ColumnTHE ISSUE 9 2009 First Impressions This issue begins with some first impressions from two of our new Roxburgh Scholars. The Roxburgh Scholarship is awarded for all-round ability and leadership potential. Heloise joined Stowe in the 3rd Form from Ashdown House in Sussex and has been enjoying a busy first term in this issue: in Queen’s House. George moved from Magdalen College School in Brackley into the Lower 6th where he is • School News P2-7 enjoying the full range of facilities Stowe has to offer. Old Stoics P8-9 “I came to Stowe from The ‘jump’ between GCSEs and A-levels is vast, but I have • a small prep school felt well accommodated in this development. The teachers • Old Stoics News P10-13 in Sussex called are supportive in and out of lessons, and the email system is Ashdown House very helpful in acquiring extra help and organising your time with a Roxburgh with staff! • School Sport P14-15 Scholarship and a There is always an opportunity to discuss concerns with Music Exhibition. individual subject teachers, which is very helpful when trying End Piece P16 At my prep school to balance academic work, sport and music. For me, this • I was Head Girl and ability to balance studies, with the things I love – sport, music captain of athletics and competitions like the Coldstream Cup – was one of the in my last year. main reasons I wanted to join Stowe. There are so many great During the first few experiences to get involved in and with some careful weeks of term we were planning, clear focus and good guidance my first half-term kept really busy. We has been jam packed with academic challenge, had house football on performances, rugby matches, competitions and a the first Sunday which tremendous amount of fun. was a lot of fun and then the next Sunday Stowe offers a great deal in terms of music. In my first few was Sports Day. I really enjoyed competing for Queen’s for weeks I found myself involved in a number of groups playing the first time and managed to win the Junior Girls’ 100m and the trumpet and singing. I have enjoyed the Wednesday 200m. Athletics is one of my strongest sports and it was evening concerts, which have given me the opportunity to amazing to meet Seb Coe, and be part of the Queen’s team perform regularly and enjoy other pupils’ work. The quality of that won the girls’ competition. performances has been really impressive and the music team has been incredibly encouraging in their support. When lessons began, at first it was really strange with new teachers and new people. The teachers all seemed to be very One of the biggest changes for me was entering a boarding strict about preps being handed in on time. I quickly found school. Although I am a day student, I have had various the solution to this, with the help of both opportunities to board when participating in evening and Mrs Hamblett-Jahn (my Housemistress), Matron and the morning school activities. I feel fully involved in school life older girls in my house. It is all down to staying organised and I believe that Chapel has a major role to play in this. and staying on top of everything. Once I had that sorted, Services, singing and the time for reflection have really it was easy. It’s like riding a bike, once you know how, you helped to pull all the strands of Stowe together and help never forget. me to focus on what is important. Social activities have As well as having lessons, I play the piano and the flute. I am also helped to build friendships and the warm welcoming in a Wind Band which I really enjoy; I am also in the Chapel acceptance of all the boys in Temple House has been more Choir. I have played in one music concert so far which was than I could have hoped for. a new experience and I hope to play in the ones that follow. Sporting opportunities at Stowe have been great. I was lucky I have also been doing lots of sport. I am in the A teams for enough to participate on the pre-season school rugby tour to both hockey and lacrosse and I do athletics twice a week. France with coaching from Brian Ashton in August; this was At times it gets really tiring but it is worth it. an excellent experience and one which I thoroughly enjoyed. Even though I am only starting to learn how Stowe works, Unfortunately, I broke my middle finger playing for the I love it. I have made lots of new friends already and I am second team against Bloxham (I was scoring a try!) really enjoying myself!” and this has hampered my contribution to the team but I did manage to play my trumpet in the Choir Heloise Kleinwort (3rd Form, Queen’s) Competition with my left hand. Now that my finger has mended I’m looking forward to rejoining the “I joined Stowe as a Lower Sixth pupil in Temple House at the squad and hoping that I’ll make the first team soon! start of this academic year. My few initial worries of entering a boarding school very soon diminished, and I felt ‘at home’ At Stowe I am secure in the knowledge that I will achieve in a very short time. My peers were incredibly welcoming, my full potential, academically, musically, socially and in and I now feel like I have been here for years. For me Stowe sport because of the school’s nurturing environment and had a reputation as a really friendly place and I haven’t been clear ethos. I am determined to make the most of every disappointed. People have been extremely forthcoming and opportunity over the next two years and strive to contribute I’ve developed a strong group of friends which has helped to school life to the best of my ability.” me settle in faster than I expected. George Eatwell (LVI, Temple) School 2009 Academic Report That was the year that Mark Goodenough (Computer Science, was 2008-09: Snow; Cambridge); Natalie McDaid (Chemistry, ISI & Ofsted Oxford); Laura Grossick (Geography, Cambridge) Inspections; (Eton) and George Hunter (Natural Sciences, Swine-Flu; Public Cambridge). In addition, nearly all Stoics got Exams; Oxbridge into their first choice universities thanks to Successes and now, excellent support from their Tutors and the in Michaelmas Term Careers Dept., headed by Dr Sandra Naish. 2009, 760 Stoics. At GCSE 35.2% A*/A is also our second best Both Inspections, mercifully, seem far away but result with 23 Stoics achieving 5A* grades or the year of preparation, paper-work, schemes of more and 38 Stoics gaining 5As or more. These work and handbooks, statistics, legislative and results suggest that in two year’s time we shall Give Something Back regulatory checks still haunt me as we update it have further good results. For the first time we have been given the all annually and just in case we receive a We continue to watch the changing face of opportunity to ‘guest edit’ The Column. We have snap-inspection. The year-long stress, though, education with some interest and no doubt a tried to encourage Stoics to write about their own was greatly relieved at the outcomes which in new government will bring in yet further achievements this term, rather than members of many cases were excellent or outstanding, this changes. We still believe that A levels are staff. It is only when you ask Stoics themselves to last word being the one mentioned several times appropriate and challenging for Stoics, though write that you realise how enthusiastic, passionate by the Headmaster in his pre-publication report some of our Departments are considering the leak at Speech Day! The staff, too, were thrilled and articulate each one can be about their IGCSE specifications. The IB & Pre-U present at the overwhelmingly positive and supportive very different problems and are costly to particular subject or activity. There is such a depth report (available online at Stowe or ISI), of interest throughout the School in such a broad implement with no apparent gain to Stoics. testament to their hard work throughout the The new Diplomas may not survive a change in range of activities. Hopefully this edition of The year and in stretching, challenging, caring for Column will allow you to glimpse some of the political party though the Extended Project may, and supporting Stoics both in and out of the because of its suitability for a wide-range of vitality of the School that has been obvious to us classroom. The Inspectors supported our throughout the term. abilities. We are considering its introduction as request for instigating more effective academic an Activity. Our ambition this year as a Prefect body is to leave management by re-instituting the Faculty our own legacy, built on the successes of Felix and System with Chairs of Faculties meeting with the September saw the arrival of over 760 Stoics, a third of them new to the School, the largest Laura, the two Heads of School last year. Their aim Headmaster and myself, while we have ensured the School has ever been. Twenty new staff was to improve the sense of community within the that we follow the regulatory requirements to the full. Similarly, the Ofsted Inspection of – teachers, graduate assistants, sports coaches School and we want to follow on from their theme, – also joined us.