Ocellus Lent Term 2019

Issue 41 • April 2019 • Record of Lent Term 2019

THE

OCELLUS From the Headmaster

Greta Thunberg is fifteen, a pupil from Sweden. Recently she spoke at a meeting of the United Nations Climate Conference. It was a remarkable speech. With great self-confidence, she chided the delegates, ‘You only talk about moving forward with the same bad ideas that got us into this mess, even when the only sensible thing to do is pull the emergency brake. You are not mature enough to tell it like it is. Even that burden you leave to us children.’ It was an uncompromising observation, spoken to representatives of an organisation famous for trying to arrive at compromises. I was most struck by the accusation that the delegates were ‘not mature enough to tell it as it is’. Compromise is viewed, in many ways, as an adult activity. It is the result of experience. It tries to take slow, steady steps towards a solution. By contrast, young people are often criticised for oversimplifying, and with being impatient. Yet there is no doubt that the policy of compromise has drawbacks as well as strengths. On the positive side, it recognises that people do not always agree, and it is a way of avoiding conflict. On the other hand, it can also seem cynical and unprincipled: at best the policy of those who lack the courage of their convictions, at worst a cynical ploy to protect mutual interests. I suspect that was Greta’s point. The psychologist Kohlberg suggests that there are developing stages of moral decision-making. Making decisions based on self-interest or from conformity with the group, are judged as less developed, less mature, than when a person is able to make moral decisions from a principled conscience, and is willing to take a stand. On balance I suppose most of us would say there are times to compromise and times to take action. If so, one of the deciding factors must be urgency. The vast majority of the world’s scientists tell us that climate change is real, imminent and very dangerous. Our own David Attenborough spoke at the same UN conference as Greta, saying ‘“If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilizations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon." That certainly sounds urgent. Greta was speaking in coordination with strikes and demonstrations about climate change by schoolchildren around the world. It may be ill judged for a Headmaster to condone pupils skipping classes, but this is surely a time when younger voices must be heard, because their future is at stake. This is also a topic about which they seem to be speaking with more maturity than many adults.

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Front Page Photo: Inaugural Cokethorpe Show Jumping Competition

Academic Contents

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From the Headmaster 1 Academic 2-7 Junior School 8-13 Sixth Form 14-15 The Arts 16-19 Sport 20-23 Houses 24-25 CPA 25 AOB 26-27 The Cokethorpe Society 28 Beyond the Classroom 29 Annual Fund 30 Wider Community 30 Archives 31 Tail Feathers 32 ‘Ocellus’ (pronounced ‘oh, sell-us’) refers to the eye in the tail feathers of a peacock.

F1 in Schools Winning Team Congratulations to the Entry Class overall Regional Final winners: Phantom Engineering Dee Biles Malachy Brown Lewie Camidge Morgan Thomas Sam Copping Charlie Kerton

Congratulations to the winners of the Best Engineered Car Award: Peacock Power Bella Caffyn Rachael Elliott Aoife Kirkham Jasmine Hammond Anna Pratley Having only started to use the CAD program a few weeks ago this team designed a particularly impressive car which showing a huge amount of potential for the future.

Helping Your Child Prepare Effectively for Exams

A number of parents joined Mr Uglow on the evening of Tuesday 26 February for a talk on how they can help their children to manage the challenges posed by external examinations. Starting with a focus on brain development in adolescents, the talk progressed to distinguish 'effective' revision strategies from those that have less of an impact. Mr Uglow says 'Lots of pupils opt for low-challenge, high-reward revision strategies - often mistaking quantity of output (in the form of revision cards or highlighting) with success. Revision should be demanding and challenging; there are no short cuts!'. The presentation was well received and, whilst lacking a silver bullet, provided some helpful hints and tips to help parents manage the tumultuous teen years.

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F1 in Schools Competition

Two teams of pupils celebrated success in the regional final of the Formula 1 in Schools STEM challenge. The teams came home with the award in both the Best Engineered Car category, and first place in the Entry Class. The aim of the competition is to raise awareness and interest in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) to young people across the globe, providing a fun environment within which to learn about careers in engineering, Formula 1, science, marketing and technology. Pupils spent the preceding six weeks designing a car, creating a portfolio, pit display and producing a presentation for the judges. The cars were then propelled down a 25m track using a CO2 canister and the team with the quickest car on the track were crowned the winners. Pupils have shown an impressive amount of commitment, determination and team work.

Trip to Body Worlds Exhibition

On Monday 11 March, the A level Physical Education and Biology students travelled to London to visit the famous Body Worlds Exhibition. This is a museum that exhibits preserved human bodies through the process of plastination. It educates about the inner workings of the human body and shows the effects that daily lifestyle choices have on our health. There were over 200 exhibits spread over six galleries with information about all the body systems. This proved perfect timing with students currently studying respiratory and cardiovascular systems in these subjects. The students agreed the experience was fascinating, not only to inspire curiosity but also to deepen their understanding of the the theory being taught at school.

Third Form Trip to Hindu Temple

It is one thing to study Hinduism in our cosy classrooms: it is much more challenging to take a whole year group and immerse them in the sights, sounds and scents of Hindu culture – and yet this is what we have done. The entire Third Form recently journeyed to Neasden and spent a memorable morning in the company of Hindu guides who gently and calmly walked beside us on a journey of discovery at the Hindu Temple. There is a deep peace in this place – and, within minutes, calm infected all of our pupils. There was much to see, including a fascinating exhibition and a vibrant shop (henna sachets and mini statues of Ganesh proved particularly popular). Yet, for many pupils, by far their most wonder-filled moments were spent in the ornate prayer hall. Sitting on the warm marble floor, watching the softly changing pattern of coloured lights, observing Hindu worshippers at prayer, several pupils found themselves captivated by the gentle and tangible sense of holiness. For many, this really was an RS trip to remember – and to remember for life.

Academic Mr Owen's Pocket Book

'War Poetry is made meaningful and significant if pupils can experience something of the hardship of those who had to endure it. We no longer have opportunity to talk to veterans of World War I, so the English Department invite in a one-man show to re-create such an interaction. Rupert Mason of Redheart theatre gives us just that. Rupert has combined the poems, diaries, newspaper reports and speeches from those times to give us an authentic, first-person account of life in the trenches.' Mr Elkin-Jones 'On Thursday 31 January, the Third Form watched the play entitled Mr Owen's Pocketbook, providing an insight into Wilfred Owen's poetry. It was told from the point of view of a soldier in World War I who needs to deliver the news of Owen's death to his family. The play featured many war poems, such as: In Flanders Fields, Anthem for Doomed Youth, Dulce et Decorum Est and propaganda poems like Who's for the Game? The play helped contextualise information from both the English and History curriculum. It had a compelling way of describing Owen's poetry that was original and new.' Claudia Woods-Cano (Third Form, Swift)

Onatti Theatre Performance

This was the last performance of the year organised by Onatti and as always, the play did not disappoint. Year 6 and First Form pupils enjoyed watching 'un ticket pour l’espace', a play in French about an English boy travelling to space amongst a French crew. With audience participation the actors solved the clues. We must congratulate Oscar Luckett (First Form, Vanbrugh) who was on stage with the actors and impressed us with his amazing performance and excellent use of French phrases.

Lower Sixth Politics Trip to House of Commons

'On Monday 4 March, the Lower Sixth Politics and History students travelled to London to visit the Houses of Parliament. We were extremely lucky to be given a tour by our local MP, Robert Courts, who was very generous with his time. Our students were able to see how the building had evolved over the centuries and could pinpoint the setting from some of the great moments in British history. We were also able to spot some very notable politicians going about their business which filled our lunchbreak following the tour. In the afternoon we were lucky enough to gain tickets to watch the afternoon debates in the Commons chamber. We were able to watch a debate on housing, we enjoyed the Speaker of the House, John Bercow in full flow as he criticised the behaviour of the government in managing the process of Brexit and we finished by watching the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, deliver a statement in response to the tragic stabbings that had just occurred during the previous week.' Mr Rudge

Intermediate Maths Challenge Results

Third Form Best in Third Form and Qualified for Grey Kangaroo - Jamie Dalton Jamie Dalton Jamie Wehrle Emilia Graf Lucas Bennett Elliot Beale Yichao Sun Claudia Woods-Cano Navid Mowat Romilly McIntosh Gemma Croker

Silver Silver Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze

Fourth Form Best in Fourth Form, Qualified for Pink Kangaroo - Harrison Procter Qualified for Pink Kangaroo - Jenny Allen, Ciara McCarthy Harrison Procter Jenny Allen Ciara McCarthy Lucas Goodgame Lucia Scott Fabian May Joseph Gonella Khadija Karrouchi Freddie Beaumont Jamie Minns Joe Ponsford Zoe Smith Tony Nguyen Samuel Cruttenden Amelia Knight Reuben Miller

Gold Gold Gold Silver Silver Silver Silver Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze

Fifth Form Best in School, Best in Fifth Form, Qualified for Pink Kangaroo - Samuel Carter Samuel Carter Samuel Elek Elen Moore Ewan Short Poppy Wehrle Tom Potter Tiego Logan Freddie Quartley Priya Ahluwalia George London Alex Petrou Edward Owens Charlie Symonds Ella Cammack Kitty Miller

Gold Gold Gold Silver Silver Silver Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze

Maths Feast

'On Monday 11 March, we were able to take two teams along to Wheatley Park School for the Fourth Form Maths Feast. The multiple rounds the teams faced required quick thinking, mental agility and high levels of teamwork. The pupils enjoyed the challenges of the evening, with one of the teams jointly winning the Higher or Lower round, and look forward to seeing this different form of mathematics again in the future.' Mr Bosse

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Academic Gifted and Talented Day

On Friday 8 March, Miss Murray and Ms Ladell-Stuart accompanied 26 'Gifted and Talented' pupils to Oxford for a Masterclass by Academy Conferences. The day began with some unexpected electric guitar solos from one of the speakers, Dr Mark Lewney, who later informed and entertained his audience with a talk on the physics of guitar music. Other highlights of the day were discussions, led by academics, focussing on the philosophy of matter, the psychology of achievement, and the relationship between science and philosophy. Later in the day students were invited to contribute their own thoughts to a mass debate on the role of the monarchy in the 21st Century, providing an energetic and interesting conclusion to a profoundly thoughtprovoking day.

Classics Conference

Over 120 students and teachers of Classics gathered at Cokethorpe for the annual Oxfordshire Classical Association Conference on Thursday 14 February, hosted by the Classics Department. The event is run by the Oxfordshire branch of the Classical Association to promote and further students' understanding of the Latin authors they study at A Level. Students attended from schools across Oxfordshire and the city of Oxford. Leading academics from Oxford University including Professor Stephen Heyworth, Dr Tristan Franklinos, Dr Andrew Sillett, and Dr Luke Pitcher delivered lectures on a range of topics set for Latin A Level, from Vergil's Aeneid, to Cicero's speeches.

Royal Society Biology Competition

The top biologists in Third and Fourth Form have been pitting their wits against their peers from across, not only the nation but the globe, as they took part in the annual Royal Society of Biology's Biology Challenge 2019. The challenge consists of two 25 minute online tests based on the curriculum but also rewards those pupils who have engaged with science through wider reading, watching natural history documentaries and keeping abreast of biological developments through an interest in news media. Top scoring students will be offered the opportunity to attend an award ceremony in London. We await the final results in the coming weeks but many of our pupils did themselves proud.

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Onatti Theatre Performance

On Thursday 17 January, the MFL Department had the pleasure of welcoming the Onatti Theatre group who performed a play in Spanish to our First and Second Form pupils. Set in the Wild West, in America in 1882, the two actors delivered a play entirely in Spanish. The play was based around a robbery which took place in a saloon and included a talent show and magic tricks. Lily Cannell (Second Form, Queen Anne) played a key role in the performance, as the bartender who assisted the actors.

Visit to University of Bath

'After over a week of exams, Fifth Form pupils visited Bath University in order to explore potential prospects for our lives beyond School. We were given a tour of the university campus and had the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session with current students, learning about the different courses offered as well as gaining an insight into student life. The day proved very enjoyable and was of great value to us as we begin to think about what we plan to do next.' Poppy Wehrle (Fifth Form, Queen Anne)

GCSE Art and Textiles Trip

Fifth Form GCSE Art and Textiles pupils visited Oxford to start their exam projects. This year the topics include themes such as ‘Dwellings’ and ‘Birds’ so the pupils explored the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, The Pitt Rivers and The Covered Market in Oxford, gathering visual research through photography and sketching.Pupils were also able to photograph Oxford before returning to School for a mixed media drawing workshop, using their photographs from the trip.

Scholars' Dinner

On Thursday 8 March Academic Scholars, their parents and teachers attended the annual Scholars' Dinner. This year's event saw the launch of the new Scholars' Journal, an impressive collection of articles on a wide range of subjects, all researched and written by Academic Scholars over the course of the last term. Guests were addressed by our guest speaker Revd Sir Ralph Waller, whose words of encouragement, and promotion of academic endeavour were enlivening for both students and teachers alike.

First Form Longbow Demonstration

On Friday 15 March, pupils from the First Form were treated to a longbow demonstration by The Society of Finsbury Archers. After a lively and engaging account of Henry V’s famous victory at the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War, it was outside to the School grounds to see some archers in action. Despite the windy conditions on the day, pupils were amazed at the range and accuracy of this ancient form of artillery.

Academic First Form Latin Spelling Bee

On Thursday 14 March, Cokethorpe sent a team of seven First Form Latinists to the third Annual Latin Spelling Bee held at Harris Academy Chafford Hundred. They spent the preceding weeks leading up to the competition revising the vocabulary list and sharpening their grammar. There were 120 competitors in total from seventeen different schools. The goal in sight was the Bronze Laurel Leaf trophy, awarded to the best-performing school overall. Our team, who had been chosen for their excellent recall and accuracy with the language, were tested in a variety of different rounds, including picture tasks, listening and speed translation. Caroline Lawrence, an author of youth fiction inspired by Pompeii and Rome who has visited Cokethorpe before, even tweeted the School saying how much she enjoyed reading the answers of our Cokethorpe pupils.

Macbeth Theatre Trip

'On Wednesday 9 January the English Department took the Fourth Form to see the National Theatre touring production of Macbeth at the New Theatre, Oxford. This tragic play confronts death, misery and pain caused by the mistakes made by humans. The production was particularly interesting not only because the play is coursework later in the year, but also because we are studying a modern tragic play which makes interesting modifications to the tragic form.' Ciara McCarthy (Fourth Form, Feilden)

BTEC Visit to Unipart

The Upper Sixth BTEC Business students were fortunate enough to hear first-hand about the role of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) within Unipart, Oxford. CSR involves employee engagement and commercial initiatives which are pivotal to the delivery of CSR. The session concluded with an intense competition between two groups that focused on each group taking the role of CEO and their responses to a CSR issue this caused many discussions and highlighted the stakeholder conflicts as a result of the decisions made.

Room 101

For the Third Form, the culmination of the half term in the English Department is the annual Room 101 competition with representatives from each class going head to head in the popular persuasive speech format. With wise words imploring a focus on the power and importance of the spoken word in our everyday interactions from Head of English, Miss Jackson, this year's contest was the best ever with a genuine commitment to performance, tone and engagement alongside the incorporation of rhetorical devices, structural patterns and engaging emotion. With topics from the serious horrors of animal cruelty to the ridiculous fluorescent lycra of cyclists, the discussion amongst the judges was intense.

National Photography Awards

Congratulations to Finley GregoryNewman (First Form, Queen Anne) who has been shortlisted in the secondary category in the National Schools Photography Awards reaching the final 25. 'I was very fortunate to spend a few days in Lake Garda as part of my summer holiday last year. This was the view from my bedroom and I would sit and eat my breakfast on the terrace alongside the lake. I was inspired to take this photo because the landscape captivated me and I wanted to take something home with me that reminded me of how lucky I have been to visit such a beautiful place.'

Formula 1 in Schools Trip to Airbus

Following their success at the regional championship, the Phantom Engineering team were invited to attend the national finals at Airbus. This was a fantastic opportunity to soak up some of the ideas and innovation on show to bring back to School in preparation for next season's car, portfolio and pit design.

Room 101 Results

Congratulations to the following pupils for their participation in the Room 101 competition who have been awarded the following: Highly Commended - Yichao Sun Third Place - Claudia Woods-Cano Second Place - Jamie Wehrle First Place - Maddie Abbs-Woodd

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Academic Polyglot

A polyglot is a person with a command of many languages. A polyglot may also be called multilingual, although that term is used for communities as well as individuals.

French Films

Pupils had the opportunity to watch and appreciate authentic films, characters and stories to which our pupils were able to relate. On Tuesday 2 April, all First Form pupils were treated to an outing to the Phoenix Picture House cinema in Jericho, Oxford, to watch a legendary French film called le Petit Nicolas. The film tells the story of a mischievous boy who panics when he realises that his parents are going to have another baby. With the help of his friends, he tries to stop this from happening, resulting in a charming story which our pupils have particularly enjoyed. The screening was in French, bien sur, with subtitles, to allow our pupils to savour a more authentic experience. They savoured this moment effortlessly and with great maturity.

Polyglot Week

Polyglot week was a wonderful opportunity for Cokethorpe to celebrate languages in all their forms. Pupils have participated in many events throughout the week, discovering the cultural dimension of the languages they are studying. The MFL and Classics departments joined forces to create a linguistic journey in which students could fully immerse themselves. French Third Form classes attended an 'Atelier phonétique', a workshop on French phonetics with Alliance Française and were fully involved around a carousel of linguistic activities. Led by French specialists, this session was a perfect opportunity to consolidate their prior knowledge. Our French and Spanish linguists in the Lower Sixth brilliantly led the Mental Maths competition between the Third Form tutor groups on two consecutive days in registration. Students had a month to practise saying out loud a series of mental calculations in the purest French and Spanish accent, from simple additions to more complex multiplications. Twelve students won this competition and represented their Houses with pride and linguistic talent. The Spanish food tasting enjoyed by Third Form was ¡muy bien! Delicacies enjoyed included jamón serrano and queso de manchego. Least popular was the gazpacho (cold tomato soup) and most popular were the palmeritas. Much discussion ensued about the relative merits of how each food tasted, as well as some history of Spanish tapas. ¡Qué delicioso!

On Wednesday 3 April, it was our Second Form cohort who had the pleasure of viewing a film also in French, with a twist. We selected an animated film called tout en haut du monde - Long Way North in English. The film is a French-Danish animation that tells the story of a young Russian girl whose grandfather has disappeared whilst looking for the North Pole. She embarks on a quest to find him and to save her family’s reputation. Suspense and mystery kept the Second Form pupils glued to their seat as the plot thickened and the adventure revealed surprising obstacles. Again, the Second Form pupils showed open-mindedness whilst watching such an uncommon film.

Two Spanish Third Form classes were treated to a lesson of Salsa dancing from Señora Montiel. After an energetic warmup, the pupils followed a fun routine of basic salsa steps and instructions given in Spanish. The lesson proved to be a lively way for the pupils to enjoy and experience a part of Spanish culture outside the classroom, with many showing lots of enthusiasm and talent. Several talks from staff took place throughout the week at lunch times including a talk from Mr Laver titled Euskadi: A Nation within a Nation, whilst Mr Goulding from Classics dedicated his session to The Gobbet: An Unexpected Journey Through Latin Poetry. Our inspired Catering Team offered us a week of culinary delights: Monday was dedicated to Italy, Tuesday to France, Wednesday to Spain and Thursday to Germany. From coq au vin to paella, we all travelled through Europe in four days and have been able to admire beautiful displays of traditional food in the Dining Hall.

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Academic Third Form Leadership Scheme

On Friday 29 March, Third Form pupils embarked on a City and Guilds Level 2 Award for Young Leaders. Provided by the Institute of Leadership and Management, and delivered by Cokethorpe as an accredited provider, this is a prestigious qualification that will give our young leaders skills that will be extremely valuable, now and in later life. The course began with an introduction to leadership delivered by the School’s Leadership Coordinator, Mr Carter. The subsequent session was on self-leadership, and included a test of pupils’ resilience, ingenuity and organisation. They were set the task of competing as individuals to collect objects against the clock from around the School, in order to gain points. While the pupils enjoyed racing around the School, the real benefit was in the subsequent reflection and learning, which will become a regular part of the remainder of the course. Three more sessions are planned, and will culminate in active and adventurous team-based tasks, in which pupils will practice the leadership and team skills they have learned on the course. These will take place off-site during curriculum enrichment week. The City and Guilds Level 2 Award for Young Leaders looks set to be an enjoyable and highly-prized scheme that will become a regular feature of Third Form life at Cokethorpe.

Team Maths Challenge

On Tuesday 12 March, a team of four pupils from the Second and Third Form visited the Andrew Wiles Building at Oxford University for the Team Maths Challenge. The team of Malachy Brown (Second Form, Queen Anne), Freddie Murfitt (Second Form, Queen Anne), Jamie Wehrle (Third Form, Queen Anne) and Yichao Sun (Third Form, Vanbrugh) enjoyed taking on some challenging questions. The team did very well against very strong competition. The Team Maths Challenge is organised by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust and is designed to test your mathematical skills, as well as teamwork and communication.

Forthcoming Academic Events Inter-House DT Competition Monday 13 May - Thursday 16 May 2019 Sixth Form Service Week Monday 20 May - Friday 24 May

Holocaust Education Trust Awareness Course

'We were privileged to attend two symposiums and a day trip to Auschwitz, with the Holocaust Memorial Trust Lessons from Auschwitz programme. The purpose of the scheme is to raise awareness of the everlasting impact of the Holocaust. The first seminar consisted of a trip to London, where we discussed our pre-conceptions of the Holocaust. We also heard a testimony from survivor Susan Pollack MBE, a Hungarian Jew who was sent to Auschwitz in May 1944, during which she compellingly explained her own experience. This seminar was then followed by an intensely emotional trip to Auschwitz and nearby Oświęcim; where we experienced a tour of Auschwitz main camp and Birkenau. During this tour, we paused at several points to discuss ideas initiated in the introductory seminar. At the end of a thought-provoking day, we concluded with a memorial ceremony commemorating those who lost their lives as a result of the Holocaust. Shortly after our return to the UK we took part in a follow-up session, in which as a group we reflected upon our individual experiences whilst discussing our next steps as ambassadors for the Trust. Overall, the opportunity was cherished by us all, it gave us a deeper insight into the cultural and religious impact of the Holocaust both on a relativistic and global scale, and it will forever change our perception of global affairs and the core of humanity itself.' Ciara Thatcher (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne) and Emily Counter (Lower Sixth, Swift)

Senior School Prize Giving Friday 5 July Whole School STEM Week Monday 30 September - Friday 4 October 2019 Green Week Monday 14 October - Friday 18 October 2019

Lessons from Auschwitz Project

Since 1999, over 39,000 students and teachers have taken part in the Holocaust Educational Trust's groundbreaking Lessons from Auschwitz Project. Based on the premise that 'hearing is not like seeing', this four-part course explores the universal lessons of the Holocaust and its relevance for today. The LFA Project aims to increase knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust for young people and to clearly highlight what can happen if prejudice and racism become acceptable. The visits to the former Nazi concentration and death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau are preceded and followed by half-day seminars in order to ensure an exceptional educational experience.

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Junior School NSPCC Speak out Stay safe Campaign

For further information on the NSPCC and their Speak out Stay safe campaign, visit https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/ services/speak-out-stay-safe/ Speak out Stay safe is a session available to all primary schools in the UK. It aims to equip a generation of children with the knowledge and understanding they need to stay safe from abuse and neglect. Children are taught to speak out if they are worried, either to a trusted adult or Childline. Trained NSPCC volunteers and staff deliver an assembly and workshop with the help of the Speak out Stay safe mascot, Buddy the speech bubble. Pupils are taught in a lively, memorable and child-friendly way. By the end of the visit, children feel empowered - knowing how they can speak out and stay safe.

Walk with Buddy

The NSPCC’s Speak Out, Stay Safe message provided the inspiration for the Junior School’s Sponsored Walk on Thursday 7 February. The campaign aims to give children the knowledge they need to stay safe from abuse and neglect. All of the children from Reception Class up to Year 6 were sponsored to walk a circuit of three kilometres around the School’s parkland, with a total distance of 729 kilometres covered. Each child collected a sticker at the half-kilometre checkpoints. The Cross Country Club saw this as an excellent training opportunity and they ran the challenging course with much enthusiasm! It was great fun and everyone joined in with the spirit of the occasion.

Fundraising Cheque for the NSPCC

The children had previously met ‘Buddy’, the Speak out Stay safe speech bubble mascot during an assembly for the whole School and workshops for the children in Year 5 and 6.

Millie Cross - Letter to the Queen

Year 6 Netball and Football Tour

On Friday 22 March, the Junior School were able to present a cheque to the NSPCC for the fantastic total of £2970.13 raised during the Sponsored Walk with Buddy that took part in earlier in the year.

'I decided to write a letter to the Queen because people should understand that pollution is a bad thing for the environment. It was a challenge because I needed to research how to write correct sentences for a letter to the Queen. For example, it needed to begin with ‘May it please Your Majesty’. Also, you have to write to the Queen’s Private Secretary, not the Queen herself. In our class, we have been learning about rivers and I have watched the David Attenborough programme about our plastic pollution going into the sea. We should use metal straws instead of plastic straws and reusable bags. I was overjoyed with excitement when I received the letter from Buckingham Palace and that the Queen has reduced plastic waste across the Royal Estates already.' Millie Cross (Year 5, Baker)

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'On Friday 1 March, a party of 23 children from Year 6 departed School by minibus and travelled to Ipswich for the first test of the tour. The teams played some outstanding football and netball against the teams from St Joseph’s College, Ipswich before having a full match tea and then some social table tennis. The party then travelled to Stowmarket and our accommodation for the evening at Finborough School. The group just had time for a few games of pool and much appreciated cup of hot chocolate before retiring to bed to prepare for the tournaments the next day. After a good night’s sleep, we were treated to a feast of a breakfast at Finborough School. Once again the boys and girls produced some fantastic performances on the netball courts and football pitches before receiving their medals at the presentation ceremony. We just had time for lunch at Finborough School before we started our four hour journey back to Cokethorpe with happy memories and some new friends who we hope to meet again in the not too distant future. The staff would like to thank all of the children for their great efforts and impeccable behaviour throughout the tour.' Mr Davies

Junior School Year 1 Victorian Toy Museum

'On Tuesday 29 February, Year 1 went to the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock to learn about toys from the past. The children took part in a hands-on workshop where they compared Victorian examples with similar toys which are available today. They had great fun playing with a variety of replica indoor and outdoor toys including whip and top, gird and cleat, Jacob’s Ladder, marbles and puppets. Each child then made their own modern version of a peg doll to take home. Some were equipped with Lightsabers! During the workshop the children were surprised to learn how many Victorian children were not allowed to play with toys on Sundays, except for toys with religious themes, such as Noah’s Ark sets. Finally we had a visit to the Gallery and noticed many precious toys from the past on display.' Mrs Peace

Nursery Art Exhibition

On Saturday 9 March we welcomed 60 families to Cokethorpe for the annual Nursery Art Exhibition based on the book The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Families from fourteen local nurseries were welcomed at the Mansion House for a fun-filled morning which started with a treasure hunt! Children were given a treasure hunt guide and told to follow the toadstools around the School. This exciting treasure hunt took them through the Junior School, around the Woods, across the adventure playground and into the Dining Hall where 295 pieces of children’s artwork was displayed. In advance of the event our Headmaster picked his favourite entries and book vouchers were awarded to both the winning children and their nursery at the event. In the Dining Hall, visitors were able to view the wonderful array of beautiful pictures on display, take part in a range of arts and crafts activities, and enjoy tea and homemade cakes. Below is some of the winning artwork.

Sing Up Day

On Tuesday 12 March, the Junior School came together to participate in Sing Up Day. This year, the children sang One Moment, One People. The video is available to watch on the School's YouTube channel.

Inter-House Netball

The eagerly awaited Junior Inter-House netball competition took place on the afternoon of Thursday 28 March. The girls took to the court with the same level of commitment and energy as they have during training and matches this season, which created a fantastic tournament atmosphere. The teamwork on display was impressive and the House Captains did a great job organising players from Years 4, 5 and 6 to make sure they all had equal time on court. It was a closely fought competition throughout and we also witnessed a very exciting 7-7 draw between Gwyn and Symonds. Congratulations to the overall winners for 2019, which were Gwyn.

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Junior School RAF Falcons

Epiphany

Junior School Cross Country at Chandlings

Junior Singers' Showcase

Congratulations to Heather Homewood (Year 4, Gwyn) who was joined in assembly by four RAF Falcons who had come to present her with a signed picture. Heather won a poster design competition set by the Falcons, successfully beating entries from eight local schools.

On Tuesday 12 February, children from Years 5 and 6 competed at Chandlings School in their annual Cross Country event, along with fifteen other local Schools. The teams performed well, with a particularly impressive run by Hattie Hunt (Year 5, Gwyn) in the U10 Girls' race, finishing in 17th place. In the U11 Girls' race Bryony Wyatt (Year 6, Gwyn) ran a fantastic race coming home in 11th place against an extremely strong field. Freddie Morlock (Year 6, Lockwood) placed in an impressive 6th place in the U11 Boys' Race.

On Monday 7 January, to celebrate the Feast of Epiphany, the Junior School children took part in La Fête des Rois to mark the day the three Kings visited Jesus. Each class had two Gallete des Rois presented to their table and staying true to the tradition, the youngest in each group had to close their eyes and choose which child was to have which piece. In each Gallete des Rois there was a ceramic charm and the lucky children that found the charm, also known as a 'feve', were crowned King or Queen for the day. This lovely tradition presented a fantastic learning opportunity for the children to learn of another culture and was also a fun way to start off the new term.

'On Wednesday 13 February, the Junior School Choir and Junior School Singers, presented the Junior Singers’ Showcase to their parents and friends, performing songs they have been learning in their lessons. The choir brought smiles to the faces of the audience with a selection of uplifting songs including Little April Shower from Bambi and the gospel inspired Great Day. Then the soloists sang a variety of songs such as In the Big Blue World from the musical Finding Nemo, Let's go fly a Kite from Mary Poppins and The Hippopotamus Song, which was rousingly joined in by the audience at the end! Whilst it was a great opportunity for the young soloists to sing in a public performance, many of whom had not done so before, it was equally enjoyed by the audience who all came away having thoroughly enjoyed the concert.' Mrs Ramsurn

Great fight and determination were shown by all competitors.

Didcot Sewage Works

Here are some of the comments from the Year 6 children who attended the trip: ‘My favourite part of the trip was when we made dirty water into clear water. Even though my team lost it was great fun doing this challenge’. Lydia Monaghan (Year 6, Gwyn) ‘Our visit was enjoyable. I learnt that you use 2.5 litres of water when you brush your teeth!’ Edward Allen (Year 6, Gwyn) ‘I really enjoyed our visit to Didcot Sewage Works, despite the smells! We learnt how they transform sewage into stream water. I had no idea that it takes nine hours from when the sewage waste comes into the plant, is treated and then returned to the river’. Molly Ferrier (Year 6, Baker) ‘I thought the trip was very educational and interesting as well as being great fun! I learnt a lot about the processes involved in sewage and water cleaning. Now I know not to throw plasters and other things that shouldn’t be thrown, down the toilet or sink!’ Zachary Wheeler (Year 6, Symonds)

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Year 6 Sewage Works

'Year 6 recently visited Didcot Sewage Treatment Works. Before our tour, we were given an introduction to the site and a safety talk. Everyone put on a hardhat, high visibility vest, and of course a pair of gloves! We followed a designated safe route around the site stopping at various viewing areas, discussing what was happening at each point. The children learned how the rags are sieved out, how the sludge is made into cake and used to fertilise crops, and how methane gas is produced for power. The pupils saw how the dirty water is put through filtration beds and aeration tanks. Here they were fascinated at seeing the good bacteria eating the bad! Finally, the children saw the water flowing over sand as the last treatment and then saw it flowing back into the river. After the tour, we returned to the Education Centre and took part in an activity called ‘Poo Soup’. The pupils were challenged to see which team could make the clearest water by using a basic filtration system. Our visit was a very informative experience, we all learnt how to make a difference both in school and at home.' Mrs Dow

Junior School Junior School Arts Week

'In March, the Junior School held Arts Week, an event showcasing the range of creative arts such as poetry, literature, art, dance and music, which makes up an important part of the Junior School Curriculum. The week was action packed with activities including Oboe Workshops, a Poetry Slam and Piano Concert. The Evening of the Arts was the highlight of the week. It took place in The Shed and the full house of parents enjoyed the Samba Band, Junior Orchestra, the impressive poetry finalists, class performance poetry, the choir, Junior Band, LAMDA pairs, recorder and ukulele groups, Modern Dance and individual music performances. The evening concluded with a rousing rendition of One Moment, One People, the Sing Up Day Song for 2019. The final day of Arts Week started with a literary character parade. This year, the theme of The Wild provided a visual spectacle. Everyone gathered in the Corinthian Room wearing their creative costumes and enjoyed a fascinating talk from visiting author JayJay Burridge. He spoke to the children about theories of evolution as well his latest Supersaurs books. This was certainly a fitting close to an amazing Arts Week.' Mrs Du Feu

Netball Report

This has been an incredibly enjoyable netball season due to the generally mild weather we have experienced this term. It has enabled us to develop the basic skills of shooting and look more closely at the tactical aspects of play in both attack and defence. All the girls have continued to make improvements and are showing a great deal of promise for the future. The U11s have certainly made their mark this term and made superb progress. They regularly put on fantastic through-court displays and a highlight was reaching the final of the Sibford School Netball Tournament. They narrowly lost in golden goal extra time against Warwick Prep School. Player of the Season was Connie Quartley (Year 6, Lockwood) for her control and movement while Most Improved goes to Goal Shooter Tilly Walker (Year 6, Symonds). The U10s have also had a remarkable season. They have listened and worked hard showing great improvement which has been displayed in their fixtures. Some notable performances were against Kitebrook and Sibford School. Player of the Season was Imogen Wilde (Year 5, Lockwood) for her energy and decisive play and Most Improved was Audrey McCormick (Year 5, Symonds) for nailing her footwork. The U9s have really embraced the term with some very enthusiastic chidren who have even been practising their skills at home! They have mastered some tricky drills and as a result of Golden Child game, their shooting has come on enormously. Congratulations to Bella Clarke (Year 4, Lockwood) who has been voted Player of the Season and well done to Chloe Webber (Year 4, Symonds) as the Most Improved player.

Year 5 Maths Challenge

Following in the footsteps of other Year 4, 5 and 6 Mathematicians, on Tuesday 26 February four Year 5 Mathematicians took part in the Cranford House Maths Challenge. The afternoon consisted of undertaking a round robin of eight minute problem-solving activities followed by a final round of questions. Each puzzle required children to carefully take note of the instructions and then attempt to solve as many levels as they could in their pairs before the time ran out. Round robin activities included Ordering Cards where the children have to arrange cards so that all the rules are obeyed. Another activity was Curly’s Cycling Short Circuit in which routes of a given length had to be found from the circuit given. Moving away from mental maths and back to physical puzzles, the groups then tackled Pentomino Puzzles and Domino Jigsaws. The fifth activity in the round robin was Broken Calculators in which they had to use only certain calculator keys to reach a target number. Very well done to Arthur Butler (Year 5, Gwyn), Andrew Homewood (Year 5, Baker), Chloe Lukama (Year 5, Symonds) and Alex Monaghan (Year 5, Baker).

Inter-House Cross Country

All of the children in Cokethorpe Junior School from Reception Class to Year 6 take part in the annual Inter-House Cross Country event which continues to be a favourite with our supporting parents. The results from this year's competition are as follows: 1st: Gwyn - 113 2nd: Symonds - 129 3rd: Lockwood - 130 4th: Baker - 140 Year 6 Individual Winners: Girls - Bryony Wyatt (Year 6, Gwyn) Boys - Freddie Morlock (Year 6, Lockwood)

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Junior School Stay and Play

On Tuesday 26 March, the Reception Class welcomed visiting families with children aged three to five for an afternoon of Spring inspired activities and play. This included storytime in the Reception Classroom, and planting seeds in the adventure playground before making the most of the playground in the afternoon sunshine.

Lessons In Pictures

Inter-House Football

We also had some very exciting and competitive Inter-House Football. The final results as can be seen below were all very close. Final: Gwyn 3 - Lockwood 1 1st: Gwyn 2nd: Lockwood 3rd: Symonds 4th: Baker

Year 1 Easter Bonnets

Year 4 Learning About Digestion

Year 6 Making Fractal Patterns

Witney Talking News

In November, the Junior School raised ÂŁ615.68 for Witney Talking News and were thrilled when Mr Hallett, a blind listener delivered a Bird Box, Bug Hotel and Hedgehog House to the school, that he had made by way of a thank you!

Year 6 Jurassic World Project Year 4 Trip to Corinium Museum

'On Wednesday 7 March, the whole of Year 4 travelled to Cirencester to visit the Corinium Museum. At the museum we were entertained by a range of activities relating to the day-to-day life of Romans in Britain; we recreated mosaics, dressed-up, played games and discovered the types of food the Romans ate – a very informative workshop! Afterwards, we explored the museum, hunting for answers to the questions on the worksheet. We look forward to exploring the Romans in greater depth in our History lessons.' Mr Lewis

Year 5 Trip to the Ashmolean Museum Thoughts from Year 5 on the Ashmolean Museum Trip

'On Tuesday 2 April, Year 5 went on a trip to the stunning Ashmolean Museum for an extremely interesting workshop, where we got to touch artefacts from 35,000 years ago! We also got to make Stone Age necklaces from pipe cleaners and foil and we learnt a lot about life in the Stone Age. It was amazing!' Emmeline Black (Year 5, Baker)

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'On Tuesday 2 April, Year 5 visited The Ashmolean Museum for a workshop on life in prehistoric Britain. We have been learning about the Mesolithic period through our work in English using the book Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver. We started in the pre-historic gallery where we were able to handle some genuine prehistoric artefacts, including a Bronze Age axe head and a flint tool which was at least 35,000 years old. We worked with an archaeologist to discover more about life in the Mesolithic period. Finally, we were able to design and create our own prehistoric jewellery which we wore back to School.' Mrs Davis

Reception Class Reading Lesson

Junior School Year 6 Mexicolore Workshop

On Thursday 28 February the whole of Year 6 took part in the Mexicolore workshop, giving them an insight into what life was like in the amazing Aztec era. The class entered the Corinthian Room to a throbbing drumbeat, culminating in a loud blast on a conch shell. All of the children had the opportunity to dress up in authentic Aztec style clothing and play different instruments. There was a re-enactment of a Mesoamerican game that was played by many people including the Mayans. The children were delighted to discover that the Aztecs discovered xocolatl (chocolate) and that they treasured cocoa beans so much they used them as currency!

Football Report

'During the U11 season we have tried to build a team of clever players that rely on their own decisions and instincts during a game. The learning is done at training with coaches input and the development is within the matches based on players own decisions. The aim is for players to always be thinking and taking what they learn at training onto the match day pitch, on their own. This is the difference between a player and a really good player. The players’ hard work and commitment to the team has paid off, a massive and welcomed improvement from last season. We have a number of players who have worked extremely hard at the training sessions and have followed that up on the pitch. Our hopes for the future are for all the players to follow that lead and to become as good as their team mates. We are confident that with effort and commitment to learning, as a team, we can progress even further.' Mr Davies

Forthcoming Events

Life Education Bus Tuesday 7 May 2019 – Thursday 9 May 2019 Cokethorpe School Year 6 Residential Monday 13 May 2019 – Friday 17 May 2019 PGL Swindon Open Morning Saturday 18 May 2019 9.30am – 12.00pm, Cokethorpe School Year 5 Residential Wednesday 22 May 2019 – Friday 24 May 2019 Cornbury Park Junior School Sports Day and Mini Olympics Thursday 20 June 2019 1.00pm – 4.00pm, Cokethorpe School Year 6 Leavers’ BBQ and Rounders Saturday 22 June 2019 2.30pm – 5.30pm, Cokethorpe School Junior School Examinations Monday 24 June 2019 – Wednesday 26 June 2019 Cokethorpe School Junior School Prize Giving Thursday 4 July 10.45am, Cokethorpe School

Junior School Visiting Author

On the afternoon of Friday 29 March, the children in the Junior School were lucky enough to be visited by children’s author Maz Evans. She came to the Junior School to inspire our budding young authors. Following an entertaining presentation in the Corinthian Room about her own journey of becoming an author, she led a creative writing workshop for Year 5 and 6 children. Maz’s four novels are hilarious and actionpacked. They are based on Ancient Greek mythology but are set in a very modern world we can all recognise! The first book of the series was chosen as `Waterstone’s Book of the Month’ in their stores nationwide and we have picked the four ‘God Squad’ series as our Book Club focus this term. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to ask loads of questions to the author of some of their favourite books.

Reception Classroom

During the Lent half term, the Reception Classroom underwent an extensive makeover resulting in a light, airy and welcoming space that will support the creative and imaginative learning that takes place every day.

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Sixth Form Nasio Trust Cake Sale

'During the October half term of 2018, James Shaw, Jir Sancar, Matt Christensen and I travelled to Western Kenya. We got to know several children at the day care centres we visited in Mumias by singing Baby Shark with them and playing the Hokey Cokey! So, naturally when we saw the Knicker Campaign on The Nasio Trust social media, we knew we had to do something to help. In short, this campaign was to collect 1000 knickers by the beginning of April to ensure that the girls that Nasio supports have underwear to put donated sanitary products in whilst they are on their period. This is essential as without this basic item of clothing, the girls will miss an essential week of school every month which is vital to their education and vital to ‘breaking the cycle of poverty’ (the goal of The Nasio Trust). Incredibly, we were able to raise around £300 which is enough to donate 600 pairs of much needed knickers. Many thanks to those who helped organise this event and to everyone who baked and bought cakes to sell, especially those in First Form, for helping us to aid a community who are very close to our hearts.' Hannah King (Lower Sixth, Harcourt)

Higher Education Fair Delegates

Exhibiting Universities: Cardiff University Coventry University Harper Adams University Heriot-Watt University Hult International Business School IE University Lancaster University London School Of Economics & Political Science Loughborough University Newcastle University London Oxford Brookes University Oxford Media and Business School Royal Agricultural University SOAS University of London Swansea University UES Education University of East Anglia University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Buckingham University of Leicester University of Lincoln University of Portsmouth University of Reading University of Sheffield University of Southampton University of St Andrews University of Stirling

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Nielsen Apprenticeships

Apprentices from Nielsen, the largest market research company in the world, spoke to Fifth and Sixth Form students about the advantages of choosing a degree apprenticeship over a traditional University degree route. Hannah Deabill, (OC 2018, Swift) and colleague Ellie Burnett discussed their recent apprenticeship with Nielsen. The company were 2017 finalists in the Apprenticeship of the Year category at the Oxfordshire Business Awards, as well as being named a Top 100 UK Employer for Apprenticeships. Both Hannah and Ellie are now studying for a BA in Business Management whilst working in the analytics department at the headquarters in Headington. Hannah said 'I love that we are still being paid whilst studying and getting the experience of a working environment. Not only are our university fees paid but we are also guaranteed a job at the end of it.' The Nielsen Apprenticeship programme allows each apprentice to spend time in different areas of the company, giving them a breadth of experience within the business.

Higher Education Fair

'On Tuesday 26 March, Cokethorpe hosted our largest Careers Fair to date. The event was held in the Sports Hall and Dining Hall to accommodate all of the delegates who attended. With a wide range of universities present, as well as representatives from numerous companies offering apprenticeships and gap year experiences, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Form students were given the opportunity to talk to representatives from a broad spectrum of institutions. In addition, we were treated to talks on subjects ranging from student finance and personal statements, to degree-apprenticeships and studying abroad, all of which provided valuable insights into these areas. Overall, the evening was successful in allowing us to turn our eyes towards life beyond Cokethorpe, and providing the opportunity to consider the broad range of options available in higher education.' Katie Procter (Lower Sixth, Feilden)

Study Abroad Roadshow

'As a student that seeks a more varied and adventurous university experience the Where in the World is Your University? event was a treasure trove of hidden experiences and exciting opportunities. From American drama and film schools and foreign medical institutions, to internationally renowned hospitality and tourism universities, you could not help but be drawn into the varied array of higher education opportunities. Institutions from all across the globe were in attendance from Les Roches based in Switzerland, Spain and China to the New York Film Academy. It was an amazing opportunity to open your eyes to some of the higher education providers outside of the UK and, for me, it showed ways to incorporate travel and adventure directly into my degree course with internships and work experiences built into degree courses as well as living in new countries whilst experiencing other cultures. What is more, they allow you to learn new languages and build communication skills, both very important aspects of our ever shrinking modern world.' Hayden Camidge (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh)

Sixth Form Enlightenment Lecture Programme A Duty to Donate?

'The insight into the practical and philosophical sides of donating gave the Sixth Form a wider understanding of the ethics of charitable giving. The first half of the lecture, presented by Abi Johnson, focused on the personal benefits of volunteering, including our physical health and wellbeing and the benefits volunteering can have on the wider community as well as on your mental state. The second half of the talk, by Tena Thau, looked into a different aspect of charity and how we can help others through charitable donations. This offered the Sixth Form the opportunity to look philosophically at the moral reasoning behind donations and how we can use our money to the greatest effect in our lifetime through evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of different organisations.' Annabel Davies (Upper Sixth, Feilden)

What's In Your Mind, Baby?

'On Friday 1 March, the Enlightenment Lecture was given by Professor Sabina Pauen of Heildberg University, Germany. The question proposed seemed simple enough: 'Do babies think?' That got us all thinking very hard about whether babies actually think, as opposed to just react - a problem that has confounded philosophers for centuries, for want of the right experiments. Luckily we were provided with all the information during the lecture to make a conclusive decision by the end. The answer: yes, babies do think, and more than that, they deduce, predict and reckon according to meta-frameworks about the universe they seem to already have in their heads. In sum, another fine lecture from a world-class speaker in the inspiring Enlightenment Lecture series.' Henry Kerton (Lower Sixth, Gascoigne)

Brexit

'The Sixth Form received a thought-provoking talk from Michael Dougan, Professor of European Law at the University of Liverpool. His aim was to clarify the real issues behind Brexit and the Irish Border issue. Perhaps the timeliest of this year’s Enlightenment Lectures, Dougan provided a fascinating insight into the intractable problems facing the British Government at the time of writing. At the heart of his talk was the much discussed, but little understood, Irish Backstop. Provoking intense discussion between the students, and a rich range of questions at the end, one thing was made certain: that my generation will end up discussing Brexit for decades to come and that our understanding was made all the clearer by Professor Dougan.' Ciara Thatcher (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne)

Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom

'On Friday 15 March, the Sixth Form received an Enlightenment Lecture from Jonathon Cranston (OC 1999, Harcourt) about why conservation matters and the huge scale of poaching around the world. He spoke about his role as a practising veterinary surgeon, in particular in rhino conservation, having spent many years in Africa dehorning rhinos to deter poachers from killing them. We learnt about the pros and cons of different methods used in conservation to deter poachers, including the legalisation of the horn trade, increasing the security of the rhinos in reserves and the use of charities to educate communities. As an aspiring vet, the lecture has inspired me to research conservation for the future as a potential pathway to take a veterinary degree.' Hannah Berry (Upper Sixth, Feilden)

Enlightenment Lecture Programme Reviews 'Some of the biggest challenges facing our world will require a real team effort, very different people working together to reach the best collective decisions. Yet our information feeds are curated to meet our existing interests and we are increasingly shepherded into ‘likeminded’ social groups. Volunteering offers a rare opportunity to work with a diverse crowd and hear other worldviews, to explore careers and flex your social interactive muscles, somewhere you’re not stuck for the next three years and without risk of losing your job. Plus research shows helping others makes us happier and healthier. Surely it’s a no brainer?' Abi Johnson 'I had a great time giving a lecture on the ethics of charitable giving at Cokethorpe School. The students raised very thoughtful and insightful points during the Q&A, and after the event. I think that the Enlightenment Lectures give students a very valuable opportunity to engage with different philosophical perspectives, and explore topics that go beyond a standard curriculum.' Tena Thau Recommendations for further reading on charitable giving from Tena Thau: The website of the charity evaluator GiveWell The paper Famine, Affluence, and Morality by Peter Singer The book Doing Good Better by Will MacAskill 'It’s been fantastic to come down to the School and meet such a really attentive and interesting group of the students here. They were amazingly attentive during what could have been quite a dull and boring lecture, and some excellent questions at the end as well; really impressive questions that showed they were really thinking and paying attention and really knowledgeable already about the issues.' Prof Michael Dougan, Faculty of European Law, Liverpool University 'It was great to be able to speak to the Sixth Form today and just talk to them about what is a really important and critical issue. We're talking about poaching and conservation. Thank you for the invitation.' Jonathon Cranston (OC 1999, Harcourt)

Higher Education Fair Delegates Exhibiting Organisations: Abingdon and Witney College Army Fugro NCS Oxfordshire Nielsen Royal Air Force Royal Navy and Royal Marines Thames Valley Police

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The Arts Choral Evensong

'As pupils, parents and staff gathered in the Chapel on Thursday 7 February for our termly Choral Evensong, we found ourselves in the fifth week before Lent - the four week 'countdown' to Ash Wednesday which allows us to prepare our hearts and get ready for the spiritual disciplines that accompany the 40 days leading up to Easter. Ably supported by the School Choir, Evensong began with the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy, and the Choir then led us movingly in the Responses by Richard Ayleward, a setting of Psalm 37 by Thomas Attwood, and the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Charles Wood. The music today spanned the Choral Tradition of three centuries.

Amplifi

'The second annual Amplifi concert proved to be a success yet again, with talented performers from the Fourth Form to the Upper Sixth taking to the stage to showcase a range of different musical genres. This year saw the concert’s donations in ticket prices and refreshments, go to Sense, a UK charity for the deaf and blind to help children and adults to communicate and experience the world. The evening began with a number performed by the Jazz Band, followed by covers from Fredi Traish (Upper Sixth, Swift), Ollie Charles (Lower Sixth, Gascoigne), Tom Alford (Lower Sixth, Swift), Izzy Ponsford (Upper Sixth, Gascoigne) and Scarlett Howard (Upper Sixth, Gascoigne). We were also fortunate enough to listen to some original songs written by students, which really demonstrated their talents in music writing and performing, such as Tom’s piece Rail Roads performed by himself, alongside Olivia Stacey (Fifth Form, Swift). The evening was drawn to a close with a performance of Ribbon in the Sky by Stevie Wonder by Will Riman (Upper Sixth, Feilden) and myself, dedicated to the Headmaster. Finally, thanks go to all the performers and we hope that this concert will continue in the future.' Molly Symonds (Upper Sixth, Vanbrugh)

After the two Readings (Leviticus 9 and Philippians 2), which focused our minds on the need for 'sacrifice' and St Paul's imprisonment in Rome, the Choir sang the beautiful Anthem Lead me, Lord by Samuel Sebastian Wesley. The Service closed with a Hymn of praise All People that on Earth do Dwell and Bach's lovely Trio Sonata in E Flat Major, played by Lukas Russell (Upper Sixth, Gascoigne). My many thanks to Mr Hughes, Dr Winkley, Miss Shields, Mr Fenton and the Choir for another memorable service.' Rev I B Howard, School Chaplain

Thursday Unplugged

The Thursday Unplugged concert series continued to delight audiences this term with a range of contemporary music including jazz and pop. As the performance commenced, the audience tapped their feet to the energetic sound of the Jazz Band who performed many favourites including Cold Duck Time. Highlights include performances of Darling by The Beatles and Three Little Birds by Bob Marley. The concert concluded with Sixth Form music students showcasing their creative talents in performances of original works leaving the audience in rapturous applause.

Afternoon Recital

'This term's series of musical events got underway with an enjoyable recital on Monday 21 January. The programme comprised a range of entertaining pieces including the Prelude from Charpentier's Te Deum, ABBA's I Have a Dream, and the Allegro from Eric-Larsson's Sonatina. The quality of the performances was high and provided an exciting indication of the standard of musicianship for the School's Young Musician Competition later on in the term.' Mr Winkley

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Young Musician of the Year

This year's Young Musician Competition once again saw Cokethorpe pupils embrace competitive performance and raise the standard of playing to impressive heights. The greater quantities of pupil participation across all levels meant that two finals were organised, one for Grades 1-4 and another for Grades 5+. Taking place on Thursday 14 February, both events were adjudicated by the eminent conductor Richard Dickins who spoke of the impressive musicality of each candidate. However, he believed that the best performances in both finals were those that, in addition to a strong technique, fully conveyed the emotion and drama of the work. Consequently, for the Grades 1-4 final, the runner up was Poppy Stewart (Third Form, Gascoigne) on voice, and the winner on drum kit was Mae Serjeant (First Form, Swift). For the Upper Grades 5+ final, the runner up was Izzy Carnell (Fifth Form, Vanbrugh) on cello, with the overall competition winner and Cokethorpe Young Musician of the Year, Caellum Sharp (First Form, Vanbrugh) on violin.

The Arts Spring Concert

On Thursday 21 March, this term’s musical calendar culminated with the Spring Concert and once again demonstrated the high quality of musicianship amongst Cokethorpe pupils. The Jazz Band opened the evening’s showcase with three standards that allowed all pupils to demonstrate their improvisatory skills. Following this were a variety of solo performances that encompassed a range of musical styles from Baroque to Romantic, to French song and musical theatre, including Study No. 1 composed and performed by Mae Serjeant (First Form, Swift). The event concluded with the Concert Band, String Ensemble, and Orchestra, presenting excellent performances of Frozen’s Let it Go, Gabriel’s Oboe, and the Can-Can respectively.

Les Misérables

On Tuesday 26 February, 60 pupils attended a trip to London’s West End to see a performance of Les Misérables. Opening in 1985, it is the longest running musical in the West End. Based on the Novel by French poet and Novelist Victor Hugo, it tells the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his desire for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his sister's starving child. Pupils were captivated by the impressive production with Dean Chisnall’s incredible vocal range and sensitive portrayal of Jean Valjean being a particular highlight.

Do You Believe in Love?

On Thursday 31 January, A Level Drama and Theatre students Grace Bartle (Upper Sixth, Harcourt), Scarlett Howard (Upper Sixth, Gascoigne) and Georgie Vallance (Upper Sixth, Vanbrugh) presented their devised drama, Do You Believe in Love? as Cokethorpe’s entry to the 2019 National Student Drama Festival. A member of the selection team joined the audience for this excellent performance that examined the on-going issue of homophobia at home and abroad. Employing the techniques of theatre practitioners DV8, the real-life experiences of falling in love and becoming a victim of hate were executed with great emotional intelligence and physical skill. All the dialogue was gathered from genuine verbatim accounts from real people which made this performance all the more remarkable. The selector was enormously impressed with the piece and the student’s level of excellence.

Violin Recital

'Young violinists from both the Junior and Senior School filled the Corinthian Room with the boom of the tingling strings. In preparation for their ABRSM exams, several violinists performed their repertoire in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Each pupil took on the challenge to perform. The recital commenced with Over the Rainbow, bravely performed by Dee Biles (Second Form, Gascoigne) and Katherine Stevenson (Fourth Form, Queen Anne). This was followed by some Mozart, Handel and Bernstein, played individually by these two violinists. Hugo Mellor (Year 5, Symonds) performed his two pieces with great aplomb. William Allen (Upper Sixth, Vanbrugh) then confidently performed his three Grade 5 pieces. Harrison Procter (Fourth Form, Feilden) concluded the recital with his pieces from the Grade 6 syllabus. Learning to play a musical instrument is a real challenge and a lifelong pursuit. In times where an attainment culture reigns supreme, I hope all performers can remember that no one can take away the achievement of playing their instruments.' Miss Handy

Lower Sixth Drama Theatre Trip to Oxford Playhouse

Sixth Form A Level students were treated to the most spectacular performance of Missing by Gecko Theatre at the Oxford Playhouse on Tuesday 19 March. In true Gecko style, the dialogue is almost irrelevant, it is the physicality that speaks volumes. It is rare to sit in a theatre and witness an audience so still, so utterly spellbound that you dare not breathe, but this was the case throughout the show. Lily is successful, but something is missing, she is beginning to forget who she is. Her search to recapture her soul is beyond captivating.

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The Arts Gecko Theatre Workshop Lower Sixth A Level Drama students were certainly put through their paces by Lucia Chocarro from Gecko Theatre on Monday 11 February. The three hour physical workshop provided an in-depth understanding of this unique company’s methodologies, challenging all preconceptions of how to devise original work. As their chosen practitioner for their forthcoming A Level devising component, being able to work with a member of the company was an invaluable and enriching experience.

A Level Text in Performance

On Friday 15 March, A Level Drama students Grace Bartle (Upper Sixth, Harcourt), Scarlett Howard (Upper Sixth, Gascoigne) and Georgie Vallance (Upper Sixth, Vanbrugh) presented their Text in Performance pieces for the visiting examiner and a live audience in The Shed. Grace began proceedings as chambermaid Amy from Laura Wade’s dark comedy Breathing Corpses. Amy has walked into a hotel room and found a dead body – and not for the first time. This was followed by Scarlett as Jenny from Mosquitoes by Lucy Kirkwood. Jenny’s daughter has died of measles after she refused to have her vaccinated following the MMR scare. Georgie completed this section as Southern Belle Blanche Dubois from A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, recalling the tragic loss of her first love.

Summer Term Arts Events

The group performance from Medea by Mike Bartlett saw Scarlett as judgemental, snobbish Pam with Georgie as sycophantic, do-gooder Sarah doing their best to help heartbroken Medea, played by Grace, as she tries to come to terms with enduring heartbreak. The evening provided the audience with laugh-out-loud and deeply moving moments in these professional presentations of very high quality work.

Choral Society Concert Wednesday 8 May 2019 7.30pm, St Mary's Church

Drama Award Holders' Showcase Thursday 9 May 2019 4.15pm, The Shed Performing Arts Showcase Wednesday 22 May 2019 7.00pm, The Shed GCSE and A Level Music Recital Thursday 23 May 2019 4.15pm, Corinthian Room Choral Evensong Thursday 13 June 2019 4.15pm, The Chapel Award Holders' Recital Monday 17 June 2019 4.15pm, Corinthian Room First Form Production Wednesday 19 June 2019 7.00pm, The Shed Second Form Production Monday 24 June 2019 7.00pm, The Shed Junior School Prize Giving Thursday 4 July 2019 10.45am, Mansion Lawn Senior School Prize Giving Friday 5 July 2019 11.30am, Mansion Lawn

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GCSE Performance From Text

Fifth Form GCSE Drama candidates presented their Performance from Text work in front of a live audience and the visiting examiner on Monday 11 March in The Shed. There were fourteen performances ranging from group work to monologues from Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse, Girls Like That by Evan Placey and The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh. All texts gave the pupils opportunities to create detailed characterisations and design as well as explore a range of genres. They now have to wait until the summer for their results, but should feel proud of their achievements so far.

The Arts Antigone

The Drama and Classics departments joined forces in a Cokethorpe first for the Lent Term play Antigone. This was an electric production, driven by outstanding performances from the ensemble and a striking aesthetic, which left a lasting impression on all those who were lucky enough to see it. This powerful play about the conflict between the laws of society and the wrath of the gods was transposed from Ancient Greece to a dystopian future.

Antigone Cast and Crew Antigone Creon Ismene Haemon Sentries Eurydice Tieresias Messengers Boy

Lucy Marshall Hayden Camidge Frankie Brown George Kinniburgh Jamie Wehrle Maddie Abbs-Wood Molly Cockin Poppy Stewart James Shaw Jossy Brown Tom Orton Josiah Cannell

Mothers Mimi Dobson Millie Knight Dee Biles Rachel Elliot Lily Cannell Grace Ponsford

The tribes of Mothers, Scavengers, Scouts and Accolytes were very striking in their exceptional costumes by Mrs Mace. They played the role of the traditional chorus, each moving with signature style and characteristics. It was especially impressive that this cohort contained so many of our youngest performers, as the up and coming talent revealed by the tribes was superb, with several energised and expressive performances.

Scouts Dylan Morris Jasmine Hammond Malachy Brown Henry Cook Becca Hutchinson Ben Collier Hemza Karrouchi Archie Wilkinson Crew Sam Copping Charlie Kerton Daniel Ferrier Morgan Thomas

There were many outstanding performances in this production but the evening belonged jointly to the exceptional efforts of Lucy Marshall (Fourth Form, Harcourt) and Hayden Camidge (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh). Hayden’s Creon was a thundering powerhouse of authority, as he revelled in his might and misplaced arrogance. Oozing menace and gravitas, this was a highly polished performance which required intelligent delivery and unwavering focus. It was complimented by the commanding presence of Lucy Marshall, whose mature and thoughtful understanding of the character brought authority, dignity and emotional resonance for every second that she was on the stage. Her Antigone revealed a heroine in who we could believe and follow, disobeying the rules of men and averting the anger of the gods. Both leads gave outstanding performances of great ambition and skill, leading the audience through this dark vortex of tragic folly.

Scavengers Zoe Smith Monty Bolton Lewie Camidge Alex Brazier Nicolas Woods-Cano Euan Munn Oscar Luckett Acolytes Bella Caffyn Matthew Rees AJ Rowe Eliza Carleton Paget Nancy Christensen Caitlyn Alford Scarlett Munn Costumes: Mrs L Mace Hair and Make Up: Mrs L Mace and Sasha Palfreyman Sound Design: Miss Mace Cover Illustration: Vanessa Goulding With thanks to the Headmaster, the Foundation Office, Maintenance Team, Catering Department, Box Office and Mr Lawson.

Polite Notice It was a production which provided awesome and breath-taking visuals, all set to a brooding dystopian soundtrack by Miss Mace. The strength of the performances and the professionalism of the cast was uniformly excellent. For this young and talented company to bring such energy and meaning to Sophocles’ 2,500 year old script was a highly impressive achievement and bodes well for Cokethorpe’s dramatic future.

Empty seats prohibit those on waiting lists from enjoying our productions. May we respectfully remind all parents and supporters of Cokethorpe Drama that unused tickets must be returned to the box office in advance of any performance.

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Sport Netball Players of the Season

U18 Milly Pittaway (Lower Sixth, Feilden) U16 Eva Maslin (Fifth Form, Swift) U15 Isabella Smith (Fourth Form, Queen Anne) U14 Phoebe Carter (Third Form, Queen Anne)

Netball Report

'This has been an incredibly enjoyable netball season due to the positive attitude and effort that has been on display across all age groups. The weather has no doubt helped particularly as this term can often see matches and training impacted negatively by the elements. We have enjoyed productive training sessions with the ability to fine tune specific core skills and tactics. The aims for the season were to develop shooting accuracy as a priority and to develop our presence on court. Many of our opposition report how nice we are and whilst I am proud of that, we do need to instil an element of grit and resilience in our play. If I was to highlight which players who have this in abundance it would be Milly Pittaway (Lower Sixth, Feilden), Priya Ahluwalia (Fifth Form, Harcourt), Isabella Smith (Fourth Form, Queen Anne), Gemma Croker (Third Form, Gascoigne) and Izzy Kirby (Third Form, Queen Anne). I am delighted to report that the improvement has been significant in both of these areas and I am confident that the regular shooting practice that has taken place throughout the year has also made a positive impact.

U13 Lucy Keeling (Second Form, Gascoigne) U12 Matilda Talbott (First Form, Gascoigne)

Sports Colours

The awarding of Sports Colours in recognition for exceptional playing standards at Senior level and awarded as either half or full colours. Full Colours

Football: Jack Hobbs Luke Jackson Jack Smith Alex Wheeler Alex Wilde Boys Hockey: Felix Macken Half Colours Football: Jacob Short Tom Jackson Ben Cruttenden Luke Storey Netball Mini Davies Annie Lovett Georgie Vallance Milly Pittaway

Senior Captains

The First VII and Second VII have had some very close competitive matches. The First VII have shown great determination particularly when they have been missing key players for matches. The U16s have had a superb season with many victories across the term. The attendance for training and matches has been outstanding resulting in huge improvements in their tactical awareness and skill development. The U15s have had a very tough season and have focussed hard on building their play in attack and forming strong defensive units which were tested frequently in fixtures. The U14s have shown a huge amount of resilience in their play when regularly coming up against much stronger and far taller opposition. All three U13 squads have shown progression this term. The players understanding on spatial awareness and passing to a moving player were much more noticeable each match. The U12s have working very hard this term showing superb attitude and enthusiasm from all the girls. They regularly came up against much taller opposition but never gave up.' Mrs Floyd

Judo

Congratulations to Lizzie Tompkins (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) who was awarded the Bronze medal in the Ingelmunster Invitation in Belgium. Lizzie won with two Waza aris, which is the second highest score a fighter can achieve in Judo.

Congratulations to this term’s Senior Sports Captains. Football: Jack Hobbs (Upper Sixth, Queen Anne) Netball: Annie Lovett (Upper Sixth, Harcourt) Being awarded the position of Senior Captain is a great privilege and having the responsibility of being a role model to the younger pupils in the School. It has been pleasing to see such a mature and professional approach to this task.

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U18 County Tennis Squad

Congratulations to Chloe Elliott (Fourth Form, Vanbrugh), Hannah Craig (Upper Sixth, Gascoigne) and Holly Craig (Fourth Form, Gascoigne) for their performance as part of the U18 County Tennis Squad at Edgbaston Priory. The team comprising of eight players from around the County, beat Cumbria, South of Scotland and Shropshire to win 8-1.

Sport U12 and U13 Netball Tournaments

On Saturday 9 March the U12 and U13 netball teams competed in their respective Oxfordshire County Netball Tournaments. It was a huge event hosting 14 different schools and 32 teams. Up against the top netballing girls schools in the County, naturally we were drawn against tough teams. The U12s thoroughly enjoyed the experience with a fabulous win, a draw and two narrow losses. It was an enjoyable morning with wonderful amount of support from our parents. Well done to Lucy Keeling (Second Form, Gascoigne) and Emily Stewart (First Form, Gascoigne) who were the stalwart players for their respective teams.

Society of Heads Rugby Sevens

The tournament at Royal Ascot School saw the boys initially struggle to adapt to the rugby sevens format but soon got into their stride and were plate semi final losers against Shiplake College. The next competition at Sibford saw the boys showcase the talent that Cokethorpe currently has in its ranks in the Fifth Form and Lower Sixth. Barney Bolton (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) captained the side to another plate semi final where Finley Wightman (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne), Tiego Logan (Fifth Form, Feilden) and Archie Scott (Lower Sixth, Feilden) were particularly impressive. Finally we hosted Burford and Penn School from the US in a fantastic tournament that really showed the School in all its picturesque beauty. After dismantling Burford 47-28 the boys had a tough fixture against a very athletic Penn School who eventually won 45-14. It has been a very worthwhile term from a rugby perspective and with the talent of boys like James Benali (Lower Sixth, Gascoigne) and Cameron MacDonald (Fifth Form, Queen Anne), Cokethorpe rugby goes into September in a very strong position.

Independent Schools Climbing Competition

Cokethorpe School hosted the Independent Schools Climbing Competition at the Rockstar Climbing Centre in Swindon on Wednesday 20 March. Twenty schools made up 31 teams of climbers, who tested their skills against boulder problems, top rope and lead routes. The climbers were free to climb as many routes as they could during the day, accruing points as they progressed. The final results saw awards for individual top climber and best team overall. The Cokethorpe climbing squad came a creditable 21st in the team rankings, a fantastic result given their experience levels compared to some of their rivals. The winning team came from Eton, and the individual winner from Harrow. The event is in its twelfth year, with Cokethorpe competing for only the second time and hosting the event. Dr Steventon can be congratulated for organising the event and putting Cokethorpe on the Independent Schools Climbing map.

Individual Congratulations Lizzie Tompkins (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) for an excellent performance at the Judo National Championships in Sheffield. Matilda Talbott (First Form, Gascoigne) who has qualified for the British Schools Modern Biathlon Championships. Chloe Elliott (Fourth Form, Vanbrugh) who will be playing in a series of British Tour Grade 1 tournaments and the U18 County Cup this term. The following pupils who have been selected for Oxfordshire County teams: U18 Hockey: Frankie Brown (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) U16 Hockey: Finn Rumsby (Fifth Form, Vanbrugh) Mimi Rumsby (Fifth Form, Vanbrugh) U15 Hockey: Jossy Brown (Fourth Form, Vanbrugh) U14 Hockey: Becky Waite (Third Form, Harcourt) Izzy Kirby (Third Form, Queen Anne) Gemma Croker (Third Form, Gascoigne) U15 Cricket Becky Waite (Third Form, Harcourt) Izzy Kirby (Third Form, Queen Anne) U12 Cricket Oscar Talbott (Second Form, Gascoigne) Louis Stanfield (First Form, Swift) Tilda Wyatt (Third Form, Swift), Poppy McGill (Second Form, Gascoigne) and Grace Soden (First Form, Swift) who became Team County Champions in the 70cm class at the County Show Jumping Championships and to Grace who was also crowned Individual Reserve Champion. In the 80cm class, Grace Soden, Freya Soden (Third Form, Swift), Ella Cammack (Fifth Form, Swift) and Isabella Smith (Fourth Form, Queen Anne) finished as Team Reserve Champions with Grace also qualifying as the Individual Reserve Champion. In the 90cm class, Isabella Smith was crowned Individual County Champion. All winners will progress to the National Country Championships. Harrison Procter (Fourth Form, Feilden) was has qualified to Stage 2 of the Youth Sailing Scheme. Lucy Jenkin (Third Form, Gascoigne) who has achieved Level 2 climbing. Faith Jolleys (Second Form, Queen Anne) who was selected for the Wiltshire Hockey Development Programme. Lucia Scott (Fourth Form, Feilden) who has been in action for the Oxfordshire ladies rugby team and helped them win the regional tournament. Lydia Summons (Second Form, Swift) who has secured a role in the upcoming production of Cinderella with the English Youth Ballet. Freya Coughlan (Third Form, Harcourt) helped to secure the BB&O Team Trophy in the Oxfordshire County Junior Girls Golf tournament at Oakland Park.

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Sport Holland Sports Tour Reviews

U13s Netball 'Cokethorpe’s U13 Netball team had vigorous morning training sessions consisting of attacking and defending practices followed by intense matches in the afternoon, against incredibly strong opposition. We played four matches on both days as part of a cup tournament and battled for every ball and strived to get as many goals as possible. Having won three of the four matches on both days we felt as though we were in strong contention for the cup but narrowly lost out to the front runners Langley Park A team. Having never played as a team before we played extremely well and had a great time doing it. Tribute should be paid to our coach Mrs Orton, who looked after us and made sure we played to the best of our ability, all the while keeping morale levels high.' Aoife Kirkham (Second Form, Feilden)

Holland Sports Tour

'On Monday 15 April, 113 boys and girls from First Form to Fourth Form departed Cokethorpe School for their eagerly awaited Sports Tour to Holland. The patience combined with excitement shown by our pupils during the arduous day long journey to the Center Parcs at Limburgse Peel in the Netherlands boded well for the challenges that lay ahead of them. The responsible manner in which each group of six pupils took charge of their allocated Villas set the tone for the remainder of their stay particularly having to manage a financial budget to cater for their lunches for two days. Enjoying a late night swim in the Aqua Mundo topical pool and lively disco, the group also embarked on two intensive days of hockey, netball and football coaching sessions in the morning followed by tournaments involving British and Dutch teams in the afternoon. All of our teams displayed superb sportsmanship and effort throughout. Our dance group thoroughly enjoyed learning five different dance styles such as hip hop, commercial and funk. The tour was hugely successful and action packed throughout and we even managed to squeeze in a well-deserved day trip Phantasialand Theme Park in Germany.' Mrs Floyd

U13A Football 'The U13As Football team dominated the first part of the tournament wining every game in the group stage. This meant that we qualified for the cup. Unfortunately, we came second out of the nine teams overall only losing out by one point, however we were happy with the way we played and the effort that every player put in. The level of coaching from the West Ham United coaches was outstanding and helped us to achieve our result in the tournament.' Sammy Caffyn (First Form, Vanbrugh) Boys Hockey 'Our team consisting of nine boys from different years played very well during this hockey tour. We had excellent morning coaching, followed by matches each afternoon. Although it was our first time playing as a team, we still managed to win three out of four games, losing only to a strong U15 side. This definitely improved our passing and team coordination. Overall it was a very exciting and enjoyable trip leaving us with some great memories.' Lucas Bennett (Third Form, Queen Anne) Dance 'Our specialist dance teachers, Dani and Jodie taught us five different dance styles. They ranged from funk, hip hop, commercial, musical theatre and a sassy styled dance. After the first day’s session we did a dance circle where we took turns to perform an eight count free dance routine in the middle of the group. Miss Mango also joined in with our warms up which were a lot of fun. On the second day we perfected our routines before having the opportunity to perform them in front of our teachers. I would definitely dance again with Dani and Jodie if I had the chance as it was such a wonderful and memorable experience.' Jasmine Hammond (Second Form, Gascoigne)

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Football Report

For the First XI football team this term has been a great success. Eleven Upper Sixth Form players as well as 23 players in total have played for the team leading to a season of five wins, three draws and only two defeats. Highlights included an amazing 4-4 draw in the Oxfordshire County Cup quarter final against reigning champions Wallingford which included two spectacular goals from Alex Wheeler’s (Lower Sixth, Swift) total of thirteen goals for the season. The team also won a fantastic quarter final in the Society of Heads Cup against Newcastle Boys School (away in Sheffield) 4-2 which means our season continues with a home semi-final later this month. Jack Hobbs (Upper Sixth, Queen Anne) has captained this team with a calm authority but the team’s strength is a solid defence behind an exciting front three of Jack Smith (Upper Sixth, Swift), Luke Jackson (Upper Sixth, Swift) and Alex Wheeler who have scored 31 goals between them ….. so far! The U15s team have been the School’s outstanding team this term and like the First XI, their success has meant football continues into the Summer Term with the team competing in the final of both the Oxfordshire County Cup (thanks to a 2-0 semi-final win over Chipping Norton School) and The Society of Heads Cup.

Sport Devizes to Westminster

A huge full moon greeted Hollie Jackson (Lower Sixth, Swift), Hannah King (Lower Sixth, Harcourt), Georgie James (Fifth Form, Queen Anne), Charlie Dickson (Lower Sixth, Feilden), Louis Rawlinson (Lower Sixth, Harcourt), Tom Flory (Lower Sixth, Harcourt), Ben McDonald (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne) and Jarvis Drew (Fifth Form, Gascoigne) as they headed out early on Good Friday morning to the start of the annual Devizes to Westminster International 125 Mile Canoe race. The weather over the weekend was glorious, but this in turn presented the team with other problems, with the heat exhausting. After 34 frazzled miles and 35 portages later, our intrepid team finished the first day's racing at Newbury, where they set up camp for the night. A further two days followed, with Day four then bringing an extremely early wakeup call of 3.00am, in order that the paddlers could catch the tide at dawn for the final leg of the race. After a challenging and emotional journey, the results were a fantastic achievement all round. Tom Flory and Louis Rawlinson took first place in the U17 category and thirteenth overall in 20hrs 50mins. Hollie Jackson and Hannah King were the sixth Ladies team, 34th overall. Jarvis Drew and Ben McDonald were 40th overall. Charlie Dickson and Georgie James were the 10th Ladies team, 47th overall. The Ladies team came third out of seven and Team Cokethorpe finished in sixth place out of thirteen.

Show Jumping

Our first Show Jumping event held at Cokethorpe proved to be a huge success and a wonderful way to bring together competitors from across the School with riders ranging from the Junior School through to the Lower Sixth. Everyone including the competitors, horses and spectators had a great time watching the jumping, learning about horses and the rules of Show Jumping. It was a great opportunity for our riders to showcase their sport at School and demonstrate their talent. The standard of the competitors and the ponies was very impressive, with both behaving in a very professional manner that highlighted the skill involved to successfully complete a round of show jumps. The riders showed great determination, convincing some of the more reluctant ponies to jump the scary fillers. The final competition was between the seven Senior competitors who had completed a clear round. The timed jump-off was over a course of 95-100cm Show Jumps. First place was awarded to Nell Summerley (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh), Second place to Poppy McGill (Second Form, Gascoigne) and Third place to Ella Cammack (Fifth Form, Swift). It was a very enjoyable first Equine event at Cokethorpe School, with many more to follow.

Waterside Kayaking Race

Two weeks to go and the final of a series of four build up races before the main event, Waterside 'D', Devizes to Newbury, 34 miles, 35 portages, three miles of running with the kayak. Just six months ago, the squad considered themselves to be normal teenagers with modest sporting ambition. That was before they discovered that their physiology was more suited to endurance sport than the fast pace of pitch based conflict sport.

Every Sunday for six months, plus extra sessions during holidays, early starts, sunny days, cold days, wet days, it is the pupils pushing the coach, asking for more! Their commitment and enthusiasm has been rewarded with, second place in the Junior Ladies race for Hollie and Hannah, and fourth place in the Junior Ladies for Charlie and Georgie. The prestigious prizes for lowest aggregate times for the whole series, Hollie and Hannah gained first place in the Junior Ladies category and Cokethorpe as a team earned a very well deserved second place.

Senior Invitational Netball Tournament

On Wednesday 6 March, the First VII and U16A teams took part in the Annual Senior Invitational Netball Tournament hosted by St Helen and St Katharine’s in Abingdon. It was a tremendous display of netball during the afternoon and for our 1st VII they produced a consistent display of slick through court play and impressive defensive work at the back. They finished second in their group, just missing out on a place in the semi-final due to goal difference. Milly Pittaway (Lower Sixth, Feilden) was the player of the tournament. For our U16A team this was a fantastic opportunity to test their strengths against top Senior squads. They were drawn in a tough group but they did not disappoint. They genuinely put these teams under a great amount of pressure to minimise their shooting statistics. This came from tremendous effort and commitment from the whole squad but more specifically, from the most tenacious defending from Priya Ahluwalia (Fifth Form, Harcourt) and Eva Maslin (Fifth Form, Swift). The physicality that they experienced from these Upper Sixth players will serve them well as they move into the Senior squads next season. It was a thoroughly enjoyable tournament and each player demonstrated superb effort all round.

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Houses Half Term Heroes

Lower House Heroes are selected for reasons such as good behaviour, positive contributions to School life or receiving a high number of recommendations. Below is the list of Lower House Heroes for the Lent Term. First Half Feilden: Euan Munn Gascoigne: Edward Chorley Harcourt: Henry Topley Queen Anne: Simran Panesar Swift: Jonathan Jiang Vanbrugh: Caellum Sharp Second Half Feilden: Rebecca Pratley Gascoigne: Matilda Talbott Harcourt: Rosie Burfield Queen Anne: Reuben Bennett Swift: Charlie Sydenham Vanbrugh: Poppy Symonds

Inter-House Football

The fiercely competitive Senior InterHouse Football competition delivered some highly entertaining games worthy of any cup competition. Formation selection proved critical as teams sought to utilise the individual strengths of their squads. In line with the modern game, pace was a priority and the teams did a great job of moving the ball swiftly down the wings and staying alert to pounce on any counter attack opportunities. It was wonderful to see the Senior players being leaders on the pitch and it was a true showcase of the abundant footballing talent that Cokethorpe enjoys. Congratulations to Swift who delivered a dominating run to take the cup.

The Pratley Shield

Every half term the total recommendations in Lower House are calculated. The average amount per tutor group is counted and the Form with the best average is awarded the Pratley Shield. The Pratley Shield winners for the first half term was Harcourt. The winners for the second half term was Feilden.

Inter-House Competition Standings Lent Inter-House Netball Results Senior (Third Form to Upper Sixth) 1st – Queen Anne (25) 2nd – Feilden (22) 3rd – Swift (16) 4th – Vanbrugh (14) = 5th – Gascoigne and Harcourt (9)

First and Second Form = 1st – Swift and Harcourt (21) = 3rd – Feilden, Gascoigne and Queen Anne (13) 6th – Vanbrugh (9) Overall Results 1st – Queen Anne (38) 2nd – Swift (37) 3rd – Feilden (35) 4th – Harcourt (30) 5th – Vanbrugh (23) 6th – Gascoigne (22) Sailing 1st – Swift (4 points) 2nd – Feilden (6 points) 3rd – Harcourt (8 points) 4th – Gascoigne (9 points) 5th – Queen Anne (12 points) 6th – Vanburgh (15 points) Inter-House Football Results 1st – Swift 2nd – Vanbrugh 3rd – Harcourt 4th – Feilden 5th – Gascoigne 6th – Queen Anne

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Inter-House Netball

The Senior Inter-House netball matches each started with the House Captain introducing team tactics and player combinations which provided a wonderful opportunity for leadership for some of our Third Form and Sixth Form pupils. For our Senior competition we took advantage of the stunning weather conditions which created a high quality and dynamic competition. There were some exceptional runs of through court play and many spectacular ‘fly through the air’ interceptions. It was an absolute delight to see so many girls involved and enjoying their netball. Queen Anne should be congratulated for winning all of their matches. During the First and Second Form tournament the following afternoon we were not so fortunate with the weather. They played in freezing rain with high winds however, despite this, it did not deter them from putting on an equally strong and gutsy performance. This also created the most closely fought competition we have had in years and we had to resort to goal difference to decide positions. Swift came out on top, with a total of 35 goals. However, it is the total points scored from both competitions that decide the overall positions and congratulations to Queen Anne who were crowned the overall champions. Many congratulations to the following players who were identified as the top players from each tournament. In the Senior competition it went to Milly Pittaway (Lower Sixth, Feilden), Isabella Smith (Fourth Form, Queen Anne), Gemma Croker (Third Form, Gascoigne) and Lydia Dale (Fifth Form, Feilden) and for the First and Second Form tournament it went to Matilda Talbott (First Form, Gascoigne) and Grace Soden (First Form, Swift).

Houses Inter-House Drama

The brief for this year’s Inter-House Drama competition was to devise or adapt a traditional Fairy Tale to communicate a relevant contemporary message to the audience. Over the course of the competition week there were some very impressive creative responses including some outstanding scriptwriting. Perhaps more importantly, this competition tested House leadership skills. There were many pupils who proved themselves in the lead up to competition as well as on the day. It was so pleasing to see such incredible courage, ambition and teamwork in action. Throughout the week Houses presented an ensemble piece as well as a duologue or monologue for our panel of judges. The two highest scoring Houses from the ensemble category, Harcourt with Cinder and Gascoigne with Silenced, and the monologue/duologue category Vanbrugh, Hayden Camidge (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) and Molly Cockin (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) and Harcourt Grace Bartle (Upper Sixth, Harcourt) and George Kinniburgh (Lower Sixth, Harcourt) then performed in front of the Senior School, the judges and visiting judge on Friday 8 March in the Sports Hall.

Inter-House Drama Visiting Judge

The visiting judge was professional actor Richard Goulding. Richard studied Classics and English at Oxford before training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he then joined the RSC on a world tour of King Lear with Sir Ian McKellen. He has appeared in many plays in the West End, RSC, National Theatre, Royal Court and Manchester Royal Exchange. Richard plays Prince Harry in Channel 4’s The Windsors, Jack Whitehall’s older brother Tomothy in Fresh Meat and Boris Johnson in Brexit: The Uncivil War. He is currently appearing in Traitors on Channel 4 and will begin filming a new drama for ITV called Belgravia next month. ‘I so enjoyed the Drama Competition and thought that the students really did achieve some excellent work. The courage to stand up in that space and deliver those scenes and devised pieces simply cannot be overstated.’ Inter-House Drama Results 1st Harcourt (64) 2nd Gascoigne (60.3) 3rd Swift (53.6) 4th Queen Anne / Vanbrugh (44.3) 5th Feilden (41.3)

Cokethorpe Parents' Association CPA Quiz Night

CPA Committee

CPA Charity Afternoon Tea

The CPA Committee meets once a month at 7.30pm in the Corinthian Room. The Committee is always grateful to hear from anyone willing to join it.

The Cokethorpe Parents’ Association quiz on Friday 1 March saw teams of parents, staff and friends battling out to be 2019 champions. Teams pitched their general knowledge against each other with the victors being ‘Quizteam Scaysbrook’ (Ms Dodson, Mrs Penrose, Mr Ladell-Stuart, Mr Bosse, Mr Purdie, Mr and Mrs Hughes and Cameron Hughes (OC 2015, Vanbrugh). Delicious fish and chips were served during the break to keep everyone fuelled. Special thanks go to OC parents Mr and Mrs Atkins for all their hard work in preparing such a fantastic quiz and helping to create a relaxed and fun evening. The CPA would like to thank Mr and Mrs Fellows for ferrying boxes of fish and chip suppers from Witney. Thanks also go to the Catering team, Maintenance Team and Foundation Office for their help and Mrs Wadeson in the Box Office for managing bookings. It was a great evening of fun and socialising. Congratulations again to the 2019 champions.

On Wednesday 3 April the CPA and the Junior School Council co-hosted a charity afternoon tea party in support of local charity HENRY. The afternoon commenced with a wonderful parade from the Junior School children who proudly sported their Easter bonnet creations. Then it was time for tea… and cake! A colourful array of cakes, cookies and biscuits enticed the party goers into indulging in a sweet treat to enjoy with their cup of tea. It was a lovely, social afternoon and the proceeds will contribute to the work of HENRY which helps families with babies and young children to get the best possible start in life.

Chair Vice-Chairs Treasurer Members

Catherine Christensen Clare Priestley-Smith Kirsteen Fellows Michael Ward Damian Ettinger Caroline Fuchs Gemma Ferrier Sarah Algar Sue Dooley John Dobson Shane Goodgame Kathryn Wannell Karen Coleman Angie Knox-Wells Nicola Thomas

CPA Coffee Mornings

Every Friday morning during term time, parents are invited to meet in Hackett’s Café to socialise over a morning tea or coffee. It is a great opportunity to meet with other parents, catch up on School news, hear about upcoming parent social events and talk to members of the Cokethorpe Parents’ Association Committee. The coffee mornings run from 8.30am to 9.15am and no booking is necessary – just drop in and say hello! You will always be met with a warm welcome and a hot drink.

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AOB Summer Term AOB Options

Advanced DT Workshop Airfix Club Amateur Radio Club Ambitious Applications American Football Ancient Greek Applied Psychology Award Holders (Art) Bel Canto Below the Line Breaking News! Chess Club Clay Club Climbing Club Cokethorpe Shooting Club Confirmation Class Cosmetic Chemistry C-SALT Debating and Discussion Club Digital Art Drama Award Holders Drama/Classics Summer Production Drawing Club DT - Award Holders Duke of Edinburgh Award Route Planning Fearless Fashion Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Art Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Biology Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Business Studies Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Chemistry Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Drama Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: English Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: French Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Geography Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: History Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Latin Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Maths A Grade Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Maths B Grade Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Maths C Grade Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Music Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: PE Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Physics Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Psychology Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: RS Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Spanish Fifth Form Revision Drop-In: Textiles Fiver Challenge GCSE Ancient Greek GCSE Art GCSE Textiles Gene Therapy, Catalysts and Quantum Theory Girls’ Football Girls’ Indoor Cricket Golf Great Sporting Films Grow It, Eat It. Guided Reading History Club Homework and Study Session Indoor Hockey Indoor Netball IRIS - Scientific Research Jazz Band Jazz Improvisation Karaoke Kids Lit Quiz Looking Deeper into Physics Research MUN Maptivists Maths - Sixth Form Run Homework Clinic Maths πrates

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AOB Yoga Taster Session

The AOB programme at Cokethorpe is always looking for new ideas and opportunities and as a consequence, on Thursday 14 March, Senior School pupils were offered the chance to take part in a Yoga taster session. The session began by exploring how the breath has feeling, creates movement in the body and how it can help regulate the nervous system. Pupils then explored how yoga can help us physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. This was followed by some yoga postures, partner work and a final relaxation. It is now hoped that this will become a permanent fixture of the School’s AOB offering.

Girls' Indoor Cricket

'During the Lent Term, nearly 30 girls have been taking part in the Girls' Indoor Cricket AOB. There are two groups made up of pupils from the First Form to the Fourth Form, playing in two age groups, the U13s and the U15s. The AOB has provided the girls with plenty of opportunities to learn new skills as well as many improving on their existing skills. The foundations of these were established in the Summer Term where pupils had the option to participate in cricket as part of the games programme. They will all have the same opportunity to play Girls' Cricket this Summer Term.' Mr Cook

AOB Firetech Demonstration

'On Tuesday 19 March, pupils in the First and Second Form were given the opportunity to attend an interactive demonstration from Firetech, a company that specialises in the delivery of technology to children. The courses that Firetech provide are not only about specific tech and coding skills, but also embed soft skills around problem-solving, communication and collaboration that give pupils the ability to think creatively about new projects and their original work. It is hoped that Firetech will work with us more closely in the future as part of the AOB programme.' Mr Sheer

Philosophy Café

The Philosophy Café AOB is open to all pupils in the Third and Fourth Form. 'Philosophy Café is often misunderstood. What could possibly attract twenty-six Third and Fourth Form pupils every Thursday? It has to be the free hot chocolate. Actually, no: what makes this AOB so enduringly popular is simply that everyone who comes is encouraged to find their own voice. This freedom to speak is empowering and, each week, pupils share personal stories, individual struggles and words of advice. So, in a way, the real wonder of Philosophy Café is not the talking: it is the listening.' Revd Lapwood

AOB Sixth Form Art

Sixth Form Art students have been utilising their AOB time to complete examination preparation in their Art AOB this term. Their theme this year is 'Variation and Similarity'. Katie Reid (Upper Sixth, Harcourt) has chosen to look at her family history, exploring changes over time in fashion, celebrations, marriages and where in the world descendants travelled to. All this by creatively using stitch! We wish all the Sixth Form good luck in their fifteen hour controlled test starting on Wednesday 15 May.

Sci-Fi Symposium

The Science-Fiction Symposium is an opportunity for pupils to discuss and explore Science Fiction in a range of forms. The purpose of the symposium mirrors that of Science Fiction itself: to hold up a mirror to the contemporary world and ask the big questions. Thus in a world increasingly occupied by the borders of nation states, exploring the ways in which non-Earthbound cultures are integrated in the universe of Star Trek leads to reflective discussion about immigration. Our key focus during the last term has been that behemoth of the current Sci-Fi scene: The Marvelverse. Along with the obvious starter questions such as who is the best hero? Best villain? Best film? We have engaged with the reality of this series: can one two hour movie satisfyingly accommodate at least 22 superheroes? For about half of the Symposium the answer was a resounding ‘Yes! Bring on Endgame!’ politics a simple guide to brexit

technology should we love or ditch our mobile phones?

environment environ-mental!

Lent 2019

Below The Line issue 5

Your Guide to Brexit...

...at this moment in time... environment | TECHNOLOGY | politics | Science | FACTS |reviews| arts| LETTERS

Below the Line

We have just published the fifth edition of the junior newspaper Below the Line written by pupils from First to Fourth Form. Over the last five terms, the newspaper has allowed pupils to develop their journalistic proficiency so that their writing and editing skills have become increasingly professional. The older pupils have also had a powerful leadership opportunity to act as mentors to the younger members of the AOB. Brexit, of course, could not be excluded from this edition along with other serious political comment. Social media and the environment are always popular topics and new angles and perspectives are always sought. This newspaper is an opportunity for all pupils to have a voice in relation to something they feel strongly about; all submissions for the newspaper will be carefully considered.

The Line

The ninth edition of the senior newspaper The Line has been published this week. Written, compiled and edited by a team of Sixth Form students, this term we also have pieces from aspiring writers in the Fifth Form. This AOB provides a creative outlet for those students wishing to develop their journalistic proficiency and develop their writing and editing skills. Students are able to establish a portfolio of work they can take with them as they work towards higher education and a career. In this edition we see the media’s obsession with Theresa May’s kitten heels and an examination of whether political correctness threatens to curtail debate in society. Sport, culture and art are also examined, with students addressing potentially divisive issues with subtlety and nuance. All submissions for the newspaper will be carefully considered.

Summer Term AOB Options

Metalwork Club Music Theory Near Space Balloon Project News of the Week Open Gym Session Open University Online Courses Orchestra Period 6 AOB Homework and Study Philosophy Café Photography Pre-Season Rugby Training Primary School Latin Psychology Mentoring Programme Robotics Sci-Fi Symposium Sixth Form Art Sixth Form Calculus Club Sixth Form Craft Club Spanish Clinic Spectrophotometry Strength & Conditioning Swing Band Table Tennis Textiles Club Texts in Translation The Choir The Line Touch Typing Triathlon Training Wargaming World Challenge X-Country aka The Lots of Running Club

Guerilla Geography

On Tuesday 5 February, pupils from Guerrilla Geography AOB delivered a presentation in House Assembly about palm oil to First Form. 'We had been discussing and investigating palm oil production, looking at the pros and cons. Palm oil is a global concern; deforestation is happening in tropical forests around the world and a third of Malaysia’s rainforests are devoted to producing palm oil. We wanted to raise awareness about palm oil with our assembly and posters that we put up around School so that people can make informed choices about the products they buy. Palm oil can be produced sustainably without causing deforestation, and a certification scheme exists for responsibly sourced palm oil which some companies are displaying on their packaging.' George Keates (First Form, Vanbrugh) and Archie Wilkinson (First Form, Gascoigne)

Palm Oil

Over half of everyday products contain palm oil, from shampoo and shower gel to pizza (it is often the vegetable oil in the dough). Palm oil forms a large part of the economy of many countries providing jobs and income for many people, however the environmental losses can be very significant with 2,000 to 3,000 orangutans dying each year due to deforestation caused by palm oil production. To find out more, visit https://www. worldwildlife.org/pages/which-everydayproducts-contain-palm-oil.

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The Cokethorpe Society Forthcoming Events

OC Football Tournament

OC Reunion Dinner Cokethorpe School Saturday 22 June 2019, 6.30pm – 10.00pm Drinks reception, three course meal, wine, entertainment Tickets £20 (£10 for 2018, 2017, 2016 leavers)

Scoring ebbed and flowed with the OCs’ dominating early possession before the outstanding school player Alex Wheeler (Lower Sixth, Swift) opened the scoring with a well taken goal from outside the penalty area. In a solid back three Teague Bond (OC 2013, Feilden) was sharp and decisive in the tackle and produced blocks when goals seemed certain for the First XI. At the final whistle the OCs won 5-4 and man of the match went deservedly to Teague.

OC Cricket and Tennis Cokethorpe School Friday 21 June 2019, 6.00pm – 9.30pm A BBQ will follow

The annual School OCs v First XI proved yet again to be an entertaining affair. Returning old boys shone in a closely contested fixture played on the excellently prepared ‘Captains’ pitch with memories of great deeds recalled.

CPA Fireworks Cokethorpe School Friday 8 November, 7.00pm – 9.00pm OC stand with mulled wine Christmas Wreath Workshops Cokethorpe School Thursday 5 December 2019, 6.30pm – 9.00pm, Saturday 7 December 2019, 10am – 12.30pm, Saturday 7 December 2019, 1.30pm – 4.00pm Tickets £30 including mulled wine and mince pies OC Sports Festival Cokethorpe School Friday 19 June 2020, 6.00pm – 9.30pm Football, Cricket, Tennis and Shooting A BBQ will follow

Sam Biles

Sam Biles (OC 2018, Gascoigne) alongside two other apprentices has been taken on by Edgar’s at the CBRE with the President and Chairman of the RTPI. This was the launch of the RTPI Apprenticeship now approved by the IfA. Sam will be going to university in London each week alongside working in the office to gain his skills and qualifications.

Cokethorpe Society Donations

If you have any old photos, videos or stories you would like to share with the Society, we would be delighted to receive them for our archives and to share on social media. Please email any scanned documents to society@cokethorpe.org or, if sending by post, please address any packages to: Cokethorpe Society Cokethorpe School Witney, OX29 7PU

Cokethorpe Society Committee

Chair: Tom Biggs (2008) Treasurer: Tony Baker (1964) Secretary: Charles Bartlett (2008)

Cokethorpe Society Contact Details

society@cokethorpe.org 01993 892352 Facebook fb.com/groups/cokethorpesociety

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OC London Drinks

On Thursday 7 March, the Cokethorpe Society hosted their annual London Drinks Reception, which this year was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields, the beautiful church on Trafalgar Square. The Cokethorpe Society is the association for our former pupils, staff and governors, consisting of thousands of people who left the School in the 1950s right through to our most recent Upper Sixth leavers. It was lovely to see such a range of OCs, from last year’s leavers through to those who left in the 1960s, brave the wind and rain to attend. Both OCs and members of the Common Room reminisced over drinks and canapés throughout the evening, alongside a slide show of photos of Old Cokethorpeans throughout the years. We were very pleased to welcome back Mrs Copeland, who left last year. Thank you to all who came.

OC Profile - Toyah Overton

'Following a BSc in Physics from Royal Holloway, University of London (graduating 2018), I decided that Physics wasn't the right subject for me. I have since started a job as a Machine Learning Researcher for a company called Alcis, who are based in Guildford. The more unusual aspect of my employment is that Alcis are also sponsoring me through a PhD in Machine Learning at Brunel University London, so I am working full-time and doing a PhD part-time. I have undergone a huge change in degree subject by changing from Physics to Machine Learning, so it may be of comfort to some students to hear that their undergraduate degree choice doesn't determine their whole life - I know this is a worry that I had even after I started my undergraduate degree. Since I know that gaining industrial experience whilst doing a degree is increasing in popularity, I am happy to talk to those who are uncertain as to which opportunities are open to them. Please contact society@ cokethorpe.org if you would like to get in contact with Toyah.' Toyah Overton (OC 2015, Queen Anne)

Beyond the Classroom Leadership Trip to Canada

'The inaugural Canadian exchange programme proved to be an unforgettable experience. Our time at the Toronto Montessori School was a very different experience to what we are used to at home. It was a great opportunity for us to see how schools in Canada work, and what the students think of it. It was interesting to compare the similarities and differences between their IB programme and our A Level programme. We also attended a leadership conference, hosted by students of their school in which they delivered seminars on the skills needed to be leaders, and carry out the responsibilities that come with it. We stayed with two students from the school and their families, and they provided a host of activities and visits for us. On one day we visited downtown Toronto, where we went up the CN Tower, visited the aquarium, and tried liquid nitrogen ice cream. A personal highlight for us in Toronto was the opportunity to watch an NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and San Antonia Spurs, which proved very exciting. We also had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Niagara Falls, a one-and-ahalf-hour drive from Toronto, and the retro town of Niagara Falls.' Harley Colsell (Upper Sixth, Queen Anne) and Rachel Horner (Upper Sixth, Vanbrugh)

World Challenge to Norway Training Weekend

'On Saturday 2 March, 21 Cokethorpe students completed a world challenge training weekend in the Forest of Dean. One of the first things we learned was how to put up a tent. Some people found this relatively easy as they had experience of camping before. However, the rest of us found it slightly challenging. After a while with help from the experienced campers we had all put up a tent and were ready for our next activity. We then learnt how to carry heavy loads. This trained us on how fit we needed to be for the walk that we would be doing in Norway. At the same time, we learnt how to navigate. Perhaps the biggest struggle the group had was cooking. Learning how to cook for 21 hungry people in six small pots was challenging. Dinner had a few disasters. One of them was accidently letting the flames hit the spaghetti, making it rather burnt in some places. Breakfast was a bigger success but the amount of food that we cooked wasn’t enough but we still got through it. Overall the weekend was enjoyable and we learnt many things that will help us on our trip to Norway.' Dylan Morris (Third Form, Vanbrugh)

Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Training Day

This term the whole of the Fourth Form took part in a day of training in School in preparation for their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. Twelve staff spent the day teaching 101 pupils the basics of navigation, first aid and camp craft (including putting up a tent and cooking a meal on a trangia). For many this was their first insight into outdoor living and will provide a vital first step en route to their assessed expedition in July.

Notes from Campus Manilla

Vice Principal of our Swedish Exchange School, Mikael Marffy, writes about the unique ethos that has been developed at the School, and why they want families in Stockholm to choose Campus Manilla School. 1. Leading Education We combine innovative thinking with proven experience. Doing this means actively monitoring the development of pedagogical research. It also means a teaching staff who constantly exchanges educational experiences with each other. Singapore math involves starting from reading comprehension and logical thinking in the teaching. Within the framework of genre education, cooperation between the Swedish subject and the other subjects takes place. Campus Manilla has a high staff density and the size of the teaching groups is needs-based. 2. Both Brain Halves It is important that the children learn mathematics and science side by side with art, music and dance. The children should not only be able to count and remember things but also be able to think critically as well as creatively. Projects such as Book Day, Spring Lounge, Manilla Writes and Manilla Sings are examples of this. For is it not so that when we through art learn to see, respect and embrace each other's particularities and differences, we become better humans? To educate, form and develop world citizens is very important for us at Campus Manilla. For this reason, Campus Manilla also collaborates with several schools abroad. Another example is that, in the framework of language teaching in year 8, students visit their friendshipschools in Spain, Germany and France. 3. The students are making a profit. Not us. At Campus Manilla, all resources go to the students. The school is run by a foundation, which means that all possible profits are reinvested in the students and the school. Investing in future generations also means developing students' compassion.

Fundraising

On Friday 15 February, the School held a non-uniform day in support of the Amos Trust. This small, creative human rights organisation is committed to challenging injustice, building hope and creating positive change. To find out more about the charity and their work visit www.amostrust.org. The final total raised for the Amos Trust before half term was a very healthy ÂŁ946. Thank you to all who supported this fantastic cause.

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Annual Fund Ways of Giving

All donations to the Annual Fund are put to good use immediately, so the impact of your gift will be felt by current as well as future generations of pupils. Participation is the key, not the level of generosity. Quite simply, every gift helps. There are many ways you can support and donate to the Annual Fund and more information about each of these can be found on our website: www.cokethorpe.org. uk/2019annualfund Some of the most popular ways to give include regular giving, single gifts, bequests, payroll giving, matched giving and stocks and shares.

What to do Next

Full details of how you can support the Annual Fund using any of these methods can be found on our website. Alternatively you can get in touch using the details below if you wish to discuss making a gift. foundationoffice@cokethorpe.org 01993 892352 Foundation Office Cokethorpe School Witney Oxon OX29 7PU

Annual Fund 2019

We are extremely grateful to all of the supporters who have helped to get this year’s Annual Fund off to a great start. With all your support, we have already been able to fund a Storybus Workshop and a Music Garden for the Junior School. The Cokethorpe Society, through its Christmas Wreath Workshops, raised the money to be able to fund the purchase of twenty tree name plaques for notable trees in and around the School grounds. We are still seeking support for the following projects: Tubular Bells - £5,500 The Music Department wish to purchase a set of tubular bells in order to enhance the curriculum and continue to expand the percussion section in the Senior School Orchestra. They would give all students a chance to play a musical instrument that they would otherwise not be able to try out. They are possibly most well-known due to the hit album by Mike Oldfield, but also featured in classical music works including Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Holst’s The Planets. Low Ropes Course - £8,000 The School would like to design and construct a low ropes course to facilitate and enhance leadership skills training and education for pupils and students. The course would be designed for use by our youngest pupils through to our Sixth Form, including adults. Therefore, the facility could also be used for staff training and development. The estimated cost includes training in management and safety for two members of staff to organise and supervise appropriate use of the course.

Wider Community

Use of Cokethorpe Facilities

Bampton Cricket Club

Oxford Downs Cricket Club

We were delighted to welcome Bampton Cricket Club for the first time this year, who were using the Sports Hall as a practice arena. Bampton Cricket Club is made up of both senior and junior teams, and welcome both male and female players of all ages and abilities, starting from aged 5. They are always looking to welcome players, scorers, umpires and non-players. If you are interested in learning more, please email the club chairman Richard Pitt at bamptoncricket@gmail.com.

Oxfordshire Young Farmers Hockey Club

Oxfordshire Young Farmers Hockey and Netball

This term, the School has supported a number of local groups, businesses, associations and sports clubs, including: Appleton Cricket Club Bampton Cricket Club Ducklington Primary School Lower Windrush Choral Society

Oxfordshire Young Farmers Netball Club Rover Hockey Club Festival Standlake Beavers Standlake Explorers Standlake Scouts Wychwood Badgers Hockey Club Wychwood Hockey Club

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The Oxfordshire Young Farmers Hockey and Netball teams returned once again this term for their annual county tournaments at Cokethorpe. Hockey was held on Sunday 27 January, followed by Netball on Saturday 10 February. In the run up to the tournaments, serious training sessions were also run on the Astros. Running for more than 70 years, the Oxfordshire Young Farmers Club is open to those aged between ten and 26. Not limited to farmers, they welcome anyone who has an interest in the countryside and having fun! The Oxfordshire clubs are based in Witney, Abingdon, Bicester, Enstone, Faringdon and Henley and compete at almost anything, ranging from public speaking and stock judging through to tug-of-war, and of course netball and hockey.

Archives Then and Now

Below is a selection of photos from the 2009 and 2019 Inter-House drama competitions.

Turning Back the Pages Below are news items from past issues of The Bell Tower, The Peacock and The Ocellus. 50 Years Ago In an otherwise calm and uneventful year, there were some sound academic performances at 'A' level and in University Entrance. 1968 was the first year in which Cokethorpe candidates secured places at Oxford and Cambridge—William Howbert at Emmanuel, Cambridge, to read English, and John Blandford at Jesus, Oxford, to read Law. Moreover, places were won at Durham by Robert Cullen (History and Sociology) and at King's College, London, by Nicholas Sewell (Chemistry) and Anthony Wong (Physics). The 'A' level results last June were also very satisfactory. We had nine candidates, who between them scored seven Grade 'A's, and three Distinctions in the `S' paper, doing (I think one may fairly claim) considerable credit both to themselves and to the masters who taught them. 30 Years Ago Andrew Teague, Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral School, again writes about the Inter-house music competition: My visit to Cokethorpe on March 16th, to adjudicate the annual Inter-House music Competition for the second time, proved to be even more enjoyable than my first visit. This year's Competition had a real sense of musical purpose, was of a generally high musical standard, and provided an evening of really enjoyable music-making both for performers and listeners alike. So often the extreme length of Music Competitions detracts from their musical value and enjoyment, but at Cokethorpe the balance seemed to be just right. The smoothness and efficiency with which the evening passed gave little indication of the amount of careful planning and management that such an event entails. 10 Years Ago Sixth Form Trip to Washington: 2009 has already been a heady year for Washington DC; the first black President has been sworn in, the largest bail-out package ever has been approved, and 23 students from Cokethorpe School have made their first visit to the Capital. Put them in whatever order you will. Led by Mr Schofield, the group took in each of the major institutions of the Federal Government, including a guided tour of Congress and a talk given in the Courtroom of the Supreme Court building. Outside the White House the group came across politics in action, with a demonstration against the continued use of Guantanamo Bay, and were able to ask questions both about the issue specifically and about political lobbying in the US more generally. Ensuring a balance between Politics and History, visits were made to the National Archives to see the ‘Holy Trinity’ of American documentation – the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

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Tail Feathers Staff News

Open Morning

Saturday 18 May 2019 9.30am to 12.00pm Prospective parents interested in entry at any age are warmly invited to attend. All departments will be open, and there will be refreshments and activities. All welcome.

Mrs Turner

We are very sorry to share the sad news that Mrs Rosie Turner (Simpson) passed away on Friday 4 January. She was a wonderful, kind and dedicated teacher who contributed greatly to life at our School over many years. Rosie was well loved and respected within our Cokethorpe community and she will be missed by all who knew her.

For personal visits at other times, for a tour, discussion with the Registrar, Mrs S Sheer, or the Head of Junior School if appropriate, or to meet the Headmaster, please contact the Admissions Secretary, Ms C Bowerman (admissions@cokethorpe.org or 01993 703921).

Palmer and Howells Catering Competition

On Thursday 21 March, the Catering team held their own ‘Feed the World – Live Aid 2019’, as part of a Food Noise competition judged by Palmer and Howells Caterers. The aim was to raise both awareness and funds for local charities that support people in need of food aid. Through their ‘Eat Well to Learn’ programme, Rafiki Thabo provides 70 of the most vulnerable students at their link school in Uganda with a hot school lunch every day, enabling them to stay in education. For many of those students, this is the only meal they eat each day. One meal at Kamuganguzi Janan Luwum Memorial Secondary School in Uganda costs only thirty-five pence. With £25.26 we could pay for a student to ‘eat well’ for a term. During the day there was a raffle and various competitions running, including a Cokethorpe Bake Off. We are pleased to announce that they were awarded joint first place for their fantastic efforts and also managed to raised £385.88 which equates to 1102 meals.

Congratulations to Head of Rugby Mr Robinson and wife Maddi on the birth of Milo James Robinson on Saturday 9 March weighing 7lbs 12oz. Little brother to Max.

Congratulations to Head of Digital Learning Mr Mason and Assistant Director of Studies Mrs Mason, on the birth of their daughter Beatrice Elizabeth, born Sunday 16 December 2018 weighing 5lb 11oz. Little sister to Alice.

Congratulations to Head Groundsman Simon and his wife Hayley, on the birth of their son Daniel James born on Monday 25 February weighing 7lb. Little brother to Joshua and Oliver.

Contact Information

Headmaster Email correspondence with Mr Ettinger (dje@cokethorpe.org) is particularly welcomed during the Headmaster ‘Live’ hour (8.00pm – 9.00pm on the first Monday of each month during term time). At other times please contact the Headmaster’s Secretary (01993 892325 or hmsec@cokethorpe.org). Senior Management Team Bursar: Mrs H Stapleton bursar@cokethorpe.org Deputy Headmaster: Mr J C Stevens jcs@cokethorpe.org Head of Junior School: Mrs N Black nab@cokethorpe.org Director of Studies: Mr A E Uglow aeu@cokethorpe.org Director of Co-Curricular: Mr G J Sheer gjs@cokethorpe.org Housemasters and Housemistresses Lower House: Mr M J P O'Connor mjoc@cokethorpe.org Feilden: Mr S G Carter sgc@cokethorpe.org Gascoigne: Mrs E Semenzato es@cokethorpe.org Harcourt: Mr W G Lawson wgl@cokethorpe.org Queen Anne: Mrs S A Orton sao@cokethorpe.org Swift: Mrs M H Cooper mhdc@cokethorpe.org Vanbrugh: Ms L A Mountain lam@cokethorpe.org

Editor’s Notes

The icon indicates that a longer write-up and/or further photographs are available on the School website. THE OCELLUS is edited and typeset by the Foundation Office. It is published by Cokethorpe School. Cokethorpe School Witney, Oxon OX29 7PU Tel: 01993 703921 Email: admin@cokethorpe.org

www.cokethorpe.org.uk

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