Elstree School Day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3-13
Echo A Newsletter for the Elstree Community Issue 19
November 2021
H E A D M A S TE R’ S W E LCO M E These are exciting times for Elstree, with considerable growth in the Pre-Prep, developments to the McMullen Hall theatre, an ambitious new IT strategy, with technology being woven into our teaching and learning through our roll out of personal devices to the senior pupils, and of course the growth of co-education, with over 60 girls at Elstree. The girls have The following pages in this latest edition of Echo illustrate how Elstree continues to flourish, despite considerable challenges. The pupils, staff and wider school community have shown remarkable spirit, enterprise and positivity over this past year, and I hope you enjoy reading accounts of academic, sporting, musical and creative achievements, as well as news of positive engagement in different activities and outdoor pursuits. It has been wonderful too to welcome back many former pupils for a number of different events; we so enjoy hearing their news. Our theme this term has been ‘pride’ and I always encourage the children to take pride in everything they do, whether it is how hard they work, how they approach school life, how well they explore their different talents and interests, and, most importantly, how kind they are to others. I want Elstree pupils to be thoughtful and helpful contributors to the community. This edition of Echo confirms that the children are making the most of the many opportunities available to them, whether it is performing on stage, creating something magical in DT or Art, representing the school on the sports fields, taking part in a Big Weekend in the boarding house, singing an anthem in St. Peter’s Church or performing in
enriched the Elstree community hugely over this past year. They have already made an impact on the sports fields, with successes in cricket, hockey and netball, and also thrown themselves into the co-curricular life of the school. They have impressed in the classroom too. The past two years have realigned many people’s thinking on what is important to them – family, friends, kindness to others and contributing to a community. We have something special here at Elstree and the school is in excellent heart. It is a privilege for Olivia and I to lead the school through its next chapter and we feel very fortunate to have such a talented and hard-working team of staff. We are also very grateful to you – pupils and parents, past, present and future – for your tremendous support for Elstree, and the way that you share your own pride in the school to friends, family and the wider community. I hope you enjoy reading about everything that has gone on over the past few months.
Sid Inglis, Headmaster
an informal concert. 2
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E L S TR E E B OA R D I N G At Elstree, the sense of ‘family’ and ‘community’ pulses through every facet of school life and particularly in the boarding house. Our flexible boarding model enables children to learn to live as part of a community and to build up their self-confidence, independence and organisational skills. Lucy and I very much see the boarding house, and the boarders, as an extension of our own home and family and it has been wonderful to be able to host ‘Brews’ again this term. This is where a dorm is invited into our home to share some hot chocolate and homemade cakes and catch up on how everyone is getting on with their boarding! As well as being great fun, it is also an important part of our pastoral care and a good opportunity to make sure everyone is happy and settled in the House.
something fun for them to get involved in each night they board. Nerf gun wars, table tennis and ‘Among Us’ have been very popular additions to the programme, as well as the old favourites like Torchlight Games in Park, cooking and dodgeball in the Sports Hall.
To continue the ‘family theme’, we had a terrific Murder Mystery Night to which all the boarders, their parents and siblings were invited. Over 140 boarders and their families successfully managed to unmask the dastardly Dr Toby Richards (Mr. Duarte) as the murderer after some extensive sleuthing and interviewing. He was hauled off to the ‘Woolhampton nick’ by our PC Gappers to the great delight of the crowd!
We have absolutely loved welcoming the Elstree girls to the boarding house and they have been a wonderful addition. In fact, girls’ boarding has proved so popular that we have had to move their accommodation (Finlay dorm) to another part of the house to cope with the demand! We are working very hard on a long-term plan to accommodate the girls and have some really exciting ideas for the development of girls’ boarding. Watch this space..!
The tweaks we have made to evening clubs have been very well-received and I hope the children have enjoyed the changes, which were really aimed at making sure that there is always
Weekends at Elstree are always action-packed and this term has been no exception. We thoroughly enjoyed hosting the Downe House Year 8 girls for some Scottish reeling and a disco this term, and the Year 6s had a ball with their Bushcraft and zorb football too. The Year 7s produced some culinary delights for their Ready, Steady, Cook! Action weekend, and of course the ever-popular Escape from Colditz weekend.
Boarding has evolved beyond recognition in recent years, yet the skills and qualities it fosters remain as relevant as ever. Resilience, self-reliance and the ability to get on with others has never been more important and our children leave Elstree having developed a strong set of values, friendships and good manners which they not only take to their senior schools, but also into adult life. Iain Hepburn, Head of Boarding
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CO-EDUCATION - ONE YEAR ON It is wonderful that one year on from going fully co-educational, Elstree has over 60 girls enrolled at the school and there is no doubt that they have made a fantastic start to their Elstree careers. They have been completely involved in all aspects of school life showing great enthusiasm. Whether it be on the sports field playing hockey, on the stage, in the music department and, of course, in the classroom, they have immersed themselves into daily life. In order to provide the best possible sporting provision for the girls, Mrs Katie Sanford joined Elstree this term as Head of Girls’ Games. Mrs Sanford, previously at Bradfield College, is a qualified PE and sport teacher who has huge experience coaching girls sport, particularly netball. Head of Girls, Mrs Crispy Kidson said “Katie brings a huge amount of experience and innovation to her role as Head of Girls’ Games. To cater for a wider range of talents and interests, we are also offering several different after school activities, including Arts and Craft, Ballet and Dance, Fencing,
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Football, French, Judo and Tennis. It will be fantastic to see Katie bring her zest for all sports into Elstree and she will certainly prove to be an inspiring role model for the girls.” The girls have enjoyed a very successful term on the sports field so far. The games programme has comprised of a variety of sports with all girls having the opportunity to participate in hockey, netball and football sessions. The junior girls have also enjoyed taking part in cross-country.
January and the girls have been taking part in weekly netball training sessions and were fortunate enough to play in a couple of fantastic and exciting matches against St Gabriel’s and Aldro. We are already looking forward to next term and the prospect of a full fixture list in both netball and girls’ football.
Throughout the Autumn term the main focus for the girls has been hockey. The girls have worked exceptionally hard to develop their skills and game play, preparing them for Elstree’s first ever girls’ hockey matches. It has been so wonderful to see them competing against other local prep schools, enjoying a great deal of success along the way. Their enthusiasm, teamwork and sportsmanship has been outstanding and they have been a pleasure to coach and a credit to the school. The main netball season will begin in
Elstree Echo Issue 19
EL STREE ALU MN I - LIFE AS AN ELSTREE GAPPER
Back row (l to r) Tom Houston, Molly Christensen, Jaz Denneman Front row - Arthur Davies
Elstree has had seven new Gappers during 2021, five of whom have been former Elstree pupils.
James Hodson (Former Elstree Captain of Athletics & Judo, & Eton College) It has been a pleasure to return to Elstree as a Gapper. I’ve loved getting involved with the pupils’ sports from cross country with Year 3 to helping the 4th XI football with their unbeaten season. It’s incredibly rewarding to work with the children whilst also being a very good way to build patience. I’ve developed a new-found sense of empathy for the staff who had to deal with us when we were at the school. I’m going to work in Europe in the new year.
Fergus McKendrick (Former Elstree Head Boy & Deputy Head at Bradfield College) I started Elstree in the PrePrep in 2005, and left at the end of Year 8 in 2016. I went on to Bradfield College and have since secured a place to read History of Art at Edinburgh University starting in 2022.
boarding and sport – it has been a real privilege to return to this special place.
Hector Brown (Former Prefect at Elstree, & Radley Deputy Head of Social) I started Elstree in Nursery, leaving in 2016 at the end Fergus and Hector
of Year 8, before starting at Radley College. I have a place at Newcastle to study Business starting in September 2022. I am going to Kenya in February followed by plans to go travelling in South America. After leaving Radley, I decided to apply to be a Gapper. I have such fond memories of the pupil Gapper relationship which is what made me want to come back to the school.
It has been great to be back at Elstree as a Gapper. I thought that working here would provide a brilliant opportunity to experience the other side of the school and I have loved it!
I have particularly enjoyed helping with sports coaching. Sport played such a big part in my enjoyment of my time at Elstree. From girls’ hockey to the U9Bs and 6th XI football, it’s been a great experience to coach the children. The friendly atmosphere of Elstree has become even more apparent now that I see it in both the relationship of pupils and teachers and also within the Common Room.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Elstree and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I have loved getting stuck into all aspects of school life as a Gapper especially the
I want to thank the Common Room for making me feel so welcome at a place where I have so many good memories and now, many more.
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Tom Houston (Former Elstree Deputy Head Boy & Bradfield College Head Boy) & Arthur Davies (Marlborough College Head of House) What’s your average day as a Gapper? We start by helping to make the toast at breakfast for the children. During the day, we support in different lessons, for example in DT or listening to the younger children read in the library. In the afternoon, we help with sport and try and make it as fun as possible for the children. After supper, we get involved with the boarders’ activities – the highlight is the waterslide! Have there been any big improvements/changes since you left? The biggest change is the move to co-education, which is a fantastic development. Are there any quirky traditions that are still going? Bat room cricket is still a firm favourite – played by huge numbers of children during free time. One of the most nostalgic moments was seeing this out of the window in my first week back at Elstree.
Favourite school lunch? That is easy - the burritos at Elstree are the best meal. Have you been given a nickname? No thankfully, although one of the children calls Tom the little Gapper (6”2) and me the tiny Gapper (6”1). What will you take away from this experience? We have loved our time being back at Elstree getting involved with everything on offer. Being a Gapper will massively help us in the future, as it has taught us to be versatile. What will be your lasting memory be of your Prep School? We have loved being able to come back and spend another chapter of our lives at Elstree. My lasting memory is the fun I had here, and the lifelong friends I made.
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E L S TR E E A LU M N I
Back row (L to R): Charlie Napier, Michael Bevan, Toby Eldridge. Middle row (L to R): Ed Brims, Will Rollo, James Elvery, Alastair Yarrow, Debs Burles, Richard Lloyd, Ben Walker, Matthew di Rienzo, Nicholas Sydney-Smith, William Blackwell, Oliver Blackwell
Alumni with Children currently at Elstree
Old Boys Football v Ludgrove
We are so thrilled that 25 of our current pupils are children of Elstree Alumni. We marked this occasion with taking a photo of them all on the front steps. To have nearly 10% of Elstree Alumni children in the School is a wonderful compliment to the current staff and children at Elstree.
After waiting almost two years to resume our fixture with Ludgrove Old Boys, it was great to rekindle rivalries and welcome Ludgrove back to Lower on Sunday 17th October 2021. And what a terrific match it was.
We are sure that the number of Old Girls sending their children to Elstree will increase in the future, but it’s great to have Debs Burles (née McMullen) back at Elstree. She joined the team as Marketing Manager in the summer along with her son Alfie starting in the school. Debs is daughter of former Headmaster Terrence McMullen, and was a pupil at Elstree from 1980 to 1986. She returned as an Elstree Gapper in 1991. Debs was married in St Peter’s Church Woolhampton, in 2007 with a reception back at Elstree. She has an obvious affinity with the school, how appropriate that her desk is based in what was her father’s Headmaster’s Study! 6
The game had everything; flowing passing, tough tackling, scorching goals and agile goalkeeping. Elstree started well and scored the opener mid-way through the first half. Tom latched on to a pinpoint, defence-splitting pass to score with ease. Will made a fabulous save to keep his side in front at the break. The second half started in much the same vein. Tom scored his, and the
team’s second, with a wonderful lob over the stranded goalkeeper. Ludgrove were not beaten and scored three times in quick succession turning the game on its head. Not to be outdone, Elstree then drew level when Tom completed his hat-trick following a slick passing movement. Time was running out as Ludgrove scored their fourth. Could Elstree respond? Yes they could and with only seconds to go, skipper Matthew Coussens scored with a long range effort that gave the Ludgrove goalkeeper (and Elstree parent) Matthew Dorich no chance. Honours even, a 4-4 classic. Many thanks to all the Old Boys who took part and to Ludgrove for their part in an entertaining and competitive match, and for Mr Andy Prichard for refereeing the game brilliantly.
Back row L to R: Charlie Benton, Oli Vincent, Will Davies, Harry Campbell, Tom Davies, Tom Forsdike, Matthew Coussens, Max Edwards, Mr Andy Prichard (referee) Front row (L to R): Hugo Barnes, Jack Campbell, Leo Hartley-Russell
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Unveiling of the Bouldering Wall
Staff football match v Upper 6 Old Boys
It was wonderful to see so many of the Class of ’21 on Friday 22nd October for the unveiling of the Bouldering Wall. This, together with two long benches, was their very generous Leavers’ Present to the School.
Elstree Old Boys currently in the Upper Sixth and the Elstree Common Room gathered on Sunday 7th November 2021 for a thrilling match on a sunny, Autumnal Lower.
After a delicious lunch and a chance to catch up with boys and parents it was off to the area between the McMullen Hall and Music School. The colourful handholds had been skillfully placed to allow one to traverse along the wall from the DT Workshop end towards the Boot Room. Thank you to Mr Prichard for designing the layout of the bouldering wall, Mrs Syckelmoore for the beautiful mural on the door between the two bouldering courses and for the maintenance team for putting up all the hand-holds.
Twenty-three players joined up for a match played in excellent spirits by both teams. The Common Room went up at the start with an early goal, followed by one more for each team before half time. After a welcomed break, the Old Boys schooled the puffing staff with their more elite fitness and touch-ready class to take a good lead, before a hammering header from a corner from Gapper James Hodson in the last play of the game to take it 5-5. Thank you to Mr Prichard for organising such a fun game.
After words of welcome and a big thank-you to the boys for their exciting and original gift, the Headmaster asked former Head Boy, Harry Gilbert to cut the ribbons and declare the Wall open. This he duly did and it was not long before the wall was covered with old boys manoeuvring themselves across the latest addition to the extra-curricular activities on offer at Elstree. Some of our current boys and girls then quickly took to the wall with much excitement. Thank you to Sara Gilbert for co-ordinating the gift and to all our 2021 Leavers and their families. We know that the pupils will spend hours of fun in this area.
Rory McGrath Wedding Rory McGrath was married on 22nd August 2020. The Bishop, Humphrey Southern is an Old Boy, as is his grandfather in-law and the bride’s uncle - with so many Old boys attending we thought it was a lovely story to share! Old Boys from L to R: Rory McGrath, Charlie Benyon, Rufus McGrath, Jamie Blount, Christopher Blount, Bishop Humphrey Southern, Charlie Lovell and Thomas Benyon.
Hill Classrooms It was so special for Syd Hill, former Elstree Headmaster and current Elstree Governor, to finally be able to visit Elstree in person and to see the newly renamed ‘Hill’ classrooms ...and an extra special surprise to be greeted by six of his grandchildren who are all current Elstree pupils.
Charlie Waller Trust’s University Challenge Bike Ride In June 2021, eight brave men who knew and loved Charlie Waller (Elstree Old Boy) took on the gruelling challenge of cycling 300 miles from Bradfield to Durham in just three days to raise funds for the Trust. Charlie lived near Bradfield and 30 years ago he graduated from Durham University, hence the choice of start and finish points. The team of eight “now deep in middle age” (their words not ours!) men included two Elstree Old Boys (Richard Waller, Rob Jardine-Brown) and two current Elstree Governors (Richard Waller and Gavin Owston). The challenge raised close to £76,000, an astonishing amount, which must have made every painful pedal stroke more than worth it!
Gavin far left, Richard 3rd from left, Rob 4th from right
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E L S TR E E PR E P N E WS AC A D EM I C A Digital Learning Strategy fit for a 21st Century Elstree Child
collaboratively on ideas across more of our subjects. Therefore there are a number of cross curricular projects planned for this academic year which will involve collaboration, teamwork, communication, risk taking, resilience and fun. The Project
One of the progressive outcomes resulting from Covid has been the rapid implementation of our new ‘Digital Learning Strategy’. This led to a financial investment resulting in every full-time teacher having a Microsoft Surface and every pupil in Year 7 and 8 either having a Microsoft Surface or a Laptop. As of September 2022 every child from Years 6-8 will also have enhanced learning outcomes through a Microsoft Surface. The illustration above taken from our Digital Learning Strategy offers more information: Pupils in Years 3-5 have access to iPads and also the IT room, enabling the whole school strategy to work succinctly. Importantly, this technology is deployed appropriately and used as a
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learning tool to enhance the teaching/ learning outcomes in the similar manner to which a calculator is used at certain times in the school day for our pupils. Subjects like Geography benefit hugely from having up to date knowledge at the pupils’ finger tips. Quizlet, Kahoot, Wordwall, Quizziz, Microsoft Forms, Learningapps and Gimkit are just a few free resources used by the staff, and they offer excellent fun and formative assessment information to our teachers.
Year 6 STEAM “Pinewood Derby Day” Project What is STEAM? Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. We are very keen for our pupils to link knowledge and to work
The idea was for the Year 6 pupils to work in groups of three to design, resource, build, test and decorate a wooden car model (unpowered and unmanned) to be judged by an invited guest and raced within the year group at the end of the morning. ‘The research and design’ (Science and DT), friction, aerodynamics, different materials were all considered specifically when it came down to the choice of wheels! The scientific nature of the project was the initial discussion point in the groups. Should we add light weight or heavy wheels to make the car go faster? Should we have the gripped plastic wheels or the smooth ones? The pupils would need to develop their exploratory, modification, curiosity and creativity skills to make a successful car model. Many of these skills are critical to the work place for our pupils in the 21st Century. Maths and Business Acumen Pupils were given different prices for different items for their model cars. If pupils bought all of the most expensive items they would have spent close to £18. If the pupils bought the cheapest items it would be close to £8. The pupils debated long and hard about what items were
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CO - CU R R ICU L AR & EN R I CH M EN T Year 5 throw themselves into WW1 History Project
worth spending more money on. Whether an axle was needed caused huge debate! The Build (Science and Engineering)
Year 5 literally threw themselves into their History Project on World War 1. The objective was to let pupils see what a WW1 trench would have looked like and the hard work involved to build and maintain it.
Pupils penned onto their wooden blocks their aerodynamic designs and started to build their cars. Mr Duarte guided the pupils through the cutting, sanding and gluing process. There was a lot of excitement and banging of hammers at this point! Creative Colour (Art and Design) Finally, and just in time for the race, pupils painted their model cars under the guidance of Mrs Syckelmoore. Hair dryers enabled the pupils to paint and dry their cars ready to race in 40 minutes! The Races (Fun!) With the finished cars ready to race, the pupils gathered outside the McMullen Hall. The Racetracks made out of Guttering used at the Elstree Leadership Games were put in place and angled to perfection. Rachel Pither, our new Head of HR, was the race starter. Well done to the winners Isla Sanford, Tilly Lloyd and Maisie Brown, with 2nd place going to Jacob Gearing, Sebastian Fowler and Sebastian Black.
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Thanks to the skilled digging of one of our Groundsmen, and the hard graft of Year 5 and Head of DT, Mr Duarte, Elstree has an authentically waterlogged and muddy WW1 trench. Wellie-ready, Year 5 marched their way down to the trench and worked together to fill over 100 sand bags. Afterwards, they carried duckboards to line the trench floor and make ladders for going over the top. Experiencing life below ground level, gave them an understanding of some of the dangers soldiers faced, including simply popping their head above the parapet. Then, once the whistle was blown, they practised ‘going over the top’.
DR AMA & L A M DA The Drama Department has had a busy and creative year, with LAMDA results once again celebrating the high standard and quality of our young Thespians. The March cohort achieved sterling results, despite having just emerged from a national lockdown, with 18 pupils at Distinction and 5 at Merit. Similarly, in the Summer examinations our pupils achieved 14 Distinctions and 4 Merits. Since September 2021 our newly found Year 5&6 Drama Activity Group have been devising a programme of poetry, song and acting to celebrate Black History Month. Mrs Oliver and the pupils devised a script based on Historian and BBC presenter David Olusoga’s Black and British. Around twenty children delivered a thoughtprovoking and moving performance, sharing the journeys of first and second generation African, Caribbean and West-Indian Britons from Ancient Roman times to Post-War times.
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E L S TR E E PR E - PR E P N E WS AC A D EM I C
CO-CURRICULAR
World Workshops
Pre-Prep Clubs
The Pre-Prep are delighted to have completed their first cycle of ‘World Workshops’ launched by Mrs Bond, Head of Pre-Prep. Inspired by the Earthshot awards, the theme for this term was ‘The Environment’. The topic was launched in the assembly with Mrs Bond reading the book ‘10 things I can do to help my world’ by Melanie Walsh. This provided the children with ten practical and simple things they could do to make a difference to their planet.
Whilst the children are in the PrePrep, we hope that they are excited by education and aside from the academic lessons, we aim to provide individuals with experiences and activities to broaden the offerings at Elstree.
Each class then took part in a small workshop. The Nursery children helped to create a compost bin by the PrePrep gardens. The children went into each class collecting their fruit peelings, mixed it with leaves from the grounds and then helped to roll the compost bin to mix it together! Reception then made bird feeders. The children worked in pairs to pour seeds, crushed biscuit cones and stale Pom Bears into their mixing bowls. They then used their hands to mix it into a wonderful bird cake with lard. They have all hung their bird feeders on the tree outside their classroom so that they can watch the Elstree birds feeding on them.
In the Autumn Term, we offered nine clubs to the children. These ran before and after school, and during some lunch breaks too. We were delighted to set up a netball club for children in Years 1 and 2 this term. Boys and girls are welcomed to the Sports Hall on a Wednesday morning to learn some of the key skills and rules of the game. Other popular clubs include Dance, Judo and Football provided by specialist teachers. Clubs currently on offer in the Pre-Prep are: French, Dance, Tennis x 2, Arts and Crafts x 2, Judo, Netball, Football and Athletics.
The Year 1 & 2 children helped Mrs Bond to do some weeding and planting. The Pre-Prep Garden contains a pond and five raised beds; the weeds were removed, and the children enjoyed digging holes to plant tulip and daffodil bulbs. We are excited to continue our workshops next term and hope to build links with local communities and charities. We are sure the children will really enjoy these themes, and that they help to broaden the values of the children at Elstree. 10
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CO M M U N I T Y Family Fun Day The sun shone as we welcomed back all the families to our Pre-Prep Family Fun Day this year.
Tree Planting As part of the Woodland Trust’s initiative to tackle climate change and reach the UK’s 2050 carbon net-zero target, Pre-Prep were lucky enough to spend some time planting their own trees!
The popular event was organised by the wonderful Pre-Prep Friends. It was the perfect opportunity to catch up on everyone’s adventures from the holidays and for the new families to make friends and become more familiar with the PrePrep before starting formally. The children were treated to a host of activities. In one corner of Farmyard, tigers, princesses, and bats were appearing from the face painting table. Other children enjoyed icing and decorating (and tasting!) their own biscuits, hooking a duck from the paddling pool, wellie wanging and exploring with a treasure map!
A real highlight was Roly the magician. He treated all the children to a hilarious magic show, and spent the remainder of the afternoon modelling balloons for each child to take home.
Harvest Festival
They placed them in a hole in the ground and pushed firmly so that they fitted snuggly in the earth. The little trees were then protected with a plastic tube so that they could start to grow safely without being damaged by the weather or animals that might want a nibble! The children can’t wait to watch them grow.
Toddler Sessions If you would like to join us at our next Toddler Sessions on 20th January, 3rd & 24th February & 10th March between 9.00am and 10.30am, please email registrar@ elstreeschool.org.uk The sessions are fun and engaging, and include music, stories and time outdoors in our Early Years Garden.
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This year, the Pre-Prep Harvest Festival celebrations were made even more special by being invited to celebrate in St Peter’s Church with Reverend Jane Manley. The service was lovely, and the church was filled with beautiful songs, huge smiles and decorations including Autumn crowns, wreaths and an array of colourful vegetables.
Thank you also to our wonderful community who kindly donated food items as part of the Harvest Festival. The Pre-Prep collected 313.8kg of offerings which equates to 659 meals and 10 crates of donations for the West Berkshire Foodbank who were all ‘so grateful for every single item’. 11
ELSTREE 2022 DATES FOR THE DIARY 2022 OPEN MORNINGS: Saturday 26th February and Saturday 7th May