Pocklington School - Allawalla Tingle November 2014 | Page 2

Trophies for Participation
in Co-curricular Life
The Pocklington Award recognizes an individual’s
participation in the co-curricular life of the school
through involvement in activities such as sport,
drama, music and CCF. Achievements in these areas can
help develop self-confidence, leadership and many other
skills highly valued by universities and future employers.
Awards are graded by age and every year trophies are
awarded to a student from each age group who in the view
of the staff have made the most significant contribution to
the life of the school. This year congratulations go to Tinika
Crossley, Jessica Pidgeon and Alexander Chappelow who
have won the following trophies:
The Stubbins Cup for Lower School was presented to Tinika
Crossley, a keen sportswoman, who represented the school
in Hockey, Netball, Cross-country and Athletics
tournaments but also found time to participate in the
School Pageant, House Drama and House Music.

Magnus Swann – a
name to watch!

95.6% of Pocklington School GCSE students achieved
5A* to C grades, including English and Mathematics,
with 100% achieving 5 GCSEs grades A* to C. 53.6%
of all our GCSEs were graded A*A, of which 28.2%
were A*.

The Applebee Cup for Sixth Form was awarded to
Alexander Chappelow in recognition of the use of his
leadership skills in service to the school throughout his
sixth form. In the lower sixth Alexander freely devoted time
to the benefit of pupils in the Pre-Prep Department
becoming an excellent prefect in the Upper Sixth. Alex also
played hockey for the school and was a key organizer of
‘Historia Lectures’, demonstrating significant leadership
and organizational skills for events such as House Music
and House Drama.

Jonty Atkinson has been selected for the Yorkshire
U16 Squad. Jonty plays Inside centre and is a
member of the Pocklington School U16a team - he
has also played for the 1st XV in games versus
Giggleswick and Harrogate Grammar School.

Overall, one in four of the year group- a total of 23 studentsachieved 5 or more A* grades. The top performers were
Sarah Lancaster, who gained 11A* and Florence
Judge-Clayden, who achieved a double A*, 10A* and 1A.
Amy Redhead and Beth Roberts were close behind with
10A* and 2As, followed by Katrina Summerton, who
achieved 10A* and 1A grade.

“I was really pleased to win the Pavilion Design and
have enjoyed seeing it built and used to play, sit and
meet with parents! Before winning the competition I
wanted to pursue a career in Art or Design. Seeing my
Pavillion design win has made the possibility more
real.”

Elliot Adamson has been selected for the NLD U16 squad.
Elliot last year played for Yorkshire U15's and is a current
member of the Leicester Tigers Junior Development Squad.
He plays Fly-half for the U16a team at Pocklington School
and is a member of the wider 1st XV squad.
Lewis Wilson has been selected as one of 40 players
nationwide to attend the England U17 development camp
in late October. An openside flanker who plays for the
school 1st XV, Lewis has captained Yorkshire at U16 level
and represented England North at U16 level at the
prestigious Wellington festival. A member of the Yorkshire
Carnegie academy, Lewis has also been selected for his

Lewis and Ben

- Magnus Swann

academy team to play the England U18 side in early
November.
Ben Carlile has been selected for the Yorkshire U16 squad.
Currently only a Year 10, he has been selected for this
honour a year young! He is currently a member of the
Yorkshire Carnegie Junior Development Squad and is also a
member of the U15/16 England North Development Squad.
“We are incredibly proud of these boys achievements their dedication, talent, hard work and commitment is
definitely starting to pay off. We look forward to continuing
the support of their development in our rugby programme
here at Pocklington School, and look forward to seeing
them attain higher honours.”
- Sean Houltham, Master i/c Rugby

Shreyas Gopal, a former local day pupil was Head Boy in the
Upper Sixth is currently reading Economics at St Catherine’s
College, Cambridge.

Enthusiasm for Classics in this year group was also high;
responding to popular demand, and in accordance with our
philosophy of supporting and inspiring individuals to
develop and pursue personal interests, 10 students were
offered the chance to study GCSE Greek as an additio nal
subject. 80% of those students achieved A*/A grades.

Pocklington
Prom 2014

Rising Stars in Rugby

Katy Peel, A* 2A Latin, Biology and Chemistry, A grade for
AS History

2014 was a good year for GCSE students at Pocklington.
Our students excelled in many areas. Our top 20
mathematics students were stretched with a level 2
certificate in Further Mathematics and did not disappoint,
all passing with grade B or higher. The final tally is 6A^ (A*
grades with distinction), 6A*, 7A grades and 1B.

Jessia Pidgeon was awarded the Haynes Cup for Middle
School. A leading hockey player in her year group, Jessica
finds time to play regularly for clubs outside school, and to
represent Pocklington in swimming competitions. Jessica is
also a talented musician and member of the school
Chamber Choir and Concert Band in which she plays the
clarinet. She is also a committed member of the CCF
demonstrating her versatility to be a true all-rounder.

Sixth Form leavers marked the end of their school era at
a glamorous Leavers’ Ball at The Hospitium in the
Museum Gardens, York on 4 July. We wish all of our
2014 leavers every success in the future.

Another good year for GCSE
and A level Results

Not many 12 year old boys have their designs
commissioned, built and unveiled by a respected
designer but no one who has recently visited the school
site can have failed to notice the poppy red Pocklington
500 pavilion near the Art Department.
Designed by Magnus Swann (Year 8), it was the
winning entry in the Pocklington 500 Design
competition sponsored by Barratts which was part of
the school’s 500th anniversary celebrations. Magnus’s
design was chosen from a field of adult and pupil
entries and was constructed by a team of Pocklington
School’s own design and support staff most of whom
gave generously of their free time over the summer
holidays to ensure that the project was completed in
time to be unveiled by Professor Stephen Kyffin, Dean
of the School of Design at Northumbria University on
23 September.
We are very grateful to Mr Steven Boyes of Barratts,
Mr Paul Newman of David Wilson Homes who
provided logistical and technical support on the design
of the concrete base and to Mr Rick Kendrick for his
diligent project photography which entailed sacrificing
some of his holiday. Those of you interested in the finer
details of the materials used and methods of
construction can find the full story in the news section
of the school website.

Jonty and Elliot

Pocklington School Foundation News, Views & Events

At A level, 62.5% of pupils achieved A*-B grades with
85.5% attaining A-C grades, the overall pass rate was 99%.
15 of our upper sixth leavers year group achieved straight
A* or A grades. Many who achieved top grades in
challenging subjects went on to their chosen university.
Some of our top achievers were:
Dorothy Zhong, 4A* Chemistry, Mathematics, Further
Mathematics and Physics

Rebekah Hesmondhalgh, 2A English and Theatre
Studies, A* Extended Project Qualification, A grade in AS
Chemistry

Dorothy Zhong, a former boarder from Wu Hu City in China
joined the school as a sixth form boarder is also at
Cambridge studying Engineering.
Kate Pratt is reading for a Law degree at Durham. Subjects
and universities chosen by the other top performers
included Biological Sciences at Birmingham and Theatre
and Performance Studies at Warwick.
Of particular note was the A* achieved by Rebekah
Hesmondhalgh for her Extended Project Qualification. This
qualification involves the completion of a major piece of
evaluative research in an area of personal interest, is
undertaken in the student’s own time, and is highly
regarded by universities as an important transition
qualification in preparation for university study. The EPQ is
worth half an A2 subject for university entrance. Rebekah,
joined us from Woldgate College for the sixth form, chose to
study an artefact based project on Theatre in Education for
which she wrote a piece of theatre on pastoral issues
targeted at a teenage audience. This then had to be
performed and Rebekah had to devise a project to analyse
its efficacy, and on the basis of her results, write a proposal
for further research. The EPQ is a demanding qualification
and to gain an A* is outstanding.

Shreyas Gopal, 3A*A French, Latin, Mathematics and
Further Mathematics, A grade in AS Spanish
Kate Pratt, 3A* Geography, History and Religious
Education, A grade in AS Chemistry
Rainne Meng, 2A*2A Mathematics, Further Mathematics,
Chemistry and Physics
Gabby Mok, 2A*A Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, A
grades for AS Latin and Further Mathematics

Katrina attends Stem World Summer
School at Imperial College
This summer Katrina Summerton attended a STEM
World Summer School at Imperial College, London.
Imperial College runs Summer School courses in a variety
of STEM subjects for various age groups over 4 weeks
during July and August. The courses are aimed at gifted
and talented students from all over the world who have
academic achievements in the top 5% of the national
average.
Katrina attended a week-long Advanced Biology course.
Topics covered on the course ranged from molecular (DNA
analysis) to whole animal (a day at London Zoo studying
animal behaviour) and are taught by university staff.

Katrina said “It was a great experience. I had two
separate groups - a day group whom were doing my
course and a pastoral group who were from different
courses and whom I spent every evening with. I met a load
of amazingly gifted people, many of whom I will remain in
contact with for a long time, I am sure!”
Anyone interested in applying for next summer can get
further information from Dr Farrar or go to the Imperial
College website at: www3.imperial.ac.uk

During courses students stay in university halls and eat in
the university canteens with social activities arranged for
the evenings. Courses end with presentations for friends
and family in the Great Hall at Imperial.
cond from the left)

Katrina Summerton (se

Historic John Dowman
Scholarship at
Cambridge University
goes to OP
OP Lydia Clark (11-13), currently reading Anglo-Saxon,
Norse and Celt ic at St John’s College Cambridge where
she achieved a First in her Prelim examinations has been
elected by the College Council to the Dr John Dowman's
Exhibition Scholarship. The award was made at a
ceremony in the College Chapel on 1 November in which
Lydia became a member of the Foundation of the College.
In addition to the Scholarship, Lydia has also been
awarded a Wright Prize worth £500. This prize is awarded
to 'a candidate whose performance in the First Class in an
Approved Examination is judged to have been of special
merit, usually within the top third of the First Class across
the University'.
Her parents are of course thrilled with her success, as are
her former teachers at Pocklington. Headmaster, Mark
Ronan commented “I am delighted with Lydia’s
well-deserved success. She is an inspiring role model to
her peers and as the school celebrates its 500th year it is
fantastic that an Old Pocklingtonian has achieved a John
Dowman award at St John’s College. Both the role of John
Dowman, the founder of Pocklington School and our close
links with St John’s College were reaffirmed earlier this
year in the keynote speech at Prizegiving given by the
Master of St John’s, Professor Christopher Dobson.”
Aside from her academic achievements, Lydia is taking full
advantage of every aspect of College life. She said
“Cambridge University is an amazing experience. My
course is taught by some of the foremost experts in their
field and the personal style of teaching, with a one-to-one
session every week, allows you to progress much faster
academically. Also the well-established nature of the
university means that there is a wide variety of other
activities: I have been able to row for a term before
becoming heavily involved in the technical side of theatre
production in the latter part of the year. I've even had the
opportunity to do fashion-modelling for the University
magazine, which was fun!"