PASTORAL CARE Rolleston House
could make maximum impact on its boys. We sought to achieve this in two ways: by instilling a disposition to serve others less fortunate than ourselves and by creating meaningful relationships between boys of all year groups within the House. So, Finn Brokenshire took up the reins and established a service
“winning” a House competition. So, yes, Rolleston has had a successful 2019. Now, you might be wondering just what happens inside the gates of Rolleston. Parents drop their sons off every morning truly unaware as to what goes on inside the House. I would like to share with you some of my favourite moments: There was the inflatable swimming pool we put out in the courtyard at the start of the year. We wanted to bring it over to Upper on Athletics Day but weren’t allowed, so instead we brought a powerful speaker and blasted tunes. Then there was the countless year group Rugby 08 and Nintendo Wii tournaments we played on the common room TV. Ralph Chiang put his gaming skills on display as he destroyed the likes of me in Call of Duty . Hayden Ott was always a force to be reckoned with on Rugby 08 as well. We created our own radio station – Rolleston House FM. Jack Elvy was the mastermind behind this creation. I hope it starts up again in the future and we can listen in. The House table tennis, basketball, cricket and soccer were core areas of fun as well. But my top moment in Rolleston House was truly something special. Louis Clark, known for his love of food, had just come running into the House from class for lunch. He licked his lips as he pulled out his lasagne, carefully putting it into the microwave before taking out the steaming goodness. He was just about to sit down on a chair and indulge … but, at the last second,
project partnership between Rolleston House and Spreydon
School. Now, every fortnight, boys go to Spreydon School and help out in a variety of ways, including providing cooked breakfasts, running sports games, helping with reading, and acting as role models for its students. This isn’t just a one-way relationship, however, as Rolleston boys also get a lot out of their interactions with the Spreydon School students. We are all in a very privileged position being at this school and it is our duty as a House to give back to the community. I would like to thank Finn for all the work he has done in implementing this partnership and eagerly wait to see how it grows in the future. We also wanted this year to be about relationships between the boys. Picture this: a hot summer’s day, 68 boys out in the Rolleston House courtyard, playing basketball and cricket, the sweet smells of the Rolleston House barbecue linger as sizzling snags and bacon are cooked up, the tabs being broken on cans of coke. The chat and banter flows, with laughter echoing across the street. Other Houses looking on in envy. I think we can all agree that the life skills, wisdom and advice we have been given sitting out on those courtyard seats far outweighs anything we could learn from
Housemaster: Neil Nicholson Assistant Housemasters: Kate Belton, Sian Evans, Tamara Lerios, Warren Lidstone, Eloise Nevin, Carey Prebble, Graeme Swanson Head of House: Ollie Brakenridge Deputy Head of House: George Matheson What a year 2019 has been for Rolleston House. But how can we define our year? The definition of what “success” means for each House varies. Some Houses define success by winning key events throughout the year, such as the interhouse sports competition, House Music or House Plays. While Rolleston did do well in these areas, winning the House swimming cup and producing a very entertaining House Play, we have achieved so much more. Why should an entire House’s legacy be based on how well we can run, jump, throw or sing? As Albert Einstein once said, “Everyone’s a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree then it will lead its whole life believing it is stupid.” Rolleston House flourishes in so many other ways. Instead of the Year 13 group and Mr Nicholson sitting down and planning how many House events we could win, we discussed how the House
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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