The Standard Newsletter and Mini-Prospectus Spring 2012 A word from our Head

A New Dining Experience: Introducing The Ernest Young Building

Miss Katherine Haynes

After much planning, decision making, and nine full months of building work, the new catering wing of the School has welcomed the pupils back at the start of the Spring Term, quickly being heralded a tremendous success. The new £2million wing, adjoining the main building, has been named the Ernest Young Building in honour of a prominent Headmaster of John Lyon from the turn of the last century. Ernest Young was the third Head of JLS, from 1898 to 1910. It was he who established the role of Captain of the School, or Head of School as we now know it. He was also the founder of the School’s Lyonian magazine, which thrives to this day and is adored by pupils and Old Lyonians alike. opening of the new Medical Centre in the Red House has also been an excellent achievement.

Boys know that lunch provision is seen as a priority by the School, and there are moves afoot to introduce new meal deals to ensure that everyone can be well catered for, whether they are eating in or heading off to a practice, rehearsal, club or activity. We are delighted that the new catering extension has been completed on time and to budget. Quite a feat given that the construction site was right at the heart of the School campus! Other aspects of School life have been improved too. An excellent refurbishment of the New Memorial Library has been possible, bringing a much improved study area for boys of all ages. We also now have an upgraded ICT suite with all new equipment, better ventilation and improved lighting. The

JLS's strong Foundation links with Harrow School have enabled the acquisition of a new building for John Lyon, the Old Police Station on West Street. It will shortly be refurbished into an administration building, containing the Bursary, Admissions and Old Lyonian Alumni offices. There is scope for a new School car park, which in due course will be a welcome benefit for Sixth Formers and staff alike. It is due to open in late

2012. Future phases of the Estates Strategy will bring significant opportunities, with improvements planned for both the Red House and the Music School, as well as at Sudbury Fields. The School's ten year Estates Strategy sees current facilities development with the Old Building being refurbished into a new Sixth Form Centre. An exciting project, this will put the Sixth Form at the heart of the School. Due to open for September 2012, we eagerly await the new facilities that will give Sixth Formers a take on University life by encouraging independent learning and a strong work ethic. As is it, virtually all boys reach their first choice of Universities, and we all know that Lyon boys rightly have high aspirations!

Views from the inside Nikil Patel (Stanburn Junior School, Stanmore)

Nikil is currently in Year 7, having joined us this academic year. He shares with us his experience of JLS so far. I first visited the School during one of its open days with my mum. It was really fun and there was a friendly atmosphere. I loved the drama studio and the teachers I met during the day and also the hot chocolate in the canteen! My first day as a Year 7 was scary. I was not used to going from classroom to classroom and having to find my way around. Also there are all the older pupils around too. So far I really enjoy Drama, swimming, Science, literacy and RSP lessons. I go to several clubs during the lunch breaks including the Wildlife club, Maths club and Drama club, the teachers come up with lots of different activities to do. Afternoon activities are fun; I love code breaking with Miss Flood and doing the zip wire at Sudbury. When I started I only knew one other boy in Year 7, he went to the same tuition classes as me. I’ve made lots of new friends during lunch times and in the Library. The Library here is big, it’s quiet and there are loads of books! I have borrowed a few books so far. The ICT room next to the Library is great as it has lots of new computers. Homework in the first two weeks was relaxed with everything due in the next week, but now it all has to be done for tomorrow! I would like to be in a School play as I like Drama and hope to be in one soon. In the future, I look forward to being in Year 10 when I will be able to go to the fitness studio and when I am in the Sixth Form to being a prefect. There are also many trips to go on when you are older and many experiments in Science.

Warren Won (Alpha Prep, Harrow)

Warren is in Year 13 and is preparing for A-Levels this summer. He is a keen sportsman and has one several of the School’s Sports Awards. What appealed most to me about John Lyon were the sports facilities and the sport choices available. I have always been into sports and at Alpha Prep the choices and facilities were much more limited. Here we have large sports grounds and a swimming pool. I remember my interview here being different from those at the other schools I applied to. It was relaxed and the teacher who interviewed me was very nice and I felt related to me on a personal level. There is a big difference between Years 7 and 13. In Year 7 it was a lot more fun, I made lots of friends in class and getting to know the teachers. Now the work is harder and more challenging. There have been changes in the way sports are played too, it is more competitive. We have a lot more independence too in the Sixth Form, although the teaching is more intensive. Class sizes are smaller with more individual teaching and good teacher-pupil bonds. After JLS I am hoping to study Accountancy and Finance at Warwick. In the future I would like to get into business and even work abroad. One of my most memorable experiences at JLS was the South Africa Cricket and Football Tour. It was a great experience being with my close friends abroad and being able to play sports as well as experiencing the country. I was also a team member that got to the semi-final of the ISFA Cup; the furthest we have reached in a national competition. My proudest moments are winning Sportsman of the Year, the PE Prize and the Gaynor-Smith Prize. I would like to say thank you to the teachers who have helped me, particularly the Sports Department.

Year Nine Expeditions Day On 12th January Year 9 headed into Central London. They spent the morning at the Natural History Museum looking at exhibits that will complement their studies in Biology this year. The boys enjoyed the interactive displays and found some thought provoking research on the origins of man. In the afternoon they attended a matinee of Billy Elliot, at the Victoria Palace Theatre, a production that they thoroughly enjoyed as they admired the athleticism of its young star. It was an inspiring day that the pupils found very rewarding. page two

Meet the Estates Manager Mike Dunne has worked in the food industry for over 30 years, the last fifteen as a Senior Manager responsible for several sites as Head of Engineering and Facilities. He is married with four grown up children and enjoys travel and sport.

relocated the business to Wigan in Lancashire and to Holland. I stayed in the food industry for a further ten years and then decided to try a different environment and a new challenge. The Standard: You are a big music fan, who would you most like to see live? MD: I am interested in most genres of music but if I had to choose it would be The Standard: What does your job entail? U2. The Standard: If you were marooned on a MD: I am responsible for ensuring that the School Estates are maintained to the desert island, what three items would you highest standards. This includes contract take with you and why? management, proactive maintenance, MD: A solar powered iPad (the world at project management, utility efficiency my fingertips), a water filtration unit in programmes, budgetary control and a order to survive and a football! whole range of other responsibilities that Standard: You are a keen squash player, come with the diversity of everyday how long have you been playing and been school life. a fan? The Standard: The School is undergoing major changes, the most recent being the MD: Since God was a boy! I’ve been opening of the Ernest Young Building. Can playing for about 30 years. Both League and County standard stuff when I was you tell us a bit more ? younger but recently, and until I tore a MD: It is really exciting to see the major few muscles playing 5-a-side football investment the School is making. We are here, just friendlies if there is such a thing. now beginning works on the Old Building I used to coach many years ago at which will be a purpose built Sixth Form Wembley before it was knocked down Centre with completion planned for and I watch it on TV when it’s on. In fact I August 2012. The Red House watched the final of a tournament at refurbishment project begins in Queen’s on Sunday. Unusual for it to be September 2012. shown on TV as its always deemed a minority sport. When I go to Dubai, which The Standard: In a previous life you worked for Heinz of the beans fame, why I try to do most years, I play club level over there with the local team. the change of profession?

Charity Art Show On Wednesday 7th December the Art Department held its Annual Christmas Art Show with work from boys in all years of the School. We saw Year 7s outstanding still life oil pastel studies, Year 8s alphabet work, exploring graphic design and illustration, Year 9 produced self-portraits influenced by Artists whose work they saw on our National Portrait Gallery visit earlier in the term. Year 10 produced a collection of celebrity portraits and Year 12 produced a variety of pieces they donated to the show. The evening was a huge success with many parents, friends and pupils coming to see the show, the Art Department would like to thank everyone for their support. Almost 100 pieces of work were sold which is a great achievement, as well as many Christmas cards. In total £1015.00 was raised, which was split between the School charity which this year is “Moving Mountains” and the School’s “Greenland Expedition”. Our next show is on Wednesday 8th February from 4.15pm-6.30pm and will include work from Jim Lawson, our Artist in Residence, as well as the work completed in our Gifted and Talented workshop with Georgia Peskett on the 7th December and recent work from the Art Department team. We look forward to seeing you there and thank you for your continued support.

MD: Heinz closed their London sites and

New School Minibuses

The JLS minibus fleet has increased to four, with the addition of two new vehicles. All buses are now liveried—very smart! page three

Meet a Teacher: Mrs Anna Paul The Standard: Why did you choose JLS? AP: I was ready for a new challenge and a new phase in my career. JLS offered me an exciting opportunity to lead a department which is evolving at a rapid rate. I was also attracted by the fact that the School itself is experiencing a new phase of development, with the new buildings being testimony to this. I wanted to be a part of this change and growth at JLS. The Standard: What are the differences between the boys’ and girls’ approach to English?

Mrs Paul studied English Literature at the University of Durham. After two years working in Marketing for a FTSE 100 company, she re-trained to become an English teacher. She taught at North London Collegiate School for six years, holding the posts of Second in the English Department and Head of Year 11. She has recently completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies at the University of Cambridge.

accurate observations about human nature. The Standard: What plans do you have in store for the English Department? AP: We are implementing a diverse range of extra-curricular opportunities for all boys. We are making exciting in-roads with debating and we are proud that our Upper School boys were successful in a competition against North London Collegiate School. We will be developing Film and Book Clubs for both junior and senior boys, and we have a team of boys who are putting together a publication about their favourite reads. I am very committed to promoting the joy of reading throughout the School – the stereotypical image of boys is that they don’t read, but we are hoping to challenge that as far as possible!

AP: Boys are much more impatient, but also much more willing to engage in lively debate! Boys are great fun to teach in the classroom, as they will challenge each other and are good at thinking on their feet. Girls can be a bit more reticent to question the views of their peers. Girls are more meticulous about attention to detail The Standard: I heard on the grapevine – I don’t think that many boys colour-code that you are a good baker. What is your their notes! signature dish?

The Standard: What is your favourite book AP: I love to cook. I find it very relaxing and why? and spend a lot of my spare time reading about food and trying new recipes. I AP: Without question, my favourite book would name two dishes as my signature is Middlemarch by George Eliot (a female dish – plum crumble and Rice Krispie author of the Victorian era who used a brownies. I love to make puddings – a pen name – her real name was Marian friend of mine has a family tradition of Evans). Eliot is a strong source of offering seven puddings every Sunday inspiration for me – she was one of the lunchtime and this idea seems to have great intellects of her time and her novels taken root in my mind too! demonstrate the wide-ranging nature of her intelligence. Middlemarch is a stroke of genius, weaving multiple plots together with sophistication and including acutely

Georgia Peskett’s Gifted & Talented Workshop A selection of boys from Years 10-13 were involved in a one day workshop with Georgia Peskett on Wednesday 7th December, exploring the theme of the urban landscape through painting. The boys were briefed prior to the workshop, to take a series of photos exploring familiar journeys they make, where the figure interacts with the urban environment. From these photos Georgia explored composition and framing of views in relation to the canvas size and shape. She then taught them a variety of techniques exploring the surface of the canvas and how it can be refined to reflect the surfaces found in the environment to capture the textures we see around us. The boys worked hard throughout the day and the completed paintings will be exhibited in our next exhibition which will be held in the Mall gallery on Wednesday 8th February. The skills explored will continue to be developed as the students expand their visual repertoire. Georgia Peskett is inspired by the everyday. Within her paintings even the most ordinary and mundane subject matter can be beautiful. Expertly executed in oils each piece captures the moment and the impression it makes upon the senses. The use of reflections play a large part in the work, giving the viewer the feeling of peering through layers, seeing not only one level, but several at once. page four

The Tempest

At the end of the Autumn term, boys in the Upper School staged their own production of the Shakespeare classic, The Tempest. This was Dominic Curtis’s, the Head of Drama, first play at The John Lyon School and he had nothing but praise for the cast, who he described as “highly professional”. He went on to say that he was very impressed with the stage management team, who worked tirelessly backstage during performances as well as setting up the lighting. Mr Curtis commented that “without a great stage management team, you don’t have a great Drama Department” and finished by saying the boys had delivered an exceptional performance. Judging by the applause on the three nights of the performance it seems the audience was in agreement. What set The Tempest apart from previous JLS productions were the state of the art lighting used in the performance. Apparently worth at least £8000 each, these lights gave The Tempest a look usually reserved for a professional piece of theatre. The lights were not the only daring aspect of the play. The character Caliban was cast as a three headed monster played by Joseph Brennan, Chris Leung and Erik Mnatsakanov. The comic character of Caliban was joined with the hilarious Trincolu (Luke Leonce) and the inimitable Stephano (James Scholfield). The character of Ariel was also given a new lease of life by Mr Curtis’s imaginative casting. Ben Teh played the part of the mysterious spirit but he was also to be accompanied by a host of spirits and shadows, ready to do his bidding. The spirits and the shadows were played by actors in Years 10 & 11. Throughout rehearsals the boys showed a high level of commitment and camaraderie, which ultimately paid off with an utterly spellbinding performance. Other performances of note include Louis Halpenny’s Ferdinand and Kate Howlett’s Miranda. Together the two actors delivered an affective romance throughout the play. Another notable pair was Dominic Dichen and Joe Herman, who played treacherous Antonio and Sebastien respectively. Joining them in scenes was the regal Christopher Young as King Alonso and the professional Mateen Mirza as the wise old councillor Gonzalo. The star performance however came from Sevan Keoshgerian as the sorcerer Prospero. He delivered an electrifying performance as the wronged Duke of Milan, commanding Shakespeare’s language with a rare confidence from the earliest rehearsals to the final night of the performance.

Charity Update

Weather Watch The new John Lyon weather station has begun gathering weather data, recording it and webcasting it to the world via the School’s dedicated internet microsite. The Weather Club has been set up as a group for Year 7 boys. The activities will be largely driven by the boys themselves but are likely to include weather analysis, photographs posted to the website, a weather blog, linking with other schools and making weather sensors for use at home. Before long we hope to be contributing data to NOAA (NOAA is to the atmosphere what NASA is to space) and the Met Office. In due course the John Lyon weather station will provide learning opportunities in all parts of the curriculum from weather derivatives in Economics to creative writing in English, running averages in Mathematics to Global Warming in Science.

Last term saw the boys working hard on their fundraising efforts. The whole School participated in two mufti-days, cake selling events which included home made goods and a chocolate fountain! As well as a sponge throwing event. Parents and guests were as generous as ever in their donations towards the Autumn Concert Retirement Collection. The total raised for Moving Mountains currently exceeds £3600. In November, leading up to Remembrance Day, the School supported the Poppy Appeal which raised £223.54.

The King James Bible: A Celebration In celebration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, St Mary’s Church recently staged a complete reading of the text. This great book has had a profound effect not just on Christianity but on the English language and culture of our country. People from across the Borough participated in the celebration, including several Upper Sixth pupils. Wael Al Abed, Krishna Swaminathan and Sam Horsley each read a chapter of Matthew’s Gospel and the Head of School, Michael Duncan, also attended the event. We were pleased to be able support our parish church by taking part in this celebration.

Introducing the EPQ The Extended Project Qualification is a new introduction to JLS this year. It offers the same scope for independent learning as the International Baccalaureate, and has the advantage of also being worth UCAS points. The EPQ is optional, and runs alongside ALevels. It gives boys an excellent opportunity to acquire and develop some of the skills that they will need as university undergraduates on degree courses. Each boy has a teacher supervisor and conducts a research project. Assessment is usually with a 5000-word essay. Our boys produced excellent dissertations on ‘To what extent does Oliver Cromwell deserve his historical reputation?’ ‘To what extent was the religion of ancient Israel polytheist and how monotheist had it become by the time the monarchy was established?’ and ‘To what extent did the economic factors outweigh the political factors in influencing the post war British government resulting in the independence of India? Congratulations are due to Upper Sixth boys Michael Duncan, Sam Horsley and Sebastien De La Fuente (pictured) who all achieved A* grades in their EPQ. We look forward to more excellent submissions from our current Year 12 students.

Debating: John Lyon vs. North London Collegiate It was ‘girls versus boys’ for the Year 10 and 11 debating competition organised by the English Department at The John Lyon School, in partnership with North London Collegiate School. The first round of debates involved five team debates with some hotly debated topics on questions such as ‘This house believes that the media has an entirely negative influence on society’ and ‘This house believes that nuclear weapons should be banned’. There were some outstanding arguments made on both sides, with some excellent points of information from the floor as well. In addition to deciding the winning team by determining who swayed the most votes, the debaters were also judged on an individual basis by an English teacher and Sixth Form team for aspects such as their delivery, the quality of their argument and the effectiveness of their team work. This led to three winning boys (Samee Deen, Jacob Theato and Joshua Banks) and three winning girls (Nonye Irukwu, Isabel Benjamin, Charlie Morgan) being picked to go through to the final debate. The motion, ‘This house believes that money is more important than brains’ certainly led to some strong opinions and thoughtfully argued speeches. Some perceptive and passionately delivered arguments were raised about the relationship between money and brains and some famous figures such as Lord Sugar and Obama were used thoughtfully as illustrating examples. The John Lyon School produced a very strong performance and won the floor debate, which was an excellent achievement. Special congratulations go to Samee Deen in 11M, who was awarded the title of ‘Best Speaker’. The boys who took part have been inspired to take part in more competitions and to set up a debating society, so we hope to bring you news of further success in the near future! page six

Canoe Club The John Lyon Canoe Club is run by Mr Vickery and has been active for four years. During the autumn weekends, the members of the Canoe Club went on four different trips to experience and enjoy various types of canoeing. Here club members Merran Annalingham, John Beaney and Ben Coop tell us of their experiences.

On the first trip, we went to Kew Bridge, London, and kayaked on the tidal part of the Thames. After putting on all our gear we set off down the Thames, and were amazed at the experience of moving water. Using the skills we learnt in the pool, we travelled down the river into the tide. Learning about the geography of the river we passed through a ship graveyard. After playing tag on our kayaks we returned to where we started. With the exception of one person, all of us capsized into the river but left for home with a smile of achievement. Shepperton Marina was the second destination, where we were introduced to Canadian canoes, which required two people to navigate. We canoed towards Sunbury Lock where we passed many ships often with rowers alongside us. We were taught about the dangers of weirs and river traffic. When back at the Marina at the end of the trip we capsized with a huge Canadian canoe. The third trip saw us heading off to Boulter’s weir, where we were introduced to white-water with our kayaks. We were introduced to the Spanish national kayak coach nicknamed ‘Jacko’ who led the session. After positioning ourselves at the top of the weir, we descended with speed as if we were on a mini waterfall. There were numerous attempts because it was really fun. With the water flowing in, we attempted to do tricks and show off our techniques with a lot of us capsizing due to the strength of the falling water. Then in two groups of four we played about in an inflatable boat trying to make it flip in the weir. The whole event ended with us saying thanks to Mr Vickery and Jacko for making this such a fun and unforgettable experience, and with Jacko congratulating us for being a talented and cheerful group. The final location saw us attempting to tackle an artificial white water course at Nene. The Course was 300m long. There are several artificial rapids and a water 'jump'. We saw a fast flowing water circuit which had a lot of twists, twirls and falls. On our kayaks we tried to move swiftly through the course without capsizing, we also used a small inflatable raft in the strong currents. We did laps around the course in two groups. I was lucky enough to succeed in a manoeuvre I was previously unable to do at the weir, getting into the flow and getting thrown back, which is great fun! There were a few times I did more interesting things than intended, such as going over a set of rapids sideways. Overall the trip was some of the best fun and practice I've had in kayaks.

Oxbridge Success Two boys have been deservedly awarded places at the University of Oxford. Sam Horsley (left) has been offered a place, along with a Choral Scholarship, at St. John’s College to read Theology and Michael Duncan (right), the Head of School, has an offer from University College to read History. Both pupils, who were rarely seen without a book in their hands in the run up to the interviews, attended the School’s Oxbridge preparation programme and were given a great deal of support by the relevant Heads of Department. Both boys attended interviews at the beginning of December and beat off stiff competition to secure offers as, on average, offers are only made to around one in five applicants. The Year 13 are already holding an impressive set of offers and boys have received offers from Imperial, UCL, KCL, Warwick and Exeter among others in a variety of subjects including Medicine, Economics, English and Modern Languages. page seven

Cross-Country News The John Lyon School experienced considerable success at this year’s Harrow Cross Country Championships. The Senior age group (Sixth Form) saw an easy victory for Bhavesh Soneji. Bhavesh who has already won the London Youth Games and Middlesex Clubs County Cross Country Championships this year, led from start to finish and was never troubled over the undulating Harrow School course. In the Junior race (Year 8 and 9) Davin McAndrew narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in a highly competitive field, while the inter boys age group (Year 10 and 11) saw Robert Gibbons finish an impressive eighth. Another Year 10 student Ruben Vos, who only joined the School in September, showed his huge potential as a middle distance athlete by dominating the most competitive race of the day. Ruben broke away from the rest of the field on the first hill of the course only to be sent the wrong way by a marshal. Ruben then demonstrated that he is a great sportsman off the field as well as on it by declining to take the winner’s medal. Bhavesh, Davin, Robert and Ruben will be joined by Nathan Dinsley and Nirajan Rajagopal when they compete in the Middlesex Schools Cross Country Championships at the end of February. Both Bhavesh and Ruben will have a fantastic chance of qualifying for the Middlesex team which will then compete at the English Schools Cross Country Championships in March. Badminton—Last term the U14 Badminton team qualified for the West London finals to be held at the Hounslow Dome on Tuesday 21st February. The U16s team have started this term in good form. In the Borough competition they have so far beaten Harrow High 8-1, Whitmore 7-2, Salvatorian 9-0, Park High 6-3 and Rooks Heath 9-0. As a result of these victories they have qualified for the Borough final. John Lyon have been invited to take part in a prestigious tournament at Harrow School which includes Harrow, John Lyon, Eton, Haberdashers, Tonbridge and Coopers.

Featured Sportsman: Jack MacFarlane The sunshine and strawberries of Wimbledon may feel like a long way off, but for Jack MacFarlane (9T) it’s been a busy winter of tennis, and an important summer looms. Jack will soon be heading to the National Tennis Centre at Roehampton to take part in a masters tournament for the top sixteen boys in the country, aged 14 and under. It’s the climax of a successful 2011 where he won four regional tournaments, reached the final in five others and made the last sixteen at national tournaments in Edinburgh and Nottingham. He was also a prominent member (winning 5 out of 6 singles and 5 out of 6 doubles matches) of the Middlesex county team which finished third in the country. Jack is currently ranked No 1 in Middlesex for his age group, and 19 in the country. His goals for this year are to hold on to his No 1 Middlesex spot, break into the top ten nationally, and to have a good run in the big national tournaments. He’s training hard at the National Sports Centre at Bisham Abbey and at The Riverside Club in Northwood. Well done Jack!

Mr Michael Gibson Bursar [email protected]

Mrs Terri Hicks Registrar Tel: 020 8872 8443 [email protected]

Miss Katherine Haynes Head

Mr Stuart Miles Deputy Head

Mrs Heather Cade PA to the Head Tel: 020 8872 8434 [email protected]

[email protected]

The John Lyon School Middle Road Harrow on the Hill Middlesex, HA2 0HN Switchboard: 020 8872 8400 www.johnlyon.org

School Photographer: Mr L. Budd

Coming after Half-Term