Winchester Weekly

Dear Parents,

There are some special arrangements for the first exeat, which begins at lunchtime this coming Friday. 

Between 1921 and 1924 three Wykehamists made attempts to ascend Mount Everest. One of them, George Mallory, may even have reached the summit, and is commemorated by a poignant memorial in Cloister, designed by the Art Master of the time, celebrating the life of a man who was "lost to human sight somewhere between heaven and earth." Our current Head of Art History, Mr Adam Rattray, has curated an exhibition in Chantry Cloister, which includes many photos from these expeditions. A memorial, commissioned by the Friends of Winchester College, to the only Wykehamist Everest climber not so far commemorated in Cloister, Guy Bullock, will be unveiled at a special service this coming Thursday.

In recent years, under the guidance of Mr Sam Hart, many Wykehamists and staff have been involved in charitable work for the Lotus Flower Trust. On Friday morning, the Charities Committee has organised for well over half the school to volunteer to take part in a run to raise money for the Trust. You may sponsor them by clicking here.

To mark these anniversaries and endeavours, Morning Hills has been moved back to 0900 and teaching will be suspended for the whole morning rather than from 1140 as originally planned. You are welcome to attend Morning Hills, on the top of St. Catherine's Hill, if you wish. 

You are also invited to spectate the end of the charity run, where there will be refreshments and a cake sale. Groups will arrive back in Meads between 1200-1230hrs, where you may collect your son and return home at that point. The Mallory exhibition will be viewable in Cloister from 12 noon and is warmly recommended.

I wish you and your families a very restful exeat, and look forward to our resumption of term on Sunday evening.

With kind regards,

Mr Nick Wilks

Pupil participation in our saliva testing programme has been consistently excellent, averaging 90% (peak of 94%) with no positive cases at all in the last three weeks. With no restrictions to pupil mixing and activities, pupils have enjoyed their activities safe in the knowledge that they are part of a pupil population that is largely if not entirely negative for COVID-19. Our pupil participation rates are very high compared to other schools, which provides an excellent snap shot that can help us to decide our approach to precautionary measures. Just as these measures can be rapidly increased if cases begin to arise, they have also been relaxed in response to no cases at all across a largely tested population.

There will be no testing required on return from exeat as pupils will have their regular test during the following week. Please would you continue to be vigilant about symptoms, however mild. Please contact Dr Cullerne if a pupil or any close contacts at home present with symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19. Please also be aware that respiratory infections are on the rise and the NHS guidance for such infections can be found here.