Seven of the best for old rivals!

The 1st XI hockey team ended the season with a crushing 7-1 defeat of rivals Pangbourne College! Hatricks for James Luscombe and skipper Callum Thomas and a goal for Oli Watkins-Murphy could not have provided a more fitting close to a successful season.

In all, 25 members of Year 13 represented the College in senior teams. James Black, Brough Downey, Olly Gould, James Luscombe, Chris Payne, Rob Skinner, Callum Thomas and Oli Watkins-Murphy were all regulars for the 1st XI. Special congratulations also go to other senior captains; Jordon Foster (2nd XI), Billy Pinto (3rd XI) and Harry Wilson (4th XI). The College Housemaster would also like to pay tribute to the "dream team" of the season, his very own 5th XI!

The Hockey Club with be celebrating yet another successful season at the annual dinner to be held on Wednesday.

New Prefect

We were delighted to hear that Harrison Lewis has been made up to a School Prefect. Harrison proved his quiet and efficient approach to College life as one of the Year 7 Support Group leaders. Recently he and Hannah Fitzgerald organised a very successful Mothering Sunday Service in the Parish Church. Congratulations, Harrison!

Choosing the right path

Continuing the series of talks by Heads of Houses, last week Welsh's Ross McCafferty talked about making the right decisions in life. He said that our lives reflect the choice and decisions we make and that choosing the right path is essential to our own happiness and that of others. He quoted the Headmaster when he said that "choice, risk and consequence" should never be far from our thoughts. Every path, he said, has hurdles and potential accidents and he quoted the statistic that more teenage road accidents are caused by speeding than by drink driving. He urged his audience to make a "life plan" and not to fall into someone else's and ended with the sound and empathetic advice, "never put your own happiness at the expense of others".

Captain Gould

Congratulations to Olly Gould on his appointment as Captain of Cricket. Senior cricketers have been hard at it in the indoor nets this term and we wish them luck for a successful season.

World Premiere!

The Spring Concert provided a platform for a number of Year 13 pupils to perform. Foremost amongst these was James Gifford who performed, as part of a string quartet, a world premiere of his own composition, Devil's Tango. The imaginative and evocative piece, using long passages of pizzicato, was one on the highlights of a varied and most enjoyable concert. Later in the same concert James sang Purcell's plaintiff song Music for a while. Other Year 13 pupils taking part included Nick Harper and Sam Neale who sang in the Chamber Choir and Andrew Gilligan who played a very sexy Pink Panther on his alto saxophone.

Anonymous praise for the College House Blog!

I'm a real novice when in comes to blogging, but this entire blog makes a fabulous read...so I couldn't resist giving someone something to read in return. Well done, Nick and well done everyone in College House.
PS: I especially like to read the sporting round-ups as we've just watched a magic match where the 1st XI hockey stormed through the freezing temperatures to win 4:3 at Reading Astro today. Luscombe, Black and Thomas shone as a tremendous threesome again but the whole team played with incredible skill and determination the whole match. Nationals standard, I'd say!

You don't have to be a saint!

Continuing the series of talks in Assembly by Heads of Houses, this week it was the turn of Skipwith's Robert Skinner. Taking St David as his inspiration, Rob talked about the qualities of leadership and empathy. His central message to the assembled companies of Years 11, 12 and 13 was that you don't have to be a saint to make a difference. He concluded that we all possess courage and bravery and have the ability to do good; it is down to our own determination and resolve (or lack of it) as to whether or not we make a difference.

Y13 sing their hearts out!

The annual House Music Competition always provides some memorable moments. This year Y13 boys and girls excelled in teaching, conducting, playing and singing. In the week leading up to the competition College House was deserted as all its members strove to encourage and rehearse their own Houses. The competition itself was keenly fought, with Burr just securing a win.