SCHOOL NEWS// DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
NEWS FROM THE
DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
Pocklington School’s new Art and Design Technology Centre
was officially opened on Friday 18 May 2018, in a ceremony
attended by more than 150 guests including campaign donors,
Governors, staff and students.
Three years after the School announced plans to launch a
fundraising campaign to raise the £2 million needed to build
the new Centre, guests were able to see how the success of the
campaign had made the School’s vision to continue its great
tradition of inspiring creative minds a reality.
Campaign patron and donor, York-born actress Dame Judi
Dench, sent a special message to those gathered at the event,
saying she was unable to attend as she was in the middle of
filming, but she is delighted at the success of the campaign and
sent congratulations to all.
The Centre was officially opened by Campaign President
Lord Halifax, who cut the opening ribbon helped by three
Pocklington School students. Lord Halifax praised the
‘fantastic support’ of the Pocklington School community for
providing the facilities for future generations of Art, Design
and Technology students to develop their talents.
A level Art student Florence Colbeck, who designed the laser
cut, corten steel centrepiece to the Centre’s opening foyer,
said: “We now have the opportunity to try out a greater range
of techniques and there’s room to display our work, too, so we
can learn from each other.”
Magnus Swann, a 5th Year student who is studying Art,
Design and Photography, said: “I’m excited about all the new
kit for photography students – and the fact the rooms are so
big and light.”
Old Pocklingtonian and Campaign Patron, Professor Steven
Kyffin, praised the School’s long-standing recognition that
creativity and innovation are the driving force behind any
successful workplace.
He said: “When I came here in 1970 it changed my life for
ever. It made me creative, it made me a trader, it made me
understand what it is to connect all the disciplines – all the
things this department does so well, and will continue to do
well, to equip present students to go on and lead in the future.”
Christopher Oughtred, Campaign Chairman, said support
from the school community had been strong from the moment
the fundraising campaign for a new Centre was launched. A
special commemorative ‘Book of Benefactors’, to be placed in
the School’s Archive Room, records the campaign’s progress
and the many enjoyable and well-attended events of the three
year campaign.
PRESTIGIOUS ARKWRIGHT ENGINEERING
SCHOLARSHIP FOR FUTURE LEADERS
Pocklington School student James Charlton-Harrison has been
identified as a future leader in engineering by a prestigious
annual award scheme. The Arkwright Scholarships Trust
granted James an Engineering Scholarship at an awards
ceremony in Edinburgh for the UK’s most talented STEM
(science, technology, engineering and maths) students.
James said: “Engineering has always captivated me from a love
of mechanisms in early life through to a strong interest into
the precise workings of today’s modern world. The Arkwright
Scholarship has allowed me the freedom to expand upon my
interests with the immensely valuable help of my sponsors at
OSL consulting engineers, with whom I have been offered
work experience.’’
‘’The selection process was a challenging experience, but
I received a great deal of support from the School’s Design
department and from a previous Scholarship winner, enabling
me to gain a new skillset which shall come in use when applying
for university places next year.”
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THE POCKLINGTONIAN