Andrew Duncombe

124 Pages·2009·9.51 MB·English

The Annual Magazine
of King €duuard's School
Birmingham
CHRONIO.6

KES CHRONICLE 1998
CHRONICLE
CONTENTS
H6LLOS 5
GOOD6V6S 10
FCATURCS 15
Reviews 29
WORDS 37
MUSIC 45
PICTURCS 49
TRIPS 57
SOCICTieS 75
HOUS6S 83
SPORT 91
EDITORIAL STAFF
Heuos & GOODBVeS The Team
FeRTURes Daniel Andrews
DRRMR Alex Houuell
MUSIC Benedict Fisher
TRIPS Paul Rutter
Houses Michael McDermott
socieTies Vivek Katyal
SPORT James Hebblethuuaite
CDITOR Philip Wheatley
STRff Sophie Sheringham
RRTWORK Richard Hamilton
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KES CHRONICLE 1998
CHRONICLE
EDITORIAL
Hugh Wright, our departing Chief Master, has long said that we do "an unusual number of things unusually
well", and that much is certainly true.
Looking through what has already come in for this year's Chronicle, and what went in last year's Chronicle,
there are trips run by staff to far-flung places (Mount Blanc, Iceland, Texas, Abergavenny and Stokes Bam to name
but a few); There are articles about pupils' work in Stage Crew, PSG, Cot Fund, and at Andrew's Coppice; There are
reviews of five or six school plays and the same number of concerts and lunchtime recitals, there are sports tours in
exotic locations and numerous societies.
Behind each of these activities there is a member of staff, and a number of pupils, each contributing in their
own way, each giving up their free time - be it to organise the trips, to organise a society meeting, or to visit elderly
people, or to organise Cot Fund events. It is these people, whom the school has brought up in "godliness and good
learning", who have earned for the school a reputation that is second to none. It is these who have "Feared no
hardship, shirked no labour, smiled at death and conquered fate", it is these people who have made our school
"great" and it is of these people, we should be proud.
The price for our reputation must be eternal vigilance. We must never get complacent or apathetic; for if we do
we shall surely learn that a tarnished crown is no crown at all.
As is customary, I would like to give my well-earned thanks to Diane, Fred and Sandra, without whom Chronicle
would never get off the drawing board let alone through the 57 (and then some) revisions it goes through before it
gets to the finished work you see before you.
I would also like to thank all the section editors for their hard work. Anyone can hand in a Chronicle section,
but it takes a special kind of person to do it well, and this year I am glad to say, they have all done just that.
Most of all however, I would like to thank the two people who have been ever-present throughout the 14 month
gestation period it takes for Chronicle to go from conception to birth. Without Miss Sheringham and Miss Tudor,
Chronicle would have been but a pale reflection of what it is today.
Philip Wheatley
Editor
'Unaccustomed as I am...'
Having been impressed by its glossy pages and professional appearance, I enthusiastically accepted responsibility
for Chronicle when Julian Burns decided that Chronicle 1997 was to be his last. I am happy to say that in spite of the
size and difficulty of the task and the anxiety with which much of the year has been fraught, that initial enthusiasm
has not waned (much). I look forward with excitement to seeing the final product of so much hard work.
I must thank first of all, the team who has put the magazine together. The section editors have had full
responsibility for the layout of their sections and have coped with the challenge admirably. I name especially Philip
Wheatley and James Hebblethwaite, Philip for his dedication to Chronicle, even after his departure for university,
and James for his patience and tireless exertions as editor.
My thanks also go to Bradley Spencer, Richard Hamilton and Tomek Naden for their excellent work on the
covers and sections headings; Catherine Tudor and Julian Burns for their unstinting advice and support; and to the
Resources Centre Staff for their help and their tolerance.
SES
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KES CHRONICLE 1998
David Ash door that the appearance of the school C: Why did you go into teaching?
and equipment within it are a high DJA: As a 6th former, I used to earn
Head of Modern Languages
investment priority. If you are looking money during the holidays teaching
for differences, I would have to say that English to French children in Kent and
life at KES seems more pressurised. loved it. I spent two years in France as
Both pupils and staff are busier, which an English assistant, and after
can make it difficult to find time to build graduating, a year's teacher training
up relationships. increased my enthusiasm, so I jumped
in with both feet.
C: The pupils see you as a bit of a
radical. What is your answer to this? C: ... Russian ?
DJA: It rather depends what you mean. DJA: It's the world's 5th most widely
If you mean someone who tends to look spoken language after English, Chinese,
at the way things are done and ask Hindi and Spanish (French is 6lh and
"How can we do this better, for the German is 12Ih by the way). It is not as
greater benefit of a larger number of difficult to learn as they would have you
people?", then I'm comfortable with the believe, especially up to GCSE.
label. I have always felt that we have
C." What are the advantages of doing a
more to fear from apathy and
modern language at A-Level?
complacency that we have from
DJA: Britain has a terrible reputation
C: What did you do before KES? responsible change. I suppose that's
for laziness where foreign languages are
DJA: For the last five years I ran the why I try to encourage people to look
concerned. It's not true that "everyone
Russian Department at Bolton school beyond the familiar, to get out of their
out there" speaks English, and those
in Lancashire. There aren't many comfort zones, to think more
who remain stubbornly monolingual are
schools where Russian is a major adventurously. If that means
limiting their opportunities. I would not
subject, and I suppose a Lancashire mill questioning the status quo from time to
stop at European languages either, even
town is not the first place you would time, as long as it's done sensibly then
though they are the ones we tend to
go looking for one, but we had over 100 it can be quite helpful.
teach in British schools. The skills of
boys studying the language at any one
C: What do you like doing out of language acquisition, once learned, can
time. I taught French as well, of course,
school? be applied to anything from Swahili to
but the Russian sort of took over.
DJA: My main focus outside school is Chinese. And once you've started, why
C: How have you found KES different the church. Wherever my wife and I confine yourself to "economically
from your previous school? have lived, being part of a Christian strategic" languages? Buck the trend!
DJA: The similarities strike you first. community has always been very Study something unusual for its own
Like KES, Bolton school is an important. I'm also a musician and the sake rather than with one eye in the
academically successful, independent two spheres overlap quite a bit. My bank account! - There, is that radical
boys' school with a girls' "division" on favourite kind of holiday involves hills enough for you?
the same site. Sport is strong, the or mountains. And as you would expect
buildings are magnificent: it is obvious of a linguist foreign travel has become C: Thank you very much Mr Ash.
from the moment you walk through the a bit of a habit.
HELLOS PageS
KES CHRONICLE 1998 -
Michael Daniel Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in lesson coincides with the beginning of
England). another, in spite of the fact that the two
Head of Physics
lessons are timetabled in two different
C: What made you leave CERN to
places, which is in direct contradiction
pursue a teaching career?
of a fundamental law of nature - "You
MD: I went to CERN as a research
cannot be in two different places at the
fellow. Such positions are not
same time". Teaching here is a lot of
permanent; they usually last two years.
hard work and there is always
After that you must find another job
something to be done in running the
somewhere else. After leaving CERN I
Physics department. There is always
went to work in the Rutherford
paper in my pigeon hole, no matter how
Appleton Laboratory. My teaching
many times I empty it during the day!
career started when Canon Phillips,
who was then Chaplain of St. John's C: Do you agree with Physicists who
(my College in Oxford) was appointed have said that "Biology is for scientists
Headmaster of The King's School in who can't handle real mathematics"?
Canterbury and was looking for a MD: Certainly not. Biologists study
physics teacher. Chris Lewellyn-Smith, extremely complicated systems. Even
who was then a Fellow at St. John's, a living cell is very complicated.
C: What did you do before KES? suggested that I get in touch with Canon Because of its complexity it is not
MD: I was head of Science at St. Paul's Phillips. This I did and I got the job. always possible to study such a system
Girls' School in London for six years. mathematically. Physicists, on the other
C: What do you think of KES?
Before that I spent four years at the hand, devise rather 'simple' systems,
MD: It is a very good school with high
King's School in Canterbury, teaching which they then analyse thoroughly,
academic standards and achievements.
Physics. I spent fifteen years before that using the full power of mathematics, in
It is not a place for idle pupils. Teaching
doing research in elementary particle order to discover and study the
and learning at KES is very rapid and
fundamental laws of nature.
physics (department of Theoretical
everything moves quickly, very much
Physics in Oxford, DESY in Germany,
like the timetable. As you know one
Paris in France, CERN, and the C: Thank you very much Dr. Daniel
Andrew Duncombe C: How do such places as Nepal AD: Well, I do like to keep fit, and
compare with Birmingham? generally enjoy sport: cricket, rugby,
Geography
AD: My year of travelling was an and running. Though I wouldn't say
unbelievable experience. All the I'm a fitness freak. Also I'm a bit of a
cultures were so rich and the people so fan of the theatre, especially musicals.
friendly, which is not dissimilar to
C: What impression would you like to
Birmingham, which I have found a very
leave on KES when you leave? (if you
friendly place. However places such as
leave... ?)
Nepal are so unique. Any experience of
AD: Is this question referring to the
such places affects you in a profound
length of time some staff have been
way, without you necessarily realising
here? I hope to have helped boys learn
at the time.
how the world works. Mind you I'm
C: What would you say the best thing still learning myself - no one should
is about teaching at KES? ever stop learning.
AD: I can think of three things: the
C: Finally, any great ambitions?
friendly staff, generally responsive boys
AD: I'm not one to look too far ahead,
and the splendid facilities.
but I would like to make progress in the
C: So what would you change about the teaching profession. I'm pretty
school? determined in most things I do, and I
can't imagine I would stay in teaching,
C: Tell us about your life before you
AD: I think it's too early to say.
if I didn't want to progress further. And
came to KES?
However, as their coach, I would like
to see the world while I'm doing it!
AD: I went to school at one of our
to be able to change the results of the
rivals: Loughborough Grammar School. U14s. C: Mr. Duncombe, Thank you.
I then took a year out, travelling to
C: How do you spend your time outside
India, Nepal and Australia. I then did
school? I've heard you're a fitness
three years of Geography at Cambridge,
followed by a year of teacher training. freak?
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KES CHRONICLE 1998
Q. Could you sum up your life story? very positive and enthusiastic about the Gill Hudson
Qjl: I was born and brought up in subject.
Religious Education
Gloucestershire. I went to a girls
C: What changes, if any, would you like
grammar school. Then I moved to
to see in the R.E. department?
Birmingham to begin my teacher
GH: One major change I would like to
training at Westhill College. My first
see is more R.E. lessons, certainly two
teaching post was in Castle Bromwich.
R.E. lessons a week in lower school.
I took some time out of teaching after
the birth of my two sons and my last C: Would your like your children to be
teaching post was at Tudor Grange taught by the people you work with ?
School in Solihull. GH: I would love my children to be
taught by the people I work with, but
C; How does King Edward's compare
there are occasions when I don't know
to your old school?
if the people I work with would like to
GH: The facilities are much better. I
teach my children.
think one of the most positive things
about being here is that everyone seems C: What do you do to relax after a day
to be pulling in the same direction. at work?
There is a good, strong work ethic and GH: When I get home my first priority
there's no stigma attached to working is to make sure my sons have given
hard. some thought to homework. But when
C: If you could be a sweet, what would
the weather is good I like to go out and
C: What attitudes have you discovered you be and how would you like to be
potter in the garden. I love to eat but I
towards R.E. among staff and pupils? eaten ?
hate cooking so I like to eat out if at all
GH: Very positive attitudes. I find staff GH: I would be a extra strong mint and
possible. I also enjoy the occasional
most supportive. There's a good, strong I would be eaten with extreme caution.
game of Bridge.
R.E. department and generally speaking
most of the boys I've come across are
C: Thank you Mrs Hudson.
C: Tell us about your life so far. JS: It has a liberal attitude to education Jan Sendor
JS: I started in lighting at the age of as a whole. It advertises an 'all-round
Assistant Director of Drama
17 as a volunteer in my local Rep education', and develops an education
theatre and did that for 4 years whilst which is, I suppose, a cultural
doing 'O' and 'A' levels, then moved education, dealing with everything
on to the University of Hull, the first and aspiring to excellence.
university to offer Drama as a single
C: What else are you doing?
honours degree. I then began a career,
JS: I am lighting a production of
initially in lighting, and then
Henry VIII. Lighting fits around other
gradually going into production
projects, because it tends to happen on
management and latterly technical
one or two days in a production period:
direction. I am now taking the
you have to go in and sort out the
opportunity to move into a new role.
lighting and you only have limited time.
C: Have you been in education before?
C: Any big ambitions, personally?
JS: Over the last 5 or 6 years, I've
JS: I live a charmed life! It's quite
done occasional teaching here dealing
curious. I've always thought that
with stage lighting. I don't normally
somehow all will be well. My mother
have to justify myself by teaching The energy level and the commitment
said that to me: I've always thought
anybody else. I learnt by people level and the performances they gave
that she must have seen something
teaching me in an empirical way - so were far and away much more exciting
about the way my life was going. I
they told me to do things and I just than what you might sometimes see
suppose ambition is sometimes
did them, and found out whether they in the professional world: their minds
fulfilled in unexpected ways.
worked for me, over 30 years! were open, they performed with a
Lighting is a craft, that at its more C: What do you like about your work? native enthusiasm. Consequently I
advanced level, can be art. JS: I found myself recently lighting a remember thinking 'I'm so glad that
production of 'The Wall' for Midlands I'm here', which is very important -
C: What do you think of the school's
Arts Centre, which was done by Stage you need to be glad to be there.
attitude to drama?
Two - a company of young people.
C: Jan Sendor, thank you very much.
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KES CHRONICLE 1998
Lawrence Kimpton was used to finance a trip to the USA LK: Well, in the past at Manchester I
Geography and Canada. I went to Swansea was involved in schools camps and a
University for a Geography Degree and mountain activities club. When I was
then Nottingham for a PGCE. I spent at KES before I helped with the
20 years teaching in the Midlands Removes' Study Week and rather by
ending up as Head of Department with accident than design I took over
the exception of one year which I spent temporary charge of cross-country
studying for an M.Ed, degree. I then despite the fact that my previous
moved to a temporary job at KES for involvement in the sport was the dizzy
five terms before I obtained a heights of reserve in the school team
permanent job in the independent sector many years previously.
at Manchester Grammar where I have
C: Do you have any plans for the
been for the last seven years. I wanted
future?
to return to the Midlands and the
LK: When I left Manchester Grammar
opportunity arose for a part-time post
I finished full-time teaching so one
here. I decided to come back for a
could say that my ambitions there have
second stint as I had enjoyed my first.
probably ended, although in the past I
C: Has KES changed much since you have been involved with the writing and
were last here? revision of Geography textbooks which
C: Could you give us some details of I may continue in the future. Possibly I
LK: In general no, but the most obvious
your life before KES? would like to further my interest in
changed are physical, especially in the
LK: I grew up in Cambridge and went foreign travel; just before I came to
geography department where there is a
to a school similar to KES. On leaving KES I spent two months in New
new resources area, which before was
I took a gap year. Part of the time I spent Zealand. I also have an ambition to
little more than two cupboards linked
doing a job as a Hospital Porter, and organise the building of my own house.
by a balcony.
then two terms unqualified teaching at
C: Mr. Kimpton, Thank you very much.
Primary School which stirred my C: What are your 'extra-curricular'
interest in education. The money earned interests?
Nandy Millan country: I've always felt attracted to NM: I've always thought that if a person
English people and English culture. wanted to be devoted to teaching the
Spanish Assistant
Spain is a very nice place for holidays, best place to teach would be a
but I think if you have expectations to university, as that is supposed to be the
do something serious in life, you don't place where people should be more
really have the chance to do that there, motivated because they are finally
C: I hear that Nandy Millan isn't
so I prefer England. doing what they have chosen to do. But,
exactly your full name.
after the time I've been teaching at KES,
NM: No - my whole name is Maria C: Are your views of English people
I've realised it's not always like that.
Fernanda Millan Corrales. When I first shared in Spain?
came to England it was confusing. In NM: No, unfortunately there are always C: And if there's any spare time after
Spain, people have two surnames and stereotypes, which I detest. The way all of that?
two or three first names. When I English people are 'seen' from Spain is NM: I love going shopping - I know
registered at the university, I was given generally associated with hooliganism the city centre like the back of my
four or five different identities, because and bad behaviour and as being "cold- hand!! - I like travelling a lot. I have
of the different combinations they made mannered". I think this is extremely been to many places all over the country
of my names! So I have become just unfair. You can find people "behaving and all over Europe. I like talking to
Nandy Millan. badly" everywhere, and in my three people and do my best to learn from
years here I have always felt very them, and share experiences. I also like
C: So why, when you come from a
welcomed and I never felt any sort of reading and "vegetating" when I have
beautiful country like Spain, have you
rejection for being Spanish. the time.
chosen to come to England?
NM: Well, because...what's the problem C: How do you find KE? C." Senorita Millan, Thank you very
with England? Is there something much.
wrong here? It's not such a nasty
HELLOS Page 8