STONAR NEWSAUTUM N 2014

BarcelonaVisiting Stonar’s sister school

Agora International in Barcelona__________________

“Academically, pupils flourish as a result of the excellent pastoral care and small classes.”

TATLER Schools Guide 2015

Autumn 2014

IN THIS ISSUE…

Boarding p10

Tatler reviews Stonar p5

PLUS3 Development

4 Academic

8 Challenge

10 Creativity

12 Community

14 Sport & Equestrian

16 Meet Sally Divall

DATES FOR THE DIARY

FROM THE HEADDear parents and friends

As this latest edition of the Stonar News is being published we begin our first full year as part of the NACE family.

Whilst we are beginning a period of positive development I feel strongly that there are core features of the school that must be retained. Stonar remains a family school where individual pupils are valued, supported and acknowledged. The importance of belonging and acceptance are still key to the personal development of the pupils. The aim that every pupil exceeds expectations both academically and personally will not change. By becoming part of the NACE group a wide range of new opportunities have presented themselves and I have been working with the Directors to identify how best to take advantage of these whilst protecting what makes Stonar unique.

Providing opportunities for pupils to experience language and culture in other countries is key to our development. Stonar is becoming a British school with a global perspective. Regular pupil exchanges and collaboration through the curriculum and co-curriculum with sister schools in the group will provide an enviable experience for your children. We have already put in a bid to become one of the schools to trial new technologies in supporting and developing learning and we are more than hopeful that we will be chosen. A review of the school’s facilities has already been carried out and work has started to assess the feasibility of major renovation and refurbishments to study areas and boarding houses. Developments in the Equestrian Centre, including new horses, staffing, unique rider development programmes and the hacking track, have also begun so we cement our position as the leading equestrian school in the UK.

Exciting times!

Toby Nutt Head

26 Sept GCSE Curriculum Evening27 Sept ISODE Open Morning28 Sept ISODE

15 Oct Equestrian Open Day17 Oct Sixth Form Curriculum

Evening23 Oct Half term commences

4 Nov Term recommences8 Nov Fireworks & Bonfire Night11 Nov Remembrance Service20-22 Nov Senior School Production

Anything Goes22 Nov Sports Exeat Weekend30 Nov Christmas Riding Show

12 Dec Carol Service in Bath Abbey Term Ends

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This year’s exams produced another crop of fabulous outcomes for Stonar pupils. Year 13 pupils achieved a 100% pass rate at A Level and all those who had applied gained places on their course and institutions of choice.

With the national press full of stories about the grades for GCSE English declining this year, our pupils achieved quite the opposite. Almost half their grades in English Language and Literature were A*s rising to a remarkable 70%

YEAR 6 SCHOLARSCongratulations to our Year 6, all of whom achieved places at their first choice of Senior School. Seven of our talented pupils also received scholarships:

Mille Hammond Stonar Sport & Art Scholarship Kaytlyn Hughes Stonar Riding Exhibition Araminta Mayhew Stonar All Round Exhibition Cecily Peto Bostick Stonar Academic Exhibition & Art Scholarship Poppy Richardson Stonar Drama Scholarship Emily Bagnall Dauntsey’s Music Exhibition Isobel Criddle Stonar Major Sports Scholarship

RIDING ACHIEVEMENTSCongratulations to Chelsea Pearce, riding in the British Eventing team for the second year running at the FEI Pony European Championships, and taking team silver.

We also congratulate Laura Warren, Intermediate individual section winner at the Pony Club Stonar Eventing Championships, with a score of 27.7.

SHINING ACHIEVEMENTSEach pupil is encouraged to maximise their potential with support from teachers who know and understand their learning styles.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS ONCE AGAIN

when A grades are included. Yet again, every pupil passed iGCSE maths with 45% gaining these top grades. 44% of the grades across all subjects were awarded A* or A grades (more than twice the national average) with every

pupil taking the more challenging iGCSEs in Maths, English and the Sciences. As ever, what really counts is how individual pupils fared and we are delighted that the vast majority exceeded all expectations.

STONAR NEWS

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DEVELOPMENTIt is an exciting time at Stonar as investment is planned and preparations are made to welcome boys in to the Senior School.

Parent Julie Hedley explains

Alexander joined Reception at Stonar Prep in 2011. Although his class initially had 2 boys and 5 girls, more boys have since joined. This September he moves up to Year 3, a class of 12 with a 50/50 boy/girl split.

I asked him what he particularly enjoys about Stonar; he said: ‘it is lots of fun, the teachers are very kind and I have lots of friends both in my class and throughout the school.’ What more could any parent ask for?

First and foremost we chose Stonar Prep so that Alexander could share in the same wonderful, caring atmosphere in which his two older sisters blossomed. We also believe that children benefit from growing and learning in a coeducational environment as that better prepares them for life, which after all is coeducational.

We are so pleased that Stonar has decided to admit boys to the Senior

School from 2016. As Alexander loves sport we look forward to seeing enough boys entering the Senior School to allow for full boys sports teams to compete with local schools.

We want Alexander to stay in the Stonar environment as he can then continue to thrive as a big fish in a smaller pond. The smaller size of the school and emphasis on every child fulfilling their potential to become the best person they can be is extremely appealing. Whether your child is academic, sporty, creative or any combination of these, we know that Stonar will provide the opportunities and guidance to fully utilise all their talents; this has to make for a more rounded and positive individual going forward.

Our family doesn’t think of Stonar in terms of girls and boys, rather as an engaging and nurturing environment in which any child is encouraged to be the best they can be.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENTJames Shallcross MBE, NACE’s General Director (Education) recently visited classes throughout the Prep and Senior School. Pupils will soon benefit from significant development of curricular and co-curricular programmes at Stonar and collaborative learning projects to be established throughout the NACE group of schools.

“NACE want to respect each school’s culture and history; we are aiming for unity, not uniformity. We will work together on new projects, developing global awareness through student and teacher exchanges, and shared curricular initiatives and projects,” said Mr Shallcross.

WHY WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR SON MOVING UP TO THE SENIOR SCHOOL

We are so pleased that Stonar has decided to admit boys to the Senior School from 2016.

ACADEMIC AWARDS EVENINGThe Stonar community came together to celebrate high achievers in September’s Academic Awards Evening. Awards were presented to Senior School pupils who had achieved particularly strong results in 2013/14. Dr Sally Divall, Deputy Head, Curriculum, commented, “the awards not only recognise the high flyers but also pupils who have worked hard and stretched themselves to achieve the best they possibly can.

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LANGUAGE & CULTURE IN BARCELONA

A cohort of pupils from Year 5-7 travelled to Spain, visiting Stonar’s sister school, the Agora International in Barcelona, on a journey of discovery of language and culture.

Pupils were partnered up with another pupil from Agora International who acted as a ‘buddy’ and who they attended lessons and activities with. “The pupils went out of their way to make us feel welcome,” said Poppy. “We made friends with children throughout the school,” added Hermione.

Hattie observed that while the two schools are very different in architecture and style … “we share the same values, such as respect your peers and the environment around us.”

The children were initially apprehensive of the language barrier but this soon

broke down. “Although we started the week not understanding much that happened in lessons, by the end of the week we’d picked up much more Spanish,” said Millie.

As well as attending lessons in the school, pupils were taken on trips to visit Barcelona including cultural highlights such as the Palau de Musica, Las Ramblas and of course the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell.

TATLER SCHOOLS GUIDE 2015

Stonar is delighted to have received a spectacular review in Tatler’s prestigious Schools Guide.

The guide which lists the top prep and senior schools in the UK has commended Stonar’s excellent pastoral care, which supports pupils and helps them to exceed expectations. Head Toby Nutt is also praised for his vision:

“After a few changes of head, Toby Nutt (previously deputy but who also did a stint at the highly rated Tanglin School in Singapore) is a savvy one and he has big plans. The prep is already co-ed but from 2016 they’re taking boys into the senior school too.”

Tatler confesses to having held a common misperception that: “Stonar had a reputation as being a place for horsey,

less academic girls. The first assumption is correct because none can hold a candle to Stonar’s brilliant equestrian education and its internationally renowned facilities.” But the Guide then goes on to emphatically endorse Stonar’s academic and pastoral credentials:

“Academically, girls flourish as a result of the excellent pastoral care and small classes. Almost half of all GCSEs taken scored A*-A, and leavers head for Durham, UCL and Imperial. And Stonar is brilliant with pupils with dyslexia. There’s a big emphasis on value-added here and Stonar really does help get the best out of everyone.”

The 2015 Tatler Schools Guide is published with the October edition of Tatler Magazine. A full version of Stonar’s review is available on www.stonarschool.com

STONAR NEWS

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EXPLORATION & INSPIRATIONLearning outside the classroom inspires and motivates pupils, fostering independent learning and bringing subjects to life.

POP STAR & BAND AID FOUNDER MIDGE URE obe SHINES AT SPEECH DAY On a perfect Midsummer’s Day, parents, pupils and staff at Stonar, near Atworth celebrated the academic year and bade farewell to pupils moving on to the next stage in their careers.

Special guest was Bath-based singer-songwriter Midge Ure OBE, frontman of 1980s group Ultravox and co-organiser

of the Band Aid and Live Aid super-charity projects. Ure presented prizes and then related his journey from early school days to success as a pop star and the life-changing phone call in 1984 from fellow musician Bob Geldof, who had just watched Michael Burke’s news piece on the Ethiopian famine. Geldof and Ure created the Christmas hit ‘Do they know

it’s Christmas’ which went on to become the biggest selling UK single in history.

Midge Ure delivered a highly entertaining keynote speech in which he highlighted the power of any individual to change something and pushed home the importance of the young generation getting involved with challenging issues.

FESTIVAL OF PROGRESSA thought-provoking and lively end to the year, Stonar’s Festival of Progress was a fantastically diverse programme of workshops and activities, themed around life at the time of the First World War. Visiting instructors included David

Musical Ride

Alton, part of a Living History group from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He gave an insightful talk into the life of a WW1 soldier illustrated with a range of artefacts. Historian Gill Fraser Lee taught pupils about the lives of women

in 1914, the difference between the lot of the rich and the poor, and how the war changed things for women forever. Pupils took part in a range of workshops including code-breaking and creating radio plays.

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FIELDWORK IN GEOGRAPHYFieldwork is a perfect example of how pupils ‘learn better by doing.’ It is an important component of the study of Geography and different year groups have all had the chance to learn new skills, using techniques such as field sketches, land surveys and observation.

CHEDDAR GORGEYear 9 visited the Cheddar Gorge to study the impact of tourism, taking in the Gorge, a tour of the caves and the town.

LULWORTH COVEYear 10 conducted in-depth fieldwork at Lulworth Cove. Pupils took detailed observations to note impacts on the area of tourism. This was combined with sketches to show land use and illustrate aspects of their observations such as footpath erosion and geology.

CADBURY WORLDGeography students from Years 8 and 12 visited Cadbury World in June. Pupils used the day to gain experience for the ‘Geographical Skills’ module, part of A2 Geography, which included creating a hypothesis about the positive and negative impacts of tourism at Cadbury World on the local Bournville area and how this could be measured and quantified easily.

PRE-PREP’S VICTORIAN SCHOOL DAYSStonar Pre-prep had a first-hand experience of Victorian education at Sevington Victorian School. The children dressed up in costume for a day at the school in role, run by ‘Miss Elisabeth Squire’, the Sevington schoolmistress and her sister ‘Miss Hannah Squire’.

PROBLEM SOLVING AT WHITEMEADYear 3 and 4 enjoyed a residential trip at Whitemead full of problem solving and team-building.

SOCIAL LEARNING PLATFORM AT STONAREdmodo, the social learning platform that allows teachers, parents and pupils to interact and collaborate is currently being trialled by Year 4 tutor John Shack, enabling Year 4 parents to log-in and see their children in action, find out exactly what their children get up to on a daily basis in class and beyond.

Head of Science, David Wicks, introduced Edmodo to his tutees a year ago and finds it an invaluable resource in terms of assessing work. Edmodo makes it easy for pupils to collaborate on projects and for them, it’s a natural means of communicating.

David explains “Edmodo has considerably enhanced my communication with Sixth Form pupils. It allows me to contact them with routine and urgent messages throughout the school day in a safe and controlled manner. Within seconds a message is delivered to an email address of their choice and an alert is sent to their

mobile phone. It allows the transfer of office files and web links, which allows me to set learning tasks that we can then build upon in the classroom.”

This social learning tool allows David to make the best possible use of valuable laboratory time and greatly enhances pupils’ ability to learn independently and effectively. This is particularly important for those wishing to move into tertiary education where there is a considerably higher expectation for independent work than pupils experience in schools.

Below Pupils worked together solving a series of challenges in the inter-house maths challenge

STONAR NEWS

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CHALLENGEPupils are encouraged to stretch themselves and are surprised and satisfied to realise they are capable of much more than they thought.

UK JUNIOR MATHS CHALLENGE

A group of Year 8 pupils took part in the UK Junior Maths Challenge, where pupils from across the UK take part in a multiple choice test, set in exam conditions and consisting of puzzle-type questions.

Congratulations to Heidi White, Marta Onieva Suarez and Emily Cooper who were awarded bronze certificates.

BIOLOGY CHALLENGEThe Biology Challenge is a national competition with 35,000 pupils across the country taking part. Year 9 and 10 pupils performed tremendously well achieving 13 gold certificates, 7 silver certificates and 13 bronze. Particular congratulations go to Alice Sheppard who was the top performer in the school.

PREP’S CHESS TOURNAMENTThe Prep School’s chess tournament was popular and children enjoyed pitting their wits against each other. Congratulations to Harry Brain, Year 3 who won the trophy, with Poppy Richardson coming second and Rebecca Fairley and Emily Bagnall runners up.

YEAR 9’S WW1 PROJECTYear 9 rose to the challenge when they asked to research and present a topic on First World War. Pupils unearthed a range of artefacts which they presented relevantly to enhance their comprehensive research in to different aspects of the war.

Test yourself with these to sample questions from the Maths Challenge:

In the division calculation 952 473 ÷ 18, which two adjacent digits should be swapped in order to increase the result by 100? A 9 and 5 B 5 and 2 C 2 and 4 D 4 and 7 E 7 and 3

Which of these statements is true? A 15 614 = 1 + 56 − 1 × 4 B 15 615 = 1 + 56 − 1 × 5 C 15 616 = 1 + 56 − 1 × 6 D 15 617 = 1 + 56 − 1 × 7 E 15 618 = 1 + 56 − 1 × 8

Answers on the bottom of the page

Maths Answers First challenge: C Second challenge: E (also it’s 5 to the power of 6, not 56, so it needs a mini 6!)

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STONAR SEMINARSThe Stonar Seminar Series continued with two thought provoking talks. Robert Felstead of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council delivered a seminar on Nuclear Fusion energy as a potential future clean and sustainable energy source.

“The future of fusion energy depends on young engineers and physicists taking up the challenge to make fusion energy a reality in our lifetime. This will secure the world’s energy supply as well as help mitigate the effects of climate change,” commented Robert.

Charlotte Bennett, Head of Sixth Form, presented a stimulating seminar on ‘The Population Bomb’ to Year 10 and above. The presentation started with a look at the population clock and Thomas Malthus’ ‘An Essay on the Principle of Population’. Mrs Bennett outlined the effects on a growing population such as famine, disease and war but also reminded us that there are many other factors, which influence these things, not just population. Laura Sheppard, Year 12

TAKING A CLOSE UP LOOK AT MEDICAL CAREERSYear 12 pupils with an interest in pursuing a medical or health related career attended an innovative work experience conference at The Royal United Hospital (RUH), Bath in June. The interactive conference focused on a range of different careers and sought to inspire girls to succeed in a highly competitive health care environment.

Abbey said “I have always known I want to study medicine, but the RUH medical conference has inspired me even further to go for it! I have thoroughly enjoyed all the talks and workshops which have given me an insight into all healthcare professions.”

Hannah said “I especially enjoyed the

humorous way that ‘Looking after critically ill people in hospital’ was delivered by Julian Hunt and his team. Their ability to problem-solve and cope showed what it was like to be on the cutting edge of patients in life or death situations.”

A combined French and Rugby day brought language to life in a sporting context for pupils in Years 5-7.

The day was divided in to two parts. Firstly a vocabulary lesson, learning key French words and rugby terminology with key phrases added to the mix to spur team mates on during a match.

The afternoon rugby coaching session was led by Bath Rugby Community

Foundation. No English was allowed on the pitch and French words were displayed on posts around the pitch to prompt the use of French.

“The day injected real excitement in to language learning. Pupils were able to immediately apply their new vocabulary in an appropriate setting which motivated them and increased the retention of new phrases,” commented Marie-Paule Jones, French teacher.

UN JOURNÉE DES SPORTES ET LANGUES

YEAR 7 & 8’S MURDER MYSTERIESThe Year 7 and 8 play is always a popular event and this year was no exception. The Murder Mystery concept was extremely popular and the drama department found themselves putting out extra chairs to accommodate a very eager audience. Nic Proud, Head of Drama said ‘the girls really enjoyed this production from page to stage. They performed with gusto and delighted the audience.’

DEEP SEA DRAMAPre-prep enjoyed a vibrant workshop with Perform, who took them on a dramatic deep sea adventure, hunting for treasure and watching out for sea monsters.

ROTARY CONCERTA successful charity concert with the Rotary Club raised over £600 for Hope & Homes for Children. The concert combined musical and dramatic items with performances from Stonar Chamber Choir and soloists counterbalanced by beautifully spoken dramatic items from Shakespeare to Shaw.

PREP INFORMAL CONCERTSChildren enjoyed performing for parents and friends in an informal concert at the end of term.

ROCK CONCERTThis was an energetic evening with performances from Stonar’s budding rock and pop stars from Year 6-13.

Top Tom Paget, Below Left Charlie Blair, Below Right Darcey Leighton

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CREATIVITYDrama, art and music all have a firm place at the heart of Stonar life and pupils participate with enthusiasm.

YEAR 2’S LOWRY INSPIRED WORK

A THEATRE FOR ALL SEASONSYears 5 and 6 were the stars of the show in the Prep School production, A Theatre for All Seasons with confident performances. Year 3 and 4 did an excellent job in their supporting roles; for many this was their first experience of public performance.

COME FLY WITH ME! Year 9 presented a delightful farce to a packed house in March. The play was full of fun and the performers embraced the opportunities and challenges the show presented.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS Welcome. We are delighted to announce the recruitment of talented individuals who join our team:

Samantha Aikman joins Stonar as Head of Modern Languages in September. Sam is an experienced teacher of Spanish and French; her career to date includes a stint as Head of Spanish at Dauntsey’s School. In the light of our language and cultural developments under the NACE umbrella, this is an important role that Sam is excited and committed about driving forward.

Austen O’Hanlon has been appointed as Head of Art and Photography. In his previous role as Head of Art at Rendcomb College, Austen has significantly raised the profile of art and photography both across the whole school and in the wider community through innovative exhibitions of student work in professional spaces and a varied programme of pupil and adult workshops.

Gavin James takes on the role of Year 2 Teacher, joining Stonar from an independent school in Cricklade. He is also an IT specialist and keen sportsman and is enthusiastic about using his skills to support the wider development of the pupils in the Prep School. Meryan Tober becomes the Year 1 Teacher after working in Early Years at Stonar. She has many years of experience successfully teaching and developing children at Pre-Prep level. Helen Barton-Smith, Assistant Director of Riding, will, under the direction of Darrell Scaife, take on the day-to-day leadership and responsibility for all things equestrian. She will also coach riders of all levels. Helen has run her own riding centre for some years and has a proven track record in successfully delivering BHS and other riding qualifications.

Simon Cave returns to Stonar as a part-time teacher of History. Lucy Noad has been appointed as a part-time teacher of RS, including a new offering of RS as an option at A Level. Welcome also to: Kirsty Bouchard – Part time science teacher, Eleanor Halsey – Riding Instructor (Maternity Cover), Helen Ross – Part Time Maths Coach, Sian Roberts – Learning Support TA, Branwen Russell – Learning Support TA, Angie Catt – Part Time EAL Teacher, Irene Alexander-Gunn – Early Years Assistant

Congratulations to Laura Ross (formerly Garnett) on her recent marriage to Nick and on her appointment as Head of History from September.

Farewell and thank you to our retiring staff:

Pepita Lloret, Head of Modern Foreign Languages, Cathy Bath, Year 2 tutor and Fiona Box, Year 1 tutor. Your hard work and dedication over the years has benefited many pupils.

STONAR NEWS

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COMMUNITYStonar’s strong community is described by many pupils as like a family; where they belong and are supported by their peers and staff.

BLOOMING MARVELLOUS!After laying paths to improve access to the beds, the allotment team have reaped the benefits while weeding, planting and watering over the summer. As well as supplying produce for Home Economics and the Leiths cookery course, pupils have harvested and sold early potatoes, redcurrants, spinach and chard. The chickens continue to thrive and our Derbyshire redcap hatched three chicks in June. We also enjoyed a visit from Nursery children who loved exploring the allotment.

THE PREP MARATHONIn an outstanding afternoon’s effort, all children from Reception to Year 6 took to the field to run sponsored laps for charity. Pupils displayed fantastic levels of effort and commitment and ran an extraordinary 1,277 laps in total – a grand distance of 234 miles, equivalent to over 9 marathons. £2,633 was raised for Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

TEDDY BEAR’S PICNICNursery children brought their teddies in to school for a teddy bear’s picnic and a reading of the story ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’.

FRIENDS OF STONAR Friends of Stonar hosted a wonderful evening of games and barbecue at the school in support of Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Dorothy House.

THE STONAR BALLThe Stonar Ball was a fabulous celebration at the end of the school year bringing parents, pupils and staff together for an evening of fine dining and dancing.

ROMANIA CHALLENGEThe team has left no stone unturned in a busy year of fundraising with activities including car washing, cake sales, sponsored runs, sweet sales and a gruelling bike ride. The girls are now ready for their October trip to Romania where they will build a house for a family in need.

Laura Sheppard summed up the team’s hopes and expectations for the trip. “The Romania Challenge will be a very valuable life experience; I will gain an understanding of the challenges that face other countries and the people that live in them.”

THE STONAR BAKE-OFF Pupils never need much of an excuse to get baking, and some delicious concoctions were whipped up for the Stonar Bake Off. Congratulations to Anna Sewell, winner of the Senior Bake Off with a superbly executed carrot cake and her sister Georgie who won the Junior Bake Off with her inventive macadamia & lemon blondie.

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BOARDING

OVERSEAS BOARDERS TALK ABOUT RIDING AT STONAR.

Clotilde

What’s it like having the yard as part of school? It’s the perfect thing for a teenage girl who likes horses.

What have you most enjoyed? Getting up every morning. In France we never do the horse’s stable, never ever. Here I have to get up every morning and I’ve enjoyed that. It’s nice because you live with your horse, and your horse gets to know you properly. You learn to do everything with it; it’s your horse for one year and you get more confident. Your horse is waiting for you every morning. Also here you can have proper discussions with staff. The riding staff come to competitions and support you.

“You can be yourself”

“Communications between teachers

and students”

“Being in the school plays”

“House competitions”

“Family atmosphere, everyone knows and is

there for each other and the integration of younger and

older years.” “Amazing, friendly

and helpful teachers”

“The small classes and family

atmosphere”

“It’s like a happy family” “The

friendly people and

acceptance of different cultures”

Sophia

Why did you decide to stay for a second year? The combination between school and riding at the same time would never happen in Germany. The school and the riding are so close and it’s like a big family and there is time to ride during the week and you have more time because you don’t have to go anywhere by car.

Lucy

How does spending time at the yard and riding affect you at school? I’m having more energy and feeling more positive after I come from the yard. So for the rest of my school day I’m feeling good. And for exams, revising and doing prep, I’ve got prep time, so it doesn’t affect me in a bad way.

We asked boarders what they thought the best thing was about Stonar.

STONAR NEWS

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SPORT & RIDING

SPORTS DAYAfter months of training, Stonar’s sports day was an afternoon of intense competition. Whilst parents relaxed in the sunshine, pupils took to the track and field and, in an exciting afternoon of sporting endeavour, a massive 22 school records tumbled.

New Senior School records were set by: Sophie Spratling, Georgia Brown,

SPORTS & RIDING AWARDS DINNERStonar held its annual Sports and Riding Awards dinner for parents and pupils at a packed event where Senior School pupils were recognised for their sporting achievements throughout the year. Prizes were presented by Old

OPEN WATER CHAMPIONIsobel Criddle, Year 6, attended the county Open Water event at Cotswold water park. This was Izzy’s first attempt at open water swimming. Her gold medal winning time of 14:02.11 gained her the accolade of county champion. An excellent achievement.

An inclusive programme allows all pupils to find where their sporting talent lies and lays the foundations for a life-long enjoyment of sport and fitness.

Stonarian and International eventer Georgie Spence. The awards recognise the Most Improved and Players of the Year for Netball, Hockey, Swimming and Riding. Chloe Gerrish in Year 13 was awarded Sports Personality of the Year in recognition of her outstanding contribution.

Leila Gilding, Holly Jones (x2), Holly Newman (x2), Emily Gerrish, Hermione Titcombe, Georgia Baller, Alex Gilbert, Sofia Maughan. Jessica Baggs (x2). Josephine Southey and Georgia Munnings matched existing school records.

Meanwhile, in the Prep School, Oliver Bagnall, Carmen Baldasana-Sayans,

Rebecca Fairley, Kitty Nutt, Harry Brain (x2), Morgan Staden, Katylyn Hughes all set new records.

In the face of such momentous effort from all competitors, the points were nail-bitingly close, but Ganbrook clinched the Senior School title with Hale coming first in the Prep School.

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AFRICAN ADVENTUREFour sixth formers experienced a completely different riding education on a trip to Zimbabwe. The pupils were based at Peterhouse School in Marondera. Like Stonar, Peterhouse has its own Equestrian Centre based on campus.

Riding was combined with safari. Peterhouse has a game reserve on its doorstep and pupils were able to ride into it and get close to herds of zebras. A special trip to the Imire Game Park involved a 9-hour ride leaving at 4am in the morning. Here pupils hand-fed black rhinos, rode on elephants and camped out under the stars. Although saddle-sore the next day, they were unanimous that it was an amazing experience.

Pupils also visited the Foundation Project which aims to give pre-school education to children who could otherwise not afford it. After staying with the privileged children of Peterhouse School, they saw a very different way of life here, with no electricity and where all cooking was done over fires.

RIDING RESULTSNSEA St Mary’s Calne Showjumping at West Wilts 27 April 2014Class 1 – 70/75cm Showjumping Team 3rd - Josephine Southey on Just a Mo Scarlett Parker on Barclay Georgia Howe on Coal Porter Georgia Spratling on Little Madam

Individual 6th - Georgia Spratling on Little Madam Class 4 – 1/1.05m Showjumping Team 1st - Sofia Maughan on Frankie Laura Warren on Boycie Imogen Humphrey on Maggie Dominica Rogan-Pfaff on Lady

Pinewood NSEA Qualifier 4 May 2014 Team 2nd - 80cm Show Jumping Qualifier Ella Garlick Lucy Swift Sophie Spratling Georgia Spratling

Team 1st - 90cm Show Jumping Lucy Swift Ella Garlick Dominica Rogan-Pfaff

Princethorpe Two Day Event 24/25 May 2014 Class 2 - Intermediate 90 Leila Gilding on Clonmore Jer came 11th in Section 7 Class 3 - Open 100 Imogen Humphrey on Ballybay Boy came 1st in Section 9 Sofia Maughan on Frankie came 3rd in Section 10 Imogen Humphrey on Ballybay Lady, Sofia Maughan on Frankie and Laura Warren on Boycie came 5th as a Team.

The girls were shocked by the exposure to endemic corruption, learning from the Zimbabwe pupils about the reality of daily bribes to officials and also hearing about first-hand experiences of the seizure of white-owned farms.

“It really made us realise the importance of a stable government and appreciate what we have in this country,” commented Florence Deasy. “In Zimbabwe, it is hugely unpredictable.”

They concluded that it was a fantastic trip, with one girl commenting “So much more than just a holiday; it gave us lots to think about. We made good friends who will hopefully visit Stonar in the future.”

DARRELL SCAIFE WELCOMES THE NEW RIDING YEAR

My focus since joining Stonar Equestrian has been about developing a unique, diverse and interesting riding experience and I am pleased that we have now achieved this. We have also worked hard to maintain our position as market leader. With the launch of the new rider development programmes Stonar Equestrian now offers a comprehensive equestrian education; Stonar is the only school to offer a clear pathway to an equestrian qualification alongside academic subjects.

Phase two of this development is to extend our brand reach and increase our presence at national competitions. The NSEA schools series and Pony Club both offer excellent vehicles to do this and we will be focusing on achieving good results in these competitions; supporting our strong competition riders and nurturing our grassroots talent.

I am delighted to welcome Helen Barton-Smith, an extremely experienced coach, as Assistant Director of Riding. Helen has an excellent track record in coaching pupils to exam passes and is a seasoned team coach. Helen will take over the day to day leadership of the Equestrian Centre and will play a major part in the development of Team Stonar.

We also welcome Ellie Halsley, who will be providing maternity cover for Jo Foster. Ellie joins us from the Severnvale Equestrian Centre where she ran programmes for young riders. We are confident that she will continue to deliver excellent coaching for our prep school pupils.

STONAR NEWS

MEET JAMIE DYDE HEAD OF ENGLISH

STONAR Cottles Park, Atworth, Wiltshire, SN12 8NT

T: +44 (0) 1225 701740 F: +44 (0) 1225 790830 E: office@stonarschool.com

www.stonarschool.com

What are your memories of school life ? Generally, I liked school. We had some very quirky teachers from our Latin “master” who smoked his pipe and took sips of whisky during lessons, the stand-up comic Biology teacher (who was a regular extra in “Carry On” films) and the Maths teacher who would launch a board rubber to hit the wall above your head if he suspected you were not listening. It was a Methodist boarding school but actually was very liberal and relaxed; we were often left to our own devices. I remember singing in the choir during my first three years; most of us did this only so we could travel to the girls’ school choir at regular intervals. Singing in concerts in Canterbury Cathedral was wonderful. Sport was the dominant activity; it is where I gained my love of hockey.

What were your favourite/least favourite subjects ? I loved English (predictably) and Biology but found Physics impenetrable (sorry Mr Wicks).

What made you decide to pursue teaching? My parents were teachers. My dad often spoke about the rewarding nature of the job - he was right. On many occasions I would be in town with my parents when current and former pupils (often dressed as “punks”) would make a point of saying hello. It seemed a special job.

Prior to joining Stonar, how did your career path develop? Until joining Stonar in 2010, I had taught in the state sector, starting at an all-boys’ secondary modern in Salisbury. Subsequently I taught in big mixed comprehensive schools in Hertfordshire, Bromley, Maidstone and Bristol. I became Head of English in 1995 so have been doing a version of the job for a long time.

Who has inspired you the most and been a role model? I admire people who protect the powerless and vulnerable for

little financial reward (social workers/carers). From a teaching perspective, a colleague in my last school was simply inspirational, encouraging pupils to believe in themselves and endlessly constructing exciting English material to maximise potential.

What attracted you to work at Stonar? The website, with pictures of horses and beautiful countryside, initially intrigued me. It is about as different from my last school (inner-city Bristol) as it is possible to be. I wanted to experience the private sector as a teacher, having enjoyed it myself as a pupil.

In your role as Head of English describe any developments and associated activities you have introduced since you joined (and which you are most proud of!) My arrival at Stonar coincided with English departments across the country having to change English GCSEs. I opted for the 100% exam IGGCSE; it has worked out well so far both in terms of results and interesting material to study in class. From a non-curriculum perspective, I have enjoyed working with pupils in the debating club… I want to develop this in school.

Stonar is renowned for helping its pupils achieve, and often exceed, expectations. How do academic staff help our pupils attain personal and academic success? I think the nurturing mode, shared by everyone who works at Stonar, underpins all progress, both academic and personal. I have found this atmosphere hugely refreshing and motivating.

In terms of the future, as part of the NACE Education Group, what are you most excited about? The chance to establish international links with other schools and to widen pupils’ academic and social horizons will be invaluable.

What is the relevance of an English degree in today’s global workplace? English (language and literature) is a great subject to study both for its own sake and as a “gateway” subject to a wide range of careers. In today’s competitive world the ability to manipulate language, in whatever form, is a vital skill.

What’s the most satisfying aspect of your role? Seeing pupils develop their abilities and personalities, and the occasional pupil’s laugh at a well-rehearsed comedy line!

If stranded on a desert island, what three things would you take with you and why? Am I allowed a radio? (probably not but worth a try). A razor (I used to have a beard) and a hammock.

Who would you most like to have dinner with? Sue Perkins (very witty) and George Galloway (controversial and intelligent)… no awkward silences.

What are your hobbies outside work? Hockey - I play and umpire for Chippenham although am less than swift on the pitch now. Reading books, purely for pleasure (not exam-related). Have been reading Kafka recently - odd stuff.