News From Tonbridge, Spring 2019

Spring 2019

Pages 2 & 3 Astronauts Science Space

Pages 4 & 5 University CCF Concerts

Pages 6 & 7 Sport Music Design

Page 8

Conference Competition Novi

Barton Science Centre opens – Page 2

Astronauts launch Barton Science Centre NASA astronauts Dr Michael Foale CBE and Dr Steve Swanson took centre stage during the official opening of Tonbridge School’s Barton Science Centre in March. The astronauts, who had been based at the school in the week leading up to the opening as part of the Mission Discovery educational programme, unveiled a commemorative plaque at the end of the ceremony.

Dr Foale and Dr Swanson, both former International Space Station commanders, also gave their impressions of the new facility. “This is a centre which will inspire the next generation ... where students can start to have ideas, interests and dreams,” Dr Swanson said.

‘Science and Space’ fun As part of the celebrations to mark the opening of the Barton Science Centre, several hundred people from the local area took part in the school’s ‘Science and Space’ family event.

Children enjoyed a range of fun activities in Physics, Biology and Chemistry, and attended a talk by the NASA astronauts in the school’s EM Forster Theatre. Families also had the chance to look around the new centre.

Dr Foale added: “You have ignited a fire here in Tonbridge for learning and discovery, and for achieving something special.”

Named after former Tonbridge pupil Sir Derek Barton, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1969, the centre includes an interactive periodic table, a roof garden and greenhouse, a TV wall, three libraries and a bee hive.

James Priory, the school’s Headmaster, described it as “an extraordinary and beautiful building which is already inspiring innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and becoming a hub for science education in the wider community”.

Five pupils are feeling on top of the world after hearing that their science experiment is going to be carried out by astronauts on the International Space Station. Mission Discovery, a programme run

by ISSET, the International Space School Educational Trust, gives senior school students the opportunity to spend time working with NASA astronauts and renowned scientists, creating ideas for innovative experiments that could benefit the planet.

Students from various schools in Kent took part in Mission Discovery in March, with Tonbridge becoming the first UK school to host the event.

The winning team, made up of pupils from Tonbridge School and from Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School, designed an experiment to establish a yeast colony in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station.

This experiment will now be built by Dr Julie Keeble, ISSET’s Chief Scientist and a Lecturer of Pharmacology at King’s College London, alongside her colleagues at King’s and NASA, after which it will be launched to the International Space Station and carried out by the astronauts on board.

The International Space Station is described

by NASA as “the most famous laboratory on Earth ... or off it”, and there was a fierce if friendly competition among students for their work to be chosen.

During the week astronauts Dr Michael Foale and Dr Steve Swanson, pictured above, offered tips and advice, and shared their experiences with students of venturing into space.

Those taking part were also set personal objectives such as working successfully in teams, making presentations and speaking confidently in public.

Top university offers for Upper Sixth

A total of 26 Tonbridge boys have been offered places to study at Oxford or Cambridge.

The offers cover a range of subjects including Biochemistry, Engineering, English, History, Mathematics, Languages, Natural Sciences, Physics, PPE, Theology, Religion and Philosophy of Religion.

The talented Upper Sixth cohort will also be taking up places at many other leading universities, including Imperial College, the London School of Economics, Durham, Bath and Exeter.

A growing number of leavers are also choosing to study at prestigious overseas institutions.

Alex’s £4,000 fundraiser A concert organised by a Tonbridge School pupil has raised £4,000 for Sri Lankan street children.

Alex Trigg, a Lower Sixth music scholar, put together the show, which also saw the first combined performance of the Orchestra of St Augustine and the Tudeley Singers. Alex founded both groups and was also the conductor on the night.

All funds will go to support the work of Child Action Lanka, a charity working with street children across Sri Lanka. The money raised will contribute to the Batticaloa Education Centre Fund, set up by Tonbridge to build and equip a new facility on the east coast of the island.

Web-based advisory company Best-Schools.co.uk has awarded a prestigious Crystal Award to Tonbridge. The school has been named as a ‘Top 5 Boys’ Boarding School by A-level’, in recognition of its excellent results in 2018. More than two-thirds of all Tonbridge boys’ grades at A-level were A* or A, or their Pre-U equivalent. The ‘average’ set of results was A*AA.

Cadets impress on CCF Inspection Day

Two hundred Tonbridge cadets took part in the school’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Inspection Day in March, which this year had a naval focus and was attended by parents, the public and school staff.

Following the afternoon parade and inspection there were other activities, including log-carrying races between sections and the opportunity to test out a flight simulator.

The parade included the school’s Royal Navy, Army and RAF sections, with Rear Admiral Will Warrender CBE (Flag Officer Sea Training) serving as Inspecting Officer for the event. He particularly admired the drill display carried out by the Contingent’s Honour Guard.

Those attending included representatives from HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy’s £3.1billion aircraft carrier; HMS President; the Royal Navy Reserves; RAF College Cranwell; the Royal Marines; the University Royal Naval Units (URNU); and RAF Air Cadets.

Olympiad distinctions Tonbridge boys excelled in a national test aimed at the top 1,000 Maths pupils across the country.

Seven boys, pictured below, were awarded distinctions after taking part in Round One of the British Maths Olympiad, which set them a series of difficult questions. Their results placed them in the top quarter of all entrants.

The school also achieved fine results in the Senior Biology Olympiad, a rigorous national examination for A-Level students. Gold medals were awarded to five boys, who were placed in the top 7.2 per cent nationally, with a further six boys being awarded silver medals and four receiving bronze.

Community Concert Some 170 guests braved a blustery night in February to attend the school’s annual Community Concert for senior citizens.

Throughout the night the guests were looked after by the many Tonbridge boys who carry out regular volunteer work in the community, and were treated to a fun and varied programme provided by the school’s musicians. Tonbridge Community Action Manager Juliet Burnett said: “This is a lovely occasion when boys, school staff and our guests can enjoy music and each other’s company.”

The CRAS

l Hundreds of boys took part in the annual Tonbridge School cross-country race, The CRAS, in February. The boys from Smythe House took the day’s top honours, achieving overall victory just ahead of Oakeshott in second place. Hill Side took third place.

Tonbridge’s Zachary Nwogwugwu represented Kent in the Tri-Counties Indoor Championship, winning the 60m sprint in the under 17s boys category with a time of 7.09 – which places him as the third fastest in Europe this season!

Kent Schools’ Trophy win

Tonbridge ‘top for cricket’

The school’s under 15s rugby team retained the Kent Schools’ Trophy after beating Dartford Grammar School in a highly competitive final.

Tonbridge is among the UK’s best schools for cricket according to a national sports title. The Cricketer’s Good Schools Guide, which lists its top 100 schools for the sport, commends Tonbridge for offering wide participation, adding that the 1st XI ground, The Head, “is renowned nationally”.

In stormy, wet conditions, Tonbridge won 22-5 in a match played at Gravesend RFC. Rhys Crane, Director of the school’s Rugby Academy, said: “It was an excellent game in challenging conditions.

Tonbridge took an early lead and then absorbed the comeback attempts from Dartford to go on and secure the victory with a few more wellconstructed tries.”

The Planets receives a rapturous reception

The school’s Symphony Orchestra performed all seven movements of Gustav Holst’s masterpiece The Planets as part of the celebrations to mark the opening of the Barton Science Centre. Led by Mark Forkgen, Tonbridge’s Director of Music, the concert culminated in a standing ovation.

Mr Forkgen said: “Playing The Planets is difficult for any orchestra. For a school orchestra to play it with such musicianship and maturity is a tremendous achievement. The ‘electricity’ on stage was something that will live with us all for some time to come.”

Choir’s Belgian tour Performing at a Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres was among the highlights for the Tonbridge School Chapel Choir during its February half term tour of Belgium. The renowned ceremony occurs at 8pm every evening, a tradition going back more than 90 years.

The Choir also gave three concerts in churches in De Panne, Bruges and Ypres. The school’s Choirmaster, Julian Thomas, said: “We had a wonderful opportunity to sing in three beautiful buildings. The Last Post ceremony is such a moving occasion and we will all remember the feeling of singing in front of many hundreds of people.”

Marble Run marvels!

Technical skills were on display in the annual Design Technology and Engineering Inter-House Challenge.

Teams had to design their own ‘Marble Run’ mechanism, with points awarded for the quality and originality of boys’ work. A minimum of two students per team came from either Years 9, 10 or 11, ensuring that all teams represented a range of ages and skill levels. After an exciting contest, Ferox Hall were crowned as winners, with School House second and Welldon House third.

Student Conference goes international

There was an international flavour to the Student Science Conference held at Tonbridge, with pupils from Germany and Japan among those taking part.

The conference brought together more than 120 students from Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, London and much further afield to discuss scientific topics with their peer group.

Pupils also had opportunities to present posters on their own research. Subjects included helping the visually impaired and tackling cancer.

Schools strive for Shield

Getting to know Novi More than 140 boys had a taste of Tonbridge life when they took part in the Novi Visit. The boys, who are all starting in September as First Years – or ‘Novi’ – met teaching staff, toured the campus and started to make new friends.

Over a day and a half, boys had classes in History, Science, Languages, Music, Drama and Design Technology, and tried various sports. The event culminated in a musical performance for parents, in which all boys took part.

Pupils from six schools put their scientific knowledge to the test as they took part in the inaugural Barton Science Competition.

Teams made up of students from Years 9 and 10 faced problem-solving exercises in Chemistry, Biology and Physics, as they aimed to be the first name engraved on the Barton Shield. Pupils impressed judges with their science skills, in a competition which was backed by the Royal Society of Chemistry and won by The Judd School.