THE MAGAZINE FOR DULWICH COLLEGE ALUMNI
FEATURING
LAURIE DAVIDSON From Dulwich to Hollywood his days at the College and recent appearance in Cats
PLUS EKOW QUARTEY AT THE GLOBE AND BEN CHALLACOMBE ‘SAVES’ STEPHEN FRY
THE MAGAZINE FOR DULWICH COLLEGE ALUMNI
Front cover image credit: Phil Sharp
PAGE 03
Welcome to the first issue of OA, our new look magazine. For regular readers of the Alleyn Club Yearbook should seem less of a revolution and more of an evolution. OA will continue to reflect on the life of the school and provide news of the ever growing network of OAs both in the UK and overseas, while at the same time developing on, and supporting a lively and engaging communications strategy driven by the website, e-bulletins and of course OA Connect. In particular, I hope that OA will allow us to look in greater depth at the lives and careers of OAs across a wide range of careers and interests. In this issue we turn the spotlight onto Laurie Davidson and Ekow Quartey who have both followed in the footsteps of the College's founder Edward Alleyn to become successful actors on both stage and screen. Laurie traces his journey into acting from his time here and talks about the very varied range of roles he has played (including his recent appearance in the musical fantasy film Cats ), while Ekow talks about a career that has played out largely on the stage, including roles at the National Theatre and the Globe. They speak highly of their College days and it is clear that they both have the talent and drive to fulfil their considerable potential. We will certainly keep a close eye on them and follow their future careers with great interest and wish them well. We also hear from the surgeon Ben Challacombe as he describes the realities of robotic surgery to treat kidney and prostate diseases and he shares his surgical story about Stephen Fry. I very much hope you enjoy reading OA as much we have enjoyed creating it. It has very much been a team effort, although in particular I would like to thank Sophie Mason, Alumni Relations Officer, and Lucy Baragwanath, Graphic Designer. We would very much like to have your feedback, so please do not hesitate to get in touch.
PROFESSIONAL
The Alleyn Club is keen to talk to any OAs who would be interested in hosting a professional networking event at their organisation. Our current areas of interest are: finance, media, legal, sports and art. We look forward to meeting many of you at future OA events this year. NETWORKING
We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback, and welcome suggestions for future features. Should you like to get in touch then please write to us at:
ALLEYN CLUB AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE Dulwich College Dulwich Common London SE21 7LD +44 (0)20 8299 8436 alleynclub @ dulwich.org.uk dulwich.org.uk/old-alleynians-home oldalleynianconnect.org
Trevor Llewelyn (72-79) Hon Secretary
Follow us :
@ Alleyn_Club
The Alleyn_Club
Photographs from our events can be found at: www.flickr.com/dulwichcollege-oas-development Where possible we have sought permission to reproduce images. However, it may have been difficult to trace ownership in some cases and we apologise if we have failed to credit anyone. If there are errors or omissions, please notify the editorial team.
PAGE 05
PAGE 40
PAGE
02 - 03 06-07 08-11 12-13 14-15 16-21 22-23
Welcome
The OA Reunion: A Truly Memorable Day Meet the New President: John Lovering Celebrating 400 years of Dulwich College
24-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 34-35 36-43
2019 Leavers: A Snapshot
44-45 46-49 50-51 52-53 54-55 56-61
Ekow Quartey: My Dulwich College 400 Years of Drama at Dulwich Our Planet, but Whose Problem? In Conversation with Ben Challacombe
62-64
OA International Community and Events Professional Networking Programme Cornelius Wilson: A Career in the Clouds
Campus News
65
Partnership News Campus Landscape
66-68 70-71 72-75 76-77
A Message from The Master
OAs in Print
Dulwich 400
Laurie Davidson: From Dulwich to Hollywood
SatelLife Competition
Memories of Dulwich Terry Walsh Obituary
2019 Sixth Form Leavers’ Destinations
OA Sports Clubs and Societies
OA News, Events and Reunions
78
In Memoriam
Thursday 27 June 2019
PAGE 07
Marking the 400th anniversary, OAs travelled from far and wide to attend the OA Reunion in June. Every generation was represented, mingling together in front of the Barry Buildings, reacquainting themselves with old friends and former teachers. The event culminated in them all singing the School Song under the Clock Tower as the sun set, with the flicker of mobile phone screens lighting up the South Gravel.
REUNION
A truly memorable day
Mark Hancock (67-68) captured the moment.
PAGE 09
Meet the new Alleyn Club President
John Lovering CBE John Lovering was elected President of the Alleyn Club for 2019/20. He took over the reins from James Thornton becoming the 132nd President of the Alleyn Club.
You attended the College between 1961 and 1968, what brought you here? I was a scholarship boy from Richard Atkins Primary School in Brixton Hill. The good sense of my parents brought me to the College, who were intimidated but proud, anxious and supportive. I was lucky to be interviewed by Alick Fullick, an unusually empathetic Physics Master, who obviously saw something in me. How would you describe your experience as a pupil at the College? I left with a full set of good A levels and a place at the University of Exeter, but I sense I underperformed. I played for the rugby and cricket teams in the Junior School but did not take full advantage of all the school could offer. It took me time to adjust to being a minnow in a large ocean after dominating the pond at my old school. I struggled to balance my home friends with my new world of Dulwich. The school was in a transition period. The staff room was dominated by teachers educated in the 1920s who were struggling with new younger progressive elements and there was tension between the traditions of the school under Ronald Groves, who was Master of the College from 1954 to 1966, and the new world of the sixties which was emerging. I think I was at the more progressive end, lobbying for soccer to be played and for voluntary service in the community to be better recognised.
What do you hope to achieve in your new role as President of the Alleyn Club? First we need to continue the successful initiatives of my predecessors. We are primarily a communications network for OAs so they can keep in touch and hear about the rapid progress at Dulwich College. We need to build on the great achievements of 2019 and stay connected to our younger OAs, without losing our committed, long-standing members. We want to set up more family‐oriented events, with plans to mirror the success of last year’s flagship OA Reunion, where all OAs and their families were invited to celebrate the 400th year anniversary of the College. Our initiative on professional networking and mentoring needs expanding. We must also develop links with OAs from Dulwich College International Schools. It is very important that we maintain enthusiasm for supporting bursaries after an amazing fund‐ raising effort in 2019. We are huge supporters and funders of the College plans for half of pupils to benefit from bursary support. What challenges lie ahead for the Alleyn Club? Keeping the Club relevant to all OAs, young and old, active and less active is certainly something we need to be aware of. We also need to build a new generation of active OAs who can help us move forward and act as ambassadors and advocates for the school and its social mission.
PAGE 11
2019
The Alleyn Club was founded in 1873 and is managed by a committee of OAs.
In 1995, I embarked on a series of private equity backed management purchases of companies in the retail and leisure business in the UK and Europe. This was very inspiring and I worked with some of the brightest and most committed people in the City. I joined Montagu Private Equity as a Partner in 2011 and wound down my active career overseeing some of their investments and mentoring their staff. How have you been occupying your time since retiring? I have a farm in East Sussex which keeps me amused. I have been lucky enough to travel the world and be astonished at how beautiful and fragile it all is. I am belatedly discovering the art and architecture of Italy and Spain. Education is my passion and I was a Governor of the College for nearly ten years helping with the commercial activities and overseeing the development of the international schools. I was also a Governor of Bexhill Academy, a failing, but now blossoming state school in East Sussex. The difference was telling, not the physical facilities, but the co-curricular commitment of the College’s teaching staff is hard to replicate in the state sector. The power of engaged and demanding consumers as a stimulus for achieving excellence is obvious in any business, and education is no different. In 2007, I set up The Lovering Charitable Foundation, to acknowledge my luck and good fortune in life and to champion education and advance those less advantaged. I am a great believer in social mobility and meritocracy. I want to put the ladder back for poorer bright children that was represented by The Dulwich College Experiment and the Assisted Places Scheme. The scheme was devised to educate able children from poor backgrounds, where their school fees would be met by the local authorities. Other trusts I have been involved with are the Woodland Trust and the British Heart Foundation. I am also a late convert to the world of art and have been a trustee of the Holburne Museum in Bath.
What are your favourite memories of Dulwich? I really enjoyed my two years in the Sixth Form. I studied Economics under an inspiring Master, Bryn Richards, and he opened my eyes to the subject. I also learned from a tough taskmaster, John Hughes, in Geography. They both lifted my expectations. I had a good social life and even found time to play soccer on Sunday mornings. My team was known as Chislehurst United in the Bromley and District League. What did you do when you left? I had a wonderful time studying Economics at the University of Exeter and I made many lifelong friends. During the holidays I worked for Lunn Poly in the travel business as a reservations clerk, before the age of computers, and had one summer as a bus conductor in Exeter. After two years working for Metal Box (an engineering firm) in Poole, I completed my formal education with an MBA programme at the Manchester Business School when there were only two such institutions in the UK. This was one of my better decisions. Can you tell us a little bit about your career? After leaving Manchester Business School, I then spent twenty years in corporate life. I worked as a financial and strategic analyst for Spillers and Lex, and became Finance Director of Grand Metropolitan pub and restaurant division when I was 32. By 1988, I was Finance Director of Sears Plc, a large British-based conglomerate in the FTSE 100 Company. I was a workaholic and my family life was the loser. My wife Brenda, a James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) girl whom I have known since 1967, ran the house, managed the children and put up with me being tired at weekends when I was in the country. My career success was bought at a price.
We are in contact with approximately 10,000 OAs living in more than 90 countries all over the world. Our biggest aim is to keep in touch with our OAs wherever they are and whatever they are doing.
Alleyn Club Committee John Lovering CBE (61-68) President Simon Dyson (59-67) Vice President James Thornton (67-75) Immediate Past President Trevor Llewelyn (72-79) Honorary Secretary James Kendall (59-67) Honorary Treasurer Nick Robinson (62-71) Honorary Assistant Secretary Simon Brown (69-76) Marco De Benedictis (90-00)
Nick Donald (73-80) Nick Howe (74-80) Mark Hutchings (77-84) James Jarratt (04-11) Alex Langley (98-03) Alex Mole (89-96) Joe Richardson (88-98) Sion Roberts (02-13) Ben Turnbull (90-95) Michael Wade (67-72)
PAGE 13
Celebrating 400 years of Dulwich College
PAGE 14
A message from
THE MASTER
It has been my privilege to be the Master of Dulwich College during the 400th anniversary celebrations, and I am deeply grateful to all those who have made it such a success: parents and pupils, Governors, Old Alleynians and staff. Indeed, one of the most rewarding aspects of this year has been in seeing the entire College community come together to create such a memorable programme of events. For Old Alleynians I think there have been two key highlights, both taking place during Founder’s Week in June. One was the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, when the entire school community joined with OAs to celebrate the founding of our school. The other was more informal, the reunion event later that same week which saw the largest ever gathering of OAs and their partners. Some 3000 of our alumni body have interacted with the College during this special year – it was an honour to have so many of you revisit us in 2019. Our quatercentenary programme of events and activities sought to be a fitting tribute to the actor, manager and entrepreneur Edward Alleyn who founded the College in 1619 for ‘poor scholars’ so that ‘good learning’ might be available to talented boys, irrespective of social background or financial income. And it is in that spirit that we have rededicated ourselves not only to good learning, both within and beyond the curriculum, but to our social mission. We are committed to having a positive impact in communities with whom we work in partnership (locally, nationally and internationally), and to significantly increase the number of socially transformative bursaries we are able to provide. The Alleyn Club and OAs have led the way with their generosity to our Bursary Appeal Fund, but it has been heartening to see the whole College community respond to their example. Through the kindness of our benefactors we were able to raise over £1.3m for bursaries during the calendar year 2019. This outstanding level of support is humbling and encouraging, and we are deeply grateful to all who have contributed. Of course, we need to sustain this level of philanthropy if we are to become ‘needs blind’ within the next generation. Thank you once again for all of your support during 2019. We will look forward to seeing you again in 2020, and beyond.
As ever Dr Joe Spence The Master
Celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding of Dulwich College
PAGE 17
2019
Dulwich 400
2019 marked the 400th anniversary of Edward Alleyn’s College of God’s Gift, founded in Dulwich by the celebrated actor, entrepreneur and benefactor. He was a colourful and famous figure in Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre. At the age of 47, Alleyn decided to establish a school for boys in London that would provide exceptional learning, strong artistic pursuits and good manners. In the four centuries since 1619, Edward Alleyn’s original vision for good learning has developed into several schools across London, as well as the original Chapel and Almshouses in Dulwich. The College’s anniversary programme of events and activities aspired to be a fitting tribute to Alleyn, giving thanks to his enduring legacy and employing it as an inspiration for our pupils and our wider community today.
Camille Pissarro and Gerard Stamp Art was right at the centre of our 400th anniversary celebrations with the unveiling of Gerard Stamp’s Dulwich College (2018). The beautiful watercolour painting of the College by architectural portraitist Gerard Stamp was commissioned by the Master for the quatercentenary. It features the Barry Buildings, rendering the fine red and buff historic architecture with its detailed embellishments, with a glimpse of The Laboratory, distilling the essence of Dulwich today. Stamp is the brother of the late Gavin Stamp (59-67), the eminent architectural historian who, as a pupil at the College, fought for the protection and restoration of the Barry Buildings which played a part in inspiring in him a life-long love of Victorian architecture. Camille Pissarro’s Dulwich College (1871) was loaned to Dulwich Picture Gallery between April and September 2019. The painting depicts the then new Barry Buildings, which were one of the very first in London to make wonderful use of terracotta, and was painted while Pissarro was living in Upper Norwood. It shows the buildings from beyond the pond on the far side of College Road, immersed in autumnal afternoon sunlight. A special loan from the Fondation Bemberg, Toulouse, the work returned to Dulwich for the first time since it was painted.
Prints of Gerard Stamp’s painting are available to purchase at the College shop. You can find out more by visiting the College website shop.dulwich. org.uk/store
The project was made possible by the generous support of Dr Peter Mudge (47-55).
For further information visit www.dulwich.org.uk/about/400th-anniversary/programme-of-events
PAGE 19
2019
Black and Blue Ball The Ball was held at the College in May 2019. It was an immense pleasure for us to see OAs, parents, colleagues and friends of the College community come together to enjoy each other’s company and the evening’s entertainment. A highlight was undoubtedly the boys’ musical and dramatic performances. It was a fundraising event for the Bursary Appeal, supported by the Friends of the College and the Alleyn Club, and we raised over £190,000.
Celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding of Dulwich College
PAGE 21
2019
Sports Dinner At the end of January, over 200 OAs came together in the magnificent surroundings of the Mountbatten Room in the RAC Club in Pall Mall to celebrate Dulwich Sport. Athletes mingled with golfers, sailors with rugby players and cricketers. OAs with ages spanning 18 to 80, and representing over a dozen sports, listened to a conversation between David Flatman (96-98), Andrew Sheridan (90-98) and Nick Easter (91-96), former England rugby players, and Dr Kieran West MBE (86-95), English rower and Olympic champion. Old friendships were rekindled and tales of past glories told, retold and exaggerated long into the night. It could not have been a better way to begin the Alleyn Club celebrations for the school’s 400th year. St Paul’s Cathedral In June 2019, pupils, staff, OAs, Governors and representatives of the wider College community came together for the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, one of the key events of the 400th anniversary commemorations. The service celebrated the College’s past and present, and looked to the future in a vivid sequence of memorable words and music. The service at St Paul’s began with a magnificent rendering of Vaughan Williams' arrangement of the Old Hundredth . It was a beautifully balanced occasion of words and music and our choir and musicians did us proud, as did the Cathedral’s Organ Scholar James Orford (03-14). Our special guest speaker was Professor Sir David Cannadine, President of the British Academy, who encouraged pupils to look outwards from the College in their pursuit of languages and intellectual inquiry. The service concluded with the singing of the School Song, and Jerusalem , a reading from Shackleton’s South , and the pealing of the Cathedral's bells (the second largest ring of bells in the world).
Stained Glass Helen Whittaker’s commemorative stained glass window was installed in the Lower Hall of the College as a lasting artistic memorial of the quatercentenary. Helen's window sets the flaming heart of the College Coat of Arms - a hand grasping a heart, issuing from flames of fire. Helen is a renowned artist and designer highly regarded for her new stained glass windows and architectural sculpture in glass and copper. With 25 years of experience in stained glass creation and restoration painting, Helen worked with David Hockney to produce The Queen’s Window in Westminster Abbey. Phoenix and Unicorn Our Phoenix and Unicorn Exhibition showcased seven of the most renowned wood engravers working in the UK and the USA today. Curated by Dr Jan Piggott, the exhibition explored the work of OA Thomas Sturge Moore (1870-1944) who was a wood-engraver, poet, playwright, designer, and writer on art and aesthetics. Limited edition prints are available to view and purchase at the College shop. You can find out more by visiting the College website shop. dulwich.org.uk/store Carols by Candlelight To bring the quatercentenary to its completion the College’s Carols by Candlelight was held at Southwark Cathedral in December 2019. The Chapel Choir and Brass Consort led a large congregation in a celebration of traditional seasonal hymns and carols which included the world premiere of Puer Pacis (The Dulwich Peace Carol) written by the American composer, Nico Muhly. His setting of a text by the Master, is a poignant and pertinent call for peace. Dulwich hosts 157th Senior Rugby Fixture Versus Bedford School The 157th meeting of Dulwich and Bedford’s 1st XV’s as part of the 400th anniversary celebrations was always going to be a special occasion. Dulwich hosted all 18 fixtures between the schools following the Lower School house rugby in the morning. Over 800 boys played, culminating in the 1st XV game with a huge crowd staying on in the rain to witness Dulwich’s win 23–10 as the rain continued to pour. The day was made all the more special with many OAs turning up to witness the dedication of the Pavilion to Senior Fellow, Terry Walsh.
Dulwich Olympiad We welcomed 566 students and 80 staff from our ten Dulwich College International Schools for a tremendous week of sporting competitions, music and drama performances, art workshops and exhibitions for the Dulwich Olympiad 2019, one of our showcase events in our 400th anniversary year.
The Dulwich Roll The College Archive famously holds the world’s most important collection of documents relating to the theatre at the turn of the seventeenth century. It also holds both the Letters Patent giving King James I’s permission to found the College as well as the Foundation Document signed by, amongst others, Edward Alleyn and Francis Bacon. We wanted to add to this collection with a document which would capture both the beauty of heraldic art as well as the events of 2019. We approached an OA herald at the College of Arms and through his advice the Dulwich Roll was created. Throughout the 400th anniversary year, members of our worldwide Dulwich community were invited to sign pages of the Roll. Signings took place at several dozen events, and the Roll is currently present for public viewing in the Dulwich Archives.
A snapshot of the top news and achievements in the past year
PAGE 23
2019
As many as 237 College boys applied through UCAS to universities in the UK, of whom 43 boys were OA applicants. 29 boys successfully met the required grades for their Oxbridge offers. Five boys received offers for medicine and 40 achieved places at Imperial, UCL, King’s or LSE. Five boys gained places on the prestigious Foundation Art course at Kingston University.
Eleven boys will study in the USA (including Duke, NYU, Yale, UCLA and Parsons School of Design), four go to the Netherlands, five to Hong Kong, two to Canada, one to the Sorbonne, France, one to IE Madrid, one to Australia, one to Warsaw, one to the West Indies and one to South Korea.
2019 SIXTH FORM LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS
MOST POPULAR COURSE CHOICES
ENGINEERING ECONOMICS MATHEMATICS ENGLISH COMPUTER SCIENCE GEOGRAPHY HISTORY LAW LANGUAGES
Most popular university choices: 15 Bristol 15 Exeter 15 UCL 13 Cambridge 12 Oxford 11 Durham 10 LSE 9 Nottingham 8 Imperial
Here we take a look at a few of our 2019 Sixth Form leavers to find out what they have been doing in the short time since they left school and what they hope to achieve in the future.
PAGE 25
A SNAPSHOT OF THE 2019 LEAVERS
Malcolm Eisenhardt (08-19)
What did you do when you left Dulwich College? During the summer I travelled to the United States to see family and visit New York. Then I went on a trip around Europe interrailing (you basically catch a train around Europe). We went to Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Budapest and Split. A lads’ holiday was more of a formality in which 12 of us flew out to Magaluf to explore the beautiful Spanish coastline full of local culture. It really allowed me to expand on my GCSE case study knowledge of the area! Best thing about Dulwich College? The sense of togetherness. What do you want to do in the future? Explore law and media. Maybe even as an anchor man or presenter. If not though, I’ll probably just become a professional footballer as that seems easy!
Here we take a look at a few of our 2019 Sixth Form leavers to find out what they have been doing in the short time since they left school and what they hope to achieve in the future.
PAGE 27
2019
Jacob Page (12-19)
Travis Yip (15-19)
What has the first term been like? Cambridge’s ethos is to make the very short eight-week term as busy as possible with my first essay brief arriving on my first morning, paired with a hangover that left me concerned and somewhat outraged. However, work here has been more than manageable, and geographers tend to escape the 50-hour weeks of some of the more unfortunate subjects. Socially, Cambridge is an enigma. There seems to be a fierce competition between the nightclubs to be the worst establishment in the country. The community is tight-knit and fun, yet simultaneously there are people (my neighbour included) who are so elusive that I look at their door pondering on their existence à la Schrödinger’s Cat. What do you want to do after university? I hope to be able to travel the world to work in some form of conservation or sustainable industry.
What did you do when you left? Following my A levels, I boldly (or blithely) endeavoured to fit a whole gap year into four months. After engaging in the customary social hedonism afforded by newfound freedom, I came to the chilling realisation that adulthood carries a Herculean financial burden. At the ardent behest of my mother, I was flung from the nest into the less than professional world of hospitality. My first shift was accompanied by the dulcet tones of a whole tray of open beer bottles exploding around my feet. Despite this knock to my hand-eye coordination, I persevered - watched over by the resolute spirit of Ernest Shackleton - earning enough money to holiday to France and Croatia with my friends, to go out with a cathartic bang that exorcised seven years of last-minute prep and bitterly cold Saturday mornings. Are you at university? Inspired by the magus-like teachings of Mr Llewelyn (Trevor), I chose to read geography. In a fortunate yet slightly unanticipated turn of events, I was offered a place at Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University. What did you do when you left school? I went on holiday with my friends for two weeks in Barcelona, then had a holiday with my family. I also worked for three weeks before starting Durham University where I study Modern Languages, specifically in French, Italian and beginners Spanish. What has the first term been like? The first term has been hectic and very fun. Academically it has been stimulating and only stressful in parts. I have a decent amount of work to do but it is not so much that I find myself dedicating a lot of time to it. I have found that the college facilitates a social life. You don’t have to worry about spending time cooking, your friends are literally on your corridor and the clubs and the junior common room organise fantastic socials and matches.
What did you do when you left school? A few school boarders and I went on a trip to Japan to celebrate our graduation. Are you at University? I’m reading Global Health and Development at the University of Hong Kong. What has the first term been like? I joined the AIESEC HKU Local Committee to meet more people from a diverse background. It is a not for profit organisation that aims to help develop leadership skills in young people.
Oliver Foster (08-19)
What did you do when you left school? De-stressed. I cannot claim that I completed anything particularly worthwhile as it was a time of festivals, drinking and late nights. However, come September I was back at the College as a GAP year student in the Middle School seeing what life is like at Dulwich from the other side of the fence. Are you at University? I’m currently applying to study Law at university. I’ve received offers from Leeds and Nottingham and awaiting responses from Durham, UCL and Bristol. Best thing about Dulwich College? The sense of community.
James Peduzzi (12-19)
Nathan Sparkes (12-19)
You get out of it what you put in, so it definitely helps being a sociable person because at the end of the day it is your responsibility to make the effort to talk to people and go to events. My favourite socials are definitely the ones where we have to dress up as its much more fun and forces people to take themselves less seriously!
What did you do when you left? Once my sadness subsided a little, I got a job in catering to help fund a holiday with my mates.
Are you at University? I’m at the University of Exeter, studying for a BA in Geography.
Best thing about Dulwich College? The atmosphere and variety.
What has your first term been like? Enjoyable and the geography has been interesting. However, the teacher’s banter is never going to live up to that at Dulwich! Socially, my life is controlled by my involvement in the university hockey club but I don’t think I’ll ever come across another centre back who could fill the role, on and off the pitch, as Jose Farara (08-19). Best thing about Dulwich College? Incredibly loving and tight-knit community bound together by the black and blue tie.
PAGE 29
A snapshot of the top news and achievements in the past year
2019
CAMPUS NEWS The opportunities offered by a Dulwich College education can be life changing, providing an engaging and inspiring platform on which the boys can go on to reach their full potential in the world. Here we offer a small insight into just some of the opportunities available to, and achievements of, today’s generation of Alleynians.
600 pupils in the College learn a musical instrument
achieved A* or A grades 76 % ENGLISH A LEVEL achieved A* or A grades 100 % ART & DRAMA A LEVEL
850 teaching hours per year
of grades achieved at A level were A* or A 63 %
10 % of pupils board (full, weekly or flexi) 237 pupils in the Upper Sixth
146 pupils took part in CCF
29 sports played at the College 354 sports teams 965 sports fixtures
Over £1.3m raised for bursaries Thanks to the incredible generosity of many individuals, we raised a phenomenal £1.3m in 2019 from 1,139 donors for bursaries at the College. This is the equivalent of funding nine boys through College. This total reflects the incredible generosity from across our community of OAs, pupils, parents, staff and friends. All have kindly supported us through making gifts, from as much as £10 a month with a commitment from the Alleyn Club to match all funds raised by OAs for bursaries, as well as gifts made through our Bursary Appeal and participation by so many at events, including the Black and Blue Ball, the Winter Run and the Dulwich2Paris cycle ride. We hope you will feel inspired to support us as we look ahead to the next 100 years and our aim to increase fee assistance in the form of scholarships and progressively means-tested bursaries from 30% to 50% of pupils in the Senior School. We have made huge leaps in 2019, but the journey has only just begun as we continue to open doors to academically-minded boys for whom a Dulwich education would not otherwise be a possibility. That is a legacy of which we can be proud.
29
offers to Oxbridge
650 music lessons given each week
PUPILS STUDYING LANGUAGES Lower School: over 400 Middle School: over 950 Upper School: 120
1460 pupils are involved in over 300 clubs and societies throughout the whole College including: robotics, brewing, Afro-Carribean culture and magic.
PAGE 31
2019
The College has many working partnerships with the local and wider community including a number of secondary schools. In this piece we focus on our partnership with City Heights E-ACT Academy which began when it opened in September 2013. With our campuses just two kilometres apart, we are proud to be involved at all levels of the Academy and to have welcomed them to the Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership (SSLP), of which the Master is co-director. Each year we select an OA for a gap year placement at City Heights. Here are some of the ways in which our pupils and staff work together. Physical Education Staff from both schools have enjoyed working collaboratively to afford pupils from City Heights an opportunity to play and enjoy a sport to which they might not otherwise have access. Weekly swimming lessons take place in our pool for a group of non-swimmers from City Heights. Two of our basketball players lead weekly basketball coaching sessions after school at City Heights. Approximately twenty pupils attend each week and are enthusiastic in their learning. They are keen to find a sponsor for the team kit! Science and Mathematics Pupils from City Heights and Bonus Pastor Catholic College attended the College for enhanced practical science sessions provided by our specialist science teachers. Teachers from the College attend City Heights to support the top students and their teachers. They also lead intervention sessions after school for a group of pupils identified as high achieving. The pupils have relished the opportunity to be stretched mathematically and to practise more challenging problems. The Worshipful Company of Actuaries has supported this project and their generous funding has allowed City Heights to build on these initiatives. Upper School boys deliver weekly one-to-one mathematics sessions with gifted and talented Year 7 pupils as part of the Liberal Studies programme. Both tutees and tutors gain a great deal of valuable experience from this interaction. Languages The Heads of English at City Heights and the College jointly organised a Literary Conference in December to help encourage the take-up of English at degree level. City Heights is part of a multi-cultural community, particularly Portuguese. Pupils and staff annually attend our International Day in April celebrating their home countries alongside our Boarders. The College is developing plans for a Portuguese club for Dulwich pupils run by City Heights pupils. Community Action As part of our Community Action programme, pupils at the College act as reading mentors. We plan to repeat last summer’s successful Community Action Day with up to 100 pupils engaging in a variety of activities across the school. School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) The College is a national hub for Modern Foreign Languages, Mathematics and Physics teacher training. The scheme attracts new graduates and career changers with 100% of alumni finding full time employment in both state and independent schools across the country. City Heights has provided valuable placement opportunities for our trainees, enabling us to provide a broad and varied teaching experience.
PARTNERSHIP NEWS
Dr Cameron Pyke, Deputy Master External and Trustee for the E-ACT Multi-Academy Trust, writes with an update on how we are working with the local and wider community.
PAGE 33
2019
Campus landscape We rejuvenated the College campus throughout 2019, working towards a
greener, cleaner campus, full of educational and learning opportunities. Its landscape now features 100 newly planted trees resistant to climate change; they have been selected to be enjoyed by the Dulwich community on its 500th anniversary.
The key elements of the campus now include:
WELLBEING – an outdoor space that encourages a range of activities and interactions, in a rich and green environment, promoting wellbeing and a productive learning environment. WATER-SENSITIVE DESIGN – we have used planted landscapes to soak up, clean, store and slowly release rainwater runoff. These features make the water cycle and other natural processes visible. BIODIVERSITY AND WILDLIFE – maximising opportunities to support pollinating insects and seed-eating birds at the heart of the campus. Integrating where possible, designed habitat structures as artworks with year-round visual interest such as ‘bug hotels’ or ‘creature towers’.
PAGE 34
PAGE 04
Photographer: Phil Sharp
Laurie Davidson (06-10) shares his stories from his days at Dulwich, his experiences of playing the magical Mr Mistoffelees in the 2019 musical movie Cats and his next adventure in Sheridan’s The Rivals at the National Theatre. FROM DULWICH TOHOLLYWOOD
possible. McKellen also gave me some good tips for performing at the National; where the sweet spots are and where the bad sight lines are. We went to see a production of Anthony and Cleopatra together at the Olivier Theatre. He is someone I greatly admire and since finishing Cats has continued to be an informal mentor for me. For a young actor to have that kind of experience to draw from is priceless. I had a great time making the Cats movie. I play Mr Mistoffelees who is essentially a magician’s assistant who gets pulled out of a hat but has delusions of being a magician himself. I am drawn to roles that are different from anything I’ve ever done before and Cats was certainly that. It is a dance film in its purist sense, and I am not a dancer! I have so much respect for dancers and wish I had done more as a child, but I just threw myself in and got to learn so much. It was completely different to anything I’d done before and an experience I’ll never forget. I learn lines by repetition. Either writing them out continuously or just saying them out loud. It is the most boring part of the job but I have found that I learn them better if I just work on delivery and sense as opposed to just bashing them out. I also practise reading with my dad. He has early onset dementia and I help care for him in my spare time. He tests me with lines and if I don’t come in right on my cues, he reads my lines as well as his! Gotta be quick! Next for me is the National Theatre. I only had one professional dream as a kid and that was to play the lead at the Olivier Theatre. I’m hugely excited to have been given this opportunity now in an updated version of Sheridan’s The Rivals . This version is called Jack Absolute Flies Again and opens in April and runs until the end of July. Technology has come on so much that anyone can make their own films. Make stuff with your mates, on your phones. Just try it out. It might be rubbish to begin with but that’s how you learn. Work hard but never take it too seriously. It can be the best job in the world and should be fun.
Full. That’s the word I would use to describe my days at Dulwich College. My brother was at Dulwich before me and I was so immensely jealous of all the opportunities he had. Before I was bitten by the theatre bug, sport was what really drew me to the school. One of my proudest achievements outside of the Edward Alleyn Theatre (EAT) was playing in both the 1st XI cricket team and 1st XV rugby team for a season. I would also describe my time at Dulwich as though I was leading a double life which shifted between the two factions of sport and theatre. When I joined the school, the theatre seemed to have its most accomplished actors already established. I didn’t know how to get involved. Fortunately, after reading some Shakespeare aloud in our English class I was encouraged by my teacher to take part in the Shakespeare reading competition. I think I misunderstood the brief as most of the other boys were reading from text and certainly hadn’t brought their own props! My rugby teammates, who had no idea I was interested in performing, were surprised when I wielded a home-made dagger on the stage of the Great Hall. From that moment Peter Jolly (OA and Director of Drama) took me in and both he and Kathryn Norton-Smith (Head of Academic Drama) helped to shape and ignite something they saw in me. The EAT became my home at Dulwich and I owe them both so much. After Dulwich I was fortunate enough to train at LAMDA. My first role out of drama school was to play the Bard himself in an American TV series. It was a huge break and though the show never quite found its audience, it put me on the map and established me in the professional world. During my research for the role I visited Dulwich to look through Philip Henslowe’s diary (Elizabethan theatrical impresario). I had the privilege of working with Sir Ian McKellen in my most recent venture Cats and also previously in The Good Liar. On the set of Cats , we spent a lot of time together and I was fortunate enough to pick his brains about his career. He and Dame Judy Dench had so many great stories and I just tried to soak up as much of their wisdom and genius as
Laurie in the 2009 College production of Much Ado About Nothing.
If you enjoyed reading this, then you can read our interview with the actor Ekow Quartey and Peter Jolly’s piece about the rich tradition of drama at Dulwich on pages 44-49.
For information on joining the a team, get in touch with the Alleyn Club office.
PAGE 37
CLUBS & SOCIETIES
OA BADMINTON Earlier in 2019, the OA team took on the school’s badminton team with Liam Vicari (10-15), James Li (05-10), Elvis Law (13-15), Jonathon Pratt (11-18), Julian Suddaby (94-99) and long-term badminton coach Peter Wong playing a round robin competition at the College. Despite the College taking an early lead the OAs eventually used all their guile and experience to take the match 6-3.
OA ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB After an impressive run of five successive league titles and promotions in the Arthurian League, the Old Alleynian Association Football Club (OAAFC) 1st XI was crowned Division 1 Champions last season and is now competing in the league’s Premier Division. Meanwhile the OAAFC 2nd XI had a successful year, securing its place in Division 4 and winning its first piece of silver - the David Woolcott Trophy - a knock out competition open to teams in Divisions 4 and 5. However, perhaps the most significant achievement in the last 12 months was the launch of a 3rd XI for the 19/20 season, with the team already heading towards the top of its league. Each of the OAAFC teams plays (almost) every Saturday from September to April, with matches generally taking place within the M25, bar the odd trip slightly further afield for cup competitions. If you are keen to join, there’s training for all club members every Wednesday evening throughout the season at the Charter School Astroturf on Red Post Hill in Herne Hill. With three teams, there are opportunities for footballers of all levels and ages wanting to play competitive football at very good facilities in matches that are well contested but where everyone shakes hands and shares a beer (usually...) afterwards. There’s a strong social element to the club off the pitch with socials at least four times a year so you can keep in touch with people you knew from school and also meet a wider group of like-minded football fans. For more details about joining, get in touch with the Secretary, Ben Precious (02-07) preciousb1 @ hotmail.co.uk or the Alleyn Club office.
“Dung is more than the best badminton coach at Dulwich. He treated us like his own family, both on and off court. His kindness will be remembered and continue to impact generations to come.” James Li (05-10)
Phi Dung It was with great sadness that the College learnt of the death of the badminton coach Phi Dung Nguyen at the end of 2019. Dung had coached badminton at the College for many years, overseeing the progress of boys playing in the U14, U16 and U19 badminton squads as well as running general sessions for interested players of any abilities. His enthusiasm for the game and kind nature made a lasting impression on a large number of boys over the years, with many continuing to play badminton and keep in touch after leaving. The annual OA Badminton match held at the start of the academic year will be named the Nguyen Competition in his memory.
“An irreplaceable badminton coach and life mentor.” Ashley Chiu (11-15)
“I look back fondly on my memories of Coach and remember him as the funny, charming and cheeky mentor who not only taught us about the game of badminton but also connected generations of OAs after our time at the College. I want to thank him for all that he has done for us. He will continue to live on in our hearts and I will think of him every time I step onto the court.” Anfan Li (10-15)
PAGE 39
2019
OA GOLFING SOCIETY Taking on old school rivals, this year Old Alleynian Golfing Society once again joined the Halford Hewitt public schools golf tournament at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club in Deal. The event has been running since 1924 with the same 64 public schools, including Dulwich College, still taking part. Throughout the year there were also society golf events with a total of around 100 Alleynians and OA’s playing over 250 rounds of golf, including a good contingent of under 30 year olds. Last year’s highlight was the Founders Golf Day at Dulwich and Sydenham where 64 players competed, with around 90 attending the dinner in the Great Hall. The golfing society is open to all OA’s whatever their standard. Matches against old foes are played in the traditional spirit of competitive sport, while society days take on a much more relaxed pace and are played on the best courses in the South East. For more details about joining, get in touch with the Secretary, Duncan Anderson oagssec2013 @ gmail.com or look at their website www.oags.co.uk OA SHOOTING CLUB Meeting about six to eight times a year, the Old Alleynian Shooting Club brings together Alleynians and OAs alike to participate in the sport of Full Bore Target Rifle Shooting. Every competition is a trophy shoot with either internal OA club awards or cup shoots against other independent schools. Many of these events have been running for decades, providing an opportunity to meet up with old friends and adversaries. The highlight of the year is the annual Arnold Cup competition against the Old Albanians with a well attended end of season dinner at a local club house. The Shooting Club meets at weekends between March and October, with five or six team members needed to participate at each shoot to make it financially viable and keep it competitive. All of our activities are centred on the National Shooting Centre at Bisley in Surrey, where we use their extensive outdoor ranges to shoot at distances between 300 and 1000 yards. Most of our members had their introduction to shooting through the CCF, but the demise of the school range and lack of participation by boys in target shooting has taken a toll on the uptake of new members, so we would love to hear from anyone interested. The club has always been a Home Office approved shooting club. We are allowed to train new shooters and we have club rifles and all the equipment required to get people going. Any OAs interested in joining should contact the OASC secretary or captain by email and we will send out application forms and the schedule for meetings in 2020. Captain, Pete Leggett (68-76) OAshootingclub @ icloud.com Secretary, David Nicholson (59-67) davidn3004 @ gmail.com
OA RUGBY Throughout 2019, the OAFC has continued to embrace an inclusive spirit for all ages and abilities, priding itself on getting a large number of people playing every single weekend. While many clubs around the south east struggle with numbers, OAs continue to field five men’s senior (adult) teams and a 1,000+ players in the junior section, including a thriving women’s section, an alumnus of which recently received a call up to the England Women’s U20 squad. The senior men’s squad continued to develop throughout the year, aided by a strong coaching group and guest coaching visits from former school pupils Beno Obano (11-13) and David Flatman (96-98), and from recently retired former captain of Australia, James Horwill. The 1st XV ended up having a very successful 18/19 season with a third-place finish in the London SW2 league. Strong contributions were made during the year from recent school leavers Oscar Gleave (13-18) and Tyreece Asamoah (11-18). The season also saw five players reach the impressive mark of 100 caps for the 1st XV, including Tom Pickett (97-08). Elsewhere the 2nd XV finished midtable in the top Kent league, the 3rd XV placed third in their league, the 4th XV finished midtable, and the Development XV teams won their league. The season was closed out with the traditional end of year dinner at the East India Club, soon followed by the club tour which visited the Algarve and saw OAs dominate both on and off the pitch. Off the field a raft of new club sponsorship was secured for the seasons ahead, while there were some strong profile-raising moments including an excellent showing on BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight programme, and a finalist nomination in the Amateur Player of the Year category of the National Rugby Awards hosted at Twickenham. Most excitingly the club began its initial forays into site-wide redevelopment of the Old Alleynian FC facilities, working with a variety of specialists and key stakeholders on plans to deliver a rejuvenated sports hub for the area. The club is in a strong position at the moment, serving not just existing players of the game but seeking to grow the sport in the area, with programs such as O2 Touch Rugby sessions open to all, hosting the Met Police’s ‘Project Rugby’ community engagement program in partnership with Harlequins, and becoming the training and match day hub for the London South Bank University (LSBU) men’s and women’s teams. The future looks bright for OAFC as we look to improve our facilities and rugby offering for all audiences, and we are enormously grateful to the continuing support of the College, alongside our many coaches and volunteers. For details about joining, get in touch with Alex Smiddy (90-00) alexsmiddy @ hotmail.com or the Alleyn Club office.
Page 1 Page 2-3 Page 4-5 Page 6-7 Page 8-9 Page 10-11 Page 12-13 Page 14-15 Page 16-17 Page 18-19 Page 20-21 Page 22-23 Page 24-25 Page 26-27 Page 28-29 Page 30-31 Page 32-33 Page 34-35 Page 36-37 Page 38-39 Page 40-41 Page 42-43 Page 44-45 Page 46-47 Page 48-49 Page 50-51 Page 52-53 Page 54-55 Page 56-57 Page 58-59 Page 60-61 Page 62-63 Page 64-65 Page 66-67 Page 68-69 Page 70-71 Page 72-73 Page 74-75 Page 76-77 Page 78-79 Page 80Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online