General Events

The first weekend is a weekend leave and we look forward to welcoming your sons and daughters back at 9:15 p.m. on the evening of Monday 20th November.

On Wednesday 22nd November there is "An Evening with the Poet Laureate - Andrew Motion"  in the Theatre from 7:30 p.m. to  9:30 p.m.  Wellington College have great pleasure in welcoming Andrew Motion.  The readings will take place from 7:30 p.m.and he will be signing books from 8:30 p.m.  Please refer to the website for further details and books which will be available on the night for purchase (cash only).   Please let Tarla Woolhouse, Conference and Events Office, know if you would like to attend.  To avoid queuing for the book signing please decide on your book and email Tarla on tw@wellingtoncollege.org.uk.  

Also on Wednesday 22nd November, the Schools Liaison Officer (Army) will visit Wellington. Parents of pupils interested in Army Scholarships or careers in the Army should make an appointment for sons/daughters to see him by contacting CO.

On Friday 24th November the College welcomes mountaineer Stephen Venables.  He is the president of the Alpine Club, award-winning photographer and author and is at Wellington in the Driver Lecture Room from  8:00 p.m.  to recount some of his many extraordinary mountain adventures, from Afghanistan to Antarctica to the summit of Everest, which he reached by a new route, without the aid of oxygen.   Stephen Venables' books will also be available on the night.  (Cash sales only). On both these evening there will be cash bar available.

Also on Friday 24th November at 8:00 p.m.  in the Old Gym there is the Junior concert. This concert is to give the platform to the younger musicians in College -  from 3rd, 4th and 5th forms.   There will be solo items and some new ensembles - Junior Brass, Woodwind Ensemble, Junior Percussion Ensemble, two string quartets (Junior and Intermediate) and the Girls' Choir. There should be lots of variety and lots of talent so please do come and support them to ensure that their enthusiasm and hard work will continue throughout their time at Wellington.

Sunday 26th November Is the Feast of Christ the King and sees a Eucharist service in  the Chapel at 7:30 p.m. with the preacher being the Chapel Warden, Mark Lovett. Parents of the Orange are warmly iinvited to attend. The Orange are going to join the Blucher in supporting the Nabukenya Primary School in Uganda as we want the school to be up and running asap. The Orange will initially raise money for Phase 3 of the building programe which means site clearance and the construction of a further classroom block. The site clearance will cost about £500 and the construction work about £5,500 hence we need £6,000 to get Phase 3 completed. The pupils  want to support this project because they recognise how fortunate they are to have such a privileged education and they realise that in countries like Uganda, even just a basic education can make such a difference to a child's propsects and future. The school is in the Diocese of Mityana to the West of Kampala where 51% of the population has no access to medical care, life expectancy is 42 years, 55,000 children are aids Orphans and 74% of the population are subsistence farmers.

During the first few weeks of this term, the Chapel Choir directed by Simon Williamson worked very hard to produce a CD of Christmas Carols which was recorded in Chapel (with Oliver King, College Organist).

The CD has arrived and now is the time to order your copy (or copies) in good time for Christmas. It contains a fantastic selection of carols, old and new, traditional and modern, with some organ solos and some soloists from the choir. We think the CD will make an ideal Christmas present for family and friends, for OWs, and simply for inspiration in the car or at home whilst carrying out all your Christmas preparations in the coming weeks.   The cost is £10 (with a reduction for choir members). Please send orders enclosing a cheque (payable to Wellington College) to: College Reception, Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berks RG45 7PU.  Alternatively cash or Credit card payments can be made in person in Reception.

The Orange will soon be selling hand made Christmas cards in aid of their charity - Nabukenya Primary school, Mityana - Uganda. They will be on sale in the Orange in Mrs Raabe-Marjot's office at "visiting times"  - break, lunch, p.m. and between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Please consider supporting this worthy charity by buying a card or two.

The Master wants to inform parents that Wellington is joining the ranks of leading independent schools which are holding discussions on a possible partnership with one of the new government funded Academy Schools.  The particular proposal is for Wellington to partner a school in Wiltshire, which would have not only boarding but also a CCF.  The main reasons why we are considering doing this are:
a) It ties in very closely with our heritage, a school founded as the public memorial to the Duke of Wellington and partly funded by service and public subscriptions.
b) It allows us to help and support a community and enable us to do something for the public good. This is not only a good thing in itself but also helps Wellington College to justify our charitable status should this ever be called into question in the future.
c) It will demonstrate to our pupils the importance we attach to service to the community and will thus contribute to the quality of the education we offer.
d) The College also believes that it is important for the school to have a wider role in the national education system, and to be seen to be having that role.
Wellington is keen to stress that any involvement it has will not distract the school in any way from our main purpose of giving your children the best education in the country but must offer real opportunities for enhancing the lives of our pupils and indeed teaching staff.  Mr Paul Hucklesby has been appointed by the Wellington Governors to be the lead figure for the College on any discussions. They themselves are taking a close interest and some of them will be actively involved in discussions. It is important to stress that the discussions are only exploratory and that there is no definite commitment from the Wellington Governors to this, or indeed any other Academy project.

Sport

The match scheduled for Tuesday 21st November against Glenvista School from South Africa has not materialised.

On Thursday 23rd November  the girls' hockey teams play Marlborough whilst our squash teams are playing St. Edward's, our  rackets team play Radley, our fencing team take on Charterhouse, our shooting VIII compete with Charterhouse and the badminton team compete in the Berkshire League.

Saturday 25th November sees our hockey teams taking on Lord Wandsworth whilst our rugby teams play  R.G.S. High Wycombe, Lord Wandsworth, Reading Blue Coat and Shiplake. Also on the day, the badminton team compete with Bradfield.

This link will take you to the Wellington intranet where details of rugby sports' fixtures (team lists, pitch details, etc) can be found. For girls' hockey click here. To keep overall track on how the teams are doing click here for rugby and here for girls' hockey.

Further Ahead

On Tuesday 28th November there is a conference at Wellington College on the Political and Educational Environment for State and Independent Schools. Lord Adonis joins David Willetts and Gordon Brown's biographers, at this conference. The College is hosting this major conference for all seriously involved in education as what will happen over the next five years.  Parents interested in attending are most welcome at a heavily subsidised rate of £60 per delegate.   Please register your interest by sending an email to tw@wellingtoncollege.org.uk. f you follow the link to conferences from the website, you will be able to download the programme and application form.

Our rugby  teams continue in the Daily Mail competitions with the under 15 side playing Aylesbury on Thursday 30th November at 2.30pm at home and the under 18 side playing Claires Court away on Wednesdy 29th November at 2:30 p.m.

On Friday 1 December at 8 p.m. in the Old Gym the 2006/7 Wellington Symphony Orchestra players will give their first concert of the season and there will also be a chance to hear the newly formed Concert Band.  There will be items from other musical ensembles - all in all, a wide-ranging programme of music with something to suit everyone.  Come and enjoy a mince pie and a glass of wine while you appreciate all the hard work put in by the College musicians this term.

On Sunday 3rd December (NB the correct date)  at 3:00 p.m.  at South Hill Park there is an event entitled "Wellington Music Scholars in Candlelight Recital" Tickets can be obtained by phoning  01344 484123.

Just a reminder that any parent wishing to attend the Bigside Pavilion fundraising dinner on Monday 4th December as described in Mr R Looker's letter of invitation should let the Campaign Office know in the next day or two on 01344 444023 .  Do come .  It  promises to be a very good evening with Rob Andrew in the chair.