From school the Headmaster news
From the Headmaster
W
e have enjoyed a very successful start to
The Cambridge Building Society, are attended by
2018. Perseans have received 757 university
people of all ages. Over 600 guests enjoyed talks from
offers including a new record of 51 from
the writer and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh on the NHS,
Oxford and Cambridge and 39 from medical schools.
and the anthropologist and broadcaster Alice Roberts
On the sports field four Perse Upper teams have reached
on species domestication. Looking forward, the summer term will be busy
the national finals in hockey competitions, whilst our senior general knowledge team has just come third in
with public exams including the first new 1–9 GCSEs
the national finals of the Schools’ Challenge (the school
which replace the old letter grades. The top grade 9
equivalent of University Challenge). In March we opened
will be above the old A*, but as more grades are added
the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre and the first show
to the exam system the resulting need for accurate
was an outstanding production of Billy Elliot.
differentiation will require a level of reliability in marking that has not always been evident in the past.
The Perse continues to deliver public good for the wider community. Over £1 million each year is spent
We will be scrutinising public exam results carefully
on means tested financial assistance and the resulting
to ensure justice is done. The summer holidays are the busiest time for
bursaries support 120 pupils who otherwise could not attend the School. We now provide educational support
the outdoor pursuits department with a plethora of
to 19 local Cambridgeshire primary schools, whilst further
kayaking, canoeing, climbing, and Perse Exploration
afield Perse staff and pupils assist Christel House Schools
Society trips. PES is the successor body to Scouts and this year 238 Year 7–10 students will be
who give an excellent education to some of the world’s
camping in the Peak District, 90 Year
poorest children. We are busy fundraising to equip every
11 students will be canoeing across
classroom in Christel House Bangalore with a data projector to enhance teaching and learning. We have
Sweden, and 34 sixth formers will be
just passed 17 fitted data projectors and have 14
trekking in the Himalayas. All told 2018 should be another
to go. Perse staff will be travelling out to Bangalore in July to deliver a music education project.
successful year for the Perse, and alumni
The Perse doesn’t just support young
are always welcome to visit the School and see what we are up to.
people – we run Digistart programmes to assist elderly local residents with
Best wishes, Ed
their IT needs and our free community lectures, now run in partnership with 3
