A major celebration of one of our finest tenors on Tuesday 22 June with
Nick Prettejohn, Chairman of the Britten-Pears Foundation as guest speaker

“Lancing was a very heaven: the beauty of its site, the country around, the Downs in all their glory and this marvellous chapel and an atmosphere which was filled with art – the arts – and love”. – Peter Pears

Sir Peter Pears was educated at Lancing and sang in the choir here. He remained devoted to the school throughout his life, and a great supporter of its musical tradition. Pears and Benjamin Britten were regular visitors to the College, which a number of OLs (former pupils) remember vividly. Through Pears’s influence, Britten was commissioned to compose the Saint Nicolas Cantata for the centenary of the College.

At the celebration on Tuesday 22 June, guests included former pupils, some of whom are now professional musicians, and former winners of the College’s Sir Peter Pears Music Prize, such as His Honour Judge Peter Birts, who won the first award in 1964.

A service in the famous Chapel at 12 noon featured Lancing’s celebrated choir, and performances of sacred and secular music, sung by the school’s Music Scholars. Lancing’s Director of Chapel Music, Neil Cox, conducted Britten’s Te Deum and Jubilate in C, and God moves in a mysterious way from Saint Nicolas.

At the beginning of the service a single white rose was placed on Pears’ choir seat which bears the inscription “Hic olim sederat Peter Pears princeps cantatorum” (Here, once upon a time sat Peter Pears, a prince among singers). College Registrar, Jeremy Tomlinson who remembers meeting Pears during one of his last visits to the Chapel, spoke of the great influence that Lancing had had on the singer’s life. He quoted Peter Pears’ own words: “Lancing was a very heaven: the beauty of its site, the country around, the Downs in all their glory and this marvellous chapel and an atmosphere which was filled with art – the arts – and love”.

In his speech after lunch, Nick Prettejohn, Chairman of the Britten-Pears Foundation, addressed guests, staff and pupils. He was delighted to have been invited to Lancing and was enormously impressed with the quality of singing by the choir of Lancing College Chapel and its former pupils. He spoke of the wonderful legacy of Britten and Pears and how the Foundation is proud to be the custodian of such a national treasure. The Foundation is used for research purposes by people all over the world and continues to fund talented musicians of the future.

Lancing College Music Scholars sang a very moving selection of Britten’s folk songs to round off the occasion accompanied on the piano by Adrian West, a piano teacher at Lancing, an old boy of the school and a former winner of the Pears Music Prize.

Last week children in Years 3, 4 and 8 at Farlington School performed in an impressive operatic production of Prince Caspian by CS Lewis, commissioned by Opera Brava. What made this such an extraordinary event was the fact that until one week before, none of the participants had seen a script or heard any music – they literally started from scratch on Monday morning. With rehearsals all day, every day during that week (with time out to make masks and costumes), it was full-steam ahead to learn script, songs and choreography under the expert tuition of the Opera Brava team, ably aided by members of the Prep School Staff and the Maintenance team.

The final performance was staged on Friday afternoon, during which members of the audience were immediately set to work to learn a song so that they could be part of King Miraz’s nasty army. Three Opera Brava artists took the parts of the Narrator (Amanda Buckland), King Miraz (Daniel Meades), and Aslan (Geoffrey Moses) and the performance started with Peter (Amy Rowlinson), Susan (Amy Milne), Edmund (Abbey Marsden) and Lucy (Olivia Middleton) on the train on the way back to school. The train was evoked very strongly with the whole company spreading into the audience down the aisles singing “Chugga Chugga WooWoo”.

What was so impressive was the way all the girls coped with the variety of songs and techniques. Many girls had solo lines to sing, and their confidence and ability was quite remarkable.

Opera Brava is to be congratulated for its obvious dedication, talent, organisation, professionalism and enthusiasm which resulted in such a wonderful experience on the Friday. The production was also very rewarding in that it provided girls from the Prep School and Senior School with a unique opportunity to work together and get to know each other until, by the end of the week, the whole company was working as a team.

For many of the girls this was their first taste of opera and they are extremely lucky to have had such an amazing opportunity to work with such professionals. It is a memory that they will cherish for many years to come.

Prep girls in their fantastic Easter bonnets at Farlington School.

A 10 year old England chess star from Windlesham House School in Washington is on his way to play in the Czech Republic over Easter building on his already impressive reputation.

Otto Pyper will be attending the 31st International Annual Tournament of Young Players in Frydek Mistek as part of the National Junior U12 squad.

This prestigious annual event invites the national teams from each country in Europe who, in turn, select their top players from each age group.

Otto, from Storrington, is following in the footsteps of his older brother, Ramsay, a former pupil at Windlesham House School, who has been selected for the U14 age group of the tournament.

The chess coach at Windlesham, who is also the Sussex Junior chess coach, Jonathan Tuck, said: “Otto is really looking forward to playing the top chess players from Eastern Europe.”

Otto is going to the Czech Republic on a high following victory by the Sussex Junior chess team who beat St Petersburg, from Russia, in the finals of the Battle of the Giants held in Amsterdam a few months ago.

Headmaster of Windlesham House School, Richard Foster, said: “Otto is going from strength to strength with his chess and we do wish him every success at the tournament in the Czech Republic.”

Farlington’s Prep School has recently been working hard to raise money for St Catherine’s Hospice in Crawley. Girls in Farlington’s four ‘Houses’ – Aylward, Keller, Nightingale and Pankhurst (all named after prominent ladies, of course) all joined together in organising events which included non-uniform days, bun sales and raffles. These ventures, together with the retiring collection from the Christingle Service at St. Mary’s Horsham in December, raised a grand total of £1,125. Last week all the children gathered together to present Victoria Lawrence, the charity’s representative, with a cheque for this amount.
The Headmistress, Joy Baggs, reported that the school always receives tremendous support for fundraising initiatives from parents, grandparents and friends of Farlington. Money for various charities selected by the girls has always been generously donated, even in this difficult economic climate.
Farlington Prep School’s next initiative is to fundraise for CHASE (Christopher’s Children’s Hospice near Guildford). A parent at Farlington, Seni Glaister, is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and the girls are keen to sponsor her.

World Book Day at Farlington Prep. School is always an extremely popular event, with everyone dressing up as characters from their favourite books, including all members of staff. Year 4 started the day off in style with their assembly on … BOOKS! Some girls from the class read a piece from their chosen book and asked the audience to guess their character – they were not short of enthusiastic responses! The class then acted a short drama on how a book gets to be published … from the author’s initial inspiration, to being selected by a publisher, and from there on to the marketing and distribution of the finished publication. Finally the girls acted out how a good book can nourish the soul and feed the brain, in almost the same way that food nourishes the body.
Farlington is fortunate to have its own author of children’s books as one of their teachers. As part of Book Week, Ruth Young ran workshops for all Prep. pupils, during which she read extracts from her recently published Aunty Marmalade. The younger children discussed the characters and how they imagined them to look and then made drawings and wrote their own ideas about the story. With the older girls, Ruth gave them tips on how to improve their writing by ‘showing’ and not ‘telling’ their story, and ways of achieving more ‘visual’ creative writing to engage the reader.

Ten pupils from Windlesham House School in Washington are to experience the trip of a lifetime having been selected to visit India later this year.

George Carmichael, Monty Clevely, Theo Golden, Claudia Kelley, Will Line, Henry Martin, Marcus Miller, Laila Petra, Mark Smirnov and Joey Walsworth will be visiting education projects and handing over fund-raising following the School’s efforts during its World Awareness Week in January.

The group, along with two members of staff, will be going with the Chair of Trustees of the CRED Foundation, Paul Sanderson MBE, who regularly leads trips for pupils to community projects in developing nations.

Windlesham last sent out a group in 2008 to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia where they spent a week delivering creative activities for the children and young people in the slums.

Teacher and co-ordinator for the India trip, Justin Blake, said: “The ten pupils all gave very impressive interviews and they each deserve their place for what will be a life-changing experience.”

“We can all play our part in making a difference around the world and I know that this will be an extraordinary journey for everyone. It is a privilege to be able to help vulnerable children in India and we are looking forward to this with great anticipation. It promises to be a truly unforgettable adventure.”

PHOTO: The Windlesham team gather ahead of their trip to India this October.

On Sunday 28 February the pupils and staff at Lancing College were delighted to welcome Dame Vera Lynn to their morning Chapel service.

After the service, Dame Vera enjoyed lunch with members of the College choir and their families. She was also entertained by a group of girls from Field’s House who sang their a cappella version of ‘We’ll Meet Again’.

“It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet Dame Vera,” said Sixth Former Camilla Harris, “my grandmother is a big admirer of hers and it was very exciting to be able to sing to her.”

Special events to commemorate this landmark anniversary will take place on 10th March 2010

Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Woodard OL, great-grandson of Rev Nathaniel Woodard (the founder of Lancing College and of the Woodard Corporation of schools), will attend, with his sons Commander Jolyon Woodard RN OL and Captain Rupert Woodard OL. They will arrive in a Sea King helicopter.

This year, Lancing College celebrates 110 years of its Combined Cadet Force (CCF). 2010 is considered by members of the Cadet Forces as an historic year, as it marks the 150th anniversary of cadet activities in the UK. The Cadet Corps at Lancing was founded in 1900 by the Head Master, Ambrose J Wilson, and CCF at the College is now more popular than ever. There are 150 cadets – with girls making up roughly a third of those who take part.

Pupils at Lancing can choose to take CCF on Wednesday afternoons, as part of their extra curricular activities. These students compete annually at the National Shooting Centre in Bisley, take part in adventurous training camps at Easter and in summer, as well as local exercises in the Ladywell Valley (part of the College grounds). The RAF section also has annual camps at RAF stations, as well as field days where cadets can learn to fly, glide or parachute. The training activities help to develop military knowledge, drill, map and compass skills, fieldcraft, skill at arms, life saving and first aid.

The aim of a CCF training is to help pupils develop powers of leadership, responsibility, self reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance. This training also helps to build confidence. CCF is not a pre-service organisation, although it encourages those who have an interest in the services to become Officers of the Regular or Reserve Forces.

A number of OLs (Lancing alumni) have gone on to careers in the armed forces. Commodore Richards RN (at Lancing 1972-77) recalls,
“I left Lancing in July 1977 and walked through the gates of the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in September of the same year. I have been ‘in’ ever since, in jobs ranging from commanding the Destroyer HMS Exeter… [and] designing the Ministry of Defence’s Middle East engagement strategy to teaching at the old Royal Navy Staff College at Greenwich… Did the CCF help me on my way – you bet… The CCF training set the scene well for the military training to follow, offering an early insight into both the discipline and friendship of a service career,”

The 110th Anniversary Celebrations: Wednesday 10th March

These will commence at 2pm with a Parade, with the inspecting officer, Major-General David Rutherford-Jones OL, followed by a range of activities throughout the afternoon. A Thanksgiving Service, when a new CCF banner will be presented, will take place at 5pm in the famous Lancing College Chapel. This will be followed by a Reception and Dinner for VIPs. Invitees include OLs with military careers, OLs who participated in CCF at Lancing, and present and previous staff who have commanded CCF at the College.

Photo: CCF at Lancing in the 1930s

The Extended Project Qualification is a new AS level which we are introducing into the Sixth Form. It gives students the opportunity to develop their skills in research and in independent study which are the foundation for university level work. The students can develop ideas covered in their A level studies, use cross curricular themes or research an entirely new area. The work involves
research and writing up an extended essay (a ‘dissertation’) or students could produce a piece of artwork, drama or music. They will be awarded an AS grade (A* to E) based on their journal,
which contains the write up, analysis and reflection on how they managed the project.

Helen Seymour (U6), under the guidance of Mrs Penny Huntsman, has almost completed her EPQ and, as part of the final award, she presented an overview of her project to a mixed audience of students and tutors. Helen has spent the last eight months researching the works of Damien Hirst, a well‐known
contemporary (and controversial) artist about whom there is relatively little documented. This did not put Helen off, rather it fuelled her interest and she visited galleries to see the works firsthand, researched through the inter‐library system and bought gallery brochures to inform her writing.

Her final presentation, which focused on memento mori, was fascinating, inspiring, informative and in true Helen‐style entertaining. Her explanations were clear and demonstrated her very
high level of understanding of the man and his works, but she managed to bring the difficult concepts down to a level which the audience could relate to and connect with the ideas.

We are hoping that Helen will be able to deliver her presentation to a wider audience, and that the Lower Sixth will be inspired to take on this very worthwhile challenge next year.

The weather may have been icy outside but inside Farlington’s Courtyard Hall the Prep School’s Spring Concert put a spring in everyone’s step. It was lovely to see all the girls in the Prep School involved, with those who weren’t performing greeting visitors at the door and assisting with the staging. The audience all rose for the initial rousing rendition of God Save the Queen from the Prep School orchestra and then sat back to enjoy a wonderful variety of performances. There were a number of outstanding individual performances, among them Summer Raemason’s charming guitar solo on her bright pink guitar and Kitty Scott’s beautiful flute solo, enhanced by the knowledge that Kitty had been off sick and had come in especially to take part. The Samba Band played a wonderful ‘Rhythm Grid’ which was impressive in the complete concentration maintained by the girls in keeping the beat. One of the most interesting and atmospheric pieces was a composition by the Year 5 girls, entitled ‘Journey into Space’. Playing a variety of instruments, including a large cardboard tube (!), the girls created a complete journey through space from the rocket launch to the landing on a strange and haunting landscape, created by the tinkling and chiming of triangles and xylophones.
All credit must go to Mrs Anne Stearns, Director of Prep Music, for inspiring the girls to create, not only such a high standard of junior music, but also for making it so obviously enjoyable and fun!

Farlington’s Drama and Music Departments are beginning a new trend of inviting in outside speakers and performers to talk to senior students about their experiences and give them tips and advice.

Nikky Griffiths was in the original cast of the musical Wicked in the West End, Hairspray, and in the touring productions of Mama Mia and Grease. She talked to the girls about her own path to the West End stage; the underlying message being that it involved huge determination, a lot of hard work and a great deal of luck. Nikki, who comes from Cranleigh, and whose mother runs Cranleigh Dance and Theatre Arts, performed Popular for the girls, and Farlington’s teacher of Drama, Ray Gabbard, not a stranger himself to the stage having performed on Broadway, sang Stephen Sondheim’s Company.

During the workshop which followed Nikky helped the girls with character development and gave them tips on how to project a strong presence when on stage. The girls were inspired by the live performance and felt that Nikky’s workshop had given them a really useful insight into the world of show business.

Former pupils at Windlesham House School in Washington, West Sussex, are celebrating an historical landmark this year as their organisation marks its 100th birthday.

The Windlesham House Association began at a dinner held at the School, which was then based in Brighton, in 1910. The dinner’s Chair was Alfred Scott who had been the school doctor for many years and it is only in the last few years that the last of his great-grandchildren have left the School. The oldest former pupil whom the School is currently in touch with is aged 95 having left the School in 1927.

Windlesham House School originates from a school set up for a dozen or so pupils by Reverend Worsley at Newport on the Isle of Wight in 1826. It was bought by the Malden family in 1837, initially for the children of naval officers, and was moved to Brighton in 1837. In 1913, the School moved to Portslade and in 1934 went to its present site at Washington.

The Maldens are central to the history of Windlesham House School with five generations involved from 1837 to 1994. Charles and Elizabeth Ann Malden were the joint Heads from 1957 to 1994 and their eldest daughter, Lucinda, became the Chairman of Governors in 2009.

The Chapel also plays a major part in the School’s history – originally earmarked for being torn down in Oxford in 1896, the Maldens saved the building and it has moved with the School each time, now in its fourth home in Washington.

The Windlesham House Association will be marking its centenary year with a reunion on Sunday 4th July as part of a spectacular festival weekend called Odyssey. For more information, please visit the website at www.odyssey10.com.

Headmaster, Richard Foster, said: “It is a real privilege to have such a wealth of history here at Windlesham and the former pupils, and indeed former parents and members of staff, all play a huge role.”

Secretary of the Windlesham House Association, Richard Martin, said: “The organisation is extremely active with nearly five thousand members and regular events either here at the School, in London, or indeed around the world. It is always exciting to hear the news of members as they progress in life and they do love to hear what is happening at their former prep school.”

PHOTO: The opening of the new school at Southern Cross in 1913, otherwise known as Portslade.

Pupils and staff at Windlesham House School will be playing their part in making a difference as they take part in their fourth annual World Awareness Week.

Starting on Monday 25th January, the week will feature a range of special events and speakers visiting the school in Washington, West Sussex.

They include speakers from Links International, Stop The Traffik and Spurgeons, an organisation that creates opportunities for vulnerable children.

It starts with ‘Make A Difference Day’ on Monday 25th January where pupils and staff will be dressing in Indian style clothing. Minimal Meals Day will be on Tuesday 26th January with an Indian theme and the week culminates with a talk by Paul Sanderson MBE, Director of The CRED Foundation, from Littlehampton. Funds raised will go to education projects helping vulnerable children in India.

Paul regularly leads trips for our pupils to schools and community projects in developing nations. In 2008, a group from Windlesham visited the slums of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and another team will be venturing to India this October to visit education projects and hand over our fundraising.

Justin Blake, a teacher at Windlesham House School, co-ordinates World Awareness Week each year. He said: “This gives our pupils a fantastic opportunity to learn about life around the world and the major issues of our time from global poverty and natural disasters to climate change and how we can all play a part in helping to make a difference.”

“This comes at an extremely poignant time when the world is coming together to help those in need in Haiti following its devastating earthquake.”

The Choir of Lancing College:
Performance at Westminster Abbey
Tuesday 5th January

The magnificent Choir of Lancing College sang Choral Evensong in Westminster Abbey on 5th January. It was the feast day of Edward the Confessor, founder of the Abbey, and also the eve of the Epiphany, so the music chosen reflected this.
•Introit ‘Ab Oriente Venerunt Magi’ by the 16th century composer Jacob Handl
•C major ‘Evening Canticles’ by the 20th century composer, Stanford
•The splendid ceremonial anthem ‘Thou, O God, Art Praised in Sion’ by another 20th century composer, Malcolm Boyle.

The evensong was open to all members of the public.

Neil Cox has been Director of Music of Lancing College Chapel since 1978, and is responsible for its exceptional standard.

Later this term, on Wednesday 24th March, the Choir will sing in the other great royal foundation, St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Lancing College Choir

There is a long tradition of excellence in choral singing at Lancing College. Major composers have written music for the choir: Benjamin Britten composed his cantata Saint Nicolas for Lancing’s centenary in 1948, and the College celebrated its 150th anniversary by commissioning Arvo Pärt to write a piece marking the event. The Choir gave the first performance of this new work, Triodion, in Westminster Abbey in April 1998.

Lancing College Choir, which consists of around fifty boys and girls, includes former cathedral choristers in its ranks. A number of young singers have been trained in the choirs of St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, St George’s Chapel, Salisbury Cathedral and Chichester Cathedral. The Choir has sung in concerts and services in major continental churches and cathedrals. In Italy, for example, they have sung in St. Mark’s Basilica (Venice), and the Frari Church and St Anthony’s Basilica (Padua).

Many young musicians from Lancing have gone on to take up choral and organ scholarships at the universities of Cambridge (King’s College and St John’s College), Oxford (Magdalen College and Merton College) and London (Royal Holloway College and King’s College), as well as Gloucester Cathedral and Truro Cathedral.

The Chapel

The famous Chapel at Lancing, the largest and one of the finest school chapels in the world, is home to the Choir. It is a magnificent neo-Gothic, Grade I listed building and is an impressive Sussex landmark. Over 90 foot in height, its internal vaults are matched in England only by those at Westminster Abbey and York Minster. It houses three fine organs, the Elliott chamber organ, the “two manual” Frobenius organ and the “four manual” Walker organ. Neil Cox oversaw the design and installation of the Walker and Frobenius organs in the Chapel in 1986.

“That was outstanding, great music, great sense of humour and brilliantly done – congratulations,” these were the words from impressionist Rory Bremner to pupils of Windlesham House School in Washington, West Sussex, as he hosted a charity ball in London.

He was speaking after the pupils gave a spectacular performance at the Sparks Winter Ball, the children’s medical research charity, on Thursday 10th December 2009.

The pupils were invited to the London event to sing carols and, in total, the money raised on the night was approximately £200,000.

Other guests at the Ball included HRH Princess Michael o f Kent, Kenny and Gabi Logan (presidents of Sparks), Robert Powell, the England and British Lions rugby player Simon Shaw as well as Strictly Come Dancing finalist and sports presenter, Chris Hollins.

The children were performing as part of the build-up to Odyssey – a two-day festival spectacular taking place at Windlesham House School on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th July 2010 in aid of Sparks.

Odyssey is a celebration of performing arts and entertainment which will include a live link-up to the International Space Station and The Bootleg Beatles headlining on Sunday 4th July.

Log on to the website www.odyssey10.com for further details of these charity events and other information including ticket sales, sponsorship and line-up.

PHOTO: The Windlesham House School Choir.

The magnificent Choir of Lancing College will be singing Choral Evensong in Westminster Abbey on 5th January. It is the feast day of Edward the Confessor, founder of the Abbey, and also the eve of the Epiphany, so the music chosen reflects this.
•Introit ‘Ab Oriente Venerunt Magi’ by the 16th century composer Jacob Handl
•C major ‘Evening Canticles’ by the 20th century composer, Stanford
•the splendid ceremonial anthem ‘Thou, O God, Art Praised in Sion’ by another 20th century composer, Malcolm Boyle.

The evensong is open to all members of the public.

Neil Cox has been Director of Music of Lancing College Chapel since 1978, and is responsible for its exceptional standard.

Later next term, on Wednesday 24th March, the Choir will sing in the other great royal foundation, St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Lancing College Choir

There is a long tradition of excellence in choral singing at Lancing College. Major composers have written music for the choir: Benjamin Britten composed his cantata Saint Nicolas for Lancing’s centenary in 1948, and the College celebrated its 150th anniversary by commissioning Arvo Pärt to write a piece marking the event. The Choir gave the first performance of this new work, Triodion, in Westminster Abbey in April 1998.

Lancing College Choir, which consists of around fifty boys and girls, includes former cathedral choristers in its ranks. A number of young singers have been trained in the choirs of St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, St George’s Chapel, Salisbury Cathedral and Chichester Cathedral. The Choir has sung in concerts and services in major continental churches and cathedrals. In Italy, for example, they have sung in St. Mark’s Basilica (Venice), and the Frari Church and St Anthony’s Basilica (Padua).

Many young musicians from Lancing have gone on to take up choral and organ scholarships at the universities of Cambridge (King’s College and St John’s College), Oxford (Magdalen College and Merton College) and London (Royal Holloway College and King’s College), as well as Gloucester Cathedral and Truro Cathedral.

The Chapel

The famous Chapel at Lancing, the largest and one of the finest school chapels in the world, is home to the Choir. It is a magnificent neo-Gothic, Grade I listed building and is an impressive Sussex landmark. Over 90 foot in height, its internal vaults are matched in England only by those at Westminster Abbey and York Minster. It houses three fine organs, the Elliott chamber organ, the “two manual” Frobenius organ and the “four manual” Walker organ. Neil Cox oversaw the design and installation of the Walker and Frobenius organs in the Chapel in 1986.

Astronauts sending messages from on board the International Space Station, The Bootleg Beatles headlining, thousands of children performing, HRH Princess Michael of Kent opening the festival weekend and a world’s first with ground-breaking multi-media rock concert technology…

This will be Odyssey – a two-day festival spectacular taking place at Windlesham House School, in Washington, West Sussex, on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th July 2010 all in aid of the children’s medical research charity, Sparks.

And, the journey has now begun as pupils from the school have been invited to perform carols at the charity’s Christmas Ball in London on Thursday 10th December 2009. Taking place at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, the event will be hosted by impressionist Rory Bremner in the presence of HRH Princess Michael of Kent.

Odyssey organiser, Jane Denman, said: “I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled we all are that Odyssey’s journey has begun. The Sparks charity ball and our participation in it signifies the start of an exciting relationship between Windlesham House School and Sparks that will continue with a number of events being held throughout the year.”

Director of Music at Windlesham House School, Anthony Hutchings, said: “Sparks is a children’s medical research charity so it makes sense for our children to support this organisation – children doing something for other children.”

Log on to the website www.odyssey10.com over the coming months for further details of these charity events and other information including ticket sales, sponsorship and line-up.

A teacher at Windlesham House School in Washington has been inspired by a moustache movement to raise money for a brain tumour charity.

Alex Armstrong, who was also a pupil at the school, got involved with Movember, a moustache growing charity event held every November that raises funds and awareness for men’s health.

Alex has now raised more than £200 for the Hugh McDermott Childhood Brain Tumour Charity. 16 year old Hugo died after battling against a high grade brain tumour.

Hugo’s brother, Ed, set up the organisation and enlisted the help of his friend, Alex Armstrong, to help raise funds.

Headmaster of Windlesham House School, Richard Foster, said: “This is a wonderful charity and we are delighted that Mr Armstrong has been raising money and awareness for such a worthwhile cause.”

More details can be found at www.braintumourtrust.co.uk.

Windlesham House School runners have been celebrating after an excellent haul of medals at the Worthing & District Cross-Country Championships.

38 pupils from the school in Washington took part in the event on Saturday 21st November at The Gallops in Findon Valley.

10 year old John Vignaux took gold in the U11 boys section while 11 year old Florence Margaroli, from Worthing, also celebrated gold in the U12 girls. Her team-mate, India Cumming, took bronze in the U12 girls while Windlesham had five girls finishing in the top 10 for that age group.

Overall, Windlesham won the U12 girls, were runners-up in the U12 boys and came third overall in the U10 boys’ age group.

Archie Haines-Moss and Arabella Beattie both performed exceptionally well running in the year group above with Archie finishing in 11th place in the U9 boys group and Arabella finishing an extremely respectable 8th in the U10 girls section.

Director of PE at Windlesham House School, Mark Duncan, said: “A special mention must be reserved for our U12 girls’ squad. Florence Margaroli took gold, India Cumming came in third, Eloise Kiely was fourth, Abi Gilchrist was fifth and Emerald Maloney was tenth.”

“Equally important, however, was the guts and determination displayed by Violetta Ewing and Claudia Kelley to run through the pain barrier and secure a memorable team triumph.”

Two teachers from Nigeria have been swapping stories with pupils and staff at Windlesham House School in Washington after an enlightening two-day visit.

Adegoke Ayansola and Olumide Oniyide teach at the Day Waterman College – a co-educational boarding school for 11-18 year olds set in a 25 hectare site in Asu near Abeokuta in Ogun State.

They visited Windlesham on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd November in a bid to gain experience of English boarding schools, on their first visit to the UK.

During their stay, they observed lessons as well as gave a presentation to the pupils about school life in Nigeria and the diversity of social groups in the country.

Headmaster of Windlesham House School, Richard Foster, said: “My wife Rachel and I have plenty of ties with Africa and it was a pleasure to welcome the two teachers who, I hope, gained much from their visit to Windlesham.”

Lancing College announces

The ‘Evelyn Waugh’ Lecture 2009

to be given by

Alexander Waugh

author; musician; record-producer; critic and film-maker

Thursday 19 November 2009

Great School, 6.30pm

Lancing Foundation Dinner 8.15pm

The annual Evelyn Waugh lecture commemorates one of our greatest 20th century novelists, a distinguished OL (Old Boy) of Lancing College.

This year’s lecture will be given by Alexander Waugh, his grandson. Parents, pupils and members of the Lancing Foundation are invited to hear him lecture on his grandfather’s school days at Lancing.

Evelyn Waugh’s school debating book, one of the most treasured possessions in the Lancing College archives, together with his school photographs, will be on display.

After reading Music at Manchester University, Alexander Waugh was an impresario and concert agent, before becoming Chief Opera Critic of the Mail on Sunday and the Evening Standard. He has written many best-selling books on music and regularly reviews books for major British newspapers. He has contributed cartoons to the Literary Review and the Daily Telegraph. Alexander Waugh’s biography Fathers and Sons (2004) a portrait of the male relations in his own family, was made into 90-minute documentary film by BBC 4. As a publisher of the innovative fold-up Travelman Short Stories he won the Design Council Millennium Award for 2000. His latest book, The House of Wittgenstein, was published in England in 2008.

Sir Tim Rice OL, Chairman of the Development Council, members and supporters of the Lancing Foundation will be present at this special lecture.

ART AT LANCING
The art tuition at Lancing College, under the direction of Caroline Pringle, is exceptional. This year’s A Level results included 11 A grades. Lancing’s Art Department has an impressive record of producing students who become designers, photographers, architects, art historians and painters. In 2009, five students went on to study architecture, and two to art school Foundation.

The art teaching at Lancing has an emphasis on drawing and painting from observation. The subject may be the model in the studio, or a location, from decaying houseboats along the Adur to elegant Palazzos in Venice. With the new Art School building perched on the edge of the Downs, landscape is becoming another source of inspiration.

Art plays an important part in school life and Caroline Pringle explains: “As Lancing has a flexible time-table, many pupils can carry on with art to A Level, whether they intend to pursue an arts career or not. Many combine art with maths and physics, others with the humanities.” This is important because engineers and geographers are involved in the environmental and aesthetic issues that arise in their professions; surgeons and vets need to be able to recognise, interpret and convey the complexities of anatomy. And, of course, art is also a wonderful recreational activity that many pupils can continue enjoying throughout their lives.

THE AWARD-WINNING REEVE ART SCHOOL: FIRST ANNIVERSARY
In recognition of the outstanding achievements of the Art Department, Lancing College commissioned the highly regarded LCE ARCHITECTS to design a stunning new Art School. As the new building has extensive studio spaces and all artistic disciplines are under one roof, pupils can undertake multidisciplinary projects on a large scale and do not have to put away work in progress. The building has won The Sussex Heritage Trust Architectural Award. It is a contemporary, energy-efficient structure that is in harmony with its unique surroundings – a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY
Work by students will be on display throughout the Art School. This will include an impressive range of paintings in oil, acrylic and water-colour, as well as prints, photographs and sculpture.

Tours will include the major studio/exhibition areas, with floor to ceiling windows, offering unrivalled views over the Downs to the sea, and also the printing studio, sculpture room, photography studio, dark room, library and resources centre, lecture room and technicians’ workshop. Guides will demonstrate how the building complements the school’s original Victorian buildings.

In the morning the Duke of Gloucester, an architect himself, will tour the building.

12 noon. Lunch for VIP guests and senior personnel associated with Lancing College.

1.30 pm. Tour of Art School for press. Work by pupils will be on display and pupils will be around to discuss their work.

Paul Cox, a leading architectural artist, will be working with pupils in the school Chapel and talking about his work in the new Art School. He will give demonstrations and tuition, using the building as his inspiration. Students from Lancing will be joined by pupils from local preparatory schools, who have been offered the experience of working for the afternoon in a leading Art Department.

625 of the 982 (63.6%) GCSEs taken by 92 pupils were graded A* or A. 
29.4% of GCSEs taken were awarded A* grade. 
87.7% of GCSEs taken were awarded A*, A or B grades.

“I heartily congratulate our GCSE candidates on their excellent results. This has been an outstanding year, and these splendid achievements reinforce Lancing’s reputation for academic excellence at the centre of high-quality, all-round education. Our pupils are very well prepared academically to embark on their chosen A Levels, and will continue to profit from many opportunities to develop important life skills, which will be crucial to their future success.”

Jonathan Gillespie, Head Master, Lancing College

·85.3% of A Levels taken have been graded A or B, further reinforcing Lancing’s reputation for consistent high achievement.

·Lancing’s average of A-B grades for the last six years is 83.4%.

·For the sixth year running, Lancing’s percentage of A-B grades is above 80%.

·40.1% of all candidates achieved at least 3 A grades.

·18 candidates achieved at least 4 A grades, and three achieved 5 A grades.

·209 A grades have been achieved out of the 367 A Levels that were sat by 107 pupils. This represents 56.9% of the A levels taken.

Lancing College has again produced excellent A Level results, with high grades across the board, notably in a wide range of the more challenging subjects.

“I congratulate our A Level students, who have studied diligently to attain excellent grades. These achievements will enable them to embark with confidence on their future paths.

At Lancing, we take a holistic view of each pupil’s education with a curriculum that enables all students to fulfil their individual potential. Academic studies are of primary importance, but outside the classroom they are encouraged to develop many other skills and talents. This has culminated in exciting results, with many pupils gaining places at top universities whilst pursuing activities such as sport, music and drama to the highest levels.”

Jonathan Gillespie, Head Master of Lancing College

Pupils at Lancing College enjoy a wide range of experiences beyond the national curriculum and are encouraged to embrace new interests in the spirit of self discovery. Cultural, sporting, and practical activities all feature in the weekly timetable. Here are a few of the pupils’ impressive recent achievements:

Charity Fashion Show

Saskia Greenhalgh and Lauren Mendes, two Sixth Form students, organised an exciting charity fashion show, raising over £2,500 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Students were given the opportunity to model the high profile designs, including pieces by Anna Valentine, known for her work on the Duchess of Cornwall’s wedding dress, and the very popular young designer, Jade Holland-Cooper. Menswear was supplied by Andrew McDowall, from Chichester.

Lunchtime Concert at Chichester Cathedral

On Tuesday 16 June, young musicians from Lancing College gave a lunchtime concert at Chichester Cathedral. Performers included the String Orchestra, Choral Scholars and soloists, and the programme covered a repertoire spanning 400 years. Neil Cox, Head of Chapel Music at Lancing College said,

“It was a real privilege for the Lancing College students to perform in such an ancient and beautiful cathedral, and in front of such a large and enthusiastic audience. Our musicians enjoyed themselves tremendously from beginning to end!”

River Relay

Despite starting and finishing in bright sunshine, this year’s Interhouse River Relay was heavily rained upon and the spectators got as wet as the competitors! The competition comprised four parts – sailing, canoeing, wind-surfing and building and manoeuvring a raft across the River Adur and back. This year, Second’s House came first, with Gibbs’ as runners up. Dan Connolly, Housemaster of Second’s said,

“Second’s House is known for its prowess at sports, but this is the first time in many, many years that we have managed to win the River Relay, which is a wonderful institution at Lancing College and one of the highlights of the calendar. It’s a typically Lancing event: competitive, highly individualistic and, above all, great fun!”

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Two students at Lancing College recently received their gold Duke of Edinburgh award at Buckingham Palace. Alice Lyle, from Crawley, and Georgie Nightingall, from Horsham, were presented with their certificates by the Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex in the presence of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. Lancing College is one of the few independent schools to have its own operating licence for the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Photo: Lancing College Sixth Form Students modelling designs by Jade Holland-Cooper and Andrew McDowall at the Charity Fashion Show

Slindon College has been awarded The Good Schools Guide GCSE results accolade for its consistently high GCSE grades in Art & Design (Graphics).
The Good Schools Guide is a publication aimed at highlighting the best independent schools in the UK and entry into it is by invitation only.
The award has been made on the basis of their Key Stage 4 results for the three years 2006-2008, and in particular on the basis of the popularity of each subject relative to similar schools, and of the success that pupils achieve relative to the other GCSE subjects they take. The aim of the Good Schools Guide Awards is to highlight excellent teaching in individual subjects.
Mr Peter Saysell, Head of Art & Design at Slindon said “I am delighted that we have been selected for this prestigious award. We have a flourishing Art & Design department which is equipped to the highest specification, enabling our pupils to achieve very high standards of work”.

Photo: Year 10 GCSE Graphics Students L-R: Tim Oakley; Alex Eastwood; Adam Tjomas; George Chapman; Peter Saysell (Head of Department); Will Pegley; James Strivens.

A rare opportunity for members of the public to take a tour of the Lancing College Farm Project

Lancing College is one of the few schools in this country to include a working farm on its estate. Derek Cleaver, the Farm Manager, a farmer with forty years experience, is on the board of the Sussex Farmers Association. He also runs the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Lancing. The farm is integral to this: vet work is used to teach skills and conservation and general farm work provides students with service. The Duke of Edinburgh himself considers this farm project to be unique.

On Open Farm Sunday Derek Cleaver will personally guide visitors round the Lancing College Farm, explaining in detail how it is run. They will see how food that we eat is grown and produced, as well as learning about pupil involvement in this scheme.

The Lancing College Farm is set on 40 acres of the estate, in countryside designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are chickens, sheep, pigs, ducks, rabbits and goats – and even alpacas.

The Lancing College Farm Project gives students a unique opportunity to take subjects such as Biology, Geography and Business Studies out of the classroom, and offers real ‘hands-on’ experience of a working farm. Students can broaden their interests within agriculture, ecology and veterinary science and learn about food sourcing, animal care and sustainability.

Students are also taught about wild life, their habitats and conservation as well as the importance of recycling. Paths, animal bedding and farm buildings have been created from disused materials from the College, including shredded paper, pallets and wood scraps.

As well as supplementing students’ studies, the farm presents exciting opportunities beyond the national curriculum. Lancing College runs an outreach programme in partnership with two special needs schools. Lancing sixth form students pass on their knowledge of animal care by assisting pupils from the special needs schools with simple tasks on the farm in weekly sessions.

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, who has a particular interest in agriculture, will launch the occasion at 1.00pm.

Open Farm Sunday at Lancing College is part of a national initiative, organised by LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming).

Advance booking is essential for your visit on 7th June. Please contact Derek Cleaver, Farm Manager on 01273 465947 or 07979522638 to book your place.

Lambing
There are about 50 lambs this year. During lambing, Derek stays on site around the clock and he involves as many pupils as possible. The lambs grow strong from milk produced by grass rather than artificial food.

Rabbits
Lancing’s first rabbits came from the Rabbit Rescue Centre in Crowborough. The farm now gives its many baby rabbits to the Rabbit Rescue Centre, who sell them on, either as show rabbits or as pets. The money raised from these sales goes directly into rescuing more rabbits. Lancing College now boasts some magnificent breeds including Continental Giants, Lionheads, Lionhead Lops, Dutch and the rare Sussex breed.

Alpacas
There are currently seven alpacas on the farm. The fleece is sold to various spinning guilds all over the country, and the money raised goes back into the upkeep of the farm.

Sustainability and Conservation
Sustainability and conservation are key to Derek’s farm management. In a recent study, 43 species of plant life were found on a square metre untreated with chemicals on the Lancing College estate. This compares with 3 species found on a square metre of the same type of soil which has been treated.

Through the conservation of the Lancing estate, many species of wildlife are returning and flourishing.

On arrival, the pupils will be welcomed by Jonathan Gillespie, Head Master, in Great School. They will then be divided into three groups to specialise in Biology, Physics and Chemistry. To make the venture more exciting, children from different schools will make up each team, so that the afternoon will involve both teamwork and individual effort.

The activities, which cannot be revealed at present, will challenge and entertain the pupils as well as encourage them to work together in solving spatial, analytical and communication problems.

After an hour, the teams’ results will be compiled by the Science department in order to come up with a winning team from each discipline. Each individual will also be graded and, by totalling these results, Dr Preston can also ascertain which school has produced the best budding scientists. The Science Challenge Shield will be presented to the winning school.

As a finale to the occasion, Dr Wendy Swarbrick, who teaches Physics and Chemistry at Lancing, will give the children a lecture on ‘Cool Science’ in Great School, ending with the creation of ice cream with liquid nitrogen. At the end of a very busy and memorable afternoon, the young scientists will be able to tuck in!

The preparatory schools taking part this year are Lancing Prep, Brambletye, Broadwater Manor, Dorset House, Feltonfleet, Great Walstead, Pennthorpe, St Aubyns, St Christophers, Sompting Abbotts and Vinehall schools.

Poppy Ewence, who is 17, plays the oboe, and is noted for her beautiful singing voice. She is currently in the Lower VI at Lancing College, where she has been given outstanding opportunities and encouragement, which have enabled her to excel in music and reach her full potential.

Poppy has just won two competitions at Springboard – the Baroque Concerto Class and the Woodwind Recital Class, for musicians under 23 years of age. In fact, Poppy won the cup for the highest mark in all the woodwind and brass classes in this competition. Springboard is a Youth Performing Arts Festival, an invaluable platform for young performers from all over Sussex.

Poppy, who plans to study music when she leaves Lancing, was formerly at the Prebendal School, Chichester. She is a terrific all-rounder, and is involved in many other aspects of school life, including tennis and school teams. Poppy was one of the pupils who visited Malawi last summer, when pupils from the College helped in the orphanage there.

It was in 1924, first in the pages of Punch magazine, then by the end of the year with the publication of “When We Were Very Young” that local writer A.A.Milne achieved literary immortality with poems such as “The King’s Breakfast”, “If I were King” and “Buckingham Palace”. The latter with the memorable lines:“Do you think the King knows all about me?”
“Sure to, dear, but it’s time for tea”.

Now nine-year-old Harriet Miller has made sure the Queen knows all about her. The Stoke Brunswick school pupil has written her own poem about the monarch and sent it to the Queen together with a handmade card. In response she has received a grateful letter of thanks from Lady Richenda Elton, the Queen’s Lady-in-Waiting. One presumes the Queen is “much too busy a-signing things” to write herself.

Harriett’s poem focuses on the Queen constantly being in the public eye and being photographed continuously. It echoes Milne’s line:“I wouldn’t be King for a hundred pounds,”
as it begins:
“Some times I just would not like to be queen,
All the time people with their cameras staring over me,
I would say if I am the queen
‘You have to obey, go away’”

Someone may pip her to the post but Harriet is well on course to become our first Lady Poet Laureat

Ashleigh Blackledge from Bognor Regis, a Year 11 pupil at Slindon College performed at the inaugural Annual Musical Extravaganza organised by the Independent Schools Association at Fairfield Halls in Croydon last week.
Over 500 young people from Independent Schools in London and the Home Counties performed to a full house of 1600 people. The music included various solos, classical choirs and a Beatles Medley.
Ashleigh, a very talented pianist, played two solo piano pieces and received a standing ovation from the assembled audience. Ian Graham, Chairman of the Independent Schools Association and Headmaster of Slindon College said “This was a most inspiring evening and as Chairman of the ISA I was particularly proud that a member of my school was invited to participate. Ashleigh is an outstanding musician and I am sure he will enjoy a very successful musical career in future years.”

Gaining top marks at an Ofsted inspection, which took place on January 19 and 20, was a particularly sweet reward for new headmaster Tom Rogerson for whom running the school is a family tradition.

When Tom took over the IAPS day and boarding prep school with his wife Lottie in September last year, he was following in the footsteps of his father Mark, who was also headmaster as was his grandfather before that.

Tom said: “Lottie and I are so thrilled with this major endorsement from the school inspectors Ofsted. In our ISI inspection in February 2008 we were graded outstanding, but that inspection was outside our tenure, whereas this is especially great because it endorses what we are doing now.”

The couple’s consummate commitment to the school came to fruition in a ‘very positive and relaxing inspection’ at which the visiting team of inspectors judged the school to be outstanding overall and outstanding in almost every category including important areas such as health, food, boarders’ welfare and risk assessment.

Inspectors eulogized the school food, describing the chef as ‘excellent’; called the sick bay ‘a warm and friendly environment in which to recuperate’; and praised the ‘nurturing and supportive processes in place’ in the boarding facilities, where each child is treated as an individual.

The good community spirit amongst the children and very good relationships between children and staff were also lauded by inspectors.

Cottesmore, one of the UK’s leading IAPS day, weekly and full boarding preps, has been preparing 7-13-year-old children for the major public schools since its establishment in 1894.

Tom, who has high hopes for the future, added: “What is exciting is that the overall judgment of ‘outstanding’ validates us as the new team and has given us an extra boost of confidence to take the school to new levels.”

To visit Cottesmore at Buchan Hill, Pease Pottage, West Sussex, call
01293 520648, e-mail schooloffice@cottesmoreschool.com or visit www.cottesmoreschool.com

The 1st XI Football Team at Lancing College have won the final of the Southern Independent Schools League. This impressive win makes Lancing arguably the best independent schools team in the south! Their tough opponents were Highgate School, winners of the Northern section of this competition. After absorbing some pressure early in the game, Lancing took the lead through a sweet volley from John Symons, which set them ‘en route’ for victory.

In the first half of term, Lancing has won eight consecutive victories against other school sides, scoring 22 goals, and conceding only 3. These include a 1-0 victory in Southern Public Schools League and a 3-0 victory in the Boodle’s Cup. Lancing has beaten Charterhouse, St. Bede’s, Hailsham and Bexhill.

The Team has also reached the semi-finals of the Sussex Cup and showed its true ability, with a narrow 2-1 defeat against Brighton and Hove Albion Youth.

All players have contributed to the success of the Team, but deserving of special mention are top scorer Piers Knight, Captain Nick Hatcher and winger Max Barnard. The impressive run of form by Max has resulted in his being selected for the ISFA England team. Lancing players are encouraged to join other club sides of a good standard. Max is on the books of the Blue Square Premier for Eastbourne Borough, Nick Hatcher is with Horsham and forward Vince Cacioppo represents Worthing.

Lancing is currently enjoying a particularly strong period for sport. Participation in competitive sports is high in both junior and senior age groups. The Hockey Team has scored 25 goals in their last three matches, and the 1st XI face St Bede’s in the County Cup semi final on 23rd February. Lancing has won the Independent Schools Squash Title, and the U15 Squash Team reached the last 16 of the national competition.

National success has also been achieved in more unusual sports such as Fencing and Biathlon. The school prides itself on the diversity of sport and activity that is provided – giving all pupils a chance to realise their potential, whether it be at national level or for recreation.

Sports scholarships are available at Lancing. For further details please contact Gilly Prichard on 01273 465805.

Lancing College Choir, which consists of around fifty boys and girls, includes former cathedral choristers in its ranks. A number of young singers have been trained in the choirs of St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, St George’s Chapel, Salisbury Cathedral and Chichester Cathedral. The Choir has sung in concerts and services in major continental churches and cathedrals. In Italy, for example, they sang in St. Mark’s Basilica (Venice), and the Frari Church and St Anthony’s Basilica (Padua).

Many young musicians from Lancing have gone on to take up choral and organ scholarships at the universities of Cambridge (King’s College and St John’s College), Oxford (Magdalen College and Merton College) and London (Royal Holloway College and King’s College), as well as Gloucester Cathedral and Truro Cathedral.

The Chapel:
The famous Chapel at Lancing, the largest and one of the finest school chapels in the world, is home to the Choir. It is a magnificent neo-Gothic, Grade I listed building and is an impressive Sussex landmark. Over 90 foot in height, its internal vaults are matched in England only by those at Westminster Abbey and York Minster. It houses three fine organs, the Elliott chamber organ, the “two manual” Frobenius organ and the “four manual” Walker organ. Neil Cox oversaw the design and installation of the Walker and Frobenius organs in the Chapel in 1986.

Neil Cox, Director of Music of Lancing College Chapel:
Neil Cox has been Director of Music of Lancing College Chapel since 1978, and is responsible for the exceptional standard of the Choir today. Neil is also a composer and his compositions for O Maria, vernans rosa and Magnificat are featured on this CD.

The CD includes 50 minutes of unaccompanied choral singing – a feat rarely achieved by a school choir. This is a tribute to the students, to their previous training (many have been members of cathedral choirs from the age of and, of course, to the inspiration and dedication of Neil Cox.

Neil Cox is supported in his work by colleagues Nikki Dragonetti (a former chorister of Salisbury Cathedral), Damian Kerney (a former Head Chorister of St Paul’s Cathedral) and by singing teacher Martin Elliot (Westminster Abbey and Christ Church Oxford).

The CD: SURREXIT 500 Years of Choral Music for the Church’s Year:
The tracks on this CD represent the music that is sung in the College Chapel through the Church’s year. It features works by Tallis, Pratorius, Guerrero, Morales, Victoria and Michael Haller, and 20th century composers Vaughan Williams, Durufle, Elizabeth Poston, John Joubert, Richard Lloyd and Neil Cox.

The selection focuses on the wealth of a cappella, or unaccompanied music, from the great flowering of European sacred polyphony in the 16th century and on up, to present day. Interspersed are chorale preludes based on seasonal hymns, played on the Chapel’s Frobenius organ by Neil Cox, Edward Dean (Upper VI form, Organ Scholar) and Joseph Wicks (a 4th form Music Scholar).

Twenty students in the Choir on this recording have passed Grade 8 in singing. Edward Dean will take up a place at the Royal College of Music and Joseph Wicks, who is just 14 years old, was a ‘boy bishop’ at Salisbury Cathedral. Singers Tom Stockwell (Bass)and Ewan Stockwell (Tenor) are now singing at Truro and Gloucester Cathedrals.

The recordings on this CD were made in Lancing College Chapel and Boxgrove Priory, West Sussex.

Copies of the CD may be purchased from the Lancing College website, http://www.lancingcollege.co.uk at a cost of £.. (postage and packing)

Music at Lancing College:
At Lancing, all pupils enjoy a wide range of experiences and opportunities beyond the national curriculum. They are encouraged to embrace new interests in the spirit of self discovery: cultural, sporting, and practical activities all feature in the weekly timetable.

The Choir is one of these opportunities. Many youngsters at Lancing are very “contemporary” and a number of enthusiastic members of the Choir combine it with a range of very different activities, such as football or drama.

Music and Organ Scholarships:
Scholarships are available for new entrants to the Third and Sixth Forms, with special proficiency in music. In addition, Lancing College is keen to encourage talented young organists and there is one organ scholarship for the Sixth Form.

For further information on these scholarships, please contact Beverley Allen:baa@lancing.org.uk 01273 465968

The U13 netball players at Windlesham took full advantage of their home soil after winning the tournament for the second year running. Approximately 26 teams took part in the annual event on Saturday 17th January.

Windlesham’s U13 A squad got off to a great start with a 11-1 win over Feltonfleet School. The team then went on to further victories over Broadwater, St Bede’s, Portsmouth Grammar School, Farlington and Belmont School.

The defending champions won their semi-final against Sion 8-1 and came out the overall winners after a nail-biting victory against Holmewood House in the final, 8-7, with the deciding goal into the net in the last minute of the game.

Overall, they played for a total of one hour and 26 minutes, scoring 42 goals and conceding 24.

Coach, Helen Carson, said: “The team worked so hard throughout the day showing real command on court. The passing was controlled and accurate, the pace was fast and they were using the width of the court well. I am so proud of them.”

Team: Miyu Tarumi (Captain), Bea Barclay, Rebecca Powell, Georgie Windus, Lucy Poffley, Jess Radford, Eloise Rouse and Sammi Enderby.

The energetic and exuberant poet, Neil Stevens, burst into our classrooms on 13th and 14th January in an effort to inspire the children to read and write poetry.

His sessions were interactive where he covered the basics of writing poetry but, most importantly, allayed the fear of crossing out and changing things if you don’t like them anymore!

He then shared some of his own work to the sound of drums and the children demonstrating the actions.

All in all, he was a huge hit and there are now a number of budding poets scribbling down their thoughts and feelings – mission accomplished!

Lord Luce, formerly Richard Luce, MP for Arundel and Shoreham, made a special visit to Lancing College on Friday 28 November. He talked about government, politics and his distinguished career in Parliament, where his offices included Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Minister for the Arts. More recently, he has been Lord Chamberlain to the Queen and, this year, was appointed Knight of the Order of the Garter. After his talk, there was a lively discussion and he particularly enjoyed answering the students’ interesting range of questions.

Government and Politics is a new ‘A’ Level at Lancing College, introduced this September. At AS level, the course is examining the political world in the UK, drawing comparisons with a range of other political systems. This course will enable students to develop their capacity for analysing the actions of Government and to apply their knowledge to current political events. At A2 level, students will study American government and politics over the past 10 years, enabling them to compare the UK and US political systems.

The LVI group has recently visited the Houses of Parliament and, in 2009, the UVI will visit Washington. Lord Luce is the first of a number of guest speakers engaged to talk to the politics students this year.

Photo: (l – r) Julia Onnasch, Mr Dan Connolly (Lancing’s A Level Politics master), Lord Luce, Calum Bowie, Saskia Greenhalgh.

Pupils at Slindon College were recently treated to a professional Hip Hop/Street Dancing workshop. West Sussex County Council has joined forces with Dance group T21 to run a project called “True Styles” – hip-hop and street dance classes for 12-19s. Hip Hop dance is an original and creative form of expression and includes many elements such as break dancing, street dancing and funk based dance styles. The class was conducted by a professional hip hop street dancer and choreographer and the boys soon realised that the street based dance techniques provided strenuous exercise and a lot of fun!
Ian Graham, Headmaster said “Despite initial reluctance by some to take part in this “dancing class” all the boys were soon thoroughly engaged in the various skills of Hip-Hop and a good time was had by all! I can thoroughly recommend this project to other schools”.

The Music Department at Lancing College is flourishing in all areas, and choral music is a particular strength.

We thought you would be interested to know that past pupils continue to do outstandingly well in choral work. Five former Lancing students will be heard on Radio 3 in a matter of a few weeks!

Wed 22nd October – Live Choral Evensong from Gloucester Cathedral
Featuring the Founder Member of the Lancing College ‘Choral Evensong Club’, Ewan Stockwell, tenor.

Wed 7th January – Live Choral Evensong from King’s College, London
Featuring Claire Bradder, from West Sussex.

Wed 28th January – Live Choral Evensong from Truro Cathedral
Featuring Tom Stockwell.

Wed 18th February – Live Choral Evensong from Royal Holloway College, University of London
Featuring Sam Hancock and Tom Robson from West Sussex.

This outstanding success if due to the inspirational tuition and leadership of Neil Cox, a composer and performer himself, who has been responsible for the Lancing Choir for many years.

Exhibition at Gallery 100
100 Queen’s Road, Brighton

Open to public: 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday, admission free

Landmark architecture at Lancing College is one of the themes that are celebrated in a special exhibition at DMH Stallard’s Gallery 100. Following the success of the first Lancing College Art Students’ Exhibition here last year, this leading firm of solicitors has invited the Art Department to stage a second show.

Lancing College has an outstanding Art Department. The exhibition, GOODBYE GOTHIC?, shows about 40 examples of the finest work produced by A level and GCSE students during 2008, as well as pieces by the Department’s staff, all of whom are practising artists. It includes paintings, drawings, photographs and representations in mixed media. Some of the art in this show pays homage to the magnificent architecture in the famous College Chapel, as the Art School has been housed in its crypt for many years.

This month the entire Art School has moved to a purpose-designed, contemporary building for the 21st century. In recognition of the Department’s impressive achievements, and its importance, the College has built a new Art School, designed by award-winning LCE Architects. It is an energy-efficient structure, which is in harmony with its surroundings – a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Most of the exhibitions at the Stallard gallery feature contemporary artists with an established reputation, but the quality of work by Lancing students rivals that of many professionals.

Lancing is as well known for its teaching of Art as it is for producing academics of the highest calibre. The Art Department has an impressive record of producing students who become designers, photographers, architects, art historians and painters. Four students who completed their studies this year have gone on to read architecture at top universities.

Andrew Kennedy: Tenor
BBC Singers with choristers of St Paul’s Cathedral; BBC Concert Orchestra; Sioned Williams (harp)
Conductors: Andrew Carwood, Paul Brough

Thursday 18 December at 7pm
Tickets: £10, £20.

Available from Chichester Festival Theatre Box Office (in person or by telephone): 01243 781312
or from Ticket South (online or by telephone): www.ticketsouth.co.uk; 023 80711818

This concert will be broadcast live for BBC Radio 3 to mark the 60th anniversary of the world premiere of the St Nicolas Cantata in Lancing College Chapel. The work was commissioned by Lancing College. The concert will be available as a webcast on bbc.co.uk/singers from 7.00pm on 19 December.

ST NICOLAS is patron saint of children, and Lancing’s magnificent Chapel is dedicated to St Mary and St Nicolas. Benjamin Britten, the most widely performed British composer of the 20th century, wrote the St Nicolas Cantata to celebrate the school’s centenary, in 1948. Peter Pears, Britten’s artistic collaborator and companion, was the premier British tenor of his generation. Pears was educated at Lancing, where he developed his singing and acting talents. Both musicians retained close links with the school, and Pears was a member of the BBC Singers.

The St Nicolas Cantata was given its world premiere in the Chapel by the famous Lancing College Choir, with Peter Pears singing the role of Saint Nicolas. Children’s voices play an important part in many of Britten’s compositions, and this Cantata is a fine example. It has been performed by leading choirs and soloists in major venues throughout the world.

This public concert will feature the St Nicolas Cantata, Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols and Howells’s Three Carol-Anthems. Lancing College holds a valuable archive of material relating to the commission and composition of the St Nicolas Cantata, which includes letters from both Britten and Pears. A number of old boys still remember hearing, or singing in, its first performance. During the interval on 18 December, there will be a fascinating programme, broadcast on BBC Radio 3, on the genesis of this work with interviews, as well as readings from letters and documents in the Lancing archives.

The St Nicolas Cantata is a dramatic depiction the life of St Nicolas in nine scenes. It describes legendary incidents, including the Tale of the Pickled Boys. Three women call for their missing boys: Timothy, Mark and John. Travellers, seeking food in the city, order a meal at an inn. St Nicolas warns them not to touch the meat, as it is the flesh of the missing boys, who have been killed by a butcher and pickled in salt. St Nicolas calls the three boys and brings them back to life. They then enter, holding hands, and singing ‘Alleluia’.

LANCING COLLEGE CHAPEL: Award-winning restoration work completed

Lancing College Chapel stands high on the South Downs. It is a magnificent Gothic Revival Grade I listed building, and is recognised as one of the most impressive landmarks in Sussex. Thirty metres in height, this airy, lofty structure is delicate and intricate in detail. The history of the building is told through its stained glass. This includes the spectacular Rose Window – the largest in England – containing 30,000 pieces of blown glass, and the Trevor Huddleston Memorial Window, dedicated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in May 2007.

During the past eighteen months, the stonework and metalwork of the Chapel have been restored by the acclaimed Chichester Cathedral Works Organisation. The final scaffolding platforms have just been taken down to reveal their meticulous expertise in the Chapel, for which they have won the Ecclesiastical Building Award from Sussex Heritage Trust for 2008.

The Lancing Tapestries, designed in the 1930s, were woven on William Morris’s great loom at Merton Abbey. New spotlights have been installed to show off the details of the tapestries and high altar to best advantage, and a number of rare and valuable artefacts have been conserved, including the 15th century processional cross. Other treasures include the splendid Frobenius and Walker organs, the High Altar Crucifix and a 17th century Flemish carved, wood figure of St Nicolas.

Lancing College Chapel is usually open to visitors Mon – Sat 10am to 4pm (Sun 12pm to 4pm).

Tom Rogerson is certainly coming home when he takes over as the new headmaster at Cottesmore School in Pease Pottage, West Sussex, one of the longest-established IAPS prep schools in the country.

Some thirty years ago Tom himself was a pupil at the school, where his father Mark was headmaster. Born and brought up at Cottesmore, Tom decided at an early age that he would like to run the school some day – as in fact Mark had done too, because his own father had been head there for nearly thirty years!

So Tom becomes the third Rogerson to lead the school, and if ever there was a family school, this is it!

Cottesmore provides full and weekly boarding for boys and girls aged 8 to 13, and prepares them for entry to all the top public schools. Tom himself went to Eton and, following his ambition, set about gaining strong teaching experience that would equip him to run Cottesmore one day. He has worked at a number of leading prep schools, including Broomwood Hall, Eaton House The Manor, and Ludgrove, so he understands what parents want for their children and is well well placed to provide it.

An English graduate with a broad range of interests in sport, art and music, Tom is married to Lottie who is a very experienced early years teacher.

Tom is young, energetic and passionate about Cottesmore and its children. He takes over a school that was described as “excellent” no fewer than 17 times in an ISI inspection during the spring term. That in itself makes Cottesmore remarkable, but Tom has plenty of ideas about how he will develop the school over the coming years:

“Cottesmore has always offered an amazing education by making sure everyone has plenty of fun while they’re learning and playing. As a country boarding school we can provide facilities, opportunities and experiences that no other type of school can. I want Cottesmore to be known as a school where children are just bursting to tell their parents what they have done, a school parents would wish they’d been to themselves, and a school where our children love it so much that they want to come back and run it one day!”

Definitely a school to watch as Tom gets going!

For more information, please contact Tom Rogerson at Cottesmore School on 01293 520648 or visit www.cottesmoreschool.com

At Handcross Park, parents and friends mingled with famous names from the world of world class cricket and the media at the fabulous Sport For All Ball on Saturday 4th October. The school was raising money for the Lords Taveners, of whom Mike Gatting is Chairman, and for a new sports pavilion for the girls and boys. In the unrecognisable and glamorous surroundings of the Sports Hall, decked out in black, white and gold, guests enjoyed fabulous food, an extensive auction overseen by television’s John Inverdale and music by Southern FM DJ Danny Pike and local band Rusted. Chris Adams, until very recently Captain of Sussex Cricket Team and the Headmaster, Warren Hilton, both very involved with organising the event, were delighted with the evening and grateful to the generosity shown by so many which resulted in over £20,000 being raised.