From the Second Master
WEEKEND ARRANGEMENTS (9 & 10 November 2024)
I hope all families had a relaxing and enjoyable Leave-out.
As outlined in the Winchester Weekly earlier this term, we are looking forward to our first Community Weekend on 9 and 10 November. Parents are welcome as always to attend the sports matches on Saturday afternoon. A programme of activities is planned from Saturday evening onwards, when our focus will turn internally to celebrate and benefit from one another's company. Pupils should not take their Flexible/Prefects’ Weekend leave nor Sunday leave this weekend, as they will be participating in activities within School.
WHOLE-SCHOOL REMEMBRANCE SERVICE (Sunday 10 November 2024)
This Sunday 10 November sees the College’s whole-school Remembrance Service take place. Owing to the lack of additional space in Chapel during this service, we are regrettably unable to formally invite parents to join us. There will however be very limited capacity in the organ loft, available on a first-come, first-served basis, primarily for parents of pupils in the CCF colour party or Chapel choir. Guests are asked to be seated by 10:05. Please note that the organ loft is accessed via a steep spiral staircase. The Chapel service is followed by an Act of Remembrance in War Cloister at 10:55, but space for guests is also very limited here.
VI Book: planning for 2025
The academic team is already well in to planning the curriculum programme for 2025/6, and further details will be published later this term. Part of our planning at this stage is in collaboration with the Admissions Office: to ensure that we meet both the academic and pastoral needs of all of our pupils, it would greatly help us to hear from parents of any V Book pupils who are considering making a change from boarding to day pupil status in VI Book 2 in September 2025.
If you are considering such a move, we would be grateful if you would kindly notify the Admissions Office over the next few weeks, most helpfully in advance of the November Exeat weekend. This will not affect your contractual rights or obligations to give a term's notice for any move, and therefore there is no compulsion to do so, but any such information will help us to make more effective plans for the next academic year.
Parents’ Evening Dates
Please find a reminder of parents’ evenings for the current academic year below. These can also be found in the School Calendar on the website. Parents of JP and new VI:2 pupils will shortly receive a letter providing more details for PE1.
You can find the schedule via the link below.
Founder's Obit JP Photograph
The photograph from Founder's Obit is now online and available for your to order.
You can order a copy here, using the login details below.
Login: 417895
Password: 818289
If you have any queries, please do contact Gillman & Soame directly at enquiries@gillmanandsoame.co.uk or on 01869 328200.
Events
What's On
Alongside the traditional celebrations at the conclusion of Short Half, this year we are trialing a new seminar series for parents.
The series pilot is scheduled for the final day of Short Half when Jack Andrews of the University of Oxford Department of Experimental Psychology will be speaking. Jack is working closely with the College pastoral care team by assisting discussions around how adolescent wellbeing at Winchester can best be supported both proactively and positively. Following positive feedback from teaching staff we wanted to give parents the chance to hear him as well.
After the seminar we will gather feedback from parents who attended to establish whether the pilot should be extended to a full programme.
You can sign up to the seminar, which will include a plant-based lunch before hand in College Hall, via the link below. Please note, the lunch is only available to those attending the seminar.
More details about Jack Andrews can be found here.
The seminar and lunch are being held before the Carol Service in Winchester Cathedral (with plenty of time to take your seats in the Cathedral). The traditional celebration of Illuminā back on the College campus will round off the term. Parents are welcome to all the events.
You can find out more about these events, and book for the seminar, via the link below.
Talks & Lectures
The Cameron Bespolka Wildlife Memorial Lecture: Disappearing Giants with Holly Budge
For this year's Cameron Bespolka Wildlife Memorial Lecture, the College is delighted to welcome Holly Budge, a leading conservationist.
Holly is the founder of UK Charity ‘How Many Elephants’ and initiated World Female Ranger Week. Her work has been celebrated worldwide, including by Sir David Attenborough and HRH Prince Edward. Holly is also an official UN Women UK Delegate and a highly motivational speaker.
In her lecture, Holly will explain how elephants are a keystone species that play a critical role, not only in balancing natural ecosystems and
biodiversity, but in ensuring the future well-being of humanity.
The lecture is a 'must' for anyone with a passion for Biology, Geography, Natural History and who care deeply about nature recovery within our volatile world. The lecture takes place tomorrow, Wednesday 6th November, in New Hall at 7pm, so don't hesitate to book your place via the link below.
Community
Parents Quiz Night
Please join us for the Parents Quiz Night on Friday 7 February.
Hosted by Yuriy Evdokimov (current parent), the evening promises to be a chance to test your general quiz knowledge with your fellow parents.
Tickets are sold by table, which seat 10 people each, and the cost includes all your food and drink for the evening.
You can book your table via the link below. Please note, you will need to register for, or be logged into your Winchester College Society account in order to view the event.
Events
Community Weekend
At the end of this week the College will hold its very first Community Weekend.
Designed to bring the College community together, the weekend will be packed full of events and activities with something for everyone.
Saturday morning will see the Sports Centre host a Festival of Sport where pupils and staff will enjoy the world class facilities, taking part in everything from Crossfit to rock climbing, squash, basketball, fives, chess and much more.
In the evening, we will celebrate Guy Fawkes night with fireworks, performances from the pupil rock bands, and hot chocolate and doughnuts by a bonfire.
Sunday morning will be marked with a Remembrance Day Service before pupils move on to a universities fair held by the World Leading Schools Association, where they will be able to engage with Directors of Admissions from top US universities.
The weekend will be capped off with the opening of the revamped Sixth Form common room, and a Societies Festival with over 60 activities to choose from.
There will be much more on offer besides the above and we hope everyone will enjoy!
Academic
25 Wykehamists Earn Places in British Mathematical Olympiad
In October, 287 Wykehamists took part in the Senior Maths Challenge; an exam style competition aimed at students in year 13.
Of the 287 pupils that entered, 136 of them earned gold certificates (top 11% nationally), of which 25 scored high enough to gain entry into the British Maths Olympiad with Barack (X), Frank (F), Peiyan (X) and Zachary (X) all achieving full marks (125/125). Only 1000 entries move on to this stage, meaning 2.5% of them are Wykehamists.
Overall, Wykehamists earned 41 bronze, 91 silver and 136 gold.
Special mention should also go to Harvard and Benjamin (both X) Michael (E) and Tony (C) who earned Gold certificates, despite only being in JP and MP.
Congratulations to all who took part and good luck to those moving on to the Round 1 of the British Mathematical Olympiad.
Community Service
CS Entertainers Perform to 500+ Pupils
The CS Entertainers normally perform their repertoire – including Flanders and Swann, the Beatles, Gershwin – at care homes, but they recently made their debut in a primary school to a crowd of 500+ pupils.
In a highly enjoyable sessions, the Wykehamists taught the pupils to join in with the choruses of a few of the songs.
Drama
VIBk Play: Clue
Based on the 1985 Paramount classic, inspired by the iconic board game, Clue tells the story of six colourful characters invited for a mysterious dinner party in a remote mansion, unaware that murder is on the menu.
Led by the butler, the characters will race to find the killer as the bodies start stacking up. Come and join us to watch this great comic whodunnit (no tickets required), and try to figure who did it, where, and with what…
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