2021 Lawrentian The
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Pupil Achievements Speech Day
Chapel Houses Athenaeum CCF Sport Common Room
43 58 60 74
College
College Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7AE T: +44 (0)1843 572900 | E: hm@slcuk.com www.slcuk.com
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pupil achievements - 2020/21
Competition / Event
Award
Pupils
Joyce Chan
Silver & Best in School Silver & Best in Year 12 Silver & Best in School Gold & Best in School Silver & Best in Year 7
UKMT Senior Maths Challenge
Taehoon Choi
Nana Owusu Ansah Michael Williams Ashwin Muralitharan
UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge
Grade 1 Speaking in Public (Distinction) Grade 1 Speaking Verse and Prose (Distinction) Grade 2 Speaking in Public (Distinction) Grade 2 Speaking in Public (Distinction) Grade 2 Speaking Verse and Prose (Distinction) Grade 3 Verse and Prose (Distinction) Grade 4 Speaking in Public (Distinction)
Joshua Baker
Olivia Leigh-Hunt Martha Leigh-Hunt Sara-Jane Revell Mithura Vanitharan Aswiga Geretheran
LAMDA
William Khan
Grade 5 Acting (Distinction) Grade 5 Acting (Distinction)
Daisy Mackman Georgia Binfield
Grade 7 Speaking in Public (Silver Medal) (Distinction) Grade 7 Reading for Performance (Distinction)
Pratigya Peshen
Gloria Lau
Grade 1 Flute
Prashangsa Pun
Grade 4 Organ (Distinction) Grade 4 Singing (Distinction)
Gloria Lau
Millie Sullivan
Grade 5 Piano (Merit) Grade 5 Saxophone
Oluwatoyosi Oshodi
ABRSM
Mali Nicholls
Grade 5 Theory (Distinction)
Maia Perry
Grade 5 Theory
Poppy Alban-Stanley
Grade 6 Piano (Merit)
Carys Hamill
Grade 5 Piano (Distinction)
Daisy Mackman Hannah Todd Hannah Todd
Grade 5 Clarinet (Merit)
Trinity College London
Grade 6 Guitar
Grade 8 Viola (Merit)
Thomas Choi
Sport
Kent U17 Kent U16 Kent U15 Kent U13
Chloe Plumb Duncan Moore
Kent Cricket
Oliver Jordan-Smith
Mali Nicholls
South East Stars Womens' Squad Kent Cricket 1st XI Womens’ Squad
Team Member Team Member
Kalea Moore
Kent Cricket 2nd XI
Team Member
Joe McCaffrey
Under 18 England
Team member
Chloe Plumb
Under 18 Wales
Team Members
Elen Nicholls, Thomas Izzard, Alexandra Ferguson
Regional Performance Centre
Team Member
Georgia Binfield
London Pulse Super League
U17
Grace Patterson
U16 U15
Max Rogers, James Peters
Kent Rugby
Toby Hunt, Zachary Ralph, Tom O'Callaghan, Charlie Panteli, Theo Rowe
Saracens Academy
U15
Max Rogers
Ballroom
Ukraine National Champion Ballroom Dancing Polina Myroshnychenko
Jonathan Adams, Demi Adewole, Tomi Akitemi, James Choi, Jasmine Collings, Miles Foster, Unnati Gurung, Lucy Jordan-Smith, Rebecca Kemp-Jones, Elen Nicholls, Beatrix Robinson, Karim Salama, Gemma Thompson, Harriet Westby
Silver Awards
Duke of Edinburgh Awards
Bronze Certificates of Achievement
Oliver Adams, William Adams, Charlie Bell, Bella Rowe, Myles Wise
Speech Day
G ood morning everyone and thank you for joining us for this year’s Speech Day. Last year, I spoke about the use of the word ‘unprecedented’, as so much of what we were doing had changed, and we embarked on our first ever Virtual Speech Day. Well, here we are again, and it doesn’t really feel ‘unprecedented’ any more! There is no doubt that COVID has had a significant impact on our entire school community and I would like to thank all of our parents, Old Lawrentians and advocates, for the support you have given us throughout this year – not to mention the trust that you have all shown in the College. Whilst things have been challenging, it is often in times of most significant challenge that we gain a greater understanding of our capacity for change, we develop new skills and we become more solution focussed. Part of the School’s ethos of holistic education is that we instil resilience, flexibility and adaptability, and we have seen a great deal of this from all sectors of our community this year. I have been particularly proud of the way in which all members of our community have faced up to the pandemic – the teamwork that has been shown, as well as the way in which we have continually progressed despite constantly changing parameters, has been indicative of true Lawrentian character.
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department with her outstanding lessons, infectious energy, and enthusiasm for the subject. She has worked hard to help all her students succeed and one of her many highlights was the trip she organised to CERN, and the recent and very successful 1st form STEM day. Curlyne Browne has been an integral part of both Bellerby and the Games department, and she cares a great deal for the pupils in her charge. When she first joined the College she was just coming to the end of an incredible international hockey career with Trinidad and Tobago and she fitted into a coaching role with both boys and girls hockey with ease. Within the boarding house her support to Mrs Izzard has always been unwavering and she has remained fiercely loyal to the girls in her charge throughout. Ed Pegden arrived as a Chemistry teacher ten years ago. He quickly made an impact in the Science Department and was involved in the Chemical Magic show which was such a hit with Junior and Primary School children. After taking on the Head of Chemistry role, he became Housemaster of Tower in 2018, where he has done excellent work, fostering a strong sense of home and community. He has made many improvements to the furnishings and has provided an outstanding level of pastoral care to the boys Chitesha Senaratne joined us in April 2010 as a newly qualified teacher but quickly became known for the hours she spends meticulously planning her lessons and marking work. As a top student of her year, she earned a scholarship to study at a university in Russia where she attained a 1st class honours degree and gained a doctorate
in engineering. Her fluency in the language came to the aid of a number of our students over the years as she helped guide them through their A-level Russian examinations. Robin Bendall arrived at St. Lawrence in 1988, to take up his first teaching post. He quickly established himself as a caring professional, willing to help anyone in need. He has inspired generations of Lawrentians with his love of languages and has taught both French and German throughout his time, as well as Religious Studies and EAL. For many years he directed the school plays, several by French dramatists such as Molière, and encouraged and inspired budding young actors and actresses to take on some challenging roles. He was Housemaster of Tower for a number of years and is remembered fondly by generations of pupils as a kind, generous, caring and inspirational person – an exceptional Housemaster. His chapel services and prayers have inspired and helped so many and I am delighted that he will still be with us, helping out the chaplain next year. So, as we draw this academic year to a close, there is a great deal to celebrate. I hope that the achievements and prizes in this programme, and that the Deputy Head will read out shortly, give you a sense of the outstanding effort that our pupils have exhibited. Whether they have won a prize today or not, we are incredibly proud of the way in which all of our pupils have applied themselves this year and I wish them, and all of you, a very restful and healthy Summer.
Following on from last Summer, when pupils and staff in the Design Department created PPE visors that were used at QEQM Hospital, I have also been really impressed by the number of our pupils who have helped out in vaccination centres and doctors’ surgeries over the course of this year. This level of community involvement, and understanding of service to others, is essential to the development of outward- facing global citizens who understand the concept of social responsibility. Speech Day is also a time when we celebrate our exceptional staff body and I would like to say a heartfelt thanks to all members of our staff. Once again, their flexibility, adaptability and resilience has risen to the fore, and they have worked tirelessly to give our pupils the best possible chance of success – in both online and face to face lessons. Additionally, our support staff have worked tirelessly to facilitate the teaching and learning, and ensure that the school has continued to function and operate effectively. It also falls to me to say goodbye to those staff who are leaving. I am sure that the whole College is, as I am, very grateful for their contributions over the years and I would like to wish all of our leaving staff the very best for the future: Mrs Waring, Mr Taggart and Miss Sheldon all leave with our very best wishes, although we will still see Miss Sheldon as she will be helping out with CCF in the future. Additionally, we have a number staff who have been with us for a long time, who we also say goodbye to this year.
Barney Durrant Head of College
Vikki Langman joined the College in 2015. She has made a significant difference in the
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Chapel
Chaplain’s Report
A n aspect of life at St Lawrence College that has suffered greatly during the pandemic has been the school community. Covid-19 restrictions meant we have not been able to gather as a school in chapel or assemblies. The staff have not been able to have the much-needed chats in the common room. The apostle Paul who was isolated from Christians while in a Roman prison wrote these words: “Although I am absent in Body I am with you in Spirit.” (Colossians 2:5 and 1 Corinthians 5:3) One of the comforts of Christianity is that, because of the risen Lord Jesus, regardless of whether Christians are physically together or not, we are always spiritually together. The apostle Paul, despite his isolation and impending execution, was comforted by this truth. In Christ, we too can share in this fellowship, regardless of lockdowns. This year has been quite a rollercoaster and chapels have had to be virtual on YouTube. These chapels have followed the format of biblical reflection on a Tuesday and an interview with members of the community on Thursday. Sunday’s chapel became a voluntary in-person chapel without singing. Some highlights have included interviews with an Olympian and ex-England Cricket player. An interview that was most memorable was with Nael, a pupil in Lodge. He spoke of the devasting effect that the Rwandan genocide had on his family and the extraordinary power of forgiveness that united the country. It was very moving, and reminded us of how the gospel brings peace with God and each other.
An unforeseen benefit of going online has meant that chapel has been accessible to the wider community. It has been comforting to hear of Old Lawrentians and parents enjoying chapel and finding out more of what goes on in school. new opportunities and we have started two new Christian Unions in the boarding houses: one for Bellerby and a combined group for Tower and Lodge. The evenings are relaxed with pizza and then discussion of various issues concerning how to live the Christian life. The lockdown has provided Sadly, Reverend Bendall, who has served the school and chapel for over 30 years, is retiring. He has often preached and provided monthly communions for the community. He will continue to minister and serve in his parish in Sandwich. Although he is leaving, he has kindly agreed to return on occasion to help out with chapel and preach for us. We are very grateful.
I would like to close with thanks for all those who have helped and been involved in chapel. In particular, for Mr Bowyer, who has provided uplifting music with the choir, and Wolfgang Robinson, who sang a solo for our Remembrance service. I am also grateful to everyone who read and prayed.
Rev James Goodwin-Hudson, Chaplain
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HOUSES
Kirby
House
T he year started with us welcoming fifty first formers and five new second formers. It was an odd start to the year with the implementation of social distancing and year group bubbles, but after a Summer Term of online teaching, it was fantastic to see the atrium full of hustle and bustle once again.
students set the bar very high indeed. A big ‘well done’ to all those involved, especially our Year 7 band who were placed 3rd.
The Creative Arts:
Miss Young, Head of Year 8
Many of us relied on the creative arts to keep us entertained whilst we were unable to socialise, and I was really pleased that St Lawrence College was still able to offer some exciting opportunities. Students had the chance to perform on the Taylor Hall stage in one of three Theatre Thursday events across the school year. Particular highlights for me were Maxwell Speller’s monologue and a devised scene based on the life of Anne Frank performed by Tilly Clark, Rupert Smallbone, Rawdon Hill, Delilah Rhodes and Jai Gill. Well done to all those involved, especially for rising to the challenge of performing to a camera instead of an audience. I also really enjoyed Ashwin Muralitharan’s rendition of ‘ Where is the Love ’ during the Cabaret Evening in October. In December we were treated to a virtual Festival of Carols and I was thoroughly impressed with the Kirby Choir. Being a member of the Choir is a challenge within itself, but rehearsing in a socially distanced environment added further difficulty. However, this certainly did not impact on their performance in which they sang a number of classic carols. One of our new Year 8 students, Vince Collett, sang the solo verse of ‘ O little town of Bethlehem ’. He gave a confident and pitch perfect performance. In February I was delighted that so many of our students participated in Wellbeing Wednesday. It was fascinating seeing some of their creations, from origami to home-made postcards. It is clear that our students have some exceptional artistic talent. The highlight of the year for me was Battle of the Bands in May. This was the first event of its kind (replacing House Music) and also the first time the competition had been opened up to Kirby students. There was some trepidation about how the younger students would cope, but it was agreed by all staff that Kirby
Academics and Sport:
The2020-21 academic yearwas a challengingone for all, but thepupils in Year 7 adapted incredibly well, demonstrated resolve and perseverance. Despite the challenges adapting to life with Covid-19, especially for our year 7 pupils who had only just started at St Lawrence College, a total of 976 merits were achieved in Michaelmas Term which demonstrated the huge effort from the pupils. The lack of sporting opportunities was felt strongly, especially as some pupils in year 7 isolated and experienced their first online lessons, and the school prepared for the possibility of transitioning to remote learning, but the pupils performed admirably and their absence was felt amongst their peers.
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‘Overall, 27 pupils in Kirby received awards in recognition of their efforts or achievements’
As we returned in the Lent Term, to remote teaching, teachers worked hard to engage their students online, with weekly 1:1 meetings with tutors to ensure they continued to flourish. Mrs Owen even ran a morning yoga session for her tutees which was well received, even by myself. As the Lent Term drew to a close, and we were able to return to St Lawrence, there was a tangible eagerness amongst the student body of things improving. The pupils returned with determination and managed an incredible 1111 merits, with Claudia Coles accumulating an outstanding 43 just by herself. The Easter break was a welcome rest for those who had gone above and beyond, and the possibility of returning to a more normal learning environment hovered in the air. The Summer Term finally brought with it opportunities for the sporting pupils to demonstrate their skills to visitors from other schools. Whilst the weather was with us for the majority of the games, later fixtures were regrettably cancelled due to the elements. Regardless, the year 7 pupils were all keen to make up for lost time and threw themselves into the games. This term the focus was on cricket and it has been a pleasure to see those who have rarely played make quick progress under the mentorship of their coaches, and those established cricketers refining their skills. Sports Day was another fantastic event, with parents able to see children take part in a whole school event. The opportunity for pupils in Kirby to show the senior school what they are made of was highly anticipated, and with some strong performances from pupils across the board, there are certainly some to watch as they move through the school.
Boarding:
On the academic front, year 7 performed incredibly well with a truly awesome 2473 merits, and Claudia Coles again leading the way with 117. The merit totals clearly showed just how hard the year 7 pupils had applied themselves in their first year at St Lawrence, and what a year to start with. Overall, 27 pupils in Kirby received awards in recognition of their efforts or achievements, of which they should be thoroughly proud. The Lewis Drury and Richard Muncey prizes were awarded to Charlotte Welch and Claudia Coles respectively. Year 7 were also lucky enough to enjoy a fascinating STEM experience day in the second half of the Summer Term, which included the dissection of an eye and building water rockets. The year 7 pupils now look ahead to the start of year 8, and the prospect of becoming role models for the incoming pupils. The staff await their arrival eagerly and look forward to building on the successes of the 2020- 2021 academic year.
The Founders window in the dining Hall reflects the foundation of the College; it states in faded letters, ‘The Lord is in this House, and He shall not Be Moved’. This has proved apt; although the last twelve months have left us all feeling rather faded, St Lawrence is still here. This is not only a testament to the staff who have worked so hard to maintain the educational and pastoral standards, but also to the resilience of the students. Young as they are, they have consistently risen to the different challenges that have been thrown at them, and not only met those challenges but conquered them. The year started reasonably normally, albeit with the safety of all of paramount importance as the rituals of ‘hands, face, space’ were rehearsed daily. Although we were largely confined to the College, we are very lucky to enjoy beautiful grounds and spacious buildings, andwith a little ingenuity the best was made of a bad situation. We have tried to pack as much fun into the year as possible, with marshmallows toasted on an open fire to Zorb football, from bespoke Art classes in light and shadow to water fights in the summer sun. It has been a pleasure to get to know the students in Kirby House very well indeed after ten months of living together, and I can only be proud to be part of the happy (and sometimes very noisy) community that has gelled together in the most trying of circumstances. It is through life’s trials that we are refined, and the mettle of Kirby has, over the past year, been proved.
Mr Snowdon, Head of Year 7
Mr Rawbone, Housemaster of Boarding
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Kirby House 2021 Year 7
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Kirby House 2021 Year 8
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Bellerby
2 o2o can only really be described in one word – ‘eventful’- and not our usual House events of previous years! However in true Bellerby style, we made the best of the unprecedented situation that we faced, held strong together and made some wonderful memories along the way. ‘Virtual’ seemed to be a word that we used often during the Michaelmas Term. It was paramount to stay as a community so the girls would come together in their smaller year group bubbles for Chapel and assemblies each week, all virtually of course! Over our first exeat weekend, the prefects hosted a noodle challenge to see who could brave the heat! This was closely followedbywhat thegirls described as “the best Bellerby House event of their time here” - a fancy dress Halloween party. Everyone made an incredible effort with their costumes utilising their lab coats, hairpieces, face paint and anything scary. I think the girls pretty much cleared the shelves at Poundland!! The Bellerby family spirit was at full strength too. Seeing and hearing the girls having so much fun together really cemented the Bellerby House bond which girls hold onto for years and years to come. This year’s prefect team was Valerie Ekong, Bridget Akpobolokemi, Joyce Chan, Aba Forson and Semphung Limbu. The team ensured that everyone was kept busy and had fun as many of the girls were unable to travel back to family during lockdown, including themselves. They were determined to not let the situation have a negative impact on the House so got their heads together to come up with lots of fun activities to do in the House. We hosted a games tournament, quiz nights, bingo, baked cakes, pizza nights, chess competitions, dancing lessons, cooked food on a budget ready for university - to name but a few.
The prefects then had the task of putting together their chosen piece for the first of our inter-House competitions, House Drama. This is a popular one for Bellerby, spending many hours rehearsing and preparing for the finale. The theme was ‘Hope’ so the House chose ‘ Tangled ’. They simplified the on-screen version but still kept the full impact of the story. Our acting was seamless which did not go unnoticed by the panel of judges. Bellerby won ‘Best Ensemble Cast’ along with an individual ‘Best Actress’ Award for Claudia who played the part of Rapunzel.
In December, the girls made Christmas decorations ready to decorate Bellerby for our annual Secret Santa around the Christmas
tree. This is always a favourite event as it’s a time to give thanks and to spend time together, sharing gifts seated around the Christmas tree in the atrium of Bellerby. Hot chocolate and marshmallows have also become an accompanying tradition here. In the New Year, a lot of our focus was around mental and physical wellbeing. Although our schooling was online, I
‘At the weekend the girls had lots of fun & laughter competing against each other at a games night organised by the House Prefects. I didn’t realise quite how competitive Musical chairs could get!’
made it a priority to get the girls out in their year group bubbles to get some fresh air and exercise. We are incredibly lucky to have such beautiful grounds to walk around and enjoy. The girls enjoyed the cold air in their lungs and to see the flora and fauna changing through the seasons particularly from winter to spring. Mr Izzard set up a Strava group for the whole school which encouraged pupils, staff and parents to take part in some form of physical exercise, sometimes for the first time. The girls commented that the encouragement to get out and do something really helped them to clear their minds from the constant staring at a screen and to keep some level of fitness ready for the return to team sports whenever that may be.
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The boarding community at school enjoyed an orienteering challenge across the whole site. The girls got into small teams, set off to discover all checkpoints, and get back to us as quickly as they could. The prospect of a take-away for the winning team certainly spurred everyone on - staff included. A big congratulations went to Semphung, Supriya, Vicky and Unnati who came in ahead of everyone winning themselves a Domino’s pizza take-away later that evening. The Bellerby girls were excited to take part in Sports Day this year. The competition got off to a flying start with the inter-House ‘tug o’ war’. The Bellerby senior team beat the staff team with no problem at all and then proceeded to pip Clifford to the post to become the 2021 champions. One of the most enjoyable events of this academic year and one that the girls got excited about was a new competition called ‘Battle of the Bands’. The competition consistedofamaximumof sixperformersand a mixture of instruments. Fifi was on drums; Molly was the bass player; Gloria played the piano and sang along with Amelia, Arcelia and Nora. The theme was ‘Colour’ so the girls adapted their own version of ‘ Back to Black ’. No backing tracks were allowed to be used and the final performances were recorded and played to the whole school across a few assemblies. The girls practised tirelessly to
perfect their performance which saw them winning the much coveted trophy. A very proud moment for the girls and Bellerby. The prefects this year did a sterling job of keeping the house positive with so many wonderful events. To celebrate their time we enjoyed a wonderful meal overlooking the sea and watching the sunset in Westgate– on–Sea. It was a time to talk through stories of their time at St Lawrence and fond memories from their time as prefects in Bellerby. They are a very special group of girls who helped to hold the house together during such a difficult year. I will be forever grateful to them. I would like to wish our Upper Sixth leavers’ - Valerie Ekong, Bridget Akpobolokemi, Joyce Chan, Aba Forson and Semphung Limbu - all the success they deserve in their future paths. They are definitely ready to fly the St Lawrence nest and move on to the next chapter of their lives. I would like to offer a warm thank you for the support our tutors gave to the girls through this incredibly difficult and challenging year. Emily Dickinson, Curlyne Browne, Vicky Langman, Polly Taylor, Lucy Vinson, Liz Young and Marion Fourrier were all patient, understanding, and fully committed to offering their support, and often comfort, to their tutees whether they were in school or across the world in their homes. The girls
and I would not have coped as well without their listening ears and comforting words of wisdom, so for this I am eternally grateful. We said a very sad but fond farewell to Curlyne Browne who has worked in Bellerby by my side for over seven years. She has provided invaluable support to me and the girls throughout the years along with lots of laughter. She brought a real energy to the House and built great relationships with the girls. We will miss the mouth-watering smells of spices that came from under the door from Trinidad when she was cooking. The girls and I will definitely miss having her around, not just in Bellerby, but also on the sports fields. We also said goodbye to Vikki Langman who has been a stalwart in the House tutoring sixth form girls since she arrived. She was brilliant with her advice and giving words of wisdom when supporting the girls with their UCAS process. Marion Fourrier has decided to move to a day house from Bellerby so the girls are lucky enough to still see her around school. Marion provided comfort to the girls, as she too, had moved from her home country of France to England so was always on hand to help with any homesickness with the girls. All three of these wonderful tutors will be sadly missed in Bellerby and we would like to wish them lots of luck in their new chapters in their lives.
Mrs Izzard, Bellerby Housemistress
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Bellerby House 2021
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Clifford
S eptember brought with it a renewed sense of optimism and laughter ringing through the corridors and the usual beating heart of the school with the return of our students. In Clifford, we also welcomed our new third formers into the fold and in spite of restrictions, we managed some team building in the sunshine and even an ice lolly or two! We also began our mentoring program this year, with the Lower Sixth each taking on a mentee to help the new additions transition from Kirby into the senior school. This was all the more important without our usual sleepover at school (although Ms Humphrys’ sleep patterns were certainly all the better for it!) to maintain the sense of community and togetherness upon which Clifford prides itself. The girls continued to show their remarkable resolve in spite of having to endure what has been one of the toughest years on record and I couldn’t be more proud of their efforts or of our little team. The fifth form, in particular, have shown unparalleled resilience, determination and hard work, which will undoubtedly be reflected in their summer results. My admiration and thanks extends to the Clifford tutors and parents whose support and kindness throughout the pandemic has been invaluable. House Drama made a welcome return this year and although the girls didn’t have the usual buzz of a live audience to carry them through, it was a pleasure to see different year groups coming together and distracting themselves from the wider global situation. This year, Ms Young aptly chose the theme of ‘hope’ and Clifford chose to perform their rendition of J K Rowling’s ‘ Harry Potter .’ Under the careful guidance of Carys Hamill and Pratigya Peshen, the cast largely consisted of our junior students, who did an excellent job, in spite of being up against older peers in many of the other Houses. There were some fabulous performances from Anais Hamill, Hannah Crottie and Tabby Durrant, to name but a few. In the words of J.K Rowling’s Dumbledore: “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” I look forward to watching some of our rising stars coming through the ranks.
Sadly, the end of the Christmas holidays began with another period of national lockdown, but this time around, we were old pros at using virtual learning platforms. The Clifford girls competed in photography competitions, nature inspired contests, Strava challenges and our old favourite, ‘The Great Clifford Fake Off.’ On this occasion, the girls were asked to design a ‘showstopper’ piece. All of the entries were fantastic and reconfirmed the plethora of star bakers we have in the House. Our panel of guest judges chose winning entries from Poppy Heming, Sarah Smith, Marianne Robinson and Amelia Ellis, whose NHS inspired rainbow cake brought a smile to us all. The girls all continued to meet in their tutor groups, check in with me and one another, as well as adapting to their lessons in the new ‘normal.’ I know that for some, virtual learning proved to be a positive experience, whilst for others, it presented new challenges and hurdles which seemed almost mountainous. It goes without saying that whichever of these scenarios was the case, all of our pupils deserve our sincerest congratulations and praise for the way in which they have coped with unprecedented situations. I was
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certainly humbled to hear of some of the acts of kindness shown by pupils and their families during this time which was a real reflection of the community which struck me when I first arrived at St Lawrence a number of years ago now. Upon our return, this year’s House Singing competition took a slightly different format under the new name of ‘Battle of the Bands.’ The formidable third form group of Leah Hodge, Phoebe Smith, Poppy Monckton and Marianne Robinson offered a beautiful rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s ‘ Crazy ,’ and what impressed me most is how they held their own against performers much older than them. I am grateful, once again, to Pratigya and Carys for helping to direct the younger girls, as well as for Carys’ composition of the piano accompaniment. It was a real pleasure to hear Phoebe and Leah’s beautiful vocals and I look forward to seeing their continued progress throughout their time in the senior school. In the wider school, Clifford have continued to recognise extra-curricular successes. Whilst I cannot list them all (for fear of Mrs Dickinson’s wrath as editor), it is a joy to hear of the plethora of musical, academic and sporting accomplishments across the House. Chloe Plumb has continued to excel (with her characteristic modesty) on the hockey pitch, reselected to play for England’s U18 hockey squad, in spite of having limited opportunities to train throughout lockdown. Harriet Westby has achieved the status of Sergeant Major for her contributions to CCF and has disseminated her skill set to third form prep, where she commands respect (and possibly fear!) from the younger years magnificently; I fear she may be after my job! Elen Nicholls continues to represent the school magnificently as part of the EKST initiatives (supported by Beatrix Robinson
and Lauren Cardy), in addition to her impressive contributions to the RAF. Amelia Lawton was a force to be reckoned with in the Kent Athletics Championships this year, bringing back a collection of silverware to add to her trophy cabinet. We wish the Lawtons every success with their charity fundraising effort with the Three Peaks Challenge this summer. Finally, we should acknowledge the monumental House effort this Sports Day, with the Clifford girls winning both the Junior and Senior event, as well as the Junior Tug of War. Cake Friday is clearly the path to success! Towards the end of the Summer Term, school prefects were chosen in preparation for Upper Sixth and perhaps even more poignantly, Clifford’s first ever applicants for such roles. In what has been one of our strongest cohort of pupils to date, I would like to congratulate all of the girls on their applications, interviews and continued contributions to the House and wider
school. In my eyes, they are all very worthy candidates indeed. It has been a pleasure to watch them grow into excellent role models and leaders, as well as just fabulous young women. However, after a rigorous process, I am delighted that Pratigya Peshen has been chosen to represent the College as our Head of School, with fellow ‘Cliffordians’ Carys Hamill, Beatrix Robinson and Harriet Westby supporting them on the school prefect team, along with peers from other Houses. Additionally, Carys Hamill will take on the role as our very first Head of House, supported by Harriet Westby as House Captain, Arabella Piper as Sports Captain, Lauren Cardy as Mental Health Champion, Sarah Smith as Events Coordinator and Lauren Gutrige as one of our mentoring leads - very well done to them all. My warmest and most heartfelt thanks to everyone who continues to make Clifford such a wonderful House to run.
Miss Humphrys, Clifford Housemistress
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Clifford House 2021
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Deacon
T his academic year carried on from last year as one full of disruption and uncertainty. There was a continuation of Virtual Heads
studies. The sixth form leavers were not able to get the usual full end of year send-off but I hope that they will get an opportunity to return
assemblies, Chapel services and house meetings. Come September it will be fantastic to get back into Taylor Hall and the Chapel so we can be together again as a school. The boys in the house have been fantastic in these times and in the future should look back with pride for the way they carried on with their studies.
next year to celebrate their time here at St Lawrence. Mr Wilkening and myself were able to take them out for a farewell meal which was enjoyed by all. It was great to see them out of school and in a relaxed environment. The destinations for them after St Lawrence are varied destinations from Monaco to Loughborough, Canterbury, Nottingham and Greenwich. For the ones not heading straight off to
‘The boys in the house have been fantastic in these times and in the future should look back with pride for the way they carried on with their studies.’
House competitions were decimated once again this year. Cross country was unable to take place, meaning our champion runner Patrick Greene will have to wait until September 2021 to hopefully claim his skittle fueled crown again. House Drama was a Star Wars performance under the theme of “hope”. Special mentions must go to Gabriel Hayden and James Greene for all the hard work they put in to make it happen and to Jude Stroud for stepping in at the last minute to help with the technical side of the performance. It was another“it will be all right on the night” approach but true to form, the boys involved performed well. Special mention must also go to Tom Peters and Daniel Jury for their duologue performance. House singing was a recorded performance by Gabe Hayden and Myles Wise, with Gabe on guitar and vocals whilst Myles provided back up via the drums. It was a very enjoyable performance and really made us all in the house very proud of them both. GCSE results being teacher-assessed grade based meant for a very busy end to the year for all the upper sixth and fifth form boys, but I am confident in the way they approached the process and expect to see a set of very good grades for them. Some of the fifth form are moving on for their education and I wish them the very best for their
university I have no doubt life away from school will be successful and enjoyable for them. For the upcoming 2021-22 academic year, I
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am delighted to say that Jack Herbert will be the Head of House with the support of Joe Mitchell, Patrick Greene and Daniel Wren as the house prefects. I am sure they will do their utmost to have Deacon seen in a positive light amongst the school community. I would like to say a big thank you to my tutors who have supported both myself and their tutees in the most challenging of times. It was awarmwelcome toMr Scoins and Miss Moody as new teachers here at St Lawrence. In a difficult year where students required high levels of support to get them through some pressured times, they were all excellent in the pastoral care provided. Although at times very tough, the year has also proven extremely enjoyable and fruitful. We have all been through a shared experience and supported each other extremely well. I will look back on the year fondly and full of pride for the way the whole school approached the pandemic. Well done this year Deacon. I cannot wait for September to come around and when it does, we hope that we can return to schooling here at SLC as we know it.
Mr Jones, Deacon Housemaster
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Deacon House 2021
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Laing
W ell – what a year to become a Housemistress! I believe it would be an understatement to describe the past 12 months as eventful! Although it has been, in some ways, a baptism of fire, the events of this year have certainly emphasised the value of community within the College and within Laing, and in some ways has brought us closer together as we have appreciated each other more. We started the year under strict social distancing guidelines, meaning House Assemblies proved to be quite tricky. We worked hard to try to ensure we met all together at least once a week, sometimes with me shouting to some very spread out groups of students in the Taylor Hall, and on more sunny occasions out on the back field! I was grateful to those who came up with suggestions of ways to bring the House together spiritually even if not physically, and for the students’ continued enthusiasm for just being together! Inevitably the majority of ‘big’ events in the school calendar looked a little different this year. House Drama was the first of these, with each House filming an ensemble piece and a monologue or duologue based around the central theme of ‘hope’, which were then played out in tutor times. Perhaps my funniest memory I have of this year will be the moment I asked Mr Moulton ‘where in the school are my girls allowed to wear their inflatable dinosaur suits?’! This arose when our House Prefects, led by Drama and Music Prefect Olivia Binfield selected Jurassic Park as our whole House contribution. It still gives me joy to think of them roaming around the site in their costumes, together with the fake blood and detached hand they asked me to order for them! I was very impressed with the final production, and was also very proud of Emily Burne who recorded a very moving monologue which received a round of applause in all our tutor group sessions. I feel we were slightly robbed when it came to the awarding of prizes! Sadly the term ended without the usual carol services and festivities, but I know the girls will be looking forward to making them even bigger and better at the next opportunity.
It is fair to say the majority of us found it quite challenging when we went back into lockdown in January and reverted to online lessons. All students rose to this admirably, and made the best of a tough situation by giving their all both academically and in extra-curricular pursuits. I am pleased to say we won the House Strava exercise competition after a very fiercely fought battle between Laing, Clifford and Bellerby, with some students clocking up outstanding times and distances. Rosie Mackman racked up a considerable time playing a very strenuous-looking Beat Sabre game, Ella Proctor put in some very early morning runs and swims, and Jasmine Collings spent plenty of time surfing (with a few unfortunate injuries thrown in!). Everyone enjoyed Wellbeing Wednesday, with students taking part in mindfulness activities, plenty of exercise and many creative pursuits – I know Mrs Flory’s tutor group enjoyed the sunflower growing competition! Tutor groups also worked together to design Kahoot quizzes for us to play together as a House every Wednesday morning, from our individual homes. Returning to school in March was a relief for most, although quite rightly I know a number of members of the House were anxious about returning. It didn’t take long for us to settle into routines again and to appreciate having so much more face to face interaction on a daily basis. Not long after we returned, we held the annual favourite Laing and Clifford Easter Egg Hunt, with the girls becoming increasingly more prepared for their mission to collect chocolate, grapes, avocados and vegan goodies from the back field – the carrier bags for storing their finds are getting larger each year! Shortly after this we hosted a pre-recorded Battle of the Bands competition as a replacement for House Singing, with Emily Burne, Grace Huckstep andMillie Sullivan singing a lovely version of No Scrubs , accompanied beautifully by Diaz Clarke on the piano. By the beginning of the Summer Term, those in examination year groups were beginning to flag, having persevered through a testing schedule of in-class assessments in a bid to collect as much data as possible to go towards their teacher-assessed grades. As such, I
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decided to throw both 5th and Upper Sixth ‘afternoon tea parties’ as a reward (and encouragement to keep going!). It was lovely to spend some time with each group, chatting about their hopes for the future and their memories of their time at SLC. One thing I am very much looking forward to in the coming year is the opportunity to watch members of Laing taking part in considerably more sporting fixtures and events! Our girls performed very well in the Students vs Staff netball and hockey matches, and it was such an amazing sight to see them all together on Sports Day with parents on hand to also support. Special mentions should go to Alex Ferguson for her win in the 300m, Dilim Aneke who came 3rd in the 800m despite not considering herself a runner, and Brooke O’Hare who stayed well after almost everyone had left in her attempt to beat the school record for high jump. It is always a pleasure to watch students step out of their comfort zone and volunteer for something in the spirit of supporting their House, and to watch them support each other. This was again particularly evident in the Tug of War event – sadly we were not victorious in either Junior or Senior events, but the girls worked together as a team and should be proud of how hard they battled. Another example of community spirit was when Laing ran a tuck shop at break times for a week, raising money for the Red Cross to support them in their international efforts in the fight against Covid-19. The students
brought in a wide range of treats to sell and then each year group took it in turns to manage the shop. This was incredibly successful - probably fuelled by the students’ longing for restrictions to ease and the coffee shop to reopen! By the end of the week we had raised an amazing £329.15, and I hope the girls are rightfully proud of themselves for making a difference. Members of the Laing community have continued to achieve amazing things outside of school. I know a number of girls have been awarded grades for music and Lamda exams, as well as competing nationally in events ranging from equestrian to swimming. I would like to congratulate them all, while giving special mention to Kalea Moore – I was fortunate enough to buy tickets to see her play for Northern Brave in The Hundred cricket tournament at The Ageas Bowl in the summer holidays, where she gained two incredible wickets and helpedher teamtovictory.Thematcheswere televised nationally, and this tournament has absolutely cemented Kalea’s place as an outstanding cricketer. It was one of a large number of proud Houseparent moments for me… I appear to have spent quite a lot of the year being rather emotional! I would like to finish by congratulating all members of Laing House for their achievements this year: whether that is achieving their grades in their GCSE, A level and BTEC subjects; being recognised in our Virtual Speech Day for either academic
or extra-curricular excellence; or just for demonstrating resilience in the face of a global pandemic - I am incredibly proud of all of them. Thank you to Jo Roberts and BrookeO’Hare for being such fabulous Heads of House, supported by a wonderful prefect team and an excellent group of tutors – we wouldn’t have made it through without you ladies. Looking at the House as a whole, it has been a privilege to work so closely with a group of talented, dynamic and enthusiastic young people, and I am very much looking forward to getting to know them even more in the coming year. I would also like to wish every happiness to those moving on to pastures new in September – please do come back to visit!
Dr Barwell, Laing Housemistress
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Laing House 2021
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Lodge
L odge started the year by welcoming eight boys into the Third Form; Arman, Biplove, Daniele, Prajwal, Tadhg, Spandan and Qinzhen joined us from Kirby House, while Allwin was new to the College. A further five boys joined us in other year groups; Emeka, Jacob, Beni and Freddie bolstered the numbers in the Fourth Form, joining the three amigos of Philip, Enzo and Terry, while Robert was added to the Fifth Form. All of the boys, whether they were new or returning, had many changes to adapt to, with the restrictions posed by coronavirus creating many new ways of living. For example, every morning the boys would have their temperature taken before they went downstairs to breakfast at their allocated year group slot, after which they would head off to their Tutor to be registered and to watch a pre-recorded Chapel or Assembly. The year group bubbles were probably the hardest aspect for us all, as the integration throughout the house was limited. Despite this, the first term did witness the Inter-House Drama Competition, albeit as pre-recorded videos rather than the live event in a packed Taylor Hall! The boys worked hard as a team and created two entries, an abridged version of ‘ Coach Carter ’ and a duologue from ‘ The Joker ’. The house picked up the awards of ‘Best Overall Performance’ for ‘Coach Carter’, ‘Best Actor’ for Zayne and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Joon. Also awarded to the House was the prize of ‘Best Duologue’, featuring Amir and Alejandro, as ‘the Joker and ‘Murray Franklin’ respectively. During the second half of the term Naji arrived, joining the Lower Sixth and also swelling the numbers of skateboarders in the house. No evening has been complete this year without the sound of a half dozen skateboards hurtling down the drive towards South Lodge. This hobby featured on the opening sequence for a number of weeks on the Virtual Chapels, with Alejandro demonstrating his skills. Thankfully not caught on camera was the fall by Freddie, which resulted in a long night at A&E in QEQM.
Sadly, Michaelmas Term ended without the traditions that usually mark our preparations for Christmas. The Catering Department did however lay on a banquet of Chinese food on the last Saturday. Following three weeks of rest we were all geared up for the new term, only to discover at the eleventh hour that all schools were to return to online learning, following a new wave of infections. This news came too late for some of the boys though, as they had already arrived or, in the case of Nael, when he was just stepping on board a plane in Kaligi! Some of the boys managed to return home, but about a dozen remained in Lodge. As a result, we created a boarding bubble and joined forces with those in Tower. It was a strange existence for us all but the atmosphere was relaxed and we all settled into a new routine. The weekends featured double brunches with an activity, usually food related, in the evenings. The boys also made a lot of use of the Sports Hall, with basketball being a particular favourite.
The re-opening a few weeks before the end of term created a mix of emotions. In many ways, we were pleased to see our friends
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return but we were also used to having the grounds and buildings to ourselves with the peace and tranquillity associated to the lack of occupancy. It also meant an end to the boarding bubble and so the return of the year group bubbles. During this time, it also became apparent that examinations in GCSEs and A Levels were to be cancelled and replaced with a system of Teacher Assessed Grades. The Summer Term witnessed the return of some familiar events and the arrival for a half term of Clément. The Inter-House Music took place with pre-recorded videos, with our entry featuring Leo, Toyosi and Yukio. We also competed in the Inter-House Basketball, Tennis, Tug ofWar and Sports Day. Sadly, we were not victorious in any of these competitions but the commitment of the House and the performance of individuals was highly commendable. The lack of town leave at points in the year has meant that the House tuck shop has been as busy and well received as ever.
The boys have operated it and particular mention must go to Benjamin, Mahesh and Phineas who regularly stepped in to open it in the evenings. Despite selling most items at cost price and some at a small profit margin of a few pence, it has managed to generate a surplus of £500, largely through the sale of 2724 cans of drink and 114 bags of sweets! The money will be donated to charities throughout the coming year. During the year Junior House Colours were awarded to Beni, Freddie, Jacob, Spandan and Tadhg, while Senior House Colours were awarded to Alejandro, Amir, Joon, Leo, Phineas, Toyosi, Yukio and Zayne. The house was well represented on Speech Day, with twelve boys collecting prizes including all of the Upper Sixth. If a prize had been available for the boy who had demonstrated the most resilience due to the amount of time they spent undertaking online learning then that would have certainly gone to Andrey. At the end of the year we learnt that Amir had been
appointed as Head Boy, while Darsan and Toyosi had become School Prefects. Their appointments were followed by the House positions, with Toyosi becoming Head of House, Amir being House Captain and Darsan, Donghao and Yukio being House Prefects. The Upper Sixth have led the House well, particularly considering how tough the circumstances have been at times. Alejandro has been a popular and charismatic House Captain and School Prefect. Bibek has been an ever smiling and relaxed Head of House. Joon has been a quiet and hardworking House Prefect, as has the ever excitable and encouraging Lukas. The end of the year also meant saying goodbye to Beni, Ibrahim and Zayne. The whole house wishes them all the best as they step forward into the next chapter of their lives and of course we hope that they will not become strangers. Finally the House only runs smoothly due to the support and commitment of its staff. My thanks go to Mr Jameson, our Deputy Housemaster; Sharon our Matron; Sharon and Will our Domestic Assistants; and the Tutors, Rev Bendall, Mr Brooks and Mr Brown. Mr Taggart joined us at the start of the year as a Resident Boarding Assistant and is now moving on to train as a teacher with which we wish him well. Sadly, we are saying goodbye to Rev Bendall as he heads off to retirement. He has been a stalwart of the boarding scene at the school for over thirty years and as such, his wisdom and guidance is going to be sorely missed. We are sure he will enjoy his time with his wife Callie in Sandwich and France.
Mr Sharp, Lodge Housemaster
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