Michaelmas 2023 Christmas

Dear Parents, After a hugely busy and successful term, Christmas has finally arrived. The last few weeks have been fullon, even by Hurst’s standards, with the ISI Inspection putting additional strain on pupils and staff during Michaelmas Exam week. Yet everyone has rallied and the final few days of term were fantastic, with a wonderful series of Nativities, Carol Services and festive celebrations. This Newsletter gives you a flavour of what your children have been up to. I wonder if you can guess which member of staff dressed up as Father Christmas for the pupils in Reception?!

The celebrations at the end of term also gave us the opportunity to say a heartfelt goodbye and thank you to Tim Manly, who steps down as Principal at Christmas. With typical humility he has chosen to avoid the limelight and fade out without a fuss, but the brief valedictory report contained in this Newsletter is, I hope, a fitting tribute to a man who has had a huge impact on all of us here at Hurst. On behalf of everyone here at the College, I would like to wish Tim and his family the most wonderful of Christmases, and extend the same best wishes to you and your families.

Dominic Mott

Tim Manly - Valete The last day of term marked the end of Tim Manly’s 19 year tenure at the helm of Hurstpierpoint College. Staff and Governors have all had their chance to thank him for his service and bid him farewell, and the Senior School pupils gave him the most incredible send-off at our final Assembly of term in the Chapel. It started with a tribute from some of the Upper Sixth who joined Hurst in Tim’s early years. Their heartfelt words led to a standing ovation that raised the roof of the Chapel for minutes on end, before Tim led the school for his very last Itinerarium service. So although he himself is somewhat uncomfortable with the attention, it is only fitting that we mark his departure with a few thoughts here so that you as parents can be part of our celebration of Tim’s leadership of Hurst.

Since joining Hurst in January 2005, the school has been completely transformed by a man who will be remembered as one of the finest Headmasters of his generation. With a clear and ambitious vision for the College, and the energy, dynamism and charisma to make it a reality, Tim has grown and improved Hurst almost beyond recognition – yet without losing a sense of the very special culture that underpins a Hurst education and embodies the Hurst culture.

Over the course of Tim’s time as Headmaster, and then latterly as Principal, the College’s numbers have more than doubled; over £50m has been invested in the campus, with landmark buildings such as the Academic Quad, the New Bury Theatre, and Pelican House; and pupil outcomes have seen stratospheric improvements, whether in the classroom, on stage, or on the sports fields where Hurst has become a case study in how to maximise participation and engagement for all pupils whilst still competing at the very highest level.

Perhaps most importantly, the outstanding academic achievements of Hurst pupils in recent years are testament to the work that he has done over almost two decades to overhaul the curriculum, embed the concept of Challenge Grades, recruit and develop a hugely talented and committed body of teaching staff, and create an ambitious academic culture where every child is able to reach their potential and achieve their personal best. None of this success happens by chance. Instead, it is the product of an outstanding leader who has devoted over half of his career to Hurst.

Many of you have been part of that journey over the years. For those of you who were Hurst parents at the time, Tim's leadership of Hurst during the COVID lockdown gave us continuous online teaching and learning of the highest quality, as well as reassurance via the online messages each week to parents. That weekly contact with parents with the invitation to respond on any issues of concern was instrumental in ensuring that Hurst emerged as strong as ever and was hugely well received. Many of you will have chosen Hurst for your children because of Tim Manly himself. And now, all of you continue to choose Hurst because of what he has built.

Whilst you may no longer see him cycling around the campus on match days or manning the bar in the New Bury Theatre, your children will continue to benefit from the remarkable school that he leaves behind. As he pivots away from the College towards the Hurst Education Trust he leaves behind the most enduring legacy. I am sure that you will all join me in thanking him for all that he has done and in wishing him the very best for the future.

Floreat Hurst.

Christmas at Hurst The Advent celebrations at Hurst started with the Advent Carol service on the first Sunday in December. The service began with the sixteenth century ‘Matin Responsory’ adapted from the ‘Magnificat’ by Palestrina, after which the Choir processed during

Advent Procession

the traditional carol ‘O come, O come, Emmanuel’. The service unfolded telling the story of the incarnation, interspersed with

‘Pick ‘N’ Mix’ Dance Showcase

further choral music and congregational carols.

The Dance department put on a spectacular set of performances last week in the annual ‘Pick ‘N’ Mix’ showcase, an adaptation of Matthew Bourne's ‘The Nutcracker’, a classic Christmas Ballet.

Pupils from Shell to Upper Sixth performed a variety of dance styles, even including work from our Street Dance groups, with some impressive routines to revamped and modernised versions

‘Pick ‘N’ Mix’ Dance Showcase

of the original ‘Nutcracker’ score.

The Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children gave a fantastic performance of their Nativity, ‘Born in a Barn.’ The story was told from the point of view of the stable animals, who wake up to the arrival of baby Jesus. The Year 2 children impressed with their confident and expressive storytelling as the animals, while Year 1 and Reception classes sparkled with their beautiful dancing and singing as shepherds and angels. The children sang each number with gusto in front of their parents and siblings in the beautifully decorated Chapel.

With the gentle notes of the ‘Prince Of Peace’ echoing around the Chapel, alongside the rousing chorus of the ‘Nightwatchers’,

‘Born in a Barn ‘ - Reception to Year 2

this year’s Nativity from Year 3 and 4 told the traditional story through a spectacle of songs and solos. The pupils sang with an energy and excitement fit for a newborn king. For many, our Nativity signals the start of the festive season and this year’s performance, set against the backdrop of stained-glass windows and twinkling tree lights, was a delightful way to bring our community together.

‘Prince of Peace’ - Year 3 and 4 Last Sunday, the Senior Prep School Chamber Choir joined the Chairman of Mid-Sussex District Council for his annual Carol service at Holy Trinity Church in Hurstpierpoint. It was a great way to support our local community and another opportunity for the pupils to sing outside of the school services.

Prep School Chamber Choir

Reception to Year 4 took part in the annual Reindeer Run to raise money for St Catherine’s Hospice. Donning their antlers, they took part in a vigorous Zumba warm-up before running laps of the astro to festive Christmas classics. Our Reception to Year 2 children were thrilled to meet a very special visitor on the final day of term.

Father Christmas and his elf visited each class to listen to their

JPS Reindeer Run A Visit from Santa

Christmas wishes, give everyone a present and wish them all a very merry Christmas.

Around 900 pupils set off in between showers of rain on the Christmas Cross Country and Santa Runs, covering 6km and 3km around the campus. The course was somewhat muddy to say the least but the children and staff gave it their best and returned

Cross Country and Santa Run

exhausted, if rather filthy!

The JPS and SPS Carol Service marked the end of term and the start of the Christmas holidays. In the evening, the Chapel was filled with pupils and parents from St John’s for the traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols. A beautiful way to hear the age-old story, to listen to the Choir, and to join in the singing of carols.

On the final days of term, all of the pupils from Reception to Year 8 as well as those in the Senior School enjoyed their respective Christmas lunches after a festive Congo. There was a super

Christmas Lunch

atmosphere in the dining hall and we were treated to live music from Mr Travers and his brass ensemble.

On the last day of term, the Day and Boarding Houses had their own services of Nine Lessons and Carols, which made for a busy two days for our Senior School choristers. The Choir consisting of pupils of all year groups sung beautifully, and a particular highlight

Senior School Carol Service

amongst many Carols, traditional and new, was Joanna Forbes L‘Estrange’s ‘A Present for the Future’.

As the words of the Christmas blessing sounded one last time this term, pupils, parents and staff can look back on a fitting start of the Christmas celebrations, and a well-deserved rest over the next couple of weeks.

JPS and SPS Carol Service

Fundraising Crescent took on the Challenge of Cycling the length of Zambia to raise money for Cameron's Orphanage. Every student from the House took part with each year group

Crescent Cycling Challenge Red Cross Charity Initiative

spending an hour keeping ten spin bikes rolling to ensure we met our target in the four hour window. A phenomenal £6,000 was raised and the charity has already managed to begin construction of their new classroom building, giving another 50 - 100 young orphans the opportunity to receive an education in the Mkushi.

Martlet House have collected clothes for ‘Off The Fence’ a homeless charity based in Brighton. They delivered over 20 bags full of excellent condition clothes and the charity was delighted - a heartfelt thank you to all those who so kindly donated. Red Cross is also raising money for the same charity

Mighty Martlet Football Charity Match

with ‘buzz cuts’ for pupils and staff dependent upon certain milestones in donations being reached as follows: £10,000 - Head of College ‘buzz cut’ £7,500 - Whole house 'buzz cut' £5,000 - Lower Sixth 'buzz cut' £2,000 - A few more lads get ‘buzzed’

✅ £1,000 - RTW to dye his hair green ✅ £1,500 - House Captain 'buzz cut'

Mighty Martlet Football Charity Match

✅

At the time of writing, over £4,500 has been donated which is incredible but there is still time to see Mr Mott with a new haircut if you wish to donate by end of play Monday 18 December. You can donate here.

Martlet hosted a Boy’s House Charity Football tournament which saw the Dad’s team ‘take it home’. All proceeds went to ‘Movember’, and raised over £300.

Staff members Martyn Woodhead and Lewis Jones have embarked on the Advent Kilometre in aid of Brave Mind, a charity which promotes positive mental health in rugby players and will result in them running over 300k throughout the month of December. Please donate here.

Mr Jones and Mr Woodhead