ColumnTHE N O . 1 A U T U M N 2 0 0 5 Welcome to The Column in this issue: • School News .................... P2 • Arts Festival .................... P3 • School News Stowe’s Inaugural continues ........................ P4-5 • Old Stoics ........................ P6 I am delighted to introduce our re-launched newsletter, The Column, which replaces The • Old Stoics – Births, Arts Festival Bulletin. I hope you like the new look and Deaths & Marriages ..... P7 design of this newsletter. Our editorial team (John Bridgwood, Jane Collins and Colin • Old Stoics News ............ P8-9 Held from Friday 14th to Tuesday 18th October, our first Arts Dudgeon) are responsible for breathing new life into this publication which will reflect • Old Stoics Sports......... P10 Festival provided a rich and varied programme for Stoics, with many of the exciting activities and developments which are happening at Stowe. a mix of presentations, masterclasses and workshops to provide There will be contributions from academic • School Sport .................. P10-11 something for everyone – all just before our half-term break. departments, sports, drama, music and other areas of the Stowe community will be represented in future issues. • End Piece ........................... P12 The response has been tremendous, the Festival has proved to It has been a stimulating and challenging Stowe-Doku ...................... P12 be exhilarating and instructive, involving many Stoics. See page start to the new academic year. Full co- • education began with the arrival of twenty- 3 for just a small flavour of what we all experienced and enjoyed. three girls into the Lower School in the Third and Fourth Forms. Lyttelton underwent major refurbishment during the summer break to prepare the House to be the home of the new girls. It was an extremely tight schedule and the girls put up valiantly with the finishing touches being completed during their first few weeks. We are delighted with how well the girls have settled in and are integrating with the rest of the School. In this issue of The Column we introduce Jayne Duckett, who joins us from Millfield as Head of Girls’ Games, and she outlines her plans to match the success of the boys at games – now there is a challenge Rowing at Stowe as the boys have set a very high standard at the start of this term. Over the past year Rowing has training and advice that involves Our academic results are improving and we developed well at Stowe and is being able to capsize a boat and then have had an excellent set of first TWO reports for the Stoics showing that the new academic generating plenty of enthusiasm to be able to return with it to a place measures are now beginning to show results. of safety. Rowing skills and within a small group of Stoics. There is a sense of optimism and excitement techniques are honed in the School Mr Righton has joined the School, at Stowe, which we will try to share with you in weights room and the practical skills this and future issues of The Column. I hope primarily as a biology teacher but is are learnt in specialised facilities in you enjoy this first issue – and the challenges also a qualified rowing coach, and Milton Keynes where we are able to of our very own Stowe-doku! he has been able to give the right row three times a week at present. With best wishes direction to the sport in terms of It is hoped that it will be possible to skills and technique. include both boys and girls in a After receiving parental permission regatta for novice crews before the ANTHONY WALLERstEINER all pupils receive basic water safety end of this year. HEadmastER School First year as an official and in today’s workplace, let alone a test centre – a fine achievement as this Academic tomorrow’s. The course is delivered is very unusual for a test centre in its first ECDL Test Centre: through a mix of teacher led instruction year. with online training and testing available Progress – even when the pupils are away from But it doesn’t stop there, BCS will be School. launching a new training and certification programme for keyboard skills called With the start of a new academic The full Licence is only gained after ‘e-type’ in January 2006. They see touch- year the Headmaster, Board of passing 7 modules, with a mark average typing as an essential skill that Governors and Academic Staff have of 75%. The modules are: Basic Concepts Left – right: Aydar Sarsembayev, Miles Crosby and of IT; Using a Computer and Managing complements ‘ECDL’. turned their attention to academic James Minchin-Mitchell performance at Stowe. Stowe’s Files; Word Processing; Spreadsheets; At Stowe we are piloting this qualification commitment to a broad education of The European Computer Driving Licence Databases; Presentations; Information with one Fourth Form set. As expressed by and Communication. academic, social, sporting and (ECDL) is really taking off as a popular the BCS: “Each desktop computer has the qualification at Stowe in its first year as an creative life remains unchanged but As three of the recent ‘graduates’ testify, power of a Formula 1 racing car, but is accredited test centre. ECDL is now the School can do better this programme continues to be popular often driven at the speed of a milk float. academically. As a first step, an available in over 137 countries and was amongst Stoics and staff. We now have Would you give someone the keys to a early Junior School prep has been introduced by the British Computer ten successful students who have new car but only show them how to use introduced, supervised in silent Society (BCS) six years ago. At Stowe we achieved complete ECDL passes: 8 passes the first two gears? Of course not. Those classrooms, to allow the Third and believe that all pupils should have the by Stoics and 2 by academic staff. We can who type with just two fingers generally Fourth Formers to work better before opportunity to gain a recognised also report the following results: supper, and a shortened prep time qualification in ICT. While at Stowe it achieve 20 words per minute with variable BCS Unit 1 Certificates (3 modules): after supper to an hour so that they enhances their studies and assists full accuracy. However, by learning to touch- 82 certificates achieved. can relax and socialise longer before exploitation of the intranet facilities type you should be able to double your bed. The Senior School, with public provided throughout the School – when BCS Unit 2 Certificates (ECDL + extra speed whilst considerably improving exams to face, is expected to work working on their own and in the synoptic module): 5 certificates achieved. accuracy. There is no doubt about it, more effectively and to meet target classroom. Computer literacy is a We have recently undergone our yearly touch-typing is cool and will put you firmly grades set by their teachers. The fundamental requirement for university audit from the BCS and achieved an ‘A’ as in the computer fast-lane!” target grades are discussed and agreed between Stoics and their Tutors, enabling Stoics to have a clear understanding of their Introducing Stowe’s performance expectations. Parents will be kept informed of their Head Girl and Head children’s efforts and attainments through TWOs and reports. Academic Staff’s constructive Boy for 2005/2006: comments on their work will help Emma Lovett, Head Girl, Nugent House for the School. The latter is particularly rugby team and I am currently a member Stoics improve, and good efforts in important in the local community; we take of the 1st XV, though my place may not be and out of class will be I started at Stowe in September 2004, our local responsibilities very seriously secure. Last year six of my friends and I acknowledged. We look forward to from Aiglon College in Switzerland. I have and have an active Community Service organised a charity weekend in order to building on our already improving led a rather nomadic life, having been programme. raise money for Muscular Dystrophy. Our grades with these new measures born in Dubai, and subsequently lived in Hong Kong, Singapore, UK and then final total exceeded £40,000, possibly a designed to ensure Stoics and Staff My immediate goals, apart from achieving Switzerland. Although such frequent School record. really achieve their best together. excellent A level results in Drama and moves can be somewhat disruptive, this Theatre Studies, French and Sports As Head Boy I hope to be a role model to Already this year we are pleased ‘disadvantage’ is more than outweighed Science, are to complete a gap year, one Stoics and will try to use the influence that with the improvement in our GCSE by the many cultures and countries that I part of which I hope will be at an Aids I have in this position to encourage pupils results that our boys have achieved, have experienced, and the many friends clinic in Africa and the other part to gain to take full advantage of the opportunities passing 98% of them, 38.3% at A or I have made in distant places. Having work experience in smaller projects in that Stowe gives you. I will try my hardest A*. Fifteen Stoics, including two attended more than the average number between; then on to University. All of this to push Stoics to stretch themselves a local boys, achieved 8 or more A of schools, both as a day and boarding seems aeons away at the moment and it little bit further, put in that little bit of grades each.