HEADMASTER’S UPDATE
Headmaster’s Update Highlights of 2021
The OR Community
For the Upper Sixth and O Block, of course, the
There is no doubt that our current pupils are
main business of the Summer Term remained
inspired not just by the superb facilities they
A Levels and GCSEs, albeit with conventional
enjoy but by the remarkable pedigree of their
examinations replaced by Teacher-Assessed
OR predecessors. The Tokyo Olympics saw
Grades. Both year groups and staff rose to this
Shona McCallin (A’08) and Leah Wilkinson
challenge with characteristic resilience, and it
(A’03) winning bronze with Great Britain in
was wonderful to see the pupils achieve such
the women’s hockey competition and Charlotte
success – thoroughly well-deserved after all
Stapenhorst (A’11) again representing Germany.
the disruptions and uncertainties of the last
Bekah Walton (F’16) won her first British
two years. At GCSE well over half the results
Championship in the women’s javelin this
achieved were grade 9 or 8, while at A Level
summer. And in the inaugural season of The
a remarkable 64% of grades awarded were A*
Hundred, many of you will have enjoyed the
or A and over 90% at A*AB. This provides
sight of Ross Whiteley (N’05) smashing 44
compelling testimony to the serious sense of
off 19 balls in the men’s final to help Southern
purpose with which this cohort approached the
Brave take the title, while Jonathan Batty (L’90)
final term and as a result 96% secured places at
coached the Oval Invincibles to their victory in
from a Repton fully alive once more. There has
their first-choice institution and 66% to Russell
the women’s competition. These successes were
been a genuine feeling of joy as we have been
Group universities, including five to Oxbridge
just one of the many topics under discussion at
able to come together to participate in some
and Ivy League. UCAS applications for 2022
the Repton Pilgrims Cricket Club Centenary
of the activities that form part of school life
entry are well underway.
Dinner in early September – a superb celebration
D
ear Old Reptonians, What a pleasure it is to write to you
at Repton. Facemasks, one-way systems and
of the club’s heritage, magnificently organised by
year-group bubbles have been replaced with
School musicians, actors and artists have been
James Ross and the OR team and with fascinating
smiling faces, packed pitches and busy rehearsal
inventive in presenting individual and smaller-
reminiscences spanning the club’s 100-year
rooms; and we have enjoyed all the everyday
scale performances and exhibitions, however,
history from a distinguished series of players and
interactions across the School that give us our
we took great delight in seeing the 400 Hall
staff, including President Richard Hutton (H’56)
sense of family and belonging. Of course, we
come alive once more for the outstanding
(Yorkshire CCC and England).
continue to remain vigilant, aware of rising case
production of Frankenstein this term. One
numbers across the nation and the appearance of
thing that never changes is Repton’s appetite
This was followed by the well attended OR
a new variant, with safety of pupils and staff an
for sporting success. There has been great
Sports Night at Queen’s Club in October, and
absolutely priority.
success on the football and hockey pitches this
the OR Dinner the evening before the School’s
term and an impressive number of our young
Remembrance service in the Chapel, followed by
sportsmen and women have been in action for
wreath-laying in The Garth by Michael Barnwell
their respective countries across a range of
(O’57), OR President Emeritus.
National Recognition for Digital Excellence I feel real pride in the character with which
sports, including cricket, athletics, and tennis,
our community has coped with the challenges
and no fewer than 14 of our hockey players
The following week we hosted The Priory House
of the last two years. Staff have shown
representing England, GB and the USA.
Centenary Dinner, celebrating 100 years of The
outstanding commitment and readiness to
Repton Swim Club continues its rapid growth.
Priory being located on the high street in Repton,
adapt, and the second enforced period of online
Offering a premier programme for academically
having moved from it’s original location, The
school earlier this year also benefited from a
minded swimmers aiming at international
Old Priory. and over ninety guests came together
major – and timely – transformation of our IT
success alongside community access, it ended
to re-connect and reminisce, sharing memories
provision. As a result, lessons continued live
its first full year with 10 members ranked in the
of their time in The Priory. Looking to 2022,
and uninterrupted, keeping pupils on track
top 20 nationally.
the Summer Ball, now on 7th May 2022 at The
academically and at the same time supporting
Hurlingham Club in Fulham, will commemorate
their wellbeing with an extensive pastoral and
We welcomed ORs, friends of Repton and the
the 50th anniversary of the arrival of girls at
co-curricular programme. We are delighted
Eton Fives Association to the re-opening of
Repton. Details of all forthcoming OR events can
that our success in remote learning has been
the refurbished Fives Courts on Saturday 13th
be found on Repton Life.
recognised in various national awards and the
November. Fives is enjoying a real renaissance
acceleration in our digital journey means that
amongst current pupils and alongside tennis,
The OR office team, under the leadership of
we are now very strongly placed to lead the
squash and other sports will form part of
Andrew Cook, has strengthened further with
way in the sector, blending the very best of
the new Repton Rackets Club – emulating
the appointment of Jess Smith as Deputy
traditional face-to-face teaching with all the
the successful model of the Swim Club to
Development Director, and she is already in
exciting opportunities EdTech can offer.
combine an ambitious school programme with
contact with many of you to develop networking
opportunities for the community and families.
initiatives such as business hubs. In addition to
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THE ARCH
