Brentwoodian 2021
1 Contents Before the Brentwoodian Translucent A poem by Ololade Adedeji The BIg Conversation Joanna Burgess asks why now, more than ever, we need to start difficult conversations in the classroom My worst fear A poem by SafahWahid Art-iculation Poppy Skingle writes about her favourite piece of architecture, the Barbican Why will we never make it to Mars? Cameron Davies asks the big questions My Toxic Relationship with Philosophy by Cameron Davies Illustration by AlexanderWilliams The Lighthouse A creative story by Connor Miles The Arts With illustrations by SophiaWest Trips Illustration by AlexanderWilliams A Sporting year like no other Extra CUrricular From Chapel, Duke of Edinburgh and the Combined Cadet Force, we take a look at the past year outside of the classroom.With an illustration by Jasmine Tumner Houses A snapshot of the many varied activities taking place throughout the year with online challenges and the highly anticipatedTrack and Field Day Tributes to Mary Belsham & MikeWillis Leaving Staff Wishing fond farewells to staff Joining StafF 4 5 19 26 30 82 58 119 132 141 6 9 10 14 16 18
2 meet the team Mrs Pam Scott Proofreader Miss V Cooper Editor Miss J Atkinson Staff Editor Mr C Lonsdale Design Innovator with a special thanks to Mr George Davies’ photography skills student editors student illustrators
3 A very warm welcome to this year’s edition of The Brentwoodian. As a nod to the archive collection of this publication, which dates right back to the early days of Brentwood School, this smaller format not only brings a certain sense of nostalgia but is also a handy pocket-size for a year governed by a pandemic. And yet Brentwood School continued, undaunted, in the face of adversity.We moved swiftly to online learning, dinging and pinging our way through our digital days. New vocabulary was introduced. Emails became reminiscent of Jane Austen’s era, “I hope your family is in good health”, and it became commonplace to ask about bubbles, tut about the tier system and nod and smile ruefully about LF and PCR testing. Zoom lessons brought a certain sense of chaos to the day; pets were shown off,Wi-Fi issues prevailed and the phrase “you’re on mute...no, no we still can’t hear you” won’t be forgotten any time soon. It is always wonderful to hear about the students’ many varied achievements and this year, so unusual in many ways, is no different in this respect. That we can have an issue of The Brentwoodian this year is testament to both the students and staff at Brentwood School who have all managed to make this happen. We hope you enjoy reading it. By Miss Cooper Editor’s note
4 Before the Brentwoodian The Brentwoodian began in 1892, but the first school magazine came at least 15 years earlier in 1877.We have two surviving issues of Round the Stove, named after the large iron stove in the old schoolroom we know as Old Big School. It is handwritten in a hand almost as uniform as a computer typeface, although it is from schoolboy contributors. Reading andWriting were both specifically on the school curriculum in the late 19th century as well as English composition. In their early years in school boys spent hours each week practising ‘pothooks’ – the kind of uniform loops and curves that figure in Victorian handwriting. It shows in the magazine. Round the Stove was not only beautifully written but superbly illustrated. Brentwood had a full-time drawing master, and again it shows. Our earliest surviving issue, number 5, has a full-page drawing of Midhat Pasha, a constitutional reformer in the Ottoman Empire resplendent in beard and fez, being chased out of power. There is a lot of verse in the magazine. The articles are varied. They include a tale about a boy called ‘mouldy raisin’, the story of a 20 stone woman and ‘The True Legend of Thomas a Becket’. There is a mystery story called ‘The Hole in the Desk’ featuring a school kept by a Mr and Mrs Perkins where ‘Food was plain and the Latin grammar more than usually confusing’ and where ‘Meat was served on Sundays only for health’s sake.’ (This was over 140 years before veganism became fashionable.) Headmasters seem to have run School House together with their wives as a boarding house. Mr Quennell took over as Headmaster in 1870 and married in Spring 1872. But whether the Perkins and their school had any resemblance to Brentwood we can never know. By MikeWillis
5 We all have our own lens Through which we see the world Some are larger than others While some are thin or a blur Regardless, Man unravelled a way To have a lens in unison When it came to gender They deliberately sectioned each one Fixing it with a continuing theme They would divide the racks on the shelves Into two counter worlds And stack it up With opposing fixtures The babies swiftly organise themselves To their assigned sectors eagerly Pulp pairs of eyes shimmer As they sight shades of pink Others twinkle at the sight of blue Their world is basically Two worlds in one Fully equipped for each However, there could only be separation When there are differences And I’m obliged to grow up And fit into one of this world Maybe things would be different If only no gender Was equally a gender By Ololade Adedeji Translucent
6 The Big Conversation’: In recent years, we have had several ‘Big Conversations’ in school, on a variety of topics, from sexuality to politics, mental health to sexism.With growing awareness on these issues raised by events such as the tragic murder of Sarah Everard, the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the Black Lives Matter movement and many more, an increasing number of people have opinions on such matters than ever before. But the concept of the ‘Big Conversation’ (if we apply that term to both in school and out of school) has itself not been discussed. So, why are these conversations more relevant now than before? Why should we talk about these things rather than keep our opinions to ourselves? First, it is important to define what we mean by a ‘Big Conversation’. In this context, people often blur the lines between ‘conversation’ and ‘argument’, and I think there’s an important distinction to make. To give the Cambridge English dictionary definition, an argument (in this context) is ‘a reason or reasons why you support or oppose an idea or suggestion, and the process of explaining these reasons’. Notice the lack of ‘discussion’ or ‘debate’; it seems to be very two-sided - you either support or oppose an idea, and stick strongly to your belief regardless. On the other hand, a conversation is a ‘talk between two or more people in which thoughts, feelings, and Why is it Important?
7 ideas are expressed, questions are asked or answered, or news and information is exchanged.’ This seems a much more open, welcoming environment to discuss important topics, and hints at the possibility of altering mindsets and an increased awareness of the diversity of opinions that can surround a single question. Very often, having an ‘argument’ is not the reality, but generally I have found it to be what people expect when difficult topics are raised. I met a new group of people over the summer on a course, and we had many contrasting, sometimes extreme, opinions on a variety of topics because of growing up in different areas with different educations. I expected there to be clashes due to how differently we all felt, but it was in fact the opposite. Our debates were constructive and open, and gave an insight into how other people view society and its issues. Something that one person said that really struck me was “It’s good that we can discuss these issues passionately and with strong beliefs, yet still respect someone else’s opinions and listen to what they have to say without becoming angry.”That resonated with me - just because someone has different opinions to you, don’t take it as a challenge for you to change their mind to what you think. Meeting those people over the summer has changed my own personal beliefs in various ways. If that one singular experience can alter my thoughts so much, how much have I changed in the years I’ve been at school, talking to many people every day? We don’t realise how much influence other people have on our lives, and often this is for the better. Having these ‘big conversations’ not only exposes us to ideas that are different from our own, but it also gives us the skills to listen, question and challenge others respectfully whilst communicating our own opinions. Quite often, it can also be a unifying, rather than dividing, experience. Again, I return to the definitions. ‘Argument’ has connotations of being divisive and confrontational, whereas ‘conversation’ is far more friendly and connecting. If we kept our opinions to ourselves, we would never find people who hold similar beliefs, never find people who can challenge our own ideas. The aim of the ‘Big Conversation’ is to unite, not to divide.
8 Furthermore, the ‘Big Conversation’ is not just important for expanding your opinions or seeing things from other people’s perspectives, but it is also important for growing as a society. Take for example the increasing focus on sexual assault and violence against women after the murder of Sarah Everard. Sadly, it took such a tragic event to bring this discussion more into the public eye, but there was and is undoubtedly much more awareness because people are willing to speak about their experiences and opinions on the matter. This is only one example: there have been countless other instances where these conversations have touched more people than ever before, whether it was sparked by a specific event or not. Social media has had a huge impact on how we communicate and how awareness is spread - barely a day goes by when there isn’t a poll or campaign or opinion about a topical matter that springs up on my Instagram feed. I see more positive impact in this than negative. There will always be people who disagree or who have separate opinions, but change only happens when many people unite, and as proven many times in the past year, one event can cause ripples that spread across the entire world. This brings me back to the two questions I started with.Why are these ‘Big Conversations’ more relevant now? Arguably it is because more people are paying attention and new forms of communication are allowing us to discuss these matters in the hope that we can improve society together. And why should we talk about these matters rather than keeping them to ourselves? It is because these conversations unite us - as Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We all came in on different ships, but we’re all in the same boat now.” In my opinion, this is a reminder that although we all come from different backgrounds, different places, different cultures, we share one world. Ideas are changing all the time and it is important that as many voices are heard as possible. So to conclude, what is the importance of the ‘Big Conversation’? It allows us to see things from different perspectives. It allows us to challenge others’ beliefs, as well as our own. But most importantly, it allows us to move forward as a society, together. By Joanna Burgess
9
10 Art-iculation The Barbican estate is arguably the most ambitious housing estate ever built, boasting four thousand apartments, cultural centres, civic amenities and communal landscapes connected by a maze of elevated walkways. As well as its rare plethora of building genres, the Barbican estate is located in the city of London, the buzzing core of one of the greatest cities in the world. Fenced by financial power from England’s strongest industries, the Barbican’s presence does not fall short of its surroundings, situated on 160,000 square metres. Its ambitious plan, thorough design and Brutalist history are what make the Barbican so significant to me, and so wonderfully British. The estate was designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon to reinvent an area devastatingly blitzed duringWW2. Chamberlin, Powell and Bon had already gained a successful reputation after the Golden Lane estate construction. They were young architects with alluring plans to take influence from Scandinavian Barbican estate the
11 minimalist design, preparing London for a streamlined upgrade, however they faced a large issue. Inner city living was hugely undesirable. Consequently, Chamberlin, Powell and Bon needed to stretch their concept creating a rich estate of housing, galleries, shops, restaurants and even a cinema to allure people into the city. Not only this, security needed to be created, giving the Barbican its exclusive and fashionable persona. I visited the Barbican in October and noted the apparent fortress inspiration. The architects entangled clever design elements to make the estate feel secure. The exterior is largely flat, concealing the interest inside, tempting one to walk straight past it. The entrances are notoriously hidden and difficult to find, and once in, the complex walkways discourage the ordinary man from wandering. However, as well as physical defences, there are also more poetic elements including the slit openings as pictured above suggesting soldiers inside, attacking trespassers, maintaining the safe image. The Barbican is an exceptional example of British modernism through the combination of texture and shapes, ranging from the contrast of concrete, excessive green space, an outlandish green waterfall, and the rust glazed tiles. The repetition of the semicircle throughout the estate becomes a symbol, as it is repeatedly contorted. This is architectural storytelling at its finest, dynamic and ingenious. The estate was initially designed to be a combination of private and social housing, however, after Margaret Thatcher’s disastrous Right to Buy Act introduced in 1980, the majority of the homes were sold to private Landlords. I believe that this is one of the weakest elements of the Barbican. Its Central location and cultural centre invites a wealthy client/ resident. Consequently, the social mix that could have been blended from private and council tenants would have been invaluable. This class mix is something that now is an apparent problem within Britain. As postcodes change, so do salaries which segregates communities and creates an elitist impression. It’s vital that city planners, architects and councils review this negative
12 segregation in order to enrich communities, and eradicate the stigma of the upper class. The estate took over a decade to complete, and was opened by the Queen in 1982, where, She described the estate as a modern wonder of the world. However, the Barbican does not always receive such praise. The Brutalist style is often condemned for being cold, uninviting and soulless. One is entirely allowed to form one’s ideas on the aesthetic of this concrete icon, with many calling the Barbican ‘council housing for middle class people’. However, the thorough, ingenius and radical design that Chamberlin, Powell and Bon conjured up is unlike any other master plan seen in London today. The intentions of creating a cultural, communal space remained profound through the design process and, despite the desire of social housing apartments not being granted, the Barbican is an architectural icon and inspiration to many. I visited the Barbican the week before the second lockdown commenced and the atmosphere that this produced was extremely eerie and surreal. Being alone in this colossal estate was dreamlike, as the Barbican is normally a bustling place full of creatives attending weekender events. As a result, I felt as though I was able to engage with the life of a resident, existing within the space because to them it is a home, not just a tourist attraction. The entirety of my visit I felt entirely enclosed within this brutalist lump, separated from the City of London.When inside it’s hard to believe how central you are because of the stillness and silence. Concludingly, the estate felt like its own village and Chamberlin, Powell and Bon were undoubtedly successful. The intense geometry and range of shapes within the estates was particularly interesting to me: the contrast between expressive sweeping stairs which lead to perpendicular pathways; repetitive semicircles becoming arches over windows clashing poetically with the abrupt chunks of cuboid concrete. There were so many elements of visual harmony through risk-taking. Not only were Chamberlin, Powell and Bon architects, they also created art.
13 I chose to speak about the Barbican at the ARTiculation awards because it is my favourite building, but not solely because of its minimalist aesthetics, rich culture and creative appeal, but predominantly because of its ingenious, thorough and long term design. Britain is in the middle of a housing crisis which I deem to be utterly inexcusable, and I strongly believe that a vast deal could be learnt from Chamberlin, Powell and Bon’s architecture. Our country immensely requires metropolitan thinking in order to construct new estates, which resonate the communal, secure and poetic properties of the estate. An abolishment of cheap, poorly designed and short-term housing estates which are mortifyingly emerging across England is required. Clever design must be installed. Although the Barbican is not an example of social housing, high rise living is a successful option for urban social living, and, with modern adaptations including sustainable consideration, Barbicaninspired council estates would bring Britain one stage further out of our crisis. To conclude, the Barbican remains a radical, forward-thinking and lyrical piece of construction which continuously inspires me. By Poppy Skingle
14 Millions of scientists have pondered the sheer possibility of leaving the Earth. The centre of humanity for time as we know it has been the Earth, but it has fast dissipated in recent years. Global warming. Protests. You name it. This mighty planet is slowly becoming weaker for humanity to inhabit, and so humanity is looking for a new start. They think the answer to that is Mars. But is it really? SpaceX over recent years have initiated a project to get man on Mars by an ambitious year of 2050.Whilst that may seem to be in the distant future, it seems unrealistic to even dream of stepping foot and inhabiting a planet which is over 150 million kilometres away from us. And yet, Elon Musk stands by his word even today. Yet, let’s look at the statistics. The pictures you see of Mars with futuristic bubbles and space cities where one can easily hop on a spaceship at one’s leisure to any other moon as a ‘summer holiday’ is simply the smokescreen slapped onto adverts which promise humanity a bright future.What Mars really is is a dust cloud, covered in toxic gases, too far from the sun, and on top of that, we can only work with one-third gravity. So, sounds impossible right? If not, why not try and get there just to find out? Why will we never make it to Mars?
15 Astronauts, if they even managed to get on a spaceship, would face a rigorous seven-month journey, even when in the favourable conditions of the Earth’s orbit. Once they reached Mars, they would be scrambling for protection against the radiation and freezing cold temperatures. Before they even got a chance to learn something about the planet, and whether it’s even remotely habitable, it would be time to fly back, in order to get back before they die. All of that in 30 days. Ok, so we can do it. Right, let’s try and manoeuvre a slightly bigger population of 7.6 billion people onto a hostile planet we’ve been to once. Not to mention, there would be war, financial issues, bias, and that’s before we even think about the possibility of transporting people on such a colossal scale for seven months in a spaceship. So, why are we still dreaming of this possibility? If all that is even remotely possible in today’s society is the rigorous plan of sending a few astronauts to Mars for a month, what on earth makes humanity think they can start a life out there? I think we had better leave the dream in the children’s stories for now. By Cameron Davies
my toxic relationship with PhilosopHy As a population, we are desperate for answers. At the end of the day, they are the very fuel of our existence. But this craving for answers and endless desire to progress in Science and Technology intoxicates the delicate and unanswered questions we call ‘Philosophy.’ There’s no doubt that I have a burning passion, like many others, for the subject.When I look at the sky, I find it hard to imagine that there is an ‘end’ in sight to our planet - or the fact that there could be an omnipotent power beyond our comprehension guiding us - or that time, a concept we cannot replace, doesn’t actually exist. But, I have a toxic relationship myself with Philosophy. At the very beginning of this article, I explained the craving we have for ‘answers. Although it might sound a bit arbitrary, you would be surprised that all of the evolution and our simplest daily routines stem from a question being asked, and a solution being found. It powers our footsteps to work, it powers our brains to write, it powers our motion through life as a species. Yet, so many people are getting hung up and fascinated by the very questions which bring a stark halt to the motion we established. Because, if you 16
hadn’t noticed, no one has yet found a reason why we are sitting on a planet stocked with all the facilities to live for billions of years. No one has found out the supreme leader who has created all of us. No one has found out what our moral obligation is, or the meaning of life (no, it’s not 42, sorry). So, why are we so interested in these unanswered questions? Most of you reading this magazine now are ‘ordinary’ (as far as the term goes). You will go home to an ordinary dinner, a bit of homework, and then you’ll relax before sleeping. Then you go to school again. Bar the occasional slip in routine, we live normal, uninterrupted lives.We get up and we fulfil our so-called ‘purpose’ as human beings. That’s why, when someone stops this chain of settings to say ‘Why am I here?’ or ‘Who made me?’, we’re bound to give it some thought. This interest stems from a very transcendent argument which proceeds to a concatenation of questions. And, often, many people get tangled up in a voluminous space of particles.Whilst it may be interesting, what are the benefits of asking, but not answering? I have an example to demonstrate my point: Descartes, a distinguished philosopher who lived in the 16th century. He devoted three years of his life to concluding something which he categorically knew was true. To this end, he concluded that ‘I think therefore I am.’ As basic and unrevolutionary as it may sound, even this premise cannot actually be validated (on account of many reasons I wish not to talk about, at least not in 500 words. If you put it in perspective, the depressing idea that one philosopher wasted three valuable years to come to an incorrect understanding of the world presents my issue in black and white: we don’t make (beneficial) progress or discovery with Philosophy. Of course, you may wish to argue that we develop logic and appreciation for the world around us, and you would be right. But, with the evidence around us that vaccines are waiting to be applied, and fires are waiting to be extinguished, we shouldn’t waste our time letting Philosophy creep its way into a systematic and productive world. By Cameron Davies 17
18 The lighthouse Overhead, the sun hung like a lazy balloon drifting across the sky as it delivered its warm rays to the world. The waves were small and myriad, sprinkled with glistening light as they made small, soothing splashes on the hull of the kayak. The sky was vast and there was no hint of a breeze. Out in the open water a kayak felt impossibly small. It was only the rugged crags and outcrops of weathered rock which provided a sense of anchor to the dry land. Everything around them was vast. From the murky, seemingly colossal depths beneath, where dark shapes moved sluggishly and kelp swayed, to the unimaginable expanse of sky and sea before them, an almost primal sense of awe and elation was instilled in the vessel’s occupants. When the world stopped, the only noises were the whisper of crashing waves and the crisp scent of sea salt. Everything transcended into the empyrean, becoming no longer tangible, yet all consuming. The white lighthouse, a tiny figure in the distance, appeared to the eye as a forlorn guardian, long at his post, yet utterly dedicated to his charge. The hugging shell of the kayak rocked from side to side in the gentlest fashion, such as a mother might cradle an infant. Individual features on the rocks became suddenly prominent; like old men’s wrinkles and cracks coming into focus with alarming raggedness. Individual waves caught the sun like sculpted porcelain of the highest quality. The calm was lulled onwards with the caressing call of the sea-birds, and the sun burning amber on the horizon. By Connor Miles
19 Arts the
20 As this is my last Brentwoodian I thought it best to reflect on my final full year personally. Also, I think we have already asked a great deal of our students in what must have been their most challenging year to date. The resilience and creativity of the Brentwood students was consistently amazing throughout the year, in and out of lockdown, in bubbles, continually dealing with uncertainty. The undoubted highlight for me was the creation of Lockdown:The Musical. Mr Cooper and I had long mused on the idea of writing a new musical and there is a hint of irony that only through isolation were we able to find the time to actually write the thing. The two of us, along with Mr Charlesworth, found ourselves allowed into school while the students were asked to remain at home. After a day of Zoom teaching the perfect tonic was to give our much repressed creative instincts the freedom that had been somewhat tempered over the preceding months.We also felt genuinely terrible that the Upper Sixth, this incredibly committed and talented year group, has been robbed of performing arts their final Musical. And so such ‘classics’ as All Alone, Carpe Frickin’ Diem and We’re Gonna Bring the Noise were released as part of a 40-minute brand new musical. The students were great, giving up their ‘outside’ time to record and record again, in rain, wind and quite literally snow. The process was extremely technical and potentially took longer to complete than a normal two-hour live musical. Huge congratulations must be given to Neo M,Will J, Eshan C, Charles T, Chloe S, Melissa M, Lucy H and Freya C who not only performed beautifully, but worked very hard behind the scenes in response to the barrage of emails and requests they received from us. It is a project that will live with me for a long, long time. It was with these students that our lockdown experience began. Something we all had to try to master quickly - I don’t think we ever got close to actual mastery - was sound and video editing. My first foray was taking the many, many snippets of Les Misérables (the 2019 Musical, our last live event) and trying to turn it into an enjoyable viewing experience for all those at home. I think I just about managed it but
21 thankfully Mr Charlesworth joined us shortly after and such butchery will never see the light of day again. It was such a moving experience for me, looking over the show again and remembering what an outstanding job the students did in the most challenging and famous of all shows. This year’s Sister Act is now in rehearsal and I am already looking ahead with both excitement at seeing the students create something fit for theWest End once more, and with a sense of sadness with the realisation that it will be my last project at the School. The most challenging lockdown effort was by some distance Bugsy Malone, the Year 7 Musical which involved the entire year group. Trying to align and edit nearly 200 individual vocal and video submissions was a nightmare. Everyone involved was sick of the sight of Final Cut Pro by the end of the show but the final product was something very special indeed. A particular highlight for me was the joy in Mr Romhany’s voice as he pushed a custard pie into his daughter Anna’s face as part of the finale. Excellent stuff. At the other end of the School we saw the senior students take on Shakespeare’s beautiful pastoral comedy As You Like It as a radio play. Radio plays are very different to the traditional fare and the skills needed offer a significant challenge. As always, our students easily stepped up to the mark. The play was funny, charming and perfectly poised and would have not been out of place on Radio 4. Another successful Shakespeare project was our Shakespeare Schools Festival submission of Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Mrs Hermosa. The production won the best site- specific performance award at the festival, a remarkable achievement indeed. Mrs Hermosa put together a stunning piece of storytelling staged across the school site
22 with our Year 10s who all gave performances of the highest quality. I think it is fair to say that this particular group of students are some of the very best Performing Arts students in the country. Twelfth Night was another Shakespeare Schools Festival smash hit - this one entirely on Zoom - with some of the older students and again the breadth and depth of talent in the student body was there for all to see. The Year 9 students performed two versions of the play Brainstorm in the Memorial Hall, live streamed to a willing audience over two nights. The show is a castinspired reflection on the challenges facing the teenage brain in the modern day. It is a real challenge for all the actors and can prove to be particularly enlightening for the audience; especially when that audience is mainly made of parents, peers and teachers. The students gave compelling and mature performances and made it very clear that the future of the Drama Department is in very safe hands. There were numerous smaller events staged throughout the lockdown period. One event, the classical monologue competition, was a particularly hard-fought contest judged by star of the screen and stage, Joe Bannister. The eventual winner was Emily O’Sullivan who has since gone on to the Mountview School of Acting - one of the leading Drama schools in the world. Huge congratulations also to Neo Merrell and Amiee Mayhew who both secured places at the equally illustrious ArtsEd School of Acting. To have three students achieve places at schools such as this at 18/19 years old is unheard of and we are all so proud of their achievements.
23 The return to a more permanent on-site education naturally saw the return of live theatre and it was really quite joyous. First, the Junior Drama club took to the woods with Mrs Veares’ beautiful adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and theWardrobe. Our promenade through the woods was a stunning experience and a true reminder of what we had missed. Next the Lower Sixth brought the fun with The CompleteWorks of William Shakespeare: Abridged on the outdoor stage. These leaders of school Drama did not disappoint, putting on a 90-minute show that was filled with laughter, energy and outstanding performances. Shortly after it was the Year 10s (again) who took to the outdoor stage with their production of The Exam, another comedy and another very funny evening, ably directed by Mrs Hermosa. Thank you to everyone I have worked with over the last seven years; it has been a very special time. Particular thanks must go to the hundreds and hundreds of young people I have taught and directed and who have brought me such happiness day after day. By Mr M Bulmer Director of Performing Arts
24 I thoroughly enjoyed the Piano for Ballet concert. Although it was virtual, it was a huge success, and many people over the globe tuned in. I especially enjoyed taking part as it was my first dance show with the School. It was a lot of fun making up a ballet dance to such a famous piece of music, and the fact that it was so famous inspired me to create choreography I never thought I was capable of. The piece of music that was chosen for me was the Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy, which is from the Nutcracker. Although it was difficult to film in such a small space, it was lots of fun to have a challenge. I enjoyed fulfilling the task I was given of creating a modern and balletic interpretation of a classical dance. Many others also made up dances to different songs and in different styles, such as contemporary, lyrical and ballet. I thought that the idea of the concert was very original which made it really interesting. I am very thankful for the opportunity that Mrs Carabache gave to me when she asked me to be a part of this concert. By Anna Romhany piano for ballet
25
26
27 After 18 months of making music virtually, in bubbles and without the gratification of full audiences, it was essential that Brentwood School Music Department do a complete summer tour in August of this year.With international travel obviously out of the question, the department decided to run their traditional biannual European tour in the beautiful surroundings of Yorkshire, ably planned and supported by their long-term and excellent tour planners, One Stage Ltd. Starved of live music-making for so long, 66 pupils and eight members of the Music Department staff met for two full days of rehearsals at Brentwood School on the 20th August, primarily preparing the School’s Chamber Choir for a special service of Evensong and the School’s Big Band and string section for two outdoor concerts. The sheer joy of playing and singing together was palpable and the results exceptional. York music tour On Sunday the 22nd, the musicians departed (via double decker coach) to reach the beautiful city of York, and following an idyllic lunch in the backdrop of York Minster, headed straight to the sublime setting of Rowntree Park for our first Big Band performance. The concert was a roaring success, complete with a large and enthusiastic audience, a standing ovation and beautifully sunny weather (which was certainly a welcome surprise!). The Big Band featured a number of debut vocal soloists as well as our traditional and studentled boys’ barbershop and girls’ choir features - the subsequent multiple choruses of a variety of pop songs on the coach, paid testament to some very happy children (and staff). Monday allowed time for a memorable morning exploring Scarborough which also gave the braver (more foolish) students and
28 staff the opportunity for a refreshing dip in the North Sea. Filled with fresh fish and chips, ice cream and candy-floss, the musicians then transferred to Ripon where rehearsals began for our eagerly anticipated service of Evensong that evening. A rich musical programme, including Hadley’s My Beloved Spake (originally composed to be sung in Ripon Cathedral), was expertly performed by the students, whose concentration, commitment and poise was tangible throughout - it was indeed a very special and moving service, which was gratefully received by the large congregation within the Cathedral. Our final day began with a short visit to the Minster, where the students once again performed, amazed by the sheer acoustic of this wondrous Cathedral. Following a light lunch the merry band of young musicians were transferred to Harrogate for the final Big Band performance of the tour and, for departing Upper Sixth students, of their musical careers as students at Brentwood School. The evening did not disappoint and the setting of the Valley Gardens bandstand was truly exceptional. Once again the Big Band were treated to a huge audience, a standing ovation and a seemingly neverending call for encores, which delighted all members of the Band, who eagerly delivered. A final meal of celebration followed, including many student awards, comedy sketches and a true sense of camaraderie between all musicians from ages 11 - 18. The tour will live long in the memory of all students, staff and many members of the school community who were able to join us throughout our time in Yorkshire and was the perfect tonic to the soul, following 18 months of reduced musical opportunities. By Mr F Cooper
29
30 Upon returning to school in September 2020, the landscape of school sport was very uncertain. Regular block fixtures against other schools seemed like a pipe dream, whilst various governing bodies had adapted the rules of their sports to ensure social distancing. The distance of marking in netball was increased, whilst ‘ready for rugby’ focused on students improving their passing and running, with all types of contact being forbidden.Water breaks were replaced by sanitization breaks, and the customary handshakes before and after games were now a fist bump. Despite these restrictions, the appetite for school sport never ceased. Our students showed the same level of commitment to practices and training as before, with over 800 students engaging in our internal fixture programme every Saturday. The ‘franchise’ fixtures allowed students to select their own dream teams, which was a common feature through the Michaelmas term. A Sporting Year Likeno Other
31 By December, we even managed to play our first external fixtures, with Shenfield School bringing over football teams at U12 - U15 to finish the term on a high. The lockdown in January meant that school sport was again put on hold, however ‘virtual sport’ took centre stage once again. This encompassed a variety of activities, with students submitting their skill challenges in athletics, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rugby and tennis. There was the weekly ‘Super Saturday’ live workout (where Mr Bond was one of the standout performers), a virtual Olympic challenge which was designed by our BTEC Sport students and even a virtual fixture against Forest School, where students’ running and cycling distances were combined to decide a winner. The effort from all our students during this time was inspiring, and ensured that we were ready for fixtures in athletics, cricket and tennis which resumed during the Trinity term. I personally was so proud of the way our students stayed engaged with physical activity during this disrupted period. Exercise became part of their daily routine, ensuring that mindfulness and mental health were seen as important as physical performance. As we return to ‘normal’ sport, let’s maintain our commitment to both physical and mental health by continuing to make exercise part of everyday life. By Mr Neil Gamester Director of Sport (3-18)
32 cricket 1st XI After the delayed season got underway, our first fixture saw us face Felsted. Initially a twoday game, the first Saturday was washed out leaving us to play a reduced game the following week. Felsted posted a total of 149 in 35 overs with the game ending in a tie, Callum Balsom the pick of the batters with 64. The next few fixtures kept up the same trend of excitement with the game against Ipswich also going down to the last ball. Runs for Surya James (66) and Jack Levy (54) saw Brentwood post 205. Ipswich reached the total on the very last ball with 5 wickets to spare. Two mid week T20’s against New Hall in the Essex Cup and Forest showed off some very exciting talent from both teams, going down to both teams with lots of batters getting starts and wickets for Callum Balsom and Thinod don Balage in both games. A clear turning point for the team was a decisive victory by 10 wickets against Bancroft’s which truly got the season going.Wickets shared around reduced them to 150. This was chased down by the two openers James Abbott (82) and Thinod (62). The good run of form continued against Old Brentwoods and the MCC, on both occasions chasing down totals of over 200; Surya James (100) against Old Brentwoods, the standout with Callum Balsom (68) and Jack Levy (53) contributing to the win over the MCC. The season once again finished with the annual Schools’ Cricket festival, this year being held at Brentwood with all games being played on the same day. This was a real opportunity to experiment with the new 100 format in a school environment. Sadly Oundle School were unable to attend due to Covid restrictions, however St John’s Leatherhead and Abingdon took up their usual places. The highlight of the day was the game between Brentwood and St John’s Leatherhead, in which the Brentwood boys
33 were victorious by 3 wickets. A debut appearance saw Alex Harvey get 2 wickets, showing real promise for future years and a run chase seeing Surya James on his last appearance for school carrying his bat for a not out 81 off 48 balls walking off the field to a round applause from parents and team mates with his younger brother alongside him. U15A Boys The U15A cricket team had an outstanding season, winning 12 of their 13 matches, usually by a wide margin. The formula for success was set in the first match, away at Skinners’; this was to win the toss, bat first and then defend a total with a strong and varied bowling attack. Evan Ackerman scored 58 in Brentwood’s total of 2064 and Skinners’ were bowled out for 105, with leg-spinner FreddieWren taking 4 wickets. The team’s Essex Cup run began at Gosfield School. On a slow and wet wicket, Brentwood scored a competitive total of 151-7 (led largely by the opening stand between Ackerman andWill Howard). In response, Gosfield were bowled out for 16, with Zach Puchakayala producing a superb spell of controlled swing bowling to take 5 wickets for 2 runs. Unfortunately, Zach injured his back in his last over and did not recover in time to play again during the season. He was a big loss to the team. The team faced Shenfield in the next round, and, sticking to the formula, scored 179 batting first (Howard 74 off 36 balls). Shenfield batted well in reply and after 10 overs U15A Girls The U15 Girls’ Cricket team faced Shenfield School in what should have been a Cup cricket match from last year, however, due to the weather conditions, it had to be delayed until this academic year.With England’s typical weather conditions, unfortunately this game had to be played indoors. Shenfield batted first, setting a total of 72 off their 8 overs. Brentwood into bat, realised a lot about indoor cricket and that it’s all about placement and running first, rather than how hard you can hit the ball. Yet again, a strong start, however the wickets began to fall due to a lack of communication. Constant support from the side, gave the girls the courage to push the singles as hard as they could and fell short of 7 runs after their 8 overs. An exciting season ahead of us for summer 2022.
34 they had a chance of winning. However, Nathan Killilea quickly dismissed both openers and the game was won. In the semi-final against KEGS, a century opening stand from Howard and Ackerman set up a good total of 157. Heavy rain then intervened and KEGS returned the following week to chase the target. Finlay Stronach struck early to dismiss their best batsman and then tight bowling and good fielding restricted KEGS to 109 all out. So to the final, and the chance to avenge the previous year’s defeat to Forest in the U14 Cup final. Howard won an important toss and then scored a superb 70 in Brentwood’s total of 135. Once again, accurate bowling, backed up with committed ground fielding, put Brentwood firmly in control, but a spirited fightback from Forest meant that they needed 19 from the last two overs. Thibaud Mathieson and Jed Southgate held their nerve to bowl those overs and win the game by 6 runs. The team had now qualified for the regional quarter final, where they would face Colfe’s. Ackerman led the way with the bat, scoring 84 off 64 balls and, in reply, Colfe’s were bowled out cheaply for 78 largely due to some excellent seam bowling from Freddie Thorn, Freddie Abbott and Tom Arnold. Following on from their Essex Cup win, the boys progressed
35 through to the Regional final’s day. In the group were; Harrow,Whitgift, Gresham’s and Brentwood. It was an extremely tough draw.With the team facing Harrow, winning the toss Will Howard decided to bat first, posting a target of 134 for 4, with Evan Ackerman top scoring with 60 not out. With the ball, Freddie Thorn and Finlay Stronach set the tone picking up early wickets, leaving Harrow coming up short by 15 runs. Whitgift would win their semi-final, meaning a place at the National finals up for grabs between Brentwood andWhitgift.Whitgift batted first and set a very competitive target of 151 from their 20 overs.Will Howard and Evan Ackerman set a brilliant platform in the powerplay, and managed to move the score onto 60-0 off 8 overs. Unfortunately regular loss of wickets throughout the innings meant the boys were bowled out 57 short of the target. Whitgift went on to win the National competition. It was an incredible Cup run from a team who had matchwinners throughout, but, just as importantly, pulled together U14A Boys After a number of rainaffected games the U14s still had a number of fixtures left to play in September. They had a tough semi final draw against KEGS which they won comfortably in the end. The star performers were Alex Harvey with the ball, James Radden and Nathan Kililea with the bat. This would set up an Essex Cup final against an extremely strong Forest side. In the final, Forest got off to a flyer against the new ball, pace on the ball seemed to disappear to all parts of the ground. Captain Daniel Green decided that pace off would be a better option, his instinct would be right. Abhinay James and the Captain himself managed to bowl economically and pick up a couple of vital wickets. Even with their eight overs combined only going for 45, Forest still managed to post an imposing 164 runs. 164 was always going to be a difficult run chase, but good performances from Nathan as a unit to get themselves over the line in tough situations. They really were a ‘team’ who deserved every ounce of their success. Well done.
36 Kililea, James Radden and Alex Harvey, meant that the team got up to 130. At one point it looked like they might have a sniff, with 5 overs remaining, needing 60 runs. However, it was just too big a total. All the students involved can be proud of their achievement, losing by 30 runs to an extremely strong Forest side. Mr Wright can be a proud coach for what they have achieved this year; hopefully they can winter well and come back stronger next season. U13A Boys The U13A team had a hugely successful season of school cricket. This was the boys’ first full season of cricket due to the COVID outbreak in 2019; the more recent lockdown in January also not helping as it meant that Mr Mickleburgh didn’t have a full winter training with the boys. In September, the team had two matches to play before reaching the finals day on 16th September. They managed to win their last 16 match away on a tired pitch against Shenfield School, withWill D putting in a strong performance with bat and ball. In their quarter-final match they were awarded a walk over and Passmores played a friendly against the B team in what was a nail-biter. On finals day, the team was drawn against KEGS. Ross T and Alex H were the stars with the bat, putting together a match winning partnership worth 84 and scoring 33 and 59 respectively.Will D finished off the innings well by hitting a 6 off the final ball to see the team to a good total of 136. Johnny P starred with the ball taking 4 wickets and contributing to bowling KEGS out for 83 in the 20th setting up a final with the old foe, Forest School. In the final, the team was asked to field first and got off to a flying start with Alex H
37 removing the KEGS Captain in the first over. Forest managed to maneuver the ball round and, although wickets were taken regularly, they managed to post a very competitive 126. In response, although the run rate was well up with the rate the boys lost too many wickets in the first six overs. It was always going to be a tough ask, needing 8 an over with 4 wickets remaining. The lower middle order hit some lusty blows, but in the end Forest were just too strong with the boys losing by 44 runs. The students can be proud to make the Essex Cup Final with all boys contributing to their success along the way. The next target for this talented group is to see if they can go one further and win the competition in 2022. This will require a lot of work and desire to get better over the winter, but it is definitely within their grasp. U13A Girls The U13 Girls’ Cricket team faced both Shenfield School and Chelmsford County High in what should have been a cricket festival from last year, however, due to the weather conditions, it had to be delayed until this academic year.With the majority of girls playing cricket for local clubs over the summer, we had a strong start against Chelmsford County High where we were able to set a total of 74 with the bat, off 15 overs. This innings was filled with quick, sharp singles made by all the girls which contributed massively to our total. Unfortunately, we gave away too many extras in the field which led us to narrowly lose the game by just 2 runs. Back-to-back games saw us play Shenfield School straight after our narrow defeat. Here, Shenfield had a very strong batting side which allowed them to set an outstanding total of 124 off their 15 overs. Brentwood, straight into bat started off well, yet again running the quick singles to ensure the runs per over kept ticking on. Unfortunately, 3 wickets were lost in one over causing the middle order to have all the pressure. The pressure broke them and we lost a couple more wickets. The tailenders had a big task at hand to score 53 off the last over. Although both games were lost, much improvement has been made over the summer and we look forward to summer 2022.
38 U12 A Boys The U12A side have had a fantastic first season here at Brentwood, Their season was elongated into September with them also reaching the Essex Cup finals day. In their semi- final, they bowled out Shenfield for an impressive 28 runs and reached the total, losing only a single wicket. The wickets were shared amongst the bowling unit and some fantastic fielding helped to bowl Shenfield out for 28. Coopers’ won the other semifinal amassing a huge 200 runs against Chigwell, thus meaning that the final would be a tough game against a strong opposition. Losing the toss, the team was asked to field first, Jack Carpenter setting the tone in the first over with a fantastic direct hit to run out the Shenfield opener, leaving Coopers’ 0-1. The rest of the innings was a tough grind, on a flat pitch, in hot conditions. The pick of the bowlers were Jack Carpenter and Amar Dhanjal; both were extremely economical and helped restrict Coopers’ to 94 from their 20 overs. In response, JacobWagner and Jack Carpenter got the side off to a flyer, both scoring fluently and keeping the scoreboard ticking over with ease. The pair put on 60 in the first 10 overs, striking boundaries at will. Jack was bowled with a good delivery on 31, but Sidney Small came in at 3 to help steer the side home. Jacob batted extremely calmly and ended up unbeaten on 33 with the winning runs being scored. All students contributed throughout the day and they can be extremely proud of their achievement in being crowned Essex U12 County Champions. The side will now represent Essex in the regional round of the National competition which will start at the beginning of next season. A special mention must go to Mr Rees, who has put in a lot of time with the players and has ultimately helped make each student a better player.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA4ODM=