The Standard - Autumn Term 2019

THE STANDARD

The John Lyon School Magazine | AUTUMN TERM 2019

The CCF Edition plus

John Lyon hosts its first TEDx talks U14s prove the pick of the Football season

CONTENTS 1

John Lyon CCF: A force to be reckoned with

2

Future engineers excel guided by world leaders All-rounders shine on exam results day

3

The French experience of WW2 explored by GCSE language students

4

The annual Spanish Word Challenge Year 7 drone coding day

5

John Lyon Cadets stand to attention after almost half a century

6

Physics trip to CERN All the fun of the fair as leading universities roll into town

7

The John Lyon 2019 Remembrance Poem

8

John Lyon TEDx talks present our Earth to a global audience

10

Christmas Concert The hills are alive with the sound of singing...

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... This Hill is alive with the sound of singing too

12

The Prince returns in Middle Road Theatre sequel Actor Elliot Cowan visits John Lyon

13

The wider world beckons for John Lyon artists New Art Department ‘hang plan’

14

Tiny artworks turn a huge profit for School’s chosen charity

15

Healthy hearts the focus at playground pop-up Expanded Safeguarding team

16

Truth and confectionary collide as the Library marks literary days The John Lyon Kitchen 5* hygiene award

17

Charity begins very close to home as pupils work for hospital charity

18

New Robotics Club members get tips from the UK’s best Year 7 Harry Beynon talks about this love of dance

19

Year 8s ride the CREST of a wave with record numbers achieving STEM award

20

The Standard long read: The John Lyon School CCF

22

U14s shine on the pitch as 1st XI claim some big scalps

23

House Cross Country crown retained by Butler with stand-out junior performances

24

John Lyon Golf ace helps scoop prestigious trophy for Middlesex John Lyon sports shirts donated to refugee and migrant support organisation

25

Thrilling final sees U14s crowned Harrow Badminton champions

26

New John Lyon CCF brings Mess Dinner to the table

Front cover: Rohan Card (10MRF) tries his best to blend in

www.johnlyon.org/values

John Lyon CCF: A force to be reckoned with If you were to look at a list of all the UK’s noted independent schools, you would notice how few are actually named after their Founder. How very privileged we are as a School to carry the name John Lyon.

In late September, the whole school gathered to commemorate Founder’s Day in St Mary’s Church, the location of John Lyon’s tomb, a service at which I am always honoured to speak, as pictured above.

We greatly value our heritage, with our unique and intriguing history, as we draw nearer to our 145th birthday in 2021.

Having seen the cover of this edition of The Standard, with a camouflaged Cadet, it will probably come as no surprise if I tell you we are especially keen to talk about the rebirth of one of our great traditions, the John Lyon School Combined Cadet Force. This is a proud moment in time!

After a hiatus of 43 years without our own Combined Cadet Force, and having benefited in recent years from being part of Harrow School’s CCF Contingent, we now have our own independent CCF again, continuing a tradition which began here in 1911. As you’ll read in the news pages, our boys have been very busy taking part in Cadet training, learning fieldcraft, enjoying competitions and being away at camps; all very much a feature for early Cadets.

Until 2010, four decades’ worth of John Lyon boys never had the chance to wear a CCF uniform with the John Lyon lion. I’m fully confident that our 2019 relaunched Combined Cadet Force will become a force to be reckoned with. And I am equally sure that John Lyon himself would be very proud.

Miss Katherine Haynes, Head breadth of life and success here on Middle Road and on the pitches of Sudbury Fields.

We had also hoped to report news of our recent school inspection, which is taking place as I write, but our report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate will be published after this goes to print.

One thing I can say is that during the inspection every boy did himself and the School proud.

I wish you all the joy of the festive season.

As ever there is much more for you to see in these pages, covering the great Autumn Term 2019

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Future engineers excel guided by world leaders A-Level students looked ahead to possible scientific careers at a special Engineering Your Future event at the renowned Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire In a day of practical learning alongside students from schools across the country in July, Niale Emmanuel (U6ND) and Edward Benjamin's (U6ND) team designed the fastest and the most cost-effective solar powered car; Akaash Mogantas (U6KML) and Ygor Colmerauer’s (U6ND) team was the only one of all attendees to manage to instruct a robot to follow strict instructions without malfunction; and Yusuf Abdulrahman (U6KML), Akaash Mogantas and Edward Benjamin’s team came top in building the strongest and the

cheapest foundation for a wind turbine.

The boys also had contact time with a number of top engineering firms to discuss degree sponsorships.

Priitivi Ravi (U6ND) said: “The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is a world-leading centre for research in the physical and life sciences, and we were able to see how scientists are able to measure the properties of materials at an atomic level, which was very fascinating to learn about. In terms of career choices, it gave me an insight into what I could

Omar Mustafa (U6ND) and Priitivi Ravi (U6ND) get to grips with wind turbines in the challenging day at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

potentially do as a software developer which is also very appealing to those who like to work towards new research and scientific discoveries.”

All-rounders shine on exam results day A-Level and GCSE results rewarded boys for their hard work, dedication and commitment to wider School life Results day proved successful for outgoing Year 11 and Upper Sixth students, with overall results placing John Lyon within the top 20 boys’ schools nationally at both A-Level and GCSE. Individual successes once again showed a great commitment to study as well as pursuits beyond the classroom.

Asher Weisz (OL2019) achieved A*A*A* whilst captaining the School’s debating team and is now reading Classics at Balliol College, Oxford. Arjun Cheema (OL2019) gained A*A*A*A whilst mentoring children in a local primary school as part of the Sixth Form’s community service programme and is now reading Chemistry at Wadham College, Oxford. Alex Richardson (OL2019) earned A*AAA, completed his Duke 2

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of Edinburgh’s Gold Award and is now studying Computing at Imperial. Dhiren Harji (OL2019) achieved A*A*AB whilst teaching boys in a local primary school and is now reading Economics at Warwick.

Yenuson Venderkoon (OL2019) gained A*AAB, coached the Year 10 Water Polo team and is also studying Economics at Warwick. Nathan Cuttica (OL2019) earned AAA whilst also making an outstanding contribution to the dramatic life of the School, and is now reading Philosophy at St Andrews.

At GCSE Yuvraj Dhunna (L6PWM) achieved eight 9 grades, an A* in his Higher Project Qualification (HPQ) and a rare A** in Further Mathematics whilst also being an exceptional artist and accomplished musician; Kareem Shurafa (L6PWM) achieved eight 9 grades, an A* in his HPQ and A** in Further Mathematics whilst also regularly appearing in School productions; Nicholas Berezovsky (L6LH) achieved eight 9/8 grades whilst also gaining grade 8 violin

John Lyon Head Katherine Haynes, said: “It’s especially pleasing to see what so many of these boys have achieved outside the classroom. While we know the timetabled curriculum is at the heart of what we do, there is so much to explore and participate in beyond that.”

in Year 10 and spending much of his GCSE year taking part in the LCO Music Junction project, mentoring primary school children; Rayaan Bhatti (L6TCF) achieved nine 9/8 grades and Aryan Sutaria (L6TCF) seven 9/8 grades whilst both being integral members of the School’s 1st XI Cricket squad, which won the county cup this summer.

The French experience of WW2 explored

by GCSE language students The visit to L’Institut Français in South Kensington proved both informative and reflective for Fares Shehata (llNGA), Anish Kumar (11TM) and David Pruteanu (11TM)

Twenty of us studying French in Year 11 visited L’Institut Français with Mrs Ranee Sallet and Miss Fiona Easton to learn more about World War Two in France.

First, we researched different facts about French wartime leaders and the French Resistance in the large library located

in the institute, called La Médiathèque.

We then played a game related to our research, with pupils from other schools attending the event, and we managed to come in third place. To end, we watched a French film, Au Revoir les Enfants, in the on-site film theatre. The film is based on a

GCSE French students and Miss Fiona Easton gather outside L’Institut Français

true story about a young boy in a Catholic school during the war, who meets a Jewish boy hiding from the German army. Overall, the trip was enjoyable and very beneficial.

We learned a lot about the history and culture of France. C’était très divertissant et on s’est bien amusé.

Nathan Cuttica (OL2019) celebrates with his mum and dad immediately after opening his results

Asher Weisz (OL2019) and Arjun Cheema (OL2019) show each other the grades that earned them both a place at Oxford

Benjamin Weisz (L6LH) and Kareem Shurafa (L6PWM) compare grades in a busy New Memorial Hall Autumn Term 2019

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Racheith Rajan (7ADH), Oliver Scott (7ADH), Ravi Gurjar (7JOC), Rayyan Hasan (7JOC), Sumit Tamada (7EM), Abishan Suthakaran (7EM) and Maan Sheth (7EM) all scored very high marks

The annual sponsored Spanish Word Challenge has been mastered by tres estudiantes inteligentes.

Ravi Gurjar (7JOC), Shaan Pau (7EM) and Sumit Tamada (7EM) turned in 100% answer sheets for the vocab test, which was taken by all Year 7 boys in

November. A host of other boys scored incredibly high scores above 90%, correctly knowing the Spanish words for days of the week, school subjects, useful objects and animals.

A huge thank you to Sumit Tamada and Dhyan Sharma (7JOC) who each raised £200 and to Bobby Patel (7ADH) who raised £100.

As ever, the word challenge doubled as a charity sponsorship event and between them the Year 7s raised more than £1,000.

The airspace was cleared as new Year 7 pupils got their hands on a set of drones.

Krish Patani (7EM), Hishaam Raja (7EM) and Sumeet Shah (7EM) concentrate on their drone having programmed it to perform a number of tasks

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The drone coding day in the Boyd Campbell Hall saw boys given the chance to learn coding skills by programming a set of drones, before using them to solve a series of challenges.

Head of Digital Learning Dr Jack Honeysett, said: “Right at the start of their John Lyon education it was good to be able to give our Year 7s an exciting experience, which will go a long way to help develop the digital skills they will need as they progress through the School.”

In a nutshell, everything in the CCF comes back to developing leadership, teamwork, discipline, confidence, life skills and respect. Everything you do you learn to appreciate what you can do better.You learn to respect yourself and other people.

Cadet Jack Rapp (11NGA) receives instruction at the Harrow School rifle range

John Lyon Cadets stand to attention after almost half a century A huge drive to reintroduce the wealth of activities and benefits of CCF for John Lyon boys has seen the School re-form its own independent contingent

Led by Teacher of Classics and CCF Contingent Commander Lt John Blenkinsop and assisted with the appointment of Flt Lt Lorraine Mann as School Staff Instructor, the Cadet Force was relaunched in Spring Term 2019 as a standalone unit, with an exciting partnership with Pinner High School and affiliated to Army Reserve Unit, 131 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers.

This follows eight years during which John Lyon boys were able to take part in CCF alongside Harrow School, to whom we are grateful.

Following this year’s soft launch, John Lyon’s own CCF will become fully operational in January 2020, when it is hoped 150 John Lyon boys and 30 pupils from Pinner High will become Cadets. 2019 has seen 24 Year 11 and Lower Sixth students train to become

Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), taking part in an ever-increasing number of training sessions, activities, camps and STEM-related events and gaining valuable skills as set out in the CCF Basic and Advanced syllabuses, learning to march, how to wear uniform properly, outdoor pursuits, marksmanship, leadership and navigation, to name a few.

As well as regular sessions on the School site, Cadets have had great opportunities to put theory into practice and gain inspiration from Cadets in schools with long-established CCFs. A summer camp included obstacle courses, kayaking, a military skills competition and live firing marksmanship shooting, in which Cadet David Self (11CAB) was named best novice shooter. Organisers of the prestigious Guthrie Cup, competed for by only the very best school CCFs, extended an invitation to John Lyon, with our boys achieving a 4th place in fitness and 5th in observation. A week-long Junior NCO Cadre taught leadership skills. A national STEM challenge delivered by some of the Army’s leading STEM specialists gave boys the chance to see some of the most high-tech military equipment in the world.

And the Harrow Fieldcraft Camp helped consolidate some of the knowledge

Cadet Aryan Pande (11CJC) gets to grips with some military hardware

learned over eight intensive months of learning.

The benefits have been clear. Cadet Aryan Pande (11CJC) said: “In a nutshell, everything in the CCF comes back to developing leadership, teamwork, discipline, confidence, life skills and respect. Everything you do you learn to appreciate what you can do better.

You learn to respect yourself and other people.”

For more about the John Lyon CCF visit www.johnlyon.org/CCF Autumn Term 2019

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The FrancoSwiss border was once again the location for Upper Sixth physicists during Autumn half term.

Excellence Team Leader Dr Florence Weinberg and Head of Chemistry Mr Nicholas Arratoon prove that interactive displays aren’t just for students, alongside Toby Newton (U6SOM)

A private tour of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, better known as CERN, was the highlight of a whistle-stop visit to Geneva.

The largest particle physics laboratory in the world once again welcomed John Lyon students, keen to learn more about the work of the vast facility, famed for its particle accelerator and the search for the Higgs boson ‘God Particle’.

All the fun of the fair as leading universities roll into town The annual University Fair saw hundreds of students from John Lyon and five other schools learn more about life after school, Careers Advisor Mrs Marion Harper writes This year proved to be our biggest to date. With over 30 universities, including many from London, such as UCL, SOAS, King’s, LSE and Royal Holloway, some of the leading institutions from across the country, including Warwick, Bath, Cardiff, Sheffield, Nottingham and Exeter, and international representation from Canada and Spain, there were many opportunities for students from John Lyon and five other local schools to learn more about 6

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university life and studies.

It was also really encouraging to welcome a good number of apprenticeship companies and some large firms that offer school leaver programmes, graduate schemes and degree apprenticeships to those looking for a path different from a traditional university undergraduate degree course.

The chance to learn more from big name organisations, including the Civil Service, CBRE, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Royal Air Force, the Bank of England, City & Guilds, Amazing Apprenticeships and White Hat Apprenticeships, proved invaluable.

Break-out sessions away from the main

hall saw group sessions on the Oxbridge application process and life at Cambridge given by John Lyon English Teacher Ms Lucy Aitchison, and information about student finance and international universities.

Across the event as a whole, the range of information available was fantastic and students from John Lyon and the five other schools really took the opportunity to ask lots of searching questions. Many said there was a real ‘buzz’ and they found the afternoon very useful, going away feeling they have a clearer idea of where they may want to go and what they may wish to do after school.

The John Lyon 2019 Remembrance Poem Propaganda, Dylan Ireland (9PS) The guns are humming in their cradled graves, The monotonous drums end in a flash, A flash that sears and tears all in its path, This is not the proud war for your Country.

Pupils and teachers stood together in silence as the School remembered the fallen on Armistice Day

As the young children charge helplessly to their shrouds, They are not blinded by the lies they used to believe before the war.

This is not the ‘picnic’ they were promised.

When the men peek up out of their burrows, And see the stacks of men that lie quiet, Even those they are supposed to hate, They do not feel that this is glorious.

All feel the bite and sting of senseless death, None more so than those they leave behind.

This is not the victory they had envisioned.

Wreaths were laid by the Head on behalf of the School and OLA President Mr Paul Matarewicz on behalf of the Old Lyonian Association

Julian Smith (U6REM) talks to a representative from Coventry University Autumn Term 2019

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All 13 speakers plus event organiser Dr Florence Weinberg gather around the iconic TEDx logo

John Lyon TEDx talks present our Earth to a global audience TEDxJohnLyonSchool saw pupils, teachers and esteemed subject experts explore our Earth, its place in the universe, the beauty and power of our world, the landscapes and environments that shape our daily lives, the nations and tribes that label and define us, and solutions to some of the problems facing humanity Hosted in the Boyd Campbell Hall in October, 13 speakers, including a 12-year-old pupil, an expert on the Big Bang and a mountaineer who has stood on top of the world, talked with passion and positivity about how we can effect change to help the future of the Earth as well as to help us, the people who are lucky enough to call this Earth our home.

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Seven John Lyon pupils, Jai Davison (8JNL), Varun Valentine (10AJF), Tanvir Handa (9PS), Dhiren Mahajan (10CEP), Husain Abedi (U6CKL), Rishi Luthra (U6MEW) and Ashil Shah (L6TCF), were joined by three teachers, Mrs Maria Trafford, Mr Joshua Carr and Dr Morgan White, and three other experts, astronomer Chris Crowe, mountaineer Matt Dickinson and interfaith and communications professional Zaki Cooper.

experience. TEDxJohnLyonSchool was created and put together over a number of months by John Lyon teachers Dr Florence Weinberg and Mrs Maria Trafford, as part of the John Lyon Excellence Programme, which provides an opportunity for all boys, no matter their academic ability or age, to maximise their potential to learn and to discover their passion.

Subjects covered under the central theme of Earth were varied: from extraterrestrials to bees, and from alchemy to faith, all delivered from memory without any use of notes.

TEDx events, including TEDxJohnLyonSchool are held in front of a live audience, but also filmed and then hosted on the TED website and watched by many thousands of people across the globe.

TEDx is an offshoot of the world-famous TED, created to be a programme of local, self-organised events that bring people together in the spirit of ‘ideas worth spreading’ to share a TED-like

Having prepared their talks for many weeks, learning their scripts from memory, the TEDxJohnLyonSchool speakers were thrilled at having taken part in such a high-profile and prestigious event.

The challenge of learning public speaking as a new skill and being in awe of John Lyon boys who seemed so confident and resilient at such a young age will be the memories I take away from TEDx.

Tanvir Handa, whose talk looked at our use of technology, said: “TEDxJohnLyonSchool was truly a remarkable experience for me, as well as a nervous time in the build-up. This was a very proud moment for me and I hope everyone watching the talks enjoys them and gets motivated to help our planet in some way.”

Rishi Luthra, whose talk focused on how future populations could be housed underwater, said: “Taking part in a TEDx event was not only an enjoyable experience but a chance to share my

Varun Valentine (10AJF) spoke with passion about the importance of pollinators to our planet

Jai Davison (8JNL) was the youngest speaker, aged just 12

interest in property development. Looking to the future and how we live is very important and producing ideas early, such as underwater civilisations, makes us appreciate what we might face.”

Mrs Maria Trafford, whose talk looked at how we always focus on human concerns, said: “The challenge of learning public speaking as a new skill and being in awe of John Lyon boys who seemed so confident and resilient at such a young age will be the memories I take away from TEDx.”

Dr Florence Weinberg added: “Organising TEDx has been a challenging yet my most rewarding experience as a teacher. We worked very hard with the boys, to get them from their initial audition ready for the event itself, but the hard work really paid off as can be seen by the incredible videos that can be seen on YouTube.”

At the time of writing, the TEDxJohnLyonSchool videos have been watched more than 5,000 times.You can see them all at www.johnlyon.org/TEDx

Head Boy Husain Abedi (U6CKL) was positive about the planet’s future, stating: “Yes, We Can!” Autumn Term 2019

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The best-dressed buskers in all of Austria: The Pride of Lyon’s give an outside recital

The hills are alive with the sound of singing…

The start of the summer holiday saw the School’s finest singers tour the musical heart of Austria As both the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for The Sound of Music, Salzburg seemed a fine choice of destination for the John Lyon Motet Choir and Pride of

Lyon’s a capella group in summer 2019.

The five-day trip saw the 26 boys perform three concerts, sing in a church Mass service and give a short outside recital, at venues including the famous Mondsee Abbey. As well as the singing there was a lot of time for sightseeing and enjoying the local cuisine.

Reflecting on the trip, Harsh Hingorani (11CAB) said: “Salzburg is a beautiful and mountainous city, with many beautiful

Salzburg is a beautiful and mountainous city, with many beautiful places of interest which we visited. The music venues were spectacular, and very popular.

places of interest which we visited. The music venues were spectacular, and very popular. One place I really enjoyed was the Stille Nacht Kapelle, the chapel in which Silent Night was composed. It was a small chapel, but it was very interesting to be standing in a famous, historical landmark. Another thing I really enjoyed was travelling on the autobahns, the highways which do not have speed limits.”

The festive season was welcomed with a traditional concert of music and readings for Christmas at the start of December.

Simran Kohli’s (11SGJ) solo in Once in Royal David’s City was one of the highlights of the Christmas Concert.

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Hosted by St George’s Headstone, the concert included congregational carols led by organ and brass as well as works sung by the Motet Choir, Year 7 Choir and Pride of Lyon’s.

Bible readings and poetry were led by pupils, Bursar Mr Michael Gibson and Head Miss Katherine Haynes.

After the concert the Jazz Band played while the audience enjoyed mince pies in the church hall.

Ygor Colmerauer (U6ND) leads from the front alongside (l-r) Julian Smith (U6REM), Douglas Kadhino (10AJF) and Aryan Agarwal (10MRF)

‌This Hill is alive with the sound of singing too A day of House Singing involving every boy in the School proved a fitting end to the first half of Autumn Term, with Vaughan House taking the spoils

The whole day event in October proved to be a great crescendo of song, with competitions for soloists and small groups in the Music Hall before the grand finales of mass chorus singing in the Boyd Campbell Hall.

In the solos competition, the stage belonged to Nameer Al-Tuhafi (L6EMM, Butler), who impressed guest judge and professional singer Gus Perkins Ray with his understated rendition of the jazz classic My Funny Valentine.

In the small group part song competition, a controlled and accurate performance of SS Wesley’s Lead Me, Lord saw Sammy Smith (10AJF), Patrick Colson (11NGA), Liam Velani (U6CKL) and Harsh Hingorani (11CAB) take the spoils for Norwood.

Jai Davison (8JNL) and Madisan Nimalathasan (7JOC) lift the junior song trophy for Vaughan

But it was in the massed choirs that Vaughan House really came into its own, winning in both age categories,Years 7 to 8 and Years 9 to Upper Sixth. In each, Vaughan boys impressed Mr Perkins Ray with their enthusiasm and dedication to the song and the performance, exemplified by Ygor Colmerauer (U6ND) who went on to lift the trophy.

Nameer Al-Tuhafi (L6EMM) impressed the judge with his jazz vocals

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Rafi Smith (10MRF) as Nurse and Matthew Evens (10AJF) as Ollie in Ethan Peters’ The Legacy of the Prince

The Prince returns in Middle Road Theatre sequel Current and Old Lyonians took to the stage as Ethan Peters OL premiered his new play, The Legacy of the Prince

As a sequel to his first full-length play, 2017’s The Arrival of the Prince, the audience was taken back into the mysterious world of Ollie, played by Matthew Evens (10AJF).

Artistic Director of the company I’ve been present at the core of that growth and, in returning to the world of the Prince, I believe the company will show just how much it has matured.

With a small cast of past and present pupils, staged entirely by Lyonians and written and directed by Ethan Peters (OL2016), the two-night performance of The Legacy of the Prince was true to the ethos of Middle Road Theatre, as a company made up predominantly of John Lyon talent.

In his director’s notes, Ethan, who is currently a Graduate Assistant in the Drama Department, wrote: “Two years ago Middle Road Theatre had its first production, The Arrival of the Prince.

It was a major step forward for Drama at John Lyon, marking the beginning of an alumni company that since then has grown from strength to strength. As the

“It has been a joy to watch this cast come together around a play that is, admittedly, a challenging one. They are truly an exceptional group of young actors and, despite the usual ups and downs, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with them.

They have more than risen to the task.”

Theatre, television and film actor, Elliot Cowan, visited John Lyon to speak to Sixth Form students about his life and roles on stage and screen.

The actor, who has credits in films including Alexander and The Golden Compass, in television on shows such as Lost in Austen, Ultimate Force and Peaky Blinders, and has appeared on stage at the National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe and the RSC, visited John Lyon in September.

Lots of notes were taken as Elliot Cowan spoke in detail about the work of an actor in one of the School’s Drama studios

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Adam Zoromba (U6CKL) said: “We were fascinated by Cowan’s honest description of what happens in the early stages of theatrical production, and how intricate details such as the phrasing and toning of words is thoroughly thought through and constantly changing and evolving during a rigorous six-week rehearsal Taking a break from a production of process. We were given a much Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House at the greater depth of understanding about Lyric Theatre, Elliot Cowan spoke to the play whilst also being captivated John Lyon’s Theatre Studies students by the world of a professional about the play and his life as an actor. actor.”

These trips are wonderful days when lots of creative ideas can be explored.

We always look forward to seeing the work that follows.

Lower Sixth Art students explore the urban landscape of Margate

The wider world beckons for John Lyon artists The ‘Art Trip’ remains an invaluable source of inspiration for students, who are regularly given the chance to leave the School site

In Autumn Term, Lower Sixth students visited the artistic hub of Margate in Kent, where they met a professional printmaker, visited the Turner Contemporary gallery

and explored the town’s landscape through photography.

Upper Sixth students arrived early at Tate Britain one morning in September, setting up their easels and practising their sketching.

Head of Art Ms Lorna Hope said: “These trips are wonderful days when lots of creative ideas can be explored. We always look forward to seeing the work that follows.”

Dhanesh Jegatheesan (U6ND) makes the most of an empty Tate Britain

The sheer quantity and quality of artwork being produced by pupils has led to the introduction of a new ‘hang plan’ across the School site.

Over time, pupils and parents will notice more artwork on the walls all around the School, including labelling to name the artists.

The lenticular mural was created by 12 boys and now hangs in the School reception

The Art Department has started the project with its biggest work, a lenticular mural, showing both old and new faces of the School, which now hangs on the wall in reception above the stairs that lead to the Art Department.

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Rishi Patel’s (10MRF) ‘Space’ was described by the judge: “Great gestural use of paint, bold colours. A composition that draws you in”

Alexi Americano’s (10LHF) work was described as “pushing the physical boundaries of what a postcard can be”

Tiny artworks turn a huge profit for School’s chosen charity The 2019 Secret Postcard Competition and Auction proved a great success, with almost 200 cards submitted and more than £1,250 raised for the local hospital charity

The postcard artworks created by pupils, parents, staff and a handful of special entries from well-known artists saw some fierce bidding during a two-week online auction in October, before coming to a close at an exhibition of all the cards in the Mall Gallery. At the special event to mark the end of the auction, it was revealed £1,296 had been raised, with every penny going to the London North West Healthcare Charity.

We thank everyone who submitted postcards, with special thanks to those 14

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from outside the School: Jane McAdam Freud, Daniel Cordas, Srabani Ghosh, Brin Edwards, Pam Zenkawich, Keir Menzies, Grace Adam, Georgia Peskett, Christina Verden, Lydia Woods, Morwenna Farrell, Bethany Vargeson, Izzie Atkinson, Danny Bokenham.

Every postcard submitted by a John Lyon pupil was also automatically entered into the Secret Postcard Competition, with the best artworks selected by guest judge, renowned sculptor Nathaniel Rackowe.

Congratulations to the Gold winners Zainulabedin Nagree (8SRP) and Ismael Doghem-Rashid (9PS), Silver winners Joshua Levin (10CEP) and Rishi Patel (10MRF) and Bronze winners Alexi Americano (10LHF) and Daniel Ayeni (7JOC).

To see the postcard artworks visit www.johnlyon.org/postcards

Jane McAdam Freud, daughter of Lucien Freud and great-granddaughter of Sigmund Freud, was one of the professional artists who contributed a work to the auction

Healthy hearts the focus at playground pop-up To mark the national Restart a Heart day in October, School Nurse Ms Charlotte Robinson set out her stall in Oldfield Playground

As an aspiring doctor, it was good that Ms Robinson could teach me the process of CPR including rules of how to assess a patient in an emergency.

With a resuscitation dummy and a defibrillator to help with demonstrations, Ms Robinson spoke to boys from all years as they passed by at break and lunchtime to give some basic knowledge about resuscitation and CPR, including the basic rule of Dr ABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation.

Having brushed up on his knowledge, Rayaan Bhatti (L6TCF) said: “As an aspiring doctor, it was good that Ms Robinson could teach me the process of CPR including rules of how to assess a patient in an emergency. I also learnt how to use a defibrillator and where they are located around the School, so I know where to go if an urgent situation occurs. After our talk, I feel so much more prepared if the situation arises where I need to perform CPR. But the most valuable part is that I can now pass this vital information on to my friends and family so they are equipped with this knowledge as well.”

Ms Charlotte Robinson talks to Rayaan Bhatti (L6TCF) with Hemang Khandelwal (7JOC), Oliver Coupland (8LA), Tanvir Handa (9PS) and Sebastian May (9PS) looking on

Expanded Safeguarding team sets highest possible benchmark across all areas of School life, writes Designated Safeguarding Lead Mr Darren Boylan.

Since joining John Lyon in 2013 I have had a number of different positions, including Head of Business, Head of Year, Head of Sixth Form, and Senior Teacher overseeing Admissions.

Now, as John Lyon’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, I have come to realise that none of these roles, or any post held by any member of staff, would be possible without a culture of safeguarding and child protection that runs across all areas of School life.

I don’t see safeguarding only as a requirement, I see it as a culture. It is the single most important thing we do every single day and it underpins all that we

do. All staff are trained and are regularly asked to read and re-read a number of important documents. All staff know what is required of them as individuals and the actions they must take if they have knowledge of, or even notice the smallest signs of, any safeguarding concern.

This year we have expanded the safeguarding team to five: myself as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and four Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSL) Mr Shane Cloete, Ms Charlotte Robinson, Mr Alex Ferguson and Mr Tom Yardley. Between us we set the highest possible benchmarks and expect all staff to live up to these standards.

In my role as DSL I am contactable at all times. DPB@johnlyon.org, 020 8515 9488.

Autumn Term 2019

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Truth and confectionary collide as the Library marks literary days

Library Monitor Sebastian Clifford-Varley (U6REM) gives some advice to Div Mittal (8SRP) and Hrishi Kansara (8SRP) on Roald Dahl Day

Two of the biggest days in the national literary calendar, Roald Dahl Day and National Poetry Day, saw imaginations run wild at the top of the Lyon Building Popular with children of all ages, Roald Dahl Day in September gave John Lyon boys the chance to test their Dahl knowledge in a quiz, enjoy some Frobscottle and Snozzcumbers and design their very own chocolate bar.

Bartosz Slupikowski (8JNL) thought very hard about his confectionary creation and came up with the Endless Fountain, which he described: “From the moment you eat it the endless cycle of goodness starts. The rainbow chocolate changes flavour every five seconds. It is endless and the goodness will never END!” Bartosz and Sai Patel (8JNL) were announced as joint winners of the competition.

School Librarian Mrs Rita Halsey looks at Oliver Scott’s (7ADH) verse on National Poetry Day

Now in its 25th year, National Poetry Day is a celebration of verse, with a different theme set each year. The Library was packed once again as boys penned their poetry on the theme Truth.

The winner was Rahul Shah (7EM) for his poem reflecting on School.

----My heavy bag breaks my back as I walk towards the School bus.

Hurry up! I must not slack I must be ready to go to School without a fuss.

To get my merits I must be good I work hard to try my best.

At lunchtime I look forward to delicious food I am proud of wearing my School crest.

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Miss Milena Spadaro, Mr Mark Simmonds and Mrs Sarah Blithing proudly display their 2019 rating

The John Lyon Kitchen has hit top marks again with yet another 5* hygiene award.

The team of 11 led by head chef Sarah Blithing received the top rating in October, and added their 2019 window sticker to those gained in 2018 and 2017.

Sarah and her team are a huge asset to the John Lyon community, on site every day to make lunch for 600 boys and 100

staff, as well as catering break times, special events and sporting fixtures at Sudbury.

The current term’s full weekly seasonal menu can always be seen at www.johnlyon.org/food

Charity begins very close to home as pupils work for hospital charity The London North West Healthcare (LNWH) Charity will receive the bulk of the money raised by pupils this School year Having secured 231 student votes, the charity, which is based in Northwick Park Hospital, was chosen as John Lyon’s principal charitable cause for 2019 - 2020.

The charity funds innovative projects that improve patient and staff experience, including cutting-edge technology and medical research, above and beyond what is bought and invested through standard NHS funding.

Half smart, half casual: Arnav Patil (9MWV), Nathaniel John (9CTS), Daniyal Zia (9JEB), Gourav Mallampati (8JEB), Lanus Sasikaran (9MWV), Agam Marwah (9CTS) and Mehmet Yalcin (9PS) do their bit on Jeans for Genes Day

Charity Prefect Shiv Lakhani (U6MEW) said: “We chose LNWH Charity as we knew it would mean a lot to give back to our local hospitals who have helped us all when we have needed them and in difficult times. We are aware that hospitals need more funds and we hope this year will help us to build a good relationship with our local hospitals that will continue throughout our times here at John Lyon.”

The charity's Community Manager Simon Pitts said: "LNWH Charity cannot thank John Lyon enough for the amazing support the school is providing. As a new charity with a small but growing community presence, it is hard to convey just how important and appreciated partnerships with prestigious organisations like John Lyon School are."

As well as charity events for the School’s chosen charity, pupils and staff also take part in a number of nationwide charity events. In Autumn Term alone, boys have worn denim for Jeans for Genes Day, raising £600 for very important work with the 500,000 children in the UK with genetic disorders, have sold more than £1,500 pounds worth of tea and cake for Macmillan Coffee Morning, and have rasied £3,500 (and rising) for the month-long facial hair fest that is Movember.

Husain Abedi (U6CKL), Shyam Borkhatria (U6MEW), Shiv Lakhani (U6MEW) and Vivek Nanwani (U6KML) celebrate a bumper fundraising effort on Macmillan Coffee Morning alongside Charity Coordinator Miss Courtney Burley

Niale Emmanuel (U6ND), Mr Adam Ling and Adam Zoromba (U6CKL) proudly show off their moustaches

Autumn Term 2019

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New Robotics Club members get tips from the UK’s best

We visited Queen Elizabeth’s School to see how they run their VEX Robotics Club and also to learn about how they design and build their robots to compete in competitions.

Members of one of John Lyon’s newest clubs made the trip to Queen Elizabeth’s School in Barnet to discover what it takes to become national champions

The VEX Robotics Club, created in 2018 thanks to kind donations to the School’s 1876 Fund, which allowed the purchase of equipment, travelled to Barnet in November to get guidance and inspiration from their Queen Elizabeth counterparts, who are UK champions and who participated in the VEX Robotics World Championships in Kentucky earlier this year.

Kareem Shurafa (L6PWM) said: “We visited Queen Elizabeth’s School to see how they run their VEX Robotics Club and also to learn about how they design and build their robots to compete in competitions. Having spoken to a few of their boys we learned what goes into a successful project, the main features of this being good teamwork and the ability to design a project that is able to be constantly improved through trial and error, since no idea is perfect. We have arranged to go back to their competition in January, and our goal is to design and build a robot so we can compete for the first time. It was a humbling and inspiring visit.

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John Lyon boys listen intently as pupils from QE Barnet pass on their knowledge

Year 7 pupil and accomplished dancer Harry Beynon (7JOC) took to the John Lyon blog to talk about his love of dance, the opportunities it has given him and how he hopes to chase the dream.

I’m Harry Beynon, 11 years old and a Year 7 student, with a love for street dance! I started dancing with Harrow’s Kidology Dance Co (KDC) when I was eight and my passion for dance has continued. Despite being quite shy, dance has given me the confidence to do things I never thought I could and now I love to perform. My main styles of dance are popping, street and hip hop.

For me, dancing is a great way to keep fit, be creative and feel free. I perform solo, in a duo and as part of a crew, competing at various competitions such as the UK Street Dance Championships where I’ve placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd in different categories. For me it’s not about winning but about being the best I can be and enjoying myself at the same time.

I have been lucky enough to perform at some great venues like ExCel London and recently danced before kick off at a

QPR game. I am currently rehearsing for a production called Misfits, which is our adaptation of The Greatest Showman, at The Watersmeet Theatre on Sunday 3rd November. Come and see me if you’re free! Although I’m still with KDC, I also dance with Flawless Dance School in Vauxhall, who were finalists in Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, and Futunity UK, who were semi-finalists in 2018. What’s next for me? I’d love to audition for the BBC’s The Greatest Dancer show in a couple of years.

It’s hard to keep everything going at times but it’s really important to have something you’re passionate about outside of school hours. For me it’s dance but whatever you enjoy, keep it up and chase the dream!

More blogs can be seen at www.johnlyon.org/blog

Year 8s ride the CREST of a wave with record numbers achieving STEM award More than 70 boys have picked up their Bronze CREST Award, having worked on a wide range of projects, from dirty water filtration to boat shape optimisation CREST Awards are undertaken by thousands of schoolchildren across the UK every year, and are STEM-based challenges designed to introduce students to project work empowering them to work like real scientists, technologists, engineers or mathematicians by choosing their own topics with the freedom to work as they think best.

This year saw a record 71 Year 8 John Lyon boys complete their Bronze Award, having worked with the support of teachers to select an area of study, identify problems, design a scientific investigation, collect and analyse results and find a workable solution, before writing a full report.

Aryan Rajan Gupta (9PS) with his certificate, one of 71 that were awarded to John Lyon boys

As students get older and progress in their knowledge, they are able to move on to the Silver and Gold CREST Awards.

Now in Year 9, Bronze CREST Award winner Aryan Rajan Gupta (9PS) said: “I liked CREST because I learned several things such as how to plan experiments,

including how to carry them out and draw graphs. I also learned more about our chosen topic, heat loss, which helped me in this year’s Physics lessons too. I have also developed presentation skills and team building skills. Overall I had a really fun time with CREST and gained a lot form it.”

Harry Beynon (7JOC) practices with KDC

Autumn Term 2019

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The Standard long read

The John Lyon School CCF

All of us tried on Monty’s famous double-badged black beret which resided on a hat stand outside the conference room.

some with a mind to pursue a military career.

competitions as well as in other sporting activities.

John Lyon CCF benefits from an excellent archive, both of photographs and first-hand accounts and testimonies of former Cadets.

The Great War took its toll on the School, with 59 dead from fighting in Europe, including School Captain Lewis Reid who left aged just 17 to enlist.

The John Lyon Corps continued to grow, restructuring on a number of occasions to meet both the needs of the School and of the Forces. By the outbreak of World War Two, 150 pupils were members of the Officer Training Corps, which could boast a signals section, an ambulance section and a bugle and drum band.

Although not seen for 43 years, John Lyon boasts a rich CCF history, dating back to before anyone knew what global warfare could and would look like.

We learn, for instance, the very first summer camp in 1915 was remembered for attempts by Cadets to “combine pleasure with work”. B F Mellor (OL1916) recalled: “We were very fortunate in securing such a fine camping ground. The view from the camp was simply magnificent. The tents were situated at the far end of a field overlooking one of the many beautiful creeks for which the River Dart is world famous...The bathing in the creek was absolutely great...another afternoon we had an invitation from Mrs Buchanan, to visit Greenway House. Here we were given an excellent tea...Much to everyone’s regret the camp came to an end after three weeks of faultless weather.”

From its formation in 1911 to its disbanding 65 years later, hundreds of Cadets passed through the ranks, most in it for fun and a sense of adventure but

But it was not just tea and bathing in that period, as John Lyon Cadets gained a strong reputation and became a force to be reckoned with in shooting

A Cadet Corps has been started in the School under the management of Lieutenant Stranders, RE. If a favourable start may be taken as a criterion, the Corps should be a success. The 25 members who enlisted at the outset are ample testimony to the popularity of the scheme, and many more will doubtless be enrolled from time to time.

With this unassuming report in the Lyonian Magazine of December 1911, John Lyon’s first official Cadet Force had been announced to the world.

Three years earlier the Minister for War had invited schools to form units of new Corps, thinking (correctly as it transpired) there may be need for officer material in the event of war. Many schools including John Lyon answered the call.

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Whilst they were a serious unit they were still schoolboys, as Lawrie Johnson (OL1944) recalls: “One Friday morning Mr Cummings asked me to work out a route for a march that afternoon. As one or two of us had girlfriends at the Harrow County School for girls I selected a route that would take us past the girls’ school just as they were leaving for home.”

There were also brushes with history.

Anthony Pollard (OL1946): “About ten of us were deployed under some secrecy to pack and label supplies. These consisted of wattle fencing, barbed wire,

metal stakes and wooden planks to which we attached a metal carrier plate with a card insert indicating the destination.

It was only after June 6th - D-Day - that one realised the significance of the word ‘Sword’ and a green circle on the cards.”

Sword Beach was pivotal to the success of the Normandy Landings.

“This proved to be a busy time” he continues, “as on February 6th, 1944 a small contingent from the Corps took part in a military parade at which General Eisenhower, Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force, took the salute at a march past in London.” And on one occasion they found themselves outside a room being used by revered Army chief

Bernard, later Field Marshal, Montgomery: “All of us tried on Monty’s famous double-badged black beret which resided on a hat stand outside the conference room.”

Only in 1948 did the name Combined Cadet Force come into use and recollections from this peacetime period are largely happy, many stories from the 1950s to 1970s focusing on skills competitions, parades and CCF camps.

By the 1970s Cadet numbers had fallen and the Headmaster Gordon Surtees took the decision to close CCF at John Lyon. Geoff Vanderplank (OL1976): “I don’t recall any comment, just stunned silence. As would be imagined, everyone

was completely deflated and there were some tearful looking eyes amongst the younger boys.”

Keen Cadets were able to join the unit at Gayton High School (now Harrow High School) and since 2010 there have been links with Harrow School’s established CCF. But 2019’s new John Lyon CCF is a significant milestone in the School’s history, resuming an activity with a rich history and making it work for a John Lyon that looks significantly different to the School that recruited its first cadet 108 years ago.

Clockwise from main image: The winners of the Lucas Tooth county shield in 1938, The ambulance section practises first aid (date unknown), OLA President Mr Douglas Woodbridge presents new instruments to the Cadet Band, as Corporal Michael Wright i/c band and Head R F Boyd Campbell look on in the 1950s, A Cadet reads papers in the RAF Section office (date unknown), the School Band in 1912, Cadets get to grips with signals equipment (date unknown) Autumn Term 2019

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Tunde Saka (9MWV) drives forward in a 2-0 victory over City of London School in early December

U14s shine on the pitch as 1st XI claim some big scalps With an average of four goals per game, John Lyon’s Year 9s were the year to watch in the Football season Boasting four competitive teams and getting a result in 15 of 20 fixtures, the U14s showed both great strength and depth in Autumn Term.

Leading from the front, the A team continued to progress on promise shown in the previous years to come away from the season with six wins, two draws and two losses. This record included two 9-0 wins over Chigwell and Kew House and a 7-0 win at home to the always daunting Westminster School.

At the top of the School, the first team had a mixed season with a handful of narrow losses. However, they secured victories against the big trio of Harrow, Merchant Taylors’ and Westminster, as well as a classy late 3-2 victory over Forest School to mean they go into Christmas with hope of more success in the spring.

Other highlights include the U13As reaching the third round of the ISFA Cup, and a stunning 11-0 win for the U14Bs 22

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In addition to our regular block fixtures on Saturday mornings where we often see up to 12 teams playing, we were also keen to introduce inclusive football weeks to the football programme.

against Chigwell.

Across the School, 20 different teams played matches, with more boys than ever before involved in competitive fixtures.

The increase in numbers follows a concerted effort to drive participation as well as excellence in the School’s major sports.

Head of Football Mr Rob Rice said: “In addition to our regular block fixtures on Saturday mornings where we often see up to 12 teams playing, we were also keen

Tunde’s elder brother Folu Saka (L6ASL) starred against Forest School in November, scoring a late winner in a 3-2 victory

to introduce inclusive football weeks to the football programme, where up to 20 teams can play competitive fixtures during their games afternoons. With the addition of C and D team football in Years 7 to 10 we help ensure our football programme not only encourages excellence, but also maximises learning, enjoyment and inclusivity.”

After Christmas, our Year 7 and 8 boys have a fantastic opportunity to train at Liverpool FC’s Melwood Training Centre on a mini-tour to the city.

Oscar Deans (7ADH) leads the field into the first corner on the course at the start of the Oldfield race

House Cross Country crown retained by Butler with stand-out junior performances Impressive performances by boys in Years 7 – 9 saw Butler retain their title, as a record number of boys took part in the annual sporting event 516 boys lined up for the House Cross Country races in September on Harrow School’s playing fields, running for their Houses – Butler, Moore, Norwood and Vaughan – in the usual four age categories: Oldfield (Year 7), Juniors (Years 8 and 9), Colts (Years 10 and 11) and Seniors (Sixth Form).

In the Seniors and Colts categories over a 4.5km course, the races were won by Nathan Beardwell (U6SOM, Butler) and Kylron Pierre (11SGJ, Vaughan) respectively. In the Juniors and Oldfield categories over 3km, Butler House took two more victories with Alex Rothwell (9RAR) and Dhyan Sharma (7JOC) both crossing the line first.

With each of the 516 competitors scoring points, the overall result saw Butler take the overall title, Norwood come in second, Moore third and Vaughan fourth.

After the race, Head of Cross Country Mr Rob Rice said: “It was great to see so many boys taking part in this whole school House Cross Country event.

Numbers continue to rise year-on-year, and I’m delighted we had 516 boys taking part, a new record, certainly in my time at the School. Huge congratulations to Butler and of course to Nathan, Kylron, Alex and Dhyan for their personal victories.”

Nathan Beardwell (U6SOM) won the Seniors competition with a dominating run Autumn Term 2019

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John Lyon Golf ace helps scoop prestigious trophy for Middlesex Middlesex is celebrating its first ever victory in a long-standing county youth tournament, thanks in part to a fine display by John Lyon Golf ace Tanay Shah (U6SOM) The team of eight young players lifted the George McPartlin Trophy in October after a fine display at Bush Hill Park Golf Club saw them win by a single point from Bedfordshire, and ahead of Hertfordshire in third and Essex in fourth.

Upper Sixth student Tanay was the oldest member of the Middlesex team, made up of six boys and three girls. Selected as captain, the John Lyon Golfer went on to shoot the best score over 18 holes, helping the county win by the narrowest of margins.

The George McPartlin Trophy, named after one of the founders of the English Schools Golf Association, has been contested by the UK’s county-level juniors for many years, more recently becoming a four-way competition.

After the competition, Tanay, who plays off a handicap of just 15, said: “I was excited to be given the chance to represent Middlesex and I am proud to have been part of the team that won this event for the first time. As captain I had to give a speech after the tournament in which I thanked the organisers, Bush Hill Golf Club and the grounds staff who had kept the course in good condition even after rain. I was extremely proud to lift the trophy in front of my parents, who had been completely supportive of me from the start of the competition.

“My next goal is to reach a handicap in single figures.”

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Tanay holds the trophy won by Middlesex for the first time

Following an evening of Football and Cricket earlier in 2019, a set of John Lyon cricket shirts was presented to refugee and migrant support organisation, Paiwand.

Having added the Paiwand logo to the centre of the shirts, former School Cricket Captain Abhay Hirani (OL2019) returned to make the presentation. Paiwand is an organisation that serves over 2,000 people across North West London who come from all over the world. It helps these people by providing services such as a community Saturday school for children and support for children and adults with housing, benefit, mental health, employment and immigration issues.

The link with Paiwand is just one of a number of John Lyon’s valuable community partnerships.

Nathaniel John (9CTS), Sameer Vekaria (9JEB), Ishan Sundriyal (7EM) and Zahid Said (8LA) after a winning performance that saw them through to the Harrow Borough finals

Thrilling final sees U14s crowned Harrow Badminton champions It went down to the very last game at the end of eight fixtures and three tournaments for John Lyon’s team of four to take the borough crown The Autumn Term competition season began steadily for Zahid Said (8LA),

Sameer Vekaria (9JEB), Nathaniel John (9CTS) and Ishan Sundriyal (7EM) with victory over Whitmore High and a loss against Park High in the opening fixtures.

However it only took a week for the team to hit their stride as they went into the next fixture against Nower Hill High and Canons High and emerged unbeaten in all 14 games, winning 7-0, 7-0 to take the evening 2-0.

Placed in the top half of all schools in the competition, John Lyon earned their place in the five team tournament finals day in mid-November to take on Nower Hill High, Park High, Pinner High and Avanti House.

The first three matches all went John Lyon’s way despite getting progressively tougher, with victories of 7-0, 6-1 and 5-2.

The tie against Avanti House proved the toughest, and ultimately the deciding fixture.

Head of Cricket Mr Adam Ling, Abhay Hirani and Director of Sport Mr Shane Cloete make the presentation to representatives of Paiwand

After six of the seven games, John Lyon were 4-2 down and so knew they had lost the match. But this left the tournament on a knife-edge with both John Lyon and Avanti House on three match victories and one loss each, and both having won an equal number of games within those

matches.

So despite having lost the tie, John Lyon could win the overall tournament by going down 4-3 instead of 5-2. The pressure was really on for Zahid and Ishan in this doubles fixture. Despite an early scare the John Lyon duo displayed some decisive gameplay at crucial times and won the game meaning John Lyon took the borough crown by the very narrowest of margins.

This victory means John Lyon currently boasts a Harrow Borough championship crown in three different sports: Water Polo, Basketball and Badminton.

Mr Adam Ling, who oversees Badminton at John Lyon, said: “To win this championship is hugely impressive for this team, not least because they did it by holding their nerve and temperament right down to the very last shot.

“The feat is even more impressive with a mixed age team and it was fantastic to see Nathaniel and Sameer leading from the front as the senior boys,Year 7 Ishan hold his own against older competitors, and Zahid captaining the team from Year 8. We are really excited about the prospect of following this talented group as they move up through the School.”

Autumn Term 2019

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New John Lyon CCF brings Mess Dinner to the table Old Lyonian CCF Cadets from the 1970s and before, as well as those with a military career, gathered for the first School Mess Dinner for many years, writes Alumni Relations Coordinator Mrs Suzannah Chirnside

Miss Katherine Haynes Head head@johnlyon.org

Mr Andy Sims Deputy Head AJS@johnlyon.org

The Head and guest of honour with OLs and school staff

The evening at the end of September was a formal black tie dinner, causing a little consternation amongst some of the OLs and staff who had to squeeze into outfits recovered from the back of the wardrobe.

Starting with drinks and a chance to look at a display of John Lyon CCF material from the past we were then directed to our seats to say Grace before enjoying a delicious meal, provided by the John Lyon School catering team.

It was excellent to see such an array of military ranks around the room, including Col Kan Grover (OL1989), Lt Col Peter Cross (OL1974), Lt Col John Shirras (OL1983), Maj Peter Whyte (OL1972) and LCDR Robin Hooper (OL1971), as well as a handful who had been Cadets in the John Lyon CCF. While the many OLs present were reminiscing about the former glories of the CCF, Lt John Blenkinsop, the School’s Contingent Commander, spoke very positively about the future of CCF at John Lyon and the plans to grow it over the next two years and the exciting link with Pinner High School.

He spoke with pride about John Lyon becoming linked with 131 Commando Squadron Royal

Engineers, an affiliation which will provide unique training experiences for our CCF students.

Guest of honour Maj Ed Dutton, Officer Commanding of 131 Commando Squadron RE addressed the diners speaking about his work with the most highly skilled soldiers and their fascinating roles and jobs.

We thank OLs for making the effort to attend and share some wonderful memories and stories of their CCF experiences with us.

Full details of the Lyonian Association and OL events can be found at www.oldlyonians.org

Mr Jonathan Pepperman Deputy Head JOP@johnlyon.org

Mr Michael Gibson Bursar Michael.Gibson@johnlyon.org Miss Rebecca Davies Registrar Tel: 020 8515 9443 admissions@johnlyon.org

John Lyon CCF staff: PI Charlie Scotcher, AUO Adam Collins, Lt Fiona Easton, Lt James McNaughton, PI Joanna Leveson, Lt John Blenkinsop, Flt Lt Lorraine Mann and AUO Stephen Mepham.

John Lyon Middle Road Harrow-on-the-Hill HA2 0HN 020 8515 9400

www.johnlyon.org @johnlyonharrow