French Department Trip to Nice
Japanese School Exchange to Keio
Activities, celebrations and farewells
As another year draws to a close, our community of staff, students, parents and alumni participate in the customary rituals of the summer term. It is a time for summative activities, celebrations and farewells.
We celebrate the efforts and progress of all of our Senior School students who have participated in end of year assessments. Their results reflect their hard work and industry, as well as the efforts their teachers have made to teach and support them. Some will be happy with how they have performed, others may be disappointed, but for a majority these are formative tests, rather than summative exams and there is time and opportunity still to reflect on where progress still needs to be made. So, at this stage we celebrate progress and effort, rather than achievements in absolute terms.
As an important counterpoint to summer assessments, a number of year groups have enjoyed residential trips packed with activities, with students in Years 7, 8 and 9 spending time away from home and school, being together as well as learning ‘in the field’. It was brilliant to be able to spend three days on the Year 9 Battlefields trip to Belgium and Northern France and observe students engaging with the history and literature of the First World War. I was struck by how carefully and deliberately the trip had been designed by Ms Kedie (Head of English) and Ms Stanley (Head of History), with a number of activities undertaken during the year and in the build up to the trip, to ensure students got the very most out of it.
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Richard Girvan
In particular, Ms Albone had written and devised this year’s Year 9 play ‘The White Feather’ about a man called William McBride, whose gravestone we visited during the trip. During the visit, Ms Albone poignantly read a song written about McBride shortly after his death. The experience was enhanced for students by their experience of rehearsing and performing the play earlier in the year. Students had also each researched a family member who served during the war and we were able to visit a number of their resting places during our tour of the war graves. Together with a number of personal stories of the lives and fates of other soldiers, shared with students by our superb guides during the trip, the history was really brought to life and I am sure lasting lessons were learned by all of us; a powerful example of Stephen Perse teachers’ innovative and thoughtful approach to promoting the most effective teaching and learning at every opportunity.
Celebratory events have taken place for those completing formal examinations in Year 11 and Year 13. I particularly enjoyed the Year 13 Leavers’ Dinner where parents, students and staff enjoyed a drinks reception and a wonderful meal at the charming Manor Barn in Harlton. Outgoing Heads of School, Florence B and Ryan H, and Mrs Paris each gave heartfelt and poignant tributes to the year, and academic and character prizes were awarded. The event provided an important and enjoyable fillip at the end of term for A level students. The Leavers’ Service in the Chapel at Gonville and Caius, was an opportunity to wish a fond farewell for the summer to the Year 13 Class of 2024 ahead of the publication of their results towards the end of August. The Year 11 Ball event, marked the end of the GCSE years and an opportunity to look ahead to results in August and then on to Sixth Form study.
The White Feather Production
Year 8 Land and Wave Trip
New Appointments for 2024-5
In closing
As ever, we look forward to welcoming a number of new colleagues, including some in senior positions, next year. James Gazet joins us as Deputy Head Academic (11-18), from his current position of Third Master at St Paul’s School in south-west London, having previously held posts there of Deputy Head Academic and before that Head of Mathematics. He has also been Deputy Head of Mathematics at Westminster and Head of Mathematics at Eton. James has worked for Cambridge Assessment for many years, setting and reviewing STEP Mathematics papers. He has also held a number of positions with the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust, including Chair of the British Mathematics Olympiad Executive Committee and Chair of the Board of Trustees, and is currently a Governor at Leighton Park School, where he chairs the Teaching and Learning Committee. James will succeed Jon Young, who is taking up a position as Director of Education for the Diocese of Ely.
Jenny McLeod joins us as Deputy Head Cocurricular (11-18), from her position as Director of Co-Curricular activities at Brentwood School. Jenny has held various posts at Brentwood, including working in the Boarding and Day Houses, Head of Sport, and Head of Department. Jenny succeeds Natasha Hammond, who leaves Stephen Perse at the end of this academic year, following a sabbatical.
Catharine Neville-Jones joins us as Head of Year 7 and Teacher of Geography from her current position of Teacher of Geography and leader of Careers in the Curriculum at Bottisham Village College, where she has been variously a Head of Years 8-11, a member of the associate leadership team, and has also led on the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. Catharine’s appointment comes as we wish Ms Edmunds all the very best for a sabbatical year abroad.
We look forward to welcoming all new students and staff in September and wish a fond farewell to all those leaving us for pastures new.
The summer break provides the opportunity for what I like to refer to as the three R’s: Rest, Reflection and Reinvigoration. I hope that everyone enjoys a welcome break, has the opportunity to see family and friends, and to reflect on all that has happened this year and then to look forward to whatever 2024-5 brings for you. I look forward to seeing everyone who is returning to school in September and to staying in touch with those for whom this is their final year at the school.
Richard Girvan Principal
The summer break provides the opportunity for what I like to refer to as the three R’s: Rest, Reflection and Reinvigoration.
Year 13 Leavers Events
Latest news
Machine Learning Lectures for Year 12
Further Maths students
In the first half of term we were very fortunate to have Paul Fannon, Fellow of Christ’s College and Lecturer in Data Science and Machine Learning at Cambridge University, come into school to give a series of five lectures over consecutive weeks to a group of Year 12 Further Mathematicians. Mr Fannon showed how relatively abstract material that the students had met in their Further Maths A level course could be extended to provide very real applications in the field of machine learning and facial recognition software that we all use on our phones and other devices.
Not only were students given the opportunity to experience the style of Cambridge University lecturing and teaching, but they were also able to ask questions and draw on Mr Fannon’s vast knowledge and experience of admissions interviewing in a range of different subject areas including Maths and Natural Sciences. We are delighted to learn that Mr Fannon, who is also a former member of staff having taught Maths here between 2008-2016, has just been awarded the OBE for services to Maths education in the recent King’s Birthday Honours List.
Year 10 Work Experience Day with Metro Bank
Earlier this year, Year 10 were off timetable to take part in a virtual work experience event in conjunction with Metro Bank and their Cambridge office staff. The students heard from a range of staff in various roles and levels of responsibility, from the Branch Manager through to Customer Services representatives and those undertaking apprentice-level training. They found out about the selection of skills that staff need to have, or develop, for the many aspects of working in the financial sector and realised there is more to the job than numbers. The Branch Manager set the groups the task of coming up with a new product for their age-group and the students thought of new technology that may be useful or different ways to market bank accounts to school-age children.
The event was a continuation of this term’s theme, the ‘World of Work’, which has also seen Year 10 students set up in-person work experiences for the summer holiday, registered and processed through our Unifrog guidance platform. If you have any questions about the WEX program in school, please contact Dr Mark Woodward (msw@stephenperse.com), who will be happy to answer questions.
Paul Fannon
Teen Tech Awards - Stephen Perse Team Makes it to the Finals
The TeenTech Awards are for UK students from 11-16 (Years 7 to 11) and 16-19 (Years 12 to 13) working in teams of up to three to look at problems large and small to see if they can find a better way of doing things. This year around 20 Stephen Perse Cambridge students took part, developing a diverse range of projects. There was a project to design a new type of school bag with an exoskeleton design and another to revolutionise Cambridge’s transport network by using drone taxis high above the city.
Jamie B and Darius K in Year 8 submitted a project on their idea for using AI to revolutionise the way we garden. “Some people want to use the space in their gardens for growing food or cutting flowers but don’t know where to start. Our idea is that you can attach AI within a website to help users for gardening, such as giving tips and answers to their questions.” Their project was selected for the finals and the students competed against other students by presenting their work to judges at the Institute for Engineering and Technology in Central London. They didn’t win in their section but they did get a skills award for working with industry experts.
Cambridge Community Music Festival Celebrates Young Talent
Congratulations to Iñigo M-N and Dominic S! They shone at the Cambridge Community Music Festival (CCMF), earning prestigious floating trophies for their outstanding trumpet and trombone performances in the Brass category. Stephen Perse Cambridge students Junqing L and Xiaogui G also received CCMF honours. With a rich history dating back to 1934, CCMF fosters a vibrant space for young musicians to share their talents, learn from each other, and gain valuable feedback from esteemed adjudicators.
Latest news
Junior Classical Reading Competition
by Year 10 student Marina K
The Junior Classical Reading competition took place at The Leys, with students from multiple different schools reading the same pieces of Latin and Greek to a panel of judges. The preparation itself for the competition was very interesting, with the teachers providing excellent constructive feedback (a special thank you to Ms Jones and Miss Whitelaw who prepared us so well), and it was a brilliant way to improve our immersion in the classics. When we arrived at the competition itself the atmosphere was lovely and welcoming, although I know I was quite nervous! It was a pleasure to be in a space where everyone was incredibly enthusiastic and engaged in the same topic, I think that it was a wonderful experience to see the different qualities we all brought to the same pieces. In the end, Stephen Perse Cambridge won both the Latin and the Greek category, which was an excellent result that we were all very pleased with! It was an amazing afternoon and I hope to continue to be actively involved in whichever new different opportunities in Classics the school may present.
Year 12 Student Alison H Wins Essay Competition
by Natalie Stanley
It was with great pleasure that I had the opportunity to accompany Alison H (Year 12) to receive her award for an essay competition she entered with the History of Totalitarianism Society.
After school, one Monday evening in late April, we travelled to the Athenaeum Club in Pall Mall, London to attend the prize giving ceremony. Alison was awarded her prize money by Lord Finklestein and enjoyed chatting to the organisers, who included some high profile journalists and historians. Alison’s essay focused on the use the Nazis made of education in the 1930s to indoctrinate children with their ideology.
The judges were extremely impressed with Alison’s entry and have since offered her a summer internship position.
Sustainability Update
by Year 13 Audrey S, Outgoing Student Sustainability Lead
The Sustainability Committee held the first ever Climate Change Science Fair at Stephen Perse Cambridge this year. In this competition students were required to participate in groups of 3-4 and complete a project on a sustainability-related issue they were interested in. This had to be under one of the themes provided this year: Water, Energy, Waste, or Animal Protection. Furthermore, the students were tasked to research their chosen issue and propose a solution, as well as finally presenting their project on the day of the fair - an energised lunchtime!
There were four project submissions this year:
• Illegal Animal Trading completed by Year 7 students Heloisa vTC, Nefeli T, Nico S, and Rosanna C.
• The environmental impact of energy by Year 8 student Junqing L.
• The impact of water pollution on jellyfish by Year 8 students Amnay B, Amina T and Eileen M.
• The impact of overfishing on penguins by Year 9 students Katie C, Katie M and Tara A.
Students across the school were able to vote on the projects under these categories: originality in their project/solution and presentation. The committee then further assessed the projects, looking at how well they answered their project title, how in depth their research was and whether these were explained.
After much thought, we decided the winner to be Amnay B, Amina T, and Eileen M in Year 8. Their title was “How water pollution is clawing the future of symbiosis in the sea”, with a focus on the impacts on jellyfish. Their project was not only engaging, but also in-depth as they delved into different factors; such as climate change, and how contamination of chemicals have a chain reaction impact on biological systems before finally reaching the jellyfish. Aside from explanations on their findings, we were especially amazed by how they mentioned how the solutions would work in practice along with evaluation points!
From deciding the themes for the fair to hosting the fair on the day, I have learnt many invaluable skills along the way of organising this fair. In particular, there were many more layers to working out the logistics than I expected. How could it be advertised for more publicity? The process of securing a date, location and time for the fair. What equipment is required on the day? How can we reduce bias when deciding the winner? Etc.
Overall, I am very impressed by all of their work and enthusiasm! It has been an enriching experience leading and working with the Sustainability Committee, and I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with students and staff across the school.
Supra-curricular competitions Science Department Update
Rohan and George
There have been numerous competitions in Science this year with a great deal of success in competitions ranging from Year 7 through to Year 13.
In Years 7 and 8, students took part in the Physics Challenge.17 students achieved Gold awards and five students achieved Silver. The three top scorers were Shriyams K, Jamie B and Siddarth P.
Year 10 students took part in the Biology and Physics Challenges earlier this term. In the Biology Challenge, four students (Paul P, Tamar K, Alice M and Tobias D) achieved Gold awards. A further 16 students achieved Silver awards and 30 more achieved Bronze awards. In Physics, an impressive 15 students achieved Gold awards, with Laurence O, Ivy G and Ellis U scoring the top percentages. A further 12 students achieved Silver awards and eight students achieved Bronze.
Year 11 students took part in the Year 11 Physics Challenge where Theo H and Luqa B achieved Gold awards in the online challenge. A further ten students achieved Silver awards. We are awaiting the results of the written Year 11 Physics Challenge.
Year 12 and 13 students took part in several competitions this year in all three Sciences. In Biology, students took part in the Biology Olympiad back in February. Four students achieved Gold awards and qualified for the national selection round. These students were Mari C, Jada C and Joe W from Year 13 and Emma B from Year 12. Bronze awards were also awarded to Etta S-B, Abbey H and Rosa G E.
Stop Press:
Congratulations to Rohan A and George D, who have just heard that they achieved Roentgenium in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, awarded to the top 0.54% of entries. Only 70 students achieved this level nationally, so we are tremendously proud that two of those 70 are Stephen Perse Cambridge scholars. Rohan and George will now be invited to attend a residential camp at the University of Cambridge in late August. As Mr Lovewell said when notifying George and Rohan of their results, "Seriously well done...Good job!"
In Chemistry, the Chemistry Olympiad saw six students achieve Gold awards. These students were Sebastian H, Heart V, Jamie F, Joe W and Arshiya K from Year 13 as well as George D from Year 12. There were a further eight Silver awards and 11 Bronze awards. We are still awaiting the results of the Lower Sixth Challenge and the School’s Analyst competitions.
In Physics, students participated in the Senior Physics Challenge (both online and paper versions for Year 12), the Physics Challenge for Year 13 and the Physics Olympiad. Four Gold, four Silver and six Bronze awards were achieved in the online Senior Physics Challenge with a further three Golds, six Silver and nine Bronze in the written version. Rohan A and George D achieved Gold awards in both Challenges. In the Physics Challenge, there were Merits for Sebastian H, Tom L, Chang L and Heart V. Three students (Sebastian H, Heart V, and Tom L) achieved Gold Awards and Chang L achieved a Silver award.
Also in Physics, George D won a place on the Senior Physics Challenge Summer School from 1-4 July. This Summer School is run by Isaac Physics at the University of Cambridge and its 50 places are awarded nationally as prizes for commitment to problem solving on isaacphysics.org.
During the Summer School, these top 50 Physics students stay at Churchill College and attend lectures and workshops at the Cavendish Laboratory, given by University of Cambridge Physicists, with the option to stay on for the University of Cambridge Open Days at the end of the residential. George successfully completed all the hundreds of qualifying questions on isaacphysics.org to secure his place and we look forward to hearing about his experience at the Summer School in the next edition of the Principal’s Newsletter.
There were several open competitions available this year, including the Royal Society of Biology photography competition and the Nancy Rothwell biological art competition. We are awaiting the results of these competitions.
Chemistry Olympiad
Physics Challenge Summer School
Supra-curricular competitions
Maths Department Update
Back in October, our Year 11, 12 and 13 students took part in the Senior Maths Challenge. They did exceptionally well with 51 Bronze awards, 29 Silver awards and 20 Gold awards being achieved.
A special mention goes to the following students who achieved the best result in their respective year groups: Nathan L (Year 11), Cobby C (Year 12), who also scored best in school, and Tom L (Year 13). Following this challenge, 15 students then took part in a follow-on Kangaroo round and an additional four for the British Mathematical Olympiad. Congratulations to Rosa G-E, Celeste Lt, Henry M and Sebastian H who achieved a Merit in the Kangaroo, placing them in the top 25% of entrants nationally, and Sebastian H for scoring best in school.
Typically only 1,300 students nationally qualify for the Olympiad and this is a notable achievement in itself. Kseniia S, George D and Thomas L secured Merit awards in the Olympiad and many congratulations to Rohan A, who was awarded Distinction.
All students across Years 7 to 11, as well as Sixth Form Mathematics and Computing students, then took part in the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge. Congratulations to the following students who achieved the best result in their respective year groups: Thomas P from the Juniors, Jack O-C and Barnaby C from the Intermediates, Raye K from the Seniors and George D from the Sixth Form. In total 178 students achieved the award of Distinction and 142 of these were awarded a Gold Certificate, placing them in the top 10% of students nationally.
All students across Years 7 to 11, as well as Sixth Form Mathematics and Computing students, took part in the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge.
Kseniia S
The follow-on round from the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge, the Oxford University Computing Challenge, then took place later in the term for those students who qualified. Congratulations to all of those who took part with a special mention for Theo H and Matthew E, who secured a Merit, and Jack O-C who secured a Distinction.
Students in the Computing Club who have been taking part in the Astro-Pi competition have successfully achieved flight status. Their task was to write a Python program to calculate the speed at which the International Space Station is travelling and their code will now be sent into space to estimate the station's velocity. The team worked extremely hard and congratulations here go to Alexander S, Ellis U, Gabriel N, James G, Rishu B, Theo H and Freddie R on this achievement.
Students in Years 9, 10 and 11 then took part in the Intermediate Mathematics Challenge in January. In Year 9, congratulations to Jayde M and Valentina M who both received Gold certificates, as well as best in year. Kseniia S in Year 10 and Daniel W in Year 11 also received Gold certificates, as well as best
in year in their respective year groups. Finally, our Year 7 and 8 students recently took part in the Junior Mathematics Challenge. They again did exceptionally well with 61 Bronze awards, 71 Silver awards and 40 Gold awards being attained. A special mention goes to Haytham S (Year 7) and Harry Z (Year 8) who achieved the best result in their respective year groups and have both qualified for the Mathematical Olympiad.
Students in the Computing Club who have been taking part in the Astro-Pi competition have successfully achieved flight status.
Astro-Pi competition
An adaption of David Campton’s Us & Them
For our final theatre production of the year, director Deborah Foote and her Year 8 cast gave us something completely different and visually stunning. The audience were seated on three sides and the live action was interspersed with projected animations and film footage created by the cast and director during rehearsals.
The original one act play Us & Them was written by David Campton, however the cast and director added their own original dialogue, some of which was generated through the use of AI. The audience was therefore challenged to confront the age-old question of 'us versus them’ but with an artificially intelligent twist.
As the lights came up on stage, we encountered characters grappling with various dilemmas of ‘us versus them’. The play encouraged us to consider the potential consequences (both positive and negative) of our growing dependence on and fascination with AI. The production also compelled us to consider the connections we may forge or the ties we may break with others, regardless of their form.
As with all our productions the Drama department staff are extremely grateful to the Year 12 Theatre Backstage students who worked hard to create the costumes, props and makeup and to the Theatre Tech students for their help
Year 8 Drama Production
Classics Society Update
by Dalia P, Co-Chair of the Classics Society
Classics Society this year has been filled with a range of incredibly fun activities. From presentations to play performances and weekly puzzles, there has been no end to our lively club.
Over the past year we have held multiple presentations on women in Classics, both mythological and historical. An aim was to show how Classics is important to the modern day and to highlight its relevance. The point of many of our sessions was to show students how Classics is still embedded in our society through literature, plays and language.
Another goal was to bring Classics to life for students. Therefore, we held sessions on reading Latin and Ancient Greek aloud, which everyone seemed to enjoy (although some may say it sounded a little like a cult!). We also carried out a sacrifice (RIP Mr Teddy Bear) to show the students what habitual events would have been like living in the ancient world. Of course, we have had many parties and more social events, such as our Saturnalia party at Christmas and our Bake Off competition, which really was an excuse for us to eat cake.
However, the club has not been merely run by us as we have had many presentations from other students on a range of topics such as Imperial Rome, History versus Myth, and heroes in mythology to name just a few. We were especially delighted to have Mr Johnson give a special presentation on Numismatics in the ancient world. In addition to Greece and Rome, we have tried to expand the students’ knowledge of the ancient world by discussing other ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians.
Our most exciting event was the production of Euripides’ Bacchae tragedy, which we performed to the Classics Department. We were so impressed with the students' enthusiasm, both their brilliant costumes and confident performances. It was wonderful to see a play written two thousand years ago being recreated by a mad group of us in the N Block!
Our final event before handing over Classics Society will be an (alcohol-free) Symposium in which we will hold debates and philosophical discussions about Classics (whilst also drinking and eating lots of juice and snacks!). Finally, the Classics Department has been so supportive of our club this year and we want to say a massive thank you to them for helping us make this year be a great one for Classics at Stephen Perse Cambridge.
Outdoor Education and DofE Update
by Russell McAlinden
DofE
More than 100 students have completed their Bronze expedition training this year and are on track to complete the main expedition in September. Towards the end of term 30 Year 10s embark on their Silver expedition in the Peaks. In July, thirteen students undertake their Gold Qualifying expedition in the challenging terrain offered by the Lake District, having completed their practice expedition during the Easter holidays in the Yorkshire Dales.
Year 7 Norfolk Lakes
At the start of the summer half term, all students from Year 7 embarked on their adventure to Norfolk Lakes, taking part in kayaking, problem solving, archery, indoor climbing and caving, SUPs and canoeing. It was an excellent three day adventure for all involved, led by the Head of Year, Mr Need.
Year 8 Land & Wave
In June, led by Mr McAlinden and Miss de la Vega, 128 students and 12 teachers took part in the adventure week run by the amazing team at Land & Wave. This trip involved camping on the wonderful Jurassic Coast in the shadow of Corfe Castle and included a whole range of activities, such as coasteering, climbing, archery tag, bushcraft, paddlesports, crab fishing, waterpark, bonfire, night hiking and slip ‘n slide!
All the students had a fantastic week finishing the year with this wonderful shared experience.
Adventure Learning Programme (ALPS)
The weekly ALPS programme has seen students having a go at kayaking, SUPs, archery, bushcraft and orienteering, in both club and sport sessions.
Adventure Learning Programme (ALPS) Residential
Peaks Climbing Weekend - Towards the start of the summer term eight budding climbers took part in our first ever school-led outdoor climbing trip to the Peak District. During the trip students had the opportunity to experience climbing on some of the most iconic climbing sites in the UK, including Stanage Edge. The trip was led by Mr McAlinden and Mr Crowley and was a massive success. The next trip has already
Gold DofE Practice Yorkshire Dales
Year 8 Land & Wave
Library Update
It has been a busy few months for the Senior School Library with lots of interesting events that have continued to captivate the imaginative minds of our students.
In typical fashion, we kicked off our World Book Day celebrations in March with an author visit from Will Sutcliffe whereby all our Year 9 students were treated to a talk presented by Will on the importance of being sustainable in a world shaped by the realities of the climate crisis. The Year 9s found Will’s talk to be ‘interactive and engaging’ in the ways in which he discussed the ever-present challenges to the environment posed by the wider impact of climate change, and, more crucially, found Will’s discussion of his writing techniques to be rather informative to the formative processes required in writing a book! Our students were thrilled to have copies of Will’s book, The Summer We Turned Green, specially signed for them, and they were very thankful for the time and efforts that Will took in introducing his work to them.
Earlier, in fervent anticipation of our World Book Day celebrations, students across the Senior School were delighted to be given the opportunity to showcase their creative talents by transforming the doors to their form rooms, innovatively ‘redesigning’ them in the style of famous book covers. Staff across the Senior School were incredibly impressed with the efforts of our students, and were completely amazed by how colourfully transformed our corridors looked.
More recently, we took the opportunity to maximise the advantages of a rare sunny day by taking a short walk over to the Cambridge University Library, where our students marvelled at the array of artefacts on display at the Murder by the Book Exhibition.
Our students were fascinated to see the very typewriter used by Agatha Christie herself and to learn about the ways in which technology has transformed how we now see maps.
Will Sutcliffe World Book Day
In their linking of the technological advancements made by way of the technological revolution over the last century, our students were fascinated to see the very typewriter used by Agatha Christie herself and to learn about the ways in which technology has transformed how we now see maps. Having just about recovered themselves from the Murder by the Book Exhibition, our students were fascinated by their trip to the University Library’s famed Map Room and commented how they found ‘the silk maps and the D-Day photographs’ to be very interesting and felt rather piqued at being able to spot our very own school on a first edition OS 25" map of Cambridge from 1888! In the words of one student: “The library was enjoyable and has increased my love for books. I would love to go back there again. I particularly enjoyed the Murder by the Book Exhibition, and I have found new love for Agatha Christie. I also loved the maps and looking at the secret maps with the different counties featured as parts of London, and as part of England!”
Staff and students from across the Senior School were especially thankful to all the staff at the University Library for helping to facilitate this fascinating trip for us.
Slightly shining the spotlight away from our literary events, the Senior School Library continues in serving as a hub of extracurricular activities, where students are able to enrich their extracurricular pursuits and participate in some of our most sought after clubs.
The Year 10 Creative Writing Club visited the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge with a focus specifically on the ‘Greece and Rome’ and ‘Italian Art 16th-18th Century’ galleries (as chosen by the students). Our students used their visit to the Fitzwilliam Museum as inspiration for their own creative writing, thus exploring various techniques and approaches used in such works of art as a way of stimulating their own imaginative approaches to the magic of creativity.
From flexing their chess moves at our popular Chess Club to finessing their skills in penmanship at our Creative Writing Club, our students look forward to every session as if it is their first and they are incredibly thankful to our staff who continue to host these events within the Senior Library.
Cambridge University Library Map Room
Chess Club
German Exchange to Munich, April 2024
by Frau Freeman & Mr Oliver
We had one of our largest groups yet take part in this year’s German Exchange and from the positive feedback, many students enjoyed the opportunity to throw themselves into the experience.
Several parents would quite happily have taken part as well! In any case, we packed in nine full days over the April holidays, five days of which were spent in school, much to the delight of our Year 10 students, who got to attend lessons such as Maths and Sciences in German. What a pleasure! And yes, German students get homework too. The Year 12s were on the other end of the lessons, supporting younger groups as teaching assistants.
Our exchange school families hosted our students with the usual warm and generous Bavarian hospitality: for many this meant plenty of delicious food and lots of excursions. Munich is well-placed for visiting the Alps and King Ludwig II’s castles. Several had the opportunity to visit the fairy-tale castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein.
Most days started with Brezel and we covered many of Munich’s sights. Our exchange school is well situated in the heart of Munich, on the Viktualienmarkt, which ensured we were in pole position for plenty of visits. We went through the city centre, visiting the numerous churches of Munich. One host family offered the group the chance to go up St. Paul’s Church Tower and we enjoyed a private tour with views onto the city centre and Theresienwiesen, location of Oktoberfest and other fairs. We managed a quick visit to the Hofbräuhaus, where the students had the chance to experience a Bierkeller without the Bier of course! Many opted for Apfelschorlen or Spezis and tried the traditional Bavarian Weißwurst.
Culture was selbstverständlich high on our agenda. The Year 10s went to the Pinakothek der Moderne to enjoy a broad range of modern art and design, including some quite challenging modern art, which led to many deep discussions. The Year 12s were hot on the trail of the Blaue Reiter and went to the Lenbachhaus to enjoy a large collection of expressionist art work. We included a visit to the summer palace, Schloss Nymphenburg, which was basking in glorious sunshine. Highlights included the Schönheitsgalerie, gallery of beauties, along with the court carriages and porcelain museum.
Group visits took in the Deutsches Museum, Europe’s largest science and technology museum as well as the highlight of going to Salzburg on Mozart’s trail including his Wohnhaus, wandering through the Mirabellgarten, which is a location used in the Sound of Music. Sadly we didn’t sing and dance through this park, we trotted through avoiding puddles - it nearly always rains when our exchange goes to Salzburg! The high point of this day's excursion is the visit to a salt mine in Berchtesgaden on the border between Austria and Germany. All the key ingredients for a breath-taking visit were there: underground trains, steep wooden slides and a boat trip over a beautiful underground lake.
Although our German exchange students have fluent English, much German was spoken and our students managed to put their language skills into practice in authentic situations, furthermore many connections have been made and long-lasting international friendships.
The return leg will be at the end of June and we look forward to hosting them in Cambridge and taking them to Sandringham and the Norfolk seaside!
Guild Reunion Event 15 June
by Helen Cornish, Director of Development and Communications
We were delighted to welcome back Stephen Perse Guild members for the 2024 Reunion on Saturday 15 June.
Once again, we were privileged to reconnect with alumni and former staff from the 1940s to the 2020s and honoured that so many people made the journey to be there, whether from here in Cambridge, or from Australia and New Zealand!
Current students, Abbey H, Ellie A, Reuben P, Phoebe C, Saoirse S-O, Elin B and Harry D were fantastic hosts and we greatly enjoyed Reuben’s performance on our wonderful new Bechstein piano, recently generously donated to the school. His excellent playing and the warm sound of this beautiful instrument were a super welcome to our guests and a lovely background to the happy chatter of reconnections over pre-lunch drinks. After a delicious lunch we enjoyed a private view of the Summer Art and Design Exhibition at the VAC, followed by a tour of Senior School, looking at what is new and what remains as it was around the site, with lots of trips down memory lane and finding out how the site has evolved over the decades.
Current staff and the student team were also intrigued to hear from former Head Girl, Carol Eapen, celebrating 50 years since completing Upper Sixth, that there used to be a ‘Head Girls’ Book’ in which each one passed on pearls of advice to their successors. Apparently, this even included advice from one of Carol’s predecessors on how to handle the Headmistress when “in a difficult mood” - the search is on to find out what happened to it!
Careers and Guidance Day
by Allison Curry, Head of Guidance
Our annual Careers and Guidance Day took place on 15 May with a variety of university presentations, a pop up fair with local employers and universities and then afternoon advice from a range of alumni and parents. We are indebted to all those who participated and value the links with parents and alumni enormously.
In the post Covid era, where most universities now focus on physical and virtual careers fairs and are reluctant to visit individual schools, we were delighted to be joined by representatives from the universities of Durham, Lancaster, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester, Oxford Brookes and Warwick. This was in addition to more local universities such as the College of West Anglia and Suffolk, as far reaching as Plymouth and as diverse as specialist colleges such as University of the Creative Arts London. The morning featured university talks on student life; student finance; applying to competitive universities; how to choose a course; and acing the personal statement. This was punctuated by our pop up fair, increasing in participants each year. Here students were free to meet the 35 organisations represented to discuss graduate recruitment; how their degree of interest might be used in a variety of company and organisation settings; and discussing work experience and internship opportunities. We were delighted to have a broad range of expertise, from hospice care and medical settings, to a variety of engineering
companies; from genetic engineering and consultancy, to global leadership, banking and pharmaceuticals, to name a few.
During the afternoon, students narrowed down their interests by selecting three subject specific breakout rooms for advice and free questioning to our bank of parents and alumni who had volunteered to speak with them online. Our presenters had shared their initial A level choices, degree(s) and subsequent career routes leading them to their current employment. It was eye opening for students to see the variety of routes their A levels might take them, to find that in most cases career routes are not linear and to hear tips from their experiences at the variety of universities our students are currently considering. Many students discovered degree options and careers previously not considered, in addition to the wealth of networking opportunities raised throughout the day.
We were equally delighted to welcome Mike Nicholson, Director of Student Admissions at the University of Cambridge, to our evening event, along with university representatives from the morning, and members of our Guidance team. Mike and university colleagues answered a range of parent questions on university admissions, changes and current trends. This was preceded by a presentation on the increasingly popular Degree Apprenticeships by Dr Curry and Oxbridge (including Imperial) applications by Mr Rudd. Following the University Q&A session, Ms Paris then gave an overview of our internal support of applications and how parents can fully support students. It was a long day, but the enthusiasm from students kept both staff and presenters engaged with their well-prepared questions.
The day formed part of the ongoing Year 12-13 Guidance Programme, which supports students' applications to degree apprenticeships, UK universities and universities abroad. We hope students are reaping the benefits from tutorial sessions on writing personal statements, work experience, signing up to UCAS, university course choices and the many other components of this two year programme.
We were delighted to be joined by representatives from the universities of Durham, Lancaster, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester, Oxford Brookes and Warwick.
"Overall, the 2024 Nice trip was very useful and constructive for improving my language skills. The experience of staying with a host family and doing work experience in the afternoon meant I was fully immersed in the culture and language."
Year 12 student
French Department Trip to Nice
by Sandrine Parente & Tom Wigington
D’une pierre deux coups –two trips, one destination!
In February seventeen students went on a trip to Nice in the south of France with Mme Parente and Mr Wigington.
Year 10 French Study Tripa
potpourri
of activities
The Year 10 trip was not only enriching linguistically but also culturally. Students enjoyed visiting Nice, Cannes, Eze, Antibes and learning how to make sweets and perfume. These visits really inspired the curiosity of our students and, thanks to tailor-made lessons, they developed their learning of the French language outside Stephen Perse Cambridge. Staying with French host families also helped them to develop strong interpersonal relationships and gave them an awareness of the French culture and way of life.
Year 12 French Work ExperienceLanguage skills in action
For the eleven Year 12 and Year 13 students, the Linguistic and Work Experience Trip not only helped them to improve their French language by having lessons every morning but also their interpersonal skills by encouraging them to step outside of their comfort zone, meet interesting people at work, experience the world of work and understand more about the world of work in France and the French way of life. They made some great connections, whether at work or with their host family and, for some of these students, these links will last longer than the time actually spent away as some of them are already thinking of returning to Nice on their own this year or
next. All students were tired by the end of the week, particularly our Year 12 and Year 13 students due to the nature of their trip. Having to concentrate not only on their host family, lessons and work, finding their own way in an unfamiliar town is mentally and physically exhausting, but rewarding on so many levels: personal, linguistic, professional and cultural.
Le français - une langue pour s’ouvrir sur le monde
These two trips opened our students' minds to French culture and French working life and a taste of real life in France. They have increased their confidence in speaking French on a daily basis and made huge progress.
The trips have given students the chance to deepen or create friendships, and to feel more connected as a group due to shared experiences. It has also given them responsibility for their workplace role.
"Although it was daunting working in a French shop on my own, it became easier everyday and I really enjoyed being able to practise my speaking and listening skills."
Year 10 student Isha
Japanese School Exchange to Keio
by Frau Freeman & Mme Webster
In February we visited our exchange school in Japan with the four Keio scholars. This was a wonderful experience and a real chance to learn more about young people’s lives in Japan, as well as putting Japanese language skills into action.
We were looked after so well by our hosts, who ensured we experienced as much as possible in the short time we were there.
Right from the get-go we were having an unforgettable experience! We flew over on the Pokemon plane, the Pikachu Jet NH, and were warmly welcomed by our hosts upon landing. First full day was spent in Old Tokyo, in Asakusa, visiting the temples and the street stalls. There was an overload on the senses, so many awesome sights and smells to take in!
We had a go at making traditional sweets before walking over to the Tokyo Tower with a matcha tea ice cream in our hands. Tokyo Tower is 332.9 metres high and we enjoyed the fabulous view from above, overlooking a sun-drenched Tokyo. We were able to see Mount Fuji on the horizon and pushed through the jet-lag, or was the tower really swaying that much!?
The subsequent days were spent in Keio SFC school, accompanying our hosts to various lessons. The buildings themselves look like textbook brutalist architecture, clean simple lines. The students enjoyed perfect views of Mount Fuji from their music classrooms and science labs - we were most envious!
There were sessions with origami, karate and calligraphy. Their EES club ran a special party for us, which included lots of fun language games and of course sweets. One of the most special moments was attending a traditional tea ceremony run by
the Keio SFC students. There was a tatami room purpose-built in the school for this ceremony. We were dressed in yukata, traditional garments, to enhance the experience further. We learnt so much about every dimension of the tea ceremony.
We were treated to a day out in Kamakura, where we visited both Shinto and Buddhist temples, as well as going to Kōtoku-in and seeing the great Buddha of Kamakura. We were lucky to have seen and experienced so much. It was a very special exchange and judging by the tears at the airport, very special friendships have been forged across the globe.
Isha (Year 10) shares her experiences on the Japanese exchange:
I would like to say that the Japan trip was very well organised and very fun to go on. I made new friends in Japan and friends with the Year 12s that I went with and all the teachers took great care of us when travelling. I have always wanted to go to Japan and I think this experience is a once in a lifetime chance. Although just visiting a country as a tourist is very fun indeed, having the experience to go to school there and see what it’s like to live there every day is also super interesting.
Keio SFC School is very big and everyone there was so nice. They have so many extracurricular activities there and everyone takes part in them. In the younger
"We also got chances to hang out with other classmates of our exchange students which was cool and many people at the school speak English, so I wasn’t completely clueless and felt included."
Year 10 student Isha
years’ classrooms, they kept the traditional Japanese classroom look which was nice. We also got chances to hang out with other classmates of our exchange students which was cool and many people at the school speak English, so I wasn’t completely clueless and felt included.
My host family were very nice and comfortable to hang out with, I had a great day out with them during our free day!
I loved showing my exchange student around in England because she was so happy to visit anything. There are many differences between Japan and England, and through the exchange this contrast is more prevalent. I highly recommend going on this trip if you are interested in visiting Japan and having amazing food there every day. The trip is a really good price considering you have to travel so far while also having a great time in Japan.
If you do plan on going on the trip, I recommend learning a bit more than the basic thank you and please in Japanese because it would be fun to understand what people are saying there (but no stress if you don’t have enough time!). I also recommend getting lots and lots of money because you would basically want to buy anything and everything (I brought a whole bag of snacks back from Japan). Overall the trip was great and I 100% recommend signing up for it.
Jazz on a Summer’s Evening
by Matthew Rudd, Director of Music
Another very busy and successful year in the music department is almost over, and as usual we rounded off the summer term in toe-tapping with jazz on a summer’s evening, a celebration of music in a wide variety of popular styles.
The first half of the concert showcased many of our ensembles; items included the Big Band playing the challenging ‘Blue rondo à la Turk’ by Dave Brubeck, the wind ensemble performing Glen Miller’s ‘In the Mood’, and ‘Cantaloupe Island’ by Herbie Hancock played by a saxophone quartet.
Our brass ensemble continues to go from strength to strength, and now includes students from Year 7 to Year 13; their performance of Ray Davies’s
1970s hit ‘You really got me’ coincided with his 80th birthday! The Chamber choir sang the gospel number ‘Going up a yonder’, and were joined by the full Upper Voices Choir and Changing Voices choir to perform the Duke Ellington classic ‘It don’t mean a thing (if it ‘ain’t got that swing)’. The weather was kind to us and the second half of the evening proceeded in the area of the Activities Space, with wonderful outdoor refreshments. A very large number of students sang vocal solos - the repertoire included ‘Girl on fire’ by Alicia Keys, ‘Angel’ by Sarah McLachlan, ‘Fearless’ by Taylor Swift and ‘At last’ by Etta James. A particular highlight was four of our boarding students performing ‘惦惦的夢 (Worried dream)’ by the Taiwanese soft-rock band The Chairs.
Modern Languages Meet Physics in Space! International Space Challenge
We were very lucky to have the opportunity to send three teams to take part in an International Space Challenge hosted by RAF Henlow and run by Business Language Champions.
This was a cross-curricular event showing how the combination of modern languages and physics can open up opportunities in future careers. The RAF is a great supporter of languages with science and had put together this day for Year 10 students across the country.
The teams were presented with a science/engineering challenge and used their language skills in French, German and Spanish, alongside their scientific skills.
There was a keynote talk by the RAF, as well as an introduction to the challenges of low-earth orbit and marketing concepts. There were several other presentations, including a taster in Russian. We met RAF linguists and RAF space specialists. There was a session also to find out more about the RAF and careers in the future.
Our three teams worked well and it was noted how engaged they were. They needed to produce an engineering presentation, explaining their proposed space hotel, and deliver in their modern languages a marketing pitch for their hotel.
Feedback acknowledged the teams’ innovation and how they had taken into consideration the restrictions of sending certain materials into space, the dimensions and scale. Several had worked out their power calculations accurately.
The teams were presented with a science/engineering challenge and used their language skills in French, German and Spanish, alongside their scientific skills.
Spanish Study Trip to Seville Full Immersion in Seville’s Cultural Melting Pot
In April a group of budding Hispanists spent a week immersing themselves in Seville, Andalusia and everything there was to offer.
Our Year 10 and Year 12 Spanish students enjoyed the chance to develop their confidence and fluency in Spanish by attending tailor-made lessons at the CLIC Institute in Seville, alongside their home stays with local host families, who ensured that students had a chance to speak in Spanish within an authentic context.
There was a massive dollop of culture in the afternoon programme alongside the grammatical framework covered in the morning lessons. Students visited the ‘Real Alcázar’ (Royal Palace) and Gardens, Seville’s Cathedral and Giralda tower. There was a guided visit to the cathedral and a tour around the historic centre of Seville, including a chance to experience the beautiful Plaza de España and María Luisa Park in glorious sunshine.
On the final day, students also visited the food market and a traditional ceramics workshop in the emblematic neighbourhood of Triana.
Students seem to agree that one of the highlights was attending a local Flamenco show which had everyone on the edge of their seats, tapping their feet!
We are very proud of our Spanish IGCSE, A level and DELE Spanish students for making the most out of this trip to the very heart of Andalusia.
There was a massive dollop of culture in the afternoon programme alongside the grammatical framework covered in the morning lessons. Students visited the ‘Real Alcázar’ (Royal Palace) and Gardens, Seville’s Cathedral and Giralda tower.
Year 13 Leavers Events
Two events traditionally mark the end of a student’s journey through Stephen Perse Cambridge.
Year 13 Leavers’ Service – Gonville and Caius College Chapel
Monday 24 June saw parents, staff and pupils gather in the chapel of Gonville and Caius College for our annual leavers' service by kind permission of the Master and Fellows. The service was led by the Dean, Rev’d Dr Cally Hammond, who has led this service for a number of years and it is always a pleasure to listen to her wise address. As well as celebrating the value placed by Dr Stephen Perse on faith and education, the Rev’d Dr Hammond offered two pieces of advice to our leavers: don’t be afraid and be kind.
Year 13 Leavers’ Prize Giving and Dinner
On the evening of Tuesday 25 June, parents, staff and students celebrated in a different style with our annual leavers’ prize giving and dinner. The event was held at the beautiful Manor Barn in Harlton decorated in the school colour. The weather was glorious as the guests sipped their pre-dinner fizz and our resident photographer, Mr Aidan Whyte, captured the smiles for posterity. It was lovely to see the students in black tie and elegant dresses enjoying a well-deserved reward for their hard work.
Following a group photograph in the garden, the students were presented to the gathered parents in the barn to rapturous applause in celebration of this milestone in their lives.
After the meal, there came the awarding of the school prizes by The Head of 11-18, Mr Stephen Ward.
Speeches followed the prize giving. In her speech, Mrs Jacqueline Paris, Head of Sixth Form, likened the journey through A levels to crossing a river with periods of both calm water and of fast flowing currents that can knock students off of their feet. She reminded them that this was a shared journey with their friends, parents and teachers acting as guide rope, to be on hand when needed. She urged them not just to focus on the destination but to enjoy the journey, to jump off the safe path, to both ride the rapids and play in the shallows.
Awards then moved onto a lighter note. Ms Barrell awarded tiaras to her on-stage and back stage drama crew for their enthusiasm in a wide range of productions over the years.
The Heads of School, Florence and Ryan, then took to the stage and thanked parents and staff on behalf of the student body for the support they have received during their schooling. They reminisced on some of their memorable moments through the Sixth Form and finally they celebrated by awarding medals to the winners of the student polls for the yearbook. Too long a list to mention but highlights included, most likely to become prime minister (Ben L), most likely to return to The Stephen Perse as a teacher (Dalia P), most likely to ace a last minute assignment (Yannie C) and ‘most kind’ (Tom Le) which sits beautifully with the advice of Rev’d Dr Cally Hammond. Clearly kindness
is an attribute already valued among the Sixth Form community.
The students have learnt and been tested on a huge volume of material over their many years of schooling. They have developed skills both academic and practical. As Ryan and Florence reminded the guests in their speeches, they have all grown to Be Curious and to Be Future Innovators but more importantly, they have grown to be kind, caring and responsible young people. They are sent off onto the next stage of their lives equipped with the strength of character to shine in all that they do and the generosity of spirit to do it with compassion.
We wish them well.
Prize Giving winners on next page
The students have learnt and been tested on a huge volume of material over their many years of schooling. They have developed skills both academic and practical.
Year 13 Prize Giving Winners
Academic Prizes
Burns Prize for French Lucas H
Mary Fazackerley Prize for German Ellie W
Golder Prize for Spanish Adam R-B
Stephen Perse Prize for Latin Florence B
Stephen Perse Prize for Greek Dalia P
Helen Grant Memorial Prize for Classics Dalia P
Stephen Perse Prize for Pure Mathematics Nathaniel W
Stephen Perse Prize for Mathematics Bochang L
Stephen Perse Prize for Single Mathematics Natalie C
Stephen Perse Prize for Biological Sciences Jada C
Helen Valentine Memorial Prize for Chemistry: jointly to Jamie F and Sebastian H
Hunter Prize for Physics jointly to Tom Le and Hibatullah M
Stephen Perse Prize for Computer Science Teddy S
Stephen Perse Prize for Design and Technology Zoe C
Elspeth Giles Prize for English Tommy L
Stephen Perse Prize for Geography Heart V
John Wesley Wooton Prize for History Jessie Li
Kate Harding Memorial Prize for RS and Philosophy William N
Stephen Perse Prize for for Sociology William N
Stewart Prize for Economics Justin W
Stephen Perse Prize for Business Ceyla B
Stephen Perse Prize for Psychology Kian F
Stephen Perse Prize for Politics Ross L
Stephen Perse Prize for Art Audrey S
Anne Mayne Prize for Drama Tom La
Stephen Perse Prize for Music Ryan H
Campbell Prize for Music Performance Audrey S
Margaret Houghton Prize for Chamber Music Yannie C
Trinity College Leaving Exhibition for the outstanding academic student Matvii Y
Sports Prizes
Excellence in Hockey Zoe C
Excellence in Basketball Jamie F
Excellence in Volleyball Katie W
Outstanding Contribution to School Teams Florence B
Outstanding Achievement in Girls’ Sport Sirisha G
Outstanding Achievement in Boys’ Sport David T
General Prizes
Marion Street Prize for Academic Commitment: Tymofii B
Stephen Perse Prize for Contribution to the Boarding Community Christopher W
Elizabeth Garratt Prize for Progress in the Sixth Form Annie L
Head of School Prize: Jointly to Florence B and Ryan H
Outstanding Achievement in Girls’ Sport Sirisha G
Outstanding Achievement in Boys’ Sport David T
Sport Update
We have had an action packed Summer term. The students have worked hard to develop their cricket skills, despite the rain making it difficult to play many of the fixtures. There have been some excellent results in any array of sports, so please read on to see just what we have been up to.
NSEA Eventers Challenge Championships
Amelia in Year 10 had a fantastic day on Saturday 25 May at the All England Jumping Course, Hickstead, for the NSEA Eventers Challenge Championships. In a class of 79 national competitors, she was placed third. It was close at the top with just 0.5 seconds between first and third place. An outstanding achievement.
St Bedes Athletics Cluster Meeting
Our Year 8 athletics team performed well at the St Bedes Athletics Cluster Meeting. Particular congratulations to Max S who won the shot put and to the girls relay team for an outstanding performance.
Beth Shriever & Imogen Grant Chase Olympic Dreams
This summer, the excitement of the Olympic Games returns to the City of Light, Paris! We have two fantastic athletes competing for Team GB, and we'll be cheering them on every step of the way.
Beth Shriever, our former teaching assistant and reigning Olympic BMX champion, is back to defend her gold medal on 1st and 2nd August.
Imogen Grant, Stephen Perse alumna, will be competing in the lightweight double sculls. After a heart-wrenching 4th place finish by a mere 0.01 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics, she and her rowing partner are determined to reach the podium this year. Since the last Olympics, Imogen has combined with Emily Craig to win ten successive international regattas in the lightweight women’s double sculls. A superb unbeaten run has seen them crowned double world champions, double European champions and World Rowing Crew of the Year in 2023. Their quest for Olympic gold starts on 29th July and runs until 3rd August.
We wish Beth and Imogen the very best of luck in Paris! We will all be watching, cheering them on to victory.
Imogen Grant
Beth Shriever
Team GB success
Congratulations to Sophie in Year 12, who has been selected for her second Team GB cap. She will be joining the squad for the European Championships in Romania in July. Good luck Sophie!
Tennis Update
For the first time in the school's history, our Senior Girls Tennis Team has qualified for the National Finals in Nottingham. Team members include: Sophie J (Year 10); Bea W (Year 10); Millie H (Year 12); Daisy W (Year 12).
To get to the final they played in the knockout round against schools in our region, where they met King Edward VI Grammar, Framlingham College, The Perse and New Hall School.
Cambridgeshire AAA Track & Field Athletics Championships
A small contingent of very talented athletes took part in the Cambridgeshire AAA Track & Field Championships at The University Athletics track in Cambridge, after achieving tough qualifying standards. All the students did exceptionally well, especially when competing against club level athletes.
Well done to Pat P, Shaochen W, Stella C, Philip L and Lottie K, who achieved a new PB, and particular congratulations go to the following medalists:
• Imogen T - Gold medal - U15 High jump
• Bora B - Silver medal - U15 High jump
• Toby R - Silver medal - U15 300m
• Priscilla T - Silver medal - U13 100m
Also to Rowan A U13, who achieved three gold medals (hurdles, long jump, high jump) and Fran B U15, achieving two gold medals and a silver (100m, Shot, 200m), representing their clubs.
Congratulations also to the following, who have now been selected to represent Cambridgeshire at the Anglian Championships: Francesca B, Imogen T, Toby
Priscilla T
Toby R
Bora B Imogen T
Rowan A
Cricket Update
Despite the disruptive weather, we’ve had a busy term of cricket. In recent weeks, we’ve had very competitive block fixtures against Bedford Modern School and King’s Ely with some of our teams achieving excellent results.
Cup competitions
Our U13 boys, U15 girls and U18 boys all made the second round of their respective National Cup competitions.
The U13 boys had a convincing win against Hitchin Boys School before losing away to Epsom College in the second round.
The U15 girls beat Culford School in round one before losing to The Leys in the National 100 Ball Competition.
The U18 boys had an exciting one run win against Culford School before succumbing to a strong Bedford School team. However, at this fixture the boys were lucky enough to meet one of England’s greatest ever Test Match players, Sir Alistair Cook, who was visiting his old school.
Independent Schools Football Association England National Team
Alice E (Year 9) represented the ISFA Under 14 England National Team against Wales Schools on 1 June. Alice started the game in midfield and performed extremely well in a comfortable 2-0 win.
Sophie J (Year 10) has also been selected for the ISFA Under 15 England National Team training camp taking place over the summer.
Congratulations to both students on their fantastic achievements.
Football Update
The Under 14 girls team suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the District Cup semi-final against St. Bede’s. Despite being on top for large parts of the game and having numerous chances, they were unable to avoid a narrow 2-1 loss. Congratulations to them for their superb season.
The under 14 boys football team lost an extremely close District Cup final to Trumpington Village College at Newmarket Town. After a close first half, the score was 1-0 to Trumpington at the break. They scored again against the run of play to make it 2-0 before Thibault B-S halved the deficit. Despite intense pressure in the second half, including hitting the bar with the last kick of the game, the boys were just unable to get back on level terms and force extra time. Whilst obviously disappointed, the team were a credit to the school for their performances and attitude throughout the cup run.
The under 12 girls became the first girls team to reach a District Cup final, which was a fantastic achievement considering the relative inexperience of the group. Several players put in outstanding performances in their first year of football, including Daphne B
and Bronte M. Unfortunately, in the final, Impington were just too strong, resulting in a 3-0 defeat. The defence, led by Ellie G played superbly and the girls were pushing right to the end to try and get a goal back. The team were a pleasure to work with, and the progress they made throughout the season was phenomenal.
Under 12 girls football team
Under 14 boys football team
Under 14 girls football team
