Floreat Redingensis September 2022

FLOREAT REDINGENSIS ACADEMIC

YEAR 2021-2022

Kindly sponsored by the Old Redingensians Association

Floreat Redingensis is distributed to the Reading School community to communicate events and news with the whole school community over the last academic year.

If you do not wish to receive future editions of this publication, or if you wish to opt-out of all future communications from Reading School, please email alumni@reading-school.co.uk.

Editions of Floreat Redingensis are available on the school website

To connect with fellow Old Redingensians, please join the Reading School Alumni Society or email alumni@reading-school.co.uk

Editorial Team:

Piatrice Hutchinson (Society Office Coordinator) Jas Chhokar (Society Office Manager)

Mr A M Robson (Headmaster)

Photography: Dal Singh (Community Relations Manager) Jamal Springer-Lynch (Marketing Assistant)

If you have comments or suggestions regarding this publication, please email alumni@reading-school.co.uk.

Front cover photo: Reading School v Reading FC Academy 150th anniversary match. Captured by Jason Dawson, Royal & Sports Photographer & Official Club Photographer at Reading Football.

Printed in the United Kingdom by Printech Europe

Published by The Society Office

Reading School

Erleigh Road Reading Berkshire RG1 5LW

T: 0118 901 5600 Ext 249

E: alumni@reading-school.co.uk

“The outward-facing school provides an engine of engagement and participation. It engages its students, their families and communities in an ongoing conversation about the purpose and nature of schooling and it values and learns from their contributions as co-partners.”

In 2021-2022, Reading School has renewed its commitment to developing its efforts to evidence, showcase and promote the work taking place that underpins our school’s ethos and values. The Reading Way, which is characterised by a high-performance culture, a sense of belonging and a focus on partnerships has seen a resurgence as school life returns to relative normality. Indeed, opportunities to return to working together, benefitting from school trips, taking part in enrichment activities, along with contributing to the school and wider community have been very much welcomed and celebrated. Furthermore, local partnerships have been an area of development and focus to contribute to refreshed opportunities that enable organisational flourishing.

Significantly, our partnerships have included our closest neighbours, the Royal Berkshire Hospital, who share history and heritage with our school. Our efforts to work alongside the hospital have developed since the pandemic when we hosted an ‘RBH Village’. This saw hospital staff being able to sleep, shower and eat on a specially designed campus on our school field providing key support during a challenging time. Reading School's partnership and support was recognised during the CARE Awards ceremony held in May 2022 at Reading Town Hall. The partnership between the hospital and school has continued to develop during this past year and has seen several joint events along with an exciting development that will see the school playing a part in a new Health and Wellbeing Centre being opened by the hospital on Craven Road.

Further examples of partnerships that have been nurtured since January 2022 include:

Connect Reading – becoming a member of a local organisation that brings the public, corporate and third sector together, to improve the local community, environment and economy.

Berkshire Vision – following our school welcoming our first visually impaired student this September 2022, we have partnered with Berkshire Vision in order to co-host community events to benefit partially sighted children. The start of the partnership was marked with an art exhibition of art created by visually impaired artists in July 2022 which saw Mayors from across Berkshire and members of the local community come together to meet with partially sighted artists and explore their experiences of creating art with limited vision.

University of Reading – creating new partnerships alongside the University’s Community Relations Manager, which has seen the school contribute to community sports events, benefit from guest speakers delivering lectures and a support service for Reading School’s Languages students in order to enrich their language skills.

CreativeScrum – by partnering with a creative agency, our English corridor has been transformed to provide the whole school community with an inspirational English-themed space that contributes to a sense of belonging, learning and pride.

The Abbey School – by collaborating alongside a local independent girls’ school, we have been able to deliver joint 6th Form events that have contributed to the personal, social, emotional and health development of students from both schools. After September 2022, the partnership will develop its scope by planning for a joint social enterprise project between the schools and Henley Business School.

Furthermore, partnerships that have seen work between students, staff, and parents within the school have witnessed a renewed focus on the areas of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion along with Environmental Social Governance. A heightened awareness of social issues and diversity has seen several projects being delivered since January 2022 which have included cultural, religious, environmental and ethical events that benefit the school and its students. Thus, we seek to build upon partnerships with parents and the Reading Foundation to support families and young people from Ukraine. In addition, we are excited to work with Go Perform and the True Athlete project to develop integrity with impact. The 2022 work of the Society Office, the Community Relations Office, the Reading Foundation and Future Stories Community Enterprise symbolises our scaled commitment to partnerships.

The internal positive partnerships between our staff, alumni, current students, both day and boarding are key to future success and continuing good relations embedded through our traditional House system, co-curricular activities, electives, Floreat and Future Stories programme.

Boarding is certainly at the core of the Reading School family and adds so much value to our institution. We have 87 boarders in South House and East Wing, supported by a superb set of staff. Integrity and community are two of the school’s values and undoubtedly our boarders put these in to action this year through the work of their Charity Committee.

The support from the Reading Foundation, the ORA and the RSPA and governance are complemented and extended by external partnerships. Crucially, we seek to renew our commitment to being outward-facing beyond the local place and in 2022-2023, look forward to working further with the International Boys’ School Coalition and School for Tomorrow led by Dr Phil Cummins as well as our partner schools in Europe and Africa. A school of the future must bring alive its values and ethos while sharing with its internal and external communities, what these can look like.

This edition of Floreat Redingensis seeks to paint a picture of what an outward-facing and high-achieving school and community can look like.

Excellence can be found anywhere. None of us are born excellent. It is earned through disciplined effort and character building. It requires grit, passion, lifelong learning, and commitment. What kind of excellence a person develops is an individual journey, it may be found in the classroom, on the pitch, or beyond.

Thus, we cast our net wide for talented people and build methods to help every member of our community express their excellence. Lessons in character, leadership and culture flow both ways between Reading School and our valued partners.

Through partnership development, we aim to cultivate a purpose in every Reading School person. Arguably it is not just about winning on the pitch, in the exam room or classroom, or winning for yourself. Rather it is concerned with using success to give back to society and the community that nurtured you. Indeed, it is about using success to create a positive legacy. Importantly it is about expecting to invest in building platforms for others to launch their own future stories. We regularly see examples of the extraordinary capabilities, character, and courage of human beings, both superstars and unsung heroes, and Reading School helps us see those exemplars. Being a member of the Reading School community makes us proud of each other, and creates joy, solidarity, wellbeing, belonging, and connection. When we share inspirational and aspirational stories of teamwork and the human spirit, of the exceptional journeys to leadership, success, and giving back that Reading School people can experience through partnerships, relationships, and community, we are also sharing stories of who we all are at our best.

Mr A M Robson Headmaster

ORA PRESIDENT'S REPORT

JEREMY CHADWICK OR 1979-1986 PRESIDENT OF THE OLD REDINGENSIANS ASSOCIATION 2022-2023

Shared Pride in Our School

It is a tremendous privilege for me to become your Old Redingensians Association President for the year ahead. I am honoured to take over the role from Andrew Tuggey (ORA 1958-1966), who has led us through two years of the pandemic’s challenges on a true course in line with Reading School’s long-held values. Andrew’s commitment and service to the School through these challenging times should be applauded by us all. Under his leadership, and with the support of the ORA Council, the ORA remains an organisation committed only to supporting the School, helping its pupils and its old boys.

It is hard to ignore this School’s heritage as we approach our 900th anniversary of Foundation in 1125. Good men, including current MPs, other public servants, notable scientists and many Military Officers have walked these corridors and studied in the same classrooms as the current boys at School. I feel very lucky to be part of this club and am very proud my son is at Reading School. He and his friends are growing into fine and kind men with values that aren’t all just homegrown. They are learning about fairness, inclusion, integrity and public service at our School.

We are lucky to be part of this same family. It is not particularly in tune with modern thinking to say you are proud to be part of a selective and somewhat traditional group these days but I do not pull back from the principles I learned here of service to others, strength and unity in the community, and teamwork to make things better.

I was at School from 1979 to 1986. They were different times but the grain that ran through the School then on the sports field and elsewhere remains. Expressed differently and more widely across so many more aspects of life, but I see the same teamwork and inclusion everywhere in today’s boys. I am glad to point out to today’s generation that the music in the 80s was of course a lot better then ….

When I came to School in 1979, the process was selective as it is now. I remember the utter gut-wrenching fear as an 11-year old when the letter arrived telling you where you would be going for your secondary education. My brother, Jonathan Chadwick (OR 1977-84) was already here. I got in somehow and joined him in County.

School wasn’t always straightforward and not every day was easy, but as they always

Dear Old Redingensians , members of staff, students and everyone in the extended Reading School family...

say, it does make you stronger. I was a hesitant and under-confident 11 year old when I came to School. I learned to sail, cycle a bit, and joined the CCF a year early. I captained the School’s General Knowledge and Swim teams and had some amazing experiences, as well as some exams in between everything else. I gained confidence, went to Army Officer Selection at the minimum age and won a 16 year regular Commission offer and an Undergraduate Bursary for University. I don’t think any of that would have been possible without careful stewardship throughout my time here. Looking back, the dedication and service of the Masters [teachers!] to helping us grow was second to none.

The important point about that is that my grandparents were blue-collar and poorly educated; grammar school education set firstly my parents and then my brother and me on a different path. It is a great creator of social mobility opportunities.

As an OR, I see then the privilege of our selective education as an opportunity to equally help others reach up and beyond their current circumstances. We should be proud of that, not shy.

We had many good examples all around us, and I am lucky enough to serve on ORA Council with Ned Holt who will be wellknown to many reading this. Ned was at School from 1966 to 1972 and served as a staff member from 1982-2012. He continues to serve the School with great vigour through the ORA despite allegedly being retired. Tom Walter should also be noted after a working lifetime here, along with others we have sadly lost this year. I am sure I am not alone in saying Ian Judd OR and Mike Evans will be greatly missed.

I hope that after reading this, you understand why I try to help the School through the ORA. I joined the ORA some years ago to give something back to the next generation of boys at Reading School. I would encourage past and current Boys of the School to consider joining the ORA now if you haven’t already done so, as the School will need all our help going forward.

Helping others achieve social mobility through education is a good thing, to help society level up and just be fairer. I don’t, therefore, see being at or having been to Reading School as a privilege as such - I see it as a duty to pay forward for all others.

This is why the ORA exists - to help preserve that tradition of service to others and recall the legacy, to ensure others going forward can benefit. We are most fortunate to have the services of Chris Widdows (ORA Membership Secretary) and Ken Brown (ORA Archivist) who work tirelessly to ensure the details of our history and current community are not lost, as these things matter very much. The past is a good determinant of much of the future no matter what the Banks say!

As part of its role, the ORA helps to fund and organise activities for former pupils. Despite the challenges of Covid waves, we were able to hold a very successful AGM and Annual Dinner in Big School last September. Particular thanks must go to Michal Zakrzewski (School Catering Manager) for providing such an amazing spread for us. It was a wonderful evening where Will McCallum (OR 1999-2006) spoke about his time at school.

We welcomed OR Tom Whipple (1993-2000), Science Editor of the Times and author, as guest speaker on 24th September at the ORA AGM & Dinner.

We also organise the Annual OR Remembrance Day service in the Chapel where we remember our Fallen. We were very lucky to be able to hold this event this year, though with necessary Covid restrictions of course. The Chapel was nearly full, with a very broad church there indeed led in service by Chaplain Clive Windebank (OR 1952-59). The School’s Combined Cadet Force were exceptionally well turned out with drill standards being maintained since my time. I was delighted to see the RSPA representated, along with Kendrick School whose Headmistress and girls were particularly welcome. Kendrick Boys’ School amalgamated with Reading School during the First World War, so their Fallen are remembered with our own.

Many local Reading boys attended these Schools but did not return home so that we might be free.

We were also delighted to support the School vs Reading FC 125th Anniversary football match earlier in 2022.

As well as the keynote events above, there have been many year-group reunions this year supported by the ORA. We are trying to help this happen either at School or elsewhere if people prefer less formality. I myself enjoyed a very sociable evening with several friends from my year group in Caversham in July, only to get a parking ticket (cancelled) from the pub and also (possibly) unwittingly pass on Covid! The ORA Events Secretary, Fraser Peck (OR 1998-2006) brings boundless energy to organising social matters and his membership of ORA Council in the past year has been most welcome.

Turning to other matters, I can report that the ORA is in good health. Despite falling investment incomes related to Covid and the war in Ukraine our finances are robust, carefully managed by ORA Treasurer, Richard Taylor (OR 1988-1995). Our membership is growing with many younger School leavers joining, which is most encouraging.

We continue to steward the assets of the ORA carefully to ensure best long-term benefit for the school. The Old Bath Road RAMS rugby ground remains in our ownership for now. Our fullest thanks should be noted to former ORA President, John Short (OR 1956-1964) for his sterling efforts in this regard, supported by Richard Griffiths (ORA 1957-1964). We continue to progress discussions for disposal toward releasing capital and ongoing investment returns to support the school. If successful, this would be a ‘game changer’.

As a former Captain of School Swimming, I for one would love to see a reopened pool available for the Boys alongside other more 'plural' sports options to ensure everyone can find something they enjoy and perhaps can excel at. This is where the ORA can make a real difference. The reopening of the School Boathouse after its loss to fire will be a very positive development also.

I would like to conclude by focusing on the future. As I have said earlier, the privilege of our past allows us to help others going forward. As an example of this in practice in this last year, our Immediate past President, Andrew Tuggey (ORA 1958-1966) has championed support for the School Future Stories initiative within the ORA. The ORA has been delighted to support this project financially over and above our usual funding for the School. Helping less privileged but equally able boys come to Reading School and thrive here is fundamental to the principles of equality and inclusion that we are proud to be part of in the ORA. These boys represent the future of Reading School as well in a small part the future our country (or perhaps a greater part, who yet knows?!)

We will continue then to take very good care of our legacy and to ensure the very best for all boys who could come through these doors and walk the same corridors we once did.

"Helping less privileged but equally able boys come to Reading School and thrive here is fundamental to the principles of equality and inclusion that we are proud to be part of in the ORA."

Makean Impact

We invite Old Redingensians, parents, grandparents and supporters of Reading School to join our community in 'paying it forward' in three ways - Time, Talent and Treasure:

Volunteer your time. What committees and opportunities could you give some of your time to? Does your organisation offer CSR which could support Reading School.

Share your talents and skills by giving career advice to our students or share your expertise in your field with staff on operational projects.

Make a regular or one-off gift in our collective effort to ensure that opportunities are afforded to all Redingensians in the future as we aim to continue the long-standing tradition of giving back. All gifts big or small are welcome.

Sunday Times Southeast State Secondary School of the Year 2022

“All our students flourish through the distinctive, integrated approach to educating young people that we term the Reading Way. Our students ‘Learn, Lead and Serve’ and look to put our values into action. As a state school, we are committed to providing opportunities for students to flourish, and we champion social mobility through our approach to shaping ‘Future Stories’.”

Mr A M Robson (Headmaster)

Reading School is judged to be in 7th place in the 2022 national table of state secondary schools, according to The Sunday Times, based on an analysis of examination results over time. High performance in terms of academic excellence is illustrated in the results between 2017 and 2021. Head of Sixth Form, Alun Lloyd, commented: "We are delighted with this award, which recognises the outstanding outcomes always achieved by our students and celebrates the exceptional staff who make Reading School such a special place to be educated. Our Sixth Form students benefit from the wide range of opportunities available here. Additionally, we are fortunate to have a thriving boarding community at the School, and I am very proud that their A-level outcomes have been notably impressive in recent years.

Undoubtedly credit goes to the whole Redingensians community (including the students, parents, Old Redingensians and all our staff, governors, and supporters of Reading School).

It is recognised that we have developed a culture of sustained high performance that is shaped by a dual commitment to academic excellence and building people of character and substance."

With over 1100 students, including 82 boarders, we understand that high performance and wellbeing are linked and COVID has propelled inclusion and mental health to the forefront of our approach. Thus, we continue to foster a sense of belonging by creating a culture where differences are celebrated and promoting wellbeing through our inspirational approach to the curriculum including Floreat and our electives programme.

Mr A M Robson (Headmaster) is particularly proud that Reading School is not just a centre of academic excellence, but also prioritises the education of character. Lessons are taught by academic specialists with a passion for their subject, and teaching goes well beyond the classroom, offering our students the best preparation for the very top universities, including Oxbridge, the Russell Group and abroad to Harvard and Yale.

Reading

School

Awarded Funding from the Wolfson Foundation

In an exciting development that will benefit current and future students, along with children from local primary schools, our school has been generously awarded funding worth £100,000 by the Wolfson Foundation, which will contribute to the refurbishment of three physics laboratories. Headmaster, Mr A Robson shared, “We are delighted to have received confirmation of funding for the much-needed refurbishment of our Physics labs, to continue to meet our aims of continuing to be a flourishing institution which provides opportunities for all. It has been a team effort to secure the funding and we are thankful to the Wolfson Foundation for recognizing the excellence within our school.”

The Wolfson Foundation’s award will allow Reading School to work in partnership with experts to develop inspiring learning spaces that will provide a world-class physics education and promote the sustainability and future development of those with a passion for the Sciences.

Head of Physics, Mr P Stromdale shared, “We believe the potential of this project to improve science learning and life chances are enormous, not only for our students but also students from our partner primary schools, Reading Partnership trainee teachers and Inspire Lecture audiences, all of whom will also benefit substantially.”

The exciting new development was completed on time in December 2022.

School of Character

Our school has been on a journey that has seen our values and ethos being made explicit and shared with the whole school community to develop and strengthen good character in young people. Our collective efforts have led to Reading School being awarded the ACE Kitemark Plus Award following a visit by Gary Lewis and Carole Black from the Association for Character Education. Gary and Carole spent a day observing all aspects of our school's

character education provision and meeting with students and staff to discuss the work that goes on in promoting character development along with investigating what this looks like. Gary and Carole met with staff and students, spent time in lessons and observed our future stories program.

We are proud to celebrate the fact that Reading School was awarded in July 2022, the ‘Character Education Kitemark Plus’. This accreditation is awarded by the Association for Character Education to schools that take an explicit, planned and reflective approach to the cultivation of positive character in their pupils, in the interest of creating well-rounded individuals. The award, which considers the culture, ethos and practical examples of character development across the school, has been developed in response to growing recognition of the role of character education in successful schools. It is therefore indicative of the huge breadth of academic and co-curricular opportunities that Reading School offers its students and the enthusiasm and hard work of all Reading School staff in cultivating a thriving school community in which our students can flourish.

A LEVEL RESULTS & UNIVERSITY OFFERS

In contrast to national headlines about students being disappointed with university admissions this year, we are extremely proud of the Class of 2022 for attaining exceptional A Level examination results. Having attained a plethora of places at a range of exceptional universities both in the UK and abroad in a variety of subjects, we look forward to seeing the ways in which they grow academically over the next few years, and go on to use their skills for the common good in the future.

of students achieved A*-B

of all grades awarded being A*

of students attaining A* grades in all their subjects

Students attained the requirements for their first choice university.

Students will read medicine or dentistry and have secured places at top universities.

With 25 offers and 23 who secured places at Oxbridge

This is one of our strongest ever sets of exam results, which is particularly impressive given the significant challenges learners have faced as a result of the pandemic. There are many different pathways to success and today we are celebrating our students’ resilience as well as the full breadth of their achievements.

I would like to thank all the staff at Reading School for their exceptional commitment to our students, and thank parents for their support and trust during times of great trial. In addition, we must thank our Governing Body, led by Mr Robert Kenwrick, for their strategic oversight and direction. I wish all our students the very best for the future, whatever their next chapters hold.

Mr A M Robson (Headmaster)

Photo above: Reading School's Oxbridge Students with Mr A Lloyd (Teacher of English; Head of Sixth Form; South House House Master).

Photo below: Reading School’s Medical Students with Ms J Pickering (Teacher of Biology, EPQ and Medical School Applications Coordinator).

BOUND FOR THE USA

This year, two Reading School students are set to jet across the Atlantic to study at a university in the United States.

Reuben Henry-Daire (2015-2022) Harvard University

Reuben Henry-Daire is just one of the thousands of UK applicants to apply to study at Harvard. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is one of the worldrenowned Ivy League Colleges.

"I hadn't had many thoughts about going into the US. When I found out my coach's daughter goes to the US and the agency they were with contacted us, that's when we were like, “Okay, this could be possible", said Reuben.

"After a few months of dabbling around, we got sent back a list of potential universities that would be interested. Whilst I'm an athlete, I'm also an academic person, so I didn't really want to trade off one for the other. Harvard was very, very proactive and they sent me a lot of stuff and spoke to me a lot. We had quite a few calls and fellowship calls with the head coach."

Speaking about the interview process, Reuben continued, "I got a fast track through my sport, so that greatly helps my application. "Harvard... they’re just trying to find out who you are as a person. What are you like, if put in with someone who's like a bit different from you? Can you still get on? Can you still socialise well, and are you going to do the best that you can to do, to be the best that you can be?"

It has been a long road to Harvard for the 18-year-old, with the application process taking around a year to complete and significant exams, interviews and forms to fill out along the way.

Reuben has been successful in applying for an athletic scholarship with the University, which will see the world-renowned institution pay for the majority of his expenses around tuition, accommodation, travel and subsistence.

"I had also to do the financial aid stuff. Which was a bit long, a bit annoying, but it's what allows me to go to Harvard. So very important, very grateful for it."

Harvard tends to only accept around 2,000 applicants in a year, making Reuben's achievements even more remarkable.

"I got a fancy letter, which came all the way from the US and everything which is quite nice, a certificate which is framed up already. It's going to be exciting. And interesting."

Reuben's studies at Harvard start in September 2022. He will get the chance to specialise his Liberal Arts degree at Harvard during the course and hopes to major in History.

We wish Reuben the best of luck and will watch his athletics career with much interest.

Karan Baishkiyar (2020-2022) University of South California

Karan headed to the University of South California in September and has chosen to major in Aerospace Engineering. Speaking on his subject choice, Karan said, "Engineering has this unique collaboration with it. No one man makes a rocket alone, right? So, it's basically a combination of engineering and my love of space. That's why I chose aerospace engineering."

Located in Los Angeles, USC is one of the world’s leading private research universities in the United States.

"It will be very fun, I'm sure. But yeah, I'm very nervous about heading to LA. It's very far."

Karan explains, "the process of applying to an American university is long. I'll be honest, it's much harder than UCAS because you have to apply to each School separately. Obviously, there's the common application, but you have to write an application for each School."

This year, USC received more than 71,000 applicants for its fall Freshman class with an acceptance rate of 12.5 percent.

Karan said, "American Universities are notorious for having very, very low acceptance rates. For Ivy League schools like Harvard, they have a 4% acceptance rate. MIT has a 4% acceptance rate. And if you're applying for scholarships and stuff like that, it's even harder to get in."

Karan stresses the importance of building your co-curricular profile when applying for a US university, "they value extracurricular activities, way more than UK universities. So, you need to have a good extracurricular profile. You need to basically sell yourself. It's more like a job interview than an academic interview. Going to Reading School, you will have good academics, but you also need to be an all-rounder with activities beyond the classroom."

Speaking of his time at Reading School, Karan said, "People here are just amazing. I think what makes Reading School good are the people here. Your friends will be the people who support you, push you through to succeed in subjects. I definitely feel like my academics have improved a lot. The teachers respond to queries and are very supportive."

Speaking on what attracted him to study in the US, Karan said, " I feel like America caters more to what I want out of the university experience. American Universities are broader in subject areas. You can take a bunch more classes.... they encourage you to meet the general education requirements to study things outside of your major."

Karan has been successful in applying for full financial aid with the University, which will see the world-renowned institution pay for the majority of his expenses around tuition, accommodation, travel and subsistence.

Research to study abroad should start in Years 9-10 in order to build strong extra-curriculars. Karan commenced his studies in September 2022, after attending a month-long summer school, fully funded by the University. He hopes to pursue a career in Aerospace Engineering. We wish Karan the best of luck.

Students interested in applying to Universities in the USA should join the Non-UK Universities Microsoft Teams for more information lead by Mrs J Pickering.

2022 SENIOR PRIZE GIVING

It was an inspiring day for parents, students, staff and supporters to come together for the Class of 2022 Senior Prize Giving and Leavers' BBQ to celebrate their successes and achievements. Guests arrived in the Chapel to music played by the talented Sean A (11L). The ceremony began with the welcome from Mr Greg Fairchild (Assistant Headmaster; Teacher of Geography) followed by the Headmaster's speech. Mr Greg Fairchild then awarded prizes to the Class of 2022 for academic achievement, attitude, commitment and community and integrity, character and leadership.

The Salisbury Prize was also awarded to Mrs Aditi Bose, Mr Martin Haley, Professor Susanne Clausen and Mrs Dee Smith, members of the parent community that have made significant contributions to the life of the school throughout the years. To conclude, School Captain, Adam Paterson, eloquently delivered the Vote of Thanks.

A number of prizes are endowed through the generosity of recent benefactors of the School to whom we are forever grateful. A sincere thank you to Chris Widdows (OR 1955-1962), Trustee of the Sir Beecham Trust, for presenting the prizes they sponsored.

A special thank you to the Reading School Foundation for sponsoring the prizes and refreshments and the Reading School Parents' Association for sponsoring the bar.

We wish every success to the Class of 2022 in their chosen paths and look forward to hearing about their next chapter.

To the Class of 2022 parents/carers for their very generous gift of £1,000 to the staff of the school. This has been used to provide all staff with books for the inaugural Reading week in October.

The Leavers’ Gratitude Gift is a departing gift from the families of Upper Sixth Leavers in support of the Building for the Future - 365 campaign. The gift is a collective effort to ensure that opportunities are afforded to all Redingensians in the future and aims to continue the long-standing tradition of giving back at Reading School. All gifts big or small are welcome.

Leadership Team School Captain Vice-Captain Vice-Captain Vice-Captain Vice-Captain

Student Body Team

Sports Prefect Junior Sports Prefect Student Voice Prefect Mentoring Prefect Well-being Prefect Pastoral Voice Prefect

School Events Team External Relations Prefect School Events Prefect Junior Social Prefect Social Prefect Community and Partnerships Prefect

Sixth Form Team Year 12 Integration Prefect Year 12 Integration Prefect Legacy Prefect Common Room Prefect Common Room Prefect Attendance Prefect

Projects & Community Team

Charity Prefect Community Service Prefect Future Stories Prefect Environment Prefect Equality Prefect

House Leadership Team

County House Captain School House Captain East House Captain Laud House Captain West House Captain

Boarding Team East Wing Captain South House Captain

Daniyal Vemuri Meet Nair Toby Philips Shubham Kulkarni Aryan Bhadra Luke Silby Veer Phatak Asad Ahmad Srikar Nukaraju and Joshua Hughes Audric Thakur Hashim Imran

Jack Fraser and Antonio Mak Tarun Bangalore Chandramouli Aman Gyawali Hayden Young Mayank Mittal Amol Singh Chris Price Yash Vedak Matt Dooley Daniel Titmas Achyuttam Soni

Jai Goyal Dhruv Garg Rishi Devarakonda and Nirbhay Kaul Jackey Chung Ed Tracey

Ansh Barot Charles Philpott Rishabh Luthra Aryan Kinge Sida Li

Alex Bose-Mason Sam Tsang

MEET THE PREFECT TEAM

2022-2023

We are delighted to formally announce the list of Reading School Prefects who have been selected for the 2022-23 academic year. Our new School Captain, Daniyal Vermuri, speaks about what he is most excited for in his new role:

Why did you want to become a Prefect?

Throughout my time at Reading School, there have been a host of different students, who, as prefects, have contributed in their own way to improving my experience of being a student at this school. I wanted to become a prefect to give back to the school community and do my part to try and improve the student experience at Reading School.

What changes would you bring to the school in your new role?

During my time as School Captain I want to bring changes that will work to create a tighter sense of a Reading School community – we have a great opportunity this year now that COVID restrictions have loosened considerably to try and repair some of the inter-year relationships that have been damaged over the last two years and to go beyond that to create a more closely knit school community, therefore, I will be working with the prefect team to introduce changes like a stronger cross-year mentoring system and a more vivid student-run club system to achieve this.

What legacy would you like to leave behind?

Change is a continuous process and so much work has been done to improve the Reading School experience already – I see myself very much as part of that process, as part of that ongoing improvement. The school has 900 years of history and I am the School Captain for one of those, so realistically the impact I can have individually will only ever be so large; that being said, if I can leave behind some lasting changes that do tighten the school community and bring people from different year groups together that would be a legacy as a prefect that I would be proud of.

"As Vice-Captain of the Student Body team, I aim to uphold and strengthen the values of the school within our school community while also promoting the idea of continuous improvement among students. I would like to also increase the amount of cohesion between year groups through a schoolwide mentoring scheme or other appropriate projects. I would like to achieve these goals alongside cooperation from a wide variety of prefects from the prefect team, for example, the other Vice Captains, Well being, Mentoring and subject prefects, so we can all work together toward raising the school to new heights."

Aryan Bhadra (13FEH)

"Ultimately I would like my own, and the leadership team as a whole’s legacy to be one of improved opportunity for students and partnerships with other schools. I hope this will enhance our students’ sense of community overall and leave a long-lasting impact than any material changes to the school."

Toby Philips (13JG)

"Reading School has always been home to bright students who excel academically. Having run several tours around the school, however, I found that parents focused on academics (rightly so) but often questioned our sporting abilities and interests. This is something I’d like to change. Without compensating on academic standards, I hope to expedite development in the extra and co-curricular aspects of school life – a change that has certainly begun to happen during my time at Reading. This will involve working

alongside the rest of the prefect team including the Sport Prefect and Music Prefects as well as leaders of clubs and staff involved with electives to bring about such a change across the school community."

Meet Nair (13JG)

"My initiatives as Vice Captain revolve around three key ideas:

making sure all students are implementing their best practices in the school based on their previous learning and experience of improving relations between senior and junior year groups

introducing more collaborative interactions between Year 12 and Year 13 students

working closely with local charities and communities so Reading School can make a larger impact and the student cohort can give back to society."

Kulkarni (13FEH)

Photo above: Alex B-M (East Wing Prefect) and Sam T (South House Prefect)

Photos above: Vice Captains Meet N, Toby P, Aryan B and Shubham K

Photos below: Alex B-M (East Wing Prefect) and Sam T (South House Prefect)

Shubham

HOUSE UPDATES

County House

Dave Tridgell Head of County House

This year, County House has been successful, of that there is no doubt, but I suppose what is important to clear up what ‘success’ means.

Does it mean getting better exam results than any other House? Not for me. What about winning the House Competition - coming first would be great, but in and of itself, it does not show success in my opinion.

Success is something deeper than results. I have seen students work so hard this year and I grant them ‘success’ status without having seen their results. I have heard beautiful music and been impressed not just by the sounds - but of the work and commitment that allowed it to happen. I have witnessed sports teams give it their all, be kind and supportive to one another and try and create an atmosphere of enjoyment and inclusivity - I sometimes forget the result, but the experience stays with me as a reminder of what it is to be ‘successful’.

I am competitive by nature. Trying to win a game or get that award or high grade is a wonderful aim. I support all in County House to set themselves those targets. But in measuring success we need to recognise more. Behave with integrity and grace. Work hard, reflect, improve, and rejoice in the fact that those who do this with consistency tend to win in the end anyway. County House is successful in that it tries to win and achieve, and has high aspirations. But never at the expense of integrity and the sense that everyone has a place with us - we are a kind and supportive community. In County House, we give 100% and bring out the best in each other. That is what success is.

Laud House

Laura Clarke Head of Laud House

The 2021-22 academic year was the most successful year to date for Laud House. We ended the summer term in 2021 with an overall win in House Cricket, our first win in a House competition, which marked a turning point for the belief within the House that we have the talent and mentality to be successful. This change in mindset led us to some fantastic results in the House Cup; joint first in basketball and badminton and first in ghost, but also some incredible individual and year group performances across all competitions.

House Eisteddfod continued in its recorded format and Laud House rose to the challenge with gusto. 7L and 8L rehearsed tirelessly to perform a lovely choral piece and Sid M and Nidilan S of 10L once again shone in their category. But the most exciting competition of the year was the return of House Music, albeit in a condensed format. The breadth of musical talent across the House is astounding and it feels like more talent will be unearthed in the coming year. Benchuan W (8L) and Thomas A (11L) performed junior and senior solos with nerves of steel and many musicians combined to perform the ambitious ‘We Don’t Talk about Bruno’ with real style.

The summer term brought about some of the most exciting sporting competitions with a Sports day for each year group and House Cricket. Laud House dominated the cricket competition, bringing home the House Cricket title for a second year running, with a notable team performance from 10L, who is the model of team-work and sportsmanship.

However, what I am most proud of is the House spirit, camaraderie and sense of belonging that has grown over the year. Aryan K took the mantel of House Captain in the summer term, supported by his vice-captains, Asad A and Rahul G, marking the first time that the House captain and wider prefect team includes students that joined Laud house in year 7. The sense of pride that the house prefect team have for Laud House is spreading across all the year groups and I look forward to seeing how we use this as a catalyst for further success in the coming year.

West House

Jesus Escribano- Sanchez Head of West House

It was January 2019 when I started my journey as Head of West House and almost four years later, I am still enjoying my days as day one.

I would be exaggerating if I say that everything that has happened has been enjoyable and positive, but I can proudly say that I have had amazing moments that I will never forget.

The most challenging time as Head of House has definitely been the lockdowns and Covid-19 era where I had to move away from the field and start using Teams as my working tool. Those who know me well enough will echo my preference for face-to-face interactions so being in front of the laptop for hours was a difficult time. I have personally learned a lot from this time and have reflected on the importance of strengthening relationships now that we can.

My personal goal as Head of House has always been to build a community where people are respectful and supportive, where relationships will be as strong as friendships and people give something back to those who need it the most. I always try to lead by example and inspire those who make mistakes to reflect about their actions. We are not perfect, but we can try our best.

Being part of West House allows me to not only work with “the westies” but also to learn from such a caring group of tutors who are always there when you need them. It is important to recognise all the hard work that Form Tutors put in every day and I would certainly not be able to do what I do without their support.

This academic year has been exciting with the arrival of new faces to West House, and also competing in the House Competition where we secured an honourable 5th place for the first time in a very long time. This result will allow us to set a clear target for the coming months and I am convinced that under the leadership of Sida L, our new House Captain, and his team, West House will be a serious competitor in the coming events!

2021/2022 has been an amazing academic year with memorable moments but I cannot wait to see what new adventures are to come!

East House

Nathalie Williams Head of East House

I am very proud to announce that East House has won the House Cup competition for the second year in a row! How did this happen? Has East been lucky? Have the students become better sportsmen, musicians, performers?

I believe that East House has won again for the two main reasons: 1. The students believed that they could win. 2. The students were working together, getting organized and having fun!

House Captain, Will Lockwood, along with his Vice Captains, Adam Musa and Jacob Merchant, have done a fantastic job leading the House Prefect teams this year. Communication through WhatsApp groups and in person has been key. Each prefect team got themselves organized way ahead of the house competition, organizing selection trials and training sessions for the sports events and numerous house music rehearsals. The main focus was always to work as a team and also pass on advice and tips from older students to newer members of East House.

A special mention to Sam Hill and the Sport prefects for organizing the sports events – it was not an easy task with so many conflicting activities taking place at school and the lack of a common lunchtime break.

Another special mention to Niran Arulkkumaran and the Eisteddfod team for their incredible win. It was not easy to organise a virtual Eisteddfod, but you did it! 2022 was the return of House Music, and while we could not have the in-person performance at the Hexagon, it was a great way to get all our musician back in action. A special thank you to James Riley, our Senior House Music Prefect, Yash Singh, James Trust, Antonio Mak and everyone who took part, for the hours spent rehearsing and the fabulous final performance. A well-deserved win!

The feeling of belonging to our amazing community of Easties is truly alive and I am sure our new Head of House Liam Green, House Captain Rishabh and his Vice Captains Alex and Henry will bring something new to East House this year while keeping our traditions alive.

"It has been an honour to represent and lead my house as House Captain during my final year at the school. Our form has been a shining light of East House throughout our time at the school and while East House would lose the House competition overall, our form would consistently win the competition for our year.

To win back-to-back House cups in our final years is special for us as it feels like the hard work has finally paid off. All of East House can be truly proud of their efforts this year. While it has not been the easiest of years with Covid still playing a prominent role in what we were able to do, I am very proud of the hard work of the East House prefect team and extremely grateful for the leadership and support of Jacob and Adam. I am confident that the house is left in good hands with Rishabh, Alex and Henry who, I am sure will continue to improve East House and retain the house cup.

Finally, I would like to thank Mrs Williams personally and on behalf of East House. Mrs Williams was my first form tutor and has been Head of House. The consistent improvement of East House in terms of organisation, teamwork and academic support has been driven by Mrs Williams who was a better Head of House than any of us could have hoped for. I am so grateful for her support over the last 6 years and I wish her the best of luck in her next role. Thank you for everything Mrs Williams.

I want to wish everyone in East House and at Reading school the best of luck in the future, it truly has been an honour."

East House Captain, William Lockwood (2015-2022)

"The House Competitions has provided a great opportunity for East House to come together as a community and I focused on improving participation as well as getting the students to lead / organize themselves, always aim to win and have fun."

NATHALIE WILLIAMS TEACHER OF MATHEMATICS HEAD OF EAST HOUSE (2015-2022)

HOUSE UPDATES

We say goodbye to Nathalie who has been a truly inspirational Mathematics teacher and Head of House. Here is just a snippet of what she had to say...

When did you become Head of House? Tell us about your journey from then till now

"I joined Reading School in 2015 and became the official form tutor for 7E for three years. In 2018, I took over the Head of East House role and it was the greatest possible gift in my career at Reading School. I am very suited to a pastoral role as I love to look after the students and help them go through those difficult and stressful teenage years.

My first goal was to make East House the most supportive and close-knit community, by increasing the interaction between the different year groups and creating a strong House spirit and sense of belonging. I introduced Prefect Teams with senior Prefects leading more Junior Prefects, started vertical tutoring from Year 7 to Year 13 once a week and a buddy system to help welcome the new Year 7 students into the House. Recently, East House also introduced academic mentoring between year groups and a well-being support system where older students help younger students deal with everyday issues.

I have attended as many house competitions as possible and been impressed by the teamwork and camaraderie, which are so special to East House."

What has been your favourite moment/memory as Head of House?

"

I am very proud and privileged to have been with my form group through their school life to see them turn into these fantastic young people, who won the House Cup, supported each other through many ups and down, went through lockdown and remote learning and finally sat A level exams!"

What will you miss most about your role?

"It is a cliché, but I will of course miss all the students in East House. I will also miss working with our committed, caring, and supportive form tutors – I could not have done the role without them. A special thank you to Mr McGall for looking after the Pastoral team at Reading School and helping me run my House on more occasions than I can remember!"

What piece of advice would you give the incoming Head of House?

"If you invest the right amount of time and effort in the role and care for the students, you will make a difference in the life of many, and it will be a very rewarding role. Also “East is Beast” of course!"

"East House already has strong systems in place. I want to carry on with what Mrs Williams has already instilled in the House. There is a strong sense of belonging and a belief that East can do anything and win everything. Ideally I would like East House to reflect the best of me: Awareness, Honesty, and Kindness. The awareness to know one’s own mind and actions. To know your own thoughts and feelings and then work towards being a better person.

I have dedicated my time and expertise to help with various projects around the school. Whether it be robotics, STEM clubs, boarding, sports, Future Stories, or trips. If there is something that I can help with, I’ll be there. I fully intend to bring this attitude to my role as Head of House.

Reading School works to empower our young people to not only find out about what they need to know but to also figure out who they are as well. I have loved having the chance to share my journey with some fantastic young people. As Head of East House, I get to do that on a bigger scale. I can be at the heart of developing our ideas of success. To cherish the journey rather than the destination!"

Mr L Green (Teacher of Chemistry) on becoming Head of East House:

"I've had the pleasure of being head of School House for 7 years which means I've seen boys go all the way through the school. To see students succeed and share some of the highs and the lows along the way has been an honour."

STEVE ALLEN HEAD OF SPORT & P.E. HEAD OF SCHOOL HOUSE (2015-2022)

This year, Steve Allen will step down as Head of School House. He has been Head of School House for 7 years:

What has your house been up to this year?

"

I would like to say a huge thank you to all students and staff in School House this year. It's been so good to see house competitions returning, especially house cricket. I love to see boys cheering on their house and I love playing the music when boundaries are hit and when a wicket falls!

Our senior boys have been taking such a great lead. We have had so many younger students stepping up to get involved and lead events. I would love to see even more students across all year groups get involved in every possible competition. It's very emotional stepping down as Head of House, but it has been an absolute pleasure to lead the house for the last seven

What has been your favourite moment/memory as Head of House?

"Senior prize giving was such an amazing memory for me as I got to see students, I had taught for such a long time come back after 2 years of university. It was great to see them and I felt very proud of them."

What will you miss most about your role?

"I will miss assemblies, giving out rewards and people coming to me for advice. I hope students from any house know they can contact me anytime they need something. I will do my best as Head of Sport and PE to make sure I give lots of rewards and be available if anyone needs me."

What piece of advice would you give the incoming Head of House?

"Just that things will go wrong and that's ok! It has to be one of the best jobs in the world so enjoy every moment."

Mr C Betteridge (Teacher of Mathematics) on becoming Head of School House:

"As I start September as the Head of School House, I hope that the sense of family and community amongst the boys strengthens. There is such an incredible sense of patriotism to the house as well as unwavering support among the boys. From what I have seen, the boys love being a part of School house and I look forward to joining their

family. My vision for the House is that no student will feel unheard, alone, or unsafe; that every student has a sense of belonging to School House and Reading School and knows that I am in their corner and will support them through all of their ups and downs.

I am hoping that I will bring a breath of fresh air that will enable me to achieve my vision. School House is already well established and embodies many of the aspects I want in my vision, but I am hoping to bring new excitement and energy. We call this ‘gees’ in South Africa – good luck pronouncing that! I am incredibly excited to welcome the new Year 7s and to work alongside my prefect team to create one of the best years for School House. Above all else, I am excited to develop relationships with the boys as I embark on the next part of their school life.

To all of you in School House, I look forward to meeting and interacting with you. I look forward to developing relationships with you. Together, we will stand strong and achieve success for all."

DEPARTMENT

NEWS

At Reading School, we empower every student to pursue, discover and explore their interests and passions within each subject, supported by their committed teachers. The following pages showcase the academic achievements within each department.

GCSE RESULTS

88.8% 88.8%

83.5% 83.5%

of GCSE entries were awarded grades 9-7

of GCSE entries were awarded grades 9-8.

English English Baccalaureate Baccalaureate Science Science Maths Maths

96% 88% 83%

of students achieved the English Baccalaureate.

of students achieved grade 9-8 in Chemistry, 87% achieved a grade 9-8 in Physics and 84% of pupils gained grades 9-8 in Computer Science.

of students achieved GCSE Maths at grade 9-8.

Reading School students are amazing. As with their A-Level counterparts, our Year 11 students have overcome great adversity and can be thrilled with their achievements. We’ve loved watching them learn, grow and flourish and could not be prouder of their outstanding results. I would also like to thank all the staff and the Governors of the School. Their endeavours through the COVID-19 pandemic have been truly exceptional.

Mr A M Robson (Headmaster)

GCSE & A Level Art Exhibition

The Redingensian community were invited to an exhibition of artwork by our GCSE and A Level Fine Art candidates. Exhibited were wonderful examples of individual excellence, creativity, and self-expression.

Vedhant A (9L) portrait showcased for Eden Project

Vedhant’s portrait was one among 50, showcasing individuals making a difference in the field of education for sustainable development. The Inside Out Project was created by multiple award-winning international art activist, JR.

In 2021, Vedhant contributed to the first cohort of the Eden Project Changemakers programme offering his perspective on the teaching of sustainability in schools, which initiated further discussions and inquiry amongst the first cohort of teachers across the UK.

In 2020, you might recall that Vedhant created resources to raise awareness, and ran a fundraiser on Facebook and JustGiving as part of an individual challenge through the Global Social Leaders Summer Catalyst@Home programme over the first lockdown. He picked Eden Project as one of the organisations to support, which reflected his values and interests. He created his own version of Minecraft Eden to raise awareness of Eden’s efforts in making this world bio-diverse!

Later, he led the NoEmissioners team of 4, a campaign supporting electric car adoption. Small actions have reaped such beautiful results and this is an ongoing developmental journey that he will continue to contribute to.

In May 2022, Vedhant was invited to be a panellist at a round discussion at the Catalysing Change Week event on 10 May 2022. The event was billed as harnessing, “the

unique contribution of young people to solve social problems.” Furthermore, Vedhant was also chosen to become a Youth Ambassador for the Nature Premium campaign where he shared and creates content, contributed to online resource development for students of his age range and promoted the importance of nature education in the national curriculum.

Vedhant’s passion for the environment and positive social change is to be commended and provides inspiration for the whole school community. We may not all share the same passion for global issues, however we can admire and take inspiration from Vedhant’s dedication and enthusiasm in leadership skills and wanting to be part of positive change. It should also be noted that we have recently featured a number of student-led projects and campaigns, which have had a strong focus on children and young people being involved in local and global social issues. Our school supports our students’ efforts, as we are clear that collectively, young people should be enabled to lead and play an active role in their communities as they represent the next generation.

“We should use what we have and our current knowledge of our world to gradually fix the world’s problems. Each of us has the responsibility to make a change before it is too late to regret inaction.”

BIOLOGY

Year 9 & 10 Biology Challenge

An impressive impressive 27 Gold, 52 Silver and 75 Bronze awards in the 2022 Biology Challenge 41,000 students from 550 schools worldwide had participated this year.

The following students achieved Gold awards: Ali M(9L), Elliot P (9CW), Aryan K (9W), Ben H (9L), Ragave R N S (9C), Zi H Z (9W), Aaryen L (9S) and Vighnesh U (9L), Arnav A (10L), Finlay G (10E), Bharat J (10W), Yoghan J (10S), Srivallabh S (10E), Anish K (10C), Avaneesh R (10W), Kanishk K (10C), Arjit D (9S), Imtiyaz B (10S), Madhuhaas G (10E), Milan G (10E), Mohammed Y D(10L), Arhan C (10S), Paarth G (10W) Ellias M (10S) & Archie M (10S).

British Biology Olympiad

Congratulations to Matthew C (13W) and Thomas M's (13W) fantastic achievements as two of the top biology students in the country. They have been selected to attend the UK Team Selection Final for the International Biology Olympiad 2022, following their achievement in the British Biology Olympiad 2022. The finalists will compete for a place in the world’s largest biology competition for school pupils which this year takes place in Yerevan, Armenia.

Gold award winners were: Daniel D (13S), Dinindu W (13S), Eashan R C (13L), Archie T (13C), Saleh Y (13S), Ciaran S (13E), Adedeji B (13L), Peter D (13W) and Mustafa C (13E).

Silver award winners were: Eoin R (13E), James L (13W), Joedh K (13W), Isaac J (13C), Niran A (13E), Jacob A (13E), Brandon K (13S), Mithunrishikesh S (13S), Jacob H (13S), Matiss C-F (13S) and David J (13L).

Bronze award winners were: Brahnan N (13L), Alexander M (13E), Rishabh R (13S), Aditya I (13S), Dominic S (13S), Charlie D (13E), Vishnunarayan M (13W), Aadam A (13W), Umar A (13W), Charlie M (13C) and Omar A (13S).

Reframe Pain Conference at Queen Anne’s School

In March 2022, Mrs J Pickering, Teacher of Biology, EPQ & Medical School Applications Coordinator led eleven Year 12 students who all attended the ‘Reframe Pain’ Conference, hosted at Queen Anne’s School.

The conference welcomed aspiring healthcare professionals who got to hear about new advances and the complexities of pain medicine and the latest physiotherapy, psychology and neuroscience research. As part of the conference, a challenge was shared with all attending schools, which included Edgbarrow School, Leighton Park School, Queen Anne’s School, Alton School and Kendrick School. Students were challenged to create and submit a creative form of media to help communicate the best pain management techniques aimed at patients and the first prize was awarded to Padmanaban A (12PS) for his informative and engaging animation.

Congratulations to Audric T (12FEH), won an Honourable Mention in the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2022DNA Day Essay Contest.

Audric is one of only ten students who will receive $100 in recognition of this accomplishment and the essay will be shared on the DNA Day website,Facebook,Twitter, andInstagram.Audric’s essay scored fourth place in Round 3, which is the highest ranked Honourable Mention.

"I'd been looking for essay competitions to take part in earlier in the year to help my medical school application. I was never great at the genetics we covered at GCSE and I've always had a lot to learn, so this felt like an exciting way to do that."

The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2022DNA Day Essay Contest receives submissions from over 30 U.S. states and 35 countries. It is open to students in grades 9-12 worldwide and asks students to examine, question, and reflect on important concepts in genetics. Essays must be well-reasoned arguments that indicate a deep understanding of scientific concepts related to the essay question. They are evaluated by ASHG members through three rounds of scoring.

Audric T (13FEH) receives honorable mention in the American Society of Human Genetics

Reading School prepares students for virtual interviews as it hosts MMI

circuit via Zoom

Our Multiple Mini Interviews went virtual last year, for the first time due to the pandemic. This was the second year for the event.

The MMIs consist of 4 short interviews in which students must answer a question on topics such as the NHS, ethics, media and giving valuable suggestions and advice on communication and improving their interview skills prior to their real interview with leading universities.

Professor Simon Ray (OR 1977), Roy Zhang (OR 2015), Dr Baltej Pandher (OR 1991), Dr Tim Wray (OR 2005), Charlie Taylor (OR 2015), Dr Jamie Scuffell (OR 2009), Dr Max Almond FRCS (OR 1998), Seth Peiris (OR 2017), Kieran Toms (OR 2015) and Zhenghao Wang (OR 2015).

We also appreciate the help of Hannah Clarke, Hanya Kang, Mandeep Kang (Teacher of Biology), Dr Cliodhna Kennedy (Teacher of Biology) and Dr A Bullard (Head of Science at John Hampden Grammar School).

We cannot thank our Doctors from RBH enough who participated despite having very busy schedules. Thank you, Dr Deepak Ravindran, Dr Tess Harris, Dr Ravi Kumar, Dr Chandan Yaliwal and Dr Abigail Macleod from the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

A special thank you to former parent, Dr Patrick Purcell, who zoomed in from his holiday in Florida to support our students!

CHEMISTRY

RCF Chemistry Olympiad

The RCF Chemistry Olympiad aims to stretch and challenge students interested in chemistry. Aspiring chemists had the opportunity to develop critical problem-solving skills, learn to think more creatively and get a chance to put their knowledge to the test in real-world scenarios. The students sat a very challenging two-hour written paper that stretched their knowledge way beyond the scope of the A level course.

Congratulations to Matthew C (13BSA), Callum T (13DAW), Eashan R (13FEH), Rahul J (13KRE), Peter D (13JP), Omar A (13MK), Joshua K-A (13PS) and Daniel D (13DAW) achieved four Gold, three Silver and one Bronze award.

Special recognition goes to Daniel D (13DAW), who has made it into round two by being in the top 30 candidates of over 8000 who sat the paper.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Bebras Computing Challenge

The Bebras Computing Challenge introduces computational thinking and it runs in over 50 countries. It introduces visual computational and logical thinking puzzles to students. It is organized in over 50 countries and designed to get students all over the world excited about computing. This year, it is was completed online within lessons, with additional sessions for students who do not take Computer Science as a qualification option.

We have had an amazing year in this competition, with so many students achieving some very high scores.

Congratulations and well done to the top performers who scored 180+ (out of 200):

David N (8W), Ethan Z (8E), Noah V (8C), Abraham S (8C), Kalyan M (8L), Robin H (8L), Harry B (8E), Sanchit P (8S), Parth G (10L), Michael S, Miaka C (9E), Tristan S (10W), Kalvin M (10C) and Luke H (11W), Ambuj M (11L), Benjamin S-R (11L), Benjamin T (11C) and Max K (12L).

Noah V (7C) awarded 2nd place in the Oxford University Computing Challenge 2022 (Junior National Finalist)

We would also like to congratulate Noah V (7C), who received the Junior National Finalist award of 2nd place in the Oxford University Computing Challenge 2022 (OUCC). The OUCC asks students to learn a programming language and provide coded solutions to computational thinking problems. Reaching the final round of the challenge is an impressive achievement, as 71,146 students entered the first round for the intermediate age group (12–14) and 41,372 students entered the first round for the junior age group (10–12).

DRAMA

A Series of Public Apologies

In March 2022, Year 9-11 students took part in a production, 'A Series of Public Apologies' at the South Street Arts Centre. We have had tremendous feedback from this performance which ran over two evenings. It was thrilling to see a high energy live performance of Years 9-11 showcasing their drama skills, teamwork across year groups and exceptional creative talent.

Thank you to Mr B Sandiford (Head of Drama) for superbly supporting the students and providing this exceptional opportunity.

We are grateful to the Reading School Parents' Association for sponsoring this opportunity.

Reading Students achieve outstanding LAMDA results

LAMDA runs fun, creative drama workshops focusing on confidence, self-esteem and social interaction. The sessions also work towards performance projects such as short films, musical theatre, improvisation, voice acting, mask work, mime and so much more... LAMDA examinations classes in Public Speaking, Acting, Devised Theatre, Verse and Prose. Opportunities to audition for productions or projects locally.

Students successfully sat their first LAMDA exams in the spring and did ever so well; 85% were awarded Distinctions and the remainder Merits! Exams are regulated by Ofqual meaning they have already obtained a grade equivalent to a GCSE. As students' progress in LAMDA, they can begin to acquire UCAS points to be used when applying for university, giving them a head start!

Top marks for Kanishk K (10C)

in LAMDA exams

A LAMDA exam is the speech and drama equivalent of a music grade, which begins at basic levels and culminates at Grade 8 (Gold). Skills developed during public speaking include self-confidence, physical presence and a strong speaking voice.

Kanishk K (10C) has recently been awarded a mark of 100% in his Grade 8 exams in communication, where participants were required to prepare three speeches lasting three minutes. One of Kanishk’s speeches titled, ‘Are global priorities bigger than climate change was highlighted and appreciated by the examiner, who shared, “Your passion as well as your compassion shine through clearly in your delivery."

“I believe this has been possible, not only because of the efforts of the pupil, but also the values instilled by the school. The focus is not only on the school curriculum but the overall development of the pupil. We can see that in the last four years, Kanishk has acquired new life skills through sports, volunteering and the school curriculum.”

Mr K (Father of Kanishk K (10C))

A Level Original piece, 'Unit H'

Reading School's Drama students performing their original A level piece 'Unit H', inspired by investigations of abuses in psychiatric hospitals during the 1950's.

ECONOMICS

A Level talks and workshops at Cambridge Econometrics

This June, a group of A Level Economics students led by Teacher of Economics, Mr T Flowerdew, were kindly hosted by Cambridge Econometrics for the day. The students participated in a range of talks and workshops, providing insight into what it is like to pursue a career as an economist and the role they play in supporting decision-makers to understand complex problems and find effective solutions. Our students also heard about how economics is applied to the important topic of climate change, and were given the opportunity to shadow economists during their working day.

Professor James Reade

Professor James Reade is the Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Reading. His research is, broadly speaking, on applied econometrics, with a particular focus on sport. He has published research investigating a range of economic phenomena using sports data; for example, discrimination and market efficiency.

The talk combined maths and sport to understand the economic behaviour of people and was well suited to the A-level/GCSE economics course.

Mark Essex: The impact of extractive industries on the host (developing) economy

The Economics Society explores, analysis and discusses current affairs o the economy and financial news by the economist and the financial times.

Year 12 student Killian F, arranged a special guest lecturer Mark Essex to talk about the impact of extractive industries on the host economy in May 2022.

Mark Essex has over 20 years of professional experience managing development assistance projects in Asia, the Pacific and Africa. He has led large local teams in delivering technical assistance projects in Ethiopia (£26m), Nigeria (£14m), Kenya (£24m) and Uganda (£5k).

Since 2007 he has worked mainly for Oxford Policy Management but from 2014-2016 was an Associate Director in KPMG East Africa, leading business development in extractive industries across KPMG’s offices in Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda.

Mr Essex gave an extremely interesting talk on the impact of extractive industries on local economies and offered an insight into what a career in Economics can look like. The depth of his knowledge on extractive industries and their impacts is best shown by the toolkit he wrote, which presents a wide range of research from across the world. Hearing him speak about his experiences in countries such as Romania, Papua New Guinea and Uganda highlighted how diverse the roles of an economist can be and how governments and corporations can work together to try to understand the impacts of certain policies.

Head of the Economics Society, Killian F (12BSA) concluded, "Overall, the talk helped us understand how economic policy decisions are made - something very useful for seeing how the subject is used in the real world."

Alexander Hammond: The Follies of Foreign Aid

Alexander Hammond held a virtual lecture on International Aid. Alex is a Free Trade Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs and often writes about African development, economic freedom, global wellbeing, and British politics. Alexander’s works have been translated into multiple languages and have been featured in various news outlets both in the United Kingdom and overseas.

During the lecture, Alex discussed the issues with how international aid is used in the developing world and how useful infant industry policies are. At the time of the lecture, Alex was in Poland.

Well done to Killian F for leading on the Economics Society which has been a huge success, supported by the Economics Department.

Daniel T (12MK) becomes Poet Laureate

Daniel T (12MK) takes over the position from our current Poet Laureate George R (13AC).

On reading Dan’s inaugural poem ‘A Murmuration of Pigeons,’ George commented that he was “captured by the poem's image, which had a captivating dynamism that I particularly enjoyed; it is from a poet whose work I'm excited to read more of.”

‘

A Murmuration of Pigeons

There in the glare of a cloudless clear sky A murmuration of pigeons went circling by. The flap of their wings was like beats on a drum Converging and merging to one steady thrum.

And gyrating above me with effortless ease They swooped with their wingtips outstretched on the breeze Each pigeon a pearl in the diamond-blue air Parading in beauty, adroitness and flair

And swirling and whirling like dust in a storm Not once did they crash with the rest of the swarm Through pivots and spirals and swift undulations They soared side-by-side in stunning formations.

And nobody knows how they flock without rules With their whispering wings an assortment of jewels. Though their senses are sharp and their instincts are strong, The birds come together because they belong

The Minds Underground 2022 Competition

The Minds Underground 2022 Competition saw over 1400 students enter from across the globe. The competition provides students with an opportunity to engage in university-level research, enhance writing and argumentative skills and prepare for university interviews.

There is one senior winner for each subject category. Each winner will receive a £30 voucher to use on either U2 Tuition or Minds Underground as well as a customised Resource Pack in their university application subject.

Congratulations to Josha G (11C) who came 2nd in the Philosophy category of the essay writing competition. Although the competition is aimed at students in Year 12, Josha did admirably and his entry can be read by clicking here, “Can we talk, or think, about everything that exists?”

Branson R (11S) wins 2021 Reading Foundation McIlroy Essay Competition

The McIlroy Essay Competition has been running in its current format since 2013, and the English Department would like to thank the Reading Foundation for its continued generous support and funding of the £250 prize.

Branson decided to take part while on a trip to the Lake District with his dog over the summer as a way to practice long-form writing which will help with EPQs next year. His response to the title: “Happiness Is…?” was anonymously judged by the panel, drawn from the Reading School staff and members of the Reading Foundation, to be a terrifically inspiring and well-expressed piece of writing.

"I think the competition is a great chance for you to write about something you are passionate about, and I think everyone should have a go because writing in this form is a great life skill to hone before university.”

Branson R (11S)

Year 8 Creative Writing

In Year 8 English lessons, students experiment with a wide range of genres and forms for their writing. Here’s one Shakespearean soliloquy written by Michael B, who has imagined himself as a Jacobean villain out for blood…

My Villainous Soliloquy

You know she came so close to breaking me. I toiled so hard every single day. I come in filled with stress and anxiety, coming into the classroom to battle against Mrs Geraghty-Green

Every single lesson I have plotted about what I would do when the time came. About how I would bash and burn and break, or cook her, as a fine dine-able steak.

And the time has come, and I am ready I am filled with hatred and rage for her I shall quote Shakespeare on the board with her blood!

I will bash her head with dictionaries And fill my pens with the slime of her guts

I will crush her under housands of books and underline my date with her flattened skull I’ll use her gunky remains to glue her on the ceiling, beside the jelly cube.

And I will throw glue sticks at her like what she would do to me every single day. Thud. Thud. Thud. I will not stop throwing until she has Rotted away, and mold seeps into her cracked bones, and poisons her like she poisoned y mind with her so-called teaching and the sweet taste of revenge will drown out the rotting stench of blood in the carpet.

Michael B (8W)

GEOGRAPHY

Reading Rep Talks: Climate Activism in Reading

Year 7 students Savinu H (7C), Ishaan M (7C), Pavi P (7L) and Akash R (9S) were the four inspirational climate activists selected by Just Ideas and Reading Rep Theatre to take part in a panel discussion on the role of youth and community in combating the global climate crisis in March 2022. They spoke passionately and with great knowledge in front of an invited audience that included parents, staff and the local community. The panel was chaired by Dr Holly Ayres from the University of Reading. This event was part of a series of panel talks and events in connection to Reading Rep’s artistic programme. The live event was filmed and placed on Reading Rep’s YouTube channel.

“This is Geography” Competition

"This is Geography" is a video competition organised by Access & Schools Liaison Officer, Joel Butler and Geography tutor, Dr Rosalie Warnock. It was aimed at pupils in Years 7-10 attending state schools. Students were invited to submit a short video entry on a geographical issue or phenomenon that was local to them and explains how it broadly relates to the study of Geography (human, physical or environmental).

Nageshwar V (8C) participated in a Geography competition in March this year, which led to his video submission winning a place at Celebration Day at Christ Church, University of Oxford on Saturday 14th May.

Year 10 Geography Field Trip - Margam Discovery Centre

This year was the first since 2019 when we could once again take our Year 10 Geographers away for their residential fieldwork. From Sunday 3rd to Wednesday 6th July, Year 10 students visited the Margam Discovery Centre situated in the beautiful Margam Park near Port Talbot. The trip began with a walk throughout the park to get an understanding of the local human and physical geography. Over the following days, the students visited the Cardiff Bay regeneration and travelled the length of the River Ogmore to undertake two geographical enquiries.

At the river sample sites, all the students got stuck in wandering about the river in their wellies, collecting data such as velocity, width and sediment size. They also had the opportunity to practice their field sketching. In Cardiff Bay, they worked in groups to carry out an environmental quality survey and questionnaires with members of the public to ascertain whether the regeneration has been successful in achieving its aims. The students also had a bit of free time to sample the local and freshly made welsh cakes!

The evenings were spent back at the centre analysing the data and using tools such as ArcGIS to interpret and present the results as well as asking critical questions about the reliability of their enquiries. There was also time for the boys to relax by playing sports and exploring the beautiful Welsh countryside.

Thank you again to Miss Hooker, Miss Pravda, Mr Singh, Mr Richardson, Dr Lewis-Brown, Mr Ginger, Mr Fairchild, Mr Luteijn as well as all the students for making this trip an enjoyable four days out in the field.

MATHEMATICS

The UKMT Junior Mathematics Challenge

This year, the UKMT Junior Mathematical Challenge was sat by all students in Years 7 and 8. It allows the students to demonstrate their Mathematical excellence in abstract concepts which have been devised to nurture problem solving strategies and build confidence within students ability in mathematics.

Sida L (12W) Achieves Gold in Round 1 of the British Mathematics Olympiad

The UKMT Senior Mathematical Challenge is a multiple-choice maths exam aimed at students in Years 12 and 13. Mr Owen (Teacher of Mathematics), shared, “The challenge itself is designed to be abstract in the concepts it uses and allows students to practise their problem-solving strategies. Sida scored 100% in this stage to take him through to the British Mathematical Olympiad. It is one of the hardest challenges that students at Reading School are put through. Normally, students do not expect to score anywhere near the full 60 marks. Sida scored a very impressive 54 marks, granting him a Distinction Award, a Gold Medal and Book Prize.”

The British Mathematical Olympiad is a follow-on round from the Senior Mathematical Challenge. The UKMT will typically invite the top 1,000 candidates to participate.

Sida L (12W)

"Overall, despite being a three-and-a-half-hour exam, it was definitely timepressured, but an exhilarating experience nonetheless. I’m pleased with my result, and look forward to more of these challenging exams in the future.”

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

2022 Intermediate Linguistics Olympiad

February 2022 saw our school compete in the UK Linguistics Olympiad 2022, where students of all ages were challenged to solve linguistic data problems. The main skill needed was the ability to analyse patterns in language data (or language analysis) which is the basis for linguistics, while developing logical and lateral thinking skills.

Savya A (11W), Luke H (11W), Henry W-G (11S) and Samuel S (11C) were the top team that achieved Gold Award at the Intermediate Level in Year 11 of the UK Linguistics Olympiad 2022.

2022 UK Linguistics Olympiad

The UK Linguistics Olympiad cohort (from left to right Mr M Cooper (Head of Classics and MFL), Daniel T (12MK), Grace H (13AC), Thomas M (13AC), Stratos V (13PS) and Mr A M Robson (Headmaster). Only 75 students were awarded a Gold and four were from Reading School. After succeeding in the two rounds of the UK Linguistics Olympiad, Stratos V was invited to attend a training camp at the University of Warwick. Thirteen people from the UK qualified to attend this camp and eight have been selected to compete as part of the UK team at the International Linguistics Olympiad.

Congratulations to Stratos V (13PS), for bringing home a Silver and group Bronze medal during the United Kingdom Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO) 2022. 34 countries from around Europe, Asia, the Middle East and The Americas competed during a memorable international competition which saw the UK win 1 gold, 4 silver, 1 team bronze, 1 best solution and 1 honorable mention, making it the best set of results since 2020.

A Level Languages Production – ‘No et moi’

Thursday 10th March saw the culmination of our A Level language students’ hard work in staging Delphine de Vigan’s ‘No et moi’, under the guidance of Ms Dulin (Scriptwriter & Director) and Teacher of French, Ms Fondue. With only 5 sessions to prepare, the inspiring production was staged and performed to a group of younger MFL students and teachers. Kindly sponsored by the ORA

2022 International Lingustics Olympiad

Mandarin Intensive Study Trip to Oxford Brookes University

Year 10 Mandarin students, Raymond W (10W), Joshua L (10W) and Rohan O (10E ) travelled with Teacher of Mandarin, Mr Wu to attend a one-day intensive study trip. Five schools across Berkshire and and Oxford delivering the Mandarin Excellence Programme took part during the study trip, which included two workshops and a mini-lecture. Students were required to record a video in which they needed to use Mandarin to introduce a place in the UK with our Year 10s, creating a video about the London Eye and taking part in Chinese Folk dance.

MUSIC

House Music Competition 2022

After a two-year, pandemic enforced hiatus, the House Music Competition 2022 took place in Big School. The competition, which has traditionally been held at The Hexagon, was attended by students and teachers as all five School Houses battled it out with some exceptional group and individual performances.

1st East House 2nd County House 3rd Laud House

4th School House 5th West House

Music for All

This year, the Music Department launched instrumental lessons offering Year 7 students the opportunity to take part in 6-12 weeks of free music lessons in February in order to broaden our student experiences of musical performance and skills.

We are grateful to Head of Music, Mr O Griffin, whose energy and endeavour to create this opportunity benefited budding musicians and a passion for learning a musical instrument. We sincerely thank our donors who enabled this opportunity.

Asad A (12FEH) wins Berkshire Young Musician of the Year 2022 in the 1618 category

The Berkshire Young Musician of the Year competition is run by Berkshire Maestros, in partnership with Windsor Festival and Bradfield College. This year, Piano and Guitar players were also invited to showcase their talent and win prizes alongside others of a similar age. This competition is open to young players of piano, keyboard, classical guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and bass guitar. Competitors will follow a three-stage process: Round one, semi-final and final.

"I started playing guitar in the summer holidays between Year 8 and 9. I started it just off the whim, with no real push as to why I chose the guitar but the more I played it the more in tune I became. Eventually, I decided to take lessons halfway through year 9. This was the first year that they included classical guitar in the Berkshire Maestros young musician of the year competition, so my guitar teacher asked me if I wanted to do it. Again, off the whim, I just said yes. For the first round, I had to upload a video of me playing a piece, getting through to the semi-finals I played the same piece live in front of 3 judges. Luckily, I got through to the finals in which I played a new piece infront of 60 or so people. This made me nervous, as it was the first time I had played in front of a crowd, but I put my nerves aside and sealed the winning prize for the 16-18 classical guitar category.”

It was Asad's first time playing in front of a live audience and judges, during an annual competition that sees young musicians from across Berkshire compete against one another. He competed over a three-stage process consisting of round one, a semi-final, and the final which was a live concert final taking place at The Old Court in Windsor. Music, talented musicians and live performances are thriving at the school with a recent House Music Competition, Classical Guitar Event, and much more currently being planned.

PHILOSOPHY

Knowing Me, Knowing You - Human Nature Philosophy Lecture Series

Reading School Year 12 Theology and Philosophy students listened to a series of lectures to explore how science and faith can help us understand our place in the universe. The purpose of this series was to invite students to explore and analyse their view of self and humanity, contemplate their character, whilst also engaging with other views prevalent in the school and their local communities.

The series started with a 20-minute introductory talk outlining the day before prominent figures and experts in the Christian and Jewish faith delivered 30-minute talks on their religion.

Dr Andreas Andreopoulos is a Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Reading. His research interests include Orthodox theology, liturgy, Patristics, iconology, and Christian symbolism. His publications include books on Christian Iconography, the Transfiguration of Jesus, and the symbolism of the Sign of the Cross.

James A (12) comments said: “Dr Andreas talk, and the nihilism applied to my English A level work, in terms of considering the nature of Adam and Eve fall in paradise lost, and the lack of purpose and fulfillment in some as a subject given a second chance, at year 11 AS, so I was familiar with a lot of the concepts and the talks broadened my perspectives about different areas of those concepts.”

Other lecturers included Fr David A Harris Read, a vicar of St-Giles, Reading studied religious Studies at Bishop’s University in Quebec, Canada, and Sacred Theology at McGill University in Montreal. After serving several parishes in Canada, he is now the vicar of St. Giles-in-Reading. He oversees the Urban Abbey teaching initiative through which CAT's programmes are made available to local communities.

Rahul G (12TDF) commented: “The talk by Fr David Harris was very interesting as I was able to understand some of the references he made to the Genesis and the Renaissance.”

A special thanks to Dr Andreas Andreopoulos, Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain MBE and Fr David A Harris Read for taking the time to speak to our students.

PHYSICS

2022 Intermediate Physics Challenge

This year, we entered 98 students and achieved 29 Gold, 62 Silver & 7 Bronze awards. Particular congratulations go to Adam M (11S) who was top in the school scoring 34/40. Our results compare nationally as Gold 29.6% (18.9% nationally), Silver 63.2% (nationally 49.4%). This means that 92.8% of the cohort were awarded Silver or above against the national achievement of 68.3%.

A remarkable achievement by the students and, again, with no preparation as the competition requested.

2022 Senior Physics Challenge (online)

In the Year 12 competition, we entered 76 students and achieved 35 Gold, 33 Silver & 8 Bronze awards. Particular congratulations go to Ryan L (12TT) & Sida L (12JG) who were joint top in the school scoring 34/40 each. Our results compare nationally as Gold 46% (18.3% nationally), Silver 43.4% (nationally 33.9%). This means that 89.4% of the cohort were awarded Silver or above against the national achievement of 52.2%. A remarkable achievement by our students and with no preparation as the competition requested.

2022 British Physics Olympiad- Round 1

In the Year 13 competition, Anirudh K (13JG) achieved Top Gold and was invited to follow this up with the BAAO Astronomy & Astrophysics competition (see next page) as well as the BPhO Olympiad Round 2. Eshaan R C (13FEH) and Ebinezer R (13JG) achieved Gold awards, Vaibhav M (13JG) and Arran J (13AC) received Silver awards and Karan B (13TT) received a Commendation.

The International Astronomy & Astrophysics Olympiad

Anirudh K (13JG) has been chosen to take part in the International Astronomy & Astrophysics Olympiad later this year. He's an inspiration to budding astronomers & astrophysicists.

"The International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad involves solving many different physics questions that stem from knowledge learnt at school, such as gravitational fields, mechanics and differential equations, and applying them to new scenarios, along with getting to grips with new concepts introduced at the training camp. There are a wide variety of topics involved, from the structure and classification of stars to the motion of planets around the Sun."

Visit to Tottenham Hotspurs FC

In May 2022, Year 10 students visited Tottenham Hotspurs FC. Armaan C (10W) talks about this experience: "Going on a school trip after 2 years and not being able to go anywhere was a great experience. I thought a week of pure football couldn't get any better, but I was proven wrong. The Spurs stadium really is a modern sight to behold. As nice as the stadium was, the main attraction was the skywalk which we did around the top of the stadium. 157ft above ground we could see all around London, going over the pitch with nothing but a handrail to hold onto on a very windy day made sure to make the experience a little scarier. The different facilities all around the stadium like the changing rooms were really cool to see. But one of my favourite parts was being pitch-side in the manager's dugout and technical area, giving a real feel for being on the side of a Premier League game."

U13 Reading School team qualify for Schools’ Regional Table Tennis Finals

Congratulations to Prayrit A (8S), Sudhish D (8S), Sahil T (8C), and Ethan Z (7E) who qualified for the regional Schools’ Table Tennis finals. The student's team previously won the Zonal finals in London with 6 other schools in Essex, Sussex (East & West), Hertfordshire, Kent, and Hampshire competing against them in February this year.

Following the regional success this team came second in the National Finals held in Wolverhampton.

WITH JAMES SONG

How has your time at Reading School inspired you to excel at sport?

"Reading School has inspired me to excel at sports because there is a very strong culture of participation in sports. Also, seeing other people around me throwing themselves into whatever physical activity they might be doing is really encouraging to see and I think definitely encourages all the people around them to join in. Another really important factor is that Reading School has so many facilities that are open to any students to use at most times. For example, at nearly every break and lunch there are loads of students in the gymnasium playing basketball."

"As I have to train quite a lot, I try to do any homework that I get as soon as possible so that I can get it out of the way. In addition, if I get multiple pieces of homework, I try and prioritize the pieces that I need to hand in first so that if I run out of time before training I can do the other pieces later if they aren't due straight away."

How does sport bring people together?

"Badminton brings people together from around the country and even the world. At tournaments you meet so many new people and they often share a lot in common with you because you play the same sport even though you might not speak the same language. At some tournaments there are team events and they really bring your team together a lot because of all the support for each other. The atmosphere is really nice at team events because whether you're on or off court at any time you know that the whole team is behind you."

After winning the OLVE International Tournament in April, James S has gone on to win the boys singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the U15 Quadrangular event 2022 held in Ireland.

How have you balanced your academic responsibilities with your sporting commitments?

Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2022

Reading School’s Sports Personality of the Year Evening was back on the calendar this year, taking place on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in July. Over 500 parents joined us to celebrate the sporting achievements and success of students across the school this academic year. The evening was hosted by the PE staff lead by Mr S Allen, Chair of Governors, Mr B Kenwrick and the Headmaster, Mr A M Robson.

Thank you, students, staff, parents, Society Office, Reading School Parents Association, guests, sponsors, Macron store LSE Hampshire and all associated with the Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2022.

LEARNING RESOURCES CENTRE

National Poetry Day

National Poetry Day was celebrated in the LRC with our popular “Poetry on the Stairs” event. Pupils were invited to perform their favourite poems in front of their peers in the middle of the LRC, with prizes for the best performers. Pupil Librarian, Sid M (10L) organised the event this year, with the support of the Pupil Librarian Team, and he was keen to encourage pupils to deliver performances with passion and emotion. Worthy winner, Jacob M (13MJK), transported us back in time and left us wanting more with a wonderful recital of Robert Bruce’s Address to his Army at Bannockburn by Robert Burns.

Outgoing Poet Laureate, George R (13AC) and Pupil Librarian, Surendra (13SPA) curated a special collection of poetry for a display in the LRC for those who preferred to read rather than perform.

The proceedings were concluded with the announcement of the new Poet Laureate, Daniel T, and performances from both the outgoing and newly appointed Laureates. Congratulations to Daniel T and well done to our performance poetry winners and all those who participated with bravery and gusto. This was a wonderful LRC event, with pupils supporting each other and enjoying the beauty of spoken poetry and will surely be a much loved community event for years to come.

Junior Book Club - Black History Month

During the Junior Book Club, they discussed Black and British, a book by David Olusoga for Black History last October. They shared thought-provoking quotes and discussed what they had learnt, suggesting more Black British history needs to be taught in schools. Everyone who had read the book was very enthusiastic about it and recommended it. It was an eye-opener for some of them.

Year of Reading

In January, the school welcomed the new term by launching our 2022 Year of Reading. This initiative was introduced as a focus for our calendar year, to engender a love of reading in our students and wider community. Over the past months, we have introduced a programme of events, activities and projects to help inspire a love of reading.

While many of us start the year with a resolution to read more, it can be hard to know how to find the right book. With this in mind, in January we launched our ‘New Year, New Read’ challenge for Key Stage Three, where we asked students to complete a series of reading challenges. They were tasked with rethinking their reading habits by picking up a book by an author they had not encountered, in a genre they had not explored, or in a form they had not been exposed to yet.

In our Year of Reading, we are committed to reaching out to our entire school community to encourage a love of reading outside of the school day. To this end, we launched our family reading challenge earlier this year, where families can borrow sets of books from the library to read together at home.

We have continued to expand the literary horizons of our school community, with a monthly focus on books by different authors, and monthly titles that tackle the issues that our students and community are passionate about.

"Its encouraged me to read new genres and opens my eyes to different types of writing that I haven’t thought about reading before. It’s fun because it gives you goals to accomplish by the end of the year so you have clear targets, and you can even compete against others to see who can finish their challenges first."

We also relaunched and expanded our Recommended Reads posters across the school, with staff and department recommendations for students. These recommendations were made accessible to students through generous support and donations to the LRC. Thanks to Reuben and Aodhan who donated over 60 books, and to the RSPA, who generously organised the Amazon Wishlist of award-winning fiction and non-fiction so that our students could pick up the books that intrigued them.

BOOK FESTIVAL 2022

Sponsored by the Old Redingensians Association

The School Book Festival aims to encourage the enjoyment of books and reading throughout the whole school. The Festival coincided with World Book Day on Thursday 3rd March. This was our 9th Book Festival, which was kindly funded by the Old Redingensians Association. Book Festival activities included author talks, workshops, competitions, D.E.A.R. and the Scholastic Book Fair.

We sold books worth £478.98. We received a reward of £191.59 in vouchers for new LRC books.

Mark Walden

Mark Walden is one of our most loved authors at Reading School. Inf act, H.I.V.E. is the 2nd most borrowed LRC book this year. All Year 7 and 8 were really excited to meet him on the third day of our Book Festival. Mark focused on his H.I.V.E. series and gave a very interactive talk exploring why it is more exciting to write about villains than good guys. The talks were followed by an exclusive meet and greet session with the LRC Book Club, who each received a free book. The LRC Book Club meets every Tuesday during Junior Lunch and is run by Mrs Jackson.

"I liked this talk because I learnt about where Mark Walden got all his ideas from. It was also very entertaining as Mark also told us about his favourite villains and why he wanted to write about what he writes about."

Lawrence T (8E)

Sonia Leong

Sonia has previously visited Reading School and hosted several manga workshops, crash courses in drawing manga characters, as well as a talk for the A-Level Art students, as part of the wider Book Festival. Her workshops were particularly well-received by those who took part. Not only did she stun with her speed drawing but she also enlightened and inspired many of the participants.

"I really enjoyed the talk and workshop because in both I learnt something. I do not read manga regularly so I did not know much about this topic but after Sonia Leong's talk, it has made me want to start drawing some manga figures in my free time for practice and to also read."

Sai (7S)

Taran Matharu

Taran Matharu is the author of the Summoner series and the Contender trilogy. The Novice, book one of the Summoner Series is the third most borrowed LRC book this year. Our Year 7 students were excited to meet him during workshops in the LRC on day one of the Book Festival. During the workshops, Taran revealed the simple technique he uses to invent story ideas and explained how this technique was used to create the Summoner Series.

"What I liked about the workshop is the method Taran showed us about making an idea to a book, as it allows us to make a fun story based on our own interests. It can easily get the struggle of making a plot out of the way, and it can easily become the foundation of the story."

Adedayo (7C)

Drop Everything and Read

To celebrate World Book Day, the whole school participated in a Drop Everything and Read during lesson 6 on Thursday 3rd of March. During this lesson, the whole school stopped what they are doing, and read. At the end of the lesson, photos were taken and prizes were awarded for the best doughnuts! We would like to thank Mrs Jackson and Mr Singh for taking photos through Book Week. The most creative student photo went to 7C Art.

We are grateful to the Old Redingensians Association for sponsoring Book Week and providing these opportunities to our students.

Book Borrower of the Year 2022

At the end of each academic year, we love to reward our most regular borrowers of books with prizes. The tutor group that borrowed the most books was 7L. They borrowed a total of 2,010 books – smashing the old record of 1480!

Our Recommended Reads initiative also took to the airwaves this year with a new season of our Recommended Reads podcast, with students, parents, and staff all featuring to discuss their favourite books and top recommendations. From this September we hope that the podcast will become entirely student-led, as a podcasting elective. This year saw Year 7 and 8 students transform the format of the podcast.

The LRC has, as always, served as a hub for activities for our Year of Reading, hosting book quizzes, The Reading School Book Award, Book Club, and, for the first time, The National Reading Champions Quiz. Through the generous funding received from the Old Redingensians, Year 7 and 8 were also allowed to participate in Book Buzz this year, a reading programme from Book Trust that aims to help schools inspire a love of reading.

Our top book borrower was Callum N (7L), who borrowed a whopping 832 books this year. Prizes were also awarded to Yin-Chuan C (7E), who borrowed 352 fiction books; Rishav R (12RC) and James M (12PS), who both borrowed 19 senior fiction books and Edward Y (7W), who borrowed 28 non-fiction books. Winners were given Amazon gift cards and 7L was awarded a selection of treats. The Old Redingensians also generously funded our annual Book Week – a real highlight in our Year of Reading calendar. The week saw our Scholastic Book Fair, and a programme of incredible author talks including a workshop with Taran Matharu, Mark Walden, Alex Baker, and a talk and workshop with manga artist Sonia Leong. A Year 8 student commented, “It was very interesting and engaging. It was very exciting to see such a famous author!”.

Throughout the year, the connection between student reading and writing has been growing stronger and stronger. Over the year, our Poet Laureate, Dan T, penned a variety of exceptional poems, exposing his readership to a variety of poetic forms and themes. We were also delighted to end the first half of our Year of Reading with a new creative writing magazine inspired by a love of reading. Our newly formed creative writing club, The Wordsmiths Guild, wrote and produced an imaginative and impressive creative writing magazine, The Wordsmith’s Gazette, inspired by recent reading and an LRC workshop with school Writer in Residence Will Burns.

Bethe Difference

Building for the Future- 365 Campaign

The Building for the Future Fund was established to support our academic, pastoral and cocurricular provisions as well as meet immediate refurbishment requirements. Donations to the Building for the Future Fund help the school to provide opportunities that enable our students to extend their aspirations, skills and range of interests beyond the classroom whilst helping to create a challenging and engaging experience for all our students.

We believe that every child deserves to reach their full potential and we strive to offer exceptional opportunities in academics, arts, drama, music, sports, CCF and electives, allowing our students to stretch themselves. Creating a diverse and inclusive community that enriches our shared experience and sense of belonging.

Have you been meaning to contribute but have not had the opportunity yet?

Every contribution you make to Reading School makes a significant difference to our pupils. Reading School will be 900 years old in 2025. We are proud of our traditions and rich history as an outstanding school. Any gift, large or small, is hugely appreciated. We welcome regular donations providing Reading School with the additional assurance of security and forward planning for the future.

When you give...

JUNIOR PRIZE GIVING 2022

This summer, parents of our Junior students were invited to the 2022 Junior Prize Giving to recognise the hard work and academic achievement of their children.

The ceremony began with the welcoming words from the Headmaster.

We were honoured to invite the Mayor of Reading, Rachel Eden, who delivered a speech on the importance of community before presenting students with their prizes.

A special thank you to the Reading School Foundation who kindly sponsored the prizes and refreshments for this event.

INSPIRE LECTURES

The Frank Terry Memorial Lecture - David Owen (1979-1986)

We were delighted to welcome David Owen (OR 1979-1986), Professor of Structural Cell Biology at the University of Cambridge, as our guest speaker for this year’s Frank Terry Memorial Lecture on Thursday 18th November.

David left Reading School in 1979 to read Biochemistry/Molecular Biology at the University of Oxford. He spoke with fondness of his Reading School education. In particular, of the inspiration and influence of his former Biology teacher, Mr John Oakes (Former Head of Biology & Boarding House Master-1970-1997), who was in attendance.

The Frank Terry Memorial Lecture is an annual lecture series in memory of the late Frank Terry (History Teacher and Boarding Headmaster from 1946-1982). Mr A M Robson (Headmaster) introduced the lecture with some words in his commemoration before David delivered his lecture on ‘Using Structural Biology to understand the ‘white van’ delivery system of the cell’ to Year 12 Biology and Chemistry students in Big School.

Professor David Owen also visited the Phillip Mitchell Science Centre, ahead of the Frank Terry Memorial Lecture. Here he saw Year 7 students demonstrate the simple distillation of Ink. They discovered that the solvent (water) and the solute (ink pigments) can be separated from a solution (ink) in their Chemistry practical lesson (below). Also, Year 12 Biology students explained the genetic engineering practical set, called 'pGlo bacterial transformation' by BIORAD. They genetically engineer bacteria with a gene from jellyfish (Green Fluorescent Protein) so they glow in UV light.

“I can honestly say that his lecture was one of the best in the series, and reflected a great deal of careful preparation and empathy on his part. He has the knack of seeing his subject from the point of view of a non-specialist outsider as much as a seasoned expert. And that is exactly what was needed for the audience."

Francis Terry (OR 1956-1963)

Alex Mortlock (OR 2003-2010) visits Year 8 English class

In June 2022, Old Redingensian, Alex Mortlock visited the school to speak to a Year 8 class about his experiences since leaving Reading School. Alex currently lives and works as a safety officer at Whistler Blackcomb, a ski resort located in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Mountain-related non-fiction literature is currently the focus for Year 8 students as they spent half a term studying texts about amazing, challenging environments, and the adventurers who tackle them. We explore the techniques used to create excitement and tension in books like “Touching The Void” and “Into Thin Air”, the poetry of Helen Mort, and media texts such as “Free Solo” and “The Alpinist”.

This was a valuable opportunity for the class to hear from an OR whose professional experience has included mountain rescue. Alex’s talk enhanced the student's understanding of their texts by presenting them with the practicalities of real-life scenarios, how to keep safe in risky situations and even how to consider a similar career within the industry.

Aarav (8S) said, "I found Alex Mortlock's visit very interesting and inspiring, and also gave me a much better insight into mountaineering and working life conditions in such environments. I learned cool tricks like using explosives to blow up snow to minimise the risk of an avalanche,

rescue

I found it inspiring

We warmly welcome visits and contributions from our alumni and parent communities, especially the sharing of professional and real-world experience. If you would like to host a talk, inspire lecture or workshop, please email communications@reading-school.co.uk.

"Alex Mortlock is a very inspiring OR, and we are so lucky that he has kept in contact with us at Reading School in the twelve years since he left. The career path chosen by Alex and his brother James (also an OR) is fascinating: the stories of the effort and commitment they have had to invest to follow their passion, the literal and metaphorical heights they have achieved, and the obstacles they have overcome along the way, are really motivating for our current students."

Mr

R Baldock (Head of English)

and I was taken aback by how many people they needed to

per day.

how he worked hard to pursue his passion which is quite obscure, and how demanding his mountain job is."

Dr Mona Ashok is an Associate Professor of Digital Transformation at the Henley Business School

The session was part of the year 9 Floreat leadership program, designed to get the students collaborating and thinking about effective planning and delivery of a small-scale team project. They were asked to write up a proposal to build a bridge (out of match sticks and blue tack) that would support a board marker. The best proposals got the chance to try and build their bridge to see if they could turn their plan into reality. They were then asked to reflect on what they did well and what they had learned from the session.

It was great to have someone external with the credentials to add value and give another perspective on how to utilise teamwork and collaboration in a tangible business setting.

OR Levi Tebbutt (2006-2013) returns for the Black History Month Project

The Black History Month project is evidence of our men who have demonstrated excellence and integrity by contributing to a project that builds a culture of belonging for all and cultivates an outward-facing outlook that shares thoughts, views and ideas across our community.

Levi Tebbutt (OR 2006-2013) left Reading School to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford. He is currently a Data Analyst at KPMG. In his candid interview, Levi shared his lived experience with authenticity as he touches on wide-ranging themes of; complexity; heritage; identity, culture; stereotypes and hope.

We also heard from Mr Saa Mondeh who worked with us from 20212022 as our Student Support Worker and Academic Mentor. Mr Mondeh is a recent graduate of Educational Psychology and in his interview, shared a snapshot of his Sierra Leonian heritage, what Black History Month means to him and his thoughts on race and inclusivity.

Reading School welcomes any thoughts and views on, how we as a school can ensure all voices that make up the Reading School community are heard, respected and shared throughout the UK’s secular, cultural and religious calendar.

'

Building Bridges' with Lecturer in Operations Management, Dr Mona Ashok

SEAN WALTERS (OR 1976-1981)

When boys leave Reading School, they lead successful careers that are significant and rewarding. As men, they often reflect that during their time at boarding school a real foundation is laid for later success in life. They comment that the sense of belonging, the commitment to sportsmanship and a caring faculty have influenced them for a lifetime.

Reading School recently welcomed Sean Walters (OR 1976- 1981) back to school to talk to a class of Year 7 History students about his time at Reading School. Sean spoke about his memories as a boarder in South House and offered a glimpse of his life as a boarder and recalled in details a typical day in boarding, a routine that hasn't changed considerably in 40 years, "the day started off with first bell at 7:15am, followed by second bell at 7:30am and ‘five pips’ at 7:40am. Breakfast was served in the form of either porridge or cereal, followed by cooked food, at 7:45am. Boys wore a hat at breakfast if they weren’t a morning person and didn’t fancy talking. Breakfast was followed by chapel and school started at 8:40am. In between lessons, we would have lunch back at South House and Tea at 5:45pm. In the evening, we had prep and 6:30pm for an hour and a half, followed by prayers at 8pm and bed at 9pm."

Sean captained the 2nd XI cricket team, bowling leg spin and a best batting innings of 54 not out against Harrow on the school field. His involvement with the Redingensian Cricket Club began whilst he was at school, playing with Old Boys and House masters.

Reflecting deeper, Sean spoke with appreciation for the culture of school at Reading. He was heavily involved in various sports, including, rugby and running. He captained the badminton team to victory in the Berkshire Cup, beating Eton 7-0 in the final. He also captained the Boarders to their first Badminton Cock House Cup victory, and their chess team.

After leaving Reading School, Sean went on to graduate in Social Sciences at the University of Leeds and complete an MSc in Information Systems Engineering, becoming a Training Manager at Sharp Electronics. He ran a B&B in Suffolk for four and a half years and is now semi-retired, still playing cricket for the 2nd XI at Long Ashton Cricket Club.

When asked about advice he would give new students coming to Reading School, he said “take advantage of the opportunities and facilities here, and always give your best”.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Duke of Edinburgh Award

We are pleased to congratulate the following students on achieving their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards! Congratulations go to Yaman E (11S) , Josha G (11C), Aslan H (11L), Sharath K (11W), Kavin K A(11W), Hal R-D (11S), Adityaraj S (11S), Varrun S (11C), Benjamin S-R (11L), Thomas S-R (11S), Oscar S T (11L), Kamran S (11C), Satvick S (11E), Siddhant G (11W), Thomas L (11L), Alessandro M (11L), Yuvam M (11C), Rohan R (11L), Darsh K (11L), Yash R (11E), Veer P (12L), Adam B (11E), Oliver C (11E), Rishi M (11S) and Rayyan N (11C).

All students worked hard on their three sections of Volunteering, Physical and Skills over the last year and completed their Qualifying Expeditions in June. We have been really impressed with the activities they have chosen and their dedication to giving back to the community as well as their personal development. Activities included supporting their siblings with their schoolwork through lockdown, improving their fitness through swimming, running and rock climbing, developing their musical skills at piano and violin and learning to bake.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we are immensely proud of the dedication, effort and achievement of our students and participants from Reading School dedicated 663 hours to volunteering between April 2020 and March 2021, with a social value of £3016.65.

In addition, well done to all the students from Year 10 that completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh expeditions this academic year undertaken by School of Outdoors, Path Hill and Cloud 9.

The Wordsmiths Guild

The Wordsmiths Guild was formed in 2022 to bring together writers from across the school. The group meets weekly during Thursday lunchtimes to chat, write, edit, share recent pieces of work, and get inspiration for their creations through various writing games.

They were fortunate to have Writer-In-Residence, Will Burns run an afternoon workshop for some of The Wordsmiths Guild writers. The students were guided through the creation and development of original characters, description of real and imagined settings, and had the opportunity to write some poetry that explored ideas of belonging. During the workshop, they discussed character development, how to create well-realized worlds and settings, and were tasked with creating a poem about a two or three-letter word.

United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26)

Year 11 students Tom L (11L), Oscar T(11L), Adityaraj S (11S), Advay C (11S), Kavin A (11W) and Tarith A (11L) represented Reading School at the Reading Schools’ Model Climate Conference event. Highlighted on BBC Berkshire and BBC South, the conference saw pupils from six local secondary schools where they took on the role of negotiating teams during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in the Civic Offices’ Council Chambers.

They formed teams representing a diverse mix of 15 developed and developing countries attending COP26 - including Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Kenya, the Marshall Islands, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, UK and USA. Putting forward policy positions using carefully chosen arguments in a conference debate model that mirrors the real-life UN negotiations, the students will agree on a set of resolutions on key themes. The conference also featured a ‘Climate Question Time,’ which included a session where pledges for actions were put forward, including ways to make the most difference within schools.

Our students represented Ethiopia and Russia and they put forward their pledges to reduce carbon emissions in thoughtful and meaningful ways.

Thank you to Mr K Luteijn (Head of Geography) for organising this opportunity and Mr D Singh (Community Relations Manager) for leading on the day.

Srivallabh S (10E) awarded Bronze Medal in the CREST Awards

Congratulations to Year 10 student, Srivallabh S (10E) for achieving a Bronze Medal for his RAF Humanitarian Engineering Project in the CREST Awards.

CREST is a nationally recognised scheme for student-led project work in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths). It provides teachers and home educators with simple and adaptable activities and projects aligned to the national curriculum and gives young people aged 5–19 the chance to choose their own subject and the-shelf, one-hour long challenges through to large-scale, student-led projects of over 70 hours work or more, CREST can be done by anyone.

“I am very delighted to have achieved the bronze medal under the CREST Awards. I have got this award when I appeared for the RAF Humanitarian Engineering course which was conducted by the Industrial Cadets in partnership with The Smallpiece Trust.”

London International Model United Nations

A delegation of 12 Reading School students visited Kings’s College, London for the London International Model United Nations Conference (LIMUN) from 20th to 21st November 2021. Ansh B (12VGG), Daniyal V (12BOW), Haadi Khalid (13JP) and Saharsh Anand (13RC), all won awards for their participation.

Vice Captain Karan B (13TT) commented, “Model United Nations is a conference in which participants assume the role of being representatives of a particular country to debate and tackle real-world issues. Over 200 delegates attended this event, including 12 Reading School students. Amongst us were representatives of countries ranging from Germany to Saint Lucia.

My favourite element of MUN is the aspect of suspending belief and seeing yourself as an actual representative of that country and acting accordingly. Another aspect I enjoyed was the collaboration that takes place. You work with new people from all over the UK to help solve real issues so that change can be made. In the end, I think my highlight abouT all the crazy debates and inspiring resolutions we passed. I want to thank every delegate from Reading School for giving it their all in this event

especially want to thank the staff who attended with us and gave us support throughout the event! This will probably be my first and last MUN at Reading School but I enjoyed every minute of it and urge all of you to try out Model United Nations if you get the chance to in the future!”

A M Robson (Headmaster)

"LIMUN encourages the development of our core values of integrity, leadership and community and as well as public speaking, problem-solving, and the ability to rapidly form relationships with people of different backgrounds and cultures. We are fortunate as a school to be able to offer them this opportunity to serve and inspire others.”

Mr

and

Reading School Combined Cadet Force (CCF)

The Cadet Force Adult Volunteer (CFAV) team were delighted to welcome back all of our cadets to face-to-face training this academic year. While COVID risk at times dictated a requirement to move to remote learning, the Contingent has nevertheless achieved a great deal through the 2021-22 academic year.

Collective Training & Leadership Development

Our Cadets have attended training days for leadership development, enhanced their fieldcraft skills on a range of field days, completed gliding and flying days and improved their weapon handling skills on dedicated training weekends. They have participated in Summer Camps with the Army and the Royal Air Force, RAF Aerospace Camp and have also supported the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT). Our dedicated small team of Adult Volunteers has once again played a key role, giving up their time regularly to provide the supervision and oversight to facilitate events.

Individual Development

Many of our cadets have been embracing the outstanding individual opportunities on offer as members of the CCF. Cadet Flight Sergeant Matthew G has achieved his wings on the Air Cadet Pilot Scheme – a superb achievement, while Cadet Sergeant Ishika J and Cadet Corporal Esha D have been offered places on this year’s Air Cadet Pilot Scheme (ACPS). The ACPS is a highly competitive and sought-after scholarship scheme run by RAF Air Cadets which provides cadets with twelve hours of flying training over two weeks, usually up to the first solo. Ishika and Esha have also been awarded places on the RAF Air Cadet Leadership Course, a week-long course providing formal leadership training.

Adventure Training

Cadet Corporal Esha D and Cadet Vincent J completed an Adventurous Training course with the Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training (CCAT) over the Easter Holidays. The course

offered them a range of activities including caving, rock climbing, abseiling and kayaking. Esha said that “…the whole experience at this CCAT camp was most memorable and the adventurous activities, along with the awesome friends that I made along the way, made it the best week I’ve spent away from home!”.

Regional Recognition

Members of Reading School CCF have also been recognised by the Lord Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire. Cadet Flight Sergeant Matthew G was appointed as the CCF Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet for 2021/22 and has been carrying out his duties throughout this year. This is a prestigious appointment that follows a highly competitive selection process. Further to this Plt Off A Coombes has been selected to receive the HM LordLieutenant’s Meritorious Service Award for his hard work and dedication to Reading School CCF. An OR with many years of service to the CCF Plt Off Coombes was instrumental in ensuring the continuity of communications and signals training activities during the COVID period and the award is well-deserved recognition for his longstanding commitment to the CCF.

We are incredibly proud of the continued resilience and adaptability that our cadets have demonstrated in uncertain times and are grateful to the adult volunteer team who continue to give up their time to make training available to the cadets. We also wish to thank those parents who have on a number of occasions over the last 12 months transported Cadets to and from various field days, range days and flying days. Our Cadets resume training in September and we are all looking forward to welcoming a new Year 9 recruit cohort early in the academic year.

Volunteer Development

Our CFAV team has been busy too, with Pilot Officer A Coombes RAFAC successfully passing his Initial Officer Training Course. Plt Off Coombes and Lieutenant Matthews both attended courses qualifying as Range Officers. We have also welcomed new volunteers to the CFAV team this year, including Miss Buckley (Kendrick School), Mr Munns and Sergeant Elliott.

BELONGING WEEKS

Learn, Lead and Serve

‘A deep sense of love and belonging is an irresistible need of all men, women, and children. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. When these needs are not met, we don’t function as we were meant to. We break. We fall apart. We numb. We ache. We hurt others. We get sick.’ Brene Brown

Despite our desire to feel a sense of belonging, many of us over the last 24 months have struggled to feel part of a team, or indeed find a team. However, we are determined to demonstrate that it does not have to be that way. We can move from striving to thriving, together.

The focus for Belonging Week has been on embedding the Reading Way through our Learn, Lead and Serve strands. It is crucial that our young people develop an understanding and appreciation of the importance of belonging to a broader community. Furthermore, the concept of giving rather than taking is at the heart of our focus on service leadership.

Thus, we have sought to create space for students to explore who they are and how they can collaborate and take responsibility, individually and as a member of a team or group. How can honest, open conversations be nurtured that support each other and enable each of us to grasp opportunities?

From Science to Spurs, the Combined Cadet Force to Cricket, space has been created to demonstrate commitment to coaching, mentoring, supporting others and strengthening community.

We sought to enable our young people to support students from Primary Schools to be the best version of themselves. In putting others first, our Year 10 students have shown themselves to be effective coaches, positive role models and true ambassadors of the Reading Way. Our students have subsequently shown a keen awareness of the fact that ‘Talent will get you into the dressing room, but attitude and character will determine how long you stay there.’

Year 8s focused on working in collaborative environments, away from home and taking responsibility for positive group behaviours. We want everyone to nurture a sense of belonging. We want everyone to know that success is based on how they can contribute to their own personal development and to be of service to others. Year 8s demonstrated during Belonging Week independence, teamwork, respect and overcoming challenges as individuals and in teams.

Year 9s demonstrated that they can be collaborative, considerate and generous. They have shown integrity and courage. For instance, being outside of their comfort zones while being resilient, showing quiet leadership and helping to build better teams. Whilst it is true that our staff are inspirational, it is our students who are the real beacons of the Reading Way, the truest ambassadors.

Belonging Week can only be delivered thorough our dedicated and committed staff, governors and parents providing opportunities to empower our students. Thank you to Mr T Evans (Assistant Head) and Mrs S Phillips (Reading Way Administrator) for leading on Belonging Weeks.

Thank you to all those who participated in educational visits to Youlbury, How Stean Gorge, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Oval Cricket Ground, London’s West End and Twickenham Stadium. In addition, thank you to all staff and students who led the CCF Leadership training, the Science and Me project, Cloud 9 canoeing expeditions and Operation Encounter.

It is important to evidence and celebrate our students and staff in action and this section focuses on providing inspirational images that illustrate the range, depth and quality of opportunities evident this week.

COMMUNITY & PARTNERSHIPS

Reading School Students deliver Joy to Old Redingensians Community

During December, Year 7 and 8 students wrote Christmas cards to over 400 Old Redingensians, over the age of 65, to share the start of their journey at Reading School and to let you know we are thinking of you.

The affinity campaign launched last year, acknowledged that so many of us had spent long periods in isolation due to the pandemic and the youngest members of our community wanted to spread Christmas Joy. The last two years have highlighted that connecting with others is more important than ever.

The Headmaster and the Society Office would like to thank everyone who has reached out to the School to express their joy and thanks for receiving Christmas cards this year, from around the world. We are always delighted to hear from you.

A huge thank you to the Heads of House and Tutors in Year 7 and 8 who coordinated and supported the students. For all the logistics and organisation, a special thank you to Mrs J Chhokar (Society Manager) and Miss Hutchinson (Society Assistant), supported by Mrs D Raval (Receptionist) and Mrs P Hickman (Admissions). The cards were kindly sponsored by the RSPA.

The cards depict the facade of Reading School, illustrated by local artist Thérèse Lawlor. The card has been left blank inside for the user to add their own message and enable flexible usage. The A6 cards with envelopes are made from recycled materials and are available to purchase for £5.50 for a pack of 6. Commissions welcomed by contacting Therese@tight-five.com.

Careers Convention 2022

In March 2022, we welcomed over 800 Reading School students and parents, over 40 representatives from diverse employment sectors and professions, along with 4 keynote speakers from multinational organisations. Students from years 8 to 13 were invited to our biennial event, which represents a particularly important opportunity to support pupils to make decisions about their GCSE, A-level and higher education options.

The evening featured many local employers from a wide range of industries (from Law to Science) who all met with students to discuss career pathways. Organisations include: ARUP; BDO LLP; KPMG LLP; Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS; Wood plc; National Grid and RAL Space, to name a few. Our sponsors were Leiper Gupta Family Lawyers, Wiser Academy and King Energy.

"I’ve lost my voice, as I didn’t stop all evening speaking to enthusiastic students. It is fantastic to come back and be able to give back in some way, especially as this is where it all started for me. If it had not been for Reading School I would not be where I am now.”

Neeraj

Mawkin (OR 2008), Director (CS)

Four keynote speakers shared their experiences and insights throughout the evening during a series of inspiring talks.

WRITTEN BY BRIGITTE SCHWARTZ

Martin Millmore, Engineering Manager, shared his career journey from Cern to Google, with some key messages about building resilience while navigating a career and how we can all adapt and learn from setbacks.

Michael Wilson (OR 1991-1998), Director at Citi, shared his exciting career with several investment banks and various IT start-ups and consultancies. He provided an overview of the overlap between IT and finance.

Tom Whipple (OR 1993-2000), Science Editor at The Times, shared how writing for the Reading Rag (a Reading School newspaper) took him on an adventurous career in writing which combined his love for Mathematics and Science with journalism

Representing InvestIn, Orla Harper, a Partner Development Manager shared tips on creating a CV, employability skills, building a personal brand and the importance of networking.

READ MORE

We are beholden to our sponsors LGFL, Wiser Academy and King Heating & Plumbing, our keynote speakers, Old Redingensians and parent delegates and partnership with Investin.

Reading School hosts Connect Reading

Reading School hosted Connect Reading's Member Networking event in April. The agenda was the Circular Economy and how it can work across sectors to transform our environment, our communities and our economy. The event saw a range of local organisations coming together to hear about what the Circular Economy is and how it can work across sectors to transform our environment, our communities and our economy.

Visit from the Mayor of Reading, Rachel Eden

The Mayor of Reading, Rachel Eden visited Reading School this morning and spoke with our school's Member of the UK Youth Parliament, Kalvin Gavrilov, students and Headmaster, Mr A Robson. Not only did she speak of solidarity, but she also spoke with students about equity, diversity, and why living in Reading should make us all feel proud.

Learn, Lead and Serve

Supporting Children In Care

The Reading School Community came together to support Here4U, Wokingham Borough Council’s Children in Care Team. Led by Community Prefect, Ransen (13JP), the food collection contributed to Christmas Hampers being packed and delivered by Here4U to Children in Care and Care leavers.

The response received was evidence of the whole school community’s generosity and charity which will go a long way in supporting local children in care. The items donated were added to festive Christmas hampers and delivered by Wokingham’s Children in Care Team to children and young people in need and unable to spend Christmas with their families. Thank you to everyone who contributed once again demonstrating the Redingensians' generosity.

Well done to Ransen P (13JP) on demonstrating exceptional leadership skills from start to finish working with the Community Relations Office. We are proud of the fact that our students not only excel academically but also champion character, teamwork and commitment to others.

Supporting #Presents4Patients at the Royal Berkshire Hospital

As one of the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust’s closest neighbours, the Reading School community supported the Christmas Gift Tree Appeal - #Presents4Patients donating gifts for younger patients and the elderly. This appeal was successfully led by Mayank M (Year 12) the gift collection contributed to presents for the young and old who would be spending their Christmas in the hospital.

Mayank M (12MD) said, “I felt a strong urge to help brighten Christmas for those who would sadly be in hospital. Due to COVID-19, hospital visitations for patients was restricted and so it was more important than ever to help those in hospital over Christmas. It’s safe to say the Reading School Community demonstrated to me that morning that their generosity and compassion knew no bounds. To receive so many gifts that four tables proved to be too few made me so grateful to be part of such an amazing community that came together on Tuesday to help support a worthy cause. Overall, we filled up four tables, with many more gifts placed in boxes underneath. The total number of gifts surpassed an incredible 500, with a variety of toys, clothes, chocolates and books donated generously by students, teachers and parents."

Well done to Mayank M (12MD) on representing excellent leadership skills and following through on his passion to support the sick during the festive period, with some logistical help from his kind mum. Together, we contributed to helping the hospital exceed its goal in collecting over 800 gifts for its patients whilst signifying the incredible community spirit and generosity Reading School has to offer.

The Cowshed becomes Reading School's charity partners for 2021-2022

The Cowshed is a charity that provides support to people of all backgrounds in a time of personal crisis. Established in 2018 and fully operational since mid-February 2019, they are growing fast, receiving increasing numbers of referrals including Health Visitors, Social Services, Foodbanks, Schools, refuges, Churches, Doctors and several other local charities. We provide the items that are requested free of charge.

The Cowshed has a three-way impact: helping those most in need within our communities, recycling used clothing and creating community groups. We are privileged to have been able to support a variety of individuals of all ages in very different but difficult situations including those fleeing domestic abuse, individuals and families experiencing emergency rehousing, health issues resulting in poverty, the homeless, emergency custody situations, poor housing conditions to name but a few. All of these people are in our local community and required help with clothing, shoes, bedding, curtains and other essential items.

Community Support from the Cowshed & Care4Calais

During the May half-term break, staff and pupils from Reading School supported an event organised by The Cowshed, 52 Lives and Care4Calais to support local refugee families living in the Reading area. Over two days, 200 families attended an event held at Bearwood Recreation Ground in Winnersh and they all got an opportunity to eat, play and spend time together, outside of the hotels where they are accommodated. A BBQ, sports activities (organised and run by our schools’ staff and students) along with arts and crafts were all available to enjoy and we would like to thank The Cowshed for the opportunity to allow our staff and students to put our values into practice.

" To see the smiles and laughter was just wonderful and the glee with which our friends tucked into food ("the best part") reminded me how very difficult it is for them to be eating the same food day after day, with a lack of choice and no table to eat at. Experiences like these make a big difference to asylum seekers, giving them a chance to meet and bond with each other, but also to feel valued. The Cowshed are so good at offering charity with dignity."

Sam Jonkers, Regional Lead Care4Calais Berkshire, South Oxfordshire and Hampshire

STANDING WITH UKRAINE

Journey to Ukraine: Deputy Headmaster, Reverend Dr Chris Evans

Following the school’s community-wide appeal for Ukraine, our Deputy Headmaster, Reverend Dr Chris Evans travelled to the Polish/Ukraine border in April to continue our collective efforts in offering support to Ukrainian families impacted by the ongoing conflict. He aimed to match families (who now find themselves as refugees) with volunteer host families from the schoolwide community in the Reading area and beyond.

He has spent time visiting temporary shelters where thousands of Ukrainian refugees are sheltering and sleeping on camp beds for the past 4 weeks. Boarded-up shops, railway station buildings and office blocks are being used to shelter Ukrainian women, children and the elderly.

After speaking with refugees from Mariupol, Kyiv and Kharkiv, some were delighted at the possibility of a longer-term solution to the crisis, others were living in hope of a swift return to their homes in Ukraine. 100’s of Polish volunteers were helping to feed, guard and care for those who are entirely vulnerable.

In 1938, Reading School was privileged to be involved in the kinder transport scheme and was able to host some Jewish students. Parents and our local connections have agreed to host up to 49 Ukrainian families in the Berkshire region and attempts to match refugees with host families have been made.

From Reading with Love: A convoy of hope

The Redingensians community, with help from the Abbey School and King’s Academy Prospect, St Mary’s School in Burghfield filled a convoy of six trucks and three trailers that travelled to the Polish-Ukrainian border, with donations then being taken onwards to Kyiv and Kharkiv in Ukraine.

Goods stored in the Chapel were boxed and loaded into trailers with the help of more than a dozen Reading School staff, parents, 75 students and eight members of the Reading School Parents Association (RSPA), led by Kirsty McInnes (Chair of RPSA) who oversaw the packing efforts and delivery of the convoy to Poland. Donations of goods and funds amounted to: 3.5 tonnes of fish, 2.5 tonnes of meat, 2 tonnes of baby food, 25 boxes of sanitary products, 300 sleeping bags, 300 can openers, and 1250 bags for life including higher-value foods which are almost impossible for people in Kyiv and Kharkiv to find.

The overwhelming show of kindness has continued beyond this first appeal. A heartfelt thank you to all our students, parents, staff and wider community who have joined in force to support the Ukraine appeal.

Artists for Ukraine

Artists for Ukraine is an initiative co-led by artists at the University of Reading and in Reading town, a fundraising campaign receiving donations to support ‘Kuhknia’ (Kitchen) a private network of volunteers who are cooking meals, sourcing medicine and other vital supplies and arranging temporary accommodation for refugees stranded in Western Ukraine, in the cities of Lviv, on the Polish border, and Uzhgorod, on the Hungarian border.

An Artists for Ukraine art exhibition and emergency art sale took place on Thursday 24th March at Open Hand Open Space Studios. The exhibition featured donations from over 50 international artists as well as from members of the Reading art community. It was organised by the parents of Year 13 student Uriel K (13EF) and was supported by Reading Ukrainian Community Centre, Reading School, the Deputy Mayor and Cranbury College.

Reading School Boarding Community Run for Ukraine

Our Boarding community got together to raise money for the refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Led by Miss E Fondu (Teacher of French; Deputy Boarding Mistress), Uriel K (13EF) and East Wing boarders Sam T (12JP) in South House and Mathew W (13DAW), the entire boarding community took part in a sponsored run from Monday 21 to Sunday 27 March.

Together, they managed to run, cycle and row 2,500km, the distance from Reading to Kiyv, having planned to reach Lviv! Overall, they raised £4144 for the Artists of Ukraine.

Christopher D (7S) leads Easter Raffle

Year 7 student, Christopher D (7S) organised an Easter raffle campaign to raise funds for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal. His dedication included connecting with local supermarkets to secure over £100 worth of raffle prizes; considering the dietary requirements of other students; leading on how to plan his raffle, creating community through engaging with others and more. Overall, £393 was raised and will contribute to making a positive impact in helping those in need at this time.

interview with Mr K Lutijn (Teacher of Geography and Ukraine Support Lead)

Reading School hosts Ukrainian Students

As part of the school’s effort to aid those affected by the crisis in Ukraine, some of our students and staff helped introduce their Ukrainian counterparts to life at Reading School in the hopes of supporting their education in the UK.

We are incredibly proud of our community that continue to demonstrate dedication and compassion in their concern and care for our guests from Ukraine. We would like to express our admiration towards the Ukrainians who have become apart of the Reading School Family under such abrupt and stressful circumstances. In such times, we can understand that anyone who embodies our values of Leadership, Integrity, Community and Excellence can consider themselves part of our family.

Mr Kees Luteijn (Teacher of Geography) kindly volunteered to introduce some of the Ukrainian students to the school. Here is what he has to say about his experience:

How have you been helping the students recently?

"I’m leading on the curriculum side of things. The students are in normal lessons about 40% of the time. The rest of the time, they’re either seen one-to-one or in small groups with staff members who have given up their time to help them. They’ve got sessions in English, the sciences and maths for that. They’ve also got sessions run by Sixth Form students to support them in the gaps in between and I’ve been organising that and helping to run some of those sessions."

How do you feel about this opportunity to help?

"It's inherent within the school’s values that we serve both the local and the international community. I think that most staff and students can learn a lot from hosting those Ukrainian students as well and I think that they are going to provide a lot of value to the school community. It’s a completely different skill to teach English as an additional language. Equally,, it’s a new challenge for the Ukrainian students and for them to integrate into the British school system and everything is completely alien to them."

Finally, why do you think that its important that our school be involved?

"These are people that have been put in these dire situations through absolutely no fault of their own and they’ve arrived in a foreign country without much help. These are people that have faced tremendous hardship and we need to do everything we can to give them some sense of stability and normality. They have been through a massive change; their lives have been turned upside down and it’s probably been a really tricky process to get where they are now. We want to provide them a safe space between 8:20 and 15:30 where there isn’t going to be any major changes and give them some stability in their lives so that they may continue their education. As a school, I think we have to do that. Its going to be tough. There are hurdles that we’re going to have to overcome, but I believe it’s possible."

By Lucca K (Year 12 - Work Experience with the Society Office)

PSHE Session with the Abbey School

As a school, we have been seeking ways to look outwards and build partnerships with our local community to benefit the outcomes of our students. One of these ways has been an exciting new collaboration with The Abbey School. Following a meeting between our schools in early February, a commitment was made to create opportunities between respective Sixth Form students to kickstart conversations around real-world issues.

The first of these collaborations, led by Ms A Stratford took place in late February during a podcast format between Reading and The Abbey School students and the discussion focussed on all forms of gender discrimination, towards both men and women.

The second collaboration between the schools took place on Friday 25th March which saw whole year groups of 6th Formers visit each other’s schools, to continue the discussion around gender discrimination. The overwhelming response from students and staff from both schools was positive and all expressed a desire to continue this partnership with the potential to span into joint academic classes.

“ I think the day was a huge success: everyone seemed to get on well and socialising did not seem too much of a problem. In my group, everyone was able to make meaningful discussions, and no one’s voice was silenced.

I feel like I learned more from in-person discussions with girls from my age than I would have from other teaching methods surrounding this topic.

I would recommend our schools continue this initiative in the future.”

Aryan G (13VGG)

PARTNERSHIPS

Berkshire Vision

As part of our ongoing work in partnering with local organisations within our community, we hosted an art exhibition organised by Berkshire Vision, a charity established in 1910 to provide support for visually impaired children and adults. The charity, based opposite our school on Erleigh Road offers a range of support including social activities, a befriending service, adapted sports, employability services and remote activities.

The art exhibition offered an opportunity for Berkshire Vision members to share and talk about their experiences of creating art with limited vision, along with helping to change perceptions of sight loss.

Phantom Brewing Co. becomes Reading School's Events Sponsor for 20212022

We are delighted to announce Phantom Brewing Co. as our official events sponsor in support of our Building for the Future Fund. The team were at the first event of the summer, our Grand Reunion Day on Saturday 9th July.

Phantom Brewing Co. is a local craft beer brewery based in Reading, Berkshire. They are supportive of local causes and delighted to work with local groups and organisations in the community. Owner Dane White attended the Reading event at Reading School in April as one of many local organisations who came together to hear about what the Circular Economy is and how it can work across sectors to transform our environment, our communities and our economy.

FUTURE STORIES

The Science and Me programme, sponsored by Johnson Matthey, as an extension of our Future Stories programme, aimed to demystify the world of Science for Junior School students, allowing them to experience a laboratory environment and get to grips with experimental work.

We invited approximately 180 pupils in the Reading Area, from Years 4-6 to take part in some exciting experiments.

Students from Battle, Kennet Valley and Oxford Road schools came to Reading School during Belonging Week and beyond to experience learning Science in our state-of-the-art school laboratories, ably mentored by our Year 10 students and academic specialists. The collaboration contributed to transforming how young people engage with science-related subjects so that inspiration and attitudes could be shaped.

We look forward to continuing to making an impact in widening access to science with Johnson Matthey.

FutureStories

Future Stories Support Campaign

Our Flagship ‘Futures Stories’ Social Mobility Programme for Pupil Premium and Looked After or Previously Looked After Children, is now in its sixth successful year and has been shortlisted in the 'School/College of the Year' category as finalists for the 3rd year running.

The main objectives of the Future Stories programme are:

1. To develop the leadership skills, capacity and capability of students currently at Reading School, by working in partnership with state primary schools.

2. To raise aspirations and widen access to Reading School for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Our target is to substantially increase the number of pupil premium pupils and looked after pupils who apply to take our entrance test. In order to gain admittance to Reading School all children must achieve the qualifying score to be eligible for entry.

The COVID-19 crisis has focused our attention — this year we are determined to do more and do it better, using the creativity of students and staff to find new ways to engage students and schools in the productive learning and online mentoring activities on offer.

The Future Stories Support Campaign is a collective fundraising effort made each year by all members of the Redingensians community –alumni, parents, current and former staff and other friends of the school. By supporting this campaign, you are helping promising students from disadvantaged families access a wealth of co-curricular opportunities. We are grateful for our key supporters of the Future Stories Programme making this change possible.

For further information about our Future Stories Programme, please email development@reading-school.co.uk

SAFEGUARDING

Then and Now

Safeguarding students at Reading School is the single highest priority for the School’s Governors, Leadership Team and staff. Our goal has been to build a culture that keeps students safe, that nurtures and protects them and enables them to flourish. This should be the first pursuit of every school, and we make it as clear as we possibly can during our annual staff days as well as in our regular communication with parents, that safety comes first, wellbeing second and happiness third. We are convinced that students in Reading School make the most educational progress in a happy and healthy way when these foundations are in place.

Across the world, and through history, robust safeguarding processes haven’t always been a part of institutions’ responsibilities. Legislation to prosecute people accused of child cruelty has been in force in the UK since 1889, when the first Act of Parliament for the prevention of cruelty to children, commonly known as the "Children's Charter" was passed. This enabled the state to intervene, for the first time, in relations between parents and children. Police could arrest anyone found ill-treating a child, and enter a home if a child was thought to be in danger. The act included guidelines on the employment of children and outlawed begging.

However, the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004 introduced changes that render previous frameworks unrecognisable. Other reforms have included the introduction of Criminal Records checks in the UK through Part V of the Police Act 1997 and legislation to protect children from adults who pose a risk to them, through the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was introduced in a response to the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, both aged 10 who were killed by their school caretaker in 2002.

Today, safeguarding arrangements are governed in accordance with ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, which was first released by the Department for Education on 3 April 2014. Annual updates are reviewed by all staff in Reading School, and annual training is undertaken as the first training priority of each academic year. Staff are regularly reminded of contextual safeguarding (an approach to understanding, and responding to, children’s experiences of significant harm beyond their families), being aware of the signs to look out for when a child has or is coming to harm and referral procedures to Children’s Social Care.

Then

A matter of deep regret for the school, however, is that occasionally, former students report instances of behaviour, conduct or abuse which would be illegal by today’s standards, but which were accepted, or ‘brushed under the carpet’ at the time they happened. On more than one occasion, physical assault, that would today would undoubtedly lead to prosecution and disbarring from the teaching profession, has been alleged. Corporal punishment was only prohibited in all state-supported education in 1986, and this prohibition was finally extended to cover private schools as recently as 1998. Despite this, there has never been any moral argument to justify excessive use of force in chastisement.

“Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do”

Ms L Ayres, Designated Safeguarding Lead

We would encourage any former students with adverse childhood experiences, who believe they may be victims of any historic abuse, to consider reporting this to the Police. Challenging abusive behaviour and shining a light on practices, cultures or individuals who have perpetrated abuse, is one of the ways we can ensure that children today are kept safe. Organisations that learn through review of historic cases are best placed to develop strong safeguarding cultures that prevent history repeating itself.

Now

Reading School currently has a team of 6 full-time safeguarding professionals who manage concerns and worries found for children and young people. Together, they possess over 70 years combined experience of keeping children safe, protecting them from harm, promoting their welfare, wellbeing and human rights. Led by a designated safeguarding lead and using a wholeschool approach, the team actively and continuously promotes a culture of safeguarding throughout the school so that all members of the school community can play a part in keeping students safe.

Some key findings from Reading School’s most recent independent safeguarding audit, completed in June 2022, found that:

Safeguarding is clearly a priority at Reading School and there is awareness of the ‘golden thread’ across the school body.

Safeguarding training is an integral part of the Continuing Professional Development programme for all staff.

The Assistant Head (Designated Safeguarding Lead) has undertaken training and is keen to further develop and improve safeguarding processes in the school and to work with local colleagues.

Working with external agencies is an important aspect of safeguarding and all safeguarding staff are aware of this. School, including Boarding staff, are open to working with the police, CAMHS, social care and the Local Authority. It is clear, through a discussed example, that the school is prepared to hold others to account to ensure young people are safeguarded as effectively as possible and to be held to account.

Safeguarding feedback from staff, students and the Safeguarding team was consistent; there was a clear message about feeling safe on site / knowing how to ask for support / advice / help from all parties. The section on Safeguarding in the Headmaster’s Bulletin was mentioned by both staff and students.

Thorough record keeping is essential for safeguarding, which is recognised by the safeguarding, boarding, pastoral teams and Senior Leadership Team. Boarding records are consistently recorded, which reflect advice from Ofsted.

This recent independent audit provides a brief snapshot of some of the ways that Reading School safeguards its students, and it reflects the increasing importance and profile of safeguarding in schools today. We acknowledge the experiences of some former students and are sorry to hear about their experiences.

We have no hesitation in reminding current students that they can find help by emailing safeguarding@reading-school.co.uk and recommending that any alumni with historic concerns contact NAPAC (National Association for People Abused in Childhood / www.napac.org.uk) or indeed, their local Police force. It can be difficult and painful to recall past experiences, but professional organisations like NAPAC really can help.

Much has changed in society in the past 50 years. With regard to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, the overwhelming majority of these changes have helped institutions like our own to become safer, more protective and more child-centred environments.

GRANDPARENTS DAY

Connecting Generations

Reading School welcomed over 65 relatives with over 30 Year 7s, to experience three hours of lessons, alongside live music, supporting House Cricket and the Deputy Head’s address in Chapel all with with the support of 40 Year 10 ambassadors.

“I would like to offer a huge vote of thanks to you and all of Reading School - staff and pupils - for a totally memorable and inspiring day last Monday. It exceeded all possible expectations and I had a wonderful time.”

Grandparents’ Day at Reading School is a day dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating the important contribution made by grandparents to their families. It is an opportunity for families to show their appreciation, gratitude and respect for the older generation.

Families can celebrate by spending time together, sharing stories and encouraging some quality, precious time between grandparents/relatives and grandchildren.

Now in our fifth year of celebrating Grandparents Day we know the love and pride they have for their grandchildren and we encourage our students to cherish these precious moments. Mrs L Ayres (Assistant Head and Teacher of Chemistry) leads on building a bespoke day where our Year 7 students can invite Grandparents or relative to school to experience what a typical day at Reading School looks like.

"My favourite phrase of the day was the Deputy Headmaster’s, in his closing address:” these boys are not just brains on legs”. That ethos of caring, comradeship, thoughtfulness and support permeated the atmosphere throughout the school and was evident in the way everyone - again, staff and pupils - interacted with each other.

The Year 10 ambassadors for our group were a case in point. They were delightful. Completely self-confident and self-assured, without being in the least bit arrogant. They were friendly and helpful and talked to all of us, and seemed genuinely concerned that we had had a good day. A credit to the school."

“I would like to offer a huge vote of thanks to you and all of Reading School - staff and pupils - for a totally memorable and inspiring day. It exceeded all possible expectations and I had a wonderful time.

I had been concerned - before B started at your school - that it would be an academic hothouse, totally focussed on exam results, where pupils who were struggling would be left behind and abandoned. I was delighted to learn that this is by no means the case."

Grandparents Day - Connecting Generations

VOICES OF OLD REDINGENSIANS

THE OLD

REDINGENSIAN ASSOCIATION COUNCIL

(Subject to Election)

Jeremy Chadwick (OR 1979-86) jeremychadwick@icloud.com

Lt Col Andrew Tuggey CBE DL (OR 1958-66) andrew.tuggey@outlook.com

Dr Fraser Peck (OR 1999-06) fpeck@hotmail.co.uk

Ned Holt (OR 1966-72) (Staff 1982-12) nedholt54@gmail.com

Lt Col Andrew Tuggey CBE DL (OR 1958-66) andrew.tuggey@outlook.com

Chris Widdows (OR 1955-62) cwiddows@aol.com

Aaron D’Souza (OR 2002-09) aaronajhds@gmail.com

Richard Taylor (OR 1988-95) richard.taylor@lpi2.co.uk

Ken Brown (OR 1955-63) kcbrown11@aol.com

Dr Fraser Peck (OR 1999-06) fpeck@hotmail.co.uk

John Short (OR 1956-64) jhshort@btinternet.com

Ray Sawyer (OR 1967-74) raysawyer33@yahoo.co.uk

Nick Burrows (OR 1969-76) (Legal) Richard Griffiths DL (OR 1957-64) Ashley Robson (Staff 2005-) (Headmaster) Arthur Truslove (OR 2003-08) (Magazine) Peter Whitehead (OR 1966-73) Rev Clive Windebank (OR 1952-59) (Chaplain)

BACK TO SCHOOL: CLASS OF 1978

In December 2021,

It was lovely to see our ORs proudly sharing stories from their schooldays and accomplishments beyond Reading School, hearing about their families, career journeys, and travels. The weekend proved to be a nostalgic homecoming highlighted by conversations between alumni who had not spoken in half a century. The group visited the Kirkwood Room, Big School, East Wing Boarding House, as well as the new, Philip Mitchell Science Building, The Lecture Theatre before concluding in the Chapel.

The tour of the school was followed by a reunion lunch at the Rams kindly arranged by James Mossman (OR 1971-1978).

Please contact the Society Office at alumni@reading-school.co.uk if you are celebrating an anniversary to help arrange your reunion.

Mr A Robson (Headmaster) said,

"The Class of 1978 exemplifies the view that each of us is part of an unbroken and unbreakable chain of people who share an identity and culture. The ethos of belonging is evident through our shared values over time through membership of the Reading School family. I was so pleased that they fully supported our commitment to maximizing opportunities for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Certainly, the Class of 1978 who participated in the 50th Anniversary reunion are fine ambassadors of Reading School.”

We look forward to seeing those celebrating 50 years, 30 years, 40 years, 20 Years, 10 years and 5 years in 2022-2023.

eight Old Redingensians from the class of 1978 returned to Reading School for a tour of Reading School, to celebrate their 50th anniversary since starting Reading School in 1971.

James Mossman (OR 1971-1978) spots his name on the school captaincy board whilst David Gilbert also stopped to see his name on the Honours Board for winning a scholarship to read Geography at St Catharine’s College at Cambridge.

GRAND REUNION DAY

Old Redingensians from as far afield as the USA and the Cayman Islands travelled to Reading School on a sunny day in July to attend the Grand Reunion Day 2022.

After a composed rendition of the Floreat Redingensis Song from the School Choir, we heard some welcoming words from Headmaster, Mr Ashley Robson. Deputy Headmaster, Reverend Dr Chris Evans, addressed which highlighted the growth and the bond shared between the ORs across multiple generations.

ORs reconnected with each other, walked down memory lane, took tours of the school, flipped through memorabilia, and enjoyed a delicious lunch catered by our in-house catering team and drinks served by our official event sponsor, Phantom Brewery.

We were also pleased to host a group of Old Redingensians from the Class of 2012 for their 10year reunion.

Old Redingensians were invited to record some share some of their most treasured moments.

Thank you to all the Old Redingensians who attended, especially those who travelled from afar, the ORA, Reading Foundation, former and current staff and students.

The event was a great success bringing together ORs, current and former staff, students and friends for an afternoon of celebration and camaraderie and paving the way for our 900th celebrations in 2025.

If you missed the fun, or you want to revisit the spectacular weekend, view the photo gallery on the Reading School Alumni Society and don't miss the next one. Nominate a Year Group Ambassador and contact Jas in the Society Office at alumni@reading-school.co.uk to help arrange your reunion celebrations.

READ MORE

"As far as Reading School is concerned, it gave me a very good education, I enjoyed sport very much, I played 1st XI cricket and also 1st XV rugby in my final year. I was also very involved in music, I took part in plays, as a member of the Dramatic Society, also the Operatic Society."

RodneyHugginsMBE(OR1944-1952)(GovernorandReadingFoundation) onhistimeatReadingSchool

" I wanted to see the school again, I wanted a chance to go back and see the inside, and see if it bought back any memories, which it has done, and to also see if I could bump into any people that I hadn’t seen in a long time and see how they’re doing."

JamesShorelands(OR2005-2012)onwhyheattendedtheGrandReunionDay

" All I would say is enjoy it and cling onto the friendships. Nigel here was my best man, I was his best man, I was godfather to his kids, he’s godfather to my kids. We met on day 1, in 1B, I voted for him as my form captain. I think there are friendships that last a lifetime. So make the most of the people you meet along the way."

MartinHughes(OR1968-1975)(OR2005-2012)advicefornewYear7studentsjoiningReadingSchool

" I think what it taught me was there are always better, more talented people out there, than you, and that it’s only when you worked really hard that you were able to succeed, and there were, kind of, rewards for working hard, recognition for working hard. And because you were in it with a bunch of other guys, all struggling with the same challenges, you forge great friendships and relationships that last to this day as well."

MatthewMaule(OR2005-2012)speaksabouthowReadingSchoolpreparedhimforlife

"There's something quite special about the school. I think the way it fosters young men to develop into their own personalities. You know, it's not just about academics, albeit the academics are great. They really foster well rounded holistic education and that's something I think is quite special. "

JackHusbands(OR2005-2012)onhistimeatReadingSchool

"I'm very hard pressed to name a teacher who had a bad influence on me. There are so many fantastic teachers and I think that's what makes Reading School the great place that it is."

BenMorris(OR2005-2012)onthepositiveimpactofhisteachers

GROW YOUR NETWORK

Business Directory

As part of our efforts to foster a strong network and grow our partnerships, the Society Office is proud to launch the Redingensians Business Directory as a complimentary service to support and promote the wide variety of amazing products and services on offer, from the Redingensians community (ORs, current and former parents and staff) and our local community.

The goal of the Redingensians Business Directory is to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of our vibrant community and encourage networking and enhance connections between professionals as well as provide the advantage of exclusive discounts, offered by this network.

Promoting your business on with our Business Directory is free of charge for a limited time only. If you are a business owner and would like to be listed in the Redingensians Business Directory, please visit the Alumni Society and and fill out our short online form. Following submission and approval, your post will appear on the directory.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Jas at alumni@readingschool.co.uk.

The UK labour market has become very challenging with high numbers of job vacancies being advertised. Reading School's high-calibre students, undergraduates and alumni are highly sought after in the global recruitment markets. If the organisation you work for or your own business would like to attract the finest talent, consider sharing job vacancies at the Reading School Alumni Society (scroll to jobs at bottom).

You can also share opportunities on Reading School LinkedIn with a network of nearly 4000 Old Redingensians working in a range of sectors across the world.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Jas at alumni@reading-school.co.uk.

JackHusbands(OR2005-2012andAlumniAmbassador)withtheClassof2012fortheir10YearReunion

TRIP TO THE EDINBURGH FRINGE

With Nathan Galpin (OR 2011-2018)

It feels a little odd to be sitting in the Edinburgh sunshine (well, fog) at the end of our first leg of shows, penning a review of an experience only halflived. However, that is the nature of reality clashing with a mid-August deadline.

For those who don’t know, the Edinburgh Fringe is an annual arts/theatre festival running throughout August and this year, I’m here with Space Mystery: A Mystery in Space - a show boasting the impressive niche of a murder mystery comedy set in space. Each night I play DCI John Wood, a deadpan detective (c.f. Leslie Neilson), as he attempts to solve the murder of Dead Panright-hand man to the notorious bread-based gangster Mr Fax.

But with over 3,500 shows playing this year, getting audiences to actually come and see us has become a full-time job. Obviously, some of this work is more passive: our posters are up around the city, we have a bio in the fringe programme and we're being advertised online.

The bulk of the work, however, is ‘flyering’ - literally handing people a flyer and asking them to come along. If you were to walk down the Royal Mile on an August afternoon, you will be beset on all sides with actors doing anything to convince you to come to their show. Our latest tactic involves one of the writers dancing along the mile dressed as a ghost. Many (un)politely reject our leaflets, but it works.

The key to fringe, though, is the people. It may be cliché to say that we’ve become a familybut it’s true. The thing that has always inspired me about theatre is how it brings people together. Now, in a sense, this is purely practical: it would be very difficult to live with people you didn’t like for an entire month, even more difficult to share a room/bed with them. However, it’s also because when you act together you rely on each other. Acting as a process builds trust and develops relationships. The friendships that I’ve formed from theatre are some of my strongest and it’s why I keep coming back for more.

At times when certain Prime Ministerial candidates are questioning the value of non-vocational degrees, I’d like to point to the value of theatre. Nothing is better for developing interpersonal skills than theatre; it builds confidence, emotional intelligence, and makes you think on your feet. I’m eternally grateful for my time doing theatre at Reading and still hoping to one day reprise my GCSE drama role of Osborne in Journey’s End. For now though, I must return to the world of DCI John Wood - after all, there’s a murder to solve.

Share your achievements with the Redingensians community and inspire our students.

REMEMBERING MIKE EVANS

Family, friends, colleagues, and ORs came together on Sunday 10th July 2022 to remember and celebrate the life of former Deputy Headmaster John Michael Evans (July 1945 - August 2021). Guests gathered in the Chapel to the beautiful sound of the organ played by James Trust (10E). The service began with welcoming words from Reverend Dr Chris Evans (Deputy Headmaster) followed by the Hymn, Abide with me.

"Above all his total commitment to wanting the very best for the boys, for the staff and for the School exemplified his whole professionalism. He was the complete schoolmaster - a complete Reading School master. What a legacy of service and dedication Mike leaves and a shining example to all who were fortunate to have known him."

Peter Mason (Former Headmaster,

1990 - 1997)

The poems 'Demain dès l’aube' (Victor Hugo) and 'Queda prohibido' (Pablo Neruda) were recited in French and Spanish by students Charles Philpott (12EF) and Daniel Titmas (12MK). The eulogy was given by Ned Holt (OR 1966-1972) and Martin Parsons (OR 1963-1970).

Reverend Dr Chris Evans followed with a prayer and words of comfort followed by the Hymn, 'Guide me Oh thou Great Redeemer'. The service concluded with a blessing.

After the service, guests were invited for afternoon tea on the School Field and enjoyed the Old Redingensians v Reading School T20 Cricket match in honour of Mike Evans. A fitting tribute arranged by the Society Office, Ned Holt and Judy Evans.

ORs V Reading School T20 Honorary Cricket Match- Sunday 10th July 2022

Written by OR Hugo Rompani (2013-2020)

The hallowed ground that is Reading School’s front field saw a return to one of Reading’s great cricketing traditions, the ORs vs Reading School match. Although this year, a few masters helped fly the flag for the OR side. The school opted to bat after winning the toss, with Jamie G (13 MRC) and Siddharth S (OR 2020) putting up a strong 41 and 45 before retiring.

This confident start for the school was not only an issue for the ORs, but also, Mr Robson, after Jamie G vandalised the newly refurbished pavilion with what was perhaps the biggest six of the day. The school's batting continued to be strong throughout the innings, however, the ORs displayed great fielding ability under Ragan Jain (OR 2011-2018) leadership. Sean Walters (OR 1976-1981) took multiple wickets from the school with his excellent bowling. Following a strong 20 overs of batting the school put up.

Then there was afternoon tea, a welcome break from the sweltering sun! Here the OR team decided their plan of action. They decided that with a respectable score to chase the best thing to do was to abandon a

batting order and see who put their pads on first. While this strategy is by no means orthodox it resulted in the powerful opening pair of Micheal Leary (OR 1993-2000) and Sean. Unfortunately, Mike was run out after hitting 33. He was replaced by Ragan Jain who continued the OR’s strong batting. With the sun still strong, the ORs took a chance to enjoy the shade of the pavilion. This sense of relaxation did not last long as the second innings very much came down to the wire.

In memory of Mike Evans.

"He (Mike Evans) was a huge influence in encouraging me to play cricket...The best skipper I have ever played under and I would love to play in the game as a mark of my thanks to his encouragement and faith, all those years ago at Reading School and at the Old Redingensians cricket club. Without it, I would have given up playing cricket, and my life would have been so much the lesser for it."

Sean Walters (OR 1976-1981)

2021 SENIOR PRIZE GIVING & CELEBRATIONS OF 2020

Reading School warmly welcomed back the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020 for their Senior Prize Giving ceremony and celebrations. Students, parents and staff came together as community to reflect and celebrate achievements of excellence, character and integrity.

Our Keynote Speaker, Philip Edmans (OR 1994-2001), Senior Partner at Inflexion Private Equity, returned to his school to deliver an inspirational speech about his journey beyond Reading School. From volunteering in Madagascar to finding ways to reduce the cost of malaria treatments which have made an impact on millions. He shared key takeaways which included: being courageous and trying new things; community support without expecting anything in return; commitment - being committed to hard work and setting yourself apart by being enthusiastic about what you do. Philip's inspirational words deeply resonated with many of us as they align with Reading School's core values.

We wish our Class of 2020 and 2021 continued success and fulfilment in their journeys after their time at Reading School and we hope you will remain an active part of our school community as Old Redingensians.

Reading Foundation kindly sponsored many of the prizes, some are endowed by generous benefactors, or are named in honour of former staff, governors, students or supporters of the school. Thank you for supporting Reading School students.

Congratulations to Year 13 students, Toby Caswell and Paolo Minhas, who have both received generous music awards to support their future musical endeavours. The prizes were kindly awarded by the Sir Thomas Beecham Trust, named after the 20th century English conductor, Sir Thomas Beecham. The two musicians were presented with their awards by Mr C Widdows, Trustee of The Sir Thomas Beecham Trust and Membership Secretary of the ORA, at this years' Senior Prize Giving.

Toby Caswell is the fourth recipient of the Sir Thomas Beecham Music Award, having previously been awarded to Alex Lea (2021), Benedict Bradley (2020) and Ewan Millar (2019). He has been learning piano for 11 years including 3 years of jazz tuition and passing Grade 8 with Distinction in June 2021. Since 2020, he is enrolled in the Junior Academy jazz course at the Royal Academy of Music, where he has received weekly tuition and performed in several concerts at the academy.

From the age of 7, Toby has attended a Yamaha music school where he learnt how to compose music. He wrote his first ensemble composition in 2017, which was selected for Yamaha’s National Original Concert. The following year, he composed another piece for solo piano which was also chosen for the Yamaha concert in the subsequent year.

He has recently performed at the Pizza Express Live jazz club in London in July 2021. Toby is also proficient in Violin, having been learning for eight years and earned a Distinction at Grade 8 in May this year. From September, he will study Music at the University of Birmingham.

Paolo Minhas is the second recipient of the Graham Ireland Music Award, first awarded to Conrad Spencer in 2021. He has been learning the flute for ten years and passed a dipABRSM diploma with distinction in July 2021. Paolo has also played in several ensembles and orchestras – including playing principal flute in the Berkshire Youth Symphony Orchestra and semi-professional and amateur orchestras such as the Windsor and Maidenhead Symphony orchestra and Reading Symphonic Wind Orchestra. He has participated in a variety of competitions with the Reading Symphonic Wind Orchestra, including Music for Youth and the National Concert Band Festival. Paolo has also been able to perform on tour in Paris, and Edinburgh during the summer 2022.

Paolo also plays piano and recently passed with distinction at grade 7. From September, he will study Physics at the University of Edinburgh. He will continue his studies of flute to pursue a postgraduate course at a Music College.

Sir Thomas Beecham Music Award and the Graham Ireland Award

Reading School V Reading FC Academy 150th Anniversary Match (1872-2022)

150 years on, Reading Football Club returned with their Category 1 Academy team for a rematch of the 1872 match. Sponsored by the Old Redingensians Association (ORA), the match formed part of both the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Reading FC and 150 years of Reading School located, on the Erleigh Road site. The competitive fixture, re-enacted previously in 2003, was the idea of Roger Titford (Supporters Trust At Reading (STAR), Heritage Officer) and Raymond Sawyer (ORA).

The match attracted over 250 spectators and garnered media attention from various local and national outlets including, Wokingham Today, Reading Today, ITV Meridian and BBC Radio Berkshire

Fans from both teams cheered in high spirits as Headmaster, Mr A M Robson, kicked off the first half of the game using the classic brown ball. The rules as played in 1872 were applied to the first 45 minutes of the fixture, which included replacing modern goals with two upright posts with a strip of tape between them and no goalnets or penalty areas.

The Reading School starting XIII, wore a retroinspired kit based on Reading School Association Football kit in the Late Victorian period. The Reading FC Academy team wore replicas of the blue and white striped shirts, as worn by the first-ever Reading FC team, thanks to Macron. To add to the authenticity of the throwback match, modern goals were replaced with two upright posts with a strip of tape between them and there were no goal nets or penalty areas.

Mr S Allen (Head of PE), Mr J Sanchez (East House Boarding Master and Teacher of PE) and

Mr A Robertson (Teacher of PE and Boarding Tutor) all made an appearance on the pitch, but it was the Headmaster, Mr Robson, who impressed the crowd with his valiant play.

Reading FC Academy scored the opening goal and this was doubled by another FC Academy player when the away team took a commanding 2-0 half-time lead.

For the second half, it was back to the modern rules we know. The Reading School team did their best to hold back the tough opposition, however, they struggled to prevent a further two goals score by the brilliant RFC Academy players. The match ended with a 4-0 victory to Reading FC Academy.

Pranav G (10L), Fabian R-W (13E), Will M (13C), Isaac J (13C), Charlie D (13E), Aadam A (13C), Luke S (12S), Yusef A-A (12E), Andrew S (12C), Adam W (11E), James A (12C) & Haris M (12C) did a fantastic job of representing the school and made everyone proud, despite not achieving the result they hoped for.

Head of Academy coaching at Reading Football Club, Anthony Ferguson, also commented,

“This thoroughly enjoyable afternoon was a great display and exhibition of local football and, at the same time an opportunity to give varied experiences to all players and staff. It was played in a fantastic spirit and the rules in the first half brought joy and much entertainment. One of the most satisfying things about this match was the learning and for people to understand the depth and history of what they are involved in. Well done to everyone involved.”

“For me, it was particularly satisfying to see Reading FC on the school playing field on a Wednesday afternoon. Exactly 50 years ago, my parents received a letter from the then Headmaster threatening my expulsion from Reading School if I repeated the offense of bunking off to watch Reading on a Wednesday afternoon – the FA Cup replay against Blyth Spartans!”

OR Roger Titford (1966-1973)

A SHORT HISTORY OF READING SCHOOL CHAPEL

Our Chapel, originally intended to accommodate 300 boys, is a Grade II Listed Building. It is in plain early English style and built of English bond red brick with blue brick bands and chequering. The eaves have a small chevron decoration and the tiled roof fishscale bands. There are eight bays with dividing buttresses, five bays of paired lancets, a small gabled porch at the southwest corner, lancets at the west end and a stepped triple lancet at the east end. The vestry forms an extension southward and has a small belfry and tall octagonal tower.

The interior, basically plain brick when constructed, was and is much enriched by the arch-braced collar beam trusses in the roof. There are four groups of pews facing towards a central aisle and an organ loft above the western entrance.

Alfred Waterhouse designed the Chapel to be in a complementary style to the main buildings. The builders were Messrs. Wright & Goodchild and the £3,000 cost of the Chapel was raised by voluntary subscription. (There was no heating or electric lighting in the Chapel when it was built – that was to come later).

In July 1873, the foundation stone was laid by John Walter, MP., proprietor of The Times (he lived at Bearwood). The stone contained copies of The Times, Berkshire Chronicle and Reading Mercury; coins of the realm; a ‘parchment’ (contents unrecorded) and a list of the Trustees, masters and boys.

On 19th February 1874, the Chapel was opened by the Bishop of Oxford, John Fielder Mackarness, with the Mayor and Corporation, Town Clerk and Serjeants present in the congregation.

At that time the windows along the north and south sides were all plain, but these have gradually been replaced by stained glass (the first stained glass windows were the triple at the east end of the Chapel installed in 1886 to commemorate the 400th year (1886) since what is now known to be the refoundation of the School).

There are now twenty stained glass windows on the north and south sides and five former Headmasters are commemorated, two former second masters, three former masters and six ORs. The 500th Anniversary (1986) of the refounding is commemorated by the window to St Cecilia which was unveiled by HM Queen Elizabeth II on 19th May that year. There are thus three windows that, as yet, do not carry memorial inscriptions. The walls are now hung with war memorials and various brass plaques. The organ loft carries the Arms of the Beecham family, signifying the substantial and ongoing contribution to the music in the School over many years, by Lady Shirley Beecham and the Sir Thomas Beecham Trust.

The current Hill organ is the third organ in the Chapel since it opened; the Hill was installed in 1993 after a sustained campaign for funds spearheaded by the late Gareth Price (1948-56) who was to become President of the ORA in 2006.

Over the years much panelling has been installed and many beautiful gifts – lectern, altar cross, altar cloths, flower stands, carpets, curtains, etc. – have enhanced the Chapel; not least the panelling of the ante-chapel in memory of H E Lawrance, OR. and J L Sylo-Jones, long-serving second master. The pews at the west end of the Chapel in memory of two former masters, W E Streather and R T Black, are in oak and in time, perhaps, the idea of former headmaster C E Kemp to replace all of the pine by oak may come to fruition. How handsome that would be.

Ken Brown (1956-63)

Archivist,

Old Redingensians Association

The Reading School Chapel has been at the heart of school life since 1874 providing a peaceful haven and place for reflection for staff, students and visitors alike. We have seen countless Remembrance Services and Carol Services as well as celebrations taking place for OR weddings and christenings. We now appeal to you, as our School Chapel now requires a roof replacement and we are raising funds to cover the cost to make it watertight for the future. Please help us to reach our target of estimated cost of £100K, all donations would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to make a donation restricted to the Chapel please contact development@reading-school.co.uk.

1929: THE WEST HOUSE CHAMPION IV

By Ken C Brown (OR 1955-1963)

Rowing was resurrected, not for the first time, in 1920 and competition between House ‘fours’ started that year. When ‘Archie’ Meads took over the coaching in 1922, the club began to flourish, but the House Competition lapsed.

The acquisition of two new fours and equipment in 1929 enabled the House Championship to re-start after a lapse of seven years. West House emerged as undefeated winners and their Champion Boat comprised five boys who all distinguished themselves at School – two of them became Captain of School – and in their adult lives. They were:

BOW: NORMAN GASH (1923-30)

He was born in India the son of a regular soldier who was based at Brock Barracks when Norman entered Reading School. He became a Prefect, and gained School Running Colours and a Debating Society reputation before leaving with the Sir Thomas White Scholarship to St John’s College, Oxford where he gained a History First. He married in 1935 and became the father of two daughters. During the Second World War, he rose to the rank of Major in the Intelligence Corps and post-war began to build the reputation that was to see him regarded as one of the foremost scholars of nineteenth-century Britain. When he retired to Langport, Somerset, he was Professor Norman Gash CBE FBA FRSL FRSE FRHistS. He lived until the age of 97 and is now commemorated on a ‘Tea Tray’ in Big School.

2. CHARLES FREDERICK SAGE (1923-31)

Reading’s future first citizen left School a House Prefect, Captain of the 1st XV and with four School Colours, Rugby, Athletics, Rowing and Shooting. He became a leading businessman in the town as the proprietor of Hobbs Laundry which had many branches. During the Second World War, he was a Captain in the Royal Artillery. Between 1959 and 1990 he served as a Town Councillor, was Mayor in 1979-80 (his wife Kathleen, who he married in 1943, was Mayor in 1976-77) and in 1991 joined his wife as an honorary Freeman of the Borough. He represented Berkshire at Rugby (Captain) and Water Polo, was President of Reading Swimming Club, a Vice-President of Reading Rugby Club, 55 years a member of the Old Boys Lodge and President of the Old Redingensians Club in 1980/81. He died in 2003 at the age of 90.

In microcosm, the crew of the boat illustrates what the School has always been capable of at its best. In the words of the present Headmaster, the members of Reading School are part of an unbroken chain, those before us, and those after us.

3. FRANK GEORGE MICHAEL WHEELER (1921-29)

The Captain of the Boat and a School Rowing Colour, he also became Captain of West House, Hon Sec of the Debating Society ‘definitely the best speaker in the Society’ and of Seekers and (like Sage and Cooper) a Sergeant in the OTC. He gained a First Class Honours degree in French at Reading University, a Dip Ed and by 1935 was Head of French at Thetford. He married Sybil Gosling in 1937 and they had a son. War intervened and he became, like Norman Gash, an Officer in the Intelligence Corps. He also rose to the rank of Major, transferring to the RAEC where he was mentioned in Despatches ‘for service in Palestine 1945-48’. A third career, still with a strong teaching element, commenced when he was ordained into the church and he continued in the ministry until his death, aged 82 in 1993.

STROKE: HOWARD MERRETT DAVIES (1923-30)

Yet another Captain of West House, School Rowing Colour and member of the Debating Society, he was also Hon Sec of Seekers (how the influence of the West House Master, J W Saunders, is reflected in all these boys). Additionally, he became Captain of the School and was CSM of the OTC. He went to Reading University and gained a BSc with Hons. (Special) in Chemistry. He married Marjorie Berry in 1938 and had a career as an agricultural scientist dying at the age of 63 in Walton-on-Thames. Howard was the elder brother of Robert Malcolm Deryck Davies (OR) who became MP for Cambridge and, like Howard, was on the political left.

COX: CHARLES STANLEY COOPER (1926-1933)

By 1932, Stanley Cox was stroking his House IV, and the following year, he became Captain of School Boats. To this should be added Captain of School, Captain of West House, Captain of Shooting and School Rugby Colours as the leader of the pack. He was a Sergeant in the OTC. and gained a Cadetship at RAF College, Cranwell, passing out, in 1935, second in the College. He married Joan French (sister of OR’s) in 1939 and their son, Chris, was born in 1941. By the time his Beaufighter was shot down in flames, in 1943, over the North Sea, he was Wing Commander C S Cooper DFC. The award was given for leading 254 Squadron ‘with great skill and dash, setting a most inspiring example’. Stanley was 29 years old.

JOHN CRISWICK: A MEMOIR

Written By John Criswick (OR 1950-1957) and Ken C Brown (OR 1955-1963).

As an introduction to John’s memoir, which we have illustrated, shortly after he left School (where he became Hon Sec of the Art Club) a trip to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) convinced him that the tropics should be his home. In 1961, armed with an art teaching degree, he emigrated to British Guiana teaching there for 11 years and then moving to his present home in Grenada where he established his internationally renowned plant nursery and garden, St Rose, situated above the village of La Mode, St Georges. His horticultural expertise has been used in Grenada’s annual exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show where it has been a frequent Gold Medal winner.

Having just read the ORA April newsletter, in which I searched fruitlessly for news of any of my contemporaries, at least those known to me, I decided I should write a memoir of my own days at Reading School and see if it results in any expressions of interest.

I was born on 13 January 1937, so I am now 85. In 1951, when I was 14, my family moved to Reading and I sat an exam, all by myself, in a little building that was some kind of library (Wells Library, right), quite near the tuck shop (image left), and as a result of this exam, I was enrolled in the School.

My best subjects were English, French and Art. The classrooms I can remember were in South House. Two of the boarders in South House became my friends, Robert Amram and Michael Wolfers. It was surprising that a brilliant sportsman like Robert Amram should befriend me because I actively disliked all games (this even extends to card games) and was hopelessly bad at them. But I was attracted to all things international from an early age (at the age of six I announced to the grown-ups that when I grew up I would not live in England) and Robert used to spend his school holidays in Milan and Istanbul. His stepfather was Turkish and his mother was born in Budapest. Being Jewish she had escaped to England just in time, but when Robert’s father flew to Croydon Airport he was refused entry into Britain, was sent back to Budapest and eventually died in a concentration camp. I knew nothing of this until decades later, however.

Michael Wolfers was also not “sportif” (to use his own word) and he came close to being related to Robert, as their grandmothers were extremely close friends, but he was academically brilliant, won all the prizes and a scholarship to Wadham College, Oxford University. He also was Jewish.

Other international students I befriended were Chua Poey Siu (1952-54 SH) from Malaysia, Ali Sinan Tanla (1952-55 SH) from Turkey and Keith Agard from Trinidad. However, I did make friends with "common" or "garden English boys", as we were the considered, in particular, Michael Jerrold, who lived quite near my home in Caversham Heights. In June 1953, when we were 16, we slept one night on the pavement in London to see the Queen the next day as she passed by after her coronation. In August of the same year, Michael Jerrold and I set off on a 6-week hitch-hiking holiday in France, where I learned to speak French. Thanks to Reading School I had been given a good grounding in French grammar, but we were never actually taught to speak French. It was treated as an academic subject. But the need to communicate with shopkeepers, and the drivers who picked us up, was so strong that I found myself speaking grammatical French. At that time, not many French people spoke English.

Another English boy I became friends with was Garth Thorne (1949-56 C), who lived in Cookham Village, also the home of the English painter Stanley Spencer. I have lost touch with Garth and cannot say if he is still alive (Ed. We understand he is alive and living in Reading). Michael Jerrold I regained communication with comparatively recently. Fun-loving Michael actually became a headmaster, which those who knew him may think riotously funny, especially himself, as he told me. But maybe he was a very good one. During our schooldays, it can be far from clear what we are cut out to be. Unfortunately, in his later years, he developed serious health problems and I received the news of his death a few years ago.

I also remember Trevor Crisp, aka Titch Crisp because of his height, a boarder in South House, and recently felt like getting in touch with him, but enquiries led to the fact of his death. This is always very sad.

Robert Amram lives in Mexico, on the peninsular of Baja California. We are in touch occasionally, but I regret that he never took to typing and emailing, which I depend on so greatly. Michael Wolfers became Africa Correspondent for The Times and went on to spend his life largely in Africa, although he also retained a house in London. On a visit to England, he was invited to the Garrick Club for the 75th birthday dinner of his old Oxford friend Melvyn Bragg, (Ed. now Lord Bragg) but unfortunately, he suffered a massive heart attack and died. He had previously had a heart operation.

We were so lucky at Reading School to have an indoor, heated swimming pool. I don’t remember thinking that we were lucky. As youngsters, we usually take everything for granted.

When I started art classes in the art room, John Liddell was the art master. We did pottery as well. An older student there was Michael Oakley, whose lino-cut of the school’s Victorian Gothic red brick building appears in the April Newsletter, bringing back memories.

Quite soon, John Liddell was replaced as art master by Harry Weinberger, destined to become a major influence in my life, my oracle, in fact. We became great friends. Also Jewish, he had escaped from Berlin just before war was declared and lived with an uncle in Hampstead, next door to Sigmund Freud. He then joined the British army and saw action in Italy. After the war he began teaching in a working-class district in London and his recollections of it sounded very much like E.R. Braithwaite’s “To Sir With Love” which I was to read later.

So Harry was well equipped to offer us a very serious view of life and he was also a very serious painter within a German expressionist genre. His uncle Josef Hermann, living in Wales, had already made a name for himself in the art world.

Once again, I feel I was lucky to go to Reading School. Harry encouraged me to paint and eventually, I decided to make a career for myself in art. The only way to do this was to become an art teacher; so in 1956 I began studying art at the School of Fine Art at Reading University, then in London Road. I spent a year at London University studying art teaching and in July 1961, I took up a position as an art master at Central High School in Georgetown, Guyana, later moving to Grenada, West Indies, where I am writing this.

TNCrisp1945-1954SH JWLiddellATD(Lond) (Staff1949-1955) MJOakley1944-1954W HWeinbergerATD(Lond) (Staff1954-1958)

JohnCriswickatStRoseNursery

THEORBOOKSHELF

Cheryl Underhill

The Box of Beautiful Letters

A wartime love story revealed from the 1939-41 correspondence between Lily Smith and RAF pilot Martyn Allies, compiled by their daughter. Martyn and Lilly were the parents of C M (Chris) Allies (1955-62) who designed the cover and E R (Bob) Allies (1964-71.) Softback £11.99 364 pp YouCaxton Publications 2021

C E (Colin) Brent OR (1946-56)

Pre-Georgian Lewes c890-1714: the emergence of a county town

This is not a new book but one of a number of scholarly, detailed and beautifully produced books on Lewes written by the foremost authority on the county town of East Sussex.

Hardcover 480 pp Colin Brent Books 2004

David Baker

Geoffrey Tristram A Very British Organist “I am He”

G O (Geoffrey) Tristram OR (1926-35) would have reached his centenary this year. He is still highly revered as a celebrated recitalist, teacher and as the remarkable organist and master of the choristers at Christchurch Priory from 1949-79.

Available with CD Hardback £29.95 Softback £16.95 380 pp AuthorHouse UK 2022

Matt Perry Stitched Up A Lady Cynthia adventure

Matt Parry is Professor M L (Martin) Parsons OR (196371). Stitched Up is a novel set against the background of the rise of Sir Oswald Mosley. Rubicon is the second Lady Cynthia adventure and set at the end of the war. Another five Lady Cynthia adventures have been completed: Spectre; Blast; Paradox; Penitential; Expendable. Why Martin turned his hand to fiction will be revealed in the 2023 ORA Newsletter….

Paperback 275 pp Available on Amazon

IN MEMORIAM

By Ken Brown (OR 1955-63) ORA Archivist & Chris Widdows (OR 1955-62) ORA Membership Secretary

Since the 22 deaths reported in The Old Redingensians Association April 2021 Newsletter, we have received notification of the deaths of the following (full obituaries will appear on the ORA website):

1.R A (Bob) Alexander (1948-55 County)

Died 5 April 2022 aged 85 Retired School Bursar Captain of County House Vice-Captain of School Survived by his wife Pauline and his two children

2. R (Bob) Elphick (1936-44 East)

Died 23 July 2022 aged 95 Former Director of family firm Hickies Pianos Ltd Survived by his wife Juliet and his five children

3. The Revd B W (Brian) Goss (1939-50 East)

Died 13 April 2022 aged 90 Clerk in Holy Orders Captain of East House Hon Sec School Boats Survived by his wife Zena and their son Chris

4.J W (John) Lewer (1952-56 East)

Died 11 July 2022 aged 81 Retired Agricultural Economist Member of 1955 Under/15 Football XI Survived by his wife Veronica and their two children

5. I C (Ian) Logan (1953-60 County)

Agricultural Chemist School 3rd XV, School 3rd XI (Capt) Survived by his two children

6. D E H (Denis) Moriarty (1943-54 West)

Lecturer and Arts Tour Director; former BBC TV Producer

Captain of School Captain of West House Captain of School Elocution (Initials) Hon Sec Debating Society (Initials) Hon Sec Dramatic Society (Initials) Boulting Drama Medal (twice) Hon Sec Opera Society (Initials) Seekers (Initials) Survived by his wife Jinnie and his three children

7. J C W (Jeremy) Richardson (1971-78 South House) Died 23 June 2022 aged 61 Headteacher Hon Sec School Boats Survived by Amanda and their three children

8. P C (Peter) Stevens (1944-54 East) Died 29 May 2022 aged 86 Retired Secretary City & Guilds Institute; Retired Clerk, Worshipful Company of Scriveners of London

Captain of East House Captain of School Boats Hon Sec Debating Society Survived by Rozia and his two children

9. M J (Michael) Vybiral (1959-65 East)

Died 15 August 2021 aged 73 Ex Deputy Headmaster School Rowing Colour Survived by his wife Di and their son Jamie

Notice has recently been received of the deaths of M J A L (Michael) Jerrold (1948-55 County) Date of Death currently unknown Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.

If you would like to report the bereavement of an Old Redingensians, please email Ken Brown at kcbrown11@aol.com and C J (Chris) Widdows at cwiddows@aol.com Please also contact the Society Office by emailing alumni@reading-school.co.uk so we can inform the school community.

Establishyour legacy

1125 Legacy Campaign

We realise that not everyone will be able to make a donation to Reading School in their lifetime. Leaving a gift in your Will is conceivably the biggest gift you can offer. Whether this is for awards and nominations for the achievements of current pupils or new structural developments, a legacy could make a huge difference to future generations. In particular, the upkeep of the historical fabric of the Alfred Waterhouse building is a main priority.

The legacy of Miss Evelyn Mary Aust, who gifted a substantial sum of money to the Reading Foundation in her will, was devoted to the reparation and maintenance of the main school. This was only possible with the help of alumni and parental contributions. Contact Jas Chhokar (Society Manager) or the Headmaster at development@reading-school.co.uk, if you would like to discuss your pledge or intend to leave one in your will in the future. We would like to ensure we fulfil your wishes and thank you for your overwhelming kindness.

IAN G JUDD IN MEMORIAM

Ian Judd (1950-2022), committed 40 years of his professional life to Reading School and continued to play a key role on the Reading Foundation. A former pupil and member of staff, Ian embodied the ethos and values of Reading School. He was a titan of Reading School, a bastion of our values and his sad passing this year meant that we lost a champion, advocate and friend. He would always be willing to advise on how we could continue to provide an inspirational education and enable our students and staff to flourish.

The many messages of condolences received since Ian’s passing is evidence that he was a well-respected, inspirational and loved figure in the lives of students and staff. Tributes poured in and we share some of these below:

“Everybody has that one school teacher that inspires them and influences their adult life. 'Mr Judd' was that teacher for me and I wouldn't be where I was today if it wasn't for his Chemistry lessons. My thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP Ian - You will be greatly missed!” K.Khan(OR)

“Desperately sad news. Outstanding teacher, tirelessly dedicated to Reading School and its students and just the most supportive colleague and friend. I feel extremely privileged to have worked alongside you Ian, thank you.”

R.Giubertoni(ORandformerteacher)

“This man single-handedly got me into University. He was the best teacher I ever had. He bled Reading and it is a really sad day. Mr Judd, an absolute Reading School legend.” P. Heafield (OR)

“Rest in peace, Juddy. The loveliest man and a great colleague.” L.Williams(OR)

“A true gentleman and dedicated to Reading School” G.Rackley(Formerteacher)

“A sad loss. Helped inspire my love of hockey, a game I’m still playing nearly 35 years after leaving Reading School.” B.Goodall(OR)

“…genuinely interested in what people were doing or had to say. Nurtured without you realising it at the time. Very lucky to have had him as a form tutor. He needed all his patience and dry sense of humour with us!” R.Lovie(OR)

“Always reassuring and endlessly wise with a sharp sense of humour. He will be much missed.” A. Bullard (Former teacher)

“Really sad news. Mr Judd was a great teacher who really cared. His revision classes prior to exams were exceptional. My thoughts with his family and loved ones.” S.Malik(OR)

“Excellent teacher and cared. To my astonishment he remembered me when I met him at the Westminster event a few years ago and I had a most interesting conversation with him and the sadly also recently departed Mike Evans. RIP!” S.Sanders(OR)

“Sorry to hear about Ian’s passing awa. I will always remember him as a friend of Frydenhøjskolen. He will be greatly missed. All the best to his family, friends and to everyone at Reading School. RIP Ian.” G.G.Waaentz(PartnershipSchoolin Denmark)

“Very sad news - he was an inspiring teacher and always got everyone engaged and excited to learn. He was a true legend and will be missed.” C.Starke(OR)

“Like an earlier contribution, I was in east wing with Ian Judd a year ahead of me. I met him at RS many years later and it was clear that the school was so important to him. RIP” G.Finner(OR)

“Desperately sad news. Outstanding teacher, tirelessly dedicated to RS and its students and just the most supportive colleague/friend. I feel extremely privileged to have worked alongside you Ian, thank you ❤” . B.Coggan(Formerteacher).

Portrait created by former art student, Martin Chak (OR 2014)

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Donors living in the USA can donate to Reading School and qualify for a US tax deduction by donating through the British Schools and Universities Foundation, Inc (BSUF). Reading School is registered with the BSUF, which is a charitable organisation recognised by the US Internal Revenue Service under Section 501 (c) (3). When asked to indicate the name of the Approved Institution you would like to benefit from your gift, please enter the words: ‘Reading School Charitable Fund’. Click the link here to learn about the many way you can donate to support Reading School - Donate — British Schools & Universities Foundation (bsuf.org).

Ifyouwishtodiscussyourcontribution,pleasecontact Ifyouwishtodiscussyourcontribution,pleasecontact JasChhokar(SocietyManager) JasChhokar(SocietyManager) byemailatdevelopment@reading-school.co.ukorcall01189015600Ext249 byemailatdevelopment@reading-school.co.ukorcall01189015600Ext249