Spring 1999 The Termly Newsletter of the King’s School in Headmaster’s Letter OXBRIDGE SUCCESS Dear Reader A group of top students celebrate their success as they pre- The purpose of our pare to study at two of ’s most prestigious universities. termly newsletter is Twelve Sixth Formers have received offers of places at Oxford to provide a or Cambridge, with their chosen courses covering a range of glimpse of the science and arts subjects, together with a Choral Scholarship. activities of the school and some Said Headmaster Adrian Silcock: ‘We are delighted at their sense of what it achievement. Competition for places is extremely stiff and feels like to be part their success demonstrates the high quality of teaching and of the King’s School community. Whilst learning taking place in King’s Sixth Form.’ They will be we rightly celebrate the many successes following in the footsteps of many distinguished of our applicants to Oxford and Cam- former pupils, three of whom have recently had bridge, we try to give as rounded a their academic achievements recognised by Oxford picture of school life as possible, University. David Buttery has won the Fletcher ranging from the Infants’ Christmas play Scholarship in History at Balliol, Liz Cripps has to the First XI cricket tour of Kenya. been awarded a PPE scholarship at St John’s, and Helen Mabelis a Modern Languages The full picture can only be built up exhibition at Wadham College. cumulatively, so I hope you will con- tinue to enjoy reading about the school Pictured from the front are: and letting me know your views and Lucinda Clarke (English), Sam news. I hope, too, you get a sense of a Mason (History), Robert Dafforn positive, purposeful community – that is (Economics), William Wills how it feels on the inside! (Architecture), John Livesley (History), Tom Sleeman (Biochemistry), Andrew I think it would be helpful for all readers Aldcroft (Mathematics with Computation: to know that I retire in July 2000. The Choral Scholarship), appointment of my successor will be put Daniel Dale (History), Alex Flynn in hand in the next few months. Until I (Chemical Engineering) and retire, however, I intend to concentrate James Rider (Chemistry). on future plans for the school. Not pictured: Mark Goodsell A G Silcock (Physics) and Jonathan Mitchell (Natural Sciences).

TT Shaw Award The TT Shaw Award is given by the Former Pupils’ Association in memory of King’s last Headmaster but one. Awarded each year to a pupil entering the Sixth Form with top GCSE results and a record of strong sports contributions to King’s, it is tenable for two years. This year, for the first time, awards were made to two pupils, one boy and one girl: Katherine Coveney and Chris Watts (pictured here with last year’s award winner, Martin Tunwell) They were presented by Alan McInnes, Chair- man of the KSMFPA, at the Annual Dinner at Adlington Hall in October. Rendezvous with Two Year 10 girls got more than they bargained for during a trip to the corridors of Stephanie Somerville First Class Honours in Psychology power when they found themselves taking a photocall with the Prime Minister. at New College, Oxford Rachel Sewart and Hannah Hardill were members of a team that won a regional competition organised by Amnesty International. As part of their prize they toured Genevieve Bennett the Tower of London and visited the First Class Honours in Fine Art Foreign and Commonwealth Office, at Glasgow University accompanied by Macclesfield MP, Richard Thornber Nicholas Winterton. First Class Honours in Computer The highlight came as they walked Science at Manchester University along Downing Street, when the PM, John Schofield putting aside matters of state, unexpect- Five As at A Level edly popped out to congratulate all the Katherine Coveney winners. Said Rachel, ‘It was absolutely County schools representative amazing. Suddenly that big black door Cheshire U18 football team opened and out came Tony Blair. He was very relaxed, very friendly and Tim Egerton spent some time with all of us. It’s an Athletics: ranked No 1 at U15 in experience I’ll never forget.’ 1500m and No 3 at 300m Natalie Riley To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the County schools representative Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Cheshire U16 football team the group, which also included Sophie Murphy, Lauren Hindle and Lyndall Kate Ritchie Lohman, had created a wall-hanging North-West Athletics Elite Squad which won the NW section of the John Yarwood Amnesty International competition. Clay Pigeon Shooting: English Open Junior and European Individual Junior Champion U13 Netball Team All about books Trophy winners in the Ciba U13 Netball Tournament The art of writing... a strong attack on the dangers and U14 Tennis Team Award-winning novelist Melvin Burgess waste of experimentation with drugs. Winners of the Cheshire Cup shared insights into teenage life and love ...and the craft of publishing Girls’ Freestyle Relay Swimming in a day-long workshop at the Girls’ Team Divisional Champions Division. Melvin won the Guardian The other side of creating books was newspaper’s First Award and the Library explored when Year 8 boys and girls Andrea Howarth & Hayley Tilley were given hands-on experience of the ‘Poets of the Term’ Association’s Carnegie Medal for his controversial tale of teenage drug culture publishing process. After writing poems Hayley Tilley & Michelle Williams in his novel Junk. Since that triumph, he on the theme The Four Elements in a Published poets has produced a succession of well- two-hour workshop, they worked to- Kim Griffin reviewed works, including Tiger, Tiger gether in mixed groups on two Publish- Awarded an MA degree in and The Baby and the Fly Pie. ing Days to produce attractive antholo- English Language (OU) gies of their work. Skills used ranged Melvin told his audience that he had from designing, type-setting and illustrat- Frank Walker begun writing seriously as a teenager ing to editing, paginating and proof- Publication of first book of verse, but had only started to perfect his craft reading. Copies of the books produced An Alphabestiary in his thirties. As in his books, he made are available in the school libraries. Richard Cowgill and Keith Mosedale RAF Flying Scholarships

Charities Money raised by King’s for charity included £226 for the Poppy Appeal. Non-uniform days in Years 7, 8 and 9 raised funds for the Mast Appeal and Children in Need, while collections at the carol services made £400 for Save the Children. Three hundred exercise books, chalks and pens, were sent to a school in the Gambia and a sponsored read by Year 7 boys and girls collected a signifi- cant sum for Actionaid. Other events raised money for the World Wildlife Fund and Children with Leukaemia. KING’S SINGERS AT THE BRIDGEWATER HALL The lifetime dream for any keen amateur with the Stockport Festival Choir and singer? To sing in a superb performance Orchestra and eight professional of one of the largest, most exciting choral soloists in Mahler’s Eighth Symphony and orchestral works in the repertoire, in (The Symphony of a Thousand) at the front of an enthusiastic audience of over Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in 1000 people in the most spectacular October. It was exciting, too, for the concert hall in the country? Director of Music, Andrew Green, who It happened for a group of forty-three relished the opportunity of playing the trebles and sopranos from the Boys’ and stunning Bridgewater Hall organ in the Girls’ Division Choirs, when they sang performance.

Infants on stage The Infants’ Department delighted an audience of about 200 this Christmas with The Bossy Christmas Fairy. Dancing to success Year 2 pupils took the Eve Marchant, a Year 6 pupil, was leading roles, with chosen from 700 young dancers from other classes in sup- all over the country to perform with the porting parts. Every National Youth Ballet. Dancing in works child in the Department choreographed by Wayne Sleep, she had a role to play. appeared at the Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon and the London Coliseum, as Ali Baba Choir’s CD well as on Blue Peter in October. The Years 3 and 4 play Ali Baba in A lasting memento of the term and November was a huge success. the year is the choir’s marvellous CD Hearing was believing of Music for Advent and Christmas, Packed with jokes and songs, it got November’s Saint Cecilia concert was recorded professionally and issued in the audience into the panto spirit. anything but ‘school concert’ standard! early December. It is available from The rousing finale, Desert Rock If you have never been to a King’s the School Office at £10. Boogie, had everyone participating. musical event then you simply cannot imagine the immense talent and superb performances this thrilling evening World première gave. The concert featured the Founda- tion Choir, Orchestra and Big Band, the A remarkable new work by School The choir, under Jo Beesley, with Girls’ Division Choir and the first per- Captain Thom Petty, commissioned by Andrew Green at the organ, gave their formance of the combined Wind Bands the Northern Chamber Orchestra, usual outstanding performances in a of King’s Boys, Girls and Sixth Form, received its world premiere in Decem- concert that proved a marvellous start to plus other small ensembles. ber. Entitled ‘Do not go gentle’, it was the season. Other Christmas engage- performed at a concert at the Silk ments were the carol services at Chester Another first was the performance of the Heritage Centre by the NCO, with Cathedral and Macclesfield Parish String Orchestra which included pupils King’s Foundation Choir, and was Church. from every division in the school - even received with enormous enthusiasm. Juniors and Infants were represented. Big Band There was a very full diary last term for King’s Big Band under Ron Darlington. Highly successful concerts took place in the School Hall in aid of the new Macclesfield Methodist Church, at the Friends of King’s Beaujolais Evening, at the Sutton Ex-Serviceman’s Club and at the Little Theatre. Their CD, recorded live last year, is selling fast but can still be obtained from the School Office. Sport

High flyer Laura From pancakes to paella: European conquests King’s Girls’ Division gymnast Laura Flint has won the British Gymnastics King’s girls set out to conquer all gained a lot from the Championship at U12 level. Year 7 Europe at half-term when experience. A pancake party pupil Laura competed with the North they fielded hockey, netball was the gastronomic high- West team at the national event in and football teams against light of the trip.’ Guildford and was delighted to be part continental rivals. Holland Much further south, King’s of the winning team, as well as indi- was the destination for a Girls’ footballers tucked into vidual champion herself. group of 38 hockey plates of paella before and netball players demonstrating some fancy Laura started training at the age of four who enjoyed footwork against their at Macclesfield Olympic School of successful Spanish opponents. This was Gymnastics under coach Sarah Atwell. matches the first Girls’ Division She now travels to Liverpool several against local football tour to Spain and nights a week for training, in addition Dutch competi- manager Jack Ellis expressed to regular visits to Lilleshall. tion. Party leader Robyn great satisfaction at his Selections for the senior gymnastics Hardman said, ‘The girls team’s debut in Europe. squad start at the age of 14. Laura’s played brilliantly and have long-term ambition is to represent Great Britain in the 200th Olympics.

Sailing There was plenty of wind on Lake Windermere for the three 30-foot cruising yachts sailed by twelve boys and staff from King’s. The highly enjoyable November weekend began with an exhilarating beat down to Lakeside and ended with a race back from Ambleside to Hawkshead. Lady Alice, crewed by the youngest boys in the party, outsailed the larger, faster boats crewed by older pupils.

King’s cricketers tour Kenya In December the senior cricket squad enjoyed a highly successful nineteen- day tour of Kenya. It was memorable not only for the cricket but also for the wider experiences of Kenya, from the awesome beauty of the Masai Mara to the grim realities of third world poverty, from the tropical splendour of the Travellers Beach Hotel in Mombasa to the, at times, terrifying mayhem of the Kenyan transport system. On the pitch, the boys acquitted them- selves well against the best U19 cricketers in Kenya. Club captain Martin Tunwell with James Duffy and Eddie Bones were the leading batsmen. James in particular ensured a fitting climax to the tour with a magnificent maiden century to lead us to victory against Kongonis in the final game. Richard Lees, who bowled with genuine pace, and Chris Lester were the leading wicket takers.

Junior football In the invitation trophy against NW independent schools, the six-a-side Junior team reached the final, sharing the tropny with Bury Grammar School. All together now: King’s Sixth Form

In September 1998, King’s Sixth Form the seeds sown in 1993 with the open- both in and out of the classroom. All opened its doors to its biggest intake ing of the Girls’ Division have come to students take at least three A Levels – ever – 175 students in total. fruition – our first bumper crop of some as many as five – as well as ‘homegrown’ girls and boys. following full General Studies and Students from our own 11-16 Girls’ and Recreational Activities programmes. Boys’ Divisions – along with a small ‘It’s great!’ New subjects appeared this year too; group from other schools – armed with There was a certain shyness on that first courses in Psychology, Sports Studies superb GCSE results, came together in morning as students clustered in sepa- and Philosophy have proved popular the first truly mixed Sixth Form. rate groups, but that didn’t last long! choices, among the many more tradi- Girls first arrived in the Sixth Form in tional ones. ‘It felt strange at first – but now it’s 1986, but it was not until 1996 that girls great,’ enthused one student. Everyone from our own Division came through, settled very quickly into their new life – and then only in small numbers. Now,

Receptive and perceptive, Scanning and planning, Perusing and enthusing, Thinking and linking, Liaising and praising, Consulting and exulting, Concentrating, negotiating, Debating and relating, On to HE. Former Pupils’ Association

The Association has embarked on its long cherished project, the restoration and modernisation of the old fiction library/cricket pavilion on the Front Field. Many may not know that the Association built the Dates for your diary Pavilion in the 1930s as a lasting tribute and memorial to those old boys who sacrificed their lives in the First 26-30 January Zadig World War. Sadly, it has fallen into disrepair. The Association is currently busy fund-raising to cover the estimated £75,000 cost, although well over £30,000 3-6 February Ernie’s Incredible has already been pledged and it is hoped that the work Illuminations & Cage Birds can begin in the near future, possibly by Easter. Once the work is completed, the school will have a modern 6 February Rugby 2000 Bavarian pavilion which can also be used as a classroom, study and meeting room. It will also once again be a fitting Evening memorial to the fallen old boys. 8 February Entrance Examination Our hope is that it will be ready for use this summer but for that we urgently need to raise the balance of the (Senior School) funds, for which a new charity has been set up by the Association. This new charity also aims in the longer 24 February The Organists Entertain term to fund scholarships and bursaries to the school. If you know of anyone who would like to make a dona- 3-5 March Annie tion, however small, the Former Pupils’ Association can be contacted via the school. 12 March Big Band Charity Concert Forthcoming events: 17-20 March How to succeed in business London Hotpot, Zetland Arms, South Kensington, 26th March 1999 without really trying

Annual Dinner, Hunting Lodge, Adlington, 24-26 March Rosslyn Park Sevens 8th October 1999 AGM, 2nd December 1999 27 March Oxford Sevens (Provisional) Joint Dinner Dance with the High School (Boys, Girls, U16) Old Girls Association, May, June 1999 Details of all school events available from the King’s web site scores down under School Office. Former pupil John Yates After leaving King’s, John (1946-53), now based in studied Natural Sciences at Australia, happened upon Jesus College, Cambridge. In the King’s website in Decem- 1957 he went to Australia to ber and sent the following do a PhD. What was planned Admissions message: as a three-year visit has extended to 40! He worked For information about admissions , please Congratulations on a for the Australian Government really magnificent web contact: Scientific Research Organisa- site. It is well designed tion before retiring in 1997 to King’s Infants Mr GJ Shaw and constructed, the become a management information is good King’s Juniors Principal, Junior Division consultant. He is currently and clear, and naviga- working as a consultant at the tion is easy. It really is King’s Girls Mr KWW Aikin Institute for Semi Conductor top class and a great Research in Frankfurt (Oder), King’s Boys Admissions Officer credit to the school. I although home is still Can- only recently discov- berra. King’s Sixth Form Mrs V Kendal ered the web site and I shall now read it regu- The King’s Website address is Sixth Form Secretary larly to keep track of now: If you would like further information about what is happening. http://kingsmac.cheshire.sch.uk King’s, please contact us Quincentenary tel: 01625 260000, email: [email protected] Our preparations for 2002 continue! We are currently doing an audit to establish what memorabilia and other or write to: artefacts still exist from our long 500 years. The King’s School Can you help? If you have any stories, memories, souve- Macclesfield SK10 1DA nirs or anything related to King’s history, please contact Mr Perriss at the King’s School 01625 260000.