Double Bill Drama Performance 'The Twits' and 'The Witches'
Art Workshop with visiting textile designer Layla Chauhan
As we approach the end of the academic year, students, staff and Stephen Perse as a whole have an opportunity to assess what progress has been made, reflect on what has been a success or otherwise, and make plans for the future. It can be an anxious time for some, but also a period of exciting opportunities.
The summer term, for me at least, is a period of contrasting emotions. Finally the weather is (theoretically at least!) warming up and the flowers are in full bloom. There is a strong inclination for many of us to be outside; whether that be adventuring in the great outdoors, seeing if our tennis strokes have miraculously improved after nine months of dormancy, or relaxing with friends and family over a cool drink. Yet the desire to kick back and relax is of course tempered to some extent by the arrival of the exam season, which punctures the idyllic bliss of summer with the prospect of hard work and a nerve racking wait for results.
As I write, our students are sitting in various exam halls around the school site. For some, the exams are heavily laden with significance. Our Year 11 and Year 13 students of course have much riding on their performance, whether that be a place at university or a degree apprenticeship, building a strong foundation for sixth-form study, or simply an intrinsic desire to achieve the just rewards of years of hard study and perseverance. In other year groups, end-of-year exams serve to offer essential practice for future public exams and a useful checkpoint on academic progress over the course of the year. They are also a vital formative assessment tool that can highlight strengths and weaknesses in understanding and issues to be addressed.
I really have been impressed by the maturity of our students in their approach to exams. whilst recognising that these are important punctuation marks in their academic development and must be taken seriously, there is also a recognition that there is more to life than exams and our students continue to strike that balance between academic endeavour, participation in extracurricular activities and good fun!
Stephen Perse students can be immensely proud of all that they have achieved this year, in so many ways. In the happy nine months since I arrived at Stephen Perse, I have looked forward to coming into school each day, to discover more about what makes Stephen Perse such a unique place. I have delighted in countless sparky and unexpected conversations in the lunch queue, marvelled at the public speaking, performing arts and sports performances which are the result of hours of dedicated preparation and been amazed by the energy, resourcefulness and enthusiasm our students commit to so many activities of school life. I am excited about the future of Stephen Perse and feel privileged to participate in its next chapter.
So I really ought to say an enormous thank you to all members of the Stephen Perse family for making me feel so welcomed this year. Students, staff, parents and governors have all been unfailingly approachable, supportive and generous. Thank you and best wishes for the summer break!
Jon Young Deputy Head Academic (11-18)
Band: Accidentally Correct
Portland Arms Gig
Cherry Blanchard, Assistant Director of Music
Some performers were returning to this famous stage for our annual Rock School gig whilst other youngsters were playing live for the first time, in front of 200 eager friends and parents. Twelve acts, including solo and duo items, played covers of The Ramones, ACDC, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Blondie to name a few. Excitingly, we also heard six new tracks which were written by band members themselves.
From quietly poignant solos and duos which brought tears to the eyes of some parents, to the wonderfully raucous cover of Thunderstruck by a six-piece band of Year 8s and 9s, we were treated to some great stage presence and budding talent.
Rock School Enrichment group for Year 10s upwards and the hour long weekly club for Year 7-9s is run by myself and Mr Paul Edwards, our guitar teacher and aided by Mrs Cooper for technical support and set up at gigs.
For six years now, this successful musical enterprise has seen students get together with their friends to write songs or perform some of their favourites, often taking up a new instrument along the way. It was hard to believe that a few of our musicians that night, for example, had only started learning the bass guitar in the past several months.
On the evening of 27 March 2023, nearly 50 members of Stephen Perse from Year 7 to Year 12 congregated for their sound check in one of Cambridge’s leading Live Music Venues, The Portland Arms.
We are hoping to run a lunchtime gig at school this term as an opportunity for some younger bands to perform live in front of their friends, and to round off the year, a few established bands and soloists will get to perform at the Jazz on a Summer’s Evening concert on 16 June.
Monday 27 March was a night that had been anticipated and prepared for months. The most recent show performed at the Portland Arms by assorted school bands was the third of its kind, spread out over five years due to the COVID lockdown.
The past few shows have blown audiences away with the talent and sheer enthusiasm demonstrated by the bands, and that Monday night was no different. Compered by a Rock School alumna named Tara, twelve bands in total played over the course of a couple of hours, starting at 7:30pm.
Of course, I can only speak from my own experience as someone who has featured in different bands twice in a row, but this annual show always has an incredibly supportive atmosphere composed of peers and family members. I don’t think it’s unfair to say that it is one of the biggest shows that some of the bands on the line-up will ever play, so everyone makes it count and gives it their all. The result is an enjoyable night of high energy and an array of music genres, from indie pop to jazzy psychedelic rock to classic punk rock.
Weatherkey (Year 9 and Year 8) opened the gig with a sound rendition of the Ramones’ widespread hit ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’, which modesty prevents me from commenting much further on as I was the one drumming for them. They were followed by High Decibels (Year 9 and Year 8), who performed an admirable cover of AD/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’, featuring a valiant attempt to emulate Brian Johnson from their singer. One of the highlights of this band, and possibly one of the numerous highlights of the evening, in this reviewer’s opinion, was their guitarist, who displayed surprising talent for his age. Although, it was somewhat ironic that a school band covering an AC/DC song wasn't wearing their school uniform. They missed an opportunity.
After High Decibels were Happy Hour (Year 8), covering Billie Eilish’s ‘Happier Than Ever’, providing a stark contrast from the first two bands with the emo pop power ballad which was performed well, despite the setback of having to censor many of the lyrics. A heartfelt version of The Neighbourhood’s ‘Sweater Weather’ was next performed by Blue Lettuce (Year 8), followed by a soloist by the name of Twig (Year 11) who covered ‘Average’ by TikTok sensation Sushi Soucy. This moving rendition was definitely another of the highlights of the evening. Twig is a force to be reckoned with and many in the audience that night were highly impressed.
Although, it was somewhat ironic that a school band covering an AC/DC song wasn't wearing their school uniform. They missed an opportunity.Witness on the Bridge
The next musicians on the line-up were two brothers performing an original song called ‘Amanacer’, written by Ryan (Year 12), the guitarist. He was accompanied on bass by his younger brother AJ (Year 9). The song in question, an emotive psychedelic-influenced instrumental, was impressively written and structured. I may be referring to several acts as highlights, but it would be unfair and inaccurate of me to not include them in the long list of bands who I genuinely enjoyed from the night.
Following the two-piece was another soloist named Raye (Year 10), who is well-known around the school and undoubtedly talented. He performed ‘This December’ by Ricky Montgomery and then an acoustic original song titled ‘Breaking Point'. I have a lot of admiration for Raye and his performance definitely didn’t disappoint. Having performed at the past couple of shows hosted at the Portland Arms too, he has a knack for writing beautifully evocative songs on his guitar and, although not my normal cup of tea, I can appreciate the integrity of his work. After Raye was Memories of Tomorrow (Year 10), an eclectic power trio who covered Red Hot Chilli Peppers ‘Under the Bridge’ and Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’. As a Black Sabbath fan myself, it would almost be rude not to list this band as another one of my personal highlights.
Accidentally Correct (Year 8) were next, covering ‘Shy Away’ by Twenty-One Pilots and ‘Flux’ by Bloc Party, performed well and appearing to be well received. Next up were Trip Hazard (Year 11), who played a cover of The Clash’s ‘London Calling’ which started rockily but soon gained momentum, and then two punchy, straight-to-the-point alt rock original songs, titled
‘Softly’ and ‘Reflections’ respectively. Both songs were written by Frank, the singer and guitarist. Unsurprisingly, these guys were another of my personal highlights. It felt like they had established a unique style to their music, which is impressive for a younger band, and it’s a shame their songs aren’t available to listen to anywhere online as far as I could find.
Trip Hazard were followed by Witness On The Bridge (Year 11), who played two catchy original songs titled ‘Penny Rag’ and ‘Elegy’. These were written by Charlie, the pianist and Jay, the guitarist, respectively. They also played a cover of ‘Rhiannon’ by Fleetwood Mac. Last but not least were Union Road (Year 12), creatively named and well-bonded together, their singer and drummer having performed together since Year 7. This was also Ryan, the drummer's second performance of the night, having also earlier performed his song, ‘Amancer’, with his brother. Union Road performed covers of ‘Steady as She Goes’ by The Raconteurs and ‘Call Me’ by Blondie, to rapturous applause from the audience. They were undoubtedly talented and they had a lot of stage chemistry, having had about five years together to work on their sound.
Overall, drawing regretfully to a close at around 9:30pm, the night was an energetic display of the small yet ardent scene of musicians in our school. It almost goes without saying that none of it would have been possible without the tireless efforts of Mrs Blanchard, and I’m sure that I speak for all of the musicians playing that Monday, and for everyone in the audience, when I say that her hard work is greatly appreciated.
The Parent Foundation Association (PFA) play a vital role within the Stephen Perse community.
Most recently (and led by active member Sigrid Mueller), they have launched a new online secondhand uniform shop. This can be accessed here: https://stephen-perse-foundation-pfa.sumupstore.com/
The secondhand uniform shop has opened an additional outlet to increase its reach and to make obtaining uniforms easier for those individuals unable to easily travel to the Bateman St. building (St. Eligius Street). Sigrid has kindly explained the process as:
“Any online orders placed during term time by Wednesday midnight will be ready for pick up on the following Friday at the main Senior School reception (on Union Road). Each Thursday afternoon the PFA will arrange for the week’s orders to be collected in a labelled bag from the Senior School reception. There are two exceptions to this process:
1 During weeks when the shop is open on a Friday afternoon, collection of orders placed by Wednesday midnight will be collected directly from the shop;
2 If holiday breaks fall such that the Friday is within a holiday
break, the orders placed by Wednesday of that week will be ready to collect by the first Friday after the holiday. Parents/guardians are still able to visit the shop in person on the days it is open and also collect orders which have been placed online by the prior Wednesday midnight.
Additionally, the PFA will continue to operate an information stand at special events (such as open days, fairs etc.), however uniforms will be unavailable for purchase at the stand, but previously placed orders can be collected.”
Why shop secondhand?
Reusing uniforms reduces demand for virgin fibres and new clothing. This subsequently reduces all of the inputs required to make those items of clothing, such as water for cotton textiles, energy used in the refining process for synthetic materials, the chemicals used to process and dye the materials, and all of the emissions associated with these processes, and the manufacturing and transportation of these clothes.
For instance, according to the U.N. and the World Economic Forum, fashion is responsible for approximately 10% of all global emissions. And research from the World Resources Institute indicates that it takes roughly 2,700 litres of water to produce the cotton required to make a T-shirt, or roughly the same amount of water drunk by a person over 2.5 years. Furthermore, Forbes indicates reusing any item whether it be a school shirt or jumper reduces the pressure we place on the environment, and limits the impact of climate change.
by Chris Woodey, Head of Sustainability
To increase the user experience, and to provide greater information to parents and guardians, Stephen Perse has partnered with Kura, a transport booking and tracking app to assist in the operations of the Home to School Transport (HTST) service. Riders have been provided with an NFC token that works in a similar way to an Oyster Card, with student riders now well versed in the boarding and disembarking processes. One of the major benefits offered by this app is the ability to ‘track’ where the vehicle that a child is due to travel, or travelling upon is located.
Behind the scenes, Kura has provided Stephen Perse with data that was previously difficult to collect. From Kura we have been able to analyse operational timings of routes and better understand utilisation of services in an effort to increase efficiencies.
This is one of a few upcoming changes to the HTST operations aimed at improving the service. With an ambition of making
it easier for children to get to their school and hopefully removing vehicles from these peak travel times, further reducing emissions and congestion.
Term three HTST bookings will shortly be opening, with a first offer to existing riders, and then a first-come-first served basis thereafter. Information on routes and the booking process for the 2023/24 academic year will be published at the beginning of Term three.
To assist in planning the HTST and operations of Stephen Perse, parents/guardians will in the coming weeks be requested to complete a Travel Survey. This will be undertaken digitally via the journey planning app, HomeRun. I would be incredibly grateful for your support in completing this survey, which will range in questions not only in an effort to provide an enhanced HTST service, but to also assist in determining what facilities are required at each of our sites (such as cycle storage).
As always, please feel free to contact me directly with any sustainability related questions, suggestions or queries that you may have.
Chris Woodey, Head of SustainabilityEmail: cwo@stephenperse.com
Nikki’s research focuses on how organisations manage risks from climate change and incorporating long term resilience into strategies, programmes, and projects. With a BA in Geography from the University of Cambridge followed by an MSc in Climate Change from UEA, Nikki started her career working with Atkins as a graduate climate change consultant. This was a graduate role, targeted specifically at graduates looking to build a career in a certain industry or discipline.
After completing several professional qualifications, Nikki’s career progressed at Atkins as she became a chartered environmentalist specialising in climate change adaptation with the UK water sector. Eventually, Nikki found herself working at Mott MacDonald as a Technical Director. In this role Nikki advises her team and clients on the best long term sustainable choices to make for their businesses and the climate.
Nikki came to Stephen Perse to give us an insight into careers in sustainability and how sustainability includes so
much more than just geography. Nikki shared some example degrees of the people she works with, they include geography, natural sciences, earth sciences, environmental sciences, and environmental economics along with many more.
Nikki also explained some of the roles available at Mott MacDonald surrounding sustainability. Carbon Specialist, Climate Resilience Consultant, Contaminated Land Consultant, Data Scientist, Ecologist, Environmental Coordinator, Environmental Economist, Environmental Engineer, GIS Specialist, Heritage Consultant, Hydrologist, Landscape Architect, Marine Scientist, Noise and Vibration Specialist, Ornithologist, Soil Specialist, Waste Consultant, Water Resources Modeller. As you can see there is a wide range of opportunities surrounding sustainability and there really is something for everyone.
We were thrilled to welcome Nikki Van Dijk, a chartered environmentalist and currently a Discipline Lead at Mott MacDonald specialising in climate change resilience.
"I think that it is especially important that younger generations are made aware of the wide range of job opportunities as we need to create a more sustainable future for everyone."
Nikki Van Dijk by Year 12 student Beth H
The Year 10 Geographers visited the CB1 redevelopment scheme in March on a fieldwork trip. They were attempting to find out whether the scheme was successful in improving the quality of the environment.
To find this out they conducted environmental quality surveys and, despite a brief hailstorm, asked people’s opinions on the matter. How effective the scheme was dependent on the students with some having a more positive outlook than others. This points us to an important aspect of fieldwork - how reliable is our data collection? How subjective is our interpretation? Getting this right is no easy task but in today’s world it is more important than ever.
The sixth form students were introduced to the world of archaeology through a fabulous talk delivered by Valentina Borgia. An archaeologist prior to her joining Stephen Perse, Valentina had praised the job of an archaeologist as ‘the most beautiful job’. She started off breaking the archaeological stereotype, telling us the job itself is in fact a mixture of excavations, lab work, and research. Then she went into deeper details about the myth of the soil, the science behind the subject and some brief knowledge on human bones. During the second half of the talk she shared with us about prehistoric hunting tools, which was her research topic. It was truly eyeopening and we were awed by the wisdom of the people from the past. It became clear that archaeologists can travel with their work to unusual destinations.
The students found the talk enlightening - they were surprised by the diversity of the subject and described their newly acquired knowledge of archaeology as an eye-opening introduction to a diverse field of study. Thank you again for Valentina’s effort and those who came to the talk to support her!
Shriyans said: ‘Each year the Rotary Club of Cambridge organises the Rotary Young Photographer Competition. The topic of the photography competition this year was ‘The beauty of architecture’ which inspired me to look for buildings that were old, but at the same time beautiful, so I looked around where I lived.
Then I remembered that Ely Cathedral was a well known place that was very old and beautiful, and when I went there it was covered in a light layer of frost, which gave it a slight shine.
The snow-covered tree also gave it a winter’s effect which I thought would be good for the photo. When I heard that I got highly commended, I was ecstatic! My hard work was rewarded!’
Year 10 students have organised a successful Bubble Tea Sale and raised £226.80 for the Disasters and Emergency Committee. Many thanks to all the students who have supported the event.
We hope you enjoyed the bubble tea and are looking forward to the next one!
A mixture of Year 12 and 13 students took part in this year’s Wharton Global Investment competition which involves the analysis of a case study and the development of an appropriate strategy to fulfil the client’s goals.
The current team has spent the year working together and analysing stock market trends, as well as doing independent research on multinational corporations. They submitted a midterm and final report as part of their participation. The team worked with Ms McEwan as their advisor, who helped them create a suitable investment portfolio.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is developing strongly, with students actively involved in a whole range of programme activities from writing letters to those who are alone (Volunteering), to supporting community clubs and societies (Physical & Skill).
A team of our DofE Gold students recently completed their Gold Practice Expedition in the Yorkshire Dales, with all students working well together in some challenging terrain. These students are now looking forward to their qualifying expedition later in the year.
www.dofe.org
Students are able to access support for their DofE via the weekly drop in sessions, and also through the DofE website
Students across the Senior School have been involved in all sorts of activities for Modern Languages, connecting with them beyond the classroom.
At the end of last term our participants in the Linguistics Olympiad received their certificates, having jumped in at the deep end by entering at Advanced or Intermediate levels, to ‘decode’ a variety of unusual languages in various scripts. Well done to all who took part in what was a particularly tough competition this year. Special mention goes to Chloe J who got a bronze award at intermediate level.
For the annual Anthea Bell translation competition we submitted entries for French, German and Mandarin at all levels at the end of last term. This was a chance for students to translate excerpts from prose and poetry into English. Transferring the nuance of meaning and where possible alliteration and rhyme were the challenges our students tackled. Many loved working with authentic literary passages of their chosen language.
Several students took part in the Oxford Flash Competition which is a creative, short story writing in different languages competition. There were entries in French and Spanish from Year 7- Year 10 students.
Last term we had a Year 12 Spanish team participate in Les Joutes Oratoires, a Modern Languages debating competition.
The team participated very well and defended their motions confidently. We had several Year 10 teams for Spanish and German who participated at the latest round at King's Ely this week. They enjoyed the chance to think on their feet and have a go at the metaphorical jousting in their modern languages.
Interested in getting involved? There’s still time! We have two ongoing challenges - one for Mother Tongue: Other Tongue, run by Routes into Languages as well as the Language Immersion Challenge. A number of students are working on them and there’s still time if anyone is interested.
For the super keen linguists and inspired by Eurovision, the Institut Français is running their annual French Pop Video.
Quoi faire? Get in touch with your ML teachers and have a go!
Claudia Freeman Head of Modern LanguagesFor the annual Anthea Bell translation competition we submitted entries for French, German and Mandarin at all levels at the end of last term.
After several years’ interruption, we have resumed our German school exchange to Munich, the heart of Bavaria.
We are now hoping for the same procedure as pre-Covid to continue - an exchange which has been running successfully with the Theresia-Gerhardinger Gymnasium am Anger for around 30 years.
From the moment we landed in Munich, we were immersed into the warmest and friendliest of Bavarian hospitality. The Year 10s were immediately whisked off by their host families and thrown into a weekend of exploring Bavaria - for some it was walking in the alps, for others it was visiting King Ludwig II’s castles, all sorts of excursions were organised. Culture was the main stop: new places visited and Instagrammed. Our Year 10s enjoyed getting to know their exchange partners and experiencing their daily lives. This, of course, extended to attending school in German and lessons. There were many comparisons made between the school systems, but there is no escaping homework wherever you are!
The highlight was the group excursion to the beautiful Austrian city of Salzburg on the trail of Mozart, the Sound of Music and investigation of which Mozart praline ball is the best or most authentic or most tasty or all three! Afterwards, we took a fast train into the heart of a mountain to explore the salt mines and learn about how salt was mined. Our guide
was ‘bairisch-irisch’ - alternating between the deepest, thickest Bavarian and the deepest, thickest Irish. Two steep slide rides down into the depths of Bavarian earth and one boat trip on an underwater lake with ‘son et lumière’ show later, we were thrown just as quickly back into the glorious daylight and hit the shops for all sorts of salt related goods.
So what did the students think?
Emily from Year 10 said: “Being a part of the German exchange was so much fun! It was really interesting to attend German lessons and experience new things, such as the salt mines and the Frühlingsfest. It was so exciting to go to a traditional German festival! We also visited the Schloss Nymphenburg, which was very impressive because of its history and grand rooms. Of course, I also enjoyed all the food, especially the pretzels!”
Eric from Year 10 said: “The German exchange was a great and fun way to experience German culture. The food was great, and we had the opportunity to meet many interesting people and visit fun places, while getting good practice on our German skills!”
Now back from our exchange visit in Munich, we are looking forward to our exchange partners’ return at the end of this summer term. Visits to London, Sandringham and Hunstanton are on our programme. Not only much German was learnt, many friendships were made and we are so pleased that this special school exchange will continue.
Year 10-12
The students and teachers were so looking forward to the Seville trip. The purpose of the trip was to immerse students in Spanish language and culture and, after being postponed for three years, the school, parents and students were keen for the trip to go ahead.
Seville is one of those cities in which you always discover places that inspire you, full of colours, shades and nuances. It is the perfect place to experience authentic Spain with the wealth of delights at hand. The cultural and architectural heritage of Spain is truly showcased everywhere you go in Seville – from stunning palatial houses, Roman ruins, royal palaces to breath-taking cathedrals and churches.
Our students spent six busy days not only learning Spanish in the classroom but also experiencing it on the streets of Seville and with their host families. Every day there were cultural activities which included numerous guided visits;
from the stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as ‘The Réal Alcazar’ (Royal Alcazar) and the Seville Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, to a ceramic workshop and boat trip on the Guadalquivir river. “Lo que Sevilla te da no te lo quita nadie” - what Seville gives you, nobody can take away, said the flamenco singer ‘El Lebrijano’. Colourful traditions, historic architecture, and endless experiences - all contained in one sun-soaked city.
Year 10 student Jerome said: “The Seville trip was fantastic! The lessons we had in the morning were engaging and fun whilst also teaching us a great deal about Spanish grammar. The host family I stayed with gave me exposure to everyday Spanish lifestyle and conversations. My listening skills and comprehension of Spanish language have been greatly refined. On top of it, the food I was served was delicious! The afternoon excursions we made were amazing, as we were able to visit and sightsee a great amount in only a few days. To name a few, we visited Las Setas de Sevilla, the gorgeous gardens of the Real Alcazar, and saw for ourselves the Arabic influences of the Real Alcazar.”
Year 10 student Emma said: “In the sun and thirty degree temperatures, the trip to Seville was a great experience. It allowed me to become immersed in Spanish culture: teachers speaking only Spanish at school, tours about the history and monuments of Seville and our local host families!
In late April 2023 a group of 28 Year 10 and Year 12 students had the invaluable opportunity to immerse themselves in the captivating culture and stunning landscapes that Seville has to offer.
We saw amazing architecture, for example the Catedral de Santa María de La Sede and the Royal Alcázar of Seville. When visiting the palace, we were able to see Christian and Arabic influences and understand more about the cultural and historical significance of Seville. Sitting in Plaza de España, we watched a Flamenco dancer, and appreciated the unique artistry and skill involved in the traditional dance of Spain. At home with our host families, we were able to try a variety of traditional foods, such as gazpacho and Spanish tortilla.”
Year 10 student Freya said: “During our trip to Spain, we were welcomed with open arms by our host families. They immersed us in not only the language but also the culture and specialties of Seville. Each morning we started off with school, learning valuable grammar and vocabulary as well as learning a lot about Spanish music. I really enjoyed this as it allowed us to ask any questions we had about areas that we didn’t understand. Free time during the afternoon meant we could explore the city as well as eat all the ice cream we could possibly want! Our host families also cooked us delicious cultural dishes during this time.
After this each day, we had an excursion including a tour and an activity. Although the tour was purely in Spanish and difficult to understand at the best of times, it really challenged our ability to pick up on new vocabulary that wouldn’t normally be used in class and colloquialism significant to Seville. The excursions were all fascinating with trips to “Setas de Sevilla” or the mushrooms of Seville and a ceramic shop where we painted tiles. It was truly an unforgettable experience, one that I’m sure I would love to repeat in the future.”
“During our trip to Spain, we were welcomed with open arms by our host families. They immersed us in not only the language but also the culture and specialties of Seville."
Year 10 student Freya
Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/stephen-perse-foundation
In April, a large cast of talented and enthusiastic Year 7 students took part in our Year 7 Drama and Theatre production which celebrated two of Roald Dahl’s much loved children’s stories‘The Twits’ and ‘The Witches’, both adapted for the stage by David Wood. Featuring original songs composed by Year 12 Music scholar Ryan, colourful circus routines choreographed by members of the cast and wonderful costumes created with the help of Year 9 Backstage students, the production kept audience members fully entertained from start to finish. Both plays featured larger-than-life characters and slapstick comedy routines which our young cast thoroughly enjoyed creating during rehearsals and bringing to life in performance; puppets also featured in both, adding to the overall visual impact of the production.
Many hours of planning, preparation, creating and rehearsing go into a production of this complexity and as always, a large number of people were involved behind the scenes. We are extremely grateful to the staff and student teams who helped to assemble and make all of the puppets, props and costumes and to the backstage and tech crews who assisted with the running of the performances.
Years 10, 11 and 12
Year 10, 11 and 12 Art and Textile classes benefitted from working with and hearing from a recent Textile Design graduate from Edinburgh University, Layla Chauhan.
Layla was able to provide fresh ideas and inspiration and answer many questions students had about what it is like to study a creative subject at university and about her current diverse projects. Although not a student of Stephen Perse, she was a past student of Mrs Bloomfield-Proud.
Layla also led a practical workshop after school for interested students and scholars from Years 9-11 to extend their understanding of art making and encourage them to have a fast response to creating initial artwork, which can act as a catalyst to inspire a project or act as a starting point for something when one is not sure what to do or has a creative blank.
A great effort by the U13 indoor cricket team who finished third in the Cambridgeshire region finals day. They had a great experience which will benefit them going into the cricket season.
Congratulations to Arjumand B in Year 9 and Cecily H in Year 13 who both qualified to compete in the ESAA National Schools Cross Country Championships for the Cambridgeshire team at Woolaton Park in Nottingham in March.
They both performed extremely well in their first national championships against the best cross country runners in the country and on a challenging course. As a school we are very proud of their achievements, well done.
Arjumand 334th
Well done to Natalie, Imogen, Hebe, Nadia, Megan, Alice, Yuting, Allegra, Aiofe and India.
Years 7-8
Over 40 Year 7 and 8’s enjoyed being involved in the Easter cricket camp from 13-14 April. The students worked on developing their skills each day and played some entertaining matches in the afternoon sessions. Their hard work is now paying off as the cricket term has begun, and there has already been some success in school matches.
Thanks to the coaches, Mr Taylor, Mr Blackman, Mr Wiseman, Mr Wilkinson and Miss Hill, for making it a fun and positive experience for the students.
Four teams of budding footballers from Years 8, 9 and 10 learned from some of the best Real Madrid coaching staff at the world-renowned Real Madrid Valdebebas training centre, each coming away with their own club training kit.
The Under 13, 14 and Under 15 boys’ and girls’ teams had the opportunity to play a fixture against local Spanish opposition, with the Under 14 and Under 15 teams playing brilliantly to win their games against Escuela Municipal de Futbol Gallur. The students also enjoyed attending a La Liga match between top Spanish teams Atlético Madrid and Real Betis.
Joe Tillen, former professional footballer for Chelsea FC and MK Dons and Head of Football at Stephen Perse, said: “The trip gave our students an unforgettable experience of training at Real Madrid’s exceptional training centre, watching a top level Spanish match featuring several World Cup winners, and the chance to play fixtures against local Spanish opposition.
All the students played superbly and the coaching staff at Real Madrid were extremely complimentary about their attitude and technical abilities.”
A Year 10 student said: “The Madrid trip was a huge success. I really enjoyed the opportunity to train at the amazing Real Madrid facilities with their expert coaches. We are looking forward to implementing what we have learned in our football fixtures next year.
It was also a great experience to watch a La Liga match; it was a tight game and I’m glad we got a goal to celebrate near the end. Playing a game against some Spanish opposition was really good fun and the fact that we won made it even better!”
"The trip gave our students an unforgettable experience of training at Real Madrid’s exceptional training centre."
Sixth Form
Could a Spanish rural drama written in the 1930s still be relevant in 2023 in the UK? The Cervantes Theatre London production of Federico García Lorca’s ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’, shows us that it can.
In the play, Lorca criticised the complicit silence around violence towards women - the same retrograde conservatism that would end his life. In the inescapable misogyny of the modern world teenagers and young people are bombarded with widespread misogynistic videos that have been watched billions of times and social media companies profit from violent and misogynistic influencers. This powerful feminist parable portrays silence and female misogyny and challenges the current system of oppression and denial, hence revealing that this classic is more timely than ever.
Profe Escudero Head of SpanishSixth Form student Sirisha G said: “During the last week of the spring term 2023 a group of six sixth form students were lucky enough to travel to London for the Cervante theatre’s production of Federico Garcia Lorca’s tragedy, ‘La Casa de Bernarda Alba.’ The group attended the matinee performance of the play originally set in Spain during Franco’s fascist rule, 1930 with the purpose of enhancing their pre-existing knowledge about the drama.
This A Level literary text explores themes of repression, passion and conformity through the depiction of a matriarch’s domination of her five daughters. Lorca describes the text 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. The performance featured the three acts with an interval between the first act and second act enabling the students to discuss stage directions as well as remind themselves of the upcoming events.
After watching ‘La Casa de Bernarda Alba,’ the students were treated to a delicious Spanish cuisine in one of London’s best and most authentic tapas bars ‘Meson don Felipe.’ From the wall decorations to the kind and helpful staff, the students were transported to Spain. Following their arrival at this cultural restaurant, it was not long until the table was filled with authentic Spanish delicacies from ‘tortillas’ to ‘paellas’ and the popular desert choice of ‘churros.’ Overall, the trip had great success in finalising the students' ideas following a hard terms’ work of analysing the play.”
Sunday 27 May, 8pm
Join vocalist, violinist, pianist and songwriter Alice Zawadzki alongside Fred Thomas and Misha Mullov-Abbado for an evening of eclectic music.
Contemporary
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Sunday 28 May, 4pm
Five outstanding artists join forces for an afternoon of poetry and music charting the highs and lows of The Seven Ages of Man.
Classical
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Friday 2 June, 7:30pm
Celebrated pianist Benjamin Grosvenor plays Chopin’s second Piano Concerto with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Classical
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Satuday 3 June, 7:30pm
After their last sell-out concert at Saffron Hall, the Black Dyke Band,“the most famous brass brand in the world” return to wow auidences once more.
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Friday 9 June, 8pm
Join us from 7pm for drinks and street food followed by a superb evening of live poetry featuring two support acts and headliner Hollie McNish.
Saturday 17 June, 7.30pm
Sunday 18 June, 4pm
Following their sold out 2022 performance, we’re delighted to bring back Ladysmith Black Mambazo for one more special concert. Keith
Join Great Pottery Throw Down judge, Keith Brymer Jones, as he shares stories of life in front of and behind the potter’s wheel.
Spoken Word
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Thursday 27 - Saturday 29 July
Join us on a magical train ride to the riverbank at Audley End Miniature Railway this summer for a brand-new open-air musical staging of Kenneth Grahame’s family classic ‘The Wind In The Willows’
Family
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