In early February Oundle School hosted three pupils from the High School Affiliated to Fudan University in Shanghai as part of a World Leading Schools Association (WLSA) East to West Exchange Programme. Borui Shi, Yuyang Wang, and Boao Dong were hosted in boarding houses by Oundle pupils Max Norris (F), Giorgio Meanti (Ldr) and Danila Mikhaylov (C). 

During their stay the Chinese boys had a full timetable of academic lessons, as well as sports and Community Action activities. Boao met children at Oundle Primary School at the weekly Maths Mentoring session where he enjoyed helping Giorgio explain the properties of consecutive numbers. Borui assisted at an ICT session for the elderly, which he said made him appreciate the technology that he takes for granted. 

The boys were unanimous in their appreciation of their boarding house meals, though unsure of how to name the dishes they enjoyed. They also observed that English pupils, and indeed people in town, did not use their phones as much as people in Shanghai. Yuyang said that his phone was an extension of himself, and he would be very anxious if he didn’t have it with him at all times.

They were impressed by the town of Oundle and commented on how freely the pupils were allowed to move about the town.

In July 2018 the six boys involved in the exchange will meet again on Jeju Island in South Korea to attend the WLSA summer conference on cross-cultural leadership, exploring the ‘Human Condition’ in a world dominated by media overload.

This was the first time that Oundle has participated in an East to West Exchange. The WLSA is a joint educational foundation which aims to promote cooperation and academic exchange and culturally broadening programmes between leading associate secondary schools in the world, as well as experts in the field of higher education and college counselling.

C Redding
 

The Scott Society welcomed Professor Dr Maurice Ptito for its first talk of 2018. Dr Ptito is a Professor of Visual Neuroscience at the University of Montreal in Canada. 

Dr Maurice Ptito’s talk on the “Rewired Blind Brain” was very popular among Oundle pupils and other pupils and teachers who travelled from the Kettering Buccleach Academy, King’s School, Prince William School and The Peterborough School. 

The lecture centred on an innovative treatment that enables the congenitally blind to “see” via the tongue’s taste buds. Dr Ptito presented the research that he has conducted with his colleague, Dr Ron Kupers (University of Copenhagen), that has used a sensory substitution device called a Tongue Display Unit that can convert visual images into electro-tactile pulses applied to the tongue, which then initiates a process that enables the blind to "see" using the tongue as a portal to the visual cortex. This approach holds great promise for the blind in improving their quality of life, helping them to navigate freely in their environment.

Dr Ptito is an invited professor at the Danish Research Centre on Medical Imaging, University of Aarhus, The University of Sydney, and Harvard University. A passion for the challenge of discovery has fuelled a career spanning 40 years. His current research is looking at the effects of cannabis on the developing brain. 

Pupils also recorded an interview with Dr Ptito about his career and future plans, which will be aired on Oundle’s pupil-run radio station, OSCAR during their next broadcast. 

Thomas Kan (B) was among the top 50 high achievers in the first round of the UK BEBRAS Computational Thinking Challenge, and travelled to Oxford University over the weekend to take part in the final round at the Department of Computer Science.

The BEBRAS Challenge is a problem-solving contest designed to get students excited about computing and computational thinking, and is supported by Google.

Almost 200 Oundle pupils took part in the first round of the challenge in November. About 70 pupils who scored in the top 10% nationally then qualified for the second competition round. 

Of the more than 70,000 pupils nationally who took part in the intermediate group competition, Third Form pupil Thomas Kan placed in the top 50, and was invited to participate in the final round at Oxford.

The final round involved further problems in computational thinking using techniques that included the ability to break down complex tasks into simpler components, algorithm design, pattern recognition, pattern generalisation and abstraction.

Thomas Kan and two other pupils each scored the same top mark, however one of the pupils pressed the end button before the other two, and placed first.

Thomas was awarded a hugely impressive joint second.

After completing the challenge, all of the finalists attended lectures on artificial intelligence and cellular automata as well as a lunch and prize-giving ceremony at Hertford College.

Along with the others who scored in the top 10%, Thomas has been invited to participate in the online TCS Oxford Computing Challenge in March, a competition designed to help talented pupils develop their skills further and produce programmed solutions to computational thinking problems.
 

Thirteen Oundle athletes represented Northamptonshire at the Anglian Schools Cross-country Championships at Ipswich on February 3rd.

Juniors Mathilda Holland (L) and Madeleine Todd (L) ran in the U15 category, placing 24nd and 44th, which were commendable results for a race in which they were competing against girls in the year above.

Matthew Brayshaw (G), who had come first in the county selection in Wellingborough, came 7th in the U15 boys race despite an injured ankle. Archie Parkinson (L) finished 11th in the U17 boys race, while Rory Cronin (S) and Eleanor Macintosh (K) placed 46th and 66th.

Miranda Joicey (W), Alice Gadsby (Sn), and Rose Asquith (Sn) competed in the senior girls race, coming 18th, 28th and 29th. Toby Learoyd (F), Dylan Page (F) and Patrick Fisher (StA) placed 57th, 58th and 59th in the boys U19.

Mathilda Holland, Matthew Brayshaw, Archie Parkinson and Miranda Joicey have now been selected to race in the England Schools’ Athletic Association Nationals held at Temple Newsam Park in Leeds on March 17th.

The Cross-country team has done well so far with boys holding 4th place and girls holding 2nd place in the league.

Beyond School, pupils are also pursuing individual challenges. Sammy Kwong (N) will be running a 30km trail race in Gran Canaria over half-term; Lily Wolfson (D) is running in the Cambridge Half-marathon in March; and Dylan Page (F) is training for the London Marathon in April. 

On Friday 2 February, 187 eager Third Formers set off at dawn on 20 different Trivium Trips around the country in their small sets of 10 for the annual Trippium Day.

While some pupils explored the architectural history of London, the gritty charms of the South Bank’s lesser-trod streets and their social history, others soaked up the refreshing expressions filling the Tate Modern and the glories of the Wallace Collection and the Globe Theatre; another London group got to grips with new discoveries at the Science Museum. Three groups criss-crossed the capital on different walking tours between cathedrals, law courts and hidden corners, while another group headed for a personal tour of the Olympic Park. 

In other parts of the country, one group explored the libraries, colleges and ancient printing presses of Oxford, setting type and inking their hands, while another explored the fine art and Georgian secrets of Stamford and Lincolnshire with an experienced local guide. 

Two groups headed North to Yorkshire: one to the Sculpture Park, stuffed with exotic statuary and modern works, and the other to the gruesomely fascinating Medical Museum at Leeds. The Space Centre at Leicester was a hit with other pupils, including a simulator and tour. Code-breaking enthusiasts headed for Bletchley Park, the home of computing and Turing’s team of Enigma-crackers during the Second World War, while a final group had an all-access pass backstage at Stratford-upon-Avon, and worked with professional actors in a workshop on Shakespeare.

Trippium is the annual day trip for all Trivium sets, where each group of 10 pupils and their teacher goes somewhere different, with carte blanche to explore something interesting or esoteric in the UK linked to their current extension topic. Pupils joined vigorous discussion, reported having their eyes opened to myriad hidden corners of culture and enjoyed the off-piste day out in the midst of winter to discover something new for its own sake.

W Gunson

The Music department welcomed Professor Peter Stark for a day of conducting masterclasses and rehearsals on February 12th.

The day began with an afternoon conducting masterclass in which Prof Stark worked with Music Fellow James Thomas and the department’s advanced musicians. James conducted Copeland’s 'Appalachian Spring'.

Pupils were also brought up to the front to work on hand positions and stick techniques.

Later in the day Prof Stark led a two-part public rehearsal with pupils studying conducting in the diploma course, and the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras.

Sophie Lee (L), Natasha Blakemore (L), Mark Bonner (Ldr) and Gordon Lin (C) each conducted a symphonic Hadyn movement with the Chamber Orchestra. Additionally Jake Addo (S) conducted an original movement that he had composed in the style of Hadyn. Peter Stark guided them to work on gesture, communication and use of the baton, getting the best out of the assembled musicians and delivering the essence of the composer’s intentions.

Peter then took the baton to work with the Symphony Orchestra on Wagner’s 'Meistersingers’ Overture'. By not going into obvious detail, he was masterful in how to get the maximum from the orchestra, for instance, by getting the string musicians to bow more powerfully or the brass musicians to blow more majestically. Ultimately by dealing with the intonation, he improved the detail through the general process of playing.

Peter Stark is professor of conducting at the Royal College of Music in London and Rehearsal Director for the European Union Youth Orchestra. He has worked with a number of the world’s leading orchestras and assisted many of the world’s finest conductors. His reputation as a teacher is internationally renowned.

Preparations for year’s House Singing Competition began in earnest with rehearsals convened early last Term. On the Sunday of the competition, each House went up to the stage ready to impress with their creative flair and musical ability.

The standard of the performances was so high that overall there were only five points between the first and fifth positions of the top five scoring Houses. This year the quality of the boys’ performances was judged to have been the best of the last five years, displaying musicality combined with creative ideas that made more use of instruments and visuals.

Bramston was judged best in the Part Song with a medley comprising ‘Bloodstream’ by Ed Sherran and ‘All Along the Watchtower’ by Bob Dylan. Sidney was placed second with Jake Addo’s arrangement combining two songs by Marvin Gaye. Wyatt House gave it their all for third place with ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ by Whitney Houston.

In the House Unison section, Sanderson was the favourite with ‘Shine’ by Take That, followed by Sidney in second place with their performance of ‘All Star’ by Smash Mouth.

When the overall scores were announced, Bramston was declared the House Singing Competition winner.

Only one point behind was Sidney House in second place, taking home the Forbes Trophy for best boys house.

Sanderson House was third, and Kirkeby and Wyatt were tied in fourth position.

The competition was adjudicated by Peter Gritton, Director of Music at James Allen’s Girls’ School. Perhaps uniquely, Mr Gritton grew up in a house with six pianos. He has toured the world with vocal ensembles including The Sixteen and Tenebrae.

Vinegar Tom by Caryl Churchill is a powerful and provocative piece exploring the victimisation of women in 17th Century Britain. In a society where a woman was either a wife, a widow, a virgin or a witch, the play chillingly depicts how the charge of ‘witch’ was maliciously used to punish women who dared to venture beyond these infinite parameters.  

With its potent images of injustice and unflinching portrayal of female oppression, Churchill’s 1976 text made a fitting challenge for some of the School’s most experienced and talented Sixth Form performers under the direction of Matt Burlington.

Churchill is renowned for her strong female leads - Vinegar Tom being no exception - and Stahl audiences were treated to some impressive central performances, notably from Sophie Hollyman (L) and Lizzie Martin (N) as the female duo at the heart of the narrative.

In the character of Alice, Sophie demonstrated real strength and a powerful sense of defiance, whilst in contrast, as her companion Susan, Lizzie was able to portray the character’s fragility and pathos. Kitty Northcote (N) played farmer’s wife Margery with an admirable balance of both wit and menace, whilst in the role of Jack her meek husband, Charlie Mutsaars (L) brilliantly showed how dangerous (and ultimately powerful) a weak and rejected man can be in such a male-dominated society.

As a playwright Churchill is much praised for her experimental use of style and structure and in Vinegar Tom the short episodic 17th century scenes are intercut with modern songs. In this production the songs were brought bang up to date and expertly performed by musicians Alex Hill (C), Jack Cheseny (F), Flash Mitra (StA), Harrison Smith (F) and Patrick Fisher (StA).

This juxtaposition of the historical and the modern prevented the piece from being passed over as a cautionary tale from the past and forced a modern audience to question just how far we have really come in the fight for female equality. The ensemble style of the play’s rehearsal process was beautifully borne out in its performance with the acting company showing real unity. The whole performance was imbued with a sense of collective responsibility and this made for a challenging and stimulating evening. 

N Jones

To join the world-wide festivities of the Chinese New Year, Oundle pupils gathered at the Two Acre for an evening of music and food to celebrate the start of the Year of the Dog.

Opening the evening was live entertainment from Transition, a British three-piece indie rock band that has achieved a significant fan base in Asia with their catchy cross-cultural hits. Their first set featured top hits such as 对不起， 我的中文不好 “Sorry my Chinese is not good” and 前进 “Olympic Dream”.

Then everyone tucked into a big spread of traditional Chinese food, including favourites such as egg fried rice, noodles, lemon-herb chicken and crispy-garlic pepper beef, followed by lemon sorbet, fortune cookies and green tea.

The evening was finished off with yet more music from Transition, whose closing set featured traditional Taiwanese songs arranged with their own unique contemporary spin.

Rufus Lee-Browne (S)

Twenty-nine Third Form pupils and four members of staff undertook upon a five day History study visit to Prague during the February Half Term. Highlights included walking tours of the Old and New Towns, and Lesser Quarter, as well as the magnificent Charles Bridge and the fascinating architecture of the Jewish Quarter. Walking around the city gave pupils a real insight into Prague's different historical periods since its foundation in the 9th Century. 

Tickets to the opera and to hear the Skampa Quarter rounded off the evenings, and the cityscape at night was savoured at every opportunity. 

A visit to the Church of St Cyril and Methodius drew attention to how Czech and Slovak resistance fighters made a final stage here following their assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the architect of the Holocaust. 

The group made a particularly poignant journey to Terezin, where we explored the fortresses which had served as a former Gestapo prison and Jewish ghetto in the Second World War. As dusk fell, we stood together at the site of the village of Lidice and reflected on the destruction of that community and its residents by the Nazis as a reprisal for the murder of Heydrich. 

The question of whether such an act can ever be justified in the light of the trauma and tragedy that it unleashed was debated by the group. It was this opportunity to learn about and discuss key questions about historical events, whilst standing where those very events had occurred, which left such an impression on all the pupils.

After months of preparation, seven Oundle pupils had the honour of performing a musical production at the opening of a new hall and theatre at Ngecho School in Gilgil, Kenya.

Ngecho School was founded in 2006 by Harambee Schools Kenya (HSK) to provide children with affordable secondary education. When Ms Naomi Jones and a group of Oundle pupils visited in 2015, a school hall was in development, and it was suggested that the facility would benefit from a raised stage with backstage facilities that could be used by the school, as well as provide income-generating opportunities.

Having deciding to take on the project, over the course of a year Ms Jones organised fundraising that raised more than £33,000 from bake sales, costume sales, a buy-a- brick incentive, a Stahl open day and donations from audiences at the school production of Les Miserable. Substantial donations from General Sir Richard Shirreff, who was born in Kenya and attended Oundle School, as well as from the Donald Forrester Trust, meant the green light could be given.

The hall and the Stahl-sponsored stage at Ngecho Secondary School was officially opened on February 19, and was named after the Harambee Schools Trust past Chairman, Clifford Dann. 

As part of the open day celebration, Oundle partnered with two local schools to inaugurate the new stage with a musical production.

Originally commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund 35 years ago, Yanomamo, by Peter Rose and Anne Conlon, is a vibrant musical about the Amazon rainforest; a celebration of the extraordinary wildlife that co-exists alongside the Yanomamo Indian tribe, and the threat to their way of life presented by encroaching cattle ranchers. 

The script was split into three parts and performed in sections by Oundle, Pembroke House School and Ngecho School. The Oundle segment was directed by Sophie Lee (L), with musical direction by James Thomas. 

In addition to the open day at Gilgil, Oundle performed in three different venues: the Governor's Camp at the Masai Mara, where they also enjoyed a safari, the Vanessa Grant School for Girls in Rongai, and Pembroke House School.

During the week in Kenya, the group was also able to visit the Gigil Special School for children with disabilities, and the Restart Centre for orphaned and abandoned children.

This year's annual American Association for Advancement in Science meeting (AAAS) in Austin, Texas was attended by fifteen Oundle STEM pupils. AAAS is the world’s largest scientific non-profit organization, bringing together leading researchers in the field of science from all around the world.

Over three days, experts shared their cutting-edge knowledge via lectures and seminars in a packed programme with a kaleidoscopic variety of topics and presentations that attracted international headlines.

Highlights included talks on the discovery of exoplanets and asteroid mining; a thought-provoking lecture on how to limit the spread of diseases and the justification for selective treatment; the use of drones in photography; driverless vehicles; the International Space Station; and applications of quantum theory in computing.

The group was particularly impressed by the opportunity to hear from the former United States vice-president, Joe Biden, who concluded the conference with an impassioned speech about why there should be more investment in science at this critical moment in time.

The remaining days of the trip to Texas were spent exploring Lone Star culture, with walking tours of Congress Avenue dotted with statues commemorating Texas' turbulent history, a visit to the state capitol building and boat trips on the Lady Bird and the Travis Lakes. There was a visit to the University of Texas and the Museum of the Weird, where the guides claimed to have preserved a corpse of an actual “bigfoot”. The group even fit in an all-American basketball match.

And of course, the group of growing young people took every opportunity to enjoy generous Texas-sized portions of food, including favourites such as fried chicken, donuts, waffles, tacos and steak.

Nine Oundle pupils attended the ninth Model United Nations (MUN) conference at Felsted School, along with 25 schools from across the UK and overseas. The conference theme was “Empowering women and girls to achieve global equality”.

The Model UN Conference is an educational simulation and academic conference in which students can learn about diplomacy, international relations and the United Nations. Pupils represented different country members of the UN, voicing the opinions of that country in order to bring about positive change. Delegates conducted research before the conference and formulated positions that they then debated with their fellow delegates in the committee, staying true to the actual position of the member country they represented.

The delegates from Oundle were split between representation for Saudi Arabia and France. They were then divided into five different committees that mirrored UN committees, and over two days they debated topics ranging from preservation of women’s rights in war torn countries, gender pay gap, healthcare and clean energy in a style of debate nearly identical to that used by the United Nations.

In a general committee session, the delegation for Saudi Arabia successfully debated their opposition to the proposed introduction of a burqa-ban backed by countries including Oundle’s France. At smaller committee level the delegates vigorously put forward their country’s positions (despite any opposing personal opinions). In the Environmental and Ecological Committee, Ed Hodgson (Sc), representing Saudi Arabia, argued against the move from fossil fuels, while Jerri Li (F), representing France, argued the opposition. In the Human Rights Committee, Joseph Meisner (L), of Saudi Arabia, managed to fend off criticism of his country with ease, and in the Security Council, Rufus Lee-Brown (S), from France, managed to get some legislation past the veto-holding Russian and Chinese heavyweights in the room.

One of the key elements to success at MUN is being able to reach out to other countries through private, persuasive dialogue, and pupils enjoyed the opportunity to practice their written and verbal debating skills. They gained an appreciation for different viewpoints, learned how to deal with other positions, and emerged from the conference with a genuine and far reaching understanding of how the United Nations is able to pass meaningful legislation on a global scale.

On the 16th to 18th March a new delegation of keen debaters will be at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School for what promises to be an even larger and equally exciting Model UN conference.

Ed Hodgson (Sc)

A talented Oundle chemist has been selected to participate in the highly competitive second round of the UK Chemistry Olympiad.

Upper Sixth Form pupil Kadi Sun (F) was among the 30 highest scorers in Round 1 of the Olympiad held in January, and has been invited to attend an intensive four day residential at Cambridge University in April for the Olympiad’s Round 2.

The UK Chemistry Olympiad is run by the Royal Society of Chemistry and is the leading chemistry competition for students in secondary education.

In Round One, a challenging written test of chemical knowledge is administered in schools with questions based on real world chemistry problems, stimulating debate and raising awareness of what chemistry is all about. The paper is also an opportunity to develop and showcase some of the skills required for studying chemistry at university and beyond.

Round two is a demanding long weekend hosted by the University of Cambridge. Over the course of four days, the pupils face a rigorous series of theoretical and practical tests, designed to raise aspirations by challenging them to make the best possible use of their knowledge.

Based on performances during Round 2, four pupils will be chosen to represent the United Kingdom in the 50th International Chemistry Olympiad which will be hosted in Bratislava, Slovakia and Prague, Czech Republic in July 2018.

In June last year, Kadi achieved a Roentgenium Award in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, given to the top 0.78% of over 7000 entrants.

Kadi has a conditional place to read Engineering at Cambridge University.

This year’s Bai Meigui Translation Competition, run in conjunction with Leeds University, required students to translate from Chinese to English a children’s picture book by the author and illustrator Meng Yanan, winner of China’s Bronze and Sunflower Picture Book Award. The competition is open to all secondary school students across the globe who are studying Chinese.

It sounds simple enough, but the art of translation is difficult, and students who attempted it, found it harder than they initially thought it would be. As well as translating the story, students were required to write a commentary on their translation, explaining their reasons for any specific choices they made in their translations to adapt it for the needs of an English-language reader.

The story is about a Chinese festival, and commentaries required some cultural explanation, as it a relatively unknown festival in the West. Alongside the national competition, the Chinese department also held its own internal competition.

The standard was extremely high from all the participants, and it was difficult to choose both an overall winner, and runners-up. Rufus Lee-Browne was the overall internal winner. Internal runners-up were Ben Cadell, Rohan Scott, Tyan Lee, and Sophia Mohd Zuhri.

The national competition winner and runners-up will be announced in May.

On Thursday 8th March, four intrepid junior debaters made their way to Stamford to take part in the Junior Inter-Schools Oswald Elliot Debating Competition, generously hosted by Stamford Endowed Schools.

The motion for Oundle's first round debate was 'This house would rather be home schooled', with Polly Brown (K) and Saul Agar Ward (B) proposing the motion, and the Oakham team opposing.

The Oundle team had prepared a strong argument in favour of the idea that home schooling should be the preferred method of teaching for academic and social outliers, high and low achievers, or those who had experienced bullying or social exclusion. Both sides argued well, but Saul and Polly won the round, allowing Oundle's next team to go forward to the final round.

The motion for the final was 'This house would ban social media for under 16s', with Cecily Wells (L) and Thomas Caskey (L) opposing the motion. Stamford were proposing, and put forth a solid argument. However, Cecily and Thomas took the motion with flying colours, arguing that a ban simply wasn't the right solution to the ills caused by social media.

The debate took place in front of an audience of 300 lively Stamford School pupils, who participated from the floor with enthusiasm, and the Oundle team were thrilled to be able to return home with the debating trophy for the second year running.

In early March, while Oundle was dealing with heavy late winter snow, a group of physicists set off to one of the highlights of the scientific world, and the global centre of nuclear physics research, CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland.

On the first day, pupils had unprecedented access to CERN's student visitor centre where they learned how to make a cloud chamber, which is used at the facility (and indeed by other scientists throughout the world) to detect certain scientific phenomena. They were also able to visit the Globe the Microcosm, two exhibitions about the space as well as the history of physics in general.

Having gained all this knowledge, the students took on the real epicentre of this journey, the Large Hadron Collider itself. On a tour of all the facilities, but most notably ATLAS, where the particle collisions and detections occur, pupils learned that when the collisions happen there are fragments of the particles scattering in the chamber and they are recorded with ultra-high-speed cameras to detect the trails happening in nanoseconds.

The trip, which lasted three days, included visits to not just the research centre, but also to the surrounding sights of Geneva and beyond. On the cultural side, students took part in a treasure hunt of the city, discovering information about historical people, places and things within this immensely relevant region. The pupils also took the opportunity to visit both the UN and old League of Nations Headquarters.

Such excursions provided great insight for the members of the trip whose timetables are typically centred on more scientific subjects, so the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of a site of both historical and political importance was rare, but well-received.

Toby Acheson-Gray (Sc)

Third and Fourth Form productions are always something of a treat at Oundle. They are a great indication of the depth and range of dramatic talent coming through the school and The Red Red Shoes, a lyrical and modern take of the similarly titled Hans Christian Anderson tale was no exception. This moving piece of theatre kept the basic idea of the original wistful fairy tale but placed it against the backdrop of a war-torn country where people are identified by their cultural heritage and where mistrust and resentment have existed for generations.

The ensemble cast never left the stage, but instead took us from the heart of a distant village, to the mountain forests, from a stark hospital room, to the frenzied chaos of a refugee camp. They were not only responsible for taking us from location to location, but also from atmosphere to atmosphere. They produced sound effects from all the objects around them including gravel traps, rain-sticks and a microphone. Plastic bags created the sound of devastating fires, destroying homes and metal sheeting became the distant, chilling sound of guns and bombs.

This was theatre beautifully choreographed with elements taken from ballet and from folk dances, performed by the cast with remarkable care, maturity and dynamism. Isabel Macintosh (K) excelled as Franvera, the young child at the heart of the story, but it was the relationships she created with those around her which truly moved the audience. The enigmatic Doctor, beautifully played by Henry Gardiner (StA) created enormous sympathy for this refugee child with her visions of the past. Charlie Dickinson (L) successfully negotiated both a much older character and a particularly tricky beard, resisting cliche or parody to create a rather chilling old soldier hell-bent on perpetuating the cycle of violence. Tara Boyle’s (L) old Woman brought a genuine sense of world-weary wisdom whilst Isobel Prothero (N) brought real emotion to the climax of the play in both her reunion with, and ultimate loss of her daughter.

The cast of the play clearly felt the anti-war message of the play. and director Naomi Jones should be very proud of this moving and powerful production. It is unusual in a cast so young to have such drive and such physical and emotional control over the material.

M Burlington

(photo credits: Mike Kwasniak)

Annual travel scholarships are awarded to pupils in the Lower Sixth Form to encourage a spirit of adventure, exploration and physical challenge.

In 2018, seven groups and 23 pupils competed for an Adventure Award, and made it through to the final interview stage of the process where they presented their carefully researched plans with real enthusiasm and interest to a committee of eight members of the teaching staff.

The top award, The Grocers’ prize of £400 went to the first mixed group for some years for their plans to visit Florence on the trail of the lemon. Entitled, “The Land Where Lemons Grow: The Medici family through the eyes of the citrus”, Ed Hodgson (Sc), George Pinder (Sc), Tatiana North (Sn), Pandora Bannister (N) were inspired by Helena Attlee’s prizewinning Food Book of the year 2015.

During their presentation the pupils brilliantly conveyed the joyful, intriguing and quirky nature to their quest and convinced the panel that an exploration of the affinity between the fruit and the land of Italy was one well worth supporting.

This year was distinctive for the unique cultural and intellectual ambition of the winners, as well as the personal dynamic to their ideas. The complete list of awards can be viewed here:

Travel Awards 2018 | PDF

The history of these awards dates to the Second World War, with an Old Oundelian called Patrick Dudgeon. He was detailed to be parachuted into Italy with orders to bomb a bridge. He was captured and tortured to betray his plans and companions, but refused to speak, and was executed. The fact that his German interrogator wrote to the British commander saying that Dudgeon was the bravest man he had ever met should give some idea of what he went through before he died. His family wanted to set up something in his memory, and gave money to the School for a travel scholarship to inspire pupils to create their own adventures. Other families have done the same, and we now have several awards available for those pupils who want to plan and organise their own trips, which can be physically challenging or intellectually stimulating; the choice is entirely the pupils.

T Harris

Last week, a group of ten Fifth and Sixth Form pupils from Oundle’s ever-growing Model United Nations team headed to Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School for the HABSMUN conference. For most of the group this was their first time participating in a Model UN debate, and with little time spent in preparation for the event, the delegates had to quickly learn on the job.

Oundle represented the small Central American nations of Guatemala and Jamaica. The small size and limited political presence of these countries presented unique challenges to making known their policies. To add to the challenge, this event was one of the largest MUN conferences in the country, so with more voices in the room, debaters had to consider how to be heard and how to make their limited time speaking as effective as possible.

A delegate from each country represented their nation in one of six committees, each discussing distinct but equally interesting topics. In the political committees, debate ranged from the ongoing geopolitical crises of the moment, such as stability in Turkey and conflict in the Middle East, to more modern threats such as fake news and cyber security. In the health committee, Giorgio Meanti (Ldr) passed legislation on mental health and embryo research, while Tati North (Sn) and Declan Boyle (L) tackled water scarcity and the ivory trade on the Environmental committee.

Meanwhile, in the human rights and disarmament committees, three delegates from Oundle discussed the war in Yemen, the sovereignty of the South China Sea, and religious freedom. Towards the end of the conference, each committee was tasked with coming together to resolve an imagined conflict in which China had invaded the Assam region of India. This proved a great opportunity for debaters to improve their cooperation and quick-thinking skills, and proposals made by Oundle students ranged from carefully planned peace talks and ceasefires, to more fanciful ideas of using armoured crocodiles or auctioning off of China.

Not only did the content of the debate provoke controversy, which made debate interesting and enjoyable, but the MUN style of debate was completely different to what Oundle pupils had done before. In Model United Nations, the aim is not necessarily to “win” and ensure that your country’s side of the argument is respected at all costs. Instead, delegates are encouraged to make the law as feasible as possible, and to amend it until they can vote in favour of it. The process is more constructive than the typical one-on-one, yes-or-no debate, and pupils therefore had to develop new skills in diplomacy and compromise. This meant refining typical debating skills of public speaking and persuasion, not only orally, but via written messages sent on notes between delegates.

Ed Hodgson (Sc)