16th November 2021
Winchester Weekly
Message from the Director of Studies
Parent Portal Reminder
As previously announced, we have introduced a new parent portal to replace the previous version. You should have received the login details for your account and have been able to access your son's intermediate grades prior to Leave-out.
In due course, it is our intention that the parent portal will provide you with comprehensive information about your son's academic and extra-curricular activities (as well as reports and grades). It will also include Sunday sign out forms.
We will keep parents updated on the functionality of the portal as the term progresses.
Relationships and Sex Education: consultation & parental workshop
As you may be aware, the teaching of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is a statutory requirement and an important part of PSHEE at Winchester. Parents are warmly invited to give their feedback on the school’s policies and teaching, both in writing and in the parent workshops which support our teaching of RSE. More information can be found here: Parent Portal | School News (isams.cloud)
If you would like to provide feedback, please complete this survey, which is supported by the policies and information found in the letter above. If you would like to join the parental workshop on 19 November, please email cc2@wincoll.ac.uk.
Mr Tom Quayle, Head of PSHEE
Remembrance 2021
Thank you to all those families who joined us on Sunday for this year's Remembrance ceremonies. With special thanks to Lt Col Sam Hart and The Rev Justin White for organising such a memorable occasion.
Recita
This year's annual recitation competition, Recita, took place on Friday.
The winner of the Queen’s Silver Medal for English Speech was William Thomson (College) whose performance of ‘Aubade’ by Philip Larkin held the audience spellbound. It was an intelligent, deeply moving performance. The runners up in this category were Damian Cheung (Cook's) with ‘Love Song for Ayumi’ by Marianne Chan, and Toby Bowes-Lyon (Beloe's) who performed WH Auden’s ‘1st September, 1939’.
The winner of the Jack Parr Award / Simon Eliot Cup was Alexander Thomas (Chawker's). Alex performed ‘Marina’ by TS Eliot, and impressed the judge with his clarity, understanding and restrained emotion powerfully conveyed. Runners up in this Lower-School event were Mike Wimbush (Toye's) with Owen’s ‘Disabled’ and Michael Nevin (Phil's) with ‘The Naming of Cats’ also by TS Eliot.
Judge Jon Sayers is a professional voice-over artist, poet and poetry editor. He was enormously impressed by the standard this year and gave excellent notes in review to every participant.
Social with St Swithun's
On Saturday evening, it was the turn of the top years to attend a casino-themed social at St Swithun's girls. A super-smart turnout from all those in attendance!
Sport at Winchester
Jun Steeplechase
House spirit was in good voice last Tuesday for the final of the ‘Jun’ Steeplechase, contested by boys in the first three years. There was a fantastic field of 277 runners, and a crowd of supporters – housemasters, matrons, tutors, teachers, and even canine companions.
Congratulations to Hopper’s who took the house title, with Moberly’s coming in second. The individual race was won by Vincent Gueguen (MP, Trant’s), with a very close second and third of James Kitson (MP, Toye's) and Louis Fell-Gagnere (VBk, Trant's) respectively.
The Senior Steeplechase takes place this afternoon and results will be shared in next week's newsletter.
DT
Ingenuity Challenge
Last Thursday, the DT department held its annual Interhouse competition, inviting each house to put forward three budding engineers to take part in the Ingenuity Challenge.
Taking inspiration from the ‘F1 in Schools’ competition, each team spent the afternoon designing and sculpting a CO2 propelled vehicle to race down the 15-metre track.
An aerodynamic shape and a quick reaction at the starting line were key to success. Trant’s designed the fastest vehicle, travelling the distance in an impressive 0.787s with Furley’s shortly behind with 0.860s. In the knock-out stages, it was again Trant’s who triumphed and became the overall winner, beating last year’s Ingenuity Challenge champions, Phil’s, in second place. Freddie’s gained additional points for their design work, although failed to improve upon their 0.979s track time to compete any further.
Odd Socks Day
Monday marked the start of Anti-Bullying Week, where pupils were encouraged to wear odd socks to raise awareness. It combined with Mufti Day, raising funds for the school's three nominated charities: Winchester Young Carers, Stay at School Nepal and Young Lives vs Cancer.
Music at the Cathedral
Haydn's The Creation
This Thursday 18 November at 1930, the Winchester College Quiristers and Glee Club will join Winchester Music Club to perform Haydn's The Creation at the Cathedral. In a much-anticipated return to choral singing, the performance will be conducted by our Director of Chapel Music, Mr Howard Ionascu.
Pseudium - thank you to all attendees
More than 100 parents and Friends of Winchester College went back to school on Saturday, sitting in classrooms, and listening to dons from all departments teach their favourite lessons. Abandoning syllabuses and mark schemes, parents heard talks and lectures on titles ranging from Franco’s Spain to Subversive Sonnets; Achaemenid Persia, to the Life of Thomas Hardy.
Attendees were with us for three hours (lessons) with a break for coffee. Many parents commented that they found it difficult to choose which lessons to attend, and one was so enthusiastic she asked for a Winchester Summer School for parents...! Pseudium will return next year, and we hope to see you there.
Modern Foreign Languages
A recital like no other
This year's Modern Languages Speech Prize Competition saw a memorable performance from Kit Colville (VI Book 1, Toye's) who chose to sing the French poem, 'Barbara', a hauntingly beautiful poem about the total destruction of French city Brest during the Second World War.
Congratulations to the winners: French - William Goltz (College), German - Ivan Shatrov (College), Spanish - Sam Page (Freddie's) and Russian - Conrad Dodd (Beloe's).
Computer Science at Winchester College
With the launch of Computer Science earlier this term, we have been following the experiences of some of our JP boys in their lessons. Read more about what they've been up to and watch a video featuring the boys at the link below.
Peer support
Every Thursday, Spanish pupils in VI Book have been taking the time to support lower school pupils with their language skills. Please do encourage JP and MP sons to take advantage of the additional support on offer should they need it.
Makyth Ventures
Makyth Ventures & LSE Generate
After a busy term of workshops aimed at fostering entrepreneurial skills and knowledge among pupils, Makyth Ventures is excited to announce its final event of the term - a two-day entrepreneurial experience for aspiring business leaders in collaboration with the London School of Economics' entrepreneurship hub - LSE Generate.
During the event, pupils will be offered a unique opportunity to hear from and spend time with investors and innovators within the impact ecosystem, putting into practice all the knowledge gained during the Makyth Ventures workshops throughout the term. The 24-hour event will culminate in LSE Generate's pitching finale where the most promising LSE entrepreneurs will present their businesses to a panel of judges for a chance to win up to £20,000 to develop their ventures. The event will take place on the 2/3 December. More details - including a detailed programme of the event and the opportunity to register to attend virtually - will be shared in the coming newsletters.
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