STONAR NEWS S U M M E R 2 016
READY FOR BOYS Renovated Hart House opens its doors
GOLD MEDAL for Stonar pupil in National Championships
PLUS:
PREP SCHOOL’S DYNAMIC TECHNOLOGY WEEK HENRY IV A DRAMATIC SENSATION! EXTENSIVE INTERNATIONAL LEARNING
STONAR
FROM THE HEAD
SUMMER 2016 Dear friends
IN THIS ISSUE…
Welcome to the latest edition of Stonar News which is full of highlights from the past 6 months and showcases the busy and varied lives our pupils lead. Academic education is the core business of Stonar, but by itself it is not enough to prepare pupils for life in the modern world. In this magazine you will be able to read about some of the many extra events and opportunities at Stonar that help pupils to develop the other important characteristics that they need for the future.
Arts p10
We want our pupils to develop the courage to take new challenges, the ability to work in or lead a team, the resilience to persevere through difficulties to reach their goals, and respect and consideration for everyone around them. This is an exciting time at Stonar as we look forward to boys moving up to Year 7 in September and to significant investments in our teaching, playground and equestrian facilities. Our doors are always open to visitors and you are very welcome to come to learn more about the progress and changes happening here, either at one of our open events or for an individual tour. Dr Sally Divall Head
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Sport & Riding successes p14-15 PLUS 3
Development
4
Exploration & Inspiration
6
Challenge
8
Overseas Opportunities
10
Creativity
12
Community
14
Sport & Equestrian
16
Meet Lucy Havranek
11 May 13 May 14 May 14 May 27 May 27 May
KS3 play ‘Remain Indoors’ Year 11 Formal Dinner ISODE Open Morning Year 13 Celebration Breakfast Sixth Form Celebration Dinner
22 June
Year 3-4 residential trip to Whitemead Gold D of E expedition
23 June
25 June 28 June 29 June
Summer Fete Prep School play ‘Robin Hood’ Nursery Teddy Bears Picnic
1 July 4 July 5 July 8 July
Year 6 Formal Dinner Prep School Sports Day Senior School Sports Day Term Ends
INVESTING & IMPROVING We are ambitious for our school and we are going through an exciting period of transformation as a considerable programme of investment is rolled out. A CLEAN SWEEP ON THE ISI INSPECTION REPORT Stonar has recently passed the Independent Schools Inspectorate’s (ISI) Regulatory Compliance Inspection with flying colours, meeting all the regulatory requirements in every section, in full. Inspectors praised the quality of the work that is done here at Stonar, after a rigorous and thorough inspection of every aspect of the school. Inspectors found that ‘pupils are consistently engaged in lessons’, a finding backed up by questionnaires posed to our pupils where an exceptional 98% of pupils asked said their lessons were both interesting and engaging and 97% of parents agreed their child had made good progress during their time here.
The new boys boarding house, ready for September
IMPROVING FACILITIES New classroom and play facilities Work will be starting this year to demolish an old boarding house, making way for a new classroom block for the Senior School. This will provide enhanced facilities for computing and robotics as well as improved teaching spaces for modern languages and humanities. During the next academic year, we intend to remove a further outdated teaching block and use the area for new play facilities for Senior School pupils. We look forward to collecting our pupils’ ideas for the space. Equestrian Centre We are planning improvements to the reception office , teaching facilities and viewing area in the equestrian centre, as well as undertaking renovations to older stables and work areas. Several capital projects have now been completed, improving and enhancing the existing facilities at the school. • Boarding facilities: Comprehensively upgraded, with new furniture, carpets and blinds throughout as well as new bathrooms and sink units in the bedrooms. • Boys boarding wing: Renovations to the old section of Hart House to create a new boys boarding wing. • Swimming pool: Upgrade to flooring, decor and changing facilities • IT infrastructure: Upgrade in progress to improve wifi and connectivity across the site • Resurfacing of driveway and car parks
The ISI report further endorses our teachers, who were described as ‘knowledgeable’ and comments, ‘well planned teaching enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and skills appropriate to their abilities. Teachers at all stages of the school know the pupils and their needs well and are able to match lessons and tasks effectively to those needs. The inspectors were most impressed by our pupils, saying of them:
‘Pupils throughout the school are articulate, confident and encouraged to discern and value the gifts they possess.’ Head, Dr Sally Divall commented, “I was particularly pleased with the positive responses from parents and pupils in the questionnaires. To see that the vast majority of parents agree that their child is happy, making progress and is well looked after is a ringing endorsement for the school.” “It is no small achievement to have passed the inspection so comprehensively, and I am delighted with the result. My thanks go to the outstanding staff here at Stonar; all of whom have played their part in this successful inspection.”
UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS Congratulations to our Year 13 pupils who have had a great crop of offers from Universities through for a wide range of courses. Laura Warren has accepted a place to read Civil Engineering at Manchester, and Sharon Chau has selected Biology at the University of Bath. Other strong offers received include Modern Languages at Durham and English at Queen Mary Belfast. We wish all our sixth formers the very best of luck in the exams over the summer and look forward to reporting on their results. 3
STONAR NEWS
EXPLORATION & INSPIRATION Taking pupils beyond the classroom is essential to switching on excitement and discovery. A busy programme of trips broadens pupils’ horizons and strengthens learning.
Left Pre-prep enjoy the magic of the underwater world at Bristol Aquarium Below Left
Environmentalism and industry at Whatley Quarry Below Right Year
6 ‘evacuated’ to Bristol to discover the impact of WW2
Left
Exploration of the tomb of Tutankhamen for Year 5 Right Business
students take an in-depth look at manufacturing
Left Year 7 get hands on with science at Bath University Right Chocolate and industry happily combine for Year 8 geographers on a trip to Cadbury World 4
PREP TECHNOLOGY WEEK The Prep School’s special focus week on Technology was a tremendous success with a programme of activities encouraging children to dive in and discover new uses of technology. Highlights of the week included a collaborative build of a Lego city.
Children worked together to build an enormous city from Lego and used battery packs to wire up the city so it had light and a working railway. Pupils also shot their own mini-movies using iMovie. Year 6 were the first group to get to grips with iMovie, and then
taught Years 3 and 4 how to use it. Year 3 and 4 in the meantime had been busy script-writing, and the year groups came together to stage and film their own mini movies. The week rounded off with a visit from Cyclone Works, who brought with them a ‘Smoothie Bike’. Cycling on the bike powers a dynamo which in turn generates electricity for a blender. Pupils enjoyed powering up and producing their own delicious smoothies. Things got competitive over on a different bike, rigged up to fire balls at a set of nine-pins. With house points at stake, all pupils pedalled furiously!
Exploring Careers MEDICINE & HEALTH Year 10-13 students recently attended careers talks in medicine and health with two very different speakers who were able to illustrate the spectrum of healthcare careers. Dr Megan Rowlands, a newly qualified GP outlined her personal journey through medical school and shared her top tips for students seeking to pursue a medical degree and career in medicine. Caryl Rundle, an experienced senior manager and social worker outlined the rewards and challenges of a career in health and social care. Lauren, Year 13 said, ‘This careers event was excellent and gave us an insightful view of medicine, health and social care from two very different perspectives. It gave us all something to think about.’ A subsequent careers event gave pupils the chance to discuss medical careers on a more informal one-on-one basis with Dr Lizzie Rivers, a paediatric doctor.
ALTERNATIVE ROUTES AFTER SCHOOL A further careers evening delivered an insight into alternative routes after school, and looked at the breadth of opportunities and experiences that a gap year can deliver. Another speaker discussed apprenticeships. “It is important to expose pupils to as many options as possible to broaden
their thinking about the vast array of potential routes after school,” explained Anthony Curtis, Head of Careers. “As well as one-on-one careers support, pupils at Stonar are encouraged to attend events to learn as much as possible about the world of work so they are well equipped to make the right choices.”
5
STONAR NEWS
CHALLENGE Pushing our pupils out of their comfort zone is one of the most rewarding things we do. Doing more than they believed they could, pupils grow in confidence, learn to trust their ability and aim high. MODEL UNITED NATIONS On Stonar’s Model United Nations day, Senior School pupils were given the opportunity to develop all aspects of their public speaking skills. In today’s contemporary job marketplace, public speaking is undoubtedly an essential skill almost whatever post-school environment pupils enter.
They then presented their motions to the whole school in a packed Buckle Hall. Especially impressive was the confidence with which speeches were delivered and the insight of the questions from the delegates. “I wasn’t sure that I could speak in public at first, but I quickly enjoyed the buzz of talking to everyone. I know I can do it now.”
Working under time pressure, the pupils were given two hours to research what their own particular country would ‘think’ about their motion, appoint speakers and practise the separate roles of speaker, chairperson and questioner.
These words from a Year 10 pupil summed up the excitement and success of the day.
DEBATING
DEVIL IN THE DETAIL Visiting Artist Ben Rothery put our GCSE pupils through their paces with an exacting workshop on observation and illustration. Pupils worked hard to replicate Ben’s meticulous techniques and made great strides in control and accuracy. 6
Stonar’s ace junior debaters, Genevieve Baller, Reli HarrisJohnstone and Ysobel Andrews, made it through to the final of the Rotary Club’s Youth Speaks competition after a sterling performance in the semifinals. The senior team also took to the stage presenting on their topics of ‘Mum or Dad?’ and ‘Home or Away?’
The performance delivered many witty one liners and the seniors stood up to a thorough audience grilling. Izzy Journeaux was awarded Best Speaker and the group were placed second. Our debating teams also performed well in the English Speaking Union debating challenge; a national event where very high standards are set.
DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD Two teams went to Exmoor for their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award assessed expedition. The weather was variable – cold, bright, foggy, wet, warm – but the girls coped easily with the changes while successfully completing their projects and the challenging routes they had planned for themselves. The assessor gave the girls very high praise indeed: he said they were the most well-prepared, capable groups he had assessed. He found their positive attitude and the ways they supported each other to be exceptional and a credit to themselves and the school. We agree! Our Bronze teams have also been out and about on a practice expedition; a local hike with a one night camp, which the pupils managed most capably and with good cheer and humour throughout.
YEAR 7 PRIZE IN GLOBAL ROBOTICS CHALLENGE The Year 7 Lego Robotics team travelled to HP Labs in Bristol to compete in the First Lego League’s Trash Trek challenge which involves over 250,000 children from over 80 countries. The challenge encourages children to approach problems as scientists and engineers; to investigate, solve and present a real world problem - waste management - while adhering to a set of core values including Celebrating Discovery, Teamwork and Gracious Professionalism.
MATHS CHALLENGE The Inter-house Maths Challenge brings Year 6-8 pupils together in teams to solve problems collaboratively. As well as testing themselves on some fiendish calculations, the teams also embarked on the practical challenge of building a
bridge between tables to bear a load. “The Maths Challenge injects excitement and drives motivation and engagement in the subject,” commented Alison Rivers, Director of Studies.
Overall, Stonar came 9th for the robot challenges component, scoring an excellent 247 points. This was a great achievement in itself, but the pupils were delighted to also be awarded the Core Values prize.
PHYSICS OLYMPIAD Congratulations to Nina Fowler, Year 13, and Alice Sheppard Year 12, who sat the British Physics Olympiad challenge papers; Nina achieving a Merit and Alice, achieving a Gold Award. The British Physics Olympiad has a dual purpose: to challenge and reward the best physicists in British schools. 7
STONAR NEWS
A GLOBAL EDUCATION Pupils across the school embrace the international opportunities that being part of the NACE schools group brings.
VIBRANT LANGUAGE LEARNING Trips and exchanges are complemented by a vibrant programme in the classroom which encourages and reinforces learning right from the early years.
BRILLIANT BARCELONA A group of Years 5-8 enjoyed a fantastic immersive week of culture, language and international friendship in an unforgettable trip to Barcelona. The group were hosted by pupils and staff from the Agora International School, Barcelona. Pupils were warmly welcomed and partnered up with a Spanish counterpart, who they shadowed attending lessons in both English and Spanish. Our pupils made great strides in their language learning with their confidence notably growing. The itinerary was packed; as well as study, attractions included Montserrat Mountain, Gaudi’s Parc Guell and Casa Mila as well as the famous Sagrada Familia. The group were also excited to visit Camp Nou, the home of Barcelona FC. As well as great memories, pupils forged strong relationships and it has been a delight to see that they are keeping in touch and looking forward to seeing their partners again at future NACE events. 8
Language learning at Stonar begins from the Nursery where our youngest pupils have a gentle introduction to French and Spanish through songs and games with the help of our language assistants who are native speakers. Our Reception class have recently been learning key vocabulary through hearing the story, 3 Little Pigs in Spanish. The class then led an assembly to the whole Prep School in English and Spanish. Reception pupils learn French too and Senior School pupils will be joining them this term to teach them names of body parts through the song Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes. At the upper end of the Prep School, Year 6 now have good building blocks in place and can engage with more complex tasks. Making weather forecast videos in another language using the iPads was a popular activity last term. We’re also lucky to be able to make the most of our NACE partner schools, and children have recently exchanged letters with their French counterparts. Senior pupils also benefit from a lighter side to language learning and a French breakfast was a highlight for Years 8 and 9 recently who got together to practise their conversational skills over an authentic continental breakfast. The department are now planning for European Languages Day in September to involve pupils from Years 6-9 in an exciting cross-curricular day with drama, food and a Linguatrivia competition.
NACE ACADEMIC OLYMPICS Stonar attended the first NACE Academic Olympics, held at Agora International School Madrid (AISM) with over 175 participants from across the French and Spanish NACE schools. The event comprised a series of academic challenges which the pupils had to solve as a team against the clock. The Stonar team very quickly developed a system for working efficiently and effectively, which helped them achieve 3rd out of 13 teams in the Physics/ Chemistry and the Biology events. Overall, the team were placed 6th, a very commendable showing.
NACE MUSIC FESTIVAL A group of Stonar musicians flew to Barcelona to take part in the fourth international NACE Schools Music Festival.
The final event on Thursday morning was a lichen study in Manazares Park along the river, followed by a cultural tour of Madrid including the Palacio Real, Plaza Major, the gardens surrounding Museo del Prado and the royal residences. Dr Divall was present for the closing ceremonies at University Europea of Madrid, another event run with great warmth and efficiency. All in all, a tremendous experience for our pupils who rose to the challenge admirably.
Pupils worked together with their counterparts from France and Spain all week, sharing music and cultural experiences. In addition to rehearsals the group visited the centre of Barcelona where they explored the busy streets of ‘Las Ramblas’, the gothic quarter and saw the impressive Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. A particular highlight was visiting the beautifully ornate ‘Palau de la Musica’ home to the Orfeo de Catala. The event culminated in a gala performance where our Chamber Choir performed. The choir programme included the atmospheric ‘Hush Lie Still’ written by Mr Goodall. One parent commented on the ‘angelic’ voices of our pupils. ‘We thought we were in heaven!’, she said.
NACE OLYMPICS As this newsletter went to press, we were in the midst of hosting the NACE sporting challenge, the IV NACE Olympics, with 150 pupils and staff from France and Spain visiting, and events in multiple sports. A full write up from the event will be published in our Autumn edition.
9
STONAR NEWS
ARTS In all the creative disciplines, pupils are encouraged to express themselves; discover and develop their artistic style and flair.
ART COMPETITION: LIGHT Our whole school art competition invited pupils to reflect on the theme of light in any medium of their choosing. We were delighted with such a strong field of entries.
SHAKESPEARE’S HENRY IV Stonar’s talented actors served up a feast of wit and gravitas in the Senior School production of Henry IV (Part 1). The depth of Stonar’s acting flair was exemplified by the whole-school representative cast; from Years 8 to 13 there was a clear sense of verbal vibrancy and physical fun. As one parent put it at the
interval, ‘How do these girls do it?’ Wonderful melodic tunes delivered confidently complemented the tightly constructed and rhythmical script. The lead roles provided convincing character depictions; by turns regal, comic & haughty as the scene demanded. All in all, a wonderful night’s entertainment.
Top Lily Richardson, Year 10, Middle Georgina Spendiff, Year 11
Photography students were inspired on a trip to London. As well as fieldwork, they visited the Lee Miller exhibition, entitled ‘A Woman’s War.’ 10
Nursery worked collaboratively to create their own artworks for the competition.
MID-SOMERSET FESTIVAL The Mid Somerset is one of the oldest and largest festivals in the country with incredibly high standards. Of 29 entries in a variety of disciplines including Acting, Verse and Public Speaking, 14 were placed in the top three and we came home with a total of 7 trophies. Congratulations to our trophy winners, Rose Goddard, Olivia Anniss, Freya Knight & Chloe Bowen, as well as all Stonar’s other competitors who acquitted themselves so well.
SPRING CONCERT Held at the Wiltshire Music Centre, the annual Spring Concert was an uplifting musical celebration including performances by soloists, choirs, vocal and instrumental groups and orchestras. Over 90 children participated from Years 3 to 13. A parent commented after the concert: “I was amazed at the high standard of the performances tonight. It’s amazing that such a showcase event can be put on in a small school.”
PREP SCHOOL CONCERT Prep held their own concert for parents and friends in Buckle Hall, giving our younger performers a chance to shine in a warm & supportive environment.
The Chamber Choir also performed at a Supper Concert in Atworth Church Hall. A range of soloists, together with vocal ensembles entertained a very well-attended audience in an evening of music to raise money for Atworth Church.
11
STONAR NEWS
COMMUNITY
ROMANIA CHALLENGE Pupils have shown great tenacity in continuing to raise funds for their forthcoming Romania trip where they will take part in a building project for a destitute family. The sponsored bike ride saw them take to their saddles to ride from Bradford on Avon to Bristol and back, and they’ve each engaged in their own individual activities, including a cake sale, car wash and interval ice cream. They’re also starting to prepare for the trip; learning common Romanian phrases.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMME PREP’S CHARITY CHEQUE FOR THE NESTLING TRUST
Our after school and clubs programme is a highlight of school life with pupils having the chance to try everything from Japanese to Archery. We’ve introduced several new clubs recently including Adventure Club, 3D Printing, Robotics and Paper and Card. Pupils, as ever, have relished the opportunity to try new things.
Stonar Prep School presented a cheque for £2,777 to Wiltshire charity, the Nestling Trust which works in Nepal with destitute children. “We have been so impressed by the continued enthusiasm and determination of the children to raise what they can for the charity,” said Mark Brain, Head of Prep. “They have thrown themselves into their fundraising activities and we’re delighted with the total they have achieved.”
Above 3D Printing club Top Ceramics club Left Outdoor Adventure club
DADS’ FOOTIE! The Prep School invited dads to dust off their football boots in a friendly 5-a-side tournament. A great afternoon; our Year 6 pupils particularly enjoyed the chance to referee.
EASTER FUN Friends of Stonar organised a wonderful annual Easter hunt, enjoyed by all Prep pupils from Nursery to Year 6. A lovely end to the Spring term. 12
“An amazing achievement - thank you so much to the children of Stonar Prep School and to all those who have supported the events. We are most grateful. Every penny donated will be spent directly on our projects, building a home for destitute and trafficked children and providing medical care and health education in remote areas of Nepal for those who are without,” said Sue Hamblin of the Nestling Trust.
BUSY BOARDERS Our happy boarding houses promote a strong family atmosphere, where pupils feel very much at home and mutually support each other. Right Lambing Live at Lackham Below Inter-house dance
A few pictures of boarding life & the great range of weekend activities pupils take part in, both in and out of school. Left Morning Run Below Left Friday night pizza
Above Centre Culture and shopping in Bath Right Getting animated with Morph
READY FOR BOYS! The refurbishment of Hart is complete and we are very excited to be opening our first Senior boys boarding house ready for September. The facility is located in the Grade II listed Hart, and rooms combine modern comforts with beautiful original features and views across the surrounding countryside.
13
STONAR NEWS
SPORT & RIDING An inclusive programme allows all pupils to find where their sporting talent lies and lays the foundations for a life-long enjoyment of sport and fitness.
SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING Year 9 pupil, Bella Harris-Johnstone, competed at the British National Synchro Championships in April, taking Gold in the Team Free Combination with her club, Rushmoor. The team’s routine was packed full of tricky lifts which gave their routine a high degree of difficulty. Bella was right at the centre of the action – at one point being perhaps 8 foot in the air after being launched off the shoulders of the girl immediately below.
FOOTBALL & RUGBY The U11 football team have enjoyed a fantastic season and have cruised through unbeaten. The boys have made strong progress in the maturity of their game and are now playing well together as a team. A special mention to Joe Wills, our top scorer. The U11 team had regular rugby fixtures and the teams made great progress with our A team drawing against Heywood A team 25-25 and Warminster A team 20-20 after dominating the second half of both matches.
JUNIOR HOCKEY
SWIMMING
Congratulations to the Girls’ U11 hockey team who won the King Edward’s hockey tournament. Despite being one of the smaller schools to take part, the Stonar team has proved that with hard work, a committed attitude and the right environment facilitated by their coaches, success is possible.
Stonar’s swimmers have had a good year, with several successes under their belt against schools including Westonbirt and St Mary’s. Stonar performed extremely well in a swimming gala at Marlborough College against schools including Bradfield, Kingswood, Cheltenham and Wellington with Stonar teams coming a close 2nd (U16) and 3rd (U18s).
The girls progressed impressively through the group stages before beating Colston’s in the semi-final. The final saw victory clinched in extra time against Monkton by 1 goal to nil. ‘The last five minutes was so tense but it was exhilarating’ – Elise Wallace ‘It was awesome to win, I am so proud of my team mates’ – Helen Bourne
14
For the first time in its history the prep school competed in an U11 boys rugby match with two mixed Y5 and Y6 teams playing in a triangular tournament at Westonbirt. It was a steep learning curve but the improvements that both teams made during the afternoon was something to behold. Outstanding individual displays coupled with a growing feeling of teamwork saw one team unbeaten and the other team only losing narrowly to far more experienced teams.
CROSS COUNTRY Eight Stonar pupils qualified to run for West Wilts at the County event. Congratulations to Liberty Nichols and Heidi Clothier who went on to represent Wiltshire at the South West event.
Bella, who took up synchronised swimming just 2½ years ago, has had unusually steep trajectory in the sport. Rushmoor’s chief coach, Louise Wooley, expressed her amazement at the rapidity of Bella’s ascendency – the usual timescale is 5-6 years. “This clearly is the highlight of Bella’s synchro career so far, and we are all completely delighted at this resounding success,” said Rick Johnstone, Bella’s father. “Stonar’s helpful and enlightened approach to allowing and enabling the various practise sessions that have taken place during school hours has been a very positive and strong factor in Bella achieving this outcome. The approach Stonar has taken with Bella is, to me, a model of helpful, sensible and very proactive support for the athlete – and look at the results!” “We are always keen to support pupil’s individual ambitions and we are delighted with Bella’s achievement. Not only is she talented; she is motivated and committed and deserves every success both now and in the future,” said Dr Sally Divall, Head of Stonar. Bella’s success has earned her place on the England Talent Development Squad, which feeds directly into the full national team. Bella and the Rushmoor team will now perform the routine at the LEN European Aquatics Championships at the London Olympic Pool in May.
RESULTS
RIDING ROUND UP It has been a pleasure to welcome new coaches to the Equestrian Centre, who have run in-depth training sessions with pupils on specific disciplines. Adam Murdin joined us to offer his dressage expertise, an experienced trainer who coaches pupils to Grand Prix level. International eventer and GB coach, Katie Burton has also run several challenging cross country clinics. We’ve also been delighted to offer a new tetrathlon taster experience for pupils, combining an unusual riding course over a series of jumps and the chance to shoot. This has been enthusiastically received, and we look forward to running similar events in the future.
BIATHLON Year 6 pupils Tommy Criddle and Spencer Dymond-Hall competed for Stonar at the National School’s Modern Biathlon Championships at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. Tommy competed in the U11 Boys category and did particularly well in the swim finishing 32nd overall, only 5 seconds behind the winning swim time. Spencer competed in the U12 Boys category and recorded personal best times in both the swim and run – taking 8 seconds off his swim time.
SENIOR NETBALL A busy season of fixtures with some excellent successes for all our teams with the 1st VII finishing their season on a high beating Leweston’s first team 23-18 and the Stonar staff 23-10. Congratulations all! We also took a young U19 team to the U19 County netball tournament. The girls played superbly and the team only narrowly missed out on qualifying in a very tightly contested tournament.
ISODE We welcomed over 100 schools to our Inter-Schools One Day Event in September, where we enjoyed a fantastic two days of competition and some excellent riding. Congratulations to all the Stonar competitors, who acquitted themselves very well against a strong field of competition from across the country. Class 1B: 70cms class Section C: 9th place Minty Mayhew with Scarthy Robin Class 2A & 2B 80cms class Section D: 8th: Lucy Swift with Laurem Blaze Section D: 9th: Eva Stenner with Flash of Freedom Section E: 5th: Josephine Southey with Just a Mo Section E: 7th: Evie Houseman on Blakeney Majesty Section G: 7th: Abbie Short with Lord Patch Team 3rd: Eva, Lucy, Josephine and Tippy Pullin with Roscow Delight Class 4: 1m class Section M: 2nd: Danielle Frost with Storm Section L: 9th: Pauline Bayer with Indora Team 4th: Chloe Brown with Muchwood Comanche, Harriet Blokland with Firefly Fred, Mayan Young with Bankside Saffron, Danielle Frost with Storm CONGRATULATIONS
DEVON DAYS A group of pupils relished an equestrian weekend in North Devon, where a very good time was had by all, riding over the moors and enjoying the freedom of galloping on the beach. Riding out of their usual environment builds confidence and independence as well as being tremendous fun!
Congratulations to Year 9 Mayan Young who competed at the Keysoe Pony Premier, riding two clear rounds at 1.15m and 1.25m. She had a pole down at 1.35m, but came second and has now qualified for Hickstead Royal International. In April, Poppy Richardson & her pony Essenar Maltazer competed in the National Pony Club Winter Dengie Dressage Championships at Addington Manor Equestrian to win 3rd place in the novice section. She also competed in the British Riding Club National Winter Dressage Championships in Keysoe, gaining an individual 4th place and team 4th, just missing 3rd place by one point.
15
STONAR NEWS
MEET LUCY HAVRANEK HOUSEPARENT OF HART, LANGUAGES TEACHER What do boarders get up to at the weekends? Weekends are never dull here at Stonar; there is always plenty going on. We relax on Friday night with a film night, hot chocolate, baking or board games. Saturday kicks off with horses to be looked after (after a bit of a lie in!) and sports fixtures. Saturday morning is also a chance to do prep. In the afternoon the Houseparents run a wide range of different activities and trips. Recent highlights have been a visiting falconry demonstration, trips to theme parks and regular trips into the beautiful city of Bath.
Tell us about the preparations for the arrival of boys in the boarding house? We have been busily working away in preparation for the arrival of boys in September. The boarding house has been completely refurbished, revealing the beautiful old character of the listed building. It’s great to see all of Hart now refurbished to the same excellent standard throughout. Other preparations range from planning exciting and engaging weekend activities to ensuring the boys will be welcomed and incorporated into our boarding family as soon as they arrive. I am looking forward to welcoming them soon. What are your memories of school life? I really enjoyed school and my favourite subjects were languages (obviously!) and sciences. Any pupils unfortunate enough to have witnessed my drawing skills will understand that art was never a strength of mine. I’d have loved the opportunity to do things like D of E or so many of the amazing co-curricular clubs on offer at Stonar. What made you pursue a career in teaching? My parents were both teachers but I wanted to join the FCO and went for the final interview in London which involved working there for the day. I instantly knew that a desk job wasn’t for me. I had some time to kill before getting my train so I went to the Natural History museum and saw a school trip go past. I watched the children, excited to be learning and interacting with their teachers and in that moment I decided that I wanted to go into teaching and I have never looked back. What do you like best about Stonar? Stonar is a way of life; it is my home as well as my work place and it is the people who make Stonar the fantastic place it is. There is a
STONAR
Cottles Park, Atworth, Wiltshire, SN12 8NT T: +44 (0) 1225 701740 F: +44 (0) 1225 790830 E: office@stonarschool.com www.stonarschool.com
family feel in our boarding houses, our classrooms and among the staff which means everyone belongs from the very moment they arrive. What do you enjoy most about being a houseparent? Without a doubt the best thing about my job is the children I work with. It is a privilege to help and support them to grow into successful, rounded young adults and they genuinely brighten my day. Hart office is usually a busy place with lots of kids in chatting (and drinking lots of tea) and I really enjoy their company. What do you think the important qualities are in a houseparent? It’s really import to be approachable and easy to talk to. A sense of humour goes a long way too! I think it’s important to be consistently fair so everyone fully understands the routines and expectations of boarding. How do you settle new children in to the boarding house? Starting a new school is an exciting time but it’s normal to be a bit anxious too. When new children arrive I make sure they have as much information as possible. I know the common questions they will have so make sure it’s all written down nice and clearly. They will be given a buddy who will not only make sure they know where they need to be and when, but will also make sure they’re included. Hart has a really strong family feel to it and the older pupils look after the new joiners. It never takes long before they start to feel at home.
I am certain that my boarders would say that the best bit about a weekend is Saturday night. They have the chance to order in takeaway and it’s a really special time for me as the whole House comes together to eat and relax in the lounge. Sundays are a more relaxed day and a much appreciated break from our busy school lives. It’s a chance to sleep in a bit and Sunday brunch is my favourite meal of the week. The afternoon is packed full with another activity and the swimming pool and tennis courts for a spot of exercise. We are spoilt with a fantastic roast dinner on a Sunday evening before it’s time to get ready for the next week to come. It’s no wonder the time seems to go so quickly here! Tell us about some of the funniest things that have happened in the boarding house. The funniest, and sweetest, thing that springs to mind was a gift from a well-meaning Year 7. I was quite new in post and I had to have my beloved cat put down. The pupils all knew that I was very upset and a large group of Year 7s arrived knocking at my door. One was at the front with a gift for me. She held out a white box, which I took and then felt something inside it move. She had given me a little rabbit. Her intentions were very sweet but I had no cage, food or any way of looking after it! My face must have been a picture. Luckily a nearby pet shop was open late. As it happened, a colleague’s nieces were looking for their first pet and the newly named ‘Toffee’ found a loving home but the thought of opening that box will always make me laugh.