School_Matters_Issue_34

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ROSIE’S GIFT “We honour the work she has done here. It has been an exceptional privilege to work with such an extraordinary professional.” So said Mr Wolsey as he paid glowing tribute to departing Headmistress Anna Sylvester-Johnson during her final farewell. Tribute messages for Mrs S-J were printed out on specially designed hydrangea-themed notepaper and presented in a gift wrapped box, along with cards from staff and pupils in each of the four Houses. Gifts included a beautiful Edwardian copper and silver bowl made by the young apprentices of the Duchess of Sutherland’s ‘Cripples’ Guild’ (the Duchess was the first owner of Main House) along with a painting of the front of School produced by talented artist Rosalie Paget, PVI. Many congratulations to Rosie on her magnificent picture, which Mrs S-J was thrilled to receive.

Mrs Sylvester-Johnson thanks Rosie Paget, PVI

OXBRIDGE OFFER SUCCESS Five offers have been received by pupils from colleges at Oxford and Cambridge this year. The pupils concerned worked incredibly hard during the application process, undertaking pre-interview EDOARDO CAMPIONE (St John’s, Oxford – Engineering ) OLIVIA DANIELS (Clare, Cambridge – Economics ) DYLAN HUNTER (Peterhouse,

examinations, submitting written work and completing a gruelling series of interviews. We congratulate the following pupils on their success and wish them well as they aim to convert their offers to places. Mr Adam Malcolm, Deputy Head of Sixth Form

Cambridge – Mathematics ) ELLA REYNOLDS (St Hugh’s, Oxford – Engineering ) LOUIS TITCHEN (Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford – Biochemistry )

STOCKS RETURN TO HELP WITH UCAS PROCESS We are enormously grateful to eleven members of our Stocks community who made a virtual return to IPS to assist Upper Sixth Formers as they considered forthcoming university applications. Mediated through Zoom, our current pupils had a wonderful opportunity to quiz our past applicants on the process and on their experience at a range of universities across the UK and overseas. Feedback from the supervising staff and our UVI was tremendously positive and we hope to run a series of similar events in the future.

Olivia

Dylan

Ella

Edo

Louis

FIRESIDE CHATS FOR UNIVERSITY APPLICANTS

We were delighted to welcome historian and broadcaster, Dr Eleanor Barraclough, to the Theatre for a ‘fireside chat’ with Dr Clay and Mr Malcolm. The discussion focused on how to write an impressive UCAS Personal Statement and was the perfect start to this year’s UCAS programme. Dr Barraclough has spent much time reading applicant statements at Oxford and Durham Universities and shared invaluable

information about what admissions tutors are really looking for. Dr Clay, who joined the History Department at IPS from a lectureship at the University of Durham, also provided lots of practical hints and tips from his time ‘on the other side’. Two of the best tips shared with our UVI were always to remember to “show, not tell” and to read the statement aloud as part of the review process. Ms Rachel Palmer, Head of Sixth Form

Dr Eleanor Barraclough