Bancroft's School Geography Society is delighted to announce the publication of the first issue of its magazine Global Perspective.  With contributions from pupils, staff and guest writers it will be of interest to everyone with an appetite for thought provoking articles on the world today - not just geographers.  Issue one contains a diverse range of articles from France's 'burqa ban', thoughts on the geography curriculum, microloans for Indian women to, closer to home, the biodiversity of Epping Forest.

To read the magazine, please follow this link:  Global Perspective Summer 2013

Congratulations to Rachel Orrell (RS) who has qualified for the next round, the Junior Olympiad.

Footballers and football fans were doubly treated on Thursday 9 May when Tottenham Hotspur players Brad Freidel and Jan Vertonghen visited the School.  Defender and Belgian international Vertonghen spent time with U4  linguists in a question and answer session about his life and playing career which was conducted entirely in French, this was very fitting as it was Europe Day!  He also took time to watch the U15 footballers train.  Meanwhile, goalkeeper Brad Freidel gave 24 of the School’s footballers a master class.  During the session, which involved players from throughout the School from the Prep School right up to the Upper Sixth, Friedel gave the boys plenty of goalkeeping practice and drills.  Afterwards, the boys had the chance to ask about his long playing career, his views on the premiership and also his predictions for Tottenham for the rest of the season. 

During the visit, School was also pleased to present a cheque to Brad Freidel for the charity of his choice; he nominated the Starlight Children’s Foundation, which aims to grant wishes for seriously ill children and to provide stimulating programmes in hospital.

Lower Sixth Former, Peter Smith, Bancroft’s first XI goalkeeper, said that he found the session, “Very interesting.  Brad Freidel covered lots of points, including things I hadn’t really thought about before.  The session definitely challenged some of my ideas.”  Co-Curricular Head, Chris Butler said that it was really good to get the premiership players to visit and inspire the pupils, “Although we are very much a rugby playing school, it is great to see our pupils enjoying and playing a wide range of sports.  The session focussed on goalkeeping skills specifically, but it also helped to reinforce the team ethic which is so important to a child’s development. The pupils gained a great deal from the session and I’m sure they have learnt a lot; if only just how demanding it is to be a professional sportsman!”

On Sunday 28 April a mixed U11 team from the Prep travelled down to Bath to play at the annual Bath Buccaneers’ Junior Cup 7 a-Side Hockey tournament which is held at the University of Bath sports training village.  The cup was played on a league basis, and Bancroft’s as visitors proved to be a cut above the local sides taking the title with an 100% record.  During the five matches, they notched up an impressive tally of 24 goals whilst conceding just 3 to take maximum points and finish their season in style.

Despite an early start and long journey, Bancroft's got off to a flying start with a 6-0 victory over Stanchester School,  due to some brutal hitting in the middle of the pitch by Taliesin Prole and clinical finishing by Millie Woods. Bancroft’s continued in a similar vein in the second game with a 5-0 victory over St Stephen’s School. This time Khaya Roudette-Gregory and Claudia Joarder provided the creative flare and cool finishes. Complacency meant that they nearly squandered a 3-0 lead against St Michael’s School. However, this time it was solid defensive work from Bradley Lennard, Luke Rassmussen and smart saves from Rohan Barodia that edged them to a nervy 3-2 victory. In the final two games Bancroft’s knew that they had to win against local club sides Bath Buccaneers and City of Bath to claim the title. Two excellent team goals smartly converted by Alex O’Brien and two well worked short corners meant that the Buccaneers were defeated 4-0 leaving Bancroft’s just one victory away from success. Prole and Roudette-Gregory continued to pull the strings from the middle as the two girls Woods and Joarder provided the style in front of the goal. This was complimented by the work-rate and strength of O’Brien, Rassmussen, Lennard and Barodia who wore the opposition down from the back leading to a 7-0 victory.

Mike Naylor, Head of Boys’ Sport at Bancroft’s Prep, said, “Throughout the day, the Bancroft’s boys and girls produced some classy hockey which simply dazzled the opposition.”

In the second match, St Martin's also best Passmores so it came down to an ”all or nothing” final decider.

In the final, Bancroft’s batted first and posted a challenging score of 129-1 wicket. However, some wayward bowling and ineffective field settings allowed St Martin’s back into the match with Bancroft’s managing to squeeze home by 5 runs in a pulsating climax to the competition.

Congratulations, therefore, go to Sahil, Rishi, Max , Luke, Neal together with Ben Margetson-Rushmore, Omer Cayir and Nathan Rose who all played in what has been a truly team effort. Thanks also to Mr Greenidge for giving so freely of his time in taking the boys to the matches that have been in rather diverse locations.

Emily Platt (3S)  was declared the overall winner in the Under 12 Category with a fantastic take on birth - from the baby’s viewpoint!  She said, “My mum, who has three daughters, always tells me how painful it is for the mother, but no one ever knows what the baby feels!”  On hearing the news that she had won she said, “I just screamed with excitement!  I couldn’t believe that I had won.” 

When the judges decided the winner of the aged 12-18 category, they had no idea that Charlie Blake is also a pupil at Bancroft’s!   Charlie (U6W)  said, “It was pretty exciting to get a phone call in the middle of a physics lesson telling me I had won this competition! I’d assumed that the competition was already over and my entry had been rejected, so it came as quite a shock. I had just read Julian Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending, when I entered the competition and my entry was partly inspired by this.  The novel explores the impact that an unexpected pregnancy can have on a relationship and I tried to capture this idea in my piece.  My story is about an absence of words, so I think its length suits the theme. I enjoy writing but I’ve never really attempted to create anything like this, in terms of both structure and content. It was a surprisingly challenging task, but a rewarding one as well, and I’m really excited to have won the competition.”

Both Emily and Charlie are looking forward to seeing their stories in the next issue of Reader’s Digest.  English Teacher Kevin Gallagher, who encouraged pupils to enter the competition, said, “This is a deceptively difficult task.  In trying to craft a story of exactly one hundred words, every word has to count.  The secret is to have a surprise ending!”

To read Charlie and Emily's stories, please click here.

Boots were polished and uniforms were pressed with the sharpest of creases for the Biennial Review of Bancroft’s School’s Combined Cadet Force which took place on Tuesday 19 March.  This year the Reviewing Officer was an Old Bancroftian, Brigadier David Greenwood (1970-77), who had himself been a keen member of the CCF during his time at the School.  Firstly, the Brigadier inspected the Guard of Honour which had been vigourously drilled by Cadet RSM Fred Thomas-Bowman.  The formal inspection, together with the march past by all cadets at the end of the day, was accompanied by the School’s concert band conducted by Musical Director Roger Bluff. 

Brigadier Greenwood spent time talking to pupils about their experiences of the CCF before joining with the Mayor of Redbridge, School Governors and parents in visiting various stands which gave a flavour of the various activities enjoyed by the our 220 cadets.  These included (very muddy) sniper drill, weapons handling and command tasks.  A vertigo inducing climbing wall proved a particular favourite with the L4 cadets.   Brigadier Greenwood spoke about how impressed he was at everything the School’s contingent continues to achieve.  He was also amused at having to present Fred Thomas-Bowman with The Greenwood Cup for Leadership which he himself had given to the School in 1977.

Warrant Officer Damian Pascal said, “I was very proud of the Guard of Honour, they had been rehearsing hard and they put on a fantastic display.”  While Major Rob Hitching thanked the members of the School’s U6 who had put in a great deal of effort in co-ordinating the various displays and stands.