39 minute read
Charity and Events
from Salvo 2022
Year 8 Guest Night
This has become a firm favourite in the Elstree Leavers’ Programme. Each Year 8 pupil invites a guest for dinner at Elstree – either a godparent, uncle, aunt, family friend, teacher or grandparent. After a lovely walk around the grounds enjoying the evening sunshine with their guest, everyone gathered on the lawn in front of the dining room for drinks and canapés. There was such a happy and relaxed atmosphere as the children introduced their guests to their friends, with lots of animated chatter and catching up. Lara and her team produced the most delicious canapés, followed by a wonderful main course and a trio of puddings. A particular shout out to our Year 7 waiters who were incredibly attentive: topping up glasses throughout the evening, serving canapés and waiting at the tables with charm, grace and efficiency. Don’t worry, it will be your turn to invite someone next year! OSI
Cultural Diversity Week
Celebrating black history and culture in the month of October has been a British tradition since the 1960s. This has taken on various forms in the past, including African & Caribbean dance, art exhibitions and drama. Black History Month was originally founded to recognise the contributions African and Caribbean people have made to the UK. Now, Black History Month has expanded to include the history of not just African and Caribbean people, but black people in general. Elstree School Pre-Prep and Prep celebrated Cultural Diversity Week with a variety of exciting activities. This was an opportunity to celebrate the diversity and cultural richness that exists within our community and beyond. Moreover, the week helped to deepen social awareness and provide a greater understanding of issues associated with cultural diversity. Year 5 and 6 pupils performed a short programme of drama, poetry and song based on a historical overview of British Black History. Elstree pupils and staff were taken back as far as Ancient Rome, with the first Black African settlement recorded near Hadrian’s Wall. We were able to share in the joys, successes and suffering of the many minority cultures who have made Britain their home.
Some of these cultures and tribes were represented at morning drop-off, when some parent and pupil volunteers welcomed the children in their traditional cultural dress. It was a wonderful, vibrant atmosphere in front of the school, as our boys and girls learned how to greet in Yoruba, as well as spot the differences between Jamaica and Tanzania! Year 7’s project was based on African inspired art. The visual arts of native Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, tend to include such media as sculpture, painting, pottery, rock art, textiles, masks, personal decoration, and jewellery. Our pupils produced some great pieces in ceramics as well as paint and pencil drawings. In the Pre-Prep, Mrs Bond spoke to the children in assembly about celebrating and respecting differences and who our ancestors are. To mark the week, the children were invited to come to school wearing traditional dress from any country. We had children wearing their parents’ old clothes to show their heritage, a little boy with clogs on, children dressed in Salsa dresses, lederhosen and even Elmer the Elephant to represent being different and special. To top off the day, Lara and her team served up a lovely menu of Jollof Rice & Chicken, Jerk Tofu & Callaloo and Burnt Basque Cheesecake. All in all, it was a very enjoyable week and we look forward to celebrating our rich diversity again next year. AO and AB
The much-anticipated Elstree Triathlon took centre stage with a fantastic number of children choosing to sign up and test themselves over the challenging course. For the second year running, Years 1 and 2 in the Pre-Prep also took part, as well as (for the first time ever) two members of staff! My thanks to Mr Prichard and Mr Doran for being such good sports. The Triathlon is the last sporting event of the academic year and it gives the Year 8 leavers a chance to strut their stuff around the pitches and grounds for one last time. The Shaw Triathlon Cup winner this year was Aaron Roberts who completed the Senior Long Course in a very quick time. Huge thanks to all the competitors and to all the staff for their good humour, hard work and enthusiasm throughout the event. Here’s to another brilliant Triathlon next year. JCM
Felicita Burnett, Year 2
Josh Singleton, Year 5
Harriet Burnett, Year 3
Alfie Burles, Year 5
It was a scorching hot afternoon for the inaugural Elstree Dog Show. With DJ Duarte on the decks, Dave’s Ice-Cream Van doing a roaring trade and over 70 excited dogs on the Front Lawn, we were in for a busy afternoon! First up was the “Fancy Dress Event”, with some hilarious and very creative entries, as both dogs and children paraded around the main arena. It was a tough decision for our judges who eventually chose Harry dressed as a policeman, with Inca (Haskell Horsey) dressed as a convict as the winners. Next up was “Musical Sit”, which was incredibly popular and luckily the very decisive Mrs Westley, Mrs Bond and Mrs Burnett were able to whittle down the entrants to the last few. What incredibly well-trained dogs we have at Elstree: when the music stopped, they sat down immediately, as did their owners! There was remarkably little to choose between them. Many congratulations to our impeccably trained winner, Titian (Salvesen). Finally in the main arena, our Judge, Chris Tufnell, assisted by Mr Inglis and Mrs Bond, had the unenviable task of selecting ‘Best in Show’, which was won by Izzy with the very impressive Poppy (Turner). Mr Attwood had constructed a fantastic “Obstacle Course” in the second arena next to the lake, which included hurdles, bending poles, hoops, tunnels, seesaws and hoops. Encouraged by a plethora of dog treats and plenty of enthusiastic children, the dogs were cajoled around the obstacles, as Mrs Attwood kept a beady eye on the stopwatch. Many congratulations to the eventual winner Ollie with Bracken.
Running throughout the afternoon was the “Waggiest Tail Competition” brilliantly won by Oakley for his 180-degree tail wag. “The Best Trick” was awarded to Bracken (Anderson) who sat with a treat on his nose, until asked to eat it. Finally, Mrs Lavoipierre ran the competition “Guess How Many Dog Treats In The Jar?” Our congratulations to Max who was spot on with his guess of 227 treats, which will now be enjoyed by the lucky Scruffy (Fawcett). A massive thank you to all the Elstree staff for their help with running the events, the children and parents for taking part and of course the dogs for entering into the spirit of the occasion with such enthusiasm. My final thank you goes to our wonderful judge and former Elstree parent, Dr Chris Tufnell BVMS FRCVS, from Coach House Vets, who rose to the occasion magnificently. Thank you! OSI Some comments overheard on the day:
Conquer the Coast Charity Challenge
Three Elstree alumni, Rufus McGrath, Geordie Wainwright, Jamie Prowse (all 2009 Leavers) and their friend Sam Lebus, tackled Seven Marathons in Seven Days along the Pembrokeshire coastline. This mammoth undertaking was called ‘Conquer the Coast Challenge’ which they started on Sunday 11th September 2021. They finished this gruelling event having not just run seven marathons, but having climbed a cumulative elevation the height of Everest – and raising a staggering £80,000 in support of mental health charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably). In support of their challenge, we had a slightly unusual start to the week here at Elstree. The whole school, including staff, ran a mile around the grounds instead of morning assembly, equating to the total distance of seven marathons! Some ran, others walked but everyone tried their hardest. JCM
Chapel Choir concert at St Mary’s, Beech Hill
“Quintessentially English” is how we would describe the wonderful Chapel Choir evening concert at St Mary’s, Beech Hill. The church looked stunning with its beautiful mosaics and scented flowers, the sun shone, there were drinks and canapés and – most importantly of all – the choir was in fine voice. The choristers concentrated hard and gave a superb and polished performance. The choir is arguably at its best in the summer term having worked together as a team all year. They have become familiar with the repertoire and the combination of anthems, reading, congregational hymns and organ solos made for the most perfect evening. We received a very grateful letter from the churchwarden at St Mary’s with some quotes as followed: JCM Well done everyone involved for a wonderful performance. MPW
ISFA Under 11 Football Tournament
In October, Elstree hosted the annual Berks, Bucks and Oxon regional ISFA Under 11 7-a-side football tournament. The Elstree team played four group games with convincing victories against New College Oxford and St Joseph’s from Reading. Hard fought draws with Ludgrove (the eventual champions), 0-0, and Papplewick 1-1 meant Elstree finished second in the group playing Bishopsgate in the quarter finals. An enthralling match could not split the two sides leading to a tense penalty shoot-out which Elstree lost on the 7th round of penalties. It was a great pleasure to take our team and their camaraderie, spirit and general approach was both outstanding and memorable. The footballers were such a terrific credit to their families and themselves whilst also, technically, not losing a match in normal play. They’ve made significant progress this term and the afternoon was a celebration of skill and hard work. Special mentions to Wilf Foulds captaining the side, Harry Clothier as top goal scorer and Pablo Lavin as Elstree’s ‘Rock in Defence’.
A great afternoon and thanks, as ever, to Mr Bates for the organisation. LJO
Ludgrove Relays
The weather was fine but rather chilly for this popular annual event, the Ludgrove Relays, and our teams ran well. First off were the Juniors (Charlie Utley, Sam Norris, James Fane and Tristan Anderson Wheeler). They ran with great spirit and were the most successful of our three teams. Then came the turn of the Intermediates (Harry Clothier, Harry Anderson, Harry Goodbourn and Wilf Foulds). They demonstrated very determined running. Our last group were our Seniors (Tommy Welchman, Kitt Dorich, Stanley Pearey and Aaron Roberts) who put in a great effort. Although we finished just outside the medal positions our Elstree athletes were a pleasure to be with and conducted themselves in great sporting fashion. The highlight of the run was the massive puddle to run through and the delicious Cadbury’s hot chocolate and snacks available for every runner once they had competed the course! CMS
Elstree Jubilee Bake Off
During half term, the Elstree children were invited to take part in the ‘Great Elstree Jubilee Bake Off’. The challenge was to bake a cake fit for the Queen. Creativity abounded as entries with cakes of all shapes and sizes reflecting the interests and traditions of the British Royal family came flooding in. We were honoured that the competition this year was judged by Mrs Karen Pilkington, who herself baked the Queen’s birthday cake in 2012, her Golden Jubilee Year. She was incredibly impressed with the entries and of course more than qualified to give her feedback:
The entries for this competition made it very hard for our judge. We had a Union Jack flag cake made up of 3 different ‘bakes’: Lemon drizzle, chocolate brownie and rice crispy cake. There was a Banana cake in shape of a coin with the Queen’s head on it whilst another entry was banana and nutella cupcakes. There was a bite-size Union Jack cake, several Royal Crown Cakes, a classic Victoria sponge with fantastically patriotic decorations. There was even Her Majesty’s favourite Birthday Cake (with a special meringue twist!). What a wonderful variety!
‘Well done everyone! From edible corgis, to summer strawberries, your wonderful cakes all looked utterly delicious. It was very hard to choose winners, as you all did so brilliantly; I think the Queen would love all your patriotic creations. Bravo and congratulations!”
PRE-PREP
Winner: Carrie Blackwell
Highly Commended: Jonny O’Neill
YEARS 3 & 4
Winner: Sam Norris
Highly Commended: Lance Kneeshaw
YEARS 5 & 6
Winner: Mila and Bella Tryon Highly Commended: Harry Clothier
YEARS 7 & 8
Winner: Petra McKay Highly Commended: Sergey Teliatnik Well done everyone, and we hope you enjoyed eating the results of your hard work! OSI
Dîner en Rouge, Blanc et Bleu
What fun it was to welcome over 200 smiling faces to our inaugural ‘Dîner en Rouge, Blanc et Bleu’. The aim of the dinner was to mark the Jubilee, evoking a spirit of ‘friendship, laughter, and elegance’, with our own take on a ‘Dîner en Blanc’. Everyone was asked to dress in red, white and blue, and take part in a pop-up ‘bring your own’ picnic. The somewhat breezy evening was kept at bay by the warmth of the Elstree community who came together dressed in their patriotic best to get our Platinum Jubilee celebrations off to a fine start!
It was fantastic to see so many parents across the Pre-Prep and Prep Schools as well as lots of staff in such great spirit. A huge thank you to Julia Burnett for instigating this event, what a great idea and let’s see if this might become an annual feature in the social calendar! Thank you also to the maintenance and groundsmen team for setting up and taking down the tables, chairs and lighting - Lower looked resplendent. Laura and her catering team did a fantastic job in setting the table places and serving welcome drinks to all. Also, a thank you to Jon Bond for taking some stunning photos and drone footage of the evening. Thank you to everyone who attended for making this inaugural event so much fun and we hope you all enjoyed the rest of the Jubilee celebration events over half term.
OSI
Grandparent’s morning for Years 5 - 8
It was such a pleasure to welcome 70 grandparents to Elstree on the first Saturday of the Summer Term. The children loved spending precious time with them, and having the opportunity to show them around Elstree.
Following a beautiful service at St Peter’s, Woolhampton, (the church has NEVER been so packed!) they headed back to the Long Room and the Terrace for coffee, tea, sandwiches and cakes. It was an ideal moment for the grandparents to meet some of the current Elstree staff, and also to catch up with each other.
There were plenty of familiar faces amongst the grandparents visiting Elstree, including Syd and Jane Hill (former Headmaster and Headmaster’s Wife), Harriet Bridle, (former Headmaster Terrence McMullen’s wife) and Sue Evans (former Head of the Pre-Prep). A few of the grandparents had also been parents at Elstree, so it was wonderful to welcome them back, and for them to see the many developments that have taken place a generation on! After a welcome from Headmaster Sid Inglis, the grandchildren took their grandparents on individual tours of Elstree, showing them their favourite places: the beautiful grounds, the golf course, the cricket pitches, the athletics track, the dorms, classrooms, science centre, sports hall, swimming pool, music, DT and art departments and the dining room. To conclude the morning, all the grandparents gathered in the McMullen Hall for a wonderful vocal concert. There were performances from the Year 5 and 6 choir (who had recently won the Woodley Choral Competition), the Vocal Group and the Chapel Choir. We are so grateful to all the grandparents for their continued support of Elstree, and for coming and joining their grandchildren for what was a very special morning. Come and see us again soon, you are always very welcome! OSI
Some quotes from Grandparent’s thank you letters:
“I am still smiling when I think of Grandparent’s Day on Saturday – such a happy and positive atmosphere. Thank you both for showcasing the school and for looking after us so well.”
“Elstree really is a very special school and we feel so very fortunate to have six precious grandchildren with you. They are all thriving.”
“Both boys have much to thank Elstree for, and I know that in years to come, they will look back at their time at Elstree as having been very special years.”
“Flora is so happy and fulfilled – thank you.”
“More than anything, Elstree oozes great warmth and happiness which is entirely due to your leadership. All credit to the two of you. The children are indeed blessed to have the opportunity to grow and develop in such a wonderful environment.” “I was delighted to see how Elstree is flourishing and how friendly all the staff and children are. Alfie whirled me round the school and grounds and I definitely got my day’s exercise in so doing!”
A group of wonderful Year 8 mothers joined their children for the Year 8s and Mothers’ Tennis Tournament on a glorious sunny day on Saturday 11th June. The standard of play was particularly high and as ever, there were lots of encouraging words of advice from pupils to mothers throughout the morning - as well as lots of laughter. Big congratulations go to the van den Berghs who were the overall winners.
Thank you to all the mothers, who regardless of their ability, agreed to play with their children. A very happy and memorable day was had by all. CLP
Music by Candlelight
Normally you get one or two outstanding performances in a concert like this. This concert was, however, in a different league. The first two numbers reached the bar of perfection. Then James Holden’s solo in The Lord is My Shepherd rang with the purity of a heavenly choir. Alex Anderson read the poem Daffodils with great maturity and control which gave it a freshness all of its own. Jerry Liu and Derek Lee both managed to transcend the two worlds with their masterful playing on the piano. All three hymns that the congregation were invited to join in with, were classics in their own right. The congregation’s singing, after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, was a welcome and cathartic release of a very human almost primeval right to sing as part of a company to help celebrate the joys of simply being alive. The evening reached its peak with William Anderson’s subtle but powerful reading of an extract from the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It was as if the meaning of life had suddenly been revealed to the intimate company of St. Peter’s Church. The song Go Down Moses gave the school choir the opportunity to display its rich harmonies in all their resplendent colours. One of the tenor voices in particular was absolutely sublime. The Headmaster spoke briefly at the beginning and end and hoped that for this brief hour, all the troubles of the world could be taken care of. We were certainly transported to that higher plain and what a joy it was. Many thanks to Mary Westley and Liz Collins for bringing their talents to the fore and for giving us a most glorious musical and spiritual treat. CMS
What better way to celebrate the historic achievement of our Queen and her 70 years of loyal and inspiring service than with our very own Jubilee Jamboree? This was a day that promised to be action-packed, full of camaraderie, high-jinks and patriotic symbolism – and it didn’t disappoint! The boys, girls, teachers and staff all came to school dressed in red, white and blue. The school had been well and truly decked with Union Jack bunting inside and out and our Pre-Prep and Year 3s donned a remarkable array of crowns – surely giving the Queen’s own selection a run for its money! Anticipation grew throughout the morning, but the children did well to stay focused on their final lessons before the start of our Jubilee celebrations. We joined together for an outside briefing from Mrs Inglis in the stunning May sunshine, making sure pupils and staff alike were prepped for a whirlwind carousel of events. Pre-Prep had their own more age-appropriate rota of jubilee pursuits while the Prep school were divided into their 12 different forms, enjoying 12 different activities, each one lasting 15 minutes. The pupils and staff were split between the Front Lawn and the Rose Garden where the grounds team had set out an endless array of apparatus in accordance with Mrs Inglis’s meticulous planning and coordination. Excitement at a high, fingers twitching and ready to burst into action, the bell rang and pupils were off! There was a competitive burst of energy at the Table Tennis tables, speedy thinking with a sporty version of Connect 4 and shrieks of laughter and frustration as the tail of the corgi just couldn’t be pinned in the appropriate place. Bums hit the floor more than we like to see in Musical Chairs, but some fine creative skills shone through in making Union Jack flags and face painting. We don’t doubt that the Queen herself would have devoured the cupcakes, although we are less sure she would have been honoured by Jubilee Bingo. How can 70 years of service be summed up in 15 minutes? Those with eager fingers and dexterous minds were put to the test in making their own mini drum, fit for any Royal drummer. Putting on the front lawn provided a more sedate and thoughtful moment. Meanwhile, everyone seemed to find plenty of energy to catapult sweets at the Elstree teachers and for those with any steam left in the tank, there was an addictively fun opportunity to wang a welly or two. Pre-Prep were just as energetic with a hobby-horse gymkhana, rubber duck fishing, pinning on the Queen’s knickers, tin-can alley, skittles, quoits and yes – welly wanging very much on the go too! We paused proceedings for a picnic lunch in the sunshine and during the break, we planted our ceremonial Jubilee Oak Tree, which we hope will be a long-standing reminder to all of the significance of this historic occasion. This brilliantly fun and patriotic day was capped off by welcoming parents and friends of Elstree School to an afternoon tea and Prep school concert – an opportunity to enjoy a spectacular array of cakes and glass of fizz to toast the Queen. The Prep school children proudly performed Run, Rabbit Run! the school song Clario ex Obscuro and of course, the National Anthem amongst others. Their stirring rendition of The White Cliffs of Dover brought a few tears to eyes but on the whole, joy and pride prevailed. What a glorious way to see out the first half of our Summer Term and of course, to celebrate our wonderful Queen and the historic Platinum Jubilee. BD
Oratory Cross-Country 2022
Our Year 6 Team, comprising Wilf Foulds, Harry Clothier (Captain), Harry Goodbourn, Harry Anderson and Henry Dalton, came third in this well-organised annual crosscountry fixture at The Oratory Senior School. The course was muddy, so our runners wisely ran in rugby boots. Wilf narrowly missed out on a medal coming fourth, Harry Goodbourn was 11th, Harry Clothier 12th, Harry Anderson 19th and Henry Dalton 20th. The entire team were chuffed to get bronze medal certificates. Ludgrove were second and Summer Fields the winners.
Our Year 7 team were even more successful with some excellent individual placings. Oliver Irvine, our captain, was placed second with Hamish Fawcett just behind in bronze medal position. Jaime Tabuenca came in eighth, Tom Shaw in tenth and Oscar Pritchard in 21st place. Overall, Summer Fields were third, Ludgrove second and Elstree first. This is the first time we have won this event and all credit to the boys who ran their hearts out. I couldn’t have been prouder of our boys, whose behaviour and attitude were spot on. They ran as a team and looked out for each other. Special thanks to Benji Doran, our excellent gapper, and the parents that came to support. What a wonderful afternoon of sport! CMS
Parents’ and Children’s Golf Tournament
It was a perfect Midsummer evening for the annual Elstree Parent and Pupil golf event. This year we had a record number of entries with 16 pairs, including our first girl pupil, Kitty Butler. The course had benefited from the new mowing machine, with the greens clearly defined and ‘relatively’ smooth. Needless to say, the array of obstacles, including sightscreens, high jump mats, benches, scoreboxes and pavilions, provided a tough challenge for the competitors. The 8th hole in particular, had players hitting through the gazebo marquee towards the flag! The baked ground meant that it was harder to control the ball, but did allow for some very long drives down the 7th. Eventually the prizes for longest drives were won by Wilf Foulds (pupil) and James Ward (adult). However, the most remarkable tee shot was by Mr Akinola who hit his tee shot onto the green, finishing only 15ft from the hole. The 9th was the battleground for nearest the pin and saw some very fine shots. In the final group Mr Foulds saw his putt for a two horseshoe around the hole, but the Fawcett family reigned supreme with Hamish nearest the pin for the pupils and father, Jeremy, nearest the pin for the adults. The latter then added to the excitement by holing his putt for a two in front of the massed galleries of the other competitors. With all the cards in, the final nett scores were very close with only six shots separating the top five places. In third were the Francis family, runners up were the Hargreaves, and the narrow winners were the Fawcetts, carrying off the very fine glass trophy. Thank you to everyone that took part and we look forward to another fine evening next year. CMK
We enjoyed a perfect July day at the end of the summer term for the traditional First XI cricket match versus the Paters. For the Paters at least, all keen supporters on the boundary rope throughout the season, this was surely the most anticipated fixture of the season… and finally an opportunity to put some of their helpful advice over the season into practice. The First XI won the toss and elected to bat. Notwithstanding the challenging variety of seam, spin, medium-pace and occasionally slow bowling from the Paters, runs flowed freely from the boys, who showed some impressive depth in their batting line-up. The immaculate pitch – much admired throughout the season – was unforgiving after the recent spell of dry weather and the Paters struggled at times to prevent the ball racing to the boundary at 100mph. The First XI put on an impressive 345 after 20 overs for the loss of only 4 wickets. Highlights of the innings included a spectacular C&B for Mr Sideso off William, rallying cries of “wicket ball” and some very impressive wicket-keeping from Mr Welchman on his maiden appearance with the gloves (he did not concede a single bye). Some areas for improvement for the Paters would include catching (4 dropped catches) and refining the “long barrier” when fielding. In reply, the Paters faced a sustained bowling attack and struggled at times to maintain the required run rate. Their running between the wickets lacked some of the zest seen in their offspring, meaning that they sought the boundary rope and in doing so offered various wicket opportunities. Some flourishes in the middle to late order kept the game alive but the Paters ended up 19 runs short after the loss of 8 wickets. It was a well-deserved victory by the First XI – who were fantastic hosts at their home ground – and a great reminder for the Paters just how difficult this game is! One of the Paters was celebrating a significant milestone and it is hard to think of a better way to spend it than the day we had. Huge thanks to Messrs Champkin and Morris, the catering staff and groundsmen for organising and umpiring this very happy day. Mr Ben Walker, parent
Performing Arts Soirée
“That was the best concert I have ever heard at Elstree!”
This comment by an audience member of the Performing Arts Soirée is no exaggeration; the quality exhibited was of the highest standard and every performer displayed exceptional competence, confidence and commitment.
This annual event was originally devised as a means of enabling music scholars to give their pieces an airing immediately prior to their senior school auditions. It has since evolved to include drama and emerging talent from younger years, and thus we were treated to high level performances from pupils as young as 10 years, as well as from experienced Year 8s. Five drama scholars and five musicians presented a programme of poetry, monologues, violin, piano and recorder items, and in the quiet stillness of the Long Room, with its beautiful acoustic, there was not a single audience member who was not touched in some way to the depths of their heart by the words or music. “The sounds and atmosphere they created by their haunting playing won me over” wrote another audience member.
We are lucky indeed to be surrounded by pupils who have chosen to develop their god-given gifts. Well done to everyone who performed, it really was outstanding. MJW and AO
Act of Remembrance
Just before 11am on Thursday 11th November, the Elstree Community gathered outside the front of the school for the Act of Remembrance. The Service opened with some words from the Headmaster. A number of boys and girls then laid a wreath cross on behalf of their house and the Pre-Prep. After which, Mr Smith placed a wreath on behalf of the staff as the Elstree flag was lowered. Two trumpeters played the Last Post from the roof of the school. To end the occasion, all pupils and staff were encouraged to write the name of loved ones on a wooden cross. Afterwards, these were placed on the grass by the ceramic poppies. On the previous Saturday morning we welcomed Brigadier J. Anderson (Ret.), grandfather of current pupils William and Harry, and old boys Theo and Jack, to speak at our Remembrance Sunday service at St Peter’s Woolhampton. He spoke very movingly about his time as a naval diving officer and offered some tips to the boys on how to overcome fear.
It was a very moving and poignant week as we remembered those who have given their lives in service for their country. OSI
Ridgeway Walk
What perfect conditions for the longawaited return of the traditional 10km sponsored Ridgeway Walk. The crowds soon started to appear as Mr Attwood’s carefully planned logistics came into play. The grounds and maintenance team welcomed everyone, and the Pearey family provided juice and biscuits to ensure the younger members were all set. After the welcome and prayer from Mr Inglis we were off. The energetic strode away down the lane and the younger children and dogs gambolled backwards and forwards. The countryside looked stunning in its spring splendour. The rolling Downs reminiscent of a David Hockney painting with the vibrant fields of rape seed in contrast to the pastures of varying shades of green. The refreshment stops were thoughtfully spaced out with both adults and children eagerly devouring the delicious brownies and flapjacks, baked by Lara and her team and served by the bursary team and willing parents. After the sugar boost the next few kilometres were a breeze.
Once on top of the Ridgeway it was a fantastic sight to look back and see the ribbon of the Elstree Community winding through the open countryside. Before long we were on the final stretch and as we followed the road back to the West Ilsley Cricket Club, a certificate and the ice-cream van were a welcome sight. There was also some happy reminiscing from a group of Old Boys (and Girl!) who had taken part in a similar walk whilst at Elstree in the 1980’s!
The whole event could not have taken place without the superb organisation of Mr Attwood. He put countless hours into ensuring that the whole event ran incredibly smoothly. Many thanks to all those that donated to the event, helped-out on the day or took part in the walk. This was a great start to the Bank Holiday weekend, topped only by the generosity of the community to ensure we raised a total of £6,155 for our chosen charities of Winston’s Wish and Cystic Fibrosis Trust. DB
On Wednesday morning we left Elstree in two minibuses. We ate snacks and watched movies together before arriving at Farleigh, where we drew in a close competitive game. Alex Anderson scoring a 60 metre try was a real highlight. From there we started the journey to the fantastic Springfield country hotel. When we arrived we quickly unpacked, eager to jump into the hotel’s pool, spa and gym facilities. After we had a team quiz (which the forwards annoyingly won) involving some sports questions. On Thursday we woke up to an amazing full English breakfast. From there, we hiked from Studland Bay to Swanage to play some beach cricket and rugby then of course, had to have some fish and chips. After a short trip to Bournemouth we soon arrived at Rock Reef where everyone (even the coaches) had a go climbing up the walls. A great memory was of the “leap of faith” where you had to jump off a platform into the air and cling on to a punch bag. The evening was perfectly rounded off by a delicious supper at Aruba. Friday was the last day and match day. We woke up and had another amazing breakfast then packed our bags and left the hotel. We arrived at Monkey World at 10am. We travelled around learning lots, but more importantly having fun walking around with our friends and working out the best monkey rugby team. The Gorilla being the obvious choice for No. 8. From Monkey World we set off for Bishop Wordsworth in Salisbury. We arrived there and played the match which we sadly lost to a very strong defensive team, although we played to the very end, never giving up and even managing a try in the last play. All in all, it was a fantastic trip which we will never forget, with happy memories that will last a lifetime. Alex Price - Captain of Rugby
Staff Cricket vs Bradfield
To give everyone a well-deserved break from marking exams papers, Elstree and Bradfield staff went to battle on the beautifully scenic setting of Pit at Bradfield College. This is always such a special evening with this year’s match going right down to the final couple of balls. Batting first, Bradfield posted a more than respectable score with Mr Sanford top scoring with a destructive 25. Mr Owens ensured that Elstree’s reply got off to a steady start and Mr Champkin saw us home with some heavy hitting and aggressive running alongside Mr Williams. We were hosted superbly well after the game with a few cold beers and lovely food, along with great company and a gorgeous Pit sunset being just what the doctor ordered. We look forward to hosting the Bradfield staff back on the Elstree Cricket Ground next year. JCM
Elstree celebrated World Book Day for a whole week in March. Whilst the PrePrep were dressed up as their favourite book character, the pupils at the Prep School were involved in a variety of exciting literary activities. The week of World Book Day started at Elstree with a 3 minute warm up video shown as part of Monday’s assembly by rap poet and educator MC Grammar. The children enjoyed recognising as many books as possible that were mentioned within the video.
Year 3 pupils enjoyed listening to author of Astrosaurs Steve Cole. His performance was called ‘Dinosaurs in Space and Creating Great Story Ideas!’ It was broadcast live from a dinosaur museum and Steve accompanied his interactive session with his ukulele!
Luca Rabbiosi, 3CMS
Felix Brims, 3CMS
“He’s made me want to write longer stories.”
Raef Salvesen, 3CMS
Megan Roberts, 3CMS
George Rollo, 3 CMS Year 4 enjoyed Rumble with the Romans with author and cartoonist Gary Northfield. The pupils were able to learn about his books and life in Roman Times. Pens and pencils at the ready, they drew along with Gary as he showed them how to draw the character of Julius Zebra. Some splendid results were produced in just twenty minutes. Year 4 teacher, Mrs Lavoipierre said, “Julius Zebra was a great success. They loved the drawing and I think the results are amazing!”
Years 5 and 6 enjoyed Fantasy Maps and Story Tips with ex-teacher Vashti Hardy, author of Wildspark, Brightstorm and Harley Hitch Pupils created their own fantasy story maps with Vashti. This enabled them to write some amazing essays in their next lesson. A Slam Poetry Masterclass entitled ‘How Anyone Can become a Poet’ with the award-winning Zohab Zee Khan was the exciting session for the Year 7 and 8s.
George Zhao, 4PJL
Ollie Cook, 4PJL
Petra McKay, 7TDW On World Book Day itself, all pupils and staff were given free copies of The iNewspaper and they were read and studied in breaks and lessons where relevant throughout the day. Mrs Walker also had copies of the free 2022 World Book Day books that she offered to all classes during their library lessons as well as a voucher that the pupils were able to take to bookshops to swap for another free book. There were also details of a Harry Potter competition on the voucher. Ruth Walker, School Librarian said, “We have had a brilliant week and are very grateful to Bournville BookFest for their help as well.” They produced some fabulous author/writing/drawing sessions which our pupils found fascinating and motivating and created some amazing drawings and fantastic essays as a result. What a fun and inspiring week, and a great celebration of books and reading. RYW
Year 8s and Fathers’ Tennis Tournament
The Elstree School Year 8s and Fathers’ Tennis Tournament is always a highlight of the summer calendar. This year we had thirteen fathers who gamely joined their children on Bates for a sunny evening of tennis. All pairs played at least six matches of three games. The standard of tennis was extremely high this year, yet all the games were played in good spirit; the Year 8s made their fathers proud. Our 1st Team player, Toby van den Bergh, and his father scored the most games overall, winning the tournament with a total of 17 games. The Prices were close runners-up. All players would have kept going long into the evening had there been sufficient light. Altogether, another successful event in the Elstree tennis calendar.
CLP
Year 8 Leavers’ Celebrations
On the last night of term, in keeping with true Elstree tradition, Mr Prichard led Staff and Year 8 teams out for a game of Crocker on Yard. A mix of rounders and football, the sun-drenched match saw the Leavers put staff firmly in their place with a convincing win of 202 runs vs 176. It was a great fun match, full of laughter and a final testament to the team spirit, sporting enthusiasm and quick wit of our Elstree pupils. After the match, staff and Year 8 Leavers attended the Leavers’ Supper, which was hosted outside on the front lawn. It was a beautiful English summer’s evening with a lovely atmosphere, full of chatter and reminiscing over fun memories. Lara prepared a very delicious and fitting supper to send off our Year 8 boys: steak and chips with salad, mozzarella and a sweet chili dressing. For pudding everyone tucked into ice cream sundaes and then it was time for Mr Inglis to bid the Year 8s a fond farewell. With wise words ringing in their ears, and fun photos, stories and memories filling the Leavers’ Books in their hands, the final night for our Year 8s came to an end.
The following morning the pupils, parents and teachers of the Prep School attended the Leavers’ Service at Douai Abbey. It was the first time the whole school has been into Douai Abbey since the Carol Service in 2019. It was very special to be back in such a magnificent setting with beautiful acoustics. The service was led by Head Boy,
William Anderson with a thought-provoking sermon from Lay Chaplain, Mr Prichard. The School Choir, Year 8 Leavers and congregation sang so beautifully. It was a wonderful atmosphere, with emotions and pride running justifiably high. The final day of term drew to a close with Leavers’ Drinks in Rose Garden. Under a bright sun, it was a chance for the Year 8 pupils to say a final thank you to teachers and for us to say a goodbye to the wonderful families who are leaving Elstree. It will always be the families who join Elstree that make the school the place it is, they are a bright and fun community, wonderful supporters and loyal friends. We are privileged to have taught and cared for the children of any family that joins Elstree and we so look forward to hearing about what our Year 8 Leavers get up to next. OSI
