The Belvedere
Chronicles
The Leweston Society Record 5th Edition
Contents Headmaster’s Note Prep School Headteacher’s Address Leweston Society Manager’s Report Music Drama Diary of Events Our New Swimming Pool Sisters Are Doing it For Themselves Reunions Class Notes The OA Award Leweston’s Sister School School Dinners Then & Now Art The School Year in Retrospect Summer Results
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A D R I A N AY LWA R D Headmaster WELCOME TO THIS FIFTH EDITION OF THE BELVEDERE CHRONICLES MAGAZINE. I HOPE THIS ISSUE ENABLES YOU TO CATCH UP ON NEWS OF FELLOW OLD ANTONIANS, AND ALSO KEEPS YOU UPDATED ON THE SCHOOL, WHICH CONTINUES TO THRIVE DESPITE THIS CHALLENGING ECONOMIC CLIMATE. I thought I would share with you two recent emails. The first was from a mother to let us know her daughter had achieved a First in Physics in her first year at University and also went on to explain how much she was enjoying the course. She wanted to thank Leweston for her daughter’s foundation here, pointing out amongst other things, not only the teaching, but also crediting her daughter’s ‘stickability’ (one of only three girls in the first year that had not dropped out of the course) to Leweston. The second email was from a parent to say that an old girl had applied for her first job after University, at the same organisation where she, the parent, worked. She was not on the panel for the appointment, but nevertheless wanted to let us know not only just how articulate and knowledgeable, but also how thoughtful and natural the ‘old girl’ was and how she had impressed the panel over the other 79 candidates. I believe that some of those qualities observed in that girl are truly the product of our education here. This past academic year we were faced with being “inspected” under the new inspection system. We were amongst the first schools in the UK to be inspected by what is now termed an interim Boarding Inspection and an Integrated Inspection in the Prep School. We were delighted with the outcomes. Under the new system, there are no longer gradings and it is either pass or fail. The Senior School passed and I know it went very well for us because we were given very positive feedback, particularly, for example, on our piloting the National Skills Award for
Boarders. Academically, we started this year on the back of our excellent A Level and GCSE results but just as importantly behind the statistics, we were delighted for the individual girls on how well they fulfilled their potential. Only one of our Upper Sixth Form leavers did not get to her first choice University. Perhaps less well known to you is the fact that our value added, as measured by the Centre for Educational Management at Durham University – the system used by most of the Independent sector last year - put us in the top 10% at A Level. Another outstanding success was in the British Maths Olympiad, where one of our girls came top in the UK for her age range. In the creative pulse of the school which is so important to us, we had what was widely acknowledged as our best musical for years, Sweet Charity. We also had considerable success at the Bath Festival. Musically, Schola Cantorum has moved up a notch with some wonderful performances throughout this year and I have been particularly pleased to note the number of ensembles at work in the school. It has been good to see the development of the Jazz Band and indeed, at our Jubilee Concert, some Year 9 girls writing, composing and performing their own piece. Our educational trips remain a vibrant part of school life with the Sixth Form looking forward to its trip to New York and Washington this term. On the Sports front there has been much to celebrate throughout this year. Victoria Halford in Year 10, who represented Great Britain at the world Biathlete Champion-
ship in running, swimming, and then running again, finished sixth individually and was part of the team that finished as world champions. Immy Jones Year 9 wore the England shirt at a home countries competition in riding and Siobhan Stewart, Sixth Form, has been selected for the Independent Schools Football under 18 England Squad. We have had 14 county representatives and 5 regional representatives across hockey, cross country, netball, football, and athletics. The under 18s were Dorset indoor champions and the under 13s Dorset champions. We look forward to the hockey season starting again this term. Our vision at Leweston remains the same; we are committed to all girls’ education in the Senior School. Whilst facilities are not everything, they are important. It is due to the generosity and drive of a number of current parents that we have managed to have our magnificent new enclosed pool, and to commit to further developments taking place throughout the school over the coming year. We are actively at the moment looking to create better wireless facilities for the Sixth Form and a recreational café area which can be more their own. We look forward to another busy and successful year ahead and as always look forward to welcoming Old Antonians back to Leweston. I enjoyed meeting many of you this year at the Gaudy Reunion in May and look forward to the next Gaudy Reunion in 2013.
J A M E S S AV I L E Prep Scho ol H ead Teacher
In my first term I have seen many wonderful things in classrooms, on sports pitches, on the stage and in the many clubs. As a preparatory school, we have the magnificent privilege of educating children so that they are prepared for their secondary education and then their adult life.The world is changing quickly.The top ten in-demand jobs two years ago did not actually exist eight years ago. We are preparing children for jobs that do not yet exist and we are preparing them with skills to use technologies that have not yet been invented in order to solve problems that we do not yet know are problems.This is an exciting time in education and it is an honour to be part of it. In my first term I have seen many wonderful things in classrooms, on sports pitches, on the stage and in the many clubs. Sadly, the sport has not been helped by the weather but this has not dampened the enthusiasm of the pupils who give so much to the school. Highlights of the term have been the First Holy Communion for four young people and, at the end of term, an incredible performance of the musical Olivia.This really was a chance for our pupils to show their talents on stage.The acting and singing was really some of the very best that I have seen in my twenty year career as a teacher and I am very grateful to all the pupils and staff who were involved. Change is necessary at times and this can be exciting. We have made changes to the allocation of form teachers and it is our hope that this will successfully cater for the needs of both staff and pupils in order to build on the good work that is already being done here. As well as this, there will be some room changes as we swap the Year 5 classroom and the library.This will have the benefit of bringing Years 5 and 6 together in the same building and also siting the library next to the Computer Suite in order to have the traditional next to the technological. I noted that the building which houses our Prep School Hall has no official name. This was opened up to staff and the Sisters and I appreciate their suggestions. One has been chosen and I have pleasure in announcing that the building will now be known as The Padua Building. With St Antony being the patron saint of our school, his full name is St. Antony of Padua, naming it in this way will mean that we can keep this connection alive and I would like to thank
the Sisters for thinking of this name. The school was recently inspected and we were very pleased that the report was so positive.The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development was described as excellent which is the top grade, as was the pastoral care and health and safety.There were many other extremely positive comments but, as is the case in all inspections, there were some recommendations. We have followed up on these points throughout this term and I am pleased to announce that we have looked carefully at the balance of the curriculum and have ensured that the core subjects of Maths, English and Science have quality time for all year groups. In the Early Years we have been very fortunate to increase the staffing. This will undoubtedly help to build on the good work that is being done there at present. In the boarding house, the school has ensured that the Prep boarders have an age specific Common Room. We also welcome our new Housemistress, Mrs Lorraine Roberts, and look forward to having her on the staff team. In sport, the employment of a Director of Sport has helped boost the work that is already being done and there have been some amazing results this year. With the
wonderful new swimming facilities, Leweston has been able to employ Mr Mick Flaherty as the Swimming Pool Manager. His appointment will undoubtedly develop our swimming, as he is a very highly qualified coach, as well as open up a new world for the multi sports events. In Music we are hoping to give our own concert in Sherborne on Saturday 11th May to raise money for the Mayor’s charities as he has been very supportive of Leweston Prep. You are all very welcome and further details will be available soon. The school is certainly therefore developing well and, with numbers for September expected to be higher than they were a year ago, we will work hard at all times to give the very best for each and every child. I believe that all children are talented and have the right to excel in their own area. It is my intention to grow Leweston Prep so that every child eventually leaves as a happy, confident, independent learner with a genuine passion for their own education.
MARGO LIDDLE Leweston Society Manager his past academic year seems to have flown by, the girls I’m sure cannot quite believe that another speech day is over and those who were in the Prep School not that long ago, are now in their final year doing A levels!
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I was delighted to meet so many OAs who have returned to School during the last year, either for one of the reunions or visiting the school whilst in Dorset. We are always very pleased to see you, do keep coming back! Reunions have been a great success this year, particularly the Gaudy day in May where we welcomed over 100 OAs back to school. I thank those of you who were instrumental in contacting friends and peers from your year groups; this provided the groups with almost maximum attendance on the day. There have been a number of OAs who have generously
expressed interest in offering our current girls work experience in a career field they would wish to pursue. I am hugely grateful to you, and would like to spread the word on this. I do hold information on your chosen career paths but I feel much of this is not up to date and would ask you to please update me with your career and also, if you are able to, confirm whether or not you would be happy to offer the girls any work experience. As I am sure you are aware the work place is very different now to how it has been in previous years and any help would be much appreciated. We will once again be hosting our Careers Day for our current Sixth Form on Friday 1 March 2013 and would welcome any offers from OAs who would be willing to be a guest speaker on the day. Please contact me directly for more information. I would like to draw your attention to the OA Award which is not only being offered to our current pupils but also to
OAs. This is clearly written out for all on page 22 and I would ask those OAs who are considering working with a chosen project or charitable organisation to request an application form for this award. The sum of money awarded will contribute towards travel and living expenses of the successful candidate so that she is able to live and work in the community of her choice for a minimum period of six months. Applications should be made by the end of March. Please use the website to download an application form www.leweston.co.uk or alternatively, contact me directly. Thank you to all those who have been in touch with “news” for this edition of the magazine, it has made a wonderful section which I hope you will all enjoy. Please do keep in touch throughout the year, we are always very keen to hear from you, particularly from those who have been shy at coming forward about outstanding
achievements or results; I know you are out there and would like very much to hear from you! May I remind you about Leweston’s Facebook page, this is updated on a daily basis with the schools news and achievements; it’s a very good way of keeping in touch. I look forward to next year’s Gaudy reunion on Saturday 11th May 2013; invitations will be going out at the beginning of next year in order to give you all plenty of time to make arrangements! Before that there is a “Science reunion”, please see page 14 for more information. I know the Science Department is very much looking forward to this reunion with a difference! May I take this opportunity to remind OAs that if anyone is thinking of hosting a reunion to please get in touch and let me know, we would be delighted to host your gathering here at Leweston. Liddlem@leweston.dorset.sch.uk
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MUSIC - A Y E A SWEET CHARITY
PROPOSED JOINT SCHOLA AND NETBALL TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA JULY 2013
SCHOLA In December, Schola and selected instrumentalists gave a very exciting performance for the Christmas Concert in Chetnole Church, in aid of Kampala Music School (of which Claire Hawkes, Director of Music, is a Trustee). The Carol Service was another example of a polished performance by Schola and music was on the theme of ‘Darkness to Light’. In May Schola gave a 45 minute recital in Sherborne Abbey as part of the Abbey Festival. The programme was on the theme of the Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and included music by Eric Whitacre, Michael Head and Holst. Following the Abbey Festival, later in May, Schola gave an unprecedented concert entitled ‘An Evening with Schola Cantorum’ which included some of their programme from the Abbey Festival as well as solo items. It gave the opportunity for the choir to showcase their talents, from years 9 to 13. Schola ended the musical year by singing ‘An English Folk Mass’ by Malcolm Archer, setting for the final Speech Day Mass in July. During the communion they sang anthems by Fauré, Rutter and Mozart.
SCHOLA HAS MADE OUTSTANDING PROGRESS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND CLAIRE HAWKES HAS BEEN DESIGNING A TOUR FOR THE SUMMER OF 2013 TO PROVIDE THE GIRLS WITH AN EXCITING CHALLENGE OF LEARNING A NEW REPERTOIRE AND PERFORMING IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY WHICH WILL PROVIDE LASTING EXPERIENCES FOR LIFE. THE TOUR WILL BE JOINT WITH NETBALL.THE DIRECTORS OF BOTH MUSIC AND SPORTS HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS AN ITINERARY WHICH WILL ENABLE GIRLS TALENTED IN SPORT AND SINGING, TO BROADEN THEIR HORIZONS AND WORK AS A TEAM THROUGHOUT THIS ACADEMIC YEAR. THE TOUR WILL INCLUDE FORMAL AND INFORMAL PERFORMANCES IN CAPE TOWN, INCLUDING PERFORMINING AT THE CATHEDRAL AND VICTORIA AND ALBERT WATERFRONT. AS WE TRAVEL ALONG THE GARDEN ROUTE, WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM WITH OTHER CHOIRS, MAKE MUSIC WITH LESS FORTUNATE CHILDREN IN TOWNSHIPS AND PLAY AGAINST OTHER NETBALL TEAMS IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS. OUR AIM IS TO MAKE THE TOUR AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE AND WE SHALL BE EMBARKING ON FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES TO RAISE SIGNIFICANT FUNDS TO OFFER FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THOSE WHO MAY NEED IT.
Our two performances of Sweet Charity, in February, featuring girls in Years 10 and above, was a huge success and involved many girls both onstage and behind the scenes. We were fortunate to have a 12 piece band of professional musicians, some of whom perform regularly in the West End who added a real feeling of professionalism to the show.
JOINT SCHOOLS’ CONCERTS Instrumentalists from Leweston performed in two Joint School events last year: Sinfonia, in Leweston Chapel was directed by Claire Hawkes, and Symphony Orchestra, directed by John Jenkins and performed in the Corn exchange in Sturminster Newton.
INSTRUMENTAL SUCCESSES The music school has more chamber groups than ever before, the most recent include Clarinet Group, Jazz Band, Baroque Group, Junior Orchestra and Year 9 Band ‘Lady A’s’. who compose their own songs. Sixteen instrumental teachers now offer lessons in everything from guitar to saxophone, singing to viola.
THE ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT Sophie Ellis OA joined the team in 2011 and will be a full time music teacher from September 2012. We now have students taking AS and A2 music exams. Exam results in 2012 were extremely pleasing, with Six A* Grades, Four A Grades and Two B Grades at GCSE and AS Level.
R O F E XC E L L E N C E THE YEAR AHEAD 2012 - 2013 ...
Schola will be undertaking fundraising events to raise money for their tour, including activities such as singing at OA and staff weddings and a Gala concert event in the Spring. Sinfonia will be performing in November at Sherborne Boys School as part of a Joint Schools concert event. Symphony Orchestra will be performing in St John’s, Smith Square in March. This year’s Christmas Concert will take place in The Church of Our Lady, Chideock and will be raising funds for the joint tour. The Carol Service will take place on Thursday 13th December in the Abbey and this year’s theme is ‘The Guiding Star’. Please contact Margo Liddle if you wish to attend.
JANE FENTON RETIRES AFTER 25 YEARS OF TEACHING AT LEWESTON. NOT ONLY WAS JANE A TEACHER AT LEWESTON SHE HAD MANY YEARS AS A PARENT WHILST SEEING HER FOUR DAUGHTERS THROUGH THEIR EDUCATION. WE ARE SORRY TO SAY GOOD BYE TO JANE AND WISH HER A VERY HAPPY RETIREMENT.
Music Scholars will showcase their talents before October half term in their special Scholars’ Concert, and other instrumentalists will have the opportunity to perform in regular Wednesday concerts in the Lecture Room. The exciting Choral Society event this year will be a performance of Zimbe!, by Alexander L’Estrange, a work comprising folk songs from around Africa. It is written for SATB choir, semi chorus and children’s choir and will be an exciting chance for all members of the school and local community to become involved in our South African tour project for July. If you would like to attend any of the above events the Music Department would be delighted to see you.
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OLIVIA
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he Prep School has once again put on another spellbinding summer term production, this time Olivia, a witty take on the well-known and much loved musical Oliver!
This brilliant and innovative show, set in Victorian times, traced the steps of Olivia, from downtrodden orphan to star of the stage. Exceptional and engaging performances were given by pupils in Years 5 & 6 who had the main parts and worked tirelessly on achieving Fagin and the Artful Dodger accents to perfection! They were well supported by an excellent cast, chorus and backstage who worked incredibly hard to create another outstanding show!
LE WESTON W I N T ER BA L L The Leweston Winter Ball took place on Saturday 19th November 2011. The School welcomed over 220 guests to this fabulous and hugely successful event. A champagne reception together with a selection of delicious canapés prepared and served by Leweston’s Leiths Cookery students and other pupils, greeted guests from 7.30pm. Dinner, provided by Victoria Blashford-Snell and her team, was a highlight of the evening as was the marquee that had been beautifully decorated by Fleur Provocateur along the theme of a “Winter Wonderland”. There was plenty of extremely generous bidding on our live Auction and the proceeds of £12,803.00 from the evening have gone towards our on-going Building for the Future Campaign. Thank you to those OAs who so kindly provided raffle prizes and Auction prizes, these were hugely generous and very much appreciated. The evening culminated with guests dancing the night away to our live band, The Van Gogh’s, and finally leaving at 2.30am! Thank you to all who attended the Ball; it was a truly wonderful night and a great event for Leweston!
Sweet Charity
, this year’s Senior School musical production and the culmination of months of rehearsal, took place in the School Theatre at the end of February. The extensive rehearsals, dance sessions with the choreographer Karen Pankhurst and singing rehearsals with Claire Hawkes Director of Music, paid huge dividends as the cast took the audience by storm on both nights. The story of Charity Hope Valentine, played brilliantly by Year 12 pupil Esmee Roach, trying to find true love moved some to tears and others to exhilaration. Here Esmee describes her experience playing Charity. “Sweet Charity – the story of Charity Hope Valentine, a girl who just wanted to be loved. Leweston girls (years 10 upwards) were offered the opportunity to perform this musical and bravely, we accepted. It seemed straight away we were singing, acting and even dancing our hearts out in front of the intimidating audition panel, and after a nail biting wait of a few days the cast list was put up. I was overjoyed to find out I had been chosen to play the main part of Charity. This was in June 2011, and after the summer holidays we came back to school and immediately immersed ourselves in five rehearsals a week! I think I speak for the whole cast when I say it was a challenge, but every minute of it was made enjoyable by the ever capable trio of Mr Irvine, Mrs Hawkes and Ms Pankhurst. Over the Christmas term lines were being learnt, our dancing was improving and the songs were beginning to sound rather tuneful! After the holidays we only had just over a month to pull everything together, the set had to be built, dances and harmonies had to be remembered and the final lines were admittedly still to be learnt! On top of this most of us had exams, but we still pushed on. Show week quickly came, a brilliant orchestra was organised and the technical team worked their socks off. We spent all our spare time rehearsing and before we knew it, it was the opening night. Backstage there was a flurry of excitement mingled with last minute nerves as we waited for the overture to finish and the curtains to open. Finally they did, and we belted out famous numbers such as ‘Big Spender’ and ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now’, but the climax of the show came in the second half when all of us had a great time performing the much loved number ‘Rhythm Of Life’. All too quickly the show was over and we were left with only one more performance to look forward to the next day. The last night came; it was fantastic, but after all the adrenaline and the excitement of being on stage came just a few tears when we realised it was all over. I think that being in Sweet Charity was the best experience I have had performing, and it has really helped me in deciding my future after Leweston. I am going to apply for the Drama and Applied Theatre in Education course at the Central school of Speech and Drama which will provide me with skills such as using drama to bring communities together and teaching children with learning difficulties using dramatic techniques.”
CONNIE ROBINS A NOTE FROM THE HEAD GIRL I have really enjoyed and valued the experience of becoming a role model for the younger girls at Leweston. When I arrived at Leweston five years ago the Upper Sixth seemed so grown up, cool and powerful but now it seems ridiculous and amusing to think that’s what potentially the younger girls would think about us! I have really enjoyed and valued the experience of becoming a role model for the younger girls at Leweston. The fact that the Sixth Form is not completely separated from the rest of the school community allows this and helps us form an important part of school life. This has enabled me to develop skills I did not have previously and to help the other girls in the school with any problems that I have had experience of. After overcoming the excitement and surprise of being chosen as Head Girl I hope I can put everything that Leweston has taught me into practice. I hope that this time next year I can look back knowing I have provided guidance and support for others. As I enter into the final year at Leweston I look forward to the challenges ahead and preparing for the next stage in life’s education.
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OUR NEW SWIMMING POOL LEWESTON WAS DELIGHTED TO OFFICIALLY OPEN ITS NEWLY ENCLOSED SWIMMING POOL AS PART OF THE SPEECH DAY IN JULY. KAREN PICKERING MBE OPENED THE POOL AND PRESENTED THE PRIZES AT THE SWIMMING GALA THAT FOLLOWED. Although Speech Day was the official opening, pupils have been swimming in the new pool since May. This facility will enable year round swimming for all pupils and it will also enhance what Leweston can provide for the wider school community, parent body and the members of the local community who use the pool in the summer months. This improved swimming provision will not only support the pupils in the Senior School but also our younger pupils in the Prep and Early Years, equipping them with a valuable life skill. The new roof is comprised of green powdercoated aluminium arches with Perspex glazing. The heated facilities include indoor girls’ and boys’ changing rooms, showers, separate toilets and a staff office. The design maintains the ‘lido’ feel in summer with the lawn end gable opening completely and the panels on the outdoor changing room side rising to give direct access and an open-air feel. We have been delighted with the number of members at our Summer swimming Club this year and feel that having the roof covering made swimming all the more popular as the British summer was true to form with few sunny days!
Paul Miles, Director of Sport, Karen Pickering MBE, Adrian Aylward, Headmaster and Dr Geoffrey Guy, Chairman of Leweston’s Appeal
This facility will enable year round swimming for all pupils and it will also enhance what Leweston can provide for the wider school community, parent body and the members of the local community who use the pool in the summer months.
PAUL MILES DIRECTOR OF SPORT
After another successful and busy year of sport and a phenomenal Olympic and Paralympic summer, there is an air of expectation as the new school year begins. The girls can look forward to enhanced coaching and playing opportunities for all. We are particularly pleased to welcome Mick Flaherty onto the staff. He will be in charge of the newly covered swimming pool which will be in use all year. Mick is the current Great Britain Biathle coach and will offer a new dimension to the coaching programme not only for swimming and running but also aquathlon, biathle, biathlon or triathlon! There will also be opportunities to shoot and fence and riding continues to flourish, so for those with multiple skills the Modern Pentathlon or Tetrathlon is a genuine target. Keeping an Olympic theme we are also very pleased that ex Great Britain women’s hockey coach Jon Royce has made himself available to run a session
each week for the senior girls. The netballers will also benefit from an additional weekly coaching session from Sara Guy as they hope to embark on a tour to South Africa in the summer. Opportunities for specialist athletics training will be available to the girls over the winter and the new lighting for the tennis courts will allow for additional coaching for both tennis and netball as the light fades. In addition to the wide variety of sports in the PE curriculum, the activities programme has been developed to complement it and any budding golfers, sailors, footballers, basketballers or even cricketers will have opportunities to hone their skills. Other sports are in the pipeline so there will be something for everyone and who knows, a Leweston Olympian may be waiting in the wings. We are delighted to be offering the girls so many opportunities which we feel will be broadening their abilities in the sports curriculum.
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Sisters are doing it for themselves...
ALICE GULLY (NEE MCVITTIE ‘94) I had a fantastic time whilst at Leweston, and I never thought I would look back so fondly on my years spent there! I still have fantastic friends, good memories and I really believe that it did truly set me up for life ahead. I arrived quite shy and very selfaware, awkward at sport and dyslexic, but Leweston gave me the confidence I needed to excel in an all-round education. I was encouraged to try a taster of everything whilst at school, with no refusal to do so and I feel those principles installed from the very beginning still stand true in what I do now. I still get nervous public speaking, but I can see Mrs Dixon in my head telling me to stand tall and “pronounce not mutter”! One of the last benefits of Leweston that I received was in my final year; I was awarded a scholarship for the Sail Training Association to compete in the Tall Ships Race across the Baltic Sea. I absolutely loved it which meant that I went back as a team leader four times. I have done some incredible sailing trips with them and even taught the older generation to climb the rigging, certainly good for growing confidence! I then went onto Newcastle University to study Zoology – this was a very practical course and more full time than many of my peers, but I think it helped me get the most out of my time at University. After a failed attempt at getting into Vet School and taking a further gap year in Africa working with horses on a riding safari, I decided it was time to start my own business. I was advised to get a job and gain some experience, which I did with a travel company in London, which lasted nine months. I found London too crowded and took off for a final “mini gap” ski season and eventually arrived in Scotland determined not to take no for an answer from anyone and to establish a top end travel company. Twelve years later I am a Director of Aardvark Safaris and we have four offices; Hampshire, Scotland, London and San Diego USA. We have nineteen people working for us. Although it’s a sales role, people come to us first with their wish list and then we put the holiday together piece
by piece. This can be a honeymoon couple who are trying to stick to a budget and have a very firm idea of what they want. Often we arrange family holidays and as a mother myself, I often go out to meet families (once flying to Geneva to do so) to go through each country, what the options are and if they prefer malaria free, a bit of golf to keep Dad happy etc. We go into a lot of detail with our guests, often letting them know the type of saddle they will be riding in and what their horse will be called on a riding safari to the actual number and position of their villa on a beach if it’s a honeymoon. We also arrange family anniversary trips for 60th birthdays or large groups of cousins with grandparents which are great fun. Often groups can take over entire lodges or private houses and the guides go out of their way to spoil them with surprise bush picnics, sleep outs on the Pans, and many more activities. We try to leave an element of surprise (in a good way) to each holiday that we do. It can take between 4 and 6 weeks to get a trip right, going through each element with guests and making sure that people are 100% happy with all the plans. All the holidays we sell are through personal recommendation, we have visited each destination, and so we can give a guarantee and honest, unbiased explanation of each hotel or lodge. Although the business is operating well now, it’s been hard work. I know everyone tells you this before you start your own business but long hours and poor pay at the beginning are not an easy combination. I now work with fantastically motivated team of people and it’s a very buzzing office. The juggling of work / motherhood / husband and animals (we have 44) is manic and needs organisation as well as a sense of humour, but I would not have it any other way. My advice to anyone wanting to set up their own business, is to go for it, but let yourself make mistakes, they are very educational. Also do things that keep you perky, and surround yourself with people that make you laugh, it makes life a lot fun. To find out more about Aardvark Safaris please visit: www.aardvarksafaris.co.uk
SARAH GORDON LENNOX (NEE MCVITTIE ’95) Few people can claim to have set up and sold their first business by the age of 30. But Sarah, 35, is already an entrepreneur. Her success has been recognized by The Times newspaper and Management Today both have hailed her as “one of Britain’s top female entrepreneurs”. After leaving Leweston, Sarah spent a year teaching English in China. She then completed her education at Edinburgh University where she studied Economics and Chinese (gaining a 2:1) and was then offered a job in an investment bank working as an analyst in Corporate Finance. At University, Sarah developed an interest in motorbikes and fuelled by her year in China had a desire to ride her motorbike from London to Beijing across the Silk Route. She convinced 5 other friends to join her, and the investment bank to let her take a year off, and they set off in 2001 on 2 Ural motorbike and sidecars, a Land Rover and a lot of spare parts! Thousands of miles, 13 countries and many breakdowns later they made it to Tiananmen Square having raised £50,000 for Cancer Research and Mercy Corps. Sarah then started her first job but quickly realized that life in the city was not for her! But, it was her first job that inspired her to start her first business. She spotted a gap in the information market and left her job in June 2003 to set up her first business. Sarah’s first business, Texperts, was the world’s first SMS question answering service. At 25, she developed Texperts from an idea into a pioneering, industry-recognised leader in a new market segment with significant potential in mobile. Over 5 years, she raised £2.5 million in angel funding and took the company to a successful exit. In 2008, Texperts was sold to its largest competitor kgb (parent company of 118118) in a multimillion pound transaction. Texperts won numerous industry awards for its concept & technology. As the inspirational force behind Texperts, Sarah accrued an extraordinary record of business innovation and performance in a short period of time. After selling Texperts, she realised she had caught the entrepreneurial bug and started her second business in 2009. Her new business, Dressipi, is also a technology business but this time in the fashion space. Dressipi is focused on developing the ultimate discovery and decisionmaking engine for personal styling and shopping. It enables consumers to quickly find clothes and brands that match their unique Fashion Fingerprint(TM). It’s equivalent to having a digital stylist on tap 24/7. Dressipi officially launched in November 2011 and now has over 50K customers.
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I had the fortune to be at Leweston, not only for my senior school, but also at St Antony’s prep. I have wonderful memories of all the staff and all the lessons they taught me, both on an academic and non-academic level, sometimes I definitely needed a little bit of discipline! Thanks to my years at Leweston I believe I have approached life with an open mind, it was a school that instilled in me a sense of decency, honesty and courage to be myself and do what I believe in.
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Sarah has proven that you do not need to be a computer scientist to be successful as a technology entrepreneur. She has proven that through sheer hard-work, tenacity and drive it is possible to achieve success in any sector. She is passionate about encouraging entrepreneurship and takes time out to encourage young people to see entrepreneurship as a real alternative to more standard jobs.
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OA REUNION
OA Reunion Y E A R
O F
2 0 0 6
OAS WHO LEFT THE SCHOOL IN 2006 RETURNED TO LEWESTON IN OCTOBER FOR THEIR REUNION. THE DAY PROVIDED
THE GIRLS WITH A CHANCE TO COME BACK
TO SCHOOL, MEET UP WITH SOME OF THE
STAFF AND REMINISCE ABOUT OLD TIMES. A TOUR OF THE SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REUNION AND AFTER
WATCHING THE FINAL 10 MINUTES OF A
LEWESTON HOCKEY MATCH: THE GIRLS
WERE VERY TEMPTED TO HAVE AN OA
MATCH, BACK AT SCHOOL IN THE NEAR
FUTURE. A HUGE THANK YOU TO LOTTIE
EAGLES (FORMER HEAD GIRL) WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GATHERING GIRLS
FROM THE YEAR, WHICH LED TO THE GREAT TURNOUT ON THE DAY.
GAUDY REUNION SATURDAY12TH MAY 2012
eweston was delighted to welcome over 100 OAs back to the School for their annual Gaudy Reunion in May. It was fantastic to see such a large gathering of Old Antonians from all the different year groups. We were so pleased so many of you had made such an effort to attend with a large number coming from overseas, this I know took a lot of organising!
L
The reunion started in the Manor House with everyone assembling for coffee, followed shortly by Adrain Aylward, Headmaster speaking in the Pensabene Library which many remember as the old dining room! This was soon followed by a delicious lunch which was provided and served by Leweston’s Catering team; followed by tours of the School which bought back countless memories and wonderful stories. The most popular areas
to visit were by far the boarding areas, which I’m sure you would agree most OAs have plenty of stories about! Thank you as always to those who were so helpful in getting their year groups together, it was a very memorable day for us all and we look forward to welcoming you back to Leweston in the near future.
OUR NEXT GAUDY REUNION IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY 11TH MAY 2013 WITH THE FOLLOWING YEAR GROUPS BEING INVITED: 1963, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998 AND 2003.
GET PLANNING . . .
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LEWESTON SCIENTIST REUNION OCTOBER 2012
SATURDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2012 LEWESTON HOST A REUNION FOR OUR SCIENTIST FROM YEARS 1997 – 2011
THIS WILL BE A DAY WITH A DIFFERENCE WHEREBY OAS WILL BE JOINED BY OUR CURRENT SIXTH FORM PUPILS AND STAFF FOR LUNCH FOLLOWED BY A SCIENCE PRESENTATION AND ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON. WE HOPE YOU HAVE RECEIVED YOUR INVITATIONS, IF YOU FEEL YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN INVITE AND HAVEN’T PLEASE DO GET IN TOUCH. THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING FORWARD TO HOSTING THIS REUNION AND CATCHING UP WITH THOSE WHO HAVE GONE ON TO STUDY FURTHER. THIS YEAR MARKS MR SHERWOOD-TAYLOR’S 40TH YEAR OF TEACHING AT LEWESTON WHICH HE CONTINUES TO DO ALONGSIDE DR KEMAL. THEY BOTH VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE DAY.
TMAN REBECCA PUARNER ‘75) (NEE T
Reunion in Sherborne for OAs from 1987 From left to right, top to bottom: Grace Duggan (nee Cheetham), Nichola Routledge, Sian Gorham (nee Bisset), Imogen Wort (nee Clist), Sophie Russell, Anne Baggesen and Jo Appleyard. Kerry Ashbridge and Victoria Waldron (nee Robertson) were also present.
REPORTS:
m the year of seven OAs fro e, nc de ci in co r), By happy on (Chancello July. Jo Simps r home ei th m 1975 met up in fro ichard flew R n so d an ul er husband Pa ith their daught d to catch up w ent. om m e in New Zealan th at over here g in pp ga is ho (nee Egan) Amanda w at Mary-Anne nd ke ee w e th t They spen e in Hellesley, w’s lovely cottag and Dave Darlo ee Mancais), . Kitty Cavill (n Gloucestershire Honor Hawkins han (nee Fesq), Caroline Straug -Griffiths (nee Jenny Vaughan , l) al -H on ris er) gate(nee Har tman (nee Turn Pa ca ec eb R d d caught up Young) an age Fun Day an ill V y’s sle le el eam teas and crashed H s amidst the cr w ne r’s he ot an with one !! welly-wanging
C L A S S N OT E S ALEXIA ROBINSON ‘87 Is living on a farm near Cheltenham with her partner, Charles, his two children and more dogs, cats, horses, sheep and chickens than she can count. 2012 has been a busy year for Alexia as her Love British Food business has been involved in both the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics; whereby promotions in shops, pubs and restaurants across the country were set up to entice consumers to buy the diverse and delicious food that Britain produces. During the Diamond Jubilee a national school competition “Cook for the Queen” was set up which culminated in Schools coming to Buckingham Palace to cook for her Majesty! To find out more about Alexia’s business visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk ALICE COWEN ‘97 Alice has been working as a personal fitness trainer in London for the past 10 years www.alicecown.co.uk and has now moved to Pollenca, Mallorca and has started up a boutique bootcamp called BOOTIQUE. www.bootique.me, is where she trains groups of friends, colleagues etc in a beautiful place near the sea and surrounded by mountains. Providing super healthy food and weekend fitness blasts!
ALICE SHARPE (NEE HELLIWELL ‘02) After working in television in the UK, Alice moved to Los Angeles in 2009 to tackle the American TV industry. Having settled by the beach in Santa Monica, California, Alice currently develops TV shows in the US for networks such as Discovery, National Geographic, TLC and ABC. AMANDA MIRFIN (NEE NICHOLSON ‘91) Amanda and family are immigrating to Adelaide, Australia in October. Her sister Zoe Nicholls (nee Nicholson) ‘93 got married in Sydney last April and is living there with her husband Dave and two dogs, Rolly and Tiger. ANGELA HAWLEY ‘78 Just retired after 30 years in the Royal Air Force and now living in Cheltenham, married to Graham.
(from left to right) EUGENIE TOMLIN (NEE WILKINSON) CHARLOTTE DURRANT (NEE BULLOCK) ANNA ASHFIELD (NEE DE HALPERT) and ELIZA GLUCKMAN (NEE PATTEN) all year of 1994. This photo was taken in June 2012 at Charlie
Durrant’s (nee Bullock) leaving party as she is off to live and work in Hong Kong with her husband and 3 children. ANNA ASHFIELD (NEE DE HALPERT ‘94) is currently on Maternity leave from her job as a Clinical Nurse Specialist at Guys Hospital after having her second daughter Ella Jane in April. ANNA BOWDITCH ‘00 is working as a Sister in Bath Hospital Emergency Department. ANNE BAGGESSEN ‘87 Lives in the Isle of Man with her husband, Mark Cox and their two daughters Niamh (14) and Freya (9). Anne is a Director of SMP Trustees Ltd, a company based in the Isle of Man, providing Trust and corporate services www.smppartners.com BARBARA BANNISTER (NEE ANDERSON ‘65) After 25 years in Southern Africa, Barbara is now managing a company which provides 24-hour live-in care to people in their own homes across the south of England: www.oxleycare.co.uk BRONWEN GRAY (NEE EDWARDS ‘89) Bronwen is based in South West London with her husband & two children. She is making the most of working flexibly
from home to escape to the sun & stay with family in Portugal over the summer holidays before adopting 2 rescue cats in September to complete the family! Please follow her on twitter! @bronniegray CAMILLA HEXT (NEE MACKECHNIE ‘84) Is living in Dummer, Hampshire after many years of living overseas. Her son Ollie (20) has just finished his first year at Exeter University reading French/Spanish and Sophie (15) is at St Mary’s Shaftesbury and is hoping to become an Equine Vet. Tom, Camilla’s husband is working in South Africa, so plenty of lovely holidays are had visiting him! CLAIRE ZARB ‘00 Is very happily living in Balham, London with her partner Tom. In 2008 Claire decided to change her career and studied Homeopathy, a form of complementary medicine. Claire has since set up her own business as a Homeopathic Practitioner, treating people in London and via Skype! She specialises in treating sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Acne and Female Hormonal Disorders. www.happyhomeopathy.co.uk
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CAROLINE MICHEL (NÉE CROCKER ‘85) Is living in Rennes, France and just finishing an MBA in Sustainability and Leadership which has been a steep learning curve but has proved to be most enjoyable. Caroline still works at the Business School in Rennes running the International Office, and is hoping to make a move in the next couple of years either into industry or possibly remaining in higher education (Ph.D next perhaps?) but has decided to be definitely somewhere warmer in the world!
ZOE RIDGWAY (NEE FISHER ‘94) has just moved back to Germany with her Army husband, Simon, and her brood of 3!! JULIET CLEMENTS (NEE BIGGART ‘94) is happily married with a new baby and a dog or two. Living in London.
enough to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. She describes the week as a week like no other and an unforgettable experience; Catherine comments “I am incredibly lucky and privileged to have been part of such a spectacle”.
ALISON HENRY (NEE BEAVON ‘94) is married to the amazing Mike and has 2 gorgeous kids.
CHARLOTTE MONMONT (NEE VAN DER HORST ‘86) has been living in Brussels for the last five years, after five years in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and eleven years in France. She is married to Franck and they have four children. Oldest, Max, is going to be 17, then Mathilde, 14, Oscar, 12 and youngest, Theo, is 4. CLAIRE HOPKIN ‘02 is Operations Manager for Casterbridge Tours and World Strides USA.
CHARO DE MADARIAGA ‘74
Caroline has three children, Baptiste is 20 and is in Medical School, Pierre is 18 and has just finished his first year of Engineering, and Marie is nearly 16 and is entering Lycée to study for her International Baccalaureate majoring in Literature. Life is hard work, but rewarding from so many points of view. Caroline would be very happy to get back in touch with any Old Antonians and would be interested also in anyone who has any international project management jobs to offer. CAROLINE BOYD (NEE PUGH ‘94) Is very happily living in Bermuda with her husband for the past four and a half years. He is Global Head of Insurance Linked Markets for Allianz Risk Transfer and does quite a bit of travelling so Caroline gets to tag along when possible!! She is working also with the Bermuda Heart Foundation using her experience as a cardiothoracic nurse to try to improve the health of the local population, an uphill battle to say the least! They are hoping to remain living in Bermuda but work permits will dictate this.
CATHERINE ATKINSON ‘04 Was lucky enough to spend a week up at the Royal Mews Windsor with her horse. Catherine was to take part in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant and represent her interest in racing. The Diamond Jubilee Pageant was a dazzling journey around the world, reflecting The Queen’s State and Commonwealth visits during the course of her Reign. The spectacle visited The Americas, Australasia, Asia, The Middle East, Africa, Europe and finally Great Britain. The show included indigenous dancers, musicians, military personnel and horsemen who joined together in a scene full of movement, colour and sound, that culminated in a spectacular demonstration of the culture of their country. Catherine was also lucky
CHARLOTTE HOPLEY (NEE COLTMAN ‘91) On 6th June 2012 Charlotte Coltman married Martin Hopley and are very excited about expecting their first child in October this year. Martin and Charlotte are living in Tanzania and are continuing to work in the field of Education establishing their own activities working in far remoter and needier regions of Tanzania, starting in southern Singida. The Projects will work in both Conservation and Education, primarily restoring the natural habitat destroyed by deforestation and working in partnership with the local communities and schools, to support and enhance their existing education structure. Charlotte was very involved from the start with helping to build the St Marie Eugenie girls secondary school in the Moshi area of Tanzania. This project is still ongoing and is owned and now managed by the Assumption Sisters.
Owns a small hotel in Camino de Satiago, Rioja, Spain which has a feature in the Alastair Sawdays hotel guide. Charo would like to spread the word about her hotel throughout the OA network and would be pleased to offer an OA discount to those visiting. The hotel is well placed if travelling to the south of Spain or on your way back to the UK using the ferry from either Santander or Bilbao. Alternatively Rioja is a lovely place to visit on its own, Mihotelito is a wonderful old house which has been fastidiously renovated with all its original architectural charm restored throughout. To find out more please visit
www.mihotelito.es
May and Tom who make life anything but quiet. However, Emily did find the time to run the London Marathon last year with Jane Anderson (nee Spurr). Emily’s chosen charity was ARC (a charity which supports parents who may need to make a difficult decision about an unborn child).
DAISY SKEPELHORN ‘10 Is a member of the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) training programme and was working on the Olympics and the Para-Olympics. One of the goals set by the London 2012 Organising Committee was to leave a long-term legacy and in support of this, the OBS together with local universities, is running the Broadcast Training Programme. Daisy worked on the 3D coverage and was based in the main Olympic stadium covering the athletics and at Lee Valley Park covering the canoeing. ELIZABETH CAIN ‘01 (FORMER HEAD GIRL) Elizabeth is currently living in Poole, Dorset and is enjoying the challenge of working as a doctor in Emergency Medicine (A&E). She is currently training to be a consultant in Emergency Medicine with dual accreditation in Paediatric Emergency Medicine. She is engaged to be married to Duncan Chambler, a fellow doctor, in 2013. Anna Bowditch (year 00) is one of her bridesmaids. EMILY DAVIES ‘89 Continues to run the Dorset Blue Soup Co and is involved in the family cheese-making business producing Dorset Blue Vinny. Emily has two children,
EMILY FRENCH ULLAH (NEE FRENCH ‘94) Lives in South West London with her husband and their two sons aged 4 and 6. Emily is working in Children’s Television. She still sees a lot of OAs including Juliet Biggart, Anna de Halpert, Michelle Fattorini, Eugenie Wilkinson, Eliza Patten, Alex Durnford and Victoria Kenyon. EMMA PRICE ‘04 Emma enjoys a busy and varied career as a freelance musician. Based in London, Emma performs regularly across the UK in one of the many groups she’s part of, which vary from Classical to Jazz and Folk. Please visit www.ayreflutes.com, www.lotusclassics.co.uk, www.beaubowbelles.com Additionally, Emma also enjoys teaching the flute and piano, and also works regularly for the Times Education Supplement.
EUGENIE TOMLIN (NEE WILKINSON ‘94) Is now based at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham, with husband Neil, Lara (8) and Rory (6). Eugenie is singing in the new Military Wives Choir album!
GAELLE STARK-ORDISH ‘00 has her own Theatre Company based in Totnes in Devon. Its latest production was written by Gaelle herself, about four friends whose lives were devastated by a fire that breaks out in their school. Gaelle has directed and produced a number of productions including one award winner from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She has recently completed an MA in Creative Writing and enjoys writing or adapting scripts for performance. This is a new and emerging company which seeks to create thought-provoking and interesting theatre in nonconventional spaces. To find out more visit www.fame-totnes.co.uk GEORGINA WINSLOW (NEE O’FLYNN ‘75) Has been living just north of Houston, Texas, for 18 years now. Georgie’s husband has his own business from home, hosting and managing websites for churches, ministries and small businesses. www.churchsquare.com Georgie is now a grandmother and Lia is nine months old. Their son, David and his wife live in Tacoma, Washington; he is in the USAF and flies C-17 cargo planes and their daughters, Julia (24) and Anna (17) are doing well, Julia is looking for a job after graduating from college last year, and Anna is about to finish High School. Georgie still has her 1972 school-wide photo framed and sitting on her kitchen counter. She looks at it every day – happy memories!! GINA MOSSE ‘99 Over the past year I got engaged to Marc after 2 years of living together, in a house we bought, renovated and made
our own. Gina and Marc have decided to have a Caribbean wedding and are currently planning that for May 2013 in the Dominican Republic. To top it all Gina fell pregnant in March so along with the wedding, she is planning for her baby too which is due 11th December 2012. As Gina says she never did anything by halves! HANNAH LUARD (NEE BRAGG ‘93) Hannah and family have moved to Buckinghamshire and are enjoying life there. They have George who will be 3 at the end of October; Lilly (short for Elizabeth) who was 1 in May and our 3rd is due at the start of October. Hannah is loving being a full time Mum and she remembers with laughter how her housemistress at Leweston made her clean the bannisters with a toothbrush which she admits has never ever come in useful as with two little ones she simply doesn’t have time for cleaning bannisters! PENNY BULLEY (NEE GOLDING ‘90) has given up headhunting to be a full time mum. She is married with two little girls, Annabel 4 and Georgina 2, and living in the beautiful Surrey Hills. She holidays on the Dorset coast and catches up with Joy Yapp (nee White) and her family whenever possible. 17
HARRIET OLDS (NEE LAVENDER ‘95) Harriet and Matt had twin girls in September 2011 called Isabella and Kitty. It’s been a very busy yet happy time for them both. They are living in a small village near Bedfordshire and Harriet is currently on maternity leave. Harriet’s sister Charlotte lives in Hong Kong with her baby Eliza Rose and her other sister Jessica lives in London and is still teaching! HELEN RUDLAND (NEE ROCHE ‘04) Passed her PhD viva in July, and will be graduating in October - so, in a few weeks Helen will actually be 'Dr. Roche'! Helen’s book based on her thesis, entitled Sparta's German Children: The Ideal of Ancient Sparta in the Royal Prussian Cadet Corps, 1818-1920, and in National Socialist Elite Schools (the Napolas), 1933-1945, is going to be published in November by the Classical Press of Wales. Helen is also starting her new job as a Research Fellow at Lucy Cavendish College in Cambridge at the beginning of October, which is very exciting. She will be researching the impact of philhellenism on politics and diplomacy in the Third Reich, as well as continuing to do a lot of music (she is currently reserve viola for the European Union Baroque Orchestra 2012). Helen has a new academic website, so if anyone wants to know more about her work, they can visit www.helenroche.com. HENRIETTE RICHMOND ‘88 Having quit the rat race in London in 2002 to travel around southern Africa, she found herself in Cape Town with the option of a trip back home or the temptation of an adventure at sea with the Cape to Rio regatta in early 2003.
After very little thought the temptation of the regatta got the better of her and she got herself a place as crew on the famous Maiden yacht and set sail across the Atlantic from the African continent to South America. Under the quiet of 24 days of sea, sea and more sea and stars at night that could blow your mind I met my husband, the yacht’s Spanish skipper. They have set up home in Marbella, Southern Spain and have two children and run a yacht charter company (Marbella Boat Charter) as well as holiday rentals www.casacasita.com
PEER GROUP NEWS – A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SEND US YOUR NEWS WITH YOUR PHOTOS! PLEASE KEEP US IN TOUCH!
ISABELLE BARBER ‘11 has been offered a place to read English at Oxford. Congratulations Isabelle. JANE FIELD (NEE WALLINGTON ‘75) Lives very close to Leweston and has run her own business for the last six years www.jonnyssister.co.uk. Jane’s eldest daughter has recently left Leweston and is awaiting A level results before hoping to go to Uni; their youngest son is at Sherborne Boys. Jane came to the 50 years old class reunion about four years ago which was great fun. JOANNA WILESMITH (NEE HAWKYARD ‘91) Is living in Luxembourg and is expecting her third child later this year.
JULIET MOORE (NEE FABER ‘76) Is living in New York and currently job hunting, having just finished a Master’s degree in social work at Hunter College. In fact, Juliet’s graduation this spring coincided with her son Emerson’s. His was for a BA (in history) from Princeton University! Meanwhile Tom, her younger son is an undergrad at Washington & Lee University. KAREN BROOKS (NEE DIXON ‘86) Is currently a headteacher of a primary school near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. Very sadly Karen’s father passed away last year and some Old Antonians, particularly those who attended St Antony’s Prep in Sherborne, will remember him. He spent a great deal of time helping out at the school with plays and fetes. Some would remember him queuing up each day at 4pm hoping Sister Marceline would give him a biscuit; others would remember him at fetes giving out ‘polo mint calendars’ as prizes on dice games. He was so very supportive of both schools and enjoyed reading the OA magazine every year. KATE DAWSON (NEE PARSONS ‘91) married in 2009 to Ben Dawson they have three children Faraday (9), Florrie (2) and Tom (1). They currently live in Nottingham and Kate is working at University Hospital of Leicester as Senior Manager within the Pharmacy Department, specialising in infection control and microbiology.
KATIE VICOS (NEE CHADDOCK ‘90) Lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and two boys aged 8 and 7. Katie works part-time in the HR Department of a Housing Charity and enjoys yoga and other fitness in her spare time. Katie is in contact with Maddie Novissimo, Abi Price and Tanya Plympton. KERRY JENKINS (NEE ASHBRIDGE ‘87) Lives in Kingston with her husband, Alastair and daughter Elinor (8) and dog, Poppy! Kerry works two days a week for a Travel Management company WEXAS Travel Management, and the rest of her time is taken up fund raising for the school and walking dogs! Kerry is in regular contact with Jo Appleyard (living in Barcelona, teaching and has a son Patrick age 12), Nichola Eaton (nee Routledge who is living in Clapham with husband Alex), Grace Duggan (nee Cheetham who is living in Dulwich with artist husband, Peter and daugther Zoe (3). We recently organised an unofficial reunion and hooked up with Sian Gorham (Bissett), Imogen Clist, Sophie Russell, Anne Baggessen, Grace Duggan, Nichola Eaton, Jo Appleyard and Victoria Waldron (nee Robertson) in Sherborne, as some of these people were not able to make the official reunion at Leweston in May. We are now going to try and secure a date once a year upon which to get together. We will use Facebook and other methods to communicate!
KIMMY COLOMBO ‘11 Is currently interning for a local English Radio Station called Radio Frontier as a reporter and presenter, but also has a weekly Fashion chat every Wednesday. Back in June Kimmy interviewed on air Maria Barlow another OA from 2011 who has gone on to study natural sciences at Birmingham University. She was asked about her ideas on how science affects the way we perceive fashion. KIT KNOWLES (NEE BRIGSTOCKE ‘83) Is living in Cheshire with her husband Anthony and beautiful daughter Savannah (who will soon be 13). Kit now has five fabulous horses which keep her busy and is focusing on a new business venture which concerns all things horsey (with a difference) as it is all natural, handmade and organic. Kit is also doing a great deal of photography as well. Her sister, Sarah-Jane is still living in Queensland and working as a GP. LAURA JAMES ‘97 is a Virtual Assistant as well as studying for an MA in writing for young people. Laura has previously been working in the film industry. LOUISE EVANS (NEE HARTLEY ‘78) Louise is living in Perth, Western Australia, is married to Peter and has a daughter and a son. She is kept busy writing fictional poetry and she has been published in 5 anthologies and made appearances on local TV and radio. Louise has taken up painting for pleasure and has recently begun commission work. Having been diagnosed with Breast Cancer last year, after 15 months of treatment Louise feels she is now on the road to recovery.
LOUISE HARRIS (NEE WHITE ‘77) Louise and husband Stephen have lived at Coldcot Farm since 1985. They have 3 girls and a boy, Sam has just left Downside and is going to have a year on the farm with the idea of University in 2013. The girls are all in work. Two are in London and one is working in Dorset. Both Stephen and Louise farm an organic beef and arable farm in Wiltshire. LUCY TREACY (NEE PEARCE ‘98) has just had her first solo painting exhibition, in Co. Cork, Ireland. Her first book, Moon Time, was published early in 2012 and her next book, Reaching for the Moon, is due out in early 2013. She has three children and blogs at www.dreamingaloud.net MARIAN BOSWALL (NEE ESTLICK ‘84) Marian is living in Kent with husband Rupert and children Phoebe (17) and Robbie (14). She runs a busy landscape architecture practice and is a lecturer at Greenwich University. www.marianboswall.com MELANIE MOORE ‘91 Is currently enjoying living in Perth, Western Australia with her boyfriend John who works in the oil and gas industry. Melanie is still working as a freelance graphic designer (corporate identities and packaging in particular). Perth’s outdoor life style certainly appeals with so much on offer with lots of kayaking and sea fishing. NICOLETTE REAVLEY (NEE EL-PHEE ‘87) and family immigrated to Singapore in April 2012.
PHOEBE JUDD ‘11 is studying Politics at Leeds University. EMILY SIMONS ‘11 is studying French and Spanish at Exeter University. REBECCA LUMLEY ‘10 and LUCY GREGORY ‘11 Both girls are at Norland College studying to become Norland Nannies. Rebecca has completed her first two years and was one of two students selected to be on placement with quads! Her next step is to go out on placement for a year which she is very much looking forward to. Lucy has just completed her first year at College and has enjoyed her training.
RACHEL CARTER (NEE BEVAN ‘71) Rachel is now working full time at Downside as a singing teacher, director of the Girls’ Chamber Choir and coordinator of the girls in the School. Rachel was Housemistress last year and felt that her time at Leweston was excellent preparation for the job, though none of the girls at Downside had been as naughty as she was at Leweston!
PENNY BEVEN (NEE DAWSON ‘72) Is running a very busy preschool in Fleet in Hampshire and this year completed a BA Hons degree in Early Years Practice. Penny has a family of four grown up children, the eldest being 34 and getting married in April next year. Penny would like to make contact with other class mates, especially Judy Ricketts.
LUCY HASELDINE (NEE GRASSBY ‘02) Studied Geography at university and GIS/River Management MSc and now works for an environmental/risk management consultancy Company. Lucy is now working as a Catastrophe Model Developer, JBA Risk Management, developing probabilistic models for natural perils (e.g. floods and wind storm).
PENNY ROSS (NEE COYER ‘77) Penny is living in the mid Devon countryside and enjoying life. Their son, Toby, is now away at University and very happy there. Both Penny and her husband are busy with Plant Heritage - helping to conserve cultivated plants. Sadly, she lost her father (who some OAs will remember) in 2010, he was 90. SALLY GOODDEN (NEE HYETT ‘89) Sally is a full time Mum having a break from her Marketing job but is considering going back to Wildlife art which she used to do many moons ago!
SARAH SANDERSON ‘05 Is a junior doctor working in intensive care in Torbay Hospital, Torquay. Sarah is enjoying living on the South Devon coast and spending lots of time on the beach and Dartmoor. Sarah is still enjoying her music, singing with the local choir and has also taken up the violin again. She has another year training in Devon then is off to New Zealand for a year or two to work as a doctor and do some exploring! SOPHIE DANBY ‘11 Is thrilled to get an offer to read medicine at Leeds. 19
SOPHIE-LOUISE HILL (NEE COOPER ‘94) Married to Edward with three daughters Eliza, Daisy and Bella are living in Hampshire near Winchester. Looking forward to the 20 year reunion in 2014!! SUSANNA REDMAN (NEE BENHAM ‘94) Lives in Dorset with her husband and 2 daughters aged 6 and 3. Susanna works full time from home as a Social Media Marketer and is in touch with lots of lovely Old Antonians, both from her year and others. It’s amazing how many OAs have come back to Dorset to roost! THERESA OSEN (NEE ELY ‘90) Now living in Godalming, Surrey, with her husband David, son Milo and daughter Pia who was born at the end of July. Theresa works as an independent PR consultant on a huge variety of projects, including, most recently, The Chelsea Flower Show. Both Theresa’s sisters live in Scotland - Philippa lives in Edinburgh with husband Malcolm, a pilot with Easyjet, son Harry and daughter Lucy; and Camilla lives in Aberdeenshire with husband George, daughter India and sons Alex and Charlie. VICTORIA CAIN ‘03 is working as a physiotherapist in Poole Hospital.
VALENTINE SIMSON (NEE COOPER ‘77) and family are happily settled into their new home in Dorset. They added an extension during December 2010 with the awful snow and nearly froze as a result of the new windows being stuck on Exmoor. However it’s all finished now and well worth the problems. Valentine’s husband Kestrel worked as a Games Maker at the Olympics helping at the Beach Volleyball which was about 100 yards from his office so an easy commute! Her children are now 30, 27 and 21 - two in London and one working as a restaurant Manager in Morocco. Valentine loved attending the OA reunion at Leweston in early May being able to catch up with so many school friends. ZOE SCHWARZ (NEE THOMPSON ‘82) Is a Jazz and Blues Singer who took part in a 12 hour Gig where she was singing constantly for the duration to raise money for a children’s music charity. Zoe did well and made over £500 for her chosen charity. SOPHIE NEWTON ‘08 has graduated from the Department of Modern Languages and European Studies at the University of Reading with a BA in Italian and History of Art.
EMMA BROWNJOHN ‘86 Emma will be exhibiting at the following venues this year: Brighton Art Fair, 20th - 23rd Sept stand 48 Wills Art Warehouse, Putney, London 15th Sept - 5th Nov Studio 657, Fulham, London 1st Oct - 31st Nov Windsor Art Fair, 9th Nov - 11th Nov stand 58
Marriages STOP PRESS ... LUCY GRASSBY ‘02 married Kevin Haseldine on Saturday 8th September 2012 in Martinstown, Dorset. LUCY STIRLING ‘96 married Nicholas Barnwell in Sherborne Abbey on Saturday 15th September and had Leweston’s Schola Cantorum singing at the wedding. CLAIRE PARROTT (‘02) married Nathan Neal on Saturday 25th August 2012 at Minterne Magna House, Dorset. Two of the bridesmaids included CLAIRE HOPKIN (‘02) and VICTORIA KNIGHT (‘02). All OAs from the year of 2002 were guests at the wedding along with their families.
HELEN ROCHE (‘04) and Oliver Rudland married on Saturday 19th May 2012 at Our Lady and the English Martyrs Catholic Church (OLEM) in Cambridge. This is a magnificent Victorian Neo-Gothic church, whose tower is the tallest in Cambridge. The reception in the Parish Hall was attended by family and friends and also attended by many former Leweston staff and pupils, amongst them ex-headmaster Henry MacDonald, his wife Luisella and their daughter Poppy, former Deputy Head Mrs Pat Hooper, and former Director of Music Mrs Jane Stein, as well as ex-pupils RUTH MCCREADY (NEE INGHAM BLACK ‘04) who was Helen’s witness, BIANCA BRAJUHA ‘06, who was a bridesmaid, and ANGELA TSAI ‘04, who sang in the choir. Also attending were Mrs Jane Fenton, Mr Burton-Brown, and Dr Kemal. Helen studied for her first degree in Classics at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, and recently submitted her PhD thesis prior to her wedding to her husband Oliver Rudland, a professional composer. SARAH MCVITTE ‘95 married Charlie Gordon Lennox in Scotland on 5th May 2012. OAs ALICE BROMAGE ‘95 and HOLLY RITCHIE ‘95 attended the wedding.
Births EMMA MAGUIRE (NEE PENTREATH ‘02) a baby boy Freddie Wyn Rufus Pentreath Maguire born on Friday 3rd August 2012 in hospital in Abu Dhabi. JULIET CLEMENTS (NEE BIGGART ‘95) baby girl Daisy Honor Santa Clements born 3rd November 2011. VICTORIA VENN-NOVISSIMO (NEE NOVISSIMO ‘95) a baby girl Violet Elizabeth Alice Venn-Novissimo born 7th June 2011. KATE PINDER (NEE ROBB ‘97) a baby boy Christopher Mauderley Pinder 8th June 2012. JOSIE AGGETT (NEE SINNOTT ‘92) a baby girl Coraline Anne Marie Aggett born 20th February 2012. CHARLIE DODGE ‘95 a baby boy Rafael Oscar Leo Moore born 22nd December 2011. CHLOE NASH (NEE GALLIMORE ‘02) a boy Milo Charles Gabriel Nash on 1st August 2012. CAROLINE MARCH PHILLIPPS DE LISLE (NEE BUDGE ‘99) a baby boy Tobias Alexander Vincent March Phillipps De Lisle born 27th March 2012. MADDIE NOVISSIMO-RICHARDS (NEE NOVISSIMO ‘90) a baby girl Emilia Iris Novissimo-Richards born on 17th June 2012. DAMARIS DREWS (NEE HOOPER ‘91) a baby boy born at home in TaiPo, Hong Kong called Jed Joshua Drews born 15th July 2012, weighing 4.35kg/9lb.9oz!
Deaths MRS PATRICIA JOHNSON (NEE BRETT ‘49) died January 2011. LESLEY MAIDMENT (NEE DUNN ‘83) died October 2011. PAUL BURNS CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNORS AT LEWESTON from 1996 – 2007 died February 2012. MARALYN NEWMAN (MANNING-HILL ‘54) died May 2012.
Retirements JANE FENTON retires after 25 years of teaching at Leweston. Not only was Jane a teacher at Leweston she had many years as a parent whilst seeing her four daughters through their education. Leweston are sorry to say good bye to Jane and wish her a very happy retirement. MARGARET CROSSMAN retires after 8 years of teaching Physics and being Head of her Department. She will be greatly missed by her Department and we wish her a happy retirement.
C O O LC A N A L S MARTINE O’CALLAGHAN ‘81 “Coolcanals lays claim to fame as probably the tiniest publishing company in the world, housed in the bow of our travelling narrowboat home. We confess that moving lock, stock and barrel onto a narrowboat shell with the intention of building the interior ourselves at the same time as travelling the water and running Coolcanals isn’t the easiest way to run a publishing business and leisure website. But from the start, Coolcanals didn’t aim to follow iron rules. Sawdust on the laptop is par-for-thecourse and the boat is getting built in traditional slow canal time. We’ll carry on building the boat in between writing and publishing our books and magazine-style website, "as long as we’ve got a crate to sit on and a kettle on the stove, we’re happy”. 2012 is turning out to be a manically busy year for my partner and me at Coolcanals. We are very honoured that a special edition of one of our books has been chosen as the gift incentive to attract supporters for the new ‘national trust’ for the waterways, the Canal & River Trust, which launched in July www.canalrivertrust.org.uk, and also in July we published our sixth book in 3 years ‘Britain’s canals’. This is a national treasure in 100 mustsee objects and tells the remarkable story of Britain’s canals past, present and future - from our own travels around the canals. Phillippa and I uncover some of the 100 treasures of Britain’s canals, and we asked TV personality, Julia Bradbury, along with the Chairman and Head of Heritage of the new Canal & River Trust and other experts to pick their favourites too. The book makes a great Christmas gift and of course is available in all good high-street bookshops and on Amazon but we’re offering a special discount for OAs in the shop on our website - 25% off any of our books - just enter LS01. www.coolcanals.com”
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T H E O A AWA R D THE OA AWARD IS a sum of money available annually to assist a pupil or former pupil of Leweston School whose project develops the School’s mission statement to those less privileged. The chosen project could be overseas or in the UK. It could be inspired by the Sisters of Christian Instruction or any other religious or charitable organisation. When applying for the award applicants will detail how they became interested in their chosen charity, what they want to do to help the charity and how they propose to raise money for their chosen project. If there is no suitable applicant found for the award in a year the committee can consider awarding an “OA Grant” to a pupil at the school who needs money for a charitable project.
CONDITIONS FOR GRANTING THE AWARD • The successful applicant will be at least 18 years old when she takes up the Award. •
She is expected to take up the Award within a period of 12 months from the date of the offer.
•
The successful applicant will be required to provide proof of: adequate travel and personal insurance cover; satisfactory personal health; completion of a course of appropriate immunisation and vaccination.
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She will be required to undertake, on her return, a presentation of her experiences during the time she was receiving the Award by personally visiting Leweston School to give a talk.
The sum of money awarded will contribute towards the travel and living expenses of the successful candidate so that she is able to live and work with the community of her choice for a minimum period of six months (a shorter period would be considered for a Gap Year candidate). It is not envisaged that the Award will be used directly to assist the community or those in its care.
APPLICATION OAs wishing to be considered for the Award will be required to submit the following: • A completed application form including the names of two referees. •
At the beginning of each academic year the Award will be launched at the school and made known to OAs through the Leweston website www.leweston.dorset.sch.uk and the Old Antonian Magazine which is produced annually. There will be continual reminders and advice for applicants during the scholastic year.
An explanation of the nature of the work she would envisage doing and the benefits which the applicant and the community she intends to visit would expect to gain from her stay.
•
Written correspondence indicating acceptance from the head of the community the applicant plans to visit.
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An estimate of the total cost.
ELIGIBILITY The Award is open to any former or present pupil of Leweston School aged between 18 and 30. DISCLAIMER The successful applicant for this Award will be required to sign this form as a statement absolving the Old Antonian Association and Leweston School from all responsibility. Neither the Old Antonian Association nor Leweston School can be held responsible for accidents to the applicant whilst working with her chosen community.
To obtain an application form please email Liddlem@leweston.dorset.sch.uk or alternatively, visit the website www.leweston.co.uk where an application form can be found under Leweston Society and OA Award. Applications should be made before the end of March. This will enable all applications to be carefully considered, and shortlisted applicants interviewed by the Chairman of the OA Association at Leweston. The successful applicant will normally be announced at Speech Day, which is held at the beginning of July each year. APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO: The OAA Chair, Mrs Shirley Hewson, Leweston School, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6EN.
Shirley Hewson OA and Chairman of the OA Association Leweston School has a long history of charity work and the OA committee would like to highlight this through the award. It is essential that the applicants should outline what they want to bring to the project and how they propose to fund their work. Applicants who want to help with a particular charity may have been inspired by the school’s involvement in, for example, the Jana Jyoti School in Nepal. Maybe their inspiration has come from an experience within their own family or a charity connected with their studies or interests; their chosen project could be overseas or in the UK. The committee is aware that times are changing and the amount of money available may not be sufficient for some overseas projects. However, we would stress the award is not just to assist applicants to travel in their gap year. Innovative ideas from applicants will be much appreciated. Their mission statement and their ideas to draw in the school and OAs to support their charity will score very highly. This year we have introduced an “OA Grant” as there were no suitable applicants for the OA award as a whole. However, a pupil in the lower sixth who wants to go on to study medicine at University and has also been heavily involved in voluntary work locally, has been awarded this small sum of money. This contributed towards her expenses when she visited Lourdes with the Oder of Malta Volunteers during the summer holidays.
LIZ RUTTER teacher at Leweston from 1973 – 1995 is very involved with the Jana Jyoti School in Nepal. Liz writes here of how the School has changed over the years through the funding of the different projects and today continues to thrive in all areas under the management of Headmaster Bil Gurung. Jana Jyoti (Light of the People) was built of bamboo 52 years ago by the parents of its first pupils. When Leweston’s lower sixth trekking group found it in 1987, we met the Headmaster Ganga Ghale who was so proud of his crumbling, leaking School and had such visions for its future that there and then we vowed to help and we became a sister school. Over the intervening years we have repaired the old buildings and rebuilt those beyond repair. During this time over thirty Leweston gap year pupils have spent part of or all of their gap year there and experienced this very special place. According to many of their parents they have returned humbler and wiser. Under the influence of Ganga Ghale and the present headmaster, Bil Gurung, the school continues to be a beacon showing other headmasters what can be achieved with vision, hard work and the help of overseas friends. Our last project is to build a school hall to double as a teacher training centre. The estimated cost of this is £10,000 of which Jana Jyoti holds £6,000 raised from
autumn Lectures held at Leweston over the past 10 years which we are immensely grateful to the School for hosting. When the hall is complete and teachers are being trained there with more imagination than their state training gives them, our promise made in 1987 will be fulfilled and Jana Jyoti’s influence for good will continue to spread. While Bil Gurung, his teachers and pupils past and present are so encouraged by our financial help, they appreciate gap year students coming most of all. It is by giving their time and talents they know their honoured sister school really cares about them. I would like to invite Leweston pupils past and present to spend some time at Jana Jyoti, apart from teaching English any other expertise you can offer we would be delighted to receive. There have been girls who are artists, games players, mathematicians and even dancers amongst others all of whom have added to the enrichment of the school. If this is something you are considering for your gap year why not apply for the OA Award. You can contact me via email lizrutter@onetel.com for more information. If you would like to contribute towards our funds please contact Margo Liddle in the Marketing Office at Leweston. 23
then HOW LEWESTON’S CATERING HAS CHANGED FROM THEN TO PRESENT DAY! are really made of. Delicate triangles of cucumber and salmon sandwiches; exquisite tartes aux fraises; choux pastry, which is light as love and filled with crème patisserie; and brandy snaps which are crisp but melt tantalisingly in the mouth. We will not see the same again for another year.
Memories of food from my years spent at a convent boarding school, explained here by PENNY ROSS (NEE COYER ‘77). 1973 and deep in the Dorset countryside, around three hundred schoolgirls assemble daily, for meals. There is no canteen, and no choice of food, fast or otherwise. Nor is there choice of company. Every term we are allocated a place at an octagonal table, each under the watchful eye of a senior girl (there is not a member of staff in sight). Food arrives on trolleys and we lay and clear the tables and for a full thirty minutes in between we must sit, eat, converse and observe good table manners. Breakfast is based on cereal and bread plus ‘something extra’. Cornflakes on Monday give way to Rice Krispies on Tuesday and occasionally Weetabix. On Sundays, we have Alpen (‘Imagine, a better way of life’) which the nuns regard with some degree of suspicion. In the winter there is porridge, which arrives in huge vats and has to be queued for, like a scene from Oliver Twist. On the first day it is so thick that is has to be wrestled from the ladle, on the second it must be poured. The ‘something extra’ may be sausages, or bacon or eggs or – incongruously - cheese, salami or pâté. We put this down to the fact that some of the nuns come from Belgium. Eggs seem to provide a special culinary challenge. Boiled eggs are either bullet hard, or woefully underdone; scrambled egg is made from dried egg and has a peculiarly green tinge. On the other hand, it is served with slices of fried bread which manage to be light and crispy and not in the least bit greasy. The whole thing is washed down by tea, or on Sunday, coffee, not that we can tell the difference, the latter being made from vast catering tins of ‘powdered instant’ and poured out of teapots. Lunch is the main meal of the day. Roast meat, sliced paper thin and accompanied by boiled and roast potatoes is popular and is served with occasionally excellent vegetables which the nuns grow and tend in the kitchen garden. There are meat pies too, and several variations on a theme of mince: mince with onions,
carrots and gravy, spaghetti bolognese (the mince recipe with tomatoes) and curry (with sultanas and curry powder). Just as well, then, that we have not yet heard of chilli con carne. On Sunday there is roast chicken and excellent chips, usually with peas, but sometimes with tinned apricots instead (another Belgian thing, we presume). Things go downhill rather in summer, with slices of ham, spam, corned beef or pork pie (the rectangular one with an egg in the middle), accompanied by floppy lettuce, tomatoes and boiled beetroot, anointed with Salad Cream, which is brought in jugs. At puddings, the nuns excel. We have numerous types of cake, which we unfairly call ‘stodge’, as it is really quite light and goes down a treat with warm golden syrup, chocolate sauce or jam. They are remarkably good at fruit pies and crumbles too, gathering fruit from the fruit garden and hedgerows and ringing the changes with the season. With a generous serving of Jersey cream the pies would be a triumph; alas they are served with custard, which suffers the same problems as the porridge. Rice pudding is served with soft brown sugar and we fairly fight over the doughnuts which are hot and fresh and ooze sweet raspberry jam. On Sunday, there is vanilla ice cream (which we cut from a family block) with hot chocolate sauce, which is about as good as it gets in the 1970s. On Open Day, when the parents are in attendance, we find out what the cooks
High Tea (which is followed later by cocoa and biscuits) is an altogether more pedestrian affair consisting mainly of nursery classics like macaroni cheese, cottage pie and tinned spaghetti (which has hard boiled eggs floating in it). This is followed, mercifully, by fruit. We may not eat apples the ‘garden way’, but must cut them into quarters and remove the core. Oranges on the other hand, must not be quartered and sucked, but must be peeled and eaten one segment at a time. I will not go into the rules for bananas. Toast saves the day. Volunteers from each table take orders to vast toasting machines in the pantry where slices of Mother’s Pride are put into revolving racks and are returned golden and piping hot to the table, where they are eaten, comfortingly, with yellow salted butter. Crusts are especially popular. Unfortunately the butter is rationed and we must then make do with tubs of margarine, although we will shortly be the happy recipients of the EEC butter mountain. Of all the memories which will endure years later, it is surely the versatility of marmalade. At breakfast, having little else to do, we stretch this product to its culinary limits and try it with sausages, pâté and even cheese, and come up with a surprisingly successful combination: the bacon and marmalade sandwich. It is a taste that some of us will never quite get over, although it is vastly improved if the bacon is smoked and crispy, the bread rustic and lightly buttered and the marmalade sweet, with just a hint of bitterness. In the years to follow, I will only ever meet one other person who confesses to putting marmalade in her bacon sandwich. And yes, she went to boarding school too. PENNY ROSS (NEE COYER ‘77)
now... BREAKFAST Every Day There is a Selection of Fresh Fruit Juices / Porridge or Healthy Cereals Served with Semi-Skimmed Milk Fresh Fruit / Yoghurts / Toast & Hot Drinks MONDAY Bacon and Poached Eggs with Plum Tomatoes
TUESDAY Pain-au-Chocolat or Warm Croissants with Preserves
WEDNESDAY Scrambled Eggs with Potato Waffles & Mushrooms
THURSDAY Cold Meats, Cheeses, Boiled Eggs and Hot Crusty Rolls
FRIDAY American Pancakes with Berries and Maple Syrup
LUNCH Selection of Freshly Prepared Single and Mixed Salads Served With Low Fat Dressings and Homemade Breads MONDAY Lamb & Red Pepper Hot Pot Baby Baked Potatoes Green Beans and Corn Cobs Roasted Squash, Lentil and Roquette Salad Tagliatelle Carbonara Profiterolles with Cream Steamed Sultana Sponge with Custard
TUESDAY Chicken Saute Chasseur Boulangere Potatoes Broccoli Cauliflower Carrot and Watercress Roulade Baked Potatoes with Baked Beans, Cheese or Tuna and Corn Berry and Clotted Cream Brandy Snaps Mincemeat Tarts and Custard
WEDNESDAY Steak and Ale Pie with Gravy Steamed New Potatoes Cabbage and Carrots Broad Bean, Pesto and Goat’s Cheese Bruschetta Soup and Baguettes Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Bacon and Brie, Brie and Grape Lemon Chicken, Veg Melt
THURSDAY Marmalade and Tarragon Baked Gammon Roast Potatoes Roasted Med Veg and Asparagus Warm Stilton, Pear, Pecan and Cranberry Salad Moules Mariniere Garlic and Herb Bread Apple Mallow Tarts
FRIDAY Poached Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce Gratin Pototoes Sugar Snap Peas Aubergine and Black Bean Stir-Fry Penne Pasta with either Tomato and Basil or Broccoli and Blue Raspberry Tiramisu with Cream
Pineapple Fritters Strawberry Moussecake with Cream
Warm Danish Pastries
Waffles with Hot Chocolate Sauce
SUPPER Selection of Freshly Prepared Single and Mixed Salads Served With Low Fat Dressings and Homemade Breads MONDAY Wild Mushroom Soup
TUESDAY Spring Vegetable Soup
Steak Burgers and Baps with Burger Relish Duchesse Potatoes Mushroom, Tomatoes and Salad
Chicken and Seafood Paella Seasalt and Rosemary Focaccia Vegetable Tapas
Southern Fried Chicken Sweet Chilli Sauce Plain Rice and Mixed Vegetables
Nut Loaf
Quorn and Halloumi Stir Fry
Squash, Chick Pea and Coconut Curry
Jelly with Cream
Viennetta
Apple Shortcake with Custard
WEDNESDAY Red Pepper and Cherry Tomato Soup
THURSDAY Carrot and Coriander Soup
FRIDAY Minestrone Soup
Traditional Spaghetti Bolognaise Garlic and Herb Bread and Garden Peas
Pizza Selection Sweet Potato Fries Greek Salad Salad Selection
Spaghetti Vegenaise
Cheese and Tomato, Pineapple and Roquette
Strawberry Gateaux Berry Torte
25
LEITHS Susan Larkin
OA
Teacher in charge of Home Economics
eiths Franchise Scheme for Schools Basic Certificate in Food and Wine is now firmly established for those in the sixth form at Leweston. The first group of girls have all successfully completed and passed with flying colours all elements of the course including the assessed practical lessons, the food hygiene certificate, wine tasting and appreciation, menu planning and the final theory and assessed practical examinations.
L
The course is a valuable life skill where the girls learn how to prepare and cook, to a very high standard, food suitable for dinner parties, family holidays, ski chalets and yacht season catering. Leiths offer successful students the opportunity of paid employment during their gap year.
The students must be prepared to commit time and effort as the course is run one evening a week for two and a half hours, over five terms. Well done to the five girls who passed all elements of the Leiths examination process with flying colours, with two of the girls managing to achieve a first class pass. For their practical examination the girls prepared and cooked cream of vegetable soup, cheese scones, mustard grilled chicken, which included jointing a whole chicken, glazed carrot batons and profiteroles.
Teacher of Design
Jemma Lacey (‘06) @ Leweston IT IS WONDERFUL TO USE THE SKILLS and experiences I gained at art school as a teacher at Leweston. I have always had a great passion for art and design and it has been particularly good to return to Leweston at an exciting time of growth and development, in order to be part of this process. The Fashion and Textiles Design courses at Leweston have undergone big changes since I first joined the school. All ages are offered the experience of design, from year 7 upwards; we broaden their awareness of designers studying Vivian Westwood to Cath Kidston and try to communicate the excitement this form of creativity brings. My background has prepared me well to face the exciting challenges that Leweston now offers. During my further education at Arts University College Bournemouth I gained a foundation qualification, studying photography, graphics, fine art, jewellery, film and textiles; progressing on to specialise in fashion and textiles at the Winchester school of Art. As an Old Antonian I had always kept strong links with the school, coming back in the second year of my degree to teach workshops and showcase my portfolio. I was asked to participate at Leweston’s Wearable Arts show in 2009 and was able to give the pupils and parents an insight into my collection. After graduating I was selected to exhibit my work at New Designers in London before accepting the post at Leweston and I began my teaching career in 2010, studying for my PGCE at Buckingham University whilst at the school. WORKING AT LEWESTON HAS GIVEN me great experiences; our standard of GCSE work is very high; our girls are truly dedicated to this course they have chosen which is very much displayed in all their
work. I enjoy teaching at this level due to the pure infectious nature of their enthusiasm and commitment. The girls at this stage are building on the techniques taught in the lower school and so garment construction becomes more creative and fluid. When pupils reach A-level they are fully committed to the subject, and have many opportunities to extend their knowledge. This includes weekly life drawing classes with Sherborne School and visits to London and New York. Our pupils this year have produced fantastic digitally printed fabrics and their infectious enthusiasm has spurred me on to update the design studio at Leweston; painting everything in a contemporary shade of white, adding special areas for exam classes to study as well as the addition of specialist equipment to the department. Our courses offer many different techniques, ranging from fabric manipulation to screen printing. The basics of sewing are still taught; however our classes revolve around creativity and experimentation by the individual pupil. We challenge our girls with the techniques taught using Photoshop, customised dress patterns and screen printing to further aid their practice. All the hard work from the girls is rewarded by the impressive exam results they all achieve; having been given the valuable support and encouragement through these demanding exam years. As a teacher I encourage a continuous dialogue about pupils’ work and there is great satisfaction in helping pupils realise their ideas in 3D. OUR PAST PUPILS HAVE GONE ON TO study at Camberwell, London College of Fashion, Falmouth, Epsom and the Arts University College Bournemouth. A recent leaver has just finished her fashion degree at Nottingham Trent University and been selected by VOGUE as one of the 10 new Graduates to look out for in the future. I look forward to the exciting developments that my department will make in the future and see our subject as an ever evolving and important part of our school. 27
THE SCHOOL YEAR IN
R E T RO S P E C T
QUEEN’S VISIT Leweston pupils and their families lined the streets to see the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh when they visited Sherborne in May as part of the Queen’s 2012 Jubilee Tour. The grey skies certainly didn’t dampen any spirits with most of the girls being very near the front of the railings. Four Leweston pupils were chosen, alongside pupils from other local schools, to take part in an art activity in the Abbey which was admired by the Queen and Prince Philip. Other Leweston pupils lined the streets and waved their flags as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh travelled through Sherborne to the Abbey and one of our Prep Pupils Anna Downing daughter of OA Luci Downing (nee Leigh) was fortunate enough to hand the Queen a bouquet of flowers she had brought along with her! This was a very proud moment for not only Anna but Luci too! OA Millie Pilkington (nee Chittenden) was the official photographer for the Queen’s visit to Sherborne.
RACE FOR LIFE The boarding staff, together with pupils and other members of staff, took part in the Race for Life in Sherborne again this year. Head of boarding Lyndsay Fielding was dressed as Pepper Pig for the race, and had much more attention than she had ever assumed, children swarming from everywhere! The girls and staff did very well with their sponsorship and collected close to £1,000 for Cancer Research.
HOLY COMMUNION At the Mass on Corpus Christi Sunday, four young pupils from Leweston Prep and the Sunday congregation made their First Holy Communion. The School Chapel was filled to the brim for this important moment in their lives and those of their families. Leweston’s Visiting Chaplain, Fr Peter, was the celebrant and our nuns from Sherborne Parish joined us for this special occasion.
INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE WINS GOLD Congratulations to Victoria Halford (Yr 10) who came 6th individually when she represented Great Britain at the World Biathle Championships in Bulgaria – a fantastic achievement. Victoria’s performance helped Great Britain win the gold medal in the U15 team event. Last year Victoria brought home a silver medal for team GB in the same age category and this year’s Gold builds on her international success. The event consisted of a 500m run, 100m swim, followed by another 500m run. The British Biathle Team took home a total of 64 individual and team medals. The Great Britain medal haul placed the team second in the medal table just behind their old adversaries, South Africa.
PARIS TRIP 2012
PARIS TRIP 2012 A wonderful time was had by all Year 9 pupils who were very fortunate to go to Paris for four days in the summer term. The girls crammed a lot into their four day trip, exploring the beautiful sights of Paris including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and l’Arc de Triomphe. They also had the chance to visit the Louvre, the Pompidou Centre and the Orangerie museums. They completely immersed themselves in the Parisian Culture, eating local foods and living the French Life!
RECORD RESULTS FOR LEWESTON AT THE ENGLISH SCHOOLS TRACK AND FIELD CUP Around 90 Schools entered the English Schools Track and Field cup staged at various venues within the South West. Only 24 schools qualified for one of the 3 regional rounds. Both Leweston’s Junior (Years 7 and 8) and Intermediate (Years 9 and 10) teams qualified and competed at Exeter. With points being awarded for times and distances in the various events, both school teams achieved the highest aggregate scores ever by Leweston teams in this competition.
WORLD BOOK DAY Over £250 was raised for the local charity, Julia’s House Hospice, which provides an incredible service for children with lifelimiting conditions (www.juliashouse.org). Leweston organised a successful book exchange and book sale in the school library and also hosted Julia House’s mobile sweet shop, which raised an additional £100 for the charity. The girls all made a huge effort in dressing up as their favourite book characters.
DUKE OF EDINBURGH GOLD PRESENTATIONS AT ST JAMES'S PALACE After months of hard work and determination, three of the 2010-2011 Gold Duke of Edinburgh Leweston team members travelled to St James’s Palace to collect their Gold Awards. There was a real sense of occasion as participants from across the Country gathered. The girls enjoyed meeting the Duke of Edinburgh who found their decision to go to Ireland for the expedition part of their award most amusing - he asked if they had checked the forecast beforehand!
JUBILEE CONCERT AND CELEBRATIONS The pupils in the Prep and Senior school had a day packed with festivities to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Pupils came to school dressed in red, white and blue and the school was decorated with balloons and bunting. There was a bbq lunch for all staff and pupils to enjoy followed by a Jubilee Concert for parents and friends of Leweston. We were delighted to be able to host the concert in the grounds of the School which featured Schola Cantorum, the Senior and Prep School Choirs and various musical ensembles. This was followed by a delicious traditional afternoon tea for all to enjoy.
LEWESTON PREP CELEBRATES INSPECTION REPORT Leweston Prep School is delighted with the findings of its 2012 ISI inspection report which graded the school excellent or good in all areas. The inspectors commented that the ‘pupils at Leweston Prep achieve well, reaching high standards and emerging as confident, articulate and independent learners extremely well prepared for the next steps of their education’ and that the work in the classroom is backed up by ‘excellent extra-curricular provision’. They noted the strong provision for games and Physical Education.
LAMDA GOLD! Year 10 pupil Molly Foster has passed her gold medal LAMDA (the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) exam in speaking verse and prose. The gold award is equivalent to NQF level three or an A Level and means that Molly is now qualified to teach LAMDA and has letters after her name! This is an exceptional achievement at such a young age – well done. It was another bumper year of LAMDA results overall with 25 distinctions and 15 merits.
The report acknowledged the school’s particular success at meeting its aims of encouraging all pupils to flourish as individuals and fully developing their strengths and talents. There was also praise for the excellent relationship between the staff and pupils and amongst the pupils themselves. TOP 10% FOR VALUE ADDED The MidYIS Value Added feedback produced by Durham University has once again placed Leweston in the top 10% of schools nationally. Value added is a measure of the progress pupils make between different stages of education; if girls perform beyond expectations this will be reflected in a high ‘value added’ score. This high ranking demonstrates Leweston’s ability to add value to each girl’s education and encourage them to perform above original expectations. The MidYIS system measures performance to GCSE and is used by almost all independent schools
James Savile, Head at Leweston Prep commented: “I am delighted with the findings of the report. The inspectors’ comment on the pupils’ awareness of others and their collaborative and supportive approach to learning reflects what is special about Leweston Prep and the ethos that underpins the school. It is gratifying that this report acknowledges that the children not only achieve well but that the less tangible indicators of success, such as the pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, so fundamental to what we offer at Leweston, are also excellent.”
SPORT RELIEF Pupils at Leweston Senior and Prep Schools raised a record amount for Sport Relief this year. Pupils walked, hopped, jumped and even ‘wheel barrowed’ a mile for charity in May and their efforts did not go unrewarded with a total of £1,450 being raised for this worthwhile cause. Well done all!
“Once again the hard work and commitment of the girls at Leweston has been rewarded with record breaking success in the most recent GCSE results. These achievements pay testimony to the support that the staff have given the girls and to the effectiveness of single sex education which underpins the serious work ethic of the school” Headmaster Adrian Aylward
LEWESTON GIRLS SEE THE OLYMPIC TORCH AND PARALYMPICS A group of girls were taken to see the Olympic flame pass through nearby Yeovil. The girls had a great position and were right by the flame when the two torch bearers 'kissed' to pass on the flame before continuing their journey. The girls were also lucky enough to have tickets to the Paralympics and were fortunate to see a good variety of events.
different sports throughout the day.
CAMBRIDGE CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE AS Chemists have won prizes at the 2012 Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, an innovative web-based competition for young chemists from all over the world. After sitting a very tough paper, Monica Dec was awarded a GOLD award for coming in the top 7.5% of all entries. Charlotte Hooper won a COPPER award for coming in the top 50% of entries. Both are impressive achievements as there were a total of 4296 entries in this year’s competition.
KRAKOW AND AUSCHWITZ A group of Year 12 Philosophy and Ethics, History and Politics students took part in a study tour to Krakow for four days at the end of the spring term. The girls travelled to Poland primarily to witness the evidence of the wartime experience of Europe’s Jewish population in the ghettos and in particular the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenhau. The group enjoyed visiting the beautiful St Mary’s Church in Rynek Glowny which also boasts the largest medieval town square in Europe. The girls also had the opportunity to visit Wawel Castle and Cathedral in a fortified position over the River Vistula, the former Jewish district of Kazimierz and the very moving exhibition in Schindler’s Factory, established by the German industrialist Oskar Schindler and made famous by the film Schindler’s List. In addition the girls also enjoyed a trip to the extremely impressive salt mines at Wieliczka, a UNESCO world heritage site. On the last day of the tour the group visited Auschwitz-Birkenhau, the largest concentration and death camp in Europe. They had a superb guide and were incredibly moved by their experience. The weather was cold and wet but this did not dampen the energy and enthusiasm of the girls who all greatly enjoyed this moving but informative trip.
DUKE OF EDINBURGH As well as giving the girls adventures and memories that they will have for life, the Duke of Edinburgh Award challenges girls and enables them to discover talents they did not know they had. Achieving the award will give the girls skills, confidence and a view on life that everyone is looking for, including universities and employers. The girls will also be making a difference to other people’s lives, and to their local communities. Of course, it is also great fun, and the fact that so many girls are involved at Leweston pays testament to this. Our groups have done well over the past academic year with the Bronze Group completing its expedition which was spread over two days in Dorset. Despite the terrible wet weather conditions over 48 hours all the girls managed to pass their bronze award and many plan to continue onto their Silver. The Silver groups headed off to Exmoor over the summer. All girls completed this section of the award and we are hopeful that many will continue onto their Gold. Our Gold Candidates worked tirelessly raising funds for their final expedition to Morocco which took place over the summer holidays. This was a particularly challenging expedition which all girls took on with great determination.
DUKE OF EDINBURGH
SUMMER RESULTS 2012
A LEVEL
Leweston celebrated its third set of record GCSE results in four years with an unprecedented 47% of all candidates achieving 9 or more A or A* grades. 64% of all entries were passed at A* or A with 88% of examinations passed at A*, A or B. Congratulations to the 13% of girls who got 9 A* grades or more. 96% of all examinations were passed at Grade A* to C.
Another year of excellent results for our Sixth Form leavers. Students achieved a 100% pass rate in both A Level and Cambridge Pre-U subjects. 71% of the examinations were passed at A*, A or B grade or Pre-U equivalent, with 51% at A* or A or equivalent - nearly double the national average. An impressive 30% of students achieved 3 or more straight A* or A grades across a range of subjects with more than 10% of girls achieving 5 or more A* or A grades. Average UCAS points per candidate were 402, the equivalent of over three A grades per candidate.
Once again Leweston’s girls have excelled themselves and I am delighted with their outstanding performance in their GCSE exams. I am certain that they will go from strength to strength as they move into our Sixth Form and embark on their A Level and Cambridge Pre-U courses
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GCSE
Geoff Smith, Director of Studies
12 A* GCSE
This year has also seen the third set of strong Cambridge Pre-U results. 100% of candidates passed at Distinction or Merit. These results have enabled almost all Leweston’s leavers to win places at their chosen universities or specialist colleges. Many girls will be going on to the more selective universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Cardiff, Cirencester, Hong Kong University, Leeds, Nottingham, Warwick and York to study degrees such as Agriculture, Accounting, Business and Management, English, Earth Sciences, Fashion Styling and Photography, Journalism, Law, Medicine, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Pharmacology.
Ciara McCarthy
“These results continue Leweston’s impressive academic record and pay testament, not only to the hard work of the students, but also the work ethic of the school, especially in the Sixth Form. These students should be justifiably proud of their achievements. I am delighted that almost all of our leavers have achieved their first choice university places where they will undoubtedly continue to excel.” Headmaster Adrian Aylward.
The Leweston Society THE LEWESTON SOCIETY IS THE UMBRELLA STRUCTURE UNDER WHICH ALL ASSOCIATES OF THE LEWESTON COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER INCLUDING SCHOLARS, OAs, PARENTS AND FORMER PARENTS, PARISH MEMBERS, PAST AND PRESENT STAFF AND GOVERNORS.
ADRIAN AYLWARD Headmaster
MARGO LIDDLE Leweston Society Manager
GOVERNORS Andrew May – Chairman Nick Bathurst Charles Comyn Ian Crowther Mary Head Mark Hudson Eddy Newton Triff Skepelhorn Emma Treichl Amanda Wedge Belinda Wingfield-Digby
The Leweston Society
Sherborne
Dorset DT9 6EN
Tel: 01963 211015 Email: liddlem@leweston.dorset.sch.uk
www.leweston.co.uk
Thursday 8th November 2012 10.00am to 5.30pm
Leweston Living & Christmas Fair