HARROW NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2020 IN THIS ISSUE EXAMINATION RESULTS AND UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS SPIRIT OF SPEECH DAY ART IN LOCKDOWN Cover Photo: Portrait of Captain Sir Tom Moore, by Old Harrovian Alex Chamberlin 2|3 NEWS FROM THE HEAD MASTER engagement, technology can never replace attainment of current boys to the the true spirit of the Hill. The boys and staff varied achievements of Old Harrovians, have adapted to the 'new normal' with and there are also exciting plans for a gusto and enthusiasm and there is a real milestone anniversary. sense of joy in the face of adversity. Indeed, in 2022, we will be marking We are, of course, sorry not to be able the 450th of the foundation of Harrow to welcome visitors to the Hill for the School. Granted a Royal Charter in 1527 by foreseeable future but we hope you that Elizabeth I, the School has carved its placed you are enjoying our virtual open mornings. in the history of the world. Now we look The stories in this Newsletter will also give to celebrate a modern Harrow, a School Words cannot express how wonderful you a deeper insight into what it means that draws on its traditions of the past to it was to see life back on the Hill at the to be a Harrovian, from lectures, debates produce boys that are real world ready. beginning of the Autumn term. Although and societies organised and led by our online learning during the Summer term boys, to adapting our sporting fixtures in was a remarkable feat of adaptability and the pandemic world, from the academic EXAMINATION RESULTS AND UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS As a School, we were delighted with the at A level and 44 boys gained three or to two prestigious programmes at McGill boys' exam results, which were testament more A* grades. university: the Desautels School of to their attainment and industry. Results Management and the Faculty of Arts. On All boys holding places at Oxbridge met built upon the record GCSE outcomes of the sporting front, one boy was recruited the terms of their offer. Fifteen per cent 2019, and for the third consecutive year to play rugby at UC Berkeley. of our Upper Sixth leavers have taken the percentage of grade 9s was well over up places at North American universities Harrovians will be attending seven of the 40% of entries, with nearly three-quarters including five of the eight Ivy League world’s top ten universities next year, and of entries at grades 9–8. Fourteen boys Schools, with two boys going to Harvard over 100 Harrovians have taken up places achieved ten or more grade 9s, with 30 and three to Columbia. Boys are also at Russell Group universities. More than a boys acquiring nine or more grade 9s, attending Stanford, Duke and Chicago. fifth of Harrovians have gone to one of the which is a very impressive achievement. QS world top ten universities and nearly a One Harrovian was admitted to the At A level, results also built upon our third of Harrovians to one of the QS world prestigious BFA acting programme at the previous successes, with over two-thirds top 20 universities including UCL, Imperial Juilliard School, widely considered the of boys achieving A*–A. Among the and the University of Pennsylvania. finest performing arts programme in the impressive headlines was the fact that world, and a further two were admitted seven boys acquired five or more A* grades OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS Four Harrow beaks have received the University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award: Dr Michael Gray, Mr Ben Shaw, Mrs Kasia Fletcher and Mrs Rima Tremlett. They were nominated for the award by former pupils who are now at the university in recognition of the intellectual challenges they provided and the new vistas of discovery and paths for intellectual growth they opened up for their students. OPEN MORNINGS Harrow’s open mornings are an excellent way for prospective parents and their sons to learn about the School and life on the Hill. Visit harrowschool.org.uk for forthcoming dates and to book. The Admissions Office, Harrow School, 5 High Street, Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex HA1 3HP +44 (0)20 8872 8007, [email protected] NEWS HARROW NEWSLETTER | AUTUMN 2020 4|5 NEWS SPIRIT OF SPEECH DAY raised over £60,000 and allowed the School to fund a summer programme Speech Day is the principal event at which to support young people facing Harrow comes together to celebrate boys’ significant barriers to progress by many achievements in all their areas of offering money to local organisations to Spirit of endeavour. Sadly, COVID-19 restrictions help them run summer courses. Sixteen meant that the usual physical gathering of charities won grants; these included SPEECH DAY boys and their families on School grounds the Wish Centre who supported 15 Charity Challenge | 23-24 May 2020 was not possible. It did not mean, however, teenage girls who had been the victims We can’t be together but we can do our best and raise money for our charity partners by taking on a challenge this Speech Day weekend. that no celebrations took place as, along with of gang-related sexual violence or an online Bill and announcement of prize child sexual exploitation, and CAAS winners, there were online events throughout On your own or in a team, who ran a programme of support for choose a challenge: the day including readings by boys, musical young people with autism who were performances, online Art, Photography and particularly affected by the lockdown. Virtual Design & Technology exhibitions and Harrow Create a We also opened the School site to local Mountain Songs. Boys and staff also took part in the Climb Challenge charities working with young people Spirit of Speech Day Charity Challenge. This over the summer period and provided fundraising event involved taking part in a The full funding for all on-site projects, use Rainbow Art competition to create a work of art based Competition of facilities and support from School around the theme of a rainbow, or climbing staff, as well as hundreds of packed stairs to the height of a mountain, or creating lunches. This provision, combined with their own challenge, for instance a sponsored Harrow beaks providing online lessons All funds raised will help support our local charities at the walk or a cake sale. forefront of the response to the coronavirus pandemic. for children in care, means that the uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/SpiritHSD The Spirit of Speech Day Challenge, along School helped over 1,000 vulnerable with donations to the COVID response fund, young people over the summer. CELEBRATING 450 milestone. It will showcase our educational celebrate Harrow’s heritage; raise an and character-forming reputation, raise the additional £50m over the period 2021–23; YEARS OF HARROW School’s profile, maximise our engagement and widen and deepen engagement across In 2022, Harrow School will celebrate the with our local and worldwide communities, all generations of Old Harrovians. and raise the funds that will enable the 450th anniversary of its foundation. This Plans for an exciting year of celebration, School to provide enhanced opportunities will provide an opportunity for the whole under the umbrella of Harrow 450, are well to current and future Harrovians. Harrow Foundation, which comprises under way. Harrow School, John Lyon School and John The aims for the 450th anniversary Lyon’s Charity, to celebrate an important celebrations and activities are to: An entry for the Rainbow Art Competition ACADEMIC HARROW NEWSLETTER | AUTUMN 2020 6|7 ACADEMIC The Coutts Lecture in Economics explored the future of climate policy ENGLISH ECONOMICS The 2020 National Poetry Day competition was on the The Coutts Lecture in Economics was given by Dr Linus Mattauch, theme of vision. Boys and staff were challenged to write Director of the Economics of Sustainability Programme at the a poem in exactly 12 words that explored the theme in University of Oxford. He spoke about ‘The Future of Climate Policy’. any way the writer wished. With 116 entries, there was an A Harrovian was named in the Highly Commended category of excellent variety in approach, with poems about sight, the Institute of Economics Dorian Fisher Memorial Prize essay new ideas, knowledge, different perspectives, wisdom, the competition. The competition involves writing an essay of roughly future, blindness, x-ray vision, telescopes or microscopes, 1,200 words on one of three economics questions; giving a 500- and more. word answer to another question on a different area of economics; Winner of Winner of and writing 500 words identifying an area of economics that boys competition staff competition should be given more attention in the A level or IB syllabus. Two Harrovians were also shortlisted in the LSE Economics Essay Grandpa Required: Competition prize. Colossal giant, Self reflector Filled with tales, Introspector Pouring wisdom, Must be able Suddenly, not the same To see in the dark By Joe McLean By Peter Davison-Rieber The Hero City Obelisk in St Petersburg - a monument to the Soviet forces and citizens of the city who suffered during the Siege of Leningrad CLASSICS Year 10 Physics Challenge. Sixty boys Original Writing Competition in Russian PHYSICS Professor Michael Scott of the University of Warwick finished with a bronze award, with 39 (Year 11 Category) and another was delivered the Coutts Lecture in Classics. Professor Scott Sixty-one boys in the Lower Sixth sat the earning a silver and 27 a gold award. highly commended in the Sixth Form is a world-renowned Classicist and broadcaster whose British Physics Olympiad Senior Physics Category.