Hesperus Division

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

Muster 23/09/2014

Hesperus Muster

Praise

Happy 18th Birthday to Stuart McLeish!
Will Read for his organisation of a politics night last Thursday. We discussed the Scottish Referendum.
Bertie Pugh for updating the Hesperus TV.

Notices

There is an International Students meeting in St. George Gun Room at break
The School Council & Food Committee meet today at 14.00
We have a Div. Song rehearsal at 14.00
Our new sofas are arriving on Thursday
BT Sport will be working soon but BT need to do something to Mr Paynter's phone line first
This weekend: Saturday night - Gym & 5-a-side Football / Sunday - Trip to Olympic Park & Stratford Westfield
Open Morning is taking place this Saturday; look smart and be polite (as usual!)

Gail & Jack's Room Inspection
The following received 10/10

Ed Chapman, Ed Digby, Hamish Farrant, Philip Garnier, Seth Grieve, Hamish Owen, Bertie Pugh, Rylan Li, Tom Hird, Hugo Dwerryhouse, Jon Grieve, George Lacey, Matthew Montgomery, Alex O'Sullivan, Rory Pearson, Tom Perring, Finn Slevin, Alex Carr, Olly Chapman, Harry Farrant, Charles Guest, Seb Guest, Joe Holloran

Commendations
Hesperus received the most Commendations (again) last week. Well done to the following boys:

Hesperus
van der Wyck, Luca	3S	1
White, Nicholas (Nick)	3S	1
Ellison, Finn	3S	1
Orton, Joshua (Josh)	4S	1
Chapman, Edward (Ed)	4S	1
Lawrance, Jake	4S	1
Findlay, Angus	5S	1
Nash, Thomas (Tom)	5S	1
Newcombe, Oliver (Ollie)	5S	2
Bunyan, Max	5S	4
Norman, Alexander (Xan)	5S	4
Rogers, Oliver (Olly)	L6S	1
Bearn, Sebastian	L6S	1
Liu, Da (George)	U6S	1

The Term So Far....

It has been a very successful term thus far and I'm delighted with your efforts. We've won the first parade and received the most commendations. Your behaviour at Les Miserables was superb and Belinda Alexander (Etiquette Expert) was really impressed by all of you. Most pleasingly, however, the new 3 Form have settled in brilliantly and there is an excellent atmosphere in the house - well done.

We now have 4 1/2 weeks until half term and it is essential we use this time well. There are 3 areas we must focus on:

1. Academic Effort
2. Manners & Appearance
3. Room & House tidiness

The most important of these is your Academic effort and I will be keeping a close eye on progress. This will include holding conversations with all of you about how you are going to push yourselves this term and achieve outstanding effort grades.

SDCH

Sunday, 21 September 2014

Etiquette!

Hesperoids are always challenged to maintain high-levels of manners and etiquette in every aspect of their lives. Indeed, one of the Division’s aims is to be known as Pangbourne’s most polite pupils! It was with this aim in mind that we invited etiquette expert Belinda Alexander, to speak with each Form. Belinda focused on three main areas; body language, interview and conversation skills and formal dining etiquette. The hour-long sessions involved the boys being challenged through role-play and questioning.

According to the boys the most useful tips included the correct response to ‘How do you do?’, how to eat asparagus, how to hold an interesting conversation how one can maintain eye contact without appearing weird!

Last Week's Rugby Report

With the season well and truly underway, the rugby club came up against an old rival in the form of Lord Wandsworth College. This is a local derby for us and, after some promising performances, we were hoping for a good set of results.

The U14A team put the opposition to the sword with Finley Rossiter and Carl Watson, who is playing up a year, running in a number of tries between them. They were too powerful for the opposition and ran away with a 45 points to 3 victory. This superb result, after training together for just a couple of weeks, makes them team of the week for the first time this term. The U14B’s also stepped up their game and were unlucky to lose, Lord Wandsworth running in a few late tries to clinch the win.

The U15A’s also won, outmuscling the opposition in the last 5 minutes of the game to grab a 36 points to 29 victory. Mr Lewis said that the boys displayed tremendous courage and determination that ultimately, those characteristics were the difference between the two teams.

The U16’s came up against another strong opposition and were knocked off their stride after a serious injury caused the game to be halted for a while. They couldn’t fight back from this and were unlucky to lose. The U16B’s continued their fine season but fitness proved the difference and they couldn’t halt a second half comeback from Lord Wandsworth.

At the senior end of the school there were 3 losses but the performances were another step up. Highlights included a fantastic try by Fred McEwen-Read for the 3^rd XV, a broken nose for Will Robbins in the 2^nd XV match and a superb solo effort from Cameron Barr for the 1^st XV.

That final highlight was from the 1^st XV’s match which proved a frustrating one for the team. After flying out of the blocks to a commanding lead, some defensive mistakes let the opposition back into the game. The game swung backwards and forwards through the second half with Lord Wandsworth ahead with 5 minutes to play. A last surge from the ‘Red Army’ couldn’t break the defence, for that all important score, and the game ended 26-30 to Lord Wandsworth.

Tuesday, 16 September 2014

Hesperus House Council

How can Hesperus be improved?

Waffle Iron (SDCH: I don't know what this is! However, once we fill the commendation tube I'll buy one for the house)

Wi-Fi extension in the Dorm (SDCH: I'll speak with the ICT support team)

New Table Tennis net (SDCH: Agreed - I'll order one tomorrow)

BT Sport in the Gun Room (SDCH: Mr Paynter is looking into this and we'll try to have this installed next week)

A Colour Printer (SDCH: These are expensive to run so I'm afraid not. IT4 has a colour printer and you can always print out work there during the day)

New carpet on ground floor (SDCH: I will ask again - it will happen but I'm not sure when)

Improve the 3-5 Form door - it is hard to open (SDCH: I agree and I will see if the maintenance department can improve it)

Mirrors in Cabins (SDCH: If I can find a reasonably inexpensive option then I will buy some. A large number of rooms already have mirrors)

Elections to School Council & Food Committee

School Council - Sam Holloway & Matthew Montgomery
Food Committee - Finn Slevin

Muster 16/09/2014

Hesperus Muster

We had a short Muster today as the half-termly House Council took place this week.

Praise

Thank you to Bertie Pugh who has made a brilliant slide show for the Hesperus TV. Please let me have any (suitable!) photos you would like Bertie to add.
I hope you've enjoyed the Etiquette sessions. Belinda has been very complimentary of your behaviour and engagement - well done.

Parade & Commendations

It has been a great start to the Term as Hesperus won the first parade and received the most commendations - well done and keep it up!

Commendations

The following received a commendation during the period 5 - 15 September:

Christophe Dent x2, Ian Mucklejohn, Nick White, Ed Chapman, Ed Digby, Hamish Farrant x2, Seth Grieve x4, Jake Lawrance, Tom Paine, Ollie Newcombe, Matthew Montgomery

Gail & Jack's Room Inspection:

Lots of 10 / 10 in the first week of the term:

The whole 4 Form, Christopher Heathwood, Rylan Li, Tom Hird, Charlie Riley, Adam Cook, Jon Grieve, George Lacey, Matthew Montgomery, Alex O'Sullivan, Rory Pearson, Tom Perring, Finn Slevin, Ed Winter, Alex Carr, Olly Chapman, Seb Guest

SDCH

Commendations

An excellent start to the year as Hesperus received the most commendations in the first 10 days of term. It is great to see the 4 Form doing so well and producing some excellent work at the beginning of their GCSE courses.