The Standard - Summer Term 2018

THE STANDARD The John Lyon School Magazine | SUMMER TERM 2018

In this issue

Fake news makes headlines at engrossing BBC journalist event New Head Boy sets out his plans for School year ahead Matthew swings, vaults and handstands his way to national success

CONTENTS 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Head's welcome Fake news makes headlines as BBC journalist comes to School New School year already in sight as Head Boy Team is announced Coming soon to a univeristy near you... the John Lyon leavers Nation's economy under control of John Lyon government in Westminster visit Pupils swap blue uniform for green as CCF numbers grow Big questions leave minds stretched in Cambridge It's sun, sea and study for Year 9s on annual International Schools exchange School Values reinforced in afternoon of special challenges Particle physics is what matters (and antimatters) to John Lyon scientists Students taken to distant lands with dramatic tales of mountain life Rare access granted to John Lyon Learning Support on important military anniversary Hello, Ankara. This is Harrow calling Junior debaters taste double success Black holes and hipster Roman poets on the agenda at new School society Young engineers research, design and build in national challenge Dhanesh lays strong career foundations with architecture scholarship Year 10 given helping hand with potential career options Pupils have differing opinion as Carnegie winner is announced Seb and his trombone slide to multiple musical successes Grade 8 success for violinist Nicholas ‘Joyous’ night of orchestral music enjoyed by pupils and staff Stunning Requiem performance to end Spring Term Sixteenth century Peru brought to life on the John Lyon Stage Senior artists impress in exam exhibition Value of parenting education course continues School goes Green for Grenfell on anniversary of fire It’s a five-star clean sweep for John Lyon’s catering team Second Open Evening attracts strong numbers Cricket cup run ends despite not losing a match Extra-time heartache as John Lyon footballers miss out on county crown Luca flies the friendship flag for England Ayaan courts victory in busy tennis season John Lyon does Harrow proud in the pool Injuries brushed off as John Lyon gymnast ranks among Britain’s best John Lyon prove to be sharpest shooters on the Hill Sixty kilos of John Lyon sports kit makes its way from Harrow to Cape Town Summer and winter sports come together on successful South Africa super-tour Christianity in Ancient Rome and dentistry on the agenda as OLs return to School Good food and company shared as Lyonians gather for 106th annual dinner

Front cover: Matthew McClymont (L6ASL) practises his gymnastics skills

AMBITION ...............................

EXCELLENCE ...............................

INNOVATION ...............................

RESOLVE ...............................

HERITAGE ...............................

COMMUNITY ...............................

ENQUIRY ...............................

CREATIVITY ............................... www.johnlyon.org/values

Summer Term: revision, exams and so much more Summer Term at John Lyon is the final piece of the School year jigsaw, and being the shortest of the three terms can sometimes feel like a sprint to get every task completed.

The days are longer, the weather is fine, and boys are understandably eyeing the finishing line and long summer holiday that is now clearly in view.

But this feeling of excited expectation can belie the hard work and concentration that continues right through to the final day in early July – for pupils, teachers and support staff across the School, it is a test of fitting a whole term’s work into a short space of time that slows down for no one.

Summer Term’s main feature is examinations, with boys in all years being tested across the subjects they study. Our Year 11 pupils and Upper Sixth students particularly have shown exceptional dedication to their important public GCSE and A-Level examinations. It has been heartening to see so many of them come

to School during their study leave to revise quietly in classrooms and meeting rooms around the site. It has even been reported that some have asked staff to look after their mobile phones while they revise – a clear indication of a determined focus that we know will pay rich dividends when they come to open their results envelopes in August.

While these exams inevitably alter the feel of the School, it is always pleasing to know the reassuring routine of John Lyon life goes on in the background. The School day begins and ends in the normal manner, key Curriculum is taught in classrooms, Coand Extra-Curricular activities continue, and we accept no less than what is always expected of manners, appearance and attitude.

There is no let-up in our pursuit of academic excellence, richness of wider School life or quality of pastoral care.

Because of the short term, we had originally planned for a condensed Summer edition of The Standard, but the

Miss Katherine Haynes, Head news and events kept pouring in and as it turns out, this edition is the same length as the last.

As ever, we hope it gives you a flavour of the richness of John Lyon life – a snapshot of the diversity of interests our boys have both inside and outside School, and the high levels they achieve. We always wish to know more about our pupils’ achievements, so please do contact your son’s Form Tutor or Head of Year if you have a story that could go into a future edition of The Standard.

For now, I speak on behalf of all members of John Lyon staff in wishing our pupils and parents a fun, adventurous and hopefully restful summer holiday. We look forward to seeing everyone again in September.

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Fake news makes headlines as BBC journalist comes to School The role of news, changing face of journalism, fake news and Trump were all on the agenda in a wide-ranging discussion with the BBC’s Emily Maitlis.

what constituted news in today’s world.

Leading journalist and documentary maker Emily Maitlis, who is best known for her work with BBC News and BBC Newsnight, came to School in May to speak to a packed room of engrossed Year 10 pupils.

In a back-and-forth session in the School’s Music Hall, the conversation hit on many different aspects of today’s media, including the phenomena of fake news, interviewing Donald Trump, how young people don’t use Facebook, and the two Kims – Jong-Un and Kardashian. Ms Maitlis also touched on her route into journalism and her interviews with a host of leading figures, including Mark Zuckerberg, James Comey and the Prime Minister.

The session began with Ms Maitlis talking about the details of her role as a journalist in a rapidly changing news environment, before she asked boys their thoughts on

After the 45-minute session, she then took time to speak directly to pupils who had a host of further questions.

Teacher of English and Excellence Team

Leader Mrs Maria Trafford and first the event’s compere, Koen PhilippaGradillas (10ZA), reflect on the visit of Emily Maitlis: Instead of holding a lecture, to our benefit she wanted it to be more of an informal discussion and I was given the honour to interview her. It was an amazing experience to be able to talk to such an intelligent and experienced woman from whom so much can be learnt.

She explained the BBC’s role in modern society, which is to deliver content that is relevant and that the population, as funders of the BBC, are interested in.

Koen Philippa-Gradillas becomes the interviewer at the engrossing session with Emily Maitlis

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Ms Maitlis was happy to answer many questions from pupils after the session had ended

Therefore, it came as no surprise that Emily was particularly intrigued by what sort of news we, as the younger generation, are curious about and how we access the news.

Moreover, she gave the audience and me a great insight into what it’s like to be a world-class interviewer, having to deal constantly with politicians that evade questions. Hence, she often has to find the balance between being professional and polite and being confrontational in an attempt to discover the truth. We also benefitted from her advice, for example, following my question on what differentiates an exceptional journalist from an average one, she responded

saying that the difference is their ability to ‘take a step back’ and explore new concepts, creating a different perception which attracts attention.

It was an incredible opportunity to be able to interview a leading journalist.

Despite the stern image she projects, she is a friendly, inspirational person who generously shared her experience with us.

The whole John Lyon Year 10 kept Emily on her well-heeled toes and in turn were completely engaged by her inside stories on interviewing Zuckerburg, Trump and, in the aftermath of Grenfell Tower, Theresa May. Maitlis offered a

masterclass on how to keep a packed hall fascinated from start to finish.

What did our boys get when they met Emily Maitlis? A lesson in what it takes to be a successful political journalist: dedication (she often stays up reading the night before hastily arranged interviews); being brave (taking her first job in the Far East with only a smattering of Mandarin to sustain her); and perseverance (asking Obama100 times for an interview before accepting defeat – sometimes the answer is ‘no’). And all delivered without one jot of ego – a truly excellent lesson for us all.

Emily Maitlis was speaking as part of John Lyon’s Excellence Programme, which celebrated its first birthday in June 2018 and provides added opportunities for pupils who wish to aim high in different areas of School life.

The School’s Excellence Programme provides activities to enrich and challenge all pupils.

This may involve trips to cultural events or mind-stimulating lectures as well as in-house workshops and discussion groups. Older students are encouraged to run workshops for younger pupils and act as leaders on trips.

All pupils in Year 10 were invited to attend the talk in the Music Hall

www.johnlyon.org/excellence

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Shourya Suri, Javier D’Souza, Ed Davey, Jaimi Patel and Coco Rashid – the new John Lyon Head Boy Team

New School year already in sight as Head Boy Team is announced Preparations for the next School year have taken a step forward with the announcement of the new John Lyon Head Boy Team.

As the current Upper Sixth enjoyed their final regular School day in mid-May before heading off on A-Level study leave, Edward Davey (L6ASL) was announced as John Lyon’s new Head Boy. Alongside Ed will be four Deputy Head Boys, Coco Rashid (L6ASL), Shourya Suri (L6JWP), Javier D’Souza (L6JDB) and Jaimi Patel (L6SJA).

Taking up their roles in September, all five will act as role models to the pupil body, regularly liaise with the Head and senior teachers, and have responsibilities in different areas of School life.

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Here, Ed Davey talks of his appointment and the year to come: When the Head told me I was Head Boy I was genuinely ecstatic. I was unable to withhold my smile as I was given the news I had been waiting for so eagerly.

I have been at John Lyon since Year 7 and the Head Boy has always been, in my eyes, a role model, especially for the boys lower down the School. I am eager to continue this legacy, ensuring the John Lyon community continues to flourish.

I am very glad to be working alongside an excellent prefect team full of ability and eagerness. We have all discussed our intentions this year and a recurring thought among the team is the importance of maintaining and developing connections between different school years. Therefore, we will work hard to ensure that boys feel free to chat to us at

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any time, relaying their thoughts regarding the School, as well as more individual discussions.

I have many events in mind, with the intention of developing connections both within the School and beyond the Lyonian premises. We are keen to organise many events in which Lyonians, current and past, can interact with one another, as these events are valuable and enjoyable for all included. Additionally, I am eager to uphold and develop connections with local primary schools as part of the outreach programme. I believe that we would be doing our Harrow community a disservice if we didn’t apply ourselves to helping people beyond our school.

For more pictures and to learn the individual roles and responsibilities of each member of the Head Boy Team, visit www.johnlyon.org/headboyteam

Coming soon to a university near you… the John Lyon leavers Spirits were high in May as the Upper Sixth students came together for their final full day at School, before breaking for A-Level study leave.

As you read this, the Class of 2018 will have completed their examinations and will enjoy a long summer break before they pick up their results in the middle of August.

After that, it’s off to university for most, with offers received from all over the country, including from Oxford, Cambridge, KCL, UCL, LSE, Warwick, St Andrews, Manchester, Bristol and Durham.

As is tradition, the Upper Sixth leavers gather for one final photograph

We wish all of our newest Old Lyonians the very best for their futures. Stay in touch!

Nation’s economy under control of John Lyon government in Westminster visit Important national spending decisions were at the top of the agenda as Sixth Form students briefly formed a John Lyon government in Westminster.

where they were given a guided tour, followed by a question and answer session in the Cabinet Room.

Sixth Form students from John Lyon were invited to the Cabinet Office in May to take part in the Cabinet Office Spending Challenge alongside Lower Sixth students from our partner school, the London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham.

The event really brought it home how difficult it is to decide upon austerity policies when there are so many worthy causes to choose between.

I think I learned that economic decisions really are inseparable from value judgements.

Asked about being part of a John Lyon government, Mantej said:

Speaking about the day, Olamide Mabifa (U6GRI), who holds an offer of a place at Cambridge University to study Human, Social and Political Sciences, said: I really enjoyed walking through the doors of Number 10 Downing Street and seeing where decisions are made that affect the future of our country.

It’s an experience I won’t forget.

The aim of the day was to give students an experience of what it is like to agree a national budget as part of the Cabinet.

Mantej Kambo (U6CKL) took the role of Chancellor of the Exchequer and was tasked with negotiating with groups of his peers, who were representing different government departments vying for a greater share of expenditure.

The students experienced the opulent surroundings of Admiralty House; a historic location, from which Winston Churchill ran the Royal Navy during World War One. Students and staff were also privileged to be extended a rare invitation to Number 10 Downing Street,

Mantej Kambo (left) leads the group of John Lyon and LAE Tottenham students as Chancellor

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Pupils swap blue uniform for green as CCF numbers grow The John Lyon Combined Cadet Force (CCF) led a successful recruitment drive in Spring Term with dozens of Year 10 pupils becoming new Cadets. Meeting after School on Monday evenings, pupils enjoy a wide range of fun, exciting and challenging activities, skills and experiences that look to develop the whole student, emphasising personal development and leadership. A full CCF report will appear in the next edition of The Standard.

CCF drill practice is led by Mr John Blenkinsop

Big questions leave minds stretched in Cambridge Science, philosophy, meaningfulness, free will, truth, logic and miracles are all up for discussion at the annual Academy Conferences event in Cambridge.

Isam Farooqi (10NML) was in the audience alongside 15 other Year 10 and 11 John Lyon pupils.

The event was made up of four lectures, given by speakers at the top of their academic fields, who tried to address the same topic but from hugely varying points of view.

My favourite lecture was by Professor Tom Greggs, who lectures at Aberdeen University. I found it fascinating as he explored the philosophical history of truth and empiricism; whether we know the truth because of what our senses tell us, or because of rational logic.

He discussed the challenge in finding the truth in a digital age and warned us about trusting sources of information based on

a celebrity’s opinion or Wikipedia rather than proper academic journals, papers and books.

The long journey by coach to Cambridge was absolutely worth it since we learned so much more about the relationship between science, philosophy and religion, and how each discipline attempts to answer the same big questions about truth and relationships.

First, teacher and author Julie Arliss spoke about the social contract of how to live a meaningful life, before University of London philosopher Dr Stephen Law talked about the concept of free will or predetermined fate and trying to understand what is meaningful.

Dr Andrew Pinsent, who is a doctor of physics, member of Oxford University's theology faculty and a Roman Catholic priest, then gave a lecture entitled Agony, Ecstasy, Mystics and Miracles, before Professor Tom Greggs spoke about finding the truth and logic in a post-truth, postmodern world.

The John Lyon visitors prepare for the mind-stretching day in Cambridge

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There was plenty of fun on the beach for the exchange pupils in Thailand

It’s sun, sea and study for Year 9s on annual International Schools exchange As Harrow was firmly in the grips of the Beast from the East back in February, a group of Year 9 pupils were lapping up the sunshine in Thailand on the annual exchange.

Now in its sixth year, the international exchange is designed to improve links between the different schools within the John Lyon’s Foundation family, which has schools in Thailand, Hong Kong and China.

On the exchanges, boys experience life in the other schools, attend lessons, meet students, experience the culture and visit various tourist sites.

The two-week trip was well documented

by Learning Support teacher Mr Robert

Ellis-Paul, who sent regular email reports to parents, telling them what the boys had been seeing, doing and learning.

You can read all the email updates and see more pictures of the trip at www.johnlyon.org/bangkokexchange

On the final day, he reported: We have reached our final evening and boys are busy in their rooms picking clothes off the floor and frantically trying to find something reasonably clean to wear for the journey home tomorrow.

We left Harrow International School Bangkok an hour ago after enjoying a pool party, a barbecue laid on by the boarding house, and two hours of football, badminton and basketball. There were some emotional goodbyes as we left and many promises made to stay in touch, so it’s safe to say that some firm friendships have been forged in the last two weeks.

The classroom was also well-used during the two-week tour

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School Values reinforced in afternoon of special challenges John Lyon’s eight key values were reinforced in March as boys across all school years took part in an afternoon of enjoyable challenges.

In HERITAGE and ENQUIRY pupils compared today's John Lyon with how the School looked 100 years ago.

In AMBITION and EXCELLENCE boys undertook a brainbox challenge – stretching their capacity for memory and becoming a mini expert in a whole range of subject areas. It was all about teamwork and endurance on the practice pitch as pupils tried to undo a human knot – learning COMMUNITY and RESOLVE at the same time. And they were queuing up to try to unpick a series of mind-bending logic puzzles in CREATIVITY and INNOVATION.

Today’s John Lyon is compared to how the School looked 100 years ago

www.johnlyon.org/values

Particle physics is what matters (and antimatters) to John Lyon scientists Rarely opened doors were unlocked for John Lyon students, including Jaimi Patel (L6SJA), as they travelled to the renowned CERN facility on the FrancoSwiss border.

At the beginning of March, Sixth Form physicists left Harrow for CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire/European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva to learn more about particle physics and the research that occurs there.

When we arrived at the facility we had an introductory talk on particle physics in the same auditorium where the famous Higgs boson particle discovery was announced six years ago. We then visited the data centre, which is vital for processing and analysing experiment data.

The sheer quantity of data produced was surprising – every second the Large Hadron Collider produces around 600 terabytes of data, most of which has to be disregarded as it would be impossible to store it all. Surprisingly, despite having so much state of the art technology at its disposal, CERN still uses tapes to back up all of its data due to its reliability and security.

We then got to visit the antimatter factory and see an actual particle accelerator (which is usually closed off to public groups).

Unlike a typical particle accelerator, the Antiproton Decelerator, which we were able to see, slows down particles instead of speeding them up. In an experiment named Gravitational Behaviour of Antihydrogen at Rest, antihydrogen is created, measured and used to test Einstein’s Weak Equivalence Principle. Our last stops at CERN were two museums, which displayed the work that had been achieved in the past 50 years.

In our short trip we also had the opportunity to travel on Geneva’s famous public transport and visit some sights such as Lake Geneva, the UN Building and Parc des Bastions.

The visitors prepare to enter one of CERN’s many restricted areas

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Gathering in the auditorium where the discovery of the Higgs boson particle was famously announced

Particle physics was also on the agenda for students selected to attend a Masterclass Programme at the worldrenowned Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford in March. Alongside young scientists from a number of other schools, prizes were awarded to Imad Rajput (L6TCF), Sashankan Chandrakumar (L6SJA) and Akhil Thadi (L6SJA) for locating the Higgs boson particle with a computer simulation, and George Long (L6TCF) and Daniel Guirgis (U6GRI) for taking the joint top prize in the Particle Physics Challenge.

Students taken to distant lands with dramatic tales of mountain life Explorer, mountaineer, filmmaker and author reaches the summit of Harrow’s Hill to speak of his many adventures.

With his latest adventure novel, Lie Kill Walk Away, given the honour of being the School Library’s book of the week, author Matt Dickinson paid a visit in March to speak to pupils from John Lyon and a number of other local schools.

With a deep knowledge of the world’s highest and most famous peak, Mount Everest, and a series of books under his belt, Matt was the perfect person to speak to pupils and immerse them in a world full

Yousuf Datoo (8AJF), Sammy Smith (8SBP) and Taranvir Bansal (8JNL) meet Matt Dickinson and get their books signed

of excitement, and also danger. Simran Kohli (9SGJ) writes: I really enjoyed the visit from Matt.

Just like in his books, he whisked us away, transporting us on an adventure to the highest points in the world.

amazing stories of the Tibetan people that he has met and about the lifestyle of Sherpas.

Some of the footage of the climb to Camp One of Mount Everest was jaw-dropping.

Matt told us about his adventures, his inspirations for his books from the people he has worked with up those treacherous journeys to the highest peaks, and some

Rare access granted to John Lyon Learning Support EAL Assistant, Mrs Nicky Walker and John Lyon pupils visited our local RAF museum on an important anniversary.

The classic Spitfire proved a huge favourite for the John Lyon boys at RAF Hendon

Thursday 10th May 2018 marked a unique celebration for the Royal Air Force museum at Hendon, as it commemorated 100 years since the formation of the RAF. It was also a unique opportunity for the boys of Year 9 who visited on that day.

Old favourites such as the Lancaster Bomber and the Spitfire vied for attention with the delta wing Vulcan, extraordinary seaplanes and helicopters. Some boys had the chance to sit in a cockpit of a Hurricane and to gain an understanding of just how basic the controls were.

Thirteen boys enjoyed the chance to look around the vast, impressive hangars displaying aircraft from the earliest days of flight to state-of-the-art stealth fighters.

A rockets workshop proved to be popular, incorporating elements of mathematics, physics, history and politics. The boys had a chance to build their own rocket

and then compete for the most effective design when fired with compressed air.

Prior to our visit to Hendon, all the boys attending had completed research into a specific aspect of flight. Topics ranged from the jet engine to drones and stealth aircraft. The resulting projects and presentations to peers, together with the visit itself, have made this a very special trip to remember.

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Pupils from Turkey join John Lyon for breakfast via Skype

Hello, Ankara. This is Harrow calling With a view to enriching literary interpretation in the English Department, a series of international Skype lessons was set up in May to facilitate engagement with different cultural contexts.

These sessions took the form of a breakfast club to accommodate the time difference with the students of a school in Ankara, Turkey, with whom a select group of our GCSE students met weekly to compare readings of key texts.

Despite the early start, our Year 10 boys rose to the challenge of approaching the IGCSE Anthology passages and poems – including some they had not yet covered in class – in conversation with the Year 11 students of Odtu Koleji, as the latter prepared for their imminent examinations.

Thanks to Head of English Mr Jonathan Peel’s international connections forged on the ‘edusphere’, the boys deepened and developed understanding of the Anthology texts as they responded intelligently to the questions posed by their Turkish peers and raised their own reflections in turn.

Mr Jonathan Peel said: I hope that the experience will help to embed recognition of the variety of interpretations our own personal contexts lead us to apply to texts. Single Stories? Not here.

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David Fernando (7NED) listens intently as Anish Ardhanariswara (8AJF) makes his argument

Junior debaters taste double success A debating competition held at Francis Holland School in March saw John Lyon’s Year 7 and 8 take a double victory in both the prepared debate and unprepared debate.

As well as competition victory, our boys were noted by the judges as being ‘the most smart and well-presented candidates’. Congratulations to Varun Valentine (8AJF), Krish Lakhani (8AJF), Chirag Pala (7NED), David Fernando (7NED), Lucas Saliba (8SBP), Anish Ardhanariswara (8AJF) and Sajan Shah (8AJF).

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Black holes and hipster Roman poets on the agenda at new School society

Jonathan Abraha, Asher Weisz, Akhil Thadi and Yenuson Venderkoon impressed the audience with their broad range of topics

The latest addition to the School’s Extra-Curricular programme, the Academic Society, launched in March with four fascinating talks from four Lower Sixth students on a diverse range of subjects, from the vastness of black holes to the Roman ‘hipster’ poet, Catullus. The talks were watched by Jaimi Patel (L6SJA).

The Academic Society’s first speaker was Asher Weisz (L6JWP) who gave a talk entitled Catullus: Rome’s Hipster Poet.

Asher captivated the whole audience by giving a modern take on an ancient individual, drawing a contrast with epic poets, such as Homer. Asher drew attention to how Catullus gives us an insight into life for an ordinary Roman citizen. A life characterised by love and loss, just like in the modern world.

The next speaker was Akhil Thadi (L6SJA) who spoke on Black Holes: The Endless Abyss. Being an A-Level physicist myself, I expected to have some

knowledge on black holes, however he spoke about some unfamiliar concepts, such as white holes and energy mining from black holes.

Next, Jonathan Abraha (L6ASL) addressed the group on Violence and the Law. He referred to the recent Parkland shooting, then analysed US and UK law and concluded that the lack of a serious deterrent means people are more likely to commit crimes. Once his talk was over there was a thought-provoking debate on whether capital punishment would be a good policy to reduce crime.

Our final speaker was Yenuson Venderkoon (L6JWP) who spoke about an economic concept called Tragedy of the Commons, an idea he traced back to the writings of Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations, but which was later developed by the philosopher Garret Hardin. This allowed many boys in the audience to get a flavour of Economics, a subject only taught at A-Level. After a successful seminar, the discussion continued over pizza in the Sixth Form Common Room.

Sixth Form Seminars will run every half term and all are welcome to attend. Keep an eye out for details of future events.

Young engineers research, design and build in national challenge Two teams of John Lyon engineers pitted their skills against other schools by solving real engineering problems in the Faraday Challenge.

The Faraday Challenge Day, organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and sponsored by global multinational engineering and electronics company Bosch, was hosted by John Lyon in June.

The home teams of Year 8 pupils were up against pupils from Whitefriars School and Notting Hill and Ealing School, all of whom were given a brief and asked to

Youki Marr (8JNL), Lucas Saliba (8SBP), James Otaruoh (8JNL) and William Mitchell (8SBP) get stuck into the Faraday Engineering Challenge

produce the best solution against the clock.

Because the competition is national, with some schools yet to compete, we have been asked not to reveal details of the challenge (just in case copies of The Standard fall into other schools’ hands).

But needless to say, the John Lyon teams impressed with their engineering concept and finished product. Unfortunately, they

were unable to take the engineering crown, which went to pupils from Notting Hill and Ealing.

The Faraday Challenge aims to encourage more young people to study and consider exciting and rewarding careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths (STEAM) by using creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills.

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Dhanesh gets some pointers from last year’s Bartlett scholar, Zak Samak

Dhanesh lays strong career foundations with architecture scholarship A rare scholarship to the UK’s best school of architecture has been awarded to a John Lyon boy for the second consecutive year.

work he submitted in application displayed a remarkable degree of creative talent, required of all outstanding architects.

Dhanesh said:

Budding young architect Dhanesh Jegatheesan (11SJM) will immerse himself in the world of architecture this summer having clinched a place at the prestigious Bartlett Summer School.

The Bartlett is considered to be one of the best architecture schools in the world. Getting an opportunity to visit and spend time with their tutors in their amazing facilities will give me a taste of how the course feels and it will definitely give me a boost for the years to come.

Having just completed his GCSE exams, Dhanesh will join 16- to 18-year old students from all over the world for the two-week course run by University College London’s Bartlett School of Architecture. He will work individually and collaboratively to produce drawings, objects, models and larger installations, under the guidance of The Bartlett’s skilled tutors.

I’ve always been a person whose life revolves around creativity and innovation; architecture is a great way of expressing my ideas and developing them through buildings. At a young age I always spent my free time building big structures with toys and any materials I could get my hands on, and it has been my childhood dream making this into a real job.

Not only has Dhanesh secured his place, but also been awarded one of just two scholarships for the course, a mark of the assessing professors’ confidence that the

I would love to pursue a career in architecture, working for big companies and maybe even have one of my own.

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Dhanesh’s scholarship place at The Bartlett comes a year after the same scholarship was awarded to Zak Samak (L6LH) who is now studying art at A-Level and interested in pursuing a career in architecture after John Lyon.

The relationship between John Lyon and The Bartlett has grown in recent times thanks to the support of John Lyon parents Sabine Storp and Patrick Weber, who are both tutors there.

John Lyon Head of Art Ms Lorna Hope said: We are very fortunate that Sabine and Patrick have taken an active role in supporting the art department at John Lyon. They exhibited their work in our Old Lyonians and friends of John Lyon exhibition last year, have given talks to boys about considering a career in architecture and also invited us to the end of year exhibition at The Bartlett where our senior students were able to see the final work from degree students to help gain an understanding of the complexities of the world of architecture.

Year 10 given helping hand with potential career options As they move towards GCSE exams, career options have already been on the minds of Year 10 pupils, who took the renowned Morrisby Test in Spring Term. Morrisby helps students better understand themselves and the sort of options that may suit them. If a student doesn’t know which subjects to pick, Morrisby’s study suggestions will give ideas, ensuring subject choices keep doors open. Every boy who undertook the test was then given an individual interview with an external careers advisor. Students have lifetime access to the website and their results, and there is also an interactive tool, which can be updated as interests and working preferences change.

Marion Harper talks university options with Ashil Shah (10ADH), Yannis Boakye (10ZA) and Kian Lalani (10MWV)

John Lyon’s Careers Advisor, Mrs Marion Harper, holds a drop-in session every Tuesday in the Library from 1-1.30pm, to which boys in all years are invited.

On Thursday 7th February 2019 John Lyon will host a careers fair evening to help boys decide on their future direction.

In past years we have received wonderful

support from parents and Old Lyonians who have come to the School to talk to boys about their own career paths.

It is always great to have a wide variety of careers represented at the fair and so we are once again asking for parent and OL volunteers. If you are interested please contact Miss Shira Patel at SBP@johnlyon.org

Pupils have differing opinion as Carnegie winner is announced Pupils from John Lyon joined their peers from St Helen’s School, Northwood College and Northwood School to pick their own Carnegie Medal winner, the same day the actual award was presented.

Gathering at St Helen’s in June, the pupils decided the joint winners of Britain’s most esteemed children’s literature award should be Marcus Sedgwick for his thriller Saint Death and Angie Thomas’s Black Lives Matter-inspired The Hate U Give. This went against the competition’s judges, who selected Geraldine McCaughrean’s Where the World Ends, a former book of the week in the John Lyon School Library.

For a number of weeks a committed group of keen readers gathered every Friday in the Library to delve into the themes, characterisation and social implications of this year’s Carnegie shortlist. The boys ranged from Year 7 to 10, and it was impressive, therefore, that all engaged fully in the group discussions before presenting articulately and with maturity.

Geraldine McCaughrean’s victory proved controversial amongst the students – an indignation that is testament to the real enthusiasm in the conversations between schools and across age groups.

While the librarians are always at the ready with recommendations, to watch our boys fervently championing their own favourites was to see the aim of the Carnegie Club fulfilled.

The Carnegie Shadowing initiative was organised by the CILIP Carnegie Book Awards to stimulate discussion among the books’ target audiences on all eight shortlisted books.

French and Graduate Assistant Miss Lucy Aitchison, who helped run the School’s Carnegie Club alongside Librarian Mrs Rita Halsey, said:

The Carnegie Club discusses the competition’s eventual winning book, Where the World Ends

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Seb performs at the John Lyon Musician of the Year competition earlier in the year

Seb and his trombone slide to multiple musical successes Most recently Seb has gained a seat in the BBC Proms Youth Ensemble, which has the honour of performing the First Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in July.

It’s been a term to remember for one young musician who has claimed a seat in three prestigious orchestras… as well as two choirs.

As he comes to the end of his GCSE exams and prepares for Sixth Form life, Sebastian Clifford-Varley (11LHF) will also be surrounding himself with the country’s finest musicians, as the School’s number one trombonist has landed places in three leading orchestras.

He has also tasted great success at the Royal College of Music (RCM), where he will join the Junior Department Symphony Orchestra and several senior instrumental ensembles. And as well as spotting his instrumental skills, the RCM has also offered Seb a place in their Chamber Choir as well as their elite flagship singing group, the Parry Voices.

Seb’s final orchestral success has come with the award of a trombone seat in the Duet Philharmonic, an enormous symphony orchestra made up of the best-of-the-best from British schools, which comes together every two years to perform large, complex works.

At the concert in the Royal Festival Hall in 2019, Seb will join returning John Lyon musicians Lewis Johnston (11MLT) and Nicholas Berezovsky (10MWV) for a programme of Wagner, Stravinsky and Mahler.

Grade 8 success for violinist Nicholas Still just 15 years old and not due to sit his GCSE exams for another year, Nicholas Berezovsky (10MWV) has achieved a huge musical milestone by gaining his grade 8 violin certificate.

Nicholas completed his graded exams at just 15

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Not only has Nicholas reached the pinnacle of the graded musical exam system, he has done it with the highest possible ‘distinction’ grade.

‘Joyous’ night of orchestral music enjoyed by pupils and staff Cadogan Hall was a fittingly grand venue for an evening of immense music in May, performed by the London Chamber Orchestra and enjoyed

by Jude Hedges-Robinson (L6JWP).

The theme of the night was Joy, expressed exquisitely through the thrilling Romanian Folk Dances of Béla Bartók, the tender

John Lyon musicians at the famous London concert hall

Sinfonietta of Poulenc, and Piazzolla’s lively Libertango. Students and teachers alike were also engrossed in the ambitious new composition by Ollie Howell, combining elements of music both old and new to create a memorable work of art, showing that even after centuries of musical creation, there is still originality to be found.

The quality of the London Chamber Orchestra was of the highest order, with each piece being played to absolute perfection, truly giving the students an unforgettable and extremely enjoyable experience, which will aid them in their musical studies – both due to the variety of music performed and the quality of the playing itself.

Stunning Requiem performance to end Spring Term As Spring Term came to an end and Easter approached in late March, John Lyon’s musicians came together for a concert at St Mary’s Church at the top of the Hill.

As well as solo performances by John Lyon’s Musician of the Year, Lewis Johnston (11MLT), on violin and the baritone voice of Benedict Tate (U6REM), the School’s Motet Choir was joined by the Lyonian Chorus, organ and orchestra for a performance of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, one of the world’s most loved choral works.

The work, which focuses on eternal rest and consolation, was a fitting piece to be performed in Holy Week, when Christians remember the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The choral work

St Mary’s Harrow-on-the-Hill was a fitting setting for Gabriel Fauré’s famous work

features solo movements for treble and baritone voices and these solos were performed with distinction by Varun Valentine (8AJF), Jude HedgesRobinson (L6JWP) and Benedict Tate (U6REM).

Attending the concert was the School’s Deputy Chairman of Governors, Mr John Dunston, who commented afterwards:

atmosphere. Although Fauré’s beautiful work gives the impression of simplicity, that is deceptive, and it presents all sorts of challenges for a choir, to which the assembled forces rose magnificently.

There were some moments of real intimacy, as the composer would have wished, contrasting with the relentless drive of the Dies irae, and ending with the reassuring serenity of In Paradisum. The solo items and that sublime melody in the Agnus Dei were real highlights.

It was good to see the Lyonian Chorus joining with the Motet Choir, creating a strong community

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Sixteenth century Peru brought to life on the John Lyon stage Peter Shaffer’s powerful 1964 work, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, which tells of the ill-fated coming together of the Sun God King and the Spanish conquistadors, was performed by pupils in March.

Cast member Arshan Shroff (L6JDB), aka Spanish Officer Miguel Estete, looks back.

Pizarro holds the body of the executed Inca king

The play tells the epic tale of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, played

by Usmaan Khan (L6LH), and the expedition he led into the heart of the Inca Empire.

Students played a mixture of royal, military, religious and tribal men, and were able to portray one of the most immoral events in history through a balance of brutality and intimacy. The entire play is in fact a flashback, a tale told by an ex-Spanish soldier, Old Martin (Edward Davey L6ASL), looking back on the conquest with regret many years later as an old man, seeing himself portrayed as a boy,Young Martin, played by Ed’s younger brother William Davey (9SGJ).

The play’s first act, The Hunt, depicts the agonisingly debilitating expedition of the soldiers, along with the negotiations

their leaders carried out with the Incas.

The act ends with the callous and barbaric slaughter of the Inca tribe on their quest for Peruvian gold, followed by the apprehension of the Inca leader, Atahuallpa, played by Louis Tyrrell (10ZA).

The second act, The Kill, focuses on the two leaders, Pizarro and the imprisoned Atahuallpa, as their relationship moves away from Pizarro’s thirst for gold and is strengthened through the discussion of their shared beliefs and ideas. Despite this, the play sees a bloody ending with the execution of the Sun God King.

Auditions for the play took place in November 2017, with rehearsals beginning in January 2018. After a few weeks, each member of the cast, with pupils from Year 8 to Year 12, had understood and

The conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizarro

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Stunning costumes transported audiences to 16th century Peru

interpreted their character as well as the script. The next few months leading to the beginning of spring included intense work and focus, allowing us to successfully portray the Spanish invasion of Peru.

We were also able to visit the National Theatre Costume Department in Oval, taking our pick from the thousands of beautifully crafted costumes, masks and selected props in their vast array.

Each element of the performance was refined to perfection, allowing us to portray 16th century Peru to the best of our abilities. The costumes, props, set design and technical elements combined with the tireless work from the cast, crew and director allowed us to create a performance that we will never forget.

ANYTHING GOES

Spanish priest Fray Marcos de Nizza (Khari Bennett) forcibly baptises Atahuallpa

The Sun God King, Atahuallpa, in a dramatic scene

A glamorous ocean liner travelling from New York to London in the 1930s is the setting for John Lyon’s 2018 musical extravaganza, Anything Goes.

The Broadway favourite, based on the books of P G Wodehouse and set to the music of Cole Porter, will be performed at Harrow’s Ryan Theatre on Monday 10th, Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th December.

Tickets will soon be on sale via the School website.

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Senior artists impress in exam exhibition The works of GCSE and A-Level Art students were the focus of the School year’s final exhibition, with pieces made for examination entry put on display together.

The Mall Gallery hosted dozens of works for the display attended by pupils, staff and parents in June.

Exhibitions of artwork by pupils of all ages is shown at special shows throughout the year.

Alexi Americano (8AJF) and Lucas Antoni (8AJF) view the works with Mr Edward Collard-Walker

For details on upcoming events, visit www.johnlyon.org/whatson

Value of parenting education course continues Another successful Parenting Teenagers Course has been completed, with parents given valuable information by School Counsellor Mrs Laura Herman on topics including needs, emotions and boundaries.

As you read this, I will have just completed the sixteenth Parenting Teenagers Course here at John Lyon, which means approximately 250 of our current parents have taken part at some point over the last few years.

Your child’s transition into a young adult involves huge developmental changes, both physically and emotionally, and it can be very valuable to gain some support and guidance negotiating these changes. As a parent of three sons and the Psychotherapist here at the School, I have much experience both professionally and personally of the challenges you face.

A parent participant recently commented:

Everyone’s family is unique and the course offers opportunities to gain skills and understanding in a range of topics, including managing emotions, the hormonal changes, developing healthy relationships, negotiating challenging behaviour and being a good role model.

The course gave me a chance to look at my parenting approach from a different perspective. I feel more relaxed and confident now, better equipped to recognise my sons’ needs and emotions, which has made an enormous difference in the way I connect with them.

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Laura Herman talks to boys of all ages on a daily basis

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The next course will run in October 2018, with dates to be confirmed early in the Autumn Term. If you would like to come along it would be lovely to see you.

Laura.Herman@johnlyon.org

School goes Green for Grenfell on anniversary of fire The tragic events of June 2017 at Grenfell Tower were marked at John Lyon with a special Go Green for Grenfell Day, with pupils and staff wearing items of green clothing.

In the days after the fire, the Grenfell community came together in a great show of unity, and an enormous amount of support poured in from across the whole of the UK. Green for Grenfell Day aimed to spur people across the UK to celebrate solidarity and diversity within their own communities by working together on a project of their choosing.

In the spirit of community, a crucial part of the Grenfell appeal as well as one of our School Values, pupils were asked to make donations to Harrow Foodbank.

Hundreds of items were collected, weighing in at well over 300 kilograms.

Pupils from 7LJJ and their Form Tutor, Mr George Seller, go Green for Grenfell

Second Open Evening attracts strong numbers The second annual John Lyon Open Evening proved a success in May, with almost 300 families registering to attend on a sunny midweek evening. The next open event will be the long-running Saturday morning Open Day on Saturday 22nd September, from 9.30am - 12.00pm. Registration for this is now open at www.johnlyon.org/openday

Chef Manager Louis Kovacs and Head Chef Sarah Blithing proudly display their 5* hygiene rating

Prem Kumar (7RAR) shows prospective parents some of the School's science facilities during Open Evening

It’s a five-star clean sweep for John Lyon’s catering team The John Lyon kitchen has backed up its 2017 5* hygiene rating with the same score for 2018. The kitchen, run on a daily basis by chef Mr Louis Kovacs and his dedicated team, delivers thousands of cooked meals to students as well as catering for countless other events.

You can see each week’s breakfast, tuck and lunch menus at www.johnlyon.org/food

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Abhay Hirani (L6ASL) offers a strong defensive shot in the match against Greenford

Cricket cup run ends despite not losing a match The John Lyon 1st XI went out of the county cup in the semi-final after a spirited run chase at the School’s Sudbury Fields grounds.

Head of Cricket Mr Adam Ling sums up the season.

XI, winning four of their six fixtures, with other matches washed out early in the season. Captain Owen Marshall (U6CKL) led from the front with Abhay Hirani (L6ASL) and Rahil Thapar (L6JWP) the pick of the batting and bowling respectively.

A truly heartbreaking end to the 1st XI’s cup run saw them eliminated from the Middlesex Schools county cup against Greenford School, despite the scores being tied. With both teams having scored 96 runs from their 20 overs, victory was decided on the number of wickets lost by each team. Greenford took the spoils having lost only six wickets to John Lyon’s eight.

The Under 15 squad enjoyed a remarkable season; semi-finalists in the county cup and by far the most consistent side within the School. From this team, Advait Sundaram (10ADH), Aryan Sutaria (10OD) and Rayaan Bhatti (10ADH) have all been regular additions to the 1st XI and this has certainly strengthened the success at this more junior level.

The loss was a tough end to what had been an excellent season for the Senior

Further down the School there has been much success: three ‘five wicket hauls’ in just two weeks and three half centuries

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from Kahil Jariwala (8SBP), who continues to shine in the Under 13s.

We celebrated the end of the season once again with Cricket Week; seven fixtures in eight days for the 1st XI as well as other tournaments to round off yet another successful Summer of Cricket, which has seen more than 120 boys participate in just over 100 fixtures. We were also fortunate to host Mayo College on their tour from India and during the holidays will enjoy two trips to Lord’s to watch both Middlesex v Surrey and England v India.

The end of the Summer Term also sees us bid a farewell to our Head Coach, Mr Chris Peploe. Since he joined the School in 2009, Cricket has gone from strength to strength thanks to his dedication and array of experience.

Munthir Alzarrad (U6MEW) watches the ball closely during the hard fought final

Extra-time heartache as John Lyon footballers miss out on county crown The final game of the Spring Term Football season in March proved to be a gripping end-to-end battle, but one which saw John Lyon’s 1st XI miss out on the Middlesex Schools’ Cup. Having drawn the match against Twyford High School 2-2 in regular time, it took another 20 minutes for the opposition to pick open John Lyon’s defence, eventually running out 5-2 winners.

Reflecting on the match, Director of Sport and 1st XI coach, Mr Kevin Paradise, said: Reaching the final of this year’s Middlesex Schools’ Cup has set a benchmark for future year groups at John Lyon. The boys were a credit to the School and of course themselves.

They should be proud of what they have achieved and should look back upon their performance in the final with no regrets.

A full match report and pictures can be seen at www.johnlyon.org/cupfinal

Luca flies the friendship flag for England As you read this, the England football team will either still be trying to 'bring football home' from the World Cup, or stocking up on duty free at the airport on their way home from Russia.

Luca also attended the opening ceremony and first match, in which hosts Russia won 5-0.

But whatever the team’s result it’s been a fantastic tournament for Luca Lombardi (7LJJ), who was selected as one of just two young ambassadors for England at the Football4Friendship event in Moscow.

Built on the nine values of friendship, equality, fairness, health, devotion, peace, victory, tradition and honour, the event saw young ambassadors from all the nations playing at the tournament come together to attend an educational camp and to play some football.

As well as meeting some famous players, including goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who captained Spain to both European Championship and World Cup glory,

Luca was the England flagbearer at the Football4Friendship event

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Ayaan courts victory in busy tennis season Playing tournaments in three different age groups has meant a busy spring and early summer for one Year 9 pupil.

At just 14 years old, Ayaan Haneef (9SGJ) is currently playing in U14, U16 and U18 tournaments in Middlesex and around the country, with entries into more than 20 tournament draws already in 2018.

And with his match practice has come success, with Ayaan winning a big U16 regional title in March and performing strongly for Middlesex with two single wins from three fixtures at the U14 national county finals in May. Ayaan is currently ranked the fifth best U14 in Middlesex, 28th in the U16 category and 52nd in U18s. Despite his young age, he also makes the Lawn Tennis Association’s national open ranking – the same list that contains Kyle Edmund and Andy Murray – at number 1,395.

Ayaan sizes up a backhand shot on court

It’s been a good Tennis season for the School with the pick of the matches against Merchant Taylors’ School.

There were stand-out performances from Sebastian Langdon (U6REM), Mantej Kambo (U6CKL) and Darshan Shah (U6DPB) in the senior competition. In the junior competition Ayaan Haneef (9SGJ) and Alan Saeed (9KS) performed well beating Merchant Taylors’ top pairing in both singles and doubles. Further fixtures against Wetherby and City of London saw nearly 30 John Lyon boys representing their school.

John Lyon does Harrow proud in the pool The task of representing the Borough of Harrow fell to John Lyon’s young Water Polo players as they took part in the London Youth Games event in June.

Up against 14 other boroughs at the tournament in Crystal Palace, the U15 team made up of boys from Years 8, 9 and 10 sealed a quarter final place, eventually coming 7th out of 15 teams.

The John Lyon team took two out of three victories in the group stage, including a stunning 10-0 victory over Lewisham, before progressing to the knockout stage where they were defeated by a strong Croydon team.

The John Lyon Water Polo team made it through to the last eight in the London Youth Games

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Matthew practises his skills outside the School

Injuries brushed off as John Lyon gymnast ranks among Britain’s best Injuries to both ankle and shoulder couldn’t stop one of John Lyon’s most dedicated sportsmen competing with the best young gymnasts at the 2018 Gymnastics British Championships.

Lower Sixth student Matthew McClymont (L6ASL) was also able to score a personal best as he was placed 11th best junior in the country in the all-around gymnastics competition, while also impressing in the individual disciplines.

Competing at the championships held at Liverpool’s Echo Arena in March, which were watched by more than 15,000 people over four days, Matthew scored 71.850, missing out on the top ten by just 0.150.

of the youngest in the under 18 category.

And his 11th place finish was great reward for all the hard work put in by the young gymnast, who trains at Tolworth Gymnastics Club under two-time Olympian Kieran Behan.

years will be hugely important in terms of learning new skills and staying focused.

As for now, I need my shoulder and ankle injuries to heal and get 100% fit. Then, its new skills and perfection for the next round of competitions!

Matthew said:

In the six disciplines making up the allaround competition he ranked 9th on both the high bar and pommel horse, 12th on the rings, 14th on parallel bars, 15th on floor and 20th on vault.

It is a hugely demanding sport and something I am very dedicated to. I train for over 27 hours per week (more during the holidays) and travel approximately three hours per day to and from training. A lot of the other elite gymnasts do not attend full time schooling as I do, so they are able to train a lot more hours.

The results were a huge success for Matthew, who had turned 17 just days before the championship, making him one

I have been passionate about gymnastics for as long as I can remember. I am still young for a gymnast so the next few

Matthew at the competition alongside his coach and teammate

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John Lyon’s youngest archer, Abbas Asaria, prepares to shoot

John Lyon prove to be sharpest shooters on the Hill A historic competition to find the best archers in Harrow-on-theHill has been won by the John Lyon Archery team following a tense match against Harrow School.

The Silver Arrow trophy, which has been fought over since 1986, will remain at John Lyon for the fifth year in a row following a narrow 857 to 838 victory at the match in June.

The competition, which first existed as an open competition in 1684, but was abolished in the 1700s for attracting “unsavoury characters” to the Hill, was revived in 1986 and is now competed for annually by the neighbouring schools, with teams of boys of different ages shooting.

In the modern era the competition has been won by John Lyon 27 times, with Harrow winning five.

Switching to a new date in the Summer Term meant this year’s competition moved from the indoor range to outside at the Harrow School fields for the first time.

Mr Edward Collard-Walker, who coaches the John Lyon Archery team, said: Dealing with the wind – and even a spot of rain – was a new experience for John Lyon’s archers, but they were not fazed and performed magnificently under pressure.

John Lyon team and scores: Tom Kandler (L6TCF) – 226 Nathan Cuttica (L6LH) – 223 Daniel Konotop (L6LH) – 204 Ygor Colmerauer (11SJM) – 204 Abbas Asaria (7LJJ) – 178

Sixty kilos of John Lyon sports kit makes its way from Harrow to Cape Town As part of the South Africa tour, the School’s pupils and parents donated hundreds of items of John Lyon sports kit to some of Cape Town’s most vulnerable children. More than 60 kilograms of football boots, shorts and socks, along with cricket whites and various pieces of equipment were packed into a dozen huge bags and taken on the flight from London.

All the donated items, which included a range of club and national shirts, have been given to The Message Trust, a

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Some of the kit sent from John Lyon to South Africa

UK based Christian Charity which has worked in South Africa since 2014, and is dedicated to improving the lives of young

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people through work in schools, prisons and communities.

Summer and winter sports come together on successful South Africa super-tour As the bitter winter weather continued to grip Harrow during the 2018 Easter holidays, Cape Town was the destination for the School’s U14 and U15 footballers and cricketers, coming together for a South Africa super-tour.

The ten day tour saw the boys compete in and around South Africa’s largest city, impressing with their performances on the pitch as well as making friends off it.

Head of Cricket Mr Adam Ling wrote regular correspondence to parents during the tour, letting them know about the matches being played, as well as the various outings, social activities, large dinners and kit-related matters: Wednesday 11th April: A rare rest day greeted the team although there were still some tired faces at breakfast. With a big washing load done

we spent the morning reuniting clothes with their owners, with a good level of success. Thank you to parents for kit naming – it made the process far easier.

Our tour of the Cape started with a drive to Hout Bay where boys used their bartering skills to buy some of the local goods. From there we made a brief stop at Chapman’s Peak for a group photo overlooking the Bay before stopping in Noordhoek for lunch. The afternoon drive took us to Cape Point where the group walked up to the famous lighthouse; particularly windy when we reached the top. Boys were also introduced to some of the country’s wildlife as they met baboons, ostriches and eland. A short journey to the Cape of Good Hope for our final photo; the most south-westerly point of Africa, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. The coach was in absolute silence on the way back as most slept – finally some peace and quiet for the staff.

The full tour diary and more pictures can be seen at www.johnlyon.org/satour

The tour’s footballers get in some training ahead of a match

The tourists gather at Cape Point on their successful tour of South Africa

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Christianity in Ancient Rome and dentistry on the agenda as OLs return to School The strong ongoing links between the School and Old Lyonians were highlighted as two former pupils retuned to speak to current pupils.

Dr Sandy Skinner spoke to pupils in the School Library

In March Dr Sandy Skinner (OL 1986-1993) spoke to keen classicists, historians and those with a general interest in religion and life, on the reasons behind Christianity’s success in becoming the state religion in Rome and how it was able to supplant other traditions.

After John Lyon, Sandy went on to study Ancient and Modern History at Oxford, becoming a Fulbright Scholar at Yale and obtaining his PhD at the University of London. He is currently Director of the Virtual Centre for Late Antiquity and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Cardiff.

Curran Patel gave lots of useful information about the move from school to university

Miss Katherine Haynes Head head@johnlyon.org

Mr Andy Sims Deputy Head AJS@johnlyon.org

third year studying at King’s College London, which has the world’s second best school of dentistry, Curran was able to give boys in GCSE and A-Level years useful, practical advice about the Higher Education application process and ways in which students can be proactive during this crucial time in order to give themselves the best chance of gaining an interview and a place thereafter.

If you are or know an Old Lyonian who would like to speak to current pupils, please email Suzannah.Chirnside@johnlyon.org

Mr Jonathan Pepperman Deputy Head JOP@johnlyon.org School Open Day

Saturday 22nd September 2018 9.30am - 12.00pm www.johnlyon.org/openday

In June, a more recent Lyonian, Curran Patel (OL 2007-2014) returned to talk to boys about applying for dentistry. Currently in his

Good food and company shared as Lyonians gather for 106th annual dinner The dinner held in the New Memorial Dining Hall in April saw more than 100 pupils past and present and some former teachers come together for a four-course dinner, drinks and even some singing.

More photos can be found on the Old Lyonian website www.oldlyonians.org

Mr Michael Gibson Bursar Michael.Gibson@johnlyon.org Miss Rebecca Davies Registrar Tel: 020 8515 9443 admissions@johnlyon.org John Lyon Middle Road Harrow-on-the-Hill Middlesex, HA2 0HN 020 8515 9400

www.johnlyon.org @johnlyonharrow