The Week Ahead
Saturday 6th September until Sunday 14th September
General Events
A welcome back to all the parents of pupils from last year and a warm welcome to all those parents new to Wellington. With an intake of 243 new pupils, those parents new to the school form quite a significant percentage of the community. I hope that you and your sons and daughters have all managed to have had a decent Summer - British weather excepting.
I am Roger Auger, the Senior Master at Wellington, and I put together The Week Ahead which should come to you every week. It is designed to preview the next seven or eight days at Wellington. If you wish to unsubscribe please see the details of how to at the bottom of this mail. If there any suggestions you have, please do pass them on to me - my e-mail address is rca@wellingtoncollege.org.uk
On Saturday, you should have received a copy of the Master's Beginning of Year letter and we hope you will take on the various important messages that it contains. In due course a copy will go up on the school intranet and can be found here.
The chapel services of the year begin with a Service of the Word on Sunday 7th September at 8:00 p.m.at which the preacher is the Master. This service is just for the pupils and staff of the College.
On the weekend of 6th and 7th September we put on a special programme for the new pupils. As a consequence it is a closed Saturday for the Third form and all the Lower Sixth, whilst the Sunday is closed too for the new Lower Sixth pupils.
The first Informal Concert takes place on Monday 8th September at 6:15 p.m. in the Concert Room when there will be an opportunity to hear pieces played by some of our music scholars - Rebecca Patrick-Patel, Lucinda Patrick-Patel, Hattie Jones, Keshan Vaikunthanathan, Imogen Halsey and Jonny Leon are all on the programme. Everyone is welcome at these concerts which take place every Monday and it would be wonderful to attract some new audience members to support and encourage the young musicians, so please come if you can. The concerts are of an informal nature and are designed to encourage musicians to perform comfortably and confidently in public.
On Wednesday 10th September there is lecture for parents at 8:00 p.m. in Great School from Martin Seligman entitled "The Science of Positive Psychology Positive Psychology & Positive Education". This is a rare chance to hear Dr. Martin Seligman, widely regarded as the 'father' of positive psychology and the world's leading authority on the subject. Dr. Seligman is Fox Leadership Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, and is renowned for his work on the ideas of learned helplessness, learned optimism and attributional style and, more recently positive psychology. Positive Psychology has grown since the late 1980s to become a serious field of study. The goal of positive psychology is not only to overcome depression and negativity, but to ensure that every person has the tools to continue strengthening themselves in positive ways throughout their lives and be able to access happiness from within. Dr Seligman's main mission is the promotion of the field of Positive Psychology. Dr Seligman will be speaking about the foundations of Positive Psychology as a science, how it has developed since he founded it in the US, and the potential for its practical replication in the UK. The price is £20 Wellington parents - cheap compared to the £1000 people are being asked to pay to hear him speak in London the next day! There is no charge for Wellington students but they need to book through their Head of House. If you would like to reserve a place for the above lecture please contact Tarla Woolhouse, 01344 444085 or email: tw@wellingtoncollege.org.uk
On Thursday 11th September at 7:00 p.m. (N.B. Change of time) in Great School there is Master's Lecture entitled 'The Flak Jacket in my Wardrobe - Being a Mum and a War Correspondent' from Christina Lamb. This is an exciting talk by one of the most inspirational women of the age. Christina Lamb was named foreign correspondent of the year in the British Press Awards and the BBC What The Papers say awards this year, the second time she has won both of these awards. In 2002, she won these along with the Foreign Press Association award for her reporting on the war on terrorism. She has won numerous other awards starting with Young Journalist of the Year in the British Press Awards for her coverage of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1988. Currently roving Foreign Affairs Correspondent for the Sunday Times, she has been a foreign correspondent for almost 20 years living in Pakistan, Brazil and South Africa first for the Financial Times then the Sunday Times. We will also have the The Sewing Circles of Herat, House of Stone and Small Wars Permitting by Christina available for sale at a discounted rate of £7.50 each or all three for £20.00. Please note CASH/CHEQUE SALES ONLY. You may reserve your books by email. Limited space available in Great School so please book by contacting Tarla Woolhouse.
There is an error in the calendar for Saturday 13th September. The Social in the evening is (a voluntary) one for the Fourth and Fifth form - as on the Leave Out Form you have returned to the HMs. Apologies for any confusion.
On Sunday 14th September, there is a full school Eucharist at 8:00 p.m. at which the preacher is the new Chaplain. Anglesey parents are warmly invited to attend.
If you have not received an Arts Diary, or if you have any queries about concerts, lessons, instruments, etc .please contact the Music School office - 01344 444201 or email Ros Dunmore. Music instrumental lessons from visiting teachers start next week. Parents of new pupils will be receiving their invoices for instrumental lessons shortly.
On Saturdays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. by appointment there is the opportunity for consultations with the Educational Support Department regarding your child's specific educational needs. Please email Carole Blunden-Lee to make an appointment
In consideration of the recent rise in oil prices and the associated rise in energy and food prices, this year's Sustainability foci for the College community are on not wasting energy and not wasting food. The maxim for the year is 'Who's Going To Pick Up The Tab?' The answer to this question is that we are all going to try to pick it up so that future generations are not left to pay off the environmental debt we have been racking up during our lifetimes. College will be urged during Sustainability Week (6th - 12th October) to make a conscious decision to undertake at least one action that will regularly change their behaviour for the environmental better: it might be to turn lights off or to abandon hair-straighteners or to eat less meat or to shop more locally or to buy hemp clothing, for example. We are promoting the notion that to change the world for the better we have to live ourselves into a new way of thinking - an unusual suggestion, but one worth contemplating! The Sustainability Committee of pupils and staff meets on 16th September to discuss the development of action plans in the five target areas of Food and Drink, Energy and Water, Travel and Traffic, Purchasing and Waste, and Buildings and Grounds as per new Government Guidelines which are intended to ensure all schools are sustainable schools by 2020.
Some of the Lynedoch are involved in a charity trying to send out sports equipment to less privileged schools that Wellington. Please click here to get more details of their project.
We launched a "Petrol Heads" club at the College Carnival and there has been a massive response. What we now need are "Petrol Head" parents who may be willing to share their passion with the students. In essence all we need is a different sports car or collectable car on site every Wednesday from 2:30 to 3:30pm. If you are willing to "show off your Motor" to a small bunch of very enthusiastic students please can I ask you to contact Brynn Bayman
Last year for the first time Elaine Hood arranged for U6th pupils to take advantage of the Preparing for Interviews course run by Paul Stopford-Adams for The Inspiring Futures Foundation (ISCO). Paul has done these sessions for many years at Wycombe Abbey School and Eton, amongst others. The format is as follows: to start with there is a plenary session to give an overview to all the participants. This is followed by 30-35 minute individual sessions for each boy or girl. This consists of a short, informal interview on general topics, which will be recorded and played back to the pupil. This will then be discussed and some constructive criticism and guidance will be provided. The pupil will then have a subject specific interview (questions prepared by Paul in advance), which is also recorded and replayed, followed by further discussion. Each participant will be encouraged to make notes of the suggestions and comments arising from the interview. Everything will be recorded digitally, but the files will then be deleted and no permanent record will be kept by ISCO or Wellington College. Last year the reduced price for ISCO members was £80 (which most of our pupils are, having enrolled through the Futurewise Scheme in the 5th Form or earlier this year if new to the L6th) and this is put on the Lent Term Sundries bill. We expect a similar price this year. If you would like your son or daughter to take part, please let Dr Hood know by email by Monday 8th September at the latest.
From time to time we receive requests for UVIth Formers, who have passed their driving test, to have permission to drive cars to Wellington. We have a very strict line on this; our policy is that permission will only be granted if parents can show that it is a necessity for their child to have a car here. We cannot give permission on the basis of mere convenience. We would also take into account the behaviour and performance of the pupil concerned. We take this strict line because we wish to keep our campus and pupils safe. In the past years 6th Formers have been involved in some nasty car accidents; two years ago in the holidays a group of senior pupils were lucky to escape from an accident with only minor injuries. If you wish your son or daughter to be able to drive a car at Wellington you should write to the Second Master, Robin Dyer, making clear why you think it is a necessity for this permission to be given. He will consult with the relevant Housemaster or Housemistress before a decision is taken. Under no circumstances may pupils drive to Wellington or keep cars here or in Crowthorne, without written permission from the Second Master.
Increasingly we are putting information for parents on the school intranet set. In particular the handbook for pupils with information for both pupils and parents is now electronic and can be found under the section of the intranet called info@community. Some parents have had problems logging on to the intranet. You do need to click on the log -in link at the top right of the page. The general parents' username is COLLEGE\victoria (if you are offered three boxes COLLEGE is the domain and victoria is the username). The general parents' password is the name of the O.W. on the plaque by the Round Square noticeboard at Queen's Court and must be entered in capitals. Hopefully your son or daughter can supply that information. If not, then ask me! There is information on the intranet to help you and this can be found at http://intranet.wellingtoncollege.org.uk/login_help.htm
Sport
The sports season starts with block fixtures for the girls' hockey against Sevenoaks and for the boys' rugby teams against Whitgift on Saturday 6th September.
On Tuesday 9th September our rackets team welcome Harrow , whilst on Thursday 11th September, the golf team travel to Radley, the squash team take on Harrow.
Saturday 13th September sees a rugby fixture with Dulwich and a hockey fixture with Pangbourne. The golf team travel to Millfield on this day and the Badminton team welcome the Oratory.
Rugby results are on the internet, all other results can be found on the school internet site .
Further Ahead
There is a talk about US universities on Tuesday 16th September at 6:00 p.m. by Dr Jon Tabbert This is open to ALL pupils, parents and friends / siblings. It is a general overview of reasons for studying in the USA and the application process.
Don't miss an exciting addition to this term's WCA programme: on Sunday 5th October Dr Seldon will once again be leading a London Walk. Also coming up this month are the New parents' Welcome Reception , at 8:00 p.m. in Great School and the Golf Day, both on Sunday 21st September. Please contact Denise Cook for more information on the Walk and the Reception, and David Rennie for details of the Golf Day.
On Friday 26th September the College will be participating in the World's Biggest Coffee Morning in support of Macmillan cancer support. This will be in the form of a Coffee Morning with drinks and cakes available between 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.in the new Social Centre. Parents will be most welcome to come along and to support this initiative. If anyone would also like to help by either making cakes and/or biscuits or by assisting in a practical way, do contact the Bursar, Mrs Susan Meikle on 01344 444020 or sm@wellingtoncollege.org.uk.
The inaugural Wellington Outdoor Weekend (WOW) weekend is on the weekend of September 19th to 21st. you should have received sme detials with the Master's letter and more can be found here.
From Wednesday 24th September unitl Friday 26th September, there is a chance to see the Master's production of "A View From the Bridge" running between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. In this Arthur Miller play, the central themes explored through the characters of the Carbone family are those of love, codes of honour and justice and the Law. Details of how to get tickets will be published nearer the time.
Callum Oliver(S), Rhys Howells(Hg ) and Henry Pinto(OW) will all be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in October of this year with their respective fathers. Climbing Kilimanjaro is an extreme challenge spread over an eight day period. The team will walk from lush rain forest to mountain moorland, through volcanic desert to the snow and ice encrusted volcanic crater and the summit of 5895 metres, where the air is thin and conditions are arctic. This is a challenge not to be taken lightly and will take everyone to their mental and physical limits. Each will have to cope with altitude and camping in extreme weather conditions as well as the climb itself. The team aim to raise £50,000 for education and skills training in South Africa. A justgiving web site has been set up if anyone would like to sponsor them http://www.justgiving.com/honey-badgers.
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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