life l £1m trophy designer 2

l legal & medical workshops 3

l sea lord’s cadet 11

l girls take up rugby 13insi

de

spring 2019

The Leys is alive with The Sound of Music

26

page 15

Aldwickbury

Barnabas Oley Primary

Barnardiston Hall

Dame Bradbury’s School

Fairstead House

Glebe House

Halstead

Heath Mount

Holmwood House

Howe Green House

King’s College School

Leysians featured in this issue come from a variety of feeder schools including:

Kingshott

Moreton Hall

Old Buckenham Hall

Riddlesworth Hall

Sancton Wood

South Lee

St Faith’s

St John’s College School

St Margaret’s

Town Close, Norwich.

from the Headmaster

Jack J (Y11) has won an international competition to design

the trophy for the £1million Queen Elizabeth Prize for

Engineering, a global prize which celebrates innovation in

engineering.

The trophy will be presented later this year at Buckingham Palace to Dr Bradford

Parkinson, Professor James Spilker, Hugo Freuhauf and Richard Schwartz for their

work creating the first global, satellite-based positioning system – GPS.

Jack’s intricate trophy design was selected from more than 50 international entries

to the competition, open to young people aged 14-24. He created it using the QE

Prize 3D Design Studio app. His design impressed the judges with its complexity and

balance, combining traditional trophy shapes with elements of modern wind turbines.

Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum Group and chair of the judging

panel, said: “We chose Jack’s design for its sheer exuberance – it will require a great

amount of concentration and imagination to make. That quality appeals to the judges,

and we will work closely with Jack to realise the final trophy.”

Jack is interested in architectural engineering and believes that engineers are key to

solving the world’s challenges: “There are

countless environmental problems,

and they are getting worse. It will be

engineers that provide solutions,” he

said.

“I am honoured to be part of this

prestigious prize. Being one of the

youngest entrants shows that

creativity and the ability to

design is unlimited by age. I

hope to inspire young people

to enter engineering.”

Welcome to Leys Life, a snapshot of life in our busy school.

We place the highest importance on the well-being of staff and pupils and the practice of mindfulness is a valuable new tool in promoting this. As you will read, the adoption of mindfulness techniques is having a positive effect all round.

Our Careers Department, inspired in part by the success of the annual Surgery in Schools workshop, organised a Legal Skills workshop to give aspiring lawyers the chance to test out litigation scenarios with professionals from Tees Law.

Leys Lectures are well-established in the School calendar, offering a forum to hear from leading figures in different fields of endeavour. Our school debaters are also proving to be interesting and articulate speakers.

Our Director of Rugby did not take too much persuading when the girls urged him to let them try playing a game that at one time was a male preserve. Sport continues to bring out the best in pupils of all capabilities and we are proud to have been placed in the Top 15 for Sport in UK independent schools. Whether our pupils are stars in the making, such as cricketer Issy R, sports leaders passing on their love of sport to local primary school children, or pupils who like to have a go in inter-House competitions, I share the view of our Director of Sport, who reflects that it is seeing pupils participate in a healthy and active games programme that gives him the greatest pleasure.

It would be remiss to overlook recent creative achievements, in particular the superb production of The Sound of Music, while the newly-established Moulton Choir is nurturing the love of singing in younger pupils.

Finally, as we look back on the commemorations of the centenary of the Armistice that concluded the First World War, we have been honouring the sacrifice of previous generations. Today’s Leysians have marked the anniversary with art, sport and a moving service in the Chapel that remains the heart of School.

If you would like to visit us and find out more about The Leys, I would be delighted to welcome you.

Martin Priestley

Leys Life is published by The Leys,

Cambridge CB2 7AD. Compiled by Mrs.

Naomi Needs and produced by Dowie.

For information about The Leys, please

contact the Admissions Office on +44

(0)1223 508904.

Leys Life is printed on paper which

is totally chlorine free, sourced from

sustainable forests with eco-management

and audit system accreditation.

our prize designer

news 3

The Leys Careers Department joined forces with Legal 500 top-tier firm Tees to hold an inaugural Legal Skills workshop for pupils considering the legal profession.

With over 50 Sixth Form pupils from The Leys and Cambridge schools and colleges attending, the event was inspired by the success of the Surgery in Schools workshop.

Dr Louise Merrett, Reader in International Commercial Law and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, delivered the keynote address. She talked about law as a career, adding valuable insights from her own experience as a barrister.

The pupils broke into groups to study litigation scenarios prepared by Tees Law, discussing various approaches with guidance, before reviewing conclusions with Tees Law partner Clare Pilsworth.

sixth form has a brush with the law surgery in schoolsThe Surgery in Schools workshop, now in its fifth year, is run by the Careers Department with medical students from Cambridge University Surgical Society’s (CUSS) and consultants from Addenbrooke’s Hospital, supported by the Royal College of Surgeons.

A record 84 young people interested in medicine attended, with Alexander Butcher of CUSS introducing guest speaker Mr Ayoola Awopetu, a vascular surgeon, together with nine medical students who helped run the event.

Pupils enjoyed workshops on essential skills such as suturing, taking patient histories and measuring blood pressure. The event concluded with a Q&A in which trainee medics gave advice on applying to medical school and preparing for interviews.

tech talkA team of Digital Leaders has been selected to help shape the vision and strategy of technology use in school and to support pupils with IT problems.

“Our aim is to give pupils a voice, to influence how they use technology,” explained James Gibbons, Head of Digital Education.

Following applications, the selection process identified 12 pupils from most year groups, excepting the GCSE and A level cohorts.

“The group meets twice termly to discuss specific projects from a pupil perspective. Recently we reviewed the proposed solution for the new school-wide audio visual project being installed for September,” said James.

“Digital Leaders receive training from IT Operations Manager Leon Cripps on the school network, empowering pupils to become the first port of call in Houses for basic IT assistance”.

Congratulations to the following Leysians who have received offers of places at Oxford:

Ben C Law, Lincoln CollegeEdward G Engineering, Worcester CollegeRachel M Classics, St John’s CollegeLindsay W Music, Keble College.

Recent Leysians Toby H and Ella M, who applied after A levels, have received confirmed places at Cambridge: Toby to read Engineering at St Edmund’s College and Ella to read English at Newnham College.

Oxbridge bound

4 academic

The opportunities to read for pleasure as

well as study are many and varied in school.

Our light, bright, well stocked Library is the

obvious place to start.

Pupils from Year 7 to 9 have English reading lessons

built into their timetable. Librarian Alison Lainchbury

and Assistant Librarian Lyndsey Goddard have a

wide repertoire of reading activities to stimulate

interest in literature.

GETTING INTO BOOKS

Pupils in Year 7 participate in ‘The Reading Game’

which introduces them to different fiction genres.

iPads are used to note which covers, ‘blurbs’ and

opening words they find appealing so they have

ideas for reading matter to which they can return.

Following this ‘guided’ introduction, pupils in Years 7

and 8 follow the ‘Passport to Reading’ scheme.

The scheme involves five levels of reading across

39 books. As an example, at Level 4, pupils read

six books from one genre. At Level 5, they read six

specific genres (biography, autobiography, a prize

winning title, pre-19th century fiction, a foreign

book in translation and a challenging read like a

GCSE text). On completing five levels, pupils are

awarded a final certificate and £15 book token by

the Headmaster.

Keen bookworms in Years 7 and 8 compete against

contemporaries from local independent schools in

‘Book Mastermind’, being quizzed on their chosen

book before tackling general knowledge questions.

The competition is usually followed by a talk by a

visiting children’s writer.

LUCKY DIP

Pupils are invited to try the ‘Library Lucky Dip’ in

the autumn, where books are wrapped and colour-

coded to indicate the age group for which they are

best suited. “You have to promise to read 50 pages

before you can consider giving up, but hopefully you

will carry on!” says Librarian Alison Lainchbury.

Anna Garrett, Head of English, runs ‘Speaking

Volumes’, a book group which meets twice termly.

Books discussed so far include The Picture of Dorian

Gray by Oscar Wilde, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Fun posters around school offer further inspiration to pick up a book. A campaign of ‘Get Caught Reading’ and ‘Mr/Mrs X is reading...’ features staff members sharing their favourite books.

PASSPORT TO READING

Reading stars Tiana I and Leni C (Year 8) were awarded Passport to Reading certificates and book tokens for reading 40 books, both fiction and non-fiction, from the start of Year 7.

“Some of the books had been selected and we chose others,” they explained.

Tiana’s favourite books were in the A Wrinkle in

Time series, while Leni’s was Dickens’s Great

Expectations.

Leni loves reading fiction, while Tiana is planning to read more science books.

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift”.

Kate DiCamillo US children’s author

lose yourself in a good book

The Leys beautiful library in the King’s Building is Grade 1 Listed. Below: reading stars Leni C and Tiana I.

Teams from The Leys, Hills Road Sixth Form College and Parkside and Impington village colleges debated whether growing nationalism is a threat to peace, whether unbalanced distribution of resources between countries could spark the next World War, and if current conflicts are actually proxy wars for more powerful nations.

Judges were Jen Little from Anglia Ruskin University, Sian Nash, Associate Chief Operating Officer at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and Rotary Peace Scholar Lydia Kröger.

Anna Garrett, Leys Head of English, said: “The speakers shared useful tips and ideas and enjoyed the opportunity to debate against different schools in order to hone their skills.”

Deborah Griffin, pioneer of women’s rugby, talked about changes in society which enabled her to forge her career. Ms Griffin, Bursar of Homerton College, Cambridge, was awarded the OBE in 2011 in recognition of her services to women’s rugby.

She explained how societal change has shaped her life. Her early emigration to Australia as a ‘Ten Pound Pom’ boosted her love of sport, while subsequent educational opportunities enabled her to go to university where she took up rugby in the 1970s. Ms Griffin answered audience questions about aspects of the game, including funding and safety.

academic 5

Palaeo-anthropologist, explorer and stand-up comic Ella Al-Shamahi, who studies Neanderthals, talked about ‘Innovation in our evolutionary past’.

Kate F (U6) commented: “Ella Al-Shamahi was an entertaining speaker. Her lecture focused on the social innovation of our evolutionary ancestors. As well as their progression, she described the methods that she and other people in her field use to build a picture of the past. Using computer generated 3D graphics, similar to those used to create Golom in The Lord of the Rings, they recreated a picture of a Neanderthal called ‘Ned’.”

British computer scientist Dr Andy Harter CBE, explored ‘Innovation in Technology’, the last in the ‘Innovation’ series organised by Mrs Alexandra Annett from the Physics Department.

Dr Harter, CEO and founder of multi-award winning company Real VNC, the name behind screen sharing technology for the open source community, posed the question: ‘is innovation in technology to do with science or art?’ Dr Harter discussed the role of ‘art’, exploring aesthetic, craft, design and intuition, while outlining the inspirations behind his own discoveries.

the innovators... The 2019 Leys Lecture offered inspiring talks from some of the country’s finest innovators.

The Leys hosted and won the annual Rotary Peace Debates for

Cambridge sixth formers.

...and the persuaders James Watts, President of Cambridge South Rotary Club, with winners Daisy de L, Laura S and Jake O’K from The Leys.

From left, teacher Alexandra Annett, Ella Al-Shamahi (centre) and pupils

As Jean Barker, she was Headmaster’s wife during the time of Alan Barker (1958 – 1975). Rod Ashby-Johnson, former Chairman of The Leys Committee, a pupil at the time, told ITV Anglia News: “She was larger than life and had a great love of life.”

Martin Priestley, Headmaster, said: “Jean was a superb example of someone who lived a full life, one I suspect that was low on regrets, and filled with challenge and exciting new chapters. I don’t think she took herself, or the institutions in which she worked, too seriously and she certainly didn’t stand on ceremony. There was always time for a joke, often I suspect at her own expense, as indicated by the famous story of throwing herself into the school swimming pool on her (and Alan’s) final Speech Day.” The

farewell Baroness Trumpington

Trumpington Gallery in Great Hall is named in her honour.

Baroness Trumpington’s remarkable life and career include code-breaking at Bletchley Park and working as a Land Girl for Lloyd George. She was a Cambridge city and Cambridgeshire county councillor and a Conservative Government Minister. Created a life peer in 1980, she retired from the House of Lords aged 95.

..noticeboard..It was The Leys Director of Performance Drama, rather than the Time Lord, who went back in time when interviewed for the launch of a Dr Who box set.

Cory Pulman-Jones, who joined the Drama department in 2016, appeared in The Curse of Fenric, broadcast in 1989, when Sylvester McCoy was the Doctor.

The story, set in 1943, was a mix of horror, Norse mythology and World War II code-breaking.

During her 25 years as an actress Cory appeared in TV hits including Coronation Street, Hot Metal, Robin of Sherwood and Midsummer Murders.

back in time?

The King of Tonga, educated at The Leys in the 1970s, received Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, during their first Royal tour.

The couple made a 16-day tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand, during which they had an audience with King Tupou VI and Queen Nansipau’u before a reception and dinner. Prince Harry is reported to have said in his speech that going to Tonga was like visiting ‘an extended family’.

The King of Tonga was known as Prince Aho Tukuaho at The Leys. He was in North B from 1973-77 and was a House Prefect. He studied at the University of East Anglia and served in the Tongan Naval Forces before taking on government roles including Prime Minister. He succeeded to the throne after the death of his brother, King George Tupou V, also educated at The Leys.

royal tour

iconic run

Petty Officer Laura S and Sergeant Jake O’K from the CCF, who are also High Sheriff’s Cadets, were among 18,000 runners who took part in the annual Chariots of Fire charity relay race, an event inspired by the film about runner Harold Abrahams and the 1924 Olympics. The 1.7-mile route includes the iconic race around Trinity College Great Court. Dr Andy Harter CBE, High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire also competed in the race. The event raised £60,000 for the High Sheriff’s Award Fund, which supports youth projects.

science on the menu

It is 150 years since the formulation of

the Periodic System by Dmitri Mendeleev:

2019 has been proclaimed the

‘International Year of the Periodic Table of

Chemical Elements’ by the United Nations

General Assembly and UNESCO.

The Leys is joining in the worldwide

celebrations of one of the most significant

landmarks in science. The first event was

a Periodic Table-themed lunch in January.

The foods on the menu featured chemical

symbols - below.

Former Prime Minister David Cameron and Theresa May were among those who paid tribute to

the late Jean Barker, Baroness Trumpington, who died in November aged 96.

6 news

beyond the classroom 7

Design and Technology pupils have been learning about aviation developments by attending Royal Aeronautical Society lectures at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering.

The first lecture, given by Prof Ian Poll OBE, Emeritus Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Cranfield University, explored the environmental impact of aviation. He explained that while damage caused by CO2 emissions was well-known, the effects of NOX and contrail-induced cirrus may yet be aviation’s largest contribution to global warming. He looked at a physics-based model of civil transport aircraft design and the extent to which a manufacturer could control fuel efficiency and contrail formation.

A second lecture was given by Group Captain Lyndon Jones, RAF, who looked at the Boeing P8 A Poseidon, the ‘Guardian of the Seas’. This maritime patrol aircraft has been chosen to monitor activity of the silent Russian Varshavyanka class submarines.

Pupils also attended a lecture by Eric Chan, a technical expert in connected and automated vehicles for Ricardo, which discussed the moral and social changes likely to result from the increased use of this emerging technology.

Year 8 English pupils enjoyed a tour of the immaculately-kept American Cemetery at Madingley (outside Cambridge) by Superintendent Richard Cobb, retired Lieutenant Commander of the United States Navy.

The aim of the visit was to inspire creative course work on what it means to be a hero. Pupils heard remarkable and tragic tales of friendship and acts of courage that were deeply affecting and thought-provoking.

The 30.5 acre site was donated by the University of Cambridge in 1943 for the creation of a permanent military cemetery to honour Americans who gave their lives during World War II. Mr Cobb took the pupils to three important sites within the cemetery and provided photographs of the heroes whose

a meaningful experience

A level Business Studies pupils visited the Cambridge branch of Metro Bank to find out about its distinctive business model and why it is opening high street branches, while other banks are closing them.

The first High Street bank to be launched in the UK in 150 years, Metro Bank gained its licence in 2010, and prides itself on a new approach to retail banking. For example, when entering the ‘store’ students were amazed to find a bicycle rack and bowls of water for dogs.

Assistant Manager Sotiria Zafeiriou gave the tour, during which pupils found out how a new customer

engineering insights

names were engraved in stone. Pupils and staff alike were deeply moved by the experience and left with a real understanding of the term ‘hero’.

can open an account in just 15 minutes and how a debit card can be printed ‘on the spot.’ Pupils looked into the bank vaults where safety deposits are kept, before Robert Davey, Commercial Banking Director, answered questions about high street banking.

Business Studies teacher Richard Springall said: “It was an excellent opportunity to bring aspects of the curriculum to life for pupils, seeing the principles from their textbooks and case studies for real. Through preparatory work, we could contrast marketing strategies of different firms in the banking sector.”

a very modern bank

Photo: © Robin Aveling 2018

Joseph B and Wilf B are pictured with a model of the Boeing P8 A Poseidon

Mindfulness, the mental state achieved by focusing awareness on the present, rather than worrying about the past or future, is bringing its benefits to school.

English teacher Gemma Heald is rolling out a

programme to help pupils and staff acquire and

practise the techniques of mindfulness. Well-being

prefect Daisy de L addressed a school assembly on

concentrate on reading for 40 minutes whereas previously, they were distracted very easily.

“We’ve taken time to explain how the practice can help in day-to-day lives. Now pupils come each week with news of how mindfulness has helped them, from enjoying a milk shake to coping with the stress of losing shin pads!”

Gemma explained that while mindfulness helps deal with stress and problem-solving, it can also help those who are already ‘in a good place’ to flourish and get more out of their experiences.

She learned the techniques through the Mindfulness in Schools Project, a national not-for-profit charity established to bring the benefits of secular mindfulness to the classroom.

“Pupils learn how the mind works through a variety of educational resources and they are given a code to access a website. It is important to keep using the techniques. You can see the difference in a couple of weeks, and in just eight weeks you have trained your mind so that you can apply the skills for the rest of your life.”

Being able to focus, to ‘come back to the present’ and to understand how the mind works so you can control your thoughts can be life-changing, says Gemma.

“I have been guiding A level English pupils in the techniques to help them settle at the start of lessons and to manage stress associated with deadlines. The guidance has been well-received and pupils say they have even noticed a huge change in me. They joke about how they see me walking around school with a huge smile on my face, even on a Monday morning, while I have noticed pupils across school being more engaged, involved and happier in lessons.”

East House has been transformed

by a make-over on the theme of

‘Exploration’.

The boarding house is home to Sixth Form boys, many of whom live overseas. The idea that they are embarking on their own journeys of discovery on leaving school inspired Loci Interiors.

The project is the fifth the interior designers have done for The Leys. They worked with Facilities Director Nathan Keen and Housemaster Neil Dix-Pincott, while pupils were also consulted to find out their views. The result is a smart look that reflects the character of East House.

The lower storeys were upgraded in summer 2018, with redecoration and refurbishment of the common room, the kitchen, bedrooms and public areas such as staircases and corridors. The top floor, including shower rooms will be remodelled in Phase 2 this summer.

East House is located in the Stamp Building, dating back to 1929. It is named in memory of Lord Stamp, a former Chairman of Governors who was killed in the Blitz in 1941.

Gemma Healdphotos courtesy of Loci Interiors

head mastery

8 pastoral

“in just eight weeks you have trained your mind so that you can apply the skills for the rest of your life”

the topic while increasing numbers of pupils have been signing up for classes. Year 7 pupils explore mindfulness as part of their PSHE classes.

According to Gemma, pupils benefit almost immediately: “A colleague from the English Department and I began meditation practice in English reading lessons once a week, in part to help pupils to focus in the library. Now they can

pastoral 9

life’s great journey

10 out & about

Caspar Craven, who made headlines with

an extraordinary round-the-world voyage

with his young family, was guest speaker

at this year’s Duke of Edinburgh Awards

ceremony.

a family voyage around the worldPresenting gold, silver and bronze awards, Caspar observed: “The skills you will have learned, of taking on a challenge and succeeding, is what life is all about”.

Caspar and his wife embarked on a circumnavigation of the globe with three children aged under seven,

following five years of careful planning. They trained in essential survival skills, for example learning the role of a ship’s surgeon, and then assigned tasks to their ‘family team’, according to ability. When faced with a power failure aboard their vessel, they kept their heads and dealt with the crisis.

He said his philosophy could be summed up in his formula, E+R=O: an event plus your reaction to it determines the outcome.

Pupils from the Aoyama Gakuin High School in Tokyo

have been guests at The Leys as part of the regular school

exchange programme which has been running for 20

years, in celebration of both schools’ shared heritage.

Six Leysians visited Tokyo in October, experiencing

Japanese family and school life. Highlights included a visit

to Tokyo Disneyland and a trip to Kyoto on the famous

Bullet train. In class, Leys pupils enjoyed learning about

Japanese cuisine and language.

The Japanese visitors took in the sights of Cambridge

including punting, sampling a traditional afternoon tea in

Norwich, visiting the Houses of Parliament on the day of

the Brexit vote and enjoying views from The Shard. In the

classroom, they taught Year 9 Leysian pupils about origami

and Japanese language.

Both sets of pupils gave presentations about education,

life and culture to their hosts on their visits.

The two schools have a common heritage as they were

both established as Methodist foundations in the 1870s.

Stormy weather did not dampen the spirits of Year 10 pupils on the CCF Royal Navy Section’s annual field weekend.

Sailing at Huntingdon Sailing Club went ahead as planned, but forecasts of 50mph winds and driving rain forced a last-minute change of plan for Sunday, when the planned canoe trip on the River Ouse was replaced by climbing and indoor kayaking.

not so plain sailingeast goes west

Pupil George S (L6) has been selected to be one of the First Sea Lord’s CCF Cadets for 2019 - the most prestigious award that a Royal Naval cadet can achieve.

George, who is in the Royal Navy CCF, will carry out duties with Admiral

Sir Philip Jones who, as First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, is the

professional head of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy and Naval Service.

He will be expected to execute one duty a month anywhere in the UK,

from the naval base at Faslane on the Clyde to No 10 Downing Street.

George submitted his written application along with hundreds of cadets

from the CCF RN & RM, Sea Cadet Corps and Voluntary Cadet Corps

across the UK. He was invested in a special ceremony in Portsmouth in

January, where he met the First Sea Lord on board the flagship made

famous by Nelson, HMS Victory.

During the day, George met his 1SL cadet counterparts and spoke with

The First Sea Lord about his new role.

Lt Richard Hill, Officer i/c Navy Section of The Leys CCF, said: “It is

a tremendous honour to have one of our cadets hold this position.

George has shown unprecedented enthusiasm for the cadets, attending

courses across the country to earn aquatic qualifications and passing this

knowledge on to junior cadets. He will gain a privileged insight into the

higher echelons of the Naval Service whilst attending official functions

which can range from the launching of a new ship to the Queen’s

birthday.”

George’s ambition is to join the Royal Navy as a warfare officer.

top brass

the Italian job

out & about 11

Pupils studying History, Classics and Religious Studies found plenty to absorb and enjoy during a packed four-day trip to Rome. Their itinerary included visits to The Vatican and St Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, the Forum and the Capitoline Museum.

12 sport

Leys in top 15 sports schools

S C H O O L S P O R T

Dozens of Year 1 pupils from the University of Cambridge Primary School ran, jumped, caught, dodged and balanced as they took part in an afternoon Multisport Festival.

The event was planned and run by Year 11 Sports Leaders, trained by Mrs Schofield, Head of Physical Education. Participants received certificates while Mrs Schofield commented on how impressed she had been by their physical activity.

“The skills you have been using will continue to develop and allow you to go on to play many different sports,” she told them.

near missThe U19 Netball squad competed in the County Cup and missed out on a finals qualification place by a slim margin. The girls played seven games, winning four, drawing two and losing one to eventual winners, Hills Road Sixth Form College.

James Clark, Director of Sport, said: “This young squad can be proud of their efforts and look forward to next term with real confidence.”

Cricketer Issy R (Y11) has been selected

for the Loughborough Lightning Regional

Development Squad for girls’ cricket.

The Regional Development Centre, one of eight

across the country, is the first step on the path to

playing for England. Issy trains every Sunday at

Loughborough University and will have competitive

fixtures in the summer against other centres.

Issy was named ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the

School Sports National T20 competition, in which

The Leys U15As made the final in September 2018.

Issy was leading runs scorer in the tournament.

She played for Essex U15 girls last year, winning

‘Player of the Season’ and ‘Best Batsman’ awards

for her age group. She was the highest run scorer

for Essex women in 2018.

N E T B A L L

Reflecting competitive achievement across a range of sports, the List honours those schools that take competitive sport seriously. Based on up to 20 different sports and 120 national competitions, weighting is given to success across different sports rather than in single sports, as well as in competitions where more teams compete.

James Clark, Director of Sport, said: “To be recognised as one of the top 15 UK independent schools for sport is a fantastic accolade - credit must go to the pupils and staff in school.

“Sport at The Leys is flourishing. 2018 was particularly successful in terms of national success. The U15 squash team reached the last four in the country, the 1st VII rugby contested the semi-finals of the Rosslyn Park Vase competition, the U16 girls’ hockey team played at

the National Finals for a second consecutive year and the U15 girls’ cricket squad took the National Runners-Up spot behind Millfield.

Seeing all pupils playing a part in a healthy and active games programme gives me the greatest pleasure.”

junior sportfest

C R I C K E T

The Leys has been ranked 14th in the country in School

Sport’s list of the ‘Top Independent Sports Schools’ of 2018.

sport 13R U G B Y

The Leys joined forces with another

Methodist foundation, Queen’s College,

Taunton, to compete for the Hosegood

Trophy for a special commemoration match.

The match was played to mark the centenary of the Armistice that ended World War I, which claimed the lives of the three Hosegood brothers, members of a prominent Methodist family from Bristol. Gilbert was Head Boy at Queen’s College while Ralph and Arnold attended The Leys. The match was part of Queen’s College 175th anniversary celebrations.

The teams wore special strips. The Leys wore red as the colour of the Army, while the Royal Marines Corps of Drums played before the game. The Mayor of Taunton was among guests, and Tom Foley, from the Gallagher Premiership, refereed.

A debate in an A level PE lesson about gender inequality prompted members of the first-team girls’ hockey squad to take action to prove rugby was not only a boys’ sport. They contacted Mr Thomas, asking to start rugby training sessions and within 24 hours the pupils had recruited 18 girls for the first session. With their multi-sport background, the

Simon Thomas, Head of Rugby, reports there is much to celebrate in the 2018-19 season, with 11 teams representing The Leys in 100 matches.

Moulton teams are gaining a firm grounding in the game. U14s played their first Michaelmas term rugby season, in line with the rest of school, with U14A and B teams proving capable of competing with the best sides on the U14 fixture card, despite their diminutive stature. The U14C team was unbeaten and the continuation of the U14D team highlighted the depth of playing ability in younger years.

The step up in physicality and intensity of rugby for U15 boys is always evident, yet their developing skill-set enabled the Y10s to play high-tempo rugby.

The 1st and 2nd XV displayed commitment and spirit. The former, led by Harry B and Hayden McK, played exciting rugby based around quick ball and off loading, resulting in high-scoring wins against Bedford Modern, Oundle and Queen’s, Taunton. The 2nd XV were dogged in their efforts and provided competition for those above them.

U16s dominated opposition teams in tight exchanges whilst moving the ball into space to score tries out wide. The U16A team had an unbeaten season.

The number of boys playing representative rugby continues to grow, with boys playing with Saracens, Northampton and the Eastern Counties programmes

a match to remember

rugby on a charge

The hosts built a lead but The Leys came from behind to win 34-24. Paul Kirton, nephew of the Hosegood brothers, presented the trophy.

James Clark, Director of Sport, said: “The day was a moving experience for all and the fine 34-24 point win capped off a day that will live long in memory.”

girls adjusted swiftly to the demands of their new sport: 12 players from Year 11 upwards now train regularly.

The girls met Deborah Griffin, who has pioneered Women’s Rugby growth in England and across the globe, when she came to give The Leys Lecture.

Pupil power has led to the creation of a girls’ rugby squad, supported by Simon Thomas

who introduced the sport for girls at the school following the success of girls’ cricket.

here come the girls

Introducing the talented Moulton Choir: formed and run by Music teacher Chloe Emery.

The choir started in September and made its debut at the Moulton Concert. It is currently 15-strong and open to pupils in Years 7 or 8 who like singing.

“We’ve memorised a range of pieces,” Chloe explained. “We sang Lean On Me and an African lullaby called Thula Mama in the Autumn Concert. We also performed at the Carol Service, singing The Time of Snow by Bob Chilcott. Currently we are rehearsing for a Lunchtime Live concert and the Summer Concert in Saffron Hall.”

The annual Sixth Form Art Exhibition at the Michaelhouse Centre, Cambridge provides

a public showcase for talented Leysian artists. Here are just a few of their works.

moulton voices

14 the arts

personal visions

Music staff were joined by teachers of other

subjects for an eclectic one-off Lunchtime Live

show with a difference.

The opening number was the lively Galop-

Marche by Lemoine, performed on one piano

by Naomi Wrycroft, Max Kenworthy, Chloe

Emery and Scott Morrison from the Music

Department. The Breeze Brass Quintet (Naomi

Wrycoft, Day House Matron Ellie Rugg-Gunn,

Scott Morrison, tuba teacher Michael Dawson

and pupil Rosie K) then played an arrangement

of the famous Looney Tunes theme.

The mood became dramatic when soprano

Laura Pooley (Classics), sang Puccini’s

Quando m’en vo. Pianist Alex Welby (Head

of Classics), performed his own arrangement

of Lubbock’s Not Like This, then tenor Geoff

Howe (Director of Teaching and Learning),

sang Dancing On My Own and Sea Fever.

The finale featured improvised group The

Hotspots, made up of Jessica Hudson (Maths

on vocals), Alexandra Annett (Physics, drums),

Kevin Arnold (Head of Computing, electric

guitar), Scott Morrison (Music, piano) and

Damian Glasfurd-Brown, (Director of IT, bass

guitar), who performed Rolling in the Deep by

Adele and Valerie by The Zutons.

staff talent

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s iconic musical The Sound of Music was staged in fine style, with the orchestra pit in Great Hall in use for the first time.

“The opportunity to secure the rights and direct it at The Leys was too good to pass by, and for our orchestra pit to be used was the icing on the cake!” said Cory Pulman-Jones, Performance Director.

The fine playing of the 17-strong orchestra was matched by the cast, with Cara C (Maria) singing with particular purity and clarity of diction. Musical Director was Chloe Emery, assisted by Scott Morrison.

The familiar and much-loved songs delighted audiences at the three shows, which sold out the moment tickets became available and were met with standing ovations.

the arts 15

DNA

sounds of music

DNA, Dennis Kelly’s dark drama about the dynamics of a teenage gang, was staged in the Middleton Studio, directed by Dominic Bell, Head of Academic Drama.

The production explored why children join gangs, how they relate to one other, and how complicity in a crime can affect individuals.

The cast of 12 worked hard over a short space of time to realise Kelly’s script, which in the words of the director “turns the semi-incoherence of ordinary street speech into original, repetitive, cross-talking poetry”.

The Chapel was packed for the Remembrance

Service at which perspex panels commemorating

the 149 Old Leysians who died were on display. The

panels were made by Year 9 pupils with help from

the Art and DT Departments as part of the There But

Not There national project.

Armistice commemorationThe service was led by the Rev. Clifford Meharry,

School Chaplain. Guest Preacher was the Rev

Stephen Burgess, former Chaplain at The Leys,

while readings were given by Martin Priestley,

Headmaster and Ashley Silverton, President of the

Old Leysian Committee. The Choir sang music from

Fauré’s Requiem while the Chamber Choir sang

Earth Song by Ticheli.

The congregation walked to the War Memorial at

the east side of the Chapel, where the CCF Guard

of Honour processed and laid the wreaths. The Last

Post was sounded and the silence observed. As in

previous years, the wreaths will be taken to Tyne

Cot cemetery, the last resting place of many Old

Leysians, by Year 9 pupils on their visit to Arras.

Guests then went to the James Hilton Room where

coffee and a patriotic cake were welcomed by many.

The Leys was involved in the city of Cambridge

commemorations too. CCF Army Cadet Sgt. Archie

D. read the Army Prayer at the city’s War Memorial

and Major Nathan S, with other young people, laid a

wreath in a ceremony that was broadcast by Anglia

Television.

The Leys has been commemorating the

centenary of the Armistice that ended

the First World War – a war that left an

indelible mark on the School.

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