Chronicle January 2021

2 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

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.

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