2022|2023 A N N A L S
Introduction Enjoyment, appreciation, looking-out-for-each-other, fun. These have been the watchwords this year, as the College enjoyed its fullest and most action-packed year since the great interruption. While the world convulsed itself in warfare, a cost of living crisis, political psycho-drama and even the workplace relationships of Philip Schofield, Ardingly sought to accentuate the positive. Two fun-filled musicals – 9 to 5 and Matilda – and a rousing Lost-In-Motion dance show lifted the spirits, as did the stirring combinations of music ensembles and the imaginative renditions of artists. Responding to the twin humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine, we stepped up to provide half-a-dozen fully funded scholarships for refugee children, each of whom has enriched our school community with their resilience and determination to learn. Three developments single themselves out. First, strengthening the culture of care within the school community. The social and educational effects of the pandemic have receded gradually but have still been present and have required attention and care. Chris MacInnis’s arrival as a full-time Lead for Safeguarding and Mental Health, working with Becky Dobson and her team in the Health and Wellbeing Centre together provide dedicated and expert support that serves us very well. Within the culture of care can be counted the second development, namely working towards a consciously inclusive school. Led by Jennifer O’Neill Kaan, we have made progress in exploring perceptions and encouraging student leadership, as well as celebrating diverse identities, nationalities and beliefs. It is not an exaggeration to say that Ardingly is taking a distinctive lead in the sector in this area and will continue to do so. More obvious and equally impactful has been the first year of the Lower School. Led with remarkable energy by Jade Rowley-Terry and Ben Appleby, our Years 7 and 8 now enjoy their own space and the encouragement to mature into school life by degrees rather than by sudden immersion. It is not often that a project comes to life exactly as envisaged, but this one has thanks to the combined efforts of teachers, pupils and parents. At the heart of World Ready is the ambition for an Ardingly education to evolve to meet the current and future needs of our pupils. In these terms and in others, we have continued to make progress, even if the world itself behaves more like an intemperate teenager than the teenagers themselves. Beati mundo corde, B Figgis Head of College 107 Ourselves 3 Our world 83 Our houses 123 Our valete 117 Our alumni < COVER Bea Ryan Fifth
02 | 03 Vivienne Alyutin Fifth Keira Salvage UVI >
Our world
04 | 05 ART Amsterdam Trip At the end of a long Lent Term a mixed group of L6, U6, IB and A Level Artists and Photographers set off for a creative long weekend in Amsterdam. This was the first overseas art trip since lockdown, so all participants were excited to get going and make the most of the myriad of inspirational galleries, sights and places we were due to visit. A packed itinerary was lined up, but our first activity allowed us to relax and familiarise ourselves with the unique city, taking a historic canal cruise in the balmy evening light. Lively local restaurants were visited every evening, allowing all to mix and enjoy the great atmosphere and local foods. Days were packed with visits to galleries such as the huge Rijksmuseum, modern Stedelijk, funky MOCO, iconic Van Gogh and stylish FOAM photography gallery. We also spent our Sunday an hour out of the city at a National park and Kroller Muller sculpture park and gallery collection. All participants circulated the grounds together, reflecting on the varied large scale 3d work, and then used the 20th century works housed inside to extend and enrich their own portfolios of work. The bicycles were also very popular! All in all, the art group benefitted from a fast paced, lively, friendly, artistic three days and all agreed that the trip had been an incredible experience for them all. C GROVER
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DANCE Lost in Motion 2023 With each day Mrs Willis-Wood spends at Ardingly, she does a magnificent job in helping us fall more and more in love with Dance. With every project, she puts in massive amounts of effort to ensure the finished product is as amazing as it can possibly be. This endless imagination and talent have evidently come through in this year’s dance show. Lost in Motion 2023 was the second dance show to ever be held at Ardingly, displaying a wide range of dance styles. This included Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, Break Dance, Ballet, and Commercial dance – all of which were executed with practiced flourish by every student. The dances were a mix of solos, duets, and group dances – from Teddy Foster’s fantastic Spider-Man solo to Mrs Willis-Wood joining the Senior Dances in their high-energy ‘Super Bass’ dance. Each and every performance had something vibrant and different that left the audience breathless and awe-struck. It goes without saying that the students worked tirelessly to put on the dazzling performances, be it undergoing extra rehearsals or pushing through ankle injuries. But on top of this hard work, the best part of this process was undoubtedly the amazing sense of community and supportiveness between all of the performers. The whooping cheers from the dancers waiting backstage, all standing in a circle and doing breathing exercises together, the explosive clapping and highfives whenever the performers returned to the changing rooms after being on-stage – these all fed to the buzzing and joyful atmosphere that let everyone feel comfortable and have fun during the experience. Of course, Mrs Sutton’s hard work backstage and in choreographing the ballet pieces must be mentioned, along with the tech-team for their amazing lighting and the stage (again!), and the Gappers who took care of the performers backstage. Minnie Phopruegsawong won this year’s prize for Rising Star, with her self-choreographed solo to Stefflon Don’s ‘16 Shots’, and Ia Ganeva was awarded with Dancer of the Year, described by Mrs WillisWood herself as: ‘Committed, dedicated and absolutely captivating.’. Well done to both! I’m sure the appreciation for this dance show is felt school-wide and even beyond, and we all cannot wait for Lost in Motion 2024! AGATHA VAN LENNEP LVI
DRAMA 9 to 5 1 The famed Upper School Musical finally arrived – to the delight of all – to warm up what is the UK’s cold and dreary November with its American twangs and bright routines! Dolly Parton’s musical ‘9 to 5’ starred Tea Ellis, Matilda Lee, and Rebecca Horton, all playing the fierce women fighting against sexism and oppression in their workplace. This term, various students from Fifth to Upper Sixth worked tirelessly towards this production, guided by the (always) amazing directing of Mrs Carr-Bates, choreography of Mrs Willis-Wood and Mrs GilmoreBailey’s musical talent. We can’t forget to mention the wonderful Tech Crew and Mrs Payne with the backstage crew, without whom the show could never have happened. Veronica Jain, a new student to Lower Sixth only just this year, performed in the musical as the role of Maria – a worker in the company who gets fired for discussing the difference in salary between men and women. She has some insight to share about her experience in the musical cast. What was the audition process like? The audition process was very quick. We just had to perform a scene from a certain part that they gave us. It was about five minutes each and then we had to sing anything we wanted, from a musical. What did you do in rehearsals? We had rehearsals three times a week: two hours on Monday and Wednesday evenings, plus another hour during Monday EP, then three hours on Sunday. Of course, leading up to the musical, the rehearsal times increased. We either learnt choreography or practised singing. For those with bigger roles, there were acting rehearsals in the recital room.
What was your favourite part of the rehearsals? My favourite part in rehearsals was the parts where you could see the dance and songs coming together. I loved when we spent an hour and a half learning something and being able to see the hard work put into it by the end. But it was also the people. I have made a lot of good friends from doing this. What was the atmosphere like in the cast? The atmosphere was really, really, lovely. I think all of us really looked up to the U6 who were the leading roles in the play and they’re all so talented, so they really inspired all of us. It’s such a lovely atmosphere as it brought everyone together. Has this encouraged you to take part in more activities at schools? Yes definitely. The process of the musical was quite stressful at times and involved a lot of hard work, but that hasn't put me off from doing more in the future, because the satisfaction of the result and having done the musical was amazing. I’ll definitely be doing more drama activities in the future. They’ve fought through illness and exhaustion but managed to pull through and create something truly spectacular. Their hard work certainly paid off in their final performances, dazzling the audience – to many more Ardingly productions in the future! AGATHA VAN LENNEP LVI DRAMA 9 to 5 2 9-5 is the fabulous musical born from Dolly Parton’s iconic song and the 1980 movie of the same name. The trials and tribulations of Violet, Doralee and new girl in the office, Judy, as they take on the sexist world of work and particularly the unwanted attentions of their boss, Franklin Hart, makes for a a rip-roaring feminist tale of revenge and the power of female friendship. We had always known that current upper sixth were going to need an extraordinary musical for their final senior school theatrical outing and finding a show with not 1 but 4 amazing female roles was always going to be a challenge. We were lucky enough however, to have the most amazing pool of talent. Rebecca Horton’s doe eyed and initially downtrodden Judy found her feet and her own voice, and even managed to get shot of her terrible husband (an elaborately shell suited Eddie Hyatt), which was heartbreaking and inspiring. Matilda Lee was office hottie Dora Lee – faithful to her wonderful husband (Henry Nott) but constantly pursued by her lecherous boss! While the triumvirate was completed by a powerhouse performance by Tea Ellis as the brilliant Violet – the boss in waiting whose potential was being squandered by the system. Tea’s rendition of One of the Boys – ably backed by a chorus of sharp suited young men – was a highlight! Emily Ward’s lovelorn Roz and Jacob Coughlan’s Hart brought great comic relief and sizzling lust to their roles while special mention must go to Rosabel Figgis for her worryingly accurate drunk acting. This is a big show and Ms WW, (Choreography) Ms G.B (Music) and Ms C-B (Director) had a challenge to pull it all together, but the stress of the previous weeks was forgotten when the glorious performances were staged, stage-managed by Mrs Payne (with Alfie, Farah and Joe) and on a set designed by Mr Freer with glorious sound, lights and pyros from Mr Asquith and Mr Phelan. 9 - 5 is a darn tooting, rip-roaring celebration of what people can do when they put their minds to it, and didn’t the cast and crew prove that. A fun packed night that sent the audience out dancing through the aisles. DRAMA DEPARTMENT
10 | 11 DRAMA Dracula Dracula – as Miss O’Neill-Kaan will tell you - is a gothic masterpiece which has been chilling readers since its publication in 1897. This story of the blood thirsty Transylvanian Count has been retold many times on screen and in the theatre and this term the Lower Sixth took on the challenge in the splendid surroundings of the crypt chapel, in a version by Liz Lochhead. This of course was by special permission of Rev Andy – it is after all a story in which good eventually conquers evil through the power of the light. Under the direction of Mrs C-B with the outstanding assistance of Alfie Bowers the show, originally planned for outdoors, came to life. Rosabel Figgis and Nikita Kruis were charming as Mina and Lucy Westerman who fall victim to Dracula (Eddie Hyatt)’s magnetic charms and alongside their maid Florrie (Lotty Wharton) find themselves entwined in his evil desires. As the loves of their life are brought into Dracula’s orbit, Jonathan Harker (Jack Stephens) and Arthur Seward (Charlie Roberts) summon Arthur’s old teacher Van Helsing (Olly Maclay) to try and rescue them, and so begins the chase across the Carpathians to the vampire lair. Meanwhile in the asylum Renfield (Farah Wheeldon) tries to ingest life in the bodies of insects and birds to gain immortality and free himself to do Dracula’s bidding. All the while not aware of how Dracula plans to gain influence in Britain and beyond.
It was pretty heady stuff, which Raquel GonzalezKirby and Adam Hatt turning in compelling performances as the nurses at Bedlam, while even the seemingly straight-laced Mrs Manners (Sophie Allsop) later appeared as one of Dracula’s immortal brides. The cast turned in stunning performances with true intensity, lots of melodrama and a good dose of fake blood. The crypt looked stunning, and the lights and soundscape created by Mr Phelan and Mr Hoelters were incredible. This was a Victorian tale to end all tales and it was nice to see that Mrs C-B’s final Ardingly show was still utterly on-brand with corsets, daggers and slightly uncomfortable onstage embraces. Overall – this production was a new experience for Ardingly and one that will live long in the memory. ALFIE BOWERS LVI
12 | 13 DRAMA Matilda 1 Matilda - what a magical thing to have been a part of! I feel truly honoured to have been a part of something so wonderful and to work with such amazing people in the whole cast, and of course, Ms Marshall-McBain, Miss McPhilemy, and Mr Smith. I could not have imagined the shows going better and being more fun, and it was everyone who was part of it that made it that way. Rehearsals for this show had it all - singing, dancing, acting, and some laughs along the way! It was fantastic to see this show start to come together piece by piece every Wednesday night leading up to our opening performance, and I remember the first moment when I thought “wait, we've actually gone through and rehearsed the whole show!” I just remember uncontrollably smiling. It was full steam ahead from there, and I just couldn’t wait to actually perform it! The first full performance we did was in front of the prep school, which was a dress rehearsal. It was a learning experience for us all I think; I certainly learned to always know where a paticular book was for the acrobat story scenes! Anyway, moving on... that performance was still a lot of fun, and I loved dancing, singing and acting in front of a proper audience for the first time! Of course, there were still nerves for the real thing, but that performance did help. Opening Night. Backstage. My heart pounding. Final costume checks. Ok, good to go. Cue music... and... Entrance! I will never forget the feeling of walking onto the stage for the first time as the introduction to “Miracle” played. Seeing the audience, seeing the tech guys at the back... I knew it was going to be a good performance. And that it was! Everyone danced, acted, and sung their heart out. Oh and everyone was rushing backstage, too! (Just thought I should note as well, I remembered where that book was this time). Before we knew it, it was Friday. Closing night. It was definitely mixed emotions before we went on stage - happiness, relief, sadness that it was over, among others. We took selfies backstage, danced, sung, and just made that last night count. Also, hiding flowers and getting the whole cast to sign cards without Ms Marshall, Miss McPhilemy, or Mr Smith seeing was no easy feat... we managed it, though! It was a splendid night, and I danced like there was no end! Taking that final bow, hand in hand with my friends, my fellow actors, I was able to take a deep breath and truly appreciate this marvellous, roller coaster of a show that Matilda was. Thank you to everyone who made it possible; Ms Marshall-McBain, Miss McPhilemy, Mr Smith, and the entire cast - you were absolutely brilliant! It was an amazing show, congratulations all! CATIE ROBBINS SHELL
DRAMA Matilda 2 Matilda was such a great experience, I loved it so much. I was so honoured to play the brilliant leading role of Matilda. It was one of the first musicals I ever went to see, and was immediately in awe of the amazing dancing, acting and singing. I had such a fun time rehearsing with everyone else. The fact that we got to perform the adaptation of Roald Dahl’s iconic book also meant so much to me as it was one of my favourite books when I was younger. There is not one part of the preparation and performance of it that I didn’t enjoy. Learning lines was so much fun. I would practise at home, and then when I got to school I would ask any of my friends to test me and we would laugh about bits I got wrong. I even enjoyed the Sunday rehearsals! Normally, I just want to sleep and chill but it shows how much fun it was that I quickly woke up and was on time and ready to go! MARNIE HARRIS SHELL
14 | 15 DRAMA New York Dance and Drama Trip They say New York is the city that never sleeps and my golly gosh is that true! After trying to check in 50 students individually onto our flight (thanks Virgin Atlantic) Mrs WW had to race against the clock to get the all-important ESTA sorted for a student before we got airborne. It was a bumpy ride, and we were onboard with 2 other schools who were NYC bound – and the swapping of seats caused all manner of headaches for a very patient cabin crew! On landing at JFK the line at immigration was loooong and we mean looong but eventually we were on the bus and into Manhattan! After a speedy check in and a quick refresh we headed into Times Square to start our adventure! I think it’s fair to say we sucked the bone marrow out of the city – we saw Funny Girls with Glee’s own Lea Michele, we were lucky enough to have workshops at Alvin Ailey, Broadway Steps and the Lee Strasberg Institute where everyone’s dance and drama skills were challenged and enhanced. We went to Staten Island and to the Top of the Rock to see spectacular view and sang along at Ellen’s Starliner Diner. A personal highlight was a night spent at Madison Square Gardens cheering on the Knicks. American basketball is definitely a sport for the short of attention span, something new happens every 3 minutes! The group split for our second show, some headed to watch the King of Pop reborn (without the dodgy bits) in MJ The Musical whilst the serious actors headed to see
Oscar winner and Mrs C-B’s personal girl-crush, Jessica Chastain, in A Doll’s House. This stripped back staging was not to everyone’s taste, but Mrs C-B and Mr H loved it and made it clear that any negative opinions were definitely wrong! The teachers seemed to have fun too, but massive hats off to Mrs Willis-Wood and Ms C-B for organising and to Becky, Miss McP and Mr H for all their brilliant chaperoning and dispensing of minor medication for all the headaches, stuffy noses and coughs that were circulating, We shopped, we walked, we sang, we danced and we imagined a floating lemon – it was amazing and the trip of a lifetime for all involved! FARAH WHEELDON LVI Alfie Bowers LVI
16 | 17 DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD Bronze Award DofE has been an amazing experience. Miss Brown and the other people helping with DofE have made it so engaging and it has really inspired me and others to do this. For my skills, I have been playing the French Horn, so I have been doing music lessons and playing and performing in the Symphony Orchestra. For my physical I did bouldering during Games lessons and for my volunteering I helped Reverend Andy out by tidying up the chapel after the weekly services. The way we had to come up with goals really helped me to get an idea of where I wanted to be at the end of DofE in those activities and gave me a goal to strive for, something which really helped my motivation. In the practice days and expedition on the 5th and 6th June, I had a really great time. The school and the people at Zest for Adventure had perfectly planned it out and it was really fun. On the first day one of the instructors took our groups out and took us round the area, allowing for us to get a feel for the landscape, which was really helpful as I got to understand an area that was completely unfamiliar to me. In the camp at the end of the first day, groups were socialising, we cooked dinner ourselves on the camping stoves and the atmosphere was relaxed, which was nice after a long day of walking. On the second day, each group set out unaccompanied and trekked from the campsite to one of two finishing points, mine was in Brighton, so we had to walk over the downs. The hike was tough but it was a great bonding experience for my group and I was able to get to know them much better. I was in charge of navigation for the majority of the hike which was an interesting experience as I had only ever used a map in this way once, we didn't get lost though which was great. Overall the DofE practice days and the time leading up to it were really fun. I can't wait to go on the real expedition later this term. JAMES FIELD SHELL The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at Ardingly has been something that I feel very privileged to be a part of. It has been full of life lessons, and I have enjoyed every aspect of it. For my Bronze DofE, I have been doing cooking, rock climbing, and helping a neighbour at the weekends for the skill, physical, and volunteering sections of my DofE. I really enjoy doing these activities, and I feel like I am learning loads of new things from participating in them. The training day we did on the 23rd of April this year saw us learning how to cook using a Trangia, how to cross the road safely as a group, how to handle various medical injuries, among other vital lessons that we would find very useful during our expedition. I found this day incredibly useful, and it reassured me a lot that I would know what to do in scenarios that could occur on the qualifying expedition later this term. We had our practice expedition in the beautiful South Downs. This was a very fun couple of days, as I really enjoyed spending two days with my friends and hiking along the gorgeous hills. We did learn valuable lessons along the way; including tiny, simple things such as finding out which foods to avoid and which food and equipment we should aim to bring for the actual qualifying expedition. All in all, Bronze DofE has been an absolutely fantastic experience so far, and it is something I will always cherish. I have learnt lessons I will always have (and probably need at some point in the future) for my whole life, and I am very grateful to DofE for that. Writing this only makes me more excited for the real thing! CATIE ROBBINS SHELL Overall, my bronze DofE experience has been great. I loved the expedition and felt like I learnt so many useful navigation skills such as how to use a map and compass. I was good friends with everyone in my group, so this helped a lot with communication throughout the expedition. Although we had a few small disagreements (As expected) near the end I feel as though we worked well as a team. For my skill I already do piano lessons, so this was an easy and
convenient choice for me. Choosing my Physical aspect proved a challenge as the hockey season did not go on long enough for me to complete all the weeks, so I chose to do yoga at home every Saturday morning. For Volunteering I did an hour a week in the library, this was an excellent choice for me as it meant I did not have to do volunteering on the weekend and it was built into the school day. Overall, I loved the whole DofE experience and will be doing silver next year! IMOGEN LARGE SHELL The DofE expedition started on the first day as most would. The day started with a drive to our starting location where we met our expedition organiser. From there we set out to navigate a set route. Throughout the day we kept walking until we got back to the camp. At the camp we set up our tents and then had plenty of time to relax while waiting for our cookers. After that we cooked dinner and then had some time to relax and get ready for bed. The next day was an early start where we had to put down and pack up the tents. Then we set off on our second expedition day. This day the walk was slightly longer however navigation-wise we were all fine. We got to the first two manned checkpoints in good time and then after that everyone started to tire. We kept going until we finally reached the pickup point and then we set off back to school. Overall, in my DofE expedition I would say that it was hard work and tiring but it was well worth the effort just to get the end result. SEBASTIAN ROBOTTOM SHELL Bea Ryan Fifth
18 | 19 The House of Commons Trip On Friday 17th March 2023, some Year 7 students were invited by Henry Smith MP (Crawley) to the House of Commons in order to witness the Second Hearing and Passage of his Bill to Ban the Import of Hunting Trophies. The timing of the Bill was perfect – supporting the students’ Philosophy topic of Animal Rights. Initial contact came from a letter to Henry Smith MP written by Hugo Ulrich-North out of his interest in the moral arguments surrounding trophy hunting. The students enjoyed reserved seats in the Gallery and were able to watch and learn about Parliamentary procedure “My Honourable friend...” and to hear the passionate speeches by those supporting the ban and those who raised objections to some sections. They learnt the life skill of being able to show their approval or distaste without making a noise! Their enthusiasm for the passing of the Bill was superb to see – they had carried out some research and were able to comment on the points being made. The Secretary of State for the Environment and a number of other MPs were present alongside Mr Smith, and several commemorative photos were taken in Westminster Hall. The students spent time chatting to them and meeting Sir Ranulph Fiennes, also a keen advocate of the Ban. S BELLIERE Take a Risk 2023 This year ‘Take a Risk’ which is our business competition at Ardingly College proved again very popular and we had a large group of 67 Lower Sixth students taking part. The theme was sustainability in terms of a product or service. The competition is open to all the Lower Sixth whether they are IB or A level/BTEC students and they don’t need to be studying Business to enter. This creates a very healthy competitive atmosphere amongst the teams and this year it was particularly true as we had another nail-biting finish. Our judges in the presentation evening struggled to separate the teams as there were some excellent business plans and powerfully delivered presentations. The overall winner after much deliberation by the
MEDICAL SOCIETY Medical year overview Medsoc this year has been filled with interesting online lectures, in-person talks, trips, UCAT and University preparations. Our first group trip was in October, where we visited the Science Museum for their “Outwitting cancer” exhibition. The exhibition was split into sections of what cancer is, understanding cancer, reasons for hope, and conversations about cancer. We all really enjoyed learning more about cancer and the science behind treatments as well as finding out about how cancer was treated over a hundred years ago. Listening to the stories of those who were battling cancer as well as listening to people who had lost family members to cancer was a touching addition to the exhibition - which also brought us all back to reality after reading and looking at the science behind cancer. At the end of the exhibition, the walls were covered in sticky notes with messages of those who had been affected by cancer or those who were wishing others well in their battles, we all wrote a message. During our weekly Medical Society meetings, we are often encouraged to research different topics related to medicine such as medical advances and NHS issues and resolutions. For example, I recently led a presentation on systemic racism in the NHS wherein I discussed the racial bias oximeters have and the systemic racism in maternity care in the NHS. Throughout the year, we were able to tune into online lectures led by professors/doctors at UCL and other esteemed institutions. I found the lecture on “Tuberculosis, technology and global health” to be very interesting and I learnt a lot about the BCG vaccine and the spread of TB. As well as this, we had previous Ardingly students (OAs) who are studying medicine now talk to us about their experiences at university and how they approached the application process. One previous Ardinian, who is currently studying medicine at Cardiff, discussed her attitude to completing the UCAT and warned us of the importance of spending time going over situational judgement questions. It is because of this, that we have been able to gain valuable insight into applying for medicine. And of course, none of this would have been made possible without Mrs Segalini-Bower we are all so grateful for everything she does for us! ALICE STEVENSON LVI judges was finally declared to be the team ‘GrowIn’ with the idea of a flat pack plant growing kit with its own light and heat system. The members of the winning team mentored by Pamela Bowyer-Nye were: Louise Kroepelien Caroline Boedker Rasmussen Cassian Robinson Fraser Page Kenny Yuan Justus Boettner Ed Casement Oliver Hughes We also saw great ideas from other teams such as an app that shows visual representations of water and energy consumption, a clothing barcode reader that shows the sustainability of the product, a blue tooth device that monitors shower times, a subscription package to grow your own food from home, a product to lengthen the life of shoes, an energy reducing intelligent electric plug and a water saving electric toothbrush. Overall, this business competition is a useful experience that all competing Lower Sixth students can refer to in their personal statements for university applications next year and it allows them to also reflect on their team working skills for job interviews. We are very grateful to all the external mentors and judges who gave so generously of their time. R ARNOLD
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Provence Trip The first day of the French and Classics trip to Provence was not quite what we had expected: after all the excitement of arriving at the airport, saying goodbye to our parents and finding our seats on the aeroplane, we soon discovered that, due to strikes in France, we would have to wait nearly two hours before we actually took off. However, with headphones at the ready, as well as devices and books and magazines keeping us entertained, our spirits remained high. They went higher when we reached our first destination: after a short ride by coach from Marseille airport, we arrived in the beautiful town of Aixen-Provence. Walking around the broad avenues and picturesque backstreets of the old quarter, we immediately noticed the many dolphin symbols as well as plentiful fountains, and we appreciated how we were definitely in a spa town. We were all struck by the warm March weather, the sunshine breaking through the clouds, and – for our picnic lunch and our first taste of glorious French cuisine – pizza! The main attraction, however, was Paul Cezanne’s studio. A ten-minute walk from the centre, up a hill and along a main road, did not quite prepare us for what lay behind an unassuming wall. We entered a tranquil garden full of hidden pathways and, sitting in the middle of it all, the old house and studio of the famous artist during his last years of life. The studio had been left unchanged since Cezanne’s day, and so we were able to admire not only the great windows letting in so much light and the view of Provence before us, but also the many jugs and bowls and bottles which were lined up on tables and shelves, and which featured in so many of Cezanne’s well-known still life paintings. The guide told us about how Cezanne played so cleverly with perspective: he did not seek to paint the world he saw in a realistic way, reflecting traditional ideas of perspective, but in a much more revolutionary, subjective way. That style broke the rules so much that local Aix people wanted the artist to leave their town, and yet, without Cezanne, we learnt, there would have been no Picasso. It was also fascinating to hear about how devoted to his art the painter was to the very end – he died from pneumonia which he contracted when, caught in a storm while out painting in a field, he tried to return home but collapsed and lost consciousness outdoors. Finally, as the museum, closed we were reunited with our coach driver and made our way to Arles, to our hotel and, after supper, our first night’s sleep in France. Day 2 of the trip was amazing - and very much a Roman day. We spent the whole of it in Arles, walking everywhere we went, and the sights we saw were awesome. Our tour guide for the day, Francois, made everything really interesting and engaged all of us. We first went to the extraordinary Arles Amphitheatre. This was huge and amazingly well-preserved, and we were excited to see something so similar to the Roman Colosseum but outside of Rome in this quiet stunningly pretty town. In mediaeval times, we learnt, the amphitheatre was a small city in its own right, and, as we wandered around, we could see the marks in the stone where tiny houses had once been constructed, one against the other. For lunch we went to a café made famous by Van Gogh in his 1888 painting ‘Café Terrace at Night’. For our three-course meal, we enjoyed a delicious salad, followed by a Provencale beef stew called daube, then pudding. The sun shone, and we sat on tables in the square and chatted to our friends – definitely an experience to remember! One of the things we talked about was St.Trophime, a massive Catholic church with amazing architecture, which we had wandered around just before lunch. Here we discovered beautiful art, artefacts and architecture. It was really interesting to see the differences between a Church of England building and a Catholic church. Inside were perfectly preserved relics of religious people bodies which was fascinating, and the stained glass artwork was impressive too. Next up was the Arles Roman Theatre. This was a smaller, half-circle theatre with a stage in the middle. It was great fun trying to find where the best acoustics were; a few brave souls did some super singing from the stage and, of course, some Latin was recited; the acoustics were indeed incredible. Our Roman tour then moved to the Baths of Constantine. The original floor here had been stripped away so we found ourselves walking through the old heating system, revealing how the Romans were the original pioneers of under-floor heating. Being able to see the original designs for things we take for granted now was hugely educational. The day ended with a walk along the banks of the Rhone to the extraordinary Museum of Ancient Arles and Provence. Here, guided as ever by Francois, we discovered statues, mosaics, models and just so many other intriguing things. One of the most striking objects in the museum was a massive Roman boat found at the bottom of the Rhone in 2004, whose wood had preserved in the river-bed. This ancient Roman boat had been restored by the museum and was one of the largest artifacts on display. Another eye-catching work, however, was a bust: the head of Julius Caesar which, again, was only found recently. It is the most realistic portrait of the leader in existence anywhere, with worry lines scored into his forehead and his middle-aged skin shown to be sagging a little around his cheek and neck. This is the closest anyone today can possibly get to meeting the real Julius Caesar. We returned to the hotel feeling we really had just come face to face with the man who had changed the course of Rome as well as all history. Day 3 took us to the amazing Roman ruins of Nimes and it was brilliant. First stop was the Arènes de Nîmes, the spectacular Roman amphitheatre at
22 | 23 the centre of the town. We had a great tour guide who taught us all about Roman life in Nimes, as well as about the gladiators and how their fights entertained the local citizens. She illustrated her talk, using us all as her props: there was an awkward Roman ‘marriage’, a part on using Roman loos (public latrinae) and a few of us were lucky enough to dress up as gladiators. During that morning at the amphitheatre, there were also rehearsals going for a forthcoming show about Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix, the famous Gallic leader whose defeat signalled Roman control of all Gaul. It was incredible to watch the actors perform in the ancient arena. On our way out, we exited through the gift shop, which sold some spectacular (and very safe!) Roman replica daggers. Five of us bought one each, and we later had fun putting on a mock-sword fight outside our next destination in Nimes: the Maison Carrée. This is a temple building, the best preserved in the former Roman empire, which was dedicated to the grandsons and adopted heirs of Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor. It was fascinating to learn how the Romans deified their past rulers and family members, but also how superstitious they were too: they always ensured that the number of steps up to a temple were always odd so that visitors can start the climb up on their right foot but also reach the top with their right foot first too, thus avoiding the left foot – and bad luck! Perhaps the best of the day was saved for last: after a picnic lunch in the stunning public gardens of the town (complete with crepes from a nearby kiosk!), we boarded the coach once more and visited the Pont-duGard, a huge aqueduct bridge over the river Gardon that has been incredibly well preserved for thousands of years. The sun shone as we were treated to a guided walk along the old watercourse at the very top of the aqueduct - the view from up here was stunning, as was the day as a whole. The fourth day was, by contrast, very much more French in flavour: a whole day spent in the medieval city of Avignon, famous for its broken bridge. In the morning we enjoyed wandering through the complex of the Palais des Papes, whose incredible rooms, studies, treasuries, dining halls and formal reception rooms were brought to life by the use of our tablets: we tourists only had to point the tablet in the right direction and, lo and behold, the bare stone walls were brought to life in all their colour as they would have looked in the Middle Ages. Lunch followed in true Gallic style – in the town centre we sat on the terrace of a bistrot in more wonderful sunshine and enjoyed steak frites and a delicious slice of cake for dessert. Our teachers gave us free time afterwards where we were encouraged to explore the centre of the town and visit the shops. After the retail therapy, it was back to high art and the Musee Calvet,
where we enjoyed paintings and statues from famous French artists across the centuries – a kind of National Gallery in miniature. No visit to this incredibly beautiful city would have been complete, however, without a visit to its famous bridge. Here, with much gusto and defying the evening wind, we gathered in a circle and gave a raucous rendition of the song named after the bridge. It was fun to discover how the song and the dance it is about were traditionally performed at weddings! The last day of our trip was awesome but also rather sad as we all knew that this magical experience, and the fun, was nearing its end. We understood that we had to make the most of it. We woke up at 7:30 as usual and then, after packing our bags and having the now familiar baguette and croissant breakfast one last time at the hotel, we all got into the bus to go to Glanum near St Remy en Provence. This is the most extraordinary archaeological site, a ruined ancient town once inhabited by Gauls, Greeks and, of course, Romans. Each of them had inhabited it and expanded it with their own artefacts and architectures to their liking. It was fascinating to see not just the remains of houses, temples and streets but also their water systems and infrastructure. Thanks to our guide, speaking in French with translations from our teachers, we re-imagined how the Romans lived all those thousands of years ago. After a delightful picnic outside in a garden beside the Glanum site, we boarded the bus to our final activity in France: a visit to the great nature reserve and national park, the Camargue. Here we were free to walk along the coastline of these extraordinary salt wetlands with not a cloud in the sky but with a big spring in our step. A few people got wet, but it was really special being able to spend our last moments of the French and Classics trip altogether in the great outdoors with wonderful wildlife everywhere we looked: we saw wild otters, bulls, horses and flamingos! In all our enjoyment the walk overran a bit, and so the journey back to the airport was a bit of a rush; we ate our take-away supper hurriedly, sitting on our suitcases in the airport hall minutes before check-in – a slightly chaotic but appropriately exuberant end to a jam-packed and special trip. Once we boarded the plane, and chattered and joked away with our friends on the flight home, we at last said goodbye to France. If we could, I know we would definitely do the same trip all over again. TOBY APPLETON SHELL & JAMES FIELD SHELL & ELSA VAN LENNEP REMOVE
24 | 25 GEOGRAPHY Iceland Trip The Geography Iceland trip was a once in a lifetime experience. Based mainly in the south of the Island we visited several beautiful waterfalls, lots of amazing tectonic landforms and geothermal features like bubbling mud pools and exploding geysers. A highlight of the trip for many was the glacier walk. We were kitted out with crampons and pickaxes and walked through ice-blue crevasses in the glacier and witnessed some spectacular sunset views overlooking the glacial valley. Another popular activity was the blue lagoon (a geothermal spa) where we relaxed in warm waters with the option to put on face masks and collect a free drink. Whilst these were all amazing experiences the highlight of the trip for me was the northern lights – I hadn’t expected to see them given the unlikely chances on a 5-day trip. They really were spectacular and an experience I’ll never forget! R REES
SERVICE TRIP Nepal Trip In July 2023, 20 Lower Sixth students from Ardingly College were lucky enough to travel to Nepal. The two-week visit was one that every participant would undoubtedly agree was an unforgettable and, frankly, awesome experience. After a long journey we finally arrived at Kathmandu Airport and our spirits were lifted by the sight of Gautam, our unfailingly positive and energetic guide, waving and smiling at us. Duly garlanded with bright orange marigold necklaces, we headed to our comfortable hotel in the bustling Thamel market district of Nepal’s capital city, passing monkeys, lakes and thousands of mopeds, cars, minivans, and buses jostling for supremacy on Kathmandu’s crowded streets. The first site we visited in Kathmandu was the Boudhanath stoupa, the Buddhist equivalent to Mecca in terms of its religious significance, which is believed to contain a relic of the Buddha himself. Gautham explained the iconography of this impressive domed structure: the yellow and white colours signifying peace and purity respectively. We were then treated to a
26 | 27 blessing in a temple that is part of the complex, which involved monks chanting mantra’s and occasionally blasting horns and clashing cymbals amid the dizzying scent of incense. In the afternoon, we followed Gautam through traffic-clogged narrow streets to the magnificent Durbar Square, the site of the royal palace where the ceremony to install the living goddess (or Kumari) takes place. While Nepal has been a republic since 2008, the ancient structures still resonate a majesty that has endured the ravages of the 2015 earthquake. The next morning involved a visit to The Gurkha Welfare Trust, where we were given an informative presentation on the Trust’s work to support former soldiers and their families, from medical care to rebuilding houses in remote parts of the country. After a hearty lunch of dahl bat, a Nepalese speciality involving a range of spiced dishes, we headed into the hills surrounding the city to the Kopan Monastery to learn more about Buddhist philosophy and to appreciate the stunning views over Kathmandu Valley, home to over 7 million people. The next stage in our adventure saw us travelling to the Shree Goganpani Basic School in the mountains, 100km to the west of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, where we were greeted by gleeful children who presented us with garlands of flowers. Seeing the children lined up and waiting for us was a moment that we will treasure forever. After lunch, we were split into four groups and given our first tasks of the service section of the trip. The first afternoon was spent sanding the windows in order to prime them for the enamel we would paint onto them later, sweeping the floors of the classrooms, and getting to know the children. The latter included having our hair expertly braided, singing loudly, and being taught clapping games. Although we were in a new environment that was completely unfamiliar, the joy and excitement of the children put us at ease and increased our anticipation for the following days. Following a breakfast of Tibetan bread, pancakes and eggs the next morning, we split into our groups and were assigned our tasks for the day. For the first day, these tasks included further sanding the windows, coating them with enamel, painting the walls, and finally, digging the hole for the water tank. The aim of the water tank was to provide the students at the school with clean water, so they could maintain a level of hygiene that would reduce rates of illness and allow them to spend more time learning at school. Repainting the school was also a way of encouraging children to attend more often, by instilling pride and sparking excitement when it comes to learning. Each group worked on a task for an hour before moving on to another, meaning we could all devote equal time to each activity. Some of the group didn’t want to stop digging the hole, while others were desperate to spend as much time as possible with the children. This rota went on for the rest of our time at the school, during which it was magical to watch the building transform and the hole deepen. On the last couple of days, a group of the more artistically
inclined Ardingly Students was tasked with painting the alphabet and accompanying figures – Y for Yak being a particularly appropriate accompaniment - onto the exterior wall of the school building. It was heartwarming to see the children reciting the alphabet with big smiles once the paint had dried. Aside from our hard work painting and digging, all of our free time was spent with the Nepali children. On the evening of the first day, after throwing around an apple-like fruit (nashpati) with three Nepali boys, our iconic game of catch was born. We played this every day, and each game saw more and more Nepali boys and girls joining in. Alongside this, we took part in large hair-salon sessions, went on a hike to view the distant Himalayas with the children, had an enormous game of football, lifted the smaller children onto our shoulders, taught each other songs and dances, and in doing so created unforgettable memories. The leave-taking was a hard one, especially having made such close bonds with all the children. We were presented with more garlands and bouquets by the children, as well as tikkas (spots of red dye connoting good luck for our journey) on our foreheads, before the whole school community bid us farewell with passionate waving and cries of ‘I’ll miss you’, which we returned with equal fervour. This section of our trip was undoubtedly a highlight for a majority of the group. After hiking down the steep-sided valley from Shree Goganpani school, which afforded beautiful views over rice paddies and woods, we traversed one of the many suspension footbridges and boarded our bus en route to Chitwan National Park in the south of the country. Stepping off the bus, the first thing to strike us was the intense humidity, with the already-hot temperature of 35°C feeling more like a steaming 45°C. Still, this is the jungle, so what were we expecting? (Mercifully, the rooms of the Rainbow Safari Lodge had air conditioning!) In the evening, a National Park ranger delivered a presentation on the wildlife within Chitwan, which whet our appetite for the canoe safari and jungle walks we would experience the following day. The former involved sitting in a narrow dug-out canoe and being punted downstream past incredible fauna and flora, including the deadly marsh mugger crocodile, the critically endangered pescatarian gharial and a host of exotic birdlife. Then, having been briefed on what to do in the event that we encounter one of the five potentially deadly animals that live in the Park (nobody was convinced by the guide’s casual suggestion to climb a nearby tree should a rhino decide to charge towards us!), we headed into the Sal forest on foot and were soon treated to our first sighting of wildlife: a magnificent onehorned Asian rhinoceros, a mere 30 feet away. Thankfully, no tree climbing was required, and we continued on our way, passing jungle owlets, rhesus macaque monkeys, termite mounds and red cotton bugs crawling across the trunks of trees. Despite the intense heat and humidity, I think everyone would agree this was another unforgettable experience. In the afternoon, we visited Stand-up for Elephants, a non-profit organisation working to rehabilitate two elephants, Eva and Lhamo, who had
been used in the tourist industry. Co-founder Michael provided an illuminating insight into the context of elephant exploitation in Nepal and clearly inspired many of the group judging by the quality of their questions. Our time in Chitwan was concluded with a visit to the Tharu Cultural Centre, an open-air museum that provided an insight into the culture of this ancient nomadic people, culminating in a memorable dancealong to the Nepali trekking song, ‘Resham Firiri’, involving some memorable shapes being thrown and a raucous bus ride back to the hotel led, of course, by the ebullient Gautham! Having retuned to Kathmandu for the final few days, we visited ICIMOD (the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development), an intergovernmental organisation that aims to support and protect the people and environment across eight Himalayan nations from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east. The fascinating insights provided by two experts prompted numerous questions from students, from those relating to sustainable tourism to the ethics of liaising with pariah states. On our final night in Nepal, after a round of thank yous and a humorous prize giving (including the student with the biggest Yak obsession and the most proficient with a pickaxe), we were treated to a surprise meal at a nearby Italian restaurant. This rounded off an incredible two weeks with memories made that will last a lifetime. AGATHA VAN LENNEP LVI & T SMITH
REVIEW Titus Andronicus Performed in the Globe’s Sam Wanamaker playhouse, Shakespeare’s goriest revenge tragedy was reconceptualized and reawakened by director Jude Christian. Interestingly, an all-female cast was chosen to portray the destructive power of a testosterone packed, patriarchal, Roman Empire. The play follows the story of Roman General, Titus Andronicus, who returns successful from a gruelling battle against the Goths and brings with him the captured Queen Tamora and her three sons. He turns down Tamora’s desperate pleas for mercy and sentences her eldest son to a humiliating death. Titus’s horrific act of brutality marks the beginning of a domino-like chain of bloody revenge, where an eye for an eye simply won’t suffice. The play’s excessive bloodshed is easily its most infamous and seemingly enticing element. An air of anticipation was prevalent among the audience, who shared a sense of dreading apprehension regarding the depiction of death. Intriguingly, each character carried with them a candle used as a representation of life, but more importantly, the taking of it. Co-designer Rosie Elnile commented on the use of candles as she noted: ‘The flame feels like the consciousness, the wax the flesh and the fat and the wick the bones.’ Additionally, co-designer Grace Venning stated that ‘the materials are allowed to have emotional resonances as objects.’ In light of these statements, the emotional weight of the candles was established from the first death up until the last, as the gruesomeness of each murder was expanded on. The futility of human life was drawn on as it was condensed into an inanimate object and was therefore depicted as disposable and meaningless before it had even been snuffed out. Watching candles being ripped, catapulted, hacked at, and even blended – coupled with the excruciating sobs of actors violently shaking in pain was the very height of sadism and theatricality. The horrifying brutality and destruction was infused with elements of humour, and while this comic element is not what one might expect when watching Shakespeare’s most violent play, the fascinating synthesis of tragedy and comedy, whilst providing some much-needed comic relief, also spoke to the absurdity and sheer inhumanity of the actions portrayed on stage. Laughter in the face of tragedy is not a new idea, but the seamless transition between humour and horror in the play was simply incredible. Perhaps the most shocking and disturbingly captivating part of the play was the very ending, where the audience witnessed an anarchic implosion of sorts; an evocation of the Hobbesian State of Nature, in which the cycle of revenge and violence culminated in a final frenzy of savagery which saw the deaths of all but Aaron and his baby. The use of candles to signify life became especially prominent at the end of the play, as candle after candle was snuffed out and darkness very literally began to seep into the theatre. The one remaining flame was that of Aaron’s baby, momentarily representing the hope of the next generation and a chance to start again, free from the cycle of violence. However, this flame too is extinguished, and the futility of life and of death became all too apparent. For a revenge tragedy, remarkably, one is left wondering whether this revenge was even successfully obtained. No one came out on top in the end, and it is only in the cessation of the pursuit of revenge that the suffering ended. Ultimately, the very idea of revenge was obliterated, and it became chillingly clear to the audience that the suffering was all for nothing. This could be read as a commentary on death; however, I think a more hopeful way to look at this is as a commentary on life; rather, how not to live it. HANNAH RHODES LVI & SOPHIE SKINNER LVI
30 | 31 PSYCHOLOGY Showman Trip 1 On 21st January, the Psychology Department (Ms Rice and Ms Ward) took a group of 17 students to The Apollo Theatre to watch ‘Showman’ by Derren Brown. It was a performance with a mixture of great magic, deception, emotion and comedy. Our journey involved travelling to London via buses, trains, the underground tubes, and a not inconsiderable amount of walking! Once we got to the theatre, we had around 30 minutes to go and grab a bite to eat for lunch. We all met up and sat down to watch the 2:30 show and from the first to the last minute, we were all captivated. Derren Brown went through different tricks which were all spellbinding in their own ways. Brown made people forget their names, predicted a teddy bear’s name and sent a fish to heaven! He constantly referred to his father throughout the show, which was dedicated to his memory as, unfortunately, he had died in lockdown. One trick involved a fairground theme, as Brown said he had often gone to funfairs with his father and then proceeded to tell us about the life lessons he had learned from his father. One of the main things that really made the show so wonderful was Brown’s showmanship and how confident he was telling his stories. This made the entire show flow with an ease and triggered lots of emotions throughout. Overall, this trip was a wonderful experience which taught me that I am not as aware of my surroundings as I thought I was. As Brown said: ‘Don’t sleepwalk through life’: advice I will definitely use in the future. LOTTY WHARTON LVI PSYCHOLOGY Showman Trip 2 Mid-January 2023, the Psychology department ventured out into London to attend Derren Brown’s ‘Showman’ magic show. Although we went with the intention of using our psychological knowledge to outwit the ‘magic’ tricks, we ultimately only pieced together a few. As Brown requested anything written about the show to be vague as to keep its unique experience somewhat of a mystery, I’ll try not to be overly detailed in my descriptions. The show began with a request for audience participation, which would continue throughout both acts. Brown's preferred method of choosing audience members was throwing frisbees out into the crowd, keeping participants quite random. One of the tricks with the most participation involved Brown essentially making people forget basic information (including previous knowledge and events happening in the show). Unfortunately, no one on the trip was selected to participate, however the entire audience was able to participate in the most ambitious trick of the show. This trick was a play on those we had already witnessed in the show, but still fooled everyone on the trip along with around 75% of the audience. It occured around the middle of the show, however, wasn't fully revealed until the end, causing a lot of confusion and awe in the audience. Even up to a week after attending the show, none of us (including both Psychology teachers) could fully piece together or wrap our heads around how the trick was pulled off. We all knew there must be a rational psychological explanation, however we weren’t able to put it together. While the show initially seemed like a fun magic show, as the show went on, a deeper message was revealed, with us learning that Brown had planted the seeds of it all the way back in his opening monologue, although no one had realised this at the time. In the end, however, it had a very touching and personal message and narrative. All in all, Derren Brown was an incredibly entertaining ‘showman’ and kept the audience (other than Renee, who inexplicably fell asleep) thoroughly engaged throughout the show, cracking witty jokes and involving significant audience participation. FIONA WHITELEY UVI
BIOLOGY Marine Biology Day - Ovingdean Beach A group of A Level and IB Lower Sixth Biology students enjoyed a sunny afternoon studying the intertidal species at Ovingdean beach. The fieldwork was led by George Short, a Marine Biologist and Kelp Recovery Coordinator from Sussex Wildlife Trust. George has extensive experience of Marine conservation in a range of different countries and habitats and she completed her Master on the coral reef of Saudi Arabia after her degree in Aberystwyth. She had many exciting stories to tell, but the one that really shocked us was when she and her team found 500 dolphins dead on a beach in the South Pacific. The dolphins had died as a consequence of the drilling noise produced by an oil company. The noise interfered with their echolocation, but the post mortem of the skulls revealed that the ear bones had actually become detached. George and her team spent weeks gathering evidence to prevent this sort of environmental damage from happening again. Students were introduced to the challenges faced by intertidal species and their extreme adaptations. They were given identification keys in order to collect data on alien and invasive species which have been colonising South England coastlines as a consequence of global warming. The Channel was experiencing a record marine heat wave and although we all enjoyed the warm, sunny hours spent studying the exciting biodiversity, several specimen not listed in the endemic marine species of the British Isles were found, to include the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). The longer we sampled the intertidal zone, the more aware we became that climate change is really affecting the coastal ecosystem. George introduced us to the Wildlife Trust Shoresearch, a national citizen science survey of the intertidal shore, the exciting world of extremes where the sea meets the land. It's a great way to explore the local coast, learn more about the wildlife found there and add to our understanding of this important habitat. Volunteers are trained to identify and record the wildlife on shores across the UK. The data collected by this project helps experts to monitor our fragile sea life and better understand the effects of pollution, climate change and invasive alien species. Shoresearch data has been key to designating many Marine Conservation Zones. The day ended with a sunny sunset walk to Brighton Marina for a meal at Nando’s, with the white chalky cliffs as a backdrop. A memorable day of learning in the wild, with the expertise of an enthusiastic, young Marine Biologist, who is clearly committed to making a positive difference to conservation and biodiversity What an inspirational trip. Thank you to Mrs Segalini-Bower for organising and leading the trip and to Miss Brown for accompanying us and driving us safely in the minibus. E SEGALINI-BOWER
32 | 33 SERVICE TRIP Kenya Trip In the early hours of Friday 30th June 19 students and four members of staff set off for their long-awaited trip to Kenya. They had been planning since September, meeting regularly to discuss their fundraising ideas, practise their group song and plan the lessons they would teach to eagerly awaiting primary school children. Ardingly’s links with Kenya go back a long way. The Langalanga Trust, founded by the late old Ardinian Colonel Henry Vialou Clark (MBE) and currently chaired by old Ardinian Geoff Nield (OBE), has maintained its good work in Kenya’s Rift Valley building schools and funding scholarships for students living in economically challenging conditions. It was with these charitable intentions in mind that our Ardingly Sixth Formers spent two weeks working in two primary schools, Ndogo and Mwega, and visiting one Secondary School, the Woodard Langlanaga Secondary School. Teaching for the first time, and in particular to students who were largely used to communicating in Swahili, was a baptism of fire for many of our students, but nevertheless a life-changing experience. There were many lessons on offer: Ali Hayter, Freddie Pace and Justus Boettner amused students with their Alka Seltzer rockets; Lizzie Hastings, Tilda Segalini-Bower and Sophie Allsop taught students some of our favourite chapel songs; Seb Ring and Ollie Hughes played mathematical skittles, and Alfie Bowers spend a full morning impersonating a lion and being bundled by nursery children, left, right and centre. Ardingly students also worked alongside Kenyan teachers and the Trust’s employees improving the sites of both primary schools. At Ndogo, Cassian Robinson was hailed for single-handedly knocking down a traditional ‘longdrop’ to make way for a much-needed abortorium to be enjoyed by future
generations. At Mwega, the students prepared the ground for an essential water tank for the nursery, whilst Issy Cairns-Nabi and Nina Langford designed and painted a tree mural on the outdoor toilets. At break and lunchtime Ardingly students assisted in dishing up uji (a traditional millet porridge) to the children, a ‘Lunchbox Scheme’ that is funded annually by Ardingly College through the Langalanga Trust. The group also took some time to visit Saidia Children’s Home and The Restart Centre in the local town of Gilgil, donating clothes, shoes, books and toys. These charities provide safe and happy homes to children who have been abandoned, trafficked and abused. Ardingly students didn’t hold back in playing with the children which were joyful experiences for all involved. The Restart Centre also dished up a traditional African meal of cooked chicken and uglai (a paste made from cornmeal) for lunch. Our trip ended with a longanticipated visit to the Masai Mara in which students marvelled at seeing lions, cheetahs, hyenas, warthogs, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, ostriches, giraffes and zebras. Much fun was had by exploring our ‘inner safari animal’ with some members of the group being awarded with more flattering animals than others (Mr Seddon-Dyer was an ostrich). A visit to the Masai village on the journey home saw the Ardingly boys competing in the infamous Masai jumping contest to attract a future wife: Will Gibb won. What did we learn? This trip taught us to recognise the challenges that others have to endure, compared to our own lives, and to acknowledge the resilience, moral strength and humility acquired from that. We have learnt to find joy in community, family and love. And finally we have learnt to respect the environment we live in and not to take too much food. L TAYLOR
34 | 35 SOLAR CAR Zolder Trip As many of us know, one of the various EP options provided to the school each week is the Solar Car EP. Mr Spiers – the head of physics at Ardingly – has a great influence on the Solar Car and shared some information on the project and its latest race. Mr Spiers began with the fact that Ardingly started building solar-powered cars in 2011. This was after one of the school’s past students Benjamin Stabler introduced him to the solar team at Stanford University The team then raised money to start building their first car, named “The Roadster”, which was entered into the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (a 3000km course in Australia, from Darwin to Adelaide) in 2015, where it came 6th in the cruiser class. Another car built, called “The Basking Beastie”, was entered into the European Solar Challenge in Zolder in 2018, and the BWSC in 2019. In the latter, they completed 1500km under solar power, and this was then followed up with a UK tour in 2021. Ardingly College has the only road registered solar car in the UK. This year, they returned to Zolder with a team of 50 to take part in a 24-hour race, consisting of students from both Ifield and Ardingly College. They had to prepare for the race by making sure the car was ready, done by balancing the charge in the battery units and giving the car a complete overhaul. The team had to pack, not only the car and spares, but also camping equipment for the 50-member team. The team also had to be familiar with the layout of the track and be able to instigate safety measures in case of fires or collisions. The team’s readiness was tested in the pre-race scrutineering process. Unfortunately, in this race one of the hub motors blew up, curtailing their racing. However, they were the only UK team to have competed and were very proud of all the team’s efforts. The purpose of the trip was to highlight the importance of implicating a sustainable transport solution, Mr Spiers saying that ‘this is so key for our future development’. The team was able to meet likeminded university students and exchange ideas. Mr Spiers places emphasis on remembering that Ardingly College is the only school that competes in the event, and the importance of the event was also recognised by King Philippe of Belgium, attending the event on the Sunday. The team also just won a silver medal in a UN sponsored competition by meeting several Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting their goal in educating and changing the world by equipping pupils with skills from marketing, mechanical and electrical design. This impressive project is truly a unique opportunity for any Ardingly students lucky enough to be part of it. You can find more information about this project on their website: ardinglysolar.com. AGATHA VAN LENNEP LVI
COMPETITION Shell Shakespeare Festival Trip On a hot and sultry Friday in late June, Shell pupils gathered in The Under to participate in the inaugural Shell Shakespeare Festival. The brainchild of Mrs Porter, this involved the performance of scenes from six of Shakespeare’s plays, which had been adapted for a modern audience from pupils’ study of the texts during the term. Inspired by an inspirational visit by The Globe Players earlier in the term, in which pupils gained insights into how to handle Shakespeare’s language and how to stage scenes successfully, pupils arrived in The Under with an array of props, costumes and sound effects. The variety of productions presented reflected the creativity of the pupils and their teachers, who had moulded some of the most successful adaptations into some really intelligent and entertaining performances: a Julius Caesar who bore an uncanny resemblance to a former PM; a Much Ado that combined melodrama and tragedy; a Comedy of Errors which played up the feminist undertones of that early comedy; a Merchant of Venice memorable for the poignancy of Shylock’s persecution; two highly entertaining versions of The Tempest involving some creative stagecraft; and an uplifting and crowd-pleasing Twelfth Night to finish things off. Josh Burrows and Edie Maxmin took the laurels as best performers and the accolade of best adaptation went to Twelfth Night. However, Shakespeare was definitely the overall winner and, judging by the engagement of all of the Shell cohort, the future of Shakespearian studies at Ardingly looks to be in safe hands. Huge thanks and congratulations must go to all of the Shell English teachers for their time, creativity and commitment to the project and particular thanks to Mrs Porter for all her work in organising a fun festival of Shakespeare for the Shell. T SMITH Joanie Lu Fifth
36 | 37 EP Rewilding Ardingly We are lucky at Ardingly College to have such extensive grounds and for them to be cared for by such a dedicated team of grounds staff. The sports fields are magnificent and the gardens beautiful year-round. But there are also areas left to nature; open ground, hedgerows and woodland that lie undisturbed through the year. Here an impressive array of wildlife species has been able to thrive. Thanks to the generosity of Old Ardinians in funding the purchase of equipment, including Longworth Traps (capture-release traps for small mammals), camera traps and bat detectors, we have been able to demonstrate the presence of an impressive selection of British wildlife in school. Ongoing surveys of birds, wildflowers, butterflies and mammals have been carried out by the NatureWatch group, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award volunteers and Biology classes. Supervised small mammal surveys along the hedgerows using Longworth traps have been carried out by students ranging from Year 2 to Year 13. Camera traps placed in locations around the school site have given us video and still photos of lots of wildlife. Amongst the mammals, this has included muntjac, fallow and roe deer, three species of bat, badger, fox, stoat, various mice, voles and shrews and (possibly) a polecat. Red kite, kestrel and buzzard have been spotted over the fields looking for those small mammals. The students have gained experience of survey techniques, identifying species and field signs but I hope also an appreciation and respect for wildlife. Left alone, nature will flourish, and this is the thinking behind “rewilding”, a process pioneered on the Knepp Estate just a few miles away from the school. Over time land will recover from its agricultural past, regenerate and provide a biodiverse habitat for our native species. The field adjacent to the new Kiln Wood Car Park has been earmarked for rewilding and as an extension to the existing Kiln Woods. The bank has been left to naturally repopulate with wildflowers and is currently blooming with ox-eye daisy, field poppy, buttercup, cow parsley and lots of scarlet pimpernel amongst the grasses. Butterflies and other insects are moving in, and the diversity of species should increase over the next few years. Beyond the wildflower bank is a
four acre field we are planting with native species of trees. So far, 840 saplings generously given to us by The Woodland Trust have been planted by students. The first batch were planted by the Upper Sixth in October and second by volunteers from all year groups during the Sustainability Week in March. We now need rain to sustain the trees through their first year and allow their roots and resilience to develop. The planting will continue over the next three or four years. Footpaths cut through the area should make it a pleasant and relaxing place to walk but leave a significant undisturbed area for wildlife. In the 1940s a lot of trees in Kiln Wood were planted by students with a teacher by the name of Dusty Miller. These trees are now magnificent specimens and we are enjoying the benefits of this planting. We hope that future generations of students and wildlife enjoy new site once it has grown. But whilst you never plant trees for yourself, I hope that the students that have planted our trees will come back in a few years time to check on their progress. J WALSH
BIOLOGY Biology Week 2022 Biomedical Scientist of the year lecture Marine Biology day Cancer Revolution Exhibition-biocakes, dissection, debating,wildlife photography Conservation trip to Wakehurst Planting4hope, Uganda Ardingly Biology Department celebrated National Biology Week with a very full programme of events to include dissection, wildlife photography competition, talks, lectures, biology cakes, debates and trips. Shell students, with the support of HoMMs, produced and sold a range of fantastic range of biology cakes, raising over £400 for in aid of local charity Harvey's Gang which works with children suffering from Leukaemia and Blood Cancer. Our Medical Society attended a presentation by Malcom Robinson (Biomedical Scientist of the year) on the importance of maintaining contact between patients and laboratory scientist and on his amazing work with the Harvey’s gang foundation. This was such a moving and inspirational talk. Our prospective medics also had a very inspirational day at the London Science Museum Cancer Revolution exhibition and the Wellcome Trust Medicine Galleries. Ardingly Debating Society contributed to the celebrations with a very lively and well researched debate on NHS and self inflicted conditions. A Lecture on Kelp conservation in the local area, by Ella Garrud (Living Seas Officer for the Sussex Wildlife Trust), highlighted the importance of marine Biology, key legislation and the cooperation of science with local fishing communities to preserve coastal populations and promote sustainability. The U6th A Level and IB students attended an amazing day at Wakehurst and were lucky enough to access the Millenium Seed Bank and talk to scientists on their incredible work in preserving plant species from across the globe. U6th A Level Biologist Lucy Smith also presented her research on the Uninhabitable Earth to each of the Houses to raise awareness of current environmental pressures. A truly and uniquely inspirational talk in the Under was given by Apollo and Kate, founder and representative of a very special charity based in the Ugandan village of Kititi called Planting4Hope. Their work is entirely based on conservation, sustainability and education but especially on empowering women to work and manage a large group of HIV positive children in their community. We had amazing wildlife photography entries for the competition and the first, second and third prizes were awarded to: 1st Tree Branches Jack Field VTH 2nd Mushrooms Amber-Lily Webster SHELL 3rd Elephants Martina Bizzaro UPPER SIXTH Thank you to the whole Biology Team and to HoMMS, all students who contributed with such enthusiasm and a genuine interest for the intricacies of our wonderful world in all its forms. E SEGALINI-BOWER 38 | 39 Iris McClelland Fifth
LECTURE British Society for Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Day, Oxford University Museum of Natural History On Thursday March 16th, the Lower Sixth A level and IB classes took a trip up to Oxford University Museum of Natural History to attend a day of lectures set up by the British Society for Gene & Cell Therapy. After a slightly long and somewhat bumpy bus ride, where we occupied ourselves playing charades and flappy golf, we arrived at the museum (which is absolutely gorgeous). We headed up to the lecture hall and we began with a poll activity to see what we knew, followed by a brief summary of immunology, CRISPR and genome editing by Annie Etuk who works at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health. Our second speaker was Dr Takis Athanasopoulos, who is currently appointed as VP of Gene Therapy Research & Vector Technology, at Vigeneron GmBH, (Munich, Germany). He gave an insightful talk about the opportunities and challenges for Cell & Gene Therapies from an industry and commercial perspective. He covered topics related to biotechnology (which he taught at the University of Wolverhampton), like ex-vivo stem cell therapy, nanomachinery and therapeutic gene editing (AMTP). What made the talk so engaging was the fact that he was able to discuss the advancements in technology from the perspective of a scientist (he was a researcher) and also from a business standpoint. Next, we heard a personal story about the risks and rewards of gene cell therapy from Adam Jones, from the University of Sunderland. His story was incredibly touching, he has lived his whole life with Severe Haemophilia B, which is a disease that prevents blood from clotting due to the absence of clotting factors. Anytime he got cut or was injured, he had to be rushed to the emergency unit to make sure that the wound was attended to properly and not left exposed as his body could not create a protective layer over the wound and stop bleeding by clotting. This greatly hindered his quality of life as he couldn’t participate with his peers in normal activities like sport or play without significant risk, especially of contracting HIV. Later in his life, with advancements in cell editing technology, a medication known as ‘Recombinant FIX’ was made available to the market. This drug eliminated the need for clotting factors to be extracted from blood donors as the clotting factor were produced using microorganisms. It also removed the risk of blood-borne infections. He talked about the struggles for many patients to afford this medication, risk of taking the drug (such as impurities in the drug that could be pumped straight into the blood stream), the low life expectancy for people with the condition which resulted in the loss of two close friends. The recounts of his experiences really helped to make the concepts about cell modification/gene editing tangible by applying it to a real person, who had an arduous journey but managed to face it all and was helped by breakthroughs in the scientific world. After that compelling talk, we explored the area surrounding us in Oxford, and opted to go out to eat for lunch, which was an adventure and a half but well worth it. We made it back for the next lectures just in the nick of time (mostly). Our last talk was on the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine, ‘hope not hype’ delivered by Jo Mountford from the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service. She described the process of stem cell therapy and stem cells themselves, how growth factors are used to induce differentiation and the specific genes that could potentially induce pluripotent stem cells from adult stem cells. It was a fascinating way to end the day. An engaging and thought-provoking programme by the British Society for Stem and Cell therapy held in such a stunning Museum and location. Thank you very to Mrs Segalini-Bower for organising and running this inspiring trip (and Ms Labrum for coming with us), I definitely felt that my brain was firing away by the end of the day. ANNABELLE GREEN LVI
GEOGRAPHY Microclimate Field Trip One mid-March morning Year 8 went on a Geography field trip to study microclimates in and around Ardingly. We walked and visited sites around the reservoir, the local village, the school buildings, and grounds to give us the chance to build on the skills that we had learned in class and introduce us to higher level field work techniques. We used the hypothesis that there are different microclimates around Ardingly due to the varying local conditions. This includes woods, reservoir, hills and buildings, which each affect the weather, for example by shielding from the wind or being open to the wind and making its impact stronger. Also, the type of ground (such as concrete, tarmac, natural vegetation and water) reflects and absorbs heat differently. To prove our hypothesis, we collected various data: wind direction, speed, ground and air temperature and how exposed an area is, which we collated into tables and graphs. The method we used was chosen as it worked well for a group of school children and was easily accessible. By walking our school buildings and grounds, as well as visiting parts of the village and reservoir, we only had to cross one quiet road by the graveyard. The sites were chosen as they were thought to have different microclimates which we could study. When sites are selected like this, we call it stratified sampling. After just one morning collecting data in the local area, we came to the conclusion that our hypothesis was correct. Ardingly does have different microclimates. For example, as most people have experienced, the school’s archway funnels the wind causing it to be very windy. Equally the terrace is known for being a warm and sunny location. We were able to prove this local knowledge with the data we collected on air and ground temperature together with wind speed. Now, that we have the data about our local microclimate, we can consider ways to work with our environment. For example, could small wind turbines be placed in the archway to take advantage of this wind tunnel? Given the high air temperature on the terrace could solar panels be introduced on the roof of the main H block school building? The main issue faced by the area we studied is that every part has some form of human interaction with it: some positive, some negative. For example, during the recent lockdowns Ardingly Reservoir became a very popular place to spend sunny days. The result was a high increase in rubbish left in the area, which had the potential to harm natural wildlife on the land and in the water. In all the data we collected the most extreme microclimates were discovered at manmade locations, such as the archway and reservoir. This is an important finding, which those responsible for further local planning should be aware, with regards to the geographical and environmental impact. Our thanks to Mr Davies and Mr Howe for organising this trip and giving us the opportunity to learn that Ardingly has such different microclimates. TRISTAN VAN ASSCHE YR8
Isabelle Neethling Fifth
Nature Photo Safari We decided to join the nature photo safari EP because we are both interested in photography and like taking photos in our lives out of school. We agree that it has been a great overall experience as we have been exploring the outdoor features around the school such as the reservoir, the upper fields, the terrace and the headmaster’s field. We took different types of pictures in each setting, including close ups, landscapes and more. We have been taking photos of the nature we find much closer to the school than you would think and it's been a great opportunity to discover the things so near to where we go every day. AMBER-LILY WEBSTER SHELL & CHARLOTTE HORWOOD SHELL
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Archie Mills Fifth
46 | 47 MUSIC Music School Overview of the Year The beginning of the 2022-2023 school year saw some changes in the Ardingly College Music School. We fondly farewelled Mr Richard Stafford, our inspirational leader after six years of pioneering significant growth in the musical standards of the College. We welcomed Mr Stephen Smith into the Senior School and Mrs Hannah Carpenter as the leader of Prep Music. We also welcomed three new Visiting Music Teachers: Miss Emily Penn (oboe), Miss Alexandra Gibson (voice) and Mr Hamish Dustagheer (organ) to our wonderful team. With no Covid restrictions, an augmented Senior School (now including year 7 and 8), and renewed energy from staff and students, the music year began with – and maintained – a frantic pace of thrilling music making. Each term has been filled with its usual feast of performances, workshops and tours, and through a considerable amount of effort and dedication, the students, as always, have delivered an exceptional quality in all music events. One of the most fulfilling and rewarding additions to the music programme this year has been the introduction of our Partnerships and Outreach Programme: this year we have taken students to four primary schools, four care homes and held singing and instrumental workshops here at Ardingly as part of the “Come and Sing” day in Michaelmas Term and the “Inspiring Young Minds” during Word Ready Week at the end of the Trinity Term. Not only has this brought something to people that may not have as much access to live music but has provided a fulfilling and meaningful experience for our own students who have gained confidence as performers, communicators and teachers as a result. This programme will continue next year, hopefully with the development of regular choral singing for members of the community. Once again, the music department is indebted to its devoted students and staff. This department is one made up not of concerts, buildings, or music, but of its people. A close-knit team with genuine bonds of sharing a passion of making and sharing music. Michaelmas Events Piano teacher recital The first concert of the year set a high bar; the department lucky to be treated to a wonderful piano duet recital. Two of our visiting-pianoteachers, Kevin Atkin and Adrian West, gave a passionate and heartfelt performance of Rachmaninoff’s Suite
No. 2 Op. 17 and Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor Op. 30. How lovely to have a department with such talent and generosity amongst the staff; an inspiring evening for all. Harry the Piano The year’s Music@Ardingly season kicked off with the return of Harry the Piano on September 26 joining us immediately after his most recent cruise ship performances. With a growth in song writing, improvising and jazz, this was the perfect workshop for the beginning of the year, with some 50 students involved and many performing improvised duets with Harry in the evening. We look forward to his return! Hello Yellow Come and Sing On Sunday November 6, the Chapel doors opened, and we welcomed over 100 singers to join members of our Chapel Choir and Orchestra to sing through Vivaldi’s Gloria. A two-hour rehearsal, the obligatory cake and tea, and performance – a lovely way to spend an afternoon; a chance for our students to get to know a cornerstone of the western choral canon; a way of sharing music with the community, away from the stress of high-standard performance or assessment. Edward King Cello Workshop Our second Music@ Ardingly event of the year took place on November 18th with cellist Edward King making his way over from Berlin for an afternoon of learning and an evening concert with Ardingly’s 12 cellists. Throughout the day, our lucky students were given group improvisation classes, chamber music coaching, solo lessons and an evening recital given by Edward. The day was particularly special for Mr Carpenter who had studied cello with Edward back in New Zealand and joined him, playing together for the first time in 10 years. Christmas Concert The Christmas Concert which took place in the Chapel on 9th December, was a veritable celebration of the quantity and variety of music making taking place in the school, week in week out. The eclectic mix of ensembles performing were the 6th Form Band, the 5th Form Band, the Sax Quartet, the Percussion Group, the Oboe Quartet, the Clarinet Group, the Flute Choir, the Jazz Band, the Concert Band and the Orchestra. The atmosphere was supportive, joyful and uplifting. This was exemplified by the possibly unprecedented sight of the audience and performers spontaneously ‘dancing in the aisles’ to the Jazz Band’s performance of ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’. An unforgettable experience for those present. Carol Services Expectations were high for this year’s two carol services which were due to take place on Sunday 11th and Monday 12th December, particularly as these would have been the first services since the pandemic without the need for Covid-style restrictions on seating and numbers. The rehearsal on the Sunday afternoon began very well with the choir sounding on top form. And then, about halfway through something else started happening, albeit outside the Chapel: it started snowing! When the lovely white stuff started to settle and build in volume and depth, it soon became apparent that the children needed to go home there and then if they were to stand a chance of getting home that day. Most did but quite a few ended up staying overnight. The carol service was obviously cancelled that evening but fortunately it did take place the next day. The singing from the Choir, Schola Cantorum and the Congregation under the baton of Mr Carpenter, more than made up for the disappointment of the previous day. It felt so good to
have this beautiful service back in its tradition format and with the Choir and Congregation under one roof, after the hiatus and disruption of the pandemic. Lent Events House Music Arguably the most anticipated event in the school calendar, and certainly the biggest, this year’s House Music Competition was grander than ever, splitting into Prep School, Lower School and Senior School. Within each section, the three categories of “Young Musician of the Year”, “House Ensemble of the Year” as well as of course “House Song”, amounted to a total of 32 House performances, and some 240 solo performances, lasting five days. This year’s Rock’n’Roll theme brought competitive and spirited performances from all houses, memorable individual moments including some earnest moves from Hilton in their rendition of “Jailhouse Rock”, dubious costumes from the Woodard Boys in “Rockin’ Robin”, and the classy polish of the Woodard Girls Ensemble in “Somebody to Love”, winning the ensemble and continuing to perform together throughout the rest of the year. Congratulations to Mobi Floyd for winning the Advanced Young Musician of the Year and to Burgess House for winning the overall competition. Brass Funkeys These guys are a seriously cool outfit. The third Music@Ardingly event of the year had some 60 brass and saxophone musicians bopping around on blues riffs for an afternoon of workshops and then an evening of moshing. A very cool day for music in the College and one we hope to repeat with the return of the Brass Funkeys very soon! St John’s Smith Square: The musical highlight of the year brings the combined forces of Senior Chapel Choir and College Orchestra to London’s iconic St John’s Smith Square in Mayfair for an evening of quality music making in a world-class venue. This year’s programme included Vivaldi’s Gloria after its successful first performance back at the Come and Sing event in November. Particular accolades go to our soloists Rebecca Horton, Matilda Segalini-Bower, Lizzie Flood, Evelein Van Dijk and Louisa Burnell, for their stunning singing, as well as the professional poise from continuo cellist Fiona Whiteley and oboist Anna Hargrave. Mark Wang played Mozart’s First Horn Concerto accompanied by the orchestra to a mesmerizing standard and the orchestra polished off Saint Saens’ famous Bacchanelle and Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Suite. Matilda The Years 8 & 9 production of Matilda took place in February. The cast delivered an energetic and spirited performance of this popular Musical with impressive ensemble singing throughout. The two main vocal leads, comprising Marnie Harris as Matilda and Sophie Thompson as Mrs Trunchball were particularly 48 | 49