The Oakhamian - Winter 2018 Spring 2019

The magazine of Oakham School and The Old Oakhamian Club

Winter 18 Spring 19

The

EARTH EXPLORERS!

GEOGRAPHY TRIPS TO MOROCCO AND ICELAND

2009–2019 Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook retires after 10 years at the helm

TEN YEARS OF NIGEL LASHBROOK AS HEADMASTER TWENTY EDITIONS OF THE OAKHAMIAN

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RECORD BREAKERS OAKHAM ATHLETES GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

HITTING THE RIGHT NOTE

WORLD CLASS

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AWARD FOR OAKHAM Learning Habits at Oakham • CCF Expedition to the Falklands • Sport: National Success for Hockey Players

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The magazine of Oakham School and The Old Oakhamian Club

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Spotlight on the Smallbone Library • Truth and Beauty Week • Cup Win for 1st XI Hockey Team

Outstanding ISI Inspection Report • Spotlight on the Design and Technology Department • Rasulpur Project

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OAKHAM'S SINGERS ON CAPTIVATING FORM

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ISLAND ADVENTURE SUMMER EXPEDITION TO BORNEO

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

STUDENTS CLIMB MONGOLIA’S HIGHEST PEAK

Sports Tour to South Africa • Spotlight on the Computer Science Department • Oakham Plays Host to Bunbury Festival

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Winter 16 Spring 17

Oakhamian The

FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR OAKHAM’S CHAMBER CHOIR

OAKHAM’S NEW GALLERY OPENS ITS DOORS

Girls Football Team are National Champions • 20 Years of the Smallbone Library • Rules and Rebellion Week

The magazine of Oakham School and The Old Oakhamian Club

PRAISE INDEED!

SCULPTING THE FUTURE

STUDENTS DAZZLE IN ON THE RAZZLE

Summer 17

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Expedition to Tanzania • Spotlight on the Careers Department • Music Tour to Germany

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Winter 17 Spring 18

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Body and Mind Programme • Boys Hockey Success • The OO Interview: Life Working for Formula 1

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Summer 18

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DON’T TELL THE BRIDE!

IS FOR ADVENTURE

SCHOLARS SPARKLE IN WEDDING DAY COMEDY

YOUR A-Z GUIDE TO ACTIVITIES AT OAKHAM

GOLDEN FUTURE OO CRISTA CULLEN OPENS NEW HOCKEY ASTRO PITCH

APPOINTMENT

TEENTECH AWARDS CEREMONY AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

Exploring Iceland • Spooktacular Addams Family production • Week of the Word • Kenya 2017

Sports Tour to South Africa • Spotlight on Social Sciences • India Schools Project 2017 • FOSIL Uncovered

Preparing our students for 2030 and beyond • 7 sports teams make the National Finals • Kenya 2018

Spotlight on Modern Languages • £1m Transformation to Oakham’s Lower School • Inaugural Hackathon

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Spotlight on the Art Department • Interview with Olympian Crista Cullen (03) • 60 Years of DofE

THE HEADMASTER WRITES

THE HEADMASTER WRITES (FOR THE LAST TIME)...

I

Looking back is important but only to see how far we have travelled while to look forward is to see a land full of new opportunities

t was once said that you should fill your life with adventures, not things; have stories to tell not stuff to show. For me, nothing could be truer than these words or highlight more the importance of the human spirit in how we live our lives. Being Headmaster of Oakham School for the last 10 years has been an honour and privilege, and it has been an incredible adventure! Never have two days been similar never mind the same!

I have been very fortunate to enjoy incredible Gala Concerts in places like The Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford; to watch with bated breath hockey penalty shoot-outs at the Olympic Park; to listen to wonderful OO stories in far flung corners of the world; and to be left on cloud nine at the end of jaw-dropping performances of shows like Cabaret in the QET. And the list goes on.

But most of all, it is the day-to-day life of the Oakham community that really does lift the spirit on even the darkest of November days.

From my very first day in 2009, the sheer positivity of approach of Oakhamians has had a lasting effect on me – one that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The warmth of relationships and the simple, and very honest, willingness to ‘have a go’ even when the chances of success seem slim is inspiring to witness. So much can be achieved if you are prepared to take new opportunities and not be afraid of getting it wrong or of having to step outside your comfort zone.

In an ever-changing and apparently more demanding world, it is all too easy to hark back to a ‘golden age’ when life appeared simpler and social media did not exist. Looking back is important but

As my time in this great School draws to an end, I am regularly asked what I will miss most about Oakham: many things, of course, but most of all it is the people

only to see how far we have travelled while to look forward is to see a land full of new opportunities – to be innovative, to try new approaches and to develop new partnerships.

All of these are where Oakhamians thrive and I have no doubt, as I prepare to take a different path, that the impact of Oakhamians (be they current or OOs) on the world will be ever greater in the years ahead.

Oakham has never been afraid to be innovative – most recently illustrated by the introduction of the IB MYP in the Lower School – and I see no reason why this will not continue into the next decade and beyond. The ‘Oakham Brand’ will become ever stronger, and not just in the UK, as shown by our leadership of the FOSIL project which is now attracting interest from schools, colleges and universities across the globe, who all recognise the need for inquirybased learning. The next Oakham chapter will be an exciting one to read!

As my time in this great School draws to an end, I am regularly asked (at least once a day in recent weeks) what I will miss most about Oakham: many things, of course, but most of all it is the people – wonderful colleagues (teaching and support staff) and, of course, watching Oakhamians grow from awkward teenagers into incredibly impressive young people who are ready to take their place in the world.

Oakham School is a community where the human spirit flourishes – I feel very lucky to have been part of such a wonderful place for a few years. It has been an incredible adventure. Thank you.

Quasi Cursores 3

Nigel Lashbrook 10 Years at the Helm

A

fter 10 years of outstanding leadership Nigel Lashbrook is, true to Oakham’s motto, passing on the ‘Headship torch’ to Henry Price.

Much has changed during his tenure as Oakham’s 30th Headmaster. There have been impressive developments, changes and improvements – in facilities and provision – both in and outside the classroom. He hands over a torch that is even more brightly lit than it was a decade ago.

More importantly though, and akin to the Olympic flame, the truly important aspects of Oakham – namely the School’s ethos and values – have remained resolutely the same under Nigel’s leadership.

Here, in his leaving edition of the Oakhamian, Nigel Lashbrook reflects on his 10 years at the helm.

Others who have worked alongside him pay homage to his Headship, and we showcase just some of Nigel’s highlights over his time in charge.

We give recognition to the role Jill Lashbrook has played over the last decade, providing invaluable support to Nigel as he led the School through the many changes and developments of this period of its rich history.

Finally, we look at the story behind the painting of the Headmaster’s portrait; a tradition that has lasted for over a hundred years.

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Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

The Headmaster Reflects What has stayed the same at Oakham over the last 10 years?

The values for which Oakham stands for have stayed resolutely the same. By this I mean the sense of community, the feeling that everyone is working together to support each other and to learn from others. What impressed me so very much when I first walked around Oakham as a candidate for Headship, was the openness and visible warmth between the staff and students. You just don’t see this in all schools, but it was, and remains, palpable at Oakham. I’m proud that this sense of community is as strong today as it was 10 years ago.

What makes Oakham so very special?

Early on in my tenure, someone told me that we are Oakham’s School, as opposed to Oakham School. They were, of course, completely right. We, as a school, have so many profound links to the area and so many historical ties and connections.

Our student mix – half being day pupils from the local area, half being boarders coming from across the UK as well as from over 38 countries – is crucially important. It is this mixture that ensures we are not a school in isolation; we are very much a part of the town, a part of the community. This means that Oakham is a school with its feet firmly planted on the ground and whilst we have many elite performers – in sport, music or drama – we are not an elitist school.

What are your favourite memories of Oakham?

Whilst there are so many memories that I will cherish from my time at Oakham, there are two things that stand out immediately when asked this question.

Firstly, something that I saw day-in and dayout – the mutual support of the community. You only have to look at what happened recently when one of our catering team unfortunately had a heart attack just before lunch service. The community rallied around at this stressful time, with teachers, students and staff all pitching in to help where they could. Seeing the community come together at difficult times such as these is wonderful and this is certainly something that I will miss being a part of in the future.

Secondly, nothing is more special than having seen students in all areas of school life going beyond what they thought they could achieve, with the support of their teachers and friends. To have witnessed this so many times during my tenure as Headmaster at Oakham is, by far, my favourite set of memories.

“Nothing is more special than having seen students in all areas of school life going beyond what they thought they could achieve, with the support of their teachers and friends.”

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Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

What is the secret to your successful tenure?

The simple answer is Jill. My success is entirely down to her. I could not have done any of it without her. She gave up her career to support mine. Given her talents, it could have very easily gone the other way. I owe my success, and that of Oakham during my tenure, to her.

“I hope that I will be remembered as a Head who has empowered people – both staff and students alike” What would you like your legacy to be?

My legacy is for others to judge. Whilst there has been a lot of building work during my time, I do hope my legacy goes far beyond simply buildings. I hope that I will be remembered as a Head who has empowered people – both staff and students alike.

That I have enabled them to try and flourish and to not feel restricted. For them to be prepared to ‘have a go’ and not to fear that they’ll get it wrong, but instead to know that the only mistakes are those that you didn’t learn from. I feel very proud of the fact that six members of staff during my time as Headmaster have themselves gone on to become Heads in their own right.

What’s next?

I’m very much looking forward to Jill and I being able to set our own agenda. We will no longer be ‘tied’ to working in one place – I’m looking forward to a variety of things. As well as being able to enjoy travelling – there’s a bucket list that we are anxious to get cracking on – I’ll also be doing some mentoring and coaching with new Heads, some consulting, inspecting, and some ambassadorial work for the Royal Springboard Foundation. We will, as they say, see where life takes us. There is only one thing certain – that the book has many empty chapters, and I look forward to filling them together with Jill.

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oakham.rutland.sch.uk

Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

Highlights of the Lashbrook Years “I hope my legacy goes far beyond simply buildings.”

2014

2009

• Oakham School gets its new logo

Mr Nigel Lashbrook is appointed Headmaster of Oakham School Service of Welcome and Institution of the Headmaster is held at Oakham School Chapel

• The opening of the BAF Smith Pavilion • Celebrating 30 years of the QET and 20 of the Smallbone Library

2011 • 40-Year Anniversary of Girls at Oakham School • The Wilson Auditorium is opened • Ten years of the IBDP at Oakham

2012 After celebrating the milestone of becoming the first school to award its 5,000th D of E Award, nine CCF cadets take part in a successful Gold D of E Expedition to the Falkland Islands. This is the most southerly D of E Expedition ever undertaken in the history of the Award scheme

2010 • The Rugby 1st XV reach the Daily Mail Cup Final at Twickenham • This year’s Gala Concert is held in the magnificent surroundings of King’s College, Cambridge

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• Oakham wins the Independent School of the Year Award for an Outstanding Community Initiative • Oakham School hosts the 28th Bunbury Cricket Festival with one of its pupils playing in the Midlands team

2013 • Oakham is given the International School Award in recognition of its global initiatives • The opening of the £4million Mehra Faculty of Science, including the Barson Gallery

Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

2019 • Oakhamians win the East Midlands Engineering in Education Scheme ‘Innovation Award’

2015

• For the 4th year in a row Oakhamians are TeenTech Award winners

• 70,000 vaccinations raised by Mr Lashbrook as part of HMC’s ‘Chariots of Fire’ run

2017

• The Wheelhouse Gallery is opened

• The inauguration of the 1584 Society

• Oakham is awarded the Gold Career Mark in recognition of its excellent careers advice

• The Hub – the Old Oakhamian career network is launched

• Oakham hosts the first ever Psychology in Sport Conference

• The U18 Girls Football Team win the ISFA U18 Girls Cup • As part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Headmaster completes a challenge he set himself: to abseil down the Ashburton Building while combatting a fear of heights!

2016

• The opening of the new Faculty of Social Sciences building and the Medical and Pastoral Centre

• The Chamber Choir reaches the final of the Songs of Praise Choir of the Year Competition

• BTEC is introduced to broaden further the School’s academic offering at 16+

• The Boys Hockey 1st XI are National Runners-Up

• To celebrate Shakespeare’s Quatercentenary, Oakham stages a double bill of two of the Bard’s greatest works – an all-female product of Hamlet, as well as a rendition of Twelfth Night

• The FOSIL Group website is launched to share best practice in Inquiry Learning

2018 • The IBMYP is launched • Oakham School becomes a member of the BSA Boarding Orchard • Seven sports teams make it to the National Finals, including the Boys 1st XI Hockey squad, who are National Outdoor Runners-Up for the second time as well as Indoor Runners-Up

• Double Olympic medal winning hockey player Crista Cullen (OO) opens an astro pitch named in her honour • 10 sailors take part in the RS Feva World Championships in Florida

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Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

Fond Farewells: Nigel Jon Wills Old Oakhamian Club Chairman

Nigel is, without doubt, one of the most kind and caring people I have ever met. It is extraordinary for a Headmaster to maintain an air of always being a ‘cup half full person’ – a truly amazing gift.

I had the good fortune to travel overseas to a number of Old Oakhamian events in the company of both Nigel and his wife Jill; this included to Hong Kong, New York and Munich.

They were such good company and I observed, close at hand, how easily they engaged with numerous OOs and so many of them commented to me on how delightful it was to engage them in conversation. As well as the formal occasions that we attended, there were, more often than not, light hearted moments. These included Nigel and Jill out jogging in Central Park in New York and Jill going at such a pace that Nigel fell so far behind Jill that he lost his way! I also made the discovery at dinner one evening in Hong Kong Nigel is a real red wine connoisseur.

Nigel and I both share a passion for sport and to this day, I continue to be amazed that whenever I speak to Nigel about the latest Sports News, he already knows what I was talking about; I am sure he must have Sky Sports TV in his office in Chapel Close! The affinity with sport doesn’t stop there; at morning break

announcements in the Barraclough Nigel’s hand gestures are very distinctive when making a specific point – holding out his right hand with his forefinger and thumb close together very much like a darts player!

Oakham has indeed been very fortunate to have Nigel at its helm, ably supported by Jill for the past 10 years and I, together with all members of The Old Oakhamian Club, wish them a long and wonderful retirement.

Simon Piggott Director of Operations and Strategic Planning

At an Independent Schools’ Bursars Association conference a couple of years ago, Sir Anthony Seldon, former Head of Wellington College, was giving a keynote speech drawing parallels between the relationship between Head and Bursar and the Prime minister and Chancellor of the Exchequers. At one point, he asked the audience of around 450 bursars: “so how many of you would actually fancy being a headmaster?” I doubt a dozen hands went up. Mine certainly did not! After a 30 year career embracing industry, commerce and investment banking, I could not imagine for one nanosecond being able to carry out the 24x7, 32 weeks of the year (plus quite a few weeks in the school holidays) demands of the role of Head at a boarding school. Nigel has shown the most tremendous stamina in this very challenging job and has always managed exerting his leadership in a good-natured way. I shall miss our 9.30am Monday morning meetings.

“Honest and straightforward, compassionate and thoughtful, Nigel engages everyone with whom he comes into contact by his warmth, his hearty sense of humour and his readiness to listen” Louise North Senior Deputy Head Nigel has been a tremendous role model for me, as well as for the students and staff at Oakham School. Honest and straightforward, compassionate and thoughtful, Nigel engages everyone with whom he comes into contact by his warmth, his hearty sense of humour and his readiness to listen.

When talking with some senior students who had been in trouble, I asked them to think about good leadership – what does it look like? They went on to discuss why they felt that Nigel was a strong leader. Their replies were as follows and I quote:

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“He’s down with the kids…he’s approachable, visible and fair.”

“He makes an effort and supports us in everything we do.”

“I think Lashers is cool.”

“He’s a man of the people, and I’ve never seen him not smiling.”

Because of all of this, the students have immense respect for him, as do I. Through the many stresses and strains that we deal with, Nigel always sees the good in people, always separates the poor behaviour from the person behind it and always looks towards the future, moving forward and learning from mistakes – whoever it is he is

talking to. The art of good listening should not be underestimated and Nigel has this skill in droves. Nigel’s approach to Headship – and moreover his relationships with people – is borne out of the vast experience, wisdom and knowledge that he has developed over the course of his career, both at Oakham and elsewhere. His warmth and kindness, his sense of humour and belly laugh have been the mainstays of the unity and spirit felt by his Senior Leadership Team at Chapel Close. On a personal note, I am enormously thankful for his mentorship and for his belief in me. My affection, admiration and respect for the Grand Fromage – the GF - of Chapel Close, is second-to-none.

Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

Diane Harvey Headmaster’s PA

Adrian Morris Head of Lower School

I first met Nigel when he came for his interview – I was the school receptionist. The first qualities I spotted was his warm personality and a very slight Birmingham accent!

I was delighted when Nigel appointed me as his PA in January 2010 and have thoroughly enjoyed supporting him. It has been a pleasure to work alongside Nigel; I admire his work ethos and respect his values. During his 10 years at the helm he has guided and inspired many – both staff and pupils. He is caring, fair, straight forward and always has time to listen; he is approachable and has always had an ‘open door’.

I will miss Nigel; we have been a great team which has gone from ‘strength to strength’. I will miss our chats, his laughter, his wonderful sense of humour and his wise counsel.

I say sense of humour, but cannot say this is the case when I come to work on a Monday morning having watched Manchester United win another game! Who knows, one day, Nigel may accept that Birmingham City are not quite in the same league!

Nigel and Jill: have the most wonderful retirement. You both deserve nothing less and I look forward to hearing all about your new and exciting adventures beyond Oakham.

My first impression of Nigel was through my first interview, which was conducted via Skype 6,000 miles apart (such is technology, I could see him but he could not see me!). His words, body language and style were both reassuring and encouraging, not only attracting me to want to work at Oakham but also a feeling of trust for the future. In the short time since, this impression has only strengthened for the better and, whatever the busyness of the term, Nigel’s calmness, wisdom and sense of proportion and humour has allowed me to settle well as a member of the Oakham team. Not only have I appreciated his support of me as Headmaster, but it is clear that he and Jill have also supported Lower School (Jerwoods) and all associated with this vital part of the Oakham community as fully as possible, through their attendance at events, chapels etc. Thank you and all the very best for your retirement.

“...whatever the busyness of the term, Nigel’s calmness, wisdom and sense of proportion and humour has allowed me to settle well as a member of the Oakham team”

Sarah Gomm Deputy Head Pastoral and Co-curricular Nigel is Head number four for me and, you can imagine my delight when at last I had a fellow chemist to work alongside; someone who was not surprised by the fact that I have a Periodic Table up in my office. Each of the Heads that I have worked for has had their own specific ways of doing things, and from each I have learnt a great deal. Nigel is a kind and generous man who has allowed me the freedom to get on with particular projects that have interested me. He has a good eye for detail, which alongside his acute scientific approach, means he quickly picks up new ideas and is able to guide, direct and critique new strategies and plans, thus allowing the School to flourish. At heart he is a people person; he will always want to give the second chance to a child or a member of staff who has made a mistake. He sees the good in people and as such is approachable by the whole school community. Despite his outwardly gentle manner, there is still a firm core which means there is only so far he will go. There is a line in the sand beyond which you shouldn’t tread. It is rare that he will raise his voice and usually that is to cheer on various School teams as they successfully navigate another winning performance. He believes without doubt in educating the whole child and that

experience is crucial. I will miss his unfailingly smiley face and his generosity of spirit towards the children of Oakham School. Service is part of his mantra and there is no doubt he has been a great servant to the School. As a father of two Old Oakhamians, I fully expect to see him back supporting the teams, particularly on those key days against the old enemies.

James Robinson Head of Middle School The best thing about working for Nigel is the trust he has in you to do your job. He is confident enough to give you a project and then leave to you get on with it without interfering. One of his greatest strengths has been to surround himself with a really strong team who complement each other and work really well together. There is a genuine close working relationship within the senior team and this is predominantly due to Nigel. He has achieved a great deal in his 10 years at Oakham, much of it invisible to the outsider, but he leaves the School in a much stronger position then when he started as Headmaster.

David Harrow Deputy Head Academic Nigel’s tenure is one I would characterise as warm and supportive, but with a clear mission to get the best for everyone in the school community. Some of my best memories are perhaps not for the Oakhamian: he will know what I mean when I celebrate, not for the first time, the phenomenon of the ‘Nigel Special’! He is generous with his time and support, and his warmth will be recognised by staff and students alike: his celebration in times of success, and pragmatism when things go wrong, are equally appreciated. A great Head needs to stand aloof and aside sometimes but, whilst undoubtedly the boss, Nigel’s care and humanity have been his greatest strengths. I have learned a great deal about school leadership from him and, in future years, when facing a problem in school, will undoubtedly ask ‘WWND?’.

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Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

Fond Farewells: Jill When she joined Oakham, Jill Lashbrook took on the mysteriously defined mantle of Headmaster’s Wife. It’s not all flower arranging and baking cakes (although she does both of these exceptionally well); as those who have worked closely with her attest, Jill has been at the very heart of the running of the School and the well-being of its community.

Always avoiding the limelight, yet ever-present working her magic around the campus, Jill has been the epitome of selfless service for a decade.

Beth Whitlock, Head of School 2018–19

Mrs Lashbrook has been Oakham’s true guardian over the last ten years. I know that I speak for the rest of the Decem when I say that without her incredible cakes, it’s unlikely we’d have made it through the year! On behalf of my year group, I offer our gratitude and indebtedness to Mrs Lashbrook - without whom Oakham would have been a very different – and a very much poorer – place.

10 3,000

Harvest Parties catering for over

members of the elderly community

Lesley Asher-Roche, Assistant Head of Upper School

Jill has been the epitome of organisation when it comes to her role as Ball Manager.

From menu tasting to debating the needs of single phase electric supplies, to producing table flowers, writing detailed minutes dictating the role of all involved in the Ball, reuniting owners with lost property, problem solving, toilet checking, budget monitoring and rubbish sorting, Jill rolls up her sleeves and dives in with good humour, professionalism, a determined stance, and a slightly scary stare. Very much a stalwart behind the scenes, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with her over the past 10 years. While she will not miss rubbish sweeps at 8am on the morning after the Ball or opening 200 bottles of Prosecco for the drinks reception, we shall certainly miss her attention to detail, her witty sense of humour and her positive can-do attitude.

10 6,000

Leavers’ Balls catering for

guests

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Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

Father Tim Tregunno, Chaplain Jill, to misquote Bette Midler, has been ‘the wind beneath the Chaplaincy’s wings’, working with each of the Chaplains’ quirks, qualms, clunks and holy foibles. Far beyond creating exquisite floral arrangements, on a modest budget, while wrapped in full winter garb, (it does get cold in that Chapel), while listening to classic FM at a reverent volume, Jill has provided so much more support for the Chaplaincy. She has been a pastoral ear for staff to share their heartaches and triumphs, a sounding board for ‘mad ideas,’ the ‘tacky-o-meter’ for the carol service fairy lights, health and safety queen, the gracious organiser of the Chaplain’s Barbeque (evolving from the Lenten Dinner), to mention but a few. I, like my Chaplaincy team predecessors, have had to ask Jill for assistance on numerous occasions – most commonly at the last minute – and she has done so with great grace and good humour. She has opened her home and entertained everyone; cooking and baking for Bishops, staff, students and volunteers, as well as willingly sitting up into the night threading twenty-eight tiny silver crosses on to very fine ‘Oakham Red’ ribbon, then boxing and wrapping them as gifts for the Confirmation candidates. Jill has given so much time, so much care and shown so much patience that retirement is wonderful and more than deserved, but she will be greatly missed.

Over

1,000

Nearly

cakes baked for Decem meetings

3,000

flower arrangements for Open Mornings and Chapel Close alone

Liz Mapletoft, Head of Catering Over the 10 years we have worked with Jill, we have really appreciated the care, consideration and attention to detail that she has shown – she has been a huge support to us and will be missed.

Chris West-Sadler, Head of Voluntary Action Every year the continuing success of the Harvest Party has been down to the organisation, attention to detail and energy of Jill, who has been unstoppable in her drive to provide a firstclass event for the hundreds of elderly guests who attend each year. I know from the smiling faces of our guests and the many heartfelt thank you cards that we receive afterwards that it is an event of which we can all be proud. She truly epitomises what service is all about. We will miss her help very much.

Peter Davis, Director of Music Jill has been a tireless supporter of the School’s music, attending as many concerts as possible from the most informal fortnightly events in the Music School, right through to the countless headline performances in Chapel and in prestigious venues around the concert.

Her appreciation of rehearsals as she adorned the Chapel with stylish flower arrangements was very genuine, even if organ tuners were never her favourite visitors in the Chapel! Her dedication extended to supporting the school’s choirs through her excellent organisation of annual events such as the Chapel Choir’s annual formal dinner in January (for which she attended to even the smallest details, including handaddressing over 150 invitations), as well as the Lower School’s post-exam June barbecue when our younger pupils ran riot in the Deanscroft garden. Generations of musicians will forever be in her debt.

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oakham.rutland.sch.uk

Feature | Farewell to Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook

Picture Perfect The Headmaster’s portrait – upholding over 100 years of tradition

T

he tradition of painting a Headmaster’s portrait in recognition of their contribution to the School began with the portrait of the Reverend Edward Vere Hodge on his retirement from Oakham in 1902. Since that time, nine Headmasters have been honoured in this way and their portraits can be seen hanging in various locations around the School campus.

As befits Nigel’s self-effacing personality, rather than have a large and formal oil painting, he deliberately chose an artist whose speciality is miniature watercolour portraiture for this commission. That the artist in question is an OO and one whose talent Nigel nurtured by offering her a Scholarship, gave even greater weight to this decision.

Becky Haley joined Oakham School in 2015 as an Art Scholar in Form 6. Whilst at Oakham, Becky exhibited her portrait paintings in the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, Leicester as part of the ‘Little Selves’ Exhibition. She also won the Student Portrait Prize at The Leicester Society of Artists Exhibition. Her reputation for painting exquisite portraits as a student at Oakham School led to several commissions, including some from Oakham School staff members, which is why former Director of Art, Simon Poppy, recommended Becky to paint Nigel’s portrait.

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On being offered the commission, Becky said: “I was quite nervous at first at the responsibility of painting the portrait, as Mr Lashbrook is a big part of the reason I came here. However, painting is what I love doing, so it is great to be able to give something back to the School in this way.”

Asked about the process of painting the picture, Becky said: “I started painting the portrait in December. I chose an outside setting (with Doncaster Close and the new Sports Centre façade in the background) as I wanted to convey Mr Lashbrook’s cheerful character and show him as I always saw him: outdoors, so down-to-earth and welcoming, at the heart of the School, and fully involved in School life.”

“I sent different arrangements with that particular background to Mr Lashbrook and he selected his preferred option. I used my favourite paper for the painting: Arches Watercolour Hot Pressed Paper 26cm x 36cm. The reason I love producing pictures in this size and style is that it allows you to paint in very fine detail and to achieve a more realistic portrait.”

Becky left Oakham School in 2017 and after completing an Art Foundation Course at Loughborough University, she is currently studying Fine Art at the Ruskin School of Art at Oxford University. She has just finished her first year there and it was particularly touching that Becky, together with her parents, was able to attend the unveiling of the portrait at Speech Day and see her contribution to the history of Oakham School.

The finished portrait will hang in the corridor of the Mehra Faculty of Science close to the Chemistry laboratories, just a few short steps away from the picture’s background setting. As Chair of Trustees, Neil Gorman, observed in his address on Speech Day, the choice of location was carefully made to highlight two of Nigel’s great passions: the subject he taught for so many years and the sports he loved to play and watch.

ACADEMIC

Art 16 History Wall Art 24 Poetry and Prose 26 The Importance of Societies 28 DT 30 Modern Languages News 36

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FORM 3 CREATIVE ART

TEXTILES

Raya Farage

Lottie Marr

Zara Brown

SCULPTURES

Evie Clarke

Eluisa Brown

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Matilda Wooddisse

Academic | Art

CITYSCAPES

Ella Baldock

Thomas Roberts Alexandra Romanova

Eyitayo Bandele

PAVILIONS

Torah Savant

Harry Jones

Bradley Lucas

Oliver Martin

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PRE-U ART

Henry Zhu

Anastasia Vasyurenko

Libby Chubb

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Tatiana Limonova

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Sophie Pinder

Daisy Streatfeild

India Marshall

Emma Blanshard

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PRE-U ART Moli Smith

Charlie Satow

Laetitia Lang

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Maddy Kirk

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Henrietta Lewis

Lana Norman

Lily Joule

Elisaveta Klychkova

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IB ART

Sally He

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Georgia Williams Georgia Williams

Sally He

Academic | Art

Lada Popelysheva

Grace Zhang

Lada Popelysheva

Grace Zhang

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Academic | History Wall Art

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

HISTORY BROUGHT TO LIFE The History Department has been transformed by a stunning series of professional museum-style artworks that are designed to inspire students, provoke thought and commemorate those Oakhamians who served in the Great War.

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here are two installations of artwork; firstly the long History Department corridor has been adorned with large iconic images of the 20th Century, and secondly, the stairwell has been brought to life by an impressive wall to floor timeline. Inspired by a display in the Imperial War Museum, the wall art weaves together a general chronology of Britain and the Great War along with the individual stories of the 335 Old Oakhamians and 8 members of staff who served their country in all three branches of the military.

The project saw Oakham’s new Archivist, Charlotte McCrory, work closely with the History Department to bring more of the School’s history to life to current students. The Archives sourced images and helped add sections on aspects of Oakham life and pupils. “It was interesting for us to be able to show how Oakhamians were involved in almost all of the major battles of the War from 1914 to 1918,” says Charlotte. “Some of the images we have used are simultaneously thought-provoking and distressing as they really show the impact of the war at a personal, School level. For example, the image of the 1914 – 1915 Oakham rugby team, where someone has historically drawn red circles around those pupils who fell in the war, shows that almost half of the people in the picture are circled.”

Alongside the Great War timeline, the long History corridor now showcases a variety of large iconic images of the 20th Century. As Head of History, James Roberts, outlines, “We chose moments in time that would provoke scrutiny

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and reflection. We then added carefully chosen words to act as a ‘hook’ to give pupils a sense of what they were looking at, and to raise issues and questions in their mind that might lead them to find out more. So, for example, the Apollo Moon landing is an amazing, iconic image, even 50 years on, but how many students know about the scientists who built the rockets that got the USA to the moon and the link to the Nazis?

‘Hitler’s rocket man’ might be a surprising title to this picture, but the idea was not to give too much information but instead to provoke further interest.”

The results are stunning and have certainly garnered praise from pupils, staff and visiting parents alike. Most importantly, the response from students, in terms of interacting with the artwork, has been notable. “Pupils have responded very positively and been asking questions about the door pictures because they have seen and thought about them whilst waiting for lessons. Meaning they are already in the mind-set of thinking about History before

they even step foot in the classroom,” says James.

“The stairwell will become a useful teaching resource in the future, as pupils need to spend some time studying it during their work on the First World War. It will definitely become an integral part of our lessons going forward.”

Since joining in September 2018, Charlotte has been working hard to integrate many of Oakham’s amazing archive materials into the curriculum. With the centenary of the Great War this has included creating supporting materials for Battlefields visits (see the report on page 54), as well as for a Form 3 study skills project.

Academic | History Wall Art

The stairwell will become a useful teaching resource in the future, as pupils need to spend some time studying it during their work on the First World War. It will definitely become an integral part of our lessons going forward.

Those interested in Oakham’s Archives can follow their new blog and Twitter feed where they bring Oakham’s history to life.

For the blog go to https://www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk/ Oakham-School-Archive-Blog and to follow them on Twitter @OakhamArchives 25

Academic | Societies

IS THERE A PLACE FOR SOCIETIES IN SCHOOLS?

MATTHEW S SOCIETY

Teacher of Geography and founder of Oakham School’s GeogSoc, Hannah Campion, explains why having thriving academic societies in schools can reap huge benefits.

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t has long been hotly debated how to bridge the gap between university and school study (Collins and Butt 2017), how to prepare students for what is to come at university level teaching, as well as to inform universities on what students have been learning at secondary school and the skill set they have.

It is not always just about bringing the outside into the classroom but also about providing the opportunity for students to develop interpersonal and social skills needed in the workplace.

For example practising public speaking through debating issues they are passionate about; meeting those at the forefront of their subject field and exploring their ideas and challenging them; not to mention the chance to interact with students from other schools – away from the sports field – to discuss new research and issues.

As Peter Claus, the Access Fellow for Pembroke College, Oxford, stated, employers and universities want to “see that students have gone above and beyond, and are aware of the culture of their subject creative” (2012), showing they are thinking critically beyond the curriculum, supporting ideas with examples of deeper awareness for learning. As the Oxbridge application website concurs, “communicating your passion for what you have chosen to study and demonstrating that you enjoy having the freedom to explore it – away from your normal school work. It’s about individuality, not conformity.” Overall, it is clear that whether you aspire to a place at Oxbridge or not, universities want to see students making global connections so platforms need to exist for students with busy schedules to have opportunities to do this.

Other ways for students to access subjects beyond the curriculum could be through wider reading lists, subscriptions to subject-related articles and magazines or watching programmes of interest, but I feel the best way is through active participation in groups to make clearer, stronger and more frequent connections to the subject at hand. Having a school society where students can explore their interests through participation in workshops, events and experiences, creates a platform for them to access universities and national societies that might otherwise be beyond their reach. At Oakham we have a very active student body, and one area that is rapidly developing is that of academic societies; facilitating pupils’ access to their subjects outside the classroom.

GEOGSOC Whilst at Nottingham University I was a course rep and Royal Geographical Society rep; part of this role involved me visiting local schools to help engage pupils beyond the classroom with university-style geographies. I now sit on the Geographical Association Board for the Nottingham schools branch, so I play a lead role in helping to feed back and develop what the University offers to visiting schools. Ever since I joined Oakham in January 2016, it has been my passion to develop these links further.

Geography is one of the most popular subjects in Upper School at both A-level and IB; this in itself highlights the need to offer students opportunities to explore the subject more broadly and meet those at the forefront of research and policy. Therefore, in the summer of 2016 the Upper School Geography Society – GeogSoc – was established. I ran the first trip to the University of Nottingham GA lecture series presented by George Swan on climate change: ‘What’s really happening and should we care?’ The success of this trip and positive response from pupils for more has since led to an organised event every half-term. To ensure an all-inclusive approach to the society, the events range from informal hot chocolate film nights at School to attending critically acclaimed speaker events at local venues – most recently in both Stamford and Nottingham. By ensuring the events are not all run on a selective basis has enabled all students with an interest to join in.

This year also saw the first GeogSoc guest evening where three University of Nottingham lecturers visited to each present a 30-minute specialist lecture on the current developments within Geography, ranging from climate change in the Arctic and global biodiversity changes, to an exposé on fast and high-end fashion and the impacts of modern changes to diets focusing on veganism and meat-free debates. The event was open to all Upper School pupils and staff, and with over 70 in attendance, it meant that a large proportion of our pupils were able to experience first-hand what a real life lecture would be like. They found out about what Geography at university is all about and were able to meet university lecturers and ask them questions and network with them during our pizza intermission.

The chance to meet the guest

IT IS CLEAR THAT WHETHER YOU ASPIRE TO A PLACE AT OXBRIDGE OR NOT, UNIVERSITIES WANT TO SEE STUDENTS MAKING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS...

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Academic | Societies

speakers at Stamford Arts Centre also showed students the range of careers options that studying Geography brings; hearing from explorers and researchers who shared their findings and understanding though a different perspective demonstrated how the students’ own actions affect the world around them. As Form 7 Geographer Alex Rooney reflected: “All the talks were superb and incredibly insightful, definitely worth going to. I would recommend going to these events to future Geography students.”

It has been fantastic to see pupils interact with lecturers, and explorers such as Pip Stewart and most recently the author of Prisoners of Geography, Tim Marshall. The opportunities opened up to students to apply classroom learning to new concepts and theories has helped to bridge that gap between school and university study, actively showing how what they are learning is relevant, current and how it is helping to change the world in which we live.

Being a part of a society network such as GeogSoc in School has also helped students to become more globally connected to their subjects. They have been able to network with representatives from national societies such as the Geographical Association and University of Nottingham, who offer support and guidance with careers and grants to study subjects in the future, and they have connected with explorers who foster students’ aspirations to travel and show them how to be more active in their field. I wholeheartedly feel that GeogSoc has been a useful platform for students to gain the much-needed awareness and experience called for by universities to use in interviews and applications demonstrating that they have actively pursued deeper level learning.

In an ever-changing world, it is important that we are supporting students to be at the forefront of their learning and access the most relevant material in their chosen field. After all, as stated in The Times Higher Education Online (2017) Geography is one of the most employable degrees and subjects to study, so we as teachers must enable our students to see exactly why that is. Running a school society is one way we can do this, and by all accounts, so far GeogSoc is doing that very well.

“CONSIDERING THAT I HAVE APPLIED TO STUDY ECONOMICS AND GEOGRAPHY AT UNI, THE TRIP TO NOTTINGHAM HAS HELPED ME DEVELOP THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT GEOGRAPHY LECTURES ARE LIKE.” MONI PENEV, FORM 7 Bibliography https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/9590394/ Oxbridge-applications-a-dons-guide.html http://www.oxbridgeapplications.com/blog/demonstrating-yourpassion-for-your-subject/ https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/subjects/what-canyou-do-geography-degree Collins, G and Butt, G (2017) Understanding the gap between schools and universities. chapter 19 pg 263-274 in Jones, M., & Lambert, D. (Eds.). (2017). Debates in geography education.

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Academic | Design Technology

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GCSE PRODUCT DESIGN The GCSE students were tasked with designing individual, unique products for clients within a global context to improve mobility, sustainability and to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Olivia Gregory

Henry Luttman-Johnson

Tom Luttman-Johnson

Alice Gibbs

Katerina Kemp

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Will D’Arcy

Academic | Modern Languages News

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

TWO ACTION-PACKED TERMS OF LANGUAGE LEARNING TARDES DE CINE In the Winter Term, Form 6 and 7 students of Spanish enjoyed watching Primos; Daniel Sánchez Arévalo’s comedy about three cousins retracing their childhood steps with hilarious consequences.

In the Spring Term, the Spanish Department provided a screening of Adrian Molina’s, Academy Award winning animated film Coco, about a young boy’s trail of adventure in the stunning and colourful Land of the Dead.

GAINING A TASTE FOR TAPAS La Barceloneta restaurant in Leicester was the scene for this extravaganza. Surrounded by spoken Spanish in an amazingly authentic setting, with a bountiful supply of delicious tapas, our Sixth Formers were able to forget that they were, in fact, sat in Leicester, on a cold February night. It was a fabulous opportunity to introduce our hispanists to the culinary side of what must be one of the most vibrant cultures on earth and a cultural trip that we will definitely be repeating.

ALL THE WORLD’S THEIR STAGE Six Oakhamian linguists swept the board at the ‘All the World’s Your Stage’ workshop in Nottingham, winning 6 prizes. The event, run by Business Language Champions, tasked students with writing, directing and acting in a play on a topical issue in their target language. The day was interspersed with interesting talks on careers in the theatre industry and in translation.

Emma H won Best Stage Presence, Tess D won Best Language, and Elizabeth G won Best Projection and Body Language. Elizabeth G and Janhavi M made up half of the team that won Best Play and Emma H was in the team who were runners-up in the Best Play category.

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LOWER 1 CELEBRATE LA CHANDELEUR

FORM 1 GET A TASTE OF LANGUAGES Form 1 celebrated European Day of Languages by participating in a variety of fun taster lessons in four different languages. The carousel of language tasters saw pupils singing animal noises in Catalan, greeting each other in Italian, learning about Portugese-speaking countries and expressing likes and dislikes in German. The Lower School corridor was filled with the sound of enthusiastic learning as native speakers from the MFL Department inspired our Form 1 pupils to have a go at a new language.

Each participant received a ‘passport’ in which they wrote a few words in each language to take away after the event.

FRENCH AND CHRISTMAS MARKETS Pupils in Form 2 sampled the delights of a traditional French and German Christmas Market on their very own doorstep. The Small Barraclough Dining Hall was filled with stalls containing Christmas goods and traditions of French and German-speaking countries, giving pupils the opportunity to experience the culture of those countries at this time of year.

From decorating and embellishing gingerbread houses to designing Christmas cards and cutting silver snowflakes, it was a great evening of fun and festivities with everyone getting into the Christmas spirit.

Lower 1 pupils had great fun celebrating “La Chandeleur” (French Pancake Day) by making their own crêpes and reinforcing vocabulary and cultural knowledge they had learned in their French lesssons.

FRANCOPHONE DAY To honour Francophone Day, the French Department organised fun activities for each year group: • Form 1 took part in craft activities around North African symbols (Tagine pots, Henna tattoos and the hand of Fatima) • Form 2 created some menus in French that were displayed in the Barraclough • Form 3 and above enjoyed quizzes and French songs.

The Barraclough Dining Hall was also beautifully decorated and the Barraclough staff had prepared some delicious French meals as well as dishes from other Francophone countries.

PERFORMING ARTS Music 38 Drama 46

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AUTUMN CONCERT Friday 2 November • Gabe Tufail Smith (Form 6)

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his year’s Autumn Concert followed a contemplative Remembrance theme, marking the centenary of the Armistice.

The Concert Band performed Share my yoke, originally composed by Major Joy Webb of The Salvation Army. This contemplative piece featured a trumpet solo, lyrically played

by Freddie Buchanan. This was a quality performance with a professionally sustained sense of line, which proved exceptionally moving to many in the audience. This was followed

by The Last Centaur by Galente. A complete contrast to the opening, this was a dramatic musical depiction of a centaur separated from his family by war, with interweaving wandering woodwind duets finding their satisfying conclusion in blasts of brass as no doubt the lost centaur finally found his way home.

The Form 1 Singers, under the energetic direction of Mrs Drummond, then performed two songs: the first humorously entitled Hear the Wind by Crocker used a beautiful, flowing melody to evoke the gentle contours of the English countryside. This was followed by the upbeat and punchy rhythms of the gospel song, Oh, won’t you sit down?

The Chamber Choir ended the first half with two songs. The first was Lux Aeterna by Latvian composer, Ēriks Ešenvalds. This stunning contemporary a cappella piece sets a passage from the Latin Requiem Mass. Darke’s cantata As the Leaves Fall (written in the summer of 1917) continued the Remembrance theme. This piece featured a soprano solo by Lily McNeill whose restraint, purity of tone and precise intonation gave the piece a suitably valedictory wistfulness.

The beautiful harmonies in both of these settings were performed with admirable balance between the parts, supported by a satisfyingly rich and quality bass sound.

After the interval, the Symphony Orchestra performed two pieces by World War 1 poet

and composer, Ivor Gurney. First came his By a Bierside, a play on words contrasting the home comforts of being by a fireside with the horrors of the battlefield. Soloist Grace Muris’s unforgettable vibrato fittingly mirrored a nightingale in the trenches. The song ambivalently concludes with the words ‘It is most grand to die’ described of course by fellow war poet Wilfred Owen as the ‘great lie’. Gurney’s sombre War Elegy followed. Composed in 1920, this piece opens with the solemn march of soldiers, reflected in the excellent performance of the lower strings.

The concert concluded with Rossini’s famous William Tell Overture. The piece first takes us back to the countryside with themes very reminiscent of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, until it bursts into life or shifts up several gears by striking up the familiar galloping melody as its finale. The French Horns’ echoing of the main theme in the trumpets was particularly memorable. It was a suitably upbeat conclusion and a reminder that 1918 was the last sighting on the battlefield of a warhorse.

THE FRENCH HORNS’ ECHOING OF THE MAIN THEME IN THE TRUMPETS WAS PARTICULARLY MEMORABLE. IT WAS A SUITABLY UPBEAT CONCLUSION AND A REMINDER THAT 1918 WAS THE LAST SIGHTING ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF A WARHORSE. 38

Performing Arts | Music

CHAMBER RECITAL Thursday 4 October • Holly Frostwick (Form 6) The Form 3 Music Scholars opened the evening with František Škroup’s Allegretto in F Major. This very technical piece was performed incredibly, with the musicians demonstrating a strong understanding of both the piece and the other performers through their strict rhythmicality and precision in both unison and polyphony.

Their later performances were just as impressive.

A wind quintet performing Mozart was notable for its challenging solo sections, which were largely approached with practised ease. This skill was continued in an ensemble involving all eight scholars when they performed Martinu’s Charleston. The group produced a fantastic sound, despite the unconventional mix of instruments (four woodwind, two brass, a ’cello and a piano), and conveyed excellently the improvisational style of the dance.

We also heard a fantastic piano duet from Beth Whitlock and Luke Taylor – Schumann’s Lebhaft.

This piece was performed very well, with metronomic precision, even in the face of complicated rhythms and an energetic tempo. The two also managed to create excellent contrast of both dynamic and tempo throughout.

The third duet of the night was a fantastic performance given by Natasha Erdmann and Bethany Davis on the violin and piano, respectively, performing the ‘Finale’ from Dvořák’s Sonatina in G. This was yet another example of the impressive contrasts on display, with the two girls seemingly capturing every tone under the sun: from sonorous, to more playful, to an almost mournful melodiousness, all of which were only furthered by their sophisticated use of dynamics. The piece was also a very technical challenge, with the violin part stretching the range of the instrument and the piano requiring careful articulation to avoid overpowering the other part.

In a turn towards the more modern, we next heard a brass quartet – comprising musicians from Form 3 to Form 7 – who performed Burt Bacharach’s What the World Needs Now is Love with precision and care, with a notable performance by Freddie Buchanan on the melody line.

The last performance of the night was Alina MariesReim and Jess Carr’s awe-inspiring rendition of David Popper’s Tarentella. This piece is truly a technical menace on the ’cello, with seemingly impossibly high sections and fast-paced double stopping throughout.

Alina’s performance was stunning, with perfect intonation and rhythm even in the face of such difficulty, and it was one that left the audience breathless.

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Performing Arts | Music

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ENSEMBLES IN CONCERT

Friday 16 November Harry Jacques (Organist and Teacher of Academic Music)

LOWER SCHOOL LIVE Thursday 22 November Georgia Kirsopp (Form 2)

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he concert opened with two pieces played by the Wind Band, under the direction of Steve Foster. Here we witnessed two contrasting styles, the first piece Moai, driven by Polynesian-styled drumming and a catchy pentatonic melody played by flutes and clarinets. We then were treated to an arrangement of Neil Diamond’s infamous Sweet Caroline, which showed off a confident trumpet section on the verse’s melody and the tuba and trombones in the chorus.

Under the direction of Lyndsey Evans, Polyphonix gave heartfelt and highly expressive renditions of two well-loved songs: the classic Lean on Me by Bill Withers, followed by an arrangement of ‘A Million Dreams’ from the recent hit film The Greatest Showman.

The flavour of the evening then turned Eastern-European, with two items from the Chamber Orchestra under the leadership of Martin Cropper: Bartók’s Romanian Dances followed by Czárdás by Monti.

This rhapsodic piece demonstrated the group’s collective ensemble awareness and demanded the total engagement of all of the players involved, which culminated 40

in a convincing and enjoyable performance.

The concert’s second half saw the Big Band take to the stage with Gershwin’s Strike up the Band. The ensemble clearly saw Gershwin’s title as a challenge, proving from their first entries what a rich and full tone they are capable of producing.

Clo Farmer then took to the microphone for A Foggy Day in London Town, delivering vocals with a stylish ease that brought many smiles to the faces of the audience. The swung rhythm of the lesser-heard theme from The Odd Couple made for a nice change of pace in the programme, also showing the band’s dynamic ability and subtlety. All My Life, a chilled ballad with sumptuous harmonies from the horn section, gave Tatenda Dzingirai the spotlight for a suitably moody solo which she delivered with great conviction. Clo Farmer then returned for a cabaret number, The Girl in 14G, in which she dazzled with some astonishing vocal pyrotechnics, as the song references a number of famous coloratura soprano lines. The concert closed with a groove, the Big Band performing Love Shack by Catherine Pierson.

The concert opened with the Brass Ensemble who performed the ‘Largo’ from New World Symphony, All Through the Night, and When the Saints Go Marching In. This was followed by the first soloists of the evening: Emily Pamihova on guitar playing Amontillado by David Cottam, and a saxophone solo from Daisy Griffiths, playing an arrangement of the lovely Traumerei

by Robert Schumann. Cantamus sang Over my Head by Scott Stroman and a lively rendition of ‘When I Grow up’ from the musical Matilda. We then changed mood and heard a Mexican folk dance, Taconeado, from the Guitar Ensemble. Dante ScottHorne then gave a very ‘happy’ rendition of Happy Places on her ’cello, then Simi Hirani sang the beautiful ‘One Hand, One Heart’ from West Side Story. The first half then concluded with a very unusual rendition of St Cecilia’s Rag from the String Group, with lots of very difficult plucking!

The second half of the programme opened with the most unusual item of the evening: the Percussion Ensemble performing a specially written piece entitled Shake and March.

It involved very inventive use of plastic chairs along with other unusual instruments and even some choreography. This produced lots of smiles and loud applause from the audience.

This was followed by more gentle music in the form of a piano solo by Patrick Donnelly-Cullen who played Up on the Hill by Nikki Iles. We then had more percussion as Eddie Marshall played a solo. He used a more traditional drum kit rather than the chairs, but again drew loud applause from the audience.

Then it was the turn of the Woodwind Ensemble, who gave us two contrasting pieces: Easy Winners by Scott Joplin and ‘My Heart will go on’ from Titanic. The final soloists were Ethan Taylor on piano playing Novolette by Dimitry Kabalevsky and Beatrice Selkirk on the oboe who played the famous Gabriel’s Oboe by Ennio Morricone. The grand finale of the concert was the Lower School Choir who began their performance with the very beautiful Went the Day Well? which was written by Ben Parry as a Remembrance Day reflection using the famous Fallen Poem written by Laurence Binyon. This featured two vocal soloists – Mufaro Dzingirai and Georgia Kirsopp, as well as Joshua Davis on horn and Eddie Marshall on percussion. We then had two pieces for St Cecilia’s Day – Excesses of Pleasure

by John Blow, and Sound the Trumpet by Henry Purcell. The concert concluded with a very joyful rendition of Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit arranged by Reginald Unterseher.

Performing Arts | Music

ENSEMBLES AROUND EUROPE Friday 1 February Jessica Carr (Form 5) The journey began on home soil with the St Paul’s Suite, op. 29 no. 2, by British composer Gustav Holst, conducted by Head of Strings Mr Cropper. The suite opens with a ‘Jig’ and from the first note, the energy, fun and enjoyment of the piece infected the Chamber Orchestra and audience. Grace Muris performed the solos in the second and third movements with control and understanding, delighting the audience with her beautiful sound as the rest of the orchestra accompanied her, switching between melodic and pizzicato playing with ease. The ‘Finale’ enabled the Chamber Orchestra to leave us and Britain in positive moods; the audience could easily sense their fun and enjoyment as they contrasted and combined two existing folk melodies – The Dargason and Greensleeves.

Across the Channel to France, the audience was treated to two movements from SaintSaëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, op. 22 performed by the very impressive and talented Vienna Chan as soloist, accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra and directed by Director of Music, Mr Davis. Beginning with the second movement, ‘Allegro scherzando’, the playful mood was quickly set and the interaction between the soloist and orchestra was enjoyed during this light-hearted movement. The challenging final movement, ‘Presto’, is

extremely quick and requires full use of the keyboard. Vienna proved she was clearly up for the challenge as she flew up and down the keyboard with precision, whilst maintaining the energy and character of the piece.

As Vienna left to rapturous and welldeserved applause, the Symphony Orchestra continued east on their travels to Germany.

Their feisty performance of the first movement of Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 in D minor, ‘Andante con moto – Allegro di molto’, left the audience wanting more as we headed into the interval.

Our award-winning Chamber Choir was in fine voice after the interval, back on home turf with John Rutter’s Requiem. The beautiful vocal tone of Beth Whitlock was enjoyed by all during her solos in the ‘Pie Jesu’ and ‘Lux aeterna’. The choir was accompanied throughout by a professional ensemble whose sounds resonated in the Chapel. As the natural passion flowed out of conductor, Mr Davis, the Chamber Choir translated this to the audience with their sensitive understanding of the Requiem’s texts.

Both the audience and performers enjoyed hugely an evening of music that truly reflects the standard of music we are fortunate to have here at Oakham under the influential directorship of Mr Davis.

FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT Friday 15 February Owen Amende (Form 4) We kicked off our Friday Night is Music Night with the Wind Band, conducted by Mr Foster, doing an amazing performance, playing for us Lady Liberty March by Paul Murtha, Bad by Michael Jackson and then Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond; a wonderful start to the evening.

We then moved onto the winners of some of the competitions this term: Holly Frostwick, the overall runner-up to the English Song Competition, sang for us Tell me the Truth about Love by Benjamin Britten. She captured the evening spectacularly; a performance to remember. William Collison and Bethany Davis, the higher grade winners of the Piano Duet Competition, then played for us Polonaise by Robert Schumann. A truly spectacular and influential performance. Rupert Fell and Ryan Smalley, the runners-up to the Piano Duet Competition, played a breathtaking performance of ‘Finale’ from Le Carnaval des Animaux by SaintSaëns.

Polyphonix, conducted by Miss Evans, came up to show us what they had, and they didn’t disappoint, with Somewhere Only We Know and Seasons of Love.

Big Band then rounded off the evening with their conductor, Mr Foster. They played a great array of tunes, with vocal soloists, Lily McNeill, Laura Crowley and Sophie Beeston. A splendid performance by everyone, showing the great talent of our Oakhamians. Bravo!

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Performing Arts | Music

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GALA CONCERT

Sunday 3 March

The Albert Hall, Nottingham is the setting for a varied programme, showcasing the musical opportunity that Oakham School has to offer. Grace Muris (Form 6)

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he concert commenced with the Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Mr Cropper, with the talented Alina Maries-Reim playing Vivaldi’s Cello Concerto in A minor, serving a poised and energetic start to the programme.

Following this, the Concert Band, conducted

by Mr Slade, played The Symphonic Gershwin, written by Gershwin and arranged by Barker, a blend of highlights from An American in Paris, Cuban Overture and Rhapsody in Blue. Next, they played Jitterbug! – a jazz piece written by Robert Buckley, a tribute to Dal Richards which captures the essence of the Jazz Age. The vivacious and exuberant performance of these two pieces was carried out with complete professionalism.

Next came the Symphony Orchestra playing two pieces by Saint-Saëns. The first featured the amazing Vienna Chan performing Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor. The flawless solo captured the witty and fiery nature of the piece, and left the audience thoroughly impressed.

The orchestra followed with a performance of Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, which captured the devilish playfulness of Henri Cazalis’ poem of the same name, which provided stimulus for this symphonic poem. The determined and tight performance by the orchestra proved to be positively evocative and expressive.

Following an interval, the Chapel Choir, joined by the Form 3 Singers as well as an accompanying orchestra, filled the stage to perform Hayes’ arrangement of the combined You’ll Never Walk Alone and Climb Every Mountain – two renowned pieces composed

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by Richard Rodgers. The musicians of this performance achieved a breath-taking atmosphere and utterly filled the hall with the piece’s beautiful Romantic melodies.

The choir then performed a powerful choral tribute to the music of Felix Mendelssohn. This commenced with the piece ‘Denn er hatt seinen Engeln’, extracted from the composer’s famous oratorio, Elijah. The beautiful and angelic performance was then followed by Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise (Lobgesang). The talented soloists, Lily McNeill, Beth Whitlock and William Collison, all showcased wonderful musicality and poised singing, while the tenacious and engaging singing of the choir highlighted the notable contrast achieved in the heart of the work. The sorrowful chorus ‘All ye that cried unto the Lord’ is followed by the famous and beautiful soprano duet ‘I waited for the Lord’, before the anguished solo ‘The sorrows of death’ questions whether the night of darkness and death will ever end.

Furthermore, the Chapel Choir’s majestic and jubilant performance, with its powerful choruses of praise and fearless ebullience, beautifully rounded off the evening’s wonderful showcase of talent and hard work.

Performing Arts | Music

THE CHAPEL CHOIR’S MAJESTIC AND JUBILANT PERFORMANCE, WITH ITS POWERFUL CHORUSES OF PRAISE AND FEARLESS EBULLIENCE, BEAUTIFULLY ROUNDED OFF THE EVENING’S WONDERFUL SHOWCASE OF TALENT AND HARD WORK.

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PIANO DUET COMPETITION

ENGLISH SONG COMPETITION

Thursday 28 February • Peter Davis

Sunday 3 February • Peter Davis

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akham School’s eleventh annual Piano Duet Competition was, as always, an excellent celebration of collaborative pianism at the School. No fewer than 46 duets were performed (played by 92 pianists), ably co-ordinated

by Head of Piano, Anne Bolt, with the support of her fellow piano teachers.

As always, pupils are paired together and receive tuition on their individual part, but they have to take responsibility for rehearsing with their duet partner themselves.

The standard of performance, application and enthusiasm was high throughout the event, and our visiting adjudicator, Kathryn Page from Chetham’s School, was fulsome in her praise of our pupils, and applauded a particularly commendable seriousness of approach from the more advanced pianists in our Higher Grades class. She was very generous with her time, giving constructive feedback to all the participants.

She encouraged the highest standards in duet playing, focusing on everything from bowing LOWER GRADES Winners Runners-up Highly Commended Commended

together, balancing the two parts, communicating with the audience and listening to pedalling. She also encouraged pianists to question themselves, and consider what sort of sound they wanted to achieve for a particular composer’s music.

The pianists were also reminded of the vital importance of colouring their performance as no-one ever complains that a performance has too much colour, and she shared some very entertaining food and drink analogies to compare different composers’ soundworlds with our senior pianists.

Kathryn was also particularly impressed by Oakham School’s collection of new duets commissioned for the 2018 competition, many of which received first or second performances this year, and she reminded the pupils just how lucky they were to encounter brand-new music for the very first time.

All the participants are to be congratulated for taking part and achieving such a high standard of performance.

Fred Cox (PH) & Ollie Marr (PH) Anna Kongpatanakul (R) & Yat Fei Lang (C) Riya Hirani (L) & Simi Hirani (L) Betsy Healey (L) & Bibi Healey (L)

INTERMEDIATE GRADES Winners Henry Bluff (PH) & Patrick Donnelly-Cullen (PH) Runners-up Felicity Branton (L) & Snow Yu (A) Highly Commended Josh Everett (C) & Millie Parr (R) Commended Ana Chen (R) & Daniel Kelly (C), Matthew Everall (W) &

Ivan Vlasenko (SH), Maya Mbogo (L) & Halldis Stone (A) HIGHER GRADES Winners Runners-up Highly Commended

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William Collison (Bw) & Bethany Davis (Hm) Rupert Fell (W) & Ryan Smalley (Cl) Natasha Erdmann (Hm) & April Ji (B)

akham School’s eleventh annual English Song Competition was, despite the bitterly cold weather, a glorious and warm-hearted celebration of singing at Oakham.

With nearly 60 participants from across all eight year groups, the pupils competed in classes throughout the afternoon in front of distinguished visiting adjudicators, professional opera singers Nicholas Folwell and Susanna Tudor-Thomas.

They encouraged the performers throughout the event, drawing on their own experience in auditions

and competitions, and had the difficult job of selecting a winning and runner-up performance from each class, as well as highly commending many other singers.

At 6pm, the traditional end of event English Song Recital was as strong as ever, featuring 14 excellent performances by all the winners and runners-up, and leading to the award of the three overall prizes. Many congratulations to all those who took part, and thanks to the fabulous singing teachers and accompanists who prepared and supported the singers in this event.

Overall Winner Overall Runner-up Most Promising Young Singer

Beth Whitlock (RH) Holly Frostwick (Hm) Evie Holder (L)

LOWER SCHOOL SHOWCASE Friday 15 February • Ethan Taylor (Form 2)

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tarting off the programme was the Seconds Samba Sounds performed by half of Form 2, who really wowed the audience with their amazing Brazilian Samba.

Following this was the Brass Ensemble who performed Super Trouper, Bright Eyes and Hello Dolly, directed by the enthusiastic Mr Foster. Next came Light my Fire, which was played delicately by the graceful Guitar Ensemble directed

by Mrs Ford. Cantamus followed with ‘Pure imagination’ from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and ‘Circle of Life’ from The Lion King, along with two vocal soloists –Dante Scott Horne and Isabelle Harris – and Eleanor Hart and Jemima Holt accompanying them on the flute. The Percussion Ensemble was next to impress with their lively performance of The Haunted House. Both the famous ‘Habanera’ (from Carmen) performed by the Woodwind Ensemble and Danny

Elfman’s Spooktacular played by the Lower School Strings were executed well. The penultimate performance featured the rest of Form 2 playing their Beats Alive, based on traditional African drumming.

Soloists who performed throughout the concert showing off their ability to perform without a group were: George Marshall (saxophone), Halle Stone (voice), Evie Holder (voice), Maxim El-Sheikh (violin), Maya Mbogo (violin), Ethan Taylor (‘cello), Henry Bluff (voice) and Mufaro Dzingirai (clarinet).

Special mentions go to Evie Holder who tongue-twisted her way through Sister Suzie’s Sewing Shirts for Soldiers, and Henry Bluff who gave a stunning classical performance of Trade Winds. To finish off the performance, the Lower School Choir sang five songs from Calico Pie by Nicholas Maw. A great way to end an astounding concert.

Performing Arts | Music

BRANDENBURG FESTIVAL CHORAL CONCERT

Thursday 24 January • Tessa Drummond

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he Oakham School Chamber Choir gave a concert of beautifully serene and expressive music of remembrance as part of the prestigious Brandenburg Choral Festival, performing in the magnificent setting of St Stephen Wallbrook, in the heart of the City of London.

The seats below the dome, set in the round, were full as the sounds of Harold Darke’s As the Leaves Fall filled this very welcoming and acoustically sonorous performance space. The soaring soprano line from soloist Lily McNeill, sending the young soldiers on their final journey, was supported with an impressive array of tone colour from this young group of performers. The changing moods in Lux Aeterna by Eriks Esenvalds were mirrored in the luminous blended sound of the Chamber Choir. Accompanied for this concert by the Brandenburg Sinfonia, the choir continued the concert with the meditative setting of the Requiem by John Rutter. In the solo from the ‘Pie Jesu’, Lily again found superlative tone as she took the melodic line ever higher and led the audience towards the final movements of this performance. The concluding ‘Lux Aeterna’ had a translucent and beautifully blended choral tone. An encore of Hymne à la Vierge by Villette rounded off this memorable evening.

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL Elizabeth Glynn (Form 6)

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he Oakham School Main School Production of A Christmas Carol, (by Charles Dickens, adapted by John Mortimer) and directed by Gilly Norell, was produced in a sterling manner with an acting cast of nearly thirty pupils ranging from Form 3 all the way to Form 7. With the main role of Scrooge played by the brilliant Konstantin Shmarko (who was on stage for nearly the whole show), this fantastic run was spread across five days with full houses every night.

The play A Christmas Carol is based on the widely known Christmas story, by Charles Dickens. It is a ghost story of the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and their haunting of Ebenezer Scrooge who has become cold hearted and greedy in his old age and is headed for Damnation. The all-round message of the play is to be nice to people while you still can, especially around Christmas time because you never know what someone’s backstory is.

Scrooge has treated his employee, Bob Cratchit (finely played by Sam Riley) poorly for years. It is by the intervention of the ghost of his former colleague Joseph Marley, played

with suitable ghastliness by Caleb Ighofose, and the instruction of the Spirits of Christmas Past, supremely conveyed by the wonderful Clara Hallam, and the otherworldly and scintillating Christmas Present of Clo Farmer – that he finally realises the error of his ways. The lesson is driven home with devastating clarity by the action of the Spirit of Christmas Yet to Come in the form of a 10-foot high, macabre figure straight out of the Hammer Horror wardrobe – all very impressive. It is further reinforced when Scrooge sees how sick (even unto death) is Cratchit’s lame child, Tiny Tim (played with sensitivity by Henry Tandy) and he contemplates the child’s fate (and his own) if the future is not to be altered.

With the mixture of contemporary effects and traditional costumes, this was a production of A Christmas Carol with an exciting edge. The projection of the ghost (which personally scared me out of my skin), and an extraordinary set which had several secret passageways through it (to make for some rather original stage entrances) and a wide range of beautiful dresses for the girls and dashing suits for the boys, all made for an exceptional and detailed piece of

work. The hair and make-up for both the gents and ladies was the work of Georgie McHoul and Eluisa Brown. Both the company choreography, and the specially choreographed Dream Sequence were of a high standard and featured the Ali Baba of Phoebe Graff-Baker, Morgiana of Eloise Snape, Robinson Crusoe of Samantha Hughes, Sinbad of Halle Stone and Man Friday of Freya Malcolm.

All in all, a genuinely ensemble performance which also included great acting, singing and dancing work from: Flora Allison, Clarissa Brown, Greg Brunt, Jack Clark, Caro Denman, Izzy Golland, Becky Han, Emma Hearn, Chloe Howard, Zsolti Johnson, Theo Malcolm, Kitty McNeill, Henrietta Morris, Arlo North, Sadie Phillips, Lara Phillipson, Maisy Shand, Izzy Small, Callum Wass, Charlotte Wilson, and last but by no means least Lily McNeill whose beautiful singing voice – it is said – still has its echoes here.

The Oakham School Drama Department would like to thank the Domestic, Catering, Estates, and Print Services staff, and the Front of House Ushers who offered their usual invaluable support to this most memorable show.

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Performing Arts | Drama

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HANDBAGGED Roland de Vil

Oakham School Drama Scholars again showed why theatre at Oakham flourishes through consistent and inspired leadership, clever choice of material, and creative invention.

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his play is a “battle” of wits between two ladies who bestrode the political arena during the latter half of the 20th Century, and was a daring choice and one that would test the technique of all the cast and which resulted in probably the best Scholars’ Production ever seen at the QET. The Queen and Lady Thatcher are depicted in an older and younger version, and the honour to render the principals fell to Clara Hallam as the more mature, restrained and accomplished Mrs T and to Charlotte Wilson as her more youthful, strident, and perhaps unreasonable counterpart.

Pitted against this overtly political and socially dedicated Prime Minister (even if she didn’t believe in Society) was the older Queen of Clo Farmer – stoical, controlled and expressed with a maturity of playing seemingly inconceivable in a student of her age and likewise matched by her earlier perhaps more politically naïve version, nicely portrayed by Kitty McNeill.

These four young women – actors very much in the making – accomplished a tour de théâtre as we – spellbound – witnessed the unravelling of (but not always the explanation behind) some key and crucial moments in the careers of these giants and, of course,

AN EVENING IN THE THEATRE WHICH TAUGHT MANY OF US, DELIGHTED SOME OF US, AND ENTERTAINED ALL...

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Performing Arts | Drama

of our nation’s history.

These two characters were joined by a cavalcade of national and international figures, who also played their parts in the various crises that beset us, and Isolde Small’s Rupert Murdoch and Nancy Reagan, were particularly memorable.

Sam Riley’s Denis Thatcher and Geoffrey Howe were suitably bumbling and sheepish and he rendered Prince Phillip’s immortal line, “Will someone tell that bl**dy woman [Mrs T] to sit down,” with appropriate panache.

The spirit was on the whole generous to all parties, yet managed to probe the course of our recent current affairs and cast a critical eye – looking back, but not in anger.

An evening in the theatre which taught many of us, delighted some of us, and entertained all – what more could be asked of any piece of theatre? And these were just students – but what Scholars!

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Performing Arts | Drama

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CHEKHOV SHORTS

Roland de Vil

The debut Middle School Scholars’ Production presented a trio of One Act Plays that perfectly encapsulated the fancies, foibles and fripperies of the middle classes during Anton Chekhov’s life and times.

In The Bear, Widow Popova (gloriously evoked

by Henrietta Morris), who is still in the flush of life despite having been badly treated by her late husband, finds herself confronted by one of his creditors who is desperate to be paid – enter Smirnov the Bear. Caleb Ighofose’s caricature of the boorish misanthrope was an excellent foil to dual (literally) with the initially composed façade of the still grieving widow Popova and when the trusty servant/savant Looka, finely crafted by Isolde Small, adds her voice, the chemistry (or alchemy) of mutual attraction begins its work and Popova’s resistance to the bombastic bear not only softens her heart, but also melts his. We joy in the eventual entente cordiale of the “lovers” but nevertheless feel some sympathy for poor Toby, the favourite mount of the late master, who tonight

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certainly won’t be getting his oats.

In The Proposal we encounter a considerate land-owning father, Chubookov (suitably created with age and bombast by Zsolti Johnson) eager to marry off his eligible and equally willing daughter, Natalia Stepanova of Flora Alison who brought off both her vulnerability and petulance in grand style. What perhaps they (and we) are not prepared for are the complex range of ludicrous neuroses and hypochondriacal cocktail of antics of the would-be suitor, Lomov, who having arrived to make his proposal of marriage finds himself imbroiled in a series of disputes, first about the ownership of a piece of land and then over the relative merits of their hunting dogs. We get the impression that the actual facts of each quarrel are irrelevant – it is the fun of the feud that excites them and, of course, amuses us. Callum Wass’s display of well-controlled extravagant vocal fireworks (nicely matched by his putative fatherin-law), and release of preposterous gestures – twitches, pains, and mad antics – that could only end in his physical collapse and eventual acceptance and approval by his fiancée and her father, bring their tale to a happy ending, and with the resurgence of yet another row brewing as the curtain drops, we know that this template of marriage based apparently on mutual “hostility” is all too familiar – and albeit hopefully – mostly harmless.

In A Jubilee, the Chairman of the Mutual Credit Company looks forward to delivering his celebratory speech to the assembled Board of Directors and various notables. Thomas Fagan’s Shipoochin was delightfully whimsical and pathetically unprepared for the impending disaster. The catastrophic machinations that hijack these proceedings and transform the stage pretty much into bedlam stem from the thinly veiled discontent (and insipient insanity) of his clerk, Hirin (mis)shaped with no little craft by Mille Walters. When Tatiana Aleksyeevna the Chairman’s wife, delightfully played by Chloe Howard, flounces in – unaware of her husband’s concerns, and seemly intent on revealing (or at least hinting at) an affair and completely oblivious of the impending calamity, she is closely followed

by Maisy Shand’s Merchootkina who, on a mission to claim some spurious funds allegedly owed to her ailing husband (by a completely unconnected company), is not only in the wrong place but also at very much the wrong time. The stage is set for misunderstandings, misgivings and mischievousness (mostly at the hands of Hirin as her presence of mind seems to crumple before us) and at the point when the dignitaries are announced (but mercifully shortly before they appear) the whole cast literally and severally are collapsed and sprawled all over the stage to render an eminently satisfying theatrical – if utterly nonsensical – climactic tour de theatre.

TRIPS AND TOURS

Geography Trip to Morocco

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World War 1 Battlefields

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Diving in the Dominican Republic

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Textiles Trip to London

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MUN Conferences

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Kenya 2019

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German Exchange to Weinheim

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Lower 1 Sleepover in the Natural History Museum

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Ski Trips to Les Deux Alpes

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Geography Trip to Iceland

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Language Study Visits

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Academic Trips

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Trips and Tours | Geography Trip to Morocco

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

DISCOVERING MOROCCO At the beginning of the Winter Term Exeat, 19 intrepid geographers and 3 teachers set off for Morocco to explore the physical and human geography of this remarkable country.

Daniel Greenfield

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fter a stopover in Madrid we arrived in Tangier, the gateway to Morocco and North Africa.

Despite some tired bodies, after a quick change of clothes we set off to discover Tangier with a local guide. The first stop was the old Kasbah which gave spectacular views across the Straits of Gibraltar to Spain less than 10 miles away.

We then walked through the Medina and got our first experience of Moroccan markets. After a visit to a local shop it was time to sample our first tagine of the trip.

To rest our bodies before the long drive to Marrakech, it was necessary to have an early night. Despite the drive being long, the dual carriageway we travelled along certainly demonstrated the huge investment Morocco has recently made in its transport network. As soon as we arrived, we rushed out to see the Bahia Palace with its stunning decorations.

As the day came to a close, we toured the Medina and entered Jemaa el-Fnaa square. If Tangier was a more gentle

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introduction, Marrakech certainly demonstrated the hustle and bustle of Moroccan life and also clearly showed the growth of tourism in the country. Looking for a more relaxed side to Morocco, we set off to Imlil the following day.

On the drive there was evidence of recent flash floods that had damaged the road. We also got to see the recently installed warning system that ensured there was no loss of life from the damaging floods. Imlil was much more sedate and offered stunning mountain views. Toubkal, Morocco’s highest mountain, already had snow on the top.

After lots of travelling it was the nice to stretch our legs and walk up to a local Amazigh (Berber) village to witness a tea ceremony and sample amazing fresh vegetables and couscous. After a bit of shopping in a nearby women’s cooperative, we returned to the hotel for dinner. The next day we set off to summit the Tizi n’Outfi pass with an elevation of 2,150m above sea level. The drive up

Trips and Tours | Geography Trip to Morocco

was breathtaking and exhilarating. When we reached the top, we were met with an amazing blanket of cloud blocking out views to the south. As we dropped below the cloud, we were met with a very arid plain between the High Atlas and Anti Atlas Mountains. We made good time to our hotel and everyone was able to enjoy a relaxing dip in the pool.

The next day proved to be a highlight for many. After a short drive to Tiout, everyone mounted donkeys and set off through a nearby oasis which contained palms with nearly ripe dates. After dismounting the donkeys, we scrambled up to a ruined Kasbah which offered views across to the walled city of Taroudant.

Once back in Tiout we then ate one of the culinary highlights of the trip – goat tagine. We then drove onto Taroudant so we could walk up onto the impressive ramparts. A further mountain pass then delivered us to Immouzer with just enough time for another swim and to enjoy the stunning mountain views. The

next day we walked down to the local waterfall. The low water levels meant it was possible to clearly see the calcium carbonate deposits that give the waterfall a smooth face. Once back on the buses we headed towards the coast and the fishing town of Essaouira. On the way we stopped off at another women’s cooperative to see argan nuts made into oil. After arriving in Essaouira there was just enough time for a stroll through the walled city.

The next day we made a short walk to the beach and mounted camels for a walk along the beach. We then drove back into the town and met a local guide to discover the hidden treasures of Essaouira. After visiting the fishing port we scaled the ramparts and then wandered through the Medina. The Medina proved an excellent location to buy some souvenirs. In the afternoon we headed back to Marrakech for our last night in Morocco. We just had another time for one last visit to Jemaa el-Fnaa square before enjoying our last Moroccan food.

After flying back to London there was time on the journey back to Oakham to reflect on everything that we had witnessed and learned. Amongst many other things, we saw how Morocco is developing and trying to balance the modern world with the traditions of the past. We saw both the positive and negative impacts of tourism. We saw the constant battle that Moroccans have to make with the environment. We saw the challenges of trying to develop rural communities and provide infrastructure to growing cities. Many of these things the students will be able to incorporate in their studies. Hopefully it will also have given many the thirst to travel further and experience our amazing world more.

The next day we set off to summit the Tizi n’Outfi pass with an elevation of 2,150m above sea level. The drive up was breathtaking and exhilarating.

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Trips and Tours | World War 1 Battlefields

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SOLDIERS

James Roberts (Head of History) The trip to the WW1 battlefields is a yearly highlight for Form 3. Focusing on the Battle of the Somme, the trip involves a walk through preserved trenches at Beaumont-Hamel, visits to the extraordinary memorials at Thiepval and Vimy Ridge, and a brief Service of Remembrance for Jack Dewar, an Old Oakhamian who is buried in one of the area’s many beautiful war cemeteries.

The strengths and weaknesses of British military strategy are also discussed from the commanding heights of the Newfoundland Memorial.

In a feat of fantastic organisation, the entire year group, comprising over 150 pupils and divided into two groups, travelled in February to explore these historic areas of northern France and Belgium. In addition to discovering more about these key events in history, after each day’s packed itinerary of visiting memorials, military cemeteries and trenches, pupils had a chance to relax and let off steam, enjoying a spot of ten pin bowling and a quiz night.

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The trip involves a walk through preserved trenches at BeaumontHamel, visits to the extraordinary memorials at Thiepval and Vimy Ridge, and a brief Service of Remembrance for Jack Dewar, an Old Oakhamian who is buried in one of the area’s many beautiful war cemeteries.

Trips and Tours | Diving in the Dominican Republic

SHIPWRECKS AND SHARKS

DIVING TRIP TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Steve Gorman he Dominican Republic was this year’s destination for staff and students as they embarked on an unforgettable underwater experience.

The group comprised divers of all abilities and levels of experience but by the end of the trip, everyone looked very comfortable underwater and it was difficult to tell the newly qualified drivers from the more experienced.

During the week, the team successfully completed many excellent diving experiences, including two night dives.

The area around this part of the Caribbean offers a wealth of

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attractive reefs and interesting marine life and we were able, during the course of the week, to see colourful fish of all shapes and sizes, several shipwrecks and even sharks – all underwater life was there to be explored.

The trip was fantastic with pupils of all ages getting on well together and mixing with parents and staff.

I know that for the parents here it is great to see their young ones mixing with others of different ages and sharing experiences. For us teachers, we enjoyed watching the young people develop during the trip, not just in terms of their diving skills but also in their maturity and independence. Growing up is partly about taking increasing responsibility for oneself and one’s belongings, and the dive trip provides a good opportunity to develop both in a safe environment.

I know that for the parents here it is great to see their young ones mixing with others of different ages and sharing experiences.

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Trips and Tours | Textiles Trip to London

“YOU CAN FIND INSPIRATION IN EVERYTHING – IF YOU CAN’T, LOOK AGAIN.” Letty Lang & Henny Lewis (Form 7)

Meeting the inspirational designer Sir Paul Smith

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ur day began with a visit to Tate Modern where we viewed Anni Albers’ textiles exhibition. This exhibition was beautifully and sensitively curated and illustrated her love of art, architecture and design. There were more than 350 different works of art and we admired her woven collection, her sketchbook pages and the way in which she explored other media including film and photography, sketchbook pages and fabric samples. We particularly appreciated her necklaces where she had used a variety of everyday objects to create unusual adornments. Paul Smith later told us that he had previously collaborated with the Anni Albers Foundation and was due to do a talk at the exhibition this week.

After a lunch at Covent Garden we headed over to Sir Paul Smith’s head office, home to 180 employees. We were warmly welcomed into his design room, which consisted of a large empty table where he collaborates with his design team to produce new ideas. In contrast to this, the room was bursting at the seams with objects, clothing, books and other memorabilia that he has collected himself over the years, and other gifts that are sent to him, including a yellow Tour de France jersey from visiting Tour de France winner, Geraint Thomas.

Paul talked us through the different departments and explained their broad individual roles from designing to marketing and visual merchandising. We had the opportunity to speak to his employees about their job roles; nobody was too busy to show us what they were doing. We were shown how he maintains a relationship with his customers by creating a dynamic ambiance in his shops, which are individually decorated and thought out which really enhances the customer experience. One

of his shops contains 26,000 dominoes on a wall and another contains 58,000 stamps. Having individual shops keeps his brand current and allows him to maintain an important place on the high street. He also showed us his showrooms, which contained products that have not been released yet and talked us through his current ideas for his 2020 collection. Overall, there was a really friendly and creative atmosphere in every room, from the decorative stairwell, which was covered in framed artwork and photographs, to Paul’s philosophy that as an artist you can find “Inspiration in everything and if you can’t then look again.” Everyone left the office very enthused and grateful for such an amazing experience and would like to thank Sir Paul Smith for giving up his valuable time and giving us a glimpse into his amazing world.

...the room was bursting at the seams with objects, clothing, books and other memorabilia that he has collected himself over the years...

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Trips and Tours | MUN

OAKHAMIANS ON THE WORLD STAGE During the Winter and Spring Terms Oakham School students put their debating skills into action in three MUN Conferences held in different locations around the UK.

FEBRUARY Merchant Taylors’ School, London Fourteen Oakhamians represented Norway, Egypt and Ivory Coast at the annual one-day MUN Conference at Merchant Taylors’ School in London. Issues that students debated at this conference ranged from solving the Syrian refugee crisis to ending child slavery.

OCTOBER Cheadle Hulme School, Manchester Twelve Form 7 Oakhamians participated in the three-day conference representing Germany and Egypt in eight different UN Committees, including the Human Rights Council, DISEC and the Environment.

After weeks of carefully preparing their resolutions on a wide range of issues from Modern Slavery to Chemical and Biological Weapons, our students acquitted themselves with confidence and impressive maturity, as they lobbied, negotiated and argued strongly from the rostrum for their own resolutions.

A significant number of our Oakham students had their resolutions passed, including in Health and DISEC, and others contributed their own amendments to other countries’ resolutions.

Ivan and Friedrich both distinguished themselves, being commended in their respective committees, Health and the SpecCom on Refugees. Delegates were also treated to an inspirational address from Saba Al Mubaslat, the CEO of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, who addressed the students remotely from Saudi Arabia during a vibrant opening ceremony.

MARCH Kingswood School, Bath

Oakhamian delegates won several awards and received huge praise following their participation at the MUN Conference held at Kingswood School, Bath.

Form 6 student Rosalia received the Top Delegate Award from the Economic Committee and Charlie (Form 6) was highly commended for his debating skills within the Middle East Committee. The Oakham debating team was also commended as the delegation representing Cuba.

This event is one of the largest of its kind in the country, with around 300 students attending.

Oakham students wrestled with the complexities of topics as diverse as antimicrobial resistance, the situation in Syria, climate change and the rights of disabled people. Debates were conducted according to official UN procedures, and students were also presented with an emergency scenario, where they responded to an unexpected crisis that demanded an international response.

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Trips and Tours | Kenya 2019

AIM FOR THE HIGHEST CLOUD UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE IN KENYA

We soon decided our main mural would be a lion as it is the symbol of Kenya and the Kenyan flag to go either side of a map of Africa.

Alice Jacques (Form 6)

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he day that we had worked so hard to prepare for had finally arrived; we were going to Kenya! It started with the fun job of packing the t-shirts in BAFS and arranging them into equal piles for the two groups to take to each school. We headed to Gunthorpe for a few hours’ sleep before waking at 3.30am where our trip began and we headed to Heathrow for our flight to Nairobi. The journey went smoothly and we were very happy to reach the airport. We travelled to the Wildebeest Eco Camp arriving at

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about midnight and we all quickly fell fast asleep after our tiring journey. The following morning, we had breakfast all together before saying goodbye for a few days and heading for our schools and new accommodation on our group buses. We stopped at a supermarket on the way to the school and bought our groups water for the week. Leaders of the day had a fun job working out how much water was needed: 380 litres of water in total, all crammed into our mini bus!

Trips and Tours | Kenya 2019

Arriving at the school was a truly overwhelming experience. The children and staff were all so lovely and excited to see us, which made the initial greeting and meeting of the children extra special.

Group one was supporting Sher Moi School and group two was supporting Maua Primary School.

Both groups felt welcomed completely with the children’s ceremonies that they had clearly worked hard on preparing for us. This inspired us to work hard and help the children as much as we could over the few days we were there.

For the next four days each group worked on their projects at their schools. We used the money we had raised from events including the Gala Dinner, the Krispy Kreme sale, Speech Day and other sales to fund our help at the schools. We started by splitting into two groups; one dusted down the walls ready for them to be undercoated in white paint and the others started shovelling rubble out of a classroom which was soon to be plastered by us later in the week. After the undercoat had dried over the next day, we painted all the walls white and redid the black strip on the bottom third of the buildings.

We then decided as a group what murals we would paint on the walls for the children. This decision proved more difficult than expected but we soon decided our main mural would be a lion as it is the symbol of Kenya and the Kenyan flag to go either side of a map of Africa, (which was already there) and we repainted it. We used our hands to build up the mane of the lion as we thought it would make the mural a lot more personal. We soon split up into pairs to paint the other murals on the walls in order to get the jobs done quicker.

In amongst this work we had ordered over twenty desks, which arrived at the school on the Saturday and everyone got stuck in with the sanding down and varnishing of them. This proved a longer task than expected and dragged on to the Sunday too, but was made worthwhile when they were all completed and looked good, ready for the children who were thrilled with the results.

I think for all of us one of the highlights of being at the school was having the opportunity to organise a Sports Day for the children. Everyone found it extremely rewarding as it was exciting to see them all happy to get stuck in with what we had prepared. This consisted of lots of English games such as Over and Under, netball, Duck Duck Goose and because the children were all so desperate to play football, we thought it would be a great idea to have a 20-minute football match at the end, which went down wonderfully. It was an unforgettable moment for everyone, and it was incredible to be able to enjoy it together.

On the final day at the schools we had an exciting day teaching the lessons we had prepared.

It was lovely to see the children engage with what we wanted to share with them. The lessons included topics like geography, bracelet making, drama games and planets. We were also pleased to be able to leave resources behind such as blow up globes for the teachers to use with the children after we had left. We knew it meant a lot as they had never had resources like this before.

The work at the school felt rewarding to every single one of us as we knew that it would have a real impact on them at the school in the future. As the days working at the school came quickly to an end, we were aware that we should celebrate being at the school and prepare some entertainment as a thank you and a goodbye. We had a hard act to follow from their dancing and singing on arrival at the school! We sat together at the camp on Monday evening before our last day at the school and decided on a song that we thought fitted perfectly for the occasion: Someone like you

by Adele. We practised this until it was ready for the children the next day. Before singing our song at the leaving ceremony the staff had kindly prepared a delicious traditional Kenyan meal for us all. This was a thank you to us for working at

the school. We really appreciated it and thought it tasted delicious. With heavy hearts we left but with very special, happy memories of our time in Kenya.

With only two days left of our trip each group headed back to the Wildebeest Eco Camp. On the way to the eco camp we were lucky enough to spend some time at the Masai Market which allowed us to haggle for souvenirs to take home.

Then we went on an exciting safari and saw many different animals including rhino, giraffe and zebra along the way before heading back to camp to get ready for our final dinner at the Carnivore restaurant. Here, we all ate some exciting things such as crocodile and ox balls which was an interesting experience for us all! It was an exciting evening especially when we pretended it was a member of the group’s birthday which led to lots of singing and dancing which lasted an uncomfortable amount of time. It was a lovely way to finish the day with everyone enjoying themselves together.

After our first lie-in of the trip we headed off to the elephant and giraffe sanctuaries! This was a perfect way to end the trip. The elephants were all so cute and we took the opportunity for each group to adopt an elephant and a rhino with some of the money we had raised. At the giraffe sanctuary some of us even got a kiss off the giraffe named Stacey which was the highlight of the day and made the experience extra special.

The trip overall was a wonderful, memorable experience and every member of the trip put in a lot and gained a great deal from going on it.

Many lessons were learned and it truly was an eye-opening experience. It was lovely to see the different cultures within Kenya and we hope that we made as much difference as possible to the schools and children as we could while we were there.

The trip overall was a wonderful, memorable experience and every member of the trip put in a lot and gained a great deal from going on it.

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Trips and Tours | German Exchange

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CULTURAL EXCHANGE Form 3 pupils travelled to Weinheim in Germany during the first week of the Easter holidays to stay with their German exchange families and experience first-hand the language and culture of Germany. As part of this inaugural exchange trip, pupils visited their exchange partners’ school, enjoyed trips to the cities of Frankfurt and Heidelberg, as well as the chance to taste typical German cuisine. They even met Weinheim’s mayor and starred in the local paper!

James Grace (Form 3) After an easy journey we arrived at the WernerHeisenberg-Gymnasium in Weinheim to meet our exchange partners and their families for the first time. They welcomed us with drinks and some traditional German snacks. We returned to their homes and many of us ate our first typical German meal of local ham, Bretzel and cheese.

I was then introduced to a card game, which we played throughout the week.

On Saturday morning, we spent time with our German families. For breakfast, my partner and I walked to the nearest Bäckerei to buy Schokocroissants and bread. After breakfast I cycled into town, which is how many of the Germans get around, and had the first of many ice creams. We then played some German board games before meeting the rest of the group to go bowling. Most people seemed to have settled in well and after some healthy competition, we headed back to our families for the evening. I went to a handball match to watch the local team, HG Saase. Handball is a complex and confusing sport, but the match was fun to watch. Luckily the local team managed to win after a very tight start.

We spent Sunday with our German families.

I had another typical breakfast before taking a train to Frankfurt to visit the Experiminta Museum, which was especially interesting as I found out the names of the experiments in German. Another group went to the Felsenmeer to climb rocks and some people went to the local Sommer Rodelbahn. After a great day in Frankfurt, it was an early night for an extremely early start the next morning of 6:05am.

On Monday we had lessons with our partners.

It was interesting to see the differences between how Maths is taught in Germany and Great Britain, in particular the way that they write the operations symbols in Germany. The headteacher welcomed us to the school and to Weinheim, after which we had a tour of the school. We then walked through the Schlosspark to meet the mayor, who welcomed us to Weinheim and talked to us about the importance of exchanges and of finding similarities with others, and how important it is for young people from different countries to get to know each other. She took us 60

to the top of the tower so we could appreciate the amazing view over Weinheim.

Afterwards we completed a ‘Stadtrallye’ – a treasure hunt – around Weinheim. My team (George, Luke and Aashish) won. German school finishes a lot earlier than at Oakham and we spent the afternoon and evening with our partners. In the evening, my, Noah’s and Archie’s exchange partners had handball training – we did our best to join in but didn’t quite get to grips with the rules.

After another early start (!) we travelled by tram to Heidelberg after the first lesson at school. Firstly, we walked along part of the Philosophenweg, where the famous philosophers lived, with the wonderful view over the river. We walked across the Alte Brücke to the city centre and had Spaghettieis – ice cream made in the shape of spaghetti, with cream and chocolate or strawberry topping. Spaghettieis was invented 50 years ago and Aashish was lucky enough to visit

Trips and Tours | German Exchange

the original Eiscafé in Mannheim.

Next, we headed for the student prison, which is where drunken and disorderly students were locked for 24 hours. There was a lot of graffiti!

We then had some free time to go shopping in Heidelberg, with a quick visit to the Lamy shop, which is from the area. Unfortunately, the cable car up to the castle was broken so we had a long, steep climb up to the castle. After a visit to the university building, we had a little more free time before meeting at the Spaghettisäule – a spaghetti-shaped landmark – to catch the tram back to Weinheim.

On our last full day with our partners, we visited Speyer, one of Germany’s oldest towns.

First, we visited the Speyer Technik Museum and even had the opportunity to go on a Boeing 747 that was on stilts in the air – however many came down quickly as it was incredibly shaky.

There was also a U-boat you could go into and many classic cars from the post war era – like Mercedes and BMW. Afterwards we went to the city of Speyer and had a guided tour, looking at the cathedral, the old Jewish synagogue and even a trip up the tower to see over the area. We ate at the Domhof restaurant and had traditional German meals of Leberknödel (dumplings), Bratwurst and pork, which tasted delicious.

Finally, we went to the Hockenheimring to have an insider tour of the track. We visited the stands and even had a trip to the pit lane where Lewis Hamilton has started. We went to the podium and took photos in the pole position; there was even an empty Champagne bottle to hold! That evening we packed and prepared for the travel the next day. For dinner, we ate sandwiches that had chocolate slices in them, which is normal in Germany!

On the final day of the trip, we said goodbye to our families and went to Frankfurt. First of all,

we visited the Main Tower. This is Frankfurt’s highest vantage point at 240 metres. The view over the city was amazing. We then walked to the old city and had a delicious hot chocolate at the Einstein café before some shopping time. For lunch, we visited the Kleiner Markt and found a traditional Wurstbude selling Wurst by weight.

We joined the queue and we all ordered Krakauer – a garlic sausage – in Brötchen – bread rolls.

Afterwards we walked to the Film Museum, which explained the progression of effects, cameras and sound and even had some real props and cameras that were used in old films. On the top floor, we all enjoyed a virtual reality experience showcasing the impact it has on the audience.

Finally, we headed for the airport and home. We are looking forward to welcoming our German partners to Oakham in September.

AT FERRARI, STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO SEE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF THESE SUPERCARS 61

Trips and Tours | Lower 1 Trip Sleepover in the Natural History Museum

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HAVING A WHALE OF A TIME

In early November, pupils in Lower 1 spent an exciting weekend in London, which included a sleepover at the Natural History Museum.

Alison Petit

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ur first stop was the Science Museum, where pupils spent a few hours exploring the galleries and trying out the many interactive exhibits thus furthering their knowledge and experience of the world of Science.

We then headed to the Natural History Museum where we were able to stalk the galleries as night descended and find T-Rexes hidden in the shadows. The pupils also had the chance to explore a torchlit trail, get creative with a dinosaur t-shirt-making workshop and dig deeper with an educational science show presented by a Museum scientist.

Finally, Lower 1 set up camp in the Museum’s spectacular Hintze Hall where they slept with a 25-metre real blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling.

After an amazing night, Lower 1 headed for home. This busy and fun-filled trip was an amazing experience for the children.

Sofia, age 10

“I really enjoyed working together on the activities with my friends. There was so much to see!! One of my favourite bits was the robotic dinosaur that moved and ROARED and made me jump!! I have never been to a museum at night time, let alone slept under a blue whale! I think it was an amazing experience that I will never forget!”

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Trips and Tours | Ski Trips to Les Deux Alpes

DEUX ALPES DEUX VOYAGES S

tudents of all levels of experience – and of all ages from 10–18 – enjoyed the chance to improve their skiing in two separate trips to the famous French ski resort of Les Deux Alpes.

Throughout both trips, students experienced the full range of weather conditions: from blue skies, fresh powder and perfectly groomed pistes to snow, wind and thick mist – sometimes on the same day! Whatever the weather, our pupils managed to deal with the different conditions in good spirits, enjoying the opportunity to practise their skills.

In addition to days spent on the pistes, pupils enjoyed evening entertainment that ranged from swimming in the outdoor heated pool, to ice skating and quiz nights.

LOWER SCHOOL

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL

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Trips and Tours | Geography Trip to Iceland

JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF ICE AND FIRE

WE STARTED WITH WHAT FOR MANY WAS THEIR FAVOURITE ACTIVITY – THE WALK ACROSS THE SOLHEIMAJOKULL GLACIER. WITH PERFECT WEATHER TO HELP, WE PUT ON CRAMPONS AND CARRIED ICE AXES AS WE VENTURED FOR OUR 2-HOUR WALK ACROSS THE GLACIER. 64

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Trips and Tours | Geography Trip to Iceland

Ben Slade (Form 4)

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t the start of the Easter break I and 47 other Middle School Geographers ventured to the volcanic island of Iceland.

Arriving in Reykjavik to sunshine and blue skies, we first headed out to the east of the capital to the Hotel Ork, which was our base for the first few days. We stayed in two hotels but this one had a geothermally heated pool and hot tub! It was at this point that we met our guide Paul, a retired Geography teacher, who was on hand to help us to interpret the many sights that we would see.

We started with what for many was their favourite activity – the walk across the Solheimajokull Glacier. With perfect weather to help, we put on crampons and carried ice axes as we ventured for our 2-hour walk across the glacier. During the walk, we learned about how glaciers are formed as well as how they move and are changing in response to climate change.

My own favourite site was the huge Gulfoss Waterfall, which was an excellent example of a retreating waterfall creating a gorge. I also really enjoyed Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant, which showed us how Reykjavik uses the power of heat held in the earth’s crust to get most of its electricity and hot water. Another popular activity was the secret lagoon, which is a naturally heated swimming pool, where we spent a very relaxing couple of hours before continuing our journey.

We went to the Lava Centre – an informative display explaining why Iceland has so much volcanic activity. We then went to Reynishverfi beach out further along the coast to see the basalt columns and the black sand beach, as well as seeing the huge waves which result from the large fetch (amount of open sea before the coast).

Over the course of the trip we saw four waterfalls including Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, and learned that a lot of the waterfalls are the old coasts and cliffs which at the end of the ice age rose up when the glaciers melted, causing some of the sea bed to become land. We went lava caving, which involved walking through caves that have been made by hot lava flowing and then cooling, leaving a tunnel behind. One of the most interesting sights was Thingvellir National Park, where we walked in the gap between the

two plates and the park at Geysir where we saw geysers erupting high into the air; an amazing scene that I had never seen before.

We ended the trip in Reykjavik, which was like no other city I have ever been to. This was partly down to the lack of skyscrapers which, combined with the lack of traffic, meant it felt quieter and more ‘town’ like. The main church – the Hallgrímskirkja – is a beautiful piece of architecture; it is so simple but lovely because of the hints of nature incorporated in the design, such as the exterior shaped like basalt columns.

The trip to Iceland was interesting and fun; it allowed us to see some of the world’s most amazing geography. It gave the work we had done in the classroom context, giving us a deeper real life understanding of topics, especially tectonics. As well as a better understanding, it is easier to remember a case study you have seen in real life than on a video or out of a textbook.

I ALSO REALLY ENJOYED HELLISHEIÐI GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT, WHICH SHOWED US HOW REYKJAVIK USES THE POWER OF HEAT HELD IN THE EARTH’S CRUST TO GETS MOST OF ITS ELECTRICITY AND HOT WATER. 65

Trips and Tours | Language Study Visits

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

CULTURAL IMMERSION Language study visits to Munich, Montpellier and Granada

MUNICH Phillipa Sykes

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n October eight Middle School students spent 5 days discovering Munich and experiencing German culture.

After spending each morning with intensive language lessons, the students explored the famous landmarks of this beautiful Bavarian city. Highlights of the trip included: a visit to the Bavarian Film Studios, where students toured the sets of some classic German films; a guided tour of the Allianz Arena – home to Bayern Munich FC; a walking tour of the historic Schwabing district of Munich; a trip to the Olympiapark; and visits to the BMW Museum and also the Deutsches Museum.

Students also enjoyed the chance to sample some traditional Bavarian dishes, including Knödel.

MONTPELLIER Zsolti Johnson (Form 4)

D

uring the trip, students stayed in the homes of French families, in order to really feel immersed in the French culture and language. Each day incorporated a trip to the city centre (often taking public transport), where we participated in a morning of interactive and engaging French lessons, which involved everything from playing vocabulary games to analysing French media.

The afternoons consisted of a huge range of cultural activities, for instance, a guided tour around Montpellier (in French!), a French cuisine lesson, where we succeeded in cooking a delicious sausage-based dish called ‘Rougail Saucisse’, and frequent shopping trips around the city.

After a long day of exciting activities, we were

left to navigate our way back to our host families, where we would take part in their conversations, eat mouth-watering French food, and generally partake in usual activities you would perform in your own home, except entirely in French.

The days flew by and I think I speak for everyone when I say that I felt quite down when I left my host’s apartment for the last time. In my opinion, the trip was a truly wonderful experience, allowing you to be well and truly submerged in French culture and, more importantly, I feel that it has done wonders for my French, both in terms of vocabulary and thinking on the spot!

It was an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to anyone wanting to get ahead in French, or someone who just wants a beautiful, sunny holiday in a new culture.

...the trip was a truly wonderful experience, allowing you to be well and truly submerged in French culture and, more importantly, I feel that it has done wonders for my French.

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Trips and Tours | Language Study Visits

WORK EXPERIENCE IN GRANADA During October half-term, Form 7 Hispanists spent a week in Granada, immersing themselves in the language and culture of one of Spain’s most beautiful and exciting cities. Students spent every morning attending intensive language classes, before later putting this new linguistic knowledge into practice in their work experience placements, with their host families, and whilst visiting the cultural sites of this southern Spanish city.

Amy: “The trip to Granada has been one of the highlights of my start to Form 7. I spent a week working with the company ‘La GranaVisión’, helping tourists, giving information about La Alhambra and learning about how a business works in Spain. As well as assisting tourists of many different nationalities, I had time to speak to the employees at ‘La GranaVisión’ and it was very interesting finding out about their job and why they wanted to work in tourism.

My ability to speak Spanish has improved immensely and I feel more assured expressing myself in Spanish.

Overall, the trip has helped me become a more confident person and has also opened my eyes to the possibility of travelling and working abroad before I start university. This trip takes the language out of the classroom and allows for a genuine experience of the culture and society in Spain. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who wants to be more confident in using and understanding Spanish.”

Patrizio: “The Granada trip allowed me to experience life in Spain holistically while improving my Spanish grammar and speaking skills. The highlight of my trip was the trip to La Alhambra, a sprawling fortress situated on top of a hill erected by the

Nasrid dynasty over seven hundred years ago.

The torrential rain pouring that day did not detract from the experience as Mr Mozos saved the situation by hastily purchasing raincoats!

We explored the Arabic ‘generalife’ gardens with their unique water-incorporated architecture. Even though seven hundred years have passed since its inception, the fortress was in pristine condition.

My second favourite location was the old Moorish bazaar that was situated in a narrow antique street, reminiscent of Arabic architecture.

There you will find traditional Arab clothes, food and jewellery all for sale, where I bought souvenirs for my family.

For my work placement, I was asked to

work for a political party in the ‘Ayudacion’, a municipal building filled with all the major parties with governing power over the city. The job taught me how business administration works and helped me learn more about fragile political issues such as the regulation of antibiotic distribution in livestock.

I would recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in learning more about Spanish culture and society as well as improving their own Spanish skills.”

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Trips and Tours | Academic Trips

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

FORM 6 FIELD TRIP TO YORKSHIRE

OAKHAM STUDENTS VISIT THE SEATS OF POWER

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n the midst of Theresa May’s scramble to finalise her EU Withdrawal Bill in London and Brussels, Form 6 Politics students made their much anticipated visit to the three institutions of British political power.

The Houses of Parliament, a Q&A session with Antoinette Sandbach MP in the awe-inspring Boothroyd Room and a visit to the ever-popular locations of Downing Street and the Supreme Court were all part of our packed itinerary As ever, what the students gleaned from our visit is testament to the wide-ranging questions they asked throughout the day, and their obvious enjoyment of the buzz of Westminster and Whitehall.

FORM 1 TRIP TO LINCOLN

I

n March, the History and Religion & Philosophy Departments took 81 Form 1 pupils to Lincoln Castle and Cathedral.

During a packed day, pupils saw the Lincoln copy of the Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest from 1215; they walked the castle walls; learned about signs and symbols in Medieval Christian religion and took part in a costume drama of King John’s signing of the Magna Carta where many of our students showed their exemplary dramatic skills!

The group was also joined by a family of seals, one on the beach and the other looking on from out at sea – truly Geography in action!

T

he beautiful county of Yorkshire was the location for the recent Form 6 Geography field trip. Students spent two days studying first hand different aspects of Geography in action following their work on Rocks and Weathering. The field trip also prepared them for their work on coastal environments in Form 7.

As part of their work, students examined the flood defences of York and Pickering, the features of rivers along Dalby Beck and the coastal features of Flamborough Head and Selwicks Bay. In this final destination, as well as observing and discussing the ways in which erosional processes transform the coast, the group was also joined by a family of seals, one on the beach and the other looking on from out at sea – truly Geography in action!

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ACTIVITIES D of E 92 CCF 96 VA 98

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Activities | D of E

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

ACTION PACKED

Held twice a year, in October and March, Oakham School’s Service Weekends provide an opportunity for students to build their confidence, resilience and skills, whether they are navigating across the countryside, scaling hillsides or serving the community.

D

uring this year’s Service Weekends, pupils working towards their Bronze, Silver and Gold D of E Awards completed their Practice Expeditions in various locations around the country; from walking in the Peak District, to cycling on the North York Moors, to rowing on the Thames and canoeing down the Grand Union Canal! Pupils prepared for the expeditions themselves and had to carry all of their equipment and supplies with them over the course of the days.

Everyone successfully completed their Practice Expeditions and are now looking forward to the Qualifiying Expeditions in the summer.

BRONZE CYCLING

October: The Bronze Duke of Edinburgh cyclists were greeted by persistent rain on their arrival at Little Lodge Farm in Thetford Forest. Despite the inclement conditions, everyone quickly erected their tents and took cover. Once the rain started to ease, the groups started preparing their evening dinner. After testing their bikes in the nearby forest, everyone was inside their tents early to prepare for the challenges of the following day. The next day saw a frosty start but the weather conditions were perfect for the two groups’ first cycle – sun and no wind. A few navigational errors were made, but everyone successfully completed a 50km circuit learning important lessons about teamwork and controlling a fully loaded bike. On their return to camp, there were some tired bodies but everyone

cooked a hot meal before collapsing for the night.

On the final day of the practice, the two groups broke camp and embarked on a 25km cycle.

Having learnt the lessons from the day before, both groups cycled more efficiently and made good time.

March: The Bronze cyclists left School on Friday afternoon knowing that they were going to encounter challenging weather conditions over the weekend. With the wind at their backs, everyone made good progress until one of the group got a puncture at the beginning of the dam on Rutland Water. After a slow repair, they hit a headwind once they crossed the dam. After battling the wind, everyone arrived at camp near dusk and had to quickly erect their tents and eat.

On Saturday morning they woke to strong winds and it was soon obvious that camp would have to be collapsed and the day’s cycle shortened. Using teamwork, all tents were eventually taken down and everyone mounted their bikes and began the short cycle down to the Hambleton Peninsula at Rutland Water. The south shore provided a tail wind but the group had to overcome waves splashing onto the path. Luckily the north shore was protected from the worst of the wind and everyone made it back to School for a well earned

rest. Sunday morning brought much calmer conditions and everyone completed a nice cycle around north Rutland. Despite the inclement conditions, everyone spent one night camping, used a trangia, navigated and cycled over 81km.

They can now look forward to the summer Qualifying Expedition in Shropshire.

A few navigational errors were made, but everyone successfully completed a 50km circuit learning important lessons about teamwork and controlling a fully loaded bike.

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Activities | D of E

SERVICE WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS 2019/19

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Activities | D of E

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

SILVER SERVICE A MAGIC TIME IN NORTH YORKSHIRE Sophie Clarke

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he journey up to North Yorkshire was hardly the Hogwarts Express, but the Friday Silver walkers arrived safely at Grinton YHA, which resembled a small castle.

Dinner was hungrily consumed, kit was checked and Mr Nutter gave his traditional safety briefing.

Strangely, he omitted to mention common D of E dangers that the Silver walkers were expecting him to mention. For example, Fluffy was not considered nor were the blast-ended skrewts, green dragons nor trolls. Fred and Rori thought this omission was accidental; Annabel, Milly and Bethany were not so sure.

Saturday morning dawned, cold, overcast and damp; but the enthusiasm of the Silver walkers was plain to see. Once bags were weighed, the Grey (Slytherin) and Yellow (Hufflepuff) groups left quickly. Will B (Green group – Gryffindor) had clearly been practising spells all night; his bag weighed in at an astonishingly light 8kg!

What magic was this? A different view was that he was prepared to compromise on comfort – no roll mat or warm clothing required! Will was not the only one to subscribe to this roll mat free approach. Ravenclaw were the last to depart, their orange rucksack covers were very becoming. Joe, Gus and Isaac looked especially happy with their hi vis look.

Rapid and noisy progress was made along Swaledale via Healaugh and up to Surrender 94

Bridge. Such strange names. All the groups made time to appreciate the relic lead mining buildings, although there was some suggestion that Will D, Archie and Caleb had been a bit careless with their wands on the way up... leaving a small trail of devastation behind them.

From here all groups slowed almost as if they had a) lost their marauders maps and b) fallen victim to an ‘Arresto Momentum’ spell.

Perhaps it was just time for lunch? Miraculously, the yellow, green and orange groups and all the teachers appeared simultaneously at the bottom of Gunnerside Gill. All were perhaps magically drawn to the ‘Nutter Troll’ sat by the oftmentioned FOOTBRIDGE! He used his magical powers (assigning teacher guides to each group) to apply a ‘piertotum locomotor’ spell to get all the groups moving. Will R, Callum and Jack F in the green group responded positively, gaining much-needed practice on map orientation, hand railing and ticking off features. Tom, James and George enjoyed waterfall spotting as the group passed Crackpot Hall on their way to their campsite in Keld.

With all groups safely into camp, the trainee wizards tried out their cooking spells, inspired

by Helga Hufflepuff. Noodles and pasta were the order of the day. Overnight someone had clearly used a ‘glacius’ spell, as Sunday morning was cold and frosty. A perfect day for Great Shunner

Fell – surely this appears in book 9? Gryffindor tried out some floating spells, although these did not initially work well on Guy’s rucksack. Henry and Guy also had difficulty wearing enough clothing – perhaps they had fallen victim to some unspecified enchantment?

Overcoming this small hill, the Friday walkers made it into camp meeting pupils from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic on the way (aka Monday Silver Walking). More concerning was the presence of Green Dragons at the campsite.

Maddy, Audrey, Tatenda and Helen thought that Stunning spells (Stupify) might have to be called upon to tame any Dragons encountered, although not before making some more Helga Hufflepuff inspired yummy food.

Monday was the last day, completed with a quick march down Wensleydale. The teachers did wonder if the Yellow and Grey groups had finally tamed their broomsticks, so rapid was their progress. Despite their light bags, Orange and Green groups did not make quite so rapid progress.

With thanks to the supervising teachers Mr Nutter (Hagrid / troll), Mrs Smith (Professor Mcgonagall), Mrs Kaur (Professor Dumbledore’s body double), Miss Lopez (Professor Trelawney) Miss Segura (Professor Umbridge) and Mr Coman (Professor Snape) without whom this magical odyssey would not have been possible.

Activities | D of E

TALES OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS

Service Weekend really begins with obsessive consultation of the weather forecast in the week or so preceding the much anticipated event. It really is rather like wondering if it will snow on Christmas day or not. This year the prophecies were of doom and gloom; high winds, heavy rain and then a bit of snow / sleet for added variety.

Not much changed as our Friday departure grew closer, indeed it actually worsened a little, the winds strengthened and snow became more certain. Father Tim was consulted, but he confessed to be in sales not production, so perhaps could not really help.

The Friday Silver walkers awoke on Saturday morning to… heavy rain and strong winds. All the walkers left the Peak Centre togged up to the nines once Mr Nutter and the MLs had rejected some boots, some rather casual waterproofs and Miss Clarke had nagged for the millionth time about map cases and then continued to burble about papier mâché. Their parting instruction was to find

Mr Noah who (would you believe it) is resident in the Peak District and has a small, moderately successful boat building business.

The hard yards were walked, the penance was completed in and around Jacob’s ladder and indeed navigation can be said to have improved in the face of adversity. Moreover, Archie, Caleb, Will, Fred and Rori wanted the full SAS over the top experience. Well done to them for their adventurousness. The girls took everything in their stride and built their skills. Well done to Annabel, Millie, Helen, Bethany, Maddy, Tatenda and Clarissa. They had the advantage of a couple of born again campers in their team – an even hardier breed!

George, Callum, Will B, Jack, Tom, and Will R also seemed to have had a Damascene conversion to the joys of navigation come wind, rain or snow.

Jack even managed a miracle with boots; you will have to ask him how he accomplished it! Good skills and teamwork, especially from Will B. There is an I in Will, but no I in team! Guy, Gus, Isaac and Joe also braved the elements although at

times I think they would have given anything to have remembered small things like… gloves.

They also had a new experience in a group shelter. It was so much fun, they started to pine for their missing team members.

Sunday dawned and snow had fallen and continued to fall in different formats – sleet and hail for variety. There was beautiful visibility then immediately followed by white out. Had Father Tim’s input helped? All the groups were baptised in mud and flood – an especially massive puddle by Bagshaw Bridge, which was not to be avoided. In two shakes of the many visible lambs’ tails, all arrived at Upper Derwent visitors centre and it was then home for tea and a hot bath!

As ever it would not all be possible without the input of Mr Nutter, Mr Coman, Ms Stephenson and our new convert Mrs Kaur.

Thank you too to the MLs who took us out on Saturday and built our skills. Just the small matter of summer qualifying to go now; fingers crossed for some better weather!

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Activities | CCF

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GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH From the Contingent Commander Lt Col. D.M.Taylor

T

his has been another incredibly busy year as you’ll notice from the accompanying reports. Service Weekends have seen cadets travel to Ypres for our own Centenary commemorations, to Cumbria for some customarily challenging Adventurous Training activities and to Thetford for some characterbuilding and technique-enhancing fieldcraft.

As ever, I’ve been very impressed by the engagement and commitment of the cadets and the contributions from my adult staff, both Commissioned and Civilian Instructors.

Alongside these formal events, it is super to be able to note a number of cadets who have been on their own independent Adventurous Training courses and, in so doing, ticking off their D of E Gold Residential commitments. The BTEC in ‘Teamwork and Personal Development’ is another great success with all participating cadets gaining their Level 2 Diploma. My particular thanks to Flying Officer Ball and Mr Allen for their hard work.

In a world where so much is assessed, measured and quantified, I remain firmly committed to providing a style of personal development that focuses on the interest, enthusiasm and engagement of the cadets within a framework of a syllabus provided by both the Army and the RAF. We are as popular as ever and I am grateful to all stakeholders for their

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support. My staff are an amazing group who are happy to spend nights under the stars, complete voluminous paper trails to ensure cadet safety and indulge their own personal development through courses and qualifications. Now in our 109th year, we are one of the three Cs of Oakham which continues to go from strength to strength (Chapel, Cricket and Corps).

Activities | CCF

HONOURING THE FALLEN AT YPRES Flo Wilkinson (Form 5) We started off our trip with a visit to Hill 60, visiting memorials to Queen Victoria’s Rifles, 1st Australian Tunnelling Company, 14th (Light) Division and two French Resistance fighters.

There was also a concrete German bunker for us to investigate. We next went to Sanctuary Wood, a line of original British trenches from WW1. There were also a couple of underground tunnels we could explore; this started to give us an insight into the harsh conditions in which infantry soldiers had to operate, with the German trenches on the neighbouring hill. On our way to Bayernwald (the German trenches) we paid our respects to an Old Oakhamian who gave his life. Bayernwald was a set of German trenches that had been rebuilt to replicate the conditions during WW1. It was really interesting to compare the structure of the two trenches. After our lunch we visited the Tyne Cot cemetery. The sheer number of headstones was overwhelming. We then found the names of more Oakhamians who had given their lives for their country. To finish

the afternoon, we visited a German cemetery; this cemetery was much smaller and included a mass grave of over 25,000 soldiers, a memorial to the 3,000 that lost their lives and a wall dedicated to the massacre of innocents. This cemetery was very different to the Tyne Cot memorial, which gave each soldier his own resting place compared to the minimum of 7 German soldiers per grave. We then drove back to Ypres in time for supper.

That evening we attended the Menin Gate Memorial Service that has taken place every night since 2 July 1928. Matt, Rhys and Flo took part in the service, laying a wreath for the fallen Oakhamians on behalf of the CCF and the School. The Last Post was played and the ceremony was closed by the Military Band. We were then given free rein to again explore Ypres by ourselves before returning to the hostel that night.

On the last morning we packed up at the hostel and got ready to make the long journey home. On our way back to the ferry we visited the Shot at Dawn Memorial in Poperinge, as well as the memorial of a double Victoria Cross recipient.

We’d like to thank CCF Contingent Commanding Officer Lt Col Taylor for such a memorable trip.

ADVENTUROUS TRAINING October 2018

It was a bright morning as we bussed miles up the A1 to Warcop Training Camp for a long weekend of adventurous training. The accommodation was distinctly of the World War 1 variety, but we settled into our rickety iron beds and sleeping bags. The first evening’s activity was a viewing of A Bridge Too Far – a good film, but probably safe to say it was enjoyed more by the staff than the cadets.

The first morning saw us split into groups.

The first group headed off on an ascent of Hellvelyn. Conditions were good and it was a real challenge to go across Striding Edge to reach England’s highest point. It was brilliant to stand on that point and to shout as loud as you wanted, knowing that the wind would carry your noise off straight away. I’ll remember that achievement for a long time.

Sunday saw us head off to some climbing and canoeing activities. With the wind on Conniston Water really blowing, our instructors decided that they would tie us together in rafts of several boats together. Before we knew it, we were miles (or at least it felt like that) from the shore and messing about getting each other very wet. It’s a bit disappointing to note that nobody fell in as

that would have been as memorable as yesterday, but we had lots of fun anyway.

It was an enjoyable and entertaining weekend and I hope we get the chance to do more AT in the coming Service Weekends.

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Activities | VA

HARVEST PARTY During the October Service Weekend, the Barraclough was transformed once again into a fantastic afternoon venue for over 200 members of the elderly community, who enjoyed an afternoon tea of sandwiches, cakes and tea, all served by our VA pupils. By way of entertainment, our guests enjoyed completing puzzles and taking part in the perennial favourite: Bingo. Our school musicians put on an excellent performance and the afternoon was rounded off with a good old-fashioned sing-along.

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Staff News | Departures

DEPARTURES Jon Andrews David Harrow Jon Andrews joined the Senior Leadership Team at Oakham in 2015, as our second Director of Teaching and Learning, and the first to sport such a dapper pair of Loakes. An Economics-teaching veteran of Millfield and St Paul’s, he arrived with a strong understanding of what a great education looks like in a number of different contexts and, as such, brought with him both the managerial resilience arising from having been an HOD in a complex school, and

Claudia Büchi-Hooper Julie Summers

Claudia Büchi Hooper joined the School in 2006 as a maternity cover teacher, although as a qualified teacher in her native Switzerland, she was quickly promoted to classroom practitioner. Her dedication to the students she has taught over the past thirteen years has been unparalleled and she has constantly tried out new and interesting techniques to engage and enthuse her pupils. In particular, her commitment to Upper School native German speakers undertaking the IB Diploma has been considerable. She has led numerous cohorts through the German A Literature and Language exams, achieving fantastic results. Indeed, Claudia’s skill in this area earned her the role of Principal Examiner for the IB German A internal assessment. Whether it be Form 2, Form 4 or Form 7, Claudia’s pupils

the vision to see how things could improve.

His approach has been both robust and compassionate, getting alongside students and teachers alike, supporting them in their work and challenging them to get better.

Jon’s knowledge of matters pedagogical has grown exponentially in his time at Oakham, partly through his own research, but also through his work with the Lead Practitioners, a team he created and nurtured and the impact of this creative professionalism will continue to rise from the seeds he has sown. Particular flagships include the now-regular programme of TeachMeets, the ‘From the Classroom’ blog, and his thorough work overseeing the quality assurance of teaching at Oakham.

Jon and I have debated much over the years, from the value (or otherwise) of leather-bound

have always benefited from the best teaching with a practitioner who genuinely cares about their progress and who brings German speaking cultures alive in her lessons. In addition to her qualities in the classroom, Claudia has also contributed widely to the School in other respects. She was a Resident Tutor in Lincoln House and then became Senior Tutor in Ancaster.

The Lower School girls are all very fond of the popular Miss B! She has also been on many D of E expeditions and is as familiar with the UK national parks as anyone who has lived here all their lives! Claudia is a valued colleague and a close friend to many within the Oakham School community. Her reliability, sociable good humour and capacity for hard work will be sorely missed as she returns to Switzerland with her family to continue her teaching career in Zurich and Schaffhausen.

HER DEDICATION TO THE STUDENTS SHE HAS TAUGHT OVER THE PAST THIRTEEN YEARS HAS BEEN UNPARALLELED AND SHE HAS CONSTANTLY TRIED OUT NEW AND INTERESTING TECHNIQUES TO ENGAGE AND ENTHUSE HER PUPILS.

report folders to the intellectual precision of the kind of mathematics proffered by Economists (Jon: I am at least partly sorry about the ‘folk maths’ comment though, if I’m honest, not especially!). At all times, he has challenged the norms and led his colleagues to question, in the most constructive way, what we are doing, and why.

Jon leaves Oakham to take up a welldeserved position as Deputy Head (Academic) at Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School, Liverpool. A stalwart of the soccer pitch, where he has led the Oakham team to much success, he will surely enjoy life in that great footballing city and, in that camel-hair overcoat, he would certainly fit right into the Director’s Box at Anfield. I wish him every success, and am completely sure that we will hear a great deal more about his work in the years to come.

Emily Cattell Peta Girdwood

Emily has been with the Sport Department for the last year. As well as teaching Form 6 BTEC and PE lessons, she has been a key contributor to the girls games programme, coaching across all the major games. She led both her hockey and netball teams to successful wins and supported the athletes in the Middle School whilst inspiring the Lower School tennis players. In the Department she has a bright and cheerful outlook and it is not a surprise that she leaves Oakham having forged many friendships across the School. She leaves Oakham having now completed her NQT and the Department has appreciated her enthusiasm, flexibility and phenomenal organisation and wish her all the best in her teaching career.

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Staff News | Departures

Jennifer Coates Jo Griffiths

Jennifer joined the Oakham Chemistry Department in 2017 and immediately fitted into the team. She has often gone above and beyond to work with her students, from the lower years and right through the School, supporting and engaging them with their Chemistry. Her laughs and comical stories have been great fun in the Department Office and will be greatly missed.

Jennifer leaves us to take on further teaching at Nottingham University where she will be working with adults studying Chemistry, and she will have the opportunity to pass on her passions for Veterinary Physiotherapy too. We wish her all the very best for the future and want to let her know how much we have appreciated all that she has done within the Department.

Craig Cumming Howard Collison

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Lyndsey Evans Peter Davis

The Music Department has benefited hugely from Lyndsey Evans’ dedicated teaching and professionalism over the past year.

She has used her vocal talents to encourage a great deal of accomplished choral singing by both her choirs (Cantamus and Polyphonix) and her classes, as well as running the Lower School Choir with distinction in the Director of Music’s absence on sabbatical. As an experienced classroom practitioner, she has been a terrific colleague and team player who is always well prepared and willing to help. Her technology skills have been evident both in the classroom as well in the new composition/music technology activity sessions. She has embraced new challenges with similar commitment, playing double bass in both the Symphony Orchestra and Big Band, as well as being a Boarding House Tutor in Rushebrookes. She has loved being at Oakham for the past year, and we wish her very well for the future.

Eileen Fisher Jon Wills

Craig Cumming joined the Geography Department following the completion of a PGCE at Durham University. Prior to this, he had a successful career in the Merchant Navy. Craig quickly showed himself to be an enthusiastic and capable geographer. His real passion was for physical geography, and many pupils benefited greatly from his knowledge on this side of the subject. Craig also saw the real benefit of fieldwork and was an asset to have on the Cranedale and Iceland field trips. Away from Geography, Craig enjoyed his time coaching 4th team rugby and working with the CCF. He was also an Upper School tutor in Clipsham House. We wish Craig every success as he leaves Oakham to complete a MA in Careers Guidance and Education.

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The contribution that Eileen has made to the Old Oakhamian Club, and therefore the School, in the last four years has been immense. Year group reunions, in the main hosted by her at Oakham, are now a regular part of the OO calendar. At the most recent event, a 30-year reunion of the Class of 1989, there were 100+ attendees and Eileen played a huge part in attracting so many of that year back to Oakham. She created the OO Facebook group, which now has over 2,000 members, and she has been instrumental in setting up the OO Hub leading to many more OOs being in regular contact with one another, giving each other careers advice. She has also established a termly OO newsletter that complements the Old Oakhamian magazine. This is all in addition to dealing with the numerous day-to-day OO enquiries that come her way.

It has been an absolute pleasure to work so closely with her over the past four years and she returns to her family home in Northern Ireland with the love and best wishes of all members of the Old Oakhamian Club.

Sammy Hanrahan Trish Ingles

Since joining the School three years ago, Sammy Hanrahan has made it his mission to brighten the Biology Department – figuratively and literally. The bow ties and fluorescent trousers paired with the colourful sweaters, and a moustache which he had a tendency to twirl at the corners, became his trademark. Couple this with a seemingly endless supply of puns and clever one-liners and it is clear the Biology Department will dim a little in his absence. Sartorial elegance and wit aside, Sammy has also been one half of the dynamic duo running DocSoc, has developed detailed student data tracking spreadsheets we have all benefited from, and produced fiendishly complicated worksheets to challenge his students. He has been a supportive Upper School tutor, an energetic rugby coach, and more recently the Form 4 Year Group Coordinator. He leaves us to support his young family and work alongside his wife in her role as a Housemistress in that certain school down the road – I wonder if they know what they are letting themselves in for!

IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK SO CLOSELY WITH HER OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND SHE RETURNS TO HER FAMILY HOME IN NORTHERN IRELAND WITH THE LOVE AND BEST WISHES OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE OLD OAKHAMIAN CLUB.

Staff News | Departures

David Harrow Simone Lorenz-Weir I first met David in 1995, when he arrived in the school as a young Maths teacher. I was spending the year at Oakham as the German language assistant. Resident staff, including three European Assistants, met every night in a special dining room upstairs in the Barraclough for dinner and after a while, a rather fun social life emerged. Whether David really enjoyed the gatherings was difficult to know; conversations with him appeared strange to us European girls, as he seemed to have deep reluctance to travel and a bit of an aversion to what we thought was a good night out in our respective countries. What was clear, however, was David’s ability to win every discussion and debate on any topic and that his ability to think and speak was evidently far superior to anyone in the room. We came to the conclusion then, that a Maths graduate from Cambridge was a strange thing and possibly, due to conditioning, simply a bit odd. Little did we know that that was just David, little did we know of all his hidden talents and that we could not have been more wrong! The first time I stared at him in surprise and shock, was when David took centre stage at one of the beginning of year staff INSET days, to give a really fantastic talk while juggling! Not with just two juggling balls, but with rather a lot, if my memory is not letting me down. It transpired that this was just one of his many hobbies and passions and a number of Old Oakhamians will still be good jugglers now, having gone through the Master Juggler’s ‘juggling activity’. It would appear that he was also very active as a guitar player in a band, but I have never had the pleasure of attending one of their gigs and is also a highly competitive quiz competitor. After a rough start as a new and inexperienced teacher, David soon earned the respect of his students, colleagues and parents.

He is not just an excellent Mathematician, but also an incredibly engaging, challenging and inspiring Maths teacher. He makes Oxbridge entries a success, but can equally raise the attainment and enjoyment of the younger years in his subject. It was no surprise therefore, that in 2006, David became Head of Maths, leading one of the biggest departments in the School. It was around that time that David started to read and learn more about educational developments in the wider world and with a strong educational vision for the school, was appointed as Deputy Head (Academic) in 2011. His vision for teaching and learning at Oakham has always been strong and many new initiatives were developed during his stewardship: the Oakham Learner, Oakham Learning Habits and a common belief that knowledge alone is not enough in a changing world. As we are nearing the year 2020, we are working towards the authorisation as an IB MYP school, to build on our experience of nearly

twenty years as an IB World School. What was embedded by David and his teams, has now developed into a much fuller and bolder vision of what the best possible education for our children and their future looks like. With the IB MYP as a teaching and learning framework, a team of lead practitioners supporting the continuous professional development of all staff and the Appointment of a Director of Teaching and Learning, David put the Academic side of Oakham firmly at the heart of what we do. He has also long departed from the young geek he once was – he does now travel, he is a keen and regular runner and has even been brave enough to join

the staff ‘Tough Mudder team’ (twice!). Anyone who has heard him speak will know that the geek has matured (a bit), can be very funny indeed and is a jolly clever guy. While I will find it hard to say ‘good-bye, matey’, I know that he will make a wonderful and visionary Headmaster of AKS Lytham. I will miss our ‘running meetings’, which we started to stop eating too much chocolate, and am rather envious of his future runs on the beach.

I have no doubt that he will love his new life with his wife Holly and his children Grace and Will.

We all wish the Harrows a great start up north, a successful and enjoyable time, and we hope that they will keep in touch!

He is not just an excellent Mathematician, but also but an incredibly engaging, challenging and inspiring Maths teacher.

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Staff News | Departures

Anne Lockwood Amanda Ball

Anne Lockwood arrived at Oakham from Malaysia in 2008 and in her 11 years she has crammed in a very lengthy list of service to the School.

Her work ethic, enthusiasm and preparation for all her commitments are second-to-none.

Countless Oakhamians have benefited from her exceptional ability, in her colourful classroom, to motivate, engage, encourage, enthuse and celebrate all their achievements. Anne is an experienced and talented teacher who always has the highest aspirations for her students and has proved effective with all ages across the entire ability range. Her friendly demeanour and helpful attitude make her very approachable in class and also in the department, where she is often the ‘go to’ person for ideas and resources.

Anne has been an Upper School tutor throughout her time and ventured to Barrow, Buchanans, Rushebrookes, Stevens, Wharflands, School House and Round House where she was the first Assistant Housemistress. Anne forges meaningful relationships with all her tutees, with wise advice and an always listening ear,

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illustrated by how many students continue to contact her with their news long after they leave.

A keen racquet sportswoman, during Activities Anne has worked with students to improve their tennis, badminton and squash skills. She has also run Craft Club, Maths Club, Jerwoods cricket, croquet and petanque. Anne organised and ran the Primary School Liaison Day, Mad Maths Day and was a very efficient Form 4 exam coordinator, who, in the words of our Academic Deputy Head, “Demonstrated spectacular organisation”. Praise indeed!

Anne participated in D of E Bronze walking and enjoyed supporting students through their time serving the community in Voluntary Action.

I asked a student for words to describe Mrs Lockwood and the immediate response was, “always smiling, friendly, well dressed with fabulous shoes and a great teacher who loves helping you.”

Anne will be missed in so many areas of the School. Our loss is Zurich’s gain as she heads off to greener (whiter) pastures. In God’s words from Jeremiah: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

Thaís Lopez-Martin Cameron Pauls Thaís joined Oakham in September 2017.

An experienced and impressive classroom practitioner on paper, Thaís is even more impressive in the classroom.

Her passion for teaching is an inspiration in itself and her enthusiasm has been contagious amongst colleagues and pupils alike. With a keen interest in how children learn, her use of technology and her innovative ideas complement the metacognitive classroom experience which she creates, allowing her pupils to enjoy the learning process and build confidence at their pace.

Given her enthusiasm for teaching and learning, Thaís jumped at the opportunity to mentor a colleague embarking on her teacher training through the new SCITT programme.

Efficient and professional, her mentoring has been thorough and robust, her guidance unprecedented; all leading to the successful granting of Qualified Teacher Status.

Outside of the classroom, Thaís has been a Lower School tutor in Ancaster House, where she has fostered strong relationships with each of her tutees who all speak very fondly of her.

Thaís has also enjoyed supporting Oakham’s

Alice Ludlow joined the English Department from Malawi in September 2017, after the novelty (for me) of a Skype interview; she will be returning to Africa this autumn, as she takes up a post in Zambia. In her two years at Oakham, Alice has made a fine contribution to English, latterly taking on the responsibility for overseeing the Form 3 curriculum. She has acquired a strong reputation among colleagues and students as a calm, level-headed, patient professional, who gets things done with utter dependability, good humour and genuine competence. Zambia’s gain is our loss, but we recognise that the call of Africa is strong, and that she still has some travelling in her blood.

The department wishes Alice a very happy and fruitful next stage of her teaching career.

She has acquired a strong reputation among colleagues and students as a calm, levelheaded, patient professional, who gets things done with utter dependability, good humour and genuine competence.

Charlotte Macpherson Gilly Norell

D of E programme and has enthusiastically accompanied the pupils on Service Weekend walking expeditions in all weathers.

Her colleagues within the Spanish Department and the Faculty as a whole will miss her enormously as she leaves us to take up a post at Latymer Upper School as Teacher of Spanish and as she takes her dynamism, zest for life and expertise with her to their benefit, it is without doubt, to our loss.

Her passion for teaching is an inspiration in itself and her enthusiasm has been contagious amongst colleagues and pupils alike.

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Alice Ludlow Glyn Austen

On joining the School, Charlotte immediately made a significant impact on both the Drama Department and the wider School.

A dedicated and popular teacher in the Lower and Middle School, Charlotte approaches everything with enormous energy and enthusiasm as well as complete integrity and kind authority in guiding her charges. She has been a most valuable asset to the Drama Department – both back-stage and Front of House to our numerous theatre productions and as an extraordinarily hard-working, reliable and loyal colleague. She has always been extremely well-liked and hugely respected by her colleagues as well as her students. We will miss her immense good humour and positive attitude and wish her and her young family all the very best of future success.

Staff News | Departures

Sian Millewis-Smith Sarah Dixon-Dale

Sian isn’t just another member of the teaching staff at Oakham School; she is a part of what makes this School so very special. Over her eighteen years spent here as one of the (many) larger than life characters in English, she has established such wonderful connections with all of the students she has taught, inspiring confidence amongst those who really need it, always offering her time to those seeking additional support, nurture and care. The true matriarch of Oakham School, Sian will be deeply missed by staff and students alike; the English office will be desperately quiet without her hilarious impressions, captivating stories from her childhood and the contagious warmth she brings with her whenever she arrives each day to ask ‘You alright, Beaut?’

One of the most impressive life skills of all, Sian has the extraordinary ability to shorten any name down to one syllable and often, within minutes of meeting someone, they have been warmly welcomed into her immediate family and will know all of her closest secrets, feeling instantly connected to this charming and electric personality. Many a nervous interviewee has felt right at home in minutes, upon Sian’s arrival in the office; similarly, her classes are putty in her hands within days at the start of a new school year, such is her reputation for being ‘one of the best’ there has ever been in English.

Sian’s contribution to the Activities programme at Oakham has provided us all with much entertainment and hilarity over the years, particularly on cold, dreary Monday afternoons when she has been shipped off to run, amongst other things, Basketball sessions, Fitness Centre tick in and even, for a brief three weeks, a stint in a D of E Silver walking group. It was hoped that she would be ‘great fun’ on overnight stays in hostels over Service Weekends, I believe. Sian is universally adored by all of the staff at Oakham and she has always been much in demand for school trips, lunchtime chats and, of course, all of the revelling over festive periods. I have even heard people threaten not to come to department barbeques before, as it really isn’t a proper party if Sian isn’t there.

Sian has devoted much of herself to teaching; she often refers to herself as having ‘given’ herself to the profession for over thirty years of her life. In the 12 years we have worked together, we haven’t let a single day pass without ample doses of laughter, soulsearching and good cheer; she knows just how to lift the mood in darker times and how to counsel people through stormy patches with a good squeeze of the shoulders and the

promise of a good old cup of hot water.

Sian is the most magical of storytellers; she knows just how to transport a Form 5 class back to fair Verona on a rainy Friday afternoon. Similarly, in the staffroom, we are often to be found gathered around her on the sofa, avidly listening to cosy tales of her childhood in Wales, countless (!) pregnancy and birth stories; her shrewd observations and impressions of fellow colleagues and muchloved family members regularly have us in stitches. We have loved every single moment of her company and Oakham School will never be the same again without the inimitable Mrs

Millewis-Smith swishing down the corridors, gesturing wildly and imploring ‘Do you know what I mean?’ at the end of each and every sentence.

It will come as no surprise to learn that, always the most chic teacher in town, Sian is leaving us to pursue a much-desired leap into the world of interior design; her beautiful home may just be ‘smoke and mirrors’ to her, but her creativity, exquisite taste and sharp eye for detail mean that she will be just perfect for such a venture. We wish her the very best of luck with this and expect nothing less than fabulously discounted rates when she waves her fairy godmother wand over our own homes.

On a personal note, aside from the laughter, the warmth, The Good Times and host of wonderful, side-splitting memories along the way, what has always amazed me about Sian is her modesty. The most selfdeprecating and humble teacher you could meet, I don’t believe that Sian appreciates just how many lives she has touched over her years in teaching. Without taking a jot of credit for the incredible work she has done with many of our more vulnerable students and bottom set groups, Sian has instilled confidence in those who think they can’t do it and she has remained cheerful, immaculately composed and always brimming with compassion, right until her very last moments in the classroom this term. There is no doubt that her colleagues will miss her, no one more so than myself; but it is the students at Oakham and the future generations that will really mourn her departure as our classrooms, corridors and staffrooms will miss that famous Millewis-Smith tinkle of laughter and effervescent sparkle that she leaves behind, wherever she goes. Good luck, dear friend.

The true matriarch of Oakham School, Sian will be deeply missed by staff and students alike; the English office will be desperately quiet without her hilarious impressions, captivating stories from her childhood and the contagious warmth she brings with her whenever she arrives each day to ask ‘You alright, Beaut?’

Marzia Nicastro Richard Breag

Marzia joined the Spanish Department in 2017 and then the Italian Department in 2018 to cover Dr Martino’s maternity. She has injected her own enthusiasm and passion for languages in the Faculty and impressively

has taught French, Spanish and Italian this year. She has been a big promoter of Italian and Spanish cuisine – much to the pleasure of our students. Marzia has also been our go-to IB specialist. Marzia’s main love is the classroom and she is always busy looking for or generating new resources. She is also keen to share her experience with others. We will miss Marzia very much but would like to wish her the very best of luck for the future.

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Staff News | Departures

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Tom Stokes Jon Andrews

Louise North Darren Sheppard

Louise North is a great one for firsts.

For instance, extensive research confirms that she is the first member of senior management in the School’s four hundred and thirty-five year history to have named a son for an American folk singer (Arlo, for Arlo Guthrie, in case you were wondering). What is more - and stretching the point a little – her husband, Dominic, is an esteemed book dealer specialising in modern first editions. And then there is the small matter of fact that, on arriving from Stonyhurst College in January 2015, Louise became Oakham’s first ever female Senior Deputy. As befits a trailblazer, she made an immediate impact on the life of the School.

To the casual observer at least, it seems that one of the greatest challenges of the Senior Deputy’s role is to maintain the balance between on the one hand, being a steadfast figure of authority, whilst on the other, being a tolerant and compassionate human being. Yet Louise has made a difficult task look remarkably straightforward. In her dealings with both fellow members of staff and the various pupils that she has taught, tutored, or otherwise encountered, everyone knows exactly where they stand just as everyone knows they will be treated with care. As is ever the Senior

Deputy’s lot, Louise has spent a good deal of time with the more mutinous elements of the student body, amongst whom one might expect to find a less enchanted view of her work. On the contrary, it is there that one finds some of Mrs North’s most fervent admirers – “Tough, but always fair,” to quote one of their number.

A defining aspect of Louise’s tenure has been her working relationship with the Pastoral Deputy, Sarah Gomm. In January 2015, there were nihilists in the Common Room who hoped it would prove a fraught partnership, and that a spectacle would be served.

Fortunately for the rest of us, such predictions were confounded.

Louise and Sarah formed an indomitable team, most amply epitomised in the sight of the two of them patrolling the campus in a fair impersonation of Cagney and Lacey – a 1980s cultural reference that may be lost on some readers, but that was proudly owned by the ladies themselves.

But everything changes. Louise’s preparation for headship has drawn to a close. She leaves Oakham to become Principal and Head of Senior School at Framlingham College, Suffolk, with the good will and best wishes of all of us.

Our loss is most definitely Framlingham’s gain.

In her dealings with both fellow members of staff and the various pupils that she has taught, tutored, or otherwise encountered, everyone knows exactly where they stand just as everyone knows they will be treated with care.

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Tom joined Oakham in January 2016, from Christ’s Hospital, to run the Sports Science Department which he has done with professionalism, creativity, and ridiculously meticulous organisation. His staff pointedly highlight the inspiration Tom has provided.

His energy, ideas and own expertise in the classroom have been well utilised in developing the Sports Science curriculum, successfully implementing the BTEC programme and achieving some truly outstanding examination results. Yet it is the humanity with which he has set about developing the people in his department that has arguably stood out most strongly. Whether through informal conversation, a quiet word here or there, or the perceptive observations offered through his mentorship, Tom has displayed a real ability to bring out the best in his teaching team.

A true sportsman of all seasons, Tom’s work with the U16A and 2nd XV rugby sides, 1st XI cricket and 1st XI football squads, all alongside running an academic department, point to his love of sport and commitment to the holistic life of a boarding school. It has been a pleasure to observe how Tom’s composed demeanour has supported his consistent demands

of the footballers to be their best. He has a propensity to strike the balance between nurturing and forcefulness; this both marks him out as a great coach and explains the genuine affection in which he is held by the boys.

Seemingly Tom’s day is a couple of hours longer than everyone else’s such is the impressive volume of activity he manages to pack in. As a dedicated tutor, founder of the ‘Oakham Wheelers’, triathlete and maverick of the staff hockey team, Tom is widely recognised as a true ‘full-timer’ by the Oakham community. So great is this status, his early recognition as an Eddie Redmayne look-a-like is now largely forgotten.

Despite his many successes in Rutland, the lure of The Wurzels, cider apples and skittles have heralded a return to God’s own county for Tom and his wife, Sian.

As he departs for Somerset and a posting as Head of Physical Education at Millfield School, we are sad to say goodbye, but we are delighted for Tom in the professional and personal opportunities the move brings. He will make a hugely positive impact on the department at Millfield and life closer to his and Sian’s families will no doubt be richly rewarding, especially if it allows for the odd trip to Huish Park. We wish them both well.

WHETHER THROUGH INFORMAL CONVERSATION, A QUIET WORD HERE OR THERE, OR THE PERCEPTIVE OBSERVATIONS OFFERED THROUGH HIS MENTORSHIP, TOM HAS DISPLAYED A REAL ABILITY TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN HIS TEACHING TEAM.

Staff News | Departures

Catherine Walton Glyn Austen

Catherine Walton joined the Oakham English Department for one term of maternity cover last September, but we were glad that she was able to extend her stay for the remainder of the year, picking up both EAL teaching and also continuing to look after her Form 3 English set. She now moves on to a full-time position at Leicester Grammar School, where she will undoubtedly flourish. Catherine rapidly made her mark in the department, so much so that she soon seemed to be a longstanding member of the team. She is a vibrant, organised and insightful teacher, who has been an asset to English. We wish her every success in the future.

Steph has graced the School on two occasions; once as Theatre Fellow (2015–16) and this last year as a full-time teacher in the Drama Department. From the very beginning (on both occasions) she threw herself into every aspect of School life with enormous enthusiasm. She has shown

a high degree of dedication to her teaching both in Lower School but also picking up GCSE sets and meticulously preparing them for their recent examinations. She has proved to be an immensely loyal and supportive colleague, who will be much missed. We wish her well as she returns to teach fulltime in her beloved Wales!

Colin Wretham Vic Russell

Andrew West Simon Piggott

Andrew joined the School 10 years ago, having worked for Barclays Group Finance, initially in Bournemouth and then, for over 17 years, in Canary Wharf. Both his wife and daughter were teachers, so when the role came up in 2009, Andrew decided to forgo the rather long commute from Market Harborough to Canary Wharf to join Oakham School and work in the world of education. And how lucky we have been!

Viewing Oakham as a business, we have around £25million of turnover, over 550 staff on payroll requiring paying, 11,000 invoices a year to process, bursaries to manage, management accounts to prepare, statutory accounts to prepare (for four entities), budgets to set and monitor, Trustees to report to and auditors to satisfy annually.

Andrew has managed this with incredible efficiency, diligence and, of course, the meticulousness that one associates with a Chartered Accountant; all this is topped off with an excellent and dry sense of humour. He fully recognised from the start that his role was to ensure we keep the rapidly spinning wheels of this busy school whirring and that not every member of staff in the organisation might have matters financial or commercial uppermost in their mind. He is very well liked by his hardworking Finance Team and the teaching and support staff body more generally. His daughter is married to a German and now living in Berlin with a young grandson, so Andrew is hoping to be a little more flexible at getting over to visit his family. He has been busy watching Deutschland 83 and Deutschland 86 to pick up some German.

When asked when exactly he is leaving,

Stephanie Williams Gilly Norell

In 2002 Colin Wretham left the exciting and cosmopolitan surroundings of The International School of Yokohama for the somewhat less exotic world of Oakham School. Coping well with the culture shock, he soon established himself as a stalwart member of the Mathematics Department, teaching at all levels from Lower School to Further Maths A-level and Higher Level IB Diploma. His work ethic and extensive subject knowledge have been an example to all. His ability to explain Maths in a clear and logical manner will have been valued by the legions of Oakhamians that he has taught over the years.

Outside of the classroom, he has played a pivotal role in the development of football at Oakham, especially the girls’ team, which he started and then managed for a number of years. He has also been instrumental in the development of both tennis and squash at Oakham and he played a massively important supporting role in the development and running of the school database system.

But it is, perhaps, as a genuinely caring and supportive tutor in Peterborough House, and latterly Sargants, that he will be mostly fondly remembered.

Never one to seek the limelight, Colin has impressed us all with his can-do attitude and willingness to “get things done” without fuss or drama. He leaves us with our best wishes as he sets sail again to the Far East – this time to the British International School of Thailand on the beautiful island of Phuket.

He is very well liked by his hard-working Finance Team and the teaching and support staff body more generally.

Andrew generously answers two weeks after his successor starts, to ensure a smooth handover of the reins. Wir wünschen ihm viel Glück und viel Spass in der Zukunft!

A GENUINELY CARING AND SUPPORTIVE TUTOR IN PETERBOROUGH HOUSE, AND LATTERLY SARGANTS, THAT HE WILL BE MOSTLY FONDLY REMEMBERED 137

Staff News | Departures

oakham.rutland.sch.uk

ALSO LEAVING THIS YEAR Arthur Allain Sarah Angove

Arthur has enjoyed the speaking classes with pupils from Form 1 to Form 7.

He has encouraged pupils to speak, and his gentle manner has helped pupils of all levels to increase their confidence. He has enjoyed the extra French activities, such as the Christmas Market (where his lighting expertise and photographic abilities were most appreciated!), French film evenings and story-time with Form 1. We wish him good luck for the next stage in his career.

Anna Brew Gilly Norell

Anna joined us fresh from her Combined Honours: English and Music Degree at Newcastle University and has been involved in many of the aspects of this busy department, readily and willingly undertaking a wide variety of projects. Her work in building, technical and logistical support to the many productions we offer will be greatly missed as will her unflappable good humour and infectious optimism. We wish her well in all that she goes on to do.

Her work in building, technical and logistical support to the many productions we offer will be greatly missed as will her unflappable good humour and infectious optimism.

Simona Fresia-Farelly Richard Breag

Simona is calm, hardworking, fun-loving, proactive and the students love her lessons. She has been an immense help this year and has always given her all. Simona’s passion for Italian is contagious and we are truly thankful for all that she has done. We would like to wish her nothing but the very best for the future.

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Zoe Kempf-Harris Glyn Austen and Pippa Gibbs

Benedict Richardson Peter Davis

Zoe arrived in September fresh from Yale with a huge enthusiasm for all things British. She has embraced her time here, visiting literary and historical sites as much as possible, alongside her work with students applying to university in the USA. In the English Department, she has participated in many lessons by co-teaching, assisting and even taking the lead on several occasions; her scholarship is already impressive, and she will undoubtedly go from strength to strength as she returns to post-graduate study in the USA. We wish her a fond farewell, with thanks.

As Oakham’s Graduate Musician, Ben has thrown himself into the musical life of the School, as well as being a dedicated Resident Tutor in School House. Particular highlights have been his solo jazz piano recital in January, and his tireless contributions to the Middle School Musical in May. He has been a supportive and good-humoured colleague in the Department and his work alongside Steve Foster and the Big Band has been particularly appreciated, and he took on new departmental duties during the Director of Music’s sabbatical. We wish Ben well as he begins his postgraduate studies in Music Therapy in September 2019.

Coline Mazars Sarah Angove

Anne Seiwald Phillipa Sykes

Coline is passionate about all things political, cultural and literary, and straightaway bonded with Forms 6 and 7, who have to be able to debate all things French for their A-level and IB exams! She has thoroughly enjoyed preparing stimulating resources for the pupils, and has engaged in all sorts of extra-curricular linguistic events. She has also attended Politics lessons, in order to help improve her English even further, and increase her grasp of political knowledge. We wish Coline all the best as she returns to France to further her studies.

Rubén Payan Cameron Pauls

A qualified teacher with a Masters in How to Teach Foreign Languages, Rubén was more than qualified for the role of Language Assistant. Rubén has worked meticulously to prepare our exam class students for their oral exams at all levels, making the lessons both enjoyable and productive. Rubén has also been a huge support for his colleagues in the Department and the wider School – supporting the Form 2 trip to London and coaching Lower School football. A teacher of exceptional qualities, it is no surprise that Rubén leaves us to join the teaching profession as a full-time teacher of Spanish and we thank him for all his hard work and friendship and wish him all the very best as he takes up his post at Nottingham Free School.

Anne has been a fantastic addition to the German Department. She has not only worked tirelessly to help prepare pupils for their speaking exams but has supported the Department in many other ways: helping to organise a Christmas Market, an Easter Egg hunt, ensuring the displays are up to date, and teaching some Form 3 lessons. Anne has made the most of her time here – watching school plays, observing lessons in Politics and English, walking with D of E and of course travelling around the UK. Anne has been so much more than a language assistant and we wish her all the very best and hope to see her in Heidelberg next year.

MG Taylor Tim Weston

Mary-Gwynedd Taylor, more specifically known as MG, has been a welcome addition to the DT Department. She has assisted with the teaching of DT across all year groups and had special responsibility for overseeing the Lower School Starpack project entries. She has collated information and aided the layout of the Department’s Oakhamian magazine pages and ensured the Speech Day exhibitions ran smoothly. At Christmas MG (and Binks!) moved in to Buchanans as a Resident Tutor where she has helped maintain a steady ship.

Her dedication, commitment and contribution to the running of the Department will be greatly missed.

We wish her the very best for the future as she takes up permanent employment in the USA.

01572 758758 • admissions@oakham.rutland.sch.uk • www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk