School news

globAl Horizons We are pleased to announce that excellent progress is being made with The Perse’s first two international schools which are both due to open in 2020. These two new schools are important next steps in an educational journey that began over 400 years ago. The new schools will be operated under licence agreements with The Perse School Cambridge International and will share our core values of endeavour, intellectual curiosity and scholarship, breadth and balance, and one another and our environment.

The schools will be located in Singapore and Suzhou, a 25-minute high speed train ride from central Shanghai. The school in Singapore will be for international pupils aged six to 12, and the school in Suzhou for Chinese and international students aged 15+.

In September, Ed Elliott and Simon Armitage, Assistant Head (Educational Opportunities) went to Suzhou and Shanghai to participate in the signing ceremonies, where the opening of The Perse School Suzhou was announced. Over 250 people attended the events including Mr Richard Burn (HM Trade Commissioner for China), Dr Ker Sin Tze (Former Minister of State, Education in Singapore), other British Embassy and Consulate representatives, government officials, entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The Principal of The Perse School Suzhou has been appointed. Naomi Atkins has held senior leadership positions in British Schools in Indonesia, Malaysia and China, including in Suzhou itself. We are delighted to be working with Naomi on this exciting venture. sCHools’ CHAllenge teAms complete the double The Perse have been crowned champions in both this year’s Junior and Senior Schools’ Challenge competitions. The competition tests students in general knowledge, and is regarded as the secondary education equivalent of University Challenge.

Oliver Phillips (Lower Sixth) captained the Senior team, featuring Vikram Singh (Lower Sixth), Malachy Wallace and Sean Ridley (both Year 9), to a 990–350 victory against Magdalen College School in the final of the competition in April.

The Junior team, captained by Vishrut Pisupati (Year 8) and featuring Freddie Doel, Harry Purvis (both Year 8) and Dhruv Radhakrishnan (Year 7) followed in their footsteps in June. The boys beat George Heriot’s School 530–430 and Magdalen College School 750–540 in the quarter and semifinals respectively. The final was a tight encounter with The Royal Grammar School Guildford, but despite being neck and neck throughout, The Perse edged ahead late on to secure a 630–610 victory and the overall honours.

students enJoy spectacular scenery on iceland trip Over the summer holiday, 79 pupils in Years 9 and 10 enjoyed a five-day geography trip to Iceland. The packed programme saw pupils enjoying a relaxing few hours in the Blue Lagoon learning about geothermal power; hiking up a volcano; visiting Geysir, the place where all other geysers get their name; and even whale watching! However, it was the trip into a glacier that was described by Y9 pupil Edward de Ferrers Green as “once-in-a-lifetime”. Pupils fitted crampons to their shoes before heading through a large tunnel into the glacier. Once inside, they learned about the formation of glaciers and saw the black ash lines from the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull that now lies about nine metres under the ice. Anna Bevens (Y10) said “I really enjoyed the trip as it allowed me to see the things we had learnt about [in lessons], but also I was able to experience their beauty. I really appreciate all the effort put in to make the trip so memorable.”

lArgest Pes CAmP to date! This summer, Perse Exploration Society’s ascent group of 272 pupils travelled to the Isle of Wight to experience new adventures, learn new skills and build friendships. This was the largest camp ever for the group, which is the modern-day incarnation of The Perse’s 5th Cambridge Scout Troop.

Throughout the week, pupils experienced a number of activities including orienteering, backwards cooking, archery, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding. The whole troop also took part in a survival camp activity, which saw them sleeping out under shelters they made themselves from tarps, string and canoe paddles. As well as having lots of fun, the pupils took part in some activities to improve the campsite, by creating a new archery shed and renovating the Richard Crabtree assault course.

Taking so many young people camping is no mean feat, and so particular thanks go to the five members of Perse Outdoor Pursuits staff and 41 volunteers, including four OPs and 16 Sixth Formers, who ensured the smooth running of the trip!

eXAm suCCess breaks records This year we celebrated recordbreaking I/GCSE results thanks to the excellent performance of the School’s 176 Year 11 students who achieved stellar grades in their exams. A record total of 84% of Perse entries were graded 9 or 8 (broadly equivalent to the old GCSE A* grade), with 94% at 9, 8 or 7 (equivalent to the old GCSE A*/A). This success saw The Perse placed top of The Times league table of 193 independent co-ed schools’ I/GCSE results for the fourth time in recent years.

In the Upper Sixth, 179 students secured a total of 590 A level and Pre U grades with 49% of entries being graded A* and 80% A*-A (or the Pre U equivalent). Almost two-thirds of the year group achieved three or more A*-A (or equivalent) grades – congratulations to our newest OPs!

girls’ CriCket teAms at Lord’s The Perse girls’ indoor cricket teams enjoyed a successful time at the Lady Taverner’s national schools finals at Lord’s this summer, with the U13 side runners-up and U15 team finishing fourth in their respective competitions.

The Perse was the only school to have representatives in both national finals, and despite losing out on a title, team coach John Read was very impressed with the girls’ performances. He said “It’s a tough competition when you get to this level. Every team is a good team and the champion of their region. To put it into perspective around 800 schools entered this competition and we came fourth, so it’s a very good result.” nAtionAl ArCHiteCture award for pAC the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre has received a prestigious ribA national Award. Having won a ribA east regional award in may, the new facility, designed by architect Haworth tompkins, achieved further recognition from the royal institute of british Architects. the venue, which opened in march 2018, features a 400seat auditorium, rehearsal and teaching rooms, an exhibition space and full back-of-house facilities. it functions as a café for pupils and staff during the school day and as a foyer for audiences during events in the auditorium. the building was described by ribA as “beautifully conceived and masterfully executed”.