The Annual Magazine of King Edward's School, Birmingham CHRONICLE 2004 CONTENTS Hellos 5 Goodbyes 16 Features 22 Dram a 38 Trips 43 Words and Pictures 62 Music 76 Houses 80 Societies 86 Sport 90 K€S Chronicle 2004 The Editorial Team Hellos & Goodbyes Matthew Gammie Features Matthew Hosty Trips Euan Stirling & Oliver Carter Drama Peter Wozniak Music Tom Cadigan Words Charles Butler Houses Amit Sinha Societies Jamie Sunderland Sport Philip Satterthwaite, Amer Shafi, & Vidu Shanmugarajah Cover Elliot Weaver Banners Tarsem Madhar Staff Tom Hosty Editorial Chronicle is the work of a large number of people. Most immediately we have to thank Sandra Bürden at the Resources Centre, who assembles the pages on her computer and who is to thank for much of the fine detail of the magazine's final appearance: I am hugely indebted to her for her energy, initiative and attention to detail. Earlier in the chain stand the section editors, whose job is to round up copy and pictures for their sections and devise the running order and general page layouts for that section. They also have to go in for a good deal of rewriting: prolixity must be trimmed, irrelevance eliminated, errors put right and facetiousness filtered out. To be a good editor requires not only a good ear for language and a high level of compétence in written English: it also calls for patience and good humour in the actual pursuit of material. Mirabile dictu, it sometimes happens that contributors to the magazine are strong on promises but weak on performance. This year's editors have been terrifie. Their names appear on the previous page: every man jack of them has taken his responsibilities seriously and remained unflustered by the tardiness, bizarre accidents and (sometimes) outright évasion which have met their increasingly pressing calls for "that article you said you'd write". Gentlemen, you have done well, and I am most grateful. But at the beginning of the process lie the rest of you: ail those who have written about (or photographed) the astonishing diversity of activity at King Edward's School which no League Table registers but which makes this school what it is. In thèse pages you will find the heart and soul of the place: the teams; the plays and concerts; the expéditions at home and abroad; the CCF; the debating and the chess and the historical re-enaetment; the societies and the writing and the art. Among my special favourites this year isTom Cadigan's awe-inspiring account of Royal Marine training: the article as originally written is almost twice as long as we have had the space to print, but even what is here is one of this year's "must read" pièces. And there is so much more of similar high quality. If KES needs an advertisement, what better advertisement could there be than the contents of Chronicle? Finally, the usuai (but still heartfelt) thanks to Bradley Spencer for the Pictures section and for supervising the production of cover and banner art. Thanks to Chris Boardman for his photographie skills, and to the various colleagues in the Modem Language and Classics departments who were so obliging about proofreading articles in languages other than English. Thanks to David Ash and Catherine Tudor for their help in procuring specific photographs, and to Martin Stead for preparing the Cricket summary. And, again, thanks to ail of you who wrote for this year's Chronicle. TFPH IHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIHIIIIHHHì^^^HHÌI^Hh Jesus Marletta ICT Technician Chronicle: Jesus, could more relaxed air to life in you please introduce Malta; I think the weather yourself and tell us a little has a lot to do with that, about what you have though. done betöre Coming to KES? Could you tell us a little about your hobbies? Mr Marletta: Well, my name is Jesus Marletta. I've come I'm a big fan of movies; I here from Malta where I try to visit the cinema as worked in an Arts, Science offen as I can. As you and Technology college. My might expect I like to play position there was that of IT around with computers as and Electronics Technician, well. I really like the old and I also taught Computing Amiga and Commodore 64 computers and Electronics. and at the moment I am enjoying "Generally emulating and interfacing such all time What are your first impressions of classic machines with modem KES? How do you think the school there is a much technology. It brings me a nice sensé of compares to those in Malta? nostalgia from my childhood! I also like more relaxed to cook and, when the weather is good I think KES is much more professional. enough, I like to go for long walks. In terms of ICT there is much more air to life in investment here, especially since the Could you share with us a few of Upgrades which took place during the Malta; I think your long-term ambitions? Where do Easter holiday. Overall there is a very the weather has you see yourself in 15 years time? good atmosphère here. a lot to do with I don't really know where ni be in How do you find the English way of fifteen years time. In England or Malta? Ute generally compared to that of that, though." I don't know. At the moment l'm taking Malta? life year by year. I think life here is more often lived at a Jesus, thank you. fast pace. Generally there is a much Philip Balkham Head of Design and Technology which is where I understanding that the boys want from started my teaching lessons. Also the standard of work career as a newly being produced is far higher and more qualified teacher. advanced than the work at Before going into comprehensive schools. teaching I was a product designer for Does being a DT teacher mean you two years, based in enjoy D.I.Y. at home? • Cardiff. That was my first job after Yes, unfortunately it does! My wife's university. very happy about it because about three years ago we moved into a house What do you think which was built in 1958, and was in ofKES? need of total modernisation. So lots of my spare time was taken up gutting out Chronicle: Could you please tell us KES has excellent facilities, very the house, and it's stili work in what you did before you carne to motivated pupils with excellent progress! KES? opportunities laid out for them, a fantastic working atmosphère and l"m What are your hobbies? Mr Balkham: Before coming to KES I thoroughly enjoying it. was Head of Design and Technology at I enjoy cycling. I try and get out on my Holly Lodge High School in Smethwick, So how do the facilities here bike as much as possible: but this is not which is a mixed comprehensive school compare with your previous as often as l'd like and, as a for eleven to sixteen year olds. Prior to schools? conséquence, l'm not as fit as l'd like to that I was at Kingswinford School for be. From time to time I play squash and five years as a DT teacher, and before The facilities are quite modem. The DT I try and play a little bit of golf but l'm that I spent 2 years at Bournville centre is relatively new so the not a very good handicap at the School, just down the Bristol Road, accommodation is well up to date. moment. Hopefully I can improve that There has been considérable with a little practice. investment in the subject before I came "KES has here, so l'm very impressed with the What would you like to do in the quality of the accommodation and the future? a fantastic resources available. I would like to continue teaching. I enjoy working Is teaching at KES différent to it and, as far as my career is teaching at comprehensive schools? concerned, l'm very happy being Head atmosphère of DT. It's very challenging but In some ways it is. At the end of the extremely rewarding in the sensé that and l'm day boys will be boys: but in terms of the subject is continually moving motivation and académie ability it forward so l'm learning things, picking thoroughly certainly is différent to some of the up new skills and developing comprehensive schools l've been at. It's professionally. enjoying it." certainly more challenging as a teacher, in terms of the knowledge and Mr Balkham, thank you. MEE S Duncan Witcombe Biology Chronicle: Mr Witcombe, could you education. There is tell us a little about your Ufe before the potential to coming to KES? greatly extend your academic Mr Witcombe: After University I went to knowledge and also work in the Retail Management scheme to take advantage for Sainsburys. However, I soon began of an incredible to question why I had spent four years range of extra- at university only to end up in retailing. curricular activities. Teaching had crossed my mind, so I Clearly there are decided to get my PGCE; following some very able which I accepted a post at Ipswich boys at the school. School as Head of Department, where I However, I think stayed for twelve years. I then moved to that there are pupils Wisbech Grammar School, where I saw who don't fully the advert for KES. Knowing something appreciate this of the reputation of the school I put in a environment or take speculative application and, much to full advantage of it; my surprise, was offered the Job.