The Week Ahead
Saturday 10th November until Sunday 18th November
General Events
The Fireworks Spectacular will be held on Saturday 10th November with all parents and pupils welcome to attend. Proceeds from the event will go to 3 schools in South Africa, Kenya and Nepal. Tickets are on sale from the College Reception office. With Remembrance Sunday to follow there will be no overnight Leave Outs given.
On Sunday 11th November, there is a Full School Remembrance Service at 10:15 a.m. with the preacher being Captain Ben Key R.N. I am afraid there is no space for parents in this service. However this is followed at 10:50 a.m. by an Act of Remembrance in the Front Quad to which paretns are warmly invited.
The College is hosting the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Peacebuilders exhibition in Old Hall. This is an excellent exhibition belonging to Soka-Gakkai International, which is a Japanese Buddhist organisation. The exhibition looks at the lives of three inspirational people: Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Daisaku Ikeda all of whom have been instrumental in the worldwide peace movement. It is impossible to underestimate the contribution that these three men have made to inspiring younger generations to strive for peace and it is hoped that a generation of Wellingtonians will find this exhibition moving and the lives of these people remarkable. The exhibition will be open to parents and families during the Remembrance Service on Sunday, 11th November.
On Monday 12th November at 6:15 p.m. in the Old Gym there will be a joint concert by Wellington College and Eagle House musicians. This promises to be a most enjoyable event and you are all most welcome to come and appreciate the musical talent on display. The programme will include a joint choir item, a combined clarinet ensemble and a combined brass ensemble along with solos from Trishan Vaikunthanathan (Hl) and Imogen Halsey (O).
On Wednesday 14th November at 7:30 p.m. there is a Round Square committee meeting to which interested parents are invited to attend.
Sadly the Robert Swan lecture scheduled for Thursday 15th November has been postponed.
After the success of last year's Songwriter Showcase concert we are pleased to announce that we will be holding another similar event on Friday 16th November at 8:00 p.m. in the Old Gym.
The weekend starting on Saturday 17th November is a Weekend Leave and we look forward to welcoming back your sons and daughters at 9:15 p.m. on Monday 19th November.
Parents will be interested in this article - written by the Master for the Daily Telegraph on 24th October about why this country should be treasuring independent schools.
Sport
On Saturday 10th November the big rugby fixture is against Harrow (with the Junior Colts playing at home and the Yearlings playing away in a change to the calendar) whilst the hockey teams enter various 6 a side competitions - the U18 team at Bradfield, the U16 team at Wellington and the U14 team at Pangbourne and finally the shooting team compete with Tonbridge.
Tuesday 13th November sees our Yearlings rugby teams travelling to Whitgift, whilst on Thursday 15th November the Junior Colts 1st XV play their U15 Daily Mail Round 4 match away at Sheldon School at 2.30 p.m. and the Girls' U16 will be representing Berkshire at the Regional Hockey tournament at Surbiton Hockey club with a 10:30 a.m. start. Also on Thursday, but in the calendar, the rackets and shooting teams take on Marlborough whilst the squash teams compete in a triangular with Radley and Marlborough.
Saturday 17th November sees a hockey block fixture with Hurstpierpoint, netball tournaments at Bradfield for both the U16 and U19 age groups, a rugby block fixture with Epsom College and a shooting match also against Epsom.
Finally on Sunday 18th November we are entered in the U18 County hockey tournament at Wellington with a 10:00 a.m. start
Looking to the future, Wednesday 5th December sees our Prep Schools Rugby tournament sponsored by SchoolsTrader. We look forward to this big event.
All of our Rugby and Girls' hockey results will be on the schools' sport website again this year.
Further Ahead
Thursday 22nd November sees the W.C.A. A.G.M. in the Driver Lecture Room from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. To enable us to cater for the correct amount of people attending, please email Tarla Woolhouse if you are intending to attend. From 6:30 to 7:30 p.m there is the W.C.A. Committee Meeting, for Committee members only, in the Driver Committee Room.
Dr Jon Tabbert, consultant on university education in the USA, will also be visiting College on Thursday 22nd November. Any pupils (especially 5th Form and L6th) who are thinking, even tentatively, about study in the US are welcome to attend the talk from 6:00 p.m. in Great School. Parents are also most welcome to attend.
Finally on Thursday 22nd November at 7:30 for 8:00 p.m. there is a Master's Lecture from Peter Oborne, journalist commentator and author. He was educated at Sherborne School, and is particularly known for his commentaries on the apparent hypocrisy of today's politicians. Peter talk is entitled "Triumph of the Political Class" - his latest book which was released in September. Both an extension of and a companion to his acclaimed exposé of political mendacity, "The Rise of Political Lying", Peter Oborne's new book reveals in devastating fashion just how far we have left behind us the idea of people going into politics for that quaint reason, to serve the public. Notions of the greater good and "putting something back" now seem absurdly idealistic, such is the pervasiveness of cynicism in our politics and politicians. Full of revealing and insightful stories and anecdotes to support his case, and with a passionate call for reform, The Triumph of the Political Class is destined to be the defining political book of 2007. Peter will be delighted to sign copies of his book - please note though that books will NOT be available for purchase. If you are intending to attend this lecture please email Tarla Woolhouse so we can ensure we have the correct venue. The lecture is currently scheduled to take place in the Driver Lecture Rooms which accommodates 100 people. As this lecture follows the AGM, there will be a pay bar available from 7:00pm onwards.
Keep the date of Friday 30th November free in order to enjoy the Wellington College Orchestra under the baton of Hilary Davan Wetton at 8:00 p.m. in the Old Gym. There will also be performances by senior College ensembles.
A ski racing trip is planned for 15th - 22nd December 2007. It is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who is proficient at black runs to learn the exciting art of ski racing. It will be particularly, but not exclusively, beneficial to those who hope to represent the College at the forthcoming British Schools Championships. Mr Barrett has extremely kindly offered the school the free use of their chalet in Val Thorens which will bring the cost down to £900 per pupil. This will include ski race coaching from the Ecole Du Ski Francais (ESF) everyday, food, transport, insurance and lift passes. £10 per day will be the maximum amount of spending money needed. This is a superb opportunity to experience the thrill of ski racing. If you are interested please contact Mrs Granville-Chapman as soon as possible."
On Saturday 19th January, we have a closed weekend for the Fourth Form boarders when we are running a trip to the West End to see a "big" show. The pupils have certainly enjoyed these trips in the past and are being asked now if they wish to go as we need to book tickets as soon as possible. The cost will be between £40 and £50 per head. If for any reason you do not wish your son or daughter to go on one of these trips, please e-mail John Arton-Powell as soon as possible because tickets need to be booked in the next two weeks.
Saturday 9th February sees the W.C.A. Hollywood Ball - tables and tickets are selling fast. An application form can be found here and full details can be found on the website.
There will be a Roman Catholic Confirmation in Crowthorne on Friday 6th June 2008 and classes will start in March. If you wish your child to be confirmed please e mail Dr Boscher .