot from their experience and for some it was the first time that they had walked this distance carrying equipment. A Silver canoeing group paddled on the River Stort around Harlow, whilst a Silver walking group completed their expedition on the South Downs. The Gold walking group went for their practice in Wales and then headed to Scotland for their
final expedition. Meanwhile the Gold canoeing group completed their expedition in Scotland on the Caledonian Canal. Huge congratulations go to Emily Surtees who received her Gold Award at a presentation held at Buckingham Palace. A Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a huge achievement and is the culmination of a great deal of hard work. Emily’s achievement serves as an encouragement to all those at school currently working towards their different awards. At the event Chigwell School was presented with a special plaque from the DofE Charity by celebrity supporter Levison Wood, acknowledging the School’s commitment to running the DofE and thanking it for giving young people the opportunity to transform their lives. n
Physicists’ Trip to CERN Antimatter, The Higgs Boson, cheese fondue and Edelweiss were just some of the highlights of the Physics trip to Geneva.
and how they were cooled to temperatures colder than those encountered in outer space to enable them to bend a beam of protons travelling at 99.99995% of the speed of light.
Following an entertaining lecture on the history of CERN and the work of the scientists who helped to discover the Higgs Boson, the students were given a guided tour of two of the many facilities on the CERN site.
Next came a visit to the main control centre where pupils learnt about the work in the antimatter laboratory where protons and electrons are produced, with opposite charges to normal, so that they could explore some of the reactions that took place in the first few seconds after the Big Bang some 13.7 billion years ago.
A short bus ride took them to the workshops where large electromagnets were being assembled and tested as part of the maintenance programme of the 22km circumference Large Hadron Collider. The guide gave an in-depth talk about the operation of the magnets
Mr Bryan Porter, Head of Physics, commented that it was also interesting to find out about some of the spin-offs from the work at CERN such as the Worldwide Web, initially created in order to store and process the huge volume of data produced at the laboratory. n 18 | 19
OUT & ABOUT
Activities Week Pupils from across the School took part in a variety of activities and trips during Activities Week. At this time we aim to give experiences that extend beyond the standard curriculum. For example, pupils built dens, visited the National Gallery, Mersea Island, the Isle of Wight and the Lake District. In addition, pupils volunteered at local care homes and there were numerous other activities as well. n
Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
Stubbers
National Gallery
Den making
Stubbers
The Lake District
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
OUT & ABOUT
India Trip 2016
Memories of Kindness, Laughter, Generosity and Welcome Twenty-six pupils, parents, teachers and other friends of the Bede Griffiths Charitable Trust flew to India for an unforgettable trip. The group stayed at Saccidananda Ashram and
16th Annual Hamburg Exchange
visited the projects that Chigwell School supports and which have a profound effect on the local population. These included an old peoples’ home, a day care centre and training centres that offer crèche facilities. They also visited the village where a house has been built for a family through gifts from Chigwell pupils and parents. This year they had the honour of being invited to an engagement party for one of the young men who has been on the Indian side in the annual Chigwell v Tamil Nadu International Cricket Match, played on the sand of the river bank beside the Ashram. This engagement party introduced the group to a number of Sri Lankan refugees who have made their home in India but who are still
to school with their exchange partners and gained a clear idea of school life in Hamburg. Other trips took them to the ‘Arriba’
in limbo but have not yet been granted Indian citizenship. The highlight of the visit was visiting the Timothy Pruss Memorial School where pupils spent the day teaching. This was followed by a cultural evening where they were guests for a wonderful array of entertainment put on by the teachers and pupils
adventure swimming pool, the ‘Universum’ in Bremen and the ‘Miniatur-Wunderland’ in Hamburg. One of the most
of the school. Father Simon commented that all too soon the group arrived back at Chigwell filled with wonderful memories of kindness, laughter, generosity and welcome. They also brought back a challenge, to build a new house for an impoverished family living in little more than a mud hut. n
popular events for the pupils was when they had the chance to make their own chocolate bars in the ‘Chocoversum’. n
The German Exchange with our partner school in Hamburg was a successful event which is now in its 16th year. In terms of participants number it was one of our largest exchanges ever. During their stay in Germany the pupils went 20 | 21
OUT & ABOUT
A level Geographers Travel to Iceland A group of Year 13 geography students visited Iceland to bring to life the geographical features and processes they have studied in School. On the first day the students visited the Blue Lagoon. This popular man-made geothermal
spa of crystal clear water is the only site on earth where it is possible swim in 40°C water all year round. The sun was shining and the students described it as one of the most memorable places they had visited. This was followed by visits to three stunning waterfalls and a geyser situated in South West Iceland that has been active for over 10,000 years. Other popular attractions included Thingviller, the national park where Iceland’s parliament was established in 930 AD. It is also scoured by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and rift valleys are clearly
visible where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates pull apart at around 2cm a year. However, the most stunning part of the trip was Solheimajokull (which means ‘sun house glacier’), one of several outlets from the Myrdalsjokull icecap
and is located in an 8km long valley. The heavy snow on the day made it one of the most picturesque views the students had ever seen. It has been retreating since the end of the 19th century at a rate of around 100m per year. n
Scouts’ Swiss Adventure A group of twenty three Chigwell School Scouts visited Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland during the summer holidays. Mr Richard Maynes commented that all of the children represented both the School and the Scout movement in an exemplary fashion, throwing themselves into everything the camp had to offer. He added that there were too many great achievements to list them all, but he thought that the whole group’s fantastic performance at the International Evening was a highlight. The Scouts got to take part in various activities including climbing and they had the opportunity to earn a variety of badges during their stay. n
Chigwell Skiers Shine in the States Forty eight pupils from Years 9 and 10 travelled to Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine, USA, for the Middle School ski trip. The pupils enjoyed some great conditions and, whether a complete beginner or an advanced skier, they all impressed the instructors with their development on the slopes during the week. The pupils were praised throughout the trip for their first rate attitude, effort and behaviour by the airline staff,
hotel employees, ski instructors and even shop assistants. Off the slopes they enjoyed many evening activities including ten pin bowling, trampolining, wall
climbing and our boys even played a spontaneous basketball match against some locals. The American boys won with ease but it was then Chigwell’s turn
to challenge them to a soccer match and both sides were able to enjoy a victory. This was a very successful trip that was enjoyed by all involved. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
OUT & ABOUT
Krakow and Auschwitz Trip Thirty three pupils from Year 10 and four members of staff flew from Stansted Airport to Krakow for an extraordinary journey through the history of Jewish Krakow to the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Poland. They began with a guided walking tour of Krakow, a city
Centenary Visit to the Somme The History department took Year 9 pupils to the Somme region of the First World War battlefields to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. After an early start they visited various sites of interest including Newfoundland Park where the pupils were able to walk in original trenches that are
Spanish Homestay A group of Year 9 and 10 pupils travelled to Benalmádena in southern Spain on a Spanish language trip.
which escaped destruction during the Second World War. The city is a beautiful testament to the culture and life of the Jewish community before the Nazis arrived. The tour ended by crossing the River Wisla to see the ghetto in which 15,000 Jewish people were forced to live, in an area that had previously housed 3,000 people. The group went on to see Oscar Schindler’s factory, before heading back to the hostel. The next day saw them take a tour of Auschwitz I & II. This tour took them into the scene of the greatest crime in history. The group finished their trip
with an emotional meeting with a holocaust survivor who arrived at Auschwitz at the age of four in 1943, surviving two years of horror before the Russians arrived to liberate the death camp. Father Simon said, “You could have
heard a pin drop as she unfolded her life story to us. She urged us never to forget the holocaust and to use our lives to stand against prejudice, oppression and injustice. A message that none of us will ever forget”. n
preserved. They also visited the Ulster Tower and the Thiepval Memorial where the pupils paid tribute to two Old Chigwellians whose names are recorded along with 77,000 others who have no known grave. A reef of poppies was left to commemorate the troops along with some words by Christopher Collins from the group. The second day focused mainly on changing technology and the use of tanks. The group were lucky to be shown a tank from a private collection that actually fought, and was knocked out, during the fighting. Later that day they went to the
cemetery where those who died in ‘Tank Deborah’ were laid to rest. Their final stop was at the Arras memorial, where a further six Old Chigwellians have their names recorded and a seventh, F.C. Stovin is also commemorated as part of the RAF memorial
there. The behaviour of the pupils throughout was first class and they were a credit to the school. Mr Ian Goddard, Head of History, remarked that both the guides and the coach drivers were extremely complimentary about our pupils. n
and practising their Spanish with their local teacher Miguel. They also went out on various visits during the week. They saw the
stunning hilltop town of Ronda, with its famous 390 foot ‘Tajo’ gorge, Arabic ‘Mondragón’ palace and bath house, and its bullring
which is the oldest surviving one in Spain. They also visited Málaga, Puerto Banús, Mijas and Benalmádena Pueblo. n
The aim of the week was to practise Spanish in a local environment, and also to get to know Spanish culture ‘from the inside’. Pupils and teachers stayed with local families in the area of Arroyo de la Miel, with whom they had breakfast and dinner every day, and were based with the ‘Colegio Maravillas’ language school. Pupils spent the mornings in lessons improving 22 | 23
SPORT
Sports Days Healthy competition combined with mass participation were characteristics of the three Chigwell School sports days.
Pre Prep
Pre Prep, Junior and Senior pupils competed for the honour of their houses in traditional athletic events. The weather was kind for the most part and large numbers of parents and grandparents offered support for the competitors. Enthralling performances were in abundance throughout each event and all had a wonderful time. n
Juniors
Seniors
Padel Success for Sam Sam Jones represented Great Britain in the Padel World Cup qualifiers held in Lithuania. Team GB performed superbly and beat Holland, Finland and
Lithuania to qualify for the World Cup in November. Sam played against all three countries and won all of his matches. This is a great achievement and we wish him and the rest of the team well for the World Cup. n
GB Padel Squad
Sam Jones in action
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
SPORT
Cricket
Chigwell School v The MCC.
A great catch for Chigwell School! Essex County Cricket cricketer, Varun Chopra, has been working with Chigwell School pupils.
Football Chigwell School U11s represented Essex in the ISFA National 7-a-side football competition hosted at St Georges Park (home of the English Football Association). The Chigwell boys worked tremendously hard and played with great style throughout the day. They won three out of their five group games which meant that Chigwell progressed
Jamie Colton won the Spirit of Cricket Award for the Man of the Match against the MCC.
through to the quarter-final stage. Unfortunately, they lost in their next match despite battling hard. This result meant that they finished an impressive seventh in the country. Congratulations to the boys involved: Geroge Evans, Raihan Ali, Mayowa Awolesi, William Traustmandorff, Daniel Porter, William Smallshaw, Jordan Erratt, Udham Sandhu and Oliver Irow. n
Girls’ Football Chigwell hosted the U11 ISFA football festival in the summer term. The sport is growing in popularity and numbers playing continue to rise at Chigwell. n
U11 7-a-side ISFA Football
U15 Girls’ Football 24 | 25
SPORT
Essex County Swimming Championships 2016 Over three weekends, seven Chigwell pupils took part in the Essex Swimming Age Group Championships 2016 at Basildon Swimming Village and The London Aquatic Centre.
Cayley Cochrane, Jack Cushway, Madeline McCormack, Alex Bibby and three sisters Jasmine, Emily and Isabel Iley raced for various local swimming clubs (Redbridge, Epping, Romford Town and Borough of Waltham Forest). Everyone swam exceptionally well and all achieved personal bests with Jasmine Iley announced as ‘Top Girl’ for her age group. n
Gold at the IAPS & the London Regionals Chigwell School competed in the 2016 IAPS swimming finals at the K2 Centre in Crawley. Swimmers competing at these finals had already progressed through a tough qualifying round and schools from as far away as Newcastle and Devon were represented. In the boys’ races, Jack Cushway swam for Chigwell and achieved a personal best time of 31.95 in the 50m freestyle finishing in tenth and missing a place in the final by just 0.70s. In the girls’ events Isabel Iley swam a great time
National Netball Finalists
Chigwell in the Top 12 U12 Netballers travelled to Roedean School, Brighton for the IAPS National Finals. Having triumphed at the Regional finals just the week before, they were then amongst the top twelve schools in the country, an outstanding achievement in itself. The girls had several matches throughout the day with the winners and runners up from the two groups moving onto the semi-finals. Unfortunately, the girls not did not qualify for the
final stages of the competition despite fighting hard in their matches, but they did finish the day on a real high with a convincing win. Miss Sam Dick, Head of Netball, commented that the girls have indicated their true potential and we have no doubt that they will be top contenders next season. Congratulations to the following girls who represented Chigwell at the Nationals Finals this year: Raniya Taj, Charlotte Rothera, Briony Creasey, Leya Shah, Sienna Rose, Kiran Patel, Emily Iley, Bella Stolar, Ella Fox and Holly Hartwell. n
of 15.21s in the 25m butterfly, winning the gold medal and the title of National IAPS Champion for her age group. Alexandra Bibby swam a time of 29.85s in the final of the 50m freestyle and just missed out on another gold for Chigwell coming in second and winning silver. Meanwhile during that same weekend, Emily Iley swam at the London Regionals at Crystal Palace. She won the 50m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m backstroke and came second in the 200m butterfly, swimming PBs in all events. This performance qualified Emily for the National Championships. n
News From Chigwell | Autumn 2016
SPORT
Synchronised Ice Skating Emily Webster was selected to skate with Team Aura at the British Synchronised Ice Skating Championships in Nottingham. The team were there defending their title as British Champions in the mixed age category. They performed extremely well and secured a silver medal. Emily is on the far left in the photo. n
Boys’ Hockey
U13 IAPS Team
U11 IAPS Team
Ben Kearin penalty shuffle
The 1st XI had a successful season and their continued hard work paid dividends.
of which are club players, have made great strides forward this season and we to look forward to watching their development in future years.
Impressive wins over Mill Hill, Haberdashers and local rivals Bancroft’s were achieved and a clear sense of togetherness and teamwork was evident within this talented squad. The 2nd XI continued to make excellent progress and, in terms of results, proved to be the most successful senior team. The U15 squad have also shown a significant development this season and produced strong performances to defeat Haileybury and Aldenham. The U14s, however, have produced the stand out performance of the season. They were crowned County Champions and went on to represent Essex at the Regional Tournament at Bedford Hockey Club. This talented group, many
Not to be outdone by the seniors, the Junior School boys also finished the season in strong fashion. The U13 boys reached the shield semi-finals at the regional IAPS tournament at Bishop’s Stortford College losing only once to winners Bedford School in the group rounds. In addition, playing in their first competitive tournaments, the U11s finished County runners-up and produced some exceptional hockey in the regional IAPS tournament. Their attendance at the new after school KS2 hockey club has been excellent and has furthered their development and understanding of match play. Well done to all the boys for their hard work and participation throughout the season. n
Essam Assim penalty shuffle save 26 | 27