Head's Newsletter 27 April 2018

The first Thursday back saw the House Number Brain Competition completed with the high energy and highly engaging Junior Number Brain. Ms Bickerstaff has organised it superbly broadly following the format of the UK Team Maths Challenge. The photo shows the relay round where pairs from the same house work on opposite sides of the room but running backwards and forwards to collect questions and pass on answers. The Junior Number Brain was shared by Scott and Darwin Wilberforce who both finished a single point ahead of Churchill Gordon. Scott won the Number Brain title overall due to the strong performance of their Seniors earlier in the year.

One Year 10 boy describes his weekend: ‘Our DofE expedition not only tired us all, but we had a great deal of fun too. We got to know our peers better and tested our orienteering skills. There was an adventurous feeling we might get lost, although once this actually happened, and it did happen at some point to our group, we weren't feeling too adventurous. Overall, we learned so many new skills from this that I think a lot of us can take forward to Silver or Gold, or in general everyday life, if we choose to go camping at some point in the future.’

Over a hundred Year 10s and a dozen Year 12s went out on Duke of Edinburgh expeditions in April. They all had varying weather conditions, some experienced the heatwave and thunderstorms last weekend and the Gold expedition was not able to see a single view in five days due to heavy fog, such is the nature of trekking and camping. Most of the boys had lots of fun and enjoyed the experience of being away and navigating for themselves.

Now they all have the task of finishing their volunteering, skill and physical sections to complete the award.