From the Second Master
Dear parents,
I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable Leave-out.
WEEKEND ARRANGEMENTS FOR BOARDERS (8-9 JUNE)
Details for this weekend can be found here. Please access the Parent Portal via the link below to inform us of your child’s plans for this weekend by 23:00 on Thursday 6 June. Log in, select 'Interactive' and 'Weekend Sign-out' to complete the form.
WYKEHAM DAY EXEAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR BOARDERS (15-17 JUNE)
In preparation for Exeat, all parents of boarders should complete the Exeat Arrangements form, which is also accessed via the same route on the Parent Portal; under ‘Wykeham Day Exeat Arrangements'. Please complete the form by 13:00 on Friday 7 June.
The Exeat will begin at 17:00 on Saturday 15 June and end at 21:15 on Monday 17 June. Pupils may return to the boarding houses from 18:00 on Monday.
NOTE TO VI BOOK 1 PARENTS
I have recently written to VI Book 1 (Year 13) parents regarding End-of-Term arrangements. Please do check your inboxes.
Events
What's On
Parents are welcome to join us for College events. Events taking place over the coming weeks are highlighted here, but please find the full schedule at the links below.
For Domum bookings, please click here. When booking, please log into an existing Winchester College Society account, or create a new account.
Music Diary Talks & Lectures
Sports
Cricket Coach earns ECB Coaching Award
Recently, College cricket coach Paul Gover received notice that he had passed his ECB Level 4 coaching award.
The course is England and Wales Cricket Board's flagship course that aims to develop specialist areas of expertise when coaching individuals, units and teams.
Congratulations to Paul on this major achievement.
Sports Report
The week before Leave-out was busy with various fixtures, with one highlight being the annual cricket match against Marylebone Cricket Club, which saw the Lords team take the win for the second year in a row.
Elsewhere, the College tennis teams travelled to Bryanston School for a series of games.
The fixtures saw the much anticipated debut of the Girls 1st VI team, which ended in a close but encouraging 5-4 loss, with some excellent tennis played.
The Boys 1st VI capably dealt with Bryanton's big serves, with all three pairs recording wins in the first three sets. The Winchester 3rd pair also put on a remarkable comback, winning 16 of the last 19 points to fight back from 5-3 down against Bryanston’s 1st pair, to win 7-5.
You can read the full sport report below
Adventure Education
Mountain Biking in the Isle of Wight
Over Leave-out, four Wykehamists (and two teachers) travelled to the Isle of Wight for a four-day mountain bike tour.
The first day kicked off with a 5km Park Run event at Medina IOW parkrun, where lots of 5k PB’s were achieved.
Day 2 consisted of a riding at elevation. Just shy of 900m elevation was spread across 20 miles while taking in some stunning views from Tennyson Down, allowing the group to see the best of the island.
Between the cycling, football on the beach proved very popular each evening.
The aim of the trip was to put the skills worked on over the last term to the test.
The group practised on graded trails where a competent skill set was essential to ride them efficiently and safely.
Events
Domum
We are delighted to invite parents of leavers to take part in Domum on 29 June 2024. After the Leavers’ Service in Chapel there will be a drinks reception in the Warden's Garden, with a short farewell speech from the Warden.
Parents will then move to a dining marquee on Meads, while the Leavers go to their Domum Dinner.
Parents and pupils will meet again after both meals are complete and finish in the Warden’s Garden for a final rendition of the school song Domum.
Tickets are strictly limited to two per family. Please register below to attend. When booking, please log into an existing Winchester College Society account, or create a new account.
Due to seating in Chapel being limited, please note that seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Despite the two-guest maximum, it may not be possible to seat all who wish to attend. If attending, please arrive no later than 4.20pm.
Charities
National Garden Scheme & The Big Sleep Out
In the week before Leave-out, and last weekend, the College opened its doors in aid of two charities.
National Garden Scheme
On 1st and 2nd June, for the third year in a row, the College opened its gardens and grounds to the public in aid of the National Garden Scheme.
We were delighted to welcome 772 visitors over the weekend, raising £7320 for nursing and health charities chosen by the National Garden Scheme.
The Big Sleep Out
On Friday 24th May the College was proud to host Trinity Winchester’s ‘Big Sleep Out’ for the first time.
The charity provide support for homeless and vulnerable people in Winchester, and their annual ‘Big Sleep Out’ is the biggest fundraising event for homelessness in Winchester.
Held on Elizabeth Meads, the event involved sponsored participants spending the night in homemade cardboard shelters, to raise vital awareness and funds local vulnerable people. Fundraising is still ongoing, but the current running total is £28,835.
Events
War Cloister Centenary
100 years ago on Friday, the Dedication of the Memorial Cloister took place in the presence of a large gathering. Bishop Talbot, the Bishop of Winchester, performed the dedication. The East Door (now known as Meads Gate or Angel Gate) was unveiled by the Duke of Connaught, and both the Duke and Viscount Grey of Fallodon gave addresses.
On Friday, a more modest ceremony was conducted in War Cloister to mark the date of the Centenary. Friday also coincided with the departure of an Old Wykehamist trip to Ypres and Northern France. As part of the ceremony, the following words were spoken, which include one segment of the War Cloister Inscription:
One hundred years ago today, the memorial in which we stand was dedicated to sons of this school, whose lives were developed and enriched by the buildings and fields that surround us and were cut short on the battlefields of the world.
Today, we take these wreaths from their place in War Cloister, to be laid on the graves and memorials of Wykehamists, forming a symbolic link between this spiritual home and the places where they fell, a link that has been unbroken for the last hundred years.
Thou therefore, for whom they died, seek not thine own but serve as they served and in peace or in war bear thyself ever as Christ’s soldier, gentle in all things, valiant in action and steadfast in adversity
Back to Previous Newsletters