The Week Ahead
Sunday 23rd September until Sunday 30th September
General Events
Over the weekend of 22nd and 23rd of September, the third form in the Hill, Murray, Picton, Stanley, Combermere, White Cairn and Wellesley go away together on an activities weekend. This provides a chance for pupils to work together at a series of fun tasks and challenges in the Hampshire countryside. The pupils camp in house groups and are assessed on their team performance in each task. There is a trophy awarded to the winning house. The challenges vary but do include the risk of pupils getting wet so the kit list, already provided via HMs, includes a complete change of dry clothes. The pupils will leave after dinner on Saturday and return in time for dinner on Sunday. Further details will be available via HMs nearer the time. The weekend is organised by Mike Fielder.
On Wednesday 26th September, David Kynaston (OW 64-69) is addressing the W.C.A. with a talk entitled "Reflections on Wellington, The City of London and Austerity Britain'". David Kynaston was born in 1951 and educated at Wellington and New College, Oxford. A historian for over 30 years, his main work is a four-volume history of the City of London. He is currently engaged on a history of post-war Britain - the first volume of which, Austerity Britain 1945-51, was published to considerable acclaim in May this year. One of the many reviews can be found here. Please look at the website for further details.
Also on Wednesday 26th September, the girls of the Combermere welcome Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu who is coming to talk to them on the theme of 'New Beginnings'. Professor Uchegbu is the first woman to be appointed in a senior leadership role in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences and has set the standard by being the first person of African heritage to be appointed to a Chair in pharmacy. She is an inspirational role model to all women and is currently Professor of Pharmaceutical Nanoscience at the University of London. All the girls have got the opportunity to win dinner with Professor Uchegbu after she has spoken, by submitting a question that they would like to ask her. If any parents wish to attend, they are asked to contact Delyth Draper.
On Friday 28th September the Wellington College Symphony Orchestra (Orchestral Director: Hilary Davan Wetton) will have the opportunity to work from 3:00 -6:00 p.m. with musicians from professional orchestras. Clio Gould enjoys a varied career as soloist, director and leader throughout Britain and Europe. Since 2002 she has been leader of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - the first ever female leader of a symphony orchestra in London. She was Artistic Director of the Scottish Ensemble from 1993-2005 and has made many concerto appearances with orchestras throughout the British Isles - including the UK premiere of Oliver Knussen's violin concerto with the BBC Symphony orchestra. Clio plays the Rutson Stradivarius of 1694 which is lent to her by the Royal Academy of Music where she regularly directs the Royal Academy Soloists. Celia Nicklin runs the oboe department at the Royal Academy of Music and coaches the oboe section in the National Youth Orchestra. Her first orchestral position was as principal oboe in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra but since moving to London she has played mainly with the Academy of St.Martin-in-the-Fields (she is heard as a soloist in the film Amadeus) and the London Mozart Players, and has also guested with most of the London Orchestras. We are hoping there will also be a brass specialist to encourage the brass section of the orchestra. Parents and friends are invited to the Old Gym at 8:00 p.m. to hear the results of the workshop in a short informal concert.
The weekend of 29th and 30th September is a weekend leave and parents are reminded that their son or daughter should be back at Wellington by 9:15p.m on Monday 1st October. If there are good reasons for your son or daughter returning earlier that 9:15 p.m. on that Monday, could you please inform HMs. It is worth mentioning that on this equivalent weekend last year, there was considerable loutish group misbehaviour by a small minority of our older pupils in Reading and also on trains when returning to Crowthorne.
Following the success of last year , a second Inspired Art Exhibition, with the support of the National Autistic Society, will be held on the weekend of 29th and 30th September at Wellington College, Crowthorne. The exhibition opens from 10am - 5pm. On Sunday 30th at midday, talented local guitarist, Jim Kelleher, will be performing and the Mayor of Bracknell Forest , Cllr Gill Birch, will be in attendance to lend her support to the artists and the National Autistic Society, the UK's leading charity for people with autism and their families. Artists Fiona Channon and Alan Brain will have paintings worth £450 each up for raffle, and all proceeds will go to the N.A.S. Admission to the exhibition is free and all works are for sale. To see samples of some of the paintings on display, go to www.inspiredart.info and www.alanbrain.com.
On Sunday 30th September the Master will be leading a London walk. It will start at Waterloo, use the Thames Path and end at Paddington. - a total distance of about twelve miles.The Master will be referring regularly to Peter Ackroyd's excellent new book 'Sacred River' and the historical associations of the places we visit. It provides a great opportunity to meet some other parents at the same time as seeing some little known corners of London. More details can be found here. If you are interested in coming along, please contact me - Roger Auger, the Senior Master. those parents who have already expressed interest should have received detials already - if not please get back to me.
Sport
Saturday 22nd September is a busy sporting day, with the rugby teams taking on St. Paul's and Shiplake whilst, in an addition to the calendar, the hockey 1st and 2nd XIs play the Perse.
On Tuesday 25th September, the rackets team take on Malvern, the squash team travel to Charterhouse and the golf team compete in the West Sussex Schools Invitational. Also on this day, the rugby 1st XV start their Daily Mail campaign with a match against Licensed Victualler's School away at 2:30 p.m. .
Thursday 27th September sees a big hockey block fixture against St.Edward's Oxford as well as the rackets team playing St. Paul's
The rugby block fixture on Saturday 29th September is against Sherborne, with an additional game against Reading Blue Coat whilst the girls U16 hockey teams play Sevenoaks.
All of our Rugby and Girls' hockey results will be on the schools sport website again this year.
Further Ahead
Looking ahead: the Chapel Choir, with many new singers, will be singing Evensong at Portsmouth Cathedral on Wednesday 3rd October at 6:00 p.m. Any parents who live close enough to attend would be most welcome - please bring your friends too to lend support.
Parents of Fifth Form pupils are warmly invited to an IB and A Level information evening on Friday 5th October at 7:00pm in the Theatre. Following last year's introduction to the IB, this evening is designed to give Fifth Form families the essential information they need to begin the process of choosing between the two major pathways in the Senior School. Presentations will focus on the nature of both courses, the options on offer within them, and the advantages of each for university entry. Dr Geoff Parks (O.W.), Director of Admissions at Cambridge University will be present to speak about views of IB and A Levels from the university perspective. There will also be opportunities for questions about both options. Following the evening, we hope pupils and parents will take the opportunity over the term ahead to talk with teachers, tutors and HMs to ensure that they make the right decision in the Lent term. There will be a similar evening for new entrants to the Lower Sixth Form coming from schools other than Wellington, on Friday 12 October
On Monday 8th October we are holding a Conference on "Multiple Intelligences: What is Education For?" The keynote speaker is Howard Gardner from Harvard University. A detailed programme is available on the website. You may reserve a place by emailing Tarla Woolhouse . Parents are invited to attend for a discounted rate of £60.00. Any parent interested in attending can either download an application form or apply online. Do please inform your friends and colleagues about this conference.
On Thursday 18th October Wellington is hosting the 'Angels Choir' a children's choir from West Africa to perform in the Old Gym alongside pupils from the three Wellington choirs. This will be the highlight of their tour and money has been raised in order to bring them here by parents of children at Wellington. Please do join us for our Gala Evening which will be a fabulous event with a two course dinner, wonderful music and a unique moment in Wellington's history. All monies raised go towards the children's school and community in West Africa. Ticket price is £25 per head and anyone interested should contact Clare Walters on 07831 093 499 or Sara Blosse on 07778 399 929. Of course donations are also readily and gratefully received!
Looking further ahead from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th November, Ian Botes, a Wellington parent and member of the W.C.A. committee, is leading, with the Master, a pre-Christmas trip to Vienna for 30-40 parents, staff and friends of Wellington College. If you are interested please contact Tarla Woolhouse (+44 (0)1344 444085) or Ian Botes for further details. The cost for the inclusive break is £475 per person with a single supplement of £65. The programme is outlined on the college website. To book contact Kevin Collins or Suzanne Wade at Weekend a la Carte (01722 744695) The deadline is the 30th September.
Towards the end of term we have two closed weekends for a year group when we are running two trips aimed at our boarders to the West End to see a "big" show. The dates are Saturday 1st December for the Fifth Form and Saturday 8th December for the Third Form. 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 in the region of £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.
