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Issue 34 Spring 2018
W I T L E Y
Taking part The co-curriculum at King Edward’s is under new leadership – and so is leadership! Kestrel explores further…
Since January this extensive area of school life has been under the management of Mr Mark Harrison, who, as Director of Co-curriculum and Leadership, has taken over from Mr Delvin Poulter on the latter’s retirement from King Edward’s after 28 years. With almost 60 activities on offer from art to yoga, archery to car-building, robot wars to beekeeping, international cookery to web design, gardening to the ‘Café Scientifique’ discussion group, Model United
Nations, editing House, the biennial creative magazine which can be found on the school website, a huge sporting, music and drama programme and maintaining King Edward’s as a Licensing Authority for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, Mr Harrison and the committed and enthusiastic staff team who run the programme have their hands full. The emphasis is very much on providing breadth of opportunity and challenge to whatever level is possible, to spark the imagination of pupils and encourage commitment and growth, often by bringing in outside specialist coaching. A good example is the Chess Club, which has seen a resurgence of interest since the introduction of Grandmaster Nick Pert’s Thursday coaching sessions. Similarly, a new development on the sporting front recognises the pursuit of excellence across the 23 or so sports on offer at King Edward’s. The Emerging Athlete programme supports our elite and talented sportsmen and women, working in collaboration with the Surrey Human Performance Institute based at the University of Surrey in Guildford. The programme gives
West Side Story The gangs of New York City brought to Witley by our Senior School pupils in their finger snapping musical performance of West Side Story. PAGE 4
pupils access to world-class facilities and expert guidance from a team of specialist sports scientists to maximise their potential in whatever sport they excel. The co-curriculum is part of everyday life: there are activities every weekday after lessons for everybody, as well as on Saturday mornings and at other times for boarders and any day pupils who wish to participate. For Sixth Form IB students, their involvement is an important part of the CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) component of the International Baccalaureate Diploma; for others their involvement can be recognised as part of their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, School Colours or just by the reward of doing interesting things with friends, much of which you can read about elsewhere in this edition of Kestrel. Mr Harrison says he is constantly looking for new opportunities to offer, many of which are led and initiated by students themselves. What is certain is that the experiences of teamwork, leadership, selfmotivation, responsibility and service the co-curriculum provides distinguish King Edward’s pupils and set them up to take leading roles in the future.
Visiting coach
Chess Champion
Netball defence workshop takes King Edward’s girls by Storm.
A grand addition to the coaching staff marks a long-term future investment for the chess club.
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INSIDE
The core business of any school is the academic lessons taught and progress made. Arguably, just as important to a pupil’s education and development is the co-curriculum which encompasses all the sporting, cultural and other activities characterising a busy school Mr Mark Harrison, Director of Co-Curriculum & Leadership such as King Edward’s.
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