cranleigh-matters-issue-321

Cranleigh Matters The Cranleigh School Newsletter CRANLEIGH EX CULTU ROBUR

Issue No 32 Winter 2008 www.cranleigh.org

Cranleigh School, Cranleigh Surrey GU6 8QQ Telephone 01483 273666

House Performance Evening

The IVth Form dances this year were laden with originality and moves characteristic of their UVIth choreographers. Both North and Loveday performed fantastic, crowd-rallying medleys - Loveday sporting ‘High School Musical’ personas and North ‘getting ready to rumble!’. Second place this year went to Cubitt, who danced a very cool ‘Smooth Criminal’ routine choreographed by Tash Ferguson, Rob Cowdrey, Georgie Hodge, Guy Vero and Chris Williams. Coming out on top was East, who opted for a traditional Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ routine, which included an effectively creepy-looking IVth Form and a number of signature zombie dance moves. Congratulations to the East dancers and the choreographers: Joe Knight, Julia Dean, Steph Steer and Mike Holford.

2008 was also a particularly good year for the part-song competition. Opening the show were eventual runners-up, Cubitt, with a record number of performers singing Mika’s ‘Happy Ending’, an arrangement from Freddie Comber, Alex Moss, Hannah Coleridge and Briony Chappell. Following this were some amazing versions of Howie Day’s ‘Collide’ from North, and Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’ from East. Deserved winners this year were Loveday, who gave an outstanding rendition of R Kelly’s ‘The World’s Greatest’; special congratulations to Ed Griffiths, Fred Hickman and Sara Williams for this arrangement.

The judge this year, Colin Sell (of Radio 4’s ‘I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue’ fame) was particularly impressed by the Houses’ efforts at challenging harmonies and effective use of costume. Congratulations to Loveday.

Briony Chappell

Topping Out a Building for the Future A topping out ceremony for the School’s new £10 million Academic Centre was held just before the start of the Michaelmas term. The topping out was arranged to thank the project team, particularly the building contractors Durtnell, for their outstanding work, and it is noteworthy that the School will take ownership of the building in December, just seventeen months after work commenced on site. The Chairman of the Governing Body, Mr Anthony Townsend, stated at the ceremony that “It started with an inspired master-plan for new buildings at the School from our architects Pringle Richards Sharratt, from which this is the first major project.

We are hugely enthusiastic about the building and the statement that it makes. It is modern, bright and yet blends so well with the existing buildings at the School. It will be used to teach sciences and languages: areas where focus is urgently needed in our country’s education system. This building symbolises Cranleigh’s commitment to further these subjects.”

WEB-SITE Some articles in this newsletter appear in a fuller version on the web-site. For the latest news go to www.cranleigh.org

An Ideal Husband Cubitt’s production of ‘An Ideal Husband’ by Oscar Wilde was directed with characteristic aplomb by Gordon Neill, assisted by the indefatigable Freddie Comber. All the parts were substantial enough to avoid being classed as ‘minor’ and it is to the credit of Cubitt and the ‘twinned’ section of South that so many accomplished actors (14) trod the boards of the VCT on the nights of 14th-16th October.

As Mabel Chiltern, Briony Chappell captured beautifully what Wilde calls ‘the astonishing courage of innocence’. Lord Goring was played, as instructed by the playwright, as a ‘flawless dandy’ by Dominic Murray and Caversham was given a fine sneer by Anthony Dunkley. Francesca Lowry gave a compelling performance as Lady Chiltern and Jonathan Oldfield brought a true tragic vein to his touching portrayal of Sir Robert Chiltern. As Mrs Cheveley Hannah Coleridge achieved Wilde’s improbable demand for a ‘graceful orchid’ and was suitably mesmerising.

Prodigious Musicians open Concert Season

The Antarctic: South with Swan

Friday September 12th saw the first concert of Cranleigh School’s new academic year and show-cased the talent of 13 of the School’s junior Music Scholars, including six who had joined the School just a week previously. Most prodigious among this talented group is recorderplayer Chloe Allison, who recently passed her diploma on the instrument to achieve the prestigious status of being an Associate of Trinity College, London. The standard of performance required to attain such a qualification is equivalent to the performance component of the first year in a full-time undergraduate course at a conservatoire or other higher education establishment. Chloe had to prepare a 35-minute recital which demonstrated a technical ability beyond that of Associated Board Grade Eight standard and which was stylistically balanced to offer a varied programme. She also had to produce a detailed programme giving contextual insight into the works being played in order to add another dimension to the audience’s appreciation and understanding of the music being performed.

Director of Music Marcus Pashley adds “For Chloe to achieve her diploma six years earlier than usual is quite remarkable, not least as her pass mark of 70% is very high at this demanding level.”

On 24th September, we had the pleasure of listening to Cranleigh parent Joff Sharpe talk about his experiences on a recent Antarctic expedition, as well as the events that led up to his joining it, such as being in the SAS! He was recently part of the 2041 Expedition, which aims to inform future generations of the threats of climate change. With its aim to try and conquer global warming by 2041, this breathtaking illustrated lecture by Joff Sharpe has inspired us all.

Amy Kelly and Jane Leonard-Myers

In the concert Chloe played part of the Sonatina by Lennox Berkeley and also accompanied (on piano) Louisa Golden in a Vivaldi ’cello piece.

Other performers included brother and sister Peter and Hebe Westcott, who played French horn and piano respectively. Another highlight was the virtuouso rendition of Monti’s ‘Czardas’ by violinist Sam McCagherty, which elicited wild applause from the audience of parents, pupils and teachers in the Merriman Music School. Sam’s younger brother Harry also impressed listeners in his oboe solo. Marcus Pashley remarks,“It was a remarkable achievement for these young musicians to give such polished performances only one week into the new school year.”

Cranleigh Crowned 2008 National Youth Parliament Champions On Wednesday 2nd July Politics A Level pupils from Cranleigh were awarded the prize for being overall winners of the Citizenship Foundation’s National Youth Parliament Competition. At the celebration event at Portcullis House, Westminster, the prizes were awarded by leading politicians including the Prime Minister himself. Cranleigh’s entry was judged by a panel of 16 Ministers and MPs as the best from 120 secondary school entries.

Forty VIth Formers worked towards filming their entry: there were two sections to the competition, a debate and a Prime Minister’s Question Time session. Cranleigh School’s debate topic was on ‘Combat Obesity in 21st century Britain.’

The whole process throughout was led by the pupils, from choosing the topic, to writing and preparing speeches and even filming and editing the final finished piece. Three pupils also won individual national awards: Paddy Harman: Best Minister - Ben Sanderson: Best Opposition Minister Jess Whitehead: Best Backbencher Head of Politics, JDC, comments “It was a great honour for the School to win this competition against strong opposition and the pupils were thrilled to be able to mingle with leading political figures such as the Lord Chancellor, the Speaker and Gordon Brown himself, at the awards ceremony. The enthusiasm of the boys and girls and of my colleague FTH, who co-supervised the entry, was what carried us through.”

Tony Breslin, Chief Executive of the Citizenship Foundation, congratulated Cranleigh School’s winning team, saying that “... this award demonstrates the enthusiasm of young people for debating the tough issues we all confront.” The prize for overall winner was presented by Michael Gove, MP and Guildford MP Anne Milton, who added, “The National Youth Parliament Competition provides young people with a fantastic introduction to politics.

Our democracy matters: congratulations to Cranleigh School on their outstanding success.” The award-winning video was shown on Speech Day. FTH

Seren Top Scores for Kenya Playing already in his fourth one-day international match, Seren Waters, who was still playing for Cranleigh’s 1st XI this summer, top-scored for Kenya with 74 against South Africa in the second game, played at Kimberley, of a two-match series. His innings included nine fours and a six and in South Africa’s winning innings Seren took two catches to dismiss Gibbs and de Villiers. Seren also played for the Surrey 2nd XI this summer and another of Cranleigh’s cricketing products, Stuart Meaker, has just been awarded a first squad contract with Surrey CC, having made his first team debut last season.

Cranleigh Scores Again at The Open Running one of the 18th hole leader-boards at the Open Championship has now become a firm fixture in Cranleigh’s calendar, and this year was no exception. A group of 18 boys and staff travelled to Royal Birkdale and braved the elements to work around the course on the three practice days, and inside one of the famous yellow leader-boards that are perched on top of the grandstands during the championship itself. This year, the R&A had commissioned new boards, still in keeping with the old ones, but much more user-friendly: they also proved to be mercifully better at keeping out the wind and rain! PJL tells me that BBC commentator Peter Alliss (whose son, Henry, is an OC) gave the usual name-check to Cranleigh on the final day.

All the boys thoroughly enjoyed the experience of witnessing Padraig Harrington successfully defend his title, as well as many other highlights during the week: Ian Poulter sinking a brave par putt on the last to post a competitive score on the final day; 53-year-old Greg Norman almost chipping in at the last on day three; and the amazing five iron Harrington hit to the final green to seal his win. There is no substitute for watching sport live and seeing the players up close, being able to watch how the professionals practise and deal with whatever the course and the elements throw at them. I have no doubt that all the boys involved will have learned a great deal this week. My thanks go to WNB, JGH and APF for their help, and to all the boys concerned for working so well and ensuring that we’ll be at Turnberry next year!

PJK

West House Cookathon It was an early start on Sunday 28th September for the bakers of West House, who, in a phenomenal joint effort, spent their Sunday mixing and icing in order to raise money for ENKI, a charity which since 1997, through the support of sponsors like us, has managed to support over 50 Kenyan children through secondary school education. The charity was founded by Rakhee Dodhia, OC. The first lemon drizzle cake went in the oven at 7.15am and from then on varieties of tiffin, fairy cakes, chocolate crispies and the unique ‘stickyfried goo-goo’ seemed to be practically spilling out of the West doors. Libby Pitt and Sophia Ambrose in particular deserve recognition for spending practically the whole day in the kitchen, as does Mrs Dixon for organising the entire event.

Photo: Martin Williamson

Katie picked for Surrey VIth Former Katie Wallis, who began her rugby playing in Dubai and at Cranleigh RFC, has been selected this term to play for Surrey. Katie was especially pleased to be part of the team (at no. 6) that defeated Hampshire 22-15: “They are our hardest opposition and my ambition is to be selected for the combined Hampshire/Surrey squad in the new year.”

It seemed all the girls had great fun and the huge success of the sale on Monday made all the efforts worth it, though leaving disappointingly few cakes for the bakers to polish off! The cookathon girls managed to raise over £450. Go West!

Hannah Golding

Musicians visit Village Church Canon Nigel Nicholson welcomed musicians from the School to a concert in St Nicolas Church on Friday 3rd October and later declared the evening “a real treat”, requesting an encore of the reel ‘Drowsy Maggie’ from the Celidh Band. The retiring collection was split between Church funds and supporting Tom Chevis, a former pupil of the School, who is to spend part of his gap year doing missionary work in Gambia.

Among the highlights were unaccompanied solos: Tory Sawyer played two movements from one of Bach’s sonatas for violin with authority and purity, and Chloe Allison played van Eyck’s ‘Theme and Variations’ for recorder with a tone as natural and perfect as bird-song.

Director of Music Marcus Pashley joined five pupils in the barber-shop group ‘Close Shave’; the solo singers Dominic Murray, in a Bach aria, and Hilary Cronin, in Schubert, were very warmly received, as were brothers Sam and Harry McCagherty for their violin and oboe playing. The other performers comprised the Brass Quintet, the Wind Quintet, a guitar duo (Pip Mansegh and Oliver Metcalfe) and xylophone soloist Tom Hollister.

Jeans for Genes Day For the eleventh consecutive year the School took part in the national Jeans for Genes mufti day, aiming to raise up to £700 for this charity, which supports a huge number of different organisations each year. As an example of what Cranleigh’s money could do, the charity explains that £700 could pay for five babies to have a chromosome test to diagnose abnormalities early enough for more successful treatment. The day was co-ordinated by Bob Wilson, master i/c Community Service.

VIth Form Classics Trip to Cambridge

Cranleigh School Pupils Top of the Tree in RS, Art and Maths In September examination board Edexcel published figures of pupils who came in the top ten for the whole country in their GCSE papers. Amongst those gaining the top ten marks in Mathematics were Cranleigh pupils Nathan O’Neill and Charles Rea. In the Religious Studies GCSE course, which Cranleigh pupils take a year early in Year 10, there were no fewer than twelve Cranleigh School candidates at the top of the pile, in equal first place, from over 94,000 candidates who sat the paper. In Art and Design GCSE there were a further three Cranleigh School pupils among the top ten, from 36,294. These 15 star pupils’ names are listed on the web-site.

Ecuador Expedition On September 10th 2008, eleven budding, enthusiastic and capable classicists set off boldly on a journey of enlightenment. We did not know really what to expect: after all, we were going to the flat, featureless land of Cambridgeshire to see replicas of replicas of statues which were made 2,500 years ago.

Then we saw the first kouros, standing in the doorway, an immense figure over five metres tall, imperiously guarding the room behind. The variety and size of the statues was mind-blowing: from famous pieces, such as the Delphic Charioteer, Knidian Aphrodite, Diskobolos and the Tyrannicides, to colossal temple pediments and breathtaking friezes.

One could truly appreciate the wealth of skill present all those years ago, whether in the anatomical precision of the spearholder (even the veins were perfect!) or the emotional portrayal of Niobe, trying in vain to hide her daughter from the pitiless arrows of Leto’s twins.

After the museum we were unleashed to forage around Cambridge and set off in groups, to soak up the atmosphere and look around the colleges. After this we had a riveting and highly enjoyable lecture from Dr Caroline Vout (Director of Studies in Classics at Christ’s College), who provided a fascinating overview of the role of sculpture in Greek society and an insight into the working of the Cambridge University Classics Faculty Museum.

On behalf of the other dozen classicists I want to thank Mr Jackson and Mr Maitland for taking us on this fascinating trip.

Henry Wilson

Fundraising for Hope HIV Earlier this year a group of 14 pupils led by Olivia Hodgkinson took part in the Social Entrepreneurs Project (SEP) to try and turn £10 into £100 to raise money for Hope HIV. Hope HIV is a charity which supports children made vulnerable by AIDS in Africa. They raised £633 in total, which was presented to Catherine Hedges from Hope HIV on Monday 13th October.

Catherine gave a moving talk to the pupils about the work of Hope HIV, and the pupils received certificates and were thanked for their support.

In early July, 24 Cranleigh pupils and two members of Common Room (RACH and PRM) set off with three expedition leaders to South America for a four-week expedition to Ecuador. After a few days in Quito, the project phase began: building speed bumps in the Bua community near Santa Domingo.

In the trekking phase the first aim was to climb the blown-out volcano of Quilatoa, a five-day trek from the small village of Chugchilan. The second stage involved climbing the volcano Pasochoa.

After these exertions the ‘r and r’ phase was in Tena, five hours to the east of Quito, where we rounded off the expedition with four days staying at a jungle lodge. Activities included scrambling up waterfalls, white-water rafting, tubing, nature walking and hammock testing. Thanks from RACH and me go to everyone else who helped to make the expedition such a success.

PRM

IVth Form Team-Building Day On Sunday 7th September, 120 new IVth Formers took part in a team-building day, composed of various physical and mental challenges. They were divided into ten teams of twelve, with members from all six boarding Houses.

Activities included unihoc, ultimate frisbee, water retrieval, raft building, mind games, and a spider’s web.

The most popular were the toxic lagoon and the water retrieval. In the former, using the equipment provided (four barrels, six spars, lots of rope, buoyancy aids and helmets) the pupils built rafts to transport their team to the other side of the lagoon, ensuring that they stayed dry as possible at all times.

Those teams with the sturdiest rafts and those who managed to transport their passengers to the far side without getting wet were awarded the highest points. The water retrieval challenge required the teams to retrieve a table tennis ball from a very leaky six-foot tube, using water and their own ingenuity. This proved to be very tricky, but still provided lots of fun. The spider’s web challenge was also quite tricky.

Teams were asked to get the whole team safely through the spider’s web without touching any of the web. If they touched the web, they had to start again.

The final event saw all the teams pitted against each other in an obstacle race, where the skills learnt during the day helped them to complete the challenge.

The day was a resounding success, the weather just about held off and everyone had a cracking time and made some new friends. Thanks go to all the School staff who made the day such a fun event.

PRM

CCF Survival Weekend Having been told that the weekend would be a competition between two patrols, we were brought immediately into our first lesson – cutting implements and their care. We put our skills into practice by making a pot-hanger that would later be put to use cooking our meal before moving on to fire-lighting, shelter-construction and food preparation (rabbits). Our final activity was a walkabout where we were briefly shown plants in the area that we could eat.

We had four hours to build a shelter and fire-reflector, make a fire, gather firewood and prepare our rabbits. Then, after a briefing, we were off into the night to try to find the most northerly and southerly buildings in the Training Area, guided by the ‘Plough’ and ‘North Star’ in the clear night sky above. The next morning, after a remarkably comfortable and deep sleep, we packed up our respective camps and we moved on to the last challenge – a coracle race.

Everybody left with a plethora of new skills. Thanks must go to Major Parker for organising the weekend, 2Lt Herbert and Major Commander for helping out, the DS at 21 SAS (Reserve) for their excellent instruction, and all the cadets involved for making the weekend thoroughly enjoyable.

Sgt James McEntee

Editor: PETER LONGSHAW - Photography: STEPHEN OWEN - Design and Typesetting: JOHN SANDFORD