The Week Ahead
Saturday 27th February until Sunday 7th March
The Master's Voice
My subject today is weekends. You will find here our policy for weekends, which is a collation, and in some cases a slight tightening up, of existing procedures. The great majority of our pupils, at school and at home, seem to use their weekends wisely and well, and return on Sunday evening or Monday morning much refreshed. It is essential that they do have a real break, and do not get exhausted by very late nights. On the subject of weekends also, I am taking the WCA trip to Morocco and will be away for the weekend of 6th and 7th March. I love taking parental trips away, such as to the Trenches, not the least because of the in depth conversations I have with parents, but I hate having to be away at weekends and missing events, and it is a particularly busy time. I will be missing the girls in the national lacrosse finals (they were ‘team of the week’ this week), the boys' U15s playing their semi final of the national Daily Mail competition against Hampton, and I will also be missing, amongst many other events, the orchestral concert on the Friday evening, which I know will be wonderful. I am investigating seriously the possibilities of being in two places at the same time. If my research fails to crack this one before next weekend, I hope parents will be understanding, and I wish you all good listening and spectating at the College and in other venues where our pupils will be in action.
Welcome back to your sons and daughters after a very blustery - at least in Crowthorne - half term break. I attach some images from a school trip to South Africa as well as some stunning images of the work of Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, OW and President of the Royal Academy, who spoke at Wellington this week.
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General Events
8:00 pm on Sunday 28th February sees a Full SchoolService of the Word at which the preacher is Delyth Draper, HM of the Combermere. Parents of pupils in the Combermere are warmly invited to attend.
On Monday 1st March there was an event calendared as "Meet the Orchestra" in the Old Gym - this has been postponed until Monday15th March.
On Tuesday 2nd March at 8:00 pm in the Driver Lecture Room we look forward to a Master's lecture entitled "Health Care Reforms" by Professor the Lord Ara Darzi of Denham. He is a Professor of Surgery at Imperial College London and the Institute of Cancer Research. He is an Honorary Consultant Surgeon at Imperial College HospitalNHS Trust and the Royal Marsden Hospital. Until recently he was Parliamentary Under-Secretary and he has recently been appointed as Global Ambassador for Health and Life Sciences and a United Kingdom Business Ambassador. Professor Lord Darzi has pioneered research in technologies for minimally invasive surgery, and in safety and quality of healthcare. His contribution within these research fields has been outstanding, publishing over 500 peer-reviewed research papers to date. If you would like to attend this lecture please email Tarla Woolhouse.
The Music Department have some exciting events planned for the next few weeks. Of particular note is the concert on Thursday 4th March, when two of Europe’s leading musicians (Remus Azoitei and Eduard Stan) will perform an intimate recital in the Concert Room. The programme will consist of Enescu, Schubert, Brahms and Ravel, tickets are £10 and will be available from Reception.
The next meeting of the business networking group The Business Forum will be on Thursday 4th March at 7:15 am in the Wellesley Dining Room. The theme for the February event will be "Are you realising the value from your Intellectual Capital?” and the talk will be given by Jackie Maguire of Coller IP Management. Are you aware of the value that is contained within the Intellectual Capital of your business, how that value is built up and the actions that can be taken to secure that value? Using well known examples, Jackie will address issues such as copyright, trade marks, designs, patents, branding and reputation. The Business Forum combines a relaxed informal gathering for business networking with a forum for discussing key business topics. It meets once a month on the first Thursday of each month at 7.15am, finishing by 9.15am. The cost is £18 and includes a full English breakfast. For more information and a booking form please go to the website on www.thebusinessforum.biz or contact Sue Viney on sue@vineycommunications.co.uk or 07774 267280.
Friday 5th March at 7.30pm in the Old Gym sees an Orchestra concert.
Saturday 6th March is a closed Saturday for the Fifth form as we have a dinner dance for the that night.
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.
A Drama and Music Tour to the Far East has been planned from 30th March until 10th April. A programme will be designed for the tour and the Master invites parents to advertise their business in the programme. The tour will visit Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam. For more details, please contact the Music Department via email (music@wellingtoncollege.org.uk) before 3rd March as space is limited.
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.
Although it seems a long time ago, there has not been a Week Ahead since the Song Competition. Other images of the event can be found here.
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.
The Bursar has received information about Kitchener University Scholarships. The Council of the Lord Kitchener National Memorial Fund offers for competition up to a maximum of 25 scholarships tenable from October 2010. The value of each scholarship will be £750 and will be paid to scholars at the beginning of their course. To be eligible a candidate must:
- Be a British subject and have served, or be the son or daughter of a parent who has at any time served or is serving on a full time engagement in HM Armed Forces. This includes members and former members of the TA and other Reserve Forces of the Crown, and their sons and daughters, providing that the former have served an element of full time or permanent service for a minimum consecutive period of 3 months
- Be admitted as an undergraduate to a university or institution of university rank in the United Kingdom in October 2010 to read a first degree
- Be over 17 and under 21 years of age on 1st January 2010. Former Service men or woman may be considered up to the age of 30.
Official application forms, which must be returned completed by 30th June may be obtained from: The Secretary, Lord Kitchener National Memorial Fund, Salters Green Farm, Mayfield, East Sussex TN20 6NP and applications must include a stamped, addressed envelope large enough to contain 5 sheets of folded A4 paper.
The Head of Educational Support is available for consultations on Saturdays from 12:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Please contact Carole Blunden-Lee if you would like to see her then.
Sport.
Saturday 27th February sees the netball block fixture with Hurstpierpoint (and additional fixture against St. Mary's Ascot) and football matches with Sevenoaks. The cross-country team compete at Cranleigh, the shooting team at Abingdon whilst the golf and badminton teams compete at home and the basketball players welcome Eton.
In a calendar addition on Sunday 28th February the Colts VII rugby squad will compete in the St Edward’s School 7s Tournament. Unfortunately on the same day, the Mount St. Mary's tournament has been cancelled but the 1st VII will now be travelling to the Bryanston 7s.
Tuesday 2nd March sees our lacrosse teams travelling to Heathfield St. Mary's, the rackets team to Cheltenham, the golf team to Harrow and the squash teams to Lord Wandsworth, whilst Thursday 4th March is the turn of the basketball players to welcome Harrow.
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.
On Sunday 14th March, there is also a calendar addition of an invitational 1st VII netball tournament at Marlborough.
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
"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 (ie. 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.
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
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. A booking form and agenda can be found at www.wellingtoncollege.org.uk/conferences
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 you download the booking form at www.wellingtoncollege.org.uk/eventsandlectures or reserve tickets by contacting Reception on 01344 444000 – quoting Ref: X43333. You are also able to purchase a copy of 5 Minds for the Future for £15 £2.50 (p&p).
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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