MAY20th newsletter001.indd - Battle Abbey School

Headmaster’s Commendations
For their participation in the Dance Show Alice King,
Natasha Lawson, Tina Torab, Kelly Spearpoint,
Pytor Kurzin, Aisling O’Keeffe, Charlotte Wood
and Annie Laity.
Beattriz Castro, Phoebe Crane, Arabella Collins,
Kate Riches, Sophie Adams, Alice Stephenson,
Tabby Fricker, Lilli Cooper, Allyssia Turton, Issy
Turton, Issy Haskell, Ben Jones, Ciaran Acuna,
Cara Goodman, Poppy Rampling, Jemima Bishop,
Leah Cave, Alexandra Fowler, Phoebe Sanctuary,
Harriet Nurse, Nikolina Smyslova, Henry Clark,
Christie Samms, Zuska Kennard, Bunny Savvides.
Bethany Hill, Daniel Davies, Issy Watts, Georgie
Veale, Minna Hornsby, Victoria Kingdom and Hattie
Todd.
.....and from the Prep School-
Emily Paice, Imogen Birkett, Madison Mullarkey,
Ellie Bostock-Smith and Eva Pomery.
Artwork of the week - Phoebe Ashenheim- Year 13
Battle Abbey School Bulletin
All the latest from the School
20th May 2011
Dear Parents,
Sunday sees the 99th anniversary of the founding of the school. The
earliest accurate record we can establish tells us that the fi rst pupils arrived on May
22nd 1912. Next year at that time we will celebrate one hundred years of education.
Some of you will know that there is a very active committee of parents, staff, governors
and former pupils meeting regularly to make plans for the year. We look forward
to reporting back to you at the end of this term.
“Hold fast that which is good,” springs to mind as a good motto at this time.
The ethos of the school as a family is alive and well, constantly being guarded and
checked up on. The human values continue to enjoy utmost importance through the
decades in most good schools, while we adapt to societal and technological change.
Inanimate computers may help direct our lives but we do not forget the primacy of the
moral and spiritual dimensions in our lives. We move with the times yet keep our feet
on the ground.
As an example, this week we worked together in the Senior School to raise money
for the Denny Foundation. Two pupils, Alice Denny and Harriet Pankhurst, inspired
a charity “mufti” day. They gathered the support of their house and cakes were sold
and stalls erected in the Abbot’s Hall at break. Mr Malewicz took to the stage in a pink
motorbike helmet and yellow hair, accompanied by a bodyguard of Sixth Formers. The
whole family of the school got together, had fun and raised nearly a thousand pounds
in one short day.
In all parts of the school we regularly remember and try to help those less fortunate
than ourselves – a tradition rooted in the past.
As for the future, let me quote from a Battle Abbey School brochure soon to be
published concerning the Enrichment Curriculum starting in Year 10 in September:
‘According to former US Secretary of Education Richard Riley – the top 10 in-demand
jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004. We are currently preparing students for jobs that
do not even exist yet, using technologies that haven’t been invented in order to solve
problems we don’t even know are problems yet.’
We have researched long and hard. We have sought and received the approval of six of
the top universities in the country, including Oxford and Cambridge. We have adapted
our curriculum to suit changing times and will be offering much more than we have
done previously. A full version of the new brochure will be available on the website
shortly.
So, 99 years on, the school is proud of its traditions and always adapting to provide the
very best education for our children for the future.
Best wishes
Roger Clark

20th May 2011
Will does Well!
Good news at Battle Abbey School as budding
performance artist Will Cousins has been granted
a full scholarship at the prestigious Guildford
School of Acting.
Kay Heasmer, Head of Dance, said; ‘Will has
been a shining example at the School and a
fantastic role model for some of the younger
pupils. Will is exceptionally hard-working and
has particularly been focusing on his dance work.
As a result he has become an incredibly strong
musical theatre performer. For Will to achieve the
three year Guildford full scholarship is fantastic.
Full scholarships are very hard to attain, perhaps
even harder this year due to the budget cuts, and
equate to fees of nearly £10,000 a year, so we are
all justifi ably very proud of Will’s achievement.’
Roger Clark, Headmaster, said; ‘Will was the
School’s Joanna Lumley Scholar in 2009 and his
success is testament to the fact that we are choosing
the right pupils for this prestigious award. In
fact, three of our Joanna Lumley Scholars have
gone on to further their education at Guildford.
Well done Will!’
Will said, ‘I joined in 2009 to study Theatre Studies, Performing Arts and English Literature. I cannot express how much Battle Abbey has
helped to mould me into the performer I am today. The school has provided me with stepping stones between Secondary Education and
professional Drama School, and I shall be forever grateful for the training I have received there. To be exposed to a huge variety of theatre,
with the opportunity to play such a plethora of roles, from Claire in Genet’s ‘The Maids’ to Emcee in Kander and Ebb’s musical ‘Cabaret’, is
magic! I shall look back in great fondness at the time I have spent at Battle Abbey School.’
Charity Dog Walk
On Sunday, fi ve Battle Abbey Prep pupils took part
in a sponsored dog walk along Bexhill sea front to
raise money for Bexhill, Hastings and Rother Guide
Dogs for the Blind Association.
Nathaniel, Samuel, Charlie, Hope and Ruby all took
part raising a fantastic sum for the cause!
FOBAS AGM Tuesday 7th June 2011
In accordance with the constitution dated March 1995, notice is hereby given that
the 2011 Annual General Meeting of FOBAS shall take place at 7:15 at Battle Abbey
Senior School on Tuesday 7th June.
The business of the AGM shall be:
1. The appointment of the offi cers and committee for the forthcoming academic year
2. To vote on a resolution to adopt an updated constitution
3. To hear the reports of the Chair and the Treasurer for the 2010/11 academic year.
The AGM is open to all current parents of all parts of the school. However, it would
be appreciated if anyone wishing to attend could notify the school offi ce as soon as
possible to assist us with selecting the appropriate meeting space within the main
building.
Details of the new constitution can be obtained from the
secretary of FOBAS on request via the school offi ce.
By order of the Committee
Keith Sellens
Chair 16th May 2011

Where are they now?
Under 11 Rounders overturn Claremont
On Wednesday 18th Battle Abbey Prep Schools’ Under 11 Rounders
team travelled the short distance up the A21 to play Claremont School,
with some understandable nerves at playing a much larger School.
Early nerves gave way to confi dence and a fantastic performance as
Battle Abbey Prep emerged winners with a score of 11 1/2 to 6
rounders, after an exciting three innings match.
Ms Sarah Duncan-Broad, Head of PE at the Prep and Year 4 teacher
said, ‘Some of our individual performances in this match were absolutely
outstanding, but what really made the difference overall was
the fantastic demonstration of teamwork. In particular Lauren Turton,
Georgia Stork and Abbie Barratt worked exceptionally well together.
The entire team did the School proud!’
Player of the match was Abbie Barratt who bowled outstandingly
throughout and caught and bowled out a total of three of the
opposition.
Sarah Duncan-Broad
20th May 2011
In a brand new feature we catch up with some former pupils to fi nd out where life took them after the Abbey. This week Sen Gupta
writes on her fascinating career in medicine.
Centenary logo Competition
This term the School will be running an exciting
Competition for interested artists to design the BAS
2012 Centenary logo!
This competition is open to parents, staff and
pupils from all School sites.
– see next newsletter for more details
After leaving Battle Abbey I went onto study in University College London and I have
stayed there since then! I started by completing a BSc in Microbiology / Genetics, then a
PhD in Human Genetics. My first job was as a postdoctoral Research Fellow in the
Department of Surgery investigating inherited cancer. Now I am a Lecturer in the Institute
of Women’s Health studying DNA repair in embryo development. I feel very lucky because
thinking of an idea and following it through with experimental work is extremely exciting,
and a real privilege. Even experiments that appear to have failed sometimes lead to the
most fruitful results.
In my current job, I perform clinical diagnoses to help couples avoid passing on inherited
diseases to their children by doing genetic analysis on cells taken from embryos created by
in vitro fertilisation. It is a thrilling experience to know that your work has made a
positive difference to another person. As a lecturer I teach and supervise BSc, MSc and
PhD students which is very rewarding. Working in an academic environment has given me
the opportunity to travel all over the world and meet interesting people from enthusiastic
students at the start of their careers to Nobel Laureates who have been recognized as
pioneers in their field. At Battle Abbey I learnt how to be creative, systematic, disciplined
and to have the tenacity to complete a task. These are essential core skills that have allowed
me to follow a profession I thoroughly enjoy.
Jean-Jacques Choron (Year 9) really has brought his History project on
‘1940’ to life with this spectacular diorama of a dogfi ght scene from the
Battle Of Britain. These excellent projects will be proudly displayed on
future Open Days by the History Department, so look out for them!

Evacuation Day
Years 3, 4 and 6 pupils were evacuated to ‘Wales’ this
week via the Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway at
Tenterden. This was a really special day in which they
relived what it may have been like to have been an
evacuee in 1939.
The children dressed in the appropriate clothes of the
time, wore a name label around their necks, had ID
cards in their pockets and carried a gas mask box.
The adult organisers played key roles; there was a
station master, a nurse, a billeting offi cer, a gas mask
instructor, soldiers and even a Cockney spiv trying to
peddle his black market wares!
During the course of the train ride (which of course
ended in Wales!), the children had the opportunity to
chat to and question a lady who really had been an
evacuee about her experiences between 1939 and 1945. Fortunately she had
had a happy time discovering the delights of the countryside and the seaside in
the care of a loving family. They also had their identity cards inspected. Having
arrived in ‘Wales’, we were not able to continue to our fi nal destination because
German airplanes had ‘bombed the track’ so we had to return to Tenterden.
At the station the children visiting the signal box and helped to change the points.
They visited a variety of displays on the station, saw a spitfi re, a World War 2
ambulance, war time artefacts and played on original Penny Arcade machines,
learning a bit about old currency. They had a fascinating presentation of wartime
food and learned all about rationing, why it was necessary and what effect it
had, culminating in the creation of a chocolate spread from cocoa, sugar, mashed
potato and vanilla! Fortunately, we were not invited to taste it!
Finally, having extricated the children from the cockney wiles of the spiv, we all
bade farewell to the war years and returned to school and to the present.
It was an excellent day and a very informative and authentic experience.
This weeks Fantastic Key Stage 1 Stars!
20th May 2011
Well done to all our Key Stage 1 stars this week who won certifi cates for Numeracy, Writing, Reading, Swimming, Kindness, Rocket building and
generally being brilliant!

Munich Trip Report
Royal Bank Holidays? Street parties? Hmmph. The rest of the nation
may have been celebrating, but - in an act of disloyalty verging on
treason - just as the eyes of the world were on Wills and Kate, the
BAS exchange group was fl eeing the country. (Mind you, when we
arrived in Munich, there were local papers with 12-page special
wedding supplements…) And what a week we had: instructive,
rewarding, moving, exhilarating.
Many schools nowadays shy away from exchanges: too much trouble,
too many (perceived) health-and-safety snags, too much risk of
homesickness. Well, they should have seen our band of 14- and
15-year-olds. On arrival, there was a bit of nervousness – what if the
bread tastes funny? what if the window opens the wrong way?
(actually German windows always do!) what if I just don’t understand?
On departure, all that Angst had vanished, replaced by genuine
affection and friendship, and we had to drag them apart to catch the plane in time.
What’s on at the School in the coming week
20th May 2011
The programme was absurdly full – trips to the Alps and to the Neuschwanstein Castle of “Mad King Ludwig”; a traditional Maifest with a 40metre
maypole; the Olympic Park and the Zoo; a day in school; a celebration meal more like a banquet; some statutory shopping, of course; and the
concentration camp at Dachau, where we wept, hugged and returned to a world which I truly believe has learned and moved on.
Our friends at the Maria Ward Gymnasium, as always, were really wonderful hosts. Nothing was too much trouble, and their beautiful school
simply felt like a second home. MWG, falls ihr diesen Bericht lest, danken wir vom Herzen! Thanks also to Mrs Thorkildsen for coming along as
our second adult, to Mr Roffey for having us transported to Gatwick in style, and to the dozen boys and girls themselves, who were terrifi c
participants in what has become a fi rm annual event. Next year, indeed, we plan to expand the numbers, and we can’t wait for October when the
MWG girls are with us again. Zwei Länder, zwei Sprachen, zwei Schulen, ein Ziel: Freundschaft! Two countries, two languages, two schools, one
goal: friendship!
Kevin Anderson
Prep School Senior School
Saturday 21st May Boarders Tunbridge Wells Trip - PM
Hastings and Rother schools trampoline competition (A) at
Claverham Community College (9:00am)
Sunday 22nd May Boarders Golf
Monday 23rd May Early Bird Swimming (7.00am)
Year 6 Induction Day at the Abbey
Tuesday 24th May School Council Meeting 1.10pm Library
No KS1 Speech and Drama
Wednesday 25th May Science SATS Year 6 - (morning)
Year 3 - Bee Day! Wear Yellow and Black!
Waterpolo Festival (4.30pm)
No Stoolball
Year 7 & 8 Drama Club (13.15am)
1066 Seminar (16:00pm)
Tech Club (16:30pm)
American Football (16:45pm)
Kickboxing Club (18:00pm)
September 2011 - Year 7 Induction Day
U15 Boys Cricket v Frewen College (A)
GCSE Drama Revision (16:40)
Social Tennis (16:45)
Year 9 & 10 Drama Club (13:15)
U13 Boys Cricket v Vinehall (A)
Kickboxing Club (18:45pm)
Trampoline (16:45)
Whole School Rounders (16:45)
Thursday 26th May Science SATS - Year 6 - (morning) U13 Boys Inter-schools Tennis
Year 7 -9 Dance Club (12:50)
U13 Cricket Vs St Richards (A)
U15 Boys Cricket v Eastbourne College (A)
Whole School Cricket (16;45)
Whole School Rounders (16:45)
Dads v Lads Cricket (Practice) (18:00)
Friday 27th May Early Bird Swimming (7.00am)
Prep Special Day - Magic Talk!
Karate (16:45)
Year 10-13 Dance Club (16:45)

Nursery News
The Oaks
This week the Oaks have extended their interest in mud! Great fun and mess had been had by all making mud
pies, mark-making with sticks, barbequing soil and mixing potions of mud, water and leaves. After all the mud
play the garden looked like a building site so the hard hats and fl uorescent jackets were found for lots of ‘roadworks’
role-play in digging up and resurfacing the playground.
Some of the Oaks found an enormous spider in the garden which was caught in a bug catcher (thank you Mrs
Rapley!) and the children have been investigating its features and watching it spin a web whilst gaining
confi dence and overcoming their fears (including Miss Lee!)
Next week we will be having a numeracy week which is an opportunity for your child to develop their number
skills in a fun and exciting way; counting how many bubbles we can blow, measuring our friends’ heights,
acting out number rhymes and playing games. Parent/carers please feel free to contribute any ideas.
The Acorns
We have had a bit of a mixed week, focusing on the individual interests of the children. So this week the
Acorns have been practising throwing and catching, junk modelling, playing musical instruments, painting,
role-playing sea animals and starting some simple phonics. Next week our colour of the week will be purple
and parents could help by pointing out purple objects in their environment and books to support their child’s
understanding. We will also be continuing with some simple phonics through sounding out the fi rst sound of
your child’s name. We would welcome this activity being continued at home and if any parents would like
further information about phonics please ask a member of staff.
A Parents’ Consultation evening has been organised for Tuesday 14th June which is a chance to speak to your
child’s keyworker and also for the Acorns parents to chat to the Oak keyworkers ready for the transition in
September. The transition plans for the Oaks joining the reception class at the Prep school are underway and
visits from Mrs Cocks will commence after half-term. At Nursery we have already started the transition visits
for the Acorns into the Oaks and a transition record book of their progress is available at the bottom gate for
parents’ information.
The lovely weather has meant even more water and messy play at nursery and parents are reminded to ensure
that a change of clothes is either brought into nursery or left on their child’s peg.
The nursery photos have now been received and are being distributed; please could you ensure that you either
return the payment or photos before half term.
Half term reminder – the nursery will be closed for half term Monday 30th May through to Friday 3rd June
2011.
The Nursery Team.
20th May 2011
Battle Abbey Singers set to tackle Verdi
Two dozen Battle Abbey singers face an exciting new challenge this Saturday (21st) when they join forces with a huge adult choir, the Battle
Choral Society, to perform one of the very greatest works in the repertoire – Verdi’s Requiem. The singers have been rehearsing since the New
Year, and the 120-strong chorus, directed by John Langridge, is accompanied by an orchestra of 55, with professional soloists. The performance,
at Christ Church, St Leonard’s, begins at 8.00pm and there should still be a few tickets available at the door.
“ Phew! How did you enjoy it? Do you still have a voice? Were you deafened in the Dies Irae??” A full report with the singers’ reactions in
next week’s Newsletter…
A message from the School Offi ce
We would just like to remind Senior School parents that, should they need to advise us of any medical appointments or planned absence for their
child, to please copy the Senior School Offi ce (clarkc@ battleabbyschool.com) in on any e-mails sent direct to teaching staff, or alternatively,
use the designated ‘absence’ voice box on the School Offi ce number 01424 772385.
Additionally, if your address or contact details have changed recently please notify the School Offi ce direct so we can update your profi le on the
School system.
If you have any questions or updates please e-mail clarkc@battleabbeyschool.com or hughesl@battleabbeyschool.com or contact
us on the phone number above. Thanks! Senior School Offi ce Team

PE NEWS
20th May 2011
This week saw the ‘dads’ attending their fi rst nets session in preparation for the upcoming Dads Vs.Lads cricket match that will take place at
Crowhurst park on Sunday the 26th of June. Attendance was good, but we are always looking to recruit some additional parents to get involved with
one of the PE department’s sporting highlights of the year. If you are interested in playing in the game or just coming to have a net (which takes
place on Thursday evenings at the school between 18:00 – 19:00) please feel free to contact myself on: mercerr@battleabbeyschool.com
I would also like to wish the AS PE group good luck with their theory paper on Friday the 20th in addition to the GCSE PE class who will be sitting
the fi rst paper of the new Edexcel examination on Tuesday the 24th of May. Good luck to all of our candidates.
Mrs. Bryant wanted to wish all of her Trampoline girls the best of luck in the Hastings and Rother Schools Trampoline Competition, which takes
place at Claverham CC on Saturday morning. Having briefl y witnessed one of their training sessions the other day, I must say they look fantastic.
Good luck to all competitors in all competitions.
This week’s results:
On Tuesday afternoon the U15 girls’ rounders side travelled to Eastbourne college to play rounders. After a poor fi rst innings the girls really ‘picked
up their game’ to claw back the lead that Eastbourne had managed to achieve. Vicki Kingdon helped the girls with some excellent batting and was
supported by Harriet Barcroft. Unfortunately, the girls ended up losing 18 – 15.
GOTG: Georgina Veale for her all round performance.
On Thursday afternoon an U12 tennis side played Vinehall in a doubles competition involving six of our fi nest young tennis players. Lucy Clark and
Kate Riches played for the second time in as many weeks but this time in their own age category, where they dominated for the whole competition
and eventually fi nished up as the top pair on the day.
Although losing the fi xture overall, it’s encouraging to see how good the girls who performed on the day are and we look forward to teaching them
tennis after half term.
GOTG: Lucy Clark who was at a far superior level than anyone who participated on the day. Her shot selection and execution was outstanding.
On Thursday afternoon the U12 rounders side travelled to Vinehall in a reverse fi xture from last week. The girls played well but were outplayed by a
classy Vinehall side, whose fi elding was just that little bit better than ours. The girls lost 17-11 and put up some resistance thanks to the excellent last
minute captaincy of Isobel Richardson who ‘stepped up to the plate’ to help organise and lead a weakened side due to half of the girls being involved
in the tennis.
GOTG: Isobel Richardson for seizing an opportunity and aspiring to the role.
On Thursday the U13 rounders team travelled to Vinehall and started the game well with an excellent fi rst innings score and then reversed to fi elding
where they again managed to contain the opponents with an array of excellent fi elding displays. Unfortunately, there was a dramatic collapse by
all in the second innings as the girls were all out in 16 balls! This left them some way from their target and unfortunately left the score at 20 to 9½.
Special mention goes to Rebecca Nurse for her overall game and Athene Lakey for her batting.
GOTG: Kate McIntyre for her overall game play.
On Thursday afternoon the U 13 cricket side travelled to Buckswood to play cricket. James Young elected to fi eld and the team put in a really good
overall performance with a handful of wickets and boundary saving fi elding. Buckswood achieved a total of 110, which we felt was achievable but
unfortunately our top order collapsed in dramatic fashion. At one point we were 4-12, which makes horrible reading and we looked like we were
going to be bowled out within twenty minutes. Luckily for us, Oliver Grainge came into bat and managed to steady the ship. He managed to score
20 runs and called countless others for those who came in later in the order and batted around him. But, unfortunately, the damage had already been
done although we did manage to scramble back to 78.
MOTM: Oliver Grainge for his excellent keeping, mature batting and precise bowling.
Next Week’s fi xtures:
Saturday 21st May – Hastings and Rother Schools Trampoline Competition (Away) @ Claverham school for an 8:30 meet for a 9:00 start fi nishing
@ approx. 12:30pm.
Tuesday 24th May- U 15 Cricket Vs Frewen College (Away) 2:20 leave for a 3:00 start returning @ approx 5:45pm
Wednesday 25th May – U13 Cricket Vs Vinehall (Away) 2:30 leave for a 3pm start returning @ approx 5:30pm
Thursday 26th May- U13 Cricket Vs St Richards (Away) 2:50 leave for a 3:30 start returning at approx. 5:45pm
Thursday26th May- U15 cricket Vs Eastbourne College (Away) 2:20 leave for 3pm start