Week 32 Barometer

From the Headmaster Dear Parents, The residentials at the Senior School to Somerset and Geneva have been so successful and not a moment went by without me getting a message and photo regarding the boys’ progress. I’m, by my own admission, a laid back Head but Mr Dawson telling me that the boys would be ‘coasteering’ - something I had only ever done previously (quite scared too) on a stag do - did test my level of anxiety. Sure enough though, the boys had a great time, perfectly safely, having enjoyed a wholly worthwhile and thrilling experience. Maybe I’m just a wimp!

Common Entrance Week for the Prep School Year 8 boys and, my, have they done Miss Hart proud with their application. Miss Olney cc’d me in on an email to her ‘old’ 4O parents (now in Year 8) yesterday. That was her first class as a teacher here and she has seen them grow and mature over the past 5 years at Wetherby Prep - an emotional time for sure and every single one of those boys has been on an educational and social journey, with Miss Olney looking over them every step of the way. All of those Year 8 boys have given their best this week. We look forward to the results next week and announcing the exit list in the coming weeks (whisper it, but it could be our best ever…)

When I became the Head of this School in January 2008, a significant part of the role was that of promoting public relations with the residents of Bryanston Square. At that time, the Prep School was at 19 Pembridge Villas and we had been turned down for planning permission to secure our current premises at Bryanston Square. The opposition was intense. Even though the building had been derelict for many years and would otherwise be converted into a hotel, the local residents were almost unanimously opposed to changing the building to ‘D1 Educational Use’.

With the not insignificant help of the Governing Body, Jenny Aviss and I went on the campaign trail and held meeting after meeting, attended drinks party after party, consultation after consultation, to spread the good word of Wetherby. And, against all the odds, at an incredible evening at Westminster Council Offices in October 2008, we were awarded planning consent for Bryanston Square on a split decision.

That seems a long time ago now but our place, role and sense of social responsibility at both schools in the wider Marylebone community are central to everything we do here. It was therefore an absolute pleasure to facilitate an evening on Wednesday for local residents of Bryanston Square to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday. Lisa Giles (“That lady is amazing!” in the words of one high-profile local resident) and her brilliant team of Wetherby mums produced the most outstanding event, praised by everyone who attended. As a representation of ‘us’, it just could not have been better. I was inundated with praise, both for the event and our boys, who sang and served canapés to guests. As another resident commented, “I know the boys go to a prep school, but yours just seem to have extra polish.” I might put that on the new website…

And then, as Miss Bailey, Miss Hart, Miss Olney (and Wetherby dad Mauricio Noe) and I left that event, leaving our intrepid PTA team to clear up, for which many thanks, we travelled west to the ‘Dads’ Night Out’ at Paddington Basin. What a turnout! Too many of us for the pub so we happily spilled out onto the courtyard and what an excellent evening of conviviality, comradeship, excellent humour and just simply getting to know each other better. Today, all I heard from the dads was, “Can we do it next term, not just once a year?” and all I heard from the mums was , “Why just dads; can’t we have a mums’ night out, but at a wine bar not a pub?” We’ll see what we can do…

I always say that a good school is constantly ‘in development’ and, at Wetherby, we embrace this completely, trying always to do things bigger and better every year. I bring you then the Wetherby Prep Fete, 2016. I defy any school to put on something similar. It was absolutely incredible. It’s not the stalls; it’s not the activities; it’s not the food; it’s all about what we know our people will appreciate - we, as a community, embrace everything and create such a wave of positivity, enthusiasm and commitment to having a good time that is just not found 2 The Barometer - 10/5/2016

From the Headmaster to (and had a hand in many) hundreds of school and village fetes. I’ve never seen anyone above the age of 7 trying to ‘hook a duck’ but, at Wetherby, the ‘pond’ was surrounded by Years 3-8 - amazing to see. Our boys are brilliant. Chair of PTA, Jo Brown, ‘Fete Guru’ Lisa Giles, Elena Tsoka and all of our incredible helpers - thank you so much.

The Fete also saw the launch of the Cook Book. We don’t mess about at Wetherby and it’s no surprise that our Cook Book is of such a standard that it would easily rival those of more established chefs. Flicking through today, there are so many gems in there and it encapsulates the skill, expertise, professionalism but, above all else, humour of our parent and staff body. Heather Rudd, you have done an outstanding job with that book - an incredible achievement. I can’t wait to give one to my mum and sister... and everyone else whom I can show off to. And, of course, to our very own Miss Bailey, a self-confessed ‘foodie’ who co-ordinated, liaised and managed the whole process from the school’s perspective, with such insight and enthusiasm, a huge thank you.

So, next week… Whole school photographs on Monday, then Tuesday night bowls and drinks party with Senior School parents in Hyde Park. This is always my favourite term with so much going on!

On Thursday, I fly to New York to attend the launch event of 'Wetherby Pembridge New York’. It’s a brief visit but I am very much looking forward to seeing the new premises and old Wetherby Prep friend Christina Rossi at the event. I’m obviously not expecting the same sort of numbers as Wednesday’s ‘Dads’ Night Out’ but if any of our Wetherby community are in the neighbourhood on Thursday, please do attend. Similarly, if you know of anyone in New York who may be interested in the project, please encourage them to come along. The official invite is below and attached. Please feel free to send on to whomever you feel is appropriate and encourage them to get in touch if they need any further information regarding the school.

See you next week (with an affected American accent…)

Have a good weekend…

The Barometer - 10/5/2016 3

DIARY & LUNCH MENU Monday 13th

Monday Clubs

Whole School Photograph - Bryanston Square WSS All Stars

Basketball Videography Future Writers Art and Design

11:15 13:30

Tuesday 14th

Tuesday Clubs

Summer drinks and barbeque in Hyde Park

Chess & Backgammon Fencing Football Grub Club Wetherby Science

18:00-20:30

Wednesday 15th

Wednesday Clubs

Cricket Year 7 U12 WSS A/B vs WPS A/B (A)

Rock Band Quiz Soc History Film Club Table Tennis

14:30

Thursday 16th

Thursday Clubs

Cricket Year 9 Inter-Trib @ Regent’s Park ‘Wetherby Pembridge New York’ Open Event, 7 E 96th St, New York, NY 10128

14:30 18:30-20:30

Lego Table Tennis Samba Percussion

Friday 17th School Choir

13:30

HM Assembly

15:00

Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th Menu for Week 32 Soup/Soupe Meat main / Plat principal

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

French Friday

Pea and

Carrot and

Vegetable

Spicy Bean

Tomate et

Tarragon

Orange

Consommé

Broth

Basilic

Lamb Curry cooked in a Creamy Coconut Sauce

Chicken and leek pie

Grilled Pork Steak served with a Mango Salsa

Poisson pané avec de la sauce tartare

Chick Pea and Herb

Ratatouille

Falafel Patty served with a Cucumber and Mint Dip

Frittata aux poivrons rotis

Jamaican Jerk Quorn fillet

Meat free main / Plat végétarien

Mexican Vegetable

To go with / pour aller avec

Sweet Potato and

Served with / servis avec Puddings / Dessert

Wrap with Salsa

Lime Mash Roasted Roots Green Salad Pineapple Fool

Casserole

Crumble Crushed New

Parsley

Potatoes

Potatoes

Cumin Carrots

Broccoli

Sweetcorn

Toffee and Cranberry

Apple and Sultana

Chocolate and

Cheesecake

Compote

Pilaf Rice

Orange Brownie

Grosses frites au four Petits pois écrasés Salade verte Salade de fruits frais à la menthe

Always available Fresh Fruit, Salad Bar, Homemade yogurt and Dressings / Toujours disponible Fruits frais, Bar à salades, Yahourt frais et assaisonements

4 The Barometer - 10/5/2016

ON THE NOTICEBOARD WSS School Photo On Monday we have the first whole school photo taking place. This means that ALL boys must come to school in full uniform (blazer and tie) and there will be no Year 9 games.

9 Fleet Charity Raffle Mrs Deedat writes...

This week 9 Fleet will be selling raffle tickets in school and at the summer party on Tuesday. Prizes include a case of wine, afternoon tea at Brasserie 108, dinner at Burger & Lobster, burgers at Tommi's, 3rd Space Gym passes and massage and Chelsea tickets. The money raised will be going towards the Walkabout Foundation.

There ain’t no party like a WSS summer party‌ We are looking forward to seeing you at Hyde Park for the evening of celebration with drinks and barbecue .

Early birds can look forward to a game of bare feet lawn bowl with teachers (weather permitting) in true spirit of summer.

Look out for our enterprising year 9 boys who have collected a treasure trove of prizes for our charity raffle and will be selling the tickets at the party.

If you are confused on what to wear for the evening you will just fine in smart casuals. (look for black silver and white balloons at gate for the venue )

The Barometer - 10/5/2016 5

YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL Mr Warner writes…

This week Year 7 headed west for three days of camping and rugged outdoor activities. They were encouraged to develop as a team, kayaked, coasteered, lit fires, foraged, melted marshmallows and even washed up their own dishes. But rather than me waffling on about what they did, why not read about life in Somerset from their perspective….

Teamw ork Leadership Challenges When we arrived at the campsite, we sorted out our tents and then went out to complete some team building activities. In total, we did eight team building tasks which included both mental and physical challenges. For each task, we were rated out of ten for team work, behaviour and progress. The Trib with the highest overall score won a prize. The winner was Tyburn, with 1 more point than the runners up, Fleet.

George and Leo, Tyburn I liked the team challenges. My favourite task was when we had to cross a pond using crates and planks of wood. It

Wash

ing

l for al y t u up d

was harder than it looked and I found it especially funny when some people fell into the ‘swamp’. The second best challenge was the assault course when we had to carry a tyre across all the obstacles as a team. A highlight for me was seeing John conquer his fear of spiders and crawl through the tunnel at the end.

Lucas, Fleet

6 The Barometer - 10/5/2016

Briefings around

the fire pit

L Camp Life We slept in Trib tents which was really fun and we had an opportunity to speak and reinforce our friendships. We played cards, shared sweets, swapped jokes and enjoyed the experience of sleeping outside. We spent the whole three days working as a team and sharing our knowledge to accomplish the tasks.

Being together in our tent helped us learn about our life at home and appreciate its comforts!

Bohemond, Fleet

“If w

e wor

k tog

ether

as a t

eam…

s by mallow h s a m g Meltin

”

the fire

Finessing the angle

of drop

StretchinThe Barometer - 10/5/2016 7 g for vict ory

YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL Foraging

and

Lighting fires On Wednesday, we built fires in the wood. We learnt how to build fires using two different methods: using flint and steel and using a battery and iron wool to create the spark. We learnt

all

about

the

fire

triangle, which are the three basic

elements

that

are

needed to make a fire in equal proportions, oxygen,

fuel

These

are

and

heat.

Overall, we had a great time

Wild

Sorre

l wa s tas

tier t

han

and learnt some really useful

antic ipate d

skills.

Beau and Adam, Tyburn

On the last day in Taunton, we also went foraging. We did some exciting things including tasting some of the plants that you can eat in the Forest, e.g. woodland sorrel, nettles and wild garlic. To eat the nettles, we had to crush the spines carefully with our hands to stop our mouths getting stung.

It

was

an

entertaining

adventure in the woods and we were able to try things we have never tried before!

Ali and Lucas, Tyburn.

Using

8 The Barometer - 10/5/2016

a stee

l to l

ight s ome

L

s fr

irect d s e u

ove b a om

Jacq

Fires starting They first taught us to use steel fire starters and making sparks to light cotton wool. They then taught us that when a battery has contact with wire wool you would make fire. We were shown how to make a basket out of dried grass and then how to light a fire.

Alex, Fleet The Barometer - 10/5/2016 9

YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL We

Coasteering and

gap

Kayaking

dista

What a day! On the second day of

acro

our amazing trip we went from our

van

camp in Somerset to the coast of

Luca

build

Torquay in Devon. Tyburn’s first activity

was

Coasteering!

Our

instructors, Pete and Pete (no, not the same people!) took us around the rocks on the edge of the cliff and then showed us where we

m

could jump into the water. After a few jumps, we swam from the cliffs to the beach in the form of caterpillars!

ing

Scal

a tea s a all w e th

Maxime and Frejvid, Tyburn

In

the

afternoon

second

day,

on

we

the went

kayaking. It started off very easy,

with

some

paddling

exercises to help us learn how to

move

and

turn.

The

kayaking got much harder when we played games, e.g.

Polo. Polo was very fun. We had a tennis ball and there were two teams who were trying

to

throwing

score the

points

ball

at

by the

instructors boat. At the end, we had a competition to see who would win a race of paddling whilst standing which was great fun and involved a lot of falling off!

William P.N, Tyburn 10 The Barometer - 10/5/2016

Blind c ommun

ication

L had so much fun swimming and letting currents pull us into tight

ps in the rocks. I really enjoyed jumping off cliffs, swimming long

ances and being sucked by the currents. I also enjoyed team

ding exercises like the bridge challenge where we built a bridge

oss a small swamp using crates and wood. We also learnt that you use wire wool and a battery to light a fire, or a flint and steel.

a, Fleet

Walking the line

fire lighting

The Barometer - 10/5/2016 11

Meanwhile in Geneva...

Some tantalising images fresh from Geneva where Year 9 have been exploring the particle accelerator and learning about the League of Nations and the UN. You can look forward to a more detailed write up in next week’s Barometer.

12 The Barometer - 10/5/2016

SPORTING NEWS From the Games Department Mr Sullivan writes...

biking for an hour or more, you’re not so

5 ways exercise makes you mentally

much fighting physical

smarter If

you

think

fitness,

fatigue

as

fighting

your

you’re mind

muscles and strength

saying, “Hey, let’s just

are just for the gym,

stick with this run a

think again. Did you

little while longer.” The

know that as little as 15 minutes of exercise a

ability to stick to your decision to keep going is

day can enhance your intellect?

critical to multitasking at the workplace and

Boosts decision-making skills

sticking with long-term plans and goals.

The brain needs oxygen to function throughout

Increases productivity

the day, and people who exercise have more

Exercise amplifies work performance, improves

oxygen flowing through their brains’ anterior

time management, and aids in prioritisation.

frontal regions — the region involved with both

Boys who exercise before/during/after a school

decision

retention.

day get more accomplished throughout the day.

Research suggests that people who exercise

When one’s productive and efficient, it boosts

outperform their peers on difficult cognitive tasks

motivation to succeed further.

making

and

memory

and make more coherent decisions.

Increases energy

Sharpens focus

It’s a direct correlation — the more you move,

Be it fitness training, yoga or a set of push ups

the more energised you will feel. Regular

— they all require a lot of focus. You have to be

physical activity improves muscle strength and

watchful of your form. Working out allows one to

boosts endurance, thus giving you the energy

focus on what to do while blocking out

and capacity to think clearer and come up with

distractions

new ideas more logically. A good 15 minutes of

and

in

addition,

provides

the

confidence to take on new challenges.

moving

Helps you stick with your plans

around your lounge or going

When you hit the local park for a long run, you’re not just improving your body’s ability to sustain long, demanding tasks at work but also training your mind. After all, when you’re jogging or

around,

even

just

up and down the stairs, makes your

body

produce

more

energy on a cellular level and enhances your mind skills.

The Barometer - 27/5/2016 13

SPORTING NEWS May 2016 in 89.27

Mr Sullivan’s 10 minute challenge:

minutes If

you

are

interested sponsoring Complete as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:

Please

click

on

this

link:

me. http://

JamesSullivanDoS

5 Burpees



+ 10 Squats

My charities are Whiz Kidz and



+ 20m Bear Crawl

CALM – Two amazing charities that

rounds of:

in

uk.virginmoneygiving.com/



Perform each exercise for 1 min. and complete 3

still

help people in need.

If you would like further information



High Lunge Hold (left)

on both charities which I am a



+ High Lunge Hold (right)

volunteer for please visit: www.whizz-kidz.org.uk



+ Burpees

& www.thecalmzone.net

As many burpees in 10 min as possible

What should I do next boys?

outdoors. 

Aim for 100

Players of the week: Nelson

Tobin,

Armand

Thank you so much for your

Sharda and Vadim Mandel

support and donations!

for their great batting and

I completed the Reebok Spartan Midlands Super

fielding display against Mill

UK - 10 Miles, 29 Obstacles on Saturday 28th

Hill

School.

Well

done,

boys!

The Barometer - 27/5/2016 14

SPORTING NEWS eurofantasy.uefa.com/en/fantasy16) and the code

Year Inter-Trib Cricket Our first ever Year 9 Inter-Trib Cricket is on

to join the league is: 61949ZFG.

Thursday 16th June 2016 and starts at 2:15pm.

We would like to encourage as many boys as

Come down and support your TRIB! Will Fleet

possible to enter and we will be giving a prize to

win the treble? Come on Walbrook & Tyburn!

the top 5 managers at the end of the competition.

Venue: Regents Park – Sports Hub. All the RED

Any help and encouragement you can give the boys

would

be

greatly

appreciated.

We

understand that it may be difficult to watch the majority

of

the

matches

due

to

other

commitments. However, the will strengthen their

circled numbers are Regents Park Cricket pitches we will be using. If you intend to watch please be aware that there is no parking onsite and please use the pre-paid parking bays outside the park.

Euro 2016 Fantasy Football We are trying to encourage as many boys as possible watch

tournament.

The

competition

to the

knowledge of the sport from watching just a few games.

There is no obligation for boys to enter but we

upcoming

hope to see lots of entrants before the weekend!

Euro

2016

The final entry date for the competition is Sunday

starts

THIS

12th June.

WEEKEND with France vs Romania on Friday

Pick your team name, pick your team and enjoy

night. Having had such a successful football term

the football. I know the teachers will....

we want the boys to retain their passion for the sport over the Summer term.

Starting today, we have decided to commence a Wetherby Senior Fantasy Football Competition

Sports Quote of the Week ‘You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one’

for the Euros. We will be using the fantasy

Follow us for results and updates on Twitter via

football

@WetherbySSports #teamwetherby

league

generator

by

UEFA

(http://

The Barometer - 27/5/2016 15

Notes from‌ The Dijon-Prenois Mrs Diamond writes...

A new experience for Mrs Diamond this half term. The Dijon-Prenois, Burgundy, France racing track was hosting the Age D'Or car racing this weekend and we saw some amazing old racing cars doing laps on a loud fun filled day. No need to say Oscar and Anton my boys were in there elements. This was a first for me but a really enjoyable one.

A Note from the Editor...

It would be amazing if Notes From‌ could become a regular column celebrating the news and achievements of Wetherby Senior School pupils and staff beyond the bricks and mortar of 100 Marylebone Lane. If boys have been somewhere where they feel they saw or learned something interesting, or if they have taken part in some sporting event, concert (or anything else that we can celebrate or share) then please do write in with some pictures and they can go in the Barometer.

The Barometer - 27/5/2016 16

Notes from‌ The Edinburgh Marathon Miss Lillington writes‌ During half term, I took part in the Edinburgh Marathon with a good friend of mine. This was partly for a personal challenge, but also to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation UK - a charity which grants the wishes of children with life threatening conditions so that they can make the best of the time they have left. The route started near Holyrood Palace and then took us out of the city along the coast, before finishing in Musselburgh. It was a beautiful sunny day and there were lots of supporters cheering us on along the way and handing out jelly babies. It was pretty tough, but we had a great time and managed to complete the 26.2 mile course in 4 hours 26 minutes. We also managed to raise £800 for this great charity!

Thank you to all the staff and boys for their support!

The Barometer - 10/5/2016 17

CLUB NEWS Chess (& Battleships!) Club

Week 6 Results Alan vs Hamoud Nicky vs Thomas Josh vs Edourd Rory vs Tom Talal vs Armand Seb vs Philip Giacamo vs Zack Michael vs Bennett Thomas vs Hamoud Alan vs Michael Nicky vs Philip Seb vs Bennett The Barometer - 27/5/2016 18

CLUB NEWS Action shots from Basketball and Football Clubs

The Barometer - 10/5/2016 19

Learning @ Wetherby

Mr Murphy writes‌ My personal learning objective was to learn how to use glass to form sculpture in the kiln.

During the Spring Term, I enrolled on a course in the Art Academy, London Bridge on a 10 week 'Kiln Formed Glass' class. The teaching was of the thinking that you should be given the tools, showed some simple demonstrations and get on with it. Some others in the class struggled to deal with the lack of direction but others like myself enjoyed the nature of playful experimentation and the challenge involved in making errors to learn from. Examples of glass work included: glass slumping, glass tacking, forming into moulds and metal inclusions.

From September, Wetherby students can also get the chance to experiment with this exciting medium.

20 The Barometer - 10/5/2016

Learning @ Wetherby Mr Sullivan writes…

Teaching point: Scrutinise the corners and the sides and top and bottom of your frame. Is

The image is more than the subject My

learning

proposal

is

to

develop

everything working together well, or is something on

completely out of place? Can you adjust to

photography skills to relate to my love for the

remove the “noise” of a busy scene? Look at the

arts and sport.

whole so the whole does not detract from your

As you are aware have enrolled myself on

subject.

photography and I am working on ‘Pay attention

What do you think of my attempt while in NYC -

to the frame edges - The image is more than the

The image is more than the subject?

subject’

The Barometer - 10/5/2016 21

Congratulations Mr Meyer!

Mr. Meyer Writes‌ Last summer, I asked Lara to marry me with

the

sun

rising

over

the

Mediterranean, this was an idyllic setting – thankfully she said yes.

With her

parents having recently just moved to Spain and the fine weather, we thought that this would be the ideal place to get married and so we set about looking for an ideal venue. After various visits, we fell in love with La Bobadilla Hotel in the heart of AndalucĂ­a.

Set within rolling

countryside and the snow-capped Sierra Nevada in the distance, we both agreed this would be a dream like setting. The wedding was split over two days: a paella welcome meal during the first evening and then the wedding took place in an oval garden and reception in the courtyard of an old farm house.

22 The Barometer - 10/5/2016

From the Editor On this week’s front cover: Jacques, Bohemond and Alex light their fires with steel and flint. On the back: 7 Fleet negotiate one of the team challenges. For all comments and feedback please email: henry.warner@wetherbysenior.co.uk

http://www.wetherbysenior.co.uk/