A27053 Epsom Link Issue 11 - Epsom College

Issue 11 Spring 2007
THE LINK
Building for the future
The Headmaster and Governors of
Epsom College have announced the
completion of two major building projects
this term with a third, the refurbishment of
Big School, scheduled for completion in the
first few weeks of the summer term.
The first phase of the development
project, which involves a total investment of
nearly £3 million, saw the opening of a high
tech Fitness Suite in January.
The £750,000 facility, which boasts the
most modern equipment available in fitness
technology, with an array of cardiovascular
and fixed resistance machines, squat racks
and free weights, is currently being
enjoyed by students and members of the
College community.
Consideration is being given to opening
the Fitness Suite to members of the public
from September this year.
At the end of February, the new
Performing Arts Centre, built at a cost
of just over £1 million, opened its
doors. Occupying the site of the old squash
courts, this superb facility comprises an
impressive theatre, sprung floor dance
studio, dressing rooms, office, catering
facilities and storage areas.
The light and airy theatre has a
contemporary feel and has been designed
Headmaster Stephen Borthwick discusses the progress of Big School with College Prefects
Above right: High tech lighting in the new Performing Arts Centre
with flexibility in mind. It will be used
primarily by drama and theatre studies
students, but could also lend itself to
lectures and visiting theatre groups.
The new centre is equipped with
advanced theatre technology, with state-ofthe-art
sound and lighting controls. There
is ample room for the staging of lavish
performances, with a seating capacity for
over 100 people.
The official opening of the Performing
Arts Centre will take place on Founder’s
Day, Saturday 26th May, when parents and
vistors will have a chance to view the
facilities for themselves.
The final phase of this three-stage
development scheme will see the
completion of the refurbishment of the Big
School during the summer term. This £1
million project has involved balancing
modern design techniques with the need to
preserve the character and heritage of this
fine period building.
Improvements include modern sound and
lighting systems, air conditioning, raked
seating, new flooring and flexible staging,
which have been sympathetically installed to
ensure that the aesthetics of Big School –
including its imposing stained glass windows
– have not been compromised.
The official reopening of Big School will
take place on Monday 2nd July with the
staging by College students of Monteverdi’s
opera ‘The Coronation of Poppea.’
With record numbers on the roll and
demand for places at an all time high, these
investments will ensure that the College
retains its position as a top tier independent
school in the years to come.
On Wednesday 14th March, 360 students from the
College’s Combined Cadet Force took part in the
Annual General Inspection (AGI). Reviewing Officer
Colonel P Hubbard inspected the Honour Guard
(pictured) led by Lower 6th former Alex Fox and the
Drill Team led by Owain Mason-Johns, also Lower
6th. For full story and photos, visit the news section
of the College website (www.epsomcollege.org.uk)
1

World Book Day
The English Department celebrated
World Book Day on March 1st with a
week-long series of events, including
displays on Just War theory and on the
work of WH Auden to mark the
centenary of his birth.
A Book Review Competition, open
to all staff, was organised by the
Literacy Working Party and attracted
some superb entries. Engaging, snappy
and often witty reviews were displayed
around the school, either on
noticeboards or on tray-liners at
lunchtime on World Book Day.
Particularly charming was John
Higgs’s review of Uncle Petros and
Goldbach’s Conjecture by Apostolos
Doxiadis, a novel that is, in his own
words, “too hot to handle.” John was
delighted to win a school prize for the
first time since 1972!
Another prize went to Fr. Paul
Thompson for his poignant review of a
novel that will engage head and heart –
Anna Fynn’s Mister God This is Anna.
‘Hoodies’ make business sense
Whilst many teenagers are suffering from
the current bout of bad publicity
surrounding ‘hoodies,’ Lower 6th form
students at the College are celebrating
Hannah Patel, MD of Yeti, models one of the new ‘hoodies’
Last, but no means least, Rob Worrall
won a prize for his tantalising insights
into Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.
Prizes were £15.00 Book Tokens.
The Literacy Working Party also
promoted a Reading Event for World
Book Day. Students had the
opportunity to hear dramatic and
powerful readings by Fiona Drinkall,
Kim Chandley, Fr. Clive Case, Amanda
Brookfield, Sally Perry, Paul Gillespie
and Helen Keevil.
Kim Chandley reads aloud to students on World
Book Day
their success in selling the garments
through a Young Enterprise (YE) company.
Yeti, the YE Company set up by 12
enterprising students, has designed,
established a manufacturing source and
formed a trading company to market
hoodies to students and the College
community.
Personalised with surnames on the back
and the College crest on the front, the
hoodies have been an instant success. “It
was just amazing; we took 60 orders in
two days with more flooding in all the
time,” said Hannah Patel, Managing
Director of Yeti.
Blackjack is the other YE Company
operating this year. Under the direction of
Freddie Readhead, Blackjack has already
organised discos, printed OE sports
photographs and sold merchandise such as
T shirts, shorts and pashminas.
A percentage of the profits from YE
companies goes to charity.
Indiana Jones
comes to Epsom
The College’s History Society enjoyed a
somewhat unusual presentation when
research osteologist and OE Richard
Mikulski visited this term.
An Indiana Jones-like character, Mikulski,
a research osteologist from the Museum of
London, explained how the study of bones
can help our understanding of history. The
talk was fascinating for biology and history
students and helped them to understand the
evolution of the human skeleton.
Real skeletons and bones were used in
this ‘hands on’ lecture.
M4 students Stephanie Fernandes (left) and
Jennifer Lewsey examine the bones
The Murdoch
effect...
On Tuesday 6th March, Graham
Stewart, journalist and official
historian of The Times, gave a talk
entitled “What effect has Rupert
Murdoch had on the British Media?”
The talk was aimed primarily at
U6th History and Politics students,
but attracted a large audience
interested in the mass media.
Stewart joined The Times in
2000 as a leader writer and currently
writes the “Past Notes” column on
Saturdays. He is the author of a
number of historical books including
Burying Caesar.
2

Physics students go “on air”
Physics students found themselves in the
spotlight in February when they took part
in an interview for BBC Radio.
The students, all members of the
College’s “Whacky Physics” Club, were
quizzed by BBC interviewer Sara Parker
for the Radio 4 educational programme
“The Learning Curve.”
The Whacky Physics Club meets every
week and is run by well known local
physicist and science writer Neil Downie,
under whose guidance students get the
chance to conduct curious and offbeat
experiments and to work on creative and
innovative projects.
Typical experiments have included
printing with invisible ink, firing rockets
in the lab and exploring the power of
exploding soda bottles.
This unconventional approach is
encouraging more pupils to become
interested in physics, which has been the
subject of waning interest in recent years.
Epsom College students talked in the
radio interview about what they like and
dislike about physics and what had
inspired them to take the subject to A
level and beyond to university.
The full interview was aired on BBC
Radio 4 on Monday 12th March.
From left to right: Ben Newman, Sammad Abdul, and Vince Sequerah with interviewer Sara Parker
In brief
• Over £1400 was raised for charity at
the recent College Mufti Day. All
monies will go towards funding the
Epsom College Farm, part of the Task
Brazil venture.
• Congratulations to the 50 5th Form
students who sat their Maths GCSE
exam early last term and scored a 100
per cent pass rate at Grade A with well
over half getting A*s.
• A 5th Form Information Evening held
this term was highly successful,
attracting over 170 pupils, including
new students joining the 6th form in
September this year.
The event, held in the Mackinder
building, was designed to give advice
and guidance to students selecting their
AS and A2 level subjects. Each subject
had its own stand with staff and U6th
form pupils on hand to offer
information and talk about their own
experiences. Feedback from students
suggests that the evening was extremely
useful and productive.
Students and staff race for tradition
The ancient tradition of Pancake Racing was
celebrated in style on February 20th when
students and teachers took part in the Shrove
Tuesday event.
Over 100 students from the 12 College
Houses took part in the annual inter-house
Pancake Day races, which were staged in
relays around the Chapel triangle.
Father Clive Case, one of the College
Chaplains, spent the night before hard at work
in the kitchens mixing eggs, flour and milk
and cooking the pancakes in preparation for
the day’s activities.
Father Clive also officiated at the finishing
line, recording some excellent runs as Fayrer
House won in all three age groups.
The fiercely contested staff race
saw the chaplaincy and maths department in
equal first place with the gap year students
taking third.
Students take part in the Pancake Race
3

Snow Joke for charity
By our student
reporter
Annie Urwin
This term’s staff
charity show, Snow
Joke and the
Seven Domestic
Workers Against
Rank Vertical Stigmatisation (DWARVS), an
offbeat adaptation of the traditional Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs fairy tale, was
a tremendous success.
Written and directed by Mr Henson and
narrated by Messrs Oliver and Huxter, the
story begins in a make-believe town where
Snow Joke (Miss Baines) decides to
introduce a bell calling system to her seven
domestic workers - Cheesy, Saga, Alberta,
MC, Hornet, Sporty and Doc.
But six of the seven DWARVS revolt
against the fifty minute bell system
introduced by Mr Hartley (Mr Hartley) and
Snow Joke is left without any domestic help!
Enter the Fairy (Miss Chandley), who
arrives in her tutu to solve the problem. The
six recalcitrant DWARVS are replaced by
Jeeves, Chopper, Stretch, Tiny, Briony and
Sleazy and things return to normal.
Meanwhile, the King of the Land’s first
son has disappeared so Prince Willcome
(Mr Thomas) has to learn the ropes of
“weaselling.”
Back at Snow Joke’s house, a Witch (Dr
Wade) arrives with seven pieces of fruit and
one piece with “absolutely no poison at all.”
The DWARVS tell Snow Joke, who ends up
consuming poison, which puts her into a
deep sleep from which she can only be
woken by a kiss on the cheek from a prince.
The long lost prince (Fr Clive) and
Prince Willcome, both turn up at the house
and are able to wake Snow Joke from her
deep sleep.
So the fairytale ends, as all fairy tales do,
(almost) happily ever after.
Highlights of the show included an ultra -
cool performance by Mr Hibbert in his
sunglasses and SW-Irve (Mr Irvine) with his
rendition of “America,” which had the
audience singing along.
And Hornet and Sporty (the Gappies)
should be complemented on their excellent
attempts at English accents!
Highland fling
The annual Burns Night supper, organised
by the Friends of Epsom College, proved as
popular as ever this year, with some 160
guests enjoying an evening of convivial
entertainment.
Traditional fare included haggis, neeps and
tatties and the obligatory few drams of
whisky. John Higgs gave the Selkirk Grace
and the Piping in of the Haggis was conducted
by Pipe-Major Alan Boyd IG.
Rosemary Oliver gave a superb
Address to the Haggis as well as a lively talk
on the “Rights of Women,” while Andrew
Noble addressed the “Immortal Memory of
Robert Burns.”
Guests danced the evening away to the
sounds of Scottish music provided by The
Flying Chaucers.
Spreading the word
Some 120 Danes Hill girls enjoyed an
afternoon hearing about life at Epsom
College and watched a short DVD of the
150th anniversary celebrations, during a
recent presentation at the Oxshott prep
school by College pupils and staff.
The 16 College girls who attended
the event had all previously been pupils at
Danes Hill. Six girls gave polished
presentations about their experiences at the
College - Catriona Melville and Samantha
Duff (M4), Carina Lindberg (5th Form),
Baileigh Walsh (L6th), and Natasha Wood
and Ami Hodges (U6th).
Comic Relief
Old Epsomian and comedian Tim Vine
(brother of broadcaster and OE Jeremy Vine)
took part in the BBC’s recent Comic Relief
Does Fame Academy show. Viewers watched
him perform his Viva Las Vegas routine with
much comic effect. Unfortunately, despite
winning praise from the judges and having
one of the strongest voices of all the
“students,” a disappointed Tim was voted off
the show after two performances.
Danes Hill pupils enjoy hearing about life at
Epsom College
4

Rifle team celebrates a year of success
Commonwealth Games Gold and Silver
medallist Parag Patel was guest of honour
at the recent Epsom College Rifle Team
and Old Epsomian Rifle Club celebration
dinner. Held in Main Hall, ages spanned
from 13 to 87 as over seventy guests
joined the College squad of twenty-four
to toast recent successes.
Parag Patel (Holman 1989-1994)
competed in the Melbourne Games in
2006 and won Gold for England in the
Fullbore Pairs and took Silver in the
Fullbore Individual. Firing at distances of
nearly a mile to the target, Parag’s
performance in Australia was part of a
memorable year for the Epsom College
and OE Rifle Teams.
During the NRA Schools Meeting held
at Bisley in July, the College VIII became
National Champions, winning the
Ashburton Shield with a record score. This
was the College’s 10th Ashburton win in
17 years, five having been achieved under
the leadership of Michael Nash and five
under James Postle.
The team also won 13 other trophies
With heavy rain and gale force winds
forcing the postponement of the finals of
the 12th National Prep Schools Rugby
Tournament a week earlier, Facilities
Manager David Pearce and his team worked
tirelessly to ensure that the College grounds
were in peak condition for the rescheduled
event on Sunday 11th March.
A total of 52 teams from as far afield as
Yorkshire, Monmouthshire and Bristol took
part in this year’s finals – the sixth time that
Epsom College has hosted the event.
With the sun shining, Shrewsbury House
School from Surbiton produced some
scintillating rugby to take the U9, U11 and
U13 titles, but Crosfields from Berkshire
prevented a clean sweep by winning the
U10 competition.
In the U8 tag tournament – the first time
that tag rugby has been included in the
including the Garry International Cup for
beating the Canadian and Australian
National cadet teams. When combined
with victories in the smallbore Country
Life Match and the Staniforth Cup, the
College currently holds every National
Schools title.
Three members of the U6th
have recently achieved international
honours; David Nuthall (Captain) has been
Sun shines on Prep Schools
Rugby Tournament
Parag Patel (centre) with Michael Nash (left) and Roger Gill, who both coached shooting when Parag was a pupil.
programme – local prep school Chinthurst
won the final, beating Davenies from
Buckinghamshire.
Prizes were presented to the winning
teams by Old Epsomian David Wood, the
Mayor of Epsom & Ewell.
Epsom & Ewell Mayor David Wood with the
victorious Chinthurst U8 tag rugby team
selected to represent the Great Britain
Under 19 Rifle team in South
Africa over Easter, as has OE James
Lothian. David will also tour Canada this
summer as part of the Great Britain Cadet
Rifle Team along with Harry Ball and
Tom Wharram. All three have also
this term represented England
Schools (indoor) as has L6th former
William Stewart.
Bringing music
to our ears
The Music Department has enjoyed a highly
successful term, performing a number of
concerts both at the College and also to a
wider audience.
The superb Downs Singers, the College’s
group of outstanding vocalists, won the Youth
choirs (18 and under) class at the celebrated
Leith Hill Music Festival.
During February, the Chapel Choir sang
evensong at St Albans Cathedral, while over
300 musicians, including the Chapel Choir
and the Choral Society, performed Britten’s
War Requiem in the College Chapel
Also in February, a group of music scholars
performed a successful lunchtime concert at
St Martin’s Parish Church, Dorking.
To round off the term, Timothy Cobb (P),
gained a place as a trumpeter in the
prestigious National Schools Symphony
Orchestra.
5

Dual rugby international John Bentley, pictured (left) with
1st XV captain Sandy Reid and Colts coach Jud Drinkall,
proved a star turn at the annual Epsom College RFC Lads
& Dads Dinner on March 10th. The 120-strong audience
of players, fathers and College rugby coaching staff was
in stitches as ‘Bentos’ related his exploits, both on and off
the field, whilst touring in South Africa with the British
Lions in 1997. Capped four times by England at rugby
union, the talented winger also represented Great Britain
at rugby League.
It’s in the net!
On the back of an unbeaten regular
fixtures season, the 1st VII girls netball
team is celebrating victory in the
prestigious Bradfield Netball
Tournament.
Although this was the first time the
team has entered this competition, they
took the trophy with some impressive
scorelines, winning 6-4 against Downe
House, and beating Lord Wandsworth
College 16-3, Pangbourne 19-7,
Charterhouse 12-9 and Bradfield
College 14-4. In the final, Epsom beat
Downe House 13-6.
Throughout the past season, the
team, under the captaincy of Eleanor
Fisher, has seen off competition from
old rivals Cranleigh, King’s Canterbury,
Sevenoaks and Brighton College.
Towards the end of term the girls also
found themselves in the County Finals.
The Ul9s came up against Putney High
in the final but lost 6-2 after extra
time. The U16s met St Catherine’s in
their final, losing 6-4.
U6th former Natasha Wood in action for the 1st VII
Well done girls!
A large number of L6th form girls took part
in this year’s Hendelah Waley competition.
The girls are required to compete in eight
different events including running,
swimming, netball, hockey, gym tests and
agility.
Scoring an impressive 82 points out of a
possible 100, Jess Lee (White House) took
first place to win the cup. In second place was
Sarah Haville (White House) with 81 points
and just behind in third place was Eloise
Alexander (Crawfurd House) with 79 points.
Experience counts
Rugby may be a young man’s game, but a
combined age of over 180 years has not
deterred this hardy trio of deputy
headmasters from continuing to perform a
vital role in the sport.
Rain or shine, John Hartley, Epsom
College’s current deputy head (right),
Norman Rice, who retired as deputy head of
Epsom in 2003 (left), and Bill Beatson, retired
deputy head of The King’s School
Lower sixth form girls who competed in the Hendelah Waley competition
Macclesfield and currently teaching at the
College (centre), still turn out regularly to
referee rugby matches in all age groups.
The three “old hands” recently officiated
in Epsom College’s U16A, B and C
team matches in their last game of
the season against their counterparts from
Eton College.
What they may lack in youth, they clearly
make up for in experience!
6

Star golfer aims for the top
Fifth former Gareth Blease is one step
closer to realising his dream of playing
professional golf, having been selected
to represent Wales at U16 level.
The 3-handicapper is currently
involved in team coaching sessions with
the Welsh squad and will take part in
representative matches later this year.
In the interim, he will be competing in
a number of prestigious tournaments
during the next few months.
With Tiger Woods as his role model,
Gareth, who started playing seriously
at the age of 11, is a member of the
Coombe Hill Golf Club and plays for its
men’s first team. During the week he
plays on Tuesdays and Thursdays at
Epsom Golf Club.
After finishing his studies at the
College, Gareth hopes to enter a top
American golfing university and go on
to make his fortune as a professional
golfer. “It has always been my dream to
Bazza Rangers win promotion
“Bazza Rangers,” the Epsom College staff
five-a-side football team, have been
promoted to the Premier Division of the
Epsom Rainbow Centre league following
an unbeaten season.
The league champions, who describe
themselves as “scholarly boys who take an
educated approach to their football,” won
nine and drew three of their matches in
Judo success
Max Denning (U4) and fifth former
Charlotte Davolls (pictured), won their
competitions in the Surrey County Judo
Finals held at the beginning of the Lent term.
Charlotte and Max are both now Surrey
Champions and will be going on to represent
the County at competitive level.
play in the Masters since I saw Tiger
Woods win in 2001, so hopefully I will
get to fulfil this dream,” said Gareth.
Gareth Blease practices his swing
Division 1. They also beat Rainbow Guns
2-0 to win the Rainbow League Cup final.
Named in honour of maths teacher
Barry Ainge, the team consists of
Paul Gillespie (captain) Andy Bustard,
Andy Wilson, Jim Stephens, Stuart Head
and Lawrence Matthews. Goalkeeper
Andy Bustard was named player of
the season.
England
rugby double
Two of the College’s talented rugby players
have been selected for England representative
honours.
Chris York, a lower sixth former, who has
already played for England at U16 level,
secured his selection for the England U18
squad after captaining the London and South
East U18 team in divisional matches against
the Midlands and the South West.
A member of the London-based NEC
Harlequins Academy, Chris, who plays
second row for the school’s 1st XV, said, “I
am absolutely delighted. All my hard work
has paid off.”
Following divisional trials in mid-January,
fifth former Joe Trayfoot has been selected for
the England U16 squad, which will play in a
four nations tournament in April.
Joe, who plays No 8 for the College’s Colts
A team, started his playing career at Cobham
RFC at the tender age of five. In addition to
representing Surrey and London and the
South East, he is also a member of the NEC
Harlequins Academy.
Chris York in action for England against Wales
7

Oxbridge success story
Bumper Oxbridge results this term
confirm the College’s academic
strength, with 10 students being made
offers by Oxford or Cambridge in a
variety of disciplines.
“While strong academic results have
always been at the centre of the
College’s success, the liberalisation of
the teaching programme over the past
few years is showing real success,” said
Oxbridge mentor Alan Scadding.
Students have received offers of
places for Medicine, Law, English and
Drama, English, History, Chemistry,
PPE, Experimental Psychology and
Land Economy. English results were
particularly strong with a number of
candidates being made offers.
A large number of medics have
also been successful this year, with
offers from top universities confirming
their places.
Oxbridge students (left to right): Tom Wharram, Sandy Reid, Richard Beinart, James Patterson, David Inns and
Alistair Hardy. Front row: Rebecca Carpenter, Joanne Davis and Clare Duffy.
Website
development
As part of the ongoing upgrading of the
College’s website, a revamped news section
will be on-line next term. News will be
updated on a regular basis.
The section will include a link to more indepth
stories and a photo gallery to browse
pictures taken at events and functions. The
news section will provide useful information
for students, parents and the College
Community.
Information on sports fixtures can be
viewed via the on-line Calendar and results
are posted after each match.
Solo Music
The results of the inter-house solo music
competition for 2007 were in first place
Carr, second Crawfurd and third White
House. Special mention must go to the high
standard of individual presentations in the
advanced category, where Fran Andrews
(Wh) won the singing competition, Miku
Fujita (Rv) piano, Ian Yang (F) strings and
Abi Lee (Wh) wind instrument.
College goes for Olympic gold
With the London 2012 Olympics in sight,
Epsom College has submitted an application
to be considered as a pre-games training
camp venue.
The College was encouraged to apply at
the end of last year by Active Surrey - the
county’s sports body.
In the weeks and months leading up to the
2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,
athletes from all over the world will be able
to make use of the pre-games training camps
in the UK in order to experience conditions
similar to those they will encounter at the
games themselves.
If the College is successful with its initial
submission, it will be subject to a first phase
assessment in May this year by the London
Organising Committee of Olympic and
Paralympic Games (LOCOG), with the final
decision being taken in 2008
A spokesman for the College said they
were excited about the possibility of being
involved in training camps and the
“tremendous kudos in being able to watch
at close quarters a potential world champion
in the making.”
The impressive 80 acre site in College
Road, Epsom, boasts an extensive range of
sports facilities, including two astroturf
pitches, swimming pool, squash and
The new fitness suite could soon be used by Olympic athletes from around the world
badminton courts, two indoor sports halls
and a new fitness suite.
It can also offer athletes and support
staff accommodation, catering facilities,
a medical centre, security and has
good road and rail connections to
London – all key criteria required by
the LOCOG.
8
Epsom College, College Road, Epsom, Surrey KT17 4JQ Tel: 01372 821234 Fax: 01372 821237
e-mail: news@epsomcollege.org.uk web: www.epsomcollege.org.uk
Edited by Corinne Munford Baines Design & Print - Tel: 01707 876555