How to eat trifle blindfolded!

If you want cheering up or to see Y13 having fun, watch this!

Thank you, Antonia and George for entertaining us!

Happy Christmas

Our neighbours in the Lower School pushed the boat out today, hiring the services of Santa and Rudolf. Sadly Mr Howorth and Mr Beckett missed the special guests!

Rugby Dinner honours achievement.

The annual Senior Rugby Dinner was held last night and Y13 boys featured heavily amonst those whose achievements were recognised.

1st Team:

Players’ Player of the Season: Nick Arbuckle & Tom Howe

Most Improved Player: Piers Chen

1st XV Dates and Blazer Badge: Tom Howe

Full Colours: Tom Howe, Nick Arbuckle, Michael Glover, George Davis, Zac Jones, James Riley,

Troy Janse Van Vuuren, TobyStevens, Charlie Foster and Piers Chen.

2nd Team:

Player of the Season: Cameron Foster

Most Improved Player: James Rossi-Bull & Alex Kallipetis

Half Colours  Cameron Foster, Joao Dias (also awarded the Plato Plate)

3rd XV:

Outstanding Service Award:  Kit Bowerin, Louis Miller-Bains, Aonghus Van Raalte, Henry Le Roy

Christmas party with Gilson House

  

Monday night witnessed the annual College-Gilson party! Traditional party games were the order of the day; pass the parcel and  pass the orange were the most popular and messiest!

Victory in final matches of the season!

Both the 1st and 2nd XVs won their final match of the season against Magdalen College School, Oxford. The 1st XV won 31-28 and the 2nd XV 19-14. Both were nail biting finishes but provided a great end to the season. Well done both teams!

RAF Chaplain preaches at Christmas Service

Squadron Leader Rev. Nicholl, Senior Chaplain to RAF Benson spoke at Friday's whole school service about the significance of Advent and the importance of thinking of others. Advent calendars are wonderful things, he said, so long as the true nature of Advent is remembered. This tied in with the current School Theme which is encouraging pupils to think of those less fortunate than ourselves this Christmas.

Rev Nicholl is pictured here with the Chapel Wardens.

House cross country

James Riley won the senior house cross country race today with the impressive time of 17.52 minutes.

Other Year 13 performances of note came from Michael Glover (7th), Marek Lapham (8th), James Tolley (10th) and Tom Waldron (11th). Well done to everyone who ran in near-freezing conditions.

Floods

It looks like junior rugby is a wash out! The rowers have taken over the riverside pitches.

Winter Concert full of festive cheer!

The Winter Concert last Tuesday evening was a chance to see and hear all the school music groups in full swing. The Sports Hall was packed and, as ever, Year 13 boys set a fine example. Ashely Copeland, Tom Waldron, Ehren Elcock and Nick Bond all played and/or sang superbly. Well done to them all!

Second "Friday Night Lights" victory for 1st XV

The 1st XV are making a habit of winning under lights! This time they beat the formidable Merchant Taylor's away. Quite an achievement. Points came from Howe and Riley, as usual!

National Anti-Bullying Week

This week senior pupils will be helping to spread the message about National Anti-Bullying Week. This nation-wide initiative is an attempt to raise all issues regarding relationships and how we treat each other. Assemblies will be devoted to this theme and a competition is being run to produce a poster, song, poem or collage addressing the key theme; "We're better without bullying".

I hope that all Year 13 boys support this and help the younger pupils to appreciate the importance of treating others with respect.

1st XV win under lights

The 1st XV rose to the occasion and provided an impressive display for "Friday Night Lights". The final score was 19-10 to Shiplake, with all the points being scored by College House boys; two tries for Piers Chen, one for Tom Howe and 4 points from the boot of James Riley sealed a convincing victory, in wet, slippery and foggy conditions. Tom Howe was awarded Man of the Match and, as captain, received the Davies Cup from England sevens star and Shiplake old boy, Chris Cracknell.

College House boys representing the 1st XV were: Tome Howe (capt.) Charlie Foster, George Davis, Zac Jones, Nick Arbickle (v. capt.), James Riley, Troy Janse van Vuuren, Piers Chen, Toby Stevens and Tom Waldron.

Next friday sees another floodlit game, this time at Merchant Taylor's.

Friday Night Lights!

Friday night at Dry Leas is the place to be! The 1st XV take on Lord Wandworth's College in a floodlit game at the home of Henley Hawks. The match starts at 7.00pm and is preceded by the two Lower School teams taking on local rivals Gillotts School. The bar will be open and food available.

It promises to be a fantastic night of rugby - please join us!

Half Term!

We've made it! I hope everyone has a fantastic break and recharges their batteries ready to start with a vengeance on Tuesday 6th November. Our best wishes go with the rowers who have already left for their tour of USA (San Fransisco).

A few points below:

• Any last sponsorship money in on our return please. Many thanks to those who have already been so generous.
• The boys will have some work to do over half term. Please "encourage" them to do it.
• UCAS applications are well under way, some having already been completed. Completion is now a matter of urgency.
• In the six weeks remaining of term, I will be clamping down on private study time in the house. I suspect some boys are not using it effectively.

Joint Concert with Queen Anne's

Two Year 13 boys starred in last night's concert with Queens Anne's. Ashley Copeland played the hauntingly beautiful Gabriel's Oboe, the theme tune from The Mission with real confidence and poise while Tom Waldron sang Snow Patrol as part of the new Rock Choir's concert debut. Both boys performed fantastically well.

Rowing Dinner makes a splash!

Last week's Anniversary Rowing Dinner was a huge success. Over 230 guests enjoyed dinner and speeches in the Sports Hall that was magically transformed for the occasion. Ex-College House Master, Shane O'Brien was the guest of honour along with other Olympic medallists. A rowing Honours Board was unveiled on the occasion.

College boys lead the way on CCF day

 

Year 13 boys took the lead on the recent CCF training day for Year 10 recruits. Lt. George Seccombe praised the efforts and leadership of all the boys and said that they led by example throughout the day.

College House spick and span for Open Morning

The thought of visitors inspecting their studies spurred Y13 boys into action this morning. The house was squeaky clean for this morning's Sixth Form Open Day. Boys acted as guides, car park attendants, put on pool and table tennis displays and even an ironing demonstration to give our visitors a taste of life in College House.

Many thanks to all of them for, once again, coming up trumps with their efficiency,eagerness to help and exemplary good manners.

Oh, and "Happy Birthday" to Charlie Foster!

BTEC Concert

Thursday evening provided a number of our boys with a platform on which to showcase their musical talents. The BTEC boys raised the roof of the Great Hall with some wonderful performances. Nick Bond sang two songs, one of which was his own composition, Tom Waldron sang Snow Patrol and Kings of Leon and Ehren Elcock drummed his way majestically (and very energetically) through Beast and Harlot by Avenged Sevenfold. Last night Ashley Copeland played the appropriately named Gabriel's Oboe.