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Highclare School
2016
Achieving Individual Excellence
AUTUMN ISSUE
Welcome to the Autumn Issue The referendum decision for the UK to leave the EU is possibly the most significant domestic democratic event in my own lifetime. There is a lot of economic uncertainty at the moment but one thing remains clear for me about our future prosperity. This is that our prosperity continues to depend on our own ability to produce goods and services, with lots of added value, that customers in places all around the world want to buy from us. This is the case now and will always be the case, regardless of the trading environment that exists. Highclare School’s contribution to this is to educate young men and women to be able not only to go out and take up a productive role but also to have the values to enable them to be good citizens too. This holistic approach to education is something in which we strongly believe. We are changing the world, one child at a time. I am always reminded of this when I hear how well our pupils have done when they step out of their comfort zone and into a less familiar environment. Take, for example, 8 young men from our U5 (Year 11) and L6 who recently spent a week of their half term on a work experience programme with the company Hollywood Monster – a graphic design business. Under the auspices of the Mindshop Excellence programme, facilitated by one of our parents, Mr Jason Langford-Brown, the boys spent the week information gathering, brainstorming, mind-mapping, goal setting and flow charting their way to a presentation to the company bosses on their last day. They were asked to come up with real solutions to a series of real problems presented to them. It was a fantastic opportunity, which I know the boys benefitted from enormously. Thank you to Mr LangfordBrown, all at Mindshop Excellence and all concerned at Hollywood Monster for making it happen and for making the boys feel so welcome.
I wish you all a peaceful and restful Christmas and New Year break. I look forward to welcoming you all back to school in January, fully refreshed for the busy term ahead. Best wishes Dr R Luker Headmaster
Senior School Speech Night
The Guest Speaker at Highclare Senior School Prize Giving was the Revd Dr Rob Marshall, a current contributor to Radio 4’s Thought for the Day. Dr Marshall entertained parents, pupils and staff with his insight into faith in a digital age, an area in which he has formed a particular interest, having recently completed a doctorate on the impact of digital media on the radio audience and what a broadcaster must bear in mind when taking to the microphone! He was then invited to present prizes to a number of pupils who were given awards in all areas of the curriculum including music, sport, art and, of course, academic achievement. Headmaster Dr Richard Luker also congratulated pupils, past and present, on their excellent efforts and academic results during the last academic year, and gave a resume of the school’s achievements and successes including the excellent external examination results at both A level and GCSE. Pupils gave performances in music and drama and the school’s Rhapsody Choir concluded proceedings with their version of Sing by Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber, which was warmly received by their audience.
Creative Writing Competition In it’s second year, the English Writing Competition, hosted by Highclare School, saw 83 entries from a variety of local junior schools. Pupils were invited to write a poem about a significant place. The winner was Isobel Parkes from Four Oaks Primary School who received the Highclare Junior School Writers Trophy. Her poem was entitled A Winter Wonderland. The top 3 winners received a book token and all participants received a certificate presented by Dr Luker at a presentation evening in the Senior School.