magazine 2015

Fitzherbert House
Report
Sixth Form
Report
When it comes time to write a summary of what has happened in Fitzherbert House during the year, it is
far too easy to emphasise the competitions and games that we have won. In some years that may be more
or less than others and so we could judge the success of the year on those victories. In the last year for
instance, we could talk about our success in the cross country competition early in the year, our victory in the Intermediate
polyathlon and baking competition and our famous (and rare!) win in the Swimming Gala.
We could also mention the near misses, such as our excellent performance in the Public Speaking competition and
our strong showing at Sports Day. Based on these performances, it would be very easy to make the judgement that it
was a successful year for Fitzherbert House.
It was indeed a good year for Fitzherbert House, but these performances were just the icing on what is a very good
cake! What is more important to me is how we work together as a community and how the members of the House
want to represent that community.
Each year, the three competitions where it can be difficult to find volunteers are cross country, public speaking and
the swimming gala. The sports captains work very hard to go round and find people to take part, sometimes having to
employ all their powers of persuasion to fill the spaces on the team. This year, people came forward and things slotted
into place. Things like that show me that it was a good year.
Obviously I need to say thank you to a few people. Thank you to the Fitzherbert team of tutors who work tirelessly
with their forms to get things organised. We have been very lucky to have had the same team now for a number of
years. A special thank you should go to Mrs. Hollinshead who does a lot to make Fitzherbert what it is. Thank you
to the two House Committees that have organised things in the last year. Your efforts make my job a whole lot easier.
The prospect of joining the Sixth Form for new students is always an exciting one, as they change from being a pupil
to a student with their own study areas, a common room as well as their first taste of independent study time.
We say goodbye to many students who have certainly made the most of their time at Stafford Grammar Sixth Form.
Scarlett Baker deserves a mention as the outgoing Head of School, as do Mahir Bhoora and Emily Caplan who have been
supportive and caring deputies. Elizabeth Chinn, Cameron Kendall and Sally Tyler have now taken over the position of
leading the new Prefect Team and have already made a very positive impact in the Sixth Form and around the School.
As always students have immersed themselves in an enormous amount of activities whilst maintaining excellent academic
standards. The Medical Society has gone from strength to strength, thanks to Mahir Bhoora’s leadership. Now
the new upper sixth wish to launch a Law Society and a Sports Society. In addition the Debating Society is going to be
re-launched, so watch out for opportunities to get involved. Whether it is sport, music, Young Enterprise or Duke of Edinburgh,
you will find sixth form students involved in some way and often supporting the staff to ensure smooth running.
I have heard rumours of a whole sixth form sponsored Zumba session sometime soon.
Of course the priority for every student is to gain their best possible A-level results. This year, we wish every success to
those students who leave our Sixth Form to embark upon careers or university courses and I would like to congratulate
them on an excellent set of A2 results.
Now we welcome a new group of students who have a lot to live up to and I encourage all of them to take advantage of
the things that appeal to them and perhaps to try something new.
Mr Green
Finally I couldn’t finish this year without saying thank you to Dr Crane who has been a member of the Fitzherbert
team for many years. I am glad that we will still see him around to help with D of E but he will be missed within the
House.
RAF.