The Tauntonian 2012 by phil griffiths

It 'RI Pi 20

Art / Photography

Drama

Music

Cultural Studies

Creative Writing

Chapel

History of Art

TS Foundation

Debating

Boarding

Junior Academics Society

Fairwater

John Rae Society

Weirfield

HAPL

Wills East

Global Society

Wills West

The Lisk

Woodyer

Bridge

Bevan

Young Enterprise

Besley

Rugby

Evans

Hockey (Boys)

Goodland

Hockey (Girls)

Marshall

Netball

Jenkin

Badminton

Sixth Form

Basketball

TSI

Golf

Staff leaving

Cricket

Business Studies and Economics

Tennis Girls

Classics

Tennis Boys

Athletics

100

English

Swimming

101

Geography

Riding

102

Geology

Dance

103

Staff joining

A CCF Army

104

History

rorra CCF Navy

105

Leisure Studies

Igl CCF RAF

106

Mathematics

Trek Force

107

Modern Foreign Languages

Ten Tors

108

ICT

The Duke of Edinburgh Award

109

Psychology

Australian Exchange

110

Religion and Philosophy

China Trip

111

Science

Ski Trips

112

Rugby Tour

113

Ayr *T A Headmaster Says STA Heads of School 01,1 School Charities

ill

Fringe Benefits I have never been one to shirk my deadlines, but I always ask for an extension for this Tauntonian piece for the simple reason that Commemoration does not usually signify the end of the academic year. This August, for example, I was privileged to attend a performance of The Musicians at the Fringe in Edinburgh. This is the second year that the Taunton School Drama Department has performed in the festival and I must say, the experience for our pupils, not just the audience, was impressive. While the hockey players have their national tournaments to aspire to, and the musicians have the national orchestras and choirs to recognise their considerable talents, drama has perhaps lacked that glamorous dimension. Not any more. Building on the glorious and memorable production in the summer of Phantom of the Opera, plus the other theatrical experiences we have enjoyed all year, the Fringe has given our pupils the chance to sell their wares to a far tougher audience. The exposure to competition for punters has been so healthy for them and they will return ready to give sharper and stronger performances in the future.

A Art

Such experiences gave me pause for thought about how we cope with the elite as well as the less talented pupil. This is a particularly apt time to ponder this. We see an U6 depart that has smashed records and delivered events for the school in a way that has rarely been matched. We are also in the throes of the national debate about how to spend our sports funding - for greater success at Rio 2016 or to support the workaday sports person, the one who needs the facilities and encouragement to enjoy unspectacular but worthy athletic pursuits?

I find elitism per se distasteful. It is so tempting for some in schools to see a new astro as the preserve of the A teams or the concerts the sole platform for the talented. The founding values of Taunton School however are definitely against that. We were founded to be for the whomsoever. While we give every encouragement to the gifted athlete or artist, we must always remember that all pupils should have access to the facilities and expertise on offer. That is one of the reasons we changed our sports afternoon many years ago so that TPS and TS pupils did sports on different days. How could 800 pupils and therefore 400 boys share one astro on one short afternoon in February? The same applies to our academic work. Our GCSE results will not rival those of selective schools. Our 47% A/A* at GCSE and our performance in A level at A* (11 %) will not look good next to a Westminster. However, we have so many pupils who have excelled beyond what they thought they could achieve. They have surprised themselves with joy when compared to what they would have done elsewhere. Our calculation of added value stretches well beyond the academic - to the theatre and to the sports pitch, to the parade ground and dispatch box, to the workshops in DT or the studios in Art. I want all pupils to be well rounded, while not being frightened of encouraging our top performers to go to great heights. It is a conscious and universally applauded approach at TS and one that I admire and support. So do enjoy your read of all the various events that are described here. Remember that many of these young people were inexperienced in their fields of endeavour, but due to the good offices of TS staff and, for many, TPS staff before them, they can say that they appreciate art, have been in a play or concert and developed an athletic dimension that will stand them in good stead for the future. Such qualities make for a life well lived and an education beyond the norm.

Hea

They say that time flies when you're having fun, and whilst this may be seen by many as yet another cliched expression, it certainly holds true at Taunton School. Whether its been sport, music, RAG Week, drama, debating, or dance the programme of activities this year has advanced with lightning speed, and to great success. We have been privileged to be part of a very talented year group, one that has led the school to new heights throughout its time here. This year was no exception with a second consecutive, record breaking, unbeaten hockey season for the boys, who yet again attended the national finals, and also won the inaugural Wessex League. The girls recorded success throughout the year, narrowly missing out on a place at the Hockey Nationals, and finishing on a high with an unbeaten tennis season. Taunton School prides itself on the breadth of its extra curricular calendar, and rightly so, however success also came academically this year: Lewis Chinery, Roger Kim and James Evry will all be taking up places at Oxford University come October. All three fought off strong competition for their places, and our congratulations go to them. Well done to everyone else who recieved offers and the best of luck for your studies. Dr Newton's catchphrases this year have continued to ensue unabated. Two we picked up on were "global citizens" and "cultured". Both of these have, to some extent, been implemented in the school's development plan this year. It has been common to find statues and sculptures springing into place at an ever-increasing rate throughout the year, and on a larger scale whole buildings have appeared at times. Wills East has gained an annex, as well as an extension. Woodyer was opened, to help

cater for the increase in boarding numbers, and has settled seamlessly into the school backdrop. Most recently a whole new section of the school was created in the form of The Grange. Who knows what's in the pipeline for next year? These expansions have caused topic for debate and have certainly got people talking, fuelled and advertised further by the TS expansion into social networking. The outcry of the year however must go to the "Low Tea Vs. Wi-Fi" scandal, which raged for a whole term before the Senior Management decided to appease the riotous crowds by offering both, as well as a second trip to China. It is a satisfying thought that we are now able to leave Taunton School with a global outlook, updating our Pads anywhere on the campus, with a flapjack in hand. Consequently, it is no wonder that Taunton School produces such happy and talented students. It might also explain why we shall remember this place, and the people that make it so special, with both fondness and admiration. Thank you all. Charlotte Pickard and Hugh Wilman

Charities

OVER the past academic year, Taunton School has been raising money for our chosen charities which were: 'Changing Faces', a charity dealing with facial disfigurements and the CRY Rwanda Project.

Carol Manley is pleased to announced that through fundraising from by ventures ranging from mufti days to cake sales to RAG week and fun runs, Taunton School has raised the amazing amount of more than over an amazing £6,000, not only for our chosen charities, but for other deserving causes as well. Some of these included: £1,100 has been donated to Changing Faces, where the money will be put towards the skin camouflage treatment to the centres in Taunton and Exeter. £1,100, has been donated to the CRY Rwanda Project. This money will go towards the building of a small building which will becentre for training teachers and continuing education for children in Kigali, who otherwise would stop schooling at 12 twelve years of age. £1,000, has been donated to the Katie Piper Fund through the Leisure Studies Fashion Show. £510, has been donated to Breakthrough Cancer through the CAS Football Match.

cont...

£500, has been raised from the successful `Zumbathon' that will beand donated to Leukaemia Research and Breast Cancer Research. £400 has been used to purchase a wheelchair for Dylan Earle's cousin. £213 has been more, donated further to Leukaemia Research through a staff wine tasting event. Other smaller donations have been made to Africa Food Fund, Cancer Research, MacMillan, Billie's Butterfly Fund, Oxfam and Tear Fund. This is a great result from all the Senior students' innovative ideas. Sophie Erskine from Changing Faces and Rev Ray Avent from the Rwanda Project were more than happy to accept the cheques given to them by the School. The Chosen Charities for next year will be Go Commando and Bisee Books, a charity set up in memory of Lizzie Pincock, a longstanding, much-loved member of the school and Head of Weirfield House; Lizzie and four other girls were killed in a road accident in Ecuador at the start of their gap year. Their families have set up Bisee Books to raise money to provide books for children in Ecuador who would otherwise struggle to find material to read. Go Commando is dear to the heart of everyone in Taunton who supports our Marines and their families based at Norton Manor Camp. Moonraker Challenge Taunton School entered 20 students this year to compete in the Moonraker Challenge in the Autumn Term. The event is a 15-mile walk over Exmoor and all three teams completed the challenge with an impressive amount of points. In total over £250 was raised for the Rotary Club charities.

r _ •

I In the academic year 2011 - 2012, numerous people have contributed to make the Chapel experience week by week as varied and rich as time constraints and the limitations of the building allow. Different approaches, from the Headmaster's fast-paced challenges to Mr Todd's reflective thoughts have given us something to think about. Mr Piper intrigued us with his ingenious chariot of fire, when he talked about the background to one of the school's favourite hymns, William Blake's `Jerusalem'. We have welcomed several speakers from outside school, some of them old friends and some visiting for the first time, and their perspective from their own experience of life stimulates our thinking. In the Autumn Term, for the first time in most people's memory, we had Harvest Thanksgiving services and held a collection to give to famine relief in East Africa. Once again, Mr Brown led us in memorable Advent services and they were followed soon after by joyful carol services, when Mr Bridges and the Chapel Choir came into their own. The choir sang again in January, at a vibrant service to 'induct' Mrs Ager as Chaplain, and supported a service of `Tenebrae' in Lent.

Chapel God encompasses us in sadness as well as joy. The Chapel has also been the place this year where members of the school met together with her family and friends to remember Jemima Layzell and to thank God for the love and joy that she brought to those who knew her in the brief fourteen years of her life. The Chapel is often a place of refuge for people in the school community who need space and quiet to grapple with some grief or difficulty in their lives. Every so often, someone says 'Why do I have to go to Chapel when I'm not religious?' Chapel is not so much about 'being religious' as creating a time and space in our very busy lives to reflect on who we are and to interpret the experiences which shape us day by day. We all need to come to conclusions about faith and spirituality on the basis of knowledge and understanding, not ignorance. So we continue to offer a broad range of services in Chapel, with the intention that everyone will have a chance of experiencing something that helps them make sense of life. Rev. Ager, Chaplain

TSFoun Chair of Governors, Jane Barrie with Neil Woodyer and Headmaster, Dr John Newton

The Foundation Patron and major donor Neil Woodyer officially opened Woodyer House in March, accompanied by his wife Colleen and daughter Arianna. Speeches were made in the new girls' boarding house and a plaque was unveiled by Mr Woodyer. This was followed by a tour of the house and a celebratory luncheon in the Old Library.

The Foundation was delighted to receive a further ÂŁ300,000 from the executors of the Ian Evans-Lombe estate in support of the IB scholarship bearing his name. This means that ÂŁ1,500,000 has now been received, creating a permanent endowment, which will support two pupils a year. This will continue in perpetuity and we are immensely grateful for this incredible vote of confidence in Taunton School and the Foundation. An innovative bursary has also been established whereby the Foundation, working in close partnership with the Fulfillment Fund in Los Angeles and former Consul General and Old Tauntonian, Bob Peirce, will provide a positive, life changing experience for a motivated, inspirational and forward thinking young student from the Los Angeles area to study in our Sixth Form, starting in September 2012.

The Parental Fund once again provided magnificent support to the school through the provision of facilities such as a new dance studio, digital information screens, a social area for the middle school, extensive new theatre lighting, a new sound system for the chapel, sports equipment for the Prep School, DT equipment, support for pupil publications as well as provision for the refurbishment of the Carrington Library. The 'Astro Appeal' has been a major focus of the year, to secure funds for the desperately needed second astro pitch, to replace the existing shale pitch. This appeal was supported by a Telethon during the summer holidays. I would like to record my grateful thanks to all those who so generously supported the Taunton School Foundation during the past year, it is sincerely appreciated. Mr Longstreet Alumni and Foundation Director

It is little surprise that boarding at Taunton School continues to thrive. Facilities and activities continue to improve and the sense o community becomes ever stronger. At the top of the school we were privileged to have some very experienced, talented and committed boarders in each House. Leadership was rarely a problem and new boarders quickly picked up the ways of the school. The comprehensive programme of activities for the boarders continues to thrive. Surfing, shopping, skittling, fishing, paintballing, hiking ...plenty of variety and certainly lots of fun - and so much more! We welcomed the arrival of Woodyer House at the start of the year and were delighted to see the extra dimension that Mrs Coomber's team and girls have added to the boarding community. There was a healthy flow of traffic between Weirfield and Woodyer and the two houses adopted a stance of cooperation and respect. We are all very much in this together.

The usual suspects

Our two most longstanding Housemasters, Hugh Todd and Declan Rogers, completed distinguished terms in Wills East and Fairwater respectively. We now welcome Simon Smith, to Fairwater and David Tarr to Wills East. Thei fresh energy and experience will be grea additions to the team. In addition, we are pleased to have yet another new House name in our midst next year - `Foxcombe' returns as a House entity as we continue to embrace TSI even more closely into the school community. elcome, Foxcombe.

Boarding House Staff

at the back is realty tall

aillialiMIIIMEIM Back in September, who would have known that these were to be the last of the golden days of Fairwater? The boys were welcomed back into the house and promptly whisked off to the Exeter woods for paintballing and a barbecue. Team spirit prevailed which stood the boys in good stead for the Autumn Term's house events - the Senior rugby team made it to the final and we were narrowly defeated in House Cross Country. Despite the boys nearly poisoning the Headmaster in the Senior House Cookery Contest and the 'unsung heroes' aspect of House Singing (technical problems meant the boys could not be heard), there was much to celebrate at the end of term curry! Mr Tarr was bestowed the honour of 'the lad with the fittest girlfriend' and Jacob Needham was celebrated for his inseparable romance with... the playstation in the cellar! The boys aptly marked Lent Term by giving up trophies for forty days and forty nights, with not a single game won by Fairwater in House Hockey. However, our chapel themed on the subject of joy (the abstract noun, not our resident smiling Upper Sixth prefect) raised spirits. The Summer Term afforded much more praise for the boys, Ross Haines won the cup for best junior swimmer, with the Senior boys narrowly losing to Wills East in House Swimming. The sun shone down on House Athletics as Angus West was declared Junior Victor Ludorum and Oki Nwakohu named Senior Victor Ludorum; the seniors narrowly lost to Wills East (again!) Sam Dunn and Oliver Hamer were involved in the spectacular summer musical and it was great to see so many of our boys up on the stage for the final Head's Assembly and at Commemoration Day. As the midsummer sun sets over the grand white house, a chapter closes in the history of Fairwater House. Best wishes go to the departing Upper Sixth who take their place in a larger, more demanding world where they will be called upon to make many decisions. I am truly confident that the training they have received in Fairwater will have equipped them to face life's adventures with courage and character. Much gratitude to the prefect team, led by true Fairwater boys, Harry Speedy and Hugh Wilman. These remarkable young men are shining examples of their generation and the very best of role models to the younger ones who, in a summer of Olympic torch relays, have been handed a metaphorical fraternal

torch to pass on to future Fairwater boys. The boys will continue to be supported by Mr Baker, Mr Waller, Miss Iredale and Mr Chatterton, with many more new faces joining and leading the team - we wish them well. Who can imagine call-over without the suitably named Mr Goodhand handing out birthday treats, collecting keys and awarding house points? Good luck to him and his wife as they take over Woodyer Annexe. I suspect there will be an absence of Enya and incense sticks at evening call-overs as I move on to Berkhamsted School. A certain French charm and humour will be lost as Monsieur Fabre becomes House Assistant in Wills East, with Mr Tarr as his new boss! I suspect many of the boys will wander over there to keep in touch with him - he will make a superb Housemaster, partly due to his gifts as a true sportsman and kind gentleman, partly due to his formidable mentor, Mr Rogers. For 14 years, Declan and Annemarie have run Fairwater - boys, tutors and parents speak so glowingly of this pair, many tears were shed at their departure from those who received the very best of care from the Rogers. Old boys came back to say farewell at the end of term; I am sure they will be back to visit for many years. When I found out that I was to be a boarding tutor in Fairwater, I would never have dreamed I would experience so much in such fine company. By far, the hardest goodbyes this summer were to the Fairwater boys, I felt as though I was bidding farewell to seventy younger brothers. Long may Fairwater keep that brotherhood alive! Mr Harrison Fairwater Tutor (2009-2012)

Led by a powerful and multitalented Upper Sixth year group which provided Head Girl, Deputy Head Girl and Captains of teams in all three major games, it was clear that Weirfield could look forward to a successful year. And successful it was - on so many levels. We welcomed our friends in Woodyer and enjoyed having them across the way. Rivalry, yes, but always good natured and friendly. We even shared some teams and played each other at football. A popular change for us this year was the start of our themed Fridays. Each week we could look forward to some fun after Prep - Flat Friday, Floaty Friday, Fee's Friendless Friday, Fiery Friday ... you get the idea. These proved to be great chances to get together to eat, chat and watch movies. We enjoyed the brief return of a famous Weirfieldian- 'Binky' from Made in Chelsea. She left a few years back and has pursued a career in television but it was good to see how comfortable she was on her return and how much she said she enjoyed her time here. No surprise there! Prefects led the house brilliantly, with the expected combination of fun, inspiration and challenge. The Minehead Scramble at the start of the year set the tone and we never looked back. In House Singing, we of course gave our best, doing Bon Jovi's 'It's My Life' with our usual verve. Christmas brought its usual hilarity with the year group sketches and Woolacombe once again delivered on the fun and sun. So many good times to look back on, but at the core is the friendly, loving place that is Weirfield. We'll miss the Upper Sixth girls who have been so influential over the years. Special thanks to Cally and Flo and good luck to Kate and Ellie as they take on the challenges of the next year (and hopefully enjoy some refurbishments along the way). And as always, big thanks to the team of tutors who do so much for all of the girls. Go Weirfield! Mr Hallows

WINS EaSi "Ho use â&#x20AC;˘ spirit" And so, as another year comes to a close, we can definitely look back with fondness knowing that Wills East has once again been at the vanguard of contributing to what the school does best. This has been another memorable year for the best house in the school; there are so many stories to tell and if I were to record all of the successes of the Wills East boys over the past 12 months - winning House Singing, basketball, hockey, cross country, athletics, golf... there would have to be a book commissioned for us all on its own! I am proud to say that the positive and welcoming atmosphere in Wills East has been ever-present throughout and really is testament to the resident boys' characters as to how well accepted our new boys feel in the house. "House Spirit" as we affectionately refer to it has never waned this year despite the ups and downs and day-to-day challenges. However, in the traditional Wills East way this is epitomised in our supply of volunteers to represent the house, it is particularly admirable when perhaps a not so keen runner or debater steps up to the mark and says, 'Yes I'll give it a go for Wills East': now that is true house spirit, larger houses, take note! I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the boys to thank Mr and Mrs Todd for all that they have done for the house as they move onto pastures new after thirteen years at the helm. I also wish every success to Mr Tarr and his family as they take over the reins - I hope you will enjoy many happy years here. Special thanks to all our house tutors too - Mr Brown, Mrs Manley, Mr Hawkins, Mr Smith, Miss Marsden, Mr Finan, Mr Abell and Mr Godfrey. Finally, I must say what a great pleasure it has been to lead such a fantastic house. Matthew Wood Head of Wills East

.11UNI1111111111E

Other Heads of House will agree when I say that leading from the top is no easy task. I began the year excited for what was to come, and despite various challenges along the way, it would suffice to say that Wills West has seen one of its most successful years. This is something which I would not have been able to lead us to if it were not for the constant and invaluable support of my deputy, Elliott Scott.

Success in House Singing is something which usually evades Wills West, but this year we managed to achieve a respectable third place in the main event and second in the warm up act (Rob Clark, Ozed Opia and Jack Hespe). The boys certainly, as always, have proved their worth when it comes to team events (but not to forget the individual efforts), as shown by the fact we were once again crowned champions of house bridge, the prestigious Senior House Debating, as well as Senior and Junior Chess. Here the skills of George and Kevin in debating, together with that of Jason Gu in house bridge, really became apparent. In addition, the perseverance of those in Ten Tors (Joe O'Neill, Elliott Scott and Matt Roberts) is something to be hugely admired. Trees for goal posts

Unfortunately, house rugby did not turn out to be such a triumph; both the junior and Senior house teams missed out on a podium finish despite the tremendous agility and speed provided by the likes of Elliot Blanchfield and Rory Harrison. This, however, was almost inevitable considering the lack of depth of rugby players throughout the house. Similarly, we were outplayed in House Tennis. Although, the contributions of players like

Mr Pugh giving advice to Benji

Benji Mazin-Atfield and Sam Tapp must not be overlooked, even in the face of defeat. Yet Wills West is not just about sporting failure; we saw success in house hockey, as we won with a 'Wills combined' team at the Senior level. Here, the contribution of Rob David, George Hallas, and Joe O'Neill proved critical in ensuring a Wills' victory. On the same note of success, we performed well in cross country, in which, whilst not winning, we held our own. But, at this time, there is still much more (potential) success to come, as house athletics, swimming, and cricket are all scheduled for later this term. We hope this will bring a sense of balance to our sporting achievements. Overall, my job would be impossible without the help of the prefect team and the expert guidance of our excellent tutors who serve for our every need, thank you to Mr Pugh, Mr Gush, Mr Large, Mr Cracknell, Mrs White, Mrs Rixon, Mrs Harris, Mr Brooker and Mr Kirby. I have found this year to be a pleasure, and I think that Wills West has gone from strength to strength this year as our successes have clearly outweighed our failures as ever. There is always room for improvement, and I hope that Wills West continues to thrive even with the departure of the current Upper Sixth. Gleb Filimonov Head of Wills West

Wills West Heads of House FM Mark Tremelling 2003 Zak Aravadincts 1091 Andrew Snow 2004 Richard Parsons RI? Paul lremelhng 2005 Robert Gibson 1993 Julian White 2006 James Roper 1944 Duane Clifford Jones 2007 Alex Moule 1905 Jonathan Creamy 2008 Thin Ward 2009 Alex Wallace 1990 Joshua Fuller 2010 Edward Dallas Pkr/ Simon Clark 2011 Cileb Filimonov 1998 Andrew Gardhom KM Thomas Flougham 2060 Nicholas Ambridge 2001 fOnatnian Macartney 2002 Andrew Barclay

Gleb Rlimmov Head of House

After only a few short weeks we were faced with the 'almighty' House Singing, which was real glue that bonded the Woodyer community. We performed 'I wanna dance with somebody' by Whitney Houston, which was a very inspirational, happy and entertaining performance. It was strongly supported with a great warm up act 'Burlesque' which did not really seem to fascinate anyone until we began the performance, but what can we say, Alex Du stole the crowd with her magnificent drumming skills! The enthusiasm and commitment displayed by the girls starting from the first day was fabulous and has been earned in the winning of the Senior Cross Country as well as the House Cookery competition. A new addition to the house competitions was the music video, which was definitely not an easy task to fulfil, but even when we thought we would not come through, our team spirit did not give up on us. We began the Summer Term fully focused on the exams to come and with Athletics, House Tennis and Swimming being organised in the first couple of weeks it was sure to be another busy sporting term for the girls. We do not only support each other in the house, we celebrate each other's achievements both in and out of School. Woodyer is lucky to have many talented girls, ranging from dancers to poets to musicians and horse riders, who provide not

only the house but the school with much entertainment. The character shown by Woodyer is very unique and defines us - we feel established and have proved our worth in academic prizes at Commemorationcongratulations to Anastasia, Hind, Anfisa, Georgina, Lucy and Anne Sophie. In the words of Temilola, "It's an amazing house with amazing people and an amazing atmosphere. You could not ask for a better home away from home." It has been a very enjoyable and successful first year and many thanks must go to the first House Prefects of Woodyer. I especially would like to thank my Deputy Head of House, Kristin, who was a great companion and friend this year. Yet all of this would not have been possible without the support from the house staff spurring us on - or in difficult times - leading us back on course. The girls have bonded brilliantly as a community, which has become home for many of us and they have worked hard to achieve many things in Woodyer's first year. Thus I would personally like to thank Mrs Coomber for an outstanding job at running the house so smoothly, giving Woodyer the best start it could possibly get, and for giving her continuous support. A big thank goes to Miss Mortimer who is always approachable and may I extend my thanks to all the other tutors who have skilfully supported Woodyer and the girls. Jonna Klockenhoff Head Of Woodyer

Senior House Cookery Winners

lb A Senior House Temis

‘1,1 41140

•

"It's an amazing house with amazing people and an amazing atmosphere." •

Bevan te 1$

this has been another fantastic year for Bevan, although perhaps not winning many trophies, we definitely made up for it with our Bevan spirit and enthusiasm. The year saw the breaking of many traditions, principally the achievement of not being disqualified from house chess and the addition of a second male member of staff, Mr Dewbery, to the tutor team (now Mr Blumel will not be the only man on a house outing with sixty girls!). This has most definitely been a very busy year, in which the Bevan girls have excelled themselves. The beginning of the Autumn Term saw the (relative) triumphs of the Senior chess team, made up of Alice David, Bunny and Camilla, the MFL quiz and the Senior Debating, in which Cheryl, Jenny, Sarah and Camilla all gave amazing performances. Despite Mrs Manley picking out our least preferred song for house singing, we all pulled together and worked hard as a house to give a stunning (although the judges did not seem to think so) rendition of 'This Love' by Maroon 5, with our warm up act being composed, at the very last minute, and featuring Camilla, Philippa, Abi Askew, Courtney, Izzy Clark and Heidi Parsons. Bevan emerged second in the Junior A house hockey competition (the team consisting of Ellamae, Heidi P, Milly Day, Emily Bosworth, Charlotte Rogers, Hannah, Annie and Jess Pocock) and second (out of three) in our tier for Senior Hockey (thanks to Alex Willes, Chloe, Alice Achard, Kate, Bunny, Clem, Georgia, Rosie Wharton, Livvy Woodhead, Cheryl and Hattie Rogers) with the Junior Bs doing brilliantly too. Amazingly, we also managed to put up a full team for house cross country (rather a lot of arm twisting was involved) with Hattie and Charlotte Rogers and Ellamae Beake performing outstandingly. During (the less hectic) Lent Term many girls took part in house netball. Although a few Fifth Formers were concerned that we did not have enough eager players for two Senior teams we did succeed in playing two Senior teams (with reserves!) and two junior teams. Sadly, the Junior A team let us down, coming third, not giving us the full house of complete losses that we desired. Very disappointing. Junior Debating was more of a triumph with Sarah and Jenny coaching Megan, Heidi F Emma, Kate Askew and Izzy Clark to success.

"Performing outstandingly"

The rather wet and miserable Summer Term gave the Rogers sisters and Ellamae another chance to prove how lucky we are to have them in our house. Both Hattie and Charlotte broke a number of school records and special thanks has to go to Heidi Parsons and Hannah Jolley who stepped into the relay team with just a few minutes notice, having been dragged out of the crowd. A true demonstration of Bevan spirit. Sadly Sports Day was not rained off, so the day saw many Bevan girls both embarrassing and proving themselves in the various track and field events. Tilly Heal, Hattie and Charlotte Rogers and Ellamae were yet again amazing. Throughout the year, there were numerous concerts and dramatic productions with many members of the house being involved, all the way through from Third Form to Upper Sixth. 'The Phantom of the Opera' in particular was incredible and praise should go to Heidi Parsons, Clem and Jenny Brock especially. Ultimately, in spite of the occasional unwillingness to do the washing up and our not always victorious attempts at house competitions, it has been a brilliant year. Bevan girls were on the most part willing and enthusiastic to participate, and displayed true Bevan spirit. A huge thanks to all the tutors - Miss Burton, Miss Preece, Mr Bluemel, Mr Dewbery, Mrs Hearn and especially Mrs Foster and Mrs Stent who are vital in spreading the 'Bevan Love' that is always prominent in the house. As one girl put it, "Bevan has the most fun" in all the house competitions, which in the end is what matters, and I hope that this continues to be the case. Bunny Upton Head of Bevan

These Besley house pages are in memory of Jemima Layzell. As you read the account of our busy and fun year, please remember that smiling, beautiful and talented girl who contributed to the events listed and who we will never forget.

"We were crowned THE WINNERS OF HOUSE SINGING 2011!" 22

ell it's been a whirlwind 10 months in Besley this year, with so much going on and so much success for the house! The Upper Sixth immediately set out to organise cake sales and handle the sheer number of girls ravenous for volunteering.

After being reunited with fellow housemates, Besley began the Autumn Term by again triumphing in the Modern Foreign Languages quiz, setting spirits exceptionally high for the rest of the year. House Hockey hit us fairly quickly, and we had no shortage of volunteers for the battle. The Juniors and Seniors fought hard to gain their places in the tournaments, and all were proud despite merciless winter weather. The time soon came for House Singing - the most anticipated and dramatic event of the entire school year. The devoted Upper Sixth, whose time had finally arrived after five years of dashed hopes, planned inside out. This year, however, all eyes were focussed fiercely upon the silverware. After important song decisions, carefully steering around Justin Beiber, we gratefully switched from `Bootylicious' to `Disturbia' when Mrs Bolland decided not to allow Besley to put its neck on the chopping block. This year a brilliant call-back technique was used, and when 3 o'clock arrived we all began readying ourselves with ferocious chanting practices of the famous 'Besley Chicken', creating a localised cloud of hairspray in every room. At 4 o'clock the house charged to the Sports Hall in feats of red-faced chanting and finger-pointing. `Disturbia' was faithfully performed by an adrenalinefuelled choir of voices, proving more than enough to finally win the judge's approval and permit the screams and tears when we were crowned THE WINNERS OF HOUSE SINGING! In the Lent Term, we faced the looming prospect of House Cross Country, and a valiant effort was made by many to contribute to this gruelling event with enthusiasm. The Third and Fourth Form demonstrated their skills in Junior Inter-House Debating: Georgie Blackwell won Impromptu Speaking and Dea Gagoshidze won Interpretive

Reading, coming 3rd in Persuasive Speaking. The House Music Video also involved much of the house, including a surprise appearance from Dr Penny, in MC Hammer's 'Can't Touch This'. The experience taught us much in the ways of dancing. Returning from Easter-Egg holidays, the Sixth Form set about organising House Tennis and Sports Day. Hopes are high for a successful final term, heightened by the anticipation of Thorpe Park for our sure-to-be-epic summer house outing. A moment of thanks must be devoted to the tutors, who have been consistently at our sides through the thick and thin of school life, carrying out their vital roles in making this year a year to remember. Thank you to Miss Brayley, Mrs Cooke, Dr Penny, Miss Battaglino, Mrs Gaskell, Mrs Fletcher and Mrs Beere.

On a final note, I am left to thank the person who helps in making Besley a truly unique, united and successful house, committing so much time to each one of us. To Mrs Bolland "thank you" - from your Besley girls. Louise Walker Head of Besley

It has been a year to remember for Evans house We got to welcome not only new Third Former and other entrants, but a new housemaster i Mr Hogg and a new tutor in Miss Wedgewoo The year started with a stunning performance in House Rugby: A clean sweep across the juniors, inters and seniors. Every boy that played rugby in the house was involved and got some game time. Just before half term the whole house came together for the highlight of the year that is House Singing. We hoped to retain the house singing trophy but this wasn't to be; we felt we were unlucky to miss out on the award for best boys' house, mainly due to Mr Henry Olonga (Knighthood) not being asked to judge again. As always this gave us the opportunity to introduce new members of the house to the singing tradition, none more than Salvi de Sena who sung an impressive solo in front of the whole school as part of a fantastic performance of Nickelback's "How you remind me". We exceeded expectations in the Senior House Chess where we reached the final through some excellent displays from the three man team. Unfortunately we missed out on winning as we succumbed to TSI in a tight final. For although Robin Evans pulled off an unlikely victory, Max Jeffs could not maintain his unbeaten streak and James Pilcher could not match the skills of the Ukrainian National champion. As well as the major events that we excelled in, many of the house volunteered for the smaller competitions that we participated in. Fourth Formers Tom Clarke, Sam Rixon and Todd Freeman did particularly well in the Geography quiz where they proved too stiff competition for the rest of the field. A solid third in the Modern Foreign Languages quiz followed and a scalp in the Senior and Junior house debating with Sam Newton first in the Impromptu speaking catagory.

•11M■ 1■ 11=11■ 11■ 1

We had limited success in the House Swimming, as only Josh Kelly made it through to the final. But, as always, there was a brave performance from Tristan Freeman and Max Jeffs; both successfully managing to complete their lengths without armbands! As well as the house competitions, many of the house have been achieving greatly outside of the school. Ricky Parsons has continued his cycling success with a number of podium finishes in events across the South West, Ben Clarke has merited recognition for his commitment to the CCF while Jeremy Soper has also excelled on the academic front. We finished our year with an incredible house outing, first paintballing and then to the beach. Most of the house turned out for the beach football, a 90 minute 9-5 match, which starred both Mr Roberts and Mr Grant for a titanic footballing duel.

Awards for the year include: Storyteller/Dominoes employee of the year: Rowan O'Brockwell, Young Girlfriend award: Aaron Mcgough/Ben Clarke, Rob Abell award for making a hole in the roof: Tricky Freeman, Bad boy of the year: Nick Hulse, Josh Kelly award: Max Kelly (Josh Kelly runner up), Guy Skinner lunchbox of conversation: James Pilcher and Matthew Morgan. We have to thank all our tutors for a memorable final year in the Upper Sixth and especially Mr McPherson and wish him good luck as he retires at the end of this academic year. In addition a special mention and huge thank you to Mr Hogg on his first year as a housemaster. Josh Kelly Head of Evans

Maz Jeffs, James Pilcher and Robin Evans meet for the House Chess final

Goodland Another year underway and another new set of Year 9s, another team of prefects led ably by Rob Haughton, and another tutor team addition in Mr Brooker - set to torment any Year 10s who have left their bits and pieces lying around in the house. The Autumn Term is a time to settle in, find a locker, find a corner of the house to claim as yours and get down to some work. Upper Sixth are under pressure for UCAS applications; Lower Sixth are trying to get to know Charlie Miles; Year 11 are trying to look cool even though they know it is a busy year ahead; Year 10 think they know it all and are listening to Christian Hosie's music (loudly); and Year 9 are just...new! House Singing provides a huge distraction from the half term holiday and allows the prefects to wear extraordinarily tight white trousers. No problem on those high notes now, but alas the spoils go to other houses.

Nevertheless, there is great unity and enjoyment for all except those who like good music! The Goodland House social allows all the chance to eat drink and make merry at the housemaster and tutors' expense later in the term. In between and after that there is much to enjoy in the House - not least of which the way the boys have "gelled" and the happy spirit that prevails. Andrew Boucher wins his persuasive speech again, the hockey is a triumph for the juniors; cricket and swimming bring their triumphs as well as numerous individual moments of excellence. There is much to celebrate...but then there is also a number of "issues" to deal with. The worst excuse of the year goes to the boy who broke the clock...? There is still a search party out to find Popplewell's folder....and towel, and trousers, and rugby kit, and boxers, and I Is Alex going to get in on time? What will Mr Hogg auction this week? Does Ed Bluemel

have a volume control? Just how organised is Oliver Kelham? Does Ed Tucker need another haircut yet? And so the day to day continues in Goodland. At the end of the year there are some thanks, goodbyes and good lucks! To all the Upper Sixth who have led the house so well, we wish them the very best. You will always be Goodland Boys. Mr Brooker has run for the safety of a boarding house but many thanks for a really good year. We welcome back Ms Tracy Coleman in September. Thanks to Goodland's tutors - Mrs Mason, Mr Kemp, and Mr Piper - another terrific job. Most significantly though we bid farewell to Mr Hogg who has been a Goodlander for over 20 years. I know that he will miss us, but we will miss him more. Time for a holiday for all and then it all begins again. The same....except different. Mr Kelly

"Just how organi is Oliver Kelham

Marshall The 'Class of 2012' have not been known for bringing home the silverware, infact quite the contrary, but whilst this year proved to be along similar lines, the famous "Marshall house spirit" carried the troops to relative success, or at least, greater success than we have achieved over our five years in the house! With a selection of talented juniors remaining in Marshall who have all been moulded into the Marshall way of thinking and giving it their all, the future is bright for the house. Undoubtedly, the year will be remembered for our ventures in House Singing. After witnessing our warm up act in rehearsal and strong performances of McFly's "5 Colours in her Hair" in practice, murmurings of a potential, unique 'double' could be heard amongst the ranks. On the night however, only our wonderful warm up act of "Better Together" by Jack Johnson, performed by James Mear, Dylan Earle, 011ie Lucas, Henry Brigden and Tom Edwards secured the coveted "Best Warm Up Act" trophy, the main performance did not do quite enough to secure the double. Nonetheless, it was a fantastic performance and great effort all round and Marshall showed themselves again to be a threat in House Singing. In between practices we had an early house outing where we had pizza in the house and then went to Hollywood Bowl where Ed Clark especially showed the pros how it is done! House sports saw us 'exceed expectations' in both hockey and rugby. Strong fourth place finishes from both the Juniors and the Seniors were rightly celebrated as successes, both included victories over Wills West, upsetting the bookmakers in the process. In House Hockey the Seniors defeat of Fairwater late on with goals from Tom 'the assassin' White and Tommy Osmond as well as a strong draw against favourites Goodland can both go down as fantastic results. House Cross Country saw victory for Charlie Beake in the Inters and the runner up spot went to Duncan Dibb Holland in the Juniors. Sam Popham, 011ie Large and Eddie Hatfield also placed in their categories' top 10. It was also fantastic to see the entire Third Form and over half the house competing in what is not normally a popular event.

It was not a memorable year for Marshall in House Debating, although we can be rightly proud of the fact that between the Seniors and the Juniors we fielded 10 different participants in all 10 slots, something larger houses failed to do. Senior House Chess saw the team led by Captain, Harry Thorne agonisingly defeated in the semi finals in a debacle that Sky Sports has labelled "Chessgate" - the less we speak about this better - whilst on a brighter note, the mixture of youth and experience saw Marshall upset all the pre-event billings to place 3rd in the annual Languages' Quiz with strong showings from Archie Burton and Owen Hornsby. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Marshall House and I am sure I echo the sentiments of everybody in the house, present and past, who would like to thank our master and commander, Mr Cook, for his effort and leadership in the house during our time in Marshall. It is not just our last year in the house, it is also Mr Cook's and he has done a fantastic job and made our time in the house extraordinarily enjoyable. Thank you to two house tutors leaving Marshall - Dr Hammer and Mr Parvin; keep up the good work next year, Mr and Mrs Cutts and Dr Franklin!

The Autumn Term brought to our attention the impressive sporting talent that our new Third Form brought to Jenkin, they won House Hockey! Our Senior team was compiled almost completely of first and second team players, sadly we lost to Weirfield. It was really great to see so many girls willing to participate in House Debating, with speakers such as Katie Mackenzie and Emma Perry. Although we were not hugely thrilled about our song choice for House Singing, 'Hey, soul sister!' we made it work with the impressive enthusiasm and determination from the younger years, who were extremely patient when learning the Upper Sixth's over-ambitious dance moves. Later in the term, we enjoyed a really fun House outing to London, organised by Ms Harvie, where we watched 'Thriller Live' which got everyone on their feet! At the end of the Autumn Term, we enjoyed our traditional Jenkin House Christmas social and Secret Santa, which was a great way to end a long but successful first term of the year.

netball A and B teams. House basketball was next and we managed to enter two teams thanks to our enthusiastic Third Form, thank you to Lizzie Chance for being captain. The A team lost narrowly to Besley but our B team won overall which was another great achievement for Jenkin! The Summer Term soon arrived, and for most of us this meant the trials of public examinations. Nevertheless, the Senior House Tennis was another triumph as we won overall; special mentions go to Becky Kinnear, Issie Hatfield, Hera Bradley and Campbell Bradley. It was also great to see so many people offer to participate in House athletics, in particular Leah Peatroy. Overall it has been another amazing year for Jenkin. On behalf of the Upper Sixth, we have loved being in Jenkin. I would like to thank our house tutors, Mrs Leader, Mrs Falkingham, Miss Southcott, Mrs Bluemel, Mr Wood, Mr Waller and above all, Ms Harvie, for making sure that everything runs so smoothly. Hebe Henry Head of Jenkin

The atmosphere in the house at the start of Lent Term was somewhat quiet with examinations dominating everyone's thoughts. However, the entire house participated in House Cross-Country, which was a phenomenal turn out especially as this is the house competition that is dreaded by most! We won the Junior House Cross-Country and a special mention goes to Phoebe Thomas, who was the fastest individual girl! House netball came next and again Jenkins excelled, winning both the junior netball and also the Senior

00111••■

senlottiouseNethat

mimmommommi,

Sixth Form

Although we say this every year, I think it must be said that this year in particular has been a great one for the Sixth Form. Despite having a large work load and the pressure of exams to deal with at times, everyone has seemed to find time to participate in a variety of activities across the school, from playing in sports teams and bands, to helping run the CCF and taking part in the incredible Phantom of the Opera. Many of the Sixth Form have even performed exceptionally, with multiple school records being broken by both individuals and teams throughout the year.

There have also been times to escape the hustle and bustle of school life. Members of the Sixth Form have enjoyed the opportunity to relax in the Guvvy, to go skiing in Italy and trekking across Peru; as well as having the chance to attend the various themed socials. RAG week was a massive success and raised over ÂŁ4000 for school charities. Our leavers are now scattered far and wide with some taking gap years, some heading to universities, both here and abroad, or instead entering the world of work. We wish all the leavers the best of luck with their future endeavours and look forward to hearing tales of their exploits in the future. We all have fond memories of Sixth Form and our time at Taunton and after a few weeks of fending for ourselves in the big wide world, I'm sure we'll be longing for these simpler times, whether we realise it now or not! Lewis Chinery

TSISPORT `Participation and excellence' We have had the chance to try all the traditional sports that you would expect to do in a British Boarding school. Rugby in the rain, hockey in the freezing cold, cross country running in the mud, netball in the wind, athletics in a heatwave, and tennis at dusk! Oh, and cricket - what can I say! Despite the inclement weather, we enjoyed them all, well, most of us, most of the time! However, no-one can deny that we have all learned much and now have the confidence to say that we have tried and sometimes succeeded in sports that we once new nothing about. Some of us came with skills already but most of us were on a very steep learning curve and the fact that so much was achieved is down to the staff and their constant encouragement, patience and continued enthusiasm even when we were less than willing to venture out into the cold and the rain! Highlights of the year include the Boys rugby and hockey matches against Taunton School (one day we shall win!), the girls netball tour, Sports Day and trampolining. It was not only about participation, however, and congratulations should go to Ryota and Elio for gaining junior house colours for representing Taunton School at rugby and hockey to lulia, Kalvin, Shun, Niklas and Bart for the roles they played in the Taunton School first tennis teams and to Leon and Thorsten for their achievements in the athletics teams. Sport at Taunton School International has never been stronger and we are proud to have played our part in helping to achieve this. Good luck next year! Leon Vornholdt

NUB,

T51PRIZE GIV-Uns I've been Principal of Taunton School International for 9 years now. At the end of each of those nine years I've given a report here at Prizegiving on the year's events. Each year I've been able to say that it has been a year of expansion, improvement and change. But this year, I can only say - what a year! What a year for the country, what a year for the school and, most importantly, what a year for you, the students, the class of 2012. It has been, and will be, a great summer for the country - well, apart from the weather. The London Olympics are about to start and many of you saw the Olympic Torch here in Taunton last month. And a little over two weeks ago, the whole country, and indeed the world, watched the celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Much was said then about the many national and international changes that have happened in the 60 years that the Queen has been on the throne. What are those changes? Well, for one thing, the world has become a much smaller place. People travel far more, meeting and working with others from different countries and cultures. We really do live in a global village now. And secondly, this country's place in the world has changed. Much has been said about that too and yet British education is still seen as something to aspire to, one of our most successful exports, something that people want for their children, and seen as giving great advantages. So what are the advantages that you have gained from your year here? I could focus on your academic achievements. You have all taken 5 or 6 or 7 GCSEs, choosing from 20 different subjects, in one year instead of the normal two - a great achievement in itself and particularly for those of you who are studying subjects you have never studied before or who are working in a language that is not your own. It is a great credit to you and also to all your teachers who work so hard - you may think too hard - to get you through those all-important exams. I could focus on the fact that as a result you are going on to good schools and colleges across the UK to study for A Levels or IB, schools such as Bedford, Clifton, Hurtwood House, Dean Close, Malvern and of course Taunton School. You are setting out on a path which will lead to university and to interesting careers and for you, and for us who teach you, that is the primary aim of your year here. To pass your GCSEs, to improve your English, to get into a good school. But along with your academic progress, you learn other skills too. Quickly getting used to a new school, a new country, a new language, a new culture, you learn to live together and work together with people who are very different from yourselves. You make close friends; but

even when others around you are not your close friends, you find ways to accommodate and tolerate each other so you can all get on with the job in hand. And that, in my opinion, is the greatest advantage that you have gained from your year here. That ability to work together, which will be invaluable to you in tomorrow's world. For with privilege comes responsibility and I think you are uniquely well prepared for the responsibility of making this world a better place. And perhaps by the time that you are, like the Queen, 86 years old, the divisions between us will be lessened by experiences such as you have had this year. So it has been, and continues to be a great year, for the country. And for our school - well, the big news this year has been our purchase and restoration of a beautiful old building, The Grange, to become Taunton School International Middle School. We will now be able to take international students at a younger age, from 8 to 14, and give them the same kind of preparation for success in mainstream education as we have done for older students for the last 16 years. We bought The Grange less than 6 months ago and yet, astonishingly, 10 days ago our first cohort of 57 students arrived to join us there, just as you all joined us less than a year ago. Which brings me from the changes in the world and the country, through the changes to the school, to the changes in you. You're not the same person who arrived here last September. You've done so many things outside the classroom, from that first activity weekend at PGL, through all the different house competitions, the trips to Paris and Cornwall, to flowboarding and fishing and the sports day and the ball, all of which took place this week. You have participated fully with boarding school life, doing so many things together as a community. For you, the class of 2012, I look forward with confidence to hearing about your future achievements and hope that you will stay in touch and let me know the many exciting places that life takes you. Mrs Nixon Principal, Taunton School International

Nixon with Students of the Year

Tsi Teamwork and Leadership weekend On the first weekend of term, 80 students and 10 members of staff embarked on two days of team building and bonding at PGL activity centre in Liddington, Wiltshire. Despite a few rainy showers and strong winds, the students were eager to get involved after their first full week at Taunton School International. On Friday night after dinner the students were whisked away by PGL staff for an evening of 'Wacky Races' (think five layers of clothes combined with an egg-and-spoon race!) which they appeared to enjoy. After a good night's sleep and breakfast on Saturday morning, seven groups set off for a day of adventure. The giant swing soon became a favourite with a fastpaced adrenaline rush! The next challenge was `Jacob's Ladder' - a climbing activity increasing in difficulty the higher you got. A few groups showed excellent team building skills and managed to reach the highest level.

Saturday afternoon brought more challenges in the form of the climbing and abseiling tower. This provided an opportunity for students to encourage and support each other, and some even conquered their fear of heights! We were greeted on Sunday morning by more rain, but spirits were not dampened and we set off for another fun-filled day. First up was the zip wire, followed by Trapeze, which saw the students take a 'leap of faith' off a ten metre high board. For the more confident students, there was even a chance to try it blindfolded! Our final afternoon was filled with mountain biking and a 'crate challenge' which really required the students to communicate and work together. By this time everyone was exhausted but still smiling. Despite being keen to get back to school and begin their first week of lessons, everybody enjoyed their stay at PGL and formed some solid friendships - some students are already asking when we are going to return! Ben Cutler

TS Celebrating Success Time flies like an arrow. Unbelievably, we have finished our one year GCSE programme. This has been a hard yet memorable year. Remember the first time we walked in through this gate with our suitcases? Now it seems only a few moments ago. I didn't believe in fate or destiny before. But now I do. I think fate had mysteriously, magically and meaningfully assembled all of us from different parts of the world in Taunton School International (TSI). Together we have experienced so many things: PGL, delicious Taunton School meals, Prep detentions, rec. room duty, interhouse competitions, fire drills at midnight and so on... We have built strong friendships among schoolmates, House staff and teachers. Isn't it sad that we are now going to part?

envious of those returning to Taunton in September as continuing to be a part of the family that we have formed is a very attractive prospect at the moment! If it all must end then the Summer Ball is an ideal way to bring things to a close. Who will forget the fireworks, Mr House pogo dancing, the feeling of relaxed friendship and the beautiful dresses and suits, let alone the limo arrivals and the infamous 'Awards Ceremony'? Whatever path we have chosen, we don't know what lies ahead. Only time will tell if Win will be the most likely student to get to Oxford, Howard will be the first millionaire, Justin will end up working in McDonalds, Dimitri will be a criminal mastermind, or Ariane will have her mobile confiscated more times in her next school? However, what is certain is that we all leave with special memories which will live with us always and will be retold many times in the course of our futures. Laurel Lam

Some of us may continue our studies in the UK. Some of us may go back to our own countries. I am secretly

TSIVS ÂŁ2.3 million investment by Taunton School Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education opens `pioneering' new school

Taunton School opens new International Middle School at The Grange in Kingston St Mary

New School opens with 37 full time students in 2012/13

Jeremy Browne, MP calls the new International Middle School "a remarkable achievement"

Salut et Valete • C

Following a teaching degree in Exeter and three and a half years teaching in Maidenhead, Hugh came to Taunton Junior School in January 1979 where he taught French as well as running PE and games and was a highly popular assistant boarding Housemaster in Thone. In January 1983 he took over the running of the newly built Sports Hall and moved to Taunton School.

Hugh ran the PE department for many years, overseeing the introduction of the subject at both GCSE and A-Level. During his career he has coached many sports. He successfully coached junior cricket teams for many years as well as the 1st XI for the last six years and he has expertise in many areas of racket sports, particularly tennis (Master Vc for nine years) and badminton. It will, however, be for his time coaching rugby that he will be best remembered. He coached the 1st XV for 22 years and was also Master i/c for fifteen years. In such a short space it is difficult to quantify what Hugh has contributed to Taunton School rugby. His organisational skills helped take school rugby to new levels of all round achievement. His ability as a coach can only be described as outstanding; his ability to spot the strengths and weakness of a player and then help them improve in both areas is legendary. Special mention of the unbeaten 1st XV of 1987 must be made. His skills were recognised by the RFU who appointed him to a variety of roles in England Schools rugby as well as Somerset Senior rugby. In latter years Hugh has taken on the role of Master i/c golf. It was perhaps fitting that in his final year he should see the school golf team taking part in a national competition at Carnoustie. 0.

UJBOH lieJeS

The number of roles he has taken on at Taunton School is long but special mention must be made of his time as Assistant Housemaster in Wills West before moving on to become Housemaster of Goodland - a role he held for eleven years. He then moved on to Wills East with his wife, Selma and children, Jonathan and Chloe, in 1999. In all of these houses his calm but strong leadership and guidance has influenced many generations of boys. At his leaving speech Hugh mentioned that he had hoped that he had been able to make a difference, no matter how small, to the pupils he had known. He can go happily into a well deserved and, we hope, long and happy retirement sure in the knowledge that many generations of Taunton School pupils will be eternally grateful for the difference he has made to their lives. Mr Neil Mason

E la) •

11DVle eIZZI1

• • cn • •

Before coming to Taunton Sarah read Classics at St Anne's College Oxford and taught at Clifton College for four years, where she gained experience in boarding and rowing. At Taunton we soon realised what a dedicated teacher she was and how efficient and inspiring a Head of Classics she was. It is not surprising that the Classics department has expanded so well under her enthusiastic and scholarly leadership. Many pupils will long remember her exciting and fascinating foreign tours to Greece, Italy and the South of France, all meticulously planned and researched beforehand. Visiting Athens in February this year in the midst of riots was a very brave decision, but she had planned a quick exit to the Peloponnese if the situation became difficult. Trips to Bath, London and Oxford have occurred each year along with talks at school, given by many prominent Classicists. Her production of Sophocles' Electra was a great success, despite the fact that the make up was locked away at the vital moment! She has also found time to guide Fifth Form scholars and to accompany Mr Moule on his mad, midwinter historical escapades. In the classroom she has inspired, supported and cajoled many grateful pupils in Latin, Greek and Classical Civilisation, some of whom have secured places at very prestigious universities. Sarah is leaving us to become Head of Classics at Prior Park in Bath, unable to resist the lure of living in such a cultured city. We wish her well, knowing that she will be successful and will always remain a dedicated teacher. Mr Roger Priest Mary joined the school in 1996, following a successful career with ICI, as well as taking time off to be a mother to her two boys, James and Sam. Although new to teaching at the time, she quickly established herself as a highly effective chemistry teacher who took a real interest in her students, both academically and pastorally. During her time at the school she has played a significant part in increasing both the popularity of the subject and confidence of the students in their abilities to do well. They have respected her friendly no-nonsense approach, and I know that many are very grateful for all the help she has given to help them realise their ambitions. Her interest in the pastoral care of the students took on a more major significance with her appointment as housemistress of Besley and then as Head of Sixth Form, where among other things, she oversaw the introduction of the new girls' uniform. Her final responsibility in the school has been as Staff Development Coordinator, overseeing the professional development of staff at all levels, from the training of NQTs to the appraisal of Senior staff. In all these roles, Mary has continued to be very conscientious, organised and determined to set the highest standards for both herself and all those she has worked alongside. Mary leaves to enjoy a well-earned retirement, keeping her house in order, visiting her boys and keeping Neil in the civilised manner to which he has become accustomed. Thank you, Mary, for all you have done for Taunton School, we will miss you. Mr Martin Bluemel Lizzie joined the English Department from Exeter University, where she quickly made her mark, encouraging high standards from Year 9 up to A Level. She was a whizz at computers, devising a way to enter and calculate our exam marks, though we always retained our paper copy in the filing cabinet as back up! Lizzie contributed to many areas of school life outside the department: helping to coach netball, where her main achievement seems to be the crème egg tradition, in CCF where her Sandhurst background was certainly felt, not least her bugbear of hands in pockets on parade! She is also incredibly fit, never to be seen without her water bottle, going for her daily run or zumba workout! She leaves us as a bride, and will marry Rob this summer, taking our sincere wishes for a long and happy life together. To date she is not sure where she will be living, nor where she will take up her next teaching post, but wherever she finds a job, that school will be lucky to have her. We will remember Lizzie's smile and enthusiasm, her friendship and commitment. Good luck, and wishing her much happiness and success. Mrs Gill Foster

Duringher time at Taunton School, Ruth has played a significant role in both the Academic Development and

C7Mathematics Departments. Students at all levels have appreciated her calm, patient and humorous approach to

X aii

-0

teaching, and have never been in a hurry to escape at the ends of lessons. A quirky character with a great sense of fun, perhaps Ruth's most memorable project was her conversion of a classroom into a propagation unit for sunflower plants, an action that she justified by an extremely tenuous reference to A-level Statistics. More recently, the infamous squeaky doors of Densham have finally fallen silent thanks to Ruth and her oil can. In the light of all this, we have tried hard to persuade Ruth to stay in Taunton with us, but sadly she insists on moving to Wells with Andy. She will be genuinely missed, but has our very best wishes for the future. Mr Philip Cutts

uosJatic131A1HaN ueuu Jo led uospieil i!elsely

Peter is a man of hidden depths and wide experience. He served with distinction in the Royal Navy between 1967 and 1987 flying as an observer from ships such as the Ark Royal. He had what he describes as "a fairly active visit" to the Falklands in 1982. Completing his BA allowed him to progress to teaching and 20 years later, following a distinguished teaching career, we were lucky enough to witness his immense skill, this time at Taunton School. We already had clues of the quality of his teaching, as his ability to tame even the wildest class emerged as early as his teaching practice. Placed in front of a normally badly behaved class, he quietly gained perfect attention. Unsure as to how this unexpected result had arisen, he was placed with another awkward group, with similar results. How was this control achieved? What was the secret? Feedback from the pupils subsequently revealed that they did not realise him to be a trainee teacher. They thought he was a policeman come to search them for drugs. His classes here have been treated to very high quality and caring teaching, lessons often being preceded with his opening battle cry of "now where did I leave my glasses?". The success of this has been easy to measure by the constant stream of happy faces emerging from his laboratory, also by the unhappy faces which characterised his pupils on the days since his departure was announced. His contribution in the biology department as a whole has been immense, from lessons to field trips, writing exams to moderating coursework, organising whole department spectacle hunting trips to organising pupil excursions, he is always thorough, always ready and always generous with his time. He has quite simply been the quintessential professional school master. It is almost unbelievable to think that he has actually been part time. Not content to sit about for more than a few minutes at a stretch, Peter quickly became involved with the DofE at all levels and has been giving up extra time on Fridays so that he can also run the Navy section of the CCF. This section has been greatly reinforced under his leadership, not surprising as he is of course a full Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander, as some RN cadets found to their cost when they underestimated him at CCF camp. One morning the regular cadets, not anticipating that he would be awake so early, ignored the tradition of paying respects to the colours. Of course the TS cadets made no such foolish error. Peter burst forth from the ratings mess, thereby employing a startling ruse to approach the miscreants from an unexpected direction. Our cadets were then treated to the sight of a full military dressing down with all the trimmings. Peter is rather a good skittler too, top scoring on his first outing with the staff team. He has an interesting line in jokes well, one joke actually - which concerns rabbits and "mixing my toasties", which according to the pupils regularly features in lessons. And when it comes to pulling rabbits out of hats, another thing that may well be news to many is that Peter is an accomplished magician. Peter has been a tutor in Wills East where he has been immensely loyal and reliable as a House tutor. He delivered a talk to the House at Remembrance a couple of years ago when he talked with the perspective of one who had served in the Falklands and had seen tragic loss on both sides. This memorable and moving presentation typifies him, an unassuming gentleman of great calm and hidden depths. So now, as he retires for the third time and having already put in place the convenient escape route of a large allotment, it remains for me to pay tribute to Peter Finan, a remarkable school master, a true friend and a gentleman of the first water. Mr James Penny

The English Department's very own limited edition, Penguin classic! When Neil McPherson came into my classroom to tell me of Alastair Harrison's appointment he told me that here was a young man who 'would run rings around us all'. Within moments of entering his classroom I wished I was a student again - originality, humour and culture filled the room. Ally's imaginative wall displays, infectious passion for reading and warm sense of humour had the class hanging on his every word. When I spoke with some of the Fairwater boys, they described him as 'the closest a teacher can be to being a friend' and 'truly inspirational'. They went on to explain that he always made time for everyone. Similarly, in the English Department, he always knew when someone needed a little extra support - cards in pigeon-holes, notes posted under doors, small gifts left on desks and surprise Easter eggs awaiting us before Parents meetings. Ally wove a wonderful ring of friendship in so many ways and I know that he has been a true and constant friend to me and to the Common Room. Taunton School has been a more magical and soulful place since he joined, but now the time has come for him to sprinkle some of his magic at Berkhamsted School. In summary, I think it is fair to say that Alastair Harrison really did succeed in running rings around us all. I thank him for being such an inspiring friend and teacher, for never losing his naughty sense of humour and for the many random and spontaneous acts of kindness - I will miss them. I will miss him. Mrs Alexandra Cutts

&Liam Apuy

Neil came to us as Head of English in 2006 following a distinguished teaching career in the Bristol area latterly at Redlands High School. He left us in 2012 having made the inspired decision two years earlier to move to IGCSE English. Whilst most of the country was wrapped in controversy over manipulated English GCSE results Taunton School was celebrating 80% A* in English Literature! However, English as a subject was always far more than just results as far as Neil was concerned. What mattered was the quality of teaching the pupils received and the love of literature that he hoped that this would inspire. To observe any lesson of his was always a great pleasure. Whether that class be a Year 9 class coming to terms with a new text or a Sixth Form class aiming for top grades his lessons were always fascinating to be part of. No pupil I ever spoke to failed to be inspired by his lessons. In fact one Sixth Form pupil told me that it was always difficult to take notes in his lessons as it was far too interesting simply listening to Neil. Outside of the classroom, he was a caring and interested tutor in Evans House, where many boys will be grateful for the gentle but meaningful advice he has given them over the last six years. Neil took an active part in the running of school swimming and also in the running of the magazine you are reading now. He has many interests outside of education and to talk to him for any time about his love of music, particularly American music of the late 1960's and early 1970's was always an enlightening experience. Neil now enters a richly deserved retirement ; one in which we can be sure he will be able to watch the Cheltenham Gold Cup in peace and comfort and one in which we can be sure he will never find boring. Mr Neil Mason

Andy joined Taunton School as Head of mathematics in September 2008. It was, and still is, clear that he has a passion for the subject. Throughout his time at Taunton School he was been committed to helping students of all ages and abilities to fulfil their potential. In his four years with us, he immersed himself in all aspects of School life and fulfilled the roles of timetabler and Director of Digital Strategy. It was in this latter role that he demonstrated his forward thinking and visionary skills. He was also an excellent tutor in Goodland House. Andy will be a great success in his new role as Director of Studies at Wells Cathedral School. It is a credit to him that he has risen to this senior position at such a young age. He will go on to further successes, I am sure, and we wish him and his delightful family the best of luck for the future. Mr Richard Judd

On Field Day in October the department presided over Enterprise Day for all Year 9 pupils - in which they worked throughout most of the day in randomly selected groups to produce a short presentation about their ideas for a totally eco-friendly holiday island off the coast of Wales. The organisers from Young Enterprise were highly impressed with the work ethic and cooperation levels of all the pupils; `Isle of Glas' were the winners - but they were all winners really! At the end of the Autumn Term we said goodbye to Ms Ayo who had been covering for another of Miss Southcott's maternity leaves. Our thanks go to Ms Ayo for all of her contributions to the department and other parts of school life such as debating and singing. She made quite an impact in her short time with us. We wish her well. Mr Abell, Mrs Rixon and Miss Preece took 16 students from all over the world to Madrid. It was cold but sunny for much of the 6 days we spent there. The highlight of the trip was an opportunity to see Real at the Bernabeu, playing against Levante in a 4-2 thriller with Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick! We also witnessed some anti-austerity demonstrations, bought hats and shades at the flea market, had a lovely afternoon at the Bodegas Winery and went to the Prada Museum to learn a bit about Goya. James Carter was 'top tourist' and Mikhail Ignatov bought a new pair of Burberry jeans.

Also in February many of the economists enjoyed the presentation `Monetary Policy in Extraordinary Times' given by David Miles - a member of the MPC at the Bank of England. In the Summer Term we took the Year 10 Business Studies students to the Land Rover Factory in Solihull and to CadburyWorld. The factory visit was a `first' for us and we could not have been more impressed. The students were able to get very close to multi million pound machinery and flying sparks. Our tour guides were veterans of the car industry and had lots to tell us about the changes taking place at the company (in the news that very day!) as well as the `lean' production process. At CadburyWorld the marketing presentation was excellent and the free samples well received! My thanks go to Mrs Rixon, Mr Pugh, Miss Southcott and Ms Davey for all of their efforts this year. Our IB results last August could not have been more pleasing and Phoebe Newman proved that hard work can bring its own reward! The challenges continue though... Mr Abell

MI■■ 1■ 11.:'‘

Classics

`Challenging', 'entertaining', 'busy', and slightly surprisingly, 'ubiquitous' were a few of the words suggested by our students to describe Classics at Taunton School; the last one coming with an explanation that this word derives from the Latin `ubique', meaning `everywhere' or 'on all sides' - very nice for a Classics teacher to hear! Ubiquitous I think we still need to work on, but challenging, busy and entertaining I would certainly second! Busy and entertaining it has been - trips to the south of France, Athens, London, Exeter, Bath and Oxford have opened up new areas of Classics to our pupils, and have been both thought-provoking and great fun, allowing us to take in ancient buildings and towns, plus plays, lectures and museums. We've been fortunate to host some excellent guest speakers, with visits from Professor Peter Jones, Professor Matthew Leigh, Doctor Peter Haarer and Doctor Lynne Robson. Additionally, a new student-led Classics Society has been launched, holding its successful inaugural event, an Ides of March evening, with talks, a play and plenty of togas. -.441111111111104.

Challenging I'd agree with too - our pupils have worked hard and achieved a great deal, both collectively and individually, including Roger Kim's Oxford offer, and Lucy White's place at this year's Greek summer school. Greek is running for the first time as part of the International Baccalaureate, and the Classical subjects remain very much alive here at Taunton School. It has been another immensely enjoyable year for us too - and we will work on becoming truly `ubiquitous' in the future. Watch this space! We welcome Dr Aidan Cruttenden as the new Head of Department in September 2012, as Mrs Hearn leaves for Prior Park College in Bath.

Classics Trip to France October 2011

1: A2 Ben Clarke - Greenpower Car Chassis 2: A2 Chloe Hibbert - Personal Belongings Tracking Device 3: A2 Chris James - Bedroom Furniture 4: A2 Dan Booth - Dish Drying Rack with Airstream System 5: GCSE Nick Hulse - 1-1iFi Speaker 6: A2 Eddie Hatfield - Weight Training Aid 7: GCSE Nick Evry - Rowing Seat with inbuilt Communication Aid 8: A2 Nat Siraviawat - Contemporary Community Centre 9: A2 Tommy Allen - Workshop Woodburning Heater 10: AS Max Bloomfield - Eco Pavilion Concept for 'Lowers' 11: GCSE Tom Dornom - Gadget Tidy 12: GCSE Jackson Chinery - Children's Table 13: GCSE Sam Tapp - Rubik's Cube Chair 14: GCSE Mickey Li - Multiple Saxaphone Stand

The English Department has continued to revel in literary spirit throughout the year. Lessons have ranged from Third Formers enjoying 'Romeo and Juliet' and creating haikus, IGCSE students battling through `Julius Caesar' and performing Arthurian tales and the Sixth Form contending with a wealth of literature such as Hardy's elegies, `Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' and 'Pride and Prejudice'.

Oliver Kelham enjoying Brideshead Revisited

Taunton School marked World Book Day on 1st March with many literary celebrations throughout the week. Recommendations from the teaching staff were displayed around the school campus, while students were greeted with the opening lines of a famous novel in their house callovers each morning. Sixth Formers gave readings of classic texts, particularly popular was Oliver Kelham's rendition of 'Brideshead Revisited'. The department has played host to various guests. Steve Voake, Emma Craigie and David Gatward, three prominent authors of adolescent fiction, spent a day delivering writing workshops to the Third Form. Later in the Lent Term, Sixth Form students were appreciative of study workshops with Jean Evans, an instrumental representative of the AQA A-level English Literature course.

Third Formers filming Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale

An IB class appreciating Othello

Moreover, the department's promotion of literary expression has extended beyond the school walls. Miss Birkett and Mr Harrison took the Upper Sixth to see 'Blue Remembered Hills' at The Brewhouse and Miss Commings accompanied her Third Form set to a screening of 'The Woman in Black'. Mr Harrison has also overseen entries for external academic competitions such as 'The Dickens Fellowship Prize' for junior students and 'The Betty Haigh Shakespeare Award', where three Sixth Form students (Oliver Kelham, Olivia Woodhead and Phillip Roberts) entered their essays. This summer the department will bid farewell to three of its members. Our best wishes go to the Head of Department, Neil McPherson, and his colleagues, Alastair Harrison and Lizzie Birkett. This is the end of a key chapter for the department but in September, a new one will unfold.

M11â&#x2013; 1â&#x20AC;˘111:VI,

Geography

It has been another busy year in the Geography and Geology Department. We have welcomed Mrs Fletcher to the team as a teacher of Year 9 Geography and Sixth Form Geology where she has proved herself an asset to the Department. We have run many fieldtrips across the year

groups, attended another set of topical Geographical Association Lectures at Wellington School and came third in the local GA World Wise Quiz. Our numbers continue to be very strong and this year we have our highest IB numbers (8).

The first of our trips was a Year 11 trip to Porlock Bay, where we enjoyed some glorious September sunshine. The students were tasked with collecting data to be used to write up their Controlled Assessment assignment. Our next trip was the Lower Sixth AS trip to the River Horner; a beautiful slice through the Exmoor National park. At its source the river is a trickle and though it is no Amazon, at its mouth there are distinct differences; a number of which can be sampled such as width, depth, gradient and velocity. This trip is also undertaken by the IB students in May. We do not only have Exmoor on our doorstep but also Dartmoor. Year 10 had the opportunity to visit in order to learn about the characteristics of Granite landscapes and the pressures that tourism can bring to national Parks in England as part of their Rocks and Resources module. Back to the coast, and on a mild February day, the Lower Sixth visited both Chesil Beach and Lyme Regis. Data was collected to investigate changes to the beach. In Lyme the focus was on management and after finishing the trip with a group photograph on the Cobb we treated ourselves to an ice cream as you have to make the best of the weather whenever you can! Finally, the Upper Sixth visited Bristol Docks and IKEA as part of their Globalisation studies. As always the dock proved to be interesting and different; you never know how many ships will be in or how many brand new cars will be parked up waiting for export. The most amazing site was the stockpile of imported coal - just across the Bristol Channel from Cardiff that was once the biggest coal exporting port in the world! In the afternoon we listened to a talk about the organisation of IKEA as a transnational corporation, whilst sampling all manner of Swedish sweet treats.

ixth Geographers on the Cobb at Lyrne Regis

This is our fourth year of running Geology and it is proving popular with another seven students taking up the course for Sixth Form this year, while three past students are studying the subject at university. We enjoyed our Field Trips to Kimmeridge Bay and Budleigh Salterton where once again the classroom theory was put into practice interpreting the structures and past environments.

Mrs Leader

Year 10 getting a close up view of Tor formation ar

\evvStaff We welcome the following new members of staff who are joining Taunton School this term: Mrs Barbara Boylan

Academic Development

Miss Lisa Manley

Mr James Brodie

Head of English

Miss Pauline McKay

Maths

Dr Aidan Cruttenden

Head of Classics

Miss Rebecca Miller

English

Miss Bridget Goldsmith

Biology

Mr Ian Payne

Head of Maths

Miss Megan Langley

English

Mr Andrew Pring

Chemistry

Mr David MacLean

Physics

GCSE history trip to Berlin and Krakow OVER the first week of the Easter holiday, 23 GCSE History students and 5 staff left Taunton to explore the sights of Berlin and Krakow, two cities integral to the GCSE History course. The three days in Berlin were spent looking at places linked to the Nazi and Cold War periods, with visits to Checkpoint Charlie, a remaining part of the Berlin Wall, the site of the 1933 Book Burnings and the old Gestapo Headquarters.

Swimming upstream - a Jewish refugee visits Taunton School The remarkable Dr.Scarlett Epstein came to speak to year 9 of experiences in her late teens and early twenties. Born into a Viennese Jewish family, she was forced to grow up fast when Hitler annexed Austria. Thinking on her feet to save herself and her family from the nightmares of the Holocaust, her dangerous escape route took her from Yugoslavia to Albania before a terrifying flight via Germany to England.

After a long coach journey to Krakow the students were able to see the contrast between East and West during the Cold War, as well as how different life was like under Nazi rule. The students visited the site of the Krakow Ghetto and Oskar Schindler's factory, and experienced the delights of medieval Krakow as well. Mr Hawkins

Dr Epstein emphasised the importance of standing up against persecution and discrimination in its many forms and the debt of gratitude that she owes to those who helped her. It was particularly striking how, in Albania, Muslims helped Jews. Despite facing many disadvantages, she became a brilliant academic and worked in such far flung locations as Papua New Guinea. Her inspirational story of courage and determination is detailed in her autobiography, Swimming Upstream. Mr Chatterton Head of History

continued...

Trips

George scoops top Cambridge Prize

Trips abroad

George Hallas won the highly prestigious St. John's College, Cambridge, Wilkinson Quincentenary Prize essay competition with his 'Myth and memory in the architectural monuments of global superpowers.' The competition assessed essays for 'distinction, measured by reference to mastery of relevant detail, the fluency and structure of argument, the level of analytical skills, the degree of originality shown and evidence of personal initiative in research'.

• • •

WWI battlefields - Ypres and the Somme: the grim reality of the trenches Berlin and Auschwitz - the bleak horror of 020th European history Morocco - kasbahs and camels, mountains, medinas and mihrabs

Trips at home • • • •

Sedgemoor battlefield tour - Barry Lane and the tragic unfolding of the Monmouth rebellion S.S Great Britain - the genius of Brunel Wells and Glastonbury - the richness of Britain's religious heritage 019th London centres of power - immigrants, synagogues and docks

Visitors • • • •

Dr. Scarlett Epstein, Jewish survivor Philip Algar, author - his father's experiences as a PO.W Dr Benjamin Thompson, Somerville College, Oxford - society in the late Middle Ages Lieutenant Joe Pruce, US naval intelligence - a contemporary US perspective on the world

Miscellaneous •

History Matters magazine - edited by Lucy Taylor then George Hallas; produced by Philip Roberts

History Prizes •

U6th - Oliver Kelham and Matthew Wood; L6th - George Hallas; Yr 11 - Benji MazinAtfield, Alex Willes, C.0 Price, Jess Scott; Yr 10 (The Cortbus) Abi McHardy; Yr 9 (The Colin) Rosemary Moss; Parsons Trophy Josh Kelly

Public examination results 2011 • • •

A level - 875% A/B IB 100% 7/6 HL GCSE - 67.9% A*/A

George gained £750 for his efforts - with a similar sum for the school History Department - and attended a special prize giving lunch at the college. He was also afforded the opportunity to spend a week researching at St John's during the summer working; he focused on the influence of Aristotle and Aquinas. George's success was thoroughly well deserved: he is one of the school's hardest working students who has nurtured and developed deep and genuine academic interests over a number of years. Mr Chatterton

WW1 battlefields trip THIRTY-THREE Year 9 students accompanied by the usual team of Mr Hawkins, Mr Jolley and Mr Chatterton, plus 'special guests' Mr Cook and Mr and Mrs Manley enjoyed another year of four visiting the First World War Battlefields of the Somme and Ypres.

Not forgetting the traditional poetry competition, this year the judges could not decide between two entries, so the joint winners were Maddy Newton and Issy Clark. Don't just learn it; live it. Mr Chatterton

The students were able to learn more about the events of 1914-1918. Visits to Bayernwald, Sanctuary Wood and Hill 62 were followed by the staggering Tyne Cot, the largest Commenwealth war cemetery in the world. Here, as in previous years, a representative of Evans House - Salvi De Sena presented a cross at the grave of Old Tauntonian Cyril M. Cook. As part of the trip, the students trace the stories of twenty OTs who died on the Somme or near Ypres; of these twenty, Cyril Cook was the only one whose body was found. Following Tyne Cot, the students were able to expand their knowledge through a visit to the excellent In Flanders Fields museum. The school took part in the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, the highlight of the trip. Liam Watson and Rosemary Moss laid a wreath on behalf of all Tauntonians, past and present, with a dedication written by Dr Newton. This ceremony is always moving, and the attendance seems to grow every year. On the final day, the students ventured further afield: to the Belgian 'Trench of Death' at Dixmuide, to the German cemetery at Vladlso, and to Essex Farm, where the poem 'In Flanders Fields' was written. Back in Ypres, we revisited the plaque which was dedicated last year, with the students now understanding fully the sacrifice made by onehundred and fifty of their forebears during the First World War. On the journey back to Calais, the group stopped at Lijssenthoek Cemetery, on the site of the main hospital for those wounded at Ypres. Throughout the trip, they had carried with them a ceremonial sword, belonging to the grandfather of Hera Bradley. He had been presented with it in the years after the Second World War by the widow of Robert Ingham, who died at Lijssenthoek during the First World War. For the first time since his death, the sword was reunited with its first owner, and Hera posed proudly as photos were taken.

Morocco history trip This was the fourth such trip for the history department. We went to Marrakech, Fes, the High Atlas and the Desert. Of course it was spectacular and exotic, a wonderful and rich experience for our group of Lower Sixth pupils, who enjoyed camping in Saharan dunes and exploring medieval souks in equal measure. There were several dramatic adventures. Unfortunately there is not space here to go into further detail; for further information see the History Microsite or the last edition of History Matters. Mr Moule

II2ISU in re

This has been another really busy and productive year in the Leisure Studies department. We began the year with the two Upper Sixth groups organising their Event Management units respectively. The first group (Alex Parmar, David Cowling, Alex McGough, Oki Nwakohu, Charlie Miles and Julia Janicki) ran a hugely successful Casino night in late September, raising an impressive ÂŁ500 for Help for Heroes. The second group (Frankie Petts, Rosie Grieve, Aurelia Games-Thomas and Aaron McGough) organised and ran the Fashion Show which was a fantastic, professional standard event, using students as models, local designer Henry Hunt clothing and even included a celebrity visit from Alexandra "Binky" Felstead from the hit TV show, Made in Chelsea. All who attended agreed that it was a huge success and the group were delighted to smash department records by donating ÂŁ1000 to The Katie Piper Foundation. In the Lent Term, the Upper Sixth completed their Leisure in the Outdoors unit which included organising an afternoon for the Pre-Prep children at Fyne Court and Rage Buggying at Bristol. Experiencing outdoor leisure firsthand was certainly fun (and muddy!) but showed the students just how much planning and organisation some of these activities takes. At Fyne Court, the younger students took a particular shine to Julia and Aaron, and Aurelia tested her First Aid knowledge. In Bristol, the boys tested their driving skills in the mud, Charlie managed to break the tyre of his buggy, Mrs Turner surprised herself - "loving it" and Dave and Alex Parmar were definitely the quickest. Both year groups were then lucky enough to go to London for a day to tour around the Olympic Village and see up close just how much regeneration has taken place in East London already. To walk across the athletes' tunnel and see the warm-up areas where Usain Bolt will be this summer was a highlight for some. Our next stop, Madame Tussauds continues to wow the tourists and it was interesting to see the new Olympic additions too. The Chamber of Horrors caused a few screams, and we ended the day testing the Customer Service at Planet Hollywood. Mrs Turner

Me& . i

Mathematics continues to be at the heart of academia within Taunton School. The year has seen many excellent results, achievements, competitions and talks.

Accepted by 208 of our students, the challenges posed by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust were the mathematical highlight with over 50% obtaining a certificate. Jason Gu secured the best result in the Senior challenge, with Jeremy Soper leading the intermediate. Gold certificates were awarded to: Lewis Chinery, Alexandra Du, Todd Freeman, Jason Gu, Edward McBride, Amrita Patel, Cecilia Price, Sam Rixon, Jeremy Soper, Molly Wang, Alex Willes, Jacky Yu, Tracy Yuan, Ming Zhang. Alexandra and Ming qualified for the Senior Kangaroo, whilst Jason, Jeremy, Molly, and Jacky qualified for Olympiads at their respective levels. Jeremy Soper and Molly Wang must both be congratulated for earning medals (the most prestigious awards) in the Intermediate Olympiad and British Olympiad respectively. Our Mathematics teams have also had great success this year. The junior team (Alex Willes, Sam Tapp, Sam Rixon, Sam Griffin) placed 5th in the regional qualifier, whilst our Senior team (Jason Gu, Molly Wang, Tracy Yuan, Jeremy Soper) won the regional final, beating other local schools such as Millfield and Queen's. The Senior team went on to represent Somerset at the National Final at the Camden Centre in London, where they placed in the top half of all teams. Mr Dewbery Assistant Head Of Mathematics

Jason Gu, Jeremy Soper and Molly Wang - British Mathematical Olympiad qualifiers

001:1 [1:110eiot

6C741 V 'COW; 144 tâ&#x20AC;&#x17E;Ali

MFL trip to Paris

El nino con el pijama de rayas Mi historia parece ser una historia que se inventO un senor , pero no, no es asi. Mi historia es una historia completamente real, va asi.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas My story seems invented, but no, it is not. My story is an entirely real one.

Un dia cuando yo venia del colegio vi a un mont6n de gente Ilevando cosas a mi casa como para hacer una fiesta de despedida. Cuando entre a casa me dijo mi madre que papa habia dicho que nos ibamos a mudar de casa a una casa en el campo. Yo pense en todo lo malo que nos podia pasar, cuando de repente salt' mi hermana diciendo lo contrario. Como que si nos mudaramos de casa podriamos hacer muchos mas amigos nuevos, y que tendriamos la nueva experiencia de vivir en el campo con animales y todo ese rollo de hermanas de 12 anos. Por la tarde dieron una fiesta de despedida, con todo los ayudantes de papa y toda nuestra familia. A la matiana siguiente salimos despues de empaquetar todos los muebles y hacer las maletas. Nos montamos en el tren para it a nuestra nueva casa. Cuando Ilegamos pense que la casa era muy diferente a la casa de Berlin. Pasamos un par de dias en casa y ya habia montado un columpio en el arbol de enfrente de la casa. En esa misma tarde me estaba remando cuando de repente me cai y me golpee la cabeza. Perdi la memoria , y cuando me desperte un senor desconocido me estaba poniendo una venda en la rodilla. Era un senor con un pijama que tenia un rinierÂ° sobre el pecho a la izquierda , le pregunte como se Ilamaba y me respondi6 " Pabel". Iba a darle las gracias cuando mi madre IlegO a casa y me mand6 a mi habitacion en una voz muy enojada. Me dijo que Pabel era medico pero ahora estaba en nuestra casa pelando patatas y trabajando de jardinero. Queria preguntar por qua estaba trabajando en la cocina cuando era medico pero mi madre me mir6 y yo sali de la cocina. Un dia me di cuenta de que Pabel era uno mas de los de la granja. La granja era lo que podia ver yo desde la ventana de mi habitaciOn, que papa cerro un dia por que dijo que no se podia hablar ni mirar a la gente que vivia en la granja. Antes de venir aqui a Auschvitz papa y mama no habian hablado de la "granja" y yo no habria prestado atencion porque yo siempre estaba jugando con mis amigos en Berlin. A la semana siguiente vi una puerta que Ilevaba al jardin de atras. Entre por la puerta y vi un cobertizo a la punta de atras del jardin. Investigue un poco en el cobertizo cuando me di cuenta que habia una ventana. Me puse encima de la silla que encontre por ahi y salts por la ventana. Detras de esa ventana habia otro mundo Ileno de &boles y troncos y flores y hasta habia en rio que corria al lado de la "granja". Por detras de la verja habia in nirio con el mismo pijama que Pabel. Me presents y el me dijo que se Ilamaba "Schmuell". Schmuell y yo nos veiamos casi todos los dias , a veces hasta le traia comida que hacia mama o que preparaba yo. Hasta que un dia Schmuell me dijo que su padre habia desaparecido y que necesitaba ayuda para encontrarlo. Entonces Schmuell me dijo que pensaba el que me mudase con el . Yo al principio pensaba que era una locura pero al dia siguiente , despues de que mama nos habia dicho que nos ibamos a mudar otra vez de casa. En ese mismo momento volvi a pensar lo que Schmuell me habia dicho sobre buscar a su padre. Al dia siguiente ya estaba todo preparado para salir a la otra casa cuando de repente me escape a la granja a ahi me encontre con Schmuell, nos cupimos en un pasadizo debajo de la tierra y ahi estaba yo al otro lado de la verja con un pijama que me habia dado, me sentia como uno de ellosI Enseguida nos fuimos a todas las casas de la granja y no encontramos a su padre. Un soldado nos dijo que nos teniamos que guitar toda la ropa para it a una camara que parecia una ducha. Nos cerraron las puertas y un aire que dio un olor empez6

One day when I came home from school I saw a lot of people taking things into my house for a farewell party. My mother told me that Dad had said that we were moving from our house in Berlin to a house in the country. I thought about everything bad that could happen to us, when suddenly my sister jumped in saying the opposite, that we could make new friends, and we would have the experience of living in the country with animals and all that stuff that twelve year old sisters say. In the afternoon my Dad gave a farewell party for all his staff and our whole family. On the following morning after packing all the furniture, we went to the train station on the way to our new home. When we arrived we thought the house was very different from the home of Berlin. We spent a couple of days at home and had already put up a tree swing in front of the house. That same afternoon I was paddling when suddenly I fell and hit my head. I lost my memory, and when I woke up a man was putting a bandage on my knee. He was a man in pyjamas that had a number on the left side of the chest. I asked what was his name and he said, "Pabel". I was going to say thanks, when my mum came home and sent me to my room in a very angry voice. He said he was a doctor, but now Pabel was peeling potatoes in our house and working as a gardener. I wanted to ask why he was working in the kitchen, when he was a doctor but my mother looked at me and I left the kitchen.

Amanda Steele

One day I realized that Pabel was one of the people over at the farm. The farm was what I could see from the window of my room. One day Dad said I was not to talk or look at the people who lived on the farm. Before coming here Mum and Dad had not spoken about the "farm" and I would not have paid attention because I was always playing with my friends in Berlin. The following week I noticed a door in the backyard. I walked through the door and saw a shed at the back end of the garden. I went inside and found a window. I stood on a chair and jumped through the window. I was in an area full of logs and trees and flowers and there was even a river running next to the "farm". Behind the fence was a child with the same pyjamas as Pabel. I introduced myself and he told me he was called "Schmuell". Schmuell and I spoke almost every day after that, sometimes I brought him food prepared by Mum or me. Until one day Schmuell told me that his father had gone and he needed me to help him find him. Schmuell then told me he thought I could move in with him. At first I thought it was crazy but the next day Mum told us we were going to move house again. Right then I thought about what Schmuell had said to me about looking for his father. The next day everything was ready for move again when suddenly I ran away to find Schmuell. We slid through an underground passageway and there I was on the other side of the fence in pyjamas Schmuel had given me, I felt like one of them! Then we went to every house in the farm and did not find his father. Then a soldier came and told us we had to remove all our clothes and go into a chamber that looked like a shower. They closed the doors and there was a funny smell Amanda Steele

There was a common theme of food this year which included a wide variety of activities organised by the MFL department. The first one was a quiz in September to celebrate the European Day of Languages. Each house put in a team and the staff devised the questions to cover all aspects of European culture. There was much rivalry and shouting as the quiz was played and much fun was had by all concerned. The prizes, needless to say, involved sweeties! The Christmas social also involved lots of food and a competition to build the best gingerbread house which Dr Newton then judged. When the cakes were finished the teams demolished the gingerbread houses with great glee. To complete the Autumn Term, some of our students visited Bruges and Lille where they enjoyed Belgian waffles and shopped at the Christmas markets.

In the Lent Term, there was the wine tasting evening which is always the highlight of the year for both staff and pupils alike. Mr Brown did not disappoint with his extensive knowledge of wine production and the culture involved. Then there was the visit to a tapas restaurant in Bristol for the Lower and Upper Sixth. The evening was voted a great success as the food was truly authentic, it was a real experience for them to sample the dishes and learn the vocabulary. During the Prep School Taster morning, a group of primary children from visiting schools were invited to the MFL department to participate in a workshop where they enjoyed some cultural activities , tasted an enormous amount of Hispanic cooking and were introduced to some new vocabulary. Mrs Gaskell

i ../ •f? l/ ii / .t . •',/, */ . i /

,a ,,,•

1 / ' ;/ k////1 / • „r /7//744d/r/ i4cy ./, / : ' - i ./ hill ill iY/7

j..% -ix iill l/.1.//

, if// • s f.,..,

• riii.v///'

e.,_.

, ,ij; 47-:

• . ,1.,_ r /47 ;,71/-74.;,/ . 7 -' liaibii ' 1 ,lit/Pil //, ,.../, ;/ i #47

RV* P”

./ 04fi e

yk/ / ' 4/;;'1. ,./ 7 4 .W/9 •z%

It has been a good year for ICT. In the curriculum we have introduced an !GCSE course in Year 10 which will eventually feed directly into our A-Level ICT. The course has started with good numbers of enthusiastic students. Elsewhere, we have introduced a Robotics club where our talented Sixth Form students help teach the younger ones about this interesting subject. They are currently preparing for entry into this year's First Lego League Robotics competition held at HP Labs in Bristol at the end of November. We are also running several computing clubs for all year groups. In these clubs, they can learn languages like JAVA, HTML and in the future, Python. Several of these students will be having a 'Hands on' experience by building their own computers from scratch and installing a variety of operating systems.

In May, we are hoping to host an Enigma day where Year 9 students will be involved in cypher and code breaking activities along with a talk from James Grimes from The University of Cambridge who will visit with an actual Enigma machine from World War 2. We are delighted to have just taken delivery of a Raspberry Pi. This is a credit card sized computer designed to help in the teaching of programming skills. We are now looking forward to letting the students loose with it. Their first project is to build it in to the Design and technology department's Greenpower car so it can monitor the cars systems whilst it is racing. Mr Parvin

111111111.i.P'

raj I-

PsYchologY This has been a very busy year for the Psychology Department, with the further development of the Psychology Society and three more editions of the "PsychTalk" magazine. This magazine has gone from strength and we have received acclaim from the national magazine "Psychology Review" for the exceptionally high standard of the articles printed.

Antony Curtis, Editor of the Psychology Review

• •

Iss

vr,

OtIndlny r las,ficAtmr,a,do including r

•

ehablity ane

Brciocycal eAplanabot,of sthuophrer,,,,, bmchern, str y

Psyctgo9kalexpiditations.,e9_btb44

cognitive, psychodyeankerid tocio,tutt • NO/Ogicalthe!tafeestetchbringwrOlta,-

The Psychology Society has also had another very successful year with two lectures given by the acclaimed Lynsey Gozna, who is a lecturer in Forensic Psychology at The University of Lincoln on 'Deception, Lying and the Implications for Interviewing Suspects and Offenders'. This was extremely well attended and 150 students and staff came from other schools to hear the lecture. The second lecture of the year was given by Anthony Curtis who is associate lecturer at De Montfort University and adviser to the NHS on specific psychological issues including schizophrenia, as well as being an editor for the magazine "Psychology Review". Anthony visited the Psychology Society at Taunton School for the second time, with his insightful talk on 'Schizophrenia: A Divided Mind'. We were very fortunate to attend a conference in Bristol on a variety of subjects and one of the speakers was the celebrity speaker "Dr Dance" (Dr Peter Lovatt, Principal Lecturer and Reader in Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire) who is working on the innovative psychological study on the way in which hormones influence cognition in dance at the celebrated Dance Psychology Laboratory. Dr Dance will be coming to lecture on 'Dance, Hormones and Thinking' in November 2012 at Taunton School. Mrs Falkingham

PSYCH-TALK

•0440.■ CORM. Te.20,11v WNW..

Ge.der R010

Acres? te Wort

nev, has Facebook chenV d mantic lationships?

•

Relion Phil

& Ethics They say a year is a long time in politics which appears true when you consider the continuing consequences of the Arab Spring and the ongoing financial squeeze in Europe. World events and changes in personal circumstances certainly helped students engage in the difficult concepts raised by this subject.

f0 A' SCHOOL 0I-FERINC'

The department continued to look for stimulating ways to stretch pupil thinking: Mr Judd gave a public lecture on whether 'all you need is love' to live a moral life, Mrs Marsden spoke a number of times in Chapel and Mrs White spoke to the Junior Academics. Model United Nations grew this year with students attending two conferences. Speaking in front of 650 fellow students is certainly not for the faint-hearted. 'Philosophy at the Movies' continued to challenge students to see the philosophical concepts underpinning many blockbuster films. A careful examination of the film Truman raised question over how free we really are. The department also went on location this year with Mr Judd presenting 'A Rough Guide to Islam' for Bicknoller WI in June. Within the classroom, students have engaged with topical issues. The GCSE course considered the issue of woman bishops and A-level students reflected on the significance of introducing gay marriage. Extended essays continued to provoke debate, for example: `Can torture ever be justified?' and 'To what extent is Sartre right to claim that in war there are no innocent victims?' All in all, one can say students at Taunton School are not afraid to ask and try to answer. Papua New Guinea

Mr Judd

"The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates

Illrâ&#x2013; =1111NEININWPIÂ°

The Science Department has again seen a year of expansion, with larger numbers than ever progressing to AS and IB level and more classes in the GCSE years. Consequently we welcomed Miss Wedgwood, Miss Burton and Mr Godfrey in September to reinforce our ranks. They have already made a big impact and numbers look likely to rise yet again this coming year. We are sorry to lose three highly valued colleagues this term, all to well-earned retirement. Mrs Mason, Mr. Bearman and Mr Finan have contributed massively and will be sorely missed by staff and especially pupils. In the Autumn Term the Lower Sixth IB and A Level chemists joined with 200 other Sixth Form students from all over the South West to enjoy the annual Christmas Chemistry Conference at Bristol University in November. Lectures included: `Pheromones, sex and violence: the chemical world of bees and ants' by Dr Adam Hart, 'The Chemistry of Extremophiles' by Dr Preeti Kaur

Science

and 'Chemistry for the Terrified' by Dr John Kilcoyne (of 'Brainiac' fame). We have also been well entertained and informed by another packed programme of scientific society speakers, while the Pulse magazine continues to lead the way as an example of excellence in the quality of writing and publishing by the pupils. The Lower Sixth AS and IB biologists enjoyed another very successful summer field trip to Devon, the party this year being so large that we overflowed into tents. Miraculously we chose the only two rain-free days in June and thus remained largely dry, apart from slipping in rock pools while hunting crabs and conger eels on Sunday. Two highlights were the barbecue party, again ably incinerated by the Biology tutors, and the achievement of Dr Penny in managing not to get lost driving round Exmoor.

continued...

continued

We have had great success with Nuffield Bursary Awards, with a record three students being successful this year. Georgina Huntridge, John Pincock and Henry Brigden will all spend between 4 and 6 weeks in university and hospital research labs this summer and will in addition qualify for gold Crest awards. They will be hosted by Imperial College, Southampton University and Bristol University. An interesting range of original science project work also continues in school, with pupils aiming at Crest Awards at different levels.

We are very grateful to the Parents' Association for their kind funding of the new biology garden. This is now almost completed and is planted with a selection of rare, medicinal and other biologically or economically important plants. There has also been an influx of new creatures into the Biology department, ranging from giant millipedes to a bull snake. Dr Penny

This year the Biology Olympiad team had great success, James Evry winning a coveted Gold Medal, while Bunny Upton, Matthew Wood, Jevy Richardson and Max Kroppen were all highly commended. The travelling science shows have attracted large audiences again and the show has now been seen by over 4,000 primary school pupils.

Sixth Form Chemists

Sixth Form Biologists

Atir_ Terry the bull snake

THE ART bEPARTMENIT has had another very exciting and successful year - it has truly been the year of the sculpture. Densham Green has become home to an impressive 16ft tall work, depicting a man and his reflection, a sculpture produced by Giles Penny. Students and staff have also been treated to three days of exhilarating chainsaw carving by artist Matthew Crabb whose sculpture can be seen on the Wills quad. World famous sculptors Peter RandallPage and David Mach have also delivered inspirational and insightful talks about their work as part of the History and Arts public Lectures programme. A range of trips to Tate Modern, the V&A and Broomhill Sculpture Park, a Royal Academy life drawing workshop and the BIG Draw make up just a selection of extra events that have helped inspire and enthuse both art students and the rest of the school community. The Art Department continues to go from strength to strength and the quality of work produced by the students continues to impress. This was emphasised by another phenomenal Summer Exhibition. Please take the opportunity to come and view the high quality of work displayed around the School site. This year the following prizes have been awarded to: T.S. Penny Prize: Edward Hatfield Old Tauntonian Western Club Prize: Campbell Bradly Wilton Prize: Emily Pitman The Dauncey Photography and Film Award: Sophie Palmer The Ian Ball Photography Cup: Anastasia Sinitsyna The Visual Arts Prize: Florencia Uthoff Mr Grant

PHOTOGRAPHS bEPARTME1111 Another great year for the photographers of Taunton School. As well as A-level Photography, the Third and Fourth Formers got the opportunity to try out their photographic and image-making skill during TADs in the Autumn and Lent Terms. The concepts 'Seasons' and 'Everything' encouraged some wonderful photography, well done to all the students involved. Miss Harris

(

Matthew Crabb - Chainsaw Sculpture in Process...

Fine Art

■ 11•1111

•

4r* A David Mach Lecture 2012

Peter Randal Page Lecture 2012

4111101 ".—

A2 Fine Art

•.1

Giles Penney Sculpture in situ...

Final Sculpture

A2 Fine Art

Alf ,,,,,,

Fine Art AS Fine Art

Photography

S Fine Art

• ••

GCSE Fine Art

IB Fine Art

GCSE Fine Art

CSE Fine Art

•okSEIN GCSE Fine Ark

General Exhibition

Ashley Hansen AS Photography

lip

ON 41-yi rri it

Eddie Hatfielda A2 Photography IV • I-

• osie Grieve A2 Photography

Chloe Coleman AS Photography

Jenny Chan - AS Photography

Drama Taunton School Drama has had a hugely busy, exciting and successful year We hit the ground running in October with Alastair's Kirby's thought-provoking and heartfelt production of "Mugged" by Andrew Payne with a large cast of year 11, 12 and 13 students playing a wide range of roles. November was marked by a GCSE group winning the "Acting" section at the Taunton Speech and Drama Festival with their performance of "A Memory of Lizzie" by David Foxton. They scored 90% and received an outstanding adjudication. A new initiative in the form of lunchtime theatre was also popular and prolific in christening our newly-refurbished drama studio, attracting large and appreciative audiences in the form of both students and staff. Early December and this time it is the turn of year 9 and 10 drama students to show their considerable flair and creativity in the shape of Suzie Comming's innovative and highly entertaining version of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" which was much enjoyed by full houses at all performances. A short breather over the Christmas period, before students were treading the boards again, this time in preparation for the four breath taking performances of "Phantom of the Opera" in June where the music department formed a production team with drama taking responsibility for costumes, properties and makeup and the music department for the performance side.

March and April saw many students creating outstanding performance work for their GCSE and A level coursework where every student gained either an A or B grade, with 82% of pupils achieving A or A*. The AS group went on to perform their play "Burglars" by David Rudkin at the Somerset County Drama Festival where we received an excellent adjudication and were just pipped to the winning post by another local group. August brought about three major events in the drama department: A trip to Edinburgh Festival with Mr Kirby's "Musicians" which received outstanding audience feedback. It was a wonderful week with pupils performing street theatre to a large and appreciative audience, while myself and other staff handed out soggy flyers from beneath polythene ponchos!! A hugely successful week and a massive "thank you" and "congratulations" to all involved. See separate "Edinburgh" report by Alastair Kirby. The two other big events were the GCSE and A levels results and my enormous congratulations go out to all the students who worked so hard and achieved such brilliant grades. A fitting end to a fantastic year!

Mugged

The Rime of the Ancient Manner

The play was performed at school when those who took part also did a presentation on the trip, performed street theatre pieces and showed photos and video from Edinburgh.

DRAMA students from Taunton School have taken the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by storm ... for the second year running. After 2011's production won a coveted 'Sold Out' award, the school returned with a bigger cast to perform in a more ambitious venue.

The following attended the festival:

`The Musicians' - a witty play by Patrick Marber - took the stage at TheSpace @ Surgeon's Hall, just off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

Alastair Kirby - Director Luke Waller - Technician Jane Harris Niki Preece

The staff and cast worked tirelessly to promote the show, trudging the streets with flyers to advertise it and their determination paid off, with the sale of 250 tickets over the six performances -a huge achievement when competing with hundreds of other shows at the festival.

Cast: 011ie Lucas - Alex Sam Newton - Roland Orchestra: Imi Gray Henry Payne James Mear Sam Dunn Alex Hill Alice Newlyn

Comments on the production's audience review form saw the school receive five-star ratings in more than 50 per cent of replies and included: "The best production we have seen at the festival this year."

Students also got the chance to meet David Hasselhoff after watching his one man show at the festival.

Drama teacher Alastair Kirby, who directed the show, said: "I am so proud to have taken such a wonderful and dynamic group of students to the festival - they were a pleasure to manage and even better to direct. "They have achieved something spectacular and I hope they take away wonderful memories of the performances and the festival itself. "

â&#x20AC;˘

`It was absolutely brilliant. The cast were superb and the orchestra were as good as any we have heard in the 30+ professional performances we have seen in the last 25 years.' - Mr Ball Wow! Phantom was amazing last night - well done to everyone involved, you were all brilliant. I just wish I could see it again!!' - Ms Acton

k 'L have just come from watching a truly fabulous performance of Phantom of the Opera at Taunton School and congratulate all involved in the pro-'. duction. Well done to everyone who worked so hard to provide a stunning entertainment. A night I shall long remember. The standing ovation was so well deserved.' - Ms Pacey

`Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendour. Grasp it, sense it tremulous and tender...' (The Music of the Night) The Taunton School production team resurrected the most ambitious West-End musical in the summer Phantom of the Opera. From the moment those thunderous chords of the world-famous overture resonated to the lofty gallery, it was clear that parents, teachers and friends of the cast and crew were not sitting in on a school performance, this was a professional production to rival the best. The majesty of the Paris Opera House was evoked by the grandeur of the set, masterfully constructed and engineered by the Bright production team and Alastair Kirby. No expense was spared to mirror the aesthetics of Lloyd Webber's original production; the props list must have been endless - from musical monkeys to gravestones, rowing boats to cobwebbed candelabra and of course, the iconic chandelier, which plummeted down to the audience's breathless horror. Pyrotechnics and innovative lighting designs, engineered by Luke Waller, added sparks to this most electric of performances. The costumes were a work of art in themselves, praise must go to Jane Harris and her team who spent hours making tutus and locating all manner of vintage Parisian haute-couture. The make-up team skilfully transformed adolescents into adults, as well as creating the prosthetics of the Phantom himself. Much of the magic arose from 'the music of the night'. The orchestra, composed of professional players and school students, were too voluminous to fit in the orchestra pit, so took residence backstage via the power of a live-feed. Mark Cracknell's musical direction and Tim Waller's orchestral arrangements were sublime and expertly handled by the sound team. Director Fiona Baker put together something truly incredible. Her cast communicated storytelling at its best, as the audience were drawn into the intense romantic plot of the rising opera star, Christine, her suitor, Raoul, and the Phantom himself. Henry Payne gave a commanding performance of the eponymous

lead, bringing many to tears during his haunting rendition of 'The Music of the Night'. Hannah Deasy stunned the audience with her operatic vocal range and ability to encapsulate Christine's torment, a role which was handled with equal tenderness by her understudy, Charlotte Penny. Max Kelly has now entered the league of leading male roles with his mature rendition of Raoul, inviting the audience to bask in his lilting performance of 'All I Ask of You'. Sophie Gamble supported Ms Deasy with her beautiful vulnerability as Meg Giry, daughter to the steely-eyed ballet mistress, wonderfully embodied by Imogen Gray. Fiona Baker finely tuned the rhythm of this tragedy with some excellent comedic interludes, handled by ensemble actors, James Mear, Sam Newton and 011ie Lucas. Third Former Heidi Parsons tackled the role of the Italian prima donna with great aplomb; she will deservedly lead the way in future school productions. The mark of a musical's success rests with the support and attention of its chorus. Fiona Baker should be extremely proud of the range of students whose tight focus and co-ordination in their expressive dancing (choreographed by Natasha Huckle), singing and acting, brought a presence to the stage which complemented the talent of the leading characters. The camaraderie of the cast shone through, a mark of total professionalism. This production supplied a spellbinding sequence of unforgettable moments from the lovers' duets to the masquerade. The standing ovations were wholly justified. Like the Phantom himself, this production will forever echo in the gallery of the Arts Centre, as well as the minds of the cast, crew and audience, who are all wishing they were somehow there again. Mr Harrison

Music

Music continued to go from strength to strength in 2011/12 with over 40 public concerts and events, featuring in excess of 200 pupils as soloists or in one of our 24 instrumental ensembles and choirs. Our music was extremely well represented in the community with performances in a variety of venues ranging from Wells Cathedral, the Wales Millennium Centre, Taunton town centre, Cornwall, Oake Village Hall and Tolland Church. A number of world class visiting musicians have inspired the pupils through master-classes and workshops throughout the year - these have included concert pianist, Tom Poster, and the Honeymead ensemble, former director of the National Opera Studio Donald Maxwell, bass player James Eller and the world renowned mixer and producer Ali Staton. Ali has produced albums and tours for Madonna and Seal to name just two of the many international artists he works with. We also had the South West's premier big band Swing Machine perform a concert for us. These musicians add a very important an inspiring extra dimension to compliment the work of our talented team of visiting music teachers who provide tuition and guidance throughout the year. Our pupils have taken part in a number of competitions this year including the Taunton Festival, in which we had a number of winners, the Two Moors Festival, in which Oliver Kelham took part in the winners' recital and BBC Young Musician of the Year in which Mollie Stallard got through to the regional finals.

Alongside the high profile events, we have a programme of tea-time concerts and informal concerts which give every pupil an opportunity to perform on a regular basis. This year there have been 25 tea-time concerts on a Wednesday at 5pm, with between 3-6 pupils performing as soloists in each as well as some ensemble performances. These informal recitals form a vital stepping stone for the more formal performances that take place and give our pupils a chance to try out pieces in front of an audience before their Associated Board or Trinity Guildhall examinations. The Autumn term focus was our Choral Society Concert, in the spectacular setting of Wells Cathedral. On Saturday 12th November, we performed Karl Jenkins' moving and spectacular `The Armed Man' with a full professional orchestra of 55 and choir of 140 including 4 pupils as soloists. The huge screen behind the choir added hugely to the experience, showing images of war and celebrations of peace from across the world. The congregation was stunned by the quality and power of the music and the performance from a first class choir and orchestra. A first half featuring Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, Karl Jenkins' Adiemus and Mollie Stallard playing Bewald's Concert Piece for Bassoon made this one of the most memorable, ambitious and successful choral society concerts the school has ever produced. We had extremely successful A level, IB and GCSE recitals this year, with 22 pupils performing as part of academic courses in the Lent Term. Music continues to be a vital part of school life and something which hugely enhances the lives of all who take part in it. There are exciting plans for 2012/13 and we would encourage all pupils to get involved and parents to encourage and attend our events next year.

A full list of our 2011/12 events Autumn Term: AVE sang at Wales Millennium Centre • Informal Concert - Piano and Strings • Informal Concert - Woodwind and Percussion • • House Singing Choral Society Concert - The Armed Man • Remembrance Day Service • Informal Concert - Brass and Singing • • Taunton School Music Stage - Town Centre • Taunton Music and Drama festival • AVE concert for NSPCC • Christmas Concert • Chapel Choir Christmas service at Wells Cathedral • Chapel Choir concert at Dunster • School Carol Services • Tea-time concerts every Wednesday throughout term Lent Term • Informal Concert - all years • Various professional workshops and recitals • Gala recitals evening - A level and IB • GCSE recitals • Lang Lang concert at Royal Albert Hall • Wind Band provide music for CCF inspection • Tea-time concerts every Wednesday Summer Term • Tom Poster and Honeymead ensemble master class and concert • String Quartet and Folk group playing for CRY in Cornwall • Ali Staton and James Eller music technology workshops • AVE concert at Tolland Church • Donald Maxwell vocal master classes • Concerto/summer concert - featuring Carnival of the Animals • Dance Band played for a supercar day • Music for the opening of The Grange • Music for Prep School fete • Dance Band BBQ • The Phantom of the Opera • Music for Commemoration day Tea-time concerts for first half of term Mr Cracknell

This society, devoted to a serious and intense study of the arts and their place in History across a range of cultures, goes from strength to strength. I am especially pleased that such a range of year-groups is so strongly represented, in spite of several conflicting activities: nor are the Third and Fourth Formers mute and timid, but rather full of apposite questions and points. We meet once a week and have seminars on a range of topics (some of these this year are provincial China (hosted by Jeremy Soper), Dark Age Ireland, Renaissance Florence, the concept of the Baroque, romantic programme music and Quantocks poetry). There have also been several trips, for instance to Sherborne Abbey, Montacute House and Bishops Lydeard Church. We have planned a trip to Tuscany in December. The aim of such activities is for pupils to discover new enthusiasms as observers of the arts, and then to fuel and share these in an environment conducive to such interests. Mr Moule

The Magic Flute

Cmative Writing Cpece;ve 14..),-;e;i75 has ccDne;nzLed Zoeh ehe /9416/;C SChoo/ Conipee;el'onS Sphere and in ehe privacy cp-C seadene ss c)1,_)nticpeein35. I have been cle//:91eed Szepet-✓;Se ehi's moSe e>y2I-eSSI✓e leotniS ) ;z4 has been ,9ate;ca/atly /2/eaS;n3 ec, See ehe 3/-cv4..);n3 ;neet-e5e and ea/ene cDc our 6cy5 el-7;s year. 4s Z cake

/ea✓e crcvn 7 —aunec).7 Sch.0.0/, ion5 may SezideneS here enjoy ehe power and ehe Zeauey off' ehe A..)t;ZZen zA..)ot-d.

Mr >1/421-1-;Son

Competitions

Societies L'attimo Fuggente This society was established by the Italian students in the Lower Sixth who I cajoled into putting pen to paper to write poetry. Each week a theme was established with a very short deadline. Many thanks to the founding members, Giacomo Sertorio (Fairwater), Federico Escalar (Fairwater) and Riccardo Sattin (Wills East).

Mr Harrison's De-tension On Tuesday afternoons in the Autumn and Lent Terms, I opened the door of my classroom to students who wished to make use of a creative environment. Third and Fourth Formers enjoyed the opportunity to meditate in a candle-lit classroom, serenaded by Enya!

Autumn Term The 5th and Sixth Formers were challenged to write a poem entitled 'The Garden'. Annie Wilman (Weirfield) was declared the winner for her thoughtful creation, gaining the Addiscott Prize for Poetry. Over fifty entries were received in the PSHE Anti-Bullying Poetry Competition for Third and Fourth Form students; Holly Conquer (Besley) and George Lee (Fairwater) shared the winning prize.

Lent Term Students from across the school seasonally sprang into action by penning short stories based on the stimulus of 'under the old oak tree'. Joshua Williams (Fairwater) from the Third Form claimed the Addiscott Prize for Prose for his dark and haunting tale.

Summer Term In honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the theme for this term's poetry competition was 'royalty'. Once again, this stirred the imagination of our wordsmiths who produced a multitude of diamond-encrusted works. Among the royal commendations, Oliver Kelham (Goodland) was announced as the Poet Laureate.

Elizabethan Sonnet Humble princess, tear-stained in Afric's plain, Yet written in the stars her path of life, Home to England to pre-determined reign To follow duty, monarch, queen and wife. Ermine cloaked, orb and sceptre glowing bright, Trumpets sound, Walton's music fills the nave Crown imperial shines with dazzling light Sing forth our royal majesty to save. Unbidden in this ordered noble life, Annus horribilis, her powers decrease: Windsor burns, marital tensions are rife, Wise counsel and judgement restoring peace. Behold the Diamond Jubilee refrain, God Save the gracious Queen, long may she reign. Oliver Kelham (Goodland Upper Sixth)

continued...

continued

•

e Writing

s' `regina in v►ncul► Strangled by her glittering fetters, ionslaved. Gasping for freedom: restrained, tat en , Masked by shadows of expec The facade is finally fading away... Confined to her cell, deprived of the Sun, Drained of vitality, power and hope. Future contrived: made to appear Dominant in daylight, yet fearful alone. Hunted by packs of preying eyes; No-one to trust, no moment to rest. Opposite of the imprinted dreamregina in vinculis est. man (Weirfield F5) Annie Wi► and Cecilia Price (Besley F5)

`The Garden' Lead me through arches crowned in thorns take me by the hand and watch petals unfurl, blink in the morning light: we play make-believe I let you take me to a place; let you pick me flowers which, slumbering in their soft beds, watch our pantomime An excerpt from an entry by Lucy Taylor (Woodyer Upper Sixth)

"long may students here enjoy the power and the beauty of the written word"

HistoryofArt The Art Historians (two in the Upper Sixth and five in the Lower Sixth - all taking the AQA exam) have been a lively and hard-working group, passionately committed to the subject, and driven by the great scope the exam structure offers. Our great weekly event is the 'Friday afternoon quadruple', a marathon in which we deal with mountains of images of marvellous paintings, sculptures and buildings, and enliven our analysis with fine home-made cakes, obscure songs (we found one about a medieval architect), and rare jokes about mismatching Gothic arches and hyper-intense romantic landscapists. We have made rich studies of the 13th, 14th and 19th centuries, and I think it is very unlikely that any school anywhere else will have pupils so confident in discussing the rabbits in the margins of the Macclesfield Psalter, the (now destroyed) Chatsworth Stove, the relationship of Threave Castle to crannogs, and the Leeds mill designs of the Egyptologist Joseph Bell and his illustrious brother Jospeh. Some pupils are developing specialist interests: from the architectural projection of superpowers to the symbolism of the pre-Raphaelites (our class has the youngest member of the Pre-Raphaelite Society in it). In addition, we have made numerous trips, most recently to examine early 20th century garden design at Hestercombe and Barrington. In freezing February we walked about six miles round Bristol comparing architectural styles. In the Autumn we had a long lesson about royal images in the Old House of Milverton, where a mighty wall-painting of Henry VIII was discovered last year. Then we had an amazing 'Medieval Christmas Feast' at a gorgeous medieval manor house belonging to kind parents who let us explore everywhere and then gave us medieval-style venison, after which we sang medieval carols and told medieval ghost stories. This subject has the capacity to move and delight pupils to a very great extent, and this excellent class has responded to it extremely warmly. Mr Moule

The Burke - Debating and Public Speaking - 2011-12 Once again, the Burke has had a busy and productive year. Our lunchtime debates have proved popular and provided students with an opportunity to consider many topical issues in an informal setting, whilst our evening debates have finely tuned the public speaking skills of our students as they have considered motions such as 'This house would allow Britain to break up!' and `This house would leave the EU' It has been fantastic to see familiar faces such as Holly Hickman, Sam Newton, Lucy Taylor and Dan Rogers participate and also to welcome new faces, such as Georgina Huntridge, Will Jolley and Abidah Ferej. The Senior Inter-House Debating and Public Speaking Competition

A rather festive looking chairman, Mr Brown

Impromptu Speaking Winner - Sam Newton Interpretive Reading Winner - Becca Court and Jenny Brock Persuasive Speaking Winner - Anna East Debating Winners - George Wheatley and Oliver Kelham Overall Winners - Wills West Balloon Debate 2011 Always a highlight of the debating calendar is our annual Balloon Debate, and this year proved to be no exception. This year we witnessed Beyonce (Audrey Sebatindira) challenge Mr T. (Chijm Onyemenam) amongst others for a place in the balloon. Unfortunately for them, they were not to be saved as the audience instead voted for Wallace and Gromit (Oliver Kelham and Owen Hornsby)

"the only thing History teaches us, is that History teaches us nothing"

Marshall's Debating team at the Senior Inter-House Competition

The Junior Inter-House Debating and Public Speaking Competition

Impromptu Speaking Winner - Georgie Blackwell Interpretive Reading Winner - Sophie Gamble Persuasive Speaking Winner - Roma Sura Debating Winners - Louis Gush and Harry Acton Overall Winners - Weirfield The English Speaking Union Public Speaking Competition

Our Public Speaking Team, comprised of Dea Gagoshiclze, Abigail McHardy and Evie Carroll competed in this year's ESU Public Speaking Competition which was held at Queens College, Taunton. Abigail was confident as Chairperson, ensuring that the speeches ran smoothly and to time whilst Evie asked some pertinent and probing questions to put the speakers through their paces. Dea spoke passionately on the issue of stay at home mothers and the whole team performed extremely well, despite being the youngest of all the competitors. The English Speaking Union Debating Competition

New to Taunton School this year, but already showing great skill in debating, Georgina Huntridge teamed up with experienced

Robin Evans and Josh Hitchens at the Christmas Debate

debater Samuel Newton in this year's ESU Debating Competition. The team spoke against the motion 'This house would make parents liable for serious crimes committed by their children' and argued with passion and conviction. The OT Debate

We rounded off the year with the OT Debate, which takes place during the OT Reunion Weekend. This is always a great opportunity for our students to show off their skills and take on an opposition with considerably more life experience and practice in public speaking. Next year's President of the OTs is previous Head of History, Mrs Jill Lisk, and so we decided to add an historical flavour to this year's OT Debate. Budding historians and keen debaters Josh Hitchens and Lucy Taylor proposed the controversial motion 'This house believes that the only thing History teaches us, is that History teaches us nothing'. Both sides presented some convincing arguments, but for the first time ever, it was the young Tauntonians who emerged victorious. Mrs Brayley

JAS JUNIOR ACADEMICS SOCIETY The Junior Academics Society has been exceedingly active over the last year, with a terrific variety of talks from our year nine and ten pupils. The range of topics has been vast - from the history of national cuisines (with tastings!) to hippopotami. Staff also gave excellent talks, which always seemed to go down well. About forty pupils attended this society weekly. We had a great quiz against King's College. There were also trips: in June there was an overnight one to south Wales, in which we bought a Welsh dragon and explored the castles around Carmarthen. In December there was a magnificent six day trip, partly in the snow, to Newcastle, Durham and York we also went to Hadrian's Wall and the coast. Mr Moule

John Rae I HAM=

JOHN RAE SOCIETY Politics and Economics were high on the agenda at the John Rae Society in 2011-1012. Lord Ashdown had long been a target for the JRS. He had cancelled his first visit due to the sudden and welcome success of a book he had just written. But we managed to get him second time around and he delivered superbly. Speakers like Lord Ashdown always enjoy the Q+A and he did not disappoint. Despite some technical hitches with the microphones, Lord Ashdown drew upon his wide experience of politics, to give a tour d'horizon of the political scene. A highly popular regional figure, he pulled in a good audience and that is always good to see. In February, we were privileged to welcome Professor David Miles of the Monetary Policy of the Bank of England. A highly accessible, but weighty lecture took us through the current dilemmas facing the economy. Questions from both pupils and guests were handled expertly, and more importantly the 'Parkinson' style interview that takes place in the Headmaster's study took our honoured guest into areas of interest that would not have come up in a lecture. John Rae will always aim to bring in high quality speakers, but let us hope we can take them off piste from time to time to find out what really goes in national and international affairs. Their wisdom is meant to inspire the current generation to ponder their contribution to the way the world will work. Dr Newton 80

HISTORY AND ARTS PUBLIC LECTURES This year we had a very strong series of speakers. Our internal speakers were Richard Judd (Philosophy), David Hawkins (History) and Mark Cracknell (Music). The latter performed Busoni's heroic version of Bach's Chaconne. From outside we were treated to visits from Benjamin Thompson (Oxford University) - who also spent a day with classes in school; the celebrated sculptors Peter Randall-Page and David Mack talked to us about their work. Mr Moule

This year has been an important year for three reasons: Firstly, we have changed our name; formerly the International Students Committee now the Global Society to better reflect our aim of integrating students of all nationalities into one harmonious student body. Secondly, on the committee we have more representatives from more houses; it is always a good start to have an integrated committee which is made up of both international and noninternational students. We are getting there in that respect. Thirdly, on the weekend of the 26th May we ran an overnight trip for the first time. Twelve students, Mr Brooker, Miss Wedgewood and I went surfing in Cornwall. Saturday evening was spent watching a glorious sunset over Fistral, eating fish and chips and fetching a tennis ball from the sea after Mr Brooker invariably hit it in there during a game of beach cricket!

On Sunday the conditions were perfect for surfing; there was a three to four foot swell, a rising tide, a light onshore breeze and it was sunny as well! We surfed for two hours; some more successfully than others! Apart from surfing the Global Society has hosted two international food evenings, been on a trip to Bath (with Woodyer) and has led a Head's Assembly and a Chapel service. Next year we plan to do the same again but with some new initiatives thrown in. The first new initiative will be our inaugural International Music and Dance show which we hope will take place in the Autumn Term. Mr Roberts

k "Don'tjust

History Society

A Committee members Oliver Kelham, Matthew Wood, Lucy Taylor, Balint Veer, Bunny Upton, Holly Hickman and Josh Hitchens.

The Lisk Parade The 12th Lisk President's Parade featured an appearance by Mrs Lisk herself. Resplendent in a fine North African djellabah, the President fitted in superbly with those fresh back from outings to the souks during the Easter Sixth Form trip to Morocco. She could not, however, be tempted aboard the newly acquired Lisk Society tandem.

before meeting a sad fate; there was also a sketch on C19th/C2Oth Italian history involving such luminaries as Cavour, Mazzini, Garibaldi, Mussolini and Berlusconi and a presentation on Italian cities by the appropriately attired Lower Sixth Art History group. The breathtaking scope of the Lisk Committee's talents was further demonstrated with Oliver Kelham's stirring performance of an aria from Don Giovanni.

The Welsh Lisk Miss Brayley's Big Day: a Welsh male voice choir, another film, more jokes, a play, Welsh cakes.

The Italian Lisk

Question Time

The Lisk kicked off the new academic year with an evening commemorating the 150th anniversary of Italian unification. A welcoming slice of pizza was followed by a colourful pageant of sketches, talks, demonstrations, songs and films punctuated by a series of hilarious Italian jokes courtesy of resident Lisk comedienne, Holly Hickman.The highlight of the evening was the premiere of a new film on C19th Italian history produced by the Upper Sixth Lisk committee; their somewhat novel take on events illuminated the drama of nation building with all its peaks and troughs and was appreciated by the sizeable audience of nearly 100. A gladiators re enactment saw Big Jim featuring as a tiger menacing cowering Christians

Panellists Josh Hitchens, Kevin Wickman, Caitlin Williams, Evie Carroll and Rosemary Moss put the world to rights .

The Boxing Lisk Former Taunton School History teacher, Ben Marsden, returned to deliver a talk on race relations and heavyweight boxing champions in the USA. He linked the intricacies of race relations to the careers of such great black heavyweights as Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, demonstrating how each champion was not only a product and reflection of his age but also a shaper of attitudes; the political backdrop to the sport was never far away.

-ag111111

The Taunton School Bridge Club Bridge has continued to flourish, with as many as thirty students participating in various events throughout the year. In competition, we performed very well, with James Carter and Ed McBride leading the way in the National Simultaneous Pairs event in November and all three teams of four in the National Competition at Loughborough in March performing well above average - a great improvement on 2011. The inter house competition in May was won by Wills West Jason Gu and Gleb Filiminov, with last year's winners, Wills East, coming a very close second. Plans are laid to expand the number of lunchtime sessions from two to three in the coming year to provide more opportunities for busy bridge players to practise their skills at the card table.

Newcomers, beginners and existing members will be equally welcome, because bridge is a social game, as well as a mental challenge. Many thanks to Mr Brown for arranging the house competition, to Mr Large for his invaluable support and for Mr Dewbery's conversion to the game of bridge! Mr Priest

Young Young Enterprise is a national programme involving students setting up and running their own business over the course of the academic year. It is open to all Lower Sixth students. This year, Taunton School's team, SkyLight , had to overcome many obstacles over the course of a year in which they saw their team dwindle from twelve to four members. Their product, the 'BookWrap', was launched at the Prep School Christmas fair, where they made a promising ÂŁ60 profit and took the opportunity to conduct some valuable market research. However, several weeks later and having hit many brick walls in their attempts to sell their product concept to the book industry, the business was on the brink of folding. However, with a new Managing Director at the helm and a smaller but well-focused team, they committed to seeing the competition through. They attended the Somerset Innovation Awards in May with some trepidation but found to their surprise that the judges loved the originality of their product, the BookWrap, and were impressed by the

rise quality of the designs they had produced. They had a successful afternoon, winning Best Presentation and Best Trade Stand. The presentation, delivered by two Russian students, Managing Director, Anton Kraminkin and Marketing Director, Mikhail Usoltsev, with Dusan Savicevic managing the IT, received great plaudits; leaving their native-tongued competitors firmly in the shade! Unfortunately, they were narrowly beaten into second prize for the Overall Best Company award but can be very proud of their achievements not just on the day but over the course of the year. Mrs Rixon Founded in 1963, prase es a arity tha Moss rogrammeti

Rugby a

1st XV Rugby - 2011 Like rugby itself, it could be said that the season was "a game of two halves"! Under the leadership of Tristan Freeman the boys had taken their pre-season training seriously and after a useful training weekend against Pates GS, the season began with a tough match against a confident Clifton College. They were sent packing 13-8, as were Wellington, QEH, Kings Bruton and Truro. The Truro match was one of the best performances I have seen by a Taunton 1st XV, the game being decided by a terrific set piece try by Jamie Fear (Lower Sixth), one of the players of the season. Unbeaten in the first half of term, experienced players Tom Abell, Roger Kim, George Cook, Hugh Wilman and Tricky led the way. Other Upper Sixth boys grew into their shirts, with increasingly impressive performances by James Pilcher, Rowan O'Brien, Josh Kelly, Oliver Kelham, Jake Gordon, Joe O'Neill and Gleb Filimonov. As we knew, the second half of term was a much harder prospect.

Although beating Blundell's, the squad picked up injuries and were defeated by Canford and King's Taunton, but it has to be said that we did not play well in those games, and the opposition rose to the occasion. A further defeat to a good Plymouth side was sandwiched with victories over Queen's Taunton and the OTs. All in all the 1st XV won 8 out of 11 - a good season. Other young players are emerging for next year: Liam Davies, Robbie David, Seb Ralph, Ran Jameson, Jack Crichton, James Spencer and Benson Pocock. With the tour to South Africa and Namibia in the summer, many others from the 2nds and the Senior Colts will also have a chance to develop their game and press for 1st team places next year.

unbeaten. We had pace on the wings with Jeremy and Dusan, and real power up front with Jan and Jim to the fore. A match to decide who had local bragging rights came when we faced Kings Taunton and once again our superior team showed its skill to demolish them 38 - 12, one of only 2 teams to win that day. Queen's were too scared to put a team out against us and we rounded off the term with a victory against TSI which was played in good spirits.

Many thanks as always to Simon Hogg, Greg Fabre (on the medi bag) and Jon Gatford, as well as Neil Gush, James Springer and Mike Cook for their efforts with the Senior Rugby Squad. I would also like to pay tribute to all the work Hugh Todd has done for Taunton School Rugby as he retires this summer. As we move into the 2012 season another campaign beckons Mr Kelly

Senior Colts Rugby - Tauntonian 2011 Played 12 Won 6 Lost 6 Points for 290 Points Against 174

2nd XV This season the 2nd XV played 10 matches, winning 5. As the results indicate it was a mixed season and as always the squad was constantly changing, with several players changing teams throughout. Highlight of the season was probably our victory over Blundell's with a great try by Elliott Scott. I'd like to thank all the boys who played 2nd team rugby for a memorable season and a good laugh. l's also like to thank our main coach, Mr Gush for all his hard work and his inspiring half time talks, as well as all the other coaches who helped us through the season. Mr Childs 3rd XV The 3rd team of 2011 had a fantastic season; they played some high quality rugby against a number of strong sides and came out at the end of it with a good record - 6 wins from 9 games. Early games were tight losing to Clifton 26-20 but beating QEH, King's Bruton and Truro. Next up were Blundell's who were dispatched 17-0 but Canford had the better of us - not surprising as they were arguably their strongest school side and were

Overall this was a fantastic campaign for the Corinthians; we achieved a winning season and played some of the best 3rd team rugby around. Mr Wood

This was a mixed season. We registered some convincing victories and the points for/against tally shows a healthy balance. However, there were some strong sides on the circuit and the boys often had to compete gamely merely to narrow the margin of defeat - often substantially - compared to previous years. The first part of term was frustrating as a series of injuries and unavailabilities meant a lack of continuity and cohesion, particularly in the backs. Eventually things settled down and the side produced some fine rugby, not least in gritty rearguard displays against Daily Mail Cup finalists, Truro and a talented Blundell's line up. Against even the best opposition, we were capable of scoring some fine tries and possessed too much finishing power for the likes of Canford and Queen's. The forwards constituted the team's main strength. There were few weak links here but Nick Evry, Richard Baines and Ben Willes - all county players - were the stand out performers. In the backs, captain Michael Smith, another Somerset player, led the side well and scored 15 tries in 9 appearances; Philip Stickler was top points scorer with 113. The team's greatest weakness was perhaps a lack of sustained concentration which led to too many soft tries being conceded, notably against King's. These boys may still have a lot to learn but they matured considerably during the season and put together a formidable haka for the Baty Bowl

Mal

continued

assembly. In due course, they should form the nucleus of a decent 1st XV. Neil Mason and I enjoyed coaching them: their commitment was never in doubt and they responded enthusiastically to the various challenges posed by our sympathetic training regime. The SCB's had a good season winning 8 out of 12 matches and developed a positive team ethos fostered by Mr Abell. Numbers in attendance at training were good with many going on the summer rugby tour. Mr Chatterton

However, the quality of opposition varies from year to year and sometimes results can go against you even though the side is not a bad one. I would prefer to judge the team not by results but by the quality of the rugby played at the beginning of the season to that being played at the end. With this in mind I believe that success has been achieved. All players have shown pleasing development and the play of the team as a whole was significantly better. This was borne out by an exciting Baty Bowl; the result was in doubt until the end and there was some excellent play by all those boys who took part.

Junior Colts The JCA's won 4 out of 10 matches but showed that as they are getting older there is a great deal of potential for the future. Charlie Smith was selected to train with Devon and led the backline along with Matt Pearce. In the forwards the pack grew in confidence with Ben Woolstencroft and Todd Freeman dynamic in the loose play. They will all need to grow and toughen up a bit to meet the challenge of Mr Chatterton and Mr Mason in the Senior Colts.

For me, the finest performance was away at King's Bruton. King's had their best U14 team in twenty years. The opposition had 90% of the possession and 90% of the territory; they crossed the try line four times without scoring. Ross Haines and Josh Williams deserve special praise; both were tremendously committed in training and on match days. I could always count on both players to give of their best and Ross led the team well by his excellent example. Mr Atkinson and Mr Waller

The U15Bs had a successful season, winning 6 out of their 11 games. There were some strong teams on the circuit and the boys therefore had to work hard throughout the season. The standout performance was a 17-5 win away at Blundell's, closely followed by a narrow win against a tough Heathfield team. The team was well led by Connor Coventry with Jack Malden the top-scorer with 56 points. The coach's award this year was to the most improved player, Jamie Ford. Mr Hawkins

Sevens glory for Senior Colts Following an astonishing day's rugby, the Senior Colts won the highly prestigious and competitive West of England seven a side competition for the first time since 1995. A series of quite outstanding performances culminated in Millfield being pulverised 34-7 (six tries to one) in the final at Taunton RFC. Previously, the favourites, Truro School, were defeated in a semi final where the Taunton boys displayed huge character and resilience to recover from a 17-0 deficit before triumphing 21-17

Foals Rugby If the success of a season is determined by results then the Foals A did not have a successful season.

In the group stages, Heathfield, King Edward's Bath, Q.E.H Bristol and Bryanston were eliminated the latter being defeated 38-0 - before the gruelling tournament reached its climax. This was a fantastic achievement and the team deserves massive credit for the skill, tenacity and sheer pride in performance which brought them their famous victory. The squad comprised: Michael Smith (captain), Max Kelly, Jesse de Burriatte, Ryota Aria, Rhys Walker, Daniel Zastavnyuk, Richard Baines, Nick Evry, Jamie Skinner, Tom Popplewell, Kyle Johnson-Goodier, Ben Willes and Kosta Valchev. Mr Chatterton

HockeyBoys To suggest it has been a big year for boys' hockey is something of an understatement! In a year in which we celebrated 75 years of hockey at Taunton School, the 1st scored 74 goals on their way to an unbeaten season, which included winning the inaugural Wessex League. Not far behind were the unbeaten Senior Colts and the U18 and U16 indoor teams who both reached the National Finals. As we say goodbye to the 'class of 2012' we bid farewell to a group that have enjoyed unprecedented success throughout their Taunton School hockey careers. Reaching the last three in four National Final appearances, recording back to back unbeaten seasons and scoring huge number of goals on the way to winning the league, this group have set the bar incredibly high for those who have to follow. Of special mention, this group of players have been led superbly by Thomas Abell; a fantastic captain and role model. As well as the fabulous run of success at the top, there have been other successes further down the school that suggest hockey at Taunton School is in a very healthy state. In total, Taunton School teams have played over 100 matches, with levels of participation from the U14C upwards, as high as at any time in recent years. That such success has been attained and levels of participation remained so high is of course down to the expertise and energy of the team of dedicated coaches throughout the school. I would like to thank them all for their invaluable contribution. Special mention must go to Mr Todd who retires at the end of this academic year after being involved with school hockey for almost thirty years, with his work with the Crusade in his later years being surely the pinnacle of his career? With a brand new astroturf just around the corner and a very competitive fixture programme, the portents for Taunton School hockey are good. The school is well and truly on the hockey map and the challenge for all players and coaches is to keep it there in the next few years. Mr Tarr Master in charge of Hockey

National Indoor Finalists U16

Hock

Wr.

Senior Hockey

Junior Hockey

An incredibly successful season at the top end of school hockey, epitomised by the 1st team winning the Wessex league. Without doubt, the second half of term provided the sterner tests, with games against top sides such as King's, Sherborne, Canford and Millfield. Particular highlights for the 1st X1 must be the 7-1 thrashing of Millfield and the tense 4-3 win over Canford in front of a home crowd, to be crowned champions! Thanks should go to Mr Tarr for everything he has done for us over the seasons and to Mr Durston.

The successes seen up at the Senior end of the school seem only distant dreams when considering the tough seasons which most of the junior teams suffered. Only two of the six junior teams achieved a win/loss percentage over 50%, and the JCCs only played one match to earn their 100%.

Similarly the 2nd X1 enjoyed success all through the season, with plenty of goals for (52), and very few against (9). Special thanks must go to Mr Hallows for all he has done for the boys. The SCAs had an equally successful season to the 1st X1 this year. A notable highlight was the last minute win over King's, 3-2 with Michael Smith slotting the winner in the dying seconds - anything the 1st XI can do...! The crusade, widely regarded as the most important team representing the school, played 6 and won 5. I'm sure Mr Todd was not present at the loss! Thomas Abell 1st XI Captain

The JCAs ended up on the wrong side of a close 5-4 to BGS, and another 5-4 to Wellington, as their potential never really developed into good performances. It was not really until a big game against King's College that they started to play, they beat King's 5-3; a great performance. Thanks must go to Mr Abell, for tolerating us this season, and making us better players. The JCBs had an equally torrid time. Picking up only one win across the season - a solid 3-0 victory over Kings' Bruton - the main highlight of the season would have to be their hard-fought 1-1 draw with Millfield, which could have easily been won. The U14As, once again, did not have the most successful of seasons. Finishing with statistics of 11 played; 1 win, 3 draws and 7 losses, it would be fair to say there is improvement to come! The U14s performed respectably in the cup, drawing two games, and losing one - being unlucky not to progress out of their group. That said, many players showed potential and improvement. The U14Bs turned out to be the shining light of junior hockey this season. In 10 games, they only lost 2. A highlight being a good 3-1 win over local rivals Queens. The U15Cs produced my moment of the season, as George Whitburn scored 2 goals in 15 seconds to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Sherborne, to secure their 100% win record for the season. Sam Rixon JCA Captain

Results RISTOL GRAMMAR.

W 6-1

W 1-0

W 5-1

W 7-2

L 5-4

D 2-2

L 4-0

L 5-3

ANFORD

W 4-3

L 3-0

W 5-2

National

L 5-1

L 5-0

L 5-1

D 0-0

ING'S BRUTON

W 6-1

W 3-0

W 6-0

W 6-2

W 8-0

W 3-0

D 2-2

W 3-0

XETER SCHOOL

W 7-2

UEEN'S

W11-0

W11-1

W11-0

W 9-1

L 6-0

D 2-2

L 4-0

W 3-1

RYANSTON

W 4-1

ICE

L 3-1

ICE

L 3-0

HERBORNE

W 4-0

W 4-2

W 8-3

L 3-2

L 2-1

D 1-1

D 3-3

L 3-0

LUNDELLS

W 6-1

W 8-0

D 1-1

W 4-2

ILLFIELD

W 7-1

W11-2

L 3-1

L 6-3

L 4-2

ING'S TAUNTON

W 2-1

L 3-1

L 2-0

ELLINGTON

W 10-0

W 11-0

EST BUCKLAND

W 7-2

W 3-0

100%

80%

83%

otal Games INDRAW %

L 3-2

W 6-2

W 4-2

W 2-1

L 4-1

W 6-0

D 1-1

W 3-2

W 5-3

L 3-0

L 5-3

W 2-1

L 5-4

L 4-1

W 1-0

W 6-1

W 10-0

W 3-1

L 1-0

W 5-0

L 5-3

100%

44%

38%

100%

37%

80%

W 5-1

Awards Team 1st XI 2nd XI Crusade A XI Crusade B XI SCA U15A U15B U15C 14A 14B 14C

Player of the Season Oliver Large and Harry Speedy Hugh Wilman Matt Nawrat Jamie Skinner Wilkie Whittingham Robert Overton-Fox James Lamb Joe Notaro-Livingstone Glyn Hornsby

Coach's Award Thomas Abell Matthew Wood Max Jeffs Robin Evans Charlie Lamb Charlie Smith Harry Charalambous Patrick Morshead Champ Boonprakob Sam Reasons Toby Topp

Hockey0

lJ Girls Hockey at Taunton School continues to flourish with a number of notable achievements again this year. On paper, the 1st XI did not look as strong as in previous years, but the girls' tenacity shone through and we were unlucky to have been knocked out in the semi-final of the regional round of the U18 National Schools tournament. Our 1st XI captain Ashley Leal comments "that the best way to describe the season as a whole was mixed, and to an extent inconsistent". The 1st XI performed extremely well under pressure which was evident in our tournament play and showed the team's enormous potential as well as ability to adapt and work well together. However, the inconsistency came in our individual games.

Rora Larkin, penalty comer

Hattie Rogers beats a Wells defender

Notable wins this year were against Wells Cathedral, Clifton, Wellington, Bristol Grammar, Queen's and Kingswood. Congratulations to Lauren Plant on winning the Gwynne-Jones Cup and to Sophie Bowden on gaining a full scholarship for hockey to Connecticut University.

The 2nd and 3rd Xls battled through four months of tough fixtures with much of the skill and determination exhibited last year. Despite meeting their match in a few of the oppositions, the second XI finished the season having played 12, won 5,lost 4, drew 3, with 24 goals for and only 18 against - thanks to Alex Willes in goal. The 3rd XI had a fine season winning 9 games, drawing one and losing one. Their only notable loss was to Millfield which was the opening match of the season. Sophie Palmer the 3rd XI captain comments that throughout the season each individual player improved significantly, whilst showcasing extreme team morale to bring the once random group of people together to create a strong, unified team. The forwards worked well together resulting in the numerous convincing victories and the midfield had become invincible, playing with undoubted strength and determination. On the indoor front - the U18 indoor side looked stronger than the U16 team but again the determination of our younger players saw the U16 girls indoor team reach the national indoor finals held in Worcester in January. Katie Hebditch

Jodie Dibble driving out of defence

being instrumental in the achievements of this team. This was the fourth year in a row that a Taunton team has gone to the National Schools Indoor Finals! Our junior teams also go from strength to strength with large squads selected in order to get as many people involved in matches as possible. The U14A team produced the best results of the junior teams playing 12, winning 8, and losing 4. The notable victories for this side were against Millfield, Blundells and Queen's. Things certainly augur well for the hockey teams of the future at Taunton School. Next season will see us enter the M5 corridor league comprising of Millfield, Clifton, Cheltenham Ladies, Dean Close and ourselves. The results of all the Senior and Junior teams will contribute towards a Senior and Junior cup. Come on girls - get back to training and come and support us in all our competitions. Ms Harvie

Sarah Cousins moves it forward

HockeyG

TEAM

PLAYED

WON

DREW

LOST

1st XI

2nd XI

3rd XI

4th XI

U15A

U158

U14A

U148

...get back to training

What a start for the juniors? Can the 1st VII team do it again? The unbeaten 1st VII season of 2011, was on the mind of the Senior squad right from the start of the season. Taunton School had gained itself a reputation of playing fast, tough and intense netball. With four of last years squad remaining at school, the girl's were confident of another strong session. Not only that, the U14A team from 2011 had only lost two games and the year 8 team coming up from the Prep School had only lost one game to Millfield by one goal. This was going to be an exciting season! The season started with a convincing and comprehensive win against Bristol Grammar at the start of the season. Bang! The girl's were ready. A few unlucky breaks saw our toughest games against Wells Cathedral, incur missing players due to the National Indoor Hockey Finals and small defeats by King's College and Wellington, through injury to GD Leah Peatroy. The squad can be proud of a successful season, with Jess Clarke (yr 10) stepping up to support the 1st VII squad. They have continued to develop a style of play of high quality, with a determination to win. Thanks and congratulations should go to Charlotte Pickard, who completed her fourth season in the 1st VII as captain. The other Senior squads also enjoyed a strong season, with the 2nd VII only losing one close game to Blundell's and the 3rd VII, after a slow start, also got onto a winning run of games. The 4th VII had a mixed season, but pleasingly had 17 players represent then at different points in the season. With training seeing on average 60 players aiming for selection, netball is in a strong place at Senior level. The U14 team started their Taunton Senior School career with an explosive performance and success in the County Championships, beating everyone in a league formation. The girls even reminded me that we had beaten Millfield 10-7, when I was not pleased with their performance! These girls were exciting and keen to win! The squad trained hard through the winter to prepare themselves for the Regional Championships at Bournemouth in January. The netball squad coached by Samantha Newton, played well at the tournament, beating schools from across the South West, most noticeably a tough game

U14 County Netball Champions

against Canford. Unfortunately a narrow defeat to St. Mary's Shaftsbury meant that we were placed third in the section and just missed qualification to the semi-final stage. The juniors started the season with emphatic style, with all sides winning against Bristol Grammar School, Wells Cathedral, Queen's College and Blundell's in the first half of the season. Playing a quality of netball beyond their years and convincingly sweeping the opposition from their path. Netball is definitely moving forward at Taunton. We have seven players within the satellite academy and have eight more coming up from the Prep School next year. Netball is continuing to go from strength to strength in the Senior School. With the addition of Galmington Head Coach and Talent Performance Coach Miss Lisa Manley to the school coaching staff, the school is looking forward to continued success across all levels.

U14C

Opposition

1st VII

2nd VII 3rd VII 4th VII

U15A

U15B

U15C

U14A

U14B

Bristol Grammar

Won 24-4

Won 15-12

Lost 8-24

Lost 11-21

Won 17-10

Won 17-5

Won 18-7

Won 28-7

Won 25-5

Wells Cathedral

Lost 7-25

Won 28-20

Lost 18-26

Lost 12-17

Won 28-3

Won 18-1

Won 31-16

Won 22-11

Queen's College

Won 16-12

Won 23-7

Won 32-14

Won 18-9

Drew 15-15

Won 26-21

Regionals

Won 18-9

Won 25-3

Blundell's

Won 19-17

Lost 20-25

Lost 15-20

Lost 7-18

Won 19-12

Millfield

Won 13-7

Lost 14-20

Won 22-15

Won 35-4

Lost 16-24

Lost 13-25

Lost 12-19

Won 24-10

Won 23-7

Lost 14-17

Lost 11-14

Lost 5-7

Won 19-11

Won 14-5

Won 16-9

71%

King's College

Lost 14-16

Won 27-19

Won 31-25

Lost 15-22

Won 11-22

Lost 13-18

King's Bruton

Won 36-10

Won 47-11

Won 17-12

Won 27-7

Won 17-8

Won 32-3

Wellington

Lost 18-21

Won 34-13

Won 38-5

Richard Huish

Won 26-15

Results

63%

86%

57%

33%

Won 19-8

86%

83%

100%

33%

"Making a racquet!" The Badminton Club has taken a step in the right direction this year, with some excellent results and games, as well as the continuing sessions on Tuesday afternoons. After the racquet of honour was handed over by Mr. Grant to Mr. Gower and Mr. Parvin (the minibus driver extroadinaire) for the majority of the year, the club has not fallen apart as predicted, and instead has been a high performing and well attended area of the school's sporting programme. In the three leagues Taunton School are currently in, it was the girls' team which was the success story - mainly due to the "comedy" pair who entertained spectators and other players alike. Most importantly, much fun was had, and we ended up as champions of the league - a massive achievement for the girls, and for the club. Well done to all the girls who took part.

Detailed records are not kept of basketball results at Taunton School but the side of 2012 certainly achieved the best record in the last 30 years. In total 9 games were played with victories achieved in all of them. The team was well captained by Lorenzo Arduino but he was well supported by a very strong squad: Dusan Savicevic, Max Hufschlag, Chris Yuan, Howard Wong, Jerry Yang and Max Kroppen. Mickey Li kindly ran the score table and earned a run out on occasions too. The fixture card was almost as tough as it could be against schools in this area including matches

The boys' leagues were less successful, but some excellent matches were played. The attitudes of the players were good throughout, although if Nat Siraviwat complained less about not getting colours, we might consider it sooner. Well done again to all involved - I hope that next year will spark the interest of even more talented badminton players, as well as those who just want to give the sport a try. Mr Gower

against Plymouth College, Sherborne, West Buckland, King's Bruton and Wellington. The disappointment was the fact that we were unable to find a mutually convenient date to play Millfield. The real strength of this side was its depth as it meant that the team was not weakened when we ran the bench. Many of the matches we played were close in the early stages but no side could match the intensity that we were able to maintain throughout. These boys have been a pleasure to work with and we just hope it is not another 30 years before their achievements are matched. Mr Cook

Golf The last few years have been successful ones for 4 the golfers at Taunton ,„••MA.. School and this past year 0111 has been no exception.

ANA National Finals at Camoustie

The very generous support from Old Tauntonians has allowed us to continue with regular coaching at Oake Manor and has also enabled the School to start work on some golf facilities on site. e es o Although not quite able England competition for the third successive year, losing out to a strong Radley team, we did win the area final of the Independent Schools' tournament for the first time. The team therefore qualified for the National Finals held at Carnoustie.

It is fair to say that the team of Jan Becker, Philip Stickler and Max Rode found the Scottish courses quite a challenge but the whole experience of playing on one of the world's most famous courses was unforgettable. Mr Todd

Cricket Sadly, the dreadful weather became one of the main talking points of our summer term and we could very rarely practise outside, particularly before halfterm. However, our groundsmen performed heroics and our teams managed to play the majority of our matches.

our two spinners, Charlie and Josh both enjoyed impressive spells and were rewarded with a fair share of the wickets taken. Will Abell showed some real potential behind the stumps and he will have more opportunities to take responsibility with the bat, next summer.

Our Under 14 teams certainly showed signs of improvement during the course of the term and one or two boys produced some encouraging individual performances. However, many boys in this age group need to realise that it is necessary to listen and apply oneself in a mature manner if they wish to compete against decent sides in any sport. I was hugely disappointed that none of this group attended cricket nets during the spring term.

Sadly, The Tauntonian no longer allows enough space for each team to have a more detailed report but I do feel that Thomas Abell's achievements with the bat deserve to be recorded.

Inconsistent performances by their stronger players prevented our Under 15 teams from beating our stronger rivals but many boys stepped up to make significant contributions and Charlie Smith and Henry Gater looked comfortable when playing for the 1st XI at the end of season festival. With fewer boys playing cricket at the top of the school, I had some concerns that we would struggle to field a 3rd team in June but the commitment of our Upper Sixth boys, to all three Senior teams, ensured that this was not the case. I was delighted that their final match resulted in a thrilling victory over Sherborne and I would like to thank the `regulars' for their fantastic attitude and good humour at practices over the course of the last three years. The highlight of the 2nd XI season was a magnificent century from Jamie Skinner against Sherborne and there were some fine bowling spells from young spinners, Ed Clark and Anton Hotham, in particular. The 1st XI were our most successful side, losing only one match, when our fielding let us down, and completing several impressive victories. Our outstanding captain, Thomas Abell, enjoyed a remarkable term with the bat and led the run scoring for the fourth consecutive season. He was given fine support, at different times, by Charlie Solanki, George Hallas, Max Kelly, Charlie Miles and Josh Kelly and there were many huge partnerships, as a result. Thomas and George Cook, who has bowled with real commitment and consistency for four years, were an effective pair of opening bowlers, who probably deserved more luck. Our other seamers, Oliver Kelham, Joe O'Neill and James Pilcher all bowled tidily when called upon and

This summer Thomas scored 1156 runs, including 7 centuries, passing 50 every time that he batted, with an amazing average of 193! It is very rare for a schoolboy to score over 1000 runs in any season and Thomas only batted 11 times this summer, as he dropped down to the bottom of the batting order on two occasions to give other boys a chance to spend longer at the crease. Some very fine players who have played for the school, including future Test and County cricketers, never reached 2000 runs for the 1st XI but Thomas scored an unbelievable 3630 runs, including 17 centuries. These are truly remarkable statistics by a very modest and talented boy, who has been a pleasure to watch and spend time with. Many knowledgable spectators and coaches have been mightily impressed by his maturity and the elegance and class of his stroke-making. There are several reasons for his success, but when Thomas was in year 9 he was always one of the first to each of our winter nets sessions, having made his own packed lunch the night before! He was organised with his kit, so he often batted twice against bowlers who were three or four years older than himself. Mr Hogg

TOTAL

8MI203速

1 BATSMAN WKTS BATSMAN

LAST MAN OVERS 1st INN',

16 LIU 20E, 0

ask The 1st XI after a successful run chase against Dulwich

Continued._

crickCont This year sees a notable landmark in the life of cricket at Taunton School as Mr Simon Hogg steps down as Master i/c. Having taken over in 2000, Hoggy has overseen a highly successful period of 1st XI cricket with some outstanding results - including two unbeaten seasons - and many boys have benefited from his unstinting energy, enthusiasm and wholehearted commitment to the sport. Throughout his time in charge, Hoggy has always shown as much interest in the exploits of the "B" or "C" team player as the exceptional 1st teamer and always has demanded high standards of the boys representing the School. Taunton School has much to thank him for and his contribution will be sorely missed.

TennisC The girls enjoyed another successful tennis season in 2012 - only the weather defeated the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and U14A teams. The Seniors recorded victories against Blundells, Millfield, Queens, Wellington and Wells, with the U14s also beating Kings. A total of seventy three girls represented the school in forty nine fixtures, with one, rather damp, Thursday afternoon seeing five Senior teams in action — three against Queens and another two enjoying the chance to play some competitive tennis against Kings. The Senior squads were boosted by new players from across Europe, whilst the U14Bs welcomed two of the Australian exchange students later in the term. This was the second consecutive unbeaten season recorded by the 1st VI and a fitting end to captain Lauren Plant's school tennis career. She has been a member of the first pair for four years, recording an outstanding 79 wins out of 83 sets played and conceding an average of fewer than two games per set to her opponents. The future continues to look bright for the 1st team, as this year's squad also included three girls from Year 9: Hera Bradly, Rosemary Moss and Dafi Valcheva, along with Campbell Bradly, TSI pupil lulia Gornostali and IB student Nora Puhala. The composition of the 1st VI also accentuates the achievement of the U14A team — they completed their

Innat11600111 unbeaten season despite losing three of their peers to the Seniors. This year's House Tennis competitions also saw more girls take part than ever before, with 56 Juniors and 48 Seniors, including representatives from all the Houses plus TSI, contributing to two very enjoyable afternoons. There was some excellent tennis played, with Jenkin Seniors and Besley Juniors taking the honours. My thanks must go to all the girls for their contributions this year, and for their willingness to play in conditions which were often far from traditional tennis weather, to the staff who ran the teams — Mr Grant, Mrs Foster and Mr Judd and to our roving coach, Richard Stock. Dr Franklin

Tenn Tennis continues to go from strength to strength at Taunton School and the boys have enjoyed another very successful season. Along with an increasing number of boys choosing the sport, across the three teams, we have only lost four fixtures from the twenty three played. It has also been the first year we have fielded a Colts B team! Of particular note, a 1st pair in the 1st team, Finian Orme and Jeremy Soper went a second successive season unbeaten which is quite some achievement! We say goodbye to captain Finian, leaving Taunton School with a phenomenal unbeaten record winning 53 of the 54 sets he has played. He will be sorely missed, especially by Jeremy! With the arrival of Ole Nowak this year the future looks good and I have enjoyed watching the young 1st team develop with the successful Colts team snapping at their heels! This year we say goodbye to various school tennis `servants'; Chris James has played School tennis for five years and finished with many fine performances for the 1st team. At 2nd team level (with the odd 1st team call up!), Tom Odgers and Gleb Filimonov have enjoyed frequent success with their steady approach. Will Durongkapataya managed a full season this year in the 1st team this year an injury fraught time last year. It would be great to see all the leavers back next year playing for the Staff Invitational team. As we say our goodbyes, I am pleased to say a big hello to our new Head Tennis Coach, Richard Stock, who joins us as a professional coach assisting with squad sessions and also giving the boys much needed individual lessons. We wish him well as we look to develop tennis standards across the School.

Captain's Report The 2012 tennis season has been a real success, the 1st team enjoyed a good season winning 6 matches and narrowly loosing out 5-4 in 2 matches. The first team was boosted with the arrival of Ole Novak and Shun Matsuyama along side Kosta Valchev, Will Durongkapataya and Chris James who all contributed towards a strong 1st team squad. The boys played very well at times and I was delighted with the performances and success Jeremy and I enjoyed at 1st pair. The 2nd team only lost one match all season and recorded some very impressive results, including a particularly a dominant 7-2 victory over King's Taunton. This really demonstrated the strength in dept and constant competition for places through out the Senior teams. The inclusion of boys from TSI accompanied with captain Gleb Filiminov who guided the 2nd team to a strong season.

Senior Winner: Finian Orme R/U - Ole Nawak

The colts have also enjoyed a successful season, particularly boosted by the very impressive unbeaten 1st pair of Charlie Lamb and Sam Blood who will be a valuable addition to the Senior teams next year. The colts enjoyed some very dominant results including three 9-0 victories. The talented colts quad really stepped up this year and has provided a bright looking future for Taunton School tennis.

Mr Tarr Master i/c Tennis

Finian Orme Tennis Captain

House Tennis Winners: Wills East Singles Tournament: Junior Winner - Sam Blood

R/U - Charlie Lamb

Opposition

1st VI

2nd VI

Colts

West Buckland King's Bruton Wellington King's Taunton Wells Cathedral Blundells Sherborne Queen's

Won7-2 Won 5-4 Won 8-1 Lost 5-4 Won 9-0 Won 5.5 - 3.5 Lost 5-4 Won 6-0 (rain)

Won 9-0 Won 7-2 n/a Won 7-2 n/a W 6-3 Lost 7-2 n/a

Won 6-3 (B team) n/a Won 9-0 Won 8-1 Won 9-0 Won 9-0 Lost 6-3 Won 3-0 (rain)

A curtailed end to the school academic year, meant an athletics season of only 8 weeks and we were straight into it. The local athletics meet held at the Castle Track, between Blundell's, King's College, Wellington and Taunton saw the traditional rivalry rear its head. To say that Taunton dominated the boys competition was an understatement, the Senior boys won the competition by 15 points and the Intermediate Boys by 17 points. The girl's did well with some strong individual performances from Leah Peatroy and Sarah Cousins in the seniors and by Yasmin Dankaro and Tilly Heal in the juniors. The next competition came in the form of the Lutra Shield, a Boy's Senior Athletic Competition with years of tradition and competition. Taunton had their strongest team for years and showed great commitment, two late withdrawals was going to make things tough. But some extraordinary performances from the boys, in particular the high jump where Taunton were placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd with Robbie David, Liam Davies and Oki Nwakohu all scoring maximum points. Taunton came out in 2nd place overall behind Mil!field, the first time in the 26 year history of the competition. This year Taunton has had an influx in the number of entries into representational athletics competitions. Starting with 102 entries at District level, with 62 being successfully selected to represent the District at the County Championship. The County Championships saw James Spencer crowned as County U20 Javelin Champions and another 12 athletes place in the top 3. James Spencer (U20 Javelin), Conor Banks and Hattie Rogers (3000m) and Daniel Zastavnyuk (Shot Putt) were all selected to attend the South West Championships at Exeter Arena.

Sports Day Well what a summer term of weather we had!! The heavy rain at the start of the summer term, effectively took out the track for training purposes for the first three weeks of training. When I said in jest that Sports Day might be a problem if this weather continued, many staff laughed it off!! Well what did they know!! The first day, afternoon session were cancelled at lunchtime due to heavy rain and fortunately, with help from Mr Paul Gibson, a completely restructured programme was put together in order to try and fulfil all sports day events. Straight finals replaced heats and what can only be described as a soggy 100m straight faced all the athletes competing for their houses. Unsurprisingly, there were not many records broken, but Liam Watson in year 9, who broke the junior boys discus record with a throw of 28.70m. Thanks must go to Mr Todd, who presented the trophies to the winners at his last sporting event in his glittering Taunton School career. The ovation he received from all of the students after his presentations clearly indicated the respect and appreciation that all involved in sport at Taunton have for Mr Todd. Congratulations must go to all the winners of the individual trophies and the house winners of each year group.

The school is full of many talented young athletes that are pushing to gain selection for the County and South West Teams. We are looking at another particularly strong Senior boys athletics team next season and look forward to the challenges ahead. Individual Winners

House Winners

Senior Boys

Oki Nwakohu

Wills East

Senior Girls

Sarah Cousins

Weirfield

Inter Boys

Michael Smith

Evans

Inter Girls

FlOra Larkin

Jenkin

Junior Boys

Angus West

Goodland

With the first swimming gala only two weeks into the Summer Term we had to start with a bang and everyone swam extremely well at the Sherborne gala. This continued throughout the term with tremendous team efforts all round. Queens College has a very strong girls' contingent and we knew they were going to be tough to beat. Nonetheless, all the team swam with great endeavour and team spirit and were not overshadowed by any means, with the boys being triumphant. The next gala saw us face a strong team from Wellington School which kept us focused right until the last touch, which ended in an impressive draw in the girls' competition and another convincing win for the boys.

Alex Speak, Chris Wilson, Mike Smith and Ben Willes won the U16 boys medley relay Harry Thorne, Jonny Childs, Kenta Oshima and John Muravyev won the Senior boys medley relay These results meant that the boys team won the Boys Meade King Cup with Queens College coming second . The girls Meade King Cup was won by Queens, with Taunton coming second,

In the relay cups

Although the weather does not really a play a part in swimming, the whole team were rather apprehensive when travelling to Wells Cathedral as we knew they had an outdoor pool. However, luckily they decided to close the roof as far as possible, and even if it was a little chilly on poolside, it did not dampen our spirits. The girls managed an impressive win with a score of 111 to 93 and Taunton took the overall win as the boys also achieved an even bigger score.

Jonny Childs, John Muravyev, Harry Thorne and Elliott Scott won the open boys freestyle relay The girls open relay was won by Queens with Taunton coming a close second. Harriet Rogers, Harry Thorne, Chris Wilson, lzzy Evans, Ellamae Beake, Connor Coventry, Atlanta Allen-Skinner and Supan Fernando won the Cannon relay. And the combined Senior girls and boys relays was won by Taunton who received the Walsh Cup.

The next fixture was against Blundells and we won comfortably with a score of 205 to 143. Of particular note was the result of the under 18 girls who took a victory with almost double points.

A fantastic result all round and congratulations to all who competed. Thanks are also due to our swim coach GRAHAM DAVIDSON who works tirelessly with all Taunton students.

Against Kings, our local rivals we wanted to swim really and put out one of our strongest teams yet. Once again it went right down to the wire, which consequently finished in a draw with both girls teams scoring 87 points each however the boys won to give Taunton the overall win 194 to 150 points.

House Swimming 2012

With the final school fixtures now out of the way all our focus was on the biggest gala of the term - The Meade King Cup. This is the oldest running swimming gala in the country between four schools. With some hard training and technical work supervised by Graham, the whole team was ready to swim their best. It was particularly pleasing that we won 4 of the 6 trophies and our relay teams are the strongest in the area. This was an impressive conclusion to the swimming fixtures as it meant that Taunton School were undefeated throughout all the school galas, helped by the fact that the boys team were undefeated in all competitions too! Overall the swimming team has grown in strength and every member should be extremely proud of their achievements, individually and part of the ever improving Taunton School team, which could not have been achieved without the help of many members of staff and the coaching from Graham Davidson. Hattie Rogers Girls Swimming Captain

Meade King Cup 2012 The swimming season culminates in the oldest team competition in England, the Meade King Cup. We continue, as a school, to do very well in this competition against Kings College, Queens College and Wellington School. This year's results saw wins for the following pupils: Supan Fernando won the boys U14 50m backstroke in a record time of 31.87 Chris Wilson won the U16 boys 50m butterfly Harry Thorne won the Senior boys 50m backstroke Harriet Rogers won the Senior girls 100m breast stroke Kenta Oshima won the Senior boys 50m butterfly Atlanta Allen-Skinner won the U14 girls 50m freestyle

This year's house swimming competition was performed in the TPS pool on Wednesday 27th June and a large number of records were broken. These were: Chris Wilson winning the Senior Boys IM in 1:05.9 and the Senior Boys butterfly in 27.8 Amy Mansfield winning the Junior Girls backstroke in 37.3 Supun Fernando winning the Junior Boys backstroke in 32.1 Charlotte Rogers winning the Junior Girls breast stroke in 39.3 and the Junior Girls butterfly in 14.9 Ross Haines winning the Junior Boys breast stroke in 36.3 Hattie Rogers winning the Senior Girls breast stroke in 39.6 and the Senior Girls freestyle in 31.3 Fairwater won the Junior Boys freestyle relay in 1:00.1 Wills East won the Senior Boys freestyle relay in 54.6

House Swimming Trophies 2012 Costeloe Cup (most improved junior boy or girl) Tesni Collins Girls Junior Victrix Ludorum Charlotte Rogers Senior Victrix Ludorum Hattie Rogers Merit Cup - Girls' Captain Hattie Rogers Junior Victor Ludorum Ross Haines Open Victor Ludorum (Brown Challenge Bowl) Chris Wilson Wright Swimming Cup - Boys' Captain Jonny Childs Girls: Girls Junior Inter House Relay Cup Bevan Senior Inter House Relay Cup Weirfield Junior House Swimming Cup Jenkin and Bevan Senior House Swimming Cup Weirfield Boys: Lucking Cup - Junior relays Fairwater Carter Cup - Senior boys relays Wills East Junior Swimming Cup Fairwater Senior Swimming Cup Wills East

Hurstpier Point College National Schools Championships During the summer holidays of 2011, the 48th National Schools Jumping Championships were held at Hickstead. Ashton Caddick, Elliott Smith and Anna East represented Taunton School at this prestigious event and were placed second. The team made it comfortably through to the final to compete in the main arena and were placed a creditable second. Anna East was clear and, therefore, able to do the final jump off as an individual and was in first place until the last rider pipped her to the post; she finished, however, in an excellent 2nd place as an individual. Blundell's Inter-School One Day Event Despite the wet and blustery day, all our riders did extremely well and everyone came away with at least one rosette. Rose Vere Nicoll and Alex Willes entered Class 2 (85cm) and were placed 4th as a team. Millie Moore, Lucy Moore, Ashton Caddick and Elliott Smith entered Class 3 (1 m) and were placed 3rd. Both Elliott and Millie also came away with 7th place rosettes as individuals in their respective sections and Elliott also won the 'best boy' category in his section. WSVH Inter-School Hunter Trial On Sunday 2nd October, in the glorious sunshine, Millie and Lucy Moore, together with their younger sister, Daisy (TPS), competed in the WSVH U16 Inter-School Hunter Trial Class at Stockland Lovell. The course was demanding and well up to height, at 3', but all three girls rode boldly and were placed second in the team competition. Wellington Inter-School Show Jumping On Sunday 20th November, three teams from TS took part in the Wellington Inter-School Show Jumping Competition. Jess Pocock, Izzy Mackin and Impy Martin-Pope rode in the U15 2'6"/2'9" class and were placed 3rd. We entered two teams in Class 3 (3'/3'3"). Lucy Moore, Rose Vere Nicoll and Daisy Moore (TPS) came 4th, with Impy MartinPope, Rose Vere Nicoll and Hannah Lewis coming 5th against fierce opposition. Taunton School Inter-School Show jumping Competition On Saturday 17th March, Taunton School hosted its first ever inter-school show jumping competition. It was held at Stockland Lovell Equestrian Centre and entries far surpassed our expectations. In total,

there were 240 entries across the four classes, with many schools entering several teams. The day went extremely well, apart from some unforeseen problems with the weather! The riders representing TS were: Izzy Mackin, Ashton Caddick, Lucy Moore, Rose Vere Nicoll, Jess Pocock, Hannah Lewis and Elliott Smith. Our riders did extremely well throughout the day. Results were as follows: • Class 2 - Izzy Mackin 1st (individual), riding Chance. • Class 3 - Izzy Mackin 2nd (individual), again riding Chance. Ashton Caddick, Lucy Moore, Rose Vere-Nicoll and Jess Pocock 6th (team). • Class 4 - Ashton Caddick , Asha Smith, Lucy Moore and Elliott Smith 1st (team). Ashton Caddick, Lucy Moore, Rose Vere Nicoll and Hannah Lewis 2nd (team). Blundell's NSEA Show Jumping Qualifier On Thursday 7th June, possibly the wettest day of the year so far, Blundell's held their NSEA Show Jumping qualifier at Pontispool. Despite the horrendous conditions, the girls rode superbly and were rewarded for their efforts ... and soggy breeches! • Class 1 90cm Show Jumping - the team of Millie Moore, Lucy Moore, Asha Smith (TPS) and Daisy Moore (TPS) were placed 7th out of 18 teams, just missing a rosette. • Class 2 90cm Jumping with Style - the team of Millie Moore, Lucy Moore, Asha Smith (TPS) and Daisy Moore (TPS) were 4th and Asha Smith (TPS) was placed 2nd as an individual. • Class 3 lm Jumping with Style - Ashton Caddick was placed 4th as an individual. • Class 4 lm Show Jumping - the team of Ashton Caddick, Anna East and Asha Smith (TPS) came 1st, with Ashton and Anna being placed 1st and 2nd, respectively, as individuals. • Class 5 1.10m Show Jumping - Anna East (jumping almost in the dark!) was placed 7th, just missing out on a rosette by about 20 seconds! Ashton, Anna and Asha have, therefore, all qualified for the NSEA Championships at Addington in Buckinghamshire in October - well done, girls, and we wish you luck next term. Mrs Marshall

ance Dance is a fairly new initiative here at Taunton School. Impressive though, in its first year we have seen three major dance performances. The first being an individual performance evening in November, which demonstrated solo, small group and large class dances in a variety of different genres. This enabled people to show talent that the school has not seen on the stage before. In the spring term, we focused on a House Dance competition, where entries could be made in either a solo or team competition.

The highlight of the year was the "Back to Broadway" performance held in the Centenary Hall. A Dance production across the whole school, having students performances incorporating all age groups, from Pre-Prep to Sixth Form students. The theme of Broadway, encouraged a bit of glitz and glamour and with over 60 students involved from the Senior School, showed where dance is moving in the school. Dance is not only to be seen in School Shows. We have also instigated and individual dance tuition programme, which allows students to improve their ability outside of classroom hours. We offer dance as a games option choice and also give students the opportunity to enter grading or festival work. With Mrs Natasha Huckle at the helm of Dance within the school, we are looking to introduce Dance as an academic qualification in the near future. Ms Mortimer

The Army Section this year has seen some reshuffling in a bid to improve the quality of training offered to the cadets. The formidable duo of Captains Mortimer and Birkett has really injected momentum into the programme, setting up a strong chain of command and reinforcing some old-school disciple. My thanks go to them for their unwavering support and commitment. Within the Advanced infantry this year we have trialed, to great success, an ability-assessed section structure. The resulting "keen" sections have flourished in a challenging environment and have been stretched to prove themselves in competition with their peers. At the other end of the spectrum it has allowed some cadets to enjoy their CCF activities with a positive outlook. Adhering to the CCF mentality but not worrying about holding others back. The improvement in attitude, as well as aptitude, of all our cadets is really impressive and makes instructing them all the more enjoyable. Though the cadets rarely step out of line, when they do it is usually to volunteer themselves as leaders, helpers or demonstrators. With leadership being the crux of our recent training. Pressuring the cadets into making effective decisions has come in several forms: whether responding to ambushes, planning objectives or carrying out command tasks, their authority, and at times their patience, has been stretched. Trips to the electronic

range, .22 ranges, and a field day to Yoxter training area have maintained our infantry ethos and the cadets have enjoyed field craft tremendously. Our recent field day was perhaps less infantry related, but equally as enjoyable with a trip to Larkhill Camp. The presentation, on the role of the Royal Artillery's capabilities, as well as possible army careers, was well received, as was the tour of the gun park and a chance to inspect the vehicles. A very muddy session at the obstacle course rounded of the day, epitomising the 'opt in' nature of the cadets. The cohort of recruits into Year 10 this year has proved a lively bunch, quick to learn and keen to impress. They have relished the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new weapons and a field day of camp craft helped broaden their knowledge. They are currently taking their weapons proficiency tests, and may soon be the ones firing on the training area, not just those crawling to cover. They all show great promise for the future. The Army section prides itself on its variety and from orienteering to section attacks, and voice procedure to drill, we certainly have been showing our cadets what its really like to be the best. Mr Kinnear

CCHIAVY Raleigh Winners

Royal Navy CCF Inspection

It has been a fantastically successful and action packed year for the Royal Naval CCF section. Lt Crd Peter Finan, along with Mr Jonathan Brooker and Miss Nicola Preece, witnessed a record number of RN recruits signing up to take part in the myriad of activities which have taken place over the past months. In the Autumn Term, RN recruits enjoyed a fun filled weekend of surfing in North Devon, where they experienced the thrills and spills of the water sports on offer in the local area. HMS Raleigh Weekend was one of the highlights in the CCF calendar which culminated in the shield being awarded to Taunton School a following a victorious inspection and pulling competition. Inspection Day welcomed Captain Richard Farrington CBE of the Royal Navy and saw members of the RN contingent emulate a night pilotage and casualty simulation. High ropes and team-building activities were the order of the day at Cannington Activity Centre and Vivary Park for the RN field days later in the year. Wimbleball Lake hosted a group of eager Fourth Formers to sharpen their sailing skills and work towards an RYA Level 2 qualification in the Summer Term. In addition, RN cadets attended weekly sessions in which they experienced shooting, climbing and swimming. Lower Sixth cadets led the fourth formers through a series of lessons which uncovered the roles of the Royal Navy, ropes and nautical navigation. Upper Sixth Petty Officers, Ben Clarke and Alice MacKeith, did a fantastic job at leading the section and demonstrated exceptional organisation, resourcefulness and leadership qualities. We will be very sad to say farewell to Lt Crd Finan and thank him for all his years of service in the Taunton School GCE Miss Preece

CCFRAF The RAF section has enjoyed another successful year. In the Autumn Term we ventured to Cheddar Gorge where the cadets honed the map and compass skills which they learn as part of the taught syllabus. The weather held out, and all groups made it back safe and sound - although not necessarily in the same order as when they set out! In January we welcomed the new Fourth Form cadets, half of whom were able to go flying. The opportunity was thoroughly enjoyed by all - even Rex Cole, whose yells of excitement-cum-terror while airborne could almost be heard from the ground. The other cadets were not so lucky, as low cloud meant this flying date had to be cancelled: regrettable, but perhaps to be expected given the vagaries of English weather. Fingers crossed for blue skies next time.

Nervous smiles

E111

or .tfa

The Lent Term brought another Field Day and Inspection Day. Our day at Cobbs Cross Farm was excellent, with everybody clearly gaining something from the experience, be it overcoming obstacles as part of a team, exerting physical strength and balance...or laughing until the tears fall as another cadet dangles helplessly from a rope. Inspection Day was obviously a more formal affair, and the RAF section carried themselves well. Unfortunately we did not win the Gun-Run - exposed buttons under the cargo net proved our undoing. Lesson learned.

Jacob's Ladder, Field Day

-0674-f.11!rar 45r1

I would like to thank Mr Luke Waller and Ms Tracey Coleman, without whose leadership over the past years the RAF section would not be what it is today. As they leave us, so too do many of our cadets in the Fifth Form and Upper Sixth. I thank them for their commitment and efforts over the years, and wish them well. Mr Wood

Vincent Hofmann flight-suited up

1111째

Trek Force "Everyone is valued in Trek Force as we all have skills we can offer"

At the start of a new school year, good weather in the initial weeks allowed us to explore more of the local countryside on foot. During wet weather sessions we used the time to learn map skills in the classroom, and complete exercises such as plotting routes. The Autumn Term Field Day was spent at Lyme Regis. With our hammers and safety goggles at the ready (that some felt they looked very cool in) we went fossil hunting, smashing open rocks in the hope of being the first person to see an organism hundreds of thousands of years old. Miss Wedgwood became the new Head of Trek Force in the Lent Term. Trek Force is now split into two mixed form groups due to growing numbers, and they alternate different activities each week. So far we have spent time learning about camp craft, putting up different styles of tents, kayak racing in the pool, and undertaking a navigation session to improve our map skills. We have also had competitions to test our observational skills and team work. On the weeks where the groups are off-site, they have put their map skills to test with bearings exercises on the Quantocks and map reading tasks at Orchard Portman. We recently had the honour of a talk from the 16th lady to climb Mount Everest, Dr Anna Shekdar. She detailled her gruelling expedition and brought in some of her kit for us to look at. Our Lent Term Field Day was spent paintballing with the Fifth Form reigning victorious. Miss Wedgwood

It has been a difficult journey to get to the position of having three teams for this years Ten Tors event. The training has taken place in predominantly bad weather, testing navigation and equipment to the limit. Team members have also had their ups and downs. With the ever expanding exams we only had 6 volunteers for the 45 and 55 mile teams, there was no room for injury. The 35 mile training threw up a few surprises as well. The weather on Thursday, when setting up camp nearly made it impossible to put up the tentage. We only had one tent up after 2 hours of battling with 40mph winds and driving rain. However, Friday, May 11th dawned with improving weather and 18 pupils ready to do their best. By 8pm on Saturday night the 35 mile team were camped at for 8. The 45 mile team were somewhere between Tor 5 and 6 and the 55 mile team were between for 6 and 7. On Sunday morning, the weather was even brighter and the 35 mile team arrived at 12.30pm. The 45 mile team were complete and finished at 15.01 followed a little while later by the 55 mile team at 15.57. 45 IIlie Team on Coombe:acne Ter

Taking on this event is probably one of the hardest and most physical things a student can take part in. Mr Kinnear would like to congratulate all who took part to make this, another successful year. Mr Kinnear

45 Mile Team approaching the finish

"testing navigation and equipment to the limit"

The Duke of Edinburgh Award

The Duke of Edinburgh has had another successful year with 18 students gaining their Gold Awards before leaving the school. It started with Harry Speedy and Rebecca Kinnear getting their badges in the Autumn Term and finishing with Charlotte Pickard passing hers on Commemoration Day. The next day, 14 Lower Sixth students flew to Scotland for their expedition assessments in the Trossacks. After four wet days all successfully passed. We have also had nine Fifth Form students doing their Silver Award, three of who have already finished and moved onto Gold. Bronze is also progressing well with 49 students completing the expedition part of in the Summer Term, even the illegal rave in Belever Forest didn't stop them, although some did have a rather sleepless night at Dury Farm less than half a kilometre from the music. We are now into another third year of E-Dofe, the electronic Dofe, which is recorded online and the participants are now getting the hang of it with more and more completing each year. Mr Kinnear M/C of Duke of Edinburgh

Gold Dofe The Trossacks 2012

Seven Year 9 pupils left in February to spend six weeks in Melbourne as part of the Australian Exchange. They went to two schools, Carey Grammar School and Eltham College, and lived with host families during their stay. Their partners returned to Taunton in the summer for six weeks. The Taunton School pupils were Emily Bosworth, Tesni Collins, Holli Downham, Maddie Newton, Max Staniland, Archie Burton and Milly Day The return leg started in May. On their arrival from Melbourne, the seven Australian students were pleasantly surprised by the lovely weather that we get in England. It was a glorious first week and it allowed them the opportunity to get out to see some of the lovely Somerset countryside and visit some local attractions such as Wells Cathedral, Glastonbury and Clarkes Village! And then the real British summer kicked in! Nevertheless, it did not dampen their spirits and they fully immersed themselves in their host families, their new found friends and an array of school cultural and sporting activities. Six weeks in Melbourne or Taunton is not really a long time at all, but it will provide lifelong memories to all involved. Mr Kelly

In the first week and a half of the Easter holidays I, along with 22 other students from Taunton School, was given an incredibly unique and highly educational opportunity in the form of a nine day visit to the sprawling conurbation of Shenzhen, Southern China. Every individual on the trip clearly gained a great deal, both in the form of souvenirs which they had obtained, but more importantly an enlightened perspective upon the most populous country worldwide. We distinguished a vast number of differences in the cultures of the west and east in many areas; cuisine, apparel, etiquette and many more. In particular, the food was vastly different to our own; during our stay we consumed tofu, seaweed, goose neck, chicken foot and huge amounts of rice! Whilst some students did jump at every opportunity to visit Pizza Hut and

A group photograph at the viewpoint overlooking the city of Shenzhen

Made in China McDonalds, I think everyone got a good taste of the colourful foods that are such delicacies in the region. One overwhelming perspective that I believe we all obtained on this visit was the overall wealth, happiness and tranquillity of all the locals that we met. Perhaps we were all so astonished as this is not the view that we receive from the Western media. It truly was an eye opening experience, not one that many of us will forget. I would be surprised if not all of the students did not see it as a fantastic insight into the tradition of a place and culture very different from our own. Joe de Pass

Sixth Form Ski Trip to La Thuile Easter 2012 Beautiful weather and excellent snow conditions greeted 31 Sixth Form pupils and four staff in La Thuile, Italy. Skier of the week was undoubtedly Jeremy Soper (Lower Sixth) although special mention must be made of Oki Nwakohu (Upper Sixth) who went from being a total beginner to skiing black runs in four days. Fancy Dress Friday was a real success with the prize going to the sumo wrestling outfits worn by Josh Kelly (Upper Sixth) and Aaron McGough (Upper Sixth). It has to be said that the quality of singing at the karaoke evenings was not in the same league as the skiing but enjoyable nonetheless. Many thanks to the teachers for organising the week. If you are in the Sixth Form - you really should not miss this trip! Mr Mason

Junior Ski Trip The Junior Ski Trip was a great success this year and thoroughly enjoyed by all. The first day did not disappoint as the snow conditions were excellent and everyone was happy with their grouping. We were mixed with another school so as to make sure the groups were even and that everyone was pushed whatever standard they were. The groupings were flexible enabling plenty of upward movement for those who 'stood out'. The whole week continued in this vein and apart from some great progress from all on the slopes we enjoyed some evening activities such as shopping, a ski show, curling and a pizzas evening. A few impromptu snowball fights filled any gaps and seemed to be the favourite pastime. I must remember to put this in the Risk Assessment next year! The group as a whole got on very well and friends from a School in Barnsley were made. I would like to thank all the students who went on the trip for their outstanding behaviour and attitude. They were an absolute pleasure to be with and represented Taunton School perfectly. I would also like to thank Lucy Turner for her support and expertise. The trip was a really worthwhile experience and I would encourage any student to come along, whether they are a total beginner or expert skier.

Rugby Tour South Africa / Namibia Rugby Tour 2012 After 18 months of planning and fund raising, 41 boys and 5 staff left for Heathrow for the start of the tour. Air travel is never the most reliable and after an 8 hour delay in Johannesburg we eventually arrived at the Goedgedacht Trust for a most unusual start to a rugby tour. The project is a farming community set up to support local children in poverty and the boys learnt about the project and met some of the children. A very grounding experience but very valuable. Over the next two weeks we visited Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Knysna and Johannesburg in South Africa; followed by Windhoek, Otjiwarongo and the Etosha National Park in Namibia. The boys saw the natural beauty of two remarkable countries including: Table Mountain, the coastline of the Cape, whale watching, great white shark cage diving, the largest strawberry in the world, world famous vineyards, cheetahs and crocodiles

"A once in a lifetime experience."

up close, a pride of lions, a waterhole teaming with large game and all sorts of wildlife. They also experienced the reality of life in Southern Africa. We were escorted through 3 townships where people live in poverty surrounded by HIV, alcoholism and crime. The main purpose of the visit was to extend the arm of friendship and challenge ourselves through rugby. The boys were hosted by local schools and we played 10 matches winning 7 This was a fantastic achievement, particularly by the Development squad (SCA's) who won all their matches.

Rugby Tour Results:

Senior Squad

Development Squad

✓ Presidents HS

Won 19-13

Won 26-7

✓ Paul Roos

Lost 33-7

Won 64-0

✓ Roodepoort HS

Won 15-10

Won 22-0

V Windhoek Gimnasium

Lost 36-5

Won 19-14

✓ Otjiwarongo Rugby

Lost 21-20

Won 46-0

For some, a tour such as this is a "once in a lifetime experience" and will live long in the memory of all involved. Mr Kelly

Avaon ChARenge 2013 An incredible voyage of learning, discovery, and family adventure awaits for a select few who dare to accept the Avalon Challenge next Easter and Summer.Tread in the mythical footsteps of King Arthur, Merlin and Lancelot, to uncover clues across Ancient Wessex, but be prepared - some of these clues you will need all your daring and strength to uncover... Clues will involve undertaking classic adventure activities.This is a challenge for the brave and cunning!

06,9 AdventuRe CRypeic Chagenge Open to Vamities Ages 8 upwoRds Adven-cu Re Activities Quairied LeadeRs Speciaist Cquipment pvvi teARning, OutdooRs, AdventuRe. Miffs

.7"oneAsrovh'

Challenges will take place in the Easter Holidays and Summer Holidays 2013. Places are limited, so please call us to find out more.This is a very special t and unique experience - be ready for a true adventure! To register your interest and to find out more - please conta

AdvenruRe-

Care

.CCCephOTIC 01460 1491(

AvAtongasdven-cuRc-cAcc.co

www.A venruRe-cqe.com

cafe

Adventure Cafe is a specialist organiser of outdoor adventure events, including trekking, cycling, open canoeing, caving, rock climbing, orienteering and abseiling.All leaders are qualified, and all activities are fully insured.All payments for Adventure CafĂŠ Tours are protected under the package travel regulations 1992 - with IPP Ltd. Of London

Oaf 111 TAUNTON SCHOOL Offering more Taunton School, Taunton, Somerset TA2 6AD Telephone: 01823 703703 www.tauntonschool.co.uk

Taunton School Educational Charity is a company limited by guarantee. Registration number 4005803. Registered Office: Clerk to the Governors. Taunton School, Taunton TA2 6AD. A registered charity, number 1081420