Bancroft’s School Newsletter
Insight
www.bancrofts.org
SUMMER TERM 2015
Les Misérables at Bancroft’s
“Best ever school production”, “Tremendous”, “Reduced me to tears”,
“Absolutely fantastic” were just a few of the enthusiastic comments
overheard at this year’s Senior Production – Les Misérables, School
Edition. The nightly standing ovations were a tribute to the work of the
cast, band, crew and production team, all of whom contributed to make
this such a memorable production.
Now enjoying its thirtieth year in the West End, as well as there being many other
productions world-wide and a successful film, “Les Mis” has become something
of a theatrical legend. It is certainly the most ambitious production undertaken by
the School. Could the combined talents of our Drama and Music Departments do
it justice? Most definitely YES! Under the sure direction of Ms Middleton, Head of
Drama, this was a show which looked and sounded terrific. The band, conducted
by our Director of Music Mr Bluff, excelled itself in dealing with a complex score.
Vocals were no less easy but Mrs Foinette did a great job with the singers.
The leading performers displayed great maturity and sensitivity in their portrayals
of the characters and their singing. Of especial note were Upper Sixth Formers
Charlie Layburn as ex-convict Jean Valjean, whose story forms the basis of the
plot, and Dom Innes-Taylor as his nemesis, Javert. Fantine, who has probably the
most well-known song in the production with “I Dream A Dream”, was touchingly
portrayed by Julia Jones. Olivia Hitching (Cosette) and Zara Myers (Éponine) gave
strong performances as rivals for the affections of the student revolutionary
Marius (Joe Aggarwal). This is not a production renowned for lighter moments but
some welcome comic touches were introduced by the Thérnardiers (Ollie Parker
and Pria Kalsi). The principals were ably supported by a large ensemble cast, all of
whom had worked hard for several months leading up to the performances.
Head, Mary Ireland, summed it up, “Quite simply the best school production I
have ever seen; well-acted, terrific singing and an ensemble who clearly loved
every minute!”
Senior School
Bancroft ’s School, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0RF
020 8505 4821 [email protected]
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Preparatory School
Bancroft ’s Preparatory School, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0RF
020 8506 6774 [email protected]
29/05/2015 14:47
2 ELECTION 2015 / Academic
Pupils go to the Polls
When the country went to the
polls on Thursday 7 May, all pupils
and staff at the Senior School had
a chance to exercise their
democratic rights in the School’s
own mock election.
Four candidates stood for election: Francis
Clark-Murray (Conservative), Seb Ogunremi
(Labour), Jess Richardson (Green) and Zal
Canteenwala (Lib Dem). In the two weeks
leading up to the election, the party leaders
canvassed for votes by producing party
political broadcasts, which were shown
throughout the School, and through emails
sent out to the electorate in which they put
forward their manifestos. This election was as
authentic an experience as possible: polling
cards were distributed and polling stations
set up, with voters being asked to attend
a particular polling station. The electorate
had a chance to hear what the party leaders
had to say at a leaders’ debate held on
Wednesday.
School Governor and Redbridge Councillor
Michael Stark came along and joined in the
voting; he also shared electoral anecdotes
with the pupils. With queues at the polling
stations and a particularly high turnout from
the Thirds and Removes, it was clear that the
next generation of Bancroft’s voters had been
engaged by the workings of democracy. The
result was a victory for the Conservatives
with 55% of the vote, very much in line with
the outcome in the School’s neighbouring
constituencies of Chingford & Woodford
Green and Epping Forest.
Marwan Mikdadi, Deputy Head, who was one
of the co-organisers of the election said, “After
a long hard fight by all the candidates, it was
marvellous to see so many pupils engaging
actively in the electoral process. Schools can
too easily sit idly by and not engage in the
electoral system, but today saw much of
Bancroft’s catch the bug, which will hopefully
create the next generation of leaders.”
Erasmus Essay Success
Upper Sixth Former Francis Clark-Murray was placed
second in this year’s prestigious Erasmus Essay
Competition. Francis, with three other students
Marianne Cain, Amelia Little and Thomas Hutchinson,
whose essays were commended, were invited to
attend a presentation lunch at Dulwich College.
The Erasmus Essay Competition is an annual competition in
which Sixth Form pupils are required to submit essays completed
under exam conditions on a philosophical topic set by an external
examiner. This year the examiner was Professor Timothy Williamson
the Wykeham Professor of Logic at Oxford. The competition is
designed to encourage pupils to read extensively beyond the normal
school curriculum and to develop and defend informed views on an
advanced topic in academic philosophy. The topic for the essays this
year was ‘Relativism’.
Francis writes, “On 3 February Mr Berg and four Bancroftians headed
for the idyllic surroundings of Dulwich College for the finals of the
Erasmus Essay Competition. We were treated to a slap-up meal,
including a delicious pecan pie, and were then lucky enough to
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Francis Clark-Murray, left, Professor Williamson, centre, Dr Neil
Croally of Dulwich College, right
attend a lecture by Professor Tim Williamson, a philosophy professor
at the University of Oxford. Professor Williamson spoke eloquently
about relativism, the subject of this year’s Erasmus Prize, and gave
everyone present plenty of food for thought. It turned out that I had
won second place in the competition, amid very stiff opposition from
top schools. The whole day was very informative and provided a rare
opportunity to speak to an expert in the field of philosophy.”
29/05/2015 14:47
SPEAKERS 3
Guest Speakers at Bancroft’s
Every term we welcome a variety of notable and expert speakers into Bancroft’s to address our pupils about an
exciting diversity of topics. Here are just a handful of our recent speakers.
Dr Pippa Malmgren
Bancroft’s was privileged to be visited
by Dr Pippa Malmgren on Thursday 12
March. She spoke to members of the
Fifth Form and above on Economics
and its application to real life.
A very accomplished and high profile
economist, Pippa has an incredibly
impressive and exhausting CV. Amongst
her many and varied roles she was a
special assistant and financial market
advisor to President Bush and has worked
for CNBC, Bloomberg and M.I.T. She is
a frequent guest on the BBC, including
Newsnight and Today. She is a prolific
speaker at major conferences, and has
spoken on behalf of The Economist and
The FT. And so much more! Dr Malmgren
has just written a very accessible book
about the basics of Economics and how
it relates to everything around us, called
Signals: The breakdown of the social
contract and the rise of geopolitics.
Proving her own claim that “Economics
need not be grey, boring, mathematical or
scary any more. Economics is edgy, cool,
about every day examples and stories that
make the subject colourful. Economics is
going to be a sexy subject going forward”
she delivered a fascinating talk of relevance
to economists and non-economists alike.
The use of examples from our lives rather
than complex mathematical formulae made
Bonita Norris
In 2010 climber Bonita Norris, aged
just 22, became the youngest British
woman to conquer Mount Everest.
In just two years she progressed from
never having climbed at all (starting
off at a local indoor climbing wall)
to scaling the world’s highest peak.
Six months earlier she had become
the youngest in history to climb the
Himalayan Mount Manaslu.
She came and spoke to the U4 and
Fifth Formers on 1 May. Her speech,
accompanied by breath taking images from
her climb, was humorous as well as awe
inspiring, and her inspirational words had
her audience thoroughly engrossed. Using
her own story of how she conquered her
On Thursday 7 May, Bancroft’s
was honoured to host the eminent
medieval historian Professor David
Carpenter from King’s College London
for a lecture about Magna Carta, its
history, importance and legacy.
own doubts as well
as those of her family
and raised a staggering
£50K in sponsorship, she
encouraged the pupils
to go for their dreams
and take the leap of faith
necessary to make them come true. Bonita
shared her own experiences of setting
goals and managing what might seem
like impossible tasks by grabbing hold of
opportunities which come your way, working
hard and, just as she did when faced with
the icy slopes of Everest, taking one step
at a time towards your goals. There were
so many life lessons to be taken from her
inspirational talk, best summarised by her
conclusion, “You hold your future in your
own hands. Never waver in this belief.” (Sir
Frederick Treves, 1903)
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copy sent to Canterbury, probably via Stephen
Langton, the Archbishop. A true expert in
the field, Professor Carpenter helped us
to understand the importance of the first
document that put the king under the law,
freed the English Church, and, of course,
banned fish weirs on the Rivers Thames and
Medway. Guests were then invited to join the
Professor for drinks and refreshments in the
Dining Hall, where we were able to chat with
him about his latest research, the general
election and how modern society
had its founding in
the Magna Carta. A
thoroughly enjoyable
afternoon and we hope
Professor Carpenter will
be able to lecture again
at Bancroft’s and share
more of his insight.
to
Image with thanks
n
King’s College Londo
A lively and incredibly knowledgeable
speaker, Professor Carpenter’s lecture was
as popular as it was engaging. Historians and
non-historians, staff and students, gathered in
the lecture theatre to hear of how important
the document of 1215 was, on its 800th
anniversary. The audience was gifted with
a unique opportunity to hear of his team’s
recent work which proved that a previously
unattributed copy of the 1215 charter was the
Lower Sixth
Economics
student George Margetson-Rushmore
described Dr Malmgren’s talk as “both
informative and well delivered, I especially
enjoyed the exploration of the social
contract between the state and an
individual, and the way it is changing due to
the current economic landscape.”
Dr Par Kumaraswami
Professor David Carpenter
Joseph Oxlade (U6W)
it accessible to
everyone. Who
knew that the
size of cream
eggs and steak
dinners were a
direct reflection
of inflation?
Alex Davies (U6W)
At Spanish A-level we have the
opportunity to read further
into the subject and gain
an insight into the culture
of Spain. Our lecture, by Dr
Par Kumaraswami, Associate
Professor of Latin American
Cultural Studies at Reading
University, was not only helpful
and relevant to our course, but
also aided the broadening of
our intellectual horizons.
The role of women in Spanish society is
a main theme in La Casa de Bernarda
Alba by Frederico García Lorca, a play
we have studied at Spanish A-level. Dr
Kumaraswami was able to relate her
lecture to the play, while still making it
insightful to members of the Lower Sixth
as well as students from Forest, Chigwell
and Trinity who are studying other
areas of Spanish literature and culture.
The engaging lecture helped keep the
audience captivated, as Dr Kumaraswami
guided us through women’s role in
Spanish society from the 1920s to today.
A brief introduction into the situation in
Spain as well through a Christmas advert
gave us background knowledge of the
current economic situation within the
country’s borders and the controversy
surrounding the ideals behind the
advert. All in all, the talk was very
enlightening and useful for our studies
and knowledge. On behalf of all students
involved, I would therefore like to thank
Dr Kumaraswami and Mr Urreaga who
made it possible and enjoyable for all.
29/05/2015 14:47
4 MATHS AND SCIENCES
Maths Competitions Latest
Once again we have seen some fantastic performances
from all age groups in Maths competitions during the
past term.
Congratulations to all those pupils in the L4, U4 and 5th Forms who
took part in the Intermediate Maths Challenge. They achieved an
excellent set of results gaining 40 Gold, 43 Silver and 20 Bronze
certificates, with an impressive total of eight pupils qualifying for the
follow-on round. The Olympiad qualifiers were: Sayon Uthayakumar
(5th), Dharshan Balasirishwaron, Daffodil Dhyaa, Lily Meech, Meera
Murali, Jaspal Channa (all U4) and Soumya Krishna Kumar, Himaani
Yogendran and Anwar Jouhary (all L4). In the Intermediate Maths
Olympiad Dharshan, Daffodil, Lily, Meera, Jaspal and Anwar gained
Merits on an extremely challenging paper. Special congratulations go
to Sayon and Soumya who were awarded Distinctions and Medals,
placing them within the top 100 pupils for this age group in the UK.
Following his excellent achievements in the Maths Challenges
and Olympiads and, in particular, his medal winning performance
in the Intermediate Olympiad, Sayon Uthayakumar has been
awarded a place on this year’s National Maths Summer School. It is
a superb achievement to reach these dizzy heights and a fantastic
opportunity for Sayon to mix with the most promising young
mathematicians in the UK. The prestigious Summer School, which
involves Masterclasses, group work, team competitions and other
stimulating mathematical activities, takes place in Leeds in July.
In the British Maths Olympiad 2, our two qualifiers, Kavin
Vijayakumar (U6) and Peter Andreev (L6) both did very well.
Only 222 candidates qualified for this follow-on Olympiad and
the boys very narrowly missed out on a place in the top 25%. By
our reckoning that places Kavin and Peter about 60th nationally
amongst the elite of the elite!
Our team of Soumya Krishna Kumar, Jathavan Thevarajah, Swasthi
Surendran and Alex Yan were victorious in the Essex Regional Final
of the UKMT Team Maths Challenge held at Bancroft’s in March.
Teams from thirty schools took part in a day of mathematical
problem solving challenges and, in an exciting and closely fought
contest, Bancroft’s emerged triumphant. Runners-up were King
Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford and the third placed team
was Colchester Royal Grammar School. Bancroft’s now go on to the
National Final at the Royal Horticultural Halls in June.
The Upper Fourth team of Dharshan
Balasirishwaron, Meera Murali, Daffodil Dhayaa and Lana Mawlood
were the winners of the Herts/North London FMSP (Further
Maths Support Programme) Year 10 Maths Feast. The team put in
a very impressive performance against some strong opposition,
winning several rounds of the competition and emerging as overall
victors. The Year 10 Maths Feast is an enjoyable and challenging
team competition testing mathematical, team-working and
communication skills. Each year the format of the competition
changes slightly so that the rounds remain interesting and
exciting. As the winners, the team attended a special afternoon
of celebratory maths at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for
Mathematical Sciences on Monday 20 April. This involved fun and
mathematical enrichment and an element of competition!
RSC Schools’ Analyst Winners
Congratulations to the Bancroft’s
team of Lower Sixth Formers
Emma Jackson, Rebecca Hague and
Peter Andreev who entered the
RSC’s (Royal Society of Chemistry)
Schools’ Analyst Competition at
Queen Mary’s University and won
the county (Essex) heat on Friday
27 February.
Bancroft’s team with the judge Mr Brian Woodget, former
National Coordinator, RSC, Schools’ Analyst Competition
The competition is open to year 12 students
studying Chemistry at AS level. They will join
the other regional winners for the National
Final which takes place in Aberdeen in
June. Students had to work accurately and
efficiently in the laboratory for three hours
to complete the task which was to calculate
the iron content in a given vitamin tablet.
The task involved the use of some unfamiliar
techniques. The Bancroft’s team achieved the
closest value to the correct answer; this is
the first time a team from Bancroft’s has won
the Essex heat.
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29/05/2015 14:47
SCIENCES 5
Primary Science Fair
This year’s Primary Science Fair took place just before
the end of the spring term. Once again we welcomed
around 200 visitors from local prep and primary
schools to join our L6 science students in exploring
science.
Faced with the inventiveness and hard work of the L6 it was a
difficult task for the judges to decide a winning stall; however,
the first prize of £100 in vouchers was awarded to Light and
Chemiluminescence (Emma Jackson, Rhiana Devadasan and Sanaa
Umarji). In joint second place were Making Plasma and Light
Weight with The Destiny of Density and Magnetism tied for third.
This year a new pupils’ ballot was introduced and our visitors were
asked to vote for their favourite L6 stall. Interestingly, these results
were quite different from the Judges’ decisions with the overall
pupils’ favourite being Smoking Bandits (Sachin Bawa, Rowan Nijjar,
Isabelle Ormerod, Tirion Prole and Adam Gomes) followed by
Colour Changing Milk.
The visitors also got the chance to make their own DNA necklaces
(biology), launch rockets on the field (physics) and experience a
chemistry display by Mr Goalby or Mr Choy. The visiting children
and their teachers were
enthralled by the day, “I
liked the DNA necklaces, it’s
great that we get to keep
a souvenir!” Mr Ingham,
Headteacher at Barley
Lane Primary School, said,
“The children responded
really well. The afternoon
was most interesting as
it drew out their existing
knowledge, for example
cell knowledge, and added
on to it!”
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29/05/2015 14:47
6 ENGLISH
Amnesty Young Reader’s Digest Winners
Reporter Winner
In the past Bancroft’s pupils have
enjoyed success in the annual
Amnesty Youth Awards; we have had
several pupils make it to the short list
for the reporter categories including a
top three placing. However, the title
of Young Human Rights Reporter has,
until this year, eluded our pupils. This
year Jordan Gordon-Harris (3N) was
named Young Human Rights Reporter
(Lower Secondary) and presented with
his prize by Radio 1 Xtra presenter
Nick Bright at Amnesty’s London
Headquarters on April 29.
His winning entry was entitled “Wasted Lives”
and it questioned the effectiveness of sending
young offenders to prison. Jordan was inspired
to write the piece by his aunt, who works in the
prison service. He described winning as ecstatic,
“I worked hard writing this piece and it paid off!
I feel very proud and humble to be named as
the winner. I hope my entry will change people’s
opinions. Everyone deserves a second chance.
I am interested in topics about young people
and why some people seem to get on well
and others have a rocky start in life. I started
thinking about people who get into trouble at
school and are excluded and how their lives
might change. My Aunty works in prisons and
she told me what life is like being ‘inside’ – not
fun! This made me more committed to writing
about young people and why prison is not the
answer to changing their lives.”
Jordan was not the only Bancroftian to enjoy
success in the competition as Sophia Weedon
(also 3N) was named in the top ten in the
same category.
The Amnesty Youth Awards celebrate young
people’s talent for human rights reporting,
photography, songwriting and performing,
campaigning and fundraising. This year the
Awards received over 5,500 entries from more
than 200 schools nationwide. Journalist Sir
Trevor Macdonald OBE was a judge for the
Journalism categories and Richard Branson
is the Amnesty Youth Ambassador. Sir Trevor
MacDonald said of the entries, “I was so
impressed by the subjects people chose. They
were very relevant and written with a great deal
of passion. There was no question that they felt
strongly about what they were writing.”
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Another competition in which
Bancroftians have previously
enjoyed success is the Reader’s
Digest 100-Word-Story
Competition. This year Hope
Smedley (3S) and Ben Bagley
(3W) were named as winners.
As ever, this competition received
thousands of entries and, with the high
quality of the short stories, the judges
were faced with tough decisions. Hope’s
story “Coma” won the Schools’ 12 to 18
Year Olds Category and Ben was declared
the winner in the Schools’ Under-12s
Category for his story “100-1”. The judges
said that Ben’s story, with its subtle twist
at the end, was the “unanimous winner
in its category”, while Hope’s story was
praised for its “economy of language” and
described as conveying “so much without
wasting a single word.” Both pupils
received £250 of high-street vouchers of
their choice. In addition, Julia Jones (5W)
was named a runner-up in the Schools’
12 to 18 Year Olds Category for her story
“Aware” and Benedict Hughes’ (3S) story
“My Brothers and I” was a runner up in
the Schools’ Under-12s Category. Both
Julia and Benedict receive £50. All four
stories were published in the May issue of
Reader’s Digest.
Removes at Guardian HQ
Emilia Hitching (RS)
Twenty Removes pupils were lucky
enough to be selected to visit The
Guardian newspaper headquarters
on Tuesday 3 March.
They participated in a journalism and
computer coding workshop in which they
created news quizzes based on stories from
The Guardian website using coding skills,
which they were taught in the workshop, to
put these quizzes online. Questions could
be selected from a range of types of news
- home, world, sport, entertainment and
culture, and science and technology. Pupils
worked in pairs to read the selected articles
and form challenging questions based on
their content, working in multiple-choice
format. Coders from The Guardian, who work
to translate the news stories from journalists
into code to put on the newspaper’s website
or app, came in to teach the students about
computer coding so encouraging children
to become more interested in technological
skills. Pupils learnt about a variety of codes
including HTML (Hyper-Text Mark-up Link),
CSS (Cascading Style Sheet), and JavaScript.
Once the basics of the code had been taught,
the pupils worked to transfer their questions
from Standard English into JavaScript, assisted
by coding experts. When the quizzes were
online, the pupils were able to personalise
them, changing fonts, colours, buttons and
sizes, so that each quiz was unique to the pair
themselves.
Time was allowed for pupils to play each
other’s quizzes, testing how much knowledge
they had picked up from their skim-reads
of the articles. All agreed that it was a fun,
enjoyable and one-of-a-kind workshop and
hope that the trip will continue to run in
coming years.
29/05/2015 14:48
ENGLISH / MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES 7
Poetry by Heart - a Weekend at Homerton
College, Cambridge University
By Sebi Ogunremi (L6S)
Over three days in March, I competed in the National Finals of Poetry by Heart.
Under the guidance of Miss Evans and up against 41 other competitors from
around the country, I performed my three poems to a panel of six judges,
including the former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion.
Meeting Sir Motion was a great honour, as I
have admired his work for a number of years.
I was also delighted to have an in-depth
conversation with renowned poet and MC
for the competition, Jacob Sam-La Rose.
However, these were not the only exciting
moments of the weekend. A formal dinner
in the majestic Great Hall of Homerton
College, a tour around Cambridge University,
peaceful strolls in the college grounds and
meeting new people all contributed to this
memorable experience. I even found the
time to record a BBC Radio 4 interview. Of
course, the few minutes I spent on stage
reciting my poems, will be the greatest
memory of them all. Poetry by Heart allowed
me to study my chosen poems extensively,
and also build a personal connection with
them. Conveying these emotions to the
audience while performing was easily the
best moment of the whole competition.
Poetry by Heart was a once in a lifetime
experience. By the time I was waving
goodbye to new found friends at Cambridge
Station, I was no longer looking at the
weekend as a competition; it had become a
celebration of words and emotion.
Onatti Productions
Meine Neue Schwester
¡Fuera! Spanish Play
Swasthi Surendran (RW)
Alex Lee (U4S)
On 4 March all the pupils studying German from the Removes to 5ths
watched the German Play called Meine Neue Schwester- meaning ‘My
new sister’.
On the Wednesday 4 February,
the Great Hall was filled with
Removes, L4th, U4th and 5th
Form Spanish students excited to
see a new Onatti play which was
being put on for us.
The play is about a girl called Kat who is going to meet her mum’s new boyfriend’s daughter,
Sonja, who is the same age as her. However, the problem is that Kat is a normal One
Direction-loving teenager whereas Sonja has bright blue hair, acts like a twenty-year old and
even drinks beer! This humorous duo make the play very entertaining and fun to watch.
However, it was also very educational and interactive as we were asked simple German
questions. Sometimes, they even welcomed pupils onto the stage! This meant we were
given the chance to put our German knowledge to the test. The language they used was
very easy to understand and the friendly actors’ fantastic acting also enabled us to guess
some of the words we didn’t know, which we then used to extend our vocabulary. Overall,
the whole play was a very rewarding opportunity to enhance our German skills.
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The play was called ¡Fuera! and was
about a Spanish girl, called Raquel,
getting ready to go on a date with her
new boyfriend, Fernando. All is well until
her parents leave her alone with her
little brother Oscar who enjoys pranking
people, especially his sister. The play
involved student participation and there
were many laughs when U4th student
Daniel Mashadi was pulled up on stage
by Oscar to help decide what Raquel
should wear on her date with Fernando.
There was even a little sing-along when
ABBA’s famous song Fernando was
played, which made our teachers wonder
why we all weren’t taking part in the
House Music competition! Overall the
play was very enjoyable and funny and
the Spanish was spoken very clearly at
a pace which we all could understand.
We’d like to thank all the teachers who
were able to make this play happen.
29/05/2015 14:48
8 MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
MFL Leaders’ Primary Fair
Ryan Ramasamy (L6W) and Claudia Halford (L6S)
On 3 March, Bancroft’s hosted its
first Modern Foreign Languages Day,
welcoming primary school children
for an exciting afternoon. With
a wide range of languages being
promoted, including French, Spanish
and Russian, the afternoon was
aimed at inspiring young children to
get involved in foreign languages.
Finally, the day arrived. At lunchtime, we all
rushed to the Dining Hall, impatiently ate and
then hurried along to the Great Hall, keen
to set up our stalls as quickly as possible.
By the time we had finished, the Hall was
alight with many different flags coating the
walls, the smell of fresh croissants and our
enthusiastic faces. Within seconds, the Hall
was flooded with noise as a sea of excited
children entered, keen to enjoy themselves.
Upon their arrival, they were welcomed by
a fantastic performance of a scene from
Les Misérables by Bancroft’s pupils which
definitely put everyone in a great mood.
Stalls, ranging from playing French snap and
bingo to making Russian sock puppets, were
surrounded by groups of children waiting for
their turn. There was also a vast amount of
Spanish food being served, including paella,
chorizo sausages and a variety of hams
and cheeses, which all seemed to be very
popular. The Art Department provided many
pieces which the children were allowed to
paint. A foreign language-themed treasure
hunt, involving clues scattered around the
Hall, gave the children an opportunity to
win prizes. The afternoon itself felt like
a blur; everywhere you looked, children
were smiling and laughing, while also being
educated in the diversity of foreign cultures.
To say that the day was a success is an
understatement, as we all felt like we
had positively instilled our
passion and love for foreign
languages into the young
children. Furthermore, this
experience has motivated us
to develop our language and
communication skills and has
hopefully paved the way for
many more enjoyable events
like this in the future.
Spanish Trip to Salamanca
Revan Tish (L6W)
During February half-term fourteen
A-level and GCSE students took part
in an unforgettable home-stay trip
to the beautiful university town of
Salamanca, located in the region of
Castilla y León in northern-central
Spain. We were accompanied by Mr
Urreaga and Mrs Pérez who gave up
their mid-term break to have the
pleasure of spending it with us.
The following days we attended Spanish
lessons at Mester. After classes we
participated in cultural events, the
highlights of which were the tapas tour, the
Mediterranean cookery class, the Sevillanas
dancing class, the visit to the Cathedral
tower, the visit to the Art Deco museum
and, more importantly, the luxurious cup of
chocolate with a crisp, sugared churro on the
side to dip in, ¡qué rico!
Thursday was our amazing shopping day
where we had the chance to go to all the
little boutiques and charcuteries dotted
around the town and, above all, El Corte
Inglés, Spain’s answer to Selfridges. The night
before our departure, we were invited to
go to a fantastic tapas bar by our wonderful
Spanish Department where we reminisced
about the time we had during our week. An
unforgettable experience, ¡muchas gracias!
Upon arrival at Madrid airport, we had the
news broken to us that we had to endure
a “short” coach ride through the glorious
Spanish countryside. Having arrived in
Salamanca we met our host families and
waved goodbye to our teachers.
Our first day was an extraordinary excursion
into the towns of Segovia and Ávila. Full
of culture and curiosity, these towns each
had their own attractions. For Mr Urreaga
and me, both being keen foodies and
gastronomes, our idea of fun was having a
proper Cochinillo de Segovia (a suckling pig)
from the birthplace of this delectable dish,
and it was the best thing to ever grace my
taste buds. Then on to Ávila, which is the
home of Santa Teresa. This is a beautiful
town surrounded by a vast city wall and an
architectural masterpiece.
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CLASSICS 9
Sorrento Trip 2015
Joshua Appleby (RS)
It was a dreary, cloudy, typical day in England as forty students in the
Removes and Lower Fourths and five teachers packed their bags and set off
to Italy. After the long flight the hot, piercing light of the Mediterranean sun
hit us and we knew we were going to have a great time.
With the stunning views of Vesuvius and the
Bay of Naples behind us, we set off towards the
Flavian Amphitheatre and Solfatara. Poppaea’s
Villa at Oplontis was next on the agenda,
followed by Pompeii and Caecilius’s house. This
was extremely exciting, as we had been studying
the life of Caecilius in our Latin lessons.
Then came the moment we had all been waiting
for – Vesuvius! From the top of the very volcano
which killed many citizens of Pompeii, we saw
the entire Bay of Naples spread out before us.
Then onto Herculaneum, the old fishing town,
which was engulfed with poisonous gasses from
the volcano before being covered in mud. The
next day we visited the island of Capri and the
Roman Emperor Tiberius’s “summer getaway”.
Tiberius used a weird method of disposing of
slaves… something to do with a cliff and a slight
push… Finally off to Paestum, where there
were three massive temples: one to Neptune
(Poseidon), one to Minerva (Athena) and one to
Juno (Hera). They also had a museum with lots
of famous mosaics and frescos.
On behalf of all the children who went on the
trip, we would like to say thank you to the
teachers for organising such a fantastic trip and
for dedicating their time showing us such an
amazing country.
Fun with Latin Principal Parts
Lana Mawlood (U4E)
Room 3 was buzzing with excitement, during a recent Tuesday lunchtime,
when a group of GCSE Latin students had the opportunity of a fun session
exploring the Latin language with Mrs Baker, Miss Stewart and Mrs Coyne.
We were given three main challenge: the first
was a translation exercise. The U4th pupils
hadn’t yet come across many of the verbs
which were in the table but we received help
from teachers and a handy vocab list. The next
part was to fill in the blanks of a table of verbs
and their various constituents. This relied on
our ability firstly to recognise the verb, then
to be aware of the particular principal part
mentioned; there were a few filled in to give
us hints as to how to complete the remaining
blanks. The aim of the final activity was to
match each verb with its ‘principal partners’
- the pun was courtesy of Mrs Baker! We
worked in pairs in a race against time to try
to sort all the cards into the correct groups.
The session ended with us all combining our
results and consolidating what we had learnt
from the mini-course.
Latin is one of the most rewarding subjects
for me: not only is studying the literature
intriguing, but translation has improved my
logical reasoning. The session helped us to
identify all kinds of verbs in their different
forms. It proved a useful guide for revision, as
well as a stretch beyond the syllabus.
British Museum Exhibition: Defining Beauty
Mrs Lucie Coyne
The U6 Classical Civilisation group, accompanied by Mrs Coyne and Mr Mikdadi, went to the fantastic Defining Beauty
exhibition at the British Museum as a reward after their gruelling mocks at the beginning of term! It also fits in perfectly
with the Art and Architecture topic which explores sculpture in particular.
The exhibition began with the stunning Diskobolos statue and a replica of the perfectly proportioned Doryphoros – both statues instantly recognised by
the alert U6 as being on the syllabus. Through a range of artefacts the exhibition explored what beauty meant to the Ancients and indeed how important
the human form was thought to be. It brought to life some of the statues on the syllabus and offered a much clearer sense of the importance of art to the
Ancient Greeks. The shop at the end of the exhibition was also a huge hit – busts, miniature soldiers, cushions and bags were bought!
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29/05/2015 14:48
10 ART / MUSIC
Articulation - the Final
Thomas Leung (U6S)
I took part in the final of the
ARTiculation Prize 2015 at Clare
College Cambridge on the 7 March and
presented my interpretation of the
Turbine Hall. This year 500 students
had given presentations nationally
about art or architecture, as part of the
selection process. Now there were just
ten of us left from the regional heats
held across the country.
It was a daunting experience because
everyone seemed so talented but we quickly
resorted to chatting about school and enjoying
a preliminary trip to Kettle’s Yard, which is a
beautiful little house displaying small pieces
of work from famous artists, an informal
gallery if you like. Afterwards we met the
judge, Penelope Curtis, who is director of
Tate Britain. It was amazing that someone so
prestigious would be judging this competition.
The finals took place in the Clare College
lecture theatre in front of Cambridge
students, teachers, our parents and friends
and it was a lot more nerve wracking than
the regional heat, especially when there
were such amazing talks about Anselm
Kiefer, Cindy Sherman and Marina Abramovic
going on. I was the only one to speak on
architecture but after I had taken a deep
breath I knew I had to do the Turbine
Hall justice. Talking about my personal
experiences with the building was natural
so I soon got into my rhythm. I received a
couple of laughs from the audience and it
was fantastic to have such knowledgeable
people come up to me afterwards and say
they really enjoyed my talk. And to top off a
great day, I came third!
I’d like to thank the Art Department for all
the support they have given me towards
ARTiculation and over the year in general, to
anyone who listened to my talk and gave me
feedback thanks so much and thanks too to
my mum who I finally let hear my talk in that
lecture theatre.
researched presentation. He is an exciting,
critical thinker. He has a sophisticated way of
thinking. It was interesting that he had used
his own life as a timescale. His presentation
was well paced and a pleasure to listen to; he
has a great, natural delivery.”
Imogen Ward, the Art Teacher who introduced
ARTiculation to Bancrofts, wrote, “Thomas
handled the whole occasion with great
aplomb. I was proud of the way he rose to the
occasion and gave it his very best. He came
third out of ten finalists. He competed with
speakers from schools across the country,
beating Rugby School, Marlborough College,
Cheltenham Ladies College, University College
School (London), Chigwell School, Benenden
School and Highgate School.”
In her summing up, the adjudicator,
Penelope Curtis, said this about Thomas,
“Who could resist his engaging and well
Spring Term Musical Notes
Mr Roger Bluff
Music in the spring term began with
a week of Candlemas services when
the Chapel Choir sang the Song of
Simeon in Latin and English with L4th
pupils reading it in Greek. A bassoon
quartet from a London Music College
entertained a Thirds’ and Removes’
assembly giving a very versatile
demonstration of their instruments.
The Spring Concert featured
well over a hundred musicians,
taken from all years in the school,
performing a wide range of music
helping to raise money for Macmillan
Cancer Research.
A large number of pupils were busily
involved in the inter-house music
competition which was adjudicated by
a distinguished local musician, Jonathan
Rathbone. The Music Cup this year is
shared between North House and West
House. The Drapers’ Hall Concert had the
usual mix of choral and instrumental items,
with solos by four of our U6th musicians:
Stephanie Quadranti (piano), Ashley Brand
(saxophone), Samiul Khan (violin) and James
Bluff (trombone).
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The Concert Band played in the Quad for
the CCF Biennial Review by Admiral of
the Fleet, the Lord Boyce. Music included
A Life on the Ocean Wave and Rule
Britannia. The Music Department worked
in conjunction with the Bancroft’s Players
for the magnificent production of Les
Misérables in March. This complex musical
score was both very demanding and
enjoyable for singers and players and the
four performances were enthusiastically
received. The final event of the term was
the Francis Bancroft Commemoration
Service held in the Chapel. The Bancroft’s
Singers sang one of Parry’s Songs of
Farewell – My soul, there is a country.
Congratulations to Tom Gant (5S) for
gaining a place at the Purcell School of
Music, and to James Bluff (U6N) for a place
at the Royal College of Music in September.
29/05/2015 14:48
CO-CURRICULAR 11
CCF Biennial Review
Ella Day (L6E)
On Tuesday 17 March, it was the
CCF’s chance to showcase all their
hard work and exhibit what they
do throughout the school year. All
members of the CCF took great
pride in showing the Admiral of
the Fleet the Lord Boyce KG GCB
OBE DL, our reviewing officer, what
Bancroft’s CCF is like.
The Biennial Review followed a different
structure this year, with the cadets spending
the morning in Epping Forest. This enabled
us to give a more realistic view of what we
learn throughout the year and then put into
practice at our annual Army Camp. Here the
Inter-Section Competition took place over eight
stalls run by the NCOs with the sections led by
the 5th Form, There was a range of stalls which
put to the test the cadets’ resourcefulness,
teamwork, and observation, with activities
varying from orienteering and first aid, to laser
tag. Lord Boyce wrote, “The commitment and
enthusiasm of all the Cadets - who were clearly
learning from their experience and, at the same
time, having fun without any loss of discipline
– was palpable. It was a very well planned and
executed exercise.”
On return to School, the senior members of
the CCF formed the Guard of Honour, which
was commanded on the day by CSM Max
Llewellyn; they demonstrated the rifle drill
skills they had been perfecting for weeks
under SSI Damian Pascal. The reviewing
officer had the opportunity to talk briefly to
the members of the Guard of Honour and
learn about CCF from their perspective. The
rest of the parade, commanded by RSM
Annabel Smith ran smoothly, accompanied
by the talented musicians orchestrated by
Mr Bluff.
To end the day, Lord Boyce presented
the annual awards to the cadets whose
dedication and hard work throughout the
year during lessons and training had stood
out. Lord Boyce expressed how he was
impressed with what he had seen and heard
from all the members of the CCF. Overall the
Biennial Review was a success and was an
enjoyable day for all those who participated.
In his formal review, Lord Boyce commented,
“In all, I was most impressed by all I
saw…………. In summary, this was a most
pleasant day during which Bancroft’s CCF
performed extremely well across the board
and I am absolutely sure it is a
credit to the CCF movement.”
Adventurous Training
Finlay Ferguson, L6E
During the Easter holidays, a group of about forty cadets from both the RAF and
the Army sections went to the Lake District for the annual Adventurous Training
trip. Initially it was a shock seeing this many people on the trip, considering the
number is normally around half of this. However, the trip proved to be as fun
and interesting as ever (the same can be said for the weather).
An early-ish start on the Tuesday saw us all packed into minibuses and driven up to our new centre,
Thurston. It was a very different place to the one in which we had stayed before, despite being only
a ten minute drive away around Lake Coniston. It was complete with lake views, larger rooms, and
a fancy kitchen for Mr Bromfield to play with. We all settled in well and prepared for the three days
of activities ahead.
All the cadets on the trip were allowed to choose their three preferred activities. The choices were:
mountain biking & gorge walking, caving, canoeing, rock climbing & abseiling, and, for the Sixth
Form, a high mountain day. All the activities I chose were good fun, despite the everlasting shame
of falling off my mountain bike into a river! Even the high mountain day felt ‘adventurous’; during
this day five of us, with the help of Mr Lee, Mr Faiers and Mr Hitching, climbed Scafell Pike, the tallest
mountain in England. After the first day, all the cadets on the trip were very keen to continue with their
activities which was a theme which continued throughout the trip.
Next came the three day expedition. This was pretty daunting for some,
especially the Upper Fourth whose only real taste of what was to come was
their Bronze DofE practice. Despite the fact that the plans were different
to those of previous years, the whole group managed to push on through
some heavy rain, but mostly sun. We arrived back at the centre feeling very
pleased with what had been achieved and very happy to get a home-made
meal rather than another army ration pack.
On Tuesday we all headed back home. Despite a tiring week the mood
was pretty good amongst cadets and the teachers, and many were keen to
return next year.
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12 CO-CURRICULAR
Special DofE
Presentation
to Bancroft’s
Bancroftians are quite used to
attending presentations at St
James’s Palace where they are
awarded their Gold Duke of
Edinburgh’s Awards. In March
another member of our School
community attended a DofE
presentation at St James’s.
Head Mary Ireland, was a special guest at the
Gold presentation ceremony on 25 March
when she and Bancroft’s were awarded
a certificate by TV presenter Alice Beer.
This certificate was in acknowledgement
of the fantastic levels of participation in
the award scheme at the School. During
the current year it has had more pupils
enrolled on the scheme than any other
school in London, with 264 Bancroft’s pupils
enrolled across all three levels including 64
gold participants. Bancroft’s was the only
School to be presented with its own award
at this event. Presentations were made to
Gold Award holders from other centres
who had completed their Award despite
difficulties, for example one participant
who had completed the Gold Award
expedition in a wheelchair. Polar explorer
and mountaineer David Hempleman-Adams,
the first person in history to reach the
Geographic and Magnetic North and South
Poles as well as climb the highest peaks in
all seven continents, was also a guest at the
presentation. During the presentation Alice
Beer told the Gold Award holders, “Don’t
see your Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as
just another tick in the box. It will take you
places; enable you to gain new experiences
and progress in your career.”
Mrs Ireland sums up part of the value of the
scheme thus, “For young people growing up
nowadays it can be very difficult to take risks, to
challenge themselves and exposure themselves
to failure. The Duke of Edinburgh Award
Scheme gives its participants the opportunity
to do this is a safe way. It offers the chance
to develop resilience and learn how to pick
themselves up, for example by learning how
to keep going during a difficult expedition. So
often success in life will come from the need to
learn how to pick yourself up.”
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Royal Navy Inspection
Mr Stephen Young
Scout Leader, 4th Epping Forest
South (Bancroft’s School) Sea Scouts
Here at Bancroft’s we like to give
our students the widest range
of experiences possible and aim
for excellence. Thus, we do not
just have Scouts but we have Sea
Scouts, and not just Sea Scouts but
Royal Navy Recognised Sea Scouts.
What this means is that the Troop get to
experience the types of activities that all
Scouts do, plus time on water learning to
row, paddle, and sail, with the additional
benefit of opportunities to use facilities at
Royal Navy bases. However, to be allowed
to remain in the RN Recognition Scheme the
Troop must be regularly pass an inspection
by the Staff Officer Sea Scouts, the Royal
Navy Officer who oversees the scheme.
On the 26 March Lt Cdr Gray came
to inspect our Troop. This was a little
unnerving for me as the Scout Leader as
this was my first Royal Navy Inspection. I am
glad to say that any fears I might have had
were unfounded as the Troop made every
effort to impress and demonstrated just
how well they can work together.
team which had recently competed
at the National Junior Indoor Rowing
Championship showed off their rowing
skills. A demonstration nautical skills lesson
followed; the final practical display was of
first aid skills.
The final element of the Inspection was
a formal parade followed by a time for Lt
Cdr Gray to chat with patrol leaders. It was
then time to wait to hear how his findings
compared with the self-evaluation we had
submitted, and whether we had passed.
I am glad to report the 4th Epping Forest
South (Bancroft’s School) Sea Scouts passed
and so retain the status of Royal Naval
Recognition.
As to our self-evaluation Lt Cdr Gray
concluded, “You easily retained your RN
Recognition. I think that your somewhat
harsh self-assessment revealed a genuine
ambition, shared with the Scouts, to
achieve and maintain true excellence. You
seem to be well on your way to that goal.”
So we continue with our Royal Navy Status
intact as we head off to RN Sea Scout Camp
at HMS Excellent this half term.
The Inspection started in the pool with
Scouts demonstrating swimming and
lifesaving skills. Then it was outside to see a
demonstration of pioneering with a nautical
twist. The Scouts had used poles and rope
lashings to construct two A-frames between
which was a line with a boatswain’s chair
transferring Scouts across the gap. Next
in the fitness room some of the Scout
Bancroft’s Masterchef 2015
Mr Chris Butler
Ready, steady, cook! Twelve pupils from the Middle School took part
in our first Masterchef competition in the spring term this year.
In heat one, our budding chefs were given a demonstration
in preparing two dishes which they then had to re-create in
an hour and fifteen minutes. The competition was fierce but
the contestants were whittled down to six to take part in the
semi-final. In this round our pupils were asked to spatchcock a
chicken as part of their skills element and then create a periperi dish from this along with an Eton Mess for the dessert.
Three chefs then made it through to the grand final. Vicky
Veselichka opted to create a chocolate fondant dish, Daniel
Boloorsaz Mashadi chose a lamb meze dish and Rachel
Orrell plumped for homemade gnocchi. All three
were worthy finalists and the dishes created were
fabulous. However, only one could walk away
with the coveted title. Chef Marc Stefan and
Sous Chef John Barnard, after much agonising,
selected Vicky as the winner. Marc commented
that not only had Vicky chosen a technically very
difficult dish and executed it expertly, she had also
impressed the judges in her stuffed pigeon exercise.
Congratulations to Vicky and many thanks to both
Marc and John for giving up their time.
29/05/2015 14:48
HOUSE EVENTS / SPORTS 13
North House & Hatton School
Lucy Ruben (L6N)
Hatton School is a Redbridge primary and early years
special needs school and centre with twenty four
classes and capacity for 168 pupils. It provides for
children aged 3 to 11 with autism, social communication
difficulties, speech and language needs and complex
learning difficulties with associated behaviours. It has an
outreach service which provides support for pupils with
a range of needs in primary schools across the borough.
This year Hatton was awarded “Outstanding” by Ofsted. Hatton,
like Bancroft’s is a Redbridge School and North House pupils choose
to support local causes as well as wider national and international
projects. L6Na chose to support Hatton by selling candy canes before
Christmas. This is a simple idea but one which proved very effective
as it raised £240. David Gardiner from Hatton came to Bancroft’s to
receive a cheque from L6Na and also to speak at a North House Chapel
about the valuable work which takes place at Hatton.
Money raised by North House at Bancroft’s will go towards a number of projects at the school which are funded by charitable donations such
as playground equipment, after school and holiday clubs or, perhaps, the latest addition to the school which has brought much happiness to
pupils and staff – four rabbits housed in a beautiful bunny run by the playground for everyone to enjoy.
The Tube
Triathlon
The National Public Schools
Fencing Competition 2015
Milo Lammin (L4W)
Mr Chris Butler
Last term members of West
House had to undergo a difficult
challenge by choosing to do one,
two or even three of the events in
a triathlon.
Fencing is a relatively new activity
added to the Bancroft’s programme.
With the assistance of Higham’s
Park Fencing Club, the School now
runs an after-school fencing club
every Tuesday afternoon for all
pupils. It soon transpired that there
are some very able fencers amongst
our ranks.
The goal of the triathlon challenge was
to raise money for the Alzheimer’s
Society by going the distance from one
end of the Central Line to the other. In
addition to our physical contributions,
some members of my tutor group (L4Wa)
counted lengths or laps. The swimmers in
our tutor group relished the challenge as
Daniel Lockley, Thomas Liu and Zac Tiller
swam an incredible total of 250 lengths.
Dora Zhou and Alice Bolitho also jumped
in the pool and even Mrs O’Sullivan swam
a mile alongside members of her group.
We aren’t just good swimmers though, as
Asif Ahmed, Deven Solanki and myself ran
around the field for 1 hour until we were
so tired that we could hardly walk. Yoma
Toweh and Thomas Meyers cycled in the
gym as well, so everyone was involved. By
the end of the challenge, L4Wa managed
to raise £75.00 for the Alzheimer’s
Society; this will be combined with the
money raised by the rest of West House.
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Ian Lepley and Mohamed Hamika, who
have been coaching this year, have been
so impressed that two of our pupils, Hasha
Dar and Anwar Jouhary were selected to
represent the School at the National Public
Schools Competition at Crystal Palace in
March. This is an extremely prestigious
competition which has run since 1890 and it
was the first time Bancroft’s had entered.
The boys competed in the
Mount-Haes Foil section
against pupils from schools
with a rich tradition in
fencing such as Eton College,
Winchester College and
Millfield. At the end of the
competition Hasha had
finished in 51st place and
Anwar 75th – not bad first
time round! Both coaches
hope this success will see
more of our pupils take
up the sport and we look
forward to seeing more
Bancroftians at the event
next year.
29/05/2015 14:48
14 SPORTS
My First England Cap
Will Hopkins (5S)
My dad introduced me to hockey
at Old Loughts hockey club when
I was nine years old and I have
been playing matches for them
ever since. From playing once a
week I now play five times a week
representing Bancroft’s, Old Loughts
and now England and I hope to do
so for years to come.
I love hockey because it is fast paced
requiring a high level of skill and precision
as well as combining the team ethos. I
enjoy the banter before a match and
encouragement during the game from my
fellow team mates.
This year’s journey began last summer with
the JRPC (Junior Regional Performance
Centres) camps. I was chosen to represent
Saxon Tigers at the Boys U16s Futures Cup
(a competition for North, East, West and
Midlands Regions) and we narrowly won the
competition. This led to selection for the
initial England Squad of thirty-six. After three
training weekends in December and January
that list of names was cut to twenty-six and,
luckily, I made the final squad. It would have
been really disappointing to have been left
out at this stage having put so much effort
into the process. Practice games followed
against the U17s and also British Colleges
before our first real test – the fixtures against
the Netherlands.
Over the Easter bank holiday, I was awarded
my first cap when England U16 played
against the Netherlands, one of strongest
sides in Europe. This was a series of three
matches played at Lilleshall National Sports
Centre near Telford. We were nervous going
in to our first match as England had not
beaten the Dutch for a number of years. This
showed as they just beat us 2-1, scoring their
Junior
Hockey Tour
Claudia Joarder (RS)
During the Easter holidays a
group of Thirds and Removes
went to Holland for our annual
hockey tour.
winning goal in the final minute but we were
certainly not overawed by the opposition and
were determined to turn things around in the
next two games. The second game proved
most exciting with a winner from England,
again scored in the final minute. The Dutch
could not believe it. But could we repeat the
feat in the third and final game? Although
it was a much more circumspect game, we
scored first and had enough fitness on our
side to carry home a 1-0 victory.
The programme continues throughout the
summer with training days at Lilleshall as well
as camps and matches against Ulster and
Scotland. There is then a camp in Belgium
(early July) which is swiftly followed by the
Six Nations Tournament in Breda in July. This
is the real culmination of everyone’s efforts
throughout the last year.
Over the course of the week each team
played three matches. Overall there was
a mix of defeats and victories. As well as
having two training sessions with excellent
coaches, from whom we learnt a lot, we
visited the Ann Frank Museum. This was
emotional but educational and definitely
worth getting up very early in order to
queue to get in. One evening we went to
the “I Am Amsterdam” sign on our way back
from a match and we spent a whole day at
a theme park, which we all enjoyed a lot
including the teachers! We also shopped
in Dam Square and went on a canal cruise
through the city. This trip was a great time
for us to get to know our team mates and
people from other years. It was an exciting
experience and we had a lot of fun.
I have to thank School for allowing me to miss
rugby during those initial days last September
and October, which enabled me to stay injury
free and concentrate 100% on my hockey.
Thanks to Arram in the gym who has helped
with my fitness and conditioning programme
and to Mr MacLeod who has supported me
along the way. The end of July brings about
the School Hockey Trip to Singapore and
Malaysia which should be a great experience
in itself not just on the sporting front but as a
cultural experience too.
Badminton Silvers for Bancroft’s
Mr John Raw
For the second year of entering
the National Schools Badminton
Championships, Bancroft’s
managed to get two teams through
to the regional round, representing
Redbridge, which also was jointly
the final of the Balfour Beatty
London Youth Games.
The regional round took place on Tuesday
2 March at Crystal Palace. This year we
had a KS4 boys’ team and a KS3 girls’ team
competing. Performances were strong
all round and there were some fantastic
games to watch, particularly some of the
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singles matches. We beat two out of three
of the teams which had got to the regionals,
losing against some very strong teams from
Sutton, meaning that in both categories
we were placed second, going home with
silver medals for a second consecutive
year. With some more training and hard
work I hope that next year we might go one
better and get through to the finals of the
Championship. All the students should be
proud of their performances.
position both times. It gives an exciting
status to a sport that can be played by
anybody at any stage in their life.”
Dani Mugridge, Director of Sports, said,
“Badminton has really taken off at Bancroft’s
in the last couple of years and we have
lots of children playing both recreationally
and competitively. I’m really pleased that
within the first two years of entering this
competition we have achieved silver medal
29/05/2015 14:48
PREP SCHOOL / BANCROFT COmmUNITY 15
Prep 2s in Paris
dance
distinction
for Prep Girls
Akhila Natarajan (P2)
On Monday 4 May, the whole
of Prep 2 left from St Pancras
Station to travel by the Eurostar
to France. The journey didn’t take
that long and when we reached
our destination we met our PGL
instructors. On the coach we had
a tour around Paris, seeing lots of
famous sights such as the Louvre
and the River Seine.
When we arrived at the château we found
out who was in our room. We were all really
pleased that we got to stay with our friends.
We then headed off to our first activity, the
Bin Bag Fashion Show! We had to design
and dress up in bin bags and then pose as
models, it was really fun watching everyone
walking up the catwalk to disco lights and
music. Everyone was amazing and the
teachers had a hard time judging, but the
winners were Isabel Haley and her group.
The next day was our busiest day! We had a
day in Paris, going up the Eiffel Tower and a
trip on a Bateau Parisian along the River Seine.
We then went down into the sewers and saw
some spiders and a rat! We had a meal in a
French restaurant which was scrumptious:
chicken and fries or crispy cheese covered in
breadcrumbs and fries. It was then topped
with a gooey chocolate éclair. On Wednesday
we visited a French market to practise our
French and bargaining skills and we bought
lots of souvenirs for our family. This was
followed by a tour of Fontainebleau, which
was Napoleon’s Palace. It was spectacular and
grand – every inch a palace.
We spent some time on site at the château
doing activities, such as abseiling, team
challenge, climbing and archery. We also
visited a farm to see animals: geese, pigs, a
goat, horses, a donkey, a dog and some snails.
The next day we went to Parc Asterix, this was
probably the best day! We went on loads of
rides and the favourites were the seven loop
rollercoaster and the Egyptian ride. We then
all watched the dolphin show. The dolphins
were phenomenal and they did lots of tricks.
When we returned to the château for dinner
when some people tried snails. Most people
said they tasted really nice. We then went out
bowling, probably the best night!
When the final day came, the teachers gave
out prizes and then we all boarded the bus.
We visited the Sacrè Coeur, a massive church
on a hill in Paris, the Montmartre and Artists’
Square before leaving to catch the Eurostar
back to London. Thank you to all the teachers
who organised this and made it possible for
us to go on this wonderful trip.
Three Prep School girls, Daisy
Cohen, Sophia Jayaraj and Jemima
Strong, competed with other
dancers from the Buckhurst Hill
and Woodford School of Dancing in
the National Classical Greek Dance
Finals held in Welwyn Garden City
on Sunday, 10 May.
They won the Marguerite Steen Shield
for first place and also won first prize for
Outstanding Costume and Most Memorable
Performance of the competition (the Rosina
Wenham Shield). Fifteen dance schools
from all over the country took part in the
Finals so it was a fabulous achievement for
the girls!
From the Parents’ Association
Jo Hughes, PA Member
The PA is busy preparing for all the
June events which are now just
around the corner: the Bancroft’s
Teachers v Parents cricket match
on Monday 15 June, to which
spectators are warmly invited and
where Pimms will be served; Sports
Day on Saturday 20 June; and the
now sold out Great Gatsby Summer
Ball on Saturday 27 June.
As its name implies, the Ball this year
has a 1920s’ theme. There will be drinks
and canapés in the quad from 7pm, with
entertainment by the Bancroft ’s Swingers,
followed by a three course dinner by
Bespoke Caterers and then live music with
Fully Funktional. We look forward to sharing
this special evening with as many members
of the Bancroft ’s community as possible.
A64402 Bancrofts Insight Summer 2015 16pp P3.indd 15
We are also pleased to report on the
outcome of the latest PA fundraising
project. Over the Easter break, the
library design company Demco Interiors
worked alongside Bancroft ’s School’s
own Maintenance Department to create
a colourful, vibrant new Library for the
Prep School. Kathryn Houghton, the
Prep School Librarian, explains, “The old
shelving has been replaced with new height
appropriate shelving and the improved
design incorporates new tables and seating
areas, a returns box, a self-issue pod and
even the walls have received a coat of
paint! The resulting bright, airy, open space
really showcases the Prep School’s fabulous
collection of books.” Joe Layburn, Head of
the Prep, says, “We’re absolutely delighted
with the new library. It’s colourful, enticing
and fun, with plenty of nooks and corners
where the children can read and research.
Bright green seats and beanbags are not
what you’d expect in a traditional library
but we didn’t want a traditional library! We
are a modern and progressive school and,
thanks to the generosity of the Parents’
Association we now have a space at the
heart of our school which is perfect for us
and our needs.”
The PA is now, like Bancroft ’s School itself,
represented on Facebook and Twitter so
please “Like” us and “Follow” us!
Facebook Bancroft’s School
Parents’ Association
Follow Us on Twitter
29/05/2015 14:49
16 BANCROFT COmmUNITY
Bancroft’s Business Breakfast
Miss Gemma Wicks
On 27 February, more than sixty-five
Old Bancroftians, current parents,
friends of the School and their
guests attended the most recent
Bancroft’s Business Breakfast, which
was held at Drapers’ Hall.
The guest speaker was Professor Graham
Zellick CBE QC, who gave a fascinating
talk about his experiences serving on the
Criminal Cases Review Commission and
the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which
was described recently by The Guardian
newspaper as “the most secretive court in
the country”. An interesting Q&A session was
followed by a networking breakfast, after
which guests were treated to a tour of the
Drapers’ Hall by the Archivist, Penny Fussell.
The event also gave guests an excellent
opportunity to meet and network with other
professionals in the Bancroftian community.
If you would like to suggest a theme,
venue, or speaker for future Business
Breakfast events, or to find out more about
the Bancroft ’s Foundation, please contact
Gemma Wicks at
[email protected].
The venue was kindly sponsored by the
Drapers’ Company and so, after costs, all
other ticket monies were directed to the
Bancroft ’s Foundation, which supports
means-tested scholarships at the School to
enable children to attend, regardless of their
financial background.
PHAB at Bancroft’s
Mrs Lynne Hague
The Epping Forest Phab group has
been meeting on Monday evenings
at Bancroft ’s for over two years,
usually in the Prep School Hall.
It’s an informal drop-in social club
for everyone - all ages from young
children to adults, disabled and
able-bodied.
Many of our pupils come along to help and
they get involved in arts & crafts, kicking
around a football on the field, playing boccia,
setting up the karaoke in the Prep PAC, etc.
In addition to the normal weekly club
nights, there are themed events which have
included wheelchair dancing, a drumbeat
workshop, an Easter Egg hunt and various
parties. The club organises occasional trips
out too, such as bowling and greyhound
racing. Last August, the group went on a trip
to London Zoo in a small convoy of minibuses
and cars. Tom Hutchinson (U6N) joined them.
He says, “On arrival, everyone was given a
map and information about the shows and
animals available to be seen on the day and
the excitement began. Despite the unsettled
weather, everyone was enthusiastic and
thoroughly enjoyed the day. Whether it be
the adorable penguins or stunning aquarium,
it was fun all round and a great experience
for all involved.”
If you are interested in knowing more
about Phab, have a look at their website
http://eppingforest.phab.org.uk, or check
them out on Facebook. You would be very
welcome to come along to one of the club
nights too - the more the merrier!
Anthony Rew is a long standing member of
Phab, he is wheelchair bound and lives at
Woodford Court Care Home, where several
of the members come from. Here’s what
Anthony says about the club, “The Halloween
party was very good, especially the music.
Bowling was all right, but I preferred the
party! The hour-long charity walk in Hyde
Park last summer was really good, and
possibly the event I enjoyed the most. What
I love about Phab is meeting people once
a week, whether they are able or disabled,
and being able to bond together with them
as one; at Phab, we are not treated as if we
have disabilities. I know a lot about it, but
that’s because I have been a member for two
years. It has grown a lot since then, and in
that time, I won an award.”
Term dates
SPRING TERM 2016
SUMMER TERM 2015
Monday 20 April – Friday 3 July
Half term
Monday 25 May – Friday 29 May
Tuesday 12 January – Thursday 24 March
Half term
Monday 15 – Friday 19 February
SUMMER TERM 2016
AUTUMN TERM 2015
Wednesday 9 September – Friday 18 December
Half term
Monday 26 October – Friday 6 November
Monday 18 April – Friday 8 July
Half term
Monday 30 May – Friday 3 June
Find us on Facebook
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www.bainesdesign.co.uk A64402
Senior School
Bancroft ’s School, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0RF
020 8505 4821 [email protected]
A64402 Bancrofts Insight Summer 2015 16pp P3.indd 16
Preparatory School
Bancroft ’s Preparatory School, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0RF
020 8506 6774 [email protected]
29/05/2015 14:49