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Front cover image: Grady Fluker (Year 4, Symonds) at the Prep School ‘Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Sponsored Walk’ which raised money for the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal. Inside front cover: artwork by Pippa Allen (Third Form, Harcourt)

HEADMASTER’S WELCOME people ought to feel a duty to level the gap with those who experience real hardship. So it is not merely kindness, but also justice. Another idea is that, in the giving, it is not only the recipient who is blessed, but also the giver, and that a person’s wealth and income is ‘purified’ in the act of sharing.

Many people in this country are aware of at least some of the Five Pillars of Islam, such as the recent fast of Ramadan. A practice maybe less familiar to some is that of Zakat, which can be translated loosely as ‘almsgiving’. Those who can afford it have an obligation to donate a percentage of their income and wealth to help those in need. It is, of course, a practice that is reflected in other religions, and in the commitment of many with no religious belief. What interests me about the Muslim practice is the principle upon which it is built. Put simply, it is not understood as charity. It is an obligation, based on the idea that

Many people will agree that sharing is a commonly held instinct. Perhaps most human beings, who are aware of the comfort and privilege they experience, feel a certain discomfort when they see the situation in which some others live their lives. This has been evident in the open-hearted generosity of those who have shared their homes with war refugees. They offer to the most vulnerable the safety and security of their home - something they also once enjoyed, but who now experience insecurity and jeopardy. This is not an instinct felt only by individuals, but also by communities, such as schools. At Cokethorpe we are aware of the privileges afforded by the education we can provide and have a sense of how mean-spirited it would be to build a wall around that. It goes against the grain to deny to others any benefit from what we have to offer. So, for example, there is a long-standing convention in schools like Cokethorpe to encourage

pupils to be conscious of the disparity between their situation and that of others, and to dedicate some of their time and energy to giving practical support. This is something many of our pupils do, with great commitment. On top of that, the school itself engages in outreach, which allows other schools to share in some of the elements of what we have built here, such as opening access to the experience and expertise of our teaching staff, and to our facilities and resources. In doing this, I like the thought that, in such actions, everyone is blessed, the idea that it raises the morale of giver and receiver alike. But perhaps even more important is that, in opening ourselves in this way, we acknowledge how much we have to learn from others, whose experience - precisely because it is often less privileged - gives great insight into the value of what we have.

IN THIS ISSUE... Cokethorpe Conversations: Enlightenment Lectures New Pre-Prep Classrooms

Pages 14-15

Global Citizens - Keeping Cokethorpe Connected

Pages 16-17

Rafiki Thabo Foundation

Pages 18-19

Pages 2-4

SEEKING ENLIGHTENMENT IN THE SIXTH FORM streamlined and precise, growing into the programme we know today.

Mr Elkin-Jones, coordinator of the Enlightenment Lectures, explores its raison d’être, and what the future holds for this intellectually invigorating programme.

What is the series and how did it come about? The series has a long history, in many ways ingrained in and reflective of the School’s ethos and culture. It grew out of our past existence as a boarding school, looking for ways to appropriately educate, entertain and inform the students of an evening. When we became a day school, the timetable was rationalised, but there was still a desire to keep that enrichment, and to provide academic stimulus without an explicit quantitative outcome but rather something enriching and qualitative. Beginning as something closer to general studies, over the years it has become more

And what is that modern structure and intent? That more honed existence sees six or seven sessions take place across the Michaelmas and Lent Terms for all members of the Sixth Form, and we seek to go well beyond those early desires for informative, educational experiences and inspire the students to show or to feel real empathy with a position or to be ambitious in how they encounter and interpret a subject, but fundamentally it is to champion curiosity and to expect and accept challenge of thought and pre-conception. This is not a programme that is designed to supplement the curriculum, nor is it esotericism, it is super-curricular, in fact I would say it is über curricular in that it provokes concepts, opinions and reactions that might not otherwise be drawn out. There are more explicitly tangible benefits too, you find students realising, for instance that there is a whole area of semiotics and archaeology that they did not know existed, and it becomes an area they take on at university and into their careers. There is a motto for the Enlightenment Lectures, ‘He who is not alight cannot fire others’ which captures our intent rather well: we want interesting people who have done interesting things, telling us about them in such a way to make us sit up and take note. And how are those speakers selected? It generally splits into thirds. The first essentially can be defined as one of those totally arbitrary moments of personal choice and thought, whilst the mind is idly wondering to Radio 3,

in reading a dust cover in Blackwell’s, I will stumble across something that sparks an idea. Occasionally a contact or a parent puts themselves forward, or on other occasions an avenue of consideration might come off the back of a conversation with a colleague. There is no wider criterium than that, and it is very much in keeping, therefore, with our intents. A similar process can be applied to the selection of the themes for the year’s Lectures. Is it a particularly structured or traditional lecture? Perhaps historically, but it has become more flexible. It is Radio 4 with its top button undone; the Civil Service without the tie. For example, we are getting more seminar based in our approach, an informal Q&A. When we were running the series online in the last two years, that gave a great opportunity for questioning in that sense. Inevitably, with the emphasis on being subjects with a healthy degree of the unknown for the audience, there is always something moderately transmissive. We had a talk on the etymology of slang, being vernacular based, a more formal delivery worked. It ultimately comes down to what works best for the material and for the speaker. We want to ensure that we can get the most out of it, which is aided by a speaker being in their best environment. And how do the students respond to it? It is an opportunity for real leadership actually and is often most telling in those lessons immediately afterward. I remember a lecture led by the linguist, Professor David Crystal who is world renowned in his field and an excellent communicator, so it was a real gift to

have him. He spoke on texting and whether it is a blessing or a curse for language – the answer was a blessing incidentally – and we followed this with a series of seminar group discussions which were hugely profitable and measurable for the impact on the various English Language and English Literature and Language A Levels that we run. Not every Lecture will grab every student, and they are very honest about responding to this; I welcome the feedback - the good, the bad, and the ugly. In itself, it is a demonstration of that leadership, taking responsibility for their own learning and comprehension (or lack of it) on a given topic. I do not book a speaker wanting every student to know and fully understand the content – it would undermine that über curricular pretext – it is about their reaching for something and finding a way to make that knowledge accessible and attainable to themselves. Looking to the educational value what are we looking to impart from the Lectures? Curiosity is at the heart of it. I would love students to go away, even if just from one Lecture in one year’s series and have had their sense of curiosity inspired, to consider the road not taken.

Even if it were a negative response and wishing to dispel something. And that is a form of intellectual leadership. In terms of an academically educational response, the immediate factor is in the articulation of their own responses to the Lecture with tutors and others informally. It may come out in some more informal response in time, or in an essay, but it is the immediate response that I think matters, because it is the most authentic and the most provoking. It is all very values based, it is about imparting that value of curiosity and not being afraid of the unknown; when writing that next essay, it is in reading not the five recommended readings but the five readings that those texts recommended beyond. We

have six or seven sessions over four terms of a student’s life with us, a small toe dipped into a very large pond of experiences our students have each and every week here, so we have to be pragmatic and brave as educators, acknowledging that, to be asking for more than that for every student is not realistic, but those smaller, incidentally transcendental moments are enough. In terms of individual speakers, it has been an emotive year. Absolutely. Well, I suppose the theme was ‘Hot Truths’, so that was probably inevitable. This year, we had a gentleman called Mike Haines who was perhaps one of our best speakers ever. His brother was one of those murdered by ‘Jihadi John’ of the so called ‘Beatles’ group when he was working as a contractor in the Middle East. Mr Haines, rather than becoming bitter or resentful, has sought to use this opportunity to promote the business of reconciliation over revenge. He gave possibly one of the most powerful and emotionally challenging, and yet well-received talks of the entire time I have run this series; a spontaneous

standing ovation at the end, the likes of which is practically unheard. We have had some intellectually and existentially quite challenging talks this year as well. We began the series with Sunday Times journalist, Robert Verkaik, who wrote a book in the last couple of years called Do English Public Schools Ruin Britain? Now, it would seem to be totally counter intuitive to invite, let alone accept, such a person but, at Cokethorpe, we are open to debate. We do not invoke a cancel culture here. There were some excellent questions, it was intellectually stimulating, and we really promoted the valuing of the integrity of this chap through an open and honest debate. And he speaks as someone who has experienced it himself, so it really is about the substance, the principle, the debate. These are democratic British values, and we are nothing if we do not have those values at the forefront of our premise. Undoubtedly, some heavy hitters there. Are there any others that have really stood out for you? I will mention three. We were delighted to have Professor David Nutt, who is a

professor of pharma-neuro psychology at University College London, and was controversial because he was on the government’s drug advisory board and came to speak to us at the time he was in the news. He came to talk about his views, which are deeply provocative, but he was intellectually rigorous and, also, surprisingly amusing, but was particularly interesting, being part of the zeitgeist. In terms of also being part of the zeitgeist, Professor Michael Dougan, who is a constitutional lawyer with expertise in European Law, came to talk to us at the height of that recent national debate. His articulation of that debate and about issues that are still echoing through history now was, to say ‘fascinating’, is to do him a disservice. Fernanda Drumond of the GapMinder Institute, which is a Swedish organisation promoting international development, came to speak with us about relative scales of poverty. They were all emotionally powerful and passionate people, but very clear in their thesis and prompted lots of good questions.

And do those questions often stay close cropped to the discussion? It is often like a tree. It starts with being rooted in the grounding of the discussion but, whether in the Lecture itself or in those great forums of discussion and debate, the coffee shop and the Dining Hall, the dialogue tends to branch out. I think that is the way it should be. If money and time, both temporal and lineal, were no object, who would you like to invite? This is a question that is nigh on impossible to answer. I will narrow it down to two. The first would be the first female president of Afghanistan; who, when they arrive, will be someone worth hearing from and will have something worthy to say. The second would be the team or person who finally cracks fusion power, because that is a game-changer. Both those individuals or groups will be (to borrow Mr Waldron’s metaphor) the hinges of history who will open a door to a very significant future. Mr Elkin-Jones was speaking with Head of Marketing, Mr Griffiths.

MEET THE SCHOOL: MRS KNOX What do you do at the School? Year 2 Class Teacher. When did you join? September 2021.

What are your hobbies and how did you get into them? Staying active is important to me, but I have never taken to the gym. Instead, I love to get outside for long walks in the countryside. I also enjoy yoga, especially when the weather allows me to practise in the garden.

What made you become a Prep School teacher? Growing up, my dad was the Director of Studies and a Boarding Parent at a prep school in rural Shropshire. Our family lived onsite in a cottage set within the grounds, so school was, quite literally, my home. Even now, the country school setting feels homely and comforting.

Growing up, I loved baking. Although I still enjoy whipping up the occasional cake or batch of cookies (chocolate brownies are my specialty), I now prefer cooking. My husband and I enjoy trying out new recipes together from our growing shelf of cookery books. For the past couple of years, we have been particularly inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi.

From a young age, I always dreamed of becoming a teacher. I carried out my first work experience in a school when I was thirteen, as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award, and kept gravitating back to school settings until I was finally able to begin my PGCE.

What is one thing that can instantly make your day better? There are a few things that can always put a smile on my face: a cuddle from my cats, a warm bath and a slice of carrot cake!

What aspects of your job do you enjoy most? For me, it is all about the relationships I form with my class. As a Pre-Prep Teacher, the children are with me for most lessons. I get to know them inside out: all their likes and dislikes, their strengths and areas for development, their daily triumphs and struggles. It is a privilege to play such an important role in their lives at such a transformative age. What was your favourite book as a child/now? As a child, I was a huge ‘Harry Potter’ fan. My older brother introduced me to the first book and I was instantly hooked! When I was little, I would act out the stories with my Sylvanian Families toys for hours on end. As I got older, I would stay up into the early hours reading the latest books as they were released. Now, my favourite book is The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy. I came across it during the first lockdown and it became a source of comfort and inspiration. No matter what situation I find myself in, there seems to be a quote that resonates. My husband and I even chose a selection of quotes for one of our wedding readings.

COKETHORPE CREATIVITY

Artwork by 22 Prep School pupils was shortlisted to appear at this year’s Young Art Oxford Exhibition held at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Here is a selection of some of the shortlisted artwork.

Harriet Oldham (Year 1, Gwyn)

Orlando Bayes (Year 2, Baker)

Isla Cruickshank (Year 3, Gwyn)

Scarlett Gould (Year 5, Lockwood)

FUNDRAISING IN THE SENIOR SCHOOL Charity Coordinator, Ms Griffiths, talks to us about fundraising in the Senior School. Can you tell us what you do in your role as Charity Coordinator? My role is to co-ordinate requests from staff, pupils or a combination of the two to organise fundraising events or charitable giving initiatives. Staff and pupils approach me with ideas of fundraisers for charities that are important to them, and I look at whether they are viable and what we can do to support them. This also applies to choosing the charities we support for our non-uniform days. So, what sort of charities do we support and how are they chosen? This is one of the most important aspects of my role. We try to have a fair distribution among charities. For example, if the last one has been for an overseas charity, such as the Rafiki Thabo Foundation, we might try to look at one based in Britain for the next one. This could be a food bank, a breast cancer charity, or a local charity with a different objective. What input do pupils have in choosing charities and events? Pupils of all ages, from the First Form to Upper Sixth, approach me with ideas for events or charities they wish to support. Often, these are quite traditional – cake sales or nonuniform days - but sometimes they are completely different and driven entirely by the pupils themselves. I support them to help map out how they might go about arranging it, but also ensure they are clear on the purpose, that they understand the meaning behind it, and that it fits with the charity and its ethos.

How would you choose between different charities that might be put forward for events or even the nonuniform day, for example? This is really a combination of factors. We must look at the context and how it fits with the other fundraising initiatives we have done or are looking to do. We need to ascertain what the purpose of the event is and why that person wants to do it. When we raised money for the breast cancer charity, there were lots of staff at the time affected by breast cancer, so it felt right to support them at that time. We also raised money for Battersea Dogs Home at one of our nonuniform days. This was requested by a member of staff as something that was meaningful to them, and there was some resistance from people asking why we were supporting an animal and not a human charity. I think this raises an interesting question about how we choose our charities. It is so important to recognise that, as a School community, we all have different things that are important to us and we should show empathy in respecting each other’s views. What are the factors you consider when choosing a charity to support? Essentially, we want to raise as much money for that charity as possible, but it is important to really get an understanding of the charity itself. We look closely at the charity, what they do, what they are about, what their ethos is, how it relates to us and how we all connect.

Can you highlight some examples of fundraisers that have been successful and why you think that was? One of the highest amounts we have raised was for the charity Young Minds. This was the first fundraiser after the lockdown and we were all very aware of the impact of the lockdown on all our mental wellbeing, and particularly the pupils, so we worked with the WIT Co-ordinator and Housemasters to put together a phenomenal programme for Mental Health Week, culminating in the fundraiser on the Friday. I think one of the reasons for its incredible success was that it was something everyone could relate to and connect with at the time. The Ukraine fundraiser organised by Ms Jackson also generated a phenomenal amount of money. Again, people could see the suffering and relate to the plight of the people of Ukraine. How would you like to see your area develop in the coming years? I would like to create more awareness of all the different aspects of charity and charitable giving. Does charity always have to be financial? There are other types of charitable giving. For example, we already collect and donate food hampers at Christmas, but charitable giving is also giving your time. Outreach and voluntary work are a fantastic way to give something back. We already do this at the School, but this is an area I would like to develop further in the future. Ms Griffiths was speaking with Communications Officer, Mrs Williams.

PHILOSOPHY A LEVEL We spoke to Head of Philosophy, Religion and Civics, Mr Waldron, about the introduction of Philosophy to the A Level syllabus. Where does Philosophy fit into the School curriculum? Philosophy – as a way of thinking about certain questions – courses through the veins of the Senior School. In Civics, a lot of the topics we cover are philosophical in nature: identity, freedom, the best form of government, and so on. This year, the Headmaster and I have been teaching a new Philosophy course to the Fourth Form Scholars to help them develop their critical thinking skills. The GCSE Religious Studies course includes a great deal of Philosophy. And, of course, we now offer Philosophy at A Level. Why should A Level students opt to study Philosophy? There are many reasons to study Philosophy, but perhaps the most compelling is simple curiosity. Philosophy is a way of exploring some of the most interesting and important questions out there: are things really as they appear? does God exist? what makes you you? how are your mind and body connected? People have been asking these questions for a very long time, and some of the best and most original thinkers have engaged with them. I once heard someone describe Philosophy as ‘picking arguments with dead people’, and I rather like that: since those dead people are such brilliant minds – Plato, Descartes, Kant, Mill, de Beauvoir, to name but a few – the arguments you can have are 8 fascinating.

On a personal level, asking and debating these questions can be a profound experience. Over the years I have seen students enriched and transformed by their study of Philosophy. In such cases, Philosophy can help you ‘become who you are’, to borrow Nietzsche’s expression. What does the A Level course entail? The A Level course has four components, each one a rich area of philosophical study. Epistemology explores how we come to know and believe things about the world; Moral Philosophy includes different theories of right and wrong; Metaphysics of God applies philosophical thinking to religious questions; and Metaphysics of Mind investigates the relation of mind and body. These are big topics, and we approach them through discussion and debate, and by reading passages from famous works of Philosophy. The great philosophers are like the X on a treasure-map: they tell us where to start digging. Later thinkers have then responded to earlier thinkers, and by exploring this conversation through history, students can learn to develop and articulate their own beliefs from a sophisticated and informed position. In a nutshell, what makes Philosophy relevant in the modern world? The modern world needs clear thinking

more than ever. The challenges and opportunities presented by the internet, by social media, by climate change, by modern politics and politicians, by new technologies and artificial intelligence - not to mention the challenges we cannot predict these can only be navigated by agile, creative thinkers. Students trained in Philosophy will be well placed to meet these challenges and take advantage of these opportunities. What skills will students gain from studying Philosophy? The key skills of Philosophy are critical enquiry, argumentation and a sceptical frame of mind; a respect for reason and a distrust of dogma; the ability to detect half-truths and nonsense; and the virtues of clarity and rigour. I tend to think of Philosophy as a method, rather than a set of answers. We do not teach the students what to think, but how to think: with clarity, originality and depth. The great questions of Philosophy are like a workout for the mind, a way to practise critical enquiry and reasoned argument. And, of course, when your thoughts are in order, you can communicate more effectively.

What sort of skills, interests and prior subjects would a pupil need? There are no formal requirements for Philosophy A Level. However, the nature of the subject requires a student to be open-minded and reflective. Good writing skills will be an advantage, although these can be learned during the course. How does the Philosophy course sit alongside our other A Level options? Philosophy has its fingers in a lot of pies: there is Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of History, Philosophy of Maths, Philosophy of Art, Philosophy of

Language and so on. Because it is a method of enquiry, its application is broad, almost unlimited. Therefore A Level Philosophy complements any and all other subjects. What do Philosophy students go on to do? This breadth is reflected in the range of courses at university. Philosophy can be studied on its own, but it is also available as a joint course with many other subjects, often in popular combinations like PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) and PPL (Politics, Philosophy and Law).

When parents ask me about life after university, and the careers open to Philosophy graduates, I like to quote one of the big executives of Barclays: ‘What can you do with Philosophy? Absolutely anything you want.’ You can find Philosophy graduates in all walks of life: politicians, lawyers, journalists, authors, actors, academics, entrepreneurs, army officers - and even a few Popes.

MEET THE SCHOOL: MR JOHNSON What do you do at the School? DT Technician When did you join? I have been at Cokethorpe for thirteen years. I started as a part-time bus driver in early summer 2009. I then started working for the Maintenance Department, designing and building various projects around the School site, including the barrier across the car park, the metal bag racks, installing around four miles of fibre optic cable which runs underground from the cottage exit to the PC hub room. What is a typical day for you? My role in the Department is varied and is very ‘hands-on’. I ensure the machinery is well-maintained and serviced, prepare all the practical work, monitor health and safety, and provide support and guidance to pupils and colleagues.

Which project have you most enjoyed supporting a pupil with? I was involved with the Green Power electric car project which I really enjoyed. More recently, I supported Henry Kerton (OC 2020, Gascoigne) in the Build-a-Bike AOB, which he then went on to use for his Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Some STEM activities I have been involved with include making four full-size flat pack trebuchets which were used to launch water balloons.

Club into my twenties. I also still enjoy a game of staff badminton or tennis each week.

What is your favourite way to spend a day off? I spend most of my spare time with my family - I have three sons and four grandchildren. Renovation work also keeps me busy. What is something your colleagues would be surprised to learn about you? When I was a teenager I was a keen skateboarder, I am also a big fan of rugby union and played for an Oxford

SPORTS ACHIEVEMENTS Swimming Gala

Football – U16s

Twelve swimmers from across the Senior School took part in the Abingdon School Swimming Gala. The squad acquitted themselves well against some tough opposition and finished third overall. Special mentions for their impressive performances go to: Grace Clear (Third Form, Gascoigne), Tom Henley (Fifth Form, Feilden), Sam Cruttenden (Upper Sixth, Swift), Charlotte Kemp (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) and the U18 medley team of Precious Abdolrazaghi (Third Form, Gascoigne), Sam Cruttenden, Tom Henley and Charlotte Kemp.

The U16 and First XI football teams competed in back-to-back finals of the Society of Heads’ national tournament held at Loughborough University. These finals were between the winners of the North and South divisions.

Rugby - Sedbergh Tens On Saturday 26 March, Fifth and Sixth Form rugby players travelled to Cumbria to take part in one of the country’s most prestigious school rugby tournaments, Sedbergh Tens. Sixteen schools from around the UK were invited to compete in a ten-a-side version of the game. The tournament, composed of four groups played over two days, had games live streamed on YouTube for friends and family to watch back home. The players should be very proud of their determined performances throughout the competition, representing the School with great courage and integrity.

Ice Hockey - Luke Reid Congratulations to Luke Reid (Upper Sixth, Harcourt) who was selected to represent the South West of England U19s at a National Ice Hockey tournament in Sheffield. The team came second overall and he was his team’s second top scorer. The tournament forms part of the selection process for the GB teams, with all the best players in the country coming together to compete.

The U16 team kicked off their final against Denstone College in front of a fantastic crowd of parents and supporters. Captain Freddie Murfitt (Fifth Form, Queen Anne) led the team to a commanding 5-0 victory with goals scored by Phil Croker (Fourth Form, Gascoigne), Jack Deeker (Fifth Form, Feilden), Seb Wall (Fifth Form, Harcourt), Charlie Sydenham (Fourth Form, Swift) as well as a captain’s contribution from Freddie himself. Congratulations must go to the whole team on this incredible performance.

Football – First XI The First XI were buoyed by the U16s victory and rose to the challenge of playing Langley Football Academy. It was quickly 2-0 to Langley but goals from Ben Skey (Upper Sixth, Queen Anne) and Alex Anderson (Upper Sixth, Queen Anne) meant all was level at half time. In the second half, skilful players from Langley set up another four goals before top scorer Ben Orton (Lower

Sixth, Swift) scored his eighteenth goal of this memorable season. The final score was 3 – 7 but the team should be hugely proud of the journey to this final and their performance within the game itself. To celebrate the incredible success of the First XI and U16s, the Headmaster arranged for an open top bus to parade around the school site. Both teams thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Climbing It has been a busy term for the climbers who have been working hard building on their endurance, technique and technical skills on the School’s climbing tower as well as further afield at the aptly named Far Peak Climbing Centre and in the Wye Valley. The team also attended the Independent Schools’ Climbing Competition in Hemel Hempstead. This is a national climbing competition run in the Olympic format. Cokethorpe entered eight pupils across the U16 and U18 competitions. All the pupils put in a tremendous effort, but a special mention goes to Jamie Sherratt (Upper Sixth, Feilden) who as an individual achieved sixth overall and narrowly missed the podium in bouldering at fourth place.

Athletics Harry Richards Harry Richards (Fifth Form, Feilden) put in a fantastic performance to be crowned the 800m County Champion with a time of 2.07. He is now the U17 800m County Champion.

Netball - U11s Congratulations to our Prep School U11A Girls’ Netball Team who were undefeated this season.

her tenth win of the season on Monsieur Gibraltar in May, bringing her to the lead of the Novice Riders Championship.

Hockey

Equestrian - Isabella Smith

Congratulations to Gemma Croker (Lower Sixth, Gascoigne), Isobel Kirby (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne) and Rebecca Waite (Lower Sixth, Harcourt) who represented Oxfordshire in the recent County Hockey Championships. They played eight matches over four days and won all but one match. The last day was held in Tilsley Park. Oxfordshire won the U17 title winning the league with a commanding ten points. Congratulations to all the players on this fantastic achievement.

Equestrian - Olive Nicholls Congratulations to Olive Nicholls (Fifth Form, Harcourt) who achieved

Congratulations to Isabella Smith (Upper Sixth, Queen Anne) who competed in the BE 90 Grassroots Badminton National Championships. To qualify she had to be in the top few percent in the country and win her regional final. Isabella came 21st out of over 100 competitors which is an incredible achievement.

Cross Country Competition It was another wonderful sporting afternoon for our Prep School pupils as Cokethorpe hosted the annual Prep School Cross-Country Competition. Pupils from Kitebrook Prep, Combe Primary, Ducklington Primary and The

Batt School joined our Prep School pupils to race each other around the School fields. The distances and routes were altered for every year group and all races were highly competitive, closely fought and run in the right spirit. Cokethorpe were announced as the eventual winners with the highest amount of top three finishes across the afternoon. Special mentions go to Julia Pisanello (Year 3, Baker), Ed Hardy (Year 5, Symonds), and Megan Bartlett (Year 4, Gwyn) who all finished in first place in their races. Other second and third place finishes included Sienna Timms (Year 6, Baker), Sam Bartlett (Year 6, Lockwood), Oscar Rivers (Year 4, Gwyn) and Will Rainey (Year 3, Baker). Most importantly, pupils left happy and with a sense of real achievement, regardless of their finishing position.

PREP WOODS NEW SITE School into a new woodland activity space. With the aim of enhancing a small wooded area for specific use by the Prep School, students have been researching, clearing and building during their Games sessions. Taking inspiration from Forest School, outdoor play, and natural arts, students have transformed an overgrown area into a space full of wonder, excitement and learning.

Over the course of the Lent Term, Sixth Form students have been helping to develop an underused area of the

improvised shelters, weaving and even fairy houses! At the start of the Summer Term, the space was opened to the Prep School for the younger pupils to explore, play and interact with nature.

After researching and gaining inspiration from the local area, pupils began to clear pathways, nettles and brambles, and open up the woodland floor. The next stage involved designing and building interactive natural play activities for the pupils from

ACADEMIC SHOWCASE Gothic Story Feature Penelope Joshua Briscoe (Third Form, Feilden) I never liked Budapest. And to be frank, I never restrained to show it. Thus, I resent the audacity with which tourists must admire it with such unhinged admiration. What of this pile of sheer mundanity do you see is worth any of your time? Such questions continually vexed me during my endless working days. Dare I say, maybe the reason I hold such disdain for this place - nor I have enough respect to call it a city was because of the time spent in said working area. There was a point where the mirage of clad-grey walls and the perpetual sets of perfectly aligned pearly moon-white desks led me to the border of insanity. A young university philosopher, dropped into the pitchdark abyss which is accountancy. Alas, even despite my resentfulness, I could never manage to leave. What held for me in a foreign land except isolation and confusion? If I cannot deal with the prospect of my own homeland, in what parallel existence am I expected to cope with life in unknown lands? If I bark at the traditions which I witness here from day to day, how would I be content with such rituals somewhere else? Albeit there were some parts of the city which were tolerable, - I say this with utmost regret –particularly the nightlife scene. It seemed that as dusk imposed itself upon the city, its distinguished abhorrence became slightly more presentable. Not far from my council flat - which I cannot even describe without feeling horribly ill – stood The Masked Crab club. The heart of the city’s petite bourgeoisie. Most of my weekends were spent there, either having long, intricate chats with the bar owner, Szczesny, or having enough port to throw myself into the Danube.

On one Friday night, as usual, I drank with sorrow. Szczesny had gone to Italy for a week, so conversation of any sort was unlikely. When I had finished forcing the sickly port down my throat, I unexpectantly turned away from the counter.

“Such a beautiful name, with rich history behind it as you likely know.”

There she stood.

“Oh, don’t flatter me too much. I am nothing special, in brutal sincerity.”

Though cliché it sounds, I rubbed my eyes out to believe it was true. Was it a vision? Was it just a nauseating blend of alcohol and my fanciful imagination? So childish, so hopeless! Yet when she began walking up to the counter, her hips moving from side to side with metronomic accuracy, I was utterly convinced it was real. Her gold locks of hair swerved with liberty, and the ravenous red of her lips lit flames across the room. This city didn’t deserve her presence. It wasn’t worthy of her youthful pulchritude. I looked across the counter to see her seated once more. “What brings you to this city, mademoiselle?” She swivelled around and caught my eyes. She smiled and slightly blushed. “Oh, not much, just here to visit a fellow old acquaintance of mine. I’d thought I’d take the time to explore the city myself” “Where do you currently reside?” “Not far from here, just on the corner of Dózsa Avenue. Where do you, if you do not mind me asking?” “Ah, it is of no interest of yours knowing about such a mind-numbingly mundane place. Beings of your beauty should be spared of hearing such things. What is your name, by chance?” “Penelope,” she responded

A faint chuckle escaped from her mouth, “Not many do, as a matter of fact. I believe you are one of the first to have pointed it out.”

This phrase puzzled her, yet we continued with our conversation. I prevented myself from expressing my feelings of resentment towards the city, which she went on to thoroughly praise for being “unequivocally majestic” (this nearly drove me over the limit, but I remained tight-lipped). Soon enough, the clock struck one, and the final song of the evening came blasting out of the stereos. The DJ - whom I held a grudge against for being generally ill-tempered – decided to play “Glory Box” by Portishead. I found this the perfect opportunity to seize my love, to conquer her heart. After a momentary period of silence, I asked her the question. “Do you dance, out of curiosity?” She blushed once again, “I haven’t for a while, but I’ll give it a try. Don’t say I didn’t warn you my dancing was mediocre!” “Oh, don’t abash yourself with humility! Follow me.” I took her to a secluded spot to the side of the bar. I pressed my body against her breast and let the music determine the rhythm of our movements. The violins swelled in accordance with our hips, which moved from side to side with utmost subtlety. I laid my head on her weary shoulders as her eyes slowly shut. Not a whisper was uttered, but there was a feeling of intrinsic connection between us. Of acknowledgement, of adoration.

Suddenly, an urge pounded through my veins like the ominous beat of a death drum. My arteries tensed and a sudden rush of blood rose to my head. I restrained myself from jerking away in an awkward manner, but not for long. The ghastly feeling encroached upon me. Temptation devoured me. My teeth hardened until they resembled the texture of sharp rocks. Half a minute passed. This unprecedented inclination had taken control of my own being: I was a mere onlooker. My body had been stolen, and I was there to witness it. Immediately, the being dug its teeth into the young female’s shoulder with such intricacy that not even the most trained of eyes could have taken note of it from close range. Its teeth carefully took the white linen fabric of her dress apart and clenched the flesh voraciously, keeping a firm grip of her shoulder until the song ended and her veins burst. Yet not an ounce of blood dropped until her corpse collapsed to the floor. Even when she fell to her death, she did it with grace and splendour. I turned around to see awestruck faces all around me, staring at me in overwhelming silence. All of a sudden, I regained control over my body, yet it was in vain. My face was drenched in blood as I surveyed the faces around me. Seconds after, ululations and shrieks of horror rang around me in a heap of disarray. I was mobbed by a heard of burly men and, ignominiously, forced to the ground in shame to be taken away. Now, here I sit, chained to a smeared slab of industrial concrete. To this fateful day, I do not know what overcame me during the incident. Was it an external urge? Or was it simply my own sub-conscious? All I know is that it ended in my public descent. The loss of a life most precious.

Second Form Sonnets Mountain Sonnet Ellie Lunn (Second Form, Swift) Hello again, Old Friend, it’s been a while: Three years away, yet you haven’t aged a bit. Your face lights up in sunlight, but no smile, Neither have you moved; on the snow is where you sit. A white blanket covers your steep figure, Yet this blanket is as cold as the air surrounding you. I see many of your faces, all similar, But none the same, each special and brand new. Like ancestors before me, your names stay in our blood: Eiger, Monche, and Jungfrau are your given names. Icy tears roll down your cheeks flowing like a flood, Once this tear has fallen you are only to blame. Many may not see what I see in thee; Always be more than a mountain to me.

Swallows and Amazons Describing Rio Molly Sheer (Year 4, Symonds) The waters were as busy as a carnival on this basking summer’s day. Rio was infested with life and the docks were as busy as immigration. The wake was upon us, lashing the beach with waves of shells, pebbles and fresh water. The natives were very busy, buying suntan lotion and sorbet. Seagulls invaded the skies with their calls. Closer to the centre, the smell of fresh bread and perch wafted through the stalls of Rio Bay. By the docks, there were all sorts of boats lined up; steamers, rowing boats, yachts, dinghies, canoes, but none of them were the Amazon’s boat.

The views were breath-taking and astonishing. Water spewed out of the salty sea, while the people of Rio sunk their feet into the hot sand.

Swallows and Amazons Diary Imogen Jones (Year 4, Baker) Dear Diary I had the most exciting day ever today! In the morning the crew and I went to Rio Grande to get some cow’s milk and the kind lady at the till got us some hot bubbling fresh milk! On the way back from Rio Grande we saw the houseboat in the distance by the island. When we got back to the island I saw the most exciting thing ever! (I told you today was exciting.) I called the rest of Swallows crew to have a look as well. The houseboat had…. A cannon! “He really is a pirate!” exclaimed Titty excitedly. “There is only one though,” said John “And also mother told us to write to her, shouldn’t we be doing it?” “How about Titty writes a letter and you two deliver it?” said Susan. I thought that was a great idea. On the way to the harbour, John was muttering about the wind being a pain. We reached the Jetty of Holly Howe to post it to Mother. After our trip to Holly Howe we devoured delicious meat pies that Mother gifted us. We then went fishing for river fish and we caught so many perch! The freshwater shook ominously and a massive pike with razor sharp teeth shot out of the water. It was the most exciting day ever! I have to go to sleep now, bye – Roger.

NEW PRE-PREP CLASSROOMS: We are so delighted to have new classrooms for Reception Class and Year 1 from September 2022. The suite of rooms will feature a shared hall and cloakrooms, two individual classrooms with plenty of storage and unique reading nooks and role play areas. Most exciting for us is that the new rooms will open directly onto a bespoke playground, specially designed for our youngest pupils. This will allow them the space and freedom to learn indoors and outdoors all day long, with physical outdoor opportunities such as climbing, block play, riding bikes

and scooters, building and balancing, matched with imaginative play in the mud kitchen, sand pit, shop or teepee. There is a huge emphasis on play in the EYFS, which is the Early Years curriculum that we follow, and it is good practise to extend these opportunities into Year 1. After all, no child turns five and decides they no longer need toys! Play-based learning allows children to develop social skills, resilience, independence and self-regulation. Adult-led activities both inside and out enable us to focus on individual

pupils and small groups to meet new challenges. With our small classes, our curriculum really can be based around the interests of the pupils and build on their prior knowledge, understanding and skills to stretch and excite them across all areas of development. Thus their progress across these formative years is excellent. Our new classrooms will feature all that children need to develop in the key areas of communication and Language, Literacy, Mathematics, understanding the world, expressive arts and design as well as, of course, their physical, personal, social

A DEDICATED SPACE IN WHICH TO GROW and emotional development. They will be light and bright, with colourful displays to celebrate the pupils’ achievements, and plenty of practical resources accessible to the pupils to support their learning and allow them to make independent choices, including a technology area with Ipads and programmable toys, an art area for painting, making and modelling, a space for cooking and creative reading nooks for pupils to take some quiet time to themselves.

Our specialists will visit the classrooms each week for Art, Music, Dance, and French lessons. Mr Morrison will collect the pupils for PE and take them out into the grounds or over to the Sports Hall. Pupils will continue to walk to the Dining Hall for lunch, and come over to the Corinthian Room for Drama, or Assembly. Opening out onto the fields, the new playground affords the pupils a vast area to explore. Just a stone’s throw from ‘The Woods’, our Forest School sessions will continue weekly and give

all the pupils in the Pre-Prep the chance to work with younger and older friends from different year groups. The designated parking area and separate building also allows us to offer more flexible after-school care. Parents of pupils in Pre-Prep will now be able to collect their children from 3.30pm, when the formal School day will end. A range of activities from art to sport will be offered between 3.30pm and 4.45pm, but your child will also have the option of a calm playtime until they are collected.

GLOBAL CITIZENS - KEEPING COKETHORPE CONNECTED Can you tell us about the purpose of your role as the Head of International Affairs? Essentially, the crux of my role is to encourage staff and pupils to think about what it means to be globally aware and to become better global citizens. This is a term that needs definition, but our strategy 20212026 document states clearly that, as a School, we are committed to producing students who are globally aware and who have the skills to be able to perform in a world with global connections. What do we mean by global citizens? When we talk about global citizens, we want our pupils to understand and appreciate different perspectives and world views. We want them to interact with people from different cultures in an open way - politically, socially, through our historical narratives, through our experiences, and particularly our lived experiences.

‘No man is an island, Entire of itself; Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main.’ John Donne We spoke to Teacher of English Ms Jackson about her role as the Head of International Affairs and the importance of raising and being global citizens. 16

How can we empower pupils to be better global citizens? We want to encourage pupils to be more conscious of the affect that they can have on their world. Instilling a sense of ownership, to empower pupils to have the confidence to contribute to the dialogue on world issues. We want them to feel that they have a voice and encourage an understanding of how they can make themselves heard. We want pupils to feel that their opinions are respected and that they can bring about change. It can be difficult for young people because they do not have the vote - we want to give them a medium through which to express themselves. So we are putting activities, lessons and experiences together that encourage that sense of leadership.

We also aim to develop in our pupils a sense of empathy about the world that they inhabit. It centres around the idea of a shared experience - thinking about how their daily behaviour affects other people. If pupils can learn this within the School grounds, they can understand it on a much wider level. How do we incorporate this into the curriculum? There are the pastoral elements which we have already spoken about, but global citizenship is something not just to be taught as a subject in isolation, but embedded throughout subjects in the curriculum. It can be taught through Design Technology, English, studying narratives through History, studying Politics, World stories or Geography. Once we start to give pupils the skills and knowledge within lessons, we also want this to extend to the space between lessons. For example, extended programmes of AOBs; we have just started Amnesty International as an AOB for the first time. We are also focussing on the skills of public speaking and debating. It is interesting that in talking about the way it connects with the pastoral aspects and curriculum, you have highlighted many of the leadership traits of the School. How do you think they link together? It is intrinsically tied up with the leadership traits, particularly empathy and responsibility that we have already highlighted. Leadership itself is a really key point in raising global citizens. We aim to encourage a greater understanding of global issues and current affairs to give pupils the knowledge to become future leaders. Many of the traits of global citizenship

GLOBAL CITIZENS -very KEEPING COKETHORPE CONNECTED difficult issues that are unfolding narratives from different countries, and

are also simply traits of humanity, of what it means to be a good person. It is impossible to separate empathy and morality from global citizenship. If we start to think about big issues such as social justice and peace, we can invite those into the curriculum more meaningfully.

Global Awareness is important not only for understanding different cultures and people, but also the environment. How does it factor? The elements of environmentalism the idea of connecting with the land and water - are extremely important in becoming globally aware. At Cokethorpe, we are blessed with fantastic grounds, with so much land around the School and access to the river. The superb environment presents so many wonderful opportunities for the pupils to connect with the land. If you cannot appreciate the environment here, you cannot begin to understand the importance of the wider environment. What is happening around us in terms of climate damage is affecting all of us. Things that are happening thousands of miles away is directly impacting on us in the environment. For example, the war in Ukraine is impacting directly on us in terms of food chains. Whilst we are talking about connecting with other places and other environments, can you tell us about the School’s incredible fundraising efforts for Ukraine? That was very much a response based project - responding to a country in trouble. It gave the opportunity not just for fundraising but, as importantly, for our pupils to think about a world, and people, beyond their own. The process of fundraising was also a process of developing empathy and appreciation of different lives and considering the

right now. It was a situation where the whole School came together as a community and formed an incredibly impressive group response. A response from the pupils and staff, and on the wider scale, parents and family. We worked directly with the Red Cross in the fundraising campaign, and also with the collection through RAF Brize Norton, so that we only collected exactly what was requested. Along with the fundraising walk and the collection of supplies which were taken to Brize Norton to be distributed in Ukraine, there were also other fundraising events that were driven by the pupils themselves. We had many individual pupil responses, and there were certainly many pupils that went above and beyond. It demonstrated that leadership and empathy we have talked about. By taking ownership, their individual action can make a contribution. It reinforces the idea that change starts with the individual. We started the year with the ‘Crossing Borders’ week, encouraging pupils to be comfortable moving in unfamiliar environments and not to turn away from the unknown. You are about to hold an ‘International Week’. What are the aims of this week? This focus week is being led departmentally, so it is an academic initiative. Departments have been asked to put together a series of either lessons, activities or lunchtime talks from staff and pupils under the ‘International banner’. The aim is to produce an anthology at the end of that week which represents our current thoughts. It provides an opportunity for our international staff and pupils to share perspectives, perhaps about their own countries. Some staff are speaking about politics and social

we are hoping to create a wonderful smorgasbord of photography, artwork, fiction and nonfiction representing an exploration of cultural diversity. I have worked in many schools across the world, but predominantly in South-East Asia as have many other staff. As a School, we have an incredible amount of international experience.

Finally, how would you like to see your area developing in the coming years? I think public speaking is an area we could do a great deal to improve, embedding it much more strongly throughout what we do. Many of our pupils will speak in a class, but speaking in a whole assembly is another matter entirely. It would be great to see this progress so that pupils could attend an international conference and speak confidently. I would also love to progress this even further to see us developing international exchanges, both virtually and in reality. Ms Jackson was speaking to Communications Officer, Mrs Williams.

RAFIKI THABO FOUNDATION Over the past fifteen years, Cokethorpe School has developed a close relationship with the Rafiki Thabo Foundation, a charity that supports young people in Kenya, Lesotho and Uganda access education and training. Based in Oxfordshire but working closely with local committees in each of the countries, the charity provides funds for students who are otherwise unable to pay for their education, particularly at secondary and tertiary level, when it becomes necessary to pay fees. At present, over 250 students are in education or training because the Rafiki Thabo Foundation is providing financial support. In addition to this, the charity responds to requests from the local committees, and provides funding for infrastructure projects that help to enhance the provision of education. For example, after girls were attacked walking to Kamuganguzi Janan Lewan Memorial Secondary School in Uganda, the committee requested funds to build a hostel, allowing them to stay at

Girls’ Dormitories - before and after the school overnight rather than risk the long walk back to their villages. At Ha Fusi Secondary School in Lesotho, demand for places led to the committee submitting a request for funds to build an additional block of classrooms. Covid hit countries across the world, and schools in Kenya, Uganda and Lesotho were shut, just as they were in the United Kingdom. But unlike here, there was no safety net provided to support those who relied upon school

for food and employment – so the Rafiki Thabo Foundation stepped in, providing funding to enable schools to send emergency food relief to students and staff. We are proud of our connection with a charity that is able to respond swiftly to the needs of people on the ground. In November, Cokethorpe School was delighted to host a ‘celebration dinner’ for the Rafiki Thabo Foundation. Over 100 guests enjoyed a wonderful

when added to the £1,200 raised by the whole School ‘Non-Uniform Day’ in February, represents a significant contribution. It costs just over £300 to send a student to Secondary School for a year in Uganda, or around £630 for a student to attend university in Kenya; small sums in our context, but prohibitive for so many.

evening in the Dining Hall, brilliantly catered by the Catering Team. The Catering Team were involved again, when the Sixth Form enjoyed their fancy-dress Christmas Dinner, in aid of the Rafiki Thabo Foundation. Just before this celebration, the Sixth Form enjoyed a Zoom call with Ayiesa Ohese in Nairobi. Ayiesa shared his story with them, explaining how he and his family

had struggled to pay for fees after the death of his father, meaning that he had to drop out of school. With support from the Rafiki Thabo Foundation, he was able to go back to school, then become the first person in his village to attend university. He now has a job as an accountant, and acts as a mentor to other Scholars. Inspired by his message, the Sixth Form raised over £500 which,

If you are interested in finding out more about the Rafiki Thabo Foundation, visit the website: www.rafiki-foundation.org.uk

SCHOOL NEWS Visiting Speakers Jawan Muldrow Bias Talk On Tuesday 3 May, we welcomed Jawan Muldrow to the Sixth Form Centre to talk with the students about racial bias, with specific context provided by his experiences of growing up in South Carolina. He shared a number of stories from his childhood, which prompted an open dialogue amongst the students. Mr Muldrow spoke with honesty and clarity, and generated a warm connection; students were encouraged to respond openly (and non-judgementally) to the complex issues of bias and white privilege. Despite the themes of the discussion, it was a heart-warming occasion, that resonated deeply with the students.

fascinating analysis of Russia’s invasion, looking at the background and causes and the course of the war so far. He finished by considering potential and likely outcomes. The complex nature of the conflict was evident, as was the potential challenge for historians and commentators over reliability of information. Dr Jordan’s lecture was a very welcome addition to the Sixth Form programme.

London Society Drinks

Corinthian Partnership Outreach Programme

Peter Bennett-Jones Talk Mr Bennett-Jones is the former owner of ‘Tiger Aspect’ and spoke to Sixth Form students about his career in the film and TV industry, including producing such iconic shows as Mr Bean and Comic Relief.

Ukraine Talk On Tuesday 22 March, Dr David Jordan from King’s College London gave a lecture to the Sixth Form on the war in Ukraine. Dr Jordan is a military historian working at the Defence Academy of the UK and gave an insightful and

At Aston & Cote Day Care Centre, some of our musicians have visited to entertain the visitors to the Centre. The audience were absolutely thrilled to hear our musicians play popular music to them on the violin and piano.

Sixth Form students have demonstrated their excellent leadership skills in the Corinthian Partnership Outreach Programme by running weekly sporting activities. The students have been assisting two of the Partnership Schools - Aston & Cote Primary and Ducklington Primary with a wide variety of sports, including football, rugby, netball and archery. The members of Sixth Form visit each Thursday lunchtime and help to coach younger pupils to improve at their sports, as well as providing them with positive role models. Pupils at Combe Primary and Aston & Cote Primary School have also benefitted from a ‘Fire and Ice Workshop’ to educate and enthuse them about Science during National Science week run by Dr C Flaherty.

We were delighted to welcome almost 100 Old Cokethorpeans to this year’s Cokethorpe Society Drinks Reception. Held on the Terrace of the House of Commons, guests enjoyed both the splendour of walking through the historic Westminster Hall and views down the Thames.

Eight decades of Cokethorpeans were represented, from the School’s very first pupils in the 1950s through to the Class of 2021 with guests from as far-and-wide as Australia and the US. It was wonderful to see such a mix of OCs along with former and current staff, making it the largest London event we have held.

Prep School Concert On Thursday 12 May, Prep School musicians from Years 4, 5 and 6 were very excited (and just a little nervous) to be taking part in the first of two music concerts in our beautiful Corinthian Room. The pupils have been working hard during their individual music lessons and it was wonderful to listen to their solo performances, with several of them having reached Grade Two level. At long last we could finally invite parents back to applaud the pupils’ achievements, and the repertoire included some wonderful pieces played on the Violin, Guitar, Flute, Oboe and Piano as well as two stunning vocal solos. The next Concert will take place on Thursday 16 June.

Young Musician of the Year The Young Musician of the Year Competition started with a week of tough and competitive heats, with a wide range of instruments, from clarinets and violins, to electric guitars and voice. After many heated lunchtime debates, the Music Department had chosen the performers for the finals. On Thursday 3 March, the finals were held, commencing with the Lower Grades in the afternoon. After an hour of delightful music, refreshments were provided outside the Corinthian Room whilst the judges discussed the results. The judges were Christopher Stark, Principal Conductor of the Multi-Story Orchestra, and Teacher of Music,

Mr Fox. After a suspenseful silence the musicians were invited back in to hear the results. Mr Stark provided feedback to all of the performers, before announcing the winner Serafina Sangster (Third Form, Queen, Anne). All performers then had a delicious formal dinner provided by the Catering Team before the Higher Grades final. The final was another evening of exceptional performances but, again, there could only be one winner. Congratulations to Yichao Sun (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh), with an excellent performance on his acoustic guitar. Well done to all!

AOB Mud Run As many of us were enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend from the comforts of our own homes, a brave group of Fifth Form pupils travelled to the edge of Shropshire to crawl, slide, leap and run their way through the obstacles of the Dent Wizard Flying Colours Mud Run. The pupils used their Lent Term AOB to find a challenge that would test their teamwork, resilience, fitness and courage. The event certainly lived up to the task as pupils helped each other overcome waist deep sucking mud, power through the ice-cold rivers and

tackle the numerous hills and hurdles. The pupils should be immensely proud of how they conducted themselves by sticking together and staying calm under pressure to complete the six kilometre run.

Bushcraft at Blenheim The Years 4 and 5 Bushcraft adventure at Blenheim Palace was a huge success and the pupils demonstrated their love of the great outdoors with their enthusiastic participation in all the camp had to offer. In between survival first aid, camouflaging, camp fire games and marshmallows, an SOS plane crash scenario, building their own tents, trapping, tomahawk throwing, archery, filleting a salmon (including eating the eyeballs!) and the grand finale of ‘Tribe Got Talent’, believe it or not we did manage to eat and snack our way through three days and two nights of Bushcraft in Blenheim Woods. Not even a thunder and lightning storm would deter the group from facing the Bear Grylls-style activities. The instructors were brilliant and full of energy. Surprisingly, even after only a few hours sleep, so were the pupils! Most importantly, amazing memories were made.

An Evening of Verse Poetry can sometimes be overlooked, often considered ‘old-fashioned’ or indeed ‘difficult,’ and yet poems can and do engage both young and old in a way no other form of literature perhaps can. Second World War poetry is often studied at GCSE level but the power of Simon Armitage’s recent poem for Ukraine, has shown how very relevant poetic response can be, to current affairs and our ‘every day’. At Cokethorpe, we aim to develop a pupil’s understanding of their world and poetry is an excellent platform through which to do this.

Pupils in the Prep School have all been studying poetry this half term. Every pupil from Year 3 upwards has gone on to learn a poem by heart. The subject of the Natural World was chosen, since many of our children feel strongly about environmental issues and all have relished reading the iconic book, The Lost Words by Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris. This experience has deepened their understanding of poetic devices but most importantly, the joy of knowing and reciting verses from memory. It has been wonderful to overhear pupils sharing poems out at play or as they move along corridors, for the sheer pleasure of the words and rhythms.

To celebrate these studies, our ‘Evening of Verse’ showcased a range of poetic performances. The most confident

pupils delivered their solo, poetry choices to a full audience in The Shed. Teetering on a lonely stage block, highlighted by a dazzling spotlight: Julia Pisanello (Year 3, Baker), Juno Bayes (Year 4, Symonds), Grady Fluker (Year 4, Symonds), Joshua Crumlish (Year 5, Gwyn), Oliver Black (Year 5, Symonds), Iona Mettrick (Year 6, Gwyn) and Molly Harding (Year 6, Lockwood), bravely took on this nerve-racking challenge, performing their poems with engaging actions and eloquent delivery. The Senior School Choir delighted everyone with their selection of impressive and entertaining songs, involving part-singing, rounds, solo sections and over-weaving of harmonies. The pupils’ love of performance was very apparent as they boogeyed the saxophone parts with confidence and style! Representatives from the LAMDA programme went on to delight everyone with their effective ‘conversation poems’. Bobbie Hunt (Year 6, Symonds), Darcy Atkinson (Year 6, Baker), Freya Richards (Year 6, Lockwood) and Iona Mettrick (Year 6, Gwyn), impressed and surprised the audience with their comic timing, length of remembered verses and ironic messages within their chosen pieces. Furthermore, the audiences were treated to a performance piece, involving three classes reciting stanzas together. Years 3 and 4 charmingly retold the poem, Wild Symphony, by Dan Brown. This was delivered with lively choreography and brilliantly chosen ‘token’ costumes and props. It was evident how much enjoyment the pupils reaped from working collaboratively, to produce this

very effective and cheering piece. Madame Fuchs’ pupils then took to the stage, performing in pairs to recite animal poems in Spanish with an accompanying translation. It was noted by Spanish speakers in the audience that the pupils’ accents were particularly impressive. Enormous applause was most certainly deserved for these brave pupils: Emily Mulcahy (Year 6, Symonds), Connie Cannell (Year 6, Symonds), Daisy Mathieson (Year 6, Gwyn), Aurora Smith (Year 6, Baker), Lili Radulovic (Year 6, Baker), Iona Mettrick (Year 6, Gwyn), Freya Richards (Year 6, Lockwood) and Bobbie Hunt (Year 6, Symonds).

The older classes completed the evening with their retelling of the well-known narrative poem, The Highwayman by Alfred Noyse. The pupils expertly built up the impassioned story of love, envy, pride and loyalty through their delivery and carefully chosen movement. The final verse left the audience momentarily silent as the tragedy of the tale was truly felt within the room – a testament to the pupils’ understanding and powerful delivery of the poetry. Hopefully poetry will continue to be part of each child’s choice of reading, as they grow and journey through the School. Mrs Mersh, Head of Prep English

Social Science Research Fair Upper Sixth psychologists and sociologists presented their research projects at the Social Science Research Fair on Friday 28 January, after planning and collecting evidence since the end of Lower Sixth. They researched an area of either Psychology or Sociology that they were interested in, then came up with a hypothesis and carried out a study to collect data. The students’ projects included ‘the effect of music on quality of exercise’, ‘an investigation into the matching hypothesis of romantic partner choices’ and a study on ‘how memory changes with age’. Edith Wannell (Upper Sixth, Feilden) won the Social Science Research Prize, for her project on ‘differences between introverts and extraverts’ perception of deviance’. Both the project and presentation fair were a great experience for the students, with Mr Cook and Mrs Hughes as a judge. Mrs Hughes is an ex-Psychology teacher from Cokethorpe, who is now a counsellor; she spent the afternoon with them sharing her knowledge and insight into the profession.

about their role and their relationships with the prisoners. Students spoke to various prisoners who were happy to offer insight into what life is like for them. After stopping off at the prison’s gym, classrooms, common room, and various wings, it was time for a lunch break. The Upper Sixth were impressed by both the prisoner’s ‘Enabling Environment’ in which a group of them had completely rebuilt a car from scratch. The education centre enabled prisoners who previously could not read or write were able to send letters home. This was followed by another question-and-answer session with two prisoners who had a release date coming up. This was a real contrast from the prisoners on a ward with life sentences. Our Psychologists and Sociologists continually expressed how different the experience was to how prisons were expressed in films and Psychologists were excited to integrate their new knowledge into the forensics section of their A Level, and Sociologists saw many links within their crime and deviance section.

Onatti Theatre Littlehey Prison Trip On Friday 4 March, the Upper Sixth Psychologists and Sociologists were fortunate enough to live the once in a lifetime opportunity of visiting Littlehey Prison in Cambridgeshire. The day included question and answer sessions with the prison’s Governess, and two of her psychologists. They explained how they interact with the prisoners, including voluntary rehabilitation schemes such as horizon and kaizen, which focus on maintaining new behaviour habits. This was followed by a tour of the prison accompanied by custodial managers, and students were encouraged to ask questions

her wishes start to come true she regrets being so greedy and misses normality. Our Second and Third Form linguists showed enthusiasm and engagement, praised by the actors themselves. Whilst the language used was authentic and complex at times, our audience proved to be a real credit to their French teachers.

Oxford Literary Festival On Tuesday 29 March, Year 6 went to see an author lecture by Onjali Q Rauf. She was very passionate about the needs of refugees and we were horrified about how they are treated. They have been accused of trying to steal jobs and being migrants when what they are fleeing from is not their fault. The places that they are living in are totally unsuitable for animals to live in and every time a charity puts up a fresh water tap the police come round and smash it down. I was shocked about that. Despite the horrific news Onjali told us, we were all fascinated by the Sheldonian Theatre. The ceiling was amazingly painted with Gods in the Clouds and there were magnificent golden lion statues on each side of the room, altogether the Theatre was just breath-taking. Daisy Mathieson (Year 6, Gwyn)

On Tuesday 22 March, Second and Third Form pupils had the opportunity to practice their French skills with a performance from Onatti Theatre. Mon père ne me comprend pas is an absolute gem of a play. When Hélène does not get what she wants for her birthday she wishes for better presents, better family, in fact better everything! When

House Competitions

Inter-House Music On Friday 4 February, the whole School gathered together in the Sports Hall for the long-awaited House Music Competition. With it being two years since the last competition, and with only one week of preparation, the excitement was even greater than usual. Feilden kicked off the afternoon with a theatrical rendition of Alright by Supergrass, which had dancing dinosaurs and giant toothbrushes. This was followed by the lively singing of Vanbrugh who performed You Get What You Give by New Radicals. Star costumes and a superb performance of the worm featured in Gascoigne’s All Star by Smash Mouth, before Swift’s highly professional version of Oasis’ Live Forever. Harcourt then followed with a strong, acoustic rendition of the iconic I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys. Last but not least, Queen Anne ended the eventful afternoon with Tragedy by Steps which saw the lyrics come to life in the form of two ‘nerds’ and a vicar. Judge Sian Dicker was very impressed by the quality and enthusiasm of each performance. It was a close call, but Swift claimed victory, closely followed by Vanbrugh, with Queen Anne taking third place. Sisters Poppy and Emily Stewart (Lower Sixth and Fourth Form, Gascoigne), were awarded the prize for Individual Contribution. It was a fantastic event, and we are all looking forward to the competition next year.

Inter-House Countdown It was time for pupils to get their consonants and vowels at the ready, for the annual Inter-House Countdown Competition. The week started with two heats that involved three houses facing off against each other. Gascoigne won the first heat with a very strong performance, but the second heat came down to a ‘sudden death’ between Feilden and Swift, which saw Feilden narrowly clinching victory. Every House has now reached the final exactly once since the competition’s debut in 2020. Both teams showed remarkable skill in the final across the various number and letter rounds, with the pressure on to solve the conundrum. Unfortunately, neither team was able to decipher the anagram of ASHSUTURE as THESAURUS which meant that, at 39 points to 34, victory went to Gascoigne.

Inter-House Pottery On Tuesday 15 February, two pupils from each House took part in Cokethorpe’s first ever Inter-House Pottery competition. Each House was given a bisque-fired teapot and a mug and the competitors were then set the challenge of decorating the items with underglaze paints. The only rules were that the mug and teapot had to look like a pair. Each House came up with very different designs – Vanbrugh chose a strong camouflage effect whereas Harcourt went for a more floral approach. Everyone was impressed with the sibling teamwork displayed by Feilden as Amy (Fifth Form, Feilden) and Lucas (Upper Sixth, Feilden) attacked their pottery with drips and spots. The items were dipped into transparent glaze and went into the kiln ready for the reveal the following week. The results were: First place - Pippa Allen (Third Form, Harcourt) and Tillie Walker (Third Form, Harcourt), Second place - Lucas Goodgame and Amy Goodgame, Third place - Emma Whittenbury (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) and Rosie Doland (Third Form, Vanbrugh).

Inter-House Drama This year’s Inter House Drama competition was highly competitive with a broad range of accomplished submissions. Each House contributed two performances and there was an open category on form and genre. The Drama Department were very impressed with the performances given by each House and every contributor should be very proud of their achievements. There could only be two Houses in the final however and Harcourt and Swift scored the highest points to go through. We were privileged to have Peter Higgin, a founder member of Punchdrunk Theatre and the CEO of Punchdrunk Enrichment judge the final round. Henry Cook (Fourth Form, Harcourt), Ella Cripps (Lower Sixth, Harcourt) and Millie Cross (Second Form, Harcourt) gave exciting and entertaining performances on behalf of Harcourt House, and Nancy Christensen (Fourth Form, Swift), Caitlyn Alford (Upper Sixth, Swift) and Tom Orton (Upper Sixth, Swift) provided impassioned and hilarious excerpts for Swift. Our judge was immensely impressed with all four final performances and lent his critical eye and supportive encouragement to all of these pupils, congratulating them for working so hard and demonstrating such courage. The Drama Department echo his praise and are delighted to announce that the winners of the Inter House Drama Cup 2022 goes to Swift House.

Public Speaking Showcase Public Speaking is generally characterised as being only for people who are quick-witted and confident. In fact, our Public Speaking AOB welcomes anyone willing to try new things and, in the process, boosts their confidence to a new level, helping them make progress in a wide variety of different skills they didn’t know they had. It is vital to learn how to argue persuasively, question thoughtfully, and to explore new topics that could pique your interest.

The Public Speaking AOB involves three key roles: the chairperson, the questioner, and the speaker. Students who are chosen to undertake these roles have the opportunity to represent the school in the ESU Public Speaking Competition where schools all over the country are able to compete. This year, Cokethorpe progressed to the second round of the competition and our team of participants said that they grew in confidence and overall think the AOB has made them believe more in themselves. On Thursday 31 March, anticipation was rife as students gathered for the Cokethorpe Public Speaking Showcase: a competition for everyone in our AOB which was held in the lower library. Four teams offered up a wide variety of insightful and engaging speeches, on issues as widespread as misogyny, doping, and global warming; each speaker faced questions from the opposition and the audience, while

the chairperson of each team kept things running to time and created succinct summaries at the end of each item. Ultimately, it was Felix Waters (Fifth Form, Queen Anne) who won ‘Best Speaker’ for his pertinent speech entitled ‘Is there ever such thing as a just war?’ Lily Charles (Fourth Form, Gascoigne) was awarded ‘Best Questioner’ and Henry O’Brien (Third Form, Harcourt) ‘Best Chairperson’. Although the competition was very tight indeed, the Best Overall Team Award went to Elsa Winfield (Fourth Form, Feilden), Ella Goffe (Fourth Form, Queen Anne), and Emily Stewart (Fourth Form, Gascoigne). We warmly congratulate every student who challenged themselves through their participation and hope it inspires others to try step outside their comfort zones. Do you think you could benefit from honing your Public Speaking skills? You will have the opportunity to sign up for this AOB in the Michaelmas Term after summer break. Henry O’Brien (Third Form, Harcourt)

CPFA Quiz Night The Cokethorpe Parents’ and Friends’ Association Quiz on Friday 18 March saw thirteen teams of parents, staff and friends battling it out to be 2022 champions. Teams pitched their general knowledge against each other with the victors being ‘Quizzy Rascals’. Delicious fish and chips were served during the break to keep everyone fuelled, thanks to Mr and Mrs Fellows for ferrying them from Witney. Special thanks also to Cameron Hughes (OC 2003, Vanbrugh) and Ali Hughes (OC 2003, Vanbrugh). for all their hard work in preparing such a fantastic quiz and helping to create a relaxed and fun evening, with the music round going down particularly well with singing and dancing from all the teams.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS The Lent Term production of Little Shop of Horrors was an explosively entertaining event, with outstanding characterisation, fantastic music, vibrant costumes, accomplished choreography and brilliant puppetry. Set in the run-down back streets of New York, the story concerns two plucky flower shop assistants Seymour and Audrey, played with wonderful sincerity and laudable talent by Jamie Wehrle (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne) and Millie Pratley (Lower Sixth, Swift), who find fame, fortune and love when they nurture a strange looking plant. Their love is doomed however when the plant develops a taste for human flesh and grows to an impossible size, eating up the inhabitants of Skid row and threatening the future of the human race. The Mushnik sisters were played with masterful characterisation by Emily Stewart (Fourth Form, Gascoigne) and Nancy Christensen (Fourth Form, Swift), especially with their ludicrously funny dancing and deadpan delivery. Oscar Luckett (Fourth Form, Vanbrugh)

was suitably terrifying as the demonic dentist whose violently psychotic behaviour results in a grisly death, and Poppy Stewart’s (Lower Sixth, Gascoigne) exceptional vocal range was pitch perfect as the voice of as the carnivorous plant ‘Audrey 2’. There was excellent support from many members of the cast. Special mention must go to the extraordinary performance provided by the ‘Devines’. This chorus group were onstage throughout, bookending scenes with fantastic renditions of the songs, resplendent in poodle skirts and lurid green ball gowns. All of the Devines were excellent in their choreography, singing and characterisation. The flamboyance of this production was complemented by the fantastic costumes, puppets and set design. There was a schlock-horror feel to the design, with throwbacks to the ‘B’ movies of the 1950s.

Particular note must be made of the four wonderful puppets which charted Audrey 2’s growth, from bloodthirsty seedling through to the vast humanguzzling monster she became. A dance routine with an excitable potted Audrey 2 was just one of the many memorable and hilarious moments. This was a brilliant production which demonstrated the extraordinary talent and creative flair here at Cokethorpe. Put on in a space of eight weeks, with invaluable help from the Music and DT Departments, all of those cast and crew members who took part should be very proud of this achievement. It was a watershed moment for Cokethorpe Drama, and a colourful reminder of what we can achieve together, in the joyous celebration of performance.

Cokethorpe has offered Summer Camps for a number of years, but this year we are doing things slightly differently. Our traditional offering was a two-week programme at the start of the school holidays, aimed exclusively at Cokethorpe pupils. Over the last two years we took a slightly more flexible approach in response to the challenges many children and families faced as a consequence of Covid, by extending our provision to include a greater number of weeks. In 2022, we will offer a full eight weeks, and five days a week programme for the very first time. They will also not be limited to our own pupils. Parents will be very familiar with the range of options that already exist in the summer camp market and it is our belief that Cokethorpe has a lot to offer in terms of breadth, expertise and quality.

The days all run from 8.30am to 5.30pm, with the core activities programme beginning at 9.00am and running to 4.30pm. In addition to our main offering, we are also running week-long specialist camp: Water Sports (w/b 1 August and w/b 22 August). It is our intention to expand the range of these specialist weeks in subsequent years. Mr Sheer Director of Co-Curricular

Expanding on previous years, Cokethorpe Camps offers a unique environment for a child to grow, offering a wonderful range of extracurricular, outdoor, sporty and creative activities in the grounds of Cokethorpe. The last few years have highlighted not just the value of in person social interactions, but the value of play, the outdoors and exploration. At Cokethorpe Camps, children will have opportunities to build self-esteem through new experiences, learn new hobbies, and connect to nature away from screens. The Camps are open to children outside of Cokethorpe, allowing the chance to make new

friends in the familiar surroundings of the School. The multi-activity weeks are exactly what they sound like. A chance to run, play, build, climb, create, and learn through a wide variety of activities. These range from exploring the woods, building dens, creating campfires and hunting for bugs to playing team games on the fields, ball games on the Astros and gymnastics in the Sports Hall. There will also be time for relaxation, drawing, arts and drama to help balance the days. New to this year we are offering specialist weeks focussing on water sports. These Camps can help develop leadership through building rafts or confidence in your abilities. to name but a few. Mr Slader Head of Outdoor Education

DISCOVERING THE CPFA Mrs Priestley-Smith, Chair of the Cokethorpe Parents’ and Friends’ Association, discusses the CPFA and what is involved in membership. What is the CPFA and how does it operate? It is a committee of volunteer parents who meet to discuss, plan and coordinate a series of events for the benefit of parents, pupils, and staff at Cokethorpe School. Although there are representatives from across the Prep and Senior Schools on the present committee – of which there are thirteen members – we do not follow a strict year group representative model as you might find in some other schools. We know that there are an awful lot of parents in a school like this who have skills that would be enormously beneficial to the group, we would not wish to restrict access and miss out on those skills. Whilst there is not a formal policy or structure, we do have representation from the Prep and Senior School, and some members who have been part of the School community for years, and others who have joined much more recently. It is an enjoyable environment to be in.

The committee is that core group who will attend meetings six times per year, but there is also another thirty or so parents who support events or activities in other ways. Some may help with running specific events, such as the Fireworks Extravaganza, the Peacock Ball or the Christmas Fair, or help to run the Nearly New Uniform Sales, whilst others are able to help with the setup for them, and some who go above and beyond and are on hand for every activity the CPFA is a part of; we are very lucky with the strength of support we are able to call on. You mentioned a few CPFA events there, how does the events calendar unfold? We begin the school year with quite a busy Michaelmas Term with the Murder Mystery, a hugely popular evening that centres around a performance written, directed and produced by the School’s Drama Department, and cast by a collection of very able and enormously entertaining current and former staff of the School. This is usually followed by a wine and cheese evening for the First Form parents. Then we move on to the Fireworks, which is a lavish and utterly

lovely event, and then conclude the term with the Christmas Fair. Each week we also have our Coffee Mornings on a Friday after drop-off and once a month we hold our uniform sales. The rest of the year follows a similar pattern and certainly keeps us busy. Busy indeed! What are some of the ways that parents can get involved? Simply coming to the events and being involved in the community is one of the easiest and best ways that everyone can contribute. We now have a particularly accessible and easy to use booking site which means that the events are more open than they have ever been before. If parents have an hour or two to spare and are willing to be more directly involved, then there are all sorts of ways they can do this, and it is probably best to talk to a member of the committee at one of the events or our coffee mornings about what would best fit them and the time they are able to give. With the range of events we run, I do think there is something for everyone, both in terms of attendance and becoming more involved. What is it like to be involved with running events with the CPFA? It is honestly a lot of fun, and I find it really rewarding. I know a lot of other parents involved feel that way as well. We have our core events which seem to be growing year on year, which have their own reward, and we then have new events or different approaches to some existing ones which provides a real opportunity for creativity and the establishment (we hope!) of the staple events for the future. Mrs Priestley-Smith was talking to Head of Marketing Mr Griffiths.

PUPIL PERSPECTIVES Two of our Gold Duke of Edinburgh students, Samuel Phelps (Lower Sixth, Feilden) and Charlotte Kemp (Lower Sixth, Vanbrugh) talk about their experience of the DofE and the voluntary work they have undertaken. Samuel has volunteered in the Dragon School and Charlotte has volunteered as a swimming coach. What are the Award sections of the DofE? The Award section of DofE includes five sections: skills, volunteering, physical, expedition and residential. CK What made you decide to do the DofE? I decided to do DofE because I like to challenge myself and felt this was the perfect opportunity to do something that pushed me out of my comfort zone. SP I felt the same, and was also attracted by the social aspects of it. It is a great way to strengthen and to form strong friendships. CK Why is volunteering so integral to the DofE Awards? It depends on what you choose to do, but primarily, it gives you the opportunity to give something back to the community. SP Not only people in your local area, but also the environment. It benefits the people you help, but is so rewarding on a personal level too. CK I agree, it has given me so much confidence. I feel much more equipped to overcome challenges and try different things. SP

What skills have you learnt from your time volunteering? I have learnt many skills from my time volunteering as a swimming coach, but as Samuel has already said, the main thing for me is confidence. I was so shy when I started, but now I feel confident enough to give the students I coach advice on how to improve. I have developed a genuine passion for swimming coaching, so much so that I have recently qualified as a Level 1 Swimming Coach. CK Outside of that confidence factor, it has also taught me the importance of taking responsibility and demonstrating leadership. SP The expedition is one of the most recognised aspects of the Awards; what do you think it teaches you? For me, it has been determination and commitment. I have not finished the full expedition yet but have completed two training weekends. They were tough, but so worth it. You have to commit to it fully and not give up, the sense of achievement you get from completing it is incredible. SP I would agree, but, do you know, I found that beyond that, the feeling of accomplishment alone is enough to motivate you not to give up. CK Have you been able to use what you have learnt in other aspects of your life, and if so, how? Completing the expedition has reinforced the importance of teamwork. To succeed, you have to work as a unit and support each other. That is something that can be applied to so many aspects of life. CK

In the next edition...

a focus on AOBs and Beyond the Classroom

Would you recommend the DofE to others? Absolutely, it is so rewarding. It is a great experience and you learn so much. CK Thiking of your own future and accomplishments, it also looks great on your CV and personal statement for your UCAS application. SP Any advice for someone thinking about taking part in the DofE? My advice to anyone thinking about taking part in DofE is to just go for it! It is an amazing experience and an opportunity you do not get every day. It can be challenging at times particularly during the expedition - but once you have completed it, you only remember the positive moments. CK

Staff News Leavers Reverend Howard - Chaplain. We wish him and his wife a happy retirement. Congratulations Head of Prep Sport, Mr Morrison on his wedding to wife Sophie. They married in the Caribbean (Antigua) in the Easter holidays with close friends and family. A number of Cokethorpe staff recently took part in the Pink Ribbon Walk at Blenheim Palace in support of Breast Cancer. ‘Team Sole Mates’, which included our Registrar, Mrs Sheer, alongside three current Prep and Senior parents, raised close to two thousand pounds during the ten-mile walk, while Catering’s Miss Hill and Mrs Jeffery barely broke a sweat on the 20-mile walk! Thanks to all who supported this worthy cause.

Cokethorpe School Witney, Oxon OX29 7PU Tel: 01993 703921 Email: admin@cokethorpe.org The Ocellus | Issue 48 | Summer 2022 Edited and produced by the Communications Department. Published by Cokethorpe School.