The Suttonian 2016

VOL. 39 NO. 1

2016

THE SUTTONIAN

The Suttonian The Suttonian is the magazine of Sutton Valence School, a co-educational day and boarding Senior School for pupils from 11-18 years, in Kent.

The School

Headmaster School Secretary Admissions Officer

Editorial Team

Mr B C W Grindlay Mrs W Rogers and Mrs L Henderson Mrs K Webster

Co-Editors Mrs S Collins and Mr W Radford Design Mr W Radford Sports Team Photography Bentley Photographic Printed and Bound Lavenham Press

Website Email Phone

www.svs.org.uk enquiries@svs.org.uk 01622 845200

Cover Image Photography

Mr T Cope Mr D Clarke Mr J Lockwood

Editorial Note

T

his year saw the end of an editorial era as Sarah Easter (now Sarah Collins) left the School to move to the South West.

Not only has the School lost a fantastic Art teacher and Housemistress, but also a skilled and dedicated editor to this publication. Having taken it on in 2006, she has overseen ten magazines, and across those editions has consistently raised the level far beyond the expectations or reaches of an in-house publication. Her eye for detail and artistic approach to design created a style that juxtaposed professional layouts with a warmth and community feel that reflects the School as a whole. Although artistically driven, Sarah also worked hard to ensure the magazine was inclusive, picking through the articles and photos with meticulous care to ensure that as many pupils as possible were featured.

Whilst this publication may mark a style change, the content is as strong as ever, which is entirely due to the contributions of the School community. Pupils, staff and Old Suttonians alike have provided a vast array of content on all aspects of School life and to them, I am most grateful. Thanks must also go to my colleagues Helen Knott, Sarah O’Connell and Wendy Rogers for their considerable help with editing and proofing. I have also been able to call upon a number of my key contributors from The Old Suttonian, and of those, I must thank David Pickard (Staff 1977-2001) and Richard Harvey (1963 C) for their continued support and assistance.

Having extolled the virtues of Sarah’s influence over the last ten years, it would be remiss of me not to mention the significant contribution that she has made to this specific edition. In handing over the reins in June, Sarah had already completed the majority of the content. Rather than easing herself into journalistic retirement, she worked tirelessly to ensure that my job was as straightforward as possible, freeing me up to focus on the design. Going forward, if I am able to emulate across future editions the quality of content that Sarah has left me for this publication, I will consider it a job well done. For now though, I hope you enjoy the magazine, and would welcome any feedback.

WPR

INTRODUCTION

Contents Introduction 2

Performing Arts 11

Art and Design 27

Combined Cadet Force

43

Duke of Edinburgh Award

65

Academic 73

The School 89

Sport

115

Old Suttonian Update

151

Valete

159

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INTRODUCTION

Headmaster’s Welcome Mr B C W Grindlay

F

our hundred and forty years ago this year our founder, Sir WiIliam Lambe, endowed a school in Sutton Valence to educate 12 children with its mission being to instil in its charges a fear of God, good manners, knowledge and understanding. Seeing the School today, as reflected in this annual round up of our academic year, it is clear to see how much has changed and evolved in the intervening nearly four and a half centuries. However, I think Sir William would not only be exceedingly proud of his School today, but also quick to recognise its ethos as that which he set out to establish. Perhaps a “fear of God” is a little arcane and Draconian these days, but the desire to create a kind, respectful and courteous community where knowledge is absorbed and applied with understanding are certainly our goals today.

Much of what we do in our daily academic diet, as chronicled in this magazine, is about acquiring and improving our knowledge in a multitude of subjects and disciplines. However, understanding is learnt in many different arenas and activities: through dealing with others; reading situations; working as a team or by applying our learning to varied problem solving.

I strongly believe that understanding increases through commitment, focus, effort and self-discipline and these core, transferable skills are often best learnt out of the classroom. The four journeys that underpin our educational provision are all opportunities for our community to demonstrate respect for each other, to improve and apply knowledge and, ultimately, to gain greater understanding. It was Miles Kington who quipped, “knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; understanding is not putting it in a fruit salad!”

I hope you enjoy reading and seeing William Lambe’s vision coming to life in the following pages that document another successful year at SV. I thank all of our community for participating, trying and working so hard to achieve all they have this year. I would also like to reserve a special thank you to Mrs Sarah Collins who sadly leaves us this year, for all that she has done over many years as the Editor of The Suttonian, and welcome Mr Will Radford into this important post. In their role, both editors have invested huge levels of care and attention evidenced in every page of this impressive record of our achievements. For most of the year their job is a thankless task, but, upon publication, I hope that my thanks will be echoed by all who read the ensuing pages.

Best wishes

Mr Bruce Grindlay Headmaster

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INTRODUCTION

Exam Results and Added Value Mrs R Ball, Academic Deputy Head

D

uring this time of increased pressure on pupils studying at GCSE level, we are extremely proud of our pupils’ results. One in three achieved five A grades or higher in August 2016, with the whole year group celebrating 69 percent A* to B grades. Our broad ability cohort continues to succeed, with the School consistently performing above the national average. Amongst our most successful students this year were Eleanor Agu Benson, who achieved 11 A* grades; Olivia Ferris, with 9A* grades and Francesca Ash who attained seven A* grades.

Equally, our Sixth Formers celebrated phenomenal A Level success, with one in five students achieving straight A* or A grades. For several years now, the School’s academic results have consistently improved and this year is no different, with 42 percent of examination entries earning the very highest grades (A* to A) and 13 percent achieving the coveted A*. We were delighted that 67 percent received A*-B grades and the students had an overall pass rate of 99 percent.

As a school, we are focused on improving the outcomes of all students, recognised this year by our position in the top two percent of schools nationally for adding academic value to every student. Whatever their starting point, the nature of our pupils’ academic journey is such that Sutton Valence is now amongst the top schools in the country for improving academic results. Education is about making a difference and this measure, devised by Durham University, is, we believe, the greatest way of demonstrating that. Ultimately, a predicted D grade that ends up a C, is just as big a journey as an A to an A*, it is just a different starting point. From our GCSE cohort, this was well demonstrated by Jonty Martin, our highest ranked

boy, whose three A* and six A grades saw him achieve a 0.5 increase in academic added value.

The School has a tremendous track record of getting students into their first choice of university and helping them achieve their academic ambitions. Amongst those with the highest grades was Emil Evans; his three A* grades secured his place at Cambridge to read History.

Another perfect three A*s were gained by Saskia Roestenburg, who will be reading Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Bristol. Finally, Freddy Parker, prior to his musical success on The X Factor, gained three A* grades. Many students from across the year have gained their places at Russell Group universities and other prestigious institutions.

Our students have proved that hard work and dedication pays off.

Given the right environment, focus and support from excellent teachers with high expectations, our pupils’ endeavours have given them results of which they, and we, can be truly proud.

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INTRODUCTION

Fundraising for Nepal Miss L Turner and Mrs A Wilkinson

I

n just ten months the School has raised an amazing £60,000 to rebuild the Shree Tamang Kharka Secondary School in Dhading, Nepal. On 25th April 2015, an earthquake took a devastating toll on the region, killing 8,800 people, flattening villages and destroying schools. Pupils, who had travelled to Nepal the previous December, took up the cause immediately, planning events to provide instant relief and then, as the magnitude of the destruction became clear, the School set up the Nepal Fund. Working with the schoolbuilding charity, the Pahar Trust, plans for an 18-classroom school were drawn up and the fundraising began.

The Sutton Valence community rose to the challenge magnificently.

Parents, staff, students and the extended community worked together to raise funds. The first event was a Nepalese Evening at The Krishna Restaurant in Headcorn and we are grateful for their generosity. Mr Sansom and his team completed the Three Peaks Challenge, with minutes to spare, during the first week of the summer holidays.A small committee of parents was set up (Mrs Bromley, Mrs Browning, Mrs Carroll, Mrs Lennard and Mrs Yorke) and more events were planned.

With so many events, highlights are difficult to pick out but the balloons being released over Prefects’ Lawn was a wonderful sight at the start of the balloon race. Similarly, the Black Tie Dinner at the Officers’ Mess, 36 Engineer Regiment was a fabulous evening with an inspiring talk by Captain Bhandari on his experiences on Everest at the time of the earthquake. Another highlight was the Curry Night, with wonderful food cooked by Mrs Nirmala Baral and her team, Kukri dancing by the Gurkhas and Latin American dancing by Max and Katie Harrison, an auction, a raffle and an Adele tribute act. A packed and exciting evening enjoyed by both young and old.

So many have made this possible, organising car washing, penny races, sponsored walks, mufti days, the Tree Raffle, Junior Leadership’s Christmas Fair, Pre-prep nativity, carol services, the Sixth Form Ball, the Prep Practice-a-thon, the silver mile, book sales, cake sales and numerous other activities played their part. As part of the Nepal Committee, we were humbled by people’s generosity and it was incredible to see everyone working together to reach the target. Many of the activities were unprompted and really showed the compassionate heart of the School.

The Foundations were laid on 25th November 2015 (shown in the photograph below).

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INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION

Bryan Baughan (1941-2016) Richard Harvey (1963 C)

B

ryan Frederick William Baughan, Chairman of Sutton Valence School Governors, died after a short illness last December.

Here, we look back at a life well lived, and a man with a permanent place among those who have made the greatest contribution to the School. If the essential characteristics of Sutton Valence School are the constant drive to improve and excel, coupled with an appreciation that life should be taken seriously - but not always - then Bryan Baughan lived those values to the hilt.

Bryan was a Sutton Valence School Governor for 13 years, taking over as chairman in 2009. It heralded a period of remarkable progress for the School, when educational standards rose to an unprecedented level, and the fabric of the School was improved with the opening of a new theatre, swimming pool, athletics track, dining hall, Mathematics and ICT classrooms, as well as Prep and Pre-Prep buildings.

Perhaps that was par for the course for a man whose favourite saying was “just do it!”, and he achieved equally brilliant things in his City career, as a senior executive and director with eminent companies such as Hoare Govett, Invesco and Singer & Friedlander.

Not that Bryan had any inkling of the direction in which his career would take him as he was growing up in a South London council house, the son of a munitions factory worker and a greengrocer’s shop assistant. He showed early academic promise, winning a place at Shooters Hill Grammar School. Although he was drawn to education as a career, his first job was as a trainee stockbroker otherwise known as a ‘blue button’ - and such was his enthusiasm and talent that he was nicknamed Percy (short for perspicacity)! But the education ‘bug’ proved so strong that he left the Stock Exchange, and became a teacher at a local primary school for four years.

In 1966, Bryan met and proposed to Jo, a nurse, but realising that a humble teacher’s salary wasn’t going to support a wife and future family, he went back to the City - and from there his career trajectory was ever upwards. But Bryan was also interested in the Church. He had been an officer in the Boys’ Brigade (which he described as “the making of me”), and from 1980-85 was a member of the General Synod of the Church of England.

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He was also a man for whom a City lunch was more than just a case of negotiation over the beef and claret. He became an enthusiastic cook, even building his own den complete with kitchen at the family home in East Farleigh near Maidstone.

His first contact with Sutton Valence came in 1978, when he was asked to join the committee securing the future of Underhill preparatory school, which was going through a period of financial difficulty. The School was saved, partly thanks to Bryan’s financial acumen, and subsequently became Sutton Valence Preparatory School. From then on, Bryan was a key figure in the governance and progress of both the Preparatory and Senior schools, as well as chairing the Finance Committee of the United Westminster Schools Foundation.

With an impish sense of humour, and a real ability to get on with people, Bryan was always great company. His City clients included people as diverse as the head of MI6, Sir Dick Franks, KGB defector Oleg Gordievsky and Dr Thomas Stuttaford, medical writer for The Times and an advocate of the health benefits of red wine - advice that had the wholehearted support of Bryan!

Indeed, his passion for all things culinary led to him being accepted into the Worshipful Company of Cooks, a role to which he brought not only his knowledge and love of good food and wine, but also his shrewdness as a businessman capable of ensuring stable and sustainable finances. Bryan became Master of the Company of Cooks in 2013, another highlight in a distinguished career of more than 50 years, also hallmarked with the honour of being appointed a Freeman of the City of London.

He was a man for whom every hour of the day was worth living, whether in the City or at Sutton Valence, Twickenham or Lords, Glyndebourne or Covent Garden. Jo Baughan, who was married to Bryan for 49 years, recalls his humour, love of family and enormous generosity, while the School paid tribute to “his intelligence, his culture, and his indisputable love for the Preparatory and Senior Schools.......we owe Bryan a great deal, and he will be remembered with love, respect and affection for many years to come”.

It was fitting, then, that more than 400 of his friends, family and colleagues packed into the School Chapel to celebrate a happy and fulfilled life, with a similar gathering at a service of thanksgiving in St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey last June.

INTRODUCTION

Speech Day

S

aturday 2nd July saw the School come together for Speech Day, which, despite the weather, proved a fitting end to the year.

Serving in her first Speech Day as Chairman of Governors, we are most grateful to Lady Vallance for presiding over the celebration.

As mentioned earlier, it had been a sad year with the loss of the previous Chairman, Bryan Baughan, and it was particularly poignant that his widow Jo was present to hand out the Baughan Cup to Clothworkers’ - the winners of the School House Competition.

The School is also grateful to Sir Hugh Robertson for his involvement as the guest speaker. His breadth of career knowledge provided an insightful and thought-provoking address. Having served in the Household Cavalry’s Life Guards regiment, worked in the City, served as the Member of Parliament for Faversham and Mid Kent and as Minister for Sport during the London Olympics, Sir Hugh encouraged the pupils to follow a career path that motivates them.

The Headmaster then spoke with a Shakespeare-inspired review of the year. During his address, he invited the cast of the Lent Term’s production of Les Misérables to re-form for a final rendition of One More Day. He took time to thank the 12 departing members of staff, all of whom are included in the valete section at the end of this publication. He also highlighted a number of the successes that the School has witnessed this year, including the outstanding 2015 exam results and the hugely successful Nepal charity fundraising campaign.

The final speech came from the Summer Term Head of School, Stephanie Weir, highlighting her own personal memories from her time at the School, as well as speaking more generally on behalf of the cohort of 2016 leavers in thanking everyone who has contributed to their time at the School. An abridged transcript of Stephanie’s speech is available on page 160.

Sir Hugh Robertson KCMG PC DL

FIRST FORM PRIZES Academic Excellence Award Jonny Russell

SECOND FORM PRIZES Joint Academic Excellence Award Tarik Abed Mariana Mason

Achievement Awards Charlotte Farrell Sofia Moggi Suma Rai

Achievement Awards Alexander Duckett Maisie Rixon

Effort Awards Chloe Alexander Holly Clark Rosie Larchet

Effort Awards Tobias Dickinson Philippa Dow Josh Houry

Most Improved George Abrehart Joshua Laird

Most Improved Nicole Avery Daisy Hills

All Round Contribution Awards Andrew Loy Anna Smith

All Round Contribution Awards Patrick Mullen Muhing Okhrabu The Junior Macdonald Prize (Current Affairs) Ewen Barr

THIRD FORM PRIZES Academic Excellence Award Lara Savage The Macdonald Prize (Current Affairs) Lara Savage Achievement Awards Pescha Cordell Tom Gray Anna Harrison Reuben Hodson Noah Swaine Edward Wheble Effort Awards Isabelle Busby Paige Davidson Gabriella Romano Anisha Thapa Magar All Round Contribution Awards Elizabeth Drummond Katie Lang Bethan Pepler Finn Swaine

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INTRODUCTION

FOURTH FORM PRIZES Academic Excellence Award Ellen Crombie Achievement Awards Edward Curling Emily Hall Sean McKeating Francis Romano Olivia Smith Alexander Webb Effort Awards Lucas Gutierrez Fernandes Nina Harman Henry Jones Tiggy Teare All Round Contribution Awards Imogen Forknall Samuel Grindlay Asher Regal Emily Smith

FIFTH FORM PRIZES Academic Excellence Award Eleanor Agu Benson Achievement Awards Francesca Ash JieJie Chen Olivia Ferris Marco Hu Naomi Lijesen Grace Mortley Effort Awards Eliza Lewis Anna Livtchak Anna Wilson Shizhao Zhou All Round Contribution Awards Maxwell Harrison Laura Horley Edward Mazumdar Henry Overy Sophie Watson The Coles Prize (All Round Contribution to School Life) Angus Michie Maberly Prize for Achievement Tim Anthony

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INTRODUCTION

LOWER SIXTH PRIZES Georgia Ridge

Further Mathematics Prize Jessica Grindlay

Physics Prize Nejla Eco

Art Prize Angus McVarish

Geography Prize Sabin Gurung

Religious Studies Prize Jamie Drewe

Chemistry Prize James Collins

History Prize William Sturges

Theatre Studies Prize Annabelle Blake

Design Technology Prize Nicholas Payne

ICT Prize Charlie Pratten

Economics Prize Henrietta Taylor

Effort Awards Abbie Butfoy Amelia Kent

Kitchener Prize (Mathematics) Annie Gledhill

French Prize Oliver Smither

Biology Prize Annie Gledhill

Spanish Prize Sam Gray

Psychology Prize Jasmine Neale

English Prize Sam Gray

Media Studies Prize Ruby Deighton-Smythe

Music Prize Jessica Grindlay

Photography Prize Sangharsha Gurung

Academic PE Prize

All Round Contribution Awards William Grabowski Max Rossiter OSA Prize (All Round Contribution to School Life) Charles Court

Headmaster’s Copy Prizes Art

Eleanor Agu Benson Fifth Form Lauren Robinson Fifth Form Faber Swaine Fifth Form Chemistry Francis Romano Fourth Form Lara Savage Third Form Design Technology Errol Brinkman Fifth Form JieJie Chen Fifth Form Naomi Lijesen Fifth Form Callum Mason Fifth Form Alexander McDermott Fifth Form Shizhao Zhou Fifth Form

English Emil Evans Upper Sixth Katherine McKeating Upper Sixth Verity Newman Upper Sixth Sasha van Diepen Upper Sixth Emily Vernon Upper Sixth

French (cont.)

Suma Rai

First Form

Geography Amelia Gaston Upper Sixth Home Economics Maddie Chivers Fifth Form Emelia Hollingsworth Fifth Form Mathematics Sophia Moggi First Form Michael Summers First Form Media Studies Ruby Deighton-Smythe Lower Sixth Amber Delaney Upper Sixth James Turner Upper Sixth Lucas Williams Upper Sixth Music Charles Court Lower Sixth Matthew Corpe Lower Sixth

Film Studies Saskia Roestenburg Upper Sixth

Portfolio Work Paige Davidson Third Form Tom Gray Third Form Reuben Hodson Third Form Lara Savage Third Form

French Marko Jankovic First Form

Spanish Mariana Mason Second Form

Extended Project Qualification Emil Evans Upper Sixth

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INTRODUCTION

UPPER SIXTH PRIZES Wood Prize (Physics) Thomas Brunt

Psychology Prize Frederick Parker

Angell Prize (Mathematics) Thomas Brunt

Religious Studies Prize Saskia Roestenburg

Biology Prize Katherine McKeating

Media Studies Prize Saskia Roestenburg

Bloxam Prize (English) Emily Vernon

Theatre Studies Prize Eve Barclay

Bossom Prize (Public Speaking) Abdullah Adil

Photography Prize Amber Delaney

Economics and Business Prize Katie Leyden

Spanish Prize Sebastian Habersack

Fry Prize (ICT) Francesca Wheble

Amy Lovegrove Prize (Outstanding Female Achievement in Sport) Katie Latter

Further Mathematics Prize Yiu Hong Wong Winstanley Prize (Chemistry) Yiu Hong Wong Geography Prize Amelia Gaston Grizelle Prize (History) Emil Evans Joyce Drayson Art Prize Freddie Nelson Music Prize Vendula Hoppeova Wheeler Prize (French) Vendula Hoppeova

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Academic PE Prize Katie Latter Design Technology Prize Katie Latter All Round Contribution Awards Jessica Bennett Imogen Catchpole Joseph Deveson Chloe Evans Hannah Morris Headmaster’s Prize Patrick Backhouse Headmaster’s Prize Tom Lennard

Edward Craven Prize (Outstanding Male Achievement in Sport) Tom Lennard Headmaster’s Prize Stephanie Weir Clothworkers’ Prize (All Round Contribution to School Life) Freddie Ellis Ricketts Prize (All Round Contribution to School Life) Guy Backhouse The Marjorie Popay Prize for Educational Achievement Philippa Bromley CCF Sword of Honour Christopher Youngman Richard Horn Prize (Outstanding All round Performance in Drama and Music) Sasha van Diepen The Froud Innovation Prize Joshua Brown The WBP Aspinall Prize (Outstanding Originality of Thought and Action) Adam Dawkins Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award Adam Dawkins Headmaster’s Special Achievement Prize Lily Chivers The Spirit of the House Competition Cup Jack Ferris

Performing Arts

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PERFORMING ARTS

Music Report Mr P Horley, Director of Music

I

usually start each year with the words “last year I was writing this report in the Lake District/outside in the sun/watching the cricket” or something like that. Well this year it’s cold and damp and I am in the Music School Office being hassled for the report I have been meaning to write for a term.

The major event for the Music department was the Choir Tour to Rome in October (report on page 14). Members of the Choir performed well in three of the great Rome churches, visited many imposing sites including the Forum, the Vatican and Sistine Chapel and enjoyed a wide variety of Italian food. Our only down-point was Mr Soman’s illness which meant his absence. However, my thanks must go to Mr Davies and Miss Gray for being wonderful colleagues and stepping into the breach at short notice to help.

There are several concerts and events I feel that I need to highlight.

The first was the series of Carol Services in the Michaelmas Term.

With the newly-decorated Chapel lit by candles, a new organ and a large Choir, it is always a magical occasion. With a variety of new and old carols performed superbly under the baton of Mr Soman, the Choir rose to new heights and gave everyone there a huge uplift ready for Christmas.

Every term, we put on a series of concerts aimed at specific year groups, allowing our young performers to gain experience of performing solos in front of appreciative audiences. This is often used as a good way to perform pieces in preparation for Music examinations later in the term, including both GCSE and A level.

Over the year there have been over 50 solos performed plus small ensembles (including a piano and accordion) which have helped to develop pupils’ confidence. Other concerts included the Singing Soiree, under Mrs Field’s direction, and the Guitar concert led by Mr Keeping, both involving pupils from our Prep School.

Mr Soman and a large number of the Music department were also involved in Les Misérables (page 22), and my congratulations go to everyone involved in this excellent production.

A Music School is often measured by the strength of its string section. Strings form the building block of an orchestra, and at Sutton Valence School the string section is very healthy, thanks to Mr Holmes’ enthusiasm and direction. Over the year, the Strings have performed Handel’s Cuckoo and the Nightingale (with Mr Grindlay as soloist on the organ), the Christmas Concerto by Corelli, the Andante by Sibelius and the Finzi Prelude. The highlight for me was performing the Shostakovich Piano Concerto slow movement with Jessica Grindlay as the soloist. Everyone in the audience was spellbound by this truly magical experience.

Socially, the Music School has always been a happy place in which to work and study. This year a new event was organised and run

by Jessica Grindlay and Sam Gray; the Chapel Choir social. This was an evening of being with friends, fine food and entertaining games run by the two Lower Sixth Formers. My only disappointment was not winning the sketching game where I am convinced the winning entry was fixed.

As usual my thanks must go to my colleagues in the Music School who put up with me and often point me in the right direction.

Special thanks to the people I share an office with, Mr Soman and Mr Holmes who do all the hard work and allow me to get the credit. Last, but not least, to the pupils themselves who make the department what it is. A special thanks to all the leavers, especially the ones who have given so much time to us, Sasha,Vendula,Thomas, Hongjia,Verity and Laura. Best wishes to you all.

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Violin Master Class Anya Livtchak, Fifth Form

I

n what has become a regular fixture in the Music School calendar, Nicholas Miller, a professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music worked with a number of our most advanced string players on Friday 13th November, and also on Friday 11th March. For the first time this year, as well as having pupils from the Senior School, we also had one pupil from the Preparatory School.

A wide range of repertoires, including Schindler’s List, Brahms Hungarian Dance and Mozart Concerto in G, were performed and rehearsed at a very high level from pupils of a wide variety of standards.

As the day began, the Music department and Professor Miller started off listening to pieces from earlier grades, finishing with pieces which were post grade eight. Professor Miller helps to strengthen our string players, and gives extremely useful advice which benefits us all massively. Not only does it benefit pupils, but also the teachers, who, with Professor Miller’s advice, can make the string players of Sutton Valence even better. He has become a huge support to the School and he describes his visits as one of the highlights of his year; praise indeed from a musician of his calibre!

The string department continues to thrive and occasions like this provide a huge boost. Mr Miller is particularly impressed with the standard of the pupils and we are hoping that he will perform with the Senior Strings next year.

PERFORMING ARTS

Chapel Choir Jessica Grindlay and Sam Gray, Lower

Sixth

O

ver the past academic year, the Choir have surpassed all expectations, taking part in concerts, trips, rehearsals and socials. Our first goal was the trip to Rome.

Early one October morning Mr Horley, Mr Davies and Miss Gray took a cohort of 30 students, flying from Luton and touching down in the haze of Rome. Armed with our repertoire of anthems, we spent three days traveling from chapel to chapel and singing in various different historical sites, a highlight being our trip to the Sistine Chapel. Not only was it fantastic from a musical point of view, but it was culturally enriching, and a wonderful chance for the Choir to experience Rome, and to bond. A more thorough account of the trip is given by Annabelle Blake on the following page.

No sooner than we touched down in Luton airport, wearied, but satisfied, we began to think about the Christmas Carol Service.

This is an important part of the School year, and a tradition enjoyed by both staff and students. Living up to the previous year’s service is always tough, but with the help of Mr Soman, we exceeded our previous performances. With some old classics, and some engaging new carols, it made for another enjoyable and memorable service.

Every term the Choir takes part in the Music School concerts; a chance for individuals and groups to show off their hard work and talent. It provides a chance for the notable members of the Choir to demonstrate their vocal prowess. This year the Choir has sung in the three main concerts, performing a suite from The Armed Man, alongside other choral favourites, such as Insanae et Vaene Curae and Greater Love.

We hope that more than just an organisation, the Choir provides a friendship base and a community for all those involved. With this in mind, we hosted our first ever Choir dinner. It was a chance for everybody to dress up, and to eat a formal meal.

After the meal, speeches were made by Mr Horley and Mr Davies, before the games commenced.

The Choir divided into teams, and took part in amusing competitions, such as Chubby Bunnies, a game in which the competitors must stuff large quantities of marshmallows in their mouths, whilst shouting “Chubby Bunnies”. There were also quiz rounds, the jelly bean suction challenge, the After Eight challenge and lots more opportunities for shouting, all under the premise of team building! It was a hilarious night, and a wonderful chance for the members of the Choir to develop long-lasting friendships with like-minded people.

The last event of the year was the leaver’s service. It is always tremendously moving, and provides a chance to bid farewell to many distinguished members of the Choir, with an old favourite, The Lord Bless You and Keep You. This year, we said good bye to Sasha Van Diepen,Vendula Hoppeova and Hongjia Lian.

We would like to say thank you to all the leavers for their long years of commitment and talent to the Choir. Finally a big thank you must go to Mr Soman and Mr Horley. Without their time and dedication, the Choir would not be what it is today; a valued community within Sutton Valence.

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PERFORMING ARTS

Choir Tour to Rome Annabelle Blake, Lower Sixth

W

hen in Rome, do as the Romans do. Therefore it was inevitable we would saturate our minds with bodacious buildings, relish in the Roman towns and gorge ourselves on Italian classics in the form of pizza and gelato. It is then no surprise that as we took flight on our two-hour trek to Rome we were enthused with a buzz of trepidation.

As soon as we arrived on Roman soil we knew the adventure of a lifetime had begun. The first part of our Italian experience began with an authentic meal which included pizza, pasta and tiramisu. As the second day dawned, the Vatican was our calling. The awe-inspiring illustrations that had been engraved onto the walls, not to mention the purifying atmosphere of the Sistine Chapel, made little old England seem like a distant memory. After another quick tour of the picturesque Pantheon church, we marched onto our first singing site: the Basilica di Sant’Eustacchio. Here we collectively made our Italian debut and it was a scintillating experience.

The Colosseum and Roman Forum, which had an authentically energising feel, were our destinations for the third leg of our tour. These bona-fide sites were a spectacle to one’s eye as the Roman heritage lived in the bones of the buildings. This day was rounded off with a majestic performance at the Basilica of St John’s outside the walls. It was a true highlight of the trip as the voices of Sutton Valence School resonated around the charming church.

Our last choral performance was at Bracciano, a chocolate box town with a sapphire lake and a castle that stood high in

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the clouds. Our Italian dreams had been fulfilled and this impeccable town was the perfect place for the Chapel Choir to end their singing sensations. The final day beckoned and, after a shopping trip, England was calling for our return.

The trip had been an exceptional adventure and Rome will forever hold a place in all of our hearts. A huge thank you must go to Mr Davies, Miss Gray and especially Mr Horley who accompanied and organised this trip and made it run like clockwork.

WE CAME, WE SAW AND WE CONQUERED!

PERFORMING ARTS

“ The trip had been an exceptional adventure and Rome will forever hold a place in all of our hearts

”

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PERFORMING ARTS

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PERFORMING ARTS

Dance Show Paige Davidson & Anisha Thapa Magar, Third Form

T

he dance show this year proved to be another massive success and included performances from students across a range of year groups.

Various dance styles lit up the stage and dancers impressed the audience with their energy and enthusiasm. Irish dance was performed by both Jade Neale and Ellie Fannon; a first for the dance show.

Although there were fewer performers this year the night ended with the audience buzzing. Two of our current students, Katie and Max Harrison and an Old Suttonian, Harrison Keep (2012 C) and his partner Georgia Blatch (both International and Latin Ballroom dancers) astonished us with their professionalism, fast feet and sharp moves.

The First Form performed two dances: ‘Rather Be’ and ‘What Do You Mean’, demonstrating excellent timing and showing that no matter what age,

with hard work, you can accomplish big things.

Fabulous contemporary solos were performed

by Fynley Young, Olivia Smith, Pamela Papa-Adams and Sangharsha Gurung, who also performed in two other dances throughout the evening.

Funmilola Owolabi and Bipasna Bhandari, along with Sangharsha Gurung amazed the audience with their use of props. An upbeat dance to Dear Future Husband by four Third Form girls got the audience tapping their feet and left a smile on their faces. Other Third Form performances included a unique puppet dance and a modern dance to Touch by Pia Mia. A huge thank you must go to all those involved.

Mrs Mathews put on another brilliant dance show, thank you. We look forward to starting work on performances for the next dance showcase.

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PERFORMING ARTS

Mike Southern Francesca Ash, Fifth Form

A

few of the Fifth Form GCSE Drama students were lucky enough to have a workshop with Mike Southern, who plays Sammy in the West End production of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers. We took part in a series of activities to help with our characterisation for our GCSE performance, starting with a game of Cowboys and Indians, recreating the Kid’s Game scene.

We then performed our scenes to Mike, who offered amazing feedback and direction, helping us breakdown our scenes, to really get to know our characters. It was a very enjoyable and useful experience for all of us, and offered some great ideas for our GCSE performance.

Edexhell

The Eulogy of Toby Peach

Saskia Roestenburg, Upper

Mrs C Fordham, Director of Drama

Sixth

W

hen given the brief of creating a devised piece of theatre all four of us A2 Drama students knew immediately that we wanted to devise a piece of theatre that we could connect to. Hence, this led us to the one subject that we all had in common and felt strongly about, exam pressure.

Through the development process of our piece that follows the scattered narrative of two students, the perfect and the imperfect, the one element that remained throughout was our want to portray a strong political message to our audience.

We utilised this idea to great effect in my final monologue when I say “you are just enforcers of an inhuman system pushing children and teens to breaking point”, but most memorably via Eve Barclay’s unnervingly real impersonation of Nicky Morgan, the (then) Secretary of State for Education.

Through our short but powerful performance we managed to encourage our audience to consider the impact that exam stress and pressure has upon an individual. Over the course of the process we gained an even stronger stance and set of opinions on this matter that is so close to all our hearts. We hope that this passion transcended to an audience but most importantly our grades.

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F

resh from Edinburgh Fringe and recommended by Miss Davies, we knew we would be in for a treat when we invited Toby Peach in to perform. Little did we realise the impact that this thought-provoking, fresh and beautifully written piece of theatre would have on our students: they haven’t stopped talking about it since. One in two of us will experience cancer first-hand and Toby Peach brings this universal issue to the stage. The Eulogy of Toby Peach is the story of his journey with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes that he faced at the age of 19 and again at 21.

Some students felt privileged that Toby was brave enough to share his story with us and others were blown away by the way in which Toby brought this to the stage theatrically.

Combining theatre, science, technology and a lot of care and attention, Toby has created a piece of theatre that is moving and engaging for pupils and staff alike.

PERFORMING ARTS

Jen Manderson Beatrice Williams, Upper Sixth

I

n the Michaelmas Term we were extremely fortunate to have Jen Manderson visit the Drama Department to work with our Upper Sixth Theatre Studies group, with the aim of helping us to develop our devised Drama piece, one of the components of the A2 Theatre studies course. Jen Manderson specialises in Dance and Physical Theatre and we spent the day developing new skills and improving scenes that had already been created, working towards fulfilling the marking criteria in the top two bands.

Shakespeare Lives Sam Gray, Lower Sixth

T

he year 2016 marks the 400-year anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. In order to mark this occasion, Sebastian Shaddick, Annabelle Blake and I were given the opportunity to perform and professionally record an extract of Hamlet, for the British Council’s ‘Shakespeare Lives’ campaign. Having been studying the play in our A Level English course, we were thrilled at the chance to explore the characters ‘on-stage’, and settled on a section from Act one, Scene two. The scene focuses on Hamlet (played by me), who is distraught at the news that Claudius (played by Sebastian) was to marry Hamlet’s recently widowed mother, Gertrude, (played by Annabelle).

We began rehearsals with only a couple of weeks until the recording date, with the help of Dr Grindlay. We started by watching professional versions of the scene in order to gain inspiration. The idea of a modern interpretation of Hamlet, with Claudius posing as a middle class husband, Gertrude a ‘yummy mummy’, and Hamlet as a moody teenager with angst, took flight. The end result was a relevant interpretation of Hamlet, which explored issues that are prevalent in many families nowadays, that of broken homes and fractured marriages.

We travelled up to the studios in Dean Street, Soho, one early morning in half term, accompanied by Dr Grindlay, and Mrs Knott. Entering the underground studios, we were nervous to say the least. However, we were greeted with enthusiasm, and soon got into the swing of things. Following the recording, which took several takes, we were interviewed for part of the campaign, and asked why we believed that Shakespeare was still relevant today. Being professionally recorded and interviewed was a novel experience, but we managed to answer coherently.

The recording is to be edited by the British Council, and sent out to Chinese schools, in order to help foreign students to get to grips with Shakespeare. We are all grateful for such an amazing opportunity, and thanks must be given to Mrs Knott, and Dr Grindlay, without whom we would not have been given such an amazing chance to act, and whose direction was integral to our final performance.

Senior LAMDA Showcase Mrs C Fordham, Director of

Drama

O

ver the course of the Lent and Summer Terms, students prepared for their LAMDA examinations and the showcase gave them an opportunity to share their work with an audience. The summer showcase combined the Junior and the Senior years and we saw a wide array of genres and styles. Charlotte Gilman and Emily Baldwin performed a mesmerising scene from the film The Parent Trap and Sam Gray eventually nailed his Hamlet soliloquy. The passion and enthusiasm for Drama continues to grow and our students are presenting work that is of a very high standard. Some students this year have taken group, duologue and solo examinations and their commitment to their LAMDA studies has been outstanding. We look forward to seeing our Scholars continue to improve as we move into the next academic year.

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PERFORMING ARTS

GCSE Drama Pieces Miss E Davies, Drama

T

he third and final unit of the GCSE Drama course requires pupils to work in groups to produce a live piece of theatre which is externally assessed by a visiting examiner. This year we had a range of scripted and devised pieces and the pupils all worked exceptionally hard to produce some truly outstanding work.

Blood Brothers

A

n outstanding adaptation of Willy Russell’s famous Blood Brothers was executed to an outstanding level by Francesca Ash, Harry Macleod, Angus Michie and Anya Livtchak. Their 20-minute edited version of the script treated their audience to a bite-size version of the play whilst still including songs and extremely high performance skills. They transformed the black box studio into the streets of Liverpool and the audience were immersed in the raw emotion of the play.

The Riot Club

T

he boys courageously took on an adaptation of Laura Wade’s play Posh and entertained and shocked their audiences with the outrageous and terrifying plot.The Baughan Theatre stage became a private dining room in a pub and as food was flung from the stage and plates shattered the audience almost felt as if they were in the room itself. Henry King, Jonty Martin, Max Stanton-Gleaves, Edward Mazumdar and Jack Fenton developed the complex characters exceptionally well and exposed the fictionalised version of the Bullingdon Club in its true light.

Find Me

A

t the age of 20, Verity was charged by the police with damaging a chair by fire in the mental hospital were she was a patient. Later, she was committed to Broadmoor “from where she may not be discharged without permission of the Home Secretary”. Find Me seeks to investigate in depth the

personality of the young girl - to ‘find her’ - and at the same time studies the effects of her behaviour on those around her. Catherine Veasey, Jack Delaney and Maddie Chivers took on the challenge of the mature script admirably. They developed complex roles and relationships and produced a quality performance.

Girls

T

he piece fused together extracts from the play Girls Like That and That Face alongside devised scenes, to form an emotional narrative exploring the detrimental effects of bullying. This stylised piece of theatre both engaged and educated the audience. Isabelle Turner, Isabelle Stevens, Olivia Ferris, Gracie Rigby and Lily Crampton worked exceptionally hard to develop a range of characters and produce a well-tuned piece of theatre that showcased all of the performance skills that they had acquired throughout the GCSE course.

4.48 Psychosis Georgia Nicholls, Fifth Form

O

n 27th April our drama group, consisting of Georgia Nicholls, Eliza Lewis, Faber Swaine, Lauren Robinson, Louis Fulford, Matthew Webb, William Bryant and Ella Williams, performed our GCSE piece to the examiner.Although it was a very nervous process waiting for the moment, when Miss Fordham told us it was time to perform, we smashed it.

We decided to make our piece very sinister and the storyline was actually very heart breaking. Our piece was based on two plays 4:48 Psychosis and Lungs and focused around a character’s split personality which was played by all four of us girls. Matthew and Louis played the role of the doctor. With William’s amazing sound effects and Ella’s well thought out lighting, the piece came together amazingly.

Although it is now the end of our two-year journey together I am so proud of our group. I hope the examiner enjoyed watching it as much as we enjoyed creating and performing it.

7/7 Fynley Young, Fifth Form

M

y GCSE Drama group, consisting of Caitlin Alison, Max Harrison, Funmilola Owolabi, Naomi Lijesen and me, devised a piece exploring the events and individuals affected by the 7/7 bombing attacks in London.

We focused on the effects it had on family members and the people who experienced the shock themselves.

We started by exploring the real life situation and how the people felt after and while it happened, to connote this we used a video of actual footage. We used methods of physical theatre and slow motion to express the dynamics of the situation in the event when conveying the explosion itself. We tried to portray the damage that was done to society and convey the trouble terrorism can cause. Our complex characters provided us with personal challenges as actors and the narrative we created had an emotional impact on the audience. I was impressed with how my group produced such a professional piece of work.

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PERFORMING ARTS

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PERFORMING ARTS

Les MisĂŠrables William Grabowski and Charles Court, Lower Sixth

W

hen students knew that a musical was on the cards for the next Sutton Valence production many were very keen to perform Les MisĂŠrables and neither Mrs Fordham nor Mr Soman took much persuasion! September 2015 saw us start rehearsing in earnest.

William Grabowski and Charles Court played the parts of Jean Valjean and Javert, respectively, both with their separate challenges and wonderful songs. Eve Barclay played a wonderful Cosette and Freddy Parker a sensitive, caring Marius. The part of Fantine was played sympathetically by Sasha Van Diepen and the part of the feisty, lovesick Eponine was shared beautifully between Saskia Roestenburg and Annabelle Blake. The rogue extrovert Master of the House was played by Elliot Stirling. It is hard to think anyone will ever forget his portrayal of this character, and the role of his long-suffering wife was shared between Bronte King and Lily Crampton.

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PERFORMING ARTS

Alongside these, Sebastian Shaddick fantastically portrayed the leader of the student revolution, Enjolras. Closely backing up Enjolras was his right hand man Feuilly, played by Sam Gray. There were so many other wonderful performances from many other students who had large roles in certain scenes helping to bring them to life (for example Hannah Morris and Emily Vernon), not forgetting of course the young Gavroches and Cosettes.

The story of Les Misérables is partly about a group of students who pull together with such strong beliefs and unity fighting for what they truly believe in, not unlike the cast in their performances.

However it also follows the life of ex-convict Jean Valjean (William Grabowski) and his struggle for freedom from persecution by infamous and ruthless policeman Javert (Charles Court).

It was lovely to work with so many students right through from the First Form to the Upper Sixth and we made a great team.

We worked hard for four months, so it was lovely to hear such positive feedback once ‘show week’ was over, despite us all feeling a little subdued.

The cast were encouraged, supported and inspired by the magical combination of Mrs Fordham, Miss Davies and Mr Soman in their fantastically talented direction and production. Mrs Holmes was very patient in helping the leads hone their solo songs and we also had a fantastic technical support team of sound guys including Mr Allen, James Mitchell, Adam Carroll, Matthew Jones and William Gibson. Many thanks must also go to the backstage crew including Samuel Bennett, Andrew Loy, Laura Horley, Tarik Abed and many more. We want to stress how grateful we are to these individuals as although their jobs did not put them in the limelight, they were equally important in bringing Les Misérables to life.

We both feel that this was one of our greatest experiences whilst here at Sutton Valence and a major accolade for the Drama department, one that we feel will never be forgotten and therefore are grateful that we could be a part of it.

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PERFORMING ARTS

Les Misérables Mrs C Fordham, Director of Drama

Mr J Soman, Assistant Director of Music

W

I

hen Mr Soman, Miss Davies and I first set out on the Les Misérables mission we were completely overwhelmed with the amount of talent that our students had to share with us at their auditions. From that point on, we knew that this was going to be a show that went down in Sutton Valence history. We set our cast the aim of creating the ‘best school musical in the world’; some may say foolish, some may say impossible, some may say unrealistic.

However, with such high expectations and with such strength and depth of talent we were up for the challenge and eager to give it our best shot.

In the weeks following the production, we received a number of emails congratulating the cast and crew, and many of the audience commented on the professional nature of the production. What I love about this show, is that it brought all year groups together and we saw real teamwork and leadership develop; a palpable sense of all ‘being in it together’. Much like the student characters on the barricade, our own students put their heart and soul into this production and for that we are so proud.

Photography: Mr J Lockwood

We would like to congratulate all members of the cast and crew, especially the leads who have worked so tirelessly in rehearsal.

As Mrs Avery so wonderfully put it, “this week the West End came to Sutton Valence” and as we all now move forward to life beyond the barricade, we can begin to look back at this wonderful achievement.

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t was a true privilege to work as Musical Director on Sutton Valence School’s production of Les Misérables. From a musical point of view, this show is a huge undertaking for any school; the fact that it is sung-through, meaning there is no spoken respite from the songs, combined with the sheer difficulty of some of the musical material, makes this show a real challenge for any ensemble. When I arrived at Sutton Valence in 2013, there were rumours of the showing being staged, but the decision to wait two years, until we had a cast who could confidently tackle it, proved very wise. From the leads, some of whom had pages of solo songs to learn, to the chorus of keen Second Formers, rolling around the floor as beggars, the whole company gave their all to this production.

As well as the slickness of the whole show – down, in large part, to the competent and professional team of backstage student-helpers – perhaps the element which made our show so successful was the way each student acted through song.

There is nowhere to hide in Les Misérables; if this story is to be told, it has to be done through singing, with each character crafting their emotions and actions through the medium of song. Our students tackled this daunting challenge with great zeal and determination, culminating in what I believe was a truly special school musical. I am very proud of all of our students, on stage and off, and will fondly remember the ‘Sutton Valence School Les Misérables’ marvel for a long time to come.

PERFORMING ARTS

“

What I love about this show, is that it has brought all year groups together

”

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PERFORMING ARTS

Wicked Jack McNama, Fourth Form

D

uring the Michaelmas Term, the Fourth Form Drama students were given the opportunity to go and see Wicked in London. It was an evening performance which added to our heightened feeling of excitement. Looking at the lights covering London and watching the hustle and bustle of London’s West End gave us a sense of theatre land.

Theatregoers Saskia Roestenburg, Upper Sixth

T

heatregoers is run by Mrs Porter accompanied by her trusty sidekicks Mrs Carter and Dr Grindlay. It gives Sixth Formers a unique opportunity to be immersed within the amazing world of all things theatre with the Theatregoers viewing plays of varied genres. It is also an amazing way to supplement both the A level Drama and English Literature courses and certainly aided me in both subjects immensely. I was able to use my academic knowledge to have a deeper understanding of each performance we went to see. When I went to watch Nell Gwyn at the Globe, much to my amazement I had no problem in grasping the narrative and although standing for the whole three hours, which I thought I would struggle with, like everyone else, I remained completely entranced by the performance to the point at which I even forgot I was standing.

Through the year we have seen some amazing performances from Much Ado about Nothing at the Globe to my all-time Theatregoers’ favourite the Hare adaptation of Ibsen’s Master Builder starring Ralph Fiennes. In a three-hour play with two intervals and three simple scene changes, the Theatregoers were transported back to 1892 Norway with the production leaving us in awe as the small cast of Linda Edmond, Sarah Snook and Peter Pettigrew drew us in to the simple plot from start to finish, ending with the climactic death of Ralph Fiennes. All in all, the play proved for me the magic and power of the theatre, with one of the most memorable endings I have seen, with the entire set destructing into a single heap of props on the floor.

Most of the plays this year were seen in London, giving us the opportunity to see the sights of this city at night. However, if guided by Mrs Porter, the only part of London we would have been seeing was the inside of Waterloo Station or a car park where the Globe was first built (or so she says). Luckily, Dr Grindlay's sense of direction saved the day multiple times and we were able to get to the theatre with plenty of time to spare, readily awaiting the performances. Regardless of the geographical skills that left much to be desired, we always managed to get to the station just in the nick of time to get the train home, even if the majority of the time it was the last one running. For many you would think the journey home might be tedious but this hour always passed quickly with interesting and intriguing conversations about the play we had just viewed. As this is my last year, I will be sad to leave Theatregoers and I would recommend it to anyone, Drama fan or not, it is a great experience.

However, remember if you want to stay a member of Mrs Porter’s elite group, don’t get on the train unless she says you may!

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After taking our seats it wasn’t long before the curtain went up and the show began. The storyline was based on The Wizard of Oz and how the witch became wicked. The use of lights in the show effectively communicated the atmosphere, for example in the Emerald City scene all the stage and the surroundings were lit up in green and sparkled, capturing the memory of the original film. The lighting represented many different moods throughout the production, from red flashing lights indicating pain in certain scenes to darkness highlighting anger and fear.

As an audience member this made me feel compelled to watch. The costumes were an aspect of the play that really stood out, from green-skinned witches to pale blue sparkly gowns with wands and tiaras. The highlight of the show, however, was the music and songs. The power and clarity of the actors singing was outstanding and made your hair tingle and stand up on end. The entire cast were able to harmonise and blend together to create an extremely powerful and moving performance.

Les Misérables West End Trip Francesca Ash, Fifth Form

A

group of students involved in the School’s production of Les Misérables were lucky enough to be able to go and see the show performed at the Queen’s Theatre in the West End. The performance was unforgettable. It was wonderful to hear the iconic music live and we were all left in awe of the cast’s talent. Seeing the show performed by the West End cast was an amazing experience, although being a part of it was undoubtedly the best experience of all. With the inspiration of the London production, and under the direction of Mrs Fordham, Miss Davies and Mr Soman, we were able to bring the West End back to Sutton Valence.

Artwork: Philippa Bromley, Upper Sixth

Art and Design Technology

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ART AND DESIGN

Charlotte Percival, Fifth Form

Boyuan Zhang, Upper Sixth

Angus McVarish, Lower Sixth

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Charles Sparrow, Fifth Form

Boyuan Zhang, Upper Sixth

Angus McVarish, Lower Sixth

ART AND DESIGN

Isabelle Turner, Fifth Form

Shizhao Zhou, Fifth Form

Gracie Rigby, Fifth Form

Nejla Eco, Lower Sixth

Ryan Jones, Upper Sixth

Jemma Stuart, Fifth Form

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ART AND DESIGN

Foundation Art Exhibition Mr N Gorman, Head of Art

T

he annual Foundation Art Exhibition was hosted this year by Westminster City School. Over the past decade, the exhibition has grown and evolved into a hugely popular event, showcasing some remarkable talent from the A Level students from each of the schools in the United Westminster Schools’ Foundation.

This year Sutton Valence was represented by 11 students, whose work was incrediblywell received by the crowds of guests at the Private View. Once the show was hung, what was clear to see from our students’ work, was the diversity and range of processes and techniques on display that form the backbone of the teaching and learning in the Gulland Hall Art Department. The promotion of independent learning, in-depth research, which informs the direction of an individual’s work, and the confidence to take risks and experiment with media and process, equip our students with the skills and understanding to produce outstanding work.

Sketchbooks from top to bottom by: Lily Crampton, Fifth Form Maelle Dassier, Fourth Form Faber Swaine, Fifth Form

Sandy Dooley Master Class Mrs S Collins, Art

I

n the Summer Term, Fourth Form artists welcomed the esteemed landscape painter Sandy Dooley to Gulland Hall. The pupils had been exploring and responding to her work and were thrilled to meet her in person,. As well as giving a talk about her work, she also treated us to a demonstration of the techniques she uses to build up the layers of paint and colour in her beautiful paintings.

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ART AND DESIGN

Isabelle Turner, Fifth Form

Sophie Watson, Fifth Form

Lucas Williams, Upper Sixth

Finley Plugge, Fifth Form

William Harrison, Fifth Form

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ART AND DESIGN

Angus McVarish, Lower Sixth

Theo Bogucki, Fifth Form

Catherine Veasey, Fifth Form

Nejla Eco, Lower Sixth

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ART AND DESIGN

Lucas Williams, Upper Sixth

Faber Swaine, Fifth Form

Imogen Catchpole, Upper Sixth

Shizhao Zhou, Fifth Form

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ART AND DESIGN

Dungeness Abbie Butfoy, Lower Sixth

T

he AS photography classes went to Dungeness for the day in September. First, we stopped off at the shingle beach to photograph the area where fisherman once worked, recording how the boats and winches have aged, rusted and weathered over the years.To escape the rain and protect our cameras we all huddled in the minibus and went to a cafĂŠ.

Nearby, there were a number of little galleries belonging to local artists who were displaying their work. Many of them use objects which have washed up on the shore, or draw their inspiration from the environment round them.

Lunchtime was approaching, so we went to Camber Sands to eat our food. The car park and beach were desolate as it was not the right time of year, or weather, to stop off at the beach. Lastly we went to Rye to explore the old town, the beautiful architecture and cobbled streets. Rye is known for its artists and is bursting with galleries showcasing a wide variety of art. The rain carried on, but with lots of inspiring places to visit, we kept busy.

Photography: Bethany Nicholls, Lower Sixth

Abbie Butfoy, Lower Sixth

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Edward Simmons, Lower Sixth

ART AND DESIGN

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ART AND DESIGN

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Amber Delaney, Upper Sixth

Amber Delaney, Upper Sixth

Qingyu Zhang, Upper Sixth

Amber Delaney, Upper Sixth

Qingyu Zhang, Upper Sixth

Ryan Jones, Upper Sixth

ART AND DESIGN

Philippa Bromley, Upper Sixth

Amber Delaney, Upper Sixth

Qingyu Zhang, Upper Sixth

Qingyu Zhang, Upper Sixth

Philippa Bromley, Upper Sixth

Kornelius Klemm, Upper Sixth

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ART AND DESIGN

A2 Design Technology Coursework Miss E Clement-Walker, Design Technology

A

s part of their A2 Design Technology coursework, students are required to design and develop their own product to meet a pre-determined brief. One of the stand-out pieces from the last year was Katie Latter’s work on a piece of equipment to help Hockey coaches in their work. As an Assistant Coach at Kent Youth Hockey, this project was born out of her own experiences, and was developed with that in mind. Accordingly, Katie’s brief was to design and manufacture a ball carrier for hockey balls that can significantly reduce the hassle of carrying equipment.

Prior to any design work, Katie did a significant amount of research, determining everything from ball sizes to the identification of particular material properties. Having sketched, annotated, modelled and tested, she arrived at a final design. Once the final design was determined, it was then time to finalise the exact measurements and plan for manufacture.

For Katie, and the other A2 students, the product’s manufacturing phase is spread out across approximately 10 weeks in the Lent Term.

The timescales reflect the fact that at A level, a wide range of advanced techniques are used, including the production of jigs and templates. Once the manufacturing phase is completed, the students then undertake an extensive course of user testing with a complete and thorough evaluation conducted against the original design specification. Katie’s end product matched her brief perfectly and is an excellent example of a student applying their own interests to create a successful and functional design concept. Her hard work and continued interest in design have been rewarded with a place to study Design Technology at Loughborough University.

Design Technology Trip to Loughborough University Katie Latter, Upper Sixth

S

even Upper Sixth Form pupils travelled with Mr Keep and Miss Clement-Walker to Loughborough University (currently ranked fourth in the UK for Design courses.)

The pupils were given a tour of the Design and Engineering Schools and a more general look around the campus.The tours were very detailed and the facilities that the university has was very impressive.

The trip gave the pupils an insight into what university life is like and what studying Design and Engineering involves. Loughborough University was a great environment and all the pupils gained a great amount of information and motivation to continue their respective UCAS applications.

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ART AND DESIGN

Naomi Lijesen, Fifth Form Jewellery storage unit

Ken Zhou, Fifth Form Post-Modernism influenced lighting

James Croke, Lower Sixth Senses: A nightlight

Callum Mason, Fifth Form Storage influenced by Art Deco

Alexander McDermott, Fifth Form Clock influenced by Memphis Design

Benjamin Murray, Lower Sixth A calming water feature for adults

Iyobosa Idubor-Williams, Lower Sixth Senses: desktop aid

Katie Latter, Upper Sixth Hockey ball transporter and counter

Sophia Dunne, Lower Sixth Katbox: collapsable cat litter unit

Matthew Avery, Lower Sixth Senses: A calming water feature

Nicholas Payne, Lower Sixth Senses: Alarm clock

Henry Bonny, Upper Sixth A product to aid fish tank cleaning

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ART AND DESIGN

Media Studies Coursework Mr J Zane, Head of Media Studies

W

e are very fortunate in the Media Studies department to work with a group of very talented students. Sutton Valence pupils really embrace the creative elements of the Media Studies A Level course and the work the students have produced this year highlights their skill and enthusiasm. The best of the work really reflects professional practice and demonstrates 100 percent commitment to getting the work finished to the standard that we as staff demand from our young men and women.

We are tremendously proud of our students and the resilience they have shown to ensure that their work meets the requirements set for them. Producing great media work requires real dedication and attention to detail and the work our students have produced is a credit to their commitment and desire to achieve.

We are very flexible in the creative options that we offer and, as such, there is an eclectic mixture of media products on show. These range from marketing campaigns for films and computer games to magazines and adverts for a range of products. The students really have carte blanche to follow their interests. For a number, their work has tied in with their future career plans, while for others, the creative journey from mind-mapping to execution has helped develop the soft skills of planning, problem-solving and presentation of ideas that are so valued by employers.

Max Streek, Upper Sixth

Amber Delaney, Upper Sixth

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ART AND DESIGN

Harvey Truman, Lower Sixth

Emma Simpson, Lower Sixth

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ART AND DESIGN

Georgia Ridge, Lower Sixth

Harry Brunt, Lower Sixth

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James Turner, Upper Sixth

Combined Cadet Force

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

CCF Report Lt Col. Wilkinson, Contingent Commander

T

he pork and the potatoes (sorry Headmaster, a wellknown brand) are in the oven roasting as I sit in the Lonscale Hostel at the Blencathra Centre and reflect on how fortunate I am. Looking to Derwent Water and Cat Bells, the top of the peaks are this year covered in snow. The unpredictable weather of the Lake District adds an extra dimension to Adventure Training.

We are here to give cadets an opportunity to develop their confidence and have fun in ‘wild country’, some to overcome their fear of heights, being submerged in water when capsizing in a canoe or to cope on their Duke of Edinburgh Expedition when the climb is steep with hail and sleet blowing in their faces. They can also learn new skills such as ghyll scrambling or mountain biking and improve others such as map reading, navigation and camping. They can meet new people, make new friendships and encourage others to succeed. These opportunities help to develop teamwork, leadership, communication and perseverance.

The expertise and care of the officers and Old Suttonians enables the cadets to develop their potential in these important areas. To appreciate this beautiful landscape, to push oneself just that bit further, dig just that bit deeper to achieve one’s goals is what makes Adventure Training special. There is a distinct sense of satisfaction to see the development of a Third Form cadet to a senior NCO, to a returning Old Suttonian.

A busy term lies ahead; Third Form Shooting Day (page 56), the 11th Infantry Brigade Target Rifle Competition (page 61), the Sergison Match (page 61), Field Days and the Upper Sixth NCO Dinner (opposite). An even busier summer holiday follows, with cadets attending CCF Central Camp at Penally (page 53), RAF Camp at RAF Valley (page 60) and the Shooting Team’s trip to Bisley for the Imperial Meeting (page 62). Finally, a group of cadets will take the trip of a lifetime, and be taken out of their comfort zones as they travel to Brunei (page 46).There, they will experience the jungle, follow the Sangar Trail, part of the Death March and maybe a little rest and relaxation at the end.

I have so enjoyed being involved with cadets, which is the largest youth organisation in this country; to be given the opportunity to try new things and to meet some amazing and inspirational people, as well as being involved with the wider community through the Royal British Legion and Blind Veterans UK. I have been to Westminster Abbey twice, where the Guard of Honour impressed everyone, I have seen the 90th and 100th anniversaries and treasure many special memories. It has been a privilege and a great honour to be the Contingent Commander of Sutton Valence CCF for the past 12 years.

The reports that follow show the wide range of opportunities offered to cadets in all three sections. I wish to thank the Governors and the Headmaster for their support of the CCF, not all Contingent Commanders are so lucky. I also wish to thank my dedicated, committed officers who give so generously of their time, the Head of Corps and the senior NCOs for their expertise and the cadets for their enthusiasm.

As our previous inspection reports have said, there is something very special about Sutton Valence’s CCF and I know the new Contingent Commander, Major Millbery, and his second-incommand, Flight-Lieutenant Cope will provide imaginative training and develop new initiatives to enhance the cadet experience and maintain the excellent reputation of Sutton Valence CCF.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Lt Col. Anne Wilkinson Maj. Millbery, Head of Army

I

t was once commented that Annie leaving the CCF at Sutton Valence would have as much of an impact as the apes leaving the Rock of Gibraltar or the ravens leaving the Tower of London. Whilst it may not be as tumultuous, the consequences are certainly far-reaching. Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkinson started life as a cadet force adult volunteer – attending events as female cover. This soon became a commission and Second Lieutenant Wilkinson started her formal career as an officer in the CCF. She excelled on all the courses and was asked to return to Frimley Park as Assistant Directing Staff where she became a friend to many young officers who benefited from her experience and contributed, in part, to her timekeeping. As ‘Wilkie’ was a familiar face to many of the officers nationally in the CCF, it was impossible to walk from one side of the parade square to the other or down a corridor in a regimental HQ without her being stopped, often many times, by officers she had mentored. It was this helpful and caring side of her nature that made her such a success in the CCF, both at Sutton Valence, in Kent and nationally. Over time she moved through the ranks before settling on Lieutenant-Colonel – the only female Lieutenant-Colonel in the South East of England.

that she was retiring and all of them holding ‘Wilkie’ in high esteem and grateful thanks for everything she has done.

And so it should be – not only individuals, but as an organisation, Sutton Valence School CCF owes so much to Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkinson. In the staffroom, having a cup of coffee – suddenly appearing by your side is ‘Wilkie’ and before you know it, the CCF has another recruit and you are off on courses and weekends in green or blue! Cadets have travelled the world thanks to her efforts and belief in them – some of which they did not have themselves.

She frequently held the fort back here at Sutton Valence with a folder of paperwork whilst cadets abseiled, swam with sharks or survived the jungle. She has been instrumental in pushing the CCF forward both within School and on a national scale and her experience, her wisdom, knowledge and understanding will be sorely missed.

Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkinson is held in very high regard by many former colleagues and pupils and as news of her retirement made its way through the various grapevines so the memories, stories and contributions she had made to the lives of cadets came back, via email – all of them tinged with disbelief

CCF NCO Leavers’ Dinner Lt Col. Wilkinson, Contingent

Commander

T

he tables were laid and the silverware polished. The Upper Sixth, Headmaster and Officers were resplendent in their evening wear and our guests in their mess dress. Why? To say thank you to the NCOs for their huge contribution to Sutton Valence CCF. Speeches by the Heads of Section, Navy PO Olivia Richards, Head of Army WO1 Tom Lennard, Head of RAF FSgt Joshua Craven, Captain of Shooting S/Sgt. Emil Evans and Head of Corps, CWO Harrison Sharpe, with an address by Headmaster Mr B C W Grindlay and a response by Lt Col. Wilkinson.

A very formal dinner, but it illustrates how far these young people have come from their days as young cadets in the Third Form. The skills they have developed included teamwork, confidence, commitment, perseverance, leadership and excellent communication will be important for them throughout life. I thank them for the service they have given to the CCF and the School community and for making the most of the opportunities they were offered.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Brunei Trip - Summer 2016 Maj. Millbery, Head of Army

O

n 13th July, 27 cadets and four School staff, supported by two regular soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles arrived in Brunei. The main purpose of the first part of the trip was to experience jungle warfare – survival, tactics and fighting in the harsh environment. To this end, the first week involved introduction to platoon weapons, dismounted close combat training (DCCT), issue of equipment, swim test and briefings on platoon tactics and contact drills as well as the mandatory health and hygiene in the jungle lectures. We visited the range where we got the chance to fire the light machine gun (LMG) and the general purpose machine gun (GPMG).

Our jungle experience started with stands on survival, food, traps, medicine, shelter and water. The nights in the jungle were filled with strange noises and the reflection of animals’ eyes as well as a torrential downpour on the first night that tested the bashas and hammocks – most survived! The jungle experience also included navigation, hacking through vegetation and some military elements – close target reconnaissance and contact drills. The jungle phase ended with a camp attack through dense undergrowth.

Cadets learnt valuable skills about personal administration, observation, leadership and self-reliance as well as overcoming personal fears of bugs! Without the help and assistance of WOII Madan and Cpl Shyam as well as the support of 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles the jungle phase could not have taken place and we are extremely grateful to them.

The second phase was in Malaysia and involved marching part of the Sandakan – Ranau death march. In 1945, a series of forced marches from Sandakan to Ranau took place. Over 2,371 Allied prisoners took part, only six survived. There were 641 British prisoners of war involved, all who died. We took part in four days of the ten day march, navigating and trekking through thick jungle, crossing rivers and climbing hills; grateful that unlike the original prisoners, we had clothing, shoes, food and a comfortable place to sleep.

The trek included a final push up Quailey’s Hill in Sabah, dedicated to Alan Quailey who was killed at the top of the hill. We got an opportunity to shoot a blowpipe with a local Malaysian – Pak Zudin, who reportedly inflicted casualties on the Japanese during the war

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with poisoned darts and met Madam Domima, the “Ring Lady” who fed six escaped prisoners, under threat of her whole village being executed. Both fantastic and emotional experiences.

The end of the trek included a visit to Jungle Camp Number 1 at Ranau and to Jungle Camp Number 2 – “the last camp” – where the last surviving prisoners of war were killed, 12 days after the end of the war.

Fourteen of the British prisoners of war were from Kent – including Army and Air Force and we held a Service of Remembrance at Kundasang War Memorial to all those who died, especially the British and the 14 from Kent whose names were read out by the cadets.

The next phase of the trip was community. We feel it is important to give something back to the local communities that we visit. We stayed at Tenom and assisted a local community with the painting of its church – inside and out. Even though there were 27 cadets, it still took us four days, especially in the heat and having to stop to play sports with the young children!

The village was extremely grateful for our efforts and on the last evening they put on a banquet and cultural display that we have never seen the like of – we were treated like royalty and partied the night away, taking part in local traditional dances. The experience of giving something to others is always rewarding and knowing that we have both helped a local community and given memories to the young children is special.

Having spent a long time fighting our way through the jungle, the emotional death march and the subsequent service, it was time for some rest and relaxation. We were fortunate enough to have attracted the attention of the local press and the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Environment for Sabah – Datuk Masidi who hosted a high tea for us so he could meet and talk to the cadets - a rare and fantastic opportunity.

Twenty-eight days later, we returned to the UK, exhausted but having had the experience of a lifetime, having gained confidence, leadership and knowing that we made a difference.

Without the support of the Ulysses Trust and the Berlin Infantry Brigade Memorial Trust Fund, as well as the 1st and 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, these activities could not have taken place, and for their support, we are extremely thankful.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

“ We had the

experience of a lifetime, having gained confidence, leadership and knowing that we made a difference

”

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Brunei Trip - Summer 2016 CSM Jessica Grindlay, Lower Sixth

I

t was with some trepidation that 27 cadets, sporting 540 kilograms of luggage including 54 CCF boots, 162 blister plasters, and 756 malaria tablets departed England for a month-long CCF expedition to Brunei and Malaysia. After the minor blip of trying to light the candles on my birthday cake in a moving vehicle, we arrived at Heathrow, and caught our flight to Brunei. After seven hours, having enjoyed our midnight McDonald’s in Dubai, we were back on the plane for the eight-hour flight to Brunei. Eventually we reached our destination, where we were all immediately struck by the humidity and heat, and travelled to the jungle warfare regiment of the army barracks, where we were to spend the next two weeks.

We spent the first week acclimatising. Many of us were struck by jet lag, although our lack of sleep may have perhaps been more to do with the metal beds in the barracks than the time difference. We explored the area of Seria in Brunei, visiting the local beaches, villages, museums, and bowling alley (just so Major Prem could show off). We also spent the week getting to know Madan and Sham, the two Ghurkhas who would be accompanying us into the jungle.They taught us how to survive in the jungle, showed us the kit that we would need to take into the jungle, and showed us different weapon systems. We also spent a day on the range, firing a variety of weapons, a day trekking through the jungle to a waterfall and many hours listening to all the various diseases we were likely to contract in the jungle (I think we were all glad our Mums weren’t there for that bit).

Fully kitted out with Deet, weapons, ration packs, webbing, hammocks and the obligatory hidden stash of Pringles, we entered the jungle on our four-day exercise. From the onset it was incredibly challenging, the 40 degree heat being almost unbearable in our CCF kit. We climbed uphill carrying our bergens (many of which weighed more than us) to our camp, where we set up our hammocks ready for the night ahead. We then had lessons in survival skills, which included Jack’s ultimate birthday experience; killing a chicken. We settled down in our hammocks for the night, although not for long, as we were disturbed by the torrential rain at 1.00am, that flooded hammocks, but was perhaps worst for James Smith, who had just forgotten his hammock entirely.

Over the next two days we completed jungle navigation (extremely difficult, considering everywhere is just trees), section attacks, ambushes and on the last day a huge full-scale camp attack. We settled down for our third night in the jungle in the joyous knowledge that we would soon be reunited with the clinical metal

beds, cold showers and intermittent Wi-Fi of the camp, after we’d cleaned our weapons, of course.

Having thrown our CCF kit in the bin in ecstasy, we departed Brunei, and flew across to Malaysia for the second part of our trip. We were met by our tour guide, who promised us the bright lights of KFC, not warning us that in Malaysia, there are no chips, but rice instead.The next day we began our trek. Our trek consisted of four days walking, following the route of one of the Prisoner of War Marches. This incredible part of history, often glossed over, saw Japanese soldiers hold British and Australian men hostage. They were forced to walk colossal distances carrying loads of rice, until they died of exhaustion and starvation, resulting in 2345 deaths. We were all harrowed by the pain they must have been in, considering how difficult we all found it in the humidity and heat, and how popular Major Millbery’s evening blister clinics were! On the fifth day we held a service at Kundasang War Memorial, in honour of the fallen British men.

We are the first school CCF to have ever completed this memorial trek, and we were all immensely proud, harrowed, and honoured.

We then travelled to Padas Farmstay, i.e. three cells containing yet more metal beds, where we would stay across our volunteering. We completed voluntary work in the village of Kalibatang Lama, where we repainted their church and taught in their local school.

We spent the afternoons teaching the local children card games and playing volleyball and football with the local teenagers. On the last day, we had an incredible ceremony to thank us for our work, with brilliant food and the debut performance of the Sutton Valence School CCF choir, where we gave our renditions of The Cup Song, We Will Rock You and the Macarena. It was a hugely enjoyable and enlightening week.

We spent our last few days relaxing in a resort, where we spent the days swimming in the sea and in the pool, and reconnecting with much missed Wi-Fi in our rooms! Twenty-eight days after our departure, and a fair few kilograms of luggage lighter, we returned back to England, where we were met by our parents and lesser-missed siblings.

The CCF summer expedition was a truly unforgettable trip for us all. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and has strengthened each of us in a multitude of ways. On behalf of all the cadets, I would just like to say a massive thank you to Major Millbery and FlightLieutenant Kitchen for their tireless efforts in looking after the 28 of us (the 27 cadets and Major Prem)!

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

The Army Section Maj. Millbery, Head of Army

A

s always, this year has been busy with the Army section flourishing.

We have had a very good crop of NCOs and they are doing an excellent job of enthusing the cadets and instructing them. This year started with a field day in Mereworth Park. We made good use of the training area to cover the field-craft elements of the syllabus, including ambushes, section attacks, close target reconnaissance and object retrieval. It ended with victory for the attacking forces. The year finished with another field day at Mereworth and a four-week exercise in the jungle of Brunei.

Cadets have attended courses this year. We have sent several students on leadership courses at Frimley Park with the cadets returning with excellent reports. The cadets give up their holidays to attend these courses and, whilst on them they may be asking themselves “why”; on reflection, they see the value of the courses and the skills they have learnt. NCO courses have been successful with many future leaders.

There is a saying in the Army, “if it’s not raining, it’s not training” and this year we have had our fair share of wet and windy weather. The cadets have done a very good job of not only confronting, but beating the elements. The Army section focuses on leadership and teamwork, embedding the key principles into everything that we do. We are extremely grateful for the support given by the cadet training team in promoting this aim.

The Army section has been ably led by Regimental Sergeant Major Tom Lennard and the infantry by Warrant Officer Adam Dawkins, both have done an excellent job and will be difficult to replace. The staff also give of their time and my thanks go to Captain Head, Lieutenant Halleron, Lieutenant Horley (who was promoted during the year), Lieutenant Sansom and Mrs Hurst. Without the dedication of the officers, the section would not flourish.

Elsewhere in the magazine you will read about the fundraising, the Night Walk, the shooting competitions, Remembrance Parades, leadership afternoons and the Army winning the March and Shoot competition – all involving the army section. It has been my pleasure to be a part of the Army section and I am thankful for the support of Major Prem and Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkinson.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

The Navy Section PO Sebastian Shaddick, Lower Sixth

T

his year the Navy section has been involved with many indoor and outdoor activities. We have successfully immersed the Third Form into the busy life of Sutton Valence’s Cadet Force. Arriving as excited and eager students, the Third Form quickly learnt of the sincerity and professionalism of the organisation (Chief Warrant Officer Harrison Sharpe). It was exciting to teach the cadets a subject that they were not familiar with and I am confident that they have enjoyed what the Navy Section has had to offer.

On Sunday 12th October, we went on our annual field day, to the historic Chatham Dockyard – one of the United Kingdom’s oldest and most significant Naval centres.

Whilst we were there the cadets learnt about the rich history of Britain’s maritime culture as well as spinning bundles of hemp into rope (the full naval experience).

This academic year has been especially exciting because the entire Navy Section travelled to the Rye Watersports Centre in Sussex every Wednesday afternoon to learn to sail, windsurf and paddle-board. The instructors can’t be thanked enough as they volunteered to make sure we enjoyed our time and were able to get the best experience out of the activities provided. Our cadets have not only been partaking inside School, there are naval cadets such as the talented Richard Sawyer and Henry Jones in the Fourth Form, who took their practice further by experiencing the challenging Naval Leadership course in Plymouth. The cadets were also subject to an intriguing submarine careers talk by real crew members from the Royal Navy Submarine Service. They showed us an interesting and opportunity-filled perception of life aboard one of the UK’s submarines.

As time progressed, the senior members of the section (Fourth and Fifth Form) learnt to take on more responsibility within the group, doing activities such as maritime-based presentations and organising outdoor activities for the Third Form.

This allows them to graduate from a cadet to leader as they learn valuable life skills that promote confidence, decision-making, and presentation skills. Of course, this was all made greatly easier with the help of Petty Officer Olivia Richards, the Head of the Navy Section. Olivia has been an important pillar of strength in our group and her dedication to looking after her students has been most definitely recognised and is immensely appreciated by both the teachers and cadets.

Overall, this year has been an extremely productive one, with everyone enjoying everything that this section has to offer. I look forward to leading everyone next year and I believe that they should be proud and satisfied with this year.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

The RAF Section FSgt. Adam Carroll and CWO Edward Simmonds, Lower Sixth

O

ver the past year, the Royal Air Force section has had a variety of activities including various leadership courses.

The year started off with an introduction to all of the new Third and Fourth Form pupils, with various command tasks and team building exercises. Everyone began to get on with each other and bond as we looked forward to the year ahead. With leadership courses just around the corner, we started to prepare.

These included two NCO Cadres and an Air Cadets Leadership Course (ACLC), the first time Sutton Valence pupils have attended this course in over a decade.

The first outing of the year was a trip to RAF Odiham, where we had a tour of a hanger full of Chinooks and received an insight into the inner workings of the helicopters and their capabilities.

The next two trips of the year were the two NCO Cadres in October and February, which were attended by one of our NCOs, as a staff cadet. The Cadres were also attended by two members of Sutton Valence staff in the form of Flight-Lieutenant Cope, as Training Officer, and Flight-Lieutenant Kitchen, who was in charge of the senior candidates.

In the Summer Term, we travelled up to RAF Wittering, where we were each lucky enough to fly for about 45 minutes. This was an amazing experience for all of the attending cadets, touring the local area, flying with ex-RAF pilots and learning the basics of how to control an aircraft. Also in the Summer Term, members of the RAF section were heavily involved in the organisation and execution of Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkinson’s leaving parade (page 44).

To top the year off, Warrant Officer Simmonds passed his ACLC course. He was part of the best flight and took charge during the taxing ‘Phase 3’ camping section. This is a significant achievement, given it is the most intense leadership course in the Air Cadets, and is only attended by 66 CCF cadets nationally. Like the Cadres, this course was staffed by Flight-Lieutenant Cope, this time in an adjutant role.

Finally, an intrepid group of six cadets were also fortunate enough to attend an RAF summer camp at RAF Valley in Wales, (page 60)

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the location of Hawk trainers and Search and Rescue, which was attended by the Duke of Cambridge only a few years ago.

This trip presented numerous opportunities and section visits, and was again staffed by Flight-Lieutenant Cope, who served as Camp Commandant.

On behalf of the whole section, we would like to extend our thanks to the staff of the CCF. Specifically, we would like to thank Flight-Lieutenant Cope, Flight-Lieutenant Kitchen and Flying Officer Westlake, who have given their time for the benefit of the whole section, and who make the opportunities mentioned here possible. Overall 2015/16 was a massively successful year and we aim to replicate it this coming year, continuing to be the best section in the School.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

CCF Summer Camp - Penally AB Rehannah Houghton-Judge, Fifth Form

L

ast summer, we set off for Tenby, in Wales, for a week of activities with an Armybased Central Camp. We had a night at the camp to get ready for our 24-hour exercise the next day, where we had to pack our ration packs and sort out our equipment.

In the morning we met at the armoury to pick up our rifles, finding out we were paired with another school called Hereford Cathedral School. Taking our bergens along with our rifles, we got on a coach to the 24-hour exercise site. Our first job was to load our magazines with blank rounds, before patrolling for an hour towards our camp. Once we got there we put up our bashas and had our lunches; unluckily, we were hit by a sudden downpour of Welsh rain, but it soon cleared. That night we did an ambush, which was very enjoyable to discover the steps the Army go through to make an ambush work and go smoothly.

The next day we woke up early in the morning, we had breakfast and got ready for our section attack exercise. We had a long walk carrying our rifles, yet it was all worth it when we got there.We got to practice small section attacks with two people, along with large section attacks with ten people. This was a very enjoyable exercise that we will all remember, shooting off many rounds. We got back to camp relieved and ready for some rest, but before that we had to clean the weapons. This took time, but once they were done we were all happy finding out we were going to Tenby later on that night.

On Tuesday, we set off to go rafting, which we had been looking forward to all trip. We were given tasks to make rafts out of four planks of wood, four metal containers and rope. Once we had set these up, we made a raft and raced against the other school and I am glad to say we won; this was a favourite day for many. Wednesday was our day at the range; it came quickly. We shot 20 rounds at 100 metres distance, our sights were changed and we shot five more rounds still at the same distance. We moved back to 200 metres where we shot five more rounds. It was an enjoyable shoot, and myself and Harry Yorke got first class shots. That evening we went back to the range where we did archery and clay pigeon shooting, being instructed by high-ranking Army Officers.

Our last day quickly approached, we did three activities including kayaking, climbing and abseiling. This was a fun way to end our trip and was very memorable for the instructors because it was the last day of their three-week sessions, so it was an honour for us to finish with them. That night we spent time in Tenby, which is a beautiful village with a beautiful beach. Throughout the week we made friends and had the most enjoyable experience possible; this could not have happened without Captain Head and Lieutenant Halleron looking after us for the week and driving us all to Wales.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Adventure Training Cdt. Tom Gray and Cdt. Paige Davidson, Third Form

O

ver the course of the last week of the Easter holidays, 12 Third Formers travelled to the unpredictable Lake District.

On the first day we all took part in a one-day, 15 kilometre walk around lovely scenery and after lots of trips, slips and falls we made it safely back to the Blencathra Centre.

The boys were greeted in the morning by the sound of Major Millbery banging a wooden spoon on the inside of a tin pan; this meant it was time for breakfast.

On the second day we went climbing and canoeing and, despite the weather, we managed to make our way up the bare rock face and battle our way through treacherous conditions on Derwentwater.

Later on in the week, we started the long trek of our two-day expedition. We were split up into two groups. On the first day our group had a tremendous climb up Catbells, battling against horrific weather including snow, hail and wind, which made it all the tougher. However, the other group had the easy stroll along the river by the side of the lake. Everyone learnt something that day - it never stops raining in the Lake District!

The next morning after yet more wind, rain and hail had battered our tents all night, we did our best to make a quick start. Thankfully, the weather improved and both groups made it back to the centre in the early afternoon, along with a few blisters and bruises.

As they say, “save the best till last” and the final day was a cold and exhilarating experience. We started off with ghyll scrambling, which was everyone’s favourite activity. Next it was onto mountain biking, where Tom and Hugh proved very keen to give the floor a hug. The whole experience was one we will never forget; so many memories will be treasured from this trip.

A huge thank you to the Old Suttonians and all the staff, especially to LieutenantColonel Wilkinson and Major Millbery.

“ The whole

experience was one we will never forget; so many memories will be treasured from this trip

”

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

CCF Shooting Field Day Cdt. Lara Savage, Third Form

O

n Wednesday 27th April, the Third Form were stood in the Quad ready to board the buses and set off towards Hythe for a day packed full of shooting. We shot a variety of weapons including 7.62 shooting rifles and 5.56 cadet rifles, as well as trying a bit of archery. We shot on a number of different ranges including the 25 yards, 100 yards and DCCT (Dismounted Close Combat Trainer) ranges as well as working on our drill and leadership skills. With the help of our NCOs we improved our shooting skills and learnt what it was like to spend a day on an active army base. Overall, it was thrilling day, and we all learnt some fantastic skills to help improve our shooting.

CCF Leadership Afternoon Cdt. Paige Davidson, Cdt. Amber Brinkman and Cdt. Edward Wheble

T

he CCF Leadership Afternoon was interesting and fun. Everyone contributed towards the challenges set. All of the Officers were helpful (although they did not give us answers to any of the challenges), and they taught us so much about team work.

The afternoon flew by with the activities set and everyone lost track of time as they were so determined to pass the tasks. The afternoon was absolutely brilliant! Everyone put laughter and effort into each and every task, which meant we got a lot out of the afternoon.

When the afternoon had finished, all the teams came together and got feedback from the Officer in Charge.

He congratulated all the teams on what they had achieved and suggested that next time we have another chance to do a leadership day we must try to listen to each other’s

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ideas more, instead of talking over one another. I am sure that everyone will take his comments on board.

Thank you to Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkinson, Major Millbery, Major Prem and a huge thank you to the Outreach Team for coming from Canterbury, setting up the challenging tasks and helping us to develop our team work. It was such a fantastic opportunity to engage in great activities with our friends. Thank you so much for a wonderful afternoon.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

Junior Field Day Cdt. Anna Harrison, Third Form

A

s a group of enthused new Third Form cadets, we marched into the CCF camp, eager to learn about the rules and lifestyle of a military cadet. Once we had arrived, there was no hesitation and we all wanted to jump straight into action, starting with a day full of military activities including: camp-craft, weapon-handling, drill, signals, orienteering, compass-work and rations.

All of these activities were fulfilled with enthusiasm and effort from the new cadets.

After a true military-style dinner, we took part in the exciting overnight exercise, which involved being mysteriously captured by the enemy and having a fake but blood-curdling, car crash. The aim of this exercise was to then reach the minibuses back in camp without being caught by a Sixth Form NCO; this was a true challenge of our teamwork skills, fitness and our ability to leopard crawl whilst staying hidden.

After this exhilarating experience, all of the cadets slept well and prepared themselves for the early start the next morning. On the second day of our adventure training, we had another brilliant morning packed full of cadet skills and leadership trust exercises. We developed our teamwork skills and we left with many enjoyable memories which we will treasure for the rest of our lives.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Year 4 Enrichment Day Cpl. Georgia Ridge, Lower Sixth

O

n 17th June, pupils from Year 4 at the Preparatory School brought their enthusiasm and energy for an Enrichment Day to get a taste of both the Senior School and what it is like to be a cadet in the CCF. The year was separated into eight groups, who undertook various tasks to develop their knowledge and understanding of what the CCF has to offer, the challenges it brings, as well as the fun and enjoyment.

Group A undertook the task of air rifle shooting with Lieutenant Horley, who tried to make it as realistic as possible, which particularly appealed to the adventurous boys amongst them. A special mention must go to Daisy Dallamore who took on the boys and scored five consecutive bulls eyes, making a strong impression on the Captain of Shooting, Benjamin Murray, who was busy scouting for potential shooting team members for the future.

Flight-Lieutenant Cope took the groups for basha making and fires.

Making a basha is crucial for a good night’s sleep and there were some brilliant examples that certainly kept them dry.

Command tasks were led by Flight-Lieutenant Kitchen, who proved that teamwork, trust, the ability to listen and leadership are vital skills in completing a task. The students were put in pairs with one of the pairs’ eyes being covered with a blindfold, they had to navigate around under the instructions from a partner to find the correct colour balls.

Orienteering was led by Captain Head, who helped the students to develop a greater understanding of map reading and the use of a compass. The students showed their intelligence using the grid references and symbols to navigate and locate areas of interest.

Major Millbery showcased his new laser equipment to the Year 4 students. This was a test again of their ability to shoot, however to a

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computer simulation, which gave you a score dependent on your levels of accuracy. The students were given two opportunities, with the aim that they would go on to improve on the previous attempt. Each round consisted of ten shots at the target, and the closer to the bullseye you reached, the more points you scored out of 100. A special mention must go to Brook, with the highest score of the day being 76, beating most of the NCOs. This task proved highly successful, as the majority of cadets improved on their first attempts and showed initiative as to how to ensure they hit the target.

Major Prem battled through the damp weather to put the students through the rigours of the confidence course finishing in a test of strength, the tug-of-war. The monkey bars showed that both the girls and boys were determined to complete the course, bringing out their inner competitive nature.

Chief Warrant Officer Edward Simmonds and Lieutenant Keep taught drill. The pupils learnt basic marching and saluting. The students showed how uniform they could be under the strict demands of Edward Simmonds, and showed both leadership and response to leadership through leading the exercise. By the end of the activity, the groups had the ability to march as a unit and listen to the commands given. Oh, and they had fun.

The final stand was food, with Sub-Lieutenant Wood, where they were shown the menu for a ration pack and given a detailed insight into the food contained within one. The children had the chance to make some drinks such as hot chocolate, as well as taste some main courses. They developed a greater understanding of why things were included, for example chewing gum to clean their teeth.

Despite horrible weather, all of the pupils showed incredible determination and enthusiasm which impressed all the NCOs. They improved crucial life skills such as teamwork and leadership, whilst having fun.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

“ Despite

horrible weather, all of the pupils showed incredible determination and enthusiasm

”

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

RAF Summer Camp

L/Cpl Hongrui Zhang, Lower Sixth

O

n 9th July, six Sutton Valence cadets embarked on a trip to RAF Valley for seven days of adventure. This is the first year the School was invited to participate in the summer camp. Along with us, cadets from Adams’ Grammar School and Wymondham College also joined the camp. After eight hours of travelling, we reached the destination in Northern Wales.

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by the classic Welsh rain, which really cheered our spirits. The camp kicked off in the evening with various sports and team building activities. Despite only having six participants, Sutton Valence dominated the matches, with Hongrui Zhang and Cameron Evans contributing some of their typical Sutton Valence sports talents.

Different to most summer holidays, we started our day at 6:30am doing drill and marching. The cadets were taken around the base

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to visit different departments. RAF Valley is the home of the 4th Squadron, which is the training reserve unit of the Hawk T2 jets.

Engineers and pilots took us around the planes and answered our questions in detail. On top of this, we were fortunate enough to visit the Search and Rescue facility where the Duke of Cambridge had previously trained, as well as visiting Air Traffic Control, the Fire Department, Mountain Rescue and the base beach.

During this incredible journey we learnt the spirit that the RAF carries, managerial skills and, most importantly, the bonds formed between three schools where we celebrated when successes were made and suffered when one was down.

We would like to thank the members of the station of RAF Valley for the welcome we were afforded (despite being foreigners as Mr Davies would put it), Major Millbery for taking us up there and Flight-Lieutenant Cope for being Camp Commandant and looking after us all. We hope that we will be able to experience another camp soon.

COMBINED CADET FORCE

Target Rifle Competition S/Sgt. Emil Evans, Upper Sixth

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n Sunday, 24th April, a contingent of eight shooters, four target markers and three officers left at the crack of dawn for the annual 11th Infantry Brigade, Target Rifle Competition at Stoney Castle Range, Pirbright.

The day was cold and very windy, not the ideal conditions for shooting. Fresh from our Bunhill Easter training camp, the A Team, featuring Emil Evans, Benjamin Murray, James Collins and the Under 16 shooter Edward Ervine won silver, coming second

overall. Captain Emil Evans also won bronze for the third best individual shoot. Our B Team was young, with Jacob Baldwin, Fergus Fowle, Lara Savage and Reuben Hodson narrowly missing out on a medal with an impressive array of scores.

Historically, we have always faced stiff competition just a few months before the Imperial Meeting at Bisley ranges, and this experience will prove invaluable come the summer. A special mention must go to the Target Markers, Edward Mazumber, Martin Zhang, Isaac Owolabi and Jack Laing-Williams without whom we would not have been able to even enter the competition. Lieutenant-Colonel Wilkinson, Major Millbery, and Flying-Officer Westlake must also be thanked for surrendering their Sundays to oversee and assist the shooters.

The Sergison Trophy

S/Sgt. Emil Evans, Upper Sixth

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his was not a competition between CCF Cadets, rather this event pits staff, Old Suttonians, parents and cadets against each other in a winner-takes-all shoot off. Freshly fuelled from Major Prem’s exceptional barbecue, the competition began. All four teams were very competitive and shot well. The results were the parents in fourth with an average of 77.29, the pupils picking up bronze with 81.38, and the Old Suttonians narrowly beating their younger rivals with a respectable 82.8.

The winners, shockingly, were the staff, who surged ahead with an average of 85.75. This was largely thanks to the efforts of shooting, music and train enthusiast Lieutenant Horley, whose score of 94 out of 100 was only matched by Christopher Dale (2007 C) of the OS team, also scoring 94. Harry Percival’s 92 and Reuben Hodson’s 91 must also be mentioned. This fun and relaxed event is run every year, and all ages and abilities are welcome.

Next year, the staff team, who affectionately deny any allegations of match fixing, will be forced to defend their title in what proves to be an increasingly popular and exciting competition. Special thanks must go to all the staff and cadets who continue to make this event possible.

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Bisley Shooting - July 2016 Charles Gellett (2015 F)

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hen a Captain departs the Sutton Valence School Shooting Team, a selfish part of that person hopes his or her absence is noticeable. However, another, much larger part hopes that he or she has had a sufficiently positive influence on the team, that they continue to develop and succeed in their departing Captain’s absence.

As I (the 2014/15 Captain), returned to Bisley this year to help coach the team through the four-day event, I was buoyed by how the team has developed since I left. Those on the team have celebrated another successful year, which not only involves impressive performances from senior figures but also fantastic performances from new faces just starting out on their careers in the Shooting Team. The team had a thoroughly enjoyable time and, despite less than ideal numbers due to the running of other events at the same time such as the Brunei trip and various CCF summer camps, has not returned empty handed. In the fourth year of the Oratory Challenge Cup’s existence, it returns to Sutton Valence for the third time thanks to the expert shooting of 2015/16 captain Emil Evans. Despite suffering from an illness, Emil won the trophy, which is for the best overall shot in all GP rifle competitions, with the rest of the team also very respectably placed in that event.

The team put in a respectable showing in all the GP competitions, achieving top five finishes in all of them and medals in most of them. However, a special individual mention must go to James Collins who, having shot a 49/50 in the Marlborough competition, was tied for first place with another shooter. The procedure in such circumstances is that a tie-shoot occurs to decide the winner and runner-up. Tie-shoots carry a similar pressure to penalty shoot-outs in football, except the same man takes every shot, which means there is an element of luck involved; so you can only hope that you don’t buckle under the pressure and hope for the best. James certainly did not buckle under the pressure and he performed superbly in the tie-shoot but luck was not with him and he fell one point short of his opponent, placing him second nationally, so still a phenomenal effort on his part. In the same event, Christopher Youngman also shone, scoring 48/50 securing himself third nationally in the event.

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After the Monday, attention turns fully to the .762 Cadet Target Rifle, where I believe the team had one of its most successful years in a long time. The pupils compete for the next three days at distances of 300, 500 and 600 yards in open competition against every other cadet there (517 entries this year), and every score they shoot counts to at least one of the many competitions. Because of the intensity of the competition and the quality of shooting required to even make the top 100 scores, Bisley silver spoons are awarded to every cadet whose scores rank them in that top bracket of every competition. In years gone by, a successful year would be if we managed to return with three or four of those spoons as a team for the entire competition, however this year, thanks to the quality of training and work put into the teams’ Target Rifle shooting over the last two years in particular, the number of prizes awarded to the Sutton Valence Shooting Team has improved dramatically.

Christopher Youngman especially was a force to be reckoned with this week and was consistently excellent in a final year which saw him achieve no less than five such prizes all by himself, but also achieving a place in the Schools Hundred. The Schools Hundred is the list of the top 100 shots for the entire week, meaning Chris was not just good in one competition, but was prolific for the entire week to the extent where he was 85th overall out of the 517 competitors for the entire three days of shooting. Such excellent form put no doubt in anybody’s mind that Chris should shoot in the Spencer-Mellish Competition, which is shot on the final day, and reserved for the best shots in each team respectively. The shooters selected must also coach themselves, a seriously difficult task… unless you are Christopher Youngman. Despite not threatening the podium Christopher still achieved a highly respectable score and was only six points shy of winning that event as well. A thoroughly successful and well-deserved final week for one of the Shooting Teams unsung heroes of the past five years. It was excellent to see him be awarded so many accolades to partially pay him back for the superb example he has set in his time with the team.

However, while the top end of the team was performing very well, the newer less-experienced end of the team was making sure that the Sixth Formers didn’t take all the glory. Lara Savage and Edward Ervine had simply tremendous first outings at Bisley, picking up seven silver spoons between them, five for Lara and two for Edward, with Edward earning one of his spoons with a highly impressive 18th place in one of the shoots, an astounding effort. It seemed

COMBINED CADET FORCE only natural that these two on-form hotshots would represent the School in the Cadet Pairs on the final day, where they certainly did not let the pressure get to them and, as a team, they came tenth nationally in the Cadet Pairs Competition, a fitting end to such a brilliant start to their respective shooting careers.

Not to be out-done though, another shooting debutant, Imogen Forknall, our least-experienced shot at this current stage, has also achieved something truly remarkable for the School. For the first time in at least six years, there is a medal in the 762 heading back to Sutton Valence. On the final day of competition, Imogen was entered in the Reserve Man Competition. This is a standalone Ashburton day shoot for one competitor. Imogen had shot admirably with the .762 all week despite her lack of familiarity with the weapon, but, on the day where it mattered most, she shot with the calmness and consistency of a veteran and was well-rewarded for her excellence with a silver medal; she shot the second best score in the entire competition. It’s not easy firing first on Ashburton day alone with just one coach and a spotter beside you and everybody else watching, but that’s certainly how Imogen made it look. She is another very bright prospect for the future.

Both young and old in this team have shot very well all week and the progress in all the younger members over the past years has been obvious and highly encouraging. If the progress continues and the Shooting Team debutants improve as the rest of the team has then the future looks immeasurably bright for this team. The captaincy now passes to the one, the only Ben Murray and Ben showed this week a really positive step up in terms of his leadership of the team and did so without diminishing his own exceptional shooting ability.

Yes, I am aware that there is a very large number of complimentary adjectives in this report, but I promise you, not a single one is out of place or over the top. The team have just been THAT good; and although we shall sorely miss all of the departing Upper Sixth, the team that remains has so much talent and ability that when together they create a really healthy breeding ground to grow their own success and I am so excited to hear just how well they do over the coming years.

CADSAAM and Shooting S/Sgt. Emil Evans, Upper Sixth

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he CADSAAM shooting competition in September marked the start of the season for the Sutton Valence Shooting Team. Despite depleted numbers due to injuries from Rugby, Hockey and other dangerous sports, the team still brought back a plethora of medals with their 5.56 millimetre GP rifles.

Whilst the opposition was stiff, with schools such as Epsom College, Charterhouse School and our old rivals The Oratory School, Sutton Valence triumphed in the Falling Plate competition. This shoot, which involves running 100 metres and engaging ten small plates at 200 metres range, is the highlight of CADSAAM. Our A team with Christopher Youngman, Harriet Aburn, Emil Evans and Benjamin Murray brought back gold in a heart-pounding final against The Oratory School, in which we won by just a few seconds. This is more impressive considering that Harriet Aburn was the first girl to win gold in this event in almost a decade. Laura

Horley should also be congratulated as she was very successful in all shoots and was the Under 16 champion shot.

Now in the Lent Term, our training has started up again, and we will be spending many afternoons at the Hythe and Lydd ranges, as well as a week at Bunhill practicing over Easter. With newfound experience, eager young talent and endless enthusiasm, we hope that the most diverse and accessible team in the School will bring back more metal at this summer’s Imperial Meeting at Bisley.

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COMBINED CADET FORCE

Armed Forces Day Remembering WW1 and the Battle of the Somme Lt Col. Wilkinson, Contingent Commander

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embers of the CCF joined the Royal British Legion and members of the village for Armed Forces Day. Following a welcome by Sir Hugh Robertson, there was an Act of Remembrance led by the School Chaplain. The Last Post and Reveille were played by Laura Horley and the Standard Bearers were Benjamin Murray and Matthew Jones. There were moving readings by Sam Gray, Sebastian Shaddick and William Grabowski, followed by a short drill display led by Imogen Forknall. Next year’s Head of Corps, Edward Simmonds, presented a cheque to the Chairman of the Royal British Legion from the School, in recognition of the wonderful work they do for our veterans.

The cadets then joined the party in the Village Hall for tea. The cadets received praise from many members of the village and the Deputy Mayor of Maidstone commented on how wonderful it was to see young people committed to such a worthwhile cause. I would like to thank all those involved for making the Act of Remembrance so moving for the whole community.

CCF Winter Skiing Course CWO Edward Simmonds, Lower Sixth

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n 13th February, I climbed onto a coach in Dover with 41 complete strangers to embark on a 17-hour coach journey to the German Alps. I used the time to get to know the people who I would be staying with for the next week.

After we arrived from our long and tiring journey we settled in and met everyone. It was soon time to meet the officers - these men and women were polite and full of jokes – typical Army. After dinner we had an early night in anticipation of the next day’s skiing.

The day started with us being split into ski groups and sent off up the mountain. Being in the top ski group, we started off bombing it down the mountains and sliding off piste down the runs. The course was a whirlwind of great skiing, amazing views and incredible people; it is a must-do trip and I even achieved a qualification from completing it. I would recommend it to anyone, from basic to advanced skier.

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Duke of Edinburgh Award

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Duke of Edinburgh Award Report Mr G Millbery, Duke of Edinburgh Award Officer

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he Duke of Edinburgh Award shows dedication, commitment and resolve to complete. Some will find sections easier than others, but the Award as a whole requires staying power. To a prospective employer, a holder of a DofE Award has determination, focus and the will to succeed and even the tenacity to go that extra step – this is what makes it so valuable.

Of course, it is the expedition section that gets the most attention, and accordingly, that is the focus of many of the following articles. It is also the most physically demanding. Whether pupils are taking part in Bronze, Silver or Gold expeditions, it is their expedition and they set it up to challenge themselves. These challenges may come in the form of physical, mental or teamwork-based obstacles, and sometimes the challenges themselves are not known until they are hiking.

The other sections are just as important – volunteering is service to others, putting other people first and learning to put others’ needs before your own. Our volunteering projects range from helping at Sissinghurst Castle, to walking neighbours’ dogs, to cooking for homeless people, to name a few. Physical is focused on improving your own fitness – necessary for a healthy lifestyle and to get in shape for the expedition. Skills is about learning something new – driving a car, playing chess, knitting, debating – learning a skill or improving a skill to add another string to your bow. I am amazed each time we get a new crop of DofE participants as to the variety of activities.

I am stepping down as Award Officer – Mrs Kitchen is taking over. I am not however stepping away from DofE altogether, I believe it is too valuable for our students and I will still look forward to meeting them on the hills, at camp-sites and at the end of their expeditions where the exhaustion is put to one side as the sense of achievement kicks in.

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DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze Expedition Noah Swaine and Lara Savage, Third

Form

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he first step to achieving our Bronze Duke of Edinburgh, was the practice expedition. The purpose of this walk was to familiarise ourselves with the terrain, the required equipment and also to develop our navigational skills; including using a compass and OS maps. The practice was a two-day walk with a one-night camp. The School took each team to its respective starting point. As we were dropped off, we immediately began walking with optimism, however, after getting lost, this quickly deteriorated. Despite this, our spirits always remained high and we enjoyed the whole expedition, even when some team members refused to walk any further, unless they had another lunch break.

We felt prepared for the proper expedition in the last week of term. Our adventure began at School as we checked our equipment and the tracker was strapped to the bag of a team member.We were soon released and began the expedition from our drop-off points, with the School grounds as our destination and camp-site. Much like the practice, we started walking at a brisk pace, but the weight of our rucksacks and the scorching weather made quick work of our energy. Consequently, we stopped for a regular breaks, talking throughout, in an attempt to distract ourselves from our aching limbs.

Throughout the expedition we knew that we were only as fast as the slowest member, so everyone made a point of encouraging each other, all the time. This meant that we got to the camp-site in good time and were able to set up the tents and cook some hot food.

As a team, we felt we worked well together, despite the occasional argument about when to stop and in what direction we should be going. We took turns with the map reading, which took pressure off the designated navigator. The expeditions were thoroughly enjoyable because we were out in the countryside and it allowed all of us to improve our teamwork and leadership skills.

However, the expeditions weren’t the only challenges we had to complete in an attempt to achieve our Bronze award. We all had to complete activities in three other sections; volunteering, physical and skills. We had to choose to complete two sections for three months and the third for six months. People chose a variety of different activities ranging from horse riding to hockey for their physical, learning an instrument to baking as their skill and anything from babysitting to working in their local kennels for volunteering.

Overall, the Duke of Edinburgh Award has encouraged everyone to work at improving skills they already had or to try something new and exciting. We all chose targets that we wanted to reach by the end of the award, and it has been a great journey working to achieve these. We are sure every Third Form student, will agree, when we say that working towards our Bronze Duke of Edinburgh has been an incredible experience and has allowed us all the chance to explore new opportunities that we otherwise wouldn’t have tried, and we cannot wait to start our Silver awards next.

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DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Silver Expedition Summer 2016 Ellen Crombie, Fourth Form

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n the last Saturday of the holidays, Kate Woodford, Emily Smith, Phoebe Aucamp and I set off on our Silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition. This would take us three days, 54 kilometres and two nights under the stars (well, in a tent but that’s basically the same thing!).

The first day took us from Lenham to Sutton Valence; to be honest, progress was a little slow.We were yet to find a good rhythm, and so breaks were unstructured and frequent. However, after a good eight hours of walking we did manage to make it to our camping destination, having already demolished most of our sweets along the way.

As you can probably guess, we didn’t get much sleep on that first night, and so the second day was always going to be harder. However, fuelled by large quantities of Dolmio pasta from the night before, we powered through. Taking a ten-minute break every hour lead us to finishing earlier than expected, and gave us just enough time to organise our bags, unpack the stoves, and have a quick shower.

That night it was pasta again, with the appreciated addition of marshmallows, courtesy of Phoebe.

The second night was a lot quieter than the first; exhausted from two days of walking with heavy bags we were all pretty much asleep by half nine. But this was very necessary... Our plan was to wake up and leave by 5.00am the next morning.

It was dark, cold and way too early. But we did it, and just kept on plodding on, trying to ignore our blisters.

I personally think that last day was the hardest, especially because it rained, and, due to tiredness, we got lost numerous times. However by 3.00pm we arrived at the bottom of the Sutton Valence hill, and summoned up our last reserves of energy to storm up and then collapse by the CCF huts.

Overall, the group and I really enjoyed the challenge of the walk, and everyone has become much closer because of it. The next stop is definitely Gold!

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“ We did it, and just kept on plodding on, trying to ignore our blisters

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DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Duke of Edinburgh Award Ceremony

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he Headmaster, Mr Bruce Grindlay and Duke of Edinburgh Manager, Mr Glen Millbery attended a once-in-a lifetime Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Gold Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace in May. At the event, Sutton Valence was presented with a special plaque from the DofE Charity by Sian Williams, journalist and current affairs presenter, acknowledging the School’s commitment to running the DofE and thanking it for giving young people the opportunity to transform their lives.

The DofE is celebrating its Diamond Anniversary throughout 2016, having supported millions of young people in the UK and across the globe to achieve DofE Awards since it was founded in 1956. The prestigious Gold Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace is one of many memorable events taking place to celebrate 60 years of the charity.

Members of the Royal Family, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HRH The Earl of Wessex and HRH The Countess of Wessex, congratulated those who were present, including young Gold Award achievers, organisations that deliver the DofE and special guests such as corporate supporters and DofE Diamond Challengers, who have set themselves a personal challenge to raise money for the DofE Charity in its anniversary year.

The School has been delivering the DofE for 51 years and on average 100 of its students achieve a DofE Award each year; volunteering in their community, learning a skill, getting fit, going on an expedition and, for Gold, taking part in a week-long residential. Doing a DofE programme significantly impacts upon young people’s futures, enabling them to develop vital skills for life and work, such as confidence, commitment, resilience and teamwork.

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Gold Expedition Summer 2015 Adam Dawkins, Upper Sixth

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nly two weeks into the much-awaited Summer holidays, five groups attempted to tackle the arduous four-day Gold DofE expedition in the Lake District. With Monday spent as a preparation day, where equipment was checked and basic map skills reviewed, all five groups set out on Tuesday morning eager and ready to face the daunting prospect of a four-day trek.

We began our walk at the north-eastern tip of the Lake District, near Egremont. The day encompassed a 26 kilometre walk to Wasdale Head over varying terrain. For the first ten kilometres, everything appeared to be going swimmingly, however it was not long before we found ourselves lost and two kilometres further east than our projected location. With a much appreciated phone call from Mr Millbery who put the team back on track, the rest of the day proved to be straight forward, despite the fact the final 15 kilometres inevitably had to be spend walking along the road. We eventually reached Wasdale Head and wasted no time in assembling the tents and putting the food on after a longer-thannecessary first day.

The second day proved to be the toughest, as it involved the third highest peak in the Lakes, Great Gable, which stands at nearly 900 metres tall. Luckily, it was only a short walk to the base of Great Gable, which enabled us to mentally prepare ourselves for the toughest hurdle of the expedition. The first 600 metres seemed

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to fly past, and from one of the many false peaks, we were continually greeted with beautiful views of the Western Lake District.

The next 300 metres proved to be problematic, as the path disappeared and the only way up seemed to be a scramble over loose rocks and boulders. Matters were made worse when a band of fog rolled in from the west. After what seemed like an eternity, we reached the top and were this time greeted with 360° panoramic views of the entire Lake District.This proved to be a great photo opportunity. Going down was a much easier affair, and we soon arrived at our second camp-site, Seathwaite.

The third day went wrong before it even started, when Mikayla and Amber were forced to drop out due to injury. This 32 kilometre trek consisted of a small 400 metre peak, followed by a 20 kilometre stretch through Langdale Valley. It was a long and hot day and we were all relieved to finally get into the campsite at 6:30. This was the nicest of the camp-sites and we were reunited with Amber and Mikayla who offered to put up our tents for us!

We rounded off the expedition with a slightly easier route, going north from Low Wray through Ambleside and all the way to Brotherwater. The rain was relentless, but we were determined to finish strong and managed to get there on schedule.We were all challenged both mentally and physically, but these difficulties made the achievement more worth while.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Gold Expedition Summer 2016 Christopher Youngman, Upper Sixth

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he trailer was packed and we departed from School at 9.00am on 28th July, looking forward to our Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the Lake District. Everything was going well until around half an hour into our journey the School minibus shuddered to a halt on the M26. Luckily, the Bursar was in his office and quick to assist us. The sun was shining as we waited an hour for Mr Buddhi (one of our Estates Team) to arrive cheerfully with a replacement minibus and we were soon on our way. Fortunately, the breakdown truck arrived at the same time to take him and the minibus back to Sutton Valence.

Following fish and chips in Keswick, we arrived at Dale Bottom Campsite. This was essentially our base camp for the week, so we pitched our tents and had a good night’s sleep... a luxury we would not have for the remainder of the trip! Saturday was spent preparing for our expedition, checking kit and organising equipment and shopping in Keswick. That evening we went out for a Thai meal, then bed.

We started our expedition early on the Saturday morning with the sun shining (very different from earlier in the year, when some did their practice) and got stuck into the climb up Helvellyn, the second highest peak in England. Sadly, as we reached the summit the cloud came down, so we couldn’t enjoy what should have been an amazing view. Day two saw us go via Fairfield to Chapel Stile, where we stayed at a great camp site at Baysbrown Farm and day three led us to Seathwaite, where many of us had stayed previously. We were all relatively used to the unforgiving slopes of the Lake District having been here many times before (apart from Henry) and performed well throughout the four days and three nights. We finished the route on Tuesday 2nd August at Buttermere and were rewarded with an ice cream and a great sense of satisfaction that we had completed our expedition! That evening we went out for pizza and helped Chris celebrate his 18th birthday with cake and candles.

A huge thank you must go to our two valiant teachers and assessors Mrs Wilkinson and Mr Horley, who managed to sample the finest tea rooms in Cumbria, yet always kept our expedition running smoothly! We all appreciate the driving, organisation, time and effort that they put into the trip.

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DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Night Walk Richard Sawyer, Fourth Form

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n the Friday night before February Half Term, a small group of Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Form students, along with several members of staff, set off for the annual CCF Night Walk.

By the time we set off from Great Chart, it was 6.00pm and nearly dark. Mr Millbery handed out trackers and maps to each group and gestured towards the direction we needed to take.

My group decided to set a very fast pace, and ran the first 200 metres, only to discover we had gone the wrong the way! Fortunately, Major Prem was on hand to direct us back on track, and help us navigate some barbed wire fences! We continued to run to catch up with the other groups, and having passed the group of Sixth Form boys, we decided running wasn’t for us, so set a more modest pace. Having finally arrived at the first checkpoint, we were greeted by Mr Horley and Mrs Wilkinson who were waiting with cake and pack-ups. After this we ended up joining the group of Sixth Formers to continue to the next checkpoint, where we found a bus full of teachers and hot chocolate.

For the third leg, Mr Millbery and the other teachers shadowed us. By this stage, everyone had become separated into two groups, with the teachers somewhere in the middle. We reached the third checkpoint where Mrs Wilkinson and Mr Worcester were waiting. For the final leg, all of the participants joined together into a single group and having passed the final checkpoint, we decided to run down a hill. Unfortunately this meant we ended up missing a footpath that would have taken us directly back to School. As a result, we ended up 500 metres south and around two kilometres east of School with no way of getting north.

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After walking in the wrong direction, we finally came across a road, and having looked on Google Maps, realised that we were 1.6 miles away from School. The realisation defeated some of the group, but four of us decided it was worth it to say that we completed the walk, and made the final slog to School, where Mrs Wilkinson and Mr Millbery were waiting. By this time it was 1.30am and we had been walking for over seven hours! Thank you to Mr Millbery for organising the walk and to Mrs Wilkinson and Mr Horley for being our bus drivers.Well done to everyone else to took part in the event, collectively we managed to raise ÂŁ170 for the Blind Veterans Charity UK.

Academic

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ACADEMIC

YPRES

Lara Savage, Third Form

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t was 6.20 in the morning, on the 18th September. We were headed to the famous town of Ypres, in Belgium, to visit some of the most amazing war memorials in Europe, built to honour the fallen Old Suttonians, and other soldiers, who fought in World War 1.

The first place we visited was Talbot House, in Poperinge.

Talbot House was a club for British soldiers where they could escape the turmoil of battle, in Ypres Salient. We were given a tour through the house, museum and gardens before being offered morning tea. We then moved on to visit the Tyne Cot cemetery, where we really began to understand just how many men died fighting for their country.

After eating lunch outside the cemetery, we drove on into the town of Ypres itself. When we arrived, we were allowed to go off to explore and look in the shops and cafés that lined the streets. Every Sutton Valence pupil visited one shop in particular… Leonidas Chocolatier! For years Sutton Valence students have visited the shop, and there was even a sign to welcome us, as well as a very ‘sweet’ promotional offer.

At 5.00pm, we settled down in St George’s Chapel for a remembrance service and carols, sung by our Chamber Choir.

We then headed to the Menin Gate to grab a good spot, ready for the Last Post Ceremony at 8.00pm. We admired the thousands of names carved into the arch and watched as wreaths were placed to honour the fallen soldiers. It was a fitting way to end a fantastic day.

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ACADEMIC

A2 Geography Residential Field Trip Mr A Bee, Head of Geography

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his year, A2 Geographers headed off to the Cambrian Mountains to study the influences of the Teifi Pools on the micro-climate of the River Teifi’s catchment area over the 48 hours surrounding the Summer Solstice (traditionally a highly spiritual time for Geographers).

Specific focus of the trip was the impact of the thermal inertia of the lakes at night and their specific heat capacity during the day. Students camped in the wilds for 48 hours to collect a discontinuous stream of temperature data, from early morning until dusk.

The Teifi Pools is a stretch of the Cambrian Mountains that rise over 1,000 feet. They are a series of six lakes, formed towards the end of the last ice age. They are remote, miles from any habitation and accessed only by dirt track. This true wilderness experience required a risk assessment as long as your arm. If anything went wrong, there was no mobile reception or hospital within an hour’s drive.

With fingers crossed I announced the official start of the 48 hours data capture session by firing off a barely legal rocket into the night sky. This made an awful bang but could be heard by all students, dispersed as they were around every nook and cranny of the Teifi Pools. This signalled the time for the Geographers to cast out their floating diurnal, digital thermometers using all manner of fishing rods collected from parents and friends. The results, as they came in, made for an even greater shock than the Referendum result.

YouGov suggested that altitude and aspect combined would win, for the pools were over 400 metres high and predominantly South-West facing, yet the astonishing relative humidity results along Llyn Hir swung the vote back in favour of the actual Teifi Pools themselves and left everyone spellbound, dumb-struck and wondering what on earth are we going to do now?

In the evenings, when the exhausting data collection techniques had been properly executed there was still time to catch a few wild brown trout, cook marshmallows over a log fire and enjoy a barbecue with local lamb and cow (so few food miles here) on the menu.

The county of Ceredigion can be a wild, wind-swept part of Britain but it always makes for a fabulous experience, especially when camping out against all that Mother Nature could pit against us.

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ACADEMIC

GCSE Geography Field Day Mr A Bee, Head of Geography

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nvestigating sediment transfer characteristics and their impact on foreshore microlandforms might not seem like the most accessible topic to your typical 15-year-olds but, with their carefully trained noses for geomorphological patterns, Sutton Valence Geographers undertook the task of unravelling the nature of foreshore transport from marine energy with the diligence of forensic detectives.

Seeing big James Smith measuring clasts to the nearest millimetre reminded one of a young Sherlock Holmes investigating a crime scene. In the end, the culprits were long-shore drift, encouraged by the oblique angle of wave crests arriving onshore due to refraction around the Isle of Thanet headland. Also guilty was profile drift and the large rock groynes which, in their own manner, dissipated much of the wave energy as their design encouraged.

The weather was unkind as black clouds, fuelled by the convergence of the Ferrel and Polar Cells, poured dispiritingly intense showers that ruined carefully edited paperwork from the Head of Department. If the North Kent coastline seemed battered and bruised then this was small potatoes compared to the lashing inflicted upon Miss Moore’s troops on the south coast. Here the sea raged magnificently amongst the deep squalls as her students sheltered timidly inside a seaside café. Just occasionally Miss Moore sent her storm troopers out into the fray to snatch what crumbs of meaningful data they could.

The body-count, miraculously, was the same in the evening as the morning and in that we placed our trust in God alone.

“ they undertook the task of unravelling the nature of foreshore transport from marine energy with the diligence of forensic detectives

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ACADEMIC

Prep School Mathematics Competition Mrs L Mitchell-Nanson, Head of Mathematics

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he evening of 21st April saw the annual Prep School Mathematics Competition which Sutton Valence entered as Under 13 title holders, having previously dominated the competition with the legendary team of Lara Savage, Oliver Laird, Anna Harrison and Noah Swaine. This year, the Under 12 team of Jonny Russell, Charlotte Farrell, Sofia Moggi and Joshua Laird (hoping to follow in his older brother’s winning footsteps) was looking to take the Under 12 crown. A few communication errors and not reading the question saw our team miss out on the pivotal head start that is needed for championship status and as a result, despite a last minute surge, saw the team finish in a respectable fifth place.

The Under 13 team of Ewen Barr,Tarik Abed, Daisy Hills and Mariana Mason had a lot to live up to with last year’s team not only taking the title but also completing all of the questions correctly within the time-frame. A quick start saw them level with the top teams within the first ten minutes of the competition. They continued their valiant efforts, but unfortunately time was not on their side and after some tactical decisions from the opposition that saw teams pass certain questions, the Sutton Valence team persevered determined that no question would beat them, but allowing other teams to gain crucial points.

A special mention should go to our marking team. At times, they forgot they were not actually competing, and some found themselves offering inspiring words to cheer on their respective old schools. An enjoyable evening was had by all, and we thank the visiting schools for travelling to compete.

Third Form Portfolio Miss L Gray, Religious Studies

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he Third Form embraced the revamped portfolio process during the Lent Term.The portfolio required students to research a topic of interest and to present a portfolio, which could be in a variety of forms. We had an extremely diverse range of topics including sports teams, fashion icons, moments in history, photography, celebrities and many more. Students had six weeks to complete their portfolio and I was highly impressed with the amount of effort some put in.

The Third Form Portfolio helps to equip students with the necessary skills needed whilst studying. Students

learnt how to research a topic and provide a bibliography of sources as well as managing a big workload, which will prove vital as they embark on their GCSE subjects. Students were required to deliver their portfolios to their peers and Housemasters, Housemistresses or Tutors, enabling them to develop their presentation and public speaking skills.

Copy prizes were awarded to outstanding portfolios including Lara Savage, who produced a necklace and project book on silver-smithing,Tom Gray and Reuben Hodson who produced books of their photography, Paige Davidson who produced a portfolio on the RSPCA, and Sam Mostowfi who produced a PowerPoint presentation on gymnastics, complete with interviews from gymnasts.

”

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Isle of Wight Field Trip Miss Z Radford, Head of Biology

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he A Level Biologists set off for a four-day field course in the beautiful Isle of Wight last term. They stayed at the Medina Valley Centre, an outdoor and environmental education centre, situated on the Medina estuary. Throughout the week they used a variety of handson, biological sampling techniques and statistical analysis to investigate the diverse range of ecosystems and interesting species which inhabit there. Students were also able to complete several of their A Level practical assessments during the course.

The rocky seashore on the eastern tip of the island was ideal for investigating the adaptations and relationships of a rich diversity of marine wildlife. Nearby salt-marshes were also suitable for practical assessments, investigating the distribution and abundance of organisms and abiotic factors. Ponds, rivers and woodland habitats also provided an interesting variety of environmental surveys. However, aside from aiding students with their A Level course, the Biology field trip also provided these students with a good insight into studying Biology in the future, outside of the laboratory and in-situ. A fun and interesting trip had by all.

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Public Speaking Miss J Manning, Learning Support

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rs Head and I took both Senior and Intermediate public speaking teams to the district Rotary public speaking competition, which was held at the New Line Learning Academy.

The Intermediate team (photographed opposite above) was made up of Lara Savage (main speaker), Noah Swaine (chair) and Tom Gray (vote of thanks). Lara had prepared a very thought-provoking speech about euthanasia. Lara, one of the only speakers in the competition to speak without notes, spoke with confidence and passion. She won ‘Best Individual Speaker’ in the Intermediate competition which was very well-deserved. Both Tom and Noah supported Lara with humour, charm and intelligence. Sadly as a team, they did not win anything. However, one Rotarian commented that he thought our Intermediate team was the best in that section.

The Senior team (photographed together with the Intermediate team opposite below) consisted of Edward Mazumdar (main speaker), Aleksandr Gurtovoi (chair) and Sebastian Shaddick (vote of thanks).

Aleksandr was a last minute stand in for the team but proved to be a natural at introducing the topic. Edward had prepared a speech asking if we should apologise for the British Empire. Everything about this speech was fantastic; his research, content and delivery. Again, Edward was one of only two speakers to speak without notes. Sadly the team did not get through to the next stage, but Sebastian Shaddick won ‘Best Vote of Thanks’ in the Senior competition.

A special thanks must go to Mr Webster who worked tirelessly helping the students in the lead up to the competition.

Lingfield ESU Competition Mr P Webster, Head of ESL

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n 9 February Mr Webster and Miss Manning took two public speaking teams to an event of the English Speaking Union at Lingfield School in Surrey. This is a tough competition, as it involves not only prepared speeches but also spontaneity in asking and answering questions. On this occasion we were up against Cranbrook School,Tonbridge School, Tunbridge Wells Grammar School and Mayfield School, some of which, like ourselves, had two teams in the field, making ten in all.These competed in two heats, after which the two winners slugged it out in the final.

Our Fourth Form team was Edward Curling, Olivia Smith and Ellen Crombie. Despite performing extremely well, they were knocked out in their heat.

Meanwhile in another room we had a group of Fifth Formers.

Max Harrison, spoke on “Is trade better than aid?”with Edward Mazumdar as chairman and William Dransfield, who had to question another team. It was a wonderful moment when we learned that they had won their heat, beating teams from all the other schools. It helped that Max was the only person to speak without notes, doing so with great aplomb.

Edward Mazumdar was easily the best chairman in the room, having the confidence to approach the audience and to use humour, something that the other teams seemed to lack. Will

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Dransfield was excellent, posing thoughtful questions in a calm, clear, courteous and incisive way.

These three boys went into the final against another team from Tunbridge Wells Grammar School, Max spoke even better than the first time and was very confident in answering the questions, including batting aside ones that weren’t very relevant.

Sadly we did not win, apparently losing by three marks (out of 100). The organiser publicly indicated that she would have decided differently, which was unusual and gratifying.

It was a terrific evening for our students and they all enjoyed it greatly.

ACADEMIC

Model United Nations Guy Backhouse, Upper Sixth

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n Wednesday 7th October Sutton Valence was very proud to hold the annual Model United Nations Conference. The Conference involved around 100 students representing 25 different nations within the UN. There were 15 topics discussed within different meetings and these varied from issues such as protecting religious rights to trying to combat terrorism in Africa.

After each of the countries had put forward their arguments and views on the topic a vote was taken in each committee meeting to decide which five topics would be discussed in the General Assembly, which was held in the Old Gym in the afternoon.

One of the five topics that were put forward came from Sutton Valence’s Hannah Morris and Amber Delaney, who were looking at maritime law, representing the country of Switzerland. The girls’ clever solution to the problems in maritime areas made them stand out and this, coupled with their quick response to any issues that were raised by other delegates, saw their resolution being passed by the other nations in the General Assembly.

All 20 students who took part from Sutton Valence did extremely well with intellectual points made on given subjects as well as well-prepared pitches that would make them stand out from the rest of the delegates. A huge thank you must go Mrs Mitchell-Nanson who enabled the day to run smoothly whilst also making it enjoyable for all students involved.

“ the girls’ clever

solution to the problems in maritime areas made them stand out

”

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Chile Exchange Sebastian Habersack, Upper Sixth

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ur South American adventure began pleasantly with 14 arduous hours of flight time. After stopping off at Madrid, we headed west into the sunset, to spend the next three weeks living and working as Chilean students. Despite the thick Chilean dialect, and our own questionable Spanish skills, we were quickly welcomed into our host families as if we had been born there ourselves. And so, heavily jet-lagged but endlessly enthusiastic, with only the vaguest idea of which day it actually was, we ventured out for our first day of school.

I stayed with the Oneto family. My exchange partner was Francesca, who lived in the centre of Santiago. Not only was she good at helping me to comprehend Chilean culture, but she helped me to integrate myself into it. Her parents were, without a doubt, the best exchange parents I have ever had. Both Miguel and Sarita had given me every opportunity possible to make the most out of the trip by touring me around the city and introducing me to their family.

School life was in some ways very similar as the Grange School is the only HMC school in South-America. They follow the Chilean and British curriculum meaning that some lessons are taught in English. I enjoyed learning subjects such as Economics and History from a Chilean perspective.

Now, having fully embraced our new lives as Chilean students, the time was right to explore Santiago itself. This rapidly growing city was filled with sights, from colonial cathedrals to the presidential palace, the site of Pinochet’s military coup in 1973.The scars of war can still be seen today on the statues outside the palace. Santiago is in the mountains, and for me nothing compared to the spectacular sight of seeing the tallest building in South America, the Costanera, rising out of the clouds against the backdrop of the snow-capped Andes.

We could not leave without seeing the colourful and historic houses of Chile’s main port, Valparaiso. These sprawl across the mountainside, and overlook the Pacific, and it was here that we visited the house of Pablo Neruda, the Nobel Prize-winning poet, celebrated throughout Chile.There was no better way of experiencing true Chilean culture than going out into the city and finding out about it for ourselves, and I feel that in our trips, we did just that.

Chile was not only a big change from Britain, but it also greatly enhanced my cultural understanding. I met great people, with whom I have managed to keep in contact. In addition, I made invaluable contacts with the ex-President of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, whom I managed to meet for a short talk, particularly as I myself have a passion for politics and economics. However, what the trip really brought to light was the fact that, although I was experiencing life on the other side of the world, I felt welcomed and confident. I think that this demonstrates how our world is getting ever smaller and mutual understanding is growing. How much this happens depends on all of us.

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“ I was experiencing life on the other side of the world and I felt welcomed and confident

�

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Junior Kingdon

Tarik Abed, Second Form The Power of Radio and the Infinity of Space

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his year in Junior Kingdon we were visited by two completely different professionals, Dr Peter Bull, a physicist and Mr Harvey Cook, a BBC radio journalist.

In the Michaelmas Term, Dr Bull talked to us about his profession solving the infinite mysteries of the universe. Dr Bull started by describing the fundamental mechanics of the universe and recapped the basics of the Solar System. He then introduced us to the theories of the universe such as String Theory and The Big Bang Theory, and also told us of the divide between physicists about what is and isn’t correct. The talk was ended with an explanation of Wormholes, after which we were all itching to ask questions! It was a truly intriguing and fascinating talk.

In the Summer Term we were delighted to have been visited

by Mr Harvey Cook, a radio journalist for the BBC (who now works for BBC Radio 2). The talk began with Mr Cook explaining to us the difference between BBC and commercial radio. He then went on to play us radio clips that broadcast moving moments, such as the live Leicester City Premier League winning announcement and funny moments, such as hearing radio presenters uncontrollably laughing on live radio.

The most memorable thing about the meeting was the way it made us think about the power of radio, and also the positives it can have compared to watching television. Overall this talk was thought-provoking and humorous.

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KINGDON

KINGDON SOCIETY

Senior Kingdon

Sam Gray and William Grabowski, Lower Sixth

Becoming Global Citizens

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ver the course of the year, the Kingdon Society has met twice, receiving two guest speakers from charitable agencies, who raised awareness of their various causes.The first guest was Sarah Armitage from Action Aid. This is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to raising awareness of issues such as poverty and women’s rights.The speaker was inspiring and engaged us all.The session offered opportunity for discussion, and the sharing of ideas within the group. The meeting concluded in a question and answer session giving the members an opportunity to satisfy their curiosity.

The second guest speaker was Manju Nair, who came to talk to the society about stereotypes. It was an interesting and provocative talk, enlisting the students in hands-on exercises that allowed them to grasp the issues of racial stereotyping. Manju encouraged us to think about how our own identity and background affected views on charitable giving both at home and abroad. It was a lively, interactive session with plenty of opportunity for discussion on what it meant to be a global citizen. At one point, the members were asked to write five words on a pair of glasses and then wear them in order to illustrate the narrow-mindedness of stereotyping.

The talks were challenging in their range of issues, and the informality of the sessions allowed the students to make the most out of the opportunity, as it enabled a free flow of ideas. Many thanks to the guest speakers for their passionate discussions, and to the pupils for the commitment to learning that was shown. All present demonstrated an impressive ability to converse widely on these challenging subjects.

ACADEMIC

Intermediate Kingdon

Francis Romano and Alexander Webb, Fourth Form

Enterprise, Innovation and Cryptology

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his year’s two Intermediate Kingdon societies had wholly differing themes. Our first was hosted by the Changemakers Organisation whose aim is to encourage enterprise and innovation across the world. The speaker - Manju Nair - detailed the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a broad initiative that aimed to improve the world, covering subjects as varied as Gender Equality to Zero Hunger. She covered all the goals’ purposes and how they would help encourage sustainable development. For example, goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, was placed in order to help create safer and more stable countries based on the idea of Rule of Law, whereas the broader sounding goal, number 10, to reduce inequalities, would help overcome social barriers such as discrimination in the professional field, allowing for more efficient growth. This was a particularly important one, as although there is a tendency to think that these goals were just for poorer countries, we found out that inequality in Britain was actually increasing dramatically. This information, along with others such as the gender wage gap and the fact that only 20 percent of our energy is clean, proved to us that this was every country’s issue. Manju gave us various tasks, including prioritising the development goals in the order we thought they should be addressed, then presenting to the rest of the group our findings.

She displayed the ways in which we could affect change ourselves, from starting campaigns, to writing to our MP. There was a fierce

debate on what our priorities should be, with definite environmental and free market lobbies forming as we presented our points to each other.

Although we all prioritised different things, by the end of the speech we were all in agreement that something had to be done, and that we were the generation to do it and, overall, the evening was incredibly thought-provoking and empowering.

For our second meeting, the theme was cryptology and the speaker was Dr Joe Watkins, a mathematician from the University of Kent. During an engaging and above all else, provocative evening, Joe talked to us about how data can be encoded so that only certain people can understand it. He used some wonderful visual images to show us how modular arithmetic can be used to convert messages into code, among other forms of everyday data.

We then tackled various challenges ourselves, including changing the alphabet into a different mathematical base, and turning readable sentences into apparent nonsense and back again. Joe showed us all how important cryptography is in our everyday lives, particularly the way in which encryption maths is used to keep the personal data we store on computers safe. It was interesting to consider for ourselves how encoding would apply in real life, such as the aforementioned computer security, as well as everyday online banking. There was a very lively discussion on topics which ranged from the work at Bletchley Park to the possibility of computers ultimately becoming more powerful than man. In conclusion, this year has certainly been an enlightening one for the Kingdon Society and we look forward to next year’s meetings.

Ryan Jones, Upper Sixth

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World Book Day Mrs C Carter, Librarian

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t is 1943. The Second World War is raging across Europe. Young 17-yearold Harry Friedman has signed up as a gunner. He faces terrifying dangers on bombing runs deep over enemy territory.

To turn the tide of the war good men are going to have to fight. Good men are going to die. To make it through, Harry will need more than luck. He will have to find depths of courage he never knew he had – when every mission could be his last.

This is a synopsis of Bomber, the latest book by the historical novelist Paul Dowswell, who was the Library’s guest author for World Book Day. Paul is a prize-winning children’s author and historian who writes both non-fiction books and fiction based upon historical fact. He entertained and informed the First and Second Forms with his presentation and the children were keen to ask lots of questions. Pupils had the opportunity to use their World Book Day vouchers towards the purchase of one of Paul’s books and have it signed by the author as a memento of the day.

We also had a parade in the Library with pupils sporting a hat portraying a favourite book character, including Where’s Wally, Sherlock Holmes, Mary Poppins, Harry Potter and King Arthur, to name but a few. A sweets and chocolate hamper was awarded to Mrs Head’s class, as they were judged to have made the best communal effort. Pupils were also encouraged to enter the Library quiz and the short story competition.

As part of the World Book Day celebrations, students were challenged to write a short story based on only six words, choosing one of the following: • • • • •

Voyager still transmitted, but Earth didn’t; Goodbye Mission Control, thanks for trying; Sorry soldier, shoes sold in pairs; An only son, a folded flag; Paramedics finished her text “love you.”

From all the entries, Bethan Pepler’s entry (below) was selected as the winner. She won a hamper of books and an Easter egg.

s for trying

l, thank o tr n o C n io s is dbye M

Goo

Paul Dowswell

the window to . He looked out of up e on st fir e th . He was ought, and he saw the breakfast table ngry as well he th at hu t sa I’m y d. age and bo fee e d th d bir g was short for his er depletin ning - 8.00am an d his hunger! He d eating off the ev fee d he an t was Sunday mor to an n him ed io nd pp iss m sli ou a ar ot ing happily x when his fo cided to go on bo de e he th of So . h elf ac sh re see the birds chirp up st in he d was just to help him . al on top of the hig and rushed over to the counter an or on flo up e d th his favourite cere be m on cli him find he was only six! He mum walked in, to it didn’t help that n failed. Luckily his io iss M . or flo e th at?’ came crashing to me a fright like th re you doing, giving we t ha .

‘W . ed im an innocent smile ‘Oliver! She excla s advertising ps!’ he said, with Po co Co e th t flet came out. It wa ge lea to a et ing ck try pa t e jus th s opened ‘Sorry Mummy I wa co Pops. As Oliver ached for the Co re e sh as ad he r he She sighed, shaking close to them. rk pa e give up. em th a r fo knew he wouldn’t ked and his mum as he ?’ my um M ‘Please can we go hing today…’ l”, the coolest are not doing anyt e “Mission Contro th we w as sa e er os ld liv pp O su rk ’I d. pped them and to the theme pa ‘Well…’ she starte when the man sto e two approached on th go As y. uld to t ad co re ou he t ab ge as re just as tall d ran upstairs to that first. They we ed again to stand s Oliver squealed an s bad news. He tri for them to go on wa ll as them. He wa um it ta m er as his liv be O r ed r ve gg fo ne be ly d te uld an na e wo rtu t rid fo He jus . ing Un .

He him ok lo g scale was no use. ll laughing at xt to the measurin get him on but it es above stood ta to tre e try Th . did nk Oliver to stand ne um ru m sh d up. His He felt like he ha uld not cheer him but it was no use. rite ice cream co ou fav his en ev at so disappointed th they walked away. . dly to his mum as wasn’t tall enough sa ed er isp wh he r trying,’ .

Control, thanks fo ,’ his mum replied ‘Goodbye Mission other rides to try to be a better day of y nt ple ll sti e ar be it will turn out e ay er M Th r. tte rt! ea be l th fee ee d to ‘Never mind, sw r rides and starte able to go on othe be ll sti uld nd wo he at ich wrapped arou Oliver realised th the shining sun, wh e ght se ou to th de He . tsi t. ing ou gh us BBQ cook then he thou TV, he looked io g lic hin de tc d’s wa da d an his t smell that I fa, tired ou harmony and could t such a bad thing e on the comfy so the birds singing in y! Maybe it was no As he sat at hom d ar ar sc he y all He re . et ed nk ok rol it lo warm bla the Mission Cont the garden like a I wanted to go on as h y. uc da m e as on lf, gh se to him ll be big enou er all. I know I wi couldn’t go on aft

Third Bethan Peplar,

Form

I

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ACADEMIC

UKMT Challenge Mrs L Mitchell-Nanson, Head of

Mathematics

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ongratulations to Xi Chen (Upper Sixth), Funmilola Owolabi (Fifth Form) and Ewen Barr (Second Form) who received this year’s Best in School certificates for the Senior, Intermediate and Junior UKMT Challenges, respectively. Special praise should go to Funmilola (pictured opposite), whose result saw her progress as a Pink Kangaroo qualifier. Other notable mentions should go to Jonny Russell (First Form) who gained a gold award in the Junior category, and Quingyu Zhang (Upper Sixth) who received gold in the Senior category.

A number of students performed brilliantly to receive silver awards. In the Senior category, these were Yui Hong Wong and Hongjia Lian (both Upper Sixth), as well as Adam Carroll, James Collins and Annie Gledhill (all Lower Sixth). In the Intermediate category, silver awards were given to Archie Averill and Angus Michie (both Fifth Form), as well as Ellen Crombie, Francis Romano and Thomas Saltmarsh (all Fourth Form). Finally, in the Junior category, silver awards went to Marlo Cordell and Thomas Wilkins (both Second Form).

In the Senior category, bronze awards went to Tom Brunt, Yujing Liu and Boyuan Zhang (all Upper Sixth), as well as Jessica Grindlay, Yilin Xu and Hongrui Zhang (all Lower Sixth). In the intermediate category, Jack Hayes, Ellie Agu Benson, Caitlin Allison, Olivia Ferris, Aleksandr Gurtovoi, Jack Hayes, Marco Hu, Guy Kennedy, Thomas Lazarides, Anna Livtchak, Harry MacLeod, Callum Mason, Daniel O’Brien, Jemma Stuart and Daniel Teare (all Fifth Form), as well as Joe Agu Benson, Edward Curling, Samuel Grindlay, Emily Hall, Richard Sawyer, Phoebe Sharpe, Olivia Smith, Tiggy Teare, (all Fourth Form). Finally, in the Junior category, bronze awards went to Tarik Abed, Alfie Collins-Smith, Alexander Duckett, Daisy Hills, Amelie Kirk-Brown, Joseph McDermott, Muhing Okharbu, Maisie Rixon, William Saltmarsh and Archie Yorke (all Second Form), as well as Charlotte Farrell (First Form).

If you would like to challenge yourself, see if you can answer the following questions: Junior: Tommy’s tankard holds 480 millilitres when it is onequarter empty. How much does it hold when it is one-quarter full?

Intermediate: Amrita is baking a cake today. She bakes a cake every fifth day. How many days will it be before she next bakes a cake on a Thursday?

Senior: What is the sum of all the solutions of the equation 6x =150/x ?

STEM Kent Forensic Challenge Mrs W Loy, Physics

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arlier this term, a team enjoyed a successful day at the county finals of the STEM Kent Forensic Challenge.

Following a research and qualification stage hosted at Sutton Valence, four students, Ashley Evans, Annie Gledhill, Olivia Smith and Katie Harrison, were chosen to represent the School at the event held on the Detling Showground The girls engaged fully with all the tasks, maintaining a high level of energy and focus throughout the long day. Their teamwork and accuracy skills were highly commended.

Ashley, Katie, Olivia and Annie have completed written reports to evaluate the progress they made. These were submitted to be assessed by the British Science Association and all the girls have satisfied the requirements for the Bronze Crest Award. This is an excellent achievement and they can now start planning for their Silver.

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Scholarships and Exhibitions Awarded Elliot Aiken Chloe Alexander Alexander Bird Jenna Boltman Jemima Bruce-Lockhart Libby Cavell Holly Clark Tilly Cook Matthew Corpe Charles Court Ellen Crombie Archie Crouch Josiah De Bono Ruby Deighton-Smythe Fergus Dickinson Elizabeth Drummond Nathaniel Easton Charlotte Farrell Arthur Genders William Grabowski Sam Gray Edwin Harding Anna Harrison Charlotte Heard Olivia Heard Charlotte Holmes Jack Hughes Marko Jankovic Amelia Kent Cameron Knight Joshua Laird Oliver Laird Charlotte Lang Jamie Latter-Lumsden Daniel Lenehan Marianna Mason Sofia Moggi Lily Mostowfi Bethan Pepler Samuel Pope Freddie Rigby Jonny Russell Alexandra Sacker Louis Saunders Joe Savage Lara Savage Katherine Sawyer Anna Smith Anisha Thapa Magar Holly Thomson-Frost Alexander Tolhurst Oscar Vas Benjamin Watkins Edward Wheble Charlotte Wooldridge

Academic Scholarship & Sport Scholarship Continuation Scholarship Art Exhibition Sport Scholarship Sport Scholarship Art Scholarship (Hon) Drama Scholarship Drama Scholarship Music Scholarship Minor Choral Exhibition Academic Scholarship Sport Scholarship Drama Exhibition Academic Scholarship Academic Exhibition & Minor Music Exhibition Music Scholarship Sport & Drama Scholarship Academic & Sport Scholarships Sport Scholarship Academic Scholarship & Minor Choral Exhibition Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship Sport Scholarship (Hon) Sport Scholarship Sport Scholarship Music Scholarship Sport Scholarship Academic & Art Exhibitions Academic Scholarship Sport Scholarship Sport Scholarship Sport Scholarship Art Scholarship Sport Scholarship Academic Exhibition Academic Scholarship Academic Scholarship & Art Exhibition Continuation Scholarship Music & Drama Scholarships Music And Drama Scholarships Sport Scholarship Academic & Sport Scholarships Sport Scholarship Academic Exhibition Sport & Drama Scholarships Academic Scholarship Sport Scholarship Academic & Drama Scholarships Art Scholarship (Hon) Sport Scholarship Music Scholarship Sport Exhibition Sport Scholarship Art Scholarship Sport Scholarship

Sutton Valence Blue

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he following pupils have been awarded Blue gowns, which is the ultimate accolade for all-round contribution to our community:

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Francesca Ash Patrick Backhouse Thomas Brunt Olivia Ferris Imogen Forknall Katie Harrison

Fifth Form Upper Sixth Upper Sixth Fifth Form Fourth Form Fourth Form

Caitlin Allison, Fifth Form

Abbie Butfoy, Lower Sixth

Boyuan Zhang, Upper Sixth

Anna Livtchak Asher Regal Emily Smith Sophie Watson Kate Woodford

Fifth Form Fourth Form Fourth Form Fifth Form Fourth Form

The School

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THE SCHOOL

The Juniors’ Report Mr B Carr, Head of The Juniors

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t has been another really rewarding and fulfilling year in the Juniors and I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year in my new role following Mr Samson’s promotion to Assistant Head. He did a huge amount over a number of years in laying the foundations in the Juniors and I am extremely grateful for all his guidance as I have tried to step into his extremely large shoes.

This year we had the largest intake into the First Form that we have had for many years and it was heartening to note how the newcomers threw themselves quickly into the life of the School both in and out of the classroom; the vast majority recognising the importance of trying something new and different in order that their horizons can be broadened. I would hate any of them to leave in seven years’ time uttering the words ‘if only I had made more of everything which Sutton Valence has to offer’.

One development was the introduction of a separate weekly assembly for the Juniors and this proved to be a real success, helping to bring the First and Second Forms closer together and enabling us to celebrate group and individual success. Birthday congratulations are looked forward to, with the result that my supply of chocolate has been severely depleted! The children have also appreciated a tutor group prize being awarded to the group which has the best average effort grades each grade period. It has resulted in healthy competition between the groups and the framed certificates are highly prized by both tutees and tutors alike. Dr Brown’s group were thrilled to be awarded the first of these.

In reminding the Juniors to think of others before themselves, a new charity initiative was the collection of food for the homeless of Maidstone in the build up to Christmas (page 93). The children responded magnificently and I was able to deliver three car loads of tinned food and other items after the end of term. The aim is for this to be a yearly event. The children also eagerly took part in our annual quirky ‘penny race’, which was expertly organised by Miss Clement-Walker, and raised a large sum of money for the successful Nepal school charity. Next year, all the children in each tutor group will be attached to one house and each group will raise money for their chosen charity and I am hopeful that this will be a real success.

There were a number of outings enjoyed over the course of the year. There was a very successful water sports event in Mote Park, Maidstone for the First Form (opposite) whilst the Second Form had a memorable day out at the Historic Dockyard at Chatham (page 94).

A new venture at the end of the Michaelmas Term was our movie and Christmas party afternoon which was a great success. The children watched Inside Out in the Theatre and this was followed by a very jolly tea party in the wonderfully decorated Day Room. It rounded off the term in a marvellous fashion and was really enjoyed by everyone.

Perhaps the highlight of the year was the annual First Form trip to Westminster Abbey (page 92).This year it also included a trip down the Thames from Westminster Pier to Greenwich, which was a great success and enjoyed on a lovely summer’s day. The free ice creams distributed by the Head of Juniors during our stroll through Greenwich Park on the way back to the coach were very well received and were consumed with much gusto.

It has to be said that on all the trips which they were involved in the children were absolutely fantastic ambassadors for the School and it was truly heartening to hear members of the public commenting on their good nature.

The year was rounded off with our Junior Graduation and the distribution of the Junior Diplomas. This was another memorable occasion when we celebrated the success of the Second Form as they move up to senior tutor groups. After the ceremony in the Chapel, there was a magnificent tea on the lawn outside. It was great to be reminded of all that the children had achieved in their foundation years at the School.

Of course as ever the year just flew by in a whirlwind. It was a really great year in the Juniors and a lot of credit must go to the extraordinary and dedicated group of tutors who day in, day out give tirelessly to the boys and girls in their care. I cannot thank Miss Clement-Walker, Mr Cottrell, Mrs Fordham, Miss Davies, Dr Brown, Mr Mathews and Mr Holliday enough. They have all been hugely supportive and have helped make my task a lot easier. We were very sorry to say good bye to Mr Cottrell and Miss Fordham and wish them all the very best in their new appointments. We also wish Mr Holliday all the very best in his retirement and thank him warmly for stepping into the gap left

by Mr Cottrell’s departure at the end of the Christmas term.

We look forward to another great year come September when, by all accounts, we will, without doubt, have the biggest ever number of pupils entering the First Form. This will necessitate two new tutor groups and will also give us the opportunity to create the house-based groups mentioned earlier. I am delighted that our new tutors will be Mr Fewson, Mrs Head and Mrs Sunde. It is great to report that after a break of a year Mrs Rose will return to the tutor fold.

The Juniors 2015-2016

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THE SCHOOL

Mote Park Water Experience Day Jonny Russell, First Form

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n October 12th the whole of the First Form set off for what was to be a brilliant field day at Mote Park. It was a chilly morning and we left the coaches and walked down to the lake with our rucksacks full of spare clothes and towels. We all had a feeling of excitement about the adventures to come.

We all went into our junior leadership groups and throughout the day we tried our hand at raft building, canoeing, rowing and pedalos.

The day warmed up, the sun came out and laughter echoed around as we all started our challenges.

The raft building was such fun and taught us to all work together and we learnt how to tie different types of knots as we got building.

The canoeing took a bit of practice to be able to steer but was brilliant although very chilly if things went wrong. I personally really enjoyed playing bulldog in the canoes. Rowing was similar to the

canoeing but having to coordinate with another person made timing very important and the aim was to see how far in your boat you could go. The final challenge available for the day was to master the art of pedalling a pedalo. You could choose from a swan or a dragon. Pedalling was quite tiring and they didn’t always go where you wanted them to.

The day was broken up with a good and filling packed lunch, which was much needed after all the exercise and was a good opportunity to dry out a bit. The water was certainly not the temperature of a swimming pool, or as clean, so I think we all needed our packed lunch.

The final part of the day was jumping in the lake at the end! Not an experience that everyone chose but those of us who did certainly gave our parents lots of washing when we got home.

My entire outfit went in the machine, including my trainers.

The field day at Mote Park was such fun and was a great way to enjoy being with your friends and to get to know those who you did not know before. Everyone had a fantastic day.

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Westminster Abbey Andrew Loy and Dylan Cole, First Form

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e all had a great day in London and, thanks to Mrs Kitchen, we did have some lunch to eat! She noticed just as we were leaving that the pack-ups had been placed beside the coach and not on it. The journey seemed to go very quickly and we soon arrived outside the Abbey. We walked to the Education Centre where we watched a presentation about the history of the building and we were able to ask questions about what we were about to see.

We split into four groups and were given a guided tour for about an hour. The first thing we were shown was the Coronation Chair, which has not been used for 63 years. We were also told about the Stone of Scone which is now in Edinburgh. We saw the memorial to Winston Churchill near the entrance. Close by was the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, this is very special as nobody knows the name of the serviceman who was buried there to represent all those who gave their lives in the First World War.This tomb is surrounded by poppies and everyone must walk around it, even the Queen! We also saw the tombs of Edward the Confessor, Richard II, Henry V and Elizabeth I. The Abbey is amazing and it is hard to think that it was all built by hand, hundreds and hundreds of years ago.

“ The boat trip was

amazing and the sun shone down on us. We saw loads of sights

”

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After enjoying lunch sitting around the cloisters, Mr Carr then guided us to Westminster Pier, passed the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, a statue of Oliver Cromwell and Westminster Bridge. The boat trip was amazing and the sun shone down on us. We saw loads of sights including the Tower of London, Traitors’ Gate, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, London’s oldest monument, Cleopatra’s Needle and other iconic landmarks.

When we arrived at Greenwich we saw the famous Cutty Sark tea clipper and walked through the park passed the Royal Observatory.This meant walking up the steepest hill ever, but at the top Mr Carr kindly bought everyone an ice cream, which we enjoyed sitting under the trees whilst looking at the fantastic view of London. We then walked back to the coach and had a jolly journey back to School. Thank you very much to Mr Holliday, Mrs Sunde, Dr Brown, Mrs Kitchen and Mr Carr. It was a really good trip.

THE SCHOOL

Food for Thought

Clean for the Queen

H

P

Mr R Carr, Head of The Juniors aving done a huge amount to support the Nepal Appeal, the Juniors also decided that they would like to help a charity closer to home. With that in mind, at Christmas they decided to help the Maidstone Christian Day Centre with their ‘Food for Thought ’programme. This provides food for the homeless and vulnerable in the Maidstone area and has been doing so for ten years.

Miss L Turner

upils from the Prep and Senior Schools took part in litter picks and the pupils did a magnificent job cleaning up the School and the surrounding environment. Different age groups were given different tasks, and across the board, they tackled their cleaning endeavours with gusto.

The Juniors contributed a large number of food items over the course of the last week of term, and this was delivered to the centre in Maidstone. It is our intention to support this charity every Christmas and to surpass what we contributed this year.

Clean for the Queen was organised by Keep Britain Tidy to celebrate the monarch’s 90th birthday to encourage people to care for their community. More than 200,000 people across the country took part in litter pick events and Sutton Valence was delighted to take part. It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to give something back to the surrounding neighbourhood.

The Balloon Race

The Penny Race

A

Suma Rai, First Form

t the start of last year, the sky over the Weald of Kent was filled with balloons, as the Juniors successfully raised £3,000 for the Nepal Fund. There was great excitement as the School and visitors gathered together at morning break to see the launch of more than 700 balloons.

A

The balloon race was organised by the Juniors, with each tutor group raising money through sponsorship from friends and family.

Students responded with alacrity, and a single Junior tutor group raised an amazing £490. Tags were then attached to each balloon, together with the School’s address.

t the end of last term all Juniors participated in the annual Penny Race. Prior to this event, all Juniors attempted to gather and collect as many pennies as they could and succeeded with results that exceeded our expectations. All of the pupils had a fantastic time participating in this enjoyable event and showed great enthusiasm throughout. The aim was to line up the pennies in as straight and tidy lines as possible from one side to the other, as quickly as they could. This was not as easy as it might appear, as it required swift hand movements and careful steps.

The balloons took flight on a westerly wind towards Staplehurst, before being whisked downwind to the coast. More than 30 tags were returned, predominantly from the Sussex region. The winner, and recipient of an Amazon gift voucher was Mr Avery, whose balloon made it to Seaford, where it was discovered in a back garden. Many thanks to Mr Davis for his kind donation of the balloons.

All the Houses tried their best to carry out the task, tackling many of the potential accidents, for example knocking the pennies out of the line. In the end, all the Houses managed to form three or more straight and tidy lines, with Founder’s eventually winning the race.

Holdgate won the competition for the most coins collected. Most importantly, all the Houses showed great team spirit by cheering for the other Houses.

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Chatham Historic Dockyard

Mariana Mason, Second Form

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e boarded ships and even a submarine, which were used in the 19th and 20th centuries. One of the most memorable vessels was HMS Ocelot, a Cold War submarine. Many of the ships we visited had narrow ladders leading down to lower levels, as did HMS Ocelot. But we soon discovered that once inside we would have to walk single file and swing our way through more narrow hatches! We were told that crew on board might have to spend months confined in the submarine with limited food.

Later we visited a Second World War destroyer HMS Cavalier. Its top speed was 36 knots, the fastest speed ever of a British warship in 1972.

We were all eager to complete our questionnaires so we quickly looked around in all the different rooms.The winners of this questionnaire were Alfie Collins-Smith, Josh Houry, Conor Grant and Bishesh Bhandari.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

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Blacklands Farm Reuben Hodson, Third Form

A

fter a long coach journey we arrived at our destination and each of us was more than ready to begin our day of activities.

My group started the morning with a tricky exercise in which we endeavoured to navigate an obstacle course.The catch? We were blindfolded! With only a rope and the person in front to guide us, we began. After half an hour of going through tyres and over hurdles (with a lot of shrieking from the girls) we were through.

Next, we had the challenge of stacking as many plastic crates beneath us as possible without falling. In our pairs and aided by two instructors on the other end of a belay rope, we struggled to outdo our opposing pairs and claim the title of plastic crate king, only to fall and abseil gracefully down to the ground below.

Finally, and after a hearty lunch of sandwiches, crisps and the odd Oreo, we began the team-building exercises. These were a series of challenges that our group had to complete with the available resources; for one we had to move a tennis ball from one side of a field to the other using sections of drain pipes.

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Founder’s, 2015-2016

Founder’s Bronte King, Joshua Brown and Praag Dogra, Heads of House

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ounder’s burst into the new academic year full of optimism, with high hopes for what was to come. We began the year with the Founder’s Bake Off comprising of two parts; the signature bake and the cake decoration challenge. With Mrs Ball starring as our own Mary Berry, Miss Hallett’s tutor group were eventually crowned the Star Bakers.

Back in September, the Third and Fourth Formers travelled to Ypres where they visited various landmarks around the area including both British and German cemeteries. The day finished with the evening service at the Menin Gate where several members of Founder’s sang in the choir.

In the Michaelmas Term Founder’s came first in the Senior house rugby, first in the Junior and Third Form house hockey and first in the Christmas quiz. All these successes, added together with our huge number of Blue points for all our efforts in both class and in all other aspects of School life (Founder’s most often comes first every term in the class and prep effort points), meant that by Christmas we were in the lead! Luckily we have some very competitive juniors coming up through the School and in the Lent Term we also won the Junior Penny Race and the Junior house netball.

This year Founder’s had three Upper Sixth students who were in charge of our charitable fundraising: Oliver Taylor, Ellys Perry and Rachel McDermott. Our aim was to raise funds for the Pahar Trust in order to rebuild the Shree Tamang Kharka Secondary School in Dhading. As per usual we had a mufti day and we also sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts. These were immensely popular, with tutor groups being delivered whole boxes to consume during registration and more being sold in the Refectory at break time. We sold out very quickly! We raised £1180 in total, a real achievement.

Other Upper Sixth Formers who played important roles within the house were Alexander Presland, who was our Head of House Sports and who proved himself to be an excellent organiser, and Jordan Davis, our house mentor who was always on hand to help everyone with advice and a listening ear.

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We would like to thank all of the Founder’s tutors for the fun, support and various bits of entertainment that they provided throughout the year. It is sad to say goodbye to Mr Fuentes who has been famous for his rousing messages in our famous Founder’s house meetings.

Having given it our best throughout the year, every member of the Founder’s community has shown a real enthusiasm for house events, which have consistently been completed by all members with great ardour, as ever demonstrating the unwavering sense of Founder’s House spirit. All of us in Founder’s are proud of what we have achieved this year, and look forward to what is to come.

The Heads of House dinner was a wonderful celebration to end our time as Heads of House and we would like to say a massive thank you to Mrs Collins for being such an outstanding and fantastic Housemistress throughout the year and for the past three years.We are so sad to say goodbye to her.

Holdgate Eve Barclay, Head of House

I

have loved being Head of House for Holdgate, especially after such a successful year. After coming second last year in the House Singing Competition we were determined to succeed and come first. Thankfully, we won the competition this year, which was a huge achievement, as we saw all the other houses as strong contenders, therefore making us shocked and thrilled when we got given the position of first place.After a close run thing we came second in the Inter House Debate. This gave us the motivation to win the Baton Race on the final Friday of the Lent Term.

Everyone worked incredibly hard at Sports Day to make us the winning house. Unfortunately, we were pipped to the post again

by Clothworkers’ but we still have the cup three out of our five years. We will be losing the ‘dream team’ at the end of this year, as Mrs Andersen retires, Mr Davenport takes up Housemaster of Beresford House and Miss Moore follows a new career. We wish them all the best in the future. All of our Upper Sixth are leaving to go on to their future pathways, good luck to every one of them too.

Thank you to everyone who has put in the hard work and effort this year allowing us to have a successful year.We would also like to wish Mr Alderman all the best in forming the new ‘dream team’.

THE SCHOOL

Holdgate, 2015-2016

Lambe’s House Jack Ferris, Head of House

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t was Rick Pitino who said “Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer”. Improvement was paramount for the new Lambe’s leadership. As Heads of House, Max Pelvang and I were determined to secure a successful start and Sports Day presented the perfect opportunity. Under the leadership and organisation of the new Heads of House, we thrived, managing to secure joint first place with Holdgate. This success helped ingrain a winning mentality into all the members of the house, in particular the younger juniors.

The juniors continued our great vein of form by winning their tugof-war, working extremely well as a team, in addition to showing impressive leadership skills. The house spirit was evident with the shouts of ‘three, two, one…squeeze’ in unison, as they swept aside the competition.The fantastic desire to win shown from the juniors, seems to assure an extremely bright future for Lambe’s.

The Inter House Debate also proved a success, in particular due to the difficult nature of our arguments such as ‘for every country to have the right to nuclear weapons’. In spite of this, fantastic performances from the likes of Tarik Abed and Finn Swaine landed Lambe’s with a victory, despite their lack of experience.

Next came the House Singing Competition, a prestigious competition in which Lambe’s were the reigning champions.

With last year’s controversial song: Give It Up by KC & The Sunshine Band proving the winner, no song choice suggestions were thrown out. As a result, it became apparent to the Heads of Houses just how imperative the song choice would be to our chances of winning again.Varied suggestions began flying round the room such as Where is the Love by the Black Eyed Peas and Paradise by Coldplay proving popular, however, we eventually decided on Wonderwall by Oasis. The next task was to find a conductor: a musical genius with no fear of public opinion, step in Mathias Thoresen. Everything was coming into place, practice had been going well, the day of competition was here. Chants of ‘Oggy, Oggy, Oggy’ from Mathias were returned with ‘Oi, Oi, Oi’ in order to fire everyone for what we had hoped would be another win. We sang well, with everyone finally getting their timings right, however it was not meant to be (perhaps because of some questionable judging) and we finished in second place to Holdgate.

Although we had not managed to replicate our previous position, we had certainly improved in participation and unity, with almost the entire house giving their all. It has been a good year of leadership and, ultimately, of team spirit.

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Clothworkers’, 2015-2016

Clothworkers’ Mr A Bee, Housemaster

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his was the year as reigning champions of the House Competition. As such we moved like Morlocks from the dungeon in Lambe’s to an elevated, spacious and illuminated penthouse suite in the Cornwallis Building. Our sweeping views are of the School Chapel with the expansive Weald of Kent in the background. We have welcomed all sorts of people into the dayroom this year to share in the splendour of the surroundings.

Since its inception in September 2011, this year sees the departure of the first students who arrived into the Third Form, in a brand new house, all that time ago. Chloe Evans (Prefect), Jessica Bennett (Prefect), Emil Evans (Prefect and Oxbridge candidate), Joseph Deveson (Prefect, Captain of Hockey and phenomenal bowling performances for the 1st XI), Lucas Williams (the artist and rugby front-row forward enigma) represent the end product of five years of pastoral care. They are now ready to leave and at the doorstep of adulthood. Class of 2016 also includes Richard Fullick and Francesca Wheble, a pair of excellent Heads of House, and veteran Oliver Lewis. A strong thread of decency runs through the lot of them.

This year we say good-bye to Mr Alderman as he takes up his post as Housemaster of Founder’s after three highly successful years as a tutor; over half of his charges achieved their single highest effort grades during the longest Summer Term in recent history – testimony to Mr Alderman’s inspiration.

Finally a word of thanks to Senior Tutor Miss Pritchard for the clinically-efficient manner in which she runs house competition events; and to the tutors: Mr Alderman, Mrs Mitchell-Nanson, Mr Zane, and Mrs Morávek-Hurst for their superb pastoral care, and to the Sutton girls for their precious input into helping Clothworkers’ compete so well.

The Senior House Rugby competition saw us come last but courageously so. Seeing the Fifth Formers tackle older opponents and Richard Fullick playing his first-ever game, throwing himself around like a maniac, was indeed heartening. The House Singing Competition saw us remain in last equal place for the second year running with a rendition of Uptown Girl by Billy Joel. We all thought we sang really well, but never mind. Next year Charles Court can choose.

A powerful pool of talent in Les Misérables came from Clothworkers’ with Gabrio Capaldi, Annabelle Blake, Charles Court, Nina Harman, even Gracie Rigby and Lauren Robinson as well as Oliver Jones, among many others. Matthew Jones (no relation) did the technical side with rare aplomb. Probably the single finest contribution Clothworkers’ made to the School community was in forming the backbone of school Cricket: with Joseph Deveson, Elliot Aiken, Thomas Lazarides, Joshua Aucamp, Thomas Aiken, Matthew Webb, Oliver Smither, Henry Stacey, Edward Cardoza, Charles Court and Jacob Wilkinson, we would have had a senior team to beat any other House; and we have many fine A team stars emerging in lower years too. Just about everybody can hold a bat.

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House Competition Results 1st

Clothworkers’

1745 points

2nd

Holdgate

1730 points

3rd

Founder’s

1575 points

4th

Lambe’s

1170 points

THE SCHOOL

The Baton Race

T

his year’s Baton Race was completed under grey skies and slight rain that gave a true British spring feel to this traditional day in the School calendar.

The history of the race goes back more than 80 years and originally was run throughout the School and village but now, due to increased traffic, it is run within the School boundaries.

Clothworkers’ won the junior race and Holdgate the intermediate and senior races. In line with tradition, the youngest child of a member of staff presented the winner’s baton to the Heads of House, in this case, James Westlake.

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Sutton

many bags and lighter wallets. We finished the year with a tasty Christmas dinner in the refectory, attended and enjoyed by all boarders.

Vendula Hoppeova, Head of House

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nother year full of activities, laughter and hard work have kept all Sutton girls very busy and created many unforgettable memories for all of us.

We started the new academic year with a trip to Canterbury, which provided an opportunity to show this beautiful city to all our newcomers, as well as a great way to get to know each other.

Sunny weather allowed us to walk around the historical centre of the town, enjoy the sights of the Cathedral and the Westgate Gardens, look into the shops and have a nice lunch together. It was a brilliant way to spend our first weekend back in School and enjoy the last moments of warm weather.

A highlight of the Michaelmas Term was the annual parade of the talents hidden within all three boarding houses, as all the boarders came together to watch or participate in this year´s Boarders´ve Got Talent. The evening was hosted by George Birrell and I, and it proved to be a huge success, with Sutton girls yet again winning the first prize with their performance of I Just Can’t Wait to be King from The Lion King, choreographed by Hannah Morris and Funmilola Owolabi. The evening was a huge success, full of laughter and amazing performances ranging from solo musical pieces to a comedy and a skipping show.

December marked another of our traditions, a trip to the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. The omnipresent Christmas atmosphere put everyone in the mood and Sutton girls, together with a few Westminster gentlemen, enjoyed Christmas markets, the Giant Wheel and Magic Ice Kingdom, covered in real snow and ice. Some decided to join the crowds on Oxford Street, looking for Christmas presents for friends and family.Those who did not find what they were looking for had another opportunity to buy any remaining Christmas presents at Bluewater, where we went later in December. Again, many girls did not resist the temptations of this shopping paradise and returned back with

The first ever Kitchen Takeover in October started a new tradition with boarders replacing Mr Devine´s team and preparing a delicious dinner for everyone. Not only did we not poison anyone, nor did we burn down the refectory, but the evening was enjoyed by staff and students who relished a delicious threecourse meal. Our involvement in the School’s kitchen continued in February, when the boarders´ community came together to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Sutton girls created astonishing origami decorations under the skilful instructions of Yujing Liu and Xi Chen, which enriched the refectory for many more weeks.

To explore London´s musical scene, we set out on a train journey to see one of The West End´s best musicals, Matilda.This girls-only night in late February was something to look forward to for girls across all years, as the spectacular performance took our breaths away. Inspired by this professional performance, many Sutton girls took part in the annual Dance Show. Under the watchful direction of Mrs Mathews, the evening managed to push the standard even higher and raised money for the School’s Nepal Fund.

With the year coming to its end, we organised a leavers´ dinner in the house for all girls and tutors to say goodbye to all those leaving us this year. Although there were some tears, the evening was definitely dominated by smiles and laughter. The last term brings exams for many of us, but the success is almost secured by our hard work and evening yoga sessions. Sutton continues to create a second family away from home, as well as forming a productive environment in which all girls can thrive academically and personally. Our efforts are mirrored by Clothworkers´ victory in the School house competition last year and its lead this year.

I am certain all of us will carry the memories of years spent in Sutton close to our hearts. It has been an honour being a Head of such a brilliant house.

“ Sutton House

continues to create a second family away from home

”

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THE SCHOOL

St Margaret’s, 2015-2016

St Margaret’s

Westminster

Mr S Head, Housemaster

William Edwards, Lower Sixth

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s the new year started, it was clear that it was going to be an interesting one. With the numbers of Sixth Form in the house it seemed at times that we had a very senior house with limited junior members. Ryan Jones took on the mantle of Head of House and quickly settled into a routine of managing the other boys around him, and providing a role model for the new arrivals. He was greatly helped by the School Prefects that we had and the house was quickly up-and-running for the School year.

We had a good variety of activities during the Michaelmas Term to keep us occupied, ranging from Kitchen Takeovers to InterHouse football events. In the house, the boys made full use of the facilities arranging their own table tennis tournaments, often fiercely contested. Overall, we had some outstanding sportsmen in the house during the year, with St Margaret’s well-represented in all of the major sports at every level. This meant that we performed strongly in house sports competitions in all terms.

The Summer Term allowed us to move outside to enjoy the weather, and any excuses to fire up the barbecue or throw a ball around were gleefully seized upon. At times during the term it felt a little like the changing of the guard with 20 Sixth Form leaving, but it also made it a term of some celebration culminating in a little prize-giving on Prefects’ Lawn. The coming year will see many changes in house personnel, both in terms of the boys and staff, and will bring with it a fresh set of challenges and accomplishments. I have every faith in Cameron Knight and Patrick Beech as Heads of House, and look forward to seeing where the house will go next.

his past year, Westminster boasted a dynamic array of talent ranging across all subjects and sports. The perfect balance between time spent in the Sports Centre and the two-hour prep regime ensured that achievements on the sports field were matched by high academic effort grades across all three terms.

The house carries an engrained social ethos, evident in the numerous events hosted each year. Of these events, we like to believe that our treasured Fright Night takes the metaphorical trophy for the biggest and best. The event provides the opportunity for the Sixth Form corridor to be transformed from its usual spotless and tidy state, to a scream-harvesting setting, hosting terrifying performances in each room. This wasn’t our only successful event though, with the much-anticipated and well-supported annual football match against St Margaret’s. This year a fabulous goal-fest saw Westminster come out victorious.

Each year an endless thanks must be directed towards the impressively tolerant, talented and kind Debbie, our house matron, whose awareness and care for the boys of Westminster has never faltered.An enormous thanks and farewell goes to Mr Gorman, who facilitated five years of genuine fun and focus as Housemaster, his sense of humour was always valued. Another thanks and farewell to Mr Van Vuuren whose deep, bellowing South African voice will leave an irreplaceable silence. A final thanks goes to the other house tutors – Mr Westlake, Miss McConnachie and Mr James. Their late evenings on duty and care during the day allows the house to maintain its buoyant status.

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Chinese New Year Celebrations Hongrui Zhang, Lower Sixth

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oarders from China and Hong Kong celebrated Chinese New Year by cooking a banquet of national delicacies for the rest of the boarding community. The students worked tirelessly alongside the catering department to create a menu of traditional family dishes, as well as New Year specialities. The menu included braised pork belly with Shaoxing wine, steamed Chinese leaves with minced pork, glass noodles and Jiao Zi dumplings (traditionally eaten on New Year to symbolise wealth and prosperity for the upcoming year).

Though all the overseas students don’t have their family with them, the big family of the boarding community is just as intimate as their homes and we were pleased to be able to celebrate with everyone.

Matilda Theatre Trip Amelia Kent, Lower Sixth

S

utton girls were lucky enough to set off for the West End to see the RSC’s award-winning musical, Matilda. After a swift packed lunch and enthusiastic coach journey, we shortly arrived at the triangular-shaped Cambridge Theatre in Earlham Street, London.

Once we had snuggled into our seats, the stage emitted an enchanting blue glow, revealing the set to be jam-packed with quirky letters of the alphabet, cleverly mimicking the mind of the highly precocious five-year-old girl. It wasn’t long before the thick-set Mrs Trunchbull barked onto the stage and sent the children to the dreaded ‘chokey’, followed by punchy songs with positively revolting lyrics.

Matilda puts a unique twist on the much-loved Roald Dahl tale and was truly memorable. Sutton Valence’s Tilly Cook took on the role of Hortensia and rightly deserves a huge well done, both for her fantastic acting and of course for being ‘one of us’!

We owe a big thank you to the staff involved who took the time and effort to arrange this fantastic trip.

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THE SCHOOL

Winter Wonderland Trip Alicia Abicht, Carolin Piper, Lower Sixth and JieJie Chen, Fifth Form

S

utton girls and Westminster boys went on a wonderful boarding trip to Winter Wonderland. At 11.00am, we took the minibus and the day started joyfully. After two hours we arrived at Hyde Park; some of us decided to follow the crowds into the Winter Wonderland and others went straight to Oxford Street. While walking around the park enjoying the live music, our attention was suddenly caught by the beautiful lights on the big wheel. Beside that, there was a Christmas Market which sold lots of unique gifts for family and friends. There were also lots of tasty treats that we were not able to resist.

After that, we went to the Magic Ice Kingdom which took us through a fantastic world of real ice and snow. This enchanting Arctic experience really took our breath away. Oxford Street was completely over-crowded and all the shop windows were beautifully decorated. The free gifts from the shopkeepers were the things that we loved most!

Canterbury Trip Mrs A Mathews, Housemistress

O

n the first Sunday after a busy first week of the Michaelmas Term, the boarding community took some well-deserved time out to shop to their hearts’ content in Canterbury, as well as take in some of the sights!

Fortunately, we were blessed with beautiful weather, which meant that the glorious Westgate Gardens and the cathedral and its surroundings could be explored and enjoyed to the full. Those already familiar with Canterbury acted as excellent tour guides for the new boarders.

Many of our Chinese boarders took the opportunity to visit the Chinese supermarket to stock up with goodies, whilst others dined out in some of the lovely local restaurants.

After a long afternoon shopping, bags in hand, the students walked back to the minibus taking in the sights of the grand Marlowe Theatre and the punters on the river. The day was a huge success and enjoyed by all.

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Some Enchanted Evening Mrs F Porter and Mrs C Carter

O

n Saturday 26th March, the Refectory was transformed into a sparkling and sophisticated venue with a marquee lining and miniature trees with twinkling lights illuminating each table. Guests were greeted with colourful non-alcoholic cocktails, such as a Shirley Temple, or a glass of chilled Prosecco and could relax and mingle to the strains of saxophone jazz.

The truly magical atmosphere was created this year by the inspired Sixth Form Ball Committee for this annual charity event. It was an amazing, enchanted-themed evening which raised the incredible amount of £3994.01 for this year’s School charity. All of the money went to help the School’s Nepal Appeal.

The Sixth Form Ball Committee, led superbly by Amber Delaney, Lily Chivers and Ryan Jones, worked tirelessly.

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The event was so professional in its organisation it was easy to forget that they were all still school pupils.

The evening involved an auction and raffle which were compèred brilliantly by Emil Evans who was very at ease in this role.

The hard work put in by all the committee, starting with the planning, marketing, ticket sales, setting up on the day, persuading people to donate amazing raffle and auction prizes and booking the disco certainly paid off on the evening and a big thank you must go to them all.

Another big thank you should go to John Devine and his staff who provided the delicious three course meal – especially the trio of desserts!

Our gratitude goes to all who contributed to the Ball’s success by buying a ticket or donating a raffle prize. It really was an enchanted evening.

THE SCHOOL

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School Car Show

Mrs H Knott, Development Manager

I

t was an early start for all on 19th June as the School prepared for its biennial Car Show. Over 40 vehicles had registered, with entries coming from parents, grandparents and the Old Suttonian community. As was the case with the corresponding event in 2014, the day was managed by Richard West (1964 L), whose knowledge and enthusiasm for the vehicles on show proved invaluable.

The entry field was broad with vehicles ranging from a 1908 Riley 2 Seat V Twin (Gordon Thomas 1968 L) all the way through to a 2016 Jaguar F-Type Project 7 (Mel Streek, parent of Max Streek 2016 W).

If cars weren’t of interest, there was also a classic 1968 Nuffield tractor (Henry Edwards 1960 M) as well as variety of bikes including a Velocette Venom (Eric Dines) and a Triumph TRW500 (Charlotte

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Thorman 1988 V). With the cars in place on the adjacent field to Upper, the 1st XI versus Old Suttonians Cricket match started, and the day was quickly in full flow. Benefiting from a rare day of June sunshine, Upper was quickly bedecked by groups enjoying the various activities.

The highlight and finale to the day’s proceedings, was the lap of honour for all 43 entries as they circumnavigated the cricket boundary during tea. A second lap was afforded to the ‘Car of the Show’ which had been voted on via a text poll throughout the day. That honour fell on the 1933 Petersen Blue Train Speed Six owned by current parent Andrew Streek who received a bottle of champagne from the Headmaster. It was a great day, with some stunning vehicles on show.We are most grateful to everyone who participated, or who simply came to see what the fuss was about.

Here’s to the 2018 event!

THE SCHOOL

Rainbow Run Pamela Papa-Adams and Verity Streek, Fourth Form

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any of the Third Form and Fourth Form girls from Running Club took part in a 5k charity fun run in Mote Park. We warmed up with funky music in the background to start, which helped to motivate us and we all had a smile on our faces waiting to begin. To make it even more interesting, after every kilometre we ran we were covered in powder paint which was thrown at us, so there was no way we could keep our t-shirts white! The Rainbow Run was in aid of the Heart of Kent Hospice and this is the second year we have taken part.

We would like to thank all of the staff involved, including Miss Clement-Walker, Mrs Horley and Miss Manning. We are all very grateful to Miss Manning for all of the effort she has put into running club over the last two years and we hope to have many more fun experiences.

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Running Club Emily Smith, Fourth Form

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he Running Club had a pretty muddy start to the summer holidays taking part in the 5K Race for Life Pretty Muddy Run held annually at Mote Park. Georgia Mancais, Emily Hall, Katie Harrison, Georgia Best, me and of course our Head of Running Club, Miss Manning and former Sutton Valence colleague, Rebecca Riggs (Staff 2005-2015), all took part. No one really knew what to expect from the race as it was the first time any of us had participated in it, but everyone was up for the challenge.

At 11.00am we were ready on the starting line to set off and tackle the course and even managed to get ourselves right to the front for the start of the race, where Katie Harrison, Georgia Mancais and I, managed to keep ourselves together for the whole five kilometres, finishing first, second and third respectively.

The race started and all our Running Club group stormed off ahead of the pack, but no more than 100 metres into the race, we came across our first obstacle. A wall into a mud pit surrounded by a team of volunteers with mud guns ready to greet us! By the end of the first obstacle we were already drenched in mud and in fits

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of laughter, but that was only the first of many more obstacles to come.

Other obstacles included mud tunnels, bouncy hoppers, mud baths, nets and then of course finally the giant inflatable slide to end the race.Watching Miss Manning descend the giant slide, not quite as gracefully as I suspect she might have liked, was definitely one of the highlights of the race!

We all completed the race in good times and had a lot of fun even if by the end of the run we were completely coated in a thick layer of mud! The Muddy Run was one of the most fun runs we have ever completed and one I am sure we will all remember for quite some time. There are not many occasions in life that you are able to laugh, as you have a bucket of cold muddy water poured over you!

A huge thank you to Miss Manning for being such a good sport and letting us talk her into a running event with a difference and also for all her support and encouragement on Monday nights at the Running Club.

THE SCHOOL

Ski Trip John Wilson, Third Form

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t was my first time skiing and I couldn’t wait to give it a go. I was in the beginner group, where we spent the first day falling down the beginner slopes, as the experienced group were racing around black slopes.

After a couple of days, we all got the hang of skiing and we started to go down harder slopes but none of us dared to ask to go down the impossible black slopes with the more practised groups. From the top of the mountains at Loon was a breathtaking view, looking down over the iced lake, forests and the surrounding mountains.

We also visited a bird sanctuary on top of the mountain and the birds were so friendly they would come and eat straight out of your hand!

After skiing we were always tired, but most of us would muster the strength to drag ourselves off to swim; it was always worth it because of how nice the pool and hot tub were.

On our last few days we were treated to a few outings. The first place we went was to an old-fashioned bowling alley where we were so tired it was hard to lift the balls when it came to our turn. Above the bowling alley was an arcade where the teachers disappeared to for a while to relive their childhoods. The second place we went was the cinema to see Batman vs Superman. I went in with high hopes and expectations for the greatest superhero show down of all time, but these were quickly dashed.

On our last day we went to a mall where the teachers told us not to get lost. After about ten minutes walking up and down this mall I realised it was a straight line about three times the size of Bluewater. I understood why the teachers gave us this warning!

It was a great trip, with some great memories and I look forward to the next one!

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Chapel Events Mr G Davies, Chaplain

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he School year commenced in September with the visit of the Bishop of Dover, the Right Reverend Trevor Wilmott, to re-consecrate Saint Peter’s Chapel following an extensive refurbishment. The Bishop, photographed opposite, was very complimentary about the sacred simplicity that could almost be felt in Chapel.

especially Mr Horley and Mr Soman, for the contribution they make to the life of the Chapel; they are an integral part of it. In March, Bishop Trevor returned once again to the Chapel to confirm eight members of the School community into the Christian faith in an intimate and joyful family celebration.

In the October Half Term the Chapel Choir paid a visit to Rome (page 14) and sung in a number of venues, including the imposing Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls. This is a huge basilica and it was the original papal church, built by the Emperor Constantine, going back over 1600 years. The Choir managed to fit in some wonderful visits to the various sites of ancient Rome, including the Colosseum, as well as visiting the awe-inspiring Vatican City, including Saint Peter’s and the Sistine Chapel.

At Christmas, the Carol Concert proved as popular as ever and many were deeply moved by the quality and purity of the singing. My thanks, as ever, go to the Chapel Choir, and

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The Headmaster, Chaplain and the Bishop of Dover

THE SCHOOL

The Gardens Mr G Pullen, Head Gardener

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ou have probably noticed that we have removed some big trees from around the site over the last couple of years.

Some had become dangerous and left us no choice. Others were hindering the potential of their neighbours, and others fell in the path of the improvements made to the School’s infrastructure in the last year or so. What you may not have noticed is that we’ve planted more trees than we have removed and we intend to keep on planting.

Trees offer many services to us as individuals and as a society. The obvious benefit is that they look nice, but we shouldn’t dismiss this as a worthless consequence of their existence. Simply by looking nice, trees add financial value to the land and increase the wellbeing of the population. Trees also protect our climate and not just in the obvious CO2-absorbing, oxygen-pumping way; they also cool the air on hot days, manage excess rainfall and regulate runoff, preventing flooding and erosion; they filter the noise of a busy road and capture the particulates thrown out by exhausts. They offer a home to a huge range of organisms, without which our world would be in jeopardy. Trees really are valuable.

Since I started at Sutton Valence we have planted 51 trees. The hornbeams planted in an avenue at the front of the School will provide a suitably impressive entrance. These native trees have dense branches that grow upwards in an ovate candle flame shape, giving the tree a lovely silhouette throughout the year. Hornbeams are beautiful on their own, but their uniform habit makes them ideal for avenue planting. I am looking forward to visiting these trees when I am in my old age and the mature avenue is at its best.

The liquidambar trees that we planted along the Cornwallis fence line will be great this year, when their green leaves take on all the best fiery reds of autumn. Liquidambar, a native of North America, have some of the best autumn colour going and they will provide a real highpoint on the main road. When the Cornwallis carpark was extended, we were sad to lose a beautiful big magnolia along with some other less than lovely trees, but whilst its always sad to see trees go, this development left space for us to plant the row of liquidambar. Every cloud has a silver lining!

One of my first tasks when I arrived at Sutton Valence School was to plant the three London plane trees on Prefect’s Lawn. They replaced

two magnificent, mature horse chestnut trees which sadly succumbed to the terrible duel maladies of bleeding canker and leaf miner that brought many hundreds of horse chestnuts to a premature end. I feared for the health of the one left standing, but after a little surgery to take the weight off her limbs, she seems to be rallying and I am now optimistic for her future. But back to the London planes: they are a natural hybrid of the oriental plane and the western plane and they first appeared in the mid 17th century. Both the parent plants are very big trees and with hybrid vigour, the London plane could get enormous. Amazingly, no-one yet knows their full potential because, at only 400 years the oldest specimens have still not reached full size. Don’t worry Mr Fowle, they respond very well to pruning!

On a smaller scale, but no less beautiful, we have planted a small orchard above the library. These apple trees are growing on big root-stocks that will grow into ‘old fashioned’ sized apple trees that the pupils can sit beneath. The orchard will take a few years to reach it best, but when they’re old and gnarled they’ll be beautiful.

There is a lovely saying about trees: ‘The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago; the second best time is now.’

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The Changing Face of the School Mrs H Knott, Development Manager

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ver the past four years, the School has gone through a period of development to enhance key elements that are at the heart of the School community. In 2012, the Refectory was redecorated to provide a bright warm and welcoming place for all in the School to eat together. To create a sense of place and history, the headmasters’ portraits and the honours boards were hung around the walls.

Last summer the Chapel had a major redecoration, restoring it to its formal classic simplicity as the place where every students’ journey through School is marked by celebration, reflection and commemoration.

Also of the course of last summer, the four senior day houses (Lambe’s, Clothworkers’, Holdgate and Founder’s) were moved to the Cornwallis building to give a sense of unity. At the same time, the Sixth Form Study Centre was created under the Library to encourage independent study within reach of staff support.The two rooms are inter-connected by a new staircase.

The final phase of enhancing the heart of the School community started this summer. The old School Shop, in the Quad, is being turned into a striking Reception building, providing a focal point and fitting welcome to all who visit. Alongside that project are major changes to the entrance road, with a new exit route alongside the Refectory allowing a one-way system for School traffic. More comprehensive security measures are also being installed with barriers in place on the Quad, Sanatorium and Cornwallis car-park entrances.

Above: New Reception building (redevelopment of the former School Shop) together with the new canopy to be erected in the area between the Reception Building, the Refectory and Groves Hall. The new building will house the School’s secretarial team, the Bursary and the Deputy Head.

Additional facilities will include a new conference room and toilet facilities for the pupils.

Left: New trees will be planted to mirror those on the Chapel Garden side of the entrance road.

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THE SCHOOL

Above left: The Chapel reredos has been replaced by new curtains behind the altar, and the ceiling has been repainted in its original colours.

Above Right: New staircase connecting the Library in Lambe’s to the new Sixth Form Study Centre.

Left: Newly installed Fibonacci curved garden, to provide outside seating and tables for students.

Below: New exit road being added between the Medical Centre and Refectory - this includes a drop-off point along the left-hand side of the road.

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Development Office Report Mrs H Knott, Development Manager

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ince the establishment of the office in 2002, we have been working to initiate new networks and support existing ones between Old Suttonians and between OS and the School. As a result, the one thing that stands out clearly when Old Suttonians get together, is that time doesn’t seem to have passed. No matter how long it was since friends met, their shared stories, experiences and memories provide a lasting bond.

This sense of community is the School’s greatest strength and preserving that, as pupils move on to become Old Suttonians, is our primary function. In conjunction with the Old Suttonians’ Association, we offer over 4,000 old boys and girls opportunities to socialise, network, play sports, share career advice and enjoy a continued relationship with the School.

As pupils come to the end of their School career, they are offered the opportunity to join the new and growing online community OSA Connect. With a strong mentoring bias, the platform enables them to connect with Old Suttonians who have offered to help with aspects of finding a job, give specific industry or role advice or offer work experience. Over 550 ex-pupils, across the years, have joined and are enjoying the benefits of having news, event notices, photo galleries and network opportunities all in one place.

Unlike many other independent school counterparts, Sutton Valence is not a wealthy school and cannot yet rely on an investment portfolio to support capital development and the provision of bursaries. Throughout its long history the School has

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relied upon philanthropic donations and today is no different. In September 2015, the Development Office launched The 1576 Fund (covered in greater detail on page 157) to raise £500,000 as the seed of an endowment. As I write this today, we have already achieved two-thirds of this total in less than a third of the projected time.This is a phenomenal achievement and would not have been possible without the continued support of the School’s OS community.

Working in development, the challenge remains the balance between fundraising and alumni relations. Given the growth and increased prevalence of development and fundraising within independent schools, it is often easy to focus on that area, at the expense of ‘friendraising’ with our alumni. As a Development Office, we are keen to ensure that offering Old Suttonians a thorough programme of events should be as important as any philanthropic activities. OS should feel as valued, welcomed and engaged having left the School, as they do on their first day here as a pupil.

In the most recent edition of this magazine’s sister publication The Old Suttonian, the current OSA chairman, Charlotte Bills (1992 V) said that coming to Sutton Valence, back in 1990, was slightly daunting; a new school that involved moving away from home to an unfamiliar area. To her, the School quickly became home and the friends, staff and School ‘have etched themselves on her heart’. What better illustration could there be of the common thread that binds Old Suttonians? I hope the 2016 leavers feel the same warmth and take advantage of the many opportunities that the Old Suttonian community offers.

Sport

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South Africa Sport Tour Blog

Day 2

As an added bonus, whilst the boys were finishing their cricket match, Eric kindly took the girls on a 45-minute tour of the Township, talking them through its history and its future development. Interesting, as in previous visits, the children felt a little uncomfortable “looking at the poor people”, however, Eric reassured them that the reason for these tours was to show how they we trying to develop their whole social structure, including the building of social housing and the removal of the shanty town shacks. Feeling more at ease, they visited a local artist and had the opportunity of buying some locally-produced goods. Eric also took them all to his own house where he talked the girls through a little of Nelson Mandela’s background and the apartheid story.

Day 3

The cricket match against Langa was a curious affair with the opposition resembling an Under 15 side, however, they were not without talent. We were put into bat with the opening pair Ryan Jones and Tom Lennard first to the crease and making a decent amount of runs between them.

Mr G Alderman, Director of Sport Day 1

Well, all the months of planning now come to fruition. Having arrived at the airport, after a quick bite to eat we headed off to the gates and boarded the flight!

The flight to Cape Town arrived ahead of schedule. The weather was beautiful and a balmy 32 degrees. With all the bags loaded we headed straight to Table Mountain and the cable car ride to the top.

The views were as stunning as ever!

The 2nd XI had an early start as they had an hour’s drive to Stellenbosch. Some had problems waking up, whilst others had set their alarm but had forgotten to change the time zone. As a very strong Afrikaans area, Mr Van Vuuren came to the fore as our official translator. The school were most welcoming and hosted us extremely well. We fielded first and the opposition posted a score of 112 all out from 35 overs. We had a patch of sloppy fielding and bowling where wide balls and mis-fielding were to eventually cost us. We tried hard to chase down the score but could only manage 79 all out. Perhaps a combination of tiredness and a lack of concentration were our ultimate downfall, however, with lessons learned, we can look forward to the next match on Monday against Wynberg.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group were lucky to have a slower start and a leisurely breakfast, eventually setting off for our matches against the Leap School Netball team (a replacement match for Excelsior) and a Langa Township community side, both played in the township.

Firstly the netball. Having dropped the cricket team at their ground the netball team headed off for their first matches. We were met

by Eric Dilema, who is the Langa liaison officer and the person who had organised our opposition for us. As we prepared for the game there was no sign of the opposition; in fact there was no sign of anyone. Gradually people started to arrive, including a small band of very vocal supporters.

The netball was a fast and furious affair and both of our teams played out of their skins.

Slick passing and quick feet in attack saw the 1st VII rapidly pull ahead of the opposition. Emelia Hollingsworth finally got her eye in, scoring in quick succession.The girls moved the ball well around the court easily opening up the opposition defence. The mid-court players, Emilia Bonny and Emily Finch transferred the ball efficiently keeping our hosts guessing and creating space. At the back in defence Eliza Lewis and Naomi Lijesen intercepted any incoming attacking ball frustrating the Leap side. We eventually came out winners 15-5. A very good game and a great way to start the tour.

The 2nd VII match was a much closer affair! They played equally as well as the 1st VII, but were frustrated by strong defence in the opposition half. Grace Mortley in centre court used her speed and agility to outwit the Leap side and transfer the ball into the D. Stephanie Weir, Katie Latter and Harriet Cage all worked tirelessly in defence as the opposition threw everything they had at us. As the wind grew stronger Fynley was struggling to convert anything into points. Ultimately we lost a very close game 5-3, however, the whole day had been really enjoyable with the netball only contributing a small part to the whole Langa Township experience.

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First to go was Tom with a plumb LBW having scored 11. Next up was Abdullah adding another 11 runs to the score before being dismissed by a fine catch at square leg. Replacing Abdullah was Stuart Boltman, who added some impetus to the innings, knocking up the run rate. Ryan was the next victim falling for 19. Jamie Drewe and Stuart then saw the innings out with the total score being 174 for 3 off of 20 overs. Stuart finishing with 64 and Jamie not far behind on 48 both not out.

In reply, Langa lost wickets at regular intervals eventually being knocked over for 75 all out. Pick of the bowling attack were Alex Presland and William Edwards, both took three wickets a piece with Jeremy Budd adding to the haul. At this point Tom Lennard would like me to mention that he also took a wicket.

Day 4

With no matches to play today we all had a leisurely breakfast and allowed the little rain shower to pass. We then left for the bus-top tour an hour later than planned. There would have been nothing worse than an open-top bus tour in the rain. Anyway we all managed to get on to the top deck and set off on our drive around the city and surrounding countryside. There is nowhere more stunning; the scenery along with Table Mountain as the backdrop makes this a very special place and should be on everyone’s bucket list of things to see.

We stopped for lunch in Camps Bay and enjoyed all that was on offer with a huge array of restaurants and choice of food. There were a few of our number who were mad or brave enough to have a quick dip in the sea, which was freezing. Just to reassure readers the beach was fully life guarded.

Later we stopped off at Seapoint so the children could let off some steam and have a run around; the boys played some touch rugby and a bit of football while the girls topped up their tan. Once they had had enough we had a short walk back to the hotel and now they are all packing ready to check out at 7.00am tomorrow. Then we are on the road for the next few days seeing some different parts of this stunning Western Cape.

Day 5

Today was a complicated day as we had three groups going in three different directions, however, we had a couple of other hurdles to jump first! Got up at 6.30am, packed, breakfast done by 7.15am, checked out of hotel 7.25am, coach loaded by 7.30am and we were off to Hout Bay and our boat trip out to Seal Island.

Before we boarded the boat we had a little time to spare so the children had a quick look around the local market and bought a few souvenirs. The boat trip was a little rocky but everyone was in good spirits and only a couple felt the effects of the swell. On

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arrival at the island we were greeted but huge numbers seals and their pups. More distinctive was the smell! We watched them play for 20 minutes or so taking numerous photos and then headed back to dock. This was a short 45-minute excursion but worthwhile.

Once ashore it was back on the coach and a drive around Chapman’s Peak on the way to Reddam School, which was the first drop off.

Next drop was the girls at Herzlia High School and finally the other boys’ team at Wynberg. On arrival at Herzlia we discovered that one of the games had been replaced by another local school, St Cyprians.

It wasn’t a problem and our B team took on Herzlia. Now, I am not a netball expert but from my point of view our girls played a fantastic game, with slick accurate passing into space creating chance after chance for a shot. Early on we struggled a little with our accuracy, but eventually got our eye in.

Our defensive play was good, intercepting a lot of attacking ball allowing us to counter attack. It would be unfair to single any individual player out as all of the girls really lifted their game and played some fantastic netball with us coming out eventual winners 16-11.

Next on court were the A team girls against St Cyprians. This really was a hard-fought contest and was neck-and-neck throughout. The opposition were strong and athletic, moving the ball quickly about the court making them quite difficult to defend against. Their agility and quickness of movement saw them transfer the ball down court and into the D very efficiently. However, our defence was solid and we managed to put them under pressure when shooting, causing their shooter to miss her shots. As I say, the game was close but we came out eventual winners; 26-23.

In previous encounters against Reddam House we have had close matches and this year’s match was no different. Losing the toss SVS were put into bat on a bowler-friendly wicket. Some erratic bowling and some good batting however saw us get off to a good start. We reached the drinks break in a very healthy position being 117-2 from 17 overs with Ryan Jones scoring a fine 47 before unfortunately giving his wicket away. It was disappointing as he should have gone on and made a big score. After the drinks break, SVS lost their focus and with some poor shot selection and awareness we lost our next eight wickets for 46 runs, eventually being 163 all out in 35 overs. After a short break and a team chat to refocus our minds we returned to the field ready to defend our modest total. Elliot Aitken set the standard bowling with bounce and pace. Despite our best efforts Reddam reached the drinks break in a healthy position on 70-2. Once again the drinks break changed the dynamics of the

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game and we started to pick wickets up at regular intervals.

The game was heading towards a tight finish. Abdullah picked up three wickets and a fine spell of bowling from Jeremy Budd. who claimed 3-9 from his seven overs, left Reddam needing five to win from the last over with one wicket left. The final ball arrived with the scores level and, despite a great fight back, the final ball was edged over the slips for the winning run. The boys had given their very best and were absolutely gutted to lose a great game of cricket. Hopefully many lessons were learned from our batting performance and we now look forward to our next match against Edgemead.

Unfortunately the B team met a similar fate at Stellenbosch High School. Our fielding was not switched on enough to deal with the Stellenbosch’s batsmen. When it came to our turn to bat, we just played across the line of the ball allowing then to dismiss us very cheaply. Our shot selection was naive and we pushed too hard when we had plenty of time and wickets in hand. The boys will need to change their approach tomorrow against Edgemead if they hope to improve their results.

Day 6

Having rounded up the children from their night of hosting we headed off towards Simonstown and Boulders Beach to see the penguins. We spent an hour or so at Boulders Beach looking at, and photographing, the penguins before we headed off, en masse, to Edgemead.

Today we were all playing in the same place and thus the logistics were much easier. Both cricket teams took to the field; the A team’s fielding and the B team’s batting. For the 1st XI game the pitch was a newly-laid wicket due to the new hockey Astro and the boys realised that this was going to present a challenge, especially when batting. Unfortunately Abdullah lost the toss once again and we were in the field first. Elliot continued to bowl with pace being well-supported by Abdullah bowling into a strong wind. An excellent start resulted in the opposition being three wickets down for no runs at one stage.

Despite some good bowling and fielding the Edgemead team rallied and some strong hitting towards the end of the innings saw them reach 107-6 at the end of their 20 overs. This was going to be a challenging target for us on a now wearing and low wicket. Our reply got off to a poor start, losing Ryan early on. Abdullah followed soon after departing for 10. Tom Lennard was standing strong and a partnership with Stuart looked promising. Unfortunately, Tom was bowled for a well-played 35.

Wickets now began to fall at regular intervals as we tried to

SPORT keep up with the run rate. Despite a fine 33 not out from Stuart, we were always behind the total and were eventually bowled out in the last over for 89. It was a good game of cricket and the boys can be pleased with their bowling and fielding performance.

In the meanwhile, the B team were at the crease and making the same mistakes as the day before, losing wickets thick and fast. A brain freeze may be the best way of telling the story. The Eastman boys opened the batting and after a great shot by Laurence he played a poor one and got himself out. That was the start of our demise! We then lost regular wickets to terrible shots! 56 is all we could manage. After a rocket team talk from Mr Van Vuuren and Mr Mathews the boys came out firing! Hugo Loxton-Barnard responded with 4 overs bowled, 1 wicket for 2 runs. Joshua Aucamp 3 for 3, Laurence Eastman 1-6 , Knight 1-6 and three great run outs saw Sutton Valence bowl Edgemead out for just 40.

A great win by the boys.

Both netball games were tough, but with the girls in excellent form it was going to come down to who wanted it most. Clearly it was us as the A team won 17-16 and the B team won 11-10.

A fantastic afternoon of netball with the girls leaving the court completely drained. It was a very hot afternoon and the heat took its toll. Lots of water, lots of sun cream and lots of common sense needed.

After a quick change of clothes it was back on the bus for the drive up to Buffelsfontien for our game drive. On the way we had to change routes as there was a bush fire jumping the road which caused a delay and a late arrival, however we were greeted by dinner. After a quick chat about game park rules and regulations the children were driven to the accommodation for the night. An early night for all as we were very tired.

Day 7

An early start this morning, in fact the game drive was happening before we had breakfast. We were up at 6.30am for a 7.00am depart.What good fun! We were out in the reserve for two hours and saw all kinds of animals including the giraffe, rhino, wildebeest and all sorts of other unpronounceable things!

The highlight though was going into the cheetah enclosures; do not worry, we were perfectly safe. To finish we viewed the lioness and her new cubs; what a magnificent sight that was. She even charged at us as she was protecting her young, luckily we were on the other side of the fence this time!

The whole experience was fantastic and whilst on the game drive we saw some magnificent scenery. Now back to business!

It was a fierce day on the netball court for the 2nd team under

the roaring sun. The girls were on fire! The 2nd VII made a smashing start to today’s Netball fixtures and it was goal for goal in the first third, however SVS just took the lead at 4-3. As the game was now in full swing, Harriet Cage was picking up loose balls around the D in attack whilst Ella Proctor never took her eye off the ball in defence, intercepting and swiftly passing off in order to ensure that opportunities were not to be missed. Bridge House managed to sustain their speed and agility in the next two thirds whereas the Sutton Valence girls were beginning to struggle with the heat. Jessica Bennett and Stephanie Weir displayed grit and determination from the start which meant that they needed to hand over their bibs in the last third. Despite Katie Latter and Harriet Cage’s smooth bounce passes in the D, along with Stephanie’s clear guidance as team captain and player of the match, Bridge House held their ground resulting in 13-8 win for the home team.

The 1st VII started the game with not only a clear focus and intention but great team spirit. Naomi Lijesen and Fynley Young had a strong defensive strategy which was clear from the outset.

The first third result was a close 5-3, however soon enough Millie Bonny and Rehannah Houghton-Judge’s space on court allowed for slick links between the defence and attack which opened up the games. Well, the boys visit to the Strand will certainly be one to remember. 35 degrees temperatures greeted us along with wonderful hospitality and a great game of cricket. Sutton Valence won the toss and batted first. This was nothing to do with the pitch but just to keep the boys out of the sun. We got off to the worst possible start losing Ryan first ball, however a good partnership between the dominant Jamie Drewe and Tom Lazarides helped us through to the halfway point reaching 47-1.

After the drinks break wickets started to fall as the boys tried to increase the run rate. Jamie was well supported by the other batsmen and he went on to score a fantastic 84. This was a great innings, paced beautifully and it was a pleasure to watch. Sutton Valence eventually closed their innings on 121-7; a competitive total. Elliot Aiken once again bowled with pace at the start of the Strand innings and he was well supported by Laurence Eastman bowling into a strong head wind. At the halfway point the game was evenly balanced. Some good bowling changes by the captain, Stuart Boltman, took the game to the last over in which six runs were needed. Elliot once again stepped up to the mark taking two wickets plus a run out. Four off the last over was too much to ask and Sutton Valence recorded a great four-run victory.This was a great performance by all involved and a day that I am sure the boys will remember. Unfortunately, the other team did not fare so well but more of that later as we have to leave on the next leg of our journey.

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Day 8

Leaving Bridge House bright and early we were meeting the other cricket team at the cheetah sanctuary. What a fantastic experience this was for the children. We paid extra for them to actually go in the cages to get “up close and personal�. The children loved it and will have some fantastic photos. The children are tired now and starting to flag a little, however they had enough energy for the last fixture.

Another sweltering day greeted us for our final match of the tour against Fairmont, a team that we have played on previous tours. Once again, we lost the toss and we were fielding first. We again put in a good performance in the field, despite a couple of dropped catches.

We managed to restrict the opposition to 115-6 which could have been slightly better but the heat had an effect towards the end of the Fairmont innings. This was an achievable target on a good batting track. Unfortunately, our reply started badly losing Ryan in the first over. However, a good partnership between Abdullah and James looked promising before a rash shot from the captain saw him depart for 31. Next in was Jamie and these two played well before James was caught for 19. With the game very much in our hands, a few run outs then left the game evenly poised with Jamie once again in command on 26. Unfortunately, just when it looked like he was going to see us home a very debatable LBW decision turned the game in the home team’s favour.

Eventually, four runs were needed from the last ball. A thick outside edge looked like winning us the game but a diving fielder stopped the ball and only two runs were scored. We had lost by one run. A great game of cricket and another game which we should have won.

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Many lessons have been learnt from this trip and the team spirit has been fantastic. Hopefully this has now set us up for a wonderful season on our return.

Day 9

We left Fairmont promptly as we had to be back in Cape Town for our 1100hrs crossing to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent 17 years as a prisoner.The children were shown around the island by an ex-prisoner who talked to them about life as a convict and even in prison how there was still one rule for the white inmates and another for black. There was a bus tour around the island and it was explained that before being a prison that the island was a leper colony. Once the visit was complete it was back on the boat; a quick check in at the hotel and then off to Newlands for the Twenty20 match between England and South Africa.

On the way to the ground it was getting darker and darker and then the rain came! At one point it looked as though the game may not happen. The preceding game had been stopped and things were not looking hopeful. We collected our tickets and headed into the ground for some food.Within half an hour the rain had stopped and we found our seats. What a fantastic ground! The setting against Table Mountain was superb and we were all anticipating a good game. We were not disappointed!

I am not going to give a blow-by-blow account, needless to say the game came down to the last ball with England finally losing by one run! Disappointing, but a fantastic way to end the tour.

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Paris Netball Tour Miss Z Radford

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he Under 14 Girls’ Netball team travelled to Paris over the Easter break for an exciting mix of Netball and Disneyland. After a morning riding on Space Mountain, spinning through Crush’s Coaster, and falling 12 floors in the terrifying Twilight Tower of Terror, the girls took to the Netball court. Playing against four other schools, both the A and B team fought exceptionally well in the first nail-biting tournament. The B team lost their first two matches, but after some excellent team work and communication, came back to win their other two matches against Leighton Park School C team and Dame Alice Owens School D team.

Meanwhile, the A team used their speed, skill and agility to win each of their four matches; Stockton Netball Club, Pangbourne College B team, Leighton Park School A team, and Rudgwick Netball Club. With the score following the centre pass, there were tense moments as the A team went into extra time, not just once but twice. However, spurred on by the Sutton Valence cheerleaders on the side-lines, the girls stepped up and delivered with a two minute tirade to be proud of.

This pattern was echoed in the final day of the tournament where the A team progressed through to the top competition of the International Cup Showdown, and the B team made it through to the Challenger Shield Competition. After a heartfelt loss in their first match due to a golden goal, the A team committed their all in their final three matches, taking charge of play and passing fluidly down the court and neatly into the goal. The B team followed suit, picking themselves up after an initial loss resulting in resounding victories in their last three matches. This determination resulted in both teams being placed fifth in their respective competitions.

All in all, the Netball Tour 2016 was a fun-filled, and thrilling ride, both in Disneyland, and on the court!

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Rugby 1st XV Rugby Tom Lennard, Upper Sixth Played: 12, Won: 4, Drawn: 1, Lost: 7

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After the Half Term break we came up against Worth School, another strong Rugby school but the boys were in a rich run of form. We played extremely well in difficult conditions and were able to secure another solid win, showing the character and spirit that had underpinned our season thus far.

season worth remembering for the Sutton Valence 2015 1st XV Rugby team. As a year group, we generally have not been particularly successful throughout our School careers. However, what better stage to prove yourself on as a Rugby player than playing for the senior team, with all eyes on our weekly results.

The final three games, however, saw the team suffer a glut of illness and injury. The oppositions we faced were the prestigious Reigate Grammar School, Emanuel School and The King’s School, Canterbury. These strong teams proved a bridge too far but still the team showed both character and team spirit in the face of adversity.

The squad were fortunate to have Harlequins Rugby attend the School in August for a pre-season camp. After four days of continuous skills and fitness training, we were in a strong position for a challenging start to the season. Our first fixture involved a trip away to Catford where we won in the last minute of the game against a ruthless St Dunstan’s College side, who were themselves highly keen to start their season with a win.This gutsy performance showed what character the boys had and this underlies what Sutton Valence Rugby is all about.

I would like to thank Mr Howell for bringing his positive Welsh spirit to the School’s Rugby: he has given our team a massive boost in confidence. The boys were great this year; there were good times and difficult times, but overall we came out of the season much stronger than we started. There were some excellent individual achievements as Stuart Boltman ran away with the try scoring charts, finishing the season with 10 tries. Thomas Agu Benson’s hard work and Rugby development over the past 18 months saw him be selected for the Kent County Under 18 squad where he scored a number of tries in county matches. Some of the Lower Sixth players stepped up to the mark and this will benefit the School next year. The Upper Sixth players within the team such as Freddie Ellis, James Turner and Guy and Patrick Backhouse led from the front in all matches played.

After this strong start we went into a tough couple of fixtures against Sevenoaks School and Eastbourne College where the boys were able to test themselves against the best of the fixture list.

Unfortunately, we were unable to come away with victories but we took many positives as the experiences allowed us to realise our great potential. Our next fixture was against St Lawrence College. The team scored five outstanding tries and conceded none, playing with ambition, determination and vigour, showcasing the full capabilities of the team.

Our last game of the half term was against a Tonbridge School 2nd XV. Our good form continued as the boys stuck to our game plan excellently and managed to score three superb tries before half time. Tonbridge reacted to this strong start by bringing on their strongest players for the second half. However, our defence stood strong and we were able to hold out for the victory, to which will live long in the memories of the players who took the pitch.

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A thoroughly enjoyable Rugby term and a big thank you to all players, parents, supporters, coaches and support staff for everything that they did.

Forwards: Daniel Clifton, Joshua Craven, George Deptford, Freddie Ellis (Vice-Captain), Hugo Fahie-Wilson, Hugo LoxtonBarnard, Guy Kennedy, Max Rossiter, Daniel Teare, James Turner, Callum Waterman, Iyubosa Williams Backs: Thomas Agu Benson, Guy Backhouse, Patrick Backhouse, James Bevan-Thomas, Stuart Boltman, Daniel Harebottle, Tom Lennard (Captain), Oliver Smither, Jacob Wilkinson.

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2nd XV Rugby Mr J Farrell and Mr R Carr Played: 10, Won: 2, Drawn: 1, Lost: 7

Knight to ensure that a steady stream of possession was not wasted.

A length of the field, run-away try halted the come-back but the players could reflect with pride on having come so close to achieving a remarkable result.

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As often befalls the 2nd XV, injuries influenced our selection; we ended up having three captains - but it is heartening to see how many players passed through our hands into the 1st XV. James Bevan-Thomas, Charles Averill and Oliver Smither grew in confidence and disappeared for good. Elliot Aiken, James Croke and Edward Simmonds similarly grew in stature as the term went on, only for injury to intervene, whilst special mention should go to Harry Lade, Jeremy Budd and Ryan Jones who were not available for the final games. Next year there is much to look forward to, as one recalls William Sturgess’ performance against Sevenoaks School and the collective excellence that resulted in a win against a strong St Lawrence College side.

Oliver Taylor and Jack Baker had their best game of the season at prop. Sushantraj and Sabin Gurung were as committed as ever, whilst Praag Dogra had his most effective game of the season.

The much improved Kornelius Klemm carried with purpose, whilst Christopher Youngman and Harrison Sharpe marked their last games for the School with characteristically determined displays. In the backs, Jamie Drewe combined effectively with

Squad: Elliot Aiken, Joshua Aucamp, Charles Averill, Jack Baker, Patrick Beech, Jeremy Budd, James Croke, Praag Dogra, Jamie Drewe, Graham Falconer, Sabin Gurung, Sushantraj Gurung, Ryan Jones, Kornelius Klemm, Cameron Knight, Harry Lade, Praghat Rana, Harrison Sharpe, Edward Simmonds, Henry Stacey,William Sturgess, Oliver Taylor, Christopher Youngman (Captain).

t first glance the 2nd XV did not have a very good season.

A couple of close games were lost, whilst heavy defeats were inflicted on us by both Eastbourne College and St Dunstan’s College. However, if one focuses on the way in which many individual players developed over the season it becomes clear that huge strides were made on a personal level. Certainly such reflections are borne out as one analyses the second half of our final game of the season at Colfe’s School. They had built a commanding lead, but a brace of tries from Joshua Aucamp were complemented by a further score from Praghat Rana and some accurate goal kicking from Cameron Knight.

Under 16A Rugby Henry Overy, Fifth Form Played: 8, Won: 4, Lost: 4

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he Under 16A team had high hopes for a successful season, especially given the team’s success in the previous year. The first game we played was against the Whitgift School Under 16C team, which we used as a practice game to test our line-outs and some intricate backs’ moves. We probably should have played their B team as the result was a rather one-sided 62-0 victory.

The following week we had our work cut out against a full strength Sevenoaks School Under 16B team. It proved to be our best game of the season with our forwards combining well with the backs, resulting in an excellent 25-17 victory.

Having opened the season with two victories, our success worked to our disadvantage, with two of the team’s most influential players (Dan Teare and Guy Kennedy) being promoted to the 1st XV. Unfortunately, this coincided with the team’s trip to Eastbourne College, which has become something of a grudge match given our narrow victory in the corresponding fixture last year. With our slightly weakened team, we knew we had a fight on our hands, but the players stepped up and despite losing 12-15, we walked off the pitch with our heads held high.

The King’s School, Canterbury Under 16A. Although we were on top during the first half, the second half was peppered with disciplinary issues, with players from both sides being yellow carded. King’s played the referee well and eventually came out with a 25-13 victory.

The season finished against Colfe’s School Under 16A and we were determined to end the season on a high.

The match finished in a 24-7 win with Alex Thorogood finishing off a memorable kick-and-chase try. Special thanks to Mr Van Vuuren for his time and effort, and for keeping our minds on the job.

Squad: Archie Averill, William Bryant, Aleksandar Bulic, Laurence Eastman, William Harrison, Jack Hayes, Alexander Hill, Jack Howe, Guy Kennedy, Henry King, Jonty Martin, Edward Mazumdar, Thomas Millington, Ben Mortley, Henry Overy (Captain), Charles Page, Louis Regnier, Ross Sinclair, Daniel Teare, Alex Thorogood, Felix Whitely.

The team returned to winning ways in the next fixture against Tonbridge School Under 16B with a comfortable 12-5 win. With our mid-season injury list growing, we then succumbed to two successive home defeats as we were overpowered by Worth School Under 16A (0-15) and Emanuel School Under 16A (7-15). The penultimate game of the season was another grudge match away to

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3rd XV/Under 16B Rugby Mr T Cope and Connor Cook, Fifth Form Played: 4, Won: 2, Lost: 2

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he 3rd XV/Under 16B Rugby team had a great season with some mixed results and some wonderful experiences. After a fantastic win in our first match of the season, we lost our captain, Jack Delaney to the Under 16A team, which somewhat dented the team’s morale. Connor Cook stepped up as the new captain, ably assisted by Michael Law, who together led the team to a memorable series of wins and some close defeats.

Lots of thanks must go to Mr Cope for being an amazing coach.

We had some great wins in the season, including victories over Sevenoaks School (62-7) and Worth School (29-5). Some standout players included Angus Barclay for his amazing tap tackles, Max Stanton-Gleaves for his fantastic runs and Jonty Watson for his intense tackles. We look forward to competing for our places next year in the senior teams. Special thanks to all of the other teachers for their support and coaching.

Squad: Thomas Aiken, Angus Barclay, George Boret, Connor Cook (Captain), Jack Fenton, Lucas Fulford, Michael Law (Vice-Captain), Edward Mazumdar, Daniel O’Brien, Charles Page, Benjamin Saunders, James Smith, Charles Sparrow, Max Stanton-Gleaves, Jonathan Watson, Matthew Webb, Archie Wooff.

Under 15A Rugby Edward Ervine, Fourth Form Played: 12, Won: 5, Lost: 7

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espite our early exit from the county cup, and a mixed set of results this season, the Under 15A team has played some exciting Rugby this year. During the first half of term, we secured convincing victories over Sevenoaks School and Eastbourne College, with the team playing aggressively throughout.The favourable conditions allowed us to play some scintillating running rugby, which gave us a really positive start to the season. Unfortunately, as the conditions worsened in the latter stages of the term, we struggled to adapt to a different game plan, which was reflected in losses to Worth School and Reigate Grammar School. Despite a brief resurgence against King’s Rochester, we ended the season with losses against The King’s School, Canterbury and Colfe’s School, with the team again struggling with conditions.

Individual mentions should go to Jenkins Kiwanuka, Liam Massingham, Joe Ferguson and Lars Eastman who worked tirelessly in the contact area. Going forward, Edward Ervine, Archie Crouch, Felix Dont and Barnaby Loxton-Barnard produced creative and deceptive moves to outwit the defensive line. Overall, the season has been a good starting block for the Under 15A squad, for which every individual player should be congratulated. Our thanks go to Mr Cottrell, Mr Howell and Mr Dawling for their valuable knowledge, inspiring coaching, and patience this season.

Squad: Alexander Bartleet, Gabrio Capaldi, Archie Crouch, William Dickinson, Felix Dont, Lars Eastman, Edward Ervine (Captain), Joe Ferguson, Fergus Fowle, Alistair Gooding, Jenkins Kiwanuka, Barnaby Loxton-Barnard, Liam Massingham, Sean McKeating, Harry O’Rawe, Jamie Oliver, Thomas Saltmarsh, Miles Stockman, Harris Tunks.

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Under 15B Rugby

Under 14A Rugby

Jack McNama, Fourth Form

Nathaniel Easton, Third Form

Played: 9, Won: 1, Lost: 8

Played: 9, Won: 4, Lost: 5

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his year, the Under 15B team has had a very difficult season, losing all but one of the matches played. Despite these losses, the team battled hard and never gave up, with a strong sense of determination amongst the players.

Our first game of the season was against Brighton College and we suffered the early setback of conceding quick tries in succession, putting us on a downward spiral. In the second half, we started to get back into the game and make some excellent tackles, most notably from Harry Yorke. We ended up losing 30-0, which although bad, could have been far worse had it not been for the team’s continued effort in the second half.

Following that defeat, we started to focus more on our fitness and tackling methods in training. The next game we played was against Sevenoaks School, with the team determined to make amends for the previous result. In the first half we conceded a couple of tries, but in the second half we came out fighting and the game finished as a more respectable 29-17 to a strong Sevenoaks side. Sadly, the rest of our games finished in a similar pattern. The only game we did win was against Claremont School when we were boosted by the inclusion of an Under 15A team member. A special thanks goes to Mr Davies for coaching us this term, and our parents who came along to support us.

Squad: Joseph Agu Benson, Jacob Baldwin, Giles Benham, Samuel Bennett, Thomas Cavell, Edward Curling, Oliver Dent, Shaad Dogra, Cameron Evans, Samuel Grindlay, Lucas Gutierrez Fernandes, Finlay Heine, Henry Jones, Jack McNama (Captain), Harry Mitchell, Adam Moore, Digby Platt-Higgins, Richard Sawyer, Joshua Scott, Harry Yorke (Vice-Captain).

Under 14B Rugby Toby Nottage, Third Form Played 9, Won 6, Drawn 1, Lost 2

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he Under 14B Rugby team had an outstanding term, producing an excellent 64 percent win percentage across all games played. The most notable of the team’s scalps was a 50 point victory over Brighton College and a hard fought draw against Eastbourne College. The strong running of Louis Saunders and Thomas Taft, coupled with excellent leadership and fearless defence from Toby Nottage, George Jones and Awishma Gurung meant the boys played every game with strength and vigour.

The boys had a ‘never-say-die’ attitude and, at times, played some scintillating rugby through the elusive Max Hansford and Louis Ridge. Both players showed great insight and understanding of the game to exploit opposition weaknesses. Overall, the players should be very proud of an excellent season which was memorable for both the enjoyment at training sessions and the comeback victories that the team enjoyed.

he season started at home to St Dunstan’s College. They were no match for our pace, strength and teamwork and we won comfortably 52-5. On 19th September, we visited Sevenoaks School. This was always going to be a tough fixture with some absentees in key positions and although we fought hard, Sevenoaks, with some strong runners, deservedly won 19-7. Following this, we played Coopers’ Company and Coborn School from Essex. Our pressure and tireless efforts soon showed and we won 55-5.

Eastbourne College was always going to be one of the toughest matches, and in the end, they were too strong for our defence with a number of strong working backs, and they ran out 33-0 winners.

The final score did not reflect the opportunities we had in the game, but ultimately they were not enough to get a hold of the game. Next up we had the return match, this time in the cup, against Sevenoaks School. With some of our original absentees now present, we fought hard from a slow start (19-0 down at half-time) to lose 19-17. A fine effort, but just too many points conceded early cost us.

The match against St Lawrence College was difficult, they were a pretty strong side and once again we had some players missing. It was not our day and we lost 33-12. On 7th November, we were home to Worth School who were no match for our passing game and some slick moves and strong forward work resulted in a good 29-5 victory.

The match against Reigate Grammar School, who, although quite sizeable, were not able to match us, saw us run out comfortable 41-7 winners.

After the exeat weekend, we played The King’s School, Canterbury at home. We knew that it was likely to be a hard battle, and so it proved.

They took a 19-0 lead which we looked unlikely to claw back, but due to some real perseverance, we took the lead 21-19 but conceded a try in the final seconds to go down 24-21. A pulsating game full of great rugby – a tribute to both sides’ commitment. Our final match of the season was away against Colfe’s School. Once again we found ourselves 19-0 down but a real fight back brought us to 19-17 with minutes to go, but in the end we lost 26-24.

Despite not having played together as a team before, there were many positives throughout the season – great movement, lovely passing and excellent forward work. However, clearly, we must start all matches on the front foot – conceding as many points as we have, as early as we have, has made some matches very difficult to rescue. Finally, the major area of concern was our defensive organisation and that has to be our focus when we start the new season next year.

Squad: George Baker, William Catling, Nathaniel Easton (Captain), Arthur Genders, Hugh Harman, Jack Hughes, Jack Lewis, Joseph McInerney, Joshua Niell, Isaac Owolabi, Max Savage, Finn Swaine, Noah Swaine, Matthew Teare, John Wilson.

Squad: Thomas Allewell, Morgan Barwick, William Bull, Tom Gray, Awishma Gurung, Max Hansford, Reuben Hodson, Toby Hurst, George Jones, Oliver Laird, Sebastiaan Lijeson, Thomas McLaughlin, Daniil Nikolaev, Toby Nottage (Captain), Louis Ridge, Louis Saunders, Jack Stanton-Gleaves, Herbert Stevenson, Thomas Taft.

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Under 13A Rugby

Under 13B Rugby

McKellen Young, Second Form

Louis Hillier, Second Form

Played: 11, Won: 4, Drawn:1, Lost: 6

Played 11, Won 7, Lost 4

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he Under 13A Rugby team enjoyed an excellent season with many highs and lows. The team learnt a huge amount as the season progressed and developed a strong gameplan based on pace and width, building on the skills of our backs, Oscar Vas and Tom Barton.

The team listened to Mr Howell and Mr Davenport as they gave us some great coaching and guidance throughout. Sam Allison and McKellen Young acted as creators-in-chief, setting up numerous tries, while Myles Simmonds and Theo Nelson worked tirelessly in both attack and defence showing how much they have developed as Rugby players since joining the School.

The team continued to improve game-after-game and the style of Rugby became highly attractive and hugely enjoyable to be a part of.

Archie Yorke and Joshua Laird also deserve a mention; Archie for his outstanding skill and competitiveness, and Joshua for his tenacious defence and endless work rate.

The team spirit was superb and some outstanding victories came against Bickley Park School (27-19) Whitgift School (30-5) and Reigate Grammar School (29-12). The team cannot wait for the new Michaelmas Term to get back on the Rugby pitch.

Squad: Sam Allison, Benjamin Baker, Tom Barton, Bishesh Bhandari, Luca Capaldi, Samuel Crisp, Joshua Forknall, Elliot Gooding, Conor Grant, Louis Hillier, Joshua Laird, Theo Nelson, William Saltmarsh, Myles Simmonds, Oscar Vas, James Yeabsley, Archie Yorke, McKellen Young (Captain).

he Under 13B Rugby team have had an excellent season with some strong results against tough competition. The boys worked well together, motivating one another and pushing themselves during training and matches. Louis Hillier was a great captain for the team and has shown strong leadership and commitment. Backs, Suveen Gurung and Samuel Crisp were the top try scorers using their speed and guile to great effect.

Amongst the forwards, Alexander Duckett was a workhorse who showed huge commitment and physicality in every game he played.

The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves throughout the season.

Whether on the training field or during the matches, the team was always full of smiles and laughter, which epitomised the strong team spirit that ran throughout the squad. The team achieved a highly impressive win rate of 67 percent with highlights including victories over King’s Rochester, St Lawrence College and Reigate Grammar School. Overall, the team has huge potential as they take the step up to Under 14 level next year.

Squad: Ewen Barr, William Chambers, Jed Chipchase, Alfie Collins-Smith, Samuel Crisp, Alexander Duckett, Alex Grove, Suveen Gurung, Louis Hillier (Captain), James Latter-Lumsden, Joseph Lenehan, Harvey Morris, Patrick Mullen, Jack Price, Nicholas Radcliffe, Johnny Russell, Finlay Sprent, Thomas Wilkins.

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Rugby Sevens Senior VIIs

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he team’s first tournament was at the prestigious Reigate Grammar School Charity Sevens competition. The boys were drawn in a tough group including Hampton School, Royal Hospital School and Harrow School. Despite losses in all three matches, the boys acquitted themselves well against some tough opposition. Building on their strong performances, the team then went on to produce their best performance of the day in the Bowl quarter final beating Christ’s Hospital with an emphatic 33 – 17 victory, before losing narrowly to City of London Freemen’s School in the semi final.

The boys then went on to compete in the National Rosslyn Park Under 18 tournament, where they were once again drawn in a tough group containing last year’s runners-up, John Fisher School, as well as St Joseph’s College Ipswich, the Coopers’ Company and Coborn School, and the Saracens Academy feeder school, Oaklands College. Over the four matches, the squad showed their true potential. Although they lost against John Fisher School and St Joseph’s College in hard-fought matches, they bounced back with an outstanding 54-12 win against a strong Coopers Coburn side, and an excellent 36-14 win against Oaklands College. These two wins underlined the ability of the team and displayed what can be achieved when the boys believe in themselves and play without fear.

Under 16 VIIs

fantastic rugby and their string of victories saw them progress into the knock-out stages as group winners. The team beat St Olave’s in the quarter finals before losing 10-12 to Skinners School. Despite this, they did phenomenally well and should be proud of their performance throughout the day.

The final tournament for the Under 16 team was the National Rosslyn Park Under 16 tournament, where the boys continued their rich run of form beating Howard of Effingham School, Reigate Grammar School and RGS Worcester. These results saw the team top their group, which is an outstanding achievement at a national competition. Unfortunately, in the knock-out stages they lost narrowly 7 – 10 to RGS High Wycombe in a game that could have gone either way. Once again the boys displayed fantastic character and ability to beat so many highly-prestigious Rugby schools.

Under 15 VIIs

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he team entered the Kent Under 15 Sevens tournament held at Gravesend Grammar School. They beat Sevenoaks School and Ravenswood School before losing to Maidstone Grammar School and Judd School. The team played some excellent Rugby throughout and showed what could be achieved when they were fully focused on the job in hand.

All three reports by Mr M Howell, Head of Rugby.

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he team entered the Queen Elizabeth Barnet Sevens tournament, losing narrowly to Eton College and New Hall School before drawing with the John Fisher School.

This was an excellent first tournament that set the team up nicely for the remaining two competitions.

The team’s second tournament was the annual Kent Under 16 Sevens, which was hosted at the School for the second year in a row. The team did not disappoint the home support beating Cranbrook School, Simon Langton School, Colfe’s School and Skinners School in the group stages. The team played some

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Hockey 1st XI Girls’ Hockey Hannah Morris, Upper Sixth Played: 8, Won: 3, Drawn: 1, Lost: 4

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he 1st X1 Hockey team started the season fiercely with a match against Christ’s Hospital School which we won 2-1 with some successful counter-attacks from our impressive forward three: Katie Latter, Amelia Gaston and Henrietta Taylor.

With a brand new team, we had to gel quickly, knowing that the county tournament was only weeks away from our arrival back at School. We came third in the group stages of the county tournament; being put in a very difficult pool meant that the two teams we lost against ended up in the semi finals of the competition. This, however motivated us to do well in the Indoor County Tournament, where we came third overall with an amazing performance from a depleted, but determined, team.

One of our most successful matches was our last match against Duke of York’s Royal Military School where we won 4-0. Goals came from me, Katie Latter, Chloe Evans and Louisa West. A huge thank you must go to Mr Mathews for all the effort he put in this year, as well as Mr Kerr and Mr Spain, the Hockey Assistants, for motivating us on and off the pitch.

Squad: Chloe Evans, Amelia Gaston, Rehannah Houghton-Judge, Katie Latter, Eliza Lewis, Hannah Morris (Captain), Charlotte Percival, Olivia Richards, Georgia Ridge, Verity Smith, Henrietta Taylor, Stephanie Weir, Louisa West, Ella Williams, Fynley Young.

2nd XI Girls’ Hockey Lily Chivers, Upper Sixth Played: 11, Won: 5, Drawn: 1, Lost: 5

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he 2nd XI was a mixed team of Fifth Form and Upper Sixth students, and we faced some tough fixtures such as Cranbrook School and The King’s School, Canterbury. The most successful match was our first match of the season, which we won 3-1 against Worth School. The team had a successful season and improved their skills.

I would like to thank the girls for their commitment, especially for the away games with the bad weather and long journeys. I am very proud to have captained this team and I would like to give a special mention to Eve Barclay, Jessica Bennett and Sasha Van Diepen, all of whom are leaving this year, and have played hockey for the School for seven years.

A big thank you also to our coach this season Miss Hallett, she was a big help to the team.The team would also like to give thanks for all the support we have had from our parents.

1st XI Girls’ Hockey Team

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Squad: Harriet Aburn, Eve Barclay, Jessica Bennett, Emilia Bonny, Lily Chivers (Captain), Emelia Hollingsworth, Grace Mortley, Funmilola Owolabi, Lauren Robinson, Jemma Stuart, Isabelle Turner, Sasha Van Diepen.

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Under 15A Girls’ Hockey

Under 15B Girls’ Hockey

Emily Smith, Fourth Form

Georgia Best, Fourth Form

Played: 10, Won: 3, Drawn: 2, Lost: 5

Played: 7, Won: 2, Lost: 5

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his season has been tough but enjoyable for the Under 15A Girls’ Hockey team. As expected, we had some hard fixtures facing very strong Hockey schools such as Sevenoaks School and Eastbourne College, so we knew we were going to have to work extra hard. We put up a good fight against both schools, but unfortunately the final scores in both games were not reflective of how well we played.

Despite those two losses, we had a very enjoyable season with some very memorable moments both in training and on the pitch.

The highlight of the season was probably our match against King’s Rochester where our great teamwork resulted in a 14-0 victory, with some superb goals from Georgia Mancais and Melissa Dawson.

The team saw strong performances across the pitch. In attack, Kate Woodford contributed with some fantastic goals that led us onto some great wins, and Sophie Baxter’s speed and skill down the right wing was incredible. Our defence was especially strong with some great saves from goalkeeper, Imogen Forknall.

Supporting her at the back, Phoebe Aucamp stepped into the position of sweeper, contributing some amazing hits up the pitch to the midfield pairing of Verity Streek and myself. Other notable mentions should go to our new team members this season such as India Fowle, Pamela Papa-Adams and Tiggy Teare who became key players in our strong back-line and really helped to strengthen our team.

All-in-all we had a great season, and although we would have liked to have won more, we ended our season on a high with a victory against Duke of York’s Royal Military School. Our B team, whose match had been cancelled, joined us for this match, which proved to be a really nice way to end the season.

Well done to everyone who played throughout the season and thank you to all the parents and supporters who took the time to come and watch us play. I would like to thank Mr Wells and Mr Mathews for being great coaches, and helping us achieve all we did over the season.

Squad: Phoebe Aucamp, Sophie Baxter, Melissa Dawson, Imogen Forknall, India Fowle, Katie Harrison, Georgia Mancais, Pamela Papa-Adams, Phoebe Sharp, Emily Smith (Captain),Verity Streek, Tiggy Teare, Kate Woodford.

he Girls’ Under 15B team began the season with some good training sessions, sorting out which positions worked well in order to unite the team. Unfortunately, this was not reflected in the first few games of the season, with the team suffering some disappointing results. We finally scored our first victory with a hard-fought 3-0 win against Ardingly College. We worked really well throughout this match stopping the opposition entering our D with some good defence and pressure from the attack. We also won our last match of the season against Duke of York’s Royal Military School, which proved to be an excellent way to end the term.

In spite of the defeats we suffered, overall I feel that we had a good season. The team put lots of effort into the matches and we enjoyed playing. Thank you to everyone who played and to our coach, Miss Clement-Walker for her inspirational speeches and help.

Squad: Georgia Best (Captain), Emily Bottle, Ellen Crombie, Maelle Dassier, Ava Deighton-Smythe, Imogen Forknall, Isabella Hughes, Phoebe Sharp, Olivia Smith, Charlotte Teare, Anja Von Nardroff.

Under 14A Girls’ Hockey Anna Harrison, Third Form Played: 8, Won: 5, Drawn: 1, Lost: 2

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t was a very impressive and successful Hockey season for the Under 14A team. With the introduction of several new players, we were able to field an extremely strong and dynamic team.With the help of a fast, skilful front line, consisting of Jenna Boltman, Maisie Rixon and Elizabeth Moore, we were able to score an impressive 31 goals. At the other end of the pitch, the solid defence consisting of Elizabeth Drummond, Charlotte Heard, Anna Harrison, Katie Lang, Jemima Bruce-Lockhart and Olivia Heard, managed to concede only 10 goals, which gave us an amazing goal difference. These results would not have been possible without the hard work from the midfield, consisting of Charlotte Wooldridge, Alexandra Sacker, Daisy Fenton and Amber Brinkman.

I would like to thank Miss McConnachie and Mr Mathews for coaching us, and for organising all of our matches. Lastly, I would like to give a huge thanks to all of the supporting parents who came to watch our matches, we couldn’t have achieved such an amazing season without all of these wonderful people.

Squad: Jenna Boltman, Jemima Bruce-Lockhart, Elizabeth Drummond, Daisy Fenton, Anna Harrison (Captain), Charlotte Heard, Olivia Heard, Katie Lang, Elizabeth Moore, Maisie Rixon, Alexandra Sacker, Charlotte Wooldridge.

Under 15A Girls’ Hockey Team

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Under 14B Girls’ Hockey Pescha Cordell, Third Form

Under 13A Girls’ Hockey

Played: 8, Won: 6, Lost: 2

Mr D Mathews and Maisie Rixon, Second Form

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s the ball smashed against the other team’s back board in the first match we played, we all knew that we would have an enjoyable season to come. As a team, we learnt so much and achieved a great amount. We were a newly puttogether side, but after a few training sessions we all gelled, and knew how to help each other in matches.

As a team, our two proudest matches were a 1-0 win against Sevenoaks School Under 15C and a 1-0 win against Cranbrook Under 14B team. We had a great season with a lot of fun. The players of the season were Elizabeth Cavell and Paige Davidson who always played their best and lifted the spirits of the team. Thank you so much to Mrs Rose for coaching us, and helping us become better players than we imagined we could be. I enjoyed being captain, and I cannot wait for next Hockey season.

Squad: Amber Brinkman, Alice Busby, Isabelle Busby, Elizabeth Cavell, Pescha Cordell (Captain), Paige Davidson, Isabella Eyers, Gabriella Howarth, Katie Lang, Bethan Pepler, Gabriella Romano, Amelie Rossiter, Florence Watkinson.

Played: 23, Won: 16, Drawn: 3, Lost 4

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he Under 13A team has had a fabulous season that has seen some outstanding results. In their block fixtures, they have beaten county champions Kent College, Canterbury 5-2, St Lawrence College (ranked third in the county) 4-3, and Sevenoaks School (ranked fourth in the county) 8-2. The side were very unlucky to lose in the county tournament quarter final to The King’s School, Canterbury in a match which they dominated throughout. The game went to extra time before being decided by a golden goal.

The team competed at the East Grinstead South Regional Tournament against schools from across the south and south-east. Despite the higher level of competition, the girls won four of their six group games, including impressive victories against Bromley High School and Copthorne Preparatory School. The team finished as runners-up in their group and progressed to the quarter finals. Although they lost that match to Hurstpierpoint College, they should take huge pride in their efforts on the day.

Overall, the team won 16 games this season and scored a staggering 79 goals, 44 of which came from the stick of Sophie Lee. Sophie scored nine hat-tricks this term, netted four goals against both Sevenoaks School and The King’s School, Canterbury and a further five goals in a match against Ashford School. The pinnacle of her season was the stunning performance against Holmewood House School, when she scored seven times in a 7-5 win for Sutton Valence; a School record.

Maisie Rixon, Katherine Sawyer and Charlotte Farrell were Sophie’s main supply line and these players worked tirelessly to lay on the chances for Sophie to score. Maisie Rixon played superbly on the right wing, proving to be a nightmare for opposition defences with her incredible speed, skills and accuracy of passing.

Under 13C Girls’ Hockey Mariana Mason, Second Form Played: 4, Won: 2, Drawn:1, Lost:1

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t was a very successful hockey season for the Under 13C Girls’ Hockey team: we only lost once out of all the games we played! Our greatest victory was against King’s Rochester, when we won 4-0. Our goalscorers were Emily Baldwin (scoring three) and Cameron Lamont-Brown. However, it was not just goalscoring that mattered; Anna Smith and Sofia Moggi also showed great skill, passing accuracy and some strong tackling.

On behalf of all our team, I would like to thank Miss McConnachie for coaching us and pushing us to play to our full potential.We must not forget to say a huge thank you to all the parents that came to support us, no matter the weather. Your cheering kept us going.

We all thoroughly enjoyed all of our matches and look forward to next year’s challenges!

Squad: Nicole Avery, Emily Baldwin, Philippa Dow, Charlotte Gilman, Charlotte Holmes, Cameron Lamont-Brown, Mariana Mason (Captain), Sofia Moggi, Muhing Okhrabu, Anna Smith,

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Florence Watkinson, Charlotte Lang and Olivia Heard were outstanding in defence and laid a foundation for these great results and attacking displays. Olivia Heard proved to be an excellent corner striker and hit the ball hard from the back. She scored four important goals for the team from the top of the circle. Thank you to Mr Mathews for his wonderful coaching and giving us every opportunity to develop as hockey players, as well as Mr Wells, Mr Kerr and Mr Spain and all of the parents who have supported us; we couldn’t have done it without your help.

Squad: Jessica De Lucy, Philippa Dow, Charlotte Farrell, Olivia Heard, Charlotte Lang, Sophie Lee, Lily Mostowfi, Maisie Rixon (Captain), Katherine Sawyer, Florence Watkinson.

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off to the perfect start by thrashing Duke of York’s 13-0

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1st XI Boys’ Hockey Joseph Deveson, Upper Sixth Played: 14, Won: 5, Drawn: 3, Lost: 6

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ith seven of the 1st XI boys playing their final season of Hockey for Sutton Valence, we were determined to make it one to remember. We got off to the perfect start by thrashing Duke of York’s Royal Military School 13-0, with goals from just about every member of the team. We carried this momentum forward into the following weekend’s clash against bitter rivals Caterham School. A great start saw Jamie Drewe score his fifth goal in just two games, but Caterham responded with a force which I imagine is comparable to being hit by a train. They threw everything at us, but we managed to cling on until the last minute when they slipped past us to end the game 1-1. At least the pain of missing out on the win was somewhat overshadowed by the pain from our cuts, scrapes and bruises. This really set the tone for the coming games as we matured into the season and continued to show that we would never back away from a challenge.

We carried this determination into our third game against St Lawrence College. Their recent influx of county and international players made for a tough game. We were the first to score with Thomas Agu Benson slotting one in from the top of the D, but St Lawrence were quick to respond with two goals of their own.

Unfortunately, we could only muster one more goal while they managed three more. Arguably, the pinnacle of the season came a week later at the Frank Mason Tournament. Having performed well here in previous years, we were confident we could come away with a good result. The group stages went just as we had hoped, winning three out of four and drawing the other against our old rivals The King’s School, Canterbury.

That result put us in the quarter finals against Langley School. The boys played their hearts out, with every single player giving their all right up until the last whistle. The game was perfectly matched and ended 0-0, and so we went to flicks. Henry Overy, Angus McVarish, Max Denniff, William Harrison and I all stepped up to take a flick,

Photography: Mrs D Boltman

“ We got

and managed to put in four out of five of the attempts. Just as they had in the game though, Langley managed to match our efforts.We went to sudden death flicks and fortunately their flick went wide and ours was converted, meaning we progressed to the semi finals.The huge effort we had put into the last game had taken its toll and we went into the match low on energy. Despite this, the boys still rallied and we were able to keep Simon Langton Boys’ School to only four goals while Max Denniff picked up our only goal of the game. The great third place result was testament to how hard the players worked and it was thoroughly deserved.

We then ended the season against our two main rivals, The King’s School, Canterbury and Cranbrook School. Much like the tournament, we took the attack to King’s, only this time they were first to score. However Thomas Agu Benson found the back of the net only minutes before the end of the half to make it 1-1. We came out in the second half even faster than in the first and quickly won a penalty corner, which we scored to take the lead. This fired up both sides and with both teams missing chances, tensions started to rise, we were seconds away from a win when they somehow managed to sneak one in just before the end to leave the game a draw.

The match against Cranbrook School was a disappointing one which ended in a 4-3 loss to a team we felt we should have beaten. Despite this final loss, the team had a great season, especially when you consider we had many players making their debut season for the 1st XI, such as Matthew Webb, Alex Thorogood, William Harrison and our amazing keeper Henry Overy. A massive thank you must go to Mr Mathews, Mr Kerr and Mr Spain for giving us their time, and to all the players who honestly made it the best season of Hockey I have ever had and a pleasure to captain.

Squad: Thomas Agu Benson, Patrick Backhouse, Guy Backhouse, Stuart Boltman, Max Denniff, Joseph Deveson (Captain), Jamie Drewe, William Harrison, Cameron Knight, Tom Lennard, Angus McVarish, Henry Overy, Praghat Rana, Henry Spain-Warner, Max Streek, Alex Thorogood, Matthew Webb.

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Under 15A Boys’ Hockey Lars Eastman, Fourth Form Played: 13, Won: 6, Drawn: 3, Lost: 4

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he Under 15A Boys’ Hockey season was fairly successful, with the team getting to the quarter finals of the Peter Firminger tournament, and only losing two matches in the whole season.

Under 16A Boys’ Hockey Team

Credit must go to Harry O’Rawe and Alistair Gooding, who scored most of the goals this season. Equally impressive was Sean McKeating, who formed a strong defence for the team, and Lars Eastman for captaining the side. A special mention goes to Harry Yorke for having an outstanding season, despite his own goal against The King’s School, Canterbury! Overall, a very respectable season with some strong results against teams like Eltham College.

Under 16A Boys’ Hockey

Thank you to Mr Van Vuuren for coaching the team.

William Harrison, Fifth Form

Squad: Joseph Agu Benson, Archie Crouch, Felix Dont, Lars Eastman (Captain), Edward Ervine, Alistair Gooding, Jenkins Kiwanuka, Sean McKeating, Harry Mitchell, Harry O’Rawe, Miles Stockman, Harry Yorke.

Played: 7, Won: 4, Lost: 3

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tarting the Hockey term with pre-season training and a match against Tonbridge School, we knew we had a promising season ahead. Our first fixture was against Caterham School which we won 4-1, marking the start of a successful streak for the team. Our quarter final cup match was against Cranbrook School, which we won 6-0.The semi final match was against a strong Simon Langton Boys’ School side, who had a reputation for dismantling opposition teams. Fortunately, they failed to do so against us. Our England striker Max Denniff lead the assault and we came through with a hard-fought 4-3 win.

Our county cup final was played against Langley Park School for Boys.

Despite our solid defence and excellent goalkeeping performance from Henry Overy, the final score was a disappointing 3-5 loss. A special thanks must go to Mr Van Vuuren and Mr Mathews for making our season such an enjoyable one.

Squad: Max Denniff, Lars Eastman, Laurence Eastman, Jack Fenton, George Gaston, William Harrison (Captain), Alexander Hill, Thomas Lazarides, Thomas Millington, Ben Mortley, Harry O’Rawe, Henry Overy, Alexander Schuller, Alex Thorogood, Matthew Webb.

Under 15B Boys’ Hockey Jack McNama, Fourth Form Played: 5, Won: 3, Drawn:1, Lost: 1

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he Under 15B Boys’ Hockey team was one of the most successful teams in the School. We battled through thick and thin to make sure we came out on top in each of our games.

We started off the Lent Term with a game against Caterham School. We knew this would be a hard game after seeing their previous score-sheets, but we worked hard as a team and ended the match with a 1-1 draw. Our second game was against St Lawrence College. This was one of the best games of Hockey the team has played, and as a result we won 10-0. The subsequent run of games saw us continue our good form, winning against everyone we faced. Finally, that run came to an end against a strong Cranbrook School team. We lost 2-0, but the boys continued to show excellent spirit, as they had done throughout the year.

I am extremely proud to have captained the team.

Their determination and perseverance shone through in every game, and having the parents support us at home and away made a huge impact on the morale of the team. Mr Howell was a great support, allowing us to focus on areas of training that needed improvement and his encouragement spurred us on in all our games.

Under 15A Boys’ Hockey Team

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Squad: Alexander Bartleet, Gabrio Capaldi, Thomas Cavell, George Cook, Cameron Evans, Fergus Fowle, Finlay Heine, Barnaby Loxton-Barnard, Antonio Malluzzo-Fisher, Jack McNama (Captain), Ben Purvis, Thomas Saltmarsh, Joshua Scott.

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Under 14A Boys’ Hockey Max Savage, Third Form Played: 8, Won: 6, Lost: 2

T Under 15B Boys’ Hockey Team

hroughout a short and intense season, the Under 14A Boys’ team has played some outstanding Hockey. After only losing one block fixture, the team can be extremely proud of their efforts. We gelled really well with Nathaniel Easton, Benjamin Watkins, Oliver Jones and Jack Hughes all joining the team. A special mention must go to Benjamin Watkins as this was his first time ever playing Hockey and he performed consistently well. Also, Finn Swaine did an amazing job in goal, keeping us in a lot of matches. A strong defence gave us more confidence to attack, and Louis Ridge was our top goalscorer, virtually managing to score a hat-trick every game.

An unlucky defeat against St Lawrence College meant that we were out of the cup quite early on. This didn’t really affect the team, and the week after we went out and were soon back to winning ways. This success would not have happened without Mr Wells as our coach. He inspired us to play well and made sure we always kept our heads up, even if we were losing.

Squad: Nathaniel Easton,Arthur Genders, Hugh Harman, Jack Hughes, George Jones, Oliver Jones, Oliver Laird, Sebastiaan Lijesen, Louis Ridge, Max Savage (Captain), Jack StantonGleaves, Finn Swaine, Noah Swaine, Benjamin Watkins.

Under 14A Boys’ Hockey Team

Under 14B Boys’ Hockey Mr G Alderman, Director of Sport Played: 5, Won: 2, Drawn: 2, Lost: 1

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t was a frustrating season for the Under 14B hockey team in so many ways; a short term, injuries, illness and two cancelled fixtures all conspired against us.

All this culminated in a disjointed season and did not allow us to hit any form or consistency. In training we worked hard honing the basic skills, but it was translating this into our weekly performances that we found challenging and thus we struggled to form any patterns of play. Congestion around the ball often hampered us getting it into space, but when we did we had some great scoring opportunities which we too often failed to nail home.

That said, the final game of the season against Ardingly College saw us start to hit some form. Finally we believed in our own ability and could see what we were doing was working: in holding our width and passing the ball into space, the opportunities started to present themselves. The game finished 4-1 to us and the much-improved performance left the feeling of what might have been if we had hit form earlier in the season. As I said at the beginning, it was a

disjointed season and so the final tally was encouraging with lots to look forward to next season.

Squad: George Baker, Luke Bernicchi, Joshua Emerson, Arthur Genders, William Gibson, Tom Gray, Reuben Hodson, George Jones, Oliver Jones, Jack Lewis, Joe McInerney, Thomas McLaughlin, Samuel Pope, Herbie Stephenson, Thomas Taft, Jamie Warman.

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Under 13A Boys’ Hockey

Under 13B Boys’ Hockey

Alexander Duckett, Second Form

Luca Capaldi, Second Form

Played: 24, Won: 16, Drawn: 4, Lost: 4

Played: 8, Won: 8

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he Under 13A Boys’ Hockey team had a very successful season winning most of our games. We had a couple of disappointing draws at the start of the season, but improved as we settled into our positions and got to know each other as players.

We often struggled to start quickly, which gave the opposition the upper hand, but as the season progressed, we improved.We progressed to the semi finals of the county championships and the Barrow Hills County Tournament, both times losing out to St Lawrence College. We were also runners up in the Dulwich Preparatory School Tournament with a narrow loss to Marlborough House School.

Our best games included a 5-1 win against King’s Rochester, a 7-1 win against Duke of York`s Military School and a 6-3 win against Dulwich Preparatory School. With so many potential A team players in the year, I am really looking forward to next season when our 11-a-side Under 14 team will be a force to be reckoned with!

bviously being a member of an unbeaten team is an amazing achievement for myself, as well as the rest of the team. We won all eight games and scored 55 goals. Everybody played outstandingly well. Assuming my memory is accurate, everybody scored at least one goal in the Hockey season which also is a great achievement for the whole team. Special congratulations go to our goalkeeper Patrick Mullen for letting in only four goals in the entire season. Overall, everybody played incredibly well and I am proud to have been the captain of such a fantastic group.

Squad: Tom Barton, Luca Capaldi (Captain), Josh Laird, James Latter-Lumsden, Daniel Lenehan, Joseph Lenehan, Patrick Mullen, Freddie Rigby, Jonny Russell, Joe Savage, McKellen Young.

Squad: Sam Allison, Ewen Barr, Alexander Duckett (Captain), Louis Hillier, Joshua Laird, Theodore Nelson, Jonny Russell, Archie Yorke.

Under 13A Boys’ Hockey Team

Under 13B Boys’ Hockey Team

Under 13C Boys’ Hockey

Under 13D Boys’ Hockey

Mr D Mathews, Head of Hockey

Jack Price, Second Form

Played: 8, Won: 7, Lost: 1

Played; 6, Won: 5, Lost:1

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he Under 13C team enjoyed an excellent season winning seven of their eight games, scoring a fantastic 35 goals and conceding only ten. Notable wins came against King’s Rochester (9-2), Dulwich Preparatory School (6-3), St Lawrence College (4-1) and Marlborough House School (2-1). Elliott Gooding and Alfie Collins-Smith were the top scorers for the team, ably assisted by Bishesh Bhandari, Suveen Gurung and James Yeabsley. Daniel Lenehan, Freddie Rigby and Joseph McDermott were superb in defence and Joshua Forknall was excellent in goal. The team displayed fantastic teamwork during each game and their undoubted potential was reflected in their great performances on the pitch.

s a whole, the Under 13D team had a good season.

Out of the six games we played, we won five of them, including an excellent 2-0 win in our final game of the season against Marlborough House School. Notable mentions should go to our goalkeeper, Conor Grant, who made some excellent saves throughout the season; Marlo Cordell for his outstanding teamwork, and the team’s vice captain; Samuel Crisp for his leadership skills. I must congratulate the team on how they played this season, they were an honour to play with and I hope to be involved with them in the future.

Squad: Bishesh Bhandari (Captain), Alfie Collins-Smith, Joshua Forknall, Elliot Gooding, Suveen Gurung, Daniel Lenehan, Joseph McDermott, Freddie Rigby, Myles Simmons, James Yeabsley.

Squad: Alfie Collins-Smith, Marlo Cordell, Samuel Crisp, Conor Grant, Joseph McDermott, Jack Price, William Saltmarsh, Myles Simmons, Oscar Vas.

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Netball 1st VII Netball Amelia Gaston, Upper Sixth Played: 15, Won: 10, Lost: 5

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he 1st VII Netball team had a great season, winning ten out of the 15 matches they played.

A slow start to the term saw us lose our opening three fixtures against Sevenoaks School, St John’s School, Leatherhead and The King’s School, Canterbury. Despite the results, we soon learnt how to work together as a team and our level of play stepped up. Our first victory of the season came against King’s Rochester, and despite a subsequent loss to Christ’s Hospital School, we then managed a run of victories (including the undefeated touring 1st VII in South Africa). This run included some impressive performances against the likes of Lancing College and St Lawrence College.

With the incredible duo of Georgia Ridge and Emelia Hollingsworth as our shooters, we managed to score 340 goals in the season, with our defence of Sasha van Diepen, Eliza Lewis and Naomi Lijesen ensuring far less were scored against us.

The highlight of the term, however, had to be the final match of the season against Cranbrook School. As two very evenly matched sides, the game was fierce and the third quarter ended with the score at 18-18.

After some amazing play in the last quarter, reflecting how much the team has developed throughout the term, we won with a final score of 25-22 to Sutton Valence. It has been an amazing term, and I have enjoyed every bit. A huge thank you must go to Miss McConnachie for being the best coach to work with.

Squad: Emelia Bonny, Emily Finch, Amelia Gaston (Captain), Emelia Hollingsworth, Rehannah HoughtonJudge, Eliza Lewis, Naomi Lijesen, Georgia Ridge, Sasha van Diepen.

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2nd VII Netball Henrietta Taylor, Lower Sixth Played 10, Won: 5, Drawn: 1, Lost: 4

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his year, the 2nd VII season started off slowly with a draw against Sevenoaks School followed by two consecutive losses against St John’s School Leatherhead and The King’s School, Canterbury. The team stayed positive though with good leadership from the senior players. This enthusiasm was rewarded with a run of four straight victories against King’s Rochester, Christ’s Hospital School, Lancing College and Colfe’s School.

The results gave the team renewed belief, which would be tested in the next two matches against 1st VII opposition from Worth School and St Edmund’s School. In the first match against Worth, Ella Proctor made a number of key interceptions and Phoebe Dawson‘s shooting kept us in the game. Unfortunately by the final quarter, our lack of subs took its toll, and a fresher Worth team took advantage to snatch the win. Against St Edmund’s, Katie Latter put in an outstanding performance playing in both attack and defence as the team went on to score an impressive victory.

The team’s final match was against Cranbrook School. Similar to the match against Worth School, we managed to stay competitive up until the fourth quarter, helped by Chloe Evans’ speed around the court.

Unfortunately, the Cranbrook team was able to get in a few quick goals which resulted in a 29-27 loss.

Well done to all of the girls who played for the team this season.

Special mention must go to Ella Proctor for winning Most Improved Player, Stephanie Weir for winning Manager’s Player and Henrietta Taylor for winning Player of the Season. Also thank you to Miss Hallett for coaching us through this entire season and for making it so much fun.

Squad: Phoebe Dawson, Chloe Evans, Katie Latter, Hannah Morris, Ella Proctor, Isabelle Stevens, Henrietta Taylor, (Captain), Stephanie Weir.

Boys versus Girls Netball Amelia Gaston, Upper Sixth

3rd VII Netball Olivia Richards, Lower Sixth Played: 11, Won: 6, Drawn: 2, Lost: 3

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he season was a very successful one for the 3rd VII. We had a slightly different team each week, which affected our consistency, but despite this, we played well together. We were able to move the ball down the court very quickly to our shooters who scored nearly every time the ball got into the D. During the season, our shooters scored a total of 209 goals thanks to Ella Capaldi, Harriet Cage and Lily Crampton. Our defence was also very good thanks to our goalkeepers Charlotte Copping and Isabelle Turner.

Squad: Jessica Bennett, Harriet Cage, Ella Capaldi, Charlotte Copping, Lily Crampton, Rachel McDermott, Grace Mortley, Olivia Richards (Captain), Verity Smith, Isabelle Turner.

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ednesday 16th March marked the highlight of the of 2016 Netball season: the Upper Sixth 1st VII Netball girls played against the Upper Sixth 1st XI Hockey boys in a 28 minute match of pure passion. Never in the fields of human conflict have two teams wanted to win so badly.

A bet made, allowing Joe Deveson to write the final Netball report of the term, made the stakes even higher. The game started fiercely, with both sides fighting for the ball. The speed of the Backhouse twins in the centre was evenly matched through the agility of Chloe Evans and Hannah Morris, whilst the Olympian shooting abilities of Eve Barclay were considerably hindered by her six foot giraffe-like opponent of Jeremy Budd.

This saw the score remain very close throughout the majority of the game.

In the second half, the girls stepped up their play, allowing them to take the lead and run rings around their hairier, taller opponents. Even the vociferous remonstrations of the boys’ team manager Abdullah Adil could not get them back into the lead, seeing the game end 12-10 to the girls.

It was a fantastic game, and the support from the rest of the School made it even better. Thanks must go to Miss Hallett and Miss Bennison for umpiring the match and dealing with frequent outcries from the more competitive of the players!

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Under 15A Netball Georgia Mancais, Fourth Form Played: 12, Won: 8, Drawn: 1, Lost: 3

We played some tough matches and lost against some strong teams. We always came off the court pleased with our performance, even if the score was against us; we always knew there was room for improvement. Some of the toughest matches were against The King’s School, Canterbury and Lancing College; these were both very intense and serious games, but we never lost focus and kept our heads high.

Photography: Mrs D Boltman

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he Girls’ Under 15A Netball team had a very enjoyable, but challenging season. The girls were determined to do even better than they did last year and, with the encouragement from our coaches Mrs Pankhust and Miss McConnachie, we were able to perform well.

Our defence this year was very strong, with Phoebe Aucamp,Verity Streek and Sophie Baxter, all very tall, working well together, blocking out as many goals as possible. They also worked well to flip the game around and send the ball up the court to me and Emily Smith to pass to our talented shooters Kate Woodford and Ella Hughes, who both had a fantastic season. Working together for the second year now, we knew what we had improve and started to focus more on our lessons, performing every tactic as best we could, as we start to move up the School into senior Netball next year. Well done to Kate Woodford for getting Player of the Season and from me the Most Improved Player goes to Verity Streek.

Altogether as a team, we scored 270 goals, which is very impressive.

Squad: Phoebe Aucamp, Sophie Baxter, Ella Hughes, Georgia Mancais (Captain), Emily Smith, Verity Streek, Kate Woodford.

Under 15B Netball Phoebe Sharp, Fourth Form Played: 10, Won: 1, Drawn: 1, Lost: 8

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eing a small year group for girls, it was always going to be hard to put out a team each week.

It was a tough season for the Under 15B team, but many of our fixtures were against strong Under 15A teams. Despite this, our squad kept their spirits high and were always prepared to put up a fight.

This was my first year at Sutton Valence and as the Under 15B Netball captain, I was extremely proud of them all. I would like to thank Miss Gray and Miss McConnachie for coaching us through the season.

Squad: Georgia Best, Melissa Dawson, Kathryn Douglas, Imogen Forknall, Pamela Papa-Adams, Phoebe Sharp (Captain), Tiggy Teare.

Under 15A Netball Team

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Under 14A Netball Jenna Boltman, Third Form Played: 9, Won: 7, Lost: 2

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was very proud to have captained the Under 14A Girls’ Netball Team, and we had a very successful season. We all worked hard, continued to learn and work together with our coach, and we achieved great results. Our Netball was consistent and structured, with everyone working together well.

In attack and defence we had Jemima Bruce-Lockhart, Katie Lang, Alexandra Sacker, Daisy Fenton and Gabriella Howarth, who all supported each other throughout, worked hard to create space and get the ball to the D to enable shooting opportunities.

Anna Harrison defended at the post with confidence and determination, while at the attacking post, Annabel Mansfield showed great movement onto the ball and some superb shooting. Our centre, Charlotte Wooldridge, worked the ball down the court with some accurate feeding from around the circle edge.

We played in a couple of tournaments; the one at Rainham School for Girls being our first of the season. We won five out of our first six matches, sending us to the finals, where we came runners-up. We also played in The King’s School, Canterbury Tournament and were crowned winners of the Plate Competition.

Outside of these tournaments we scored a massive 176 goals.

Despite all our victories, there were two close and disappointing losses. One to Sevenoaks School, whom we had beaten earlier in the year, and the other to Cranbrook School.

The team also had the great privilege of going to Disneyland Paris (report on page 121) where the teams were impressively strong, which meant we had to up our game immensely.We had some close games, ending in golden goal deciders, which meant we came fifth in our pool: a huge achievement and something we are all very proud of.

A massive well done to the whole team, and especially to Mrs Rose who helped, supported and encouraged us throughout each game – making us so much more determined for each win.

Squad: Jenna Boltman (Captain), Jemima Bruce-Lockhart, Daisy Fenton, Anna Harrison, Gabriella Howarth, Katie Lang, Annabel Mansfield, Alexandra Sacker, Charlotte Wooldridge.

Under 14B Netball Team

Under 14B Netball Charlotte Heard, Third Form Played: 8, Won: 3, Lost: 5

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he Under 14B Netball team has had an impressive season, with the girls showing great skill and sportsmanship throughout their matches and training sessions. The team started well with a win against Duke of York’s Royal Military School but then succumbed to consecutive defeats to St John’s School, Leatherhead and The King’s School, Canterbury. Victories against Lancing College and Colfe’s School followed, but we weren’t able to build on that success and unfortunately lost the remaining matches of the season.

The results don’t show the dedication and skill of the team though, each of whom deserve a mention. Paige Davidson (GS) has had an amazing season, her shooting has been impeccable and her perseverance has kept the rest of the team’s heads high. Anisha Thapa Magar (GK) has shown us all how keen she is to get the ball, her quick interceptions and feistiness on the ball has kept the other teams under pressure.

In goal attack, Daisy Fenton’s quick movement regularly outpaced the opposition and allowed her to manoeuvre seamlessly around the court. Her great sense of humour always kept the team in a good mood too. Amelie Rossiter (WA) suffered early on with a knee injury, but she was keen to get back as soon as possible and didn’t let it interfere with her game. Her speedy feet and great awareness around the court made it tough for opposition teams to counter. Elizabeth Moore (WD or GD) proved to be a great defender, with excellent footwork and impeccable marking. In the middle of the pitch was Gabriella Romano, whose great jumps and interceptions were invaluable, and whose long passes and accuracy always kept the ball flowing down the court.

Unfortunately the team lost players due to other teams being short of members, so it was a shame to lose Pescha Cordell, Gabriella Howarth, Alice Busby and Libby Cavell. Despite this, the team kept their game faces on and never lost heart. Although the results don’t necessarily reflect it, we have worked hard and been a supportive and kind team throughout the matches. I am very grateful to have played with them, and it has been a pleasure to be their captain.

Under 14A Netball Team

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Squad: Alice Busby, Elizabeth Cavell, Pescha Cordell, Paige Davidson, Daisy Fenton, Charlotte Heard (Captain), Gabriella Howarth, Elizabeth Moore, Gabriella Romano, Amelie Rossiter, Anisha Thapa Magar.

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Under 13A Netball Maisie Rixon, Second Form Played: 9, Won: 5, Lost: 4

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his season was very successful for the Under 13A team, especially considering it was predominantly First Formers who were in it.

After a tough match against Dulwich Preparatory School at the start of the season, we were determined to improve. With excellent coaching from Miss McConnachie, anything would be possible, and within the space of a couple of training sessions, we had improved dramatically.

Highlights of the season include wins against Invicta Grammar School, Saint Ronan’s School and several others in the annual county tournament. Charlotte Farrell and Charlotte Lang played strongly, scoring many goals over the season. Katherine Sawyer held together the centre with her strong defending and interceptions. We have strong wing players so the opposition often struggled to get past us due to our speed and fitness.

Many parents came to watch the matches, which really spurred us on. Next season should be very good, as most of the team will be staying in this age group and will be more experienced. Thank you to all the teachers and parents that gave up their time to help and support us. I can’t wait for next season!

Squad: Chloe Alexander, Jessica De Lucy, Charlotte Farrell, Olivia Heard, Charlotte Lang, Lily Mostowfi, Maisie Rixon (Captain), Katherine Sawyer.

Under 13A Netball Team

Under 13C Netball Miss J Manning Played: 5, Won: 3, Lost: 2

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he Under 13C Netball team had a mixed season with some tough fixtures against Holmewood House School, Saint Ronan’s School and Marlborough House School. However, the team also had some pleasing wins against King’s Rochester and Sir Roger Manwood’s School, with perhaps the greatest win of the season (124) against local rivals Dulwich Preparatory School.

A special mention must go to Mariana Mason, who captained the team, Muhing Okhrabu for her frequent nomination as Player of the Match, and finally to our two extraordinary shooters: Charlotte Holmes and Florence Watkinson. A huge ‘well done’ to them all.

Squad: Nicole Avery, Charlotte Gilman, Charlotte Holmes, Cameron Lamont-Brown, Mariana Mason (Captain), Muhing Okhrabu, Anna Smith, Florence Watkinson.

Under 13 Netball Team

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Cricket 1st XI Cricket Mr V Wells, Head of Cricket Played: 14, Won: 9, Drawn: 1, Lost: 2, Abandoned: 2

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ith six of the boys having been members of the 1st XI for the past two years, this season was going to be one of expectation rather than building and developing as a team. There is obviously much less pressure as underdogs but the team realised that if they played to their potential this year, they were capable of having a very good season.

Unfortunately, the first game of the season was a wash out but in our next game the team hit the ground running with a fine 10 wicket victory against The Forty Club. Chasing 155 to win, the opening pair of Tom Lennard 70* and Ryan Jones 66* comfortably knocked off the runs with overs to spare.

Our second fixture against Colfe’s School also resulted in a comfortable victory by 135 runs. Batting first, the team were on course for a big target but a few reckless dismissals meant that we had to settle for 221-9 with Jamie Drewe top scoring with 51. In reply, Colfe’s were soon in trouble and a superb spell of bowling from Joseph Deveson 5-9 resulted in them being dismissed for 86.

Our next three games before half term resulted in another two good wins and team performances against Sevenoaks School and Worth School; Tom Lennard again leading with the bat and Joseph Deveson and William Edwards on form with the ball. In the other fixture the boys managed to hang on for a draw against a very strong MCC side. Chasing 216 for victory the boys were soon in trouble despite a fine 45 again from Tom Lennard and 35 from James Bevan-Thomas. Sutton Valence eventually finished on 134-9 to keep their unbeaten run going until at least half term.

The second half of term started with a fixture against Whitgift School 2nd XI. The boys were once again fired up for this match.

A good bowling performance with four wickets for Joseph Deveson and two apiece for William Edwards and Kent Under 17

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fast bowler Elliot Aiken, restricted the opposition to just 145. This was never going to be enough on another good Upper wicket and the boys reached their target for the loss of three wickets with captain Abdullah Adil top scoring with 54*.

Unfortunately, our next game against Judd was abandoned midway despite a brilliant 101 not out from Abdullah. This brought us to our eagerly-anticipated match against The King’s School, Canterbury. This fixture has resulted in some good games over the years and it always seems to bring out the best in the boys.

Winning the toss and sending the opposition out to bat first, the boys put in a good performance restricting them to 209-7 in their 45 overs.

Unfortunately, a few dropped catches cost us some vital extra runs. Despite the loss of a few early wickets captain, Abdullah Adil, and James Bevan-Thomas put us in a strong position, only two wickets down at the half way stage. Unfortunately, some poor shot selection and some good bowling from King’s resulted in us losing our advantage and we were eventually bowled out for 172. It was another good game against strong opposition who took their opportunities and chances better than us on the day.

Our first defeat of the season was quickly followed by another against a very strong OS XI. A wonderful day of past captains and the car show (page 106) was enjoyed by all, despite the 1st XI losing by 65 runs. As always, it was nice to see some old and new faces at our wonderful cricket ground.

Our next game, a Twenty20 fixture against Cranbrook, was abandoned at the halfway stage due to rain with Sutton Valence scoring 131-8 in bowler-friendly conditions and Abdullah Adil continuing his good form with a fine 53. The next day The Band of Brothers were our visitors. Deciding to bat first they, perhaps, slightly underestimated our attack and the boys put in a very good performance. Abdullah’s outstanding bowling spell resulted in figures of 8-34 and dismissed the opposition for just 139. With the sun now shining and the wicket back to its best, the boys raced home for the loss of just one wicket, Ryan Jones scoring a fine 87 not out.

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The last week of the Summer Term started with a four team Twenty20 tournament at The King’s School, Canterbury with The Judd and Sevenoaks School. In our semi final we defeated Sevenoaks by 27 runs with Abdullah Adil, Jamie Drewe and Stuart Boltman all contributing. The game was evenly poised until the introduction of left arm spinner Will Edwards and medium pacer James Bevan-Thomas who turned the game in our favour. This set up an exciting final against The King’s School, Canterbury who had beaten Judd. Following our earlier defeat in the season against King’s the boys were really fired up for this game. On a wearing pitch, taking spin, it was a good toss to win, although the loss of a few early wickets meant that someone had to play well. That person was Jamie Drewe.

A wonderful innings of 80, with power and touch resulting in Sutton Valence scoring a competitive 137-5.The King’s innings started in a similar way but a mid-innings partnership left the game evenly poised. Once again the introduction of William Edwards 4-29 was the turning point, resulting in a fantastic 15 run victory. This was a fitting end for the Upper Sixth boys Abdullah Adil, Tom Lennard, Stuart Boltman, Joseph Deveson and Alexander Woodford, to finish on.

With the Senior boys all now away in Zante, the final game of the season against The Headmasters XI was a good chance to look at the possible side for the 2017 season. As always this is a great way to finish the season and it is always good to see some old faces. Batting first, the Headmaster’s XI scored 2059 declared with William Edwards again taking four wickets and three for Elliot Aiken. In reply the 1st XI reached their target for the loss of five wickets with James Bevan-Thomas scoring a fine 60 not out.

The boys had certainly performed to their expectations and deserved all the plaudits for a very good season. This year we lose Captain Abdullah Adil, Tom Lennard, Ryan Jones, Stuart Boltman, Alexander Woodford, Joseph Deveson and Jeremy Budd.These boys have all been committed members of Sutton Valence cricket and I would like to thank them and wish them all good luck for the future both on and off the sports field.

Next year will see us keep five regular members of the 1st XI. The winter months will be important preparing for next season, especially with regards to the batting line up and putting competitive totals on the score board. I know, with the commitment already in place, there will be a lot of competition for places in 2017. A big thank you must once again go to Ian Avery, Kevin Stickles and the ground staff, John Devine and his catering team, umpires Philip Higgins (1970 F) and Andy Cox, and Daniel Hammond (2014 C) for scoring.

Leading run scorer: Abdullah Adil (388 runs at 48.50) Leading wicket taker: William Edwards (29 wickets at 13.41) The end of season awards were as follows: Batting Cup Bowling Cup Coach’s Cup

Abdullah Adil William Edwards James Bevan-Thomas

1st XI Team (from): Abdullah Adil (Captain), Elliot Aiken, Tom Aiken, Joshua Aucamp, James Bevan-Thomas, Stuart Boltman, Jeremy Budd, Joseph Deveson, Jamie Drewe, William Edwards, Ryan Jones, Tom Lennard, Thomas Lazarides, Hugo Loxton-Barnard, Oliver Smither, Alexander Woodford.

1st XI Cricket Team

2nd XI Cricket Mr S Head Played: 4, Won: 3, Lost: 1

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e had high hopes for the season at the beginning of the term, with perhaps one of the strongest 2nd XI squads for a while, indeed some of the players would have made the 1st XI in other years.We were made to wait a while for our first game due to the vagaries of an English summer, so when the day came for our first game against Sevenoaks School, the boys were raring to go.

After a slow start to the game in which we gave them too much respect, Tom Aiken showed us that he has the potential to be a fearsome bowler of some skill, posting figures of 3-8 from five overs.

This, coupled with able support from the other bowlers, restricted Sevenoaks to 112. We were then treated to a destructive display of batting from Matthew Webb scoring 63 from only 42 balls. This meant that we began with a comfortable win by 8 wickets.

We followed this up with another home game against Worth School, opting to bat first we recovered from 14-4 to post 160 from our 30 overs, thanks in no small part to a fine score of 70 from Oliver Smither, ably backed up by Cameron Knight and Tom Millington. This set the stage for an incredible spell of bowling from Hugo Loxton-Barnard, attaining 6-9 from four overs, including a three wicket maiden. After a tough start, to win by 109 runs was an amazing achievement.

This was followed up by another comfortable victory over Claremont in a Twenty20-style fixture, which meant that we went into final game against The King’s School, Canterbury full of confidence. After a good bowling and fielding performance, we managed to restrict them to 115 all out, giving us confidence that we would be able to put in a strong performance with the bat. Sadly we found the conditions and the tight bowling difficult to deal with, meaning that we were all out for 76, leading to our only loss of the season despite competing well.

I would like to thank the boys that participated in an excellent season, played in the correct spirit. Many of the players will still be at the School, which bodes well for next year when we can hopefully build on this season and win all of our games.

2nd XI Team (from): Tom Aiken, Joshua Aucamp (Captain), Jeremy Budd, Edward Cardoza, Laurence Eastman, Cameron Knight, Michael Law, Hugo Loxton-Barnard, Thomas Millington, Max Rossiter, Oliver Smither, Henry Stacey, William Sturges, Matthew Webb, Harrison Woods.

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Under 15A Cricket Lars Eastman, Fourth Form Played: 7, Won: 2, Lost: 5

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he Under 15A team started the season slowly with some disappointing losses to Colfe’s School and Sevenoaks School. At home to Colfe’s, the visitors posted a total of 122, but a strong bowling attack saw us all-out for 75. The next game away at Sevenoaks ended with us needing two runs off the final ball with one wicket remaining. Unfortunately, the ball hit the stumps rather than the bat. Despite the result, we showed promising cricket with excellent bowling from Harry O’Rawe, Harry Mitchell and Thomas Saltmarsh. William Dickinson also performed well with his left arm spin.

Reeling from that defeat, the team bounced back with a convincing victory against Worth School. Having scored an excellent 184-6, the visitors were bowled out for 118.

Unfortunately, we were unable to build on that victory, as the team then suffered three consecutive defeats at home to Whitgift School, Clarement School and The Judd School, the latter of which saw us bowled out for a mere 33 runs.

By the end the season, all aspects of our game came together, demonstrated by a dominant win against the county finalists, The King’s School, Canterbury. Playing away, Sutton Valence managed 148-3, and then a strong bowling attack saw the hosts succumb to a seven wicket defeat.

Throughout the season,Thomas Saltmarsh and Barnaby LoxtonBarnard demonstrated some classy batting skills, topping the scoring charts for the team. Thanks must go to our coach, Mr Mathews who helped the team progress through the season to end with two well-deserved victories.

Under 15A Team (from): Alexander Bartleet, Archie Crouch, William Dickinson, Felix Dont, Lars Eastman (Captain), Edward Ervine, Cameron Evans, Alistair Gooding, Barnaby Loxton-Barnard, Harry Mitchell, Harry O’Rawe, Thomas Saltmarsh.

Under 15B Cricket Team

Under 15B Cricket Alexander Bartleet, Fourth Form Played: 4, Won: 1, Lost: 1, Abandoned: 2

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have been privileged to be the captain of the Under 15B team this year. With a couple of new players coming up from the development squad, we looked good in the nets and were raring to go at the start of the season.

Our first match was a tough fixture against Sevenoaks School away.

We batted first, and despite their strong bowling attack, we came out fighting. Alex Bartleet managed a fast slog, scoring 60 in the first ten overs. Miles Stockman then joined him on a half-century, scoring 55*.We had built up a decent lead, and then bowled well to maintain our strong position. It came down to the last two overs, with Sevenoaks needing six runs to win. Thankfully the cool heads of Antonio Malluzo-Fisher and Shaad Dogra settled our nerves and we managed to win by four runs.

We then had a couple of weekends that were rained off due to the typical English weather. When we finally got the opportunity to play, we faced The Judd School, but unfortunately it started to rain mid-way through the match, and it was abandoned. Next up, we played The King’s School, Canterbury, but sadly we lost convincingly by ten wickets. We then ended the season with a match against Cranbrook School which, like the The Judd game, had to be abandoned halfway through when the heavens opened.

Overall it was a good season with a 50 percent win rate, albeit only from two matches! It was a shame that four out of the six matches were cancelled, as it meant our season struggled to get going. A special mention for Finlay Heine for being the vice-captain and helping me set out the field and batting order. Also for Miles Stockman, who proved equally as adept behind the stumps as he was batting in front of them. This has been a thoroughly enjoyable team to captain through the season, and an extra thanks should go to Mr Clapp for looking after us each weekend.

Under 15A Cricket Team

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Under 15B Team (from): Joseph Agu Benson, Alexander Bartleet (Captain), Shaad Dogra, Felix Dont, Joe Ferguson, Fergus Fowle, Finlay Heine, Jenkins Kiwanuka, Antonio Mulluzzo-Fisher, Jack McNama, Adam Moore, Joshua Scott, Miles Stockman, Harris Tunks, Harry Yorke.

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Under 14A Cricket

Under 14B Cricket

Mr J Van Vuuren

Mr G Alderman, Director of Sport

Played: 8, Won: 4, Lost: 4

Played: 5, Won: 2, Lost: 2, Abandoned: 1

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his was a very up-and-down season for the Under 14A team, with no real consistency throughout. Having opened the season with a convincing five wicket victory over Colfe’s School, the team came back down to earth with a disappointing first round Kent Cup exit at the hands of The Howard School, as the team badly underestimated the opposition.

The team bounced back from their Cup shock with a convincing victory against Sevenoaks School, winning by seven wickets. They followed this up by making short work of Worth School, winning by 113 runs. The result was thoroughly well-deserved with the team playing some superb cricket on the day. A special mention should go to Nathaniel Easton, whose well-struck 50* saw the team over the line.

Despite these two wins, the team failed to build on their success and they suffered a heavy loss to a strong Whitgift School side.

Although a disappointing result, the match had some positives, not least the Under 14A debut of Alexandra Sacker, who bowled five overs 0-12.

The season finished with a series of inconsistent performances against The Judd School and The King’s School, Canterbury, with the team not really getting going in either fixture. In truth, the team played its part in losing the matches rather than the opposition winning them. Having said all of that, this team has great potential to go on and improve their performances. Next season will be a big one for them as they will be out to impress Mr Wells for senior selection the year after.

Under 14A Team (from): George Baker, Morgan Barwick, Luke Bernicchi, Sammy Blakely, Nathaniel Easton, Arthur Genders, Max Hansford, Hugh Harman, Jack Hughes, George Jones, Louis Ridge, Alexandra Sacker, Max Savage, Jack StantonGleaves (Captain), Ben Watkins.

Under 14A Cricket Team

he Under 14B team had a lot of fun this season during which they learnt a little bit about Cricket, particularly the 20 over game. This was mainly dictated by the weather and actually squeezing a match in at all. At the start of the season it was all looking so promising with nine fixtures to look forward to, however with poor weather and opposition cancelling we were whittled down to only five.

At times we showed some great teamwork in the field with some slick bowling and fielding work, however there were times when we lacked concentration giving away extra runs unnecessarily. One highlight was Finn Swaine’s run out which helped us clinch a very memorable win against Sevenoaks School. Jack Lewis proved to be a safe pair of hands behind the stumps and his understanding of the role improved over the season.

Alexandra Sacker, Oliver Laird, Finn Swaine and Luke Bernicchi made up our bowling attack and generally did a very good job attacking the batsmen. Consistency was a problem at times where we gave away easy runs. This was especially true in the match against The King’s School, Canterbury where we really should have won but for a costly over.

Herbie Stephenson’s batting was very reliable and he was ably supported by the rest of the batting line-up. Unfortunately though, patience was not a strong team virtue and rather than trying to build an innings, they often seemed more focused on trying to hit quick boundaries.

This team has a lot of potential and holds a lot of promise for the future, however they must recognise that the right work in the nets will pay off at the crease.

Under 14B Team (from): Luke Bernicchi, Sammy Blakely, Daniel Cloke, Oliver Laird, Jack Lewis, Joseph McInerney, Thomas McLaughlin, Alexandra Sacker(Captain), Herbie Stephenson, Finn Swaine, Noah Swaine, Jamie Warman.

Under 14B Cricket Team

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Under 13A Cricket

Under 13B Cricket

William Saltmarsh, Second Form

Mr M Howell

Played: 11, Won: 6, Lost: 5

Played: 11, Won: 8, Lost: 3

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e started the season off well with a win against Colfe’s School away; they scored 109-3 in 20 overs and we chased it in 18 overs, thanks to a good partnership from James Yeabsley and Jonny Russell.Then we went through a bad patch and lost four matches in a row, but enjoyed some very close games against Yardley Court and Saint Ronan’s School (losing by one run).

Coming off the back of such a bad run, the team played well to bounce back and convincingly defeat Worth School, quickly chasing down their total of 66-8. We then went on to win against Wellesley House School, Vinehall School and St Michael’s Preparatory School.

We won four out of our last five games; a great end to the season.

There was some amazing bowling throughout the season from pace bowlers - Finlay Sprent, Elliot Gooding, James Yeabsley, William Saltmarsh and Jonny Russell, as well as spin bowlers - McKellen Young and Ewen Barr. We had an exceptional wicket-keeper in Joseph McDermott, who also performed consistently well with the bat. The team also had players step up from the B team who performed well. The likes of Patrick Mullen contributed with some amazing fielding and Bishesh Bhandari and Sam Allison had a number of good innings with the bat.

he Under 13B Cricket team enjoyed an outstanding Summer Term, winning 73 percent of their 11 matches.

Highlights of the season included wins against The King’s School, Canterbury, Wellesley House and The Judd. Top performers with the bat were Sam Allison, Patrick Mullen and Bishesh Bhandari, and with the ball Joshua Pantony, Michael Summers and Andrew Loy. The team spirit and discipline the boys displayed every week were excellent and they were a credit to the School.

Team: Tarik Abed, Sam Allison (Captain), Ewen Barr, Tom Barton, Bishesh Bhandari, Luca Capaldi, Alexander Duckett, Joshua Laird, James Latter-Lumsden, Joseph Lenehan, Andrew Loy, Patrick Mullen, Theodore Nelson, Joshua Pantony, Freddie Rigby, Joe Savage, Michael Summers, Archie Yorke.

Overall we won six games out of 11. It was a very good season where we learnt a lot and hope to take forward the key message to play as a team and not a group of individuals. Only then will we improve and achieve the level of success of which we are capable.

Team: Sam Allison, Ewen Barr, Bishesh Bhandari, Elliot Gooding, Jamie Latter-Lumsden, Joseph McDermott, Patrick Mullen, Freddie Rigby, Jonny Russell, William Saltmarsh (Captain), Finn Sprent, Michael Summers, James Yeabsley, McKellen Young.

Under 13B Cricket Team

Under 15A Rounders Tiggy Teare, Fifth Form Played: 9, Won: 1, Lost: 8

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ur Under 15A rounders team took a relaxed start to the season, enjoying our first few weeks of sunshine. However, our calm approach to training sessions impacted in our first couple of matches against Cranbrook School and Sevenoaks School, resulting in two losses. Luckily, after discussing tactics and game plans, we managed to form a strong team for our third match. This paid off as we landed a good 17-12 win against Claremont School. Unfortunately, this was the only win the team would see during the season due to various disadvantages such as injuries or absences of players. In total, the team played nine matches, eight of which were losses and one win. Despite a disappointing overall score, the season was very enjoyable and all the girls are looking forward to a successful Hockey season in the Michaelmas Term.

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Team: Georgia Best, Emily Bottle, Melissa Dawson, Ava Deighton-Smythe, Kathryn Douglas, India Fowle, Emily Hall, Pamela Papa-Adams, Phoebe Sharp, Tiggy Teare (Captain).

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Tennis 1st Team Girls’ Tennis Katie Latter, Upper Sixth Played: 8, Won: 4, Lost: 4

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he 1st team girls had an excellent season, coupled with some not so excellent weather. The first game of the season was against Cranbrook School.This was a tough start to the season as they are our local rivals and biggest competitors. Georgia Ridge and Henrietta Taylor attacked the net well, winning their first two matches and Emelia Hollingsworth smashed some amazing serves down the court. However, as Cranbrook picked up their game, the weather began to turn and the girls started to lose focus. The scoreline got closer and every game managed to reach deuce, the girls were unfortunately unable to win the advantages, which resulted in an overall 7-2 loss.

The next game of the season was against City of London Freemen’s School. We started well with Georgie and Hettie winning 6-0, and Melie and me winning by the same margin. Eliza Lewis and Emilia Bonny narrowly missed out to their first pair 6-5. We continued to dominate on the court, working well in our pairs and battling through some awful weather, the game resulted in a great 7-2 win, and congratulations must go to Georgie and Hettie for winning all of their matches 6-0. This is the first time the 1st team girls have ever beaten City of London Freemen’s School, so it was a great result.

The next match was against Kent College, Canterbury, and for the first time this season, the sun was shining. Unfortunately, upon arrival in Canterbury, we realised that we would be playing on Astroturf, which was not ideal and gave Kent College a real advantage as they were used to playing on that surface. Hettie and Georgie won their first game 6-2 against the Kent College third pair. Melie and I took on the opposition’s first pair and we went two games up early but unfortunately were unable to retain the lead and lost the game 6-4. All of the matches were extremely close and there was some exciting tennis. Hettie and Georgie also managed to beat the Kent College first pair but unfortunately lost out to their second pair. This left the final score as a 5-4 loss overall.

We then played Duke of York’s Royal Military School, which was one of the best matches the girls have ever played, we won each game 6-0, meaning we won 6-0 overall, an excellent game.

Next we faced Epsom College, which we knew would be a tough fixture as they are a large school and have some talented players. After the first sets, we were up 2-1, however Epsom started to pick up their game and after the second sets the score was 3-3. Unfortunately, Sutton Valence could not win the advantages and the final sets saw us lose 3-0, this left the final score at 6-3 to Epsom.

The next match of the season was against St John’s, Leatherhead; the pressure was on as Miss Hallett said if we win this match it would “make her season”. The girls all worked hard, Hettie and Georgie played beautifully together and Melie and I put our training into practice.The determination and hard work from all the girls paid off and we won 5-4.

The last home game of the season was against St Edmund’s School, and with a large home crowd, the girls were all determined to win. With Georgie and Eliza away, Molly Alexander and Phoebe Dawson stepped up to the mark. We started well, winning all our first matches, and the girls managed to retain this lead and converted more and more games to result in a great 6-3 win.

The final match of the season was against The King’s School, Canterbury. King’s have a great side and we knew it would be a tough fixture, but being the last game of the season, we wanted to go out in style. The matches were all very close, with deuces that seemed to last forever. The final score saw King’s winning 5-4. It was the closest match of the season, and despite the result the girls put in a tremendous effort. Well done to all of the team, we have had an amazing season and should all be very proud! A massive thank you should go to Miss Hallett for her great coaching and motivation.

Team: Molly Alexander, Emelia Bonny, Phoebe Dawson, Nejla Eco, Emilia Hollingsworth, Katie Latter (Captain), Eliza Lewis, Carolin Piper, Georgia Ridge, Henrietta Taylor.

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Under 15A Girls’ Tennis

Under 14 Girls’ Tennis

Kate Woodford, Fourth Form

Miss I Bennison

Played: 8, Won: 6, Drawn: 1, Lost 1

Played: 15, Won: 8, Lost 7

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Losing a tough first match against Cranbrook School, we all knew we needed to work hard to improve. Having worked on improved tactics and ground shots in training, we went on a run of excellent results, winning all of our remaining seven matches with the exception of a draw against City of London Freemen’s School. Of those six victories, we had some great wins against The King’s School, Canterbury and Duke of York’s Royal Military School, where we won 9-0 with everyone winning their matches.

The Under 14A team opened their season slowly with two disappointing losses, firstly at home to Cranbrook School, and then away to the City of London Freemen’s School. The latter saw the girls succumb to a demoralising 8-1loss. They bounced back well though with a hard-fought 5-4 victory over Kent College, Canterbury. They then recorded their biggest win of the year with an impressive 9-0 whitewash of Duke of York’s Royal Military School. Despite the comprehensive win, they struggled to get going in their next fixture against Epsom College, and lost 8-1. After a strong team showing against St John’s, Leatherhead, the team produced another outstanding performance to defeat Ardingly College 11-1. A final fixture loss to The King’s School, Canterbury shouldn’t detract from an excellent season. The development of the team, over the season was impressive and the girls worked exceptionally hard.

he Under 15A team consisted of me and Georgia Mancais as first pair (managing to remain unbeaten all season), Sophie Baxter and Verity Streek as second pair, Emily Smith and Phoebe Aucamp as third pair, and Imogen Forknall and either Maelle Dassier or Kathryn Sawyer as fourth pair. Collectively, the team worked really well together, and achieved some great results.

A special mention must go to Imogen Forknall who has worked hard all season improving her game, therefore, getting the Most Improved Player award, and to Georgia for getting the Most Valuable Player. award. This has been one of the most successful tennis seasons for us all, well done girls!

Team: Phoebe Aucamp, Sophie Baxter, Imogen Forknall, Olivia Heard, Georgia Mancais, Katherine Sawyer, Emily Smith, Verity Streek, Kate Woodford (Captain).

Under 13 Girls’ Tennis Miss I Bennison Played: 6, Lost 6

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espite the results listed above, the Under 13A and B teams performed admirably throughout the tennis season. Both teams trained hard and enjoyed playing indoor, short court with their coach, Mr Brown, in pre-season training.

The A team’s hard-work in training was reflected in their forehand technique, which improved significantly throughout the season.

Unfortunately, despite these improvements, the team lost all four of their matches against The City of London Freemen’s School, Kent College, Canterbury, Marlborough House School and Benenden School. Of those, the closest opponents were Kent College, to whom the girls lost by four sets to two.

he Under 14 A and B team had a strong season, in which all the girls improved greatly. The Under 14 A team played eight matches and won four of these against strong sides.

The Under 14B team played seven matches and also came away with four wins. The girls were coached by Mr Brown, focusing predominantly on their technique and footwork.

Not to be outdone, the Under 14B team also worked exceptionally well together to produce some fantastic results.

Like the A team, they lost their opening match to Cranbrook School, but excelled in their follow-up fixture against City of London Freemen’s School, bettering the A team with a hard fought 7-2 win. A subsequent defeat to a strong Epsom College team only worked to motivate the girls as they came back with good victories over St John’s, Leatherhead and Ardingly College.

On behalf of both teams the girls would like to thank Miss Hallett for her hard work throughout the season and for her exceptional organisation of fixtures against other schools.

Under 14A Team: Jenna Boltman, Jemima Bruce-Lockhart, Isabelle Busby, Charlotte Heard, Annabel Mansfield, Elizabeth Moore, Bethan Pepler, Lara Savage, Amelia Semmens, Charlotte Wooldridge.

Under 14B Team: Jenna Boltman, Jemima Bruce-Lockhart, Alice Busby, Libby Cavell, Daisy Fenton, Anna Harrison, Annabel Mansfield, Elizabeth Moore, Amelia Rossiter, Lara Savage.

The Under 13B team also worked to a commendable level and saw good improvement to their serving technique. Like the A team, they also succumbed to strong opposition in their two matches against The City of London Freemen’s School and Marlborough House School.

Both teams are hugely grateful to Miss Hallett whose tireless work allowed them to have a successful season.

Team: Nicole Avery, Philippa Dow, Charlotte Gilman, Olivia Heard, Daisy Hills, Amelia Kirk-Brown, Cameron Lamont-Brown, Sophie Lee, Mariana Mason, Muhing Okhrabu, Maisie Rixon, Katherine Sawyer, Katie Swift, Florence Watkinson.

1st Team Girls’ Tennis

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Under 14 Girls’ Tennis Team

1st Team Boys’ Tennis Laurence Eastman, Lower Sixth Played: 4, Won: 3, Lost 1

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ur first fixture of the year was against St Edmund’s School, and we were feeling very confident due to the strength and quality we had shown in training. It proved to be a good start to the season with us winning 5-4. The victory demonstrated that we were good enough against a strong opponent, but it also showed us that we still had many aspects of our game that we needed to improve upon.

Under 13 Girls’ Tennis Team

Considering we had an entirely Fourth and Fifth Form team playing alongside our captain Max Streek, it was an admirable effort from all the boys.

It was a great season and we really appreciated all the support we got when playing home matches this year.

Thank you to all the boys involved and well done on a successful season. The future of Boys’ Tennis at Sutton Valence is promising. Thanks must also go to Mr Brown, the Tennis coach, and Mr Cope both of whom ran sessions throughout the year come rain, wind and occasionally sun!

Team: Stephen Burian, Praag Dogra, Lars Eastman, Laurence Eastman, Aleksandr Gurtovoi, Harry O’Rawe, Max Streek (Captain), Oliver Taylor.

Our next fixture was at home against Bethany School and this was a tremendous victory for the team as we went unbeaten to seize all seven of the matches.

This led on to our first cup match of the year against Kent College, Canterbury which resulted in yet another Sutton Valence win as we beat them 4-2 to go through to the next round.

The quarter finals of the cup saw us drawn against The King’s School, Canterbury. Despite being one man down, we played some fantastic tennis and with some encouraging support from our home crowd, we managed to tie the match 3-3. This meant we would play a tie break set, as doubles, with one player from each pair participating. Unfortunately, with some generous Sutton Valence line calls and fantastic rallies, The King’s School nudged the win with a 6-4 victory.

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Equestrian Team Miss E Davies, Equestrian Team Manager

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am delighted to announce that the Equestrian team at Sutton Valence is once again up and running, and I am proud to call myself Team Manager. All pupils involved have continued to impress me with their ability, determination and success over the year. Looking back over the course of the year, I am truly astounded at what the pupils have achieved and it is far more than I anticipated. This leaves me eagerly awaiting the start of next term and giving the pupils the opportunity to represent the School in a sport they all feel so passionately about. Let’s look back at the year:

Senior Team

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he first outing for the senior team was a regional point’s league show-jumping competition at Duckhurst Farm in October. It was a mixed day. Whilst trying to gain points for the School competition, big horses and tight turns unfortunately led to a number of faults, but all riders showed great potential for events in the future. Olivia Richards and Emma Simpson both had great double clears in one of their classes, which resulted in them being placed and gaining valuable points for the School. Kathryn Douglas entered three classes and had an unfortunate couple of poles. The riders came away with a number of rosettes and also points to work on for their next competition.

Olivia Richards travelled to Golden Cross in West Sussex in November to represent the School in the next show-jumping competition. With her other team members unable to travel she braved the rain, snow and wind to compete as an individual. Olivia’s first class was the 80 centimetre and there were approximately 50 riders in the class with the first six individually being placed after the team event. Olivia did not make the rosettes, but was one of about 20 clear rounds in that class. In her second class, 90 centimetre, Olivia had a lovely clear round and was placed a very creditable fifth for the class, with only about ten other clear rounds in the class.

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Equestrian

SPORT

In February, Emma Simpson and her horse Grantstown Goldfiner travelled to compete at the first ever NSEA eventer’s challenge at Felbridge. Unfortunately the weather didn’t play intheir favour; the combination of extreme wind and a huge crowd proved a bit nerve-racking, causing an unfortunate couple of faults, but they came away happy having had a great experience.

Kathryn Douglas and Emma Simpson also competed at championship qualifier events in the Summer Term. These took place at Felbridge Show Ground in West Sussex. Although they both have had lovely rounds in classes ranging from 80 centimetre to one metre, they unfortunately missed out on qualifying. They do, however, have two further opportunities over the summer and I wish them luck with that endeavour.

SPORT

Junior Team

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uring October Half Term, the newly-formed Sutton Valence junior team competed in their first event at Duckhurst Farm.

The Juniors had an extremely successful day in the Grass Roots Show-jumping, with all members qualifying for the next stage of their competition. Clayton Olson was placed fourth in his class and showed great potential on his new pony, Rufus. Daisy Hills was placed in both of the classes that she entered and her confidence and prior experience were evident. Jessica De Lucy flew round the course on her pony Sandy and was placed second in both of her classes.

Unfortunately Daisy was unable to make the Grass Roots Championships, but Jess and Clayton travelled to East Sussex to represent the School at the finals. The regional championships serve four counties (East Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and West Sussex) and it is an extremely tough competition. Jess and Clayton both had over 50 competitors in their classes, but this did not put them off and they had a fantastic day of show jumping. Clayton was placed fifth in his 40 centimetre class and Jess was placed third in the 60 centimetre class and fifth in the 70 centimetre class. To reach the championships is commendable and to be placed is absolutely fantastic.

Daisy bravely travelled up to Felbridge alone in December to compete in a Regional Points League Show-jumping competition. There were lots of teams and 71 individual competitors. The course was a little tricky at the end with some sharp turns and some of the riders were taking risky chances, but her turn finally came and she had a good round with just four faults.

The Easter Holiday was another busy time for the junior team. Three members of the team travelled to Duckhurst for a Grass Roots Qualifier show-jumping competition. Timothy Branford (Year 6) and Clayton started off by competing in the 60 centimetre class. Both of them just missed out on the placings. In the 70 centimetre, Tim, Daisy and Clayton competed as a team and they all went double clear, and ended up winning! Clayton and Daisy also entered the 75 centimetre class and both achieved a fast double clear, and ended up coming third and fourth. They can all now look forward to attending the championships in November. The very next day Tim, Clayton and Daisy also returned to the county qualifiers. They all entered the 65 centimetre warm-up class, and all produced a double clear; Clayton and Daisy coming second and third, and despite Tim’s lovely round, he just missed out on being placed. In the 70 centimetre team qualifier class, they ended up with eight annoying faults, but we still came second. The team who won were not from Kent, so they qualified for the county championships.

On April 22nd, five members of the Junior Equestrian team travelled to Bury Farm in Buckinghamshire for the prestigious National School’s Equestrian Association’s Dressage and Show-jumping County

Championships 2016. The show-jumping team consisted of Clayton, Pescha Cordell, Libby Cavell and Daisy. Pescha and Libby stepped in at last minute to take the place of Tim who was unable to attend due to injury.

We travelled up for the warm-up class on Friday and the weather was awful! On arrival, they found out that there were over 400 horses competing at the event and it was quite a daunting thought that we were representing both the School and Kent in their class. In the warm-up class, Libby went clear, Clayton and Daisy ended up with four faults and Pescha was sadly eliminated. We stabled our horses at Bury Farm and then had a good night’s sleep in a nearby hotel, ready for an early start the next morning. Luckily, the weather held off for us on Saturday as the team was jumping two rounds; one outdoor and one indoor. In the first round, both Clayton and Pescha were sadly eliminated, Libby had eight faults and Daisy went clear. Libby and Daisy then competed in the second round and they both had a good round, Libby going clear and Daisy ended up with an annoying four faults.

Jessica De Lucy had previously qualified for the championships in the Pop-Up Dressage League. Qualifying was tough as nearly 100 riders had entered, but nevertheless she made it to the championships. Jessica completed an excellent test and was competing against big horses and riders much older than her in her class.To our delight she was placed an outstanding third, which is an amazing achievement! The pupils all represented the School extremely well and it was a brilliant experience for them.

In late May, the team travelled to Felbridge to compete in the Regional Points league and Grass Roots Show jumping. Libby and Daisy entered the first 70 centimetre class and Daisy had a great clear and came sixth. Libby and Sea Lady had a spook and were unfortunately eliminated. Pescha had two great rounds in the 50 centimetre and 60 centimetre Grass Roots competition, but just missed placings, Libby too had a really good clear round in the 60 centimetre again just missing placing. Daisy then rode in the 70 centimetre individual qualifier for the Grass Roots Championships which was a big class of about 50; she came first with an amazing round and the fastest time!

The team then travelled up to Norton Heath in Essex to compete in the NSEA Championship Qualifier. Pescha, Libby and Daisy rode in the 70 centimetre Team class; the jumps were really up to height, which caused a few issues and, unfortunately, they all had faults but managed to take third place.

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SPORT

Sports Day 2016

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Old Suttonian Update

H Robin Hearn (1945W) and Paul Anderson OBE (1952 W) The suttonian 2016 - Page 151

OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATE

Meeting a Hero - The 1993 Library Opening Mr J McCormick, (Staff 1964-2005)

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uring the summer break in 1992, construction and rearrangement in the Lambe’s Building created the beautiful Lambe’s Library in what had once been the School’s Dining Hall (pictured bottom left), to come into use in the Autumn Term.

One morning in early 1993, Stella Haywood said to me in a casual way ‘He’s coming, you know, William Trevor, to open the Library.’

I imagined this was a ‘wind-up’, as I was well aware that she knew me to be a devoted, long-time fan of William Trevor, always keen to introduce others to the wonderful work of this award-winning novelist and short-story writer.

I discovered that Michael Haywood, (HM 1980-1994) – he had not mentioned this to me – had written to several noted writers (the only other one I can remember was A S Byatt) and, thrillingly for me, William Trevor had accepted. He was later to say ‘If a writer is asked to open a library, he should not refuse, if it is at all possible.’

Although Irish by birth and, in his own words ‘Irish in every vein’, he has lived in Devon since 1954, but it turned out that he could combine an evening visit to Sutton Valence with a pre-arranged trip to London.

The prospect of meeting a person for whom one has great admiration is likely to cause considerable misgivings. Confronted with the ‘hero’, will one become tongue-tied and unable to maintain conversation?

Equally, will the ‘hero’ turn out to be all that one secretly hopes?

I had recorded a radio interview between William Trevor and the journalist John Tusa some time before and listened again to this several times before our meeting. However, this hero lived up to all my hopes: an utterly charming man, an easy conversationalist – he was for a short time a teacher himself – he officially opened the Library with a short speech, signed copies of his books (there is still one in the Library) and mixed with guests and pupils.

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Although no arrangements had been made for official photos – a missed publicity opportunity – I was determined to have a visual memento of this meeting, so my wife,Vivien, took the photo below and an enlarged copy hangs in the Library balcony alongside the commemoratory plaque.

There are touching and revealing postscripts to this tale, which all reinforce admiration and respect for this hero. Soon afterwards, Michael Haywood sent William Trevor a cheque for his travelling expenses (he was accompanied by his wife, Jane) and fee for his visit. This he returned, repeating his words about a writer’s obligations and asking that this money be used for buying books for the Library.

I have written to William Trevor with a greetings card, wishing him well, from myself and the School, for each of his three landmark birthdays of 70, 75, and 80 (he will be 88 in May this year and is not in good health) and on each occasion have received in reply a hand-written letter of acknowledgement and thanks: on the last occasion there came also a signed copy of a tiny Penguin paperback containing two of his stories. These all remain treasured possessions.

At the time of the opening,William Trevor was an Honorary (since he is an Irish citizen) CBE, but in 2003 he was made KBE for his services to literature. He has won the Whitbread Prize for Fiction on three occasions and there has been frequent press speculation suggesting he could be a candidate for the Nobel Prize.

A perhaps noteworthy statistic about the School Library (photographed in its current form on the opposite page) is that in over 50 years there have been only four people in charge: Len Harvey, Michael Fairbank, John McCormick and Christine Carter.

There have been two part–time Library Assistants, serving at the same time as Common Room secretarial helpers, Bridget Dilnot and Margaret Knowles, but Christine Carter (pictured below) has been the first full-time Librarian who is not a member of the teaching staff.

(NB) Shortly before publication, we heard the sad news that William Trevor had died on 20th November 2016, aged 88.

OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATE

s well as being the School’s Librarian, Christine Carter also serves as the Head of Careers, looking to foster opportunities for the current pupils from the wider community including Old Suttonians. This year, nine recent leavers took part in a “Next Steps” careers event, aimed at the Sixth Form. The Old Suttonian panel, comprising of Tom Hurrell (2010 G), Harriet Johnson (2010 S), Oliver Parker (2010 C), George Hughes (2011 C), Tom Oldfield (2011 L), Joel Smith (2011 G), Beth Webb (2015 F), Lydia Davies (2015 H) and Charlie Gellett (2015 F), were in School to speak about their range of very different experiences since leaving Sutton Valence.

Over a light lunch in TC’s, it was interesting for staff to catch up with the Old Suttonians who are all currently enjoying life and building their careers in such an interesting variety of ways. Our thanks to all those who gave of their time to make this such an informative morning.

NEXT STEPS CAREERS EVENT

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OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATE

Arthur Paul Pedrick (1935 M) Mr D Pickard, (Staff 1977-2001)

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oday’s world of ever-amazing and rapidly-developing technology constantly astonishes those of us who lived a much more simple life only a couple of decades ago. One OS, however, was no stranger to mind-boggling inventions; he even took to proposing a few himself.

In 1966, Arthur Paul Pedrick proposed that he could irrigate virtually all of the central desert area of Australia with the equivalent of 30 inches of water per annum. The water would be provided by the arrival, through a tube, of large snow balls originating from Antarctica. His patent application for this idea is based on the facts that central Antarctica is a plateau at about 9000 feet and that gravity alone would allow the balls to transport through the tube to the Antarctic shore and under the sea (itself a very cold body of water for most of the distance between Antarctica and Australia).

Somehow, the spin of the earth about its axis would help speed the progress of the balls. He envisaged (and was supported by mathematical equations) that the balls would reach a speed of over 500 miles per hour. As an insurance against failure, he further proposed that pumps, driven by the wind, located in the Southern Ocean would remove air from the tube thus lowering the pressure and keep the balls moving.

That Australians have an increasingly tenuous hold on the periphery of their lands and suffer increasing desertification and forest fire is testimony to the apathy that greeted Pedrick’s discovery of a way to utilise the land much more fully than before! Pedrick was no fool, and even he had no illusions that his very workable (in theory) idea would be adopted.

Office he had managed to find work operating a printing machine for the Britax engineering company in Chichester for £6.00 a week. He was over-qualified for the job, being BSc, AGCL, DIC (Aero), AIMechE. He was unquestionably a visionary. According to Nils Stevnsborg, writing in the World Patent Information magazine, 2011, “The ideas in his patents were often an expression of being way ahead of his time: re-designed sailing ships…energy generation by the combustion of household waste, flat screen televisions, off-shore wind-powered electricity generators, air-bags for automobiles, near-space supersonic aircraft and double-decker commercial aircraft, three-dimensional television and much more. His idea of a vacuum underground subway has recently been taken up by a team of Swiss engineers and tunnelling experts”.

What made his patent applications so special, however, was the great length of commentary within the body of the text on the current affairs that had stimulated his thinking. Often, a single event would seem to make him file a patent with an ingenious solution to the issue at hand. For example, the showing of the film Towering Inferno caused him to invent a curtain system that would envelop a high-rise building in the case of fire and prevent the ingress of oxygen and help reduce the flames.

As he outlined his thinking he always acknowledged the significant contribution of Ginger, his pet cat, in helping him to develop his ideas. Perhaps it was the cat who encouraged him to invent a golf club that prevented both hooking and slicing – a club whose invention produced a welcome vote of approval from Henry Longhurst, doyen of golfing commentators in the middle part of the last century. Longhurst also approved of the metal mesh that was contained within the ball which allowed it to be found by a hand-held metal detector carried in a golf bag.

He made this proposal to illustrate that the world was moving very rapidly towards a situation where population increase demanded a very large increase in food supply, and unless we began to think of ways to achieve this, Mankind’s survival would be threatened. In all of his patent applications, he also craved publicity for his strongly held view that the inefficiency of the patents system was in itself a threat to the speed of development of innovation.

Pedrick had worked for the Patents Office for several years before becoming disillusioned. After leaving in 1961, he bombarded the office with a great number of weird and wacky patents, all of which had sufficient theoretical merit that they had to be pursued by the office. In the world of inventors and of scientists seeking patents for their ideas, he is seen as a folk hero and anti-establishment character, embarrassing the authorities.

Submitting an extraordinary large number of patents cost him a lot of money, and he was not a wealthy man. After leaving the Patent

Pedrick’s patents provide a delightful, informative and amusing read for the technologically gifted and his name is regularly brought out whenever an alleged dysfunction of the patent system is being discussed.

In this respect he achieved his aims. But the legacy of his ‘genius’ is strong. They are frequently used in providing the basis for rejection, and sometimes acceptance of modern-day applications.

In 2010, he was featured in an episode of Wallace and Gromit’s World of Inventions, broadcast by the BBC. …And how much more might he be (in)famous if one of his patents had actually been adopted by the world community; the 1,000 megaton Earth-orbital peace-keeping bomb’?

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OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATE

Susannah Townsend (2007 G)

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s the triumphant Team GB exceeded all expectations at the Rio Olympics this summer, making history with their medal haul, the Games also saw history made for the School, as the first Old Suttonian received a gold medal.

The tightly-contested Women’s Hockey final saw Team GB battle past the Netherlands, on penalties, to record an amazing victory. At the centre of it all was our own Susannah Townsend (2007 G) who guaranteed her place as the highest-decorated Old Suttonian Olympian of all time. This honour was previously held by Paul Anderson OBE (1952 W) for the bronze medal he achieved at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics in the 5.5 metre sailing class. Paul is pictured on the Old Suttonian cover page together with H Robin Hearn (1945 W).

As well as Paul, our other Summer Olympians have included Edgar Mountain (1919 W) who competed in the 800 metres at the 1920 Antwerp games, finishing fourth, and the 1924 Paris games. Sydney Wooderson (1933 W), for whom the School’s Sports Centre is named, raced in the 1500 metres at the 1936 Berlin games. Peter Marchant (1938 M) competed in the 1948 London Olympics in shooting, and most recently Ashley Jackson (2005 M) has competed in three consecutive games (Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016) in the Men’s Hockey team, finishing fourth in the home games.

To follow in these esteemed athletes’ footsteps, and to come home with a gold medal, is a huge accomplishment for Susannah.

The School is so proud of her development and achievement as an athlete.

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OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATE

Henry Hunting (Staff 1885-1920) Mr D Pickard, (Staff 1977-2001)

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f it is true that, today, we can suggest there is something of a ‘style’ or ‘ethic’ that is special to this School, then I feel sure that Hunting was one of those who helped create it. The bonds that bind together the pupils of this School are those of an extended family. At a time when strict discipline was imposed by the cane, liberally used no matter how trivial any offence, Hunting was an avuncular mentor to his charges, one who commanded respect by his undeniable command of his subject and his Christian ethics. He was a willing and expert participant in the games that boys played and he was also very active in other non-academic social events that littered the calendar of a boarding school in those days. He led by doing. He set standards, and he was generous in his praise of those who aspired to emulate his principles.

Henry Hunting was born in 1855, the son of the landlord of The Eagle Tavern, Benet Street, Cambridge. He went to The Perse School in that illustrious city, from which he obtained a classical scholarship to Downing College. In the years immediately before Hunting went to The Perse, the school had a very poor reputation.

It failed to educate in the traditional way and the discipline of its pupils was giving serious cause for concern. A new headmaster arrived at roughly the same time as Hunting, and the changes at the school were immediate, and significantly for the better. There is no doubt that Hunting’s attitudes to education were shaped by the well-ordered and rigorous academic spirit instilled by Heppenstall, the new headmaster. For Hunting to obtain a classical scholarship attending a school where the study of Latin had been at such a low ebb, he must have received close attention from Heppenstall, a renowned classical scholar.

After graduating from Downing, Hunting took up his first teaching post at Bishop Gore Grammar School, Swansea before coming to Sutton Valence in 1885. There is no obvious reason why he should have moved, but Sutton Valence had just acquired G L Bennet, a notable classics scholar and strong proponent of muscular Christianity, as headmaster and the School was closer to Cambridge and his mother, who was quite elderly.

Hunting made a strong impact, right from the start. He had very black, curly hair and a large and striking beard. Throughout the passage of time his nickname of The Bear softened to The Bar and affectionately, The Old Bar. He had captained Cambridgeshire at cricket and was a more than useful three-quarter at rugby football.

Inevitably, he took a major part in games and the golden period of both rugby and cricket that existed from 1885 until 1900 was down to his coaching skills, in which he was ably assisted by the likes of Victor le Fanu, an Irish international rugby player and J C Wilson, who played cricket for Norfolk.

As a master he had the gift of imparting his very considerable knowledge. Working in tandem with Bennet, a steady flow of scholars to Oxbridge was maintained right up to the first World War. He was strict, but everyone always knew where the boundaries of good behaviour lay, the penalty for crossing them, and the rewards for not pushing too hard at the confines.

Accordingly, he was much respected. Not content with advising the boys at School, he continued to play a very active part in their lives once they had left, through the medium of the Old Suttonians’ Association. He attended just about every annual dinner of the association both before and after he retired. He usually spoke, and the record says, ‘…when he was always received with acclamation’.

Throughout his career at Sutton Valence, Hunting took an active part in the debates, held three or four times a term in the two winter terms. He was very willing to take the opposite view to that

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expected, the better to demonstrate the art – but perhaps he was not always as persuasive as the most adroit debater could be, since often his side lost. It is surprising how many of the debates held between 1885 and 1920 could just as easily be reproduced today, the topics are so relevant: • •

It is the opinion of this house that the muzzling of dogs is an unnecessary cruelty – carried despite Hunting’s opposition; It is the opinion of this house that free education should be conceded to the ‘lower orders’ (my inverted commas, one would never be able to use these words today) – carried despite Hunting’s opposition.

It is fitting that when the debating society was reformed in March 1946 after World War II it should be named The Hunting Society in his memory.

Always keen to participate in sport, Hunting played alongside the boys in fixtures against club sides. This was common before the transport network was sufficiently robust to allow speedy travel to distant parts, there not being much opposition in the immediate vicinity. As master in charge of sports he made the most significant contribution in his effort to improve the playing surface of The Upper. Immediately after the United Westminster Foundation took over the governance of the School was not the time, Hunting thought, to ask that they dig into their pockets for such developments. In October 1912 he wrote in the School magazine that he was undertaking a major overhaul of the cricket ground and the estimated cost of the work was £25, and additionally, he wanted to lay a spur from the water pipe that ran along the road to Maidstone. This would cost another £15.

He could find some money himself, and the games fund might also contribute £10. He proposed that the rest be found by OS contributing a shilling each – a shilling fund. He requested only 300 shillings (£15 pre-decimal). This would be insufficient but would get the work started.

Amazingly, he was able to report only three months later that the fund had received well over £40. Water was delivered not only to the pavilion, but also the middle of the field. Shrubs were planted, manure bought. What is seen, today, as one of the best school cricket grounds in the south-east of England, began for the first time – in 1912 – to be a decent surface.

Hunting’s contribution to this School was truly massive; 35 years of excellent service – and no reduction in effort. Even after retirement he took a very active interest in the School and the OSA. When he died in September 1942 his colleague, who had become headmaster stated “A grand innings; without a chance; and good to watch until the last ball.” His ashes, uniquely as far as we know, are embedded in the south-east wall of the Chapel.

OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATE

The 1576 Fund Mrs H Knott, Development Manager

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he benevolence of the Old Suttonian community is as strong now as it was for Henry Hunting in 1912. Last year, the School launched its new bursary fund entitled The 1576 Fund, and the Old Suttonians’ Association was proud to kick-start the fund by donating £70,000. Douglas Horner DL, President of the OSA, presented the Headmaster with the cheque in October last year, as photographed below. The fund is designed to offer a significant increase in the number of bursaries, up to the value of 50 percent of the fees, for bright, deserving children whose

financial circumstances would otherwise mean they are unable to attend the School.

The Old Suttonians’ Association’s gift will be available to the fund, as part of the capital, for the duration of the campaign. Once the capital reaches the threshold for investment management, the money may be used by the School for other projects, with the agreement of the OSA Committee.

In receiving the cheque from the OSA the Headmaster commented ‘I am enormously grateful for the wholehearted support the Old Suttonians’ Association is giving to this exciting initiative. It is my hope that as many of you as possible will take pride in donating.

Collectively, we will be able to make a difference to the education of more deserving children. Thank you.’

The OSA donation was supplemented by a brochure campaign last autumn and a subsequent telephone campaign, which was launched at the end of August. To run the campaign, the School hired eight Old Suttonians (all from the past two leaving years) to talk to fellow OS, primarily on an affinity basis, but also to bring their attention to the School’s bursary fund. The two-week campaign proved a huge success, raising a further £42,000 for the fund (and counting).

Since last October, The 1576 Fund has gone from strength-tostrength, and at the time of print, the total raised is just over £1,600,000. The figure is almost entirely as a result of the generous support of Old Suttonians, with over 120 donors contributing to the fund. It is a testament to the warmth of community spirit that lives on at the School far beyond the duration of a pupil’s stay.

Lambe’s Lamb Mr D Pickard, (Staff 1977-2001)

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he School has always held its founder in high esteem, but as the years have passed some students of the history of the place have thought his contribution was not fully appreciated. By all accounts, William Lambe, was a modest and God-fearing man. From his lofty position in Heaven, however, he must have looked on with increasing pleasure, and guilty pride, at the achievements of the little school he founded in the village of Sutton Valence.

For, why else would he conjure a likeness of a lamb to appear on a door lintel of the quadrangle in front of the Lambe’s building?

The less romantic will say that the symbol is the work of an artisan, or a pupil looking to while-away a few boring minutes. If this is the case then the manufacturer has been extremely modest for there is no record of it having been done, no anecdote passed down of the admission of inserting such a memorial. Just like a modern-day Banksy it was not there one minute and definitely there the next.

We do have records of past pupils scratching graffiti onto walls high in the roof space of the tower and in the boarding houses. About the School there are a number of memorials to individuals and to events in our history.

All are carefully recorded. There is nothing to be found concerning this lamb though.

The recent discovery of this symbol by a group of First Form pupils has provided us with a mystery. Is it the unearthly work of Lambe? When did it first appear?

Is it linked to the ghostly events that have occurred frequently down the ages; are the spirits telling us we ought to have more respect for our past? Is it the work of a modest ‘wannabe Banksy’ – who might be persuaded to own up on reading this article? Answers on a postcard.

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OLD SUTTONIAN UPDATE

Michael Haywood (1941-2016) Headmaster 1980-1994 Mr D Pickard, (Staff 1977-2001)

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ichael Haywood’s contribution to the development of this School as a well-respected academic institution was immense. It was during his tenure of the office of Headmaster that we became a co-educational school; academic standards increased at a pace not seen before; the roles of Music and the Arts were enhanced with the opening and nurturing of the Music School – all achieved without any reduction in the School’s excellent reputation for sporting prowess. Before he came, the School had pride in its staff-pupil relationships based on mutual respect and a strong willingness by all to be involved in many things beyond the classroom, but during the 14 years he was here, subtle changes, encouraged by his leadership and building on the strong pastoral ethos, made us less surprised by our growing reputation in the region and more self-confident. We deserved the recognition and we became more determined to maintain our high standards.

Michael Haywood was raised and educated in Edinburgh, and after graduating, he trained to be a schoolmaster at Trinity Hall.

His first post was at Dulwich College. Like all enthusiastic masters at that time he fully immersed himself in non-academic activities, especially in stage management of their theatre productions, singing in the choir, and in the CCF. After only two years at Dulwich, and keen to be more involved in pastoral care, when opportunity at that place was not available, he went to Dollar Academy, in Scotland, as Head of History and within 18 months he also became Boarding Housemaster. He was keen to innovate and set up a Sixth Form Centre against traditionalist opposition.

He continued to be involved in the Arts at the school and also developed strong links with the local church and community. In 1975, after nine years at Dollar, he was appointed Depute Rector, not without some opposition from a traditional Common Room wary of his ‘Englishness’. Nevertheless, his success enabled him to apply, confidently, for headships and in 1980 he came to Sutton Valence.

In 1994 he realised a long-held ambition to be involved in education overseas. He went to Thailand, where his brief was to establish an English independent school there. This was achieved by 1996, in Phuket, but the strain of encouraging Thai businessmen, with a very different culture to that of the enthusiastic and efficient Haywood, proved calamitous for Michael’s health. The hot climate did not help either and in 1997 he had to have a heart by-pass operation in Bangkok and return to the UK, where, ever keen for a role in

education, Michael obtained a diploma in Dyslexia and began parttime work at George Watson’s College in the Special Educational Needs department.

Even after retiring from George Watson’s, he was not content to take things easily. He, and Stella, his wife, worked as supply teachers in Plockton, close to their home overlooking Skye. He also became very heavily involved in the local affairs of Glenelg including the community trust and the re-formed ferry company.

His heart, which had never been strong since his time in Thailand, finally failed and he died peacefully earlier this year.

In all the phases of his career, Michael Haywood insisted on the highest standards. At Sutton Valence he was very rarely, if ever, unable to name any pupil on sight; he could astound pupils whom he rarely encountered with some anecdote about their recent adventures. He was an elegant and very witty speaker; Speech Day, that most daunting of days for a Headmaster was mostly made entertaining by his report. He was, as he would have put it ‘the first among equals’.

His leadership was not without its problems, but they were overcome. Falling numbers of pupils (a national phenomenon) caused him to make some redundancies and our strong morale suffered a hiccough. He had to work very hard to encourage a conservative common room to adopt some of the modern working practices that were being dictated by a government more keen on measurement than education. His biggest achievement must have been the introduction of girls into the School in such a way that they were never an ‘add-on’ to the boy numbers.

Indeed, together with his wife, who became the Housemistress of Valence, he encouraged their active contribution into all things competitive and rewarded their enthusiasms with leadership roles in the School. Today, this School is much stronger because of the full integration of boys and girls and for the legacy he has left us.

The Haywood family upon their arrival at Sutton Valence, 1980

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Valete

The suttonian 2016 - Page 159

VALETE

Head of School’s Speech Day Address Stephanie Weir, Upper Sixth

I

t may surprise my 5B maths class, Mrs Kitchen and Mr Cope that my speech involves a mathematical element, but don’t worry Miss, it’s not simultaneous equations. I would like to start my speech by talking about equilateral triangles. As you will all know, an equilateral triangle is ‘a triangle where all the sides are the same length and the internal angles are all equal’ and this is how I see the community at Sutton Valence. The triangle is made up of equal measures of staff, parents and pupils. Without all three the triangle would collapse.

So in one corner we have the academic and support staff who keep the School running smoothly, because a school with no staff is simply a playground. The level of teaching at Sutton Valence is phenomenal and this has clearly been proven by Sutton Valence climbing up the league tables, where we are now in a position to be compared favourably with the top grammar schools in our area. Their tireless commitment is something that no pupil can dispute, whether it has been the clinics at lunch time, the organisation of trips, or sometimes just the comfort that is needed before an exam. A combination of their efforts and of course the hard work of the students will hopefully result in gleeful shrieking and Cheshire cat smiles in August.

The support staff may only be in the background, but they are crucial to the everyday running of the School. For example, the grounds of Sutton Valence are a tribute to the work of the gardeners. The Maintenance team look after the everyday oddjobs, whether it is fixing classroom clocks, the boarding house showers or in my own experience, taking apart my entire bed to retrieve a book that dropped down the side. Alongside are the cleaners, who are always familiar faces around School; keeping Sutton Valence in an immaculate condition, which I can imagine is not an easy task. Last but most certainly not least, and arguably the most important staff at Sutton Valence, in my opinion, is John Devine and his team. As a weekly boarder I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner here almost every day and I can happily say that our school food does not conform to the stereotypical reputation of school dinners. In my time here I have had approximately 850 breakfasts 1,428 lunches and 1190 dinners. Mr Devine and his team always strive to do better and frequently ask our opinion on how school food can be improved. This has not gone unnoticed, so thanks must go to him and his staff.

I have been a boarder for seven years and I really can say that we do have our very own special community. In Beresford I had Mr and Mrs Alderman who I must give a special thanks to because I did not make life easy for them in my first two years. Moving onto my life in Sutton. I must thank Mrs Mathews. She has not got the easiest job in the world. As all you mothers will know, having one or two teenage daughters is challenging enough. Imagine having 44. Despite this she deals with us on an everyday basis with easy understanding. My special thanks must also go to my wonderful matron, Emma. Also crucial, but sometimes not fully recognised are our two brilliant nurses, Alison and Louise, who deal with aches, breaks and pains regularly and with every injury they are there to wipe away the tears and clean the wounds.

A personal special thanks must go to Mrs de Castro, my tutor, who has been inundated with my problems for four years but has dealt with every one with calm and kindness. She is a truly amazing woman who I will greatly miss seeing every morning.

All the staff make up a pretty huge angle in my triangle but there are two people in all our lives that match the care and

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commitment shown by all the staff combined: our parents. Our education at Sutton Valence would not have been possible without the sacrifices they have made for us over the years and so on behalf of all the students at Sutton Valence I thank you, the parents, for the remarkable dedication you have shown to us and the School for which we will never be able to thank you enough.

Mum and Dad, this was definitely the hardest part of the speech that I had to write and not just because I couldn’t have your help on it but because I have no words to describe how thankful I am to you both. You have supported me in every aspect of my life at Sutton Valence. The biggest challenge in our lives is overcoming our fears which is not always as easy as it sounds, but I overcame my fears because I knew that you two would both be standing there to catch me if I fell. I feel this quote sums this up perfectly: ‘’reach for the moon because the worse thing that could happen is you land on a star’’. You are two truly remarkable people who have sacrificed so much for Angus and me. I’m so proud to call you my parents and I hope you are proud in calling me your daughter.

Finally, at the top of the triangle there are the pupils, but obviously at the top of my triangle must be the class of 2016, despite being well-supported by the other two points we also support each other in so many ways. Each member of the Upper Sixth has contributed to Sutton Valence in their own unique way whether this is through academia, sport, CCF, music, drama or art and each and every one of you should be congratulated on your achievements. I cannot wait to move onto the next chapter in my life and Sutton Valence has prepared me for this but this certainly does not mean that I will not miss the School that shaped me into the person I am today. There is an endless list of what I will miss, but most of all I will miss not seeing my friends everyday; something that have I taken for granted over the past seven years. I think I can speak on behalf of the entire year when I say that my time at Sutton Valence would have never been as enjoyable without my friends, so it is them I truly have to thank from the bottom of my heart for giving me the best seven years. Making a million friends is not the miracle; the miracle is to make that one friend who will stand by you when millions are against you.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable day and I think a round of applause must go to the Class of 2016; we finally made it.

VALETE

2015/2016 Leadership Heads of School

St Margaret’s

Michaelmas Patrick Backhouse Lent Tom Lennard Summer Stephanie Weir

Westminster Praghat Rana

Sutton Vendula Hoppeova and Hannah Morris

Prefects Abdullah Adil Thomas Agu Benson

Guy Backhouse

Patrick Backhouse Eve Barclay Jessica Bennett Philippa Bromley Thomas Brunt Imogen Catchpole Lily Chivers

Adam Dawkins

Amber Delaney Joseph Deveson

Freddie Ellis Chloe Evans Emil Evans Amelia Gaston

Sebastian Habersack Vendula Hoppeova

Katie Latter Tom Lennard Hannah Morris Harrison Sharpe

Saskia Roestenburg Sasha van Diepen Emily Vernon Stephanie Weir

Francesca Wheble

Alexander Woodford Christopher Youngman

Francesca Wheble and Richard Fullick

Founder’s Joshua Brown, Praag

Dogra and Bronte King

Holdgate Eve Barclay and Stuart Boltman Lambe’s

Sport Captains Rugby

Tom Lennard

Girls’ Hockey

Boys’ Hockey

Hannah Morris

Netball

Amelia Gaston

Joseph Deveson

Cricket Abdullah Adil Girls’ Tennis Katie Latter Rounders Philippa Bromley CCF Leadership Head of CCF

Harrison Sharpe

Captain of Shooting

Emil Evans

Head of Navy

Olivia Richards

Head of RAF

Joshua Craven

Head of Army

Tom Lennard

Music Leadership

Heads of House Clothworkers’

Ryan Jones

Chapel Choir Jessica Grindlay and Sam Gray Senior Strings

Vendula Hoppeova

Chamber Orchestra

Thomas Brunt

Chamber Choir

Vendula Hoppeova

Band Daniel Clifton

Jack Ferris and Max Pelvang

Female Prefects 2015-2016

Sport Captains 2015-2016 The suttonian 2016 - Page 161

VALETE

Upper Sixth

Valete Abdullah Adil

Lambe’s, 2011, St Margaret’s, Sport Scholarship; Bossom Prize for Public Speaking (2016); Prefect, House Prefect, Boarding House Prefect, Model United Nations, Debating Team; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Athletics - Senior Team, Cricket - 1st XI Captain and Colours, Golf - Senior Team and Half Colours, Rugby - 2nd XV and Half Colours.

Tom Agu Benson

Founder’s, 2009, Prefect; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Athletics - Senior Team, Cricket - 2nd XI, Football 1st XI, Hockey - 1st XI and Colours, Rugby - 1st XV, Colours and Regional Representative, Swimming - Senior Team Captain and Colours.

Charles Averill

Holdgate, 2009, History Copy Prize 2010; House Prefect,Young Enterprise; Drama - Merit; CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh Bronze; Football - 2nd XI, Rugby - 2nd XV and Half Colours.

Guy Backhouse

Founder’s, 2011, Sport Scholarship; All-round Contribution Award (2014, 2015), Ricketts Prize for All-round Contribution to School Life (2016); Prefect, Model United Nations, Debating Team; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Athletics - Senior Team, Hockey - 1st XI and Colours, Rugby - 1st XV and Colours, Swimming - Senior Team and Colours.

Patrick Backhouse

Founder’s, 2011, Effort Award (2012, 2014), All-round Contribution Award (2013, 2015), Headmaster’s Prize (2016); Head of School, Prefect, Model United Nations; Drama - Level 3 Pass; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Athletics - Senior Team, Hockey - 1st XI and Colours, Rugby - 1st XV and Colours, Swimming - Senior Team.

Eve Barclay

Holdgate, 2009, Music & Drama Scholarships; Theatre Studies Prize (2016); Head of House, Prefect, Ball Committee; Drama

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- Les Misérables (Cosette), Romeo & Juliet (Nurse), Macbeth (Lady Macduff & Witch), We Will Rock You (Teen Queen), LAMDA – Gold; Music - Choir; CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh Silver; Hockey - 2nd XI, Netball - 2nd VII.

Ellis Beever

Lambe’s, 2014, St Margaret’s.

Jessica Bennett

Clothworkers’, 2009, Effort Award (2010, 2013), All-round Contribution Award (2016); Prefect, Ball Committee; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Hockey - 2nd XI and Half Colours, Netball - 2nd VII, Rounders - 1st Team, Swimming - Senior Team.

George Birrell

Holdgate, 2014, Westminster, Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze, Sport - Football - 1st XI.

JJ Blackmore-Drewett Founder’s, 2009, Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze.

Stuart Boltman

Holdgate, 2011, Westminster, Sport Scholarship; Head of House, Boarding House Prefect; CCF - Corporal; Athletics - Senior Team, Cricket - 1st XI, Colours and County Representative, Football - 1st XI, Hockey - 1st XI and Colours, Rugby - 1st XV and Colours.

Jack Bonner

Holdgate, 2009, Westminster, Academic Scholarship; Economics and Business Studies Prize (2015); Gold Bisley Falling Plate Award; Boarding House Prefect; CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Shooting - Senior Team.

Henry Bonny

Holdgate, 2009, Westminster, Design Technology Scholarship; Effort Award (2011); Boarding House Prefect; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Football - 2nd XI Captain.

Matthew Bottle

Lambe’s, 2009, St Margaret’s, CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze.

Philippa Bromley

Lambe’s, 2009, Effort Award

(2010), Maberly Prize for Achievement (2015), The Marjorie Popay Prize for Educational Achievement (2016); Headmaster’s Copy Prize; Prefect; Drama - Godspell; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Hockey - 3rd XI, Netball - 3rd VII, Rounders -1st Team and Half Colours.

Joshua Brown

Founder’s, 2009, The Froud Innovation Prize (2016); Geography Copy Prize (2014); Music - Jazz Band; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze.

Thomas Brunt

Founder’s, 2009, Academic and Music Scholarships; Achievement Award (2011, 2013), Effort Award (2014), Physics Prize (2015), Spanish Prize (2015), Wood Prize for Physics (2016), Angell Prize for Mathematics (2016); Science Copy Prize (2010); Prefect; Music - Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band, Strings; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Cricket - 2nd XI, Hockey - 2nd XI.

Jeremy Budd

Holdgate, 2014, Westminster, Boarding House Prefect; Duke of Edinburgh - Silver; Cricket - 1st XI, Football - 1st XI Captain, Hockey - 2nd XI, Rugby - 2nd XV, Swimming - Senior Team Captain.

Imogen Catchpole

Clothworkers’, 2011, Sutton, All-round Contribution Award (2016); Prefect, Model United Nations, Ball Committee; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh Bronze; Hockey - 3rd XI, Netball - 3rd VII, Rounders - 1st Team.

Xi Chen

Clothworkers’, 2014, Sutton, Academic Scholarship; Further Mathematics Prize (2015)

Lily Chivers

Lambe’s, 2009, Headmaster’s Special Achievement Prize (2016); Prefect, House Prefect, Ball Committee; CCF - Lance Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh Bronze; Hockey - 2nd XI Captain and Colours.

Daniel Clifton

Lambe’s, 2011, St Margaret’s, Music Scholarship; Music - Jazz Band; CCF - Corporal; Duke of

Edinburgh - Bronze; Rugby - 1st XV and Colours.

Charlotte Copping

Holdgate, 2011, House Prefect, Ball Committee; CCF - Leading Rate, Netball - 3rd VII, Rounders - 1st Team.

Joshua Craven

Lambe’s, 2011, St Margaret’s, Boarding House Prefect; CCF Head of RAF, Flight Sergeant RAF, Senior Cadet Instructor Cadre, Rugby - 1st XV and Half Colours.

Jordan Davis

Founder’s, 2011, Westminster, House Prefect;Young Enterprise

Adam Dawkins

Holdgate, 2009, Effort Award (2011), The WBP Aspinall Prize for Outstanding Originality of Thought and Action (2016), Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award (2016); History Copy Prize (2010); Prefect; CCF - CSM (WO11), Duke of Edinburgh - Gold.

Amber Delaney

Founder’s, 2011, Art Scholarship; Effort Award (2013), Photography Prize (2016); Art Copy Prize (2014); Prefect, Head of Ball Committee, Suttonian, Model United Nations, Christmas Tree Committee; Drama - We Will Rock You, Macbeth and Sweet Charity; Art - End of Year Art Exhibition and London Foundation Exhibition; CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh - Silver; Netball - 3rd VII Captain, Rounders - 1st Team.

Joseph Deveson

Clothworkers’, 2009, Sport Scholarship; All-round Contribution Award (2013, 2014, 2016); Prefect; CCF - Lance Corporal; Athletics - Senior Team, Cricket - 1st XI and Colours, Football - 1st XI, Hockey - 1st XI Captain and Colours, Swimming Senior Team.

Praag Dogra

Founder’s, 2009, Head of House; Music - Grade 5 Drums, Grade 4 Keyboard; CCF - Flight Sergeant, 2 RAF Cadres; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Rugby - 2nd XV and Half Colours, Tennis – First Team.

VALETE

Thomas Agu Benson

Charles Averill

Guy Backhouse

Patrick Backhouse

Eve Barclay

Ellis Beever

Jessica Bennett

George Birrell

JJ BlackmoreDrewett

Stuart Boltman

Jack Bonner

Henry Bonny

Matthew Bottle

Philippa Bromley

Joshua Brown

Thomas Brunt

Jeremy Budd

Imogen Catchpole

Xi Chen

Lily Chivers

Daniel Clifton

Charlotte Copping

Joshua Craven

Jordan Davis

Adam Dawkins

Amber Delaney

Joseph Deveson

Praag Dogra

2016

Abdullah Adil

The suttonian 2016 - Page 163

VALETE

Chloe Evans

Emil Evans

Graham Falconer

Jack Ferris

Richard Fullick

Amelia Gaston

Thomas Goodwin

Sushantraj Gurung

Sebastian Habersack

Daniel Harebottle

Paula Hensel

Vendula Hoppeova

Ryan Jones

Bronte King

Kornelius Klemm

Harry Lade

Katie Latter

Tom Lennard

Oliver Lewis

Katherine Leyden

Hongjia Lian

Yujing Liu

Rachel McDermott

Katherine McKeating

Hannah Morris

Freddie Nelson

Verity Newman

James Owen

2016

Freddie Ellis

Page 164 - The Suttonian 2016

VALETE

Freddie Ellis

Holdgate, 2009, Westminster, Academic Scholarship; Effort Award (2012), Clothworkers’ Prize for All-round Contribution to School Life (2016); Prefect, Boarding House Prefect; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Football - 1st XI, Rugby - 1st XV Vice-Captain and Colours.

Chloe Evans

Clothworkers’, 2011, Academic and Sport Scholarships; All-round Contribution Award (2013, 2016); Prefect; Drama - We Will Rock You; Hockey - 1st XI and Colours, Netball - 2nd VII Captain and Half Colours, Rounders - 1st Team, Tennis - 1st Team.

Emil Evans

Clothworkers’, 2009, Academic and Drama Scholarships; Achievement Award (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), History Prize (2015), Grizelle Prize for History (2016); English Copy Prize (2010), History Copy Prize (2011); Prefect. Model United Nations, Debating Team; Drama - Godspell; CCF - Captain of Shooting, Sergeant; Rugby - 1st XV and Colours, Shooting - Senior Team Captain and Colours.

Graham Falconer

Holdgate, 2014, Westminster, First Place in Rotary Speaks Youth Competition; Model United Nations; Rugby - 2nd XV, Swimming - Senior Team.

Jack Ferris

Lambe’s, 2009, The Spirit of the House Competition Cup (2016); Head of House, Debating Team Captain; CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Football - 1st XI Vice-Captain.

Richard Fullick

Clothworkers’, 2013, St Margaret’s, Head of House; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Football - 1st XI Vice-Captain, Tennis - 2nd Team.

Amelia Gaston

Lambe’s, 2009, Academic, Drama and Sport Scholarships; All-round Contribution Award (2010), Achievement Award (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), Geography Prize (2015, 2016); Science Copy Prize (2010), Design Technology Copy Prize (2011), English Copy Prize (2012), Mathematics Copy Prize (2013), Art Copy Prize (2014), Geography Copy Prize (2016); Prefect, Model United Nations, Yearbook Committee; Drama

- Godspell, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sweet Charity, Macbeth, We Will Rock You, Silver LAMDA Award; Music - Choir; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Hockey - 1st XI and Colours, Netball - 1st VII Netball Captain and Colours, Rounders -1st Team and Colours, Swimming - Senior Team.

Photography, Dance; Drama Les Misérables (Mrs Thenardier), We Will Rock You (GaGa Girl), Macbeth (Army Man), Romeo and Juliet (Lady Montague), Sweet Charity (Dancer), LAMDA - Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Hongjia Lian

Kornelius Klemm

Rachel McDermott

Thomas Goodwin Founder’s, 2014.

Lambe’s, 2014, St Margaret’s, Boarding House Prefect; Football - 1st XI, Rugby - 2nd XV.

Sushant Gurung

Harry Lade

Lambe’s, 2009, St Margaret’s, All-round Contribution Award (2012); Boarding House Prefect; CCF - Corporal; Rugby - 2nd XV.

Sebastian Habersack

Holdgate, 2011, Westminster, Drama Scholarship; Spanish Prize (2016); Prefect, House Prefect, Managing Director of Boishes (Young Enterprise), Suttonian Committee, Ball Committee, Yearbook Committee; Drama Sweet Charity (Mann, the Butler), LAMDA - Grade 5 Merit; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Hockey - 3rd XI, Rugby - 2nd XV, Shooting Senior Team, Tennis - 2nd Team.

Daniel Harebottle

Lambe’s, 2014, St Margaret’s, Head of House;Young Enterprise; Rugby - 1st XV.

Paula Hensel

Clothworkers’, 2014, Sutton, Boarding House Prefect, School Council.

Founder’s, 2014, St Margaret’s, Ball Committee; Football - 1st XI ViceCaptain, Rugby - 2nd XV.

Katie Latter

Founder’s, 2009, Sport and Design Technology Scholarships; All-round Contribution Award (2010), Achievement Award (2011), Effort Award (2012, 2013), Coles Prize for All-round Contribution (2014), Design Technology Prize (2015, 2016), Academic PE Prize (2016), Amy Lovegrove Prize for Outstanding Female Achievement in Sport (2016); Physics Copy Prize (2013), Design Technology Copy Prize (2015); Prefect, Ball Committee, Yearbook Committee; Cricket County Representative, Hockey - 1st XI Vice-Captain, Colours and Regional Representative, Netball - 2nd VII and Half Colours, Tennis - 1st Team Captain and Colours.

Tom Lennard

Clothworkers’, 2014, Sutton, Academic, Music and HMC Scholarships; French Prize (2015), Wheeler Prize for French (2016), Music Prize (2016); Prefect, Head of House, Boarding House Prefect, Head of Strings, Head of Chamber Choir, Boarding Council, Student Council, Model United Nations, Debating Team; Music - Choir, Sixth Form Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Girls’ Choir, Orchestra, Strings.

Holdgate, 2009, Sport Scholarship; Achievement Award (2010, 2011), All-round Contribution (2013), Academic PE Prize (2015), Headmaster’s Prize (2016), Edward Craven Prize for Outstanding Male Achievement in Sport (2016); Head of School, Prefect, Model United Nations; CCF - Head of Army, RSM (WO1); Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Cricket - 1st XI and Colours, Hockey - 1st XI Hockey Vice-Captain and Colours, Rugby - 1st XV Rugby Captain and Colours.

Ryan Jones

Oliver Lewis

Vendula Hoppeova

Lambe’s, 2013, St Margaret’s, Head of House, House Prefect, Boarding House Prefect, Ball Committee; Duke of Edinburgh Bronze; Cricket - 1st XI and Half Colours, Rugby - 2nd XV.

Bronte King

Founder’s, 2011, Drama Scholarship; Photography Prize (2015); Head of House,

Clothworkers’, 2009, Drama Sweet Charity (Technical Crew), Godspell (Technical Crew), LAMDA - Grade 1; Music - Choir; CCF - Lance Corporal, First Aid Course, Signals Course; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze.

Lambe’s, 2014, St Margaret’s, Music - Choir

Yujing Liu

Clothworkers’, 2014, Sutton, Academic Scholarship

Founder’s, 2014, Head of Founder’s Fundraising, Charities Committee, Ball Committee, Yearbook Committee; Art - UWS Art Exhibition; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Netball - 3rd VII, Rounders - 1st Team.

Katie McKeating

Clothworkers’, 2013, Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (2014), Biology Prize (2015, 2016); Model United Nations.

Hannah Morris

Clothworkers’, 2011, Sutton, Sport Scholarship; All-round Contribution Award (2014, 2016), OSA Prize for Allround Contribution to School Life (2015); Head of House, Prefect, Model United Nations, Ball Committee; Drama - Les Misérables (Lovely Lady), We Will Rock You (Gaga Girl); CCF Corporal, Methods of Instruction Course; Duke of Edinburgh Gold; Hockey - 1st XI Captain and Colours, Netball - 2nd VII and Half Colours, Rounders - 1st Team and Colours.

Freddie Nelson

Lambe’s, 2009, Academic, Art and Drama Scholarships; Effort Award (2010, 2012), Art Prize (2015), Joyce Drayson Art Prize (2016); Art Copy Prize (2014); Art - Work displayed in the Westminster Schools exhibitions in 2015 and 2016.

Verity Newman

Lambe’s, 2009, Music Scholarship; Effort Award (2013, 2015); Physics Copy Prize (2013); Music - Strings; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze.

James Owen

Lambe’s, 2011, St Margaret’s, Art Scholarship; Boarding House Prefect; Football - 1st XI

Katie Leyden

Holdgate, 2014, Economics and Business Prize (2016); House Prefect.

The suttonian 2016 - Page 165

VALETE

Toby Page

Holdgate, 2011, House Prefect; Rugby - 3rd XV

Freddy Parker

Holdgate, 2009, Academic, Music and Drama Scholarships; Psychology Prize (2015, 2016); English Copy Prize (2010), Psychology Copy Prize (2015); House Prefect, Model United Nations, Ball Committee, Debating Team; Drama - Les Misérables (Marius), LAMDA Silver (passed with distinction); Music - Choir.

Max Pelvang

Lambe’s, 2011, Head of House, Year Book Committee; Football 2nd XI, Tennis - 3rd Team.

Thomas Percival

Lambe’s, 2009, St Margaret’s, CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Hockey - 2nd XI, Shooting - Senior Team and Colours.

Ellys Perry

Founder’s, 2011, Head of Charity; Drama - Sweet Charity, Les Misérables (Ensemble), Romeo and Juliet, LAMDA - Bronze; Rounders - 1st Team.

Alexander Presland

Founder’s, 2009, Head of House Sports; Cricket - 2nd XI and Half Colours, Football - 3rd XI, Hockey - 3rd XI, Rugby - 3rd XV, Swimming - Senior Team.

(2015); Prefect, House Prefect, Model United Nations, Ball Committee, Debating Team, Public Speaking Team, Christmas Tree Committee; Drama - We Will Rock You (Teen Queen), Macbeth (Duncan), Romeo and Juliet (Nurse), Les Misérables (Eponine), LAMDA – Gold; Music - Sixth Form Choir; Netball - 3rd VII, Rounders - 1st Team.

Harrison Sharpe

Lambe’s, 2011, St Margaret’s, Prefect, House Prefect, Boarding House Prefect, Ball Committee, Debating Team; CCF - Head of CCF, Cadet Warrant Officer, Junior Cadre, Senior Cadre, Staff Cadre; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Rugby - 2nd XV and Half Colours, Shooting - Senior Team and Colours.

Henry Spain-Warner

Holdgate, 2014, Westminster, Boarding House Prefect; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Hockey - 1st XI and Half Colours.

Max Streek

Holdgate, 2011, Westminster, Boarding House Prefect, Boarding Deputy Head of House; CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh Bronze; Hockey - 1st XI and Half Colours, Tennis - 1st Team Captain and Colours.

Oliver Taylor

Founder’s, 2014, House Prefect; Rugby - 2nd XV, Tennis - 1st Team.

Ella Proctor

Mathias Thoresen

Holdgate, 2013, Sport Scholarship; Ball Committee; Netball - 2nd VII and Colours, Rounders – 1st Team, Swimming - Senior Team.

Lambe’s, 2011, St Margaret’s, House Prefect, Boarding Deputy Head of House, Boarding House Prefect; CCF - Cadet.

Praghat Rana

James Turner

Holdgate, 2009, Westminster, All-round Contribution Award (2012); Head of House; Drama Merit; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh - Silver; Football - 2nd XI, Hockey - 1st XI and Half Colours, Rugby - 2nd XV Rugby and Half Colours.

Saskia Roestenburg

Holdgate, 2012, Drama Scholarship; Theatre Studies Prize (2015), Religious Studies Prize (2015, 2016), Media Studies Prize (2016); Film Studies Copy Prize

Page 166 - The Suttonian 2016

Holdgate, 2014, Westminster, Sport Scholarship; Boarding House Prefect; Rugby - 1st XV, Colours and Regional Representative.

Sasha van Diepen

Founder’s, 2009, Academic, Music and Drama Scholarships; Academic Excellence Award (2010), All-round Contribution Award (2011), Achievement Award (2012, 2013, 2014), Lower Sixth Music Prize (2015), Richard Horn Prize for All-round

Performance in Drama and Music (2016); Musical Composition Copy Prize (2015), English Copy Prize (2015); Prefect, Model United Nations; Drama - Les Misérables (Fantine), We Will Rock You (Killer Queen), LAMDA - Grade 5 Distinction; Music - Choir, Sixth Form Choir, Girls’ Choir, Grade 5 Singing (Distinction); Art - United Westminster School’s Foundation Art exhibition in London; Hockey - 2nd XI Vice-Captain, Half Colours and County Representative, Netball - 1st VII Vice-Captain, Colours and County Representative.

Emily Vernon

Holdgate, 2009, Sutton, Academic and Music Scholarships; Achievement Award (2010, 2014), Academic Excellence Award (2011, 2012, 2013), English Prize (2015), Bloxam Prize for English (2016); English Copy Prize (2010, 2015), Science Copy Prize (2010), History Copy Prize (2011); Prefect, Model United Nations, Ball Committee; Drama - Les Misérables (Lovely Lady); Music Chamber Choir, Sixth Form Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Clarinet – Grade 7, Piano – Grade 5; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh Bronze; Hockey - 2nd XI, Netball - 3rd VII, Rounders - 1st Team, Tennis - 2nd Team.

Stephanie Weir

Clothworkers’, 2009, Sutton, Academic Scholarship; Achievement Award (2010), Effort Award (2011), Headmaster’s Prize (2016); Head of School, Prefect, Boarding House Prefect, Reading at Westminster Abbey for 100-year anniversary of Sutton Valence School’s association with UWS Foundation; Drama - Macbeth (Witch), LAMDA Bronze; CCF - Corporal; Duke of Edinburgh- Bronze; Hockey - 1st XI and Colours, Netball - 2nd VII and Half Colours, South Africa Netball Tour - 2nd VII Captain.

Louisa West

Holdgate, 2011, Sport Scholarship; Hockey - 1st XI and Colours, Tennis - 2nd Team and Half Colours.

Francesca Wheble

Clothworkers’, 2014, Academic

Scholarship; ICT Prize (2015), Effort Award (2015), Fry Prize for ICT (2016); Head of House, Prefect, Ball Committee; Duke of Edinburgh - Bronze; Netball - 3rd VII.

Beatrice Williams

Clothworkers’, 2011, Sutton, CCF - Cadet.

Thomas Williams

Lambe’s, 2009, St Margaret’s, CCF - Cadet; Duke of Edinburgh Silver; Football - 1st XI.

Lucas Williams

Clothworkers’, 2011, Art Scholarship; Media Studies Prize (2015); Art Copy Prize (2014) Media Studies Copy Prize (2015); Rugby - 1st XV.

Yiu Hong Wong

Lambe’s, 2011, St Margaret’s, Chemistry Prize (2015), Winstanley Prize for Chemistry (2016), Further Mathematics Prize (2016); Information Technology Copy Prize (2013); Music Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra, Strings.

Alexander Woodford

Lambe’s, 2009, St Margaret’s, All-round Contribution Award (2012); Prefect; Cricket - 1st XI and Colours

Yilin Xu

Clothworkers’, 2014, Sutton.

Christopher Youngman

Lambe’s, 2011, St Margaret’s, Prefect, Boarding House Prefect; CCF - Head of Stores, Colour Sergeant, CCF Sword of Honour; Duke of Edinburgh - Gold; Rugby - 2nd XV Captain and Half Colours, Shooting - Senior Team Vice-Captain and Half Colours.

Boyuan Zhang

Holdgate, 2014, Westminster, Art Displayed in London

Qingyu Zhang

Lambe’s, 2014, St Margaret’s, Kitchener Prize for Mathematics (2015); Bronze Mathematics Challenge (AS), Gold Mathematics Challenge (A2)

VALETE

Freddy Parker

Max Pelvang

Thomas Percival

Ellys Perry

Alexander Presland

Ella Proctor

Praghat Rana

Saskia Roestenburg

Harrison Sharpe

Henry Spain- Warner

Max Streek

Oliver Taylor

Mathias Thoresen

James Turner

Sasha van Diepen

Emily Vernon

Stephanie Weir

Louisa West

Francesca Wheble

Beatrice Williams

Lucas Williams

Thomas Williams

Yiu Hong Wong

Alexander Woodford

Yilin Xu

Christopher Youngman

Boyuan Zhang

Qingyu Zhang

2016

Toby Page

The suttonian 2016 - Page 167

VALETE

Common Room

Valete

Anne Wilkinson (Staff 1984-2016) Mrs K Andersen, Housemistress of Holdgate

A

nnie joined the senior part of the School in 1984 after working at the Prep School. She started the Home Economics department as a survival course, when we were an all-boys’ boarding school, to help them cope when they went to university. Annie built up a department which was enjoyed by all years throughout the School, teaching them valuable life skills as well as successfully getting students through their examinations.

Annie has always supported sport at Sutton Valence, particularly girls’ games. Even when she was not timetabled for it on a Saturday afternoon, she was out taking her beloved 3rd VII Netball team.

You could often find her on the side-lines supporting the various year groups. Whenever the games department have been short of a member of staff or minibus driver, Annie has always been the first to volunteer her help. She has been instrumental in organising residential trips for the juniors at the end of the School year, when they have gone to France, Swansea and York, as well as accompanying Hockey tours to Holland and Germany. She spent many years as a tutor in Valence House, the senior girls’ day house, and in Sutton, the senior girls’ boarding house. She then took on the role of Head of Year for two years, which earned them the title of “Wilkie’s Wonders!” When we changed to the House system, Annie was appointed as Housemistress of Founder’s.

Annie joined the CCF in 1989 and made her way through the ranks to OC Army section, 2i/c Contingent and then in 2004, Contingent Commander. During this time she also chaired Kent CCF and sat on South East Region Forces and Cadets’ Association (SERFCA), raising the profile of the CCF in the region. As Contingent Commander she has overseen significant growth in the CCF at Sutton Valence with over 60 percent of the pupils choosing to join. Throughout her 25 years of service, everything that she has done has had the cadets at its heart. Through her commitment, determination and desire for the cadets to do their best, Annie has made Sutton Valence Combined Cadet Force one of the strongest establishments for

both cadets and officers in the country. She is not one to stand on rank and her charm and diplomacy have enabled cadets under her charge to go to Brunei and Belize and parade outside Westminster Abbey, not once, but twice.

She is often to be seen at Bisley or Blandford, even though shooting and signals are not ‘her thing’. She is there because the cadets are there, supporting and encouraging them to come home with an impressive amount of trophies, especially the hotly contested ‘Falling Plate’. Even after all these years and at the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, she can still be found camping overnight on an exercise, ‘dying’ in an ambush or meeting groups halfway up a hill in the Lake District. In September 2014 she received the accolade of the LordLieutenant’s Meritorious Award.

Annie has always been very generous with her time. For many years she was President of the Staff Common Room.

She has had time for pupils and staff alike and was always ready to listen to any problems and offer comfort and advice and be a mother figure. Annie and I have worked very closely together for a total of 84 terms. We have played good cop/ bad cop on numerous occasions and have sat up late into the night on Adventure Training putting the world to rights over a cup of Horlicks.

Throughout this last year, she has dedicated much of her time to helping the School raise the money to rebuild the Tanang Kharka Higher Secondary School in Nepal, following the devastating earthquake.

Annie will find it very difficult to say good bye, but we know she will continue to be involved in the School through her role in the Old Suttonians’ Association. She will also be found on the touch line for many years to come watching the next generation of ‘Wilkinsons’. I would like to wish Annie and Mike much health and happiness in her retirement.

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VALETE

Paul Webster (Staff 2008-2016) Mrs F Porter, Head of Sixth Form

P

aul joined the School in 2008 and I got to know him through his move to the Lambe’s building as Head of the ESL Department. His sharp humour and his appetite for cakes meant that we enjoyed a lot of warm laughter in the staff common room. Paul was always keen to give the overseas pupils the opportunity to find out more about the local area and learn the idiosyncrasies of our culture, history and traditions, aware that this is one of the reasons why you would choose to study abroad in the first place.

Having lived in Germany for 11 years, Paul understood the challenges involved in living overseas. Our pupils would have lacked the opportunity to visit these locations without a knowledgeable local guide. I wish to thank him for everything I learnt from these visits. Most importantly, it also meant that everyone from different boarding houses had the opportunity to get to know each other quickly and practise speaking English amongst themselves as well as the public that we met. As each week passed, it was lovely to see how much more confident the pupils became.

Spoken English practice is not just needed for our overseas students. Paul was also a very keen public-speaking coach running the “Speaking in Public” activity on Thursday afternoons. I am not surprised that the School public-speaking teams have had so much success over the years competing in the Rotary Club competition, “Youth Speaks” since 2009, often winning more than one trophy. More recently, Paul, with the support of Julie Manning,

has also entered successful teams in the English Speaking Union competition.

Paul is a teacher with the highest of standards and expectations.

Oxford educated, he has endeavoured to give our students the very best standards in the understanding and use of the English language. He is a true linguist in every sense of the word with a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience, a unique and irreplaceable member of our School. I wish him and his wife Anne, a happy and fulfilling retirement.

Claire Davies (Staff 2012-2016) Miss E Davies, Drama

C

laire Davies (née Fordham) joined Sutton Valence from Blundell’s School in September 2012. Having acquired many teaching and directing skills from a very talented head of department at Blundell’s, Claire travelled to the south east to experience life near the capital.

It is evident that she made a strong impact on the department in her first year at Sutton Valence, she was subsequently asked to be head of department at the end of it! Claire has quite simply breathed new life into the department and has raised the standards of both the academic results and the productions, way beyond expectations. I have been lucky enough to learn the art of Drama teaching and directing from Claire and her passion and commitment to the department is admirable. She always puts the pupils first and quite happily gives up evenings, weekends and very early mornings to ensure that each and every pupil reaches their true potential.

Her talent as a director has been evident in the vast array of School productions that she has produced in her time here.

We Will Rock You wowed audiences and the pupils’ enjoyment onstage was infectious. She brought Shakespeare to life with her adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, and her triumph as a director most definitely has to be Les Misérables. The impact

that this production had both on the cast and the audience will live on for a lifetime; the West End was brought to Sutton Valence and this is fundamentally thanks to Claire.

Her GCSE and A Level practical pieces have emotionally impacted audiences and have even ended up receiving four stars at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival; enough said I feel.

Claire is extremely well respected by both pupils and staff alike. She has become an integral part of School life and her work as a tutor to the Juniors and in Beresford has been commendable. She will be extremely missed by everyone and Wellington School are exceptionally lucky to have such a talented teacher, director, tutor and colleague coming their way.

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VALETE

Luis Fuentes Olea (Staff 2009-2016) Mrs A Wilkinson

L

uis Fuentes Olea, Head of Modern Foreign Languages for the last seven years, is the most encouraging and motivating of teachers.

He is passionate about making his mother tongue accessible to all who have the good fortune to have him as their teacher and totally affirming what each pupil succeeds in learning, whilst never relenting for a moment in expecting or urging the best from everyone.

Luis studied for his degree at the University of Granada, but it was on a year’s exchange in 1999, to study European Politics, that his love of England was kindled, and after teacher training at Goldsmith’s, London in 2003, he began his career as a teacher of Spanish. After a few years in the maintained sector, Luis took up his Head of Department position at Sutton Valence, and in his time here he has brought stability, direction and confidence to a part of the curriculum which, given the status of Modern Languages in the nation’s schools, has been through a very challenging time.

He leaves the department in very good health. Whether it be the fun and profit of foreign travel or the daily slog towards a decent grade, it is enhancing the total pupil experience that motivates Luis, and this is something for which few will fail to remain lastingly grateful.

Luis was also a highly effective Tutor for the Fourth and Fifth Forms and House Tutor in Founder’s, and I am enormously appreciative of the help and support he gave me over several years. Unfailingly kind and considerate towards pupils, he was, nonetheless, always firm, but fair and was especially skilled in his dealings with parents, who held him in very high regard.

Sylvia Gorman (Staff 2004-2007, 2013-2016) Mr L Fuentes Olea, Head of MFL

P

aulo Coelho wrote in The Alchemist “And, when you truly want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

This is one of my favourite quotes and I think it is very befitting as an introduction to Sylvia Gorman’s valete. Her vocation to teach and work in education was deeply rooted and led her to study a university degree in education in her beloved Spanish hometown of Alcalá de Henares… and then the universe conspired in the most wonderful way so she could cross paths with Sutton Valence School, not once, but twice. Back in 2004, she joined the School as a Spanish assistant. It was meant to be a one-year work placement, that expanded on to three full academic years, led to her to pastures new, only to return to Sutton Valence School in 2013, following another universal conspiracy that was simply too strong to resist.

Working with Sylvia has been a real joy and she is an endless source of inspiration and motivation to everyone

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After such a happy and successful time here, it is, therefore, with very mixed emotions that Luis will be leaving us, and excitement will, no doubt, be mixed with trepidation as he looks forward to becoming Head of Spanish at Tonbridge School in September. We can be assured that in Luis we have a doughty promoter and supporter of Sutton Valence and we wish him, Richard, Mollie and Bella every happiness and success in the coming years.

she has come in contact with in the Modern Languages Department. There is no question that her desire to make a difference is genuine and has always gone well beyond whatever role title she had at the time here at Sutton Valence. Her contribution to languages tuition at Sutton Valence Preparatory School has been extraordinary from the outset and it has planted the foundation for a bright future in years to come.

For me, her support, good advice and free-flowing sense of humour have been indispensable. The best remedy to combat anything that two Spanish exchanges in a row or an academic year in a successful School like ours can throw at you. Her generosity and dedication will be missed by many students who found in her a reliable, ever-patient and well-equipped academic ally.

I know the Common Room joins me in wishing Sylvia and her family the very best for the future.The universe knows perfectly well what it is doing by sending The Gormans to Haileybury School.

VALETE

Nick Gorman (Staff 2001-2016) Mrs S Collins, Art

N

ick arrived at Sutton Valence in 2001, fresh-faced and full of exciting ideas. He immediately got to work and started to spread a little “Gorman magic” about the place, first of all in the Art department and later as the Housemaster of Westminster House.

He undoubtedly took the Art Department by the horns and over the years, little by little, slowly but surely, turned it into the outstanding department it is today. A fabulously talented teacher, he has been absolutely committed to the job of inspiring and enthusing the many pupils who have made their way down to Gulland Hall in that time. Inevitably, with such a dedicated and passionate leader at the helm, the Art Department is a joyful place to be, and so the pupils have thrived in the atmosphere of hard work, good fun and constant encouragement. This has meant that the department’s results have risen year after year; the department certainly deserves its excellent reputation and it is an undisputed fact that it achieves some of the highest value added scores in the country. The quality of work on show at the department’s Speech Day Exhibitions year after year is a testament to Nick’s inspired leadership.

Having been a tutor for some years, in 2011 Nick took over as Housemaster of Westminster House and he immediately set about developing the house spirit and creating a sense of pride in the house. The boys in Westminster are encouraged at all times to be the very best that they can be in all areas of School life and Westminster is especially renowned for its house spirit. The boys’ successes are celebrated, their troubles sorted and a happy and positive ambience pervades the House.

Nick has been keen to be involved in every area of School life.

During his time at Sutton Valence he has helped to organise and run two adventure training expeditions, first to Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and later trekking through the jungles of Borneo for four weeks. He has also accompanied Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, coached rugby and cricket, organised arts festivals, plus run umpteen trips to London, Cornwall, Whitstable, Dungeness, Camber, Bedgebury and Bewl Water. Unafraid of hard work and always prepared to lead by example, I have seen Nick painting on beaches in Cornwall with the rain pouring down so hard that the water has literally washed the paint off his canvasses just as fast as he could put it on, wearing just a bin liner for protection over his beloved grey corduroy trousers.

He is an absolute team player, an incredible artist, handy with a strimmer, and has a wicked sense of humour.

And he really is an incredible artist; this is not something to brush over lightly. If you own a Gorman then you are very lucky indeed. His drawing is phenomenal but his paintings are truly gorgeous; stunning landscapes that are full of light, fresh air, space and beauty. There is no doubt that the work produced by his students is so very strong because he himself is a practising artist of the finest calibre.

Nick has made many good friends at Sutton Valence, but the best one of all is of course Sylvia, who he spoke to entirely in French for the first year of their relationship and who he married in 2007. Those of us who have worked with Nick in the Art department, or in boarding, will always be grateful to have been a part of one of his dream teams; encouraged, guided and supported by a superb leader and manager. We all wish him and Sylvia, Zoe and Tristan every happiness as they make their way to Haileybury School where Nick takes up his post as the Head of Art and where, for certain, a little Gorman magic is about to begin.

The suttonian 2016 - Page 171

VALETE

Sarah Collins (Staff 2004-2016) Mr N Gorman, Head of Art

S

arah Collins (previously Easter) joined Sutton Valence School in September 2004 and her impact on the Art Department was both immediate and impressive. Over the years, Sarah has been responsible for teaching our pupils to produce some of the most exciting, skilful, sophisticated and beautiful art work imaginable; encouraging them to explore the subject in great depth and in a highly personal manner.

There is no question that much of the department’s long history of excellent results is down to Sarah’s outstanding teaching and her genuine passion for the subject and her pupils. So what has made Sarah such a huge success? Well its really quite simple actually, the fact is, she genuinely cares about every pupil whom she teaches and works incredibly hard behind the scenes to ensure that she gets the very best out of each and every individual, helping them to realise their potential. This coupled with the fact that she is a remarkably engaging and enthusiastic teacher is surely a recipe for success!

As well as being a brilliant art teacher, Sarah has thrown herself into a number of pastoral roles. Firstly as an academic tutor and more recently her leadership strengths came into play when she was appointed Housemistress of Founder’s. This was a role which she took on with real energy and flair. Under her guidance, Founder’s really started to blossom and there is now a great sense of ‘House Spirit’ within the Founder’s community.

She has nurtured a genuine feeling of pride within the House which the pupils and staff clearly enjoy and from which they have thrived.

Sutton Valence is able to boast probably the best school magazine in the country. The Suttonian is an exceptional publication and is recognised not only for the quality of the articles in it, but also for its remarkably creative and visually stunning appearance. This is entirely down to Sarah’s skills, imagination and dedication as The Suttonian’s editor. This was a massive challenge which Sarah took on in 2006 when the rather ‘standard school magazine’ was being published approximately twelve months behind schedule.

With her usual drive and determination Sarah locked herself away in The Suttonian office and worked many a long hour in order to not only get the thing published on time, but also to an exceptionally high quality.

Very few of us have probably ever really appreciated quite how much time and patience it takes to put The Suttonian together, but each year Sarah has managed to deliver a truly remarkable magazine which reflects the plethora of achievements and activities which go on at Sutton Valence each year.

Working alongside Sarah in the Art Department has been an absolute joy! Over the past 12 years Sarah has not only been a hugely supportive and reliable colleague but also an incredibly close and loyal friend. She has inspired countless individuals (both pupils and staff) and given her heart and soul to the department and all the other roles she has taken on within the School.

She will leave a vast void in the Sutton Valence community, but as she heads to the West Country to start a new life with her husband Peter, I am sure that we will hear plenty about her as she turns her focus to her own painting… which is, by the way, is fantastic!

(NB) Sarah’s work, as well as details of her exhibitions, is now available to view on her website - www.saraheastercollins.com

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VALETE

Jacques Van Vuuren (Staff 2004-2016) Mr G Alderman, Director of Sport

J

acques came to us a graduate gap student in 2004 and straight away showed himself to be a man of principle and one who had a natural affinity for teaching. His talents were quickly recognised and he was promoted within a couple of years to the full-time staff with responsibility for the managing of our sports facilities and coaching PE and Games across the sports. He was also attached to a boarding house as a resident tutor, then assistant Housemaster, a position he has held to the present. Three years ago, he was promoted to Senior Boarding Tutor.

However, as we all know, his passion is his sport, particularly rugby.

He has coached at various levels throughout the School, honing his coaching skills across all the age ranges. He has had responsibility for successfully coaching the senior School sides, but more recently became the rugby guru of the Under 16 team. Jacques has developed his coaching over the years and is now in the process of completing his level three RFU coaching award. His knowledge and ability to take an ordinary cohort and turn them into a cohesive unit is a skill that cannot be learned on a coaching course. Of course, this is all on top of his commitments to the county ladies’ rugby team, which he coached for a number of years.

He has been a true asset in every sense; he is a teacher, a counsellor, a valued colleague, a friend and a man whose loyalty knows no bounds.

He is South African and naturally competitive and discussions in our office about southern hemisphere rugby versus northern have always provoked friendly “banter”. The relationships he has developed over the years with the children and the parents have

Naomi Moore (Staff 2013-2016) Mr A Bee, Head of Geography

O

ccasionally a gift from God lands in one’s lap.

It happened to me, the moment I observed Naomi’s interview lesson; it fizzed and buzzed with enormous vitality, flowing from one eye-catching gimmick to another so that I was quite breathless after 35 minutes. So was Mr Clarke. It was a roller-coaster ride. I expected a nervous whipper-snapper making her first tentative steps into the profession; what I got was a youthful Margaret Thatcher.

been first-rate and I know they truly value all that he has stood for and tried to achieve for the children, whether pastorally or on the sports field. Jacques has been the whole package.

Our loss is Ibstock Place School’s gain. He has spent 12 years supporting the PE and Games Department and now moves on to run his own.

Christianity and proved an inspiration to many. She gave generously of her time, reached very high standards of pedagogy and illuminated a short chapter in the School’s history. A school archivist a hundred years from now might read this article for an insight into how talented Naomi Moore was, aged 23 to 26. Well Mr Future Archivist: if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.

Naomi leaves us to explore Geography ‘podcasting’ with the BBC, and we wish her all the best.

A marketing dream, Naomi blazed a trail of success both inside and outside of the classroom. She exuded class, diligence by the bucket-load, brought up-to-date ICT skills with her, conquered the inferential statistical techniques as easily as her First Class Honours at the University of Exeter suggested, and fell into the role of Head of Junior Leadership with merry abandon. She cut the path here, and brought real skills and experiences for young Sutton Valence pupils; their formative years at the School will become golden memories.

Naomi contributed hugely too, to the wider community.

Her School assemblies showed a genuine love for

The suttonian 2016 - Page 173

VALETE

Rob Cottrell (Staff 2013-2015) Mr D Sansom, Assistant Head

R

ob joined Sutton Valence in September 2013, fresh from the rigours of City life, having decided to switch careers after 11 years in London. Rob was a passionate and experienced linguist who was keen to explore this talent within an educational setting.

Rob chose one of the most challenging routes into teaching, by electing for ‘on-the-job’ training via the HMC Teacher Training Scheme with the University of Buckingham. An extraordinarily capable character, with boundless energy and a caring, personal nature, it was immediately clear that Rob had found his niche in life and would pass the PGCE with flying colours. Not only is Rob a talented languages teacher, he is also a fine sportsman who had previously played rugby and tennis to a high level, with experience of international Rugby Sevens, which meant that he was only too happy to immerse himself in the Sport Department across a number of sports.

Always competitive in all that he did, Rob was a highly-enthusiastic sports coach leading the Under 15A Rugby team throughout two excellent seasons, where his teams proudly held the best win ratios across the School. Whilst Rob certainly was competitive, the main driver behind his excitement was his care for the pupils and a desire for them to succeed. This was reflected in his work as a Form Tutor in the Juniors, where he carried out his role with aplomb. With consistency of approach and expectations, Rob was an outstanding Form Tutor and could be relied upon to look after those in his care with a keen eye for detail and reflect the ethos of the School where ‘each cares for all and individuality is cherished’.

Anna Kane (Staff 2008-2015) Mrs C Westlake, English

A

nna’s lilting Scottish tones and impassioned invitations to perform an eight-some reel in the riotous depths of the School’s creative hub, the Lambe’s staffroom, will be sorely missed. Our cherished colleague and friend is moving on and we will all be rather the poorer for it.

First and foremost, the pupils have thrived under her deft guidance and support and have been staunchly championed by Anna for the past seven years. She has helped, motivated and reassured hundreds of children in her time here and has succeeded in transforming the lives of so many by not only supporting them to gain recognition for their talents, but by also focusing on their self-esteem: the key to so much.

The role of a SENCO is challenging and Anna responded by giving of her own time freely, going way above and beyond, and demonstrating complete dedication to the role. Ever the consummate professional, Anna always remained devoted to the children in her care.

During Inset, Mrs Kane’s style was stimulating and genuinely interactive in a natural way that invited us all

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In many respects Rob is a model example of the traditional school master – talented in many facets of life, with an ability to relate to and enthuse young people, as well as a willingness to embrace and support all aspects of School life - which is so important in a school such as Sutton Valence. Rob will be missed by all and, although he was only with us for a short time, will be fondly remembered with deep affection. We wish Rob all the very best for the future.

to ‘step inside’ the skin of students and walk around a little in them; a welcome reminder needed by us all every so often that each child we meet is an individual and must be treated and valued as such.

There is much talk of the Sutton Valence ‘community’ and Anna was firmly wedded to it. Her warmth and humour and care will be a huge loss to us all. The School, not least grateful for the contributions made by Anna, has also been delighted by the University of Cambridge successes of her boys. Her carrot cake was pretty killer, too.

VALETE

Kay Anderson (Staff 1988-2016) Mrs F Porter, Head of Sixth Form

K

ay joined Sutton Valence School in the September of 1988.

She was appointed as a part-time Home Economics teacher when the School had only just become co-educational and the staff room appeared more like a gentleman’s smoker’s club, rather than a staff common room. She soon became a valued and wellrespected member of the staff, not just because of her thorough professionalism or her Yorkshire dry wit, but because she always gave more of her time than was asked, her strong sense of fairness, her ruthless organisation and attention to detail and her practical understanding of how to get the best out of the teenagers in her care.

We are losing someone who has not only witnessed but been a fundamental part of the changes the School has undergone during her 28 years of service. In that time she has excelled in a number of positions of responsibility, whether as Head of Home Economics, Head of Valence Girls House, Head of Year, Senior Mistress, Head of Professional Development, Head of the RAF Section of the CCF, Head of Holdgate and the residential visits coordinator. The wide variety of roles, academic, pastoral and co-curricular, are a testament to the contribution Kay has made to the School to which she has been so fiercely loyal. She has also helped countless new members of staff learn those things that cannot be taught about teaching through her inspiring example.

Kay has the ability to have eyes in the back of her head, never missing a trick. She is a fantastic pastoral leader, full of empathy and understanding, and with a no-nonsense approach. Her focus on community and individual responsibility meant pupils learnt the important values of respect for themselves and each other, as well as the importance of community spirit. She has always supported team matches, music concerts and the School’s drama performances. It is no accident that Holdgate is top of the leader board for winning the most House competitions, and raising the most for charitable causes. Not many people know this, but she was the instigator of the annual Valentine’s carnation day collection.

and calm practicality back at the Blencathra Centre ensured hearty meals for all those who spent long days out on the hills.

She also organised trips to no less glamorous and potentially challenging destinations, including Swanage, Switzerland, York, two trips to Martinique and three trips to India. I was lucky enough to go to India with Kay in 2015. It was an experience of a lifetime for me, Mr Hammersley and the Fourth and Fifth Form pupils who attended. It was entirely down to Kay’s professional organisation and attention to detail that the trip was such a success.

Sutton Valence is losing a very valuable and precious colleague.

She is irreplaceable. I know that she thoroughly deserves her retirement and wish her and Brian all the best for the future. I know that she will keep in touch.

I got to know Kay through a number of years attending the CCF’s Easter Adventurous Training in the Lake District. Her organisation

The suttonian 2016 - Page 175

STAFF LIST

Governors and Staff 2015-2016 Visitor:The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Foundation: United Westminster Schools Clerk: R W Blackwell MA Governing Body: B F W Baughan (Chairman until December 2015) Major General D Burden CB CBE Mrs J D Davies BSc The Very Rev Dr J R Hall BA HonDD Hon DDTheol FRSA A J Hutchinson MA (Cantab) T D Page Mrs G Swaine BSc(Hons) MEd (Vice-Chairman) D W Taylor MA Lady Vallance JP MA MSc PhD FRSA FCGI (Chairman from January 2016) M Walker PhD MA FRSA E L Watts OBE BA FRSA Mrs A Westbrook LLB (Hons), PG DiP

Headmaster: B C W Grindlay MA (Cantab) MusB FRCO (CHM) Deputy Headmaster:

J J Farrell MA (Cantab) (History) Academic Deputy Head: Mrs R K Ball BA University of Wales (Lampeter) (English, Media Studies) Bursar: S R Fowle

Assistant Head:

D R Sansom BSc University College of Wales, Swansea (Geography) Academic Staff: G N Alderman BEd Avery Hill College (Director of Sport) **Mrs K L Andersen CertEd Elizabeth Gaskell College (Head of Home Economics, Director of Professional Development) **A R Bee BSc Manchester (Head of Geography) Dr M Brown BSc University of Kent (Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Junior Science Co-ordinator) **Miss L J Burden BA Anglia, BSc OU Dip Hyp (Psychology, Community Service, Head of PSHE) **R H Carr BA St Johns College Durham (History, Games, Head of the Juniors and Prep School Liaison) D E Clarke BSc CBiol MSB Bristol (Biology) Miss E J Clement-Walker MSc, BA Loughborough (DT and Art) T P Cope MEng Loughborough (Maths, CO RAF) R F D Cottrell BA Southampton (MFL) C M Davenport BA Keele (Head of English) Miss E R Davies BA Coventry (Drama) G A Davies BA University of Wales (Lampeter) (Religious Studies) Mrs S H de Castro Franco BA University of Manchester (Head of French) **Ms S V Easter BA Exeter (Art) Miss C Fordham BA Exeter (Director of Drama) L Fuentes Olea BA University of Granada (Head of Spanish) *P N Gorman BA Edinburgh (Head of Art) Mrs S Gorman BEd University of Alcada de Henares (Madrid) (MFL) Mrs F M Gosden BA Rhodes University (English) Mrs J Grant MA London, BA Oxford (History) Miss L Gray BA Bangor (Religious Studies) Page 176 - The Suttonian 2016

Dr E J Grindlay MA Cantab (English) Miss M A Halleron BSc Leeds (Head of Physics) Miss P L Hallett BA Brighton (Head of Academic PE and Girls’ Games) A P Hammersley BSc York (Biology) G Harris BA Kings College, London (Assistant Head of Mathematics) Mrs E Head MA Dundee (English) *S J Head Msc Bristol (Chemistry and Head of Boarding) Mrs H E Heurtevent BA University of Caen, DEUG I and II Université Catholique, Angers (French) Dr S P Hiscocks BSc CChem FRSC, CSciTeach, Essex, MA King’s College London (Head of Chemistry) D W Holmes LRAM Professional Certificate Royal Academy of Music (Head of Strings) P J Horley BA ARCO ALCM College of Ripon and York St John (Director of Music) M D Howell BSc University College Worcester (Geography and i/c Rugby) Mrs S Hurst MA Dundee (Mathematics) J Ings BA Southampton (Geography) M B James MEd Macquire University Sydney, Grad Dip Ec (New England University, Australia) (Head of Business Studies and Economics) Mrs A M Kane BA Canterbury Christ Church (Head of Learning Support) D J J Keep MA Greenwich, BEd Avery Hill College (Head of DT) Mrs C J Kitchen BEng Bradford, MSc Birmingham BSc OU (Mathematics, Timetabler and Academic Data Co-ordinator, Assistant D of E Co-ordinator) Mrs W M Loy MSci Durham, MSc Birmingham (Physics) Miss J A Manning BA University of Kent, PG Diploma Dyslexia and Literacy York (SEN) *Mrs A Mathews BA Canterbury Christ Church (Dance) D R Mathews BSc Brunel (Academic PE, Games i/c Hockey) Miss K J McConnachie BSc Birmingham (Games i/c Netball, ICT) G J Millbery BA University of Wales Lampeter (Director of ICT, CO Army, Award Officer D of E) Mrs L A Mitchell-Nanson BSc University of Kent (Head of Mathematics, Head of Academic Scholars) Miss N E Moore BA Exeter (Geography, Junior Leadership Co-ordinator) A J F Penfold BA Surrey (Head of Religious Studies) R W J Plowden MA University of Wales, BA Newcastle (History) Mrs F H Porter BA Leeds, MA in Education Christ Church Canterbury (English, Head of Sixth Form) Miss S Pritchard BA Greenwich (Business Studies and Economics) Miss Z Radford Swansea BSc (Head of Biology) *Mrs S Rose BEd Bishop Otter College (Assistant Head of the Juniors, English, Games, Child Protection Co-ordinator) J D Soman BA Oxford (Assistant Director of Music) Mrs A J Sunde BA Sheffield (Head of History) J L van Vuuren Port Elizabeth Technikon and University of South Africa (Games) A P Webster MA Oxford (Head of ESL) Mr V Wells (i/c Cricket, Games) Mrs C Westlake BA Sussex (English) C J Westlake BSc Glamorgan (Mathematics) Mrs A F F Wilkinson Cert Ed Calder College Liverpool (CO CCF) Ms L J Williams BA Open University (English)

Mrs H M Wood MSc BSc Hull (Chemistry, CO Navy) Mr J Zane MA City University, BA Exeter (Head of Media Studies) *denotes Boarding Housemaster/Housemistress **denotes Day Housemaster/Housemistress Boarding Support Staff: House-keeper – Beresford House Mrs L. Butler Matron – St Margaret’s House Mrs B Spencer Matron – Sutton House Mrs E Agu Benson Matron – Westminster House Ms D Aiston Visiting Staff: Mrs A Bartle BMus (Trombone) Mrs C Basden GRSM(Hons) DipRCM (Clarinet) F Bowles (Cello) Mrs M Dutton BA (Cello) Mrs E Field ARAM, GRSM, LRAM, ARCM (Vocal studies) Mrs P Fisher GRSM ARCM (Brass) Miss A Gent (Flute) Mrs A Holmes BA(Hons) (Piano/Vocal) A Keeping ARAM, LRAM (Guitar) Mrs C Mount GRSM, LRAM, DipRAM (Piano) J Selby BA(Hons) (Drums) J Summerfield BM (Hons),GGSM, LRAM (Double Bass) A Shepherd (Jazz Piano) Mrs R Ollearenshaw (Latin teacher) Administrative and Teaching Support Staff: Assistant Bursar Mrs D Van Leeuwen Estates Bursar Mrs J Vicary Headmaster’s PA Mrs S O’Connell Development Manager Mrs H Knott Marketing Officer Miss L Turner Development Officer W Radford Archivist D Pickard Admissions Officer Mrs K Webster School Secretary Mrs W Rogers Bursar’s PA Mrs A Carr Fees Administrator Mrs J Holderness Examinations Officer Mrs E Eastwood Administration Assistant Mrs J Watson Database Manager Mrs M Horley Network Engineer C Worcester Network Technician J Hill Librarian Mrs C Carter Assistant Librarian Mrs D Black Sports Facilities Admin J van Vuuren School Medical Adviser Dr S Butler-Gallie School Nurse Mrs A McDermott Assistant School Nurse Mrs L Schembri Catering Manager J Devine CCF Adjutant P Ale Clerk of Works R Copeland Head Gardener G Pullen Head Groundsman I Avery French Assistant Mrs F Callaway Science Technicians Mrs D Horsley (Biology)

Mrs L Cheeseman (Biology)

Mrs S Sprent (Chemistry)

Mrs J Gibbons (Physics) Art Technician J Allen DT Technician C Fletcher Production Technician D Beeken

Photography: Mr G Pullen, Head Gardener

Sutton Valence School North Street Sutton Valence Maidstone Kent ME17 3HL