St Edward's Chronicle October 2016

5 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Weekends Elsewhere in the research, weekends were under the spotlight. Some parents wanted more events on Saturdays and Sundays (whilst others wanted their children to have a rest from the breakneck pace of timetabled activities), and a number of parents expressed a wish for greater flexibility on Saturday nights. We will be looking at both these issues in further detail this year. New day arrangements The new day arrangements came into force at the start of term, and it is interesting that most of our day pupils are choosing to stay until 9.00pm. We are pleased to offer flexibility to parents – particularly those who live some way from St Edward’s – but we are equally delighted that the strong bonds between day and boarding pupils – a hallmark of Teddies – mean that their habit of spending evenings together is proving a hard one to break. Sport Sport will continue to be a big part of school life. All pupils regularly participate in a wide range of sports as part of the weekly routine. In particular, this year, we aim to maintain our current reputation as one of the top cricketing schools in the country, and to build our substantial record in both boys’ and girls’ rowing. Music The official opening of the Music School in March will be very special. Brass, Close Harmony, Chamber and Modern Jazz groups will perform in the new Recital Room, and Upper Sixth soloists will sing a Bach cantata with the Chamber Orchestra. Both Chapel Choirs will sing the Pizzetti Requiem Mass for Remembrance in November which will be wonderfully atmospheric. OSE have a chance to come back to Teddies for a Choral Weekend in April – they’ll be singing Tallis’s 40-part Motet, Spem in Alium , which will be dazzling. Plus we have termly rock soc gigs and a really exciting Close Harmony weekend activity for pupils involving well- known groups from Oxford University. Finally Amidst all these developments, one thing hasn’t changed – and on this matter I am absolutely firm: our belief in St Edward’s as a broad entry school with a diverse community. During the recent research, parents and pupils told us that the size of

coming months. At the top of that list is a review of the tutoring system. It was clear from the research that whilst tutoring itself is highly regarded, tutors’ communication with parents has not been up to the mark. We’ve already done quite a bit of work on this internally and parents should begin to feel the difference this term.

the School, its atmosphere, the excellent relationships between pupils and staff – and between pupils across year groups – are what make Teddies special. ‘We look after each other’, is how one Sixth Former put it; we value this above all else.

Carlo Graeser ( Kloskr Schaeftlarn Gymnasium ), Caris Baker ( Dragon ), Billy Sallitt ( Horris Hill ) and Alanna McCrum ( Jumeirah College )

Cover picture: the front cover of this special music edition features Sixth Former Ella Davis whose profile appears on page 16.

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@TeddiesGeog @TeddiesAJW Teddies TV Tune in for our latest films: The Steeplechase, The Shell Year, The Dance Showcase, Teddies at the Fringe and Summer at the North Wall – all not to be missed. www.stedwardsoxford.org