Warwick School

Last Sunday was Remembrance Sunday and the occasion always reminds me of the very strong links the school has with the town of Warwick. I was delighted that Matthew Jackson played the last post so well, that the CCF represented the school and that a number of boys were singing with the St Mary’s choir. Thank you to all of you who contributed to the British Legion by wearing a poppy and making a contribution to this important charity.

Les Miserables

This production of Les Miserables lifted Warwick School and King's High Drama to even greater heights. I felt it was one of the greatest shows to grace the BHT stage over the years and proved to everyone that there is a deep seam of talent in both schools.

Les Miserables' mosaic of characters - beggars, police, prostitutes and pragmatic students - were woven beautifully into the dramatic backdrop of tragic revolution in France where there was glory in death for a cause. The set, lighting, sound and costumes were all magnificent. Judy Reaves' imaginatively designed set moved dramatically around the stage enhancing the students' performances. The music, conducted and rehearsed by Trevor Barr and Matthew Smallwood, was powerful, entertaining and skilfully played to the end.

This was a great show to see and hear, and fascinating to watch, such as when the student revolutionaries died in slow motion. The singing and acting, skilfully and masterly directed by Mike Perry and Sarah Barker-Doherty, were outstanding. All the principals had strong and beautiful voices. Harry Benfield, as Jean Valjean, aged beautifully throughout the show and Josh Bluteau, as Javert, also commanded great presence. The packed audiences loved the antics of the Innkeeper Thenardier (James Parris) and his wife played by Amy Walsh. Harry Heap, as Gavroche the youngest performer in the show, proved his great potential.

Last year The First XV's Daily Mail victory set the tone for many successes to follow; I suspect that this production of Les Miserables will do just the same; this "victory" will certainly last as long in my memory.

Many congratulations to those involved and I thank all of you for the thousands of hours that went in to making this show such a great spectacle. Very well done to each and everyone of you.

China

One of the exciting initiatives we currently have at the school is an exchange with a school in Shenzhen in China. Last year 25 Chinese students came to England for two weeks and a few weeks ago, in half term, a number of Warwick boys travelled to China. To tell you more about the trip is James Dryden, Max Whitby and Fred Lindsey.

(Presentation – 4 mins)

Thank you very much boys and thanks to Mr Bradley, Mr Ward and Mr Surr for taking this fascinating trip.

Debating

Last week was an exceptionally busy and successful one for the school’s debating society.

The debaters began on Tuesday with their contribution to Chemistry Week. In a packed Science Lecture Theatre, Shaun Lu and Manpreet Gill successfully argued that the only fuel of the future is nuclear fuel, despite spirited opposition by Andrew Bryson and Amogh Acharya. The society would like to thank Mrs Dowding for the opportunity to speak in front of a wider audience.

On Thursday, our Upper Sixth team of Matthew Winters and Jonathan Lindsell represented the school in the first round of the Birmingham and Midland Institute Debating competition. This is traditionally one of the most demanding competitions on the circuit, and we have never previously progressed beyond the first round. However, Matthew and Jonathan worked together with great calmness and clarity of purpose, and roundly defeated the motion ‘This House would make Organ Donation compulsory,’ thus earning a place in the semi-final.

On Friday, the Lower Sixth Public Speaking team took part in the final of a competition organised by the Arden branch of the Business and Professional Women’s Association. Once again, it was superb all-round team display: Nathaniel Breakwell took the chair, James Lucas delivered the main speech on ‘Choices’, and Andrew Bryson proposed the Vote of Thanks. The other teams were also excellent, and it took the judges a long time to make their adjudication: Nathaniel Breakwell won a prize for best Chairman, and the gallant Warwick School trio were awarded the winners’ shield.

It gives me great pleasure, therefore, to invite Nathaniel Breakwell to come forward to present the shield to the school, and to invite you to show your appreciation of all the debaters who competed last week.

Hockey

The younger hockey teams played Loughborough Grammar School last week, with a mixed set of results:

The under 13 team narrowly lost 2 – 1 in a very close game, and this one goal defeat was matched by a 4 – 3 loss by the under14 team, but the Under 15 team came back from drawing 1 – 1 to win 4 – 1 with an excellent team performance.

Seven boys from Warwick School yesterday represented a strong Warwickshire squad in the final of the Under 15 County Championship at Cannock Hockey Club: Max Jennings, Ian Reynolds, George Sleath, Thomas Jackson, Savhan Lyall, Guy Walford and Patrick Forrester.

Well done to all our hockey players

Rugby

Well done to our rugby players who were all involved in competitive fixtures at the weekend against Sedbergh School. Sedbergh is consistently one of the best rugby schools in the country and our annual fixtures against them are therefore are always as useful indicator of the strength of our own teams. 4 wins, 4 losses and a draw are an impressive set of results. Well done to the rugby players and their coaches.

Cross Country

Last Wednesday afternoon 27 athletes from 3 schools lined up in Newbold Comyn for the start of another round of the Greater Birmingham Cross Country league. Four and Half miles of undulating terrain stood in front of them and the finish line. The whistle went and they charged off up the track, many not aware of the steep incline that greeted them just out of sight. The Warwick runners settled into their rhythm hopeful of another win but soon realised that circumstances were stacked against them.

At the end of lap one of the two lap course Warwick were down in the team event and man for man were losing out to a strong Solihull side. Aston by this stage already posed no threat. Half way round the second lap and with a mile still to go Freddie Nockolds, supported by his captain, Mike Hawkins staged a rally but both were down on their nearest rivals by 30 or so metres. The team event was lost but pride and individual placing was at stake. Digging deep Freddie was able to overtake the Solihull runner and steal first place eventually winning by 20 seconds. Mike battled hard but lost out in the finishing straight and came in fourth, a creditable performance indeed given an absence of 6 weeks due to injury. Frawley, Hawke, Riddle and Brinton all put in fine performances to complete the A team but sadly Solihull stole the team event by four points.
Despite the bitter disappointment of losing out to Solihull, Warwick’s consistency throughout the term places the team second in the greater Birmingham league. Individually there have been some fine performances but much praise is reserved for Freddie Nockolds who despite being 2 years below the most senior runners is currently placed first in the standings. This is by no means a small feat given that there are now over 100 runners registered for the league.
Let’s applaud the Cross country runners.