Spring 2020

Old Orwellian Newsletter

ORWELL PARK SCHOOL, , , IP10 0ER 01473 659225

www.orwellpark.co.uk

HEADMASTER

It has also been a busy term in the boarding house. With almost all of the dorms now having been fully refurbished, pupils are enjoying personalising their own spaces, getting absolutely vital sleep and making new friends. An increasing number of pupils, young and old, are also developing in their own pastoral roles, being a listening ear for each other, and helping staff identify issues and worries. All of this very successful living is underpinned by an excellent diet and a very full academic and sporting day. There has been a full programme of activities at the weekend, including tobogganing, bowling, Laser Tag, our own screen in the Empire, and activities within our magical grounds. The standard of music throughout the autumn has been exceptional. In the Orangery, our pupils continued to do what they do so well, producing termly Recitals and demonstrating the value of proper practice every time. Following half-term, our pupils prepared for Associated Board exams and rehearsed for, and delivered, an excellent Autumn Concert, with some very fine individual and collective performances. Pupils continue to practise as we look forward to the Spring Concert Spirit has been our value over the last term and it was at Snape Maltings in March, and we hope to see many much in evidence in our support for our three charities of you there. this year: Iceni, Dementia UK and Rainforest Trust UK. The recent Christmas Fayre, organised by our Finally, I would like to thank the staff for all their hard Charities Coordinator Caroline Brunt and the work and commitment over this last term. Nicole and I Housemasters/mistresses, and run superbly on the day hope parents, children and Old Orwellians enjoyed a by the children, raised just short of £2,000. Well done Happy Christmas and wish you a Prosperous New to the whole community! Year. Autumn’s Orangery Lectures, attracting audiences of Yours sincerely up to 100, have once again provided excellent variety, including a talk by our own Mr Bass on Words and other topics such as the Protection of the Oceans, Maps, the Changing Political Landscape, Black Holes, Adrian Brown, Headmaster The Mary Rose, Medieval Britain, the Desert Rats, the inspiring story of left-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy, and Tree-mendous Trees, with 100 trees distributed for planting to those present. I am delighted Mentoring by the work of the Eco Committee in moving forward Would you consider mentoring an the environmental agenda at the School, and it was Old Orwellian who is also a recent wonderful to see members of staff captured on film in university graduate? Are you a assembly making pledges to help the environment. Old graduate who would like access to Orwellians are always welcome to attend our careers advice from those in the Orangery Lectures; please get in touch with know? Get in touch to register your Development Manager Amy Carbonero for details of interest and learn more! the upcoming term’s programme.

2

NEWS FROM OLD ORWELLIANS

John Fisher Burns (Orwell Park 1953-57) joined us to judge the 2019 Poetry Recitation Competition for Years 5-8 this December. A former London bureau chief for The New York Times, John is winner of two Pulitzer prizes as well as the George Polk Award for foreign reporting. As a former war correspondent, John encouraged and motivated the young pupils, many of whom have been studying war poetry this term. Entries this year included O Captain! My Captain!, The Charge of the Light Brigade, Dulce et Decorum est and Will You Look Back When It’s Peace? which was written and recited by the Year 7 and 8 category’s overall winner, Sophia Kavyani. Enitan D’Almeida (Orwell Park 2017-19) has produced her latest CD, Summer Dream. Enitan is now studying at The Leys in Cambridge where she is working on her next album, Chapters Vol. 2. Enitan’s music supports charities close to her heart, and she has generously donated all proceeds from Summer Dream to The Foundation. Please get in touch at [email protected] if you would like to buy a copy for £10 to support the School and Enitan’s incredible talent.

Old Orwellians and friends of Orwell Park gathered with staff for drinks prior to our Autumn Concert on Friday 29 November. Right: former OPS Headmaster Ian Angus, Old Orwellian Stephen Hiner, former OPS staff Dervogilla and David Howard. Old Orwellians are always welcome to join us for pre- concert drinks prior to School concerts. Our next concert is at Snape Maltings on Tuesday 24 March 2020, and tickets are £10. Get in touch with Amy Carbonero for more information: [email protected] or 01473 653228.

FOLLOW THE OLD ORWELLIANS ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Find us online and join the conversation with other Old Orwellians at:

@OldOrwellians

Old Orwellians Network

Orwell Park School 3

WITHER LATIN? by Bob Bass

Classics in schools has been under threat ever since I advanced studies challenging. Those dropping the entered the profession in the mid-70s, as well as subject post-GCSE would indeed have benefited from prior to that, of course. What was seen as the final its high surrender value, but where was the next nail in the classical coffin had been the removal in generation of specialist scholars going to come from? 1960 by Oxford and Cambridge Universities of the compulsory entrance requirement of a pass in O The greater accessibility to multimedia in our digital age Level Latin. But this galvanised the classical (and exhibitions like the current Troy: Myth and Reality community into reappraising what a classical at the British Museum), has meant that exposure to the education ought to deliver, and how to deliver it. It classical world among the general public has never been was no bad thing to have the crutches removed and a greater. Many adults now regret not having studied it radical re-think imposed. The 'what' which eventually for longer; others not having had the opportunity of emerged was twofold: the ability to read original embarking on it at all. Certainly at Orwell Park, Latin literature, and an appreciation of the civilisation parental support is tremendous. Our philosophy is in which this literature was produced. The emphasis 'Latin for all', not just for those in the higher sets, would be on providing the majority, who would give because children of all abilities will benefit in some way up the subject post-16, with a worthwhile, more from even a little exposure to Classics. rounded educational experience, thereby enhancing The general public's growing awareness of these the subject's 'surrender value'. So much for the benefits has become more apparent through the 'what'; the 'how' was more problematic, and still success of the Primary Latin Project. In 1999 came the remains a topic for debate. publication of Minimus (a pun on mus, the Latin word The Cambridge for mouse, the course's iconic central character), a Latin Course, colourful course that introduces simple Latin in a fun constructed and cross-curricular way. It can be delivered by non- around these specialists, who have access to a national support aims, appeared in network. Some schools incorporate it into their 1970. This literacy time; others run it as an extracurricular club; immediately others offer it as part of their Gifted and Talented divided the provision. Its uptake at state primary level was classical dramatic, and a follow-up volume, Minimus Secundus, community: appeared in 2004. In some respects, then, the future feelings ran high, survival of Latin in some shape or form is more assured mainly on account now than it has been for some time. of the course's There is, however, an insidious malaise latent in this strange approach legacy which becomes more apparent with each passing to traditional year. A complaint from universities is that students grammar. It is no who arrive there these days do so with remarkably exaggeration to poor subject-specific knowledge; they have merely say that the CLC been drilled to perform in exams. Classics is not was probably the immune, as is indicated by the necessity for the saviour of Latin from the mid-70s onwards. But there introduction of first-year courses in grammar in some were concerns that students were finding the university departments, including those at Oxford and linguistic jump from a CLC-based GCSE to more Cambridge. The result of all this has been the

This celebratory book is available at a cost of £40 (plus £5.50 p&p) with funds going towards The Orwell Park School Foundation. You can now order the book and make payment online at www.orwellpark.co.uk/ old-orwellians/bookorder Please note an additional £1 is added to the cost of the book when paying online in order to cover card processing fees. Alternatively please email the Foundation on [email protected] or call 01473 653228. Thank you for your support. 4

NEWS emergence of cohorts of teachers who simply do not reducing the prescribed content but ensuring it is 'know their stuff'. The ineluctable fact is that, in covered in greater depth. If this feeds through to Classics, textual competence underpins everything. senior level our pupils will then be that much better Of course non-specialists play a vital role in the equipped to tackle original literature in their final promoting of Classics at foundation levels, but we need two years at school, more likely to 'know their to be nurturing potential subject-specialists also to stuff' without the need for grammatical remedial assure the long-term future. surgery upon arrival at university, and more likely – if they go into teaching – to impart their expertise “The fact is, the best place to learn Latin to the next generation. these days is in a prep school.” Bob Bass is Head of Classics and Senior Master at Orwell Park School, where he has The fact is, the best place to learn Latin these days is in taught since September 1987. a prep school. Children of this age are receptive, quick to see links between Latin and other subjects, relish rattling through grammatical paradigms, and like getting difficult stuff right: getting to grips with something tricky and having fun need not be mutually exclusive activities. The brightest will be perfectly capable of tackling A level grammar. If we, in our efforts to make everything easy and attractive, patronise young learners by shielding them from things that are challenging, we fail to stretch their intellects, to bring out their best and to enable them to experience the immense pleasure to be had from succeeding at something that is difficult. For many years, a unique selling point of GCSE Latin and Greek has been that these are the only languages at this level which test comprehension and appreciation of original literature. The result more often than not is the dour drudgery of ploughing through a few hundred lines of set texts, memorising translations and spoon-fed nuggets. Why not scrap the prescribed literature at GCSE altogether, and spend those hours of grind getting to know the language more thoroughly? (This does not prevent the teacher from introducing a spot of 'real' Latin of his choice as and when he deems his pupils ready to tackle it). I am delighted that the body in charge of establishing specifications for the Common Entrance exams, which the majority of our pupils sit at the end of Year 8, is in the process of adopting a 'less is more' approach,

The gift of a lifetime Have you considered remembering Orwell Park in your will? For many, leaving a legacy is a joyful experience as we remember those people and experiences that have had the greatest impact on our lives. Orwell Park depends upon the philanthropy of our alumni and friends to sustain our work, and legacies form a huge part of supporting this ongoing need. Please get in touch if you would like to learn more. Thank you. 5

EXCAVATING THE ICE HOUSE with Kelvin Smith

Development Manager Amy Carbonero and then broken up to be taken to the Ice House or, speaks to Site Manager Kelvin Smith at times, it might have been transported down the about the Buck House project and the river from other countries. The ice would then be excavation of a 19th Century Ice House stored in the Ice House. Earlier this term, I spoke to Orwell Park’s site How was it constructed? manager Kelvin Smith about the historic Buck The construction of the Ice House was of red brick, House and the Ice House that was recently nearly 4 metres deep and nearly 3 metres across, so excavated on our site. quite a large construction. The brickwork itself was Kelvin, can you tell us about yourself and your very thick and it had a 2 inch-thick cavity which would involvement with the Buck House project? I’m Kelvin Smith and I’m the Site Manager of Orwell Park School. I’m in my 23rd year, having been in the building industry all my life. I’ve been coming to Orwell Park for the best part of 30 years; I used to work for a local building company called Ingram Smiths that did a lot of building work for the School, so I’ve been involved with the site for many years now and l have learnt a lot about it. help keep the contents cold. The top of the Ice House What can you tell me about the history of Buck would also have been of brick, but more akin to an House? What would it have been used for igloo, and then they would have mounded earth on originally? top of that. It would have looked, from a distance, like a grassy mound. All of that earth and thick brickwork The Buck House would have been used for the would have helped to keep the Ice House even cooler, preparing and storing of game. All of the game that like a giant fridge. was stored there would have been shot on the estate by the gamekeepers. You have recently been excavating the Ice House. Can you tell us about the excavation Do we still have game on site? process? We do, but it is not a shooting estate anymore, so the The Bursar was told by an old member of staff that game just thrives out there in the wild. The School worked here many, many years ago about the does have its own deer herd which wanders from this estate over to the Broke Hall estate. The deer can more often be seen on the grounds when the children aren’t in residence—obviously they enjoy the peace and quiet! But you see pheasants, foxes and all sorts of wildlife out there. How did Buck House become a residential property? Former Headmaster Brian Belle and his wife Sylvia lived in the house. It was renovated and refurbished, but unfortunately it was never refurbished to a degree where it could remain as a residential property in perpetuity. It has deteriorated over the years and I think that it is due to the fact that it wasn’t really ever built to be a permanent residence. You’ve also recently excavated an Ice House very close to the Buck House site. How old is that? The Ice House would have been constructed by George Tomline in the 1850s or 60s. Originally, it would have been used for storing the deer. On the estate, the ice would have been frozen on large ponds 6

existence of the Ice House. I was asked to investigate this. We had no idea where it was, so I hired a JCB to dig a series of test holes. I hoped that, by carefully digging, we would uncover something to give us some sort of idea that the Ice House was there. I started digging at the beginning of the week and by Thursday we still hadn’t come across anything to the point that the digger went back onto the trailer. As it happens, I had 2 hours on the Friday afternoon where I thought that I would get the digger off the trailer and just have final look. I excavated closer to the property where I uncovered a very nice cobbled pathway and I knew that if I kept digging in the direction of the playing fields that I would finally uncover the Ice House. After about another 2 hours of digging, I managed to uncover the outline structure in its entirety. Is the excavation fully complete now? It is, and the site is now tidy. I initially brushed off all of the brickwork so that you could clearly see the outline of the Ice House. At this point, the School had to make a decision as to whether they were going to dig further into the excavation. Unfortunately, at the time, the JCB I had on site didn’t have a long enough reach to get to the bottom of the Ice House as it is nearly 4 metres deep. However, the School made the decision to take all of the brick rubble and soil from inside the Ice House to the point that all the brickwork has now been uncovered. Will the statues be kept on site? Was anything found there? We are hoping that they will be cleaned up and will be kept on site—hopefully displayed in the North The Army was stationed here during the Second Hall or the statue passage where they would have World War, so there were a lot of bottles, come from in the first place. ammunition signs and ironmongery in there, as well as two marble statues which unfortunately had been badly What are the future plans for Buck House damaged. and the Ice House? What do the statues depict? We are hoping that Buck House will be sold and there is planning permission for a development on One is of a lady cradling a child and the second is of that site. It will be a single storey property and another lady. Unfortunately a lot of detail has been lost obviously it is very important that it is in-keeping from the second, so we will probably never know what with its surroundings. that statue meant or the significance of it.

OBITUARIES

Since the last issue, we have sadly been informed of the deaths of the following Old Orwellians: Mr Arthur Chamberlain (1988-93) Mr Ian Walker (1939-42)

7

SCHOOL NEWS

Sport Another sweltering start to the term meant some rugby matches were lost to the conditions; however, with over 250 matches, tournaments and festivals played, all the pupils have still been incredibly busy! The U11A girls hockey have enjoyed another fantastic term, qualifying for the Regional Finals of the In2Hockey Competition as well as the IAPS National Finals - both of which are fantastic achievements. The standard of play in both tournaments was extremely high and the girls should be incredibly proud of their efforts. Our 2nd girls hockey are unbeaten this term, and the U9A and B boys hockey teams both won their respective tournaments at College in October. We continue to challenge the pupils with an incredibly comprehensive and competitive fixture list; the way in which they approach these matches, and the hard work and progress they make, should be commended. Amy Del Mar, Emilia Rivett and Leo Smith will all run in the Schools' Cross Country Championships in January, and after pupils in Years 3-8 finished second in the swimming gala in October, the Year 2s enjoyed their annual gala in November. No doubt the weather will provide further challenges in the Spring term; however, I'm sure the continued work of all games staff and pupils alike will make sure progress is ongoing. Music Music is often reflective of, and reflected by, the rhythm of the changing seasons, and the liturgical and musical year are comfortably in parallel. Thus, Harvest was observed in September by the Pre-Prep, the Prep School and the Choral Society (singing for the first time in its quarter of a century at St Peter’s, Levington); East Anglian produce was celebrated with music at the Festival of Food and Drink; and there was further excellent choral singing by the Probationary Choir, by Schola Cantorum, and by some faintly bemused parents at our Pet Service. Meanwhile in the Orangery, our pupils have continued producing termly Recitals and competing in our House Instrumental. The half-term concluded with the House Shout, which is quite a production these days, and of a very high standard. In the midst of all this music-making our senior pupils continued with scholarship preparation, and Aimee Reed (pictured), Caspar Lloyd and Laila Hollis gained national experience. The Pre-Prep Nativity was a delight, and our two Carol Services set the seal on a very busy term. The spring term plays host to the Prep School production, Bugsy Malone, a Recital at St Mary Abchurch in London, and our Spring Concert at Snape Maltings. Old Orwellians are more than welcome to attend.

Could you support us? We’re looking to grow support for Orwell Park by recruiting volunteers and creating our first generation of regular donors. As a charity, your support enables us to create a sustainable programme of events for the OO Community, and to support the next generation through bursaries, historic building conservation and exciting redevelopment projects. If you’d like to learn more or to donate, please get in touch today or visit our website at www.orwellpark.co.uk/support. 8

NEWS FROM THE ALUMNI RELATIONS OFFICE

Hello! I hope you have enjoyed reading the latest newsletter. Please get in touch if you have an update or project you would like to see included for a future edition. Fundraising Update We are so grateful to all those Old Orwellians who have generously donated to the Foundation this term, whether to our bursary campaign, Observatory restoration fund or to another project. Over £20,000 has been pledged this term alone, so thank you! Get involved in our archive project Would you be interested in having access to an online archive of photos and resources from Orwell Park, old and new? We’re looking into the possibility of digitising some or all of our collection, including sports photos, year group photos, scholarship boards, year books, magazines and more. If you’d be interested in volunteering to assist with cataloguing our collection, or if you would like to make a gift to support the project, please email [email protected] to let us know! We’d love to hear your thoughts. Lost Old Orwellians Sometimes, for many reasons, we lose touch with our Old Orwellians. If you are in contact with an Old Orwellian for whom this is the case, and who would like to hear from us, please ask them to visit www.orwellpark.co.uk/register, email [email protected] or call 01473 653228 so we can get reconnected. Help us to reduce our carbon footprint by signing up to our e-newsletter It’s really easy to sign-up and start receiving Old Orwellian news and events via email in this way—just register your email address via: www.orwellpark.co.uk/register Following feedback received from Old Orwellians, we are now moving towards sending family copies of the newsletter by post, rather than copies posted to individual family members. If you would still prefer individual copies, please get in touch via the details below. Thank you for your support.

Amy Carbonero Get in touch Development & Alumni Relations Manager [email protected] Amy Carbonero 01473 653228 Headmaster [email protected] Adrian Brown 01473 653225 Headmaster’s PA [email protected] Sally Webber 01473 653274 Registrar [email protected] Bernadette Ross-Smith 01473 653224

Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn ‘Orwell Park School’, Instagram @OldOrwellians and Facebook www.facebook.com/oldorwellians 9

RECENT EVENTS

This year’s Half Century Club Lunch was held at the Farmers Club in London on Friday 8 November. Thanks to all who attended and supported the event!

In October and November, we enjoyed a couple of fun evenings in London at the Williams Ale & Cider House as Old Orwellians from the 1980s and 1990s got together to catch up and reconnect with childhood friends. 2000-14 leavers We had a great time saying hello to Old Orwellians Our next get together in London is as they returned to Orwell with their families for coming up this summer. Details are the Christmas Fayre. on our Events page (right).

10

UPCOMING EVENTS

Spring term 2020 Bugsy Malone (Prep School play) on Thu 13 & Fri 14 February at Orwell Park, 6.30pm & 2pm respectively. Booking required Evening Recital on Tue 10 March at St Mary Abchurch, London at 6.30pm. Booking required Friends of Orwell Park Ball on Sat 21 March at The Hangar, Hall See back page for details and to book Spring Concert on Tue 24 March at Snape Maltings at 6.30pm. £10pp Preceded by an Old Orwellian Drinks Reception at 5.45pm. Book at snapemaltings.co.uk Summer term 2020 Drinks at the Pub on Wed 3 June (2000-14 leavers) at The Williams Ale & Cider House, 5 mins from London Liverpool Street Station, 6pm-8pm. Come along for an informal drink after work and reconnect with friends. Over 18s only. Booking preferred

Coming Soon! 18-30s Summer Series We’re planning a series of careers events for OOs aged 18-30 in fields such as finance, medicine, art and law. Could you help by providing a central London venue for a couple of hours one evening in May or June 2020?

Old Orwellian Day Sat 20 June 2020 at Orwell Park Enjoy afternoon tea, garden games, golf and drinks, and reconnect with classmates. Friends & family welcome | £15pp (under 18s free)

To book visit www.orwellpark.co.uk/book Or get in touch with Development & Alumni Relations Manager Amy Carbonero to let us know you are able to attend. Full details for all events are also available online.

Call: 01473 653228 Email: [email protected] *Help us with numbers by letting Post: Amy Carbonero, Orwell Park School, Nacton, Ipswich, IP10 0ER us know if you can make it. 11

Date: Saturday 21st March 2020 | From: 6:30pm - 12:30am

Tickets: £80 per person

Venue: The Hangar,

Bookings: Nicole Brown on [email protected]

Tuxedos, black ties, posh frocks, champagne, fine food and a Big Band... Why not join us at the Friends of Orwell Park Ball? Start the evening with a glass of champagne before enjoying a sumptuous 3 course dinner in The Hangar, Kesgrave Hall. Then get the party started with live band ‘Soul Collective’ playing sounds from the golden eras of Soul, Motown and Disco.

12