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Box Hill School News May 2012 Image of the Week

Updated each Friday, follow our Twitter feed @boxhillschool

Image of the Week, a school innovation which displays students artwork to the wider world, has recently been gathering national attention. The student showcase arose as a means of displaying the sheer quantity of quality artwork being produced. Whilst the school does stage annual exhibitions of GCSE and IB artwork, the constantly rotating nature of Image of the Week enables a wide variety of artistic achievements by our students to be brought to a mass audience on a regular basis.

Each week the image is changed; it is not unusual for a self-portrait to be replaced by a seascape, or for a meticulously executed drawing to be succeeded by a huge abstract canvas so big that it will only just fit through the door. The element of surprise is part of the experience. There is enthusiastic competition amongst the students as to whose art will be displayed next, and the praise of both teachers and online followers is a positive experience for our students.

In 2011 the Art department achieved a 99% pass rate of A-C grades at GCSE with 71% achieving A* and A grades. Each year our IB Visual Arts students successfully gain entrance onto Art college courses including St Martins, Chelsea, Wimbledon and Goldsmiths amongst others. www.boxhillschool.com

ISI Inspection Report

The latest Independent Schools Inspection Report (the equivalent of OFSTED) has been published for Box Hill School following a four day full inspection, and Headmaster Mark Eagers is delighted with the outcome. It reflects the fantastic progress the school has made since the last inspection in 2008 and highlights the quality of provision, teaching and support that students receive.

‘The six IDEALS of Round Square permeate the school, ensuring that the pupils grow and flourish into confident young people with a strong sense of who they are and what they believe in’.

The highlights include:

• Good academic achievement is supported by excellent teaching;

• The curriculum and extra-curricular programme are excellent throughout the school;

• Pupils’ personal development is excellent… Pupils are compassionate young people, committed to supporting those less fortunate than themselves;

• Inspectors enjoyed meeting pupils who are engaging, courteous and enthusiastic about school life... excellent standards of behaviour are the norm;

• (there are) exciting initiatives for enhancing pupils’ learning;

• Pupils’ spiritual development is outstanding;

• Pupils’ moral awareness is outstanding;

• Pupils’ cultural development is outstanding;

• The school has excellent relationships with its parents;

A full copy of the report is available on the Box Hill School website. New classroom block eagerly anticipated

Construction of a new classroom block will start in July, ready for the start of Autumn Term 2013. This new development will house eight teaching classrooms, two IT suites and a Sixth Form Centre.

Registrar: [email protected] www.boxhillschool.com

Box Hill Day Student Profile Name: Tilly Mitchison

Previous School: Downsend School

School House: Polesden (Day House)

“ I like Box Hill School because everyone is nice and welcoming, and the lessons are always fun and exciting. Polesden is a great House to be in, the people are nice and we have a lounge room, movies, an xbox and can make our own toast! All the activities we do are fun and I especially like hockey. The whole of the staff and student ” body set out to climb Box Hill on Wednesday 8th February, in celebration of the 50th anniversary ‘Youth Speaks’ and ‘Young Writer’ of the founding of the school trust. The route of the four mile sponsored The Diver walk was altered slightly at the last One sniff, the stadium echoes. minute to account for icy paths, but One shuffle, the stadium echoes. after a lengthy (and steep!) climb, The extraordinary anticipation grows, the summit was reached. flowers. The butterflies erupt, the volcano exploding inside. The Head, Mark Eagers, said “Our annual ascent of the hill is a great The silence was deafening, celebration, and something we’ve The suspense of my entrance lingering in the air. been doing for nearly 50 years. It’s I hauled my reluctant feet up the wonderful to have the chance to metallic stairs. do something like this in the snow, The springs of the board rebounding while I leapt and it’s something the children will January saw the school’s public remember for the rest of their lives”. I felt like a ribbon in the air speaking teams wow the judges of Being curled like scissors the Dorking Rotary ‘Youth Speaks’ The flashes of water blinded me. The walk raised money for student- competition with their oratory skills, My hands eagerly lead the way. selected charities including The water reeled me in hypnotically. excellent team work and poise. Ellie Barnados and Happy Child I plunged into the monster Thorn (Chairperson); Rosie Eagers International. (Speaker) and Anna Gibbs (Vote It was a suffocating darkness. The water was like a beast of Thanks) were presented with In the evening, the students took hungry for more. the winners trophy by local actress part in a successful charity variety Virginia McKenna OBE. Muffled applause show, drawing praise from all who Blasted from the crowd. attended. Acts included comedy, I heaved myself out of the water, Box Hill School students were also the street dancing and a magic show. fighting the tendrils of liquid. winners of the Dorking Rotary ‘Young Shrieks called my name. The show was orchestrated by Writer’ competition. Polly Jordan went The stadium was flooded our school Guardians in aid of the With my utter happiness. on to win the intermediate Poetry School Round Square projects, and category at District level. BY POLLY JORDAN raised over £900. Facebook: www.facebook.com/BoxHillSchool www.boxhillschool.com

Adventure Race

The Round Square Schools seventh annual adventure race took place in the Lake District this year with nine teams from different schools taking part. The race consists of 48 hours of activities including canoeing, climbing, mountain biking, night orienteering and finishes with a mountain run. Box Hill School’s team of six students narrowly took 4th place this year with the overall winners being Gordonstoun School. The training for next year’s team will have to start much earlier as it is becoming more competitive each year with teams pushing themselves to their limits. Ski Trip Easter 2012 Berlin History Trip

A group of 30 IGCSE History students have visited Berlin, to learn about its historic place in the Cold War. The aims of the trip were to The eagerly anticipated trip set off at the unearthly hour of 4am, and reinforce learning on the Cold War after a minibus trip, a flight, a security alert and coach journey we and to embrace German culture by finally arrived in the resort of Passo Tonale. attempting to speak in German and Sunday morning saw the group set off across a boggy field to the eat German food. bottom of the slopes to meet the ski instructors for our first days skiing – a solid two hours in the morning, followed by lunch and out for another Visit locations included Checkpoint two hour lesson in the afternoon. Although we had a wide range of Charlie Haus am Museum, the Berlin abilities in the group, the staff were delighted by the enthusiasm of TV tower built to intimidate West the students and the ‘give it a go’ attitude so commonly associated Berlin, and finally the Berlin Hard with Box Hill School. Evenings of quiz nights and a pizza meal Rock Cafe! Everyone headed home were enthusiastically enjoyed by all and the week, as always, soon agreed on one thing, “Berlin is both concluded and it was time to make the long trek back home at the end historic and ‘uber cool’!’ of another highly successful Box Hill School ski trip. Twitter: @boxhillschool www.boxhillschool.com

50 years of DofE at Box Hill School

This year we celebrate the fact that we have been successfully delivering the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme to young people for 50 years. The scheme is in its 56th year and goes from strength to strength, valued by universities and employers alike.

Box Hill School is steeped in the history of the award scheme. Our founding headmaster, Roy McComish, was in there right from the beginning under the guidance of Dr Kurt Hahn and HRH recalls a phone call from Dr Hahn in which he is reported to have said ‘I want you to give your patronage to my award scheme, my boy!’

Much like the school, the scheme has changed and adapted over the years as sections have been amended or replaced but it is fundamentally as challenging and rewarding as it has always been. It is, if anything, more popular now than ever before and no more so than here at Box Hill School. How much it (and the school) have changed can be seen from the accompanying photographs which show a visit to the school in 1962 by HRH, and some of the work taking place, and pupils on an award expedition this year.

Box Hill School recently sailed through its licence review and remains a directly licensed centre. This is a testament to the hard work of staff and the enthusiasm of the students for the award and indeed the numbers engaged in the award at its various levels. The number of students currently participating is excellent with 75 students engaged in the Bronze award and 62 of completing their Silver expedition in June to finish off at this level. There are 50 silver awardees this year which is no mean achievement, and we have 10 Gold awardees and 18 students currently undertaking the award.

It is clear that Box Hill School students today remain committed to the award which exemplifies the values of the school itself in its challenges and success.

Watch the Box Hill School Twitter feed this summer as our expeditions and Round Square service projects keep us up to date with their progress live, for the first time! We will be re-tweeting highlights from their adventures on a daily basis, or you can follow them directly @boxhillschool. Expedition dates are: - Friday 1st June - DofE Gold and Silver practice expeditions - Saturday 2nd June - Alpine Mountain Biking trip to France - Monday 25th June - Year 7 expedition - Tuesday 26th June - Silver qualifying DofE expedition - Wednesday 25th July - Round Square South Africa service project

Registrar: [email protected] www.boxhillschool.com

Oliver Parker at Epsom Playhouse

Congratulations to Oliver Parker, Year 9 student for his musical success over the past few months. May saw Oliver join the Epsom Male Voice Choir (EMVC) on stage at the Epsom Playhouse; giving brilliant performances on the trumpet and trombone as well as accompanying the choir in their finale number “Rhythm of Life”.

Oliver also took part in the Reigate and Redhill Music Festival (Brass section), and not only won the Grade 7 and 8 category, but was also awarded the Borough of Reigate and Banstead Arts Council Award for the ‘most promising solo performer’.

Earlier this year, Oliver was awarded a distinction in his grade 8 trumpet exam, with 140 marks out of 150. He also achieved a distinction in his grade 5 trombone exam, after only learning the instrument for 18 months. With our Music department’s support, we look forward to seeing what Oliver does next! Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Workshops These days, the British educational system is rightly regarded as one of the best in the world. However, we test our young people mercilessly; at key stages, at GCSE level, through controlled assessment and coursework, extended essays, vivas, and final exams. In all this emphasis on assessment, we can lose sight of the joy of discovering learning that we should seek to instil in our children. This is where ELOs come in. Every school department has one Saturday assigned to them to do something entirely off- topic, fun, and, to paraphrase Monty Python, ‘completely different’. The activities are voluntary for all school pupils. The only requirements are that the activity should a) not be something that would otherwise be covered on the school syllabus, b) be related in some way to the departmental subject passions of the individual teachers c) be fun!

Parents are delighted by the extra attention given to their children for no extra cost. Positive lessons emerged in the realisation that there is a need and demand for fun activity even amongst older students that is linked to subject specific study but without the burden of testing and exam preparation. We will definitely continue next year.

For those interested in what activities took place, here follows a brief list: Maths: Building a catapult and firing water balloons to assess trajectories Music: Guest bongo drum player taking a percussion workshop History: The old central Victorian building was brought to life as a family home as students met staff dressed in costume to re-discover the history of their school Business: Students competed in front of parent guest judges in a Dragon’s Den spin-off Geography: Students got wet and wild on a river walk down stream Drama: Guest actors led a workshop on dramatic skills Psychology: Students had coaching in handling exam stress and a ‘meditation’ workshop English: A published author and illustrator led a workshop on creative writing and drawing CDT: Students built a go-kart from scratch and raced it around campus

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Partnership with local music academy

Box Hill School is forming a partnership with the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford to provide opportunities for rock musicians to develop their skills in group contexts. The scheme will be known as ‘ACM @ Box Hill School’, will start in September 2012, will be based in the Music School, and available to students who already play an instrument at Grade 3 or have a real ambition to become a vocalist. The courses will be available to all students in the age range not just those at Box Hill School.

An ‘ACM @ Box Hill School’ website is under construction, where details of the courses and who will be tutoring them will soon be available. In the meantime view www.acm.ac.uk to get a flavour of the facilities that will be accessible as a result of this collaboration.

New photos from our regular activity sessions

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Unbeaten rugby team recognised as ‘team of the moment’ National website schoolssports.com recently recognised the Box Hill School U15 rugby team as ‘Team of the Moment’.

The site, which Box Hill School uses to provide parents with up- to-date information about fixtures and results, was acknowledging the team’s incredible achievement in remaining unbeaten for the whole season. With only one more week in the term, fingers are crossed for an unbroken record! The Spring term has been a fantastic one for our teams, with rugby and hockey remaining unbeaten and girls netball losing only one game so far this season. Many congratulations to all of our incredible student athletes!

Inter Thirds Cricket Tournament Swimming Gala Triumph!

The first ever Box Hill School inter-thirds More House School very kindly invited us to their second swimming gala took place this April, for annual Year 7 cricket tournament on 18th May. We took six Year 7, 8 & 9 pupils. There were some very keen and able players, captained by Woody Goss. Our great individual performances; however, first game was against the hosts, who eventually won the it was the relay teams who decided the game with 3 deliveries to spare. After some tactical fielding result. Despite the Spartans being in changes in the break, we played Bedales School, and then the lead for most of the afternoon, some went into our third game needing a win to put More House excellent relay times from the Athenians (the leaders at that time) under pressure. This game was and Corinthians meant they slipped into against Ditcham Park, who didn’t realise that we had a third place. Corinthians won the final race secret weapon in Tom Ogborn, who collected three wickets of the afternoon, the ‘75m cannon’, to finish in a row, decimating their team! And so into the final game on equal points with the Athenians. against last year’s winners King Edward’s School (KES). It The final standings were: got down to the final ball when we snatched a quick single for victory. 1st Athenians & Corinthians 3rd Spartans We then agonisingly had to wait for a couple of games 4th Olympians before hearing the good news that we were champions. Woody Goss cumulatively got 107 not out and Tom Ogborn A great afternoon was had by all and we ended up with figures of 8-25. What’s more, they were jointly look forward to next year’s gala. awarded the Most Valuable Player award! Registrar: [email protected]