The Chronicle January 2020

CHRONICLE JANUARY 2020 | VOLUME XL | NUMBER 680

Becoming a Bursar Stephen Withers Green looks back

Giving Voice to our Values Pupils take the lead in shaping our community

An Education Fit for Purpose A new Middle School Program is launched

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Word from the Warden Find out more Enjoy extra snippets of news by following our Twitter accounts: @TeddiesOxford @TeddiesSport

Welcome to the Spring Term and the first Chronicle of the decade. In this issue, appropriately for the start of a new year, we focus on beginnings. Aspiring journalist and Sixth Former Alicia Bouaziz interviews two Fourth Formers about their experiences of joining Teddies as Shells, providing invaluable advice for new pupils. In contrast, we look back to the first term of Dr Tom Barns OSE, who celebrated his 100th birthday in February. His account of his arrival at the School features as the opening chapter of a new book by School Archivist, Chris Nathan OSE, Let it Rage, Let it Roar, We Shall Come Through, which, after painting a picture of Teddies in the ‘30s through Tom’s eyes, goes on to recount the often harrowing experiences of former pupils in the Second World War. It is heartening to be marking not one, but two 100th OSE birthdays in this issue. Teddy Abrahamsen was 100 years old in October, and you can read an account of his extraordinary life from page 29. Beginnings of a different sort are heralded in our feature on our new Pathways and Perspectives courses which launch in September. There has been much debate recently about whether GCSEs alone prepare our pupils adequately for their future studies and careers; we believe not, and have been developing our new courses for some time. Heads of School Reflect

Elsewhere, we look back at Katrina Eden’s truly remarkable production of Antigone ; we hear from Sixth Former Caris Baker about a school-wide project to define the values that are important to our community; and we preview an important North Wall exhibition of ballet photographs by dancer-turned- photojournalist Colin Jones, whose intimate portraits of life backstage feature celebrated dancers such as Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. Also beginning are new chapters in the lives of Jane Collier and Stephen Withers Green. Jane joined St Edward's just over 20 years ago and has been an exceptional servant of the School, and in particular of the Common Room whom she has looked after – not least in dealing with the cover timetable – for most of that time. Stephen remembers interviewing her in one of his first interviews as Bursar since he has notched up 21 years here. He has served four Chairs of the Governing Body and three Wardens, and he has been in charge of the most significant set of changes to the physical landscape of the School since it was first built here in the 1870s by Simeon. Both Stephen and Jane will be much missed by us all.

@BeyondTeddies @TeddiesKendall @TeddiesCowells @TeddiesSegars

@TeddiesField @TeddiesOak @TeddiesTillys Or follow us on Instagram stedwardsoxford

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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 features the Warden and Bursar at one of their final meetings after working together for eight years; Stephen Withers Green has been Bursar for 21 years.

Stephen Jones

Heads of School Carlo Graeser and Gwendy Davenport joined the Warden to reflect on the highlights of last term in our latest podcast. Listen to The Autumn Term at Teddies on Spotify, Soundcloud or Apple Podcasts by searching Teddies Talks. Podcasts covering the new Middle School Program, our Winter Poetry Competition and our Edinburgh Festival Production are also available - tune in and enjoy.

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Heads of Houses

Along with Prefects and Peer Listeners, Heads of Houses have been involved in a school-wide project to give voice to our core community values – read more on pages 24 and 25. Pictured above are Isaac Brennan, Sing’s; Phoebe Cain, Corfe; Jonathan Alpha, Field; Oli Healy, Tilly’s; Fergus Hill, Apsley; Mfon Awak-Essien, Cowell’s; Amy Theakstone, Jubilee; Kitty Howard, Mac’s; Maddie Catchpole, Avenue; William Tozer, Kendall; Helena Beccle, Cooper Lodge; Alexander Koenig, Segar’s; and Josie Piech, Oakthorpe.

Who painted The Singing Butler? Where in Cambridge will you find a Time Eater? If you think you know the answers to these questions and more, the Friends’ Quiz Night needs you. All parents are welcome at this popular annual event taking place on Saturday 18th January at 7.30pm in the Dining Hall. If you would like to join in but don’t have a full team, Book now for the Friends’ Quiz

just let us know and we will find you one. We are usually able to match parents to the same year group or House so it’s a great way to make new connections. Tickets, including a curry buffet and ice cream, cost £20pp with a discounted rate of £150 for a table of eight. A cash bar will be available and all proceeds from the event will go to the Bursary Fund. Book by contacting Emma Grounds in the Friends’ Office on 01865 319239 or friends@ stedwardsoxford.org. Alternatively, find the online Box Office at https:// stedwards.ticketsolve.com/shows.

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Rob Cottrell What do you do at Teddies and how long have you been here? I’ve been here for five years. As well as being responsible for Rugby here at the School, I teach Modern Languages and until recently was Assistant Housemaster in Cowell’s. Where were you before? Sutton Valence School, a smaller co-ed day and boarding school in the idyllic countryside of Kent. Before that I worked in London in search consultancy for 12 years. Who or what inspired you into teaching? My own experiences at boarding school from the age of 10 are some of the best memories I have, and I look back very fondly at my time at Worth School in Sussex. The positive effect that the teachers had on me is an inspiration in itself, but my wife’s family (who are all teachers) were certainly helpful catalysts in the process. What other areas of school life are you involved in? I teach Spanish from Shells to Upper Sixth and I’m a Tutor in Sing’s. Tell us about your own experience of Rugby. In my 30 years of playing I can proudly say I have played every position from 1 to 15. I started as a podgy prop at prep school and ended up working my way to scrum half over the years, playing for a range of sides – Lyon in France, Rosslyn Park RFC, international invitational Sevens teams, Worth Old Boys and, most recently, the mighty Blue Boar RFC. Favourite Teddies Rugby game since you’ve been Master i/c – and why? A recent game in the RFU National Vase against Oratory stands out. At 15-0 down at half time in dire conditions, the boys galvanised to produce an astonishing finish to win 21-15, with players from both sides littered across the pitch after an incredibly intense physical battle. They truly deserved the win for such hard work. Name some highlights of your Teddies career so far. I organised a joint hockey and rugby tour to Italy last year which was great fun. Best thing about working at a school in Oxford? Being on the doorstep of the Cotswolds and having London an hour away is handy. Just a shame that Oxford Airport doesn’t fly BA. What was the naughtiest thing you did at school? Absolutely no comment. Plus, I understand this article has a word limit. Which book or podcast would you take to a desert island? The podcast House of Rugby by Joe is a hilarious and insightful view into the world of Rugby through the eyes of some ‘colourful’ characters. Best advice you’ve ever been given? ‘Don’t take it personally’ and ‘you need a thick skin as a teacher’ are things I always try to remember.

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On Being a Bursar Stephen Withers Green stood down from the position of Bursar at the end of 2019 after 21 years in the role. After a successful career in business, Stephen has been at the heart of all major developments at St Edward’s for more than two decades, working alongside three Wardens and four Chairs of the Governing Body. Head of Communications, Tracy van der Heiden, caught up with him to talk about his own education, his career and his views of Teddies past, present and future.

Tell us something about your own schooldays. I was a weekly boarder at St Paul’s, a highly selective all-boys’ London day school. So, not a lot in common with St Edward’s. It had a very strong academic ethos. I started my

Paul’s School, and Master of Balliol College, Oxford.' We were told that he regarded these two accomplishments as the most important in his life and that we were expected to aspire to be the elite of the country’s intellectual elite. Did you enjoy school? Did your schooldays shape the person you are today? In the eyes of some, I may seem to have been a successful schoolboy. I was Captain of School, and in the 1st XV and cricket XI. At the end, I was given a place at Cambridge. In terms of shaping me, the education I received has without doubt caused me to overvalue cleverness. There were many things that were not particularly nice about St Paul’s at that time, but one plus was that there was very little kudos in having wealthy parents. Did the fact that St Paul’s was an all- boys’ school have an effect on you? Did it make you awkward with girls? I don’t know. I think schools can take too much of the rap for character faults and social inadequacies. I am riddled with both but I don’t think we can blame St Paul’s for all of them. I have two older sisters, and up to the age of 13 I’d been living at home. And Hammersmith was quite sociable – St Paul’s Girls’ School was just over the river and there was a modicum of fraternisation. How did the local community view pupils at St Paul’s? Well it was an interesting time. We’re talking about the ‘70s, so skinheads and football violence and all that sort of stuff. It wasn’t unusual for local youths to throw stones at us as we walked across Hammersmith

career there as one of the 153 Foundation Scholars (right at the bottom of the list, both alphabetically and in academic ability). The famous Victorian classical scholar, Benjamin Jowett, described himself in his autobiography as: 'Benjamin Jowett, Foundation Scholar, St

Topping out the Reading Room on the top floor of the new Library last summer with Nick Hardy, Director of TSH Architects, and Cooper Lodge HM Fergus Livingstone.

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Did you get into trouble at school or university? At university, I remember an occasion when I got up bleary eyed and turned the tap on in my room to shave. No water came out. Without thinking anything of it and, as I subsequently learnt, not turning the tap off, I headed off to lectures. I came back at lunchtime and I noticed that the floor was damp and the carpet had been rolled up. And then a stream of important people I’d never met before like the Dean and the Master came to question me: Had I not seen the sign on one of the noticeboards to say that the water was going to be turned off in my building? I had not. It turned out that the water had damaged enough books in the main college library to close it for a year and had threatened to damage the contents of the Pepys Library – an irreplaceable national treasure. Justice was meted out - a £5 fine. So when did you work out what you wanted to do? I had one or two false starts. I did a PGCE at Cambridge. I knew by about halfway through

Bridge to the Underground station. My Confirmation at St Paul’s Cathedral was dramatic. I was supposed to go with friends but didn’t for some reason, so I found myself alone in an underpass with a group of young Londoners walking towards me. I tried to make myself as inconspicuous as possible – and the next thing I remember is sitting on a stool outside a café on Ludgate Hill, with the Italian woman who owned it asking me if I was all right. My nose was bleeding and I had blood all down the front of my white shirt. My mother completely freaked out when she saw me. So apart from making you an intellectual snob and exposing you to casual violence – what else did your schooldays leave you with? Did they give you all those characteristics so regularly discussed today such as resilience and tenacity? Maybe, but just as schools shouldn’t take all the blame for the bad characteristics you have, they can’t take the credit for all the good things. I think the values of my home

life and my time at Cambridge were equally important to my development. I largely enjoyed my schooldays but took a long time to play myself in at Cambridge. The games played at Cambridge were different, and weren’t always the ones I wanted to play. There was a lot of tweed around at my college – not really my scene. I had friends who knew instinctively that they should take advantage of the opportunities for advancement. What else do you remember from Cambridge? I remember being a little bit bored. We had been so hothoused at St Paul’s that everything we covered in the first and second year I had already studied at school, so nothing progressed and I didn’t get any better at anything. And then a fantastic change happened in my third year – we were allowed to specialise, so I specialised in classical art and architecture and I really enjoyed it. I spent a couple of summers on an archaeological dig near Orbetello on the Italian coast.

Above and right, Stephen with his wife Alison at the 150th Gaudy in 2013.

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the first term that I was never going to become a teacher. But the grant was all in place and I had a room in a shared house, so I carried on. After that, I moved to London. Remember that this was the ‘80s – it was a horrible time, everyone was so greedy. My friends who had moved to work in the City were earning more money in a month than my Dad, who was a parish priest, did in a year. In the end, I became a clerk in the estates department of the Church Commissioners, who are a bit like the Church of England’s civil service. The lovely guy who offered me the job understood the stage I was at in deciding on a career path and he offered me a job for a couple of years, knowing it would be a launch pad to something else. After a year, I decided to train as an accountant, and went to Price Waterhouse. I started studying accountancy and I was absolutely useless at it. I really did not enjoy working at Price Waterhouse. They had put me in the elite squad, the fast track, and instead of doing boring old manufacturing companies, I did all the bank stuff but I failed all my exams. These days, they would have thrown me out. I was unhappy in my work, and I felt disconnected from the corporate goals. I was a drone on the eighth floor of a 25-storey building in London. I didn’t get it. I was 26 and my colleagues were 22. Had I had guts, I might have left, but I stayed until I qualified – perhaps that is the grit bit which was born out of necessity as I faced a dwindling range of career opportunities. I have never regretted having a CV which reads: St Paul’s, Cambridge, Price Waterhouse. I qualified almost immediately after Alison and I got married. I kept saying, ‘We can’t get married until I qualify. Your father will think I have no prospects,’ and she said, ‘That’s irrelevant.’ I had realised by then that working for Price Waterhouse in the City wasn’t for me. As this was just before the start of the second recession in the 1980s I was one of the last people to get out of Price Waterhouse before the collapse of the economy. I moved to a public company called Lex in High Wycombe. It was a relatively large group of companies that were mainly involved in the automotive sector. The thing I appreciated was that the management of each subsidiary had a great deal of autonomy. And you got married just before you qualified?

So I left, and this is where Alison’s supreme wisdom again changed my life for the better. I had envisaged taking six months off but she knew that I would probably spend the entire time lying on the sofa watching cricket – so she encouraged me to apply for the Bursar’s role at Teddies. I didn’t hold out much hope. I remember saying to her, ‘I’ll never get the job. I’m too young, and I’m not a retired Wing Commander.’ Yes, he was a very strong presence at the helm. He was without doubt one of the outstanding Heads of his generation. He was opinionated and quite punchy, and he had phenomenal energy. He set about growing the School and he made the right things happen. He was innovative; he never accepted the status quo. In terms of the way the School ran in those days, it was very odd for someone who’d come from the business world. Normal functions such as HR or IT didn’t exist, and there wasn’t much strategic or commercial thinking – no competitor and market analysis. I spent about 10 years helping to establish the more modern structure we have today. David Christie was Warden when you arrived. Was it an easy decision to send your children here? Yes. They both enjoyed their time here and we are really proud of the adults they have become. Joe was one of the A level pupils in the year that IB was first introduced to the School. He went on to study Medicine at

The success of the Lex Group relied on the successful entrepreneurship of the people running the different companies. I became a group accountant in the leasing division. To begin with, I commuted from London to High Wycombe. We were renting in Ealing and realised we were never going to be able to afford a house there. So we drove down the M40 as far as Beaconsfield (still too expensive), then High Wycombe (didn’t feel like home) and then we got to Thame, which looked nice and we could afford a house there. trajectory of my work life changed. Lex was a public company so they had to do what the public shareholders told them to do and the market analysts told them to sell off some of their non-core subsidiaries. By that stage I was the Finance Director of the smallest subsidiary they owned which was a warehouse management company. It was a difficult investment for Lex to offload, so the four directors decided to buy it. It launched the best time I have ever had in commerce. Owning your own company is absolutely fantastic. I was really lucky to be involved and that it did well. How long did you work at Lex? Ten years. This was the time when the But you eventually left to take up the Bursar role at Teddies? Yes. I’d become frustrated at Lex in the end because we were bought by a large New Jersey-based hardware manufacturer, and important decisions were taken out of the hands of the original quartet of directors.

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Cambridge. He is now married to Kirsty, and working as a paediatrician for the NHS in west London. Katie loved sport – she played 1st team Hockey, Netball and Tennis, and went to Newcastle to study Geography. She now works in the wine trade. The Teddies they went to was a very good school. I think the current version, seven years later, is even better. What have you enjoyed most in your career at Teddies? One of the things I’ve really enjoyed is growing hedges – down the side of Keble Drive and in front of the Kendall Housemaster’s accommodation. I love the hedge behind the second hole on the golf course, too. It’s about the tonal things: we are not a school with fences, we are a school with hedges. I really enjoy the roof of the Common Room in Avenue, which looks like a tortoise shell from above – it is fantastic. I still remember, with David Christie’s encouragement, ordering the slightly more expensive, aesthetically pleasing lights to go along Upper 1 to the boarding houses, not the basic model. We saw it as a statement of intent – an inflection point in the development of the School. We must be financially prudent, but that doesn’t always mean doing things in the cheapest possible way. The aesthetics of the environment make a difference to pupils and staff – and to the feel of the School. I’ve always enjoyed walking back to our house on the Woodstock Road on summer evenings when there is cricket on Upper 1 and loads of pupils on the rugby pitch – teenage boys and girls just having fun together. I look forward to Friday afternoons in my current office because I can listen to the choir practice, then organ practice and finally bellringing practice. It reminds me that we are a village. I’ve also enjoyed it when pupils have surprised themselves. I remember walking back one evening when a junior sports team playing cricket against Radley had just won the match. I remember the players cavorting and whooping as if they’d won the World Cup. And then their coach barked something like ‘Manners!’ and they instantly stopped dancing around and went up and commiserated with their opponents, shook their hands and did everything that they should do. I’ve enjoyed working with such a diverse group of colleagues. I’ve tried to walk about the What have you enjoyed about being part of the school community?

Exploring the countryside surrounding the city of Hangzhou, potential site of our first partner school in China, with Margaret Lloyd, Deputy Head International, and colleagues

What are the defining characteristics of St Edward’s? We are distinctive in a number of ways. We are the only boarding school of our ilk in a city. This gives our pupils many opportunities to stay in touch with real life. This is so important because adolescents should not be protected from the world but be part of it, and see for themselves the many and various ways of being a successful adult. More generally, our close association with the city’s universities gives us a liberal, broad-minded outlook. We are comfortable in the role of the outlier. We have a distinctive academic offering in that we are one of the few schools to offer both A Level and the IB Diploma, and we are introducing an innovative Middle School Program to allow the wheels of our pupils to spin faster than they do following the traditional GCSE diet. I am so pleased that our educational innovativeness is beginning to get the recognition from the sector that the Warden and his staff deserve. What do you hope for St Edward’s over the next 20 years or so? Everything is set up for the School to capitalise on the place it occupies in the market. It has fantastic employees who are all dedicated to ensuring the pupils get the best start in life they can. The Governing Body is a pride of wise lion-hearts, and the Warden is our Philosopher King. If they all remain nimble of brain, eager for change, forgiving of honest errors, and trust their essential humanity, then the sky is the limit.

School in order to get things done rather than relying too heavily on email or summoning people to my office. There is so much to be enjoyed in daily interactions with colleagues – meeting the cleaners on the Woodstock Road early in the morning, or having an impromptu discussion about something topical as I move around the School.

What would you like to be remembered for? For having been human, honest and

optimistic … and for having been a good colleague to all the people who work here.

Do you have any regrets? I wish I’d got to grips with catering sooner. Our Catering Department is run by Ashleigh Eaton, Domestic Bursar, who brings considerable expertise and flair to this important area of school life. Cooper’s, the Sixth Form Café, is better than Costa, and the new café in the Quad Development will, I am sure, be just as popular. We hardly ever receive complaints about the food . outstanding, modern academic facilities and a number of beautiful, inspiring spaces in which our pupils can come together. It is therefore a physical manifestation of the importance we place on academic ambition and community values. There will be a university feel to some of the learning spaces, so it will be fantastic for our Sixth Formers in particular as they prepare for the next stage of their education. Why is the Quad Development important to St Edward’s? It’s a complete game-changer. It offers

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Stephen Withers Green By Chair of Governors Chris Jones

More than 20 years after Stephen’s arrival at St Edward’s it seems incredible to think that there were quiet misgivings among some Governors about whether he would stick around for long. This was not a reflection on Stephen himself, but we felt lucky to have attracted a very talented young man with a successful business background and it was hard to believe that he would find enough in

he would be a passive order-taker!) Under his watch Teddies was transformed. Full co-education was a major logistical challenge. The co-venture with outside interests to create a modern sports centre was complex and that relationship has been flawlessly managed through significant changes. Boarding houses have been overhauled (Stephen is particularly proud of Segar’s and rightly so) and several new ones built. New facilities for teaching Maths, Science and Music are all exceptional. And the enormous new development at the heart of the School is a very effective swansong. A ‘before-and-after SWG’ aerial shot of the School would be telling. However, bricks and mortar only tell part of the story. Stephen is a man who believes in institutions and underpins that belief with loyalty. He is qualified to teach and he never wavered from his commitment to the true purpose of the School. He cared deeply about his colleagues and even more about our pupils and their families. He has always been alive to the culture of the place and anxious to promote and protect it. Behind his intellectual strength there lie values, quirkiness and kindness. A perfect fit for Teddies really. I can’t see why anyone ever doubted he’d stay for long. Thank you Stephen. Thank you so much.

our placid school life to sustain his interest. As time has told, such doubts were ill-founded. Doubters were wrong for two reasons and it is those reasons which encapsulate why we were even luckier than we thought at that time. Life at Teddies was never going to be too predictable for Stephen because he simply wouldn’t let it be so. He is a strategist and he is a visionary. Unusually with those characteristics he is also a natural partner. He was a trusted mainstay for three very different Wardens and for four Chairs of Governors and Chairs of the Finance Committee. He was a driving force in these partnerships and never a passive order-taker. (Oh how one very occasionally wished that

Enjoying the view from the Reading Room with Rev Katie Jones and Librarian Sarah Eldred.

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Sophie Barnes What do you do at Teddies and how long have you been here? I joined the Maths Department in September 2018 and this year I moved into Corfe as the Resident Tutor.  Who or what inspired you into teaching? I decided to become a Maths teacher when I was 11 years old. At school, I was always the girl who was good at Maths. I loved being able to explain things to friends and hear them say ‘Oh, I get it now!’, which gave me the idea that I would like to teach. Since then I have obviously considered other careers, but I love working with teenagers and my mind kept coming back to teaching.  Name some highlights of your Teddies career so far. Fantastic supportive colleagues; thought-provoking conversations with pupils at EDGE, our weekly Christian meeting; watching the Gaudy Dance Show; summer rowing regattas; and coaching 4th XI girls who have never held a hockey stick before.  What do you do at Teddies beyond your teaching role? As Corfe RT, I love spending time with the girls in House, chatting and helping them out with the big and small things alike. I coach rowing as well as hockey, and I help to run EDGE.  What do you value about the academic ethos at Teddies? It is great to be teaching pupils to think for themselves and build resilience. This often takes time, but those who master it reap the rewards. What would you say to someone who says ‘I’m hopeless at Maths’? I hear this all the time, but my response is that everyone can get somewhere, you just have to be willing to start. I challenge my pupils to work to their own best ability, not compare themselves with friends or sit back in despair. Best thing about working at a school in Oxford? I have lots of friends around here, so being able to see them.  Naughtiest thing you did at school? I only ever had two detentions whilst I was at school: one for having a paint fight across an Art classroom, and the other for cutting someone’s hair during a supervised prep session. Which book would you take to a desert island? Easiest question of the lot: it would have to be my Bible. Best advice you’ve ever been given?  Be positive and try to get on with everyone. Don’t hold grudges and let things go when necessary.

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At the Palace

Join us for a Baroque Choral Concert Bach Magnificat Vivaldi Gloria Sunday 19th January 8.00pm St Michael’s Church Summertown St Edward’s Singers The Chapel Choirs Instruments of Time and Truth Book at: www.stedwardsoxford.org For free tickets, enter the promotional code ‘teddiescommunity’ at the online box office.

OSE Ilana Cope, Octavia Hamilton, Kyla Haslett-Hawkins, Sybilla Hamilton and Pippa Smith collect their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards in November.

House Proud

Our magnificent Matrons: Zanah Coram-Wright, Avenue; Paul Davies, Kendall; Bethan Hilsdon, Apsley; Claire Elliott, Corfe; Stephanie Carter, Cowell’s; Cassie Cooper, Jubilee; Julie Richens, Segar’s; Yasmin Dean, Tilly’s; Jackie Ball, Field House; Marcia Nash, Sing’s; Helen Barstow, Mac’s; Ligia Nniza, who job-shares with Karen Oliver in Oakthorpe; Linda Churcher, Cooper Lodge; and Karen Oliver. Nicky Henderson is currently covering for Jackie in Field House.

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Sophocles’ Antigone By Mark Taylor, Head of Classics How do you judge the success of a production? A simple question for an Athenian: playwrights wrote their tragedy trilogies for a one-off, competitive performance at the March City Dionysia, attended by most citizens and judged by 10 men, chosen by lot. As a consequence of Sophocles’ Antigone winning 2,460 years ago, the poet was elected general, alongside Pericles, for a punitive campaign against the recalcitrant island of Samos – a peculiarly Athenian take on transferable skills – oh, and he also received an ivy wreath and quite possibly a goat.

sixteen! From Sixths to Shells, all had their key moments: as demotic sentries finding grim humour in their own escape at Antigone’s expense, or in the traditional rheses , as messengers brought news of the various deaths before bearing in the corpses, leaving an indelible image of needless destruction. During one such, a haunting vision was revealed: as the cell door cast its shadowed bars over Antigone, in powerfully simple mime, she hanged herself. On discovering her limp form, Haemon first clung, then crumpled, at her side - a noble and plangent tableau. Collectively the chorus were excellent as well. with wonderful choreography showing their balletic anger. How the sixteen made such dynamic use of the space was truly impressive – witness the spiralling antistrophe in their final ode. Their impact throughout was enormous, constantly on stage from their parodos , they remained at all times part of the drama; their reactions along with tender body language expressed waves of emotion. Their message was made contemporary by skilled beat boxing and ominous, bass-laden music from Jonathan Keeley’s dark, brooding sound design. The dress design, being free from any era, added to the play’s universality. Nonetheless it did evoke the rawness of the social and political divides. The two sisters counter- balanced each other in this respect. Ismene, in yellow, exhibited the restraint not to be found in the fiery red sash of Antigone, and when condemned as bride to Death, she wore a wedding gown of both white and black. Creon’s posturing, snug suit, topped off with pocket square, made him more uncomfortable in his increasing isolation and belied his attempt at insouciance while leaning languidly against a column. It’s time to extol Ben Courtney-Guy’s skills at bringing out such a conflicted character through stance and nuanced expressions, as much as by how he spoke. Recognition ( anagnorisis ) for Creon comes too late: the truth, slow to dawn, is thus harder to bear. Creon’s wife, Eurydice, was powerfully understated by Aniella Weinberger as the silently poised, dignified queen. She stands

Last term’s energy-fuelled production, directed by Katrina Eden ably assisted by Georgia Thomas, used a striking, new translation by Robert Bagg to draw out the ancient yet universal themes of disquiet and protest at those who proclaim they know best. The youthful, zealous idealism of Antigone clashes head on with the inflexible edicts of an arriviste king, desperate to inject his nervy regime into the power vacuum left by internecine war. This production’s stunning traverse set, with its steep slope from Creon’s authoritarian throne down to the

graffiti-spattered ghetto of the chorus, designed by Mayou Trikerioti, delineated the disconnection between power and populace, and so spoke of the conflict to come. Creon’s ‘throne stone’ was set beneath a mocking Damoclean crown, while royal division was enhanced by a fissure across the stage which was larva lit as the tragedy unfolded inexorably. In a deliberate shift from the choral convention of Theban elders, the Chorus provided the XR, Generation-Z voice, speaking truth to Boomer control. What a talented troupe were the chorus of

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by her man (relatable from so many contemporary news clips) until, at news of her own son’s death, the veneer shatters and she too rushes to her own anguished doom. And what of this young Haemon? Winston Frieze gave us such an initially reasonable, devoted heir, determined to learn from his father until the latter’s feet of clay become all too apparent, not least when the threats Haemon makes against himself are mistaken by Creon to be treacherous: this was a fabulous scene, as the stichomythia became heated to boiling point and beyond. The interplay between Ismene and her sister was just as strong, with Phoebe Taylor and Victoria Iliffe interacting in such a convincingly sibling manner, the former pleading with Antigone to see the sense in finding a middle way while the latter became consequently increasingly headstrong and self-righteous – you could hear the change in Victoria’s intonation. The voice of reason, backed by divinely inspired inner sight, was persuasively provided by Charlie Scales as the sightless seer, Tiresias. He used all the space provided so well to exhibit his urgency – simultaneously querulous with his stick and ominously authoritative. His

caution to us was clear, but Creon held out defiant, against his favoured pillar, accusing the old man’s motivation to be corrupted by bribery, while looking increasingly perturbed and finally pitiful if not pitiable. Creon’s self-assuredness diminished as Antigone’s grew; Ben and Victoria could not have represented this any more convincingly. Antigone was imposing, and as statuesque as an archaic kore, rarely looking directly at the chorus: she knew her mind.

Though she expressed her fear and profound distress, she did not waver and stood alone, unwilling to share her glorious death with sister or betrothed. Victoria, along with the rest of the team, were without exception well cast and all outstanding in their roles, as well as making a superb ensemble. So then, an entire flock of goats must now be fleet-footing its way down the steep sides of the Acropolis to our North Wall Theatre of Dionysus – shovel, anyone?

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The cast and crew: Max Maddox, Lighting Operator; Charlie Scales, Tiresias; Victoria Iliffe, Antigone; Winston Frieze, Haemon; Philippa Clack, Deputy Stage Manager; Felix Pickering, Wardrobe Assistant; Aniella Weinberger, Eurydice; Ben Courtney-Guy, Creon; Phoebe Taylor, Ismene; Katrina Eden, Director; Georgia Thomas, Assistant Director; and the Chorus of Jack Parry, Ben Neville, Jemima Paganuzzi, Taggie Paganuzzi, Patrick Lindley, Tom Phillips, Millie Jones, Clara Petrillo, Joe Kelly, Raya Alsalloum, Josie Piech, Nia Willis, Hannah McCrum, Tiggy Jones, Keegan Boyd and Jenifer Ellis. Helena Beccle, India Flowers and Katya Jacobs were Make-Up Assistants.

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Cooper Lodge

A recent visit to our emerging co-ed House by Linda Churcher, Matron; Fergus Livingstone, HM; Richard Hayes, Estates Bursar; Christine Dombrowski, House Tutor; Darran Latimer, Feltham Construction; and Sixth Formers and future residents Caitlin Adams and Carolina Ramirez Cabal.

Equestrian highlights from last year include second place for India Courage, Gini Hope, Jemima D’Arcy and Izzy Hall at the National Schools’ Elite Show Jumping Championships; and a first place by Izzy Hall representing Great Britain at an international event in Ireland. This term will see teams competing in the Dressage and Show Jumping County Championships – in the latter, the girls are the defending champions. To find out more about the Equestrian Team, contact parent co-ordinator Charlie Hall on 07957 111980.

Equestrian Update

Izzy Hall in Ireland

Gini Hope, India Courage, Izzy Hall and Jemima D’Arcy

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Pathways and Perspectives A New Approach to the Middle School Years From September, the GCSE years at Teddies will be transformed with the introduction of two new courses: Pathways and Perspectives. Alongside their chosen programme of GCSEs, pupils will take at least one Pathways course and one Perspectives course. Pathways courses are academically stretching and will give pupils the opportunity to delve deeper into subjects they may be thinking of studying at university; and Perspectives courses provide an engaging scrutiny of humanities subjects with a far greater emphasis on contemporary issues.

tackle different topics and challenges. We will be able to see how well they have analysed information, how creative they’ve been and how well they have worked with their peers. We don’t want to produce young people who are only capable of memorising the right answers and manipulating a mark scheme to get maximum points. It is a skill, but not one that will take them very far beyond GCSEs. As they progress in their studies, our pupils will encounter ideas and situations we can’t yet anticipate – and we need to equip our pupils to face them without floundering – without thinking: ‘Why didn’t Dr Fletcher tell us the answer to this scenario?’ MA: We’re not doing this to get better grades – we’re doing this because we want to move away from box-ticking and take a bold leap into what we see as a proper education. We care passionately about education here at Teddies and it is without question our job to develop these young people in the right way. We want to recognise every individual for their talents, not just those who can remember things.

It’s clearly easy to assess how much a pupil knows – which is largely what GCSEs do. How can you assess for the skills you feel are important for the ‘framework’? MF: We will be able to use techniques not open to GCSE examiners. They are dealing with huge numbers of pupils at great speed, so there is little time for a nuanced or multi- faceted view. We will be able to speak to our pupils, monitor their progress over a number of months and observe how they

A key feature of the new courses is that they will develop more than just the capacity to retain information. To do well in Pathways and Perspectives, pupils will be encouraged to cultivate a much broader range of skills, such as research, creative thinking, self- awareness, collaboration and communication: all vital for Sixth Form, university and the workplace beyond. We caught up with Matthew Albrighton, Deputy Head Academic, and Dr Matthew Fletcher, Head of Chemistry and Oxbridge Advisor, to look in particular at how pupils’ skills will be developed and assessed. Why did you feel that an addition to the Middle School Program was necessary? MF: We have a particular view of education here at Teddies which isn’t wholly served by GCSEs in their current form. Of course pupils need a good, solid foundation of knowledge, particularly in my subject, Chemistry, but we know that knowledge alone is not enough. If we are to prepare our pupils for the next stage of their education, we need a curriculum in place that develops the skills they need to process, develop and apply that knowledge, proactively, creatively and collaboratively. MA: Yes – it’s about having the right framework. Knowledge is required, but with the right framework, pupils will be able to embrace and analyse future knowledge to good effect.

Prisca Olagunju and Sam Perkins

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‘Leading the way in educational initiatives is instinctive for this dynamic Oxford school.’ TATLER SCHOOLS GUIDE 2020 Tell us more about the assessment techniques. MF: There will be tests – they can be useful. But we don’t want our pupils to feel that they’re simply jumping through hoops. In my subject area, we will ask pupils to pursue an investigative project in the Summer Term of the Fourth Form, and they will present their findings in a mini academic conference- style event at Gaudy. A significant element of the assessment will be looking at their findings and presentations, but we will also have observed how they researched and developed their project: the content of the investigation is not necessarily the most important element. MA: We’re very keen to assess our pupils’ ability to understand how they’ve learnt something – which is a big idea, and difficult to do. One of the criteria which is universal to all Pathways and Perspectives courses is self-management: our attempt to measure their ability to step outside what they’re doing and think about how to move to the next stage, which will be vital for Sixth Form. If we get education right, a pupil will positively welcome feedback in this context and will apply it to their future learning. Matthew, you teach Geography. In the Global Societies and Environments Perspectives course, how would you help a pupil to understand how she or he is learning? MA: In Geography, we run a course called Urban Futures, looking at sustainable energy, its impact on town planning and alternative transport technologies. Pupils will be asked to write an essay on one of these topics, and they will do it in three iterations. We will look at how they’ve moved from the first to the third, and we’ll mark them on the improvements they’ve made. If, for instance, the teacher feels the essay needs more research, the pupil will keep a journal to show how they’ve carried out further research, documenting sources, and using the new information to improve a section of the essay. In a GCSE, you would

Ndiana-Abasi Awak-Essien, Adriane Yeung and Lucas Joy

learn a case study off by heart and use it to answer a nine-mark question. It’s much more important to me as an educator to know how the pupil researched and assimilated the information, and how she or he used it to shape an argument. At the moment, pupils launch into their Sixth Form studies and we expect them to have a particular skill set – but there’s no scope for teaching that skill set in GCSE courses, so it seems very unfair on them. We want to ensure that by the time they reach Sixth Form, they are comfortable reflecting on how they learn. When it comes to content, it doesn’t really matter what it is as long as it’s stimulating and relevant. We will be able to adapt the content to make it interesting for the pupils we have before us. Technologies move very quickly in the modern age. Electric cars, for example, are changing every day. Why can’t we use something that was on the news yesterday as the basis for our lessons today: up-to-date content relevant to the world our young people inhabit. MF: I taught an A Level class earlier this week and somehow we found ourselves talking about atomic force microscopy. We got onto the subject because one of the pupils said, ‘We can’t see these with a

microscope,’ and I said, ‘Ah, no, but there is a technique we could use …’ And then after a few minutes’ discussion, I had to say, ‘But look, this isn’t on the course, so let’s get back to what we need to study to get the best grades we can in the exam.’ In our Applied Science Pathway, we could have pursued the discussion and it could have led us somewhere interesting. ‘The acquisition of core knowledge is important. But dry rote learning for exams is not the way forward … Young people need the opportunity to develop the knowledge and the skills they need for future employment through a broad and relevant curriculum that links explicitly to the real world.’

ROBERT HALFON MP, CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

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What you need to know about Pathways and Perspectives All pupils will take GCSEs in English Language, World Literature, Maths and Double Science. Pupils will choose a further GCSE in a Modern Foreign Language. Pupils will choose one Pathways course and one Perspectives course, and then a further Pathways course plus an additional GCSE OR two additional GCSEs. Pathways courses are: Applied Science; Art; Design and Entrepreneurship; Drama; Jewellery; Music; and Sports Science. Perspectives courses are: The Ancient World; Big Ideas; Classical Languages; Global Societies; and History. Optional GCSEs are: Ancient Greek, Classical Civilisation, Geography, German, History, Music and Religious Studies. The new courses will be accredited by the University of Buckingham. They will be graded 9-1, with results published alongside GCSEs. For full details, read the Middle School Program course guide available under the Academic tab on the school website.

Lara Davidson, Eloise Baker and Evie Gowen

What do teachers think about the change? MA: They are very excited about the new courses. There will be elements of the canon they need to cover in certain areas, but we, as a school, are giving them the freedom to change direction in the middle of a course because there’s a particular topic or development they want to cover. There’s nothing more stimulating for a young person than being taught by someone who cares deeply about their subject. We have some very gifted people at Teddies with extraordinary things to share and, currently, there’s no forum in which they can do so. MF: I often find myself saying, ‘Yes, this is interesting, but for goodness’ sake don’t write about it in the exam.’ I know for a fact, as an examiner myself, that it won’t be recognised in the marking criteria and it will essentially waste time in the exam. It is important that pupils are examined in a wide range of subjects at the age of 16, not least as a way of consolidating what they have learnt up to that point. That is what GCSEs are for. However, we know that taking, say, 10 standard GCSEs is neither necessary nor, in some cases, desirable.’ BARNABY LENON, CHAIRMAN OF THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COUNCIL

MA: If we believe in true education, that more knowledge is better, what does it say about our system if essentially we’re saying to our pupils: confine your knowledge for the sake of an exam? It’s not uncommon for the most interested pupils to miss points in an exam because they can’t help themselves and they write about what interests them. There are people who are very good at sitting exams but there are other kinds of intelligence for which it is harder to gain recognition. The danger is that someone who’s willing to conform is going to be celebrated over someone who could change the world.

GCSE Top Grades

Top performing pupils in last summer’s GCSE exams were Pim Kanthamanon, Alexander Barrington Brown, Isabella Sheppard-Capurro, Jack Gore, Lily Helling, Roman Tinkov, Thomas Turner, Tiggy Jones, Abi Drennan, Eliza McCrum, Kunal Barman, Izzy Rees and Oscar Ross

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Cutting Edge Science By Sixth Former Amir Jaafari Sometimes, it is difficult to appreciate the true depth and brilliance of the scientific world within the confines of the classroom. In September, we were able to hear from an array of scientific professionals covering a variety of topics at our very own Biology Conference here at Teddies. The presentations were a wonderful opportunity for pupils to discover more about cutting edge scientific developments at first hand.

The Conference was energetically launched with an interesting lecture from Dr Richard Jabbour, from Imperial College, who gave us a real insight into the use of stem cells to treat heart failure and the research currently being conducted to make treatments even more effective. Especially interesting was the section about pluripotent stem cells, a relatively new discovery presently being tested and researched with a wide range of potential applications. This talk gave us a deeper understanding of the constant forward motion in medicine, where scientists around the world are continuously working on new ways to improve our lives. This idea of improving lives was echoed by the next speaker, Dr Keith Foster, from Ipsen Pharmaceuticals, who talked about the medical applications of the botulinum neurotoxin (botox), the world’s deadliest toxin. The audience was amazed at the myriad applications of botulinum toxin, ranging from correcting crossed eyes and curing chronic migraines to reducing the appearance of wrinkles and removing forms of spasticity. We were left with a real understanding of the power of medicine in society as a medium for improvement and innovation. The conference was concluded by a presentation from Dr Philip Hublitz, from Oxford University, regarding CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) technology and its potential. The talk highlighted the heights medical developments have reached: scientists are now able to delete and insert genes, and edit the bases of our DNA. Importantly, we were also made aware of the ethics of CRISPR: any scientific discovery, no matter how groundbreaking, should

be pursued with caution to ensure that it remains ethical. Overall, the Biology Conference was informative, enjoyable and a great way to inspire young minds - it really fired pupils’ interest in biology. I believe that a subject only becomes truly interesting when you are allowed to engage with it and this conference provided the opportunity with

its engaging and fascinating insights into some of the most revolutionary ideas in modern biology.

The Conference was jointly organised by St Edward’s and the Oxford International Biomedical Centre.

Amir Jaafari