FOUNDERS' WEEKEND

FOUNDERS' DAY 2011

The Founders' Day Service on 8th May 2011 was held in the presence of Mrs Hilary Moriarty, National Director of the Boarding Schools Association, Mr William Gillen, Chairman of Governors and other members of the governing body and Board of Management. Before the ceremony Mr James Bryant played music including the Fantasy in G Minor BWV 542 by J.S. Bach. During the service The Chamber Choir sang Laudate Dominum from Vesperae solennes de confessore K. 339 W.A. Mozart 1756-1791. As a reflection following the Address, Mr Bryant played Variation ll from Sei gegrusset, Jesu gutig BWV 768 by J.S. Bach.

The prizes were awarded by Mrs Hilary Moriarty. There were prayers from the Head Boy and Head Girl and a reading by Mr Benny Jones who will shortly be retiring after over 35 years at the School. Kerensa Mason played Feng Shan Lou Gu on the Guzheng.

Following the service there was a lunch in Gatton Hall and visitors were invited to view the display of art by GCSE pupils.

A summary of the Headmaster's speech.

Thank you for coming.

I would like to welcome the Mayor, Deputy Lieutenant, Leader of Council, our two Ward Councillors and the whole School community.

A special welcome to Mrs Hilary Moriarty. Hilary has taught in a variety of schools and was previously Head of a boarding school before taking on the role of National Director of the Boarding Schools Association and the State Boarding Schools Association (the SBSA).

This is the 253rd year of the Foundation but 251st Founders' Day. The Foundation started two years before the money had been raised to admit the first pupil in 1758.

Now we come together to celebrate the achievements of many people who are mainly, but not exclusively young people, and also to look ahead as a School at what we should do to prepare pupils for life.

I would like to start by celebrating the achievements of two of the less young members of our Community.

Firstly Joyce Keegan. Joyce has been Chairman of the PTA and Vice Chairman of Governors. She then spent almost ten years as Chairman of the Governing Body. This involved many meetings. But much more than meetings. Joyce was a sounding board for ideas and she played a major part in defining the vision for the School.

And secondly Benny Jones. Benny has been at this school since 26th April 1976 - more than 35 years. Or, put another way, 116 terms of which there were some 70 as Housemaster. My message to Benny is 'thank you for caring'. For not taking it personally when a boarder in Gloucester House does something that you asked them not to do. For being an constant source of lengthy jokes and for being a tireless worker in boarding for so many years.

I now turn to the achievements of our young people.

Lucy Hoad, Y7, ranked 2nd in UK for 60m, 3rd for 200m and 10th for 800m
Jenna Kelly, Y7, Gold medal in National Karate Club championships Girls 12-14
Tom Jacobsen, Y9, National Karate championships, gold and in the England A squad
Matthew Brooks, Y9, 4 golds at Surrey Swimming Championships and in National U14 Water Polo squad
Maryanne Maynard, Maddie Bryant and George Bradbury won gold silver and bronze in the District Trampolining Championships

Some Teams

Year 8 and 10 girls won District Netball League
Athletics Year 7 East Surrey Indoor Sports Championships and Years 10 and 11 were the District Athletics Champions
Year 11 won the District Football League and the Cup
Table Tennis won their League and won the Handicap Carter Cup
Boys 7,8,9,10,11 won District Rugby League
7 and 10 won Surrey County Rugby Cup

What talent - and coaching

I have lost count of the Drama productions including two excellent stand up comedy events.
The lights always seem to be on in Dance studio.
An Music: today but also during the Autumn Half Term Holly Matthews, Alicia Jahnke, Francesca Lai, Imogen O'Mahoney, Emily Watson, Marc Whittle, and Kerensa Mason played for Princess Anne the Princess Royal at a charity event hosted by Credit Suisse in their offices in Canary Wharf.

Again - what talent and what coaching.

AND Year 11 results ! Over 80 will be starting their Lower Sixth Studies here in September.

Now I will turn to the future:
The Governors have considered their vision and it has led us on quite a journey.

The Junior School is now the right size.
The Secondary school has finished expanding and is now the right size to generate a sensible sized Sixth Form.
The Dining Hall needs a larger kitchen and more serveries and a dry space for pupils to queue. Work on making this happen will take place this summer.
Our Sports facilities have vastly improved. There is perhaps more to do in creating grass pitches.
Then there are the boarding houses. Almost all now have ground floor extensions with a large ICT room and an extra common room. We plan to complete the ground floor extensions on Cornwall this Summer and Edinburgh next year.
New Sixth Form accommodation has been added to Kent and Alex - and we need two more Sixth Form extensions.

This successful school is concentrated around this Chapel. We welcome children of all faiths and none. We continue our tradition, established by Rev John Pickard over 250 years ago, of providing a number of boarding places for young people whose home circumstances are difficult and who benefit from the stability that a boarding education offers them.

Thank you all for making that vision a reality.