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THE

JOHNIAN 2020

Cover Artwork Pupils from the Fourth Form 2019-20 created these self-portraits, which are influenced by each individual's identity, their cultural background, interests, achievements and beliefs. A variety of styles and painting techniques were introduced including mixing and blending skin tones and use of stencils, and pupils took influences from the street artist Tristan Eaton.

The Johnian 2020

CONTENTS From The Head’s Desk....................................................... 4

Chapel.................................................................................. 68

Farewell From The School Captains................................. 6

Performing Arts...................................................................... 70 Outdoor Pursuits.................................................................... 80

Valete..................................................................................... 8 Our Virtual School............................................................. 12

Sport

Freedom Creative Writing............................................... 16

Director of Sport’s Season Review........................................ 84

Celebrating Achievement................................................. 20

Rugby............................................................................................ 86

This Year In Lower School................................................ 22

Hockey......................................................................................... 88 Netball......................................................................................... 89

Houses Churchill...................................................................................... 28 East............................................................................................... 32

Football........................................................................................ 90 Swimming.................................................................................... 92 Lockdown Sport........................................................................ 93

Gloucester.................................................................................. 36 Haslewood.................................................................................. 40

Building the Future............................................................ 94

Hawkins....................................................................................... 44 Montgomery............................................................................... 48 North........................................................................................... 52 South............................................................................................ 56 Surrey........................................................................................... 60 West............................................................................................. 64

The Johnian 2020

From The Head’s Desk

The Johnian 2020

From The Head’s Desk I

t would be an understatement to say that we will never forget the

academic year 2019-20. It would have been beyond any of our imaginations, as we returned to school on a sunny day in September 2019, to envisage the way that this year ended. The Covid-19 pandemic has set unprecedented challenges for the entire world; every aspect of ‘normal’ life has been touched in some way. From 23 March 2020, school was closed in a physical sense but the St John’s community has pulled together with so much spirit, good humour and love for the School that we ended the year feeling as connected as ever. The sheer strangeness of the Covid-19 lockdown has dominated our thoughts so entirely in recent months that it is easy to overlook the fact that we began this year blissfully unaware of the phrase ‘social-distancing’. Casting my mind back to Autumn Term, 2019-20 began with much promise and excitement. We enjoyed welcoming our new pupils and watching them settle in to life at St John’s. Hawkins House opened its doors for the first time and quickly became established as a positive new house community within our wider school community. Our new sports centre and swimming pool opened and the impact of these exceptional facilities was felt immediately in the training, coaching and fitness opportunities that they afford. The many facets of life at St John’s were wonderfully illustrated during that first term through events as diverse as the genuinely hilarious senior school play ‘It Runs In

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The Family’, a raft of house competitions, a week-long focus on kindness tied into the national anti-bullying week, and the 1st XV’s trip to the Twickenham Stoop. That trip in particular captured something of the nature of St John’s in the way that is demonstrated teamwork, loyalty, commitment and pride. Our Lower School pupils went along to support the 1st XV and showed real passion as they willed on the victorious 1st XV to a 41-12 triumph over Caterham. The new decade then began in equally positive fashion, with the usual sense of anticipation that comes from meeting hundreds of potential new pupils through our admissions process, while enjoying the rich variety of normal school life. By February, I was concerned about the spread of Covid-19 internationally and we began planning, behind the scenes, for remote teaching. But on a day-to-day basis school life continued…I was very excited by the prospect of watching our U15 rugby team in a national final, performing arts were flourishing with the spring production of ‘Little Women’ imminent, and our senior debating team

had won the district final and were through to the South East Regional Finals. Then, when lockdown was announced, despite our foresight and the preparations we had already made, it felt shockingly sudden. At that stage, we did not know how long the restrictions would be in place but we did know that there would be no cheering on the U15s at Twickenham, no spring play, no regional debating final, and no normal Summer Term. We also realised that our Upper Sixth’s last day at St John’s was unexpectedly upon us. Amongst all the serious concerns about what would happen with public examinations, there are moments in the final year of school that are a rite of passage and these were swiftly removed for this year’s Upper Sixth. We missed the chance to celebrate with them at Speech Day and the Leavers’ Ball, but we held a final assembly for the whole school and an impromptu Leavers’ Tea for the Upper Sixth. It was an emotionally charged and memorable day that made many of us reflect on how much strength, comfort and happiness we derive from being together. When Summer Term began, thanks to the combination of our digital infrastructure, good planning and a huge amount of work undertaken by staff during the Easter holiday, we knew we could deliver a full and meaningful academic curriculum: ‘virtual’ St John’s became a reality. Within this newly virtual existence, looking after the wellbeing of our pupils was a priority. The creative ways that the St John’s spirit was kept alive was astounding and I am very proud of the way that our community adapted. Our pupils responded with impressive maturity and resilience, our staff showed their professionalism and dedication in countless ways, and parents were really supportive, which was invaluable in enabling us to create as full an experience of St John’s life as possible. On a personal note, I certainly never expected to get quite so used to talking to camera – from videoed assemblies to virtual new pupil days and

online staff briefings, I spent many hours of Summer Term talking to screens!

“The St John’s community has pulled together with so much spirit, good humour and love for the School.”

Looking back to the start of the academic year, I am struck by the fact that we began 2019-20 with the launch of our Seven Pillars of Kindness and a focus on the idea of MeWe. I asked our pupils and staff to reflect on the ways that being part of St John’s enhances their potential and experience, as well as considering how their place here, their potential, their attitudes and their approach to life can enhance it in return. MeWe describes the way that we want every individual, and the whole community, to be strengthened by the interaction. Inherent in this relationship is a responsibility for us all to behave according to the values that sit at the heart of our school: optimism, ambition, moral muscle and, of course, kindness. As this strange school year progressed, these ideas felt even more apt and even more powerful than they did at the start. In all areas of society and across the world, people have talked about the importance of kindness and, amongst all the negative news and tragic stories, there have been many wonderful examples of individuals and communities looking out for one another and treating each other with kindness and compassion. The way that we have worked together at St John’s, during this most testing of times, has shown the very best of the individuals that make up our community. None of us yet knows what 2020-21 will bring but I do know that St John’s will continue to thrive, to face challenge and opportunity with confidence and optimism, and, above all, to value the kindness and strength that epitomises our community. Rowena Cole, The Head

The Johnian 2020

Farewell from the School Captains

FARE WELL FROM THE SCHOOL C APTAINS

ur time at St John’s seems to have gone so fast, and yet so much has happened in our five years here. There are many things about the School that

are not the same as when we arrived as nervous Fourth Formers in September 2015: we have a new head, Lower School, a new house, a new swimming pool and gym, a rejuvenated Hamilton building and a state-of-the-art science centre. We’ve also had three different Prime Ministers and a global pandemic that forced us all online for quite some time. Although St John’s seems to have changed dramatically, its core remains the same. The defining values of a friendly school, preparation for life, a thriving house system, a blend of the boarding and day model and a supportive atmosphere that transcends year group divides remain unchanged. The beating heart of St John’s - and probably the reason many of us were drawn here in the first place - remains. Even in this most extraordinary year, St John’s has kept its spirit bright with online learning, house competitions, vodcasts, plays, recitals and so much more. We owe a great debt of gratitude to all the staff who have facilitated and adapted to the alternative way of going about school life. We are sure we speak on behalf of the whole Upper Sixth when we say that we are sad to leave St John’s and will forever cherish the memories and friendships forged here. Nevertheless, we look forward to the future and know that we have been well equipped with the tools to face the challenge of stepping out into an uncertain world. The School’s statement of intent in the year we joined read: 6

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“The St John’s education aims to encourage each boy and girl to develop their intellectual curiosity and, through a wide range of different experiences, to define the person they wish to be and the contribution they can make thereafter. The School aims to instil a sense of leadership and service, be it locally, nationally or globally. It is an education in which the moral and spiritual growth of each individual is central, so that he or she may face with confidence the challenges and opportunities of our society. Each boy and girl is valued and nurtured on the basis of who they are and not according to year group, gender, natural gifts or background. It is a preparation for life.” We think that for us and our peers, it can be safely said that this intent has been fulfilled. We are very grateful to all who have supported us through it, whether parents, staff or friends.

“We are sad to leave St John’s and will forever cherish the memories and friendships forged here.”

Despite the unusual circumstances in which this year ended, it has been an enormous privilege for us to serve as School Captains. Our thanks must go to the fantastic team of Prefects that have been alongside us throughout and we wish next year’s School Captains and Prefects every success. This is a role that shows you St John’s in a new light; capturing the sheer volume of things going on and the immense work behind the scenes that enables it to (mostly!) run like clockwork. While things may not have ended with the final flourish that we are all used to, this year was still one full of activity, enthusiasm, house passion and one of a great many achievements. We are sure that the School will continue to adapt with the challenges of the present and future just as well as it has for almost 170 years. We have seen the hard work of the Senior Leadership Team and must thank Dr Laurie for his efforts and wish him well for the future as he moves on this year.

It is easy to overlook the efforts of everyone who works at St John’s in what they do to create the best environment to learn, develop and experience new things. Every teacher is deeply committed, not only to their subject but also to the wider life of the School whether in house, sport, CCF or something else. We must also not forget the hard work of the cleaning staff, transport team, estates staff, grounds staff and, of course, the catering department whose delicious cooking will perhaps be missed above all else! On behalf of our year in particular and all the pupils, we’d like to thank all the staff for making our time at St John’s not just possible but so special. We have occasionally been asked this year if we have any advice for new pupils to make the most of their time at St John’s. For us, the best thing we can say is to get stuck in. Try new things, take opportunities, put effort into everything you do, and you will find the things you love. There will naturally be low points and things you don’t enjoy but you just have to keep going and that’s made easy by the incredible support you will feel from the people around you in house. St John’s is more than just a school for learning and doing exams, there are amazing opportunities for you at this place so try and experience as many as possible. In essence, the best way to experience St John’s is to be busy! We will always look back fondly on our time here and wish all those we leave behind the very best for the future. Phoebe McCutcheon and James Perkins

The Johnian 2020

Valete

Valete Ewan Laurie Deputy Head (Pastoral) In the comparatively short time that Ewan has been at St John’s he has made an significant impact on the pastoral life of the School. He has been instrumental in pushing forward the project to embed ‘kindness’ in every aspect of school life. Working with Nick Johnston-Jones to develop our Seven Pillars of Kindness, he has sought every opportunity to integrate it meaningfully into the academic year and, in doing so, he has laid firm foundations on which we will build; it is a lasting legacy that will enrich the pastoral life of St John’s into the future. In Autumn Term 2019, Ewan spearheaded a week of events focussed on kindness and respect, which we ran in line with the 2019 anti-bullying week ‘Change Starts

With Us’ campaign. Pupils and staff donned odd socks or multi-coloured nail polish to celebrate individuality and we celebrated World Kindness Day with random acts of kindness across the School. In recent months, Ewan’s creative introduction of the St John’s Challenge Award epitomised his holistic approach to caring for our pupils’ wellbeing. He shaped a scheme that would engage pupils with learning something new, being active, caring for themselves and giving back to the community – all wrapped up with plenty of chances for fun and recognition. What might appear, on the surface, a simple and light-hearted activity had real depth in its focus on encouraging our pupils to stay healthy and to find ways that helped them unwind in these strange times.

demonstrated through his ‘daily dose of St John’s’ tweets. Every day he has tweeted a new image from somewhere around the School site - and has certainly significantly increased our photo-library of sunrise and sunset images! Through this strangest of school terms, many of us have found we have had new responsibilities to work into our weekly schedule. It is possible that Ewan had one of the strangest as it has been his job to check on the security of the School armoury each week. We’re pleased to report it remains secure!

Ewan’s commitment to keeping pupils and staff connected with St John’s throughout lockdown has been most obviously

Rowena Cole

I thank Ewan for everything he has done at St John’s and, particularly, for his genuine care for the wellbeing of our pupils. We wish him every success and happiness for the future.

James Kidd Assistant Head (Boarding and Co-curricular) James arrived at St John’s in September 2006 as a newly qualified teacher. No one could have predicted 14 years later the impression James would leave behind as he goes onto a promotion as Vice Principal (Boarding) at DLD College London. Throughout his time at the School, James has held many roles and responsibilities including Head of Business, Master in Charge of Athletics, Assistant House Master and most recently Assistant Head (Boarding and Co-curricular). Whilst his responsibilities have been broad, it is James’s total commitment to St John’s and the pupils that has been consistent in all the roles he has held. His commitment to supporting the pupils is unquestionable and,

The Johnian 2020

as a colleague, he is team player who is not afraid of hard work. As a tutor, he was always firm but fair and the tutees always knew they had a champion in James. This was particularly evident in his commitment to West House over many years, where he will be fondly remembered by pupils and parents who benefitted from his support. His attention to detail and organisational skills have been greatly valued through his work to balance the busy life of the School. James worked tirelessly behind the scenes, be it resolving a clash to allow all important events to take place or stepping in as presenter for the first live virtual concert; James was always present and supporting. Those who have been fortunate enough to work closely with James will be unsurprised that he is moving onto a pastoral role

within a boarding school as his values are rooted in excellent pastoral care and a holistic education. We wish him every success in this new role and wave him off with a hint of sadness but mostly with our full support and best wishes as he takes on his next challenge. Rebecca Evans

Debbie Burgess Assistant Head (Timetabling and Logistics) In the staff leaving speeches, Debbie was referred to as the first Mother of the Common Room – not the most flattering of titles, but for those of us in the know, it epitomises the selfless dedication and commitment that Debbie has given to St John’s over the past thirty years. St John’s has undergone much change during this time, from a small all-boys school with a smattering of girls in the Sixth Form to the large, co-ed school that St John’s is today, welcoming both boys and girls from the age of eleven. Through all of the changes, the teachings of one person has remained constant. Debbie arrived as teacher of mathematics in the Autumn Term of 1990, and in a largely male-dominated common room, Debbie

was able to make her mark with her sharp mathematical mind and wonderful, dry sense of humour. A trailblazer, Debbie became the first female head of sport, organising all things football related. Her attention to detail and total dedication to the welfare of pupils made her the natural choice as the first female Assistant Head, and Mark Rogers has big shoes to fill as he takes on her role of Timetabler. In the classroom, Debbie’s passion for the pure teaching of mathematics is recognised by all – from the brightest of those studying Further Mathematics to those in the lower sets who are so appreciative of her kind, calm and patient manner. Debbie’s strategic approach has been greatly valued by the admissions department, where her contribution has been significant, and her ability to spot a potential calendar clash a mile off is just one aspect of school leadership in which her attention to detail has been outstanding.

Beyond the classroom, Debbie continues to be the consummate professional. Most recently, as a tutor within Haslewood, she has guided so many girls through their teenage years and her years of knowledge have been gratefully received by past housemasters and housemistresses. Within house, Debbie has been a teacher, a tutor, a leader, an organiser, a mother, a listening ear, and a friend to both staff and pupils alike. As well as being an excellent teacher and tutor, Debbie has been an immensely supportive and much admired colleague; she will be missed by us all, but she is so deserving of the time she can now spend with her family. Lise Parker

Najet Byrne Head of French As an advocate for their subject, few are more authentic than Madame Byrne. Najet is a quite brilliant linguist, teaching Spanish to a high level and showing up many native speakers with her use of English but her focus, quite rightly, settled on driving standards of French. Through her professionalism and her unerring belief that pupils and staff will understand if she persists in speaking in French to them often with a caustic stare, a Gallic shrug or a furtive glint in her eye to help – she has improved results, inspired many and brought a true Grenobloise flavour to the languages corridor and the common room. Whether it has been bottom sets or highflying A level pupils, Najet’s insistence on hard work has paid dividends with excellent

examination results, and the pupils knowing that their efforts will be matched by her dedication to them. And what dedication! Fuelled solely by Polo mints, Najet chains herself to her desk, continually marking and preparing lessons and only breaking out for a quick sojourn to Haslewood or to run her much-loved Zumba sessions. Yet, despite barely ever leaving room 6, Najet remains on the pulse and her tutees know that she has got their back. She is quite simply an extraordinary tutor, who captures the hearts and minds of all those lucky to have been ‘sorted’ into Najet’s group. Known throughout house as ‘the cool one’, her individualism and unfaltering loyalty to Haslewood has made her someone who will be sorely missed. The number of former tutees who turn up in later years for a halfFrench half-English catch-up bears testament to the excellent relationships she has built with the girls over the years.

On personal levels, Guy would like to thank Najet for her support in the MFL department, for debating the minutiae of French grammar and for teaching him any number of new phrases. Highlights will have to be the trips to Nice and a chance to relax after a couple of Kirs (Najet, not Guy!). Whilst Lauren would like to thank Najet for her endless support with all the pupils in Haslewood, not just her own tutees. Personal highlights are the frank explanations in tutor sessions, but there is some light relief in not having to be ‘as cool as Madame Byrne’ moving forward. Najet has given much to St John’s and her knowledge and energy will be greatly missed. We are sure that she will enjoy the next challenge of inspiring the Cayman’s to love French and we wish her, Damian and Cooper all the very best. Guy Hicks and Lauren Moors

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Valete

Linda Culm Learning Development Teacher Linda Culm has been the pioneering force behind the Learning Development Department since she joined St John’s 30 years ago. Starting as a part time specialist teacher, and having a really awe-inspiring capacity to learn just about anything, she has supported pupils across all subjects. When Linda first arrived she was teaching in the old organ loft, a tiny mezzanine in the Old Chapel, where the only access was by a Victorian spiral staircase. Since then she has taught in several less well known corners of the School until she established the current department in the Hamilton building, quietly but effectively integrating pupil needs and promoting an ‘I can’ ethos.

Linda has worked with hundreds of pupils to help them to achieve their potential, sharing her curiosity and love of learning. Many of her ex pupils will testify to her passion to see everyone make changes to transform their outcomes. Some may not have appreciated at the time her dogged pursuit to help them bring this about, but many have returned later to share with her their gratitude for her patience, understanding and her refusal to let anyone ‘stop trying’. Linda practises what she preaches by challenging herself. She is always learning new things and will always ask ‘why?’ even when you would rather she didn’t. She is an original thinker who has sustained her passion for her work, keeping on top of neurodiversity and metacognition research and generously sharing her expertise with

all; staff and pupils alike. Blended into all she does is her sense of humour currently illustrated by the cartoon she has on her office door of two dogs looking at their food bowls entitled: ‘Not homework again!’ Linda has been an active and committed member of the St John’s community, involved in many aspects of the School from Christmas dinners for the local community to helping on Heritage Days as a knowledgeable guide. Having worked with the last five successive heads there isn’t much she doesn’t know about St John’s. Linda remarkably sustains a plethora of other interests. Going forwards she may not be around school so much, but we can expect to see her at many school events as she moves on to her new projects. Jacqueline Chaddock

Lauren Moors Housemistress Haslewood and Teacher of Business Studies Lauren certainly leaves her mark at St Johns, having taken key roles in so many aspects of school life over her seven years at the School. She will undoubtedly be remembered fondly by pupils, parents and staff alike. She showed impressive commitment in all that she did, from hosting sparkling sport dinners with celebrity guests to dedicating herself to helping individual pupils to achieve their best. Lauren arrived at St John’s as a fresh faced business studies teacher in 2013. Her value was quickly felt on the sporting side of the School, particularly in hockey. Furthermore, Lauren’s passion for pastoral work meant that she quickly stepped into the role of Assistant Housemistress in South House. It was not long before Lauren took on the

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highly significant role as Director of Sport and she spent years promoting sport at St John’s with zeal. In this time she oversaw many triumphs including winning the Surrey Cup with the U14A hockey team. As the first female Director of Sport, she did a huge amount to raise the profile of girls’ sport within the School. Always hungry for new experiences, Lauren then moved into an overarching role as Strategic Ambassador, working on plans to help St John’s go from strength to strength and drinking plenty of wine with parents along the way. However, her pastoral skills were soon required in Haslewood House where she took the helm as Housemistress, instilling the values of courage and kindness and ensuring that the girls in Haslewood always felt valued and supported. Beyond the school gates, Lauren has pursued writing for some time and she leaves the School to commit to this

wholeheartedly. Alongside her creative pursuits, she continues to be a well-known presence in the world of Surrey hockey and we have no doubt that her ambition and character will see her go on to achieve great things in the coming years. Danielle Dixon

Alison Abbott Head of Biology, Oxbridge

Rob Bastin Head of Physics

Giles Bennett Deputy Head of Maths and Head of Upper Third

Hayley Bradley Teacher of Classics

Tom Davies Teacher of Physics

Chiara Edwards Deputy Head of Science and Teacher of Physics

Laura Elliott Head of MFL

Alice Evans Teacher of Sports Science

Elena Gaioni Teacher of Spanish

Lucy Hems Teacher of Sports Science

Sophie Westerby Jones Deputy Head of Sixth Form (Careers)

Hazel Scurr Geography Fellow

The Johnian 2020

Our Virtual School

OUR

VIRTUAL SCHOOL The strength of the St John’s community is something that we talk about often, but the experiences of Summer Term 2020 and the Covid-19 lockdown reinforced just how important that strength and sense of belonging is to our pupils, staff, parents and friends.

The immediate challenge, as the prospect of school closures approached, was to ensure that we could deliver high quality teaching and learning remotely. Our interest in the opportunities that technology offers to education means that we went into this process from a strong starting position. We introduced ‘Bring Your Own Device’ in 2018 and, with a programme of innovation and training spearheaded by Mark Sartorius, Assistant Head (Digital Strategy), our pupils and staff have since become familiar with using technology creatively to enhance learning. Throughout the Easter holidays, St John’s staff worked hard to take this several steps further, meaning that, when Summer Term began, we were able to deliver a full ‘virtual’ timetable, with the classroom experience replicated in as meaningful a way as possible. With lessons up and running, many other aspects of school life moved into the virtual world to ensure that our staff and pupils had as rich a ‘school day’ as possible from their own homes. The Head of St John’s, Rowena Cole, delivered her weekly assembly via video – from a different location around school each week - and Housemasters and Housemistresses created video assemblies to stay in touch. On Friday mornings we tuned in for virtual ‘Congers’ and the Performing Arts Department did an amazing job of keeping 12

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music and drama alive throughout lockdown (read more on page 70). To maintain the level of pastoral care that is at the heart of St John’s life, tutor time took place virtually and the Chaplain shared his weekly Chapel Talk to impart words of wisdom. As everyone became increasingly used to conducting their social lives online, the SJPA organised a Virtual Quiz Night, which saw families take part from home. Keeping the day-to-day business of school life running, the weekly wholestaff briefing continued every Monday as normal - simply online rather than in the Common Room - and we ran staff INSET days via Microsoft Teams.

In the early days of lockdown, St Johnâ€™s donated high quality goggles and disposable gloves to the NHS, spoke to the local NHS Trust to explore ways we could offer practical assistance to their projects and our Nurse Manager, Susan Newing, took a leave of absence to work on the NHS frontline. Her insightful advice and guidance had made a huge contribution to the health and wellbeing of our school community as awareness of Covid-19 began to circulate, and we were immensely proud of her decision to apply her skills and experience where it was most needed at the height of the crisis. Many other staff committed to help the NHS through the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme and supported their local communities in countless other ways. As Summer Term progressed, we contacted local schools to offer assistance in a variety of practical ways and, as was seen across the country, the challenges we all faced inspired a real sense of community spirit, which saw people seeking ways to support and help one another. As soon as the School closed, we created resources for pupils, parents and staff offering advice and guidance to help with many aspects of the odd circumstances in which we found ourselves. From the importance of sleep for wellbeing and suggestions on how to stay active, to practical tips for reducing screen time in an increasingly screen-centric day and the value of reading material not connected to schoolwork, the aim was to equip our community with strategies that helped them adapt positively to a strange new way of life.

#strongertogether The Johnian 2020

IRTUA

Our Virtual School

Taking this a step further, we then launched the St John’s Challenge Award to give pupils the chance to show what they were doing and to recognise their efforts, while encouraging them to step outside their comfort zone and try something new. Taking part in the Challenge Award involved committing time and effort to four key areas: Being Active, Learning Something New, Helping Others and Looking After Yourself. The four strands encouraged pupils to look after themselves during lockdown, while also creating the opportunity to spread kindness and give back to the local community. The Award ran throughout Summer Term and was entered enthusiastically by pupils of all ages who came up with inventive ways to get involved. Amongst all the trampolining, running, baking (which flourished to such an extent that Lower School put together a recipe book!) and yoga, some of the more unusual activities included coding, learning Russian, skateboarding and block paving a driveway. As the second half of Summer Term got underway, we finally had a date on which some pupils would be able to return to school. Unfortunately, the lifting of restrictions allowed only for Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth pupils to come back to school for face-to-face teaching, but pupils and staff were thrilled to get even this small sense of normality back. With very careful planning, it was possible to make this first step to being physically back in school function really well. While other year groups could not come back for lessons, it was possible at that stage of lockdown to run sports clubs. This allowed us to arrange sports sessions for our Lower Third, Upper Third and Fourth Form pupils on the final three Saturdays of term. Thanks to our extensive outdoor space, and the many staff who volunteered to help run these sessions, we were able to hold small group sports sessions safely. It was a valuable chance for our pupils to come back to school and to reconnect with their peers before the holidays. In the final weeks of term, many events that are annual fixtures in the School calendar moved online. The new pupils who will be joining St John’s in September 2020 had the chance to ‘look around’ the School site via video and met their tutors online during their virtual Familiarisation Days. Our new staff attended a virtual induction day and we were delighted to hold a live Q&A for prospective families who have been unable to visit the School physically. The academic year 2019-2020 has been exceptional but, amongst all the distressing aspects of this pandemic, our community pulled together in the most positive of ways. We aim for a sense of fun to be stitched into the fabric of St John’s life and this good humour has lifted spirits even on the most difficult days. The professionalism and dedication of staff, coupled with the enthusiastic adaptability of our pupils and the support of their parents, has been remarkable and we emerge from the other side of this strange year stronger than ever.

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The School that Marches on its Stomach! Food is never far from our thoughts at St John’s. The catering is always outstanding and our pupils (and staff) often comment that school lunches are one of the things they will miss when they leave! Catering for the vast array of events that take place at St John’s, from breakfast and lunch every day for hundreds of hungry teenagers to black tie dinners, afternoon teas and concert refreshments, means that the Catering Department are adapt at responding to challenges. But the final week of Spring Term 2020 brought some unusual challenges and the way that the community responded sums up the proactive and positive attitude with which the whole school faced the crisis.

All For One… In the final week that school was open, increased safety measures to limit any potential virus spread meant that extra staff were needed to serve food in the Dining Hall. Unfortunately, this coincided with a reduction in team numbers because some were already at home in self-isolation, but an army of willing volunteers were soon stepping in to fill the gaps. Volunteers from the support and academic staff came forward to serve, clean and polish cutlery and made an enormous difference. The catering team also worked incredibly hard to cover for staff who weren’t there and to adapt to new ways of working.

An Impromptu Leavers’ Tea It suddenly became apparent that the Upper Sixth were going to have a very strange last day at school. Something needed to be done to give them a send-off and, as part of creating a memorable occasion for them, the catering team were asked to provide

something special. Against tight deadlines – including having the Dining Hall set up just an hour after the busy final lunch service an impressive spread featuring sushi and elegant petit fours looked far from ‘last minute’.

The St John’s Shop When the nation went into ‘stockpiling’ frenzy in late March, supermarket shelves were emptied and the media reported shortages of essentials. St John’s Catering Department saw an opportunity to help the whole school community and established a pop-up shop in the Dining Hall. On the first Friday that the shop was opened, it was quickly evident how much it was needed and how grateful people were to have access to essentials, particularly for those members of staff who were working long hours and unable to get to the shops. On the following Monday, the shop was open again and people were shopping not only for themselves but also for the vulnerable around including elderly relatives, neighbours and those already shielding. On this day over a tonne of stock was sold, including more than 200kg pasta, 130kg rice, 30kg flour, 50kg cereals, 150 pints of milk, 60kg fruit, 170kg meat, 800 eggs, and much more. To make this possible, the catering team worked tirelessly, some from 6.00am, all doing what they could to help others within the community. With thanks to Billy Bassett, Head Chef

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Freedom Creative Writing

FREEDOM

Creative

WRITING

ith many of our normal ‘freedoms’ removed under lockdown, and aware of how creativity and the arts can enrich our lives in the most challenging

of times, we asked our pupils, their families, staff and alumni to think about the concept of freedom. A creative writing competition sparked an outpouring of thoughtful reflections on what freedom means to each of us.

FREEDOM LOWER SCHOOL WINNER: JESSICA BRENTNALL Trudging up the stairs, I hungered for the haven of my bedroom. Stepping in through the door, I closed it behind me with a resounding click, leaving the worries of the day outside. I threw my school bags down and sank onto my sumptuous bed. Reflecting on the day, I was glad to be back on my bed and felt a wave of relief wash over me. It was time to release all the pressures of the week: deadlines, maintaining a strong facade, jumping through hoops and meeting expectations. The weight often pressed heavily on my shoulders. Taking my tie off, I couldn’t help but think that I had earned my freedom on the cliff face of St Oswald’s. Shedding my uniform like a snake sheds its skin, I felt that I had earned the right to self-expression. Approaching the wardrobe, I yanked the doors open and my eyes swept along the array of colours, each one triggering a memory. I was always very lucky to have many choices in what I wear. My mind flashed back to a history lesson where we read about a governess only having two outfits to wear, one for everyday and one for Sunday best. It’s hard to comprehend how much times have changed. Nowadays, it is the norm to have a full wardrobe of clothes and still feel as though you to have nothing to wear. Indecisive has always been my middle name and today was no different. My eyes were drawn to the back of the door and the outfit my mom had picked out for me. It had obviously been inspired by the idyllic perfect little princess image into which my mom had always tried to mould me. Excessive sparkles on flowing dresses; not my cup of tea! Without a second thought, I lifted the dress and buried it in the back of my wardrobe. It reminded me of an outfit my sister might wear. She was always trying to please my mom and was clearly her favourite. In contrast, my direction was to dance to the beat of my own drum. It was as natural as breathing to me to form my own opinions and make my own decisions, and to me this freedom was as precious as any jewel.

“In a world

full of cornfLakes, be a cheerio”

My eyes came to rest on perhaps my most cherished possession, suspended in pride of place on my shelf. My great aunt, the Olympic medal winner, loaned it to me for safekeeping and I will never forget the fateful words she uttered. ‘Be inspired,’ she counselled. Admiring its golden lustre, I flipped the medal over and read the inscription. It never failed to encourage me: Mary Rand, Great Britain, 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics. She was the very epitome of an original: driven, determined and freethinking. I too wanted to be perceived in this light.

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The image of my dad and me in my photo frame, propped on my bedside table, captured my attention. Standing there in our football jerseys, in the middle of the Cowboys stadium, we seemed to exude happiness and team spirit. Seeing my football jersey draped over the back of my chair, I briefly considered the possibility, but it didn’t quite fit in with my Friday freedom mood. I was jolted from my reverie when my phone buzzed. Flicking on the touch screen, I saw a photo of my friends and me. It was as though we were wearing some type of teenage uniform: a functional shirt and pants, classic Air Force Ones and a gold necklace. It was so striking that it caused me to pause and reflect. At the time, I’d thought I dressed for comfort, but now I see that that motivation was conformity. It awoke within me a hunger to express myself. Ten minutes later, I was surrounded by a sea of discarded clothes. Even though the evidence suggested it was not true, I felt as though I didn’t have a single thing to wear. Despondent, I slumped down on the edge of my bed. The draught caused a card to cascade onto the carpet. Picking it up, a spontaneous smile crept across my face. On my last birthday, my Grandma gave it to me and it has never failed to make me laugh since. The message, ‘In a world full of cornflakes be a cheerio’, was emblazoned across the top. From the moment that it slipped out of the envelope, I knew exactly what message my Grandma was trying to convey. She wanted me to be a tall poppy, towering above a meadow filled with dandelions. I knew what I needed to do.

I had reached the realisation that what mattered to me more than anything else was the freedom to throw off the shackles of my uniform and relax into the comfort of my own home. After wandering in and out of all the houses, I’d finally chosen tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie. Despite the lack of glamour, they fit like a second skin and I wouldn’t trade this outfit for the world. On my way to join my family, I paused for a minute to reflect. This was what I wanted. This was what I was comfortable in and this is what I chose. To me that is the true meaning of freedom!

OUR CAPTIVE PALACE MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNER: OLLIE SMITH The hazy amber light, emanating from a single candle, only just illuminated the part of my notebook I was fervently scribbling on. It was getting rather late for my seemingly clandestine activities, but nonetheless, the metronome that was the guard’s pacing provided a modicum of comfort in this god-forsaken place. It wasn’t a God, or a saint, or a loved one for that matter, but these unsullied moments of humanity that preserved a certain amount of faith within me. Faith in what, I’m not sure; faith in the purity of the human condition? Perhaps that is slightly too philosophical for one’s thoughts in Holzminden, but a prisoner of war camp, for me, has been almost a sanctuary, where one has an abundance of time and expressions of the soul are inadvertently accommodated. ‘Are you really still plugging away at that thing?’, piped up my Scottish cellmate, Finlayson. He interrupted his rhythmic humming of some obscure Highland folksong to make this snide comment. ‘It seems to be taking you an awfully long time.’ I assumed his backhanded remark alluded to the set of memoirs that I busied myself with writing every night. Invariably, every evening, whilst recumbent in the musty confines of this rather comfortable POW ‘cell’, he would make reference to his superior experiences of the Scottish Highland vistas we both grew up admiring. Tonight was different as his questions were laced with a slight tone of scorn, ‘I say, in those memoirs of yours, do you do Ben Wyvis justice?’. This oddly placed question did lead me to question his motives but naturally, being a place I have fond memories of, I had done my utmost to describe everything from the musky scents of autumnal leaf-litter to the blanket-like clouds that burned as if faltering embers in the evening. I’m not the loquacious type but replied with defensive assertion, ‘Of course, I grew up in that region. Why do you ask, Finlayson?’. ‘Oh, I was just pondering on whether you could read a few paragraphs aloud, and - oh - I don’t know, prove how sufficient they are.’ Certainly, his formal tone set me on edge, but I hesitated to curtail this odd exchange and instead retreated to the pages of my notebook to select a passage which would perhaps please this rather irritating Scotsman. My mind sedated by the smoky fumes of a Kensitas cigarette that Finlayson had engaged himself in lighting, I was hard-pressed to find a paragraph that would abate my cellmate’s doubts. However, eventually I found myself recalling the vivid boyhood memories upon the mounds surrounding Ben Wyvis – in Scotland – to the intense presence of the Scot. As if mirroring my nigh on opiated state, my thoughts drifted into the yellowed pages as my guard’s pacing dwindled and the bitter taste of smoke faded.

“The feeling that enters the mind is that of sheer freedom”

The feeling that first enters the mind is that of sheer freedom; albeit restricted by the steep inclines of the hills. Being young and innocent - without the poison of cynicism The Johnian 2020

intoxicating me - naturally I assigned a storyline of great opulence to my surroundings. Vast expanses of sky, to my infant mind, were the vaulted ceilings of some grand palace ballroom, adorned with the finest watercolour paintings crafted by the fanciful imaginings of a renaissance artist. Striding through my palace grounds with the air of superciliousness that inevitably accompanies a young mind, I examined the filigrees of leaves that hung as ornate drapes along the great hall and conjured the ghost of that long dead craftsman whose calloused hands built, brick by brick, my towering Scottish palace. When one dissects this childhood practice, they may consider the notion that I stripped away the natural beauty. But I implore those that do to note the following: there was always something within – an internal monologue if you will – that urged me to distil the scale and grandeur in order to somehow fathom its presence. Whilst not indulging in spiritual belief or the church’s preaching, I had to capture the landscape in a story more perpetual than God’s hammer having wrought the very hills I stood upon. That ‘story’ lay in my aforementioned childhood creation that encapsulated the beauty in human, not spiritual, form. Certainly, this florid description was necessary despite Finlayson having, on the surface at least, a spiteful and ill-mannered disposition; and it may appear, to an attentive guard’s ear, that refusing his request was just, considering his prior attitude. But this could never be so, as when entrapped in the vice of evil, there is nothing more necessary than expressions of serenity – especially for an individual like my friend here, who, it is evident, possesses a perennial yearning for his homeland. As these thoughts crossed my mind, I passed a fleeting glance across the room only to meet the vacuous eyes of my companion. I started with a great jolt as it appeared I had killed the man with my childhood tales, as though his harrowing stare had a spectral air to it – as though his soul had drifted out of this ghastly place. To my great relief, his heavy chest was heaving in a deep sleep - he was merely one of those who slept with their eyes wide open. Observing this, now he seemed almost celestial and surprisingly tranquil in returning to the leafy pastures of his homeland he so ached for. A transient exchange of humanity had passed in those few hours, in which one man longed for freedom and another had presented it. If we could reflect on those moments of humanity that I had previously preached and allow others their little moments of freedom, then that’s something. The single candle had now exhausted its wax, the guard’s pacing had stopped altogether, and the only utterance of a sound was the gentle breath upon the satisfied face of a man.

FREEDOM UPPER SCHOOL WINNER: EMILIE NORRIS Let me take you on a journey through the forest I call my home; under sun drenched willow and past dancing streams. Careful, the darkness calls to outsiders, so follow my step and do not stray from the path. There are creatures in here too, they look like us but do not be deceived, they have been here as long as the roots underfoot. Look up! Through the shafts of sunlight she flutters down, pollen dusting her eyelashes. Stay back; pixies are troublemakers, magnets, great balls of energy. You cannot help but walk towards it, waiting to hear the laughter of the giggling stream again. Her eyes are chunks of sun-kissed amber, and when she smiles the clouds clear. Pixies have the joyousness and innocence of otters swimming through the sun. Jumping, laughing, you want to be seen by those eyes, by that radiant smile, “drop your sorrows and go dancing,” she tells you, “You’ll forget sadness for a while.”

“In contrast, my

direction was to

dance to the beat of my own drum”

Come now, follow closely. Men wiser than you have lost their sanity following the creatures of the sun and we have much more to see, my friend. The trees have changed to bone white, sprays of light green tumbling from delicate branches. Birdsong erupts in a cacophony of noise - listen! We’ve met our second creature. A small swallow dances through the sky, laughter crashes to the ground and you are awestruck. Precious gems surround the little bird: yellow apatite oscillating in the high-hanging sun, glittering garnets and milky white opals dust the ground. It has spent time with them, it knows them well. Its eyes of stormy skies study you; it is a child of wonder, yearning for life, for knowledge and an elder too wise and too clever for you. If we stay, it will teach you how to be happy, take your sorrows to the little bird and it will not make you forget your pain, it will make you love the person in the mirror in spite of it.

Tempting, but we cannot stay in this clearing forever. Let us continue. Trees reach up to meet the morning sun as we brush past dew-flecked ropes of fern, another is there and I hadn’t anticipated her coming to see us. Darkness flutters and settles around you as she drives us deeper into the forest, but it is comfortable and anyway, you are not one to be afraid of the dark. Deep fern stained with sun spans her face: peaceful, elegant - careful, looks can be deceiving. Her hands can move mountains, her tail can shake oceans. There is power in her veins like liquid gold, softness is not weakness, but she will show you a new way of life. A sleeping dragon, powerful and peaceful; it feels safe being protected by her. You have heard the tales of old - be wary of dragons, but when you are flying past the sun, how can you be afraid of anything?

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We make landing on the top of a pine tree and you clatter down, meeting the ground quicker than you would have liked. Hush, we are in a strange area, the creatures here are older and not as forgiving. The ground ripples, roots ripping from the earth, branches snapping and rocks cracking. The old gods can hear us. He is the ground, the bark, the earth. In him you see oak, pine, willow. Fairies dance with him, horses bow to him, he will enchant you with his voice, drops of silver come from his lips. You know he is not from your world, his soul glows different. But, little one, there is much to learn, you cannot help but be enthralled. Sweet stardust slips through his fingers, back to the earth from where he came. Be kind, my friend, and take heed - speak to the gods - they are listening. A breeze tumbles through the forest, bringing us to its heart. Darkness is complete, sprays of stars are around us, and the moon hangs so low you reach out to touch it. Time works differently here. Magic is dense in the air: you can taste it, smell it, and feel it on the pads of your fingertips. We are here. Our journey’s zenith - now look around you. Smashed ice and fields of forget-me-nots reside in her eyes. As delicate as a butterfly, as strong as a bear - she is a paradox. She transforms in your eyes, into starlight, into the ground, into a group of shimmering butterflies - my god! You hope she’ll turn you. Her heart is the forest where treasure lies hidden, but if you find it you’ll be the richest man alive. Be cautious, she’s hidden monsters in that cavern too, but she’ll protect you from them in the best ways she can. Nothing goes unnoticed in her eyes. “Your sorrows are not your destruction, they are your birth.” When she speaks, you question your own sanity, still you want to tell her a thousand lies just so she will speak again. Our journey is fast over; you will spend eternity wondering the meaning of those words if you stay for much longer. The sun is rising, staining the sky a deep blood red. Golden light slices the skyline, and we walk without speaking to where the fields meet the forest. Kaleidoscope eyes survey you; you had not noticed how strange your companion had looked until now. You think their wine-stained smile is dangerous, their laugh is reckless? Careful what you wish for, I will walk with you for a while, but at what price? For now though, our journey is at its end and you can pass from this place with no debt to your soul. The giggling stream will wait for you, the bone-white birch will wait for you, and I will wait for you, my friend. But, the world is a very big, and there is much more to explore, so it would do best not to return. So go on with your sorrows behind you, over mountains and under canopies of branches until you too find your true home.

FREEDOM ADULT WINNER: ANNABEL MOORE My house has become my world, my mind’s eye its own vast globe that I walk, eyes closed Maytime for me,

a static square of window sun and dusted air I look beyond, but cannot go My travels acts of self-translation, all inward-moving A triune brain perfectly replaying past words and responses differently (Example: a love unspoken, moved into hyperbole –) I stray further than I should, at times Paired bodies walk past my window Duetted people, swatting up at knobs of kerbside green, bound for paths of winding numbers through a wood of history A different type of isolation They cover forty feet of tarmac, from inside my window width of three,

A smell of cold and uncurled ferns and empty trees, flies flaring The canopies of leaves, in one hundred different greens, speak of the wind Nod permission to the toppling breeze below, (its fingers already curling under things) to fling their seeds – All echoes, just spinning stardust, magnetic summer; its undersound, and giant sympathy, birds offering up their (million year-old) translations of what Maytime used to be

disappear Heading for something also gone, really Stuck earth, piebald with sun The Johnian 2020

Celebrating Achviement

Celebrating

ACHIEVEMENT

This academic year ended without the opportunity to come together for Speech Day and our annual prize giving ceremony. While we missed the chance to celebrate the achievements of our pupils as a school community, on what is always a special and memorable occasion, we would like to congratulate everyone for their successes this year.

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UPPER SIXTH ACADEMIC PRIZE WINNERS 2020

GENERAL AND SPECIAL PRIZES 2020 SUBJECT

NAME

SURNAME

HOUSE

SUBJECT

NAME

SURNAME

HOUSE

Choir Prize

Ismael

Rodriguez Foronda

Surrey

Art

Isla

Cory

Gloucester

Choir Prize

Amelia

Balantine-Strub

South

Business

Matthew

Hull

Surrey

Choir Prize

James

Perkins

East

Classical Civilisation

Jamie

Phillips

Churchill

Choir Prize

Henry

Benzikie

North

Computer Science

Scott

Parker

Churchill

Fricke Music Prize

Grace

Kielstra

Hawkins

Birkett Music I

Toby

Gray

East

Design & Engineering

Luke

Read

East

Birkett Music II

Genevieve

ten Have

South

Drama & Theatre Studies

Phoebe

Simpson

South

Alexis Partridge Memorial Prize for Music

Robert

Butler

East

Economics

Conor

Frow

Surrey

English

Zoe

Bell

Haslewood

Baxter Cup for Choral Singing

Sarah

Nelson-Jones

South

Everett Biology

Lilia

Evans

Haslewood

Reeves Cup

Phoebe

McCutcheon

South

French

Luke

Garlick

North

Simpson Drama Prize

Harriet

Allen

Gloucester

Geography

Harry

Simmonds

Montgomery

German

Olivia

Nevins

Hawkins

Hood Chemistry

Amelia

Rees

Haslewood

Hunter History

James

Perkins

East

Latin

James

Perkins

East

Music

Robert

Butler

East

Physics

Scott

Parker

Churchill

Politics

James

Perkins

East

Psychology

Michael

Haddad

Churchill

Rutty Mathematics

Scott

Parker

Churchill

Drama Prize

Connor

Cloughley

Surrey

Willis Cup (plus £25 Amazon voucher)

Ralph

Hudson

North

Debating Prize

Lilia

Evans

Haslewood

Community Service Prize

Eileen

Michelson

Gloucester

Andre Dupays Sword of Honour

James

Perkins

East

Chapel Reading Prize

Harry

Simmonds

Montgomery

Nicholas Jeans Memorial Cup

Ethan

Salter

North

Snow Cup

Christopher

Ballard

North

Tabor Divinity

India

Hill

Gloucester

Girls’ Hockey Prize

Molly

Warner

South

Spanish

Jennifer

Guy

Hawkins

The Netball Prize

Mille

Turner

Haslewood

Sports Science

Amy

Robins

Haslewood

Science Cup

Amelia

Rees

Haslewood

Perkins

East

William

Farnsworth

Montgomery

Dux of the Year and the School

James

Cashmore Prize Judy Rivers Cup

Phoebe

McCutcheon

South

Rutty Prayer Book Prize

James

Perkins

East

Billy Rivers Cup

Elsa

Edwards

Haslewood

Old Johnian Charity Prize

Christopher

Munro

East

Charles Whitby Cup

Aron

Tubman

North

Cup for Outstanding Leadership

Beatrice

Hewetson

Gloucester

The Head’s Prize (School Captain)

Phoebe

McCutcheon

South

Chairman’s Prize (School Captain)

James

Perkins

East

School colours for Sport

Saffron

Lewis-Collymore

Haslewood

School colours for Sport

Edward

Timpson

Montgomery

School colours for Sport/Performing Arts

Phoebe

McCutcheon

South

School colours for Performing Arts

Robert

Butler

East

School colours for Performing Arts

Ismael

Rodriguez Foronda

Surrey

The Johnian 2020

This Year in Lower School

This year in

Head of Lower School Report

Lower School R

eflecting, as we approach the end of my second year as Head of Lower School, I never imagined that the words ‘pandemic’, ‘lockdown’ and ‘social distancing’

would form part of my article. Whilst the year was physically brought to a rather abrupt end by Covid-19, the work, enthusiasm and resilience shown by the Lower and Upper Third pupils has been simply staggering. I am so proud about the way they have responded to the pandemic. Whether it was writing to local elderly people, creating ingenious videos, writing powerful poetry about the Black Lives Matter movement, or baking industrial amounts of banana bread, our pupils embraced the values we hold dear in the Lower School of always trying to better oneself and maintain a positive attitude centred around our core value of kindness. It has been an exceptionally busy year and it has been a real pleasure seeing the Lower School community grow and develop. On a personal note, I would like to thank pupils and parents for continuing to support the Lower School and it is with a sense of genuine pride and satisfaction that I look back on everything that the pupils have achieved. The tutor team have worked tirelessly to support the pupils this year and I am hugely grateful for all the extra hours that they give to the pupils to make sure they are happy and able to fulfil their potential. My thanks go to Mr Bennett, who has been an incredible Head of Upper Third and who leaves us to be the Head of Lower School at St Paul’s Girls School; I have no doubt that the

girls will be well looked after under Mr Bennett’s watchful care. My thanks go to Miss Jackson, who has been an excellent Lower Third tutor and who is now taking on the role of the Assistant Housemistress of Hawkins. Last but by no means least, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our Matron, Anita, who has been an invaluable support to all in Lower School. I know that many of the Lower School have missed her greatly since we’ve been away from school. We are delighted that Janet, the Lower School receptionist, will also be taking up role as Matron from September 2020. I am extremely proud of each and every one of the Lower School pupils. Whilst it is sad that we didn’t have a formal opportunity to say goodbye to the Upper Thirds, I know they will be a credit to the houses they are going to and I hope that they will come back and see us from time to time. I look forward to seeing what they can accomplish during the next five years. Richard Harvey, Head of Lower School

It has been an exceptionally busy year and it has been a real pleasure seeing the Lower School community grow and develop.

The Johnian 2020

REFLECTIONS ON THE YEAR

by Lower School Pupils

TEAM BUILDING TRIP by Ben Cotton and Alannah Shortt

As new faces surrounded us, we made our way to the bus. There was faint chatter as people started to talk to each other and quickly become friends. We were all excited about what was to come, although none of us were ready for the amount of fun and excitement we were going to have. As we arrived, we were told who was going to be in our rooms, and everyone raced to the beds and chose who was going to sleep where. Whilst we unpacked our belongings, we started to get to know our roommates. We didn’t have a lot of time though, as we already had our first activity to get ready for. We were put into activity groups and all swarmed around the board to find out what we start with. The first day was fantastic as we all got a chance to meet our fellow teammates and start finding out how we could work well together as one big team. The activity groups went in different directions to take on the first challenge. The first day was all about working together as we quickly discovered we couldn’t complete the tasks without each other. One of the most enjoyable activities was raft building. All the hard work we had put into making the raft paid off and we could enjoy playing games in the water, although it was freezing so we tried even harder to make it across the rafts without falling in. Night fell and we were excited about what was coming next. We lay in our beds wondering what was in store for us. The next morning

we surged towards the board to see what we were doing for that day. Our first activity was buggy building - this was so much fun! We had to build a working buggy and drive in it. We all laughed so hard when the buggy finally fell apart. Next, we had abseiling. The huge, imposing wall looked terrifying at first, but in the end we helped each other face our fears. Our last activity for the day was tunnelling. We crawled through the tunnels and played games such as sardines and hide and seek, which was made much harder by the fact we couldn’t see a thing. Then the day’s activities were over, and we headed to the dining hall once again, and sat down to eat a tasty dinner and chat. We rounded off a great trip with the classic game of ‘Capture the Flag’ which left us all exhausted and we collapsed into bed, but not too tired to chat about the adventures we had had that day. The trip was a great introduction to life at St John’s and it was a brilliant way of making friends with people we are going to spend the next few years with. The main thing we learnt from this trip was that teamwork was the only way to succeed at the challenges we faced.

The Johnian 2020

This Year in Lower School

HOUSE SINGING COMPETITION by Lucy East

As always, Lower School house singing was a blast! It was a great team effort and gave everyone the chance to socialise with the rest of their house and to get to know everyone. The theme of our singing competition was The Beatles, with each house singing a different song. Red House sang ‘Ticket to Ride’, Orange House ‘I Want to Hold your Hand’, Green House ‘All you Need is Love’, Yellow House ‘Hey Jude’, Blue House ‘Help!’ and Purple House sang ‘Yellow Submarine’, or should that be ‘Purple Submarine’? Everyone sang their hearts out and had a really good time. We all feel that we got to know our houses better and we hope that following Lower School pupils will too! The winners of 2019 Autumn Term annual Lower School house singing competition were Orange House!

CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES by Petra Barr and Oliver Johns

he extracurricular clubs and activities on offer in the Lower School at St John’s are varied and fun

and are run from the day you join the school in your Lower Third, to the end of the Summer Term in Upper Third. Every pupil is encouraged to try something new every term to broaden their skills and interests.

Firstly, the sport. Lots of pupils have been very willing to have fun and enjoy learning new sports in the season at school, such as badminton and shooting. However, if you just wanted to have fun playing the sports we all love, there have been clubs for football, rugby and cricket. These clubs were not just for the boys! This year the Lower School has formed the first ever St John’s girls’ football team and have played matches against other schools. Also, there have been clubs for keen dancers, which include tap-dance and street jazz. However, if you prefer the musical side of things, there were plenty of clubs for you as well, and they were all involved with the concert at G Live in March 2020. Musical clubs include the musical ensemble (Lower School orchestra), rock ensemble, Lower School jazz band and the wonderful choir. Beyond this, we have clubs such as ancient Greek, board games club and the Lower School magazine club. Furthermore, Ms Mayes held a spectacular reading club that helped shortlist the books for the Carnegie awards. On top of all these, Ms Abbott has run a fantastic science club where all the pupils take part in fun science experiments like making sherbet and slime! Also, at Halloween they made little witches that shot up into the air like rockets. Art club has done all sorts of things such as yarn bombing (knitting long scarfs and pom poms and then hanging them around the quad), creating sculptures out of painted recycled plastic bottles, and a Christmas card competition with the Lower School and Fourth Form. Drama club have also been working hard auditioning and recruiting actors and singers for the musical that they were going to perform. Public speaking was a triumph, with pupils debating about things going on in the world and reaching the finals of the Rotary Youth Debate!

“As you can see, there is something for everyone and these activities are a great way to socialise and get to know each other in a different environment.”

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For scholars, one of their activities is pre-selected. These activities are exciting and creative ways to improve their talents. Academic scholars get involved in activities such as writing a debate or translating hieroglyphics. Sports scholars focus on improving their performance, for example learning about how muscle fibres work. Music scholars attend many of the ensembles and choirs so they can learn more of the technical aspects of music. All pupils are asked to participate in at least two activities. These can occur before school, after school or at lunchtimes. Most of the activities are mixed across skill levels, age groups and gender, and can be taught by teachers or older pupils. The Lower School activities take place from 3.30 to 4.10pm. All the activities are available to sign up for on SOCS (our timetable and activities website) and you can always ask the teacher or pupil listed in charge, if you have any questions.

REVIEW OF THE YEAR by Katie Denyer and Tom Carter

think that we can all agree that this year has been extraordinary. We went from enjoying the normal school year with its rich mixture of activities, including

academic, sporting, cultural and social events to lockdown. Prior to this Covid-19 crisis, the highlights of the Upper Third were, in my opinion, the incredible excursions to London, where we went to Sea Life and the London Eye as well as taking a ride on a Thames riverboat, and an amazing trip to an indoor skydiving centre which was a great experience. Some of us were even lucky enough to see Gemini Man in 4D which was very fun. Another day that I look forward to at the start of every year is Shrove Tuesday, where a few people from different houses in each year run around the quad in a race, flipping pancakes as they go. At the end of every race there is always a light-hearted argument between houses about who won and who should have been disqualified because they didn’t flip their pancake when they were supposed to. The School also organised many concerts which pupils from all years took part in. One of the standouts was ‘A Night at the Movies’ which took place at the G Live in Guildford. Pupils performed popular and lesser known songs from films which delighted the audience. When Lower Third joined St John’s this year, we were all feeling a bit anxious about what was going to come but we had a great start in Swanage learning people’s names and making friends. During the first couple of weeks the teachers appreciated that we were new to the School and we might not know our way around. I still remember some people coming in late to a lesson because they were lost! The lessons are interesting and engaging; in science the practicals are always very fun and enjoyable. Personally, I really love maths because we get to play lots of fun games which help us learn. At the end of first half term we went on a geography trip to measure the weather. During our walk Mr Hughes led us off the route and it was adventurous! I also enjoyed our trips to see ‘The Snow Queen’ at The Rose Theatre in Kingston and Christmas ice skating at Hampton Court Palace. However, since lockdown, our lives have changed dramatically, and the way in which we learn has changed with it. Online learning has its ups and downs and we all miss seeing our friends, but one thing is for certain: we definitely don’t miss the early morning starts! We have all been in shock that we have needed to stay at home and learn through a computer. Remote learning took a bit of time to get used to; just like when we started in September. Some of the challenges have been that some people’s microphones and/or cameras have not worked which makes it harder to answer questions and be part of the lesson. I really like that we can wear mufti every day and it’s great to see my teachers online. I think we all prefer being at school, but we have still been able to learn and that is amazing.

Whatever lies ahead we do all know that because of the commitment and enthusiasm of our teachers, we can get through this challenging time and still enjoy the high quality of education that St John’s provides for us. We need to remember how lucky and privileged we are to be able to learn with our friends and teachers even when we’re not physically there with them.

House Charity

CANCER RESEARCH UK by William Kelly

We raised over £6000 for Cancer Research UK this year; this is remarkable as the year was cut short by lockdown. The charity dinner was the big fundraising event of the year and an evening to remember. It was a great night, with parents enjoying a curry served by the Lower School pupils and a few drinks. Then everyone had a competitive quiz, with the Lower School pupils beating everyone.

The Johnian 2020

This Year in Lower School

LOWER SCHOOL SPORT

GIRLS

by Phoebe George, Josh Pakenham Walsh, Cooper Munro and Ivy Wright

We are lucky enough to have games twice a week and PE every Friday, which

was one of this year’s highlights as it allowed us to use the new sports facilities, including the dance studio, gym and swimming pool. All the sports teams play

friendly games most weekends and some throughout the week. From the A to D team everyone tries their best. The year starts with hockey. During the season, the A team won the majority of their matches, the B team made it to the semifinal of the Cranleigh School tournament. The D team worked hard in all their matches especially against RGS - who are always a strong side - with a great win of 5-2, being a highlight of the season. Netball began with a great pre-season session, which everyone enjoyed. Unfortunately, we were not able to finish the season but we did have some great successes, including the B team who only lost two games, one of which was by three goals. The A team came second in their pool in the Surrey prelim tournament, which qualified them for the Surrey finals but, in a tough pool, they sadly didn’t qualify.

In addition to our timetabled sports, we have the opportunity to attend swim squad training, early morning hockey and gym sessions, which are appreciated by so many girls.

The cricket season has been enjoyed virtually, with numerous videos from Mr James and Mr Hammond keeping us busy at home. The coaches make all of our sports fun and exciting. When anyone is struggling to learn a new skill, we work together as a team and everyone helps each other.

Overall the girls this year have had some wins and losses but have come out stronger and had lots of fun, and can’t wait to be back at school playing sport as soon as we can.

Sport is an important aspect in St John ’s curriculum. It is something you do not have to be good at to succeed. If you work towards developing skills and becoming a better team player, you will thrive. Teams are not completely based on skills or ability; they are partly based on the enthusiasm and the positivity you bring to the team.

During the year, teams participate in tournaments. This year, the girls’ hockey team won the Surrey qualifiers! Sadly, due to Covid-19, we have not advanced to play in the finals. Despite coaches teaching and introducing us to the competitive side of sport, they support us every step of the way. We even have an England Development hockey player as a coach! Boys and girls participate in a double PE on Fridays, where we are introduced to gymnastics, swimming, dance, and basketball. This variation rotates every half term. We are also exposed to athletics and tennis in the Summer Term. We were unable to do this at school this year, but we had a virtual athletics competition that was a fun task to complete throughout lockdown! Overall, sport is a crucial part of St John’s and, as much as it is competitive, it consists of teamwork and is an opportunity to make friends. I was missing sport at the beginning of lockdown, but our teachers have set challenging tasks for everyone to do. 26

The Johnian 2020

Sport is a very important part of St John’s. In the Lower School, sport is not about how good you are but is a time to learn to play a team sport (that some of us may not have been exposed to before), build interest and capabilities. It is a time to have fun with new friends and lay the foundation for competitive sport in the senior school. That doesn’t mean we don’t have competitive games. Most Saturday mornings we get to compete in our teams against other schools. On Mondays and Wednesdays we have our games lessons. The focus on Mondays is doing drills to build skills and technique – we are lucky to have some outstanding ex-international sportsmen as our coaches, including an All Blacks rugby coach, county cricketers and a Scottish international hockey coach to put us through our paces. Our Wednesday lesson is more about playing as a team and preparing for the weekend matches.

BOYS

Over the year, the main sports played as a Lower Third boy are rugby, football and cricket but these are not the only sports we play. Throughout

the year, you have the opportunity to try out different sports during our activities sessions on a Thursday afternoon and even during lunch break or after school. We are able to sign up to play not only the key sports but badminton, basketball, hockey and even shooting. We are also introduced to boys’ hockey as part of our games’ lessons and have an opportunity to play a couple of games against other schools and take part in the Surrey Cup and Plate Tournaments. This year we did very well making it through to the finals. During the year, our PE lessons rotate between different sports and we are exposed to other sports including swimming and gymnastics. Tennis and athletics can be done in the Summer Term and in the Lower School we have the opportunity to take part in athletics meetings against other schools, as well as taking part in Sports Day to win points for our house. I am lucky enough to be a sports scholar. As a scholar I get to attend

sessions on a Friday lunchtime where I can learn more about nutrition and sports psychology and have regular fitness assessments. We have a fantastic new sports centre with a pool and gym where you are allowed to work on your fitness. The sports department is always looking at opportunities to help you grow your potential. Many of us have been given opportunities to play in tournaments, play for older age groups or trial for county teams and you do not have to be a scholar to do this. Sport is something I really enjoy at St John’s. There is something for everyone, even if you don’t think you are that good. The best part has been making new friends and building a strong spirit for our school.

The sport at St John’s is brilliant. We are very competitive but never bitter and we laugh lots in the training sessions without losing focus. We play schools from all over but playing our local rivals such as Epsom and St George’s are often the most interesting games in my experience. When I first came to St John’s, from a relatively small school with next to no grounds, I was stunned at how well kept and beautiful the fields were. Then I heard about the new fields and thought to myself, “Wait there’s more!?”…and this was all before our magnificent swimming pool and gym was opened. Unfortunately, Covid-19 has affected this year’s sport and we missed out on some big games. Before lockdown, the boys got through the whole rugby season and managed to get a spectacular win over Epsom College, beating them 30-15. The football team only just got started but were gaining momentum. As well as these core sports, the gym sessions are very productive. I’m sorry I can’t write an account on the cricket season but the whole season was called off to our great disappointment. Overall though, ignoring the Covid-19 outbreak, it has been a very successful year for the boys.

The Johnian 2020

Houses Churchill

Houses

Churchill From the Housemaster

hat a strange year it has been. And what a strange end to the

academic year also.

The Johnian 2020

As we continue to find our way out of the Covid-19 lockdown, it’s almost refreshing to look back at the start of the academic year in September. The House was a buzz. Same old Housemaster. Same old tutor team. New Fourth Formers. And new neighbours, as we welcomed Hawkins into what had previously been just the ‘Churchill building’. In the first few weeks of continued building work, it was hard going for the boys, but they soon realised that they could still function in their own house and - a revelation - that the girls of Hawkins were people too and it was nice to enjoy their company! Much remains to do in terms of growing the bond between Churchill and Hawkins, but this year has been a great start and Churchill is proud to be leading the way in this two-houses-one-building co-ed venture. Until February, when the situation in China honed into view, the year was panning out as per many others. House singing was a disaster - although it wasn’t the boys’ fault that the backing track of YMCA was out of time! There was progress in the pancake race, disqualified from only two of the three races this year. Churchill was seemingly back on top on the rugby field, winning both the junior and inter house rugby competitions. In the Spring Term, house film went very well but sadly we were not rewarded. Our charity night saw us raise over £3500 for local charity Cherry Trees, who provide respite care for disabled children and their families. But then, of course, Covid-19 put an end to the school year. And to public examinations. And to the Summer Term. And the cricket season. And to most of our regular everyday lives with the lockdown. I really do commend the boys on how well they took to remote learning - it’s not easy staring at a screen for an eight period day and it’s been a fantastic effort that they’ve made, getting on board at the drop-of-a-hat with the way the School has had to ‘think outside of the box’ in these challenging times. Finally, in the last three weeks of the school year, we saw many of the Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth return for some academic subjects, some sport and for chats with me and the tutor team - a fantastic time, great chats, great to see people face-to-face... I cannot wait to do more of the same come September. Tom Leonard, Housemaster

62 NUMBER OF PUPILS

Did you know? England rugby legend George Kruis is an ex-Churchillian

MASCOT

BRITISH BULLDOG

The Johnian 2020

Houses Churchill

HOUSE COLOURS

A place where no one ever regretted giving their best 30

The Johnian 2020

From the House Captain

eptember brought a major change to Churchill, with half of the House becoming the new girls’ house, Hawkins. This was certainly difficult for the boys at first,

but we soon adjusted to the closer quarters and, in many ways, I believe it brought together the various year groups.

The year kicked off with the highly anticipated house singing competition, with Churchill delivering a triumphant rendition of YMCA, complete with dance moves and blue and white headbands! Meanwhile, in the part-song, countless hours of practice led to an impressive performance of ‘Blue Light’ by Sun Silva. Dylan Crawford led the group of Churchillian singers superbly, but despite the vocal talents of Freddie Lamy and Jacob Costard, we failed to place in the top three. The senior house debating saw our main speakers crush rivals, South House, in a heated battle which argued that ‘protecting the environment is more important than economic growth’. However, in the semi-finals, despite some excellent contributions from the floor, the judges put Gloucester House through. Churchill put in an excellent performance in house rugby, despite the waterlogged pitches, bringing home the first silverware of the year in the junior and intermediate competitions.

STRENGTHS:

Debating Rugby Tightly-knit year groups

The Spring Term came around quickly and our House Charity Night took place in February. With Michael Haddad and I doing our best on the mics, we raised over £3000 in aid of Cherry Trees. A highlight of the year for me was the annual Churchill Curry Night, where the Sixth Form, tutors and Dr Leonard headed down to Leatherhead for a thoroughly enjoyable curry. I still can’t believe Mr Rogers ate a red-hot chilli whole, alongside his vindaloo, without breaking a sweat! For the first time in memory, Churchill was not disqualified in every pancake race, and came 1st in the juniors! In the run-up to the end of term, the seniors finished an impressive 3rd in house swimming, with national-level swimmer Conor Ballard leading our team. With 12 hours’ notice that house football was suddenly the next day, the blue and whites struggled against tough opposition, with only the junior As making the final, and being contentiously defeated on penalties.

And then, suddenly, the news of the lockdown came in. It was such a shock to all of us, especially the Upper Sixth, when we realised that this would be the last ‘normal’ week of our school careers. There was an overwhelming air of sadness at leaving so abruptly, saying goodbye to our teachers and friends, and the uncertainty about our A level grades. Credit must go to the School for putting on the Leaver’s Tea and Chapel Service on only a day’s notice. I would like to thank Dr Leonard, Mrs Symes-Thomson and all the Churchill tutors for supporting the House over the last five years. Our eternal gratitude also goes to our wonderful Matron, Jane, who has helped us in too many ways to list here. I wish all the Churchill staff and boys a restful summer, and I look forward to coming back to Churchill to catch up with everyone in the years to come. Scott Parker, House Captain 2019-20

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Houses East

HOUSE COLOURS

Houses

East Competitions WON THIS YEAR:

Senior rugby House drill House film

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From the Housemaster

hen Covid-19 robbed us of the Summer Term and the

incoming Fourth Form’s familiarisation day, Mr Metcalfe and I decided that a video tour of the House would be a nice thing to do. But what would it show: a cold, concrete staircase leading to a vacant landing leading to barren echoing rooms? This is not East.

What I see is every boy racing up those concrete steps shouting “Hello, Jill” and not just because it is her birthday and she is handing out cookies. I come up to the landing and see Harry Mead welcoming the Fourth Form; Ollie Tredgett is running a quiz with all and sundry guessing wildly about nineties football; Michael Georgiou is perfecting his Boris Johnson impressions; Dexter is seeking the fact of the day and Harry Young is completing the James Bond spy challenge. Up the next flight of stairs and the desks are covered with Sixth Form work; Rob Butler has us in awe with an impromptu piano recital; the part-song ensemble harmonise; the Lower Sixth are solemnly paying respects to absent friends and the Upper Sixth crowd round Toby for a final song. Through the doors and the now bare rooms are replete with unruly sports kit, damp towels and muddy boots; there are Barnaby and Harry watching ‘The Apprentice’ or is it the Champions League? Next door the Upper Sixth are hard at work…well, it’s 1 December and there’s decorating to be done; Max is still sitting in the corner and where’s James? He’s working, of course. I turn the corner and the Lower Fifth have invented a form of corridor cricket while the Fourth Form beg to be let into their room. I head back to the landing and Mr Sartorius has put on some nineties classics to brighten the morning and more Fourth Formers are there, this time begging to keep their phones. Let’s head down to the TV room, which may look cold and empty, but I see a room full of boarders wrapped in duvets, cosily watching films; I see game after game of table tennis and the Upper Fifth bouncing off the sofas; I see house assembly speeches, ill-chosen quotations and, filling the whole space, I see 62 boys belting out ‘Country Roads’. Coming back down the corridor, we’ll peek into room 15. Here is the House Captain, just finishing a coffee, a waffle and the final flicks of his quiff. Sam’s

had another idea and he’s going to make it happen. It’s going to be the house film - a gangster movie tracking a vanilla cartel, you just wait and see. Next door, WAB is listening to Tyler the Creator. Back on the landing and what do I see? I see photos of James and Harry debating. I see Eden’s goal to win inters football and pictures of triumphant house rugby teams; there is another photo of the victorious drill squad and Reado with the house film award held aloft…then there’s us dropping the pancake again. There are photos of dinners, of the Lower Sixth Navy Seals challenge and the Fourth Form breaking records for charity. A glimpse outside and I see night-time touch rugby where we are surely beating West. The remaining photos show the boys dressed in green and black; they are together, they are smiling, they are proud. And so I turn to look at the television screen. It is not blank but shows us sitting there, top of the House Shield rankings. This is East. Boys, it is you (plus Jill and the tutors and the cleaning staff) who make our staircase sing; it is you who make the place what it is and I thank you for your energy. To the departing Upper Sixth, you have led by example and you will be sorely missed. It is a shame that your final term was taken from you but the previous 15 terms have been filled with friendship, fun and many achievements. Thanks for all that you have given MASCOT East (more than just a few holes in the ceiling!) and be sure to visit soon.

EAGLE

Guy Hicks, Housemaster

The Johnian 2020

Houses East

From the House Captain

t is with tremendous pride that I reflect on my five years in East House and the honour of being House Captain in 2019-2020, through what has arguably been

the most unusual school year for a generation.

Prospective parents often ask me when I knew that St John’s was the School for me. I point my answer to my first term back in 2015. After arriving at St John’s with none of my peers from my prep school, secondary school can often be a daunting prospect; you are suddenly a small fish in a very large pond. However, after my first week in house and 13 new friends later, I realised it was anything but intimidating. One memory that stands out was, after having won house rugby in our first term, the Sixth Form boys in East, four years our senior, lining the staircase applauding as we walked back into house. This was when I definitively knew that St John’s and East House was where I wanted to spend my next five years. The years in East that followed have been unforgettable. From winning four out of five years in both house rugby and inter-house debating, to the big screen and claiming Best Picture in the house film competition with East’s original production of the brutal cartel drama ‘Vanilla’. From our near-misses with the house part-song, to obscure and questionable charity fundraising ideas, and our collective passion for moving furniture, as the many teachers, tutors and two housemasters who have looked after us in East will tell you, there has been no shortage of memories and there are just a few that it is best not to remember…

The Johnian 2020

Over the past five years, year groups have come and gone in house, however the ethos of camaraderie and the sense of belonging will never change, and it is this that makes East so great. Even after affording space for the expansion of the Lower School, nothing could ever more clearly show that it is not the place but the people that you are with that makes your time in house so cherished. It has been my absolute pleasure to have been House Captain in my final year and with the help of a superb team of House Prefects I hope, despite the premature ending to the academic year, that we have done as good a job as the years which preceded us. I would like to say a genuine heartfelt thank you to all the teachers, tutors and to Mr Hicks who have looked after and guided us through our years at St John’s. But finally, to Jill, our wonderful Matron who has put up with us and been there whatever – thank you for making these five unforgettable years in East everything they have been. Sam Smedley, House Captain 2019-2020

The ethos of

camaraderie and the sense of belonging will never change

The Johnian 2020

Houses Gloucester

Houses

Gloucester A

nother year passes by but this is a year unlike any other â€“ and with the

Covid-19 pandemic, so much of what we would normally celebrate within house just did not happen. Nevertheless, let us start with what didâ€Ś

The Johnian 2020

From the Housemistress

We welcomed the first intake of the Lower School into the Fourth Form, and what a lively group of girls they are. Somehow, Miss Ball managed to survive! From the off, they involved themselves in house events and played a huge part to help in the success of the house unison with ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’. My thanks go to Georgie Philpott for all her hard work in putting together the part-song, and all can agree on the fact that we were robbed – we were! The House Charity Night provided another opportunity for the whole house to come together. This is very much an evening organised and run by the girls and what an evening we all enjoyed. Singing, dancing and playing musical instruments along the way – this continues to be one of the best nights of the year for Gloucester parents, who also gave so generously towards the house charity, CPS Nepal - much money was spent on two tins of soup and other such things! My thanks go to Hattie Allen, India Hill and Bea Hewetson who rose to the challenge of completing a half marathon too.

The daily buzz of house did not return for the Summer Term, as we entered the world of online teaching. Our virtual lessons did bring routine to everyone’s lives but could not replace the face-to-face contact that we all enjoy so much. I was so proud of the girls and the manner in which they took on this new format of learning. Some year groups were lucky enough to make the odd visit back to school, but alas no-one was allowed to return to house and it will remain silent until we all return in September for what might be a ‘new normal’.

The secret pen of Holly Connor, accompanied by impassioned speeches from Lydia Cannavina, catapulted Gloucester into yet another final for the senior debating competition and the inters did one better, overcoming North in the final thanks to the hard work of Eleanor Wilson, Francesca Beech and Amica van Strien. The Autumn Term culminated with the house hockey competitions and the standard of play continues to rise to exceptional levels with all four teams reaching the finals of their respective competitions. It was fitting that every house won at least one trophy. The arrival of a new decade promised so much as we returned to school for the Spring Term: so many girls in Gloucester representing the various netball teams; the Gloucester Challenge, which made use of the fantastic new swimming facility; and the completion of the house film to name but a few of the things that we were all involved in. In our house challenge, 12 hours of swimming enabled Gloucester girls to make the Channel crossing just over three times, with Francesca Beech leading the way with a most impressive 360 lengths. In fact, the Upper Fifth as a year group were most impressive with their contribution, along with their tutor Miss Scurr. The term was reaching its final crescendo when Covid-19 struck and everything came to an abrupt end. We just managed to fit in the house swimming, coming second to Hawkins, and house netball where both senior A and B teams collected the final trophies of the year. For some this has meant five wins during their time in Gloucester – a fantastic achievement. I was so pleased that I had sufficient supplies to enable all the Upper Sixth to receive their Leavers’ Scarves – a most cherished item indeed. This is a tradition started by Gloucester and which is now the norm for all of the girls’ houses.

We say goodbye to a fantastic Upper Sixth year group – gregarious in nature and so generous in the time that they have afforded to Gloucester House. You have been fantastic role models and I know that Miss Hyde, Mr Eberlin and Miss Hems have thoroughly enjoyed their two years with you. We also say goodbye to three tutors, Dr Bastin and Miss Scurr who have guided the Fifth Form with much wisdom, and to Miss Hems, with the words gregarious and generous epitomising all that she has done for the girls in Gloucester. Finally, my thanks go to all you girls who make Gloucester what it is, alongside the hard work of one person who makes the place tick, and that is Matron. Lise Parker, Housemistress

The Johnian 2020

Houses Gloucester

HOUSE COLOURS

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. HOUSE MOTTO

The Johnian 2020

From the House Captain

loucester has had an amazing year and the girls have gone from strength to strength to show this in all departments throughout school. Our spirit has

been seen in our sporting, music, theatre and academic achievements, and each and every girl should be proud of what we have accomplished.

Throughout the year, the girls have excelled in house activities such as house singing, house drill and other events. Our rendition of ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ and part-song ‘The Climb’ were both amazing to be a part of and to listen to. It was amazing that we could do a house activity in which we could all be involved. Adding to this, both songs were performed with full effort and enthusiasm, demonstrated by Deputy Captain Hattie Allen who nearly launched herself off her chair! House netball was a notable event in which the seniors won every match and the juniors came very close to the title. The effort shown by everyone on and off the court was incredible, because supporters are essential to our house spirit, especially with the lucky charm of our unicorn mascot. It is wonderful to see how every girl supports the person next to her in everything we do. I believe this is what makes Gloucester so special. House hockey was another competition where the girls had a lot to feel proud about, as they made a marvellous effort and showed their ability to have fun even in the freezing cold. As a house, we hit the ground running, literally, going straight in with the completion of a half marathon to raise money for our house charity supporting CPS Nepal. It was astounding to see the incredible amount of support the participants (including Mrs Parker, unsurprisingly) received from the rest of the House and parents, both as sponsors and as sources of great encouragement. The House Charity Dinner was a roaring success, being an evening of entertainment and laughter for both the parents and pupils.

MASCOT It was new and exciting being taken out of our element and thrown into the swimming pool for the 12-hour Gloucester challenge, when we set out to swim the distance of the English Channel and back. It was another sporting event in which Mrs Parker really showed us how it was done.

UNICORN

We should especially thank Mrs Parker and Matron for keeping the House running as smoothly as a house of 66 girls can be run. They are essential to everything involving house and I can’t thank them enough for the effort and time put into making sure everyone feels welcomed and supported in everything to do with school life. We all, as always, stick to our motto: ‘Be yourself; everyone else is already taken’. Although the year may have not ended as we had wished, I believe every girl had shown maturity in such a difficult situation and will continue to work as hard as ever for the upcoming years. It has been an honour to represent the pink and blue colours of Gloucester, and I am sure the girls of my year would whole-heartedly agree. I couldn’t have asked for better people to share my journey with and I wish the best for all in the future. Beatrice Hewetson, House Captain 2019-20

The Johnian 2020

Houses Haslewood

Houses

Haslewood From the Housemistress

t has been another compelling year for Haslewood with moments of heroism, heartache and harmony. For some, 2020 will be a year remembered with some

negative connotations, from unfinished house events and leavers not having the goodbye they deserve, to incomplete house family competitions. However, our pack of lions can look back and be proud of their achievements this year, as they have occurred in their plenty.

The Johnian 2020

The tone was set very early on, with my announcement that the one crown I wanted to ‘steal’ was East’s debating title. For four years they had been crowned champions, but our attention to detail, the quality of our argument, the support of the floor, and the eminence of the speeches were simply too much of a deadly combination for any competition. Haslewood defeated the old enemy in the first round and never looked back as they were crowned senior debating champions. All of a sudden, new goals needed to be set very quickly! One thing that has always impressed me about Haslewooders, is their commitment to house events no matter what their perceived individual skill level is. Everyone plays their part. This is where true lions prosper and the greatest example of this in action was that of our junior B hockey team, cruising through the group stages and into the final before nerves began to show. But it didn’t matter. After a close penalty shoot-out, another victory in the bag for the lions. A huge well done to those Fourth Formers involved who stood up to be counted. Haslewood’s reputation as a rounded house has shone brightly this year, with second places in the house partsong, the senior and junior netball, fourth in house drill and academic cup leaders before lockdown. However, though our blood runs Haslewood blue, our heart is St John’s green as was evident in some of the individual achievements of our pack for St John’s. To name a few, we are proud to be the home of the hockey, netball and tennis captains (Abigail Tait, Saffy Lewis-Collymore, Millie Turner). We have two published poets, two aspiring medical students and more engagement winners than any other house (Kayla Vicente, Hannah Wainwright, Amelia Rees and Lilia Evans). There are more Haslewood girls involved in school drama productions than any other house (Zoe Bell, Elsa Edwards, Georgia Kennefick, Susannah Klein, Kayla Vicente to name a few…). We are the only house to hold two in-house artists (Emilie Norris and Milly Kraushaar). The list is endless, as there are many more unsung heroes with Haslewood who do so much for St John’s. With every school success story, you can guarantee a Haslewood girl is involved somehow. Haslewood is a place where teams are made. House Charity Night saw our cognitive abilities come to the fore as all year groups came together. The safari masterpiece of Jasmin Walker, our phenomenal House Captain, was a fantastic success. Cam-Kids was our chosen charity this year, and seeing the Fourth Form as servers, the amazing musical acts, Mrs Cole’s pin-the-tail-on-thelion and the generosity of the parents, made it a very successful night. In fact, Haslewood raised more money than any other house this year. A grand total of £13,850. Thank you to all those pupils, parents and old girls who helped us more than double our tally from 2019. One thing we have tried to instil into our Haslewooders this year is a sense of loyalty and pride. We hope that through our motto - ‘to show courage and to be kind, in the futures that we may find’ - each one of our members will leave with a joint sense of identity created in the home of the ‘doubleblue’. As we say goodbye to our Upper Sixth, I thank them for being an outstanding set of young women. They have led the House valiantly and will be sorely missed. Whether it is improving our awareness of sustainability, fighting for what they believe, dominating the School stage or even being good friends to one another, they are exemplary in all they do. Thank you.

Did you know? The House is named after the School’s founder, Ashby Haslewood. The building used to be the medical centre.

Competitions WON THIS YEAR:

Junior B Hockey Junior B Netball Senior Debating

Well done all on an incredible year of adapting. Lauren Moors, Housemistress

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KIND Houses Haslewood

From the House Captain

aslewood has had a fantastic year, showing our determination in every

house event as well as consistently thriving academically. Although our time

at school has been cut short, our house spirit has continued with Miss Moors

setting daily challenges on Microsoft Teams, and the kindness and support that Haslewood show in school has been carried over to the virtual world. If there was one event Miss Moors and the Upper Sith really wanted to win this year it was house debating. Amazingly, we managed to steal the crown from East, who had won every single year since we had joined the School. It was through great teamwork and determination from the whole house, as many of the lower years helped find floor points that supported our fantastic speakers, Lilia Evans and Elsa Edwards. This enabled us to shock the School and pick up the title. We also won the junior B hockey final, which was a great afternoon where the whole house was out chanting and supporting our girls, inspiring our team to win after a very tense match and penalties.

There were many other house competitions such as the pancake race, house drill and house swimming, which saw amazing effort from all the girls involved. House netball was closely contested, with the all the teams trying their hardest against very tough competition and, as always, Haslewood had the most passion and fun whilst playing.

many challenges such as a treasure hunt, gingerbread house making, mug decorating and quizzes, bringing the whole house together, normally competing for the winning Costa! The Lower Sixth carried out their kindness project, which truly shows Haslewood in its best light by recognising individuals’ achievements.

This year our house charity was Cam Kids, a small charity which helps underprivileged children in Cambodia. Our safari themed House Charity Night was a great success and raised over £8000! It was wonderful to see the whole house pull together, from the Fourth Form waitressing and the Fifth Form organising games, to the Lower Sixth pulling off an incredible raffle, and the Upper Sixth who managed the event. There were incredible performances from across the House to make a fantastic evening. Teresa’s tuck shop has proved ever so popular this year, so I’m sure we will also have raised lots of money through all the chocolate and muffins that we rely on at break! Haslewood would not be the same without the lovely Teresa who holds the House together with her cups of tea, shoulder to cry on and her comforting hugs. On behalf of all the girls I would like to thank her for being the best Matron anyone could ask for. Unfortunately, Miss Moors is leaving at the end of this year but the effort and energy that she brought to the House cannot go unnoticed. Although she was only Housemistress for a year, she really is the embodiment of a Haslewood lion, with her kindness and determination allowing all of the girls to feel that they have someone who will help them with anything, no matter how small, and who will push them out of their comfort zone when they need encouragement. She will be missed by all of the girls and we wish her all the best with her new adventure.

NESS A special mention must go to Saffy Lewis-Collymore and Elsa Edwards who received the standout performance award for their roles in The Adventures of Haslewood Holmes, our house film. The film featured every girl in the House and members were killed suddenly by Teresa’s poisonous tea! Unfortunately, we did not manage to win house unison this year, but we certainly did try our hardest and pulled off a great rendition of the Jackson 5’s ‘Don’t Blame it on the Boogie’ and our part-song, ‘Forget You’, was as incredible as ever and placed a well-deserved second.

House families were a very important part of our house time this year. All year groups mixed together and completed

The Johnian 2020

I have loved my time at St John’s. A big part of that has been my time in house and being around the fantastic friends that I have made here. I have thoroughly enjoyed being House Captain and getting to know all the girls has made me realise how lucky we all are to be a part of the Haslewood community. On behalf of the Upper Sixth I wish all the best to the new Housemistress and the whole house in the future. Jasmin Walker, House Captain 2019-20

HOUSE COLOURS

MASCOT

LION

STRENGTHS:

House spirit Kindness

To show courage and to be kind, in the futures that we may find

MASCOT

HOUSE MOTTO

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Houses Hawkins

HOUSE COLOURS

ACADEMIC CUP 2019-20

Houses

Hawkins From the Housemistress

could not be prouder of everything that the girls in Hawkins have achieved this year,

our inaugural year as another girlsâ€™ day house here at St Johnâ€™s! Together they have created a vibrant house where they strive to make a warm, caring and happy environment.

The Johnian 2020

Hawkins girls are actively involved in all aspects of school life and have made a valuable contribution to the numerous academic, cultural, sporting and charitable events throughout the year. We are ranked first for the academic cup and another win before lockdown was the girls’ house swimming! What has been so lovely to witness, are the friendships that have formed across all year groups and are valued through our weekly get together in house families and house social events. “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” This was our motto going into our first year of inter house competitions. The best way to start our “coming together” was with the girls’ energetic rehearsals for house singing. There was enthusiasm in abundance and for only 32 female voices I thought we made a pretty good sound! Part song was arranged beautifully by Poppy Parfitt and Zoe Noussis, inclusive of all years from the Lower Sixth and below, their rendition was breath-taking, reducing me to tears in the Chapel. I feel the judge didn’t appreciate the heart of our small numbers and therefore we were unfairly overlooked. Next year girls, next year... We brushed ourselves down and competed in house drill, with no Upper Fifth the Lower Fifth fiercely represented, with leadership by Zoe Noussis. Sadly, this wasn’t our area of strength but memories were made and we had a good giggle. One memory that we won’t forget in a hurry is that of a Lower Fifth Hawkiner (who shall not be named), entering the AstroTurf fully focused and listening to her commands so much so that she marched straight into the Inspecting Officer, nearly taking him out, clipboard and all, and this was even before the drill had begun! Having found our way as a house towards the end of the Autumn Term, every single member of Hawkins House, hockey player or not, put themselves forward to ‘battle’ in house hockey. The seniors, led by Alice Moody, surprised themselves by making the final against Gloucester, already a huge win for a team where many don’t see hockey as their sport. The juniors, led by Sophie Thompson, were also successful in reaching the final and they too went on to play against Gloucester House. Sadly they were unable to take victory when it came down to penalty flicks. As I say to the girls, we were just giving them a taste of what is to come. The Spring Term saw debating take full force and there were some extremely impressive speakers and speeches put forward on difficult topics. The girls in every year group supported their speaker by arguing and rebutting some excellent floor points. Another highlight was the filming and showing of house film, directed by Alannah McMahon and Zoe Noussis. This captured a spooky side of the old St John’s buildings and included the majority of our budding house actresses. Senior house cross country was led by Lana Finnegan and Anna Stansfield, and a highlight for me is that all the Lower Sixth participated, runners or not, just so they could support each other out on the muddy track. We

ended on a high before lockdown and proved that “working together is success” for our first win, in the girls’ house swimming, with a team coached well by Anna Stansfield. The inter house competitions are good fun and build camaraderie but they are secondary to the more important qualities which I hope Hawkins will foster. I want to state that Hawkins girls will be successful girls; the more challenging part to achieve is that they are happy, good citizens who will give as much as they take from the School and leave here feeling they can pursue whatever they desire. I want Hawkins girls to be leaders and personalities, individuals who can inspire and be fantastic people, which leads me on to our house charity efforts. The Hawkins girls are a charitable bunch who stop at nothing and are always finding ways to raise money both collectively and as individuals. Our house charity this year was for a local mental health charity called Oakleaf Enterprise. The charity’s aim is to transform the lives and futures of adults managing their mental health and help them secure the skills, confidence and training needed to return to the workplace. We held a very successful quiz and curry night, with musical interludes and efforts from all the girls to make it an enjoyable evening. The girls also created their own Christmas wreaths that we sold at the SJPA Christmas Market, and this will become a Hawkins tradition for future years - I wanted to buy them all! The prefect team also organised the selling of personalised roses for Valentine’s Day and certain individuals took part in sporting fund raisers during lock down to help those truly in need at a time like this! This whole year to date has been a moment of pride for me: opening and running Hawkins House, where every Hawkins member has helped to create a fun, kind and inclusive community. I want to say a special thank you to Hawkins’ prefect team: Olivia Nevins, our very first House Captain, your infectious energy and kind heart has set us in good stead for years to come; Emily Aitken, our Deputy, we will miss your creativity; Mila Birtley, your debating wisdom; and Jennifer Guy, your kind smile. Thank you all! It is a fantastic privilege to work with, support and encourage the Hawkins girls and I hope they continue to thrive in a caring environment where they can enjoy a great team spirit and have a positive attitude to their responsibilities, challenges and opportunities. Frankie Toloczo, Housemistress

Competitions WON THIS YEAR:

Winner of Academic Cup

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The Johnian 2020

Houses Hawkins

t has been an honour to serve as Hawkins’ inaugural House Captain and I have enjoyed every moment working with the other 31 girls in the House’s very first

year. Hawkins has not only been a crucial element of my Upper Sixth year, but I can confidently and proudly say that the House has made my experience, albeit a short one, here at St John’s.

Unlike any other house, each year group in Hawkins was made of girls who chose to “jump ship” in order to join and actively shape a new school community - and that they have done. Their loyalty and kindness defines our house spirit, along with their commitment and eagerness to participate in all aspects of house life. Inter house competitions this year have certainly been a challenge, but our determination to prove that Hawkins is “small but mighty” has seen the selfless and courageous contributions from all members. The House made its highly anticipated debut before the School during the house singing competition, which saw passionate and tuneful renditions of ‘Waterloo’ by ABBA and ‘I’ll Be There’ by Jess Glynne. Whilst we were robbed of a trophy, I’d like to thank members of the Lower Sixth for their strong direction in the part-song competition and also our excellent house film “Hawkins Unsolved”. House drill saw excellent participation from the Lower Fifth and we are pleased to say that we secured a small victory over Churchill. House hockey also saw some stunning performances, especially in the junior section, whilst our fighting spirit was displayed during house netball and debating. Victory struck at last for Hawkins in the house swimming competition and I hope that this win will be the first of many more. So far this year, Hawkins has raised £1826 for Oakleaf, a mental health charity in Surrey. Our “Quiz and Curry” charity in November was a This was our very first huge success. Incredible year, making Hawkins performances ran St John’s newest house. throughout the night, demonstrating the House’s musical prowess and the hard work of each girl that went on behind the various stalls. The prefect team also organised a successful Valentine’s Day fundraiser, selling red roses and personalised messages to the School community. Not even Covid-19 has hindered fundraising efforts and I am proud that members of the House have set their own incredibly demanding physical challenges to support our charity during this challenging time.

Did you know?

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who have really made the House what it is this year.

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To my Deputy, Emily Aitkin, and our Prefects, Jennifer Guy and Mila Birtley, I would like to say a huge thank you for your endless kindness and support. It has been no mean feat for the four of us to help lead the House and there is no way that this year would have been such a success without you. The Fourth Form has been an endless source of smiles and I would be hard pressed to find a group of people who are as charming as they are. Their enthusiasm and humour has been a great help to the prefect team and we hope that this spirit will continue - just ease up on the toast! The Lower Fifth have been incredibly selfless and willing to rise to all challenges put their way this year. They have shown great courage, often leaving their comfort zones and always giving their very best. It has been a pleasure to share a locker room and we will all miss your weekly baked goods! The Lower Sixth have been our biggest help and harshest critics, but we are grateful that they have kept us on our toes. They have acted as true leaders when called upon and I hope that they learn from our mistakes and build on the successes of this year. Our tutor team has been superb and we thank them for their great support and laughs. Special thanks go to Miss T and Matron, Michele, who both have been our number one fans and our shoulders to cry on, armed with positivity and chocolate. After the turbulence of this year, the four of us leave knowing that the House is in the very best hands and we are excited to return at some point in the future to see how the House grows. We will no doubt remember our time in Hawkins fondly and we would like to wish the new Prefects and Captains the best of luck in their endeavours next year. Olivia Nevins, House Captain 2019-20

Coming together is a beginning;

keeping together is progress;

working together is success

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ELEPHANT

The Johnian 2020

Houses Montgomery

Houses

Montgomery Competitions WON THIS YEAR:

Senior house hockey Best cinematography house film

The Johnian 2020

From the Housemaster

usually start my Johnian review by writing about how quickly the academic year has passed, but clearly, 2020 has been a

year like no other… My prefect team, led fantastically well by House Captain Will Farnsworth, have once again shown remarkable leadership and guidance for the whole house since September and I would like to personally thank them all for their efforts. As a year group, the Upper Sixth have shown incredible resolve in what have been unprecedented circumstances and neither they nor I will ever forget their final year at St John’s. I know that every single one of them will be successful in whatever they choose to do and their resilience throughout the coronavirus pandemic will certainly stand them in good stead. I wish them all the very best of luck. Success can be measured in a number of ways. The boys will often look at extrinsic awards such as winning house competitions, like we have this year in senior house hockey or best cinematography award in house film, but often it is the work behind the scenes, that goes unnoticed, that is the most satisfying. There are two things that have made me most proud of the House since September. Firstly, the hugely successful Charity Evening back in February. Who can forget Mr Hammond and Andrew Morris being hypnotised? The time and effort the Lower Sixth put in to the evening was quite brilliant and really showed me how proud every single one of them is to be a member of the Monty community. Raising over £5000 for such an incredible charity like The Royal Marsden is something that everyone involved in the evening should celebrate. The second is the way that the Monty boys have adapted to their remote learning from home since the School closure on 23 March. Although there may well have been an initial sense of excitement that ‘school was out’, I have been struck more recently by the way in which the boys have continued to work hard and adapt to their learning

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environments. Humans are naturally creatures of habit and when such habits are broken, it takes a certain type of resilience in order to maintain high standards. I have been genuinely delighted with the boys’ maturity in such uncertain times. Each of them can look back on this year with a huge amount of pride.

The new Fourth Form’s transition into Monty has been a seamless one. Whether it be moving up from the Lower to Senior School or making the progression from one of our feeder prep schools, each and every one of the boys is a welcome addition to the Monty team. I look forward to seeing them flourish in the next stages of their St John’s career. I would like to finish by paying tribute to my amazing tutor team and the irreplaceable Becky. Without doubt, the House would not survive without them! The extra time outside of school hours and tireless support they give to ensuring the boys’ experience at St John’s is a positive one should never be underestimated. Becky and the tutors play vital roles in the Montgomery team and I will be forever grateful. It has been a pleasure to lead the claret and blues again this year (or at least part of it!). I thank the boys who have done themselves and the House proud. David Hammond, Housemaster

Did you know?

Named after Field Marshall Montgomery, an influential figure in WW2

The Johnian 2020

Houses Montgomery

HOUSE COLOURS

Get the 1%ers right and the big things will take care of themselves HOUSE MOTTO

The Johnian 2020

From the House Captain

he last five years at St John’s have been an absolute whirlwind. Who knew that five years could go by so quickly and, with such an abrupt ending to the year, who

better to spend it with than the boys in Monty? Stepping through the doors of Monty in the Autumn of 2015, I felt all the more relaxed when the seemingly very scary Upper Sixth of the time turned out to not be so scary. From then on, the years were full of excitement and success and I hoped to continue this in my final year as House Captain.

The year kicked off as it always does with the house singing competition, with the whole house fully engaged in the unison and those select few putting in admirable performances in part-song. While it may not have been the strongest of performances (I take full credit for the poor choice of song), the spirit and commitment to the House shown by everyone set the tone for the rest of the year. This sense of engagement and full commitment can be seen in every single member of the House, throwing themselves into all events and bringing us success in the senior house hockey and house film, as well as numerous finals in debating, rugby and football, highlighting strengths across all year groups and competitions. As House Captain, I feel immensely proud when the boys take on roles outside of their comfort zones and the Lower Sixth perfectly illustrated this. As the Monty House Charity Night got ever closer in Spring Term, the Lower Sixth boys took the reins to cover for an Upper Sixth year group in the middle of practice papers. They did a fantastic job, putting on an incredible evening with excellent entertainment and flawless service, as well as raising over £5000 for the Royal Marsden cancer charity. Events like this show the relationship between year groups and that all important house spirit. The highlight of my time in Monty has to be leading the House as House Captain because it has been a very rewarding experience. The House has changed over my time at St John’s, be that different Housemasters, new faces entering into the Fourth Form or the new day rooms and kitchens, however the things that haven’t changed are the pride I have for being a member of Monty and the strong sense of community, which I’m sure is here to stay. Monty wouldn’t run as smoothly as it does without Becky, Mr Hammond and the key support of the tutor team. Every single member of staff steps up to whatever challenge we throw at them, be it a broken sofa or window in the day room to fighting our cases for missing homework. The support they offer each and every member of Monty is invaluable and, on behalf of the whole house, I would like to thank them for this. I hope to see Mr Hammond at the helm of Monty for many more years to come and to continue to bring success to the House.

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SNAKE

Will Farnsworth, House Captain 2019-20

The Johnian 2020

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Houses North

CULTURAL CUP 2019-20

Houses

North From the Housemistress

hen this academic year started, I never expected to be writing

this from my living room or moving North House into a virtual world.

The Johnian 2020

I have to acknowledge that we have missed many things North holds dear: BBQs on the quad, the leavers’ ball, clapping while our Upper Sixth leave the House for the last time and many house competitions (croquet!) that we enjoy. The prefects and I would be swapping our favourite stories for me to include in this article and Deb and I would be frantically trying to put together leaving gifts. The end of this year has been anything but normal, but we have actually gained a lot as a house and there is still much of the year where we have had a lot to celebrate together. The year started as usual with a bunch of fresh faced Fourth Formers arriving to North. They were quickly indoctrinated and were soon ready to perform in the house song. Until the morning of the competition, we felt we might be getting an angry call from Elton John’s agents, but when the time came, the boys performed ‘Your Song’ brilliantly. This is the first year we have ever come as high as second place and it was a real whole house effort. Our part-song remains one of my favourite competitions. Although the boys did not place this year, their song clearly captured the whole school’s full attention.

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We also enjoy house rugby in the first term. We qualified for the intermediate touch rugby and the senior rugby finals and won the intermediate trophy. We had a stall at the SJPA Christmas Market

this year. Many of boys got involved and worked hard. Although we had to cancel our charity night this year, we were still able to donate £2423.14 to CALM, our chosen charity that works with mental health in men. This term also saw our annual Christmas pizza party. This is one of our favourite events as it gets the entire house together to celebrate. We have started the new tradition of a Christmas heist with Mr Parry, which I am certain will continue in future years due to its success. I was also delighted to see that my Upper Sixth decided to gift-wrap my entire office, leaving me to wear Christmas paper shoes during my final assembly.

Our intermediate debate team continued to impress the judges and they made it to the final again this year, but lost in the final round against a formidable Gloucester House. The junior team also made it to the final, but sadly this debate didn’t take place in the summer. Our house drill team came a strong second this year and our cross country team has won the event for the third time in a row. The house swimming competition was back this year in our new pool and this was yet another place that North House was able to shine.

Competitions WON THIS YEAR: Junior touch rugby Cross country Swimming

Did you know?

North is technically the largest house in the school with 75 boys

We were lucky that just before the lockdown we were able to come together as a whole house again for the North House formal. This has always been a tradition in North and it is always great to hear the speeches of the oldest, youngest and House Captain, as well as getting to see the Upper Sixth in their black ties. The Summer Term meant that we had to move the House and it’s spirit to a virtual form, but the boys continued to embrace North and it’s values remotely. I have been so proud of their commitment, engagement and hard work during this time. They continue to go out and run for the house athletics, golf, chess and the newly added house quiz competitions. They have also been learning new skills and spending the time perfecting others. We pride ourselves in having such a wide variety of skills and strengths in the House and it was great to see so many of these throughout this time. Our motto, “passion, integrity and perseverance”, has continued to be at the forefront of everything the boys do. I would like to end by saying thank you to all the Upper Sixth leavers. They have left such an important legacy here. They have been an exceptional year group and have brought me a lot of joy and laughter this year. I would particularly like to thank the prefect team who have supported me this year and have worked hard to continue to improve the House, and the brilliant tutor team of Mr Whitmore, Mr Parry, Mr Debney, Mrs Abbott, Mr Marshal and Mr Newby. Deb has settled in so well into the House and it already feels like she has always been a part of North. I know the boys have appreciated her support and kindness this year. Finally, I would like to thank Mrs Abbott for everything she has done over the past few years in North. Sadly, she is leaving us this year to move to an exciting role in Switzerland. We will really miss her, but would like to wish her all the best from all of us. I am looking forward to the start of next year and seeing all the familiar faces back again and many new ones. Catie Moon, Housemistress

The Johnian 2020

Houses North

From the House Captain

espite being a unique, increasingly unprecedented and uncertain year in itself, this 2019-2020 academic year has been another fantastic and

successful time for North House. As always, North House has again given us much to be proud of. North continues be much more than just a house though. Throughout the year, North House has adhered to the characteristics and community that all St Johns pupils are proud to be a part of, built on our foundations of passion, integrity and perseverance. Over the course of the past year, North House has had many successful moments, through individuals and the House as a whole. One memorable moment was finishing second in house song with ‘Your Song’ by Elton John, which has never been North’s strongest competition in previous years. This, along with many other second place finishes in competitions such as house drill, house football and the pancake race, helped us in our aims to retain the house shield. One event that is a particular favourite of mine is the formal dinner. Not only was this year’s event a wonderful opportunity for the Upper Sixth boys to get into black

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tie, but it was also a valued evening where the whole house could come together, with the added (highly popular) attraction this year of steak followed by chocolate pudding for dinner. Keeping with tradition we heard a great speech from the youngest member of the House, Alex, and a very amusing speech from our oldest member of the house, Sam S. It is always a special event, where the whole house commemorates as one and where we are able to celebrate all the achievements of the North House body. Unfortunately, due to the way that the year evolved with the coronavirus pandemic, the year ended in a most unusual, abrupt and surreal way. Covid-19 resulted in the

The Johnian 2020

premature closing of the School buildings in March and pupils had to adjust to online learning at home. We were sad to miss out on many events that would surely have proved memorable had we been in school for Summer Term. Of these, the North House Charity Night was set to be evening full of laughter and a great opportunity to raise money for some of our chosen house charities. Despite this, with charity funds left over from the end of last year and with the boys putting lots of hard work into the bake sale and the Christmas market, we were still able to donate over £2400 to CALM. I have had an unforgettable time in North, including my year as House Captain. It has been my honour to lead the House and I have seen a lot of change during my time here. Since starting in the Fourth Form I have had two heads of house and three matrons, all of whom have been great. But throughout these changes one thing has remained constant: the strength and pride of the North House family as a whole. Alongside the staff changes, I have also been fortunate to witness the renovations that have taken place in North and across the broader St John’s campus. The new and improved facilities will benefit North House boys for many years to come and is the foundation of a great community for any future pupil to belong to. I would like to give a special thanks to Mrs Moon, who passionately cares for the wellbeing and the success of each and every North House pupil. Her great sense of humour makes her a joy to be around (even when we play silly pranks on her); for all of us in North she has always been there to support us in every way she can. On behalf of all the boys, I would also like to thank the fantastic North House tutor team, all of whom have a caring approach to each pupil in North. Thank you to everyone who has made my St John’s experience in North and in general so special – I will always be proud to call North House my second home. Chris Ballard, House Captain 2019-20

HOUSE COLOURS

Passion, Integrity

and Perseverance HOUSE MOTTO

The Johnian 2020

Houses South

Houses

South From the Housemistress

espite the strange end to this academic year, South continued to thrive in

2019-2020. As I reach the end of my first year as South Housemistress, it is a joy to reflect on all that South has achieved.

The Johnian 2020

The Autumn Term began with a drive to prove South’s musical talent in the house song competition. Phoebe Simpson, Phoebe McCutcheon and Genevieve ten Have worked tirelessly on a beautiful part-song production. These girls, along with Lauren Mapstone, also worked the rest of the House hard in preparing an uplifting version of Abba’s ‘Mamma Mia’ for the unison. It is credit to the hard work of these girls, and the enthusiasm from the rest of the House, that South took the double win - well deserved I think!

in their families. There were several competitions, including a gingerbread house making competition, and a Christmas carol karaoke competition. We were not able to hold our summer BBQ but know that when school returns we will be celebrating in style again.

Competitions WON THIS YEAR:

House singing - part song House singing - unison Cross country

The girls in South continue to amaze with their range of skills across all disciplines. Throughout the Autumn Term, not only were many of the girls competing against other schools in fixtures, but county and national level competitions were taking place from girls from the Lower Fifth through to the Upper Sixth in both hockey and netball. Zoe Ryan has continued to excel with her swimming, competing at a national level and she works incredibly hard to balance her school and swimming commitments. Isla McDonald spent her summer dancing in the LCB Ballet Shoe’s production in London and it has been a delight to watch the BBC recording of this during lockdown. Within school, many of the girls have been involved in impressive musical and drama productions, and it is always a pleasure to support the girls across their many talents.

It was not just house singing that the girls threw themselves into this year. From debating to sporting events, the hotly contested pancake race and the new and improved house film competition, the girls are always keen to throw on their purple tops and face paint and represent the House. Some highlights were the senior A team winning the house hockey, the South girls coming top amongst the girls’ houses in the pancake race and also winning the senior cross country. During Summer Term, house athletics competition took place remotely and, as always, South girls threw themselves into it with enthusiasm and commitment. We were sad not to be able to compete in the usual Summer Term competitions but pleased to find new ways to continue some challenges remotely. Before school closures and the lockdown, South managed to squeeze in their charity event, this year choosing to raise money for the Lucy Rayner Foundation. The theme was the Roaring Twenties, and the girls enjoyed taking the dining hall back 100 years, creating a retro feel in black, gold and purple. The parents were hugely impressed by the talent on show across the year groups. Katy Hardy began the evening with a beautiful poem relating to the Lucy Rayner Foundation. We had several musical acts from across all the year groups, the house unison and part-song performances, and the Sixth Form ended the evening with a flash mob across the whole dining hall!

As I write this, South is a very quiet house with the countrywide lockdown and closure of schools. Boarding has continued to be popular across the years so it is strange to not hear the general hub-bub of a boarding house on an evening. The girls adapted really well to school remotely, and Mr Hughes, our Assistant Housemaster, created a lockdown decathlon in which the girls completed a variety of tasks (from baking, to drawing, to making, to sporting) in order to be in with a chance to win a prize! We have loved seeing their efforts and look forward to celebrating with them all when they return. Special thanks must go to our House Captain Phoebe Simpson and her team of prefects, as well as, Phoebe McCutcheon, who has continued to support the House hugely in addition to her responsibilities as School Captain. I also extend my huge thanks to the South tutor team, our wonderful Matron, Karen, and the cleaners who keep the House running. It is a happy house of which we can all be proud. Isabel Morgan, Housemistress

The girls always enjoy a good house event and, with the introduction of house families this year, enjoyed spending the house Christmas party in the Old Chapel celebrating

The Johnian 2020

Houses South

HOUSE COLOURS

Such a warm, exciting and supportive house 58

The Johnian 2020

From the House Captain

hough my time in South was considerably shorter than most of the girls, because I joined in Lower Sixth, I have loved watching South come together

for house events throughout the last year, approaching them with both a competitive edge but also a large sense of enjoyment and community. We kicked off the year successfully with the house music competition. Here we shared with the rest of the School our rendition of ‘Mamma Mia’, complete with choreography and some rather enthusiastic singing from our Sixth Form. Our small singing group performed their own mash up of the Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Where is the Love’ and Mika’s ‘Happy Ending’. Clearly, the judge was drawn in by our minimal clapping and bobbing up and down, as we managed to bag ourselves top spot in both! It was amazing to see all the girls scream and chant with excitement and was truly one of the highlights for South this academic year. Our South girls then prepped themselves with purple face paint and headed to the hockey pitch, where they managed to bag themselves a place in the final against Gloucester. It was an intense match to watch, but the South girls weren’t going to make it easy for them, meaning the match went to penalties. With supporters and spectators standing by the sidelines, the team and our goalie, Molly Warner, did an amazing job and won the penalties, giving South top spot and another moment of pride.

Cambridge to UAL. These were hard-earned and welldeserved offers which I think truly reflect the breadth of interests and the ability within this group of girls. House netball came around sooner than expected, but you can bet the South girls were there to take on the challenge. With lots of girls keen to take part, it was exciting to get out onto the pitches and show the House some support. The girls played well but unfortunately didn’t make it through to the final. However, after our recent victories, I’m sure the South girls would tell you that we were letting the other houses take a win. Nevertheless, it was a joy to see the House come together for the last bit of competition the year would hold.

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PANTHER

With Christmas approaching and the House becoming overwhelmed with tinsel and Christmas music, the Lower Sixth girls worked with Mr Hughes to create a successful face-painting stall at the Christmas Market. This was enjoyed by many paying customers and also the girls themselves. The fair was followed by the annual boarders’ Christmas dinner. Topping off a great day, it was then the Christmas rock concert, where it was a joy to see the talent and bravery of many South girls who got up in front of peers to share their musical talents.

As winter rolled around, the Upper Sixth were submitting our university applications and receiving many impressive offers, which ranged from film to economics, and

Before our year came to a sudden end, we were able to transport our parents back to the 1920s for our house charity night. I loved watching all the girls do their part, whether that was singing, serving or creating a Kahoot, which was won by our own Mr Rao, for our parents to enjoy. My highlight from the night has to be the Sixth Form ‘High School Musical’ flash mob, complete with the choreography from the film, which was a joy to both rehearse and to perform.

Our final day in South was sprung upon us, and our final year in South was cut short. Despite this, we enjoyed a true South send off, including a personalised poem by Mrs Morgan, big hugs from Karen and, as you could guess, a considerable amount of tears. But I know that every one of us will look back on the purple painted walls and messy kitchen fondly, and always be proud to have been members of such a warm, STRENGTHS: exciting and supportive house. Music Phoebe Simpson, House Captain 2019-20

Hockey

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Houses Surrey

Houses

Surrey STRENGTHS:

Sense of community Commitment to make a difference

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From the Housemaster

he year has seen many highlights for the Surrey pupils. The part-song piece was unbelievably well constructed and

despite not placing in the top three, it was a moment of which the entire house was proud.

Competitions WON THIS YEAR: Pancake Race Junior B Football Intermediate A Football

Senior B Football Having finished in the bottom echelons last year, coming second place in house drill and scoring full marks for the inspection was a key turning point for the House this year and proved to them that, if they prepare for any event, they have an excellent chance of achieving. The Drill (2nd place) pancake race was another key moment in the 2019-20 campaign, and conversations in the lead Cross Country (3rd place) up to the event were very strategic. The result was that we were the only house not to have any team disqualified at any age group - no doubt a first for any house in a long time – and we demonstrated that it was not just about winning, but that we had to win it in the right manner. The last week of term brought with it its own special glory. Winning the junior B football, intermediate A football and senior B football competitions were all areas where the pupils could be proud of what they achieved, particularly given the turmoil that was evolving globally. The pupils pulled together to provide the House lots to celebrate in such dire times. Even in lockdown, the Surrey pupils managed to show their resolve and commitment to the House and being house quiz winners for this year was definitely a moment for me to savour as Housemaster. Our charity this year, as voted for by the House, was CLIC Sargent UK. Throughout the year we raised money in various fashions, but the biggest event was the Charity Dinner which was set up and run by the pupils. The pupils waited tables and sold raffle tickets, and even played music in the background throughout. It was a fantastic opportunity for the pupils to showcase their talent. The total amount raised through the fundraising was £3000. This can help pay for two families to stay at a CLIC Sargent Home from Home for six weeks each, meaning parents can stay close to their child completely free of charge reducing exhausting and expensive travel. This will really make such a difference to those families. There have been many moments for me to feel a sense of pride this year. Nothing is better for a Housemaster/mistress than seeing their pupils come together for a common cause, and seeing the pupils create our charity event from scratch and produce an exceptional performance of hosting and performing was phenomenal. With lots to celebrate throughout the year, the House had started to relish in actively competing, but a proud moment was seeing the Sixth Form pupils react as they won the senior B football competition. The camaraderie and friendship that the pupils had clearly formed had never been so evident and the tutors on the touchline were privileged to be a part of it. The manner in which the House, but particularly the leavers, dealt with the unprecedented circumstances towards the end of Spring Term and the compassion they showed to each other was heart-warming and fully embraced the Surrey motto of Belong, Believe, Achieve. I would like to say farewell to our Upper Sixth leavers, thank them – particularly our House Captain, Deputy House Captain and Prefects – for everything they have contributed to the House and wish them all the best for the future. Surrey is the first ever day house of St John’s. Ian White, Housemaster

Did you know?

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Houses Surrey

From the House Captain

joined St John’s and Surrey in September 2015, not knowing many people and looking up at a 6’ 7” giant in the Surrey Upper Sixth. It was certainly daunting!

However, I was made to feel very welcome and have enjoyed every minute of being a part of the House, making some great friends. My teachers have been amazing and have played a huge role in making my time at St John’s memorable: particularly my tutors and both Housemasters from Fourth Form to Upper Sixth. To be made School Prefect and House Captain of Surrey in my last year was a real honour.

So, what makes Surrey great? The Surrey team spirit is second to none. Our drive and motivation to make ourselves known as a winning house is outstanding, but particularly this year. I am so proud of the boys for going out and giving it their all. With lots of motivation and team spirit, I am delighted to end this year and my time in Surrey with four competitions under our belt! Proud. Hopefully, this year’s achievements will continue to inspire future year groups to carry on transforming Surrey into a powerhouse! Whilst all the boys have the utmost respect for their tutors and Housemaster, we have also been able to have a level of banter and a lot of fun. Our team bond is what makes Surrey a great house to be part of. Our house staff get NUMBER OF PUPILS as enthusiastically involved in house events and activities as we do, making time to support us, and creating a welcoming and friendly environment in Surrey.

69 MASCOT

Our annual charity nights have always been fun, and this year was another huge success from outstanding contributions by the Surrey boys in a variety of musical performances, to the professionalism of the boys who were waiters for the night. Our house charity dinners are also an opportunity to celebrate the year with the whole house and our parents. Everyone enjoys the evening but for me, being my last year and as House Captain, it was an extra special evening and one I will not forget - the last time I would share a meal with all the Surrey boys together.

STAG

During my time at St John’s there have been many proud moments for Surrey and for me personally. Being made

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House Captain and School Prefect in my last year tops the list. I am immensely proud and honoured to hold both positions. One of the best highlights has to be when it was confirmed that Surrey had won the 2020 pancake race! Let’s say that again... SURREY WON THE 2020 PANCAKE RACE!! Running the final leg across the line and finding out Surrey had won for the first time ever was an unforgettable moment. Watching the Fourth Form boys win their house football on penalties when I was in Upper Fifth was also special. The whole house erupted on the sidelines and stormed the pitch with two red smoke grenades attached to the Surrey flagpole. A day none of us will forget. The senior B house football event on my second to last day was Surrey’s to win (we lost on penalties in the semi-finals last year). We beat West in the semis and made it to the final, scoring two goals to win 2-0 against North. Another first. The whole team played brilliantly but, for me personally, to finish my time as House Captain scoring both goals…it doesn’t get better than that. Unfortunately, a global pandemic brought our final year abruptly to an end and we didn’t get the chance to proudly go up in our last assembly to collect the trophies for winning both the senior B football and THE most prestigious event of the year, the pancake race. But we know what we achieved and we are proud. It has been a real honour to captain Surrey this year and I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to our house and to my time at St John’s. It has truly been the best school experience I could have asked for. I would like to give huge thanks again to our two Housemasters during my time in Surrey. Both have been great mentors with constant enthusiasm and motivation to make Surrey House the best. I wish them and all future year groups every success. Connor Cloughley, House Captain 2019-20

Belong Believe

Achieve HOUSE MOTTO

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E US

C U P WI N

Houses West

SPORT CUP 2019-20

Houses

West From the Housemaster

efore taking up my post as Housemaster of West my mother-in-law gifted me a book entitled ‘Those Things Which Are Above’. Taking its name in part from

the School motto, the pages contain a detailed history of St John’s School up until the late 1990s. I learned that after the original nine houses were re-structured (apparently too unwieldy), West was one of the four houses to emerge.

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The four houses were named after the place of origin of the pupils and West initially contained boys from the West of England and the West Midlands. Hundreds of boys have added to the history and legacy of West House since its inception in 1894 and this year was no different. When I arrived in West in September, I spent my first couple of weeks sitting on the sofas on the landing upstairs getting to know the boys and learning names. It occurred to me early on that I had struck gold in being appointed as West Housemaster. The boys were so welcoming to my family and West swiftly felt like home. The new Fourth Form boys settled in with remarkable ease and have all been great additions to our House. They are bright, engaging and confident young men and we look forward to seeing them develop over the next few years. Watching the Fourth Form in the house debating competition was a sight to behold and they won every debate with ease. They all prepared well and their success was thoroughly deserved. In other competitions we have won junior hockey and senior football. We came second place in numerous events including cross country, swimming, intermediate rugby and senior rugby. The boys also produced a splendid part-song in the house singing. I will be diplomatic and say that we were unlucky not to place. The house unison was window-shatteringly good in terms of volume and enthusiasm. The tune was lost in parts but the boys agreed that everyone knew the tune anyway so it was no great loss to our audience. All of the boys have represented the House at some stage throughout the year and they have all done themselves proud. We were unfortunate not to be able to go ahead with our House Charity Night, especially given that many parents and pupils had bought tickets and donated prizes. However, we did raise a few smaller chunks of money in the first two terms, which we donated to B@titude and Cancer Research UK. Watching the boys play in our inaugural House Darts Night was quite something, with

Tom Winchester taking the glory at the end of a night at the oche. The Upper Sixth have contributed much to the House throughout their time in West and it was a real shame not to be able to celebrate their time at school together at the end of the year. We will certainly make up for it at some point during the next academic year. They have been excellent role models for the other boys in house and I wish them every happiness and success for the future. My fondest memory of our Upper Sixth was when we played a game of hide and seek during one of our house nights. I can’t fully express their delight with the written word but it was a great example of house camaraderie. We also said goodbye to Mr Goodwin and Ms Edwards who tutored the Upper Fifth and the Lower Sixth respectively this year. The boys have appreciated their counsel and wish them all the best in their new schools. The best of West House can be seen between 8.00pm and 10.30pm during the week. This is when the boys come together, at various times, on the landing. We sit and chat together, sometimes for hours, about anything and everything. This is when the value of our boarding community in West is most apparent. I happened to bump into a former House Captain of West over the Christmas break. When we realised the other’s connection to St John’s we spoke at length about MASCOT his time in West. He had many stories of friendship, success and mischief that were remembered vividly. These lifelong friendships are the real lasting legacy of West House. Long may that tradition continue.

WEST WOLF

Ashley Currie, Housemaster

69 NUMBER OF PUPILS

Competitions WON THIS YEAR:

Senior house football Junior hockey 2nd in: cross country, swimming, and senior house hockey

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Houses West

Honesty, Resilience, House First, Courage HOUSE MOTTO

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From the House Captain

est House has been key in making St John’s the best five years of my life.

I joined West in 2015, only knowing a handful of people. However, within a few weeks I settled in purely due to the friendly community in West. For example, Sixth Formers took time out of their day to talk to the new Fourth Formers. Growing up surrounded by the same group of boys has meant we have bonded and matured together. This made being House Captain an easy task, not only could I give back to the House I love so much, but we could also make important house decisions as a team. This meant everyone’s point of view could be accommodated. Our house is great for many reasons. Firstly, our tight knit community is unmatched by any other - all the year groups in West socialise together during break and activities. Secondly, our dominance on the sports field. Over the past five years West have won the sports cup four times, demonstrating our consistent dominance through teamwork and spirit. Thirdly, our desire to ‘have a go’. For example, house singing is often dominated by the girls’ houses, but West always gives it everything and, as it happens, we’ve been placed first and second in the past three years. In West House there is strong link between the staff and the pupils. My tutors over the years have always been there to support me through schoolwork and on the sports field. This constant support has turned me into the person I am today. Always having a tutor to trust is a great motivator through school life. This year many boarding activities were set up with the staff - a personal favourite of mine was the darts night. Hotdogs and ice cream made for a successful night with at least 40 participants. Unfortunately, I was knocked out by Mr Pepper himself. All in all, it was an example of a great evening for both the boys and the staff of West. On reflection, this year’s moments of pride don’t come from winning a competition or getting the best result possible, but from house members volunteering for house events that took them out of their comfort zones. For example, in house swimming we needed a few extra people in order to even compete. A few volunteers later, we ended up taking second place. Another moment of pride for me was the house part-song. The house music team worked tirelessly and successfully and gave a great performance in front of the whole school. This year’s highlights most definitely occurred in house competitions, winning both senior house football and junior house hockey. For me this showed that West is full of athletes across all the years. Another highlight came in the form of the U15 school rugby team, which made it all the

STRENGTHS: way to the national vase cup final with six representatives from West House. Going forward, I really hope West maintains its philosophy of ‘a home away from home’. Somewhere the boys can relax whilst growing and developing through the senior school. This is important as this part of a boy’s life has a great influence and moulds us into the people we will be.

Sport Community Academics

HOUSE COLOURS

Finally, I would like to personally thank all of the West staff. It seems unfair to ‘name names’ but Mr Holland has been a terrific year tutor for three years now, guiding us through our UCAS and also helping us through stress management and putting together revision timetables. Who could’ve guessed we wouldn’t need them?! Also, Mr Currie has been outstanding, fitting straight into West House life. He has embraced our culture with open arms and great humour and has been a fantastic role model for us to follow. Angela, our Matron, has also been great. She does so much behind the scenes that goes unnoticed and we are all very grateful for everything she has done, from keeping the House tidy to always being there for a chat. Without Angela, West House would not function. Lastly, to all my fellow West pupils, past and present, thank you all for an amazing five years and for all the memories and support. I can only hope you carry on the West legacy and that we stay in touch! Will Ferguson, House Captain 2019-20

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Chapel

CHAPEL As I sit and write my reflection on the spiritual life of the School and key events in Chapel over the past year, it is in the quiet of my office. I have not been into the School Chapel in more than three months and it seems that we will not be gathering as a school community in Chapel for many more months to come.

e are all part of the St John’s community, and even when we leave we will forever have an inexorable link to this school.

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St John’s has seen many unimaginable changes throughout its history and the community has adapted to these changes, however, trying to recreate Chapel remotely is certainly an unusual one. Shared experiences are what help to build our connections to each other and shape our understanding of the world we live in, and this is one of the reasons I believe Chapel at St John’s is so important: it helps shape our identity as a community. In the first two terms of this academic year we held many of the usual services we do every year, and we were fortunate enough to meet together on the last day before lockdown and celebrate in Chapel as we would at the end of the academic year. Below is the text from the address I gave on the last day we were all in school, 20 March 2020. The volume of the singing that day as I sat at the front of Chapel stayed with me through the separation of lockdown.

Today we gather with a great sense of uncertainty and face the future with more questions than many of you will have known in your own lifetimes. I have no doubt that all of us will have been doing a great deal of reflection over the last few days and yet I have certainly found myself with as many questions if not more. The Upper Sixth have suddenly had what is most likely their last day in school thrust upon them. They, along with the Upper Fifth, face a huge deal of uncertainty. Yet there is still hope to hold onto and we should not lose sight of this. I try to avoid personal anecdotes in Chapel for many reasons but I hope you will excuse me a few this afternoon. I was made to feel a little older than I already am when struggling to get Microsoft Teams to function this week, my Lower Sixth said it was OK, Mr Whitmore found it difficult too. I turn 40 next year and, during my life, the nation has not faced such adversity on a widespread scale. Over the last week though I have been reminded of a few occasions in my teaching career when the feeling of the school in which I was working was not dissimilar to what we face now. I started teaching in 2004 at a school in London. As the academic year drew to an end, pupils and staff were starting to dream of the long summer. Then, on one Thursday morning, our lives were thrown into complete shock; the 7/7 bombings in central London, in the days before social media and smart phones, left the whole community in a complete state of disbelief. Pupils did not know if their parents were affected, staff were worried about partners. Events were unfolding only a short distance from our school. Twice I have had to stand in Chapel in front of a school community after the death of someone from within that community, once a pupil and once a member of staff. I stand here today with a similar sense of uncertainty, fear and questioning why as I did on those days. What I can tell you, from my own experience, is that life changes. We will feel pain and yet we will also find a way to carry on. As I said on Wednesday to you all, in times of great uncertainty we can get lost in our own worries and fears, but we should also remember others around us and turn to those things which ground us. On two occasions Jesus addresses the worries of his disciples. In the Sermon on the Mount he tells his disciples to focus on

today and not the worries of tomorrow, a message echoed by many of the great spiritual teachers. As we spend time at home it is important that we focus on what we do have, and to take time looking after ourselves physically and mentally. At the last supper, after predicting the betrayal of Judas and Peter, St John records Jesus addressing his disciples as follows: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” In the midst of confusion Christ reminds his disciples to keep their focus not on themselves alone, as our school motto and reading this afternoon reminds us, but also on those things which are above. Or translated slightly differently, those things that are beyond. It is important to remember what we have and are grateful for, not just that about which we are worried. There are many of you for whom today will, in all probability, be the last time you sit here as a direct part of our community. When you leave St John’s, you are always welcome back to Chapel and it is my hope for each of you as the Chaplain, that Chapel, and to an extent all of school life, might have caused you to hold onto three ideas during your time at school: • God’s love for each of us • The importance of being part of a community • The need to ground ourselves in something beyond ourself We are all part of the St John’s community, and even when we leave we will forever have an inexorable link to this school. In each ending we find a new beginning. This does not negate the uncertainty we feel but can remind us of the hope we still have.

As I write now in the first week of Pentecost and some aspects of lockdown life make it feel as if our experience is not dissimilar to the disciples gathered in the Upper Room. Many in our nation have been separated from those they love and we face a great deal of uncertainty. Pentecost is a reminder that, whilst we may not be able to see clearly, hope for the future is a promise we can hold to. At the Last Supper in St John’s Gospel Jesus promises that the Counsellor or Comforter will come, this is fulfilled at Pentecost and so despite their fear the disciples know that there is hope. Rev’d Charlie Moloney, Pentecost 2020

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Performing Arts at St John’s

PERFORMING

Arts at St John’s

Oliver White, Director of Performing Arts

t has been a year of two halves for the Performing Arts Department, with lockdown requiring a great deal of ‘thinking outside of the box’ in order to

keep performance alive and well. Professional musicians and theatrical stars have turned their minds to virtual mediums so they can continue to promote and perform, and we are proud of the fact that the St John’s pupils have tackled the ‘new normal’ head on and something of everything continued right through until the end of the year.

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ARTS

The academic year started apace, and was on track to be the busiest and most varied year the Performing Arts Department’s has had in recent history. A successful Head’s Invitation Evening for Prep Schools was followed in midOctober by the much-anticipated return of our Concerto Competition. Supported by a professional orchestra, the event saw nine of our pupils provide an evening of music-making of the highest calibre, with movements of concertos ranging from composers as diverse as Haydn and Rachmaninov. An exhilarating rendition of Strauss’s Horn Concerto from Cameron (Upper Fifth) pipped his brother, Alasdair (who had even composed his own cadenza for Beethoven’s 1st Piano Concerto). The evening was adjudicated by the Assistant Director of Music and Head of Instrumental Studies at Eton College, Mr Tommy Foster, and for a non-vocational school to provide such a tip-top evening is a credit to the School; it also shows that classical music is alive and kicking still at St John’s.

A packed Old Chapel was also treated to miniatures by Elgar and Anderson from the Sinfonia, and performances from Schola, Lower School Choir and Brass Group. Most satisfyingly, the following week saw many of the same musicians playing in the ever-popular Christmas Rock Concert, displaying the same enthusiasm as they had in the proceeding classical concert. It is very rewarding for the staff team to watch pupils display a lack of prejudice towards any musical style and to have the technical skill to interchange between them. Almost 90 minutes of varying contemporary music rocked the PAC with happy pupils and audience alike.

The last fortnight of the Autumn Term provided a display of the kaleidoscopic diversity now prevailing within the performing arts. The Chapel Choir, who had sung so well at Remembrance, simply surpassed themselves at the two Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. They have worked so hard on expressive, nuanced and committed singing over the last two years, and this was also in evidence during the Michaelmas Concert, where they sang with the Choral Society in a moving and exciting rendition of Rutter’s Requiem, accompanied by a small pupil chamber ensemble.

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Performing Arts at St John’s

Themed lunchtime recitals have continued, eight ‘normally’ and four ‘virtually’ and most recently these video recitals have included multi-tracked performances by Jazz Band, Brass Group, Junior Rock Group, St John’s Clarinets and various duets showing the department’s and pupils’ commitment to maintaining collaborative music making, despite our community’s sustained physical separation. One highlight of these concerts was our February Fusion recital, which blended music, drama and dance together as a celebration of all that we do.

The autumn play provided two evenings that rank as an absolute personal highlight since I joined St John’s, when broad comedy was tackled for the first time in many years with the Ray Cooney farce ‘It Runs in the Family’, a play complete with every element of classic Whitehall Farce. Winter bugs had debilitated the cast and, until the dress rehearsal, the three weeks prior had seen rehearsals struggle with rarely more than 50% of the cast present, which could have spelt disaster for such an ensemble piece. We had worked tirelessly on the energy and comic timing required to pull off a piece that appears so trivial on the surface, but needed the utmost skill and military precision to work successfully. Yet amazingly, and against all the odds (glued together by an exemplary central performance by Connor in the Upper Sixth), all this hard legwork fell into place at the eleventh hour. Two capacity, ‘returns only’ audiences left the performances walking on air after two hours of genuine belly laughter and the cast have been left with some thrilling memories of the buzz that can be achieved from really successful live theatre. Only days into the Spring Term, the department was off again with two emotionally charged and deeply moving performances of the perfectly crafted chamber musical ‘The Last Five Years’.

Not to be outdone, the autumn play provided two evenings that rank as an absolute personal highlight since I joined St John’s.

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DRAMA

A small pupil orchestra accompanied two tour-de-force performances from Toby and Phoebe (Upper Sixth) as the mesmerized audiences watched the story of a five-year romance and marriage dissolve before their eyes. The astonishingly mature performances from the cast belied their tender age, some of our top classical musicians discovered they had to work extremely hard to tackle the style and technical difficulty of supporting a dramatic piece and did so brilliantly, and the School succeeded in providing two evenings of sophisticated and profound musical theatre. One week later, and the PAC had been turned around again for two atmospheric and magical performances of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, performed in the round, with pupils from all years from the Fourth Form above. The difficult text was relayed with ease, and the comedy was tackled with relish to appreciative audiences and within two weeks of term starting, already the PAC was sparkling with creativity.

MUSIC AL S

The Forbes Music Competition and Battle of the Bands took place just before half term, across all instrumental genes and covering all abilities, and the Winners’ Recital took place just after the break and before an apparently mystery and hard hitting virus with a fever and cough started to take its toll on staff and pupils alike. A high number of absences unfortunately annihilated this year’s acoustic rock concert, which had been such a success the previous year. This was an extra bitter pill to swallow as our School Organist had departed weeks previously to take up a magnificent job at Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand, and this had affected our proposed February Choral Evensong at Guildford Cathedral. Jacob (Lower Fifth) stepped up to the plate admirably and with consummate ease at many of our services, and we are grateful to him for doing so.

DRAMA

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Performing Arts at St John’s

G LIVE

Illness abated enough for our bi-annual road trip to a professional concert venue, this time to Guildford’s G Live to celebrate music from the silver screen. Over 100 performers were involved, covering almost every ensemble within the School, and music from Debussy and Gershwin (a splendid rendition by Rob in the Upper Sixth of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ accompanied by the Sinfonia) to John Williams and Queen (a performance of ‘Flash’ complete with laser sound effects). A member of the geography department even had a cameo appearance as Darth Vader at one point! It was an event that displayed the inclusivity and breadth of musical styles we embrace, and we were overwhelmed by the parental response. But then, frustratingly, things started to fall apart at the seams. Within three days of G Live, both the Director and Assistant Director of Performing Arts had to self-isolate due to Covid-19 symptoms, and just as ‘Little Women’ was due to be performed as the spring play (albeit in a reduced capacity as a streamed video performance due to pandemic restrictions), schools were closed and lockdown meant that it was cancelled. Pupils had been working towards it for three months and, in recognition of this, we hope that restrictions will be ease enough for it to be performed with the same cast at the end of the Autumn Term 2020.

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The Summer Term and the continuing restrictions did not leave the department in paralysis, however: congers has continued virtually each week, with members of the choir edited together to sing some of the School’s most popular hymns; choir members have performed a video anthem; all the visiting music teachers have continued to teach remotely via various mediums; we have enjoyed four lunchtime recitals, including ensembles and solo performances from the Lower Third to Upper Sixth; two short prototype radio plays were followed by a more adventurous four-part, weekly Sherlock Holmes serial that kept drama alive; and, in the penultimate week, the department wished to try something that we believe will not have been attempted by many when we streamed an hour long, and 100% live musical theatre cabaret. Eleven intrepid pupils performed this live cabaret from their homes to the School community, and it was also released on demand the next day. A story was devised from a collection of songs from different musicals about the romantic trials and tribulations for residents in four houses on the fictional Cupid Close. Pupils performed with computerised backdrops as set and with bespoke piano backing tracks, and the evening managed to convey the excitement of live theatre

directly to the comfort of people’s homes. This evening also enabled us to embrace new challenges, as we presented musical theatre over a completely different medium, and involved acting to a camera rather than a live audience in the same room. The pupils excelled in this and sang with aplomb. It was a fabulous first attempt to keep performance live in lockdown. So, as we look to the future, performing arts is very likely to have its hands tied for a while longer. Protected year group bubbles, and the greater expulsion of air involved in playing certain instruments, means that live music making, and cross year group casts and ensembles are not possible, but we will not be deterred. A plan of action to audition casts via video calls, begin rehearsing the musical remotely and ramp up our new virtual performances is being drawn up, and we are determined to keep music, dance and drama thriving at St John’s, and We are determined to that we in no way diminish our mantra - to to keep music, promote a real love and dance and drama joy for performing.

THE FUTURE

thriving at St John’s, and to that we in no way diminish our mantra to promote a real love and joy for performing.

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Performing Arts Drama at St Johnâ€™s

ACADEMIC

DRAMA at St Johnâ€™s

Jamie Garbett, Head of Academic Drama

GCSE

n Wednesday 26 February, the Upper Fifth GCSE drama pupils took to the stage for the performance of their scripted practical

exam in front of a visiting examiner. The pupils had been working on these pieces since before Christmas and their final performances reflected the significant amount of effort and dedication that every pupil gave throughout the rehearsal process.

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The company worked excellently as an ensemble to reveal the complexity and nature of the relationships between the roles.

G The first piece was a tightly choreographed production of ‘Adult Child Dead Child’ by Claire Dowie featuring Lucy Dwan, Toby Smedley, Katy Hardy, Elizabeth Connick and Emma Porter. The pupils interpreted the script with great skill and imagination, but also with great sensitivity to the subject matter. Following this, David Cavanagh, Freddie Barnes and Isla McDonald took on ‘Tusk Tusk’ by Polly Stenham and their recreation of wavering family loyalties against a backdrop of abandonment was touching and powerful.

Florence Holder and Susannah Klein then performed extracts from Mike Bartlett’s taut and darkly comic two-hander, ‘Contractions’. As the story progresses, we see the impact of the Manager’s abusive relationship on Emma and this was expertly handled by the performers. The evening finished with a compelling performance of ‘Punk Rock’ by Simon Stephens, recreated by Daniyal Khan, Izzy Kuhle, Adam Rustom, Zoe Donaldson, Will Simpson and James Smith. The play explores the underlying tensions and potential violence in a group of affluent, articulate 17 year old students but step-bystep, the dislocation, disjunction and latent violence simmering under the surface of success is revealed. The company worked excellently as an ensemble to reveal the complexity and nature of the relationships between the roles.

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Performing Arts Drama at St John’s

A LEVEL On Wednesday 18 March, the Upper Sixth A level drama pupils gave an impassioned, detailed and highly impressive series of performances in what was their final performances at the School. The evening began with a series of powerful monologues taken from contemporary plays that were by turns comic, shocking and engaging. The pupils should be commended on their outstanding work during the rehearsals and preparation stage, which enabled them to execute these pieces so professionally.

nameless characters attempt to invent the perfect story to encapsulate our time. The ensemble worked together with skill and professionalism in the final performance, which was ably assisted by Daniel Chakhane’s eclectic and engaging set design.

The evening concluded with a slick and fluent rendition of Martin Crimp’s ‘Attempts on Her Life’. A mosaic patchwork collection of scenes, the play touches on the pressing, contemporary issues of society as its strange array of

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VEL It was a moment of great pride to see the pupils rise to this occasion and we wish them the best of luck in all that they go on to do. The pupils involved were Hattie Allen, Connor Cloughley, Zoe Bell, Phoebe McCutcheon, Phoebe Simpson, Daniel Chakhane and Isabella Restaino.

The ensemble worked together with skill and professionalism

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Outdoor Pursuits

COMBINED CADET FORCE

The Combined Cadet Force at St John’s School said goodbye this year to its Contingent Commander

Lieutenant Colonel Ainsley Rawlings. Lt Col Rawlings has been an amazingly positive figure for the CCF here at St John’s over 10 years and has left the unit in strong position for the future. She has developed the Contingent to become one of the strongest in the Brigade and leaves behind a lot of cadets and

staff who will miss her enthusiasm and drive. Major James Hewitt-McEyeson took over in January 2020 and joins us from the National Cadet Training Centre in Frimley Park.

The Contingent received another successful Inspection this year when it welcomed inspecting officer Lt Col Mike Potter, Commandant of Surrey Army Cadet Force. Lt Col Potter praised the Contingent for its fantastic turnout and emphasised to the cadets how impressed he was on the day. ARMY SECTION This year has been another good year for the CCF, which has been capably led by the OC Army Section Captain Lucy Hems and Cadet Regimental Sergeant Major Henry Benzikie. Cadets of the Lower Fifth were introduced to basic military training and learnt skills ranging from campcraft, skill at arms, marksmanship, and drill and turnout. They enjoyed a rather damp but high spirited Field Day in February where nearly every cadet in the year group passed their basic marksmanship test as part of their Army Proficiency Certificate (APC). The Upper Fifth cadets within the section began to build on their training with more advanced topics in map and compass, first aid, and fieldcraft. They were also introduced to CFIT (Cadet Forces Instructional Technique) in preparation for them developing as potential instructors and Cadet NCOs. The Upper Fifth took part in a very engaging leadership training day which saw them develop their teamwork, communication and co-ordination.

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Sixth Form cadets continued to support the OC in running the section and in being responsible for a vast amount of teaching. Lower Sixth NCOs undertook and passed a Method of Instruction Cadre to enable them to gain the skills and techniques required to be effective instructors. They have been ably mentored by the most senior cadets in the section, the Upper Sixth NCOs, and are poised for leadership roles in the next academic year.

Special thanks must go to Cadet RSM Henry Benzikie and his team of NCOs who have put so much time and effort into building the Army Section to its great strength today. It is also thanks to the support of a number of staff that activities are able to take place; we are very grateful. Capt Lucy Hems, the shining star of the Army Section, sadly leaves us at the end of this academic year. We owe a great deal of thanks to Lucy for her passion, drive and creativity in ensuring our cadets have the best experience possible. We also thank Kate Symes-Thompson for her several years of support and wish her well as she moves into a new role within the School. Finally, the Section’s success as always is largely due to the hard work of WO2 (SSI) Steve Vine and Lt Col Patrick Noble, whose efforts behind the scenes do not go unnoticed!

NAVY SECTION The Navy Section has been lucky to have CPO Lilia Evans and CPO Tait Van Strien at the helm. The two senior cadets in the Section have worked closely with Lt Cdr Piers Vaughan and Lt Aaron Mooney to build on the successes of the previous year. Whilst the training year has been cut short, the Section deployed on successful enrichment days in the Autumn and Spring Terms. In October, the Upper Fifth and Lower Sixth had quite a bumpy afloat day in the Solent, sailing from Portsmouth to Ryde on the Isle of Wight by both power and sail. The Lower Fifth were entertained at St John’s by a visiting Royal Navy team. In February the Section travelled to Gosport. The Lower Fifth undertook some leadership training at HMS Collingwood and then visited the RN Submarine Museum. The Upper Fifth visited HMS Sultan, the Defence School of Marine Engineering and the RN Air Engineering School, where they had fun clambering around Sea King helicopters! The Upper Fifth also had a close look at the field gun equipment used by cadets there and were given some insight into how it is operated. This was of particular interest as the Contingent has now sourced our own naval guns and carriages, which it is hoped will be used in competitive gun run competitions. The kit looks small but is really quite heavy – just ask the Upper Fifth!

As we say farewell and good luck to the Section’s two senior cadets, we also say goodbye to SLt Rob Bastin, Tom Davies and Mark Davies who have supported the Section ably throughout the year. We thank them for their support, and also say thank you for the leadership of Lt Aaron Mooney and Lt Cdr Piers Vaughan, who will continue to lead the Section into the next academic year. RAF SECTION Flight Lieutenant Chris Butler started his first full academic year as the Officer Commanding of the RAF Section at St John’s School CCF. Supporting him, Warrant Officer James Perkins, led the Section displaying natural leadership qualities that were admired across the Contingent and wider School community. Senior cadets and NCOs took part in the coveted Royal Air Squadron Trophy South East Region competition. They competed with other RAF CCF Sections from across the south east in various events such as first aid (which we won!), drill, air rifle shooting, command task and general service knowledge. After a long and testing day, the St John’s team were placed a very creditable fourth place. It was a testament to the training and commitment of the team over and above their Thursday afternoon sessions.

CF The RAF Section has come on in leaps and bounds this year and this is largely due to the efforts of the OC and NCO team. Training has progressed well for cadets within the Section and has been complemented by the opportunity for several cadets to go flying earlier this year. Twenty-two cadets have had an ‘Air Experience Flight’ in the RAF’s Grob Tutor, which is the RAF’s primary training aircraft based at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire. The cadets had a thoroughly enjoyable experience, relishing the opportunity to take to the skies in a fully aerobatic aircraft. Each cadet also got the opportunity to take control of the aircraft under the guidance of their RAF Flying Instructor. The majority of the Section had a full-on day at Walton Firs Activity Centre where they took part in a teamwork and leadership workshops, and completed challenges such as high ropes, crate stacking, orienteering and a leadership tasks. The day was designed to help the cadets with their inter flight competitions in the weeks after the Field Day. As with the other sections, the RAF Section says goodbye to several staff including Chiara Edwards and Roeland Goorts. We are thankful for their efforts and support, and look forward to starting the next academic year on a high with Flt Lt Chris Butler and Robert Ross leading from a staff perspective. A special thanks goes to this year’s winner of the Dupays Sword of Honour - Cadet Warrant Officer James Perkins. He has had a tremendous, positive impact on the Section and this is demonstrated by the diligence and professionalism of the Section as a whole. Sgt James Smith, who takes the helm next year, has been an instrumental part of the team this year and we look forward to the future.

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Outdoor Pursuits

Steve Chalk, D of E Co-ordinator

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) at both Silver and Gold level remains very popular at St John’s, with 97 Upper Fifth pupils working towards their Silver Award, 13 Upper Sixth pupils finishing off their Gold Awards and 23 Lower Sixth pupils starting their Gold adventure.

The award is a valued aspect of the co-curricular programme and pupils gain real benefit from taking part. With activities as diverse as cake making, learning to drive, playing an instrument, rock climbing, CCF and drama all being undertaken by the pupils, it is clear that the award enables pupils to expand their horizons by taking on something new, as well as rewarding participants for the things they already enjoy. The October half term expeditions to the New Forest ( Silver Practice Expedition) and Snowdonia (Gold Qualifying Expedition) provided both valuable outdoor instruction and character building challenges and were very well received by all those have attended…despite less than ideal weather conditions on occasion! The Silver Awards Dinner in March saw 35 Lower Sixth participants awarded their certificates by Mr Chris Henshall, an accomplished mountaineering instructor. Many parents and some school staff attended this event and were all immensely proud of the pupils’ achievement. At the time of writing, it remains unclear how the DofE will manage the COVID-19 pandemic. We have no doubt, however, that a solution will be found to enable all participants to continue with their awards with as little disruption as possible.

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Sport Director of Sport’s Season Review

DIRECTOR OF SPORT’ S

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Season

As some of you may know, I start each year’s review with a quote. With all that the academic year 2019-20 has brought, I could think of no better than the words of the late great Martin Luther King Jnr, who said: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he lays in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy”. This academic year has been the most challenging on record for pupils, staff and our sector. It began with torrential rain throughout December and January, which saw much of our fixture programme abandoned, and then came Covid-19 and the closure of our school, resulting in the abandonment of our fixture programme, along with the cancellation of all professional and recreational sport for three months. Throughout this time, our pupils - as well as the wider world of sport - showed their resilience and demonstrated the way that sport can provide a platform for change. The period of lockdown saw our pupils actively engaged with our online sports programme, social media challenges, and our key workers sports and, thanks to the incredible effort from all involved, we ensured that we could provide sports sessions for pupils from Lower Third to Lower Sixth once lockdown restrictions began to ease. Recent events loom large in our thoughts but, as we look back across the whole school year, it is important to remember the successes of the first term and a half and these can be captured in the figures below: • A record number of teams represented our rugby, hockey, football, netball, swimming and shooting clubs, which saw almost 90% of our pupil body play a competitive fixture for St John’s. • The U14A Hockey girls reached the National Finals. • U15A Football reached the National Quarter Finals. • U15A Rugby boys reached the National Cup Final, though sadly this was abandoned due to Covid-19. • U18 Netball 1st VII qualified for the National Cup. • Senior Girls 4x50 freestyle relay were the National Swimming Bath & Otter Cup Winners. • We had the highest recorded take up for boys and girls pre-season/winter cricket programme. • We successfully launched an U15 Netball Tour, which will travel to Dubai in February 2021, and an U15 Cricket Tour, which will travel to St Lucia in March 2021 (Covid permitting).

Gareth James, Director of Sport

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RUGBY

Craig Newby, Director of Rugby

t John’s Rugby has enjoyed many highs throughout the 2019-20 season, both through fixtures and once-in-a-lifetime experiences for pupils, staff and supporters. The 1st XV played at the Twickenham Stoop for the first time, beating Caterham in the process. Our U13 boys trained at the home of England Rugby, Pennyhill Park. We once again hosted the premiership Harlequins in a full training day, which utilised our exceptional gym, swimming pool and training fields. And our senior girls had a fascinating trip to Loughborough University where they were treated to a day of coaching and games from the England Ladies rugby team, the Red Roses. Despite all the disruption that came later, the season incorporated some exceptional experiences for our rugby club.

Rug

Our approach to rugby at St John’s is to deliver a wellplanned development programme for teams across all age groups. Regular support coaches Adrian Silvester from Harlequins and Topsy Ojo, the former England and London Irish player, along with the inclusion of morning games lessons, has further increased the high standard of coaching offered to all our pupils. This year saw the introduction of St John’s Touch Rugby teams to create opportunities for less experienced pupils develop their skills, whilst still representing St John’s in regular Saturday fixtures. Alongside this, our traditional fixtures continue to strengthen with games against some of the best in the country, such as Hampton, Epsom, Tonbridge, Hurstpierpoint and Seaford to name a few. Over the course of the season, more than 24 teams and 330 boys and girls enjoyed rugby this year, alongside over 30 staff members.

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“Our approach to rugby at St John’s is to deliver a well-planned development programme for teams across all age groups.”

The U15 boys gained national recognition making the Vase Final at Twickenham Stadium, although sadly this game was cancelled because of Covid-19 and so our boys shared the title with Northampton School for Boys. Our 1st XV lost the National Cup quarter final in a close match against Dulwich College. Our brief Sevens season saw our U14 boys get the silver medal at the much-vaunted Surrey Sevens, and our U18 boys won the plate at Hampton Sevens, as well as performing very well at the Surrey Sevens.

gby

The growth of girls’ rugby has been dramatic over the past two seasons, and this year over 60 girls were regularly training at U13/15 and U18 age groups. On an individual front, our links with Harlequins, London Irish and Surrey rugby has seen and increase in the number of boys getting the opportunity to learn and develop outside of school and this continues to grow. The commitment of our value-based programme has seen participation and enjoyment levels rise, and plans to continue are well underway for the future. Pride, Respect, Enjoyment and Performance underpin all that is great about St John’s rugby.

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HOCKEY

William Marshall, Director of Hockey

Hockey went from strength to strength this year, with several teams exceeding expectations and ending the season with great building blocks going into the 2020-21 season. As a school, we continue to develop good hockey players; all age groups are producing county players and several girls are now competing at performance centre level, close to going on to compete for England.

Boysâ€™ hockey also went well this season, with four teams competing against a strong Saturday fixture list. All the teams worked hard to progress and develop their skill level, which will aid them going into future season. The 1st XI, led by Ed Timpson, had a good cup run and a successful Saturday record.

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Lower School hockey was again successful and the U12 girls did extremely well in the Surrey Cup, while the U13s continued their progress in cup competitions. All the girls are making great progress with their individual development. A highlight of the season was the U14A girls being the first St Johnâ€™s hockey team to make the National Finals. They showed great resilience to take 4th place, narrowly missing 3rd place on penalty strokes. The U15B team were our most consistent and successful team on Saturday fixtures, going through the season undefeated (ten wins and two draws) and deserve praise for a great season.

In the national competition, our U16 team competed extremely well and it was only on penalties that they missed the chance to reach the Tier 1 National Finals. They will have another chance next season to push for National Finals and we wish them well. The senior girls showed a real desire to end their St John’s hockey careers on a high. Abbie Tait and Phoebe McCutcheon helped lead the 1st XI on a competitive cup run and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th XI teams all finished the season with a strong Saturday record. Well done to all the pupils involved in hockey this year and I look forward to the coming season.

NETBALL

Katie Goble, Director of Netball

St John’s Netball Club saw a short but successful 201920 season, competing in 141 fixtures across the term and a half that we were able to play. Starting with the national cups and Surrey tournaments in the Autumn Term, it was great to see the U12, U13, U16 and 1st VII get through to the finals day. We were proud to see our teams finishing in the top five schools in Surrey. Moving into the Spring Term, the first block against Sevenoaks set the tone for what would be an excellent half term, with some outstanding wins from the U15C, 4th VII and the 1st VII. In subsequent weeks, our netballers competed in fixtures against Lingfield, St George’s, Brighton College, Bradfield College and Reigate Grammar. It was possible to see real progress and improvement made by all the girls through this short term, which resulted in a winning tally of over 50%. It was also particularly rewarding to see high participation levels throughout the term, with the club consistently putting out 29 teams across all age groups. Special mention must go to the U12D who had an unbeaten season, closely followed by the U14D and the U14B. Well done to all on such a brilliant season and I look forward to seeing the success and enjoyment return in January 2021.

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FOOTBALL

Joe Pepper, Director of Football

The 2019-20 football season was undoubtedly historic both on and off the pitch. As the season abruptly ended due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, many pupils were disappointed that they were unable to end their impressive campaigns, however there was still much to celebrate in these unusual times. The 1st XI, playing a highly attractive brand of passing football, recorded notable victories including a hat-trick of 5-1 wins against Dulwich College, Epsom College and Haileybury. Ryan Trevitt was scintillating in midfield and Jack Goodman led with guts and gusto throughout, meaning that as schools closed the side still had a chance to win their league. Similarly, the 2nd XI were in contention of winning their respective league and cup as the season closed, thanks to the goals of Harry Lawes and Olly Loy. In addition, the 3rd XI, after a hard-fought 2-1 victory away at Harrow, and the Under 16As, following an impressive 4-1 win against Haileybury, both had the opportunity to win their leagues as the season closed.

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In the 117 games that we were able to play, with many missed due to one of the wettest winters on record, St John’s scored an impressive 296 goals with plenty of exciting matches including: the Under 16B 4-4 thriller against Epsom College; the Under 14A’s 4-3 victory over Berkhamsted; the U13A’s 4-5 loss to Glyn and the Under 15B’s 9-4 win away at Haileybury. This victory was even more memorable for the amazing six goals from Charlie Eisinger, which we believe to be a school record for most goals in a fixture. Despite the way it ended, the season was a highly memorable one with three particularly historic moments for the School. First, the Under 15A side who, like many, were about to win their league, made history when they reached the ISFA National Quarter Finals. This is the furthest any St John’s side has gone in a national cup. They narrowly lost out to Bede’s but were outstanding ambassadors for the School and Football Club. Secondly, this year saw two pupils gain Academy Scholars’ Contracts, joining Old Johnian Joe Haigh (Chelsea FC) who ‘returned’ to school this year to deliver a virtual talk to pupils. We are delighted that Henry Jeffcott will be joining Arsenal FC and Josh Clarke will be heading to AFC Bournemouth. They are both outstanding footballers with bright futures. Finally, we launched our girls’ football programme this year, which resulted in 30 Lower School girls taking to the pitch to represent St John’s. We look forward to seeing how this develops over the coming seasons and are sure it will be a great success.

“The 2019-20 football season was undoubtedly historic both on and off the pitch.”

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SWIMMING

Catie Moon

This year, the intermediate girls qualified for the ESSA National Swimming Championships at the London Aquatic Centre, where they placed 18th in the 4x50 freestyle and 14th in the 4x50 medley relay; against a large and competitive group of schools, this was an outstanding achievement. Well done to Zoe Ryan, Kyarra Steele, Imogen Knight and Lucy Kelly.

At the Bath Cup, the boys placed 8th in the Aldenham Cup (4x100 freestyle). We had to make some last minute substitutions due to illness and injury so the boys performed extremely well to achieve this result. Congratulations to all the boys including Sam Carter and Zach Austin who stepped in to support Ewan Armstrong and Conor Ballard. Our girls smashed their races to win both the Fred Parks Cup (4x50 freestyle) and the R. L. Stead Cup (4x50 medley). They were only tenths of a second from setting a new the record (which, incidentally, is also ours!). The St Johnâ€™s team included Zoe Ryan, Francesca Beech, Aurelia Loth, Lucy Kelly, Anna Stansfield and Amy Robins.

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LOCKDOWN Gareth James, Director Of Sport

Sport

I must start this section by saying a huge thank you to everyone that made sport possible throughout an extremely challenging time. Keeping pupils active, healthy and happy throughout the lockdown was a major focus. From weekly live workouts and a training programme for all abilities, to skills challenges set via social media and a series of vodcasts, featuring interviews with school staff and international sportsmen/women, we worked hard to keep pupils engaged.

When restrictions began to be relaxed, most pupils were still unable to return to school for lessons but sports clubs were possible and so we created sports sessions for small groups on Saturdays from midJune. To be able to provide sporting opportunities to every pupil in Lower Third, Upper Third, Fourth Form, Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth, given the circumstances, was nothing short of outstanding and would not have been possible without the ground staff, cleaners, support staff, coaches and Senior Leadership Team. Across the entire lockdown period, the sporting sessions we were able to deliver were as followed: • Sport Sessions for Key Workers’ Children – these were socially distanced sessions delivered in the height in lockdown with HITT Fitness. • Lower Fifth and Lower Sixth Sports Sessions – pupils who were able to return to school for some lessons in the second half of Summer Term were able to choose between small group sessions, in accordance with their respective NGB guidelines, including cricket, rugby, football, tennis and hockey at the end of their academic lessons. • Sports for Lower Third, Upper Third and Fourth Form – we provided specialist Saturday sessions for tutor/house groups on a rotation for every pupil in these year groups. Pupils were able to select specialist coaching sessions in cricket, rugby, hockey, tennis, fitness or football.

LOOKING AHEAD As we look ahead to 2020-21, with some uncertainty surrounding how school sports will be able to operate in the short and medium term, we are creating as many positive sporting experiences for our pupils as possible. We also look forward to our planned tours for Netball to Dubai and Cricket to St Lucia and fervently hope they will go ahead to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

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Building the Future at St John’s

BUILDING

THE

F U T U R E

St John’s has a proud history of investment in the development of facilities for the benefit of our pupils and the community around us. The creation of a new indoor sports complex, including swimming pool, has been the latest project in this ongoing development and September 2019 saw the opening of the stunning new St John’s Sports Centre.

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Participation in sport as a cornerstone of education at St John’s. Sport helps people to learn about teamwork, camaraderie, self-discipline and leadership while promoting self-esteem and mental and physical wellbeing. As well as providing facilities that inspire the talents of our own pupils, St John’s is committed to sharing resources with the wider community and these new facilities enable us to expand our outreach programmes. The building project got underway in spring 2018, with the main construction phase completed during the summer of 2019. Anticipation had been mounting as the site rapidly developed and the building rose from the ground. When Autumn Term 2019 began, the Sports Centre was opened and the full potential of what it would bring to St John’s life was realised.

significant expansion from the combined footprint of the previous pool building and existing sports hall, which is integrated into the complex, the intelligent planning of the development has increased the space from 688sqm to 1731sqm. The top-lit, double height pool hall is the impressive showpiece. The pool is 25m in length and 13m wide, enabling it to be split into six 2m wide lanes. Improved space for spectators and excellent changing facilities make the pool both practical and a wonderful venue for swimming events. Located on the first floor, the fitness suite and studio are separated from the pool hall by a full height glazed screen offering views down to the pool below. There is a wide range of free weights and cardio equipment available for use within this space.

The centre incorporates a swimming pool, sports hall, fitness suite and studio. Designed to respect and enhance the School site, the Sports Centre is an elegant building that is both contemporary in its appearance, whilst also being respectful of its context. Without

IT IS AN EXCEPTIONAL ADDITION TO ST JOHN’S AND DEMONSTRATES THE WAY IN WHICH THOUGHTFUL, CREATIVE PLANNING ENABLES THE SITE TO BE DEVELOPED AND ENHANCED FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF PUPILS.

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St Johnâ€™s School T +44 (0)1372 373000 school@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk stjohnsleatherhead.co.uk Registered Charity No: 312064

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