The Dauntseian 2016 – 2017 the Dauntseian 2016 – 2017 Number 200
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th 200EDITION The Dauntseian 2016 – 2017 The Dauntseian 2016 – 2017 Number 200 Editor Ben Sandell Co-Editing Contributors Samuel Abel, Jim Bruges, Tilly Cooper, Liz Deng, Tom Goddard, Eliot Johnson, Betty Lorimer, Sadie Mutton, Thomas Padfield, Maddy Steggall, Georgina Watton, Sophie Yip Photography Graham House Cover Image Tom Middleton Contents Editorial 1 Speech Day & Prizes Head Master’s Address 3 Prize Winners 2017 8 Common Room News Staff List 13 Salvete 19 Valete 26 House News 34 Events & Societies 44 Features 50 Adventure Education 58 Travel 68 Inklings 76 Music 92 Drama 100 Sports Rugby 109 Hockey 125 Netball 146 Cricket 157 Tennis 167 Athletics 170 Basketball 172 Beagling 173 Cross-Country 174 Equestrian 175 Football 176 Philately 181 Rifles 182 Swimming 183 Leavers’ Photo 184 Editorial which divided us all. A result which appears our teaching methodologies and subject to indicate a narrow majority taking refuge ‘content’ according to our own professional in the ‘controllable’; the comfort of a judgement. So whilst this year has brought past on which to build a brighter, more change in our classrooms, we have independent and less bureaucratic future. expanded the excellent complementary curriculum programme across the school. Change has come in education more Sport builds character, resilience and specifically too – especially as the co-operation, as it always has. Perhaps Conservative Party’s eminence grise Michael more uniquely, our Adventure Education Gove sees his reforms made as Education Programme encourages pupils to leave Secretary feed through. The introduction their comfort zones and to find out more of new A-Levels, and then, (curiously in about themselves. Music, Art and Drama this order) new GCSE specifications too. hold their own special places in the hearts A rejection of ‘dumbing down’ and an of many, and the academic curriculum augmentation of rigour, we are silkily remains central to all that we do. reassured by those on high. Schools are busy places; exciting places. Change these days, it would seem, ought Places whose denizens depend upon each to be rooted in what we know works, what other. Through shared experience and e surely live in momentous times. makes sense. Common sense. common mission, our pupils’ experiences WChange seems more frequent than and achievements are recorded for ever and more specifically the pace of The beauty of a school like Dauntsey’s is posterity in these pages. Enjoy reading change is certainly always increasing. that those who lead our curriculum – the about them. Headmaster, his Academic Deputy and If we dare to engage with the news, there their Heads of Department are more May I take the opportunity to wish you and is much about which to be rather anxious. free than those in many schools to craft your families the very best of Christmases. An American President who embodies a curriculum through the choices they attitudes many thought consigned to make. Choices of exam board, of subject, the past. An emboldened and volatile of emphasis. As such we are better able to Ben Sandell, Editor North Korea. An EU Referendum result control this pace of change, and to adapt Advent 2017 This year’s cover picture by Tom Middleton: the familiar façade of the main school building. Editorial 1 Speech Day & Prizes 2 The Dauntseian 2016 - 2017 Head Master’s Address Speech Day, 8th July 2017 as you bombarded me with emails about It has been a special year and I do feel what the Head Master did at Monkton privileged to run a school that is happy, Combe on Speech Day. For those that vibrant and full of supremely talented don’t know he sang ‘One More Day’ from pupils. Of course, there have been Les Misérables, as all around the marquee challenges this year, and how could there staff stood up and joined in. Let me say not be in a community of around 1,200 right now there is absolutely no chance people? of that happening here. Not because of me – I am definitely up for it – but the The pressures of everyday life mean that Senior Management have let me down. mental health issues are quite rightly in They were willing to sing; it is just that their the news and the influence of social media voices are so awful that I couldn’t let them! is everywhere. It is a tough time, perhaps the toughest ever, to pass through the I am never quite sure what the prevailing teenage years, but it is reassuring to know mood should be. Clearly, I am desperate to that this generation drink less, smoke finish this speech, get out of my suit and less, taker fewer drugs and indulge in less head off for the summer. But otherwise, I violence than the generations that have confess to having mixed feelings. gone before them. Mark Lascelles, Head Master I am excited for our Upper Sixth, as they And just to reassure you, how about this move on from here. passage: hairman, Ladies and Gentlemen. C I am thrilled for our Prize Winners, who ‘The world is passing through troublous times. have set the highest standards and are The younger people of today think of nothing Thank you very much Chairman, for your a genuine inspiration to the rest of the but themselves. They have no reverence kind words. It has been another great school community. for parents or old age. They are impatient year and I would like to thank the brilliant of all restraint. They talk as if they know Senior Management Team and our And I am delighted with how this year has everything, and what passes as wisdom for us dedicated and inspirational staff. I would unfolded, and because our pupils continue is foolishness with them. As for the girls, they also like to thank parents, grandparents to approach all areas of their lives here, are forward, immodest, unladylike in speech, and friends for their support, and, most of with discipline, ambition and a sense of fun. behaviour and dress’. all, our pupils who make this school such a rewarding place to be. Speeches and Prize Giving bring the curtain down on yet another academic This is what being a Dauntseian is all about year and it is time for me to review the last twelve months, thank our Upper Sixth and congratulate our prize winners, of whom you will see, and hear, more of shortly. And yet there is sadness too, as we say I did wonder whether this was written by I would also like to admit to something goodbye to a marvellous Upper Sixth, as a visitor to the 17 Club this year, but it was that I have never said publicly before – I well as a few leavers in other years, and actually written by Peter the Hermit in 1274. absolutely loathe Public Speaking. So, some members of staff. I hope that today many thanks to Mark McFarland who has proves a happy one for all of you. Anyway, I hope that Dauntsey’s has edited and re-edited my speech to within provided refuge from a scary world and an inch of its life, removing anything either And I would like to commiserate with has been a happy bubble over the last few faintly amusing or slightly risqué. Thank those who didn’t win a prize – something years. And what a world it is out there. you to my wife too who has told me not that often says more about the process to fidget and to keep my hands still. As a than it does about you. (I never won a ‘A year is a long time in politics’, Harold result, I am now a quivering wreck. And single prize, but I am nearly over it some Wilson once said. Last time I stood here on many of you in the audience haven’t thirty years or so later and I am moderately Speech Day, the UK was a member of the helped either – you know who you are – normal). European Union, America had its first black Speech Day & Prizes 3 President, the England football team had So, what has happened here, this year? wrong way; one or two local villagers took just been dumped out of the European exception to our fireworks display; and Championships by Iceland, and the Rio Last August brought respectable A Level another asked me to remove all our sports Olympics were eagerly anticipated. grades and exceptional GCSE results. As pitches because our pupils are too noisy. the academic year opened properly in Now life seems to be dominated by three September, we set off with 833 pupils. Happily, our new Lower School pupils T’s: Theresa May, Donald Trump and There were plenty of new faces around the settled in quickly, while the Fifth and Upper terrorism. school and a few in the Common Room Sixth Formers appeared largely unaware too. As late summer gave way to autumn of their approaching Public Examinations. And who would have thought that David and then winter itself, the skies may have There was a little bit of controversy too, Cameron, having won a comprehensive darkened and the temperatures dipped, as the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award General Election victory in May 2015, but the pupils remained energetic, and Cheer Leading disappeared from our would be photographed, a forlorn figure, enthusiastic and indeed committed to all curriculum, while Kim and Caz banned sitting on a car park wall in Polzeath, eating they did. girls from the Tuck Shop unless they were fish and chips out of a polystyrene box, just wearing tracksuit bottoms. a few months later.