Nothing ever stands still at Tonbridge: if you turn your back for five minutes, you realise when you turn back that you have already fallen behind; and if that is the case for one who is still a full member of the school community, then how much more so for OTs. However, we do try to keep you in touch as much as is possible: already many of you are familiar with the school web-site at www.tonbridge-school.co.uk, on which increasing amounts of more up-to-date news is appearing, including, we hope in the near future, the results of school matches. Quite a number of you will soon be able to opt to receive any news-sheets by e-mail, and we hope also to make these more active and accessible with the aid of photographs and other illustrations, thanks to the proliferation of new technology now about the place!
Good educators usually believe that a holistic approach, catering for body, mind and spirit is the ideal: if any of these is unbalanced, the product will be equally so. So what has been happening in these areas over the last term?
With regard to bodies, there has been the usual hectic mix of games, with rather more focus on the main rugby club, but plenty of enthusiasm and endeavour in the minor sports also. The 1st XV gained in confidence over the term, under Graeme Gale’s usual expert coaching: after a loss to RGS Guilford 25 - 18, and then to Harrow, they came back to beat Eastbourne 22 - 0, Eton, Radley, Judd, and Sevenoaks (53 - 0!), and drew with King's, Canterbury, before squeezing home 10 - 8 against Dulwich in a thrilling match watched by a good number of OTs at the Reunion. They rather predictably lost to a very strong Brighton side, and also to Wellington.
Overall, the 2002 season was a hugely successful one, with all the ‘A’ sides securing a winning season, and our rugby teams scoring 2801 points, and conceding 1716, thanks to some strong coaching. Rather more importantly, in an era when schoolboy rugby is becoming more unpleasantly marred by sour attitudes and unpleasant tactics, our players again distinguished themselves by their splendid sporting attitude - another tribute to their coaches.
In sailing, our three man crew won the CCF National Regatta at Portsmouth against more than 40 other schools; our golfers beat Charterhouse in the 1st round of the HMC Foursomes, and James Horn (PS) won the Junior Open Titles at Ashford, Sundridge Park in Bromley and North Foreland (he also took part in the Kent PGA Open, where he was the youngest player, finishing above 30 professionals in an impressive field); the rackets 1st pair of Duncan Odds (PH) and James Hill (PH) led the club to its first away victory over Harrow for eight years, and three of them have been seeded in the Public Schools’ singles at Queen’s Club: Duncan Odds in the Foster Cup, James Hill in the Renny Cup, and Oliver Howick (Sc) in the U16 competition; and the soccer A XI had its most successful season, losing only one of their six matches to the footballing might of Eton; also our fencers beat Epsom College convincingly, and William Chao came a splendid 2nd in all three weapons in the Kent U18 Championships. Park House romped home to victory in the Senior and Novi CRAS, with PS winning the Juniors; and Whitworth narrowly won the Hansard Shooting from Cowdrey. Adam Bailey (CH) was selected to run for Kent at U16, and Tom Blain (SH) and Harry Woolner (SH) were both selected to play hockey for Kent, again at U16.
However, the outstanding performance has to be that of Oliver Freeman (SH): after coming 5th in the World Duathlon Championships in Florida in the U20 age group (he is 17!), he went on to come a brilliant 6th in the U20 World Triathlon Championships in Mexico on 9th November: he was the first British athlete to finish (the next best was 18th), and was only 15 seconds behind the winner! All these performances of note mask the whirl of continual sport involving virtually every boy and teacher in the community: notably, the Common Room again did wonders in the CRAS.
Turning to minds, Tonbridge did extremely well in the Summer A levels, beating Eton, Radley etc in the leaguetables with a pass rate of 99.79%, which is our best ever (64.6% A grades, 84.5% A + B, 94.8% A + B + C): that put us 6th of the HMC schools, and the 2nd boys' boarding school after Winchester (Westminster now has girls in the 6th form, so does not count!). We did equally well at A/S level, and came 49th in the GCSE league table. Alex Tsui (PH) gained a Gold Certificate (top 50 in the country) in the International Chemistry Olympiad; 44 Fifth and Sixth Formers sat the UK Senior Mathematical Challenge in November, gaining 21 gold, 11 silver and 8 bronze certificates; and our school team (three Welldonians and one Feroxian) came 8th in the National Finals of the 'Top of the Bench' competition. Oliver Brett (WW) has been awarded an Organ Scholarship to King’s College, Cambridge for September 2004 - a stunning achievement considering that Oliver is still in the Lower Sixth!
The Arts' Festival, now a regular annual event, with its eclectic mix of music, drama, poetry, dance and film merely reflects more intensely for one week a very healthy cultural life which is ongoing throughout the academic year. This year's festival saw notable performances from the Reduced Shakespeare Company, (who reduced the Bible), and pianist Nicolai Demidenko, as well as a plethora of music, dance, literary and poetry workshops. In the midst of it all PH won the House Music.
Later in the term, the school play was a superb performance of George Farquhar's The Beaux Stratagem, but there were plenty of House plays and soirées, Octagon concerts, as well as a splendid Band Concert. Outstanding, though, was the Choral & Symphony Concert on Remembrance Day, with a moving performance of the Mozart Requiem, And that is all without mentioning the weekly seminar and Parents' Arts Society programmes .... again, culturally and academically, there is an astonishing mix of an extremely high standard. Oh! and there were trips to Greece, France (3), Spain and South America!
Naturally what is now often referred to as human resources also need to be renewed on a regular basis: this last term it has taken the form of sabbaticals for Martin Hammond and Mike Bishop (the latter after distinguished service in Smythe House). To balance a number of Common Room members who left to further their careers, last September a massive 15 new members joined our teaching community! Those of you who still remember the sheets redolent of the Banda copier, and were dazzled by the new hi-tech overhead projector (replacing the old film-strip projectors!) will be interested to hear that teachers young and old now have access to the Powerpoint projectors in each department; several departments now have interactive whiteboards; each boarder now has his 'thin client' screen and keyboard, and all boys can access the school network from anywhere in the world to submit their holiday work.
vThe Chapel continues to stand at the geographical and spiritual centre of our school: twice weekly morning chapel is supplemented by rousing hymn practice once a week and the usual eclectic Saturday morning addresses by a variety of boys, staff and visitors. Mention must be made, though, of John Buckle, who not only spoke twice on Saturdays, but rode his bike up and down the aisle, too; and of Chris and Cathy Ellott, who demonstrated their salsa skills in the aisle...whatever next? We have continued to support a healthy number of charities, of course, but we now have a charities coordinator in the dynamic Cathy Ellott, and raised over £3000 with an own-clothes day. Also, the Football Club went on a South American tour, part of which was devoted to helping with refurbishment of an orphanage for street children, Casa Jimmy (founded by Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page).We finally persuaded the new Bishop of Tonbridge, Dr Brian Castle, to come and take our confirmation service, after a false start or two, when he confirmed 35 boys, on a rather bleak November evening, at a warm and well-attended service. Parents continue to be invited to chapel services on a regular basis, as are other friends of the school and OTs. We had a memorable Remembrance Service with a packed chapel; and on a more informal note, the Family Service once a term for Common Room and families is now a well-established feature, followed by drinks and lunch in the Orchard Centre. In addition to the chapel, the Ruston Society continues to cater for boys who want to delve a bit deeper into the Christian faith: as usual, this term has seen weekly meetings on Christian basic beliefs, with a meal first, then a talk and discussion. Encouraging numbers of boys of all ages have attended, including members of the 1st XV, and the Head of School! The term ended in traditional style, with two wonderful Carol Services, one for Parents and friends, the other for Boys and Common Room: both were packed out.
I believe the school continues to do a splendid job on all three aspects of the development of our boys: body, mind and spirit. And if I have talked about spirit last, it is by no means because it is least important: on the contrary, it is this aspect which gives all our endeavours both purpose and meaning: in a very real sense, Deus dat incrementum.
Robin Dunn, Clerk to the School