St Edward's Chronicle Summer 2018

1 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE CHRONICLE SUMMER 2018 | VOLUME XXXVIII | NUMBER 676

A Modern Education The Quad Development rises up to embrace our academic culture

Boy to Man Mike Stanfield’s long association with Teddies

The Social Network 10 years of the Friends of St Edward’s

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Word from the Warden

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

The cannon fired at the end of Gaudy signalled the beginning of an exciting period of development at Teddies – and a hive of activity on the Quad. Contractors are busy laying the groundwork for the start of our project to create a new Study Centre, Library and Hall. At the same time, we are active behind the scenes planning our new co-ed House on Field Side. Both projects are scheduled for completion by 2020. It is a huge honour to be leading the school through this pivotal moment in its history. The Quad Development will create university-level facilities specifically designed to support our increasingly successful academic programme. The new Hall, big enough to allow our growing community to come together for countless functions and events, will be a stunning addition to our campus.

Alongside pictures of our major projects, this issue of the Chronicle brings you an in-depth interview with our former Chairman, Mike Stanfield OSE, who remains a Governor and is Chair of The North Wall Trust; a piece celebrating the global 50th anniversary of the International Baccalaureate Diploma; a review of the first 10 years of the Friends of St Edward’s; and all the sunny highlights of the Summer Term and Gaudy Week. I wish you an enjoyable and restful August.

@BeyondTeddies @TeddiesRowing @TeddiesKendall @TeddiesCorfe @TeddiesJubilee @TeddiesMacs

St Edward’s School is registered in England and Wales as a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered No. 116784.

@TeddiesCowells @TeddiesSegars @TeddiesRhubarb @TeddiesMartyrs @TheNorthWall Teddies TV Tune in for the latest films: The Quad Development, Sport 2018, Gaudy Week and Cricket at Teddies. www.stedwardsoxford.org Registered Office: Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 7NN. Registered Charity No. 309681.

Stephen Jones

The front cover (by Blink Image) shows an artist’s impression of the new Study Centre and Library under construction on the east side of the Quad.

Coat of Arms Investiture

Richard Venables OSE, High Sherriff of Oxfordshire; Sir David Lewis OSE; John Michael Allen-Petrie, Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms; the Warden; and Tim Stephenson, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, at the investiture of a new Coat of Arms for St Edward’s School in June. Read more on page 15.

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Towards 2020 Education is changing and St Edward’s is growing. To prepare for the future, work has begun on two major projects. On the east side of the campus, work is underway on the substantial Quad Development featuring a new Study Centre, Library and Hall. On Field Side, we are preparing to build our first co-ed House. Both projects are designed by TSH Architects and are due to be complete by 2020.

Blink Image

The most significant development at St Edward’s for over 100 years, the new facilities in the Quad project respond directly to the way in which education is changing. Gone are the days when pupils sat quietly in rows, writing down what the teacher said, raising their hands to speak. Classrooms at St Edward’s are now lively, busy places where the pupils debate, discuss and question – and learn as

much from each other and their own research as they do from their teachers. The new academic facilities have been designed to address explicitly the modern requirement for flexible, varied work spaces. Great emphasis has been placed on encouraging collaboration and group-work, vital components of classroom practice at St Edward’s.

“Teddies is a place of strong and growing academic ambition. We are about to cast that ambition in stone, brick and glass.” Chris Jones, Chair of Governors

The Quad Development comprises: • A modern, busy Library, where the latest technology will be available alongside the book-lined shelves. The technology is designed to support collaboration and human interaction

• A café area where pupils can work on their own with their laptop or come together in informal groups for discussion and planning. • An elegant, top-floor Reading Room for quiet research, study and reflection. The architecture draws heavily on the best of Oxford University’s libraries – and is designed to be as inspiring as possible.

• A stunning new oval-shaped Hall with seating for 1,000 – so that our growing community can come together on a regular basis, for assembly, performances, meetings, exams and countless other functions. • Flexible classrooms which can be configured for large or small groups. • A new Higher Education and Careers Department.

rather than detract from it – pupils will be encouraged to talk to each other and to share their work.

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TSH Architects TSH Architects

Towards 2020

Just released is this first image (above) of the new co-ed Boarding House being built on Field Side. The House will continue the east to west axis of Jubilee and Kendall, and will overlook Chestnut. We are delighted to welcome the advance guard for this House at the start of term when a group of Shell boys will join HM Fergus Livingstone OSE (pictured) in Cooper Lodge. ‘We are going to be a gang of Shells next year, all boys to start with. For the first two years, we shall be small compared to the other Houses, but we will want to have a go at everything’.

An aerial view of the Quad Development

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TSH Architects Blink Image

Towards 2020

See the Quad Development cleverly brought to life in a new video on Teddies TV

The Hall

The Reading Room

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Guy Gibson OSE featured alongside many other distinguished former pupils of the School in a hugely successful exhibition at The North Wall in July: The Dambusters and Beyond: Celebrating the RAF .

Planning Ahead With the help of Rev Kerr and RS Teacher Dr Mallaband, Naoki Kishida has been exploring the idea of school chaplaincy as a career. He preached in Chapel last term, and also taught a weekly Ethics class to a Shell group.

Angus Forbes Angus Forbes visited the School in June to talk to pupils about his work with Nessun Dorma, a group campaigning for global governance of the biosphere. Angus presented his case with aplomb, combining music and visuals with highly evocative facts and figures, clearly demonstrating the need for an authority capable of protecting the natural world.

The complexities and implications of continuing the status quo were laid starkly before us, with 52% of rain forests removed, 90% of large fish and whales having disappeared and 7.5m elephants killed, leaving just 450,000, all since 1950. Angus began his career in the City, where he worked in various roles for 20 years. He founded Bankers without Boundaries in 2014.

Anna Fielding

Go Outdoors

A Fourth Form DofE group on their Silver Qualifying Expedition on Exmoor in June. Yok Pumapanich, Jazzy Lewis, Isabella Sheppard- Capurro, Pim Kanthamanon, Lucy Farrer-Brown and Linda Wang are pictured at the top of Hurlstone Point overlooking Porlock Bay.

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Girls’ Cricket Last term saw the very successful launch of a girls’ cricket programme at Teddies. A full report on all the action at the crease for both boys and girls will appear in the autumn edition of the Chronicle .

The Segar’s annual Prefect Training Trip to Swanage during the June Leave Weekend was another great success. The trip consisted of coasteering, climbing, cooking over a fire, and (thanks to the sublime weather) sleeping under the stars. The boys returned to School Prefects Elect

that little bit closer together as a group, ready to lead the House from September, and more appreciative of some of the luxuries in life. Many thanks to Simon Roche, Gavin Turner and Julie Richens for so valiantly putting themselves through the same experiences.

Thank you Pupils have been helping out at nearby Northern House Primary School since January providing arts and crafts activities for a class of nine and 10 year olds. The Teddies team hosted a picnic for the children at the end of term and were delighted to receive this card.

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50 Years of the International

at alternatives. A core group including then-Governor, Peter Oppenheimer, and academic staff such as Richard Pleming (who went on to several Headships, including Charterhouse), Sarah Kerr-Dineen (now Head of Oundle) and James Cope (now Deputy Head Pastoral) wanted to shore up our educational offering as A Levels faced a slightly uncertain future. Back then, our now established academic ethos was emerging from long years of unchallenged tradition, and the refreshingly broad, international values of the IB chimed with the early thinking of our research group. What has its Teddies trajectory been? We started in 2008 with 25 pupils. As with any new venture, there then followed a period during which the numbers went up and down as pupils and their families got to grips with the new qualification. It was counter-intuitive to many to suddenly launch into the substantial workload of six subjects, plus an Extended Essay, a course in the Theory of Knowledge, and the requirement to demonstrate sustained commitment to creative, active and service activities. The IB found a natural home at Teddies. This has not been true for all schools. Several very famous schools

Baccalaureate Diploma Celebrating its 50th anniversary worldwide, the IB Diploma Programme has been under a doubly bright spotlight at Teddies as we mark our own 10-year milestone of offering the global qualification. Below, we speak to the Warden, Stephen Jones, and Deputy Head Academic, Matthew Albrighton, about the IB, A Levels and the Teddies academic ethos.

What is the IB? The Diploma represents a unified

We chose to offer it alongside A Levels because it is intellectually rigorous, broad in scope, international in outlook – and completely absorbing and engaging. It’s relatively unusual to offer both. What made the School introduce it in the first place? Around 12 years ago, when A Levels were going through a number of changes, we were one of many schools who looked around

approach to education irrespective of subject boundaries – it is a way of seeing learning, not a set of individual syllabuses. It was designed in the 1960s to be a complete curriculum with the aim of developing ‘inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect’.

The IB team: Anna Fielding, Assistant IB Diploma Coordinator and CAS Coordinator (IB Diploma Coordinator from October); Alastair Summers, IB Coordinator (until October); Paula Diaz Rogado, Theory of Knowledge Coordinator and Head of Community Service; Jason Clapham, Extended Essay Coordinator and Head of English; and Sarah Eldred, Research Coordinator and School Librarian.

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We’ve focused on the IB in its anniversary year – but what of A Levels? We are absolutely committed to choice. It is relatively unusual to find a school like ours with equal emphasis on A Level and IB. The choice is important to us because different pathways suit different pupils. Each pupil will be given advice based on their learning preferences and their university or career aspirations. Pupils have their own views too – and we listen to them. We will tell a pupil and his or her family if we think they’re making the wrong choice – but of course it is up to them. What do universities think? Both are equally valued. In a wider context, universities take so many people from so many different backgrounds. They’re dealing with the French Bacc, the European Bacc, American qualifications etc – they are very used to a wide range of indicators. There are nuances, though. The IB is good for US and Canadian universities; in the UK, there are universities who particularly like the IB. David Howells, Head of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Bath said at the recent Festival of Education: ‘The University of Bath now has 10% of undergraduates from IB and the offers have been changed to encourage IB applications. The University sees great qualities in what IB brings to students’. Equally, for some subjects, such as Maths, Physics and Engineering, A Level might be an advantage.

dabbled and then moved away from the IB. Perhaps because the School’s own values were shifting and finding an obvious platform in the IB, the growth since those early days has been phenomenal. In May, our biggest ever cohort of 76 pupils – 50% of the year group – took to the exam hall. Why has the IB done so well at Teddies? An interesting point about the way in which the growth has happened at Teddies is that our own pupils are choosing to study the IB. The IB is an international qualification so, inevitably, huge numbers of young people from all over the world who wish to study in the UK opt for the IB so they end up with a qualification they can take to pretty much any university in the world. This is not how the IB has grown here. We put a huge amount of thought, time and effort into helping our Fifth Form make the choice between A Level and IB. Through around 20 different events, meetings or discussions, pupils and their families look at the options on many different levels – through the coaching system, in Tutor and HM meetings, in Careers Education sessions, in individual House meetings, in Head of Year meetings and in briefings from both of us – pupils have every opportunity to understand what’s on offer and to work out where their individual pathway lies.

Shiri Heffetz OSE ‘The IB is diverse, challenging and encouraged me to read on a wide variety of topics. It led me to study in a great university, and to have resilience towards exams intense. It was a wonderful opportunity to explore in the full sense of the word.’ Shiri, who left St Edward’s in 2013, is currently studying for a Masters in Maths and Computer Science at Oxford University. Are you fully committed to both for the foreseeable future? Yes. The Teddies academic ethos is about enabling each individual pupil to navigate their own route. Pupils need to be aware of their own particular challenges and must seek strategies to address them. The coaching process is where this individual attention and guidance comes to the fore. Offering A Level and IB is fundamental to our belief that pupils have different strengths and different aspirations. What will the new Quad Development bring to the academic life of the School? The Development is hugely important – and not just in architectural terms. It gives us an opportunity to embed in physical form aspects of our learning culture. To shape the design, architects met with pupils to understand how they engage in learning. Some like privacy and quiet, some like autonomy, and some are fuelled by the camaraderie of collective working, either quietly, or through debate and discussion. All these learning approaches are catered for in the new Study Centre, Library and Reading Room. There is more than a passing nod to university-style working, and this is deliberate. We are preparing our pupils for the next stage of their education. since the examination schedule for the IB is

Miranda Stewart OSE ‘When I went to Exeter University I remember my head of department asking to shake my hand for having done the IB as he was so impressed. He said it was a better broader education and he always preferred IB students’ attitude to studying. The IB has opened more doors for

me, giving me more choices for my future. In my day to day life, the IB has given me a wider breadth of knowledge (for example, in English we studied six books, some of which were international). It is a great education because it feeds your knowledge in subjects that will help you beyond school like Science, Maths and Languages even if you are not naturally skilled at these.’ Miranda, who left St Edward’s in 2011, works for a branding company in London and continues to practise her art in her spare time.

Read about this year’s IB results on page 11.

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CCF Inspection We were delighted to invite Air Marshal Sir Christopher Harper KBE to inspect the Guard of Honour at this year’s CCF Inspection in April. The following prizes were awarded: Sgt Oliver Ferneyhough, Army, Sword of Honour; Sgt Robert McKersie, RAF, Sword of Honour; Sgt Huw Neville, Army, Wakeling Stick; CPO Thomas Glover, Navy, Sultan Award; and Cpl Ella Davis, RAF, Hopes Award. Commendation Awards were presented to: Cpl Danielle Lim, Army; Sgt Eleanor Bates, Army; Cpl Jack Verschoyle, Army; Cpl Kian Akhavan, RAF; Cpl Nick Elliott, RAF; and Cpl Yves Rowe, RAF.

Rev Charlie Kerr

Past and present Sacristans gathered to say goodbye to Rev Charlie Kerr who leaves to become Chaplaincy Advisor for the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education after 11 years at the School. Pictured below are Abby Hughes OSE, Rhuari Binning OSE, San Ittipakorn, Naoki Kishida, Tim Hohage, Thomas Glover, Chang Lu, Anessa Komarova and Anna Millar.

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IB Results 2018 The 50th anniversary of the IB was celebrated in style at St Edward’s with pupils posting a strong set of results from the School’s biggest ever cohort: 76 pupils representing 50% of the year group. A point score of 40 or above equates to a string of A* and A grades at A Level.

The following pupils are to be congratulated on outstanding results: Jack Riddick , 43, St Andrews, Philosophy Armela Lasku , 42, Oxford, Law Molly van der Heiden , 42, Bristol, Medicine Natalya Meade , 42, UCL, Modern Languages Campbell Nelson , 42, St Andrews, Chemistry Maddie Luke , 41, Exeter, English and Modern Languages John de Pauw , 41, Warwick, International Management Oliver Tao , 41, Edinburgh, International Relations and Law Flora Lloyd , 40, Edinburgh, Applied Sports Science Valery Orlova , 40, Imperial, Biomedical Sciences Georgia Paymaster-Billington , 40, Edinburgh, French and Spanish Willa Robertson , 40, St Andrews, Geography Jack Verschoyle , 40, UCL, Philosophy Pasha Tinkov , 39, University of Southern California Nick Elliott , 39, Amsterdam University College Barnabas Fletcher , 39, Bristol, History Cerelia Caesar , 39, UCL, Biochemistry Becky Topping , 38, Bristol, English and Philosophy Jamie Galbraith , 38, Leeds, French and History Annabelle Parkhouse , 38, Imperial, Medicine The IB was introduced at St Edward’s in 2008. In the 2018/19 academic year, some 65% of our Sixth Formers will be studying the IB. Please note that destinations listed are based on the latest information available. Plans often change, so please do notify the School of any inaccuracies via vanderheident@stedwardsoxford.org .

The Warden said, ‘I am absolutely delighted with this year’s results. The IB has been embraced by Teddies pupils and it is truly heartening to see so many young people opting for the IB’s substantial workload. The qualification’s breadth and rigour is rightly valued by universities, and our pupils learn a great deal from the IB’s extra dimension – the creative, action and service components. What is important at St Edward’s, of course, is that pupils have a choice. We are firmly committed to offering both A Level and IB in the Sixth Form so that pupils can work to their strengths and choose their own pathway.’ Continuing the trend of looking beyond the UK for university studies, we understand that Nicola dei Rossi will study at the University of California, Berkeley; Nick Elliott at Amsterdam University College; Jenny Hu at the University of California, Los Angeles; Greg Laurent Josi at Bocconi University in Milan; Louis Leger at Boston University; Ayo Sule at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design; and Pasha Tinkov at the University of Southern California.

Jack Riddick scored 43 points out of the maximum 45 and will read Philosophy at St Andrews. Armela Lasku scored 42 points and will now take up her place at Oxford University to study Law. Two pupils, Molly van der Heiden and Annabelle Parkhouse, secured places to study Medicine: Molly with 42 points will study at Bristol and Annabelle with 38 points at Imperial. Natalya Meade and Campbell Nelson also scored 42 points: Natalya will study Modern Languages at UCL and Campbell, Chemistry at St Andrews.

Oliver Tao and Georgia Paymaster-Billington.

Armela Lasku with her parents on results day.

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Shell Trip to Brecon

Shells enjoyed a hot and active trip to the Brecon Beacons at the end of their first year at the School once Shell exams were over. Pictured below are, among others, Oliver Bilgutay, Ben Topping, Rosie Perkins, Connie Jones and Tabitha Emmott.

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Watch a lively video of the Brecon trip made by Ned Stewart OSE on Teddies TV

Nick Coram-Wright

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Simon Palferman What do you do at Teddies and how long have you been at the School? I began teaching part-time in the Classics Department here in September 2013, when this year’s Upper Sixth leavers were brand-new Shells. I then left the school temporarily before re-joining fulltime in September 2015. Since then I tutored in Jubilee for a year and latterly spent two fantastic years as AHM in Segar’s. I also run squash at the School. Where were you before? I spent six years teaching in high school in Japan and another seven years working in overseas development organisations which aimed to improve education and child welfare in some of the most impoverished parts of the world. What are you most looking forward to about becoming a Housemaster? I am looking forward to getting to know the boys in House and to helping them navigate routes through their teenage years rather less haphazardly than I managed myself. Name some highlights from your Teddies career so far. I have so many specific fond memories which include proudly watching individual pupils perform brilliantly on stage, in the classroom, on the squash court and at major school events. But I think my absolute highlights have been the informal moments which occur unexpectedly and spontaneously in the course of the routine academic and pastoral life of the School: pupils have an amazing tendency to disarm with their humour, their insights and their creativity, and these are the moments It reflects reality! If we can provide our pupils with anything during their time at a school – beyond just an appropriately impressive set of academic qualifications – it must surely be the ability to function and thrive in life beyond the Quad, where variety and diversity exist. I spent three years of my school days in an all-boys environment. I still haven’t fully recovered. What are you most looking forward to in the Quad Project? I’m looking forward to the Cowell’s boys being able to roll out of bed into some of the best facilities in the school each morning. Once the construction has ended, the House (and I!) will be in the prime location I really shouldn’t say, but it might have involved communion wine… I’ve grown up a bit since then, and hope that both God and my school will forgive me in due course. What would be your Desert Island book? The Aeneid . Obviously. What are your ambitions for your pupils? That they appreciate that they have opportunities that most young people around the world will never have, and that it is essential that they take advantage of these. I’d like them to be ambitious (aiming to be their very best), gracious (when others are even better) and happy (because they have fulfilled their potential). which have provided me with my most valuable highlights. What do you see as the benefits of co-education? to take full advantage of the spectacular new buildings. What was the naughtiest thing you did at school?

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A New Coat of Arms A splendid ceremony was held in June to mark the granting of a new Coat of Arms to St Edward’s. In his opening address, John Michael Allen-Petrie, Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms, introduced a frisson of drama as he explained that our unofficial arms, drawn by the brother of the first Warden, Algernon Barrington Simeon, in 1875, could have, should the authorities have felt so inclined, despatched the Warden off to prison. Thankfully, generosity of spirit prevailed and the College of Arms was good enough to allow us to rectify the irregularity in our own time. In this we owe a great debt of gratitude to Sir David Lewis OSE who, as he explained in his address, first had the idea of righting this anomaly some 23 years ago. He kindly resurrected the idea recently and, thanks to his support, we have been able to make ourselves official – to the great relief of the Warden. We are grateful, too, to the St Edward's Society for framing the Letters Patent so magnificently as pictured below.

Enjoy the full splendour of the investiture ceremony on Teddies TV

Pictured above are John Michael Allen-Petrie, Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms with Ned Donovan OSE and Governor Mike Stanfield OSE; the Warden leading the investiture procession followed by Tim Stephenson, Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Richard Venables OSE, High Sherriff of Oxfordshire, John Michael Allen-Petrie, Sir David Lewis OSE and Rev Charlie Kerr; and Sir David Lewis OSE giving an address at the ceremony.

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Mike Stanfield OSE Mike Stanfield’s association with St Edward’s spans more than 60 years. He joined Segar’s as a Shell pupil in 1955, sent his son, Paul, to Sing’s in 1978, became a Governor in 1985 and took over as Chairman of the Board in 2007. After a decade at the helm, he stood down in December 2017. He continues to serve as a Governor on the General Purposes Committee and is Chair of The North Wall Trust. He talked to Tracy van der Heiden, Head of Communications, about his memories, his highlights and his

What were the highlights of your school days? I had taken part in rugby, cricket and swimming

at Prep School but hadn’t particularly distinguished myself. With the strong

encouragement of Bill and John, I threw myself into sport at Teddies, which really developed my ability and my confidence. I was further encouraged in rugby by Duncan Williams, Master i/c Junior Rugby, and Derek Henderson, Master i/c Rugby. I played in the 1st XV for three years, eventually leading the School’s first ever unbeaten team. I also captained an unbeaten swimming squad, played cricket, was competitive in the 100 and 200 yard distances in athletics and was in the sailing team. The latter led to a lifelong interest in sailing, and I have since covered many thousands of miles across distant oceans and around the Hebrides. Of course sport isn’t only about sport. The leadership roles had a huge impact on my personal development. If I started at Teddies

ambitions for The North Wall. Tell us about your time as a pupil. In many ways, I was a bit of a lost soul when I joined St Edward’s in 1955. I was mildly dyslexic and not particularly confident. I was lucky enough to encounter two really exceptional men – my HM Bill Veitch and my House Tutor John Vernon. Both took a great deal of time and trouble to encourage me and to look out for me. As is often

the case with older pupils, I tested the boundaries when I was a Sixth Former and clashed with a number of Masters. John Vernon, in particular, gave me excellent advice and got me safely through these difficult patches. Despite my initial lack of confidence, I won the Eardley Geography Prize two years running, so I clearly had some ability in the classroom.

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Mike Stanfield By Chris Jones OSE, Chair of Governors Mike Stanfield was Chair of the Governing Body at Teddies for ten years, but he has been a central figure (behind the scenes, as befits a Governor) for a lot longer than that. As Chair of the Finance Committee he worked tirelessly to keep the School on a firm financial footing. Our recent successful bond issue (to finance the Quad Development) would not have been possible without the financial track record which Mike did so much to create. He is a successful businessman who recognises that schools are not businesses, but that they can only succeed in the things that matter if they are run in a business-like way.  In everything he does Mike is a living embodiment of the values which the School cherishes and seeks to promote in its pupils. He is a great example of the leader as servant. He works hard and expects others to do the same. He listens more than he talks. He loves to learn. As befits the captain of Teddies’ first ever unbeaten rugby XV, he passionately believes in the power of teamwork. He is devoted to his family. He is utterly loyal, a steadfast supporter of his countless friends. He is immensely kind, considerate and generous. And he never puts himself first.  Of all the many developments which Mike has helped to make happen at Teddies, I suspect that the one closest to his heart is The North Wall. He is a robust guardian of the mission and values which The North Wall stands for: the promotion of creativity in all its manifestations and our commitment to reach out to communities way beyond the walls of the School. With Mike as Chair of The North Wall Trust, this mission could not be in better hands.

Under Officer Mike Stanfield behind the Inspecting Officer, Air Commodore James Leathart OSE DSO CB MiD, at the CCF Inspection in 1960.

as a lost soul, I left as a confident young man with drive, ambition and ideas. I remember that I also staged the first House play in Segar’s: Journey’s End by Robert Sherriff … and I was involved in the stage management of school productions. There were, as there are today, countless opportunities to try out new things. What did you do after school? After university at Trinity College Dublin I worked for a short time in publishing and then started my own marketing consultancy. One day a colleague showed me a small,

colourful animal you could make by slotting together pieces of cardboard. I thought it was neat. I took the decision, as a young man, to launch my own business manufacturing what we called Slotties. I know that I would never have had the confidence to do so without the experience I had at Teddies; I have a great deal to thank the School for. The Slotties were terrifically successful. Then, out of the blue, I received a phone call. ‘Have you heard of The Magic Roundabout ?’ Of course I had. The man on the other end of the line was from BBC Enterprises; he had seen

Mike Stanfield and Chris Jones

School Prefects in 1960 with Mike Stanfield far left, front row.

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In 1978 you became a Teddies parent, when your son Paul joined Sing’s. Why did you and he choose Teddies? I had been happy at the School and I felt it had really given me opportunities in life. Paul enjoyed it, too, and did well. He got a good degree at Leeds University and went on to a second degree in Business at Warwick. He also enjoyed the sporting side of Teddies. He made friends for life at the School, which is always lovely to see as a parent. He’s now a Psychotherapist and runs a London-based charity called the Claremont Project which creates opportunities to help older people improve their lives. He is recognised as a national expert in this area. We had been living in Oxford for a few years when I received a handwritten note from the then Chair of Governors Graham Cooper – would I consider becoming a Governor? Graham explained that since I was running a business of a similar size to the School at the time, the Board felt that my professional experience would be beneficial. So I agreed and quite soon became Chairman of the General Purposes Committee (GPC), the Board’s main decision-making group. What big issues did you encounter during your time as a Governor? The decision that the School should become fully co-educational was probably the first big initiative I faced. I was closely involved in the appointment of the 11th Warden, David Christie, and within a few years of What prompted you to become a Governor?

my Slotties and wondered if there were a merchandising opportunity for the hugely popular children’s animation. Of course there was. This early contact led to a long and fruitful association with the BBC and other licensing companies developing a wide range of merchandise for family favourites such as Thomas the Tank Engine , Mr Men , Postman Pat and Noddy . I eventually sold the business in 1990 to concentrate on philanthropic activities. Alongside my duties as a Governor, I run a charity called The Hebridean Trust. Based on the island of Tiree, the charity runs a fully-catered visitor centre and raises funds to offer holidays to disadvantaged young people. The charity also owns seven uninhabited Hebridean islands, collectively a Site of Special Scientific Interest, where our mission is to enable the many colonies of rare birds – including puffins and storm petrels – to thrive. The School has changed enormously since I was a pupil, and in many ways for the better. All schools in those days were far harsher places than they are today. But what I do still see, in abundance, are young people being developed by the School. As a Governor, I spend a great deal of time in School. I’ve met many of the pupils and heard about their ambitions and achievements. I see committed teachers and pastoral staff going out of their way to give young people opportunities as Bill Veitch and John Vernon did for me. In other areas, the School’s strength in the arts was visible even then – Lawrence Toynbee, the celebrated landscape, portrait and sporting artist, was Head of Art. Do you recognise the school of then in today’s Teddies?

Simon Hipwell

him taking up the post, he recommended that we take this course of action. The Board supported his recommendation unanimously – it was felt that co-education would strengthen the School’s educational offering in being more reflective of real life. As we celebrate 20 years of a vibrant co-educational community, it is clear that this was the right decision. A drive to introduce professional financial oversight had been one of the motivations behind my invitation to join the Board. As Chairman of the GPC, I was instrumental in the appointment of the Bursar, Stephen Withers Green, in 1998. He has been and continues to be an excellent Bursar. Working closely with him for nearly 20 years on the School’s financial matters and on some of our more innovative business developments has been one of the highlights of my time as a Governor. One of those innovative developments was the bold idea to create the shared-use sports centre on Field Side. This was highly original. I became involved when the idea was first mooted by Roger Ellis, Chairman at the time, and I then championed the proposal to take it through to completion. There were some who felt that the combination of school and public use would not work; in fact, it has been successful for the leisure companies concerned and for the School. Some years before the public leisure centre opened as Esporta in 1999, the Douglas Bader Sports Centre had been constructed for the School. It was opened by the man himself in the early ‘80s, a wonderful memory. What are the other highlights of your time as a Governor and as Chairman? I’m very pleased that the School grew during my tenure. In September 1985, we started Mike with his good friend Robert Wilson OSE, the best-selling crime writer, watching the 1st XV on Upper 1. Robert also led an unbeaten XV, in 1975.

Mike giving the Chairman’s address at Gaudy in 2013, the School’s 150th anniversary year.

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the year with 568 pupils; we will be starting the next academic year close to 700. There have been many changes and developments in Houses as a result of this growth. Oakthorpe and Mac’s became girls’ houses in 1997. Kendall opened in 2000. Corfe became another girls’ House in the same year, followed by Avenue, which opened in 2004 and Jubilee, in 2013. Our first co-ed House was commissioned last year. The fledgling community for this new House will take up temporary residence in Cooper Lodge in September under the care of HM Fergus Livingstone OSE – and will move to the new House on Field Side once it is complete (see page 4). There is a strong thread of support for the arts running through your Teddies career – tell us more. As I said, I had been involved in the arts as a pupil, so I was pleased to back the initiative to build a really top-notch Art and Design Department in 1988. Even today, the facilities in these Departments are impressive for a school. They have the feel of a proper art college which is inspiring for our pupils. By far and away the most interesting and exciting of the many projects in which I’ve been involved has been The North Wall. The idea came originally from David Christie, and was swiftly taken up by the composer George Fenton, another OSE and a fellow Governor, and me. I found a way to finance the substantial sum required to build the arts centre and persuaded the then Governing Body to invest in it. As with the Esporta arrangement, this was another bold and original idea. The North Wall was to be a school facility and a really impressive arts centre for the wider public. It was never intended to be a ‘school theatre’ in the usual sense of the term. I am incredibly proud that it has surpassed all expectations and ambitions to become a highly-regarded arts centre with a national profile. It won Civic Trust and RIBA Awards, too. The Ogston Music School was another major development in which I was closely involved, particularly with regard to its financing. It has been transformational for the already thriving musical scene at St Edward’s and it is a joy to attend the many concerts and events put on by our pupils and staff in the beautiful Weston Recital Room.

The 1960 unbeaten rugby squad with Mike, as Captain, at the centre of the front row.

What are your ambitions for The North Wall as Chair of its governing trust? The recent appointment of new Co- Directors Ria Parry and John Hoggarth has set the scene for the coming years. They are talented theatre-makers whose combined experience is an asset to the School and to The North Wall. They have already brought new ideas and energy to South Parade and I look forward to continuing to work with them to develop the venue even further. Crucially, they understand and appreciate The North Wall’s relationship with the School – which is important. The building houses the School’s outstanding drama, dance and gallery facilities alongside the public spaces. St Edward’s is the principal sponsor of the artistic programme. The cross-fertilisation of talent and creativity is critical to The North Wall’s mission to educate and to inspire, in School and beyond. Priorities for the immediate future are to further involve St Edward’s pupils in the wide range of opportunities available to them in The North Wall; to extend access for young people from across the city, from as wide a range of schools and youth groups as possible; and to build the exhibition programme so that it matches the theatre in terms of the scope and quality of its work.

Final thoughts? I am pleased to have led the Board through a period of growth and improvement. I’m also pleased to have been involved in the major decision to press ahead with building all three components of the substantial Quad Development at the same time. In doing so, we will dramatically extend academic opportunities for our pupils but will manage things in such a way as to minimise disruption for the whole community. I am grateful to have worked with outstanding individuals – committed, talented and passionate people who care deeply about the School and its future. I have worked hard to increase the number of women on the Board. Lastly, I am grateful that I hand over the reins to such an experienced and qualified Chair. Chris and I share a firm belief in the values I hope are evident in everything that we do: we want our pupils to be happy above all else; we want them to achieve of their very best in all areas of their education; and we want them to do so as active participants in the really vibrant, diverse and academically-broad community that is St Edward’s. It has served us both well, and I know that he and the Board will do all they can to ensure that we continue to offer the same experience to our pupils long into the future.

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Gaudy Week

Pictured above, among others, are Molly Machin, Freya Burdon and Kitty Dodd-Noble in Louis de Bernières’ Sunday Morning at the Centre of the World , the Lower School production; Jack Verschoyle and Aerin Hobbs in the publicity shot by Sixth Former Tim Hohage for the Edinburgh Fringe showing of Someone, Somewhere by Sam Potter; Dekoye Coker and Nellie Bates receiving the Sophie Wilsdon Cup for overall contribution to school life at Prize-Giving; Thomas Sheppard presenting his research on how to make Teddies more sustainable at the Shell Science Day; Tiggy Jones at the Dance Showcase; the wonderful piece, Celestial Blue , by Arkadiy Petrov from the Mixed Years’ Art Exhibition; Shell Joe Porter keeping things on track behind the scenes of Sunday Morning at the Centre of the World ; an oil painting by Georgia Heath from the Leavers’ Art Show; Sasha Wolcough at the Second Gaudy Concert; Anna Mostyn and Henry Parsons from the band Name who rocked the tent at Gaudy; Zoe Forbes at the Dance Showcase; and, main picture, the rousing finale to the Second Gaudy Concert.

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Simon Hipwell, Tim Hohage, Alessandro Corrias, Anessa Komarova, Celia Hodgson OSE

Watch the Gaudy Week video on Teddies TV to see the dazzling schedule in all its glory

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China By Daisy and Lily Helling

In March, at the start of the Easter break, 23 St Edward’s pupils and five staff made their way to Beijing, China. After a day of travelling, we were met by the warm Chinese smog – and the journey began.

skills and talent and we were holding our breath for most of the acrobatic sequences. Viewing Chairman Mao’s embalmed body at the heart of Tiananmen Square in Mao’s Mausoleum had to be one of the most eerie events for me, however, as he looked so serene. Silently watching him surrounded by local people bowing and praying passionately was certainly intense. Other sights in Tiananmen Square included the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum of China. Tiananmen Square is popular for its political significance and was a beautiful square to visit, especially in the gorgeous weather we experienced. Behind Tiananmen Square is the Forbidden City, a former Chinese imperial palace. The towering buildings around us, the vibrant colours of the wooden decoration on the Palaces and the sheer size of the city really made the visit exceptional. Travelling to Xi’an on the Bullet train at 300 kilometres an hour doesn’t seem that fast

too many skills, to our first sighting of China on an adventurous rickshaw ride around the Hutongs, the narrow alleyways of Beijing. The most challenging was climbing the Great Wall of China (the only man-made object visible from the moon with a naked eye). Very impressively, a small selection of the group, including Mr Thomas, ran all the way to the top. The challenging flights of multiple steps were worth the climb to see the view of the Wall from a higher, clearer perspective. Of course Chinese merchandise was then bought: when was it not? Just as entertaining was watching a Kung Fu and acrobatic show featuring young children back-flipping onto their heads, fifteen girls on a bike and six motorbikes in the ‘Globe of Death’. The performers showed incredible

China was an incredible experience. We participated in some extremely enjoyable activities, from cycling 14km along the city wall in Xi’an, where the teachers showed off far

Replica terracotta warrior soldiers at a factory in Xi’an.

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colour red shows power and success – and also communist China. Both of us are grateful to have been involved in such an immersive experience whilst at St Edward’s. We are very grateful to all staff involved in organising and participating in the trip.

when you’re sitting playing Uno. But the high- speed bullet train was necessary so we could spend more time buying Gucci belts…. ( and visiting a vast array of historically and culturally significant sites….. Editor ). The Lama Temple, meaning temple of harmony, was commonly mistaken by the pupils as the Llama Temple and therefore initially a bit disappointing as we were expecting a petting zoo but, once inside, it didn’t disappoint. The vast temple complex was a place where people were taught to pray and bow with burning incense. Seeing enormous gold plated Buddha statues and a monk singing hymns was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Another unforgettable visit was to the famous Temple of Heaven and its 700 acre grounds. We tested the round echo wall and the stone where we were able to talk to Gods (and Peter, our tour guide).

Apart from all the wonderful places we visited and brilliant activities we did, my favourite aspect of China was its culture and tradition. Almost everything in China has a meaning and significance. For example, the Dragon represents males and the Phoenix represents females; and the

Phil Waghorn

The 14th-century Temple of Heaven in Beijing, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would pray for a good harvest.

New Year Festival decorations in Xi’an.

River Studies James Cope

Whilst the A Level pupils were looking at urban regeneration in Cardiff Bay, the Lower Sixth IB cohort were investigating whether the River Ogmore in South Wales fits the Bradshaw model as it moves from its source to its mouth. A variety of data was collected at a total of eight sites which enabled each pupil to develop at least two hypotheses to test, analyse and write up for their Geography Internal Assessment. Some looked at how discharge changes downstream, some at the relationship between the velocity and the hydraulic radius of the channel and others at how load varied in size and roundness. Some got wetter than others, everyone got eaten alive by midges at sites 2 and 3 and some even managed too much sun.

Ludo Hardy carries out a full and thorough investigation of the River Ogmore.

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Friends for Life This year, the Friends of St Edward’s celebrates its 10th anniversary. Head of Communications, Tracy van der Heiden, caught up with Emma Grounds, Friends’ Coordinator, to find out more about this important community forum.

‘It was a great privilege to have been part of the Friends of St Edward’s Committee from the outset. The Committee was, and still is, a cross-section of the parent body and has enabled talents, contacts and ideas to emerge to create a rich programme of social and charitable events. Many of these friendships have endured well beyond their time as parents at St Edward’s and I’m sure this is testament to its role in creating a vibrant community at the heart of the School. It was wonderful to come together to celebrate the Friends’ 10th Anniversary recently and I hope it will continue to reconnect friends of the School long into the future.’ Brenda MacRitchie, former Chair

Why was The Friends of St Edward’s established 10 years ago? The Friends of St Edward’s was formally launched in March 2008 with the aim of providing a social forum for past and present parents, pupils, staff and friends of the School by arranging events and maintaining contact with the wider St Edward’s community. Who set it up? Twelfth Warden, Andrew Trotman, and parents Sue Jackson and Brenda MacRitchie. Other early members included Elena Fletcher, Emma Charlton, Laura Mitchell, Jo Davies, Johanna Stephenson, Ania Ogston, Nicky Forsythe, Ginny Battcock, Philip Lea, Anthony Kerr-Dineen and Helen Wells.

What have been the highlights? Ten years ago the launch featured a pancake cook-off which was judged by chef Loyd Grossman, whose daughter was at Teddies at the time, and won by the former Sub-Warden, Tom James, who had cleverly teamed up with a trained chef to beat the strong team of Judy Young and Richard Murray! More recently, in Gaudy Week, the Friends celebrated their 10th anniversary in The North Wall surrounded by an amazing exhibition of RAF pictures entitled The Dambusters and Beyond – a nod to the 100th anniversary of the RAF and Teddies’ distinguished connection with the service throughout that time. Other major events have included Highland Flings, Call My Wine Bluff, Lectures and London Drinks.

Will Griffiths

The Committee and staff coordinators of The Friends of St Edward’s.

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‘I joined the Friends Committee two years ago when my youngest child arrived at Teddies. His elder sister and brother had already gone through the School and I wanted to be more involved with the social side now that I no longer had a child at home. I think the Friends is an important way of helping parents and OSE stay connected with the School and with each other. When your children become teenagers, especially in a boarding environment, there aren’t many opportunities to meet other parents at the school gates or talk to teachers on a regular basis. This is of course entirely as it should be – teenagers should start becoming more self-sufficient and they don’t want to feel their parents are looking over their shoulders all the time. That independence is part of the reason families choose a school like St Edward’s. The Friends work to bridge the gap between School and home – our events are a really relaxed, enjoyable way of making connections and building a network. In the future I’d love to see more parents, staff and OSE turning up at Friends events. There are so many exciting changes happening at Teddies all the time, so a Friends event is a fantastic way to keep in touch with what’s going on. St Edward’s has always been a welcoming environment and the Friends is an important part of that.’ Tracy-Ann Neville, Chair members are always very welcome; if you are interested in joining the Committee, please do get in touch - contact Emma Grounds on friends@stedwardsoxford.org or telephone 01865 319239. It is not onerous and it is certainly a lot of fun.

Redundant Teddies sports kit being put to good use

What’s coming up in the autumn? Look out in the Autumn Term calendar for ‘Steeplechase Tea’, theatre events in The North Wall, and Christmas mulled wine and mince pies. Who are the Committee for the 2018/19 academic year? Tracy Ann-Neville has just taken on the role of Chair. Her husband James is an OSE and they have three children: Megan who left Mac’s in 2015; Huw who leaves the School this summer and Ben who is going into the Fifth Form in Segar’s. Jules Flory will be the Vice-Chair this year. Her daughter, Susanna, who left the school in 2015 was in Oakthorpe and her son Fergus is going into the Upper Sixth of Field House. Other members of the Committee are the Warden (President), Celia McLachlan, Sally Atkinson, Clare Coull, Alice Emmott, Tracy van der Heiden, Sarah Jackson, James MacDonald-Smith, Inga Taganova and Neville Creed. New Committee members joining us in September are Susan Burton, Sarah Churchman, Alice Scales, Melanie Slocombe and Jenni Walker. How can parents get involved? The Friends Committee meets once or possibly twice a term and aims to have one or two events per term, which include theatre events, drinks receptions and the very popular Quiz Night. Committee members tend to plan the events, help spread the word amongst the school community and then welcome guests on the night. New

The Friends’ remit is primarily social, but it is worth noting that there have been several successful charitable initiatives. Over the years events have raised money for various school charities and the Bursary Fund, while huge piles of sports kit have been shipped to the East Africa Cricket Foundation, and computing equipment and mobile phones have been recycled and upcycled. Thank you to all who have supported the Friends in these endeavours. What does the future hold? Over the coming years we are looking forward to broadening our events to appeal to the wonderful and diverse Teddies community. This includes welcoming back more former parents and staff to events, as well as encouraging former pupils to come along too.

Richard Murray and Judy Young at the launch of the Friends in 2008.