Stamfordian 2005
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Stamfordian 2004 - 2005 Principal ‘s Report What ingredients go into making a school year successful? Good results? SES certainly had plenty of those across the age ranges, from the record (10,721) pupil attendances at the Nursery to excellent Key Stage 2 results at SJS and yet further records at GCSE where, for the first time, all boys and girls gained the national benchmark of 5 A*-C grades. In fact 91% gained nine or more such grades. Success? - undoubtedly. And what about A-level results? Yes, outstanding success here too with almost 72% of all grades at A or B and 100% pass rate. But the real success from these data is that the results opened doors to many further opportunities for our students as they moved on to the next phase of their lives, to university, employment or enterprising GAP years. Successful schools are ambitious schools and want to provide the best learning facilities for their students. SES is no exception. The academic year saw the completion of a new Design Technology building at Stamford School followed swiftly by the complete re-modelling of the Arts Centre, made even more splendid by the generous bequest of the late Mr Richard Harris (OS). The building now bears his name. At the High School the extension to the 6th form Centre and, on Kettering Road, a new artificial pitch and tennis courts were completed, adding significantly to the sports facilities available to senior and juniors. Added to this was substantial further investment in ICT equipment, interactive white boards in particular, to ensure that SES maintains the most up to date learning environment. If a school year was remembered only for hard data, education would be relegated to the level of the balance sheet. It is much more than that. How do we quantify the value of the summer expedition to Nicaragua, or the sports tours to South Africa (rugby) and Barbados (cricket) or the Music or the Drama so expertly produced in the Schools? And what price would we place on the foreign language exchanges which this year added Italy to the previously established quartet of France, Germany, Spain and Russia, as well as our cultural exchanges with schools in Norway and Poland? Our junior school pupils had their own residential weeks in the Lake District and in Derbyshire to experience education beyond the confines of the school campuses. Successful schools are those which are committed to the success of their students in every aspect of their learning. Commitment to students requires committed staff and the academic year saw a number of staff retire and some promoted to prestigious posts in other schools. The impact of retiring colleagues, Mrs Owens, Mr Raymond, Mrs Summers, Mr Summers and Mr Woolf, is immeasurably greater than their years on the staff which span over a century of service to the Schools. We wish them long and active retirements. Messrs Fraser, Mills and O’Grady moved on deservedly to Headship and Deputy Headships, and Mrs Mariner to a Head of Department’s post, all with our best wishes for their future careers. Tragically, one of our much respected colleagues, Mr Graham Morgan, died in June having served Stamford School for over 25 years as Teacher of Classics and Cricket Master. We shall remember him with deep affection and gratitude. A year in the life of the Endowed Schools is one more building block in over 1600 students’ lives and education. Each one is crucially important, but different, packed with success and the multitude of opportunities that SES provides. 2004-05 a successful year? Sine dubio!. - 2 - Contents Headmaster 4 Peter Fraser 6 Leaving Staff 8 Chapel 16 Economics 21 Boarding 22 Duke Of Edinburgh 28 Looking through the pages of the new Stamfordian Design and Technology 44 magazine, it is instantly apparent how much commitment, enthusiasm and pride most of the boys Eco 50 at Stamford School put into their extra-curricular work. All the activities that the boys are involved in Science 52 differ, yet they all share a similarity in the way that Art 56 the activities are conducted. When the boys put on their shirts, their berets or their blazers or simply House Reports 66 represent the school, they all wear the Stamford school emblem with a sense of pride. Whether they House Music 78 are representing the school on the sports field, Rally Driver Nick Rowland 82 while completing the Duke of Edinburgh award, on the stage, at CCF, or in the classroom, you always Staff Run 86 sense how much the boys feel for the school. That is something very special and what makes Stamford Exchanges 88 School unique. Senior Skiing 102 This year, the hard work, commitment and Geography 106 enthusiasm put into the production process has again made the magazine what it is. The Classics 110 Stamfordian this year will, I hope, exceed everyone’s History 112 expectations and be the best yet. The magazine has had a face-lift this year and has been taken into Sport 120 the 21st century. As it contains some very modern designs, illustrations and diverse photos that haven’t CCF 166 been seen previously. Drama 170 For this, many boys have to be thanked. Firstly, Creative Writing 178 Matthew Brown for his technical abilities. Also, Daniel Murphy for some great articles and his willing Music 196 support in editing, and Darran Wesley for his general help and photographs. But the abilities of James Ho deserve a special thanks, not only his photographic talent, but also his expertise on computers have Stamfordian Team proved invaluable. However, Miss Tomlinson and Mr Dawson expertise have made the magazine what it Matthew Brown, JW Dawson, Daniel Murphy, is. This is mainly due to Miss Tomlinson’s first-rate Jonathan Yeates, page designs and Mr Dawson’s editing skills. With Darran Wesley, RL Tomlinson, James Ho everyone’s hard work and commitment we hope you can see the wide range of activities and fun enjoyed at Stamford school. School really can be the happiest Editorial : Jonathan Yeates days of your life and looking through the magazine, I Production Director : James Ho can see that most have already realized this. - - Headmaster ‘s Report I arrived at Stamford school in August 2005, having served as Senior Master at Brighton College and before that at Dulwich College and Kingston Grammar School. Claire and I, along with our two children, Hannah and Mark, could not have received a warmer welcome, either from Stamford School’s boys, staff and parents or the wider community of the Stamford Endowed Schools. I have found a school that is vibrant and flourishing in many ways: academically, culturally and sportingly. Just as impressive is the commitment of the staff to pastoral care as well as the truly wonderful opportunities the school has to offer in terms of service and adventure, all of which can be discovered in the pages which follow. In the months leading up to my permanent arrival, I feel I got to know my predecessor, Peter Fraser, fairly well. I hugely admire his energy, judgement and ambition for the school and hope to build, physically and metaphorically, on the foundations he has laid. Below you will read Peter’s report of the year 2004-5, as taken from his address on Speech day. I am very much looking forward to the challenges of the coming years and am delighted to be working with such a dedicated and ambitious staff, multi-talented boys and supportive parents. Stuart Burns This year (2005) the scientific community celebrates the work of Albert Einstein and the centenary of the publication of their scientific papers which transformed the way we view the universe and our understanding of space and time. Not bad for someone who struggled at school and was, by any standards, a very modest university student. Many who taught Einstein would have considered him a low achiever or limited student. Predictably, Einstein was critical of his experience of formal education and often made this clear. Let me put it in his words: “The only thing that interferes with my learning is education” and “it is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education”. On a more positive note, Einstein offers words of comfort to those of you who are parents: “Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics (he said). I can assure you that mine are still greater!” This from one of the greatest scientists of all time. One of Einstein’s greatest abilities was the ability to present the concept of relativity to sceptics and opponents, with beautiful simplicity. “When you are courting a beautiful girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red hot cinder a second seems like an hour”. That’s relativity! Academically, there are few better role models than Einstein. He was daringly far-sighted, controversial and critical of convention. In addition, he encouraged curiosity (the important thing is never to stop questioning), imagination (knowledge is limited, but imagination encircles the world) and innovation (anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new). At a time when we are overly concerned with examinations, league tables and allegedly falling standards, we would be well reminded that ‘education is what remains after you have forgotten all that you were taught”! Perhaps modern children are taught too much and learn too little! Not, I hope a problem at Stamford School. Here is a brief review of the year. In addition to successes in Public Examinations, members of the school have also secured success in national and regional competitions and continue to pursue a wide range of interests outside the classroom.