The Exonian - summer 2023

@ExeterSchoolUK

The Exeter School Magazine

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CONTENTS 60 40 67

ILYAST

32

36 23 TR I P S A N D TO U R S

6 India expedition 8 Rome 9 Ski – Austria 10 Iceland 12 Junior school trips – The Eden Project – Lulworth Cove – Bideford

F E AT U R E S

14 Quality Catering 15 Junior school council meeting 16 The Lost Art of the Album 17 AI Art 18 Sustainable Exeter

VOIC ES

20 Stress at Ex 21 The Importance of Drama 22 School Snippets: your say 23 The Rise of AI

A RT S

26 Artist of the moment 28 Art week 29 Lower Sixth exhibition 30 Junior school art 32 Bookface!

33 Eye-opening book 32 Get reading

DRAMA

34 The Little Shop of Horrors 36 Masque of the Red Death 38 Beauty and the Beast 39 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

MUSIC

40 National Trust concert 42 Highlights of the year 44 Junior school music

B E YO N D T H E C L A SS ROOM

46 Planet Protectors get green fingered 48 Hieroglyphics 49 CanSat 50 Soroptimist Society 51 German exchange 52 Biology photo competition 54 Ones to watch 55 Open mic

65 Junior school hockey 66 Junior school cross country 67 Senior school football 69 Junior school football 70 Senior school rugby 72 Junior school rugby 73 Senior school netball 74 Junior school netball 75 Senior school swimming 76 Junior school swimming 77 Junior school tennis and squash

COMMUNIT Y 78 Fresh Faces 79 Adieux

REGUL ARS

4 The Exonian editorial team 4 Welcome 5 Welcome from the heads 24 Charity overview 2022-23 82 Puzzles

S P O RT

56 The year in review 59 Junior school athletics 60 Senior school cricket 62 Junior school cricket 63 Senior school girls� hockey 64 Senior school boys� hockey

Cover: Imogen and Dominic, Lower Sixth Back cover: Lizzie, Upper One

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The Exeter School Magazine

Angus

Amber

Oliver

Evie

Isabelle

Leala

Aris

Felicity

Charlie

Ptolemy

Welcome The end of an academic year is always a somewhat strange time, with the usual hum of the school routine being slightly out of kilter as pupils disappear to far-flung destinations – this year, our India expedition really stands out – whilst others seem to bounce from one cricketing final to another, or from playing in the ever-suave jazz concert to collecting prizes at Speech Day. It’s never quiet here! As a team, we have done our best to collate some of the highlights for the school community this year and present them here for your perusal, and we can only hope you enjoy the chance to reflect on yet another brilliant year.

Ed Seaton-Burn Editor

Alex

Rhianna

Charlotte

Amelie

Milly

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Welcome from the Heads 51 It has been a joy this year to see members of the school community bouncing back after the pandemic and we have been very proud of all that they have achieved.

We started the academic year with fantastic academic results from the public exams in 2022. The current Lower Sixth scored 34% grade 9 and 81% 9-7 in their GCSEs and the outgoing Upper Sixth last year scored 63.5% A*/A grades in their A levels, exceptional results for some very hardworking young people who had a challenging time in the preceding years. We were delighted that seven Exonians took up their Oxbridge offers in the autumn of 2022, and as they are coming towards the end of their first year, I am sure that all our leavers from 2022 are thriving on the intellectual challenges that they are enjoying at university, and lots of them are embracing the opportunities to travel and enjoy some exciting gap year projects too.

This year we have published our purpose and virtues document, a School of Great Character, which underpins the school’s strategy and development planning. Focused as it is on the development of character, it has been quite an anchor for the school this year. Our education festival ‘Conversations About Character’ in February was a great opportunity to invite educators to come and hear from some inspirational speakers and to start thinking about how we can provide explicit support for pupils to develop their character through the many activities and opportunities we offer here at school. As our pupils engage with a wide range of pursuits in the realms of moral, civic, intellectual and performance virtues, both in and out of the classroom, we can certainly see the children flourishing. I hope that you can see this evident in the pages of this edition of The Exonian too.

What an amazingly busy year it has been! Once again, I am blown away by the energy and enthusiasm that our pupils display on a daily basis.

Our school virtues and purpose, to aspire and flourish, are woven in to all that we do and our pupils are testament to this, showing kindness and integrity, and growing their curious minds. It is a privilege to see the pupils begin their Exonian journey with us and embrace the many opportunities that are on offer.

I hope that you enjoy reading this edition of The Exonian and get the chance to learn about all the varied activities both in and out of the classroom that the pupils in the junior and senior school have at their fingertips and which they seize at every opportunity. In these pages you will find a wealth of captivating tales, thought-provoking insights, and amazing work that reflect the diverse talents and aspirations that thrive within our school. From extraordinary pupil achievements to enlightening articles on science, arts, culture, and sports, this magazine showcases the kaleidoscope of achievements and endeavours that make our school truly exceptional.

None of this would take place without our team of amazingly dedicated staff, wonderful parent and supportive governing body, and I feel blessed to be part of this school community; it certainly is a school of great character.

Mrs van Schalkwyk

I hope that you enjoy reading the pupils’ work and seeing what they have been up to this year; every day we are inspired by being surrounded by such wonderful young people and by the talented and committed team and wider community members who support every aspect of the children’s education. I am very grateful to them all.

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TR I P S A N D TO U R S

Awe-inducing India Our senior school expedition saw pupils given a once in a lifetime chance to have an authentic taste of India, led by Señor Charters.

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by MR CHARTERS

fter months of anticipation (and fitness sessions!), there was a palpable sense of excitement as we met late on 3 July to weigh bags, load them on to the coach and set off for Heathrow. Delhi wasted no time in shaking us out of any plane-induced slumber, confronted as we were by its awesome humidity, the occasional stray dog sniffing around our luggage, and the unforgettable smile of Pemba, our guide.

After a brief stop-over in Delhi, we caught an early morning flight to Leh in the Indian Himalaya, where we spent a few days acclimatising before embarking on our trek in the Nubra Valley. Although stairs were suddenly a lot harder to climb at this altitude, we basked in the relative cool of Ladakh, combining short local climbs to nearby temples with opportunities to barter for cashmere scarves in the thriving city centre.

Bad weather meant the project phase of the trip was cut short, but the opportunity to spend time in a local school was unforgettable. Some of our pupils became teachers for the day and others felt they had more to give outside the classroom,

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organising a game of football with two of the younger classes at the school.

Stunning snow-peaked mountains had been the backdrop for most of the trip and the beginning of the trek only heightened our collective sense of awe at their beauty and scale, forcing us to reach for new superlatives. Altitude sickness meant that the price of experiencing such scenery was a high one for some and, very regrettably, two pupils (accompanied by Mme Masters) had to leave the trek early. Sad but determined to enjoy the rest of the trek, the remainder of the group climbed to new heights; washed in rivers; played Uno with sherpas; had heated debates over toilet etiquette and finished each day with some hot chocolate and star gazing.

Another day of contrasts beckoned as we left the serenity of the mountains and transferred south to the chaos, colour and car horns of Agra, and the majesty of the Taj Mahal. It was a memorable way to end a special trip, one that would not have been possible without the brilliant Mme Masters and Dr Commin, and the support and encouragement from parents.

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TR I P S A N D TO U R S

Roamin’ for Culture Upper Fifth and Lower Sixth classics pupils relished the opportunity to explore the ‘eternal city’ of Rome during the October half term holiday. We asked for their top takeaways.

by MILLIE

TOP TAKEAWAYS 1. How much culture?! Every corner you turn seems to offer yet another exquisite piece of architecture, or a slice of mind-bending history, or a world-famous statue. It’s hard to keep track of exactly how much you experience!

2. Th ere’s a reason why the Colosseum is visited by roughly 6 million people a year: what an incredible amphitheatre.

With nearly 2,000 years of history, we loved the glimpse of what it would have been like for the 50,000 spectators crammed in to watch the pretty brutal ‘entertainment’...

3. Not many places can transport you back in time with such immersion. The Roman Forum, running pretty centrally through the city, is incredible in many ways but the fact it is so well maintained allows you to picture exactly the bustling, innovative ancient civilisation that we can still learn so much from now.

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Hitting the Slopes The always-popular middle school ski trip went searching for snow in Austria this time around. We asked two of the skiers for their thoughts.

by EMMA and ROSIE

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fter a gruelling 16 hour journey (which even included an interesting moment with the Italian police!) we finally arrived at the stunningly beautiful Hochkrimml, Austria. We were warmly welcomed by the staff upon our arrival and shown to our rooms before being set loose to explore what the hotel had to offer. We were all delighted to find a range of activities on offer, from trampolines all the way to an indoor skatepark!

The food and lodgings really did give us an authentic taste of Austrian culture, but it was the first morning of skiing where the trip really took off.

We were promptly put into three ski groups of, ‘beginner’, ‘intermediate’, and ‘expert’ and set off, with the slopes conveniently being located right

next to our hotel. By the second day the intermediate and expert groups were already carving their way down challenging black runs with the beginners not far behind.

The instructors were always coming up with fun and challenging activities

for the groups to participate in, honing our skills and bringing great energy to each day.

There was only one snowboarding group this year, consisting of all beginners except from Oliver who was already doing ‘360s’ on the first day. He was quickly moved to the “expert” ski group, following us down steep, mazy black runs and other challenging pistes.

By day three, all of the snowboarders were already going down the slopes, being moved from the baby slope – seriously impressive progress.

A particular highlight was left to the final day, where all of our groups, including the snowboarders, joined up to have a hot chocolate on the mountain and enjoy one last run down the slopes together before returning our equipment.

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TR I P S A N D TO U R S

An Ice-Cool Trip Complementing their work on glaciers, sixth form had the geography department to thank for a jam-packed visit to the Nordic island of Iceland.

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by LEAL A

ired yet excited, our trip began by venturing straight to the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal pool located near a lava field: a highly relaxing experience with natural clay face masks and the unbelievably blue water. This was followed with another heavy hitter on the Icelandic ‘must see’ list, the Secret Lagoon, before then visiting The Golden Circle. The Secret Lagoon was, as the name suggests, far less popular than the Blue Lagoon but we were equally grateful for the warm spring water on such a cold day. The Golden Circle is what many tourists in Iceland visit, so it was fascinating to see the most popular tourist locations in the country. The Golden Circle is made up of the Gullfoss waterfall, Geysers and the Pingvellir National Park, which was where the first ever democratic council was established (in 970 AD if anyone was wondering!). The Great Geyser used to erupt in the 1800s and was once recorded to reach a massive 170m.

The third day explored the more human aspect of geography in Iceland rather than natural features. We started the day early by visiting the Lava Centre. This was great - so informative and interactive - before we stopped 10 The Exonian 2023

off at Hellishedi Geothermal plant to learn about the newly emerging carbon capture technology/process which is being developed in Iceland. Before Reykjavík we went to the Perlan Observatory to see a 360˚ view of the city. We finished the day by having some free time to explore the capital of Iceland.

This was after seeing the Hallgrimskirkja church, which was designed to look similar to the basalt columns on the Reynisfjara beach.

On the last full day we had a truly once in a lifetime experience – walking on top of the Solheimajokull glacier.

However, the morning was tinged with sadness as the glacier is retreating at 50m a year. Seeing this change in person was deeply troubling as the glacier, which is around 15 km, will be gone in 300 years, or sooner, as the climate slowly warms.

After this we went on a speed run of the Reynisfjara beach and it’s basalt columns, the Skogafoss waterfall which was 60m high (and according to my not great counting, approximately 463 steps) and lastly, just as it was getting dark, the Selyjandsfoss waterfall – which we were able to go completely behind. Finally, the end of the trip came with a bang by visiting the Fagradalsfjall volcano. It was amazing to see the

solidified lava which was still smoking from its eruptions two years ago.

It was a very action-packed trip, seeing so much in the three days. It made me appreciate the subject of geography! Thank you so much to all the staff who helped the trip happen and who gave up part of their holiday. I think this trip was my favourite thing I’ve done in my eight years at the school.

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TR I P S A N D TO U R S

Junior School Trips Our junior school pupils loved the chance to get out and about this year, exploring the beautiful Devon countryside and beyond.

by MRS RUSSELL and MR CUNNINGHAM

YOUNG ADVENTURERS

Our junior school pupils always love the chance to explore the beautiful countryside and abundance of nature around us, with informative and exciting days out this school year including trips to Stover, the Eden Project, the Exe Estuary and Lulworth Cove. On top of these, our history expedition day in the autumn term saw our pupils visit the Royal Albert Museum (Form One), Buckland Abbey (Lower Two), Tiverton Museum (Upper One) and Coldharbour Mill (Upper Two).

UPPER TWO – LULWORTH COVE

Field sketching Stair Hole, learning about the formation of Lulworth Cove and a blustery walk to Durdle Door were just a few of the activities Upper Two pupils participated in during their geography field trip. The children had a wonderful day at Lulworth observing coastal features and understanding more about the rocks found on the Jurassic Coast. Walking over Banbury Hill allowed the pupils to view the spectacular coastline and to observe erosion first-hand. This trip really enhanced the learning and was a great way to kick-start their topic on the importance of the Jurassic Coast.

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A CRACKING CLOSE TO THE YEAR

The Ultimate Adventure Centre, near Bideford, played host to the Upper Two residential this year and certainly provided the ultimate adventure for our pupils.

On Friday 30 June we boarded the coach bound for a weekend of fun, thrills, and self-discovery. Sixty six children and seven nervous looking staff arrived just in time for lunch and despite constant drizzle and the odd downpour, our spirits were not dampened. On Friday afternoon half of the group tapped into their inner Bear Grylls with campcraft, building shelters and lighting fires. The other half were introduced to North Devon’s ‘Total Wipeout’ style assault course – given the chance, the pupils would still be there now throwing themselves onto the giant inflatable balls! On Saturday the sun came out and we enjoyed surfing at Croyde and coasteering from Baggy Point. For many pupils, the thought of jumping off cliffs filled them with trepidation until they realised the fun that could be had under the watchful eye of the fantastic instructors. One instructor was so impressed that he set a group the challenge of performing the best acrobatic move for our final jump – the pupils rose to the challenge with many performing incredibly brave front flips and 360 degree spins.

Exhaustion had begun to set in on Saturday evening, well, for the staff at least! It did result in a much calmer, quieter night, even in spite of one girls' block suggesting they were going to pull an ‘all nighter’.

Needless to say we all slept well that evening. Sunday saw the pupils venturing back onto the high ropes and taking on the assault course. The staff at UAC were incredibly complimentary of our pupils, who demonstrated excellent character and the core virtues we pride ourselves on at Exeter School.

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F E AT U R E S

Quality Catering: 40 Years and Counting!

Catering Manager Michelle Hendrick has overseen many culinary creations in her time at Exeter School with last year heralding a remarkable 40 years at the school. We discussed how the school food had changed during her time at the school as well as her top tip for healthy eating.

by ANGUS

What is the first meal you remember cooking at Exeter School?

It was inset day so I was faced with the task of making prawn cocktails for all the staff. I was classically trained so I made them the only way I knew, the traditional way. You had the chiffonade of lettuce, the Marie Rose sauce with the prawns, the butterfly lemon wedge and a concasse of tomato with sieved egg on top.

What have been the most significant changes in the cooking process and food itself?

When I first came we didn’t have a dishwasher or deep-fat fryer, so we used fritures with oil instead. There was no risk assessment so it could have gone up in flames at any moment. Another big change has been the food preparation, I used to get whole turkeys in and take off the legs and bone them whereas now you can buy the individual cuts of meat, so it has become a lot more simple in that respect.

What do you find the most rewarding about your job?

Customer satisfaction, the younger pupils are always honest but the feedback is very positive Michelle’s top tip for healthy eating: “I don’t think anything should be off limits, it's about balance. It’s okay to have a cookie today but maybe have fruit salad tomorrow. The Eatwell plate is a really good guide.

“ I don’t think anything should be off limits, it's about balance. It’s okay to have a cookie today but maybe have fruit salad tomorrow.”

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Shaping Futures We had the pleasure of attending a junior school council meeting this term, where they shared their thoughts on how things are running in the junior school and their views on the future! They also had a visit from our catering manager, Miss Hendrick, who caters for over 800 pupils and has cooked over 5 million meals in her time here at the school.

by CHARLOT TE

More dairy and gluten-free food?

Many pupils asked about whether there could be more gluten-free and dairyfree food options during lunch time, and Miss Hendrick has assured them that if they are ever concerned about the contents of their food, or wanted a different serving size, they can always ask the lunch staff for alternatives.

What about pizza?

Miss Hendrick then asked the pupils whether they preferred thick or thin crust pizzas, and the majority voted for thin crusts! The pupils then explained how their lunch times worked, saying that their favourite meals ranged from

the classic fish and chips to exquisite desserts like meringue nests.

How did the term go?

Most of the children agreed that the highlights of the term were sports and extra-curricular activities. Particular favourites involved football, school trips and four-square, and they also really enjoyed science and design technology.

Some of the girls wanted to try rugby, while the boys wanted to try netball!

The school council also gave some suggestions on how to improve the next term, including implementing archery lessons in games, having a design technology club, a computer room, an

origami club, and more time for playing Minecraft. They also recommended having more smoothies and milkshakes during lunch, as well as more pumpkin soup.

The senior school council also meets on a half-termly basis, with representatives from all ten houses getting their teeth into the weighty issues facing pupils and the school today, ranging from what sports are on offer to the thorny issue of uniform requirements.

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F E AT U R E S

The Lost Art of Album Construction When was the last time you listened to a full album, front to back, all the way through? And no, shuffling does not count, although with the way the music industry is headed right now, the running order often isn’t important anyway.

by ALEX

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nobody wants to listen to an album with several consecutive fast-paced, high energy songs at the beginning, followed by several consecutive slower, lamenting numbers at the end. Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon nails all of these characteristics as it builds up slowly in the beginning, before crescendoing in the middle and gently coming back down at the end. It also flows seamlessly from song to song, allowing the whole album to feel like a tightly woven and intricate single body of work. Finally, the lyrics of an album, if there are any, should create an overall, coherent discussion of the messages that the artist wants to get across to their audience. This is done eloquently in Marvin Gaye’s seminal masterpiece What’s Going On as he discusses the issues of poverty, racial discrimination and social upheaval in 1970s America with words that still remain relevant over fifty years later.

For me, these are the things that make an album an album, rather than just a disparate collection of songs.

So, I encourage you to take some time, perhaps whilst travelling, or just at home, to sit back and truly listen to an album, front to back, start to finish.

Maybe you could start with one of the albums mentioned here, both of which have received various awards and recognitions in their time, and are personal favourites of mine.

HIPGNOSIS/GEORGE HARDIE

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he music industry of today is practically unrecognisable in comparison to 30 years ago. In my view, there are two main causes for this.

The first is that of the introduction of streaming services like Spotify which have brought about the decline of individually purchasable songs and albums. This has obviously led to positive development, as listeners can now access a wider variety of artists and genres for much less.

However, up until 2021, the ‘shuffle’ button on Spotify was the only way of listening to an album on the platform. This led to much talk about the death of the album, with the complete loss of artistic statement that came with listening to an album front to back. It took Adele to threaten to remove her music from Spotify for changes to be made.

Secondly, the explosion of TikTok in the last 5 years or so, has had, or at least will have, arguably an even more profound impact on the music industry.

This is due to the way in which music is used on the platform to provide soundtracks to dances or challenges which then go viral and are used millions of times. As a result, 13 out of the 14 US Billboard Hot 100 number ones in 2022 were driven by viral trends on TikTok. The problem with this is that artists are encouraged to churn out endless singles in the hopes that they will go ‘trending’ on TikTok. This, in turn, has impacted the construction of

modern albums, which are more and more frequently built around successful singles that are often accompanied by numerous filler tracks. To look at an example, Drake has produced 143 singles in his career, with 7 studio albums, whilst The Beatles produced 63 singles, with 17 studio albums.

Now, this is not to say that Drake’s albums aren’t good, it merely illustrates the emphasis that modern artists put on producing singles over albums, in comparison to groups in the prestreaming, pre-TikTok era.

So we’ve established why the art of album construction is diminishing in the music industry, but what really is it and why is it important? Well, in my opinion, a well constructed album takes you on a journey with emotional highs and lows, and has a clearly defined beginning, middle and end. The idea of album sequencing is also key, as

A RT I F I C I A L I N T E L L I G E N C E

AI IMAGE – GENER ATED BY OLIVER AND PTOLEMY

AI IMAGE – GENER ATED BY JASON ALLEN

History of AI Generated Art: The Death of Art or the Start of a New Age? Something at the forefront of pupil and staff discussion this year has been the eruption of artificial intelligence, and the impact it has already started to have.

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I art is a new form of art that is created by artificial intelligence. It has been around for a few years now but it has become considerably more popular in recent years. The most common type of AI art is generative art, which is created by algorithms. These algorithms are able to create different types of images and patterns based on the input they are given. The input can be anything from a picture to a sound or even just text. An AI art generator, ‘Stable Diffusion’, allows you to create artwork for free on their website, saying that their database has “9 million prompts”. AI art generators like ‘Midjourney’ have a different approach.

Giving users access to a discord server that allows you to input prompts into their AI algorithm through commands inputted through a discord bot. They give a limited amount of prompts you are allowed to generate, with a subscription fee needed to unlock access to more prompts and upscale images.

The impact of AI has already started

by OLIVER and PTOLEMY

to infiltrate public consciousness, however. The Colorado State Fair of Fine Arts was held on Saturday 30 July 2022. A person by the name of Jason Allen entered this competition and won first place in digital art. This however led to an issue as the art he submitted was generated by an AI and wasn’t his own art. This was later revealed on a social media site called Discord where users reported that they generated hundreds of pictures using the aforementioned Midjourney. They then later uploaded their top 3 personal favorites and then later upscaled them with an AI called “Gigapixel”. We were also able to generate some art ourselves by using the same programme to see how easy it really was. By a few words and a few similar generations of this image, here is the result: the image on the top left.

Opposition to AI art has been building just as quickly as the technology has been evolving.

Thousands of artists on social media have spoken out, highlighting the

dangers and ethical grey areas that have started appearing due to artificial intelligence’s rapid evolution. AI has landed in the grey area of copyright infringement. With copyright intending to protect the creative works of the artist, AI art (which is created from pulling images from a large database on the internet and compiling them together to create a new piece of art) is especially damaging when the majority of artists make their money through commissioned work, where you can pay for a drawing to be made. Due to AI art being able to copy someone's art style with a press of a few buttons, this could harm many artists’ wallets – definitely something for us all to be aware of.

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F E AT U R E S

Sustaining our Future In October, the editorial team spent time speaking to local sustainable businesses, exploring their inspiring initiatives aimed at boosting Exeter’s green credentials. Enjoy perusing some of our very favourites!

by THE EDITORIAL TEAM

ZERO WASTE

Located on Fore Street we have Exeter’s first plastic-free food shop. Run by Faye and Earnie, Zero Waste encourages their customers to bring their own containers to fill up with organic foods such as pasta and rice. The couple came up with this idea whilst travelling in Columbia: instead of buying packaged food, they bought in weight which was found to be much more affordable. This method helps to tackle plastic pollution one recycled container at a time. Between 2020 and 2021 Zero saved over 370,000 pieces of single-use plastic from going to landfill. Furthermore, linking into the couple’s travels in South America, they have donated profits to the education of vulnerable children in Colombia. If planning to visit this cutting edge shop, some recommended favourites are the apricots, pasta and vegan chocolate.

MAKER MART

It’s impossible for small businesses to rent anywhere on the high street so Maker Mart provides a cheaper alternative, 18 The Exonian 2023

situated in the fashionable cobbled scene of Gandy Street.

Independent artists from across the South West can sell their products by commission in one outlet, allowing them to reach a wider audience and really engage with the community in person. Whether you buy earrings, ceramics or hand-made baby clothes, you are contributing to hard-working and eco-conscious local artists, helping to boost the local economy and the arts scene. You can find them at 11a Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS.

HUTCH

Hutch Houseplants is a local independent business which, from just walking in, makes its sustainability evident. The owners of the shop, the married Rob and Frankie Vincent, were incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and we were grateful for Rob’s time answering our questions.

“So we started back in 2017 as a little pop-up shop in Paris Street. It was my wife’s idea and I knew nothing about plants at all when we started.” He moved on to talk about the gamble

they made to dive into an unknown area of the market: “We quit our jobs and moved back down here close to family. We were going to open a pub or bar and that fell through, but its kinda grown from that point”. Rob went on to tell us how much lockdown affected him and his wife Frankie’s business: “We’ve been really lucky that house plants became more and more popular… We got busier and busier which is fantastic, so we are just sort of riding the wave.”

When asked about the sustainability of their business, Rob told us about how they source their plants. They do this by importing them from the Netherlands, with the carbon cost from the importation balanced out by donating to ecocharities. Another issue raised was the peat in the soil - while peat can be beneficial to plants, it usually comes from delicate ecosystems and emits large quantities of greenhouse gases when decaying. Rob and Frankie address this issue by using coconut husks and pith (a renewable substance which comes from citrus fruits).

Another issue we wanted to address was how Hutch sourced their pots. We were told that their hand woven baskets are made of recycled plastic and made by charitable Asian organisations who primarily support Chinese and Indian people who have lost their jobs, giving them a source of income. Their terracotta pots certainly stand the test of time, with their average lifespan being decades long: clearly, going eco-friendly does not mean sacrificing on quality.

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VO I C ES QVASIMODO

Stress at Ex: How to Look After Yourself Exeter School prides itself on its pretty extensive range of extracurricular activities for pupils to get stuck into…

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owever, with this many pupils can become overwhelmed and feel bogged down by the pressure of everyday activities. From music to sport, electronics to creative writing there is something for everyone to get involved in. Being at a school which strives to deliver a well-rounded education to the highest degree means that individuals might feel stressed at times. The average pupil takes part in 3 extra-curricular activities per week, however, this number is higher for some pupils, which can increase the pressure of day-to-day life.

Many pupils also attend out of school

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by FELICIT Y

clubs such as high level sport and music.

On top of this, workload and extracurricular activities can mean many pupils feeling extremely busy. However, it’s not all doom and gloom! There are ways to help combat this…

– Understand the importance of staying on top of school work when it is set, so that when you get a chance to relax there aren’t any looming deadlines.

– Ensure you are sleeping, drinking and eating enough – this can be a major contributor to how stress is dealt with.

– Managing to get out of the house for some fresh air and exercise can greatly improve the emotional well-being of an individual.

– Pastoral members of staff also work with pupils to look at their weekly timetable and activities, to help pupils feel more in control, and to judge whether a pupil should take on less if necessary.

The big takeaway from this is that you are not alone, and it is okay to feel stressed at times – it can be a sign that you are making progress by putting yourself out of your comfort zone, which is actually a good thing!

Also, your own family and friends and members of staff will always be there to support you.

VOIC ES

The Importance of Drama I don't want realism. I want magic! – Tennessee Williams

by EVIE

I

would argue that drama is one of the most crucial subjects to have studied at some point in your life, whether that be by choice, further up in your school career, or requirement, lower down at key stage three. Not only is it exciting and nerve-wracking in the very best ways, it also gives you a vast number of transferable skills that you can take with you, wherever you go.

Studying drama can be the ultimate confidence builder, and it certainly encourages you to step outside your comfort zone in more ways than one.

In my personal experience, I have found that taking drama for GCSE and A Level (while ignoring daft comments referring to it as an ‘easy’ subject!) have

been the most beneficial choices I could have made, albeit, a great challenge.

It has consistently encouraged me to push the boat out and go outside of my comfort zone, often leaving me in situations that I would not have found myself in before! I have learnt essaywriting skills that I have been able to make use of across my other subjects – not to mention my university application - and, as a result of the number of important deadlines across each course, taking the subject has improved my time management and my ability to work under pressure. I have found it to be a perfect balance of fun and hard work - but it is certainly not the ‘easier’ option.

However, even beyond all of the above - to me, the drama department is like a home away from home, and it is somewhere I can be unapologetically myself. I would encourage everyone to get involved with it during your time at school in one way or another, whether that be on the stage, or behind the scenes: every single role is as important as the others, you are constantly learning new techniques and methods, discovering new experiences and, most importantly, having a lot of fun.

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VOIC ES

School Snippets Continuing what we started last year - for better or worse - we asked our pupil body for their thoughts on the pressing matters of modern day society.

Editor’s note: All responses have been kept anonymous for good reason.

by FELICIT Y

If you had a time machine, where would you go?

“Go back to the past, to April 1976, to invest all my money into Apple” “My 11th Birthday to see what happened to my Hogwarts letter” “Caveman times” “The Sengoku period” “To the future to see what cures there are for diseases and bring them back to the present. And also high tech things.

(Because those are helpful and fun.)”

“Back to the 2003, so I could watch England win the Rugby World Cup”

What’s your signature dish?

“Salmon tartare with caviar” “Flamed grilled medium rare steak with chips and chicken gravy” “Haggis” “Cheese and bacon burger with a caesar salad” What do you find the scariest?

“Fire” “Snakes” “Snapping tendons” “Nothing, I’m immortal” “Butterflies”

What was the last nice thing you did for someone else?

“I made my dad breakfast” “Bought someone a coffee” “I smiled at someone” “I was born, my presence fills the world with joy and happiness. Therefore just existing for me is kindness” “I took their plate away’ “I gave my sister the bigger pizza slice” “I said that someone’s hair looks nice” “I helped someone with their homework and gave them some of my food at lunch because they didn’t have enough”

School Community – The Freddie Porter Goff Award

by MR SEATON- BURN

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ntroduced this year and awarded at Speech Day to Sidney Gentle for outstanding character, the beautiful metal sculpture of the owl in the image is the Freddie Porter Goff Award, designed by Mike Thompson. Freddie was a pupil in the Upper Fifth,

22 The Exonian 2023

known for his incredible thoughtfulness, generosity, and kindness, who sadly died in 2022. The design consists of various items that have been repurposed for the trophy, all of which are symbolic of Freddie’s interests, including a cross made from Freddie’s

carpentry set square that represents his unwavering Christian faith. Freddie trusted in Jesus Christ as his saviour and this influenced the way he lived his life. We hope that the award acts as a powerful symbol of a truly fantastic young man.

VOIC ES

The Rise of AI: Risk and Reward What does the future look like for schools, now the explosion of artificial intelligence is upon us?

by PTOLEMY

ILYAST

S

ir Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist in the 1860s, best known for establishing the Nobel Prize in chemistry; he also invented dynamite, a more controlled way to harness the explosive power of nitroglycerin. Nobel went on to exploit dynamite and its explosive properties to create weapons of war, canons, rockets and built the foundations towards the modern killing machines we have today and became rich in the process. The man behind nitroglycerin is a little more unknown. Ascanio Sobrero had invented the compound 3 years before, and was strongly opposed to using nitroglycerin as a weapon. However, Nobel saw the monetary potential of a way of controlling nitroglycerin. Nobel believed that it would be incredibly useful in other areas, like mining and for controlled detonations. However, he soon turned to using dynamite for more violent means, helping with work designing the torpedo.

The use of AI is also incredibly similar to the situation with dynamite.

AI by itself is relatively unproblematic.

In a situation where the consequences of the use of artificial intelligence is completely isolated, it can’t do too much harm. Going onto OpenArt and typing in “funny gorilla juggling bananas” doesn’t harm anyone. It is more the potential AI has when it comes to the influence on different media industries – they could pose an existential threat to jobs around the world.

I wholeheartedly believe that embracing technology is the way forward. With lots of new developments in technology such as AI it has a huge impact on all subjects and not often for the worse. Subjects such as computer science can have a massive boost from something like AI in ways such as asking an AI for ideas to code. It can help with creative subjects to give ideas,

“ I wholeheartedly believe that embracing technology is the way forward. With lots of new developments in technology such as AI it has a huge impact on all subjects and not often for the worse.” or facts, or quotes – and not just to “cheat”. Pupils using iPads and laptops can have pointless, frustrating research time cut in half. People will just need to learn how to use the new, exciting

technology more effectively and adapt to the new world. All subjects can benefit from having a device as simple as being able to have spell checker or being able to go back and edit or as having a subject such as art that can fully be done on an iPad. Not only this but a large majority of jobs have some sort of technology usage everyday: if pupils are able to learn how to use technology to its full extent from a very young age it can only help them later on in life. It can be something to embrace, not fear.

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REGUL ARS

Charity Overview 2022-23

Our charitable work is something that we take very seriously here at Exeter School, and it has been yet another busy year of fundraisers. We have attempted to collate some of the highlights here!

by MR SEATON- BURN

Ukraine Christmas appeal

Odd socks day

HIGHLIGHTS:

to families in need, in light of the continued Russian military invasion.

Our school community responded in some style!

Led by Connnie, twelve brave Third Form to Middle Fifth pupils took part in an overnight swim to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. They ended up raising an incredible £1,586 for the cause! Swimmers: Hanna, Gracie, Seb, Connie, Lewis, Will, Will, Emma, Milo, Olly, Seth, Omar.

Food collections for alumni Maia Thomas’ charity ‘Feed Our Community’ and a toothbrush collection for Joy of Learning, a charity in Uganda, have both been extremely successful.

We were delighted to welcome Becky Fry from The Amber Foundation, which is one of our two junior school charities for this year, who came in to talk to our pupils about the crucial work they do in supporting homeless and unemployed adults around Devon.

Stella

Stella in Form One raised £13.20 for Guide Dogs for the Blind charity, one of our school’s chosen charities, by creating and selling a beautiful range of oil pastel artwork to neighbours. Amazing effort, Stella! Crossing House welcomed OE Robert Mycock to present a cheque for nearly £1,700 to Refugee Support Devon. This outstanding amount was

raised by pupils who were sponsored for a personal 14km challenge, where they ran, swam, cycled and rowed the distance from Africa to Europe at its narrowest point – a perilous journey made by many refugees every week.

At Christmas, we asked pupils to donate gifts and certain necessities to be transported to Ukraine and distributed

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Non-school uniform days, as ever, have been crucial in raising funds for both junior and senior school charities, including Children in Need, Dream-aWay and the Alzheimer’s Society.

CHARITY TOTAL: £12,348!

Uganda 2022

Acorn – Warm Spaces Initiative

by ROSIE

Acorn is a charity focused on supporting the local elderly community.

On 10 August, my sister, mum and I set off on a two week trip to Uganda.

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nitially, we visited Wakisa Ministries which is a pregnancy crisis centre for pregnant teenage girls. Often when family members become aware the girl is pregnant she is excluded from her community and this is when Wakisa comes in. Wakisa provides the girls with a place to stay, food, counselling, training in vocational skills, medical care and bible teachings. The girls can stay on site until their babies are three months old. During their time at Wakisa social workers aim to connect with their families in order to be able to send the girls back home with their babies. We stayed at Wakisa Ministries for two days. During our time there my mum gave a talk at the morning devotion, we taught the girls to make friendship bracelets, played netball and taught the girls Uno. We volunteered at Sanyu Babies Home in Kampala.

It’s a home for abandoned babies, and currently they have 42 children ranging in age from 5 months to 5 years. They provide a safe place for the children to learn and flourish while social workers try to find and connect with their families. The end goal is that a child is reunited with their family. However, this is not always possible so some children go into foster care or move on to another home. On a weekday the children have class in the mornings and play in the afternoons. Also, they go on trips such as: swimming, the zoo, going on a train and seeing an aeroplane exhibition.

Joy of Learning is a charity connected to Sanyu. Their aim is to get children ‘from Sanyu to School.’ Where needed, extra support is provided to families in the form of food packages, basic clothing and living items to help the child fully engage with school and progress well. Where it’s appropriate caregivers are offered business training, financial advice and mentoring in the hope that one day their families can be selfsufficient and support their child’s education themselves.

by MILLIE

F

ounded in 1989, its name signifies strength, using the symbolism of acorns growing into oak trees. In fact, an oak tree was planted with the foundation of the charity, and is still growing strong today!

Acorn supports the elderly through supermarket trips, prescription delivery, medical appointments, Acorn Tuesday coffee mornings, Cheriton Bishop Lunch Club, Memory Lane Cafe, Tuesday Lunch Club, Old Farmers’ Club and a new initiative, ‘Warm Spaces’ at Exeter School.

These services support Acorn’s 150 clients, who often live in isolated areas or struggle with access, to be included in a sense of community and comfort.

Yet Acorn not only supports vulnerable members of society but also creates a voice for them, something for often lonely people to talk about through their outings.

Exeter School, through association with bursar Miles MacEacharn and Old Exonian parent Joanna Clunie and the chaplain, have created a new event for the Acorn clients. ‘Warm Spaces’ means hot drinks, cakes, and entertainment on Friday afternoons throughout the winter months. Warm Spaces is providing an event to look forward to, when there are few other activities to do through the cold period.

It is also a chance for the Exeter School community to learn from the Acorn clients by listening to their stories and fascinating experiences, and hopefully give something back through performances, conversation and support.

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T H E A RT S

All artwork by Louise, Upper Sixth

Artist of the Moment The art department regularly recognises the achievements of pupils in the Third Form through to the Upper Sixth through the award of the title, ‘Artist of the Moment’. All pieces cover a wide range of techniques, including drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, installation and mixed media. All of the pieces express their individual and creative ideas and skills, and we thought these ones deserved publishing too!

by MILLY

26 The Exonian 2023

Milly, Lower Sixth

Izzy, Lower Fifth

Phoebe, Lower Fifth

Faye, Upper Sixth

Tilly, Fourth Form The Exonian 2023 27

T H E A RT S

Kit, Upper Sixth

Theo, Upper Sixth

Isabelle, Upper Sixth

Art Week

In Exeter city centre, four art pupils installed 85 pieces of A3 artwork with the help of Stuart Crewes (director) as part of Art Week. The pieces were created by the Lower Fifth and Young Artists Collective after photographing Brutalist architecture around Exeter and editing them with different shapes and angles inspired by London-based graphic designer, Peter Chadwick.

by ARIS

28 The Exonian 2023

Alice, Lower Sixth

Lower Sixth Exhibition Inspired by the project theme “Structures”, the Lower Sixth art and design pupils developed their own individual pieces ranging from video projection and music composition to sculptures and paintings.

by MILLY

F

rom the beginning of the year up until the show on 9 February pupils worked hard experimenting with different techniques and mediums. They spent the evening of the show explaining their pieces, and the confidence and passion behind their work to the viewers.

YAC (Youth Artists Collective) and Lower Fifth pupils, Eva, Lali, Euan and Rosa The Exonian 2023 29

T H E A RT S

Junior School Art: A Kaleidoscope of Creativity Throughout the year, the junior school has thrived with creativity. From colourful ice cream cones to intricate clay gargoyles, our young artists have explored various mediums.

by MRS HANDLEY

Upper Two artists

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aking inspiration from local artist Steve McCracken, the pupils crafted a vibrant flock of birds, showcasing painting skills during STEAM days.

Lower Two pupils have impressed us with their remarkable skills in watercolour, creating stunning peacock pictures and mountain landscapes.

Meanwhile, Form One pupils embarked on a journey with Zeraffa Giraffa, creating captivating cityscapes through printing techniques. The art clubs have been a source of joy and have produced an impressive breadth of work, including weird and wonderful oversize creatures.

Upper Two artwork 30 The Exonian 2023

A RT

Amelie, Fourth Form

Upper One artwork

Form One artwork

Lower Two art club

George, Lower Two

Lower Two artwork The Exonian 2023 31

T H E A RT S

Suhana

Stella

Ali

Sophia Marietta

Bookface!

Enjoying stories, not screen time.

by MRS HARDY

T

he New School, junior school and senior school joined together in honour of World Book Day through our very popular BookFace competition 2023. We would not normally encourage you to judge a book by its cover but in this case we were emboldened: the aim of the game was to align covers to match the view in front of the camera; the entries were very creative and so much fun. Entries from all three schools were shared on social 32 The Exonian 2023

media thus illustrating our combined love of reading and promoting the world of children and young people’s literature.

The competition was made all the more fun by the joining together of pupils aged from 3 years old right up to our 18 year olds, and we even had an array of staff entries. Mr Ayling, Mrs Hardy, Mrs Van and Miss Rose were given the tough task of judging the many fabulous entries and as you can see they had many brilliant ‘bookfaces’ to choose from!

E N G L I S H & T H E L I B R A RY

Book quiz: which member of staff reads these?

To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

I read it when I was 13; it opened my eyes to racial inequality and helped my ability to empathise with different people/perspectives.

Humankind

by Rutger Bregman

This book will open your eyes and convince you that the world is a better place than you think, certainly a better place than that described in the media and a place full of human beings whose overwhelming instinct and behaviour is to be kind to each other. It will both cheer you up and inspire you to put an arm around your fellow humans.

A Man Called Ove

by Fredrik Backman

An eye opener to how something so heartbreakingly sad can be simultaneously laugh out loud funny.

Backman has an incredible knack of finding beauty and value in the everyday and the mundane, and the result is a book that had me in bits but still buying it for others on a number of occasions.

Get Reading!

Throughout the year, the wonderful library department has been busy spreading the word about the joy to be found from settling down with a good book, with exciting competitions, author visits and literary challenges all helping spark a love of literature across the year groups.

by ISABELLE

Highlights from our Get Reading weeks: – Fascinating etymology days – Get caught reading challenge!

– Charity book sales – Origami competitions – Reading passport initiative The ‘story in a day’ initiative was another big hit, with our younger year groups starting each lesson (on specific days only!) with a short extract from a text, whilst the ‘Pet Selfie’ competition combined furry friends with fantastic photos – what is there not to love?

Pet Selfie results OVERALL WINNER: Mollie

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

by Jean-Dominique Bauby

A book that opened my eyes and written literally by the opening and closing of the author’s. These memoirs are incredibly humbling and inspiring in equal measure.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Owen

Fahrenheit 451

by Ray Bradbury

I read this in my early teens and it was the first book that challenged me to think about society in ways I hadn’t before. Whenever I re-read it, I’m always amazed at how it still poses tough questions about the modern world.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bella

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mrs Cartwright

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Answers: To Kill a Mockingbird - Mrs Ridler-Murray. Humankind – Mr Hughes.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly ­– Mrs Metcalf. A Man Called Ove – Mr Seaton-Burn. Fahrenheit 451 – Mr Harknett

DRAMA

Feed me, Seymour!

This year our senior dramatists, technicians and musicians took on the considerable challenge of a man-eating plant.

F

by EVIE

ollowing the story of Seymour (Alex Bartle, Harvey Dawe), a geeky boy working in a flower shop, and his love of all things plants (and his ditsy coworker, Audrey (Evie, Rhianna, Faye), dramatists of the Upper Fifth, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth immersed the audience in the fun-filled musical, Little Shop of Horrors.

Accompanied by a mix of old Exonians and professional musicians in the pit, not to mention the terrifyingly large and mobile - set design, and the exceptional diligence of the technical team (mostly consisting of pupils), it really was some undertaking.

The audience watched the love story of Seymour and Audrey bloom and blossom as they experience a thorny

34 The Exonian 2023

situation, involving Audrey’s demon dentist boyfriend, Orin (Matthew, Will). During a total eclipse, Seymour discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II, who feeds only on human flesh and blood. The plant attracts a huge amount of business and excitement to the previously struggling shop and, without giving too much away, he must find a way to satisfy the bloodlust of the ever-growing Audrey II. The cast performed each night to the absolute best of their ability. It was an extremely memorable experience, and everyone had the time of their lives in the process - with the possible exception of Mr Brough! It’s definitely a production that will not go forgotten.

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DRAMA

Masque Of The Red Death ‘I was never really insane except upon occasions when my heart was touched’ – Edgar Allan Poe

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by RHIANNA

his year, Middle Fifth put on an extraordinary production of Masque of the Red Death, adapted by our very own Mr Harknett. The combination of brilliant acting and teaching resulted in a captivating performance, leaving the audience in awe. Mr Harknett tells us that, in adapting Edgar Allan Poe, he wanted to make sure that as much of his language was as preserved as possible. Using inspiration from the film Eyes Wide Shut, the play incorporates similar ideas by changing the original narration of the play through stories and poems into rituals, in which the characters present to prove themselves to Prince Prospero (later changed to ‘The Master’).

The action begins with the Reverend (Benjy) reciting the poem The Raven as a ‘bargain’ to gain admittance to the castle.

Inside, he is welcomed by the Master of Ceremonies (Benji) and finds himself among the elite, who dine, chat and drink, and is disgusted by how they can act so disinterestedly towards the plague outside the castle. Nevertheless, he enters and joins in the ritual of depositing a token given to him by The Master. As the doors are welded shut, he encounters Graham 36 The Exonian 2023

(Emma), a merchant woman who seems to take a peculiar interest in him, Sauvé (Hattie), a pompous academic with a sadistic side, and Lowell (Rose), a troubled young man. As the play continues, more of The Assembly share their stories as the Reverend becomes more and more suspicious of The Master.

We don’t want to give away too much, but it is safe to say that the bloody ending left the audience gripped.

When we caught up with him, Mr Harknett explained that the best thing about working on the Middle Fifth play is always the opportunity to work with enthusiastic and talented young people. The cast brought a lot of energy to rehearsals and formed a wonderful, supportive community. He was proud of the risk taken in staging the play with the audience on both sides of the stage, and wanted them to feel as though they were all a part of the assembly. Judging by quite how many audience members commented on how exciting it was to see such a unique staging in a school show, clearly the production will go down as an enormous success.

DRAMA

Beauty and the Beast ‘She warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within.’ – Belle

by EVIE

A

udiences were wowed by this year’s spectacular lower school production of Beauty and the Beast.

Featuring over 80 pupils, with two separate casts for the two performances, the show was a feat of planning, practice and performance all overseen by our fantastic head of drama, Mr Brough. The fearsome Beast puppet was built by our talented maintenance team, and will live long in the memory!

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DRAMA

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ‘And so for a time it looked as if all the adventures were coming to an end; but that was not to be.’ – C.S. Lewis

by MR SEATON- BURN

J

unior school pupils in Upper Two performed amazingly with a stunning production of C.S. Lewis' masterpiece.

With a mixed cast spanning six performances, it was a busy week for our budding actors and actresses, not to mention Ms Cox, who masterminded the whole event!

The costumes, make-up and lighting all contributed to a show of considerable scope and left audiences delighted by the confident, convincing and emotional performances of the cast, with the much-loved tale certainly being done justice by the talented cast. Enormous congratulations must go to Ms Cox for her diligence and care, a hallmark of her productions, and we can’t wait to see our budding thespians’ dramatic careers continue in the coming years!

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MUSIC

Entrusted with the Cathedral Once More!

In December we held our last ever concert in aid of the National Trust in the stunning venue of Exeter Cathedral.

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by FELICIT Y

he concert opened with Xander in Lower Fifth singing the opening verse of Once In Royal David’s City, before swelling with the second verse sung by the chamber choir, and culminating with the audience, around 400 strong, joining together to sing the rest.

It was a truly spectacular night with performances from Belles Canto, vocal ensemble, chamber choir, senior brass, middle school choir, chamber orchestra, boys’ barbershop and the newly established concert band.

A highlight was the congregational hymns where the audience of 400 joined with the 150 performers to sing some classic Christmas hits, beautifully accompanied by the symphony orchestra and the supremely talented Mr Daldorph on the organ. The service was also interspersed by readings 40 The Exonian 2023

from Reverend Nightingale, Mrs Guthrie and pupils Munashe (Upper Sixth) and Joseph(Third Form): a wonderful chance to listen and reflect.

Other particular highlights of the night included senior brass’ performance of Il Est Né, le Divin Enfant and Les Bèsties de Naixement, and also vocal enemble’s performance of What a Wonderful World with a trumpet solo from Imogen, followed by chamber choir singing Gorecki’s Totus Tuus: truly atmospheric and magical.

The concert closed with the final congregational hymn of Hark the Herald. With impressive descants and orchestral antiphony the concert finished on a high, proving a great start to our succession of Christmas concerts of 2022.

Felix, Upper Fifth, Oscar, Lower Sixth and Will, Upper Sixth

Serena, Lower Sixth

Choral Society

Senior Brass The Exonian 2023 41

MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

Choral Society concert

Scaling the Heights Enjoy our ‘greatest hits’ compilation of the 2022-2023 year.

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ith around 500 music lessons happening each week at Exeter School, it should come as no surprise that musical performances and concerts happen most weeks during the school term.

Our informal concert series features each family of instruments and enables pupils from Form One to Upper Sixth to play in front of their family and friends, and for many will be their first opportunity to perform on stage. The relaxed and encouraging atmosphere, 42 The Exonian 2023

by MRS DALDORPH

and opportunity to hear older, more experienced pupils, makes these concerts both accessible and inspiring.

Chamber concerts also appear throughout the year, in the school chapel in November, and this year, in churches in Sidbury and Crediton.

These provide the ideal opportunity for our smaller ensembles to perform, such as senior brass, barbershop and flute ensemble, along with soloists preparing for GCSE or A Level performance exams.

It is our really large-scale concerts,

sometimes involving more than 150 pupils, that are often the events that former pupils remember most fondly from their time at Exeter School. The National Trust concert at Christmas time and the spring choral society performance, both in the Cathedral, are real highlights for the whole school community, whilst the jazz concert at the end of the summer term transforms the assembly hall into Exeter’s coolest night-spot and is always a memorable night.

MUSIC

Tobias, Middle Fifth

Eugene, Upper Sixth

Jazz Band

Dominic and Felicity, Lower Sixth

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JUNIOR SCHOOL MUSIC

Hitting the Right Notes!

The junior school has been awash with musical talent this year, and this has been showcased in a number of wonderful concerts and musical events.

by MRS DALDORPH

forming an orchestra and singing together. They also presented some of their own compositions and were joined by the junior orchestra and an exciting finale by the drumming troupe.

Also in the summer term the Form One pupils all presented a concert to celebrate the end of the second year of ESSIS, our Exeter School string instrument scheme. Under this scheme, every pupil in Form One has received a weekly paired lesson on either violin or cello, as well as a class ‘orchestra’ lesson in which all the pupils play together.

Pupils have also been able to take home a violin or cello to practise during the week. The success of the scheme was evident in the lovely performances given by the whole year group and by smaller groups and soloists.

LA NATIVITÉ

Both Form One classes combined their French, musical and dramatic skills to perform La Nativité in the chapel in performances at the beginning of December. Under the direction of Mrs Guthrie, the Christmas Story was told to assembled parents and younger siblings, with all lines delivered in French.

ENGLISH TOURING OPERA Cornell and Harry, Form One

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he Christmas carol service in December was a joyous occasion in which every pupil sang a variety of festive songs with their year group and with the whole school. The junior orchestra also delighted the audience with Minuet in G (Bach) and Jingle Bells.

The spring term highlight was the ever popular spring concert. This is the biggest musical event of the year and the concert title was The Rhythm of Life! The first half included fantastic performances from extra-curricular groups: the junior singers, Sizzling Strings, junior orchestra, junior choir 44 The Exonian 2023

and guitar ensemble. The second half then consisted of whole school performances of songs notable for their rhythm and energy. These included some jazzy favourites such as That Dixieland Sound and Chattanooga Choo-choo, the lively Last Minute Calypso and, as the finale, The Rhythm of Life.

The junior school pupils all performed superbly and amazed the audience with their confident word memory, their beautiful singing and their fabulous movements!

In the summer term an afternoon concert, the ‘junior music celebration’ featured the whole of Upper One

The music department once again hosted performances from the English Touring Opera (ETO) on Thursday 25 May. It has become an annual tradition for the company to perform an hourlong production in front of both our own junior school pupils and pupils from other local primary schools. This year, ETO squeezed in 3 separate performances of The Wish Gatherer, written by Old Exonian Noah Mosley, with a combined audience of just under 600 children enjoying the music and story centred around Lola, a young girl grappling with the effects on her world after COVID, her parents’ recent divorce and the climate crisis.

Exeter School String Instrument Scheme, Form One

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B E YO N D T H E C L A S S R O O M

Planet Protectors Turn Green Fingered Our planet protectors have had another busy year saving the planet!

by MS BARNES

O

ne of our seven school planet protector pledges is to try to plant bee and pollinator friendly flowers and plants in our gardens and at school. We were super excited to be part of our very first junior school garden in the paddock, with the amazing planters and guidance from Simon Lee our head gardener and his amazing team, Will and Tom. From January to July, we have watched in wonder how our seeds, which we planted and placed in the cosy polytunnel by the pavilion, have grown into strong, healthy vegetables and flowers in our paddock. Being able to pick and taste our produce has been a real highlight. Henry from Upper One said, ‘I enjoyed pulling up carrots and eating them!’

Marietta from Upper One said ‘I enjoyed making bug hotels in the paddock, with my friends. In early spring we planted some fruit and vegetable seeds, and they are now growing very well’.

Our fantastic Mr Lee, said ‘It has been a fantastic first year in the junior school vegetable garden and we have managed to squeeze a lot in to a relatively small space with twenty different types of vegetable to be exact, with the children growing everything from seed.

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It has been as wonderful to hear about what many of them grow at home as it has been to see them get stuck into planting, sowing, building and picking at the vegetable garden here.

It has not just been all about plants, either. They built some great bug hotels earlier in the year (multi-storey ones in some cases) to encourage beneficial insects, and in one particular session, formed their own ‘worm petting zoo’. They have investigated the aphids on our broad beans and even noticed the ants farming them.

We recently had some small harvests when we began thinning the rows of carrots and beetroot. It was wonderful to see their hard work paying off.

My particular highlight so far has been introducing them to the sweetness of fresh picked peas, eaten straight from the plant, and I am confident that we have converted more than one pea hater already.

From all the way back in January, sowing the onion seed in our new polytunnel, right up to the recent (and very popular) baby carrot and beetroot harvest, the children have been so enthusiastic throughout. They have lots still to look forward to this year as well, including harvests of potatoes, beans,

Exeter Junior School Planet Protector Pledges We will turn lights off when we leave the room and unplug devices when they are not needed so that we can save electricity We will try to buy locally produced goods to reduce air miles, buy in-season food and buy British We will try to conserve our natural resources by turning taps off whilst brushing our teeth and using less paper (using both sides, reusing scrap, not leaving blank pages, and using the computer more for homework) We will try to limit our use of plastic, e.g., taking a bag to the shops, using paper or metal straws, using glass bottles to refill with milk instead of single-use plastic We will try to plant bee/pollinator friendly flowers and plants in our gardens and at school We will always put our rubbish in the bin and recycle wherever possible We will try to cycle or walk instead of using the car

sweetcorn, and cucumbers.

Our planet protectors take their role very seriously and their mission does not stop at school. They pick up litter on family walks, dream up fantastic bug hotels which we have then created in the paddock and share news of great events going on in their own gardens at home. Leonie from Upper One has witnessed that ‘the more you plant, the more you grow.’

Toby from Form One said ‘I have really enjoyed growing vegetables and I think we should encourage people to grow their own – it’s fun, delicious and good for the environment.’

Toby also really enjoys cycling to school whenever possible.

That’s another one of our seven pledges ticked, Toby. Fantastic effort.

Thank you to all our Planet Protectors for inspiring us to be the positive change at Exeter Junior School in looking after our beautiful planet both now and for our future.

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B E YO N D T H E C L A S S R O O M : C L A S S I C S

Hieroglyphics: Deciphering the Past The ancient Egyptians are well known for a number of things: the Pyramids of Giza, Cleopatra’s leadership and, of course, the hieroglyphics.

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by AMELIE

ntil the early 1800s, hieroglyphics had not been translated and historians believed them to be just pictures with symbolic meaning, however we had little idea what they represented. William John Banks perhaps voiced the sentiment of the time best when, in 1815, he stated: “(Hieroglyphs) appear to relate to their ridiculous rights and ceremonies: I see nothing that looks like history.” Of course, this didn’t stop him taking the 30ft Philae obelisk for his garden.

This all changed in the 1820s when Jean François Champollion, a child prodigy, suggested that the hieroglyphs could have sounds attached to each symbol and theorised a potential hieroglyph for the name Cleopatra. In 1822, he compared his idea for Cleopatra to different hieroglyphs on the philae obelisk, and found a perfect match. Using the symbols he had found, Champollion then decided the name of King Ptolemy, giving him even more characters to work with. From there on, our understanding of hieroglyphics and the ancient Egyptian world exploded as we were able to translate more and more of their writing.

The way that hieroglyphs are made up is also fascinating.

There are three main types of symbols: phonemes, which represent a sound within the written language; logographs, which reflect whole words and determinatives at the end of a phrase they often don’t have a sound. Their purpose is to narrow down the meaning of the written word. Here is the word for cat:

48 The Exonian 2023

As you can see, the first three symbols make up the sound of the word (m-ee-oo), and the final symbol is the determinative, a cat.

As a result of Champollion’s work we have been able to create an alphabet similar to ours. Of course, it can’t be perfect, as the language evolved massively over the 4500 years of use, and the ancient Egyptians had over 700 hieroglyphs!

Using the table below, can you translate this message?

B E YO N D T H E C L A S S R O O M : E L E C T R O N I C S A N D P O E T RY

Embracing the Power of Spoken Word Poetry. Such a short word yet still three syllables: interesting how words can look one way and sound another.

CanSat: A Satellite in a Can I But can a ‘CanSat’ truly be a satellite sat in a can?

C

by OLIVER

anSat is a simulation of a real satellite in the shape and volume of a soft drink can (350ml). The challenge posed for sixth form pupils has been to make and fit into the container lots of subsystems that are found in satellites, such as: a power source, sensors, a communication system and a parachute system to achieve a safe landing. If groups get to the European CanSat competition final the CanSats will be launched to an altitude of up to 1km.

We had two teams, Need for Seed and SpinSat. Both teams had completely different designs and different objectives that they wanted to record, although both planned on recording the air pressure and air temperature over a range of altitudes.

For SpinSat’s project, they planned to use a BMPx80 (a sensor which measures atmospheric pressure) which will be connected to a raspberry pi (a very small computer) which will then output data collected to a radio transmitter. Their secondary mission is to spin the CanSat and measure the rotation by using a gyroscope (gyro) and use a wide angle lens to record footage. They will measure the acceleration in an z-axis of their CanSat and use another gyro and compare this data. Their camera will also need a way to store the footage; they can do this by either having a storage drive onboard or using a high frequency transmitter.

Need for Seed’s secondary mission is to test the potential for life to grow in different environments. This will be done by landing their CanSat and dispersing seeds. They will then be monitored for several months by sending data back to their computer. If germination occurs, they can easily say that that environment is suitable for supporting life.

Editor’s note: Sadly, due to unforeseen external circumstances, neither team was able to ultimately launch their satellites. This minor setback did not prevent our teams from continuing their work on the satellites though, and they were able to finish them fully.

by JASMINE

believe the beauty of poetry is that it’s not only a painting of vivid pictures on a page but a performance that can be controlled and leave people in awe. Discovering my passion for poetry encapsulated the same excitement as reading except I could write the words and I was the one who controlled them.

Inspired by a former Exonian, Nathan, whose poetry nights last year were the first place I was compelled to perform my words, I felt the desire to co-organise evenings with my fellow poetry lover, Rhianna. Brought together through our love of prose, poetry and verse, we wanted to continue giving people a chance to perform. Together, we hoped to keep the flag flying for the profound significance of spoken word and music, inspiring others to find their voice and embrace self-expression.

Through spoken and written word, we can tackle the idea of identity, each poem can be a catalyst for meaningful discussions and ignite the flames of change. We want open mic nights to become a melting pot of creativity, welcoming musicians, comedians, and storytellers. Art can take countless forms, each worthy of celebration. In a digital world, open mic nights bring us back to the simplicity and intimacy of face-to-face interactions, emphasising the value of being present and actively listening.

A huge part of these nights is to inspire others to write, create and perform; to step up to the microphone and nurture self-expression to liberate our ever-developing thoughts and feelings. I want to break the stigma around the boring idea of “listing lines” and help people discover the empowerment of spoken word.

We want to continue celebrating the beauty of words and help everyone start their journey where every voice finds its place. Join us at our next event and lift the words from the page. It is your turn.

The Exonian 2023 49

B E YO N D T H E C L A S S R O O M : G E R M A N E X C H A N G E

Comparing Cultures The German exchange was more popular than ever this year, although hopefully our pupils took more away from it than just a love of sausage-based snacks.

by CHARLIE

Mittwoch: Am Mittwoch bin ich nach Deutschland geflogen. Am Abend habe ich mit meiner Austauschfamilie Kartoffelsalat gegessen.

Dann habe ich geschlafen, weil ich sehr müde war.

Donnerstag: Am Donnerstag musste ich um Viertel nach sechs aufstehen.

Ich habe gefrühstückt, und um sieben Uhr bin ich zur Schule gegangen. Ich hatte Physik, und es war interessant, aber ich habe wenig verstanden! Dann bin ich mit meinen Freunden zur Stadtmitte gegangen. Es war sehr schön und interessant.

Am Abend habe ich Currywurst gegessen. Es hat mir sehr gut geschmeckt.

Freitag: Am Freitag sind wir zum Grenzlandmuseum gegangen. Es war interessant, und ich habe viel gelernt. Später sind wir zur Stadtmitte gegangen. Wir haben bei McDonalds gegessen.

Am Abend habe ich Spaghetti Bolognese gegessen.

Samstag: Am Samstag bin ich in den Harz gefahren. Es hat viel Spaß gemacht und war sehr schön. Am Abend bin ich in ein Restaurant gegangen. Ich habe Schnitzel gegessen, und es war sehr lecker.

Sonntag: Am Sonntag bin ich zur Autostadt in Wolfsburg gegangen.

Es hat viel Spaß gemacht und die Geschichte war sehr interessant. Am Abend haben wir Bratwurst gegessen.

Montag: Am Montag sind wir zu einem Salzmuseum gegangen. Es war sehr gut, aber ich konnte die Führungsleiterin nicht so gut 50 The Exonian 2023

“I found the German exchange very exciting and interesting. My German partner, Niklas, took me to many places in the country including Berlin! The trip helped me to understand both the language and the culture of Germany and greatly aided my confidence in speaking.”

– Benji verstehen. Später sind wir in die Innenstadt von Göttingen gegangen, und es war eine sehr schöne Stadt. Ich habe Goulasch gegessen.

Dienstag: Dienstag war unser letzter Tag. Wir waren in der Schule, und

B E YO N D T H E C L A S S R O O M

“It was an eye opening experience spending time in Germany, a country I had never been to before.

My hosts were wonderful and I will remember the friends I made and the moments I experienced for a long time.”

– Maria dann sind wir zur Stadtmitte gegangen. Unsere Lehrer haben Eis für uns gekauft. Ich habe Pizza gegessen.

Mittwoch: Wir sind nach England geflogen. Es war ein toller Austausch!

The Return Leg On 15 March, 37 pupils from Scharnhorst Gymnasium, Hildesheim arrived at St David’s Station in Exeter, having travelled by train from Germany. Determined to travel by public transport, motivated by environmental concerns, after being met by Mrs Francis and Mrs Wilson, they walked along the river (the scenic route) to Exeter School in the rain! Pupils were greeted by their partners in the Andrews hall.

The following days were filled by spending time learning about a typical day at Exeter School, accompanied by trips to Exeter Underground passages, Plymouth Mayflower Steps and aquarium and the city of Bath.

On Saturday and Sunday we had organised trips for our partners. I took my partner go-karting, and I know many people went to Exmouth beach.

Tuesday was the final day that they were with us, and we had a final afternoon cream tea, where many pupils brought cakes they had made with their partners the night before.

Overall the experience was amazing. I loved being able to practise my German, and it was so fun helping my partner learn English too!

Thank you from Maya A huge thank you to everyone at Exeter School for their very warm welcome!

Our visit in beautiful England gifted us with plenty of memories that we will keep in mind forever. We won’t forget your hospitality, your kindness and everything that you have done for us during our visit. Getting to learn about the English culture was such an amazing experience, which would not have been possible without you and all of the lovely host families.

Bis dahin wünschen wir euch das Beste, all the best, für die Zukunft.

Wir sehen uns wieder – see you in a while!

Soroptimist Society Empowering and educating…

by SOPHIA , edited by CHARLOT TE

T

he Soroptimist Society is a new club established on the values of the Soroptimist International Charity. Soroptimist International is a global charity which promotes gender equality through empowerment and education. Their core aims include human rights for all, improving understanding, and encouraging equality, peace, and development.

The Tiverton Soroptimist branch acts as a ‘mother club’ to our school club, which is the first of its kind in the south-west of England. We, as pupils, benefit from the full support of a long-established club who guide and mentor us while also giving us the freedom to develop our own initiatives. By creating a school club based around this charity, we aim to promote the values of Soroptimist International and give pupils the opportunity to be a part of something bigger and explore real-world issues.

Some of our recent initiatives have included setting up a milk-bottle-lid recycling scheme – which allowed us to raise money for an Alzhiemer’s charity – and creating a presentation looking at the history of feminism on International Women’s Day. We also made a collaborative mural to visually demonstrate what the Soroptimist Society means to us. Over the next few months, we aim to host a series of talks by several women who are experts in their respective fields, with the intent of introducing different career possibilities for young pupils. We are also organising a series of engaging events to encourage the school community to reflect on memorable women in their lives and in history.

We are a society open to everyone – our key word is inclusivity!

The Exonian 2023 51

B E YO N D T H E C L A S S R O O M

Nature and Climate Biology Photo Competition

Will, Third Form

2ND PLACE

1ST

PLACE

Isla, Third Form

Eve, Third Form

52 The Exonian 2023

3RD PLACE

1ST

PLACE

Caitlin, Middle Fifth

2ND PLACE

Sara, Upper Fifth

Mr Tim Halpin

3RD

1ST

PLACE

PLACE

Oscar, Lower Sixth

The Exonian 2023 53

B E YO N D T H E C L A S S R O O M

Ones to Watch Grab these pupils’ autographs before it’s too late! As a team, we felt this was a great opportunity to celebrate some of our amazing pupils’ achievements that may have gone slightly under the radar. coll ated by the EDITORIAL TEAM

Monty, Fourth Form

Each year, the National School Snowsport Association (NSSA) runs a series of qualifying rounds at venues across England for slalom competitions on artificial slopes, with the fastest three from each venue qualifying for the finals that were held this year at the Gloucester Ski Centre on 12 May 2023.

The course is set as a series of gates in a variety of combinations including offsets, bananas, hairpins and verticles down the 250 metre slope with the aim to correctly navigate the course in the fastest time.

Monty: ‘I set a solid first run but needed to be faster in my second.

Unfortunately, I made a mistake and got slightly too late in one of the gates so it meant I was fighting the course and clipped a gate with the tip of my ski and so my race was over. My time from the first run was only good enough for 10th in my category (U14M): disappointing and frustrating, but that is racing. There are some seriously good racers and it was a privilege to be able to race against them. I fared slightly better in the South West Schools competition that was held two days later at the same slope in Gloucester. I finished in third place.’

Pengxiao, Third Form

“I have been playing chess for five years now and I have been to tournaments all over the world including Frydek in The Czech Republic and Rhodes in Greece, representing England. I have won many tournaments over the years such as British Blitz (3 minute-chess) champion for U10s and also I am the Devon champion for U9/11/13s. I have also qualified for the terafinal which is a tournament only the top 12 players in my category can compete in.

I enjoy chess because there is so much going on in just 64 squares and with 32 pieces. There are 197,742 possible positions after only 4 moves! I would encourage everyone to play chess as it is fun, interesting and you can make lots of new friends playing chess when you 54 The Exonian 2023

meet them at tournaments.”

Imogen, Lower Sixth

If she’s not playing music or studying for her A Levels, there is no doubt where you’ll find Imogen: playing cricket. A regular in the senior teams throughout her time here, she plays cricket for the school 1st XI and is also in the Devon U18s ladies� squad. When Imogen first started playing cricket, the Colts at Thorverton were offered to play a soft ball game in the outfield of the Somerset cricket ground. This was close to 7 years ago. Recently, on Sunday 14 June, she was asked to play for the Devon Ladies� at the same ground, Somerset cricket ground, for real. It was live streamed, with official

commentators, and a very high standard of cricket! She was playing with and against some extremely established players, some of which play for professional outfit Western Storm.

Imogen: “When I'm a bit older, it would be a dream come true to play for Western Storm and get paid to do something I absolutely love.”

Rory, Lower Fifth

During lockdown, many Exeter school pupils took up a new hobby, whether it be juggling, learning a new musical instrument or running, as in the case of Lower Fifth pupil, Rory Barclay-Watt.

Two years and thousands of miles down the line, Rory continues to tirelessly pace the country lanes of Devon,

recently winning the U15 Devon Cross Country Championships and finishing 12th at the national event.

Rory: ‘Running is a good chance for me to think; my mind stays busy when I run. I like taking the dog as I know he enjoys it and he gives me company and someone to talk to. My health certainly benefits; I think I’m calmer due to the relaxation I get from running.’

National Youth Theatre: Lizzie; Hugo; Hattie; Minti; Sophie; Jasmine; Darcy; Caitlin, Anna (Lower Fifth-Upper Fifth) We were delighted to see that eight of our pupils have been rewarded for their dramatic endeavour and flair with places in the highly prestigious National Youth Theatre summer workshops. Mainstays in our drama productions at school throughout their time here, we can’t wait to see the pupils flourish in such an exciting, professional environment.

Rowing: Evie, River, Ollie and Alex Middle Fifth

Far left: Monty, Fourth Form Top: Alex, Middle Fifth Above left: Imogen, Lower Sixth Left: Pengxiao, Third Form Above right: Rory, Lower Fifth

Despite having only started rowing 18 months previously, Evie and River won a fantastic bronze medal at The Scullery Regatta on the olympic rowing lake at Dorney at the beginning of May, rowing in their quad. Evie went on to win the WJ14 event at the national championships in Glasgow in July in her single scull.

Ollie and Alex have gone from strength to strength this year on the water, helped by ever-increasing wingspans and a few extra feet of height! Ollie came first in a single scull in his heat and then won silver at the British Rowing Junior Inter-Regional Regatta at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham, whilst Alex has been offered to attend a GB Junior 16 crew sculling camp after winning all of his domestic regattas in the south west in both the Junior 16 single and quadruple scull categories. He also enjoyed top 4 finishes in the U18s national Open Schools Junior Men's competitions earlier in the year: a series of impressive achievements!

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S P O RT

Sophie, Upper Fifth

Sport 2022-23

If 2021-22 was a year in which Exeter School sport began to ‘find its feet’ again, the 2022-23 academic year was one where our sportsmen and women began to flourish. A significant number of our pupils represented the school teams with amazing success and a real enthusiasm for being involved in school sport across all three terms.

by MR DAVID GIBSON, DIRECTOR OF SPORT

O

ur senior rugby, netball, boys’ hockey, and boys’ cricket teams had fantastic seasons and a number of our junior and intermediate sides were successful in winning county titles and reaching the later stages of national tournaments and, in some cases, national finals. Equally as impressive were the number of Exonians selected for representative teams with pupils competing for Exeter Chiefs academy, Team Bath netball and even national hockey sides. There were an impressive 29 boys and girls who represented Devon in either the full 56 The Exonian 2023

county cricket teams or development squads. Pupils have also flown the Exeter School flag and other significant sporting events outside of school including England table tennis, the English schools’ athletics finals, ESSA national swimming finals, national kite surfing championships, sailing events and regional karate finals to name a few. The heads of our traditional major sports have written their reflections for the year, and I hope you enjoy reading in more detail about each of the sports teams across a busy three terms.

Equally impressive has been the commitment and attitude

U14A cricket

1st XV rugby

Senior swimming Alex and Thea, Fourth Form

“It has been fabulous to see so many teams involved both during midweek matches and weekend blocks.

A particular mention must go to the lower fifth boys whose commitment has been first rate” of our 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and ‘B’ teams. Their desire to represent the school has kept each of the heads of sport on their toes in trying to source them suitable fixtures and I am delighted that they have risen to the challenge. It has been fabulous to see so many teams involved both during mid-week matches and weekend blocks. A particular mention must go to the Lower Fifth boys whose commitment has been first rate: we would have been able to field a ‘C’ team in every term this year!

There has also been amazing progress made in sports that might be considered less high profile at Exeter with some superb talent on show in athletics and cross country, squash, golf and equestrian. It should come as no surprise that the addition of Laura Barnes (an athletics specialist) into the The Exonian 2023 57

S P O RT

Yi-Ren, Fourth Form

Anya, National Kite Surfing Champion, Upper Fifth

PE department has brought with it a new drive for crosscountry and athletics and unearthed some brilliant talent.

In the autumn and spring terms six pupils qualified for the Devon schools’ cross-country championships and three pupils went on to qualify for the south-west schools’ champs. Rory, Lower Fifth was selected for the Devon schools’ junior team and competed at the English schools’ championships where he finished 12th nationally. More recently our athletes have taken to the track with similar success at district, county, and national level. Ten pupils qualified for the Devon schools’ track and field championships with two pupils (Alex, Fourth Form and Oliver, Upper Sixth) qualifying for the south-west event where Oliver won the senior boys’ 800m and Alex finished 5th in the long jump – both qualified for the English schools’ finals, amazing!

During a very busy spring term the squash squads were also in action in their national events with the U16 girls qualifying for the main final and U16 boys’ plate final held at Edgbaston Priory Squash and Rackets Club in Birmingham. The girls’ team of Elle, Yasmin, Grace, Lydia and Lucy were superb throughout, eventually finishing 4th nationally. Elle, playing at number one, was a brilliant ambassador for the school and

it was a pleasure watching her compete against some of the best players on the national circuit. The boys were slightly less successful in the plate competition, nevertheless, it was impressive to have two Exeter squads on finals days and great credit to the hard work of the pupils and the school coaches Mike Harris and George Aplin.

In what has been an action-packed year there was even time for the golf squad to compete in the HMC Foursomes knockout tournament (where they went out to the might of Millfield) and four tennis squads played in the AEGON national cup. We have also had a handful of pupils competing under the school colours at a variety of equestrian events.

We were able to celebrate some of the schools’ sporting achievements at the annual sports awards’ dinner held at Sandy Park in March. However, it seems fitting to give one final thanks to the staff and support staff who work tirelessly to provide the pupils with the opportunities and experiences, the PE staff, academic staff who manage and coach teams, Simon Lee and his grounds, catering and operations team, external coaches and last, but by no means least, the best taxi drivers and supporters in world sport – the parents!

58 The Exonian 2023

Junior School Athletics – Boys and Girls We have really enjoyed being athletics captains of the junior school this year. The season was really fun and it got off to a great start with an overall win at the athletics meet organised by Exeter Cathedral School. The event took place at Exeter Arena and we competed against ECS, Plymouth and Trinity.

W

by BY CAPTAINS LISA and MA X; edited by MISS WRIGHT

e have really enjoyed being athletics captains of the junior school this year. The season was really fun and it got off to a great start with an overall win at the athletics meet organised by Exeter Cathedral School. The event took place at Exeter Arena and we competed against ECS, Plymouth and Trinity.

There were a number of great performances for both the boys and girls, including Max being awarded the stand out performance of the meet for his impressive 800m run. Three out of the four 4x100m relay teams won their race and the Exeter School team came away with the overall trophy beating the other schools to the top spot. Sadly, due to unfortunate circumstances the biggest event of the season was cancelled v Blundell’s with over 50 athletes in the junior school having been

selected.

However, the U11 team had their sights quickly reset on the Mount Kelly Trophy (Devon Prep Schools Athletics).

The meet saw nine schools competing and places at the nationals were at stake for event winners and those making the qualifying times, heights and distances.

There were many highlights on what was a blazing hot day. The boys came back with an impressive haul of silver and bronze medals. There was a team silver in the 4 x 100m relay for Freddie, Rory, Hugo and Will. There were silvers for Benjamin in the 1500m, whilst Ioan and Jonathan also won silvers in the long jump and high jump respectively.

Finally, well done to Tom and Arthur for their bronzes in the long jump and javelin. On the girls’ side we had silvers in the long jump in Lily and in the high jump in Holly.

Nine pupils in the junior school

qualified for nationals in Nuneaton and they were: Astrid – 800m Max – 800m Xylina – 100m Hugo – 100m Kiera – 200m Amelie – Javelin Kiera – Javelin Iona – Discus Luke – Discus Astrid, Amelie, Xylina and Kiera – Girls� 4x100m relay Well done to all the athletes who were selected to represent the school this season: you all did really well!

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S P O RT

Rose, U13A girls’ cricket

Boys’ and Girls’ Cricket

With the rain we endured throughout much of April it is a pleasant surprise to see that across the boys� and girls� teams this season we have played 94 matches. With 50 wins this gives a winning percentage of 53% for the season.

T

by MR MASON

here has been some fantastic cup success across competitions. In the Devon Cup competitions, the U13 girls’ got things off to a great start in the spring term, becoming indoor county champions and competing in the regional round in Bristol. In June they added to the outdoor title with a dominant display. The U13 boys’ team won the county cup last year as U12s and, as such, played in the national cup this year; they played some gritty and mature cricket on their journey to the semi final where they lost to a strong Whitgift side that went on to win the national title. In their Devon cup campaign, they beat Blundell’s in the final with a performance anchored around Reuben Tucker’s excellent 50 run knock. On the final full day of school, the U14 team travelled to Torquay for their county final. Having restricted Torquay to 113 they set about chasing on a difficult wicket. Josh’s superb knock of 83 ensured the win came with overs to spare.

It shows the success of the season across the age groups when, out of the six Devon cup competitions, Exeter School have won three of them. This only gets better when 60 The Exonian 2023

considering the U11 team won their county cup and qualified to play in the national finals as well.

The 1st XI has had a slightly mixed season where quality on the team sheet hasn’t always translated to wins for the team.

Of the 17 games completed they ended the term with ten wins and seven losses. In the National Schools’ T20 South West Tier 2 competition the side dominated in the group stage to qualify for the semi finals where they won against a side from South Gloucestershire & Stroud College. In a tense final against Clayesmore the side lost against a strong team that pressured the game with both bat and ball.

Highlights of the term include:

– A win away at King’s Taunton with a century by Harry as well as a beautifully built century by Nate against Wells Cathedral School.

– With the ball, Alex�s five wickets against the MCC sees him invited to Lords as a guest of the MCC. – James was awarded his cricket colours after the final game to reflect on his four years playing for the 1st XI and the

CRICKET

Harry W, 1st XI cricket

Harry M, 1st XI cricket

1st XI cricket

impact he has made with bat and ball over the years.

– The most improved player went to Alex who finished the season with 23 wickets.

– The Player of the Season Award went to Harry H who, in his first season for the team, scored 393 runs and took 11 wickets.

– The Neil Gamble Cricket Cup was awarded to Harry W as the top wicket taker with 28 wickets and his 270 runs, including three half centuries and an average of 38.57.

– A huge thank you goes to the efforts put in by Niall McCarthy who has captained the team for two years and who achieved four 50s this season.

It was pleasing to see the 2nd XI and U15s attending training and playing in matches, and we look forward to them playing senior cricket next year. The U14s and U13s have had good seasons, and both have won their Devon cup competitions. On the pitch we continue to challenge their understanding of the game and develop that key maturity in reading situations as they develop. It has been great to see so many players attending

Sam, U14A cricket

net seasons and so many keen to play in the B teams and push for A team places. One of the key focuses next year is to build the B team fixture cards to allow all to experience the game.

The U12s have had a frustrating season with a restricted fixture card compared to previous seasons. They have worked on developing their batting and bowling and it was pleasing to see them push a strong Plymouth team, just crowned as county champions, to the final few balls of their match.

In girls’ cricket a good attendance in the U15 games sessions did not always translate to player availability on match day and, along with the rain, this meant many fixtures were sadly unable to be played. However, the U13 and U12 girls’ teams have shown strength and depth with bat and ball and successes have been built around all playing a part in matches.

It is hoped that next year a bigger fixture card for the girls will see many more get greater exposure to the competitive game.

A final thanks must go to the coaches, umpires, grounds, and catering teams who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the season has been able to run smoothly.

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U11A, national finalists

Junior School Cricket

The junior school cricket season was a tremendous success with over twenty teams playing a mixture of hard ball and soft ball cricket across four age groups.

T

by MR DAVID GIBSON, DIRECTOR OF SPORT

he school A and B boys’ and girls’ teams were involved in lots of competitive matches and all of our pupils had the opportunity to represent the school in a suitable format, either during internal matches or against local opposition. We were lucky enough to play in glorious Devon sunshine for much of the summer and opposition included Taunton Prep, Blundell’s Prep, Queen’s College Prep, Plymouth College Prep, Exeter Cathedral School, West Buckland, Stover, St John’s, and St Leonard’s. It was an absolute pleasure to see everyone in action.

There was also significant talent on show. The girls’ U11A team played some excellent cricket which culminated in a trip to Millfield to finish off their season. Similarly, the U10A girls� team also showed promise and made significant progress this term. The B teams were just as busy playing 7 fixtures each and a number of the girls were also involved in club cricket, and it is great to see the enthusiasm for the sport. The U9 and U8 played most of their cricket during their games lessons where they worked on their basics and began to develop a much better understanding of match play allowing them to compete in some fixtures before the term was finished. We look forward to many of them being involved in more matches next year.

The boys’ season was action packed with 61 fixtures played this summer. There was the opportunity to play C and D team 62 The Exonian 2023

fixtures at both U11 and U10, softball fixtures for our talented U9 and U8 teams and lots of really competitive hard ball matches for the U11 and U10 A teams. The U10 age group, led by Mr Gillard, showed a real enthusiasm for cricket this summer and has great depth in their teams; they will be a year group to watch next year!

However, the highlight of the junior school cricketing summer was, without doubt, the U11A boys’ cup run. They had a memorable summer which ended at the ESCA national finals at Oakham School in the final week of term. This talented group didn’t have it all their own way, mind you. In fact, they lost their first match of the Devon U11 tournament and looked uncertain to qualify from the county stage.

Nevertheless, they showed their resilience and talent to bounce back to take the county title and progress to the West finals, a much tougher challenge. Their remarkable win against the favourites Taunton Prep secured them a place in the national finals where they represented the West of England. Their performance on the day was excellent, eventually finishing 6th, which was down to their hard work and the support of Mr Maidment throughout the summer term. I know Miss Wright, Mr Maidment, Mr Ashman (ESCA Chairman), their parents and the whole school were very proud of them and am sure this is something they will remember forever.

HOCKEY

Senior School Girls’ Hockey Exeter School's girls' hockey season witnessed an array of remarkable achievements and inspiring displays of resilience. From the U15 team's undefeated triumphs to the U13 team clinching the Devon championship, the players showcased their determination and talent throughout the season.

by MR JONES

1st XI hockey

N

otable performances in various age groups and a positive growth trajectory in the U14 team further highlighted the school’s commendable progress.

U18s Seniors: The U18s were bullish in their spirit throughout the year and thanks must go to the departing Upper Sixth; some have given many years to the schools hockey programme since the junior school. We had excellent participation numbers in all senior teams. The U18 team showcased immense promise in the West Indoor competition.

Their tenacity and spirited performances drew admiration.

U15 Team: The U15 team emerged as an unstoppable force, winning all eleven of their matches. Their remarkable consistency and unwavering focus were evident on the field as they outplayed opponents with exceptional skill and teamwork. The squad's commitment to excellence resulted in a string of victories, leaving their adversaries in their wake.

U14 Team: The U14 team showcased pleasing progress throughout the season, developing a resilient mindset and a fierce determination to secure victories. Their fighting spirit was commendable as they battled against formidable

opponents, leaving a mark with their gritty performances. The team's perseverance and dedication to improving their game instil confidence for a bright future.

U13 Team: The U13s claimed the coveted title of Devon champions, completing the season with an unbeaten record.

Their consistently strong performances and unwavering commitment to success earned them well-deserved recognition. The team's cohesion, skilful play, and unyielding determination were key factors in their triumph.

U12 Team: The U12s displayed great enthusiasm and participation throughout the season. Their passion for the sport and eagerness to learn were evident in their performances.

The team's commitment to development and their positive attitude bodes well for the future, setting a solid foundation for continued growth and success in the years to come.

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S P O RT

Harry, 1st XI hockey

Senior School Boys’ Hockey

The 2023 season was a hugely rewarding with a huge number of boys representing the school and some wonderful hockey on display.

E

by MR JONES

xeter School's U18 hockey team embarked on an exhilarating journey in the National Plate competition. Filled with passion and determination, they showcased their exceptional skills, consistently outperforming their opponents. Their breathtaking displays of teamwork and resilience led them to an impressive run in the tournament, captivating spectators with their thrilling matches. The addition of young players from Upper Fifth to the senior teams was a testament to the talent being nurtured.

These rising stars seamlessly transitioned into their new roles, making a significant impact on the team's overall performance.

The U15 team exhibited remarkable team spirit and a winning mentality. They embraced the values of unity, cooperation, and perseverance, creating a cohesive unit that consistently pushed beyond their limits. Their collective efforts and unwavering determination was a pleasure to watch.

The U14 team showcased commendable progress and growth throughout the season. Their commitment to honing their skills and understanding of the game yielded positive results. With each match, they demonstrated a greater level of tactical awareness and teamwork, laying a solid foundation for 64 The Exonian 2023

future success.

The U13s enjoyed an exceptional season, emerging as the Devon champions and finalists in the West region. Their unbeaten record is a testament to their skill, determination, and relentless pursuit of victory. The team's remarkable achievements serve as a source of inspiration for younger years and highlight the talent within the U13 age group.

At U12 the squad proved to be a treasure trove of promising talent. With a large number of boys regularly attending training sessions, their dedication and enthusiasm for the sport were palpable. Under the guidance of skilled coaches and the mentorship of older players, these young talents are poised to become future stars, igniting a sense of excitement for the seasons to come.

My thanks to the staff who were committed throughout a cold and wet spring term and were unwavering in their support of school sport as always.

HOCKEY

Junior School Hockey It has been an excellent season for all of the girls in the junior school on the hockey pitch. From games lessons to after school clubs to fixtures, it was a very busy but enjoyable hockey term for all involved.

GIRLS' HOCKEY by CAPTAIN and VICE CAPTAIN – AMELIE and ELL A edited by MISS WRIGHT BOYS' HOCKEY WRIT TEN by CAPTAIN and VICE CAPTAIN – BENJAMIN and DYL AN edited by MISS WRIGHT

Junior hockey

U11A girls hockey

Junior hockey

U11A boys hockey

GIRLSʼ HOCKEY

and develop throughout the term, we grew our friendships off the pitch as well. The junior school boys’ hockey teams thrived this season, thoroughly enjoying events such as tournaments, fixtures and the famous house hockey. Similar to rugby, all of the year group, on occasions during the term, were all selected to play in an external fixture on the same day. At U10 and U11 level, that is 77 of us. This also happens at U8 and U9 level and we know the boys especially loved travelling to away matches to enjoy the sausages and chips served for teas.

The U11As had a record-breaking season, winning the IAPS regional round, beating the likes of Millfield, King Edward School, The Downs, Taunton School and Clifton College to name but a few, in order to be crowned the champions. As a result, the team qualified for nationals, travelling to Derby and playing at Repton. It was an incredible few days and ones we will never forget. During the season, we really benefited from our training in games lessons, after school hockey club and the extra performance sessions leading up to the tournaments. Every player showed great commitment, rarely missing a session. All teams in the junior school went from strength to strength, working on having a solid defence, excellent goalkeeping and strong midfield and attacking players. It has been a great experience and we are so proud of every player and we can’t wait for next season!

Once again, the season saw all the girls in the junior school represent the school in countless external fixtures against the likes of Blundell’s, Exeter Cathedral School, Plymouth College, Stover, West Buckland, Taunton School, and King’s Hall to name but a few. In addition to the stand alone fixtures, we have had a number of triangular games as well as a range of exciting tournaments.

One of the highlights of the season for the U11A team was the Devon Hockey tournament which was held here at Exeter School. It was an exciting day and we beat Blundell’s 1-0 in the final to become Devon champions. This meant that we qualified for the South West Finals at Millfield School. It was a great day and we had to play some really tough teams.

Although we were knocked out of the cup competition, we won the shield, beating the opposition 3-0 in the final… playing in the torrential rain…. A moment we will never forget. We were ranked the fifth best team in the whole of the South West. Well done to all the U11s who all showed such great sportsmanship throughout the term and worked so well in their team. We have been so proud to be their captains.

BOYSʼ HOCKEY

Wow, what a season! Not only did we love our games lessons

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C R O S S C O U N T RY

Upper One boys cross country team

House cross country

House cross country

Upper One girls cross country team

Junior School Cross Country Our hardy athletes braved all conditions to enjoy another successful year of cross country running.

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by MISS WRIGHT

he season started off in our games lessons, thinking about race preparations, pacing and what it takes to be a middle-distance runner.

As the term progressed we were able to dedicate some of our time in games, PE and during after-school clubs to our favourite pastime… getting muddy whilst running!

We had two competitions to focus on this year and the first was the annual Larkman Cup, hosted by Blundell’s. It was a tough course, finishing uphill. We knew from the moment we arrived it was going to be a challenging event because when we were walking the course, the heavens opened and it started to hail. Despite this, the team displayed some gutsy 66 The Exonian 2023

performances and a notable achievement came from Charlie in Form One, running for the year above: he came third in the U9 race against runners from St Peter’s, Trinity, Taunton School, Exeter Cathedral School, King’s Hall, Blundell’s and West Buckland. The second event of the season was the hotly contested house cross country competition. Run on a very damp day, the entire junior school took to the fields to put their best foot forward in order to not only do the best for themselves as individuals, but for their house too. It was brilliant to not only reward the first and second place for each age group, but we also celebrated runners who displayed resilience, determination and sportsmanship; a great way to round off the season.

Zac, 1st XI football

Exeter School 1st and 2nd XI Football

As usual, we fielded two teams in the 2022/23 football season, with both teams having a mixed season: there were some memorable victories, but room for improvement in our league performances.

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by DYL AN 1ST XI CAPTAIN 2022/2023

he 1st XI played 11 games, winning 7, drawing 1 and losing 3, the exact same results as last season’s 1st XI. The season started for the 1st XI with our first friendly game against Queen’s College, Taunton, which resulted in a dominant performance, overwhelming them 11-0 with an impressive four goals from Zac and a brace from Charlie. This gave us a good base of confidence for the following games where we were unbeaten for our first five friendlies of the season.

Following the solid performance in our first game, we then played against Woodroffe School with a convincing 7-2 win.

A special mention to Charlie and Zac who both scored an excellent hat-trick which was well deserved through their solid performances.

Coming into the next three friendlies of the term, we achieved great performances against The King’s School Ottery, King’s College Taunton, and Teignmouth Community School. The most memorable game was our 5-0 away win over Teignmouth, which was a strong improvement over last year's performance there, where we won 1-0; this gave us extra

Jim, Upper Sixth

motivation, as we knew we had improved tremendously.

In our final two friendlies, the standout performance was against Shebbear College with an 8-1 victory away after a defeat against Exeter College. This was Zac’s third hat-trick of the season. It also can't be forgotten that Joe scored his first goals for Exeter School with a fantastic brace. We took these wins under our belt, in preparation for the Isca League The Exonian 2023 67

S P O RT

1st XI football

campaign.

We played our first league against Taunton School. We fought hard throughout and managed to get a draw, away from home, although it was a game that we could easily have won!

Unfortunately, the next run of games did not go to plan. It all started against Blundell’s with a 4-1 loss at home, where we suffered with a weakened squad; it was a hard day for us, with some shaky moments!

Unfortunately, our next game against the eventual league winners King’s College, Taunton, was cancelled due to snow.

We were disappointed about this, as earlier in the season, we beat them 2-1 away. Our final league game of the season was away against Wellington where we lost 5-2 despite a couple of great goals from Archie and Angus.

We bounced back from this defeat the following week with a convincing 3-1 win against the Old Exonians. The game started well with the help of some loyal home support on the touchline, which drove us on to victory. Our goalscorers for that game were Zac, Charlie and Angus contributing with three magical individual goals.

The top goalscorer for the season was Zac with an impressive 18 goals out of our total of 43 goals. Our goalkeeper, Dan, also had a tremendous season with a string of consistent performances.

The 2nd XI had a positive season in the league with the highlight being a 3-1 victory over Wellington, away. They lost against Taunton and Blundell’s, with the fixture against King’s College, Taunton, also cancelled due to inclement weather.

68 The Exonian 2023

2nd XI football

As a team, we would like to thank our coach Mr Ashman for his everlasting passion for the game and all the ground staff, who gave us an exemplary playing surface. We would also like to thank Mr Gillard for his expertise and commitment; he and Mr Ashman made the perfect double act.

The 2nd XI would also like to thank Mr Charters for his unstinting commitment throughout the season.

I hope the boys can achieve continued success next season and, for those of us who are leaving, we hope to take our place in the Old Exonians next season!

F OOTB A L L

Junior School Football What a fantastic season we have had on the football pitches this term.

GIRLS' FOOTBALL by ASTRID, BOYS' FOOTBALL by MA X – CAPTAIN and Z ANE – VICE CAPTAIN edited by MISS WRIGHT

GIRLSʼ FOOTBALL

This year, all the girls thoroughly enjoyed their football experiences in their games lessons and during after school clubs. Our fixtures took place across two terms on both astro and grass.

In the junior school this season we had fixtures and tournaments arranged for all year groups U8-U11, but unfortunately, the weather did not allow all of these to take place… namely the freezing temperatures in the middle of the season! Despite this, a huge number of girls were able to represent the school in external fixtures playing against the likes of St Leonard's and Stockland Primary School, as well as the house football tournaments.

The U11A, B and C teams all enjoyed a floodlit game in the autumn term, whetting the appetite for more to come in the spring. The U10 and U9’s enjoyed some competitive games, as did the U11’s in January, battling out the freezing temperatures in order to score a number of goals throughout. One of the highlights this season was on the last day of the spring term; all the Lower Two and Upper Twos took to the astro representing their house in a bid to win the annual girls’ football house tournament, a memory that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. I hope all the girls have enjoyed playing this season and I hope you have had lots of fun… ready to do it all over again next year!

BOYSʼ FOOTBALL

It has been a fantastic season for all of the boys who have represented the

school either in external fixtures, or in the hard-fought house matches. The weather was not on our side this season, with waterlogged and frozen pitches putting a stop to some of the individual games and tournaments arranged. Every year group in the junior school had organised fixtures, but unfortunately not all of them were played. Regardless of this, there were a huge number of boys who were fortunate enough to represent the school and this started off with the U11s in the autumn term. All the boys in Upper Two who wanted to represent the school were all selected to play on the astro against St Leonard�s.

Across the A, B and C teams, there were some close matches, ensuring that Exeter had to pass the ball around the team with power and precision.

We know some of the U10s enjoyed travelling to Stockland Primary for an away fixture on grass, which was played in some lovely winter sunshine.

In the spring term it was the turn for some of the U9s to travel to Millfield to play in the annual tournament, and we were delighted to hear that they brought home the silverware on that Saturday! For the U11A team, we really

enjoyed playing in the EFL Utilita Kid Cup tournament where we won most of our games until we were knocked out

by Landscore in the second round. In other games that day, we won against Newtown Primary and Ottery St Mary.

In addition to the A team at U11, we know that the U10A, B and C teams were in action at our very own Exeter Junior School tournament, playing in some hard-fought games throughout the afternoon. Lastly, a couple of our highlights this season came at the end of the spring term. Firstly we were excited for the U11 Exeter Junior School tournament and going into the event we had high expectations of ourselves.

Thankfully the pressure didn’t get to us and we were able to play some skilful football, resulting in us winning the tournament. Secondly, on the last day of the spring term, all pupils in Lower Two and Upper Two took to either the grass or astro pitches for a showcase of house football. It was a muddy and drizzly day, but that didn’t dampen our footballing prowess. Well done to all players this season and we are looking forward already to the next!

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ORRTTS SSPPO

1st XV rugby

Senior School Rugby

This year the theme for the school rugby teams was ‘go forwards’, and this was achieved in multiple areas across the XVs and 7s seasons.

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here was a pleasing increase in playing numbers which included U14 – U12B teams with big squads and a 3rd XV fixture for the first time since the 1990s! This has often been the opposite for our local opposition and therefore the rugby club has evolved the traditional fixture card to take on new opponents across the south-west and we look forward to challenging our pupils by evolving the fixture card in the next few years.

On the pitch there was great success for the U15 side in reaching the semifinal of the National Plate competition eventually losing to Abingdon School.

The U15 side did not have an easy ride on their journey with some tough opponents including Marlborough College and Berkhamsted School.

70 The Exonian 2023

by MR ROSS – HEAD OF RUGBY

1st XV rugby

RU G BY

12A rugby

Beau and Angus, 16A rugby

While it was disappointing to just miss out on a final at the StoneX Stadium the team will no doubt be better for the experience heading into the next few years at school. Across the board the rugby club played 104 matches with a 68%-win ratio, the U12A side leading the way at 92% winning record.

After the Christmas break the 7s season was in full swing with the 1st VII and U16 7s sides winning the inaugural Plymouth tournament and the U16 side winning the cup at the West of England tournament, beating Clifton College in the final. Both teams performed well at the National 7s tournament at Rosslyn Park, but unfortunately both fell short of the second day of competition.

Exeter School rugby players continue to flourish for their local clubs across the age groups and achieve individual recognition at DPP, county and academy level. We look forward to continuing to build our relationship with the local clubs and representative system to support players with aspirational dreams at the Exeter Chiefs.

Ollie, 16A rugby

Captain’s Reflections

by BERTIE – CAPTAIN OF RUGBY

This season there have been several amazing opportunities and experiences in rugby both during matches, training and time spent in the gym.

There have been a host of individual performances but I think that the team performance to beat QEH at home was special as it was one of the times where everything that we had been working hard to complete in training was able to come into fruition. The bond in both teams this year felt especially strong and was emphasised when performing in the Christmas singing concert with a rendition of ‘Wonderful Christmastime’.

This season came with some new strength and conditioning programmes, different integrated warmups and some preseason testing which dramatically reduced numbers of injuries and concussions, allowing us to put out two strong teams week on week - although the gruelling fitness sessions seemed to be just as much fun from the years before!

This season has come with its highs and lows, but I will always remember the friends that I have made on the rugby pitch, and I encourage everyone to give it a go.

I also wish the best of luck to all teams next year.

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S P O RT

Junior School Rugby From free-flowing passing moves to well-timed tackling, our rugby players have surpassed all expectations this year.

by JAKE – CAPTAIN and HENRY – VICE CAPTAIN edited by MISS WRIGHT and MR PIDWELL

U11A rugby

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his season saw a number of firsts in the junior school. In the autumn term, the junior school managed to field the U10 and U11 teams in external fixtures all on the same day (that’s 77 boys!) at A, B, C and D levels. This also happened at U8 and U9 level, often playing up to 3 schools on the same day. In addition to this at U9 level, we hosted a touring side from Heywood Prep, inviting them for lunch and some rugby in the afternoon.

The U8s have hugely enjoyed their lessons and being introduced to the great game that is rugby. They have quickly learned new skills and techniques. They have shown great promise and we are really excited by how well they have developed. Both the coaches and the children really enjoyed their first coaching matches against Blundell’s Prep and Exeter Cathedral School. From little acorns mighty oak trees grow.

Well done, Form One. The U9s have had a fantastic season, having played in two festivals involving lots of short games. Mr Gaskill’s B team players have enjoyed their games and have really developed their running and passing skills. The As have thoroughly enjoyed the bash and crash of contact and the direct running aspects of the game. Under Mr Wood's direction, they have been extremely successful in their matches and have displayed great teamwork and team spirit throughout the season.

The U10s have had a cracking season under the wise tutorship of their coaches. A huge number of boys have had the opportunity to represent the A and B teams and we have had over 16 captains and vice captains, giving many of the squad the chance to lead the team. Highlights were a tough and gritty game against St Peter's and a confident display against Plymouth College. In the muddy November weather the U10s played very well in the Queen’s and Millfield festivals. Well done, Lower Two. The U11s had an incredible season. All the players in the

72 The Exonian 2023

Junior school tag rugby

U11A rugby

A Team, B Team, C Team Contact and C Team Tag have really developed as players and friends. They have all shown great character, from an A team player bringing down a huge opposition player twice his size, to some C team players playing their first matches and being brave enough to have a go and represent their school with pride. The coaches were very proud of them all. We were also delighted with the A team’s success in every match we have played. We have also enjoyed hearing of the B and C teams’ success. The teams have tackled, run, caught and passed with increasing skills and strength. We have seen both inclusion and excellence. Well done to all the players!

Jake (U11A Captain) said: ‘It’s great to be part of such a super, unselfish team. We all score every try, not just the boy who puts it down. I think my best memories are having successful matches against Blundell’s and Millfield in my final year in the junior school. It was a great way to finish. It’s great to see everyone getting involved with rugby. It’s been brilliant!’

2nd VII netball

Senior School Netball

The netball 2022-23 season has been a great success and it started well in the autumn term with lots of girls representing the school in national competitions.

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by MISS JOHNSON

he U13s were successful in getting through to the quarter finals of the independent schools national cup competition where they faced a strong Lingfield School side in Surrey. This was a great experience for the girls giving them the exposure to play at a different school and to stay overnight as a squad. The U19s were successful in getting through to the third round of the national cup competition and placed 2nd in the national school’s area round, allowing them to compete in the county round of the national school’s competition. It provided a competitive start to the season and a good springboard to the spring term fixtures.

The participation and number of girls within senior netball has been outstanding again this year. The numbers of girls signing up to netball for senior games continues to increase, with 80 girls involved. In fact, the participation in netball throughout the senior school has been really pleasing with a significant number in each year group representing the school.

We have been able to continue to challenge them by growing the fixture card and hope for this to evolve even more in the coming years.

The school has been able to put out five U18 teams again this year with fixtures against local and touring schools. We have also started to build a link with Exeter University and Exeter Netball Club. The performance squads have continued to train throughout the summer term in preparation for the The Exonian 2023 73

NETBALL

Junior School Netball This netball season has been very enjoyable for all the year groups.

by KIER A – CAPTAIN and BELLE – VICE CAPTAIN edited by MISS WRIGHT

U12A netball

national competitions that take place at the start of next year which has helped engage the girls and get them excited about the new season.

After an exciting season it has been great to see an increasing number of our girls being successful in getting onto the England netball pathway. Sienna and Eva are in the U13 East Devon squad, Yasmin is in the U15 East Devon squad, Mia in the Severn Stars Nova academy and Nell who, despite her long-term injury, is still involved within the Team Bath Netball ADC set up. It has also been great to see more Exeter School netballers join local clubs in both participation and performance teams. We look forward to continuing to build our relationship with the local clubs and England netball pathway to support players with aspirational dreams at Team Bath netball and we can’t wait for the 2023-24 season!

Captain’s Reflections

by IZ Z Y and SUMMER – CAPTAINS

We had the amazing opportunity to be the captains of this season's netball first team and we’ve loved every part of it. Winning nine matches as well as the end of season tournament was a huge achievement for us as a team. From after-school gym sessions to socials we all grew closer as teammates and friends which was also great to experience. The few losses showed what resilience we had, and this character came down to the support we gave each other and from our amazing coach Miss Johnson. One of our memories from the season had to be the number and variety of injuries and niggles on show by the end of season, almost the whole team had tape on their legs before the final match! Great credit to everyone for sticking at it. We wish the best of luck to all teams next year.

74 The Exonian 2023

Junior school netball

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e played against Stover School, Blundell’s Prep, St Peters, West Buckland, Taunton School, Exeter Cathedral School, The Maynard and Queen’s College in Taunton. In addition to the fixtures, all girls across the junior school have enjoyed participating in their lessons, as well as after school clubs. All players participated in the new England Netball format of Bee Netball. At U10 and U11 levels, that was in the form of 5-a-side, using the full court and for the U8s and U9s the game is 4-a-side across court. As captains, we loved hearing about the successes of all the teams across the junior school and we know how much fun the girls had on and off the court. We were pleased to hear how competitive the house tournaments were and we love it when not only the player of the tournament is announced, but also the most improved player and the player who displays the best sportsmanship.

For the U11A team, the most exciting game was against Stover School; we were very closely matched and we won 10-9 at the very last minute. We felt like we improved our skills in each match and welcomed different players onto the team through the season. We learnt from each other and grew as a team. It was a privilege to be captain of netball and to read a speech in the junior school final assembly.

Thank you to all of the players for their great netball performances and to the coaches for their positive support!

Captains’ Poem (Sports Awards Dinner) Now let’s look at the season itself, Winning some matches, putting nine on the shelf.

SSPPO ORRTTS

The few losses we had proved our endurance, Ultimately that’s down to Betsy’s support and reassurance.

We tried to play Millfield yet lost for some reason.

A gripping 90 goals down, but that was pre-season.

Roxane went head-first into the Millfield post, That might have been why the score wasn't so close.

Injury this season was almost a guarantee, With Nell lacking commitment whilst in A&E Ella liked to argue with the referee, We think her preferred sport is WWE The game against Plymouth almost gave us defeat, As the umpire kept blowing us up for our feet.

The side eye from Miss Johnson was definitely admiring, That helped make the game a lot more inspiring.

Delphi and Mia: Great players through and through, They took so many shots (oh and they’re great shooters too) At the social, Evie o'brien dressed up as a shark A questionable choice, as the theme was Noah's arc Sophia Bosch is definitely a menace to mark But It was shocking to see how much noah drank on his arc Faye’s rebounds make the defenders weep While emily could quite literally shoot in her sleep It was great having Georgie, a captain who’s diverse, Yet it was uneasy to watch Oliwia Czaja play in her converse.

Evie leather refuses to catch with both hands And how does Poppy jump that high? - nobody understands Mr Hopkins’ gym sessions were definitely beneficial, but not for Evie Murray whose fumble looked sacrificial.

Tali’s antics at the social left us in stitches Yet at least she didn't miss a whole match driving her car into ditches.

Senior School Swimming

Despite her first experience of netball being last year, Mar joined the second team showing no fear.

To top off the season, Izzy’s failure to catch An outrageous ball from Summer, broke her finger before the match.

It has been another strong year for the swim squads, who have maintained a high level of training through the three training sessions per week, which has allowed the squad to cater for a range of abilities.

With all this being said, it has given us a reason. to say thank you, and good luck for next season!

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by DR ROBB – HEAD OF AQUATICS

his year the team has represented the school at numerous galas across the South West and has taken part in a range of other water activities. The friendly gala programme has been successful, and we have competed in 8 galas, 7 of which we have hosted. The team has refined their skills in training and, out of 39 age group events, we have won 22 and drawn 3. In particular, the Boys’ Lower Fifth and Middle Fifth have been stalwarts for the school and have performed admirably for the school in all friendly galas and broken many pool records along the way.

In November they also qualified for the finals of the English School Swimming Association relays in the London Aquatic Centre but were unfortunately unable to compete owing to the timing of the event. Outside of school, Evie, Will, Harry and James have all performed extremely well in external events for their respective clubs.

The sixth form pupils have continued to provide reliable and professional lifeguard services on poolside and the new batch of 12 pupils, who are currently in the Upper Fifth, completed the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification at the end of the summer term.

Multiple other aspects of aquatics have been catered for, including a Middle Fifth lifesaving club run by Mrs Trica, in which the pupils gained Silver Survive and Save awards.

We were excited to host our first water polo match against West Buckland which resulted in the senior team from Exeter School scoring in the final 30 seconds to draw the match. In addition, three Lower Fifth pupils – Connie, Seb and Gracie – lead the way on an overnight charity swim to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society.

All involved would like to offer thanks to the new coaches who have joined us this year, namely Glenn Currie and Salma Badawy, for their support and guidance.

The open water season allowed the team to compete in two events at the end of the summer term, including one more mainstream event with races from 3000 m to 1500 at Goodrington Sands and also a bespoke event run for the school pupils only at Exmouth which allowed some who were new to open water to access this aspect of swimming.

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SWIMMING

Junior School Swimming It has been a busy and successful season for the junior school swimming team. We kicked off with an away gala at Taunton where we got to know our strengths and weaknesses as a team. by captains DANIEL and HOLLY edited by MISS WRIGHT

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his followed with Exeter hosting King’s Hall which gave us an opportunity to start preparing for the IAPS qualifiers. In February, U8 and U9 swimmers travelled to Plymouth where they put their racing skills to test with great success. The IAPS qualifiers at Millfield was very competitive with the top swimmers in the region all trying to get their spot for the national finals.

In order to qualify for the nationals in London, we had to make it to the top 20 in the chosen events in the country.

Exeter had a great outcome with U11 boys’ and U11 girls’ relay teams qualifying as well as four individual swimmers – sending our biggest team in the history of the junior school.

Nationals took place at the London 76 The Exonian 2023

2012 Olympic pool, now named the London Aquatics Centre. Benjamin had a very good time for the 50m butterfly, finishing 16th in the country, whilst Alex finished 18th in the 25m. Daniel swam in the final of the 50m freestyle, finishing 7th in the country, and Holly got a gold medal in the 50m butterfly with a personal best time. Both the boys’ and girls’ relay teams swam well, with the U11 boys’ medley team being 10th in the country as well as both the girls and boys finishing within the top 16 prep schools in the country.

Well done to all of the development and competitive swimming squads for such a successful and busy year and we are looking forward to an even stronger season next year.

Holly, U12

S P O RT

Upper school squash club

Rufus, Lower Two

Upper school tennis club

Junior School Squash and Tennis The tennis and squash clubs enjoy making a racket this year, stringing up a series of wins.

by MISS WRIGHT

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ennis and squash have continued to be popular sports in the junior school, happening all year round! In the spring term the girls’ and boys’ U11 squash teams enjoyed playing at the Exeter Golf and Country Club on two occasions against St Peter’s Prep in some very exciting and hard-fought matches. The lunch time club and after-school coaching sessions have always been fully subscribed and in the summer term it was interesting to see

some hotly contested matches in the heat in order to see who would be awarded the squash player of the year George Aplin Squash Cup. In addition to the lunch time tennis clubs run at Victoria Park Road, in the summer term we have enjoyed curriculum PE lessons and an exciting house competition.

Well done to all racket players this season for some fun, agile and dynamic moments on court!

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PEOPLE

Fresh Faces!

We caught up with five of our newest members of staff, all of whom having either joined us during the academic year or in September 2023, to get to know them a bit better.

LUCY BATES

Marketing Manager Which three books would you choose to have with you on a desert island? · Maira Chand – A Different Sky (it says it all really if you were on a desert island but also, due to the fact it takes place against the backdrop of pre-colonial Singapore and having a penchant for history and having lived in Singapore for the majority of my adult life thus far, it resonates with me) · Homer – The Odyssey (lots of stories to spin off this in your imagination and has the potential to spur yourself into making an escape) · Thomas Erikson – Surrounded by Idiots (while I’m yet to read this book I’ve purchased, I feel it would be comforting to think that one was better off being on the desert island!)

MARK CLOSE

Exeter School Chaplain If you had a time machine, what period of time would you travel to and why?

I’m an in the moment kind of guy, I think there is so much to see and do right now, I’d rather make history than see history, but I would like to go back and spend a bit more time with my mum now I understand just how valuable that time was.

What is your pet hate?

The noise of felt tip markers make on paper What song will you never get tired of?

There are so many songs from so many different genres that I could choose, but I think the one that stands above them all is Little Wing by Hendrix.

If you were a superhero What is the highlight of what would your power any school year for you? be? Why? Lunch time, I love food, Teleportation – being able but I also love the depth to be anywhere in the of relationships that grow world in the click of your when you eat together with fingers would be priceless people. having lot. xetertravelled Schoola continued their

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strong tradition of squash

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78 The Exonian 2023

DAVID JONES

Combined Cadet Force School Staff Instructor What is your signature dish?

Good old roast chicken dinner with lots of roast potatoes.

If you had a time machine, what period of time would you travel to and why?

1966 to see England win the World Cup. Which three books would you choose to have with you on a desert island?

Autobiography by Jonny Wilkinson (my sporting hero).

SAS survival guide by Lofty Wiseman (could be handy on a desert island).

Extreme Survivors. An insight to 60 extreme survival and escape stories.

What is your pet hate?

People who leave litter behind.

What song will you never get tired of?

There are so many but to narrow it down I would go for Alive by Pearl Jam If you were a superhero what would your power be? Why? Invisible. I could play so many practical jokes.

Where would you most like to live and why?

(This can be fictional!)

The coast of Krabi Thailand.

It has stunning islands and beaches and an amazing culture.

AILSA McGREGOR Head of HR

If you had a time machine, what period of time would you travel to and why?

The mid 80s to relive my teenage years – I’d appreciate them more the second time around! Plus the fashion was ridiculous (in a good way) and the music wonderful.

Where would you most like to live and why?

(This can be fictional!)

Arran – a Scottish island off the west coast of Scotland which overlooks another small island Ailsa Craig which I was named after.

What is your signature dish?

Sunday roast – beef or lamb with all the trimmings – especially Yorkshire puddings.

What song will you never get tired of?

Teardrop by Massive Attack

JONNY TITCHIN

Junior School Music Teacher What is your signature dish?

I love cooking so I don’t have a particular dish. I love making sausage rolls, although they sound much more glamorous if you call them Pork Wellingtons!

If you had a time machine, what period of time would you travel to and why?

I love to go back to the 18th century and meet composers like Bach and Handel. The things I could learn!

Which three books would you choose to have with you on a desert island?

I should probably put something intelligent down like a survival book by Ray Mears or Steve Backshall but I’d probably take all the books from The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie.

What is your pet hate?

It would have to be not having basic manners.

‘Please’, ‘thank you’ and common courtesy go a very long way!

What song will you never get tired of?

This is far too hard to answer as there are so many bangers out there.

Probably something by Bach or Peter Gabriel.

PEOPLE

Adieux Fond farewells to exulted staff

BECCI CARTER

A

s her head of department for seven years, I felt extremely lucky to have Becci Carter in the PE department as someone I could trust and depend on.

When new initiatives came the way of sport, Becci was always keen to spearhead the department's approach. She took on responsibility for the sports leaders’ award, planning out the programme so that sixth form pupils received quality teaching as well as the opportunity to get hands-on coaching experience with younger pupils. I know that one of the things that she is most proud of is the primary schools’ swimming programme that she masterminded and that still runs successfully today. Seeing pupils who may not get access to swimming lessons in a pool thrive and develop confidence was a huge reward for the time she put into lessons. I would regularly get emails from teachers at the schools thanking us for running the programme but particularly thanking Becci for her care and dedication.

One of Becci’s biggest contributions to the school came in running netball: this was a real area of expertise. She

made an immediate impact with successes in 2015 in the Exeter & District tournaments and her U16 team becoming county champions and competing in the regionals. In the years that followed there were numerous successes across the age groups. The secret to this seasonal success was in her approach to detail. Becci made her coaches feel supported and gave them the knowledge and assistance on court side to ensure that all the girls no matter their age or team were developing the same skill set.

This, in turn, allowed for a smooth progression over the years. I used to enjoy watching her coach her senior teams in the sports hall where you could see she was one of those quality coaches who talked to her players and not at them. The girls would absorb her words and the skills and intensity would increase.

Despite all the successes and accolades that Becci achieved at Exeter School none can be greater than meeting her husband here. After two decades at the school I have seen a lot, but nothing gives me more pride than seeing two amazing individuals I was lucky enough to have been involved in appointing fall in love and get married in the school chapel.

Now with three small children at home, Becci has made the difficult decision to step away from teaching to focus on her family. We will all miss Becci but she has made her mark on the school that will stay for a long time. Thank you Becci.

MR MASON

CHRIS BOVETWHITE

It has been a real joy and a pleasure to work with my lovely colleague Chris this year.

We have shared in the delight that is being form tutors to our super Upper Two children, and we’ve worked together on English, RS, PSHE, and drama: culminating in our summer production.

Chris has taught a range of subjects across the junior and senior schools, including science which is his passion and his subject specialism. Indeed, Chris and his multi-coloured science lab coat live on in our marketing video for Exeter school.

I will miss my morning hug, and the sound of Chris’s laughter echoing around the top corridor.

He is a wonderful friend, a great next-door neighbour, and such a talented teacher. The children love his lessons, and benefit greatly from the time and dedication he puts into being such a caring and thoughtful form tutor.

Chris leaves us for St Constantine’s International School in Arusha, Tanzania, where he will be Head of Key Stage Five. His wife, Christel, is going to study for International Qualified Teacher Status, teaching five-to elevenyear-olds. We wish them both all the luck, joy, and happiness in the world on their international adventure.

MISS COX

RUTH CHEESMAN

Ruth joined Exeter School in September 2014 and very quickly set extremely high standards in her position as Careers Advisor. In the eight years she has been here, it is no exaggeration to say that she has completely revolutionised the role and truly made the position her own, and either greatly enhanced or masterminded events that we should not, but may have come to, take for granted.

Amongst many things, she was instrumental in developing our L6 Futures programme, careers conference, creative and quirky activities as part of Futures Week, and, always looking for a new and exciting project, introducing a creative careers evening to complement the wonderful careers convention. More recently, Ruth has taken on the additional role of leading our higher education programme, working with a range of colleagues to provide a huge amount of guidance and advice on UCAS, gap-year and apprenticeship applications. I know that, like me this year, heads of house must owe her a huge debt of gratitude for this alone.

Added to all this is a huge range of assemblies, tutor activities, questionnaires, advertisements of opportunities, websites, webinars, and many other things that I will undoubtedly have missed.

Last but not least,

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PEOPLE: ADIEUX

however, are her countless hours of patient, high-quality one to one guidance; I’m sure we can all think of many a time when we have seen her deep in discussion with a pupil in the library or 6F centre, giving them her undivided attention and the full benefit of her wise advice and very experienced guidance.

Maths isn’t my forte, but I estimate that there must be a good thousand alumni out there who have been safely stewarded through Ruth’s careers care and who are no doubt the better for it, whatever their current walk of life, thanks to the valuable and life-changing contributions that she has made to their pathways beyond these walls.

I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that you have been an absolute pleasure to work with, and that you will be sorely missed. Thank you for everything and we all wish you the very best of luck for the future.

MR CHU

MA X GILLARD

It's time to bid a fond farewell to someone that has left an indelible mark on the pupils, staff, and community of Exeter School. Despite having only joined the team in September, it feels like Mr Gillard has always been here! He rapidly made himself an indispensable member of the PE department with his infectious enthusiasm and energy. Max created an atmosphere where pupils felt at ease and excited to engage in physical activities. His ability to find humour in any situation has endeared him to both pupils and colleagues alike.

He has been instrumental driving Exeter School football forward, coaching seniors and juniors to the highest standards.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Max for the passion and inspiration he brought into the lives of pupils at Exeter School.

MR JONES

W

FRED SMITH 80 The Exonian 2023

TINA GUTHRIE

T

ina started with us as a full-time teacher of music in the junior school in January, 2015. She had previously had a truly portfolio teaching career; in the practice room and the classroom, in state and independent schools, and in both the secondary and primary sector as a head of music. We are fortunate that she brought all this experience with her to share with Exeter School over the last nine years. Tina has been Head of Music in the junior school, as well as teaching the Third and Fourth Form. She also ran the junior choir, junior singers, junior orchestra,

O2 Fred Smith joined Exeter School in August 2007 as the School Staff Instructor (SSI) for the CCF and has seen many changes within the school, the CCF and the MOD. Mr Smith’s role has been more varied than a lot of people will realise. Mr Smith has worked under three contingent commanders and two heads. He’s worked with 5 Navy section commanders, 4 Army and 3 RAF as well as around 40 different section officers. He has issued uniform to over 1000 cadets at Exeter School and multiple replacement berets in some cases. A CCF unit cannot function without the support of a good SSI and Mr Smith has seen a major expansion in the CCF, making the unit one of the largest in

middle school choir and the sixth form girls’ choir Belles Canto. With her characteristic flair for good repertoire choice and insistence on the highest standards possible, she has led the music at weekly chapels and assemblies, overseen the performers at the informal concert series over the years, at the senior school chamber concerts, and their Christmas, National Trust and WaterAid concerts, as well as performances in Manhattan, Slovenia, Budapest, Salzburg and Barcelona on the biennial music tours.

The annual junior school carol service exemplifies her significant contribution to the teaching profession. I have learned much from her energy, and organisation, great teamwork and patience, looking after the children as individuals with kindness and care. It is a rare and special thing in education, to witness a full-length musical spectacular performed, from memory, by 200 happy, colourful, buzzing, singing children. These exciting and high quality events have always been wonderful and memorable musical experiences for all.

MR TAMBLYN

the country.

Working in the CCF stores, he not only issues uniform and equipment to make sure CCF goes smoothly each week. He also liaises with external instructors, MOD officers, plans trips, books training areas… the list goes on. Mr Smith has run the school shooting club including as a senior games option, staff shooting competitions and team sprint competitions. He was able to advise on the construction of the range in 2014 and his round through the polo competition has near-mythical status.

Another of his roles has been maintaining the school minibus fleet which is often taken for granted but keeps the hundreds of trips rolling out each year. Many pupils will know

JENNY NIGHTINGALE

Despite only being with us for a year, Rev Nightingale has had such a positive impact on the Exeter School community and we will be very sad to see her go.

Her consistently cheerful demeanour and excellent sense of humour make Rev Nightingale a great addition to any event, and her attendance at the 3F and L5 residential trips this year was especially appreciated! We have valued her words of wisdom in assembly time and her creative approach to morning chapel too, and it is always a pleasure to bump into Rev Nightingale and her lovely dog Mila out and about around school. Also very importantly, she has also shown us that having to wear a dog collar need not cramp your sense of style! We are so grateful to Rev Nightingale for all the energy and enthusiasm she has invested in the school this year and wish her all the very best for the next chapter of her life back in Bournemouth.

MISS ROSE

LYDIA VEASEY

In the short while Lydia was with us she made a big impact. Working across the marketing, admissions and alumni departments as external relations officer, she very quickly made the role her own, adeptly switching from desk to desk depending on the day.

Lydia has a great talent for the technical elements of the role, becoming an undisputed expert on Cognito forms and open event sign ups. She has a creative mind which was put to good use when organising events for both the admissions and alumni offices with particular mention to the Devon County Show stand where her planning skills really were showcased.

Thank you for your hard work Lydia; we wish you the best of luck for the future.

MRS WILLIAMS

him from his patrols on the field, blowing the whistle at the end of lunch and for picking out uniform offenders.

Fred Smith has been an unsung hero of Exeter School for the past 16 years and we wish him a long and happy retirement in which he hopes to spend more time with his family and grandchildren.

DR SMALE

KATE WRIGHT

A

fter six energy-packed years of sporting prowess, we bid farewell to Kate Wright, our esteemed junior school Head of Sport. Throughout her time with us, Kate has left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the pupils she has inspired. From the moment she joined the junior school, her transformative energy breathed new life into our games lessons, extracurricular activities and fixtures. With unwavering determination and infectious zeal, she has made a wide range of sports accessible and enjoyable for every pupil, reshaping and raising standards across the field.

Kate's achievements during her tenure are nothing short of extraordinary. Her relentless pursuit of excellence has prioritised virtues such as resilience and exceptional teamwork. Regardless of the magnitude of success, or the age of the pupil, Kate has ensured that every accomplishment is cherished and commemorated. Her dedication to recognising and nurturing the potential within each child, regardless of their ability, is a testament to her remarkable character.

Kate’s ability to inspire and motivate as a coach and mentor has enabled many an athlete to reach new heights in the sporting arena and depths in the swimming pool. Through her unwavering belief in their

abilities, she instils within them a sense of confidence and self-belief that will forever remain etched in their hearts.

The countless medals and trophies proudly displayed throughout our school and children’s homes serve as a testament to Kate's exceptional coaching and motivational skills as well as a lot of hard work and enjoyment from the children in her care.

Even during the challenging period of lockdown, Kate remained steadfast. She effortlessly transitioned into the digital realm, conducting awe-inspiring online yoga sessions and even creating her own YouTube channel.

Her guidance through yoga and high-energy workouts provided much-needed solace and serenity during uncertain times. Her commitment to the well-being of our pupils and staff is testament to her compassion and her ability to bring a smile to so many faces.

Yet it is not solely Kate's professional achievements that have endeared her to us.

Her unwavering positivity, kindness, and genuine care for each and every child and adult has fostered an environment of warmth and support. Kate has consistently taken the time to inquire about well-being, genuinely listened to our stories, and brightened our days with her infectious laughter, brilliant accents, and radiant smile. As she departs, an undeniable void remains, and we shall miss her immensely.

Thank you, Kate, for being an extraordinary teacher, leader, friend, colleague, and inspiring mentor. Your dedication and passion for sports have inspired countless pupils and will continue to leave a lasting legacy within our junior school.

MRS HARDY & MRS HANDLEY

The Exonian 2023 81

E XO N I A N PUZ ZL ES Anagrams

Try and guess the answers to these school-related anagrams,

Dingbats

How many dingbats can you get? These aren’t school related.

Battered flu hill Try hag soap Geese hunt moi Cosy leach riot Say depth due

Spot the difference

There are 10 differences and three bonuses. See how many you can get.

For extra points see if you can work out the subject and which classroom this is.

Scan here for the answers

Crossword Across

3. The year the school was founded 5. A statue of a blue...

6. B............ Hall

Across

1. Upper school play 2023 2. Maths cat 4. Funk and swing gives...

5. Canto ............

82 The Exonian 2023

The Exonian 2023 83

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