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.

Lent Term

The novelist and poet Thomas Hardy observed that the measure of a man's life is its intensity rather than its duration and the Lent Term is certainly more intense than it is long. Historically it is rarely more than ten weeks but this term has been little over nine. In that time we have had AS and A2 module exams, mock GCSE exams, LAMDA exams, AS and A2 and GCSE coursework assignments, House Drama Competition, five outstanding music concerts, including the Spring concert and the concert in St George's, the Art scholars' exhibition, a full programme of fixtures in hockey and soccer for the boys, netball and the U18 National Hockey finals for the girls, the Pens races, rugby sevens, and the whole range of minor sports including National competitions in rackets and fencing. Additionally we have had our first venture into the Model United Nations in Edinburgh last weekend, a French exchange, a ski-ing trip at half term and all of the regular clubs, societies and activities. It is exhausting enough simply reading the list! More and more is packed into the Lent Term and less and less remains of the Summer Term, which is almost wholly dominated by exams, especially as the Fourth form have science modules. In all of this the pupils have excelled themselves: the range and variety of their achievements is remarkable.

During the Christmas holidays eleven pupils secured offers of places at Oxford and Cambridge. This is a good number and compares very favourably with other similar schools many of whom appear far higher up the A level League tables than we do. This demonstrates that Clifton has a strong cohort of very bright pupils who excel beyond the narrow confines of A level. Many others have really good offers from other excellent Universities too. As well as the number of pupils who have excelled themselves in academic work this term, Olivia Robinson won overall first prize for the most outstanding piece in the Bristol Senior Schools Art Competition (22 schools took part) and Sam Bracey was highly commended. Ed Musgrove and Tom Whitelaw won Army scholarships; and Christopher Lee scored full marks in the National Intermediate Maths Challenge and competed in the Mathematical Olympiad, as did Brian Yeh.

The week before half term is House Drama Competition week. The standard rises each year and the Redgrave Theatre is full throughout the week as a result. South Town won again with a remarkable performance "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with Peter Roe in the lead, ably supported, amongst others, by Nick Slatton and Owen Franklin but West Town also demonstrated striking ambition and musical expertise in putting on "Chicago" with especially strong performances from Lucy Curtis, Olivia Still and Elleri Hughes. All of the houses rose to the challenge that this competition presents and it is a really important educational experience for all of those involved.

Looking ahead to next term, the Junior Play will be a selection of Grimm's Tales ndash; directed by Robert Morris and Simon Miller. These dark and comic fairy tales will be popular with adults and younger audiences alike. Performances will be on 23rd May (7.30pm) and 24th May (6.00pm).

In the three starred Services, we were visited by gifted and academically-able preachers from the Bristol Diocese. The choir performed John Stainer's very powerful "The Crucifixion" and the following day, many pupils and staff participated in a 'Lean Lent Lunch' raising money for the development agency CAFOD in the process. The Independent Schools Confirmation Service at Bristol Cathedral will take place on Sunday 11th May (Pentecost). Nine candidates from the Upper School and the Pre are being prepared by the Chaplain.

On the sports front pride of place must go to the Under 18 girls' hockey who were runners up in the National finals in Weybridge. In the County, Regional and National rounds, the girls played 17 games, winning 14, drawing two and losing just the one, to Repton, the Champions for the last four years. In losing 0-2 to Repton, the girls failed to convert three short corners: how close they came to victory then, but they are officially the second best team in the country. On the boys' side, the hockey improves year on year: the Under 14 A and B teams lost just once each, the Under 15s were very strong, and we are looking to challenge the very best schools with new fixtures against Millfield for example. At the same time the soccer teams have enjoyed great success. The 1st X1 won the Mercian League, beating RGS Worcester 3-1 in the final played under floodlights at Ludlow Town on the last night of term while the rest of us were raising the chapel roof in Choral Congers. In individual sports the highlight has to be Oscar Arran's second place in the Public Schools' fencing tournament.

We say farewell to two members of Common Room this term. It was perhaps no surprise that within a year of joining us from Millfield, Mr Johnston was appointed Head of Art at Red Maids. We have all enjoyed his presence and the quality of the ceramics work is testimony to his professional and enthusiastic approach.

Mr Lee-Browne moves on to become Headmaster of Rydal Penrhos School. He came to Clifton from King's Canterbury in 2000 as Head of English and has more recently been Deputy Head. He is a first rate schoolmaster, cultured, civilised, intelligent, shrewd and meticulous; he is also a gifted musician. They both go with our best wishes and thanks.

Looking ahead to next term you are all most warmly invited to Commem 2008 on Saturday 24th May. The speaker for the Chapel service will be The Right Honorable Ann Widdecombe M.P., format for the day will be the same as last year, which many of you said you enjoyed. However this year there is going to be more of a substantial programme on the Friday evening. Not only will there be a performance of the Junior play followed by the usual concert, but at 9pm there will be a Charity Fashion Show entirely run by the pupils. It promises to be a very good evening. As soon as we break for Exeat the contractors move in to begin work on the refurbishment of the Science schools shortly followed by the Music School development. These are very exciting projects and will enhance the quality of what we can offer pupils in two key areas of the College where we are very strong, namely science and music, and where new facilities will make us even stronger.

Finally, a reminder that next term ends on Thursday 3rd July. Prom on the Close is on Saturday 5th July.

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	Clifton College Website 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. Archive... Lent Term Dear Parent The novelist and poet Thomas Hardy observed that the measure of a man's life is its intensity rather than its duration and the Lent Term is certainly more intense than it is long. Historically it is rarely more than ten weeks but this term has been little over nine. In that time we have had AS and A2 module exams, mock GCSE exams, LAMDA exams, AS and A2 and GCSE coursework assignments, House Drama Competition, five outstanding music concerts, including the Spring concert and the concert in St George's, the Art scholars' exhibition, a full programme of fixtures in hockey and soccer for the boys, netball and the U18 National Hockey finals for the girls, the Pens races, rugby sevens, and the whole range of minor sports including National competitions in rackets and fencing. Additionally we have had our first venture into the Model United Nations in Edinburgh last weekend, a French exchange, a ski-ing trip at half term and all of the regular clubs, societies and activities. It is exhausting enough simply reading the list! More and more is packed into the Lent Term and less and less remains of the Summer Term, which is almost wholly dominated by exams, especially as the Fourth form have science modules. In all of this the pupils have excelled themselves: the range and variety of their achievements is remarkable. During the Christmas holidays eleven pupils secured offers of places at Oxford and Cambridge. This is a good number and compares very favourably with other similar schools many of whom appear far higher up the A level League tables than we do. This demonstrates that Clifton has a strong cohort of very bright pupils who excel beyond the narrow confines of A level. Many others have really good offers from other excellent Universities too. As well as the number of pupils who have excelled themselves in academic work this term, Olivia Robinson won overall first prize for the most outstanding piece in the Bristol Senior Schools Art Competition (22 schools took part) and Sam Bracey was highly commended. Ed Musgrove and Tom Whitelaw won Army scholarships; and Christopher Lee scored full marks in the National Intermediate Maths Challenge and competed in the Mathematical Olympiad, as did Brian Yeh. The week before half term is House Drama Competition week. The standard rises each year and the Redgrave Theatre is full throughout the week as a result. South Town won again with a remarkable performance "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with Peter Roe in the lead, ably supported, amongst others, by Nick Slatton and Owen Franklin but West Town also demonstrated striking ambition and musical expertise in putting on "Chicago" with especially strong performances from Lucy Curtis, Olivia Still and Elleri Hughes. All of the houses rose to the challenge that this competition presents and it is a really important educational experience for all of those involved. Looking ahead to next term, the Junior Play will be a selection of Grimm's Tales ndash; directed by Robert Morris and Simon Miller. These dark and comic fairy tales will be popular with adults and younger audiences alike. Performances will be on 23rd May (7.30pm) and 24th May (6.00pm). In the three starred Services, we were visited by gifted and academically-able preachers from the Bristol Diocese. The choir performed John Stainer's very powerful "The Crucifixion" and the following day, many pupils and staff participated in a 'Lean Lent Lunch' raising money for the development agency CAFOD in the process. The Independent Schools Confirmation Service at Bristol Cathedral will take place on Sunday 11th May (Pentecost). Nine candidates from the Upper School and the Pre are being prepared by the Chaplain. On the sports front pride of place must go to the Under 18 girls' hockey who were runners up in the National finals in Weybridge. In the County, Regional and National rounds, the girls played 17 games, winning 14, drawing two and losing just the one, to Repton, the Champions for the last four years. In losing 0-2 to Repton, the girls failed to convert three short corners: how close they came to victory then, but they are officially the second best team in the country. On the boys' side, the hockey improves year on year: the Under 14 A and B teams lost just once each, the Under 15s were very strong, and we are looking to challenge the very best schools with new fixtures against Millfield for example. At the same time the soccer teams have enjoyed great success. The 1st X1 won the Mercian League, beating RGS Worcester 3-1 in the final played under floodlights at Ludlow Town on the last night of term while the rest of us were raising the chapel roof in Choral Congers. In individual sports the highlight has to be Oscar Arran's second place in the Public Schools' fencing tournament. We say farewell to two members of Common Room this term. It was perhaps no surprise that within a year of joining us from Millfield, Mr Johnston was appointed Head of Art at Red Maids. We have all enjoyed his presence and the quality of the ceramics work is testimony to his professional and enthusiastic approach. Mr Lee-Browne moves on to become Headmaster of Rydal Penrhos School. He came to Clifton from King's Canterbury in 2000 as Head of English and has more recently been Deputy Head. He is a first rate schoolmaster, cultured, civilised, intelligent, shrewd and meticulous; he is also a gifted musician. They both go with our best wishes and thanks. Looking ahead to next term you are all most warmly invited to Commem 2008 on Saturday 24th May. The speaker for the Chapel service will be The Right Honorable Ann Widdecombe M.P., format for the day will be the same as last year, which many of you said you enjoyed. However this year there is going to be more of a substantial programme on the Friday evening. Not only will there be a performance of the Junior play followed by the usual concert, but at 9pm there will be a Charity Fashion Show entirely run by the pupils. It promises to be a very good evening. As soon as we break for Exeat the contractors move in to begin work on the refurbishment of the Science schools shortly followed by the Music School development. These are very exciting projects and will enhance the quality of what we can offer pupils in two key areas of the College where we are very strong, namely science and music, and where new facilities will make us even stronger. Finally, a reminder that next term ends on Thursday 3rd July. Prom on the Close is on Saturday 5th July. With best wishes Mark and Jo Moore 21 April 2008 © 2006-8 Clifton College
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Head Master's Newsletter

Lent Term