Boys beat staff

An afternoon of divided loyalties - sorry to see colleagues lose in the staff v pupils hockey match, but delighted for Ed Bowers, Captain of Hockey, and for Nadal Sarkytbayev, setting up this neat goal by David Hawes of Everett.

End of term

Tomorrow, Friday, 1500 !

But there might be some holiday posts here - I'm off with two canoeing groups who will be doing their practice adventure of DofE Gold along the Kennet and Avon canal. Most of year 10 are camped at Pangbourne College tonight, and will walk back to school tomorrow - that's a Bronze adventure. And there's another Gold group setting off cycling in the Brecons tomorrow, including James and Andy.

Basketball

Nadal collected the basketball trophy at the assembly this week - and let Max get his hands on it.

New rails

Those who loved the retro scaffold pipe and gaffer tape style of the old handrail will be disappointed with the smart new steel and wooden replacements.

CCF Inspection and Field Day

Burr and the rest of the CCF cooked lunch for the Commodore, built bridges, and (in the RN section) won a tug of war contest or (in the Army section) won a log race.

Busy week

There seems to be a huge amount going on in this final week of term. Year 10 CCF cadets, and senior NCOs are out overnight.

The big CCF Inspection is tomorrow

Here are some highlights of the coming days:

Tuesday 29^th March

0800 CCF Biennial Inspection

0800 Y9 T & P visit to I-Max (London)

0820 No Junior Assembly

0850 See special programme for Y10 and Y11 not in CCF

0850 Normal academic programme for Y12 and Y13 [1500]

1515 Community Service

1515 Y9 activities

Wednesday 30^th March

0820 Assembly for Y11 – 13 (PC)

1300 School and House Photos (see separate programme) [1700 approx]

1400 No games programme

1700 Y10 to Newbury for Romeo and Juliet [2300]

1930 Gilson and College House Communion followed by Chapel Wardens’ Supper

Thursday 31^st March

COA Interviews for some Y11

0850 Saturday Academic Programme [1245]

1035 Y10 Dof E expedition begins

1515 Junior Minor Activities and Senior Major Games

1800 Chamber Choir to Henley Youth Festival

Friday 1^st April

0820 Full School Service (SH)

1500 Y10 Dof E expedition returns

1530 TERM ENDS

1530 Y13 Second Parents’ Conference

Maths visit to the birthplace of computing

Several Burr boys were among the party of 36 mathematicians from year 11 who visited the birthplace of the electronic computer, Bletchley Park, today.

They did some practical cryptanalysis with a pocket Enigma, with a single rotor, and were allowed a hands-on moment with the real thing. This three-rotor cipher machine was the standard issue to Hitler's forces in the second world war, and the ingenuity of the codebreakers at Bletchley in being able to read secret messages is said to have shortened the war by up to two years.

They also met Tony Sale, the man who rebuilt the Colossus machine, which was the first electronic computer. It was used to break the much more advanced, 10-rotor Lorenz cipher machine used for top-level strategic messages between Berlin and HQs in occupied Europe. The fascinating story behind this is at http://www.codesandciphers.org.uk/

I'm grateful to the Maths Department for letting me come along. I'm delighted that I now have an Enigma app on my Android Phone, and am ready to send out the end of term reports in encrypted form.

Off to Thorpe Park

Burr and friends.

Head of the River - interhouse

We came 2nd - well done Burr !

Full gallery at https://picasaweb.google.com/charly.lowndes/20110326HouseHeadRace#

AS Drama

Lesley and I sat in on an exam last night - the AS Drama performance. Powerful casts in two shows, including Harry Griffiths and Hadeel Mufti, in "Agamemnon",

Helping the Mayor

Chris and Charlie were among a small group of CCF cadets who helped the Mayor of Henley arrange a lunch event on Wednesday.

We received this message from her PA:

I wanted to say a personal thank you sending along the six boys from your CCF core. They were kept busy all morning and their help was invaluable to us!!! I would also like to pass on all the wonderful and complimentary comments made about their polite and helpful manner and how delightful it was to have them there. They took on every task that was thrown at them with a smile and were always so willing and eager to help. I know it can't have been easy especially as I know how difficult and especially demanding it was at times!!! But they took it all in their stride and were diplomatic beyond their years. They are a true credit to your school, their parents and most importantly themselves!

It was a wonderful day and a great deal of money has been raised for the Mayors chosen charities – Sue Ryder, Chiltern Centre for Disabled Children & Kenton for Keeps.

Break

Spring sunshine and a few minutes away from teaching.

Getting ready for the Hockey Dinner .

James, a rower, and Harry, a badninton player, admire (?) Sam and Nick

Misty morning in the orchard.

Confirmation preparation

Another busy group are the boys preparing for their confirmation, They went to visit the Chaplaincy at the Royal Berkshire Hospital today, with the Rev. Stephen

DofE Gold preparations

Bronze and Gold Award expedition practices loom up at the end of next week. One group including Andrew Lloyd and James Cam will be setting off by bicycle, to explore the Brecon Beacons.

CCF Preparations

Next week's inspection will include a serious sporting challenge.

Runners reunited

It was a great pleasure to meet a former Burr Head of House, Richard Lightwing, as well as OVs from Orchard House, Nic and Hugo Lowry (the outside two) on the way home after the Reading Half Marathon today. Of course their times were startlingly better than mine - Nic (far right) the fastest in 1 h 35 min and no seconds at all. But then he's a serious rower.

Congratulations to Mrs Heather Law, a Burr Mum, plus colleagues Mr Brownley and Mrs Pavey who are other Shiplake runners that I know about.

I'm now into the best phase of training: recovery. But I look forward to the Niagara Falls Half Marathon next October, conveniently timed at half term.

Designers on display

Impressive work by D&T students is on display in the Old Viking Room. More photos here.

Lunchbox cabaret

Huge fun at lunchtime today - a big highlight was Kabir Dhillon and the Bangra Boys; and Kabir and Tom's telesales sketch. The event raised £145 for Comic Relief. Earlier, Burr raised £100 in contributions for the mufti day.

Looking ahead

The Governors of Shiplake College are pleased to announce that Mr Robert Jones has been appointed to take up the post of Deputy Head from September 2011, following the appointment of Shane O’Brien as Head of the Jumeirah English Speaking School in Dubai.

Mr Jones is currently a Boarding Housemaster at Canford School in Dorset where he also teaches Business Studies and Economics. Before taking up his post as Housemaster he was Head of Business Studies at Canford. Rob has also worked at Clifton College, King’s School Worcester and Dauntsey’s. During his teaching career he has also been Master in charge of rugby and rowing. In his leisure time he enjoys cycling and is a keen triathlete and sailor. Rob is married to Pippa and they have two young children. Rob commented: 'I am very excited about starting at Shiplake College and look forward to joining what has struck both Pippa and me as a very friendly, happy and purposeful school.'

Happy Day

Lesley was very touched by cards, singing and other birthday manifestations on her birthday yesterday. Rowing successes, some startlingly good England cricket, and a great concert in the evening (Burr boys contributed to two of these three events)made for a very happy day.

Best in School

Congratulations to Harry Kim in year 10 - he collected his Bronze Award for the
UK Intermediate Mathematical Challenge, as well as one for being the Best in School - beating two year 11 students.

House Hockey

Sunshine for the first day of the complex inter-house hockey festival. Juniors play at home on grass so I can get to see some games. We lost our first game, but seemed to be playing with skill and energy.

Karting

Boys who stay in school on Sundays are offered the choice of participating in various fun events. This term, events have included shopping in Bicester Village with Queen Anne’s School, Cirque de Soleil at The Royal Albert Hall, a trip to Coral Reef Swimming pool, and seeing a rugby game at the Madejski Stadium.

Today’s outing was Go Karting at Woodley-based Premier Karting. Ten keen pupils took turns, in two groups of five, at speeding around the track, which included driving under and then over a mini-bridge, and polished, slippery final corner, so as to force the driver to think about braking when going around the first bend.

After the boys’ session of about 30 minutes per group, it was then the turn of Mr and Mrs Starr, who had been watching on until that point from the safety of the viewing gallery, to have a go at showing the pupils the secret behind ‘good driving’.

Thanks to Mr Hunt for transporting the group to and from the venue, and to Mr and Mrs Starr for taking charge of the 10 pupils, all of whom returned home excited and happy with their individual performances. The boys were in agreement that George Gardner should take the verbal award of being the ‘fastest driver’.

Gold canoes

Nick, David, Harry and Arthur are among two groups of canoeists training for their DofE expeditions. In very windy conditions today they demonstrated their ability to capsize and swim to the bank, alongside other less soggy skills.

January exam results

The wonderfully efficient Exams Officer Mr Brenton had individualized results sheets for everyone in time for breakfast this morning. Many happy faces, and some set in determination to do better next time.

A grades for Liza Anderson, Richard Fitz-Hugh, Taka Taira and Harry Griffiths - well done.

Upper Sixth Dinner

Tutors and senior pupils got together for a very pleasant dinner, with a few guests including the Deputy Headmaster, Mr O'Brien - who admitted he kept his Burr House Tie hidden to avoid any impression of bias. He was once a Burr House tutor. Another was Mrs Foakes, who is coming to the end of five years as what was once described, I think, as "Master in Charge of Girls", now better know as Housemistress of Gilson House.

It was a great pleasure to award House Colours to Fran Nutt.

There were some songs, dances, poetry and a harmonica solo by JB Brown.

Ed Bowers was undisputed winner of the Best Waistcoat award.

Thanks to Mr Starr who remembered to bring a camera.

Ofsted

We had a series of visits from Inspectors, and expect to hear soon what they made of us all. First impressions are that they'd had some very positive comments from parents and pupils, which I hope will make up for the fact the electrical testing label on the Sixth Form kettle was dated more than 12 months ago. Naturally all tea making has now been suspended until suitably trained engineers (Mark) have examined it thoroughly and made a full report.

World Book Night + 1

Burr House had our own Book Night - everyone received a free book at our evening house meeting.

Staff outing

Mr Starr and I (outer pair - I'm the good looking one) with Mr Brownley (the tallest one - Resident Tutor of Everett House) and Mr Alcock (Orchard Housemaster - the fastest one) enjoyed the 10K road race at Goring today. Please wish Mr Brownley and me luck over twice the distance at the Reading Half Marathon in two week's time

Babbage Society

Mr Brownley led a discussion on the idea that "Philosophy is Bunk" in a lively meeting of the Babbage Society (motto: "for the intellectually curious"), which several Burr boys and girls attended.

His passionate defence of the need to ask the "why" questions as well as the "how" was supported by a year 9 Theology and Philosophy chorus (including Barney Aldridge) of The Cogito Dance - expressing a famous idea by Descartes through the medium of mime.

Boarders have their say

Burr filled in their Ofsted questionnaires this evening. We collected them in face down and resisted the temptation to peek - they are, after all, confidential between the pupils and the inspectors.