From the Second Master
Celebrating Science
Congratulations to the winners of the Danckwerts Chemistry Prize, Vinson (Coll), and the new Stewart McDowall Science Prize, Taanvir (Coll). Read more
Founder's Obit
We look forward to welcoming parents to this afternoon's service in Winchester Cathedral. For those unable to attend in person, you may wish to watch the live stream from the Cathedral, which begins at 1730. Link below.
Weekend Arrangements
Please use the form link below to inform us of your child’s plans for this weekend, which should be done by Thursday 29 September at 2300. Guidance on options available for this weekend, and the new information we require for weekend arrangements can be read here.
First year pupils (JP) have settled in well, after a busy start to the term. The following short film features some highlights of their experiences so far.
Director of Music
Introducing Sarah Baldock
I have received the warmest reception at Winchester College and am hugely enjoying getting to know pupils and colleagues. I particularly value being part of the welcome to girls and day pupils at this vibrant moment in our history. It has also been a joy to re-establish friendships made during my time working at Winchester Cathedral.
As Director of Music I am here to encourage a love of music in our pupils and to facilitate music making of all kinds throughout our student, staff and parent community. Inter-disciplinary collaborations, student-led groups, formal concerts, community service activities, Glee Club (the un-auditioned choral society to which parents, pupils and staff are invited), Chapel services and ensembles, large and small, are some of the activities along the way. I spend my own musical leisure time playing Bach on the organ and listening to late Romantic orchestral music or jazz, and I have been taking jazz piano lessons in an attempt to learn entirely aurally.
The excellence and ambition of the musicians at Winchester attracted me to this role; alongside this I am still taking in the breadth of options for our pupils: this week my discoveries are the bagpipers, jazz club and rock group, and the re-instated viol consort. As I said to our new pupils, “If there is something musical you want to do here and it is not on offer – or seems out of reach - I am here to see if we can realize the aspiration.”
CCF
Cadets March in The Queen's Funeral Parade
Three of Winchester's senior Royal Marines cadets and the Head of their section were invited to march in Her Majesty The Queen's Funeral Parade in London on Monday 19 September 2022. The only Royal Marines cadets to take part in the event, they were three of just 15 CCF cadets from across the UK to have the honour of participating in the parade.
Pictured: the cadets and CCF staff members, including Capt. Szwajkowski, who marched in the parade; the Winchester cadets wear red sashes.
Technology
New Simulator Takes Flight
Thanks to OW Gerard Cloke Browne (Toye's, 2014-19), the Armoury is now equipped with a new simulator enabling cadets to try their hand at flying aircraft, ranging from the Cessna 172 to the Lockheed SR–71 ‘Blackbird’, as well as sailing various ships.
Gerard put together the case for funding from an external source, rebuilt the computer hardware, and refurbished all the controls. It is fitting, therefore, that the new simulator room should bear his name.
Hear from Gerard and see the simulator in action, via the link below.
Charities
Fun Run
On 23 September over 600 pupils and staff took part in a fun run to raise money for the Lotus Flower Trust’s Basgo Nunnery water pump project. They covered a combined distance of 4,000km with 50 runners rising to the challenge of the half marathon. Well done to the pupils who organised the event, in particular Maks, Douglas, Taanvir, Khalid and Jamie.
Thank you for supporting them, either on the sidelines or through generous sponsorship. The team have achieved 80% of their fundraising goal but you can still make a donation, via the link below.
To view more photos from the day, please click here and use the password 'wykeham' (no capitals).
Talks Programme
This week we welcome award-winning author, broadcaster and historian Jessie Childs to speak about her recent book 'The Siege of Loyalty House', an account of the dramatic siege of Basing House during the Civil War. Simon Schama described it as "a thrilling, immersive read, especially searing in our own tormented and besieged times."
Parents are welcome at all the talks taking place. Upcoming speakers include science writer and broadcaster Adam Rutherford, author Sir Antony Beevor on Russia, and local MP Steve Brine.
Parents also have the chance to walk in their child's shoes and return to the classroom on 12 November for Pseudium, where dons give lectures on the topics they are most interested in.
Vision update
New Boarding Houses
The College set out its Vision for Winchester College in the 21st Century in February 2021.
With the first step in this programme of change – the admission of girls into the Sixth Form as day pupils – having been implemented earlier this month, the College is now focused on how we can provide girls with the opportunity to board.
After much preparatory work – and discussions with Winchester City Council – an area in the south-west corner of Kingsgate Park (south of Chernocke House/Furley’s) has been identified as the preferred site for two new boarding houses, solely for girls.
These would replace the existing sports pitch in this location, and a new all-weather pitch would be established in an adjacent part of the park, alongside extensive landscaping.
A planning application for these proposals will be submitted to the City Council before the end of the year. Ahead of this, the College will be consulting with local residents and other key stakeholders about these plans over the next fortnight. Once the plans are fully unveiled, further details will be shared via this newsletter.
Call for Delegates
Futures Fair
Thank you to all those who have already registered as delegates to support Sixth Book pupils at this year's Futures Fair. The Fair takes place on Saturday 15 October, 1800-2100 at Winchester, with a briefing and supper for delegates beforehand.
There is still room for more volunteers in the following areas: Media/Journalism; the Arts, Music, Creative Industries, Design; Academia/Teaching; Law; Engineering; Sport.
Please register via the link below if you can join the event and share your career expertise.
Summer Programme
Catalyst
Catalyst calls students to tackle one of the most important subjects of our time: change. How has society been changed by technology? How do identity and our relationships with others shape the change we bring about in the world? What change will you bring about in the world?
For two weeks in the summer, Catalyst saw 33 students from more than 10 countries - the UK, Germany, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Japan - come together to explore change.
The course was designed and led by Winchester dons and explored topics ranging from the ethics and morality of technology and artificial intelligence, to a climate-crisis simulation. Students were able to collaborate and debate, facilitated by a custom-built online environment.
One highlight was the students’ work on their Change Project Proposals: defining an area of interest in which they would like to effect change. Proposals ranged from reforming the healthcare system in Nigeria, to being an ambassador for greater involvement of women in STEM, to changing the ‘right to repair’ and fixing the industry of obsolescence.
Building on the success of the programme, the team is looking forward to widening the digital doors further next year.
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