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Scissorum
Merchant Taylors’ School
From the
Head Master
1561
Issue 90
Voyages of Discovery
Today is Field Day, when boys take
part in a range of stimulating trips
and activities. The CCF and Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award boys are busily
engaged preparing for Inspection Day
and Award Expeditions, whilst other
boys have been out and about at the
London Eye, Tower Bridge and the
Science and Natural History Museums
among others. At Sandy Lodge, we have
hosted local junior and preparatory
schools for sporting, Maths, Music, and
Modern Languages activities.
Last night, I very much enjoyed listening
to Shami Chakrabarti, the Director of
Liberty, who spoke passionately about
the case for safeguarding civil liberties;
I would also like to thank her for taking
the time to be interviewed by Sixth
Former Maneet Patel.
Hockey has had a wonderful season and
I would like to again pay tribute to our
1st XI. They managed to win their third
game in four days, which demonstrates
not only their sheer technical acumen
against some excellent opposition, but
an impressive level of stamina - my
congratulations to them all.
Finally, it has been a busy week in the
Music Department. There was a superb
Chamber Music Concert on Wednesday
night and the String Quartet competed
with distinction at St John’s Smith
Square in the final of the South East
Schools’ Chamber Music Competition.
It is now not long at all until the Joint
Concert with St Helen’s — I do hope to
see you all there!
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSThis Week
Welcome aboard
Merchant Taylors’ has welcomed over 140 new boys and their parents to the
school community after what, for them, will have seemed like a marathon of
interviews, examinations, and offer letters. We are delighted that so many have
chosen to entrust MTS with the development of their sons and we look forward
to welcoming them in September. The demand for places remains as high as
ever: those boys lucky enough to have gained a place can be confident that they
have earned it. We will now start the process of allocating our newest pupils to
houses so that they can meet their Head of House next term and be given the
“treasured tie”. In the meantime, we wish all of them an enjoyable final term at
their current Schools.
Mr J G Taylor, Registrar
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MTSThis Week
Shami Chakrabarti
On Thursday evening, a crowd of over 300 guests were treated to
a talk by Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty. Her softly-spoken,
eloquent presentation concerned the importance of human rights
and how these rights can protect citizens against three major
patterns, which she sees as emerging in the world today. First, she
discussed the legitimacy of the assumption that the innocent have
nothing to fear in a world where we have no privacy. She addressed
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the undermining of legal aid and the presumption of innocence;
and finally, she discussed more generally, the increasing hatred of
“others” that has become so characteristic of today’s societies. After
a question and answer session, Ms Chakrabarti signed copies of
her book and posed for photos. A great, thought-provoking event,
and thanks must go to all those involved in organizing another
inspirational lecture at MTS.
March 13 2015
MTSThis Week
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MTSThis Week
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MTSThis Week
Fill The Gap!
This term, a small group of UVI has been following the Lego for Learning programme during Extension and Enrichment
classes. This week, this took the form of participating in Lego’s ‘Fill The Gap’ competition, an opportunity to create forms that
improve existing architectural space. Below are some of the boys’ efforts.
Any other pupils out there who want to show they can do better?
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March 13 2015
MTSThis Week
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MTSThis Week
Staying safe
In the last two weeks, many of the 4ths and 5ths have listened to current medical students provide extremely interesting and
informative presentations on safe sexual relationships and sexual health. The presentations included interactive quizzes, the
chance to examine different types of contraception.
The boys were extremely grateful for the opportunity to hear from some experts and asked some rather challenging questions.
We thank the Sexpression Charity for their services and will certainly be calling upon their services again in the future.
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March 13 2015
MTSThis Week
Seminar on Greek Tragedy
Dr Richard Rutherford, tutor in Classical languages and
literature at Christ Church, Oxford led a seminar on Greek
tragedy entitled Greek myth and tragedy: the case of Iphigenia.
Dr Rutherford has been tutor in Classical languages and
literature at Christ Church, Oxford, for the past thirty years, and
addressed our Classicists on Iphigenia this Tuesday. He has
published widely on a range of Greek literature, and is currently
working on a commentary on Iliad Book 18. His topic on
Tuesday was the use of the myth in Greek tragedy, and he used
the figure of Iphigenia as an examples. Euripides’ Iphigenia at
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Aulis is this year’s set text, and tells of the beginnings of the
Trojan War, when the gods order the Greek leader Agamemnon
to sacrifice his own daughter to ensure safe passage to Troy.
Dr Rutherford spoke of the twists and changes in the plot,
questioned how seriously we should take those sentiments in
the play that strike a modern audience as racist, sexist, and
nationalistic. He was impressed by the intelligent questions
posed by the pupils in discussion, and his ability to pluck lines
from Hesiod a and the like made clear the vast knowledge that
he has gathered through his Classical studies.
March 13 2015
MTSThis Week
Electric Umbrella
On Thursday evening, 7 Phab team members and 3 staff went
to see Electric Umbrella perform at the Watersmeet Theatre
in Rickmansworth. The night saw people of all abilities
performing on stage to a packed out room of family, friends
and fans.
The highlight had to be their rendition of ‘Mmmmmmmmm’
sung by Ben who was very excited to be able to perform. The
boys tried to start a conga but the crowd was too enthralled in
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the stage action to join in! Electric Umbrella tries to get people
of all abilities participating in music, and it seems to be working
extremely well.
The musicians who run Electric Umbrella will be doing a
workshop during this year’s Phab Week, where our guests will
partake in a music-making experience involving everyone,
culminating in a gala final performance. We very much look
forward to welcoming them back to Merchant Taylors’.
March 13 2015
MTSThis Week
Hilles bakes for Comic Relief
On Wednesday, Tom Shannon shared a delicious Comic-Relief themed cake with Hilles House. Admired for its presentation
and taste, the cake helped Hilles House to raise money for our Indian Education Charity, which supports the Raphael Centre in
Dehradun, an excellent school for intellectually disabled teenagers and PYDS outside Dehradun, which educates economically
disadvantaged rural children from ages 2 to 16. Thank you, Tom!
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MTSThis Week
Design Centre
The Design Centre’s construction is progressing smoothly - the walls are now taking shape and the roof is on!
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MTSCreative Writing
Notting Hill
The wind was strong and biting, typical London
weather really. Small puddles filled the streets
as we ventured around Notting Hill.
While at Notting Hill you’re most likely to
see a celebrity. I’ve seen Noel Gallagher and
Sienna Miller there.
“Look,” my mum shouted excitedly, “This stall
has old records and record players!”
“Can I get a picture with them,” I asked my
mum but she refused because she is a big fan
of both and was embarrassed to ask.
We went in, only to find MILLIONS of musicrelated items. We even saw an Elvis Presley
lamp, which we just had to buy.
The rain was unpredictable as it pelted down,
then drizzled… and then pelted down again.
The weather forecast said it was going to be
cloudy, so I was unprepared. I got soaked to
the bone! My clothes were stuck to my body as
if someone glued it there. They were heavy. I
dragged my shoes through puddles. The sound
of water whooshing in my shoe was constant.
The people walking around Notting Hill with
umbrellas taunted me as I watched them stay
dry. How would you feel if you were saturated
while everyone else was trotting around with
umbrellas and staying dry? A piece of advice:
always bring umbrellas or a jacket with a
hood when the weather says it’s going to be
cloudy because the weathermen are wrong.
The Notting Hill markets were bustling with
people. The sound of rain pattering against the
pavements was loud. But most of all, l heard
lots of conversations, but maybe I’m just nosy!
The people there are very friendly. Notting hill
is very social and friendly (lots of friends go
there for a coffee or just to see the markets).
The smell of freshly made cakes made me
dreamy as it wafted out of the Hummingbird.
The Hummingbird is THE BEST cake shop
ever! My favourite is Black Bottom (chocolate
cake with icing and chunks of cheesecake.)
Around the corner from Notting Hill is
Portobello Road. If you’re feeling a little
hungry, there is sometimes street food. If that
doesn’t appeal to you, around the other corner
(Golborne Road) there are many restaurants
and cafés. There is a pizza restaurant called
Pizza East, a Portuguese café called Lisboa and
the Golborne Café. I got quite excited when
I saw Virgin EMI records, which have The
Libertines signed to their record. There are
one or two shops with really nice, old furniture.
They also put dead butterflies in glass to
display. The Notting Hill markets were a lot of
fun. I would definitely go again!
Dylan Williams (Form III/Year 7)
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March 13 2015
MTSLooking Forward
EPQ Presentation evening
Monday 16th March in the Great Hall 6.30-8.30pm
Come along to the Great Hall on March 16th to quiz this year’s
candidates about the EPQ projects they have been working on
for the past 18 months.
For those of you unfamiliar with the name , the Extended
Project Qualification is an A Level course where students plan,
research and develop a piece of work completely independently
(and outside of the classroom). This can be either an academic
report of about 5000 words, or the production of an artefact or a
performance accompanied by a critical commentary,
Students are responsible for every stage of the project, from
initial planning, selection and evaluation of sources through
to producing the final piece and presenting their work to a
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non -specialist audience. A successful EPQ involves at least 90
hours of independent study, and the qualification is extremely
well regarded by universities.
This year we have 38 candidates, and are delighted to be
hosting 12 from Harefield Academy, which makes it our biggest
evening yet!
Subjects include Putin and the oligarchs; the Psychology Of
Colour; Singapore; the Video Simulation of Reality; Chess and
IQ; the Hubble telescope; Bitcoin currency; and the Two-state
Solution for the Palestine/Israeli conflict. Artefacts include an
off-road tricycle, models of the Large Hadron Collider, original
magic tricks inspired by the history of the craft and an oboe
duet with a classical take on “All Blues” from Miles’ Davis jazz
classic ‘Kind of Blue’.
March 13 2015
MTSField Day
Field Day
At MTS, the real voyage of discovery – to quote Marcel Proust,
“consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new
eyes”. With all respect to Proust, there is no doubt that a day
devoted to educational visits and adventures helps each
student imagine the world in new ways and today was “Field
Day”, a day when the whole school goes off-timetable.
Already, this week, the boys have been out in Oxford and at
Westminster and today the Third Form were at the British
Museum, the Upper III at the Cutty Sark, and the IVth Form
at the Natural History and the Science Museums. Sixth
Formers have visited the London Eye, Tower Bridge and
Wembley Stadium. In the CCF, Army cadets have been on
Army training camp at Longmoor, Navy cadets will spend the
night on HMS Bristol and at the naval base at Portsmouth and
RAF cadets are visiting RAF Northolt. There have also been
watersports activities at Datchet.
London Eye
London Eye
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March 13 2015
MTSField Day
London Natural History and Science Museum
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MTSField Day
London Tower Bridge
London Tower Bridge
Tower of London
Wembley
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March 13 2015
MTSField Day
Wembley
Wembley
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Wembley
March 13 2015
MTSField Day
Boys at Datchet reservoir
Sailing Josh Walker with a Gopro webcam
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Sailing Duncan Birkenshaw
March 13 2015
MTSField Day
Primary Schools’ Liaison Day
Merchant Taylors’ welcomed pupils from Christchurch,
Chorleywood and Eastbury Farm to the school for a day of
activities in the Gymnasium and Modern Foreign Languages.
The day was largely organised and led by our own pupils, who
ensured that our guests had an exciting and enjoyable time,
whilst learning many new skills.
60 Year 5 children from two local primary schools enjoyed
French, German and Spanish taster lessons, planned and
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delivered by 5th and 6th Formers, who taught the pupils
numbers, parts of the body, and colours.
The primary school pupils really enjoyed themselves
and – just as importantly – it gave our senior linguists the
opportunity to see what it is like being teacher for a day!
In addition, later on we welcomed local prep school children
for the Prep Schools Maths Afternoon and into the Music
Department.
March 13 2015
MTSField Day
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MTSField Day
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MTSField Day
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March 13 2015
Corporal RJC Jerome, Yorkshire Regiment
died this day, March 13th 1915
In 1915, as the weather improved, the Allies
launched a major attack around Neuve
Chapelle, France, in an attempt to break the
stalemate of the Western Front. The battle was
initially successful, with the British breaking
through, but a German counter attack nullified
this early success and the pattern of stalemate,
which was to last until 1918, was established.
40,000 Allied troops took part during the battle
and suffered 7,000 British and 4,200 Indian
casualties. 1.2 miles of ground was captured.
Many OMT’s served at Neuve Chapelle
and sadly some lost their lives. The first
was Corporal Ralph Jerome who attended
Merchant Taylors’ from 1899 - 1901 before
Captain Eric James
This week has seen the weather improve and
thoughts turn to the onset of spring. A hundred
years ago, in 1915, the soldiers of the newly
formed Western Front were also enjoying a
respite from the grim conditions of the previous
winter. Sadly, the improvement in conditions
also meant an escalation in the conflict and this
marks the anniversary of the death of no less
than four members of the Merchant Taylors’
community, including its first teacher - Captain E
S P K James, MA., of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
Eric James was born in September 1887, the
son of two teachers. Educated at St Paul’s
School, he won an Exhibition to read Classics
at Corpus Christi Collge, Cambridge where
he graduated with 2nd class honours. He took
up a teaching post at Oundle before arriving
at Merchant Taylors’ in 1913 as an Assistant
Master on the ‘Modern Side’. The Taylorian
paid tribute to his time at the School: “Captain
James had identified himself in every way with
the interests of the School. In the classroom
he obtained excellent results; in particular the
success of his original methods of teaching
history had attracted considerable notice. He
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going to Dulwich College. He was born in in
1888 in Surrey and lived in Clapham. Another
professional soldier, he had served in Egypt
with the Yorkshire Regiment for 8 years before
leaving the army in February 1914. When war
broke out the following August he rejoined.
The toll of the war was starting to mount and
it is interesting to note that the Taylorian
tributes grew shorter in 1915, so our knowledge
of Corporal Jerome is very limited. Mr Taylor
writes, “I’m delighted to that we have been
able to trace this picture of him, as none was
printed in the Taylorian 100 years ago. He
is commemorated on the memorial at Le
Touquet, signifying that his body was lost in
the battle and has no known grave”.
also took a keen interest in the games...”
As a member of the OTC (now known as the
CCF) Captain James was admired by those
he worked with. It is poignant to note that he
returned from holiday early in August to help
drill OMTs who wanted to practise prior to
joining up. His membership of the OTC made
him eligible for being called up, and at the end
of September he joined the King’s Royal Rifle
Corps. He went to France in January 1915. Sadly,
he was to be another Merchant Taylor to fall
victim to a sniper’s bullet whilst supervising
work on the trenches at midnight on March
17th, south of Ypres at a town called Dikkebus
(current spelling) where many Merchant
Taylors’ boys have stayed on their visits to the
battlefields.
Captain Hugo Watson, then temporarily
in command of the 4th K.R.R.C. wrote: “He
was shot in the head last night, about 11.45,
while standing behind a breastwork, while
superintending his men at work filling
sandbags. He was killed instantly. We buried
him to-day in the Military Cemetery at
Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
Dickebusch, four miles from Ypres and
2½ miles from where he was killed. . .
. I cannot tell you what a great loss he
is. I was Adjutant of the 6th K.R.R.C., til
recently when I came out here. . . . I know
what splendid work he did at Sheerness
and how Colonel Brownlow depended
on him. I was with him last Sunday, when
we had a very nasty time; he was very
cool, and did admirably” ; and Lieut.-Col.
Brownlow, commanding the 6th Battalion,
wrote: “He did excellent work for me down
here, and I heard he was doing real well in
France. He was most popular and looked
up to by everybody, and was a very smart
and efficient soldier.”
The losses of spring 1915 had a profound
effect on the School. The June edition of
the Taylorian was framed in black to mark
the loss of two esteemed teachers. The
scale of the war was becoming apparent.
Captain John Henry Lyle Haller, d. 12/3/1915
As the weather starts to presage the arrival
of spring, so it was a hundred years ago
that events started to accelerate on the
Western Front. As a result, in the next
few days we will commemorate the loss
of a number of members of the Merchant
Taylors’ community.
A hundred years ago today, Captain John
Haller of the East Surrey regiment lost his
life. He attended Merchant Taylors from
1907-1910, before moving to Lancing. This
obituary is taken from their archive:
John Henry Lyle Haller was born at
Regent’s Park in London on the 21st of
December 1894 the elder son of John
George Haller, a chemical merchant,
and Agnes Mary (nee Watts) Haller of
Langham House, 197 Albany St., Regent’s
Park in London. He was christened on the
16th of January 1895 at St Mark’s Church,
Regent’s Park.
He was educated at Merchant Taylors
School from April 1907 to April 1910 and
at Lancing College where he was in News
House from May 1910 to July 1911. He was
a member of the Officer Training Corps
and while he was at the school he achieved
a certificate for proficiency in life saving.
On leaving school he continued his
education, studying science in France and
Germany.
He intended a career in applied science
and to that end he worked for some
time at the laboratory of Dr Danysz at
the Pasteur Institute, attending lectures
as well as doing practical work in a
manufacturing laboratory. While he was
there he was awarded the Certificate of
the Pasteur Institute.
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Instead of pursuing a career in science he
joined the army and was commissioned
as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd (Reserve)
Battalion East Surrey Regiment on
the 11th of May 1912 and served for six
months in Ireland with the 1st Battalion.
He was promoted to Lieutenant on the
3rd of May 1913 and joined the Special
Reserve of Officers.
He was recalled to the army on the
outbreak of war and went to France on
the 11th of September 1914 where he was
posted to the 1st Battalion of his regiment,
later transferring to the 2nd Battalion.
On the 12th of March 1915 he was at
Lindenhoek and was firing over the
parapet at the enemy, in support of an
attack by units of 7th Brigade, when he
was shot through the head and killed
instantly. He had only recently been
recommended by his Commanding
Officer for promotion to Captain.
Captain S.P. White of the East Surreys
wrote:“I had known Lyle before the war and for
a time he was my subaltern out here. I
never had a better officer serving with me
or a braver comrade. Soon after our 2nd
Battalion came out, they had great losses
in officers, and needing experienced
officers to help them tide over their
temporary difficulties, Lyle was ordered
by name by the Corps Headquarters to
be transferred. This Battalion lost a good
officer then, and one of the cheeriest
and best of companions, and now the
regiment is the poorer.”
Captain J.L. Le Fleming wrote:-
Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
“Lieutenant
Haller was shot
through the head
by a German
bullet, whilst
himself firing
over the parapet
at the Germans.
His death was
instantaneous.
Lieutenant
Haller had just
been recommended by me for promotion to
the rank of Captain and the letter was in my
pocket book when he was shot. I valued his
services immensely and in him I have lost
a most gallant and competent officer. He
was also my subaltern in the 1st Battalion
in October last year. Lieutenant Haller was
buried at Kemmel Churchyard in Belgium.”
Lieutenant Gudon of the 2nd Battalion
wrote, “I was within a few yards of our son
when he died. He was killed about 4.20pm
on March 12th whilst actually firing at
a German from over the parapet. The
exact place was about 120 yards south of
Lindenhoek and about 150 yards N.E. of a
hamlet called Sparnbrook.” The regimental
history records that, “He was a very good
officer and a man of talent”.
He was gazetted as a Captain after his
death on the 9th of April 1915 to rank from
the 2nd of February. He was mentioned in
Sir John French’s despatches of the 31st of
May 1915 for gallantry in the field
March 13 2015
MTSSocieties
Einstein’s Universe
On Tuesday 10th February, it was my great privilege to
introduce Professor Brian Foster and Jack Liebeck to give a
joint talk at Merchant Taylors’, entitled: “Einstein’s Universe”.
Professor Foster is an experimental physicist at Balliol
College, Oxford and he has had tremendous experience in
particle physics and is one of the world leading experts in
the field, currently holding the post of European Director of
the International Linear Collider. Jack Liebeck is Professor of
Violin at the Royal Academy of Music and he has performed
in a plethora of national orchestras around Europe. Amongst
his most widely acclaimed work, he wrote and performed the
soundtrack for the award-winning Anna Karenina and Jane
Eyre. Together they delivered a masterpiece performance
which made clear the synergies between physics and music.
The talk revolved around Einstein and his legacy, and being
one of the most famous physicists of all time, these legacies
were numerous; from our Global Positioning System to
synchronised world time, from Quantum physics to Black
holes and Particle accelerators. One of the reasons I found
the talk particularly appealing, was their expansive coverage
of both the study of the very small and the very big and how
Einstein influenced both ends of the spectrum. Given Prof.
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Foster’s insight into Particle Accelerators, they lingered upon
the different types of accelerator, how each of them work
and how CERN had analysed their data to give a positive
confirmation of the existence of the Higgs Boson.
All in all, I would like to thank both Mrs Mayadeen and Mrs
Rashid for their invaluable help in organising what was a
superb talk. We are indeed, very lucky to have both Professor
Foster and Mr Liebeck at Merchant Taylors’ this year.
As an afterthought, I would like to warmly welcome all boys to
engage in science as much as possible this year (2015 being the
International Year of Light) but in particular this half term, in
the run-up to Science Week (16th March - 20th March). There
will be talks researched and given by Lower Sixth scientists
each Friday and I would urge you all to attend. Moreover, this
year also showcases “MTS Science Challenge - a Battle of the
Beasts” as a mighty Biology team take on an invincible Physics
team, in a University Challenge style quiz. There will be a whole
host of scientific activities on show and I look forward to seeing
as many of you as possible this half term.
Athishan Vettivetpillai LVI
Chair of Science Society
March 13 2015
MTSSocieties
Panglossia
Panglossia welcomed a native Peruvian speaker this week.
Mr Oscar Morales spoke passionately about his native land
going into details of its fascinating geography and history.
A particular point was made about the enigma surrounding
drawings from the pre-Inca times found at heights previously
deemed to be unreachable. He went on to inform the boys
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about the peculiarities of the climate at different heights and
how it is taken into consideration when it comes to farming
and storage of agricultural produce. He gave advice on what
to eat, drink and chew so as to cope with respiration when at
high altitude. He also touched upon Spanish colonisation and
concluded his talk by taking questions from the floor.
March 13 2015
MTSSocieties
Junior Geographers investigate Pakistan
Third Former, Zain Lodhi, led a Junior Geography Society session this week on Pakistan. As well as enjoying some Pakistani
culinary treats, boys gained a better understanding of Pakistani culture and society. There was particular interest in the
country’s education system and inequality levels, as well as their favourite sports (cricket and hockey).
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March 13 2015
MTSSocieties
Senior Geography Society
Dr Vanessa Lawrence
Dr Vanessa Lawrence visited MTS on Tuesday to give a talk
to our Senior Geography Society. This was well attended by
over 40 boys from Divisions up to Upper Sixth. Vanessa spoke
to boys about her astonishing career which started with a
change from Medicine to Geography within four weeks of
starting university. She said this was “a change from which
she never looked back”. She discussed her work as Director
General and Chief Executive of Ordinance Survey stating
that over 90% of all data collected is now location based. Dr
Lawrence has recently returned from China where there is
a huge government push toward building their knowledge
of geospatial data and there is even a geospatial science
park under construction. Geospatial data is any information
which has a location and has seen a huge increase in
importance since smartphones which often locate their user’s
geographical position have become common. For example,
whenever you use Google Maps you are creating geospatial
data or if you send a message on Facebook and it states
your location. This ties in fantastically with the Geography
department’s new ArcGIS software in coordination with the
Geography tablets.
during the games. This data was also used to advise travellers
to the Games about routes which may be overcrowded. This
live data was imperative in ensuring the safety of visitors and
smooth transport systems.
- Development: The UK Aid Agency is assisting Rwanda map
their land ownership, which means that Rwandans can apply
for loans and access microfinance. Accurate mapping is also
vital in Dubai for their construction industry and Tuvalu to
map climate change predictions.
- World Bank: Dr Lawrence has also been working with the
World Bank to produce a map called the Billion Dollar Map to
aid African countries with their mining industries to reduce
reliance on TNCs and thus facilitate economic development.
Dr Lawrence answered various questions from boys. In
terms of careers advice she said to follow the subjects you
are passionate for whilst also highlighting that Geography is
the fastest moving and most contemporary academic subject
in the world. She also stressed that Geography is the most
employable degree subject.
Geospatial data has multiple uses and is increasingly
important from an economic perspective, here are some
examples:
- Geospatial data is used to increase patient registration with
doctors. An unregistered patient costs the NHS up to 9 times
as much as a registered patient as unregistered patients tend
to have much more severe health problems by the time they
attend a doctor’s practice or hospital.
- Dr Lawrence has recently returned from advising leaders in
Abu Dhabi and Dubai on their use of geographic data. They
are investing in ‘Smart Cities’ which are based around the
use of geospatial data. The global market of ‘Smarts Cities’
is estimated to be £275 billion. Masdar city in the UAE is the
world’s first sustainable city.
- Taxis: The Uber taxi app is now worldwide and uses
geospatial data to function. However they all sell their data
to city authorities such as Boston in the USA to show where
people are going, services which are being used, congestion
hotspots etc.
- Olympics: Dr Lawrence Head of Geospatial technology for
the whole of the London Olympics. She used smart data in the
Olympic Park to ensure the protection of senior dignitaries
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSTrips
Lower Sixth at Oxford
A group of Lower Sixth students spent the day at Oxford University on Monday. The morning was spent in Balliol, where
students were able to hear more about admissions, the Oxbridge system and the criteria for entry. The afternoon gave students
the opportunity to visit other famous Oxford colleges and ask questions, pick up important documentation and generally get a
feel for the place they might be spending three years as an undergraduate at. A most useful and enjoyable day was had by all.
Physicists at Berkhamsted
Whilst others danced in the Studio Theatre during the Phab
Revue, a team of expert physicists was invited to Berkhamsted,
to take part in the annual ‘Physics Evening’. Josh Murphy, Parin
Vaghjiani, Gaurav Dewan and myself, accompanied by Mrs
Mayadeen, arrived at Berkhamsted, and were soon enthralled by
a fantastic lecture on particle physics by Prof. Fred Loebinger.
Professor Loebinger works at the School of Physics and
Astronomy at the University of Manchester. A member of the
University’s Particle Physics Group, the Professor has been at
the University for almost 50 years. He is currently the leader of
the Manchester team working on the ATLAS experiment at the
CERN Large Hadron Collider and is also the Admissions tutor
for the Department of Physics. What made his talk so stimulating
was that it was pitched at the perfect level for AS students, as well
as being filled with some very humorous one-liners (and sound
effects!) which made the lecture really good value.
The evening culminated in a competition, in which we were
tasked with creating a wind-powered vehicle, in a competition
against Berkhamsted boys and girls to see whose vehicle could
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
travel the furthest. Team MTS, created a futuristic concept
vehicle, which took 10 minutes fully to construct. Initially this
appeared to be a disappointing product, given that the other
teams from Berkhamsted were creating cars/ships (hard to
discern) reminiscent of the Black Pearl from the Pirates of the
Caribbean. Although our device did not look the part, it did
come with a supreme ramp. Therefore whilst we had forgotten
about the wind power criterion, our vehicle had managed to roll
twice as far as any other team at a whopping 14m.
Needless to say, we were disqualified but awarded packets of
jelly babies for “thinking outside the box”.
It would be appropriate to give thanks to the physics teachers
at Berkhamsted who were extremely accommodating and very
funny, without whom the evening would have been much less
entertaining. I think that we were all very grateful towards Mrs
Mayadeen for persistently ensuring the trip would go ahead, we
really did enjoy ourselves. Finally, a thank you to Mr Spikings
because admittedly, we had in effect, “ripped off his idea”.
Athishan Vettivetpillai LVI
March 13 2015
MTSTrips
Classics in Westminster
Ten MTS Classicists joined some of London’s finest young Classicists at Westminster, for the annual Joint Association of
Classics Teachers’ GCSE conference. They heard lectures on the GCSE set texts, which allowed them to explore beyond the
usual limits of the GCSE. Prof Matthew Leigh, Fellow of St Anne’s College, Oxford addressed issues of youth and heroism
in Book 9 of Virgil’s Aeneid, while Dr Jonathan Prag of Merton College, Oxford gave insights into Cicero’s Verrines, and
discussed his latest research into the role of Sicily during the Roman Republic.
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March 13 2015
MTSMusic
Chamber Music Concert
On Wednesday this week a full Recital Hall was treated to
a showcase concert featuring many of the School’s smaller
ensembles. Several of these groups had just competed in the
South East Schools’ Chamber Music Competition, so the
performances throughout were both polished and confident.
The Percussion Ensemble started things off with a stylish
medley of Michael Jackson numbers fit for the ‘King of Pop’
himself, before the Guitar Ensemble (the largest group to
perform) played a mellow tango in the Spanish style. The
Clarinet Quartet then evoked The Bridge over the River Kwai
with variations based on ‘Colonel Bogey’, before the first of the
evening’s String Quartets performed a movement from ‘The
Lark’ quartet by Haydn.
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
After refreshments from the Serenaders were enjoyed, the
other String Quartet (fresh from the South East competition
final the night before) performed a different Haydn movement,
followed up by the Piano Trio playing an evocative piece of
Schubert. The Vocal Quartet – singing amongst other things
a song by King Henry VIII – then led into the final item, the
Piano Quartet, who challenged and entertained the audience
with a modernist WW1 commemorative commission by
Edward Rushton. The concert was a great success, and thanks
must go to the ensembles’ coaches: Mr Couldridge, Mr
Lawrence, Ms Hawkins, Mr Francis, Mr Cracknell, Mrs Tait
and Mr Saunderson.
March 13 2015
MTSMusic
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSMusic
South-East Schools’ Chamber Music Competition
On Tuesday 10th March (for the second year in succession)
the Senior String Quartet, coached by Head of Instrumental
Studies Mr Couldridge, participated in the Final of the
prestigious South-East School’s Chamber Music Competition
at St John’s, Smith Square in Westminster.
The finalists’ concert began at 7pm with four ensembles
performing in the Junior Age Category, before the five
Intermediate Age Category finalists performed - including
the MTS quartet. The only surviving member of last year’s
victorious group, Christopher Savage (1st Violin) led the
players onto the stage to perform the famous ‘Theme and
Variations’ movement from Haydn’s String Quartet Opus 76,
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
No. 3, nicknamed the ‘Emperor’ Quartet (as the theme from
this movement was written for the Kaiser, and is now familiar
to us all as the melody of the German National Anthem).
As Nicolas Alvanis (‘cello) followed Yasar Cohen-Shah (2nd
Violin) and Matthew Cooper (Viola) on to the stage, there
was an expectant hush from the audience. St John’s is one of
London’s major concert venues, and the Quartet performed
gave a sensitive performance of this masterpiece, undaunted
by the occasion. Chris should be pleased with his three new
colleagues, none of whom had previously played chamber
music before this year, and the Quartet, one of a number
of chamber groups at MTS, can only go from strength to
strength.
March 13 2015
MTSMusic
The Merchant Taylors’ St Helen’s
Choral Society and Orchestra Concert
– Monday 23rd March
Tickets are now available from
Tim Winward twinward@mtsn.org.uk
£10 or £5 concessions
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March 13 2015
MTSMusic
Spring Term Music at MTS
TONIGHT!
Friday 13th March
Prep Schools’ Instrumental Day Concert
Great Hall, 6:00pm
Monday 23rd March
Merchant Taylors’ St. Helen’s Choral Society
and Orchestra Concert
Great Hall, 7:30pm
Tuesday 31st March
Duet Philharmonic Orchestra Concert
Royal Festival Hall, 7:30pm (tickets required)
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March 13 2015
MTSSport
Support the boys tomorrow!
14th March
Rugby Match with Regiment marks OMTs who fell in The Great War
Hockey v Magdalen College
Home:
3rd, 14A KO 9.30
1st, 2nd KO 11.00
4th, 5th KO12.30
Away:
14B KO 10.30
15C KO 2.00
15A, 14C, D KO 12.30
15B KO 2.45
Soccer v Magdalen College
Away:
1st, 2nd, 3rd KO 10.30
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
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MTSSport
Hockey
v Felsted
1st XI
Win – 4-1
Scorers: Savraj Lotta x 2,
George Smith x 2
MOM: George Smith
With many of the first team playing their
3rd game in 4 days, it was always going to
be a tall order to perform against a very
strong Felsted side. With a slight delay to
the start of the match it would have been
very easy for the tired bodies of the MTS
1st team to start slowly. However, MTS
flew out of the blocks applying instant
pressure to the Felsted back 4. It was
this pressure that led to a corner within
3 minutes and as Savraj Lotta strode up
from the back line there was only ever
going to be one result. With the net
almost being ripped from the goal Savraj
delivered yet another rocket to take the
MTS 1’s into the lead. 1-0
Felsted were ignited into action and went
all out for the next 10 minutes to try and
recover. They were rewarded for this by a
well taken finish to equalise just 3 minutes
before half time. 1-1
It was not to last however as MTS replied
almost immediately with a well taken goal
from George Smith who made it 2-1 on the
stroke of half time. 2-1
The second half saw both teams trading
blows as MTS soaked up good pressure
from Felsted and sprung into attacks
exploiting the space. A cracking through
ball saw Ed Richards one on one with the
last defender; he then ompletely outdid
him for pace, leaving him one on one
with the keeper, whereupon he dropped
his shoulder, faked to the left and the
keeper fell for it hook, line and sinker! The
keeper was completely wrong footed had
no choice but to bring Ed down and give
away a penalty stroke. Savraj Lotta stepped
up and calmly converted the stroke to take
MTS into a 3-1 lead. With the game almost
over there was to be icing on the cake for
MTS as George Smith scored his second
and put the game beyond any doubt. 4-1.
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A great game and one that showed the
resilience of this team. 3 victories in 4 days
and a tremendous achievement by all the
boys.
2nd XI
Win – 3-2
Scorers: Joe Oakton, Nikhil Rawal, Will
Porter
MOM: Kiran Mistry
A superb team performance saw the
Taylors’ 2nd XI sneak home to victory
past a strong visiting Felsted team. The
tempo and structure of the fixture was
certainly the strongest of the season so far,
with both sides looking to transfer the ball
round the back and use the width of the
pitch to open up opportunities. Patience
from the Taylors’ back line was crucial in
opening Felsted up for the first goal, with
Joe Oakton squeezing a half opportunity
past the flailing keeper to give the home
team the lead. Felsted fought back for
the remainder of the first half, snatching
a goal shortly before half time to tie the
scoreline at half time. Felsted’s attacking
continued in the second half, with Taylors’
GK Nathan Stephenson helpless to
prevent a miracle goal from the visitors
with an upright reverse stick shot a mere
centimetres off the baseline.
Despite briefly going down to nine men,
the 2nd XI showed superb bounce-backability to overturn the visitors’ lead, with
a great team goal converted by Nikhil
Rawal tying the scores with ten minutes
Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
to go. Taylors’ victory was clinched with
under three minutes to go, with Will
Porter scoring another fantastic goal,
ever strengthening his bid for a spot in
1st XI. The 3-2 result was just reward for
a superb team performance, with all 15
players meriting consideration for Man
of the Match, though this was grabbed
by Kiran Mistry who used his experience
and athleticism to give a dominant
performance in centre midfield.
3rd XI
Win – 2-1
Scorers: Alessandro Arnaldi, Bharat
Shah
MOM: G Grewal/H Siddiqi
The 3rd XI made the long journey to
Felsted to play a very good team mixed
up of senior and U16A players. The MTS
team did not disappoint and a new look
midfield including G Grewal, H Siddiqi
and B Shah gave us the possession we
lacked in our last game. Well taken goals
by Arnaldi and Shah meant that we came
back from a one goal deficit at the interval.
A superb team performance.
4th XV
Lost – 3–0
MOM: N Muller, M Saunders and J
Dotting
MTS 4th XI once again did themselves
proud, though this is not reflected in the
scoreline. In a game that could have gone
either way, Felsted’s superior finishing
March 13 2015
MTSSport
was main the difference between the two
teams. In spite of creating a number of
opportunities, the 4ths simply couldn’t hit
the target. Then, after falling behind late in
the first half and having to chase the game,
Felsted were allowed a little bit more space
and took their chances. A special mention
must go to Joshua Murphy for making
a world class save, even though he’s a
defender.
both sides playing some exciting hockey
and producing a lot of chances. MTS took
first blood with a short corner from Bryn
Jones, however Felsted replied quickly
with a very well taken short corner of their
own. The game could have been stolen by
either side with heroic performances in
defence. There were also superb individual
performances from Aaron Amin and the
ever solid Ben Gould.
5th XI
Lost – 0-4
MOM: Sachin Patel
U15B
Draw – 1-1
Scorer: Dom Cherry
MOM: Selvan Senthilkumaran
A long coach ride, some unexpectedly hot
weather and a sand-based astro combined
to sap the 5ths energy levels and see them
beaten by a stronger and fitter Felsted
U16B side. We started off well, and at 1-0
down at half-time it was anyone’s game.
But the lack of a sub to rest tired legs, and
a dispiriting early second goal meant we
couldn’t mount a comeback.
U15A
Draw – 1–1
Scorer: Bryn Jones
MOM: Aaron Amin
Felsted were a tough team to play with an
excellent hockey reputation and after a
hard fought game MTS were unlucky to
only come away with a draw.
It is fantastic to get a school like Felsted
on our circuit. They come with an
excellent reputation and are strong
competitors. The game was very even with
After 2 hours in the coach, MTS needed
to go from 0-100 mph in the space of the
first few passes in the game - which they
almost achieved. The first half was a little
bit of a clumsy performance. Players’ hits
skidded over the turf like Bambi on ice,
and many hit the ground hard enough
to record tremors on the Richter scale.
Despite being under the cosh for the
majority of the half, there were some fluent
counter attacks orchestrated by the front
3, one of which resulted in a lovely goal
for Dom Cherry. The scoreline at half-time
was not reflective of the other match
statistics and Senthilkumaran was having
a blinder in goal keeping the chance of a
victory alive.
The second half was much like the first,
but Felsted had renewed confidence in
their abilities and pretty much camped
in MTS territory for the half. It wasn’t
until the last play of the game, after time
was dead, that Felsted got an equaliser.
A penalty corner was awarded as the last
play. A cracking diving save from Selvan
kept the first shot out, then the second,
followed by a goal line scramble with
Felsted flicking the ball into the goall to
draw the game. The efforts of the MTS
defence were evident in the strewn bodies
across the astro turf. It was a cracking
game overall.
U15C
Lost – 0-1
MOM: Will Stubbs
This week’s game was tightly fought and
allowed the U15Cs the opportunity to
demonstrate the best hockey they have
played so far this season. MTS dominated
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
the first half with fast movement of the
ball creating some excellent opportunities
that they were unlucky not to finish. The
MTS pressure relented somewhat at
the start of the first half with tired legs
allowing Felsted more space to carry the
ball and opportunities on goal. In spite of
some fine goalkeeping Felsted scored an
excellent goal which sparked the MTS side
into action, picking the tempo back up to
that seen in the first half. Unfortunately
time ran out before they could make the
pressure tell but overall there were a lot of
positives to take from a highly competitive
game of hockey.
U14A
Draw – 1–1
Scorer: Karan Sofat
MOM: Brij Kantaria
The MTS side started strongly and
distributed the ball around the back 4
with conviction. The early high amount
of possession was then followed by a
spell of pressure. The Felsted side took
the U14A side by surprise and the game
became scrappy. The Felsted side have
qualified out of the East section and were
competent in many areas. The teams were
evenly matched, however it was the MTS
side who struck first from a mazy run
and well finished chance by Karan Sofat,
striking the ball into the bottom left corner
of the goal. The Felsted team soon got
one back and despite the extremely good
March 13 2015
MTSSport
chances in the second half the MTS side
failed to capitalise on the opportunities.
Much still to work on.
U14B
Lost – 2–3
Scorers: Louis Duggan, Zak Sheikh
MOM: Ben Carter
A warm spring day saw the U14B team
head to Felsted in Essex for a very close
contest. The match began with some
rapid play and a good work rate from the
whole team as the ball moved quickly
between both ends of the pitch. Taylors’
pushed for dominance towards half-time
but were unable to convert this into goals.
Everything was still to play for at the
beginning of the second half and Talyors’
quickly took the lead with a goal from
Louis Duggan. Unfortunately Felsted then
equalised with a goal from a short corner,
followed shortly by another. Neither side
let up in the final minutes of the game,
Zak Sheikh getting an excellent touch to
score from the post. This was not enough,
however, as Felsted were able to slip
through our defence and slot another goal.
The whole team should be commended
for their determination against a tough
opposition.
v Harrow
2nd XI
Won – 3-2
Scorers: Archie Vaughan, Adam
Barnard, Michael Brown
MOM: Archie Vaughan
A determined 2nd XI performance was
enough to ensure a comfortable win
against Harrow on Thursday evening. On
the front foot from the outset, Taylors’ set
the tempo at a high pace but struggled
in the final third, with the Harrow keeper
making several great saves to keep them
in the game.
The second half saw pure domination
from the 2nd XI, with Taylors’ dominant
in possession. With 20 minutes to go, the
boys were they able to break down the
Harrow defence and convert good team
goals from Michael Brown and Adam
Barnard. The match highlight came from
Taylors’ skipper Archie Vaughan who
crashed home the final goal, a superb
half volley strike on the turn which was
accompanied by a jubilant celebration
as Vaughan netted for the first time this
season.
U14C
Won – 6-0
Scorers: Jenson Harris, Esher Bains x 2,
Louise Cahn-Brown, Rafique Ossman,
Nick Gillyon
MOM: Esher Bains
A tremendous team spirit meant that we
were determined to play well. Jenson
Harris hit a well place shot to score our
first goal. After that we dominated the
match. James Haywood Ben Salkeld,
Haris Zuberi, Matthew Hine and Harry
O’Sullivan dominated in our defence, and
they also looked to move the ball wide
which spread the game out. The midfield
ran strongly all match. Zachary Gordon,
Mathew Ryley and Matthew Melly added
some skilful touches. All the forwards
played well, Esher Bains ran well and
scored twice. Marcus Chaplain was close
to scoring a number of times and Jake
Lewis had another good game. Nicholas
Gillyon had an excellent game both in
midfield and as captain.
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
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MTSSport
Rugby
v UCS
Junior 1st XV
Lost – 5–17
Scorer: Toby Wickham
MOM: Burt Edwards
UCS proved to be a stern test for the
U13As with their aggressive line-speed
and powerful tackling making it difficult
for MTS to get on the front foot. The
defence was brave throughout and
right until the end the squad sought
opportunities to attack. There were fine
performances across the pitch but the
MOTM award was picked up by Bert
Edwards returning to action after a no
doubt painful dislocated finger last
weekend.
Junior 2nd XV
Lost – 5-65
Scorer: Sachin Shah
MOM: Josh Burdall
The fixture against UCS was definitely a
learning experience. It was a test of the
boys’ character and reaction against a
team that thoroughly outclassed them.
Credit to the boys, they stuck through
the game and on the other side were fully
aware of areas that needed to be worked
on, while not letting their heads dip.
Junior 3rd XV
Lost – 0-50
MOM: Michael Darbyshire
The U13Cs demonstrated that they had
learned a lot from their previous fixture
and were much more organised than
previously. However, UCS has some
powerful players who ran riot in the
first half. MTS managed to steady the
ship somewhat in the second half when
UCS substituted their larger boys but
unfortunately could not manage a score.
Each player contributed to the game and
team captain Luca Dora tackled bravely,
but Man of the Match went to Michael
Darbyshire who was often putting down
players that were literally three times his
size!
Junior 4th XV
Lost – 0–49
MOM: Yaseen Zaman
A difficult match against strong
opponents. The Junior D team fought
hard to stay in the game and tackled
bravely. The team struggled to protect the
ball at the breakdown which enabled the
opposition to steal the ball. Overall, plenty
to work on in training in preparation for
the next game.
v St Martin’s
Junior 2nd XV
Won – 55-31
Scorers: Tom Szostak x 3 tries, Aaron
Florestein x 2 tries, Sean Duggan x 2
tries, Ruaridh Nicholls, Sean Duggan,
Conversions: Toby Wickham x 2, Oliver
Lavelle, James Savage, Finn Edwards
MOM: Tom Szostak
With fixtures coming thick and fast at
the moment, an opportunity to rotate
personnel and positions was seized
when the squad made the short trip
to St Martin’s. Though our defensive
organisation was compromised this was
more than cancelled out by our attacking
potency which saw 5 players score 9 tries
and secure a 55-31 win.
Tom Steene
Congratulations to Tom Steene (Form IV/Year 9) who
made his debut for Middlesex U14 on Sunday 8th
March at Old Cranleighans RFC, where Middlesex
lost a tight game 12-5
Tom Steene makes his debut for Middlesex
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSSport
Tom Szostak
Thomas Szostak represented the U13 SE Lambs at Rugby last Sunday in their victorious campaign for the ISRFC Regional
Championship.
Thomas Szostak ISRFC Regional
Championship medal 2015
Thomas Szostak posing on the hallowed turf of The Close where rugby was
born
Thomas Szostak by the Webb Ellis ‘Wall’
Thomas Szostak Rugby tackle No 45
Thomas Szostak, one of the South East Regional Squad Winners
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSSport
Cricket
Boys train with Middlesex 1st XI at MTS
Middlesex 1st XI has been preparing for the 2015 season on our outdoor grass nets in a marquee. Middlesex Head coach
Richard Scott has called the facility first-class, and he goes on to mention how fantastic our Groundstaff has been in preparing
such high quality grass nets. Watch the video at http://www.middlesexccc.com/articles/2015-03-08/pre-season-trainingvideo-from-merchant-taylors-school
The School XI has of course also been practising hard on the grass nets, enjoying a pre-season that should provide them with a
real edge over any school in the country. The facility has further strengthened our link with Middlesex which can only benefit
our talented cricketers in the future.
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MTSSport
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSSport
Soccer
Rugby Fives 1st IV
v St Columba’s College
v Whitgift
2nd XI
Draw – 2-2
Lost – 70-79
MOM: Ethan Taberham
Wednesday saw MTS host three home fixtures against
St. Columba’s College. The 2nd XI produced a battling
performance and emerged with a 2-2 draw but really
should have won the game after spurning a few
excellent opportunities. However, the team acquitted
themselves well throughout and put in a gutsy, hardworking display across the field. Robbie Metzger was
rightly awarded man of the match for his dogged
performance in a striking and wing role; he was unlucky
not to get on the score.
A very youthful First Four just lacked the experience to edge
out a Whitgift team whom they could have beaten. The first
three seeds were all Form V boys who played well, but going
into the doubles all square meant that the eventual outcome
was a slight disappointment. There were, however, some great
individual games with Alex Hopkins continuing to improve,
and Ethan Taberham winning all of his games.
Taylors’ took the lead halfway through the first period
as Nikhil Shah (top scorer for the term) raced clear
and clinically rounded the opposition goalkeeper
before calmly slotting home. Somehow, MTS found
themselves losing and chasing the game with minutes
remaining following a quick-fire opposition double out
of nothing. Thankfully, a creditable draw was rescued
in the dying moments of the game as a James Murphy
corner was nodded in by Aaron Francis. Well done to all
involved; maybe not the result we wanted but a strong
performance nonetheless.
Rugby Colts IV
v Whitgift
Lost – 28-115
MOM: Sarthak Garella
A number of late withdrawals meant the Colts side were
somewhat weaker than they would normally be and contained
two U15 boys plus a Colt making his debut for the school. The
boys improved throughout the match and learnt a lot from a
strong Whitgift side.
Basketball
MTS beats Harrow!
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
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MTSSport
OMT Hockey Cup
Sunday 22nd March
OMT 1st XI v MTS 1st XI KO 2:30
OMT 2nd XI v MTS 2nd and staff team KO 12:45
On the 22nd March 2015 the OMT Hockey Club will be hosting the Merchant Taylors’ 1st and 2nd team.
There will be two matches that promise to be competitive and high paced, so please do come down and
watch this epic battle.
First up will be the hotly anticipated OMT 2nd team vs the MTS 2nd team (plus staff). This match will
set the tone for the day and get the juices flowing for the 1st team clash that will take place at 14:30.
The clubhouse will be open before each match, so please feel free to come down early before the hockey
begins, to soak up the atmosphere.
The main event promises to a high level game with the MTS 1st team looking strong throughout the
year. The OMT 1st team will be bringing back past players to bolster the squad for this big clash. Mr
Alexander will be playing for the MTS 1st team side to add some experience to the strong looking outfit.
OMT clinched the win last year against an MTS 1st team, which narrowly missed out on an unbeaten
season, losing just one game out of their 11 matches. This year’s team sees in-form flicker Savraj Lotta
currently on 14 goals this season and is one of the MTS players to watch at the event. For OMT Rhodri
Jones, last year’s MTS captain will make a return and as a strong mid-field presence be the key OMT
player to watch.
The post-match reception will be held in the OMT Clubhouse after the event.
Hot Drinks and nibbles will be provided pitch side, by the ever present Strikers during the matches.
3.45-6.00 PM. Post match reception (food and drinks) and awards ceremony in The OMT Society War
Memorial Club House.
ALL ARE MOST WELCOME TO ATTEND – DO BRING FAMILY & FRIENDS.
PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE & NUMBERS TO, JO AMIN, CHAIR of THE
STRIKERS, BY EMAIL – strikers@mtsn.org.uk – BY NO LATER THAN 14th March.
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
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MTSSport
OMT Colts Cricket Club
Elite Academy training
Dates
Every Thursday
1700-1830
Location
MTS Sports hall
For more details; Email twebley@mtsn.org.uk
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
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MTSOMTs
Merchant Taylors’ and St. Helen’s City Network
Wed, 3 Jun, 2015 18:30 - 21:00
You are invited to join us for our third annual City Network event on Wednesday 3rd June 2015. This is the first City Network
event, however, that is joint with St. Helen’s School.
OMTs, St. Helen’s Old Girls, parents and parents of OMTs and St Helen’s Old Girls are all welcome to join us for drinks and
canapés at the Oriental Club, for an evening of networking and catching up with old friends. Tickets are £10 each, which is a
contribution to the cost of the event. Book tickets here: https://development.mtsn.org.uk/pages/MTS_Event_registration
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
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MTSParent 2 Parent
Phab’s Casino Royale – Closed Auction Prize
You can win a fabulous VIP day out
for four people (minimum age 11)
at HM Naval Base Portsmouth as
the guest of the Base Commander.
The day includes a boat tour of the
harbour and a visit to a warship,
alongside, lunch and guided tour of
HMS Victory. Take your day out on
any mutually convenient date and
make your own way to Portsmouth.
We are inviting the wider school
community to put in closed bids for
this fantastic prize by Thursday 19th
March at 5pm. The winning bid will
be announced during the Casino
Night, and notified via email shortly
after if they are not in attendance.
Please email any offers to
events@mtsn.org.uk.
Used Uniform Shop Open!
9.30-11.30 tomorrow. Go to Reception and follow the signs (new location)!
Parents
and existing
Choral Society
members
We Choir
are always
grateful
for contributions
to the
shop, just drop off school jackets, trousers, and Kukri sportswear
at Reception.
Uniform
is
sold
exclusively
for
charity
(currently
Watford
New
Hope,
who work
with the local
This year’s Joint Concert is on Monday 23 March, why
don’t you
join The
Choral
Society
this term?
homeless) although we can return 50% to the original owner. See the Ladies Association page at www.mtsn.org.uk
for detailed guidelines.
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSLooking Forward
Merchant Taylors’ School in conjunction
with Chorleywood Bookshop and Hodder &
Stoughton present:
A night on how to get ‘Calmer,
Easier, Happier Boys’
With Noel Janis-Norton
Thursday19th March
7.30pm
Chorleywood Library, WD3 5LB
Event book vouchers are £5.00, book £10.00
(RRP £14.99)
Chorleywood Bookshop is thrilled to be hosting an
evening with Noel Janis- Norton. Parenting is never easy
particularly when raising boys. Many parents struggle
with boyish behaviour, sons who are fidgety, rowdy, easily
distracted, at times aggressive and socially awkward.
Come and meet Noel Janis-Norton a renowned authority
on the learning behavior of children and adolescents. She
is the director of the Calmer, Easier, Happier Parenting
center in London where she works with both parents and
teachers.
Her new book focuses on helping parents with boys aged
3 to 13 years of age to change the way they behave, using
simple strategies. She tackles the unique challenge of
raising motivated, cooperative and confident individuals
and to bring out the best in our boys. With the primary
aim of making family life calmer, easier and happier, for all
involved.
Ideal for fans of Raising Boys by Steve Biddulph Calmer,
Easier, Happier Boys is a must read and a must meet for
such a remarkable author. Come and meet likeminded
parents to discuss, share stories and ask advice from the
expert herself.
For further information please do not hesitate
to contact Sheryl at the Chorleywood Bookshop:
chorleywoodbookshop@btinternet.com, 01923 283566
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSLooking Forward
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSLooking Forward
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSLooking Forward
Phab’s Casino Royale –
Closed Auction Prize
You can win a fabulous VIP day out for four people
(minimum age 11) at HM Naval Base Portsmouth as the
guest of the Base Commander. The day includes a boat
tour of the harbour and a visit to a warship, alongside,
lunch and guided tour of HMS Victory. Take your day out
on any mutually convenient date and make your own way
to Portsmouth.We are inviting the wider school community
to put in closed bids for this fantastic prize by Thursday
19th March at 5pm. The winning bid will be announced
during the Casino Night, and notified via email shortly
after if they are not in attendance.
Please email any offers to
events@mtsn.org.uk.
54
Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSLooking Forward
MTS & Jetstream Tri Club Triathlon Event
Merchant Taylors’ School Enterprises is delighted to be working in partnership with Jet Stream Tri Club in order to host a
Triathlon event on June 14th 2015. Full information and booking details for the event can be found at
http://jetstreamtri.com/MTS%20TRI%202015.html
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
MTSLooking Forward
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
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Merchant Taylors’ School Weekly Newsletter
March 13 2015