The Wycliffian2019/20 92 THE WYCLIFFIAN THE WYCLIFFIAN 1 The Wycliffian2019/20 Speech Day and Awards 4 Academic 26 Community 48 Music 68 Learning Beyond the Classroom 77 Think Globally, Act Locally 96 Sport 97 Wycliffian Society 119 2 THE THE WYCLIFFIAN WYCLIFFIAN THE WYCLIFFIAN 3 Cover_Contents.indd 3 12/08/2020 11:11 The Wycliffian2019/20 Speech Day and Awards 4 Academic 26 Community 48 Music 68 Learning Beyond the Classroom 77 Think Globally, Act Locally 96 Sport 97 Wycliffian Society 119 2 THE WYCLIFFIAN THETHE WYCLIFFIAN WYCLIFFIAN 3 Cover_Contents.indd 3 12/08/2020 11:11 Speech Day This will of course – due to the global pandemic and the consequent cancellation of Speech Day - be the one Head’s address that is never actually delivered. Should anyone reading this have been directly affected by Covid-19, especially if it has brought serious illness and/or bereavement into your family, please accept the thoughts, best wishes and heartfelt sympathy of all at Wycliffe. The Head’s Speech Chair, Trustees, Ladies and Gentlemen, Wycliffians. Perhaps my favourite of all English have stepped up and shown a huge support, that we chose to refer to as writers, George Orwell, once amount of determination, loyalty and our Directed Learning programme. described our nation as “… a family perseverance to make the best of the Sticking with the subject of staff, we in which the young are generally difficult situation in which they have in fact have relatively few changes thwarted and most of the power is in found themselves. As I mentioned taking place this Summer. Notably the hands of irresponsible uncles and this time last year, 2020 sees John amongst non-teaching administration bedridden aunts. Still, it is a family. It Wycliffe’s 700th birthday and little and support staff, three ladies with has its private language and its common did we know when this calendar year more than 60 years’ service between memories, and at the approach of an kicked off that our own ‘pioneering them have finished their time at enemy it closes its ranks. A family with spirit’ was going to be challenged Wycliffe during 2019/20: Catering the wrong members in control – that, quite as much as it has. My preferred Manager, Mrs Judith Johnson; Lead perhaps, is as near as one can come to synonyms for the word ‘pioneer’ Science Technician, Mrs Allyson describing [it] in a phrase …” are ‘innovator’ and ‘trailblazer’ and Wilkes; and Assistant Accountant, I think I shall choose to leave the my goodness we have had to be Ms Judy Bourne. Internal changes wider political interpretation of this trailblazing and innovative in recent see Miss Helene Woodham (CCF) an implicit one and, instead, focus months. As well as praising our pupils, and Mr Alex Salmon (Games) on the fact that the Wycliffe ‘family’ I salute also our parents for their loyal continue with their principal roles really has been put to the test these support and trust and, in particular, but step away from being Resident past three or four months but has (I our staff for picking up and running Assistants in Haywardsend and firmly believe) done a pretty good so positively and effectively with the Haywardsfield respectively, whilst job of ‘closing its ranks’ and far from immense task of delivering 10 weeks Mrs Lisa Nicholls relinquishes her being ‘thwarted’ our pupils really of remote learning and pastoral roles as Senior Housemistress and 4 THE WYCLIFFIAN Speech Day “Mr Adrian Palmer (together with his wife Julie) has led the Prep School since 2003 and I would like to put on record how much I have valued – as my fellow Head - Adrian’s loyalty, resilience, dedication and relentless good humour these past five years. We wish them both “ a long, happy and healthy retirement. Housemistress of Haywardsend including being recognised as one of resilience, dedication and relentless having led the House with great the school’s most compassionate and good humour these past five years. distinction since 2015. She will be conscientious Tutors, Mrs Miranda We wish them both a long, happy and much missed by girls and parents Holden after a dynamic and highly healthy retirement. alike. Completing their 20th year effective four years in charge of Back to pupil achievements now and of unbroken service to Wycliffe this Careers and Mrs Suzanne Flye, 2019’s A Level results were, by some year are Mrs Wendy Such (Finance), who for six-and-a-half years in the Mrs Denise Widdows (Finance), Mr Maths Department has combined way, the best since 2014 and - by Will Helsby (English as an Additional uncompromising rigour with much- some measures - could genuinely Language) and Mrs Kate Burriss valued warmth and support. Lastly, be described as the ‘best-ever’ with (Matron, Haywardsend). And actually I must mention two people whose an A*/A figure of 34% and 63% at leaving us this Summer are Mrs Maria departure will mean little to some A*-B. Even more strikingly, for pupils Acosta and Mrs Sandra Greenwood Senior School pupils and parents and who had joined Wycliffe in the Prep after providing Maternity Cover yet an enormous amount to others: School, this A*-B percentage jumped in Modern Languages, Miss Tegan Mr Adrian Palmer (together with his up to a truly unprecedented 72%. Jarvis after two years as a Resident wife Julie) has led the Prep School Amongst those whose individual Graduate Assistant with specific roles since 2003 and I would like to put on performances particularly shone in Boarding and Games, Dr Darren record how much I have valued – as out were Charles (Charlie) Leach York after four years in Physics my fellow Head - Adrian’s loyalty, (Robinson) whose A*A*AA has taken THE WYCLIFFIAN 5 Speech Day him off to an Engineering degree at Bristol, Lowri Clarke (Lampeter) with A*A*A (and an A in her Extended Project Qualification) leading to an As I wrote for the local press at the time, many English Literature degree at York, “ of those Year 11 pupils had needed to show Isabella (Izzy) Naish (Ivy Grove) exceptional perseverance, determination and with A*AA (and also with an A in her EPQ) who is now reading English genuine courage just to get through the year at Loughborough, Oliver Harris and the vast majority of pupils earned the “ (Collingwood) whose A*AA has very best set of grades of which they were led to an Accounting and Finance individually capable. course at Birmingham and two pupils successfully gaining places to read Medicine (Isla Green, Haywardsend, at Newcastle and Maisie Spiers, No fewer than 12 pupils, out of a year ferociously well-prepared for Collingwood, at Edinburgh), as well as group of 79 boys and girls, achieved everything asked of her, the epitome Iona Lundie (Haywardsend) securing at least five 8 or 9 grades. Among of leadership-by-example and a Neuroscience course with her the top performers were Charlie someone with a very rare level of A*AA. Jones (Ward’s) with eight 9s and drive and commitment both in the GCSE results were, in many ways, two 8s, Hannah Shakir-Apps (Ivy classroom and on the sports field. even more pleasing. As I wrote for Grove) with seven 9s and three 8s, And her two Deputies – James the local press at the time, many Millie Porter (Ivy Grove) with six 9s Clements (Robinson) and Atolani of those Year 11 pupils had needed and four 8s and Madeleine Palmer (Ato) Oyewumi (Haywardsfield) to show exceptional perseverance, (Lampeter) with six 9s and two 8s. – have been similarly excellent. If determination and genuine courage For 2020/21, Madeleine (Maddy!) you were wanting to offer an ‘in-a- just to get through the year and the will become Head of School, with nutshell’ example of what it is to be vast majority of pupils earned the Charlie and new arrival Gaia Wruss a first-class Wycliffian, you could very best set of grades of which they (Loosley Halls) as her Deputies – we do worse than introduce James and were individually capable. A record- wish them and indeed their entire Ato: James has demonstrated an equalling 94% of pupils achieved five Prefect team the very best of luck for exemplary approach to academic or more passes at grade 4 (or above), the academic year ahead. life, has been a fine performer for one in five results was at 8 or 9 and As ever, they have a hard act to 1st XV (Rugby) and 1st XI (Cricket), four out of five results was at grade follow! Olivia Garrard (Haywardsend) has been a leading member of 5 or higher (when baseline data had has been an outstanding Head the Combined Cadet Force said that this ought to be just 48%). of School: exceptionally reliable, and has played a key role in the 6 THE WYCLIFFIAN Speech Day transformational improvement of take some beating. He captivated a German language (and other cultural Robinson as a House, whereas Ato packed Sibly Hall with his dry humour activities) to Vienna in December seems to have done everything, from and sharply-observed view of the and on Skiing to Italy in February, world and – with perfect timing – the were similarly well received and much first team sport in all three ‘main night’s final question, from one of the enjoyed. games’ (plus Basketball), Duke of youngest attendees, asking for advice Edinburgh Gold, leading roles in for aspiring poets was met with the No fewer than 15 Year 13 pupils school productions, Young Enterprise, one-word answer: “Read!”. completed Extended Project singing in Vox, etc.