St John's Welcomes Royal Visitor

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester, Patron of St John's, visited pupils and staff at the School on Tuesday 06 May.

During the evening she joined pupils, staff and parents for Choral Evensong and then laid the Foundation stone for the new classroom development at the School. The new development, to be situated behind the School Chapel, will provide purpose-built workshops for Design and Technology, Art Studios and a new library.

After the laying of the Foundation stone, the Duchess talked with the pupils and staff at a Reception to celebrate the Foundation of the School. She met with Staff, School Prefects, Foundationers and members of the Choir.

Her Royal Highness last visited St John’s School in May 2006 when she toured the School and met with a number of pupils including members of the Drama department, the Choir and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

Headmaster, Nicholas Haddock, said: “The pupils and staff were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester to the School. As our Patron, Her Royal Highness has given us so much support over the years and we so value her interest and commitment.”

“It was a pleasure to introduce Her Royal Highness to so many boys and girls who were able to talk with her and discuss school life at St John’s."

New Development

The Governing Council is delighted to announce that planning permission was recently granted for the construction of new teaching and learning facilities for the School. This exciting new development will further support their commitment to provide facilities of the highest quality for St John’s pupils.

The new development will provide purpose-built workshops for Design & Technology, Art Studios and general teaching rooms. Some classrooms will be equipped with Information & Communication Technology for specialist teaching purposes.

A new Library will also be provided as part of the complex, which will comprise two buildings, joined by an atrium. The illustration shows how it will link to the Quad via the Bursar’s Walk past the Chapel.

This development is part of the School’s coherent Masterplan for the future. It will enable educational priorities to be addressed and provide associated benefits through re-designation and refurbishment of vacated areas.

St John’s Girls ‘Stand Tall’

On Friday 18 April, the girls of South House welcomed ‘Standing Tall’. This is a professional organisation which presents a workshop activity to teach presentation skills, deportment, body language and personal grooming to the Upper Sixth girls.

This highly enjoyable event has been running at St John’s for a number of years to great acclaim by all who attend. It provides a welcome oasis in the midst of exam flurry and, as the organiser, professional model Jo Batten says; ‘ It is always a pleasure to start the term with St John’s. The family atmosphere is wonderful and the girls are charming and delight in learning new personal skills and ideas’.

Guy Browning Visits St John's
March 2008

Guardian columnist and best-selling author Guy Browning (centre) visited St John’s on Monday 3 March, delivering a very engaging Library talk on his career as a writer. Guy gave a series of witty insights into the writer’s life: how to get published, where to turn for ideas, and how to craft comic prose. Illustrated by entertaining readings from his “How to …” Guardian columns, it provided both inspiration and practical advice for all aspiring writers.

Guy Browning also ran workshops throughout the day for the English department, working with the Upper Fifth on understanding the way national newspapers operate, and the Upper Sixth on the wider theme of creativity and innovation. He also spent an hour with the creative writing group, talking about how to generate original ideas and write effectively on a range of topics. Mr Johnston-Jones (right) commented: “Guy really had the knack of engaging the students he worked with, and opening their eyes to new ways of thinking and writing. Within hours of the visit I had an article on my desk written by a Lower Sixth former, inspired to try his hand at writing for publication … and, what’s more, it was excellent! I feel sure many such seeds were sown over the course of Guy’s visit.”

Heartstart UK Affiliation
February 2008

St John's has recently affiliated to Heartstart UK, an initiative co-ordinated by the British Heart Foundation. Pupils have undertaken this emergency life support (ELS) training programme, learning the skills for maintaining life in an emergency situation.

Although not a full first aid course Heartstart UK equips students with the skills and confidence to deal with life-threatening situations. The ELS training programme equips students with skills from recognising an emergency and calling for help, to performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Students have had hands-on-experience of dealing with conscious and unconscious casualties and learnt how to recognise and deal with a suspected heart attack; they also learnt to deal with choking in adults and infants and dealing with serious bleeding.

The first group of students recently finished their course with a series of challenging assessments .Students will leave the course with important life skills that can be used at home or within the community.

Pupil Selected For Royal Opera House
January 2008

Andrew Mott, 13, from St John’s School was selected to play lead boy in The Magic Flute at the Royal Opera House in London.

Andrew was successfully put forward for a closed audition by Rodney Gibson, his singing teacher at St John’s School. The prestigious part involved learning 25 pages of opera in German and rehearsals five days a week. There were 13 performances overall of which Andrew performed 7, and understudied the other 6.

Andrew plays the saxophone and classical guitar and also enjoys sport playing golf, tennis and badminton and supporting Chelsea. He hopes to go to Music College when he leaves School to primarily study singing but also continue with the classical guitar and saxophone.

Andrew Mott said:
“ I absolutely loved being on stage and performing and would like to do more of this in the future, but obviously I have to balance this against my school work as the commitment is huge. My voice has not broken so my time of performing as a treble is limited, but I will continue with singing lessons at St John’s and hopefully take my Grade 8 singing before my voice breaks”.

Prep School Orchestral Play Day
January 2008

St John’s played host to over 120 young musicians from Prep Schools across Surrey. The aim of the annual showcase was to encourage younger musicians to work together and learn from each other.

They took part in a full rehearsal in the School’s Performing Arts Centre before breaking up into sections to practice their parts. They then performed a special evening concert for their parents.

Director of Music, Mr Nicholas Smith, said:
'"The quality and enthusiasm of these young musicians never ceases to impress. This years repertoire complimented their abilities and the standard achieved is testament to the teaching that they receive at their respective schools. There is so much talent out there which needs to be nurtured and everyone should feel a great sense of satisfaction from what they have achieved today."

Top Scholar Announced
January 2008

The first University of Surrey Scholarship has been awarded to Lower Sixth pupil Oliver Gyngell. The Scholarship is offered to a St John's pupil who has demonstrated the greatest academic potential. The financial award is given annually to one deserving pupil for each year of their Sixth Form studies.

Achievements Beyond School
January 2008

RUGBY

Upper Sixth pupil George Kruis (pictured far right) has been selected to play for London & South East U18. They recently played against the North (losing 20-22) and the Midlands (winning 5-3). Kruis captained the side against the South West (winning 36-27) despite having been 20-10 down at half time, and scored two tries in the process.

FENCING

Congratulations to Robert Allen (Upper Fifth) who represented South Africa in the U17 Dinant International Tournament in Belgium on 12/ 13 January. He competed in the epee section (taking part in approximately 10 bouts) and was placed 1st overall in the individual competition

He has also qualified for the English Championships to be held on Saturday 09 February at the Birmingham Indoor Arena.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!
November 2007

Seven Dorothys, 8 witches, six scarecrows, five tin men and five lions amongst a sea of munchkins, flying monkeys, Emerald City Folk and winkies all graced the St John’s stage in the hotly contested Inter-House Drama Competition.

The six boys’ Houses – Churchill, East, Montgomery, North, Surrey and West – along with the girls of South House all took different sections of the classic show at the annual event. The competition was judged by Mrs Turner, Director of Drama at Daneshill School, who was impressed with the standard across all the houses.

South House kicked off the evening with an all female performance setting a very high standard which was maintained by all the houses. It was very much Churchill’s night scooping three top prizes notably Best House with a stunning performance from Fergus Leathem as the Cowardly Lion but ably supported by Callum Brodie with a high octane performance as the Witch of the West.

The Best Cameo role went to North’s Robert Cooper and the Best Direction went to Callum Brodie and Fergus Leathem of Churchill House. Thomas Hazel from West House stopped the show with his solo performance of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’. Ben Raper of East House won the Best Supporting role.

Director of Drama at St John’s School, Anthoni Morgan, said: “It was to date our most successful evening with the pupils displaying a wealth of talent, wrapped up in the joy of taking part. There were over 200 actors and backstage team individuals involved over the evening. It was a wonderful performance!’

ARTS ALIVE FESTIVAL 2007

'THE POLAR WORLD' by Kari Herbert
October 2007

Celebrating the International Polar Year, 'Explorer's Daughter' author and photographer Kari Herbert gave a talk at the School that wove together stories of native Inuit myth, historical exploration and personal adventure, against the backdrop of the changing Arctic Wilderness. Ms Herbert also brought an exclusive collection of prints by her father, the late Sir Wally Herbert, before they were taken to the Scott Polar Institute in Cambridge.

Nicholas Haddock, Headmaster, said: “We were privileged to enjoy a talk which served to inspire; the Polar World is a unique story about a very special family.”

Chagall

Matisse

'BLOOD AND BONES'
October 2007

For National Science Week, the Biology Department at St John's invited over 60 pupils from Downsend School for an introduction to Science at the School.

The activities involved eye dissection, heart dissection, making cells out of jelly and beans, using a microscope, looking at skulls and skeletons, making a DNA pendant and isolating DNA from strawberries.

RECORD FUNDRAISING AMOUNT FOR LOCAL CHARITY
September 2007

Local charity, The Rainbow Trust has received a huge financial boost after a year’s worth of fundraising at St John’s School in Leatherhead.

The Rainbow Trust received £15,000 after a number of fundraising events were organised throughout the last academic year. The cheque amount is the largest ever raised by a school for The Rainbow Trust, who provide practical and emotional support to families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness. An amazing £9,478 has been donated since 1997 by St John’s School plus the £15,000, bringing the total to a staggering £24,478

The Pupils organised events including a Barn dance, a Race Night and a Gala Evening. Some pupils ran a double marathon and a large portion of the money was raised through the Tuck Shop.

St John’s School has maintained its impressive examination record with the publication of the GCSE results.

Out of a total of 81 candidates, the overall pass rate (A*-C) was 99% with 51% achieving A* and A grades and the percentage of A* to B grades gained being 83%.

Nine boys at St John’s, which is co-educational in the Sixth Form, achieved a combination of straight A* and A grades. Of particular note are the Chemistry results, as 100% of the candidates gained A* or A grades.

Headmaster of St John’s School, Nicholas Haddock, said: “I am delighted that the boys have given themselves such an excellent foundation on which to continue into the Sixth Form and to University.”

Headmaster, Nicholas Haddock, said: “I am delighted by these excellent results, which reflects the significant hard work of the pupils. Above all, the majority of the boys and girls have achieved their first choice of university.”

SPEECH DAY
June 2007

Professor Snowden, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Surrey (left) presented pupils of St John's with their prizes on Saturday 30 June.

To read the speech by the Chairman of Governing Council, Mr Peter Hickson, and the Headmaster, Mr Nicholas Haddock please click here

SINGING SENSATION AT ST JOHN’S
May 2007

Three highly acclaimed operatic performers: Robert Burt, Paula O’Sullivan and Rodney Gibson (right) sang with St John’s School Choral Society in a performance of Haydn’s Creation at St John’s School, Leatherhead on Thursday 24 May.
The guest performers have appeared on the stage at Glyndbourne, Covent Garden and in Opera Houses around the world. The Choral Society, made up of pupils, parents, staff and friends of the School have been rehearsing on Monday evenings since January. New members of the Society are always welcome, please contact the Director of Music at St John’s School on 01372 373000.

Nicholas Smith, Director of Music, said, ‘I was most impressed with the quality of sound that the Choral Society produced
and, coupled with the superb performances of the soloists, this was a truly memorable evening’.

Nicholas Haddock, Headmaster, said, “It was a great privilege for St John’s School to be invited to represent England in such a prestigious international tournament; it provided our boys with a unique and memorable experience.”