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<strong>Radley</strong><br />

The<br />

N e w s l e t t e r<br />

The New Socials<br />

The Piano Extravaganza<br />

English at <strong>Radley</strong><br />

The Duke of Edinburgh’s<br />

Award Scheme


2 THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER<br />

tHE


NEW sOCIALS<br />

The new school year saw the opening of two new socials,<br />

the first for 80 years at <strong>Radley</strong>. They are highly individual<br />

buildings, each designed for 65 boys, with large public<br />

spaces, well appointed study/bedrooms, and interesting<br />

modern interpretations of <strong>Radley</strong>’s traditional Shell<br />

accommodation, social hall and cubicle. Particular<br />

features are the unusual windows, the modern shapes of<br />

wall, stairwell metal work and the Arts and Crafts tile<br />

hanging and gabling which set the two buildings apart<br />

from most other boarding houses built elsewhere.<br />

The rolls of J and K Social were created across the last<br />

academic year by boys volunteering from the original<br />

socials and indicating a wish to be this pioneer corps.<br />

They have been joined by a new entry of Shell arriving at<br />

<strong>Radley</strong> and going straight into J and K. The reaction of<br />

boys to their new surroundings has been overwhelmingly<br />

positive, despite the fact that the builders and fitters<br />

worked right up to the last afternoon of the summer<br />

holidays to get K Social finished. The challenge now for<br />

Mark Hindley (Tutor of J Social), Niall Murphy (Tutor<br />

of K Social) the respective Heads of Social (Sam Gundle,<br />

Dragon and Guy Chalk, Cothill) and the house prefects is<br />

to forge distinctive house identities across this academic<br />

year.<br />

THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER 3


english at radley<br />

English is the one thing we all have in<br />

common - not the nationality, of course,<br />

but the language. English is the ocean upon<br />

which all the vessels of our daily business<br />

float; the currency of all our social and<br />

professional transactions; the lead with<br />

which we attempt to draw a coherent picture<br />

of our lives; and the central ingredient of<br />

much of the entertainment and the comedy<br />

which flavour those lives. It is for our<br />

waking lives as the water is to the fish. Most<br />

of us use it, like oxygen, all day long without<br />

thinking much about it.<br />

This is not an evangelical manifesto<br />

about the primacy of English – far from it. It<br />

is merely an acknowledgement that there is<br />

a lot of language about, and when it comes<br />

to language, the English Department at<br />

<strong>Radley</strong> is rather like a child in a big sandpit.<br />

Language, surely, is for playing with and<br />

moulding and flinging about.<br />

The Creative Writing Group meets every<br />

Wednesday evening to do just that. Under<br />

the secretaryship of Sebastian Inglis-Jones<br />

(Dulwich <strong>College</strong> Prep, E Social), it has been<br />

one of the most exciting developments of the<br />

last couple of years. There is a core of about<br />

twenty boys, who meet each week for an<br />

hour to do lots of that playing and moulding<br />

and flinging about. As well as having a lot of<br />

fun, the boys have produced two anthologies<br />

of their own writing: ‘Fleet of Foot’ came<br />

out in January 2008, ‘I Want to Wake Up’ in<br />

May, and the third anthology will be out in<br />

October. The development in their writing<br />

over this period has been phenomenal, as<br />

has been their enthusiasm and commitment.<br />

One of the joys of it, as well, has been<br />

the mix of boys who are involved, from<br />

Oxbridge candidates to Set 7 Removes. In<br />

the Singleton Library, where the writing<br />

sessions happen, issues of<br />

year group and academic<br />

clout do not feature at all.<br />

There is a wonderful sense<br />

of a ‘writers’ community’,<br />

and the boys are all very<br />

proud of their work and of<br />

each other. There are also,<br />

of course, annual Creative<br />

Writing prizes: this year’s<br />

winners were Oliver Mann<br />

(Bilton Grange, D Social),<br />

Chris Sworder (Westminster<br />

Under School, E Social),<br />

and Cern Hoh (Garden<br />

International School, Kuala,<br />

E Social).<br />

This project has been<br />

enhanced by two visiting<br />

poets. In January we hosted<br />

a poet-in-residence for a<br />

week. Michael Laskey is the<br />

founder and editor of Smiths<br />

Knoll poetry magazine, and<br />

the founder of the highly<br />

acclaimed Aldeburgh Poetry<br />

Festival, as well as being a<br />

poet or rare warmth and insight. Michael<br />

conducted workshops with boys, staff,<br />

spouses, classes, individuals, the Creative<br />

Writing Group, in classrooms, houses,<br />

Mansion, inspiring wherever he went. He<br />

concluded his week with a beguiling reading<br />

of his own work - poems of wit, precision,<br />

and depth, short vignettes and longer<br />

meditations, all delivered with acuteness,<br />

warmth, and plenty of laughter. The fruits of<br />

Michael’s work with us are still in evidence,<br />

on display in the corridors, the Creative<br />

Writing Group Anthologies, the Chronicle,<br />

and the Radleian.<br />

Alastair Fatemi performs at the Creative Writing Group’s first public reading<br />

Poet Laureate and OR Andrew Motion, who will be visiting<br />

<strong>Radley</strong> in April 2009<br />

In June we were visited by the poet<br />

Peter Carpenter, who has published four<br />

collections of poetry, is a lecturer and teacher,<br />

and the founder of the influential Worple<br />

Press. He conducted an inspiring session<br />

with the Creative Writing Group, and then,<br />

to a packed Blue Room, delivered a reading<br />

full of vivacity, wit, and intelligence. The<br />

boys have also been to see Simon Armitage,<br />

who delivered a reading in Oxford earlier in<br />

the year. In November, we will be enjoying<br />

our best coup yet: Peter Sansom, who is the<br />

acknowledged guru of creative writing in<br />

England at the moment, will be our poetin-residence<br />

for a week, and we are all very<br />

excited indeed about his visit.<br />

Language is not only an art form,<br />

however. It is also a vital functional tool, and<br />

among the most useful activities we organise<br />

are the three annual Inter-Social Debating<br />

competitions in the Shell, Remove, and 6th<br />

Form years. Intensely contested heats run<br />

throughout all three terms, culminating in<br />

Finals in the Silk Hall, where the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

best orators battle for the laurels in front of<br />

loud and partisan crowds.<br />

Declamations is yet another large-scale<br />

event that involves the whole of <strong>College</strong>,<br />

and culminates in a huge and impressive<br />

Final. In the Lent Term, every boy in <strong>College</strong><br />

memorises and delivers a ‘Declamation’ of<br />

at least 250 words, in either prose or verse.<br />

Once again, heats run for several weeks,<br />

before 30 finalists are selected. These then<br />

perform in a four-hour orgy of literature on<br />

one Monday morning, in front of a full house<br />

A Mealing<br />

4 THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER


and a distinguished visiting adjudicator. The<br />

Reprise, which is a ‘Declamations Greatest<br />

Hits’, takes place a couple of weeks later, and<br />

is always one of the highlights of the term.<br />

Other literary events have been<br />

numerous. There is a very active Literary<br />

Society, largely run by boys who are either<br />

Oxbridge candidates, or simply interested in<br />

extending their study of the subject. In the<br />

Lent Term, we welcomed Dr Sos Elstis, who<br />

spoke with a wonderfully informal charm<br />

about contemporary drama, and in October<br />

we will be visited by Dr Ralph Townsend.<br />

The boys also prepare and deliver papers of<br />

their own.<br />

<strong>Radley</strong> claims three very distinguished<br />

literary alumni. Andrew Motion (A Social,<br />

1966) was appointed to succeed Ted Hughes<br />

as Poet Laureate in 1999, and has filled this<br />

difficult post with an extraordinarily gifted<br />

sensitivity. Before him, Harold Monro (D<br />

Social, 1892) became not only a distinguished<br />

poet in his own right, but was also a<br />

champion of new poetry, and the founder of<br />

Poetry Review magazine, which celebrates<br />

its 100th birthday next year, and to which<br />

the <strong>College</strong> still subscribes. It is one of the<br />

most widely circulated poetry periodicals<br />

in the country, and <strong>Radley</strong> is very proud to<br />

claim a kinship with it. September 2008 will<br />

see the launch, in his honour, of the Monro<br />

Michael Laskey, Poet in Residence, leading a poetry workshop<br />

Lecture series, and the inaugural lecture, to<br />

be delivered by the Head of English, will,<br />

fittingly, be on ‘The State of Contemporary<br />

Poetry’. In a rather different category, Peter<br />

Cook (C Social, 1951) left <strong>Radley</strong> to make his<br />

name first with the Cambridge Footlights,<br />

and then on radio and television as one of<br />

the most brilliant satirists and comedians<br />

of the post-war period. His sister Elizabeth,<br />

interestingly, has become a poet of note in<br />

her own right.<br />

As well as all the events on campus, the<br />

Department also run a staggering number<br />

of theatre trips, both to local theatres in<br />

Oxford, and also to London. Just in the last<br />

few months, boys have seen some of the best<br />

theatre that has been available: Kevin Spacey<br />

and Jeff Goldblum in David Mamet’s ‘Speed<br />

the Plow’; Zoe Wanamaker in Tennessee<br />

Williams’ ‘The Rose Tattoo’; Jonathan<br />

Pryce in Mamet’s ‘Glengarry Glenross’;<br />

Tim Piggott-Smith in Shaw’s ‘Pygmalion’;<br />

Sam West’s production of Patrick Marber’s<br />

‘Dealer’s Choice’; Patrick Stewart in<br />

‘Macbeth’ and ‘The Tempest’; and this is only<br />

the short end of a long list. The Shells and<br />

Removes are routinely taken to the Globe in<br />

the summer, and of course the Department<br />

proudly supports all the excellent in-house<br />

drama which takes place under the superb<br />

guidance of the Drama Department.<br />

From our bright, light, purpose-built<br />

space in the new David Rae Smith building,<br />

the boys and staff of the English Department<br />

continue to play with, and explore, the<br />

language which is both our bread and butter<br />

and our caviar.<br />

Peter Cook (left) as Doll Common in the <strong>College</strong> production of ‘The Alchemist’ by Ben Jonson, 1954<br />

Chris Ellot<br />

Head of English<br />

THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER 5


adley achievements<br />

Academic<br />

■ This year <strong>Radley</strong>, along with Eton,<br />

Winchester and St Paul’s, decided not<br />

to publish exam results until November,<br />

when appeals and remarks are completed.<br />

Nevertheless the raw results already show<br />

that the 2008 A Level candidates exceeded<br />

the previous record at A/B of 2007 (90.06%)<br />

and even more impressively 2 out of every 3<br />

A Level papers was an A grade. 65 out of the<br />

122 candidates achieved 3 A grades or more;<br />

9 boys attained 5 A grades and 2 managed<br />

6 A grades. A number of them gained<br />

marks in the top 10 for their respective<br />

subject nationally: Rory van Zwanenberg<br />

(Moulsford, g), Alex Rose (Thomas’s<br />

Clapham, c), Jonathan Lam (La Salle <strong>College</strong>,<br />

Hong Kong, b), Harry Devonshire (Twyford,<br />

a), Arthur Laidlaw (Dragon, h), James Curtis<br />

Hayward (Pilgrim’s, a) and Harry Kershaw<br />

(Twyford, d).<br />

■ At GCSE Radleians came close to the 81%<br />

A*/A of 2007; especially notable was that<br />

large numbers of 5th Formers got A grade<br />

in AS French, and gained top marks in AS<br />

Maths modules, exams designed for 6th<br />

Formers.<br />

■ The ISI Inspection of February 2008<br />

accorded <strong>Radley</strong> the highest accolade,<br />

‘outstanding’, in every category. It found<br />

<strong>Radley</strong> to be ‘markedly successful in the<br />

education it provides’, it commented on<br />

‘the outstanding quality of academic<br />

achievement’, that the pupils’ ‘learning was<br />

excellent’, and that they were ‘welcoming,<br />

polite, articulate, full of enthusiasm and<br />

commitment’. The quality of their pastoral<br />

care was ‘outstanding’, as was the teaching<br />

which was ‘inspirational’.<br />

The firework Gaudy in July capped a year<br />

of great achievement at <strong>Radley</strong>.<br />

biography of Blair; Tony Baldry MP on<br />

Conservative Prospects; Sir John Nott on<br />

the Falklands war 25 years on. Across the<br />

year, guest speakers came to speak to the<br />

societies run by individual departments;<br />

notable was Lord Hurd on his specialism,<br />

‘Sir Robert Peel’.<br />

■ The annual 6.2 Conference with The<br />

School of St Helen and St Katharine in<br />

November (now in its 11th year) was a<br />

noted success. The topic was ‘The Challenge<br />

of China’ and a group of distinguished<br />

China experts talked about Maoist legacy<br />

and history, and future trends.<br />

Activities<br />

■ The Wednesday Afternoon Activities<br />

scheme is well established. The 5th Formers<br />

continue to visit hospitals, teach in Primary<br />

Schools and deliver ‘Instant Muscle’ to<br />

elderly <strong>Radley</strong> Villagers. The Concert<br />

Parties visited over 20 residential homes<br />

Mrs J Gilbert<br />

across Oxford and Abingdon and hosted<br />

over 100 elderly local people in the Silk Hall<br />

concluding with rousing community singing<br />

led by Suzie-Louise Naylor.<br />

■ A good deal of Charitable Activity has<br />

gone on this year, most notably the school<br />

sponsored walk back in September; over<br />

600 walkers covered the 20 mile route for a<br />

range of charities raising well over £48,000<br />

in the process. Common Room has led<br />

the way – Angus McChesney swam the<br />

Channel in c.12 hours and raised £60,000<br />

for Leukaemia Research; Dr Tim Morris<br />

played all Bach’s Organ works in an 18<br />

hour marathon and raised over £15,000;<br />

the Warden and Mrs McPhail ran the<br />

Paris marathon and Harry Hammond<br />

the London marathon for charity. But the<br />

boys were not outdone: Freddie Tapner<br />

(Ludgrove, f), Hugo Walker (The Elms, b)<br />

and John Crisp (Dragon, f) helped raise<br />

£150,000 by taking part in a challenge to<br />

ski every piste in Meribel dressed in <strong>Radley</strong><br />

gowns. They succeeded and beat Eton.<br />

<strong>Radley</strong>’s charitable enterprises have raised<br />

£166,822 this year.<br />

■ There has once again been a broad<br />

range of expeditions: the Shells invaded<br />

Normandy for the 18th year running; the<br />

rugby players toured New Zealand before<br />

the season began; the cricketers toured<br />

South Africa; the elite crews trained at<br />

Bagnoles, in Spain. The musicians visited<br />

Berlin and Leipzig, the artists and a<br />

selection of Theatre Studies students visited<br />

New York, the linguists visited Barcelona<br />

and Paris. Meanwhile a host of theatre<br />

visits, field trips, exhibition visits took place<br />

across the year.<br />

■ It was the last Declamations for which<br />

Charles Hastings was at the helm. Arthur<br />

House OR judged it and it was a memorable<br />

morning. The 6.2 year group was especially<br />

strong and any of the finalists could<br />

have won. The winners were: Alex Rose<br />

(Thomas’s Clapham, c), 6.2; Hugo Walker<br />

(The Elms, b), 6.1; Alex Murison (Dragon,<br />

b), 5; Alex Donger (Dragon, j), R; Tommy<br />

Siman (Abingdon Prep, h), S.<br />

■ It has been an impressive year for<br />

visiting speakers. The 6.2 Lecture cycle saw<br />

OR parents speaking – Rory Tapner and<br />

George Bailey – parents, like Sam Laidlaw,<br />

Chairman of Centrica, on Energy policy,<br />

and a host of others on a wide range of<br />

subjects. Oliver James on his best seller<br />

‘Affluenza’; Charlie Mayfield OR on John<br />

Lewis; Dr Anthony Seldon on his acclaimed<br />

The sponsored walk<br />

6 THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER


& activities in 2007/8<br />

Angus McChesney’s sponsored channel swim<br />

■ The CCF hosted a Biennial<br />

Inspection in October. The inspecting<br />

officers were much impressed by the<br />

enthusiasm and turnout of the boys,<br />

and the energy of the CCF officers. This<br />

was Richard Pollard’s last inspection,<br />

commander of the contingent for 23<br />

years; it was also John Wylie’s last after<br />

38 years of close involvement. George<br />

Stinton (Sandroyd, d) won the Royal<br />

Marines’ Commando Scholarship,<br />

Angus Dickson (Belhaven Hill, g) and<br />

Will Bromfield (Cothill, e) won Army<br />

Scholarships.<br />

■ There has been much ‘activity’ on the<br />

development front at <strong>Radley</strong>; As well<br />

as the two new Socials, a Real Tennis<br />

Court has been opened and the Sports<br />

Centre upgraded.<br />

■ Radleians once again built a house on<br />

<strong>Radley</strong> Road in Kerala.<br />

Arts<br />

■ The very highest standards of Drama<br />

have been set this year by Director<br />

Robert Lowe. ‘West Side Story’ was<br />

an exceptional production with<br />

exemplary teamwork (Robert Lowe’s<br />

direction; Stephen Clarke’s music; Matt<br />

Hawksworth’s choreography; Matt<br />

Barker’s technical management) and<br />

some outstanding performances, notably<br />

Alex Rose (Thomas’s Clapham, c) as<br />

Tony, Theo Whitworth (Aldro, c) as<br />

Riff, Fred Rowe (Cothill, a) as Bernardo.<br />

The ensemble acting, and freshness<br />

and precision of the dance, made for<br />

an electric production. Equally, two<br />

talented 6th Form Theatre Studies<br />

groups developed strong, compelling<br />

work for their examination pieces –<br />

‘Pillowman’ by 6.2 was memorable.<br />

The Removes put on an excellent<br />

‘Scarlet Pimpernel’, the Shells ‘With<br />

Intent’ (6.1s directed), and the dons a<br />

most professional performance, Reza’s<br />

‘Art’. The future is in safe hands – the<br />

Shells’ Haddon Cup was as good as it<br />

has ever been. Three Radleians have<br />

been selected for the National Youth<br />

Theatre: Rory Stallibrass (Milbourne<br />

Lodge, c) for the 3rd year; Ollie Mann<br />

(Bilton Grange, d); Max Bullen-Smith<br />

(Brambletye, e).<br />

■ The Art Department has had another<br />

good year. The boys’ art has colonised<br />

public spaces across the school and<br />

the new socials. A number of boys are<br />

studying Art abroad in their GAP years<br />

and Nick Bethell (Bramcote, c) has<br />

gained a place at Leith School of Art and<br />

Design. Old Radleian Charlie Langton<br />

(Pinewood, g) had a one man show of<br />

his equine work at Tryon Gallery. The<br />

department has hosted six exhibitions<br />

this academic year, most notably the<br />

‘Three Generations of Artists’ show of<br />

the Morris-Adams/Laidlaw family.<br />

■ Music is stronger at <strong>Radley</strong> than<br />

ever. The Chapel Choir, supported by<br />

our Choristers, sing a wide range of<br />

choral music each Sunday in Chapel<br />

and to a very high standard. Their<br />

Mozart Requiem on November 11th<br />

was memorable. Two boys – Greg<br />

Williams (Norman Court, c) and Rory<br />

Stallibrass (Milbourne Lodge, c) – won<br />

Choral Awards to Cambridge. At the<br />

top of the school there is a rich seam<br />

of talent; C Social’s part song singers<br />

were exceptional, as have been the<br />

pianists Greg Williams and Jamie Brown<br />

(Caldicott, d). Greg Williams and Rory<br />

Robinson (Twyford, f) have competed<br />

in the BBC Young Musician of the<br />

Year competition. Concert highlights<br />

were the Berlin/Leipzig Concert, the<br />

Warden’s Music (over 100 performers)<br />

and the Piano Extravaganza (7 pianos,<br />

up to 21 performers at a time, 70<br />

pianists in total). Winners of the Music<br />

Prizes were: Organ: Freddie Tapner<br />

(Ludgrove, f); Hudson String: Gregory<br />

Williams; Ferguson Singing: Theo<br />

Whitworth; Wharton Piano: Gregory<br />

Williams; Guitar: Alex Donger (Dragon,<br />

j); Woodwind Senior: Rory Robinson<br />

(Twyford, f); Woodwind Junior: Tom<br />

Bennett (Hall Grove, a); Brass Senior:<br />

Andrew Savill (King’s Hall, g); Brass<br />

Performance: Andrew Barrie (Horris<br />

Hill, e).<br />

Alaistair Hope-Morley in Kerala<br />

West Side Story<br />

THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER 7


Sport<br />

<strong>Radley</strong> continues to play its sport seriously<br />

but a central feature is that we turn out so<br />

many teams at weekends. In rugby, against<br />

Tonbridge and Harrow 22 XVs competed;<br />

in the Lent term there were sometimes 19<br />

Hockey XIs, 10 Soccer XIs and a number<br />

of rowing VIIIs competing at the same<br />

time. In the Summer Term up to 19<br />

Cricket XIs, 10 Rowing VIIIs, Tennis VIs<br />

and Athletics teams compete on the same<br />

Saturday afternoon. The new Real Tennis<br />

court makes the choice of sports still more<br />

diverse.<br />

■ Much good rugby was played; 70% of<br />

matches were won. The 1st XV was stricken<br />

with injury, but it still achieved a remarkable<br />

last gasp victory over Harrow when Tom<br />

Atkinson (Elstree, g) kicked a final minute<br />

50 metre penalty. The Colts, Junior Colts<br />

and Midgets 1st XVs (indeed Midgets 2nd<br />

and 3rd XVs as well) lost only a handful of<br />

matches between them. It was a source of<br />

pride, too, to see 2 recent ORs, Chris Lewis<br />

(Pinewood, h) and James Lumby (Caldicott,<br />

g) winning blues for Cambridge in the<br />

Varsity Match – James scored an impressive<br />

try to clinch the match.<br />

■ Hockey is arguably <strong>Radley</strong>’s strongest<br />

sport at present. The 1st XI lost once<br />

(following 2007’s unbeaten season) and<br />

showed great team work under Charlie<br />

Wood’s (Dragon, e) captaincy; the wins<br />

against strong Charterhouse, Marlborough<br />

and Bradfield teams were especially<br />

satisfying. Against Cheltenham, Bradfield<br />

and St Edward’s only one match was lost<br />

across the club.<br />

The new Real Tennis Court<br />

Nick Gubbins batting for the Midgets 1st XI<br />

■ Cricket has been strong especially in<br />

the bottom three years of the school; the<br />

1st XI has had its moments with good<br />

wins over Bradfield, Stowe, Marlborough<br />

and Abingdon and a century for Henry<br />

Mills (Harrodian, e) against Tonbridge,<br />

but the stars of the club have been Colts<br />

1st and 2nd XI and the Midgets sides<br />

from 1st XI down to 7th XI. A number<br />

of centuries have been recorded, notably<br />

5 100s by Nick Gubbins (Elstree, h) for<br />

Midgets 1st XI. It has been especially<br />

satisfying that 11 out of 15 matches<br />

against Harrow, 14 out of 16 against<br />

Marlborough, and all the matches against<br />

Abingdon, were won.<br />

■ RCBC continues to be strong. The 1st<br />

VIII just missed the medals at the National<br />

Schools (4th) but won at Bedford. J16A<br />

and J14A won Silver and Bronze at the<br />

National Schools. There has been depth at<br />

the top of the club reflected in a good 2nd<br />

VIII and at J15 level where 5 crews have<br />

competed. It was good to see Oli Moore<br />

(St Hugh’s, e) win his Oxford blue in a<br />

crushing win in the Boat Race. He and Tom<br />

Parker (Pilgrim’s, h) are in the GB squad.<br />

■ In Soccer the Junior Colts and Colts<br />

squads did especially well, and the 1st XI<br />

reached the Crusader Cup semi-finals.<br />

■ The Steeplechase took place for the first<br />

time in November: Archie Vey (Farleigh, b)<br />

won the Senior race in record time, Oscar<br />

Richards (St Ronan’s, h) won the Inter, and<br />

Theo Bromfield (Cothill, a) the Junior races.<br />

■ George Pitcher (Cothill, b), Kit Bicket<br />

(Maidwell, j), Josh Rencher (Abingdon, d),<br />

Guy Scott (Summer Fields, d), Jordan<br />

Reeve (Pinewood, d), Henry Barker (Aldro,<br />

d) and James Fournier (Ludgrove, f) all<br />

received RYA competent crew awards<br />

during a 5 day Easter cruise on the all Sail<br />

Pilot Cutter the Jolie Brise.<br />

■ The Real Tennis Team won the National<br />

Schools’ title as did the 2nd pair.<br />

■ Harry Collard (Summer Fields, f)<br />

competed in the British Skiing<br />

Championships.<br />

■ A number of <strong>Radley</strong> Beagles won best<br />

in class at the South of England Show.<br />

8 THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER


the<br />

Duke of EdinbuRgh’s<br />

Award Scheme<br />

The Golden Year of celebrations for<br />

the 50th Anniversary of the Duke of<br />

Edinburgh will long remain in our<br />

memory and in the new <strong>Radley</strong> D. of E.<br />

Centre, we continue to admire with pride<br />

the Duke’s Certificate of Thanks that was<br />

presented to us at Buckingham Palace<br />

by Her Majesty the Queen. As ever, our<br />

Award Operating Authority has continued<br />

to go from strength to strength. We have<br />

always operated a softly softly approach<br />

without glitzy publicity campaigns but<br />

with participants usually signing up on a<br />

word-of-mouth basis. It is well known that<br />

the best D. of E. participant is the one who<br />

has a good understanding of the Award’s<br />

slogan “Make it make you make it”. He<br />

is someone who has the determination<br />

to tackle every challenge and to win<br />

through. He is focused and willing to<br />

show commitment. He has initiative, an<br />

awareness of others and is selfless with<br />

his time. This is what the Radleian D.of<br />

E. men are like for the most part and<br />

one has only to look through the list of<br />

achievements in all four sections of the<br />

Award to see evidence of their strength of<br />

character.<br />

The Service Section has been one of the<br />

most popular aspects of the Award. We<br />

have raised hundreds of pounds through<br />

our various charity (or what we call ‘Fun-<br />

Draising’) events including for example<br />

sky-diving, fun runs in Oxford, five-a-side<br />

football marathons, sponsored walks and<br />

cycle rides, cake sales in Covered Passage.<br />

We have also worked our magic at the local<br />

village Fête! Many of our participants are<br />

now first-class first-aiders thanks to the<br />

Award and our involvement with various<br />

community action projects in the Nuffield<br />

and JR hospitals has been most useful. The<br />

work of our D. of E. team has also been<br />

much appreciated at primary schools in the<br />

area, painting murals, teaching little people<br />

about computers, helping with games and<br />

setting up a library to name just a few of the<br />

recent missions.<br />

With all the wonderful facilities around<br />

them, Radleians could be tempted to try<br />

to ‘cruise’ through the Skills and Physical<br />

Recreation Sections of the Award. They<br />

are therefore encouraged where possible to<br />

try a new activity and it is really refreshing<br />

when a participant opts for something<br />

different like dulcimer-playing, conjuring,<br />

fishing or car-maintenance. We also now<br />

have some very promising chefs in our<br />

ranks!<br />

The Expedition Section has always<br />

been the most challenging aspect of the<br />

Award for Radleians, and I am sure that<br />

the song-line “When the going gets tough,<br />

the tough get going” has often reverberated<br />

in their ears whether they are heading up<br />

yet another tor in Dartmoor, doing battle<br />

with a recalcitrant tent with attitude in<br />

Cold Aston (cold by name, cold by nature)<br />

or going squelching along the footpath to<br />

Appleton Weir.<br />

The sun may have set on the Jubilee<br />

Year but a new era of challenges has<br />

dawned. From September 2008, the Award<br />

will be officially renamed ‘The D. of E.’ –<br />

and about time too, you may say! There<br />

will be brand new logos, for example, as<br />

well as up-dated section names and an<br />

‘e DofE’ management site that will help<br />

participants to complete their award<br />

electronically without the paperwork. We<br />

await the evolution with keen anticipation!<br />

Janie Wright<br />

i/c Duke of Edinburgh’s Award<br />

THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER 9


If you haven’t<br />

got the tune<br />

then PLAY<br />

QUIETLY!<br />

a few weeks and often talk of a year’s<br />

sabbatical, the adrenalin rush and<br />

excitement at the end of the concert<br />

inevitably finds us enthusiastically<br />

committing to yet another. Especially<br />

as, now entering its ninth year, the<br />

Extravaganza has become one of the most<br />

attended and talked about musical events<br />

in the year.<br />

There have been some wonderful<br />

moments. Outstanding <strong>Radley</strong> pianists<br />

such as Jonathan Bridcut (Pilgrim’s,<br />

G Social) (in the first ever Piano<br />

Extravaganza), James Hallinan (Lockers<br />

Park, D Social), James Fryer (Elstree, E<br />

Social), Jonny Williams (Westbourne<br />

House, H Social), Gregory Williams<br />

(Norman Court, C Social) and Jamie<br />

I suppose the blame might be put squarely<br />

on the shoulders of that most poetic<br />

of harpsichordists Sophie Yates, whose<br />

teaching and beautiful playing enhanced<br />

music at <strong>Radley</strong> in the late 90s. For some<br />

years <strong>Radley</strong> had put on concerts of<br />

duet, trio and multiple piano music, all<br />

commercially available and fun, but pieces<br />

for more than two pianos or pianists are<br />

sadly rare and limited to a few lollipops.<br />

Upon hearing one of these multiple-piano<br />

concerts however the lively grey cells of the<br />

then Precentor, John Madden, a composer<br />

and arranger of renown and talent, and<br />

myself began to work overtime. With the<br />

haunting melody of the Aria from the<br />

Goldberg Variations emanating from the<br />

fingers of Sophie we put two and two<br />

together and made 21 pianists, 7 pianos and<br />

a harpsichord.<br />

Thus the Extravaganza was born and<br />

the first original, arranged performance<br />

involving almost all the pianists at<br />

the school (dons, teachers and boys)<br />

became a reality; pianists at all levels of<br />

ability were enthusiastically conscripted,<br />

sorry, encouraged, to play in a complete<br />

performance of Bach’s Goldberg Variations.<br />

It began with a solitary harpsichord, the<br />

variations were for various combinations<br />

of pianists at two to six pianos and it<br />

culminated in a final Aria for 21 pianists,<br />

7 pianos and a harpsichord, gradually<br />

thinning out to leave the solo harpsichord.<br />

Never before had <strong>Radley</strong> heard anything<br />

like this, I still remember the final moving<br />

moments to this day, and it put us firmly<br />

on the Independent School musical map for<br />

keyboard playing and innovative musical<br />

programming.<br />

The birth of each Extravaganza is not<br />

a painless process however; the labour is<br />

long and intense. John Madden delivers his<br />

stunning and inspired arrangements after<br />

many weeks of work, just late enough for us<br />

to start panicking about learning our notes<br />

and focusing the minds of the boys who,<br />

with good will and careful organisation<br />

attend the myriad of rehearsals scheduled<br />

within the final two weeks, often at the<br />

most obscure times up to 10.30pm. The<br />

conscientious way nearly all attend is<br />

brilliant (albeit helped along by free Coke<br />

and crisps) but even so, what rehearsals<br />

we can fit in disappear too quickly with a<br />

blur of emails, reminders, sore backs (after<br />

moving the pianos around each night),<br />

intense and detailed ensemble coaching<br />

and the annual cry (now almost a motto<br />

of the event) ‘if you haven’t got the tune<br />

then please play quietly’.<br />

There is so little rehearsal time with<br />

the pianos all in one venue (usually 3 days,<br />

we simply can’t spare them from practice<br />

rooms for longer) but it may surprise<br />

most non-performers that the hardest<br />

part of all is learning to play piano or<br />

pianissimo in the context of the ensemble.<br />

It does not come easily to pianists, so<br />

used to playing on their own, the centre<br />

of attention, and not having to consider<br />

dynamic balance with other musicians.<br />

Equally, not being able to hear your own<br />

part beneath the sound of those who<br />

enthusiastically sing out their tune is quite<br />

tricky, almost like playing a silent piano.<br />

Added to this is the challenge of hearing<br />

the other pianists across the hall from you;<br />

even the ‘professionals’ amongst us have<br />

come unstuck here. The formula is simple<br />

(play the accompaniment really quietly<br />

and project the melody) but the ensemble<br />

and listening skills are subtle and complex<br />

especially for pianists who, for the most<br />

part, play in solitary confinement. The<br />

end result however is almost always fun,<br />

often accomplished and occasionally<br />

musically inspiring for players and<br />

audience alike.<br />

Whilst we live life ‘on the edge’ for<br />

10 THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER


Brown (Caldicott, D Social) together<br />

with the colourful playing of Adrian<br />

Pascu (Wirral Grammar, B Social)<br />

and the shoulder-dancing of Rory Van<br />

Zwanenberg (Moulsford, G Social) to<br />

name a few have all contributed to a sense<br />

of festival. They have also performed<br />

alongside the professionals on the staff<br />

in some very tricky and challenging<br />

arrangements, which have both excited<br />

and charmed the packed Silk Hall. More<br />

rewarding still however has been the<br />

playing of much less experienced pianists<br />

such as Angus Anderson (Cothill, B<br />

Social) who, with probably twice the<br />

work and commitment of those of us who<br />

make it our career, played in the 2007<br />

Extravaganza having only been learning<br />

the piano for 5 weeks!<br />

‘But playing the piano is such<br />

a solitary activity’ is the oft-heard<br />

comment from parents. Not at <strong>Radley</strong>;<br />

<strong>Radley</strong> is unique. Unique in my<br />

understanding, in having up to seven<br />

pianos to roll into one concert hall each<br />

year, certainly the only Independent<br />

School to put on an annual concert<br />

which consists entirely of pianists of all<br />

abilities performing in piano ensembles,<br />

and possibly the only school to reach the<br />

lofty heights of 21 pianists at 7 pianos.<br />

Unique in commissioning each year over<br />

50 minutes of music for piano ensembles<br />

and in involving up to 70 pianists of<br />

all abilities from pre-Grade 1 to the<br />

experienced professionals.<br />

Other schools have tried to copy but<br />

fallen at the first hurdle in a ‘never to be<br />

repeated’ single concert item, normally<br />

‘borrowed’ from us whilst, at <strong>Radley</strong>, and<br />

after a deep intake of breath, a quick run<br />

around the block and a few bribes we<br />

enthusiastically head towards our ninth<br />

and tenth extravaganzas. The thoughts are<br />

for something a little more Classical next<br />

year and the 10th celebration will be ‘The<br />

Best of...’<br />

After this, perhaps time for something<br />

new.....I wonder where we can get another<br />

10 pianos from??<br />

Anthony Williams<br />

Head of Instrumental Music<br />

THE RADLEIAN NEWSLETTER 11


adleians<br />

Fred Rowe (OR, ex Head of A Social)<br />

Cothill<br />

It is Sunday 6th July 2008, and I have just finished<br />

school. The evening Gaudy that I enjoyed last<br />

night was an incredible experience, and really<br />

summarised in one night everything that I have<br />

loved about this school. Staring out across <strong>College</strong><br />

Lake, watching the magnificent fireworks with<br />

a group of close friends I could not have been<br />

happier, despite the rain! It seems an awfully long<br />

time since I started 5 years ago, timidly entering<br />

into A Social for the first time.<br />

The scope of extra curricular activities has<br />

been phenomenal. I have been lucky enough<br />

be part of some great sports teams - including<br />

Mr Matthew’s celebrated unbeaten 3rd XV of<br />

the 2007 season. It was a real honour to captain<br />

a side with such fantastic spirit and although<br />

we were obviously not the finest rugby players<br />

in the school every single member of the team<br />

became dedicated to the team’s cause. Over the<br />

years I have also had the chance to perform in<br />

both the old and new theatres. A real highlight<br />

for me though has been the 2007 production<br />

of West Side Story, in which I had the privilege<br />

of playing a large role. It was amazing. The<br />

professional nature of the whole production was<br />

an opportunity that I doubt I will ever be lucky<br />

enough to experience again, and I am so thankful<br />

to all those involved.<br />

For the last year I have been head of A<br />

Social, which has been a real honour, and<br />

though it has at times been stressful, it has<br />

been a position that I have absolutely relished.<br />

It has helped me to see <strong>Radley</strong> <strong>College</strong> in<br />

its very best light, where all the year groups<br />

get along harmoniously. I have loved living<br />

in A Social. The atmosphere has suited me<br />

perfectly, and Mr Rathbone, Mr Langton and<br />

Miss Briggs, have understood the needs of<br />

Social completely. I know that Mr.Rathbone<br />

will be sorely missed, though I am sure that<br />

Mr Ryder will continue to keep A Social at the<br />

forefront of <strong>Radley</strong> life, and will do a great job<br />

as Tutor. The fact though that I have always<br />

been able to get along with all years in my<br />

Social sums up the <strong>Radley</strong> ethos of strong<br />

community spirit.<br />

I am often asked the seemingly<br />

innocuous question: “What do you think<br />

is the best feature at <strong>Radley</strong>?” I always find<br />

myself answering with the pretty infuriating<br />

response - everything. The answer is<br />

everything, because I have found that<br />

Radleians are extremely lucky in the way we<br />

can use the <strong>College</strong> as a springboard to excel<br />

at so many different things. For example, I<br />

have been given the opportunity to dabble<br />

in a plethora of different opportunities and<br />

activities, from the games circus all those years<br />

ago in my first term, to careers’ seminars, and a<br />

host of thought provoking lectures in my sixth<br />

form years. All in all I will always look back<br />

upon my <strong>Radley</strong> years with fondness, knowing<br />

that the School has helped me to make, I hope,<br />

the most of the chances I have been given to<br />

date. <strong>Radley</strong> has provided me with 5 highly<br />

enjoyable years, and for that I will be forever<br />

indebted. I have made some fantastic friends,<br />

and I feel prepared for the next steps of my life.<br />

Freddie Rendall (Shell)<br />

HALL GROVE<br />

My first week at <strong>Radley</strong> has been, to put it<br />

mildly, packed to the brim, with activities,<br />

sports trials, lessons, and much much more.<br />

I remember driving up Chestnut Avenue for<br />

the first time, only a week ago, yet it seems like<br />

several.<br />

The first few days have been especially busy,<br />

with lessons to find, names to learn, bouts of<br />

Inter-Social Tug of War to win, (which of course<br />

we did!!), and much more. One particularly<br />

enjoyable aspect of my first week has been the<br />

Shell Games Circus. This is a selection of out of<br />

the ordinary sports, that encourages Shells to try<br />

new sports. Having never played many of the<br />

sports on offer, I was really looking forward to<br />

this opportunity, and disappoint me it did not.<br />

Real Tennis, Squash, Rackets, the list is certainly<br />

impressive.<br />

Life in social has been particularly<br />

enjoyable, and in my opinion, is one of the most<br />

valuable experiences that <strong>Radley</strong> has to offer.<br />

During my first week, I have made some really<br />

close friends in Social. However, one of the<br />

nicest things I have found, is the relationship<br />

between the new boys, and those who have been<br />

here for longer. Older boys are always on hand<br />

to help with finding lessons, prep, and also with<br />

mundane matters, such as when to put your<br />

washing in.<br />

One of the highlights of my first week at<br />

<strong>Radley</strong>, has been my first weekend at school.<br />

Having come from a weekly boarding school,<br />

I was new to this exciting experience. And I<br />

was certainly not disappointed. After games<br />

on Saturday, I rushed off to the squash courts,<br />

to have our induction. Having done that, we<br />

stripped off our games socks, and collapsed in<br />

front of the TV, to watch the X Factor!<br />

Then, we were ushered off to cocoa, with<br />

Chrissie (our pastoral house mistress). This is a<br />

very enjoyable experience, especially when the<br />

whole of the social comes together. It is a chance<br />

to catch up with friends, and generally to relax.<br />

Then, we were shepherded upstairs by the prefect<br />

on duty, and slowly we all dozed off, after an<br />

exhausting few days.<br />

Sunday is one of my favourite days, because<br />

on Sunday, we are allowed to lie-in! I finally<br />

conquered the desire to go back to sleep at 9:00,<br />

and slowly made my way to Breakfast. After<br />

Chapel, we had yet another new sport to try, (this<br />

time, it was rackets), before heading to ‘Pups’<br />

Field,’ for the Inter-Social Tug of War. We fought<br />

bravely, and ended up winning the prestigious<br />

title. We then gathered for a celebratory barbecue<br />

in front of Mansion. It was a brilliant win, and<br />

the perfect way to cap off a very busy, and very<br />

enjoyable first week at <strong>Radley</strong>.<br />

12 THE RADLey NEWSLETTER Website: www.radley.org.uk . Admissions enquiries: 01235 543174 . admissions@radley.org.uk

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