THE FROGNALU C S N E W S L E T T E R — I S S U E J U N E 2 0 1 7

Celebrating the events and achievements of the Summer Term at UCS Senior School.

Subject Trips toSicily and Rome

Sixth Form andOld Gowers’ Events

UCS Rugby TourSouth Africa

PAGE 12–14 PAGE 19 –20PAGE 22

WELCOME TO THE JUNE ISSUE OF THE

FROGNAL

The Summer Term at UCS is always bittersweet, filled with summer events and celebrations alongside examinations and farewells. Despite variable weather in the UK, the sun was always shining for the many residential trips this term, from Rome for our art historians (page 20), Sicily and the Lake District for our geographers (page 18–19), Germany and Valencia for our linguists (page 17), highlighted in this edition’s ‘Spotlight On’ feature by Dr Laurenson (page 6), and soon to be South Africa for our sportsmen (page 22).

Our students have continued to keep a keen eye on the national political scene, taking part in debates such as the student-led event at Jewish Care (page 4) and taking on the big issues in the most recent edition of our student magazine, The Cover. UCS pupils have also been fundraising to support the victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, in a specially organised mufti day and with collections at the summer exhibitions. Pupils, parents and the wider community enjoyed our second Beyond Art event (page 11) to celebrate the school’s artistic talent and to enjoy displays from local community schools and galleries, including performances from our talented musicians and LAMDA students. Our Lower School actors and theatre crew took centre stage in a spectacular summer production of Treasure Island (page 10), whilst the Singers’ Concert and the Summer Concert (page 9) provided a showcase for our pupils’ impressive musical prowess. — Contributions by L. Megaw

UCS’ ethos of a distinctive education focused on the individual is evident in the sheer variety of our pupils’ achievements. From Jonny Boone’s new GCSE Science revision app (page 3), to our cricket centurions, Sebastian, Sam and Henry’s (page 25), to Charlie and Simon’s winning submissions in the Beyond Art Photography Competition (page 11), UCS pupils continue to show enterprise and endeavour. It is also readily visible in the achievements of our alumni, when international violinist Thomas Gould came back to school to light up the Great Hall in a memorable recital alongside the renowned pianist Gwilym Simcock (page 7), whilst our Class of 1967 held their reunion fifty years on from leaving UCS (page 13). Even after half a century away the spirit of the school was readily recognisable to them and yet much has changed, and continues to do so. The rebuild of the venerable Eve Pavilion, which will be transformed into a new state-of-the-art facility (page 15), is only one such development. Of course we hope that our 2017 leavers will feel that similar sense of pride and connection with UCS half a century from now, as their Leavers’ BBQ and Ball (page 12), Speech Day and Prize Giving (page 28) and A level examinations brought their time at school to a close. We wish them well for the future and an enjoyable summer break to all our pupils, parents and friends of the school.

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Jonny’s app, Temple GCSE, allows users to build a temple as they revise and complete mini-tests, which then disintegrates after a period of time, requiring the user to re-do that specific test. Despite having limited technical expertise, he says his family was hugely supportive “especially my dad, who helped turn the initial idea into a possibility”. He found Nolte - an app agency - who undertook the technical side of the project. It took a team of seven individuals over fourteen months to complete, with Jonny leading; working on the project during his evenings, weekends and school holidays.

Jonny maintains that it is his pragmatism that enabled him to spot the idea and develop the revision app, and says, “This is the best time to go out and start a business. People like me can go out and do something like this much more easily than they perhaps think- I’m not special- anyone can do it.”

Mr English, Deputy Head (Academic), was full of praise for Temple GCSE. “Jonny has demonstrated great initiative and clarity of vision in identifying the need for his revision app, doing the necessary background work, and then releasing the final product. His app is very impressive and timely, given that we are just entering into exam season, and I would urge all GCSE scientists to download Temple, if they haven’t done already. The best thing about Temple GCSE is that it is rooted in Jonny’s own experience of revision, which is a guarantee in itself of its quality and relevance.”

“Temple GCSE” can now be downloaded from both Apple and Android app markets, or templegcse.com.

UCS Young Entrepreneur Develops Study App for Fellow UK and International Students

PU PI L AWA R DS

“Jonny Boone has developed his own free revision app in

Biology, Chemistry and Physics across the AQA, Edexcel and

OCR GCSE exam boards after spotting a gap in the revision

app market.”

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PU PI L S AWA R DS

On Friday the 19th May, five UCS Hampstead students set up and delivered a mock debate session at a local care home, Jewish Care, in their free periods, to support their local community in their understanding of party political manifestos and policies ahead of the general election.

Joe Glick, Zara Elstein, Joe Hewetson, Michael Kohn, and Ben Clark volunteered to run the political event at Jewish Care in Hampstead, despite none of the students studying Politics as an A-level subject. Joe Glick, who organised the afternoon, said, “You don’t have to study politics to have an understanding of it, and realise the importance of it. Our knowledge about politics is less confined to political parties; we have all read the manifestos, spent some time reading the policies, and carried out research on each political party.”

The students became involved in the session after volunteering at Jewish Care as part of UCS’s volunteering programme, in which all year 12 students volunteer at local charities, organisations and schools across North London for a term. Joe believes that setting up this event is very much in keeping with UCS Hampstead’s tradition of liberal scholarship, which promotes equality and helping others. “Part of the issue of politics is people

have uninformed views,” he says. “I believe it is really important to vote as an essential civil liberty and right.” Joe’s aim for the event was therefore to give Jewish Care residents a relevant perspective on politics ahead of the election and to educate residents about the latest views and policies of each party. “Our aim is for people to know a bit more about the election. Not a biased view of who to vote for, but a representative and unbiased view to recognise all parties so that residents can make an informed vote.”

Laura McGill, Partnerships Coordinator and member of the English Department, helped to support the students’ initiative. “We were delighted that five our Sixth Form students were involved in this initiative as part of our ongoing relationship with Jewish Care,” she said. Max Bianconi, Youth Volunteering Manager of Jewish Care, commented, “Just because you live in a residential home it doesn’t mean you lose interest in politics. As an organisation we are committed to ensure that our residents and clients are supported to engage and take part in our democratic process. I would like to thank the UCS students for their time, effort and interesting debate. It was great to see generations discussing the issues that matter to them.”

UCS Students Support Local Jewish Care Residents to Understand Party Manifestos Ahead of General Election

“I believe it is really important to vote as an

essential civil liberty and right.”

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PU PI L S AWA R DS

— Contributions by A. Wilkes

Early in the summer term the school learnt with great sadness of the death of Terry Morris. Terry taught History at UCS for 38 years from 1970-2008 and it is impossible to begin to sum up the contribution that he made to the life of the school over the course of his wonderful career at Frognal.

First and foremost Terry was a man who had a huge impact on all who knew him and this was true from his first year of teaching right through to his last. He really was an inspirational teacher. He brought real intellectual distinction to the teaching of History. His love of learning and his encyclopaedic knowledge was the stuff of legend and this is amply demonstrated in the books that he has written. He wanted his pupils to think, to enquire and to interpret. He wanted them to be excited by intellectual endeavour and for so many of them he was the key to a lifetime of such challenge. All of his sets thought that they were the cleverest and the wittiest, and they were probably right.

It would be hard to imagine a kinder or more forgiving teacher and colleague. Yes, he set the highest of standards in every sense but they seemed to apply more to him than anyone else to be honest. He understood the boys and cared deeply for them and they all knew that his support

through their trials and tribulations was unconditional. In his latter years at Frognal he took on the role of Director of Studies, a somewhat thankless task at times which must have brought great pressures for him, not that you would ever have known. The role certainly opened him up to the moaning and complaints of his colleagues. If that ever got to him, again he hid it well. He was seemingly unflappable, a little oasis of calm in the midst of other peoples’ chaos – the perfect role model for senior managers who came after him.

Terry will be sadly missed by the generations of boys and colleagues who were privileged to have known him. However, his legacy at the school lives on in the form of the Morris Lectures. We pass on our sincerest condolences to his wife Martine and their children Marianne and Greg, himself an Old Gower.

Terry Morris, an inspirational teacher

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T E ACH I NG A N D L E A R N I NG FOCUS

A spotlight on… Spanish

What is great about studying Spanish at UCS?One of the central aspects of studying Spanish at UCS is that it is satisfying for both teacher and pupil to see progress in a fairly short period of time. Students are able to take up the subject in year 9 which offers them a new and intensive learning experience that they can run with. Furthermore, the subject offers many extracurricular activities and access to certain cultural aspects such as Latin American cinema, music and history. What are you favourite topics to teach in the subject?Both language and grammar are vital to building the foundation of Spanish for the lower school and part of the learning experience is that we teach these together in their natural cultural context. Personally, I am a fan of Spanish music with the likes of Joaquín Sabina featuring high on my playlists. I like to introduce the students to this music and I also enjoy studying and teaching other topics like Spanish cinema and theatre. What are the best resources you would recommend outside of the classroom?The best resource you could possibly have is to find a Spanish speaker with whom you can do a cultural or language exchange. Otherwise it always helps to get exposure to Spanish news articles, Spanish films and particularly Spanish music all of which helps you subconsciously absorb the syntax, idiom and other linguistic features.

What opportunities can Spanish create for someone in the real world?With the current uncertainty about the UK’s future political status in the EU, any proper comprehension of a modern language, especially Spanish, is extremely beneficial. Until recently, there has been a common misconception that English is the most dominant linguistic currency, however, Spanish is now considered the ‘language of the world’ with 450 million worldwide speakers. The combination of this and English will increase opportunity and employability in the future. Finally, what’s your personal connection with the Spanish language?The one thing that I hope will inspire people, is the fact that I did not actually study Spanish in school. After studying French and Latin at A level, I started learning Spanish at my first year of university. I loved it so much that I decided to go on a year abroad to Salamanca. Thereafter, my personal connection with Spanish grew when I lived in Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, for a year and started my PhD on the poetry of Rafael Alberti, a native of that region.

— Interview by Oliver Clague (Transitus)

Interview withDr Laurenson

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PER FOR M I NG A RTS

— Contributions by C. Dawe

Professional Concert Series; Thomas Gould (OG) and Gwilym SimcockOn Saturday April 22nd a packed and appreciative audience of Great Hall audience of pupils, parents, staff and guests was treated to a spellbinding concert by Old Gower and internationalist violinist Thomas Gould. Thom was joined by leading Jazz pianist Gwilym Simcock, Mike Walker (Guitar), Martin Berauer (Bass) and Bernhard Schimpelsberger (percussion) in a programme of J S Bach and modern jazz that included two world premieres by Austrian composer Johannes Berauer.  The evening was dedicated by Thom to the memory of former UCS Jazz Techniques teacher Fergus Read (1967-2006) and it was wonderful to see so many of Fergus’ family, including Ulfet, in attendance.

UCS Brass Day and Garcia Brass Masterclass In Memory of Kenneth DurhamThanks to a most generous donation by Philip and Nicola Garcia UCS is set to host a series of brass masterclasses over the next ten years with the aim of encouraging the take up of brass instruments, in particular the ‘endangered’ French Horn, Trombone and Tuba. We were delighted to able to welcome Fine Arts Brass, featuring some of Britain’s finest brass players, to launch this initiative. FAB led a series of events on Thursday April 27th, including a concert for the Entry year and a

lunchtime concert in the Great Hall for the whole school. The afternoon masterclass featured Old Gowers Tom Garcia (trombone) and Naomi Martin (trumpet) as well as Michael Kohn (THRH) on the French horn, whilst the evening concert saw FAB collaborating with UCS Brass Sinfonia in a spectacular performance of Janacek’s Sinfonietta.

Singers’ ConcertThe evening of Wednesday May 10th saw a most remarkable concert, featuring seventeen leading UCS singers in an emotional and uplifting programme of “songs from the shows.” It was a fitting occasion to bid farewell to some very talented leavers. Phoebe Richards (6SMC) gave a spine-tingling performance of Gershwin’s Summertime, Matti Rowe (6RHB) brought the house down with a barnstorming rendition of Lippa’s How Did We Come to This, whilst the trio of Gabriel Marshall (6ADA), Jonathan Tang and James Scott (6FKT) inspired us all to ever greater things with their interpretation of The Impossible Dream, repeated later to great acclaim at Prize-Giving. The whole evening was a tour de force on the part of our inspirational singing teacher Mr Ward, not only in terms of his expert piano accompaniments but as a showcase of the great things he achieves with his pupils.

Music

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PER FOR M I NG A RTS

The Centenary Choir, which is based at UCS and comprises singers from both within the UCS community and the wider Hampstead area, has a partnership with Marie Curie Hampstead Hospice.  The charity, which provides care and support for those with terminal illnesses and their families, was chosen by Choir members.  In the last three years, the Choir raised over £10,000 to support the charity’s work, donating proceeds from an annual Come and Sing event and regular collections at its concerts. On 14 June 2017, the Choir presented Marie Curie with a cheque for £1,600.

Alice Dickens, Community Fundraiser, said of the event, “Thank you so much for inviting me to your choir rehearsal last night. I had a wonderful time and was made to feel most welcome by everyone. It was so lovely to see you all in action and sorry I couldn’t stay until the end but I hope there will be many other times I can see you all in action! The amount you raised from your recent events is phenomenal and that will really make a difference to people affected by terminal illness. Thanks to everyone who put in effort behind the scenes to make the magic happen.”

The Choir’s next Come & Sing will be held on Saturday 27th January and will involve an afternoon rehearsal of Mozart’s Requiem, followed by an evening performance with orchestra and soloists in the Great Hall.

UCS Centenary Choir

— Contributions by Roger Pilgrim (Centenary Choir)

“The amount you raised from your recent events is phenomenal and that will really make a difference to people affected by terminal illness. Thanks to everyone who put in effort behind the

scenes to make the magic happen.”

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PER FOR M I NG A RTS

The availability of Transitus students throughout the summer term for the first time in many years enabled the Music Department to put on a large-scale end of term event involving two of the school’s principal ensembles. Concert Band impressed with their sensitivity and panache in a medley of James Bond themes and a selection of music from Batman, whilst Symphony Orchestra demonstrated acute stylistic awareness in Mozart’s Idomeneo Overture and Beethoven’s Symphony No 1. Wind Band and String Ensemble combined to form a full scale ‘Pops Orchestra’

– providing Lower School musicians with their first opportunity to experience the thrill of playing in a larger ensemble. At the other end of the spectrum the ClarinetEnsemble (David Verran, Luca Zucchi, Benjamin Miller, Jonathan Shaw and Jack McCann) treated us to some true chamber music making, achieving excellent ensemble and subtle dynamic gradations without being conducted or directed.

Summer Concert

— Contributions by C. Dawe

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PER FOR M I NG A RTS

In an attempt to entertain his stepson on a rainy afternoon in 1881, Robert Louis Stevenson sketched a fictional island. His stepson began to call this sketch a treasure map. This soon became the basis of the story Treasure Island. Ever since, this iconic story has become a staple of literature and the inspiration for numerous adaptations ranging from silent movies, TV shows, spinoffs, an animated Disney version and, perhaps, my personal favourite reinterpretation – ‘Muppet Treasure Island’. The classic adventure story has undoubtedly inspired many before us, and it has been a wonderful experience to witness the Lower School cast take ownership of reinventing this classic.

“The most dramatic thing about the play is the sense of adventure – and the fact that each character has a back story. The whole thing is back story. It’s a timeless story and we’ve loved working on it. We hope that the audience enjoyed it too!” Luca Joseph (Shell)

It is a truly demanding and ambitious play to stage. This seemed like the perfect project to challenge the company. An adventure story calls for adventurous staging, or, Total Theatre: the combination of music, choreography, puppetry, physical theatre and special

effects. The cast have explored unique ideas for staging and developed new skills. Most have worked with a professional fight director, choreographing sword fights. Some have learnt puppetry. Others have taken sole responsibility for the music in the piece by developing an original score which fuses sea shanties with modern music. I began rehearsals expecting the key challenge to be unlocking the imagination of the entire company. However, just as Robert Louis Stevenson was inspired by his stepson’s creativity, I too discovered that when it comes to pirates and adventure, the boys were far better at inspiring and challenging my own imagination. I hope that they unlocked the imagination of the audience too, in their visceral, engaging production of the classic story.

Lower School Play: Treasure Island

— Contributions by C. Abbott

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PER FOR M I NG A RTS

On Sunday 18th June 2017 from midday until 3pm UCS Hampstead Senior School hosted a bespoke community event ‘Beyond Art’ to celebrate the creative talents of students and organisations in the local community.

The ‘Beyond Art’ event was an opportunity to showcase the work of artists, designers, photographers, musicians and actors, including exhibitions from local arts-based organisations such as Hampstead School of Art, Darren Baker Gallery, and the Sir Hubert Von Herokomer Arts Foundation alongside the UCS Pre-Prep, Junior Branch and Senior School work. Local schools and the local community were invited to visit this event free of charge on Father’s Day to take part in interactive workshops.

As part of the event, the following students were shortlisted for a coveted Photography Competition.

Senior Competition Shortlist:• ‘Purple Flower’ - Fred Brown• ‘Dragonfly’ - Josh Paul• ‘Evening in the Alps’ - Charlie Aveline

Junior Competition Shortlist:• ‘Kid Graffiti’ - Josh Oppenheimer• ‘Walking on the Beach’ - Simon Abehsera-Cohen• ‘Night Bus’ - Charlie Tyler• ‘Shop Front’ - Ben Cooper• ‘Lizard on the wall’ - Adam Kassam• ‘Condensation’ - Sam Pickett• ‘Who’s a Clever Boy?’ - Toby Crawcour 

Organiser Mr McAra says, ‘I really enjoyed Beyond Art 2017. We had so much going on: displays of art and design from local schools, charities and galleries, a great line-up of performers, creative workshops and much more. It was a real celebration of creativity in the local community. ‘’ In the words of one student, “It’s an opportunity for the quartet I’m in to do what we enjoy – perform and entertain other people.‘’

UCS Hosts Unique CommunityArts Event on Father’s Day

— Contributions by A. McAra

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L EC T U R E S A N D SPE A K ER S

The final days of the sixth form can be quite emotional for UCS students and this year was no exception; if anything they were more reluctant to leave and wanted to eke out every last moment together. Having developed close bonds and really worked together as a community they had made this academic year quite special - not just for themselves but for the staff as well. They managed to resurrect a leavers’ yearbook with maximum efficiency and minimal controversy. They organised their own apparel in the form of smart hoodies and sweatshirts emblazoned with the new school badge and the Year of 2017. Both were distributed, read or worn at the leaver’s BBQ for which RHC had ordered fine weather after days of grey skies and rain. True enough the sun shone

and temperatures hit year highs for a couple of hours as staff and students mingled, reminisced and shared a few ‘Senior Moments’. Thanks to a string of successful lunchtime sessions we were not short of a few musicians to sing (well,that’s what they called it!) drum and play guitars or listen to the well-scripted lines of our resident contemporary poet. This was followed by another successful night out in Haymarket for their annual ball and by the early hours of Bank Holiday Monday we had all ‘left school’ and started the journey beyondUCS.

Sixth Form BBQ and Ball

— Contributions by R. Chapman

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L EC T U R E S A N D SPE A K ER S

The Real Estate Networking Evening On Thursday 16th March around 30 Old Gowers and parents had the opportunity to meet, and exchange a few business cards (!), over beer and antipasti in Marylebone. The event was kindly hosted by Dean Jaraj (OG 1999-2006) at Blend Property. The networking even carried on in the garden after Sophie von Maltzahn addressed guests and, amongst other things, encouraged them to check out the new-look school website and the brand new OG Flickr gallery. It was the first property networking evening the OG Club has organised, but it certainly won’t be the last!

The Class of 1967 ReunionA dozen Old Gowers gathered in the Phoenix Room, a room that was a classroom when they were at UCS, on the 11th May for their fifty-year reunion. They caught up over drinks and canapés, some having not seen each other for fifty years and some who see each other weekly, to reminisce about their time at UCS. Deputy Head, Mr Wilkes, formally welcomed the group back and reflected on what had changed physically over the years but maintained the essence of the school is the same UCS we all know and love. Then Mr Reynolds, Vice Master, rounded off the reunion by leading the group on an impromptu tour of the school, which began in his own office!

Old Gowers’ Events

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L EC T U R E S A N D SPE A K ER S

Old Gowers’ Scottish Borders ReunionOn 26th May Sophie and I set off from King’s Cross in the direction of Scotland. We were heading to the home of Douglas Hall (OG 1940-44) and his wife Matilda, who were kindly hosting a garden party for Old Gowers living in Scotland and the borders. A lovely group of Old Gowers and their partners from across Scotland joined us at the Halls’ home for afternoon tea and the weather too played its part. Oliver Drake (OG 1966-73) brought his infamous Raspberry Gin for guests to try, and Douglas raised a toast to the school and the club with gin in hand. Our thanks again to Douglas and Matilda for welcoming us all into their home.

The Old Gowers’ Summer Party For this year’s OG summer party, we thought it would be a good opportunity to showcase the new terrace at the Junior Branch and make the most of the summer weather. Typically the weather didn’t quite hold out, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of 130 Old Gowers and their guests who gathered in the hall at the JB. Many Old Gowers commented that this was the first time they had revisited the JB and how the buildings brought back many happy memories. Comments that the furniture had shrunk since their time just showed how long it had been! OGs of all ages reminisced over Pimms and canapés, caught up on life since UCS and made use of the table football in the playground! The Summer Party rounds off the OG event calendar for this academic year, and now we very much look forward to the autumn.

Old Gowers’ Events

— Contributions by L. de Bie

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L EC T U R E S A N D SPE A K ER S

The contract with Agripower to install drainage on the Eve playing fields is proceeding well.  Grass and top soil has been stripped to allow grading works to remove surface irregularities.  The installation of the new drains will start soon.  One of the new cricket squares is under construction.  The playing fields are due to be ready for play by September 2018 trusting that there is sufficient rain to allow the new grass to establish itself once seeding is complete. 

The Eve Pavilion has been demolished to prepare the site for the construction of the new Pavilion, which is intended to commence in July of this year.

Pavilion Demolition and Field Work

— Contributions by N. Stock

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SOCI ET I E S

As a UCS pupil aspiring to do Law at university, I always found it confusing as to why, with UCS’ many societies, there wasn’t one for Law. This led to me deciding to found one, so in May 2017 I announced the launch of UCS’ very first Law society which would go on to convene once a week in room 6 to discuss all things (il)legal!  The basis of this society is that it presents a case each week, the overarching topic of which changes per meeting, and then a brief is delivered, dissected and discussed in terms of its ethics and the foundations of the law which influenced the case. As such the society is very diverse in its appeal: it does not simply discuss banalities using legal jargon, but it extends to ideas of morality and justice. As well, each case has a different spin that appeals to a wider audience than just those interested in Law at university, for example financial legislation which would be of interest to those thinking of studying Economics.  The first session commenced with the topic of “The crown versus Dudley and Stephens, reasons and defences of murder”. The general idea of murder and its ethics was presented with the specific case study of R v Dudley and Stephens. Future meetings will include

a session that will consider legal issues around domestic violence.

Law Society is in room 6 every Tuesday at 1:20pm. All students are welcome and we would love to see you soon!

Law Society

— Contributions by Krishna Choudhury (Transitus)

“As such the society is very diverse in its appeal: it does not simply discuss

banalities using legal jargon, but it extends to

ideas of morality and justice.”

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SU BJ EC T EV EN TS

Goethe Institut Wissenschaftliche Herausforderungen Workshops!I was fortunate enough to attend a German science event at the Goethe Institut recently, where science education was combined with further improvement of one’s German ability. The event was handled by a team of German scientists, researching items such as malaria, marine biology and biodegradable plastics.

The event began with usual German punctuality and involved touring in small groups around four tables, each headed by a scientist describing their field of research. Science vocabulary in German was surprisingly easy to pick up. Pronouncing an English science term with a German accent would usually end up being correct! The difficult bit was the understanding; mostly due to the fast speech. The words would however assimilate over time. In terms of the science, the scientists’ areas of research were quite specialised, so there was a lot to learn about them. Some included practical experiments as well, my favourite being the one showcasing the limitations of bioplastic: the graceful destruction of a cup made of it upon the addition of hot

water. The main highlight, however, was the vocabulary I picked up through attempts to converse with the scientists (to varying degrees of success).

So, I think I’m on track to becoming a Wissenschaftler! A huge thank you to the German department for everything that day.

— Contributions by Nick Maslov (Remove)

ValenciaThis Easter saw the inaugural Valencia Study Trip take place. 15 pupils from the Remove year, accompanied by Dr Laurenson, Ms Peris and Mr English spent a week in the city, enjoying the wonderful hospitality on offer, as well as the morning Spanish lessons. Particular highlights were the cookery classes, the Museo de Ciencias and the day trip to Peníscola. The group were also treated to a tour and a match in the Mestalla Stadium. We look forward to returning next year!

— Contributions by T. Underwood

Modern Foreign Languages TripsGermany and Valencia

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SU BJ EC T EV EN TS

Having meandered through the urban jungle of Brent for five hours on a Thursday afternoon in a bid to uncover spatial inequalities, the last thing our twenty-strong cohort of Geographers wanted to do was sit on a train for another three. However by the time we had arrived at Blencathra Field Studies Centre our lethargy was allayed – the cacophony of the city replaced by the austere beauty of the Lake District National Park.  The next morning we travelled west to the charming town of Keswick. On Derwent Water we completed field sketches and soundscape surveys; waves crashed against the rocks below, skylark song accompanied us, and through the trees you could clearly make out the distant mountain ridges appearing to touch the clouds. Maybe physical geography is as enthralling as Mr Miller makes out! We tried to repeat the same activity on farmland further from the water although this time the peace was shattered as I fell, venturing too far the path. Extremely funny for some, less so for others… Sunday was uncharacteristically sunny and started with a treat of a hike up the hills of Ambleside to Windermere – the UK’s largest lake! The walk was challenging but refreshing, we encountered waterfall and friendly dogs

but what we weren’t prepared for was the size and scale of some of the landforms we had only seen in textbooks come to life. It was breathtaking. On our final day in Penrith we sat amongst church ruins and had a prize-giving ceremony of sorts with the Lakes fresh in our minds, confident that these new experiences would become long-lasting memories of our time at UCS.

Geography Trip to the Lake District

— Contributions by Dayo Osinuga (Transitus)

“What we weren’t prepared for was the

size and scale of some of the landforms we had only seen in textbooks

come to life. It was breathtaking.”

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SU BJ EC T EV EN TS

This April, the Upper Sixth Geographers marked the end of an era by being the last ever UCS year group to go on the Sicily field trip.

There were two types of people on this trip: the culture vultures, led by Ms Porter, and the rock squad, spearheaded by Mr Miller. Day one saw a focus on Sicilian culture, with the culture students taking the chance to explore the hill towns of Castiglione, Francavilla and then Taormina. Meanwhile we tectonics students kept busy spending our euros on a kilo of world-class mozzarella cheese (world class).

The next day was significant for the rock squad; we were able to visit the Island of Vulcano. Our guide, Pietro, provided key information on the volcanic island that was to feature on our summer exam. Hiking up the volcano, we were stunned by the beauty of the view of the whole island as well the inside of the cone.

The next day was centred on Mount Etna. After witnessing the trickle of lava in the distance on the first night, we somehow decided it would be a great idea to get even closer to the hot molten lava. After a short hike, two buses, a gondola lift, and a snow mobile, we

finally reached the top of Etna. Both the view of the lava flow and the fumes coming out of the summit were exciting to say the least. However, being 3,350m high, it definitely wasn’t a t-shirt and shorts vibe; we had to bring out the North Face (this made us look even more like geographers).

The Sicily trip was definitely a highlight of my time at UCS, and I’m sure the whole group enjoyed both the geographical and social aspects of the trip. The teachers were great fun to be around and the whole atmosphere of the trip was amazing. The trip really had it all: culture, tectonics, sun, snow, pizza, pizza with chips, and A LOT of gelato. I will always have very fond memories of this trip filled with fun, laughter, food, and, of course, geography!

Geography Sicily Trip

— Contributions by Jamie Osrin (Sixth Form)

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SU BJ EC T EV EN TS

‘You search in Rome for Rome? Oh traveller! In Rome itself there is no room for Rome.’ Robert Lowell

Touching down in Florence is always good for the soul. This crucible of the Italian Renaissance, this medieval labyrinth, the haunt of Dante and Michelangelo, always lays on a welcome - a pink dusk, a searing sunset, the clink of a Bellini - for the cultural pilgrim who knocks on its door.

And so it was that ten UCS art historians - and a couple of contraband English students - accompanied by Ms Birchenough and Mr Mee, set about their orientation walk of the piazze, bridges and domes of Florence. Treasures to follow included the marbles in the Accademia, the quiet grandeur of the sculptures in the Bargello, and the fresco cycle of Giotto in Santa Croce. We were cloister-walkers, gallery-haunters, cultural pilgrims - lost in Florence with no Baedeker, as they say in Edwardian novels.

And so to Rome, the city associated with romance and beauty. The pace was, as ever, immense, but never

frenetic. Hurrying from Sant’Agostino, with Caravaggio’s Madonna of Loreto, to an enlightening talk by Ms Birchenough about Keats whilst sitting on the Spanish steps, and onto Santa Maria della Vittoria, with Teresa lying in the Cornaro chapel perpetually writhing in pleasure: it never felt like a strain. There was always time for a coffee, and making the mandatory pilgrimage to Sant’Eustachio was one of the highlights of the trip; sharing a spectacular coffee with friends before running across the city to see the Vatican and its multitude of rooms was an experience repeated with different coffee shops and cultural attractions throughout the trip, and it was all the better for it.

Rome is an enormous place, but I cannot think of another group of people who would have made a better stab at tackling it in a day and a half. Truly it is good rapport and humour which makes any journey pleasurable, and this trip had a plenitude of both.

Pilgrims Roam: Art History Tour 2017

— Contributions by A. Mee and Tom Penney (Transitus)— Images by Jacob Hopkins (Transitus)

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A newly formed table tennis team emerged from the Junior Branch into the Senior School and made their way into the national final, and came away with a 2nd place in the whole of the country!!  Another UCS first came from Mr Thomas’ victorious 1st XV, winning twice at Allianz Park and lifting the Middlesex Cup for the first time. Our 1st XI football team breezed past the Old Boys and end the season with six wins and four defeats. The 1st XI hockey team had a similar success record and were delighted with the news of Johnnie Baird gaining a place at an England camp. In other sports, the cross-country squad have kept running thanks to the tireless work of Mr McAra.  Mr McAra is stepping down in this role and huge thanks go to him.  The swimmers have been kept on task and further developments are being planned in their competition circuit. Plans are also in place to develop our squash and basketball teams. In cricket, it has been a year of rebuilding, with only two sixth form students featuring in only a couple of matches. Our centurions all came from the middle school (Henry Raschke, Seb Giacopazzi and Sam Clarfield); certainly exciting times lie ahead for UCS cricket, and many congratulations go to these three talented cricketers. Our U18 tennis team narrowly missed out on reaching the final stage of the national tournament, but again, a young team is emerging with most of the players representing the U18 team coming from the middle school. I suppose a sports team did have to stop winning the Headmaster’s Group Achievement Award eventually!!

In writing this report I cannot fail to mention the sad passing of a stalwart of UCS sport, Bill Jones. He was, quite simply, a much-loved and respected teacher, coach and friend. He would be very excited to see how UCS sport is developing.

Middle School Sports DayIt was obvious the weather didn’t want UCS Middle School Sports Day to take place! The tennis, cricket, and eventually the new “footgolf ” competitions did have to be cancelled. However, an indoor athletics track was the saving grace.

An early lunch for the two year groups meant they had time to prepare themselves mentally for the demands of an international track competition. New track events included 60m hurdles & 4x200m; in the field, triple jump, shot put & high jump. We even managed to get a Deme tug of war completed, after our Transitus helpers managed to untangle the rope!

The facility proved to be an ideal venue with students performing extremely well; next year, I would like to get more students competing on it… and maybe some more support from parents!

A Great Year in Sport

— Contributions by E. Sawtell

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After what can only be described as a thrilling season of rugby for UCS’s 1st XV back in the Autumn Term of 2016. This July, twenty UCS athletes make the journey to South Africa, travelling along the nation’s famous Garden Route to play various rugby sides on their way.

Last season saw the side crowned Middlesex champions, whilst welcome wins over rivals Mill Hill and Merchant Taylors’ were also amongst the season’s highlights. The side loses a number of key performers from last year, including, perhaps most notably, captain Tom Sanders. However, this has given opportunities for younger members of the UCS community to make an impact alongside some of last year’s Middlesex Cup winners. The side retains London Wasps prospects Aaron Hamilton and Daniel Roche, whilst also seeing the return of senior players, Olly Clague and Cameron Yousefian, to name two. Cole Basta’s departure from the scrum-half position gives Lucas Rehman the chance to secure a starting place for the coming season. Another with a similar chance is Anglo-German unit Julius Raschke, who finally looks for a breakthrough into the 1st team following numerous injury setbacks. A powerful second row partnership is yet to be born. Sam Richardson’s place in next year’s side is all but confirmed, but head coach Mr Thomas will look to find a ball-carrying second row. Zaki Said puts himself

in pole position with the bookies to line up alongside Richardson, having put in numerous hours of training in order to master the art of catching. Barney Hartwill will have a point to prove on the pitches of the Rainbow Nation, with Marcus Youngman making a compelling case for his starting place next year. After a fruitful year of second team rugby for both Jake Blaisdell and James Robinson, the duo will hope to please the management against foreign opposition in their respective positions. Conal Mac Cabe-Lynagh plays like a man whose future depends on his performance on the rugby field, and will be hoping to bring some of that spirit with him on tour.

The side start their tour in the city Cape Town playing in the Swartland Festival, before journeying up the coast to play in Point High School in Knysna. The tour’s final fixture is against Cape Recife School in Port Elizabeth. A handful of non-rugby related activities is planned, including visits to some of the country’s most deprived areas, as well as enjoying a safari and tour of Robben Island. There is a great sense of excitement from all those travelling, and special thanks go out to our kit sponsors, Anderson Travel.

UCS Rugby Tour

— Contributions by Nat Bor (Transitus)

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“A Proper Game of Rugby Played in Great Spirit”

Date: Saturday 22nd AprilOpposition: FelthamScore: Win for UCS XV 34-29Tries: Aaron Hamilton, Sam Richards x 2, Dan Addis, Dan Horscroft, Daniel RocheConversions: Aaron Hamilton, Theo FournierMan of Match: Aaron Hamilton

As a last report of the season my pen is at ease for this report. Nick Gourlay should be immensely proud of what he achieved with a young Feltham team after only 6 weeks of training. The fact that they very nearly beat the UCS XV is testament to his coaching skill but also to his character that has rubbed off on the young team.

Everything started so well for UCS. Aaron Hamilton commenced a superb all-round performance with a try from near 60 yards out that included a sumptuous sidestep of serendipity. Such was its seismic shift of momentum that the opposition tackler made a superb cover tackle of purest fresh air.

This try was quickly followed (after a superb pass from the very gifted Alex Turton) by one of 2 outstanding tries in the afternoon for Sam Richardson. Tall, rangy, athletic and not too unlike Andy Ripley in his prime. It was only after two tries that the nascent Feltham side woke up and put in some enormous tackles that brought the hint of a smile to the most cynical of rugby men. Sam’s second try was beautifully converted but this resulted in a sustained amount of pressure from Feltham.

The UCS front row of Nardonne, Addis and Horscroft were a mighty force all afternoon and it is ridiculous to report that the Dynamic duo of devastating Dans in the front row scored 2 of the best tries of the day. Horscroft showed a ridiculous turn of speed that frankly a back would be proud off and a front row forward should be embarrassed about. He scored a superb try from around 40 metres out. The try from Dan Addis was no less elegant or robust; Addis taking the ball at speed outside the 22 with such vivacity that a naked Brigitte Bardot would not have stopped his defined demonic path. Ovens (sans oranges) was his usual bundle of rugby joy but was strangely subdued in the second half due to a severe blow to the head. He remains a superb force in any team.

Feltham Match Report

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The Battersea Ironsides augmentation squad made extremely valuable contributions to the game. In addition to the above mentioned Dans, Liam Mills was a maestro at 9 and then 10, controlling a DE structured game with a military yet artistic flair. James Teoderini had a fine game before heading off to another game as well as sounding like a hit man from The Godfather. Howie Roberts bossed the back 3 with his erstwhile colleague Elliot. A big thank you to the Battersea boys and hope your game went well on Saturday. Alex Turton possesses a huge amount of ball skill. I would be quite certain that his milkman may just have been David Duckham. Maybe TT sent his wife to Coventry at some point. His passes and general ability to read the game and gaps were a joy to behold on Saturday. One enormous pass across the field could have sprung from the gentle hands of the finest scrum-half and not the aching hands of a back-row forward.

Dan Roche is broad of shoulder and quiet of brave deed. A fine all-round performance was pinnacle by a try that put the game beyond most doubt. He led the fine crop of schoolboys including the previously mentioned Aaron and Sam and superbly represented in the backs by Theo Fournier who converted a try with relish. Conal Mac Cabe tackled his heart out on Saturday and felled everything in his path. I look forward to him turning 18 when he can cause real havoc in the forwards. UCS is in good hands with these fine men coming through!

Michaelson came through unscathed having played two games in two days. This man’s enigmatic energy is a compelling representation to us all. What a fine player he has been all season. Keener than a mustard closing in a Turton Steak Tartar he was caught encroaching the gain line on a number of occasions so keen was he to turn the game around. Juan Bazan “Thank you Ma’am” made some superb runs and the drying grounds are feeding this rugby antelope well. Toth came on in the second half and was so unlucky not to score after two fine Hungarian Rhapsodic Runs. We hope to see him in the colours of UCS more next season.

McAteer showed fabulous spirit and superb aptitude in the second half when he was moved to his more accustomed position of centre. He captained the side beautifully in a difficult second half and brought us through for the win.

I must not finish the report without praising our opposition. I cannot believe Feltham only had six weeks to prepare. Every player played their part from the Celtic soldier Aiden who tackled his bulging heart out to Tim at centre who was as difficult to tackle as a fully momentum rhino through to the Feltham man of the match Kamil who would make a fine player should he wish to continue playing this great game. The Feltham gym officers should also be praised for the huge amount of effort they put into the programme. The Welsh bound beast at 10 is clearly a force to be reckoned with and he was unlucky not to stay on as I suggest Feltham may have won with him on the pitch in the second half.

Big thanks to TT for coordinating the side, Nathaniel for coming along to support as well arranging the referee and Gideon for sorting the team out in the background without noise or wish for praise. We must also thank Nick Cook as always for his superb artistry and camera work. How he makes us all look like fine athletes is alchemy indeed.

Thanks again for Nick for upholding the very spirit of this great game; we should all be very proud that Gourlay is a UCS OB man.

Feltham Match Report

— Contributions by Conal McCabe Lynagh and Aaron Hamilton (Transitus)

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UCS has enjoyed a great cricket season despite having to cope with the loss of all home games due to the renovations being completed at the fields.  There have been some outstanding performances throughout the school, and to have three pupils score centuries this term shows a real shift in terms of batting quality and development (mainly due to the excellent coaching of UCS cricket professional Mark Lane).  The team below represents a selected XI who have stood out amongst their teammates for their contributions to UCS cricket. Their achievements should be applauded.

UCS 1st XI Fantasy Cricket Team:Seb Giacopazzi (100 v Aldenham))Sebastian Heemals-Odutola (1st XI)Sam Clarfield (100 v Berkhamsted, 102 v Bancrofts, 66* on 1st XI debut)Henry Raschke (125 v Watford)Joe Kanerick (13A top scorer)Nick Corbett (selected for 1st XI Festival tour)Alex Pemberton (selected for 1st XI Festival tour)Lucas Rehman (1st XI keeper)Harry Worton (top U14 bowler)Jacob Wolf (51* v Wetherby)Zain Ali (top U12 batsman)

Congratulations to the UCS Centurions:Sebastian Giacopazzi - 100 v AldenhamSam Clarfield - 100 v Berkhamsted, 102 v Bancrofts, 66* v Aldenham (1st XI debut)Henry Raschke - 100 v Watford

Cricket

— Contributions by L. Greany

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The day started by introducing our guests Chris Thomson, Gideon Bard and Chris Raftery (Old Gowers), and Freddie Edwards (Year 6) Lucas Rehman (TDJW) and Nat Bor (TDJW).

Morning 18 Holes, Individual Stableford, Nearest the Pin (hole 9) and Longest Drive (hole 15)Huge congratulations to Lucas Rehman for not only winning the individual stableford competition by scoring 43 points, but also taking nearest the pin and longest drive. Scoring on every hole, gross birdieing 8 of them! In strokeplay Lucas went round the par 69 course only 13 over.

Lucas Rehman – 43Chris Thomson – 37Ian Gibson – 35Dom Edwards – 31 (7 on the last 3)Prad Samtani – 31 (4 on the last 3)Jon Cooke – 30 (6 on the last 3)Noah Hillyard – 30 (3 on the last 3)Richard Johnson – 27Will Jones – 26James Raftery – 25Edd Roberts – 24Freddie Edwards – 20Gideon Bard – 23Adam Westwood – 16Nat Bor – 11

Afternoon 9 Hole Florida ScrambleMark Lall-Chopra joined for the afternoon 9 but unfortunately, the scramble didn’t go his way this time, so the team trophy acquired at Aldenham will stay on its own for now.

Despite the two three-balls getting an additional three strokes, nobody got anywhere near 3 under par. Congratulations Team Jones.

Team Jones – Will Jones (c), Freddie Edwards, Edd Roberts, Noah Hillyard – 32 strokesTeam Flooks - Jon Cooke (c), Lucas Rehman, Nat Bor 39 (+3) – 42 strokes (10 on the last 3)Team Choppers - Mark Lall-Chopra (c), Gideon Bard, James Raftery – 39 (+3) – 42 strokes (12 on the last 3 and 25 on the last 6)Team Gibbo - Ian Gibson (c), Prad Samtani, Richard Johnson, Adam Westwood – 42 strokes (12 on the last 3 and 27 on the last 6)

Bushey Hall Golf Day

“Attending the day to defend his title, reigning champion Edd Roberts was subject to a handicap cut after his bandit-

worthy score of 40 at the spring golf day at Aldenham.”

— Contributions by P. Samtani 

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With only one match left to play, the girls’ 1st XI met on the last day of term with excitement and a desire to close out the season on a high note. As we sat in assembly, we had one final surprise left. Following the allocation of certificates and special mentions, Mr Beard took to the lectern to announce the winners of the Group Achievement Award. Silence fell over the hall as we awaited the outcome. Suddenly, we heard “The girls’ 1st XI”. A frenzy of cheers and clapping broke out, and of course Mr Kirmani pumping his fist in the corner in celebration.

As we went into our last match, we were beyond upbeat and ready to face Francis Holland. Months of matches, training and emails came down to that final sunny afternoon. After warm-up, we took to the pitch surrounded by crowds of supporting UCS students, parents and teachers. The game erupted into action as Maisie Barnes slotted home four unbelievable goals and Olivia Hasson added a sensational strike from the halfway line. 5-0 UCS! The game ended with a full pitch invasion and great excitement for our dinner.

Finally, after a holiday with no weekly practices or fixtures, the team was reunited. Dressed up in black

tie, we met in the Refectory ready to eat great food and discuss highlights. The dinner was a tremendous way to finish the season and celebrate how far the team has progressed. In only a year, we have grown from 5 players to 25, from the tennis courts to the fields, and from draws to wins. We will continue to grow and develop next season but a special thanks must be said to the leaving sixth formers, whose dedication and energy will be missed.  A further thank you to Ms Hawes and Mr Beard for their support, and a huge amount of gratitude to Mr Kirmani and Ms Gulamhussein who have coached and encouraged the team from the start.

— Contributions by Zara Elstein (Transitus)

Girls’ Football Dinner

MediOliver Foundation FundraisingCongratulations to Sam Clarfield, Gianluca Boulton, Max Altaras, Lucas Block and Louis Shaw who rode 54 miles from London to Brighton recently to raise money for MediOliver Foundation.

If you would like to make a donation please visithttps://gift.medioliver.co.uk/riders.

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Speech Day and Prize Giving 2017

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