Wellington Today Summer 2019

SUMMER 2019 EDITION

Wellington TODAY

WELLINGTON ANNOUNCES 15TH MASTER (pg 6)

MEET THE STUDENT RUNNING OUR FRONT OF HOUSE TEAM (pg 12)

A SENSATIONAL TERM OF SPORT (pg 36-43)

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

Contents INSPIRED

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INTELLECTUAL

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INDEPENDENT

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INDIVIDUAL

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INCLUSIVE

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ACADEMIC

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THE ARTS

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GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

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SPORT

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WELLINGTON COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL

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WELLINGTON COMMUNITY

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WELLINGTON!

Wellington College Celebrates 160 Years 20th January 2019 marked the 160th anniversary of Wellington College. We celebrated with a series of readings, a rousing rendition of the school song, and a foray into the archives to explore Wellington through the decades.

Students and staff reflected on how much the College has changed since it welcomed its first pupils on 20th January 1859, and on how much remains the same. Speaking at the official inauguration, nine days after the College opened its doors to pupils, Queen Victoria exhorted the first Wellingtonians to work and live with ‘steady industry and honourable conduct’ and in ‘their behaviour to each other’ to ‘earn a character for the College worthy of the name it bears’.

160 years on, Wellington’s staff and students continue to live by these words and remain true to the College values of Kindness, Respect, Courage, Integrity and Responsibility, all of which have their origins in the words uttered by Queen Victoria 160 years ago.

During assembly, Julian Thomas asked students to imagine what it would have been like arriving at Wellington as one of the first Foundationers in 1859. We heard an extract from Augustus Hornsby’s ‘Recollections’, written 60 years after Wellington ‘first became alma mater to a ragtag and bobtail of boys of various ages from all corners of the dominions’. Hornsby described arriving via a ‘little station’ and travelling ‘three quarters of a mile across the dreary sodden moor’ – for, while the buildings were as magnificent then as they are now, the surrounding landscape took time to grow into its present-day splendour.

Recalling his first meeting in Great School, Hornsby describes how each Foundationer answered to their name and ‘became the first fruits of that nurturing mother whose boys have since borne themselves all over the world, even to the uttermost parts’.

160 years on, Wellington College is a ‘nurturing mother’ to both girls and boys and we are proud to be part of a family of schools that extends ‘all over the world’.

Wellingtonians in our schools in China and Thailand and the students at Eagle House and at our academies in Wiltshire, all shared in our birthday celebrations.

Across the globe in China, Joy Qiao, Founder and Chair of Governors Wellington College China and Huili Education Group commented: ‘’We hope all our pupils, while taking pride in their national identity, will grow up to become global citizens. That means they will have fluency in multiple languages and the ability to communicate across different cultures. They will seek to understand multiple perspectives and respect the differences they encounter, and they will develop the skills to lead within a diverse cultural context.’ ’.

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160 YEARS

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INSPIRED

“It is a tremendous honour and privilege to have been chosen to lead and serve this wonderful community of pupils, staff and parents”

THE 15 TH MASTER OF WELLINGTON COLLEGE James Dahl has been appointed as the 15th Master of Wellington College, succeeding Julian Thomas.

James, who will formally take up his post on 1st September 2019, is currently Second Master Elect as well as Deputy Head Pastoral at Wellington, having served previously as Director of Admissions & Marketing. Educated at The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle and Haileybury, and having read Classics at Cambridge, James started his career under Anthony Seldon at Brighton College, becoming Head of Classics at the age of 23 and then Head of Sixth Form. He left Brighton in 2006 to become a Housemaster at Repton, before joining Wellington in September 2013. James is also a Grade 8 flautist, pianist and percussionist, and represented Cambridge at second team level in both cricket and rugby.

Peter Mallinson, Vice-President and Chair of Governors, commented, “Wellington is thriving today with strong demand for places, excellent academic results, an extraordinary extra-curricular offering and a culture of independent learning and inclusivity. That James emerged as the unanimous choice of the Governors, after a rigorous and far-reaching search, demonstrates clearly both the quality of his candidacy and the compelling clarity of his vision for the future of the College”.

Julian Thomas said, “I am absolutely delighted that James Dahl has been appointed as 15th Master of Wellington College.

He is a hugely talented and committed educationalist and the future looks very bright indeed”.

In a letter to members of the Wellington Community, James described feeling “deeply humbled and hugely excited” about the appointment, adding, “It is a tremendous honour and privilege to have been chosen to lead and serve this wonderful community of pupils, staff and parents, and I cannot wait to start writing the next chapter in the College’s illustrious history”.

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How can we prepare our students for a future we can’t even imagine?

Miranda Patterson, Director of Science,Technology and Engineering, reflects on recent changes to the Third Form Science curriculum.

What will the technological world and working environment look like in five years’ time? For what are we preparing our students? How can we prepare our students for a future we can’t even imagine? These were the questions we asked ourselves when designing our new Science curriculum for the Third Form.

What is exciting about STEM subjects is that they lend themselves naturally to a changing world. People turn to the skills inherent in these subjects to explain phenomena that they struggle to understand. Properly taught STEM seeks not to provide students with these answers but to teach them what to do when the answer is not known. It is about taking new knowledge and using it in a different way.

The new Third Form course aims to encourage students to embrace change as an opportunity and to be intellectually curious about it. The course has been designed across biology, chemistry and physics as a skills-based course delivered through one of three, student chosen, contextual themes. Students learn the scientific method and the nature of science and how to apply it, not just to designing their own experiments but also in analysing and evaluating the claims of others. In the age of ‘alternative truths’ and ‘fake news’ rumours, hoaxes and misinformation find fertile breeding ground on social media. It is imperative that we teach our students how to identify the accurate from the inaccurate, and to spot faulty arguments, generalisations and unfounded assertions.

At the heart of each theme are intellectually rigorous problems that students work towards answers. Students are learning to be creative and to show originality of thought

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in their problem solving in order to progress. Extensive practical work in class is supported with Harkness style teaching encouraging guided, student-led discussion. Above all the Third Form course is designed to allow students to move forward with the skills they have learnt and a core understanding of the importance of positive relationships with those around them and those beyond them.

It is important to add to creative lessons a chance for greater exploration beyond the syllabus. To that end, work in the classroom is enhanced with a comprehensive extracurricular programme both in terms of our Enrichment programme on a Wednesday afternoon and also through external and internal competitions such as the Malim Prize.

Although much of our understanding of the future is crystal ball gazing, what we do know is that whatever the future looks like it will rapidly change throughout the students’ lifetimes.The education we provide them with must be based on providing skills and attributes that will allow them to be adaptable and flexible in their approach. With an estimated additional 157,000 jobs in big data by 2020 and the current shortfall in graduates with engineering skills of approximately 110,000, we do know we would be doing our students a disservice if we did not consider their lives beyond the limits of the years they are with us and look into the future.

INTELLECTUAL

WHY I LOVE SCIENCE Third Form student, Poppy Hinds (3rd, O), took up the challenge of writing a 500-word essay for the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Science Prize.Her essay, ‘Why I love Science’, impressed the judges and Poppy was one of 15 students in the country to reach the finals. Poppy is part of the first cohort of students to follow Wellington’s reformed Third Form Science curriculum. Students study Biology, Chemistry and Physics, all of which are taught by subject specialists, but students are given the choice of one of three strands (‘Standing on the shoulders of giants – a history of science’, ‘Intelligent design – artificial and natural models of systems’, or ‘Staying Alive – what we need and how we do it’). All cover the same content, but within different contexts and, crucially, emphasis is placed on creatively exploring the links between.

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“Wellington is super busy, but beautifully busy, almost like a mosaic”.

REFLECTIONS ON THE THIRD FORM MALIM PRIZE In the Michaelmas Term edition of Wellington Today, we celebrated the explosion of independent project work at Wellington. Between the Sixth Form IB Extended Essay and the Extended Project Qualification, the Higher Project Qualification, completed by all students in the Fourth Form, and the Malim Prize in the Third Form, we estimate that over 930 Wellingtonians are engaged in independent research tasks at any one time. Wellingtonians now have the opportunity to explore their passions through rigorous academic research at every stage of their Wellington experience. Here we focus on the beginning of the journey, with a spotlight on the Third Form Malim Prize.

Head of Third Form, Paul Cootes, explains how the Malim Prize is structured and delivered.

The Malim Prize is awarded to a small number of Third Form pupils at the end of the year to recognise excellent independent project work. The format of the Malim Prize has evolved this academic year to include three projects completed during Lab Time in the Michaelmas and Lent Terms. These projects are designed to develop independent learnings skills and become longer and increasingly openended as the year progressed, providing pupils with greater choice to explore their own interests.The pupils also receive complementary training in IT, Research and Referencing skills to help them complete the work.

The first two projects are completed in the Michaelmas Term and are designed to help pupils connect with their new surroundings and learn about the rich history of Wellington College. In the first half term, pupils are asked to develop a plan for a piece of site-specific artwork to be displayed anywhere in the College. They are encouraged to explore the College buildings, complete research on site-specific art and must then present their ideas and vision via OneNote – a Microsoft Office platform widely used at Wellington.

There were some quirky and creative ideas generated by this year’s Third Form students. Isla Hughes (3rd, Ap) was inspired by the work of American artist Candy Chang, famous for her “Before I die…” chalkboards. Isla felt that we

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could take our own spin on this theme with “Before I leave Wellington…” chalkboards positioned around the College.

Lenni Saul (3rd, R) imagined empty boots, similar to those worn in the Battle of Waterloo and more recent wars, lined up in Chapel to evoke those missing Wellingtonians killed in action. And Freya Sanderson (3rd, Ap) explored the idea of a multi-coloured mural of the College. Taking her inspiration from murals she had seen in Brick Lane in London and an in-College ‘Inspire’ lecture by artist Angela Findlay, Freya created a range of designs to make us reflect on our rich cultural diversity.

Freya commented: “… to make this different and to represent the school, I was thinking that the wall would be a mosaic of the College, or the College in Shanghai. This will catch the pupils’ eyes and make them more aware of our connections abroad. To make it special, the colours can all be a part of the rainbow, to symbolise the Wellington community’s equality and openness.

It would take some time, but I think that a mosaic mural is more complicated and beautiful, which would complete the overall appearance of the school; Wellington is super busy, but beautifully busy, almost like a mosaic”.

In their second project the pupils research and write a 300word essay about the historical individual after whom their House is named. They can choose one of four titles: how the individual was significant in the defeat of Napoleon, or in British political life, or how they influenced the early years of Wellington College, or how the individual demonstrated the College values during their life. Emphasis is placed on quality of research and note-taking, and the ability to synthesise information from multiple sources to answer the specific question.

In the LentTerm pupils have a choice from Science, Geography and English briefs and are given more time and freedom to explore the subject. Detailed research, clear presentation of their ideas and the ability to reference sources correctly are important features for all projects.

INDEPENDENT

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Fronting Up AN INTERVIEW WITH HUGO RODDICK (U6TH, PN), HEAD OF WELLINGTON COLLEGE’S FRONT OF HOUSE TEAM

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INDIVIDUAL

For how long have you been part of Wellington’s Front of House team?

I started back in the Third Form. I started because my Assistant House-Master at the time, Mr Clements, was (and still is) the teacher in charge of it. It came up in a tutorial and I said I would like to join, and I emailed the Head of Front of House and it all went from there. Mr Clements was trying to get all his tutees to join in co-curricular activities. I always wanted to be the leader of the group and I think it was late Fifth Form (you do the role for two years) that I got the role, and I’ve still got in now.

What attracted you to the team?

I’ve never been an actor, but there is something very exciting about being involved in the whole production and I enjoy seeing things going smoothly (especially my side of things) and seeing the production start so that the actors and everyone else involved can have a smooth performance. I find that quite satisfying.

How did you get the role of Head of the team?

There are about 40 people in the team and that ranges across year groups. In my year group there are about five or six people involved. So, out of that, there are two leadership roles available: one is the Head of Box Office; the other is the Head of the Front of House team. One of my friends, Ozzy, has always been on the Box Office so he got that role, and I got this one.

What does the role entail?

There are a lot of aspects to the job. We are involved in ensuring that the production starts smoothly, and that all the tickets are handled effectively: any issues that people have with tickets on the night, we deal with; we have people on the doors to ensure that people have the correct tickets; we have people inside to hand out programmes and others to show people where their seats are. We are involved in ensuring that there is a team of fire marshals on the night, and we are involved in making sure that everyone has refreshments in the interval. I am bridging the theatre, the customers and the cast. It’s a weird gap to fill.

What aspects of the role do you enjoy the most?

One of the things I love about the role is just getting the team together, and seeing how well we work as a team, because I know that everyone there wants to be there and that everyone there will work, and they work really hard.

We are doing the job of a professional team and none of us are professionals at the end of the day, we all have student lives as well, so I always find it amazing how we manage to do such long shifts. We start at 6.30pm – we have our dinner then – and sometimes we don’t leave the theatre until about 11.00pm so we’re doing a good few hours. I am always amazed by how the team handles things – it’s not always plain sailing with the customers. Sometimes they have complaints about the tickets or about the temperature of the building, and they always handle it really well.

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

Did you receive any training?

We are trained on the job. I shadowed the previous Head of Front of House for a few nights, and I’ve always noticed what was going on. But since we’ve had the new theatre, I’ve had to sort of adapt the role. In the old theatre we had a capacity of about 350 people; in the new theatre we’ve got nearly 950. It’s a big responsibility to make sure it flows well.

And there have been a lot of teething issues because we’ve never had a Front of House team for this size of theatre. I’ve been working with Mr McWilliam, the Theatre Manager, to put infrastructure in place to ensure that, in the future, the Front of House team can work better – e.g. putting new computers in and things like that.

people have complained that the theatre is too cold – it is climate controlled so I can’t do anything about it. You are not allowed to bring drinks into the theatre – people don’t like that.

What have you learnt from this experience?

I’ve probably learnt the most about firstly leadership, and secondly being customer-driven – trying to ensure that the audience has an enjoyable experience, and also leading a team. For the Charlie Perry Concert, we had a team of nearly 30 so ensuring that everyone was doing their job was a challenge. I can’t imagine being a theatre manager in my career, but I definitely feel that a lot of these skills are applicable to the real world, in terms of leadership especially.

What are the biggest challenges?

What is the best performance you’ve seen so far?

The biggest challenges? The biggest challenges definitely come from the audience members. To note a few, I’ve had people complaining that the queue was too long; other

It has to be the Charlie Perry Concert in October: it was led by some of Charlie’s and my close friends, with some aspects being completely student-directed. It was also the fact that it

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INDIVIDUAL

was such an appropriate place and time to celebrate Charlie with it being the first sell-out event in the G. W. Annenberg, the new home of the Performing Arts at Wellington. It was great to see OWs who knew Charlie coming back to perform. And there were so many different parts to the show (Eagle House, soloists and speeches).

Do people ever say thank you for the work you do?

I’ve obviously had thanks from staff at Wellington, but from the public, maybe a couple a night – I don’t think people really realise what goes on behind the scenes. Obviously, the cast know, but I think the audience just see it all done, they don’t actually see all the work that goes into it. But they would know if it wasn’t done well and that’s what makes it so satisfying - they don’t even know we are there.That’s my job.

Do you feel Wellington is a place that encourages hands-on experiences?

Yes, I think at Wellington, they do their best to give us realworld experiences such as WTV and Front of House and think they do set up the students well. I also feel there are a lot of students who have spare time and could use it better.

I would encourage people to step out of their comfort zone and join things like this – some of the best people on my team got involved because I called upon them as friends, but they do it now, not because I am there, but because they want to do it. It’s all about doing things you wouldn’t otherwise do, because the chances are you might actually enjoy it.This is what I think, and I’ve told a lot of other people that.

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INCLUSIVE

Global Social Leaders Global Social Leaders (GSL) is a unique transformational leadership movement pioneered by the Wellington Leadership and Coaching Institute and Future Foundations, our partners of 10 years.

Our vision is to create a global movement of socially conscious leaders, establishing a network of young people who are equipped to be leaders in their lives and society.

Since 2011 over 6,000 young people in 83 different countries have participated in GSL programmes, many of which have been hosted by Wellington College and involved students from across the Wellington Family. Together we are building a truly international community of diverse young people who recognise the importance of understanding oneself in order to make meaningful and positive change in the world.

We want young people at Wellington College and beyond to be equipped with the aptitude and character traits that will enable them to thrive in an increasingly uncertain and globalised world whilst becoming drivers of social change through their actions, positive peer influence and leadership.

GSL programmes are designed to help participants develop the skills, resources and network to design and lead an impactful real-world project addressing an issue they are passionate about.

In 2017 we launched our most ambitious programme to date, the GSL Global Goals Competition, a not-for-profit initiative designed to widen participation and dramatically upscale the impact of the movement. The competition challenges students to design and lead a local project that addresses one or more of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, supported remotely by the GSL team.

This is currently being run in almost 500 schools around the world and we look forward to celebrating their achievements at the GSL Festival on 20th June 2019, which will feature as part of the Festival of Education.

Our flagship programme is the GSL World Summit, held at Wellington College annually and attended by a global mix of 100 young people and educators. This 12-day residential in turn creates leadership opportunities for Wellingtonians who step up to support the operational running of the programme. The World Summit has been attended by students belonging to some of the world’s top schools and is establishing a global reputation for excellence.

We also offer 3-5-day GSL Catalyst programmes, which have recently been delivered in schools throughout the UK, China (including Wellington Tianjin), India, Romania and most recently, through Wellington’s Young African Leaders Programme in South Africa and Mozambique. GSL has been successfully adapted for younger students with the GSL Saturday Series for Eagle House now in its second year. This summer we are delighted to be running our first programme specifically for Wellington Family schools and in 2020 GSL will travel to Australia for a Catalyst hosted by Melbourne Girls Grammar School, which we look forward to welcoming Wellingtonians to attend.

The impact of GSL is perhaps best described by the young people who have participated. ‘GSL isn’t an ordinary leadership programme. It doesn’t talk about problems. It talks about solutions. GSL teaches you not only how to lead, but also how NOT to lead. It dispels the myth that leaders are dominators. It shows us that leaders should be the most compassionate humans of all. GSL teaches you, at the end of it all, how to live a life that can make a difference.’ (Anhad, GSL alumni 2018) Through partnership fundraising, and volunteering by the Wellington community so far, we have been able to support young people from The Wellington Academy, Africa, and a number of state schools in the UK to attend on full bursaries and made the competition free to 500 schools around the world. We want to continue to grow and scale this initiative, and make it free forever, but we need the support of the Wellington community to make this sustainable.

If you would like to learn more about Global Social Leaders, explore opportunities to support the movement either personally or via an organisation you work for, or for your child to participate in these uniquely transformational programmes please visit www.globalsocialleaders.com and contact Katy Granville-Chapman, kegc@wellingtoncollege. org.uk founder of the Wellington Leadership and Coaching Institute.

Alice Baines Hamblin Senior Partnerships Manager, Future Foundations

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Global Social Leaders on the Map ALL AREAS MARKED IN BLUE BENEFIT FROM THE WORK OF OUR GSL PROGRAMME

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1. In Guadalajara, Mexico, a recycling centre has been set up for the community at Urbana 54 school.

2. In Oxfordshire, the Welly Leaders Team have taken part in a cookery skills exchange, fundraising and relationship building with refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran at a social enterprise, Maymessy near Wantage.

3. Students from the Blücher make biannual visits to Tiger Kloof School (west of Johannesburg, SA), serving alongside ‘Tigers’ in a local township. They are also raising money for bursaries to Tiger Kloof through DeliverBlu, their waffle delivery service.

4. Students from the Murray have worked with the Young African Leadership Program (YALP) which sponsors a school in Mozambique. They have helped to write a curriculum to develop leadership and visited the school to learn more.

5. EdClub: students from the Blücher are Skyping students in a slum in Kenya to help with their studies.

6. Students from Wellington College International Tianjin have set up a Learning English WeChat group with local schools with suggested reading, English exercises and questionnaires; they engage in book collections and weekly visits to schools to teach English.

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

FUTURE OF EDUCATION CONFERENCE On Monday 14th January, senior leaders from many of our feeder schools gathered in Waterloo Hall for our Future of Education Conference, the primary topic for discussion being the changing attitudes to Common Entrance.

We were delighted to welcome Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CBE who addressed delegates about the skills needed for success in the workplace, before Matt Oakman, Deputy Head (Academic) at Wellington and Helen Brice, Deputy Head at Eagle House gave us the senior and prep school perspectives.

Since we announced our decision to remove the Common Entrance exam from our admissions process last 20 20

October, we have sought opportunities for more meaningful collaboration with our feeder schools, and the conference provided an excellent springboard for further discussion and debate.

As Julian Thomas said, “Of all the factors that contribute to finding the right school for a child, the relationship between the feeder school and the senior school is paramount. If our decision to remove the Common Entrance from our admissions process has helped to generate more meaningful discussion, and if that discussion leads us to refine our thinking about the best way to prepare children for the transition to senior school and beyond, then that, surely, is another step in the right direction.”

“Of all the factors that contribute to finding the right school for a child, the relationship between the feeder school and the senior school is paramount.”

ACADEMIC

IB STUDENTS AT BAYER FOR BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK To kick off British Science Week the Lower Sixth IB students spent the day at Bayer’s Head Office in Reading completing a compulsory part of their IB called the Group 4 Project. Students from different Group 4 (STE) subjects spent the day working together on a range of scientific and technological tasks. The aim of the day was to allow for concepts and perceptions from across the disciplines to be shared, to develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge.

This was the first time that we have held the event outside of school.

Bayer is a world leader in health care and agriculture committing significant amounts of research and development to solving the major challenges currently faced by humanity, and so it was an entirely appropriate place for Wellington students to complete their tasks. It was a fantastic opportunity

for students who are currently choosing their field of academic study at university to be exposed to such a company, and to understand that science and technology underpins business and commerce.

Miranda Patterson, Director of Science, Technology and Engineering, commented: “Through conversations with some of the Bayer employees, students learned of the enormous variety of stimulating and challenging careers within STE, many of which do not involve being in a lab or wearing a white coat. Being a scientist in the modern world is so much more than that; the skills that science subjects offer are transferable into all sorts of careers”.

“Being a scientist in the modern world is so much more than that; the skills that science subjects offer are transferable into all sorts of careers.”

PHYSICS OLYMPIANS This year, 2,000 students across the country sat the Olympiad paper and the Wellington College cohort did particularly well with two Gold certificates, three Silvers and one Bronze. The journey continued for Laura Brown (U6th, A) and Tom Williamson (U6th, R) who were among the top 100 achievers in the country – both showed an exceptional grasp of both physics and maths as well as a very strong aptitude for problem solving. Laura was subsequently named as one of the top 12 students in the country and was invited to the Oxford Training Camp over Easter to compete for a place in the British team for the International Physics Olympiad. To be chosen as one of the top 12 out of 1,950 initial entrants is an incredible achievement.

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GERMAN DEBATING In Michaelmas Term, Wellington College entered and hosted a round of the Goethe Institut’s National German Debating Competition for the first time. On 6th December, Emily Gubby (L6th, W, Captain) led her teammates Beatrice Mayer (L6th, Ap), Ben BarkerGoldie (L6th, Bn) and John Hatton (5th, Bd) to victory in their first-round fixture against the formidable Tiffin School. Presented with the difficult task of debating against opposition who experience a mandatory school year abroad, these talented Wellingtonians presented a variety of well-prepared arguments and worked incredibly efficiently as a team to devise clever rebuttals, convincingly winning the fixture.

Having made it into the second round of the competition, our German debaters then travelled to Coloma Convent Girls’ School on 30th January to present their arguments for a plastic ban in Europe. Whilst they showed great skill and adeptness, their opponents did too, resulting in one of the closest matches of the competition so far. After much deliberation, the judges finally decided in Wellington’s favour, paving the path to the third round of the competition in March. A special mention goes to John Hatton for holding his own as a Fifth Former in a Lower Sixth competition.

“Whilst they showed great skill and adeptness, their opponents did too, resulting in one of the closest matches of the competition so far.”

MODEL UNITED NATIONS Over the exeat weekend in March, six students, Allegra Nayar (4th, O), Hunter Pang (4th, L), Alessandro Garavoglia (L6th, Hg), Sven Bruening (L6th, Hg), Will Barker (L6th, Hg), and Yusuke Osawa (L6th, Hg), represented Wellington College at a Model United Nations conference in Cambridge.

Assuming the role of various different nations, they discussed global political, economic, human rights and environmental challenges such as denuclearisation, women’s rights, and single-use plastics, and took part in a historical debate that mirrored the Yalta Conference of 1945.

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All six Wellington students spent many hours researching their particular areas, exploring the views and standpoints of the countries they were representing.

When it came to the debates, they put forward cogent arguments confidently and articulately, with several of their resolutions and amendments being passed by the committees in which they were involved. Approximately 160 students attended the conference from all over Europe, and the Wellington students left with three awards at the end of the conference: ‘Distinguished Delegate’ awards went to both Allegra and Alessandro and Sven received an

‘Outstanding Delegate’ award. This was an impressive performance by the whole team, and they deserve our congratulations!

Head of Enrichment, Simon Kirkham, who led the trip, commented: “MUN is a great way of finding out more about the world and developing not just knowledge, but research, public speaking and debating skills. We are hoping the success of this team will encourage other students to get involved”.

ACADEMIC

“It was a really joyful time for humans and canines and a number of staff and students took the opportunity to borrow books that we had recommended at regular intervals throughout the day.”

PAWS FOR THOUGHT: WORLD BOOK DAY 2019 Every year on World Book Day we celebrate books and reading and aim to enthuse the whole school community.

This year the book elves wrapped and hid a large number of books around the College grounds and in the Houses, including quick reads written by Malorie Blackman and Patrice Lawrence. We had so many interesting conversations with students about what they were reading when they dropped into the library to tell us where they’d found the books and to claim additional chocolate prizes.

As well as book quizzes in the Dining Hall and V&A, we had a picture representing 27 English figures of speech. This generated plenty of discussion amongst staff and students with lots of people coming in for clues! Favourite books bunting provided another opportunity to chat about reading and we put up a ‘100 Books Bucket List’ scratch-off poster to see if the combined readers of Wellington could achieve this

target (no-one has laid claim to James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ or Dostoyevsky’s ‘Crime and Punishment’ yet!).

The highlight of the day was a repeat of last Summer Term’s ‘Paws for Thought’ event when we invited staff dogs and their owners to visit the library for some light relief after sport and a break from exam revision. This year we had a bountiful supply of young spaniels who were as excited to see each other as the students. It was a really joyful time for humans and canines and a number of staff and students took the opportunity to borrow books that we had recommended at regular intervals throughout the day.

Head Librarian, Lucy Atherton

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

“Eclectic & Electric” WELLINGTON’S WEST SIDE STORY ‘West Side Story’ first hit the New York stage over 60 years ago, but although the 1950s are an age away, Bernstein’s score remains as fresh as ever.

The story line has more than stood the test of time, based as it is on the gang warfare that inspired Romeo and Juliet back in the C16th. Montagues and Capulets become Sharks and Jets, Veronese streets morph into Brooklyn back alleys, but Tony and Maria, the star-crossed lovers play out a dance as old as time itself. It is a wonderful show, arguably the greatest of all musicals, and a perfect choice for Wellington’s first full-scale musical in our brand-new Annenberg Performing Arts Centre.

From the dramatic opening sequence, as the rival gangs staked out their territory, to the tragic final moments, the packed audience was spellbound. This show seemed to have everything: spectacular dance routines spiced with

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THE ARTS

moments of pathos, showstopping ballads alongside wise-cracking comedy. It was both eclectic and electric, and there was, quite literally, something for everyone. Lucas Evans (L6th, Pn) as Riff led his Jets with snarling menace, wonderfully counterpointed by Omer Bilgin’s (U6th, Pn) posturing Bernardo. Will Alley (U6th, Pn) and Rafe Sadleir (U6th, Bn) were excellent as Schrank and Doc, playing those roles with all the frustration of adults aghast but powerless to prevent the destructive tendencies of the young, while Fin Allington (U6th, Bn), Maddie Power (5th, O), Michael MacLeod (U6, Bl) and Freddie Gillmore (L6th, Hg) brought energy, wit and style to the conflict. Alexia Taee (U6th, C) was simply brilliant as Anita, and nowhere more so than when leading America flamenco style – song and dance coming together absolutely perfectly, just as it did so often throughout the evening. All the dancers were fantastic, and the stage (and what a brilliant set it was) was alive with rhythm and colour all night long.

But more than any of this were the two towering performances from Luca Lupino-Franglen (U6th, R) and Jemima Huxtable (L6th, O): seldom can Tony and Maria’s story have been told with such searing intensity. These were two brilliant performances that lifted the show and made it something special: on this special night the world was truly full of light, and Wellington’s ‘West Side Story’ will live long in the memory. Many congratulations to all the performers, and especially so to Simon Williamson and Jo Brayton, the Musical Director and Director.

Tim Head

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THE ARTS

“But more than any of this were the two towering performances from Luca LupinoFranglen (U6th, R) and Jemima Huxtable (L6th, O): seldom can Tony and Maria’s story have been told with such searing intensity.”

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

WELLINGTON NAMED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR STUDENT VIDEO PRODUCTION

Wellington College has been named Wellington Life for the best part of a Independent School of the Year for decade. They deserve this recognition.

Student Video Production.

The work that our WTV students put into the films they make, and the final The judges from Independent School products they produce, are an aspect of Parent magazine were impressed by Wellington that makes me very proud: the creative flair and professionalism here our students can follow their own of WTV, the College’s student-led path; they can be as creative as they television company. WTV is a part want to be; they can learn and develop of College life that both typifies the through real-world experience; and, by creative energy that exists here and taking ownership of what is captured captures it brilliantly, as evidenced by on film, they can play their part in their fun-filled, exuberant, Master’s telling the story of the College”. entrance films for Speech Day. Julian Thomas commented: “WTV has been chronicling the quirks of

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THE ARTS

MONTGOMERY RECITAL COMPETITION On 24th January, we welcomed Julian Lloyd Webber to judge the Montgomery Recital Competition, Wellington’s top music prize, with the top 10 musicians performing a short, 12-minute programme. Congratulations to Will Campbell, the winner for the second year running.

FINALISTS William Campbell Dominic Wyatt

Nicklaus Lau

(U6th, T)

Piano

(U6th, L)

Cello

(L6th, L)

Viola

William Ryan

(U6th, Pn)

Trombone

Rose Hodgson

(U6th, Hg)

Violin

Oliver Dewar

(L6th, M)

Piano

Rosie Freeman

(U6th, A)

Flute

Adrien Vitart

(U6th, R)

Violin

Thomas Williamson

(U6th, R)

Piano

Erika Smith-Gordon

(U6th, C)

Violin

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HOUSE SINGING

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SPRING CONCERT

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT In February, 30 women from the charity Refugee Resource and a group of students from Wellington College swapped cooking skills at two workshops hosted by Maymessy, a community cookery school in Oxford.

Bringing these two diverse groups together was Maymessy CIC, who won funding last year from the High Sheriff ’s Community Integration Awards. Organised by the Oxfordshire Community Foundation, these grants are given to local enterprises where projects bring together people from different backgrounds to build mutual understanding and encourage a sense of belonging to the wider community.

Oxfordshire-based chef Mariella Bliss taught the group how to make authentic Italian pizza while the women from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq demonstrated how to make Eid cakes.

Fatou Ceesay, women’s service coordinator from Refugee Resource, said: “It is exciting to come out of the busy city of Oxford. The environment is welcoming and like a mother/ child relationship. It empowered the women because they shared their skills and it helps them with their integration as many have just arrived in this country”.

Nine students and four teachers from Wellington College attended over the two days with student Bella reflecting on her time: “It was an amazing experience to cook with these inspiring women. We got to know each other, talking about

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school, about GCSEs and what they do. One of the women was a teacher”.

Wellington College has since donated dishes to the women enabling them to create and sell their own food at farmers’ markets and pop-up community cafés.

Anna Richards, Founder of Maymessy said: “It was great to see these two groups, who wouldn’t necessarily cross paths normally, coming together to share their love of food and cooking. The two days were uplifting, energetic and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

“The women would love to return in the summer with their families for a traditional British picnic so we’re looking for financial support to help host this event. Donations such as a bouncy castle for the children and help with transport costs would also be great!”

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

“THINK GLOBAL. ACT LOCAL.” SUSTAINABILITY DAY 2019 On Wednesday 13th February, Wellington College hosted its first Sustainability Day. Ana Romero, Head of Sustainability, choreographed a remarkable event, which brought together influencers and enthusiasts, students and staff from Wellington and the wider community - to explore issues relating to the post-Paris Climate (COP 21) agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

As Ana wrote in her email to members of the College prior to the day: “To achieve these goals, we need to understand them, look at actions we can all take and realise that we are all in this together”.

Throughout the day in Waterloo Hall, there was an exhibition of local, national and international organisations, from the Whale and Dolphin Society, to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, to Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. On South Front, there was a show of sustainable vehicles, including a Tesla and a Bumblebee van; one exhibitor delighted students with oatmeal smoothies powered by pedal.

It was heartening to see members of the Wellington Community alongside students, staff and residents from the local community all working together to achieve Ana’s aim for the day: to emphasise the importance of ‘team work, critical thinking, inclusivity and collaboration’.

Leonie McKenzie, a science teacher accompanying a group of students from Collingwood College commented: “Our objective for the day was to gather ideas, take them back to our school, deliver an assembly, and get people thinking about how we can make a difference”.

A visiting teacher from Tomlinscote School, Rachel Bennett, said, “Our students have come back buzzing for change.

They are planning an Enrichment Day for our Year 7 cohort on sustainability and this has given them some great material to work with. They now feel even more confident about delivering the day for our younger students”.

Guests of Honour included the Nicaraguan Ambassador to the UK, Her Excellency Mrs Guisell Morales-Echaverry and Tara Golshan, Executive Director of Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots Programme. Her Excellency spoke passionately about Nicaragua’s ‘green revolution’ and about how her country has become more vocal on the international stage.

Her concluding message was a powerful one: “Think Global.

Act Local. Everything counts”.

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CCF ANNUAL INSPECTION On Wednesday 6th March, Wellington College CCF was honoured to welcome Major General James Swift OBE who commands the eighteen thousand personnel of the UK 3rd Division.

The Major General lunched with senior cadets in advance of inspecting and addressing the over 300-strong Wellington Contingent.

The Major General’s party then spent the afternoon touring training stands and talking with cadets and adult volunteers.

Whilst the inclement weather meant that some training activities were modified, the General’s party was treated to displays by the Corps of Bugles and Drums who had

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already featured on parade. The Royal Navy Section was seen investigating some naval history, practising chart work and undertaking a ‘minefield’ problem-solving exercise and the Royal Marine Section and Advanced Infantry Sections showed off their field craft skills. The General also found time to talk to the RAF Section who were briefing for their annual camp.

A fairly damp afternoon was nicely rounded off by tea where the Major General took the opportunity to chat with cadets and parents. As a finale the Major General made a number of promotions to senior cadets before returning to his headquarters in Bulford.

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

COMMUNITY PARTNERS DINNER On Wednesday 13th January, we welcomed our community partners to Wellington to celebrate their work and to thank them for the opportunities they provide for our students as part of our Global Citizenship programme.

Representatives from the following local charities and organisations attended: St Michael & All Angels Church in Sandhurst, Sebastian’s Action Trust, Hartley Wintney Club, C.R.O.W., Tushinde, Crown Wood Primary School, the Vineyard Church and Foodbank, St Joseph’s RC Church, Bracknell and Carwarden House School.

The occasion reflected the strength of Global Citizenship at Wellington and brought home the importance of reciprocal friendships: it was clear from speaking to those present that the value our students bring to the community is equal to the value the community brings to them in enriching their experience and instilling in them the importance of kindness and respect.

Peter and Jenny Hulbert from St Michael & All Angels Church in Sandhurst commented: “This work in the community is incredibly important, both for the community that benefits, and for the students too”. They described the Wellington students as “unfailingly polite and courteous”, even if they do sometimes have to “show them which end of a particular tool is which” while doing maintenance work on the churchyard. They added that the students they meet are “genuinely interested” in the history of the church and they love having them to help once a week.

The evening began with some reflections from Wellington students on their involvement with the local community.

There were some inspiring stories. Laurin Scherer (U6th, Hg) spoke eloquently about how he took his passion for entrepreneurship to set up a social enterprise group, an initiative that benefits students by introducing them to the world of finance management, while raising money for

“charities and other good causes”. Jemima Abate (U6th, O) and Zoe Phillips (U6th, O) talked about their work with LaunchPad, a charity that aims to raise awareness for homelessness.They have been busy fund-raising by organising a sleep-out for the Third Form. Arjun Naha (L6th, Hg) has been involved in charity web design, helping the Crowthorne Trust improve its digital image, and Maritz Steinruecke (U6th, Hg), inspired by his volunteering at Ravenswood care home last year, set up a project to compile a book of life stories through conversations with elderly residents in local care homes. Maritz commented: “It has been really interesting to hear a lot of stories from a generation that we don’t see that much of; they really provide a different perspective on a lot of things, and we have definitely learnt a lot from their experiences”.

At the end of the evening, Aurora Gomez, Teacher of Spanish and Assistant Housemistress of the Hopetoun, was presented with flowers to thank her for her ongoing commitment to the Global Citizenship programme. Rebecca Park, Head of Global Citizenship, commented: “We chose to recognise Aurora as someone who lives the College values and is a great role model for the Global Citizenship team.

Aurora has been involved in visiting COATS (Crowthorne Old Age to Teen Society) for many years, not only during College visits but in her own time and has taken others along to volunteer. The feedback we have had from COATS about Aurora is exemplary in terms of her enthusiasm, kindness, respect for the COATS’ visitors and staff, and her loyalty to this relationship”.

The Global Citizenship programme at Wellington is going from strength to strength. It plays a crucial role in equipping our students for life beyond school, and adds enormous value to both the College and the community by forging lasting friendships.

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

HOCKEY: THIRD PLACE IN THE NATIONAL FINALS In February, Wellington’s girls’ 1st XI made the trip to Lee Valley – London’s 2012 hockey venue – to compete in the national finals over two days.

An unseasonably tropical afternoon saw a strong Repton side (who would go on to beat Millfield for the title) pull ahead early, and the relentless pace kept our inroads at bay.

Despite a penalty stroke well-taken by Darcy Bourne (L6th, C) and a hooter-beating strike from Kitty Baccanello (L6th, A), a 2-4 reverse saw Wellington into the bronze medal match.

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A return to more seasonal February weather on Thursday set the tone for a brisk pace in the play-off. A fast start from Wellington saw Isabel Thorneycroft (L6th, C) slot home the game’s first goal from a penalty corner in the third minute.

Rosie Freeman (U6th, A) finished neatly in open play to double the lead at half time, and Freya Cheer’s (U6th, A) 63rd minute poach put the result beyond doubt. Third place and a set of bronze medals are just rewards for a season of hard work, and particular congratulations must go to the eight Upper Sixth leavers, who leave Wellington on a hockeying high.

SPORT

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

UNDER 15 RUGBY: WELLINGTON CROWNED NATIONAL CHAMPIONS On Thursday 21st March, the Under15 Rugby team were crowned National Champions at the National Cup Final at Twickenham. Wellington College has a huge heritage in this competition, and this was the school’s tenth final, and the third in the last four years.

a team spirit that will last a life time and helping to build character that will help the boys in all that they do. This team is perhaps best summed up by the words of Angus Savage of website XV rugby in their report on the game: “This is just a wonderful group of young men, whose character shines above all else.”

The game itself was excellent, with Wellington facing a very powerful Northampton School for Boys (NSB) side. As was to be expected from a game of this nature, and with sides of this quality, there was a huge amount of passion and determination on display from both sides. Both teams fought hard, but it was 23:5 to Wellington at the final whistle.

The squad: Gus Sutherland (T), Liam Thurlow (S), Johannes Dreischmeier (R), Monty Franks (Captain, S), Oliver Van Druten (10), Connor O’Byrne (L), Murdoch Lock (R), Will Ayton (Vice Captain, Hl), Henry Starmer-Smith (L), James Lloyd (Bd), Samm Daniel (Vice Captain, T), Richie Rudd Fathers (L), Joe Lewis (Bn), Mason Archer (M), Louis Hughes (Bd), Dan Watson (L), Oli Percival (L), Ollie Knight (Bl), David Petschek (Bl), Finn Tawse (Hl), Arthur Johnson (Bn), Daichi Kahtava (T), Oz Henry (Bd), Luke Burke (T), Alex Frost (M), Oli Ward (S) and David Lofthouse (co-coach and team manager, Pn)

This was truly a remarkable game and special team effort. Huge credit must go to Mr Taylor, Mr Pearson and Mr Greenwood for how thoroughly they prepared the boys for the challenges that they faced. A special mention is due to Mr Murray who has done an incredible job with this group, building 38 38

“A wonderful group of young men, whose character shines above all else.”

SPORT

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SPORT

SWEET SUCCESS: FOUR NATIONAL TITLES FOR CESCA At the start of Lent Term, Wellington hosted the Real Tennis National Schools Girls Championship.

Cesca Sweet (4th, W) dominated the competition from start to finish and emerged with an incredible four national titles to her name. In the Under 15 competition, she took the Singles title, winning 6-2 in the final against a player from Oaklands. She then joined forces with Honor Hue Williams (4th, Hn) and, together, they triumphed in the Doubles final.

In the Under 19 Doubles competition, Cesca teamed up with Honor Cockroft (U6th, Hn) and the pair were victorious in an all-Wellington final against Arabella Spraggs (5th, Ap) and Daisy Bristowe (5th, Ap). Cesca finished the day with a ‘nail-biting’ Singles final against the defending champion from Cheltenham Ladies’ College. Showing great determination and tenacity, Cesca won the match 8-7, taking her trophy-tally to four.

“This was a great day for the Wellington Real Tennis players and an outstanding achievement for Cesca, winning all four national titles – a feat that is unlikely to be equalled for many years to come.”

This was a great day for the Wellington Real Tennis players and an outstanding achievement for Cesca, winning all four national titles – a feat that is unlikely to be equalled for many years to come.

It has been a great year for Real Tennis at Wellington. Cesca follows in the footsteps of Freddie Bristowe (L6th, Bd) who was crowed Under 18 Real Tennis Champion and World Junior Champion earlier this year.

FIN BAXTER MAKES HIS ENGLAND DEBUT On Sunday 17th March, Fin Baxter (L6th, Hl) made his debut for England U18, a phenomenal achievement as an U17, in a hard fought 36-21 victory over Scotland U18 at Billingham RFC. Fin has been a key part of Wellington’s 1st XV squad – a squad that had a very successful season, rounded off in style with a win over Epsom College in the national U18 Champions Trophy. Fin was consistently putting on dazzling displays in a Wellington shirt and has emerged as one of the most able school boys in the country. Following the conclusion of the school XV-a-side season, Fin was selected for the Harlequins U18 side for their Premiership U18 campaign.

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

PBS ALL ROUND IN THE BATH CUP On Friday 8th March, nine Wellington swimmers took the long journey into London to the Bath Cup relay competition. Contested in the 2012 Olympic Pool, this is the high point of the swimming calendar each year.

Teams travel from as far as Belfast and Guernsey for the fixture, and the top swim teams in the HMC are represented. The Wellington team has had steadily improving results over the past four years, and this year was no exception! In the girls’ 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay, Neve Macdonald (U6th, O) achieved a new all-time Wellington 50m Freestyle record and Becky Storer (U6th, W), Jemima Abate (U6th, O) and Caitlin Loo (4th, Ap) all achieved personal best times.

For the first time since Wellington started attending the Bath Cup more than 10 years ago, the boys’ 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay team made it to the finals. Toby Redshaw (L6th, T) led things off with a new 100 Freestyle season record for the team, and was followed up by Eliot Desforges (5th, Pn), Laurin Scherer (U6th, Hg) and Jack Chong (U6th, Hg) with Laurin and Eliot logging personal bests of their own. This fantastic performance crushed the Wellington College school record in the event by more than five seconds!

The boys’ Medley Relay then rose to the challenge: Toby Redshaw again took the lead-off backstroke leg and set the season record, followed up by Zack Kaemmerlen (5th, M) (breaststroke), Eliot Desforges (butterfly) and Laurin Scherer (freestyle). Zack and Eliot logged PBs, and Laurin not only logged a PB in the prelims but improved on it in the finals.The team’s great performance secured a school record in the event, beating the previous record by nearly four seconds!

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“This fantastic performance crushed the Wellington College school record in the event by more than five seconds!”

SPORT

WENGEN AND FLAINE 2019 At the end of January, the Wellington skiers left the snow and slush of Berkshire and headed for the slopes: six girls left to take part in the 60th anniversary of the British Schoolgirls’ Races in Flaine, France, while a squad of 11 boys headed to Wengen, Switzerland, for the British Schoolboys’ Races.

SOUTH AFRICA CRICKET TOUR In late February, the Wellington Cricket Club headed to South Africa, visiting Durban and Cape Town. An excellent tour was had, both on and off the field, and the team recorded two wins against Northwood Boys and Paarl Boys. More importantly, a lot was learnt about their cricket for the coming season and their cricket more generally.

The top batting performances came from Archie Carter (U6th, Pn), Will Sinfield (U6th, S), Monty (5th, Hl) and Charlie Bradbury (L6th, Hl) and Max Watson (L6th, L), with the bowling led by Harry Petrie (5th, T), Michael O’Donoghue (L6th, Bd) and Jamie Lunnon (U6th, S). Special mention should also go to Archie Carter for his leadership of the side on the field.

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W E LLINGTON COLLE GE INTE RNAT IO NAL

THE WELLINGTON COLLEGE FAMILY CELEBRATES THE YEAR OF THE PIG Every year, schools within the Wellington Family celebrate Chinese New Year with a feast of colour, activity and fun.

2019, the start of the Year of the Pig, was no exception.

Chinese New Year is the most important event in Chinese culture but is celebrated much more widely, across approximately 20% of the world, and is often also referred to as the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival.

Wellington College China went all-out of course, turning the schools bright red with wonderfully vivid lanterns, streamers, banners and all manner of other decorations in the final week before the holiday. All the schools used their activities to raise money for local charities.

In Shanghai pupils put on a performance of Chinese stories and dances, with a focus in the older years of highlighting the great ethnic and cultural diversity of China. They also introduced a new event,The Temple Fair, which opened with professional dancers performing the lion dance and 1,000hand dance, and involved workshops and activities including making origami dragons and traditional New Year dumplings.

At Hangzhou celebrations opened with a traditional Umbrella Dance by Years 5 and 6. The pupils, teachers, staff members and parents performed a fashion show, dressed in traditional attire from different eras of Chinese history. This was followed by a wide range of Chinese cultural activities, including a traditional tug-o-war!

As our oldest International school, Tianjin has established many traditions in celebrating Chinese New Year. This year the highlight was a performance outside the school from

the Tianjin Peking Opera Company. Each section of the school hosted New Year Gala events, including multilingual speeches and shows, and a Mandarin writing competition.

Our Chinese bilingual Huili Schools also hosted many events, including the Shanghai Nursery who made a beautiful dragon to welcome in the New Year, decorated by every child to highlight the inclusivity of the festival.

Wellington College International Bangkok also celebrated right across the school. Although not a public holiday in Thailand, up to 40% of the population have Chinese ancestry and New Year is widely marked. Pupils dressed in traditional costumes, and participated in magnificent displays of singing, music and performances, recreating the story of the animals of the zodiac.

And finally, to Wellington College in the UK. This year the whole school indulged in a delicious (and beautiful) Chinese lunch together in the Dining Hall, and the pupils from the Mandarin Department made a Happy New Year video, displaying their burgeoning linguistic talents.

It is wonderful to see our schools sharing in this celebration together. Chinese New Year is an important global cultural event and a deeply personal, family tradition for so many of our pupils, staff and OWs across our family.

Happy Year of the Pig to all, and may the coming year only bring us all closer together!

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WELLINGTON TODAY SUMMER 2019 EDITION

AN AFTERNOON OF ADVENTURE WITH BEN FOGLE On Wednesday 30th January, we welcomed Ben Fogle, adventurer, explorer and brilliant story-teller, to the G.W. Annenberg. Upper Sixth students, Hugh Ragg (M) and Joe Fennell (Bd) share their thoughts on, what was, a memorable evening.

Today, quite a few people have reached the summit of Mount Everest. However, a comparatively small number of people have rowed across an entire ocean. Fewer still have trekked 1,000km across the barren desert, and a mere handful can claim to have scuba-dived with 20-foot-long crocodiles. Ben Fogle is a man who has taken the adventurous lifestyle to the next level, ticking off all of these feats and many more. The G. W. Annenberg

was full to capacity as Fogle delivered one of the most perceptive and insightful talks of the year. The audience was captivated by tales of adventure, hardship and accomplishment, as he explained how he came to achieve some of the toughest physical and mental challenges ever attempted.

More importantly however, Ben came to advocate a mind-set that can allow people to seek richness in their lives through adventure and experiences.

For that reason, his talk resonated with the student body, among whom many have yet to decide what they will do with the rest of their lives.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO 100-YEAR-OLD WELLINGTONIAN, PETER FLETCHER “Wellington helped bring out the very best in him. Being educated at Wellington led him to find interest in everything in life.”

Earlier this year, Peter Raymond Charlton Fletcher, OW, received an invitation to a reunion of all pre-1956 leavers. Although unable to attend the event next March, his daughter, Veronique, took the opportunity to write to the College to let us know that her father will be celebrating his 100th birthday on 7th March 2019: “… in order to share this event with you, we wanted to write this e-mail as a testimony from an old 100-year-old Wellingtonian”.

Veronique’s message described her father’s fond memories of his time at the College: “He still remembers very well his years at Wellington and has

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spent all his life telling us, his children, then his grandchildren and now his great grandchildren how lucky he had been to receive such an education in England.

Although Wellington has of course changed a lot over the time since his College years, he is very happy to hear that it is considered as an outstanding boarding school and even, frequently, proudly wears the Wellington tie that we purchased for him from ‘Grubbies’ a few years ago.

He thinks Wellington helped bring out the very best in him. Being educated at Wellington led him to find interest in everything in life, which probably contributed to him reaching this old age still very mentally alert”.

Happy birthday, Peter!

COMMUNITY

ENTREPRENEURS EXCHANGE 2019 India Parsons (5th, Hn) a leader of Disrupt, Wellington’s entrepreneurial society, writes about the College’s second Entrepreneurs Exchange.

On Thursday 14th March, we were incredibly excited to host Disrupt’s second annual Entrepreneurs Exchange at the Oriental Club in London. It provided an opportunity for Wellington students, OWs and parents to come together to share ideas and experience. The evening was extremely enjoyable and beneficial to all as work experience, crucial advice and even investment for start-ups were offered. All participants had the option of giving a one-minute pitch to the room, allowing members from across the community to discuss their entrepreneurial ideas with like-minded people.

“We believe the entrepreneurs evening is one of the highlights of the Disrupt calendar and an amazing opportunity to get involved with Disrupt’s fastest growing society.”

We believe the entrepreneurs evening is one of the highlights of the Disrupt calendar and an amazing opportunity to get involved with Disrupt’s fastest growing society, in addition to utilising the outstanding Wellington Community we are so fortunate to have.

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COLD SNAPS The first snowfall of the year prompted a flurry of creativity as staff and students sought to capture Wellington’s natural and architectural beauty on camera.

their approval on various social media channels: the image attracted hundreds of ‘likes’ on Instagram and Facebook and set a trend on Twitter. The Wellington beauty contest had begun.

Head of Classics, Simon Allcock, was out early after the first snowfall and took a striking photo of the G.W. Annenberg at dawn. Wellington’s new performing arts centre features a glasspanelled stairway, designed to blur the boundaries between the inside and outside space, a feature that creates the effect of floating when the building is lit from within. Simon’s photograph captured this brilliantly, and the image quickly caught the attention of the Wellington Community who expressed

Dr Guy Williams, Head of Sixth Form, was next to try his hand. His image of the G.W. Annenberg, taken later in the day, depicts the building standing resolute amidst a frenzied snow shower. The Wellington Library got involved, tweeting a majestic shot of Copenhagen with a ‘snowy mane’, and there was a fabulous post by the Orange featuring a Lowry-esque picture of the great snowball fight on Bigside. For a long time, it was student Arjun Naha (L6th, Hg) who led the

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race on Twitter: his ‘stunning’ image of the Combermere Quad at first light drew envy from staff and multiple ‘likes’ from viewers.

But that was until English teacher, Sarah Donarski, paused by Swan Lake after Saturday lessons and captured the ultimate Wellington snow scene (right).

Her portrait depicts North Front looking magical in the distance, snowcapped and glowing in the sunset, the icy waters of Swan Lake completing the ethereal scene. A retweet from the Master, Julian Thomas, catapulted this brilliant piece of photography into the social media stratosphere, securing Sarah’s place in the photographic hall of fame.

COMMUNITY

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CAREERS FAIR

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COMMUNITY

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Wellington College, Crowthorne Berkshire, RG45 7PU www.wellingtoncollege.org.uk +44 (0)1344 444 000 52