Lucton News May 21st 2021 FROM THE EDITOR PREP SCHOOL Issue 29 MIDDLE SCHOOL SENIOR SCHOOL SIXTH FORM BOARDING SPORT From the Editor

research into Lucton, including just one of four, albeit the time spent touring the school biggest, being produced over and in conversation with the next couple of months. In staff, students, and parents, addition to two supplementary Managing Director Miles videos profiling the boarding Latham pitched several really and international student interesting and engaging experience at Lucton, there ideas to us. All those at the will also be a partial re-edit of presentation agreed, however, the brand video, tweaked very that the idea of “Quiet slightly for the international We began the conversation Confidence” was the one to market. These videos will have regarding the production of a pursue. Miles had been struck a multitude of uses including new promotional video back in by the unassuming self- aiding the promotion of our September 2020. confidence of our students upcoming Open Days (1 to1 during his visits to the school, tours) on June 15th and Several years ago we had a and we agreed with him that 17th, in addition to being a series of videos produced it was a trait within young useful marketing tool for our documenting various areas of people that we can be justly international agents. the school; however, they had proud of developing, given the begun to look a little out of opportunities and challenges The original plan was to shoot date and were certainly in need that they can expect to meet the video last November, to of a make-over. in their lives. So, if you were coincide with the release of curious as to the origin of our new website; an ambitious, We were keen to produce a the “Quiet Confidence” strap- even audacious idea with video that was narrative- line that appears on our new hindsight, considering the based, that captured the website, now you know! global situation. Needless unique character of the school to say, the new COVID and its students without The brand video is actually restrictions introduced at merely resorting to a crude montage of the facilities and a drone shot of the campus, as so many school videos seem to do. With that in mind, we approached a leading film company called Affixxius, which is renowned for its work not just in education, but also in commercial television adverts. Indeed, theirs is often the first name to crop up whenever the need for high- end promotional content is required.

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2 / Lucton News the start of that month made filming impossible. It was then rescheduled, not once, not twice, but three times, finally commencing last month.

It was worth the wait as an abundance of superb footage was captured over the five days that the crew were here. From cadets charging through a smoke-filled wood, to dry ice volcanoes, and the world’s most enthusiastic school band, the students approached the project with gusto and I hope you’ll agree that this natural exuberance shines I would like to say a big through in the film! thank you to Mrs Rogers for assisting with the filming, Naturally, with so much and of course the staff and excellent material in the students, without whose can, difficult decisions support this project wouldn’t had to be made during the have been possible. Enjoy the editing process. There is the film! possibility, therefore, that some of the unused footage https://youtu.be/ will appear in future videos. QEYkymexw7E Anyone who isn’t featured this time should keep his or her Mr Norton eyes peeled in future!

3 / Lucton News Prep School

Year 4W definitely got us USA. As we all know, there the woods during Forest thinking, this week on the are 50 states in America. School, mix up paints in the subject of the Ascension. Learning all of them is quite Art Room (you should see the a feat. Learning all of them finished painting-collage of They explored the ideas of and correctly placing them on Captain Tom, by Year 5), throw friendship and how friendship a blank map, gets better. But parachutes off the fire escape changes over time. They learning all of them, placing and get down to the nitty-gritty also sang Wild World by Cat them and doing that in six of protractors (having two sets Stevens. Through poetry and minutes; well that takes some of numbers is very confusing). performance, Year 4W showed beating. If you ever need to But school isn’t all about that; us the value of Friendship. ‘phone a friend’ about the we need to celebrate our other They explored the story of states of America then I’d possibilities as well. Miss the Ascension, explaining plump for Isabel. 6 minutes… Penny has been drilling her the importance of this to wow! charges ready for the Ballet Christians, but leaving the Assembly, next week. Given punchline until Whitsun or Even though we haven’t quite that the last one was Swan Pentecost. Thank you, Year 4 made it to freedom of all Lake, then she has certainly for exploring both these topics. restrictions and we wait to set the bar high. see whether 21st June really I don’t often single out will bring all that has been Keeping with music, did you individuals for public praise, suggested, restrictions have know that Year 5 pupils learn but in this case, I am definitely loosened enough to make an instrument as part of the going to make an exception. school feel as if we are back to curriculum? It is a two-year Year 5 are learning about the normal. We galivant through programme as we believe that

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4 / Lucton News learning to play an instrument bird identification, camping, really helps in all aspects of equine behaviour, farming, learning, as well as the fact field safety, road safety, and so that it is really relaxing to play on. Should you be interested, an instrument and also, there take a look at the website is the ‘cool’ factor to consider. https://pcuk.org/achievement- We will be having concerts badges/ and let us know if and Music Assemblies in the you would like a taster before Autumn Term when you can committing fully. see the fruits of their labours. There are, of course, individual And then there is our beloved instrumental lessons in almost Drama lessons or LAMDA everything. Drop the Office a lessons that can, if you keep to line to find out more. it, take you into the realms of UCAS points. But, at this age, it Meanwhile, our Pony Club has is more a matter of confidence I hope this helps. You might gone into the stratosphere building, sight reading and like to take a look at our new with over 17 keen equestrians dressing up and acting out promotional video that neatly signed up. Aside from the cost mini plays. sums us up. Quiet Confidence of the subscription to the Club indeed. and the cost of the badges, Yes, we are back to normal this is, essentially, free. The - almost - and soon we will Mr David Bicker-Caarten, Head children love it and it is not be able to welcome you in to of Prep all about horse maintenance. take a proper look around to There is the countryside code, remind you of what we do, but Nursery

Well, all this rain and wind certainly doesn’t keep us down.

All togged up, the youngest members of Lucton take daily walks through our grounds, investigating and exploring. Do you know how many slugs there are at the moment?

Mr Bicker-Caarten

5 / Lucton News Middle School

It was a delight to see Year 6 Year 7 has recently been we have had trepidation, involved in an interesting ICT thinking about foreign tangible, apparatus and project to make posters about language learning and its endeavour. Anyone who lessons that have inspired importance. They took the manages to use these words them this week. opportunity to put themselves during lessons receives a in the shoes of our overseas, merit! A range of different topics were non-native English speakers chosen, from The Black Death, and imagined how difficult Our Norwegian lesson: their history topic, Microbes it must be to have all your in science, to “The Ghost of lessons in a second language. On Friday, Theo agreed Thomas Kempe”, a recent Our Norwegian pupil, Theo, to teach his form some reading book in English. What kindly volunteered to give Norwegian during the Spanish really impressed me too was a lesson in Norwegian; see class. He did an excellent how much Year 6 has grown separate report. job and taught the class for in terms of their ICT literacy. the entire lesson! He taught Pupils can cut and paste, Year 8 students have been us some greetings and use fills and backgrounds, focussing on the written and pronunciation rules and had interesting fonts and borders, spoken word, in Form Time. the whole class practising not to mention saving their It was super to take some their new expressions. He files efficiently in folders. It is of them to the library this also showed us some pictures certainly a positive outcome week and to listen to them of his home town and the from their period of lockdown exchanging recommendations beautiful Norwegian landscape learning, when all of us needed of books to read. We have so and fjords. We all agreed to polish and improve our many amazing new books in that Theo did a fabulous job IT skills. Let’s hope we can the library now, and the wealth and would make a wonderful continue to harness these of choice is impressive! We teacher, someday! new-found capabilities in the have also introduced a “word Middle School. of the day” to improve our Mrs Bassett, Head of Middle vocabulary. So far this week School Lucton’s New Weather Station

We are pleased to announce to rain when planning sports The weather station measures that Lucton School now has a fixtures. We hope that it will be temperature, rainfall rate and new weather station. of general interest to a wider accumulations, wind speed audience, allowing parents to and direction, barometric This will be a useful additional see what the weather is doing pressure, dewpoint, relative tool for, specifically, science at Lucton School and even humidity (RH) and the website and geography education, plan what their children need carries an integrated map and helpful to the sports to wear according to actual showing rainfall and wind department in gauging if the weather on site. direction, this also includes pitches are playable in the other stations nearby and winter or whether it is going (Continued over)

6 / Lucton News further afield for further interest.

So, feel free to visit the website link below and start learning about our local weather. https://www.wunderground. com/dashboard/pws/ ILEOMI10

Mr Beeden Senior School

Move aside Warren Buffet, our Year 10s have taken to the stock market!

The $100 000 may have been virtual, but our annual Virtual Stock Exchange Game is being played out with real figures in real companies. Each year in Economics, the Year 10s study the Stock Market and get the chance to trade online in a league against each other.

They have been familiarising themselves with terms such as 'floatation', 'acquisition', 'portfolio' and 'share index' whilst simultaneously reading financial data to plot their next investments. As of the time of writing, Sameer is top of the league with a net worth of $101 686.85 on a $100 000 investment, in just a day. Not bad for a day's work!

Mr Wolstenholme

7 / Lucton News Sixth Form

wear, amongst the students; always a cause of grave debate.

In other news around the Sixth Form, it was lovely to hear how Annie, Keira and Megan all grouped together to make a card and provide a cake for Mr Warren’s big birthday (I won’t mention numbers, though the picture may give it away). Having been taught by Mr Warren since Year 3, they wanted to express their thanks and gratitude for all he had done for them. This, I think, is a wonderful illustration of the benefits of a through-school, and the type of student Lucton helps mould and shape. I know Mr Warren was very touched, too; perhaps at times we forget just how influential our teachers are throughout our lives.

Finally, I’ll finish with a nod to the future, as is the theme for our assemblies this term. Mrs With final assessments on the great depth to cover. Mathie took the talk this week, horizon now, our Year 13s have and we were all fascinated been studying diligently and I’m sure all of the Sixth by visions of the future from will finally be seeing light at Formers are looking forward a range of historical sources the end of the tunnel. to our end of year dinner including the Ancient Greeks, too; I know preparations are Da Vinci, Nostradamus and It will soon be the Year 12s’ already in place with menus, Orwell. The message, however, turn to feel the heat, with end with a new theme on offer this was to use the past to help of year exams on the horizon. year. We traditionally have a inform our decision-making in No doubt our Year 13s would slide-show presentation with the future - especially useful impress upon our Year 12s snippets and highlights of the for our Year 13s as they soon the need to continuously keep Year 13s’ time at Lucton, and head out to pastures new. on top of notes and revision, I’m looking forward to seeing throughout the A level course, that. There has also been Mr Wolstenholme, Head of as it goes quickly and there is much chatter about what to Sixth Form

8 / Lucton News Boarding

I can’t believe that half term is this has not been possible Please can I remind all parents almost upon us! for much of this year, over to let us know travel and the past few weeks we have holiday plans as soon as The last few weeks have certainly made up for it. possible, so we can make any passed by in a flurry of arrangements for buses and studying and end of year This half term we have gone transport in good time. exams, and for many of our wild at the West Midlands students leaving for university, Safari Park, lived as Victorians Mrs Webb-Rogers, Head of their time in Lucton is nearly for the day at Blists Hill and Boarding at an end. Whilst there is a lot last week, shopped till we of hard work going on in the dropped in Worcester. With a evenings, there is also fun to trip to the cinema planned for be had. this weekend, there is never a dull moment in boarding! As life gets slowly back to normal and more Sometimes, however, old attractions are opening up, fashioned fun is best; I thought our programme of weekend that the Year 9 students were activities is also springing up to mischief as they were back into life. We try to get so quiet this evening, but no, the boarders out and about they were just enjoying a quiet each weekend and run some game of Monopoly! fabulous, varied trips. Whilst

9 / Lucton News Sport

It was 1pm, the end of early lead. Some impressive errors that crept into our game. morning lessons, and as in defending from Faith and It was, though, so good to get some bygone era, a fleet of slick attacking moves from back on the court and play a minibuses was set ready Catherine, Annie (player of competitive match. to depart for matches. Off the match) and Georgia, soon they went with many excited addressed the situation as Mrs Connop, Director of Sport passengers, eager to make the Lucton resolve helped us dig most of this opportunity. deep.

Time is a funny concept and By half time, the scores were although it may have been 61 level, and a very even game weeks since our last of cat and mouse ensued, as fixture, there was sense of each team made steals, and U16 v CCB déjà vu as the U18s travelled took advantage of attacking to Hereford for a long-awaited situations to score goals. The As the sun shone, Lucton match. With a new set of end result, a 27-26 victory to won the toss against CCB and irksome rules – 4ft instead HSFC, was a fair outcome. elected to field; a wise move. of 3ft for marking and no Against a slick, tall, well drilled contested ball – the girls team, we played well and Finn opened the bowling with a started tentatively, with HSFC at times looked impressive fine maiden and finished with quickly taking advantage and will, with a few focused an impressive 1-3 from three of our hesitancy to take an training sessions, iron out the tightly bowled overs. With nine (Continued over)

10 / Lucton News members of the team able to bowl, good wickets from Jamie, Kian and Kennedy and some great fielding from Dami, CCB had to work hard for their score of 121-4.

Skipper Jack led by example and anchored the chase with a hard hitting 70, before Finn (19 not out) and Jamie (9 not out) clinched victory, with 7 wickets and 10 overs to spare. Jamie won the game with a most impressive hit for six. A great result indeed!

Mrs Connop

Earlier this week, the Middle doughty batting). A great all- School Girls cricket team round team performance. Well travelled to Cathedral School done, girls; you can be very for a tournament. proud!

It was a beautiful sunny day Miss Jones with lots of good cricket played. This was the girls’ first ever experience of formal match play and they were brilliant! The girls were an absolute credit to Lucton, showing great determination, attitude and manners.

They came runners up and they can be seen with their medals in the photograph! Outstanding performances came from Penny R (for her bowling and taking Lucton’s first ever wicket!) and Scarlett B and Maggie E (for some

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11 / Lucton News The U13 girls travelled to 2 brilliant between girls tightened up their fielding Moor Park to play their second them. After some good fielding to prevent Moor Park from rounders match of the season. by Moor Park, Hazel E was left scoring as many full rounders as the last player standing in in their 2nd innings. Although Under the brilliant captaincy of the first innings and had to Lucton didn’t manage a win Maggie E, Lucton fielded first face 3 very fast paced balls. this time, lots of improvement against a strong Moor Park She handled the pressure was shown by all. Hannah team. A few mis-timed throws brilliantly and managed a good W was crowned batter of the resulted in Moor Park scoring hit on her third and final ball. match for a second time in a a reasonable amount of row and Scarlett B was named rounders in their first innings. After a mix up of players, fielder of the match. most notably the changing of Lucton acquitted themselves bowler and backstop, Lucton Mrs Daughtrey quite well in their first batting managed to field with much innings with Hannah W and more confidence. Penny R took Scarlett B managing to score a magnificent catch and the

U15 Cricket v Aylestone at that beat the bat were also tight bowling from Tom Wall Pentland Gardens (County flying over the bails. Charlie R, (4 overs, 0 for 0!) and two run Cup) 20-20 bash. our goalkeeper turned wicket outs from some slick fielding. keeper, was solid behind the On one of the best afternoons stumps, which was not easy, With wickets distributed of this term – warm, dry and a given the high bounce. To his amongst several of our bright yellow orb in the sky – credit, he conceded only one bowlers, the opposition’s we were at Pentland Gardens bye throughout the innings. total of 85 was never going eager to play in the first to be enough. Our opening round of the County knockout The Aylestone openers rode pair of Charlie R and Joel tournament. After a very their luck against our opening began steadily against some thorough warm up, we looked attack and their promising very good bowling from focused and up for the match. Afghani import scored two their opener, who was quick, consecutive towering sixes accurate and moving the ball With Aylestone batting first, in a row off Joel, who then in the air, keeping their wickets we struggled to get our length bowled him middle stump intact and defusing any early right on the artificial wicket, next ball, essentially ending pressure. where even a good length their hopes of amassing a ball was bouncing over the significant score. Aylestone’s Although Charlie was dropped stumps, so a lot of deliveries total was further restricted by in the eighth over, his solid

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12 / Lucton News defence and Joel’s ability to manufacture shots and House Merit read the game very well, for example by turning singles Totals into twos, kept the score board ticking over.

In the end, we won by 10 wickets with 8.4 overs to spare. Well done, boys, on a good all-round performance! There is a caveat, however; we must improve the accuracy of our bowling. As in our previous two matches, far too many runs were conceded Collingwood from wides – indeed, in this instance half of Aylestone’s final score came from wide Drake balls! Rodney

Mr Cowley Nelson

*Numbers accurate 21st May 2021

Our first match in this In the singles, buoyed by their deserved as play these last much anticipated LTA schools performances in the doubles, two matches was hampered tournament was against King’s Nathan and Charlie really piled by a torrential downpour. This School, Worcester. on the pressure, serving well in must have been the wettest both their matches, playing out tennis fixture I have ever We started off with a round many long points, retrieving experienced! Well done to our of doubles, with Joel and Zac many seemingly impossible fab four and we look forward taking on their 1 & 2 seeds balls and driving the ball well. greatly to the next match! whilst Nathan and Charlie took on seeds 3 & 4. Immediately Nathan got a win, while Charlie, Final result: Lucton won 8 – 4 we could see that these who did play very well, was were going to be very closely let down a little by his service Mrs Bassett contested matches, and many game and lost 2-4. Finally, Joel unusually long rallies ensued. and Zac found their rhythm in their singles matches, mixing Joel and Zac didn’t quite hit it up with slices, volleys and their stride and narrowly lost some successful lobbing to their rubber, whilst Nathan and win both matches! Charlie managed to battle on, dig deep and get the win, 7-5! Their wins were really well-

13 / Lucton News