Perse Annual Review 2021-22

OUR YEAR 2021 - 2022

Annual Review 2021-2022

Head’s welcome Whether you read the Annual Review from cover to cover, or just skim read the headings and admire the excellent photographs, you cannot fail to be impressed by what Pelican, Prep and Upper pupils have achieved. These academic, pastoral and extra-curricular achievements are even more impressive because they occurred against the backdrop of two years of pandemic-disrupted learning. I am very proud of the resourcefulness, ingenuity, adaptability, resilience, perseverance and sheer hard work that so many Perse pupils and staff have shown in making a success of the 2021-22 academic year.

There is so much of note in the 3-18 Perse, that the Annual Review’s excellent editors (Claire Ziwa and Aaron Mason) have a very difficult job in deciding what to include. Lines have to be drawn somewhere, and wherever that is, there will always be some people and activities who merited a mention but missed out.

Chief amongst these are the multitude of extraordinary routine actions of Pelican, Prep and Upper pupils and staff going about their daily business with exemplary kindness, care, consideration and dedication.

Such background excellence is often taken for granted and rarely merits the special attention of a headline, but it is what defines school culture. Individual and group successes are great and worthy of celebration, but what knits them together into a happy and successful school community are the myriad of individual interactions that create a supportive, coherent and kind school. So thank you to all the pupils and staff for their cheery greetings, for holding doors open, for smiling, for thinking about others and not just themselves, for noticing, for being a good friend, for welcoming the new and looking after the vulnerable, for doing what is right and not what is easy.

Success comes in many different shapes and sizes. We must congratulate all our pupils and staff on their big and little achievements, their absolute and relative successes, and their ordinary and extraordinary triumphs whether tangible or intangible. Most importantly of all, we must recognise that conduct counts, and that is why acting with kindness and consideration and valuing one another really matter at The Perse.

Ed Elliott Head

Shaped by our values A clear sense of purpose, shared by pupils and staff, lies at the heart of everything we do.

Intellectual curiosity and scholarship

Breadth and balance

Endeavour

One another and our environment

We love learning, thinking

We are involved, engaged

We aim high and

We each play our part

deeply, being creative

and committed, and we

challenge ourselves, try

in creating a kind and

and welcoming reasoned

take full advantage of

our best and are not afraid

considerate community.

debate.

the opportunities we are

to make mistakes.

We care for ourselves, each

given.

other and those in need.

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Contents

6

16

PREP

PELICAN

30

39 Geography 42 History

UPPER

43 Philosophy, Ethics and Religion 44 Classics 46 Maths 47 Independent Research 58 Art 64 Design and Technology 66 Modern Foreign Languages 70 English and Drama 78 Music 84 Economics 84 Psychology 85 Politics 31 Atlas Fellowship

86 42 Society

32 Computer Science

87 Schools’ Challenge

34 Chemistry

88 Outdoor Pursuits

36 Physics

95 Charities and Community Outreach

38 Biology

101 Sport

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Annual Review 2021-2022

111

112

ALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

114 EXAM RESULTS 114 GCSE Results 116 A Level Results 118 University Destinations 119 Course Choices

120

124

SUMMER SCHOOL

CLUB PELICAN

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Pelican

PELICAN

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Wandering around Wandlebury A great time was had by Year 2 pupils during their exciting trip to Wandlebury.

Pupils in Willow and Cedar classes enjoyed learning about pond and woodland habitats during their hands-on forest school trip. While some children preferred the pond-dipping, others said they most liked looking for wild flowers and mini beasts.

Park rangers led groups of children around the country park, helping Pelicans learn more about nature and looking after their local environment.

Outdoor pursuits fun Reception children enjoyed a fun-filled visit to the Outdoor Pursuits Centre at the Upper.

They met with marvellous minibeasts, ranging from cicadas and dragonflies to huge goliath beetles and horseshoe crab shells, and discovered fascinating facts about the creatures from Head of Biology Nicole Copeland.

Pupils’ faces also lit up as they enjoyed making attractive pyramid-shaped lanterns from bamboo canes and thin sheets of paper.

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Pelican

Seaside excitement at Summer Fete Everyone had lots of fun at the Pelican fete, with a wide range of activities for children to take part in, including hooka-duck and mini pitch and putt. The Punch and Judy show was especially popular as were the giant candy floss sticks. Sports Coach Jordan Palazon was a ‘good sport’ and raised funds by getting soaked in the stocks.

Fun in the sun in Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth was the destination for a glorious day at the seaside for Year 2 children.

Things got fishy with a visit to the SeaLife Centre as they got up close to tanks of sharks and rays, as well as seeing turtles, penguins and otters.

However, there was still lots of time to have fun and games on the beach and enjoy an ice cream!

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Artistic Pelicans drawn to Anglesey Abbey Year 1 pupils showed their artistic side during a visit to Anglesey Abbey.

‘Take a Picture’ was their Summer term topic, with children delving into the life and work of different artists each week.

Tying in with their look at 19th-Century English painter John Constable, they visited a special exhibition featuring his works at the National Trust property.

Pupils learned more about Constable, who was renowned for his landscape paintings, as they viewed the collection while walking around the property.

Suitably inspired by their tour, children spent time sketching their own landscapes and scenery in the grounds of the beautiful country house.

Going wild with Children in Need fundraiser Pelican children had fun in the jungle to raise funds for BBC Children in Need.

Pupils dressed up as their favourite wild creatures and strutted their stuff in the style of elephants, monkeys and even armadillos for a special danceathon.

Children learned the moves in their classes before coming together in the playground to groove along to I Like to Move It from the film Madagascar.

Every child received a wristband and other treats featuring Children in Need mascot Pudsey Bear, while parents held a bake sale to help raise funds for the annual appeal, supporting disadvantaged youngsters across the country.

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Pelican

Team building at Burwell House A wonderful start to the Summer term was had by Year 2 pupils as they took a trip to Burwell House.

They had a great time enjoying a day of team building and outdoor activities on their first day back at school after the Easter break.

Children partnered up to take part in the blindfolded Burwell Challenge, as well as having a go at orienteering in the magnificent grounds and batik art in the Bramwell Barn.

Hot chocolate, sausage rolls and toasted marshmallows around the campfire proved to be popular, while Pelicans also enjoyed a barbecue lunch followed by ice lollies!

Tall tales enjoyed by Nursery children Lots of fun and laughter was had by Nursery children as they enjoyed a magical storytelling workshop.

Following on from their topic ‘Traditional Tales’, they were visited by Andy Lawrence from the Theatre of Widdershins, who put on a joyful puppet show mash-up of The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and the Three Bears, entitled Pigs and Bears Don’t Come in Pairs!

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Out of this world production Children in Year 2 took a journey into space for their production of The Blue Crystal.

They sung their hearts out to a range of musical medleys as they took to the stage for one last time at the Pelican, before blasting off to the Prep. With colourful costumes that were out of this world, they shone like stars to an audience of parents and friends.

Mission successful as Space Day takes off Nursery children lifted off on their special Space Day. The young astronauts flew to the moon in their very own rocket and although it was a bit of a bumpy ride, everyone arrived safely.

They enjoyed a rather wet but exciting moonwalk, trying to avoid all the craters as they stepped, jumped and hopped across the surface of the moon.

It was then back on the rocket for the return journey to mission control, where they made tasty space rock cakes and enjoyed lots of fun and games.

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Pelican

Pelicans get into Platinum Jubilee spirit A right royal celebration was enjoyed at the Pelican to mark HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

From producing pictures of The Queen from bits and bobs, such as beads and guitar plectrums, to making brilliantly creative crowns, Pelicans got stuck into the spirit of the occasion.

Conrad was excited about the Jubilee and had made an excellent Union Jack using different types of paper.

No big royal occasion would be complete without a big party and children celebrated in style with a patriotic picnic, in true street-party style.

Veya brought a big Union Jack to school and as well as enjoying making colourful pictures of The Queen, she said: “I really liked eating the rocky road with a flag on it at break. It was very tasty.”

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Every child planted a lemon tree seed in a pot to take home to mark the 70th anniversary of The Queen’s reign.

The Jubilee event followed on from a special Dancing through the Decades show at the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre in which Pelicans strutted their stuff in the style of famous dance crazes from the last 70 years.

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Pelican

Favourite characters celebrated on World Book Day

sessions with illustrators to get themselves in the mood for the occasion.

Nursery children enjoyed taking part in activities around the Julia Donaldson story What the Ladybird Heard, while Reception pupils had fun creating a puppet theatre.

Children celebrated World Book Day by dressing up as

Dragons proved to be a hot topic for Year 1, while Year 2

their favourite fictional figures.

pupils used what they had learned from the illustration

In the run-up to the day itself, pupils in Reception and

workshops to create their own pictures inspired by the

Years 1 and 2 took part in online workshops and draw-along

I Spy series.

History Day takes Pelicans back to medieval times Year 1 pupils found themselves transported back to the Middle Ages for a fun History Day. Children made medieval arts and crafts and had a go at using common objects of the era, such as quills, pestles and mortars.

Pupils were also primed for battle as they were shown how soldiers used trebuchets, bows and arrows and shields, linking into their topic on castles.

To end the day, Pelicans enjoyed a medieval banquet – and there were even rat catchers on hand to ensure none of the food was taken!

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Pelicans prove to be good sports Youngsters headed for the start line full of cheer in sweltering sunshine for Pelican Sports Day. Lots of races were enjoyed by the children as they ran, jumped, balanced tennis balls on rackets and even participated in a race that depicted the life cycle of a butterfly.

On the run for charity Children quickly hit their stride to raise funds for good causes in the Pelican Charity Marathon.

Following a warm-up in the school hall, pupils completed laps of the Pelican grounds and collected stickers for each circuit they finished.

Between them, the Pelicans managed a lung-busting 2,090 laps, which equated to 280 miles (almost 11 marathons).

Nursery children completed 152 laps (more than threequarters of a marathon) and Reception 430 laps (more than two marathons), while Years 1 and 2 finished 649 (more than three marathons) and 859 circuits (four-and-a-half marathons) respectively.

Welcome ice lollies were on hand to cool everyone down after their marathon mission, which raised funds for the children’s chosen charities Guide Dogs and Cambridge City Food Bank.

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Prep

PREP

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Inspirational visits from amazing authors Renowned writers thrilled Prep pupils with special visits

An audience of pupils, dressed up as their favourite literary

and workshops throughout the year.

characters, listened as Sally gave an enthralling talk about the worlds and characters she has created, as well as her personal

Top poet Paul Cookson brought plenty of laughs and smiles

experience of dyslexia and her journey to becoming a writer.

on National Poetry Day as he kept pupils entertained with a

The school year culminated in a Reading Festival, which

dynamic performance of his hilarious verses.

featured a visit from Nizrana Farook.

He ensured they got involved in the fun with lots of audience participation, occasionally accompanied by the ukulele, and

She told pupils about the inspiration of her Sri Lankan

even encouraging teachers to join in with the actions to some

homeland on her evocative novels and led a workshop with

of his poems.

Year 5 pupils, encouraging them with their creative writing.

Leading children’s author Sally Gardner, who won the Carnegie

The festival also saw children have a go at performance poetry,

Medal and Costa Children’s Book Award with her novel Maggot

share book recommendations with their classmates and read

Moon, paid a visit on World Book Day.

aloud their favourite stories on Leighton Lawn.

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Prep

Going back in time with History Days Pupils enjoyed experiencing life in different historical eras

Meanwhile, Year 4 pupils were transported back to Saxon

as part of special History Days.

and Viking times.

Year 5 headed back to medieval times as part of their study

Typical costumes from the eras were tried on, while children

of Britain in the Middle Ages.

also explored objects and played traditional games.

They were introduced to Lady Catherine, who told them about

They also discovered more about runes – the letters used by

life in the medieval era, before taking part in workshops to

Saxons and Vikings – and designed their own shields, as well

understand traditions and customs of the day.

as having the chance to handle a range of weaponry from axes to staffs.

To round off the event, children marched on to the Leighton Lawn battlefield and took part in an exciting historical re-

Pupils completed an action-packed day by becoming

enactment.

fearsome warriors in a full-scale battle with sticks and shields on Leighton Lawn.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Individual interests explored in exhibition An array of intriguing projects were showcased in the inaugural Year 6 Independent Study Exhibition.

The pupils were given the chance to

pupils displayed their research into

explore their own interests as part

topics across subjects ranging from

of their homework timetable before

geography to computer science.

sharing their inventive and creative efforts with their classmates.

Adding an artistic touch to the event, there was also a display of terrific

Among the projects were an ingenious

sketches and paintings, including a

robot car and an eye-catching 3D

series of Andy Warhol-style portraits

snakes and ladders game, while other

of William Shakespeare.

Lots of fun en français Year 5 pupils were transported across the Channel as they took part in a fabulous French Day. With the regular Year 5 trip unable to go ahead this year as a knock-on effect of the Covid pandemic, children were given a flavour of France in the comfort of their classrooms.

Pupils tried their hand at making mayonnaise and had a go at creating eye-catching pictures of baobab trees, commonly found in French-speaking African countries, using colourful pastels.

They also had the chance to strike a pose in a Paris-style fashion show, making their own haute couture hats before strutting down the catwalk, and test their linguistic and acting skills out by performing a play in French.

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Prep

Colourful creations dazzle at art exhibition Amazing artworks created by Prep pupils were showcased in style as the school’s regular art exhibition returned for the first time since the Covid pandemic.

Year 3 children delved into the works of Vincent van Gogh and considered his use of mark-making to create marvellous moon paintings in a variety of rich metallic colours. They also produced wonderful ceramic leaves by creating leaf prints in clay and using gleaming glazes for an eye-catching finish.

The work of Claude Monet provided the focus for Year 4 as they learned to use the impressionist style to paint luscious landscapes featuring trees throughout the seasons. On a similar theme, they used thick card to make colourful 3D models of trees in striking seasonal tones.

Italian futurist painter Giacomo Balla was the spark for Year 5 pupils.

They learned about his life and work and produced expressive oil pastel pieces featuring lighthouses and boats, taking inspiration from his sense of creating movement and light. They also made exceptional lighthouse models from card, brought to life by incorporating electrical circuits and small battery packs to power the lights.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Year 6 looked into architecture, inspired by a visit to the University of Cambridge’s Faculty of Education building and researching other notable structures in the city. They made initial architectural drawings and learned about scale and proportion before turning their designs into models, featuring surrounding landscapes, using foam, card and tracing paper.

Dazzling designs on display Stunning creations took centre stage as Prep youngsters saw their work go on show in the school’s design and technology exhibition.

Year 6 pupils explored the evolution of design and the role that it plays in our lives, from the idea stage to the final product, and made their own desk tidy designs after considering the functions it might require.

Meanwhile, Year 5 pupils looked at a range of different furniture products made from recycled materials.

After evaluating successful designs, they learned how to strengthen and join cardboard and newspaper sticks using a variety of different attaching methods and engineering concepts.

Year 4 children learned about mechanisms from interacting with a number of different children’s pop-up books. They then built a number of mechanisms and used them to illustrate their own pop-up edition of Kensuke’s Kingdom

by Michael Morpurgo.

Alessi products and designs were investigated by Year 3.

They discovered how to saw and attach balsa wood to make a frame and learned how to build a clock mechanism before completing their timepieces with colourful clock faces inspired by Alessi designs.

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Prep

Thought-provoking activities mark Mental Health Awareness Week From inclusive sports to Indian dancing, children enjoyed taking part in a wide range of entertaining and stimulating activities during Prep Mental Health Awareness Week.

The national theme for the latest Mental Health Awareness Week was nature and its benefits to personal wellbeing, so pupils spent lots of time outside connecting with the natural world.

Year 3 had a splashing time building rafts before launching them at nearby Vicar’s Brook, as well as learning how to grow plants with fun grass and cress heads, while Year 5 pupils took part in a ‘mind maze’ on Leighton Lawn.

Platinum Jubilee celebrated in style

Musicians from The Utterly Butterly Ukulele Project inspired Year 5 to build their own stringed instruments from just margarine tubs, fishing line and pieces of wood before performing songs they had learned to an

The Prep was turned red, white and blue for a special

audience in the hall.

Platinum Jubilee-themed House activity day.

Para-sports, including sitting volleyball and goalball,

Every corner of the UK was represented during a day of

were sampled by Years 4 and 5 while Year 6 pupils

fun and games to celebrate the 70th anniversary of HM The

enjoyed plenty of fun and games at Abington.

Queen’s reign.

Children also had the chance to try kung fu and weaving,

Children displayed imaginative icing as they took part in

learn skills for first aid and emergency situations, design

the Great English Biscuit Challenge and had a go at making

and decorate colourful tiles and make bath bombs, as

origami Irish shamrocks.

well as create their own superheroes.

Pupils also had a great time learning how to sing like a Welsh A fitting finale to a fun week saw everyone join together

choir and dance in the style of the Scottish ceilidh. The day

in a whole-school Indian dance in the playground.

culminated with the entire school community dancing The Dashing White Sergeant together in the playground!

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Prep pupils shine on stage Year 6 pupils provided a powerful production of Peter Pan

Meanwhile, Year 5 actors put on a suitably snappy performance

across three wonderful performances.

of The Enormous Crocodile for one of their Centre Stage productions.

The young actors entertained audiences of family and friends as they took them on a voyage to a place where dreams are

With an adapted script from Roald Dahl’s story about a

born and time is never planned.

crocodile who tries all manner of trickery in his efforts to eat children for his lunch, the play recreated the famous scenes

Year 4 pupils entertained a delighted audience with an

from the story but with a modern, multicultural London twist.

imaginative retelling of the story of Robin Hood.

The production featured original songs and lyrics by Prep Head

Written by Nick Perrin and adapted by Mr Reston, the children

of Music Paul Harris and Head of English Raph de Albuquerque,

enjoyed dramatising the classic story of heroism and the

plus dazzling dance routines, choreographed by the cast

triumph of good over evil.

themselves, all delivered in a hip hop style.

Rousing singing and dancing captured the spirit of Robin Hood

The other Centre Stage performance was directed, written

and his friends in their resistance to the Sheriff of Nottingham.

and performed by the children themselves, based on four stories from Hilaire Belloc’s Cautionary Tales for Children. The

The play culminated in an exciting archery tournament, the

creative team of Harris and de Albuquerque again composed

return of Richard the Lionheart and the marriage of Robin and

songs so that the children could shine on stage.

Marian. The final song captured the joyous victory of freedom from the rule of the Sheriff and the children enjoyed showing off their rock ‘n’ roll dance moves.

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Prep

Striking a chord in concert Prep children across all year groups were given the chance to display their musical talents in marvellous Michaelmas and Summer concerts in the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre at the Upper.

An impressive array of ensembles, groups and orchestras took to the stage with delightful and uplifting performances of contemporary and classical pieces in both concerts.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Musicians make the grade Three marvellous Prep musicians are hitting the high notes after achieving Grade 8 instrumental honours.

Francesca He (Year 5) made the grade on both violin and piano, while Charlie Angus (Year 6) and Ellie Zhu (Year 3) both attained the standard on violin.

An amazing 144 out of 150 was scored by Francesca in her exam on violin – her principal instrument – while an excellent performance of pieces by her favourite composers, including Haydn, Chopin, Debussy and Bartok, saw her achieve Grade 8 on piano.

Francesca has been attending the Royal Academy of Music primary department each weekend since last year, but following a successful audition, she will join the Royal College of Music’s junior programme, which provides a weekly performance platform, in September 2022.

For his exam, Charlie performed pieces by the likes of Bach and Beethoven as he maintained his outstanding progression on violin. He hopes to continue building his skills to eventually audition for the National Youth Orchestra.

Meanwhile, Ellie has reached Grade 8 in rapid time, having only begun playing violin at the Pelican three years ago.

Ellie, who is also a talented pianist and singer, enjoys playing fast pieces of music and performed works by Beethoven and Bach in her exam. She aims to one day go to the Royal Academy of Music.

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Prep

Activities Week excitement

Away from the body, children gained an understanding of the science behind construction and architecture as they built their own marshmallow and spaghetti structures.

Pupils also made wind-powered circuits and turbines and

From marshmallow architecture to ice cream making, pupils

explored computer science and how microchips are designed,

had an excellent time exploring fresh experiences during

as well as learning how computer hackers work.

Prep Activities Week.

Meanwhile, Year 6 visited the science labs at the Upper, where

Every year group had the chance to try something new and

they built electrical circuits, discovered more about DNA and

discover more about the world around them through a range

tested how quickly they could get sugar to dissolve.

of exciting and interesting visits, talks and events.

Beyond science, Years 3, 5 and 6 enjoyed taking part in

With a strong science theme, more than 20 experts dropped

teambuilding outdoor pursuits activities at Abington, while

into the Prep to share their passion for the subject in a series

Year 4 pupils had a great time clambering around The

of engaging talks and hands-on experiments.

Playground assault course at the former Waterbeach Barracks.

Children were all ears to understand more about how viruses

Year 3 and 4 pupils explored the Cambridge Botanic Garden,

spread and how the immune system works, while various

while the former year group also relished the animal antics

activities helped them discover more about microbes and

at Shepreth Wildlife Park.

the history of cures for ailments.

Children in Year 5 rose to the challenge of putting together a

The importance of DNA sequencing was explained and they

play in a day, as well as getting a taste of life at the Upper with

were able to extract this from strawberries, as well as having

an Academic Day featuring activities in geography, classics

a go at cracking DNA codes before making their own genetic

and computer science.

code beads.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Action-packed adventure An adrenaline-filled weekend to remember was savoured by Year 6 as a celebration of their time at the Prep.

More than 70 children enjoyed a four-day adventure at Bawdsey Manor as they took part in a wide range of exhilarating activities from abseiling and zip wire to taking on the pulse-racing Jacob’s Ladder and Giant Swing.

Working in groups, they were also presented with a plethora of challenges, including raft building and navigating a sensory trail and obstacle course, and there was still time to enjoy a walk on the nearby beach.

Meanwhile, Year 4 pupils had a taste of the great outdoors with an overnight teambuilding camp at Chrishall Grange.

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Prep

Pupils get set on Sports Day House teams battled it out for glory in the annual Prep Sports Day. Each year group took part in sprint and long-distance races on the track at Porson Road playing field, as well as a cricket ball-throwing event and tug of war competition.

A whole-school relay provided a fun, but fiercely competitive finale as the Corinthians ran out as the champions.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Hockey teams perform well in national finals The Prep girls’ and boys’ U11 hockey teams put in strong performances in the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) national finals.

Having won the regional IAPS title without conceding a goal, the girls’ team reached the quarter-finals at the national finals only to lose narrowly on penalty strokes against Hoe Bridge School following a 0-0 stalemate after extra time.

The boys’ team also won their East qualifier to reach the national finals. They finished fifth in their pool to move into the bowl competition, which they won with a 1-0 victory over Witham Hall School.

In addition, the boys also reached the regional finals of the England Hockey In2Hockey competition after finishing runners-up in the county qualifiers.

Tremendous tennis performances The Prep U11 A and B tennis teams did themselves proud at the IAPS national finals at Rugby School.

The A team came fourth in the Tier 1 finals, while the B team were seventh in the Tier 2 competition. It was an exceptional achievement as each player was competing one or two years above their age group.

Mapped out for medals County success for cricket teams

The Perse Prep team clinched Bronze in the primary school category at the British Schools Orienteering Championships at Stowe Park, Buckinghamshire.

Meanwhile, the duo of Amy Keen and Siobhan Monteith

The Prep U11 boys’ and girls’ cricket teams did the

secured Silver in the girls’ Year 6 team event.

county double by both being crowned Cambridgeshire champions.

The boys’ team beat King’s Ely in the semi-finals before defeating King’s College School Cambridge (KCSC) by 32 runs in the final to take the crown.

Meanwhile, the girls’ team saw off KCSC in the semifinals before needing just three overs to overcome the target set by King’s Ely in the final.

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Upper

UPPER

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Perse students chosen for groundbreaking US education project Four Perse students were selected for a brand new programme bringing together the world’s brightest young minds to consider solutions to global issues.

ethical and quantitative reasoning and forced us to think in ways we’d never done before.

Natalie added: “It was more about the thought process than the answer. They weren’t looking for the ‘right’ answer, so

Emma Harris, Eduard Baroyan,

Eduard said: “I applied because I’m

one of the questions was ‘Choose an

Daniel Chen (all Lower Sixth) and

considering applying to universities

unsolved problem and describe your

Natalie Ronco (Year 11) were offered

in America. I thought it sounded like a

initial approach to it’.”

the chance to attend a 10-day Atlas

really exciting opportunity, especially

Fellowship course in California’s Silicon

with a 10-day trip to California and a

Valley this summer.

scholarship associated with it to help

Just 100 students from across the

with university education.”

supported by Open Philanthropy and FTX Future Fund, and challenged them to think about how the world’s most pressing problems could be tackled.

As well as the course, Atlas fellows also receive the incredible bonus of a scholarship of up to $50,000 to cover their future university tuition.

Emma, Eduard and Daniel were made aware of the Atlas Fellowship by Perse Assistant Director of Studies Jon Young, while Natalie heard about the initiative from languages teacher Rebecca Mitchell after taking part in the UK Linguistics Olympiad.

problem posed was outlined by Eduard.

He said: “One question was ‘Predict the population of people by the year 3000’, but then they also said this

world were invited to take part in the all-expenses-paid programme, which is

Another example of the type of

They tested your ethical reasoning and quantitative reasoning and forced us to think in ways we’d never done before.

A rigorous selection process saw the students make a written application, where they were asked to consider a w i d e ra n g e o f s c i e n t i f i c a n d philosophical questions, followed by an online interview.

Emma said: “The application questions were really interesting. They tested your

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could include digital people, which is basically people’s brains uploaded on to computers! My top end was 50 quintillion!”

For the online interviews, the students were either asked to expand on the answers provided in their applications or given on-the-spot problems on which to consider their response on subjects ranging from physics to economics.

Daniel said: “I’m very focused on maths, but they still chose me because I think they are looking for students who have gone out of their way to do their own thing in the past.”

Upper

Computer Science Cyber-sleuth success in national competition

Twenty-six Perse Year 8 girls took

Shawnie Chen, Lili Angus, Haoning Liu

The competition, organised by the

the independent schools category of

and Rachel Liu (all Year 8) combined

National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC),

the national finals.

their cyber-sleuthing skills to win

aimed to give girls an insight into the

the prestigious Cyber First Girls

world of cyber security as a potential

competition.

career.

part in the preliminary round last term with the team of Shawnie, Lili, Haoning and Rachel earning a spot in

Under the team name ‘P3r53Two’, they went on to triumph in the online final after completing a series of challenges in cryptography, cyber security, networking and logic and coding, as well as an additional ‘puzzle book’, over a fivehour period.

The team received a laptop and goodie bag as well as an invitation to a celebration event hosted by NCSC. Perse Head of Computer Science Dave Gwilt said: “Their achievement is impressive as they were competing against the best independent schools from across the UK and scored significantly more points than the second-placed team. “ Th ey wo r ke d ve r y q u i c k l y a n d independently, self-organising into topic specialities, but also showing super teamwork to help each other out when getting stuck.”

Computing challenge honours for Perse students Perse students had excellent results in the Oxford

Daniel Weglowski (Year 9) was runner-up in the

University Computing Challenge national finals.

intermediate category, while Perse students made up almost half of the entries for the senior final – Sourish

Twelve Perse students made it into the finals, which

Sharma, Mabel Symes, Oliver Gibson, Abhinav Gupta,

featured just the top 20 participants from the first round

Siddharth Kambli, Dominic Rogers (all Year 11), Tom

in each age category. Competitors had only an hour to

Hammond, Marcus Collins and Hanli Jin (all Year 10).

answer 12 logic problems and code-writing tests.

Notably, Sourish came second, while Tom and Marcus were

Jem Bennett (Lower Sixth) cracked the code as he won the

fifth and ninth respectively.

elite section for Sixth Form students, while Aidan Wong (Upper Sixth) came fourth.

Perse Head of Computer Science Dave Gwilt said: “Congratulations to all students for an incredible showing in a highly competitive field.”

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Annual Review 2021-2022

International Informatics olympiad experience for Perse student

I learned so much from the training and competition and the trip was spectacular.

Toby Collins (Upper Sixth) represented the UK at the

time, so I was really pleased to be selected to represent the

International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI).

UK because it’s a very tough competition,” said Toby.

“The experience was amazing - tackling challenging

He featured in a four-strong team that took part in the competition in Indonesia after an impressive performance

programming problems, visiting beautiful cultural sites and

during a five-hour programming exam in the British Informatics

making friends with students from around the world.

Olympiad squad selection camp at the University of

“The competition consisted of six tough computer programming

Cambridge’s Trinity College.

tasks across two days. The problems were extremely difficult,

The IOI took place in the Javanese city of Yogyakarta – the

including creating an optimal strategy for sharing specific

ancient capital and academic centre of the Indonesia.

information and determining the highest possible score in a complicated game.

Toby was among 350 students from all around the world who pitted their wits in trying to solve a series of extremely difficult

“Aside from the competition, there were many cultural

programming challenges with intriguing titles, including

excursions and technology talks, including learning Indonesian

Catfish Farm, Rarest Insects and Thousand Islands, across

music and dance, visiting the ancient Borobudur Buddhist

two exams.

temple and a talk from open source blockchain platform Tezos.

However, there was still plenty of time to explore the local

“The Informatics Olympiad was a brilliant opportunity to meet

area through a range of cultural excursions to sites such as

like-minded young people from all over the globe. I learned

Yogyakarta Royal Palace and the Indonesian Institute of Arts.

so much from the training and competition and the trip was spectacular.”

“I’ve entered the competition for a few years now, through the Programming Club at school, and I’ve progressed further each

33

Upper

Chemistry

Aviation fuel research published in science journal Mariam Abiani (Upper Sixth) was flying

and how engine and plane design may

Mariam concluded that biofuels offered

high after her research into alternative

have to change to accommodate this

the most immediate solution in the near

fuels to power aircraft was published

new fuel, as well as considering economic,

term as little change would be needed

in a renowned scientific journal.

environmental and political factors.

to convert existing aircraft, making it economically advantageous.

She investigated the topic for her

She felt liquid hydrogen would be “an

Rouse Award project in Lower Sixth

exciting prospect for the future as it

She wants to pursue a career in

and her findings were featured in the

provides huge amounts of energy and

aerospace engineering and after

Young Scientists’ Journal.

burns quite cleanly relative to kerosene.”

completing her project, she was thrilled to complete two weeks of virtual work

For her project, she looked into the

experience with Airbus.

issues for the future of commercial aviation in trying to move away from a reliance on non-renewable fuels to find other forms of energy.

She ruled out solar and battery power, as current technology would not be

I want to work towards bridging the gap between engineering, aerospace technology and sustainability.

able to provide the amount of energy needed, and nuclear power due to the extreme challenge of integrating a nuclear reactor into a plane and that it technically comes from a finite source.

Instead, Mariam focused much of her research on the viability of liquid hydrogen and biofuels as potential alternatives, assessing energy provision

“It was particularly exciting that I got to see how it linked with my research,” she said. “They are investing large amounts into developing hydrogen-powered aircraft and many of the different proposed designs were similar to the ones I had predicted.

However, Mariam found because hydrogen is only in a liquid state at extremely low temperatures and takes up much larger amounts of volume than current aviation fuel to make the same amount of energy, it would mean a radical redesign of current planes and fuelling systems if used.

34

“I want to work towards bridging the gap between engineering, aerospace technology and sustainability. I think this is where I can have the greatest impact on the world and it’s also what I’m most passionate about.”

Annual Review 2021-2022

Olympiad results

9

Nine Gold awards were collected by students taking part in the Chemistry Olympiad.

Among the winners were Toby Collins, Jay Sardesai, Faith Ashworth Stobbs, Matthew Ferguson (all Upper Sixth), Hongli Hu, Kiran Diamond, Yunlin Chen, Emma Harris and Benedict Meissner (all Lower Sixth).

4

11

Cambridge Chemistry Challenge for Lower Sixth Perse students claimed 4 Roentgenium awards, 11 Gold, 18 Silver and 19 Copper awards in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge for Lower Sixth (C3L6).

18

19

The Roentgenium award winners included Kiran Diamond, Emma Harris, Yunlin Chen and Hongli Hu. They were invited to a residential chemistry camp in Cambridge for their outstanding efforts.

Scientific Thinking Year 10 pupils successfully showcased their scientific skills in a new national competition.

52

An incredible total of 52 Gold awards, 48 Silver and 41 Bronze were achieved by pupils in the National Scientific Thinking Challenge, which tested participants’ ability to make deductions, spot trends and suggest hypotheses from looking at data, graphs and text online.

Marcus Wentzell was the school’s leading representative with a 100% score, with Marcus

48

41

Collins just one mark short.

Meanwhile, four students were just a further mark behind – Ella Davidson, William Bedford, James Bell (10M) and Edmund Williams.

Paul Spiers Paul Spiers retired at the end of the academic year after 44 years of excellent service to The Perse School.

During his time, he left enduring legacies not only in the lab in his role as a chemistry teacher, but also on the hockey pitch and tennis court as an outstanding sports coach.

A school prize has been designated in honour of Mr Spiers.

The Paul Spiers Lower School Research Prize will be awarded for outstanding research by pupils in Years 7 and 8.

35

Upper

Physics

Gold for student at international astronomy and astrophysics Olympiad Emma Harris (Lower Sixth) displayed stellar knowledge to strike Gold at the 2021 International Olympiad on Astronomy & Astrophysics (IOAA).

With the event unable to take place in the Colombian capital Bogota due to Covid-19 restrictions, she met up with four UK team-mates at the University of Cambridge as they undertook the contest online under test conditions.

As part of a gruelling week of competition, Emma sat a fivehour theory exam, worth 50% of the overall marks, tackling topics including cosmology, the evolution of stars and celestial mechanics – the study of the motions of celestial bodies, such as planets and asteroids, and how they interact with one another.

She also completed a three-hour data analysis paper and an observational test, which was split into a solar physics and a planetarium exam, on her way to earning the Gold award.

Emma, who was chosen to represent the UK following a training camp and her results in the British Astronomy & Astrophysics Olympiad (BAAO) and Senior Physics Challenge, was thrilled to achieve the top standard in the competition.

“Learning more about astronomy was also really exciting as

“I wasn’t expecting to get a Gold at all, but I’m really happy,” she said. “I knew the paper had gone well, but I didn’t think

it’s an area of physics where so much of it is in the news. It’s

I’d answered the questions to that level, so it was a really

something many people are interested in, and you can read

great surprise.

about it without having to understand particularly complex ideas.”

“A lot depends on the questions that come up in the paper, Emma also qualified for the UK team for the 2022 IOAA in the

and it happened that they suited me on the day.

Georgian city of Kutaisi after earning Gold in this year’s BAAO. “It was very intense, but well worth it. I really enjoyed solving the problems and it was especially rewarding when you have

Jay Sardesai (Upper Sixth) took Silver with Iain Lam (Upper

spent some time in getting to the answer.

Sixth) and Daniel Chen (Lower Sixth) securing Bronze.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Experimental project is right on time William Dickens (Lower Sixth) was right in the swing of things as his research into pendulums took Gold in a national physics competition.

He claimed the top accolade in the British Physics Olympiad’s Experimental Project competition with his investigation into the repetitive movement of compound pendulums, such as those found on clocks.

Physics teacher Myles Thompson supervised William’s project, while the physics department technicians helped with the equipment he needed to carry out his research.

William said: “I had a metre rule, with holes drilled at different points, suspended from a stand and then had different masses I could screw on to it. It meant I could vary the amount of mass I was adding to the pendulum and the distance that the mass was from the suspension point on the stand.”

Having carried out three different experiments over a series of sessions, William created graphs to work out trends from altering the mass or distance from the suspension point.

He also had to do some extra research to explain the physics behind his findings when putting together his written evaluation, which included an overview of the methodology behind his experiments.

Olympiad achievements

Physics Challenge results

Four Perse students attained the Top Gold standard in

Senior Physics Challenge (for Lower Sixth): 23 Gold - top

the first round of the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO).

score for Emma Harris, 10 Silver, 18 Bronze.

Jay Sardesai, Iain Lam (both Upper Sixth), Emma Harris

Online Senior Physics Challenge: 24 Gold - top score for

and Daniel Chen (both Lower Sixth) were among just 170

Kiran Diamond, 20 Silver, 22 Bronze.

students nationally to achieve the highest grade out of

Intermediate Physics Challenge (for Year 11 and below): 12

2,300 taking part.

Gold - joint top score for Tom Hammond, Marcus Collins (both

Round one also saw Toby Collins, Andrew Hambling and

Year 10) and Dominic Rogers (Year 11), 31 Silver, 37 Bronze.

Samuel Shenker (all Upper Sixth) claim Gold, while Perse

Online Intermediate Physics Challenge: 40 Gold - top

students took 10 Silver and 14 Bronze awards.

score for Daniel Myhill (Year 11), 39 Silver, 10 Bronze.

In BPhO round two, Jay Sardesai claimed Gold and was

Junior Physics Challenge (for Year 10 and below): 18 Gold

among the top 12 students in the country.

– top score for Neelkantha Mukherjee (Year 10), 7 Silver,

Emma Harris and Iain Lam took Silver and Daniel Chen

3 Bronze.

Bronze for their efforts.

Junior Astrophysics Challenge (for Year 10 and below): 10 Gold – top score for Hercules Voultsos (Year 9), 1 Silver, 5 Bronze.

37

Upper

Biology Sheen said: “I take a mix of A levels sciences and history - and I’ve always found it quite interesting to do projects where there’s a combination of subjects.

“I thought it would be interesting to explore how ancient and modern genomes can be used, so I also looked at how we combined them and how they influence each other.

I think it has quite a nice link to how researchers are now talking about whole genome sequencing in medicine.

“I started by looking at the more known-about elements, such as gene development and admixture of different species, but I was really interested in the

European DNA essay success Sheen Gahlaut and Sneha Goni (both Lower Sixth) delved into DNA as they

cultural aspect of it and how social norms have been passed on through time.

“The difference between ancient and modern genomes was quite striking.

achieved success in an international biology essay competition.

It’s a topic I’d like to keep track of now The Perse students came first and

Both students are considering a career

I know a lot more about the basics

second respectively in the European

in medicine and were keen to look into

behind it.”

DNA Day Essay Contest, with both

a topic in which there is much ground-

investigating the question ‘How can

breaking research taking place.

Sneha said: “I started off looking at how we can show population migration and

DNA help us to discover ancient

admixture, and also disease and the

history?’

environment people were living in at For their efforts in the competition, organised by the European Society of Human Genetics, Sheen and Sneha received cash prizes, while The Perse was awarded €1,800 to be used for a

I thought it would be interesting to explore how ancient and modern genomes can be used.

the time.

“I think it has quite a nice link to how researchers are now talking about whole genome sequencing in medicine and to help determine diseases.”

biology project.

Competition results

Notably, two students achieved Gold – Imogen Beaton and Hongli Hu – with 7 Silvers and 12 Bronzes also being attained.

Only Lower Sixth students entered the British Biology Olympiad this year due to an extra mock exam session

Meanwhile, students in Years 9 and 10 attained 21 Golds, 44

for Upper Sixth.

Silvers and 74 Bronzes in the National Biology Challenge.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Geography

Peak conditions for Snowdonia trip Lower Sixth geographers visited Snowdonia and central

The sun was shining in Snowdonia and students explored

Birmingham in preparation for their A level coursework

the glacial valley of Nant Ffrancon. They visited a distinctive

projects.

roche moutonnée and walked up to the shores of Cwm Idwal.

Students were awed by the scale of the glacial features and

In Birmingham, students looked at how the city centre has

were able to clearly see the key geological elements of the

changed in recent years, taking a tour of the new library

case study.

building and exploring the skyline from the rooftop gardens.

The forests around Betws-y-Coed allowed students to practise

A walk along the canals allowed students to compare historic

their techniques to measure carbon in trees and calculate

photographs with the current buildings and usage of the area,

infiltration rates of soil.

as they observed the most distinctive changes.

39

Upper

Human rights competition honours for Perse students “I wrote a script and although I used some facts and figures, I wanted to talk as if I was a real person with HIV living in Uganda and then London.”

On coming third, she said: “I just didn’t expect it. I entered for the sake of gaining more knowledge in that area and I wanted to show that young people are interested and do care about issues that are happening thousands of miles away.”

Meanwhile, Joely focused on the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya people in Myanmar for her project.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya M u s l i m s f l e d to B a n g l a d e s h i n 2017 following a crackdown by the government of the predominantly Buddhist country.

Joely’s entry took the form of a letter appealing to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson to intervene in the situation.

She said: “I felt like this issue wasn’t in the news enough. No-one was noticing what was happening to these people Izzy Bevens and Joely Harrison (both

She said she discovered HART from

and their schools have even been

Lower Sixth) enjoyed success in the

reading influential feminist geography

bombed by the Myanmar army.

HART Prize for Human Rights.

book Half the Sky: How to Change the

The competition, held by the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART),

World by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl

“I just feel the UK has a responsibility to get involved, even though Myanmar

WuDunn.

isn’t part of the British Empire or

challenged young people to examine

A regular actor in Perse productions,

Commonwealth anymore, because it’s

and engage critically with human rights

Izzy said: “I saw they had a creative

such a horrible situation.”

issues related to any of the countries in

competition, so I thought I could

which the organisation works.

incorporate drama into it.

Joely enjoyed carrying out the research and was pleased her work had been

Izzy came third in the intermediate

“I had the idea after watching Rent and

category (for ages 15-18) of the creative

Tick, Tick… Boom!, which both have

competition, while Joely was highly

themes around HIV.

commended in the same section of the essay prize.

acknowledged by the competition judges.

She said: “I really like writing essays and

“It’s a hard-hitting subject and you can see how attitudes have changed

going outside my subject, so it was nice to hear I’d been highly commended.

For her entry, Izzy filmed a short

in countries like the USA and the UK

monologue contrasting the treatment

since the 1980s and 1990s. However, I

“I want to be a lawyer, especially involved

and attitudes towards HIV carriers in

did some research on what’s it’s like

in human rights and climate change, as

Uganda and the UK from the first-

now for a person in Uganda with HIV

I just think these are important issues

person perspective of a young woman

and there is still a lot of discrimination

we face at the moment.”

with the virus in each country.

and stigma around it.

40

Annual Review 2021-2022

Fossil collection showcased at museum exhibition An array of fossils found by Maito Shiode (Year 7) went on show at the University of Cambridge’s Sedgwick Museum.

Fourteen of Maito’s favourite fossils were on display in a special exhibition at Cambridge’s renowned earth sciences museum, including sponges, belemnites, a sea lily, a sea urchin, iguanodon and turtle bones Maito has found and collected over the years.

The exhibition highlighted the Sedgwick’s Gravel Hunters initiative, which aimed to show how gravel can be a treasure trove for small fossils. Maito recently visited the museum and met with curator Dr Rob Theodore, who helped him arrange his section of the display.

Maito has amassed a collection of around 1,000 artefacts in the last four years, largely found in gravel in his garden and at the Upper and the Prep, as well as the coasts of Norfolk, Isle of Wight and French Riviera.

He said: “I just find fossils very beautiful. I’m fascinated by their natural beauty, because no two fossils are the same.

They are unique. Having these fossils makes me feel like I’ve got my own mini museum.”

Geography up for debate This year’s Perse geography debating competition was the biggest to date with a whopping 36 teams and 100 students from Year 11 to Upper Sixth involved.

For the first time two teams of Year 11 students made it through to the semi-finals, dispatching a number of Sixth Form teams en route.

The final debate - ‘This house believes colonial superpowers should pay reparations for the damage they have inflicted’ was won by Dominic O’Loughlin, Danny Petkov and Eduard Baroyan (all Lower Sixth).

GeogMeet presentations Two groups of Perse students presented their findings on a range of material related to the A level curriculum at the Cambridge and District Geographical Association’s annual GeogMeet.

Students put proposals to the Geographical Association, which were accepted, refined with the assistance of experts from the University of Cambridge, and shaped into easily digestible presentations for a wider audience.

Peter Santarius and Edward de Ferrars Green (both Lower Sixth) explained how dendrochronology (the study of tree rings) can be used as a climate proxy, while Joely Harrison and Evelyn Marshall (both Lower Sixth) gave an overview of how bilateral flows of people cause interdependence between Laos and Thailand.

41

Upper

History

A head for sites Head Ed Elliott took all Year 7 pupils on a local studies field trip to Bartlow and Castle Camps where they visited the Roman burial mounds and medieval friezes in Bartlow, and the plague village and witch marks at Castle Camps.

Meanwhile, Year 10 students took part in a ‘History Around Us’ tour of Cambridge, where they considered how the city evolved from the late Iron Age to circ. 1540.

Essay success Shaaon Bhattacharya (Lower Sixth) came third in the New College of the Humanities Art History 2021 essay competition addressing the question of ‘Should the West return cultural artefacts to their former colonial territories?’

He explains more…

“My essay addressed the very topical issue of decolonising museum collections – think the Elgin Marbles, the Benin Bronzes or the Shuar shrunken heads. While many equate this with repatriation of cultural artefacts, I argue in my essay this is not the inevitable solution. My research shows that there are indeed instances where, such as in the case of the Benin Bronzes, repatriation is appropriate on the grounds

to maintain the objects, or because it is hard to establish to

that they could be adequately maintained and displayed in

whom an object should be repatriated, I argue that museums

their nations of origin. However, there is no hard-and-fast rule

have an obligation, in their primary educational role, to

for decolonising museum collections. Where repatriation is

display all objects with their full historical context to enrich

not possible, either because the nation of origin is unable

the experience and learning of museum-goers.”

Charles Fowkes Bolt (Upper Sixth) scored the highest mark

John Webb, a member of the school support staff, was a guest

nationally in the OCR A level history qualification with a total

of the History Society where he showed his impressive coin

of 194 out of 200 (97%).

collection gathered over many years.

42

Annual Review 2021-2022

Philosophy, Ethics and Religion Philosophical about essay competition victory Hilary Hawthorne (Lower Sixth) enjoyed success in a prestigious essay competition with a thought-provoking work on Covid-19.

She won the philosophy section of the New College of the Humanities essay competition with her response to the question ‘How should we respond to the fact that misinformation can be harmful while recognising the value of free expression?’

Hilary based her investigation around Covid-19 and looked into how misinformation around the virus, via sources such as social media, could be combatted without compromising on the right to free speech.

“I found it really interesting because although I knew about misinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories, I didn’t really know about them in-depth so I started by listening to some podcasts and reading some articles on Covid and misinformation,” she said.

I’ve always liked looking at the big questions. Questioning everything around you is the most fundamental thing you can do.

“As such, my solution was to consider having an independent fact-checking organisation that could flag misinformation rather than categorically removing it.”

Hilary, who hopes to study classics and philosophy at university,

“The initial solution would be to completely silence people,

was delighted to win the competition, which received more

but then you get problems with aligning it politically and I

than 6,000 entries across all categories.

looked at Donald Trump as an example of that.

She added: “I’ve always liked looking at the big questions.

“Looking at this question philosophically was interesting. You

Questioning everything around you is the most fundamental

cannot compromise freedom of expression because that’s

thing you can do.”

important.

Up for the Ethics Cup

In the group stage, they lost narrowly to reigning national champions Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School before winning their second match against Beths Grammar School.

Perse students were in a philosophical mood after taking part in the Ethics Cup debating competition.

However, the team were unable to make it through to

A team of nine Lower Sixth philosophy and religious studies

the knockout round despite a fine display of debating on

students represented the school in the regional round of

topics ranging from male circumcision to anti-natalism – a

the illustrious competition at King’s College London.

philosophical position that opposes giving birth.

43

Upper

Classics

Classical reading success

Carole came out on top in the intermediate Latin verse category with Tansy Xue (Year 11) runner-up and Yolanda Xue (Year 11) also putting in a strong performance. Carole also represented the school in the intermediate Latin prose section with Sudevi Hoare (Year 11).

Meanwhile, Carla Campos Zanotti Gerosa (Year 9, pictured) was victorious in the junior Greek prose category after impressing judges with her excellent reading in front of a packed lecture room at the University of Cambridge’s Faculty of Classics.

Carla had stiff competition from fellow Perse pupils Maia Polonius, Milo Khong and Djia Sanath-Vijay (all Year 9), who all performed admirably in the Greek section.

The Perse was also represented extremely well by Year 8 pupils Enrica Russo, Arya Lloyd, Pavel Lomonosov and Timofei Lomonosov.

Enrica and Arya did themselves proud in the junior Latin prose category and they were joined by Pavel and Timofei in giving a convincing and dramatic performance in the Latin play reading category.

Perse Head of Classics Seb Foster said: “The competition has been held remotely over the past two years, so it was brilliant to be able to compete in person again.

Perse students enjoyed plenty of success in the Cambridge Classical Association’s Classical Reading competitions this

“All of our pupils did superbly well and should be very proud

year.

of themselves. I think they learned a huge amount from the experience.”

Jem Bennett and Lucy Blanning (both Lower Sixth) were first and second respectively in the senior Latin prose category, in which George Richards (Lower Sixth) also took part. Jem also took part in the Latin verse competition along with Lucy

The competition has been held remotely over the past two years, so it was brilliant to be able to compete in person again.

St Clair Holborn (Lower Sixth).

Hilary Hawthorne (Lower Sixth) won the senior Greek verse category, while Neelkantha Mukherjee (Year 10) and Carole Tucker (Year 11) were first and second respectively in the intermediate competition.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Dramatic scenes as Latin play competition returns Ludi Scaenici returned for the first time since 2019 as young actors took to the stage in the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre for the Latin play competition.

A cast of Perse pupils were joined by counterparts from St John’s College School, St Mary’s School and Norwich High School to perform original Latin scripts written from scratch by staff or students.

The performances were judged by Dr Rosanna Omitowoju from the University of Cambridge’s Faculty of Classics, Stephen Kern, former Perse teacher and local Classical Association secretary, and Katharine Russell, Head of Classics at Chesterton Community College.

The Perse play, written by a group of Lower Sixth students, was praised by the judges for its inventiveness, the convincing dinner party setting that was created and some strong individual performances. The Roman cats in particular were commended for their comic timing.

Pupils involved in the Perse performance included Amelie Brown, Sophie De Young, Amatullah Mumisa, Enrica Russo, Leena Shaukat, Hanrong Zeng, Hanyu Zeng, Emily Cheng (all Year 8), Hetty Baldwin, Paloma Bargh, Yinghao Chen, Isla Cochrane, Catherine Follows, Jahnavi Manya, Zara Osei (all Year 9), Jem Bennett, Eos Liao, Tengyu Zhao, Yunlin Chen and Benjamin Sharpstone (all Lower Sixth).

Great Roman Bake Off Edward Samson (Year 7) had the recipe for success after winning the ‘best video’ prize in the Great Roman Bake Off competition.

Pupils were challenged to cook a Roman dish and create a two-minute video of how to make it in the competition organised by the University of Cambridge.

Edward won his award for his demonstration of making patina, a Roman nut tart, while Jahnavi Manya, Isla Cochrane, Hetty Baldwin, Paloma Bargh (all Year 9) and Enrica Russo (Year 8) also enjoyed taking part.

45

Upper

Maths The Senior Maths Challenge saw 114 Sixth Formers, top

The Intermediate Maths Challenge was taken by more than

Year 11 sets and a number of Year 10 pupils take part,

400 pupils ranging from Years 8 to 11.

with students achieving 63 Gold, 69 Silver and 38 Bronze

They achieved 108 Gold, 84 Silver and 39 Bronze awards, with

certificates.

Arthur Depledge, Neelkantha Mukherjee (both Year 10) and

Daniel Chen and Hongli Hu (both Lower Sixth) scored full

Ganesh Mullaparthi (Year 11) scoring full marks.

marks, while 30 students qualified for the Senior Kangaroo,

Sixty-four Year 9 and 8 pupils qualified for the Grey Kangaroo

where 10 Merits were attained.

competition with 28 achieving a Merit, while 67 Year 10 and

Twenty-five students from Year 10 to Upper Sixth took part

11 pupils reached the Pink Kangaroo with 16 achieving a Merit.

in the Maths Olympiad for Girls. Emma Harris, Yunlin Chen

In addition, 34 pupils took part in the Intermediate Maths

(both Lower Sixth), Mabel Symes, Alina Turchyn, Bibi Elliott,

Olympiad. Arthur Depledge, Steven Kong and Tom Hammond

Yolanda Xue, Rebecca Li and Natalie Ronco (all Year 11) were

(all Year 10) were awarded Bronzes for placing in the top 100

awarded Distinctions, while Emma and Mabel also won book

nationally, while Kuan Kuan Lin, Natalie Ronco, Mabel Symes

prizes for being among the top 30 scorers.

(all Year 11) and Zoe Walters (Year 9) achieved Distinctions.

Roy Han (Year 8) was one of the youngest participants.

Round one of the British Maths Olympiad (BMO) was entered by 26 students. Daniel Chen and Emma Harris (both Lower

All Lower School pupils took part in the Junior Maths

Sixth) were awarded Medals, while Distinctions were gained by

Challenge, achieving 111 Gold, 77 Silver and 48 Bronze

Can Dogan, Katherine Liang, Samuel Simons (all Upper Sixth),

certificates.

Andrew Girgis, Peter Wei (both Lower Sixth), Mabel Symes (Year 11), Arthur Depledge and Tom Hammond (both Year 10).

Marcus Li, Tianyi Shan (both Year 7) and Jinashou Mei (Year 8) scored full marks and 76 pupils qualified for the Kangaroo

In round two of the BMO – the most prestigious level of UK

follow-on round, in which Hanrong Zeng (Year 8) claimed a

Maths Trust competitions – Daniel and Emma were awarded

100% score.

a Distinction and Merit respectively, with both placing in the top 20 students nationally.

Teacher makes a mark at international olympiad Combining numerical knowledge with a talent for translation was the sum total of Perse maths teacher Vesna Kadelburg’s key role at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in Norway.

Dr Kadelburg had the tough assignment of being a marker/co-ordinator at this year’s IMO in Oslo.

She was invited to be part of the 70-plus marking/co-ordination panel due to her involvement with the UK Mathematics Trust in national team training and selection for almost 20 years. She has also been leader or deputy leader of UK teams at several international competitions.

Her role included helping develop a marking scheme for the problems on the test papers, as well as trying to decipher explanations for answers from a variety of languages, including Mandarin and Arabic!

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Independent Research This academic year, 434 pupils undertook research projects beyond the curriculum, supported by 48 members of staff.

Running research projects for all ages is key to a Perse education, nurturing students’ intellectual curiosity, while also exposing them to cutting-edge scholarship.

Aristotelian Award High levels of intellectual curiosity were displayed by Year 9

The sciences category was won by Royal Grammar School,

pupils from across the country who took part in the inaugural

Newcastle pupil Krishen Kashyap, who investigated the most

Perse Aristotelian Award competition.

important factors affecting the spread of zoonotic diseases.

Highly commended were Ollie Sanders, Darell D’Cunha (both

The national Aristotelian Award was launched following the

St Bede’s Inter-Church School, Cambridge), Cheyoon Kim

success of last year’s Perse Research Essay competition, which

and Hercules Voultsos (both The Perse).

had been aimed at pupils in Cambridgeshire.

Cobham Hall pupil Martha Hyde won the arts/humanities

With the goal of inspiring young people to develop

category with her reflections on whether history always

independent research skills, the Aristotelian Award offered

repeats itself. Sophia Das, Benjamin Shaw (both St Bede’s),

a wide variety of essay titles across a broad range of subjects.

Nisna Malviya (RGS Newcastle) and Colin Chung (Ipswich School) were highly commended.

Split into two categories of arts/humanities and sciences, the winners of each section received £70 while the four highly commended pupils in each section were awarded £20.

47

Upper

Rouse Award The Rouse Award scheme is an internally-assessed programme for Lower Sixth students judged by a panel of governors and leading academics.

Students participating in the Rouse Award had supervisions with a subject specialist teacher guiding them through the research process. Their submissions were then assessed by the award panel based on the intellectual curiosity, depth and quality of research that had been undertaken.

The latest winners were announced in September 2021, with four students taking the overall honours. On top of this, 45 gained Distinctions, 50 were highly commended, 27 were commended and seven received awards.

Lucy Collier channelled the spirit of Jane Austen on her way to claiming the Rouse Artefact Award.

For her project, Lucy took on the task of writing a short story in the narrative vein of the early-19th Century novelist after delving into her classic novels Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility to pull out the key styles and themes used.

Lucy noted Austen regularly employed irony and free indirect discourse, where a character’s thoughts are conveyed through the narration, but also her “revolutionary” use of the narrator in other ways to create her unique form of writing.

A keen creative writer, Lucy took just a single weekend to compose her untitled 10,000-word work, featuring a panicky mother trying to marry off her daughters.

Charlie Toff earned the Rouse Award for his exploration into pre-hospital patient care during the Afghanistan conflict.

He decided to evaluate which changes to patient care had been the most instrumental in improving survival rates for injured services personnel in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014, when the International Security Assistance Force ceased combat operations.

Much of Charlie’s research came from reviewing journals of both military and civilian medicine, especially in relation to air medical evacuations and specific treatments for those injured. He also spoke to several doctors at Addenbrooke’s Hospital who had come from a services background.

Charlie found that even simple treatments, such as the reintroduction of the use of tourniquets, had made a big difference in helping stricken soldiers.

However, he felt there was a combination of factors in their increased survival rate, including the speed of air medical evacuations and the pace at which military medics adapted to the situation.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Elizabeth Follows assessed what lessons could be learned from previous transmigration programmes in Indonesia for her Rouse Award-winning research.

The schemes began while the Asian nation was under Dutch rule in the early 20th Century as a means of moving people from densely populated areas to other parts of the country.

Elizabeth outlined that there had been issues with city slum dwellers moving to rural areas on other Indonesian islands to work as farmers without having the necessary skills, as well as the land they had been given being unsuitable for long-term farming, leading to some transmigrants moving into the illegal logging industry to make ends meet.

In looking to find a way of making the resettlement initiative more effective, Elizabeth devised a model evaluating the suitability of different rural islands around Indonesia based largely on socio-economic and environmental factors.

She also created a table highlighting previous problems and provided possible solutions, such as training people in farming techniques before heading to a new environment.

However, she admitted a major flaw remained the communication between newcomers and natives with more than 700 languages being spoken across the country.

Tom Davies designed and built an innovative responsive road stud to win the Rouse Artefact Award.

His investigation looked into how an effective use of smart cat’s eyes could reduce the risk of road traffic accidents in developing countries.

He decided to try to come up with a solution having seen problems with road safety first hand while visiting family near to the Indonesian city of Bandung.

Having found the dimensions for regular cat’s eyes, Tom sketched his design and built it using a 3D printer before programming in the necessary code to bring his creation to fruition.

As with passive road studs, Tom’s design had a retroreflective strip, but also included censors picking up on sound, temperature and light and LEDs to convey information to drivers on hazardous driving conditions.

The Rouse Award programme is generously sponsored by Alan and Valerie Hirzel.

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Upper

Lower School Project Qualification Fifty-nine Year 8 pupils completed the Perse Project Qualification (PPQ) process. They independently formulated a research question, identifying sources, analysing them and developing their findings and conclusions into an essay.

Meanwhile, 112 Year 7 pupils successfully completed the Perse Research Skills Qualification (PRSQ). The PRSQ allows them to learn key research skills, assessed via online quizzes after each module, so they are better equipped to tackle an independent PPQ project in Year 8. The skills are invaluable in helping them be smarter in the way they search for information, read sources and make notes.

Amelie Brown

Rachel Liu

Leo Mortenson

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Kiana Mackie

Ted Bowers

George Tysome

Shawnie Chen

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Upper

Higher Project Qualification Thirty-four pupils in Year 10 completed their Higher Project Qualification (HPQ). Pupils undertook research in a wide range of subjects including music, science, law, media, languages and sport.

To what extent is high emotional intelligence a predictor of good health?

The motivation behind choosing this topic for my HPQ lies in my longstanding passion for psychology, since I have always found it fascinating to learn more about the nature of the human mind and behaviour, as well as to be able to understand more about myself and everyone around us.

After doing some initial introductory research into emotional intelligence, I decided I specifically wanted to learn more about what effect it could have on us and discovered some intriguing studies showing a strong correlation between having a high emotional intelligence and better health, compelling me to start researching that area of the subject further.

I used a variety of resources for my research, including websites and YouTube videos to begin with, followed by more specialised sources such as books, TED talks and journal articles.

When exploring my topic, I found multiple arguments against the proposition, including a particularly striking one

This research project was an intellectually stimulating and

on the effect of emotional intelligence on financial health.

engaging opportunity for me in which I gained a number of

It appeared that those with a higher-level job title, such as

new skills, such as improved time management, organisation,

CEOs, in fact had a lower emotional quotient on average

studying independently, confidence in presenting and

than those with lower-level jobs, such as supervisors and

evaluative skills. Overall, I found the HPQ to be an enjoyable

managers. However, there were many persuasive studies

and enriching process and I am glad that I have been able to

and overwhelming amounts of evidence to support the ‘for’

learn so much from this opportunity.

argument, so I concluded that high emotional intelligence is Versha Wahid

indeed a predictor of good physical, mental and social health.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

What would humans need to colonise Mars?

The answer is to survive on Mars, humans would need breathable air, water, food and shelter in order of their importance.

However, obtaining these on Mars using sustainable methods is much more complex.

•

To obtain breathable air on Mars, we would need instruments to create oxygen and isolate nitrogen. There are some options already in development.

•

To obtain water, we would need to locate and melt natural ice on Mars and process it to make it drinkable.

•

To get food on Mars, we would create shelters where we could grow crops, along with using insect farms and cellular agriculture.

•

Humans would stay in either tent-like above-ground shelters, or underground tunnels dug by tunnel bores.

I chose this topic because I find space exploration interesting and it may potentially be relevant to the success of our species

This project gave me new skills, including finding and assessing

in the future. Hypothetically, we may exhaust all the provisions

the value and reliability of sources and information, producing

of Earth and need to look elsewhere for survival. Mars’

detailed written notes and documenting each stage of my

environment may be adapted to support human life. In the

research journey.

further future, it could also potentially serve as a checkpoint in interplanetary travel due to it being a nearby planet with

I enjoyed looking into the potential for space exploration,

adaptable characteristics.

learning more about Mars, its environment and how it might be adapted to support human life. I also gained an appreciation

I focused my research on reviewing reliable and informative

of how efficiently and thoroughly Earth meets our human

sources, particularly online, including the NASA website,

requirements to survive and thrive.

Digitrends.com, Imagineeringezine.com and BBC News, as Annabella Bristow

well as reading other sources, such as Andy Weir’s novel The Martian, for background information.

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Upper

What is sportswashing and to what extent has it changed over time?

As a keen sports fan, I realised I could name many examples of sportswashing, but would not have used the term to define them as such. Similarly, these sorts of topics had sparked much debate among my family and friends and was an issue that was both interesting and original. The HPQ provided a good opportunity to explore it further.

This was the first time I had attempted to carry out independent research and write a report on it. I found it helpful to map out the tasks as the topic is broad, so I set a series of objectives to achieve my aim, as well as considering my methods for gathering and analysing data prospectively.

My HPQ enabled me to achieve the objectives which were: •

Determining the meaning of the word sportswashing

•

Identifying different forms of sportswashing and providing relevant examples

•

Examining the ways in which sportswashing has changed over time

•

Describing the factors influencing the change in sportswashing

At the time of my source collection, there were numerous

•

media commentaries on the attempted takeover of Newcastle

Concluding the extent to which sportswashing has changed

United by the Saudi Sovereign Fund which referenced the term sportswashing.

I gained a lot from completing the HPQ and, if I were to do it again, I would have dedicated more time to developing the

On further reading, I discovered sportswashing actually

discussion of the concept and the purpose of gathering the

spans many very interesting concepts as a form of soft

information in the first place. I found the project challenging

power and is used in different ways by many entities often

but manageable and enjoyed developing new skills in addition

for specific purposes. Sportswashing is changing rapidly with

to gaining new knowledge.

the emergence of new nation states as superpowers on the global stage and the media revolution of the past 30 years.

Rafe Beale

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Artificial intelligence and drug discovery: What roles can semantic networks play?

Rational drug discovery and design is a slow, labour-intensive process. A simple hypothesis is that AI and machine learning protocols can be used to accelerate optimised drug discovery.

Neural networks are the ‘brains’ of any AI model. They produce sensible outputs from many possible inputs. Semantic networks describe links between relevant discrete variables, referred to as nodes. The richness of the relationship data in semantic networks is greatly important in processing large volumes of knowledge to allow the identification of target biomolecules and link them to specific diseases. Graph neural networks (GNN) can analyse the features of semantic networks to produce a matrix of viable optimal outputs.

I concluded that the richness of information presented in semantic networks can be handled efficiently by GNNs. These can be used for the relatively rapid identification of drug targets and molecules that can be synthesised to influence the activities of biological targets - the way of future drug I have always wanted to know more and hence I am passionate

discovery.

about research. My personal research has led me to realise a The HPQ research journey was very enjoyable and satisfying for

multidisciplinary approach is the most efficient way to arrive at a more holistic, inclusive truth or solution to a problem or

me. Among the transferrable skills I acquired were strategies

question.

of time management and organisation and prioritisation of research materials. Importantly, I learned that open-ended

This idea was instrumental in my choice of question for my

questions allow greater knowledge generation and are

HPQ research. While the question of how one finds a drug for

necessary to identify multitudinous questions more specific

a specific ailment is in itself truly fascinating, whether artificial

for further research.

intelligence (AI), a fast-evolving field of computer science, Neelkantha Mukherjee

can be used to find better cures, perhaps faster, became a more pertinent and exciting question.

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Upper

Extended Project Qualification Twenty-nine Lower Sixth students undertook research for the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) – an externally-assessed project amounting to half of an A level.

A review of the evidence on whether diet, sleep and exercise can influence and prevent the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease followed by an evaluation of the potential of each lifestyle factor to prevent the development of the disease.

I found there was strong evidence for modifications to whole dietary patterns as an approach to prevention. I noticed that there was a strong bi-directional relationship between sleep deprivation and Alzheimer’s disease pathology, suggesting that it is likely to contribute to the development of the disease.

Despite inconsistent evidence surrounding exercise, I found it is correlated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, however more research is required to confirm the mechanisms mediating this.

I also looked at multi-domain interventions, which target a range of factors simultaneously. I concluded these are most likely to be effective at preventing Alzheimer’s disease since there are a number of lifestyle factors that are associated My decision to research this topic stemmed from my interest

with the condition. Therefore, modifying one factor alone is

in medicine, which I am hoping to study at university. I have

unlikely to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

always been fascinated by neuroscience and I knew that I wanted to study a topic relating to this. I was intrigued by

At the end of my essay, I also discussed ideas for future

the complexity of Alzheimer’s disease and the fact that the

directions for research in this field, proposing that more

condition is still not completely understood.

randomised controlled trials with longer intervention and follow-up periods are required.

After some initial research, I chose to look into prevention Sneha Goni

as opposed to potential treatments, since there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Reading Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep inspired me to delve deeper into the relationship between lifestyle and Alzheimer’s disease as it discussed how sleep disruption may be correlated with the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. I decided to research three lifestyle factors thought to be relevant in the prevention of the disease - diet, sleep and exercise.

My research mostly involved reading and making notes on journal articles from a range of sources. During the earlier stages of the project, I also made use of books and websites to help me understand the complex language of scientific articles. While researching, I completed a critical analysis grid to assess the credibility of each source I read and identify bias.

In my essay, I discussed how each lifestyle factor is linked to Alzheimer’s disease by considering a range of mechanisms,

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Assessing the efficacy of using dendroclimatology to reconstruct climates Once familiar with the key concepts through discussions with subject specialists alongside the examination of the wider scientific literature, I focused on the methodological and fundamental issues that affect the reconstructions produced.

Measurements from dendroclimatology come (mostly) in the form of annual ring widths, which contain both climatic and non-climatic inferences that influence their widths. During the reconstruction process, methods are used to remove these effects. However, they are often fraught with issues and controversy. Error in this regard is numerous and somewhat inevitable, yet is generally well understood and can be controlled with experimental design and peer review.

However, fundamental and yet unsolved challenges facing Instrumental data from weather stations and satellites are

dendroclimatology threaten the foundations on which the field

simply too short to show the full scale of climatic variability.

relies, representing the biggest challenges in reconstructing

This variability, however, is critical to resource management,

climate.

climate policy and economic planning. Thus, extending Since the latter half of the 20th Century, there has been an

climate data through natural archives of climate helps to represent the planet’s longer-term climate which, in turn,

increasing inability for trees to track modern changes in warmer

helps us to better plan for the future.

climate which has been dubbed the ‘divergence problem’, with exact reasons behind this inconsistency being largely inconclusive.

After a brief mention in the GCSE geography course on

The significance of this is there is no way of knowing if the

methods of reconstructing climate, I sought the opportunity

significant decrease in correlation may have happened in the

in my EPQ to investigate this further.

past, before the calibration with instrumental data.

Dendroclimatology is the science behind tree rings and

While this problem is likely due to anthropogenic influences,

the inferences of climate that can be made based on their

it represents a major weakness in the reputability of tree ring

formation. The size of tree rings produced every year will

sciences. Yet, much to the dislike of constitutive reductionists,

change depending on the surrounding environmental

reconstructions are never more than ‘best guesses’ of climate in

conditions. As trees of the same species are ultimately

the past, therefore, expecting absolute reputability is unrealistic.

subject to the same mechanical understanding, a chronology consisting of many trees can then be assembled to create a

In short, dendroclimatology produces unique and highly

reconstruction of climate over the last few thousand years.

valuable reconstructions of past climate. However, as with all scientific disciplines, it has limitations that one needs to

The aim of the project was to question the usefulness of

be mindful of when applying its findings.

dendroclimatology in producing climate reconstructions, learn Peter Santarius

about the fundamental principles of the field and to identify potential sources of error and assess their likely significance.

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Upper

Art In order to develop the form of his piece, Nicholas drew inspiration from the burnished and reduction-smoked ceramic artworks of renowned KenyanBritish ceramist Magdalene Odundo, as well as from the semi-abstract visual language of world-famous sculptor Henry Moore.

Nicholas added that his introduction to raku – a firing process where ceramics are removed from the kiln while red hot and cooled rapidly – in Year 10 had been a big influence on his work.

He said: “It’s an unpredictable and often unforgiving process, but I set up a firing bin in my garden – using wood shavings and certain chemicals for colouring – to experiment and develop my understanding of the technique.”

I like the tactile aspect of working clay and the fact that it results into a physical, threedimensional object.

Perse student’s stunning ceramic set for prestigious exhibition Nicholas Malasiotis (Lower Sixth) had

He said: “It was part of a series of

the honour of seeing his artwork in

ceramic artworks that were inspired by

pride of place at the Royal Academy

photographs of children whose lives

of Arts (RA) over the summer.

have been torn apart by war.

The talented ceramicist had his piece

“This is unfortunately a perpetually

War Child chosen from more than

current issue. I was particularly interested

21,000 submissions to be included

in expressing feelings of emptiness and

in the RA’s illustrious Young Artists’

loss of hope.

Summer Show.

“The specific War Child piece takes

Nicholas was delighted to discover

the form of a boy that stares directly

his creation, which he made as part of

at the viewer with a blank, resigned

his GCSE 3D art coursework last year,

expression, questioning the reasoning

had been accepted into the prestigious

of his incomprehensible situation.”

exhibition.

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With the War Child piece, Nicholas sculpted the hollow clay form of the boy and used the ancient technique of terra sigillata – covering the surface with a suspension of highly-refined clay particles and burnishing it – to achieve a smooth sheen.

After a first bisque firing, he coloured the piece with a metallic salts wash. The piece was then saggar-fired, using wood shavings, in the electric kiln at school before a final wax polish was added.

He said: “I like the tactile aspect of working clay and the fact that it results into a physical, three-dimensional object. Mrs Wilkins has been especially helpful with the knowledge and support she has given me.”

Annual Review 2021-2022

Heller Prize winner Laetitia Lowe (Year 8) won the Heller Prize for Creative Art with this stunning image.

The award is sponsored by Sir Michael and Lady Heller. Sir Michael is an Old Persean (1954), businessman and philanthropist, who was knighted in 2013 for charitable services.

Pupils were invited to submit photographs linked to the theme of ‘Connections’, with Sir Michael and Lady Heller choosing Laetitia’s shot Flying Colours, featuring the Red Arrows in action during a display.

Perse Head of Art Ben Keeble commented: “The composition is very striking, with strong dynamic diagonals and reflects the recent Jubilee celebrations very well.

“This year’s theme was ‘Connections’ and the contrails of the jets appear to connect, without, of course, any contact from the aeroplanes themselves.”

Science-inspired art by Perse pupil selected for German exhibition Eye-catching work by Kate Lawrence-Jones (Year 10) went on display at a special scientific art exhibition in Germany.

Kate created a 3D ceramic piece

leads the art aspect of the Perse PDBe

based on the haemagglutinin protein

project, was approached to submit a

during Year 9 as part of an ongoing

pupil piece for possible inclusion.

Protein Data Bank in Europe (PDBe) programme in which the Perse art and biology departments have been involved for several years.

Pupils’ works inspired by 3D structures of molecules from the PDBe archive often feature in annual exhibitions in Cambridge.

The haemagglutinin protein on which Kate’s creation is based is found on the surface of flu viruses and is integral to its infectivity.

She explained: “I based my piece on the

“Once I was satisfied, it had its first firing

influenza virus because of its dynamic

and I then applied three coats of blue

form. I started by creating two semi-

rutile glaze. The thickness and firing

sphere pinch pots and then used the

temperature created a fluid natural

However, Kate’s super sculpture

score-and-slip technique to seal the

quality to my 3D piece.

was selected to be shown as part of

two halves together.

the permanent World of Molecular Biology exhibition at the Heidelberg headquarters of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). It came after teacher Mandy Wilkins, who

“The colour of the glaze was chosen

“After that, I made spikes, which had to

because a green-blue colour is often

harden before being attached using

used in CAD (computer-aided design)

score and slip. These dried to hold their

representations of the virus, as well as

shape and balance.

a mottled surface.”

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Upper

GCSE artwork Pupils in Year 11 studying the GCSE fine art course looked at natural forms as a starting point for their projects in the personal investigation, researching numerous artists to inspire the development of their ideas. They were encouraged to develop sustained final outcomes in the media of their choice, reflecting the diversity of media and techniques available to them during the course.

Alissa Devereux

Ayushi Ambegaonkar

Gwennie Evans Cordelia Bargh

Elena Wheaton

Anna Dunphy

Clementine Nguyen

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Isabella Harvey

Annual Review 2021-2022

Safia Leach

Eunsong Seo

Safia Clements

Juliette Brooking

Katie Richards

Nicola McGilly

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Upper

A level artwork Those studying the A level course started a series of skills-based workshops in their first year looking at the human form, beginning their personal investigations exploring a wide variety of themes and historical approaches to art-making depending on their interests. This led naturally into their research for the related study essay where they were required to research an aspect of art and design, extending knowledge gleaned in their practical portfolio. Their stunning outcomes were the culmination of two years’ practical and written work and will be on display in an exhibition during Michaelmas term 2022.

Becky Bian

Lauren Baxter

Monty Williams

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Helen Haines

Mano Borszeki

Madeleine Brooking

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Upper

Design and Technology Illustrious engineering scholarships earned Fred Wyatt and Eduard Baroyan (both Lower Sixth) have earned sought-after Arkwright Engineering Scholarships.

The prestigious scholarships give budding engineers, who have been identified as potential future leaders in the industry, the chance to make connections and gain experience as well as providing £600 to support their A level studies.

After applying for the awards in Year 11, the Perse students had to showcase their interest in engineering through a detailed application form and an in-depth online interview as part of the selection process.

Less than 300 Arkwright Scholarships were awarded nationally this year, but as a result of their successful applications, Fred and Eduard are now being sponsored by high-tech Cambridge company ARM Holdings.

Fred Wyatt Fred highlighted the automatic guitar tuner he had designed and made as part of his Arkwright application.

He said: “I play guitar, so it felt like quite an intuitive thing for me to make and I especially enjoyed the coding aspect of it. I thought the Arkwright Scholarship would be quite an interesting opportunity, so I felt proud to be accepted for it.

“I’m probably going to use my funding to work on another project, but I’m also looking forward to the ‘connect days’ which give you opportunities such as work experience.”

Eduard Baroyan Meanwhile, Eduard already has knowledge of the industry from working part-time with Unipart, where he uses virtual reality and digital twins – virtual models that serve as digital counterparts of physical objects or processes – to investigate warehousing solutions. He used his experiences working for the logistics company’s digital team for his application.

Eduard, who plans to put some of his funding towards a robotics project, said: “I like engineering because I really enjoy creating things to solve problems that exist, so I was ecstatic to find out I’d got a scholarship, and particularly happy to find out my sponsor is ARM, which is a major benefit.”

Physics teacher Sam Patterson, who oversaw the Arkwright applications, added: “This was a particularly competitive year, so our scholars have done exceptionally well to be awarded one this year.”

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Award-winning project goes like clockwork for Perse pupil

I had to make several prototypes and keep making them better each time until I finally got something I was happy with.

Sourish Sharma (Year 11) had time on his side after earning a Gold CREST Award for his ingenious word clock project.

Sourish began by researching how word clocks could be made before coming up with his own design, which he prototyped in

Run by the British Science Association, the CREST award

cardboard, having also built all the electronic circuitry, before

scheme is aimed at inspiring young people to get involved

making the finished product in wood.

in STEM research.

He estimated the project took around 100 hours of work, given

As a budding electronics engineer, Sourish decided to go

the amount of development needed to reach the end result.

for Gold level, which is primarily tackled by Sixth Form students, and successfully claimed the award after designing

“I had to make several prototypes and keep making them better

and building his innovative clock, which spells out the time

each time until I finally got something I was happy with,” said

through letters being lit up in a range of different colours.

Sourish. “The hardest part was making sure the electronics were safe. I started from scratch and I didn’t want anything blowing

He said: “My brother did a Silver CREST Award at around my

up, and as the clock is made of wood, so it could catch fire.”

age and I remember thinking it looked like a fun project where you could make something. I actually started it in Year 9, but

Sourish had to submit a huge report to the CREST panel

because of Covid there were breaks in my work as there were

outlining his project from start to finish and was elated to

many things I could only do in school as it’s a physical project.”

claim the Gold Award. He believes the process will stand him in good stead for his future career.

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Upper

Modern Foreign Languages Mandarin event savoured

by Perse pupils Perse pupils discovered more about Chinese culture and language during a special Mandarin enrichment event.

Year 10 Mandarin students met children from Wenzhou No 2 Foreign Language School, based in China’s east coast Zhejiang province, via an online link.

Besides practising each other’s languages, they shared experiences of their interests and school life as well as their cultures from food to festivals.

Perse Head of Mandarin Hannah Bolton said: “One of the things they all loved was playing video games. They bonded over Minecraft, so they were very excited about that!”

The Wenzhou pupils rounded off the interactive session by performing a traditional Chinese song and dance called Mo Li Hua, which translates as Jasmine Flower.

Both students thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, which sees contestants given a word in English that they must translate into the relevant language before saying the spelling out loud.

Jo said: “I found it quite hard at first because none of my family are Spanish but after the first two rounds, I became quite obsessive! It’s just really good fun.

“I really like languages because it’s very satisfying to know you can speak to other people around the world if you go on holiday or learn about different cultures.”

Meanwhile, Ariana said the experience so far had helped improve her grasp of the language.

Superb Spanish skills spell success

She said: “It’s helped me a lot with my vocabulary in general and pronunciation, especially because we’ve learned words that we don’t learn in the normal curriculum.

Jo Zhou and Ariana Sabourian (both Year 7) displayed

“I talk a little bit with my mum at home, but it’s useful when

superb Spanish skills in the Foreign Language Spelling Bee

she’s talking to my grandmother in Peru and I can understand

national finals.

a bit better what they’re saying.”

Ariana came third overall, while Jo went as far as the semi-final.

Both Jo and Ariana said the MFL Spelling Bee Club, led

To reach the national finals, both students first had to qualify at

by French teacher Hannah Roberts, had been a big help in

the regional stage, attempting to learn an increasing number

preparing them for each round of the competition.

of words in Spanish and/or French as they progressed.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Silver lining at International Linguistics Olympiad Toby Collins (Upper Sixth) demonstrated a successful way with words representing the UK at the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) on the Isle of Man. He collected silver in the individual competition having

Toby said: “It was a fantastic experience, meeting many

attempted to solve problems focusing on the structures of

like-minded students from all around the world and getting

obscure languages, such as the Native American Alabama, the

exposure to a range of different cultures.

Australian aboriginal Arabana and the extinct Ubykh, during

“The most interesting problem of this year’s contest was about

a six-hour test.

how the pronunciation of words changes with time, while

Toby also helped the UK team to bronze in the team event

the hardest problem involved decomposing the meaning

as they tackled a five-hour exam involving a series of tough

and structure of verbs. Many questions require you to think

questions based on the little-used Manchu language of north-

outside the box.

east China.

“Aside from the competition, there were many social

It was the second consecutive year that Toby had taken part in

opportunities and cultural excursions, including a Manx concert

the IOL, having claimed individual bronze in the 2021 edition,

and an evening of Celtic dance.

which was held online due to the Covid pandemic.

“The Linguistics Olympiad was a fantastic opportunity to make

Toby gained selection for the eight-strong national squad once

friends with people from all over the globe, with more than

more after impressing in a training camp at the University

150 students attending from over 30 different countries. The

of Warwick, having performed exceptionally well in the first

whole event was amazing and I learned so much from the

two online rounds of the UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO).

training and competition.”

He was elated to have done so well in both the individual

Overall, Perse students won 15 awards in the UKLO – three

and team competitions and thoroughly enjoyed being able

Gold, two Silver and 11 Bronze. Gold awards were won by Toby Collins, as well as Jem Bennett and Kiran Diamond

to take part in the IOL in person.

(both Lower Sixth).

Languages translate to prizes for Perse pupil Natalie Ronco (Year 11) exhibited tremendous translation technique to enjoy success in a prestigious language competition.

Organised by The Queen’s College, Oxford, the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators is inspired by the late renowned literary translator and aims to encourage youngsters to go further with modern foreign languages.

More than 3,200 pupils across the country entered the competition and Natalie was the national runner-up and East region Level 3 champion in both Spanish and Mandarin, having had the challenges of translating part of a story from those languages to English.

“It was trying to figure out what would be the natural way for the piece to read in English translation because if you literally

She said: “You could choose from a piece of fiction, non-

translate from Spanish, it sounds strange. With Mandarin, it

fiction or poetry and I picked the fiction for both language

was more about trying to convey the feeling and get the

categories. You were allowed to use an online translation tool,

overall sense of characters.

such as Google Translate, to help and they also gave some of the possible translations for words, so you could choose

“I was very surprised to have won, especially in both languages,

which ones you thought made it sound the best.

because a lot of people entered, but I really enjoyed doing it.”

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Upper

Making the cut to reach JaViChamp film final Hanli Jin (Year 10) and Maito Shiode (Year 7) qualified for the final of a national Japanese language film competition.

They teamed up to enter the Japanese Video Championship for Young Learners (JaViChamp) after hearing about the competition from languages teacher Sibylle Wilson during Perse Japanese Club sessions.

Organised by The Japan Foundation London, the competition challenged participants to make a short video on the theme of ‘Our Favourite Place in School’.

The pair chose to focus on the Perse sports facilities and produced a fun film explaining their passion for PE, taking in vaults in the sports studio, hockey on the all-weather pitches and shooting in the rifle range.

Hanli said: “Maito and I both love the multitude of sporting facilities available and getting to speak Japanese while using them made them even better. We were very pleased to find out that we have been chosen as one of the finalists.”

Japanese joy in international languages competition Thomas Starr and Eos Liao (both Lower Sixth) have

Upper Sixth) and Benjamin Sharpstone (Lower Sixth), took

showcased their Japanese skills in the Education Perfect

part after being encouraged to enter by Japanese teacher

International Languages Championships.

Mary Grace Browning.

They earned Gold and Credit awards respectively in the

They participated in a range of activities and exercises, testing

online competition, helping The Perse take first place in the

a wide variety of their linguistic skills, while being able to see

global small entry category for Japanese, as well as being

how they were performing individually in real time. Thomas

the highest-ranked British school in the language, based on

focused on converting Japanese to English, largely through

average scores.

reading and listening activities, while Eos concentrated on being tested on new vocabulary.

Thomas and Eos, along with fellow JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) students Will Bacon, Lily MacFarlane (both

Year 8 enjoy ‘Translation Bee’ A group of talented Year 8 linguists took part in the

French and German teacher Helen Carmell said: “The pupils

National Translation Bee competition.

chose to participate as they were all very interested in languages and wanted to expand their knowledge. They

Pupils translated as many sentences as they could into

all very much enjoyed working with each other and felt the

French, with one pupil also translating content into Spanish

competition had helped them with classwork too. I would like

as well.

to say a huge thank you to Alice Shaw, Rebecca Alexander and Kiana Mackie for their fantastic efforts and enthusiasm

Although the regional final was held online, this did not deter

and I look forward to working with them and other linguistic-

students from giving their best efforts to the competition

minded pupils on future language competitions.”

as they translated up to 11 sentences in a minute.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Modern foreign languages debating success Year 10 Gold (French) Octavian Marinas Gold (French) Jonathan Hamilton Gold (Spanish) Sid Suresh Gold (Spanish) Ariel Fishgang Year 11 Silver (German) Sophia Georgiadis Silver (German) Nicola McGilly Bronze (German) Carole Tucker Bronze (German) Anshuman Gunda Silver (French) Diya Seth Silver (French) Emily Fowkes Bolt Lower Sixth Gold (German) Freddie Shrager and Aiko McEwan Routes Into Languages MFL Spelling Bee: Regional finalist (French) – Fraya Sudeep (Year 7)

Students share their views on participating in some of the many MFL clubs on offer Anshuman Gunda (Year 11) - German Debating Club

Catherine Balfour (Year 11) - Spanish Extension Club “Ever since joining the school, Spanish has grown to be one

“Participating in the MFL debating competition was a lot of

of my favourite subjects and so by taking part in this club,

fun. I got to practise my German speaking skills and quick

I hoped to gain a greater insight into other aspects of the

thinking when it came to rebuttals. Being there in person

language and culture that aren’t covered as much in the GCSE

was quite nerve racking, but being prepared with some flash

course. Since I am also planning on taking Spanish A level

cards helped a lot. I would recommend the experience if you

next year this seemed like the perfect opportunity to develop

want to further your language skills. I learned about thinking

some of the skills needed for the course. We watched a film

quickly in a language that I am less familiar with.

called The Motorcycle Diaries which is a biopic about the

The themes for the debates tied in with the themes found in

guerrilla leader Ernesto Guevara. Whilst watching the film we

the GCSE syllabus, which meant that participating gave me

regularly discussed our thoughts about it - something which

some practice in talking about those key topics.”

I enjoyed as it helped to further my understanding of the film and also improved my speaking.”

Sienna Sharma (Year 9) - MFL Year 9 Film Club “I decided to participate in this club as it is a fun learning opportunity and embraces many cultures through film. This club has helped my learning and consolidation of the languages I have taken this year. We have watched a film in French (La Vie en Rose), one in German (Ballon) and one in Spanish (Voces Inocentes). I find this club interesting as it is a relaxed yet educational environment to help me consolidate and learn languages.”

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Upper

English and Drama

The Wind in the Willows a breeze for Perse actors Animal antics lit up the stage as Perse Lower School actors gave heart-warming performances of The Wind in the Willows.

Kenneth Grahame’s much-loved children’s tale follows

Mr Barrett said: “We were keen for the pupils to try something

Mole and his friends Ratty, Badger and Toad as they share

with animal study, where they take the animals they’re trying

reflections on fun times boating on the river, adventuring into

to portray and start to humanise them as a drama exercise,

the Wild Wood, battling weasels at Toad Hall and mishaps

so they were learning as they went along.

with motor cars.

“We also wanted it to have the same amount of detail as a big

David Barrett, Assistant to the Perse Theatre Practitioner in

show and that’s why we went to work on the set by painting

Residence, and English teacher Hannah Flowers directed the

the stage and creating a moat. We gave everything we could

play, which attracted large audiences for its two-night run.

in terms of production values.”

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Compelling Kindertransport production Perse Year 9 actors highlighted the experiences of young Jewish wartime refugees in their powerful performance of Kindertransport.

Based around the character of Eva, the Diane Samuels play reflected on her struggles to come to terms with her past.

After being brutally separated from her Jewish parents in Germany on the eve of World War II, nine-year-old Eva was brought to England via Kindertransport – a rescue effort that saw almost 10,000 Jewish children brought to the UK from across Nazi-controlled Europe in 1938 and 1939.

When Eva’s parents failed to escape Germany, she changed She added: “They learned a lot from it themselves, questioning

her name and began the process of denying her roots. It was

what their characters were thinking and feeling and if there

only when her son discovered some letters in their attic that

was anything they were unsure about, we delved into the

Eva was forced to confront the truth about the past.

history and had those conversations when they arose. There English and drama teacher Kathryn Salmond, who directed

were some quite sensitive issues which we tried to work

Kindertransport, felt it was a vital subject to tackle.

through thoughtfully.”

She said: “It’s about a part of history that’s really important,

Adding extra resonance to the production, Robert Rayner

especially with current events and discussions around anti-

(Upper Sixth) researched The Perse’s involvement in the

Semitism, tolerance, religion and migration. Many of the

Kindertransport programme, with the help of the school’s

Kindertransport children faced quite a lot of discrimination

alumni and development team.

when they arrived here and the play questions the narrative Governors’ meeting minutes from the era revealed the school

of Britain being a welcoming place during the war.

committed to take up to five young refugees on full or partial “However, the main character has flashbacks talking about her

bursaries.

love for Britain when Germany spat her out, so it’s a really Robert discovered two of the Kindertransport children educated

complex play.”

at The Perse went on to have long and distinguished careers.

Miss Salmond was thrilled with the cast’s performances and

Lucian Lewitter became Professor of Slavonic Studies at the

the work they had put into the production since rehearsals

University of Cambridge, while Michael Steinberg moved to

began last term.

the USA and emerged as a renowned musicologist famed for his pre-concert talks.

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Upper

Magical Matilda

The production featured excellent performances from Katie Richards (Year 11) and Eloise Bowler (Year 9) as Matilda, Toby Owers and Ben Lewis (both Upper Sixth) as Miss Trunchbull

The magic of Matilda the Musical JR was brought to the Peter

and Horatia Duggan (Upper Sixth) and Isabella Li-Yan-Hui

Hall Performing Arts Centre with a rousing Perse Players

(Lower Sixth) as Miss Honey.

production.

Mr Pritchard was delighted with how everything had come

Based on the classic Roald Dahl children’s novel, audiences

together from the music and choreography to the work of

flocked to catch the show over a run of four sensational

the cast and Technical Theatre Club crew since starting on

performances, which featured a revolving stage and special

Matilda at the start of term.

effects for an added wow factor.

He said: “It’s the first musical we’ve been able to produce

Perse Theatre Practitioner in Residence Andrew Pritchard,

since 2019 and there was an expectation of it being a vibrant

who directed the production, was thrilled the school’s talented

and positive event.

actors and singers had the chance to perform Matilda JR, an abridged hour-long version of the original show.

“With the matinee, we also had our first relaxed performance, which is a variation of the show adapted for audience members

He said: “Matilda is a truly excellent musical. It’s joyous and

who might benefit from a more relaxed environment because

energetic and it’s a show that many people have wanted to

we want to be as inclusive as we can.”

do for a long time.

Meanwhile, a charity collection held alongside the performances

“To have a show that’s about chasing your dreams, building

raised around £600 for the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal

relationships, tackling massive challenges and overcoming

and East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.

huge obstacles felt like a really great production to do.”

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Powerful Sixth Form play combines classical and contemporary

Perse Theatre Practitioner in Residence Andrew Pritchard directed The Penelopiad and felt the show’s message was relevant for current times.

He said: “We wanted to look at something classical through a contemporary lens for one of the first shows since lockdown where we’ve been able to engage with a live audience.

Perse Sixth Form actors fused contemporary and classical elements with strong female voices in their compelling

“Championing those female voices that are often suppressed

production of The Penelopiad.

or unheard and reflecting the world around us was integral to the choice of play.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s 2005 novella, it retold the story of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, reflecting on events in

“It’s something the students were really able to engage with

Homer’s The Odyssey from her point of view and exploring

and they did an amazing job. There was the entertainment

her life and those of her 12 maids.

and enjoyment of performance, but also having a subject they really wanted to tackle made it really impactful.”

Assistant director Talia Saeed (Upper Sixth) also took on a new role as the production’s inclusion, equality and diversity advisor, using an equity analysis template to consider how the play might impact various groups of people.

The challenging principal roles were double cast across the two performances with Chicko Ndumu (Lower Sixth) and Anna Bevens (Upper Sixth) playing Penelope in Hades, Maddie Austin (Upper Sixth) and Izzy Bevens (Lower Sixth) sharing the part of young Penelope and Corbin Abbasi and Ben Lewis (both Lower Sixth) taking on Odysseus.

Innovative staging and lighting developed by the technical crew created the parallels between the underworld of Hades and flashbacks to Penelope’s earlier life.

Meanwhile, a fundraising collection was held for Action Aid, a charity working to help women and girls living in poverty.

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Upper

Thought-provoking themes tackled in Year 11 play Perse Year 11 actors took on questions of gender, inequality and protest in their production of Witches Can’t Be Burned.

The play, by Silva Semerciyan, was based around a performance of Arthur Miller’s renowned work The Crucible – a fictionalised representation of the 17th Century Salem Witch Trials – by a school drama company.

However, the main actor begins to ask questions about the

He said: “They were challenging themes for the cast to take

portrayal of women in Miller’s play, and institutional inequality

on, but they were excellent. This was a play from the National

more widely, leading to clashes with the school authorities

Theatre’s Connections programme, which commissions

that see her undergo a disciplinary procedure which takes

playwrights to produce plays specifically for young people that

on the reflection of a ‘witch-hunt’.

deal with issues relevant to their age, so it felt like a perfect fit.

Drama teacher George Smith, who directed Witches Can’t

“The maturity with which they approached it was amazing. It

Be Burned, was delighted with how the cast had thrown

wasn’t just hard work and talent, they were thoughtful and

themselves into the production, having only begun rehearsals

politically engaged, and to do all this in four weeks, I’m really

at the start of term.

proud of them.”

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Annual Review 2021-2022

English essay success

For her work, Lily considered how author Maggie O’Farrell had taken William Shakespeare’s words and made them her own in her 2020 novel Hamnet, based on the imagined life

Lily O’Neill (Upper Sixth) was highly commended for her

of the Bard’s son of the same name, who died aged just 11 in

essay in the Trinity College Gould Prize competition.

1596, in relation to his tragedy Hamlet.

She took on a question based on literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin’s

She said: “I’m passionate about English and of the different

quote ‘The word in language is half someone else’s. It becomes

questions, I thought this was the most interesting and

“one’s own” only when the speaker postulates it with his own

philosophical. I like a big idea, so I was immediately drawn

intention, his own accent, when he appropriates the word,

to it.”

adapting it to his own semantic and expressive intention.’

Having already studied Hamlet in Lower Sixth, Lily read Hamnet on the recommendation of English teacher Deborah Vernon-Purvis and found it an “amazing” book that she wanted to explore further.

I’m passionate about English and of the different questions, I thought this was the most interesting and philosophical. I like a big idea, so I was immediately drawn to it.

“It’s given an impetus to one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays,” she said. “Hamnet has a twin sister, Judith, and I’m a twin as well, so I found it very moving and very pertinent.

“I’d already written a lecture on grief and time in Hamlet and Hamnet before the competition, so I knew a lot of what I wanted to say. It was about reframing those ideas specifically for the idea of borrowing the language of another person.”

Lily was thrilled to discover she had been highly commended in the competition, especially as she hopes to gain a place reading English literature at Trinity College.

Prestigious poetry prize for Perse pupil Alex Dunton (Year 11) claimed a prestigious Foyles Young

often fallen so heavily on young people, we were moved

Poets of the Year Award.

by the beauty, fire and resilience of these poems. We know that the voices of this year’s winners will ring out, clear

Her verse, entitled Teeth, was one of just 15 overall winning

and urgent, over the coming years.”

poems selected from more than 14,400 entries across the world in the competition, organised by The Poetry Society

Teeth will now be published in a special anthology as part of

for young writers aged 11 to 17.

the prize. Alex said: “I was really surprised to win, but very happy. I’ve always liked to write, but we’ve been studying

The awards were judged by contemporary poets Clare

poetry in English lessons and this was something I did on a

Pollard and Yomi Sode, who said of the winning poems:

whim. Winning this competition is a real confidence booster.”

“After a period in which the burdens of the pandemic have

75

Upper Editor-in-Chief Kenya Hunt and Liz Hunt, Daily Mail Assistant Editor (Features & Comment).

They commented that Neelkantha’s story was “an excellent piece of imaginative writing, evocative, gripping and the writer achieves a slow, tantalising build-up of horror. We really wanted to know what happened – and the climax surprised us all”.

Neelkantha’s submission featured in the Michaelmas 2021 edition of Synthetic Violet, the Perse student-led cultural and literary publication, which itself was shortlisted in the Shine Awards Best Magazine category.

He said: “I was absolutely astounded to win. I didn’t expect it because there were so many good writers, so I felt very honoured to receive the prize. It means a great deal to me.”

Neelkantha was motivated to write Alphonse’s Story after his

The write stuff for national fiction prize

parents told him about the “secrets and mystery” of Louisiana following a visit to the US state.

He said: “It inspired me to explore the concept of Voodoo,

Neelkantha Mukherjee (Year 10) showcased his story-writing

which is often portrayed as being about dolls. In my story,

skills by winning a national schools media competition.

people get an inexplicable fever and become what Alphonse calls ‘strange mis-shapens’ as they are turned into Voodoo

He clinched the Fiction Writer of the Year honour in the Shine

dolls themselves.”

School Media Awards for his work Alphonse’s Story – a tense tale set in the Louisiana swamplands in which the eponymous

He praised Synthetic Violet for providing a forum for Perse

character recalls a time in his youth when a series of cotton

students to have their stories, poems, essays, reviews and

plantation workers were suddenly transformed into tiny

artworks published.

Voodoo dolls.

“It’s a brilliant idea, for which I have to highly commend the

The judging panel included Dr Glenda Cooper, Senior

editor Carole Tucker (Year 11), along with Mr Green (Perse

Journalism Lecturer at the University of London, Elle magazine

Director of English & Drama).”

Speech success for Perse pupil in international competition

These included the implementation of a political general knowledge test to decide who could vote, whether there should be schools specifically for LGBTQ+ students, and if hacking should be allowed for social protest.

Djia said: “Over the three topics, you do three speeches and each individual speech is judged. The better your speech,

Djia Sanath-Vijay (Year 9) earned plaudits for his eloquence in the national qualifiers of the International

the more speaker points you get and then they are totalled

Competition for Young Debaters.

up to get the overall score.

“We’d have loved to have gone through to the international

He came third overall in the individual speaker rankings

final, but sometimes you get a tough topic and there were

out of around 70 participants in the online national round.

so many good teams taking part.

However, Djia and team-mate Ruairi Wallace (Year 9) narrowly missed out on making it through to the

“Ruairi and I worked well as a team and we had really good

international final despite a strong performance from the

fun competing with people from different schools around

pair arguing across three topics.

the country.”

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Why drama is so important Stage and screen star Jessica Hynes

teachers and theatre educators - that

gave an entertaining and reflective

Jessica visited The Perse for an event

lecture on the importance of drama.

The BAFTA-winning actor’s roles have

organised by the school’s English & drama department.

included performances in TV shows

However, Jessica told students she had

such as The Royle Family and There She

become increasingly passionate and

Goes and films including Harry Potter

aware of the vital part drama could play

As such, she recently became an

and the Order of the Phoenix and the

in society.

ambassador for Dramatic Recovery, a

Nativity series.

Jessica said: “I’ve begun to really

It was in a different role though, as

appreciate how important drama is and

patron of National Drama – the UK’s

what it does for children and adults and

leading subject association for drama

how it can transform the way you feel.”

Perse students talk their way into prestigious debating final

Liverpool-based organisation which uses drama and the arts to promote positive mental health and wellbeing through creative workshops.

“Even though it was on Zoom, it was still an intense experience because it was very competitive with many people making great points. There were around 30 teams and there were just five that could qualify for the nationals.”

Taylor, who has been involved in school debating clubs since Year 7, also enjoyed taking part as the pair tackled topics

Ebrahim Daultana and Taylor Sabot (both Lower Sixth) successfully argued their case to gain a place in the Oxford

including whether professional athletes should be viewed

Union Debating competition national final.

as role models and whether big film and TV roles should be

For Ebrahim, the regional qualifier was his first taste of

especially for them.

recast with minority actors or if new roles should be created competitive debating with just 15 minutes to prepare for each topic.

Emily Martinez-McCune (Lower Sixth) was joint second

Paloma Bargh (Year 9) represented the school at the

and Alice Wentzell (Lower Sixth) a finalist in the New

regional final of the Performing Shakespeare English-

College of the Humanities essay competition

Speaking Union competition having won the school’s internal final for this event.

William Walker (Year 9) was a finalist in the 11-14 age

Sorcha Brickel (Year 11) received a distinction in her LAMDA

category of the Wicked UK Young Writers Awards.

qualification, and Alicia Li-Yan-Hui (Year 10) and Isabella

Hannah Scotland and Elif Cektir (Year 11) were longlisted

Li-Yan-Hui (Lower Sixth) performed with the National

for National Theatre New Views Playwriting Competition.

Youth Music Theatre.

Toby Collins (Upper Sixth) was highly commended

Sanjana Bhatnagar, Rebecca Li and Alina Turchyn (all

for his entry to the National Theatre’s ‘New Views’

Year 11) were the winners of the first round of the English-

playwriting competition. Toby took part in a workshop

Speaking Union’s ‘Mace’ debating competition.

with practitioners from the NT in the summer.

Catherine Balfour (Year 11), Julia Chandy and Olivia

Emily Fowkes Bolt (Year 11) gained her Grade 8 Acting

Howard (both Year 10) progressed through several rounds

award from Trinity College, London.

of the English-Speaking Union’s ‘Churchill’ public speaking competition – and narrowly missed out on competing in

All students in the Year 10 and 11 Drama sets passed their

the national final.

RADA Shakespeare certificate qualifications.

Perse teams (at intermediate and senior level) were

Harry Knight (Lower Sixth) was a participant in the final

successful in the first rounds of ‘Youth Speaks’ public

of the English-Speaking Union’s national public speaking

speaking competitions run by Rotary International.

competition.

77

Upper

Music I s a b e l l a d i s p l aye d h e r s o p ra n o skills in four languages – English, Italian, German and French – with a programme of pieces on the theme of love.

Sakura rounded off the concert by performing a traditional Japanese folk song, also called Sakura, as well as Nigun from Bloch’s Baal Shem Suite and a section from Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole.

Internationally-renowned oboist Nicholas Daniel OBE adjudicated the final and selected Maito as the winner of the Richard King Cup with George being highly commended.

Perse Director of Music Ben Wingfield said: “It was very hard to call because all six finalists were incredibly talented in their own way and provided some

Accomplished pianist takes Perse Musician of the Year crown

really interesting, thought-provoking programmes.

“Nicholas commended all six finalists on their programming and virtuosity

Pianist Maito Shiode (Year 7) saw off

to individual instrumental/vocal finals

and had some really lovely things to

tough competition to be crowned

in the Lent term, from which the grand

say about everyone.

Perse Musician of the Year.

finalists were then chosen.

The grand final featured six of the

Mikey opened the show by playing

showing such great maturity and style,

school’s most gifted musicians with

works from Richard Strauss and Alan

while George was highly commended

performances from Maito, percussionist

Abbott, while Maito performed pieces

for a deceptively difficult programme

George Demetriou-Foale (Lower Sixth),

from Bach’s Goldberg Variations,

using tough techniques with tuned

French horn player Mikey Halton

Haydn’s Piano Sonata and Chopin’s

percussion.”

(Upper Sixth), saxophonist Marcus

Etude Op.25, otherwise known as The

Wentzell (Year 10), singer Isabella Li-

Bees.

Mr Wingfield was also happy to see the

Marcus followed with renditions of

conclude with a live final for the first

movements from Sonatina by James

time since 2019.

“He chose Maito as the winner for

Yan-Hui and violinist Sakura Fish (both Lower Sixth).

Perse Musician of the Year competition

However, there was a twist to the

Rae, Aria by Bozza and Monti’s

regular Perse Musician of the Year

Hungarian folk-inspired work Czardas.

format this year, with the House Music Marathon feeding into selection for the

He said: “The atmosphere on the evening was something special. We had

The second half began with George

a great crowd, but the best thing was

playing Mitchell Peters’ Yellow After

all six finalists were there to support

the Rain on marimba and Tranquillity

one another as much as to represent

The standout performers from the 674

by Murray Houllif on vibraphone before

themselves.

video submissions – amounting to

teaming up with Ed Kirker (Lower

around 30 hours of music ranging from

Sixth) for a drum duet of Chris Stock’s

concertos to kazoos – were put through

Crossfire.

competition.

“There was a huge amount of mutual respect and that was really nice to see.”

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Bach celebrated in Goldberg music and art project Marvellous music and amazing art were combined in a Perse

Perse Head of Keyboard Peter Hewitt, who oversaw the

celebration of Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

Goldberg Project, said: “It’s quite nice to do a big project around a particular piece of music to give a strong focal point.

Ninety talented Perse pianists took part in the Goldberg Project as they went on a musical journey of discovery through

“The Goldberg Variations is an unusual piece for a school to

the German composer’s famous work.

do as it’s very difficult, but because we’ve got so many highstandard pianists, we were able to do it and it was a good

They began learning the 30 variations which make up the

opportunity for them to get into Bach.

composition during the Michaelmas term, working as soloists or duos, playing either on a single keyboard together or on

“The piano duos and piano duets had to practise together.

two pianos.

They usually play by themselves, so it was excellent for them to try something new and some of them want to keep playing

A number of the musicians had the chance to take part in

together, which is a great outcome.

masterclasses with acclaimed pianists Joanna MacGregor CBE and Antoinette Cann.

“The masterclasses saw them get expert teaching from professionals in their field and both Joanna and Toni were

Joanna put soloists through their paces prior to performing

really good with them. They would give advice and you could

the Goldberg Variations in a special concert in the Peter Hall

see the pupils improving as they went along.

Performing Arts Centre, while Antoinette, who plays with sister Claire in The Cann Twins, worked with piano duos.

“Having Joanna, who is an international pianist, play the piece herself in concert was the icing on the cake.”

Thirty-five of the young pianists went on to perform Bach’s work in concert on the PAC stage with a beautifully animated

Mr Hewitt was also delighted with the performances of those

backdrop featuring works by Year 7 pupils.

taking part in the pupil concert and the “brilliant” artworks featured alongside them.

They had been tasked with creating paintings and drawings in response to listening to the Goldberg Variations, with their

The project will culminate with a film featuring recordings by

original pieces now on display in the Pelican Gallery.

all 90 pianists playing elements of the Goldberg Variations.

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Upper

Talented musicians stage stunning symphonic concert The Perse’s talented musicians and singers returned to

The Symphony Orchestra gave a wonderful rendition of Elgar’s

Saffron Hall for the first time in three years to perform a

Enigma Variations, while the 150th anniversary of Ralph Vaughan

special classical concert.

Williams’ birth was honoured with performances of two of his pieces, The Wasps: Overture and Three Shakespeare Songs.

Due to the Covid pandemic, the school’s annual symphonic showcase at the prestigious Saffron Walden venue had been

Perse Director of Music Ben Wingfield was elated that the

put on hold since 2019.

school’s senior ensembles had the opportunity to play at Saffron Hall once more.

However, Perse musicians made up for lost time with a stunning concert, entitled The Isle is Full of Noises, celebrating British music old and new.

You could feel that it was pretty electric and there was quite a buzz in the rehearsal and the concert itself.

The recital featured excellent performances by the school’s Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Band 1, Senior Voice and Senior Brass Ensemble, with a programme featuring works by the likes of Rutter, Finzi and Gordon Langford.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Sensational song and sunshine as Perse Proms return A summer festival atmosphere surrounded the school as Proms at The Perse returned after a three-year hiatus.

Almost 300 young musicians performed in groups, ensembles and choirs across three ‘stages’ – the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre auditorium and foyer and the Lecture Theatre – in an evening of uplifting entertainment.

From classical to Coldplay, there was something to suit all tastes among the 500-strong audience attending the event.

Perse Director of Music Ben Wingfield was thrilled with the turnout for the event, which had not taken place since 2019 due to the Covid pandemic.

He said: “It was great to be able to do this again and it was bigger and better than ever before.

“It was nice that we were able to trial a festival format, the idea being that people didn’t have to sit through a whole concert but could wander around, listen to some music and grab a drink and a bite to eat.

“The weather was really kind to us and there was more of a

He said: “This concert was the first school event to be cancelled in 2020 when Covid hit, so it felt like we had come

party atmosphere to the music, something a bit more up

full circle where we were now in a position to play here again.

tempo, such as jazz and pop, which this format lends itself to.”

“The most wonderful thing was the pupils really enjoyed

For the finale, the Perse Mighty Orchestra, featuring

performing in a different venue. It’s testament to the

performers and keen audience members, came together to

pupils because they worked so hard and showed so much

play Sousa’s Liberty Bell March, better known as the Monty

determination to see it through. You could feel that it was

Python’s Flying Circus theme tune, in Ellison Court.

pretty electric and there was quite a buzz in the rehearsal

Mr Wingfield said: “Mr Halton (woodwind teacher) wrote an

and the concert itself.

arrangement that was suitable for everyone from beginners to Grade 8 musicians so anyone could take part.

“Music is such a social thing and working together as a team to create something greater than the sum of its parts was denied

“The fact we could get that many people together in the last

to us for quite a long time, so it was lovely to make music

of the evening sun to enjoy making great music together and

on that scale again and have an audience there to enjoy it.”

feed off that sense of scale and grandeur was wonderful.”

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Upper

Singers raise the roof at choral concert Perse choirs revelled in the wonderful acoustics of Our Lady and the English Martyrs Church in Hills Road, paying a visit for the first time since 2019. They also sang at St John’s College Chapel for the first time in two years in December 2021.

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Talented Perse musician takes key role in National Youth Orchestra Sakura Fish (Lower Sixth) has enjoyed the honour of leading the second violin section in the National Youth

“I was absolutely honoured to be given

and Dawn, a new work by British

the role of principal second violin,” said

composer Thomas Ades, before rounding

The Perse music scholar, who has been

Sakura, who names fellow violinist

off with an encore of Panda Chant, a

playing violin since the age of eight,

Nicola Benedetti CBE and saxophonist

rhythmic vocal piece by Meredith Monk.

was given the prestigious role for the

Jess Gillam MBE as her musical role

There was also a piece by Florence Price,

NYO’s winter course.

models, having played in concerts with

performed by a quartet, of which Sakura

them while a member of the National

was chosen to play first violin.

Orchestra (NYO).

Sakura’s duties for her section included marking bowings and other key details,

Children’s Orchestra.

A multi-talented musician, Sakura also

such as page turns and dynamics, into

“I was very excited for this challenge and

plays piano and trombone, achieving

the score and ensuring the second violins

although it was quite nerve-racking at

Grade 8 on both last year, but violin will

kept in line with the first violin section.

first, it was great to meet so many new

always be her first love as an instrument.

She also led the warm-ups for her

people and I really enjoyed it.”

She said: “Music is always going to be

section and helped her fellow second

The winter course concluded with a

part of my life and I know I want to

violinists work through certain difficult

concert at Warwick Arts Centre in which

continue playing violin because it’s

passages, as well as being “a friendly

the NYO performed Rachmaninov’s

something I love and I’ve put a lot of

face for anyone in the section to come

Symphonic Dances, Gabriela Lena

effort into it over the years.”

and talk to”.

Frank’s Three Latin American Dances

Individual successes abound Alicia Li-Yan-Hui (Year 10) represented the school in the

Logan Armour (Year 10) won the brass section of the

National Youth Orchestra.

Saffron Walden Music Festival. Several pupils took part in the Cambridge Competitive Music Festival where Maito

Sungjoon Park (Upper Sixth) was awarded an organ

Shiode (Year 7) and Alice Shaw (Year 8) both won trophies,

scholarship offer to Exeter College, Oxford.

while Charlie Pratten (Year 9) came joint first in his class.

Qiqi Shao (Year 7) came first in several classes, including

Ananya Malaviya and Elina Prakash (both Lower Sixth)

receiving a Recital Cup, in the Milton Keynes Festival of the

became Fairhaven Scholars with The Fairhaven Singers.

Arts. Isabella Li-Yan-Hui (Lower Sixth) was a finalist in the Isabel Fleming (Year 9), Florence Mather and AJ Bowdrey

recent Junior Guildhall singing competition.

(both Year 7) were awarded places in the National Children’s Hundreds of pupils took ABRSM/Trinity exams this year.

Orchestras.

We congratulate, in particular, Lili Angus (Year 8), William Jo Zhou (Year 7) auditioned successfully for the National

Dickens, Isabella Wickham (both Lower Sixth), Daniel Rix,

Youth String Orchestra, while Smera Sachin (Year 10),

Max Guida, Ben Lewis and Liza Verzhbitskaya (all Upper

Naomi Hoare (Year 7) and Niah Veenith (Year 8) all gained

Sixth), who all passed their respective diplomas, some with

places in the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain scheme.

distinction - Lili having completed two diplomas within the space of a year.

Isabella Li-Yan-Hui (Lower Sixth) made it to the final of the Junior Guildhall School singing competition.

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Upper

Economics IEA programme provides inspiring food for thought

offer counter-arguments, ask further questions and consider

Emma Harris (Lower Sixth) reflects on spending a week at

were, with the speakers’ responses being no less so.

Indeed, at the end of each talk, we were given a chance to the given topic in relation to other issues. It was fascinating how insightful some of the questions put forward by my peers

the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) taking part in their

Besides the lectures, there was also time to prepare for

Sixth Form Future Thought Leaders’ Programme.

debates. We were split into teams of four, with each group assigned a stance for a particular topic.

I applied to the programme in the hope of developing a more integrated understanding of economics, expanding

My team had to argue ‘For the introduction of a Universal Basic

my knowledge of certain concepts and meeting new people

Income (UBI) in the UK’. Previously, I had been broadly aware

who shared my curiosity of the subject.

of UBI and its implications, but had never done much extensive research on it. However, as we read through numerous articles

Each of the 30 students arrived with an open mind and was keen to share their own thoughts and ideas, as well as listen to

and reports – thoroughly educating ourselves on both sides

those of others. Through the many conversations I had, I learned

of the argument – our knowledge and understanding of the

to appreciate both sides of various arguments, considerably

subject matter increased substantially.

broadening my perspective on a range of current affairs.

Arguments proposed by different teams on their topics were

During the week, we attended a series of eye-opening lectures

exceptionally cogent and many interesting exchanges were

from expert economists on themes such as climate change,

had in the floor debates.

Covid, inequality, migration and international aid.

My time at the IEA went all too quickly and I can confidently say that my prior expectations were greatly exceeded. I left

Many of the arguments set forth identified flaws in what is perhaps more ‘conventional’ wisdom, illuminating the dangers

there feeling inspired not only by the depth of knowledge

of categorical thinking. However, that is not to say that these

exposed to me throughout the week, but also by my fellow

arguments were flawless themselves.

students.

Psychology Dr Chambers discussed her latest book Intact: A Defence of the Unmodified Body during the lecture, which was organised

by Psychology Society member Elin Oliver (Lower Sixth) and overseen by Perse Head of Psychology Sarah Mitchell.

She explained that we live in a ‘selfie culture’ with an emphasis on how we look, contributing to what psychologists call a ‘pandemic of appearance anxiety’ which can negatively impact mental health.

Dr Chambers, who is Professor of Political Philosophy and a

Leading philosopher gives enlightening talk to Perse students

Fellow of Jesus College, outlined that there is societal pressure to change our bodies and the way they look or work, offering the example of the pressure on women to ‘get their body back’ after pregnancy.

Dr Chambers rounded off an enlightening session by fielding

Renowned political philosopher Clare Chambers gave a

students’ questions on a range of points from cosmetic surgery

thought-provoking talk on body modification at a special

to transgender body modification.

Perse Psychology Society event.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Politics From OP to MP: Anthony Browne shares experience with Perse students South Cambridgeshire MP Anthony Browne outlined his journey from The Perse to Parliament to students during his visit to the Upper.

The Conservative MP, who left The Perse in 1985, explained to the audience how after reading maths at the University of Cambridge, he had started out as a journalist with the BBC, becoming economics correspondent, and fulfilling the same role at The Observer before moving to The Times.

He then became director of Policy Exchange, a think tank developing potential policy ideas for government, before being recruited by Boris Johnson in 2008 to be in charge of business and economic policy during the current Prime Minister’s first term as Mayor of London as well as writing the manifesto for his 2012 mayoral election campaign.

Mr Browne rounded off his visit by taking further questions He explained how he had to go through several stages,

from students seeking his thoughts on major national topics,

including a hustings in front of 300 people, before being

such as Covid and Brexit, to local issues, including house

selected to successfully run for the Conservatives in the 2019

prices and house building, as well as transport and traffic in

General Election.

and around Cambridge.

Perse politics students gain insight into US system Izzy Pearl shared her thoughts on the Upper Sixth politics trip to the US Politics Today Conference at the British Library in London.

A panel of two former members of Congress – Republican

In his lecture on the Supreme Court, Professor Robert

Senator Tim Hutchinson and Democrat Congressman Larry

McKeever addressed the 1973 Roe v Wade decision, which

LaRocco – answered questions and commented throughout

legalised abortion across America, suggesting this might

the lectures.

be overturned in the coming term, pointing to the recent Texas Heartbeat Act as evidence. His judgement highlighted

It was particularly interesting to hear perspectives of two

the conservative revolution which has overwhelmed the

men so far apart on the political spectrum, despite both

Supreme Court in reaction to 20th Century liberal rulings.

having been critical of the Donald Trump presidency.

Professor Andrew Moran also gave an intriguing

Senator Hutchinson particularly provided an interesting

presentation on whether Joe Biden can be characterised

insight into the process of politics in America, explaining

as an ‘imperilled’ president. Moran went into great detail

his campaign for Congress and how he found himself in

on presidential theory throughout his address and he

the Senate.

questioned whether congressional oversight is still effective.

They addressed a wide range of themes throughout the day,

Overall, the lecturers encouraged us to think more

including the current state of the judiciary, the influence of

thoroughly about the present condition of American politics,

interest groups in America, and the party-political balance

and the opportunity to interact with real Congress members

in Washington.

helped us understand how the system really works.

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Upper

42 Society Our 42 Society series of lunchtime lectures challenges our students to think about different ideas and concepts to broaden their horizons. Named after Douglas Adams’ ultimate answer to the ultimate question in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the programme featured a wide range of impressive and interesting speakers throughout the year.

Who Runs the Country?

Sir Jonathan Jones KCB QC gave an illuminating insight into ‘Who Runs the Country?’

From 2014 to 2020, Sir Jonathan was Head of the Government Legal Service, the branch of the Civil Service which provides legal advice to the government and represents it in court proceedings.

Sir Jonathan explained that while the UK does not have a single written constitution, there are still many important constitutional rules that have been committed to the statute books.

He added that the sovereignty of parliament to make laws is paramount, with Acts of Parliament being bills that have been approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords and given royal assent by HM The Queen.

Political pressure, whether from parliament itself, other political parties, pressure groups or the media, can also act as a balance, while unwritten rules, conventions and practices of behaviour and decency that the government is expected to go along with – political historian Peter Hennessy’s ‘good chaps’ theory – help keep it under control.

Other 42 Society lectures included: •

Oliver Rubinstein Baylis (2010) - What does the future of food and farming look like in the UK?

•

Kevin Malone - Climate, community, composition

•

Steve Stanley (1964) – Crime, punishment and

•

Benji Merrison – Composing the wild

•

Jessica Hynes - Why drama is so important

•

Dr Francesca O’Hanlon – Making drinking water accessible to all

rehabilitation •

•

•

Hannah Kirk (2015) - Gatekeepers of a safer

Dr Fitzroy Morrissey – A short history of Islamic

internet: Using artificial intelligence to detect online

thought

harms at scale

Dr Rihab Khalid - Exploring the intersections of

•

gender, energy and space use

Chris Dodsworth (2016) – Corridors of power: A view from the Civil Service

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Schools’ Challenge

National general knowledge joy for quiz team The Perse general knowledge team got quizzical to claim the runners-up spot in the Senior Schools’ Challenge national finals.

Featuring captain Sean Ridley, Shaaon Bhattacharya (both

Perse maths teacher Fred Jayatilaka, who oversaw the

Lower Sixth), Dhruv Radhakrishnan and Neelkantha Mukherjee

team, said: “The standard of quizzing in the national finals is

(both Year 10), the team reached the finals by winning the

extremely high, so this is a brilliant achievement.”

regional title with a 570-420 victory over Colchester Royal

Meanwhile, the Perse team of captain Ardhra Radhakrishnan,

Grammar School followed by a 1,120-200 triumph over

Rosamund Riordan, George Tysome (all Year 8) and Jasmine

Gresham’s in the inter-regional final.

Christmas (Year 7) will look to follow in the senior team’s

In the national finals at Tonbridge School, the Perse team

footsteps in the Junior Schools’ Challenge national finals.

got off to a great start by beating Warwick School 950-150

They began their campaign by beating Colchester RGS 900-

in the quarter-finals.

180 before running out 960-120 victors over Beeston Hall

A 1,000-470 semi-final win followed against Magdalen College

School to gain a place in the national finals, which take place

School before the team lost narrowly 820-700 to Westminster

in autumn 2022.

School in the final.

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Upper

Outdoor Pursuits

Adventurous students put through their paces in Cairngorms

This was followed by a less blustery

Intrepid Perse students took on tough

crampon and ice axe use and movement

skills to the test.

conditions in their Summit 12 training

skills for steep ground.

expedition to Scotland.

The weather worked in the group’s

day, enabling the group to undertake an extended trek on to some higher tops and really put their new winter

Perse Head of Outdoor Pursuits Ben Parker said: “The group as a

favour, offering up stiff winds gusting

whole worked well together in some

Cairngorms to undertake winter skills

60mph on the first day with cold

challenging conditions.

training, which included avalanche

temperatures but good snow cover.

Twenty-eight pupils travelled to the

awareness and rescue techniques,

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Savouring Norfolk Broads Summit 10 trip Perse pupils put their sailing skills to the test during a Summit 10 trip to the Norfolk Broads.

As well as weekly training in the run-up to the four-day camp, those taking part had earned their spurs by recently gaining their RYA Level 1 dinghy sailing qualifications.

During the camp, students had the chance to sail traditional half-decker sailing boats, paddle in canoes and turn their hand to stand-up paddleboarding.

They also had opportunities to drive the motor cruisers, which acted as both journeying craft and accommodation for each crew.

Students socialised, cooked and slept on their boats, taking pride in their temporary homes. Each crew designed and flew their own flag and competed in various inter-crew competitions including the ‘Broads Bake Off’!

Perse outdoor pursuits instructor Kieron Taylor said: “All students stepped up to make the most of the activities available, even during some challenging weather, and helped

Setting sail for training weekend

to make it a trip to remember.”

It was eventually plain sailing for intrepid Perse pupils as they mastered dinghies during a Summit 10 trip to Grafham Water.

They spent two days handling the vessels to earn their RYA Level 1 dinghy sailing qualifications in preparation for an extended expedition on the Norfolk Broads over the Easter break.

Before getting out on the water, pupils got to grips with learning the basics from the parts of the dinghy to key sailing terminology.

Blustery conditions met them after leaving the classroom with a few crafts capsizing, but crews swiftly overcame the wet and cold to persevere with their training.

The final day saw pupils develop their tacking and jibbing skills in single and double helm dinghies, with far fewer capsizes occurring, as they completed the course with flying colours.

Perse Head of Outdoor Pursuits Ben Parker said: “Pupils showed great resilience under some challenging weather conditions on day one, especially considering that the majority of them were new to sailing.

“A capsize can be a challenging and sometimes frightening experience. Pupils overcame their fears, refocused and flourished on the course.”

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Upper

Splashing Scotland adventure for paddlers Perse Paddlesport Club members travelled to the Great Glen in Scotland for a canoeing adventure.

Twelve students paddled the route of the Caledonian Canal from Fort William to Fort Augustus, taking in all the large lochs, including the famous Loch Ness on the final day.

To maximise the experience, pupils also chose to ‘wild camp’ en route. The shores of both Loch Lochy and Loch Oich provided the team with some stunning evening vistas and a truly remote experience.

As well as the beautiful scenery, there were some challenges for the group too, including an abundance of wind, rain and midges!

Gold found in the Lake District Perse Lower Sixth students completed their Gold Duke of

being independent.

Edinburgh (DofE) Award expedition in the Lake District.

Over four nights and three days, pupils were challenged with over 40km of mountains, valleys and sheep!

Students used their planning, navigation and physical skills to keep them on track, while outdoor pursuits staff supervised the groups remotely, only seeing them a few times a day to encourage participants to gain a genuine experience of

Practice expedition enjoyed by intrepid students Adventurous Perse students braved the great outdoors with special half-term excursions.

North Wales was the scene for those taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award practice expedition.

The extremely wet and windy conditions in Snowdonia provided plenty of training opportunities for each group and pushed them to improve their outdoor skills with good navigation required and many camping tactics tested inbetween downpours.

However, on the middle day of the expedition the weather cleared sufficiently for each party to enjoy hiking in the mountains, with some students reaching the 726-metre summit of Moel Eilio despite being weighed down by heavy backpacks.

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Perse pupils take the lead on Easter camp

The troop experienced some challenging weather conditions

More than 200 Perse pupils, staff and volunteers headed

cutting tools training, orienteering, grass sledging, low ropes

off for a four-day Easter camp in Norfolk.

and various team challenges.

This was the first major residential camp for PES Ascent Group

Ben Parker, Head of Outdoor Pursuits, said: “Despite some

this academic year and aimed to prepare students for their

challenging conditions, the pupils fostered an excellent

longer summer camp.

collaborative and supportive atmosphere which ensured

with overnight temperatures below freezing and extensive rain too, which added to their challenges. Pupils undertook archery, archery tag, backwoods cookery, climbing, abseiling,

everyone had a good time.

The entire camp was run by the pupils, with pupil leaders “I was most impressed with our developing pupil leaders who

helping the younger students to learn the basics of camping.

worked hard to support those under their charge.”

Pupils purchased and cooked all their own food for the entirety of camp, even catering for the staff!

Climbers get to grips with Peak District Perse Foundation Climbing Club members enjoyed a steep learning curve during their trip to the Peak District.

They began their adventure by visiting the Awesome Walls climbing complex in Sheffield, where they received instruction on a massive 18-metre high wall with varied grades of climb, allowing them to brush up on belaying as well as the finer points of their climbing techniques.

The climbers explored Higger Tor to round off their first day before getting to grips with the famous Peak District He said: “Over the day, students climbed various routes

gritstone the following morning, transferring what they

and showed improvement throughout, all with a stunning

had learned on the indoor wall to a rockface.

backdrop provided by the national park.

Perse outdoor pursuits instructor Kieron Taylor, who led “The weekend proved a big success with both the climbing

the trip, said the pupils had relished putting their skills

and the weather delivering.”

into practice.

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Upper

Students on a high with Lakes expedition

Day two saw the group tackle the Via Ferrata route at Honister slate mine before having a go at indoor sport climbing at Keswick Climbing Wall.

Single pitch traditional climbing on Long Rake, a rib of rock

Perse students demonstrated a head for heights on the

protruding from the mountainside above the precipitous

Development Climbing Club expedition to the Lake District.

Wrynose Pass, provided an atmospheric conclusion to an exciting and challenging trip.

The aim of the trip was to allow pupils the chance to try a wide range and forms of climbing, with the first day seeing

Perse Head of Outdoor Pursuits Ben Parker said: “I was most

the group scrambling up Sharp Edge on the hill of Blencathra.

impressed with the enthusiasm and energy shown by all the pupils involved.

Pupils took it in their stride and completed the ascent and descent in under three-and-a-half hours, allowing time for a

“To have completed so many ascents and climbs in a three-

further scramble up the technically more challenging Jack’s

day trip is extremely impressive. Pupils were focused and

Rake on the hill of Pavey Ark.

eager to learn.”

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Annual Review 2021-2022

PES Ascent Group - Summer Camp 2022 As Summer term came to a close 35 Year 10 pupils set out

volunteers. Camp took place in hot weather conditions and

for the Peak District, the advance party for PES Ascent

many adaptations to the programme had to be made to

Group Summer Camp. A convoy of two minibuses, six

provide rest and shade.

vans, a truck and four trailers set out to establish camp

Staff were most impressed with pupils’ resilience given the

ahead of the arrival of 200 pupils in Years 8 and 10.

prevailing weather conditions. Pupils worked well within

Pupils undertook a wide range of activities including

their patrols, budgeting and purchasing all of their own

cooking within their patrols, climbing, hiking, backwoods

food for the duration of the camp. At the end of camp

cooking, high ropes and raft building. The camp was

pupils took part in a cabaret which featured dramatic

entirely run by pupils with the support of adult staff and

performances and energetic singing!

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Upper

PES Summit 12 - Sweden Expedition 2022

Pupils landed in Gothenburg after an early start. Whilst shopping for the eight-day trip and preparing the boats and equipment, pupils endured searing temperatures. The following day, pupils set out paddling in torrential rain which

Pupils in PES Summit 12 had a challenging year. Pandemic-

lasted non-stop for 24 hours. Pupils had to work hard to dry

induced uncertainty led to wide-ranging plans for the

out all of their equipment and establish camp for the very

expedition venue. The original intent was to undertake

first time on a remote island. Despite the challenging start,

a trekking-based expedition in Iceland. To that end

pupils showed great resilience and went on, in improving

pupils undertook winter mountaineering training on the

weather, to explore the lakes and islands of Dalsland. On

Cairngorm Plateau during the February half term.

the way, pupils learnt about fire lighting (including fire by

Unfortunately, due to challenges obtaining travel insurance,

even improvised canoe sailing.

friction), wood carving, backwoods cookery, paddling and the venue changed to Sweden. This required pupils to retrain in very different skills including cutting tools,

The trip was the first international trip for PES post-Covid

canoeing and fire lighting at short notice. There was no

and a great success. Returning to Sweden after a long

loss of enthusiasm, however, and pupils showed a great deal

break was a pleasure and pupils benefited from the access

of flexibility and tenacity in taking on this new challenge.

to true wilderness terrain.

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Charities and Community Outreach

Talented musicians and singers star in Charity Cabaret Perse singers and musicians put on a wonderful show at the

The Year 11 Melodic Medlians gave an excellent a capella set,

annual school Charity Cabaret.

while the Perse Big Band provided a powerful backing to performances of tracks such as Tina Turner’s soul hit Proud

Compered brilliantly by Anna Bevens and Ben Lewis (both

Mary, Nat King Cole’s jazz standard Orange Colored Sky and

Upper Sixth), the concert featured a variety of talented soloists

Frank Sinatra favourite New York, New York.

and groups on stage in the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre.

A fantastic evening of music was rounded off in traditional

From William Walker (Year 9) performing the guitar solo

fashion with a fun dance finale from the Senior Prefects.

from Iron Maiden’s heavy metal classic The Trooper to the strains of the Chinese zither, played by Maggie Zhang (Lower

Organised by the Sixth Form Charities Committee, the event

Sixth) in a recital of traditional Chinese tune The Sound of

raised more than £400 for the British Red Cross Afghanistan

the Maid’s Autumn Festival, a wide range of musical styles

Crisis Appeal.

entertained the socially-distanced audience.

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Upper

Perse community gets glowing to raise funds for Christel House The Perse was lit up by pupils and staff attempting to Glow the Distance to raise funds for Christel House Schools.

Around 300 members of the Perse community took part in the evening event, forming small teams of runners and walkers to negotiate a one-kilometre circuit at the Upper School and collecting glow sticks as they completed each lap.

Sixth Form students and Perse Exploration Society Ascent Group members were on marshalling duty to ensure everyone stayed on course, while BandSoc provided rousing live rock music to keep participants on their toes.

Perse Head of Computing & Digital Strategy Paul Baker, who helped organise the event, said: “We wanted to come up with something that would be outdoors, because of Covid, and also bring the Perse community together, so it was great to have staff and student teams.

“There were fantastic costumes from some of the teams and it was wonderful to see people ‘glowing’ around the site, so it was all a lot of fun and hopefully we’ll be able to raise lots of funds for Christel House.”

Christel House Cape Town visit a ‘humbling’ experience Perse finance officer Jackie Matten was “humbled” after visiting the Christel House school in Cape Town.

Jackie handed over three digital inking tablets and other educational materials on behalf of the school, as well as copies of the fundraising cookbook put together by the Perse Christel House Club.

The Perse has been working with Christel House since 2011, raising funds to provide resources to support the teaching of children and training of staff for their schools in some of the poorest areas of the world.

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True colours shown

by Perse students for charity A group of Perse students went on a multicoloured mission in Milton Keynes to raise funds for charity.

They took part in the Color Obstacle Rush at Willen Lake, battling their way around a fivekilometre course featuring inflatable obstacles while being sprayed with brightly-coloured powders along the way.

The colourful crew, featuring eight Year 10 pupils, four Lower Sixth students and two Year 7 pupils, helped raise more than £200 for The Orphan Trust, a charity which works directly with grassroots projects to support orphaned and vulnerable children in Bangladesh.

Making the cut for Little Princess Trust Cate Blakesley (Year 9) cut her hair to raise money for the Little Princess Trust.

The Perse pupil had 14 inches of her hair chopped off for

to keep growing it specifically to donate my hair. I had it

the charity, which makes wigs for children who have lost

trimmed a few times just to keep it healthy, but eventually

their hair due to cancer or other illnesses.

it was right down my back.”

She said: “During lockdown, my hair was getting really

Cate has raised almost £3,000 in sponsorship for the Little

long, but because no one could get their hair cut, I decided

Princess Trust, well above her original target of £600.

Record total of parcels donated to Christmas shoebox appeal A record-breaking 713 shoeboxes were gifted by the Perse community to support the Link to Hope Christmas appeal.

The parcels contained a variety of useful items such as gloves, soap, flannels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, scarves, sweets, small games, hairbrushes and socks which were delivered to the most disadvantaged families and elderly people in eastern Europe.

Perse Head of Computing & Digital Strategy Paul Baker, who co-ordinated the school’s shoebox appeal, was overwhelmed with the success of the campaign.

He thanked the Middle School Charities Committee for the part they had played in promoting the appeal through assemblies and posters.

Mr Baker said: “It was really wonderful to see form groups coming together again, from our very youngest at the Pelican and Prep, right up to those soon to leave for university, all making a difference with an act of kindness to those in need at Christmas.”

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Upper

Perse pupils sleep out for homelessness charity More than 80 Year 9 pupils took part in a sponsored sleepout to help raise funds for Emmaus Cambridge.

They raised almost £5,000 for the local homelessness charity after bedding down for the night around the Upper site.

The pupils were visited by an Emmaus staff member and four companions – formerly homeless people who have been supported by the charity – who outlined the work of the charity and shared their experiences of living on the streets.

Alongside the sleepout, a minibus was filled with generous donations of pre-loved goods, such as books, CDs, DVDs and clothes, from the Perse community to be sold by Emmaus in their second-hand shop, thanks to a collection organised by the Middle School Charities Committee.

Values Week brings Perse community together The Perse values were celebrated in style during the school’s first Values Week.

Organised by the Student Council, each day was dedicated

The trees in Ellison Court were transformed into ‘Values Trees’

to a particular school value with a variety of fun and thought-

where students and staff had the opportunity to tie messages

provoking themed activities.

of hope or community about what makes them #ProudlyPerse.

A focus on ‘Our Environment’ kicked off Values Week as

The value of ‘One Another’ was celebrated with a huge House

students enjoyed making bird feeders from old yoghurt pots

Charity Giveathon as the whole Perse community across the

and creating a recycled art mural from scraps of old uniform.

Upper, Prep and Pelican were invited to donate food and other vital goods for Cambridge City Food Bank.

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‘Pop stars’ in Charity Lip Sync Battle

The maths department provided a side-splitting spin on the musical Hairspray, while computer science staff donned Squid Game masks and outfits for a medley of hits, including Video Killed the Radio Star.

Students and staff gave a special twist to the biggest names

Jessie Zhang, Amy Long, Anouska Duggan and Horatia

in pop at the annual Perse Charity Lip Sync Battle.

Duggan (all Upper Sixth) teamed up to claim the ‘most amusing’ prize with their high-energy dance medley, while

Much entertainment was had by all as hilarious song and dance routines were performed to an appreciative audience, with the

the 1st XI football team earned the ‘most horrifying’ award

event raising £750 for teenage mental health charity Stem4.

with their attempts at recreating famous goal celebrations.

History teacher Alex Courtney and Maria Awan (Upper Sixth)

However, the ‘most innovative’ accolade went to the Senior

compered the show as Sixth Form tutors opened proceedings

Prefects with their entertaining mix of music and dance.

with their humorous Hawaiian-themed performance of Koukou

Senior Tutor Lilian Blaxill, who helped organise the event, said:

Move.

“We were really pleased to raise a fantastic amount of money

From A-Ha’s eighties classic Take on Me to Taylor Swift’s 22

for a charity we are all mindful of the need to support. It was

and a medley of tunes from the Shrek film series, Sixth Form

really nice to do something positive to that effect.

tutor groups dazzled, while the girls’ 1st XI hockey team went

“It also gave the students a nice break from their revision.

back to the seventies as they performed disco favourite One

Sometimes it’s important to do something fun or silly and

Way Ticket.

this was certainly both!”

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Upper

Sporting events ‘a fitting tribute’ to former teacher

The players of the match for each side were also awarded the inaugural Tommy Dann Cup for their sportsmanship and performance, with Freddie Brierley (Upper Sixth) taking the honours for The Perse.

Former Perse coach Tommy Dann was celebrated in sporting

Following on from the game, five Perse teachers ran the TTP

style by his ex-colleagues and school teams.

Cambridge Half Marathon in aid of the Charlie Waller Trust in remembrance of Tommy.

Tommy, who coached rugby, cricket, football and PE at The Perse from 2009 to 2014 before becoming Head of Rugby

Director of Sport Glenn Kirkham, Assistant Director of Sport

at The Leys, died aged 40 in February 2021.

(Performance) Ravi Mahendra, Assistant Director of Studies

Fittingly, the annual Perse v Leys 1st XV rugby encounter saw

Chris Ingram, Assistant Director of University Admissions

both teams pause to remember Tommy prior to the game,

Mike Goodson and sports coach Charlie Baker smashed their

which The Perse won 33-19.

initial target of £2,000 by raising more than £3,350 for the mental health charity.

Perse pupils inspired to try inclusive sports for charity Year 8 Perse pupils enjoyed sampling a variety of inclusive sports while helping to raise funds for Power2Inspire.

Power2Inspire founder and CEO John Willis told pupils about the charity’s aims to ensure ‘no-one is left on the bench’ in terms of having access to sport, regardless of disability.

He was joined by special guests Jennifer Crompton, the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, and her husband, former Perse Head of School John Crompton (1980), as they watched pupils trying adaptive sports, such as boccia, goalball, New Age Kurling, sitting volleyball and sitting netball, as part of the PowerHouse Games event.

Pupils raised more than £1,000 for the charity by taking part in a sponsored inclusive kilometre.

Working in pairs, one member of each group was blindfolded and guided around laps of the Long Road pitch by their partner before swapping over.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Sport Hockey U18 Girls (top right) were National Tier 3 Plate runners-up U16 Girls (below) reached the National Tier 1 Cup semi-finals U14 Girls were County champions and East runners-up U13 Girls were County champions U12 Girls were County champions and East champions U14 Boys (bottom right) were County champions, East champions and fourth at the National Finals U13 Boys were County champions U12 Boys were County champions and East runners-up Jack Moffat, Laurie Simpson-Biles (both Year 11), Theo Hofer, Elliott Kirkpatrick (both Year 10), Henry Denny-Gouldson, Ethan Smythe (both Year 9) and Thomas Goldsmith (Year 8) all earned places in England Hockey boys’ regional performance centre squads.

Holly Smith, May Busher, Charlotte Rye (all Year 11), Jean MacDonald, Isabelle Whichello and Millie Ely (all Year 10) all earned places in England Hockey girls’ regional performance centre squads.

Elliott Kirkpatrick (Year 10) was selected for the initial assessment stage for the England U16 boys’ squad, which will take place in autumn 2022, following his performance in the England Hockey U15 Performance Centre Challenge (PCC) Cup. Fellow Perse pupils Jude Nathan, Theo Hofer, Millie Ely (all Year 10), Ethan Smythe, Henry Denny-Gouldson, Rosabel Clarke and Verity Valentine (all Year 9) also featured in the U15 PCC Cup. Jack Moffat, Marc Rocca, James Goodricke, Laurie SimpsonBiles, Xanthe Farman, May Busher and Charlotte Rye (all Year 11) played in the U17 PCC Cup.

Indoor Hockey U16 Boys (left) were County champions, East champions and seventh at the National Finals U18 Boys were County champions U16 Girls were County champions U18 Girls were County champions

101

Upper

Netball U16 team (right) were County runners-up, East runners-up and reached the National Finals. They also won the Team of the Year honour at the Cambridgeshire County Netball Association annual awards, having also enjoyed an unbeaten regular season outside of championship competition.

U14 team were County runners-up and reached the East finals.

Madeleine Brooking (Upper Sixth) was selected for Vitality Superleague side Saracens Mavericks’ U19 squad and represented them in the National Performance League.

Emily Hiscock (Lower Sixth), Izzy Rumsby (Year 11) and Isabel Smith (Year 10) were selected for the Mavericks’ Cambridgeshire Futures Academy.

Bella Howarth (Lower Sixth) was selected for the Futures Academy of Superleague club London Pulse.

Madeleine Brooking (left) and Bella Howarth

Former England star provides a pre-season boost Perse netballers warmed up for the

Mavericks, and felt her “charisma and

before watching them put everything

new season in style after being put

personality” would give the players a

together in matches.

through their paces by former England

pre-season boost.

international Sasha Corbin.

Sasha rounded off her visit with some

The Mavericks captain worked on basic

inspirational words for the players about

Sasha, who represented the Roses from

ball handling skills to get the girls back

her own netball journey before posing

2007 to 2018, provided an inspiring

in the swing of things before moving on

for photos and signing autographs.

training session for the 1st VII and U16

to developing their defensive and team

A squads during her visit to The Perse.

communication techniques.

Perse netball coach Millie Diss arranged

She continued the theme of working as

involved and one we would love to

the session, having previously worked

a unit with team drills aimed at getting

repeat should the opportunity ever

alongside Sasha while coaching with

the ball through the court, as well as

arise again.”

Vitality Superleague side Saracens

tactical set plays for centre passes,

102

Miss Diss said: “All in all, it was an incredible experience for everyone

Annual Review 2021-2022

Cricket 1st XI Boys drew their annual fixture with the MCC. Elliott

Aditya Datta (Year 10) was selected for the Cambridgeshire

Kirkpatrick (Year 10) scored 90 as The Perse scored 189 for

Emerging Players programme.

9 in reply to the MCC’s total of 218.

Centuries were scored this year by Freddie Doel (Year 11) and

U15 Girls (above left) reached the School Sport T20 Cup

Elliott Kirkpatrick (Year 10).

national quarter-finals and were County champions in the

Fifties were scored this year by Benjamin Floto (Upper Sixth),

Lady Taverners indoor competition.

Alex Cross, Sachin Nagadev, Bella Howarth (all Lower Sixth),

U13 Girls (above right) were County champions in the Lady

May Busher (Year 11), Thomas Graham, Isabelle Whichello

Taverners indoor competition.

(both Year 10), Teddie Clifton (Year 9), Jonny Rumsby, Christopher Smith and Alexi Demetriou-Foale (all Year 8).

Bella Howarth (Lower Sixth) was selected for elite women’s side Lightning’s Academy squad. She also played for Essex

Pushan Chakraborty (Lower Sixth) took a five-wicket haul

women’s 1st XI.

for the 1st XI against Durham School at the Merchant Taylors’ School Festival.

Lulu Harding (Year 10) was selected for the Emerging Players programme with Eastern Sunrisers, the ECB Eastern Regional Development Centre for Girls.

103

Upper

Rugby U15 team reached the National Schools Plate semi-finals.

1st XV reached the fifth round of the National Schools Vase.

Yujian Zou (Upper Sixth) and Harry Purvis (Year 11) made their debuts for Northampton Saints U18 and U16 Academy teams respectively. Harry also captained the U16 team in a match against Harlequins Academy.

1st XV captain Charlie Underwood (Upper Sixth) made his debut for IQ (Irish Qualified) Rugby U18 team in a 10-7 win over the Lambs – the England Independent Schools representative team.

Harry Purvis (left) and Yujian Zou

Tennis Jonny Cross (Year 10) won the U14 boys’ doubles and was runner-up in the U14 boys’ singles at the Tennis Europe Liverpool Junior International.

U18 Boys (right) reached the regional final of the Glanville Cup (national U18 team competition).

Gabriella Zailer-Fletcher (Year 11) was selected for the Cambridgeshire ladies’ team.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Rowing Laura Burton (Upper Sixth, left) was called up to the Great Britain U19 squad following a successful trial.

She made her GB debut at the Munich International Regatta, where she won Silver with her crew in the women’s quadruple sculls in a time of 7min 09.88sec and won the B final in the women’s single sculls in a time of 8.29:39, almost eight seconds ahead of her nearest rival.

Laura went on to win Bronze in the women’s quad event as part of the GB crew (below) at the World U19 Championships in Varese, Italy, finishing in a time of 6min 33.54 sec.

Equestrian Lauren Caley (Lower Sixth) represented The Perse in the NSEA (National Schools Equestrian Association) National InterCounty Show Jumping Championships at Hickstead.

She made it to the finals on board her pony Comeytrowe Dione after being the highest-placed Cambridgeshire rider at the Tri-County qualifying competition.

105

Upper

Athletics ESAA Track & Field Cup The Intermediate Boys, Intermediate Girls, Junior Boys and Junior Girls teams all reached the East Anglia finals.

Key individual performers included: Tom Meadows (Year 10) – Intermediate Boys, 42 points (25 in hurdles) Noah Karat (Year 8) – Junior Boys, 40 points (26 in 100m) Samay Sanglikar (Year 8) – Junior Boys, 40 points

National Prep Schools Championships Jasmine Christmas (Year 7, above) won Gold in the U12 girls’ 1,500m in a time of 4min 55.18sec Noah Karat (Year 8, top right) won Bronze in the U14 boys’ 100m in a time of 12.16sec

Cambridgeshire Track & Field Championships Toby Carroll (Year 10) won Gold in

Verity Valentine (Year 9) –

boys’ U17 hammer and Silver in high

Intermediate Girls, 30 points in

jump and discus

1,500m

Maya Vandermark (Lower Sixth) won

Jasmine Christmas (Year 7) – Junior

Gold in women’s U20 shot put and

Girls, 30 points in 1,500m

Silver in 400m

Cambridge & District Jubilee Cup

Ianthe Carr (Year 9) won Silver in girls’ U15 shot put and javelin and

The Perse team, featuring pupils from

Bronze in 75m hurdles

Years 7 to 10, won the overall event in the local schools competition.

George Christmas (Year 10) won Silver in boys’ U17 1,500m

Elodie Bowen-Sanders (Year 8)

Sophie Higgins (Year 9) won Silver in

qualified for the National Finals in the

girls’ U15 long jump

U14 girls’ shot put Marcus Wentzell (Year 10) won School Games

Bronze in boys’ U17 long jump

Isaac Rothwell (Lower Sixth, right)

Edward Taylor (Year 9) won Bronze

won Bronze in the boys’ 1,500m at

in boys’ U15 javelin

the 2021 National Finals Zara Osei (Year 9) won Bronze in girls’ U15 100m

Triathlon Holly Webb (Lower Sixth) qualified to represent Great Britain in the women’s U19 sprint triathlon event at the European Triathlon Championships in Munich.

She also finished runner-up in the junior female category at the Long Course Weekend in Tenby with a time of 4hr 00min 44sec. The competition featured a 2km sea swim, 65km bike ride and 10km run, with Holly winning the swimming section in her category in a time of 35min 46sec.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Cross Country ESAA Schools Championships Verity Valentine (Year 9, above left) was Cambridge & District champion, Cambridgeshire champion and Anglian junior girls’ champion Jasmine Christmas (Year 7, above right) was Cambridge & District champion, Cambridgeshire champion and Anglian minor girls’ champion Isaac Rothwell (Lower Sixth) came third in the senior boys’ category at the Anglian finals ESAA National Schools Cup

Isaac Rothwell, Rebecca West (both Lower Sixth), George

Junior Girls (U13, above) were County champions, East Central

Christmas (Year 10) and Verity Valentine (Year 9) were

champions and came 12th in the National Finals

selected to represent Cambridgeshire in the National Finals

Intermediate Girls (U15) were County champions and came

ECCA National Relay Championships

seventh in the East Central finals

Isaac Rothwell (Lower Sixth) helped his Cambridge &

Senior Girls (U17) were County champions and came sixth in

Coleridge team to Gold in the U17 boys’ event at the National

the East Central finals

Finals

Senior Boys (U17) were County champions and came fourth

Cambridge Half Marathon

in the East Central finals

Daniel Zailer-Fletcher (Lower Sixth) was runner-up in the

Intermediate Boys (U15) were County runners-up and seventh

men’s U20 category in the 2021 edition and third in the 2022

in the East Central finals

event, the latter with a personal best of 1hr 17min 25sec

Orienteering The Year 10 boys’ team of Marcus Wentzell, James Roskilly

The Year 9 girls’ team of Hebe Darwin and Isabelle Hunter

and Jamie Kruppa (Year 9) won Silver in their year group

won Silver in their year group section at the British Schools

category at the British Schools Orienteering Championships.

Orienteering Championships. Hebe also won individual Bronze.

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Upper

Taekwondo Edward Shelley (Upper Sixth), Alysha Djamarani and

The assessment also tested their sparring, self-defence and

Alexandra Mackie (both Year 9) were presented with their

leadership skills as well as their knowledge of the theory and

first-degree black belts after successfully completing a rigorous

terminology of the Korean martial art.

four-hour exam in which they had to demonstrate every kick, pattern and technique from the lowest white belt level upwards.

Golf The Perse team of Will McKernan (Lower Sixth), Maya Mahadeva (Year 10) and Harry Howell (Year 9) reached the ISGA (Independent Schools Golf Association) National Plate Finals.

The Perse team (below) of Will McKernan (Lower Sixth), Harry Howell and Alexander Mills (both Year 9) were runners-up in the team event at the ISGA HG Trophy strokeplay competition.

Will was fourth overall in the individual standings, while Harry won his age group.

Will McKernan (Lower Sixth, above) qualified for the Junior European Open in Cadiz, Spain, and finished 29th out of a field of almost 100 golfers. He was also part of the Cambridgeshire team that won the Midlands Championships and qualified for the English Championships. Will also finished eighth in the individual placings.

Harry Howell (Year 9) was runner-up in the boys’ U14 category at the US Kids Golf European Championships in Scotland.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Fencing

Shooting

Charlotte Hipperson (Year 11) took part in the British Fencing

British Schools 50m Challenge

Youth Championships girls’ U16 foil finals after qualifying in

Will Bacon (Upper Sixth) and Liliana French (Lower Sixth)

fifth place from the East finals.

were senior pairs champions, with Eleanor Brinsden (Lower Sixth) and Fleur Christmas (Upper Sixth), and Ewan Smith (Upper Sixth) and Cara Hollis (Lower Sixth) coming fourth and eighth respectively.

Will Bacon and Eleanor Brinsden were third and ninth respectively in the individual event, while Carla Campos Zanotti Gerosa (Year 9) was runner-up in her age group category.

Will Bacon, Eleanor Brinsden, Liliana French and Fleur Christmas were third in the fours event.

BSSRA National Schools Championships The Perse team of Will Bacon, Fleur Christmas, Ewan Smith (all Upper Sixth), Liliana French, Eleanor Brinsden, Cara Hollis, Eos Liao and William Smith (all Lower sixth) were runners-up in the eights competition.

Will Bacon, Liliana French, Eleanor Brinsden and Fleur Christmas were third in the fours event.

Will Bacon came eighth in the individual event and was third in his age group category. Fleur Christmas was third in her age group section, while Carla Campos Zanotti Gerosa and Maia Polonius (both Year 9) were runner-up and third respectively in their age group.

Will Bacon and Liliana French came eighth in the senior pairs competition.

International Honours Liliana French (Lower Sixth) and Will Bacon (Upper Sixth) were named in the England A team for the British Schools Small-bore Rifle Association National Match.

Cara Hollis (Lower Sixth) was selected for England B, while Eleanor Brinsden (Lower Sixth) and Fleur Christmas (Upper Sixth) were picked for England C and Eos Liao and Miles Cobley (both Lower Sixth) for England D.

Football Lynden Long (Year 7) led Norwich City’s U12 team to glory against some of the

the six-a-side competition in London, which featured age group teams from top European clubs such as Barcelona, Juventus and Marseille.

biggest clubs in football at a major end-

Lynden helped Norwich knock out

of-season tournament.

Barcelona, who have one of the world’s

As well as captaining the Canaries to the YSE Champions Cup title, Lynden was top scorer for his side with six goals in

leading youth academies, in the quarterfinals before eventually going on to beat Birmingham City in the final.

109

Upper

Skiing Danna Wang (Year 7) displayed plenty of style on the slopes during a successful skiing season.

Aged 12, she often came up against older and more experienced skiers in the U14 girls’ category of indoor and dry slope competitions.

Despite this, she won the British Independent Schools indoor title and came third in the NSSA (National Schools Snowsports Association) Indoor Championships.

Danna also came fourth in the British Schools Indoor Open and 10th in the NSSA UK Outdoor Open on the dry slope at Swadlincote.

Curling Lina Opel (Year 7) slid her way to success on the curling

She also claimed Silver in the English Junior Championships

rink this year.

with her team, featuring skip Helena Kiggell, Anna MacDougall and Marianna Ward, by winning two of their four matches.

Lina partnered her father Michael – an England senior international - as they won Bronze in the mixed doubles event

This was a particularly notable feat as her colleagues live all

at the English Championships.

over the country, so they often only get to practise as a full team during school holidays.

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Annual Review 2021-2022

Community Benefit We relaunched our full primary school partnership programme where staff and students from the Upper Sixth worked with 22 primary schools across Cambridge city and South Cambridgeshire, assisting with the delivery of extension maths, science, technology and computing masterclasses, language classes in French, Spanish and Latin, an art-based mentoring programme, literacy and drama collaborations and the provision of a free hockey club for local children in Years 4 to 6. the laser cutter to turn the design into reality. Children chose to design characters from video games as well as Christmas decorations.

Louise Short, Teaching Assistant at The Galfrid School, said: “They’ve learned team-working skills and creativity, and they have enjoyed learning from older Perse students and teachers.

It’s been really beneficial for their academic and personal development.”

At Jeavons Wood Primary School in Cambourne, Sixth Form students worked alongside gifted and talented Year 6 maths Beyond our local community, we have continued to build on

pupils. Children enjoyed a wide range of maths problems to

the success of the Perse Coding Team Challenge, in which

solve including code-breaker challenges and quizzes.

teams of pupils undertake several rounds of coding challenges to try to win the Braben Cup. We have welcomed teams from

Perse teacher Dr Lilian Blaxill, who manages the maths

over 70 state schools from across the UK and internationally.

programme, said: “We hope that the primary school children

The competition is now recognised as part of the UKCT

really enjoy the sessions which are designed to be fun and interactive as we build on the excellent work of the school,

challenges pathway.

taking the children beyond the curriculum.”

The school also continued to develop the Aristotelian Award for Research, which was open to pupils in Year 9 nationally

William Emery, Assistant Head Key Stage Two at Jeavons

and aimed to inspire pupils across the UK to develop their

Wood, said: “There are huge benefits of having the partnership

research skills.

with The Perse. The children really do enjoy the opportunities the sessions give them, as they provide a further challenge

Our design and technology enrichment programme saw a group

to their learning.”

of students from The Galfrid School in Cambridge coming to The Perse to be mentored by our Sixth Form students.

and production of their own keychain. Galfrid pupils came up

It’s just so much fun when the Perse team come to our school.

with their own ideas for a design, and Perse students used

Jeavons Wood Pupil

One of the projects that students took part in was the design

Rare bat discovered at The Perse A rare bat was discovered in the grounds of The Perse.

Volunteers from Cambridgeshire Bat Group collected the bat and nursed it back to full health. Group member Chris Percival

The bat, known as a barbastelle, is a protected species and

said: “It was a very special day when I discovered that the bat

has never before been spotted in the city.

was one of the rare barbastelle species. My volunteer friend and Chair of our group, Barbara York, spent time nursing it

The elusive bat was discovered by a group of pupils while

and helping it to rehydrate.

it was hanging in the entrance to the North Building on the Upper School site in Hills Road.

“It was such a surprise because barbastelle bats are usually found in ancient woodland and very mature trees. They’ve

The pupils were pleased to discover that it was alive, even

been seen in Hertfordshire, but we have not seen one in

though it was very dehydrated.

Cambridgeshire before now.”

111

Upper

Alumni and Development Providing access to an excellent education is The Perse’s founding mission, and remains one of the school’s main priorities.

This year, we have continued to provide means-tested bursary support, and our community outreach programme collaborated with local state schools to deliver a range of activities including peer mentoring and enrichment classes.

How you made a difference this year

£300,000 Almost £300,000 raised for the school’s charitable purposes

550+

85

More than 550 donors

85 Old Perseans and Friends of the

73 pupils received a

made a gift to The Perse

School volunteered their time

means-tested bursary

Events With Covid-19 gradually abating, in-person reunions and speaker events returned to The Perse this year. We welcomed back Old Perseans from the 1980s and from the Classes of 2005-10, and over 100 guests returned for the Half Century Club Lunch. It was also fantastic to see the return of the OP v 1st XI cricket fixture, with a narrow victory for the OP XI after plenty of big hitting throughout the match.

112

Annual Review 2021-2022

Giving Day 2022 Thursday 21 April saw the launch of our first Perse Giving Day. This 36-hour online fundraising event brought the entire Perse community together to raise money for bursaries and community outreach programmes. Over £114,000 was raised from parents, Old Perseans and Friends of The Perse, which is an amazing total – thank you!

Perse pupils also collected over 2,800 food items for Cambridge City Foodbank, which unlocked an additional £10,000 for the campaign. These donations provided three days’ emergency food to 47 families in Cambridge.

229 members of the Perse community made a gift...

Support came from nine different countries

The money raised will be used to support the development of the outreach programme, and to fund bursary places for future Perseans. Thank you to everybody who donated to Giving Day. Your extraordinary generosity means that more young people will experience the life-changing …of whom

opportunities of a Perse education.

145 were new donors

Volunteers We are grateful to all those who donate their time, skills and expertise to The Perse. This year, 85 OPs and Friends of The Perse gave their time to deliver talks, mentor pupils, help with university applications and support the Perse Exploration Society. Thank you so much!

Chris Dodsworth (2016) gave a 42 Society lecture on his career in the Civil Service

113

Upper

GCSE results 2022 Year (% cumulative)

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2022

56

79

93

98

99.6

100

100

2019

62

84

94

98

99

100

100

Year (% cumulative)

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2021*

80

94

99

99.6

99.9

100

100

2020*

67

87

97

99.4

99.9

100

100

*Teacher-assessed grades (TAGs) were used for GCSEs in 2020 and 2021, so these results are not directly comparable to those in the first table.

GCSE by subject Subject

Candidates

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

Ancient History

18

8

5

4

1

0

0

0

Art

27

7

9

10

1

0

0

0

Biology

184

122

47

6

8

0

1

0

Chemistry

182

125

39

11

4

2

1

0

Chinese

13

12

0

1

0

0

0

0

Computer Science

95

71

17

5

2

0

0

0

Design & Technology

56

41

11

3

1

0

0

0

English Language

184

44

51

55

26

7

1

0

English Literature

183

41

54

46

29

11

2

0

French

126

66

22

27

10

0

1

0

Geography

122

94

17

10

1

0

0

0

German

14

10

3

1

0

0

0

0

Greek

5

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

History

133

70

35

17

11

0

0

0

Italian

2

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

Japanese

3

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

Latin

27

13

10

3

0

0

1

0

Maths

185

98

51

25

9

2

0

0

Music

35

35

0

0

0

0

0

0

Physics

179

131

32

12

2

1

1

0

Religious Studies

44

24

11

6

3

0

0

0

Spanish

62

31

22

8

1

0

0

0

Turkish

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

Totals

1,880

1,053

437

250

109

23

8

0

114

Annual Review 2021-2022

GCSE results by subject, other year groups Year 10 Subject

Candidates

9

8

7

Astronomy

2

2

0

0

Chinese

7

7

0

0

French

1

1

0

0

German

1

1

0

0

Greek

1

1

0

0

Italian

1

0

0

1

Japanese

1

1

0

0

Maths

1

1

0

0

Music

6

6

0

0

Portuguese

2

2

0

0

Russian

1

1

0

0

Spanish

2

2

0

0

Subject

Candidates

9

8

7

Chinese

3

3

0

0

French

1

1

0

0

German

1

1

0

0

Greek

1

1

0

0

Italian

1

1

0

0

Japanese

1

1

0

0

Subject

Candidates

9

8

7

Chinese

1

1

0

0

Subject

Candidates

9

8

7

Further Maths

117

87

19

11

Subject

Candidates

A*

A

B

HPQ

45

34

9

2

Year 9

Year 8

Further Maths results

HPQ results

Results correct at the time of going to print (September 2022)

115

Upper

A level results 2022 Year (% cumulative)

A*

A

B

C

D

E

U

2022

52

83

95

99

99.6

100

100

2019

49

79

92

97

99

99.3

100

2018

49

84

95

99

99.6

100

100

This table includes Pre U equivalent grades using the standard D1/D2=A*, D3/M1=A, M2=B, M3=C

Year (% cumulative)

A*

A

B

C

D

E

U

2021*

88

95

99.3

99.5

99.8

100

100

2020*

65

93

99

99.6

99.8

100

100

*Teacher-assessed grades (TAGs) were used for A levels and school-assessed grades (SAGs) were used for Pre U in 2020 and 2021, so these results are not directly comparable to the first table.

A levels by subject Subject

Candidates

A*

A

B

C

D

E

Art & Design

6

3

3

0

0

0

0

Biology

62

23

22

9

8

0

0

Chemistry

77

28

34

9

4

2

0

Classics: Ancient History

7

1

3

3

0

0

0

Computer Science

12

10

1

1

0

0

0

Design & Technology

9

5

4

0

0

0

0

Economics

42

23

11

6

1

0

1

English Literature

33

13

6

13

0

1

0

French

10

4

3

1

2

0

0

Further Maths

42

21

17

4

0

0

0

Geography

34

26

6

2

0

0

0

German

2

1

1

0

0

0

0

History

34

21

11

2

0

0

0

Latin

2

2

0

0

0

0

0

Maths

125

74

37

9

3

2

0

Music

4

3

1

0

0

0

0

Philosophy

12

2

6

3

1

0

0

Politics

14

11

2

1

0

0

0

Psychology

18

5

4

8

0

0

1

Religious Studies

3

1

1

0

1

0

0

Russian

2

1

1

0

0

0

0

Spanish

4

1

3

0

0

0

0

Totals

554

279

177

71

20

5

2

116

Annual Review 2021-2022

83%

71%

83% of entries were awarded A* or A grade (or Pre U equivalent)

131 students achieved three or more A* or A grades (or Pre U equivalent)

Pre U results by subject Subject

Candidates

D1

D2

D3

M1

M2

M3

Physics

55

22

15

12

3

2

1

AS levels for subjects taken in the Upper Sixth Subject

Candidates

A*

A

B

C

EPQ

22

15

7

0

0

Further Maths

10

n/a

10

0

0

German

1

n/a

1

0

0

Totals

33

15

18

0

0

A levels completed by members of the Lower Sixth Subject

Candidates

A*

A

B

C

Computer Science

1

1

0

0

0

Italian

1

1

0

0

0

Japanese

1

1

0

0

0

Maths

1

1

0

0

0

Totals

4

4

0

0

0

Results correct at the time of going to print (September 2022)

117

Upper

University Destinations 2022 Durham

24

Cambridge

18

Oxford

16

University College London

11

Imperial College London

8

Warwick

8

Bristol

7

Bath

6

Exeter

6

Manchester

6

Nottingham

6

York

6

Birmingham

4

Newcastle

4

Queen Mary, University of London

4

East Anglia

3

Leeds

3

Sheffield

3

Southampton

3

St Andrews

3

Edinburgh

2

London School of Economics

2

Queen’s University Belfast

2

St George’s, University of London

2

Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

1

Kent

1

King’s College London

1

Lancaster

1

Leicester

1

Liverpool

1

Loughborough

1

Northumbria

1

Nottingham Trent

1

Plymouth

1

Reading

1

Royal Holloway, University of London

1

Salford

1

Surrey

1

Swansea

1

University of the Arts London Total

1 173

118

Annual Review 2021-2022

Course Choices 2022

History

9

1

Intercultural Communications with Business Management

1

Architecture

4

Law/Law with French Law

4

Art History/History of Art

2

Liberal Arts

3

Biochemistry

1

Marine Biology

1

Biology/Biological Sciences

3

Materials Science and Engineering

1

Biomedical Sciences/Biomedical Engineering

3

Mathematics/Maths and Finance/ Maths and Music/Maths and Physics

5

Business Management

1 Medicine

19

Chemistry

3

Classics

2

MFL: French and Spanish/Japanese/ Modern Languages

4

Computer Science/Computing

11

Music

1

Criminology

1

Natural Sciences

8

Nursing Science

1

Philosophy/Philosophy and Economics/ Philosophy and Theology/ Philosophy, Politics and Economics

6

Physics/Physics and Astrophysics/ Physics with Astronomy

9

Politics and International Relations

2

Psychology/Psychological and Behavioural Sciences

6

Real Estate with Urban Planning

1

Sports Science

1

Veterinary Bioscience

1

Veterinary Medicine

2

Aeronautics and Astronautics/ Aeronautical Engineering

2

Ancient History and History

Economics/Economics and Management/ Economics and Politics/Economics and Finance/ Economics, Politics and International Relations/ International Development with Economics

10

Engineering/Electrical and Electronic Engineering/ Mechanical Engineering/General Engineering/ Acoustical Engineering

16

English/English Literature/English with Study Abroad/English Literature and Creative Writing

15

Film Studies

1

Finance

1

Geography/Global Sustainable Development Graphic Design

10 1

Information correct at the time of going to print (September 2022)

119

Summer School A very popular Perse Summer School saw over 650 children between the ages of seven and 14 take part in a wide range of activities including multi-sports, debating, poetry, animation, cookery, science, ceramics and sign language.

Children attended from 82 independent and state schools over four weeks.

120

Annual Review 2021-2022

Children make a splash on watersports course Youngsters had an excellent time messing about on the water at Milton Country Park. They had a go in canoes and kayaks, learning all the basics needed to paddle their boats before progressing to finer skills, including rescue techniques to ensure they stayed safe on the water.

121

Club Pelican Our Pelican School hosted six themed weeks which included ball sport bonanza, musical theatre and world explorers.

122

perse.co.uk Written and produced by Claire Ziwa and Aaron Mason.

Design by Steve Welch at Svelte Design.

Cover photo by Head of Geography James Riley taken during a field trip to Snowdonia.

The Perse School is a charitable company limited by guarantee (company number 5977683, registered charity number 1120654) registered in England and Wales whose registered office is situated at The Perse School, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 8QF.