DESERVED TREAT” YUEN’S BEEN FRAMED A … · Thank you for battling through the ... Academic achievements Congratulations to Tony Zhou on his ... his arm didn’t need all that

29 MARCH 2018 LENT 2018

Dear Pennell Parents and Guardians,

Undoubtedly, the highlight for the house in the Lent term is the house concert and this year was no exception. It was with great pride and appreciation that I put in the colossal Dominoes order so that the house could gorge on a well-deserved treat. We are well used to the peculiar rhythm that putting on the concert follows. We start with the “important announcement” at the start of term that we need to throw ideas around, and gradually the individual acts start to come through (2-3 man sketches, solo musical performers) and Tim, Lydia and I start to engage the younger years with the fact that they are going to have to perform some sort of live act on stage. The videos then begin to take shape but so as not to make it too easy for anyone, the actual filming, it appears, has to happen the week before the concert and must still be being edited the day before.

!1

“It was with great pride and

appreciation THAT I PUT IN THE

COLOSSAL DOMINOES ORDER SO THE HOUSE

COULD GORGE ON A WELL-DESERVED TREAT” YUEN’S BEEN FRAMED

NOTHING COMPÈRES TO YUEN A RESPECTABLE PERFORMANCE

IN THE HOUSE HOCKEYFULL COLOURS

FOR JASPER AND PETER

PENNELL NEWS

Year 11 dinner

29 MARCH 2018 LENT 2018

We thought that the “Beast from the East” might have put paid to an audience plus a virulent throat infection nearly put paid to many of the acts but in the end audience and performers rallied to the cause and we had a blast. Thank you for battling through the elements to be with us on the night.

Academic achievements Congratulations to Tony Zhou on his Oxford offer to read Physics. Bill Cao was awarded Silver in both the UK Linguistics Olympiad and the Physics Olympiad. Back at the start of February, I was particularly impressed with the three Pennellian Extended Project presentations by Harry Palmer, Matt Bergg and Hugo Najbor. Harry was exploring the ethics of sweat shops and came up with a surprisingly nuanced investigation. Matt has been looking at leadership theory and trying to establish which models are most effective, revealing how complex an area it is, while Hugo asked how global trade has evolved and will continue to evolve. This is another big area and rapidly evolving through the application of artificial intelligence. I was thoroughly impressed, not just with the depth of the three presentations but also the way in which they responded to our questions afterwards, revealing a profound understanding of their chosen topic areas and prompting in the audience a desire to go on to read their projects. In this year’s Model United Nations at Haberdashers’ Aske’s Ian Chee not only addressed the whole conference representing Nigeria, but was also awarded Highly Commended for his contributions. Furthermore, Ian received a Headmaster’s Commendation this term for coming to the aid of an elderly lady who had fallen just outside Pennell. Henry Turnbull and Isaac Chu also received HM’s commendations for their GCSE mock performances. Henry and Justin Chong must also be congratulated on being Highly Commended on their Instructional Techniques Course in CCF and for gaining the highest scores. In the newly invigorated debating team Adam St Paul and Raul Sanchez have participated in the Cambridge Debating Competition regional rounds with Raul coming in second place after four preliminary rounds. He was also judged best speaker in the school’s house debating competition.

!2

Bill and Zack provide the rhythm section to the house song

Isaac channels his inner Chopin

29 MARCH 2018 LENT 2018

On stage: musical and theatrical

On the house concert Tim writes as follows: “as the dust begins to settle and I’ve just about successfully managed to get that well known Beatles classic ‘We all live in a……Purple Pennell House!’ out of my head, I thought I’d offer a few ruminations and thanks on Pennell House Concert 2018. As ever, in the fortnight running up to the house concert, the games room fills with a veritable conveyor belt of year groups tweaking, refining and adjusting their live sketches in anticipation of the night itself. Our year 9s gave us an amusing insight into what goes on ‘After Lights Out’ with a decidedly ghoulish (but also highly comical) dance to Peer Gynt’s Hall of the Mountain King, and the year 10s did well to keep in time (just about) to ‘Yellow Submarine/Purple Pennell House’. Runo must be commended for his bravery in emerging from the wings as a glitzy, bewigged, bikini clad mermaid – only Primark’s best would do here! More worryingly though, his arm didn’t need all that much twisting to get him to agree to it! Our year 11s produced a really hilarious satire of the duty and work tutors in their Peepshow-esque rendition of a ‘Tour of Pennell House’ which had the audience in fits of laughter. They really nailed our characters with all our little habits and foibles, and most importantly they got the tone just right. I have had more than one member of staff ask me for a copy of this video so that they can watch it back

Lent term’s show hsm league

Year First Second Third

9 Maxim Barker Gary Gao James Kan

10 Guillaume Najbor Zack Radwan Sung Tangwatanawongsa

11 Seb Marsh Dariush Fatehi Theo Bevacqua

12 Bill Cao Raul Sanchez Harry Zhang

13 Albert Elliott Hugo Najbor Harry Beacom

!3

House song rehearsal

29 MARCH 2018 LENT 2018

again! The customary year 12 advert break provided further light relief, and the upper sixth delivered some dry and witty one liners in their original take on Pennell’s ‘Mock the Week’. 

One of the most enjoyable things about getting into gear for the house concert is all the musical and dramatic skill that comes out of the woodwork in the preceding weeks. We are fortunate to have a great deal of talent to draw upon in Pennell and we were treated to some really superb performances with Henry Turnbull and Max Walker giving us an acoustic version of ‘Sweet Child of Mine’. Max went on to delight the audience with one of his own compositions, Isaac Chu offered up some beautiful Chopin, Albert Elliott kept the strong Pennell House tradition of Rowan Atkinson’s

mime alive with a masterclass in dating, and Theo Bevacqua and Henry Turnbull gave Fry and Laurie a run for their money with a hilarious rendition of ‘Your name, Sir?’ My special thanks and congratulations go to these live performers, our video editors and of course our compères – Adam St Paul and Steven Yuen. It is never easy performing live to upwards of 250 people, and these chaps really were the glue that held the concert together. In all cases their enthusiasm and house spirit made them an utter pleasure to work with on those long February nights in the lead up to the night itself and I am grateful to them in particular for their positivity and tireless energy in doing their utmost to build a really great and varied schedule for the night itself. As always, Ben and Lydia provided a bedrock of sage advice and plenty of support with the concert and I can’t thank them enough for their assistance. Roll on 2019!”

Congratulations are due to Max Walker for passing his Grade 7 piano with merit and winning his Creative Arts half colours. In February, another charity revue was organised to raise money this year for the Lunchbowl Network with Max and Henry Turnbull performing. The GCSE and A level drama practicals took place at the end of term. Albert Elliott’s A-level piece was particularly innovative and powerful as they performed the ending of Hamlet with Albert in the title role, set in a boxing ring, with Brechtian verfremdungseffekt. It was a high-risk venture but in the event absolutely riveting to watch and very clever.

!4

Theo tries to establish how to spell Henry’s surname

Max reckons he’s “too far gone”

A still life by Alex Tse

29 MARCH 2018 LENT 2018

Sporting success The various inter house competitions at the end of term were another opportunity to squeeze competitive play out of the boys and though we didn’t manage to win either the inter house hockey or football, we played in good spirit and with some great teamwork.

First team players this term include Jasper Toomer for hockey, and in football Harry Beacom (vice captain), Matt Bergg, Omar Ramzan, Montague Leigh and Tony Zhou all played in the top team. Jasper received his full colours for hockey while Matt, Harry and Montague were all awarded their half colours. Seb Marsh impressed the selection committee this term and progressed through the season to finish playing football in the 2nds. Henry Turnbull played hockey for the 16As, George Kendon for the 15As and Adekola Aderogba for the 14As. In fives, Peter Dickinson captained the 1sts with the ever reliable Robbie Ko in support. Peter was awarded full colours for his efforts and Robbie his half colours. Bill Cao and Raul Sanchez represented the school in some of the few fencing fixtures. There were also several rugby 7s competitions this term and we had a very high number of 1sts playing including Theo Bevacqua, Alexander Mannhardt, Harry Palmer (vice captain), Silas Rowlands, Jasper Toomer and Henry Turnbull. Bede Rowlands continues to take his gradings in kickboxing and competed in, and survived, the chillingly titled “Battle of Kent” towards the end of term.

!5

Ed, Peter and Jake in action at the inter house hockey

He shoots, he scores, he shoots. Harry, Henry and Alex celebrate a goal

29 MARCH 2018 LENT 2018

Happy Easter one and all, and may your sons have a restful and productive break.

With very best wishes,

!6

Dates for the diary Start of term - Sunday 15 April, 18.00

Saturday 5 May (after College commitments) - Monday 7 May 21.00 exeat

Monday 14 May Y11 study leave starts*

Friday 25 May 15.oo half term; Y9 options meeting for parents and pupils 17.00-18.00, Birley Centre; Y13 study leave starts*

There is no second exeat this term

Saturday 30 June Speech Day, Cornflower Ball, end of term

Please note that terms start at 18.00 while exeats and half terms end at 21.00

* In study leave mode, formal taught lessons switch to revision sessions arranged by departments. If parents would rather their sons revise at home please send a request through to me in the normal way but do note that we still expect pupils to fulfil school commitments such as Saturday sports fixtures.

Can I please request that boys do not bring back expensive items to the house as loss or damage is inevitably distressing. We have had cases of some eye-wateringly expensive garments (four figures, in one case) brought into the house which is needlessly ostentatious and unnecessary. All pupils should have a lockable tuck box for storing precious items. These are available through the school shop.

Please can you also insist that the boys hand in money to house bank. Again, duty staff have discovered pupils with ludicrous amounts of cash from time to time which really just fuels temptation.

The easiest way to transfer money, if they do not have a bank account, is to send it electronically to house bank using the Eastbourne College Pocket money account. Do please email me if you require the details.