From the Second Master
WEEKEND ARRANGEMENTS FOR BOARDERS
Details for this weekend (23 & 24 September) can be found here. Please access the Parent Portal via the link below to inform us of your child’s plans for this weekend by 23:00 on Thursday 21 September. Log in, select 'Interactive' and 'Weekend Sign-out' to complete the form.
Please find the sign-out options for all year groups below:
- Remain in House: pupils are required to register at all meals
- Sunday Sign out: leaving on Sunday any time after Chapel commitments and returning by 21:00
- Prefects' Weekend (1 weekend per term for VI:1 only, in addition to Flexi): pupils may depart after commitments on Saturday afternoon if you have agreed this with your child's Housemaster
- Flexible Weekend (1 weekend per term): pupils may depart after their Saturday commitments but no earlier than 17:00 (one weekend per term) if you have agreed this with your child's Housemaster
This year, the College is opening its Sixth Form music awards to both external and internal candidates and offering choral and organ awards.
Former pupils now play in the leading orchestras and teach at conservatoires. Many have highly successful careers as performers, conductors and composers. At Winchester they benefit from exceptional teaching, first-class facilities and the opportunity to play in concerts at least weekly.
Pupils in Vth book may apply via this form, and the closing date for application is Friday 13 October. Auditions for all short-listed candidates will be held between 6-8 November for Sixth Form entry in 2024.
13+ auditions will be held as usual 29 January – 2 Feb 2024 and the closing date for entry is November 30.
Charities
Charity Fun Run for Young Lives Vs Cancer
The Charities Committee is launching its latest venture in aid of the school’s national charity, Young Lives vs Cancer.
The event will take place on Friday 29 September, just before the exeat. On the day, every pupil in the school will be involved in some way, running distances ranging from 5km to a half marathon.
This charity works to support young people who suffer from cancer, with 3800 young people diagnosed with cancer each year. This is a charity particularly close to pupils' hearts as they are the same age as those affected.
The Committee is aiming to raise £5000, with each pupil hoping to be sponsored £2 for each kilometre that they run. This amount would help cover just 7 months of the extra costs associated with caring for a child with cancer.
Tea and coffee will be available for parents at the finish line as well as a bake sale. Any donations for the bake sale would be much appreciated, and you can register for the sale via the link below.
We hope to see you at the finish line, which has a wonderful atmosphere and is a great way to see the school.
The Battle of Britain
Last Thursday, 15 September, members of the College CCF marked Battle of Britain Day. The ceremony took place next to the statue of Old Wykehamist Hugh Dowding, Commander in Chief of RAF Fighter Command 1936-1940, the principal architect of the RAF victory.
The statue is located in War Cloister, Winchester College’s war memorial, which will be 100 years old next year.
You can learn more about the centenary and the conservation project via the link below.
This Thursday, you can hear more about the Dowding System and, in particular, the women of the WAAF without whom the system could not have worked.
Dr Sarah-Louise Miller, a historian based at the University of Oxford and author of The Women Behind the Few, will explain the contributions made by women to Dowding’s victory in the Battle of Britain and throughout the war.
You can find out more about this lecture and how to book via the link below.
Quiristers' Performance
On Thursday, the Quiristers put on an open rehearsal for members of the public as part of Winchester's Heritage Open Day schedule of events.
Part of the College's original choral foundation, the Quiristers have been singing in the College chapel for over 600 years and form a vital part of the Chapel Choir.
Be a Quirister for the Day
On Saturday October 14, the College is hosting an open day for boys aged 7-9 who love to sing. Attendees will get the chance to experience the unique choral tradition of the Quiristers and sing in the College's historic chapel.
The Quiristers live and are educated at The Pilgrims' School where they receive a world class education, and have previously performed for BBC Radio 3, at concerts in Birmingham Symphony Hall and Royal Festival Hall, and recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
Academic
What Would Happen if We Banned Billionaires?
Recently, Warrick (G) entered into the John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize.
Entering into the Economics category, Warrick's essay tackled the question 'What would happen if we banned billionaires?'
For his essay, Warrick was shortlisted as one of the finalists in the competition.
You can read Warrick's essay via the links below.
Sport
Croquet
Last weekend, the College team of of August (X), Tanviir (X), and Alaric (former-D) travelled to Nottingham to compete in the National Schools Croquet finals and the Junior Croquet Championships. The competition featured the two main forms of croquet; association croquet and golf croquet.
On the first day, August came back from 5-1 to earn the crown and win the Junior Golf Croquet Championship trophy.
The National Schools Championship was then contested in both forms on the second day against the home team and current champions, Chilwell School. The pairing of August and Taanvir captured the golf croquet title, with Taanvir teaming with Alaric to win the assosciation croquet final in the afternoon, completing a hat-trick of titles for the 2022-23 season.
Academic
PSHEE
On Tuesday, our VI Book 2 pupils undertook the first of this year's PSHEE/RSE 'carousels'.
During the course of the morning, the entire year group participated in a rotation of three workshops, facilitated by external speakers, which addressed a range of issues related to first aid, relationships and financial management. As always in these sessions, there is an element of building upon prior knowledge, whilst also looking for opportunities to introduce our pupils to new skills and knowledge that will be of use throughout their lifetime.
We hope that this new format allows for the delivery of content by subject matter experts in comparatively small groups, which will in turn aid in the facilitation of discussion based around the facts at hand.
There will be two further such carousels taking place for the year group this year during Common and Cloister Time.
Parents' Coffee Morning
The Parents Events committee has a new date for its London coffee morning. The event will now take place on Thursday 12 October at 10.30am, at the Queen’s Club.
If you’d like to attend, please email Anna Allen-Jones or Tanya Coles.
The Winchester coffee morning is on Friday 29 September, and bookings can be made by emailing Charlotte Winton.
Academic
The Importance of Immigration and its misconceptions
Another entrant into the John Locke Institute Global Essay Competition this year was Arthur (C).
Entering into the Junior Prize category, Arthur tackled the broad question, ‘What is something important, about which nearly everybody is wrong?’
Arthur titled his essay 'The Importance of Immigration and its misconceptions' and explored the use of statistics with regard to immigration and why public perception is often skewed by the misuse of statistics.
For his essay, Arthur was shortlisted as a finalist.
You can read Arthur's essay via the link below.
Over the summer, Arthur also had success in a variety of debating competitions from institutions in China and the US.
Futures
Futures Fair
On Saturday 4 November, Winchester College Society and the Futures Department will hold the annual Futures Fair for VI Book pupils.
Delegates from as wide a range of industry sectors as possible are invited. If you would like to represent your chosen career and offer careers advice, please register your interest through the link below.
Sport
Tri-School Regatta
Over the weekend of 16th-17th September, the College team of Alex (G), Luke (K), Noah (D), Rupert (K), Max (K), and Robert (A), accompanied by Dr Barron and Dr Thorne, travelled to Seaview on the Isle of Wight to meet and race with OW sailors and current and former pupils from Radley and Ryde.
Against testing conditions of 20+ knot winds and 1-2m waves, the sailors performed admirably before racing had to be abandoned as the weather deteriorated.
Despite the challenging conditions, the Winchester team ended the day as the top-placed school, and second overall, with the OWs winning the event.
Sport
Sport Report
The first sport report of the new year features a detailed account of a series of football matches against Eton, the cricket team's outing at the U17 National Cup Final against Shrewsbury School and more.
One highlight from the week took place on Thursday 14 September, with the College's top 4 badminton doubles pairs facing off against Wellington College at the PE Centre, with any fears of rust from the summer quickly being dismissed by a convincing score of 15 games to 1.
Bryan (E) was named man of the match, and first year Ayson (C) showed immense promise along with his teammate JohnPaul (E).
The Next Chapter of CATALYST
CATALYST by Winchester College has now entered its second year, and throughout its first year over 300 pupils from 15+ countries benefitted from the initiative.
Drawing from the pedagogical philosophy behind Div, the CATALYST online programmes cover contemporary topics like AI and ethics in tailored tracks including the Foundations and Horizons programmes, and CATALYST Bites courses.
The initiative has also expanded through CATALYSTx, collaborating with global schools and organisations to advance the use of educational technology.
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