From the Headmaster

Thetheme of my third year as Headmaster of St Olave’s Grammar School has been the continuing pursuit of scholarship. Erudite student research articles, on topics ranging from Critical Limb Ischemia to Duality in Oscar Wilde, form part of an emerging range of student-led academic and society journals which now take pride of place in displays in the cloisters.

Once again the year concluded with public examination results that saw a record 52 students gaining Oxbridge or Medical places and St Olave’s as the top school nationally for the EBacc at 96%. It is no surprise that applications for places in Year 7 have, for the first time, exceeded 1000.

Our Wakeham Choristers of The Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy performed for Her Majesty The Queen and 9 students received their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards at St James’s Palace. A number of students emulated traditions by reaching the Olympiad stages in national Mathematics and Science competitions.

Against an ongoing backdrop of public sector funding cuts which are particularly hitting Grammar Schools, we can be proud that our ancient school has continued to thrive, with students engaged in international cultural activities from Berlin to Botswana, Salt Lake City to South Africa. An unforgettable Rugby tour of South America, as well as the emergence of 8 national champions at Fives, are indicative of the quality of sporting involvement at the highest levels.

My thanks go, once again, to our Latin Master, Mr Craig, and to Peter Leigh, for skilfully editing this magazine which, I hope, will provide you with much interesting and entertaining reading.

Aydın Önaç Headmaster

Inrecent years, many of the school’s faculties and departments have been producing individual magazines, which have been generated in a variety of ways such as the series of departmental society talks given by students, teachers and visiting guest speakers. My task as editor has been to avoid any overlap or repeats and I hope that this goal has been achieved. It is inevitable in a school where there is so much activity in the classroom, on the playing field, on the stage, in the various orchestras, in debates and in trips within the country and overseas that a huge amount of culling of text needs to be done. It is, in some senses, an enviable task, given that I have so much copy from which to select, but at the same time there is the concern that someone may feel omitted. Let me therefore put readers old and new at rest, and stress that no one has been left out with any intent and that, given that this is an annual production, there will be an opportunity in future to appear in its pages, even if on this occasion there is to your mind a lacuna.

There will be, this year, some articles which will be a little more diverse, as the wings of various departments have spread and new teachers have brought to the school different aspirations, for instance trips to Iceland, different sites in London and battle fields not seen before. Nonetheless, the core tenet of the magazine has been to maintain an historical record of the activities and achievements of the pupils over the past year from year seven to thirteen, and the achievements are, as ever, something to celebrate with pride. But we also celebrate Older Olavians too and the vast contribution they have made and continue to make to the wellbeing of the school.

My task in the production of this magazine is greatly alleviated by a team of assistant editors who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, doing the type of work which is beyond my ken, that of sophisticated desktop publishing. I have known my deputy Peter Leigh for some time now, not least because I have taught him Classics for some years. Without Peter’s astonishing gifts for computer work and organisation, this magazine would not be such a joy to produce.

David Craig Editor; Head of Classics

Editor - The Olavian

David Craig, Esq.

St. Olave’s & St. Saviour’s Grammar School, Goodington Lane, Orpington, Kent BR6 9SH dcraig@saintolaves.net

Editor - The Old Olavian

John M Brown, Esq.

60 The Lawns, Rolleston-on-Dove, Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire DE13 9DB johnmbrown60@gmail.com