The Week Ahead
Saturday 17th November until Sunday 25th November
General Events
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.
If you are returning pupils to school after weekend leave on Monday 19th November there will be a chance to come along to the Junior Concert in the Old Gym at 8 p.m. The Woodwind Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, Woodwind Trio, Junior Brass Ensemble, Junior Strings and Junior Percussion Ensemble will all be performing, with College Voyces singing "42nd Street" and the theme from "Cheers", along with some solo items from our very talented younger musicians. There will be a glass of wine for parents from 7:00 p.m. in the Concert Room of the music school if the parents are coming along to support their sons or daughters performing.
On Wednesday 21st November, Wellington is hosting one of the first rounds of this year's Cambridge Union Schools Debating Competition. We are welcoming four other schools as well as two student judges from Cambridge. The first motion is "This house would establish a U.N. standing army"; the second is announced on the evening. The competition starts in the Library at 5:00 p.m. and parents are welcome to attend.
Performances of "Brave New World" will take place at 7:30 p.m. on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of November . This brand new stage adaptation of Aldous Huxley's classic dystopian novel of genetic engineering and forbidden love is an entirely student led initiative, directed by Felix Cook (T) and starring a cast of over 20, with Milly Edgerley (Ap), Phoebe Paskin-Orr (Ap), Conor Turley (A) and Peter Durkin (Ly) in the lead roles. "Brave New World'" follows on from last year's very successful student production of "The Talented Mr Ripley", and promises to be a very dynamic, moving and exciting stage experience. Tickets are available free of charge by e-mailing jwb@wellingtoncollege.org.uk, marking the subject "Brave New World Tickets."
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.
After that 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.
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.
On Saturday 24th November, we are holding our annual "Rumble in the Jungle" event which is a social for the younger pupils as well as being a fund raiser for the Round square projects. This means that there will be no Leave Outs for the Lower and Middle School on that Saturday evening.
Parents will be pleased to hear that the Fireworks Spectacular last Saturday raised just over £4000 for our Round Square charities to add to the £3000 raised in the Summer Spectacular. Thanks for your support!
Sport
On Sunday 18th November we are entered in the U18 County hockey tournament at Wellington with a 10:00 a.m. start.
On Tuesday 20th November , the golf team are entered in the H.M.C. Foursomes against St George's Weybridge at The Berkshire.
Thursday 22nd: ISGA KO, A Team v Christ's Hospital (The Berkshire)
On Thursday 22rd November, our rackets team travel to Radley, our squash teams traval to St. Edward's whilst the shooting team compete with Charterhouse at home, as do the Badminton team with Abingdon. Finally on this day, the golf team compete in the I.S.G.A. K.O. against Christ's Hospital at The Berkshire.
On Friday 23nd November, the girls' U14 hockey side are in the county tournament at Wellington.
Saturday 24th November sees the rugby teams taking on High Wycombe, Shiplake and Lord Wandsworth, the hockey and badminton teams playing Bradfield and the shooting team competing with R.G.S. Guildofrd.
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
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. The orchestra will be playing Glinka's Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla, Beethoven's 8th Symphony, Bourgeois Serenade, and Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No.1. There will also be performances by senior College ensembles.
The Master has been asked to give a talk to parents about his new book, "Blair Unbound". It has been described in The Spectator as "brilliantly researched: it will say far more than Tony Blair will in his own memoirs", in the Sunday Times as "the last word", and in The Observer as "fascinating and monumental". Even David Cameron held the book up in his response on the Queen's Speech and quoted it back to Gordon Brown on the floor of the House. He will speak from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday 12th December. Copies of the book will be available for signing for Christmas presents at the reduced price of £15.00. Profits from this book, as from all Dr Seldon's writing and broadcasting, goes to charity. Further details will follow, but please indicate to Tarla Woolhouse if you wish to attend and how many copies of the book you might wish to purchase on the evening.
On Thursday 13th December we are holding two carol serivces, one at 3:00 p.m. for the Lower and Middle School and one at 6:00 p.m. for the Upper School. Pupils will be able to leave after their service if their HMs are happy with the state that they have left the house. Parents are invited to these services although there wil be somehwat limited space. We will be asking your sons and daughters after the Leave Out if their parents anticipate coming to these services to help us gauge demand.
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.
Mr Diver would like to remind parents that places for the Third Form trip to the First World War Battlefields from 20th to 22nd March 2008 are going very quickly and are nearly over-subscribed. Anybody who would like their son or daughter to go on the trip, or who would simply like more information, should email him as soon as possible.
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 .