Chronicle April 2016

1 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE CHRONICLE APRIL 2016 | VOLUME XXXVI | NUMBER 670

HOWZAT! Cricket in the tropics The Quad of the Future The final piece of Simeon’s vision Doctors’ Notes The highs and lows of a career in Medicine

2 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

It is always a great treat to reach the Summer Term and the focus it brings to our academic endeavours. The academic life of the School features highly in this edition with the unveiling of our proposed development of the Quad, including a striking new Academic Centre and Library (pages 4 & 5), and a major piece on preparing for a career in Medicine following Word from theWarden a conference organised by James Vaughan- Fowler, Head of Careers. Five women came to talk to pupils about their experiences of working in different areas of Medicine – we welcomed an ethics specialist, a consultant pathologist, a consultant breast surgeon, a lecturer in pathology and a senior research nurse. Although the speakers were part of a group promoting women in science, our boys also attended, and both boys and girls have written up their thoughts – see pages 10 & 11.

professional head-hunter, several years ago. Mr Vaughan Fowler has been doing an extraordinary job revolutionising careers advice for pupils and I have no doubt that we are well ahead of the crowd in this particular area. Elsewhere, we focus on this year’s school charity, Restore, which supports people with mental health problems in Oxfordshire. We also enjoy a lively account of the cricket tour to Barbados by Jonny Nelmes and an entertaining retrospective celebrating the 40th anniversary of John Wiggins’ first boat race win for Oxford in 1976. The BBC spent some six months following the preparations and selection of the Oxford crew all the way through to the race itself – copyright complications permitting, we hope highlights of the footage will be available soon on Teddies TV. Stephen Jones

The work of our Careers Department is in stark contrast to a recent study by the Association of Employment and Learning Providers which said that the quality and availability of information, advice and guidance is ‘a very serious concern’. This follows a Daily Telegraph survey at the end of last year which found that ‘nearly half of teachers believe that careers advice offered by schools is inadequate or poor’. Here at St Edward’s we take the careers function very seriously; we appointed James Vaughan Fowler, a

Front cover: James Curtis and Brandon Allen in Barbados by Simon Hipwell

Members of a Very Noble Friendship A new book by school Archivist Christopher Nathan OSE On 4th August 1914, when the Great War broke out, the 40-strong OTC force were attending their annual camp at Tidworth. The announcement that hostilities were about to begin spread like wildfire; life would never be the same again. 673 members of the School’s community went into uniform over these years. 121 OSE and three teachers were lost and many more wounded - some many times over. This book describes what occurred in those

Find out more Enjoy extra snippets of news by following @TeddiesOxford @TeddiesSport

@TeddiesRowing @TeddiesRhubarb @TeddiesMartyrs @TheNorthWall

Big School (now the Library and Old Library) in 1916

@TeddiesGeog @TeddiesAJW

The book will be available to purchase from July priced at £15 + £4.95 for postage and packing within the UK. To purchase a copy, for details of international postage costs or to arrange collection from the School, please contact the OSE Office on ose@stedwardsoxford.org or 01865 319362. Warden Ferguson faced enormous challenges at the School with the constant exodus of key people, as well as having to announce in Chapel the lists of those lost, often with siblings in the congregation.

Teddies TV Tune in for our latest films: Dance at Teddies and the CAS project on food waste (see page 12). Films with the TOC tag are made by our talented pupil film unit Teddies on Camera. www.stedwardsoxford.org

tumultuous times, both

at the various battle stations

all over the world and also back in Oxford.

3 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Open Day Shell entry Saturday 14th May www.stedwardsoxford.org

French Trip

What better way to broaden your experience of French culture, history, gastronomy and language than during a five-day trip to Normandy at the start of the Easter holidays? Based in the Château du Molay near Caen, it was only a stone’s throw to Arromanches, Omaha Beach at St-Laurent (pictured) and the Cité de la Mer in Cherbourg (with its Titanic exhibition and nuclear submarine Le Redoutable). In Bayeux the group visited the Tapestry and interviewed the locals. Perhaps most popular for some were the visits to a goats’ cheese producer, a bread-making cooperative, a cider farm and a caramels factory. Or was it the snails, the frogs’ legs and the crêpes on the menu one evening?

Clay Pigeon Shooting At the end of February, St Edward’s entered two teams into the prestigious Fido May Trophy competition run by Harrow School at the EJ Churchill Shooting Ground near High Wycombe. Up against intense competition from regulars such as Millfield, Wellington, Marlborough, Harrow and Eton our teams certainly held their own through the six stands and the flurry. We hope that clay pigeon shooting can return to our regular activity programme in the near future.

Nick Coram-Wright

Grapes galore: Lydia Jones-Parry ( Yateley Manor Prep ), Celia Hodgson ( Westbourne House ) and Grace Allen ( Dragon ) dress up for the leavers’ photo

4 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

The Quad of the Future By the mid-1880s, after an energetic period of development, a number of significant school buildings had been constructed; Simeon began to look to the future with confidence. Working with Wilkinson, he drew up a bold and detailed ‘This is a game-changer... At a stroke, it will transform the academic life of St Edward’s.’ The Warden scheme for his School (below). With a roll of only 80 pupils at the time, his vision might

have been dismissed as grandiose or wildly ambitious, but it is remarkable how closely today’s reality resembles the early plans. When Simeon completed his drawing, school buildings existing or under construction on the Quad consisted of the Warden’s House, Main Buildings (Apsley and the Dining Hall),

In 1872, things were not looking good in New Inn Hall Street, the School’s original home. ‘The bannisters fell off the staircase and the floor of the dining room collapsed into the cellar below … a great chunk of the external wall crumbled.’ Unsurprisingly, an architect called in to review the building declared it ‘beyond repair and unsafe.’ The Headmaster (and later first Warden) of St Edward’s, Reverend Algernon Simeon, with characteristic drive and determination, rose to the challenge. Casting about for another site, he eventually settled on land in the ‘miserable, dirty little village’ of Summertown and paid £7,000 of his own money for five acres of turnip fields. Building works immediately commenced under the noted local architect William Wilkinson (who also designed the Randolph Hotel) and the School took up residence in the partially built premises in 1873.

Simeon’s vision

5 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

the first cloisters, the Chapel, the Lodge, Big School (the Library and Old Library), and New Buildings (Mac’s). Now, over 130 years after it was first conceived, a new development unveiled this month by the School will complete ‘Simeon’s dream’. ‘This is a game-changer for the School’, said the Warden. ‘At a stroke, it will transform the academic life of St Edward’s, creating contemporary and versatile spaces to reflect today’s teaching and learning practices.’ ‘The School is growing’, explained the Bursar, Stephen Withers Green, ‘and we, like Simeon, need to prepare. The development will provide a purpose-built Library, a spacious and flexible university- style Academic Centre, and, in its final phase, a striking new Hall (working title: the Velodrome) with room for 1,000 people.’ Nicola Hunter, Deputy Head Academic and the School’s architecture expert, added, ‘This development not only completes the south-east corner of Simeon’s Quad but also provides a new, attractive mini-quad beyond. It is always a challenge to add new buildings to historic ones, and we have given the design a great deal of thought. The architect, Nick Hardy (TSH Architects), has taken some of the gothic revival features of

the original buildings, such as high-pitched roofs, the cloister and the colour scheme, and re-invented them. We wanted the new buildings to be ‘architecturally well-mannered’ in relation to the rest of the School, but we were determined to avoid pastiche – so the new buildings are unashamedly contemporary, using materials such as concrete and glass to echo and complement their surroundings, but with the thread of red brick giving unity to the composition. We are delighted with the proposals, described as ‘architecture of the highest order’ by the Oxford Design Review Panel, one of the bodies we consulted.’

A planning application for the new development will be submitted to Oxford City Council within the next few weeks. It is hoped that construction will begin in 2018, with phase 1, the Academic Centre, to be complete by 2020.

Descriptions of the School’s early years are taken from A New History of St Edward’s School, Oxford, 1863-2013, by Malcolm Oxley, available (£25) from the OSE Office (01865 319362).

The new Library and Academic Centre

The new Hall: the Velodrome

6 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Invocation By Alex Tester, Director of Music We are regularly impressed and proud of the work of our Chapel Choirs, but it was a pleasure to see them raise their game once again for a very different collaborative project in March. Performing at St John the Evangelist, the concert venue church off Iffley Road, and as part of the fine work of Oxford Contemporary Music, the Choirs sang as the main vocal group in ‘Invocation’, a piece composed by Robert Mitchell and featuring his quartet, Panacea. Mitchell has long been a big British jazz name, performing in

venues all over the country, and this work was premiered at the London Jazz Festival in 2013. Its themes are based on education and the importance of learning, whatever age you are – how effective and appropriate to be the first school involved in performing it with this very impressive jazz group. The piece also involved recited declamations from Nicola Harrison and solo sung sections by a semi-professional octet, Plebs Angelica. Learning the notes for a totally new style, all in close harmony jazz chords,

and understanding the style behind the notes, has been a constant challenge, but the gritty determination of the Chapel Choirs definitely paid off; the final performance had a real drive and direction to it, enjoying call and response phrases with singer Deborah Jordan and fitting musical ideas around extensive free jazz solos by Laurie Lowe on drums and Tom Mason on bass. It was a real honour to be involved with the project: well done to all choristers involved in the final concert.

William Webb

The English Department embrace World Book Day in March. Left to right: Jonathan Muir, Sherlock Holmes; Dr Lucinda Gallagher, Cruella de Vil, The Hundred and One Dalmations ; Finola Picknett, Miss Havisham, Great Expectations ; Sam Ferraby, Toad, TheWind in theWillows ; and Ewan Gault, the Lion, The Lion, the Witch and theWardrobe .

Molly van der Heiden

On the Buses A reminder that a trial shuttle bus service is in operation from

Thornhill Park & Ride on Sunday evenings. See the website for details.

7 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Carolina Rimoldi Where were you beforeTeddies? I was studying languages at a day school in Milan, Italy. What attracted you to St Edward’s?

Firstly, the music. Music isn’t considered an academic subject in Italy, but I really wanted to study it and I was looking for a place with a strong musical profile. Then, when I came to the open day, I knew I wanted to come here, I just really liked the feel of the place. I think I made the right decision! What House are you in and what are you studying? I’m in Mac’s and I’m doing the IB, so I take Music, Philosophy, French and English higher, and Maths and Chemistry standard. What do you like about the IB? I love the fact that we cover a broader range of subjects in depth. I don’t think I would have been able to only choose three… plus, I love the fact that there are so many international students doing IB, I think it makes lessons much more interesting! FavouriteTeddies moment so far? It would have to be the Auschwitz trip (see page 8). Probably ‘favourite’ isn’t the word that best describes my time there, but it will definitely stick with me for the rest of my life. I can’t think of one favourite moment at School, but I really like spending time with my friends because, even though I’ve only been here a couple of months, they really make me feel at home and welcome. What extra-curricular activities do you enjoy? I probably spend more time than I would like to admit sitting in a practice room in the music block. I love the music here and everything that goes I would say my tutor, Mrs Hunter. Right from the start she did her best to make me feel at home here and I know I can tell her everything, because she’ll help me with any problem I may have. What do you enjoy about being at School in Oxford? It’s such a vibrant city with a really stimulating atmosphere, so it’s good to be close to it. Also, it’s important to get away from the ‘Teddies bubble’ occasionally, so what better than a shopping trip to Oxford? Best piece of work you’ve completed so far? At the moment I’m very happy with what I’ve been doing with my Extended Essay. It involves a lot of musical analysis, but I’m trying hard! I think the best piece of work, though, would have to be the arrangement for a song that my friends and I wrote. Favourite place to eat in Summertown? Cibo! Italian is always best, although I’m really looking forward to Itsu coming to Summertown next year… What do you want to do after School? I’m going to apply either for French or Music at Oxbridge and take it from there. I might even take a gap year: I would love to go to Africa and do some volunteering. In short, I don’t really know, but I’ll work it out when I get there! Favourite book? Lolita , by Nabokov. I love how it’s written. with it – so choir, music lessons and concerts. Who is your favourite teacher - and why?

8 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau By Sixth Former Aaron Gruen

‘It happened, therefore it can happen again: this is the core of what we have to say.’ Primo Levi, Auschwitz survivor

Waking up at four o’clock in the morning is not everyone’s perfect idea of how to start a Leave Weekend, but for 24 pupils in the Sixth Form and four members of staff this is exactly how it began on a cold January day. A two-hour plane journey took us to the town of Krakow, still well preserved from the war with a slight ‘boutique’ feel to it. It was hard to believe that the mass murder of around six million people had taken place only a one-hour bus journey away from this pleasant town. After lunch, we walked to Krakow’s beautiful Wawel Cathedral, where Pope John Paul II was a Bishop, and then enjoyed a relaxing afternoon of free time before heading to the oldest Jewish restaurant in town where a group of Klezmer musicians accompanied a hearty meal. This sounds like an idyllic trip and, as a matter of fact, up until that point it seemed to be just so (apart from the -15°C temperature!). None of us were prepared for the excruciating six hours that would be spent completely outdoors at Auschwitz. Our first stop was the

camp of Auschwitz I – this is the camp with the infamous Arbeit Macht Frei sign that all visitors pass under as they enter. It is impossible to express the emotions sparked inside me after viewing the exhibitions that now take up some of the barracks. In one room the decaying hair of 15,000 prisoners was piled behind a large glass screen. It sickened me to think of the ways in which these innocent men, women and even children suffered and eventually died, helpless. The final part of the Auschwitz I tour was the Book of Names . This was a 16,000- page book that had the names of all the known people who were murdered at Auschwitz inscribed in it - around 15 million people. I found the name of one of my ancestors in this book. The day grew colder and no-one really wanted to eat much for lunch. We still had the camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau on our agenda, which is the bleakest, most dismal and horrifying place that I have ever seen. Seeing the camp in real life is so much more horrific than any description or pictures. Imagine

seemingly endless rows of barracks on either side of train tracks with nothing else but a watchtower in an otherwise barren plateau. The train tracks lead directly to the gas chambers, which no longer exist. Some prisoners never actually saw the camp itself - they were taken straight to the gas chambers and exterminated like livestock entering a slaughterhouse. There will never be a day when the memories of this overwhelming experience will not haunt me.

Pictures by Tom James

Aaron was previously at Munich International School.

At the memorial in Birkenau. Above, Grace Allen ( Dragon )

9 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Dom Rosso Where were you beforeTeddies? I was at the Dragon School, Oxford

What House are you in and what are you studying? I am in Sing’s and I am studying Politics, English and Drama at A Level. When did your interest in theatre start? My interest in theatre began whilst I was at my prep school. I was only in my second year and accidentally stumbled into an audition for the school play Joseph . I was cast as one of the brothers and it went from there. It wasn’t until my penultimate year at the Dragon that I discovered the technical side of theatre. What have you enjoyed most about theatre atTeddies? The number of opportunities I’ve have had. Unlike most, I’m involved both onstage as a performer and offstage as a technician. I have participated as a technician in over 20 productions, the latest being West Side Story , where I took the role of Stage Manager and oversaw the entire production - a role which, in the past, has been fulfilled by a professional. Onstage I have performed in a large number of major school productions but also in performances for A Level Drama, most recently, Tell Mary I Love Her , our A2 exam piece, which we’re taking to the Edinburgh Fringe this summer. What is your favouriteTeddies production so far? Love and Information by Caryl Churchill. We performed it as our AS piece and at Gaudy last year. We then took it up to the Fringe for four days. It was so much fun to perform such an alternative piece with all of my best friends at an event like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. What extra-curricular activities have you enjoyed during your time here? Aside from Drama I have always tried to involve myself in as many different areas of school life as possible. I have greatly enjoyed my involvement in Chapel life. I’m a Head Sacristan and have been a member of the Choir for the last five years. I also captained the winning team in the debating competition, and have participated in a serious amount of fundraising. On the other side of Woodstock Road, I play in goal for the football team and spend most of the summer months scoring for the 1st XI. Who is your favourite teacher - and why? Rev Kerr: even though he only taught me in Shells I have got to know him really well through being a Sacristan and now Head Sacristan. He has always been there for me if I’ve ever needed support or help despite his relentless schedule. I also owe a lot to the Drama Department for guiding me through the last five years. What do you want to do after School? Next year I am going back to my prep school to be a ‘gap-year assistant’, something which I am greatly looking forward to. Following that, I am going to university to read Law. What would be your ‘Desert Island’ play? Our Town by Thornton Wilder. However, I must admit I do enjoy Les Misérables .

10

ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Women in Medicine A Careers Department Event

Deedee Koonnawarote

In February, five leading female medics from the John Radcliffe Hospital visited Teddies to share their stories and experiences of working in science. Pupils met Gemma Marsden, Biobank Ethics Lead; Dr Lisa Browning, Consultant Pathologist; Pankaj Gupta Roy, Consultant Breast Surgeon; Dr Clare Verrill, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Pathology; and Jane Niederer, Lead Research Nurse. Below, three pupils tell us what they found out.

I have always dreamt of studying Medicine and going on to become a dermatologist. At the talk, a number of interesting questions were asked regarding the particular challenges faced by women in Medicine, but despite the challenges they described, all panel members were very happy in their careers and felt that they had achieved a good work/life balance. The other important lesson I learned was that it is never too late to start. Some of these impressive women only discovered their true love for Medicine late in their academic years but they had the courage and determination to change direction. I have always imagined that studying and working in Medicine would be harder for women but listening to these motivational women has inspired me to keep working hard towards my goals. The main message from the panel members was: it will be complicated, and it will be challenging – but it will be worth it in the end.

Elizaveta Skarga In one of our recent MedSoc sessions, we were extremely lucky to host five different female medical specialists who work across different fields of healthcare. Their talks made it clear that, contrary to the commonly held belief, modern healthcare is not based on the work of doctors alone, but is built on a complex network of specialists across a variety of different fields. Our speakers shared personal experiences of undergoing long and demanding periods of training, and also talked about sacrifices they had made along the way. They spoke about the difficulty of combining motherhood with a career in medicine, about the physical demands of being a doctor and about the challenges of regular exams – in order to provide the highest quality healthcare possible, it is essential to stay up to date with the latest developments. However, having covered the challenging aspects of the profession, our guests then moved on to the bright side of being a healthcare specialist. Among many things, they stressed that all clinical jobs are very sociable in their nature, as the quality of the care delivered relies on effective collaboration. Furthermore, in comparison to many other professions, work in healthcare can have a clear and immediate impact, which makes it extremely rewarding. This motivational yet realistic talk has only strengthened my determination to pursue a

career in Medicine. As I approach the end of a two-year IB course in Higher Level Chemistry, Biology and German, and Standard Level English, Mathematics and History, I am hoping to pursue my studies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Having a particular interest in immunology, infectious diseases and public health, I want to dedicate my undergraduate studies to a Major in Immunology and Microbiology and a Minor in German. Subsequently, I am hoping to enroll into a Canadian Medical School.

Elizaveta, who is in the Upper Sixth, was previously at School No 1239 in Moscow.

Fifth Former Deedee was previously at Maidwell Hall.

From left to right: Deedee Koonnawarote, James George and Elizaveta Skarga

11 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

James George To be brutally honest, I didn’t have high expectations coming into this talk. I wrongly assumed that it would have little relevance to myself and the other young men attending, but, on reflection, I’m glad I went. It made me realise how little I knew about the struggles women face in Medicine today. Now I feel I have a greater understanding, not only of how a career for women in Medicine differs, but also how the medical world works. I have been considering a career in psychiatry and, luckily for me, one of the women had practised as a psychiatrist. She described the job as quite disturbing, which gave me a better understanding of what I might be getting myself into. The women’s professions ranged from a consultant surgeon to a research scientist, which was encouraging because it demonstrated how much you can do with a medical degree. I particularly remember

Mapping the Future Thanks to the ongoing development of new initiatives by the Careers Department, Teddies is the first school to use the recently created Finance Map as one of its careers guidance tools. Finance Map is a tutorial-based introduction to the world of financial markets and the activities of its key participants, especially banks and fund managers. Presenting his comprehensive two-hour tutorial to a group of Lower Sixth pupils, Matthew Craston (creator of Finance Map) explained complex financial concepts, while demystifying much of what pupils read or hear about the financial services industry in general. Finance Map tutorials will continue to be available to interested Lower Sixth pupils as part of the Careers Department’s continual provision of careers advice direct from the world of work, firmly rooted in the academic programme.

some advice from one of the women, Ms PG Roy: ‘To survive as a parent whilst being a medic... one, get a nanny, and two, be nice to your parents.’ What was really reassuring was hearing some of the women say they weren’t totally certain they wanted to become doctors, even after they finished their medical degree. They explained that they needed to experience other jobs before they knew what they wanted to do. This helped me because I am not totally certain I want to become a doctor but the talk made me realise that I can experience all that medicine has to offer before I commit to a full-time profession. James, who is in the Lower Sixth, was previously at New College School. He is studying A Levels in Maths, Biology and Chemistry, and is interested in psychiatry and neuroscience.

12 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Creativity, Action, Service By Anna Fielding, CAS Coordinator

If you were given £50 and told you had a month to change the world what would you do? • Make tie-dye painting shirts for children attending an art therapy centre (below)? • Run a football tournament for Shells? • Make Sunday dinner and take it to homeless people? • Raise awareness of the amount of sugar in every day drinks? • Investigate the level of food wastage in School (right)? • Create an online social media campaign to encourage mental health awareness? Lower Sixth IB pupils decided to launch all these projects last month. Many might have found the prospect of being given free rein to carry out any Service project with very little guidance quite daunting. However in early March teachers were amazed at what had been achieved in only four weeks. Pupils’ work varied from giving presentations in assembly to mass producing tie-dye shirts, refereeing an excited group of Shells to learning how to cook 25 hot meals.

Whether they raised money or awareness all pupils excelled at overcoming the challenges they faced, setting themselves goals, meeting tough deadlines and working successfully in a group; all skills that underpin the IB course. Pupils commented that they enjoyed ‘being responsible - having the freedom to do it ourselves’. The month-long Service project forms

just one part of CAS, a core element of the IB that encourages pupils to think outside the classroom and beyond the textbook. Since starting the Diploma in September the Lower Sixth have completed over 12,000 hours of CAS, with nearly 3,000 of those being Service. They might not have changed the world in a month, but they’ve certainly had an impact.

The food waste team from left to right, Afiq Rozhan

( Papplewick ), Aaron Gruen

( Munich International ), Nathalie Roschmann ( Prior’s Field ),

Gleb Izmaylov ( Bishopstrow ), Maximilian Heil

( St Alban’s College, South Africa ) and Katie MacCrindle ( Swanbourne House ).

Anamika Pillai ( Sir James Henderson British School )

13 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Katherine Cole What do you do atTeddies and how long have you been at the School? I arrived in September to be Head of German and AHM in Jubilee. Where were you before? I studied German and Linguistics then started teaching at Hurstpierpoint College in West Sussex, where I was AHM and taught in the senior and prep schools. Then I moved to Ardingly College to be Head of German and AHM in the mixed Upper Sixth house. What do you most enjoy about your role? Teaching the German language is a lot of fun: I enjoy the sound of the language, the mechanics of the grammar, long compound nouns, teaching literature to our native speaker students and coming across comical German words with our beginners (this year’s favourites were ‘Auspuff = exhaust pipe’ and ‘Bürgermeister = mayor’) but I equally love living in a boarding house. What has been your favouriteTeddies moment so far? Jubilations was a brilliant evening – the girls are so talented. A close second was the impromptu Jubilee Christmas dance-off on the last night of the first term which Miss Ramadharsingh, Mrs Gowen and I didn’t come close to winning. Our Shells being awarded best taste prize for their German Christmas biscuits in a competition they entered was also great. Favourite menu item fromTeddies kitchen? Chocolate chip shortbread. Favourite place in Oxford? Having the University’s Modern Languages Library on the doorstep is handy. I also like Port Meadow for running. What was the naughtiest thing you did at school? I think I had a pretty unblemished record; my style was to put the idea in someone else’s head and watch it happen. Is that worse? I sabotaged a fair few Physics experiments (sorry, Physics) and am ashamed to say I was a serial chatter. What would be your Desert Island book? A novel by my favourite German crime writer Charlotte Link. Best advice you’ve ever been given? Making mistakes is all part of learning. In German ‘Aus Fehlern wird man klug‘.

14 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Cricket in Barbados By Jonny Nelmes After countless hours in the winter nets, fundraising dinners, fundraising runs, and a day of travelling, the St Edward’s tour party finally felt the bounce of the Caribbean runway, and an excitable mass of blue, yellow and red spilled out onto a refreshingly warm tarmac.

Even against such stern opposition, the boys more than held their own on the field, and learnt plenty in the process. On pitches that often favoured slow bowling, the performances of the three-pronged spin attack of James Woodcock, Harrison Ward and James Curtis (the latter two still in the Fifth Form) consistently gave St Edward’s a level of control in the field that augurs well for the 2016 season and beyond. Brandon Allen’s 97*, and AJ Woodland’s 41* and 4/47, were highlights of the win over Wanderers, and Ben Charlesworth’s 62* helped carry the boys to victory over Lodge School – Ben would later impress on tour with the ball, taking 3 wickets against Combermere. Also worthy of note were Will Deasy’s maiden 1st XI half-century – 63 against St Leonard’s – and a series of venomous spells with the ball from (Fifth Former!) Rory Hipwell, described by one opposition coach as the quickest English schoolboy bowler he had seen tour Barbados.

As statistically one of the strongest 1st XIs in the country over the last five years, and with a squad boasting several county academy players, St Edward’s came to Barbados looking for a serious test of their credentials ahead of the summer, and were not to be disappointed. An exacting schedule of six games in eight days included fixtures against Barbados U19s – a serious outfit – and Combermere, reputed to be the finest cricketing school in the Caribbean, and amongst their opposition were recently- returned members of the victorious West Indies U19 World Cup side.

Throughout the tour the boys had the privilege of playing and training at some iconic venues – from the Franklyn Stephenson Academy, home of the West

Brandon Allen in action

15 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Indies when they play on the island, to the 3Ws Oval in Bridgetown, home of the West Indies Performance Centre, and Wanderers CC, the oldest cricket club in the Caribbean. Along the way, they were able to mix with some of the household names of West Indian cricket – encountering the likes of Collis King, Desmond Haynes, Sir Garfield Sobers and Tony Cozier, as well as being joined on the field at the Wanderers by current West Indies captain Jason Holder. At the same time, the boys got to taste an authentically Caribbean cricketing atmosphere, as healthy crowds of knowledgeable locals came out to populate rickety stands and whitewashed boundaries, and lend (typically vocal) support. Between games there was the opportunity for some much-needed relaxation, and a chance to explore Barbados, with catamaran cruises, reef diving, swimming with turtles and even a morning round of golf on offer – not to mention an evening sampling the carnival atmosphere at the famous Oistins Fish Fry. At the beach, Simon Roche, the Master-in-Charge, did his best to proselytize all and sundry to the ways of Waboba; his AHM, in particular, was found wanting. The party was fortunate to be hosted fantastically in the evenings throughout

the trip; special thanks must go to the sizeable entourage of parents who, having begrudgingly accompanied the squad to paradise, supported boys and staff so warmly and generously both from the boundaries and after games, as well as to Henry Oakley OSE for hosting the party at the stupendous Cobblers Cove Hotel. Tired, happy and considerably browner than when they arrived, the party readied themselves for their departure back to the damp and gloom of a British February, where their own cricket season seemed an age away. Much had been done, however, to prepare them for the more familiar tests of the Summer Term. Thanks must go to Mr Howitt for marshalling his troops with typical zeal, to Mr Simpkins for his (seemingly boundless) passion and insight, and to Mr Roche for his meticulous organisation of the tour. Former schools of featured pupils: James Woodcock ( Dulwich Prep London ), Harrison Ward ( John Mason ), James Curtis ( Cherwell ), Brandon Allen ( Aylesbury Grammar ), AJ Woodland ( Davenies ), Ben Charlesworth ( Our Lady’s Abingdon ), Will Deasy ( Dulwich Prep London ) and Rory Hipwell ( Pinewood ).

Picture by Simon Hipwell

‘But secretly, we swore, That we would never leave the island Until we had put down, in paint, in words… Each ochre track seeking some hilltop and Losing itself in an unfinished phrase, …boiling with life’ Derek Walcott

16 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

The Segar’s play, Sketches of School , conceived, written and performed by the boys, raised £2,000 for Restore.

17 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

James Colson Lake ( New College School )

18 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Focus on Restore Charity of the Year

Restore is an Oxfordshire-based charity supporting people with mental health issues. Working hard to help people recover and find work, the charity provides a range of support services including coaching, recovery groups and training. Our enterprising pupils have already raised a staggering £24,000 for the cause. Below, we find out more from Chief Executive Martin Realey, and service users Gary and Heather.

easier as you do them. I think Restore offers you the opportunity to challenge yourself, but also to be yourself as well. Tomorrow I’m shadowing a person at Hunts in Kidlington - they’re a printing company. I’ll be learning new skills with a computer and I’ll hopefully be able to reproduce those skills with Restore when I come back and teach other people what I’m doing so that’ll be really nice. So again, it’s moving forward which is really good. Is there anything you’d like to say those who have donated and fundraised for Restore? Without the money it wouldn’t happen. It’s very important that it’s donated. I can say that the money’s helped me a lot. All the activities and all the challenges are just great and it’s a nice place to be. Thank you very much for donating! It’s been really worthwhile coming to Restore. I’ve got a lot from it and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Gary : A member of Restore’s recovery group in Littlemore, Gary tells us about his experience at the charity, and how the money is making a difference. Tell us about your time at Restore I suffer from anxiety and I’m using the recovery group to get back to work. It’s very important that I keep on moving in an upward direction. It’s building my confidence all the time, that’s the most important part of it - it’s really good!

How does it help you? It’s growing the confidence that you need to approach the outside world. There are things I do now that if I hadn’t come to Restore I would never have done. I’m working on a computer which I’m not trained in, but I’m learning as I go along. I’m picking up life skills that I can take out into the outside world. Restore gives you confidence. People around me encourage me to try new things. And the challenges become a lot

Paul Browse

Gary working in the coffee shop at Restore

19 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Heather: Heather received support from Restore to get back into work and to rebuild her life after being in hospital. I first found out about Restore during my time as an inpatient at Warneford Mental Health Hospital. I came on the recommendation of the nursing staff on my ward, following my discharge from their care. At the time, life was quite frightening and bewildering. I wasn’t sure how to piece back together my working life. Staff at Restore are knowledgeable and friendly, and are all very willing to try and help you the best they can. The support I have received, especially from my employment coach, Shelley, has been truly wonderful helping me to get back on my feet and back into work. I learnt how the whole process of job hunting works these days. It’s been a while since I’ve been in this situation, and Shelley’s knowledge and encouragement was the best support I could have hoped for. Restore is an absolutely wonderful service and I have very much to thank the charity for. It would have taken me a lot longer to rebuild my life again without the help I received, and I am extremely grateful and thankful. I benefit every day from the charity’s input into my life.

Martin on tour in Afghanistan

Martin Realey Martin is Chief Executive at Restore. He told us about working at the charity, and his own experiences of mental illness.

I was both surprised and encouraged by the number of transferable skills the Army had developed in me for my position as Chief Executive of Restore. I had planned a full career in the Parachute Regiment but unfortunately the frequency and intensity of operational tours became no longer compatible with my life goals. As a husband of nine years and father of two, my priorities had to change. Despite weekly therapy, antipsychotics, antidepressants and rehabilitative leave, I was becoming more and more distanced from emotions and other people. The role of a charity Chief Executive is remarkably similar to the responsibilities of a military commander. You are often surrounded by experts in their respective fields, under resourced for the scale of the operation, yet the focal point of decisions and accountability. In the army I relied heavily upon the good will of others, empowering my subordinates and trusting my gut instinct. This has been my approach to heading Restore. I am blessed

to be leading a group of individuals with a collective education, knowledge and experience greater than any book or course could ever provide. I must listen to every single piece of advice, walk in the steps of members, clients, volunteers and staff members, and once again trust my instincts. I have enormous pride in leading Restore. Whilst far from a prerequisite, I believe my personal ongoing trials with mental illness add empathy to much of my decision-making. Reliant on medication and a weekly user of psychological services, I can understand what some of our members may be experiencing daily. What is truer than any of this, though, is the power there is in educating others about mental illness. Whatever someone’s diagnosis is, it shouldn’t drive their existence. I am a father, a husband, a CEO, a veteran, a PTA board member, a rugby player, a rugby coach, an amateur photographer and a lousy poet. I just happen to also have a mental illness.

Cars on the Quad?! We’re surprised the Bursar allowed it. These audacious vehicles were driven by Meriel Turner ( Duke ofYork’s Royal Military School ), Lucy Kellock ( Cheam ), Emma Measey ( Beachborough ), Harriet Miesegaes ( Tudor Hall ), Kim Pushong ( Sotogrande International ) and Storm Sunderland ( Winchester House ) on Disney and Pixar dress up day in aid of Restore.

20 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

David Moore

How long have you been atTeddies and what do you do? I’m retiring in August after 30 years at the School. I teach Chemistry, am the Examinations Officer and keep the website up-to-date alongside the Communications team. What extra-curricular activities have you been involved in? Over the years, I’ve been in charge of Athletics, the Harriers and Clay Pigeon Shooting. Anything else? Throughout the 30 years, I’ve been House Tutor in Tilly’s and a member of the Chapel Choir. I’ve also assisted with all aspects of the DofE Award and helped with CCF trips to Sennybridge, I’ve been on walking trips to northern Pakistan, northern Greece, and the Pyrenees; climbed in the Picos de Europa, the French Alps and Switzerland; learnt to ski on a Tilly’s ski trip; and assisted on ten further ski trips. I’ve been twice to Israel, three times to China and Peru, and once to India. I’ve also been on Music Department trips to Paris and Strasbourg, and German Department trips to Berlin. So you’ve seen the world withTeddies! Anywhere else? As part of ongoing staff development, I’ve been on Chemistry courses and seminars in Frankfurt, Shannon, Budapest, Ecton Hill, the Thames Valley, the North East, Cheshire and Billingham. I’ve explored Chemical Engineering in Bradford and Kent. I’ve been on Goldsmiths’ Company Science for Society courses at Cambridge and Bath Universities, and attended a Polymer Chemistry course at London University. Phew!What do you do in your ‘spare’ time? I’ve been a Consultant for the Royal Society of Chemistry’s films on Modern Chemical Techniques and Industrial Chemistry; Editor of Catalyst GCSE science magazine; and Associate Editor - and now on the Editorial Board of - School Science Review . I’ve contributed to the latest Pearson IB Chemistry textbook and also published a scientific dictionary, Chemistry revision flash cards, and 26 various other scientific articles. I’m on the Cumbrian Expedition Network for the DofE and regularly assess Gold Expeditions for other schools. Anything else? I’ve been a great supporter of performances in the Hall; I created the set design for nine plays, managed lighting for 20, and directed four (including WeWill RockYou ). What advice would you give to anyone at St Edward’s – either pupil or staff? The words of Douglas Bader: ‘Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you can’t do this or that. Make up your mind … then have a go at everything. Go to school, join in all the games you can. Go anywhere you want to. But never, never let them persuade you that things are difficult or impossible.’ Leek and Sandhurst, amongst others. Have you been on any School trips?

21 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

CCF FieldWeekend

Army The Army Section of the CCF had a busy and varied 48-hour exercise, practising live firing on the range for the very first time and rehearsing section attacks using blank ammunition (left). In addition, the Fifth Form cadre braved the frost and cold to gather intelligence, conduct a night ambush against the enemy and plan a dawn attack on their compound; a fitting and successful end to a demanding exercise. Left to right: Annabel MacDonald-Smith ( Farleigh ), Ilana Cope ( Cherwell ), Iona Anderson ( Windlesham House ), Ella Mival ( Godstowe Prep ), Lucy Hope ( Dragon ) and Octavia Hamilton ( Packwood Haugh ) Brigadier Rob Thomson, the Rifleman for Oxfordshire, visited the School in March to present CCF Contingent Commander Nick Coram-Wright with our refurbished Sword of Honour. Brigadier Thomson also took the opportunity to talk to our cadets about leadership, focusing on his role as the senior British officer to oversee the withdrawal of UK troops from Helmand, Afghanistan, in 2014.

Navy The Navy section visited Portsmouth for the February Field Weekend. On the first day we were given a tour of HMS Victory. We then crossed the harbour in a small craft and visited the Submarine Museum at Gosport, the highlight of which was being shown around HMS Alliance by a veteran submariner who served during the Cold War. In the evening we stayed aboard HMS Bristol on Whale Island. The following day, half the section went sailing aboard a 38-foot yacht in the Solent, breaking for lunch at Wootton Creek on the Isle of Wight; the remaining cadets were given training aboard a Navy powerboat in the Solent and explored Cowes before heading back to HMS Bristol in the afternoon.

RAF Following their visit to the Imperial War Museum London on the first day of the Field Weekend, the RAF Section spent the second day at RAF Halton. Known as the ‘Gateway to the Royal Air Force of the 21st Century’ the base is now a centre for basic recruit and trade training. The cadets were given a number of practical challenges to emphasise the importance of teamwork and communication; several budding engineers successfully designed their own aircraft! After lunch in the Junior Ranks’ Mess they visited the Trenchard Museum, named in honour of the founder of the RAF and where items related to the history of RAF Halton are preserved and displayed. The lucky few were able to sit in the cockpit of a Red Arrows jet or try out the flight simulators.

Casper Sunley

Zoey Flynn ( Dragon ) and Reha Soni ( Danes Hill ) at the Trenchard Museum sitting in a Folland Gnat, a jet trainer from the 1960s

Cadets Joyce Yao ( YK Pao School, Shanghai ), Anton Frieser ( German School, London ) sailing past a Type 45 destroyer

22 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Obituaries Two great St Edward’s men who did much to shape the School as we know it today.

A Governors’ meeting, 1978. Geoffrey Palau sits at the head of the table; Graham Cooper is second on his right

Graham Cooper OSE By Malcolm Oxley, former Second Master and author of A New History of St Edward’s School, Oxford, 1863 – 2013

St Edward’s has enjoyed and benefitted from a host of able Governors during its 150 year history. Only one of these has a whole quadrangle named after him. In 1988, when the space surrounded by the new Art, Design and Mathematics buildings was created, it was dubbed the Cooper Quadrangle commemorating both the generosity and the sagacity of Graham Cooper, a Governor from 1947-93 and Chairman from 1973-85. Graham, who was born in 1917, joined the School in the Michaelmas Term of 1931 at the same time as Sir John Moreton who, in 1980, would join him on the Governing Body.

He was a year ahead of Guy Gibson whom he knew well. He left in 1937 as Senior Prefect and Head of House. By then Henry Kendall had transformed the old ‘sets’ into unified boarding houses and Graham was head of his House serving under Ken Menzies and Gerry Segar. He also captained the XV and the athletics and hockey teams. He figured prominently in other school activities like debating where, in an atmosphere of very traditional attitudes among the young, he displayed a strikingly liberal stance. He went on to Trinity College, Oxford, where, in 1940, he took his BA and a rugby Blue. He remained very loyal to his college and was made an Honorary Fellow in 1983. After war service as a Major in the Westminster Dragoons he returned to join and later lead the family firm of Cooper’s, successful builders’ merchants in Oxford. He was soon a prominent figure in the Oxford business world and always played a full part in civic life serving as Vice Chairman of the Oxford Regional Health Authority and as a Trustee and Vice Chairman of the Oxford Preservation Trust. He was a Justice of the Peace for Abingdon. In 1947, such was the esteem in which he was already held by Warden Kendall and the Governors that he was invited to join

their number. He must have been one of the youngest Governors ever and certainly he became far and away the longest serving. His role as a business man based locally made him an excellent Governor but it was his judgement and unswerving loyalty to his old School which made him unique, a loyalty which extended to his educating his own children at St Edward’s. Serving six Wardens he built up a range of experience which made him a major figure in the shaping of school policies and strategies for more than 50 years. His governance was not to act as a brake on change or as a guardian of the past. He helped to preside over the very considerable changes which the wardenships of Fisher, Bradley, Phillips and the two Christies witnessed, years of growth, prosperity and a considerable raising of standards all round. The 2013 Roll rightly summarises as follows: ‘He has been an important figure in the School’s progress over the second half of the 20th century, and a frequent benefactor.’ His generosity was indeed considerable both in outward benefactions and behind the scenes assistance for a host of projects large and small. He will always be remembered as a very considerable figure in the history of St Edward’s. Graham Cooper died on 18th February 2016 aged 98.

Graham Cooper, Captain of the 1936 1st XV