The Grovian 2020 The Grovian 2020 Contents Ocial Reports 3 - 14 Brontë House 15 - 26 Boarding 28 - 30 Out of the Classroom 31 - 32 Trips and Tours 33 - 37 Performing Arts/Arts 39 - 50 Sports Reports 52 - 79 House Reports 82 - 88 Trust us to make buying a home easier Buying a property is a huge emotional and financial commitment. Our advice will provide you with the reassurance and peace of mind that you need. HORNES CHARTERED Visit hornes-surveyors.co.uk SURVEYORS 01274 584 988 | [email protected] Official Reports standardisation in the calculation and award of the when we all needed it the most. Leadership is often grades, which meant that a mix of CAGs, rank orders said to be about vision, strategy, courage, decisiveness, and statistical moderation was necessary. flexibility in mind, and determination. However, this set of qualities is predominantly outward facing and not There was lots of talk of standards falling as a result of particularly people centred. exams being “devalued” but little talk of the state of mind of our young people having lived through such Human beings are at the core of any organisation and testing times. No talk, at the time of writing, of unlocking their potential, nurturing their wellbeing, and reforming the whole system of exam tyranny; no talk of protecting them are critical to any leader’s success. easing the burden on teachers and young people, of This aspect of leadership has been brought into sharp making more room in maintained sector schools for a focus in the unprecedented period we have all endured. wider curriculum, like that oered at the Grove. A A clear and drastic change happened in all our lives curriculum that includes more sport and arts for all, and and for many people, including myself, this change was that allows children from all backgrounds the time and immensely dicult, and continues to be so. space they need to find their voices, to grow in self-worth and confidence. During the course of an incredibly challenging year, our students, and particularly our Year 13 Leavers, faced Notwithstanding the exams fiasco, we are, of course, adversity like no other peace time school generation. rightly proud of our A-level and GCSE results and the However, we should be in no doubt; they will be achievements of our young people. As ever, in any stronger for the experiences, challenges, hardship and exam season there are winners and losers, but usually disappointments they have all had to endure. on the back of the students’ own eorts, not by the whim of a system which was designed to safeguard the Those of us who work in schools like familiarity and big picture and in the end has safeguarded no one. enjoy the ability to see and prepare for the trials and tribulations that education has to oer. The Summer On a national and global scale, leadership across a Term, in amongst all the revision, public exams and whole plethora of contexts, and particularly in the preparations for End of Year assessments, should have political arena, seems to have been found wanting, just been a time to celebrate the passing of another hugely Headmaster’s Report their old school. Whilst life returned to the school, it was, initially at least, a little muted, and there is no doubt there was a tentativeness to the return of our Year 10 and Year 12 cohorts. As we look back on a school year like no other, we reflect on the many extraordinary ways in which we Despite numerous challenges, the remote learning was have all had to adapt and adjust. I would like to begin eective for the vast majority of students across the by paying tribute to all our young people for their wide age and ability range. Yes, we could definitely fortitude and resilience during the Summer Term. I have done some things better, like all schools; but the know it was not easy. The stresses and strains of this evidence is clear that when the students sought help, time were many and complicated, for our young teachers were quick and responsive to meeting their people, for parents and for teachers and their families. needs, and our young people were very appreciative of The impact of COVID-19 on our community has taken that. So, overall, I think the academic position of all the various forms; first and foremost, we must remember Grove’s pupils who committed sensibly to their online those families who have been directly aected by the learning was secure. virus and the anxiety and pain that has accompanied this. The main news of the summer holidays was, of course, the public examination results. There are many words I From my perspective, it is nothing short of a national could use to describe this summer’s exam results scandal that we were not permitted to allow more season; however, “shambolic” perhaps best sums up children back into school during the course of the the handling of the awarding of exam grades. Since the Summer Term. The Government and the Department end of March, the two major teacher associations to for Education should have been planning for schools to which I am aliated – the Association of School and reopen from the very moment they were telling us to College Leaders (ASCL) and the Headmasters' and close and should have been working more closely with Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) – had been alerting teachers and professional bodies to develop trust, open the exams regulator, Ofqual, to potential problems with communication, and a shared goal. A lack of direction the now infamous algorithm. Sadly, neither Ofqual nor from Government led to a lack of clarity, leaving the Department for Education listened or took any of parents and teachers anxious, fearful and mistrustful. these concerns seriously. Back in June, seeing some of our young people in In the absence of examinations, we did our very best to person for the first time in many weeks brought home be responsible and evidence-led with our Centre how unsettling lockdown was – students having to Assessed Grades (CAGs) and rank orders. At the same recreate the world that was once second-nature to time, there were legitimate concerns about the them, almost as if they were all new boys and girls in potential for grade inflation and the absence of Page 4 I am Grovian successful year and recognising all our collective and We all know that, yet we go on doing it. We need time individual achievements as one community. Alas, this and space in a school day, if we are to expand the was not able to happen; however, it is hoped that this horizons of our children, to deepen and widen their edition of The Grovian, like those before it, showcases understanding of themselves, of each other and the all that is special about this wonderful school world about them, of their rights and responsibilities. community. They do not need algorithms that are not fit for purpose. Indeed, we have to question altogether the The consequences of COVID-19 have been, and usefulness and the whole purpose of so much of the continue to be, significant and far-reaching and we live data gathering that goes on from Early Years right in a world of continued uncertainty. In many ways this through school life; data which is used to chart, then to pandemic has found education out; it has shown us predict and determine a child’s future. Are we how ridiculous, absurd and sad is the rigidity of a educating our children or programming them? system of education so dictated and dominated by examinations. As the last great national and world Education should be a liberating force. Learning is like upheaval – the Second World War – came to an end, fire: it warms, but it also burns. Whilst your children are there was a determination to right wrongs; to create under our care, we are the guardians of that flame. out of the peace a better society. There was an And, as parents and students, you can rest assured Education Act that opened schools free to everyone; that, whatever happens at GCSE and A-level, these the National Health Service was established, medical qualifications can only be a part of the much broader treatment at last free to all at the point of need; and, educational experience provided at Woodhouse Grove; shortly after this, the nations of the world came one that truly prepares our young people to thrive in an together to create the United Nations. None of these ever more changing and competitive world. institutions were perfect, but we should certainly ask ourselves where we would be without them. In closing, I should like to record my thanks and gratitude to the team responsible for putting together With the pandemic beginning now to be controlled, we another excellent edition of The Grovian. hope, this is surely the time to turn the page and to think again about education, to think child first and focus on the joy of teaching, discovering and learning, taking away the fear. Yes, we have to test, and we need exams; of course, we do. But testing is not educating. standardisation in the calculation and award of the when we all needed it the most. Leadership is often grades, which meant that a mix of CAGs, rank orders said to be about vision, strategy, courage, decisiveness, and statistical moderation was necessary. flexibility in mind, and determination. However, this set of qualities is predominantly outward facing and not There was lots of talk of standards falling as a result of particularly people centred.