Striking the right note

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For several years Rydal Penrhos School has been involved in an EU funded Comenius project. The project aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the diversity of European cultures and help participating pupils to acquire basiclife skills and competences.

The most recent project took two years to complete and culminated inthe development of a website which compared teenagers’ daily routines in and outside of school. Working with partner schools fromthroughout Europe, the project team from Rydal Penrhos includedsenior pupils from the school. Each project team made recommendations about what subjects should be offered at school andwhat routine should be followed. Project meetings took place throughout Europe, and pupils were able to stay with host families asthey travelled to take part in the meetings. Additionally pupils fromeach school formed international working groups and meetings alsotook place via email, Skype and other VOIP technologies.

Past projects have seen trips to partner schools in Madeira, Germany,Iceland, Latvia and Slovakia, and for the 2013 project, the school as anew partner in Hungary. The Comenius project enables a whole rangeof academic and social skills to be developed and provides an excellentopportunity to widen their work-related skills for the future.

Pupils take part in European project

Friday 1 March, 9.30am-12pmPreparatory, Pre-Prep and Early Years Open Morning

Friday 1 March, 2pm-4pmRydal Penrhos Open Afternoon

Wednesday 15 May, 9.30am-12pmPreparatory, Pre-Prep and Early Years Open Morning

Friday 17 May, 2pm-4pmRydal Penrhos Open Afternoon

Forthcoming Open Events

View our complete calendar of events at www.rydalpenrhos.com

Issue 3 - January 2013

A man finds an old violin and an oil painting in his attic, and decides to take them to be valued. The antiques dealer tellshim: ‘You know what you’ve got there – a Stradivarius and a Rembrandt.’ ‘Great!’ says the man, ‘what’s the best way to auction themand how much are they worth?’ ‘Steady on’, says the dealer. ‘Stradivarius painted the picture, and Rembrandt made the violin.’

This edition of the newsletter is all about our pupils as makers: whether it’s music, jewellery, waves in the swimming poolor in the Bay of Colwyn, headlines, journeys, or academic progress. As the article on the IB indicates, we work hard tomake sure that when they move on, our pupils have been prepared for the right degree course at the right university,and that our Rembrandts go on to be successful artists, and our Stradivariuses make musical instruments.

The Rydal Penrhos Society, the Friends of Rydal Penrhos and the Prep school also feature in these pages as a reminderthat the school community embraces the past, the present and the future; we hope to make the most of the many opportunities for alumni and parents to mentor and advise the current generation of pupils, and the Thinking Skills thatpupils in the Prep school have started to develop will stand them in very good stead as they embark on their secondary education this year or further into the future.

Patrick Lee-Browne, Headmaster

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Four Sixth form pupils studying Economics at A-Level developed their own monetary policy to achieve the Government’s inflation target of 2.0% as part of a nationalcompetition.

The team of AlexFarnell, RichardRoberts, DominicHearth and MathamAlhemyari took partin the Target TwoPoint Zero – TheBank of Englandand The Times Interest Rate Challenge, which encourages students, aged 16-18 to take on the role of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to examine the current economic climate and assess the outlook for inflation.

Competing in the Regional heat against teams from SaleGrammar, Yale College, Merchant Taylors, Wirral GrammarSchool and Birkenhead School, the Rydal Penrhos team determined that there should be no new quantitative easing;interest levels should be maintained and detailed their measures to provide fiscal stimulus. The team prepared theirpresentation, outside classroom time, despite having not yetcovered macro economics as part of their A-Level studies.

Academic News

www. r yda lpen rhos. com

Economists tackle inflation

Pupils are Top of the BenchTop of the Bench is a national competition run by the RoyalSociety of Chemistry for 14- to 16-year-old students. The competition begins with heats run by RSC Local Sections to select a team to represent the section in the UK final the following year.

Schools are asked tosend two studentsfrom Year 9, in ourcase Jack Sissonsand Amelia Perring,one from Year 10,Anjalina Mitra andone from Year 11,John Marston. The team performed very well and Mr Pender,Head of Chemistry said “They were a credit to the school.” Theywon the heat which means they will be attending the finalwhich is normally held in the following March/April and is organised by the RSC Education department. The final includes a short test of factual chemical knowledge and a practical chemical problem-solving team exercise. Prizes are given for the best overall school performance (theTop of the Bench Team) and for the five runner up teams. TheJacqui Clee Award is given for an outstanding individual contribution to the day. Best wishes to the Rydal Penrhosteam!

Exciting times for Annabel Head Girl, Annabel Large has recentlyhad two interesting and exciting experiences.

Firstly she was invited for an interviewat Cambridge to read Medicine, anevent which she described as challenging, enjoyable and motivating.And, secondly the printing of an articleAnnabel co-wrote with Biology teacherMr Ian Richardson on her International Baccalaureate extended essay subject entitled: ‘Do the antimicrobial properties of regional honey differ to manuka honey and howcould these unique antimicrobial properties be incorporated inmodern medicine in the fight against resistant strains ofbacteria?’

The Society for General Microbiology printed the article intheir magazine which is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to know more about current issues and research inmicrobiology. And of course Annabel has a first publicationto her name.

Mo-vellous fundraisingTeachers and support staff took part in the Movember challenge to help raise awareness within the school of prostateand testicular cancer .

The staff raised over £240 for the charity, however there was asense of relief at reaching Friday 30 November and the finalday of the challenge!

Some of the fabulous moustaches! Pictured are: (from L-R)Back: Phil Mather, John Matthews, Julian Whittaker, RichardSmith Front: Mark Sherrington, Michael Pender, Ken Hulme,Paul Sanders and Peter Lavery

It is appropriate that I start by paying tribute to the workdone by Mr Tickner during his time as Head of Languages.I am taking over a department of many strengths and traditions, and Mr Tickner has been most accommodatingthroughout our hand-over period. My wife and I relocatedto Colwyn Bay in summer 2012 from Durham, where wespent an extremely happy eight years teaching in the statesector. My previous post was as Subject Leader for MFLin a Language Specialist Catholic School. I am excitedabout our move to Rydal Penrhos, and about all the opportunities the school affords its pupils.

It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to write in thenewsletter and an opportunity I intend to use to share mythoughts on MFL teaching and its relevance in modernsociety. I use as a starting point a quotation from a posterin my classroom that explains the qualities of a ‘MasterLearner’ in Modern Foreign Languages:

‘You show enthusiasm and motivation in all aspects of language learning. Your studygoes beyond the classroom and is a pleasure to you.’

Teachers should inspire pupils. Our pupils must experience the passion that their teachers feel for their subject area and becurious about what fuels this passion. For me, language-learning is much more than a school subject confined to the classroom. Learning a language is a skill for life. Every year I meet parents who say to me “I wish I’d carried on studying alanguage”. Teachers have one shot at inspiring every pupil through school, so how do we propose to achieve this in the MFLdepartment?

Pupils nowadays are stimulated by a wide range of different forms ofmedia. My view is that MFL teachers can use this experience to their advantage. Never before have pupils had such capacity for submergingthemselves in the language they are studying, with videos, music, newsarticles, cartoons, song lyrics and social media all but a few clicks awayon a computer. It is essential that we empower pupils to explore theserich resources both in lessons and beyond the classroom.

In a truly globalised world where intercultural understanding and communication play a major role in business, politics and media, theadvantages of offering employers a foreign language is greater than ever.No wonder many companies offer enhanced salaries to employees with language skills. In uncertain economic times, one thing

we can be certain of is that being able to communicate in one or two different languages gives any job applicant an advantageagainst lesser-qualified rivals. Here at Rydal Penrhos our international pupils provide the ideal platform for our linguists topractise and showcase their linguistic skills. To interact with so many different nationalities on a daily basis is a fabulous opportunity to develop both cultural and linguistic awareness.

So how do I see the MFL Department developing at Rydal Penrhos? Of course, teaching grammar and giving pupils an in-depth knowledge of the complexities of various linguistic constructions continue to play an important role, particularlyas we prepare our pupils for higher-level study. However, I believe the skills our pupils learn in the MFL classroom mustreflect the skills required by future employers. A focus on creativity, imagination, independent and collaborative learning,risk-taking and inquiry must direct our teaching and learning. Capitalising on modern media sources, and ensuring ourpupils regularly access their target language, is sure to play a vital role. I hope that Rydal Penrhos pupils recognise the importance of learning a foreign language and the opportunities this skill affords. More importantly I hope they enjoy theirMFL lessons and are inspired to use their languages beyond the classroom with friends, in future employment, and throughthe vast variety of media they are able to access.

LanguagesHead of Modern Foreign Languages, Peter Lavery

Anne Beaumont, Rob Tickner, Pauline HealySusanne Boxleitner, Peter Lavery, Charline Vallee

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International Baccalaureate

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Michael Gove hopes to change the nature of both GCSE and A-level examinations over the nextfew years, incorporating a baccalaureate in either their title or their structure, so Rydal Penrhos findsitself in an advantageous position with its established and successful International Baccalaureate(IB) Diploma programme.

The IB was established in the 1960s and was adopted in 2004 at Rydal Penrhos to run alongsidethe familiar A-level curriculum. It offers a winning combination of academic challenge and educational balance. It is designed for pupils of a wide range of abilities, as the nature of its grading system allows for the recognition of academic excellence as much as a good all-roundability.

To achieve an IB Diploma, candidates must study a broader range of areas than those covered bythe A-level programme, promoting the acquisition of a wider range of skills. Not only does thishelp prepare pupils for all sorts of challenges in life, it also keeps their options open regardingchoices for future educational courses and employment.

The IB is examined at the end of the two-year course. It requires pupils to take six subjects: theirfirst language, Mathematics, a second language, a science, a humanity and an option such as an artssubject or a second science. Three of the subjects are taken at ‘Standard Level’ and three are takenat ‘Higher Level’ (each awarded a maximum of 7 points). Pupils must also complete three furthercomponents: TOK (Theory of Knowledge), EE (Extended Essay) and CAS (Creativity, Action,Service), which can add up to 3 bonus points. The minimum pass score for the Diploma is 24, andthe maximum is 45.

As an alternative to league tables, many parents are starting to use pupil destinations as a more accurate measurement of a school’s ability to enable pupils to reach their full potential. Similarly,the pupil destinations of IB candidates also reflect the quality of the educational programme.Both Rydal Penrhos as a school, and the IB as a course stand up well to such scrutiny. In 2010,Jenny Southern achieved full marks (45 out of 45) in the IB – one of only 72 out of the 48,000IB candidates across the world to do so. She was accepted at Oxford to read Medicine. The average IB score that year was 32.2. In 2011 the school was ranked 39th in the top UK IB schools,with an average score of 31.5 (equivalent to 420 UCAS points). From that yeargroup, Emily Wynn(42 points) went to Newcastle to read Medicine, and Josefin Betsholtz (44 points) went to MIT inAmerica to study Physics.

This year our results have once again been excellent. The school secured an average of 31.6 andpupils gained places at universities to read top- ranking subjects including Joel Sugarman (39 points)going to UCL to study Medicine; Amelia Dunton (42 points) heading to Leeds to read English andFrench; and Jakob Schrandt (38 points) going to City University London to the Business Schoolto read Banking and International Finance.

Research has shown that Diploma holders cope well with the demands of higher education, andthe programme is held in high esteem by universities in the UK and all over the world. It is oftenthe case that the Russell Group universities, medical schools and the Ivy League North Americanuniversities offer specific credit for the IB and make comparatively favourable offers. For example, Durham asks for 38 points to read Law, Oxford 38 points for Economics and Management and 39 for Medicine, Cardiff 35 points for Accounting and Economics, and Manchester Metropolitan 28 points for History.

As competition for places at universities has become increasingly tough, students are judged notonly on their academic performance and potential, but also on a range of other qualities – all ofwhich are promoted in the IB Diploma.

Find out more about the Sixth form at Rydal Penrhos by visiting www.rydalpenrhos.com

Jenny SouthernScored 45 out of 45and now readingMedicine at Oxford

Emily WynnScored 42 out of 45 andnow reading Medicine

at Newcastle

Josefin BetsholtzScored 44 out of 45and now readingPhysics at MIT

Amelia DuntonScored 42 out of 45and now reading English & French at

Leeds

Joel SugarmanScored 39 out of 45and now readingMedicine at UCL

What next?Find out where someof our pupils went onto study after the IB.

ArtPop-up art exhibitions have beenfound in various locations throughoutthe school during the autumn term.

The Dining Hall has hosted two exhibitions, with work from pupils inyears 9 to 13 on display to encouragediscussion and appreciation for thearts.

The first exhibition ‘Black and White’showed the different projects of years 9 to12, all using only black and white. It included pieces by Year 9 who were inspiredby the work of Jasper Johns to create theirown names using a layering technique forunique and expressive designs. The secondexhibition ‘Recent work on Canvas’ featuredwork by Sixth-form pupils as part of theirA-level or International Baccalaureate portfolios. Meanwhile Year 7 have beenworking on self-portraits and a pop-up exhibition outside the Memorial Hall offered the challenge of guessing who waswho!

Artists visit iconic exhibition

The Design Technology department, headed by Mr Brian Jones, offers pupils fromYear 7 through to the Sixth form the opportunity to explore and develop their creativity. The subject encompasses drawing, ICT, problem-solving skills, mathematics and written work. Past projects have included designing and makingmusical instruments, furniture, jewellery, radios and clocks.

The well-equipped department includes an IT suite and software, a variety of workshop tools and machines, a welding bay, equipment for casting and forging,and CNC machines for 2-D and 3-D modelling.

Design Technology

An intricate collection of jewellery designed by a former pupil was selected as a finalist for the2012 WJEC Innovation Awards. William Pullman, who is currently enjoying a GAP year beforeapplying to university, produced the collection as part of his Design Technology A-level. Theheart-themed collection was created with bronze and silver and included handmade earrings,bracelet, rings, cufflinks and a pendant.

The collection was recommended for entry into the 2012 WJEC Innovation Awards by an A-levelexaminer who was impressed by the quality of craftsmanship and design of the pieces.

The Innovation Awards celebrate the best design and make tasks from GCSE, AS and A2Design and Technology. Thousands of entries are received into the competition each yearfrom all over Wales, with only 80 projects chosen for the final stage. William’s entry intothe final is reward for his hard work and dedication that saw him spend many hours trying out different techniques for producing the jewellery pieces.

Jewellery selected for Innovation Awards

The iconic work of Claude Monet, J.M.W. Turner and Cy Twomblywere explored by Sixth form artists as they visited the exhibition ofwork at Tate Liverpool. The visit inspired a number of drawingswhich were transferred into the pupils’ sketchbooks on return toschool.

Head of Art, Mark Sherring-ton commented, “It is great tohave such a valuable resource relatively close to school. For Sixthform pupils to get the chance to seeworks like Monet’s Water Lilies is areal treat! The pupils worked veryhard and we are already planninganother trip!”

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Issue 3 - Page 7

The music department has had an excitingand busy term filled with rehearsals and

performances inside and out of school.

The pupils were among those lucky enough to takepart in a performance with the King’s Singers at the

recent North Wales International Music Festival inSt Asaph. Prior to their performance, pupils took part

in a day workshop with vocal coach, Lyn Alcantara, whotrains the boys of Kings College, Cambridge and whoworks with the King’s Singers.

Director of Music at Rydal Penrhos School, JulianWhittaker said, “The pupils sang with gusto and

enthusiasm and I must commend them on theirsinging, behaviour and eagerness to learn.”

Music and Munch has been introducedin the Music Department wherepupils can perform through theirlunch hour while enjoying their food,multi cultural music, show tunes andclassical jazz have all featured here.

A significant amount of work has goneinto rehearsals for the Christmas concert and the tenors and basses choir has been established.

The term finished with a wonderful display of music and singing talent at theChristmas concert, the RNLI Carol Service and the School Carol Service.

Christmas Concert The Christmas Concert, as reviewed by a parent:

The Christmas concert promised an ambitious programme, involving pupils from both Pre p and Senior schools, the staff ofthe Rydal Penrhos music team as well as other members of theschool staff, the peripatetic music teachers, Amici del Canto andmembers of Ensemble Cymru… coming together to provide anevening of wonderful entertainment and fantastic music-making.

The concert showcased talent from all parts of the musical spectrum:- The Rydal Penrhos Symphony Orchestra; the string orchestra; Miss Hearn’s woodwind ensemble; Caroline Large, whocaptivated the entire audience with her exquisite ballet dancing; theGCSE ensemble and the jazz band. No less than five differentchoirs performed during the concert, ranging from the PrepChamber Choir to the massed ranks of the Rydal Penrhos Chorus.

The whole evening was a delight and huge thanks go to Mr Whittaker, Miss Hearn and the performers for all their hard work.We’re already looking forward to next year…

For the full review see www.rydalpenrhos.com

www. r yda lpen rhos. com

Music

Congratulations to GlenDavies, Year 11 (pictured),who has passed the TrinityCollege London Grade 8Saxophone exam with Distinction.

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EnrichmentClubs that inspire, educate and enrich lives…

Clubs have gone from strength to strength in the school since they were formalized and reintroduced threeyears ago. They have proved invaluable in developing the relationships between staff and pupils, and betweenpupils themselves and they have also provided great opportunities for mentoring across the age groups.

When pupils begin their senior school careers in Years 7 and 8, a carousel of activities is included in theirtimetable. They choose from a selection of activities in the carousel, changing activity every three or fourweeks. This system is designed to give pupils a ‘taster’ of a range of clubs so that, as they progress throughthe school, they are able to make well-informed choices about which activities they prefer to pursue.

The many clubs on offer at Rydal Penrhos range from the recreational to the intellectual. A few of the onesthat have proved very popular are described on these pages.

The Amnesty International Junior YouthGroup, held every Wednesday, is currently made up ofpupils from Years 8 to 13. Over the last four years, sinceit first began in the school, the group has had between 15to 30 members. It is run by the Head of PSHE, MrsRichardson, and is an official member of the worldwideAmnesty International organisation. Amnesty International aims to make young people aware of injustice throughout the world. It encourages students tohave a greater understanding of human rights and to realise that, in many countries around the world, theserights are abused and denied. Pupils in the group think upawareness campaigns for the greater Rydal Penrhos com-munity, as well as planning assemblies, designing notice boards and organising many large events, which areopen to both students and parents alike. All of these activities encourage teamwork, organisational and leadership skills. Another aspect of the group is writing togovernments and embassies about particular cases, as wellas writing letters of support to people worldwide whoserights are being abused. Sp

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Dead Parrot Society is held on Thursday afternoons and is by invitation for pupils in Year 11who might soon be applying to one of the top universities, such as Oxford or Cambridge. This clubis designed to stretch pupils in an environment wherethey can express their interests, debate issues, con-sider current affairs, and listen to the views of othersin small-group discussions. The aim is to think abouttheir aspirations and to improve their skills so thatthey can shine at interview. By researching and giving presentations, then taking questions, they develop confidence in their research skills and in expressingthemselves. This experience also helps them to facechallenging and probing questions in pressured situations.

The Community Action Group is open to anypupil from Years 11 to 13, alongside helpers from thewhole school community. The group discusses variousprojects for which they would like to volunteer their services, or try to raise money. This year, the group isworking with Action for Children, a charity that helpsyoung carers from ages 11 to 16. The aim is to offer twosessions every half term to host a group of young carersand offer them a range of organised activities. These sessions offer the young carers much-needed ‘time out’from their day-to-day responsibilities. The CAG studentstake ownership of these activities and run them, eitherparticipating in or coordinating them. The first sessionwas a sports circus with a range of sporting activities. Thesecond session was more craft-oriented, with participantsdesigning T-shirts and Christmas cards. There was also ajewellery design activity. Young carers are further integrated into the school community by staying to supperat the end of these activities. The club raises awarenessof those less fortunate than ourselves, and shows that itis possible to help by giving time and energy, as well asmoney. It also promotes leadership and organisationalskills, good communications and confidence-building. Thegroup is jointly run by the Head of Sixth form, MrMatthews, and Beecholme Housemaster, Mr Richardson.

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Geology Club includes pupils from Year 10 and above. The main purpose behind the club is to give an introduction to the subject. This involves handling rocksand determining their origins; looking at the geological timeline and assessing whathappened in each of the geological eras. It also involves the study of fossils – handling and drawing them. The club also considers Economic Geology and its relevance to the modern world; fossil fuels, oil exploration, fracking, quarrying andmore recently the search for rare earths. Some of these subjects are fairly controversial and give a platform for presentations. There are also practical exercises; mapping, consideration of mineral hardness, and visits to a local geologistto look at equipment used in the oil industry.

Pupils gain a great deal from taking part. Geology covers many skills that are transferable to other areas including analysis, conceptualising in three dimensions, observation, drawing and mapping, and mathematical skills. It also encourages the recognition and questioning of the world around us. Why does this landscape looklike this? Why does this area flood so often? Why is this bridge built here?

Several of our pupils have been so taken with their first glimpse into the subject thatthey have gone on to study it at university, and another pupil is planning to sit hisGCSE in 2013 based on what he has learnt in the club.

Chess Club spans all age groups from Year 2 to Year 13 and runs on Wednesday afternoons in the Prep School Dining Hall.Mr Camp, Year 3 form tutor and Head of Chess in the Prep school, cites the purposes of the club as numerous: to teach anddevelop skills associated with playing chess; to provide opportunities for senior school children to help and coach children fromthe Prep School; and to identify able players for entry into local and national competitions. Many of the skills learned in chessare transferrable into real-life situations. University interview panels are often interested in chess players who can demonstrateconcentration, calculation and analytical skills. And experience in coaching younger players is invaluable for older pupils who havea desire to go into teaching.

The Philosophical Thinking Club is open to all those who have a genuine interest in discussing ideas and concepts that form part of philosophy and the philosophy of religion. There is strong attendance from pupils of Years10 and above. It is not compulsory nor on a carousel, but is one of the optional choices that pupils can make. The mainpurpose behind the activity is to enable students to engage in discussion about the wider issues of life, and to stretch theirthoughts about some challenging questions – does the colour green exist in grass or in the eye? Does a falling tree makea sound only if you are there to hear it? Why does suffering and evil exist in the world? Pupils offer their own suggestionswhile Mrs Brummitt, Head of Religious Studies and club leader, provides her knowledge of respected scholarly opinionabout questions that have been thought about for many centuries.

Mrs Brummitt believes that the pupils benefit from being able to engage in debate, to formulate reasoned and logical arguments, and by thinking about universal questions in a structured and informative context. The club provides a soundbasis for courses such as Critical Thinking, Theory of Knowledge and Philosophy and Religious Studies at Sixth Form leveland beyond. As one former student said – “it makes for great dinner party conversation – I know so many long words.”

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JordanDuring October half term ten pupils, Mrs Proudlove and Kevin Fear, the expedition leader, completed a nine-day expedition to Jordan. With 12months of planning and numerous fundraising events to help to pay towards the cost of transport to Heathrow and visas, Thomas Bale, FinnBatley, Tara Edwards, Joe Bancroft, Sam Berry, Tom Hickman, Thomas McCloskey, James McGhee, Matthew Morris and Adam Sabri were readyto begin their adventure.

Following arrival in Amman, the pupils spent their first day floating in theDead Sea, where swimming is impossible, before covering themselves in themud, which is reputed to have therapeutic qualities.

The next day saw the team travel to Dana village, which was to be their base forthe next few days. Along with trekking around the area and exploring the nature and wildlife, the group visited Qadsiyya School for two half-days. Thetime at the school was well spent with Tara Edwards, Matthew Morris and JoeBancroft painting messages from the Qur‘an on the walls of the school, a grouppicking olives, and the boys losing two games of football despite the best effortsof Tom Hickman and Adam Sabri! The pupils also attended English lessonsand we were taught some Arabic, which Sam Berry in particular enjoyed. Theschool offered tremendous hospitality and the pupils were made to feel verywelcome.

From Dana the group travelled to Petra, where they rode horses to the start ofthe ‘Sig’, an impressive 1,200m long, deep and narrow gorge of stunning natural beauty. Arriving at Petra, which was carved into solid rock by theNabataeans more than 2,200 years ago, the group were stunned by the craftsmanship of the city as they walked its entire length.

The trip came to an end with a visit to the Red Sea. A pleasantly warm sea, thenaturally occurring corals and exotic fish made for excellent snorkelling; however visibility was slightly reduced due to Aquba being the victim of a sudden flash flood three days earlier.

An exhausted group returned to Colwyn Bay. Many new friendships has beenmade, and all agreed that the expedition had been worthwhile, that working ina team really did enable tasks to be completed quickly and more efficiently, andthat it was possible to survive without electronic devices!

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ClassicsOn 22 October, Reverend Sissons and Mrs Brown accompaniedten pupils to Italy for a trip to explore the history of the Bay ofNaples. Year 11 pupil, Eve Davies offers her account of the trip.

We arrived in Sorrento, which was to be our base for the next few days, intime for lunch –some local calzone. We then ventured up a mountain on abus to take in the breathtaking view of Sorrento, with Mount Vesuvius towering ominously in the distance. We were also lucky enough to see theSirunem Scopuli; three rocky islands where, in Greek mythology, the Sirenswere said to have lured sailors on to the rocks. Mrs Brown was able to tellus all about the legends that surround the Sirens.

The next day, we woke up early and walked (most of the way) up Mount Vesuvius for a guided tour around the crater. We learntabout the formation of the volcano and how the ash buried Pompeii in AD 79. We could actually see some smoke rising fromthe heated rocks in the crater, and the view over the Bay of Naples was spectacular.

In the afternoon, we had a four-hour guided tour of Pompeii, the remains of a Roman city destroyed in the eruption of MountVesuvius. We saw original mosaics, paintings, houses and even thermopoulios – the Roman equivalent of a take-away! We wereall deeply moved by the plaster casts of bodies of people who had died in the devastating eruption, and the still visible groovesin the cobblestone where thousands of Roman wagon wheels had worn the road away. It was an incredible experience and wewere all sad to leave after having only had the time to see a small fraction of the excavated area – the guide said that a personwould need several days to explore the whole of the city!

The next day, we spent the morning in Herculaneum, a small, recently excavated Roman townthat was also buried in the eruption of AD 79. Herculaneum, at the foot of Vesuvius, was destroyed by lava rather than ash, meaning that many of the roofs are still intact, unlike inPompeii. The town was stunning and the remains of carbonated wood and other objectsmeant it was easy to visualise what Herculaneum would have been like before it was buried.

That afternoon, after arriving in Naples, we ambled over to the Naples National Archaeological Museum, where we spent hours seeing the exhibitions, especially enjoying theexhibits from Pompeii and Herculaneum, including my favourite, the famous ‘Battle ofAlexander the Great’ mosaic.

Our last day in the Bay of Naples was spent on the island of Capri. After getting up early to catch the boat, we sailed over tothe island where we had an early lunch (with ice cream of every imaginable flavour!). We were then treated to a boat ridearound the island, where we saw the remains of Roman forts, villas and Tiberius’ Leap, the cliff from which Emperor Tiberiuswas said to have thrown his enemies! After stopping to admire beautiful sea caves, arches, grottos and other stunning geological features, some pupils went for a swim in the emerald-clear water.

That afternoon, we made our way up to Tiberius’ Villa Jovis, the largest of 12 palaces he built on Capri around AD 29, andhis favourite haunt. The area made for wonderful photo opportunities and the majestic remains of the palace only hinted atthe grandeur the place would have had in its time. With a spectacular view over the mainland, we could see Sorrento, the Bayof Naples and Vesuvius. It was the perfect location to end our trip to Italy.

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Forthcoming trips

Weekend in LondonMarch 2013 Ski trip to Austria Easter 2013 French trip to La Rochelle July 2013Uganda Summer 2013

Ski trip 2014 visiting San Franciso, LA & MammothThailand/Laos 2014 with Mr Proudlove and Outlook Expeditions

Pupils of all ages have several opportunities throughout their time at School to travel to new countries and exploretheir horizons. There are several trips already planned for the coming year, here are just a selection which pupilscan enjoy.

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Every year, the five Boarding Houses compete in a House DramaCompetition. The competition provides boarding pupils with an opportunity to rehearse, direct and stage a play of their own choice.

Beecholme managed to combine comedy with something more in theirwinning entry, Who is Bobby Valentine? In this fast-paced and lively play,the cast worked together as an ensemble and the directors chose a play thatprovided a range of clearly-defined characters, a simple story and an opportunity for the older students to lead from the front and keep the playgoing – this was done by Tom Astbury and Rhodri Mayor, supported by the restof the House. The Price Cup for the winning house was justly awarded to them.

The plays presented by Netherton and Walshaw, which did not get into thefinal, had some excellent moments and the adjudicator particularly enjoyedNetherton’s comedy Sweeping Reductions. Oscar Sanchez is to be commended for his direction of the play, which was bold and detailed –he worked conscientiously and consistently with his cast and they almostgot into the final. Walshaw chose a difficult Coarse Acting play, wherethe audience is required to imagine a company of amateur actors whoare attempting a particular type of drama and are not very good at acting! All the missed cues, problems with lines and props have toappear to be accidental, but are, in fact, carefully choreographed.

Edwards chose to present an edited version of Daisy Pulls It Off,and the cast gave a convincing account of the play. The characterswere created clearly and there was a good story, which even when cutdown is easy to follow. Annabel Harrison and Lara Roth establishedthe quirky relationship between the two girls Daisy and Trixie and wereawarded the Outstanding Theatrical Achievement Cup.

Hathaway’s choice of David Storey’s The Changing Room was a boldone! Set in the changing room of a northern Rugby League Club in the1960s, it gave the boys in the House who had never acted a chance toplay characters they could relate to. The group worked together very well;there was an energy and pace about it that worked effectively on stage. Ashley Jones directed the play and acted in it and he was awarded the Adjudicator’s Cup.

We’re already looking forward in anticipation to next year’s plays.

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Issue 3 - Page 13www. r yda lpen rhos. com

Rydal Penrhos SocietyThis academic year the PrepSchool has seen the introductionof Thinking and Learning Skillslessons. These have begun in Year2 with the sole focus being onlearning the rudiments of chess,a game in which the school boastsnational, county and school players.

In Years 3 to 6 the lessons have looked closely at what makesan effective learner and how they, as individuals, can improvetheir own capacity to learn. Year 3 came up with a wonderful magic potion for effective learning made up ofperseverance, creativity, healthy eating, exercise, discipline,mistakes, enjoyment, open-mindedness, ideas, knowledge,courage, humour and questions.

The children have also looked at the art of questioning, howto construct helpful questions for research and how to makesure that their questions produce more than just a superficialanswer. A simple technique some of the children have beenusing is the ‘three whys’ method. Firstly, ask a straightforward question such as ‘what are you doing thisweekend?’ and then follow up the answer with the question‘why?’. Repeat this twice and you will find that the third ‘whyquestion’ almost always requires a deeper level of thought.Transfer this to research questions and children can beginto unearth some real gems of information.

Over 50 former pupils of Rydal Penrhos have volunteeredtheir services as Careers Mentors, and are ready and waitingto answer any questions that current pupils have for them.Mentors have experience of law, medicine, teaching, drama,aviation, engineering, architecture, armed forces, policeforce, finance, dentistry and geology amongst others, andpupils wishing to enter these fields will be encouraged to puttheir questions to them through the Careers department.

This is a fantastic new initiative at RydalPenrhos - our alumni have so much tooffer in terms of knowledge and experience, and they are keen to pass thison to the next generation. We are alsolooking at further exciting ways in which

we can build on the existing careers service, including thepossibility of a careers fair in 2013 where pupils will havethe opportunity to find out about career options directlyfrom alumni and parents with relevant experience.

The Rydal Penrhos Society is an active alumni associationfor former pupils of Rydal School, Penrhos College andRydal Penrhos. As well as being involved in the CareersMentor scheme, members are invited to attend events andreunions throughout the year. Details of these events can befound at http://alumni.rydalpenrhos.net/events

Prep School News

In October 2012, the newly formed FORPS held its first committee meeting – not only to discuss final arrangements for the eagerly awaited James Bond-themed Christmas Ball, but also to start work on next year’s Social Calendar.

In light of the tremendous response to the above event, FORPS intends to organise a Summer Ball in the SpeechDay marquee. In addition,we are aiming to plan wine-tasting events, business networking and career developmentopportunities for students, as well as supporting the already successful Amnesty quiz nights and ceilidh, and thetremendous work done by the Sixth form Charity Committee.

Early in 2013, FORPS plans to select a school project for fundraising. The aim is to support specific initiatives thatwill benefit pupils in both the Prep and the Senior schools. In addition to this, we also intend to continue supportinglocal charities – many of which have a strong and significant connection with the school. With this second aim inmind, we have exciting opportunities to work with two large corporates, who have agreed, in principle, to match-fund any money raised.

From a personal point of view, I would like to say that sitting around a table of parents, teachers and staff whoso enthusiastically give up their own time to support the school is very inspiring. We would like to encourage everyone in both schools to attend events, buy the odd raffle ticket – and most importantly,to give us feedback onhow we can make our efforts on your behalf as effective as possible.

Sue Lawton, FORPS Chair

Friends of Rydal Penrhos School

www. r yda lpen rhos. comIssue 3 - Page 14

Sport

Silverware for Fives

This year the annual Midlands Eton FivesU14 competition was held at King Edward’sSchool, Birmingham.

In the main competition, Jack Sissons andAdam Sabri performed extremely well, reaching the final and finishing in runners upposition. Tom Hamilton-Pritchard and TomMcCloskey entered the festival competitionafter the group stages, and then took severalvictories to become the overall winners ofthe competition.

The four pupils also won the trophy for theoverall highest average number of points pergame.

Eight pupils have qualified for the Urdd National Swimming Finals taking place in Cardiff on 25 January 2013. Qualification for the Finalsis earned through securing first place at the Regional Swimming Gala,which was held at Rydal Penrhos’ swimming pool.

Congratulations go to Roy Sterling for qualifying for the Yr11+ Individual Freestyle and Individual Breaststroke finals. Roy is also partof the Yr11+ relay team and along with Jake Lovatt, Tom Harding andDylan Coombes successful beat the competition in the Freestyle andMedley Relays. Our younger swimmers also performed well with theteam of Matthew Harrison, Thomas Bale, Mason Clark and Tomos Cuddihy also earning a place in the final in the Freestyle and Medley Relays. Tomos was also triumphant in the Individual Medley and Individual Freestyle races and continues to be on to watch.

The swimmers will be joined by eight pupils from Rydal Penrhos PrepSchool who have also qualified for the finals in Cardiff.

Runners qualify for National Finals

Twelve pupils have successfully qualified for the National Finals of theEryri Cross Country Competition after competing in the regional contest. Each school is eligible to send six pupils from each cohort;Year 7, Year 8, Year 9; Years 10 and 11, and the Sixth form. Pupilscompeted against teams from nine other schools in the area and the top8 runners from each age group would qualify for the national finals.

The Rydal Penrhos team saw Thomas Bale, Matthew Harrison, WilliamSissons, Zachary Blomeley, Nia Seenan and Daisy Lee-Browne fromYear 7, Samantha Randall from Year 8, Hannah Cashell from Year 10along with Senior pupils Clara Meyer, Alicia Suk, Annabel Large andThomas Harding each qualify for the national finals.

Eight swimmers qualify for swimming finals

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Issue 3 - Page 15www. r yda lpen rhos. com

Welsh selection for Gabriel

Year 8 pupil, Gabriel Abed has gained a place in the Welsh NationalTopper sailing squad. Gabriel began sailing at the age of 9, when hewas given the chance to learn while a pupil at Rydal Penrhos PrepSchool. His first experience of sailing led Gabriel to join Llandudno

Sailing Club the following week and this soon sawhim introduced to club racing.

Sailing a Topper, which is a dinghy class boat,Gabriel found himself in the world of competitiveracing competing around the country on a regularbasis, often faced with fleets 300 strong. However,Gabriel’s sailing skill saw him selected for the Welshsquad as one of its youngest members.

Gabriel now hopes to emulate his hero, Gold-medallist sailor Ben Ainslie and follow in his footsteps into the Olympics.

Speaking about his selection, Gabriel said, “When Iheard I was in the Welsh squad I was over the moon. I’mone of the youngest in the team, and they like to start youngto train you to an Olympic standard.”

With his first training session with the Welsh Squad having taken place,Gabriel now has a strict fitness and training programme to stick to,alongside his school work. Gabriel also enjoys rugby, hockey and skiing during his sports lessons at school but his true passion is sailing.

Eryri Netball selection

A number of Rydal Penrhos pupils have been selected for the EryriNetball Squad. Congratulations to Ellie Scarff and Tara Edwards whohave been selected for the U14s, Hannah Cashell for the U16 and BethMather the U18.

Teams make National Hockey final

The U16s achieved a clean sweep of games at the Conwy Hockey Tournament in November, conceding only one goal and securing theirplace alongside the U18 team in the National Finals.