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Head Master's Newsletter

Mr Mark Moore, the Head Master of Clifton College Upper School and Head of College, writes a regular newsletter about developments in the Upper School.

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Summer 2007

Not so much a 'breathless hush' as a ceaseless splash on The Close this term as shower after shower has lashed the sodden ground. April proved to be a false dawn; Badger, who has tended The Close for 37 years, says he has never experienced anything like this summer. On the third Monday in June a month's rain fell in 24 hours effectively ending the games programme for the remainder of the term. It is a far cry from the long hot summer of 1976 when many of you, like me, were taking important exams. Perhaps the only positive to take from this summer was that conditions for our exam candidates were cool.

Even though the games programme stuttered and wheezed its way to the finishing line, there were some remarkable achievements along the way. The most notable of these is the performance of the U15 cricket team who are West of England champions in the 20/20 competition. They will play in the National finals of that competition at Headingly (one of the Test match grounds) on 9 September, the first Sunday of next term. For the second season in succession the Girls' 1st VI Tennis team have won through to the Nationals in the Finals of the Aberdare Cup where they will also represent the West of England. Not surprisingly the Girls' Tennis team enjoyed an unbeaten season. Girls' games continues to be a particular strength of the school; Emily Atkinson (West Town) and Annabel Hockey-Smith (Worcester) are both in the England U18 hockey squad. This term there have been some notable performances from our athletes, with Fred Adomakoh (North Town) again qualifying for the National Schools.

The musical life of the school goes from strength to strength. There were two outstanding concerts this term, the Summer Serenade and the Pre 'Virtuosi' concert. I have received many letters expressing delight and astonishment at the musical accomplishment of Clifton pupils. Ha-Yung Jung recently won the International Society of Bassists competition in Oklahoma, USA. The Choir have just come back from a tour to Cornwall, performed at Prom on The Close and then are off on tour in Venice next week. They are great ambassadors for the school.

The dramatic life of the school continues to flourish with increasing numbers of pupils excelling in LAMDA examinations with 90% of our candidates achieving merits or distinctions, and the quality of acting improves with every production. Next term's Upper School play will be the musical 'Fiddler on the Roof' directed by Karen Pickles.

The Summer Term in Chapel is dominated by landmark celebratory services - The Old Cliftonians' Reunion, the Commemoration Services and the Upper School and Pre Leavers' Services. Additionally the pupils and staff have delivered many thought-provoking morning chapels and twenty or so early risers took part in the Ascension Day Holy Communion service atop the Wilson Tower. Over the last 3 years collections at such services have raised pound;34,000 for charitable causes - an important part of our communal responsibilities.

This summer we are embarking upon an 11 week programme of cleaning and stonemasonary repair on the Wilson Tower: if it is as striking as the recently cleaned Wills Memorial Building of Bristol University it will enhance the look and feel of the Quad yet further. With the opening of new Wiseman's and the path around The Close, the resurfacing of the Quad, the refurbishment of Court 4 and the Worcester and Chapel netball courts, The Close has seen a major uplift in the last twelve months, and I hope you enjoyed the chance to see that for yourselves during drinks on the Quad at Commem. Many of you have told me that you particularly welcomed this addition to Commem and drinks in the Quad may well become a Clifton tradition.

When one looks at the amount that Clifton pupils do across the Upper School in games, music, drama, CCF, Clifton in the Community and a whole host of other activities, it is no wonder that the 2007 Inspection report described Clifton as 'outstanding in these areas.

This is no small part due to the expertise and commitment of the staff, a number of whom are moving on at the end of this academic year. Sarah Allton, Assistant Housemistress in Hallward's and Classics teacher has been promoted to Head of Classics at Taunton School; Faheem Khan moves on to teach Physics at Cheltenham Ladies College; Gary Butterworth who has been Acting Head of Economics and Business Studies during Katherine Jeffery's maternity leave, moves on to Sherborne; the modern linguists, Maddelena Davidson (Italian) and Janet McDemott (French and Spanish) retire from Clifton whilst Faith Smith, Assistant Housemistress in Worcester and teacher of Maths, is taking a 'grown ups' Gap Year to travel; Helen Semple who has run the RS and Philosophy Department with such success is promoted to Head of Sixth Form at Ashford School in Kent. Tim and Sarah Meunier move on to take up the reins at Colet Court, the junior division of St Paul's Boys School. I have pleasure in enclosing a list of the new staff appointed for next September, with brief biographies in each case.

There are two changes of Houses next year: Simon Tait retires from School House, though thankfully not Clifton, and is succeeded by Jonathan Hughes; Katherine Jeffery returns from maternity leave to take the helm in Oakeley's.

Head of School next year will be Robert Fairbrother (Watson's); his deputies will be Olivia Robinson (Oakeley's) and George Greenbury (North Town).

Have a most enjoyable summer break.

With best wishes from Jo and my children

Mark Moore
Head of College

When one looks at the amount that Clifton pupils do across the Upper School in games, music, drama, CCF, Clifton in the Community and a whole host of other activities, it is no wonder that the 2007 Inspection report described Clifton as 'outstanding in these areas.

This is no small part due to the expertise and commitment of the staff, a number of whom are moving on at the end of this academic year. Sarah Allton, Assistant Housemistress in Hallward's and Classics teacher has been promoted to Head of Classics at Taunton School; Faheem Khan moves on to teach Physics at Cheltenham Ladies College; Gary Butterworth who has been Acting Head of Economics and Business Studies during Katherine Jeffery's maternity leave, moves on to Sherborne; the modern linguists, Maddelena Davidson (Italian) and Janet McDemott (French and Spanish) retire from Clifton whilst Faith Smith, Assistant Housemistress in Worcester and teacher of Maths, is taking a 'grown ups' Gap Year to travel; Helen Semple who has run the RS and Philosophy Department with such success is promoted to Head of Sixth Form at Ashford School in Kent. Tim and Sarah Meunier move on to take up the reins at Colet Court, the junior division of St Paul's Boys School. I have pleasure in enclosing a list of the new staff appointed for next September, with brief biographies in each case.

There are two changes of Houses next year: Simon Tait retires from School House, though thankfully not Clifton, and is succeeded by Jonathan Hughes; Katherine Jeffery returns from maternity leave to take the helm in Oakeley's.

Head of School next year will be Robert Fairbrother (Watson's); his deputies will be Olivia Robinson (Oakeley's) and George Greenbury (North Town).

Have a most enjoyable summer break.

With best wishes from Jo and my children

Mark Moore
Head of College

4 September 2007

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