Head's Newsletter -7 July 2023

their new ventures. We particularly say a fond farewell to piano teacher Mr Dagleish after 26 years of teaching piano at Tiffin. Of course, we also witnessed the Year 13 leaving this term, and last week we enjoyed a lovely barbecue between the Year 13 students and the staff to wish them well. We look forward to seeing the results in August and wish them all the best for that. As always happens in schools, as one year group leaves another arrives, and we were able to host a successful new pupils day on Wednesday, and our open evening on Tuesday. Within this newsletter you can read about lots of things have been happening this term, including trips, dance and music activities and the summer sport. We look forward to our last week ’ s activities and the culmination of the house competition this year. I would like to finish by saying how much I have enjoyed working with the new Headteacher, Garth Williams, this term. I ’ m sure he will continue to lead Tiffin from strength to strength, and I wish him all the very best for September. I wish all students and their families, a very relaxing summer.

Dear Parents ,

This is my final letter as headteacher. As you know, I am stepping down after 30 years ’ service at Tiffin School, including 20 years on the Leadership Team, and the last 8 years as Headteacher. Tiffin is a wonderful school and I consider it a privilege to have taught here and led the School over these years. Although the last few years have been disrupted by Covid, and enormous pressures within the education system, I will leave here with great satisfaction in the changes we have made in the last 8 years, including terrific new buildings, expansion of the school, development of IT and one - to - one devices, and most of all the implementation of our fantastic co - educational Sixth Form. But, on top of this, I leave with many very happy memories of my interactions over the years with students, including former pupils who came this week to our open evening, now with their sons, keen to get into Tiffin school: a reminder of my longevity at Tiffin and that it is the right time for me to move on! I would like to thank parents for their terrific support for the School, for our wonderful and dedicated staff, and for me personally. I would also like to thank a number of staff who are leaving this term, including Ms Ahmad, Ms Dharmawardhane, Mr Gibbs, Ms Hall, Mrs McCondach, Mr Pagouropoulous, Mr Coats and Ms Pereira, and we wish them all the very best in

Yours, M D Gascoigne, Headteacher

IMPORTANT DATES

Wednesday 12 July

Sports day

Thursday 13 July

Term ends for pupils at lunchtime after the Founders ’ Day service

Monday 4 September

PDD Day– Staff only

Tuesday 5 September and Wednesday 6 September

Year 7 and 12 only

Thursday 7 September

Whole school returns - normal start 9.20 am

GERMAN TRIP

At the start of June, a Year 9 German group embarked on a trip to the Black Forest to practise their linguistic skills on an unsuspecting German public. Their midnight energy soon dissipated once the sixteen - hour coach journey had begun, with many sleeping, some deciding to do freestyle rap and others guessing the endings to Christopher Nolan movies to get through the journey.

On the first night, the boys enjoyed a combination of volleyball, basketball and football upon arrival at the hostel, with James

brilliantly helping a German child wanting to play get involved in the game. The next day (35 degrees!) they were given a chance to explore the Mercedes - Benz Museum in Stuttgart, admiring everything from the most expensive Mercedes in existence to modern - day Formula 1 cars. A relaxed evening was then spent in Baden - Baden, exploring the old spa town while scavenging for food (naturally, most opted for a kebab!). So expert was their German speaking that some of the group even managed to make some new local friends.

Despite the wonderful coach drivers' efforts, no one could have anticipated the absence of air conditioning on the bus, or a brief breakdown on the way up the winding hills to the hostel that night. At no point were the students unreasonable or misbehaving out of turn. Their stoicism was fantastic, they dealt with the heat superbly, and were always cooperative, allowing us to face any issues as they came and get back on the road again as quickly as possible.

Wednesday morning involved a cruise around Lake Titisee; although the boys enjoyed and the weather was beautiful, it was clear that the afternoon's trip to Europa - Park, one of the world's best theme parks, was at the forefront in their mind. Whilst the teachers dared to take on a few of the rides and hesitated at the sight of Blue Fire's twisted inversions, all of the student groups leapt at the opportunity to drop 67 metres from the top of Silver Star (their unanimous favourite) and get soaked on the multiple flumes and rapids on offer. Though the trip back to the hostel may have been slightly delayed by a group who managed to board the park's monorail in the wrong direction, a delight awaited when the students returned to the bus to find that the coach drivers had driven to France to fix the air conditioning. While the students exchanged stories from the day, we ordered a stack of pizza boxes so high that they could barely fit across four seats and headed back to the hostel. Another bonus awaited when we were able to board an earlier ferry back home from Calais, and as the White Cliffs of Dover came into view, we could all reflect on a trip well spent. The teachers were enormously impressed with the students' attitude throughout, and I think we all wish we could be back in the middle of the mountains again...

GeographY TRIP

In late May, 144 geographers in year 10 travelled down towards Dorking and the Surrey Hills to carry out an investigation of the River Tillingbourne as part of their GCSE geography course. They were investigating how the shape and characteristics of the river changed, as the river journeyed from its source in Abinger Bottom (near Dorking), to its mouth in Shalford (near Guildford), where the Tillingbourne then joins the River Wey. Students were split into small groups and driven to selected sites along the River Tillingbourne where they could collect their data. This included river depth, width, velocity and discharge. Students carefully obtained data from the riverbanks and (for the more daring of students) by getting into the shallow waters of the river as it became wider and deeper on its course. Fortunately, it was warm and sunny weather and so any cold - water splashes were welcomed! The students then returned to school where they spent the following few lessons reflecting on the trip to prepare them for their GCSE exam next summer. Well done to all year 10 geography students for excellent fieldwork collection!

MANDARIN TRIP TO BRITISH MUSEUM

On June 21, a group of thirty Mandarin learning students enjoyed a day trip to the British Museum to see a spectacular exhibition—China's Hidden Century, the result of more than 100 scholars for about 5

years. The show brilliantly revises conventional views of the country ’ s 19 th century not as a period of humiliation and conflict but as a progressive and richly creative era. The students had a fantastic time and learned a lot about Chinese history and language. Excerpts from feedback about the trip: Sean : After taking the train at Kingston station to Waterloo, we walked quickly to the British Museum.

It was really big and beautiful. The exhibit had lots of fascinating history on fashion, daily life, emperors and many other things. I enjoyed looking at the clothes that the people in the Qing dynasty would wear. The best thing in the exhibit were the original clothes and massive hats and weapons that were richly decorated. Manish : I found the trip thrilling and exciting. Learning about China's hidden century was amazing and how China influenced many places, such as Tunisia, Mongolia and more. Nafis : I greatly enjoyed the trip because it was interesting, and I learnt a lot about the Qing Dynasty, for example I found out there were six emperors in the 19 th century and there was an Empress who lived during the reign of four emperors. I also saw some most interesting pieces, such as a pair of gigantic royal vases which were presented to King George V and Queen Mary for their coronation by the last Chinese emperor.

MANDARIN TRIP TO BRITISH MUSEUM

Matthew : The trip was very fun, and I learnt a lot about the Qing dynasty. I enjoyed writing about six different themes such as military and everyday life. I also liked reading about the Opium war that the Chinese fought in. It was useful to learn about the six emperors and how three of them were children when they came to the throne. Jeevan : This trip was really enjoyable. I found the exhibit very informative and I nearly manged to finish five pages of notes! I learned a lot and I would like to go again. Ethan : It was great as I was exposed to the rich history of China. I liked the bannerman ’ s costume the most as it was very intricate and interesting. I found out that the metal balls that were sewn into the silk helped deflect the arrows that were shot at the

bannerman. Ostensibly, the bannerman ’ s scabbard for his sword was made of fish skin. I also really liked the baker's shop sign which said "Peace to all" and also "Cakes and pastries" in Chinese characters. Overall, I really like the atmosphere and culture in the exhibition. Yuhao : I thought the trip was awesome as it was very fun. This is because I got exposed to many artefacts and many interesting facts about China. There are portraits of Indian traders in Beijing, Chinese businessmen dressed in Parisian suits and a baby ’ s bib stitched with the face of a fancy

CHESS AT TIFFIN

Tiffin School ’ s 1 st VI travelled to Nottingham for the National School Chess Championships on Thursday and Friday 29 th and 30 th June, staying overnight in the university accommodation After local and regional qualifications involving 147 schools (and 250 teams) Tiffin had qualified for the National Finals beating Kings College School, Wimbledon in the regional finals. Five rounds of standard play, over the board chess, all played on live boards and streamed on the worlds top three chess sites (Lichess, Chess.com and Live Chess Cloud) left Tiffin as the 13 th best school in the country. Feel free to click on the links and follow the games of Ron, Sagnik, Ben, Isaac, Anixton, Samvrit and Cathal, all of whom played brilliantly against some of the top players out there. An added bonus was Tiffin winning the tournament for travelling reserves.

Cricket at Tiffin

It ’ s been a season of mixed success for our A teams but in general our strength in depth has helped the B teams to win a fair proportion of their matches. Interest in the game has never been stronger and despite the absence of critical players at the top of the school, we have been able to field 4 senior teams when required. 1 st XI Captain Datta Vasireddy has been a tower of strength of Tiffin cricket for 7 years! It has been delightful to see upwards of 50 boys at nets on week day mornings. If only we could find enough matches for them all to play regularly ’! Individual success can be judged by the Leading Performances sheet. Team success has been very good but also at times, disappointing. The 1 st XI, beat the MCC in the most exciting match of the season, won 6 other matches but lost heavily to Hampton and King ’ s Wimbledon. The much improved U15 side was within a whisker of beating Epsom College in the quarter final of the Surrey Cup but many of the team ’ s players enjoyed distinct success. At U14 level results were mixed, at U13 were very good and at Under 12 level they were very much a work in progress with Atharva leading the way with the bat. Remarkably, the school season is all but at an end but it was extended beautifully into February with the U14 and U15 tour to Dubai. What a joy that was! The U12 and U13 teams also enjoyed their mini tour to Exeter and Budleigh Salterton at half term.

1 st XI, versus

Photo

Rowing at Tiffin

This summer season the rowing club competed at National School Regatta, the UK ’ s biggest school and club event. The club boated crews across the year groups making several finals, boated a boys and girls ’ championship single, and generally had a fantastic weekend of racing, supported by parents and coaches. We had our best results with our J15s (Year 10s) winning Bronze medals in both A & B boat categories making us the only school in the event to have two crews in the top 20. Our Championship, Year 12 double of Oscar Luck and Zach Storey represented us in Senior

Championship doubles coming 12 th overall in the UK; with a year to go it ’ s a great platform for 2024.

We also had a Katie (TGS) and Daisy represent the school at Womens ’ Henley. This is an amazing achievement and example of collaboration between Tiffin School and Tiffin Girls ’ school. Worth mentioning that Daisy only started rowing back in September last year, fantastic progress for both girls.

There are 2 events left, Kingston Regatta 8 - 9 th July and then we wish Vlad Markov and Lucas Wilde the best of luck as they head of to represent Tiffin at Brit Champs in Strathclyde. Follow us on Instagram where you can catch up on all of the boat club ’ s endeavours. https://www.instagram.com/ tiffinrowing/

RUNNING CLUB

LONDON ATHLETICS

Connor Foley travelled to the National Schools Athletics Championships at Birmingham ’ s famous Alexander Stadium having decimated Jason Beerage ’ s 1992 4min 06sec 1500 m school record by well over a dozen seconds. Even so he was well down the list of National

The London Athletics Meet (formerly known as the Anniversary Games) will return to the London Stadium on Sunday 23rd July 2023, as part of the Wanda Diamond League series. World Class athletics is coming back to the stadium that bought you Super Saturday, gold medals galore and glorious track and field moments. Stars of the Commonwealth Games, European and World Championships will be headed for the London Stadium next summer for the biggest one - day athletics spectacular of the year.https:// www.diamondleague.com/ home/ link to Dimond league before

ranking times for the year getting into the top 20 with his new school mark of 3.53.53. The heat was a cagy affair. He was in the second heat with first 4 finishers and from each heat and the next 4 fastest progressing to the final . He started well then got boxed in for laps 2 - and 3 extricating himself with well timed smooth accelerations to be in a prime position leading from about 500m out . The home straight saw just 2 athletes ease past him. He finished in 3 rd looking calmly around to check he was well within the top 4 . Managing to keep that position despite an inadvisable slowing before the line not after the line ! The final saw him drawn 4 th from the inside and the ensuing cavalry charge left him well boxed in by the end of the first ( back ) straight. A second Houdini act was a little much to ask for as the heat had taken a little more than expected out of the legs. A strong finish saw him just outside the scoring position of top 8 for the County Championship overall points . The good news is that he gained invaluable experiment despite being a year young for the age group. He has next year to see what develops when he is the oldest in the age group next year. To qualify the county team was a considerable success as he was unavailable at the County championships. To be in the final was also a huge achievement to be quite correctly proud of.

Congratulations to Arthur on your 2.04 clocking at the county championships at Kingsmeadow.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE

Open Concert Pupils from Years 7 - 12 came forward to perform in the June Open Concert, featuring soloists and ensembles performing their own choice of music. Challenging movements from violin concertos by Bach and Mozart were performed impressively by Arthur (12CD) and Kangmin (9AGS) respectively. Year 7 piano players Joseph (7RXH) and Victor (7PD) also gave excellent performances of Beethoven ’ s Pathetique Sonata Movement I and Chopin ’ s Mazurka in A minor. The other solo items, performed with great expression, were songs in a variety of styles, from Quilter ’ s Dream Valley to Sara Bareilles ’ She Used To Be Mine, performed by Arjan (12SJC), Nad (10SP), Saahil (10MRL) and Suhaas (10MMB). The concert opened with the guitar ensemble ’ s excellent performances of Canbury Bandstand Concert This summer, Tiffin School Concert Band and Jazz Combo were invited to perform as part of the Canbury Bandstand Concert Series, running each Sunday afternoon from May to August at the Canbury Gardens bandstand. With a lovely setting beside the river, shaded by trees, the day was one of the warmest of the year so far: perfect for musicians and audience alike. The Concert Band opened the performance with music by Gershwin and Bernstein, complemented by the following Jazz Combo set of soul and disco songs: Aint No Mountain, Carwash and Dancing In The Street. The Concert Band returned with

Hey Jude and Mama Mia. Closing the concert was the Rock Band, reprising Hey Jude (in a different arrangement) alongside Oasis ’ Don ’ t Look Back In Anger and Adele ’ s Rolling In The Deep.

arrangements of music by Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones. The Jazz Combo followed with more traditional Jazz including Fly Me To The Moon and The Girl From Ipanema. The audience grew to well over one hundred as the concert went on, with even more enjoying the music from the footpath. We look forward to returning next summer, with thanks to the Friends of Canbury Bandstand stewards who made the event possible.

MUSIC PERFORMANCE

Battle Of The Bands The annual Battle of the Bands competition welcomes bands and soloists of all ages, levels of experience and musical interest. And so, in addition to the ten Year 9 bands who had prepared their songs during music lessons this term, there were another twelve acts from various year groups who presented their performances in this year ’ s competition. Beginning with a preliminary round during the day for Year 9 pupils and after school for all others, fifteen acts went through to the final at 6pm. Highlights included Y13 band Quantum Bogosort ’ s performance of the chromatically fascinating ‘ While E ’, along with Y11 band The Djentlemen ’ s ‘ Edge of the Map ’, composed and sequenced brilliantly by band members Nik and Ronald themselves. The Y9 band performance of ‘ Don ’ t Stop Me Now ’ led by William and Vinay was also stylish memorable, as was Arjan ’ s (12SJC) performance of Anything Goes. Rob Metcalfe, drummer and member of touring bands including ‘ Eight Days ’ and ‘ Better Than Mending ’, adjudicated brilliantly, complimenting all of the performers for their confidence and preparedness. Whilst Rob made his decision the School Rock Band performed Oasis ’ Don ’ t Look Back In Anger. Ultimately there could be only three winning acts. Despacito was the song performed by the winning Year 9 band, arranged meticulously by Hansen (9GA) for instruments including oboe and flute. Nad (10SP) was chosen as the winning soloist for their cover of Whitney Houston ’ s ‘ Greatest Love of All ’. And finally, the overall winner was, impressively, Y7 Band ‘ Solar Eclipses ’ for their ‘ Shape of You ’ by Ed Sheeran. Thanks to all involved for the time spent preparing such a diverse and interesting collection of performances.

DANCE AT TIFFIN

As a new member of the Tiffin Dance Company, I had the opportunity to participate in the creation and performance of the piece titled "In Motion". Here is an overview of my experience, including the rehearsals, collaboration with fellow dancers, working with the choreographer (James Aiden Kay), the inspiration behind the piece, the stage rehearsal, the final performance, the audience ’ s reception, and the valuable experience gained as a member of the dance company. Being a new member of the Tiffin Dance Company, I was filled with excitement and anticipation for the upcoming performance. The opportunity to work alongside talented dancers and showcase my skills on stage was like a dream come true. The rehearsals for "In Motion" were intense yet rewarding. We spent countless hours perfecting our

movements, synchronising our steps, and refining our technique. It was a collaborative process where we supported and encouraged one another, and even choreographed small group segments by ourselves; each member brought their unique ideas and energy to the table, creating a dynamic and visually captivating performance. Through teamwork and mutual respect, we developed a seamless and cohesive group dynamic that elevated the overall quality of the piece. Under the guidance of our wonderful choreographer James, we explored the concept of capturing motion; inspired by Eadweard Muybridge's photographs of galloping horses. We incorporated movements such as lifting each other and jumping over one another, reminiscent of the airborne moments of galloping horses. His vision and attention to detail ensured that the choreography perfectly embodied the essence of a horse, resulting in a visually striking and thought - provoking performance. Working with a professional choreographer like James was an invaluable experience. His expertise and guidance pushed us to explore our limits and grow as dancers. The collaborative process allowed us to contribute our ideas while also learning from his wealth of knowledge. I thoroughly enjoyed this creative partnership and recognize the immense value it added to my personal and professional growth as a dancer.

DANCE AT TIFFIN

The stage rehearsal at the Rose Theatre allowed us to adapt our movements to the spatial dimensions and technical aspects of the stage. It was an invaluable opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the performance environment and fine - tune our choreography. We also got the opportunity to watch the other groups rehearse, with my personal favourites being Flamenco El Bosque ’ s piece and Dance Six ’ s performance, inspired by a carnival. The final performance at the Rose Theatre was a resounding success. The audience was captivated by our synchronised movements, impressive choreography, and the overall fluidity of the piece. The stage came alive with the energy and passion we poured into every step.

Following we received lots of positive feedback from the performance,

the audience. Parents and viewers alike expressed their awe at the precision and grace displayed throughout the piece. It was incredibly gratifying to witness first hand how our artistry resonated with the audience and left a lasting impression. Based on my experience with the Tiffin Dance Company and "In Motion," I wholeheartedly encourage aspiring dancers to join the company. The opportunity to work with professional choreographers, collaborate with the company ’ s other talented dancers, and perform at prestigious venues like the Rose Theatre is unparalleled. The experience gained through participation in the dance company is invaluable and contributes to the development of your dance - related skills, such as coordination and creativity. To end off, I would like to thank everyone involved for helping this amazing experience to take place and also the audience for their support and feedback. Warm Regards, Ektoras Crisp, 8CH

DANCE COMPETITION

On Friday 30th June, Tiffin Boys Dance Company participated in the London Youth Games Dance Competition 2023. Many schools have been invited to participate in this competition through many other qualifying competitions before the London Youth Games Dance Competition. One of these schools was Tiffin Boys

Dance Company! Tiffin Boys Dance Company was representing the borough of Kingston Upon Thames in the KS3 (Key Stage 3) competition. Tiffin Boys Dance Company travelled to The Copper Box Arena in London where the LYG (London Youth Games) Dance Competition was taking place. The Copper Box is a large building consisting of an Olympic sized basketball court where; basketball, wheelchair basketball, handball, volleyball, netball, fencing, badminton, gymnastics and much more is played. The Copper Box also includes retractable seating for up to 7,500 spectators.

Upon arrival at the Copper Box Arena Tiffin Boys Dance Company were directed towards their seats where they would be staying for the majority of their time at the Copper Box Arena. Tiffin Boys Dance Company patiently waited for other schools to find their seats at the arena before the competition and performances started. The build up to each performance was greatly commenced by a fun and lively presenter. The first performance was performed and the competition was

already up to a great start with the first school setting the bars high. Many performances followed and Tiffin Boys Dance Company knew there was a tough competition waiting ahead. But before they knew it Tiffin Boys Dance Company was ready to perform. With their costumes on and a matter of seconds to go on Tiffin Boys Dance Company were eagerly waiting for a “ yes ” to enter the stage. They were given a “ yes ” and Tiffin Boys Dance Company walked onto

the stage. They got into their positions and the music started. They elegantly moved to the beat and ended with a great lift to conclude their performance. Tiffin Boys Dance Company had done a great job, the judges definitely were impressed by them. They walked to their seats and exchanged sighs of relief. After a few more performances the competition had ended all that was needed was the results.

DANCE COMPETITION

To ease the tension, Rambert Grades hosted a Contemporary Workshop and they taught a simple dance to all the dancers and Tiffin Boys Dance Company very much enjoyed the routine. But after a few minutes it was results time! The nerves increase inside all the performers. The presenter announced the 3rd placed dance company who were … Townley Grammar School! The 2nd place dance company who were … Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School! And the 1st place dance company … That everyone was waiting for … Greatfields School! Unfortunately, Tiffin Boys Dance Company did not make the top 3.

Although Tiffin Boys Dance Company did not come up on the podium, they had extremely enjoyed participating in a very competitive and difficult competition and were very glad they could join in with this great experience. Tiffin Boys Dance Company knew that they had lost to many great performances and were very happy to come to this renowned event and would definitely like to come again.

SCIENCE AT TIFFIN

Continued Success for Tiffin in the National Scientific Thinking Challenge!

During Periods 5 and 6 on Wednesday 26th April 2023, Year 10 pupils took part in the National Scientific Thinking Challenge.

The National Scientific Thinking Challenge was founded in 2021 during the pandemic as a joint venture by staff at Warwick, Southampton, Bristol, Newcastle, Manchester and Oxford Universities, and was designed to test students ’ ability to solve scientific problems, as opposed to recall of taught material.

Awards are issued for performance against the rest of the country - Bronze for the top 40 % of entries, Silver for the top 25 % of entries, and Gold for the top 10% of entries.

In our second outing, we scored a phenomenal 118 awards - 33 Bronze, 25 Silver and 60 Gold. This is an improvement on our already impressive results from last year, with nearly 50 % more Gold awards than last year! A special mention goes to Joshua A, Tom N and Alfred W for each achieving 97%!

A huge well done to all of Year 10 - you ’ ve done well to push up our level of Golds, and maintain the enviable number of awards that we have enjoyed with the challenge so far!

SIXTH FORM LEAVERS BBQ

It was lovely to see so many of our departing year 13 students at our annual Leaver's BBQ on Thursday 29 th June. The year 13's enjoyed food and conversation with teaching staff and legends such as Miss Galvin. Most significantly it was Mr Gascoigne who had his last hurrah with the students who were happy to share the

latest gossip and news about their upcoming holidays after an intense A Level exam season. In my first year as Head of Sixth Form it was so fantastic to see the students relaxed and happy and enjoying catching up with their classmates and teachers and to appreciate what a wonderful group of young people they are. I also want to thank Sharan Uthayakumar for his fantastic photography and the amazing sixth form team including my predecessor Patrick Rennie and the fantastic Assistant Head of Years.

TIFFIN EDUCATION FUND

For many years now, we have asked parents to make a regular donation to the Tiffin Education Fund on behalf of each child, and parents have embraced this as a way to support the good work of the School for the benefit of all pupils. Thanks to generous regular donations from parents we are able to offer all

of our students a diverse range of exciting and challenging extra - curricular activities that are a key part of Tiffin life, adding to the character of our students and enabling them to make friends and to feel part of the Tiffin Community. We ’ re very grateful for the support Tiffin parents give by donating into the Fund and regular giving allows us to consider future income and plan accordingly. For those who can afford it, the School asks for the equivalent of £10 per week per child (this amounts to about £43 a month or £520 per year). The amount you give is entirely up to you - many families already support at a higher level than this and others are contributing what they can, but we hope all parents will contribute something towards the Fund. Our preferred method of donation is by direct debit, set up via this Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) donation form. Please complete and sign the Gift Aid section of the donation form, if you are able, so that the School can claim a tax rebate of 25% of your donation at no additional cost to you. Your financial support is crucial in helping us to continue to offer all of our students an exciting Tiffin education and many extra - curricular opportunities. We will be grateful for whatever you can afford - regular donations have the power to collectively make a huge difference.

RIDE LONDON EVENT

CONGRATULATIONS to all our cyclists who completed the RideLondon event!

A huge thank you to everyone who supporting our fearless team of Ride 100 parent riders. We had crashes, we had personal best times, we had dark moments when the encouragement from the other parents kept us going. We smashed, crashed it and loved every second of it. (Ok, maybe that last part was a stretch)

While some were experienced cyclists, the real heroes are those that persevered the entire day in the heat and finished at 6pm. So we were are mixed group, riding for a great cause and all very proud of each others. Nittin's stats sent part way sum up the spirit of the event:

RIDE LONDON EVENT

We are over £10,000 raised. This makes a huge difference to all of the students - so thank you. If anyone else would like to donate before the pages close - you are most welcome.

Bhuvaneswari Raghuraman is fundraising for Tiffin Parents Association (justgiving.com) https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sanjay - patel20 Richard Jones is fundraising for Tiffin Parents Association (justgiving.com) Anuradha Ramani is fundraising for Tiffin Parents Association (justgiving.com) Nicholas Fawdrey is fundraising for Tiffin Parents Association (justgiving.com) Kerri - Lynn Hauck is fundraising for Tiffin Parents Association (justgiving.com)

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/varun - sharma108 https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nitin - aggarwal2

Additionally, if anyone is interested if joining the team for 2024 - please email tiffinparents@gmail.com and we will pass it on to Nick. We are already planning a get together for next year.

ALUMNI AND TIFFIN

Alumni Summer Drinks On Friday June 23 rd , 130 Tiffin School Alumni gathered in the Head ’ s Garden to catch up over drinks, bid farewell to Mike Gascoigne and meet Garth Williams. It was a gloriously sunny evening and our most recent leavers spread themselves out on picnic blankets across the grass whilst others preferred to stand near the bar (and of course, the buffet!). A group of talented Tiffin musicians, led by Matthew O ’ Malley, provided entertainment and prompted many attendees to reminisce about their own musical adventures at Tiffin. This was the first large alumni gathering at the school since the pandemic and it was wonderful to welcome Old Tiffinians back onto school grounds, in particular the women who were part of the first co - ed Sixth Form cohort. Many of the attendees took the opportunity to explore the newer parts of the school, including joining tours led by John King, a well - respected member of the Tiffin community and current School Archivist. Speeches were made by Phil Phillips (Tiffin Alumnus and Chair of Governors), Garth Williams and Mike Gascoigne. Phil spoke of the difference Mike has made to Tiffin during his tenure (both as a member of the teaching staff and as Headteacher) and Garth shared a letter from a Year 13 student on whom Mike had had a profound impact. Mike himself talked of his time at Tiffin and what it has meant to him prompting many of the attendees to reminisce afterwards on how their own time at the School has influenced their onward journeys. It was an evening of laughter, discussion and much goodwill towards Mike as he departs Tiffin School.

TIFFIN FUN RUN

Tiffinian Community Fun Run Saturday 3 rd July saw 80 keen runners head to Grists for the first annual Tiffinian Community Fun Run. Participants could take part in a 1k race, a 5k race or an endurance run where they could clock up as many laps of the course as possible in an hour. Runners came together from the staff, parent, alumni and student communities, ranging from pre - schoolers to long - time school Alumni. The 1k run was completed in 4 minutes by the first runner across the line, with the 5k run being won by Joshua Anstey from Year 10 in 20 minutes and 2 seconds. The brave runners who took on the endurance run all made a valiant effort, with the winner managing 13 laps of the 1k course in an hour.

Thomas Haycocks and Polly Shoebridge were there representing the staff community and were both brilliant competitors. Huge support for the entire event was given by Steve from Flipfit whose fitness classes operate out of Grist ’ s. The Fun Run was held to support the development and ongoing maintenance of Grists which is such a vital part of Tiffin life. We want to ensure that it can continue to be the exceptional facility that it is – if you couldn ’ t make the Fun Run but would like to make a donation, you can do so here.

TIFFIN PASTORAL & PARENTALSUPPORT

The Tiffin Pastoral & Parental Support Website is regularly updated with resources and local organisations to help you navigate parenting in the 21 st Century. It includes resources supporting Bereavement and Loss, Healthy Relationships, Keeping Your Child Safe, LGBTQ+, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Separation and Divorce, SEND and more.

MR DAGLEISH LEAVES A LEGACY

It would be fair to say Mr Dagleish has served loyally to Tiffin School since 1997, a length of time that can almost be measured in ice ages. I fondly remember his piano teaching as a Sixth Form student Tiffin all the way back in 2002 - 2004, a full two decades ago! I came into the school as a slightly precocious but raw player, with a knack for playing by ear but extremely unrefined classically. I have Mr Dagleish to thank for the great strides I made classically while at Tiffin, learning a number of diploma pieces with him (including Jardins Sous La Pluie by Debussy and some tasty Brahms, in case he remembers). The highlight however was Mr Dagleish supporting me in playing two piano concertos with the Tiffin school orchestra: Tchaikovsky's 1 st and Rimsky Korsakov's Piano Concertos (on the school's then 1879 Steinway, pictured), even giving me extra lessons at his home in preparation. My fingernails were so worn down I was literally starting to wear into my fingers. But perhaps Mr Dagleish's lasting impression on my personally is that I still enjoy playing to this day as a pastime (eventually buying my own grand piano, a Yamaha S6), and ultimately, when it comes to learning an instrument, being able to have it as an enduring source of enjoyment is somewhat the point. Mr Dagleish has similarly helped many hundreds of students over the years, and I'm sure many would similarly have words of gratitude. We wish him all the best in his next adventures. Dr Frost

To watch the Tiffin School orchestra in 2004: https:// www.youtube.com/watch? v=Psei1iybA5o

SEND AT TIFFIN

DIVERSITY WEEK

DIVERSITY WEEK 26 - 30 JUNE 2023: June was a colourful month at Tiffin with flags and rainbows decorating the school, staff sporting rainbow lanyards and students wearing Ally badges in celebration of Pride Month and as a show of support for our school LGBT+ community. The highlight of the month was the last week of June when Tiffin joined over two million other pupils and school staff to participate in Diversity Week, organised by LGBT+ Charity Just Like Us, with interactive tutor time sessions, an exciting and highly competitive Student vs Staff Volleyball tournament, and a special presentation from two LGBT+ Young Ambassadors from Just Like Us who shared their personal stories with students.

Growing up remains unacceptably tough for LGBT+ young people: LGBT+ young people are twice as likely to feel lonely and worry daily about mental health than their peers. This has a potentially life - long

impact on young people ’ s attainment and wellbeing. Alongside our anti - bullying and safeguarding policies, taking part in School Diversity Week is an important way of actively supporting LGBT+ young people in our school, and of demonstrating our commitment to an inclusive school environment where every young person can be themselves and thrive. It is also a chance to explain to all our pupils the importance of diversity in the world we are preparing them for.

In conjunction with our celebrations, we organised a Rainbow Accessories Day and a Rainbow ice lolly sale to raise money for our Diversity Week chosen charity: Free2B Alliance who is a London based community organisation supporting LGBTQ+ young people and their parents. Free2B provide 1:1 and group services in schools and in the community, with all provisions co - developed with their members. They challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and provide LGBTQ+ awareness training to schools and organisations to promote inclusivity. They seek to provide safe spaces and champion empowerment, acceptance and a place where you are Free2B! Although the final tally isn't yet complete, your generosity helped us raise an

estimated £800 for them—thank you!