Principal’s
11 18 NEWSLETTER
March 2022 Edition 4
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Sixth Form Expansion | Bateman Cafe
Artist Impression of Sixth Form Expansion
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March 2022 Edition 4
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A word from the Head of 11-18 Elect
Stephen Ward
Stephen Ward
The beginning of the next academic year will see a change from my current role as Senior Deputy Head to that of Head (11-18). This is a step I am really looking forward to, and one that will hopefully allow me to build on my knowledge and experience of the Senior School and Sixth Form to further develop the quality of education and pastoral care offered to all students. I have been with the Foundation since 2018, having previously held various Senior Leadership roles including Deputy Head Academic and Head of Sixth Form. In recent years I have also taught at Cambridge University, supervising Mathematics, and co-authored several Mathematics textbooks for A Level and the International Baccalaureate. One of my first tasks as Head will be to welcome Abbey Jones as Senior Deputy Head and Jonathan Young as Deputy Head Academic. I am really excited about their appointments and look forward to working closely with them both from September.
Sixth Form Expansion These are certainly exciting times for the Sixth Form! Recently relocated from Shaftesbury Road to its new home on Bateman Street, just round the corner from the Senior School, the Sixth Form is now set for a significant expansion of its footprint into the adjacent Rosedale House site. This enlarged campus will include a number of new, well-appointed classrooms, two spacious common rooms, a new dining room (in addition to the existing cafe) and generous outside recreational space. With student numbers in the Sixth Form growing significantly over the past couple of years, this expansion will ensure that Year 12 and 13 are well catered for, while also allowing some Year 10 and 11 classes to take place on this site. Sixth Formers already make the two minute walk across to the Senior School for some of their lessons as well as for assemblies, and Senior School students now being able to reciprocate will reinforce the sense of a whole 11-18 school community. I very much look forward to the work being completed in the coming months so that current students and parents can visit the new site and see in person the realisation of the images shown opposite.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Appointment of Senior Deputy Head (11-18)
Abbey Jones We are delighted to share with you that Miss Abbey Jones has accepted the position of Senior Deputy Head (11-18) at Stephen Perse from September 2022. Abbey will take over the role of Senior Deputy Head (11-18) from Stephen Ward, who will assume the role of Head (11-18) from September. Abbey will be joining Stephen Perse from her roles as Deputy Head Pastoral and DSL at Haberdashers’ Girls’ School. Abbey Jones
Abbey will be known to many already. She worked at Stephen Perse for 10 years as a teacher of Classics and as Deputy Head of Senior School from 2015 - 2020, including a term as acting Head. During her time at Stephen Perse Abbey held various roles, including Deputy DSL, Charities Coordinator, Head of PSHE and Citizenship, Head of Year and Assistant Head of KS4.
"I am returning to Stephen Perse as I believe it has an exciting future ahead, especially with the new leadership team in place, and I am really looking forward to being back working with our amazing students and staff from September."
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Abbey therefore brings to the role an excellent pastoral and safeguarding leadership background, excellent academic and pedagogical experience and invaluable knowledge of Stephen Perse. Her passion for the school shone through at interview, together with her obvious qualities as a school leader, teacher and colleague of the highest order. The appointment panel was unanimous in considering her the strongest candidate for the post and we are very excited to welcome her back to Stephen Perse in September. Abbey Jones said: “I am incredibly excited to be returning to the Stephen Perse Foundation as Senior Deputy Head in September after what will be two years away as Deputy Head Pastoral at Haberdashers' Girls' School in Elstree. My time working in a different school has given me fresh perspectives and ideas which I am looking forward to bringing back with me to Stephen Perse. My key focus, more so than ever after the past two years of disruption for young people, is on student wellbeing in the broadest sense: ensuring that the structures and systems are there to support each individual throughout their school journey to be themselves, develop to realise their potential and have a fantastic time doing it. After studying Classics at Warwick University, I did my PGCE and a Masters in Education at Cambridge. Outside of school, I like to spend as much time as I can in the countryside, and I also love skiing. I am returning to Stephen Perse as I believe it has an exciting future ahead, especially with the new leadership team in place, and I am really looking forward to being back working with our amazing students and staff from September."
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March 2022 Edition 4
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Appointment of Deputy Head Academic (11-18)
Jonathan Young We are delighted to share with you that Mr Jonathan Young has accepted the position of Deputy Head Academic (11-18) at Stephen Perse from September 2022.
Jonathan Young
"I can’t wait to get started in September at the Stephen Perse Foundation. I look forward to getting to know staff, parents, governors and most importantly of all, the pupils!”
Jonathan will be joining Stephen Perse directly from his roles as Assistant Director of Studies and Head of Economics at the Perse School. Jonathan has worked at the Perse for the last ten years, holding various roles, including Overseas Universities Adviser, Research Project Mentor, Head of House, 6th form tutor and coach of first XI football. He is also a Senior Examiner and lead assessment writer of the A level Microeconomics Exam for AQA. Other roles Jonathan has held include teaching Maths and Economics at Trinity School in Croydon and working as an Economic Adviser for the Treasury Select Committee. He holds an MEd from Cambridge in Educational Leadership and School Improvement and a Cambridge MA in Economics. Jonathan therefore brings to the role an excellent academic and pedagogical background, and zest and talent in contributing to the wider life of schools. Through the recruitment process, the panel was hugely, and unanimously, impressed with the quality, clarity and dexterity of his thought, his enthusiasm for the post and his positive engagement with all whom he met during the process. Jonathan Young said: “I am excited to be joining the Stephen Perse Foundation in September, following a decade at the (other) Perse School, here in Cambridge. Teaching is not my first career; following my BA Economics degree at Cambridge, I worked in the army, in parliament and as an accountant in the banking sector. However, teaching is certainly the one I have found most fulfilling and rewarding. As Head of Economics at the Perse I have been predominantly working with sixth-formers, not just in the classroom, but also helping with university applications, as a form tutor and in taking the football and basketball teams. Earlier in my career I was a maths teacher and a head of house, where I was working with younger age groups. Coming to Stephen Perse I am really looking forward to getting involved in developing the fantastic teaching and learning across the entire age range 11-18. I have heard so many positive stories from Stephen Perse pupils past and present. Coming into the school I get a strong sense of the history, but also a commitment to forward-looking innovation. I recently completed a Masters in Education degree at Cambridge, so I look forward to exploring ways my studies might be able to impact the school. I can’t wait to get started in September at the Stephen Perse Foundation. I look forward to getting to know staff, parents, governors and most importantly of all, the pupils!”
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Stephen Perse, Costello Medical and North Cambridge Academy
Working together to tackle inequalities in Cambridge The Stephen Perse Foundation, Costello Medical and the North Cambridge Academy (NCA) are working together to tackle inequalities in Cambridge. The partnership gives young people the opportunities and skills to succeed through curriculum expansion, bursaries and work experience.
The Stephen Perse Vision and Mission
Building the Partnership and Sixth Form Bursaries
The vision and mission of the Stephen Perse Foundation is to educate and inspire the contributors to tomorrow’s world. To nurture young people with the creativity, confidence, conviction and compassion to question, evaluate and improve society. Our Founder, Dr Stephen Perse believed that education should be a right rather than a privilege and we are proud that his values run like a golden thread through our history and remain at the heart of everything we stand for today.
The global pandemic and other recent national and global events have served to highlight to us all the sharp contrast in the inequity that exists in our society. The inequity exists here in Cambridge and we have all witnessed how this has directly affected young people in our own community, particularly over the last two years.
The Foundation is underpinned by the recognition that every child, every young person has potential to develop their talents, but that there is an unevenness across society in the availability of opportunities, guidance and access to assistive networks. This is where we believe we can and must help: to support those young people who would not otherwise be able to access such support, to help them to realise and maximise their own individual potential.
The vision and mission of the Stephen Perse Foundation is to educate and inspire the contributors to tomorrow’s world.
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The pandemic also gave us reasons as organisations, as institutions, to reflect and to think about how we can most powerfully make a meaningful difference in addressing such inequity. The key to this is working together. At Stephen Perse, we have been working together with NCA to provide full bursaries for students joining our sixth form from NCA. We have worked closely with Alison Taylor, Sam Fox and the team at NCA, and we have been determined to try to help support those young people who we realised had been significantly impacted by the social, educational and economic effects of the pandemic. We felt we could and should do more, and we all felt the most significant thing we could do immediately would be to double the number of 100% bursaries for young people to come and join our sixth form. And so we agreed to do that and those students started with us in September 2021.
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March 2022 Edition 4
Power of Partnerships
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We are delighted to announce the inception of a partnership with Costello Medical and how this has enabled us to strengthen and to build further our commitment and the support we are able to provide, to offer bursaries for North Cambridge Academy students into our sixth form. This partnership was celebrated on March 21st at Costello Medical offices and this event was covered in the Cambridge Independent. You can read more about this here. Our aim in developing the partnership is not only to secure funding for bursary places but also to continue developing and to uphold our responsibility as an independent school to broaden and widen access to those within our community. In addition to education, we need to help to create assistive networks for young people as they move through education and into employment.
Our partnership with Costello Medical is exciting and ground-breaking because it provides an opportunity to go further than financial support for bursary place.
Our partnership with Costello Medical is exciting and groundbreaking because it provides an opportunity to go further than financial support for bursary places. It opens up the possibility of developing work experience opportunities and internships for those young people, coaching, mentoring and guidance from professional people in interesting careers. This provides doorways and pathways to develop further students’ aspirations, provide insight into the world of work and begin to create the kinds of networks that our young people need, in addition to their education, to realise their full potential.
to access, and to benefit from, truly transformational opportunities, as they move through education and ultimately into the world of work.
We hope that this partnership serves as a powerful example to demonstrate how, in coming together as schools and as businesses in Cambridge, in support of a common purpose, that we together can help young people in Cambridge
If anyone would like to learn more about how businesses or individuals can get involved in supporting our bursary programme or could help us build the work around our partnerships please do get in touch with Heidi Hall.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Music Department Update Lunchtime Concert series
Evensong at St John's College Chapel
This school year has seen a welcome return to live musical performances with fourteen concerts or services having already taken place in a variety of venues in Cambridge. Whilst our musical students remained as busy as ever during the pandemic - whether in school or learning and practising remotely - there is nothing quite like the excitement of performing to a real audience.
Our regular Friday lunchtime concert series resumed in the Autumn Term in two new venues - St Paul’s Church on Hills Road, where most of the concerts take place, and Great St Mary’s, where we perform once per term. The regular concerts at St Paul’s provide an opportunity for our talented soloists to perform to members of the public and friends of the school; performances so far this year have featured piano, violin, flute and vocal solo recitals. The Great St Mary’s concerts, which form part of a regular series run by the church, last for an hour and allow us to explore some more extended repertoire; the concert this term featured a complete performance of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, with a choir and soloists drawn from the Sixth Form, and Nadia’s performance of Handel’s Organ Concerto in F, all accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra. These concerts attract a sizeable audience mostly comprised of members of the public who greatly appreciate the contribution of our students.
Evensong at St John's College Chapel In November, The Singers (our choir for students in Years 10 - 13) had the opportunity to sing a joint service of Evensong with St John’s Voices in St John’s College Chapel. This is a truly inspiring venue, allowing our choir to sing some great choral music to a very high standard, accompanied by the magnificent organ in the chapel. All of our choirs sang again in December in the annual Carol Service at Great St Mary’s.
Future events Next term has many events to look forward to: our younger soloists take centre stage in the Years 7-9 Soloists’ Concert, a number of bands from our thriving Rock School programme will perform at The Portland, our older choirs will sing for the Leavers’ Service in Gonville and Caius College Chapel, and a large number of performers will take part in Jazz on a Summer’s Evening.
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West Road Concert Hall
Spring Concert The main highlight of the musical year is the Spring Concert at West Road Concert Hall, and this year’s concert, on Monday 14 March, featured more than a hundred student performers. It is a tradition that members of the Sixth Form have the opportunity to play concerto movements or sing solos with our orchestras, and this year was no exception. The concert began with Anastasia’s stylish performance of Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G, accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra. Members of the Chamber Orchestra were kept very busy as most of them played in every single piece in the concert, which continued with the combined school choirs singing movements from Vivaldi’s Gloria; Tara and Nina were featured in the soprano duet Laudamus Te during this piece. It was pleasing to see the Boys’ Choir go from strength to strength; it now includes singers in every year group from Year 8 through to Year 12. The first half concluded with Nathaniel’s exciting performance of Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto in A minor, accompanied by the full Symphony Orchestra. During the interval, while the audience enjoyed refreshments in the foyer the stage crew were busy re-setting the stage to accommodate over 70 students, made up of the Symphony Orchestra, Big Band, Concert Strings and Jazz Ensemble, who combined to give a blistering performance of Hans Zimmer’s score for Gladiator. After Elise’s superb performance of Mozart’s coloratura aria Alleluia (from Exsultate, Jubilate) with the Chamber Orchestra, the concert culminated in a performance of Moszkowski’s Piano Concerto in E, with Sunny as the soloist accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra. This was a dazzling performance of a littleknown but stunningly virtuosic romantic piano concerto, and was a truly magnificent climax to a splendid evening - our first West Road concert since 2019. It was very good to be back!
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about themselves and to their children.” Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Classics Department Update
Classics Club
Latin - more than just a language!
The weekly Key Stage 3 Classics Club has offered the chance for students in Key Stage 3 to engage in a wide variety of 'Latin' lessons are an important part of the Year 7-9 enriching opportunities. The Club is student-led, so activities curriculum. They offer much more to students than access to are dynamic and responsive to student interests, but always the rules of Latin grammar alone. Teaching centres around de with an eye to the rich cross-curricular relevance of the Romanis, the new Latin course designed and written by the ancient world. This year we gained a better understanding Stephen Perse Classics Department and now used in over 40 of Graeco-Roman religion by re-enacting a Greek sacrifice and schools nationwide. This course connects Latin firmly with the a Roman exorcism, and practised what they've learned in drama principles of transferable language literacy, and students study by acting out several myths and episodes from history. Students Latin in a way which deepens their understanding of English, have been given the opportunity to try on replica Roman armour, Chapter 7: the Rome: From Kings which to Republic as well as developing grammatical understanding complete with Roman sword and shield, and honed their artistic supports further study in many modern languages. skills by painting their own tiny Roman soldier. Chapter 8: Oratory & Cicero
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In addition, the course offers a springboard to the fascinating
Chapter 9: The Army Julius Caesar world of the Romans. Students in Year & 7 have been learning about Classical gods, students in Year 8 have explored how
Chapter 10: Egypt & Cleopatra rituals such as sacrifice and festivals provided a framework for Roman society, and students in Year 9 have used the Roman Chapter 11: Augustus & Image political system as a counterpoint for understanding better the roots of our modern-day democracy. Chapter 12: Roman Britain & Boudicca
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Club members also enjoyed grappling with the physics behind siege weapons, which shot treats, and explored Greek philosophy in a spirited discussion of Plato's Ring of Gyges thought experiment. The ancient texts of Theophrastus and Pliny the Elder, along with the application of modern knowledge of chemistry, all contributed to the making of perfumes (well, thanks to COVID, scented hand sanitiser) using scents attested in the ancient world. Many more crosscurricular activities are ahead, including a tricky session of mathematics with Roman numerals (which means there will be no zero!), as well as a chemistry and biology related session in which students will get the chance to embalm some fruit and vegetables using the methods of ancient Egyptian embalmers.
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March 2022 Edition 4
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Trips Studying 'off the page' is central to bringing the ancient world to life, and we've been delighted to be able to return to a vibrant programme of trips. Year 12 and 13 pupils have been to London to see a Classical Opera, Gluck’s Paride et Elena, which was preceded by a talk on why the image Helen of Troy has endured throughout time and culture. A joint group of Archaeology Enrichment and Classical Civilisation students have been to the Cast Gallery to take advantage of this unique resource offered by the University of Cambridge; the Year 11 Archaeology Enrichment visited the Fitzwilliam Museum Gold of the Great Steppe Exhibition and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, where they had a fascinating talk on Anthropology, Archaeology and Identity, led by the museum staff. More recently, a host of pupils from Year 10-13 attended a talk by Professor Stephen Oakley of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, concerning Aeneas’ role as a hero in the Aeneid. The department looks forward to a multitude of trips over the summer term and the next academic year, including a trip to Verulamium, and, hopefully, trips to Bath and/or Hadrian’s Wall. Most exciting is the trip to Greece in the Autumn term of 2023, a trip that is currently being planned with the input of pupils across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.
Competitions Students from Stephen Perse have won glory in the Cambridge Classical Association Reading Competition: Florence B, Aleyna T, Henry M, Poppy S, Ilaria S and Naomi S bagged a total of five first prizes and three second prizes between them. Poppy S came runner up in Prestigious online Classics magazine’s competitions three times. Louis D came runner up in the Classics Bake Off Competition, judged by Mary Beard. Seven members of Year 8 entered the Junior Latin Reading Competition. They all spoke with confidence and drama and one of our groups, comprising Toby R, Edward L, Ben S and Luke L, was awarded a Highly Commended Second Prize.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter Enrichment programme
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Classics Enrichment The Years 10-13 enrichment programme offers a tremendous opportunity for students to study areas of Classics which are beyond traditional syllabuses. This year, students have signed up for courses in Classical Philosophy, Classical Archaeology (including a re-enactment of an archaeological dig!) and a hands-on course focussed on recreating the weird and the wonderful from Greek and Roman daily life. For instance, students were given the opportunity to create their own sponge on a stick, make a signature scented soap using herbs referenced in texts written by classical authors, and create toothpaste according to an ancient recipe.
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March 2022 Edition 4
Classics Department Update
New for 2022-2023!
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Enthusiasm for finding out more about the Classical world is high, and we are looking forward to launching the new GCSE Classical Civilisation course for next year's Year 10 students.
Welcome to Mr Johnson
During this course, students will study a wide range of material from both ancient Greece and Rome including artwork, material culture and some of the greatest works of literature ever produced. This course will sharpen students' abilities to interpret, analyse and evaluate sources from a range of media and to present their judgements in a clear, concise and logical manner.
We are delighted that Mr Johnson will be joining the department as a full time member of staff. Mr Johnson graduated from Cambridge University in 2021 top of his year in Classics, achieving a First with distinction.
Also new for Year 9 will be a bespoke Classical Civilisation course focussed on building a deeper understanding of the epic poems which form the cornerstone of Greek and Roman culture.
Mr Johnson is currently with us as a Cambridge University PGCE trainee and has already entered into the life of Stephen Perse Classics with vim and verve!
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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History Department Update
Integrated Learning Week History Society meets KS1 by Sixth Form student Tereza B The Sixth Form History Society participated in the Junior School's week-long event aimed to teach younger pupils about subjects and materials beyond their current curriculum. The History Society aimed to explain hyperinflation that occurred in Germany in 1923, through an engaging activity that demonstrated the unfairness and suffering of common people to the pupils. This activity involved assigning the pupils different job titles that would offer them different wages that they could take out from the bank or keep in savings. The pupils then had the opportunity to use their money to buy chocolates, however, similarly to the real hyperinflation crisis in 1923, the prices would radically increase every day. Through this activity, the History Society demonstrated how money, both in savings and in cash, lost value from day to day, with most of the pupils not being able to afford the chocolates at the end of the activity.
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Following this demonstration, the Sixth Form students connected this activity to the real historical event and explained the mechanism behind printing more money, as the Weimar government did in 1923, being connected to increasing prices. The pupils gained a perfect understanding of the issue, engaging in the discussion and asking follow up questions. This session was concluded by the History Society students explaining their reasons for choosing history as one of their subjects for A Levels or IB, again with many students showing genuine interest in doing so too by asking questions about the Sixth Form and the curriculum.
This session ended up being a fun learning activity for the pupils of the Junior School, in addition to them getting a lot of sweets, but also an opportunity for the History Society students to experience being in the position of a teacher and reinforcing their knowledge through this presentation.
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March 2022 Edition 4
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace Trip by Year 8 student Isabeau H Hampton Court was a great, fun opportunity for all of Year 8 to enjoy. Not to mention the total of five hours on the coach everyone enjoyed not having lessons to do! When we arrived feeling hungry, we were all very eager to eat so we went into the canteen area and we spent our lunch break being stared at by a cardboard statue of Henry VIII. When our break was over, we went over to the courtyard where we were welcomed by a man dressed in Tudor fashion. He explained to everyone about Henry VIII’s succession crisis and how religion changed as a result. Everyone was invited to join in and act as one of his wives or children which encouraged people to share their knowledge of Tudor history. We then went inside the palace and into Henry VIII's dining hall. There were tapestries displaying the story of Abraham and Isaac. We learnt that that room was built for Henry’s second wife Anne Boleyn. Although when she was beheaded, he chipped the 'HA' symbols created for her out. We then went into our second session which we spent debating who would take over the throne if Queen Elizabeth I died of smallpox. After a lot of competitive debating we chose the next Queen and decided it should be Mary Queen of Scots. Thankfully Elizabeth didn't die in 1562 when she had smallpox! History would have been very different indeed.
"Hampton Court was really fun and we all learnt a lot and I would recommend it for future Year 8s." stephenperse.com
Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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History Department Update
Parliament Work Experience By Year 12 student Katie E Year 12 student Katie E, who is studying A level Politics spent a week undertaking work experience in parliament. Pre-Covid I directly contacted Anthony Browne's office requesting a work experience placement. After almost two years of Covid delays I was luckily allowed to do my placement shadowing and assisting my local MP. This included three days in the London offices as well as two more days in the local constituency offices. For the duration of my stay I was able to complete a range of tasks and attend many different meetings; including Prime Minister’s question time and the Treasury Committee meeting on economic impacts of sanctions on Russia. As well as a tour of Westminster, which was incredibly enriching, I was able to roam around the grounds freely discovering new places each time I did. Earlier on in the week I was asked to complete several visit briefings on the companies my MP would visit further on in the week. During the last two days in the constituency office I then shadowed him whilst he attended these meetings. It was inspiring to see how local businesses operate and how Anthony could support them in reaching their goals.
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The places we visited included Hardwick Forest with a member of the Wildlife Trust; Pinksters Gin owned by Stephen Marsh and Vernalis/HitGen in Granta Park. Towards the end of my visit I was introduced to the head of the campaigning side of the office, which focused more on the political party output rather than the MPs. The head of this department introduced me to various opportunities I could take part in in the future. He was also kind enough to offer me another week of work experience in his office. This experience was extremely rewarding as I gained more opportunities in the career I want to pursue; gaining more contacts was also another huge reward. In addition to this, working in a professional environment was another great positive of the placement as this was something I had not yet experienced. It was extremely inspiring to see a collective of people doing so many different jobs and this all coming together to create such a significant impact. There were so many positive rewards from this placement but I think the most significant one was that it opened my mind to a whole new range of career paths in politics. Overall I really enjoyed this incredible opportunity and would strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to pursue any sort of political career in the future.
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March 2022 Edition 4
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Sixth Form History Society Talk Professor Widdis The Sixth Form History Society invited Professor Widdis from Cambridge University to share her knowledge and passion for Soviet era culture with all the Sixth Form Historians, introducing them to Russian propaganda and culture with a particular focus on film. Clips from two films were shown; Circus 1936 and Radiant Path 1940 (a Soviet remake of Cinderella) directed by Grigorii Aleksandrov to showcase Soviet glory, borrowing ideas from the new and emerging Hollywood studios. While American films tended to focus on capitalism (Gold Diggers 1933 Warner Bros), the Soviets chose to focus on the glories of socialism. These films were juxtaposed to reflect the politics and economics of the era. This encouraged the Historians to understand the mediums used in the 1930s to transmit a political message to the masses and the students were able to appreciate that it offered entertainment as well as propaganda to Russia citizens, playing a very important part in the creation of Soviet identity under Stalin.
This was a fascinating talk which enriched and enhanced the student understanding of Russian history aligning nicely with the different History courses offered by the department.
Circus 1936
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Modern Languages Department Update Lots has been going on in the Modern Languages Department this half term. The Hispanists have enjoyed a Tapas and theatre trip to see their set text performed on a London stage in Spanish. he Chinese enrichment group have been producing articles in Mandarin and Cantonese on recent news stories. There has been a bouillon de culture across the year groups for French. Across the languages, students have been taking part in the Anthea Bell Translation Competition, putting their translation skills into practice. For German, one of the poems, written by Jutta Richter, is called ‘das Traumel’, a word made up for an imaginary creature, which sounds like the German word for dream. This is a chance for our students to think how they would interpret and translate words, which don’t necessarily have a direct translation. We celebrate success with the first round of the UK Linguistics Olympiad. Congratulations to Year 12s who took part in the Foundation Level: Zoe L, Jettarin J, Nat S, Lucita C and Victoria M. Amongst them, Nat and Zoe received Gold awards and Lucita a Silver award. Year 13 Elena R achieved a Gold Certificate at Advanced Level Round 1. She is now through to Round 2 and we wish her all the best with the next set of challenges.
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Bouillon de culture & créativité Our French students have been combining their digital skills with their learning, producing in Year 7 their own weather forecasts and in Year 8 we have seen inventive use of Lego and cats to explain in French the daily routine. World Book Day was celebrated by the Year 9 students who wrote their own short stories. Mme Goddard’s Year 9 group has been singing a version of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ with French lyrics, revising the imperfect tense, and she has brought her ukulele to lessons, accompanying her group’s rendition of Édith Piaf’s 'La Vie en Rose', introducing the students to various famous Frenchspeaking people. In the Sixth Form, one of our French students reported back from an online talk he attended on Napoleon, he said: “The talk delivered by l'Alliance Française retraced the history of Franco-Spanish relations right up to the Napoleonic wars. The presentation was all in French, well delivered and rich in detail but at the same time, I felt it was very accessible for those who are not yet fluent in the language. It certainly piqued my curiosity with the result that I want to learn more about this topic in the future.” March is the month of Francophonie. Francophonie gathers 300 million French-speaking people around the world. Every year in March, they celebrate the French language they share and the cultural diversity they represent. The Alliance Française Cambridge is organising the events below and some of our Year 12 and Year 13 French students will attend them, alongside the events relating to the forthcoming French elections.
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March 2022 Edition 4
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The House of Bernada Alba & Tapas A Transportation to Spain To celebrate Women's History Month on Friday 11 March a group of 18 Sixth Form students went to London to see the Cervantes Theatre’s production of Federico García Lorca’s rural tragedy, ‘La Casa de Bernarda Alba’. The evening started with a pre-theatre meal tasting the flavours and scents of Spain in one of London’s best and most authentic Tapas bars ‘Meson don Felipe’, a family business opened in 1987 full of atmosphere and authentically Spanish. Students were transported to Spain with the pleasant helpful staff that interacted with students and teachers in Spanish. Everyone enjoyed tasting wonderful tapas or small dishes of sizzling prawns, delicious tortillas, the unique flavour of the jamón and chorizo, mature queso manchego and paella amongst others.
This remarkably relevant play explores themes of repression, passion and conformity through the depiction of a matriarch’s domination of her five daughters. Described by the author as a ‘drama of women in the villages of Spain’, the deliberate exclusion of any male character from the action helps build the high level of sexual tension that is present throughout this masterpiece. During the interval, students were delighted to have ‘churros con chocolate’ as they discussed Acts I and II, reflecting on the details of what they had seen and getting ready for the last Act. Tension mounted within the household and peaks with the obsession of the characters, generating the tragic and inevitable finale. The ending is climatic as several different plot points converge upon one ending. ‘La Casa de Bernarda Alba’ is a gripping play that has stood the test of time. The lessons learned are still valid, as a parent goes too far in her control of her daughters, men take advantage of lonely women and jealousy tears a family apart.
After dinner we headed to the Theatre to watch the play which was originally set in Franco's Fascist Spain of the 1930's. It was first performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1945, it was banned in Spain until 1963, partly because of its political implications and partly because the behaviour and language of the characters was regarded as shockingly immoral.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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March 2022 Edition 4
Environment
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Switch from Single-use Plastic Cups to Water Bottles To reduce our environmental impact, starting at the beginning of the next term, the Senior School will be gradually switching away from single use plastic cups to requiring Senior School stakeholders to use a personal water bottle. There will always be water cups available in the main reception in case a student forgets/misplaces their water bottle. We kindly ask for students to ensure that as part of their school equipment, they have a water bottle with a lid that prevents leaks and is easily refillable. Students will be required to ensure that they fill their water bottles up at the beginning of the day or during the various breaks to ensure that they do not need to leave lessons to obtain water. Students will also be required to use this same water bottle during their lunch sitting.
If you have any concerns or questions please do feel free to contact Mr. Chris Woodey
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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World Book Day World Book Day was created by UNESCO on 23 April 1995 to celebrate books and authors, and encourage young people to discover the pleasure of reading. On Thursday 3 March the Senior School were delighted to mark this day by asking staff and students to come into school, dressed as their favourite characters from a book. The corridors were filled with an array of impressive and creative costumes and it was fantastic to see so many students, across all year groups, taking part. Prizes for best costumes were awarded to Jake T (7G) and Lydia O (11G). Students were also encouraged to take photos of themselves reading a book in a suitably fitting context - and prizes were awarded to Barnaby C (7P) and Lara O (7H). Mr Williams would also like to thank his tutor group for helping with his Mr McGregor outfit which resulted in him winning best staff costume. All the money raised from this event will be donated to the book charity, Readathon.
Charities Committee The Charity Committee in the Sixth Form have been very busy organising and running cake and craft sales, and Halloween dress up day and have raised £423.07 for the charity of Emmaus. Year 13 students Tara and Nadia, who are members of the Charities Committee, have also been helping to raise money for World Book Day with the organisation of a book sale/swap. We thank everyone who has generously supported these events. @SPFschools
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March 2022 Edition 4
Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
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In early March the Stephen Perse Foundation Development Department launched a Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal in conjunction with the British Red Cross.
We have created a platform via JustGiving for the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal and we have shared this with all members of our community: parents, staff, students, alumni, governors and partners. This provides a straightforward and reliable portal through which donations from among our community can be directed in support of a well-established aid agency. Please also feel able to share this link JustGiving widely amongst your friends, families and networks.
The British Red Cross plays a vital role in emergency response, in times of crisis and they provide invaluable help to people in need. Red Cross teams have been supporting people in Ukraine for many years and 4,600 volunteers and staff are on the ground right now. The British Red Cross have highlighted that, while donating items such as clothes, food or medical supplies is kind and generous, items have to be sorted, cleaned and transported which can slow down their response.
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/
Therefore cash donations are the most useful way to support the work of the Red Cross in Ukraine and neighbouring countries at this time.
Thank you
to everyone who has already donated, our community has already raised an amazing
£8,393 We will continue to keep you updated on our progress.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
24
NCA Students
Art sessions at Visual Arts Centre Over the past term, Jo Whitmore from the Art department at Stephen Perse has been working with a group of nine Year 10 students from North Cambridge Academy (NCA) with their GCSE Art project based on the theme of ‘Natural Forms’. Students chose an image they’d previously worked on and used this as inspiration for a lino print design. Over the past weeks Jo has worked with the students at NCA in developing and cutting their lino designs ready for printing. Students visited the Visual Arts Centre (VAC) on Wednesday 23 February and Wednesday 2 March to print their designs using the materials and facilities available.
They were truly inspired and excited to be printing their designs and produced some excellent results.
@SPFschools
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March 2022 Edition 4
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Inspire and Guide Katie Benbow
Ms Sarah Coates
On Friday 4 March Ms Katie Benbow, a former Perse Girl graduating in 2000, came to the Senior School to deliver an Inspire and Guide talk to our Year 10 and 11 students.
Ms Sarah Coates is currently a Real Estate Partner for Pennington Manches Cooper (PMC) having previously worked as a partner with Thomson Webb and Corfield and Everheds. PMC is a leading UK and international law firm specialising in a variety of sectors that includes private wealth, shipping, technology and property.
After leaving the Stephen Perse Foundation Katie went on to study Drama & Spanish at Bristol University graduating with First Class Honours. Katie is currently the Strategy Lead for BBC Studios Productions - Factual. Where she leads strategic initiatives for the factual content production division at BBC Studios, which includes the world-renowned genre departments: the Natural History Unit, the Science Unit and the Documentary Unit. Her role involves working on anything from customer partnerships to brand strategy to organisational design, all led by the creative ambitions of the genre units requiring both strong editorial and commercial skills. Katie explained her own experiences in applying to university, and how although she was not initially successful in her application she reflected upon what she thought was missing from her application. This resulted in taking a year out to travel, using this experience to add depth to her application, and demonstrating her passion for why she wanted to undertake the degree course, and was ultimately successful in her application.
Their lawyers are also recognised for expertise in life sciences, education, retail, sports, entertainment and international trade. Ms Coates spoke on the ethos of PMC and the variety of skills needed to work within an international organisation of this calibre. Having initially studied Law with History; faced challenges of Brexit; Covid; the 2009 credit crunch; whilst marrying and having a family Sarah touched on the deviations that are often necessary in a career route alongside the alternative avenues available. Sarah believes in challenging preconceptions and the importance of remaining true to personal values. She is currently a trustee for Cambridge Cyrenans (working with the homeless people in Cambridge) and Chair of Cambridgeshire ProHelp. Ms Coates shared how a career and interests such as these can develop alongside one another.
Using football as a means to explain business strategy, Katie connected with the students and undertook a fantastic job of demonstrating how a career path is more akin to stepping stones across a pond opposed to a ladder. This message was well received by the students as evident by the questions posed at the end of the talk and the volume of the thanks provided by the students.
@SPFschools
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Ms Coates spoke on the ethos of PMC and the variety of skills needed to work within an international organisation of this calibre.
March 2022 Edition 4
Inspire and Guide
Kosi Nwuba On Friday 25 February Kosi Nwuba, Medical student and President of CUAFC at the University of Cambridge, came to the Senior School and gave an Inspire and Guide talk to our Year 10 and 11 students. Kosi gave an insightful look into what it is like to study medicine at the University of Cambridge. Talking through the emphasis on theory during the first years of study to the clinical placements and providing typical daily scenarios to help our students to get a real feel of what it would be like to study Medicine at the University of Cambridge. Kosi also talked about his passion for Football and his role as President of the CUAFC and the importance of following your interests, and ensuring that you have time to simply relax with friends and recharge. Our students asked lots of questions on things such as the Oxbridge admissions process; what Kosi did for his EPQ; what transferable skills he has taken from his sport and music interests, and what his favourite romcom is! We are extremely grateful to Kosi for taking the time out of his busy schedule to come and speak to our students.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Drama Department Update Meet the Drama Department
Ms Helene Barrell
Mrs Deborah Foote
Head of Drama and Theatre
Teacher of Drama and Theatre
I trained as a performer at drama school and after graduating I became a professional actor. When my children were very small I started running after school drama clubs and workshops for a local venue; this led to me setting up my own business and for nearly 10 years I juggled my acting career alongside working freelance as a drama facilitator and director, running workshops, clubs and courses and directing performances for children, young people and adults across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex. In my mid thirties I had a sudden epiphany moment and realised that I far preferred teaching to performing! I left the freelance work behind and came to work at The Stephen Perse Foundation. 22 years later and I am Head of a thriving and vibrant department. I have taught students at Junior, Senior and Sixth Form level and I have directed nearly 40 full scale school productions.
My career in the Arts began at ballet school; I then went on to study at drama college in London. I graduated with an agent and a full Equity card, to be cast in a television series called ’Gentlemen and Players’. From then on, I was lucky enough to work consistently as a leading actress; my first stage role was Fredrika in ‘A Little Night Music’ under the supervision of the late Steven Sondheim. I worked in the West End, TV and on major venue tours around the UK for the next 15 years.
I love the challenge of directing a new play with a completely new cast of performers, I love collaborating with backstage students to create the set, costumes and props and I love watching all of the elements of a play come together. It is a real privilege to follow the progress of each cohort of students as they develop and improve their theatre skills throughout their school career, both in Drama lessons and through co-curricular theatre activities.It may not have been part of my original career plan, but it turns out I love teaching!
@SPFschools
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After taking time out to bring up my family, in 2012 I achieved a distinction for a Masters degree in contemporary theatre, and received an Arts Council award. I then produced educational media support for a dance examining board and worked in the business world as a public speaking coach. Now, I’ve spent almost four years teaching Drama and Theatre at the Stephen Perse Foundation, stirring up the creative minds of our students, and I enjoy it very much!
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March 2022 Edition 4
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Year 7 production
Tales of Oscar Wilde adapted by Helene Barrell 27 and 28 April, 2022 7pm, Senior School Hall Tickets are now on sale for our forthcoming Year 7 production. Oscar Wilde is perhaps best known for his theatrical comedies but he also wrote fabulous stories for children. In this production we will retell three of these: ‘The Selfish Giant’, 'The Happy Prince’ and ‘The Birthday of the Infanta’. The production will include original music written by alumna Anna Wills and costumes created by Year 9-13 students through backstage enrichment options and clubs.
Please click the links below to book your tickets Wednesday 27 April Thursday 28 April
Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Year 9 production
The Ratz
By Simon Adorian Directed by Miss Kim Albone 24 and 25 March 2022 Based on the traditional story ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’, our Year 9 production is a cautionary tale that feels quite relevant to a contemporary audience. In this version, the original rats are replaced by ‘Ratz’ - a gang of loud, unruly teenage delinquents who are causing trouble in the once peaceful town of Hamelin. When a mysterious Stranger promises to rid the town of the Ratz for a small fee, the Mayor and Town Councillors think they are getting a bargain. However, when they decide to not pay the bill once the Ratz have been removed, it is the ordinary people of Hamelin who must pay the ultimate price for their greed and corruption. Our fabulous Year 9 cast have worked so hard on this production. Whilst many of them took part in last year’s Year 8 filmed performance of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘The Ratz’ marks their first theatre performance in front of a live audience since joining the Senior School. The dance and movement sequences were choreographed by the students themselves: particular mention must go to Luqa who helped to choreograph the Ratz’s street dance. The production also features live music, performed by Raye as The Stranger.
@SPFschools
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March 2022 Edition 4
31 Meet the Drama Department
Miss Kim Albone
Miss Rebecca Jones
Teacher of Drama and Theatre
Graduate Drama Assistant
Drama and Theatre have always been a great interest of mine. After completing my A levels I worked as a performer at a holiday resort for two years, before returning to study Drama full time. I gained my Degree in Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies, whilst continuing to work as a performer in London. I began my teacher training 12 years ago and in my career I have worked as a Teacher of Drama, and a Head of Drama in different schools across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. I have taught GCSE and A Level for OCR, Edexcel, and AQA, and have also been an examiner for AQA. I have expanded my skills through participation in workshops run by the National Theatre, including ‘Directing Shakespeare for Schools’, ‘The Method of Frantic Assembly’, and ‘Introduction to Commedia Dell’Arte’. In 2018 I took a sabbatical to complete my Masters in Education with Darwin College, Cambridge, where I achieved a Distinction.
I trained in Musical Theatre at ArtsEd in London and have since acted professionally in productions at The Other Palace and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. I have also taken part in workshops for the Old Vic and for the new musical film of Matilda. In the summer of 2019 I landed my first TV job, playing the role of Martha in the hit Netflix series Sex Education. Alongside my training and acting work I have taught drama at a weekend theatre school, I also teach piano and singing privately. I feel it is incredibly important to encourage young people to express themselves creatively.
Outside of Drama and education I am a keen traveller; I spent six months in SE Asia where I volunteered for a range of projects including teaching English as an additional language, and rebuilding houses damaged by earthquakes. I joined Stephen Perse during the second lockdown and, while I met all my classes for the first time online, I was immediately impressed by their resilience and creativity. I am now entering my second year with the Foundation and I look forward to continuing to work with such an incredible department, and with such intelligent and talented students.
When the pandemic arrived the performing industry was hit hard. I was due to start a tour of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which unfortunately could not go ahead, and I was left wondering what would become of me! I was fortunate enough to be offered a job at the Stephen Perse Foundation, initially on reception at the Sixth Form, and later transferring to the Drama department, where I can really use my performing background and skillset to assist the fabulous teachers day to day, and also provide support for the school productions. I am still auditioning for acting work but also really loving my job here at Stephen Perse. Let’s see what the future holds!
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Sport Update
Football news
Archery success for Sophie
Lucy S recently represented the Independent Schools Football Association in an Under 16 fixture against the English Schools Football Association at Charterhouse School. This followed a training camp at St. George’s Park. This is a fantastic achievement to be considered one of the best female footballers in the country and one she richly deserves.
Congratulations to Year 10 student Sophie who is the Under 18 Archery County Champion. We are all incredibly proud of Sophie's achievement, well done!
Caitlin to represent the U17 Republic of Ireland netball team
Dressage success for Amelia
Caitlin in Year 11 has been selected to represent the U17 Republic of Ireland netball team. We are all very proud of Caitlin's achievement.
@SPFschools
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Congratulations to Amelia who came third out of a class of 20 in the January qualifier of the Pop-up NSEA Dressage Series Winter League with a score of 77.7%. The top eight riders from each points league qualify for the Pop-up Dressage Championships at the NSEA Plate Championships at Keysoe in November. We wish Amelia the best of luck.
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A level PE students
Laboratory fitness testing at ARU Our A level PE students have taken part in laboratory fitness testing at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). After a short tour of the laboratory, the students were shown how to run through the lab tests that they would then go on to administer on each other. The students took part in two fitness tests. The first was a PWC170 test which is a sub-maximal exercise test on a bike which assesses aerobic capacity and measures a predicted maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) based on heart rate predictions. During the test, the students measured heart rate at different workloads. A level student Maisie said: “I thought the lab testing was an eye opening experience to the reality of the different fitness tests. Learning in a classroom didn’t give me the real understanding of the test until I took part in it, which gave me a proper feel and helped my learning” Our students worked really well together and had a fantastic experience. We are grateful to Jorge and his team at the ARU Sport and Exercise Science Department to be given this opportunity.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
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Sport Update Stephen Perse students to play County Cricket We have had great success with students from Stephen Perse being selected after their Cambridgeshire cricket trials. To have so many representing Cambridgeshire is very exciting and bodes well for the season ahead! Congratulations to the following: Isaac M
Girls Sirisha G
U16/18 Cambridgeshire
Abigail H
U15 Cambridgeshire
Sophia D-F
U15 Cambridgeshire
Rose W
U14 Cambridgeshire
Boys Dylan B
U16 Cambridgeshire
David T
U16 Cambridgeshire
Pi C-F
U15 Cambridgeshire
Nukhil S
U14 Cambridgeshire
Ben I
U14 West Essex
Roscoe H
U12 Cambridgeshire
Raghav B
U12 Cambridgeshire
Niketh K
U12 Cambridgeshire
Sanketh K
U12 Cambridgeshire
@SPFschools
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Cecily H
Isaac M
Isaac M
Cecily H
Connie T
Cecily H
Cross Country latest news Congratulations to Isaac M who came second in the U17 Men's age group at the National Cross Country Championships. We are all incredibly proud of Isaac's achievement, well done! We also had some excellent results in the Regional round of The English Schools Cross Country event with Isaac M and Cecily H both being selected to represent Cambridgeshire at the National Schools Championships. Connie T is on the reserve list after a fine performance at Regionals.
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March 2022 Edition 4
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Student success in County Netball Congratulations to the following students who have been successful in gaining places in the County Netball Pathway and beyond. Congratulations to the following:
Stephen Perse students successfully gain places in County Hockey Squads Congratulations to the following: Girls Sophie T
Cambridgeshire U17 Girls
Lucy S
Cambridgeshire U17 Girls
Izzy JB
Cambridgeshire U15 Girls
Tamsin L
Cambridgeshire U15 Girls
Molly C
Cambridgeshire U15 Girls
Orla S
Cambridgeshire U15 Girls
Juliette G
Cambridgeshire U15 Girls
Ana H
Cambridgeshire U15 Girls
Naomi H
Cambridgeshire U14 Girls
Martha C
Cambridgeshire U14 Girls
Robyn S
Cambridgeshire U14 Girls
Charlotte N
Cambridgeshire U14 Girls
Freya R
Cambridgeshire U14 Girls
Natalie G
U13
Francesca F U13
U13
Orla S
U15
Beatrice W
U15
Isla F
U15
Aoifa L
U15
Charlotte M
U18
Zoe N
U18
Connie T U18
U18
Juliette G
U15
Eva F
Mavericks U15 Development squad
Abbey H
Mavericks Futures
Izzy H
Mavericks Futures
Jess B
Mavericks Futures
Oliver N
Suffolk U15 Boys
Caitlin W
London Pulse Hub / Republic of Ireland
Aaran B
Cambridgeshire U15 Boys
Rive L
Mavericks Aspire
Jet JG
Cambridgeshire U14 Boys
Zabeetah IZ
Mavericks U17 Competition Squad
Liam M
Cambridgeshire U13 Boys
Monika M
Mavericks Competition U19 squad
Boys
A special mention to the following for their achievements in Hockey Abigail H - England Hockey Performance Centre U15. Connie T - England Hockey Performance Centre U17.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
36
Sport Update
U14 Netball Team
Badminton
Netball
We have had our first round of badminton matches this term v Bottisham and Cambourne Village Colleges. This is a new competitive sport for us here at Stephen Perse and we have had successful matches in some friendly tournament style settings. We are now planning to grow this area and will be offering more club time next term.
We are improving our understanding on and off the court, along with our tactical awareness and our game management plans. It is clear that netball continues to go from strength to strength.
Basketball Basketball is another sport that we have competed in this term. The Senior 1st team had a thrilling match v The Leys, only just losing in the dying moments of the game with a score of 4044. More recently in the return home fixture our team claimed a victory with the reverse result 44-40. Our U16 team had a brilliant match against The Heritage winning by 1 point on a buzzer beater! So exciting! More matches have been booked for different age groups and again we are hoping to offer this next term also.
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Our Senior 1st team lost only one cup game all year and went on to win the county schools. They also won The Perse U19 invitational tournament at the beginning of the season without dropping a single game. What an achievement! The Under 15A team have only lost two games, and have grown in confidence as the season has progressed. The Under 14 and Under 16 teams also won their county championships and went on to compete in the regional schools championships, where the standard of netball is incredibly high. As always, they gave fine performances. In Year 7, our A and B teams (at the time of writing) remain unbeaten, with the rest of the U12 teams only suffering defeat twice. This is an exceptional performance from this year group which bodes well for the future. Other notable achievements include Caitlin W who has been selected to play for the Republic of Ireland squad and off the court, Izzy H who has qualified as an umpire and a coach. We are all immensely proud of them both.
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March 2022 Edition 4
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Hockey
Fencing
After two years without a boys hockey fixture due to Covid, this term was always going to be a challenge for the boys.
Our students have had a taste of their first fencing competition in the county age groups. Stephen Perse students were there in full force. Particular mention to Alex B in Year 9 who fenced brilliantly gaining second place in his age group. Freddie R in Year 9 and Seb H in Year 8 also did a fantastic job of helping to run the event.
Our U12's have progressed well and we have been able to field four teams with the A's winning over half of their fixtures. The U13's have worked hard to improve their game understanding with a notable 5-1 win in a recent match. With our 11-a-side teams, the U14's & 15's have played some fantastic hockey, and this was followed up by the U16's finishing as runners up in the County Tournament and putting in some good performances in the Regional Tournament. It was also great to send an U16 boys team to their first indoor hockey tournament, where they improved as the day went on!
As is evident from the above round ups, we have had an extremely busy term and it has been a joy to see so many students involved in representing the School in so many sports.
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
38
Flexi-boarding Flexi-boarding is available for all students in Year 10 upwards for either one, two or three nights a week and can be used at any point throughout the year.
Sustainability Future Proof Food On Friday 11 March our caterer Holroyd Howe set up a ‘future proof food and sustainable diets' tasting table at the Senior School. Holroyd Howe explained to the students how a sustainable diet is eating in a way that is good for you and good for the planet, helping to reduce animal product consumption in favour of plant-based proteins which lower greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a healthy, inclusive, balanced diet which is available into the future. The event was hosted by Holroyd Howe Regional Executive Chef, Stuart Smith who produced tasting samples for everyone to enjoy.
For further visit www.stephenperse.com/boardingoptions or view our Boarding Handbook
Parent Events 31 March
Spring Term Ends
1 April
Boarders depart
1 - 18 April
Boarding house closed
18 April
Boarders arrive 12pm to 5pm
19 April
Summer Term starts
28 April
Year 7 Production Performance
29 April
Lunchtime Concert at St Paul’s Church - 12.30pm
3 May
Years 7-9 Soloist Concert
9 May
Senior School Rock School Concert
13 May
Lunchtime Concert Great St Mary’s Church - 1pm
Full school calendars can we viewed and subscribed to through our website here @SPFschools
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Open Days 24 September
13 October
Shaftesbury Building and Salisbury Villas, Cambridge
Cambridge
Junior School
15 October
Nurseries and Early Years
The Fitzwilliam Building, Cambridge
Sixth Form
Nurseries and Early Years - Dame Bradbury’s,
1 October
Saffron Walden
Senior School
Junior School Dame Bradbury’s
Cambridge
Saffron Walden
To find out more and to book your place visit stephenperse.com/opendaytours
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Principal’s 11-18 Newsletter
What’s on at Saffron Hall
40
Friday 1 April, 8pm
Manchester Collective: The Oracle Abel Selaocoe explores the litany of music from South Africa, Mali and the Ivory Coast Contemporary
Free shuttle bus service
Book now +
Saturday 2 April, 8pm
Perhaps Contraption: Brass & Burgers Join award winning, progressive brass band Perhaps Contraption, with burgers & mini doughnuts from food truck Rotiseroll Contemporary
Free shuttle bus service
Book now +
Sunday 3 April, 3pm
Alim Beisembayev “There is no doubting Beisembayev’s stature” declared one critic. A new star has been discovered; catch him as he rises. Classical
Book now +
Friday 8 April, 8pm
Foyer Folk: Honey & The Bear Honey & The Bear make an epic comeback to Foyer Folk Folk music
Foyer event
Book now +
@SPFschools
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March 2022 Edition 4
41 Sunday 10 April, 7pm
London Philharmonic Orchestra Few musicians on the planet come closer to capturing the drama and poetry of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto than Mitsuko Uchida Classical
Free shuttle bus service
Book now +
Friday 22 April, 8pm
Foyer Jazz: Thane & The Villeins First rate trio Thane & The Villeins visit Saffron Hall for the first time Jazz
Foyer event
Book now +
Sunday 24 April, 4pm
Britten Sinfonia: мир / Peace Featuring music by Prokofiev, Shostakovich alongside Tchaikovsky’s glorious Serenade Classical
Free shuttle bus service
Book now +
Saturday 30 April, 7.30pm
English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner John Eliot Gardiner joins the English Baroque Soloists for Mozart’s magnificent Sinfonia concertante Classical
Free shuttle bus service
Book now +
www.saffronhall.com 0845 548 7650 (calls cost 7p per min + access charge)
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Stephen Perse Foundation (Main Office) Union Road Cambridge CB2 1HF t: 01223
454700 e: office@stephenperse.com stephenperse.com
Front cover: St John's College Chapel
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