Chronicle January 2021

JANUARY 2021 | VOLUME XL | NUMBER 681 JANUARY 2021 | VOLUME XLI | NUMBER 681

CHRONICLE

Christie and Olivier Honouring great names in the Quad

Stronger Together Working in partnership with our local community

The Power of Performance Drama, dance and music to lift the soul

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Word from the Warden

I hardly dare open the introduction to this issue by referring back to last term, since we must all now be numb to the power of words – now surely clichés – such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘extraordinary’ and ‘challenging’. Those of us who worked through the summer to prepare for September faced the very real possibility that the School would be closed almost as soon as it opened, and all the adjectives above certainly applied to the business of getting the Autumn Term underway. As you will have seen in our weekly E News and will discover in the following pages, however, a great many other adjectives applied too. It was an uplifting term, as the community came together again after such a long time apart. It was a surprising term – so many things were actually possible with a bit of creativity and application. It was also a momentous term, the term in which the outstanding new Christie Centre and Olivier Hall opened up and instantly took their rightful place at the heart of the School. It is fascinating to hear on page 6 from David Christie, 11th Warden of St Edward’s, who generously allowed us to give his name to our landmark new academic centre. We put on a fantastic play, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible , and, as Louise Duffy says in her excellent review on page 34, the social distancing requirements amplified rather than detracted from the atmosphere of the production. We succeeded in staging the Ballet Recital, a truly spectacular show, with sequences, ensembles and costumes of exceptional quality – see the photo feature on pages 12 and 13. Impresario Mr Tester produced our regular Friday at Five concerts in video format to the great enjoyment of us all, along with magnificent video versions of the Festival of Remembrance and the Carol Service. The sporting programme, though different, was brimful of our usual energy

The Warden and Rev Lennon at the Service of Remembrance in November

and commitment – read reports from the Heads of Sport from page 46. The Teddies community is lucky – we have the space and resources to overcome many of the challenges presented by the pandemic. Not all in our community are so lucky, and I have been very pleased to see the growth of our 'Beyond Teddies' programme under the leadership of Development and Partnerships Director Rachael Henshilwood, which has seen a great many community partnerships flourish. Read more about this important aspect of life at St Edward’s on page 20. Just as important is our Equality and Diversity Programme, and Deputy Head Margaret Lloyd brings us up to date with this essential and long-overdue project on page 10. There is a great deal to enjoy in this issue and I know that we have much more to look forward to as we embark on 2021, the 158th year of this great school, and my last as Warden. I look forward to seeing many of you over the course of the next few months. Katie and I wish you a very happy new year.

Find out more Stay in touch with all the latest news by following our social media accounts.

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St Edward’s School is registered in England and Wales as a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered No. 116784. Registered Office: Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 7NN. Registered Charity No. 309681.

The front cover shows Jemima Paganuzzi, Tiggy Jones and Eva Lamb in The Crucible. See page 34 for more pictures and a review.

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GCSE Successes Congratulations to Robin Wheeler, Ruby Faulkner, Arya Cont, Isabel Llabres Diaz, Jenifer Ellis, Henry Green, Emily Bulmer, Stanley Brown, Charlotte Hanslip, Hugo Marston and Joshua Wilmot on their outstanding GCSE results last summer.

In Progress The online In Progress art exhibition hosted by The

North Wall in November was a stunning display of creativity and skill. Clockwise from left are pieces by Bella McCann, Lotus Cooper, Daphne Inglis-Jones and Charlotte Hanslip.

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A Musical Legacy A generous donation from the estate of Robert Sutherland Rattray OSE has enabled us to purchase the magnificent digital Phoenix Organ now installed in the Olivier Hall, and to establish a musical instrument fund. Robert, who died in 2018, was in Cowell’s from 1963 – 1967. He was heavily involved in the musical life of the School, playing clarinet in the orchestra and singing in the choir. He went on to Edinburgh University before embarking on a long and successful career as an artist manager, becoming Joint Chief Executive of Askonas Holt, one of the world’s leading arts management companies, in 1998. Robert was made an MBE in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours and joined the Metropolitan Opera in the same year as the company’s Assistant General Manager for Artistic Administration. School Organist Gabriele Damiani says, ‘It has been wonderful to witness the installation of the new Phoenix digital organ, which has provided the Olivier Hall with a fresh and powerful musical voice. Every detail of the console, from its keyboards to its cup-and-dagger crested music desk, has been carefully designed and crafted to produce a pleasing feel to the player and a stunning visual appearance for the audience.

Gabriele Damiani, Organist

The instrument delivers an amazing variety of timbres, from intimate strings and flutes to colourful solo combinations, from supportive foundation stops for choral singing to imposing full sound blasts. Once the ‘voicing’ process is complete and the sound finely adapted to the unique acoustics of its surroundings, this organ will be an indispensable part of the Teddies experience, leading school singing, supporting choirs and orchestras and no doubt inspiring generations of pupils to come. Organ students will be encouraged to play it, of course, giving them the thrill of

performing on a very large instrument, arguably the only one of its size, kind and quality in Oxford. I continue to feel very privileged to be the School Organist at this exciting time.’ Robert’s legacy to St Edward’s will be felt – and heard – by many, and we extend our thanks to Robert's mother and late father, and to his partner, Peter Bloor. The organ was produced by Phoenix Organs UK. The stop specification was devised by Gabriele based on the ‘English Cathedral’ model and is an exact copy of the organ in the St Edward’s Chapel.

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Warden-Elect

The Warden-Elect, Alastair Chirnside, his wife Zannah and their daughters Mary and Lizzie exploring the school grounds on one of their regular visits to Teddies. Alastair takes up his role as 14th Warden of St Edward's in September.

The Sound of Music

Music continued apace at Teddies last term. Pictured are Debbie Wong, Reine Lam, Charlie Hutton and Noah Palferman at quartet practice in the Weston Recital Room.

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Centre of Excellence Head of Communications Tracy van der Heiden talks to the man behind the name of the new Christie Centre, David Christie, who was Warden of St Edward's from 1988–2004.

What had you done before joining St Edward’s as Warden in 1988? I didn’t follow a conventional career path. I looked for interesting jobs in different educational environments. I worked in Sweden, Scotland, Luxembourg and England, each with a distinctive educational system. I taught in very large schools, small schools, in Higher Education, highly selective schools, schools with a broad intake, single sex and co-ed, state and independent. What made you apply to St Edward’s? I had an idea, distilled from my experiences, of what an excellent school would feel like. It would educate the whole child (hence a boarding model), be located in the midst of everyday life. It would not be bound by centuries of tradition; it would be as free as possible from national or local authority

control; and be well governed and financed. I felt that St Edward’s was as perfect a fit as it was possible to find, and I never saw any reason to leave. Of what are you most proud, professionally and personally? In my first year at St Edward’s, Barclays decided to phase out the excellent Goodenough and Barclay Scholarships which were open to children of staff at all levels in the bank. We sometimes had upwards of thirty on full fees – over £1.2m in today’s money and, importantly, they brought many qualities to the School. Replacing these very able pupils from a wide social background became imperative. You cannot have an “all round school” if the top end of academic ability is thin and if your pupils are drawn from too narrow a

background. It took a few years, and a lot of work, but we managed it. Going fully co-ed, of course, was an important step; and I was pleased with the effectiveness of the transition. That was a real team effort, involving teachers, Bursar and Governors, to achieve great change in our practices and infrastructure. Throughout my time, there was marvellous

David and his wife Elsa on the West Sands in St Andrews near their home

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for all pupils. It is satisfying to note that such a large number went on to become heads of other schools, many of which are very well known. More privately, I enjoyed being able to support my wife, Elsa, in re-establishing, as a charity, The Unicorn School for the Dyslexic Child, which has filled an important need in Oxfordshire. I am proud of our children. One is active in fighting climate change; another promotes inclusion and the Paralympic Movement; while the youngest, after ten years as a primary teacher in deprived areas, has retrained as a special needs teacher. What were the challenges of the time? The improvement in facilities was necessary and I was fully supported by the Governors and Bursar to carry these out. In a boarding school, House improvements can mean delaying improvements elsewhere of course, and it was a constant juggling act to establish priorities Very early in my time the authorities demanded that we massively upgrade the kitchens. This led to all sorts of unexpected problems, e.g. asbestos and rotten lead piping. These were very expensive to fix, which put a financial brake on other plans. One benefit, though, was

that we were able to ‘lose’ the old junior dining room, which was a horrible sight to behold. The space became a much-needed new staff common room. Keeping the school sustainable in economic recessions was a challenge, especially as a number of schools, sometimes with inducements, went hunting for pupils to bolster their numbers. Society’s attitudes were changing rapidly too, and positioning school policies could at times be very tricky – we could not be too far ahead or behind the times. Take the drugs policy. Throughout the independent system, schools took an uncompromising stance, fearful of seeming 'soft on drugs' with its reputational damage. Over the years these policies have evolved into a more pastoral/educational mode, without being 'soft on drugs'. Today’s school will be coping with COVID, and in the longer term its aftermath in terms of the nation’s finances. Add to that the fact that Brexit’s outcome is uncertain, and time will tell if the people were right to decide to leave. Life will be more difficult for the young generation and I wonder how schools will factor in these matters as they prepare pupils for their future.

David in his bookroom at home

support and challenge from Governors and highly professional Bursars. As co-ed blossomed it brought great changes to the School’s atmosphere. I felt it became a kinder place. A number of key appointments, particularly at Head of Department level, were critical in raising attainment standards

The Olivier Hall and the Christie Centre

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What were the highlights of your Teddies career? A constant highlight was watching the development of pupils in all sorts of areas, after all that’s why the school exists. I liked seeing shy, sometimes insecure, pupils thrive and go on to achieve more than they could ever have imagined, thanks to the pastoral care of dedicated teachers and others. As an example I think of one pupil, making no measurable progress in his state school. His parents pleaded with me to admit him. He was tested and found to be well below what we expected but he had something about him, so we agreed to take him on. His teachers persevered and he slowly blossomed. He is now a surgeon. Culturally, I think of Carmen, Kiss Me Kate, Death of a Salesman, South Pacific , Verdi and Fauré requiems. Some

I was Education Advisor to the Haberdashers’ Livery Company. In addition to its well-known independent schools it was a pioneer in the original Academies movement. The Academies did great work in deprived areas. Seeing these schools before becoming Academies underlined the shaming scandal of the gap between rich and poor in our country, and in our education system. This has not improved, in fact things have deteriorated, and all schools have a critical role to play in levelling up society. I am a Trustee of St Andrews Links Trust. We control and manage seven golf courses, including The Old Course, and stretches of coastline, including The Chariots of Fire beach. I’m a trustee of Friends of Panmure House, Adam Smith’s Edinburgh home. It promotes his thinking and not just the bits hijacked by certain politicians. I’m active in the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, playing as inconsistently as ever. We are keen gardeners, cultivating acid- loving plants and trees, lilies and some rare woodland plants, and have a great wee dog. Who would you name a building after? Perhaps a new building might be named after an inspiring woman, someone like Greta Thunberg or Malala Yousafzai. They are courageous role models who show that the old can learn from the young.

sensational soloists, brilliant art exhibitions - too many to mention. We know that we have nurtured some fine actors (both genders) musicians and artists, who have gone on to make a name for themselves. These things don’t happen by accident. One delightful highlight came when I stopped the Daily Telegraph cricket reporter leaving Upper One as he sensed Eton were going to beat us. I strongly recommended that he stay. He was not very pleased, but he was glad he did – we won in the end, and hit the headlines in his newspaper. On the sporting front, wins in the Princess Elizabeth Cup at Henley, some great rugby moments e.g. besting an un- beaten Wellington side, on their home ground, and seeing coach Paul Kitovitz perform a triumphant somersault on their hallowed turf! The fly-over of the Quad by the Spitfire and Lancaster bombers, one Sunday after Chapel, in the 1990s, which was very moving. The whole school was there and stood in silent awe as the planes of the Historic Flight flew over us. It was like a visit from Bader and Gibson.

What have you been doing since stepping down in 2004?

I’ve been very busy. I sat on the Board of Ecclesiastical Insurance until 2016, latterly as Deputy Chairman of the Board. That was very interesting and I enjoyed learning about City finance.

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Shweta Soni What do you do at Teddies and how long have you been here? I have been at Teddies since September 2020 as the Head of Learning Development, and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator. What did you do before? I have always been in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities sector, at both prep and senior school level, as a SEND teacher. For many years I have also run a private practice as a diagnostic assessor as well as offering programmes to enable those with specific learning differences (SpLD) to develop skills and confidence. Can you give a brief overview of our approach to Learning Development at Teddies? ​At Teddies, we see and define the pupils in terms of their abilities, not their difficulties. We strongly believe that pupils with learning differences are just as capable as any other learners but require strategies that can effectively overcome any barriers to learning. Pupils are therefore encouraged to book in time with the Learning Development Department as and when they require support. They are given a wide range of tools and strategies to overcome challenges in the classroom and teachers are made aware of needs and given guidance on how to give support through their teaching.  We have high aspirations for all our pupils and we do everything we can to ensure they are all confident enough to find pleasure in overcoming challenges – a key life lesson for success. Our approach is perhaps not typical. How do you reassure parents? We recognise that Shells often come to St Edward’s having received a wide range of support and a sudden transition to independence can be overwhelming. Therefore, in their first term, my team and I meet with all Shells, especially those who are already known to have an SpLD diagnosis.  Following the Shell screening in the Autumn Term, all teachers are made aware of the special educational needs of pupils in their classes. Senior schools are required to conduct their own assessments to identify exam concessions, so no exam concessions carry over from former schools. Pupils are encouraged to engage with classroom learning as normal and are carefully monitored and supported. It is interesting that many pupils often flourish without the concessions and in fact grow in confidence when they realise their true ability. However, the Shell screening certainly identifies any areas of significant difficulty and appropriate support is given and concessions will be granted to pupils who need them. What do you enjoy about your role? My role, very much like the Department itself, is unusual in many ways and this is something I really value. I am a consultant to the School, a facilitator and mentor to the pupils, a source of SEND expertise for teachers and an SpLD expert and a diagnostic assessor for parents. I value each of these roles and enjoy the variety of each day at Teddies.  Best advice you’ve ever been given? Be humble, patient and listen to everyone’s views. I am being given ample opportunity to put this into practice and I hope I can continue developing my own character while helping others.

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The Equality and Diversity Programme Last year, the Warden received a thoughtful and persuasive email from former pupils Alice Owen-Lloyd and Miriam Kremer. They attached a petition, signed by over 300 OSE and current pupils, calling for Teddies to review the curriculum to ensure that it is robustly anti-racist. Many discussions ensued, some including Alice and Miriam, and some within the Teddies community. The Warden and Governors subsequently appointed Margaret Lloyd, one of the School’s Deputy Heads, to coordinate a major and long-term evaluation of equality and diversity in all areas of school life. Below, she underlines the imperative need for this programme in 21st-century Britain and brings us up to date with progress made last term.

The George Floyd killing has prompted many demands for action and much public soul- searching. The UK has been complacent about racism – many older people will say that things have improved significantly, and in many respects that is correct, compared to the 1970s; but that does not mean that racism is “solved”. Many public figures are now openly talking about their own experiences, and there is clearly much still to do. Public schools have a very particular and potentially problematic position here – they must address their own history and traditions as part of the infrastructure of Empire as well as looking carefully at what happens within their communities now. I would like to stress that we embark on this journey with an open mind, but with a strong sense that St Edward’s faces no greater or lesser challenge in this area than any other school – or indeed wider society. When the Warden asked me to take the project on, my starting point was to look at

Harrison Wells and Alexander Barrington Brown, Social Justice Prefects

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three intertwined themes: understanding the extent and nature of racism in the School and defining strategies to address it; ensuring that our curriculum provides opportunities to hear diverse voices and explore issues around equality and diversity; and that the staff (particularly in pupil-facing roles) reflect more closely the diversity and internationalism within our pupil body. Of course we had to look at our policies and procedures and the data we collect and report, but much more important was to engage with the whole school community. We engaged a company called Flair Impact, racial inclusivity specialists, to carry out an online anonymous survey (for staff and pupils) on awareness of race issues and how much and what sort of racism is encountered at School. We followed up the results with senior pupils to dig deeper into how we can support pupils in “standing up” rather than “standing by” when they see race-inflected unkindness. The social justice prefects, Harrison Wells and Alexander Barrington Brown, have been excellent here, leading workshops for House year groups, speaking in assembly and using Teddies Instagram to raise awareness. Senior pupils have helped us to create scenarios for teacher training and we will use the same examples for pupil discussions in PSHE. It is really important to us that the drive to stamp out racism is being led by pupils, based on their experiences. A number of OSE have offered their support and we hope that we can invite some of them back to School in the near future to share their experiences. In the classroom, PSHE isn’t the only place where we can open up discussions about diversity and equality. Internationalism is an integral part of the IB curriculum, but we need to ensure that the same range of perspectives is available to all pupils and we will continue to look carefully at which syllabuses we choose to teach. We have the great advantage, of course, that in the Middle School years, we have our own courses where we control the content. This gives us tremendous opportunities to use current examples, as, for example, the Classics Department using Black Panther/ Chadwick Boseman in the unit on 'Heroes'. We are proud of our international outlook, but must honestly admit that we have struggled to attract a diverse workforce, particularly in pupil-facing

so we are almost certainly missing out on some very talented individuals. Alongside looking at how we present the School in recruitment advertisements and where we advertise, we are delighted to be working with Mindful Equity UK. They are dedicated to helping young women from ethnically diverse backgrounds get into teaching and then supporting them as they move into senior management. We want to help them to provide some of that support for early- career teachers, and we will be able to share more detail on our collaboration soon. Schools like ours have a rich history which will always be part of who we are, but we need to have the ability to look critically at the past and face up to uncomfortable truths and continue to improve our practices for current and future pupils and staff.

Margaret Lloyd, one of the School's Deputy Heads

roles – it is too often true that independent schools attract candidates who attended similar schools and have similar backgrounds,

. FarmAbility Pigs are a new addition to the Community Farm on

school grounds near the Boat House. Pupils regularly attend sessions hosted by the charity, FarmAbility, where they work alongside co-farmers with autism and learning disabilities. The young people enjoy working together on basic farm tasks such as painting the farm buildings, mucking out and, as Imogen Black demonstrates, brushing down the pigs, Asterix and Obelix.

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The Ballet Recital The Ballet Recital in December was as dazzling and impressive as ever. If you missed it, you can watch the whole performance on the Teddies Presents page under the What's On tab on the website.

Pictured are Clara Petrillo, Lily Helling, Macy Jilla, Freya Burdon, Paddy Smith, Zoe Forbes, Honor Tan, Tiggy Jones, Haruno Watanabe, Yukino Watanabe, Angus Graham and Theo Weldon.

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Side by Side In September, two new co-educational Houses opened at Teddies – Cooper Lodge, little by little as the lockdown-delayed construction work was completed, and Sing’s in its second incarnation as a co-ed House. Twenty years ago, Sixth Form girls were part of the Sing’s community during the school day, departing in the evening to their own accommodation on the Woodstock Road. Below, we hear reflections from pupils and staff on this thoroughly modern approach to boarding.

Cooper Lodge

Life in Cooper Lodge By Carolina Ramirez Cabal, Head of House Finally, after two years, I am happy to be the first Head of House in Cooper Lodge at the new site and with all year groups together. Last year, Cooper Lodge was spread across the school grounds, with Shells and Fourth Formers living in our temporary Cooper Lodge on Quad side, and Lower Sixth girls living in different Houses while Cooper Lodge was being completed. Coming together as one House, therefore, was a very special moment, and in what felt like only a short time, we had all become one House community.

Pupils of both genders and from different year groups spend time together and hang out in the common rooms. There is no awkwardness, so we don’t, for instance, have the Shells saying ‘Ooooh, girls!’ and running away from us! The House really is a close-knit family. We are all comfortable being together in House, and, as a result, lots of opportunities to try new things have emerged. For example, at the end of last term, we started a nightly ‘Just Dance’ online fitness session for Fifth and Sixth Form pupils. We all meet upstairs in one of the big common rooms, put ‘Just Dance’ on the screen, and simply have fun and get a bit of a workout before bed. After we started this activity, some of the boys said they wouldn’t have felt quite so comfortable joining in the dance routines in an all-boys’ House, which highlighted one of the true advantages of Cooper Lodge. We encourage each other to try new things in a supportive environment. The boys push the girls out of their comfort zone by being more outspoken and confident, while the girls also encourage the boys to be more creative and expressive. When I was approached to write this piece, I was asked what it’s been like to bring the co-ed Cooper Lodge community together for the first time. Honestly, it has been a complete joy and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the school year has in store for us!

Cooper Lodge HM Fergus Livingstone OSE

Michael Lavina Carter, Carolina Ramirez Cabal, Cheyenne Rahimian and Tom King in Cooper Lodge

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Life in Sing's Dr Jonathan Burbidge, Sing’s HM

Sophie Bell I joined St Edward’s in September in the Lower Sixth and I must admit that I was a little nervous when I was told that I would be joining Sing’s, which was getting ready to welcome Sixth Form girls after 20 years of being an all-boys’ House. I had mixed emotions all round as I didn’t know what to expect. I had come from an all-girls’ school and whilst I was excited about the prospect of moving to co-ed, it did feel daunting to be one of a small group of Lower Sixth girls moving in to the second co-ed House at Teddies alongside Cooper Lodge. But I can honestly say that from the moment Dr Burbidge put me in touch with the other girls, and we arrived and met up on our first day, I have never looked back! I really enjoy being on Field Side and I’m looking forward to the summer when we can spend more time outside. The distance between House and School creates a lovely atmosphere away from the main school site, so we can relax when back at House, and it feels separate from my studies. I am really enjoying the social aspect of House life at Teddies. Even during lockdown, Sing’s was still so much fun and so friendly. The other girls and I never had much of an interest in football, but we can all now give the boys a run for their money at FIFA! A big part of life at Teddies are the House events, most recently the People’s Chase and House Hockey. It is super fun to come together to support the whole House at different events. The common room is an important part of life in Sing’s, where everyone is able to hang out and spend time together, whether it be watching a movie, the rugby or football. I look forward to coming back to House on a Sunday night to see my friends before School starts again on Monday morning. I have made some great friends, both boys and girls. I’ve had an amazing experience so far and Dr Burbidge has organised some great events. Halloween was a very entertaining day. We played traditional Halloween games like apple bobbing and finding a sweet hidden in flour, and the House was decorated spookily. We carved pumpkins, and it was really fun to participate and come together as a House. I can’t recommend boarding enough and despite lockdown, I have had a great time. There is always someone to help with prep and support me or around just to have a chat; thank you Sing’s for welcoming girls!

Over 20 years since the last Sixth Form girls left Sing’s, we became co-ed once more in September with the arrival of Sixth Form boarding and day girls. The addition of boarding girls is a new chapter in the House’s co-ed history, and I could not be more thrilled with the warmth with which this forward step has been met. From the current boys, who have welcomed the new pupils faultlessly, to the new girls who have all been so positive in their approach to school life, each pupil has played their part in helping the House to navigate the change successfully. The addition of girls has cemented my belief that it is entirely productive and appropriate for boys and girls to work together. The House feels more homely than ever, and the girls, as well as the boys, have played their part in this. As a Housemaster, it is a wonderful thing to look back on a term filled with changes and challenges and feel only pride at the way in which your House community has responded. Indeed, Sing’s pupils, staff, and parents have all been instrumental in ensuring the House has maintained its foundations of warmth and kindness, now with renewed positivity and a progressive outlook.

Jonathan with wife Lizzy and their son William

Mashia Jaafari While Sing’s has always been a very welcoming and inclusive place, it was understandable that the prospect of Sixth Form girls joining was initially unknown territory for all of us. However, any hesitations faded as

the girls instantly became an integral part of the House. It was astonishing to see how easily they settled in and how quickly we became one community. The arrival of the girls also had a noticeable impact on the culture within Sing’s; there is a greater sense of acceptance and camaraderie, reinforcing the non- judgemental nature of the House. The diversity and collection of different personalities has always been a factor that has made Sing’s both an enjoyable and interesting place to live. Introducing girls into the House allowed this diversity to be amplified further and all of the different characters play a role in making the House special.

Josh Davies, Meara James, Sophie Bell and Zayn Tate in Sing's

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Laurence Olivier OSE

The stunning new Olivier Hall is named after Laurence Olivier OSE, the celebrated actor and director who was in Mac's from 1921–1924. Wilfrid Cowell, long-serving teacher and dedicated Shakespeare enthusiast, spotted Olivier’s potential from the outset, casting him in The Merchant of Venice in his very first term. Two years later, he cast him as Puck in a new interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream , staged in the Dining Hall – actors were allowed to leave the stage and mingle with the audience in a central aisle. It was here that ‘Puck danced down the passageway in the dark, a regular

Olivier went to drama school in London after St Edward’s, launching his professional career with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1926. Within a few years, he had enjoyed West End success in Noel Coward’s Private Lives at the Phoenix Theatre and secured a Broadway debut. After a first brief encounter with Hollywood, he returned in 1939 to play the tormented Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights , and international stardom followed. He went on to revitalise the Old Vic theatre, and to add stage and film directing to his portfolio, becoming the producer-director of the National Theatre in 1963. Olivier dominated the

Jack-o’-lantern, with two green lights shining from his breast’, a fact included in the official review in the Chronicle , which enthused: ‘By far the most notable performance was that of Puck. He seemed to put more “go” into it than the others and succeeded in individualising his part. He gave a consistent rendering, and showed by his gestures and movements that he has a knowledge of acting and a good mastery of technique.’

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British stage of the mid-20th century, and went on to appear in more than 50 cinema roles and countless TV productions. In 1981 he starred in John Mortimer’s A Voyage Round My Father for Thames Television, some of which, to the great excitement of the School at the time, was filmed at St Edward’s. Fittingly, one of the very first activities to take place in the new Olivier Hall was an Upper Sixth Drama lesson exploring A Midsummer Night's Dream as a masked mime (in keeping with the times). Pictured are Lottie Miller, Theo Weldon, Nia Willis and Ben Neville with Freya Burdon, centre, playing Puck.

Clockwise from above: in ITV’s Brideshead Revisited with Antony Andrews and Jeremy Irons in 1981; a post-war publicity shot; seated third from right in the middle row in the cast photo for A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1923; and as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights in 1939.

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Affection for Times Past Glancing through a pile of books being prepared for the move to the Christie Centre last term, the Warden made a wonderful discovery. He happened upon The Oliviers by Felix Barker, a biography of Laurence Olivier and his second wife, Vivien Leigh, published in 1953. Tucked inside the book were two original letters, reprinted below. Barker’s account of Olivier’s schooldays paints a fairly bleak picture. ‘It takes a special sort of talent to be popular and successful at a public school’, writes Barker – ‘To be different from the crowd is fatal.’ Olivier ‘had an eccentricity not calculated to endear him to the other boys. To be deeply religious was an

inexplicable and suspect deviation from the normal. A chap who actually enjoyed chapel was really beyond the pale!’ Olivier’s love of the theatre, though, was evident even then, and produced happier times. His aforementioned performance as Puck was much admired and, according to Barker, he once risked serious punishment by slipping out of School to visit the New Theatre in the centre of Oxford to see a play. It is wonderful now to have the letters which, as Olivier himself says, convey much more affection for Teddies than is palpable within Barker’s pages.

The entrance to the Olivier Hall

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Re-Dedicating the Fisher Field

On a blowy day back in February when the world was a very different place, a small party met at the Fisher Field to re-install a plaque commemorating the naming of the easternmost astro turf pitch after the seventh Warden of St Edward’s, Francis (Frank) Forman Fisher. Present were Charles Cooper OSE and his wife Gisela, Sir David Lewis OSE, Cassie Cooper, Jubilee Matron, and the Warden. The Field was originally opened by Charles’s father and Cassie’s grandfather, Graham Cooper OSE, in 1991.

Fisher in 1960

Fisher became Warden of St Edward’s in 1954, facing the unenviable task of succeeding the iconic Henry Kendall, who had been Warden for the preceding 29 years. Fisher knew the challenge was a huge one. Not only was he stepping into big shoes, but significant changes were necessary if the School were to grow its numbers and survive all the challenges of the post-war era. He more than rose to the circumstances, presenting Governors with a far-reaching development plan in 1956, recommending new boarding Houses, a new music school, a review of fees and an overhaul of pupils’ responsibilities and activities to reflect contemporary trends. Alongside a rise in academic standards, the School’s sporting achievements

Malcolm Oxley, former Sub-Warden and History Teacher at St Edward’s, as well as author of the School’s history, remembers Fisher thus, ‘In his dealings with teachers and pupils he had a relaxed demeanour which was simultaneously conveyed with a striking sense of natural authority. Efficient, decisive and business- like one moment, he could be surprisingly humorous and caring the next. One felt he knew every boy in the School, and he did.’ Fisher left St Edward’s to become Master of Wellington College in 1966. He died in November 1986 and at his funeral in the St Edward’s Chapel, the then Warden of Radley, Dennis Silk, said in his address, ‘He loved Teddies to the core of his being.’ Graham Cooper OSE was a pupil in Segar’s from 1931–7, becoming Senior Prefect and Captain of Rugby, Hockey and Athletics. He went on to serve as an exceptional Governor of St Edward’s from 1947–93, and as Chairman from 1973–85. The Chronicle of 1991 reports that Graham had been cheated by traffic problems of opening a quadrangle in his name in 1987, and so it was pleasing that he was able to officiate at the opening of the Fisher Field a few years later. The Cooper Quadrangle is now home to the Art and Design Departments, the Bursary and the Maths Department and, having been the location for the temporary Cooper Lodge, gave its name to the new House. Cooper's, the Sixth Form common room, is also named after him. With many thanks to Archivist Chris Nathan for the historical information herein.

blossomed under Fisher. The Boat Club won the Princess Elizabeth Cup at Henley for the first time in 1958, surpassing itself by winning it again the following year. In 1960, both the 1st and 2nd XV were unbeaten for a whole season, a feat never before achieved. The Harriers won the prestigious Parrish Cup three years running from 1961–3.

The Warden, Cassie Cooper, Sir David Lewis OSE, Gisela Cooper and Charles Cooper OSE

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Above and Beyond Head of Communications Tracy van der Heiden caught up with Director of Development and Partnerships Rachael Henshilwood to discover what’s on the horizon for her growing team.

You run a team with the wonderful name of Beyond Teddies – what do you and your colleagues do? My colleagues and I in the Beyond Teddies team look after three important areas of school life: community, partnerships and fundraising, and we have a vision – it is to inspire our community to engage on a personal level with St Edward’s, to learn from each other, to encourage new or existing interests, to make new friends and, importantly, to have fun. In turn we strive to encourage everyone to want to support the School in whatever form that might take, perhaps by donating time, expertise or funds. Tell us more about partnerships. Teddies has always had a proactive programme of supporting our local community. My team and I now want to develop this programme further to offer even more meaningful educational and personal development opportunities, both for our pupils and our partners. In a successful partnership programme, all participants should benefit, and this is true of a lot of our work with local primary schools, youth groups and charities. Now we are keen to use impact measurement as a strong basis for expanding our activities.

Why are these partnerships so important to the School? Because education is changing. The partnerships programme, which used to be seen as an add-on to the core business of education, should now be seen as vital preparation for our pupils’ adult lives. Employers are not just looking for people with stellar academic skills, they also want emotional intelligence, cultural understanding and empathy. In our community partnership programme, pupils are learning how to interact and communicate with people from all backgrounds whose life circumstances can be very different from their own. What’s in store for the partnership programme? I’m currently working with Lauren Bray, English Teacher and Partnerships Coordinator to refresh our school charity initiative so that pupils can identify and support specific projects of importance to them and the local community. We are currently working with Asylum Welcome, Endeavour Academy and Oxford Gatehouse on potential projects specifically for this initiative which will involve a Dragon’s Den type of presentation with pupils helping not just by raising funds but also in the delivery of the project, working in partnership

with the chosen charity. If anyone has links to local organisations where there is clear partnership potential and appetite I would be delighted to talk to explore opportunities further. You can read more about some of our recent partnerships on pages 24-27.

‘It used to be believed that if you come out of school with GCSEs and A Levels, go to a Russell Group University and come out with a 2:1, all will be well. But that deal is now breaking down. It is striking how many employers are moving to be qualifications blind. In other words, employers are saying, well, actually, a 2:1 from a Russell Group is no longer a proxy for the sort of people we’re looking for. Employers are looking for people who can problem solve, who’ve got initiative, and who can work in teams – all these qualities also make for a more fulfilling life for the individual irrespective of where they’re employed. We want to be creative, we want to be human, we want to be interacting with people in different ways’. PETER HYMAN, CO-DIRECTOR OF BIG EDUCATION, SPEAKING AT A CHARTERED COLLEGE OF TEACHING EVENT IN NOVEMBER.

The Beyond Teddies team from left to right: Rachael Henshilwood, Director of Partnerships

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Community has always been at the heart of Teddies. What plans do you and your team have to strengthen the bonds between all members of our micro-society? There are so many ways for us to connect these days that the bonds are strengthening all the time. We ran a lively series of virtual events last term which will continue this term and beyond, so all our parents, no matter where they live, can personally benefit from their connection to the school, not just through their children. We also look forward to getting back to in-person

Teddies is always looking to the future and no doubt your fundraising skills will be required as plans are developed. Yes, you’re right – we have tremendous ambitions. It would not be appropriate to rely on fees to fund these ambitions, since fees are dedicated to providing the best possible education for the pupils in our care. To do everything we want to do, we do need support from our community. Our fundraising focus for the immediate future is to increase bursary provision so that we can make a Teddies education available to as wide a group of young people as possible and indeed to support those

events, as circumstances allow. There are global connections forged through social media, careers guidance, internship opportunities and professional networking events as well as local connections via our partnership programmes. One of the strengths of an institution like Teddies is that the relationships and networks developed at School can last a lifetime. Perhaps in the past, teams like mine at schools like ours have focused on what individuals can do to support the school, but our outlook now is more about how we can all support each other.

Emma Grounds, Database and Gifts Manager, David Smart, President of the St Edward's School Society and Legacy Manager, Emily Rowbotham, Community Manager, and Development, John Wiggins, Honorary Secretary to the Society and Maths Teacher, and Zoe Baker, Development Administrative Assistant.

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within our community whose lives have been catastrophically affected by the pandemic. We are also keen to see how we might make the Field Side of our campus work more effectively for all, but more on that in the months ahead. Too often fundraising is hampered by awkwardness but I genuinely love asking people for money! It’s because I believe passionately in the difference philanthropic support can make to our community and our The Friends’ Virtual Book Club Jen Walker, Chair of the Friends’ Committee, writes: The Friends’ virtual Book Club was launched in November, when we had a fantastic turn out with over 30 parents and staff plus the author, Cara Hunter, who joined us to discuss her debut novel, Close to Home . Following the success of our first meeting, we are delighted that our second virtual Book Club will take place on Thursday 14th January when we will be reviewing I Love You Too Much by Alicia Drake, who will also join us for the event. I Love You Too Much is a novel of extraordinary intelligence and heart, a devastating story told from the side-lines of Parisian perfection. It is a coming of age story of a lonely 13-year-old boy and his turning point into adolescence. Set in a postcard-perfect Paris, the city is gradually dissected to expose the ugly innards of a modern family. We follow Paul, lonely and lovestruck, as his fragile real and fantasy worlds unravel whilst his mother laments a lost youth rather than the lost child in plain sight. Please do join us and RSVP to friends@stedwardsoxford.org . Full details including the Zoom link can be found on the Friends’ section of the website (top right on the home page).

School - through our Bursary programme, through our partnership projects and in allowing us to share our fantastic facilities with our wider community. Picking up on the community engagement theme, parents will be very interested to hear what’s in store for the Friends of St Edward’s in 2021. What should they look out for this year? The pandemic restrictions have had a positive impact in boosting virtual

beat the Warden’s! We hope to bring back, as soon as we are able to, our ‘Teddies Talks’ professional networking events in London, next time focusing on Finance. Our last one was on Property and joined together Upper Sixth interested in this industry, parents and OSE for a highly entertaining evening with lots of opportunities for networking. Finally, the School is very grateful that the Friends of St Edward’s have taken on running the Uniform Exchange, an invaluable resource for parents, which will re-launch this term – see below.

What sort of programme do you run for former pupils of the School? You have

engagement and our ambition is to keep this going – we are very keen to hear from readers about what they might like to be involved with. In the meantime, there’s still time to register for our next virtual book club for the Friends

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very recent OSE and former pupils who were at the School decades ago. How do you keep such a diverse group of people

engaged – and connected with each other and the current School? With the range of ages and interests in our OSE community we have to be creative with the events and activities we run. My ambition

of St Edward’s and staff on Thursday 14th January at 6.30pm – see left. We will have our annual quiz in February, this year bigger than ever as it can be remote so do think about pulling together a team that might finally

The Uniform Exchange is back! With thanks to the Friends’ Committee, who have taken over the running of this important and environmentally-friendly community service, the Uniform Exchange will now be donated directly to the Bursary Fund and you will find a price list on the Friends’ section of the website. We will also

be offering an exchange facility so if you simply need a bigger blazer do bring your old one in, and, if it’s of similar quality, we will do a straight swap. Equally, if you have clean uniform items that you would like to donate, generating much needed funds for bursaries, please leave them with Facilities Reception on South Parade labelled Uniform Exchange.

is opening its doors again this term. If there is anything you are short of please do email uniformexchange@ stedwardsoxford.org and we will check stock and arrange a time for you to visit. Due to current restrictions we will be operating a strict appointment only system. Any proceeds generated by the Exchange

Charlie Hutton, Mikhail Myachin, Siena Garman and Poppy Luttrell-Hunt

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is that the school can still be relevant in the lives of a 20 year old at university, a 45 year old at work and for our retirees. We aim to support and include our OSE in the wider life of the School no matter where they are on their life journey. Our programme ranges from video guides and interactive webinars from our youngest alumni at universities in the UK and abroad through to professional networking events in London and family afternoon teas in front of the cricket on Upper 1 – and everything in between! One of the highlights of the past year was hosting lunch in Edinburgh with Deputy Head Academic Matthew Albrighton and Honorary Secretary to the St Edward's School Society John Wiggins where we welcomed 12 female OSE undergraduates alongside ten slightly older gentlemen OSE, all of whom had a wonderful time exchanging stories of the differences – and similarities! – in their respective experiences of Teddies. More Dates for the Diary The virtual Book Club on 14th January (see page 22) launches a lively season of Friends’ events for the Spring Term. All parents, staff, OSE and former parents are automatically members of the Friends of St Edward’s so please do join in as many events as you can – it’s a great way to connect with the School and each other. A Wellness Wednesday Workshop hosted by parent and Friends’ committee member Alice Scales takes place on 27th January and will give you invaluable tips and techniques to focus on your goals for 2021 as well as help you develop a toolkit to deal with day-to-day challenges. Alice will advise on useful organisational tools to reduce stress and will also emphasise the importance of having a daily dose of fun – what a great way to start the new year! Looking ahead, our very first virtual Magic Show will take place at the end of February and our virtual Family Quiz will be held on 18th March so there’s a great deal to look forward to. Follow the Friends’ new Instagram account @teddies_friends for reminders about all these events – and much more from our busy Friends’ team.

Community Prefect Leo Wilson and OSE Prefect Thomas Turner at November's Service of Remembrance

How much can pupils become involved in the work of your Beyond Teddies team? In countless ways. The partnership programme is all about them – giving them opportunities to learn and to grow. We have two dedicated Prefects who are a vital link with the pupil body. Leo Wilson is our Community Prefect and Thomas Turner is our OSE Prefect (see above). It’s fantastic to meet with them regularly and hear their views on school life. For Sixth Formers, we work closely with Head of Careers Education James Vaughan Fowler and are able to offer our Teddies Talks networking events which often lead to opportunities for the all-important internships and work experience placements. We do a great deal but there is much more we want to develop in this area. We’ve recently made changes to our Bursary Programme to make fee assistance more widely available. From this year, any pupil applying to St Edward’s is eligible to apply for means-tested fee support. Why is this so important to St Edward's? If we could wave a magic wand, Teddies would be needs-blind. We want to make a Teddies education available to as many

young people as possible irrespective of their parents’ financial means. This is not just about philanthropy but the social education all our children receive just from their interaction with each other. So much that is important about education today doesn’t happen just in the classroom but on the sports pitch, in the orchestra and in Houses. This has to be one of the key strengths of a vibrant boarding school, setting our pupils up so they will be able to interact effectively and relate well to people they will work with in their future. If we can welcome more pupils from a variety of backgrounds, the whole community will benefit. Have you got a final message for the Teddies community? There are so many ways to get involved – we are in the process of creating a really exciting programme for the benefit of the whole community and I would love anyone who would like to get involved to get in touch.

Contact Rachael and the Beyond Teddies team at henshilwoodr@stedwardsoxford.org