The Reptonian 2018-19

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2018/19 Academic Year

2018 /2019

www.repton.org.uk

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Reptonian 2018 Cover - Outer

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

CONTENTS 04 EDITORIAL & SALVETE

THE EDITORIAL TEAM Editor

E Hopkins (L6F)

Sub-Editors

JMJH, A. Berger (L6F), F. Brown (L6M), L. Staley (L6F), W. Whitten (L6L)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Photography

M. Wolford, JMJH, Ady Kerry, David Bellin (www.hockeytoday.co.uk) IJW, GLH, OMW, The Housemasters

Archive Material PJS Front and Back Cover

M. Wolford

Design

Optima Graphic Design Consultants Ltd.

Print

Pyramid Press

Repton School, Repton, Derby DE65 6FH Telephone 01283 559200 Email registrar@repton.org.uk

48 DRAMA

58 ART & DESIGN

www.repton.org.uk

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Reptonian 2019 Cover - Inside

10 REPTON ROUND

36 MUSIC

28 FEATURES

64 SPORT

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112 VALETE

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EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL Reality is uncomfortable to deal with.

The ice caps are melting. Forests are being destroyed. Climate change is destroying the Earth at such a rapid rate that we only have twelve years before the damage is irreversible.

Racism, homophobia, ableism, and sexism are still rife. Chihuahua is still spelled like that.

It’s far easier to turn a blind eye to the large-scale things that are going to destroy everything or to ‘do your bit’ without really doing anything. And as good as low-level action is, there comes a point where it does nothing. On a basic consumer level, there seems to be some things that make a difference. But, quite frankly, occasionally avoiding plastic straws is not going to help when 2,000 billion fish are killed each year. Recycling the odd bit of paper will do nothing when one-and-a-half acres of forest are being cut down every second.

Political apathy will be the end of the world. There comes a time when further action must be taken, and I believe we have reached that time.

Notre Dame burns and, within two days, 900 million euros (roughly £778 million) was pledged by billionaires to the famously poor Catholic Church to aid in its reconstruction.

Two days. Now imagine if Grenfell Tower had beautiful stained-glass and ancient artefacts instead of just people. Imagine if Flint, Michigan, which has been without clean water since 2014, was a favourite tourist location, instead of just a place that 96,000 people call home.

Imagine if the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam and a place of incalculable historical value, received the same support and coverage as Notre Dame did when it burned.

Billionaires have proven just how easily they can solve issues such as the tragedy (and it is a tragedy, make no mistake) of the near-collapse of Notre Dame: a snap of their fingers and repairs are partially (if not wholly) funded. It leaves me wondering where was this energy, this desire to help, for those who are affected by their homes being destroyed, victims of terrorism, immigrants fleeing war-torn countries?

Simple answer: they just don’t care. Most of the world’s problems could be solved if the richest 1% cared about human beings the same way they care about stained-glass.

So, it’s down to us, this whole change-theworld-for-the-better thing. Get out there: use those paper straws, recycle the hell out of that paper, protest, lobby, write to politicians, fight for what you know to be right. The time for action, the time for change, is now.

ELLA HOPKINS (L6F)

SALVETE MJS In April 2019, Mark Semmence became Repton’s 36th Headmaster. Educated at Hurstpierpoint College, he went on to gain a BA and MBA at Durham, later completing an MA at Warwick and a PGCE at London. Mark’s early career was in international sports marketing, working in London, New York and Dubai, with clients including the ATP, Cricket and Rugby World Cup organising committees. In his teaching career, he spent seven years at Rugby School, where he was Assistant Head Master, taught Economics and ran the cricket, before being appointed Headmaster of Mount Kelly in Devon, where he set about effectively transforming the infrastructure of the school. A passion for cricket saw him represent England Schools U19 and Durham University in his youth, while he is now a member of the HMC Sports Committee and MCC Mentor for Durham University CC. In addition to enjoying a range of sports, Mark’s many interests include politics, current affairs and the arts. He is joined at Repton by his wife, Alison, and their two daughters.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

CTI Craig Innocent has been teaching Chemistry at Repton since January 2018, so his ‘salvete’ is somewhat belated, but no less welcoming. Having gained a degree in Chemistry from the University of Nottingham, he trained to teach at Shirebrook Academy, Mansfield and also taught at Bourne Grammar School.

Since September, he has been Resident Tutor of Latham House, where he lives with his partner, Emily (an OR and daughter of a long-serving member of staff). He is a keen sportsman, particularly enjoying rugby and cricket, coaching both (as well as some football) at Repton. He and Emily particularly enjoy the community feel of Repton.

What is the meaning of life?

Food and drink.

What fruit do you most relate to?

Coconut.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

Buy a yacht and sail around the world.

What’s the best film ever made?

Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

RJO A graduate of the Royal College of Music, Roger Owens joins us as Head of Keyboard and School Organist from Peter Symonds College, Winchester, where he was Head of Keyboard Studies.

He has enjoyed a career as a concert pianist – that has seen him travel the world – so we are grateful that he has settled for our corner of Derbyshire! In addition to his musical commitments, Roger is the A Block Tutor in Latham House and, away from school, enjoys attending concerts, reading, cycling and watching Wales win at rugby! He is joined in Repton by his wife, two children and their dog, Benno.

What is the meaning of life?

Music is the meaning of life.

What fruit do you most relate to?

A peach: juicy on the outside, but with a hard core.

What’s the best film ever made?

It’s a Wonderful Life.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I represented my school at rugby.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I cannot touch my elbows together.

LECB The new Housemistress of The Abbey from September 2018 is Laura Bispham, who arrives with her husband, Matt, and their daughter, Florence. She read a BA degree in Natural Sciences at St John’s, Cambridge, followed by a PGCE and an MA in Philosophy and Religion at Heythrop College, London. Her varied teaching career to date includes spells at The Perse and Cranleigh and, most recently, the International School of Brussels. In addition to her important pastoral role, she teaches Biology and, in her own time, enjoys singing, walking, baking, Church and travelling.

The most enjoyable part of the Repton experience for her so far is ‘starting to understand the Repton lingo’!

What is the meaning of life?

To make your own meaning.

What fruit do you most relate to?

A pink grapefruit: zesty, colourful, and great first thing in the morning.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

Sailing around the world with my own crew.

What’s the best film ever made?

It’s a TV series rather than a film, but I will watch the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice adaptation again and again.

JRL Jonathan Lewis joined the PE Department in September. Having graduated from St Luke’s College, University of Exeter, his early career saw him teach in Exeter, where he met his wife, Mary. A six-month sabbatical to Australia to examine the sporting structure (an old A-Level PE topic) turned into twelve years living and working in Perth. As well as teaching both GCSE and A-Level PE, Jonathan coaches Games and is a tutor in School House. He has thoroughly enjoyed being involved in the hockey programme, coaching the 2nd XI boys, although remembering names has sometimes been a challenge!

A long-suffering Spurs supporter, he has (mostly) been enjoying their recent renaissance; he also enjoys walking, cycling, exploring the local area with family and friends, as well as appreciating the therapeutic nature of gardening and cooking.

What is the meaning of life?

I’ll have to ask my wife.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

I’d buy all my friends and family a Spurs season ticket.

What’s the best film ever made?

Aliens. Or possibly One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Then again, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. No, too difficult.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I am a Super Champion at the After Eight Challenge.

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EDITORIAL

ML Dr Matthew Lakin is one of two additions, this year, to the Politics and History Departments, treading what is becoming a well-worn path from Whitgift School. Educated at John Port, Oriel College, Oxford and Durham University, he has researched and published a series of papers on ‘new centrism’ in politics and, in these politically challenging times, has more projects in the pipeline, including a retrospective re-examination of the Blair years. At Repton, he is the non-resident ‘Resident Tutor’ of The Orchard and heads up the Oxbridge applications team. He is keen to improve the academic ‘super-curriculum’ and describes Repton as ‘convivial, amiable, relaxed (too relaxed at times!) and public-spirited’. Away from all this, he looks after two ‘deranged’ kittens and is learning how to be a dad, following the birth of his daughter, Isabella, in December.

What is the meaning of life?

42.

What fruit do you most relate to?

Pomegranate.

What’s the best film ever made?

Good Will Hunting.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I’m scared of balloons.

RER Dr Ruth Rose is the latest recruit to the English Department. After reading English Literature at Queen’s University, Belfast, she stayed on to do an MA and PhD in Creative Writing, before returning to her native Birmingham to do her PGCE. Prior to Repton, she taught at Wood Green Academy in Wednesbury and de Ferrers Academy in Burton. In addition to her teaching, she is a tutor in Field and a Sixth Form Tutor, as well as helping out with Debating and Community Action. Having always worked in the state sector, she has found the late nights at Repton challenging, but enjoys everything else – especially house dining! Away from work, she reads, watches a lot of Netflix and is writing a Young Adult novel. She lives with her husband, Steve, and ‘the worst cat in the world’, Bonney.

What is the meaning of life?

To be a little bit kinder than you need to be.

What fruit do you most relate to?

Figs. Sort of round.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

Travel. And books.

What’s the best film ever made?

Attack the Block.

TJAS The most recent addition to the Physics Department, Tim Smith, read a degree in Physics at the University of St Andrews and taught at Bootham, Ampleforth College and Teesside High School, before joining Repton. Initially the A Block Tutor in New House, he was poached to be Resident Tutor of The Cross at Christmas – a position he is thoroughly enjoying. Moreover, he coached the 5th XI football team, U14 B girls’ tennis and is involved in the Duke of Edinburgh programme, while, in his own time, he enjoys golf, tennis and snooker and plays the piano and flute. Although Repton is ‘very busy and tiring’, he likes that ‘the variety keeps things fresh’ and particularly likes the facilities and staff in the Sci-Pri. What is the meaning of life?

To leave the world a slightly better place.

What fruit do you most relate to?

Pineapple.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

A sailing yacht.

What’s the best film ever made?

Inception.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I am a Physics geek, deep down.

LEP Lucy Politowski returns as the new addition to the Design and Technology Department. Educated at Repton (Field House), she went on to study Jewellery Design and Metalwork at the University of Dundee, before completing her PGCE in Design and Technology at The University of Manchester. Prior to her return to Derbyshire, she taught at both Winchester House School in Northamptonshire and Bromsgrove School. Miss Politowski has also been an excellent addition to The Mitre tutor team and has enjoyed coaching the U15 C girls’ hockey team. Outside of school, she enjoys travelling in the holidays and spending time with her family and friends.

What is the meaning of life?

A very difficult question. I’m not sure if I can answer, but, in the words of Monty Python, “Always look on the bright side of life”.

What fruit can you relate most to and why?

Apple crumble counts as one of my five-a-day, right?

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

If I really had to waste it, I would waste it on shoes.

What’s the best film ever made?

I’m not sure which film is the best, but I am a big fan of an animated Disney film.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I didn’t learn to read fluently until I was nine.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

MLL Dr Martyn Lawley joined the Repton community this year as Teacher of Maths.

Educated at The Friary School, Lichfield and the University of Birmingham, he previously taught at North London Collegiate School. Martyn is a tutor in New House and a Sixth Form tutor, also coaching U14 C football. He lives in Repton with his partner, Gemma, and their cat, Tilly. He enjoys football, cricket and books of any kind. He has so far found Repton to be ‘really nice’ and comments that ‘the pupils are possibly the most polite I’ve ever seen in a school’.

What is the meaning of life?

Probably life is just something (anything!) to fill the void.

What fruit do you most relate to?

An orange – for obvious reasons!

What’s the best film ever made?

The Empire Strikes Back.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I’ve never eaten ketchup in my life.

SMB Sam Broderick was appointed for one year to teach Politics and History to all age-groups. Educated at QEGS, Wakefield and the University of Hull, he worked for some years in a non-education-related career, before taking a Master’s in Cultural Heritage Management at York and then Initial Teacher Training in two Doncaster schools. In addition to his teaching, Sam has been the B Block Tutor in School House, Careers Assistant and has helped out with the Duke of Edinburgh programme. Outside school, he enjoys watching rugby union (being unable to play anymore, for medical reasons), attending horseracing meetings and reading and learning about military history, heritage and the historical environment. We wish him well for the future.

What is the meaning of life?

42.

What fruit do you most relate to?

Apple.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

A trip to Vegas and a stupidly expensive car.

What’s the best film ever made?

Battle of Britain.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

My age. I’m 33.

LMS Lorna Sharman joins the MFL Department this year as a Teacher of French. She studied an MA at the University of Leeds, followed by practice teaching placements in Sheffield. Repton is her first full-time teaching job. Lorna is a Sixth Form Tutor and part of The Mitre’s pastoral tutor team and has been an excellent addition to the House. In addition, she has also helped with the Debating Society. Outside school, one of Miss Sharman’s keen hobbies is Irish dancing – something she hopes to start up here at Repton!

What is the meaning of life?

I think it would probably take several lifetimes at least to work that out! But happiness and kindness seem like a good start.

What fruit do you most relate to?

Apple. I grew up with a garden full of apple trees; they bring back many fond memories.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

Books! What else?

What’s the best film ever made?

I’m a fan of Looking for Eric: a funny but poignant look at family and mental health.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

A few years ago, I used to work as a tour guide in a bell foundry.

I could probably still give you a detailed account of how bells are made.

ISPH Isabelle Hearnshaw is another Old Reptonian returning to teach in the Biology Department. After Repton, she spent five years at Durham University, studying an undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences and a Master’s in Education, also working on the university’s Tennis programme – something she is keen to do at Repton, too, as a former Captain of Tennis. In addition to her teaching, she is a tutor in The Garden, coached hockey, netball and tennis, and helped lead Christian Forum on Friday evenings. She is also heading out to Ghana in the summer to continue the school’s fantastic partnership with Ghanaian schools. Outside the classroom, in addition to playing tennis, she enjoys heading back to Yorkshire to see her family and dogs. She leaves this summer in order to complete her PGCE. What is the meaning of life?

Come along to Christian Forum and find out for yourself!

What fruit do you most relate to?

Grapefruit.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

Retirement.

What’s the best film ever made?

I have only watched four films.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I was the first female Tennis President at Durham University.

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EDITORIAL

MPEC Our French assistante this year has been Margot Castillon, who, in addition to the usual duties expected, has also taught French to some full-sized classes – and Maurice Land! After studying at the Universities of Marseille and Perpignan, she worked in her parents’ vineyard and did an internship in accounting before coming to the UK. She has thrown herself into beginners’ hockey at Repton Hockey Club (when not injured), enjoys skiing and travelling – and can often be found after hours in one of the local pubs!

What is the meaning of life?

Finding your own happiness and not listening to other people’s opinions.

What fruit do you most relate to?

Strawberries.

What’s the best film ever made?

The Lord of the Rings.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I have a twin sister (non-identical).

JPCR Starting in April 2019, we welcomed Jon-Paul Cooper-Richards as Director of Drama. Having attended Pool Hayes School, a comprehensive in the West Midlands, he moved on to read a degree in Theatre Studies at Trinity College, Carmarthen and studied his PGCE in Secondary Drama at Birmingham City University. At Repton, he is responsible both for the teaching of academic Drama at GCSE and A-Level and for the production and direction of school shows. Away from school, Jon-Paul’s hobbies include travel, cooking and keeping fit, as well as a passion for live theatre. Joining him at Repton is his partner and their six-year-old son, Sebastian, who has started at Foremarke.

What is the meaning of life?

To take advantage of the opportunities that are given to you, so you have no regrets.

What fruit do you most relate to?

A grape.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

A French chateaux.

What’s the best film ever made?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I have performed on stage with Take That.

HFF

Which fruit do you relate to most, and why?

Avocado: not everything is as it seems!

TRINITY COUPLAND-SMITH (U6M)

Hattie Farmer joined us as Artist in Residence, having graduated from The Royal College of Art, where she completed her Masters in Painting, following three years studying Fine Art at Brighton University. A valuable addition to the Department, she has been involved in everything art-related at Repton – teaching for half the week, assisting IJW and helping supervise Thursday evening life-drawing classes. The rest of the week, she could be found in her studio above Textiles, working on her own art. Hattie has many exhibitions in the pipeline, from her New Court Gallery exhibition in March to a solo exhibition in London in June. Outside of the art world, she enjoys going to the cinema, music and visiting galleries. She leaves us this summer to return to London and we wish her well.

If you had a million pounds just to waste, what would you waste it on?

It would have to be something reckless if I were to ‘waste’…

In that case, easy: clothes!

What’s the best film ever made?

Blade Runner – the original! No doubt about it!

Tell us one surprising fact about yourself.

I once participated in a magic show on BBC3 – which left 7-year-old me embarrassed on national television!

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

REUBEN BLAKEMAN (U6C)

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IT IS NOT THE HOUSES. IT IS THE SPACES BETWEEN THE HOUSES.

James Fenton (OR)

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REPTON ROUND

HOUSE REPORT NEW HOUSE

THE GARDEN

House Triumph of the Year: Doing the double in House Hockey.

B Blocker of the Year: Harry Stone, for excelling in pretty much every area.

A or O Blocker of the Year: Aituar Kadyrbekov, for turning his lost VISA into a conspiracy theory involving numerous British Government agencies...

Best in-House Meal: Caroline can turn any pie into something delicious...

Sixth-Former of the Year: Ed Albone, for giving us a glimpse into his future as a police officer who specialises in breaking down doors, and for telling our Housemaster exactly what he thinks to his face...

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: DJR becoming an instant celebrity after MOTD and Sky broadcast his almighty roar of celebration when Crystal Palace actually managed to score a goal.

Funniest Moment of the Year: Watching the A Block trying to learn their Barnes Squad drill.

WILL BALDERSTON (U6N)

House Triumph of the Year: Winning Best Drill in Barnes Squad.

And always putting in effort, regardless of the result.

B Blocker of the Year: Georgie Barlow, for being the first Garden Junior to cross the line at Steeplechase – and for burning the most popcorn in one year!

A or O Blocker of the Year: Emma Mansfield, whose year group convinced her, at Hallowe’en, that the House was haunted!

Best in-House Meal: Mr Lees’ cookies!

Sixth-Former of the Year: Uma, purely for being Uma! One of the funniest people going!

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: When AG got a bit stressed with Domino’s for getting our pizza order so wrong!

Funniest Moment of the Year: When Issy broke the glass bowls by closing the dining room shutters... (You had to be there!)

ANNA STONE (U6G)

THE MITRE House Triumph of the Year: Sleeping rough to raise £2500 for charity.

B Blocker of the Year: Ella Bowman – an angel child.

A or O Blocker of the Year: Eliza Martin, for winning ‘the race to the gate’.

Best in-House Meal: Pasta Leonardo.

Sixth-Former of the Year: Kazzy, for getting into the University of Louisville.

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: Mr & Mrs Jenkinson’s cardboard ‘private side’ and Julie’s fabulous hugs.

Funniest Moment of the Year: Trinny tripping over as she sprinted to get to the Easter egg hunt!

LUCY GOULD (U6M) 12

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

THE CROSS House Triumph of the Year: Retaining our Swimming titles and winning Junior House Football.

B Blocker of the Year: Sam Rollett – a big character in the House, always causing mischief, but he’s calmed down a lot and impressed us all with his hockey skills.

A or O Blocker of the Year: Max Mackrill, who has shown a lot more maturity and calmness this year, working towards his GCSEs. Perhaps it was all to impress someone special…

Best in-House Meal: Every Wednesday and Sunday lunch, Sally does the most amazing roast.

Sixth-Former of the Year: Ollie Whittingham – key to winning House Swimming, coming second in Harmony, leading our Sale of Work efforts, winning two Individual House Music Competitions – and he’s quite clever too, don’t you know…

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: TJAS, who downplayed his pool-playing ability – and then 7-balled Michael and me...

Funniest Moment of the Year: Unison. It’s fair to say that we weren’t the best and could have done with a few more weeks’ practice. However, we all had a good laugh – even those dressed as cheerleaders.

LATHAM HOUSE House Triumph of the Year: Winning Senior League Football.

B Blocker of the Year: Gonzalo, for reading a Chemistry dictionary purely for entertainment.

A or O Blocker of the Year: Anoop, for being so good at cricket.

Best in-House Meal: Chicken Kiev.

Sixth-Former of the Year: Teddy Fluck, for being a fantastic Danny in Grease.

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: RMM getting a curry with the boys every week.

Funniest Moment of the Year: Multiple atrocious haircuts.

GEORGE GOUGH (U6L)

OLLIE BRIERLEY (U6C)

THE PRIORY

SCHOOL HOUSE

House Triumph of the Year: Successfully defending the title of best boys’ house in Unison.

House Triumph of the Year: Winning Senior House Football (finally beating Orchard).

B Blocker of the Year: Arthur Squire, for winning multiple football titles with the U14 As. A or O Blocker of the Year: Joe Riley and Will Ingham, for being the first O-Blockers in history to lead a Barnes Squad team to victory.

Best in-House Meal: Sunday roast.

Sixth-Former of the Year: Rahul KaushalBolland and Artem Aliev, for continuing our fantastic performances in Unison.

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: Finding out TML ‘won the Lottery’ and ‘came runner-up on Come Dine with Me’.

Funniest Moment of the Year: The B Block dropping almost every gift at Christmas House Supper.

B Blocker of the Year: Eagle Huang, for bringing his noodlemaker into school.

A or O Blocker of the Year: Tom Jones, for scoring the winning – and only – goal in the Senior Football Final.

Best in-House Meal: Mark’s School House chicken.

Sixth-Former of the Year: Joel Muir – just an all-round good bloke!

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: JDS’ ‘dab’ at House Supper.

Funniest Moment of the Year: Jacob ‘King of the Yard’ Webb being knocked out of the ‘one-touch’ Yard Football competition.

FINLEY BYRNE (U6S)

PARRAS JOSHI (U6P) 13

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REPTON ROUND

THE ABBEY House Triumph of the Year: Winning Unison for the second year in a row.

B Blocker of the Year: Polly Ross – a good egg, who’s always happy to help.

A or O Blocker of the Year: Lucy Richards, for her enthusiasm around House and willingness to partake in any House event.

Best in-House Meal: Simon’s ravioli and Rachel’s brownies.

Sixth-Former of the Year: Eliza Peters, for her role as Sports and B Block prefect and being always reliable.

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: When LECB announced that, as we had moved to Summer Timetable, everyone was allowed out after Tea. Quickly rescinded!

Funniest Moment of the Year: Hallowe’en “haunted corridor”: Jaz assaulting LECB with a pillow.

SOPHIE EARP (U6A)

THE ORCHARD

FIELD HOUSE House Triumph of the Year: Winning four out of five trophies at Steeplechase, the Senior Girls scoring just 85 points.

B Blocker of the Year: Megan Prince, for winning both 1st place and 1st B Block Girl in Junior Steeplechase.

A or O Blocker of the Year: Comfort – for being herself!

Best in-House Meal: GKR’s surprise baby shower.

Sixth-Former of the Year: Lily Walker, for being picked to play England U21 Hockey, aged 16.

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment AND Funniest Moment of the Year: PJG pouring gravy onto his profiteroles, thinking it was chocolate sauce!!!

IMMY NIEPER (U6F)

House Triumph of the Year: Winning House Harmony.

B Blocker of the Year: Luke Bahia, for scoring an unreal amount of goals in the football season.

A or O Blocker of the Year: James Smith, for his fantastic accompaniment during Unison.

Best in-House Meal: Hunter’s Chicken.

Sixth-Former of the Year: Tom Cruickshanks, for running the Parker 400.

Best Houseparent, Tutor or Matron Moment: Dr Lakin becoming a father.

Funniest Moment of the Year: Oli Hickman’s awful free kicks in the Senior House Football Final.

ANGUS EDWARDS (U6O) 14

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

SOCIETIES THE TEMPLE SOCIETIES Rigorous and productively creative engagement with material beyond the examined syllabuses is not confined to the senior pupils in the School: the Temple Societies, comprised mainly of the Scholars and Exhibitioners in B, A and O Block, also had a remarkable year, with notable highlights being the exploration of artwork and poetry chosen by the pupils themselves.

Mary Brown (4M) surprised few present with the understated academe and sensitivity to nuance of her exegesis of W.B. Yeats’ ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’.

Another of the leading lights of A Block, Latham’s Aarondev Atwal, delivered a searingly poignant and honest analysis of Blake’s ‘A Poison Tree’. George Wilkinson (4P), one of the cohort’s most deeply reflective and intellectually arresting students, uncovered for us one of Banksy’s less well-known works, Yellow Lines Flower Painter, leading to a highly fecund discussion of the accessibility and role of art in the modern world.

The current B Block were no less impressive in their choices and discussions, with stand-outs being Manav Chitkara (3O) on ‘Mother to Son’ by Langston Hughes, Megan Prince (3M) on ‘Those Winter Sundays’ by Robert Hayden and a beguiling Russian doll of a discussion of Claire Lee’s ‘Living in Numbers’, led

by Gonzalo Mugarra (3L). If you have a hankering to have your preconceptions and perspectives challenged, however, turn your eyes to Cornelis Massijs’ portrait of Henry VIII: Sophie Derby (3M) is a paradigm of scholarship and ingenuous, voracious love of learning, and the guided tour she gave us of this compelling engraving will live long in the memory of all privileged to enjoy it.

It is, indeed, a privilege to work with pupils so eager to delve beyond the curriculum, to respond to others’ ideas and to share so openly their appreciation of the beauty and intrigue they find in the world of learning.

CSD

THE MEDICAL SOCIETY Interest in MedSoc has continued to grow, with over 20 regular attendees, from O Block to U6. With a variety of events, from visiting speakers to brain dissections, Medsoc continues to educate and inspire pupils with an interest in medicine, dentistry and veterinary-related careers.

We kicked off the year by welcoming back OR James Shires, who is currently in his fifth and final year at Nottingham University, studying Medicine. James was Secretary of Medsoc when he was at Repton, so it was really inspiring to hear about his experiences ‘beyond the bubble’. He left us with some insightful advice on interviews and the application process in general, which many of the U6 medics certainly benefited from.

Then came a talk from Professor of Adult Nursing, Dr Nicola Ashby, on the politics of healthcare, focusing more on the advancements of Nursing as a profession.

Nicola highlighted many different aspects of healthcare that are often overlooked; her presentation was enjoyed by staff and pupils. The talk also outlined the effects of international politics and Brexit on the NHS – brilliant for the Sixth Form, many of whom were being interviewed around the time!

While there are currently a group of 14 Sixth-Formers who volunteer on a weekly basis at Royal Derby Hospital, two pupils recently went a step further and travelled to Nepal to assist orthopaedic surgeon, Professor Rohan Rajan. William Balderston (U6N) and Eleanor Bond (L6F) shared the details of this incredible experience with us one evening in the lecture theatre.

In the Summer Term we welcomed back Daniel Earp (OR), who is currently studying Dentistry at Sheffield University. It was great to hear from another of our former pupils about their experiences, as there are as many aspiring dentists as medics in the current L6. At the time of writing, we are additionally planning to have a visit from an ex-army doctor to hear about the exciting opportunities a career in the military can offer; not only to aspiring doctors, but dentists and nursing roles too.

The two MMI practice interview events, skilfully organised by SMI, with actual timed stations, tested the U6 on a range of interview skills, from problem-solving to role-play. With nine six-minute-long stations run by doctors, professors and members of staff, we were thoroughly prepared for what to expect at an interview. The time and effort that went into making the stations so realistic was really appreciated; a huge thank you must go to SMI, without whom none of this would be possible.

We owe him our thanks for all his support and advice throughout the year.

IZZY SWALES (U6A) & HARRIET GREENE (U6G) 15

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THE DEBATING SOCIETY Ladies, gentlemen, chair.

At the end of five years as part of the Debating Society, I’ve seen multiple teachers, countless competitions and endless unexplainable calls. In spite of all this, 2018-2019 was one of the most successful and entertaining years in the Society that I had the privilege of being part of.

The first major event was, of course, the House Debating Competition.

With performances from hardened BP-enthusiasts to complete novices, it was one of the most competitive tournaments that I can remember.

The final, fought between Priory, Orchard, Mitre and Field, was tense – a complicated motion concerning the actions of parents whose children have been involved with crime presenting a unique challenge to all teams. At the end of the hour-and-a-half, Jacob Davies (L6O) and Callum Inman (L6O) took the trophy back to The Orchard for the second year running (marking four unsuccessful finals for me – something I’ll be sure to remember when I judge them in next year’s final!).

As we moved into the national competitions, we were lucky enough to attain a series of victories, qualifying yet again for the international finals of both the Cambridge and Oxford competitions.

The Oxford Competition was a particularly proud moment for the Society, with two teams qualifying: Jacob Davies and Lucas Pringle (U6P), alongside Millie Owen-Jones (4A) and Mary Brown (4M). Millie’s and Mary’s success in qualifying for this final in their first year of competitive debating is a significant achievement, as well as good experience for both. Against some of the best teams in the country, Repton finished in the top 30, with Lucas Pringle ranked 25th individually.

“It is a mark of the development of the Society to see its future taking such good shape...”

Moving away from British Parliamentary, the Society found success in the ESU Schools’ Mace, a prepared debating competition in a different format from our usual scene. Callum Inman and Lucas Pringle progressed through three qualifying rounds, debating issues varying from banning the consumption of meat, to whether the police should be forced to wear body cameras, to whether corporate social responsibility helps or harms the causes it targets. In an achievement only once before attained by Repton, we won each of these qualifying rounds, attaining the title of Midlands Champions and qualifying for the National Final against the top twelve teams in the country.

Travelling to London, in spite of minor technical difficulties, we faced off Dulwich College in a tightly-fought debate on the following motion:

‘This House believes that it is better to create new minority characters than to re-write or re-cast existing characters as minorities’.

It is a mark of the development of the Society to see its future taking such good shape: Millie and Mary, not complacent with qualifying for the Oxford Final in their first year, cruised to victory in the International Competition for Young Debaters Midlands Round, becoming regional champions and qualifying for the international finals.

Competing against the top 42 teams from across the world, the pair achieved a first in one of the four rounds, as well as strong finishes in the others.

I’m sure I speak for everyone in the Society when I say that we are extremely thankful for the amount of effort and dedication that JDS and the other staff members involved have put into the Repton Debating society. In spite of multiple awful judges, militarily-trained London schools, violent hand gestures, equity violations and requests for snapchats, they have persisted in training and guiding all members of the Society.

Never been prouder to propose.

LUCAS PRINGLE (U6P)

A complex issue, no doubt; in spite of which, we put in an excellent performance, unfortunately bested by a team in a different debate in (to be charitable) a dubious call. Regardless, it was an excellent achievement for the Society.

The Durham Competition, a staple of Repton debating culture, was of course one of the highlights of the year. A two-day event, bringing debaters from across the world together, you cannot imagine a livelier and more exciting group of people with whom to spend the first weekend of your Easter holiday. In spite of narrowly missing out on the break, yet again, each team put up a fantastic performance, all attaining a first in at least one round, with special mention to Freddie Dumbill (5P).

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THE CHRISTIAN FORUM “Christian Forum just isn’t the same without Mr Goudge”, as we’re frequently reminded by our regulars!

This summer saw us waving a sad goodbye to him, with immense gratitude for the brilliant job he’d done of running CF, following the departure of the legendary Mr Keep two years previously. We also bade a fond farewell to our U6 leavers, and we miss them all. However, we were delighted in the Michaelmas Term to welcome ISPH, an Old Reptonian fresh from completing her Master’s at Durham. She joined NJP as joint Master i/c CF. The Michaelmas Term saw us looking through The Bible at ‘People God Used’.

It was great to hear from a good number of external speakers (including some ORs), as well as hearing from some members of staff over the course of the term.

We looked at a range of Bible characters, some well-known, others less so. Each story reminded us of a loving God who works in and through people. They, like those of us who attend CF, have flaws and shortcomings, but can trust in a perfect God. We even had a go ourselves at thinking of people who, by their life and example, have something valuable to teach us as we live our lives.

Lent gave us a chance to look in some detail at Philippians, a letter in the New Testament written to one of the early Churches (and NJP’s favourite book of The Bible, completely coincidentally!). We were particularly grateful that WMAL made time to come and speak to us early on in the term, in his final visit to CF before heading to pastures new at Easter. Alongside sessions on Philippians, we also did a few more ‘practical’ sessions over the course of the term.

Each Friday night, fuelled by pizza and the occasional biscuit, we’ve enjoyed time together, asking lots of questions (some of which have been less serious than others…) and thinking about faith. Of course, newcomers are always welcome.

If you come on time, you might even get to the pizza before the Cross boys do!

NJP & ISPH

THE MARRIOTT SOCIETY The Marriott Society has had a very busy year! We were lucky, as in previous years, to host former member of Common Room, John Plowright – for the Plowright Lecture – on the topic of the history and current fortunes of the Labour Party. We have had visits from Baroness Byford, talking about the work of a peer in the House of Lords; Lord Egremont on World War One commemorations; and Lucy Harris from Leavers of Britain to explain the social divides created by Brexit and attendant problems.

Aside from these external speakers, the Marriott Society has also hosted its own informal debates over a range of controversial political issues. These have ranged from identity politics, abortion, white and male privilege and, of course, Brexit! In the Michaelmas Term, the Marriott Society joined forces with the Debating Society to host a debate on the merits of a second Brexit referendum.

The Society continues to go from strength to strength and is one most well-attended of Repton’s societies: it serves as a ‘safe space’ for free speech and encompasses the wide spectrum of political views of Reptonians; we hope it serves as an example to the rest of the world of how open discourse is the best way for Politics to be debated!

JOE TRUELOVE (U6L) & ML

THE RAMSEY SOCIETY The Ramsey Society this year was a smaller group than is normally the case, but also one considerably above-par for its intellectual calibre, a fact refl ected in the content and timbre of the papers delivered.

Katherine Carr (U6F), one of the School’s great polymaths, started us off with an examination of Othello, and the nature of tragedy and tragic heroes. As Katherine spoke, entirely without notes, a theme for the year developed: a searching, coruscating and exacting discussion ensued, leaving all present enriched – and perhaps mentally exhausted!

Next, Lucas Pringle (U6P) took up the baton, examining Approaches to Literary Criticism through the lens of Paradise Lost: we were introduced to New Criticism, and Marxist, Feminist and Psychoanalytic readings, in a meeting that raised fascinating questions fundamental to understanding and appreciating literature; an undoubted highlight of the year.

Henry Blencowe (U6N) took us in a new direction, asking what lessons had been learnt from the 1984-5 Miners’ Strike, a brave and original choice of topic, and one that made the adults in the room re-evaluate their own memories and views.

Looking slightly further back in time, Rika Canaway (U6G) considered the reality of La Resistance and the Gaullist Myth. Her paper, however, went far beyond the confines of post-War France, and forced us to reflect on the nature of national identity and self-image, how nations face existential crises, and how they rebuild after facing catastrophe: one of the most engaging and intriguing sessions of recent years.

Another high-water mark of 2018-19, the fruition, in fact, of many years’ discussion, thought and research, was Georgia Armour’s (U6G) superb What we can learn about Art from Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. As well as introducing us to some lesser-known works of genius, Georgia examined the origins of the Renaissance and its legacy, and some questions central to any approach to Art: what conditions, if any, are necessary for such a flowering of artistic expression? Does Art always, consciously or otherwise, look back to previous models?

What is the relationship between Art and reality?

How much should one consider the patronage of the artist when viewing his/her work?

Showing the breadth of the scholarship within the Society, Serena Cole (U6F) led a typically uncompromising discussion on the subject of death. Unflinching in her academic integrity and logic, but backed up by copious research, Serena wanted to know whether we would want to live forever; whether a society could survive without death; if death could be cured, who would decide who lives and who dies; and should the aim of medicine be to cure all illnesses. If it is possible to be simultaneously chastened and inspired, this was the evening.

CSD 17

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CCF ROYAL NAVY

FIELD DAY The day was the 30th September, a Sunday. We had just finished bingeing on our Sunday roast before realising the time. Nothing like last-minute packing to prepare ourselves for what promised to be a memorable CCF RN weekend!

At 1pm, we all met at The Arch to board our ‘ship’ (minibus) – all except the cadets from Field House, who were lucky enough to be picked up by RF from the house! Said cadets spent their extra time on the bus claiming seats and singing (shouting, really) awful songs. Once we were all on the bus, the last kit-checks were done, with special thought being given to making sure Cdt Whitten hadn’t forgotten a towel – like last time! The trip was peaceful – until we came close to our final destination, where we looked out of the window to see amazing mounds of sand dunes forming around us, which threw us out of the peaceful haze in which we had travelled. Whether through fear or excitement, everyone was suddenly very awake and ready for whatever activities the weekend would throw at us.

We gathered in the main lobby of our lodge for a safety briefing, before going off to explore our rooms. After collecting our wet-weather gear and buoyancy aids, we met outside for drill practice, before running off to the side of the lake, where our first major activity awaited. Three types of power boats sat on the lakeside jetties and, after another safety briefing, we split up into small groups and terrorised the lake with our newly-developed power-boating

abilities. Luckily, we had the entire lake to ourselves, so we did not have to worry about any inevitable crashing that would have occurred had it been busy. There was an abundance of swans competing for the same stretch of water and, rather worryingly, they were not scared of the very fast boats quickly approaching them, often stubbornly refusing to value their lives, forcing the relatively inexperienced cadets to pull off daring manoeuvres to avoid them!

This continued for a couple of hours, in windy conditions, with the groups swapping boats to experience different craft at regular intervals, before the sky decided to educate us on what a flash-flood-worthy downfall was like. Taff, our AI, and the cadet group of Ella and Alex were the only ones dry after the downfall, thanks to the convenient existence of a small roof on their craft. It’s safe to say the other cadet groups were jealous of that little piece of plastic protection!

After drying ourselves off and getting a warm cup of tea, we grouped up and strode out of the lodge, ready to take the town by storm. We marched into the arcade, swapped our shoes, and took sides on the bowling alley. With two alleys between us, we split into two teams, with the teachers and NCOs against the new ‘gremlin’ cadets. Ella started the senior team off with two strikes followed by a double miss, setting a trend with the NCOs that they either got a strike or nothing at

all; there was no in-between! On the other hand, the teachers were fairly reliable; however, it is safe to say that RZW has other talents…

Meanwhile, Cdt Ron Poon (4P) showed himself to be on the level of a professional bowler, winning the individual title, while the junior team won overall. With a game of Laser Tag still to go, the juniors’ win over the seniors was not to last long. Let no one claim that the Navy Section is not competitive! With inflated pride being the victors’ prize, both teams employed tactics such as storming the other team’s base, or hiding behind enemy lines to pick people off. This disregard for rules, despite the prior warnings and explicit briefings, within seconds of the game starting showed both teachers and cadets alike were in competitive mood, ready to claim first blood. After an intense game, Team Senior came out on top, the individual victor being RF!

“This disregard for rules... within seconds of the game starting showed both teachers and cadets alike were in competitive mood”

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Buzzing with excitement from these games, we made our way back to the lodge, had dinner and got ready for bed. However, instead of going to sleep, the cadets arranged a games night between them: we gathered in the lodge’s common room, bringing packets of pretzels, sweets, and crisps, as well as card games. After a fun, and extremely educational hour of games, RZW called time and kicked us out and we made our way to bed properly, ready for a busy next day.

Awaking at the modest time of 0700, we trudged down to the main lobby of the lodge to have breakfast and then changed into our swimmers, and put wetsuits and jackets on: today was a day for sailing – after drill, of course! Taff gave us a good workout in the morning sun and we then went off in pairs and proceeded to set up our boats. Once those were checked, we left the safety of the shore and got aboard, with the more experienced boating pair of Ella and Izzy being exponentially more confident than the rest of us, having never sailed before. In fact, only three out of the nine of us had any experience sailing, so it was much appreciated when the teachers told us they were just going to push us out onto the lake and see what happened! They didn’t expect us to stay upright for long: thanks, Fairbro’!

However, much to the surprise of everyone, including the cadets themselves, some time went by and no one had capsized.

Granted, many came close, and directing the boat where to go with any certainty was well above most of our skill levels. It all started so well. Just before the end of the first session, the first capsize occurred: Ron and Kat went to turn too quickly and capsized; they rapidly righted the boat and jumped on, most likely from the cold of the water and feeling of 10cm of mud encasing their boots. However, after drying off and, again, having a warm cup of tea, we were all back on the water – this time with slightly more confidence.

Too much confidence, some might say, as proven when tragedy befell the group of Cdt Whitten and RZW: Cdt Whitten on the helm and RZW balancing the boat, they ran ashore onto one of the little islands that littered the lake. RZW jumped in to push the boat off and, in response to these heroic actions, Cdt Whitten promptly sailed off into the sunset, leaving RZW stranded on an island filled with swans! RF came to the rescue on his power-boat, to pluck RZW to safety. Safe to say Cdt Whitten was very proud of himself.

On the third session of sailing, we had all gained bucket loads of confidence and people were sailing by themselves on a boat with no one else to help balance.

In contrast to the start of the day, where cadets were extremely wary, slow getting onto the boat, and were reluctant to

“They didn’t expect us to stay upright for long” breathe in fear of tipping the boat, by the end of the day cadets were not only moving freely between moving sail-boats, but were also taking turns standing up at the front of the small boats, posing in the classic position of Rose, arms wide on the front of the Titanic! Special mention to Cdt Whitten, who performed this feat with no one else in the boat, effectively leaving the boat unbalanced and unmanned while he lived his dream of being a ‘great actress’.

Proud of our progress, but admittedly tired, we showered and changed into warmer dry clothes. Having packed up our stuff and cleaned our rooms, we met in the lobby for a final debrief before boarding the minibus for the trip back to Repton. Tired, but sad to leave, we arrived at school just in time for Monday night Tea, eager to get a good night’s rest. It was another exciting RN Field Day, with a great mixture of learning and having fun and was enjoyed by all. Thanks to RZW, and a particular mention to RF, for putting together the weekend.

ALEX BERGER (L6F)

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THE HISTORY, POLITICS AND ERS TRIP TO THE USA Over the October Half-Term, 18 Sixth Form pupils, accompanied by NFP, AFP and NCR, travelled to Washington, Philadelphia and New York as part of the biennial History, Politics and ERS trip. It started with an untimely 4:30am meet at The Arch, leaving many feeling bleary-eyed and silent for the trip down to Heathrow, although two girls celebrated their respective 17th and 18th birthdays. After a pleasant flight, we arrived in Washington, with the coach-ride to the hotel giving a glimpse of the key sights of this beautiful city.

The first day was busy: a tour of the Capitol Building, the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.

Visiting the Supreme Court, days after Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to it was confirmed, led to many interesting discussions taking place. After lunch, our next stop was Arlington Cemetery, which proved to be the most thought-provoking and engaging part of the trip. Our tour guide, Dan, continued to impress with his knowledge, answering all our questions with fascinating anecdotes. During the evening, we enjoyed a night-time tour of the memorials, starting with the moving

Second World War Memorial, from which we had beautiful views to our right of the Washington Monument and, to our left, the Lincoln Memorial. Everyone was in awe of the breath-taking Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped at the inspirational Martin Luther King Memorial and, finishing our very busy day, at the White House. Afterwards, we were definitely all ready for some sleep!

On Sunday, we travelled to and enjoyed a fantastic day in Philadelphia. Our brilliant tour guide, Jen, took us on a walking tour of the city, showing us all the sights, from the Liberty Bell to the room in which the American Constitution was signed. Leaving Philadelphia late in the afternoon, we arrived in New York early evening, going to the magnificent Times Square for dinner.

Our penultimate day of the trip consisted of a fab morning visiting the Statue of Liberty, where Ellie, Mia and Trinny thoroughly enjoyed the iconic Lady Liberty headbands on sale at the gift shop!

After lunch at Brookfield Place, our afternoon was spent at the 9/11 Museum and Memorial. This afternoon proved to

be astounding, with all pupils surprised how poignant and thought-provoking the phenomenal museum and memorial were.

The museum included voicemails left to loved ones from those on the hijacked planes, first-hand accounts from first responders and even a fire engine which was called to the Towers. Next, we enjoyed a meal at the Hard Rock Café, before going up the Empire State Building, giving us mesmerising views of the lights of New York City at night.

Sadly, our final day came around quickly.

We started by going up to ‘Top of the Rock’, giving us stunning views of the city in the daytime. Our final stop was to spectacular St Thomas’ Church on 5th Avenue, a place of calm and reflection, but still in the centre of busy New York City! A little shopping time was added, before a reluctant trip to JFK Airport. The trip was absolutely brilliant, from the amazing places we visited to our terrific tour guides, and we were all truly grateful for the effort NFP, AFP and NCR put into the trip, making it a very memorable experience for all involved.

FRAN BROWN (L6M)

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MASLENITSA

In Russia, there is a cheerful national holiday – Maslenitsa.

One of the symbols of this festival is the straw doll, symbolising the Winter, which is burnt, thereby banishing the coldness and asking the Spring to come sooner. People dance around the bonfire and sing merry songs, hold different games and competitions.

The main dish of Maslenitsa is pancakes: they symbolise the sun and warmth. Russian pancakes are very thin and have different fillings wrapped in them, the most common being jam, sour cream, or red and black caviar.

At the end of March, the Headmaster hosted a celebration of Maslenitsa for the Russian-speaking students of Repton and Foremarke. We had a lot of fun and a delicious meal. We threw snowballs (made of felt), jumped over a large swinging rope, and had a tug-of-war. Dave, the chef, baked very tasty thin pancakes, served with various toppings – jam, honey and caviar. It was amazing! After that, we burned symbolic straw dolls outside, saying goodbye to the Winter. At the end, the Headmaster delivered a final speech, thanking everyone for taking part and expressing the importance of Russians to the ‘Repton Family’.

We had a magnificent celebration of Maslenitsa; everyone was delighted!

I think the sunny and warm weather in the UK over Easter was the direct result!

DANA MERSHENOVA (4F)

THE A-LEVEL PHYSICS TRIP TO MANCHESTER Leaving The Arch at 7:30am on a gruelling two-hour minibus journey, we arrived at Manchester University just in time to go to a lecture on Mars and the recent missions involved with it.

The lecturer then led us to a computer room, where we helped map and identify the valleys on a photo of Mars, using GIS – which is widely used by professionals. The information we helped to collect will be used by the University to investigate whether the general public (with no background knowledge of identifying landmarks on Mars) could be used to help accurately analyse the thousands of images scientists receive from satellites. If this experiment proves successful, then professionals could spend more time researching ideas and theories, rather than processing images.

After this, we had a quick but informative talk on UCAS applications, before being led to a different room to learn about rocks. We were split into groups and encouraged to analyse the make-up of a Snickers bar (which we later got to eat!): this helped the analysis of rock we would do, later on. Each group was given two different rocks and tasked with identifying which one was a meteorite and which a terrestrial rock, as well as what type of rock each was.

All of the Repton groups succeeded in this task – getting to handle real meteorites, such as one made of mainly iron and crystals, and even got to see a piece of the Moon! The day ended with a quick tour of the University, before we headed back to Repton.

ALEX BERGER (L6F) 21

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THE L6 TRIP TO

BERLIN On Friday 15th February, the day of our much-anticipated Berlin trip had finally arrived: despite being exhausted by both the intensity of our first half of term and the early start-time, there was an undeniable sense of excitement on our journey to Manchester Airport.

Having finally arrived in Berlin, our next obstacle was navigating this alien world of travel in a language we were not used to using with such fluency. For many, it was the first time using the language in real-life situations, such as checking ourselves in at the modern and bustling hostel, centred nicely in Berlin’s urban quarters. Having settled in, we headed out again to explore this new city, which we all found to be vibrant and refreshing; from exhibiting its rich history to its street art, Berlin is different from any other city in the world.

The Berlin Wall was a feature of the city that never failed to stir up wonder in our group: we learnt from our bubbly tour guide on Day One about the many escape attempts across it; stories which were almost inconceivable and wholly demonstrated

the desperation of thousands in Berlin, some having been separated from family, friends and homes unexpectedly. The same day, we also saw the Brandenburg Gate, a classic Berlin monument, which looked particularly impressive that day due to the brightness of the blue skies – which we had not been expecting to receive in February!

We also saw the ‘Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe’ monument, a beautiful and striking testimony to all those who tragically lost their lives.

Our walking tour on Day One and the amazing culture we experienced was well worth the achiness of everyone’s legs by the end of it; it truly felt we had walked around the whole perimeter of the city, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the unique spirit of Berlin.

Next, we visited Checkpoint Charlie, the iconic gateway through the Berlin Wall that has remained a popular tourist attraction and is still guarded as it would have been when the Wall was still in use. The museums we visited that day further nurtured our appreciation for this time period in Berlin’s history, from giving us an insight to a typical East Berlin kitchen to trying out the famous Trabant cars that epitomise Communist East Berlin (due to them having been the only car available to East Berlin citizens). Here we were also able to buy a piece of the Berlin Wall and, although we did pay ¤12.95 for a piece of painted rock, we agreed it was worth it both as a souvenir of our trip and as a symbol of the once-divided city.

That evening, we ordered (in German, of course!) traditional German food, such as bratwurst and schnitzel, in addition to our first warming cups of Glühwein. Following this, we visited the Reichstag Building, which by night provided a beautiful view of the Berlin city-scape.

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Day Two began with a walk around the East Side gallery, allowing us to appreciate the modern wall-art on the Berlin Wall itself. These paintings referenced the split of the city, in addition to exhibiting other thought-provoking images, which entranced us all. This experience was followed by a visit to the Jewish Museum, in which we were exposed to all aspects of the culture, from contemporary Jewish musicians to learning about the most traditional doctrines of the religion, such as the rule of a widow having to marry the brother of her deceased husband, if she were to marry again.

From being unable to escape the TV tower anywhere we went in the city, we were finally able to go up it, and its title of the tallest building in Germany certainly did it justice, as did the view it gave us.

From 250m above the ground, we were clearly able to see the huge difference in architecture and wealth between East and West Berlin – and how distinct the split was: it looked as if there were two completely different cities alongside each other, separated only by a road.

The last item on our itinerary was a visit to the Hohenschönhausen memorial Stasi prison. This experience educated us about the Stasi’s role in East Berlin, in addition to giving us an insight to the lives of GDR opponents and political prisoners who had been captured by the Stasi.

The tour around the prison was packed with information and we learnt of the conditions these prisoners were held under in addition to the way in which they were captured – for example smuggled into an undercover grocery lorry. This museum was particularly atmospheric, since all the rooms were authentically preserved, from the basic and uncomfortable cells to the interrogation rooms.

Despite only being in the city for two full days, we were able to see almost everything the city has to offer, thanks to the meticulous planning of CRW and NJK: we’d like to say a big thank you to both of our amazing German teachers for organising this hugely enjoyable trip and sharing their knowledge of the city with us.

LYDIA STALEY (L6F)

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THE A BLOCK

TRIP TO ICELAND Over the Easter holidays, once again the A Block ventured into the stunning landscape of Iceland – and it is a testament to the appeal of this trip that we always take a few non-Geographers along, too!

As last year, we quickly made our way up to the Snæfellsnes peninsular on the west coast, which offers a magnificent introduction to this amazing country, with its vast snow-covered mountains rising up from the coastal road. The icy fjords set the scene, and our road-trip included a six-kilometre tunnel burrowed beneath a fjord, used for Allied submarines and shipping during the Second World War.

the putrefied shark, after an enthusiastic and graphic explanation from our guide.

LEW, having once tried it, opted out on this occasion, but the record was six pieces as I recall – and no significant after-effects...

As the belated darkness drew in, we reached our hotel at Stykkishólmur, welcoming the opportunity of some rest after our early start, which had included a bus breakdown, and one or two hairy moments at check-in where I think Repton School posed a significant security risk!

Fortified by this, and the opportunity of another snowball fight, we ventured up to the fish-drying sheds, with dares as to who could get the closest and last the longest without recoiling from the horrible smell!

The day continued with some lava tubing – caves created by flows of lava – and a walk down into the depths (via a spiral staircase, no less), where we were treated to Reims’ rendition of ‘Grease Lightning’. Trying to make 14- and 15-year olds stand in complete darkness and silence for twenty seconds proved beyond anyone’s ability, but we got the idea that not even being able to see your hand in front of your face could, and does, lead to blindness and insanity in a very short time.

The tiny but enlightening Volcano Museum at Stykkishólmur provided us all with a different perspective on the significance of volcanoes across the world, mostly represented by fascinating artwork and artefacts from around the world, with reference to Game of Thrones in the mix, of course. From there, we travelled to the Shark Museum, where most of the pupils relished the opportunity to try some of

Our guide, Björn, had been regaling us with facts and figures throughout the journeys between places of interest, and that evening provided TML with the chance to set his fiendishly difficult quiz – partly to see who had been listening to Björn! We used the hotel ballroom as the setting and, when it came to a tie-break, Alice’s note-taking and good guesswork was proved justified, her team winning a welcome bag of Haribo

(with an inappropriately-named bag of sweets for Freddie BB, for having the lightest luggage).

Day Three allowed us a ‘lie-in’ before a long drive to the Pingvellir National Park, scene of Iceland’s first Parliament, and the coming-together of its peoples to mete out justice in the form of drownings (for witches), hangings and banishments. All proper Viking stuff, with plenty of stories related to being outlaws, as well as a vision of the festival-like atmosphere it must have induced, with towering rocks where two continents divide, and a lake-filled plain stretching out to the horizon. The Fontana geothermal spa, which followed this visit, proved a challenge to British and Icelandic sensibilities, but the pupils enjoyed some ‘R&R’ in the variously-heated pools set aside a beautiful lake.

This set us all up for the tourist hotspots of Gullfoss and Geysir, both of which never fail to impress, and bring home the dynamism of the Icelandic landscape as well as the awesomeness of nature in action. Proper Geography! The evening was spent at Hotel Hellisholar, where the pupils were able to enjoy being in the middle of absolutely nowhere, and fortunately preferred being outdoors to the karaoke session led by a visiting girls’ prep school.

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The next morning, we experienced the nearby Lava Centre at Hvolsvöllur, which was fascinating, extremely interactive and slightly scary in informing us how likely the next Icelandic eruption is – it is overdue, in fact. The gift shop was pretty good, too, and proved a little more of a draw for some after they whizzed around the displays in record time.

Another journey took us to the two brilliant waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, which gave us all the chance to stretch our legs and get a bit wet by venturing a bit too close to the force of the spray. Once completed, our next stop was one of the highlights of the trip, where we donned crampons and helmets in order to trek up and across the Sólheimajökull glacier, which retreats a little more each year. It remains a fascinating trek, however, and our guide led us alongside crevasses, to overlook a moulin (carved out in a circular form, and very deep), as well as through an ice arch, negotiating steep up-and-down slopes as we did so, and tasting pure, clear glacial ice dug out with our ice picks. It rained for most of the day, but stayed dry for the glacial walk, and we were privileged to see this amazing feature and to understand the power of a glacier, as well as the impact of climate change, first-hand.

Our accommodation at the Hotel Ork was quite luxurious, but, with two other large school groups and lots of guests, it wasn’t quite the same as being in the intimate and low-key hotels we had experienced elsewhere. However, the next day dawned to wide blue skies and, after a visit to a (very hot) geothermal power station, we visited the Raufarholshellir lava tunnel, scene of several films and boasting an awe-inspiring display of ice stalactites,

which litter the floor of the cave, as well as a few snow cones. The power of nature, once again. We then drove up into the mountains to snowshoe over the lava fields, observing volcanic craters (one even has a lift down!), as we walked, or tripped each other up, practising our snowshoeing skills as we did so.

For most of our pupils, the highlight of the trip seems to be the Blue Lagoon, and there is definitely something magical about wallowing in heated pools, with the steam rising around you, having plastered on the silica face-masks! It really is a lovely way to end our visit to Iceland each year – and the subsequent fish and chip supper rounded off a busy and fascinating day. We were also very lucky to stay in a new hotel, the Lighthouse Inn, which was beautiful and afforded us the chance to relax, pack and play a bit of pool in anticipation of our very early start and journey home the next day.

We once again had a few hairy moments at the airport: perhaps the most heartstopping was when James saw his passport and boarding pass disappear off with his bags... All was well in the end, but such are the joys of self-check-in! It was quite a relief to be on the plane home, I have to say...

The entire trip was a pleasure to lead, and I am grateful to RZW, TML and AJS for their patience, good humour and support, as well as for their enthusiasm and whole-hearted approach; but also to the pupils – for embracing everything, putting up with my nagging about kit and clothing, and for being as good as gold.

Another memorable Repton School Iceland trip, indeed!

LEW

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REPTON ROUND

THE CLASSICS

TRIP TO ITALY On the 27th March, we set off from The Arch at 23:30 for a school trip to Italy. Arriving in Rome at about 10am local time, we went to the hotel to drop off our bags and then straight on to the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine. After seeing these impressive monuments, we went back to the hotel for an early night to recuperate from the day’s travelling.

The next day, the weather was lovely and we visited the Circus Maximus. After walking through the city and stopping at a nice part of the Tiber, we had lunch and saw the breath-taking Altare della Patria (sometimes nicknamed ‘Mussolini’s Typewriter’, due to the structures on the top of the building). In the afternoon, we went to the Roman Forum, where we saw many incredible and unique Roman buildings, some of which had featured in work we have done at school, which was interesting to see in real life.

The third day was packed with more ‘tourist’ things: in the morning, we took the bus and went to the Pantheon to admire all of the artwork and architecture; walking through Rome again, we also saw multiple beautiful churches and streets. In the afternoon, after another Italian lunch, we trekked to the Vatican. We were all amazed with the variety and sheer volume of culture and history on display, especially the magnificent Sistine Chapel. After visiting the famous Trevi Fountain (which was beautiful at dusk), we made the odyssey back to the hotel, happy to be continuing to walk through the streets of Rome, despite CSD’s extensive apologies for the long journey.

The following day, we took a trip outside Rome in the morning – visiting Ostia, a large archaeological site where a Roman port town once stood. We spent a few hours walking through the streets and visited the theatre, which was incredibly beautiful. As it was our final afternoon in Rome, we all went out in the evening and had gelato for the umpteenth time of the trip – a welcome refreshment, given the delightful weather.

For our fifth day, we made the journey from Rome to Naples and visited the National Archaeological Museum, where, once again, we had the privilege of seeing what we had studied in school come alive, such as the intricate mosaics from Pompeii. In the evening, we arrived at our hotel in Piano di Sorrento, which had an incredible view of the Bay of Naples, and the following morning we scaled Vesuvius (granted, some of us were not wearing the most apt footwear!). We were able to appreciate even more gorgeous views of the Bay of Naples from a great height and also witness the cause of one of the most famous and destructive volcanic eruptions in human history.

In the afternoon, we visited Herculaneum, a nearby town to Vesuvius where, due to the pyroclastic material that blanketed the town, objects such as beds and doors and even food were able to be preserved intact. Wandering through the practically complete streets, we then reached the boathouses, where people fleeing the town hid during the eruption. Nowadays, there are dozens of skeletons, row after row, making it a very poignant sight.

On the final day, we visited Pompeii, the most famous settlement to have been destroyed by Vesuvius. As with Ostia and Herculaneum, we went around the site in groups and spent a couple of hours learning more about the specific history of Pompeii. While it did rain during this visit, the amount of sun we had seen throughout the trip meant that no one had any reason to complain!

Throughout the week, we saw classically and culturally important landmarks and were able to appreciate multiple eras of history, from Roman to early 20th Century.

We are all so thankful to the teachers who made the trip as memorable as it was, especially to CSD, as it was quite the feat to co-ordinate a group of 39 schoolchildren onto the Rome metro system safely!

MARY BROWN (4M)

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FINLEY BYRNE (U6S)

THE SCHOLARS It’s been another busy year for the Scholars.

The L6 took up the challenge of extra-curricular competitions with unprecedented vigour: traditionally popular prizes, such as St John’s, Oxford’s Classics and Ancient History, Peterhouse, Cambridge’s Vellacott (History), Thomas Campion (English Literature) and Kelvin (Science) saw strong fields, the last to such an extent that the School had to hold internal ‘play-offs’.

Elsewhere, Reptonians plough new furrows, such as Newnham’s Biological (Francesca Cole (L6F)) and Physical Sciences (Simran Iswaran (L6M)), and the intriguing Dukes Education Prize, where Zeke Hibell (L6O) wrote about ‘Guilt’ and Kelin Feng (L6F) explored the Chinese value of Xiao in her essay on ‘Nation’. Kelin was also inspired to enter the Tower poetry prize, whose theme, Underwater, she used to consider ideas of isolation and freedom. Joseph Presley-King (5L) took up this baton, too, with his poem positing WWI generals as Leviathans, safe from the realities of war raging on the surface.

It was pleasing to see interest in these prizes from O Block, despite the demands of GCSEs, and Alex Mair (5P), in his quietly focused and meticulous manner, impressed with his understated but haunting entry for the Oxford Flash Fiction competition, ‘Une Rencontre’.

for Jazz, No.3 by Erwin Schulhoff, and ‘Wiegala’ by Ilse Weber. It was amongst the most moving, effective and powerful presentations of recent years.

CSD

The UK Linguistics Olympiad is now firmly established as a favourite among the Scholars, not least B and A Block; this year, 31 students entered the competition, with two receiving Bronze Certificates, and nine Silver. Manav Chitkara (3O), Leila Clark (3F), Jenna Davies (3F), Sophie Derby (3M), Grace Pocklington (3M) and Ottilie Sykes (3M) all received Gold Certificates at Foundation level, while Jacob Davies (L6O) did the same at Senior level.

A strong team entered the Kroto Prize, explaining Einstein’s Theory of Relativity via a four-minute Youtube video, combining academic research with presentation and electronic-animation skills, and setting out their findings in a manner accessible to an engaged B Blocker, but with the intellectual weight and integrity to satisfy the scrutiny of the Science Faculty.

Rika Canaway (U6G) and Sam Riley (OR) took part in the Holocaust Education Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz project, visiting Auschwitz and presenting their experiences to B Block. They took the road less travelled, by approaching the subject through performances of songs composed by victims of the Holocaust, notably Etudes

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“WHAT YOU REMEMBER SAVES YOU.” W. S. Merwin

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THE EARLY DAYS OF GIRLS AT REPTON:

OLD REPTONIA I had just turned sixteen when I took my O-Levels and my parents decided that I should leave my all-girls boarding school and head to Repton. I shall be eternally grateful that they reached this wise decision, because I had more fun during my two years at Repton than during all the other years of my education put together.

Prior to Repton, I had been sequestered away for five long years in what seemed to be a prison, with extremely stringent rules governing every aspect of my life – from how often I was allowed to wash my hair, to compulsory wearing of American Tan tights for Church. We were not allowed to talk to boys under any circumstances; my brother was at the boys’ school in the same town and, if I bumped into him, I was supposed to cross the street and avoid conversation in case he happened to be with another boy – which might have been the first foot on the slippery slope.

Having been brought up on a farm in the middle of nowhere, the only boys I had encountered pre-Repton were the farm hands and a few farming friends, so, to me, boys were almost synonymous with the fragrant aromas of the milking parlour. As a result, I was pretty terrified of the male species before starting at Repton – and probably even more terrified after I’d been there a few months.

The first day was something of an ordeal, because I’d been told by an older friend, who was in the first intake of girls a couple of years previously, that all the boys judged the new girls’ bottoms on a scale of 1 to 10 when we walked into Chapel. Thereafter, life became a little easier and my sole objective was to drop as many academic subjects as possible so that I could spend more time at the boys’ houses drinking coffee.

Four years after Repton became co-educational, the girls are pictured in 1974 with their housemistress Heather Hawkins and her husband Dennis.

I started off weekly boarding, which involved staying in one of the master’s houses with his family. This was not a great success. My over-riding recollection was compulsory “tea” at 5pm with his toddlers, leaving the parents free to eat alone, later.

The toddlers and I lived on a staple diet of beans on toast or fish fingers, followed by pears in chocolate sauce, most of which got tipped into my table napkin for disposal later on and was greatly appreciated by the birds. Thank goodness the toddlers hadn’t learned to talk! My room was on the ground floor, which was handy for making an early evening escape via the window to a more interesting environment – one of the boys’ houses, where we could listen to Steely Dan and The Who in peace, with yet another nice cup of instant coffee.

Unsurprisingly, I was moved to a different master’s family for the second term, which was much more fun. By this time, I was old enough to go to the school bar and issued with the requisite tickets enabling me to buy one-and-a-half pints of cider and two packets of crisps per week. This was so exciting back in the day. A massive mural of Jimmy Hendrix on one wall and a pool or snooker table filling the room. Such simple pleasures. I thought I’d arrived.

By the third term, it was decided that I should become a day girl and Mr Gammell, the headmaster, reluctantly granted me permission to drive myself to school on the condition that I left my car where it should be all day and did not use it to give anybody a lift. A whole new lease of life and independence (or so I thought).

I was very lucky to be one of the first girls at Repton: the only rules were “no jeans”, “no smoking” and “no frequenting boys’ houses after lights out” – in that order.

We didn’t even have to play any sports.

However, in a sudden burst of enthusiasm, a friend and I put our names down for rowing, in the belief that we’d be able to take a little boat out onto the pond behind The Hall and while away a sunny afternoon with a few sandwiches and a chilled glass of rosé. None of it. We had to join a boys’ eight at Burton Rowing Club, whatever the weather. I was bow and the cox was a lovely but very softly-spoken female teacher; I could barely hear a word she uttered at my end of the boat. My rowing career came to a sticky and premature halt when I was expelled from the crew for jumping out of the back of the slowly-moving Land Rover as we approached The Cross.

I think I was still pretty scared of boys by the time I left Repton, as well. I remember being so embarrassed about having to come to the front of the class and read my essays when I was the only girl in the room.

A few lessons in public speaking at a very young age would have helped.

Repton had a life-long impact on me. The friends I made at Repton number among my very closest and I feel extremely privileged to have been granted the opportunity to spend two years at the School, thanks to my forward-thinking and generous parents.

ANNABELLE SALMON (OR)

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NS REMEMBER I had arrived in the UK from Australia at the age of 8 and it quickly became apparent that I was the victim of a strange statistical anomaly… I had no female siblings, my parents had no friends with daughters of my age, my few friends had no sisters and, of course, Foremarke Hall was male-only.

To be honest, this was not too much of a problem, as building dens, racing my traction engine and listening to the Top 40 singles on my home-made radio was much more important at that age; but, on moving to The Priory at the “big” school, my misfortune became increasingly apparent and I was entirely reliant on Repton for my education in the ways of the female members of society. Ever-resourceful and aware of their responsibility to provide a holistic education, Repton tackled this in several ways.

Firstly, a single sex-education lesson, where the mechanics were explained by the Biology teacher (much to his embarrassment) and the headmaster, John Gammell, made a fleeting appearance to try to explain the sociological and religious aspects of a heterosexual relationship… no LGBT relationships back then. It really left me with more questions than answers, a bit like having a car workshop manual without owning a car: lots of interesting diagrams and commentary, without having anything material to relate it to.

Secondly, the annual House Dance, where an all-girls school (St Elphin’s in Priory’s case) would be brought in for an evening of dancing and banter. My first experience was in O Block, but little changed between then and U6. The boys would be grouped on one side of the dining room waiting for the door to open on the other side.

The door would open, the girls would sheepishly come through in their own group and, for a brief moment, there would be an eerie silence across the battlefield, before some of the more confident boys made a break across the barbed wire to engage the enemy. Eventually, I would pluck up enough courage to select a girl from the now much smaller group – and so two timid teenagers would chat, dance and interact. Inevitably, it would result in passionate letters being exchanged daily for the first week afterwards, weekly for the next month and then never when it became apparent that we lived at either ends of the country and meeting on Platform 4 of Leicester train station during the beginning of Half-Term was not going to be a fulfilling romantic experience.

Thirdly, Repton decided to introduce girls into the school. Initially, I remember that the Chaplain’s daughter, Diana, suddenly joined our class in O Block (I think) with her older sister Linda in the Sixth Form, together with a number of other female trailblazers. For our part, we really did not know how to treat her and I suspect that we did not welcome her into our fold. She was in our class, but not part of our class. I think the experiment did not last long.

However, on entering the L6, there was a significant cohort of girls and they were very much part of our class, our school lives and, for a lucky few boys, their extra-curricular activities. The Abbey had not yet been built, so they were either day girls or billeted with teachers’ families.

The girls seemed so much more mature and confident than the boys around them.

I guess it helped that there were now a significant number of girls to provide security in numbers and that many had familial Repton connections, such as a brother, to help them get to know the ropes quickly; but the truth is that boys mature much more slowly than girls, so consequently the girls seemed so much more confident and worldly than us spotty,

gangly teenagers. Back then, men were expected to be hunters, but, to be honest, the girls seemed much more suited to conquering the world, despite our misplaced bravado.

I don’t have too many specific recollections during my school time, though I did become very friendly with one fellow female student when we both stayed on at Repton for the extra Oxbridge term, though our relationship did not survive long after we started at our different universities… a similar story to Platform 4 of Leicester train station.

Post-school, my social life included many Reptonians, both male and female, and I now appreciate the positives, and negatives, of a mixed-sex school. Would I have preferred Repton to have been a wholly male institution? Definitely not.

Although not a fully co-ed school, I believe our year group enjoyed the diversity, achieved our academic targets despite the distractions… or perhaps because of them… and entered university a more complete person.

LLOYD BERGER (OR)

From The Reptonian 1970

From The Reptonian 1969

From The Reptonian 1981

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CELEBRATING GIRLS AT REPTON Having run The Mitre from 2008-2018, championing and celebrating the position and achievements of girls at Repton has become an ingrained part of my role at the School – and there has been a great deal to celebrate in the last decade, let alone the last 50 years.

Repton now has four established girls’ Houses – with Mitre re-opening as a girls’ House in 2003, joining The Abbey (1979), The Garden (1992) and Field House (1997).

There are currently over 270 girls on the School roll, so Repton can truly fly the flag of being a fully co-educational HMC boarding school, with all the benefits and experiences that this brings.

It is approaching 50 years since Carole Blackshaw asked the Headmaster, John Gammell, whether she could join the School after church during the Christmas holidays of 1969. Having not managed to get a positive response following her initial request, she pursed her aim and, with the support of her parents, tackled him a second time. On this occasion, the Headmaster said he would bring the matter to the next Governors’ meeting. It was in this meeting that the Governors indicated that they would allow Carole to come to Repton, if a second girl could be persuaded to join her. This was very much in keeping with the 10-year Headship of John Gammell.

His Telegraph obituary describes him as ‘An awe-inspiring figure some 6ft 3in tall, with a booming voice and a tin leg’, going on to summarise, ‘Gammell abolished weekday chapel, adopted an amused tolerance of long hair and pop music, and introduced girls’ (Daily Telegraph, 9th August 2007).

It is perhaps fitting, then, that girls came to Repton during his tenure, a time when the School became a calm and welcoming place. I would argue that the arrival of girls may have aided this development!

Notably a survey of the pupil body, published in the 1969 edition of The Reptonian, indicated that one of the changes the boys most wanted to see was the arrival of girls at the School and a change to the ‘Victorian attitude’ towards girls. This potent combination of a favourable pupil voice and a Headmaster who had sent his own daughter to Marlborough as one of the 15 inaugural girls joining their Sixth Form in 1968, saw Repton ahead of the curve amongst the HMC group in becoming a co-educational school.

Carole Blackshaw and Sally Keenan joined Repton as Sixth-Formers in 1970 and proved

to be very successful additions to the school community. Although Carole had made a robust argument for her entry to the school (her younger brother was joining The Mitre), there was no agreed or formulated plan for allowing girls to remain at the school, with Carole herself recognising that her time at Repton was an ‘experiment’. That said, the success of Carole and Sally’s time indicated that this would be a long-term trend. Other girls joined, many the daughters of Masters and others the sisters of boys on the Repton roll. They did not have an allocated boarding House and lived in the houses of those Repton teachers who were willing to take them. By 1977, Repton had 43 girls on roll.

In the 1970 edition of The Reptonian, Carole describes a ‘Feminine view of Repton’ and speaks of her experiences of her first day at the School. She goes on to say that her fears were dispelled: ‘we [Carole and Sally] quickly settled down as everybody was so kind and helpful.’ It is very interesting to hear her thoughts on the benefit of being educated in the Repton environment and her reflections on the fact that her lessons were ‘a more interesting way to learn… [that] encourages much more initiative and individual development which is so important’ sounds like a very similar situation to today, with the School promoting the @reptonlearning values.

Forty years ago, the first girls’ boarding house finally emerged – The Abbey – the Headmaster keen to link the first girls’ house to the ecclesiastical names of The Mitre and The Priory boys’ boarding houses. The House was formally opened by the Duchess of Devonshire and its first houseparents were Jill and Gerry Pellow. It opened with 42 pupils, quickly filling to a capacity of 60 the following year and remains in its central location on the school site. It seems that ‘Repton rumour’ quickly circulated amongst the boys that the Abbey was ‘luxury accommodation’ compared to their own houses: indeed, the rumours were so strong that, in 1980, as part of their Sale of Work fundraising, Abbey girls offered tours of the House to try to dispel the rumour and allow the boys to see what they actually had!

Furthermore, in a Reptonian article of 1981, the girls described having to do their own

washing, the heating system thermostat regularly failing (creating either a sauna or fridge effect), an unmovable 6pm lock-in and a large houseparent-girl generation gap. Clearly the girls were not without their own gripes.

The next girls’ house to open was The Garden, officially opened by the Duchess of Kent in September 1992. The first houseparents were Martin and Frances Wimbush – still very much a presence in the village today and especially so in the annual Sale of Work event. The Duchess was generous in her praise of The Garden following her tour of the building, stating that the House was the ‘best school building that she had seen’. For the School, perhaps, the highlight of her visit was the Duchess declaring a full day’s holiday to the then Head Prefect, Simon Webster. A sister house to The Garden, Field House, quickly followed and the two sit proudly in their position on Tanners Lane, with the benefit of a shared dining room that can be used for large-scale events, such as the infamous house cabarets. Field has seen just two magisterial leaders – SABT (now Second Master) and PJG. It is apt to mention here that the much-loved Mr and Mrs G leave Field after 15 years of service to the House in July 2019.

The newest house in the girls’ fleet is The Mitre. Originally a boys’ house, the current building dating from 1937, The Mitre was fully refurbished and re-opened as a girls’ house in 2003. It is very apt indeed that it was Carole Blackshaw, then Lady Mayoress of London, who officially opened this new facility, 33 years after becoming the first girl to join the School. Under Deborah and David Newman, The Mitre quickly established itself on an equal footing with the other girls’ houses. It is now in its 16th year, under the stewardship of CJJ. Today, there is much to celebrate about girls at Repton. Many, like Carole, have gone on to become very successful in their lives beyond The Arch. We have proudly celebrated the success of old girls playing hockey for the GB team – with Susie Gilbert and Ellie Watton winning Commonwealth Silver Medals, and Shona McCallin and

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Stephen Knowles

Lance Will Lewis*

Henry Anthony Birrell-Anthony

Eustace Sutton

* A posthumous portrait painted by his mother, from memory, 1917

Carole Blackshaw at the 1971 Steeplechase.

Georgie Twigg returning from the Rio Olympics in 2016 with Gold Medals for Field Hockey. It has been wonderful to see these girls returning to Repton and inspiring the next generation of players.

Charlotte Stapenhorst, also an OR, who won an Olympic Bronze playing for the German hockey team in Rio, was recently back in Repton playing for the ‘All Stars’ team at the opening of Sports Hall Two and it was wonderful to see her fondness for Repton on her return. In Carole Blackshaw’s Reptonian article back in 1970, she wrote, ‘I hope we will be able to join in many of the activities in the future, except of course football and hockey, which I think it will be far safer if we continue just to watch!’ How times have changed!

Many other Repton girls have gone on to achieve a great deal. These include the British historical romance novelist Kate Allan and author Caroline England. Susannah Fish is the former Chief Constable of Nottingham Police, awarded an OBE in 2008. Joining the Governing Body is Fleur Bassett: it is lovely to think that she will be able to champion the position of girls from her role within this body. On the annual Careers Conference Day, female ORs have returned as doctors, vets, lawyers and journalists. Other female ORs, unable to shake the pull of The Arch, have returned to Repton as members of Common Room (including current staff NMD, SDAS, LEP and ISPH – all members of staff fully immersed in the full boarding ethos of the School). Perhaps the 50th anniversary of girls in the School will be the time to add another girl to the gallery of famous ORs in the Old Priory!

The tenacity of Carole to challenge Headmaster John Gammell opened up a whole new chapter in the history of Repton school and, 50 years after their official arrival, I hope that the boys at Repton can continue to admire and accept the Repton girls with the same gallantry they demonstrated in 1970. After all, as I write, current Repton girl Ella Rush (4M) is ranked number one in the world for U16 Pentathlon.

It would be hard to argue that they have not been a great addition to life at Repton and it is a matter of great pride that the school was one of the first HMC schools to become fully co-educational.

AFP

Repton and the Great War:

THE IMPORTANCE OF REMEMBRANCE On the 11th November, we commemorated the one-hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World War. Since 1919, the 11th day of the 11th month has seen the United Kingdom, along with many Commonwealth nations, hold services and events to commemorate the end of the War and to remember those that died. After World War Two, Armistice Day was joined by Remembrance Day – the closest Sunday to the 11th November – a day to remember those that have died in any war to protect and serve our nation: whether they are friends, family or strangers, Remembrance Day allows us to remember them. Over 16 million people died in World War One, of whom 355 were Reptonians. These were people such as Eustace Sutton, Lance Lewis, Stephen Knowles and Henry Birrell Anthony. John Smyth, who died in 1983, won the Victoria Cross when he carried desperately-needed bombs, across 250 feet of land, under enemy fire.

Remembrance Day is immensely important. Every person in Britain has been touched by World War One, World War Two, or some conflict since. Every family has a story to tell, a loved one who was involved. Everybody has something to remember: even if their grandparents or great-grandparents who fought survived, they should remember their ancestors’ friends and comrades who did not. The last known soldier to have fought in World War One died in May 2011. With there no longer being anybody alive who was there, we must remember not only for us but for them, so that the memory is not lost.

At this year’s Repton service, WMAL was joined by and talked about Robert Hollinshead, an Old Reptonian who fought in the Second World War. He was in a tank, at Gold Beach, on D-Day in 1944. Robert Hollinshead alone goes to show how everybody has a story and a connection; every community, every school.

The dedication of the War Memorial, The epitaph in the Kohima War November 12th 1922 Cemetery reads “When You Go Home, Tell Them of Us and Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.” This is why we remember. This is why Repton joins much of the nation with its annual Remembrance Service. At 10.15am parents, locals and students gather in Chapel, where CCF cadets and pupils process to the altar to place the regimental colours. After the service, the congregation and honour guard process in silence to The Garth, where the School’s War Memorial stands. Wreaths are laid on behalf of the School and OR Society, followed by the traditional intonation from Binyon’s ‘For the Fallen’ and two minutes’ silence.

After a hundred years, the meaning behind the ceremony seems no less important: Reptonians still have a wish to remember in silent respect and with understanding.

‘We will remember them’, for years to come.

WILL WHITTEN (L6L) 33

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FEATURES

THE RISING TIDE OF

POPPY FASCISM The nationwide – even worldwide – centennial commemoration of the end of the First World War was, for the most part, a solemn, dignified series of occasions.

To my mind, however, this dignity was marred by an unsightly row – carried out on social media and in newspaper opinion columns – about the significance and symbolism of the poppy – or, as it turns out, poppies.

This row is nothing new. The phrase ‘Poppy Fascism’ was coined in 2015 by Channel 4 broadcaster Jon Snow (no, not that one), who, while pledging to wear a poppy off-air, refused to wear one while presenting on TV in the days leading up to Remembrance Day, on the grounds that he believed wearing the poppy (or not) should be a private and personal decision, not a corporate duty. An angry backlash of viewers accused him of disrespect for the fallen; he countered by labelling them ‘poppy fascists’ and insisting he would be governed by his own sense of morality and duty, not their bile.

The battle-lines have been drawn for some time. The unpopularity in Britain of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, perceived by many to have occurred for unsound political reasons rather than vital national interest, is perhaps the biggest reason why sales of the red poppy have decreased since the Millennium. The red poppy is seen by a faction of the population not as a commemoration of the fallen, but a glorification of war. With no veterans of the First World War left alive and precious few of the Second, we are increasingly distant from the huge loss of life that sparked the origins of Remembrance. In Ireland, meanwhile, particularly in the North, many equate the wearing of the red poppy with Unionist rather than Republican sentiment, because the Irish soldiers who died in World War One were fighting on behalf of the then British Empire. More generally, there is a perception in some sections of

society, no doubt due to the length of the tradition of wearing poppies and the fact that many Remembrance ceremonies take place in or near churches, that the red poppy is an exclusive symbol of Britishness and Christianity, at odds with the values of a multi-cultural society.

This year, the argument got particularly nasty.

In one thread of the row, Johnny Mercer, a Conservative MP, tweeted that wearing white poppies as an alternative to red ones was ‘attention-seeking rubbish’. Sales of white poppies in his Plymouth constituency soared.

In a separate ruckus, socialist campaigner Harry Leslie Smith tweeted that he would not be wearing the traditional red poppy at all this year, claiming ‘Instead… we should wear our shame because as a human race we have learned nothing since 1918’. One angry Twitter-user scolded him like an A Blocker late to Chapel, reminding him that ‘brave young men died’ so that he could have such opinions, adding, for good measure, ‘shame on you!’. Smith replied by posting a photo of himself in his RAF uniform in 1944: it turns out that he actually served in a World War and therefore feels more entitled than most to have an opinion on it.

What are the facts, then?

The Royal British Legion, which manufactures and sells the traditional red poppy, insists it is ‘a symbol of peace, inclusive of all, regardless of race, belief, origin, or sexual/gender identity’, adding that ‘Remembrance is neutral on both the causes and consequences of individual conflicts and is above partisan and political interpretation’. That seems pretty clear.

The first white poppies were sold in 1933 by the Women’s Co-operative Guild and since 1936 have been the responsibility of the Peace Pledge Union. The white poppy commemorates all casualties of war, not just those involved in military service, and wearing it states a commitment to ending all human conflicts. Also very clear.

Both organisations insist, moreover, that they believe individuals have every right to wear the red version, or white, or both together, or neither. Moreover, neither has a problem with the black poppy (specifically remembering African and Caribbean contributions to various war efforts) or the purple poppy (commemorating the animals who have died in war). So, the problem is not the poppies themselves.

The aggression is part of a wider social malaise of which we must be extremely wary: the increasing intolerance – from both wings of politics, from young and old, from white British heritage and immigrant communities – of others and their right to a different opinion. Brexit (sorry to mention it!) is another instance where reasoned debate on the pros and cons of European integration has been hijacked by foaming-at-the-mouth haters, furious that their own, often ill-thought-out, views are being challenged.

We must, in my opinion, hold two tenets firmly: one, the old adage that those who forget the past are condemned to re-live it in the present; the second that, regardless of the complex socio-political reasons the World Wars started, this nation officially entered both on a point of principle – that of defending the right of sovereign nations and the individuals within them to be free.

My fear is that the rise of intolerant voices at all levels of society is a threat to liberty and increases the likelihood of the horrors of the World Wars being revisited on this, or future, generations. That’s if climate change doesn’t kill us all first.

Like Jon Snow, then, I will never wear a poppy, red or otherwise, because my employer tells me I have to, or because the baying mob labels me ‘traitor!’ if I don’t.

I have always chosen to wear a poppy – red, in my case, but I’m happy to wear the others, too – because doing so means I am playing my part in continuing the vital work of reminding our society that the freedoms we are blessed with were hard-won.

JMJH

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

DO THE HUMANITIES STILL MATTER? With the world heading ever more towards science and maths-based jobs, is there still space in our education for the humanities?

GROTESQUE Unblinking in centuries’ quiet contemplation He pondered the life of the city and nation Through monarchy, empire and occupation Whilst the bells tolled of death And the priests preached salvation Now his spire has gone the way of all flesh As his famed stained-glass windows deliquesce But knowing Our Lady inspires such affection He’s no doubt he’ll see her resurrection So sets his face to the renovation Out of the ashes of conflagration.

JOHN PLOWRIGHT (STAFF 1987-2016)

The British economy and the jobs within are moving further and further away from the traditional subjects of English and History.

Why is this?

Well, it is because companies are becoming more tech-reliant. Robots could likely replace many human jobs; nano-bots are already performing certain surgical procedures. The jobs of the future are those of the engineers and the programmers. Society is becoming more and more ‘productive’, whilst needing less and less person-on-person interaction.

This is even being shown in the classroom, with teachers becoming more reliant on computers. Whilst there is the obvious danger, here, of a simple power-cut stalling educational progress, there are further and more sinister dangers with this move away from the humanities.

If you wish for a well-paid job in the future, you need a degree or apprenticeship in engineering, tech, economics or science. You either need to be the ones working on the science of tomorrow – or be the one selling it. But should that be the only goal for somebody in life? Should your aspirations be limited to earning a lot of money? No. There should be an aspiration to learn about oneself and others. This is the wonder of the humanities.

Whilst Physics can tell you how the universe was probably (maybe, we aren’t quite sure) created, and Biology can tell you how your body works, and Maths tells you how to complete the square, none of these tell you about yourself or people. People should not shrug off these subjects, but they should always seek to further their understanding of people.

How do you do this? Well, simply, one must understand their history and the history of others. You must understand other people’s stories, what others believe. The way to understand these things is the humanities. It is English, where you study books, which all, in their own way, reflect what cultures, generations and people believe and think of things. There is no better looking-glass into the human psyche.

Furthermore, History is essential to understanding the world; especially in our ever-polarising societies. To understand the crisis between the Israelis and the Palestinians, to understand why East Germany is much worse off than West. You must understand faith, religion and philosophy as well: you must understand why certain minute sects of the Islamic faith are much more radical than others in order to understand the terrorism crisis without holding religious prejudice. Learning languages, even if long dead ones, is useful: they stimulate parts of the brain and help people learn in ways other subjects cannot.

And, yes, the sciences offer us a way into the future, but they do not offer this understanding of our fellow man. This understanding, though, can be offered by the humanities. The world needs to move forward, but, to do so, it must look to its past so as not to repeat mistakes. To quote Charlie Chaplin: “We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity.”

WILL WHITTEN (L6L)

UNDERWATER The current is slower here, Deep down where the creatures lie; They hide from the ravaged land, Land where men in their graves lie.

The men know the place under, Deep down where the creatures lie; They know no help is coming, As they stand, waiting to die.

They say it’s warm down under, Deep down where the creatures lie; They say it’s good to be there, Hidden from the darkened sky.

Deep down, under the surface, Deep down, where the creatures lie, The creatures watch the fighting, Knowing they don’t need to die.

The place deep under the waves, Deep down, where the creatures lie: Fat leaders with their medals, Thinking victory is nigh.

But when the war calls to those, Deep down, where the creatures hide, When it’s finally their time, When there’s nowhere left to hide: The soldiers watch the gen’rals, Those from deep down, where the creatures lie, They watch the exposed creatures, As they stand, waiting to die.

JOSEPH PRESLEY-KING (5L) 35

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“MUSIC GIVES A SOUL TO THE UNIVERSE, WINGS TO THE MIND, FLIGHT TO THE IMAGINATION AND LIFE TO EVERYTHING.” Plato 10335 Reptonian 2019 FRONT - ART.indd 36

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MUSIC

THE HOUSE UNISON COMPETITION On the 5th October, the annual House Unison Competition arrived once again.

This year, the School was pleased to invite Mr Richard West, from Loughborough Schools Foundation, to adjudicate one of the most highly-anticipated events of the school year.

The night was kicked off by School House, with their rendition of ‘I want you back’ by The Jackson Five. Their colourful stage presence matched their energetic vocals and enthusiasm. The conductor, Jacob Webb (U6S), did a great job at holding the energy while leading the echoes and vocals within the singing, which was commended by the adjudicator. A fabulous start to the night.

Next was The Cross, whose performance of ‘Shake it off’ by Taylor Swift was the most entertaining of the night. With their ballsy costumes and great enthusiasm, their performance was on a whole new level. The comedy sketch in the middle, with the rapping and percussion, was well-executed by the conductor, Ollie Brierley (U6C), and was truly hilarious. Congratulations should be made to all those pupils who accompanied their houses on the piano: in this case, Oliver Whittingham (L6C), who kept the House on pitch and in tempo.

The Orchard’s ‘Aint no mountain high enough’ brought a fantastic energy to the night. Angus Edwards’ (U6O) performance as conductor was very comedic… with his whiskey flask… and he led his house very well with a short, but sweet, performance. They were the first of the night to incorporate some great actions into their song and it paid off in their overall entertainment.

Congratulations, Orchard.

The most gripping atmosphere of the night was created by The Mitre, who sang a Beyoncé medley, skilfully crafted by the Bridge sisters, Bea and Millie (both U6M). The conductor’s control over the speed, pitch and dynamics of the piece was detailed and slick, like a military operation – reflected in their outfits.

The atmosphere was held by the stillness of the performers, coming alive with the stamping at the end, leaving the audience with goosebumps.

New House’s ‘Counting Stars’ created an enchanting scene on the stage, their outfits accompanying their magical singing. Henry Blencowe (U6N) directed the performance with accuracy and perfection, alongside William Balderston (U6N), who sang a brilliant solo. The dynamics and clapping were extremely well-executed, as was the key-change. Well done, New House.

The Abbey’s winning rendition of Queen’s ‘Don’t stop me now’, co-ordinated and conducted

by Jasmine Leavesley (U6A), was one that not only demonstrated a creative and smooth use of the stage and actions, but also of costumes and musicality. This performance deserved the win on many counts, such as the perfect tuning, complete sense of unity and musical innovation that brought this timeless classic alive.

Field House was the first performance of the night to have two conductors, Magenta Montague and Emily Clark (both U6F). The opening of their performance of ‘Wannabe’ by the Spice Girls was powerful in its intonation, precise actions and bundles of energy, while their unique and innovative outfits stole the stage.

It was a great performance from Field, bringing the House together in a performance that left PJG and Mrs Griffiths proud in their last year as houseparents.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019 The Garden was another house excellently led by its conductor, Rika Canaway (U6G), who was named Best Conductor of the night. Their singing of the classic Friends theme tune ‘I’ll be there for you’, by The Rembrandts, was beautifully done; the actions were precise and the multi-coloured t-shirts matched their bright interpretation of this popular number. It was, overall, very enjoyable. Thank you, Garden.

Latham’s creative performance of Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story’, conducted and organised by George Gough (U6L), not only kept the audience entertained (thanks mainly to the costume choices!) but also demonstrated Latham’s unwavering house spirit through the emotional singing and well-practised and energetic actions.

The Priory’s recreation of the ’90s classic ‘I want it that way’ (Backstreet Boys) was one that easily earned its 3rd-placed prize. Joint-conductors Rahul Kaushal-Bolland and Artem Aliev (both U6P) did this song justice, leading The Priory both in preparations and the performance itself. We were particularly impressed by the courage and skill of the soloist, Leo Wallace (4P), as well as the general impressive musicality of the piece.

Therefore, as the night drew to a close, we congratulated The Abbey for achieving best performance of the night and to The Mitre and The Priory for coming second and third, respectively. A final thank you has to be made to the music teachers and all the house staff who supported us all through the rehearsals and the night itself. Even though, inevitably, some houses think they were ‘robbed’, it was clear that every house produced a truly commendable performance. It was a night of entertainment and celebration for all.

FRAN WOOD (L6F) & KATIE FULFORD (L6F) 39

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MUSIC

ORCHESTRAL AND JAZZ BAND AWAY DAY TO THE ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE In late January, Repton’s musicians visited Birmingham’s new, state-of-the-art Royal Conservatoire (opened in 2018) for a tour and day of focused music rehearsals. Pupils in the Symphony Orchestra looked in depth at current repertoire (including Suppé’s ‘Poet and Peasant’ and Kèler’s ‘Lustspiel’) using the outstanding facilities for both full and sectional rehearsals, while, on the Contemporary side, members of the Jazz Band took the opportunity to work through the score for the Grease production later in the term.

On his visit to Repton in 2017, Conservatoire Principal Julian Lloyd Webber described the significance of the RBC, being the most recent and, possibly, the last ever Conservatoire to be built in the world.

Well, who knows, but what is certain is that Repton pupils were privileged to have the opportunity to play music in this fine new centre for music education and excellence.

OMW

THE SUBSCRIPTION CONCERT SERIES AND MASTERCLASSES The Subscription Concert Series has enjoyed a successful year, with the Music Department hosting another star-studded round of professional musicians and outstanding ensembles for breath-taking evening concerts and afternoon workshops with our pupils.

In September, we welcomed back leading vocal ensemble Voces8, who led inspirational afternoon singing sessions for members of B Block and the Schola Cantorum, and then gave a spectacular evening concert on the theme of ‘Sing Joyfully’, featuring a wide range of music (sung to perfection!) by Byrd, Brahms, Nat King Cole and Van Morrison. They were also joined by our own choir, who performed Parry’s ‘My soul, there is a country’ alongside the professionals; a stunning occasion!

Later in the Michaelmas Term, we welcomed the foremost British wind quintet of their generation, Atéa, who worked with our own wind players and wind ensembles in a series of workshops during the afternoon, which focused on playing and ensemble technique, as well as answering questions about life as a professional instrumentalist. This was followed by a delightful evening concert, which featured the music of Bach, Bozza and Bridge.

Finally, in February, we strengthened further our links with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire through a joint event with their own Brass Dectet. These young and inspiring brass players worked closely with our own student-led Brass Ensemble, both groups performing a joint concert of extraordinary vibrancy and breadth in the evening. This event was significant for its showcasing of our outstanding brass players, with performers across the full range of instruments; earplugs were optional!

OMW

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

REPTON CONCERTO SPOTLIGHT AND BEETHOVEN’S MASS IN C December saw a new event for the Repton Music Department – the Repton Concerto Spotlight. This gives outstanding Sixth Form pupils the opportunity to perform concerto movements and opera scenes alongside our resident professional orchestra, The Harvey Ensemble, in a Pears School concert setting. The array of talent and ability on display was considerable, with instrumental solos provided

by Matthew Rhodes (U6L) playing Neruda’s ‘Trumpet Concerto’, Leo Parry (L6C) giving us Riisager’s ‘Concertino’ for trumpet, Oliver Whittingham (L6C) performing Ridout’s ‘Concertino for Clarinet and Strings’), Rika Canaway (U6G) offering Strauss’ ‘Horn Concerto’, Katie Fulford (L6F) playing Albinoni’s ‘Oboe Concerto’ and Alistair Westwood (U6N) giving us Cappuzzi’s ‘Double Bass Concerto’. A highlight of this event was the Singing Department’s rendition of the Act 2 finale of Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, arranged and conducted by Head of Singing, Andrew Ashwin; singers Jacob Webb (U6S), Olivia Truscott (L6F), Teddy Fluck (L6L), Thomas Tudor (L6S) and William Balderston (U6N) led an hilarious rendition of this famous musical scene, sung and acted with skill and energy. Following this highly-polished first half, the concert’s second half featured Repton’s Music Society, The Harvey Ensemble and professional soloists in a superb performance of Beethoven’s electrifying and tricky Mass in C. This event, packed full of music-making of the highest order, was supported by a full Pears School audience.

OMW

FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS New heights were reached in this year’s Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, with a wide range of Christmas music being performed, which included Britten’s ‘A Hymn to the Virgin’ for two choirs, Gardiner’s ‘Tomorrow shall be my dancing day’ and Bob Chilcott’s complex ‘Shepherd’s Carol’. The B Block Choir sent a shiver down the congregation’s spine with Joubert’s ‘Torches’, while the older girls sang Trepte’s relentlessly energetic ‘People look East’. Particular mention should go to Rika Canaway (U6G) and Libby Roberts (U6M) for their singing of the traditional first verse of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, as well as to Leo Parry (L6C), Olivia Truscott (L6F), Emily Dick (5A) and Sophie Lewis (5A) for other solos during these memorable services.

OMW

NATIONAL YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRA The National Youth Jazz Orchestra Ambassadors (NYJOA) returned for their second workshop at the start of the Lent Term 2019, following a highly successful masterclass in January 2018.

After a quick ice-breaker session between the band and NYJOA members, the workshop began. The aim of the session class was to play a standard blues/jazz piece from memory, including the format, chords and harmony, with only two hours to rehearse, and then to perform it in the evening.

Under the inspirational leadership of Mark Armstrong, director of NYJOA, the Jazz Band came under fire from extended chords, ranging from b9ths to #11ths and the recall of rhythmic figures at the flick of a hand, which kept the band on their toes.

Solos were allocated to upcoming Jazz Band members Caitlin Grainger-Spivey (4A) on tenor sax, George Wilkinson (4P) on trombone and Joe Riley (5P) on kit; it was great to see these band members having the chance to improvise on the spot. The Jazz Band rose to the occasion, taking full

advantage of the opportunity to learn and to further improve their levels, with help and guidance from the NYJOA players.

The evening performance was just as exciting, as the Repton School Jazz Band took to the stage to perform a first half set of their skilled and popular repertoire, with solos coming from Matthew Rhodes (U6L) on the trumpet, Angus Edwards (U6O) on tenor sax, James Donegan (U6N) on alto sax, Henry Blencowe (U6N) on piano, Alex Smith (U6O) and Theo Saunders (U6O) on trumpet, Will Balderston (U6N) on trombone and Alistair Westwood (U6N) on the bass.

These U6 players will be sorely missed, but have inspired the Band’s next generation of players. The set ended with the NYJOA joining the Jazz Band for a rendition of the blues number learnt during the afternoon workshop, the whole set going down extremely well with a receptive audience.

After a short break, the audience was treated to a second half of six pure and inspirational jazz numbers from the NYJOA, including original compositions by the band members, such as ‘Curse of the Miserable Resting Face’ by Charlie Bates (piano), ‘Coddiwompler by Tom Ridout (saxes) and ‘Coastbound and Blues for L.E.’ by the director, Mark Armstrong; their version of ‘I Got Rhythm’ was particularly fun, because it showed the versatility of the form with the inclusion of The Flintstones theme!

The Repton School Jazz Band learned a lot throughout the day, which was a highlight of the Jazz Band year, and we hope this relationship continues next year.

JAMES DONEGAN (U6N), ZOE ZHANG (U6F) & RF

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THE HOUSE HARMONY COMPETITION

The one certainty about the eagerly-awaited annual House Harmony Competition is the uncertainty.

Subjectivity fl ies around Pears School soon after the adjudication and in the inevitable discussions that ensue the following day, particularly among the disgruntled. I have to say that, in my opinion, this was one of the most open, high-quality competitions for many years and I believe one of four or five houses could have won it. As ever, the adjudicator’s priorities were personal to him and, as such, performance was the name of the game, perhaps above all else.

Eventual winners, The Orchard, were next up and their rendition of ‘No Diggity’ was certainly a crowd-pleaser. The arrangement was tight and the rhythm consistent and together and, while not a great fan of rapping in a harmony competition, I thought Eli Sawyers’ (U6O) solo was done confidently and effectively, with sympathetic accompaniment from the remainder of the group.

There were some strong dynamic contrasts at the end, which left a lasting impression.

With such an emphasis on delivery, then, it was The Orchard who pipped The Cross to the title. Latham have dominated the singing competitions in recent years, so it was a good thing for singing throughout the school in general, that two other boys’ houses came to the fore this year. The other thing that struck me over the course of the evening, too, was the size of the groups. I counted over 100 pupils representing their houses, in what can be an incredibly daunting experience, and they should be applauded for having the courage to stand up and be counted.

The first of two Ed Sheeran songs during the evening, ‘Shape of You’, was performed by The Priory next and an interesting array of costumes adorned the stage. There was another very impressive rap in the middle of the song and I enjoyed the percussive elements throughout. Again, this was another good performance in what was turning out to be a fine evening, full of quality. The Mitre then gave us another well-known classic, this time ‘California Dreamin’’ by the Mamas and Papas and, as with Abbey, I was hugely impressed with the complexity of the close harmonies as well as some beautifully-observed dynamic phrasing. It was clear that they were enjoying the experience enormously, but, as the adjudicator observed at the end of the evening, they mostly looked at each other instead of engaging with the audience as well. It was an enjoyable performance, nonetheless.

Latham kicked the evening off, with Robbie Williams’ ‘She’s the One’ and immediately put the audience at ease with a relaxed style and some good close harmony to begin with, which accompanied the soloists. The Abbey followed with the classic Leonard Cohen ‘Hallelujah’ and, straight away, I was struck by the effective composition of the mini-choir that had assembled. They began thoughtfully and the complexity of the harmonies was impressive.

I thought, too, that their balance was very good and it was clear that they were listening closely to each other; another essential component of quality harmony singing.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019 As The Cross took to the stage, I was struck by the visual impact of their lumberjack shirts – both a homage to Ed Sheeran and their house – and their rendition of ‘Thinking Out Loud’ received warm applause from an appreciative audience. Although the bass line could have been a little stronger, I particularly enjoyed the lyrical warmness of their delivery. There were four different soloists, all of whom did a superb job, and they deservedly enjoyed the runner-up spot. Bravely, New House took on a Queen song next and, once again, there was some excellent close harmony singing.

Will Balderston’s (U6N) falsetto was particularly impressive, but I felt that the accompanying singers could have been a little more sympathetic to the Freddie Mercury-level demands on the main vocalist! Dynamically, too, I thought the piece would have benefited from some more light and shade, but, once again, this was another high-quality performance on a highly enjoyable evening.

INDIVIDUAL HOUSE MUSIC COMPETITION Junior Woodwind Amelia Webb (4M) Senior Woodwind Oliver Whittingham (L6C) Senior Boys’ Classical Singing William Balderston (U6N) Junior Boys’ Classical Singing Piers Derry (4S) Senior Boys’ Popular Song Jacob Webb (U6S) Junior Boys’ Popular Song Charlie Hardwick (3N) Senior Girls’ Popular Song Rika Canaway (U6G) Junior Girls’ Classical Singing Sophie Lewis (5A)

Field featured next and gave us an ABBA medley. Whilst the transitions into each of the three songs were not always completely together, they communicated with each other and the audience very effectively and the group continued a strong Field tradition of performing well in the Harmony competition, with a well-earned third place. Few will forget School House’s performance as various animal costumes took to the stage to provide an entertaining rendition of ‘The Bare Necessities’. I felt that the pitch was too low, but there was a good percussive accompaniment to the soloists, who seemingly spent most of their time in the audience!

Junior Girls’ Popular Song Lollie Gibson (5G)

Senior Girls’ Classical Singing Rika Canaway (U6G) Senior Contemporary Alistair Westwood (U6N) Junior Contemporary Joe Riley (5P) Senior Piano Henry Blencowe (U6N) Orchestral Percussion Matthew Fulford (4O) Jazz Cup Henry Blencowe (U6N) Senior Brass Matthew Rhodes (U6L) Junior Strings Sophie Lewis (5A) Junior Brass Max Ewart-White (4N) Junior Piano Louis Allen (3O) Senior Strings Oliver Whittingham (L6C)

The Garden concluded the evening with Mika’s ‘Happy Ending’ and I thought the outfits and composition made an immediate, professional impact. Whilst the choreography was impressively handled, I felt that it detracted from the performance somewhat, but the ‘Little bit of Love’ variations at the end were the highlight, demonstrating that, once they began to relax and enjoy themselves, the best singing emerged. While the adjudicator pondered his scores, The Reptiles showed us how it is done with a classically performed ‘Country Roads’. There was some fantastic singing here, with perfectly-executed harmonies; a fitting end to a high-quality evening of genuinely enjoyable performances.

The adjudicator was hugely impressed – bowled over in fact – by the care with which the houses had clearly prepared for the night.

He rightly noted that it reflected well on the school seeing the pupils working together so well. Overall, this was another fantastic Repton evening, with evidence of many hours of preparation and dedication on show. It is rare that there is a complete consensus on who should have won and, while outcomes in similar competitions have shocked and surprised in the past, this was not one of those occasions and I look forward to Orchard’s defence of their title next year.

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BBC DAILY SERVICE In November, the Schola Cantorum took to the airwaves for the third consecutive year to perform live on BBC Radio 4’s long-running ‘Daily Service’ Programme. This year’s theme was ‘The faith of saints’, with the choir performing Noble’s ‘Nunc dimittis’ alongside suitable hymns and responses. As is necessary on radio, the singers worked hard on diction and tuning, under the producer’s guidance, so that the worldwide audience of several hundred thousand felt as if they were actually inside the church with us. The choir should be commended for focusing and performing so well, particularly given that they were required to depart The Arch before 6am that morning in order to travel to South Manchester for an 8am rehearsal!

OMW

SCHOLA CANTORUM The school choirs underwent a restructuring, this year, with the Chapel and Chamber Choirs merging into one ‘Schola Cantorum’. This new group, bursting with choral energy and ability, officially launched itself in November with a performance on Remembrance Sunday of Fauré’s sublime Requiem, marking 100 years since the end of World War One. We were delighted to welcome back ORs Kathryn Monteiro (cello) and Katie Jankinson (violin) for this performance, alongside current pupils Katherine Carr (U6F) on harp and Rika Canaway (U6G), who provided the iconic ‘Pie Jesu’ solo. RJO played the organ, with OMW conducting.

In February, the Schola Cantorum sang Choral Evensong in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, to an impressive audience of parents, ORs and tourists. Following a tour of the incredible and historic building, the size of which is overwhelming to those exploring it for the first time (particularly the 8-second echo!), the choir rehearsed in the Cathedral’s Song Room and then in the famous Choir Stalls. One particular highlight was visiting the tomb of composer Sir Hubert Parry, who wrote the hymn tune ‘Repton’. By singing Evensong, which the Cathedral offers every day, our pupils joined a St Paul’s tradition going back to the early 1700s. As well as Psalms and Responses, Schola Cantorum performed Noble’s Evening Service in B Minor, and – most fittingly – Sumsion’s ‘They that go down to the sea in ships’, written for Foremarke Hall in 1979. This was an aspirational opportunity for the choir, who rose brilliantly to the occasion; they look forward to returning in 2020.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

CHRISTMAS BANDS’ CONCERT The annual Christmas Bands’ Concert was, as always, an incredibly successful event, to such an extent on this occasion that its location had to be moved from the 400 Hall back into Pears School, due to the unprecedented number of tickets that had been bought: a sell-out show!

The concert is clearly a popular showcase of the musical talent of the pupils from Repton and Foremarke, with a multitude of different ensembles playing an array of genres and Christmas songs.

Guests were greeted to the sound of the Brass Group, superbly rehearsed and directed by Matthew Rhodes (U6L), playing Christmas carols as guests arrived, which set the scene and high standards for a great evening’s entertainment.

First up was the Jazz Band, expertly directed by RF, playing an amazing set of music: starting off with the ‘Mission Impossible Theme’ and moving on to a set ranging from the smooth, chilled-out swing of ‘Easy Street’, to the fast-paced, Latin-inspired rhythm of ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing’ and ending with the funky ‘Birdland’. The U6 musicians were able to show off their skills through some incredibly virtuosic improvised solos, played by Matthew Rhodes (U6L), Henry Blencowe (U6N), Alistair Westwood (U6N), William Balderston (U6N), James Donegan (U6N), Angus Edwards (U6O), Alex Smith (U6O) and Theo Saunders (U6O). The band’s performance certainly proved why they are one of the leading ensembles in the school, and RF duly paid a fitting tribute to these players, most of whom had originated from RF’s Foremarke Jazz Band, but all of whom had given time and commitment to all of the school’s ensembles during their time at Repton.

With Jazz Band being a hard act to follow, the Foremarke Wind Band took to the stage to competently play ‘A Million Dreams’, ‘Highlights from Moana’ and ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’, under the direction of Mr Spalton, which took the concert to the end of the first half. During the interval, the Clarinet Group, led by Mrs Gordon-Redfern, gave a programme of light-hearted, upbeat festive pieces, whilst mulled wine and mince pies were

served, after which the Repton Community Singers under the baton of Izzy Hurley took to the stage. The Singers comprise parents and members of the village, which gave the concert a strong communal feeling as they sang arrangements of ‘O Holy Night’, ‘War is Over’ and ‘Wonderful Christmas Time’. The singers produced a warm and vibrant sound, which was a testimony to the hard work they had put in rehearsing for this event.

William Orpin (5C), a member of the RAF section of the school’s CCF, recited the famous speech of Winston Churchill, about ‘the few’ who fought in the Battle of Britain. This immediately led into the Concert Band’s opening number, ‘The Dambusters Theme’, well-directed by Mrs Hardy on her debut performance as the Band’s new director, to mark the 100th Anniversary of the RAF. The set went without a hitch and showed the emergence of a new sound and exciting repertoire, with numbers such as ‘The Imperial March’ from Star Wars being particularly well-received. A strong medley of Christmas songs concluded their set.

The Sax Pack rounded off the evening, with more festive tunes expertly played on the steps of Pears School, under the direction of Mr Milverton, as the audience departed. The Christmas Bands’ Concert was, in my opinion, one of the best nights of music that I have had the pleasure of being a part of at Repton and was an excellent way to finish off a great term for the Music Department.

Many thanks must be given to all involved and to the members of the VMTs, who have worked tirelessly throughout the term during instrumental lessons to help prepare the players. Of course, a particular mention must go to RF, for putting together and organising this amazing concert.

ALISTAIR WESTWOOD (U6N)

TRINITY COUPLAND-SMITH (U6M)

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MUSIC

ROCKIT 2019 Despite having at first seemed unlikely, the go-ahead for this year’s annual ‘RockIt’ concert provided contemporary musicians across the school with another opportunity to prove their rhythmic talents.

More than 100 spectators assembled in the 400 Hall Studio Theatre, anticipating an eclectic evening of pop, rock and hip-hop anthems, and they weren’t disappointed.

The performances were kickstarted by Esther Ajayi-Akinsulire (3F), with an authentic rendition of Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’, ‘Rise Up’ and Ed Sheeran’s hit ‘The A-Team’. With an unexpectedly lively audience quickly fired up, it was then the turn of Dubem Uffang (L6P) to take centre-stage, inspiring the crowd with two original rap songs, ‘Eyes on the Prize’ and ‘Feet Wet’, introducing a fresh, au courant genre to Repton’s stages for one of the first times. Succeeding Dubem on the stage came a one-time-only, all L6-form band consisting of lead singer Scarlett Lloyd-Dickinson (L6G), James Newbould (L6S) on bass guitar, lead guitarist Jake Ford (L6S) and Olly Thompstone (L6L) on drum kit. Three numbers were performed to an increasingly animated audience, in ‘Someone You Loved’ by Lewis Capaldi, Amy Whinehouse’s ‘Valerie’ and ‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele.

Following another exceptional reception from the audience, the L6 domination on stage continued, this time in the form of pop duet Jess Smith (L6M) singing and playing guitar, and Oli Scutt (L6L) behind the kit. Four hit songs were performed, the Oasis classic ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Summertime Sadness’, Oli Murs’ ‘Troublemaker’ and finishing off with ‘Angels’ by Robbie Williams, a winner with the now incredibly vibrant audience reciting every song performed.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019 Following an impromptu crowd-surf, courtesy of Oli Scutt, in true rockstar fashion, a late submission was made, with Junior Kinsiona (U6L), accompanied onstage once more by Dubem, to perform another original rap song. A highly dynamic and spirited performance further stimulated the already very buoyant audience, ready for the closing act of the evening. Jake Ford once more on guitar, James Newbould on bass guitar and Olly Thompstone re-took to the stage, this time fronted by guitarist/lead singer Teddy Fluck (L6L) to perform the four final songs of the evening.

A set consisting of Kaiser Chiefs’ ‘Ruby’, Fountains of Wayne hit ‘Stacy’s Mom’, Arctic Monkey’s ‘Mardy Bum’ and ‘Sex on Fire’ by the Kings of Leon closed the evening’s musical spectacle, with the accompaniment of the buzzing crowd singing along.

In the words of Robbie Williams’ ‘Let Me Entertain You’, this year’s RockIt did just that, and although a smaller affair on this occasion, in the course of just over an hour’s worth of some stunning live music, six acts performed seventeen numbers to an incredibly receptive crowd who were right up for it from the off. Approximately £250 was raised for the Lent Charity Fund in another inspiring evening of live music. Special thanks again to RF’s tireless energy and enthusiasm for organising this event.

OLIVER THOMPSTONE (L6L) & RF

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“ALL SHALL BE DONE, BUT IT MAY BE HARDER THAN YOU THINK.” C. S Lewis

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DRAMA

THE MICHAELMAS TERM PRODUCTION:

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE Walking through the glass doors of the 400 Hall foyer, eagerly anticipating Repton’s first staging of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I did wonder how such a story could be performed.

However, the set, characters, costumes, drama, mystery and magic all combined to create the mystical fantasy that C.S. Lewis originally had in mind; all brought to the Repton stage for a series of special performances, the audience whisked away to the awe-inspiring scenery of Narnia, beautifully bought to life by the Set Design team of Carl and Mandy Avery and Lighting Design by Alex Smith (U6O).

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The Reptonian 2018/2019 Immediate and successful characterisation of the leading characters in this play were made in the opening minutes, with William Wilkinson (L6P), Francesca Wood (L6F), James Alford (4N) and Sophie Derby (3M) showing a deep and rich understanding of the different personalities and family dynamic of the Pevensie children. The ever-stern Mrs Macready (Katie Brady (L6F)) and graceful, warm-hearted Professor Kirk (James Newbould (L6S)) graced the stage to contribute to the growing list of stand-out performances.

When transported, briefly, back to reality during the interval, it was close to impossible to believe that, merely a few hours ago, these cast members were writing essays and solving algebraic equations.

Plunged back into the magic, the audience were chillingly aware of the play’s tyrannical antagonist, The White Witch, who was perfectly portrayed with an ice-cold and steely demeanour by Libby Roberts (U6M). Other highlights of the evening were the hospitable and kind-natured Mr and Mrs Beaver (Barney Jones (U6S) and Kayleigh Norton (U6G)), the illusive Mr Tumnus (Cameron Wagg (4S)), James Newbould doubling-up his roles as the majestic Aslan, the demonic and cruel Maugrim (Charlie Furniss (L6O)) and a captivating, stand-out performance by Ella Hopkins (L6F) as the Ice Queen’s ever-obedient side-kick, Grumpskin: her energy, timing and stage-presence delivered a performance discussed amongst staff and pupils for many days afterwards.

With the final bows taken and the curtain drawn, one should celebrate the sheer excellence and professionalism demonstrated on the Repton stage.

LEO PARRY (L6C)

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DRAMA

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE AN INSIDER VIEW Just steps away from the snowy Narnian forest onstage, the chaos of backstage rages. Frantic murmuring of lines, last-minute battle practice and emergency costume-pinning. Beginners are in the wings and the lights go up. The realisation sets in that this is very real, no more dress rehearsals. The audience is sat, ready to experience something that has become so familiar to us, but is unknown to them.

The weeks of practice have led to these moments. Every forgotten line and missed cue have added up to a mild panic rolling in the stomachs of some. Others are strangely calm and collected, ready to conquer the stage. Poised and ready to go on, pushing back the curtain and walking into the blinding lights. Silence. Every eye is on you.

And then, suddenly, your scene is over. You return backstage to the laughter and chat.

A mad rush when you remember that prop is not where it should be. The second act speeds by; there’s a battle, a coronation, a street-lamp flickers and the play is done.

Curtain call comes and you finally have a moment to breathe and appreciate the art you have all just made.

Three times over, and it’s all finished. Thank yous and tears ensue. You put your costume on the rail for the last time. You wipe off your make-up for the last time. You leave the theatre and bid your friends, new and old, goodbye. It’s a strange emptiness that comes upon you after that moment. You still have the lines embedded in your brain, you could still run the play, top to bottom, perfectly. But that’s it – no more running those scenes, hearing the music surge in the background. You have to put it to one side, and think of it all with a smile when you remember a funny comment a cast-mate said when waiting for your cue that one time, or when you remember how a shoe came off mid-scene and an emergency rescue mission had to be made for it. We all move on to the next thing. But it’s the times when you see each other around school, and share a smile, that mean something. The acknowledgement of the good times had together, now over, but not forgotten.

LIBBY ROBERTS (U6M)

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DRAMA

THE LENT TERM PRODUCTION:

GREASE

The much-loved musical Grease never has and never will grow old.

An astounding cast of over 40 Reptonians, ranging from B Block to U6, worked day-in, day-out throughout the Michaelmas and Lent Terms to produce four sell-out performances of this spectacular show, all of which were hugely successful due to the professional standards of the dancing and acting. Repton owes a great deal of thanks to the director, former Foremarke member of staff Peter Waters, for stepping in to take over the reins of the show and Caroline Green for the superb choreography.

Whilst most of the cast evidently really enjoyed the experience, we can’t underestimate the demands of putting on a musical, which often resulted in forgoing free time and even weekends to rehearse.

That the ensemble was very talented and accomplished is a testimony to their diligence, perseverance and aptitude.

Also, the remarkable accompaniment of the seven-piece band, led by RF, must not be ignored. Scarlett Lloyd-Dickinson (L6G) as Sandy, Teddy Fluck (L6L) as Danny and Freddie Holt (U6N) as Kenickie all gave performances that were particularly notable, though every audience member had their own favourite. The chemistry between Fluck and Lloyd-Dickinson made the play seem all the more believable; alongside the fantastic costumes (CEG) and set design (IJW). Additionally, Holt’s incredible acrobatic stunts contributed to the excitement and suspense of Grease.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

It is very hard to criticise this production, which truly ranks as one of the very best the 400 Hall has seen, although, if it had to be, at times it could be rather slow-paced, in comparison to the high-octane, action-packed big numbers.

Grease not only provided much entertainment, the proceeds went towards a very worthy cause – The Neverest Foundation, which was founded seven years ago

by Professor Rohan Rajan. The Foundation is pledged to improve standards of orthopaedic care in Nepal, by educating orthopaedic surgeons and donating vital equipment to hospitals. Since the devastating April 2015 earthquake, the Foundation has also become involved in social care, particularly of orphans and disabled children.

DAISY BUTT (L6M)

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DRAMA

GREASE

AN INSIDER VIEW Undoubtedly, the Lent Term performance of Grease was a true highlight of the school year. Each night we performed to a beaming audience – who enjoyed the show almost more than the cast did!

With such a large cast, each and every member had to pull their weight to pull off the show. In particular, Teddy Fluck (L6L) and Scarlett Lloyd Dickinson (L6G) embodied Danny and Sandy, beautifully showcasing their triple-threat skills of acting, dancing and singing.

Thanks to director Peter Waters and choreographer Caroline Green, the ensemble numbers were huge fun to rehearse, from the fast-paced rock of ‘Grease Lightning’ to the feel-good ‘We go together’ to the graceful and charming ‘Beauty School Dropout’.

Particular credit must be paid to JMGL and his tech team for truly making the show come to life, Alex Smith (U6O), Serena Cole (U6F) and Matthew Rhodes (U6L) working professionally backstage, controlling the lights, microphones and sound, respectively.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

CEG worked extremely hard as Costume Mistress, alongside several assistants, and their work cannot be overstated. All of the costumes were authentic and realistic, giving a true professional nature to the production. GRPW and IJW both helped backstage, with IJW demonstrating his amazing skill hand-painting parts of the scenery.

With the combined effort of so many teachers, students and others, the show successfully managed to entertain over 1000 people across four stunning performances – a shining example of how the hard work and dedication of a team can create something spectacular. Even after the curtain has been drawn, the lights turned off, and Grease Lightning parked away, I find myself still reminiscing about those performances and consider myself extremely lucky to have spent my final show on the Repton stage with such a loveable cast and crew.

FREDDIE HOLT (U6N)

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“CREATIVITY TAKES COURAGE.” Henri Matisse

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ART & DESIGN

ARTWORK BY IJW

This painting was presented to WMAL as a leaving present from the Common Room, March 2019.

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ART & DESIGN

ART SPOILS REPTON!

Repton has been ruined.

In fact, it has been completely spoilt rotten by Art this year, thanks as always to the pull of the wonderful state-of-the-Art Gallery spaces in the centre of the village. New Court Gallery and Gallery No.1 have attracted a sequence of international-quality Art exhibitions to our village. Our pupils have enjoyed meeting real practitioners from Derby, London, New York and Ireland in recent months, each having shown work in these spaces. Mark Warwick, a sculptor working in America, led exciting workshops for our Sixth Form artists in which they even collaborated with him on the construction of his twelve-feet-tall anthropomorphic forms for his exhibition.

Repton artists and scholars always learn a lot from meeting visiting artists and conversing about their career and work.

Arts students benefit in a similar way from our Artist in Residence programme, which has resulted in a pair of very special exhibitions this year, attracting visitors from all over the country. Our Artists in Residence teach classes in the Art School and they also, importantly, continue their practice with the support of protected time and a studio to work in. As part of the Residency, they are always invited to exhibit in the Galleries, and both our current Residents showed their work in a two-part showcase in the Lent Term. In this way, pupils, as well as receiving uniquely ‘horse’s mouth’ teaching, experienced directly the creative process from studio to gallery and beyond. Both Artists in Residence have exhibited and attended symposia in the UK and abroad while also teaching our pupils and brought this experience and some of the work together into a pair of world class exhibitions in our fabulous New Court Gallery.

ARTWORK BY MARIA GEORGOULA

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The Reptonian 2018/2019 First up was ‘Décor and Gymnastics’, by Maria Georgoula, our longer-term AiR, who showed a new set of wall relief works alongside some large scale works on paper, setting up – for this viewer at least – a space between the object and the image that shouted ‘PAINTING’ without quite actually painting, thus keeping all ‘Painting’s’ billionfold associations and baggage ‘out of the picture’ and resulting in demonstrative and deceptively congenial objects. The beauty of Maria’s works was of a kind that bypassed my ‘art goggles’ and got straight at my heartstrings like only something alive usually could – like a puppy. I enjoyed the play between the recognisable ‘thing-ness’ of the domestically known or commercially obscure details, incorporating haptic, familiar and sometimes nostalgic materials and partial objects, and that other kind of recognisability and thing-ness of the semi-abstract image generated.

Right after this, in the middle of her year as Artist in Residence, came ‘Me, my dancing partner’ by Harriet Farmer, conversing fortuitously with the previous show by very openly occupying that space of painting, surrounded but not colonised by Maria’s exhibition. Harriet’s new works, all painted during her residency, openly carried the aforementioned baggage belonging to that beguiling monster: ‘Painting’. What made these pieces so conceptually irresistible is that, where some contemporary painting is slowed and hobbled by this weight, Harriet’s works wielded it lightly, seeming even to

swing it happily as they skipped along. The paintings in the exhibition wore their process on their sleeve, revealing the graceful push and pull of their making as if laid out on a picnic sheet for us to see. My gaze was being gently manipulated in an exclusively all-over, side-to-side, up-and-down motion and remaining in this dimension among the not-quite-repeating almost-patterns of a topiary of almost-recognised designs. And it was here, in this narrow, comfortable, almost depthlessness between ‘ground’ as this artist’s starting point and final application of line as anxiety-free labyrinth,

that I found that sleeping minotaur (Painting!) again, as I recognised that I was in the baroque realm of the stucco cupid, the curve and the spiral, and found myself thinking all over again of the relief sculpture of the previous exhibition.

These two shows were a really exciting pair of installations from our dedicated resident artists, seeming to delineate a very wide but coherent contemporary dialogue of Art and art-making, taking Repton School as its HQ.

IJW

ARTWORK BY HATTIE FARMER

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ART & DESIGN

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY TRIP:

LONDON DESIGN MUSEUM AND THE V&A After an early-morning start and long journey to London, we were split into two groups, each taking a different exhibition first: Home Futures and Designer, Maker, User. My group went to Home Futures first. This exhibition explored some of the many possible ways our lives may have evolved, according to some of the great 20th century designers and architects.

While some of the colour schemes may have lost their appeal with the passage of time, the functional aspects of the pieces were ingenious and remarkably accurate to what has occurred in 21st century design. One of the prime examples of this was a singlepiece kitchen unit, consisting of a cupboard, an oven and other features. The interesting part about this design is its extremely compact nature: its bright orange body fitted into a one-by-two-metre grid. This piece shows a prediction of miniaturisation from a pre-microprocessor designer.

Other interesting designs included a series of improvised items, such as a vacuum cleaner made from a bin. Although very interesting, I found that such items painted a rather bleak interpretation of the future, as the need for such items to be built suggests to me a complete shutdown of more sophisticated recycling systems. After all, why would you make a lamp from PVC tubing when you can recycle the tubing into a more suitable shape for a lamp? This, to me, suggested governmental shutdown as a whole; my theory supported with an improvised crossbow on display. Overall,

I found the exhibition very interesting, from kitchen-shrinking to post-apocalyptic hoovers.

As intriguing as I found it, however, I believe Designer, Maker, User was a far more important and inspiring display.

This exhibition focused on the most iconic modern designs, from the iPhone to the typeset used in British road signs to the masterpiece that is the Croc. We walked around the exhibition and recognised many things, but also were introduced to many new and slightly retro devices, such as the Apple Newton Message Pad, the pocket-calculator-like precursor to the iPad. Something that I found particularly interesting was the Valentine Typewriters, or, more specifically, their advertising. The posters displayed were both excellent examples of advertising and pop art. The exhibition was surprisingly interactive, including a video on the creation of tennis balls: a surprisingly complex process. If I were to have only taken one thing away from this trip, it would be the importance and power of graphic design and aesthetics in wider design, and it was this exhibition that enlightened me.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

After visiting the Design Museum, we moved on to the V&A. Once again, this museum was very interesting to me, although I found it far more interesting from a historical and cultural aspect, rather than a design one. The V&A is a maze of peculiar artefacts, magnificent paintings and grand sculptures. Whilst walking around, I managed to get lost and, although they were selling maps, I would argue that getting lost is absolutely the best way to explore a place such as the V&A! I found the Middle Eastern section particularly interesting, as it was a more foreign culture to me than many of the other sections. After wandering around and watching a friend come to the realisation that there are major differences between the operation of a museum café and a self-serve buffet, we were released into the wider streets of London to have some free time. I can’t say that we did much in the free time, and to be frank it was far less interesting than the two museums; in fact, said free time for my group mainly consisted of sitting in a café.

The journey back was far livelier than the one there: with conversation rife, it felt much shorter, while a fellow pupil found that they could connect their phone to the bus’ speaker system via Bluetooth and (with permission, of course) played such gems as ‘Country Roads’ for the final half-hour of our journey!

Overall, the trip was a success. The aim was to inspire DT pupils on the possibilities of design and what they could do to mix up their projects – and it certainly did, through the many odd and interesting items of yesterday’s future in Home Futures, the iconic products of Designer, User, Maker and the cultural artefacts of the V&A.

BARNABY CHURCHILL (L6P)

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“THE HARDER THE BATTLE, THE SWEETER THE VICTORY.” Les Brown

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SPORT

CRICKET 1ST XI 2018 will be remembered for a couple of things. Firstly, after Half-Term it was like being in the Southern Hemisphere, with such dry weather the outfields were brown by the end of June. Secondly, for those that noticed, Ben Chapman-Lilley quietly amassed more 1st XI runs in a season than everyone in history, bar former England International Chris Adams.

This was a comparatively young 1st XI, with only one or two U6 boys involved, but this wasn’t a reflection of the cricket we played. The persistent downpours in early April meant there was no chance of the ground being dry enough to host our planned pre-season games, so preparation was limited before a rusty and comprehensive loss to a good Oakham side on the first weekend.

That brought us immediately to the T20 competition and good performances against Loughborough and Trent: Chapman-Lilley’s 90 not out was the glue that held it all together. That brought us into the National last-32 against a strong Stamford side that embraced the modern game. Powerful ball-striking throughout saw them post 200 on an excellent surface and our response of 170, with another Chapman-Lilley 90, was a fair effort. Tom Buffin’s 4-22 was his best return of the season, though for other bowlers in this game, their superlative was the biggest six they got hit for all season!

An away trip to Shrewsbury saw us come up short by just two runs, in a game we should perhaps have won, but the lower order struggled to score off the accurate

spin and we gave them wickets at just the wrong times. It was the spinners again who were the controlling influence away at Uppingham soon after, when good control through the middle from Buffin and Hobson gave us a run-chase of 220 from 50 overs. This was one of the very few occasions that rain ruined the prospects of a good game. The final game of May was perhaps the best for the neutral, in a game that swung regularly, against Worksop.

Chapman-Lilley’s 100 was a superb innings and they regretted dropping him on 0! He accumulated his runs on both sides of the wicket and was always in control, hitting the ball on the floor with low-risk batting throughout. A powerful middle-order knock from Worksop’s number seven saw it flying to all parts, before a couple of wickets brought us back into the game. Finally, it reached the last ball, with Worksop needing four. A great shot saw it bump into the sightscreen at the Boot Hill end to win them the game, but it was a great encounter and a tough battle throughout.

overs, brought us to the annual two-day game against Derbyshire U17s. Playing this different format is an excellent challenge and a depleted side on day one did a great job, with 50 for Buffin giving Repton a first innings lead. As we attempted to post a total to enable us to declare, Hobson and Chapman-Lilley both passed 100, as they had done the year before, for their second and fourth 1st XI hundreds, respectively.

Ultimately, we only took six second innings wickets, but the draw had seen some impressive performances.

A loss to an improved Pilgrims side on Speech Day included a patient and well put together 66 from Anoop Chima, who went on during the Summer to play for Derbyshire 2nd XI and in the ECB Bunbury Festival, before being selected in the ECB Best of Bunbury Squads. With three years still to play at 1st XI level, he’ll have Chapman-Lilley’s achievements in his sights.

The period through June saw us play some good cricket, for the most part. Defeats of Notts High (with a first 1st XI 50 for Ethan Berlusconi) and KES, Birmingham, were both comfortable wins that preceded a wash-out at Trent, when we were probably set to lose, despite a positive 75 from Angus Bennett in his best innings of the term. Then a midweek win over Ashville, including four wickets for Chapman-Lilley (and a dropped catch that would have seen him make both Honours Boards!) and a victory against Warwick by just six, with runs from Sayer and an absolutely superb fielding performance, where we let nothing through us at any point in the 50

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The Reptonian 2018/2019 The annual Festival, competing with Epsom, St Peter’s York and Warwick, saw us awarded the trophy on run-rate, after winning two of our three games. Luke Brown made the Honours Board in a remarkable spell against Warwick on day two: in just four overs, he dismissed five Warwick players for just three runs! Brown finished as our leading wicket-taker, with 32 across the season. His ability to swing the ball out meant that, on his day, he was a threat for all opposition batsmen. There were some debuts for some of our successful U15 side in this Festival, after their run to the National semi-final and Midlands T20 semi-final, which provided good experience for them. The Festival saw Chapman-Lilley make 94, twice, and his final 1st XI run tally for 2018 finished at 1076: he is only the third person in history to make 1000 runs in a season for Repton finishing ahead of Richard Hutton’s 1036. It also meant an aggregate across his school career of 1806 runs. Make what you will of statistics, but his contribution as a batsman, fielder, (reluctant) bowler and captain during his two years could hardly have been greater.

There are some strong sides in the Midlands at the moment and it is great to see our players challenged by these teams. The 2018 team was a reliable and consistent group of boys, who were committed and recognised their roles in the side. As I pass the cricketing reins to CMWR, the individual achievements this year, as well as the performances of the U15 side, mean it is a good time to see how far we will go next.

IMP CAPTAIN B. Chapman-Lilley (P) SQUAD A. Bennett (P), E. Berlusconi (L), L. Brown (N), T. Buffin (S), A. Chima (L), W. Hobson (S), T. Jones (S), O. Randall (O), S. Sayer (C), M. Tarrant (S), J. Webb (S).

P 19

W9

D1

T0

L7

AB 2

DENSTONE COLLEGE

CANCELLED

XL CLUB

CANCELLED

OAKHAM 264-6 (REVISED D/L TOTAL 218) REPTON 134-8

LOST BY 84 RUNS (D/L)

MALVERN COLLEGE

CANCELLED

SHREWSBURY 183-7 REPTON 181-7

LOST BY 2 RUNS

UPPINGHAM 235 AO REPTON 0-0

ABANDONED

REPTON 216-5 WORKSOP COLLEGE 217-8

LOST BY 2 WKTS

REPTON 180-8 NOTTINGHAM HS 100 AO

WON BY 80 RUNS

KES, BIRMINGHAM 116-8 REPTON 120-1

WON BY 9 WKTS

TRENT COLLEGE 237-7 REPTON 189-8

ABANDONED

ASHVILLE COLLEGE 223 AO REPTON 224-7

WON BY 3 WKTS

REPTON 152-5 DERBYSHIRE MINI-ACADEMY 134-6

WON BY 18 RUNS

REPTON 240-8 WARWICK 232 AO

WON BY 8 RUNS

DERBYSHIRE U17 (2-DAY MATCH)

DRAW

REPTON PILGRIMS 258-6 REPTON 242-8

LOST BY 16 RUNS

REPTON 195-6 ST PETER’S YORK 192-8

WON BY 3 RUNS

WARWICK 77 AO REPTON 79-4

WON BY 6 WKTS

WARWICK 168-4 REPTON 149-5

LOST BY 19 RUNS

EPSOM COLLEGE 233-6 REPTON 218 AO

LOST BY 15 RUNS

ESCA T20 REGIONAL ROUNDS R1 TRENT COLLEGE 139-9 REPTON 141-4

WON BY 6 WKTS

R2 LOUGHBOROUGH ENDOWED 79-9 REPTON 80-3

WON BY 7 WKTS

ESCA T20 NATIONAL ROUNDS STAMFORD 203-6 REPTON 162-4

LOST BY 41 RUNS

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U15 A XI

2ND XI Despite Fellows’ excellent 94* in the opening game against Oakham, we only managed to set a target of 166 to win, which always felt 15-20 runs short, and so it proved as the opposition won comfortably in the end by 8 wickets and with 3 overs to spare.

In our second game, restricting Derbyshire to 171 in 40 overs gave us a chance at the halfway stage, or so I thought: 15 minutes into our reply, however, we were 8-5 after some careless shots combined with some tight bowling. Wanger restored some pride with the bat, but the damage was done. The Uppingham game hung in the balance until Sillery joined Wanger at the crease and his swashbuckling innings, which fell agonisingly short of a deserved half-century, complemented the excellent stroke-play of Wanger at the other end. The Shrewsbury game was incredibly frustrating, as we posted a very competitive total only to bowl 28 wides in their innings. Given that they reached their target with just 5 balls to spare, this was definitely one that got away.

did most of the damage in knocking off their total with relative ease. Webb, in particular, came into some fine form late in the term.

After a comfortable victory against Worksop the previous year, we were hopeful of another successful trip up the M1, but we conceded 30 runs in the last three overs to give them a competitive total and never really got going with the bat. A predominantly L6 side played Abbotsholme in what was to be our final game of the season and, even with an impressive 99 from their stylish opening left-hander, Wanger, along with Tarrant,

J. Wanger (S)

P6

W2

Sadly, the last two games of the term had to be cancelled, due to a lack of players available. With the now shortened version of the game used most often in school fixtures, I would encourage, indeed urge, both pupils and parents alike to commit to cricket on a Saturday afternoon, not least to escape the pressure-cauldron of revision for a few hours, and to refresh and reinvigorate – which hours at a desk can so rarely do.

WGO CAPTAIN SQUAD W. Balderston (N), M. Bowman (S), L. Combellack (S), M. Dytham (M), N. Fellows (S), L. Johnson (N), G. Kirtland (N), M. Newstead (S), R. Sillery (S), W. Tomalin (N), W. Wright (O), J. Webb (S).

As a self-confessed ‘football man’, the Summer Term has often been second, or even third, in my personal pecking order on the Repton sporting calendar.

But not this year. Even as I write, the words of Mrs Lawrence are ringing in my ears – ‘Why are you watching the Test Match? You never watch cricket. I didn’t even know you liked it!’ This dramatic conversion to the Church of Leather-onWillow can be put down to an incredible bunch of boys and one incredible girl who called themselves the 2018 U15 As. When a squad ends the season as County Champions, National semi-finalists and Midlands T20 runners-up, you know they must be good. But this is not what made them such a pleasure to work with: that was the fact that they just wanted to play; that they trained as hard as any group of players I have ever worked with in any sport; that they reflected on their weaknesses and listened to the advice that might help them improve. Some of them were even quite good company. In short, they were brilliant.

Although there were many great moments, my personal highlight has to be the ESCA North semi-final win over Sedbergh.

After a 150-mile trip to Cumbria, our players bowled and fielded as if their lives depended on it – even the harshest of critics would have struggled to identify one ball that gave the batsmen an easy ride. We then set about dismantling our hosts’ total with remarkable efficiency and strolled to victory with thirteen overs and eight wickets to spare. On the coach journey home, Mr Afford and I could barely comprehend what we had witnessed.

Also played: T. Dunn (O), G. Fynn (S), L. Huffer (O), M. Tarrant (S).

L4

* not out

REPTON 165-6 (FELLOWS 94*) OAKHAM 168-2

LOST BY 8 WKTS

DERBYSHIRE U15 171-8 (KIRTLAND 3-34) REPTON 73 ALL OUT (WANGER 26)

LOST BY 98 RUNS

UPPINGHAM 153-9 (WEBB 3-26, TOMALIN 2-18, BALDERSTON 2-32) REPTON 155-5 (WANGER 53*, SILLERY 49)

WON BY 5 WKTS

REPTON 143-5 (WEBB 67) SHREWSBURY 147-5 (KIRTLAND 3-25)

LOST BY 5 WKTS

WORKSOP 119-5 REPTON 82-5

LOST BY 37 RUNS

ABBOTSHOLME 131-7 REPTON 134-4 (TARRANT 41, WEBB 65*)

WON BY 6 WKTS

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This was not, however, the season of non-stop success that it may appear. There were also the Saturdays when five or six players were called up to the 1st XI and everyone else had to pick up the pieces to turn out against tough opposition.

Sometimes we lost. For some, there was disappointment at not making the squad for the next big cup match. For Joe Riley, there was the constant dilemma of balancing his desire to stay at the crease with yet another Saturday evening gig for the up-and-coming jazz group ‘The Strife of Riley’. But it didn’t matter, because, whether we were celebrating victory or licking our wounds after a punishing defeat, this group of players simply loved their cricket.

I started trying to write a little about some of our standout performers here, but it ended up simply being a list of everyone who played. Anoop Chima and Ethan Berlusconi were a devastating opening pair, who scored for fun and gave their team-mates fantastic platforms on which to build an innings. Tom Jones’ cast-iron belief that he was the man to get any batsman out was the cornerstone of our bowling attack, but equally important was the work of Messrs Wade, Orpin, Mair, Jacques, Truelove-Cooke and Riley, all of whom developed greater accuracy and consistency with the ball as we moved through the season. Owen Randall was as dependable a wicket-keeper as one

P 17

W 11

could hope for, often drawing admiration from opposition coaches, who marvelled at his quick reflexes and smart work behind the stumps. And, finally, Ben Bond, Jerry Williams, Scout Butler and Zachary Wenham – the players without portfolio – who could be relied upon to make the difference with the bat or in the field whenever we needed it.

So, I end this round-up with customary thanks: to the players for their fantastic efforts and infectious enthusiasm; to the parents for their unwavering support in all weathers and in almost every postcode in the UK mainland; to John Dyson for his superb coaching, that saw these players improve significantly; and to Andy Afford, for all the technical insight, for all the dry wit and for his company on our 900-mile round-trip. I could not have enjoyed it more.

CL CAPTAIN A. Chima (L) SQUAD E. Berlusconi (L), B. Bond (N), S. Butler (F), J. Earwicker (S), J. Jacques (P), T. Jones (S), A. Mair (P), W. Orpin (C), O. Randall (O), J. Riley (P), J. Truelove-Cooke (N), W. Wade (O), Z. Wenham (S), J. Williams (S).

Also played: M. Ainger (N), S. Cunningham (O), T. Hawksworth (N), W. Hooper-Smith (O), J. Smith (O).

L6

OAKHAM 206-2 REPTON 188-6 TRENT COLLEGE 109-8 REPTON 110-8 (BERLUSCONI 68) SHREWSBURY 222-6 REPTON 109 ALL OUT

U15 COUNTY CUP – CHAMPIONS LOST BY 18 RUNS WON BY 2 WKTS LOST BY 113 RUNS

DERBYSHIRE CB 167-8 (WADE 3-26) REPTON 168-2 (BERLUSCONI 116)

WON BY 8 WKTS

UPPINGHAM 155-8 REPTON 156-3 (WADE 61)

WON BY 7 WKTS

WORKSOP COLLEGE 91 ALL OUT (TRUELOVE-COOKE 3-10) REPTON 93-3

WON BY 7 WKTS

REPTON 144-5 NOTTINGHAM HS 96-8 (JONES 4-5, ORPIN 3-19)

WON BY 48 RUNS

TRENT COLLEGE 214-4 REPTON 200-7

LOST BY 14 RUNS

WARWICK 213-3 REPTON 163 ALL OUT (MAIR 59)

LOST BY 50 RUNS

ESCA U15 ONE DAY CUP (NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP) – SEMI-FINALISTS SF REPTON 130 ALL OUT BEDFORD SCHOOL 133-1

LOST BY 9 WKTS

SF REPTON 212-4 (BERLUSCONI 111, CHIMA 55) WEST PARK 121-6 (JACQUES 3-18)

WON BY 91 RUNS

F REPTON 193-5 (RANDALL 87) QEGS, ASHBOURNE 22 ALL OUT (CHIMA 3-6, JONES 3-10, MAIR 3-2)

WON BY 171 RUNS

ESCA U15 T20 MIDLANDS CHAMPIONSHIP – RUNNERS-UP SF RUGBY SCHOOL 109-9 REPTON 111-5

WON BY 5 WKTS

F REPTON 130-7 BROMSGROVE 132-3

LOST BY 7 WKTS

ESCA U15 ONE DAY CUP (REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP) – NORTHERN CHAMPIONS R1 REPTON 173 ALL OUT (CHIMA 124) POCKLINGTON 125-10 (CHIMA 3-17)

WON BY 48 RUNS

SF SEBERGH 187-9 (BERLUSCONI 3-29, CHIMA 3-37) REPTON 188-2 (BERLUSCONI 63, CHIMA 65)

WON BY 8 WKTS

F NEWCASTLE BOYS’ 107 ALL OUT (BERLUSCONI 3-23) REPTON 110-4

WON BY 6 WKTS

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U14 A XI In spite of approaching their matches with plenty of energy and bravado, this was an U14 A team that did not live up to their own hype – too often struggling to deliver in the tougher matches, whilst even some of the better all-round performances did not necessarily lead to wins.

The batting honours were broadly shared around, the most consistent performers being Isaac Savage, Hugo Ziff, James Smith and Zachary Wenham; the last – not afraid to take bowlers on, capable of big shots and certainly able to build a big score – batted solidly throughout the campaign, seeing his elevation to the U15 National Cup squad. Looking ahead, more patience at the crease, more thoughtful shot-selection and a willingness to dig a good deal deeper in order to get through quality spells of bowling will be needed to bring a more robust and competitive edge to this team.

With the ball, Fraser James, Sami Rashid, James Smith (another stepping up to the Cup side) and Isaac Savage took wickets steadily, if not in spectacular fashion. But it is important to stress that there is potential: James bowled with pace, Rashid spun his googly hard (often confusing batsmen first ball) and Savage’s leg-breaks were increasingly effective as the season went on.

Despite injury, Smith showed potential with his off-spin and so, with a little more maturity and patience, he ought to become more influential. When in the field, the side, well, let’s say they broadly stood in the right place...! So, looking ahead, the U15 season looms large for a group of individuals in need of finding the joy to be found in a team game with a shared focus.

U15 B & C XIs

THN & ANDY AFFORD

It was a remarkable season for the U15 B team – a campaign in which the boys would not and could not be beaten. They were impeccable both on and off the pitch and played the game in the correct spirit in every match and training session; they thoroughly deserve their success.

Some stand-out individual performances included a 50 from Charlie Tarrant, Freddie Dumbill scoring 65 and a match-winning 88 from Willoughby Hooper-Smith. Henry Gilby also emerged as a breath-taking left-arm quick bowler in the final few matches of the season. However, it is the team ethic in which the boys should take most pride, with every single member of the squad contributing with the bat, ball or in the field in any given match, whilst their attitude made them great company for the whole season.

CAPTAIN Z. Wenham (S) SQUAD F. Bashforth-Bell (O), B. Cann (O), N. Coulborn (S), J. Gould (N), L. Haigh (S), O. Hall (S), F. James (L), S. Rashid (P), I. Savage (L), J. Smith (O), H. Ziff (L).

Also played: P. Derry (S), M. Ewart-White (N), J. Reading (N), C. Truscott (O).

DJR U15 B CAPTAIN J. Earwicker (S) U15 B SQUAD B. Adshead (P), M. Ainger (N), J. Bramfitt (S), Z. Brough (S), S. Clark (O), S. Cunningham (O), F. Davis (O), F. Dumbill (P), H. Gilby (S), T. Hawksworth (N), W. Hooper-Smith (O), W. Ingham (P), N. Nefedov (O), C. Tarrant.

U15 C SQUAD E. Ashton (C), T. Chohan (C), S. Clark (O), W. Cooper (O), M. Gentzke (O), R. Khosla (C), W. Lunn (C), M. Mackrill (C), N. Nefedov (O), D. Russell (S), A. Yegenmammedov (L).

Also played: F. Davis (O), F. Dumbill (P).

P

W

L

U15 B XI

7

7

0

U15 C XI

4

2

2

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U14 B & C XIs While there may not be many competitions to play in as a ‘B-team sportsman’, there is one ultimate prize for this category of Reptonian: an unbeaten season is something rarely seen in recent years on our cricket fields, but this fine group of boys achieved just that.

In a year of glorious sunshine, this team had some wonderful afternoons on the cricket pitches of the Midlands. Highlights were wins against Oakham, KES Birmingham and Trent, setting up a finale against Warwick in which, despite doing their best to bottle it with a dismal batting total, the boys pulled it out of the bag at the end to bowl them out with 11 runs to spare!

The team was brilliantly captained by Max Ewart-White; the bowling was spearheaded by Jonty Reading and Freddie Lake, while runs came from a variety of sources, with notable big scores coming from Sam Clarke, Ben Bonwitt-Marsh and David Yeats Brown.

P 12

W4

L7

AB 1

OAKHAM 168-3 (RASHID 2-9) REPTON 161-4 (WENHAM 52, ZIFF 35) MALVERN COLLEGE

LOST BY 7 RUNS CANCELLED

KES, BIRMINGHAM 120-0 REPTON 110-0

LOST BY 10 RUNS

SHREWSBURY 127-6 REPTON 123-7 (SMITH 76)

LOST BY 4 RUNS

DERBYSHIRE U14 181-6 REPTON 128 ALL OUT

LOST BY 53 RUNS

UPPINGHAM WORKSOP COLLEGE

ABANDONED CANCELLED

A special mention goes to ARC in his final term at Repton: having endured some less-than-successful times together in previous years, I think he enjoyed himself with this bunch (most of the time!).

The U14 Cs also had a successful season, the team nearly going unbeaten, but falling agonisingly short with a loss to Warwick in the last game of the season! Notable performers were Harvey Wilson with the bat – whose runs saw us over the line on numerous occasions – and Kayode Akinsanmi and Jabril Kinsiona with the new ball – who got important wickets early on to minimise the runs needed.

MWTH & CTI U14 B CAPTAIN M. Ewart-White (N) U14 B SQUAD

DENSTONE COLLEGE 120-6 REPTON 121-6

WON BY 4 WKTS

NOTTINGHAM HS 113-7 REPTON 114-4

WON BY 6 WKTS

F. Barker (O), B. Bonwitt-Marsh (P), S. Clarke (L), P. Derry (S), M. Galley (P), J. Gould (N), L. Haigh (S), F. Lake (O), J. Reading (N), T. Thandi (P), C. Truscott (O), G. Wilkinson (P), D. Yeats Brown (O).

LOST BY 2 WKTS

H. Wilson (P) & W. Ingham (C)

REPTON 192-4 (WENHAM 96, SAVAGE 86) BIRKDALE 96-8

WON BY 96 RUNS

REPTON 154-8 WARWICK SCHOOL 155-8

LOST BY 2 WKTS

O. Akinsanmi (C), A. Atwal (L), C. Bingham (P), T. Brown (C), F. Cann (O), G. Edwards (L), M. Fulford (O), M. Galley (P), H. Gillett (S), J. Kinsiona (L), R. Poon (P), T. Thandi (P), L. Wallace (P), T. Wilken (N).

REPTON 176-3 (BASHFORTH-BELL 77*) JOHN PORT 90 (HAIGH 3-10)

WON BY 86 RUNS

REPTON 114 ALL OUT TRENT COLLEGE 115-8

U14 COUNTY CUP (T20) R1 TRENT COLLEGE 120-1 REPTON 80 ALL OUT

U14 C CAPTAINS U14 C SQUAD

LOST BY 40 RUNS

P

W

L

AB

U14 B XI

8

7

0

1

U14 C XI

5

3

1

1

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GIRLS’ TENNIS 1ST VI The summer of 2018 will be remembered for a long time, with our Girls’ 1st team at its strongest for many years, quite possibly ever! Their strength-in-depth was highlighted throughout the year, with opponents being dispatched consistently in both the Saturday fixtures and National Qualifying. Captain Millie Devey-Smith led the team incredibly well and her attendance both at training and on match days was impressive.

The girls opened the season with a draw against Nottingham University, but victories soon followed against Trent, Church Broughton Ladies’, Oundle and Uppingham. The only blip came away at Rugby, where, unfortunately, the majority of girls couldn’t make the journey due to exams or revision; with, technically, a 2nd VI team in their place, the girls gave it a good go, but came up short.

National qualifying began in March, the team making a perfect start. An epic journey to Moreton Hall, including a tyre blow-out along the way, still saw us claim a 12-0 win. The local derby against Derby High, in April, proved a tougher test for the girls: after a great four hours of tennis, Repton clinched victory, 8-4. The final qualifying match, in May, saw the team travel to Manchester to take on a very tough team, with a number of national players, in Wilmslow High: indeed, they proved too tough and ran out 2-10 winners.

This was incredibly disappointing for the girls, particularly Devey-Smith and Lizzie Allwood, who had potentially played their final match in the maroon… However, due to another team’s withdrawal, Repton were granted a place in the National Finals!

These took place in mid-July at the Nottingham Tennis Centre, with an opening match against Talbot Heath B to claim a place in the last 8. This was a good draw for the girls, who ran out 10-2 winners overall: very solid performances from Fitzgerald and Davies in their singles was backed up

by Allwood and Devey-Smith in theirs.

In the quarter-finals, the girls came up against Eastbourne College, who had defeated us twice in the previous year and were favourites again. After the opening two singles matches, Eastbourne led 2-0, but this lead was soon extinguished, following three-set wins in the singles for both Devey-Smith and Allwood.

Unfortunately, both doubles matches then fell Eastbourne’s way, although Repton’s 1st pair nearly took the tie to a shoot-out, Devey-Smith and Allwood eventually going down 6-3, 5-7, 8-10 in an enthralling match!

CAPTAIN E. Devey-Smith (G) SQUAD E. Allwood (A), E. Buffin (M), H. Davey (F), A. Davies (G), S. Earp (A), M. Fitzgerald (M), F. Scutt (G).

FRIENDLIES P6 W4 D1

L1

UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

D 4-4

TRENT COLLEGE

W 7-2

CHURCH BROUGHTON LTC

W 6-3

OUNDLE

W 6-3

UPPINGHAM

W 6-3

Having missed out on a place in the semis, the girls showed fantastic spirit in winning their next day’s play against Prior Park College, 8-4, meaning they would play for 5th place on the final day. Unfortunately, with Allwood departing the previous night, what would have been a tough match on paper, even with our strongest outfit, became a bridge too far with a weakened side. The girls lost 2-10 to finish 6th in the Nation: a brilliant effort from a wonderful group of girls!

RUGBY

L 2-7

A special mention must go to Devey-Smith on her efforts throughout her Repton career; to Allwood, who spent all five years of her Repton life representing the 1st VI; to Fitzgerald, who really came of age this year and showed true grit on many occasions, proving why she will take over the captain’s reins in 2019; and finally to Davies, who slotted into the 1st team brilliantly and added real depth to the squad.

REGIONAL QUALIFIERS

JWR

PRIOR PARK COLLEGE

W 8-4

SOUTH HUNSLEY

L 2-10

LOVEBAND TROPHY QUARTER-FINALISTS R1 BYE R2 REEDS

W 2-0

QF EASTBOURNE COLLEGE

L 0-2

ABERDARE CUP P7 W4 D0 L3 R1 MORETON HALL

W 12-0

R2 DERBY HS

W 8-4

R3 WILMSLOW HS

L 2-10

NATIONAL FINALS – 6TH PLACE TALBOT HEATH B EASTBOURNE COLLEGE

W 10-2 L 4-8

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2ND & 3RD VIs The girls had a successful summer season, largely unaffected by weather, with the 2nd VI enjoying four wins from six fixtures and the 3rd VI claiming two wins from three matches, with two cancellations.

Both squads showed good commitment to the training programme. Ro Bompard and Gabbi White put on a good show each week, with their consistent groundstrokes and competitive net-plays; they were always hard to beat and an asset to the squads. A total of 16 girls represented the 2nd VI and 10 for the 3rd VI, making the success of the season a true team effort and a very enjoyable one to coach. Well done, girls!

2ND VI P6 W4

LP 2ND VI CAPTAIN 2ND VI SQUAD

L2

MALVERN COLLEGE 1ST VI

W 7-2

TRENT COLLEGE

W 6-0

OUNDLE

L 2-7

SHREWSBURY

W 6-3

UPPINGHAM

W 6-3

RUGBY

L 2-7

3RD VI P3 W2

A. Davies (G)

D0

D0

L1

R. Bompard (F), A. Brinkman (G), S. Earp (A), M. Lea (M), E. Ross (G), O. Stocks (G), G. White (F) Also played: S. Ainger (M), M. Bridge (M), M. Griffiths (M), E. Kaczmarczyk (M), I. Nieper (F), F. Scutt (G), J. Smith (M), A. Stone (G).

3RD VI SQUAD S. Ainger (M), R. Bompard (F), B. Bridge (M), L. Gould (M), I. Hatton (G), E. Kaczmarczyk (M), E. Ross (G), O. Stocks (G), A. Stone (G), M. Swain (M).

U15 A VI It was a tough season for the U15 A team, but the girls learned a lot as the season progressed and should be proud of their efforts. Scutt and Barlow worked consistently hard on their groundstrokes, being a reliable first pairing and developing their communication with each other.

They were on the back foot slightly against Rugby, as well as Uppingham, as they didn’t always expect the ball to come back as quickly as it did, but worked hard all season to improve their footwork.

Wedgwood and Plant were a delightful and good-natured second pair, whose communication was great and who were so supportive of each other, on and off court. They have fabulous groundstrokes and I was impressed with the way they became more confident at the net. I hope they continue to develop these skills as a pairing in O-Block.

confidence as the term progressed. They were consistent throughout, focusing on beating their respective pairing on the opposition. They have great power from the back of the court and used this ability to put themselves in the best attacking position possible. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Gocke proved invaluable, always willing to move up from the B team: fulfilling fixtures without them would not have been possible.

The girls trained extremely hard, week in and week out, and were always on top form; it was a real pleasure to coach them.

UPPINGHAM

L 4-5

RUGBY

L 1-8

Chaibi and Steele thoroughly enjoyed playing together, really developing in

GKR

TRENT COLLEGE

L 4-5

SQUAD E. Barlow (G), K. Chaibi (G), K. Gabriel (G), D. Gocke (A), P. Plant (M), E. Scutt (M), C. Steele (A), Z. Wedgwood (A).

P6

W1

D0

MALVERN

L5 L 4-5

OUNDLE

L 2-7

SHREWSBURY

W 9-0

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U15 B & C VIs The U15 B girls should be extremely proud of their unbeaten season. They were willing to travel miles every week and were consistent in the tennis that they played. Moreover, they were really good fun in training and it was a pleasure to coach them.

Tertychnya and Bowman made a formidable first pairing. Whilst slightly unorthodox in their technique, their sheer determination is exemplary.

They work brilliantly as a pair and their communication is excellent: it was lovely to see their skills develop as the term progressed. Gabriel and Gocke were a new pairing this year, but they fitted together nicely: Kristia is extremely competitive and treats every point like

it is the winning point at the Wimbledon Final, while Donata worked fabulously at the net; they complemented each other perfectly on court.

Mansfield and Nieper were the main third pairing after Half-Term, as Martin was suffering from shin splints: she was much missed for her exemplary attitude. Whilst Hattie and Issy struggled in their first match together, they worked really hard to improve their communication and I don’t think that I have ever seen two girls run more on court, chasing every ball down!

GKR

U15 B SQUAD M. Bowman (M), K. Gabriel (G), D. Gocke (A), I. Mansfield (M), E. Martin (M), H. Nieper (F), A. Tertychnya (G).

U15 C SQUAD A. Albone (F), O. Ellis (G), M. Gilmore (M), P. Hix (G), P. Kellock (G), A. Leverton (A), J. Milligan-Manby (F), A. Naylor (M), H. Nieper (F).

P

W

D

L

U15B

6

6

0

0

U15C

4

2

0

2

U14 B & C VIs The U14 B and C girls played well in varying pairs over the course of the term. They always enjoyed themselves and were polite and courteous to their opponents.

U14 A VI There is no getting away from the fact that this was a tough season for the U14 A team: selection was difficult, with players unavailable or unable to play through injury and this obviously had a massive impact on the team. We don’t have to rate our progress on results, though, and should take pride in the improvement we made as individual players.

The girls are all good games players, but not out-and-out tennis players, and so learning how to play a proper game of tennis and becoming more match-savvy have been really important. We have learnt to play with different partners and learnt that belting the ball often isn’t as effective as running the ball down and making our opponents play one more point. This was particularly so in our epic win over Rugby, which went right down to the last match: had Singer not been prepared to run for the passing shots that might otherwise have been winners, she and Bailey would not have won their match. At the same time, Brown and Dashwood slowed down the pace of the match against their second pair and scraped a win through sheer graft. Not to be out-done, Brough and Thompstone were really starting to hit their serves, but then varying their returns without launching them on to the

Toyota roundabout, meaning that their opponents had to play another shot to stay in the game. For these reasons, each of the pairings managed a point and, consequently, a win overall for the team.

I love the attitude of these girls and, whilst they do love to have fun, they also work hard and listen well. With time and a little more practice, I am sure they will have a better season next year.

NMD

They grew in confidence as the season progressed, improving their court position, serve, return of serve and movement. The first C team match, against Malvern College, was a glowing success for the team, who achieved a 7-2 victory. After the disappointment of cancelled fixtures, they also finished on a high, winning their last game 7-2 against Trent College. Well done, girls.

NMD & LRJ U14 B SQUAD E. Anastasiou (M), L. Cooper-Ewin (A), E. Derry (F), S. Dex (G), A. Edwards (A), I. Evans (M), M. Miers (A), S. Ott (F).

Also played: I. Archer (M), A. Bailey (A).

U14 C SQUAD E. Brough (A), C. Bunting (G), L. Cooper-Ewin (A), E. Coull (A), D. Darby (G), E. Derry (F), I. Evans (M), C. Grainger-Spivey (A), E. Matcham (A), R. Pannu (G), E. Polak (G), E. Smith (F), S. Sunner (G).

U14 A SQUAD I. Archer (M), A. Bailey (A), B. Brough (M), M. Brown (M), C. Dashwood (A), O. Singer (G), C. Swain (M), E. Thompstone (M).

P6

W2

D0

L4

P

W

D

L

U14B

5

1

0

4

U14C

2

2

0

0

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

BOYS’ TENNIS 1ST VI It was a long but exciting season for the Boys’ 1st team: with a mixture of Saturday fixtures, University matches, National Premier League, National Club League and School Nationals, there were plenty of matches throughout the year, giving the boys invaluable match practice.

The ‘regular’ season went well and, although there were a few losses along the way, the level of competition played this year was much greater: the usual competitive fixture against CBLTC and NCL fixtures against strong clubs locally and nationally proved fantastic experience for the team as they headed into National qualifying.

The highlight of the Saturday fixtures was the match against CBLTC men’s team, which went down to the wire. They arrived with a strong VI, including a former World-ranked top 500 player! Following a close singles battle, the match was poised 3-3: good wins for Ottewell, Hill and Whitwell. The match then went to the deciding doubles, where the experience of the men came out on top

in a tight 7-9 loss for Repton, resulting in an overall 4-5 loss but invaluable experience.

National qualifying started strongly with a battering of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College away from home, with only two games lost across six matches. We then hosted Ellesmere, which posed a more dangerous threat: after 5 hours of play, Repton required the final doubles to progress, whilst a win for Ellesmere would take the match to a shoot-out. Thankfully, Ottewell and Schildberg stepped up to win 6-4, 6-7, 13-11, saving match points along the way! The final qualifying fixture saw the team head to Manchester for a tough fixture against Altrincham Grammar. This turned out to be a feisty match, with plenty of needle throughout the afternoon. The teams cancelled each other out after the singles, 6-6; this pattern continued in the doubles, so a place at the National Finals would be decided on a tie-break! Thomas and Hill were selected to get Repton over the finish line – and, boy, did they do that!

A dominant performance by both boys and a 10-4 win sent us through to the Nationals.

Following a 6th place finish at the ISTA Championships the week before, the team headed into the Nationals in Nottingham full of confidence, despite knowing they had been drawn against the favourites, Reeds, in the first round. The boys pushed Reeds all the way, with brilliant singles wins from Thomas and Murphy, Thomas defeating a higher-ranked player in three fantastic sets, whilst Murphy produced the shock of the week, defeating the highestranked player in the Nation in straight sets!

Unfortunately, two other close matches didn’t go our way and, after a brilliant day’s tennis, Reeds edged it 8-4. The next two days, the boys continued to show the level they can play to, with victories over Hall Cross and Alcester Grammar. The final day’s play saw the team take on a strong Millfield team and another close battle ensued: Thomas and Murphy were again the backbone of the team, with singles victories, Thomas winning 13-11 in the final set. The result went down to the final doubles match of the day, Repton needing a win to continue the match to a shootout. Unfortunately, it was a bridge too far for Thomas and Murphy, who just missed out in three sets. Both boys were visibly disappointed at the end of play, seeing this as an opportunity missed; however, I can’t fault the efforts of either throughout the entire week. A 10th place finish was a good effort – and if a couple of results had gone our way, along with a friendlier draw, this could have been higher. A big thank you goes to the Captain, Martin Thomas, who led the team from the front extremely well and will continue in this role for 2019. We look forward to next year, where the team will be strengthened and a year wiser.

JWR

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SPORT CAPTAIN M. Thomas (O) SQUAD S. Brenchley (P), M. Herbert (C), A. Hill (C), J. Murphy (S), A. Ottewell (N), B. Schildberg (N), T. Whitwell (P).

FRIENDLIES P6 W2 D1

L3

UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM

D 4-4

RISBYGATE LTC

W 10-2

SHREWSBURY

W 6-3

CHURCH BROUGHTON LTC

L 4-5

CAMBRIDGE LTC

L 4-8

DALLINGTON LTC

L 4-8

YOULL CUP QUARTER-FINALISTS R1 BYE R2 BRADFORD GS

W 2-0

R3 ABINGDON

W 2-0

QF CULFORD

L 0-2

GLANVILL CUP P7 W5 L2 REGIONAL QUALIFIERS R1 STOKE-ON-TRENT 6TH FORM COLLEGE

W 12-0

R2 ELLESMERE COLLEGE

W 8-4

R3 ALTRINCHAM GS

W 7-6

NATIONAL FINALS – 10TH PLACE REEDS

L 4-8

HALL CROSS ACADEMY

W 10-2

ALCESTER GS

W 8-4

MILLFIELD

L 4-8

U15 A VI It was a mixed season for the U15 boys.

The positives were the competitive fixtures they played throughout the Summer Term, along with the number of players who experienced a fixture, which I’m sure will prove invaluable for the future. Captain Tom Whitwell led the team well and his performances warranted his place in the 1st VI on a number of occasions.

The season began well, with a shortened fixture against Loughborough GS due to the weather: a good team performance, all three pairs contributing to the winning 4-2 score-line. The home tie against Shrewsbury was a brilliant fixture, with some fantastic tennis on show! With the match nicely poised at 3-3 heading into the final round, the Repton lads battled hard but just came up short. Warwick away was another great fixture – and always a season highlight, due to the lovely Boat

Club venue. However, the Astroturf courts made it difficult for the team to adjust to the quick conditions and this showed: the Warwick boys were more positive with their net play, ending rallies quickly when the Repton boys tried to play the consistent game more suited to slow hard courts. After two rounds, Warwick led 4-2, meaning we needed all three wins in the final round to gain victory. There were signs this might be possible, but it ultimately turned out to be a bridge too far, Warwick clinching victory, 6-3.

It was another convincing County stage win, defeating all Derbyshire schools and putting the team through to the knockout regional phase. Following the summer holidays, the team put in another strong display against King Edward’s, defeating them 12-0, before coming up against a strong Rugby team who, following a great afternoon of tennis, came out on top, 4-8.

I’m sure the boys learnt a lot throughout the year – and will no doubt be stronger in 2019!

JWR CAPTAIN T. Whitwell (P) SQUAD J. Brown (C), G. Goodley (L), A. Holt (N), H. Scutt (N), S. Yardimci (S), H. Ziff (L).

P5

W2

L3

LOUGHBOROUGH GS

W 4-2

SHREWSBURY

L 4-5

WARWICK KING EDWARD’S RUGBY

L 3-6 W 12-0 L 4-8

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

FOOTBALL 1ST XI After such a stunning 2017/18 season, the side had much to live up to as the new season kicked-off. However, despite a rollercoaster ride between August and May, the squad certainly did themselves proud.

The usual curtain-raiser – the ISFA Sixes – saw a solid start to the season. Despite limping out of the group, we made our way to the quarter-finals, only to lose on a penalty shoot-out to Queen Ethelburga’s.

Little did we know at the time that this would not be the last time we would meet them in a crunch match, nor the last time we would see penalty kicks shape our destiny...

The Hudl Independent Schools’ League is the premier league competition in Independent School football and we knew it would be a tough task to retain our title. We started strongly, with a fine 4-0 win against Bradfield on The Square. However, we suffered our first ever League defeat away at Millfield: the opposition looked strong; clearly one of the teams to beat, this season.

This challenge perhaps came a little early in the season for us; we had a young side, with O Blockers such as Eno Nto, Tom Whitwell and Jerry Williams all featuring regularly.

Any match against Shrewsbury always sparks interest and it was wonderful to see so many parents, ex-staff and ORs lining the touchline away in Shropshire as we turned in one of the finest performances of this, or any, season, dismantling them 5-0 on their own patch.

With four goals, it was a personal triumph for Jake Raine.

Into the Lent Term, we knew that we needed to keep achieving wins to keep the pressure on pace-setters Millfield and Royal Russell.

A thrilling 5-4 victory against Hampton was followed by a strong and purposeful 3-0 away win at Charterhouse, watched by former Master i/c, Noel Bennett. The pivotal match arrived: a home tie against unbeaten Royal Russell, a week before their ISFA Final.

A wonderful performance saw us win 1-0 through an Nto goal. Despite our run of victories, Millfield were still the favourites; they’d won every game and had a superior goal difference. Then came two weeks that changed everything: Royal Russell followed up their victory over Millfield in the ISFA Final with another in the League; and when Hampton inflicted a rare home defeat on Millfield, it opened the door for us to make a last grasp for the title, needing victory against Bede’s to leapfrog Royal Russell on goal difference.

We played the match at Stafford Town FC and the nerves settled quickly when Tom Jones stroked home, after good work from Nto. Within ten minutes, we were two up, Raine tucking home a penalty after Matty Bowman was fouled. Despite a strong response from Bede’s, we managed the rest of the game nicely to secure the win and take our second successive title.

1st XI Player of the Year: Charlie Cottis

After seven top matches, we had won six and kept clean sheets in five games: that level of consistency, over seven months, is remarkable – and is exactly what is required to win back-to-back titles.

This season also saw another strong run in the ISFA Cup. A tough-looking away trip to Sussex to play an emerging Buckswood wasn’t as much of a banana-skin as it seemed initially, and was followed by two equally professional 4-0 victories against Tonbridge and Winchester. The quarter-final saw us drawn again against Queen Ethelburga’s, who we had beaten comfortably a few weeks earlier 4. However, depleted by injury, our chances were further rocked as Raine went off injured after 10 minutes. Finding ourselves 1-0 down into the second half, we summoned the strength to draw level through Max Barnes-Batty, before dragging some tired bodies through extra-time. It

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SPORT 5-3 and very much take the initiative. We settled the nerves ten minutes from time with two late goals, but the feeling after the match was muted as we reflected on a passage of poor play that could have let our opponents back in. Even so, we had made the Final for the second year running and were facing a familiar opponent in Hampton, who since our meeting earlier in the term, had demolished all-comers: they were not to be underestimated.

took penalties to separate us and ours were sweetly-struck and clinical, Milan Stanojevic saving two of theirs to take us through to the semi-final for the second consecutive season.

Given that we were pretty much down to the bare bones, it really does rank as one of our most impressive performances in recent seasons: the character of the side really shone through, Bowman, Oli Hickman and Charlie Cottis all playing key roles.

The rub of the green deserted us as we were drawn away at Millfield in the semi-final (any chance of a home semi, ISFA?) and we entered a big game forced to take various gambles on injuries. We started poorly and were 0-2 down after 20 minutes.

We recovered well and there wasn’t much between the sides for the next 60 minutes.

However, the damage had been done; it is tough enough to beat Millfield away at the best of times, let alone after giving them a head-start. Although our ISFA Cup run ultimately ended in disappointment, another semi-final appearance to back up last year’s Runners-up finish shows that we are very much banging on the door in this competition.

It was always going to take a monumental effort to retain the ESFA Cup – and we really couldn’t have come much closer to pulling off this astonishing feat. We negotiated a couple of potentially tough ties with away victories at John Port and John Taylor, our mantra of ‘getting the job done’ shining through and setting us up for the latest in a classic set of matches we are enjoying with Thomas Telford. We had dispatched them 3-1 away in last season’s semi-final, but an even better performance demolished them 7-1 on The Square. This doesn’t tell the whole story of the match: they had some very good periods, where we defended well. However, we scored several late goals, two of which were superb, after breaking their spirit. This gave us a home tie against a very useful Mirfield outfit – who had taken out MGS in the previous round. With the score 1-1 for a good period of the game, our resolve was certainly tested, but we prevailed 3-1, thanks to two Raine strikes in the second half.

Our semi-final, against Calday Grange, was a strange match: we established an early lead, which we gradually built upon to lead 5-0. However, the opposition was tenacious and that, coupled with some dreadful defending, allowed them to pull it back to

Much was against us on the day. The match fell in our Easter break, meaning we had a smattering of support to counterbalance their 350. Raine and Cottis, our midfield engine-room, were severely under the weather with a virus – and the bravery they showed in even playing is characteristic of both, and the team in general. However, it massively hampered our ability to dominate this crucial area of the pitch, as well as curtailing Raine’s considerable goalscoring prowess. Despite this, we had a clear plan which, at half-time, was very much working, Buffin having given us the lead five minutes before the break. We had restricted Hampton’s potent centre-forward to almost nothing from open play and a set-piece seemed their best chance of success. We had chances to make it two, which would surely have secured the game. However, when the referee awarded Hampton a relatively soft penalty with only three minutes to go, the odds stacked against us started to take their toll. We regrouped and pressed on in extra-time, George Fynn forcing a good save from their goalkeeper. The match ended in a draw, the destination of the Cup to be decided by penalties. In short, our kicks were dreadful – the tired legs and the mental blow of having only been three minutes away from lifting the trophy catching up with us. Hampton hit superb penalties, scoring all three, despite Stanojevic diving correctly on each occasion. It was tough to take, but, looking back, there was much to be proud of.

We came tantalisingly close to retaining the ISFA Northern 8s title for the fifth consecutive season, topping our group to set up an exciting semi-final against Shrewsbury.

At 0-1 down, we were under pressure, but hit back with two goals in two minutes from Nto to break Shrewsbury hearts, taking us to the Final for an astonishing seventh time in eight years. Once again, we were pitted against Queen Ethelburga’s, slipping 0-1 down, but managing to level it 1-1 by half-time. Alas, with both sides slugging it out on tired legs, it was our opponents who nicked the crucial second goal. Nonetheless, our record in this competition recently has been incredibly consistent, particularly when we consider the unpredictable nature of the eight-minute each-way format and that, as Repton, we are the scalp everyone wants to take on the day.

Two weeks later, we contested our fifth consecutive Staffordshire Final, after a relatively painless passage through the rounds. An absolutely stunning performance saw us play with pace and tempo to run

P 35 W 28 D 3 F 146 A 40

L4

HUDL INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS LEAGUE – CHAMPIONS BRADFIELD

W 4-0

MILLFIELD

L 1-3

SHREWSBURY

W 5-0

HAMPTON

W 5-4

CHARTERHOUSE

W 3-0

ROYAL RUSSELL

W 1-0

BEDE’S

W 2-0

ISFA 6S QUARTER-FINALISTS

ISFA NORTHERN 8S RUNNERS-UP

U18 DERBYSHIRE CUP – CHAMPIONS R1 DERBY COLLEGE

W 2-1

QF BROOKFIELD

W 8-0

SF JOHN PORT

W 3-1

F

W 5-1

DRONFIELD

U18 STAFFORDSHIRE CUP – CHAMPIONS R1 STAFFORD GS

W 5-0

SF SIR GRAHAM BALFOUR

W 17-0

F

WALTON HIGH SCHOOL

W 6-2

U18 ISFA CUP – SEMI-FINALISTS R1 BUCKSWOOD

W 5-1

R2 TONBRIDGE

W 4-0

R3 WINCHESTER

W 4-0

QF QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S SF MILLFIELD

D 1-1 (AET) (W 3-0 ON PENS) L 0-3

U18 ESFA CUP – RUNNERS-UP R1 DERBY MOOR

W 9-1

R2 HIGHFIELDS

W/O

R3 JOHN PORT

W 4-1

R4 JOHN TAYLOR

W 7-0

R5 BROOKFIELD

W 8-0

R6 THOMAS TELFORD

W 7-1

QF MIRFIELD

W 3-1

SF CALDAY GRANGE

W 7-3

F

HAMPTON

D 1-1 (AET) (L 0-3 ON PENS)

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

FRIENDLIES WOLVERHAMPTON GS

W 4-1

KIMBOLTON

D 0-0

QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S

W 4-0

STAFFORDSHIRE U16

W 4-1

NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY

L 1-7

OXFORD UNIVERSITY

W 4-2

BRADFIELD

L 0-3

ARDINGLY

W 2-1

CAPTAINS M. Bowman (S) & T. Redhead (O) SQUAD A. Aliev (P), M. Barnes-Batty (C), H. Birch (L), T. Buffin (S), C. Cottis (P), A. Edwards (O), G. Fynn (S), O. Hickman (O), W. Hobson (S), T. Jones (S), K. Kurmaly (C), E. Nto (P), M. Ostermann (S), M. Piaszinski (S), J. Raine (C), E. Sawyers (O), M. Stanojevic (L), G. Waterhouse (L), T. Whitwell (P), J. Williams (S).

Also played: J. Davies (O), G. Kirtland (N), M. Rosser (P), C. Ryder (C), J. Sherry (L), H. Solomon (P), G. Tverkdokhlebov (P).

away 6-2 winners, with two goals each from Buffin and Jones. Many neutral observers, who have seen us play many times, rated this as the finest Repton performance they had seen. As we moved into the Summer Term, we contested our sixth consecutive Derbyshire Final and emerged with our fourth consecutive trophy with a 5-1 victory against a tough Dronfield outfit on their home turf. An average first half saw us come in 0-1 down, but a stunning second-half performance, with Harrison Birch and Nto each bagging two goals, saw us power through their resistance and come away with another piece of silverware. The final goal of the season, rather fittingly, was Raine’s 28th of the season.

Looking back, we should feel immensely proud of the way we followed-up the best season in the history of football at Repton.

In a successful season, you tend to have slightly more than your fair share of luck – but that really wasn’t the case for us. Injuries, illnesses, key decisions that we didn’t get or that were given against us: I really don’t think we had too much that went our way.

This isn’t a moan or a complaint – it’s the way it goes sometimes – but it does give a bit of context to just how well we did, this season.

We fought hard on all fronts and it was a pleasure to work with such a fabulous group of players.

Our captain, Matty Bowman, represented the England ISFA U18 team for the sixth consecutive season. The Player of the Year award went to Charlie Cottis, for his incredibly consistent performance across the season, and the top scorer for the season was shared by Buffin and Raine, each with 28 goals. Indeed, Buffin became a member of quite an exclusive club, scoring over 50 goals (54 to be exact) in his 77 appearances in the maroon shirt.

It certainly feels like the end of a fine two years as Bowman, Redhead, Hickman, Buffin, Cottis, Aliev, Sawyers, Edwards and Barnes-Batty depart the school. Their efforts have certainly helped to lift football at Repton to new heights and I am sure they have inspired future years with their exploits. With a strong core of players returning next season, plus a few exciting additions, we hope to continue this trend next season. That is certainly the challenge for the class of 2019/20.

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SPORT

2ND XI A young 2nd XI, with just two U6 regulars, made great progress over the course of the season. They developed technically and, by the middle of the season, were playing some of the best football of recent 2nd XI campaigns.

The midfield trio, consisting from Ibai Caranca, Max Piaszinski, Jacob Davies and Noah Fellows, moved the ball quickly and accurately, to turn defence into attack and set our flying wingers away; Callum Inman, Max Rosser or George Fynn were constant menaces out wide, scoring 7, 5 and 5 goals respectively in productive seasons. The line was led by Josh Sherry, who contributed 6 goals, too, but far more besides with his general hold-up play and several assists.

Highlights of the season included a superb 4-2 win over Bradfield, which stands as a marker for any season. We had far too much pace and power on the day for our visitors and, despite them having a lot of the ball, it proved a demonstration that possession does not win football matches. A 3-0 win over Chellaston 1st XI late in the season showed how far we had come as a team, given that they were of similar ability to the John Port side we struggled against in the opening weeks and this was perhaps our most complete performance of the season.

Unusually, a 0-2 defeat against MGS was also pleasing in many aspects, as here we arguably played our best passing football of the campaign. We moved the ball quickly, created numerous chances and only conceded two shots in the whole game, both from the penalty spot. We were rarely outplayed, except by an exceptional Millfield side, but needed to be more clinical in games against the likes of MGS, Shrewsbury and St Ambrose.

This young side has plenty of promise: they were a genuine pleasure to train, coach and travel with and many will either go on to play for the 1st XI next year or form the backbone of a strong 2nd XI.

MRW SQUAD M. Atherton (O), I. Caranca (P), J. Davies (O), A. Edwards (O), N. Fellows (S), J. Ford (S), G. Fynn (S), T. Hackett (N), J. Hubbard (O), C. Inman (O), G. Kirtland (N), M. Piaszinski (O), M. Rosser (P), C. Ryder (C), J. Sherry (L), G. Tverdokhlebov (P), W. Wilkinson (P).

Also played: M. Barnes-Batty (C), H. Birch (L), D. Uffang (P), G. Waterhouse (L).

P 14

W7

D3

L4

F 51

CHEADLE HULME

A 26 W 11-0

3RD & 4TH XIs The darkest hour is just before dawn. 15:56, Saturday September 15th, 2018. The 3rds had fought their way back into a blistering, ferocious contest against Bradfield College, and, pouring up Tower in waves, looked set to force a winner.

As the clock ticked down to what would have been a fair draw, Bradfield scored from only their second foray into our area of the whole match. The pain and anger in the boys’ eyes after the whistle was almost unbearable, but it laid the foundations for a season that will live long in the memory, and that will take some beating. Despite the result, that match epitomised everything that was so scintillatingly admirable about this team: a willingness to commit to each other’s cause, joy taken in playing as a team, fast, exciting football with moments of genuinely awesome class, and an unblinking will to win that fairly took the breath away, and with which none of our opponents could live.

Fast forward to the sunset of the season, and I was starting to wonder whether we would be denied a victory against Shrewsbury that looked to be ours for the taking. At this, one of the loyal band of parents, who had watched pretty much every game, evinced, with the sort of wry disdain one normally reserves for an amusingly lascivious Malbec, “Never gonna happen”. How right he was, and what a credit to the boys that this could be said with such confidence: there is no off-position on the quality-switch.

The 4th XI had a solid season, where some good football was played – with wins against Kimbolton (7-0) and Trent (3-1) being the highlights. Notable performers were Mertkan Oral – a pillar in defence – and Tom Allen and Freddie Nelson patrolling the midfield.

CSD & CTI 3RD XI CAPTAINS P. Joshi (P), T. Roberts (P) & H. Hey (L) 3RD XI SQUAD H. Birch (L), F. Byrne (S), W. Combellack (S), T. Dunn (O), S. Jenkinson (O), M. Kennedy (N), J. Kinsiona (L), M. Lewis (P), J. Muir (S), O. Scutt (L), J. Thompson-Dykes (P), S. Yates (O).

Also played: J. Hubbard (O), T. Jones (S), J. Murphy (S), F. Nelson (L), O. Randall (O), R. Tabata (N), G. Tverdokhlebov (P), W. Wilkinson (P).

JOHN PORT 1ST XI

L 1-4

BRADFIELD COLLEGE

W 4-2

TRENT COLLEGE 1ST XI

W 5-1

4TH XI CAPTAIN

WOLVERHAMPTON GS

D 2-2

G. Gough (L)

MILLFIELD

L 0-5

4TH XI SQUAD

ST AMBROSE COLLEGE 1ST XI

L 1-4

KIMBOLTON

W 6-0

T. Allen (P), M. Archer (P), W. Balderston (N), A. Bramall (P), T. Brown (P), C. Butt (N), C. Edwards (P), A. Greenwood (O), T. Haigh (L), J. Murphy (S), W. Needham (N), F. Nelson (L), M. Newstead (S), M. Oral (P), C. Royston-Webb (O), S. Turner (L).

MANCHESTER GS

L 0-2

LIVERPOOL RAMBLERS FC

W 5-2

LADY MANNERS

W 9-0

CHELLASTON ACADEMY 1ST XI

W 3-0

P

W

D

L

F

A

SHREWSBURY

D 3-3

3RD XI

12

8

2

2

42

19

WELBECK DSFC 1ST XI

D 1-1

4TH XI

8

4

2

2

24

17

80

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

U16 A & B XIs Having enjoyed considerable success as a year group in B and A Block, this season was always going to be a challenge for this group of boys, when several first-choice players would be playing 1st XI football and, therefore, unavailable for regular selection for the U16 A team.

It is a credit to the captain, Ben Adshead, and to the rest of the squad, therefore, that the U16 As had such a productive season.

The most memorable moments came in the ESFA Cup, with a dramatic conclusion to the Brownhills game in Round One, and the best performance of the season, losing 4-5 away at Brooke House College, who went on to contest the final. Coming back from being 1-4 down to parity, only to lose the game in the final minutes was cruel, but demonstrated the resilience and character of this group of boys.

The team’s defence of the Burton & District Cup took us to the final, where we lost narrowly to the team we had beaten in consecutive finals at St George’s Park in B and A Block, Robert Sutton. Tom Jervis’ goal of the season was the catalyst for a barnstorming climax to this game, with several chances to equalise narrowly missed.

It has been a pleasure to work with this group of boys over the past three years; I am delighted that so many of them have already played in maroon and several were pivotal in the inaugural Lent Term Development Squad, proving not only that progress has been made but also that football at Repton will continue to be strong in the next couple of years.

The results card does not reflect the hard work and effort put in by the U16 Bs. Often out-muscled by bigger and older teams, they stuck to a brand of football with which Pep himself would have been proud to be associated. The old cliché that the results rarely reflect the performance was never truer; playing out from the back, combinations in midfield and every player enjoying a license to attack was often undone by opposition’s ‘route one’ tactics.

P

W

D

L

F

A

U16 A

15

7

1

7

29

26

U16 B

8

3

0

5

10

18

U16 BURTON & DISTRICT CUP – RUNNERS-UP R2 PINGLE

W 2-1

SF THOMAS ALLEYNE’S HS

W 1-0

F

L 2-3

ROBERT SUTTON

U16 STAFFORDSHIRE CUP R1 LANDAU FORTE ACADEMY AMINGTON

L 0-2

U16 ESFA SMALL SCHOOLS’ CUP R1 BROWNHILLS

W 3-1

R2 ARK KINGS ACADEMY

W 3-0

R3 ANTHONY GELL

W 3-0

R4 BROOKE HOUSE COLLEGE

L 4-5

U16 A CAPTAIN B. Adshead (P) U16 A SQUAD M. Ainger (N), E. Ashton (C), R. Cheung (C), T. Chohan (C), F. Dumbill (P), J. Earwicker (S), T. Jervis (S), T. Jones (S), R. Khosla (C), M. Mackrill (C), A. Mair (P), E. Nto (P), O. Randall (O), H. Solomon (P), G. Tverdokhlebov (P), W. Wade (O), T. Whitwell (P), J. Williams (S).

U16 B CAPTAIN B. Bond (N) U16 B SQUAD J. Bramfitt (S), A. Chima (L), S. Cunningham (O), H. Dunn (P), T. Hawksworth (N), W. Ingham (P), J. Jacques (P), W. Lunn (C), N. Nefedov (O), W. Orpin (C), J. Riley (P), D. Russell (S), J. Sinclair (C), J. Truelove-Cooke (N), A. Yegenmammedov (L), W. Zhou (C).

There’s no doubt that the Half-Term break broke the team’s rhythm and many of the losses came in the second period. These results also highlighted the fact that we lacked any real threat up-front. Being without an out-and-out goal-scorer meant that many well-crafted opportunities were spurned. This said, the boys continued to play with grit and determination, which is testament to their spirit and attitude. It also makes it impossible to single any one player out for special mention. A great bunch of boys, I thoroughly enjoyed working with them over the season..

SE & JRL

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U15 A XI It is fair to say that this group of boys did not start their careers as Repton footballers in the fashion they would have hoped: their U14 season had been a year in which they experienced a very steep learning curve and, when John Port arrived on day one of our U15 campaign to hand us a 7-0 defeat, it was clear we had our work cut out. But I think we got there.

The team that ended on the wrong end of a seven-goal deficit in September would not recognise the group of boys who, at times, dominated their Staffordshire Cup semi-final and who were unlucky to end their season in mid-February after an agonising 2-3 loss.

Of course, it helped that we were able to bolster our ranks with a number of talented players who joined the School in 2018.

MMC’s extensive global scouting network identified no fewer than four international signings, joining us from as far afield as Canada, Thailand, Bahrain and Devon! In addition, RGE’s tireless work at our feeder club, Repton U14 A, also paid dividends, with six B-Block boys joining us on ISFA Cup matchdays, all vying for starting roles alongside regular squad members.

This influx of players, however, should not undermine the contributions and development of those who were already part of this squad. For many, their talent was clear. This year, they were able to add to that with improved awareness of the game, an understanding of each other’s roles and, most importantly, a refusal to know when they are beaten. There have been several occasions when they have looked to be defeated, only to fight back

and claim victory through sheer force of will. One of my personal highlights would have to be victory in the Staffordshire Cup quarter-final: a fantastic team display, despite having several key squad members injured, not playing a competitive match for almost a month beforehand and going behind early on to one of the best goals I have seen in youth football. We won 3-1.

Perhaps the greatest summary of our season though was our ISFA Futsal campaign – the story of two terms of football condensed into one afternoon in Guildford. Beaten convincingly in our first two fixtures, we needed a miracle to avoid going home in the group stages. We won 3-0 and progressed as best third-place team, thanks to number of goals scored. We then beat ISFA finalists Royal Russell in a penalty shootout and breezed past Hampton 4-1, despite having lost to them by the same score earlier in the day. Ultimately, we came up short in the final against Bradfield, but after an 11-4 defeat to the same opponents only two weeks previously, there was great pride to be taken from a battling 0-1 defeat.

So, in conclusion, I hope the boys will look back on this year as one in which they moved forward as individuals and as a group. We may not have secured

any silverware, but finals of the Burton & District Cup and ISFA Futsal competitions, a Staffordshire Cup semi-final and an ISFA Cup quarter-final are not a bad return for the year. Most importantly, I hope they remember how important it was to work hard and to give their best, even when the odds are against them. If they can do that, they will not go far wrong.

CL CAPTAIN H. Cooper (S) SQUAD O. Akinsanmi (C), F. Barker (O), J. Brown (C), F. Geddes (L), L. Haigh (S), O. Hall (S), F. James (L), N. Moore (P), M. Raine (C), S. Rashid (P), I. Savage (L) J. Smith (O), D. Sompoprungroch (L), S. Yardimci (S).

Also Played: O. Adams-O’Rorke (S), L. Bahia (O), P. Derry (S), F. Flanagan (C), W. Groves (C), N. Mackinnon (O), O. Oldman (O), O. Schneck (N), G. Wilkinson (P).

P 18 F 50

W 10 A 41

D2

L6

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U15 B & C XIs An opening 11-1 defeat by Bradfield made me think this might be a long, tough season, but the squad responded positively to training on defensive positioning and decision-making and our next match – against Millfield of all sides – was a thumping 10-0 win, Earth Sompoprungroch scoring four to underline his A team credentials!

This was the catalyst for a run of form that saw another four wins in a row, the squad responding (on the whole) positively to the rotation policy, giving some more-C-than-B players a run out against weaker sides.

FRIENDLIES JOHN PORT

L 0-7

BRADFIELD COLLEGE

D 2-2

WOLVERHAMPTON GS

W 4-0

MILLFIELD

D 3-3

KIMBOLTON

L 0-5

MANCHESTER GS

W 4-1

STAFFORDSHIRE U15

L 1-4

U15 BURTON & DISTRICT CUP – RUNNERS-UP R2 THOMAS ALLEYNE’S HS

W 5-0

SF WILLIAM ALLITT

W 7-1

F

L 2-4

JOHN TAYLOR HS

U15 ISFA CUP – QUARTER-FINALISTS R2 MANCHESTER GS

W 4-1

R3 GS AT LEEDS

W 4-3 (AET)

R4 SHREWSBURY

W 2-1

QF MOORLAND

L 2-4

U15 STAFFORDSHIRE CUP – SEMI-FINALISTS R1 RAWLETT

W 3-1

R2 THE HART

W 2-0

QF DE FERRERS ACADEMY

W 3-1

SF JOHN TAYLOR HS

L 2-3

The highlight for me was a superb 5-2 win over Manchester Grammar on San Hall – the larger pitch size suiting our passing game and wing-play, although the neutrals’ favourite game would probably be our nail-biting 3-2 defeat of Shrewsbury. Clarke had some lovely moments, especially in the early part of the season, cutting in from the right with devastating effect; Lake could show sublime skill at times, but needs consistency, as does Derry, who generally marshalled the back line well.

As the pitches began to get boggier from mid-November, the team struggled to abandon the beautiful game for a more pragmatic long-ball one, while the colder weather encouraged a few to be less keen on attending training – the net result being that the last few games went against us. Nonetheless, a great deal of progress was made and – I hope – ideas learnt that will serve many of this squad well as they progress up the school.

Overall, the C team had a decent season.

The opening defeat to Bradfield was disappointing, but simply encouraged the team to ensure that they put it right in future matches. The two fixtures against Shrewsbury saw the honours shared, with each side winning their home match.

Ultimately, regardless of the score, the team never gave up.

JMJH & NFP

U15 B CAPTAIN H. Gillett (S) U15 B SQUAD O. Adams-O’Rorke (S), B. Cann (O), S. Clarke (L), A. Coleston-Shields (S), P. Derry (S), J. Gould (N), O. Heap (N), T. Ikhsan (S), F. Lake (O), J. Reading (N), C. Truscott (O), L. Wallace (P), Z. Wenham (S), G. Wilkinson (P).

Also played: O. Akinsamni (C), N. Coullborn (S), M. Ewart-White (N), M. Galley (P), O. Hall (S), F. James (L), N. Moore (P), R. Rustom (L), I. Savage (L), J. Smith (O), D. Sompoprungroch (L), T. Wilken (N), R. Wright (C), S. Yardimci (S), D. Yeats Brown (O).

U15 C SQUAD J. Bertolino (L), N. Coulborn (S), M. Ewart-White (N), M. Galley (P), A. Holt (N), J. Kinsiona (L), J. Lee (C), O. Ozer (N), H. Picard (N), T. Wilken (N), D. Yeats Brown (S).

Also played: O. Adams-O’Rorke (S), B. Cann (O), S. Clarke (L), H. Gillett (S), J. Gould (N), O. Heap (N), J. Reading (N), C. Truscott (O), Z. Wenham (S), L. Wallace (P).

P

W

D

L

F

A

U15 B

10

5

0

5

42

45

U15 C

3

1

0

2

4

16

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U14 A XI These boys represent, unquestionably, the best squad that the School has had at this age group. They won all 24 of their fixtures, the last being the ESFA U14 Small Schools Final versus Haileybury Turnford School, played at The Hawthorns. They also secured the Burton and District Cup and the Staffordshire Cup, not forgetting the ISFA Futsal title.

Looking at the statistics, one might conclude that this is a side entirely reliant on striker Luke Bahia, who scored a phenomenal 82 goals in his first season at Repton, shooting powerfully with minimal backlift off both feet, as well as recording a number of valuable strikes for the ISFA representative side, but this is not entirely true. Oscar Oldman also scored a significant number of goals and offered a consistent threat with his pace and skill.

He was supported on the left flank by the talents of Otto Schneck, who was arguably the side’s most consistent player in an attacking left-back role. The midfield was anchored by the tidy Arthur Squire, with Finn Flanagan, captain of the side, Derby County player and ISFA stalwart, and Will Groves, another ISFA player of great talent and quick feet, ahead of him. With Archie Hidderley and Joe Sookias also making a fine contribution in this area of the pitch, this was one of the less physically imposing midfields on the circuit, but their talent and fitness enabled us to control games consistently, out-passing the opposition and often breaking resistance in the final quarter of games. The right flank was

a regular source of goals, with the very capable Henry Barton Smith, the versatile and highly promising Alfie Riley, and the powerful duo of Ryan Tobin and Adebayo Adefala causing teams lots of problems.

Henry Geutjens, Joe Sookias, Padraig Scales and Aleks Manasir defended extremely well, frequently against players of academy standard, allowing us to concede an average of just one goal per game – which is very pleasing at this age group. Nathan MacKinnon is a tall goalkeeper who was commanding, while displaying fine ability with his feet when passing across the back line.

The season had a number of highlights, including Bahia’s magnificent hattrick against Staffordshire, the same player going one better with four in the Staffordshire Cup Final, Flanagan’s mazy dribble and clever finish to settle a dramatic county semi-final against the impressive Landau Forte Academy, Oldman’s destruction of Moorlands in the ESFA semi-final, Geutjens’ towering header to put us ahead against Blacon in the same competition, Schneck’s goal

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P 24 W 24 D 0 F 158 A 25

U14 B & C XIs

L0

U14 BURTON & DISTRICT SCHOOLS’ CUP – CHAMPIONS R1 BYE

-

R2 WILLIAM ALLITT

W 14-0

SF PAULET HS

W 5-2

F

W 3-1

DE FERRERS ACADEMY

U14 STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY CUP – CHAMPIONS

of the season to settle the Burton and District Cup Final and MacKinnon’s fine save to win a penalty shoot-out against Millfield in the ISFA Futsal final.

The ESFA Final was arguably the pinnacle of the season. On a beautiful May evening, the boys enjoyed an experience to remember: using the changing facilities and stepping on to the pitch at West Bromwich Albion’s Hawthorns stadium, in front of lively support, wearing a special kit, hearing their names announced at pitch-side and having the game broadcast live with commentary on YouTube. It is, of course, far more enjoyable when you win and an impressively controlled performance saw us run out 6-1 winners, with Oldman and Man of the Match Bahia (5) getting the goals. All in all, a fabulous way to end a fabulous season.

Much credit must also go the parents who turned out consistently, in numbers and in all weathers, to cheer on the boys.

RGE

R1 LANDAU FORTE ACADEMY QEMS

W 12-0

R2 CARDINAL GRIFFIN CATHOLIC COLLEGE

W 7-1

QF MADELEY HS

W 7-1

SF LANDAU FORTE ACADEMY AMINGTON

W 4-3

F

W 4-1

PAULET HS

U14 ESFA SMALL SCHOOLS’ CUP – CHAMPIONS R1 ANTHONY GELL

W 8-1

R2 SOUTH NOTTS ACADEMY

W 4-1

R3 KING EDWARD VI HS, STAFFORD

W 17-0

R4 FINHAM PARK

W 6-1

QF BLACON HS

W 4-1

SF MOORLAND

W 8-0

F

W 6-1

HAILEYBURY TURNFORD

FRIENDLIES KING’S CHESTER

W 6-2

JOHN PORT

W 4-2

BRADFIELD COLLEGE

W 5-1

WOLVERHAMPTON GS

W 11-0

KIMBOLTON

W 5-0

MANCHESTER GS

W 2-1

STAFFORDSHIRE U14

W 3-2

ALLESTREE WOODLANDS

W 5-2

CHELLASTON ACADEMY

W 8-1

CAPTAIN F. Flanagan (C) SQUAD A. Adefala (N), L. Bahia (O), H. Barton Smith (C), H. Geutjens (N), W. Groves (C), A. Hidderley (C), A. Manasir (C), N. MacKinnon (O), O. Oldman (O), A. Riley (L), P. Scales (C), O. Schneck (N), J. Sookias (S), A. Squire (P), R. Tobin (P).

The U14 B side had a mixed bag of a season which, at times, threatened to gather momentum and go on to real success – but also saw some poor performances at times.

The focus of the season quickly turned to trying to foster a team ethic and collective spirit and avoid the spells of individualism that were the team’s biggest weakness. The second half of the season demonstrated that teamwork had become more ingrained in the side, with some very good victories against Dixie Grammar and Ackworth, whilst battling performances in defeat away at John Port and Shrewsbury showed that the boys had learned to continue to give their best for the team in difficult circumstances.

The U14 C team also had a varied season, with some close games and some with wider margins – including an impressive 14-0 victory over Kimbolton. Captained predominantly by Oscar Birmingham, special mentions should go to Sam Cossey’s excellent keeping throughout, Teniola Okubadejo’s ambitious shots, tireless performances from Manav Chitkara and Carwyn Owens and some solid goal-scoring from Harry Leverton and Eagle Huang.

DJR & MLL/TML U14 B CAPTAIN L. Allen (O) U14 B SQUAD C. Andrew (S), C. Buffin (S), R. Fitzgerald (N), G. Fletcher (N), G. Garcia (L), H. Hendon (N), E. Huang (S), D. O’Brien (S), J. Papell Grau (S), E. Pass (L), S. Polak (C), S. Sekhon (C), J. Smith (P), M. Williamson (C), H. Xie (O), O. Yates (O).

Also played: A. Adefala (N), O. Birmingham (P), O. Burford (N), M. Chitkara (O), S. Cossey (L), A. Gabriel (P), A. Hidderley (C), B. Hornby (O), J. Lau (C), H. Leverton (S), A. Manasir (C), O. Okubadejo (L), E. Raper (P), S. Rollett (C), J. Sookias (S), R. Tobin (P), R. Zhang (P).

U14 C CAPTAIN O. Birmingham (P) U14 C SQUAD O. Burford (N), C. Capewell (N), B. Cheung (L), M. Chitkara (O), S. Cossey (L), A. Gabriel (P), B. Hornby (O), E. Huang (S), J. Lau (C), H. Leverton (S), H. Meynell (C), O. Okubadejo (L), C. Owens (P), E. Pass (L), S. Polak (C), E. Raper (P), O. Richardson (L), J. Russell (S), L. Russell (S), J. Smith (P), M. Williamson (C), O. Yates (O), R. Zhang (P).

P

W

D

L

F

A

U14 B

9

5

0

4

29

26

U14 C

6

2

0

4

21

20

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GIRLS’ HOCKEY P 24

W 19

D1

L4

F 139

A 28

MIDLANDS INDOOR FINALS – CHAMPIONS G1 BROMSGROVE

W 4-0

G2 WELLINGBOROUGH

W 7-0

G3 WORKSOP COLLEGE

W 5-1

SF OAKHAM

W 5-0

F

W 2-1

TRENT COLLEGE

NATIONAL INDOOR FINALS – RUNNERS-UP G1 KING’S BRUTON

D 2-2

G2 ST LAWRENCE’S COLLEGE

W 5-0

G3 WELLINGTON COLLEGE

L 2-3

G4 RIPON

W 2-0

SF CRANLEIGH

W 3-0

F

TRENT COLLEGE

D 1-1 (L 1-2 ON PENS)

U18 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS’ CUP – CHAMPIONS R3 IPSWICH

W 9-0

QF GS AT LEEDS

W 6-1

SF MILLFIELD

W 4-3

F

W 5-2

KINGSTON GS

U18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – CHAMPIONS R1 DENSTONE COLLEGE

W 17-0

R2 QUEEN’S, CHESTER

W 10-0

R3 KING’S, CHESTER

W 5-0

R4 SEDBERGH

W 6-0

QF FRAMLINGHAM COLLEGE

W 2-1

SF WELLINGTON COLLEGE

W 4-2

F

W 1-0

MILLFIELD

FRIENDLIES NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY THE GLASGOW ACADEMY MADHYA PRADESH HOCKEY ACADEMY

L 0-2 W 13-2 L 0-1 L 0-1

UPPINGHAM

W 17-1

MILLFIELD

W 4-1

QUEEN ETHELBURGA’S

W 15-0

LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY 1ST XI

L 0-5

DEAN CLOSE

W 5-2

BELPER LADIES 1ST XI

D 1-1

OAKHAM

W 5-1

OUNDLE

W 7-0

RUGBY

W 3-2

1ST XI Knowing that this 1st XI was going to be strong, a number of early-season fixtures pitched them against older opponents and defeats to both Nottingham Universities and the Indian Touring Academy were excellent for their development. Sandwiched in amongst these games were a number of double-figure victories against schools, which will have helped to build confidence and pointed to the fact the goals were going to be shared around the group, this year.

The first fixture to test the nerves was the National Cup First Round, which clashed with the County Netball Finals. Travelling without several players, there was a sense that this could have been a potential banana-skin, but, once Esme Gibson had opened the scoring, and Lily Walker had quickly followed up, everyone relaxed to produce some fantastic hockey and some wonderful team goals in a 17-0 victory, leaving everyone wondering what there was to worry about!

Further National and Independent Schools Cup games passed without much concern, before the girls clinched the Midlands Indoor Finals relatively straightforwardly, too. Despite falling a goal behind in the Final, the girls played well and deserved the victory and their place at the National Finals. At Bromsgrove, the National Finals were very competitive and it wasn’t until the semi-final, with an outstanding performance against Cranleigh, that we looked like possible winners. The Final was frustrating, as we failed to convert chances to win, only for the penalty shoot-out to harshly go against us. Video technology proved that we would have been National Champions had the umpires had the benefit of a second look, but unfortunately this wasn’t the case.

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Despite the huge disappointment of the Indoor Finals, the girls showed great resilience to pick themselves up just days later to defeat Sedbergh away, which set up a quarter-final tie with Framlingham. Yet another away trip preceded a close match in Suffolk. Despite falling behind, Lily Walker equalised before Anna Stone converted a penalty, which proved decisive. Despite some temporary suspensions and a nervous final few minutes, which included a Kat Carr save from a penalty corner, the girls held on to secure a very important victory.

The National semi-final at Lee Valley was against Wellington and saw a controlled performance, with victory sealed during a good spell in the second half. Emilia Kaczmarczyk scored a fine second goal, before unselfish play from Bea Bridge allowed Charly Archer to make it 3-0. A bizarre penalty award for Wellington late in the game gave them a glimmer of hope, but the girls held on for an impressive victory, to set up a National Final with Millfield.

This year’s National Final was probably the most closely-contested that we have played and it took an Imogen Hatton goal, with just 12 minutes remaining, to settle the contest. With the U14 and U16 sides winning their National Finals just before this, the final whistle was a special moment, this 1st XI creating history as the team that sealed the historic National treble for Repton.

This 1st XI has been an absolute pleasure to coach. Driven by Emilia Kaczmarczyk and the rest of the U6, they developed a fantastic culture that was a great example to any younger players that joined us for training and matches. They should be proud of everything they have achieved during their time at Repton.

MLJ

CAPTAIN E. Kaczmarczyk (M) SQUAD T. Allen (G), C. Archer (M), E. Barlow (G), B. Bell (F), B. Bridge (M), G. Brown (M), S. Butler (F), K. Carr (F), S. Corner (G), L. D’Aguilar (G), E. Franklin (G), E. Gibson (F), L. Gould (M), K. Haid (F), I. Hatton (G), I. Mansfield (M), K. Squires (G), A. Stone (G), C. Swain (M), M. Swain (M), L. Walker (F).

Also played: B. Brough (M), E. Buffin (M), C. Dashwood (A), M. Fitzgerald (M), M. Jackson (M), E. Kilby (F), M. Klymowec (G), I. Nieper (F), E. Peters (A), H. Ward (M).

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2ND XI There have been some impressive 2nd XI sides over the past few years, but this one has probably played the best brand of hockey at times that I can remember. Towards the end of the season, players really began to understand what it was that makes an effective hockey team and gelled superbly.

At the beginning of the term we agreed a set of ‘principles’ we wanted to implement from the start and, by-and-large, these were achieved by December! Particularly notable were the victories over other schools’ 1st XIs and several of the games were memorable. Having lost in the last game to Stowe in the previous two seasons, it was rewarding, finally, to seal a win against them – and we played some of our best hockey in that game.

Our forward line of Pope, D’Aguilar and Sweeting adopted our policy of defending from the front exceptionally well as the term went on and, although she had spent most of her Repton career as a forward, Clarkey made the central midfield position her own.

She was an excellent, committed and skilful captain, who led by example throughout. Nieper, Sharratt and Buffin also put in great shifts in midfield and, in a highly competitive field of players at the back, selection was often difficult. Gould and Corner were immense in the full-back positions and it was a shame we lost Peters to a broken thumb in the Oakham game, as she had been one of the instrumental reasons for our success until that point.

The remaining players were also enormously enjoyable to work with and I thank them for their committed approach to all the matches, as well as training.

With seven members of the team leaving Repton this year, it will be difficult to repeat such a successful season. I wish them all the best as they move on and hope that they enjoyed the term as much as I did. Keep playing and enjoying this brilliant game!

WGO CAPTAIN I. Clarke (F) SQUAD L. Buchan (A), E. Buffin (M), F. Cole (F), S. Corner (G), L. D’Aguilar (G), S. Earp (A), M. Fitzgerald (M), L. Gould (M), C. Martin (M), I. Nieper (F), E. Peters (A), G. Pope (G), I. Sharratt (M), M. Swain (M), S. Sweeting (F), H. Ward (M).

P 12

W 10

D2

L0

F 64

A8

GLASGOW ACADEMY

W 5-1

UPPINGHAM

W 12-0

SHREWSBURY 1ST XI

W 2-0

DEAN CLOSE

W 9-0

DENSTONE COLLEGE 1ST XI

W 3-2

3RD & 4TH XIs These sides’ season was one of mixed fortunes, but primarily hindered by low numbers in the squad, all girls having to represent the 3rd XI and 4th XI over the course of the term. Huge thanks go to those U16 Bs who frequently filled in the gaps so willingly.

The best performance by far was in the 4th XI match against Oakham, when the spirit and commitment of the girls was outstanding and a real pleasure to watch; Repton hockey genuinely at its best. Unfortunately, the outcome was not in our favour as, against the run of play, the visitors snatched the only goal. The 3rd XI’s most impressive game was against Bromsgrove, resulting in a convincing 7-0 win. The U6 leave with our best wishes and we hope they continue to develop their hockey skills as they move on to pastures new.

GKR/AFP & SMQN/CEG 3RD XI & 4TH XI SQUAD A. Adams-O’Rorke (A), S. Ainger (M), E. Andrew (M), E. Benson (A), M. Bridge (M), F. Brown (M), E. Cann (A), T. Coupland-Smith (M), L. Drury (M), K. Gilbert (G), M. Griffiths (M), A. Harcus (A), I. Hardwick (A), H. Hatton (G), P. Maddocks (F), J. Merriman (A), M. Needler (M), E. Smith (F), C. Swinbank (M), I. Woods (M).

MILLFIELD

D 2-2

OAKHAM

W 12-1

STOWE 1ST XI

W 4-0

OUNDLE

W 4-1

LOUGHBOROUGH 1ST XI

W 9-0

P

W

D

L

F

A

BROMSGROVE 1ST XI

W 2-1

3RD XI

5

3

1

1

13

2

RUGBY

D 0-0

4TH XI

7

4

0

3

20

17

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U16 A XI Having taken this group of players from the beginning of A Block, I knew what a talented group of players they were and the potential they had this season.

An undefeated season last year brought with it expectation and promise in equal measure.

The season started strongly as they defeated a strong Surbiton side and continued in an almost routine fashion in the league, before coming up against an excellent Bromsgrove team whilst missing key players. This game highlighted the strength and depth of this squad and the resilience they had. They were 3-2 down with a penalty corner in overtime, and a one-and-a-half-year unbeaten streak on the line. The ball was slipped to Kelsey Pearce, who smashed it through the keeper’s legs to draw the match and remain unbeaten.

The first leg of the Cup was filled with nerves and expectation: we had an injection of high-quality A Block players join the squad and the team was packed with talent in each line. It took a signature Charlotte Steele counter-attack goal to break the deadlock and kickstart our National Cup Campaign. This game proved to be one of our most difficult games and the girls had to show concentration and composure to get through the tricky tie.

Impressive away wins against Wilmslow, Ellesmere and The Perse set up another trip to Lee Valley. There were some key moments and vital performances along the way: Izzy’s save versus Ellesmere, Claudia’s goals versus The Perse and Bronte’s dominant performance versus Wilmslow stand out.

The National semi-final was a cagey affair and it took a Kat Haid masterclass to settle the nerves and send the team to a deserved final. The last match of the season was poised to be a final showcase for this side; however they were up against a resilient and hardworking side, which made the game dogged and stifling. Goals from Ellie Barlow, Kat Haid and Claudia Swain ensured that this team, after two years of unbeaten, skilful and expansive hockey, could officially be crowned National Champions.

CAPTAIN S. Butler (F) SQUAD E. Barlow (G), M. Bowman (M), H. Cook (A), E. Frontzkowski (F), Z. Knowles (F), E. Lownds (A), I. Mansfield (M), E. Martin (M), A. Naylor (M), H. Nieper (F), K. Pearce (A), C. Steele (A), Z. Wedgwood (A).

Also played: I. Archer (M), A. Bailey (M), B. Brough (M), I. Evans (M), K. Haid (F), C. Swain (M), E. Thompstone (M).

They were a delight to coach and I thoroughly enjoyed my two years with them. Superbly led by the ever-impressive Scout Butler, I wish them all the best for their future hockey – where I am sure they will enjoy continued success.

JAS 89

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P 14

W 13

D1

L0

F 89

A 12

MIDLANDS INDOOR FINALS – CHAMPIONS G1 BABLAKE

W 4-0

G2 KING’S HS

W 7-0

G3 OAKHAM

W 4-0

G4 WORKSOP COLLEGE

W 6-0

SF TRENT COLLEGE

W 5-1

F

W 3-0

MALVERN COLLEGE

NATIONAL INDOOR FINALS – RUNNERS-UP G1 ST GEORGE’S COLLEGE

W 4-0

G2 MILLFIELD

W 2-1

G3 BISHOP’S STORTFORD COLLEGE

W 5-2

G4 QUEEN’S, CHESTER

W 5-0

SF THE GRANGE

W 8-0

F

CRANLEIGH

D 1-1 (L 1-2 ON PENS)

U16 NATIONAL CUP – CHAMPIONS R2 QUEEN’S, CHESTER

W 5-1

R3 WILMSLOW HS

W 19-0

R4 ELLESMERE COLLEGE

W 6-0

QF THE PERSE

W 11-0

SF ST TERESA’S, EFFINGHAM

W 8-2

F

W 3-1

GODOLPHIN & LATYMER

FRIENDLIES SURBITON HS

W 2-1

UPPINGHAM

W 7-2

RGS, WORCESTER 1ST XI

W 4-1

DEAN CLOSE

W 3-0

OAKHAM

W 4-1

OUNDLE

W 7-0

BROMSGROVE

D 3-3

RUGBY

W 7-0

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U16 B XI SQUAD F. Buckley (A), L. Cope (F), O. Ellis (G), K. Gabriel (G), M. Gilmore (M), P. Hix (G), P. Kellock (G), A. Leverton (A), J. Milligan-Manby (F), K. Newbould (A), P. Plant (M), L. Richards (A), E. Scutt (M), I. Turton (A), L. Williamson (F).

P7

W1

D2

L4

F 10

A 19

U15 A XI This group of Reptonians is very used to winning hockey matches. The additions to the squad of Katharina Haid and Connie Betts added to its depth and helped the team to a clean sweep of victories in the Michaelmas Term.

The improvement in the style of play and the skills of individuals was palpable, and this should be heralded as much as the list of results. By the end of term, the girls were playing much more like a senior hockey team and that is where they need to be to start next year. In terms of playing style, improvements were made in playing as a unit, the effectiveness of players on the outside of the formation (such as Olivia Singer, Mary Brown, Ella Rush and Erin Polak) inspiring trust in a more complete brand of hockey.

An assist by Rush in the game against Bromsgrove and some lovely interplay between Polak and Alicia Bailey, leading to a goal against Rugby, provided excellent evidence of this.

There is also an unbelievably high work-rate amongst the group.

There was never a reliance on others, with individuals taking responsibility for their own level of performance. Two players stand out, for me, in this: Emily Thompstone and Izzy Archer would still be running now if the final whistles had not gone in each game this term – and there is much more to both of their games than that! That the platform is laid by a well-respected and very effective captain in Bronte Brough has meant that there were not many scares in ‘regular’ games this term.

to a seven-goal win over Bradfield, with hat-tricks from Miranda Jackson and Charlotte Dashwood. I look forward to seeing how they get on as U16s next year; there is the making of a very good unit upon this evidence.

DAE CAPTAIN B. Brough (M) SQUAD A. Bailey (A), C. Betts (A), C. Dashwood (A), E. Derry (F), K. Haid (F), O. Singer (G), E. Polak (G), I. Archer (M), M. Brown (M), I. Evans (M), E. Rush (M), E. Thompstone (M).

Also played (IS Cup): G. Barlow (G), E. Bowman (M), M. Jackson (M), O. Sykes (M).

P 15

W 13

D1

L1

F 55

A8

U15 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS’ CUP – 3RD PLACE R1 KING’S, MACCLESFIELD

W 2-1

This was the first season that Repton had entered the Independent Schools’ Cup and it proved to be a fantastic addition to the calendar. It allowed the start of the hockey-based bonding between the U15 and U14 year groups, in readiness for a National Schools’ Cup campaign, next year. It also provided some of the toughest fixtures of the season: each round saw challenging matches, narrowly won until the semi-final. An away trip to Sedbergh in Round 3 provided the girls with the challenge of playing their hockey in front of a significant, partisan and vocal crowd. Brough and Haid were immense in this physical game and they were supported by an excellent goalkeeping performance

by Izzi Evans. The quarter-final, against a classy Surbiton side, came after a significant hiatus and an even game eventually went to penalties, with Evans making three saves in the shoot-out and the Ice-Queen, Ella Bowman, scoring the decisive goal.

R2 SOLIHULL

W 2-0

R3 SEDBERGH

W 1-0

Two days later, the girls had to raise their game again, eventually losing out to a fast and physical Millfield team 0-1. That this is the first defeat tasted by the A-Block year group in Repton colours should serve as a reminder that, as they get older and the standard of hockey improves, tight games fall on fine margins. The game genuinely could have gone either way, with Repton striking the post and spurning a couple of other decent opportunities. The 3rd/4th play-off, again two days later, rounded the campaign off with a happier vibe, the girls cruising

QF SURBITON HS

D 0-0 (W 3-2 ON PENS)

SF MILLFIELD

L 0-1

3RD/4TH BRADFIELD COLLEGE

W 7-0

FRIENDLIES GLASGOW ACADEMY

W 5-0

UPPINGHAM

W 7-1

SHREWSBURY

W 3-0

STOWE

W 5-2

LOUGHBOROUGH HS

W 8-0

OAKHAM

W 2-1

OUNDLE

W 3-0

BROMSGROVE

W 4-1

RUGBY

W 6-1

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U14 A XI

U15 B & C XIs The season began positively for the U15 Bs, winning the first match of the season 2-0 against Uppingham, showing great levels of energy and enthusiasm.

The second match didn’t arrive for seven weeks and we appeared to have lost some momentum and match sharpness, losing 10-0 to Stowe. The team picked themselves up well after this loss and showed improvement, but still took losses away at Oakham and Oundle. In early December, the team was happy to be playing at home and showed a good level of determination throughout the match against Bromsgrove, scoring a short corner in the first half and holding on to the lead with some of the girls’ best hockey of the term in the second half. In the last game of the season, the team performed well to be 1-1 with Rugby with fifteen minutes to go, but were unlucky to concede two goals towards the end of the match. A standout performer for the season was Alannah Edwards – saving far more goals than were conceded – and Sophia Ott captained superbly from the first match to the last.

The U15 Cs had a challenging season: unfortunately, results did not always go our way and the scores certainly did not reflect the effort that the players put into each match. However, a few matches still stood out, in particular the game against Stowe, which was very competitive, the teams being quite evenly matched in ability. By half-time it was 0-0 and, at this point, it seemed that the score could go either way. Unfortunately, Stowe came back stronger in the second half and Repton struggled to keep up with their goals. Nonetheless, it was great to see how the team and individuals improved throughout the season in training sessions – which was noticeable in the House matches at the end of the term, when the girls played in mixed teams and their development was clear to see. Well done girls: a difficult season, but you demonstrated good teamwork and resilience.

ISPH & LEP

If we played this season again, I’m not sure I would change much, but it would be great fun to do it on repeat. From the very start of the season, with a comprehensive win over Uppingham, to the moment the winning penalty went in at The Olympic Park, this was simply about understanding your job in the team and getting on with it to the best of your ability. It was no great surprise, therefore, that we coped well for such a young team with the bigger stages at the Midlands Finals and National Finals, as it was simply doing the same thing, just against different teams and at a different venue.

Some highlights from the school season included away wins at Oakham and RGS Worcester, when we were still finding our feet as a team and adjusting to new positions. Our professional performance at The Midlands Finals – five wins from five and 14 goals without conceding – was a job very well done and a platform to higher-level achievements.

We descended on London in late February with a plan and a well-established formula. A lesson in flexibility was given inside the first minute of the tournament, though, as we lost a player to injury and needed a complete reshuffle. This is where this team was better than most others: we absorbed the challenge and adjusted quickly. A goal of the season contender from Miranda Jackson gave us some breathing-space against Sevenoaks and, despite a good showing against Kingston, it finished goalless, but, by beating Sedbergh 4-1, we made the Final on goal difference.

The Final was an even and thrilling affair that finished goalless: I was so pleased with the way we set about taking on a team that had dominated their group so convincingly, dealing with their threats well and creating a few opportunities. Finally, Alice Kelly scored her sudden-death penalty to win us the gold: a priceless moment that should be remembered forever. If you could bottle it, you’d sell it for millions!

This was a great group of girls to work with and they were successful for a number of reasons, the most important being that they played with no ego; always the team first. Therefore, it is difficult to pick out individuals, but Miranda Jackson’s 50 goals (out of our 101) is a sensational statistic and, at times, these were box office moments that you just don’t see at this level very often. I look forward to seeing her challenge the best defences now as she moves up the school. The Players’ Player of the Year, Ottilie Sykes, was magnificent in the Finals: I can’t remember anyone actually getting past her. It is not always easy being a GK at Repton if your team is winning, but Martha Broderick’s time came in the shoot-out: two saves in particular and one in the Final itself were superb. Finally, the way co-Captain Ella Bowman upped her game at the Nationals after the minor injury crisis was leadership at its best, and other co-Captain Aimee Mayfield may have been prevented from playing by a lengthy injury, but she saw this team through every game and was hugely supportive of her peers. What an amazing way to start their Repton Sport careers!

IMP

U15 B CAPTAIN S. Ott (F) U15 B SQUAD E. Anastasiou (M), C. Bunting (G), H. Coombs (A), E. Coull (F), S. Dex (G), A. Edwards (A), C. Grainger-Spivey (A), M. Miers (A), C. Owen-Jones (A), M. Purewal (G), A. Robinson (G), E. Smith (F).

U15 C SQUAD A. Allen (M), A. Churchill (M), L. Cooper-Ewin (A), D. Darby (G), H. Davis (A), M. Ma (G), D. Manasir (F), D. Mershenova (F), R. Pannu (G), F. Roberts (F), E. Shcherbakova (G), A. Webb (M).

P

W

D

L

F

A

U15 B

6

2

0

4

4

24

U15 C

4

0

0

4

2

20

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CAPTAIN E. Bowman (M) & A. Mayfield (G)

MIDLANDS ZONE ROUND – WINNERS

SQUAD G. Barlow (G), M. Broderick (F), L. Clark (F), J. Davies (F), J. Edwards (A), I. Hobson (F), M. Jackson (M), A. Kelly (A), L. Ottewell (M), M. Prince (F), P. Ross (A), O. Sykes (M), F. Wedgwood (A).

P 20

W 18

D2

L0

F 97

A6

ELLESMERE COLLEGE

W 8-0

LOUGHBOROUGH HS

W 5-0

MIDLANDS FINALS – CHAMPIONS R2 RGS, WORCESTER

W 2-0

W 9-0

R3 OUNDLE

W 3-0

RGS, WORCESTER

W 5-2

R4 BROMSGROVE

W 3-0

DENSTONE COLLEGE U15A

W 6-0

SF LOUGHBOROUGH HS

W 4-0

LOUGHBOROUGH HS

W 6-1

F

W 2-0

OAKHAM

W 3-0

OUNDLE

W 4-0

NATIONAL FINALS – CHAMPIONS

BROMSGROVE

W 10-0

RUGBY

W 8-0

UPPINGHAM

COUNTY FINALS – CHAMPIONS F

TRENT COLLEGE

W 13-1

RGS, WORCESTER

G1 SEVENOAKS

W 2-1

G2 KINGSTON GS

D 0-0

G3 SEDBERGH

W 4-1

F

SURBITON HS

D 0-0 (W 4-3 ON PENS)

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U14 B & C XIs The U14 C girls did extremely well in managing all their commitments at the start of their Repton School career: more often than not, they would have run down to the hockey pitches straight after an hour of netball, or from hockey straight on to music, swimming or D&T activities.

This squad put maximum effort into all their training sessions and were an absolute delight to coach. Sadly, their results did not always reflect the hard work they put in, with just three wins, against Stowe, Denstone and Bromsgrove.

There were some spectacular goals from Anna Tverdokhlebova and Jessica Liu, but, more impressively, Venetia Miers took up the role of goalkeeper and did a fantastic job as a novice – one to watch in the future!

This team improved from week to week and were a credit to the school in all fixtures. A huge thank you goes to some of the U14 B players who stepped in to help us on more than one occasion when numbers were low: thank you Grace, Ali and Tilly! Well done, girls!

SDAS U14 B CAPTAIN K. Marshall (A) U14 B SQUAD M. Barker (M), A. Colclough (G), J. Davies (F), S. Derby (M), R. Diksa (A), V. Diksa (A), J. Edwards (A), M. Gray (F), A. Harris (M), H. Jackson (A), P. Law (F), L. Ottewell (M), G. Pocklington (M), E. Reynolds (G), M. Rose (G), E. Truelove-Cooke (A).

P

W

D

L

F

A

U14 B

9

3

1

5

13

23

U14 C

6

2

0

4

3

25

U14 C CAPTAIN G. Whittingham (M) U14 C SQUAD E. Ajayi-Akinsulire (F), D. Armour (G), E. Bock (M), H. Chatterton (G), S. Imako (M), J. Liu (F), A. McAndrew (G), V. Miers (A), M. Robinson-Stanier (A), F. Thomas (F), A. Tverdokhlebova (F), Y. Xue (G).

Also played: L. Clark (F)

Photo: David Bellin (www.hockeytoday.co.uk)

BOYS’ HOCKEY Photo: David Bellin (www.hockeytoday.co.uk)

1ST XI Photo: David Bellin (www.hockeytoday.co.uk)

The Michaelmas Term allowed a large number of 1st XI prospects to gain valuable match and training experience, with 32 pupils playing for the Development Squad against a wide range of opponents. Another change in format to the England Hockey competitions this year saw us feature in a Midlands/North League, which would lead to a National U18 quarter-final late in the Lent Term and required a game to be played before turning attentions to Indoor. QEGS Wakefield visited in November for our opening League fixture and Angus Bennett opened the scoring in a 3-0 victory when the visitors needed their GK to be on top form to keep the score-line as respectable as it was.

With the benefit of a fantastic new Indoor facility, allowing us to host, the boys recorded 8-0 and 12-0 victories over Worksop and Abbotsholme in the Midlands Zone Round, before one of the most convincing Midlands Final victories that I can recall: a 9-0 victory over Bromsgrove, a dominant force in the

Indoor game over recent years, started the day; and an outstanding performance led to a 5-1 victory over Oakham in the Final, with plenty of goals scored in-between.

Xavier Teyletche scored within seconds of the Final starting, before Stuart Kentwell scored one of the best individual goals seen at Aldersley in Indoor Finals.

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P 17

W 11

D3

L3

F 90

A 29

MIDLANDS INDOOR ZONE ROUND WORKSOP COLLEGE

W 8-0

ABBOTSHOLME

W 12-0

MIDLANDS INDOOR FINALS – CHAMPIONS R1 BROMSGROVE

W 9-0

R2 RUGBY

W 8-0

R3 KES, BIRMINGHAM

W 7-1

SF TRENT COLLEGE

W 4-3

F

W 5-1

OAKHAM

NATIONAL INDOOR FINALS

In comparison to the dominant display before the Christmas break, the National Finals were disappointing, the group not at their best. A competitive opening draw with Dean Close was followed by a disappointing performance against Bedford.

Conceding a late goal for another draw meant that hopes of a semi-final place were almost gone, even before defeat to a polished St George’s side.

A switch back to Outdoor proved to be no problem: Worksop were easily beaten in the League, six goals in twenty minutes highlighting the quality of the group, Kentwell and Bennett converting penalty corners and Marcus Tarrant and Teyletche scoring from open play. Away fixtures at Rugby and Oakham showed the frailties of this year’s 1st XI, however, poor discipline being a factor in two painful defeats, meaning that victory was needed at Warwick to secure a home quarter-final tie.

With improved discipline, but without the injured Kentwell, the performance was good, but a failure to convert penalty corners on a difficult surface meant things were close. Warwick were clinical and, despite creating a number of good chances, their GK was equal to them and the game ended in narrow defeat.

The National quarter-final draw gave us a trip to Cheltenham to face Dean Close.

A fantastic game of schoolboy hockey ended 4-4, with Bennett again on tremendous form from penalty corners, before a harsh penalty defeat. Although a tough defeat to take, this year’s 1st XI lacked the consistency in their play and with their discipline at times and, on the day, they were beaten by a very good side.

Reflecting on the season and, particularly, with reference to the U6 leavers, their achievements over five years are nothing short of outstanding and unlikely to be beaten: most leave Repton with a National U14, U16 and U18 title, with Luke Brown, Marcus Tarrant, Stuart Kentwell and Jeremy Nelson adding an U16 Indoor one for good measure after a memorable win at Whitgift in 2017. I thank the whole squad for their commitment and good humour this season, especially Luke Brown as captain, and the U6 for some excellent memories and for firmly placing Repton at the top of Schoolboy Hockey.

MLJ

G1 DEAN CLOSE

D 2-2

G2 BEDFORD

D 4-4

G3 ST GEORGE’S

L 2-4

G4 ALTRINCHAM GS

L 0-6

NATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS’ CUP – RUNNERS-UP R1 BYE

-

R2 BEDFORD

W 6-2

R3 SEDBERGH

W 11-1

R4 SEAFORD COLLEGE

W 2-1

SF ST LAWRENCE’S COLLEGE

D 3-3 (W 4-3 ON PENS)

F

D 3-3 (L 2-3 ON PENS)

MILLFIELD

EHB NATIONAL U18 LEAGUE – QUARTER FINALISTS R1 QEGS, WAKEFIELD

W 3-0

R2 KES, BIRMINGHAM

W 9-0

R3 WORKSOP COLLEGE

W 12-1

R4 OAKHAM

L 4-6

R5 WARWICK

L 1-2

QF DEAN CLOSE

D 4-4 (L 3-4 ON PENS)

FRIENDLIES

CAPTAIN

BROMSGROVE

W 7-0

L. Brown (N)

RUGBY

L 2-5

TRENT COLLEGE

W 5-1

STAMFORD

W 10-0

OUNDLE

W 5-0

UPPINGHAM

W 3-0

SQUAD M. Bellin (P), A. Bennett (P), O. Brierley (C), W. Collins (P), W. Hobson (S), L. Johnson (N), S. Kentwell (N), T. Nash (S), J. Nelson (L), M. Newton (C), E. Patton (L), G. Rice (N), R. Sillery (S), M. Tarrant (S), X. Teyletche (N), W. Tomalin (N).

Also played: Z. Brough (S), O. Lloyd (N)

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2ND XI The mismatch of the first game of the season aside, the results this squad of players recorded, together with the number of goals they amassed, underlines the strength and quality of this group of boys. There wouldn’t be many 2nd XI teams that could field as many National Finalists/Winners as we could.

The team were instructed in the KISS principle of play (keep it simple, stupid!), which, given some of the team discussions and player comments, proved a masterstroke. A solid defence, marshalled by Byrne and Webb, allowed halfbacks to foray forward and ensured whoever was in goal was rarely called upon. The midfield combined well and moved the ball quickly to a potent forward-line, who developed an understanding and the movement to unlock defences with ease. A formidable squad, they could interchange positions without fuss and, when called upon, those joining for the odd game had little difficulty fitting in.

Some highlights from the season include Greenwood’s scoring prowess: for every goal he scored, and there were some great ones, there were some equally remarkable misses! Another highlight must be Haigh’s and Archer’s work-rate: if they apply themselves half as much to their studies, their teachers will be forever grateful. Most memorable would be the total demolition of Trent College marked by a ‘coast to coast’ move finished with the simplest of tap-ins.

Equally impressive was the boys’ tolerance of their coach, namely my inability to get their names right and my numerous teamsheet mistakes. I really enjoyed working with them over the term and would like to thank all the U6 for their commitment to the team at this important time in their studies and wish them all the best for the future. I would also like to thank all the parents for their support, both home and away; hopefully they found the hockey entertaining and worth the many trips away.

JRL

P 9 W 7 D 1 L 1 F 38 A 15

CAPTAIN F. Byrne (S) SQUAD M. Archer (P), A. Edwards (O), C. Edwards (P), A. Greenwood (O), T. Haigh (L), W. Needham (N), M. Newstead (S), T. Roberts (P), O. Scutt (L), W. Tomalin (N), C. Watson (N), J. Webb (S), W. Wright (O).

MCS, OXFORD

L 0-10

BROMSGROVE

W 6-0

OAKHAM

W 6-1

RUGBY

W 4-1

STAMFORD

W 2-1

OUNDLE

W 5-0

TRENT COLLEGE

W 10-0

DEAN CLOSE

W 4-1

UPPINGHAM

D 1-1

3RD XI Coaching a 3rd XI was new to me and it was certainly an eye-opening, but ultimately enjoyable, ten weeks with a fine bunch of young men, who managed to go unbeaten for the season.

Most of the wins were comfortable enough, but two games stand out for different reasons: the Stamford draw was as frustrating as the Uppingham win was magnificent. We laid siege to Stamford’s goal for most of the game, but just couldn’t manage to get over the line; it was only due to Bramall’s calm finish with ten to go that we managed to draw the match.

Uppingham were probably the best team we played against all term and, given that we only had 11 to their 15 players, on a warm day towards the end of term, I was immensely proud of the way the lads battled and found a way to finish off the season so well.

WGO SQUAD W. Balderston (N), A. Bramall (P), T. Cruickshanks (O), J. Hornsey (O), B. Jones (S), M. Lewis (P), J. Murphy (S), M. Newstead (S), T. Roberts (P), J. Thompson-Dykes (P), J. Truelove (L), J. Truelove-Cooke (N), B. Wanger (S), W. Wilkinson (P).

P 12

W 10

D2

L0

F 64

A8

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U16 A XI I first encountered this group at the National Indoor Finals, where it was clear to see that there was much potential: a National Runners-up medal was a well-deserved start to the season.

The outdoor season started with an under-strength team losing away to MCS, Oxford; however, the season truly got underway against Bromsgrove with a 6-0 away win. The outdoor campaign continued with impressive wins against Rugby, Stamford and Uppingham, with notable performances from Lloyd, Scutt and Dunn.

They carried this form into the National Cup competition, beating Ashby, Bishop Vesey’s and Bromsgrove, conceding only one goal on their way to the crunch quarter-final against Whitgift.

This match was a war of attrition, both teams proving resolute in defence. The brave tackles from Orpin, vital passes from Brough and composure from Cooper kept Repton in it, with both sides having chances to win the game in normal time. The penalties were a lottery and an emotional rollercoaster; it took a superb top-corner save from Truelove-Cooke to send this enigmatic group of players to the National Finals.

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SPORT The semi-final against St Lawrence College was one of the side’s best performances: they showed their ability to focus and deliver when it really mattered. The National Final, against Dean Close, was one of my most enjoyable as a coach: to see the team play so cohesively in defence and so expansively in attack was a joy to watch, capped by an excellent Will Ingham goal. Some prudent tactical advice from MLJ led to a well-worked corner routine and a fitting goal in the final for Brough to cap off an eventful and impressive season.

Whilst they were a challenge to coach at times, they remained a joy to be around and their togetherness and team spirit complemented their excellent technical ability superbly. Whilst a National Title might have seemed a little optimistic at the start of the season, their attitude, application and ability meant that it was thoroughly deserved.

JAS

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MIDLANDS INDOOR FINALS – CHAMPIONS

CAPTAIN Z. Brough (S) SQUAD M. Ainger (N), E. Berlusconi (L), B. Bond (N), S. Clark (O), H. Dunn (P), W. Ingham (P), O. Lloyd (N), W. Orpin (C), H. Scutt (N), C. Tarrant (S), J. Truelove-Cooke (N).

R1 WARWICK

W 6-0

R2 BEAUCHAMP COLLEGE

W 2-1

R3 NEWCASTLE-U-LYME

W 6-0

R4 BROMSGROVE

W 4-0

SF WORKSOP COLLEGE

Also played: F. Bashforth-Bell (O), B. Bonwitt-Marsh (P), H. Cooper (S), J. Gould (N).

F

TRENT COLLEGE

D 2-2 (W 3-1 ON PENS) W 7-0

NATIONAL INDOOR FINALS – RUNNERS-UP P 27 W 22 D 3 F 105 A 21

G1 KES, SOUTHAMPTON

L2

W 2-1

G2 MILLFIELD

W 5-0

G3 MERCHANT TAYLORS’

W 4-3

G4 SANDBACH

W 3-2

L 2-3

SF DEAN CLOSE

W 4-0

BROMSGROVE

W 6-0

F

L 1-3

OAKHAM

W 3-0

RUGBY

W 7-2

STAMFORD

W 5-2

OUNDLE

W 3-0

TRENT COLLEGE

D 1-1

DEAN CLOSE

W 1-0

BROMSGROVE

W 1-0

SF ST LAWRENCE COLLEGE

W 4-0

UPPINGHAM

W 7-0

F

W 3-0

FRIENDLIES MCS, OXFORD

WHITGIFT

U16 NATIONAL CUP – CHAMPIONS R2 ASHBY

W 11-1

R3 BISHOP VESEY’S GS

W 5-0

QF WHITGIFT

DEAN CLOSE

D 0-0 (W 4-3 ON PENS)

U16 B XI Following on from their tremendous season last year, which saw them defeat all comers whilst conceding just the one goal, the U16 Bs had another impressive term, remaining unbeaten. The team sailed through their early encounters and it was not until they visited Rugby that they had to work for their three points, with a narrow 3-2 victory.

Led superbly throughout by Captain Alex Mair, the second half of term started with their first home match of the season and a 3-1 victory over Stamford. An even encounter, I can only assume they were inspired by the opportunity gifted to them

by MLJ to play on the ‘show pitch’ (water!), as they managed to score three magnificent goals worthy of any highlights package. The following week, they travelled to Oundle with just 10 men, O-Block having been decimated by injury and unavailability. Having squandered multiple scoring opportunities, they found themselves 0-2 down with 15 minutes to go and looked as if they were heading for their first defeat in two seasons – only for two late goals to rescue a point and some pride!

The team finished a fine season with comfortable victories away at Trent and home to Uppingham. At times a dysfunctional group, their biggest threat to success was their own ill-discipline, but they are a team that knows how to win and, for the most part, they did just that.

CMWR CAPTAIN A. Mair (P) SQUAD B. Adshead (P), J. Bramfitt (S), A. Chima (L), S. Cunningham (O), F. Dumbill (P), H. Gilby (S), I. Green (L), T. Hawksworth (N), J. Jacques (P), N. Nefedov (O), J. Presley-King (L), O. Randall (O), J. Riley (P), D. Russell (S), W. Wade (O).

P9 W8 D1 F 32 A 10

L0

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U15 A, B & C XIs U15 A CAPTAIN

The Midlands fixture circuit provided a perfect challenge for the U15 A boys, who had struggled to come to terms with senior school hockey as U14s. Results in the early season were mixed, as were performances and approach and, whilst we managed a couple of pleasing wins, there were also some days when we were shown how we could have done better, which I hope were useful learning experiences.

In the second half of the season, we really came into our own, the turning-point a heavy loss to Trent, when the wheels not only came off but rolled down the hill. So calamitous was our performance from start to finish that I am not even sure writing about it here and bringing it up again is a good idea! We then strung together a winning streak of seven consecutive victories; sport rewards a number of things – including focus and effort. We benefited from DAE’s umpiring support in a number of these, for which I am very grateful, as well as a fitter and more athletic set of players, with a weekly gym session in our new facility. A highlight was undoubtedly the away win at Dean Close, where, against a very good side, we put together the best team performance of the year. The weekly grind, commitment and away trips sometimes get a bit much for some players, but, on this day, it was evident that every bit was worth it. Wins away at Stamford and Uppingham, both by just one goal, also showed that we could dig deep when it mattered.

This team was reliant on everyone pulling their weight and this was an aspect we all improved on. Individually, there were some contributions deserving of a mention: James Gould’s goalscoring was particularly noteworthy – strong off both sides when presented with space in the circle, he was a threat for all defences; and, in the middle of the pitch, Isaac Savage, the captain, was the silent assassin, most opposition players not noticing how he gave an outlet option followed by a safe pass; Will Ingham, an ever-present, never missed a session or tackle all term; and Ben Bonwitt-Marsh in goal got us out of jail more than a few times. I hope these players can use this season as a springboard to do well in senior hockey in due course.

The size of the squad list gives an indication of the lack of stability the U15 B side encountered this year in terms of personnel. There was plenty of ability in the side, but a lack of consistency in training and even within matches. Harvey Wilson was our most consistent player in a predominantly defensive role. Louie Haigh captained the side impressively, until injury forced him out. Reims Wright, Jimmy Brown and James Smith, among others, caused lots of problems in the

I. Savage (L) U15 A SQUAD

opposition circle. After impressive wins early on against Bromsgrove and Trent, the side struggled in the cold, icy conditions just before Half-Term – perhaps a reflection of the coach – suffering two defeats that might easily have been victories. It does the boys credit that a team meeting produced a positive response and a fine run of consecutive wins in the second half of the season, helped in no small part by the arrival of Ollie Heap as regular keeper. There is plenty of talent in the side with goals worthy of A team hockey, witnessed by supportive parents; the challenge for these boys is to limit the number of errors and maintain good habits in training and in matches.

With them having lost all but one game as U14 Cs, I thought the U15 Cs might be in for another tough season – but they trained hard and showed real character as the season progressed, to finish with an unbeaten season.

The highlight was a thrilling 2-2 draw with a Stamford side that won all their other games, Geddes scoring the goal of the season with a superb reverse-stick smash into the top corner – worthy of a 1st XI player. Atwal made the GK position his own after Heap was nicked by the B team; Brown showed he could play anywhere – most often being our rock in defence – while Lake and Geddes showed pace and invention on the wings, and James up front was the top-scorer and “danger man”. The most credit for the team’s success, however, must go to the captain, Charlie Truscott: matches would see him in one ‘D’ at one moment, blocking a goal-bound shot, only for him to be in the other ‘D’ moments later, setting up a goal or smashing in one of his own. Moreover, the social niceties of school sport were observed immaculately: loud “three cheers” and handshakes for umpires (even the useless ones like me). This means more to me than the unbeaten season – but I’m happy to take both!

O. Adams-O’Rorke (S), F. Bashforth-Bell (O), B. Bonwitt-Marsh (P), B. Cann (O), S. Clarke (L), A. Coleston-Shields (S), H. Cooper (S), G. Edwards (L), J. Gould (N), O. Hall (S), W. Ingham (C), J. Reading (N), R. Rustom (L), Z. Wenham (S).

U15 B CAPTAIN L. Haigh (S) U15 B SQUAD K. Akinsanmi (C), F. Barker (O), J. Brown (C), N. Coulbourn (S), P. Derry (S), M. Ewart-White (N), M. Galley (P), H. Gillett (S), O. Heap (N), R. Knowles (S), C. Redfern (L), J. Smith (O), G. Wilkinson (P), H. Wilson (P), R. Wright (C), D. Yeats Brown (O).

Also played: F. Lake (O) U15 C CAPTAIN C. Truscott (O) U15 C SQUAD K. Akinsanmi (C), A. Atwal (L), J. Bertolino (L), C. Bingham (P), T. Brown (C), F. Cann (O), N. Coulborn (S), C. Cremer (C), F. Geddes (L), A. Holt (N), F. James (L), F. Lake (O), R. Poon (P), S. Rashid (P), T. Thandi (P), A. Williams (O).

Also played: P. Derry (S), M. Galley (P), O. Heap (N), N. Moore (P), C. Wagg (S), T. Wilken (N), J. Wright (O).

IMP, RGE & JMJH

P

W

D

L

F

A

U15 A

12

9

0

3

33

22

U15 B

9

6

1

2

25

16

U15 C

8

4

4

0

24

12

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U14 A XI The score-lines achieved and the goal difference tally for the season do not sugar-coat judgements about the ability of this group of players: great timing has brought an exceedingly talented group of boys together. It is to their credit that, on the whole, they have worked well to try to establish a style of hockey that will let their talents blossom. At times, they have scored goals to make spectators purr. Simple outletting from the back, followed by quick interplay and transfer of the ball through the midfield and decent leading and finishing in the forward line has seen to this.

It would be easy to wax lyrical here about the all-round qualities and leadership of captain Harry Stone, or the effervescent skills of George Fletcher, or indeed any number of other talented players. However, I prefer to focus on team attributes that have supported such an impressive season.

The use of the entire back four as a base for bringing the ball through the pitch is much improved and Henry Barton Smith, Will Groves, Rory Fitzgerald and others launched many an attack from receiving the ball at half-back. In the forward line,

better movement off the ball saw the team start to score some deflections and achieve receipt of the ball by forward players near the base-line; this is critical to forward play as this group progresses.

Particularly strong displays were achieved against Trent, KES Birmingham (twice), Solihull (in the Midlands group phase), Oakham (in the Midlands Final), Stamford and Dean Close. That these schools are those that might expect to reach National Finals from time to time is no coincidence:

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SPORT this Repton group is one that played better hockey when it had its mettle tested. The first game of the term, against Solihull in the Midlands round saw the team 0-1 down at half-time; the rally, sparked by a Henry Geutjens tip in and a Sam Cossey hot streak, gave the boys the belief that they could perform under pressure for the first time. This allowed the most complete performance of the term in the Midlands Final to flow, as Oakham were dismantled at the end of a long day by a phenomenal display of attacking hockey from all members of the team. Three deflected goals from the first three circle entries knocked the stuffing out of a team the boys had laboured against in a re-formatted 7-a-side draw on a small pitch earlier in the term. From then on, superior care of the ball throughout the pitch, unselfish decisionmaking in the circle and crisp finishing put the exclamation mark on an 8-0 win.

The team was tested further by a more consistent quality of opposition at the National Finals. Normally, at U14 level, teams arrive determined to give a good account of themselves, enjoy the experience and see where that takes them. This group is different, and they arrived in London with great expectations to challenge towards the top of the competition. The questions were: could they defend well enough as a team to keep high quality attacking sides at bay? Could they stick to their team style of hockey when the chips were down and the going got tougher?

The answer to these two questions was emphatic: yes and yes. A slowish start in a 1-0 win over The Perse was followed by a rousing three-goal second half display

against Calday Grange Grammar School.

The best was yet to come though, and the performance of the season saw this team crush Whitgift 5-0 in a scintillating display of high pressing and slick attacking hockey. The final began with St George’s putting Repton under a lot of pressure and they were to break through from a penalty corner early in the second half.

The response was a mark of this group and what potential they have for the future: the boys got straight back on the front foot, forcing a couple of brilliant saves from the St George’s goalkeeper, before Harry Stone won a penalty, which was converted by George Fletcher. And so, to penalty strokes.

In a cruel twist, the score-line ended 3-4.

The disappointment of defeat should be tempered by what has been an exciting first chapter in the Repton Hockey careers of this group. I look forward to seeing them progress throughout their remaining four years at school and feel confident that they will bounce back to challenge for the gold medal again, in the near future.

P 23 W 21 D 2 F 142 A 11

L0

FRIENDLIES WARWICK

W 8-0

MCS, OXFORD

W 3-2

KES, BIRMINGHAM

W 9-1

BROMSGROVE

W 8-0

TRENT COLLEGE

W 10-0

OAKHAM

D 0-0

RUGBY

W 6-0

STAMFORD

W 11-1

OUNDLE

W 9-2

DEAN CLOSE

W 7-1

UPPINGHAM

W 8-1

SOLIHULL

W 6-0

MIDLANDS ZONE ROUND – GROUP WINNERS

DAE

OAKHAM

W 5-0

MEOLE BRACE

W 14-0

CAPTAIN

MIDLANDS FINALS – CHAMPIONS

H. Stone (N) SQUAD L. Allen (O), C. Andrew (S), H. Barton Smith (C), C. Buffin (S), S. Cossey (L), R. Fitzgerald (N), G. Fletcher (N), H. Geutjens (N), W. Groves (C), H. Hendon (N), H. Leverton (S), N. Mackinnon (O), J. Papell (S), S. Rollett (C), O. Schneck (N), J. Sookias (S), R. Tobin (P), M. Williamson (C).

G1 NEWCASTLE-U-LYME

W 8-0

G2 SOLIHULL

W 5-1

G3 OUNDLE

W 3-1

SF KES, BIRMINGHAM

W 4-0

F

W 8-0

OAKHAM

NATIONAL FINALS – RUNNERS-UP G1 THE PERSE

W 1-0

G2 CALDAY GRANGE

W 3-0

G3 WHITGIFT

W 5-0

F

ST GEORGE’S COLLEGE

D 1-1 (L 3-4 ON PENS)

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U14 B & C XIs After a challenging set of matches throughout the season, notable improvements were made by the vast majority of the U14 B team, resulting in an emphatic victory in the final match against long-term rivals, Uppingham. Although facing strong opposition in many of their matches, the strength and resilience of the players was admirable; the boys did themselves proud, always emerging positively from defeats, and using the experience to solidify their skills for future matches.

Slow starts and good finishes were the story of each match and the same pattern can be said for the season, as the second half of the term was much more like it for the U14 Cs. There were only a couple of matches where the opposition was simply too good and so it was a shame that so many matches slipped from our grasp due to a poor first quarter, making life difficult for the rest of the game and giving us simply too much to do to come back. Even in the games we did manage to win, we had to come from behind, so the boys clearly like to do it the hard way! It is, however, a credit to them that they demonstrated a never-say-die attitude and continued to battle until the end in every game; by the end of the term, they had clearly made great strides as hockey players.

JDS & DJR U14 B SQUAD L. Allen (O), C. Andrew (S), O. Birmingham (P), A. Gabriel (P), C. Hardwick (N), A. Hidderley (C), H. Leverton (S), A. Manasir (C), D. O’Brien (S), E. Raper (P), O. Richardson (L), A. Riley (L), L. Russell (S), O. Schneck (N), J. Smith (P).

U14 C SQUAD A. Adefala (N), C. Capewell (N), M. Chitkara (O), G. Garcia (C), L. Hanman (O), J. Hibbs (S), B. Hornby (O), E. Huang (S), Z. Jordan (N), J. Lau (C), L. Leahy (N), J. McKay (O), H. Meynell (C), O. Okubadejo (L), C. Owens (P), E. Pass (L), J. Russell (S), S. Sekhon (C), H. Waldock (S), H. Xie (O), O. Yates (O), R. Zhang (P).

P

W

D

L

F

A

U14 B

9

1

3

5

12

26

U14 C

8

2

0

6

9

27

NETBALL 1ST VII Our first match of the season, in the beautiful Sports Hall Two, was set to be a tough one against Oundle. Such a shame that this fixture clashed with the National Indoor Hockey Finals, meaning captain and Centre, Emilia Kaczmarczyk, along with our A Block GA, Claudia Swain, were both absent from the Repton line-up.

We were prepared for Oundle’s speed and the team held their own throughout the game, matching ball speed and often winning the battle of physicality in the circles. Tilly, Mia and Izzy were solid at the back and showed true grit from start to finish, often turning over the ball and outletting passes securely into centre court. Ella stepped in to the Centre position brilliantly and offered lots of supportive play, linking defence and attack: a superb display of fitness! Jess Smith played out of position without hesitation, her versatility on court a real asset to the squad.

We had debuts from Lily Buchan and Millie Cann, both with much success: Millie into the GS position, keeping calm under pressure and experiencing the contest on and off the ball at 1st team level; Lily managing to create good depth into the attacking pockets, with timely feeds into the circle. Pip and Sam were work-horses of the game, with consistent drives down court when needed

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and always securely catching and releasing awkward passes. These two players are forming a good relationship on court and I look forward to this developing over time.

The highlight of the season came against Derby High: we were on familiar ground, missing a couple of players from the usual squad, but we welcomed back Kazzy after her nasty injury and took to the court knowing the job we needed to do. Despite having a significant height difference in the circle, the combination of Mia, Jess and Izzy in defence kept battling to force errors and kept calm on turnovers to give the ball to our super-speedy attackers. The score was even, goal-for-goal, end-to-end, but Repton looked the better package. It was a matter of time until we got the goal from a turnover and the break came in the second quarter. We started after halftime three up, with fresh legs – using Millie’s height at GS and Lily’s feisty spirit at WD as our substitutions. From circle defenders to shooters, everyone played with such determination; it was a true team effort and I couldn’t be more pleased for the squad to take the win.

Thank you, too, to the supporters on the side-lines throughout the term!

LP CAPTAIN E. Kaczmarczyk (M) SQUAD C. Archer (M), L. Buchan (A), E. Buffin (M), E. Cann (A), I. Clarke (F), M. Dewhirst (G), S. Garner (F), P. Maddocks (F), M. Montague (F), J. Smith (M), C. Swain (M), M. Swain (M).

2ND VII This was a fine season for the 2nd VII team. Despite some slight controversy over the final result at Bromsgrove, we won more games than we lost and scored more goals than we conceded – and that is something to be proud of.

Following a convincing win in our first match, against Oundle, we placed teamwork and camaraderie as a key aim for the season, a task that the Martin sisters rose to, but perhaps found a little more challenging than the others! Thanks to the calm, sensible and grounded leadership of Lucy Gould, who was ably assisted by the magical Majenta Montague, our team spirit remained all the way until the final whistle in our last match against Trent – perhaps with one minor wobble, and a minor grumble from me, in the first half against Rugby: against a very capable, quick and tough Rugby VII, our 2nd VII looked a little nervous, perhaps, but also seemed to drop their heads – and I reminded the girls that, however strong the opposition and

difficult the circumstances, they should always give their very best and be proud of the way they play; there was, after all, no point in driving the 90 minutes or so all the way to Rugby to not compete.

Despite trailing 19-6 at half-time, the girls showed their resilience and determination and did incredibly well to limit the second half score to 17-14 – a much more convincing and fairer reflection of their ability; I was immensely proud of how they reacted to the challenge they faced.

Training was always a pleasure and never a chore with such a wonderful group of girls, and I would like to wish our departing U6 players (Lucy Gould, Majenta Montague, Connie Martin and Sophie Earp) the very best in their future

and hope they, too, look back with fond memories of a most enjoyable and uplifting season. The U16 players who joined the 2nd VII this season looked particularly impressive and I have no doubt that some of them will be on the fringes of the 1st VII next season. Finally, I am grateful to those players in the 1st and 3rd VIIs who joined our squad at various points this season due to conflicts with hockey fixtures and missing players through illness: they slotted in seamlessly and their contributions were hugely appreciated.

SMI

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

P 13

W5

D0

L8

TRENT COLLEGE

W 21-13

OR ‘ALL STARS’

L 22-46

OUNDLE

L 17-39

LOUGHBOROUGH HS

L 31-35

TRENT COLLEGE

W 36-31

ECCLESBOURNE TECH

L 14-19

LOUGHBOROUGH HS

L 27-43

OAKHAM

L 24-50

RUGBY

L 22-48

UPPINGHAM

L 23-49

DERBY HS

W 28-21

BROMSGROVE

CANCELLED

DENSTONE COLLEGE

W 14-9

TRENT COLLEGE

W 25-13

3RD AND 4TH VIIs Their results do not refl ect how hard the 3rd VII girls played this term: their spirit and drive was outstanding.

With no U16 A team this year, my girls were always playing up, whether against a 2nd VII or an U16 A team, always fighting hard and never losing by very much. Scores such as 8-9 against Trent, and 17-21 against Bromsgrove show just how strong a team we were.

There were some great goals from Mary Needler, Millie Bridge, Gabby Pope and Kelsey Pearce throughout the season, with some excellent defending from Amber Harcus, Scarlett Lloyd-Dickinson and Amelie Naylor. The ball was moved swiftly through the centre court by Jemima Merriman and Laura D’Aguilar. The players’ ability to play multiple positions was a real strength to the team: each player had some amazing attributes, such as great leaning from Harcus, great calls from Pearce, great feet from Pope, and great interceptions from Naylor. They improved so much over the course of the year, understanding how the others moved around them and learning where and how to move the ball down the court. We finished the season with a win, 27-3, against Denstone’s 3rd VII, which was an excellent end to the season. I hope the girls enjoyed themselves as much as I did and I am looking forward to another great season next year.

It was a fantastic term of netball from the 4th VII: a large squad meant that a good number of girls were able to play a part in the successful season of five wins and only two losses (and a further two games unfortunately cancelled by the opposition).

From the outset, they all played well together and had an excellent, sharp standard of netball. It was a pleasure to coach the 4th VII once again, this term. Well done, girls!

LRJ & GLH 3RD VII CAPTAIN M. Bridge (M) 3RD VII SQUAD L. D’Aguilar (G), A. Harcus (A), S. Lloyd-Dickinson (G), J. Merriman (A), A. Naylor (M), M. Needler (M), G. Pope (G), K. Pearce (A).

4TH VII CAPTAIN

CAPTAIN

E. Andrew (M)

L. Gould (M)

4TH VII SQUAD

SQUAD E. Bond (F), S. Earp (A), H. English (F), S. Haigh (M), I. Mansfield (M), C. Martin (M), E. Martin (M), M. Montague (F), C. Rise (F), C. Steele (A).

I. Ashbrook (G), M. Bowman (M), L. Drury (M), O. Ellis (G), K. Gabriel (G), K. Gilbert (G), I. Hardwick (A), P. Hix (G), P. Kellock (G), E. Mansfield (G), L. Richards (A), S. Walker (A).

Also played: M. Bridge (M), L. Buchan (A), E. Buffin (M), P. Maddocks (F), J. Smith (M).

P 10

W6

D0

OUNDLE TRENT COLLEGE OAKHAM ECCLESBOURNE TECH

L4 W 35-19 W 40-8 CANCELLED W 22-19

RUGBY

L 20-36

UPPINGHAM

L 18-23

DERBY HS

W 18-9

STAMFORD

L 27-34

BROMSGROVE

W 21-17

DENSTONE COLLEGE

W 21-2

TRENT COLLEGE U16A

L 9-11

P

W

D

L

3RD VII

7

1

1

5

4TH VII

7

5

0

2

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U15 A VII

P7

What a season this was for the U15 As! This is an exceptionally talented group of girls, who are tactically sophisticated and finely honed in terms of sporting know-how. As a result, they are also hugely committed – and the majority are playing hockey at the very highest level too. It would be tempting to suggest that this has had a negative impact on their season, and indeed I would have loved to have had full and fresh squads against both Oundle and Bromsgrove. However, it is their sheer competitive experience, grit and resilience, and a good amount of this from playing high level sport, week in and week out, that took these girls through to the latter stages of matches and tournaments so successfully on the netball court, this year.

with absolute reliability. Our reserves too – Ella R, Izzi E and Charlotte – supported the team when needed, listening carefully to the role required of them.

Each member of the squad is blessed with excellent skills. Liv, our captain extraordinaire, really is a player to watch in the future, with such athleticism, balance and vision. Alicia and Emily were wonderful vice-captains, offering flair and reliability, with a wonderful way of driving the team forward and reminding them to ‘play happy’. Bronte is such a natural athlete and a real force in defence, turning the ball around relentlessly and distributing it effectively, too. Izzy A and Ella A, although perhaps quieter and less confident on the court, should feel a huge sense of pride that they really can play throughout the court, and this has been a hugely powerful weapon during moments of the season when we needed to be adaptable in order to carve out success. And Ellie has provided a steadfast consistency at WD, intercepting at every available opportunity and, most importantly, feeding the attack

CJJ

Winning the hugely competitive Uppingham Invitational Tournament, and the County competition too, speaks for itself, but it was when grinding out wins against excellent competition, when legs were tired and practices had been curtailed, that the team was perhaps at its most impressive. And the real highlight and pleasure for me was their ability to respond tactically, minimising their opposition’s strengths while maximising their own with a sophistication unusual in junior girls. This team deserved every ounce of success that they worked so hard for this season, and I loved sharing it with them.

W5

D0

L2

OUNDLE

L 12-21

TRENT COLLEGE

W 38-22

OAKHAM

W 33-21

RUGBY

W 41-25

BROMSGROVE

L 8-17

DENSTONE COLLEGE

W 19-3

TRENT COLLEGE

W 21-3

UPPINGHAM INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT – CHAMPIONS U15 COUNTY TOURNAMENT – CHAMPIONS

CAPTAIN O. Singer (G) SQUAD A. Bailey (M), E. Anastasiou (M), I. Archer (M), B. Brough (M), C. Dashwood (A), E. Derry (F), I. Evans (M), E. Rush (M), E. Thompstone (M).

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U15 B & C VIIs

U14 A VII

A team can be judged by its ability to ride storms, to turn tight games in its favour, and to clinch eleventh-hour victories. But it is not the only criterion. Just as important is whether, collectively and individually, the players made progress, and made the most of their abilities.

It was a wonderful term for the U14 A team and I thoroughly enjoyed their company in our sessions and matches each week.

They are a team of workers, who never shy from hard graft, and this was evident in each of our games, not least against some of the more tough opponents. We were so unlucky not to progress through to the Regional competition; I think that we could have emerged very successful indeed, given a little more time to prepare.

Our first game, a 30-4 defeat at Oundle, augured ill for the term, but the girls made progress every week thereafter, and it is not clear what more they could have asked of themselves. In truth, there were no close games – we either won comfortably or were never likely to turn the tide – but, after that chastening day in Rutland, we did ourselves credit in every quarter played. This was, perhaps, best epitomised by the Uppingham Tournament, where we eased past Denstone and Gresham’s, and could not live with the quality of DRET or Stamford, but progressed further through the rounds than we had expected at the start of play. The girls took on board new strategies, and, in the season’s finale, the Denstone triangular, they gave a masterclass in the line-ball and long-ball-short-ball moves, bringing to fruition all the hard work, focus and teamwork they had shown all season. That afternoon showcased the movement and shooting talents of Harriet Coombs and Caitlin Grainger-Spivey, but was built on the impenetrable defence of Sophia Ott and Daisy Darby, two players who deserve immense credit for their commitment to the U15 Bs throughout the term, and for the physical and mental courage with which they conducted themselves throughout. All the girls can reflect on their achievements with pride.

There have been matches this season where the U15 Cs have been sheer poetry: solid rhyming couplets in defence, a fleeting haiku on the centre court, and then the clinical precision of a Petrarchan sonnet at the shooting end. On the other hand, there have also been some matches where even badly-written, half-rhyming doggerel could not describe the on-court disaster. Most of the matches this season saw either a phenomenal win or a crushing defeat; the U15 Cs were nothing if not masters of the gaping goal difference! The best match of the season, though, was the game against Rugby, where the teams were for once evenly matched, fought cleanly and with determination, and Repton lost by just two goals in an end-to-end 19-21 thriller. Well played, girls.

CSD & MKC/AVES U15 B SQUAD C. Betts (A), C. Bunting (G), H. Coombs (A), D. Darby (G), S. Dex (G), A. Edwards (A), I. Evans (M), C. Grainger-Spivey (A), S. Ott (F), E. Polak (G).

Our toughest match was probably the game against Uppingham: we had to dig deep and put on a brave face whilst holding our nerve to keep our lead. All credit to the three shooters – Jackson, Hobson and Ross – for maintaining consistency and scoring the goals, despite ‘tight’ marking. They worked really well in partnership in the shooting circle, no matter which combination was on court. The Repton girls just managed to nudge ahead in the final quarter, thereby winning this nail-biter of a fixture. Equally well, the game against Rugby was a war of nerves and we kept our heads and maintained disciplined court-play (combined with some outstandingly well-timed interceptions at pivotal moments from Bowman, Sykes and Kelly) to emerge victorious.

What became apparent, as the term progressed, was that this is an incredibly talented group of girls, who could all play in a number of positions on court, which is a terrific skill to have. It was really nice that we had a few opportunities to do that, too. Long in my mind will the vision of Wedgwood and Ottewell attempting shots on goal stay with me (even if the ball returned to court with ice on it!).

Davies and Hobson willingly donned GK and GD bibs to good effect and picked off some fabulous interceptions, despite minor height differentials! Most impressive of all was that all nine girls willingly played anywhere on court – with a huge grin on their face, but with a steely determination and desire to win. Thank you, girls!

NMD CAPTAIN A. Kelly (A) SQUAD E. Bowman (M), J. Davies (F), I. Hobson (F), M. Jackson (M), L. Ottewell (M), P. Ross (A), O. Sykes (M), F. Wedgwood (A).

P 10

W7

D1

L2

OUNDLE

L 18-30

LOUGHBOROUGH HS

W 30-29

TRENT COLLEGE

W 24-17

OAKHAM

L 29-44

RUGBY

W 19-16

Also played: C. Dashwood (A), M. Purewal (G).

UPPINGHAM

W 22-19

U15 C CAPTAIN

ECCLESBOURNE

W 23-10

M. Purewal (G)

STAMFORD

W 28-20

U15 C SQUAD

BROMSGROVE

M. Brown (M), A. Churchill (M), E. Coull (F), M. Miers (A), C. Owen-Jones (A), A. Robinson (G), E. Shcherbakova (G), E. Smith (F).

DENSTONE COLLEGE

W 10-3

TRENT COLLEGE

D 10-10

CANCELLED

COUNTY TOURNAMENT P 5 W 4 L 1 – SEMI-FINALISTS

Also played: A. Allen (M), C. Betts (A), E. Brough (A), L. Cooper-Ewin (A), F. Roberts (F).

LITTLEOVER

W 7-5

LADY MANNERS

W 10-2

P

W

D

L

WOODLANDS

W 9-8

U15 B

13

5

0

8

CHELLASTON ACADEMY

W 10-1

U15 C

9

4

0

5

SF TRENT COLLEGE

L 6-7

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U14 B & C VIIs The delightful U14 B team ended the season with a very impressive record, winning seven fixtures, some with very close score-lines. Our two matches drawn were against Oakham and Uppingham: in both fixtures, the girls showed their determination by playing superb netball right to the final whistle.

Working as a tight unit was the case from the very beginning of the season, in the excellent 12-12 draw against Oakham.

This game demonstrated the importance of working together and encouraging one another – with each girl knowing what their job on the court was and trusting their team mates to be in the right position and ready to receive the ball. The girls continued to work hard in training and this was translated into some excellent match-play. Megan Prince and Georgie Barlow both played superbly at Centre, Barlow always working hard to control the pace and timing of the game, and Prince making some crucial and well-won interceptions, using her incredible energy. This pace and determination proved invaluable in our game against a very strong Foremarke U13 A team, who we just managed to beat, 16-10. The excellent shooting accuracy from Jess Liu and Vicky Diksa, at GS and GA, made a huge difference to the success of the team: the symmetry of their play in the circle was very much in evidence against Uppingham.

Additions to the fixture calendar, this term, were local games against Chellaston and Littleover: both proved to be excellent games and it was very impressive on both occasions to see our defensive duo of Katie Marshall (GK) and Harriet Jackson (GD) working so hard to defend the ball and taking rebounds in the circle. Martha Broderick proved

herself to be an impressively versatile player – taking on both GD and WD positions: her endless determination to intercept the ball and turn around the pattern of play was particularly evident in our final two wins against Denstone (12-7) and Trent (13-8). Equally versatile was Leila Clark – a superbly reliable player at both WA and WD, especially the case in our 19-14 win against Rugby.

The U14 C Netball team played against some tough opposition – although managed to secure six good wins out of the eleven matches. The season highlight was the last match, against Bromsgrove, resulting in a very good 18-4 win. At the beginning of the game, both teams seemed to be well-matched in ability. Many girls stood out during the match for their skills, including great interceptions from the centre court players. The girls worked well as a team, particularly on back-line passes, and the defensive players provided excellent support to make sure that Repton kept possession and moved the ball up the court for a chance to shoot. Another match where the shooting ability from several different girls was a particular highlight was against Trent College: the team fought hard in each quarter and finished with an impressive win, 29-2.

The tough opposition this year included teams from Oundle, Oakham, Uppingham and Rugby: these games challenged the girls’ teamwork and skills, but they demonstrated that they could rise to the challenge. Well done, girls, for a good season of netball.

U14 B SQUAD G. Barlow (G), M. Broderick (F), L. Clark (F), V. Diksa (A), H. Jackson (A), J. Liu (F), K. Marshall (A), M. Prince (F).

U14 C SQUAD A. Colclough (G), S. Derby (M), R. Diksa (A), J. Edwards (A), A. Harris (M), V. Miers (A), G. Pocklington (M), E. Reynolds (G), M. Rose (G), F. Thomas (F).

P

W

D

L

U14 B

11

7

2

2

U14 C

11

6

0

5

AFP & LEP

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ATHLETICS It was another tremendous year for the Athletics squad, who once again held their own on the school circuit, with a number going on to impress on a regional and national stage.

This year saw ten school records fall: Alex Coleston-Shields, Ella Rush, Holly Cook, Kelsey Pearce and Bekah Walton all now find themselves in the record books, with times and distances ranging from the 3000m to the High Jump.

Moreover, ten athletes were selected to represent the County, five coming away with gold medals and three with silver. Callum Inman, Kelsey Pearce, Ella Rush and Bekah Walton will be also competing at the English Schools Championships and all four are ranked in the top ten in the country at their age groups.

RGDR

BOYS’ CAPTAIN O. Williams (O) BOYS’ SQUAD M. Atherton (O), G. Clarke (O), A. Coleston-Shields (S), W. Collins (P), H. Dunn (P), A. Edwards (O), C. Furniss (O), E.J. Hall (S), O. Hickman (O), F. Holt (N), C. Inman (O), H. Lewis (C), R. Nicholson (C), E. Nto (P), L. Parry (C), J. Parton (C), C. Redfern (L), R. Rustom (L), J. Savage (L), E. Sawyers (O), G. Singh (N), C. Uffang (P), W. Wilkinson (P), R. Wright (C).

GIRLS’ CAPTAIN G. Brownhill (M) GIRLS SQUAD C. Abell (A), A. Adams-O’Rorke (A), C. Archer (M), K. Carr (F), F. Cole (F), H. Cook (A), G. Gordon (A), C. Jowett (F), Z. Knowles (F), J. Leavesley (A), J. Lloyd (G), E. Lownds (A), H. Nieper (F), K. Pearce (A), G. Pope (G), E. Rush (M), R. Walton (F).

SWIMMING In this year’s competitions, Repton’s swimmers all performed well, especially the Senior Boys, who won the freestyle relay event at Stowe, with a very close second in the medley relay, two silver medals at Bromsgrove and reached both of their finals at the Bath and Otter Cup at the London Aquatics Centre.

Their team consisted of Joel Muir, Omer Ozer, Isaac Von Fintel, Alistair Westwood and Oliver Whittingham. The Senior Girls, Junior Boys and Junior Girls all got to finals at the Stowe and Bromsgrove competitions.

At the inaugural home event between Repton and three local schools, we won overall, winning 17 events out of 41, including the cannon at the end involving all age and gender categories.

Our team comprised U19 and U15 teams from Repton as well as U13 teams from Foremarke.

RZW

BOYS’ CAPTAIN A. Westwood (N) U19 BOYS’ SQUAD J. Donegan (N), J. Muir (S), O. Ozer (N), I. Von Fintel (C), O. Whittingham (C) U16 BOYS’ SQUAD Z. Brough (S), G. Edwards (L), D. Irsan (C), R. Knowles (S), G. Mugarra (L), C. Roe (C), P. Scales (C) GIRLS’ CAPTAIN M. Griffiths (M) U19 GIRLS’ SQUAD K. Brady (F), V. Burrows (M), S. Haigh (M), Z. Knowles (F), E. Mitchell (G) U16 GIRLS’ SQUAD E. Anastasiou (M), C. Betts (A), M. Broderick (F), B. Brough (M), A. Colclough (G), J. Liu (F)

RUGBY With a number of senior players having left last year, those remaining were anticipating a tough year ahead. However, new players stepped up to contribute to a successful year, in which some good rugby was played.

After a warm-up match against a talented Loughborough Grammar team, we travelled to Derby Rugby Club to play Derby Grammar under lights. On a 4G pitch, the pace was frantic, but Repton came away with a 43-26 win, with Liam Combellack scoring 4 tries.

Just four days later, we welcomed King Henry VIII Grammar School to Repton. The team fought valiantly, but silly mistakes meant that we were the wrong side of a 12-36 score-line. These mistakes continued into the following week, when we travelled to Abraham Darby Academy. Despite being the better team, we fell asleep at the beginning of the second half and slipped to a 26-7 deficit. A late rally towards the end of the game was in vain, as the deficit ultimately proved too much and the game finished with a 24-26 loss.

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Towards the middle of the season, we found our stride. This culminated in a 12-0 victory at home to Oswestry, where defence was the key to our success, and a 33-5 win at home to Shrewsbury – the latter being a particularly enjoyable affair, as they were shut out for the majority of the game and we arguably produced some of our finest attacking rugby.

Our final match of the season was a fantastic affair. Against a strong Welbeck side, we defended with heart to repel attack after attack, and scored in the last 5 minutes of the game to claim a dogged 21-19 win. This match was arguably the finest display by a Repton team for some years and I couldn’t have been prouder of how the boys conducted themselves.

All in all, it was a successful season: the team bonded well and worked for each other; they were expertly led, on and off the pitch, by captain Liam Combellack, who scored 80 points throughout the season; Parras Joshi, who has been a stalwart for the last 3 years, marshalled the forwards well from scrum-half; and Leo Parry was a nuisance on the pitch, tackling anything that moved! Despite losing some influential players this year, the core of the team will remain, and the future looks bright. To the boys leaving this year, I cannot thank you enough and hope that you will continue playing throughout your next chapters.

CTI CAPTAIN L. Combellack (S) SQUAD M. Atherton (O), H. Blencowe (N), E. Berlusconi (L), T. Dunn (O), E. Eren (L), C. Furniss (O), G. Gough (L), H. Hey (L), W. Hooper-Smith (O), P. Joshi (P), I. Kozlov (C), O. Moloney (S), J. Murphy (L), F. Nelson (L), L. Parry (C), L. Platts (P), P. Romanovskiy (O), M. Tarrant (S), S. Turner (L).

P8

W4

L4

F 192

A 193

GIRLS’ FOOTBALL It was a great season for the Girls’ Football team, but it was also a year of ‘what could have been’. As always, the girls trained with a fantastic attitude and showed real signs of progress as the weeks passed.

Our opponents’ coaches would regularly comment on the style that we adopted and how their girls could never play the way we did. We built a reputation as a team who were tough to beat and won back the Midlands League title against six very strong schools. However, the abiding memory of the season will be that we narrowly missed out on an ISFA semi-final spot: a series of unfortunate circumstances meant we went into a deciding game missing seven of our starting eleven and went down to a 2-1 defeat.

That Oakham progressed ahead of us and went on to make the final, despite us beating them twice, makes this a particularly bitter pill to swallow.

CAPTAIN M. Klymowec (G) SQUAD J. Archer-Reed (F), E. Barlow (G), B. Bell (F), E. Benson (A), C. Betts (A), B. Bridge (M), F. Buckley (A), S. Butler (F), H. Cook (A), A. Edwards (A), E. Franklin (G), K. Haid (F), C. Luke (F), H. Nieper (F), I. Nieper (F), Z. Knowles (F), I. Mansfield (M), E. Peters (A), E. Scutt (M), E. Smith (F), L. Walker (F), H. Ward (M), Z. Wedgwood (A).

But we should look at the considerable positives. Of the twentyfour names in the squad list, only six had represented the School in a senior fixture before this year; half of them have at least two years of school football left to play. We also enjoyed success in the ISFA U15 North and Midlands 7-a-side tournament, remaining undefeated throughout and taking the title without conceding a goal. These girls should expect big things from themselves next time around – I certainly do.

CL P9

W5

D2

L2

F 25

A 13

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

REPTON HOUSE SPORT CHAMPIONS 2018-19

CRICKET 2018 SENIOR

SCHOOL HOUSE

JUNIOR

LATHAM HOUSE

ATHLETICS 2018 BOYS

THE ORCHARD

GIRLS

THE ABBEY

SWIMMING & THE CAROLINE TYLER MEMORIAL RELAYS

THE JAMES KROPACSY RELAYS 2018

BOYS

THE CROSS

BOYS

THE CROSS

TENNIS 2018

GIRLS

THE MITRE

GIRLS

THE MITRE

SENIOR GIRLS

NETBALL 2019

GIRLS’ HOCKEY 2018

THE GARDEN

JUNIOR GIRLS

THE MITRE

BOYS

THE CROSS

SENIOR

FIELD HOUSE

SENIOR

THE MITRE

JUNIOR

THE MITRE

JUNIOR

THE MITRE

BOYS’ HOCKEY 2019

SENIOR LEAGUE

THE MITRE

SENIOR LEAGUE

THE MITRE

SENIOR

NEW HOUSE

JUNIOR LEAGUE

FIELD HOUSE

JUNIOR LEAGUE

THE ABBEY

JUNIOR

NEW HOUSE

STEEPLECHASE 2019 SENIOR GIRLS’ WINNER

L. WALKER (F)

SENIOR GIRLS’ TEAM

FIELD HOUSE

SENIOR BOYS’ WINNER

M. BOWMAN (S)

FOOTBALL 2018

SENIOR BOYS’ TEAM

SCHOOL HOUSE

SENIOR

JUNIOR GIRLS’ WINNER & 1ST B-BLOCK GIRL

M. PRINCE (F)

SCHOOL HOUSE

SENIOR RESERVES

THE PRIORY

JUNIOR

THE CROSS

JUNIOR GIRLS’ TEAM

THE MITRE

SENIOR LEAGUE

LATHAM HOUSE

JUNIOR BOYS’ WINNER

A. COLESTON-SHIELDS (S)

JUNIOR LEAGUE

NEW HOUSE

JUNIOR BOYS’ TEAM

THE PRIORY

1ST B-BLOCK BOY

H. XIE (O)

NOEL BENNETT TROPHY (A/O 6S)

SCHOOL HOUSE

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VALETE WMAL Alastair Land, Repton’s 35th Headmaster, came to us with significant experience and pedigree: a boy at Manchester Grammar School, he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge to read Natural Sciences and from there onto Eton as a Biology Master, Winchester as Master in College and Harrow as Deputy Head Master. He returns to Harrow, having served three years as Headmaster.

In those three years, we were able to undertake much in our re-imagining of our values – Wholeness, Truth, Excellence and Respect. For Alastair, every decision was grounded in his own values and faith. A man of deeply-held convictions, his own values informed every decision he made, both about individuals and the institution; in fact, his first job on arrival at Repton was to articulate the Values and Aims of the School, which were then published right across the school community and provided the framework for our educational and personal ambitions for our charges.

Without question, the Chapel was a central tenet of his time here. He not only enjoyed preaching, but also the opportunity to worship and was very proud to have been Headmaster during the re-publication of the Repton School Hymnbook and the installation of the Bishop of Derby as Visitor to the School.

A passionate believer in the value of the CCF, he made the time to be an active member of the Repton contingent and was instrumental in the creation of a Royal Navy Section – not an obvious move in land-locked Derbyshire! He took great pride in the achievements of those who gave of their time and it was natural to him to celebrate the commitment and sacrifices of the fallen with the presence of our current contingent in The Garth on Remembrance Sunday.

He was also fully conscious of the importance of Repton International Schools to our future and he was an enthusiastic ambassador, whether hosting visits at The Hall or travelling to the international schools himself.

But his main achievement was perhaps to take us back to a proper consciousness of our foundation and of Sir John Port’s legacy. This is evident in initiatives such as Founder’s Day, but, more significantly, he initiated the social engagement agenda and it is through his enthusiasm that we are beginning to see genuine relationships with maintained-sector schools: such principle should be at the heart of what we can do as a sector, working with local partners.

The Repton years saw the Land/Copin family grow from three to five, with the arrivals of Martin (in The Hall kitchen, in fact) and Sophie and the move back to The Hill will reunite them in one postcode. The support of his family will serve only to further energise his leadership of such a distinguished school and one which will continue to flourish under his gentle but determined leadership. We wish him every blessing.

NCR & SABT

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SJM Steve Megahey joined Repton in September 2016 from Felsted School as a Teacher of Religious Studies and Resident Tutor of The Cross. A committed believer in the value of the full boarding experience, he threw himself wholeheartedly into his teaching, his tutoring and a whole range of other whole-school and ‘niche’ activities.

He has been Master i/c Badminton: a minor sport, to be sure, and unlikely to win national titles anytime soon, but loved by its participants and therefore an invaluable part of the Sports programme offered by the School. He took over the running of the Law Society upon the departure of EJDF, organising two high-profile mock trials, with both internal and external speakers, which were a big hit with pupils and excellent preparation for those seeking places to read Law at university. He ran the Hampshire Society during AVES’ maternity leave, bringing in high-profile speakers (Profs Brad Hooker, Michael Lacewing and Stephen Law particular highlights) to engage and challenge pupils’ approaches to Philosophy. He helped run the ‘Repton Factor’ and has been a key figure in the School’s Exams Team, often writing the internal exams timetable – one of those thankless tasks that somebody has to get on and do.

Despite being such an active member of the school community, he has found time to develop his love of board games and fine food, all the while showing many colleagues his generous nature and willingness to offer kind words. Steve leaves to take up a teaching position at Roedean School and, while he will be missed, we wish joy to him and Charlie as they start a new life on the South Coast.

JMJ

ISOBELLE MEAD (U6G)

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RMM Rob Marston joined Repton in September 2016, ready to embark on the beginning of his third career, having worked in senior roles in the Army and at J.P. Morgan. He has got off to a flying start in education and I hope that he will continue to enjoy the challenge of independent school life at Sherborne School, where he will take on the role of Assistant Head, Head of Sixth Form.

One shouldn’t be surprised by his rapid trajectory. A first-rate economist and an excellent tutor to Sixth Form students, he will be missed by pupils and colleagues in the Department. In the classroom, his organised, clinical approach has served three years of Sixth-Formers very well: he has helped them secure good examination results and meet numerous challenging university offers. His tutoring is characterised by a deep commitment to tailoring his support individually for each of his tutees. His experience in the City has been valuable for his charges, especially in advising on course choice and how to make a CV stand out and raise employability in the long term.

It is not only in the classroom that his impact has been felt. In his three years with us, Rob has worked with the CCF and DofE, covered Cross Country fixtures and was the face of Tuesday and Thursday fitness sessions in the gym, delivering varied and challenging circuits to a wide range of senior pupils. I must make the point, here, that his approach to encouraging the pupils to improve their fitness was one of an all-round approach, not the faddy processes that some gym-goers seem to favour. Rob has also taken on the role of Director of Data and Special Academic Projects in the last year and his love of a pivot table is well-documented in light-hearted moments by his departmental colleagues.

His departure will be felt in the village, too. Negative multiplier effects will be significant for the local economy, especially in sales of coffee in The Boot and all manner of sugary treats in Spar. Rob leaves with our very best wishes for him, Sarah, Ralph and Violet as they embark on their next chapter in Dorset.

DAE REUBEN BLAKEMAN (U6C)

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REUBEN BLAKEMAN (U6C)

COLLABORATIVE L6 ARTWORK

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

IZZY SHARRATT (U6M)

AJB this major event two years in advance, facilitating collections gradually, from concept to catwalk, with all year-groups, beyond those who study Arts subjects, bringing out the creative, leadership and collaborative potential of a huge number of pupils. By the time the rehearsals were on, the usual cherished and welcoming environment of the ‘open-every-afternoon’ Textiles Studio became a veritable ‘24-7’ of purposeful and frantic making, dressing, stitching and choreographing, beyond ‘multi-tasking’ and into ‘giga-tasking’, and all done with Alison’s gentle, empowering and generous brand of teacherly guiding, even right up to the last minute.

It is very hard to think that Alison Benson will not be a member of the Art Department next year. Alison, fundamentally, is Textiles at Repton.

She arrived at Repton School in the same year as I first did, 2007, and patiently set about building up the new subject of Textiles to a popular, rigorous and beloved subject, thriving right at the beating heart of the School, both geographically and figuratively. She will be missed sorely by her friends in her immediate creative team and by colleagues, who are used to finding her eminently capable and supportive to every textiles-based contribution to school events, such as the wonderful costumes for school plays. Most of all, she will be missed by the pupils, who will always remember her caring, thoroughly sensitive and individualised support.

The idea that she is leaving us is only mediated for me by the fact that she plans to reinvigorate and further her artistic practice after leaving us. She is a consummate maker, intuitively visual and expressive, with an affinity for textures, surfaces, designs and the plastic potential of all materials stronger than anyone I have ever encountered. The educational importance of a visual and creative education is powerfully self-evident to Alison – to the extent that anyone who ever spends more than half an hour with her starts to see and feel like an artist.

She is an artist of the most genuine kind when it comes to making and looking and accessing and sharing authentic mindfulness selflessly and humorously with all in her orbit, but also when it comes to intuiting what an individual or group needs in order to excel, grow and thrive.

This generosity has been Alison’s daily commitment and can be said to have come into its most conspicuous focus when in Fashion Show season: Alison planned out

Picture: nervous pupils scurrying around off-stage in stunning, innovative and thought-provoking haute-couture garments; I am trying to feed Alison the Spar sandwich that will be her only sustenance for the day, as she staples and glues garments together, directly onto the moving models, jogging alongside them to halt only as they stride out onto the stage before hundreds of amazed parents and community members. It is this dedication to the cause of the creative empowerment of young people, way beyond her working hours, that has been Alison’s gift to us, and is the reason Textiles pupils glean so much from studying the subject here and why her colleagues will miss her so much.

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

CPB Ex-Army. Bursar. Yorkshireman.

There is a well-worn path from the British Armed Forces to the Bursary and one that has served the School admirably well over the decades. And so it was that, in 2002, Carl Bilson, with Sue, Dale and Lee, arrived at The Croft.

His modesty is borne partly of personality and partly geographical heritage, but CPB’s record speaks for itself: a formative year at Sandhurst before reading Mathematics at Cambridge, and then a career in the Royal Engineers which took him to the rank of Major and around the world, including tours in Northern Ireland and Germany. On leaving the Army, he cut his bursarial teeth at Worksop College for eight years and, to this, he added an MBA. Such, then, was the intellect and breadth of knowledge and experience on which Repton has been lucky enough to draw over the last 17 years – a period which has seen substantial growth for the School and a progressive and ambitious programme of development. There are very few areas of the site which have not been significantly improved under his lead. From the refurbishment of the Old Priory, the Old Mitre West Wing, Furneaux and Cattley Schools, to the creation of purpose-built facilities such as the new Sports Centre and the Precinct Teaching Block, the School’s facilities have been improved, extended and, in many instances, entirely transformed. It is a remarkable testament to his energy that some 65% of the classroom areas have been renewed in the last decade. And he has been equally assiduous elsewhere: it was CPB who initiated a rolling programme of ‘mini-refurbishments’ that has seen every House benefiting on a five-year basis, and CPB who addressed the lack of investment in staff housing with another ongoing programme of improvements to bathrooms, kitchens and glazing.

But two flagship projects stand out. The award-winning refurbishment and extension of the 400 Hall created an auditorium that is the envy of many professional theatres, let alone schools, and the Glass Foyer combines functionality with aesthetics in a way that is both practical and imaginative. And the cruise liner that is the Science Priory – the most significant project undertaken at Repton in half a century – provides extensive and inspirational teaching spaces (and possibly the best view in South Derbyshire from the Kan Library) and has already shifted the School’s centre of gravity. Both projects bear the classic Bilson hallmarks: a bold architectural vision, but one that does not compromise functionality and realised with a determination to ‘sweat the detail’, to ensure that every penny is spent wisely and to good purpose. Looking at the outstanding quality of the Science Priory, the remarkable thing is not that it cost £9.5 million, but that it only cost £9.5 million, and credit for that lies squarely with CPB and the Estates team.

Of course, CPB’s determination to hold on to the purse-strings with the tenacity of a peckish Yorkshire terrier nursing a particularly juicy bone is well known – and, while it may not always win him friends, surely quite right too. But perhaps less well known – not least because he does not court popularity – is his absolute commitment to the School’s educational purpose. His every decision is driven by a profound belief that we are all here to serve the pupils and our founding aims, an appreciation that our parents dig deep to pay the fees, and an enduring dedication to the institution that is more than the sum of its individual parts. He genuinely cares about every aspect of the School – as any pupil foolish enough to walk past CPB with a shirt hanging out can attest – and he has fought the corner of the support staff – ‘his’ team – with vigour, reminding us that every member of the Repton staff contributes to the quality of the pupil experience.

The vicissitudes of recent years have presented the School with significant challenges and CPB’s strength of character and purpose has been our bedrock throughout this time; in this we have reaped the benefit of his Army years, as well extensive bursarial experience.

It has been my privilege to work more closely with him than most members of Common Room and I can speak from personal experience and from the heart of his honesty, wisdom and unerring support. He will be sorely missed at Senior Management and Governor level.

But a new life awaits CPB and Sue in their native county. Ampleforth College is indeed very fortunate to have secured a Clerk to the Governors of CPB’s calibre and there will doubtless be other opportunities for him to make use of his professional experience; but I hope that at least as much time will be spent out on the rolling hills with Truffle, thinking Stoical thoughts and breathing the elixir that is Yorkshire air. We wish him, and the rest of the family, health and happiness.

Ex-Army – and how we have benefited from that. Outstanding Bursar, who leaves an impressive physical legacy. Proud Yorkshireman. Loyal servant of the School. Friend.

SABT

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VALETE

KIRM Kim McCallum arrived in Repton from Brentwood, Essex in September 2000 and set about communicating his passion for Spain and Spanish culture to Reptonians of all ages. He has taught Spanish at all levels and has also guided many pupils through their GCSE French. One might well argue, however, that exhorting pupils to travel and broaden their horizons is perhaps his greatest bequest. He has accompanied a number of trips to various parts of Spain and France, offering pupils a glimpse of a different way of life.

Teenagers can be resistant to unfamiliar food, but Kim’s attempts to introduce them to tapas in all its forms will undoubtedly bear fruit at some stage. Old Reptonians ask after him consistently and he is a popular figure at Old Reptonian events.

Family is admirably central in Kim’s life. His wife, Carmen, has helped many Repton pupils to take their Spanish to a higher level of fluency.

In addition, many members of staff have been beneficiaries of her fabulous cooking and warm hospitality. Both Kim and Carmen feel tremendous pride in the achievements of their multi-lingual children, Francesca (ex-Abbey), Lucas (ex-Orchard) and Nicky.

Valuing a sense of community and the importance of gathering people together for food and conversation are fundamental to Kim and Carmen’s philosophy: they have developed a circle of Midlands-based Spanish friends and holidays are regularly spent in Spain catching up with family. All are made welcome in the family’s beautiful flat in Jerez and Kim will proudly lead tours of that wonderful city. Kim has, over the years, studied ferry timetables carefully in order to maximise the opportunities afforded by Repton’s Easter and Summer breaks!

Moreover, Kim has been an integral member of the Repton CCF throughout his time here, turning out each Wednesday in his increasingly faded, army camouflage uniform and completing a significant number of summer camps. Old Lathamites uniformly ask fondly after Kim – a testament to his sympathetic and interested tutoring over many years. Kim must surely have accompanied more ‘SLOPS’ trips than any other member of staff and it was no surprise to see him take charge of the rather archaic-sounding ‘Sunday Leisure Options’, which he has overseen for the last few years.

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He has expanded the range and quality of activities, achieving the tricky task of balancing entertaining distraction with end-of-week relaxation. Many is the time that I have witnessed Kim caked in mud, as junior rugby players splashed around trying to put together flowing passing moves. Rugby seems a world apart from sun-kissed Andalucia, but he loves it. Similar enthusiasm has been noted in some frankly disturbing performances in Pedants!

Kim now departs, after almost twenty years, leaving the near corner of the Undercroft further depleted, to seek out new adventures in Bucharest. We thank him for everything he has done here and wish him and Carmen every happiness in their new venture.

RGE

KATIE SQUIRES (U6G)

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The Reptonian 2018/2019

CONTENTS 04 EDITORIAL & SALVETE

THE EDITORIAL TEAM Editor

E Hopkins (L6F)

Sub-Editors

JMJH, A. Berger (L6F), F. Brown (L6M), L. Staley (L6F), W. Whitten (L6L)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Photography

M. Wolford, JMJH, Ady Kerry, David Bellin (www.hockeytoday.co.uk) IJW, GLH, OMW, The Housemasters

Archive Material PJS Front and Back Cover

M. Wolford

Design

Optima Graphic Design Consultants Ltd.

Print

Pyramid Press

Repton School, Repton, Derby DE65 6FH Telephone 01283 559200 Email registrar@repton.org.uk

48 DRAMA

58 ART & DESIGN

www.repton.org.uk

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Reptonian 2019 Cover - Inside

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2018/19 Academic Year

2018 /2019

www.repton.org.uk

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Reptonian 2018 Cover - Outer