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ORLUMNI AUTUMN 2023

14 A CRICKETER’S DREAM

JAMIE'S JOURNAL

46 ALUMNI EVENT

CONTENTS

3. 4. 12. 14. 20. 28. 37. 44. 46. 48. 53. 54..

welcome headmaster's address editor's comment A cricketer’s dream sports round up Jamie's Journal - christmas festivities Drama music Alumni Event orley Farm Association autumn Term House Winners dates for the diary

EDITORIAL CHETAN SHAH Editor

SARA PADALINO Editorial assistant

TIM CALVEY photographer

MATTHEW KING social media

JAS BIRDI communications

WELCOME Welcome to another issue, we have now become established into the Orley Farm School after 3 years of work.

CONTRIBUTORS Tim Calvey, Stephen Bloom, catherine godet, Rebecca Gascoigne, keith ford, TANVI patel

SUBSCRIPTIONS

We will continue to retain those connections with our leavers and build on them – as always you are invited to many of the events at Orley and there will be more to look forward to in 2024! We continue to hear of how well our Orlumni are progressing on their various individual journeys and happy to be able to share some of these stories with you so please continue to send in your stories and updates so we can include them in future publications. CHETAN SHAH Editor ORLUMNI@ORLEYFARM.HARROW.SCH.UK WWW.ORLEYFARM.HARROW.SCH.UK

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE https://orleyfarm.firefly cloud.net/membership/m embership-form

headmaster's address I write this having enjoyed the Christmas Celebration up at Harrow in their stunning and newly refurbished Speech Room. It offered a wonderful hour to reflect on a busy term whilst being immersed in the music and messages of the season. With over 120 Upper School pupils performing and the entire room joining in the hymns, it made for the perfect end to this busy but hugely productive term.

As you will know, in the simplest terms, Orley Farm is founded on 3 pillars – ‘Pastoral Life’, ‘Academic Life’ and ‘Life Beyond’ with our whole community contributing to these 3 pillars. In September we launched a new initiative called ‘OrleyX’, that falls squarley into the ‘Life Beyond’ pillar. The concept came from lessons learnt in the pandemic and feedback from pupils, parents and teachers over this time. We have great facilities with ambitious plans to develop our provision further and OrleyX taps into this by bringing coaches and instructors into our after-school programme. Later term 26 clubs were added with over 300 pupils staying at school to develop and learn new interests. Adding temporary floodlights to our Astro was a game changer when the clocks went back as we gained 10 hours of additional coaching time! Our aim is that pupils continue to broaden their interests but also that weekends might contain more family time as a result!

As many of you will remember, there are a whole host of lunchtime hobbies run by teachers and these continue alongside OrleyX – there were 27 such clubs this term with over 375 pupils involved and that was just from Middle and Upper School! Busy people tend to be interesting people and I have no doubt that Orleyans are making the most of what’s on offer; indeed, a number of pupils continue to set up and run their own weekly clubs and hobbies! TIM CALVEY Headmaster

We have had enquires about how people can give back to the school where they have had a joyful time. There are various things that you can donate towards or you can assign your donation to particular part of the school of your choice. E.g. Planting a tree, Sports, Music, Drama, Bursary, Scholarhship fund, General donation etc.

If you would like to make a donation to the Orlumni or to Orley Farm School please email us at ORLUMNI@ORLEYFARM.HARROW.SCH.UK and we can provide you with more information and on how to make a donation.

73 Orleyans died in WWI & WWII We shall remember them

SEARCHING FOR MEANING

"CHRISTMAS IS DOING A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA FOR SOMEONE." CHARLES M. SCHULZ

editor's comment So, the end of 2023 and after nearly 3

I had the opportunity to meet and

years of work into to the Orlumni

chat with many of students born

project we feel that this has been

04/05 academic year and who had

firmly established in the school. We

received their A-level results and so

now have a programme (which we

we were able to reconnect them. It

will continue to improve) for Orlumni

was great to hear about their life after

and being able to invite them back for

Orley and now embarking on the next

events.

stage of their lives and the various paths they had chosen.

In this issue you will find great

These are challenging times but these

experience of cricketer living the

students seem best placed to deal

dream! Myself having a daughter who

with what they will face.

plays cricket can relate to this. Jamie shares how life at Orley as a boarding school was like in the run up to Christmas, the decorations they created and the games they played – not sure if we should reintroduce some of these!

CHETAN SHAH Editor

Joie de Vivre!

A CRICKETER’S DREAM by Ranvir Puri

Playing a cricket match at Lord’s, regardless of age, is every cricketers dream and I got to realise that dream on Sunday the 2nd of September with my teammates from Ealing CC. We were playing the U13 National Finals against Didsbury CC, a team from Manchester. I could barely sleep the previous night with all the excitement of being able to play at Lords as well as the nervousness of playing in a national final. I can safely say that this was the case for most people playing the next day. We arrived at Lord’s early with our families. The teams were taken for a conducted tour of Lord’s. We were taken around the media centre, the players dressing rooms, the Lord’s museum and the historic Long Room before being treated to a delicious lunch in the player’s dining area, just before the match began. We got to hear so many stories about cricketers that have walked those famous steps.

The final was a low scoring nail biter, with Ealing CC winning the match by 1 wicket in the final over. The rollercoaster of emotions – the setbacks, the grit, the nervy moments and the ultimate relief & the sheer high that I experienced, as did my teammates at that point of time, cannot be explained in words. As I imagine the despair of Didsbury players felt like too. Receiving the winners medal and trophy in the members pavilion in front of the Long Room, will be a moment none of us will ever forget in our lifetimes. It was time to celebrate and we did!

sports round-up U8 COUGARS

Boys’ Games - Football 1st IX Captain: Kayan Varsani 1st IX Player of the Season: Ibrahim Sadiq Colts A Player of the Season: Ralph Hutchinson U9 Football Shield: Aaron Patel U8 Football Shield: Shaan Patel

St. Jude Cup (Most Improved Footballer): Akhil De Silva (Colts B-E!) Golden Boot: Veer Hirani (3rd IX – 20 goals It has been an absolutely bumper term of football here at Orley Farm. As a school, we have played 123 matches, with every boy from Years 3-8 representing the school, and 103 different boys have combined to score the 353 goals we have scored in these matches! Our most successful teams were our 1st, 2nd and 3rd IXs as they combined to win 21 of the 32 matches they played. Highlights of our excellent 1st team’s season were a 4-1 win at Lochinver House, where Player of the Season Ibrahim Sadiq scored all four goals, and a thrilling 4-3 win at Edge Grove, where Samuel Davey scored an outstanding hattrick.

1ST IX SQUAD AFTER THEIR 2-0 WIN AT MERCHANT TAYLORS’ PREP

sports round-up

U9 RED ROCKETS Special mention also goes to our U9 teams as they recorded some fantastic results in their three sets of matches with Durston House, St. Martin’s and St. Margaret’s. We also hosted our annual U13 and U11 Orley Farm Football Tournaments in the first half of term and competed well in the U13 and U11 Durston House 6-a-side Football Tournaments in November. House matches, as always, were a real highlight of the term with Hopkins winning the Senior House Cup (Years 7 and 8), Hastings emerging victorious in the Junior House Cup (Years 5 and 6) and Hopkins taking the spoils in the Year 3 competition. Mr Bloom – Head of Boys’ Games

sports round-up In August a group of 10 OFS pupils attended a residential hockey camp at Oundle School run by Future Sports Camp. The girls learned many new skills which they demonstrated in their matches at school. The hockey season started well with a pre-season hockey tournament in early September. The U11 A hockey team gave strong performances in all fixtures and were runners up in the St. Benedict's U11 Tournament in October. The hockey season finished with the House Competition; Hopkins won the Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 matches with Julians winning the Year 6 competition. Ms Godet – Head of Girls’ Games

OFS pupils at Future Sports Hockey Camp

OFS PUPILS WITH ENGLAND HOCKEY PLAYER HOLLY HUNT FORWARD - SENIOR WOMEN

Jamie's Journal

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES by Jamie Freedman

The end of the Christmas Term was a very special time – particularly for the boarders. The excitement would usually begin the morning of a late Sunday in November; “Stir up Sunday.” After breakfast that Sunday morning, instead of leaving the Dining Room by the swing doors we would queue up by the door at the back of the room that led to the kitchen corridor. One at a time we were handed a huge wooden spoon and took out turn to give the Christmas Pudding mix a stir. It was a thick, viscous confection which required, even as a senior boy, both hands and much effort to stir. It was a slowly executed rite but very important. It meant that the Boarder’s Christmas Party would not now be far away.

There was still much of the preparations for Christmas still to be encountered and contributed to in Art lessons all the efforts would be focussed on making paper chains as well as cardboard and coloured tissue paper lanterns. Both would be used to decorate our dormitories and the upstairs corridor over the next few weeks. Those of us who had not yet had our torches confiscated earlier in the term (for using them illegally after lights-out) were allowed them upstairs on the one evening when we’d hung the lanterns. This was so that, for a brief period immediately after lights-out, we could insert our torch in at lanterns, turn it and admire the overall effect. Only two minutes or so of this extravaganza was permitted before we had to retrieve our torches, relocate them to the shelf above our bed and promise not to touch them again until morning when they were to be taken back downstairs and restored to our lockers.

Nevertheless, switching on our illuminations was always an awe-inspiring moment of great expectation, beauty and wonder. So wondrous was this evening that I’ll just note that even the lights of Oxford Street, which I was taken to see some years later, whilst most colourful and better executed than anything we’d come up with didn’t inspire such feelings of goodwill as that I’d experienced at school. I suspect I don’t need to mention that more torches were confiscated that evening than on any other during the whole year. Some boys were simply unable to make good on their collective promise at such an exciting time.

Another signal that the Boarder’s Party wasn’t far away was the appearance of wonderful “stained glass” fluorescent lights in the ceiling of the Gym (which, of course, was also used for Morning Assembly and Sunday Evensong when it was held at the school on alternate weeks). The Art Department, no doubt with the assistance of Henry, the Caretaker, would remove the flat frosted shades from these enormous fittings, cunningly place bits of coloured, transparent plastic in them and then return them to in front of the lamps. I used to believe that the Headmaster’s wife, in an act of charity, had spent the whole year consuming Quality Street chocolates so she could save up the cellophane wrappers for just this purpose. In my mind it accounted for her considerable size and weight. Many of my friends didn’t agree with me and had other explanations for her ungainly large extent. Any paperchains spare from the dormitory decorating were donated to the Gym which left it looking super but probably resulting in a much larger fire hazard than it did normally. I believe our old wooden gym has been replaced now by something more modern and substantial but that ancient, somewhat smelly structure, holds many Christmas (and other) memories for me. I was fortunate enough to be in the School Choir in those days. On the basis I could sing up a scale (given sufficient warning and preparation) the Music Teacher admitted my treble voice into its ranks. I don’t make fun of this lightly. The Music Teacher was, I now know, one of the greatest teachers I ever had. It was her who taught me to play the piano, sing not just sacred choral works but also songs from the musicals and Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas not to mention developing my love of music all of which, much later, allowed me to earn a proper living and from which I derive great pleasure even now. Once a week the Choir would gather in the big Music Room over in Oakmead and practice for the Carol Service. We loved the Christmas Carols and, in particular, the Wilcox descants which, those of us with high enough voices, were taught. I’m fortunate to direct a choir now and still use and love those descants.

The evening of the Carol Service the Choir would hurry to the Woodwork room to dress in our red cassocks, white surplices and ruffs and hang our Choir medals round our necks on the appropriate coloured ribbon reflecting our experience. We loved all the dressing up and precessing in and out of the service both when we were performing in the Gym or up on “The Hill” at St Mary’s. For the Carol Service, held in the Gym, we were given a lighted candle with a circular cardboard wax guard to carry in. This was safer than one might imagine as most candles went out on the short, outside journey from the Woodwork room to the Gym but, nevertheless, the thought was there and each of us tried to look angelic despite merely bearing wisps of smoke and smouldering black wicks. I’m not sure how angelic any of us would have been at any other time during the school year but, of course, Christmas was special and a particular effort was briefly made. Then, at last, and just before the end of the term was the Boarder’s Christmas Party. As its name implies this was for boarders only and was kept a strict secret by us from the day boys whom we imagined had something similar each evening when they arrived home from school and were, therefore, spoilt and would be unappreciative of our jollity. The Boarder’s Christmas Party began at tea. For the only time in the year we were served hamburgers and chips. At no other time was such subversive and disapproved fare even contemplated. Every mouthful of this savoury was tasted with delight even though the burgers came out of a tin (and I suspect boiled rather than fried) while the chips, the number of which could be counted on one hand, were little, soggy white sponges of warm oil. This marvellous course was followed by Christmas Pudding, the very one we’d all stirred up a few weeks earlier, and custard (of the thin, barely yellow type). Simply wonderful!

Immediately the tables were cleared we were into the first game organised by the PE Master. He was a popular chap despite his unhealthy habit for making us shin up ropes, hang precariously from wall-bars and jump over large, high obstacles for the rest of the year. “Hunt the Peas!” Dried peas had been concealed about the place and the boy who could return to him with the most after twenty minutes won a much valued prize – a boiled sweet. Bounds for the enterprise were set; we not allowed to search upstairs but all the classrooms, corridors and changing room downstairs were permitted. Having been at the school for a few years I learnt that the best places to find dried peas were under the radiators and on shelves above a ten-year old’s eye lines. Whether they were this year’s peas or those of Christmas Past didn’t matter; only the number retrieved. After the excitement of the pea hunt we returned to the gym for an enormous game of musical chairs. The Music Teacher played the piano as we marched rapidly round the long line of back-to-back chairs. When she stopped you ran for a seat. At each turn, a few seats were removed. Those of us who played rugby had a certain advantage in this game despite the close and strict supervision. They quite sensibly stopped the game before getting down to one chair which might have resulted in serious injury for the losing player so several boiled sweets were won in this game by several players.

CONTINUED

“NO MAN IS A FAILURE WHO HAS FRIENDS." IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Health and safety seemed less of an issue back then than it is now so the next game was “British Bulldogs.” I expect you know how to play that but it’s simply described. Everyone, except a couple who are “it” reside at one end of the Gym. The task of the starting majority, when given the “go”, is to run to the other end without being caught by the “its” in the middle. Being caught involves being lifted bodily off the ground (or more probably being crashed into it). If you are caught then you join the “its” in the middle for the next run. Those who are older and larger have a distinct advantage in this game though, no matter how large or old one might be, it is no fun being the last one left running and everyone, but everyone, else in the middle waiting to catch you. A boiled sweet is of little recompense in this situation. I always arranged to be caught before the end of this particular game when the safety in numbers position switched from the end of the room to the middle.

There were other games too such as pass the enormous parcel. The last wrapping of this revealed, you guessed it, a boiled sweet. It must have taken weeks to wrap this single, small comestible. I could just imagine them undertaking the task in the Staff Room at every morning and afternoon break and all for the benefit of one of us. And then there was disposing of all that wrapping paper at the end. You couldn’t help be grateful. The party finished with “Auld Lang Syne.” We all joined hands to form a massive circle (or more like an ellipse given the proportions of the Gym). The Music Teacher played the piano and we sang. At the chorus we’d all rush, still holding hands, to the centre of the room and out again in vague time to the accompaniment. Several grudges left over from British Bulldogs could be exorcised surreptitiously in the chorus and often were. After the final chorus the juniors were ushered off to bed and the seniors had a short period of Prep in rooms one and two off the main corridor. Silence at this Prep was, as usual, expected but not, very wisely, on this occasion strictly insisted upon. A similar exception seemed to made for the “no talking” rule after lights out. Whilst very much unlike the depiction of a boarding school in the Harry Potter stories, Orley Farm has given me such marvellous and wonderful memories as well as such an enviable and lasting education who would have wanted to have gone to Hogwarts? Not me!

drama Ooh Arrgh Me Hearties! This is always a wonderful time as the buzz and energy of ‘theatre’ reaches into the school – signs go up calling for silence...’performance in progress’! Senior pupils walk past, reminiscing over their recollections of their Middle School play and the highlights and improvisations that had to be made on the night! Earlier in that week, we had invited pupils from Grange Primary School to join the Pre-Prep audience – watching their faces was magical as they immersed themselves in a story of adventure. We then moved into the matinee performance in which it was so special to have many grandparents joining us. And then came the final night – a special supper in the Hub before parents arrived. Last minute notes from the Director, inviting the cast to give their all and then the hush of expectation before that curtain opens signalling the start of an unstoppable roller coaster! We were treated to a fantastic finale, there was something for everyone, including tears of laughter and I dare say emotion too! A huge thank you to Mr Ford for inspiring the Y3 chorus to give their all as well as preparing the singers and to Mrs Gascoigne for gearing the rehearsals perfectly, allowing 120 children to raise the roof at the back of a long term!

RECEPTION NATIVITY PERFORMANCE

At JLS we competed in a field of teams where some have been building since June! Three teams even attended from Turkey, so it was a strong international field. Our pairing ranked 5th in the finals. While our expectations were realistic on outcomes, we had a mission to learn as much as we can. Our two robots, Marvin and Talos, will be completely redesigned, rebuilt and renamed.

Music In addition to learning lots of music in class, the children were busy preparing for performances across the school this term. Over half of the children in Year 2 started lessons on orchestral instruments this term, with the favourite instruments still violin and flute.

We continue to offer one-to-one lessons on cello, clarinet,

saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, cornet, trombone, baritone, euphonium, tuba, guitar, drum, tuned percussion and piano. The Year 1 and Year 2 children ended the term with a ‘Big Sing’ of Christmas songs for their parents: He came down, Joy to the world, Away in a manger, Jingle Bells, and then We wish you a merry Christmas in BSL (with singing of course!). The choirs in Upper School, the Senior Choir, the Year 5 Choir and the Chamber Choir, worked very hard on music for the Christmas Celebration Concert at Harrow School Speech Room, which took place on the final Thursday of term. We were joined by a professional organist and rhythm section, and a 10-strong group of pupils playing brass and wind instruments. The theme of this year’s concert was ‘Children, go where I send thee’, and the children also prepared many Christmas carols for it, including: Joy to the world, Once in royal David’s city, Aaya Masih duniya mei tu, O come all ye faithful, and Hark the herald angels sing. Mr Ford - Director of Music

Alumni Event Reconnection for students born 04/05 academic year - 22nd August 2023 After A-Level results were released this summer, we welcomed back our Orleyans to bring them together for a reminder of what really matters – friendships! What a lovely group, it was a real joy to spend time listening to them reminiscing. Their stories continue with a raft of universities listed in our guest book… Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Coventry, Imperial, Loughborough, LSE, Oxford, Manchester, Manchester Met, Nottingham, UCL & Warwick. But what interested me the most was the list of courses… Aerospace Engineering, Business & Law, Design Engineering, Economics, English literature, Fashion Communication, Finance Accounting & Management, History, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Neuroscience & Psychology, Politics and Sociology. And this was from 21 school leavers who were able to join us – I would love to hear from the other 45 from that year group! I’ll be honest, the evening quickly returned to Orley values with 21 eighteen-year-olds wanting to play football in the Main Pitch as the sun set on another day…

OFA events Social evening We started the autumn term in full steam with the OFA Social Evening! It was wonderful to see our current and prospective parents coming together to celebrate the Orley Community. The first social in the well-being hub was a great success with an excellent turnout.

Macmillan's Coffee afternoon - bake sale A massive thank you to the school, staff, parents and the children who bought in their baked goods for our Macmillan’s coffee afternoon And together raised a total of £1014.91. We are truly grateful to a special parent who baked last minute on the day to make sure no child went home disappointed.

OFA events Fireworks Night Storm Ciarán had its own plans and unfortunately, for the first time in years, the weather stopped us in our path. It wasn’t an easy decision to cancel our most awaited Fireworks event. However, the support from the school community enabled us to reschedule the magical fireworks night with a few new changes! A massive thank you to everyone for attending and supporting this night. The sound of excitement when the fireworks started, the laughter and talks all around the ground, children running around playing with their glow toys was absolutely fabulous to see. It was wonderful to see so many families and friends reunite and socialise in what was a different setting. We were also delighted to have the teachers and other members of staff join us for a well deserved evening. A big Thank You to Mr Evans for making it even more magical with the soundtrack and for Mr Calvey showing us his creative skills with face painting.

OFA events Christmas fair Christmas Fair: It was lovely to see a chilly winter afternoon filled with laughter and joy from the children and families enjoying the open air ice rink, festive activities: Arts & Crafts, Face painting, the beautiful woodland themed Giving Grotto, Tombola, Raffle and Food & Drink. In true Orley style, our children were presented with an opportunity to display their skills and raise money for various charities. All these events are only possible with the support and commitment from our parents who volunteer their time. Looking forward to an exciting 2024!

Tanvi OFA Chair & the OFA Team 2022-2023

HOPKINS - HOUSE WINNERS

Dates for the diary OTHER EVENTS OFA QUIZ NIGHT Friday 15th March 2024 7pm-10pm