The Week Ahead

Saturday 6th March until Sunday 14th March

The Master's Voice

Wellington has been highlighting the importance of well-being of children as well as adults for four years and more, initially to the ridicule and incomprehension of the media and the educational world, then to a grudging respect and now to general acceptance. We need to take very seriously physical, mental and emotional well-being. The insights of positive psychology, as well as wisdom over the ages and common sense, highlight the importance of the young taking responsibility for their own health and happiness, rather than relying upon others, parents, teachers and the state to do it all for them. At Wellington we teach the importance of resilience and personal responsibility. Life is never going to be easy and adversity will afflict everyone. By learning how to calm the body, how emotions work, gain a sense of perspective, build from one's inner strengths and by a host of other practical steps, our young we believe are learning invaluable lessons for life. This week we had a huge audience to hear the very distinguished consultant, life peer and  powerful voice on the future of the NHS, Lord Darzi, who is also a Wellington parent. He spoke not just about restructuring the NHS, but also about the growing importance of well-being. We only have one body and the better we look after it, learn how it works and avoid causing it needless damage, the happier and more productive our lives will be. I would welcome over the coming terms, from our parents whether or not you are in the medical world, a significant surge of interest in everything we are trying to do with well-being, above even current levels. The one point on which our critics were most wrong was, in arguing that our parents would not be interested in their children learning about happiness and well-being. Absolutely the opposite had proved to be the case.

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This week we have a production of Antigone running from Monday 8th March until Wednesday 10th March. Thanks to one of our mothers, Kate Hampton, you can sneak a preview below. It is a modern reworking by the French playwright Jean Anouilh of the Sophocles’ tragedy, but we are doing an English version. It was first performed in Nazi occupied France, and the Third Reich allowed its performance because the arguments for tyranny within the text were so compelling. The play explores what is more important, personal freedom and truth, or the good of the state – ideas which are all too obviously resonant for today as well.

General Events

8:00 pm on Sunday 7th March sees a Full School Eucharist at which the preacher is Father Andrew Zihni, Chaplain of St. George's College, Windsor.  Parents of pupils in the Anglesey are warmly invited to attend.

On Tuesday 9th March, at 8:00 pm in Great School there is a chance to hear Robin Oakley (OW) talking to "How do politicians and the media get along?". Robin Oakley was Political Editor at The Times 1986-1992; Political Editor at the BBC 1992-2000, and European Political Editor at CNN 2000-2008.   He is a current CNN Political contributor and a Turf columnist for The Spectator and has written several books including ‘Inside Track’ (a political journalist’s life) and "Valley of the Racehorse" (a year in the life of Lambourn’s racing community).  If you would like to attend this lecture please email Tarla Woolhouse

"If you can go there with your mind you can go there with your body ". Uri Geller will be part of a double bill of an inspirational management conference at Eagle House School on Tuesday 9th March and you are cordially invited to attend. Although the morning session is about education methods, Russell Prue, the IT evangelist, is renowned for his presentations in the commercial world. Details of the conference can be found at http://www.dcbeagle.com/smtconf.htm or contact Douglas Buchanan at douglas@dcbeagle.com.

On Tuesday 9th March there will be a TV crew coming to Wellington in order to film a documentary for the BBC on Education. This will include filming particular lessons (the parents of the pupils concerned will be contacted separately) and also general shots of the school (i.e. some wide shots of the school grounds and buildings).  If you do not wish your child to be seen in any of these general shots, please contact Emma Browne on 01344 444018 or elb@wellingtoncollege.org.uk.

 Places are still available for the one-day conference "Working with multiple intelligences in schools -  What is Education For?" with Professor Howard Gardner from Harvard University at Wellington on Thursday 11th March between 9:30 am and  3:30 pm. Contact Tarla Woolhouse for details. 

Later on Thursday 11th March at 8:00 pm  Professor Howard Gardner is giving a lecture entitled "Five Minds – How to Function Successfully in the 21st Century". The eminent psychologist Howard Gardner's theory on multiple intelligences has set the agenda in the psychology and educational theory communities for twenty five years.   Now Gardner discusses the five cognitive abilities (the disciplined mind, the synthesizing mind, the creating mind, the respectful mind and the ethical mind) which equip a person to deal with what is expected in the future, as well as what cannot be anticipated.      Five Minds for the Future inspires lifelong learning and provides valuable insights for developing leaders - today and tomorrow, skills that will be sought and cultivated by leaders in the years ahead. The venue is the Theatre and tickets cost £20 per person (£10 for students) For bookings please reserve tickets by contacting Reception on 01344 444000 – quoting Ref: X43333. Entrance is by ticket only. Registration is from 7:15 pm onwards. Please make any reservation by midday Monday 8th March at the latest.

The weekend is a weekend leave, albeit a short one. The pupils may leave after commitments on Saturday 13th March and the boarders should be back by 9:15 pm on Sunday 14th March.

The classics department are running a classics trip to Tunisia and Sicily between 20th and 27th October  for 5th and 6th form students. We will visit some of the best extant Roman sites in the Mediterannean including the amphitheatre at El Djem and the villas of Piazza Armerina, and Greek sites such as the Valley of the temples. There will also be a wider cultural aspect of the tour as we visit the great mosque at Kairouan, and see something of North African as well as Sicilian culture. The overnight ferry from Tunis to Palermo should be an experience!. This will have obvious benefits for Classics students but is also open to anyone else enthusiastic. For more information, please see this letter, or contact Simon Allcock. More details and a booking form can be found here.

The Wellington College Parent Portal is up and running and we have started the process of creating accounts for current parents. This means that parents will be able to log on to our website from anywhere in the world and view their child’s Reports, Internal and External Exam Timetables, Results and other relevant information. Besides being more convenient for parents it will, in the long term, allow us to cut down on the amount of printing we do - all part of our sustainability drive.. Our intention is that parents of pupils in the Upper and Lower Sixth will receive a letter within the next week explaining how to access the Portal. Parents of other year groups will receive their letter within the next three weeks. Follow the instructions and you should have access straight away. The few parents who  have trialled this did find the process simple and clear.

We are always keen to welcome additional volunteers to help in our Charity Shop. if you do feel that you are able to get involved please read the file here with more details.

 The Bursar reminds parents that the College requires one term's notice of a pupil leaving other than at the end of their Upper Sixth Year. Notice for any pupil leaving at the end of the Summer Term should be sent in writing to the Bursar on or by the first day of the Summer Term, Sunday 18th April.  This is to ensure that you do not become liable for paying the following term's fees in lieu of notice.  If you are unsure whether or not your daughter or son may be leaving, you may consider forwarding provisional notice that he/she may be leaving and will confirm the position later in the term. Obviously, it will help us to have such decisions as early as possible so that we can ensure that places are filled.

Sport.

Saturday 6th March is the day for the block fixtures with the hockey players taking on Bradfield, the netball players Portsmouth Grammar School and the football players Haileybury. In addition the cross country team compete in the Brunivels' trophies, the shooting team take on Bearwood and the badminton team compete in a triangular with Eton, Harrow and the oratory at home.

Also on Saturday March 6th in a calendar addition, the Junior Colts will face Hampton School in the Semi Final of the Rugby Daily Mail Cup. This is the fourth time in five years that Wellington has been in the U15 semi finals, and the match will be held at Broadstreet Rugby Club in Coventry.

Sunday 7th March sees our 1st VII at the Portsmouth Grammar School tournament, the 2nd VII at the Windsor Schoolboys' 7s and the U16 VII at RGS Guildford.

Tuesday 9th March sees two of our Junior Colts hockey teams in action against Kingston Grammar School, the rackets players welcome Harrow and  the basketball players Bradfield.

In a calendar addition. the hockey U16 county heats are at Kingston Grammar School all day on Tuesday 9th March.

Thursday 11th March includes a fixture for the hockey first eleven at St Edward's and for yearlings team with Kingston Grammar School. The lacrosse and fencing teams play Charterhouse and  the squash  Harrow.

Saturday 13th March has block fixtures for netball with Bradfield, hockey with Cheltenham and football with Brighton College. In addition the cross country team are entered in the Pat Bagnall trophy.

On Sunday 14th March, there is also a calendar addition of an invitational 1st VII netball tournament at Marlborough to add to the rugby 7s tournament at QE Barnet for the U16 and U14, the national schools polo tournament and the first eleven football game with the Corinthian Casuals.

Looking ahead the netball fixtures on Saturday 20th March have changed significantly from the calendar. At Wellington for a 2:00 pm start:1st VII, 2VII, 3rd VII, 4thVII, U16A and B. At Epsom for a 2:00 pm start: U14 A, B & C, U15A, B & C and for a 3:00 pm start:U15D, U14D and E.

Details of the matches can be found on the intranet.

Further Ahead

The calendar entry for the Ridley College, Canada, drama production of "Servant of Two Masters" has been changed. It was down to happen on Monday 15th March on old Hall but in fact the play will be on Monday 8th March in Great School at 7:30 pm.  Apologies for the change.

College Couch have feverishly been recording artists for a Charity Album which will be released at a launch event on Friday 12th March (not the Friday 26th February as calendared or the 5th March as previously changed!) Imogen Halsey, Dicky Addicott and Gina Kuschke are among those who have created original material for the release. The event promises to be extremely exciting including the promise of quadraphonic sound. All profits from both the sale of the cd and the event will go towards Miss. Pendle’s efforts in South Sudan. Tickets are now available.

Musical events coming up include:
Friday 19th March: 8pm, Old Gym, Jazz concert in aid of Crowthorne Community Minibus
Sunday 21st March: 7.30pm, Newsome Sports Hall, Choral Society and Concerto concert.
Monday 22nd March: 6pm, Concert Room, Montgomery Competition heats
Wednesday 24th March: 7.30pm, Theatre, Othello, and Far East Tour open rehearsal

 Wellington is organising a joint staff and pupil leadership conference on Tuesday 16th March. If any parents are willing to present on the importance of service leadership in business for this conference, please would they get in touch with Katy Granville-Chapman ?

The annual girls' sports dinner is due to take place this year on Saturday 20th March. All parents are warmly invited to join the celebrations in congratulating all girls who have represented Wellington College in the sporting arena this year at the black tie dinner. Please download and return the attached form if you would like to join us for this fun evening.

The Choral Society and Choral Concert will be on Sunday 21st March. Parents and friends are warmly invited to join the 'Wellington Chorus' to sing Karl Jenkins' Requiem. Copies of music are provided, and there are no auditions! Rehearsals begin on 18th January from 8:00 pm until10:00pm. Please contact the Music Department if you would like to be involved.

Parents might be interested to hear that Wellington is hosting a summer PHAB course. This modelled on the very successful courses running at Westminster and Merchant Taylors. It will run from Tuesday to Sunday and involves both disabled guests and volunteer student hosts from Wellington's Lower Sixth year group. The students will be the guests' carers for the week as well as work with them on a variety of tasks and challenges. The emphasis of the week is fun for all within a structured programme of workshops and activities. There is a huge shortage of such courses in the UK. The opportunity will present the guests and student hosts with an unforgettable experience while also giving the families a break from the 24/7 job of caring for a disabled relative.

Letters Home

To try to cut down on the amount of paper we send out and to try and not bombard parents with large numbers of posting, e-mails and information generally, we try to use the Week Ahead to include letters we would normally send out - either electronically or by post. If there are parents who would still rather receive everything on paper, please e-mail the College Secretary. We still anticipate sending out paper copies of reports, bills and the Master's letters. To open some of these letters you will need to log on to the intranet as the page they are saved on is only viewable to those in the Wellington community. Do contact me if you need the password.. All letters home of this sort are stored here. If for any reason you want to see a back copy of the Week Ahead they are all available on the internet here.

Contact us

This newsletter and past editions are on the Wellington College website as is a version of the school calendar with details of all activities going on at Wellington for the rest of this term.
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