Hutchesonian 2012
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HuTHtcE hesonian 2012 HuTHtcE hesonian 2012 Team of 2012 Contents Editor Staff Notes . 7 Sarah Levitus Founders’ Day . 15 Sub Editor Tom Byam Shaw S6 . 19 Sub Editors (Kingarth Street) Kingarth Street . 32 Laurie Anderson Fraser McDougall House Overview . 61 Arrivals/Departures Sport . 65 Matthew Henson Prize List 2011 . 97 Art Rosie Munro Drama Laurie Anderson Music Fraser McDougall Clubs, Societies, Trips, S6 Life Sarah Cooper, Sarah Wallace, Emma O’Rourke, Fraser Eunson Sports Lewis Mackay, Alistair Kyle Overview Jane Ritchie, Kirsty Robertson, Irene Munro Photography The photographs reproduced by kind permission of Gillman & Soame photographers and can be re-ordered visiting www.gillmanandsoame.co.uk and using the following details Login: GC1422 Password 129942 In-house photography Maria Campbell, Gillian Tooth Hutchesons’ Grammar School is governed by Hutchesons’ Educational Trust, Registered Charity Number SC002922 1 Editorial hen Mrs Munro first asked me to be editor of have thoroughly enjoyed working closely with the Hutchesonian, I couldn’t say no. Looking members of staff and getting to know them better. It Wback now, it’s the best decision I’ve made. I has also been lovely working with Kingarth Steet, and feel so privileged to have been able to work with an having joined Hutchie in S1, it has been interesting to amazing group of people who have constantly given see what goes on there. Deadlines have been an their all in order to produce the best possible magazine important part of the editorial experience. I now know that our team could create. This year, I have tried to how important deadlines are and I feel that I have learnt incorporate both art and writing into the magazine, as a huge amount from this and I will hold onto these both are great passions of mine. I have been amazed by memories in the years to come. Coming from a long the talent being submitted from across the school. line of Hutchesonians, it has been great to have been Similarly, the quality of photography has been excellent more involved with the school and the wonderful and we have tried to include as many photos as people whom I would not have encountered otherwise. possible. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. Thank you to everyone who helped make the I feel very strongly about everyone having the right to Hutchesonian both a memorable magazine and show their talents, and therefore I have been inspired to experience. It truly has marked the end of a fantastic include more people in the magazine, be that in time at Hutchie. pictures or the masterminds behind the great reports. I 2 From the Rector Thoughts on excellence and the curriculum ooking back through previous part – everyone recognised that the editions of this magazine I find overlap of Standard Grades with Lthat it is five years since I last Intermediate 2 (originally designed to used this space to write about be an S5 exam for lower achievers) academic excellence , and what I feel was confusing – but a definite turning is Hutchie’s unique ‘learning culture’. point came with the publishing of There are some good reasons for various levels of skill-based writing about it again now. The first is ‘Experiences & Outcomes’ in each of that although the educational eight broad subject areas. These opportunities that are on offer here could be used to track progression in are very varied, across a wide range individual children from nursery of ‘extra-curricular’ activities and onwards, but the scheme crucially interests, the most important part of a and rather bafflingly ended at the end Hutchie education is still academic of the S3 year, just before the main learning through subject specialism - diets of external exams and without learning and achieving in academic any obvious articulation with them. subjects to the highest possible level Along the way any plans to somehow and being ahead of the field nationally. measure or even certificate skills of The wider aspects of a good Scottish being a ‘responsible citizen, effective education are important too, of contributor or confident individual’ had I wonder how many times the course, and we expect pupils to been quietly shelved. educational planners must have achieve the highest standards in regretted their choice of name for this them. But the heart of it all is firmly, In recent months the continuing flagship programme? It was and unashamedly, academic uncertainty felt by many schools ambitious in scope – all schools, state excellence. Our exam results and about how much or little of and independent would have to sign university entrance statistics stand as Curriculum for Excellence they need up to it, or be prepared to explain why testament to our continuing success to do, or be seen to be doing, has not to Her Majesty’s Inspectors. It in achieving this with current pupils, been tested by the clear implication would involve a radical rethink about year after year. from the Government that schools academic progression from nursery to must show they are delivering that secondary school, and would allow The second reason for revisiting this broad and unspecialised academic teachers more time to teach in is that the very nature of what a curriculum in the eight subject areas inspiring and creative ways. Pupils school ‘curriculum’ is or should be in across S1 to S3, followed by choice of would be exposed in school to a modern Scotland has been the five subjects for examination in S4 wider range of activities in and out of subject of much debate, discussion and beyond. This ‘3 + 3’ years the classroom, including cross- and change in the last six years. structure in secondary school is, at curricular work, sport, music and the moment, considered to be an culture, and they would leave school The architects of the national initiative essential part of Curriculum for with a portfolio which detailed not ‘A Curriculum for Excellence ’ had Excellence . It stands in contrast to only what they had learned, but also worthy aims, to improve teaching and what many schools currently do, with what their skills and abilities were in learning in the state education sector a broad education in S1 and S2, areas such as leadership, and in particular, target the bottom followed by narrowing to seven or communication and citizenship. To do 20% of the cohort who were leaving eight subjects in S3 and S4, then this schools would be set free from a school at 16 with very few choice of five in S5 and beyond – the rigid adherence to a national qualifications, and a school ‘2 + 2 + 2’ model. A national curriculum, and given the space to experience which many felt was of curriculum structure has thus been design educational provision which little value, or interest. These leavers, imposed, and this is just as was right for their particular pupils. the so-called NEET group (young constricting as any new and detailed The paradox in the title, therefore, people Not in Education, Employment knowledge-based curriculum would was that there would emphatically not or Training) deserved a better school have been. One could also argue that be a new curriculum behind it all…. experience, one that was more the skills-based curriculum implied by appropriate to them as an individual the Experiences and Outcomes is just Historians may come to debate at and with more opportunity for as rigid. what precise point in time this vision recognising wider achievement, became diluted into something more giving them credit for different skills However, for Hutchesons’, and for all pragmatic… and more like a new and abilities - soon to be rebranded as other independent schools, it has curriculum. The separate need to ‘capacities’. become clear that we do not have to reform S4 exams certainly played a 3 follow Curriculum for Excellence if we don’t want to, and we have the Hutchesons’ Grammar School freedom to determine our own curricular structure, just as we can choose which exams our pupils sit, at Independent School of the Year each level. This means that we can happily stick with our existing ‘2 + 2 + This academic year has proved to the school’s own efforts to bring 2’ structure in the Secondary school. be a great year at Hutchesons’. It the education it offers to the was announced that Hutchesons’ widest possible audience. That But that does change our place in the Grammar School would be children achieve so highly, so educational landscape a bit. I have named the Scottish Independent consistently is remarkable - a been asked many times over the School of the Year 2011/12 in the tribute to the children course of the last six years whether Sunday Times Schools Guide. themselves, the Rector and his or not Hutchesons’ is ‘doing’ This outstanding award was dedicated staff. This is not an Curriculum for Excellence , and this given to us in recognition of excellent education provided to a has not been an easy question to excellent academic results as well lucky few. answer. Over time, my responses as other facts: Charity success, have shifted from an emphatic ‘yes, in fact we feel we are already doing it accessibility and community Hutchesons’ frequently has the very well’ to an enigmatic ‘in some work. All these factors were taken largest cohort of students taking respects, yes…’ to an evasive into consideration and resulted in Highers of any independent ‘perhaps…’ to the position now, Hutchesons’ winning this great school in Scotland, making their which is a definite ‘no’. It seems a award. outstanding results all the more pity that we cannot feel part of a laudable.