The Johnian 2015-2016

Away from all of the accomplishment, it must be duly noted ANthat with every year, there is the sadness that surrounds the INTERVIEWdeparture of the Upper Sixth. Our current Upper Sixth has WITH...been an eventful one, and one which has offered not onlytheir commitment and academic success, but also their ‘Conor Frow’good nature and humour. As a year group, they will besorely missed. How has your first year at St John’s been? Amazing. There have been so many great opportunities for me.This year is also the last year in Surrey for Mr. Hughes,our Assistant Housemaster and Fourth Form tutor, who is What makes Surrey special amongst the other houses atleaving Surrey to join the new Lower School. Mr. Hughes St John’s?has brought an aura of confidence, humour and dedication “We have a great team spirit, and we never give up. In a phrase,to his two years in Surrey, and as a teacher who is admired it’s not our physicality, it’s our mentality.by his tutees and by everyone in Surrey; I believe I speakfor all of us in thanking him for all he has done for Surrey, What has been your highlight of the year?and wishing him the very best in the future. His place will Beating Mr Johnston-Jones at chess!be a difficult one to fill. What are you most looking forward to for next year?We’d like to thank Angela, our house matron, whose Starting CCF, in the RAF section. I think it will be a greattireless work in keeping the House running smoothly, and new experience.in churning out untold quantities of toast day in, day out,does not go unappreciated. This year has had its ups and 49THE JOHNIANdowns, but on the whole has been both rewarding andprofitable, and we hope that this will continue for yearsto come.Cameron Doyle

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West It has been a hugely productive year in West House, and we have celebrated an HOUSEMASTER REPORT extraordinary amount of success across all aspects of school life. It would be impossible to include all the achievements but I hope this report provides you with a flavour of some of the highlights. The Autumn Term is crucial in order to gain academic momentum; the Upper Fifth pupils completed their practice papers and I was pleased by the way they approached the process. The majority of the boys seemed to realise that the exam week had provided them with valuable experience. In the last few weeks of the term, we focused on raising academic expectations and setting high internal benchmarks. Our final quote the term came from Robert Schuller – ‘What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?’ and the boys were encouraged to reflect on the progress made and look forward to the new year with optimism and not to be afraid of failure or setbacks, but instead, try to view these as opportunities for improvement and growth. We finished the term incredibly strongly with the junior touch rugby team winning the competition convincingly. West reached the final of all contact competitions; the Fourth Form team lost to East House in a tightly contested match, but the intermediate and senior teams were both crowned House Champions! As I’m sure you can imagine the atmosphere in West was simply awesome. A fabulous way to end a long and challenging term! I am incredibly proud of the boys’ contribution this year but, above all, I am mostly proud of the way they have supported Sue over the course of what has been a difficult time for her personally and for the House as a whole. They have been kind and thoughtful at all times and have provided a huge amount of fun and laughter, which is crucially important during such challenging times. Sue has been an inspiration to us all. She is a remarkable woman and we are so lucky to have her. She has worked tirelessly and has taken everything in her stride. Selflessness is a value we highlight as hugely important in West House; the boys need look no further than their matron; they are unlikely to find a better role model! We were proud to support The Sunnybank Trust again this year and the West House charity night was a great success. Service is at the core of the House and the boys were simply outstanding. They deserve huge credit for their effort and commitment for a very worthy cause. I would like to express my gratitude to you the parents for their help, support and generosity We reached the critical final stages of the academic year and the boys settled into a structured routine of revision and consolidation. I asked the boys to reflect on our final quote of the term from Ralph Marston – ‘What you do today can improve all your tomorrows’ – a quote 51THE JOHNIAN

highlighting the fact that small sacrifices can have a positive hope that they keep in touch with the House. However,impact on the next stage of their lives. I promised them that it is important we look to the future and to next year. 14hard work, time and effort invested is always worth it! We new Fourth Form pupils, two new Lower Fifth pupils andhad a remarkable afternoon on the last day of the Spring an exchange student from Canberra Grammar join West inTerm. West House was once again competing in all three September, and we all should be excited and emboldened bymajor football finals and this time the boys completed a clean the opportunity to ‘Start Again’.sweep! I challenged them to aim to top their success at theend of the Autumn Term and astonishingly they did it and Mr Kidd, Sue and the West tutors worked tirelessly; theywent one better! do a huge amount of unseen work during the year and they champion the boys at every opportunity. I am extremelyThe Summer Term raced by and all the boys managed grateful to them for all that they do, I could not ask for ato navigate through a period of either public or internal more dedicated and professional team.examinations and I was pleased by the positive way in whichthey approached the task of revision and consolidation. I I can’t quite believe that as I write this report I am aboutwish those members of the House who will receive results in to complete my second year as Housemaster. The roleAugust the best of luck and I hope they are rewarded for their is immensely rewarding. I am fortunate to work with aefforts. delightful group of young men whilst receiving a huge amount of support from caring and generous parents.It is always sad to lose senior pupils; this year’s Upper Sixth Time flies when you’re having fun!have been fantastic and I am hugely grateful to them fortheir support and contribution. I wish them the very best as Huw Jonesthey embark on the next stage of their lives and I sincerelyHrepoourste Captain finals, and two out of three teams triumphed and came home with the winner’s trophy. The seniors dominated throughoutWe have enjoyed an the competition and produced a classy display in the final,extremely positive and running in some fantastic tries.enjoyable year in West House,celebrating both individual The house-first mentality, as well as courage and resilience,and collective success. was again on show as West House excelled in the annualWest boys strive for success house cross-country event held in February. With fivewhilst remaining true to our members from the House running extraordinarily to securevalues and sticking to the yet another victory in this event.West House pillars: honesty,resilience, house first andcourage.The first major event of theyear was house singing. Theunison section saw West placewith an enthusiastic but maybenot pitch perfect performanceof ‘Sweet Caroline’, aperformance organised andconducted by West’s prefectbody. Following this came thepart-song, which as usualexcelled with a euphonious performance of ‘Viva La Vida’,conducted by Alex Webb.A few months later came the house rugby competition. WestHouse was fancied to do well, so the pressure was on! Onceagain this year there was a large contingent of West boysrepresenting the 1st XV as regular starters. All members of theHouse approached the event with effort and determinationand as a result, West reached the final of all three contact52 THE JOHNIAN

After a frustrating football season for many, the boys were looking ANforward to the house football competition. Remarkably, West once INTERVIEWagain reached all three major finals. The players were spurred on WITH...by great support from the droves of supporters clad in black andyellow, putting their bodies on the line and competing with fierce ‘West Housepassion. The standout moment would have to be the Ronaldo-like Matron’rocket from Greg Tilsar that enabled the West House senior teampull off an unlikely 1-0 win against the favourites North House. What do you like most about West House? The sense of community, in both staff and pupils, andAs ever the West House charity evening was a huge success and being able to watch the boys grow up over the years.a real team effort raised a significant amount of money for TheSunnybank Trust whilst entertaining our guests. We are very What are your hobbies and why do you enjoy them?grateful for all the contributions but a special thanks must go I love to go road cycling with the girls (something weto the prefect body and house staff for arranging the night. The started doing a couple of years ago) and running. I’mhighlight of the evening was the outstanding ‘Who wants to be a not very good at either but I do them for the fresh airmillionaire?’ quiz conducted by Peter Downey with the contestants and sociability. I’m interested in interior design too.of Mr. Pepper and Mr. Bruggemann under the spotlight. If you won the lottery, what would you spend theTo conclude the year was one to remember for West House. The money on?Upper Sixth led the House and set an outstanding example for I’d share it with my friends and family so they could allothers to follow. The Upper Sixth look forward to the next chapter join me having fun and doing amazing things! It’s theof their lives but are sad to be leaving and will all miss West a great people around you who make you happy, not money.deal: ‘West House till we die’. What is an ideal weekend to you?Aidan De Forest–Brown Friday Night – Pub with friends Saturday Morning – Out on the bike with girlfriends Saturday Afternoon – Reading the papers in front of an open fire Saturday Evening – Dinner with friends Sunday Morning – Watching my son play football Sunday Afternoon – Chilling, gardening and relaxing around the house Sunday Evening – Bath and early to bed If you were washed up on a desert island and could only take three things with you, what would they be? My husband, my phone and something I could use to make fire. If you weren’t a matron what would be your ideal career? A Butlin’s Redcoat (but I can’t sing or dance!) What do you moan about most in West? Inconsiderate behaviour What is your most memorable moment in West? The first time I walked up the stairs bald from my chemotherapy and none of the boys even flinched. The kindness they showed me during that time just shows the reason West is so close to my heart – there is something about the community which is fundamentally so caring and thoughtful, and that’s why I love this job so much. I had never realised 13-year- olds could be capable of such empathy and compassion. 53THE JOHNIAN

CAMDEN SKERMAN-STEVENSON(U6, MONTY)54 THE JOHNIAN

Performance THIS HAS BEEN A BIG YEAR FOR BOTH DRAMA AND MUSIC – WITH AN EPIC NUMBER OF PLAYS, PERFORMANCES AND CONCERTS, BOTH IN SCHOOL AND OUT. 55THE JOHNIAN

01/MusicAll the King’s Men, King’s College London For many weeks, the faint whispers of iconic songs could be heard across the Quad, each house eagerly preparing56 THE JOHNIAN for the fiercely competitive house singing competition, described by many as ‘the event of the year’. With music spanning a wide range of styles, from East House’s boisterous rendition of ‘Let it Go’ to the spirited performance of ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ from Haslewood House that secured them the unison trophy, the School enjoyed a truly electric atmosphere throughout an afternoon of music making. Following the unison competition, designed to bring the whole house together to sing as one, unifying them for the year ahead, the part-song allowed each house’s finest singers to demonstrate their talents. It was evident that much work was put into all performances, with Alice Bloomfield’s arrangement of ‘Suddenly I See’ securing first place for Gloucester in this competition. This year, St John’s has seen the introduction of a large number of new and exciting events and competitions that have helped to develop and grow the musical landscape of the School. The School was welcomed back from the summer holiday by the glorious sounds of the new Hickson organ, installed in the Chapel over the holiday. From the start, it was clear that this was an instrument that would transform and uplift congregational singing at St John’s, giving depth and life to the music that would be sung in the Chapel throughout the year. We were honoured to welcome David Briggs, one of the finest organists in the world, to give the inaugural organ recital on the organ designed and built by Kenneth Tickell Ltd. Exploring a vast range of repertoire, from Bach to Widor, to an improvisation on a ringtone given by a member of the audience, David Briggs demonstrated the vast range of sounds and colours that can be created on the instrument, and captured the hearts of an audience of well over 300, who were left spellbound by a musician with real vitality and panache. We also welcomed a number of other fine musicians to the School over the course of the year. These included internationally acclaimed violinist Boris Kucharsky, violin teacher at St John’s and the local Yehudi Menuhin School. He was accompanied by Marcus Schlemmer and gave an extraordinary recital of Brahms’ three violin sonatas, music with sheer beauty and emotional intensity. At the end of the year, we enjoyed a concert given by the male voice a cappella ensemble ‘All the King’s Men’, a choir of some distinction from King’s College London. Containing some beautiful classical works, such as ‘Bogoroditse Devo’

from Rachmaninov’s All Night Vigil, alongside some well known pop songs, the programme was one that appealed to all those who attended, creating a thoroughly enjoyable evening of singing. The annual instrumental music competition saw over ninety musicians take part in well over a hundred performances, divided into seven categories (brass, keyboard, strings, percussion, woodwind, vocal and ensemble) and three sub- categories (junior, intermediate and senior). After an packed afternoon of music, winners from each senior category played in a highly enjoyable recital in the Old Chapel, where, after a number of high quality, exciting performances, Josh Geddes (L6, West House) was awarded the Forbes cup for his performance of Chopin’s Ballade no. 1 in G minor, op. 23. The second instrumental competition of the year was the inaugural Concerto competition, in which seven musicians competed for the coveted trophy, each playing one movement from a Concerto of their choice, accompanied by an orchestra of local professional musicians. The evening saw some flawless performances, each with real character and style. The trophy was eventually awarded to Josh Geddes for his beautiful rendition of Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor. Other concerts held throughout the year included the May concert, in which the Schola Cantorum sang a number of madrigals to welcome in the summer, alongside performances from the jazz band and big band. The evening was highly enjoyable and showcased many of the schools finest ensembles. The choral society gave a thrilling concert of Vivaldi’s Gloria and Handel’s Dixit Dominus, challenging music handled brilliantly by the choir, ending a fantastic year of music with much joy and energy. The wide range of opportunities afforded all pupils at St John’s not only to listen to, but also create for themselves, music of the highest calibre is testament to the importance of music at St John’s and the passion of all those involved in this music making.David Briggs gave the inaugural organ recital Yvette Murphy (U5, Haslewood) to an audience of over 300 in the chapel THE JOHNIAN 57

02/Chapel Review The life of the Chapel, as always, is a major part of life at St John’s. As the School meeting place at least four times a week, Chapel swiftly becomes a defining feature of the way of life of a St John’s pupil. This year, as ever, has been no different. With a strong Chapel team and readers, the Chapel services this year have gone without blemish. The Christian Union has pondered key areas of religious debate and continues to think about purpose and revitalisation in an increasingly secular society. Termly Chapel socials are increasingly popular, and everyone enjoyed the high-class burger and hot dog spread at the close of the year. All pupils have continuously been encouraged, inspired and opinionated by the sermons, and the place of reflection and rest that Chapel provides is appreciated by many. The outstanding new Hickson organ, an instrument that both staff and pupils are proud to call our own, has dramatically helped to breathe new life into worship at St John’s. As a result, Friday morning congregational hymn practice is a vivacious and uplifting affair. The 60-strong Chapel choir was in once again fine voice this year. Ever striving to build on success, the choir never failed to provide high quality, uplifting and reflective music58 THE JOHNIAN

Commencing with the faint and moving sounds of ‘O Christ, Who Art the Light and Day’, a plainsong typically sung at the service Compline as a call to God for protection from the dangers of the night, the Schola entertained the audience with a challenging programme featuring music by composers Stephen Paulus, Gregorio Allegri and our composer-in-residence Christopher Mortlock. Mortlock’s most popular setting was of the text ‘Ubi Caritas’ and has remained a firm favourite of the Schola throughout the year. In May, the choir performed a stunning selection of traditional unaccompanied English madrigals, both at the May Concert alongside the Big Band and Jazz Band, and later on the Quad as part of Open Day, much to the delight of all those visiting the School. With madrigals being music written to welcome the summer months, the choir felt a great connection to the lyrics, which aided membersfor the many services held in the Chapel throughout the year. to bring life and personality to the music. Alongside concertMany pieces sung were of a higher standard than has been performances, they sung at a number of services throughoutattempted with the St John’s choir for several years, and all the year, most notably the chilling dawn vigil on Friday 1were sung with finesse and passion. Some of the most notable July, a service held on the Quad to mark the centenary of theservices of the year were the annual Remembrance service start of the Battle of the Somme. With 22 Old Johnians havingand the Festivals of Lessons and Carols, of which ‘God is with lost their lives at the Somme, 6 of them on 1 July 1916, theus’ (Tavener) was a particular highlight. Over the Christmas service was moving and reverent, the Schola singing ‘Forholidays, the choir were privileged to get the opportunity to The Fallen’ by Douglas Guest. The Schola also visited Royaltour abroad once more. Returning to the much-loved city of Holloway University to sing alongside their choir at EvensongPrague and reunited with beloved Jamila and friends from the after enjoying a master class with the Director of Music andJohannes Kepler Grammar School, they performed a series catching up with OJs. It was a real pleasure to sing alongsideof exquisite festive concerts in a range of locations in and such a high-quality choir and many pupils were inspired toaround the city. Combining culture, choral singing, Christmas look to continue their choral singing when they leave St John’s.shopping and plenty of warming hot chocolate, the tour was The Schola once again moved parents and pupils alike in theirthe perfect formula for success. Encouraged by an emotional annual Speech Day performance, returning to a piece from thespeech from Mr Bland, the choir were met with great acclaim start of the year, ‘The Road Home’ (Paulus), the choir, adornedfrom the Czech audiences. The choir returned ready to seize with white roses, sang their hearts out, and the music floatedthe opportunities that awaited, even giving an impromptu around the marquee, following the pupils as they left for theconcert to entertain passengers on the flight whilst we circled holidays. Schola are very much looking forward to returningover Heathrow. Upon returning to St John’s, and with the renewed and revitalised in September, and are both anxiouslyannual Evensong trip taking the choir to St Albans, the stakes and excitedly awaiting the highest profile event they have yet towere high. Yet once again they responded with gusto to the undertake, performing in concert with Tenebrae.challenges that awaited, and on the night of the Evensong, thecongregation present were treated to a divine array of music Yvette Murphy (U5 Haslewood)including canticles by Walmisley in D, a setting favoured by the and Catherine Perkins (U5, Gloucester)whole choir for its moving power. The service was a wonderfulchance for the choir to experience Cathedral singing in a trulybeautiful setting. With the choir beginning to reassemble thefarewell symphony by the middle of the Summer Term, itwould be easy to imagine that the standard of singing wouldsuffer also. Yet continuing to fight valiantly in their quest forchoral perfection, in the eyes of Mr Bland at least, the choircontinued to go from strength to strength, ending the year instyle. Leaving for the summer holidays, choir members werefilled with the remembrance of a fantastic year of continuingthe renowned choral tradition of St John’s and the excitementof returning afresh in September with a whole year’s worth ofmusic making lying ahead.The Schola Cantorum saw an exceptionally jam-packed yearof singing and fellowship, preparing a genre-varied volumeof music for a great number of concerts and services. Theirwinter concert, entitled ‘The Road Home’ saw music performedwith precision and vigour around the theme of homecoming. THE JOHNIAN 59

03/Choir TourPRAGUE CHRISTMAS 2015 On Sunday 13 December, the choir left bright and early to head to Prague. Even though the journey was tiring, St John’s wasted no time and left to explore the enchanting city. Our hotel was situated in a perfect location, just a short walk away from the beautiful city centre. As soon as we entered the Christmas markets, we were all filled with Christmas joy and spirit. There were lights scattering over everything in sight and the smell of trdelnik lingered in the air throughout all the stalls. On the second day, we had the opportunity to rehearse at the Gymnasium Johannes Kepler, a school in the centre of Prague. Although the school lunches in Prague did not quite meet the standards of St John’s, the choir embraced the opportunity we were given and thoroughly enjoyed the day. We were even given the opportunity to announce our concert on the school radio, making us feel as though we were celebrities! After an exciting day of singing with their school choir, we headed back to the hotel in order to prepare for the thrilling evening ahead of us. We were all extremely excited to see the opera ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ as many of us had not had the opportunity to attend an opera before. To make the performance even better, some of us were lucky enough to sit in the boxes, giving us an even better view of the performance. Although it was a long evening, everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and became more engaged with the world of opera. Our free time to look round the city of Prague was great fun for all; however, we spent most of our time rehearsing for our concerts. We did three concerts in beautiful locations such as the Mirrored Chapel, Klementinum. Whilst our final concert did not gather a huge audience, the St John’s choir were determined to carry on. Every rehearsal and concert helped to not only improve our individual voices, but also helped to improve us as a collective choir.60 THE JOHNIAN

Our final concert was a reflectionof how much work and effort eachindividual had put into the Praguechoir tour. Everyone sang together asa unit, forming one of the best soundsSt John’s choir has ever made.Overall, the trip was an amazingexperience that gave us theopportunities to explore the beautifulcity of Prague whilst also singing insome of the most beautiful venuesthere. We were able to mix withthe people of Prague and see theircultural differences. This tour helpedus to build long-lasting friendshipsbetween all the years whilst alsoforming a stronger choir. THE JOHNIAN 61

04/Drama BY MOLLY MAY SENIOR SCHOOL PLAY This year, the Drama Department put on a gripping performance of Berkoff’s adaptation of Franz Kafta’s ‘The Trial’. I spoke to Iain Alexander and his experience playing the protagonist of the play. For people who may not know, tell us about the plot and who you played. I played Joseph K, a man who is accused of a crime he is unaware he’s committed. In the play, we see his futile attempts to find out what he’s done wrong until he is finally executed, still ignorant of his crimes. What was it like? The play was really fun to perform in. It’s a big ensemble piece so I’d probably say working as part of a big team to create something was my favourite aspect of being part of it.62 THE JOHNIAN

What was the hardest part in regards to developing yourcharacter?Joseph believes he is completely innocent but is still beingtreated as a criminal, so portraying that overwhelmingfrustration at the society he seems trapped within andadopting that mind-set was a big challenge, seeing as I’venever really experienced anything like that.GCSE A2The GCSE devised performances ranged from an emotional For the A2 devised performances, there were two adaptations:drama based on the events of 9/11 and an adaptation of A Girl on the Train and Alice in Wonderland. I asked Becky Floydthe reality TV show ‘Big Brother’ with the contestants being (Haslewood) about her experiences performing in A Girl onShakespearian characters. the Train:As for the GCSE scripted performances, there was a dramatic ‘The piece explored a murder mystery from the view of anperformance of Sophocles’ ‘Oedipus the King’. There was also alcoholic woman. This meant we could explore, throughthe story of Dr Korczak’s Example about Jewish orphans in physical theatre, the effects of alcohol on a person’s1942, set in Poland. perception of their surroundings. This was both challenging and rewarding and I look forward to exploring more stylesAs a GCSE drama student myself, my favourite piece to of drama at university.’perform was my devised piece, because performing a shortplay you have created with your friends, although stressful, The other A2 performance did an adaptation of Alice inis something I will never forget; it is incredibly rewarding. Wonderland using the style of theatre of cruelty. Alice inI enjoyed creating my character of an insane psychiatric patient Wonderland was set a mental asylum and each character wasand a cold and clinical doctor in our story about a corrupt interpreted in the style of theatre of cruelty, which made for apsychiatric hospital. spine-chilling experience for the audience. THE JOHNIAN 63

05/Debating As with everything we do at St John’s, precision and excellence are at the core of what we strive for. Debating is no different, and whether war of the words be fought between any two of the nine houses here at St John’s or whether we collate our creative and talented speakers to voice our opinions in the wider community; you are sure to find passionate and highly engaging debates. With various success for all houses in house debating, from the demolition derby between Churchill and West through the senior group stages, or East’s commanding victory over Churchill in the inters category, debating showcases the very best pupil talent in the School. The perfect mix between contemporary affairs in politics and the state of the UK, and division of opinion, house debating always galvanises the house teams and brings out the very best in cohesion. Having now some longevity in East, I can say there have been high points and low points to my years in terms of debating. Each age group, juniors (Fourth Form),64 THE JOHNIAN

inters (Fifth Form), and seniors (Sixth Form) converges upon The most important thing to consider when debating is theone of our magnificent competition locations, including the hypothetical doors one opens or closes for oneself. At times,Chapel, the biggest and most imposing and difficult to speak more mind-bendingly complex than chess, and at others, morein, to the Old Chapel, the new host to many empowering physically and mentally intense and intellectually exhaustingspeeches and is a favourite especially with speakers owing to than a rugby match or a morning Prefect meeting, debatingits beautiful restoration work, the ornate and original stone at St John’s is only improving. The awe-inspiring difference ofmasonry mirroring the relevant and often very complex opinion and its incredibly strong expression across the boardarguments to grace its walls. stands testament to the skill and enthusiasm of St John’s pupils to stand up, stand out, and make a difference.The MMS has been used as a debating forum also. Kyle Jackson (L6, East)Technologically advanced with raked seating, this stage hasbeen designed with debating in mind. The studio, split in two, 65THE JOHNIANstimulates debate and promotes division of opinion, meaningthat debates fought in here seem to get particularly intimate.In my experience of chairing the heated debate between theSouth and Surrey seniors, I remember the absolute challenge ofhaving to pick just one member of the floor to answer at once.Universal participation in debates remain one of the strongestassets of oratory which graces the School.

EMILY HART(U6, GLOUCESTER)66 THE JOHNIAN

School Trips TO SKI, OR TO SAFARI?! ST JOHN’S PUPILS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL ACROSS THE WORLD... AND THEN GET TO WRITE ABOUT THEIR ESCAPADES FOR THE JOHNIAN! 67THE JOHNIAN

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Last February half term, the School’sLower Sixth geographers visitedMorocco to back up the learning donein the classroom with real life examplesand to give the pupils a taste of thedifferent culture. Over the course of the trip, we visited a range of different places from the hot, dry Sahara Desert to the snow-covered Atlas Mountains, before finishing the trip with the amazing culture of Marrakesh. On the first day, we travelled out to Zagora where we explored the Sahara Desert on a camel for three hours as the sun set behind us. We then camped out under the stars and experienced the local culture through bread cooked in the sand along with some Moroccan music. The next morning some of the group woke up early and climbeda sand dune near where we camped to watch the sun rise over the desert,which was a magical experience. After this, we travelled to Tinfou, whichwe used as a case study for the human effects of sand encroachment causingdesertification and the different management ideas they had tried withoutmuch success. The next day we headed up, away from the Anti AtlasMountains to the High Atlas Mountains where the two climates were completecontrasts of each other. During this journey, we travelled through the DraaValley where many of the features we had learnt about were present, suchas wadis – stunning rock features caused by water erosion from flooding.We then went on to visit the UNESCO world heritage site Ait Benhaddou,a typical Moroccan village on a hill with the houses made out of mud, clay,water and straw. This village had become famous as the movie Gladiator wasfilmed here.We were then planning to cross the mountain pass to Imlil; however, we hadto have a change of plan as the pass was shut due to very heavy snow causingrock avalanches that had blocked the road. We had to take a long trip aroundthe mountains but it was all worth it when we reached Imlil where there weresome amazing views during our trek of snow-covered mountains. Here, welearnt about the effects of tourism on the local area and the details of the floodthat sent water cascading down the main high street but amazingly causing noloss of life in the village. After this we went to the Eco Museum in the AtlasMountains to learn about the different plants, trees and wildlife that existed inthe national park. Finally, we went into Marrakesh where we toured the cityin the best way possible, by a traditional horse-drawn taxi (caleche). We thenentered the maze that was the old town of Marrakesh where we visited thetanneries (leather making area) during which we were given mint to cover theawful smell. We also went to a local Berber pharmacy where we tried lots ofdifferent spices and bought various different local remedies to try out. Finally,we went into the Souks where we got to experience the tactics of haggling inthe market place for presents for families.Oliver Hunt (L6, North)THE JOHNIAN 69

QueuinCg atastr The seven hundred or so pupils of St John’s School must suffer two hundred and twenty-five minutes of mundane lessons before the bells ring out and lunch is served. The lucky ones that have survived three years have gained the opportunity to have a five-minute bonus to get to their hot meals at an earlier time. After they have finished, chaos reigns and the starvation-influenced brawl begins... One barrier remains between this fight and what could soon be a torn apart landscape, and that is… the Sixth Formers. Few in number but high in authority, they are the custodians of the lunch queue; once you enter the lunch doors, there is no return – more pupils will pile in, seemingly without end. I write this from the perspective of a Fourth Former (perhaps the lowest form of life in what is a senior school). My year (including myself) is consistently pushed to the back of the queues. You’d think it would be easy to maintain a space, wouldn’t you? The much taller, much grumpier, much stronger upper years use a couple of specific techniques to make their way forward: first, the situation in which they apparently have a friend that is further along in the queue, and it is a life or death position – they must make it to their friend. The second situation is one that is used much more frequently, and that is known as brute strength. They will use their shoulders, elbows, backs, legs, hands or anything present to push you aside. It is as excruciating to experience as it is to watch as others suffer. The real question is, what can you do? Well, the answer is ‘not much really’, as at my age you are effectively powerless. You can huff and puff and groan but it won’t do much good as the cacophony of voices in the Dining Hall bray for blood.70 THE JOHNIAN

ophe Most Fourth Formers are quite respectful of each other and do not seem to barge each other out of the way (yet): after all, we have to stick together if we are to withstand the upper years’ strong mercenary tactics. Unfortunately, there is another armed force that is effectively unstoppable. They have the ultimate power, they do not take no for an answer. They are the level boss, the kings and queens of the lunch queue and they are THE TEACHERS. It does not matter if you are in a rush or not, whether hunger is eating you from the inside out, you will make way for the teachers or suffer the consequences. As innocent as they may seem, they are hunting for the same prizes as us – that hot meal that everyone craves after two hundred and twenty-five minutes of foodless lessons. It is only in this case that it is best that (assuming you are a pupil) you step aside. Making it to lunch is a triumph; it is certainly a battle, if won, of which to be proud. If you’ve made it this far, it is essential that you persevere through the years, at which point you may not be as vulnerable as the last. Robert Butler (4F, East) 71THE JOHNIAN

A language that However, despite the changes in the type of religion, religionbreaks every itself and its shared concepts have always survived the world’sbarrier, and turmoil. It seems only natural then to ask the followingcrosses every questions: Why is religion so integral to societal life andcontinent. culture? Why is religion still so important to us today, millennia since its first primitive existence?It is said that the only constant in life is change. Yet there seemsto be one other constant throughout history: the presence One of arguably the most important reasons why religion isof religion in society. Despite empires being conquered and so important is the fact that it has shaped the world we knowrelinquished, emigration of people across continents spreading physically, politically and morally. It suffices to take America asinfluence, war, advances in scientific knowledge and centuries a clear example of this, which received 102 Puritan emigrantsupon centuries going by, there has never been a recorded known as the ‘Pilgrim Fathers’ from England in 1620 aboardculture which does not practice some kind of religion. the Mayflower, and many more in the years following. TheyUndeniably, the nature of that religion has changed, from landed in New Plymouth and had established Boston as athe spirituality, worship and wonder of nature possessed major city and port by 1630, which it still remains today. Theseby cavemen long before organised religion, through to the Puritan colonies evolved into the 13 colonies represented as thebeginning of polytheistic beliefs in early Mesopotamia and stripes on the American flag, from which ‘Founding Fathers’Egyptian dynasties and during went to establish the US Constitution, following their gainedthe early Greek and Roman independence from Britain in 1776. The Constitution itself wasperiods. Polytheism evolved not founded on religion, although it was influenced strongly byinto organised religions that we the Founding Fathers’ religious beliefs, having a clause whichknow today, such as Hinduism states ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment(arguably henotheistic but derived of religion.’ However, the colonies which led the revolution andfrom polytheism). Polytheism the Constitution’s formation would not have existed withoutthen progressed to pantheism in the Puritans’ need to seek a ‘New World’ away from Englandthe later Egyptian and Persian in 1620, making religion a key factor in creating the worldempires, a concept still found in superpower we know today.traditional African religion andBuddhism. Around 2000 BC, OUR OWN COUNTRY IS CONTINUALLYthe origins of paganism and later SHAPED BY RELIGION TOO, NOT JUSTmonotheism are found which have THE FACT THAT ALL OUR HOLIDAYS AREculminated in religions such as CENTRED AROUND RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS.Christianity, Judaism and Islam.All these different types of religion AFTER HENRY VIII DISASSOCIATEDare still present in the world today, HIMSELF WITH THE PAPACY IN 1533 INand although they have differentcustoms, holy books and Gods, they ORDER TO DIVORCE CATHERINE OFall share the power of belief and the ARAGON AND MARRY ANNE BOLEYN,strength of faith. HE ORDERED72 THE JOHNIAN THE DISSOLUTION OF OVER 800 MONASTERIES, LEAVING MANY OF THEM IN THE DERELICT STATE WE FIND THEM TODAY. Henry VIII went on to from the established Church of England, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The bond between Church and State in England has never been broken, and the monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II, is still the Supreme Governor of the Church.

Furthermore, religious ideals and morals form the basis of belief with my ancestors and with those who have gone beforeour human conscience and therefore our legal system. The me. I can fashion my own life with the knowledge that I carryideal and moral commandments given to Moses on Mount on a part of them. To be part of a religion is to belong and beSinai are now what our English law seeks to enforce, such as cherished in a community. As humans we all have a need tothe importance of social welfare. Every religion has rules for belong and to be part of something bigger. Religion means thatbelievers to follow. In Christianity these are primarily the ten no matter where you are in the world, you know that therecommandments, although there are others too such as Jesus’ are people in those places who believe the same thing as you,two additional commandments in the New Testament. In and consequently you can feel their pain or joy. It gives us theJudaism, law takes the form of Halakhah which incorporates opportunity to meet and be inspired by people from across thethe 613 mitzvot; in Islam, the Sharia, and so forth. Religion world and to debate, to learn, to worship, to grieve, to rejoicegives us the principle that a society cannot function without together. Religion is a language that breaks every barrier andrules and guidelines, a truth acknowledged by every legal crosses every continent. This becomes all the more evident insystem in the world. times of hardship and grief. After tragic attacks such as 9/11, 7/7, those in Paris, Orlando, Turkey, Nice and endless more, weYet, religion not only shapes history, conscience and legislation, see social solidarity and cohesion of people joining together inbut also gives us the ability to question and be curious. prayer and reflection, in determination and strength, all part ofQuestioning what we see around us and what we experience one community no longer arguing over trivial disagreements,in our everyday lives is a part of who we are as humans. To but united by the stronger omnipotent force of faith.question life is to progress in knowledge, philosophy andspirituality. To question life is to progress as a race altogether. So, although sometimes we grumble about it, there are soAs humans, we are known as ‘homo sapiens’. Sapiens is the many reasons why we at St John’s are privileged to be partpresent participle of the Latin verb sapere (to know, to be wise). of a religious community, history and origination larger thanTherefore, as humans able to question and seek answers, we imagination. This religious community is clearly integral toare each labelled as a ‘knowing man, a man being wise.’ Every both school and societal life. Throughout history, religion haschild, teenager, adult and even those on their death beds seek been the source of controversy and debate in culture, politics,the answer to life’s big questions, the seemingly unanswerables. war, literature, art, film, music, theatre, poetry – the list goesWhat is life? What was the origin of the universe? Why do I on. But we cannot deny that throughout history, religion haswake up each morning feeling exactly the same inside although been a constant through so much change, and that despite itsmy body ages day on day, year on year? Why is there suffering? perceived misgivings, it has been an important factor in howIs there a being omnipresent and omniscient that directs every the world has been shaped historically, politically, morally,one of our lives? These are the questions that religion seeks to legally and, for many, personally. This goes someway tofind an answer to (that we inevitably still question and debate prove why religion is still so important throughout changingfor hours on end). Religion gives us the answers to life, and millennia. And whether we are proud of it or whether we hidegives us the ability to each of us be our own homo sapiens, our from it, religion is the beating heart of our society, whatever ourown ‘wise man’. calling, whatever our belief. It is for this reason our current Chapel is placed right in the heart of the School grounds, suchFinally, religion is a binding force, bringing together not only as for us it daily symbolises that unforgettable cornerstone ofpeople from across the world, but uniting people with a shared society in our microcosm of the world.identity across centuries. To share a belief in religion is to sharea part of someone’s identity. I know that I share a powerful Catherine Perkins (U5, Gloucester) 73THE JOHNIAN

without a doubt, or in for the win?As the controversial Brexit debate The Out campaign team plastered the Schooldominated media headlines in 2016, with propaganda posters, ranging from promisesthe St John’s politics society decided to of funding the NHS with the £350million ‘stolen’stage their own mock campaigns – the by the EU and flattering comparisons betweenresult of which could perhaps gauge the the future of the EU and the Titanic. Meanwhile,opinion of young people… something Team RemaIN hit back with arguments favouringBrexit itself spectacularly failed to EU trade legislation and recruiting St John’s staffrepresent. to be pictured supporting their campaign. Both campaigns also began handing out merchandiseCharlotte Corbett took on the challenge of leading sent from the actual RemaIN and Vote Leavethe ‘Out without a doubt’ campaign against the organisations, with RemaIN badges proving a keyblue-blooded Jack Perry’s group: ‘In for the Win’. differential amongst pupil voters.Both were ably supported by crack political teamswho slaved over writing original speeches, creating The campaign itself culminated in a dynamica range of propaganda posters and collecting and vehement debate in front of the Schoolmerchandise. between Jack Perry and Ed Hayter, and the two Brexiteers, James Hughes and Gen Loewenthal.What proceeded was a Brexit campaign which Between them, James Hughes and Jack Perrywas every bit as dubious, divisive and entertaining hold four house debating championships andas the real thing. To begin with, a brutal social their verbal sparring was greatly anticipated bymedia campaign was launched, with a vicious pupils and teachers alike. Perry and Hayter offeredbattle for Facebook likes and Twitter retweets, reasoned, sensible a reasoned, sensible argument,which descended into a platform for political favouring international unity and the trade/travelsmears rather than any meaningful debate; thank benefits within the EU. Meanwhile, Hughes andgoodness it wasn’t real world politics or who Loewenthal put on an entertaining performance ofknows what chaos could have ensued? which Mr Johnson could be proud, highlighting the short-term pain, long-term gain possibilities of Brexit and criticising totalitarian EU legislation.74 THE JOHNIAN

When it came to question time, all speakers could In the end ‘In for the Win’ snatched victorybe proud for successfully avoiding the answers as St John’s bucked the national trend with alike true politicians and completed for dishing close 82% majority, however, both sides shouldout some impressive put downs – it is said Mr be commended for their excellent campaigns.Kidd is still reeling from his verbal tussle with The vote, if anything, was a reflection of theJames Hughes. views of our young demographic at St John’s and highlights the true failures of the actualHowever, it all came down to the impression Brexit vote. With the people who will beleft on the pupils and on polling day there was a most affected in the coming years by this votecrush of pupils keen to have their voices heard left disenfranchised, we hope the politicalwith a turnout of well over 80%. The votes were engagement at St John’s bodes well for thecounted and pupils eagerly awaited Mr Thomas’ future… perhaps we’ll even see Jack Perry in theverdict on the result. PM position one day. James Hughes (L6, Churchill) 75THE JOHNIAN

FRANCESCA BARRETT(U6, SOUTH)76 THE JOHNIAN

Vocational OUR PUPILS WORK HARD TO EXCEL OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. GETTING LOST IN THE LAKE DISTRICT AND SLEEPING OUT ON THE QUAD ARE OPTIONAL, BUT ADVISED. 77THE JOHNIAN

Duke of Edinburgh GOLD ANDAwards SILVERTHE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD, IN ITS 60TH YEAR, CONTINUES TO BE A HUGELY IMPORTANTASPECT OF LIFE AT ST JOHN’S. INDEED, MANY SEE IT AS A VERITABLE RITE OF PASSAGE,OFFERING AS IT DOES A GREAT SENSE OF DISCIPLINE AND PURPOSE – LEAVING AN INDELIBLEFOOTPRINT ON THEIR LIVES. THE AWARD CLEARLY CEMENTS LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIPS AMONGPUPILS AT ST JOHN’S, BROADENING INTERESTS AND STRETCHING HORIZONS.Gold Award throughout the expedition. As ever, the expedition pushed the groups to their psychological limits, making the finishing line aThe late summer sun saw dozens of Upper Sixth pupils welcome sight.descend – in time-honoured fashion – on the Lake District forthis year’s Gold Duke of Edinburgh assessed expedition. It was hugely exciting to be involved in this award in its 60th year. As with the many millions who have completed theseThe groups were confident of success following successful expeditions before us, we have found the award to be a life-training and excellent individual skills in navigation. The routes changing experience.covered a vast and unforgiving terrain. Over hill, through valleyand dale, across landscapes of such breath-taking beauty, such Silver Awardexperiences would regularly (in Heaney’s words) ‘catch theheart off guard and blow it open’. It is interesting to observe The Silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition traversed the plainsthe passage of time at such moments – the experience can of the New Forest in 2015. Whilst the groups experiencedsometimes feel so ethereal as to hardly exist in seconds and the joys of heat and sunburn on the first day, it was the thirdminutes, whilst the trudge through mud and pouring rain can day that proved most memorable. Torrential rain caused greatmake each second feel like eternity. Each night we pitched our discomfort, but the vagaries of weather patterns seem to be antents and cooked meals to fuel the exertion. Physically, the important part of every Duke of Edinburgh expedition.week was demanding for all involved as routes often includedclimbing punishing hills and covering long distances. Rydall The qualifying expedition took us north to the wilds of theFell, Grasmere Common and the peak of Cat Bells were but Yorkshire Dales. Again, the British climate was enjoyed in thethree of the physical challenges which confronted the groups78 THE JOHNIAN

fullest sense of the word. The Dales, often known for quick beginning to tire. But despite the poor visibility at the top, theychanges in meteorological conditions, showed a surprisingly handled the day with great aplomb, and powered on to theconsistent approach: pupils walked through three days of gentler climb of Pen y Fan. After such a physically demandingconstant rain to complete the expedition in excellent spirits. challenge, the team headed to the beach of Pembrey to enjoyIt was the largest Silver DofE cohort to date with 127 St John’s the feeling of sand between their toes. Their visit to the beachpupils marching to success across field and mountain. Such coincided with the Perseid Meteor Shower, a most fantasticwas the magnitude of the number that they were something display and fitting reward for the team’s climbing endeavours.of a sight to behold spattered across the green, open spaces, It proved an excellent way to celebrate 60 years of suchagainst huddled sheep and grazing cattle. achievements, and a great way to raise funds for good causes at the same time.The Diamond Challenge St John’s has been invited to attend the Service of ThanksgivingTo celebrate the anniversary of the DofE Award, the national for the Duke of Edinburgh Award in December 2016. St John’sexecutive has released a separate award which allows is one of the great centres for the award, and it is excellent thatindividuals of all ages, backgrounds and groups to engage with our contribution has been acknowledged in this way.an activity which raises money for local sport charities forthe disabled.St John’s climbing team decided to undertakea considerable challenge, climbing the WelshThree Peaks. Harry Butler, Elliot Needham,William Sampson, Javier Gonzalez, HarryBulkeley, Christopher Ballard and Sarah Nelson-Jones set themselves the challenge of climbingSnowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan in justthree days.The team first set about climbing Snowdon, thelongest climb of the three. With high spirits ontheir way up, Snowdon even rewarded the pupilswith a Pokémon – much to the amusement ofother climbers at the peak. Day two was by far thetoughest for the team. Cadair Idris is a very steepand unforgiving peak to climb, and the pupils,after such a long walk the day before, were 79THE JOHNIAN

RAF REVIEW This year saw a full inspection of the CCF at St John’s by Gp Capt Mark Manwaring from the RAF. The day started with a Guard of Honour parade outside the front of the School, followed by a tour of the School and a stimulating talk over lunch. In the afternoon the Group Captain observed various activities performed by the cadets, including a full flying simulator rig in the Sixth Form Social Centre and the annual gun run, which is always a very exciting event to watch. Throughout the year, one hour every Thursday afternoon is dedicated to the CCF. In the RAF these cadets learn valuable skills which they can use later in life, such as leadership, team building and first aid. Many lessons are taught by the older cadets themselves, who relish the opportunity to pass on the knowledge and experience they have gained. Once a term we participate in a field day for CCF which varies throughout the different sections. In the RAF, field days can involve a number of different things, including historical visits to WW2 RAF bunkers, learning how to move in the field and flying at RAF Benson. We fly Tutors at RAF Benson, an amazing opportunity that is not offered to many pupils our age. Flying is my personal favourite activity to participate in, especially since we get to have a one-on-one flying session with a professional pilot and we gain so much knowledge from the experience itself. All cadets are immersed in the RAF and enjoy every second of it, even though drill practice can seem tedious at times! The cadets also are given many opportunities in which they can attend training courses or camps throughout the year. I was fortunate enough to attend an RAF summer camp in North Cumbria at RAF Spadeadam. This was definitely one of the highlights of my time in the RAF as we learnt how to shoot and how to have precision timing when doing drill. The best part of the camp was when they staged a night expedition for us in which we were giving wooden rifles and maps and had the ‘shoot’ down the enemies. I am very grateful to have been a part of the RAF for four years as it has placed me out of my comfort zone and developed my leadership skills. These skills will be of great use to me in the future and I am very thankful to have been giving the opportunities that the RAF provided. Tarun Perry (U6, Churchill)80 THE JOHNIAN

NAVY REVIEW The Royal Navy section of the St John’s School CCF is flourishing. We have over 90 cadets across four year groups, and an hour every Thursday afternoon is dedicated to teaching the brand new syllabus which came into force at the beginning of the Autumn Term. With this new syllabus comes new challenges for the cadets – with an extra three ranks (1 Star, 2 Star and 3 Star) to progress through, the assessment system will be more rigorous than ever. In the coming months the junior cadets will develop an expansive knowledge of the Royal Navy, including ropework and knots, ranks and rates, and recognition of the ships, weapons and aircraft used by the RN. The older cadets will be developing their leadership and teaching skills throughout the year in guiding the younger pupils through the new syllabus. The CCF is an excellent opportunity to step outside your comfort zone, be it in the classroom, in the field, or out on the water. Both senior and junior cadets have plenty of opportunities to practice leading their peers as well as working in a team, through practical leadership tasks, delivering presentations or during activities on field day. Field days are traditionally the highlight of the term for the cadets, and past ventures have included visits to Naval Establishments such as HMS Excellent and our parent establishment, HMS Collingwood. Activities range from assault courses to sailing and powerboating, and are always thoroughly enjoyed by all. One of my most memorable experiences was undertaking training on the Damage Repair Instruction Unit at HMS Excellent, having to prevent water from gushing through the hull of the simulator as the room filled up with water and rocked from side to side! There are plenty of opportunities for cadets of all ages to attend summer camps, ranging from leadership courses at HMS Raleigh to powerboating qualifications and yacht expeditions. Almost all courses and qualifications run by the CCF are heavily subsidised by the MoD, including scuba diving, first aid, and competent crew/ day skipper sailing qualifications. This provides a fantastic opportunity for cadets to gain world-class qualifications at very little expense. The School also runs a summer camp at Jersey Camp on the Isle of Wight for cadets from all three sections, which was a resounding success this year. Pupils participated in a wide variety of field-based activities, culminating with a fast-paced competition on the final day requiring the cadets to put into practice the skills learnt throughout the week. The Navy section, and indeed the entire CCF at St John’s, is growing every year, and with new opportunities presenting themselves alongside the implementation of the new syllabus, the future of the section is very bright indeed. Jack Perry (U6, West) 81THE JOHNIAN

ARMY REVIEW This year we have had one of the busiest but also entertaining years since I have been in the CCF, there have been so many highlights. Each week, on a Thursday afternoon, we come together for drill followed by a range of lessons; these lessons have been taught by the Sixth Form, whose teaching quality has improved significantly week in week out, and enthusiastic members of staff. The new Lower Fifth group have thrown themselves into this and therefore got the most out of these great opportunities to learn the skills of teamwork and leadership which are so important for later life. But also, they learn the skills that they need to have to get the most out of the fun activities on offer during the field days which are once every term. The first of these is an introduction to field craft where they get the chance to apply all the lessons they have learnt, but first, they sleep under the stars in only sleeping bag and a sheet of tarpaulin above them - a far cry from the comforts of their own homes! But, they all fully embraced this and excelled with minimal light and noise coming from any bashers. The next day they learnt some basic field craft and how to undertake sentry duty which they would learn to dread when they had to do it throughout the night at the last field day. In the next half term, they were taught how to safely and effectively operate the L98A1, the cadet general purpose rifle. This led up to a field day out on the Bisley Shooting ranges where the cadets enjoyed their first experience of live firing of the rifle - enthralling for all involved. The last field day wasn’t without drama because just as people were just getting into their bashers to go to sleep, the heavens opened for what was to be one of the biggest storms of the summer. This was an unfortunate way for some to learn to never put a basher on the82 THE JOHNIAN

floor as it creates a reservoir of water tosleep in! Due to the heavy rain, the fieldday was called off much to the relief ofsome but it was also disappointing as wehad a great day ahead.Last year we also ran an Easter campwhere some of the Upper Sixth went witha select group of enthusiastic Lower Fifthwith three other schools to St Martin’sPlain. During this camp there were arange of activities including FIBUA, livefiring and blank firing platoon attacks.Everybody stepped up and learnt a hugeamount during the week while havinga great time and showing off St John’sCCF in a great light. Overall it has beena successful year where all involved havelearnt a huge amount for skills whichare essential for later life by the amazingopportunities provided, but mostimportantly they have enjoyed their time.Oliver Hunt (L6, North) 83THE JOHNIAN

CharityThe Community Service Unit has seen a number of&CSUnew initiatives introduced in thecourse of the year.We held our annual and very popular Easter saw us open the doors and grounds of the SchoolChristmas lunch in December, attended by for a family fun afternoon and Easter egg hunt, attendedover 100 local elderly and disabled guests. by over 80 children and their families. On arrivalGreat fun was had by all – from the helpers in children made themselves an Easter basket and then settheir Christmas jumpers to the talented pupils off on an egg hunt, returning with their finds to meet thewho entertained with music and singing, there Easter bunny and be rewarded with a variety of treatswere carols sung, crackers pulled and a lovely before enjoying juice and biscuits (tea for the grown-ups)dinner was consumed. A festive quiz (with and lots of fun outdoor games on the Quad.prizes) rounded off a very successful event. Summer saw the annual high tea, another event for the elderly and disabled in our community, only this time with sandwiches and cakes, musical entertainment and guided tours of the School - much to the delight of all who visited us. October, being the 90th birthday of Winnie the Pooh found us hosting an indoor birthday picnic for 100 Year 1 children from three local primary schools. The children enjoyed making Pooh character party hats, colouring, playing some games, eating lots of lovely picnic food84

(including homemade cakes and cookies) The St John’s School Community Holiday is led byand a reading from the new Winnie the Pooh the School’s Head of History, Neil Whitmore, and staffedstory book. by volunteers primarily made up of St John’s Sixth Form pupils and recent leavers, with an experienced team ofThis has been a fantastic year for CSU – more pupils are older volunteers on hand to support.also out on placements and we are continuing to grow theoffering to help more people in our local community. Volunteers offer all children round the clock, one-to- one support, as well as making sure that they are havingSt John’s School as much fun as possible throughout the week, offering Community families valuable respite care in the summer holidays. Holiday Over the three years since it started, the community holiday has proved incredibly popular, with a large For the third summer running pupils percentage of the children returning year on year and from St John’s welcomed 20 children making the holiday an annual fixture in their summer with a range of special needs to plans. enjoy the annual St John’s School Community Holiday. Funding for the holiday has been significantly boosted by fundraising efforts throughout the year by a large Between Saturday 20 and Saturday 27 number of pupils and staff, which have included a mass August, volunteers hosted the children sleep out on the School’s Quad. Many parents of pupils at the School have also contributed generously towards the in the School’s boarding houses, holiday by attending and organising fundraising events. and entertained them with a week of day trips, in The Headmaster commented: “I’m delighted that the 2016 house activities and St John’s School Community Holiday was such a success. games. The week All credit must go to Neil Whitmore and his team for included trips to making sure the children had such a fantastic time. Littlehampton beach, Polesden Lacy “This holiday has quickly grown to become a massive and Hobbledown asset to the School. In addition to the brilliant week’s Farm as well as holiday it offers the children, it also gives our current and sailing at Thames some former pupils the opportunity to develop their skills Young Mariners, in a number of areas, from offering round the clock care climbing at High for another person to the leadership skills required as they Ashurst, a day out at become more experienced. Equally, it is a fantastic means Chessington World of for St John’s School to make a positive contribution to the Adventures and a trip to local community, which we are very proud to do.” London’s West End for a matinee performance of Matilda. 85THE JOHNIAN

JONNY COEKIN(U6, NORTH)86 THE JOHNIAN

Sports ONCE AGAIN, IT HAS BEEN A VINTAGE YEARFOR SPORT AT ST JOHN’S. COUNTY CHAMPIONS, NATIONAL TROPHIES AND TEAM GB HONOURS - WE’VE GOT THEM ALL! 87THE JOHNIAN

Rugby 1st XVSeason reports It’s safe to say that this season has had its highs and its lows, including our outstanding win against Tonbridge, and putting 60 points on RGS. I won’t mention the lows and missed opportunities, but they all hurt enough to improve for other matches to come. We could always guarantee the commitment and the courage, but we could unfortunately never guarantee the outcome. These are some of our memorable moments from the season; Ross’ try-scoring kick, Kareem bulldozing his way through the opposition’s pack, and of course Mr Roberts’ lucky trousers. These are only a few of the positive things that I could mention about our season. Our last few games were pretty tough in terms of the results, but I can honestly say that as a team, even when things weren’t going our way, we would never turn the other cheek. The last game of the season epitomised this when things simply wouldn’t go our way no matter how hard we tried, and knowing that it was my last ever rugby game at St John’s, and school in general, is something that I have struggled to get my head around. I am positive that the School has a great future with the boys coming through from the lower age groups, and they will embody the spirit of rugby which is more than just a game at St John’s. It has been an honour representing the School and a privilege playing and captaining this team of athletes, and I’m sure that this year has been the turning point for rugby at St Johns, which makes me overwhelmed to say I have been a part of it and I will miss it immensely. James Bennett 88 THE JOHNIAN

the side later on in the season and had some sterling games, always posing a threat to the opposition. For many of the games, the weather played a dominant role and credit must go to Jonny Coekin for the way he dealt with the conditions and his ability to identify space on the pitch. This, together with Aiden De Forest-Brown’s hard running lines and the pace of Tom Harrison on the wing, really did create issues for the opposition. In truth, there were fine performances from all the players and most pleasingly they seemed to work extremely well together. Huge thanks must go to Mr Noble and Mr Smith for coaching us throughout the season and I am sure the team would have not enjoyed the season as much as we did without their passion and desire. James Bell2nd XV 4th XVThe 2nd XV had a good season winning five of our games The 4th XV have been unfortunate this season in only beingagainst a strong opposition. We started the season well with able to play one fixture, which just so happened to be againsta win over Cranbrook which set us up for the following a very strong Cranleigh side at the start of term. Since thengames. As always there were a number of very close games many schools have been unable to put forward a side for usbut the team could not manage to secure victories from these. to play, with only a few occasions of us not being able to putHowever, we really came together after half term where our out a side either. Despite this reduced opportunity for matchattacking and defensive patterns, allowed us to play much more play experience, the boys who started in the 4th XV have keptas a team. This led to some excellent wins, notably against pushing hard in training throughout the entire season in theKCS, resulting in a 14-48 victory. The Epsom game defined 3rd/4th team squad. Many of those boys who began the seasonour season even though we lost 6-7. The 2nd XV put in a in the 4th XV ended up playing fixtures for the 3rd XV by thetremendous defensive effort against an excellent rugby side and end of the season, demonstrating their commitment to trainingthis game really highlighted our determination and passion. and love of the game. It has been a pleasure to coach them this season. I wish them all the best in the future.I felt that over the course of the season every member of the2nd XV really grew in confidence, although none more so Mr Parrythan Tom Glasscock. Tom gave the team instant front footdrive and, whenever receiving the ball, he threatened the gain U16Bline. Mention must go to all the Lower Sixth as they steppedup to senior rugby, especially to Josh Smart who came into Camaraderie, creativity and commitment epitomise this U16B team who throughout the season played an exciting brand of rugby. When this band of brothers gathered in the September sun, none of them knew what the journey would entail. Tremendous tries, controversial calls and motivational management all played their part in the season to end all seasons. As we reflect upon the season gone, we can look back with pride on the moments of St John’s rugby history we created. From Alex Annetts, our second row, being undoubtedly the School’s best goal kicker or seeing Tom Rogers and Jack Rickerd combine with Fijian-esque skill to set up one of the best tries ever scored, or even watching Sam Serfozo slide over the whitewash to score a fantastic team try. Although these moments will be written about by chroniclers for many centuries, perhaps the image that epitomises this team the most is of them all holding hands on a sodden October day running as a line to reiterate the importance of defensive unity. There are many names to mention and stories to tell that this short report cannot allow; however, this team will share those memories forever. As the famous Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius once said; ‘what you do in life echoes in eternity’ and for this team, our season certainly will. Mr Pepper THE JOHNIAN 89

U15A centre pairing of Owen Thomas and Peter Sinclair; Owen has supreme handling skills and timing which has unleashed theThe U15A team enjoyed a successful and busy season force that is Peter. Peter scored twenty-five tries in ten gameswinning 11 matches with notable victories over Cranleigh, and made an impact in the U15 NatWest cup games as well.Hurstpierpoint, RGS, Trinity and KCS Wimbledon. Chris ‘the postman’ Ballard has been a fantastic scrum-half; heUnfortunately, the campaign was somewhat blighted by injury. always delivers!Consistency and momentum was hard to find as opponentswho were there for the taking were not killed off, seeing the They will develop and become a very memorable team asteam slip to 6 close defeats (in each case by less than a score). they progress through the school. A huge thank you mustA fine run to the last 32 nationally in the NatWest Vase was go to Alastair Fleming and Nathan Dixon for their expertiseended by Langley Park in January 2016. professionalism coaching the boys. Look out for Eddie Jones: these boys could fulfil the England role very successfully!There were many standout performances over the season;Captain Potter and Vice-Captain Murphy led the team superbly, Mrs Plattably supported by Trimming, Hellier, Davis, Stevens, Wood andGardner as well as the ever-present Myers and Merry. U14BWell done to all of the boys who represented the team thisseason, they have been a pleasure to coach over the last two For an U14 rugby team to go through an entire term winningyears. I wish them all the best as they move to U16 level. every match is an exceptional achievement, given that in September most of the boys did not know either theirMr Barber teammates or even their best position! There was real strength in depth in this year group and so injuries did not cause quiteU14A the apocalyptic problems of previous years, whilst an easy- going good humour sustained team spirit in even the mostThis was a highly successful season for the young eagles as they challenging moments. However, this cheerfulness was alwayswon nine out of ten games against some very strong opposition. combined with a steely determination not to lose. HighlightsIn three games won, the boys were behind at half time. With in a memorable season were probably the narrow home victorystrength of character, the boys pushed opposition back and over RGS and an outstanding away win against a previouslyback and always believed they would score. They were led by unbeaten Reed’s side. The win at Epsom was prettytwo superb captains in Tom Marvin - a destructive defender impressive too!who earned the nickname Captain Crunch – and Harry Mead,who took over after Tom’s injury and with his silky football Captain Austin Bell maintained team spirit splendidly andskills kicked beautifully to gain much territory. Highlights ended the term as top points scorer, whilst winger Georgeof the season include Will Ferguson’s huge tackle during the Sellick finished as top try scorer, running in 9 tries. Luke ReadCranleigh game - never has there been a more important try (7 tries), Richard Blackman-Rogers and players’ player of thesaving tackle - and the second half performance against Reed’s, season, Will Aldridge-Bate, (6 each) were also dominant, whilstwhere sheer determination and graft earned them a great full-back and player of the season, Olly Loy, made sure thatvictory. Individual performances of note have to come from the90 THE JOHNIAN

no more than one try was conceded in any match. Overall, the U14Dteam scored 345 points and conceded only 36. Congratulationsto all those who played for this outstanding team and ensured This year’s team was ably captained by Luke Garlick. Whilstthat the coaches, Mr King and Mr Hammond, thoroughly the score lines may not have always reflected it the team playedenjoyed the season too! with great determination always willing to give of their best. As the season progressed, the team began to use the breadth of theMr King pitch more. Scott Parker and Ewan Armstrong showed great potential in the match against Reeds by pushing forward andU14C constantly going into contact. Tait van Strien was by far the best tackler in the team through the whole season, never backingThe U14C team enjoyed an excellent season, losing only one down.fixture and averaging over 40 points a game to an averageof only 9 conceded, demonstrating the team’s strength in Mr Blatchboth attack and defence. The team benefitted greatly fromstability in the early part of the season, bonding well as aunit and training hard to improve their handling, tacklingand kicking. James Dale’s captaincy was also a key factor inmotivating and focusing the players, and he deserves greatcredit for his role in the team’s success. All members of theteam played unselfishly, showing flair and aggression in attack,and dogged determination in defence. The standout players ofthe season were Ethan Salter and Jonny Pagett, who betweenthem racked up multiple tries, but Aron Tubman also made apivotal contribution, as did Lukas Bednall, Axel Eichelmann,Michael Haddad, Jake Cripps and Michael White. The standoutperformance as a team was the closely fought 5–5 draw againstRGS Guildford, a strong side with some scarily large players.With both teams unwilling to concede an inch of territory, thegame was a gruelling 50 minutes of attrition, and the players’work rate never flagged. Outstanding!Mr Johnston-Jones THE JOHNIAN 91

Football 1st XISeason reports On the back of a highly successful trip to the World Youth Cup in Gothenburg in July and a very impressive run in the Boodles Cup in the Autumn Term, confidence was high leading into the football season. However, the season started with a disappointing result away at Reading Oratory. On a dreadful pitch, the team was unable to adapt to the conditions and came off second best. The boys knew that, given the quality of teams in the league, they could not afford many more slip-ups and they responded with an outstanding 2-1 away win at Harrow. This was undoubtedly the result of the season as Harrow went on to win all of their remaining games and indeed the league title. John’s then faced new boys Berkhamsted and, despite an excellent second half performance, lost 2-1. A draw against Tonbridge in the final league game of half term saw us finish with fewer points than our performances deserved at the half-way stage. The second half of the season was disappointing with only a 3-1 victory against Radley to show for our efforts. With a total of 14 Upper Fifth and Lower Sixth boys representing the 1st XI over the course of the season, there is no doubt the squad will be stronger next season and they should be aiming high. I would like to thank Mr Bass for everything he has done with the 1st XI football over the past few years. It has been a joy to coach alongside him. Mr Jones 2nd XI The 2nd XI had a very promising team this past season with the potential to do very well. This was much in evidence when we beat Berkhamsted 2–1 with some fluent teamwork and precision plays. However, what skill we had in manoeuvring the ball around the pitch and setting up chances, we lost in finishing and consistency. We were certainly a team with the most chances on goal in the league, and definitely one of the best in the circuit. It is unfortunate that the league table did not represent this. A special mention must go to Hayden Storey who put an impressive performance in goal which helped immensely with the consistency of our performances. For other memorable moments, mention must be made of Jamie Gallagher who was there to add a bit of fire to the midfield, and Tomiwa Adeboya and Angus King who gave chance after chance at turning our ability into points. Overall the season had all the great plays and set-ups to drive each player crazy when we left without a win. Nevertheless, we were left proud to have played for the 2nd XI. Aiden De Forest-Brown 92 THE JOHNIAN

4th XI The team trained well, although it was the game-based sessions which galvanised them the most.Although the weather made continuity difficult, this was anentertaining season that saw the 4ths win three and lose three The highlight of the season (apart from the various beatings ofof their matches. The team was captained by goalie Connor the 4th XI) was the emphatic 11-2 win over Berkhamsted. TheMcMullan, whose sharp reflexes came to our rescue on more team were imperious in their performance, which includedthan one occasion, and he and a solid back line of Charlie hat-tricks for Sam Thornton and Jack Rustom, plus ‘screamers’Smith, Tom Scrase, Bas Senior, Charlie Verity, Harry Snell or from Charlie Verity and Angus Harris. However, the 5th XIWes Van der Ploeg kept chances to a minimum. Two impressive season was epitomised by the strong team spirit rather than theopening victories against Oratory and Berkhamsted saw us talents of individual players. Skills improved and fun was had –score nine goals as midfield and attack gelled seamlessly. you cannot ask for much more!The best performance came just after half term, winning 3-0away against a strong Haileybury side, when Ayo Babatunde Mr Plattand Harry Jany hugged their touchlines and put in a stringof crosses for Harry Britten and Ollie Attard to convert. Ed U16AHayter, Louis Cappell, Jack Rustom and Patch Field dominatedmidfield on an afternoon when the beautiful game was With three players from last season lost to the 1st XI, and Alfiesuddenly just that. Sadly, the season turned midway through Parker’s excellent first half of the season also resulting in a callthe next match: 3-0 up against Wellington, we somehow up to the seniors, the rest of the team worked very well in thecontrived to lose 3-4, and our final match against St Paul’s saw majority of matches and showed great resilience to fight backonly four of our regular team available. Those who stepped up against Berkhamsted. Those who stepped up from the B teamfrom the 5ths played very well, but an inevitable defeat meant produced some fine performances, particularly Max Hill.that a very enjoyable term ended a little flatly. The dispatching of Harrow 4-0 was certainly the highlight ofMr King the season and it was a shame that we could not kick on from this, struggling to a draw and then a loss either side of half5th XI term. Our performances certainly deserved a better return for the season, but our Achilles’ heel proved to be a lack ofThe mighty 5th XI was again the team all of the School’s top concentration. With better application, we would have seenfootballers wanted to aim to gain selection for. Alas, some our draws as wins and certainly the match against Tonbridgehad to settle for playing for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th XI… The should have been a daw. However, this was not to be and theweather hampered training and reduced fixtures but this did strength of the league meant that we only really had two easynot diminish the skill or enthusiasm of the eclectic squad. matches – despite the flattering score lines. THE JOHNIAN 93

Alex Watts moving into the vacated position as striker, After the half-term break, the team won all four league fixtures,flourished with eleven goals in the eight matches and was defeating Haileybury 3-0, Radley 11-1, Wellington 7-1 andwithout a doubt out player of the season. Honourable mentions St Paul’s 1-0. The first three fixtures were comfortable and evenmust also go to Annetts (defence) and Tudor (midfield) who more goals could have been scored. However, the final fixtureformed the spine of the team. In our last two matches, Davison was perhaps most impressive as the side defended stronglydominated the right side, and we certainly missed him against and played attacking football against a talented side, retainingRadley and Haileybury. Overall the season was positive, and discipline and determination after three easier matches. Fildesmany of the players will strengthen the top two senior sides and Shannon played well on the flanks, Tresidder was energeticnext year. and effective in midfield, Gardner played well in the hole and Hommasi developed well as the season drew on. GoalkeeperRev. Moloney Trimming deserves great credit, notably for saving a penalty in the final match.U16C Mr WhitmoreThe season kicked off for the U16C team with a disappointing7-0 loss to Tonbridge. Logan Jarret was man of the match with U15Bhis scintillating defensive display. However one cannot fault thedisplay by the whole team who dug deep and kept persevering. The U15B football season epitomises the cliché of ‘a game ofNext up was Berkhamsted, where the U16C team put in a two halves.’ With 11 goals conceded in the first two gamesmagnificent first half display to lead 4-1. Unfortunately, the against Harrow and a surprisingly impressive Berkhamstedsecond- half was reminiscent of AC Milan’s second half collapse side, the season was looking gloomy. Nevertheless, there wasin the 2005 Champions League final, as the Hertfordshire side immense positivity amongst the squad. An almost legendarycapitalised on lacklustre defending to score four second half comeback occurred against Harrow; after trailing 3-0, the boysgoals. The score ended 5-4, although the team maintained their showed excellent character to bring the game back to 4-5.100% penalty record, one scored from one attempt. Man of A superb hat-trick from Andrew Caird in the following gamethe match on the day was James Paton, through his skill and against Berkhamsted unfortunately could not save the boysdetermination he earned a penalty, which he calmly converted. from a 3-6 defeat. Having scored seven goals in two games, theThe last game of the season was a disappointing one with an boys felt hard done by that they had lost both.8-1 score line not reflective of the performance put in by amakeshift U16C team, due to an abundance of illness. Despite The turning point of the season came in the home fixturenot recording a victory during our season, the valiant approach against Haileybury. A brace for Ed Beech and a late goal fromto each game and ‘never give up’ attitude of the players Dan Barham sealed a 3-1 victory, their first of the season.deserves enormous praise. Perhaps a victory was required to boost confidence. An 8-3 victory away to Radley College and a 7-0 thrashing away atMagnus Merryweather Wellington College set them up brilliantly for their final game of the season against a tough St Pauls’ team. St John’s lost 1-0U15A owing to a 35m volley from the opposition centre midfielder. Flatteringly, the St Paul’s team told their coach that St John’sThe season was a strong one, with the team winning six league were the best team they’d played all season. Coach’s player wasfixtures, drawing one and losing the other, coming third in Andrew Caird. Player’s player was Frank Dwan.the league on goal difference from the team in second place.Overall, the team improved, with a decent 1-0 win to start Mr Hughesagainst Oratory followed by a 4-0 hammering from Harrow.This was the weakest performance as the team was run ragged U14Aby a talented side. However, Bayly and Lee offered strengthand skill in midfield, with Potter leading a stout defence, The U14A football team showed a great deal of promise earlyably assisted by full-backs Bound and Geddes and his central on in the season with a convincing 5-1 win away against thedefensive partner Wood. Rowlands proved the most effective Oratory. Despite a tough loss away at Harrow where theyforward, scoring in most matches and reaching a tally of nine were unable to impose themselves on the game and furtherfor the season. His pace and physicality caused problems for disappointment against Epsom, the team bounced back. Themost defences. The team recovered from the loss to Harrow fourth match was a thrilling 2-2 draw with Berkhamsted atwith a determined and able performance at Berkhamsted, home, which was arguably the game of the season. Theirunlucky to draw when the home side equalised in the dying confidence grew as they dispatched Haileybury relativelyminutes. This was followed up by a convincing 2-0 away comfortably before winning a very tough match against Bede’s.victory at Tonbridge. The team benefitted from size and In these challenging matches, they relished the encounters andphysical presence, which complemented skill rather than grew in character to grind out victories when under pressure.making up for any lack of it. The season ended on a high against a skilful St Paul’s side who were beaten by a Ralph header.94 THE JOHNIAN

The team were energetic, playing with skill and guilethroughout the season, bar the Epsom match. WillFarnsworth was a formidable force in goal with a particularstrength in shot stopping. The defence were solid withTom Marvin leading by example in his commitment to foilopposition attacks. Alongside him, Ethan Salter provedto be a technically skilful player, whose positioning andawareness were excellent. The full-backs of John Shaw andJoe Genco/Chris Ballard were strong in attack and defence.Harry Mead broke into the side and played well at left backin the final game. In the midfield, Owen Thomas captainedand led the midfield well. His strength and powercomplemented Oliver Loy’s composure and deft touch well.On the wings, George Sellick showed speed and skill and isan exciting prospect for the future. Equally, Lukas Bednallplayed well on the left; though not his natural position,he adapted well and also showed his versatility, playingwell in central midfield and central defence. Timpson andRalph combined well upfront. Their speed and footworkbamboozled opposition defences throughout the seasonand they scored a number of goals between them.Overall the team had a strong season and their first seasonat the School was overwhelmingly positive. This bodes wellfor the years ahead.Mr VargasU14DThe U14Ds had a season to remember: an unflappableteam spirit and sportsmanship was evident within the teamon a weekly basis. With the great striking skills of MaxHowe and consistent quality in midfield with the likes ofChristo Handy, Edward Galvin and Benjamin Lucas, wemanaged to dominate the attack in the majority of gamesthat we played, along with the strong performances put infrom our wingers Andrew Sargent and Daniel Chakhane.Our defence was very much the ‘rock’ of the team, withToby Gray assisting in many goals and scoring quite a fewhimself. The main defence included Robert Butler, DylanCrawford, Pearce Coulter, Harry Burton and me, withConnor Cloughley in goal.There were many highlights, but I would like to thankToby Gray for his notorious shooting ability, managingto score twice from the halfway line in two differentmatches. I would also like to thank Benjamin Lucas andMax Howe for creating a line-up that made the team reallyshine. And lastly, I would like to thank Mr Barber for hisgreat coaching skills and enthusiasm filling us with theconfidence that we could come out on top in the end. Iam sure that if everyone in the team wrote one of these,Mr Barber would be mentioned in all of them. It was, all-round, a great season of fun football, enjoyed by all.Michael WhiteTHE JOHNIAN 95

Hockey 1st XISeason reports With the 1st team having the strongest team to date we were determined to make our mark and improve the 27%-win ratio in 2014. St John’s hockey has developed throughout the years and has had an increasing number of talented players coming into the squad. Our first game was against Bradfield away. We started off a bit slow but gradually increased the pace and finished at half time with a 2-2 score. As we were approaching the second half, the team knew in order to win the game we had to do the simple things right and take control. We were awarded a penalty flick and this took us up by one goal at 3-2. At the remaining 15 minutes, St John’s fought hard to grab onto another goal and we were highly successful, resulting in a 4-2 victory. This was a positive start to our season and we determined to continue this way. Our second match we played Sevenoaks. We followed our victory status dominating the opposition in every area of the pitch. The game ended with a 2-0 victory. Our third game, we travelled to play Brighton. With losing to Brighton this year, the team and I were determined to take the win back from them that we felt we deserved. The team won a hard-fought battle and the final score was 3-2 to us. Our fourth match was against Lord Wandsworth. With having such a successful three games, we felt confident going into the game. Unfortunately, we failed to grab another victory and the final score was 1-0. It was clear to us we did not perform to the best of our ability and we aimed to go into training the next week and assess where we went wrong. With a fresh start, we played CLFS. CLFS are one of our local rivals and after drawing the previous week, St John’s went to fight for a win. The team showed great aggression and dominance and this resulted in a close 1-0 win. In our sixth match, the pressure was on as we had to play Ardingly, who for years St John’s has not been able to beat. We went into the match with positive thoughts but unfortunately the team was outplayed in all aspects of the game and we faced defeat. The final result was 2-0 to Ardingly. 96 THE JOHNIAN

After our disappointing and deflating result against Ardingly, 2nd XIwe knew we had to produce something excellent against Reed’s.As the match became even more competitive, we managed to The second XI hockey team had their most successful seasonfinish with a 2-2 draw. This was positive, considering Reed’s ever as they triumphed to a mightily impressive unbeatenhave also been a highly well-established hockey school with season. Out of their 10 games, they were victorious in 8, whilstsome quite outstanding national players. After an aggressive drawing the other 2. Victories were secured against Cranbrook,and competitive match against Reed’s, we were next to play Reed’s, Christ’s Hospital, Bradfield, Brighton and Churcher’s,Christ’s Hospital away. We knew in order to win this match only drawing to strong Ardingly and Sevenoaks teams.we had to bring our physicality. The girls achieved this withan outstanding and well-deserved 7-0 win. Over the next Collectively, they scored 33 goals and conceded just 5; thistwo weekends, we played Cranbrook and Churcher’s College. resulted in a +28 goal difference. Captain Mimi Rothwell andHaving being given so many chances against Cranbrook, Katie Hyde were the squad’s only seniors and they led the teamwe finished with a disappointed 1-1 draw. St John’s were superbly. Mimi Rothwell was also the team’s top scorer withdetermined not to let their heads drop as we were approaching 9 goals. Best newcomer was Ruby Breakspear who showedthe end of the season and wanted to finish on a high. Our game brilliant potential for the future.against Churcher’s finished 3-2 to us, which kept us in highhopes of finishing our last match of the season with a victory. My player of the season was Hannah Potter who consistently worked with grit and determination. The player’s player ofOur final game of the season was against Reigate. We went into the season was Tash Davison, receiving 7/12 votes for herthis fairly confident but not assuming to win. We played with ruthless and reliable defending. It was a fantastic season andgreat poise and emotion and truly worked as a team better a phenomenal team! Well done girls, and thank you for anthan any year before. We finished the season off with a great exceptionally enjoyable term.4-1 win. It has been an absolute pleasure captaining such adedicated and talented team. We have all bonded and created a Mr Hughesgreat relationship amongst all of us. Everyone has been a greatcredit to St John’s School and I wish all the girls in the UpperSixth the best for their hockey futures. I look forward to seeingwhat we can produce next season.Jasmin Cornish THE JOHNIAN 97

3rd XI We said goodbye to Harriet Burns, Francesca Pearson, Chanelle Allen, Olivia Fildes and Lize Vogel at the end of the season but2015 proved to be an outstanding year for the 3rds. Eight with a strong core of players and talent in the years below, wegames into the season we were still unbeaten but with half time have every hope next year’s 3rd XI can go one better still.approaching in our ninth match we found ourselves 1-0 downto a rampant Churcher’s team in a real test of team spirit. Daisy WestonA late goal by the ever dependable Jemima Clemett got us backon level terms, and spirited defending U14Afrom our two outstanding backsNatasha Cooper and Ellis Monk saw us Despite having a difficult start, the team managed to win a fewhold on for the draw. games. We faced many challenges which we tried to overcome and each member of the team tried their best and kept theirThere were some very nervous players spirit and enthusiasm up.on the bus trip to our last gameaway to Reigate Grammar but a fine Over the season, we progressed in terms of our play whichperformance by our forwards saw us meant that we often levelled out with the strong opposition. Aswin 0-7 to hold onto our unbeaten captain of the team, I was truly impressed by the commitmentrecord. Much credit must go to and determination that each one of our players brought to theMr Bawden for having the courage to game every time. This helped the team to bond and improveplay a very attacking forward-based its standard. Over time, our techniques and strategy developedformation that often overwhelmed tremendously. I was very proud of my team’s achievements overour opponents with Vicky Macfarlane, the course of the season. Best of all, I thoroughly enjoyed beingSophie Gray, Becky Tudor and Ellie given the privilege to captain such a hard-working team.Tredgett leading the goal scoring.However, it was a tactic not without Abbie Taitrisk and we were saved on severaloccasions through the cool play of ourbacks and the goal-keeping of HopeMacMillan and Charlotte Corbett.Isabelle Hammersley and Annie Grantworked tirelessly as part of the midfieldand took great control of the ball. Wewere fortunate to have two excellentcoaches in Mrs Parker and Mr Bawden,who pushed us all to improve eachweek and gave us the confidence thatshone through in all aspects of theteam’s performance.98 THE JOHNIAN