ST PAUL’S NewS
Issue 04 I Autumn Term 2016 I St Paul’s School, Lonsdale Road, London, SW13 9JT I www.stpaulsschool.org.uk
SPOrt
tennis
eNGINeerING
Formula 24
02
03
hIStOrY
Battlefield tour
05
autumn update from
the high master
In October the award of the Nobel Prize for
Literature to Robert Zimmerman attracted
far more of the attention of the national
media than the news that an Old Pauline had
been awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
On hearing of the main award, I immediately
sent two emails. The first was to Professor
Duncan Haldane (F. D. M. Haldane,
Colet Court 1961-65, St Paul’s 1965-69)
at Princeton University conveying my
congratulations. The second was to Dr
Simon Holmes, Head of Physics at SPS,
asking for a comprehensible summary
of the good professor’s work.
Responses to each email were
commendably quick, although admittedly
Haldane’s was more readable. He described
(with warmth and appreciation that oozed
through the ether) the physics teacher
at St Paul’s in the late 1960s whose
inspirational teaching had set him on this
particular academic pathway. Interestingly,
he remembered the teacher’s nickname
(Little Bill) more securely than the teacher’s
actual name (E.H. Williams, Head of
Physics). Parents of a certain age will recall
the prevalence of nicknames in schools
of yesteryear, and might even agree with
me that their decline is as welcome as the
decline in graffiti. Professor Haldane’s
response underlined the virtues of
promoting curiosity and scholarship among
Paulines, and the importance of inspirational
teaching: both remain central facets of the
School and its ethos.
The pages of this edition of St Paul’s News
contain bountiful evidence of a busy and
productive term. A school possessing pupils
ranked nationally in competitions for art and
mathematics can claim to be an eclectic and
pluralist academic institution, and it might
also claim to break academic stereotypes
when some of its other pupils are appearing
in the West End and cutting their first
record, and when its rowers dominate
the GB trials in Boston (Lincolnshire,
not Massachusetts) and its 1st cricket XI is
among the best in the country. And having
witnessed volunteers from the Parents’
Group decorate Christmas trees around
the school, I think we are nationally-ranked
for that too!
‘topping Out’ ceremony
celebrates building
project milestone
The achievements and the interests
documented here are extraordinarily wide
and impressive. Thank you to everyone for
their best efforts this term, and I wish you
a peaceful and restful (and well deserved)
festive season.
The construction of the first phase of
the new general teaching building is
progressing apace, and the completion
of the roof in October was marked by
an ancient ‘Topping Out’ ceremony for
good luck.
Professor Mark Bailey
HIGH MASTER
Topping out is an old Scandinavian
custom, which has mutated into
a tradition within the modern
construction industry of celebrating
BUILDINGS UPDate
the milestone of laying the highest
beam within a new building.
Chairman of Governors Johnny
Robertson is pictured receiving an
engraved ceremonial trowel to mark
the event from Osborne CEO Andrew
Osborne. The new kitchen and dining
facilities within the building are
scheduled for occupation and use
during the summer holidays.
meNtaL heaLth
St Paul’s signs Time to Change pledge
On Thursday 24 November, St Paul’s
School became the first independent
school to sign the Time to Change pledge.
By signing, St Paul’s commits to
change the way the School thinks
and acts about mental health in the
workplace. The signing ceremony took
place in the Samuel Pepys Theatre at
a conference, led by the pupils, entitled
‘Resilience’ which used the subject
of sport to stimulate discussions and
understanding about mental health.
Throughout the evening speakers drew
on their experiences of high level sport
to discuss the importance of positive
psychology and sought to identify any tips
which people can apply to their everyday
lives. Speakers included Professor
Patrick Callaghan, Professor of Mental
Health Nursing and Head of the School
of Health Sciences at the University of
Nottingham; Sarah Cecil, Chartered
Sports Psychologist, English Institute
of Sport; Jack Green, British Athletics
Olympian; and Dr Jim Golby, former Head
of Research and Development in Sports
and Exercise at Teesside University.
The conference was part of the School’s
Harry Parsons lecture series, named after
former St Paul’s pupil Harry Parsons, who
tragically took his own life while studying
at Glasgow University, aged 21 years.
Set up in early 2016, the lecture series
seeks to raise awareness of mental health
issues among pupils, parents and staff,
as well as offering practical advice on
promoting good mental health and
resilience amongst pupils.
St Paul’s joins nearly 450 organisations
that have signed up to the Time to Change
pledge, including Eon, Ernst & Young and
the Bank of England.
Professor Mark Bailey, pupil Eklavya Sharma, Mr Sam Madden & Mr Tim Young
eNGINeerING
team Firefly takes on
Formula 24 challenge
rOwING
‘‘
rUGBY
Boat Club USa trip and head of the Charles
roaring rugby success
Over the October Remedy, a troop of 14
St Paul’s boys made the trip over to the
USA to train for and race at the Head
of the Charles Regatta. The first half of
the week was spent enjoying an Indian
summer at Princeton University, with the
pleasantly calm Carnegie Lake allowing
the boys to cover some quality mileage.
From there they moved on to Boston
and the hospitality of another top
US university in the form of Harvard.
For most of the athletes it was their
first time experiencing the race, and the
group enjoyed taking in the sights and
sounds of the world’s largest two-day
rowing event.
The Head of the Charles is a useful
early-season focus for St Paul’s rowers
– to do well, the School had to bring
together, in a relatively short time,
athletes who rowed in five separate
crews in the 2015-16 season. It also
brings with it the exciting prospect of
racing the big West Coast clubs that
CLUBS
Fourth Form treasure hunt
dominate American junior rowing, with
athlete pools of seven high schools or
more, in what is one of the highlights
of their season, whilst being of less
significance to us.
On race day the course played host to
the most challenging conditions of recent
years, with winds gusting upwards of
40 mph. Both the top Youth Eight and
the second priority Youth Four acquitted
themselves admirably, placed 6th
and 23rd in their categories, both
with 85 entries.
On the first Monday of term, the Fourth
Form participated in the very first
Club treasure hunt. Each of the Club
Presidents manned a table in the Atrium
area which acted as the base for the
competition. Dotted around the school
in portraits and artefacts were the
vital clues that the boys had to locate
in order to complete the question,
‘Colet’s friend was...?’
The Atrium was a buzz of activity and
congratulations to B Club who were the
first team to email the winning name
of ‘Erasmus’ to the judges. Huge thanks
to Mrs Mackenzie and all the Club
Presidents for their enthusiasm and
energy. It is hoped that the activity
inspired the Fourth Formers to feel a
sense of belonging and to get involved
with many more fun Club competitions
during their time at St Paul’s.
teNNIS
Oli mayo wins first ItF title
Over the half term Remedy, Captain
of Tennis Oli Mayo competed in an
International Tennis Federation (ITF)
tournament in Bahrain. Oli started his
doubles campaign, with GB partner Seb
Tong, on the back of a gruelling singles
match that lasted three hours and twenty
minutes in 35 degree heat. After winning
the first round doubles 6-4 7-6(1), the pair
progressed to play the number one seeds
in the next round and took them apart 6-2
6-4 despite Oli’s partner still being
involved in the singles.
02
The finals approached with the British
pair playing another young British
player and his partner from Oman.
The pair were a strong duo but Oli and
Seb had the strong belief they could beat
anyone on their day. The score finished
6-3 7-5. At 6-5, after a tense and long
rally, there was a sudden death deuce.
The game culminated with Oli hitting two
volleys and a smash on top of the net to
finish it off and win the title. It is Oli’s
first ITF title and hopefully a sign of
more success to follow.
The eight retained their place as the
fastest UK school, and the four put in the
School’s best ever performance. Special
mention must go to our coxes, Axel de
Boissard and Ben Moore, who steered
their boats with pinpoint precision over
the notoriously tricky five kilometre
course, which was no mean feat.
All parties from St Paul’s boarded the
plane home satisfied and sanguine
about the season to come.
St Paul’s has celebrated another
excellent rugby season. It was
thought that the high standards
set the previous season would
be difficult to maintain; however,
with the introduction of an
outstandingly successful U14
squad, the strength of the rugby
club continues to grow and is
in good shape for the future.
The U14As have recorded
outstanding victories over
Epsom and Radley and have lost
only one game. At the time of
writing the other seven U14
teams remain unbeaten! The
U15s are enjoying a successful
run in the NatWest Rugby
Competition, making it through
to the last 32 schools. The U16s
can also boast a fine season
with their most noticeable win
coming against a strong Harrow
team. Following an unbeaten
tour of Italy, the 1st XV recorded
a superb win over Radley and
reached the last 32 of the
Champions Trophy only to be
beaten by the current holders
and finalists, Bedford. Once
again the 1st XV beat KCS
on a stunning Saturday when
13 out of our 14 teams were
victorious.
Individuals are also progressing
at Elite Academies outside
school. Luke Scott is playing
for Harlequins and George
Lyons at London Irish at EPP
level. Alex Scott is also training
with England’s U16s squad
following his impressive
academy performances.
CrICket
School named
top for Cricket
This achievement comes on the back
of the St Paul’s 1st XI winning 12 out of 13
school matches during the 2016 season.
This unique engineering
challenge will see the team
design, build and race their own
car – with only the motor and
batteries provided by the race
organisers Greenpower. During
the 90 minute race, three team
members are permitted to drive
while up to six members form
the pit crew. The top three
winners automatically qualify
for the International Final held
next October.
Team members Justin Treadwell
and Thomas Dhome-Casanova
reveal that, “So far, the team
has raced through construction,
successfully manufacturing
a lightweight chassis, robust
drivetrain and intricate
electronics. Along the way,
many of us have mastered new
and unique engineering skills,
using a wide range of tools
and solutions ranging from 3D
design software to methods
of manufacturing custom bolts,
along with an array of project
management techniques.
“Team members have also learnt
to collaborate efficiently and
seamlessly as a group, giving
us priceless experience for
future group projects, and
only enhancing Team
Firefly’s potential.”
Team Firefly have so far secured
£2,000 from various sponsors,
such as Kee Systems and
Green Energy.
If you are interested in sponsoring Team Firefly
please email [email protected]
St Paul's School is delighted to have been
named as one of the top cricket schools in
the country. The School features in The
Playing Fields Of England: An A-Z Guide To
The Summer Game’s Top 100 Schools 2017.
The supplement appeared in the Cricketer
Magazine (the world’s number one
cricket magazine) in November.
With a name inspired by the
education software produced by
Old Paulines Simon Hay and Joe
Mathewson, a group of Sixth
Form pupils have formed Team
Firefly to compete against peers
in the IET Formula 24 race.
DUke OF eDINBUrGh'S
Gold award expedition
Lawrence Tray, William Wong & Nathaniel Rachman
At the start of July, two groups
of Lower Eighth boys traversed
the Yorkshire Dales National
Park as they successfully
completed the Expedition
Section of their Duke of
Edinburgh’s Gold Award.
aCaDemIC
Joint Symposium
It is a rare evening when you
can hear about the intricacies
and moral dilemmas of hand
transplantation alongside an
in-depth discussion on Greek
theatre, followed by a lighthearted but academically
rigorous investigation into the
physics of “flipping” a water
bottle. These were just three
of the six talks that were on
offer at the joint St Paul’s
School and St Paul’s Girls’
School symposium held on 3
November in the Samuel Pepys
Theatre. Parents, pupils and
members of staff gathered to
attend the event. Six pupils,
three from each school,
presented short talks on topics
they had researched over the
summer as part of their High
Master’s Prize or Scholarship
essays. As well as the topics
already mentioned there were
talks on Heraclius’ campaign
against the Persians, Vichy
France and Eliot’s Middlemarch,
all of which showed real depth
of understanding and analysis.
This came across most strongly
in the responses to questions at
the end, leading to discussions
that would not have been out
of place in a university seminar.
What is most impressive is that
these topics have been chosen
and researched by the students
and the work is driven by their
own intellectual curiosity.
It is hard to envisage a better
display of the scholarly qualities
aspired to by both schools and
the evening was enjoyed by
all who attended.
The talks were: Hand
Transplantation: A Flawed
Miracle? William Wong;
In defence of the deus ex
machina: why the ending of
Medea is essential to Euripides’
aims. Bella Forristal; Should we
consider Vichy France a ‘fascist’
regime? Nathaniel Rachman;
To what extent was the
Byzantine emperor Heraclius’
campaign against the Persians
a ‘holy war’? Kiran Khanom;
How to flip a water bottle.
Lawrence Tray; Experiments
in life: intellectual quests
and the author in Eliot’s
Middlemarch. Freya Wilson
Carrying all their supplies on
their backs and being totally
self-sufficient in planning and
navigation, they covered over
80km on foot.
The satisfying conclusion of
their four day hike came in
the picturesque village of
Middlesmoor, perched high
above the northern end of
Nidderdale. This marked the
culmination of training that
started in the Lake District
over Easter, included a practice
expedition in the Brecon
Beacons, and brought the boys
one important step closer to
completing the whole of their
Gold Award.
03
mUSIC
hUmaN rIGhtS
Joint Concert
Fifth Formers moved by
talk from holocaust survivor
at human rights Conference
The musical year opened with the first major concert in the Wathen Hall on
15 September. After a very brief and intense rehearsal period, musicians from SPS
and St Paul’s Girls’ School joined forces to present a concert of choral and orchestral
music. Opening with Eric Whitacre’s serene Cloudburst for a cappella choir (conducted
by Heidi Pegler, Deputy Director of Music at SPGS), the boys and girls then performed
Bernstein’s challenging Chichester Psalms (conducted by Leigh O’Hara, Director of
Music at SPGS), which featured Harry Jackson (Lower Eighth pupil) as the alto soloist in
the middle movement. The concert concluded with a rousing performance of Borodin’s
second symphony, under the baton of Mark Wilderspin (Director of Music, SPS).
On Thursday 10 November, the Fifth
Form participated in the annual Human
Rights Conference. It began with a talk
from Clive Baldwin from Human Rights
Watch, who explained some examples of
human rights violations and commented
on the efficacy of international human
rights courts. This provided a valuable
insight into the various rights issues that
still trouble today’s world – for example,
in Bosnia-Herzegovina, some citizens
still have no democratic influence on
the country’s law. Afterwards, the
attendees were divided into groups to
discuss a case study and the problems it
presented. They were to form solutions
to those problems and collect their
thoughts into a one-minute presentation
to be given to the rest of the year.
mUSIC
Upper eighth pupil
makes music debut
Along with the many sport and academic
accolades received, we can add pop star
to the list of this year’s achievements
amongst our Paulines. Singer-songwriter
and Upper Eighth pupil Danny Starr
recently released his debut EP Darling.
Danny has been quickly gaining
recognition for his work: the album was
premiered on the radio in Boston, USA;
Danny was interviewed live on Smoke
Radio (the student-run radio station at
the University of Westminster) as part
of a broadcast of the EP; and the track
Darling was put onto Spotify’s Fresh
Finds playlist. Since its release on 23
September, Danny has also been doing
many gigs to promote his new EP.
Headlining on 29 September resulted
in a six-month deal with a booking agent
for more London gigs, so look out for
the name at venues near you! Darling
is available through the usual music
streaming services.
Danny also composed two songs based
on words by Christopher Marlowe for
this term’s production of Edward II,
in which he played the lead role.
When washed-out former rugby league pro
Arthur Hoyle bets his house that he can
coach a team of misfits to win a game of
rugby against his arch nemesis Reg Welsh’s
‘unbeatable’ team, what’s the worst that
could happen? Considering the track
record of Arthur’s Wheatsheaf Arms pub
team, which is zero wins, there’s a lot to
work on. Luckily help is available from
a new coach…who just happens to be
a woman. Can Hazel turn this motley
crew into winners?
Concert
choir
The newly-formed concert choir
performed for the first time on Thursday
3 November as part of a fundraising
event for bursaries held at The Mercers’
Hall. The 15 boys (Fourth Form up to
the Lower Eighth Form) performed a
selection of pieces to an exceptionally
high standard which was all the more
impressive considering how quickly they
have had to learn the music. The event
was a great success and a promising
start to the year for the concert choir.
04
The boys were very appreciative of the
time Mrs Schloss and Mr Baldwin took
to talk to them.
hIStOrY
Up ‘n’ Under review
mUSIC
Pupil Otto Heese said: “Her words gave
the stories from the history textbooks
a very personal touch, as she described
her experience of being taken to
Auschwitz, still in her teenage years,
and having her family torn apart.
We were particularly surprised to learn
that after the war, those who had so
narrowly escaped death came home to
countries with no food or resources as
a consequence of Nazi occupation –
left to fend for themselves yet again.”
The last item (but by no means the least)
was a unique talk by Eva Schloss, a
Drama
mUSIC
Holocaust survivor, which the boys were
honoured to receive.
Up ‘n’ Under explores team spirit, hope and
friendship in this tale of rugby and rivalry
directed by Drama teacher Alex Kerr and
performed by Sixth Form boys.
Pianists
at FiSh
Despite being at St Paul’s for three years,
Sixth Former Holden Eaton had never been
to any of the various school productions
performed throughout the year. He finally
decided to purchase a ticket for this
particular play and here is his verdict.
Two of our piano music award holders,
Noah Zhou and Yang Hsu, regaled a range
of people at local community charity
FiSH in Barnes this term. The charity
hosts a monthly musical event on a Friday
lunchtime, and St Paul’s has provided the
music on many occasions before, with
contributions from the Junior A Cappella
Group, string quartets and soloists.
It’s a wonderful opportunity for the boys
to perform to an unfamiliar audience,
and the experience is always warmly
appreciated by those at the centre.
“From start to finish, the play is funny in
a goofy and cartoonish way, with each
character’s comedic effect aided by their
brilliant northern accents. The character of
Reg was particularly hilarious due to Seb’s
spot-on acting and dry persona, which had
me laughing within the first five minutes.
Later on, the pre-game rituals and chat
of Phil, Frank, Tony and Steve had the
whole audience in stitches. Even the
choreography of the big game was
hilarious, with Phil the school teacher
getting thrown up into the air after a
particularly jarring tackle and Frank
smashing through the barbarous
‘Cobblers’.
“With the play being quite rowdy and
action-filled, the ‘in-the-round’ staging
kept the entire audience involved at all
times. It was particularly effective in the
final scene during which the big game took
place, as it brought the audience right up
close to the intensity of the rugby.
“So I can finally say that after watching
my first play, it was definitely worth it.
“Congratulations to the cast and Mr Kerr
for putting on a performance that was
everything I had hoped for and more.”
Drama
Drama news in brief
Three pupils, Eddy Jones, Olly Pitman
and Richard Griffiths, have been offered
parts in the second series of The Crown
and are filming as we go to press.
Jack Donoghue has been offered a
leading role in a new television series
Origins and will be flying off to shoot in
South Africa before the end of term.
Fifth Form battlefields
study tour
In the early hours of Sunday 16 October,
27 Fifth Formers and three members of
staff stumbled onto a coach headed for
Dover. Despite the early hour the boys
were all ecstatic and excited about what
would turn out to be an incredibly
memorable trip.
In three thought-provoking educational
days, the boys, led by the exceptional
tour guide Mr Robert Watson, visited
some of the most evocative war
cemeteries – French, British and
German – as well as battlefield sites,
museums and touching memorials.
A few of the more poignant sites
included the Messines Ridge Crater
and Pool of Peace, a 76 meter wide pit
filled with water, made by a British mine
FOOtBaLL
ISFa selections
The School has seen some recent football
success in the form of Independent Schools
Football Association (ISFA) selections.
Fourth Form boys Gregory Zoppos and
James Street have been selected for
the training squad for under 14s and
15s. Meanwhile, Alberto Chiesa has been
selected for the U16s squad and Max Sosna
(pictured right) for the U18s. The school
season will follow a St Paul’s pre-season
training camp at St George’s Park over
the break and there are high hopes that
all teams can repeat the recent success
in the Independent Schools League.
We look forward to seeing the boys shining
in black and white in the Spring term.
explosion in 1917; the Thiepval memorial,
where the author Hector Hugh Munro,
or Saki, is remembered; and the Menin
Gate, where some boys laid a wreath
to remember the fallen during the last
post ceremony.
The evenings were spent at the Chateau
d’Ebblinghem and on the last day, the
boys had some fun exploring the town
of Ypres.
Pupil, Macnair Stallworthy said: “At the
end of our trip we were all very reluctant
to board the Ferry back to Old Blighty
but we all carried with us some amazing
memories of the trip, memories that
will stay with us for a long time.”
CharItY
Pauls4all Charity for the Year:
refugee action
Each year senior pupils vote to decide
this year’s nominated charity. As a result
of the voting, Refugee Action becomes
our chosen charity for 2016-17.
Refugee Action, which has been active
since 1981, aims to help refugees who
have survived some of the world’s
worst regimes. The charity works to
get refugees the basic support they
need to live again with dignity, and
to help them build safe, happy and
productive lives in the UK. The work
includes legal and other advice for
asylum seekers.
For more information visit:
www.refugee-action.org.uk
mUSIC
NYO successes
Congratulations to Daniyal Sachee
(oboe), who has successfully retained his
place in the prestigious National Youth
Orchestra of Great Britain. It’s been a
busy few months for Daniyal, including
outreach work promoting music to
children across the country (as part
of the NYO’s Inspire scheme) and a
summer residency that culminated in
major orchestral performances under
Edward Gardner in Birmingham and
at the BBC Proms.
Raffaello Mizuta-Spencer (viola) has also
successfully auditioned to be part of the
orchestra for the first time this term.
The National Youth Orchestra of Great
Britain is made up of the very best
teenage musicians in the country and
both Daniyal and Raffaello have a very
exciting and busy schedule with the
orchestra over the coming year.
05
SOCIetIeS
eCONOmICS
InfoSec in second round
of Cyber-Centurion
US economics trip
St Paul’s InfoSec Society performed
brilliantly in the first round of the CyberCenturion competition, with the two
teams finishing in 7th and 14th place
and moving on to the next round.
SOCIetIeS
ImpSoc’s 10-year
anniversary
When former SPS English teacher
Mr Benyon set up an improvised
comedy society with a bunch of keen
Eighth Formers in September 2006,
he had no idea it was a project that
was going to last over 10 years. He had
no idea it was to flourish and quickly
become an iconic and adored part of
Pauline school life. He had no idea that
one day, an entire decade later, he would
be taking part in an ImpSoc 10-year
anniversary show to celebrate its
success and continued legacy.
However, this is exactly what did happen
and on Friday 30 September, Upper
Eighth pupil and head of the society,
Bob Howat, organised an evening
improvisation show in which 15 current
Run by Cyber Security Challenge UK,
the competition consists of teams
of four to six people challenged to
complete coding and cyber security
activities within six hours, with the
scoring system rewarding them for
performing particular actions. Around
80 teams are participating in this year’s
competition, with the finals taking place
in the week commencing 24 April 2017.
The first round involved securing two
computers against attacks from malware
and similar malicious intent: one was
running Windows, the other Ubuntu Linux.
Team A – Reef Boericke, Buster Parr,
Rufus Marshall, Joshua Waha, Aidan
McGinnie and Anthony Bennett (all Lower
Eighth pupils) scored 195/200 – including
full marks on the Ubuntu part. Team B –
Umer Hasan, David Khachaturov (both
Lower Eighth), David Jay, Thomas DhomeCasanova (Sixth Form), and Otto Heese
(Fifth Form) scored 188/200 – also gaining
full marks on the Ubuntu part.
Keep your eyes peeled for the results of
the next round on the St Paul’s website!
During October Remedy, the St Paul’s
Economics Department and 18 Pauline
economists enjoyed a very successful
trip to New York and Washington.
On a fascinating visit to Old Pauline
Bruce Greenwald at Columbia University,
Paulines heard his unique take on
the financial crisis. Greenwald told the
boys that the impact of Brexit on Britain
was “irrelevant” and that Britain “would
be fine outside the EU”. This was closely
followed by a visit to Goldman Sachs
where staff told the boys Brexit was
a disaster and that Trump as PoTUS
would never happen! Time will tell
who was right on Brexit.
A definite highlight was an all-access tour
around Rockstar Games, arranged by Sam
Houser (founder and OP), which started
with an explanation that “in the last 20
years we’ve never let anyone into our
business to see what you’re about to see”,
followed swiftly by the signing of a cast iron
NDA; they certainly all felt extremely lucky.
The Rockstar t-shirts and baseball caps
even had the boys being stopped by
strangers at Madison Square Gardens.
After trips to the UN, development think
tanks, NGOs, the NYSE opening bell, the
gold reserve at the FED, the IFC at the
World Bank (where the group met with
Mark Alloway OP), the WHO, a social
enterprise training the homeless to be
chefs, lectures from eminent professors
at Georgetown University and some of
New York and Washington’s finest tourist
sights for good measure, the boys
certainly felt more educated, but also
ready for a more restful second half
of remedy.
PaStOraL
Inaugural Fourth Form
weekend away
and Old Paulines, some of whom are
now performing improvised comedy
regularly and professionally, came back
to SW13 to recognise the incredible
journey of this fantastic school society.
Mr Benyon as founder, alongside former
head Mr Le Fleming, returned to their
former workplace in a performance that
sold out the 250 seats of the Samuel
Pepys Theatre and raised over £1200 for
the School’s recently selected charity,
Refugee Action.
On the Saturday morning of the August
Bank Holiday weekend, 191 new Fourth
Formers and 22 members of staff
gathered at School for the inaugural
‘weekend away’ trip to Hindleap Warren,
an outdoor education centre in West
Sussex. The main purpose of the trip was
to enable the boys to get to know each
other in a more relaxed setting so that
hopefully they would recognise a few
familiar faces when wandering the
corridors of the School.
The event was an overwhelming
success and the society looks forward
to continuing its role as a part of
extracurricular life at St Paul’s for
many years to come.
During the day, boys were engaged in
activities such as bushcraft, problem
solving and forest adventure walks.
Evening activities included an excellent
workshop on bullying from an external
speaker called Rob Higgs. Drawing on
his own personal experiences, Rob
encouraged the boys to think about the
fine line between banter and bullying,
and the role of the bystander. He also
provided some useful ideas for how to
deal with unkind behaviour. On the final
evening, the High Master visited the
boys and formally welcomed the new
year group to the School, emphasising
the values that we hold and the
opportunities that lie ahead.
Without a doubt, there are areas that
can be improved in future but for a first
trip, it was a great success and many
staff noticed that the Fourth Formers
seemed visibly more relaxed in their
initial few days of school. Huge thanks
must go to all the staff who gave up
their Bank Holiday weekend and to
the boys for embracing the opportunity
and approaching all the activities with
such positivity.
mODerN FOreIGN LaNGUaGeS
Italian study trip to Sardinia
Over the October Remedy, 15 Sixth
Form Italianists and two members of
the Italian department spent a week in
the seaside Sardinian town of Alghero
for a homestay/study trip. The trip
offered Paulines the opportunity to
consolidate and expand their
understanding of Italian with morning
lessons at a language school, followed
by afternoon activities which enabled
them to learn more about the culture
of the island. These activities included
a boat trip with visit to the majestic
Grotte di Nettuno, a visit to the island’s
BIOLOGY
Nhm Science Uncovered
SCIeNCe
Dr Perkins travelling
Fellowship update
In the Spring edition of St Paul’s News,
we revealed that Physics teacher Dr
James Perkins (pictured third from the
left) was awarded a Travelling Fellowship
from the Winston Churchill Memorial
Trust (WCMT) to investigate best
practice for science research in a high
school setting. Since his departure in
September 2016, Dr Perkins has visited
a number of educational institutions
across the United States with his most
06
recent stop (at the time of going to
press) at Los Altos High School in
California, where he also tried a spot
of surfing! Other destinations include
Georgia Institute of Technology,
Princeton International School for Maths
and Science (PRISMS) and the United
States Department of Agriculture
(USDA). You can follow Dr Perkins’s
adventures on his blog on the Institute
for Research in Schools website at
www.blog.researchinschools.org.
The Natural History Museum’s Science
Uncovered is part of the Europe-wide
Researchers’ Night project and has
received funding from the European
Union's Horizon 2020 research and
innovation programme. The NHM invites
collaborators from outside and across its
programmes to undertake an evening of
outreach alongside NHM departments.
It makes for a stimulating and varied event,
with the Diamond Light Source, e6, and
many universities represented alongside
teams, like the conservators working on
the NHM’s blue whale skeleton.
A team of scanning electron microscope
(SEM) experts from St Paul’s played
their part in welcoming over 1 million
visitors to the museum. The SPS team’s
highly professional approach saw them
set up and ready to receive visitors well
before the official opening. Beginning at
4pm and working until 9.30pm, each
team collectively engaged with over
500 members of the public. Young
and old were intrigued by the blend of
enthusiasm, expertise and great science
communication that the boys provided.
The smiling faces and eager questions
were evidence and reward.
Max Hart, Umer Hasan, Jakob Ko,
Alfie Leach, and Gian Tosti Di Valminuta,
alongside Mark Robinson and Luke
Warriner, were an exceptionally engaging
group led by Dr Tom Weller, and they are
to be congratulated for the energy they
displayed in setting up, running, and
dismantling the SEM kit, and managing
a busy and constantly enquiring
audience. The pupils learnt a lot about
networking, presenting and fielding
awkward questions. It really was an
excellent experience, fantastic fun
and great for developing a whole host
of skills!
ancient Nuragic settlements, a drama
session on Italian gestures, a guided
tasting of Sardinian specialities in a
local salumeria, and finally a football
match with the Algheresi (with Paulines
winning by an impressive 13-7).
Students gained first-hand insight into
Italian family life, with many forging
friendships with their hosts and
coming away with an increased
confidence in expressing themselves
in Italian in a variety of situations.
trIP wIth SPGS
Climbing in Fontainebleau
The second annual joint bouldering trip
with St Paul’s Girls’ School to the forests
of Fontainebleau in September has been
described by pupils as fantastic fun.
Pupils left school on a luxury privateberth coach on a Friday night; awoke in
the forests on Saturday morning; climbed
all day Saturday and Sunday morning; and
were back at school by Sunday night. The
ferry crossings were smooth, and there
was the traditional lost-passport fiasco.
Luckily, in the end, nobody was left
behind in the Calais jungle. Boulder
problems of all sorts of grades were
climbed, in fantastic late-summer
weather and colours. A special mention
should go to Luke Walters who completed
on his first attempt an outrageous
“dyno” problem that the local climbers
had been fretting about for hours.
07
ST PAUL’S JUNIORS NewS
art
Puppet making
10
Drama
the witches
11
COmmUNItY
harvest Festival
12
SPJ maGaZINe
the editors of 1509 visit The Times
maxine Shaw’s first 100 Days (ish)
I feel a bit of a fraud as I sit to write
about my first 100 days on day 47.
In many ways it feels as if I have been
at St Paul’s for years. The way in which
the boys and the staff have made me
feel so welcome has certainly eased my
transition into the role. It is great to feel so
settled and happy after such a short
period of time. Maybe it is because so
much has been packed in that I feel I have
been here for far longer than a term. I have
managed to keep a diary nearly every day
so far, so here we go, edited highlights…
Sleepless night before term began –
ridiculously nervous and feeling
slightly ridiculous about being
ridiculously nervous.
Amazing staff. We had great fun with
our staff training, building marshmallow
and spaghetti structures. The positivity
of the staff is contagious. Managed to
catch up with an old friend, who teaches
in the Seniors. I sat next to her in my
O Level History classes… It feels like
100 years ago…
The boys are back. George and Toby
did an amazing job in assembly and
I managed to hang on to my £20 note.
Civilised lunch with George, Zain, James
and Matteo. Great conversations with
bright, articulate young men.
Marble run workshop for the U1s
was brilliant: amazing collaboration,
engineering and enjoyment. Genuinely
can’t remember when I was last so tired.
It has been a great few days and my head
is buzzing with thoughts and ideas.
Loving teaching the U1s – so excited to
learn, well behaved and hardworking.
First pupil shadow day – amazing
Engineering lesson. The passion and
enthusiasm for the subject was clear.
Great ideas from sparky boys.
Meeting more of the staff and starting to
appreciate what an amazingly supportive
place school is. First early duty – what
bliss – no car parking issues! Great to
see a bit more of the boys and meet
more parents. Starting to panic about
Open Day and my talk… Great first team
match against KCS.
laughter. I had to apologise to Mrs
Kershaw for two rather soggy young
men being returned to her afterwards.
Open Day …so busy.
Chocolate teapots, glass hammers and
Waltzing Matilda today – I love my job!
More great rugby, this time against
St George’s. Huge fun in hymn practice.
Mr Waterson doing press ups – I was
very impressed. Governor visits are going
well and the feedback is a real tonic
for the staff. Great breakfast with the
monitors. They have so many good
ideas which I can share with the staff.
Wonderful harvest festival. The
community here is so generous.
David Gardner’s assembly on virtual
reality was simply incredible. I managed
to have a play, drawing a 3D picture and
walking through it. It was awe-inspiring.
Conker competition started well but
came to an early conclusion when the
zealous cleaners threw away the box of
winning conkers. ‘Holey brolly’ Science
lesson had the boys screaming with
CLUBS
John Colet Day – what a special service
at St Paul’s. The singing was truly
beautiful. I was humbled and honoured
to be part of the occasion.
More pupil shadowing – such
great teaching. I watched an amazing
Maths lesson. I was buzzing and so
were the boys.
Anti-bullying week assembly about
shoes. A bit of a risk in a boys’ school
but they were brilliant, really took on
the importance of putting yourself
into other people’s shoes. The day
that followed was full of conversations
about the appropriateness of suede
boots on wet days.
The Times is one of the most praised
and well-known newspapers in the
world and so it was with excitement
and trepidation that the 1509 crew
journeyed to the paper, knowing that
Tony Blair’s former chief speechwriter,
Philip Collins, would be escorting them
around headquarters.
miniature of the Shard, which was in
fact the News Building and houses
many major names in the world of
publishing, including Harper Collins
and The Sun. They were stunned by
the exquisite view over London on
one side of the 14th floor terrace,
and on the other, the Shard.
The boys found their way to the Baby
Shard, an astounding replica in
Mr Collins explained the daily process
of putting the newspaper together,
article. There are also back-ups prewritten for events that will happen,
but no-one knows when – such as
the death of the Queen, Prince Charles
and the Prime Minister.”
The exciting day concluded with a tour
around the different departments and
studios where pieces for the websites
are recorded.
aCaDemIC
Juniors win
London worldwise
Geography Quiz
CRMRTHNSHR – Can you figure out the
name of this county which has had its
vowels removed? (see answer below).
This is just an example of some of the
questions that Third Year boys had to
answer at the South West London
Worldwise Geography Quiz, which saw
St Paul’s Juniors take the top prize. The
School hosted the quiz for over 50 boys
and girls from nine different schools on
Thursday 13 October. As well as the
brainteaser above there were six
rounds during the quiz, with some
rounds involving Ordnance Survey
maps and satellite images from around
the world. The Upper Third team of
Hugo Berman, Hari Collins, Sebastian
Marsoner and James Trotman did
extremely well, finishing
in second place in their year group.
The Lower Third team – Tom Merton,
Corry Traynor, Karol Dmitriew and
Wentao Huang – finished top in their
year group. When the combined
scores were added, the boys finished
in overall first place; well done!
Answer: CARMARTHENSHIRE
So 47 days in and I am still beaming
every time I think about my new role.
I am loving the challenge and appreciating
the privilege of being here. I can’t wait
for the next 100.
aCaDemIC
Five medals won at
Junior maths Olympiad
DateS
Cookery Club For your Diary
On 1 November eight Lower Second boys
visited Lowther Primary School for
Cookery Club. They visited the allotment
and picked some delicious raspberries,
before heading inside to bake Victoria
sponge cakes with homemade jam.
starting with brainstorming at 9am and
ending with 6pm deadlines so the
paper can be printed at a site in
Hampshire. Frederick Dehmel said:
“We were surprised at how little time
staff have to finish a newspaper and
how much effort goes into a single
issue, so we bombarded Mr Collins
with questions. He revealed that The
Times (very) rarely misses deadlines,
but that there is always a back-up
Every year the Junior Maths Challenge
(JMC) takes place at the beginning of
the summer term for all Third Year
pupils (roughly 250,000 pupils sit the
JMC), and those with a high enough
score qualify for the Junior Maths
Olympiad (JMO), held later on in the
summer term. This year we received
five medals in total, meaning our boys
rank within the top 200 pupils in the
Start of Spring Term:
Thursday 12 January
Remedy:
Friday 20 January
Monday 13 February – Friday 17 February
Spring Term Ends:
Friday 24 March
country. Bronze medals were awarded
to Johnny Cubbon (now Upper Third),
Ayham Alkhader, Elliot Isaac and Tom
O’Sullivan (now in the Fourth Form).
Our highest-placed finisher (in the top
90 of the country) and silver medallist
was Andrew Spielmann (Fourth Form).
Well done to the five medallists and to
all the boys who qualified!
Johnny Cubbon, Ayham Alkhader, Tom O’Sullivan, Elliot Issac & Andrew Spielmann (insert)
08
09
Drama
BUDDY SYStem
Upper First and Upper
Second trip to kew Gardens
On 12 October, all boys in the Upper
First and Upper Second years visited
Kew Gardens. With 150 boys, acres of
land and just about every type of tree
a child could hope to climb, the boys
embarked on scavenger hunts,
a tree top walkway, a visit to a giant
metal beehive and a series of lessons
on survival in the rainforest.
art
Success at NaO for
wentao huang
Lower Third pupil Wentao Huang
succeeds again, having been placed
within the top ten children in the
country in the under 15 category of
the National Open Art 2016 Children’s
Competition. Having helped St Paul’s
Juniors win the World Wise Geography
Quiz (story on page 9), Wentao was
highly commended for his Rainbow
of London piece (pictured) which is
currently being exhibited at Mercers’
Hall as part of the NOA16 Winter
Exhibition. With 3,200 submissions
from 3,000 schools in the UK, Wentao
faced tough competition. He attended
the awards ceremony at Mercers’ Hall
on 28 October with his parents and
younger brother, Wenjia, from the
Upper First.
Wentao’s artistic talent has also been
recognised by Kew Gardens: he has
been commissioned to create a card
for their bookshop! We congratulate
Wentao and urge other budding
artists to enter the NOA competition
next year.
Completing booklets throughout the
day, the boys worked in small groups
of 6-8 and together discovered
a range of facts and figures about Kew
Gardens, its plants and its history –
including the longest name they could
find: pittosporum tenuifolium garnettii!
What was most impressive was the
way in which the Upper Second boys
took responsibility and stepped up to
the challenge of becoming teachers,
passing on what they had learned by
conducting mini tours with their Upper
First buddies in the Palm House
conservatory. Here they worked their
way through the conservatory and
shared all they knew about drip tips,
James Lawson joins School of Rock cast
Fresh from his win at the SPJ Monologue
Competition (as pictured), Upper Third pupil
James Lawson has been rocking his way around
the West End having secured a place in School
of Rock after an open audition at school. With
busy days juggling lessons and rehearsals,
James gives us an insight into what it’s like
to perform in the bright lights of London.
tall trees, rainforest layers and the
rainforest climate. They then followed
a series of clues and questions to see
what else they could discover before
the end of the day.
“My favourite part of the process has got to be
playing in an awesome rock band. I never knew
how different keyboard is to piano and it has
been a great experience trying new instruments
and genres of music and especially playing
with other people. The most challenging part
of the process is probably the American accent.
Even now, after over two months of rehearsals,
I am still working on it.”
“Rehearsals for School of Rock started back
in August. From the beginning I have loved
every minute, even when the days have been
long and gruelling. A typical rehearsal day
starts in the morning with a physical warm-up
to music led by either the head choreographer
or the dance captain for around 10 minutes.
Then, with either the musical director or rock
coach, we do a vocal warm-up. Because I’m
playing keyboard in the show, I and the rest of
my band do a band warm-up where we play
through some of the music. We then get into
costume, put our mics on, have our hair styled,
and the director tells us which bits we need
to work on. After a couple of hours, we get a
break before carrying on.
Upper First pupil Patrick MonroDavies, was very excited at the
prospect of the trip and what it
entailed. Keeping a detailed diary
of the day’s events, he noted that his
buddy Davide Forni, Upper Second,
taught him about the rainforest and
how to use resources to survive.
Davide said, “Patrick and I had fun
exploring the wilderness. I really
enjoyed this trip and highly
recommend it.”
The trip was a great success and huge
thanks are due to the staff and parent
helpers on the day, as well as the
fantastic team at Kew Gardens.
If anyone else is thinking about auditioning
here are some top tips from the cast:
• Always stay positive, even if you think
you did badly
• A confident approach is the best one, just
don’t come across as arrogant
• To be a good actor, make sure you project
your voice and imagine who your character
is speaking to
• To be a good singer, DON’T EVER
DRINK MILK!!!
St Paul’s are already looking forward
to returning next year!
Drama
the witches
“…my darling boy, you won’t survive
long in this world if you don’t know how
to spot a witch when you see one…”
art
Diving into the wondercrump world of
Roald Dahl and staging one of his more
frightsome tales has been a fantastic
way to start the new academic year.
In approximately nine weeks, the boys
from the SPJ bogglebox told the story of
The Witches with gloriumptious effect!
Puppet making workshop
for Upper Second boys
On 14 and 15 September, Upper
Second boys spent a school day
working in the hall with Helen
Ainsworth, a professional puppeteer
who visited St Paul’s for the third time.
In 2014 Helen had worked with Lower
Third boys to create marvellous
puppets from recycled garbage and
other reclaimed materials – almost
like spinning straw into gold.
Then in 2015, groups of Lower
Third boys made puppets to trace
the story of evolution, culminating in
performances which were beautifully
captured on video. This year, the boys
worked in pairs a few weeks before
the workshop to create ‘hybrid’ heads
made out of paper, card and paper
pulp. The pulp dried rock-hard to
create a very solid head from which
the rest of the body was to grow.
10
On the actual day, Helen briefed
the boys on how to use paint to
animate the heads and demonstrated
a range of joining techniques that
they could use to successfully ‘stitch’
together a body. They used dowling
to help manipulate the bodies and
worked together to make the puppet
come alive. This was also captured
on video, which can be viewed by
logging onto the Parent Portal and
following the link to ‘Juniors Art’,
under ‘Useful Information’. Most of
the puppets went home with the boys
a few days after the workshop, but
a few took pride of place on display
at the Juniors Reception.
The boys thoroughly enjoyed the
experience and were energised by
Helen’s enthusiasm and warmth.
It goes without saying that every cast
member should be immensely proud
of his performance, and with 50 boys it
would require a much bigger word
count to give them all due credit, but
here’s an attempt at least…
Drama
Lower First
drama workshop
On 10 October the Lower First Year
boys were lucky to have a special visit
from Perform, whose staff delivered
a special morning’s worth of Drama
workshops on the theme of Around the
World. Flying in from a whistle stop
tour of the world in order to find a good
birthday present for the Queen, Mr
Fogg recruited the boys to join him as
they journeyed to Paris, Spain, Italy
and Australia – creating live postcards
for each location. The boys looked
at physicality, expression, voice,
role play and ensemble work, and
all managed to return safely in time
for morning break!
The Grand High Witch, both with and
without the puppet, was exquisitely
performed by Sebastian Marsoner and
Giancarlo Ramirez, bringing just the
right balance of comedy and
fear, whilst the
storytelling skills of
Grandma (George
Davies / Callum
Elder), Boy
(Benedict Harrison /
Harry Hickles) and
Bruno (Jamie Fielding
/ Alex Adams) kept the audience
engaged throughout. And who could
forget the slapstick chefs and those
snotty Jenkinses!?
The filthsome witches (the very
characters that haunted my childhood
nightmares) were played so well in that
each actor found their own character
and owned it. They proved that
regardless of lines or stage time, an
ensemble has much responsibility in
telling stories on stage. I’ve said it
before, and I will again, there are no
small parts, a character is what you
make of it, and I am extremely proud
of the boys who make it an aim to
prove that in our productions.
the music team, the backstage boys
and our terrific team of parents,
it would have been an absolute
trogglehumper! So thank you, bald
caps and wigs off to all of you!
Jonathan Boustead
Director of Drama
*Translations available in the
Wonderful World of Dahl Dictionary.
As for the music, it was wonderful
to have Charles Amsellem and Aidan
Ferrand join the team. Led by Mr Berg
the atmosphere they helped to create
was remarkable.
With lots of doubling,
nights on and nights
off, this term’s production
was a huge team effort
and the result was whoopsy
wiffing! Without the support
of the cast, the creatives,
11
SPOrt
recap of the term
Some 139 games have been played home
and away thus far this term, with a fair
degree of success. St Paul’s Juniors are
lucky that the number of boys allows us
to field a great number of teams in each
year group and this means that virtually
everyone, and certainly from U2 down to
U1, will get the chance to represent the
school in competitive fixtures at some
point during the term. Every boy has
had the opportunity to make significant
improvements and this is in no small
measure due to the fact that we place
boys in groups and teams that match
their ability. As a measure of success this
surpasses the excellent 70% win ratio we
have so far across the School, although
it’s always nice for the boys to win!
harveSt FeStIvaL
Boys donate 1.2 tonnes
to Foodbank
St Paul’s Juniors took part in the annual
Harvest Festival, working with the
Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank,
collecting food and must-have items for
those who have fallen on hard times.
Upper Third pupil Edward McFie
explains more about the day:
“Once we got to the Foodbank we
were given a talk and were told that not
just anyone can show up and get food.
The Foodbank works closely with care
professionals who point out and give red
tokens to people in crisis. These people
go to one of three Foodbank centres:
Hammersmith and Fulham, Shepherd’s
Bush and White City. Upon cashing in
the token, people receive a warm drink,
a warm welcome and enough food for
three days. Akbar, Arman, Sam and I did
the heavy work and unloaded the van of
bags, with Akbar setting the record with
12 bags at once!”
The food items are weighed, unloaded
and then checked to see if they are in
a suitable condition for consumption.
The trip proved to be an eye-opener,
with Edward thinking about how
lucky he is to receive hot meals daily
and thinking of ways he could help.
He also thanks Mr Young and Mrs Howe
for taking the boys on “a wonderful and
thought-provoking trip”.
Upper First pupils, James Shi, and
Charlie Pye, have put together some
Fabulous Foodbank Facts:
How much?
• 7½ massive boxes of noodles and
the same amount of toiletries
• 3½ boxes of toothpaste alone
• 2½ boxes of milk
In total we sorted 27 boxes of donations
How old?
• Most out-of-date food: tuna that
expired on 19/8/1996!
• We found some oatcakes that went
off in 2002
The 1st XIII have already had a
confident season, winning 12 out of
their 14 games but more importantly
showing excellent sportsmanship in
victory and defeat. The Under 12A have
had a surprising season after several
years of underperforming and now
enter the final stages of the season
with a 60%-win ratio and a real
chance to confound expectations.
The Under 11A have had a stormer,
unbeaten thus far and quite simply
brushing opponents aside with an
impenetrable defence and rapid
counter attack, highlighted by their
performance at the New Hall Festival
where they took the national silverware,
winning five games and drawing one,
all against good quality opposition.
The under 10A enjoyed a fine run,
winning nine of their 11 matches,
with a hearty defensive structure and
quick witted attacking mentality. Their
performance at the Oratory festival
was outstanding, just being pipped
in the final game by a late try.
The U9s have also started their
rugby careers with gusto in their
first fixtures and at the recent
St Columba’s Festival.
The flagship sides are only as strong as
the squads behind them, and again at
St Paul’s Juniors we are fortunate to
have large numbers of boys with the
drive and competitive edge to push
their peers continuously for places.
This is no better evidenced than in the
success of the U10B to H squads and
the Under 11B to H squads who have
all had plenty of success. We know
that already coaches are starting to
plan their campaigns for next year
with enthusiasm. Rugby is in good
order at St Paul’s Juniors!
How yukky!
Somebody donated half-eaten fudge!
Most manky food: ‘fresh’ strawberries
that were white and leaking juice
St Paul’s Juniors donated a total of 1.187
tonnes of food. We are proud that our
school helps Foodbank and we are very
fortunate to have what we have.
Thank you to everyone who donated!
© St Paul’s School, December 2016. St Paul’s School is a charitable company, limited by guarantee, registered in England.
Registered office at Lonsdale Road, London SW13 9JT. Registered Company Number 6141973. Registered Charity Number 1119619.