The Chronicle 2018 PUBLISHED BY King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham B14 7QJ Telephone: 0121 444 3188 King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham is a charitable company limited by guarantee · Registered No: 10654935 Registered Office: Foundation Office, Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham B15 2UD · Registered in England and Wales DESIGNED, TYPESET AND PRINTED BY BYTE & TYPE LTD · BIRMINGHAM · UK · 0333 666 4321 you to read where they eventually finished. On production showing how well the boys rose to an individual level, John Hayton started the the challenge of putting on a show with a very year knowing that he would be in the four-per- short lead time. Preface son UK team for the International Astrophysics The music report covers the plethora of BY THE HEADMASTER Olympiad. I said in last year’s Chronicle that I events that have been run through Mr Palmer’s would report in this year’s edition on his success tireless efforts; the story it doesn’t tell is of the on that trip to Thailand – he collected a bronze many, many occasions when he has responded medal. Talking of John, he started the school in his extraordinarily calm way to the request to year preparing for the Astrophysics Olympiad organise a few musicians for this event or that. and ended it preparing for the Chemistry Olym- While on the subject of music, let me put in my piad. Chemistry is also a four-person team; the annual plug for events that are imminent if you UK team came back from the competition in are reading this Chronicle soon after publica- Slovakia and the Czech Republic proud of their tion: the joint Christmas Concert and Camp Hill third place in the world. That’s the best they’ve Boys Carol Service will, as usual, mark the start ever done. (Realistically, that’s the best they can of the holiday season for many. Indeed, many do, since China and the US are so extraordinar- return year after year even though they are no ily powerful. For ‘China and the US’ read ‘Chinese longer at the school, so special is the Carol Serv- living in China and Chinese living in America’.) ice. John’s contribution to that UK success earned I’m delighted that, as the school’s Duke him a silver medal. That’s three years in row of Edinburgh offer continues to bloom under we have provided a member of the UK team. Mr Downing’s efforts, we are looking to our Astonishing. first boys to complete both Bronze and Silver Continuing the quiz theme: well done our Awards through the school. three Year 9 physics teams, taking part in the There’s a new trip to read about this year. Physics Big Quiz organised by the University of The staff who had run the Czech trip so well for hen you read The Chronicle, you get Birmingham; read their report to see how they many years decided it was time they had the the impression of a busy, thriving fared. Of the myriad maths quizzes, the one we same length of summer holiday as the rest of us; school. It’s an accurate one. This year’s entered with most success was the Junior Team new members of staff immediately leapt in to Chronicle is full of reports of competitions, quiz- Maths Challenge – 1700 teams whittled down grab the slot at the start of the holiday to offer Wzes, residential trips, visits to places of cultural to 88 national finalists; again, I won’t steal the the boys an outdoor pursuit trip to Italy. Many and historic interest, sporting activity, concerts, thunder from the excellent report. In biology thanks to Mr Burgess and Ms Freeman who par- drama productions, chess matches and outdoor competitions, the school’s success seems to ticularly led that development. On the sporting pursuit activities. And that’s exactly how it feels have grown dramatically over recent years. Con- front, I congratulate the U14 cricketers and bad- as the year goes on; hardly a day seems to pass gratulations to William Blay on winning through minton players in particular; on the House front, without there being some activity running to to be one of twenty invited to a selection camp I encourage you to read about the House Festi- enrich the lives of some group of boys or other. for the UK Olympiad team; sadly, because Wil- val – that wonderful celebration we hold every As I write, the tents are still drying from last liam was unable to attend the camp, we will five years and which fell in October this year. weekend’s Duke of Edinburgh expedition and never know how he would have competed in You can read about departing teaching the Year 13 biologists are enjoying rather more that rarefied atmosphere. staff members in the pages that follow. But the clement weather on their four-day field trip. A year ago, I reported that construction was departure of one member of the non-teaching As always, there seem to be quizzes and about to begin on the extension to the 6th Form staff should not go unmentioned. Tony Jackson competitions for everything; as always, the Block. A year later, I can report that it is com- worked for the King Edward’s Foundation for 48 boys have had not only great fun but also great plete, officially opened and much in use. We are years, as caretaker and eventually as Premises success. In fact we’ve won the West Midlands thrilled with the addition to our facilities. Manager across the whole Camp Hill site. Gen- Chemistry Quiz competition five times in a row In this edition you will find photos of the eration after generation of boys have come and now and our victory in the Lord Mayor’s 6th junior and senior drama productions. For the gone during his reign; old boys who visited and Form Mega Quiz means that Camp Hill Boys juniors to stage The Importance of Being Ear- learnt that he was still a part of the school used have won it on half of the six occasions it has nest so successfully was, to my mind, a triumph, to reminisce about his running the tuck shop. been run. That chemistry quiz success is just one and I congratulate Toby Taylor and Simeon We wish him, as indeed we wish all our retiring example of the chemists taking an opportunity Humphries on their brilliance under the direc- staff, a long and healthy retirement. offered. Our Year 12 team in the School Analyst tion of Miles Smith and others. There was a I hope, and trust, that you will enjoy read- competition did themselves proud: by winning moment when the senior production appeared ing this chronicle of a year in the life of a happy, the regional round they were given the chance to be lost, but staff stepped in to ensure the busy and successful school. to compete in the national finals against 343 older boys were given a chance to strut their L Martin Garrod, Headmaster teams from across the UK and Ireland – I’ll leave stuff; you can see photos of the Summer Satire PREFACE KE CAMP HILL SchOOL FOR BOYS · The CHRONICLE 2018 The Chronicle Editorial 2018 s I sit here on a cold October afternoon relishing my job as Editor-in-Chief, it never fails to impress just how much CONTENTS Camp Hill as a school achieves. Never mind our amazing academic record or the Old Edwardians that we have sent far and wide,A but the sheer number of enrichment activities we offer our Leavers . 2 young men. This year has been no exception. From the colour and energy Obituaries . 6 of the House Festival, where even the teachers showed off their… interesting sides… Mr Eckley’s costume in particular sticks in my mind… to the new trips that were run this year including School Activities Mr Burgress and Ms Freeman’s trip to Italy. Camp Hill has something to offer all its students. Engineering . 8 I sincerely hope that you do take the time to read about the many wonderful adventures that have happened this year, mostly Science . 9 told in our students’ own words. It is clear that they view this as a vital part of their school life. Maths . 13 And as I put my feet up, readying myself for next year’s Chronicle, I have reflected on how lucky I feel to be part of this Geography . 16 vibrant and energetic school. Best wishes. L Joanne Parmar, Editor Language and Literature . 18 Careers . 22 Other Activites . 23 House Reports . 25 Domestic Trips . 28 Foreign Trips . 34 Drama . 46 Music . 50 Sport . 62 Results Summaries . 80 House Championship Table . 81 KE CAMP HILL SchOOL FOR BOYS · The CHRONICLE 2018 EDITORIAL & CONTENTS | 1 questions and mock University interviews, make sense of the maths questions from Polish ways we might expect boys to be stretched, exams and textbooks but it is culturally that or it might be through novel teaching and the students really grow from such opportuni- learning approaches. I recall him giving over ties; without Andrew (and Chris Jackson) this Leavers regular top set GCSE lessons so that small exchange would not have been as successful. groups of boys could teach the rest of the set Under his administration, the already about an aspect of mathematics that they had well-established school Chess Club went from Andrew Rogers researched. The way this developed the boys’ strength to strength, allowing over 100 pupils t the end of the Spring Term, in March interest, independent ability and mathemati- each year to develop their chess playing in a 2018, I said farewell to Andrew Rog- cal maturity provided the perfect basis for happy and supportive group.