EDITOR ’ S NOTE
From the
HEADMASTER ’ S DESK
Dear Old Pocklingtonians ,
I trust this vibrant edition of the OP Magazine finds you in good health , and that you are as excited as we are at the Pocklington School Foundation about the year ahead .
A sense of enthusiasm , positivity and energy abounds at School . Despite a return to pre-pandemic grade boundaries and all the turbulence that affected this year ’ s Fifth and Sixth Form students who took public examinations , we ( and they !) were very pleased with their outcomes . Post 18-pathway results were also very strong , with the overwhelming majority of students gaining either their first or insurance offer , and with all students now placed either in tertiary education , apprenticeships or already in paid employment !
Rachel Dare ( OP Liaison Officer )
Welcome to the 2023 edition of the Old Pocklingtonian magazine . Once again it is jam-packed full of news , photos , and articles which I hope you will enjoy reading and looking through . The articles and interest in the magazine are achieved from the input and news we receive from you , so please do keep any stories , photos and updates coming – we love to hear from our OPs !
We have had some excellent events this year on both the social and sporting front . Here ’ s me in the photo above pacing runners in the annual Snake Lane race back in February when we had 22 OP runners taking part including selfie-taker John Skinner ( 75-85 ) running alongside me . Last year ’ s London dinner was a sell out and we also had a bumper number of OPs attending the Summer Reunion in July including year group reunions for the ’ 71 and ’ 73 leavers . Our new event , the Presidents ’ Cup , saw the School ’ s 1st XV take on Hymers followed by a post-match lunch which several OPs attended . Hosted in turn by Pocklington School and then Hymers , both schools aim to grow the event to include girls ’ 1st XI hockey in future years . We hope OPs will catch on and come along to support our teams and stay for lunch to make an occasion of it . These are just a few of our events and you will find write-ups for these and others in the magazine as well as a draft list of events for the coming year on the back cover .
Our archivist , Angie Edwards , along with honorary OP Doc Dyson ( Former Staff , 88-18 ) have been busy with the archive digitisation project . The aim of the project is to preserve the School ’ s archives for future generations , capturing both print and digital materials , as well as making archive materials more accessible and searchable . The OP Association is pleased to support the project . When completed , the digital archive will be a valuable resource for both the OP and wider Pocklington School community – we will keep you posted !
I look forward to meeting you at one of our events in 2024 or at School if you are visiting the Pocklington area anytime ( please call in advance if you would like a school tour ). In the meantime , enjoy the magazine and keep in touch !
Indeed , the pathways open to students after their time at Pocklington are broadening on a yearly basis . We are therefore indebted to Gillian Jones , our resident expert Careers Adviser for all that she does in support of our leavers . In addition , we are so fortunate to have expert advice and anecdotes from our Careers and Business Network , and of course you as Old Pocklingtonians ! With this wealth of support on offer , we are witnessing students accessing a myriad of courses , routes and opportunities that reflect the breadth of our student body here at Pocklington .
Part of that diversity stems from our boarding community , with students joining us from the length and breadth of the globe . In addition , we are proud to work alongside organisations such as The Royal National Children ’ s SpringBoard Foundation ( https :// www . royalspringboard . org . uk /). This , and other organisations , mean we can attract as wide a base of potential and very deserving bursary candidates as possible . We are very proud of our increasingly successful Shape the Future bursary campaign and I thank all Old Pocklingtonians who have , in whatever way , contributed to this worthy cause . If you are interested in what we are trying to do , please do not hesitate to contact Jenny Preston via prestonj @ pocklingtonschool . com
The majority of our SpringBoard pupils are boarders , and all our boarders have had a wonderful year , full of variety and energy . Our new weekend activity programme is the envy of many , and boarders comment on how their weekends are perfectly balanced with trips out , time with friends and time in School to focus on their own development . And it is not only our own boarders who love their homes from home . Our lettings programme is burgeoning in its success as more and more groups are looking to stay in our houses over the holiday periods ; if any Old Pocklingtonians fancy a trip down memory lane , you know where to come !
With best wishes for a successful year and all our thanks for your support of our School . Yours sincerely ,
Toby Seth , Headmaster
Best wishes
Rachel Dare OP Liaison Officer
OP Office , Pocklington School , West Green , Pocklington , YO42 2NJ
Tel : 01759 321307 Email : darer @ pocklingtonschool . com
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