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HEADMASTER’S NEWSLETTER – DECEMBER 2014
Dear Parents,
We have had the most wonderful finale to the end of a
hugely busy and productive term. A record number of boys
sat the Entrance Exam in November and early indications
are that we will have an extremely strong cohort entering
Year 7 in 2015.
Our musical production of Oliver was performed to sell out
audiences and we were delighted that the Bailiff, Sir
Michael Birt was able to present the awards at our recent
GCSE and A Level Certificates Evening, one of the last
public duties before Sir Michael retires.
Our RAF Section won the South West England Ground
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Training competition held at Blandford on 7 December.
They are now in the National Finals to be held at RAF
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Halton in March. On 9 December, our CCF .22 Shooting
Team won the Jersey Cadet Unit Shooting competition.
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Our 1 XI footballers were victorious in both the Jersey and
Channel Islands Football League. Our Under 18 De Putron
Challenge Team defeated all Secondary Schools in both
Jersey and Guernsey; we congratulate team members Alex
Hodnett, James Le Breton, Isaac Le Breton and Charlie
O’Connell. Oisin Devitt, Year 8 broke a world record for the
speed of climbing to the 6200 metre summit of Island Peak
on the flanks of Mount Everest. Nathanael Walwyn in Year
13 competed in the Junior Commonwealth Fencing
Championships held in Glasgow and we were delighted to
learn that Jacques Brangeon, Max Treharne, Jamie Smith
and Jordan Sleight were all selected to represent Jersey in
a Triangular Tournament in Basingstoke for water polo.
Once again our modern linguists came away from the
Eisteddfods with some outstanding successes (see later).
We are very grateful to all parents who attend the many
events that take place at Victoria College throughout the
term. We had an excellent audience for our recent
Christmas Music Concert held in the Great Hall and it was
wonderful to see well over 200 parents supporting their
sons on Saturday morning to witness the Year 7, 8 and 9
football House matches and three hockey matches played
on the Claremont all weather pitch. Your support is greatly
appreciated.
Many congratulations to all those who supported the Ruth
Sangan Challenge in September. I gather from Pierre and
the family that a large sum of money has been raised for
Jersey Hospice Care. Congratulations also to Charlie
Zaman in Year 13 who was instrumental in organising the
Schools’ response to Movember. In our recent whole
school assembly, we were delighted to present two
cheques of over £700 to Jersey McMillan Cancer Trust and
to Mind Jersey. My thanks to all parents who supported
our Tinathon appeal in aid of the elderly in Jersey. The
response was amazing. I would like to thank all our
students, the staff and you, our parents for your kind
support of all of these most important charities.
Finally, this Newsletter contains a letter from the Chairman
of the Board of Governors referring to the recent Teaching
and Learning inspection carried out by Ms Rowan
Edbrooke. The findings and recommendations from this
report will be discussed at Governor level early in the new
year and this information will be disseminated to parents
via a Parent Forum that will be held at the College before
half term.
May I take this opportunity to thank everyone for such a
productive term at Victoria College and wish you all a very
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
School News
Congratulations
The following boys have been entered into the Book of
Excellence for November:
Oliver Wilderspin – For winning The Trophee de la
Maison de Normandie for French speaking in The Jersey
Eisteddfod.
Tanguy Billet-Masters – For winning The Gillian Thomas
Trophy for Prepared Reading, The Enid Le Feuvre Cup for
Verse Speaking and the Florence Lady Trent Trophy for
Prose Speaking in The Jersey Eisteddfod.
Aidan Carroll – For winning The Shakespeare Class in
The Jersey Eisteddfod and for gaining Passes with
Distinction in The Lamda Award at Grade 5.
Pippin Mawby – For winning a Bronze Award in The Junior
Section of the Commonwealth Essay Competition 2014.
Willoughby Masterman – For coming second in The
British Under 12 Surf Championships.
Oliver Voak – For gaining Passes with Distinction in The
Lamda Awards at Grades 6 and 7.
Jack Scambler – For winning Gold at the National
Championships for life saving.
Willoughby Bailey - For winning Gold at the National
Championships for life saving.
William Dryland - For gaining Passes with Distinction in
The Lamda Awards at Grades 6 and 7.
Matthew Bowen - For winning The Ernie Mallet Trophy for
Improvised Drum Solo in The Jersey Eisteddfod.
Joseph Barette - For outstanding commitment and a
strong performance in the production of “Oh What A Lovely
war” at The Jersey Arts Centre.
Sports Results:
Hockey
tirelessly since mid-September with a cast of over 60
pupils- bringing a full week of matinee and evening
productions to a sell-out audience.
Lucy Douglas noted that ‘The cast have been an absolute
dream to work with and we are so proud of every single
one of them. Every week they have given their all and the
talent amongst us is breath taking. We are very lucky to
have such wonderful students. The stunning and extremely
talented JCG student Mica Young gave a compelling and
heartfelt performance as Nancy with a captivating rendition
of As Long As He Needs Me revealing an inner
determination whilst wrestling her blind devotion to violent
crook Bill Sykes, played by Euan Spencer.
1st XI
VCJ
VCJ
2-3
1-2
Hautlieu HC
JHC Leopards
5-3
0-1
2-2
JHA Ladies
HHC Harriers
HHC Hunters
2nd XI
VCJ
VCJ
VCJ
Stephanie Humphries added 'Some of the songs have
really tested their range and ability but they have all worked
incredibly hard to polish their performances. I have been so
impressed by the professionalism and team spirit shown'.
Colts
VCJ
VCJ
VCJ
Many other characters such as Mr Bumble (Sam Woolf),
Widow Corney (Niamh O'Hare) and Mr and Mrs
Sowerberry (Charles Blackwell and Jessica Garton)
brought some great comic moments and relief from the
tension. Fagin’s gang were cheeky, fun and lively; both
Dodger (Tanguy Billet Masters) and Fagin (Nathan Le
Blancq) brought some excellent on stage chemistry as the
loveable duo’.
Football
Oliver had all the right ingredients of the ultimate battle
between good and bad - compellingly, portrayed by this
strong cast. It really was a terrific show and had the
audience clapping their hands in admiration and asking for
more!
1st XI
Author Visit 2014
VCJ
VCJ
VCJ
2-1
0-0
2-1
6-3
7-1
0-5
HHC Hunters
OV Victoriana
JHA Ladies
Elizabeth College
Guernsey Grammar
Highlands
1st XI win the Channel Island and Jersey leagues.
Tour Results
VCJ
VCJ
VCJ
2-3
4-0
0-5
Charterhouse
Eton
Kings Wimbledon
Design Technology – Arkwright Award 2014
The Design and Technology Department at Victoria College
are overjoyed to announce that another Design Student
was recently awarded a prestigious Arkwright Engineering
Scholarship at a ceremony hosted by the Institution of
Engineering & Technology in London. James Russ (12 Di)
was presented with his Scholarships and industrial
placement opportunity with Surrey Satellite Technologies.
This is one of the most prestigious placements available
through this scheme and demonstrates the talent within
Victoria College. James will now be our ninth Arkwright
Scholar to gain this award.
Oliver!
Victoria College brought the Charles Dickens classic and
family favourite Oliver! to life with their annual musical,
which was staged in the Howard Davis Theatre last week.
The Music and Drama Department have been working
On Wednesday 26th November, all members of Years 7
and 8 were treated to a lively and engaging presentation,
involving general knowledge, literary knowledge and a set
of rugby posts, by this year’s visiting author, Tom Palmer.
Author of the three football series: Football Academy, Foul
Play and The Squad, as well as a new series, Rugby
Academy, Tom was impressed by the enthusiasm of
Victoria College students and it was fantastic to witness
sporting prowess crossover with the enjoyment of reading.
At lunchtime, student librarians had the opportunity to meet
with Tom Palmer and many students took the opportunity to
have their copies of Tom Palmer’s books autographed. A
great afternoon was had by all.
The Foundation
The Foundation organised a highly successful Law Dinner
in the De Quetteville Library on Thursday 20 November,
involving four speakers and 25 students interested in
pursuing a career in Law. The speakers were all old boys
who spoke about the routes they took into their careers
along with how they handled some of the challenges along
the way. Each speaker was at a different stage in their
career from recent graduate to Partner and dealt with
different aspects of the Law to provide a fascinating insight.
After the initial presentations, the boys were able to pick
their brains over dinner. A very big thank you to our
speakers, who generously gave up their time: Timothy
Hanson of Hanson Renouf, Robert Hickling from Mourant
Ozannes, Simon Hurry from Collas Crill and Greg HeraldHowes from Viberts Jersey Lawyers. Two more dinners
are planned: Finance on Thursday 22 January and
Engineering on Thursday 12 March – more details will be
available in the New Year and sent out to students in Years
11-13.
Enclosed with the recent mailing of the Foundation
Newsletter, kindly supported by Quilter Cheviot Investment
Management, was a Personal Information Form. For those
of you in receipt of this it would be extremely helpful if you
could fill it out and return it to The Foundation, either by
post or email to foundation@vcj.sch.je. This is an excellent
way to help us keep the database up to date and to help us
ensure that we are providing the right sort of opportunities.
If you have a bit of spare time on your hands then do get in
touch with Sara Clews, our Development Director, at
s.clews@vcj.sch.je, if you are able to become a mentor for
students or become a volunteer and help the Development
Office in a variety of ways.
Equally, drop into the
Foundation Lodge located to the right of the main gates.
The Foundation has been greatly enabled this year through
tremendous support from sponsors and so our thanks must
be extended during this festive period to Francis Clayton
and Tim Childe of Quilter Cheviot Investment Management
and Clive Barton of Moore Stephens.
School Information
Mock Examinations - January 2015
Please be aware that for both internal and external
examinations, students are personally responsible for
attending all their examinations and arriving in sufficient
time. Year 11 students must be in school for the duration
of the school day, regardless of their exam timetable for
each day. Provision will be made for them to revise at
school during free exam sessions. Years 12 and 13
students will be on study leave. They must be on time for
examinations and attend in school uniform.
All students in years 11 to 13 should have a Mock Exam
timetable and yellow information sheet included in the
mailing. They should check the timetable carefully for any
exam clashes and, if there is no note on their sheet of the
designated alternative time slot for them to sit the second
paper, they must see Mrs Stevenson or Mr Gray at the start
of the new term. Students who study at JCG will also have
a copy of their exam timetable. See the notes on the yellow
sheet regarding VC/JCG exam clashes.
N.B. Year 11 students were given a copy of their timetable
10 days prior to the end of term to give them time to spot
any clashes and inform Mrs Stevenson. The copy enclosed
is to ensure it reaches home for parental information.
The Mock Examinations will be conducted under exam
conditions. Students must leave their mobile telephones
(turned off) and any items with internet connectivity in the
school office prior to the start of the exam. It is the
students’ personal responsibility to arrive in school uniform
with all the necessary equipment – pens, pencils, eraser,
and calculators if applicable. Pencil cases should be clear
and contents clearly visible. Water may be taken into the
exam room but all labels must be removed. School bags
must be left in their lockers.
The Mock Examination Timetables are also posted on the
school website.
Summer 2015 Exams
It is anticipated that summer exam entries will be made
during January and February. Re-sit forms will be available
from the start of the new term and students should
complete and return them, together with the fee/s, as soon
as possible, and certainly by the stated deadline. Please
note that re-sit entries will not be made until the fee is
received. Late entries are subject to additional fees as
imposed by the exam boards. If a student is re-sitting more
than one component, a single cheque for the combined
fees is perfectly acceptable. As soon as all the entries
have been made, students will receive Statements of Entry
for checking, followed by individual Exam Timetables.
Advance notice
The practical components for the Cambridge iGCSE ICT
will take place on Thursday 23rd April a.m. (Paper A
0417/22) and Monday 27th April a.m. (Paper B 0417/32).
Readiness for learning
During public examinations, boys often turn up without the
necessary equipment. We will be monitoring this closely
during the mock examinations in January and will keep you
informed if your son turns up to an examination without an
essential item. If boys develop good habits now, they will
be well prepared for the summer examinations.
Learning Support Centre update
This Second half of term has proved to be as exciting as
the first. The Learning Support Centre has continued to
introduce and consolidate the changes made in the first half
term. After sending out a ParentMail requesting volunteers
to support the boys in class and in the Learning Support
Centre, we were delighted to receive so many enthusiastic
and keen parental volunteers. Our new Voluntary Teaching
assistants (VTA's) will start helping us in early January. I
am so encouraged by the range of experiences and
expertise that our 12 new VTA's will add to the Department
and the school. I am delighted with this step forward and
the partnership this will develop between the parent body
and the school. Thank you.
The department has also been very busy researching and
purchasing new and more detailed tools for testing boys
with specific learning difficulties. We hope these new tests
will provide greater analysis to enable us to put the right
intervention programmes in place. We have focused this
half term on KS4 &5 to ensure boys are ready for their
mock examinations in January providing opportunities for 1
to 1's and group sessions on how best to revise and
organise a revision timetable.
Our lunchtime chess club goes from strength to strength
and we are so pleased with all the help and support from
the sixth form boys who organise this lunchtime activity.
Mrs Jury has now left College to join a Primary School
working in Year 1. We thank her for all the work she has
done in the department and in class and both staff and
boys will certainly miss her. We wish her well. In January,
we hope to welcome another Teaching Assistant to the
team.
Trident
Inclement Weather
Congratulations go to Tom Carey 11S, who was awarded
‘Best Trident Student 2014’ for Victoria College at the
Trident 30th Anniversary awards ceremony held on
nd
Tuesday 2 December. Tom hugely impressed the staff at
Jersey Airport. They commented how ‘he is confident
without being arrogant and I am in no doubt that he is an
excellent ambassador for Trident and for Victoria College’.
He experienced all aspects of the life of the airport and his
line manager described him as ‘The best Trident student
ever’.
As we enter the winter season, there is an increased risk
that bad weather may require the DfESC to close Schools.
For closure out of school hours please listen to Channel
Television, Radio Jersey or Channel 103 for advice. If
closure is declared during a school day, you will be
contacted by text and your son will either walk home, walk
to a place of work or remain at College until collected
depending on the request you have already identified. If
you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact
the College Office on 638200.
French and Spanish Eisteddfod Results 2014
Lost Property
Year 7
Charlie Morgan 7Bu
Leon Harrison-Lopez 7Bu
Toby Clark 7Bu
Christos Valerkou 7 Bu
Joshua Lawrenson 7Bu
Jack Allan 7S
Brett Hunter 7S
Charlie Bloor 7 Di
Dylan Kotedia 7Di
Oliver Wilderspin
Zach Husbands
Oliver Mitchell
Finlay Michon
Year 8
Robert Swain 8Bw
Myles Byron 8Bw
Jack Harben 8Bu
Tanguy Billet-Masters 8Du
Antoine Chesnay
Lost property will be placed on the bag racks outside Bistro
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Victoria on Wednesday 17 December between 2pm and
4pm. Parents are invited to come to College and identify
any items that may belong to their sons.
Silver
Gold
Silver
Silver
Gold
Silver
Silver
Silver
Platinum
Platinum
Silver
Silver
Silver
Dates for your Diary:
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Monday 5 Jan
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Wednesday 14 Jan
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Tuesday 20 Jan
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Friday 30 Jan
Bronze
Gold
Silver
Platinum and Gold
Gold
Year 11
Dominic Hodnett 11Du
Harry Rosenthal-Kenny 11Du
Simon Joseph Oliver 11Du
Year 12
Guy Pim 12Bu
Dan Tremenciero 12Bu
Euan Spencer 12Du
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Wednesday 11 Feb
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Thursday 12 Feb
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Friday 13 Feb
rd
Monday 23 Feb
Silver
Gold
Gold
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Wednesday 25 Feb
Half Term:
Gold
Silver
Gold
Mrs Roussel’s classes received the following awards:
Year 8 Choral speaking Gold and the Famille Coutanche
Trophy
Year 10 Choral speaking Gold and the Judy Marie Lafolley
Trophy. Classes’ gold and Platinum
The Spanish results are as follows:
Finlay Arenz 8Bw
Maximilliam Schiessl 9Bu
Gold Certificate
Gold Certificate
Thomas Andrews 9BW
Niam Patel
9Bu
Andrew Roxburgh 9 Di
Daniel Du Val 11Bu
Alfie Fern 10 Du
Benjamin Battrick
Silver Certificate
Silver Certificate
Silver Certificate
Silver Certificate
Copper Certificate
Copper Certificate
First day of Spring Term - College
reopens at 8.25am
Year 11 Mock Exam Week
Year 12 & 13 Mock Exam Week
Year 7 Subject Teacher/Parent
Consultation Evening 4pm
Year 11 Full Written Reports
posted home to parents
House Music Evening 1
House Music Evening 2
Year 9 Full Written Reports posted
home to parents
Periodics for Years 12 and 13 only
posted home to parents
Prison! Me! No Way! day for Year
8 all day
Year 11 Subject Teacher/Parent
Consultation Evening from 4pm
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Monday 16 – Friday 20 February