Saturday 9th May until Sunday 17th May

A stunning location for a stunning concert.  Last Friday saw a wonderful concert at St John's Smith Square - some images of the event can be seen here.

 

 

 

The Master's Voice

Achieve 30% more. I received independent corroboration in what we are doing in a lecture I attended this week, given by a celebrated Australian psychologist, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. Five of his main points for achieving at least 30% more efficiency in exams, and happiness in life, are as follows: 1. Sleep is even more important than we thought. One hour less than the optimum (8.25 hours) leads to a 25% decline in brain power. Sleeping in at weekends is not good as it makes children lethargic for the next day or two. The most important thing is that they go to bed and get up at the same time each day, even at weekends (within reason - 9am fine, 11am bad); 2. On drink, new research in Australia and the US shows that children under the age of 16 should have no alcohol at all as it damages the formation of their brains. It is a toxic substance to under 16 year olds, and we should have zero tolerance; 3. Missing breakfast is very bad for adolescents, and the effect at exam time is dramatic. The brain is the hungriest organ of the body and it needs to be properly fed (carbs are best, then eggs, yoghurt, fish and blueberries). Brains also need to be properly watered; 4. Cannabis. The research now is completely clear that 10% of people have the COMT gene, which results in the onset of schizophrenia if cannabis is smoked; 5. Indulgence by parents (schools) is an increasing concern. Parents and teachers need to use moral language, set clear boundaries and never be afraid to say 'no'. The golden rule. I have had to nag some pupils and some year groups very hard this week (and thank you for parental support with this). My aim is to reduce the stress and unhappiness of underperformance at exams, and of panic last minute measures, by ensuring that our pupils work consistently and to the best of their ability throughout the year, balancing that work by a healthy lifestyle and regular relaxation. My golden rule has remained unchanged since I joined the school: each child should try their very best academically, contribute positively to the school, and behave decently to every other individual in the community. If they do that, they will be happy and successful here, whatever grades they go on and achieve. Red balloon. I was also fortunate enough this week to hear a talk by the remarkable Carrie Herbert, Chief Executive of the Red Balloon schools for bullied children. She gave a heart-breaking talk about the damage to children caused by bullies, and how she has set up three small schools for children who can no longer bear to be in mainstream schools. She wants to set up another ten, and it would be marvellous if one could be put up in say Bracknell or Reading. They need money to be endowed. Does any parent want to endow that money? I would love to help to see it become a reality.

General Events

The night of Saturday 9th May is a closed one for all the Third Form and Third Form Grandparents' Day is on Sunday 10th May.

As part of The College's 150th celebrations you will know we are trying to raise £150,000 for Hope and Homes - a charity that helps children whose lives have been ruined by war. The next component of this will be an Auction of Promises. This summer, inspired by an idea from the pupils, a group of pupils and staff are swimming the Channel in aid of Hope and Homes for Children. To help raise money for such a worthy charity, Eunice Gillan and Kitty Jack are organising the Wellington College 150th Anniversary Auction of Promises on Sunday 10th May at 7:30 p.m. in the Old Hall. Your help would be greatly appreciated by all! If you have a promise or an item that could be auctioned that evening please contact Eunice Gillan or Kitty Jack. Many thanks for your help in advance! Tickets are now available for this event and can be purchased at a cost of £20. This includes a buffet meal and wine before the Auction commences. Places are limited so please hurry! Please download the reply slip from here and return it to Eunice Gillan together with cash or cheque payment.

The list of promises for auction is really impressive - personal favourites of mine include: a day's fly fishing with 4 rods, transport to and from College, champagne breakfast, BBQ lunch and instruction/coaching; four tickets for an Arsenal game; four nights accommodation for up to 7 people in a Normandy gite; four nights' food & accommodation as private guests of the Governor of the Cayman Islands, British West Indies. (flights not included); a tour for six people of the Queen's Gallery in the company of the Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures; a private tour of Nick Mason's (Pink Floyd drummer) sport's car collection followed by pub lunch. To get more information and to place bids in advance of the event please click here.

On the evening of Sunday 10th May there is a full school chapel Service of the Word at 8:00 pm and the preacher is Martin Rogers of the Science and Religion in Schools Project. Parents of pupils in the Apsley are warmly invited.

On Monday 11th May there is a Master's Lecture from Yasmin Alibhai-Brown at 7:30 pm for 8:00 pm in Great School. She came to this country in 1972 from Uganda. She completed her M.Phil. in literature at Oxford in 1975. She is a journalist who has written for The Guardian, Observer, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, The Mail and other newspapers and is now a regular columnist on The Independent and London's Evening Standard. She is also a radio and television broadcaster and author of several books. Her book, 'No Place Like Home', well received by critics, was an autobiographical account of a twice removed immigrant. Yasmin Alibhai-Brown can be depended on to be disloyal to blind interest groups and patriotism. Don't expect her to deliver any given line- she is a feminist who furiously criticises some forms of feminism, an anti-racist who will always expose black and Asian hypocrisies and oppression, a Muslim calling for reformation, a British citizen who battles for real equality for immigrants and their children.She writes what she believes as honestly as possible. Her writings always mix the intensely personal with the political. She changes her mind. Her views are unpredictable except on a few issues where she has remained steadfast - immigration most of all. Today the centre left and right have gathered forces to poison the waters even more for asylum seekers and migrants. For the descendants of immigrants, the battle for rights has taken on a new, bloody urgency. If you would like to attend this lecture please email Tarla Woolhouse .

This week, for two nights only at 7:30 pm, on Thursday 14th May and Friday 15th May Georgie Colling (O) and Georgie Singer (Ap) direct Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. A comedy set in England during the late Victorian era, the play's humour derives in part from characters maintaining fictitious identities in order to escape unwelcome social obligations. Replete with witty dialogue and satirising some of the foibles and hypocrisy of late Victorian society, it has proved Wilde's most enduringly popular play. Starring Jake Augier (Bd) as Jack, Mike White (Pn) as Algy, and Jade Bridger (C) as the play's most famous character, Lady Bracknell. No charge is being made for tickets, which can be ordered in advance from boxoffice@wellingtoncollege.org.uk.

   

Caroline Lucas MEP, the Leader of the Green Party, was due to visit College to speak to students in Great School on Friday 15th May but unfortunately has had to cancel.

On Sunday 17th May there is a full school Service of the Word at which the preacher is the Reverend Lisa Cornwell, vicar of Crowthorne. Parents of the Blucher are warmly invited.

Swine flu is clearly a concern and we are regularly checking the latest Governement advice. The Medical Centre have put together a letter of a list of symptoms for this virus and advice if you do have any concerns. It can be found here.

The Master has made repeated statements about sensible use of social time on the weekends particularly advising careful use of alcohol at parties. This issue is perhaps even more crucial as we move into the 18th birthday party season clashing with the exam period. Clearly we want the students enjoying themselves at social occasions but it is essential that they return to school after the weekend refreshed and ready for the pressures of revision and exams. This point is even more compelling with the recent tragedy involving school students in Oxford when it seems that the combination of alcohol, parties and cars ended up in tragedy. The Second master wishes to reiterate the college policy that permission to drive cars to and from Wellington will only be given when there is evidence of necessity - convenience he is afraid will not be a sufficient reason.

The Director of Studies has asked to include details on study leave and will be writing to parents shortly. During study leave pupils are encouraged to remain in College where they can take best advantage of facilities, revision sessions and access to teachers (who will be available to students by appointment and often in normal lesson times throughout study leave). Boarding and day pupils who wish to study at home or away from College must have the permission of their HMs.

There has been some uncertainy expressed by parents as to which computers can be networked up to the school system. Full details can be found on the intranet. In essence this says that any PC running any version of Windows, Apple Macs running either OSX or Windows, Linux based computers or any device with a WiFi connection can be connected to the College network. We are still finalising plans for next year's Third Form so do please hang fire there!

Parents are most welcome to have a school lunch in the Main College Dining Room on Saturdays. Lunches will be available to parents between 12: 30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. and the cost is £2.50 per head (cash please) for a two-course lunch. Even if you will not be staying for a match do come along, make yourself known to the Duty Catering Manager who will guide you through the system. It is not the formal occasion that it used to be!

A plea from the Librarian - could pupils bring back any library books which they have left at home.They will be asked to return books before study leave starts.

The Wellington Players are desperately seeking a parent to take the male lead role in their up and coming production of 'The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband'. Rehearsing this fast-paced dark comedy is proving to be great fun and it is an opportunity for those who have no acting experience to have a go! We rehearse on Wednesdays or Thursdays in the evening but we are flexible on timings and days. Please help! The show must go on! Contact Amelia Morse for further details.

Parents may not be aware that the College Shop ( Grubbies) received a makeover during the Easter Holidays. It is now run by the College, with the assistance of Lester Bowden Ltd and is much brighter and more welcoming. The opening hours have been standardised to 9:00 am and 5:45 pm, Monday to Friday inclusive and between 11.00 am and 5:00 pm on Saturdays. The range of sportswear and sports equipment has been increased and will continue to be extended. We intend that the College Shop should become the local Sports Shop for the local as well as for the Wellington community. The College Shop continues to offer tuck, drinks, toiletries, stationery and uniform for both Wellington College and Eagle House School. If there are items that you consider we should be offering, do speak to either Sue Roy ( Manager) or Gill Sherwood ( Assistant Manager) who will be delighted to welcome you.

Some parents will recall the College's involvement, along with 50 other schools, in the Office of Fair Trading's investigations into the exchange of fee information, contrary to the Competition Act 1998. As part of the agreed settlement of the case the schools undertook to contribute £3m ( collectively) in five annual instalments to an educational charitable trust designed to help benefit former pupils, particularly those who attended the schools during the relevant period. The beneficiaries of the Trust are any pupil or former pupil who attended a contributing school on or after 15 September 2001, is 18 years old but not yet 30 and first attended their school more than 6 years ago. The Trust makes awards for general bursaries to both undergraduates and postgraduates ( to cover fees and maintenance costs), project awards for a wide range of purposes such as languages lessons in preparation for a year of study at an overseas university or in support of a medical elective. For 2009/10 the Trust will also offer two postgraduate research scholarships of £15k per annum for 3 years. Further information and details of how to make an application are found on the Trust's website:

You may be interested to know that the College is currently recruiting an International Business Director. Details of the position and method of application can be found on the College's website. If you know of anyone who may be interested in this do bring it to their attention. The closing date for applications is Monday 11th May.

The stated method for paying the termly school fee is by one instalment on or by the first day of each term. Mindful of the difficulty that this may present I should remind of the following points. If you do anticipate any difficulties with cash flow for paying the school fees, please to be sure to contact me as early in the term as possible; payment by monthly instalments may well be the straightforward solution. We are looking to introduce the facility to pay fees by Direct Debit for the next academic year, either termly or spreading the year's fees by monthly instalments. Further details of this will be distributed later this term. The scheme whereby childcare vouchers can be set against the cost of boarding fees is now operating For further information, please contact our Fees Supervisor, Mrs Sally Clark, Accounts Coordinator, on 01344 444026 or email sjc@wellingtoncollege.org.uk. Please note that this is applicable only to pupils up to and including the summer term in which they celebrate his or her 15th birthday. The College does offer a Fees in Advance Scheme whereby the forward payment of a lump sum towards school fees can attract a discount. Any further details are available from Paul Thompson, College Accountant.

On Saturdays in the V & A the counter is open for coffee, tea, milkshakes and goodies between 9:00am and 12:00 noon. Between 12:00 noon and 10:00pm the catering department will provide flasks of coffee and tea in the V & A for people to assist themselves. If you have any queries concerning these arrangements do either e-mail the Bursar ( 01344 444020) or the Catering Manager, Phillip Stockwell.

On Saturdays from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm 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 .

Letters Home

To try and cut down on the amount of paper we send out and to try and not bombard parents with large numbers of posting, e-mails and information generally, we plan to use this section of the Week Ahead to include letters we would normally send out - either electronically or by post. If there are parents who would still rather receive everything on paper, please e-mail the College Secretary. We still anticipate sending out paper copies of reports, bills and the Master's letters. To open some of these letters you will need to log on to the intranet as the page they are saved on is only viewable to those in the Wellington community. Do contact me if you need the password - details are further up in this Week Ahead. All letters home of this sort are stored here . If for any reason you want to see a back copy of the Week Ahead they are all available on the internet.

Sport

Saturday 9th May sees a block fixture in cricket against Cheltenham and girls' tennis against Pangbourne and St. Mary's Ascot. The boys' athletics team take part in the Lord Burghley meeting at Thames Valley Athletic Club whilst the girls compete in the Marlborough 7 Schools meeting. To end a busy day the swimmers take on Eton and the shooting team compete with the CURA and the HAC.

On Sunday 10th May, the golf team take on the Berkshire Golf Club, the polo team entered in a three way tournament with Marlborough and Millfield and the shooting team compete with the Berkshire Astor.

Tuesday 12th May sees the 3rd XI cricket take on Bradfield and the polo team compete with Cheltenham Ladies College. Thursday 14th May sees cricket fixtures with Winchester and the Stragglers of Asia for the boys and Cranleigh for the girls. The boy athletes compete in the Radley 5 schools meeting, the boy tennis players take on Harrow, the swimmers and sailors Bradfield and the polo players both Eton and Beaudesert.

Saturday 16th May sees the main cricket fixture with Cranleigh, the girls athletes competing with St. Mary's Ascot, the girls tennis playing Sevenoaks and the boys tennis competing with Radley, Harrow and Marlborough.

On Sunday 17th May the show jumping team are competing at Royal Windsor Horse Show in front of the Queen

Details of all fixtures and results can be found on the Wellington College Intranet.

Further Ahead

The Eve of Speech Day Jazz concert is in Combermere Quad at 7:30 pm on Friday 22nd May. This annual event to begin the Speech Day weekend celebrations will feature the Wellington Jazz Orchestra and the Concert Band. Delicious fish and chips will be on sale and there will be a licensed bar. All proceeds go to charity.

Following the Eve of Speech Day Jazz between 8.30 pm and 10.30 pm there is a garden party in the Lodge Garden. All welcome - please email Denise Cook if you would like to come.

On Speech Day the V & A will be open between 9:00 am and 1;00 pm serving beverages and breakfast pastries.

On Wednesday 27th May the Angels welcome you to a special master class with celebrity chef, Paul Rankin and to a pamper event. Further details can be found here.

On Friday 5th June there is an Australian Cellar door Wine tasting between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm in the V&A and on Sunday 7th June there is a 4th form parents' supper night from 7:30 pm to 9.30 pm in the V&A. Tickets for both these events are £10 from Denise Cook .

"With its romantic gardens, follies and lakes, the small Elizabethan manor house at Garsington is the most idyllic setting for opera you will ever experience" Wall Street Journal. WCA are pleased to offer Wellington parents a rare opportunity to secure tickets to Garsington Opera's 20th anniversary festival in June and July before they go on sale to the public. The programme features Martinů's Mirandolina, a delightful comic opera based on the eighteenth-century farce by Goldoni, La locandiera (The innkeeper). Tickets are on sale on a 'first come first served' basis from 14th April. To book your tickets or find out more information e mail tickets09@garsingtonopera.org or telephone 01865 361636 (from 14th April), mentioning WCA. www.garsingtonopera.org/mirandolina

The Careers Group at the University of London are running a course for parents of future HE applicants called "Choosing a University Course During a Recession: A Guide for Parents" on Thursday 11th June between 8:30 and 11:30am and Friday 12th June between 10:00am and 1:00 pm at their headquarters in London. (The Careers Group, University of London, Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DN.) The cost is £70. This is a quote about the course: "Big Choices, Challenging Times: Graduate labour market information to support your child's future choice of Higher Education. An insight into the current and changing graduate labour market by careers professionals working within The Careers Group, University of London." Parents who are interested can find more information and details of how to book at this link. The Careers Group also organises the London Taster Course programme, which is designed for L6th pupils. Our L6th pupils were emailed information about these last term. There are some courses still available. See this link if interested.

On Saturday 13th June WCA is running a trip to see As You Like It by The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford on Avon. The cost (£75pp) includes return minibus, dinner and theatre tickets. Please contact Denise Cook for details.

style="FLOAT: right" alt=summerprom.jpg src="resource.aspx?id=151017&width=350" border=0>Incidentally, for the Lower Sixth pupils last week's college walk will be very good preparation for the rather longer Ridgeway Overnight Challenge that they will all be doing in the second half of the Summer Term. Last year's inaugural event went very well, but one of the consistent bits of feedback was that there had been little chance to do any kind of training. Here's the chance! Many also felt we had missed a trick in not using it to raise some money for charity, and we have a natural focus for that this year in Hope and Homes. More details of the Ridgeway Overnight Challenge will come from the Head of L6th, Murray Fowler, in due course.

On Saturday 20th June parents are warmly invited to attend IB pupils performing their Group 4 project presentations.
The group 4 project is a collaborative activity where students from different group 4 subjects work together on a scientific or technological topic, allowing for concepts and perceptions from across the disciplines to be shared. The group 4 project allows students to appreciate the environmental, social and ethical implications of science and technology. It may also allow them to understand the limitations of scientific study. The emphasis is on interdisciplinary cooperation and the processes involved in scientific investigation. Displays will on show to parents and pupils will be presenting their work from 9.30am onwards. Further details can be obtained from the Director of Science,

The Wellington College ArtsFest 2009 is on from Sunday 21st June to Thursday 25th June. Once again we have a glittering array of exhibitions, performances and speakers, including the London Mozart Players on the Sunday evening, Wellington's first opera, Purcell's Dido and Aeneas (Monday and Tuesday evening), actor Matthew Macfadyen (Spooks, Pride and Prejudice, Frost/Nixon), the Wellington College Fashion Show (Wednesday), featuring pupils' work from the year, and actress Greta Scacchi (White Mischief, Brideshead Revisited, Defence of the Realm - Wednesday). All this and more!! Details and ticket information will soon be on its way.

Another part of our fund raising for Hope and Homes is a Charity Cycle Ride from Calais to Cannes via Waterloo and following the Napoleon route.This is scheduled for the first fortnight of the summer holidays. Effectively the route skirts the eastern edge of France via Lille and then Dijon before cutting to Grenoble and finally Cannes. If anyone has accommodation - whether a field to camp in or a house to stay in - on this route and would be prepared for the cycle team to stay there for one night, please contact David Walker.

Is your son or daughter in a band, or have aspirations in the music business? Then the following courses, being held at Wellington in the second half of July, may be of interest. "Rock School" is run by Mike Hurst, producer of countless hit singles and platinum albums, credited with 'discovering' Cat Stevens and Marc Bolan of T-Rex. Mike has been to Wellington several times in recent years to give a hugely informative and very accomplished performance talk on the History of Popular Music, to great acclaim. A copy of the booking form is here. For further information, visit http://rockmasters.co.uk/ picture too

This year's Wellington College Leadership Course running from Tuesday 28th July to Thursday 30th July will be a stimulating balance of practical activities, theory and discussion. Over the week, students will experience the challenges and rewards of leading a team and gain an understanding of leadership across a broad range of contexts. Participants will produce a personal leadership development plan, tailored to their strengths, weaker areas and leadership style. This course will be ideal for students aged 15-18 years, who are keen to develop their leadership potential. It will provide an excellent opportunity for development of leadership attributes and build confidence in a structured, encouraging and enjoyable environment. Last year's students on the course said: "The course is one of the best experiences I've ever had...there are so many things that I can take from this course into later life"; "The facts I will take away from this course are GOLD!"; "I learnt more than I thought I could".For more information, please contact Gareth Pearson or Katy Granville-Chapman . Alternatively, please visit: www.wellingtoncollege.org.uk/leadership .

Bookings are now being taken for the Grand Finale Ball on Friday November 27th. The programme will involve James Bond style cocktails and a casino, as well as dinner, dancing and other entertainments. Proceeds of any profits go to Wellington's 150th Charity Hope & Homes for children. Table bookings will become firm on receipt of a deposit per table of £500 (the balance is payable in September). Pre-booked tables will be held pending receipt of deposits until Speech Day. Individuals or couples who would like to join a table please contact your house rep in the first instance; tickets are £95 per person. Initial reservations should be made by email to Denise Cook, stating your name and child's House. If you're not sure who that is, please contact Denise Cook ..