Match report: U15 Girls’ Hockey v Churcher’s College, 2.10.2019

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By Kevin Boniface, Head of Hockey

On Wednesday, the U15 girls’ hockey side travelled away to play Churcher’s College U15B team. This game is always a well-matched fixture and the 2019 instalment was no different. Bedales could argue that they had the bulk of attacking play in the first half, but were thwarted on numerous occasions by the outstanding Churcher’s keeper. As the half progressed, Bedales quite rightly pressed forward but were sometimes a little ‘gung-ho’, leaving gaps at the back. Despite tremendous defending from full back Olivia Cooper, Churcher’s posed a threat on the breakaway – and it was from one of these fast breaks that they converted, going in 1-0 up at half-time.

Buoyed by their lead, Churcher’s started the second half strongly, but with a large squad rotating from the bench, Bedales were able to increase their intensity and started gaining more of an attacking foothold. A deserved equaliser came from Minnie Galton-Fenzi, who broke down the right channel, eliminated her marker and calmly finished in the bottom corner.

With time running out it looked like the game was heading for a draw. This was until Kamaya Nelson Clayton picked up the ball on the top of the Churcher’s circle and eliminated three players before neatly shifting the ball on to her reverse stick and slamming the ball home. Final score: 2 -1 Bedales. A really enjoyable and exciting game and credit to both teams for playing their part in it.

Music update: exam results, conservatoires and County Youth Orchestra

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By Doug Mcilwraith, Director of Music

Congratulations to Bedales students for excellent performances in their recent music exams. After attending the Chetham School of Music’s summer piano course for advanced help on piano techniques – including an introduction to music for prepared piano – 6.2 student Mary Wang was awarded a Distinction in Grade 8 piano. The following students passed with Merit: Juliet Solomon-Solymar (Block 3, Grade 4 oboe); Beatrice Lingham (Block 4, grade 6 piano); Jamie Loudon (Block 4, Grade 2 percussion); Leela Walton (Block 4, Grade 6 violin); and Annia Grey (Block 5, Grade 5 violin). Harry Hetherington (Block 3) and Imogen Wright (Block 3) both achieved strong passes in Grade 5 oboe and Grade 3 trumpet respectively.

We now have several of our advanced musicians who take extra lessons in London on Saturdays at the country’s top music conservatoires. Jake Lacey (6.1) and Lila Levingston (Block 5) attend the Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Tiger Braun-White (Block 5) attends the Royal Academy of Music and Kai MacRae (6.1) attends the National Youth Jazz Orchestra junior course. All of these institutions demand the absolute very best from their students and we congratulate our students for winning places to study and take part in their programmes.

Bedales now has four students playing in the County Youth Orchestra: Mary Wang and Sampson Keung (6.2) play percussion and Sampson is section principal, George Harlan (Block 5) plays horn and Monty Bland (Block 5) joins this year on double bass. They are working on some of the greatest ever works for orchestra: Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, which changed the course of music history, and Mahler’s 5th Symphony.

It is so important for all of us to compare what we do at Bedales to what others do in other communities and we congratulate our musical ambassadors for striving to work with the best young musicians in the south of England and ensuring that Bedales is very much on the musical map.

Match report: South Regional Team Tennis Play-offs, 25.09.2019

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By Graeme Coulter, Head of Tennis

On Wednesday, Harry Hornsby, Paddy Arrowsmith, Tobias Bonham Carter and Milo Whittle travelled to the White Horse tennis centre in Abingdon to represent Hampshire at the South Regional Team Tennis Play-offs.

The boys started well, winning three of their four singles to take a 3-1 lead against Farringdon. A very professional performance in the doubles from Harry and Paddy followed to complete the victory and confirm our place in the final.

The final saw us come up against a very good Bradfield side, who won the first singles to take the lead. However Bedales hit back with a huge win from Milo, not giving up on a single ball and securing his biggest singles win to date. Paddy recomposed himself from a mid set wobble to emphatically dispatched Bradfields number two seed and give Bedales the lead. Tobias put in a monumental effort, however couldn’t quite convert his match point, and Bradfield drew level heading into the doubles. Bradfield took the first doubles. Harry and Paddy fell just short, losing a match point to level the match and eventually lost the definitive doubles to make it 4-2 Bradfield.

The boys were outstanding from start to finish and could not have applied themselves better. They were an exceptional representation of the school and should be very proud of what they achieved in the last year of tennis.

Match report: Girls’ First Hockey XI v Portsmouth High, 25.09.2019

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By Mariela Walton, Teacher of Girls’ PE & Games

After spending most of the day in ponds, digging plants or making bird boxes for Badley Day, the first XI headed to the astro to face Portsmouth High.

Bedales started off well, and it wasn’t long before Mathilda Douglas scored the first goal, closely followed by a second from Alisia Leach. Two more goals followed from Mathilda and Amber Pearson and we finished the first half 4-0 up.

Following the half-time break, the Bedales team came even stronger. Emma Nelson dominated the right half position and linked up excellently with Shanklin Mackillop-Hall. Amber Pearson went on to score two further goals, giving her a hat-trick, and Mathilda also completed her hat-trick.

Captain and Most Valuable Player Thea Levine got her name on the score sheet when she carried the ball into the D and smashed it past the keeper. Eliza Goodfellow also scored in the second half and was excellent on the right wing.

The final score was 9-1 to Bedales. Despite the challenging weather conditions, spirits remained high and the work rate was excellent.

First Duke of Edinburgh expedition of the year

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By Julia Bevan, Teacher of English

When 37 students in Block 5 headed out on their qualifying Silver Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) expedition, they might have been extras in John Keats’ seminal poem, To Autumn. Last weekend on the South Downs, the world was rich in “mellow fruitfulness”. They plucked ripe blackberries from hedgerows, scrumpt apples from “moss’d cottage-trees” and in the evenings you might have come across the odd corn on the cob cooking alongside Wayfarer’s meals and pesto pasta.

On Friday morning it took a while to organise routes and check kit at the Triangle Car Park near the Trundle. As classic cars drove past on their way to the Goodwood Revival, assessors made a note of who had packed particularly carefully, and made sure those that needed an extra compass or water bottle were looked after. Routes were checked and starts were then staggered so as to make sure the groups were not tempted to mass together, before they headed off in different directions: east towards Graffam or west to Treyford.

There was no doubt that the participants had the weather was on their side, and navigation was considerably easier than on the practice expedition in the New Forest. That said, the West Sussex terrain presented the groups with different challenges, and many arrived in camp on Friday sore and exhausted from 400 metre climbs past fields of “full-grown lambs” and nosy herds of cows. After a glorious sunset, the full moon lit up the campsites making the night colder than expected and thus the tents were drenched in moisture on Saturday morning.

As the weekend bore on, it was clear that all 37 participants had personal challenges to meet. Some found the walking very tough, others had to manage their frustration with slower members of their group. Some had to share their food and kit, others to manage sore ankles and painful blisters. It was impressive to see groups leaving relatively early on their second day, and even earlier on the third, determined to get the bulk of the walking done in the morning. It was even more impressive to watch groups share out the load, so that all could complete the walk. All did and can hold their head high, having successfully completed this section of their Silver award.

A big thank you must go to Allen, David, Gordon and Rob for bringing wisdom, humour and years of experience to the trip. A thank you also to Duncan Selmes, who joined us from Dunhurst on Saturday afternoon, bringing more DofE expertise and enthusiasm to the team.

Bedales attend climate change symposium at LSE

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By Olivia Grout-Smith, 6.2

Last Friday, a group of students was lucky enough to attend a symposium held at the London School of Economics (LSE) with the leading question ‘What should individuals, communities, schools and universities in the UK do to stop climate change?’ Following a very rousing morning at the climate strike at Petersfield’s Market Square, our spirits were high as we headed to London for the symposium.

Lord Stern of Brentford, Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, was the first speaker. He addressed the question ‘What should we do to stop climate change while raising living standards in the UK and around the world?’ Highlighting the extreme importance of radical change amongst society as a whole, he began by saying that the world economy will double in two decades. In order to reduce two degrees, we must cut emissions by 40 percent.

Two more speakers, one a Camden politician and the other a member of the Women’s Institute, both expressed the importance of change in both local communities and beyond. The second half of the event was a 40 minute panel Q&A, addressing the question ‘What should individuals, communities, schools and universities in the UK do to stop climate change?’

In order to make actual change within schools, universities and colleges, the importance of education about the climate crisis within the curriculum was a key point. Though many students decide to take Geography GCSE and A Level, the majority do not. Another idea was to install a carbon offset scheme, so when students travel by plane or another environmentally damaging mode of transport, they can balance out the impact on the environment.

We came away from the symposium with a true feeling of inspiration and pride. One of the last speakers, Naomi Oreskes from Harvard University, made a very true statement about how, as a school or as individuals, we can change. She expressed that when we make statements or propositions for the future, we are sometimes criticised for being ‘unrealistic’. It is those unrealistic goals that drive social change and innovation that lead to a positive impact.

Match report: Girls’ U15 Hockey v Lord Wandsworth College, 18.09.2019

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By Caz Hulbert, PE Coach

The U15s  travelled to Lords Wandsworth College for their first match of the season.

In the first half, LWC managed to score the first goal, but Bedales then started to apply good pressure in LWC’s 25, only to miss two opportunities at goal. In the second half, Bedales began to retain possession of the ball. with some excellent passing from Lally Arengo-Jones and Anna to the forwards.

Eventually Bedales managed to get their first short corner, in which Kamayaya put the ball in the goal. The second goal came after 5 minutes, with a strong passing shot into the circle from Zoe Lobbenberg, where Lally pushed the ball past their goal keeper.
There was some excellent defensive work from Olivia Cooper, Ava Sender Logan and Ellen Wilson, who worked hard in keeping the opposition out of the circle.

Final score was 2-1 to Bedales – well done!

Match report: Girls’ U16 Hockey v Lord Wandsworth College, 18.09.2019

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U16 Girls' Hockey v LWC

By Chloe Nicklin, Head of Netball

For a team that had never played together before, I have never seen such a beautifully played game of hockey! All the coaching advice Kevin Boniface and Mariela Walton gave at training were actually put into action, making it look like this team had been playing together for years.

Two players from the U15 team, Lally Arengo-Jones and Anna, stepped up and fitted in with the team well, providing many opportunities for a goal as well as Anna scoring a terrific goal in the second half. Sage Bidwell and Rebekah Leach stepped up from the U14 team and played magnificently.

Rebekah kept calm and opened up the game from the back of the pitch and Sage was a noticeable force in attack scoring the first and last goal of the game. The regulars in the U16s played like professionals, with Esther Stewart as acting captain rallying the troops from the defence. Sasha Arney, Mabel Watson, Gala Pearson, Etty Bratley, Sammy Smith and Nell Freeborough added to the score scoring a goal each (Nell with 2).

A brilliant afternoon out with committed and talented players. Final score 9-0 with Sasha selected as Most Valuable Player.

Match report: Girls’ 1st Hockey XI v Lord Wandsworth College, 18.09.2019

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By Mariela Walton, Teacher of Girls’ PE & Games

This week, the first XI stepped out onto Bedales home turf to play Lord Wandsworth College (LWC). Decked out in their new Bedales first XI kit, the team looked the part and were ready to battle against a strong LWC side.

LWC got off to a good start and within ten minutes, Bedales were 2-0 down. Despite this, Bedales continued to fight, and after Freya Leonard was hit by a stray lifted ball, the team raised their game further. As if seeking vengeance for Frey’a injury, Mathilda Douglas put one in the back of the net, sending us into the half-time break 2-1 down.

In the second half, an early goal from Amber Pearson saw the scored tied at 2-2, which was quickly followed by a goal from Eliza Goodfellow, taking us to 3-2. LWC then answered back with a third goal, making the scores tied again at 3-3.

Not long after, our resident goal scorer Mathilda Douglas followed with an excellent goal, crossed in by Most Valuable Player Thea Levine. Bedales managed to hold the lead for almost the entire remaining half, until Lord Wandsworth got a break in the last minute of the game and a quick goal left the final score at 4-4.

An exciting second game of the season – all of the students worked exceptionally hard and demonstrated some wonderful hockey. Next week they face Portsmouth High School at home with a 4.15pm start.

Volunteering in the community

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By Al McConville, Director of Learning and Innovation

We’re working hard at Bedales to give students more opportunities to volunteer for good causes, since we know how satisfying that proves to be for many people.

We have kicked off the year with a new scheme for Block 3 to undertake ‘service’ activities within the community to get them in the mood, working with the kitchens, the library and the gardeners to keep the place ticking, and to give them a sense of responsibility for their surroundings.

In addition, a whole host of sixth formers are heading down the road to Steep Primary School to help younger children with their learning, and a separate group have embarked on a project with the Fitzroy charity for adults with learning difficulties at their base in the Sustainability Centre. This week we got cracking on a pond, and painted the inside of their composting toilet!

Lots more opportunities in the pipeline – watch this space.