North House and Senior School Newsletter Summer 2022

July 11th 2022

North House / Senior School Summer Newsletter

Exams have very much been in the air (rather than up in the air) in Senior School over the summer term. Study spaces in cloisters and boarding houses have been well-used over the revision period, and the exam venues served as a display of output from a well-prepared year, leading our return to formal exams. It has been good to see such a return to purpose and the chance to demonstrate the fruit of so much hard work in order to secure opportunities for the future, and our upper sixth formers have risen admirably to the challenge.

I wouldn’t want to list all of the highlights coming from our sixth formers over the term in this news bulletin, for fear of missing someone. However, I will briefly pay tribute to two of our students – George P and Oliver M – for their current and future achievements and their willingness to push themselves and test what’s possible. As a talented rugby player, George has been selected to play for the England U18s squad – a phenomenal achievement and we are excited to see how his progress develops. Oliver M has been training hard for an incredible challenge – three marathons, in three counties, in three days. Oliver is taking on this feat to raise funds for Lymphoma Action – a cancer charity which he is passionate to support, having had friends and family affected by this disease. Oliver is running the marathons with his brother, Alex. If you would like to support them, please follow this link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/3marathons3counties3days.

Various trips have taken place over the term, including the geography trip to Cornwall, Biology field trip, CCF exercises, flying experience, gold D of E, a music tour, university visits, and, most recently, the fabulous experience of the Wimbledon Championships – an opportunity given to our tennis-playing sixth formers. The North Boarding House has hosted many sixth form bar nights, and sixth form boarders have enjoyed joining with other boarding houses for socials and trips, including making use of our pizza oven, soaking teachers with buckets of water for charity, Chester Zoo and the Moss Moor Ice Cream Party. Boarders have also taken full advantage of all the extras they have access to – from early morning fitness sessions to our music practice facilities, swimming, academic clinics, evening performance centre sessions and free reign of all the other sporting facilities on site.

Our lower sixth, soon becoming upper sixth, are an impressive group of young people. I have just today watched them give a stella performance in their mock UN day, proposing and debating resolutions on big global issues, and engaging in political sensitivities, dynamics and outright tactics to effect change. I also think back to the same students taking to the microphone in this term’s Question Time event, where similarly informed and confident displays of conviction and persuasion caught the attention of peers and teachers. I believe we are in very good hands as a school with our student leaders.

Over the break, the majority of our Lower Sixth need to be getting on with their UCAS personal statements – gaining experience and enriching their knowledge to put them in a position to be able to produce a stand-out personal statement. They should return with at least a first draft of this personal statement.

I would like to highlight a couple of key basics which have slipped in a handful of cases. I ask all sixth formers to use a bag throughout the day, to support organisation and maximise productivity. Upper sixth formers can easily fall into bad habits in this area, with cloisters and boarding bedsits offering a way of liberating the mind of planning necessities. But good organisation does remain necessary and the cracks quickly begin to show. A bag is a key bit of kit, and I would encourage all sixth formers to use one on a daily basis. I would also ask that all sixth formers pay close attention to the uniform expectations which have been given out and explained to all.

I would like to congratulate Nicolas G, Charlotte J, Oliver C and Milli F, who have just been announced as Captains and Vice Captains of school, and to Jack C, Lucas W, Helena D, Katie N, Kate N, Isaac C, Alex G and Imogen C – our new Captains of House and Boarding House. I wish them all the best as they embark upon their new responsibilities. We do genuinely have a very strong body of leaders in this year group, and I have every confidence in the prefect body as a whole, looking forward to all that they will achieve as our leaders.

We are all extremely grateful to out out-going school captains for their exceptional contribution. And we wish all our upper sixth formers very best wishes for the future. We look forward to results day and hope our students are able to secure the results they seek and deserve. Staff will be on hand to share in the joy, support and advise on the day. I have been working closely with Molly in editing the Leavers’ Book, and I must thank her for all her hard work on this project. Reading the entries does highlight to me just how many positive memories you have all made, the achievements you have to your names and the enormous potential there is in this successful body of young people, ready now to embark upon the wider world. I very much look forward to sharing the celebrations at the leavers’ ball with all of you!

Finally, I would to say a big ‘thank you’ to Mr Neal, who has served as my deputy for two years, and has been extremely committed and effective in this role. He is very much staying here at College as a teacher and will remain involved in boarding. Mr Neal has been an enormous support to me and I know just how highly he is regarded by our North House boys – he will be missed hugely!

Dates for the diary:

4^th September – start of term for boarders.

10^th September – ‘all-in’ boarding event – BBQ and games

11^th September – ‘all-in’ boarding event – Aqua park.

15^th September – U6 exams

22^nd September – New parents’ social evening

30^th September – North House chapel service.

12^th October – Senior School Curry Night

1^st November – L6 parents’ evening

20^th November – ‘all-in’ boarding event – Think Tank, Birmingham.

11^th December – boarders’ Christmas lunch

15^th December – Senior School end of term bar night.