Weekly Letter - Bromsgrove School

Bromsgrove School is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales. Co No. 4808121. Reg Charity No 1098740
P St J Bowen
Deputy Headmaster
BROMSGROVE SCHOOL
Worcester Road
Bromsgrove
Worcestershire B61 7DU
Tel: 01527 579679
Fax: 01527 576177
Email: pbowen@bromsgrove-school.co.uk
28 th June 2013
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We now have the School back in full force. At Routh Hall Assembly this morning Sports Captains
presented Colours and there were awards for drama and music. We rehearse at St. John‟s at midday,
final House Assemblies take place this afternoon, followed by Mark Reading and the Leavers‟ Service. It
is a wonderfully intimate, internal community celebration before we throw the gates wide open to you
and our guests tomorrow.
The end of year Art and Textiles Show on Monday and Tuesday delighted everyone who witnessed
it. Well done to all pupils involved and our inspirational Art Department. For sheer exuberance little
comes close to it in the academic year. The catwalk was again visually an exciting spectacle to behold
with many colourful and imaginative creations on show. The Art work – whether Year 8, GCSE, AS, A2 or
IB – was a stunning display of creativity and originality. Every single child taking Art or Textiles from Year
8 to UVIth was represented. It was indeed our very own art gallery and I commend it to you on
Commemoration Day, so too our Design and Technology where you can also see the electric car.
At Fourth Form Assembly Captains spoke eloquently (well done to Candy Lockett, Blake
Edwards, James Taylor, Jack Weston, James Kinder, Patrick Waplington, Abigail Henderson and Alianne
Silk) and we commended many.
I closed by saying “Never take for granted this great School. We have our faults; we have our moments;
but this is a very special place. Over the next few days watch School Monitors, Heads of School at work,
the prize winners, academic and extra-curricular – be ambitious. Ask not „Why me‟? but „Why not me
too one day?‟ We look forward to welcoming you back in September when you write more chapters of a
book that is lengthening steadily. Your parents were the authors at the outset, then teachers came
along to help too but increasingly there is only one person who can write your autobiography – you.
Make it an exciting one of a life lived to the full and one that others will be inspired by”.
Pupils were again a delight to take on trips this week. In civilian D of E the 5 th Form successfully
completed their assessed expedition on Exmoor in glorious weather. Views from the coastal path back
toward Lynmouth were spectacular and they even finished with time to spare to try out the local icecream
and fish and chips. Meanwhile, the CCF undertook their Silver qualifying expedition in the Black
Mountains in the Brecon Beacons National Park. 31 Cadets spent 3 days navigating across stunning
countryside on the Welsh/English border encountering Red Kites, Buzzards, and large herds of wild
ponies with young foals. They completed projects on local wildlife, walking equipment, mobile phone
coverage and camp games and delivered excellent project presentations at the end of the
expedition. Special mention should be made of the members of group C who were faced with a
suspected broken ankle in the group. Their first aid procedures were exemplary, and their prompt
action in elevating the limb and applying a cold pack whilst keeping the casualty warm significantly
reduced the recovery time from the injury. They were treated to a visit from the Air Ambulance and an
impromptu lesson from the crew on fitting splits and loading a casualty into an aircraft, prior to a 5
minute flight to the local hospital. Luckily the injury was diagnosed as a bad sprain and the casualty is
well on the way to recovery. Well done to Nathan Bellamy, Joe Bridgeman, Ben Featherstone, Tom Lloyd
and Alexander Pugh for their prompt action and use of initiative.
The U6th enjoyed their Gold Final Expedition in the Lake District; it had been postponed from Easter.
The first day was a little wet and windy but over the next three days the wind dropped, the sun broke
through and lifted spirits over gruelling mountains and boggy lower slopes. All arrived back just after
9pm on Wednesday evening, very tired but proud of their achievement.
Chairman of Governors: Mr S Towe CBE

Bromsgrove School is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales. Co No. 4808121. Reg Charity No 1098740
20 IB L6th Environmental systems and societies students and the IB Biologists visited Preston de
Montford Field studies centre near Shrewsbury for three days. They completed a wide range of
terrestrial and aquatic ecological investigations – „Saving the Plant‟. These contribute towards 10% of
their eventual IB subject score. As ever behaviour was exemplary and the scientific curiosity, academic
rigour and enthusiasm displayed by our students was very impressive indeed. Dr Johns reported he had
never seen such good students.
The Commemoration Concert last night (followed by the Choral Society Concert) was a memorable
occasion with so many assured performances from our talented U6 leavers: Charlotte Collie who sang
Handel‟s „O had I Jubal‟s lyre‟; Emma Westley the Allegro from Weber‟s Concerto for Bassoon; James
Lay Poulenc‟s „Elegie‟ - Sonata for Oboe; James Mayhew (trumpet) Goedicke‟s „Concert-Etude‟; Gareth
Evans (piano) Chopin‟s Nocturne in B and 5 th Former Harry Broom and Mr. Mark Broadhead Vivaldi‟s
„Largo‟ in G Minor for two cellos. We also enjoyed Miss Diver‟s „Recorder Ensemble of 2013‟ with
Dowland‟s „Pavan‟ and „Galliard‟, a delightful medley of songs from „The Sound of Music‟ by the young
Flute Group and the String Orchestra with Mozart‟s timeless Allegro and Romance from Mozart‟s „Eine
Kleine Nachtmusik‟ which drew the first half to a tranquil close.
The Choral Society broke new ground in several ways – due to the postponement from March, they sang
at the end of term and in Routh Hall; they also performed the most modern work in their history, Karl
Jenkins‟ „Requiem‟ of 2005. As with much modern music it was a big challenge for Chorus and
Orchestra and the audience too; I am sure we all came away with many different reactions. The
traditional Latin text is interspersed with haiku death poems sung in Japanese and in several
movements the two are united. Sounds were often new to the ear with unusual but thrilling instruments
and instrumentation as West met East. At times the complex colour of sound was stunning on the ear.
There was pounding rhythm in such movements as the unusually aggressive „Dies Irae‟ and also the
„Rex Tremendae‟ but also lyrical moments of absolute beauty and moments that were almost
transcendental. Well done to a magnificent performance by all involved. Lucy Sapwell was one of three
fine pupil soloists, with Emma Westley and Olivia Wormald also delightful in a duet in the lovely „Pie
Jesu‟. Andrea Ellinas was one of two harpists and did wonderfully well. It was Mr Kingston‟s last Choral
Society Concert and we have always enjoyed and been moved by them under his baton. In the end it
was well timed at the end of the year and a damp evening did not deter spirits on a unique occasion. It
was a memorable evening with a classical instrumental first half plus a Handel aria and a second half
devoted to a very recent interpretation of the Latin Mass.
1 st X1 and U14 cricketers enjoyed their matches at Sedbergh against strong sides. For the U14s there
were brilliant, undefeated innings from Jack Harding (64) and Lawrence Hill (88). After losing the toss
in the National Semi- Final against Shrewsbury in the U17 Cup, we restricted Shrewsbury to 214 on a
very good batting wicket, Olli Strong and James Kinder bowled well. In reply we never gained impetus,
losing two early wickets, were always behind the asking rate and finished 38 runs short. But well done
on reaching a National semi-final – a tremendous achievement for this talented young side.
End of term proceedings commenced with Routh Hall Assembly this morning.
In rounders in 1 st place well done to Oakley (Seniors) and Hazeldene (Juniors) and in junior tennis
Oakley. Well done to Tommy Robinson who won the School Golf Championship.
The Bromsgrove Badge Award for outstanding commitment, teamwork and leadership throughout the
year and on L4th Camp was won by Callum Ross and Olivia Bond. Well done.
In swimming well done to Hugo Evans (the Hong Kong Salver for the winner of the Senior Boys‟ 50m
backstroke). In the Stowe Invitational Relays our swimming squad enjoyed tremendous success winning
8 out of the 12 relays; Clare Hill received the trophy on behalf of the winning girls‟ freestyle relay team.
For their commitment and contribution to School Swimming the following were awarded Challenge
Shields: Esme Watson U14, Clare Hill U16, Sophie Haycock-Jones U18; Kieran Walker U14, Jack
Weston U16 and Matthew Osborn U18. Well done.
U6th Team Captains – awarded their own Caps - then proceeded to present Major and Minor Colours
and Caps to others and it is always a great highlight at the end of a term to see 6 th Formers stand
before the School with great confidence and pride and commend so many. Well done to Jean-Claude
Massey and Libby Thornton (Athletics) who awarded caps to Laura-May Matthews and Connor McBride
and Major Colours to Emma Maslen, Charlotte Ray, Alice Smith, Ben Tully, Calum Cooper and Eddie
Chairman of Governors: Mr S Towe CBE

Bromsgrove School is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales. Co No. 4808121. Reg Charity No 1098740
Philp. In Swimming Sophie Haycock-Jones (and Tom Ku awarded Major Colours) awarded a Cap to
Joshua King and Major Colours to Claudia Cardinali, Sophie Luckman and Tom Ku. In Tennis Lydia Trow
and Charles Hill awarded Caps to Ellen Lockhart, Maxim Kolesnikov and Vincent Yau and Major Colours
to Rachel Clare, Adam Robertson and Vladimir Stanev. In Cricket Captain Brett Huxley was awarded his
Cap.
In Drama Will Bedford Russell and George Toft (Major Colours) awarded Major Colours to those who
have dedicated time and great commitment over the years to all or many of our productions: James
Gillick, Montana Bent, Rochelle Mills, Elizabeth James, Andrea Lloyd, Fran Kingston, Georgia Meredith,
Alexander Black, Dale Roberts and Aleksandra Satikova and also India Morris (Stage Management); in
Music Emma Westley (Major Colours) awarded Major Colours to Charles Hill, Aleksandra Satikova,
James Mayhew, James Lay, Grace Stringer, Georgia Meredith, Charlotte Collie, Fran Kingston, Jacob
Hunt and Jonathan Fleury; and in Debating Adam Robertson (Major Colours) awarded Major Colours to
Maxime Cox, James Gillick, India Morris, Jake Perryman and Daria Solomatina.
Many congratulations to Charles Hill, Jamie Domachi and Ellen Lockhart who received their Gold Duke
of Edinburgh Award.
At my Commemoration briefing to the School at Assembly this morning I began with words from 1832:
„We approach end of term and now good friends all, for a time farewell. The holidays are approaching.
Every face reminds us that, in no long time, we shall, while rapidly ascending the Rock Hill, turn and say
to Bromsgrove, Enchantress, fare thee well‟. I ended with „We began with tales of long ago. Does this
weekend, does this School still move us? It did Tom Knowles (HH) who left last year. “It was only two
years but I could not have asked for more support or opportunities. My memories will stay with me
forever and I cannot express how appreciative I am to have been part of such an incredible atmosphere.
For me, the best school in the country”; Valentina Rusche (O) “Staying here for two years was the best
decision ever and at the end of a very long e mail said „I could go on like this for hours‟; Anastasia Rick
(MW) „Every memory brings a smile to my face. Bromsgrove was the place to be for me, it changed my
life. I am so proud to be part of this community and am honoured to call myself a Bromsgrovian”.
But as for Harry Langford (WS) who left in 2010 and studied law at Nottingham Trent, he worked for an
MP and then helped the Obama campaign. “I was fortunate to be the Campaign's representative to
greet President Obama when he landed in Air Force One at Columbus, Ohio, and stand next to two dress
Marine guards who saluted the President as he came down the steps in front of the assembled media. I
spoke to President Obama for two or three minutes alone”. Harry now follows Sir Thomas Cookes to
Lincoln's Inn to pursue a career at the Bar with a Kennedy Scholarship. It is a remarkable story with ups
and downs too. “Without my time at Bromsgrove I would not have had the perseverance and selfconfidence
to strive for success. Thank you to you and your colleagues for turning what was a rather
timid and nervous 13 year old into an adult who can speak to the President of the United States”.
„Tomorrow we again create community through continuity; in this life-affirming event we teach young
people who they are and why. Live up to the faith we have in you. When Jake and Sophie lower the
School flag at about 5.20 pm tomorrow and present it to the Headmaster, officially marking the end of
another academic year, may we all be able to look back on a splendid two days - that we all enjoyed
ourselves, respected and contributed fully to this occasion. That we were proud and grateful. That we
were and are Bromsgrovians‟.
We look forward to seeing you and your families on Commemoration Day. We know that for some of you
it is the end of a very long and close association with Bromsgrove School and that for our leavers and
their parents it will be a very special day indeed. The weather is set fair.
NOTICES
1. Please note that School ends at 5.30 pm this evening after the Leavers’ Service. (The L4th
will be free from 5.10 pm)
2. Further to the End of Term Bulletin, please note that the results for U4 and 5 th Form pupils
who sat AS Physics modules will also be made available at 7.30 am on the ISAMS pupil portal
on Thursday 15 th August. In addition, the results for L6 and 5 th Form pupils who sat the
Extended Project Qualification will be available at 7.30 am on the ISAMS pupil portal on
Thursday 15 th August.
3. COMMEMORATION For U6th parents joining us for the Service at St. John’s it is never a good
idea to try to park very close to the Church. Please also note there are road works just below the
Chairman of Governors: Mr S Towe CBE

Bromsgrove School is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales. Co No. 4808121. Reg Charity No 1098740
School at the zebra crossings which has made it a little more complex to get the School to and
from Church today. There is something of a maze for pedestrians and with large numbers of
pupils and parents using that thoroughfare tomorrow the walk may take a little longer,
especially on the return.
4. A request from the Ex-changing Room: „Please bring all uniform and sports kit for sale to us
as soon after the end of term as possible so that our volunteers can sort and label before we
open for sales in August. Details of where items may be dropped off are on the website along
with sale opening times and our terms and conditions. We do not wash or repair and would like
to remind parents and pupils that items unfit for sale will be donated to charity. Ex-changing
Room is currently supporting Acorns Hospice Shop, Barnt Green. We are losing 3 long-serving
volunteers this summer and our grateful thanks go to Jan Doyle, Amanda Gear and Helen
Cusack. If any parents fell they can spare a few hours a month to help sort stock and/or serve
during opening sessions please contact Colleen Budge for further information on 07971
186517.
Yours sincerely,
Philip Bowen
Deputy Headmaster
PS
Commemoration in 1913 was held in Big School (The Drama Studio)
Routh was a newly appointed Headmaster and reassured the audience that „on this somewhat sultry
afternoon‟ and in „this over-heated room‟ he was „not proposing to abuse my position by giving you an
oration upon education. As a Headmaster I am a perfect babe and it will be ill-becoming in me to inflict
upon you my early views upon this subject‟. Instead, Routh expressed „thanks, on behalf of my sister
and myself, for the extraordinary kindness shown us during the last few months‟. He said that he owed
„A debt first of all to colleagues for the great consideration with which they have always encompassed
me since I passed from their midst on to a small pedestal, a very small pedestal, and secondly to my
predecessor for the heritage of hope and loyalty he has left me.‟
Routh „did not wish to speak in any boastful terms, even, some might think of legitimate pride, of the
prospects of this School. I suppose that every place, just as every individual, knows its own
shortcomings quite well. Therefore I would confine myself merely to saying this about this School – that
it is possible that here, with a little greater strenuousness than may be the case everywhere else, and
with a little more, shall I say, energy and simplicity, we are trying to send out into the world people
whose desire it is to do their duty. It is possible that it will no doubt be the case in the future, as it has
been in the past, that some of those who pass out from here will earn distinction in many walks of life,
but I confess that for myself, whether my time here be short or whether it be long, all I desire would be
this – that there should continually go forth from the School a steady stream of young men, desiring in
perfect simplicity and self-renunciation to do their work for God and King and neighbour‟.
Chairman of Governors: Mr S Towe CBE