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Fullerian Fullerian 2018-19 Watford Grammar School for Boys Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD18 7JF. Telephone: 01923 208900 Fax: 01923 208901 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.watfordboys.org Twitter: @WBGSExcellence The Old Fullerians’ Association enables Old Fullerians to meet or keep in touch with one another as well as with the school and its staff. Its over-riding objective is "to further the interests of the School by giving it every assistance." This year we raised over £5,000 for the School’s upgrading of its Sports facilities and completed similar fundraising amounts for the STEM Centre last year. All of the OFA membership fees are re-cycled back into providing the School with financial support every year. The Annual Dinner in the School Hall in January brings together 200 old boys to enjoy fine dining with guest speeches as well as opportunities to network. The Old Fullerian clubs for cricket, football and golf are a great way for old boys to get together and share in their sporting passions - new members are always welcome. Membership is just £15 per year, which supports our OFA activities and helps us provide ongoing support for the school. To become an OFA member or get involved with the above OFA events, please contact our Chairman, Joe England - [email protected] Old Fullerians’ Association The Fullerian 2018-19 Headmaster’s Notes 2 CONTENTSSchool Life 6 English & Drama 35 Trips and Exchanges 40 Music 58 Art 66 Sport 72 Staff Leavers 90 Clubs and Societies 92 School Prizes 95 Editor: G Aitken Design: Many thanks to John Dunne. Thank you very much to all those who helped with the production of this year’s Fullerian. Watford Grammar School for Boys Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD18 7JF. Telephone: 01923 208900 Fax: 01923 208901 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.watfordboys.org Twitter: @WBGSExcellence Student Editors Front Cover Design A number of sixth formers have suggested and carried out some Nathan Phua (11N) is the designer of this year’s of the original pieces in this year’s magazine. I am particularly cover. He is an outstanding young photographer grateful to David Mortimer for his enthusiasm and commitment to and has won more than one national photography Watford Football Club, Teachers’ Talents, QSA, and dogged chasing competition. In 2018 it was the prestigious Canary up of other articles. Josh Patel and Christopher Tang also deserve Wharf Young Wildlife Photographer Competition, and a mention. Nathan independently researched, applied for, and Many thanks too to all those teachers who have given won the junior category. For the competition, Nathan generously of their valuable time to write themselves, agree to be had to capture the flora and fauna of the area around interviewed, and remind students to write articles, and most of all Canary Wharf. thank you to all those students who, by agreeing to write, have The Art Department selected this beautiful, given such a full picture of the life of the school. striking piece of Nathan’s artwork for the front cover. GA GA THE FULLERIAN 2018-19 1 HEADMASTER’SWhat do we NOTES value? ike 1981 and 2005, the summer of 2019 will be set of core values, in our case, drawing upon the contributions remembered for a remarkable cricket contest. of boys, staff, alumni and governors. The exercise itself was England’s first World Cup victory was scintillating, illuminating and thought-provoking, ultimately yielding a clear ridiculous and uplifting. In theory, it was even set of six values. predictable, which is rarely true of English sports Excellence and Endeavour: The pursuit of excellence in every teams on the biggest stage. England went into realm through hard work and determination will ensure that each Lthe World Cup as the favourites and delivered, but they did so burgeoning talent is developed. Our effort will make a difference following a miraculous transformation from the side that was because the prizes in life go to the dogged and determined. routed by Bangladesh in the group stage in 2015. Much of this is Creativity and Individuality: We should seek to invent, attributable to the exceptional talent in the team today, but that experiment, take risks and have fun as we solve problems in our alone would never have been sufficient – after all, many other rapidly changing world. Creativity will always be critical, perhaps English teams in multiple sports have been replete with talent, even more so in a world of increasing computational power yet failed to win a global tournament. and Artificial Intelligence. Respecting and drawing upon the The story of England’s metamorphosis can also be uniqueness of each individual and their capacity to contribute to explained through the development of a simple team culture the common good will ensure that our collective effort is rewarded. that players from different backgrounds could buy into. The Integrity and Kindness: Our wellbeing is driven by our captains, Morgan and Root, developed their own philosophy sense of self-worth and our interactions with others. This will be using the simple visual reminder that the players see and wear enhanced if each and every one of us aspires to a life led with every day. Each of the three lions was afforded an individual integrity, with ethical convictions underpinning our actions so that meaning, one for courage, one for unity and one for respect. we all seek to do the right thing in a reliable way at all times, even The crown that tops them all represents the team – a precious when no-one is watching. To draw upon Gandhi’s words, we can vessel owned by no single individual, to be passed on to the be the change we wish to see in the world by making an effort to next generation. Articulating a set of values was important, improve the lives of others, to be kind, for no reward other than the but what was far more impressive was the desire of the squad knowledge that we may have made a difference. to live by them and use them to drive the team to achieve the Articulating these values represents a starting point, ultimate prize. One could argue that they bought into the motto but living by them will be a greater challenge – one I hope of Watford Grammar School for Boys and went ‘forward with that we will all be able to embrace. In reading this edition of preparation’ – Sperate Parati. the Fullerian magazine, you will find examples of these values Preparing our boys for a lifetime of success is a underpinning this year in the life of the School – they are readily rewarding and exciting venture, particularly since the future identifiable and very encouraging indeed. With consistency and is so thoroughly unpredictable. This is the core mission of the persistence, Watford Boys, like the England cricket team, will school and it is one that we take very seriously. To support this be a world-beater! mission, like the England cricket team, we have developed a 2 THE FULLERIAN 2018-19 Friends of the School he Friends of Watford Boys you to everyone who attended; we will be our fundraising goal this year and have Grammar School organise running another Comedy Night with WGGS bought a new bike shed for the school. a range of fundraising and on Saturday 9th November 2019 – tickets This will be installed over the summer social activities and events on sale from September. holidays ready for September, and we throughout the year, as well Our next big fundraiser was the hope it will then encourage and enable as supporting a number of annual Quiz Night, which was a huge more boys to cycle to school. We have Tschool activities, such as providing drinks success, selling out 3 weeks before. Those also made a number of smaller grants to at school plays and concerts and serving who managed to get a ticket squeezed different departments within the school, refreshments to staff to keep them going once again into the STEM centre and details of which can be found on our through parent-teacher evenings! We enjoyed a fun night stretching their minds website at www.friendsofwbgs.org. All also run the second-hand uniform shop to answer a wide variety of questions information on our planned activities, which is open every Wednesday from 3.15- posed by Mr Cooksey as Quizmaster and tickets for forthcoming events, and other 4.30pm and the 1st Saturday of each half- accompanied by delicious and plentiful information can also be found here. term in the Old School House. This sells a food prepared by Punjabi Gourmet. Additionally, if you would like to range of good quality school uniform and The final half term of the year saw get involved with the Friends, or find sports kit, from prices as low as 50p. the return of our very popular baking out more about what we do, you can get For the first time this past academic masterclasses, kindly hosted by Mrs in touch with us via the website or at year we held a joint event with the Parent Zachariah, Food Technology teacher [email protected]. We are always Association of Watford Grammar School for at the school. The class was fully pleased to welcome new parents or those Girls, something we are keen to continue booked within an hour of places being with a connection to the school who’d to do. This was a Comedy Night, held in made available and 12 parents, some like to get involved in some way. You the STEM Centre at WBGS, which proved accompanied by their sons, learned how don’t have to attend meetings, and any to be a fabulous venue for a social event.