Upper School | 2019/20
The Cliftonian Together, we are Clifton
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Contents Pg. 06----------------------
Head Master’s Welcome Pg. 08 ----------------------
Heads of School Speeches Pg. 16 ----------------------
Art Pg. 24 ----------------------
Music
Pg. 30 ----------------------
Drama
Pg. 82 ----------------------
Flash Fiction
Sport
Pg. 48 ----------------------
Rugby
Chapel
Hockey
Pg. 50 ----------------------
Netball
Synagogue Pg. 52 ----------------------
Trips & Activities Pg. 64 ----------------------
CCF Pg. 70 ----------------------
Pg. 32 ----------------------
Societies
House Plays
Pg. 78 ----------------------
Pg. 38 ----------------------
Charities
Arts Evening
Pg.80 ----------------------
Pg. 40----------------------
Library
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Pg. 46 ----------------------
Community
Cricket Football Tennis Swimming Sailing Golf Rowing Rackets Fencing Pg. 122 ----------------------
Valete Pg. 128 ----------------------
Development Trust
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Thoughts from the year An extract from the end of term address given via videolink from Chapel on 2nd July, 2020. Welcome to this, the final day of the term and, for those of you in the Upper Sixth, the final day of your time at Clifton.
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This has been a remarkable year and we have all missed greatly the usual events of Commem and the Leavers’ Ball that would have given us a chance to say thank you to the Upper Sixth for what you have contributed to the school over your time with us. The archivist tells me that apart from a missed Commem in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V, this is the first year without a Commem since the first celebration marked the completion of this Chapel in 1868.
Not only has this been a remarkable year, but it seems like the longest year ever, with last September feeling like it could have been in the late Middle Ages. I remember back in the Michaelmas Term of long ago, great all-school events such as the Ryan Bresnahan Memorial Evening at Clifton Rugby Club and the superb performances by both girls’ and boys’ teams. I remember reading of the sailing trip to the Mediterranean coast at half term; success of the U16A
team coming second in the country in the National School Sailing Association SingleHanded Team Championship. I remember the wonderful evening of House Song and the fun of the staff contribution.
challenges such as the run-rowride challenge from Westminster to the Eiffel Tower. We have had online cookery classes and, of course, our weekly singalong with Mr Robson in his musicstudio garden shed.
By Lent Term, things had begun to change with implications for those travelling from various parts of the world. We enjoyed the Joseph Cooper concert in Chapel, but this was to be our last such event and very rapidly we had to advise international boarders to return home; we cancelled Choral Congers, and the term came to an abrupt early end.
When it came to academic lessons, after years of considering how better to promote independent learning, we realised that, in fact, our students are able to work independently and take more charge of their own learning.
And so the whole school fell silent, with just the clock chimes and the sound of the groundsman cutting the Close. We held our breath, not really knowing what education was going to look like in the new world. Would it actually work? Could we move all that is Clifton into some virtual school? But as we stepped into this unknown, it quickly became clear that not only was it going to work but that it was going to be a great success. We all mastered the technology, even those of us like me who had rather further to travel than some on the learning curve: I learnt how to teach via Zoom; I figured out that if you put all your class into breakout rooms, you can have a rest and a cup of tea. Only once was I caught out by one of my students who changed his screen to read, ‘Connecting...’ and then sat in silence, leaving me wondering why it was not working. We should ask ourselves why it has been such a success. First, I would say because of the real determination by everyone, teachers and students alike, to make it work, to be imaginative about ways of continuing to do all we had done in school. And so, we have had House Assemblies, tutor groups, music and singing lessons, orchestra, choir and inter-school
Another element that has been key to the success of this term has been the sense of community, friendship and support that has been maintained even when we have all been separated. I saw that last week when I was invited to the last Friday night Shabbat of the Summer Term. And so each week I have stood here in Chapel, joined by Mr Wagstaff, the Director of Sport, the occasional pigeon (and for some weeks many more than just the occasional pigeon) with our cameraman/director/ producer, Mr Simmons, the Deputy Head Academic, and I have felt tremendously proud of all that you have achieved throughout this challenging year and, in particular, this last term. We have all been reminded that education is not really about learning facts but rather more about learning how to work together, to listen to one another, to respect one another, to care for one another and to build that spirit of community. Recently, as a result of the horrific death of George Floyd in the United States, many schools across the independent sector have been asked by their current and past students to examine what they are doing to tackle prejudice and racism in society. I had a very productive meeting with the three principal authors of the anti-racism open letter to Clifton (www.cliftoncollege.com/ response-from-head-of-college-
to-anti-racism-open-letter) and look forward to working with them and others from across the Clifton community to play our part in progressing the stand against prejudice for which Clifton has always rightly been so proud, dating back to the establishment of Polack’s House in 1878. The lockdown caused by the Covid pandemic and the stand against prejudice are clearly separate events, but perhaps they are linked in the sense that this period of isolation has
given us all the opportunity to examine what matters most to each one of us. Now, as lockdown eases and we begin to take steps that will lead us back towards a world bustling with people and crammed with events and activity, let us not forget what we have learned and let’s emerge from our present state all the more determined to build that fair, caring and supportive community that has sustained us through these past months.
Dr Tim Greene Head of College
“I have felt tremendously proud of all that you have achieved throughout this challenging year.”
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Heads of School Speeches Having been at the school for 16 out of my 18 years, it’s fair to say that I’ve had my share of Clifton experiences. The crowning moment of the academic year is Commem, but this year it’s not quite the crown we anticipated. The coronavirus pandemic has brought about a unique and memorable end to this chapter, but one that we all hope is never repeated. In trying 8 | Upper School 2020
to find a theme for this speech, it occurred to me that the breadth and variety of journeys that we’ve all had couldn’t be simplified into one, so instead I will outline three separate areas. Firstly there are the memories, both individual and shared. At three years and one month old, my memories of starting Clifton are pretty hazy. Thankfully, there aren’t many of you who remember me sporting my eyepatch in an attempt to sort out my vision, or me in the hideous sparkly red catsuit that came with playing Lady Fortune in the Seven-Sided Dice production in Year 5.
Although I’m sure we’ve all had embarrassing moments not dissimilar to these, Clifton has given us all memories that we will cherish forever. For me, a large proportion of these memories revolve around sport; whether that’s touring in Holland or Barbados with some of my best friends, or attending National Finals and being able to play in the Olympic stadium, sport has played an enormous part in my time at Clifton. I’m so grateful to all the coaches, managers and organisers who have facilitated teams across all levels going out every week, with successful results more often than not. I’d especially like to thank the Catchpoles,
“For me, a large proportion of these memories revolve around sport.” who have coached me for four years and helped me grow in confidence both on and off the pitch, and to Miss Graveney, who I met in the Pre but who has now become a massive support, not just in my sporting endeavours, but across the board. Alongside sport there have also been whole-year events such as prom, concerts and the countless Away Days from which we have created lifelong friendships rooted in the memories made here at Clifton. I trawled through all my reports from Nursery to A Levels to try to find some funny anecdotes but it turns out that I have never been caught breaking any rules or misbehaving. Shocking, I know. What it did show, however, was how many opportunities Clifton has given us all from day one, and this brings me to my second area. Whether it’s my brief dalliance with gymnastics, the equestrian team they set up to accommodate the high demand of four people, or my short-lived stint as a ballerina, Clifton is a place where any passion can be pursued. One only has to look at the weekly routine to discover how busy Cliftonians really are. I could pick any lunchtime and everyone is doing something different. Not only does this mean that each person can bring something different to the table, it also gives us more opportunities to try something new and enrich our own repertoire. This amazing part of Clifton is evident now more than ever with extracurricular activities still happening in spite of a global pandemic.
And so onto the teachers: the good, the bad and the ugly. But, before you panic, I tried to find examples for each, but they all ended up in the good category… well, almost. The teachers from Butcombe and the Pre, whether academic, sporting or musical provided us with such a strong base from which we could confidently join the Upper School. One of the many benefits of the Upper School is that there is more of an opportunity to build relationships with your teachers. The amount of time and effort each teacher puts into creating interesting and fun lessons every week is rarely fully appreciated and is something that the vast majority of us take for granted. Throughout my time at Clifton, I have certainly had some inspirational teachers who have given me the guidance and support I needed, even when I refused to let myself ask for it. I’d particularly like to thank Miss Atkinson for putting up with me for what I’m sure feels like a long five years to her! However, it is not only the teachers that make the school run so smoothly. The support staff, the grounds staff, the technicians, the caterers and the cleaners are the engine in this well-oiled machine. The difference they make is undeniable and I’m certainly going to miss the pristine pitches and the delicious millionaire shortbread that I asked my parents to smuggle home after every match tea. I’d like to thank Miss Tebay, without whom I could not have made it through the past year and who, as my tutor, has
given me unquestioning help and strength throughout. Of course, I couldn’t go without thanking and acknowledging Dr Greene, who has inspired and encouraged me and so many others with his calming presence and personal approach to all things.
which we can come back and be welcomed with open arms. Clifton is so much more than the sum of its parts and I’m so grateful for all it has given me for the last 16 years.
Corabella Hill (HH)
The only two thank yous left to give are to my parents, their unconditional love and support has given me the confidence to try everything and to put 100% in, knowing that they’ll be there to pick me up if at first I don’t succeed. All that is left to say is that, despite these being the last memories we are likely to make here, I know the school will always be a place to The Cliftonian 2020 | 9
Heads of School Speeches 15 years at Clifton, 10 years living in school accommodation, six different HoMs in four Houses, hundreds of teachers, thousands of Big School lunches, millions of memories.
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The stats tell the story all by themselves. It’s safe to say that Clifton has probably played the biggest part in my life so far. It will, therefore, come as no surprise to hear that I was voted by my year group at the end of Year 8 as ‘most likely to be hanging around Clifton in 25 years’, although I still haven’t made up my mind as to whether this accolade was a compliment or an insult! Whichever it is, it shows just how much Clifton means to me and how I believe I have truly embraced and enjoyed what I have done here.
So what sums up Clifton for me? It’s sitting with friends on the Close in the summer; it’s enjoying the peacefulness of the Percival Library; it’s gathering in the hushed beauty of the Chapel; and it’s the day-by-day building of life-long friendships in the House. Under Mrs Pickles and Mrs Kenyon, Hallward’s is a major reason why I have really appreciated Clifton. The girls with whom I have shared the past five years have played an enormous part in making each
“One thing that Clifton offers in spades is opportunities to be challenged.”
day enjoyable, exciting and unpredictable. Knowing that I had that community to fall back on was comforting and reassuring. I’ll always remember the House competitions, which brought out our competitive sides and turned us into fiercely loyal Hallwardians, our House performance evenings, being able to conduct our final House Song and the countless other eventful moments we have shared in the study. I am certainly grateful for the opportunities I was fortunate enough to receive. Academically, I have found that every department is full of dedicated teachers who are more than happy to set up societies and to take the time to discuss topics that interest us, whilst providing a positive, supportive and hard-working learning environment. I owe particular thanks to the German Department, Mr Lewis and Mrs Piddock, who have always been on hand to lend me books or poems and who encouraged me to explore and to approach German in many different and interesting ways. Outside the classroom, I have enjoyed involving myself in the many options Clifton provides. The sense of team spirit felt
when playing hockey, netball and cricket and the enjoyment I have had whilst getting involved in drama and dance, have helped me realise that there is more to school than just studying for exams. I was lucky enough to go to Barbados on a hockey and netball tour where we experienced not only a completely new culture but also the rare opportunity to save newborn baby turtles on the beach! I have also loved taking part in House Plays and House Dances; being able to dance in the Colston Hall for Stages four years in a row and perform in Little Shop of Horrors in the Redgrave have also provided unforgettable memories. One thing that Clifton offers in spades is opportunities to be challenged. These events, although transformational, can also be incredibly anxietyinducing. Looking back from this vantage point, I am hugely grateful for my inclusion in the higher hockey teams. It has taught me an enormous amount. However, it was a long road that started back in the Third Form. Such was my distress at being pushed so far out of my comfort zone that my parents are probably the only parents in Clifton history to have contacted the school
to express concerns about why their child had been moved up a team! If you accept the challenges, keep an open mind and are prepared to have a go, you will be surprised at how you will change, what you will do and who you will become. For example, if anyone had told me in Third Form that one of my biggest disappointments of this year would be the fact that the Pens was cancelled, I would have laughed myself silly. It really is up to you to take ahold of the opportunities being thrown at you and enjoy where your journey takes you. My journey at Clifton has been thoroughly enjoyable but that has made not finishing off the year doubly difficult. We all worked so hard and have so many long-lasting memories together that it is such a shame that our final year ended so abruptly and with such uncertainty. Despite this, I am thankful for the times we have shared together. For it is the journey that we have all taken at Clifton that matters the most, not necessarily the end. Leaving Clifton and stepping out into the real world is a daunting prospect and I will be sad to leave this chapter behind, but I know that Clifton creates a community which will always be
open for its pupils in the future, so I am sure we will be back. The word ‘opportunity’ is a recurring theme in this speech, but it isn’t just the opportunities themselves that are significant, but the people who present them to us. One thing lockdown showed us all is just how crucial are our relationships with each other, whether that’s with fellow pupils, teachers or parents. These people play a huge role in enriching our journey and it is the passion and enthusiasm shown by the staff which make the opportunities here more attractive and tempting. I would like to thank: the herculean effort of the support staff; all the teachers by whom I have had the pleasure of being taught; Mrs Pickles and Mrs Kenyon; and my parents, who have made it possible for me to attend Clifton and who have provided me with so much support and love over the years. I just can’t find the right words to express how each and every one of you has shaped my life and shaped who I am, but this simple thank you comes from the bottom of my heart with deepest sincerity and gratitude; thank you.
Philippa Milne (HH) The Cliftonian 2020 | 11
Heads of School Speeches Writing a speech as Head of School is something I never thought I would be doing. Year 9 Ali was just this strange, awkward little child with long, shaggy hair and the social skills of a brick. And if I’m honest, I am still all those things today. However, Clifton has allowed me to use my quirky personality to my advantage rather than it holding me back. My journey at Clifton began five years ago with my first night in School House. Like all new boarders, I was absolutely terrified about leaving home for the first time. The idea of sharing a house with 60 smelly teenage boys hardly came as an attractive proposition. Regardless, I packed up my suitcase full of hand-me-downs, said goodbye to the cat and set off for my new home away from home. Going from having zero roommates at home to having five at school brought with it new challenges for us all. My roommates were quick to point out my snoring and we all had to learn polite ways to tell each other when we really needed a shower. After surviving my first night, I was ready for my first day, a prospect made even more terrifying when the night before I had learned that Clifton employs a man called ‘The Marshal’ whose job is to keep us in line. After tying my hair up in the world’s worst ponytail in a bid to avoid this infamous ‘Marshal’, I was ready for my journey to begin. Naturally, it took a few weeks to settle in but it wasn’t long before I realised what an amazing school I had joined.
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Those of you who know me will know that I am far from being a clever person, yet Clifton has enabled me to achieve far more academically than I ever thought possible. My teachers have always been willing to go far beyond their job description to help me succeed and, given the current coronavirus situation, I can only hope that my teachers continued this kindness when they decided my A Level grades! That being said, one would be a fool to pay Clifton College fees for the academics alone. The co-curricular side is what makes Clifton such an amazing school. Despite having hopeless hand-eye co-ordination and the muscle mass of Dobby the elf, I have always loved playing rugby at Clifton. Touring Chile and Argentina with all my mates proved to be the best two weeks of my life to date. The fortnight of hilarious shenanigans paired with a prescription for mysterious, high-strength painkillers made a broken leg seem like just a
minor inconvenience. Away from rugby, playing hockey and cricket has taught me the valuable lesson of how to lose, something at which I have become somewhat of an expert from my time in the 3rd XI cricket team. For those of you with time left at Clifton, I have two pieces of advice. Firstly, as a general rule of thumb, if you find yourself with any free time on your hands, you’re doing something wrong, so make sure you take part in as many of the activities that Clifton has on offer as you can as these are opportunities you will never get again. Have a go at things like House Play or you will truly regret it when you leave. My second piece of advice may sound strange but I say this in good faith: I encourage you to fail as much as possible. A person who has never failed has never done anything worth doing. The numerous failures you should acquire at Clifton are proof that you are trying and, from my experience, failing
catastrophically is the best tool for learning. After failing my driving test, I now know that it’s not safe to swerve across three lanes on a roundabout. After hilariously smacking a cricket ball directly into my own eye socket, I now know not to attempt overhead shots. I won’t list all the occasions in which I have failed over my five years here as that would take days, but rest assured, I do not regret any of all my countless calamities as these have sculpted me into the Ali Marshall you see here today and not some generic private school clone. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole Clifton community for everything they have done for me. Thank you to the Marshal for not really being that scary, and to the Senior Management Team for giving
me this opportunity as Head of School. A massive thank you to everyone in School House who has made it such an amazing home to me over the years; the tutors, Zillah, Mr Hughes, Mr Callander, Mr Luker, and, most importantly, all of my peers. Thank you to all my teachers and sports coaches for their enthusiasm and commitment supporting my education as well as all the support staff behind the scenes who keep such a major operation running. How could I not thank all my friends for putting up with me despite all my terrible jokes and obvious character flaws? Lastly, to three individuals who have made my journey at Clifton possible: a big thank you to my parents for working such unthinkable hours to send me here; and to my cat for all her emotional support. Good luck to all the leavers and I hope to see you all in person very soon.
Ali Marshall (SH)
“If you find yourself with any free time on your hands, you’re doing something wrong, so make sure you take part in as many activities as you can.” The Cliftonian 2020 | 13
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Michaelmas Term
The Art Department organised an educational visit to London for the Sixth Form students in October. We spent the morning in the National Gallery where we looked at fine examples of old master paintings in the
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permanent collection, before walking across Trafalgar Square and down Whitehall into the gardens just west of the Houses of Parliament to look at Rodin’s famous bronze sculpture, The Burghers of Calais. We walked on to Tate Britain, which houses the UK’s collection of British art, including works by the Old Cliftonian artists Roger Fry, Henry Tonks and Peter Lanyon. The students found it exciting to engage with original works of art at first hand, their curiosity enhanced by the experience. During the first few days of the half-term break, we took a group
of 24 students on a visit to New York City to experience worldclass art in the Big Apple. The students and staff had a great time and the trip gave them an experience that they will remember forever (see p.53). The Junior Scholars’ evening also took place in the Michaelmas Term. After being treated to splendid performances in the Music School, our scholars sat down to a delicious dinner in Big School, surrounded by a special display of paintings and ceramics by our Block II Art Scholars.
Art
On 1st December, we held our annual House Art competition, which was adjudicated by Deborah Westmancoat, a member of the Royal West of England Academy. Deborah is a successful artist who has exhibited her work at the Royal Academy in London, the Mall Galleries and the Institute of Contemporary Arts, as well as at the Bloomberg New Contemporaries exhibition, and in Mexico and the USA. She spent the whole afternoon looking at our students’ work before deciding on the winners. There was a diverse array of entries with work ranging from printmaking, painting and drawing to ceramics, sculpture, silk painting and photography. Prizes were awarded for drawing, painting, sculpture and photography across the year groups (see p.19 for details). The House whose members win the most individual prizes is awarded the House Art Trophy and this year it was given to Oakeley’s House - well done! Deborah praised the students for their imaginative works and called on her audience to continue to value the creative arts.
Allan Wilkie Head of Art
“ There was a diverse array of entries with work ranging from printmaking, painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, silk painting and photography.”
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Lent Term
In January, the photography students visited London to see two exhibitions. The first was the prestigious Taylor Wessing Portrait Photography Prize at the National Portrait Gallery, which showcased a wide selection of contemporary portrait photography by both amateurs and professionals, essential viewing for those interested in the genre. The second exhibition was a retrospective of the work of Dora Maar at Tate Modern. During her career Maar explored many aspects of photography, from photomontage to commercial and social documentary. Through her relationship with Picasso she also turned to painting and printmaking. Her later work was abstract and surrealist and the exhibition gave the students a great opportunity to see how a photographer’s work can develop throughout their lifetime.
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On 1st February, the History of Art students went to a conference on identity in art at Heathfield School in Ascot, at which three speakers gave wide-ranging, interesting and informative talks. The first speaker was Professor Griselda Pollock from Leeds University. She is an internationally renowned art historian recognised for her development of feminist and post-colonial art history. She was followed by Richard Stemp who has lectured at the National Gallery and the Tate, as well as presenting art programmes for Channel 4. The final speaker was Andrew Graham-Dixon, a leading critic and a presenter of arts television in the English-speaking world. At the end of these engaging talks, students had the chance to ask questions to the panel. At lunch, the speakers mingled and the students had the opportunity to chat to them in a more informal setting. The delegates split into groups to attend workshops during the afternoon. All who attended found it to be an enjoyable and useful event.
On 3rd March, we organised a special workshop in pop-up book construction for Art Scholars of all year groups, with the well-known designer Duncan Birmingham. Duncan demonstrated simple methods for building up complicated pop-up structures, de-mystifying the apparently daunting process of creating pop-up mechanisms into a logical set of basic shapes. He showed the scholars that paper mechanics is a simple sculptural skill that requires only scissors, card and glue and, with only minimal theoretical understanding, it is possible to make the basic key mechanisms that are found in commercial pop-up books and cards. We took our Fifth Form GCSE students on a visit to the Ashmolean, Natural History and the Pitt Rivers museums, which form part of the collections of the University of Oxford. There, they had the opportunity to look at works of art, artefacts and specimens relevant to their studies. The students thoroughly enjoyed their day and left feeling inspired and enriched by what they had seen (see p.63 for further details).
Summer Term This year, the Royal West of England Academy went virtual! The Covid-19 crisis has been a challenging time for us all. Many of our students were disappointed not to be able to
exhibit the fruits of their hard work in Clifton’s annual Commem Art Exhibition, an event that is always much enjoyed. As the GCSE and A Level courses didn’t end in the way the students expected, the Royal West of England Academy organised an online exhibition of artwork to showcase their work to a wider audience and give them support and encouragement. Schools were invited to submit digital images of artwork and selected entries were included in a digital exhibition on the RWA website running from May until July. Four of our students entered work and had it displayed on the
front webpage of the exhibition: Maddy Attwood showed two very powerful portraits; Yuki Li showed two striking street scenes painted in a precisionist style; Jos Stirzaker showed two paintings of rock surfaces, one of which she had developed into a painterly abstract image; and Bunny Cordeaux showed an intensely observed painting of a figure in a swimming pool. The paintings looked excellent on the website and the students are now able to tell people that they have exhibited at the RWA, albeit digitally!
House Art Prizes
Allan Wilkie Head of Art
Painting prize Emma Guerman Guinzburg (OH)
Third Form Drawing prize Kobe Zhong (MH) Painting prize Poppy Forestier-Walker (HH) Ceramics prize Archie Symonds (MH)
Fourth Form Drawing prize Emma Guerman Guinzburg (OH)
Ceramics prize Evie Calhaem (WoH)
Fifth Form Drawing prize Bunny Cordeaux (HLH) Painting prize Alisa Silko (WT) Ceramics prize Bunny Cordeaux (HLH)
Lower School Photography prize: Bobby Puddicombe (SH)
Lower Sixth Drawing prize Zhanna Oganesova (OH) Painting prize Nadia Pattaratichakonkul (OH) Ceramics prize Max Janke (ST) Photography prize Stephanie Armour (WT)
Upper Sixth Drawing prize Jos Stirzaker (HLH) Painting prize Maddy Attwood (OH) Ceramics prize Luca Newman (NT) Photography prize Maddy Attwood (OH)
House Art Trophy Oakeley’s House
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Art showcase 2019/2020
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Art showcase 2019/2020
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Writing a review of the year during the Summer Term presents a demanding task in terms of maintaining perspective.
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For almost all of the first two terms, life was very much as normal and I deliberately therefore include fun reviews of key events and pictures which show just how busy and full of energy Clifton concerts normally are. As I write, we are in Covid-19 lockdown, teaching and making music remotely, which presents some significant challenges. Individual music lessons are taking place through Zoom, but groups - small or large, orchestral, choral or pop - cannot play together live through any technology currently available.
This is somewhat limiting in terms of what can be achieved but, nevertheless, rehearsal meetings are still taking place and through a great deal of individual recording, editing and broadcasting on YouTube, we are still getting some musical performances out there! Chapel Choir produced a recording of Little Innocent Lamb from the Songs of Yale within the first week of term, which was viewed 750 times in its first 48 hours online and many positive comments were received about it. It is clear that during times like these, the arts can be valued more than ever.
Music “Chapel Choir produced a recording of Little Innocent Lamb from the Songs of Yale, which was viewed 750 times in its first 48 hours online.�
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House Song House Song this year was a fantastic evening with some thrilling musical highlights! Adjudicator Dr Jonathan James commented that the Part Song contest was the highest standard he had seen in a school choral competition and, in a very close decision, awarded it to West Town for their rendition of Some Nights by Fun. The Unison competition was won by Moberly’s for their brilliantly drilled performance of Look Down and Stars from the musical Les Misérables. It was clear from all of the
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performances that a great deal of preparation had gone into the evening – many congratulations to all involved.
Junior Scholars’ Evening A mid-week black tie dinner for all Block II scholars, why not?! We were treated to a display of high-quality music and art from members of Year 9, 10 and 11 prior to a lovely meal in Big School. Most of the musical performances were given by the youngest year group and for these students it was their first outing as a soloist in the Upper School – and what an outstanding job they did!
We began with promising cellist Georgie Lewis, who showed a real maturity of tone in her rendition of Bantock’s Hamabdil. This was as moving as it was impressive. Solly Scott gave us Debussy’s muchloved Clair de Lune, which seemed most appropriate and was very much enjoyed by the audience of Academic Scholars, parents, staff and other guests. Lua Cho made a fine sound in Stravinsky’s Gavotte and variations from Suite Italienne (violin) and Stella Yang dazzled with Popper’s blistering Tarantella (cello). Joseph Cooper Scholar Jude Young impressed with a sophisticated performance of Gershwin’s Prelude No. 2 for
piano, and Alice Clements and Poppy Forestier-Walker gave touching performances of When She Loved Me and Homeward Bound respectively. Alice’s punchy performance of Pucihar’s Moonlit Blue on flute was shortly followed by some offerings from members of Year 10. Solomon Pitt wowed us with an original composition for piano, Ruby Mardall gave a stunning rendition of The Sky Above The Roof by Vaughan Williams and we ended the solo items on a lighter note with Dong Ha Hoang’s version of the Elvis classic Can’t Help Falling in Love. The final musical performance of the evening was the newly formed Junior Wind Quintet, with Alice (flute), Solly (horn), Ella Robson (oboe), Leo Huang (bassoon) and Solomon (clarinet), playing two lively and entertaining pieces from Agay’s Dances: Polka and Tango. It’s always great to see chamber music and a group of this standard isn’t one we have seen in a while and we look forward to more from them in the future. If any of the evening’s performers were nervous, it didn’t show and a good time was had by all.
Autumn Concert Following its refurbishment and new acoustic panelling, 70 pupils came together in the splendid venue of our Big School to perform the Autumn Concert. The Wind Band launched the evening with two rousing American numbers: A Little Salsa Music and Hootenanny, which saw pupils performing on diverse instruments such as the bass clarinet and the marimba. This was followed by items by the cello, guitar, saxophone, flute, brass and string ensembles in music from Praetorius and Debussy, through to Railroad Boogie. A new collective gave a very fresh chamber interpretation of Haydn’s La Reine symphony. The orchestra closed with two grand Russian tone poems: The Young Princess and the Princess from Scheherezade by RimskyKorsakov and Mussorgsky’s grand evocation of witchcraft, Night on a Bald Mountain. Well done to all for a super evening that pleased the large audience.
The Christmas Concert The last night of the Michaelmas Term saw a really enjoyable ‘Christmassy’ programme performed in front of a packed Chapel, with not a spare seat left in the house! Tinsel and fairy lights were on show everywhere, dangling from the organ loft, attached to instruments and even resplendent on performers’ hats. The orchestra’s opener was Sleigh Ride, featuring bells, whip and whinnying from the trumpets! Next up, the brass ensemble reprised their number from the Autumn Concert, Clear the Line Boogie, which entertained everyone with its train whistles and various shouts of ‘all aboard!’ and ‘there’s a train coming’ from the brass players themselves. The cello ensemble then offered us a wonderfully festive Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and the jazz ensemble gave us a cool Mamacita with the musicians playing accomplished solos in turn.
“We began with promising cellist Georgie Lewis, who showed a real maturity of tone in her rendition of Bantock’s Hamabdil.”
The Cliftonian 2020 | 27
Band Night A dark Friday night in early February saw an amazing programme in the Redgrave; the theatre was filled with energy from all those taking part as well as the 200-strong audience, which made for a fantastic evening. There are too many highlights to list, but it was really good to see students of all ages involved, showing off their different musical interests! Amongst the best of the evening were Amelia Campbell’s super renditions of Paloma Faith’s Make Your Own Kind of Music, Corinne Bailey Rae’s Put Your Records On and Olivia White’s moody Prom Queen by Beach Bunny.
The audience found itself very much involved in the music making too, first with While Shepherds Watched, and later with We Three Kings, the chorus of which was sung with gusto in the usual ‘Congers’ style! Other musical highlights included The Holly and the Jivy, a Mr Drinkwater special arrangement featuring Alice Cooper on oboe and Leo Huang on bassoon, accompanied by the string ensemble, while the soul band really impressed with two numbers including Mariah Carey’s ever-popular All I Want For Christmas is You, featuring fantastic lead vocals from Ally Cheung, Briden Whitbread and Flora Parkinson. There were brilliant choral offerings from two newly-formed groups: ‘Clifton Camerata’, an SATB quartet of Jemima Blench, Romain Bornes, Briden Whitbread and Benson Zhou; and ‘The Cliftones’, a slightly larger a cappella group directed by Lily Mustin. The music they performed - Bach’s complex In Dulci Jubilo and a jazzy We Wish You a Merry Christmas - couldn’t have been more different, but both were most
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impressive and enjoyable. To end the evening, we were treated firstly to a Romain organ composition ‘special’ that included 21 well-known Christmas tunes, something he had written and prepared in less than a week, and then to a sensational rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Someday at Christmas with the wonderful Charmaine Audifferen singing vocals, accompanied by the full orchestra.
Alice Li and Annie Shen gave us Adele with Rolling in the Deep, while the Upper Sixth boys’ group, fronted by Looth Abdul Sattar and Seb Comelio, were convincing with the Arctic Monkeys’ Do I Wanna Know?. Flora and the Electro Workshop gave an amazing, if very dark, Panic Room by Au/Ra & CamelPhat, while Lily’s electric cello and Charmaine’s freestyling were awesome and definitely out of the ordinary! The junior and senior soul bands opened and closed the show, and we all enjoyed classics such as Ain’t no Sunshine and Aretha Franklin’s Respect, backed by a full horn section. Well done to everyone involved for such a brilliant night.
Joseph Cooper Film Music Concert Twelve ensembles filled the Chapel with glorious film scores for the March 2020 Joseph Cooper Film Music Concert. To the back-drop of a large screen display of film scenes, the audience were treated to a host of musical scores including Colonel Bogey’s March from The Bridge on the River Kwai given by the Concert Wind Band. We also had the atmospheric ‘Final Duel’ music from A Fistful of Dollars provided by the Guitar Group and Tchaikovsky’s monumental ‘Rose Adagio’ ballet scene for Disney’s classic Sleeping Beauty, performed by the orchestra.
Finally, we had a special concerto arrangement of Franz Waxman’s 1951 Oscar-winning score for A Place in the Sun featuring the talented Year 11 multi-instrumentalist Calver Barnes playing the haunting saxophone solo in addition to trombone and piano lines, accompanied by over 40 of his fellow pupils. The highlights of the Summer Term culminated in a musical showcase as part of the Arts Evening, which was held online at the end of June (see p.39 for details). Congratulations to all for a fantastic academic year of music at school and in the virtual world!
Daniel Robson Director of Music
“We were treated to a Romain organ composition ‘special’ that included 21 well-known Christmas tunes, and to a sensational rendition of Stevie Wonder’s Someday at Christmas with the wonderful Charmaine Audifferen singing vocals, accompanied by the full orchestra.” The Cliftonian 2020 | 29
We Will Rock You A kind of magic filled the Redgrave in November as a cast of 46 students took to the stage for a sensational performance of We Will Rock You.
Based on the songs of legendary rock band, Queen. Under pressure, but with one vision, this challenging musical was tackled within a tight rehearsal period, and was delivered with gusto, delighting the audience with its quick pacing and tongue-in-cheek comedy. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, in which music and freedom of expression are banned, this upbeat, emotionally charged love story follows the Bohemians who are in search of ‘the dreamer’, a teenage loner who channels a 70s rock outfit through half-remembered visions and dreams.
Briden Whitbread and Lizzie Lyons as the gutsy rebels Galileo and Scaramouche delivered professional, honed performances. Similarly, Charmaine Audifferen as the sultry yet terrifying Killer Queen and Christian Greene as her sidekick, Khashoggi, stunned audiences with their powerful renditions of well known classics; they really were the champions of artistic endeavour! Isabel Williams as Meat and Tom Gowdy as Brit gave assured performances that will live forever in the annals of Clifton musical history. Joseph Attwood deserves a special mention for his seedy yet endearing portrayal of the old
soak Pop, delivering killer oneliners with (seven seas of) WWRY sense of humour! The chorus added depth and spectacle, and incredible performances from seasoned actors as well as rising stars created a real buzz around the College and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. We were rocked by a stellar band of musicians and dazzling outfits which married the hippy movement with steampunk and glam rock, all illuminated by artistic lighting and creative choreography. All in all, the cast would be wholly justified in proclaiming, ‘We are the Champions’ of top-notch entertainment.
Emily Hawkins and Leah Shaw
30 | Upper School 2020
Drama The Cliftonian 2020 | 31
House Plays 32 | Upper School 2020
House Play Festival 2020 The Rehearsal West Town West Town opened their play with the soundtrack to Shrek, not something you hear every year! The Rehearsal, a play which gave us a peek behind the scenes of a school production, was an excellent choice for the House and its impressive cast size. Characterisation was very strong, with a high level of attention paid to the movement and mannerisms of certain characters; a special mention must go to those who portrayed the stereotypical boys, with recognisable nods to groups of boys at Clifton. The use of minimal scene changes enhanced the play, ensuring that the pace never dropped, thanks to professional directing. Props were used to good effect, particularly in those scenes featuring the controlling stage manager, Deb. There were strong performances from students across all year groups, including several in the Third Form, leading us to conclude that the future looks bright for West Town. Well done and thank you for a fun performance.
Fan Fiction: Jedd and Prince Watson’s House Sandwiched between an angerfuelled comedy and a greasy musical was Watson’s dramatic Fan Fiction: Jedd and Prince, an adaption of Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic Pulp Fiction. The titular characters set out in search of a stolen suitcase but an accidental murder sends the duo down an unexpected path. The judges felt that the cast had a clear understanding of the play and this was well demonstrated through some sinister scenes early on. Prince, turning towards the audience, his face drenched in blood, was especially well received. The directors chose their cast well and this was reflected in some strong performances, with Jedd and Prince playing particularly effectively off each other. The final scene, a stand-off between Jedd and Prince and Ringo and Camilla, was choreographed nicely and brought the play to a solid end. Great work, Watson’s.
“There were strong performances from students across all year groups.” Photo by Steph Armour
The Cliftonian 2020 | 33
Yes, Prime Minister
Photo by Angel Lee
The South Town The South Town chose to stage a political satire based on the British sitcom Yes, Prime Minister. A strong lead cast saw Louis Newman holding the high office; Christian Greene played the articulate cabinet secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby; Malachy O’Callaghan was the troubled Principal Private Secretary, Bernard Wooley; and Joseph Attwood played the brainy policy advisor Claire Sutton. These were roles that they all mastered with character, costume and conviction. The judges also appreciated their effective use of staging and lighting through the cleverly positioned rear window. The vast dialogue and execution of brilliant comic timing is testament to a group of accomplished actors and their verbal dexterity. Well done, The South Town.
The Ladykillers
Greasier
East Town
Worcester House
East Town brought the 1950s comedy crime film The Ladykillers to the stage with Henry Milne playing a very convincing, albeit slightly taller, Mrs Wilberforce, a sweet and eccentric old widow who unknowingly harbours a group of hardened criminals disguised as an amateur string quintet. Carrying instrument cases that veiled their weapons and hoard of cash, the cast successfully used a split stage and lighting transitions for comedic effect. The judges appreciated the appropriate costumes and make-up that suited the quirky characters and the fact that it was a young cast who will have learned a great deal from the experience. A very commendable production. Great job, East Town.
There was a real sense of excitement in the Redgrave as students, staff and parents gathered to await Worcester’s offering of Greasier. A rewrite of the 1978 musical had happened at the last minute as the rights were not forthcoming and Annabel Langman did a sterling job. In fact, the names were
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much more fun and the device of the school putting on a drama helped to maintain the links with the original iconic musical. It’s hard taking on such a familiar piece, but this was an enjoyable walk down memory lane. The characterisations were well judged, particularly the scenes with the K-dogs and the Pink Panthers. Lighting, costumes and make-up were good and added greatly to the effectiveness of the show. In addition, the idea for
the car and the handing on and off of the microphone gave us the sense of a school production. There was some good interplay between Sandaya and Dannty and, on the whole, the accents held. The song and dance routines were well rehearsed but short due to copyright issues, so just when the audience thought about joining in, we were on to the next scene. Thank you Worcester for a fun performance!
“A final rendition of Drunken Sailor, with full audience participation, brought the play to a rousing crescendo.”
Fisherman’s Friends Moberly’s House Traditional sea shanties greeted the audience as we took our seats, eagerly awaiting Moberly’s adaptation of Fisherman’s Friends, a recent hit at the box office. It was immediately apparent that costumes had been well selected, with fishing waders and coveralls aplenty, and the judges felt that the use of props, including fishing nets, ropes, and a seagull hand puppet was to a high standard throughout. The musical numbers were excellently choreographed, timed and sung; highlights were Macca Vaughan’s moving Widow Woman solo and the Cornish anthem. The whole theatre was used to good effect, with the stairs repeatedly utilised to emphasise the distance between Danny in Cornwall and Troy and Driss in London. This was a great choice of script for the group and the judges felt the cast had a strong grasp of what was needed to deliver an excellent performance. A final rendition of Drunken Sailor, with full audience participation, brought the play to a rousing crescendo. Great work, Moberly’s.
The Very Unmerry Adventures of Robin Hood School House There was a real buzz in the Redgrave as the theatre filled with staff, students and parents excited to see what School House had in store this year; the House certainly did not disappoint. The Very Unmerry Adventures of Robin Hood was a fun-filled farce featuring a talent show like no other. The judges felt that the play was
well cast, utilising talent from a wide range of ages in the House. Audience interaction was well received by those on stage, with seamless integration into the play, something that was particularly effective during moments of tension. Costumes were to a good standard, especially those of Maid Marian, Billy Shakespeare and Friar Tuck, and the comic timing was spot on. The audience and cast clearly thoroughly enjoyed the play and left the theatre having had a merry chuckle. Thank you, School House.
The Wrestler’s Tragedy North Town It was welcome news that ambitious North Town writer Luca Newman was keen to make his mark by producing his own script and we were intrigued to see what could be done to tell the story of the Scottish play through the medium of WWE wrestling. There was a very impactful opening scene with the crash mats and ropes around chairs depicting the wrestling arena and a construction at the back of the stage to allow for a TV commentary. It was evident that the staging had been well considered and there was some effectively choreographed tag wrestling throughout the play. It was made clear early on what we were watching, with an interesting take on Shakespeare’s Three Witches and the tag team wrestlers replacing the dukes and kings. We witnessed the wife urging and aiding her husband in ever more ruthless acts in pursuit of sporting ambitions rather than the political power sought for its own sake in Shakespeare’s version. Luca maintained an impressive Scottish accent and there was a clear narrative throughout. We are keen that students continue to write their own plays in the future.
Photo by Angel Lee
The Cliftonian 2020 | 35
Photo by Angel Lee
Yes Minister Wiseman’s House
Photo by Angel Lee
Having had The South Town’s Yes, Prime Minister earlier in the week, we returned to the early days of Jim Hacker when he was just a minister in Her Majesty’s Government. This was an ambitious choice with a dense script and verbal dexterity required, but the boys handled this really well and were secure with their lines. The music that was played as we took our seats and the sound of the chimes of Big Ben immediately transported us to Westminster. The set was simple and well thought out, and we enjoyed how the focus moved around the stage, particularly when the cast came down into the auditorium for some scenes to draw the audience more closely into the drama. We were treated to some polished performances, which involved excellent comic timing and some very good uses of dramatic pauses. It was clear that the cast understood the power struggle between the minister and the permanent secretary, Sir Humphrey. This play was very much enjoyed by the audience. Well done, Wiseman’s.
Blithe Spirit Hallward’s House
Photo by Steph Armour
This year, Hallward’s House performed Noel Coward’s comic play Blithe Spirit. Novelist Charles Condomine and his second wife Ruth are literally haunted by a past relationship when an eccentric medium Madame Arcati - inadvertently conjures up the ghost of his first wife, Elvira. From the opening scene, the atmospheric use of candles and downlighting drew the audience in, whilst the well-choreographed séance scenes, led by the convincing clairvoyant Isis Savage, provided recurring dramatic comedy. This play was superbly cast, with the
actors evidently well rehearsed and able to remain in character throughout the performance. The production was heightened through outstanding costumes and make-up, thoughtfully selected props and effective sound and staging. It was a mature performance which received resounding appreciation from the audience. Great job, Hallward’s.
10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse Holland’s House It was a first for us as judges to be greeted with the question, ‘would you survive a zombie apocalypse?’. Charlotte Hanson and Ella Howard-Robinson narrated effectively for Holland’s, and we were treated to a set of scenarios about what to do in the event of an invasion, which they cleverly linked to global warming. There were some good sound effects and use of lighting and, as time went on, we became more involved with the four main characters who played a variety of roles, each taking a lead in illustrating various methods employed to combat the threat. These methods ranged from sacrificing the weak to utilising kung fu and even romancing the zombies. The seven zombies were suitably slow and well made-up, repeating their mantra of “brains” as they relentlessly pursued the hapless last survivors of the apocalypse. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the jokes and seeing the zombies win the battle again and again. There was a good range of ages on stage and the cast obviously enjoyed themselves. So maybe the question should have been, ‘would you want to survive a zombie attack if everyone else was gone?’. We’ll leave that one for you to answer! Thank you, Holland’s.
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Photo by Tony Leung (MH)
House Play Winners 2020 Best Production Fisherman’s Friends (Moberly’s House) Best Drama Blithe Spirit (Hallward’s House) Best Musical Fisherman’s Friends (Moberly’s House) Best Comedy Yes, Prime Minister (The South Town) Best Director Lizzie Lyons (West Town) Best Female Actor Isis Savage (Hallward’s House) Best Male Actor Christian Greene (The South Town)
House Play winners 2020
Best Female Supporting Actor Jointly awarded to Sofia Walker and Hayden Schrijver (West Town) Best Male Supporting Actor Charlie Eke (Moberly’s House)
Anger Management Oakeley’s House Oakeley’s House performed Anger Management this year. The inclusion of the revered gold and green rugby jersey made one judge feel right at home. Unlike the Wallabies’ recent performances, however, Oakeley’s certainly did not disappoint. Set amongst a group therapy session, the members vented their frustrations whilst well-transitioned flashbacks portrayed how each individual ended up there. Scarlett Jenkins played McGowan, an irate maths
teacher who unsuccessfully attempted to get students to complete his tax return. This left the judges questioning which staff member they’d drawn inspiration from! Despite some questionable Australian accents, the judges acknowledged the clever use of the Morphsuit mannequins and the comically relatable driving sequence, which ended with a strobe-lit crash. The audience thoroughly enjoyed this performance. Fantastic work, Oakeley’s.
Charlie Callander, Alex Tebay and Charlotte Withey, House Play Judges 2020
“ This left the judges questioning which staff member they’d drawn inspiration from!”
Achievement Award Moberly’s House Best Third Form Performance Megan Cook (Holland’s House) Stage Presence Joseph Attwood (The South Town) Artistic Endeavour Watson’s House Choreography Hallward’s House Best Staging Oakeley’s House Technical Achievement Hallward’s House Best Costume Design Moberly’s House Best Prep West Town Rising Star Tom Copeland (Wiseman’s House) The Cliftonian 2020 | 37
Arts Evening 38 | Upper School 2020
We held a Virtual Arts Evening on 25th June in place of the event that has taken place at the College for the past two years. The evening featured a wide range of performances and exhibitions, from music, dance and drama to art, literature and photography. The virtual event began with a beautiful and emotionally resonant solo dance video by Philly Milne, which explored themes of alienation, appearance and the effects of social media. Next was a fantastic selection of fun summer music created during the second half of the Summer Term. Attendees could opt to listen to the whole concert or choose from performances by
the lockdown orchestra, jazz workshop, junior wind quintet, chamber choir, flute ensemble, soul band or the piano duet. It was great to see how Clifton’s finest musicians have managed to thrive in the digital world. In the virtual literary tent, there was a chance to see this year’s Public Reading Competition with some brilliant performances from engaging readers able to immerse the audience in the world of the books from which they read. Congratulations to Katie Partridge and Taiki Faustino for winning the competition in Block I and II respectively. There was also an opportunity to hear a wonderful selection of poetry in Spanish, French, German and Mandarin thanks to pupils in Years 9 and 10. The Creative Writing Group showcased their favourite original poetry and prose by putting together a special podcast for the event.
Drama students from across the school recorded their own socially distanced video and audio performances that included Thoughts from Lockdown monologues and mixed media performances inspired by the Patrick Marber play Closer, using Stanislavski and method acting rehearsal techniques. There was also an eclectic mix of powerful photographs available to view and an online exhibition of impressive GCSE and A Level artwork, with links to the Royal West of England Academy student exhibition, which included work by Clifton pupils (see p.19 for details). The Arts Evening provided an excellent opportunity to showcase Clifton creativity and the hard work of our students. It is clear that the arts are thriving under challenging conditions. Well done to all involved!
“It is clear that the arts are thriving under challenging conditions. Well done to all involved!”
The Cliftonian 2020 | 39
Library 40 | Upper School 2020
Here are just some of the highlights of a busy and successful year in the Percival Library in which the celebration of reading, writing and creativity took centre stage in both the real and virtual world.
journalist and screenwriter Nikesh Shukla visited us twice, once for Anti-Bullying Week in November and again as part of our World Book Week celebrations in March. Nikesh has been hugely influential in championing under-represented voices in publishing. He talked to the Sixth Form geographers about The Good Immigrant, a collection of 21 essays documenting what it means to be a person of colour in contemporary Britain, and to the Fourth and Fifth Form about The Boxer, a powerful story about bullying, boxing and far-right radicalisation, which is set in Bristol.
Author Visits
Sci-fi novelist Temi Oh visited us in the Lent Term to talk to the Fifth Form about her gripping debut novel about a group of exceptional teenagers (they could relate!) who are selected to embark upon a voyage to a planet known as Terra-Two, 23 years from Earth. Temi treated her audience to some dramatic readings and talked about her journey as a writer and how her background in neuroscience informed the research for her novel. In March, we welcomed poet and performer Antosh Wojcik back to Clifton to celebrate World Book Day. You can see page 44 for more details.
We were delighted to showcase an awesome lineup of talented and engaging writers this year. The Third Form celebrated National Poetry Day in October with Bristol-based poet and lecturer Rebecca Tantony who talked about inspiration and freedom in writing. Our Clifton Herald co-editor-in-chief Joseph Attwood was delighted to fulfill a childhood dream to meet Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell when he interviewed her for Clifton’s finest student newspaper in the Michaelmas Term. Acclaimed novelist,
Though a couple of our Summer Term author visits had to be postponed until Michaelmas 2020, we did manage a Percival Library first with our first ever virtual author visit from Clifton favourite, the author, spoken word artist and playwright, Steven Camden AKA Polarbear. Steven’s interactive Zoom talk for the Third Form focused, rather aptly, on ‘zooming in on the emotional power of a moment’ and included a series of readings from his latest book, Everything All at Once. A few brave students (and Mr Harris) shared with the group their most embarrassing moments before we were whisked away to virtual breakout rooms to work in small groups to write dramatic, poetic openings. The talk was a great way to end an unusual academic year on a high.
“We were delighted to showcase an awesome lineup of talented and engaging writers.”
The Cliftonian 2020 | 41
Events & Competitions
Mock Election 2019 We teamed up with the Politics Department for the 2019 Mock Election, which featured a lively hustings in Chapel, a special Question Time event chaired by Elly Callaghan and Luca Newman, and vociferous campaigning by the Clifton College constituency candidates and their campaign teams. An incredible array of party political broadcasts, speeches and
manifestos were compiled by the candidates and their teams of politics A Level students. Well done to Beth Ambler, Joseph Attwood, Seb Bird, Sam Hesketh Fatchen, Bella Green, Uzma Noor and Aaron Scott for their sterling work as candidates and for their role in inspiring voters of the future. There was a real buzz around campus on polling day, which led to a decisive win for Joseph Attwood and the Liberal Democrats with a 37.6% share of the votes in the Upper School constituency.
“There was a real buzz around campus on polling day.� 42 | Upper School 2020
Spelling Bee The library was a hive of activity as we welcomed superb spellers from across the College. A tense final saw spellers navigating (and sometimes stumbling over) kaleidoscopes, handkerchiefs, scrumptious synonyms and phenomenal pharaohs. Though it sometimes felt like a Sisyphean task, Sam Hesketh Fatchen saw off tough competition from two reigning champions to swarm to victory, taking the bee-shaped trophy for the South Town. A stalemate situation in an extended Block II final meant that the junior prize went to evenly-matched spellers Kevin Pan and Anya Soldatova.
Shoktoberfest IX The Percival was transported to small-town America in the winter of 1984 for the classic creature-feature Gremlins. Undead ushers escorted students through one of the library’s secret entrances into a candle-lit Council Room decked out like Christmas in the eighties. Surprise mid-screening snacks were provided by the school’s catering team, who faithfully recreated Billy’s mom’s homemade gingerbread.
Christmas Book Fair To welcome in the festive season, the library hosted a fantastic Christmas shopportunity. Local independent bookshop, Storysmith, provided a fantastic range of books, mulled drinks were drunk and books purchased. The wonderful Cliftones, led by Lily Mustin, provided the musical entertainment to get us in the festive spirit. The school’s commission on book sales has been donated to BookTrust for their Christmas appeal, providing books for vulnerable children and children in care.
“Undead ushers escorted students through one of the library’s secret entrances.”
The Cliftonian 2020 | 43
Events & Competitions Harry Potter Day The Triwizard* Tournament came to Clifwarts College this year with all 12 Houses competing to be crowned Triwizard* champions. Three tasks were created to ensure all students in the Upper School had a chance to compete for their House. The day kicked off with a Potter quiz during House Assembly, with each House encouraged to create their own spell. Morning break saw a cohort of enthusiastic crafters descend upon the library to ‘transfigure’ 12 cardboard shark heads into something beautiful/surreal. Dragon eggs were hidden in all corners of the school, each worth one point and eligible for a chocolatey treat. We rounded the day off with a candlelit screening of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in the library, complete with golden snitch cookie refreshments. The tournament left two Houses fighting for the top spot, but there could be only one winner and our congratulations go to the Slughorn Town (AKA the South Town) who earned 73 points. Mischief managed! * Technically, the Dodecawizard Tournament
World Book Day 2020 We celebrated World Book Day in style with acclaimed poet, musician and performer Antosh Wojcik. The day began with an early morning recital in Chapel and a series of beautiful, moving poems that explored familial relationships. A book giveaway followed, our student librarians brandishing FREE
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BOOKS! placards as students were invited to choose from a selection of titles published to mark World Book Day 2020. The Fourth Form were treated to an extended recital as Antosh talked about the power of poetry to express the unsaid, the silences in between our words. With his signature surreal style, we journeyed from the backyards of Texas, through layers of tiramisu on ski trips, to his father’s native Poland. Now a staple of the Clifton calendar, the annual teachers vs students World Book Day Literature Quiz saw Antosh take on the role of quizmaster as our finalists were put through their paces with a trip down the rabbithole that covered everything from Lockwood & Co. to Lyrical Ballads. School House made their first ever appearance in the final, but their quizzing couldn’t quite match the lightning-quick reflexes of the teachers, who were on fine form this year. Congratulations to Ms Hawkins, Mrs John, Mr Harris and Ms Clarke who won the coveted World Book Day trophy! Still on a high from quiz victory, Ms Hawkins joined her Year 12 class for an engaging poetry workshop in which Antosh used a series of celebrated works of art as inspiration; the students noted down their personal responses to the chromatic intensity of Bridget Riley’s Nataraja, the symbolic force of Dorothea Tanning’s sunflowers and Yves Klein’s blue monochrome paintings. Gathering their notes and drawing upon the structure of Selima Hill’s poignant Thicklyfrozen Lakes, the group set about penning their own poems about significant relationships in their lives.
“With his signature surreal style, we journeyed from the backyards of Texas, through layers of tiramisu on ski trips.”
Events & Competitions The Great Clifton Read Off
Stanley Steadman Essay Prize
The Third Form were challenged to read as many books as possible across 12 genres for our annual reading contest. The Great Clifton Read Off, which ran from the end of the Michaelmas Term to the start of the Summer Term, saw students read a grand total of 170,919 pages between them, clearly making great use of the lockdown to dive into some brilliant books. Congratulations to Joseph Collins who read an incredible 35 books, totalling 18,613 pages! Special mention must also go to Isabel Bevan, Oli Hambley and Mr Callander who, along with Joseph, managed the seemingly impossible and outread the librarians! Our overall class winner was Ms Hawkins/ Mrs Walsh’s class, reading an impressive 112 books between them.
Congratulations to the 2020 winner, Livvy Plummeridge! Livvy’s thoughtful and enthusiastic appreciation of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente was commended by the judges, as was her impressive defence of the novel during the virtual viva voce.
“Students read a grand total of 170,919 pages between them.”
World Book Night Read-In We celebrated World Book Night (and Shakespeare’s birthday) in a rather unique way this year. Readers were asked to Zoom in with a book of their choice, a mug of hot chocolate and (technical specifications permitting) a literary Zoom background. After a book show ‘n’ tell, readers settled down for a communal though socially distant read-in whilst beautiful music was played by student librarian musical maestros Benson Zhou, Jude Young and Elsa Wilkie.
Lauren Walker, Leah Shaw and Charlotte Withey, Percival Librarians
The Cliftonian 2020 | 45
Flash Fiction Luca Newman (NT) won the 2020 Flash Fiction short story competition. His writing was inspired by this photograph of a blurred face. The competition was judged by the acclaimed poet, writer and performer, Antosh Wojcik.
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“Two Drags And A Spit, Doll?” That one looks like Stalin. Probably doesn’t even know who he is. Potato of a man. Lugging thick legs along. Could never be me. Wouldn’t want it to be. Bet he’d struggle to get from upstage right to downstage left in a jiffy - you know, if I were him, which I’m not, and if he liked theatre, which he doesn’t. Well, he might - if you count gypsy wrestling at the fairground. Off he goes.
Plod on, Comrade. I wonder what he was thinking about? Not a lot, I suppose. Ignorance is bliss. He could play a good Caliban if he wanted, which he wouldn’t, but if he did - no, hang on… I’ve lost myself. Something about drama. Something to do with that hobnailed gorilla. Something about how I know what the Importance of Being Earnest is.
Flash Fiction
Oh. Only one strawberry left. I had six a moment ago. The French say strawberries are of the rose family, that they’re aphrodisiacs best suited to newlyweds. I’ll keep the last one for the walk home. La dernière fraise pour le promenade. This has got me feeling very Romantic.
Ode To Nature The fruits it will bring In summer and spring, I will give to a lady And a box, with a ring, In a quaint little cottage I’d prepare her a dish Stacked with nature’s finest Red meats, not fish As the birds chirp, In the dreamy meadows The men from the canal whoop and wail and one shoves the other down the bank and they... They ruin my train of thought. Loutish baboons. Why isn’t that one I saw earlier with the rest of his troop? He’d fit in, same overalls, stained black with soot and all. Speak of the devil. Here he comes again. Headed for my bench. Uh oh. He’s not a happychappy. Suppose I’ve no choice but to open the innings. “Hello.” He grunts back and does that downwards nod that men do. Alright then, I see how it is. I eat my last strawberry as indignantly as I can. But all I can taste is him. His musk somehow overpowers the smell of coal and permeates my taste buds. Makes me not want to swallow.
Judging by the charred phlegm by my foot, and the violent hawking, he’s not a fan of swallowing either. He’s hacking up smut and he wants the world to know it. Or maybe he just wants me to know it... It landed next to my shoe after all. As if to tell me that if I don’t scarper the next one’s on my brogues. Not so easily deterred, I grimace at him. Christ. He’s even more apelike up close. Definitely had run-ins with the Lilly Law. Although, I bet he’d still dob me in if he guessed what I was up to. Luckily, I’ve become rather good at hiding it. Only took twenty years of practice. He catches me staring. Your move, ducky. “Two drags and a spit, doll?”
Judge’s comments This piece shows a mature control of urgency and immersion into prose writing. From the outset, I am captured by the narrator’s voice - I start to think like them, see how they see, which is a gift. There’s a real attention to sentence variance, I particularly connect to the erratic thoughts, that very much carry across the energy of the photo - a flitting mind, blurry vision, that sense of ‘I’ve lost myself’ that the narrator professes. The speaker’s attention to detail constantly shifting, self-questioning it’s a powerful idiosyncrasy! Surprising moments like ‘charred phlegm by my foot’ and the bold moves to anecdote and a whole form-break with the insert of ‘Ode to Nature’ in the middle kept me gripped. It’s encouraging to read such daring and playful prose that isn’t too concerned with setting up context, more readily inserting the reader straight into the bloodstream of a scenario. Exceptional work.
Antosh Wojcik
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The Chapel has been a little different this year!
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Pupils and staff started the Michaelmas Term meeting together on a daily basis as always, planning talks about issues ranging from faith, gender inclusivity, avoiding unintentional sexism, the environment and memories that make us who we are. It is very encouraging to see pupils being prepared to stand up in front of the entire school and to talk about subjects that are, at times, very personal to them. It is always interesting to hear what they have to say and I am
grateful to be part of a school that celebrates diversity and works so hard to be inclusive. Remembrance Sunday, the Advent and Christmas Carol Services and a very full Christmas Eve Crib and Christingle Service were the best attended services of the year. Over 400 Christingle oranges were given out as we met on Christmas Eve to thank God for the birth of Jesus. The Upper Sixth were able to meet for a short but emotional chapel
service before the school closed. It was not Last Chapel in the usual way that we celebrate it, but our leavers have all been promised an opportunity to return to Clifton for a big celebration service once the school is able to safely reopen. By Easter, everything had changed. The necessity to socially distance and prevent the spread of Covid-19 was taken seriously by the College’s management team. Chapel continued but via online
Chapel
platforms. A mixture of optional and regular chapel services allowed pupils and staff from around the world to meet virtually together, encourage each other and pray for our families and communities. In some ways, what has been a very difficult experience for us all has brought out some of the best qualities in our pupils. I see the way that my daughter’s friends are there for each other, supporting each other with care, and I am grateful that the technology exists today for this to happen. I am grateful that though chapels and church buildings have been closed during the pandemic, faith can still be expressed together by communities like our own meeting online. As Chaplain, I am incredibly grateful to be supported by a committed group of staff and parents who meet together weekly to pray for the life of the school. If there is ever anything that I can do to support you or your family, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
The Rev Simon Chapman College Chaplain
“I am grateful to be part of a school that celebrates diversity and works so hard to be inclusive.”
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Synagogue 50 | Upper School 2020
Starting a Jewish job in September is always going to be busy with the string of autumnal Jewish festivals, so I really had to hit the ground running as I became Clifton College’s new Jewish Chaplain in September 2019. Less than two weeks into the Michaelmas Term, we celebrated the joint Bar/Bat Mitzvah of Oscar and Matilda Dembo in the Polack Centre Synagogue. It was the perfect opportunity to experience and share the beauty of our synagogue, the dedication and talent of our young people and the sense of community between the Jewish pupils involved with the Jewish Life programme. Michaelmas continued with services and activities both in College and at the nearby Park Row Synagogue for Jewish New Year, Yom Kippur (Day of
Atonement), Sukkot (Harvest Festival) and Simchat Torah (Celebration of the Torah). For Sukkot, the porters kindly pitched our Sukkah in the Prep School garden and we decorated it beautifully, but our hopes of enjoying our meals in the temporary shelter were dampened by the weather. Instead, we watched our lovely Sukkah from the dry safety of the Prep School Hall while enjoying the traditional Sukkot meals prepared by the wonderfully creative catering team. With the major festivals behind us, I was able to introduce weekly breaktime socials in the Polack Centre, known as ‘Twice as Nice Tuesdays’ and famous for their yummy kosher treats. We also began a learning programme for four Jewish pupils (and one Jewish parent!) who have chosen to work towards having a Bar/ Bat Mitzvah. Jewish festivals are never far away, and in December we celebrated Chanukah (Festival of Lights) with a knockout Tapierosponsored party. In January, we had the opportunity to mark Holocaust Memorial Day with the rest of Bristol at a City Hall commemoration. In February, we were getting dirty in the school garden with the Sixth Form Gardening Club as we
planted fruit trees for Tu Bishvat (Jewish New Year for Trees). And then everything changed. In March, we were due to celebrate the festival of Purim with a historical first, a collaboration between Clifton College, Park Row Synagogue and Bristol and West Progressive Jewish Community. The ambitious cultural event had to be postponed at the last minute due to growing concerns about the spread of Covid-19 and within a week we entered a new and unprecedented phase. Though Clifton College’s Jewish pupils were scattered across three continents, we found ways to stay connected through online Synagogue services, learning opportunities and Friday Night gatherings. Plans for the 2020/21 academic year include all the events we enjoyed this year, increased sharing of our Jewish culture with the wider school community and the all-new introduction of Modern Hebrew as a language option for Year 7 pupils. These unprecedented circumstances are certainly challenging but I believe they will only strengthen our sense of community and enhance Clifton College’s Jewish Life programme. Rabbi Anna Gerrard Jewish Chaplain
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Sailing on the Mar Menor During the October half term, 17 students and three members of staff from the sailing team travelled to ProVela, a sailing centre on the Mar Menor on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. ProVela specialise in hydrofoils, high-performance sailing boats that use submerged wings to lift the boat and fly above the water. Blue skies and sunshine prevailed throughout the week, and pupils were able to get
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out onto the water twice a day in a range of different boats, including the foiling F101 dinghy. Whilst the more seasoned sailors experienced foiling for the first time, a beginners group had the opportunity to get to grips with the sport in sunshine and warm waters, a far cry from Chew in October! As well as time on the water, we also visited the Roman site of Cartagena, which gave pupils the chance to practise their Spanish and learn some of the history of the area. Evenings were filled with volleyball (Mr Richards’ team seemed to win
most nights!), trips to the nearby town, or catching up on the Rugby World Cup! A fun time was had by all, and we look forward to another trip in the near future.
Jim Rosser
Trips & Activities
Photo by Perran Tremewan
New York Art Trip to NYC At the start of the October half term, a group of art students had the opportunity to visit New York City. We flew from Heathrow to JFK and stayed in a hotel off Fifth Avenue near the Empire State Building, which we ascended shortly after arriving to take in spectacular views of the city at night with all its illuminations. The following morning, we walked to Times Square where we were treated to a three-hour guided walking tour, which allowed us to see the New York Public Library, Grand Central Station and even the Friends sofa from the popular sitcom.
In the afternoon we visited the Museum of Modern Art in midtown Manhattan. Keen to seek out more art the next day, we set out for the Guggenheim Museum followed by a visit to the Metropolitan Museum in the afternoon. Having looked at an overwhelming range of incredible art and artefacts, we spent the last day of the trip as tourists, ascending 70 floors to the top of the Rockefeller Center with its breathtaking views of the city (this time in daylight), shopping on Fifth Avenue and strolling in Central Park. It was a wonderful experience for all involved. Allan Wilkie
“In the afternoon we visited the Museum of Modern Art in midtown Manhattan.� The Cliftonian 2020 | 53
Trips
Iceland The Iceland 2019 trip was one of those amazing trips where everything aligns to give a truly magical experience. The three staff members in attendance had been to Iceland more than 10 times before and we all agreed that it was our best trip. We had a friendly and informative guide and driver for our stay and they welcomed us aboard the care bear palace
(our bus)! Experiencing the country at a different time of year was also great as there were fewer crowds at the main tourist sites. Instead of lupins adorning the roadsides, you were drawn to the autumnal colours of the trees. Autumn, with its change in daylight hours, also gave us all the phenomenal northern lights, which had been on the ‘bucket list’ of the teachers as well as the pupils. It was the first time that TikTok was a feature of our travels and although we did sometimes despair at the volume of selfies being taken, the pupils were engaged and made this trip so memorable.
Sarah Rath
“The landscape of Iceland is both strange and spectacular and no stop failed to amaze any of us!” Max and Louis
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“The waterfalls were stunning and the fact that we saw the northern lights was incredible. This country was so interesting and this was a great way to spend exeat.”
Georgia, Will, Hugo and Millie “We experienced once in a lifetime opportunities, from hiking glaciers and volcanoes to walking around the most beautiful waterfalls. We also talked about life on the islands with an Icelandic teenager who mesmerised us all with how different her days are to ours.”
Lauren and Bella “Our favourite part was the Blue Lagoon as it was so warm and such a strange colour. We also all really enjoyed the northern lights as they are extremely rare and very beautiful.”
“Even though the idea of museums are usually very dull, we found they were incredible, especially the LAVA museum. The best part of the trip was going to the Blue Lagoon at night - it was mystical and magical.”
Frankie, Steph and Charlotte
“This trip was a once in a lifetime opportunity full of experiences and memories. We were particularly invested in Iceland’s mass of geothermal power and concepts for where it could lead.” Lizzie and Briden
“This trip was a huge eye opener for me. Before going, I had numerous misconceptions about both Iceland and volcanoes. My favourite part of the trip was when we walked on the glacier on the first full day. We were able to pick out a piece of ice from the ground and I got to hold onto that as a souvenir before it melted. Burying the half melted piece of ice at the base of the glacier was probably my highlight of the trip.”
Dunbarin
Nick, Tom, Roy, Tom, Adam and Arthur
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Trips
Gran Paradiso An adventurous group of students and staff successfully summited the Gran Paradiso in July 2019. Set within Paradiso National Park, this stunning mountain measures a huge 4,061 metres, making it the highest mountain entirely within Italy. The first night of the trip was spent in Argentière, a village in the French Alps. The next morning, we took the drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel and into Valgrisenche, where we began our approach to the Rifugio Bezzi from Usellières (1,800m). On foot, we continued up Valgrisenche, ascending gently to start acclimatisation to the Rifugio Mario Bezzi (2,284m). Here, we found a
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snow slope where we practised using crampons and ice axes on steep terrain, safe glacier travel and rope skills. From the refuge early the next morning, we made a gradual ascent of the west-facing slopes below the Grande Traversière, crossing many gorgeous mountains and streams that descend from the glaciers above. A final ascent across a moraine slope led us to the Col Bassac Déré (3,082m). The descent from the col crossed the remains of the Glacier de Golette to Lake Goletta. The exit from this hanging valley was steep to the Refuge Jean-Frédéric Benevolo (2,287m). The next day, we gradually ascended from the refuge to Col Rosset (3,025m). It was here that we had our first glimpse of the Gran Paradiso, which was nerve-racking yet extremely exciting! The steep descent took us down to a glittering lake where we spent time paddling in the cold water to soothe our sore feet. The
morning after saw us descend down from the refuge back into the valley (and finally back into civilisation). We treated ourselves to food and drinks at a small shop before making our way up to the Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele (2,735m) ready for our summit attempt the next day. This ascent was steep and, with tired legs, gruelling work for everyone. Summit day began with breakfast at 4 a.m. before Miss Sumner set to work on feet-taping duty with copious amounts of Compeed ready for the climb! We roped up in our teams and started the hard climb to an isolated peak, crossing snow fields that led us to the Glacier du Mont Gran Paradiso and the Becca di Moncorvé. We all started to feel the altitude, with sickness and wobbly legs, but we kept going at alpine speed towards the summit. We crossed the rimaye (a large crevasse separating the glacier from the permanent snow field above) and ascended a steep slope to give us access to the final rocky summit. Here, we took off our crampons and rucksacks and continued to climb the final exposed rocky ridge where we met ‘the Madonna’ at the summit.
It took us seven hours to reach the summit point, a magnificent feat which felt like an incredible achievement. We were met by jaw-dropping panoramic views, a moment we’ll never forget. Of course, once the feeling of elation had settled down, we were all too aware that we were only halfway there – we needed to climb back down to reattach our crampons ready for the descent. We navigated the Glacier de Laveciau, which was an intricate maze of deep crevasses. The snow bridges were weakening due to the afternoon sun, which caused Mr Wigginton to have a little fall. Thankfully unscathed, he had the opportunity to inspect the inside of a crevasse! After an eventful descent, we finally reached our last mountain hut, the Rifugio Federico Chabod, at an altitude of 2,750 metres. We all enjoyed a well deserved rest, ate lots and reflected on what had been an incredible day. The next morning was the last of our journey, and on our final descent we spotted many marmots along the way. After a few hours, we boarded our transport for the return journey to Argentière where the team enjoyed a celebratory dinner.
“We were met by jawdropping panoramic views, a moment we’ll never forget.”
Jody Sumner
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Activities Careers This year has been a busy one for the Careers Department. As ever, we have hosted several visiting speakers from a wide range of careers and professions, from the more traditional (such as accountancy) to the more creative (such as the running of music festivals). The highlight of the year was definitely our first ever parent event in January. Tina HarriganJames from the Good Schools Guide talked to over 100 parents about the pros and cons of degree apprenticeships. Her messages were supported by our fantastic panel of three current apprentices at IBM, Airbus and Deloitte who were able to dispel the myths and discuss the reality of this new and emerging career pathway. Further, a group of Lower Sixth physicists were lucky enough to visit Airbus’s headquarters in Filton. During the visit, the students were taken around three different testing facilities, spent time chatting to current apprentices and interns, and had to take part in their very own wing design project (see p.60 for more details). Clifton’s first ever Virtual Careers Fair took place at the end of the Summer Term, with the Lower Sixth being offered a selection of 25 different talks across a wide range of industries thanks to the trusty help of Zoom. Whilst many of us mourned the lack of faceto-face contact and the chance to physically meet the wonderful presenters, the format of the event did have many benefits. Numbers for each session were unlimited, the Fifth Form and Upper Sixth felt more inclined to attend (as they could join from the comfort of their own homes),
and we were even treated to one presentation from a bench outside the Sydney Opera House! Going forward, it might be that we are able to incorporate the virtual experience into the more traditional Careers Fair that we have held in the past. As ever, a huge thank you to all of the parents and OCs who gave up their time to speak to the pupils - without them, this event would not be possible.
Emma Kenyon
The Climate Challenge Students from the Environmental Action Group took part in the Climate Challenge at the M Shed in Bristol at the end of September 2019. This initiative was created as part of the Bristol Educational Partnership’s response to the climate emergency and brought together schools and colleges from across the region to discuss and develop strategies to combat climate change. Throughout the day our students sat in on lectures
and pitches from companies who are already making great strides towards becoming carbon neutral, with lots of exciting ideas to bring back and implement at Clifton. The most interesting part of the day was the opportunity to collaborate with students from other schools and to develop strategies that we could use to improve the impact that we are having as a school. The next step in our engagement with the Climate Challenge took place at the University of the West of England Conference Centre at the official launch the following month. Our student delegates were asked to present a number of programmes and ideas that they had begun at Clifton and detail the ways in which they were going to effect real change. This exciting opportunity allowed our students to share their work with dignitaries from Bristol City Council and an invited audience in a formal presentation. The students also had the chance to share their work with students from other schools in the ‘ideas marketplace’ during the afternoon.
Climate Emergency Conference at the University of Bristol In spring 2019, the University of Bristol joined with other organisations to become the first UK university to declare a climate emergency, signalling its commitment to take action on climate change and to support Bristol City Council’s declaration of a climate emergency and pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030. The declaration acknowledged the deep concerns of young people across Bristol who are worried about what the future holds. The conference brought together Sixth Formers, climate scientists, activists, employers, and government representatives to discuss what is required to respond to the climate emergency. A key question for the day was, how do we talk about the climate emergency and how do we use our voices for change? During the course of the day, our students were involved in workshops and a lecture series that offered a range of perspectives and ideas on how best to tackle climate change.
David Saunders
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Maths: A Year In Numbers The 2019/2020 calendar of mathematical events kicked off with the annual round of the Bristol Schools Maths Competition in October, where our Sixth Form mathematicians tried their luck against teams from local schools. The further mathematicians did particularly well, with both Lower and Upper Sixth teams coming joint second (by one point!) in their respective events. The Lower Sixth team did equally well in the second round in February. In October, four of our top female mathematicians took part in the Mathematical Olympiad for Girls: Alice Li, Cerys Jones, Cici Pan and Lisa Jin spent two and a half hours working on some challenging problems. Cici came within the top 25% of participants, earning a Distinction for her performance. On 7th November, 157 mathematicians from Years 10 to 13 took part in the annual UKMT Senior Maths Challenge and achieved some incredible results, with 27 Gold Certificates awarded, 35 Silver and 35 Bronze. Furthermore, the highest number on record qualified for the second round of the competition - eight for the British Mathematical Olympiad and 19 for the Senior Kangaroo. Special mention goes to Joseph Attwood, Yongze Yu, Derek Ma and Conor McMahon who achieved Merits in the first round of the BMO (only awarded to the top 450 students nationally). Conor and Derek went through to the second round, with Conor earning a Merit for his performance and Derek a Distinction. In the Senior Kangaroo, there were noteworthy performances from Jonathan Ambler, Cici Pan, Jack Wang and Kevin Yan who were all awarded a certificate of Merit.
Similarly, the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge in February yielded another set of record-breaking results for Clifton. Our Year 9, 10 and 11 mathematicians outdid themselves yet again with an amazing total of 106 certificates awarded (33 bronze, 34 silver, 39 gold), with 10 pupils qualifying for the Olympiad and 27 for the Kangaroo. Jonathan Ambler is to be congratulated on achieving full marks and therefore being the top performer in the school, with Dong Ha Hoang coming a close second. Qualifying students took part in the Intermediate Olympiad and Kangaroo on the day before schools were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the marking of their attempts has been delayed as a result, we are confident that some medals and book prizes are going to be awarded and look forward to celebrating those successes. Another competition that saw Clifton pupils shine was the AMSP Year 10 Maths Feast, which took place at Mangotsfield School in February. The team consisted of Jonathan Ambler, Joe Ancell, Cici Pan and Sam Williams. They worked
“Another set of record-breaking results for Clifton.” incredibly well together and were victorious in all four rounds of the competition, enjoying some scrumptious mathematical goodies along the way. For the second year in a row, a joint team of Year 8 and Year 9 Clifton mathematicians were victorious in the regional round of the Junior Team Challenge in March. Participants were Qiqi You, Jimmy Jin, Emily Jo and Avik Bahl. The competition took place at Colston’s School, where 20 teams competed and Clifton narrowly beat BGS who were joint second. The highlight of the event for Mrs Evans was the fastest relay race she had ever seen, with the team
completing all the questions with 20 minutes still to go. The team were due to compete in the National Final in London in June but, unfortunately, this was cancelled. The Lent Term also saw the inaugural Pi Day Competition, in which teams from each House were invited to solve a pi-themed crossnumber to celebrate this wonderful and incredibly useful irrational number. The teams were fiercely competitive and all Houses put in amazing (apple pie fuelled) efforts, but Moberly’s House were victorious, with North Town as runners up.
Anastassia Myers
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Activities Physics Trip to Birmingham University
Aspiring Engineers and Scientists at Airbus
On 25th November, the Lower Sixth physicists headed to the University of Birmingham to listen to the ‘A Level Live Lectures’, a series of talks from scientists at the forefront of their fields. Pupils were also addressed by a specialist physics examiner on how to improve exam technique. The students heard from a number of different people, including Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Dr Jessica Wade and Dr Michael Brooks, who explored themes from quantum biology to plastic electronics and gravitational waves! The topics discussed certainly gave the pupils food for thought in terms of the careers available to them with a degree in physics.
In September 2019, a group of physics A Level students were given the opportunity to visit Airbus in Bristol. Over the course of the day, we were able to visit different areas of the site, including the landing gear and fuel-testing facilities. After lunch, we talked to a group of apprentices on the degree programme. We then enjoyed a workshop learning about the difficulties and challenges involved in designing aeroplane wings that are both flexible enough to prevent snapping yet still rigid enough to prevent the wing flapping. The day was an interesting and inspiring experience for a group of future engineers and scientists.
Rebecca Luker
Ella Croft (HH)
Formula 1 into Schools
“The day was an interesting and inspiring experience for a group of future engineers and scientists.” 60 | Upper School 2020
On 26th February, Clifton College participated in the ‘Formula 1 into Schools’ South West regional competition. This is a joint engineering and enterprise venture in which pupils design, build and test a model F1 car as well as create their own company brand. Ella Croft, Eric Ding, David Wu, Conor McMahon, Nicole Leung and Anastasia Soldatova formed a team called ‘Anemos’. They made their car using a program called SolidWorks, and fed this into the DT Department’s new router, to cut their aerodynamic design from a foam block. To fund their project, the group raised money through cake and artwork sales, and they also looked into sponsorship from local, national and international companies.
Anemos was awarded a prize for the ‘Best Research and Development’; the judges were impressed by the students’ idea of using smoke and a hairdryer to simulate the effects of an air tunnel in order to observe how air flows over the car body. Although the team didn’t make it through to the National Finals, the pupils enjoyed making the F1 car, propelling it down a track, and developed many useful transferable skills along the way! Next year we hope to have even more teams enter this competition, and for the STEM project to grow in size and complexity.
Rebecca Luker
First-Class Physicists Celebrate Success Clifton physicists had a stellar year with fantastic achievements across the school. Some of our top A Level physicists entered the British Physics Olympiad in the Michaelmas Term; Conor McMahon (Year 13) achieved a Gold Award, and Ilyas Zakirov (Year 13), Andrea Ren (Year 13) and Derek Ma (Year 12) obtained a Bronze. We entered
11 Fifth Form students into the Intermediate Challenge of the British Physics Olympiad in the Lent Term. The challenge comprises two 25-minute online tests aimed at encouraging students to think outside the box by solving some taxing problems! All those who took part achieved either a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. Five students in total won a Gold Award, which is the highest category available: well done to David Wu, Ramsay Davis, Basile Valentin, Luke Laredo and Kevin Pan. First-class physicists in the
Fourth Form also had much to celebrate in the Junior Physics Challenge in the Summer Term: Gold Awards were obtained by Jonathan Ambler, Sam Williams, Tom Rayson, Cici Pan and Alex Warren; Silver Awards went to Ruby Wu, Tom Murray, Steven Sha and Dong Ha Hoang; Bronze Awards to Sonny Taylor, Sam Puri and Elsa Wilkie; and finally there was a Commendation for Louis Afford Lessof. It is great to see more of our pupils persevere with such tricky questions and enjoy the challenge they bring!
Rebecca Luker
Lockdown Lecture with Tim Marshall Our pre-A Level geography course was centred around the text, Prisoners of Geography by award-winning journalist Tim Marshall. The students all chose a region on which to focus their studies and began by reading the relevant chapter. Each week, they were then introduced to a different A Level topic and had to apply it to their area. Midway through the Summer Term, the pupils gained an insight into the man behind the book as Tim Marshall agreed to an interview for Clifton College and Fettes College pupils. He answered a number of questions about the impact of Covid-19 on countries around the world, discussing the temporal scale that this pandemic will have and how it may alter trends of globalisation.
Sarah Rath
Third Form Geography Trip to the Eden Project For the second year running, we took the whole of the Third Form to the Eden Project in Cornwall in early December. Having spent most of the Michaelmas Term studying ecosystems with a focus on the tropical rainforest biome, the trip really helped to cement some of the key ideas
that we have studied in the classroom. The pupils all partook in a climate challenge workshop, which linked their own actions to the tropical rainforest and climate change. Through a range of activities both in and out of the Rainforest Biome, pupils broadened their understanding of this issue. The Third Form also had the chance to explore the rest of the site, visiting the Mediterranean Biome in addition to the cafés and shops.
“Clifton physicists had a stellar year with fantastic achievements across the school.”
Sarah Rath
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Activities Bristol Teen Book Award The top readers from Ms Hawkins’ and Mrs Walsh’s Year 10 English classes were selected to attend the awards ceremony of the Bristol Teen Book Award (BTBA) at Junction 3 Library in Easton in February. Now in its second year, the BTBA is a joint venture between secondary schools in Bristol and Bristol Libraries, designed to promote reading for pleasure. The six novels on the shortlist were selected to celebrate diversity and identity in Young Adult literature. Students voted for their favourite book on the shortlist ahead of the event, which featured the shortlisted writers and an afternoon of literary themed activities and author workshops. The 2020 Award went to Tracey Mathias for her compelling dystopian thriller, Night of the Party. Leah Shaw
Star Wars Day: May the Fourth be with you Back by popular demand for his second virtual appearance of the academic year, Ian Bucknole Zoomed in from California to celebrate Star Wars Day with us on May the 4th. Ian is Creative Lead at Lucasfilm video production where he directs and shoots content for behind the scenes, promos and related Star Wars projects. Clifton College’s
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resident Star Wars expert, Hamish Johnson, posed a series of far-ranging, challenging and expertly researched questions. The discussion moved from how Ian got his big break to auteur theory, genre cinema, representation in Hollywood, and the as yet untapped potential of virtual reality. Questions from the audience included meeting your heroes and the positive shift in female directors like Deborah Chow and Bryce Dallas Howard now being part of the Star Wars canon. Despite the best efforts of the audience, Ian stood by his nondisclosure agreement but he did reveal, when asked if he had ever stolen any props from the set, that he did take a lump of space rock debris from Episode IX. Ian urged the audience of young Star Wars fans to use their time in lockdown to get lost in creative projects and to make and watch as many films as possible. Leah Shaw
Biologists at Bristol University
Computational Success
The Upper Sixth biologists experienced a wonderful opportunity on 4th February to visit the biomedical research labs at the University of Bristol. Putting their studies into context, they analysed their own electrocardiograms as well as blood pressure, both before and after a stress test. They were also shown a £40,000 life-like manikin that could be programmed to demonstrate different physiological processes in the body. It was great to see that the pupils could recall the differences between tachycardia and bradycardia as well as being able to analyse displayed data such as oxygen saturation. The afternoon ended with a presentation about studying life sciences at university and what life is like as a university student.
In November, 49 students from all year groups took part in the annual Oxford University Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge, with 17 of those students gaining a Distinction award, putting them in the top 10% of over 160,000 students nationwide. Two students, Jonny Cook and Ramsay Davis, got full marks, earning them a trip to Oxford University in February for a second round, something only the top 56 of over 22,000 senior students managed. In March, 10 of those top 10% of students completed the TCS Oxford Computing Challenge with seven achieving Distinctions – well done!
Remy Poland
Joe Lane
Simon Armitage at Bristol Poetry Festival The Creative Writing Group were delighted to have the chance to see Poet Laureate Simon Armitage at the Lyra Poetry Festival at the University of Bristol in March. The first half of the event saw Simon in conversation with Bristol Poet Laureate (and friend of Clifton College) Vanessa Kisuule. They discussed Simon’s plan to do an A-Z tour of libraries from Aberystwyth to Zennor, the idea of the muse and creative inspiration, and Simon’s career journey from Probation Officer to Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford. In the second half, we were treated to a recital of Simon’s poetry, a beautifully eclectic selection that evoked scenes of childhood, village life in Armitage’s native Marsden, and hot summers of melting ice cream and an increasingly surreal description of a wine tasting.
Oxford Museums On 12th March, the Art Department organised a visit to the Ashmolean, the Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford as part of their preparation for the externally-set assignment for GCSE Art. We started the day in the Ashmolean where the students had the opportunity to examine a range of art and artefacts including the Young Rembrandt exhibition, charting his tentative beginnings as an apprentice to the flowering of his genius. We then walked to the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Museum of Natural History nearby to sketch exhibits from the anthropological collections of the University of Oxford, showing design and evolution in human culture from the simple to the complex and also casts of dinosaur skeletons including that of a Tyrannosaurus rex. Allan Wilkie
DT and PPE: Supporting Critical Workers As the UK entered lockdown, members of the Clifton community were looking for ways in which they could put their skills and time to good use and support care workers in their vital roles. Sasha Trujillo and Bunny Cordeaux fired up their sewing machines and started making nurses’ caps and masks to donate to local hospitals. Using their textiles knowledge and experience of fabrics and patterns, they made multiple items to donate and provide much needed protection for care workers.
Leah Shaw
“Delivering this equipment sometimes proved to be quite an emotional experience.”
The Design Technology Department were also busy during this period and, together with a team of staff from across the College, they have made and donated over 3,000 pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to local GP surgeries and care homes across the region. Within the department, the laser cutter has been mass producing PPE, whilst the 3D printer has been whirring away creating a more durable design. Both designs have been received with a huge amount of gratitude, and delivering this equipment sometimes proved to be quite an emotional experience. The materials to make this essential PPE has been purchased with funds donated by Old Cliftonians, and we are extremely thankful that they have supported us with this initiative (see p.129 for further details).
Sian Hurst
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CCF 64 | Upper School 2020
Combined Cadet Force Clifton College CCF held the Regimental Dinner and our Upper Sixth NCOs were joined by staff, the Head Master, Miss Tebay and our guest speaker Lt Col Lucy Anderson MBE RLC from Bristol University Officer Training Corps (OTC). A fabulous menu of monkfish, guinea fowl and treacle tart was enjoyed by all and, keeping within the College’s guidelines, a glass of wine was substituted with port so that the full formal dinner experience could be achieved. Lt Col Anderson really engaged with the cadets and gave them an insight into the core values and what OTCs across
the country can offer young undergraduates. I am sure that many will now be signing up as they now know they get paid! Skit entertainment followed the dinner and, in a close-run thing, the combined Navy and RAF musical offering just beat the Army section’s comedy sketch. I would like to thank Sjt Major Mitchell for all his hard work in organising the event and for the takeaway slate drinks mats.
Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet Kitty Murdoch had the honour of working with Bristol’s LordLieutenant, Mrs Peaches Golding OBE, over the course of the year.
I must thank all my staff and cadets for their contributions this year. In particular, thank you to Flight Lieutenant Mal Grohmann for all the hard work and effort that he has given whilst serving as an officer in the RAF section. Dr Grohmann is stepping down from the CCF at the end of the Summer Term 2020 and we will miss his energy and enthusiasm.
“A fabulous menu of monkfish, guinea fowl and treacle tart was enjoyed by all.”
Jonathan Hughes Contingent Commander, Clifton College CCF
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CCF Army As well as the routine Monday training sessions, the highlights are always when we deploy into the field. Sunday 6th October saw the first Army field exercise at Yoxter Training Area in the Mendips. For the Fourth Form recruits, this was the first time they had experienced living in the field, and for some this was the first time they had camped! Their training was focused on basic field craft: cooking, basher building, cam and concealment and the like. Older cadets gained valuable experience in their leadership roles, planning and executing patrols, ambushes and section attacks. Unfortunately, due to circumstances outside anyone’s control, the summer camp was cancelled and so the Fourth Form’s next phase of training in the field, using weapons and employing basic infantry tactics, will take place in the Michaelmas Term 2020. Even during our Covid-19 lockdown, a hardy, dedicated bunch of around 15 cadets would Zoom in every week. Lectures covered topics such as section battle drills and platoon harbours. Zach Leonard’s weekly quiz proved popular as well and it was hard to beat Ollie Daniels every time.
Jonathan Hughes
“Older cadets gained valuable experience in their leadership roles, planning and executing patrols.”
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CCF Navy The year for the Navy section began as we had done for many years past. Training started in earnest in September with Kitty Murdoch at the helm as the Head of Section. Here, she ran a tight ship along with some new protocols put in place by WO2 Mitchell, ensuring that parade time started the afternoon’s training in a dynamic and meaningful way. The recruits section was the biggest that it had been in years, and, numbering 32, the new intake were sometimes challenging to manage, but as they became aware of what was expected, it became a group who
engaged well with all that was offered. Training led towards the first Field Day, where the new recruits headed to the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth for some river time, and the senior cadets headed off to stay about HMS Bristol in Portsmouth. This experience was especially poignant as recent MOD cutbacks will see HMS Bristol retired from service in December 2020, thus ending a number of years in which countless Clifton cadets have had their first (and only) stay aboard a warship. It was a superb asset that was available to cadet training and what it offered will be missed. In Dartmouth, the cadets all progressed towards their powerboat qualifications and, despite the weather, their good humour saw them all pass with flying colours. Soon after Christmas, a new St John’s qualification was run for cadets so they are now able to obtain a fully recognised first aid award as the CCF develops and improves the training offered. However, just as plans for the summer Field Day were starting to take shape, that training ceased as the school closed. Of course, the Navy section, ever the resourceful members of the Clifton community, continued to hold online training sessions. They became more about the camaraderie of the section, encouraging all to engage with fun challenges, than necessarily being linked to syllabus-based work. Here, we saw some superb efforts of bridge building with spaghetti, lockdown ball runs, cake making, learning a new skill in a week, as well as the more standard powerboat theory work. Thanks in this time must go to Flora McHattie who was awarded a Head Master’s tie for her efforts here and throughout the year.
As we held our last session online, we also said goodbye to our superb Upper Sixth NCOs: James Bayliss, Seb Comelio, and our Head of Section, Kitty Murdoch. They have set a wonderful example to the younger cadets through their relentless enthusiasm and willingness to simply have a go. Thank you for all your help and support. Without the help and support of the other officers: Lt Williams, S/Lt Bates, S/Lt Jackson, Chaplain Chapman and Mr Richmond, the Navy section could simply not operate. Thank you to all the cadets and officers for helping to make Mondays such a positive break from the classroom.
Lt R Beever Officer i/c Navy Section
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Navy Field Day
“Cold rain and wind did not dampen our spirits.” 68 | Upper School 2020
The CCF trip was an amazing couple of days away at the docks and at Dartmouth. We woke up bright and early on Sunday morning to set off for Bristol docks. There, we learnt key skills needed in the Navy, like knot tying, learning terminology, and boat driving. We took it in turns driving RIBs and boats, and we were also challenged to get a helmet to the other side of the river using just some ropes and a pole with no communication beforehand! After visiting the docks, we headed to Dartmouth Naval College. Upon arrival, we were given a short tour of the building and learned about its interesting history. Afterwards, we enjoyed dinner in the officers’ mess. At the HMS Hindostan, we played hide-and-seek aboard the boat, a fiercely competitive game as Mr Beever offered the winner an edible prize! Waking up to 11 different alarms at 6:30 a.m. definitely got us all awake to march up
to the college for breakfast the following day. Cleaning the boat was part of the morning duties but it didn’t take very long as it was all hands on deck. The weather was not on our side, with cold rain and wind but this did not dampen our spirits and stop us from having fun. Splitting up into two groups, half of us headed down into Dartmouth to complete a quiz and get a hot drink. Afterwards, we got to drive picket boats, which are quite big, and with two engines you are able to do a 360-degree turn. After lunch, we set off in minibuses for a trip to the beach to skim pebbles and try to push each other into the water! Mr Beever gave a short speech on the history of the beach and how it had had a massive impact in World War II. I really enjoyed the CCF Away Days. It was an amazing experience, which allowed us to see where the naval officers taught and trained. It also brought everybody in the CCF Navy section closer together.
Ev ie Calhaem (WoH)
CCF RAF Michaelmas Term The year started with L/Cpl Harry Isaacs taking the helm as Head of Section; the staff have been simply bowled over by his proactive nature. Together with the other NCOs, Harry has helped to deliver the syllabus content to both the Fourth and Fifth Form cadets. Harry, Ella Croft and Briden Whitbread all gained Staff Cadet lanyards in the process. Uniform care, appearance and drill manoeuvres have steadily improved amongst the section, with many also showing excellent teamwork skills when completing rocket car and catapult challenges. The October Field Days were a firm favourite, particularly the Nerf war with games such as ‘terminator’ and ‘save the president’ enabling individuals to hone their tactical skills with others. Maddy Long and Annie Shen had constant smiles on their faces, whilst Ollie Hunter decided to hide in a Perspex box so no one could get him. Was this cheating or thinking inside the box? Sam Puri, Tom Copeland and Kei Ki Chau demonstrated great teamwork with the trebuchet activity, whilst Eric Ding nearly hit the teddy bear enemy. Tom Rayson and David Wu showed expert skills whilst mountain biking and Alexei Joukovski demonstrated perseverance with fire lighting with the help from L/Cpl Matthew Cook. Emma Lamy took her cooked bread stick to the max with Kamilla Igamberdi enjoying her sausage and marshmallow cooking as well. Steven Sha managed to pop his balloon during the archery session and Chipo Feruka was proud of his air rifle shooting. Six cadets also experienced the thrills of gliding at 622 VGS, Upavon,
all achieving Blue Wing status in the process. The traditional tri-service inter-section competition was undertaken in our final CCF session, testing military knowledge, drill, fitness and teamwork. The RAF cadets pulled through and won the competition, which was a great end to the term.
Lent Term L/Cpl Briden Whitbread was given the opportunity to lead the section in the Lent Term. His presence both on parade and in the classroom has been exceptional. The Fourth Form continued with the principles of flight modules, whilst also completing various teamwork challenges. They also experienced climbing sessions at St Werburgh’s Climbing Academy and took their belaying skills to the next level. The Fifth Form cadets not involved in the cadre course managed to successfully make and paint Airfix model aircraft. They put in a tremendous degree of effort and these were some of the best models seen for some time. The regimental leavers’ dinner was a traditional opportunity to help celebrate the successes of the Upper Sixth NCO cadets. L/Cpl Chloe Choi, the section’s only Upper Sixth, certainly enjoyed the evening, particularly whilst singing Yellow Submarine along with the Navy cadets.
“Six cadets experienced the thrills of gliding at 622 VGS, Upavon, all achieving Blue Wing status.” Summer Term Running the CCF remotely during the Summer Term has certainly been challenging, but the Sixth Form NCOs have performed admirably in conducting online Zoom training for the Fourth Form cadets, albeit from afar. Cpl Cook reviewed the role of airfields, whilst Sgts Whitbread and Croft delivered the basic navigation training, with Sgt Isaacs bringing it together with a Kahoot quiz to finish off. L/Cpl Metcalfe performed a first-class job in teaching the jet engine theory module. He was clearly very knowledgeable and presented the topic with clarity. It was great to observe the maturity of the Fourth Form cadets and their general interest in the topics covered.
Flt Lt M Grohmann Officer Commanding RAF Section
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Societies 70 | Upper School 2020
Environmental Action Group The Environmental Action Group is made up of students who care about the environment and really want to make a difference. With the help of Miss Atkinson and Mr Saunders, a fun and safe space has been created for students to discuss the ways in which we can live in more eco-friendly ways and how, as a College, we can become more sustainable and green. Sessions are filled with intellectual discussion, research and proposals of goals - short, medium and long term - and different methods and solutions about how to reach these goals. A number of simple changes that could be made were explored by the group. For example, one issue raised was the fact that, as a school, so much paper is handed out to students and much of this paper
is found flying around on the Close when the wind visits, or in a locker in the wind tunnel, forgotten by a student who is now wondering where their lesson notes are. Through our discussions, a solution was brought up: technology. The students thought that as the school already uses platforms such as Google Classroom, Docs, etc, one option might be to put all resources online and provide each student with a device with which they could access all their resources. Since then, of course, the use of technology and online learning has become a key way of working for other reasons as well. The group has the ability to impact how things around the school are done and that is an honour as well as a responsibility. Not only do representatives take solutions back to Houses and oversee their implementation, but we have been able to hold meetings with the Senior Management
Team with a view to ensuring solutions and new ideas are put into place. The group was influential in the implementation of Do-Nation, a service in which both staff and students can make pledges to reduce their global carbon footprints. It has received a great reception from students who are particularly excited by the competition aspect to it: which House can become the most eco-friendly? We’ll have to wait and see! Other things that the group has been successful in executing are a meat-free day, fewer buses being used and encouraging Houses to recycle more. The Environmental Action Group is an excellent group where students are able to learn, socialise and, most importantly, make a difference to their community even if it’s one House at a time.
Eniola Akinsanya (MH)
“Students are able to learn, socialise and, most importantly, make a difference to their community even if it’s one House at a time.”
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Pride Society Even with the various challenges this year has presented, Pride Society has been busy as ever, with trips to perilous lands filled with dragons to the fascinating world of animation. Kicking off the year with a bang, Natasha Broad from Freedom Youth came to teach us more about the history of the LGBTQ+ community in the UK, bringing some shocking realities about our very recent history as a country, but also bright forecasts for the years ahead. In the Lent and Summer Terms, there were some excellent student led-sessions; from LGBTQ+ representation in mythology and religion, all the way through to the more recent role of pride communities in schools, the members of Pride Society stepped up to deliver sessions that were varied, fun and educational. Some of the society members strayed away from the presentation format to lead many different kinds of session. We had a mystical night of Dungeons & Dragons masterminded by Joseph Attwood and a brilliant session of Werewolf led by Noah Grellou to really spice up the year with something new. Though recent events have had us all confined to our screens, Pride has managed to stay
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strong with a virtual visit from Tim Smith from the Refinitiv London Pride Network who gave a wonderful talk on pride groups in the world beyond school. We have also worked hard on the end of term Pride Week, which saw the society raising awareness about LGBTQ+ issues to the wider school community, highlights of which included flying the rainbow flag (literally atop the Wilson Tower), the distribution of an expertlycurated list of useful resources and the creation of a hilarious yet informative Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Gay-laxy video, which explored the use of nonbinary pronouns and gave tips on how everyone can better educate themselves about LGBTQ+ issues.
Briden Whitbread (SH)
Creative Writing The Creative Writing Group has continued to flourish this academic year, with an eclectic weekly offering that has included superhero satires, pandemic poetry and macabre mysteries. The creative writers took part in a wonderful workshop on compelling openings, led by sci-fi author Temi Oh, and ventured offcampus to the University of Bristol to hear from Poet Laureate Simon Armitage (see p.63). The move to a virtual
reading and discussion group in the Summer Term saw the writers remain committed to their creative endeavours. A highlight of the year was an emotional online showcase and reunion that allowed the current cohort and our creative writers past to come together to share their accomplished stories, poems and sketches. The group also dipped their collective toes into the world of podcasting for the Arts Evening, something that they hope to continue next academic year. We bid farewell to two of our long-standing creative writers: Jemima Blench, famed for her compelling
fantasy tales and poignant poetry; and the ever-dedicated, multi-talented Joseph Attwood, who once surprised the group with a gothic note from beyond the grave, before reappearing safe and well the following week. Joseph will, of course, be best remembered for his hilarious superhero epic, The Adventures of the Quarter-Bird Man, a tale of a boy who is pecked by a radioactive bird and bestowed with superhuman powers, like the ability to fly (but only in a northerly direction!).
Leah Shaw and Emily Hawkins
Dance This has been an extremely exciting year for the dancers at Clifton College. Limitless, Clifton’s first ever cross-college dance showcase, was designed to celebrate the work created and performed by 60 students from Year 4 to 13. Alongside the students who opt to dance in their co-curricular time, GCSE and A Level students have used this platform as a mock assessment. Auditions for this event took place in January and the months leading up to the Easter break saw each student give up their evening time to rehearse. It was a great shame that the performance evening could not take place in the Summer Term but it no doubt would have been a spectacular evening of highenergy dance performances in a variety of styles.
The GCSE and A Level dance students completed a sitespecific trip where they performed in a non-traditional setting. This is an annual trip and this year it took place on the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The A Level dance students also took a trip to the Theatre Royal Bath to watch an impressive showcase by Rambert. Choreographies by Wayne McGregor, Marion Motion and Hofesh Shechter inspired the students to explore contemporary dance on a deeper level and they have begun to explore political and social issues through movement.
Lucy Fewkes
The Clifton Herald Equipped with a sceptre of diplomatic immunity, a tabard depicting a coat of arms, and a swift steed, it is the job of a herald to bring proclamations of peace and war over stormy seas to distant lands. All messengers look to the god Hermes for guidance, because he’s ripped and has the confidence to rock a pair of sandals with wings, even when he’s visiting the underworld. It’s a tough name to live up to, but we try our best. At the Clifton Herald, led by editors-in-chief Luca Newman and Joseph Attwood, we’re proud to be Hermes wannabes. Slightly out of shape, always late, and wearing Geox (the shoes that breathe), we aim to bring Clifton students the most entertaining and informative articles from in and around the school. Usually, our papers can be found on campus, but corona blew our ship slightly off course, so for now we’re based on our new website designed by recent recruit Maddy Attwood.
Luca Newman (NT)
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Quarantine Cuisine: Digital Dining for the Detained Undeterred by shortages of pasta, yeast and eggs in the real world, the pupils cooked up a storm in the virtual one to demonstrate their creativity against some tough odds in the Summer Term. Each week, the Year 13s have taken on a motley crew from other years in a challenge to devise, in a topical 19 minutes, the most delectable virtual meal, using five ingredients churned out by a random generator. Not only do they have to be imaginative and resourceful in their thinking, and tech savvy and arty in their
presentation, they have also had to contend with a weekly theme, including ‘starters’, a course, of course, set for the first week, and ‘War Time’, inspired by the VE Day anniversary. With the universe set against them in selecting such grocery baskets of deplorable combinations as ‘pork, sausages, sardines and prawns’, and ‘oats, kidney beans, coconut milk and (the seemingly ubiquitous) sardines’, they have been stretched as thinly as their imaginative oat-flour naan breads, but have devised some truly ingenious virtual dishes. The virus-inspired Surf and Turf smorgasbord, dazzlingly presented in the shape of a corona molecule, remains a season highlight. Ready Steady Look (how brilliant our student chefs are)!
Emily Hawkins
Geography Society
Film Society Film Society have enjoyed lively discussions, plentiful popcorn, a series of guest speakers and, of course, some fantastic films selected by students. The move to the online world in the Summer Term saw the society grow in numbers to the extent that a second society of Upper Sixth students was created. Film Society Take 2 was established by cinema enthusiasts Stepan Bogachev and Matthew Choy, whose passion and curiosity about cinema as an art form has been instrumental in the
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group’s success. Between them, the societies have pitched their alternative Oscars (films that should have won), discussed film criticism with critic and programmer Roberto Oggiano, celebrated Star Wars with Lucasfilm’s Ian Bucknole (see p.62) and listened to an inspiring talk on studying film at university by OC and Film Society founder, Harry Craton. The societies have also enjoyed and analysed a range of films by directors including Ali Abbasi, Guillermo del Toro, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson.
Charlotte Withey
This year saw us welcome Dr Tristram Irvine-Fynn, a glaciology professor from Aberystwyth University to Clifton College. Along with some mini globes and pens, he delivered a glacial 101 lecture that culminated with his research on microbes that live on the ice surface and how this impacts the entire glacial system. In addition to this talk, pupils are always encouraged to participate in the lecture programme run by the Bristol Geographical Society at the University of Bristol. We had six Lower Sixth pupils attend an evening boat trip around the floating harbour, hearing a series of talks on the redevelopment of the area, which leads into their Changing Spaces topic. These pupils then competed against other schools from Bristol in an evening decision-making exercise. The question posed was, ‘how is it
best to develop Temple Island?’, something that has taken the developers themselves 20 years to answer. The two teams had to create a poster of their design in a strict time limit and then deliver a presentation to three judges to justify their choice. Congratulations to Charlotte Hanson, Flora McHattie and Isabel Williams who placed third at this event. This year also saw a first for the Geography Department as we took 50 Sixth Form students to London for a ‘Geography in Action’ event. Leading professors delivered a series of 40-minute lectures on global superpowers, volcanic hazard risk and evidence for climate change in lake bed sediments. The day finished with a humorous slideshow of pictures from explorer Benedict Allen who kept us all amused with his tales of jungle tribe initiation and getting lost in the Arctic.
Sarah Rath
Model United Nations This year, the two MUN groups have excelled themselves in all the key elements of Model United Nations: researching and learning about difficult and important global topics; developing their empathetic skills by putting themselves in the shoes of different countries’ governments; and honing their public speaking skills in the heated debating rooms of various committees. While Kingswood’s Bath-based conference was not attended due to coronavirus concerns, Clifton’s team did participate in Bristol Grammar School’s one-day conference earlier in the year. Everyone pitched in and made their presence felt, both in the smaller specialist committees and in the huge main chamber debate, holding their own against schools from across the South West. We were very pleased by the Commendation awards given to Beth Ambler and Ula Filipowicz for their outstanding contributions.
MUN continued despite the global lockdown. Each week a dedicated band Zoomed together to research and debate the growing refugee crisis in the world, specifically focusing on the UN’s own four migrantbased concerns: Climate change and displacement Countering toxic narratives about refugees and migrants Supporting the economic inclusion of refugees Improving access to education for refugees We hope to enter a resolution which, if chosen from the many that will be submitted from across the world, would then be put in front of the real United Nations. This means we could potentially have a genuine impact on world affairs. New members are always welcome, with no previous experience necessary.
Iwan Thomas
“They developed their empathetic skills by putting themselves in the shoes of different countries’ governments.” The Cliftonian 2020 | 75
Philosophy and Law Society Although latterly curtailed by lockdown, the society in the first half of the academic year enjoyed a lively programme, including the annual Mock Trial trip to UWE - this year with a strong group of eight Year 11s working with Colston’s Girls’ School - as well as a wide range of presentations given at College: Beth Soloman and Maya Bullough provided insights on Hans Litten, the lawyer who led prosecutions against members of the SA, conducting a damning threehour cross-examination of Hitler; Chloe Choi led a session on ‘Law’s strangest cases’, uncovering principles of necessity as a defence in Re A, and when and when not contracts can be enforced; David Tapiero offered views on the legality and morality of inheritance tax; further sessions were held on the intriguing land law case Chhokar v Chhokar, and the controversial Samira Ahmed £700k BBC equal pay ruling decided in January 2020. The Crown Court visit has been postponed to the 2020/21 academic year. Thank you to all participants.
James Drinkwater
Student Librarians The student librarians have had another busy and successful year; the team grew in numbers and the Summer Term saw a seamless transition into the digital world during which time they undertook creative literary challenges and enjoyed a series of fascinating student-led talks on topics such as LGBTQ+ representation in fiction and the art of dubbing. As well as the students’ usual dedication to circulation desk duties and helping staff and students to find great books, they created beautiful displays, took over the library Instagram for a week, helped out at author events, and masterminded a really fun Fandom Day, which was 76 | Upper School 2020
dedicated to celebrating literary (and other) special interests. One of the pre-lockdown highlights was a wonderful talk on the rich history of the library by former Percival Librarian David Reed who worked at Clifton College from 1963-1983. We bid a fond farewell to our student librarian leavers, Noah Grellou, Kevin Pan and Dougie Woolfson and thank them for their hard work and dedication to the Percival Library over many years.
Leah Shaw
Clifton Natural History Society CNHS have had another great year of wildlife adventures! We have worked on making the pond and wildlife garden more bird-friendly by hanging up home-made suet cakes, and installing new bird feeders. We chose niger seeds to entice some of the smaller birds like goldfinches, and the sunflower hearts were enjoyed by all. On 4th February, we took part in the RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch, using binoculars and field guides to identify birds that visited the garden before heading to roost. We spotted three long-tailed tits, two great tits, a blue tit, two robins, two goldfinches and a wonderful flock of more than 20 siskins! The usual impressive congregations of herring gulls, black-headed gulls and pigeons were also observed sweeping over the Close. All records were submitted online to the RSPB and we hope to repeat the survey every year. Sadly, our planned birdwatching trip to Ham Wall had to be postponed due to bad weather, but we are hoping to be
able to visit sites like this in the future, as well as Slimbridge and Wild Place. We also enjoyed two excellent talks on bumblebees and Britain’s ancient forest at Bristol Zoo later during the Lent Term. The society then proceeded full steam ahead via Zoom in the Summer Term! Highlights of our early Monday morning meetings were looking at mystery natural objects under the microscope, a virtual nature walk, a live flower dissection and a minibeast hunt. The natural world can provide a source of inspiration, relaxation and enjoyment in challenging times, and we all loved getting together once a week to share our shared passion for wildlife.
Remy Poland
Masterchef The Masterchef competition for Year 9 was held online in the Summer Term. Each week, pupils were presented with a new challenge, which included ‘Taste of the Caribbean’, ‘Vegan Delights’, ‘Family Favourites’ and ‘The Best of British’. The standard was incredibly high and the finalists were Solly Scott and Niamh West. The final stage of the competition will be judged by a restaurant owner and the overall winner will be announced later in the year.
Sophie Cuesta
Science at Home This was a new activity for the Summer Term, aimed at getting pupils to experience some ‘hands-on’ science through simple experiments using common household ingredients. We have explored the properties of ‘non-Newtonian fluids’ by making slime from PVA glue,
baking powder and contact lens solution; and have learnt about surface tension and hydrophobic interactions when observing ‘milk fireworks’ when washing-up liquid is added to drops of food colouring in milk. Other popular activities included homemade pH indicators and baking soda volcanoes!
Remy Poland
Medicine Pippard Group Both Lower and Upper Sixth pupils interested in medicine as a vocational career have been able to extend their knowledge beyond the biology curriculum. They have been given opportunities to research disease and histological techniques, discuss various
medical procedures such as lumbar puncture and pleural tube drainage, explain the principles of physiological testing, learn about interesting parts of human anatomy and think about medical prescription issues. Pupils have also co-hosted remote sessions on Zoom to give them experience of delivering content to others online.
Malcolm Grohmann
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Charities 78 | Upper School 2020
sales at the College’s fantastic We Will Rock You musical! In the Lent Term, we changed our focus to ‘Help! Counselling’ and were delighted to host one of the charity’s trustees, Rachel Allen, in Chapel, to talk to us about their fantastic Bristol-based work with children. In addition, we fund-raised for the International Rescue Committee and, whilst we are still in the process of finalising our accounts, we expect to be in a position to donate around £500 to each of these two charities. Events held which contributed to these funds included an inter-House egg and spoon race, home clothes day, doughnuts and Easter chocolate sales and the hugely successful Love Day, where we celebrated our love and appreciation for special people in our lives by sending them a message and a small box of chocolates, delivered in person to over 200 people by the committee representatives.
At the time of writing, the Charities Committee has raised £10,898.33 over the course of the 2019/20 academic year, something that would have been impossible without your support thank you!
The Michaelmas Term was a busy one. In support of FoodCycle and The Railway Children, the committee held a movie night for Year 9 pupils, a Charity Awareness Day involving pop-up stalls around the College where committee representatives were on hand to explain where all donations would be going, a scavenger hunt with edible prizes, and a stall at the Prep School’s Christmas Fair! Together with donations from a home clothes day, we were able to donate £1,496.48 to each of these two charities, as well as an additional £100 to Show Racism the Red Card, an anti-racism education charity, and a £50 donation to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, raised through cookie
The Charities Committee launched itself into the Summer Term with an (almost) entirely new committee ready to tackle the challenges of fundraising in a virtual world. The group jumped straight into things by creating a Bonanza Week of inter-House events, all in aid of Tap Twinning and Cancer Research UK. After masses of planning, contacting charities, creating promotional materials, acquiring the Charity Cup and organising guest judges to oversee our multiple competitions, the week was ready to go! The committee ran six competitions and a House colours home clothes day, and received over 250 entries over the course of the week, all receiving points towards their House total.
Our photography competition had a ‘running water’ theme, and was guest judged by photographer Perran Tremewan. It received some beautiful entries but the runaway winner was Ali Marshall who submitted an awe-inspiring waterfall shot. The baking competition, judged by professional baker Mrs Dodd, was incredibly popular and bakes ranged from marvellous macarons to sensational sourdough! Congratulations to Haruhi Yasuda who won the top prize for her beautiful Matcha Tea Swiss roll. Further congratulations go to our joke contest winner, Katie Partridge, our talent contest winner, Ruby Mardall, our House running contest winners, Oakeley’s House and, finally, our triumphant trivia challenge winners, North Town. A huge congratulations to Oakeley’s House for storming into the lead with 257 points to take the overall House prize, receiving the Clifton College Charity Cup and a pizza evening for their House. At the time of writing, we have raised an incredible £2,818 for Tap Twinning, which will fund 93 taps crucial for hygiene purposes during these trying times, and £1,082 for Cancer Research UK. A huge thank you to those of you who supported these causes and thank you to the wonderfully generous benefactor who has pledged to match all of the donations to Tap Twinning up to a specified limit. The Clifton community has shown a real dedication to charitable causes this year thank you.
The Charities Committee
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Community
There have been some significant changes to the Clifton in the Community programme this year. Sixth Form pupils can now opt to volunteer in local placements on both a Monday and Thursday
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afternoon, thus casting the Clifton College net further into the local community. Pupils have shown impressive flexibility, initiative and care as they help to support nurseries, schools, charity shops, a lunch club for the elderly and the Bristol North West Food Bank. One of the highlights of the academic year was hosting another thoroughly successful Christmas party for older members of the Corner Club and Parkway Methodist Church
involved with activities such as reading, helping the children to play with Duplo, playing non-touch tag and passing a ball. There was also a sandpit where I helped them to build sandcastles. Every other week, the little children attended a yoga class and I occasionally took part as well. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to work with young children and it has been a welcome break from my challenging studies. I would recommend the opportunity to participate in the enrichment programme; it improved my skills in communication, teamwork and problem solving.
Max Janke (ST)
who were delighted to see the Pre-Prep Nativity performance in the Chapel and to be served tea and cakes by our Sixth Form volunteers. We welcomed back a trio of musicians who played beautifully to create a festive buzz. We have had some exceptionally positive feedback about our volunteers this year, and it is evident that they are making a real difference to the local community. Bee Leonard and Sofia Walker both received Head Master’s ties for their inspirational work running activities for 5-year-old pupils at Ashton Gate Primary School, and Margarita Moreva was also rewarded with a tie for her dedication in supporting music lessons in the Prep School. Many other pupils have been praised for their commitment and support over the past year, and a number of Sixth Form students are continuing to provide remote support for older people in the Clifton area by phoning them on a weekly basis. This year has also seen the introduction of the Sixth Form Enrichment Programme where pupils have been able to choose from a range of over 20 different
in-school activities designed to expand their learning beyond their curriculum choices, such as becoming the Charities or Environmental Action representative for their House, a Peer Supporter, or writing for the Clifton Herald. The Environmental Action Group has been particularly proactive and credit goes to Lottie Fallon and Julia Terry who have been direct in their approach to tackling environmental issues within the College, liaising directly with the Marketing Department in order to set up and promote a car-sharing scheme, for example. They aren’t afraid to take initiative and challenge the status quo in order to effect positive change, and are a real inspiration!
Lydia Hawkins and Jennifer Piddock
Pooh Corner Nursery At first, I was rather nervous at the prospect of working with small children. However, I need not have been concerned as it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. My role as a Play Assistant meant that I got
Mind Charity Shop I learnt immeasurable amounts about the inner workings of a high street shop, the work involved in daily tasks, and about mental health in general and how charities can provide crucial support. During my placement, I was able to learn about the store finances and about their monthly and quarterly regional meetings. In the shop itself, I assisted customers, hung up and managed inventory and finally did shelf rotations, including repackaging, and taking down and restocking the hangers and shelves. During my term-long placement, I learnt a multitude of valuable skills that will stay with me for life. I have developed a better sense of prioritising, management, and a better appreciation of good and ethical causes. I have also learned the value in time and that if you work passionately and vigorously for an hour and a half, you can achieve a lot more than you believe. For others who do this task, I would recommend to stick at it, as you are likely to develop a connection with the people who work there, the regular customers and, most importantly, with the cause. Throughout my placement,
my biggest takeaway actually just reinforced one of my core principles: TTP- talk to people, and if that doesn’t work, TTMPtalk to MORE people, because you never know what you are going to learn from someone you would never normally meet, making life and the experience informative, enjoyable and eyeopening!
Mitsuki Faustino (ET)
Peer Support Being part of Peer Support has completely opened my eyes to mental health issues surrounding everyday life in the school. Working with the school counsellor was extremely helpful in developing my knowledge about helping students in my House with their issues. As a Peer Supporter, our role is to represent our House and focus on the mental wellbeing of the students within. This role therefore holds a lot of responsibility, and much of the work involved independent research and time to help people outside of the Monday enrichment slot. Moreover, the weekly check-ins with the Peer Support group helped me to improve my own mental wellbeing, as it allowed me to open up and share my feelings every week to a supportive group of pupils who quickly became my friends. Peer Support has pushed me to further strive to pursue a future in psychology, and has helped me develop my skills linked to empathy and compassion. I would highly recommend this to everyone, as it is a key skill to be able to understand and support the people around you.
Isis Savage (HH)
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Sport 82 | Upper School 2020
Boys’ Rugby 1st XV Upbeat and in good shape from touring Chile and Argentina during summer 2019, there was a mood of excitement and anticipation as we began the pre-season with a friendly match against Coleg y Cymoedd. The first big block fixture began with Monmouth School at home. The game started with Clifton playing up the slope and using direct carries through their forwards. Monmouth resisted for the first quarter but the intensity from Clifton began to tell. The final quarter of the first half led to three quick Clifton tries through Morgan Strinati, Lewys Williams and Freddie Wooler, leaving the half-time score at 20-3. Monmouth showed great character and resistance in the second half, forcing Clifton onto the back foot and stemming the flow of tries. Clifton did finally chip in with two more to leave the score at 33-3. A good start to the season, but we all agreed that there was much to work on. Our second official league fixture was against Sir Thomas Rich’s School. The offensive effort was led by Jac Lloyd and Harry Ascherl who, with the support of Freddie Wooler, Benjy Joseland and Archie Grayson, mercilessly overwhelmed any resistance presented by the defence. With dynamic moves and a glint of magic, several tries were scored. Any threats posed by the opposing forwards were quickly negated, providing the backs the foundation on which they were able to attack. The single
try and penalty kick conceded by Clifton during the game was a testament to the boys’ ability and discipline as defenders. At the final whistle, the boys were elated to have tasted yet another win. Every rugby season, the whole of the school eagerly awaits the Ryan Bresnahan Memorial Match, which this year was against Millfield. There was huge anticipation as the 1st XV prepared to try to avenge the outcome of the same fixture last year, which was lost 12-15. It was always going to be a tough match as Millfield were fielding a strong side. The boys came out fired up; an early strike from a set play move saw Archie Grayson fly through a gap and throw an extraordinary pass to Adam Koblic who scored in the corner. Clifton knew Millfield would fight back, but through 1 to 15, they managed to withstand the forwards’ barrage on this wet and windy evening. Defensively, Clifton soaked up much of the attacking pressure that Millfield exerted. However, when the ball came to Clifton, their attack pounced; two more first-half tries from Jac Lloyd and Freddie Wooler left the half-time score at 19-0. As the rain poured in the second half, the Clifton forwards managed to keep the ball in tight and score two tries through Lewys Williams and JJ Hughes. The mistakes from both teams increased due to the conditions, leading to a lowscoring last quarter, with the final score 29-0 to a very happy Clifton.
“Clifton’s performance at the Governor’s Cup was one of the best seen on the Close for many years.”
As exeat approached, the lads took some respite from traditional block fixtures and began the second round of the Champions Trophy. Following the first round defeat of Monmouth, the boys were drawn away at Oakham. Errors cost the team a couple of successive tries, which created considerable pressure, but our forwards began to retain the ball and gain some physical dominance over Oakham. Tries came after huge sustained pressure and the scoreboard started to tick over as we got closer to their try line. Unfortunately, we were unable to chase down their lead and it seemed that we were going to be made to rue that first-half performance. A try for Clifton in the last play of the game was not enough and, after a sparkling secondhalf performance, Clifton were not able to progress through, but it was a fantastic effort from the boys. Clifton’s performance at the Governor’s Cup was one of the best seen on the Close for many years. The tries flowed from the beginning, with Immanuel Feyi-Waboso picking up two in the first half, one of which went the length of the field straight from the kick off. Harry Taylor made the initial line break and offloaded to Wooler who turned on the gas. He was eventually pulled down on the Marlborough 22-metre line. The ball was then moved crisply to the far wing where Immanuel glided over to finish an 80-metre try. Clifton, to their credit, kept playing wide and expansive rugby and did not let their standards drop. Marlborough never gave up, but on the day, Clifton had too much to give and secured an impressive win.
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Boys’ Rugby
With the Governor’s Cup back safely in the Head Master’s study, attention turned to the local derby against Bristol Grammar School. Both teams had enjoyed a successful start to the season and it was hoped that this would make for a standout game. A clear day allowed Clifton to play an expansive brand of rugby, playing with width and finesse, stretching the BGS defence to breaking point within the opening quarter. The BGS forwards had much to offer and brought physicality through tight carries and quick rucks. They eventually equalised before half-time. Almost the entire second half went without a score. Both defences were tested, but managed to endure. In the final quarter, BGS took a long kick at goal, but came short. This allowed Clifton to launch a counter-attack, and mount pressure on the BGS line. They remained strong, but eventually the expansive rugby played by Clifton earned a penalty near the touch-line. Up stepped Jac Lloyd, and, as the Close fell silent, he slotted the kick from 50 metres out.
An immense cheer from the supporters erupted, and the boys celebrated what was a brilliant example of resilience and determination to fight for the win. With no block fixture on the final Saturday before half term, it gave a great opportunity for the senior squad to play Truro College, an opposition team we do not normally encounter. After five successful games to start the season, this match allowed the wider squad and some of the under-16s to gain 1st XV experience. The starting 15 delivered a strong opening and displayed a high level of pace and skill that took the Truro team by surprise. The powerful start helped us take an early lead with excellent tries from Adam Koblic (2), and Thomas de la Lynde showing fantastic support to finish the well worked tries. Jac Lloyd set the standard with an amazing offload to Aidan McGee for his try, with the ever-competitive Harry Taylor refusing to be outdone with an equally creative ball out of the back of his hand
to create another try-scoring opportunity. The second half saw an invigorated Truro team pick up their physicality and start some direct play with their number 8 making holes in the defence, even causing Harry Ascherl to take a seat during one of his storming runs. Thankfully, with the resolve of the team and influential senior players, we held onto the lead with some impressive tries in the final minutes to finish an exciting match 43-36. The early scores and expansive play enabled the team to provide experience to several of the promising U16 team, with Shay Sainsbury, George Davey and Will Maloney all making their 1st XV debuts on the Close. The boys came back from the half-term break refreshed and ready for what was arguably the toughest set of fixtures for a decade. Travelling away to Sherborne is never an easy game and after a poor warm-up, we started badly and conceded first. We began to build phases and managed to gain some territory, leading to a moment
“Up stepped Jac Lloyd, and, as the Close fell silent, he slotted the kick from 50 metres out.” 84 | Upper School 2020
of brilliance from Immanuel Feyi-Waboso. Jac Lloyd cleared the ball long and, with the kick seemingly going into touch, their fullback tried to shepherd the ball over the touchline. Immanuel seized his chance and kicked the through ball and won the chase to the line. It was just the break that Clifton needed. Jac Lloyd converted the try and we were back in the game. In the second half, Clifton did not have much possession or territory but we managed to capitalise on the limited possession with a second try from Jac Lloyd after he pounced on a Sherborne mistake from an intercept after a quick lineout. The rest of the match was made up of some outstanding defensive efforts, especially on our own line when down to 14 men. A notable mention must go to captain Harry Taylor who showed great leadership, stepping up to play in the front row and doing a fantastic job. Clifton managed to dig out an ugly win away at Sherborne, which is never easy. In the end, the victory was well deserved as all the boys showed great character. Next came Wellington, our biggest game of the season. It was, for some, the last home game on the Close, with two unbeaten sides looking to win the Daily Mail Cup. We started well, Benjy Joseland flying over from a play out the back, running half the pitch. Wellington’s points came through field position sometimes gifted by Clifton through ill discipline. When Wellington gained field position, they kept it tight in the forwards and forced a penalty, giving them a five-metre lineout. This drive resulted in them rumbling over to score. However, Clifton were not disheartened and replied straight from the kick off, again through Benjy in a very similar manner. This left the score at 14-5 before Wellington scored another try from close range, and then again rolled over off a driving lineout. They had control up front and the relentless pick and go game plan took its toll, and Wellington went up 19-14 at half-time. Unfortunately for
“The players were keen to finish the last two games strongly.” us, no one scored in the second half, despite the fact that we had enormous amounts of pressure and territory in the Wellington 22. Wellington defended well and scored a well-earned victory. It was disappointing to lose our last home game, but the effort from the lads was unquestionable.
points, 9-8 with three minutes to play. Clifton held their nerve with slow attacking play to finally get into Bromsgrove territory. With both teams giving their all, Clifton were awarded a penalty. It was the final play of the game. Harry Ascherl, with ice in his veins, slotted the kick to win the game 11-9.
years of emotion and hard work came into play. The game ended in a Clifton victory, a fitting way to finish off a record-breaking season and, with that, the Clifton College 2019 side became the most successful rugby side in the school’s history and recorded a fourth place finish in the Daily Mail Cup.
The players were keen to finish the last two games strongly. It was a cold afternoon up at Bromsgrove but the boys weren’t slow to start, shown by a strong defensive effort in the first quarter of the game. Clifton did well to hold Bromsgrove to only three points. The remainder of the half went Clifton’s way, with a penalty to make it 3-3, but Clifton weren’t done yet. Relentless attack with lots of metres made in the wide channels and strong forward play meant that Clifton eventually got over the line in the final play of the half with a brilliant solo finish by flanker, Morgan Jones (3-8). With the second half underway, Bromsgrove struck back with a penalty to make it 6-8. As the game came to an end, Clifton received a yellow card, of which Bromsgrove took advantage with relentless attack, but Clifton held on with a strong defence display. As we entered the last five minutes, Clifton failed to find touch from an exit off the back of a scrum, resulting in an unforced error and a penalty to Bromsgrove, who capitalised with another three
With many battered and tired bodies, the final game of the season, and our last ever wearing the infamous blue and white stripes, was an emotional day for the boys; a strong Cheltenham side, who were unbeaten at home, stood in the way of a record-breaking season. The first 10 minutes were intense, with Clifton and Cheltenham both giving it 100%, but defence was strong from both sides. Finally, Clifton made a breakthrough with some continuity in attack and Harry Ascherl pulling the strings. Just before half-time, a piece of individual brilliance from Adam Koblic led to a 50-metre intercept, which gave Clifton a second score at the break. The second half brought much of the same. As the game neared its conclusion, the intensity went through the roof: big tackles came in courtesy of JJ Hughes and others; Benjy looked a threat in attack; and Clifton came close on multiple scoring opportunities. The game remained close with Cheltenham having their fair share of possession but the defence held strong and five
The team performed with great credit to the school and to each other. No one player ever gave less than their all and wore the jersey with pride and passion. A notable mention must go to captain Harry Taylor who gave his all for the team straight off the back of representing England U18s in South Africa in the summer. Harry Ascherl was an amazing support to Taylor and combined playing for the Bristol Bears and school very well. His performance led to a four-year professional contract with the Bears, for which we all wish him the best of luck. Lewys Williams was the player of the season and was relentless and tenacious in every physical area of the match. The remaining leavers: Koblic, Strinati, McGee, Dawkins, Thompson, Cole, King, de la Lynde, Joseland, Wooler, Yates and Hughes all deserve a special mention for all they have done for Clifton College rugby; they can be safe in the knowledge that they have left the shirt in a better place.
Matt Salter
Director of Rugby
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Boys’ Rugby 86 | Upper School 2020
2nd XV Having returned from a successful tour of Chile and Argentina, there was a great sense of optimism as the team went into the early fixtures. Many of the players had been part of the unbeaten side in 2018 and a number came through from a talented Colt side. The first run-out for the term, against Monmouth, highlighted the attacking potential that this 2nd XV would have. Within the attacking third of the field, the side executed well and tries came from both forwards and backs, showing how well the two would link together. The second game of the term, played on an extraordinarily hot September afternoon, was against the Grange School from Santiago, a school that had hosted Clifton as part of the summer rugby tour. Having been down 0-17 at halftime, the spirit of the Clifton side was certainly tested. A fantastic performance in the second half saw Clifton running in four tries
and turning over the half-time deficit, eventually winning the game 27-17. The next two performances really highlighted how strong this side would be: a convincing win against Sir Thomas Rich’s School; and a comfortable win after a clinical display against Marlborough. The BGS game looked, on paper, to be the toughest test for a season and a half. This was undoubtedly the performance of the season, with Clifton scoring four tries and, most importantly, not allowing BGS to cross the line. A resulting 26-0 win was thoroughly deserved. The fixture card looked tough in the second half of the term. At this point, the extensive injury list started to have an effect on the strength of the 2nd XV. Arguably, the best five minutes of the season came in the last five minutes at Sherborne. Having played poorly for the majority of the game, and facing their first defeat for some time, the game looked to be over at 3-13. What happened in the
closing minutes showed the character of the Clifton side, who scored two converted tries to win with the last play of the game (17-13). The toughest test of the term, against Wellington College, came at a time when the side was beset by injury; the boys battled hard but lost by a score. The closing games of the season were disappointing in terms of the results but the side continued to strive to achieve their best. With resources so depleted, however, defeats to Bromsgrove and Cheltenham were bitter pills to swallow. Like in 2018, the side were a great credit to Clifton rugby. Their work ethic in training and the spirit in which they played were exceptional and those who play for the side again next year will be desperate to erase the three defeats suffered. It was a great pleasure to be involved with coaching the 2nd XV and I look forward to the continued rugby success in the future.
John Bobby
3rd XV In terms of results achieved, 2019 wasn’t a stellar year for the 3rd XV, who finished with the playing record: played 9, won 2, drew 1 and lost 6. The main mitigating factor was perhaps the fact that we were hamstrung by injuries, principally in the higher tiers, which meant that we were often missing at least a third of the team, often our top players. Also problematic was the imbalance of players in terms of positions within the 3rds/4ths squads, with us being particularly forwardheavy, something that is not commonly a Clifton problem at this level! However, there were some particularly pleasing performances throughout the season and some excellent matches. There was a win and a loss in the two matches played against Clifton High School’s Senior XV, and the first of these fixtures at the start of term allowed the coaches to give valuable game time to over 25 pupils early in the season. Other matches of note were a thrilling victory on the Close against BGS via a late score, an agonising one-point defeat to Millfield in a game that amassed nearly 60 points, and a not quite so free-flowing 5-5 draw at Cheltenham to end the term. The team was well led by Sam Higham from scrum-half and he received excellent support from the forwards in particular. With a few more natural back players in the squad, the outcome of some of the matches may well have been different, but to their great credit, the boys remained spirited and resilient throughout a long and very wet term and were in fine fettle for the end of season Bigside 2 evening!
Jim Williams
4th XV As has been the case for the last couple of seasons, the 4th XV, sent out only against our strongest rivals with the deepest playing pools, comprised a hard core of regular BS2 trainers and an assortment of footballers and other volunteers on a ‘need to play’ basis! This year all the forwards could, and did, slot in regularly for the 3rds so the team was always likely to be competitive up front. Behind the scrum it was a different matter and our resources became, at times, rather stretched. The best game of the season was undoubtedly away at Sherborne where we actually had the edge in the forward exchanges and won plenty of ball, relentless pressure leading eventually to Matthew Cook’s try after a fine team effort. Unfortunately, with Sherborne seeming to score at
will every time they passed the ball along their line, the final score was a bit lopsided and did not really reflect the competitive nature of the game. The final match against Wellington saw our resources at full stretch, most noticeable for the manof-the-match contribution of ‘Jasper’, one of Wellington’s finest, who, having changed sides as we ran out of players, stiffened sinews considerably after half-time! Mentions in dispatches for Conor McMahon, Luke Wilkinson, Victor Dudley and the 6ft 7in Teutonic lighthouse, Cornelius Spiering (he had never played rugby before arriving in England in September!) who trained ferociously all term and ended up playing with distinction for the 3rds.
“There were some particularly pleasing performances throughout the season and some excellent matches.”
Adam Sibley
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Boys’ Rugby
U16A The season began with a big win against a Monmouth side who went on to win nearly all their games. It was obvious from this win and the next match against Sir Thomas Rich’s that we had a side who were determined to learn, improve and come together as a team. This attitude was further highlighted in a big win on a hot Thursday afternoon against Sherborne. The first big challenge brought with it not only some outstanding tries, but also our best performance of the season. For over a year, Millfield were spoken about as one of the best teams in the country and their subsequent defeat of Wellington supports this reputation. On the night, we could not have played better and to win by over 20 points was extremely positive going forward. Injury to one of our brilliant back row players was the only downside of a superb all-round performance. Marlborough away is never easy and the first 20 minutes were tough, but we played some great running rugby to rack up 50 unanswered points. Two further wins followed in matches against Ysgol Cwm Brombil and in the derby against BGS; these games were won comfortably but we never hit the heights of our earlier performances and, sadly, this was the last we were to see of one of our best players who missed the entire second half of the season due to injury. At half term, we had played seven and won seven, with some big challenges ahead. The team had really come together and
learned that you can achieve great things if you apply skill, determination and take pleasure in everyone’s success. We played Sherborne on the Close in the return fixture. Though we slowed a little in the second half, I felt we were back to something like our best, especially in the forwards. Our next match against the national champions Wellington was always going to be tough, but I thought we would push them all the way. We had chances early on and should have taken the lead, but for much of the match we were battered in the forwards against a smaller yet extremely dynamic group who regarded us as a real threat. We tried hard and never gave up but we were not ourselves and that is the most disappointing thing. For the first time since October 2017, SCA lost a match. We returned to the Close for the Bromsgrove match and won it with a bit to spare against a tough side who made life hard for us. The last match against Cheltenham was a real occasion as they had beaten us twice before in close matches. The match was the most exciting I have seen in my time at Clifton, the lead changing hands seven times in the second half, with two strong, determined sides giving their all. We got lucky last year at Cheltenham and at Bromsgrove and won games we might have lost, so the sporting gods decided to repay us this year; we led by four points going into the last couple of minutes before a decision went against us and we ended up conceding a try to lose with almost the
last play. The opposition were good and got some luck at the end but, more importantly, we played really well on the day and took the defeat with class. All that remains is to thank the boys who were fun to be around and who really bought into all that we taught them. Thanks also to the staff who refereed us, such as Mr Simmons, and to Mr Barnes who, as ever, provided excellent technical support as well being totally integrated within our group. Mr Harris was endlessly supportive of the boys, reliable, selfless and so much fun to be around. I feel so lucky to have such good people around me.
Alan O’Sullivan
“The match was the most exciting I have seen in my time at Clifton, the lead changing hands seven times in the second half.”
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U16B The U16 squad enjoyed a hugely successful season and I would like to start by saying what a pleasure it was to coach such a hard-working, selfless and talented bunch. In many years, quite a few of this squad would have played A team rugby and fitted in admirably. Initially, the season was frustrated by the fact that two of our first three opponents cancelled on us but some extended squad matches and game play against the U15As allowed the team to forge important partnerships. The fixture list was not for the faint-hearted, with some big games such as those against Marlborough, Sherborne, Bromsgrove and Wellington College. The fact that they only lost one of these matches is a massive credit to the team and even in this game they came back to draw the second half with Wellington in a gutsy performance. Another pleasing aspect was squad togetherness; early on, a decision was made to play all subs for half matches and the players bought into this and it allowed the squad to grow stronger as fringe players got real experience and they invariably raised their game.
A massive thank you goes to all the parents who gave unwavering support and, of course, to Mr Janke and all the C team who pushed for places. There is some real talent in the Fifth Form and I hope that many of the players continue to play in the Sixth Form and enjoy their Saturday afternoons with their mates as they did this season!
Jonathan Hughes
U16C Arguably the most competitive U16C squad in a generation, the boys played with great passion and determination over the course of the season and were only defeated by a well-drilled and physically dominant Wellington side towards the end of the term. Despite this minor setback, the boys quickly rallied and secured the season’s best performance against a good Bromsgrove side at home on the Close with a 40-19 rout. Overall, the boys should take a great deal of encouragement from their achievements this season with impressive wins against Clifton High and Bromsgrove and closely-fought draws against Marlborough (17-17) and Sherborne (12-12).
The team was ably led in the first half of the season by Tom Guy and later by Seb Haddon and Hugo Warfield, while Luke Taylor assumed the role of vice-captain. Adam El Kilany remained a persistent thorn in the opposition’s side with his elusive running and quick footwork, while the formidable presence of George Smith, Basile Valentin, Hector Wright and Tom Copeland ensured quick ball at the breakdown. The squad also included a number of rookies - Ben Goodarzi, Javier Heras, Paul Faust Torres - who quickly adapted to the game and delivered some notable performances; the season’s most improved player was Sami Ehrlich who, until joining Clifton at the start of the year, had never seen a rugby ball in his life! Senior rugby continues to flourish at Clifton and the fact that a number of this year’s U16C squad may well push for inclusion in the 2nd XV squad next year is a fitting testament to the great depth of talent and ability at this level.
Dan Janke
U15A I was looking forward to having the opportunity to continue coaching this team for another term. They are a delightful group of players to coach, improving as individuals and learning the game as a team. The main challenge was to turn around the close defeats from 2018 and to have a winning season! The squad was boosted with two new pupils, Isaac Campbell-Wu and Rohan Howard-Robinson, both of whom added great value. The term started on a high with good performances and wins against Monmouth and Sir Thomas Rich’s, with a reverse in the score of a match against the latter from last year. It was clear from this point that the team had more confidence, had learnt some lessons and were prepared to work harder for each other. The next three matches were new fixtures and, therefore, the team faced new challenges. Radley away (unbeaten in 2018) was a highlight of the term and a team performance which set the standard for games to come.
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Boys’ Rugby
The boys earned a 24-17 victory and then went on to beat a Cardiff Schools XV and Wellsway convincingly in the Cup. After half term, we faced Marlborough away, a game to forget for several reasons, but there was a strong performance for 45 minutes from an injury-hit team, which was a positive to take away. The last four matches of the term were testing to say the least but they were all home matches against Sherborne, Wellington, Bromsgrove and finally Cheltenham. The squad stepped up to the challenge and secured fantastic victories against them all to finish the season with 10 wins out of 11 and to be one of the most successful teams in the school; the only team to beat Wellington College was a huge scalp! The team was captained by Josh Schrijver and then Christian Jennett-Butcher and they were both excellent leaders on and off the pitch. Influential players included Dylan Haddon for his hard hits and jackling skills, Sam Russ for his power in the tackle, Josh Schrijver for his hard yards, Christian Jennet-Butcher for his line breaks and defence, and Isaac Campbell-Wu for matchwinning performances. I could go on to name the whole squad as they have all been integral to the success of the team, especially players like Henry Davis and Jonty Morgan who were versatile in the positions they played.
Andrew Wagstaff
U15B From the first game, the boys demonstrated great potential within their ranks. Dominant displays against Monmouth and Sir Thomas Rich’s not only showed they could score tries freely, playing expansive and opportunistic rugby, but also that they could still develop their defensive game. In what was the most competitive fixture list for some time, they narrowly lost the next three
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games against some of the country’s strongest schools in Marlborough, Sherborne and Wellington, all ending within a single score. The boys were able to learn some invaluable lessons about discipline and perseverance, which meant that the last two games of their season were their strongest, with convincing wins over two very good schools in Bromsgrove and Cheltenham. The forwards have been led strongly by Jake Noble, an everpresent force in the front row. Wilf Murphy developed well to become one of our strongest ball carriers and Jamie Lenthall has led the back row from the front with some huge tackles. A special mention also goes to Chipo Feruka and Theo Claessen who represented the A team on numerous occasions. The maturity they brought back with them was the biggest turning point in our season and they should ensure they stay calm under pressure and be the role models the squad needs when fixtures become a little more edgy. The back line was led by half-backs Ollie Rayner and Charlie Davies, who both became more vocal as the season progressed, an attribute vital to the squad’s success. In the centres, both Charles Rendle and Ethan Moss were constant threats in attack and contributed the most tries throughout the season, and Charlie Allan put in regular topclass all-round performances in attack and defence.
While I cannot mention every player individually, I would like to thank every member of the squad for their commitment to both fixtures and training. The progress they have made as individuals in attitude has been the key achievement this season and I hope they take these positive lessons with them for their future.
Nick Luker
U15C The boys have enjoyed a good season despite the results suggesting otherwise. Speaking for the coaching group and those who have watched them play, they have shown a terrific attitude and have improved over the term. At times, against A/B sides, we have been overpowered, and against good C sides we have come a close second. However, this should not disguise the fact that the boys have grown in skill and ability over the term. In the forwards, the front row of Thomas Dyer, Steven Sha and Justin Zhou have been formidable at times in scrums, carrying and rucks. In the engine room, Jonathan Ambler, Harry Huby and Louis Newman, amongst others, have been hardworking. The back row of Max Hanson, Jamie Dodson, Fraser Davis and Terry Song have been tireless in their positive attitude against sometimes bigger sides. In the half-backs, Joseph Davies, Finn Nunes, Sonny Walton and Rufus
Read have all enjoyed good games. The centres, Ahmed Syed, Jack Bayliss, Ned McKinlay and Ayomide Ogunbajo have been positive and energetic. Pace from Aaron Davies, Gabriel Cambour, Ollie Hunter and others out wide has been pleasing. It is clear that this is quite a talented group of players. Sadly, this year we have tended to enjoy spells in games rather than sustained periods of possession. We have also fallen off too many tackles on occasions in games against larger opponents. It was pleasing to enjoy the final game of the season against Cheltenham where all the training ideas of the term were put into practice. The 46-7 win was a fine way to end the term. If consistency in their game is achieved next year and they play as a team, their results could be turned round into a very successful season.
Jay Gardner
U14A It was a memorable season for the JCAs as the new arrivals to the school soon gelled and developed into a team that displayed considerable depth and flair. Whilst the team finished the season with five wins and seven losses, the final points difference was 286 for and 288 against, highlighting the competitive nature of the 12 fixtures. With the majority of the matches played away, the group
soon learned the importance of individual preparation and the necessity of being in the right mindset before the kickoff. It was often in the second half that the team stepped up a gear and were able to change the momentum of the game. This was certainly the case against Sir Thomas Rich’s and Sherborne, where the group showed grit and resolve, managing to secure two impressive wins. During the first exeat break, the squad travelled south to play against Topsham and Kingsbridge RFC in what turned out to be two very competitive matches, losing 27-31 and winning 33-26 respectively. The highlight of the trip, however, was the surfing lesson at a windswept Bantham Beach. Morgan Barnes and Felix Willis established themselves as the team’s most skilled grommets, whilst Mr Salter struggled to get to his feet. The weekend was a great opportunity for the boys to bond as a group and it certainly influenced their on-field camaraderie. This year’s JCA squad displayed resilience and determination to finish the season with admirable success. Despite a number of ongoing injuries and a constantly changing starting XV, the boys developed into a close-knit group, playing an impressive brand of rugby that is testament to their hard work and eagerness to learn.
U14B/C This was a challenging season for both the B and C teams. A combination of a more difficult fixture list and a smaller number of boys in the year group meant that the focus would need to be on performance and the improvement of core skills. Pleasingly, the attitude of the boys in this regard was good and they developed in terms of confidence and rugby awareness. The last match of the season against Cheltenham highlighted this progress.
In two exciting matches, the boys showed great determination, commitment and enjoyment. Whilst both teams lost narrowly, the mood was high and the sense of achievement was obvious to see.
Simon Tait
Charlie Callander and Clive Jones
“I would like to thank every member of the squad for their commitment to both fixtures and training.”
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Boys’ Rugby U16 Boys’ Rugby Sevens Despite a few injuries to some front-line players before a ball was passed or kicked, there was huge optimism and excitement in the build up to Rosslyn Park. However, the weather was not kind in the first half of term and tournaments were cancelled so our first run-out was at Canford on 8th March. A mixed squad of Year 10 and 11 set off early for a 10 a.m. kick off. Easy wins against the hosts and Llandaff Cathedral School set the boys up with a pool decider against Beechen Cliff. Their power and direct running proved too strong, but as runners-up, we were through to the Cup semi-finals. Sherborne were the opponents but we were down to just eight fit players and exhaustion played a part in a narrow 12-19 loss. There was a third/fourth place play-off game, which surprisingly pitched us against Beechen Cliff again. The boys had learnt much from the first encounter but with just 92 | Upper School 2020
seven of the original 12 now fit to play, fatigue played its part and we lost four tries to two. However, some player gems had been uncovered and, as preparation for Rosslyn, this was a perfect hit out with an inexperienced squad. The next test was just four days later at Bristol Grammar School for the U16 Gloucs Schools 7s competition. The squad came second to BGS in the group stage after losing to the hosts by three tries to one, but comfortably beating Marling and St Bede’s. The team had gained valuable experience and all had played at least a half game in the three pool matches. This meant we had achieved our squad goals of giving everyone equal opportunity, game time and also qualifying for the knockout phase just as we had done at Canford. The semi-final pitched us against Dean Close, the winners of the other pool. Cliton were 28-0 up at half-time against a very strong wind and this was an awesome performance; the game finished 35-10. This
meant a rematch with BGS in the final. This time, with a stronger starting line-up, we raced ahead by three tries although to BGS’s credit, they pulled back a couple either side of half-time. Clifton ended powerfully and another try sealed the win. The trophy has gone missing but captain Sam Worsley did receive a Dr Greene elbow bump in assembly that was definitely a just and worthy reward! With injuries clearing up, and nearly 20 boys having played sevens, the on-paper Rosslyn squad looked electric. However, as we all know, Covid-19 meant that the season and school ended abruptly and the London adventure never took place. What might have been? I would like to thank all the boys for their effort, commitment and good humour. My thanks also go to the Clifton coaches and Brad Barnes for working their magic on all things rugby and, finally, thank you to all the Clifton parents who travelled and supported the team.
Jonathan Hughes
Girls’ Rugby
Girls’ Rugby Sevens The girls’ rugby team has taken off massively this year. We started training in September 2019, all in preparation for Rosslyn Park 2020. Having played for the girls for three seasons now, I was incredibly impressed by the players’ commitment and enthusiasm for the sport, despite it being the first time most of the girls had played the game. With the likes of Alice Sharpe-Neal in particular, we never had a dull training session and the atmosphere was fun and enjoyable. I feel privileged that Clifton was able to provide us with the opportunity to play this fantastic sport. Despite Rosslyn Park sadly being cancelled, we managed to play in a few fixtures. We were able to play at the Ryan
Bresnahan Memorial Match, which was a real honour for the girls. We won both games, beating Millfield and SGS Filton. Tanisha Johnson’s hits in these games highlighted the massive strength in our side, alongside some well executed set plays, which the girls had worked hard on in training. In the final weeks leading up to Rosslyn Park, we were able to have training matches against Blundell’s, which provided the team with the added responsibility of making decisions under pressure and encouraged more competitive play. The girls’ team morale remained strong throughout the season and the culture we have built up around girls’ rugby this year meant that playing with these girls and coaching them alongside Danny Grewcock and Sam Caven was an absolute pleasure. I hope that this sport will continue to thrive next year and for years to come.
“Tanisha Johnson’s hits in these games highlighted the massive strength in our side, alongside some well executed set plays.”
Beth Eke (OH)
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Girls’ Hockey Do you know what my favourite part of the game is? The opportunity to play. I took over girls’ sport from Sue Kerr in 2003. She was a hard act to follow and I learnt a huge amount from Sue, for which I will always be very grateful. I have coached and directed hockey in the Upper School for the last 16 years and now move to our Prep School to start as Head of Girls’ Sport. I have been coaching in the Pre-Prep and Prep School over the last 10 years and have been lucky enough to see many of the girls’ journeys from Year 3 to Year 13. Girls’ hockey has been hugely successful and has seen Clifton College at the National Finals for the last 15 years, finishing in the top three on many occasions. Watching Lily Owsley win an Olympic hockey gold medal was a special moment; she has made everyone around her exceptionally proud. I have received hundreds of emails from happy students who are making an impact at university and in club hockey. I have always firmly believed that the opportunity to play is one of the most important aspects of sport, whatever the ability level. Taking part in school sport is a defining memory for us all; I will continue to encourage students to participate in school sports as much as possible. You can play
club sports for the rest of your life, but you cannot get back your school playing days. Stuart Loughrey often tells students that with all his recent European and World Cup experiences and successes with Ireland, his fondest memories will always be playing with his friends in school tournaments. I have had the opportunity to work with some exceptionally motivated and dedicated staff during my 16 years, too many to mention individually. Every week and every term, we have 15 teams playing against other schools, and this simply is not possible without the dedication of the staff. Girls’ sport started with Sue Kerr and I am very proud of the part I played in continuing her amazing work. I know it will continue to thrive. The hockey results for 2019/20 are as exciting as ever, with our A teams in the Tier 1 National Schools’ Finals and our B team and 2nd teams finishing in respectable positions in their Tier 2 competitions against other A teams. The U16 reached the last rounds of the National Finals. Girls’ hockey is looking very positive for the future and I am sure it will continue to grow in strength and character. Finally, I want to say thank you to all teaching staff, support staff, CCSL staff, pupils and parents for their support over the years.
Louise Catchpole Director of Hockey
“The Upper Sixth hockey players have given heart and soul to the school.”
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1st Squad The U18 squad showed much promise this season as they were accepted into England National Schools Tier 1, a tough competition. They had some excellent performances against King’s Taunton and Millfield, finishing in the middle of the group. We certainly had a tough time at Canford, playing two and a half hours away from home, with injury and illness hampering what was already going to be a difficult match. The team was co-captained by Corabella Hill and Beth Eke and, with a very tough summer fitness regime, selection was difficult. The weekly matches against other top schools in the area were a mix, due to club hockey and other circumstances, but when the group played together as a whole, they performed very well. The Saturday match
squad always performed with dedication, and Mrs Jeffery and I could not fault their attitude. I was particularly impressed by some of their performances, even though the result did not always go our way. We were dogged by injuries in the first half of term, which certainly had an effect on our early league results. I would like to thank all the Upper Sixth hockey players who have given heart and soul to the school. I know they will leave Clifton with fond memories of training and match play. At the end of season dinner, player of the season was awarded to Corabella Hill and Marcella Holt. We also introduced the ‘Catchpole Cup’ for dedication to hockey, which was shared between Beth Eke and Philippa Milne. I would also like to thank Mrs Katherine Jeffery who managed the team impeccably; I will miss her terribly next year.
Louise Catchpole
2nd Squad It was a frustrating term for the 2nd team, full of nerve-racking matches and close losses which could have gone either way. To start the term, Blundell’s came back fighting from their 6-0 loss to us last season. It was an excellent game of hockey that showed the potential that the 2nd team had after just one training session. They were extremely unlucky to lose 3-2, with a last-minute goal from Blundell’s. The next two fixtures against Marlborough and Malvern are always tough, and Marlborough were well drilled this year. They took an early lead but excellent defending and goal-keeping kept the score at 2-0. A draw against Malvern gave the girls confidence going into the County Finals, where they beat Clifton High School. Despite struggling to convert their chances in all of their matches, they qualified for the South West Regional Finals. Here, they were not only up against tough opposition but also horrendous weather conditions. They showed excellent teamwork and support for each other; as injuries and illnesses started to deplete the squad, the girls kept their spirits up. Overall, they lost two games, drew two and went on to win their last two matches against Katharine Lady Berkeley’s and St Mary’s Calne. A super effort, the girls should be proud of their achievements. It should also be remembered that every school that the girls played were 1st team squads. The 2nd team continued to have close games in the second half of the term. However, the match of the season was their game against Prior Park, which they won 3-0, with a superb goal from Beth Soloman. This goal set the tone and energy for the match and it was a wonderful game to watch. I thank all of the girls and congratulate them on a superb season; they may not have gone on to win many matches but they continued to be determined, played as a team and enjoyed themselves.
A special thank you goes to the Upper Sixth girls who will hopefully continue their hockey in their chosen paths.
Charlie Graveney and Kirsty Willis
3rd Squad The 3rd XI squad this year were an absolutely fabulous group of girls who had an impressive 2019 season. They played eight, won six, and lost two, with a goal difference of +6. Defeats to Kingswood and Dean Close aside, the girls all showed high levels of commitment on and off the pitch, and an incredibly strong sense of team spirit. Early in the season, they lacked a little self-belief but when they started to show they could hold their own against some tough opposition, they began to trust in their ability more. There were some superb performances, including the stand-out fight back against Marlborough early on in the term, in which the Mighty Thirds as they became known (to themselves at least) beat Marlborough for the first time in recent memory. Coach’s ‘player of the season’ was the unflappable and industrious Flora McHattie and ‘player’s player’ was Sofia Walker, who scored some impressive goals and always worked hard in training. Always led well by Lottie Woolfson and Elly Callaghan, they were boosted by a few of Lottie’s ‘motivating’ team talks when the chips were down, and by her cake when that was required instead. Never afraid of a challenge, the 3rd XI developed their reverse hitting with Mr Loughrey, which was a sight to behold; they even sharpened up their footballing skills from time to time in some strangely popular soccer warmups. My thanks to those staff who helped coach from time to time, Mr Dyte, Mr Loughrey and Mrs Catchpole, and, of course, to all the girls who made it an enormously enjoyable and successful term’s hockey.
Rebecca Davies
4th Squad After a couple of tough years on the hockey circuit, the veterans of the 4th XI hockey team were determined that this would finally be their season. A victory in the first game of the term against Blundell’s School set the tone and was the first of a number of closely-fought battles; the knowledge that this was our first win in three years appeared as inspirational for our team as it was deflating for the opposition! Our newfound ability to take control of matches gave training a sense of purpose and I am grateful for the team’s focus and team spirit during our weekly sessions. Our most closely-fought match was certainly our final game against Dean Close School; a tense and disappointing 3-2 loss in the final minutes of the game, despite the brilliant efforts of Isobel Lind and Bryony Maud up front, will no doubt spur us on next year. Whilst the Year 13 members of the team, led by our captain, Kitty Murdoch, formed a solid defensive unit, and Amy
Chesser scored a number of our goals this season, I am confident that our new recruits from the younger years will continue our success next year.
Rosie Coombs
U16A Another very impressive season for the U16 team saw them finish in the top eight in the country and remain unbeaten in the local Saturday match fixtures. As in recent years, the U16 team consisted of an equal spread of Year 10 and 11 students who were very quick to gel, beating Marlborough 7-2 in their opening fixture, a team Clifton have often struggled against in the past. This success continued throughout their Saturday fixtures with the team reaching an exceptionally high standard of hockey, progressing individually and as a team. The highlights were a hard-fought 1-0 victory, in a hail storm,
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against a well organised BGS U18B side and a 5-4 win against the Wycliffe 1st XI, although a late flurry of goals made the game appear closer than it truly was. The Tier 1 Cup journey, in its new knockout format, began over two hours from home, near Stonehenge. Clifton played Godolphin School and, despite the long coach journey, the match began at a relentless pace that never eased for the home team, with Clifton ending up 12-1 victors. Next, the girls travelled to RGS Worcester on a day of continuous rain, which appeared to slow Clifton’s process, but they eventually found their stride and a number of delightful team and individual goals ensured a 7-1 win. This win gifted Clifton with an opportunity to face local rivals Redmaids’ and, as a result of missing some early golden opportunities, the game became nerve-rackingly tight as a tremendous individual goal from Redmaids’ star play brought the scores level at 1-1. Fortunately, Clifton were able to find a new gear and two goals in quick succession ensured the nail biting could stop and Clifton would progress
to the next stage. Next up were Deane Close, against whom Clifton had enjoyed a number of classic encounters in recent years. However, this time it all went right for Clifton; the pace, the play, and the skills were quite devastating and due to an amazing overall performance, the girls secured a 9-1 victory. This victory had moved Clifton into the top eight in the country and next was a step into the unknown against a Surbiton team, featuring a team consisting largely of club players. Try as they might, things did not click against a very good and very mobile opposition and each time Clifton appeared to find momentum and a foothold, they were hit with a sucker punch. Surbiton deservedly won on the day and went on to the semi-finals of the Cup. Disappointing as it was to lose, the girls enjoyed a fantastic season. Top eight in the country is a tremendous feat, an achievement of which they should be very proud and one that keeps Clifton very much on the hockey map. They were incredible to watch on the field in terms of their ability and camaraderie, and great fun and an inspiration to coach.
Gary Catchpole
U16B The U16Bs enjoyed a superb season, securing impressive wins against Blundell’s (4-1), Kingswood (5-0) and Malvern (70) as well as progressing through the County Tournament and into the Regional Competition, a first at U16B team level. Georgia Culley was a mainstay of the side at the back, while player of the season Allegra Bechtel pulled the strings in midfield and Jemima Young added energy and purpose from right half. Jessie Auty was the top goalscorer, while memorable goals included Izzy DonovanConway’s reverse stick effort against Blundell’s and Ida Matthey’s volleyed finish in the regional preliminaries. The girls played against A teams from other schools throughout the season and showed themselves to be more than a match for these teams, claiming eight victories and losing just three times. More importantly, I hope that they thoroughly enjoyed their hockey season.
Will Nicholl
U16C This was a fantastic season for the 16Cs. Our developing squad from last year was enhanced by some determined and skilled players such as Gabriella Whittley, Mia Hodnett, Isabelle Wilkinson and Kei Ki Chau coming up from the Under 14s, really adding to our team’s potential. The season started well with a 5-0 win against Blundell’s which augured well for the rest of the season. The team went on to win (convincingly every time) against Kingswood, Bristol Grammar School, Prior Park and Dean Close and at times showed no mercy for weaker sides - ‘No, we don’t need to go gently on them, Miss!’ - when we were already 13-0 up! Notable improvements were shown throughout the season in the backs by Melodie Bornes and Millie Campbell, who became reliable and determined
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in defence, and up front by Lydia Arikan, Sacha Dollin, Mimi Campbell and Liv Egerton who all tenaciously hit at goal to rack up the scores. Alisa Silko also added to our scores by tactical goal hovering with her own special sound effects that came with a score or disappointment! Overall, I was so proud, not only of their successes, but also of their versatility and teamwork.
Vanessa Walsh
U16D The girls worked hard throughout the season, honing their stick skills and refining their teamwork to make good use of the pitch and executing some very good passages of play. A couple of tough opponents meant losses for the team. However, as individuals who were largely very new to hockey, they should take away the huge development in their skills. Overall, this was a successful season and they should look forward to what next season holds.
Susannah Griffin
U14A The U14As started their season with a very productive preseason tour to Dublin. As a result, the girls were able to hit the ground running, beating Blundell’s, Marlborough and Malvern convincingly. The first loss of the season came against a strong Kingswood side, 1-0 in a very tight end-to-end game. Kingswood then proved to be our nemesis throughout the season: in the regional preliminaries, the girls managed to beat them 3-2, but in the Regional Finals, the girls played Kingswood in the semi-finals after beating Sherbourne, Millfield and Marlborough. The game was another nail-biting affair that finished 1-1 at full time but unfortunately we went on to lose out on penalties, a very difficult pill to swallow. The girls did, however, pull
themselves together for the final game of the season against Dean Close (who had beaten Kingswood in qualifying first for the Nationals), which they managed to draw. The girls will use this game as motivation for next year and the future is very bright for this talented bunch of players!
Christa Clark and Stuart Loughrey
U14B The girls had a terrific start to the season, beating Blundell’s 2-0, no mean feat given that many of them had never played 11-a-side or actually played a match as a team before. This win gave the girls great confidence heading into their next game against Marlborough, which we knew would be a tough match. Despite some great pockets of play, the girls were unable to curb the power of Marlborough’s attacking force and lost the game 4-0. Another tough match against Cheltenham College followed; the girls started sluggishly, but they were soon spurred into action by a Cheltenham goal. They played some great hockey, the highlight of the match a passing exchange from Ella Ferris to Nina Nissim in defence, who then went on to play a perfectly weighted ball through to our attacking back line where Kaiya Goldin pounced, scoring an impressive ‘poacher’s pocket’ goal. We were glad to beat our local rivals BGS with some impressive teamwork that was repeated in the next match against Wycliffe. Here, the girls remained positive as the score was 1-1 for much of the game, until they found the goal leading to a 2-1 win. The cancellation of the Millfield game seemed to disrupt the winning streak and they faced Prior Park for the second time, having narrowly lost to them in the Tier 2 tournament earlier in the season. The game started with good promise with very real goal-scoring opportunities, which we were sadly unable to convert. Prior Park found the
target on two occasions, leading to a 2-0 loss, despite Fleur Wagstaff making some dynamic and sometimes seemingly impossible saves. It was a bitterly cold day with strong northerly winds, but the girls remained in good spirits. They were joined by three selected members of the C team, who had been developing well all term. The highlight of the season was definitely the girls’ last game against Dean Close. Whilst we had seen moments of great hockey, Mrs Hume and I can safely say that the whole game was played with great composure, thought and, above all, simple ‘pass and move hockey’. Teasing transfers around the defensive quartet led to wonderful wide, attacking play and culminated in fantastic finishes in the D. All of this was a true team performance and the only disappointment was that the season was over! Well done to all the squad for a very enjoyable term of hockey.
Sarah Johnson
U14C The U14C squad this season was surely one of the strongest that Clifton has been privileged enough to field in several years. Their team spirit and determination was clear from the first match against Marlborough. Despite this game ending in a loss, the girls kept
fighting and the final score did not paint a full picture of the resilience and skilful play that the girls demonstrated. The first match spurred the team on and they went on to a tough draw against Malvern, followed by a solid win against Kingswood, who have historically been a formidable side. Further close matches followed, and the girls finished on an amazing victory against Dean Close, again, a notably strong hockey school. The girls were captained ably throughout the term by Niamh West, who was supported by her vice-captain, Lua Cho. Both girls demonstrated the core values of resilience, integrity and graciousness that we aim for within the hockey programme and were wonderful role models for the team. Credit must also go to the amazing Milly Thomas whose skills in goal were simply incredible and were much praised by opposition coaches. Most importantly, the girls showed excellent progress and took on board coaching notes, implementing them in matches and playing some beautiful hockey; their progress was noted by other staff members who came to support the team. I would like to thank the girls for their enthusiasm, team spirit and refusal to stop striving for goals. They were a wonderful squad to coach and the future certainly looks bright for Clifton hockey at all levels.
Anne John
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Boys’ Hockey 1st XI It was a bit of a roller coaster of a season for the 1st XI. The team was beset by injury throughout the term. An injury to Pete Carter after the first game proved costly, as the team struggled to build a consistent foundation from which to distribute. In the first game of the season, the boys played phenomenally well against a well organised and talented Prior Park side. Prior were clinical in short corners, scoring three out of their four, and the game finished 4-2 to Prior. The following week against Taunton, Clifton struggled to maintain possession for long periods of time. The defence was tested time and time again, but thankfully we had Shay Sainsbury in goal. Luck definitely was on our side that day, scoring three from three goal-scoring opportunities, the most notable of which was when Freddie Wooler ran the length of the pitch in the final seconds to nutmeg the Taunton goalkeeper and win 3-1. Unfortunately the wheels fell off from there, losing four games in a row against Exeter, King’s College Taunton, BGS and the OCs. Combining hockey and rugby sevens is always tough and a lack of energy in the legs became evident over those weeks. The lads managed to bounce back and find some form, beating KES Bath 3-2 and qualifying for the Tier 4 National Schools Finals. Unfortunately, the season was cut short, and the National Finals postponed. However, I hope that the boys will be given the opportunity to show what they are capable of in the near future. A huge thank you to the Upper Sixth boys who persevered in what was a tough season and I wish you all the best in the future.
Stuart Loughrey
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2nd XI The 2nd team had an up and down season; results may not have gone our way for the majority but there was no doubt that opposition teams were made to work extremely hard, play very well and earn their victories. There were many near misses, which often became game defining, something that was evident from our opening game against Prior Park. At 0-0, Clifton had two excellent chances to take the lead but could not convert and an unfortunate defeat ensued. Unfortunately, missed opportunities became a theme of the season despite the best efforts of top goal scorer, William Naish, who got the season scoring tally up and running in our game away at Taunton School. The performance against Taunton gave the team a lot of confidence for the remainder of the season; for the most part, they matched a very good side and were unfortunate that a couple of lapses in concentration in defence allowed Taunton to take the victory. Nevertheless, Clifton came out with their heads held high. The Taunton catering staff even went out of their way to praise the manners, politeness and conduct of our team during the match tea. The team moved on to face Exeter School at home in what was, arguably, the game of the season. 2-0 down at half-time, a rousing team talk from captain Aidan McGee helped fuel Clifton’s comeback, showing the determination and high energy levels required to play excellent hockey. The players started to move the ball with more purpose and pace and got back to 2-2, goals coming from Sam Butcher and an unstoppable (and what appeared to look like a pull shot) strike from William Naish. The drama wasn’t over and, with just a minute to go,
Clifton conceded a third goal, but, remarkably, they then equalised with the last hit of the game to end the game 3-3, a result the Clifton boys thoroughly deserved. The 2nd XI played some excellent hockey throughout the season, with fast and purposeful passing, creating opportunities to score goals, always looking threatening on the counterattack. However, they couldn’t seem to keep this up for a full game, which was a second theme of the season: being excellent for three quarters of the game, yet finding themselves on the wrong end of the score line. This was evident in games against King’s College Taunton, Bristol Grammar School and King Edward’s School Bath. Special mention must go to goalkeeper Victor Dudley. For the entire season, he was outstanding, making some remarkable saves to keep his side in the game. Scorelines could have looked much worse if it wasn’t for Victor. Captain Aidan McGee led the side with great maturity, keeping spirits high, players involved and ensuring that the season was an enjoyable one for coaches and players.
Nathan Dyte
U15A A season largely aimed at the development of a very talented U15 group didn’t quite progress as long as hoped, for more reason than one, but it was full of spectacular goals, amazing team play and tremendous team spirit. The season started well with a dominant performance away at Prior Park, resulting in a 2-0 victory. The display was at a level of assurance and maturity beyond their years. Their performance served to confirm a decision already made to allow them to represent Clifton in the U16 tournaments, an opportunity that allowed the development of a tightlyconnected team that progressed to the National Finals in the previous year. However, perhaps it was a little too early, and a little unfortunate, to have to play Bromsgrove U16s away in the first round of the Tier 1 Cup in their second match of the season. Initially, it appeared that Clifton would be blown away, as a very strong, both physically and technically, Bromsgrove team came flying out of the blocks. However, as fortune appeared to favour Clifton, confidence grew, as did
their hockey. Having deservedly equalised just before half-time to make the scoreline 1-1, Clifton perhaps enjoyed the slight edge in an end-to-end second half but, with two minutes left on the clock, Bromsgrove scored a wonder goal. There was nothing to be disappointed about in losing; Bromsgrove were a very strong team who continued unbeaten for the season, and, even though a year younger, the boys’ performance was excellent in a very tense but high quality match. Success returned in the U15A Saturday matches with some outstanding play, determination and calmness setting a benchmark for Clifton hockey. There were some real highlights: a 0-0 draw with Cheltenham U16s, although Clifton arguably won on points; and a fantastic, and very assured victory against a testing, and in some case three years older, Malvern 1st XI. In what turned out to be the penultimate Saturday match of the season, everything seemed to go right with quick passes linking the play, deflections finding their target and the ball finding the goal, as Clifton ran away as 8-0 winners in a tremendous team performance that was a joy to watch. However, little did the team know, they had perhaps used up their goal tally for the season as the next two matches followed a similar pattern. First up were Magdalen U16s in the U16 Tier 2 Cup competition. A long coach journey to Oxford could have excused a slow start for Clifton, but the opposition played with great strength, purpose and directness and cantered into a 3-0 lead with three shots. During this time, Clifton had already missed a hatful of chances and could have easily been in the lead. In the second half, Clifton dominated possession and territory, drawing some spectacular saves from the Magdalen goalkeeper, but as the team watched yet another opportunity trickle along the
goal line, they were left to rue that they could only pull one goal back. Though the boys were tremendously disappointed, they should not have been too critical of a performance that had everything bar the final piece of the puzzle. In a similar vein, Clifton then lost to Kingswood, with the Bath team scoring with their only real chance of the match, gifted by a very rare Clfiton mistake. It turned out to be the final match of the season as the coronavirus caused the remaining fixtures to be cancelled. Whilst the final two matches may have temporarily taken the shine off the season, the effect was minimal. This is a truly outstanding group of U15 hockey players who played some of the most impressive hockey that has been seen from a Clifton team, certainly at an U15 age level. Ability aside, their attitude was exemplary and there can be few better ambassadors for Clifton College.
Gary Catchpole
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U15B
“He proved that the previous saves were not luck and, along with the other boys, stepped up to take a penalty, securing us the win and a place at the National Finals!”
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In terms of results, this wasn’t a hugely successful season for the U15B team, but given the fact that one of the defeats was against another school’s ‘A’ team and that all the games were very competitive with some excellent hockey played, this was a very positive term for a great group of boys. Up until getting injured at half term, Steven Sha was fantastic in goal. The other standout player was Oscar Wang, who showed great skill in being able to take the ball past the opposition in midfield. Other notable performances came from Ollie Hunter and Ollie Buckle in defence, Joe Wooler and Ollie Rayner in midfield, and Rorie Johnson and Alfie Hamilton-Davies up front, who both created lots of chances but needed a little more precision in their finishing. The high points of the term were an excellent 4-4 draw against Prior Park to kick the season off and an emphatic 6-1 victory against BGS. In both these games, but also throughout the season, the boys moved the ball about the pitch with great skill and vision. They trained well during the term, often in appallingly wet conditions, and it was a great shame that their season finished prematurely with the early end to the term. It is very likely that they will make big contributions to hockey at Clifton in the future.
Jim Williams and Nick Mills
U14A The U14 year group was a delight to coach this season. The squad was filled with talent but small in numbers so I was unsure as to how we would fare against our local rivals. The first match against Prior Park would end up summing up the rest of the term: we won in the last minute, after sheer hard work, commitment and 3D skills, outperforming the opposition. Dedication and commitment to the cause would characterise the season. The squad was captained by Tom Kipling, an incredible talent in goal: fast, flexible, and agile, with amazing reactions. Special mention must also go to Morgan Barnes’ 3D skills and to Mani Green’s running on short corners; no-one came close to scoring as he got there first! The first main test was the County Tournament, where we played six matches, lost none, and conceded none but scored a hatful of goals. Morgan Barnes, Alex Lind, Milo Lucas and Monte Cordeaux were exceptionally good in midfield. We won the County Tournament and qualified for the Regional Finals in Millfield in early March. At this point, the coronavirus had just started to affect sporting fixtures, with handshakes removed and replaced with stick to stick checks. The school matches continued to go well, except for one blip against Exeter School.
The Regional Finals was an exciting day of fast and furious hockey with little time to rest. We played five group games, losing one narrowly to Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School. The boys finished second in the pool and faced Dauntsey’s in the semi-final play-off. A win was needed to gain a place in the final. After a tough match, it ended 1-1 and went to penalty strokes. Any coach at this point would be nervous, but we had Tom Kipling! He saved four penalties and we scored three, so we won the semi-final in very exciting circumstances. The final was against the team that had beaten us to top the group. After another tough match, Alex Lind scored an equaliser in the last five minutes to gain us another draw and another penalty barrage. But, yet again, Tom Kipling came to the rescue! He proved that the previous saves were not luck and, along with the other boys, stepped up to take a penalty, secured us the win and also a place at the National Finals! The penalty takers were: Mani Green, Alex Lind, Morgan Barnes and Felix Willis. This was my last term as Director of Hockey and I could not have wished for a better group of students to finish on a high. At the time of writing, the country has been put into lockdown to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The boys may not get to play their National Finals competition of 2020, but I hope they manage to continue with the competition at a later date. If this does not happen, I am confident that my boys would have gone on to win this prestigious tournament. Congratulations for an impressive term. It really was a team effort. The player of the season was Tom Kipling and the accolade of ‘most development throughout the term’ went to Felix Willis.
U14B We have enjoyed a fairly pleasing term as the boys have played with a great deal of spirit and tried to improve their skills. They have trained hard and developed their passing and tackling. Shooting and movement off the ball has remained an issue but some forwards have scored super goals. Due to the low numbers in this group, we have used spare U15B and U14A players in the term and I am grateful for their efforts. Ethan Thomspon has proved a reliable defender, Yejun Kim a skilful midfielder and Greeshka Hunt and Li Cheng promising forwards. We began the term with excellent wins against Taunton and Exeter and a draw against King’s College Taunton, with a narrow loss against Prior Park. In the second half of term, we struggled to compete against the better schools - Bristol Grammar School, Kingswood and King Edward’s Bath. They have trained hard and been generally a pleasure to coach. Thanks to Ms Ferebee, Mr Dyte and Mrs Catchpole for their help over the term.
Jay Gardner
“An exciting day of fast and furious hockey with little time to rest.”
Louise Catchpole
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Cricket Winter Training Clifton’s cricketers began their preparations for the 2020 season back in September 2019 with a handful of outdoor net sessions on the Close before the onset of autumn forced us inside to the Sports Hall for the rest of the Michaelmas and Lent Terms. Cricket, particularly in the UK, has always been a game in which significant player development is made during the off-season and our winter programme has really highlighted this in recent years. Junior and senior net sessions took place on Wednesdays after lessons and the numbers of boys and girls attending these on a weekly basis, despite their other numerous commitments, was very pleasing to see. Also encouraging was the mix of year groups and boys and girls able to practise together at times. The huge growth in the women’s game globally has also been reflected here at the College. In addition to the Wednesday night squad sessions, our Performance Sports Programme (PSP) cricketers trained on Monday afternoons and either Tuesday or Friday mornings at 7 a.m. depending on their age. The Monday sessions involved 45 minutes of strength and conditioning work in the gym followed by an hour of batting and bowling in the nets. These sessions took place whilst those pupils not on the PSP were involved with CCF, Clifton in the Community, and the Terriers programmes. The early morning nets, which have been running now for five years, are a real test of commitment and mettle for the pupils (and coaches!) but are crucial to the players’ development and we are lucky that all the performance sessions also enable coaches
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such as Tim Hancock and Gareth Roderick from Gloucestershire County Cricket Club to work with the players, many of whom are in the GCCC Academy and age group squads. Though our cricketers have nearly always been very motivated to practise during the winter months, training through the cold, wet and dark months this year was made easier by the prospect of the U18 and U15 squads touring the UAE at the end of the Lent Term. Unfortunately, these tours had to be cancelled in early March due to the Covid-19 pandemic but they have been reorganised and are scheduled to take place during the 2021 February half term. We are hoping to start playing cricket in the Michaelmas Term and
would like this provision to extend on into the future. We hope that both of these developments will go some way to lessen the disappointment felt by pupils and coaches about not having any cricket at Clifton this summer after all their considerable efforts and progress during a fantastic winter’s work. Additionally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the huge endeavours of our Director of Cricket, John Bobby, and our Head Groundsman, Andy Matthews, for all that they have done in their preparations for the 2020 season at school. Let’s hope we get a sunny September and are able to see the fruits of everyone’s efforts!
Jim Williams
“The early morning nets are a real test of commitment and mettle for the pupils (and coaches!) but are crucial to the players’ development.”
Success for the U15 Girls On 12th February, the girls’ cricketers competed in the U15 Lady Taverners Cricket Competition, the first time they have competed in this tournament at this age group. Their training had been progressing well and they had really begun to grasp what proved to be the all-important tactics of the indoor game. During the day of the tournament, the squad of nine girls and co-coach Beth Soloman in the Upper Sixth, played four matches against Colston’s, Redmaids’, Bristol Free School and BGS. It truly was a great day for girls’ cricket with some skilful cricket on display across the schools; within the four games played, Clifton scored an average of 114 runs and conceded an average of 73. There were some close matches, particularly at what proved to be the deciding match against BGS, who had also won all their previous games. Despite a tense fielding innings, the girls restricted BGS to 79. Before they went into bat, they knew this was going to be a test of focus and strength against some impressive BGS bowlers, but they played the tactics of the game well with some superb running between the wickets,
which, accompanied by some great batting pairings and communication, enabled the girls to take every opportunity to add runs to the total. This true team performance saw the girls claim the win, 92 runs to 79, and secure a place in the County Final at the end of March 2020. Unfortunately they were unable to play due to the lockdown, but the great news is that as they are all in Year 9, they are eligible to play again next year. You know what you have got to do now, girls?! Yep, you’ve got to do it all again! I am not sure my nerves are up to it!
Lockdown Cricket Skills Swap perfectly positioned deckchairs, neatly pressed whites and shiny leather cricket balls for gym kit, exercise mats, plant pots, tennis balls and cans of beans, and what have you got? Cricket in lockdown, of course! In an attempt to keep our cricketers engaged and fit, a series of ‘fitness sessions with some cricket skills’ was offered. It has been amazing how creative the students and staff have been at maximising the space and equipment available to work what can be
loosely termed as ‘cricket’ into their weekly routine. These sessions have incorporated fitness exercises that have tested and aimed to improve strength of mind, endurance, power, core strength and mobility with skills drills such as running between the wickets (or lockdown-adapted version such as items of clothing, plant pots and garden trugs). Hand-eye coordination has been tested with rebound catching under fatigued conditions (thanks to squats and burpees) followed by repetitive ‘chase down’ fielding with a throw into the stumps (or garden trugs, wheelie bins etc!).
One thing that lockdown could not affect was the weather and, true to form, rain did disrupt play, but the group were not deterred and their fitness certainly did not suffer as the session was adapted to the indoor environment. Thankfully, no precious china or furniture was harmed in the process. It did not dampen the students’ spirits either, though we are all yearning for the day we can step back out onto the immaculatelykept pitches and training facilities on the Close as soon as it is safe to do so; it certainly makes you appreciate all the little things!
Sarah Johnson
The Cliftonian 2020 | 103
Netball 1st Squad After a narrow miss in qualifying for the County Schools’ Tournament, the team and our new coach, Mrs Hicks, were excited to begin the season on a more positive note. After a tough start with some challenging teams such as Millfield, Marlborough, KES, and Kingswood, we collected our thoughts with the help of Mrs Hicks’ motivational team classroom meetings and inspirational emails. This allowed us to successfully end the season, beating King’s College Taunton 48-32 and Dean Close 36-9. Much of the credit for the drastic goal differences were down to our accurate shooting unit. Two of our Upper Sixth shooters, Sophie Isaacs and Cora Hill, worked extremely well together around the D. In addition, Flora McHattie remained a consistent and reliable shooter, even from a distance. Sofia Trujillo and Aimee Stolworthy worked tirelessly to bring the ball down the court from defensive turnovers, and Beth Eke and Steph Armour worked together well on centre passes and fed into the D using triangles. Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible without our strong defensive unit, including Jos Stirzaker and Tanisha Johnson, who successfully read and intercepted the opposition’s feeds. Similarly, Maddie LeyMorgan and Georgia Culley applied a lot of pressure to the opposition with their three foot marking and calling. We have had many memorable moments on court over the course of the season. We must take this opportunity to apologise to the opposition for two players (Jos Stirzaker and Tanisha Johnson) whose twinning ponytails regularly caused confusion during matches! A notable incident on
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court included Beth Eke colliding with her own teammate, Steph Armour, after they both went for the same intercept, with neither of them getting off lightly. Another unforgettable moment was when Jos decided to take the game off court and slammed into the parents’ seating area, taking the ball and her opposition with her. Unfortunately, the season didn’t end as the girls would have hoped in the traditional way with our final match and the Bigside dinner. However, there were many positives and it has been really enjoyable to experience playing with a wide range of ages, from Upper Sixth to our two Fifth Formers, Sofia and Georgia. It will be sad to say goodbye to many of our older players; they have all contributed to the success of the team. A special mention must go to Cora for being a superb vice-captain this season, stepping in to support Jos and lead the team when required, and an enormous thanks to Jos (captain for two years) for her calm approach off court. Her incredible skill and competitive edge will mean she will be missed next season. We have all really enjoyed bonding as a team and we hugely appreciate the time and effort Mrs Hicks has put in, as well as her extensive collection of coloured bobble hats!
Steph Armour (WT) and Jos Stirzaker (HLH)
“We have had many memorable moments on court over the course of the season.”
2nd Squad The Supreme Seconds loved the varied alliteration on their weekly fixture almost as much as they loved their team spirit! Unfortunately the season’s results were not quite as stupendous as they were as a group but they did improve significantly over the course of the term, and they did manage to win, eventually! The team was led by the experienced, calm and nifty shooter, Bella Archer, who was also commendable in GK when the need arose. Philly Milne and Eve Condell really dominated in defence and reliably frustrated some of the best attacks we could find, while WD Cerys Jones worked tirelessly with her marking, never letting anyone out of her sight. Georgia Culley shone brightly when she graced the pitch, in fact so much so that she ended up going back to the 1st team! The centre court dynamos of Gwen Morris, Immi Stagg, Issy Muggridge and Alicia Gerardi were incredibly hard to intercept at times and serenely glided the ball to the attacking D, where Lauren May Franklin and Millie Isaacs were prowling to pounce through the opposition and shoot sharply to regular applause. The team really gelled
well and I hope that they enjoyed the (sensational) second’s season as much as I did.
Christa Clark
3rd Squad The 3rd team were an awesome group of girls, who trained incredibly well each week. In matches, they always fought extremely hard as well, despite our scores not always reflecting their efforts. We had some close matches against Marlborough and King’s College Taunton and somehow just managed to let our lead slip away in that final quarter. The team was ably led by Beth Soloman and vice-captained by Husna Bello, both demonstrating each week why they were the leaders. We were incredibly lucky to have such great shooters in Hayden Schrijver, Mai Barber and Giulia Cimmino; it was always so difficult to choose for each match. We had such depth in our centre court players, all exceptionally versatile in the positions they were able to play. Liv Lixton was a great example of a player who was able to rotate between defence and attack so easily across the court. Katya Saint played mostly as a
WA but would always step up into the centre position, along with Bunny Cordeaux who did a great job balancing her time between netball and cross country. Sophie Sedgebeer really proved herself to be an excellent defender and so too did Bee Leonard, who was also great at playing in GD when required. Sofia Walker did an excellent job defending the GS and keeping a very large number of goals out. It was wonderful to finally have a good win in our last match against a tough school like Dean Close, and it felt like all the hard work had finally paid off for the girls. They were an amazing group to work with and they should be very proud of their achievements throughout the season!
Kath Jeffery
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Netball
4th Squad It was another good season for the Mighty Fourths who had several players returning from the squad from last year. Francesca Dollin found her natural position as a shooter and Elizabeth Lyons and Rowan Lenthall continued to play solidly in the centre court. We started the term with an amazing victory over King Edward’s in Bath, then encountered some tough opponents in Millfield and Marlborough. However, the latter half of the season saw successive wins for the team and overall the team won 57% of their matches. The girls showed enthusiasm each week at practice, warmed up to music and did their activation exercises with smiles, and showed great resilience and stamina in the games. Phoebe Watson captained the team well and led by example on the court. Aimee Milner proved herself to be an incredibly versatile player, and both Phoebe and Aimee were twice awarded ‘player of the game’ by the opposition. The team scored 189 goals over the term and Olivia Egerton really does have to be commended for her role as shooter in scoring such a large proportion. We had great supporters too and are very thankful to them for braving the cold to cheer us on. It has been a pleasure to work with this group of girls this season and I am incredibly proud of all they achieved.
Sarah Rath
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5th Squad The Vths had a challenging season this year, but were fortunate in the number of matches on offer to us. We were lucky that so many schools managed to field five senior teams, and this allowed 14 girls to represent the College over the term, which was fantastic. It was great to welcome back Sixth Form stalwarts of the Vths, such as Sasha Trujillo, who has played Goal Shooter for us for three years, and as such, wins the award for longest service! She was ably supported by Allegra Bechtel, a quick and skilful Goal Attack, and Rosie Trevis, who scored some great goals at crucial points. We also
were very pleased to see many rising stars from the Fifth Form joining the squad: Haruhi Sano and Ying Hei Chau worked together to form a neat centre court alliance, and Nikki Put and Emily Burchfield proved resourceful and imaginative players in central defence, and deserve real credit for their versatility, playing in three different positions across the matches. Other notable pairings include Charmaine Audifferen and Nandi Shalita, who together formed a formidable line of defence and provided much good natured competitiveness and humour in every match. Sophie Molesworth-St Aubyn, in her first year at Clifton, proved a dynamic and innovative Centre,
and led the team with drive and resilience in her role as captain. I would like to thank all the girls for their continued commitment and enthusiasm, and I look forward to working with many of them again in seasons to come.
Emily Hawkins
U15A After being with this group as U14A, it was an absolute privilege to coach them for another year. They are a team not only full of immense talent, but they are also full of determination; every single player wants to play for each other and improve as a team. This year, we welcomed two new players to the squad, Holly Bell and Olivia Ruigrok. Holly bought her South African netball experience and versatility and Olivia quickly made an impact in defence with her height and ability to read the game. It was a tough start to the season with games against Millfield and Marlborough in the first seven days. The U15A were still settling into the term and getting used to different combinations, but both matches were incredibly close, with Millfield and Marlborough taking the lead in the final quarters. However, this did not dampen the U15A’s spirit, it just showed them what they were capable of, and though they were kicking themselves, they knew that if they were to play them again, it would be a different story. They certainly implemented these lessons into the rest of the season. Scarlett Pearce- Lynch as captain and Tara Madan as vice-captain led by example. They were clinical, motivated others and played consistently. Scarlett and Sophie Manson quickly established themselves in the circle, ensuring that in every game over 27 goals were scored. Jessie Auty, Izzy Donovan-Conway and Nuala Lixton caused problems for every opposition’s centre court with their dynamism and ability to defend just as well as they attacked. The U15A were in the zone for the games against Bristol Grammar School (28-17) and Kingswood (27-14), and they really excelled against
King’s College Taunton (50-13). Dean Close, which sadly ended up being the final game of the season, was tough as four players had sustained injuries meaning that three U14A players stepped up and the remaining U15A showed what depth we had in the team as they went on to win 36-27. I have seen this incredibly exciting year group develop over the past two years and I know that they will continue to improve as they move up to the seniors. I commend their spirit and resilience as it hasn’t always been easy for them this season, but they came out a huge success and have made me an incredibly proud coach.
Kirsty Willis
U15B This was a very enjoyable season despite the poor weather (we barely had a dry training session) with a group of enthusiastic and lively netballers who worked hard in training sessions and played competitively in all matches. Early on in the season, we were searching for consistency from our shooters but this improved markedly over the course of the term. The squad members quickly learned that they needed to be versatile enough to step in, whatever the position, and as a result the strength of the team increased week on week. Nysia Fry led by example as captain and was an impressive physical presence at GD. She also supported the centre court play admirably and led warm up exercises effectively before each match. Ava Burns proved her worth by slotting in at GK or GS as required and Georgina Soloman, Mia Hodnett, Jemima Young and Eva Culley all controlled the centre court, timing their moves well, working hard at defence or attack as needed and passing accurately. Georgina Sweetman, Paige Cox and Amalie Chapman grew in confidence with their shooting and their control of the circle. This squad worked hard and also had a lot of fun throughout the term during practices and matches. In fact, it was hard at
times to get a word in edgewise! The victories came against Millfield, Bristol Grammar School and King’s Taunton and it was only a narrow loss to Kingswood. It was a shame that there were two weeks without matches, which meant the team lost momentum and, therefore, what turned out to be their final match of the term against Dean Close, which they should have won. Overall, however, this was a solid season and I look forward to seeing these players move into the senior teams next year.
Alex Tebay
U15C The U15C squad had a season full of highs and lows but never once was their team spirit diminished. The season started with a tough fixture against Millfield, a fearsome opponent at the best of times, but more so right at the start of the season. Despite a loss, the girls showed remarkable resilience, grit and good humour and came away from the match determined to learn and progress. This resolve was tested further in a long and tiring mid-week match against Marlborough but, despite the scoreline, the girls refused to let their team spirit be broken and
pulled together for a resounding win against BGS the following week. A win was followed by a thrilling game against Kingswood and then a crashing victory against Dean Close, where it seemed the shooters could do no wrong. Throughout the season, the defensive line up of Kei Ki Chau, Haruhi Yasuda, and Charlotte Leith made it hard for the opposition’s shooters to get close to the net. Kei Ki’s trademark ‘cannonball’ energy really gave pace to the game. The centre court combination of Isabelle Wilkinson, Charlotte Macfarlane, Gabriella Gerardi and Emma Guerman Guinzburg meant that what the girls may have lacked in height, they more than made up for in agility, assertiveness and skill to feed the balls through to Camilla Roderick and Sarah Stroud, who were the core shooting duo. Mention should also be made of Mor Gispan, who, although leaving the squad to focus on her tennis, provided motivation and support in the first crucial games. Thanks to Mrs Hicks for her support during training sessions and also to Mrs Beever who took the team on a Tuesday. Both provided invaluable support for the girls and were a key part of the team’s success.
Anne John
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Netball
U15D This was a very enjoyable season with a group of girls who gave their all on the netball court. All members of the U15D squad were very determined to improve their netball skills throughout the term, with many being new or even first time players. Most of the season was dedicated to skills and game development but we did play a few games. The first few were hard-fought losses, but in every game, the girls got into their rhythm and played better and better as the game went on. The last game of the season was against Dean Close and the girls put everything that they had learnt together and this led to a brilliant victory and a great morale boost.
Susannah Griffin
U14A The U14As were an incredible team to manage. At the county trials, I knew they would be a strong team with a lot of great characters! With some players coming through from the Prep School and others coming into their first season of netball at Clifton, it was clear that it was going to be an exciting season. They qualified for the County Finals, after having drawn with Colston’s and narrowly losing to Redmaids’. The team missed out on a place at the Regionals to Kingswood (who we beat in the group stages) by one goal! Sadly, Annie Nichols (our captain) broke her foot between the tournaments, which put her out for the whole season. Following the Christmas break, the team came back with a point to prove, and we went to the KES pre-season tournament with a sense of determination and camaraderie. The team produced some top-class netball and came away with four wins and two losses. With Grace Harwood supporting Annie in the captaincy role, we had some great battles on court. The first game of the season against Millfield was a highlight, where we were leading in the first
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three-quarters thanks to some great shooting from Clemmie Houlden and incredible defending by Issy Maloney and Milly Thomas, but we were sadly pipped to the post 20-21. Our match against Marlborough (2727) was another battle out on court! With Alice Clements and Tilly Edwards working tirelessly in the middle, the team worked together against a tough and physical Marlborough side, and they weren’t prepared to lose by one point again! As the season progressed, the team gathered momentum, and implemented the drills in training to push through and get some outstanding wins. The girls beat BGS (31-15), which really showcased their versatility and teamwork, and the match against Kingswood was no
different. With Fleur Wagstaff dominating the middle in WD, and fiesty defending from Nina Nissim, the team were able to feed the shooters superbly. Although our game against Dean Close did not result in a win, Emily Murray shone with her outstanding ability to read the game and take great intercepts, and Cassie Moran held off some very physical defenders. Although the season was cut short, I would like to thank every member of the squad for all their efforts, on and off the court. Coaching this team makes me very excited about what’s in store for netball in the coming years; with this group of girls at the helm, anything is possible!
Charlie Graveney
U14B From Goal Keeper right through to Goal Shooter, this year’s U14B team was certainly one of the most committed, enthusiastic and positive netball teams with whom I have had the pleasure of working. Izzy Bevan as captain set the tone from the outset, keeping energy and teamwork at the heart of the team’s preparation. Our positive outlook was tested early on with some challenging matches and we were disappointed to lose our first three games. However, our 21-24 loss to Marlborough is representative of the closefought battles in all of these matches. Jemima Thefaut must be commended for her dominant role as Centre, turning over possession and working tirelessly to ensure we were always within reach of the opposition’s score. These close games certainly frustrated the team and kept training focused on the objective of achieving that elusive first victory. This came in the form of a superb score of 19-11 against Kingswood School. Consistent shooting from Lara Poulsom and Hattie Rochford proved invaluable in our second win against King’s College Taunton. Our final match for the term was against Dean Close and, at this point in the term, confidence was sky high. However, a combination of injury and illness meant that we arrived lacking any subs and reliant on the whole team playing at their best for the full game. Our determination was rewarded and superb defensive work from Imogen Isaacs and Izzy Bevan meant that Dean Close could only score eight to our impressive 17. Well done on an excellent, successful term, girls.
U14C Well done to the U14C netball team for a great season! At first, our biggest challenge was learning to work as a team, and remembering that it did not matter if we won or lost, as long as we played our best, supported each other, and had fun. Two matches later, and with the addition of Greer Barnes, the U14C now became known as the ‘Mighty Cs’, and they were unstoppable, winning all of their matches with comfortable margins. Our defence, led by Erin Parton, Libby Bullen and Olivia Warfield, was awesome. They often dominated the opposition and created many game-changing interceptions. Greer Barnes, Tanaya Ghosh and India Morgan, interchangeably, controlled the court, pushing the ball up and down at a speed that often outpaced our competitors, linking either with Sally Kim, our rock at GA, who has one of the best outside shots, or Niamh West and Poppy ForestierWalker, both of whom managed to get to the right position at the right time. I think, however, what made this team such a privilege to coach was simply their team spirit, the laughter on and off the court, and the selflessness they showed in their willingness to play anywhere for the good of the team.
U14D The team showed tremendous spirit and commitment throughout the term. After losing the first two matches, all players became increasingly determined to secure a win. They were focused in training sessions, listening carefully to guidance on how to improve and working hard to implement these changes in match play. Their hard work paid off and the U14D team went on to win their remaining three matches convincingly! Anna Boyle and Luana Benedict proved themselves to be highly effective shooters, whilst several players, including Lua Cho, Lyra Coulthard, Megan Cook, Grace Spring-Martin and Florence Prole, showed
excellent versatility in centre court positions. Charlie ClercJérome, Savannah King and Poppy Mumford were a force to be reckoned with and provided a solid defence for the team through their effective marking and communication. We were thrilled for Claudia You to join us a little later in the season as she brought with her enthusiasm and added a new dynamic to our centre court play. It was an absolute pleasure to work with this team: they can always be counted on to invest their all and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the matches they played. I look forward to their continued success next year.
Lydia Hawkins
Shannon Schrijver
Rosie Coombs
“They often dominated the opposition and created many game-changing interceptions.”
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Football This was a team that we were immensely proud to coach, not just because of their huge success on the field but because of the way they conducted themselves off it: the intensity in training, the seamless integration of students from four year groups and the deep love for the beautiful game.
Player of the Season: Max Coetzee
Will Nicholl and Tom Jordan
2nd XI
1st XI The weather may have been gloomy, but some of the football was sparkling. In a season uniquely curtailed by flooding and coronavirus, the 1st XI went unbeaten, scoring an average of more than four goals per game and conceding just twice in total. The circumstances in which the season ended may have taken some of the shine off this accomplishment, but it remains a fine effort, particularly for such a young team: five of the squad were in Years 10 or 11. The front three of Demo Otuyalo, Arthur Memmesheimer and the school’s golden boot winner Isaac Campbell-Wu were unplayable at times, contributing 16 goals between them. Behind them, Ryan Kilmister was metronomic in midfield and Max Coetzee found a new lease of life as a marauding left-back, while goalkeeper Yejune Mun, a model of consistency, and the centre-back pairing of Dunbarin Onabowale and captain Fin Yates excelled in leading the side
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to four clean sheets. This was a side capable of playing a more progressive brand of football than any in recent years and the result was a string of dominant performances, with full-backs playing high up the field, centrebacks comfortable on the ball and a front three full of pace, power and trickery. The opening day of the season set the tone for what would be a free-scoring term, Arthur Memmesheimer bagging a hat-trick in an 11-1 demolition of Blundell’s. An uncharacteristically cagy 0-0 draw away at Bromsgrove followed before normal service was resumed in resounding victories over Monmouth (4-1) and BGS (3-0), Chris Packer starring in the latter from central midfield. The second half of term was rather decimated, with fixtures against Malvern and the Oratory being lost in their entirety, but there was still time for a sensational 3-0 win away at Sherborne, a match in which Chidubem Ogah came to the fore and all three frontmen scored.
This was a really enjoyable season and that is mostly down to what wonderful young men we had to coach. They were always willing to give training and matches their best, fight for their positions and represent their school in a competitive yet honourable way. We have been really proud of the way they conducted themselves, both on and off the field.
As far as the football goes, the team all played their part and, due to competition for places being fierce, no one was able to settle into ‘their’ position. The team looked strong: we had Alex Jacobi at centre midfield, pulling strings and finding passes that appeared impossible; Ellis Rogers gave confidence at the back, ably supported by the young and developing Tom Guy; and one of the finds of the season must be Ben Rogers, who intimidated all those in front of him. Jack Powell did a great job captaining the team and Sam Dodson gave confidence when attacks did break through our midfield. Thanks to the way the team pulled together, many of the goals were team goals as opposed to individual moments of brilliance! That being said, Gbitse Atake’s wonder-strike against Bromsgrove earned his team a valuable draw. Although the season was disrupted by external factors and so much rain, we would both like to say well done to the boys on a great season. You have been great fun and we look forward to next year!
Player of the Season:
Alex Jacobi
Dan Janke and Nick Luker
3rd XI Football can be hard to watch - the diving, complaining, misplaced passes, chaotic running - but the 3rd XI made spectating easy this season. Their free-flowing, incisive style was a feast for the eyes, with Rohan Schroeder’s through balls cutting through each defence like studs through damp grass. The terrifying pace and energy of Ewan Bullough, Will Smith and Macca Vaughan confuddled so many defenders that Ellis Davies had the straightforward job of putting a ball into an empty net in most games. However, his record of scoring in each game was put to the test against Sherborne in his last match of the season, with a stunning comeback brace from 2-1 down, making the long journey to Dorset worth it for the team. The midfield three often found themselves outnumbered, but there was never a moment of fear when the opposition broke through, as Charlie Lee’s well-drilled defence looked as though they had eight at the back, such was the pace and extraordinary ability to get a foot in, particularly by Joe Flavin - unbeaten down the right flank and Edwin Obazee, who seemed to be playing three positions at once. So few were the opportunities for the opposition in front of goal this season that
the calm presence of James Lemon was barely called upon, other than to distribute killer passes and marshal the defence as he saw fit; there were a handful of excellent smothering runs and wonder-saves too on the odd occasion that the ball made its way through the brutal fine sieve of the defence. This young, unbeaten team will take this confidence into next year, where they will try to match their own invincibility for a consecutive season.
Player of the Season: Ellis Davies
Stephen Cross and Liam Bull
4th XI With fixtures scheduled against opposition who were generally one tier higher, it looked likely to be a tough season of challenging matches. However, the boys bonded quickly and developed a strong team spirit which grew week on week. A troubled start to the 4th XI’s campaign saw them suffer three home losses out of three against Llandaff Cathedral School (1-3), Bromsgrove School (1-2), and Monmouth School (0-4). These were hard-fought matches where moments of ill-discipline
and poor structure were quickly punished. Returning to the training ground, the team worked on their core skills and developed a stronger game, which included an injection of pace from a couple of boys poached from the 5th XI. After half term, the boys rallied to earn a 1-1 draw away at Sherborne School before approaching their final match of the season. Looking for a win, the team took to the field against Wycliffe College (away) with a spring in their step and put to rights their previous losses in a thumping 7-0 victory. In a testament to their team spirit, the seven goals were shared between seven different players. In the final passage of play to wrap up the season, captain Luke Wilkinson, who had wandered far from his defensive position, scored the concluding goal in his farewell football match for Clifton College. Among the challenging matches and testing weather conditions, the boys showed great sportsmanship and camaraderie throughout the season. Their approach and attitude to training made them a real pleasure to coach. Well done, and thank you.
Player of the Season:
Luke Wilkinson
Patrick Jones
“This young, unbeaten team will take this confidence into next year.” The Cliftonian 2020 | 111
Football
5th XI Despite the season being disrupted by inclement weather, and missing players at times for reasons beyond their control, the 5th XI has gone from strength to strength. This is due to the hard work and commitment demonstrated by all the players, who bonded well from the outset, enabling them to deliver a number of strong team performances. The first match at home against Blundell’s did not cause the team too many difficulties, ending in a 7-0 victory. However, it was a highly enjoyable game for both sides, which enabled the team to rotate players and work out positions for future games. The second match at home against Bromsgrove was a far more competitive affair. The two sides were equally matched throughout, but Bromsgrove managed to find a late winner, leading to a very narrow defeat of 2-1 for Clifton. The final match away at Sherborne was a tough, physical challenge, with most of the opposition being one or two years above the majority of the Clifton team. At half-time, the game was evenly balanced at 1-1. Clifton started the second half with great energy, scoring within the first two minutes. The boys maintained this high tempo, out-pacing and upsetting Sherborne’s play, which resulted in a couple more goals for Clifton, and a well deserved 1-4 victory. The boys have approached every training session and game they have played with enthusiasm and excellent sportsmanship. Well done all.
Players of the Season: Seb Haddon and Oliver Bacsich Simon Tait and Darron Dean
U17A/U16A There were three fixtures for the U16 and U17 sides, aimed at providing an opportunity to look ahead to the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The U16 side scored six away at Marlborough, including a hat-trick from Isaac CampbellWu who sealed this feat with a rabona. They then faced a very different prospect in playing Clifton High’s U18 1st XI. After a slow start, the U16s played much the better football and were rewarded with a 3-0 win, captain Ryan Kilmister proving himself a threat from set pieces with two headed goals. The U17 side faced a trickier outing against Wycliffe’s U18 1st XI. They struggled to get going in the game, slipping to a three goal deficit before half-time. They were dominant, though, in the second half, clawing their way back into the game but falling a little short in a 4-3 defeat.
Player of the Season: Isaac Campbell-Wu
Will Nicholl and Tom Jordan
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U15A Following a successful term last year as U14s, there were high hopes for the U15A team. Unfortunately the season did not go as planned, although the team only lost one match to Monmouth. They managed to draw three matches, which, on reflection, should have all been easy wins, but they missed chances and, in some matches, a lack of creation were the factors affecting our success. The team often played good football and developed their passing from defence; there were consistent and dominant performances from Henry Davis as centre defence and Charles Rendle in midfield. Unfortunately, the team only had Isaac CampbellWu for one match as he was called up to the 1st XI where he played an integral part of a very successful team. The last two matches of the shortened term were disappointing as we could not capitalise against a strong Sherborne 10-man team nor beat Wycliffe on the 3G having dominated possession and created a dozen chances to score; both games finished in draws!
The highlight of the season was beating local rivals BGS 5-2 with a hat-trick from Ethan Moss. I was absent from this match, our only win of the term, so perhaps my managerial skills should also be questioned, along with the team’s inconsistent performances and inability to better apply themselves to matches. Hopefully the players will mature next year when they will be called upon to play senior football.
Player of the Season:
Charles Rendle
Andrew Wagstaff
U15B Outside forces meant that not only did some fixtures have to be cancelled but the line-up was inconsistent at times for the U15Bs. This did not, however, dampen their spirits. From the outset, the coaches were impressed with the team camaraderie, especially when including new players into the squad.
The season kicked off against Marlborough which, despite the loss, allowed players to rotate round positions and work out key plays to take forward into future games. It also allowed AY Ogunbajo to find the net as he did so frequently last season. The second match against Rougemont was more competitive with the boys just missing out on a win, the back four holding steady and the forwards starting to find their stride. Next came an exhilarating seven-goal extravaganza against Monmouth with Jonty Morgan scoring two wondergoals from distance, including a 30-yard free-kick, which saw the away fans jumping for joy. With another tight fixture against Sidcot came another draw against Sherborne. Max Hanson stepped into the fold to support the defence and Jamie Dodson came back after a short hiatus. Here, the team seemed to be finding their rhythm, with players running into space and overlaps being completed successfully on the wings. Alas, it was to be the final match of a season cut short.
Lessons learned from this season will be carried forward into the senior levels and the coaches look forward to seeing individual players go from strength to strength.
Player of the Season: Jonty Morgan
Max Ernest-Jones and Dominic Harris
U14A From the first training session, it was clear that the U14As were going to have a strong and talented squad, with plenty of competition for places. The season opened with a comfortable win over Cathedral School Llandaff, but a defeat to a very strong Monmouth side followed. To their credit, the team bounced back with an impressive victory over Clifton High, with a man-of-the-match performance from Mahad Hilole and a contender for ‘goal of the season’ from George Millett. With Oliver Clarke proving an excellent shot stopper behind a solid defence, which was to be a feature of the season, and with Papa Obeng contributing an impressive number of goals, the team were able to keep the momentum going, and wins against BGS, Sherbone and Wycliffe completed an impressive season. All of the squad worked hard in training and made vital contributions in matches, but special mentions go to Jacob Stevenson for his captaincy and to Andy Small who consistently impressed with his level of ability.
U14B The U14 B team displayed admirable resilience and teamwork in matches this season, whilst training hard to develop their skills and overall understanding of the game. Despite only winning one of the four fixtures, the group demonstrated grit, determination and an unwavering competitive spirit. Led by co-captains Harry Byett and Arran Sen, the group quickly gelled and ended the season with an unforgettable win. The team was tested in the first match away against Marlborough, coming up against an U15 side who were very physical around the ball. Despite being a year younger, the Clifton boys were not deterred and fought hard until the very end. Elliott Watkins was superb in goal, whilst Hamish Johnson and Cheney Xu remained solid in defence. After three straight defeats, the team lifted the intensity at training and set their sights on the upcoming home fixture against Sherborne. Elliott Watkins scored a first-half hat-trick and the momentum continued to build thereafter. Jonathan Morley-Cooper, Max Gillings and Louis Packer all ended the game with a goal in a brilliant final match to bookend the season.
Player of the Season:
Elliott Watkins
Charlie Callander
Player of the Season: Andy Small
Clive Jones and Gareth Westwater
“Next came an exhilarating seven-goal extravaganza.”
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Tennis
Tennis Champions 2020 After the huge disappointment of not being able to attend our biannual tennis tour to Portugal, we have some great news to report about tennis success at Clifton. Massive congratulations to the Girls Senior Student tennis team who, for the second year in a row, have qualified for the National Championships. Sadly, the Lawn Tennis Association have decided that 2019 was the last year of holding a National Finals and so have made a bigger deal of the champions of the Regional Finals!
On 12th March, the team (Giulia Cimmino, Noa Gispan, Polina Krasitckaya, Allegra Bechtel and Julia Wojciechowska) travelled to Exeter University, where they faced a tough Millfield team, brilliantly pulling through four matches to two! In the second match against St Swithun’s School, the girls were, quite simply, outstanding, demonstrating complete dominance and winning six matches to zero. I am so proud of the girls for showing their competitive side, resilience, problem-solving and, most importantly, mental tenacity! A brilliant day, well done to the regional champions!
Kerris Wagstaff
“The girls were, quite simply, outstanding, demonstrating complete dominance and winning six matches to zero.� 114 | Upper School 2020
Swimming A comprehensive programme of swimming events has taken place in the 2019/20 academic year, led by Ms Francis and supported by Mrs Myers, with Ms Evans leading the waterpolo activities. The swimming programme has run across the Prep and Upper School and has included: the establishment of a new school-club training link; Upper School swimming training as part of the Games provision three times per week; specialist triathlon swimming coaching as part of the High Performance Sports programme; a series of inter-House galas; and competitions and fun one-off events. This year, the thrice-weekly training sessions have focused on developing speed and swimming technique for the four major strokes and has included work on competitive dives and turns in preparation for 50m races and iGCSE practical scores. In addition, the sessions have been highly successful in offering an alternative cross-training opportunity, in place of Games, for those recovering from injury.
Bristol Schools’ Swimming Championships A joint squad of 20 Upper and Prep School swimmers competed in the Bristol Schools’ Sprint Gala Heats on 7th November and Sprint Gala Finals on 5th December.
Inter-House Galas For the first time, the interHouse gala was run as four separate events, with senior boys and girls competing on 3rd December in consecutive events and the junior girls and boys doing likewise on 5th December. The South Town boys managed
to win in all three boys’ categories (junior, senior and overall winners). Well done too to Holland’s House (junior and overall winners for the girls) and to Oakeley’s House who won the senior girls’ competition.
Burns Night Fun Swim On 25th January, boarders from Years 9 and 10 were invited to attend a fun evening swim session with a Scottish feel (or should I say reel?) to it. Scottish music rang out in the swimming pool as teams were invited to compete in a series of aquatic events that included haggis racing (with a water-polo ball), the Scottish flag race (team race on an inflatable) and the ‘making the haggis challenge’ (or how many swimmers can you get into a swimming hat?). Prizes were awarded for the final 25m freestyle sprint race.
Upper School Gala Swimming with Penguins On 30th January, King’s College Taunton and Cheltenham College were invited to Clifton for a competitive swimming gala. Due to snow, the Cheltenham College squad was unable to attend. Clifton was able to field two teams, with swimmers completing in 50m and 100m individual events and medley, freestyle and cannon team races. King’s College won the junior boys, senior girls and senior boys events. Clifton won the junior girls event, with outstanding swims by Scarlett Pearce-Lynch, Lexi Pearce-Lynch, Tilly Edwards and Ella Ferris. In addition, there were excellent swims from Hannah Lenthall (girls’ captain), Amelia Ashill, Joe Ancell, Will Stoodley, Luke Taylor and Alby Sanigar (boys’ captain).
In March, an exciting new school-club link was established between Bristol Penguin Olympic Swimming Club and Clifton College. Fourteen students from Years 4 to 11 have been offered places to train with the swimming club at the Clifton College pool on Sunday afternoons. At the initial session on 15th March, the swimmers were offered expert coaching from club coach Ben Mullen, supported by Ms Francis, training with club swimmers of a similar age and ability. Parents were invited to watch the session and were introduced to the Penguin’s coach as well as being given further details about this exciting new partnership.
Caroline Francis
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Sailing It’s been a busy year for Clifton College’s sailing team. This group of committed and driven students have braved all sorts of British weather, including hail, torrential rain and intimidating winds. Sailing at the College is open to all, from those with racing experience, right through to those who have never set foot in a boat before, and it was this mixture of returning sailors and novice helms that formed the sailing squad at the start of the academic year. The racing started in earnest in October with some promising performances. The seniors, despite being a young and inexperienced 1st team, had a respectable mid-fleet finish at the British Schools Dinghy Racing Assocation’s (BSDRA) Midlands Championships, followed by an impressive seventh place at the J80 keelboat National Championships; a good result at a national level event. It was, however, the U16A team of Jonathan Munroe, James Goodrum and Rowan Read who made the strongest start to the year. Competing at the National Schools Sailing Association Single-Handed Team Championships, Clifton had a performance of which to be proud, finishing second in the country in the U16 category and fifth overall. This was also enough to win the Lancashire Plate for the most improved team. This is the highest placing for a Clifton team at a national championship in many years, and it is a fantastic achievement for the whole squad. The Michelamas Term also saw the first ever Clifton College sailing trip, with 17 students and three members of staff venturing to the ProVela sailing centre on the Mar Menor on the Spanish Mediterranean coast at half term (see p.52 for more details).
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As always in the Lent Term, fixtures were in the hands of the wind gods, and, unfortunately, storm after storm fell on weekends, causing a number of matches to be postponed. However, the team won two of their three matches against Millfield School and a tightly-fought race against Worcestershire Youth squad. At the end of the Lent Term, the coronavirus pandemic meant that the NSSA Double Handed Team National Championship had to be cancelled, a disappointment as this had been the focus and target of the term. The Summer Term, which is usually the main competitive season for sailing, had a very different look this year, with many area championships cancelled. Unfortunately, cancellations included the BSDRA Western Championship, which Clifton was due to host at Chew Valley Sailing Club. Nevertheless, lockdown did not stop the squad from training and even competing. They enjoyed two sessions a week, mixing fitness and theory, with the aim of being ready to go as soon as we are able to be back on the water. Clifton also entered four teams into the inaugural BSDRA eSailing Tournament, which involved weekly fixtures against other schools using the online sailing simulator, VR Inshore Regatta. As well as offering fun and competition for the squad, it was also a fantastic way to keep improving the team’s tactics. At the time of writing, the teams have participated in round 1 of racing, and are all currently undefeated. This includes a fine win for our U16B team against Magdalen College School, traditionally one of the strongest sailing schools in the country.
As ever, a big thank you must go to the members of staff who have supported sailing throughout the year. It often involves early starts and late finishes, not to mention wet and cold afternoons sitting on a lake, but I know that the pupils are very grateful. A particular mention must go to Miss Duffy, who has kept the sailing programme afloat during the lockdown.
Jim Rosser
“The highest placing for a Clifton team at a national championship in many years.”
Golf
It’s not uncommon in school sport to have strong teams up until the Sixth Form and then, when those pupils leave, it becomes a bit of a struggle to find enough players. We have experienced this phenomenon recently with golfers, but I am pleased to report that this year has been very fruitful. What is especially pleasing is that the College has some really promising golfers who are young enough to represent the school for many years to come. As I write, at home in isolation, we have Jerry Fang 5 hcp, Finn Ellis 5 hcp, Harry Kennedy 6
hcp and Nikolas Allen 11 hcp. I am pleased to report that Bill Xu, Joseph Taylor, David Wu and Tom Gowdy, also golfers of great promise, are making good progress. The team narrowly lost in the Regional Final to Bromsgrove School in a match played at Burnham and Berrow Golf Club in the most atrocious conditions. All in all, this was a busy and productive term.
Paul Romaines
“What is especially pleasing is that the College has some really promising golfers who are young enough to represent the school for many years to come.”
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Rowing Looking back over the rowing season, it would be easy to dwell on the fact that racing had hardly got going before it was all cancelled. However, there are many positives and exciting firsts that the Boat Club will be able to remember from this period of time. January began, as has often been the case, in the gym due to floodwater, but soon we were able to get onto the river. Excitement was high as for the first time in nearly 20 years, we were able to field not one, but two boys’ VIII teams. It was superb to see them challenging each other as they thundered along and it wasn’t long before the 1st VIII raced at Worcester Head. In a division consisting of university clubs, it was encouraging to see the
boat complete the course having not been overtaken, finishing in a strong third place in their category. Emphasis moved on to Gloucester Head, where this time the novice VIII joined the 1st VIII as Clifton fielded both eights and returned good performances in the face of some strong Hampton School crews. All was set for Clifton’s 1st VIII to race at the Schools’ Head on the tideway in London, but government restrictions came into effect and the event was cancelled. This put pay to our other realistic aims, which would have been to see the VIII attend Henley Qualifiers in the Princess Elizabeth Cup. The club has come such a long way and
it was so disappointing for all those who had put their time and effort into their training for it all to shut down. That said, the momentum and enthusiasm remains and there is every possibility that we could attend Henley in 2021. As the year ended, and we held our club supper online, it was time to say farewell to three of our stalwarts. They were all awarded blue ties for their efforts and achievements during their time in the club: Archie Scott, Jack Goldsack and Lily Mustin have all given countless hours to the club, supporting new members, leading training and keeping spirits high and they will be missed. Thank you for all the energy that you
“It was superb to see them challenging each other as they thundered along.”
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brought to the club on every occasion. As thoughts turn to the 20/21 season, Briden Whitbread, Mia Nissim and Harry Isaacs have all taken up the reigns and they will undoubtedly continue where the Year 13s left off. Well done to everyone who took part in rowing this year. There was a great deal of progress made in a very short space of time. All participants engaged fully with training, showed support of one another and achieved personal goals. Thanks once again to all the coaches: Andrew Marchesi, Sarah West, Hannah Clarke, Daisy King, Simon Hewitt and Emily Lloyd. Without such a supportive and willing team, an appearance at Henley would still be just a dream.
Rob Beever
Rowing Roles and Awards Captain of Boats 2020/21 Briden Whitbread and Harry Isaacs Club Secretary 2020/21 Mia Nissim Oarsman 2019/20 Archie Scott Oarswoman 2019/20 Evie Calhaem Cox of the Year 2019/20 Lily Mustin Novice Male 2019/20 Kaellen Balasingham/Jonny Cook Novice Female 2019/20 Ruby Mardall
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Cross Country It was one of the muddiest seasons in recent Clifton Cross Country history and for the pupils (most of them), this made it thoroughly enjoyable! We took the usual routes through the Blaise Estate, from Weston in Gordano to Tickenham, across Dolebury Warren on the Mendip Hills, around the woodland in Flax Bourton to name but a few. Sadly, this year the Pens event was unable to happen but the team did many training runs up at Ashton Court and many would have placed highly for their Houses. We were, however, able to round off the shortened Lent Term with the famous Dundry ‘Death’ Run, which was nine extremely muddy miles from Winford back to school - a real achievement for all the team, though I suspect some of the muddy clothes may never be white again!
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This year we were captained by Kevin Yan (the Keeper of the Bigside Bags) who did a superb job leading the team with care and enthusiasm on our pack runs, and Christian Greene and Kitty Murdoch (the Huntsmen) were reliable vice-captains. Particular mention should go to Charlotte Warren and Solly Scott who both made it through the various stages of the Inter-school Cross Country Championships, with Charlotte going on to come third at the English Schools’
Championships in Liverpool, which is a huge achievement. Charlotte should also be commended for doing so well at the fixtures this term, including an impressive first place for her age at the Marlborough school event. Unfortunately Alistair Fletcher was injured very early in the term, which put him out of the competitions. I’m sure he will more than make up for this next year! This has been one of the friendliest most determined determined teams to date and it
has been a real pleasure running with them without much need for encouragement or coaxing through the muddy runs!
Louisa Hume
Rackets
This year, the boys and girls put in a lot of hard work in both practice and matches and there was a fun atmosphere. Ollie ‘the Meds’ Meadows captained the side and was inspirational in getting the squad to gel and encouraging every player. Ollie’s partner, Luke Sutor, only played one match at the beginning of the season against Tonbridge and then sadly couldn’t play due to injury, so Jake Davies stepped up. To begin with, Jake was a little out of his depth but hard work and encouragement from Meds meant that he reached 1st pair standard and
they competed well against the other schools. Ollie did very well at Queen’s in the singles and reached the quarter-finals, losing to the 1st seed 17/15, 16/14 in a cracking match. In the girls’ doubles at Queen’s, Sofia Trujillo and Millie Isaacs did fantastically well, getting to the semi-finals where they finally lost to Wellington. The senior girls (Noa Gispan, Katya Saint, Flora McHattie and Ella Koupparis) played steady rackets all year. There were some good battles for the Colts (Joss Plummeridge and
Harrison Tate) and the girls’ Colts (Sofia Trujillo, Millie Isaacs, Eve Condell, Gwen Morris, Georgia Culley, Amelia Campbell and Beatrice Croft), and the Junior Colts (Will Windows, Joe Naughton, Wilf Murphy, Marcus Allan, Simon Koupparis, Charlie Davies, Izzy Copeland, Mor Gispan, Nysia Fry and Georgina Soloman) all competed well. The six Yearling boys and four Yearling girls showed great enthusiasm and commitment and played some silky rackets. Well done to Morgan Barnes, Archie Campbell, Ethan Strong,
Felix Willis, Elliott Watkins, Toby Denner, Greer Barnes, Nina Nissim, Isabella Maloney and Yejun Kim. The Windows Trophy was won by Ollie Meadows in the Senior Tournament. The Inverdale Racket was won by Marcus Allan In the Junior Tournament. The Beale Board was won by Noa Gispan in the Girls’ Tournament.
Reggie Williams
Fencing The fencing team, once again, showed great skill and determination this season. In the fixture against Marlborough College, our fencers were fantastic hosts and had many epic bouts in the foil and épée weapons. Although we did not win against Marlborough, our fencers showed excellent teamwork in the relay matches and this was a valuable experience for all involved.
Samantha Daubney
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Valete David Richardson David joined Clifton in September 2005. He is a kind, well respected and valued member of our community and he will be sorely missed by all. He has contributed widely to the school in his time here and has always considered the wellbeing of both staff and students a priority, showing compassion and empathy. To name but a few of his accomplishments: David has been appointed as Head of Physics (twice!) and NEU representative; he has hosted and managed PGCE students for many years; been Assistant Housemaster of East Town; and has played the trumpet in the school’s Jazz Band! Students admire David’s enthusiasm and extensive knowledge of physics. He is always creating innovative resources or experiments (for example, a giant Airzooka!), and
Miranda Fowler Miranda Motley joined Clifton in 2014 after completing Teach First. She taught Spanish, and latterly French, to all levels. Miranda immediately threw herself into all that the Modern Languages Department offered and introduced many
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through this passion, he has developed an excellent rapport with all of his classes. I know the pupils will be sad to see him leave; he has played a crucial role in fostering an enjoyment of the subject. During his time at Clifton, David has had a sabbatical to deliver his ‘Ever Wondered Why?’ roadshow for the Institute of Physics, and in 2012 he received an MBE for services to science education in Africa. David is clearly a skilful individual; his ability to speak fluent French came in handy on the Physics Department’s 2018 trip to CERN in Geneva! David leaves us to pursue further work with PGCE students at Bristol University and to develop the education business he has recently started. He is an optimistic, kind and incredibly talented individual and it is with a heavy heart that we see him go. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
Becca Luker
new initiatives. She ran Year 9 Spanish Salsa, prepared pupils for poetry competitions and went on to organise the poetry event itself. She organised lectures from Bristol University academic staff as well as visits to the university. Miranda also prepared pupils for inter-school Modern Languages debates, at which she was always a positive and encouraging presence. As Teaching and Learning representative, Miranda brought great ideas to her lessons. She was generous with her time and gave extra oral practices in the run-up to exams and to help out struggling pupils. Miranda has been an endlessly supportive colleague and it is no surprise that she also volunteered to mentor two NQTs. Miranda helped extensively with the co-curricular programme with activities such as Junior
Scholars, Junior Debating and Terriers. Miranda was an inaugural Senior Tutor and a long term tutor in Worcester House, with a brief spell in North Town. She organised trips to Oxford University for Junior Scholars and for linguists and was part of the Spanish Department Salamanca trip and joint trip leader for a study trip to Paris. Typical of Miranda’s organisation and energy was her reconnaissance trip to Paris; Miranda, her father and her husband, Tim, are passionate about trains, and so Clifton went to Paris courtesy of GWR and TGV. Miranda has a very warm, caring, positive manner with colleagues and students. At social functions with the department, her great sense of humour always had us in stitches. Miranda was a person
who stood by her convictions, challenged where appropriate and was always ambitious for her classes, our department and our college to improve. Miranda became Miranda Fowler in 2017 at a wedding which was Kentish, international and musical. Music has always been at the heart of Tim and Miranda’s lives. It is fitting that she conducted the Clifton Chamber Orchestra in her final year. Miranda and Tim had a son, Henry, in 2018 and Miranda is moving back to Kent to take up the Head of French post at Maidstone Grammar School, where she will be closer to family. Miranda is a dear friend to many colleagues at Clifton and she will be greatly missed by staff and students.
Owen Lewis and Michelle Harris
Department in the Pre has seamlessly facilitated the ongoing journey for EAL students into the Upper School, allowing them to excel in all facets of their life at Clifton.
Alissa Goefron Alissa Goefron joined the EAL team in 2015 and has captained the ship with aplomb, with the department serving as a worldwise tugboat guiding the biggershipped departments in and out of port. A long-serving and vastly experienced practitioner of the EAL art, Alissa brought a wealth of experience to the role, be it in the form of guiding our GCSE non-native speakers through their exams, providing additional one-to-one support for those embarking on their academic futures, or raising the profile of the IELTS qualification essential for the transition into Higher Education for many of our overseas Sixth Formers. As if this were not enough, her ability to maintain superbly symbiotic ties with the wonderful EAL
Beyond the classroom, her adeptness at Mandarin has seen, year on year, the wonderful Chinese Moon Festival and New Year meals go off with a bang. It has been amazing to see how many teachers appear to have Mandarin/EAL connections come the time of these meals! Expertly guiding us mortals through the nuances of proper Chinese cuisine and tradition has been fascinating, and all with the humble air of someone who will never accept the credit deservingly bestowed upon them. Her announcements and promotion of staff yoga will be sorely (for want of a better word) missed as will she, most of all by the department that she leaves behind. As a Head of Department, she has been the emotional core and fearless leader, holding the record for the most number of tabs open at one time on her computer but, most importantly, the department is in rude health because of all she has given to it. We wish Alissa the very best in her next adventure with Pete.
Dom Harris
“And all with the humble air of someone who will never accept the credit deservingly bestowed upon them.”
Andrea Ballance On joining Clifton in 2007 as Head of Economics and Business, Andrea quickly got a reputation for being efficient and hard-working and she threw herself into the all-round life that is Clifton. She was a tutor in Oakeley’s House until she took over Worcester as Housemistress in 2010 and yet for the first year also carried on as Head of Department until a new one could be found, such was her dedication. It became clear early on that she could pretty much turn her hand to anything. When she started, she ran a Brownie pack and, over the years, Andrea has coached sailing, hockey, netball, tennis and helped run the Fifth Form Enterprise programme. In 2018 when, tragically, we lost our golf coach to cancer, Andrea stepped up and took on the running of golf with Paul Romaines and in this role she has encouraged girls to excel in the sport. A competitive housemistress, she loved to see her Worcester girls, who hailed from all over
the world, take part in all aspects of school life and do well academically, and she supported them in all of their endeavours. Her aim was always to turn out mature, calm and independent girls. The pupils always spoke of her as fair, interested, caring, patient, approachable and calm. The Sixth Form in particular always reported that they felt she really respected them, focussed on their needs and, having three daughters of her own, understood their issues. There was always a good sense of House spirit in Worcester under her leadership and the girls said that the emphasis was on participation and support rather than winning and they knew that they were valued for what they put in. Andrea’s departure marks the end of an era for Worcester House and she will be missed throughout the entire College. We wish her all the best in her new ventures on her family’s estate and we hope to see her back in Clifton often in the future.
Alex Tebay and Ed Swanwick
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Paul Romaines Before joining Clifton, Paul had a successful career in first class cricket with spells at Northants (1973-76), Durham (1977-81) and Gloucestershire (1981-96). The last five years at Gloucestershire were in a coaching role and occasionally he would coach at Clifton, assisting Lanion Hall, who was then Master in Charge of Cricket in the Prep School. On one occasion, he arrived to coach with Lanion and was slightly perplexed to find no one in the nets so he wandered around to New Field to find that Lanion had set up a middle practice. Paul entered the outfield from backward point, where the ball had just been hit, swooped to collect the ball one-handed and ran the batsman out. It was at this point that Lanion called Paul over to explain that they were actually playing a match against Millfield. Following the sudden death of Jim Andrew in the summer of 1996, Douglas Henderson (the then Master i/c Cricket) approached Paul in the bar at Lord’s to see if he might coach at Clifton that winter. This he did and in April the following year Paul was appointed as cricket professional. Paul’s first school fixture was against Downside
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and he was struck by the extraordinary fielding positions being employed, many of which he had never encountered in 25 years of first class cricket, and he was even more surprised when they seemed to work! The prospect of raising the standard of Clifton’s cricket was, at first, a huge challenge, but gradually good cricketers emerged and the quality of the cricket became more competitive. I arrived to run the cricket at Clifton in September 2003. Paul and I quickly developed a great working relationship and I certainly benefited hugely from his knowledge and experience. A vast number of pupils and Old Cliftonians will be forever thankful for the dedication and time that Paul has given to coaching cricket at Clifton. I hope that many of them will get the opportunity to thank Paul in the future for all that he has done to make them better cricketers and better human beings. Paul also played a huge role in coaching rugby, football and golf. He twice was awarded the coach of the year award for taking unbeaten Yearlings B rugby sides, an amazing achievement as he had never played rugby and did not know the rules! He also turned his hand to coaching squash and helped
with abseiling in the gorge as part of the Terriers programme, something he also coordinated for 15 years. For 23 years, Paul has been a tutor in two Houses. He tutored for eight years in Moberly’s and 15 in North Town, being Assistant Housemaster for 10 of those years. Hundreds of OCs have benefitted from Paul being an honest and supportive tutor. When Paul started at Clifton he found himself at something of a loose end during the winter months so he asked if there was any way that he could be involved in some teaching. With this came the opportunity to get involved with the delivery of the PSHE programme, something he has continued for 22 years, including a spell as Head of Department. I asked Paul what he was going to miss about Clifton. This was his reply: ‘I am going to miss the Common Room and my friends, the sport, the cricket, the pavilion and the Close, the pupils and the banter, the Chapel, North Town and the personalities in that House, beating the pupils at table tennis, drinks on the last day of the Summer Term and looking at the school and thinking, what an amazing place to work.’.
John Bobby
Gareth Westwater
Adam Sibley
Gareth joined Clifton in September 2018 and quickly established himself as an enthusiastic and innovative classroom practitioner with a passion for teaching. His enthusiasm for using technology in his teaching stood him in good stead during his final term at Clifton when he made a seamless transition to online teaching. During his two years here he maintained high expectations of his pupils and worked tirelessly to enable them to achieve their full potential. His dedicated and involved approach was also appreciated by the U15B Junior Colts on the rugby pitch, where he impressed his team with displays of his skills in training. He has refereed home matches, which is never easy, and has shown his clear knowledge and understanding of the game with the whistle in hand. Passionate, analytical and direct are the three words that summarise his coaching style, not only with rugby but with football and tennis as well. In addition to his full timetable and co-curricular contributions, Gareth provided pastoral support to boys in Wiseman’s House and East Town. During his time at Clifton, Gareth became a father for the first time and, as he leaves us to take up a teaching post at QEH, we wish him and his family the very best of luck.
Adam joined Clifton in 1991 following his first teaching post at Sevenoaks School. He quickly made his mark at Clifton as a history teacher of some renown, and one steeped in the profession. Adam is an outstanding classroom practitioner; his lessons are always great fun, with a willingness to take risks, enthusiastically delivered and carefully researched. His passion for the Crusades, modern European history and the First World War will have influenced generations of Cliftonians and be remembered fondly by all. Adam (or ‘Sibs’ as he is better known) is the very epitome of the public school master.
Anastassia Myers
In 1994 he was made joint Head of History with Peter Lidington and between them they ran the happiest of departments. Adam was Assistant Housemaster in East Town, and has been a tutor in Polack’s House, School House and North Town. In 1998 Adam was made Housemaster of Wiseman’s House and enjoyed, with Jane and his family (Fred was born while they were in Wiseman’s), six very fulfilling years, although not without its challenges. The boys adored Adam and he led the House into a new era. He gave the boys freedom to make mistakes, but never judged them and this created a wonderful sense of unity and the strongest House spirit. Adam has been a great advocate and leader of school history trips. His First World War battlefields trips to France and Belgium, now over 30 years in existence, became legendary. His knowledge of the war, the cemeteries, the battles and the personal anecdotes is quite remarkable - this enthusiasm made its
mark on hundreds of OCs. He also led and organised trips to Berlin and Paris, which showcased his wide-ranging knowledge and ability to make history accessible for all. To be a member of staff on one of Adam’s trips was to be in safe hands, and certainly well looked after. Beyond the classroom, Adam has enjoyed a remarkable career. He has coached three terms of sport for over 30 years: U16 rugby, and more recently Big Side Two rugby; 2nd and 3rd XI cricket (and ran the staff ‘Crocodiles’ team); and both junior and senior hockey; and in recent years he has added golf to his coaching resume. His patience and good grace were always paramount in his coaching, but this belied a steely determination and one reflecting his own sporting interests and prowess (rugby, cricket and golf). He set up
Clifton’s Model United Nations and led annual trips to the conferences at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. Over the last 10 years, Adam has been President of the Senior Common Room. He faced the challenges calmly and with aplomb, supporting colleagues in every way. His end of year staff leavers’ speeches were brilliantly entertaining and will never be matched, so too the staff end of term parties which he selflessly organised. Loyal, caring and completely dedicated, Adam has been an outstanding member of the Clifton community and contributed to every area of school life. Quite simply, they don’t make them like this anymore - he will be missed so very much. Adam has our very best wishes for what looks to be a busy retirement.
Simon Tait
“Loyal, caring and completely dedicated, Adam has been an outstanding member of the Clifton community and contributed to every area of school life.”
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Peter Lidington Peter joined the History Department in 1988 from Watford Grammar School for Boys, where he started his teaching career, following a short spell in banking. Over the next three decades Peter dedicated himself to life at Clifton, teaching history and politics to several generations (including a number of the current teaching staff) and playing a full and active role in all areas of school life. He has been an exceptional schoolmaster, and much loved by those he has taught, coached or supported pastorally. Peter (known to most as ‘Lids’) has been Head of History (1994 to 2009) and Head of Politics (2004 to 2020), a department he initiated. Indeed, Peter has been a head of a department for the last 26 years, which must be a record. Peter ran his departments with the lightest touch whilst maintaining the most caring and thoughtful approach. His departmental meetings were always great fun and the minutes were legendary. In the classroom, his lessons were professional and knowledgeable, and yet Peter was always willing to allow his pupils room to explore ideas and issues, making for some lively intellectual debate. His enthusiasm and commitment to his subjects was foremost - he has a keen interest in eighteenth-century British history, an insider’s take on the British parliamentary system and in recent years developed an expertise in the history and politics of the United States of America. Above all, Peter cared about those he taught and those who were in his department and took the time and interest to get to know his pupils and staff.
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Outside the classroom, Peter’s contributions ranged far and wide. A fine cricketer in his own right, Peter has coached cricket, rugby, football and, in more recent times, tennis. He refereed both rugby and football for many years, taking on the often onerous responsibility of senior home matches. He was the Assistant Housemaster in both Brown’s (Moberly’s today) and the South Town, and a tutor in North Town and Watson’s. He worked with marketing on public relations, chaired the ball committee, supported Clifton’s
community programme for years and served on numerous school and SCR committees. Peter has been a stalwart of the Clifton community. His other great commitment has been as a GCSE History examiner. Starting in 1988, Peter has worked his way up to Principal Examiner in more recent years. This knowledge and experience proved invaluable in the History Department as Peter shared his insight and findings in an effort to improve his pupils’ exam
technique and chances and develop his own teaching staff. Gentle, kind and convivial, Peter’s approach endears him to all. His 32 year career at Clifton has been one of dedication and service and all done with an incredible modesty and with a lovely sense of humour. He will be missed hugely and he has our very best wishes for a busy retirement examining and tending to his allotment.
Simon Tait
“He has been an exceptional schoolmaster, and much loved by those he has taught, coached or supported pastorally.”
the pre-university courses that we enjoyed teaching to the Upper Sixth in the Summer Term. Outside of the classroom, Becki has been a tutor in East Town, led Senior Debating and coached both hockey and netball, including what she describes as the ‘mighty’ 3rd XI hockey team.
Allan Crocker
Sian Hurst
Becki Davies
Retiring more than once may not be unheard of but Allan Crocker holds the record, having retired at least four times without actually having ceased employment. Allan came to Clifton in September 2000. He has worked in the print room and has been a dedicated member of staff in the CCF, where he supported the Navy section. He has worked as Chapel Verger and has been part of Oakeley’s House, helping out with their events. All schools need someone like Allan, who can instantly be relied upon to help out, whatever the situation.
Sian has been a dedicated member of the College for the short time she has been here. She joined the Design and Technology Department in September 2018, enabling us to include Textiles Technology in the Clifton College curriculum. She has been an excellent classroom teacher and technologist as well as contributing to the wider life of the school. Sian has worked with staff across the College on projects such as Treefest and she even ran workshops for staff. Sian has also been a dedicated, hardworking tutor for Holland’s House. Sian will be missed but we do wish her well both in her business, ‘Button & Brew’, as well as working with students in her next school.
Becki came to Clifton in the Michaelmas Term of 2018 to take up the post of Head of Sixth Form, having previously been at King Edward’s School in Bath. In an amazingly short period of time, she came to know all our Sixth Form and it seemed like she had been at Clifton for years. She is ruthlessly well organised and effortlessly efficient. As well as managing the 44 Sixth Form tutors, and developing the Clifton Futures programme, Becki was a superb history and politics teacher and most recently has masterminded
In his spare time, Allan works tirelessly for others and has taken part in the annual Sleep Out in aid of Crisis Centre Ministries, helping to highlight the plight of homeless people in Bristol. He is an institution at Clifton and he will be sorely missed, not least for his ability to turn his hand to anything, to be endlessly kind and, more often than not, sarcastic. We wish him all the very best in his retirement, much of which will surely be spent at Thornbury Archery Club. That is, if he actually retires.
Tim Greene
Becki has also been a key member of the Senior Management Team. She can be relied on to challenge decisions but always with a twinkle in the eye and a great sense of fun and good humour. She has been key to developing the Bristol Education Partnership, a group of five independent and five state schools in Bristol and I cannot thank her enough for the hours of work she has given to this project and how much she has contributed to its being such a success. It is clear to all who have worked with Becki over these last couple of years just how deeply she cares about the pupils. She is always ready to do all she can to support them and help them make the right decisions about their future. We shall miss her a great deal as the next step of her future sees her moving to take up a Deputy Head position at Bristol Grammar School.
Tim Greene
Vicki Jackson
“All schools need someone like Allan, who can instantly be relied upon to help out, whatever the situation.” The Cliftonian 2020 | 127
Development Trust
Fundraising Fun at the Percival Dinner A great night in October 2019 was enjoyed by all who attended the Percival Dinner, held for the first time in Clifton. This biennial event attracted an audience from across the globe and the Clifton community, including young and senior OCs, staff and parents. Guests were greeted by a floodlit College and red carpet flanked by Bentley cars (one of the main sponsors of the event, celebrating 100 years since the company was founded by Old Cliftonian, W. O. Bentley). The melodic sounds of the harp played by Gabriella Whittley enticed guests up to the drinks reception in the Percival Library, then (en route to dinner) guests were serenaded by the Chamber Choir 128 | Upper School 2020
directed by Romain Bornes. The atmospherically lit Big School looked resplendent for this first major function since the refit. There followed an evening of fun and entertainment with silent and live auctions and a film of three OCs reflecting on their time at Clifton and how it still impacts them today. A sparkling virtuoso musical performance from Henry Gittings and a moving speech from Katie Partridge, about how her bursary has changed her life and furthered her development as an England hockey player, added to the occasion. The evening raised in excess of £85,000 making it the most successful to date. All the proceeds go towards bursary support and the generosity of the guests will ensure there are some new names to add to the Benefactors’ Boards outside the Head Master’s office. A huge thank you to all who contributed.
Networking Breakfasts
Clifton Against Covid-19
The breakfasts have now become an established part of the Clifton calendar, held on the first Thursday of each month during term time in the Cricket Pavilion on the Close. Attended by OCs and parents (current and past), they provide an excellent opportunity for guests to share ideas and experiences about both their business and school, all in a convivial atmosphere whilst enjoying a wonderful breakfast provided by the school’s catering team.
Clifton ‘locked down’ in late March and a few of us quickly turned our thoughts on how we could help in the growing crisis. The early sad loss of a very supportive Old Cliftonian brought home the extent of the crisis and discussions between the Development and Bursar’s Offices led to the creation of a small task force of enthusiastic volunteers including the DT, health and safety and support staff. The school’s 3D and laser printers were put into immediate use, creating protective visors in response to the great concerns about the lack of PPE.
The wide range of topics for talks this year have included the Bristol Film Club, cybersecurity, the power of presentation, Bristol sport, investing in contemporary art, a light-hearted look at contract disputes, developing listed property, the role of the architect and developing employability skills in our young people. Parents from across the whole school are invited. To register, email:
jpickles@cliftoncollege.com
We soon realised we would need help from outside the College with the supply and provision of materials, so we wrote to the Old Cliftonians requesting access to materials, equipment or just cash to purchase what was needed. The response was terrific from all over the globe, with offers of masks, printing of labels for distribution and over £10,000 raised from individuals
and trusts. £10,000 quickly became £20,000 thanks to a very generous benefactor to the school. This gave us the ‘fuel we needed in the engine’ and, working through Easter and lockdown, we have produced over 3,000 pieces of PPE. They have been distributed to care homes, surgeries, pharmacies, shops and to the following charities: ‘Help the Homeless’, who have taken homeless people off the streets in Bristol and housed them in hotels and guest houses; and ‘FareShare’, who redistribute surplus food to those who need it most.
The response from the local community has been overwhelming and we have been moved by the number of positive comments received from the OC and Clifton community. At the time of writing, we continue in our efforts and will do so until the need is no more.
Jeremy Pickles
Consultant Director of Development
“The response was terrific from all over the globe.”
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Together, we are Clifton Clifton College 32 College Road Clifton, Bristol BS8 3JH T. +44 (0)117 315 7000 E. info@cliftoncollege.com clift oncollege.com
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