Surrey

Houses

Surrey

From the Housemaster

Aparticular highlight of the 2020-21 academic year was the success of Surrey House in the annual house pancake race. Having negotiated the Chaplain’s strict officiating system, Surrey managed to win the event meaning that they have secured this victory twice in as many years. This is particularly pleasing given that the 2021 pancake race was performed remotely and showed a clear commitment from all in the House to ensure that the victory was possible.

Equally impressive in the eyes of the House staff was the virtual House Singing Competition entry of Gold by Spandau Ballet. Despite the success that the House was hoping for not being forthcoming, the ability for all year groups to combine whilst still maintaining their respective bubbles was truly impressive. Many a tutor time was spent rehearsing, whilst many also took it upon themselves to practice at home. It is this type of dedication that really demonstrated what it means to be a Surrey pupil.

The strength of the House during all lockdowns/virtual learning periods, was evident through the House winning four out of a possible five competitions during this time. The value that our pupils place not only on the House but each other within the House is often immeasurable, but this was a perfect example of pupils doing their best for their friends in Surrey and receiving a positive outcome as a result.

Moments of pride as a Housemaster in Surrey come in various guises on a daily basis, however it is often pleasing to see the pupils representing the House in the wider capacity of school life. Whether it be Ben Webb with debating, Luke Knowles and Josh Philips in their superb work in the School production of Miss Saigon, or the particularly summery California Dreamin’ Concert in which Luca Hatwell, Will Smith, Louis Jeffcott, Ali Wilson, Luc Martinez and Patrick O’Neill performing with passion and exuberance in equal measure never fails to provide a moment to reflect on the plethora of talent that the House has.

It cannot go without note as well, how proud house staff are with pupils' ability to adapt to the ever-changing conditions surrounding Covid-19, and this is particularly pertinent with regard to the academic prowess that they have shown and achieved. The Upper Sixth negotiated the uncertain times with significant maturity and their UCAS applications were of a high calibre opening them up to some spectacular offers when the level of competition externally was also very high. A particular mention must go to Tristan Coetzee for his Cambridge offer to study engineering, which is no mean feat at all!

Whilst all pupils must be given credit, the Upper Sixth must not be left out of a further special mention. The Upper Sixth year is always a challenging one but faced with the uncertainty of your last year being overshadowed by a global pandemic is a very tough one to take indeed. What is certain however, is that all pupils in the Upper Sixth have not just survived the experience but thrived, and it will undoubtedly contribute to making them even more successful then they may well have already been. The Prefect team of Mustafa El Barky, Will Payne, James Twist, Henry Walton and Sami Zubaidi have been immense in helping to organise teams for events and fixtures, and have been led equally impressively by the Deputy House Captain Patrick O’Neill and House Captain Ben Webb. All have shown Surrey House their incredible leadership prowess and have continued to help the Surrey community grow and shine.

Ian White, Housemaster

Did you know?

Surrey was the first ever day house of St John’s.

Competitions

WON THIS YEAR: House Pancake Race

From the House Captain

At the heart of Surrey House is our motto of ‘Belong, Believe, Achieve’, and in this year more so than any other, this motto can occasionally be tested. With the House physically separated across different parts of the School because of the Coronavirus restrictions, it was perhaps hard to imagine that same communal sense of belonging would be at the fore. However, like always, the strength of the Surrey House community has prevailed, with our successes landing us multiple wins throughout the year from a whole range of activities, from rugby, football, debating, quizzing, croquet, the list is endless. These successes have served great testament to all of those things we hold most dear in our community, yet they are buoyed on by all of the small achievements that we have been able to make together.

The individual talent within the House is staggering, with musical performances, drama recitals, sporting contributions, and academic prowess shining through in all that we do, and it’s through our welcoming and close-knit attitude that makes us stand out. If you were to ask what makes Surrey House unique? Every Surrey pupil would almost certainly give a different answer, which is entirely the point! Our varied and diverse pupil body is made up of individuals who feel comfortable enough to reach their goals, rooted in the belief that through belonging we can achieve all. Success and belonging go hand-in-hand in all that we do in Surrey House, and these successes are greatly highlighted through the achievements of our Upper Sixth, all of whom have gained fantastic results in their university applications; praise must go the way of Tristan Coetzee who gained an offer for Engineering at Cambridge, alongside the tenacity of so many other Upper Sixth pupils who all look to the future with the highest of hopes. As a House Captain with a house so spread apart, it has sometimes been challenging to maintain the same motivation to uphold the virtues of Surrey, yet throughout the year I have been continually blown away with the spirit of all those in our community, with the leagues of contributions, effort, activity, and belief remaining the most inspiring part of my time at St John’s. When I look back at my time at the School, my sense of belonging to a small house spirit will forever be what I remember most fondly. Surrey is a place

NUMBER OF PUPILS 64 of nurturing and growth, and the strength of its family feel helps all who join discover their unique place in the School. With all of the fond memories and great experiences I have had in a Surrey shirt, it has been my greatest regret that I STRENGTHS: have been unable to directly show the new house members

Friendship, what it truly means to be a member of Surrey. However, their input in house singing, their support for house croquet, Community and and all of their contributions for their year’s house events,

Commitment the community lives on and will live on for many years to come. It has been my greatest pleasure to help steer the House through the pandemic, and I am sure that through the next academic year things will be restored to the strongest heights of the Surrey community. Surrey has helped shape me and root me in such a unique culture, and I owe all of my successes, experiences, and passions to the lessons learnt from all of those in Surrey, through all of the years, teachers, our Matron, and the experiences shared along the way. Throughout my time in Surrey I have given my whole heart, and every time the House has given 100% back. I’d like to thank everyone who has been with me throughout my whole school journey for all that they have done. Ben Webb, House Captain 2020-21

Belong, Believe, Achieve