SIR ROGER MANWOOD’S SCHOOL
END OF TERM NEWSLETTER – SPRING 2015
Table of Contents
3-6
Message from the Headteacher
Subjects
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8-10
11-12
12
Art
DT
Science
Enrichment
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14-16
16
16-17
17-24
24
Combined Cadet Force
House Competition
Library
Sport
Young Enterprise
Boarding
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26
27-28
The Grange
The Lodge
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The Headteacher’s Message April 2015
Dear Parents,
This term has been full of memorable events. Please do take the time to read the newsletter as it
does give such an excellent feel for what has been going on.
As I write this letter, I am looking forward to our annual alumni weekend, with the Old Manwoodian
Association (OMA) Dinner on Saturday night and the School versus OMA hockey matches on Sunday,
and the students are looking forward to a well-earned rest, especially those about to embark on the
trips to Gambia, India and Austria.
Every three years the school seeks feedback on its performance from its key stakeholders, and it is
due again this year. To that effect, over the coming weeks students in different year groups will be
completing an online questionnaire during their registration and/or tutorial periods. We will be
emailing parents of each year group in turn, so that parents and students in a particular year group
will each receive a link to the questionnaire at the same time. I would like to thank you in advance
for your feedback as we do value our parents perspective. Of course, we will share the outcomes of
the survey with the whole community once it has been completed.
GOVERNOR NEWS
At the Governors’ Meeting on Friday 20 March Revd Canon Mark Roberts was voted in as Chair of
Governors in the light of Dr Anne Weatherley’s decision to resign after eight and a half years of
devoted and committed service. Dr Weatherley will be remaining on the Governing Body, so the
school will continue to benefit from her wealth of knowledge and experience. Dr Colin Ewen, who
has been on the Governing Body for many years, was voted in as Vice Chair.
The Governing Body took part in two training events this half term. On Wednesday 14 January
education law specialist Mr Richard Gold, from Stone King solicitors in London, gave a presentation
on the legal roles and responsibilities of Academy governors. Then on Wednesday 4 February I led a
training event on the wide range of educational data available and how to analyse and interpret it.
FRIENDS OF MANWOOD’S NEWS
I am happy to report that one of the teachers’ teams won the Headmasters’ Quiz. It must be
reassuring that your children are taught by people who know such an amazing amount of trivia!
Seriously, this was the largest turnout for the Quiz in years and much fun was had by all. If you
missed out this time, do think of coming next year… but remember to get your tickets early as this
was a sell-out event this year.
During the summer term, the Friends will be hosting the school’s first ever Murder Mystery Play –
‘Who Murdered The Headmaster?’ with the characters being played by members of the teaching
staff. If you have not been to such an evening before, it is a lot of fun. The play consists of three acts.
In the first, a murder is committed. In the second, the murder is investigated. There is then a meal
break during which teams must guess who the perpetrator/s is/are and give their evidence and
reason for that deduction. The guesses are then collected, and while being marked, the third act is
performed during which the murderer is unmasked. At the end, the winners are announced. Do look
out for ticket information – this will be a fun evening for the whole family.
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A FEW PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS
My major highlight seems such a long time ago now… I must admit that I was not that hopeful
before ‘going in to battle’ (as it were) with Southeastern over their new timetable as it surely cannot
be that easy to produce a train from thin air or to change timetables that had been months in the
planning. However, the strong sense of community at Manwood’s came shining through in our
endeavours to get them to see sense, and it was mightily impressive to see so many parents take the
time to email Southeastern over the issue. That episode was ample demonstration of what can be
achieved when a body of people puts its minds to something!
In January, the school submitted a £2.2 million bid for a new Design Technology block. This process
involved a great deal of work by Mr Simon Farrer, the School Business Manager. Mr Thomas Molloy
will officially be taking over as our School Business Manager from 1 April, although he has very kindly
been dropping in for occasional days since his appointment in mid-February. Unfortunately, just
before we broke up the school heard that it was unsuccessful in its bid.
The school’s Holocaust Memorial Assembly was a very moving and poignant occasion. Mr Merrell,
ably assisted by three A Level history students, led our remembrance and the time and effort that he
had put into preparing it was evident for all to see.
Joseph And The Technicolour Dreamcoat was a triumph. So many people commented on both the
standard and the enjoyment had by the cast and crew. My thanks go to Mr Smith (the Musical
Director), Mr Thomas (the Producer), Ms Coles and Ms O’Connell (the Costume Designers) and Mr
William Parker-Gorman (the Sound and Lighting Designer). Above all, I would especially like to
congratulate and thank Mr Holden (the Director) as it was his last ever production at Manwood’s.
What a high to go out on.
The Sixth Form Fashion Show was a fabulous evening of glitz and glamour. Darcey Giboin and her
team pulled off another memorable occasion despite the hall only being available for about a day
and a half before the event for set up and rehearsals. A lot of the students who re-booked this
Manwood’s tradition are leaving this summer, but with lots of Year 12 among those strutting their
stuff on the catwalk we hope that they will take on the mantle next year.
I visited the CCF while they were on their training exercise weekend in Folkestone earlier this month.
The cadets were most impressive, especially those given leadership roles. I must admit I was glad to
be getting back in my car and going home to a warm bed that evening – I did not envy them having
to sleep in a bag on a groundsheet under a tarpaulin (not even in a tent) on a night when the
temperature went below 4 degrees! Remarkably, when I saw them on the Monday morning in
school they all reported how much they had enjoyed it!
Staying with the CCF theme, the cadets were again a credit to themselves, their parents and the
school during their annual inspection, which went off very well indeed.
Each of the parties standing in the South Thanet constituency were invited in to school to make a
presentation about their policies to the students. In addition, ten sixth formers are standing as
candidates for each of the five main parties (Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat, UK
Independence), two per party, for an in-school Mock Election on May 7th and they were involved in a
very enjoyable and enlightening Question Time earlier this week, chaired by Miss Stanley. Due to the
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success of the event we plan to hold another shortly after Easter. My thanks goes to Miss Stanley for
her willingness to take on the organisation of the presentations and the Question Time event.
Our Year 12 Young Enterprise team won the Dover Area Final in convincing fashion in the last week
of term, and now progress to the Kent Final which is to be held in Maidstone on 30 April. The team
won 3 of the 5 prizes on offer at the local final – Best Overall Team, Best Trade Stand and Most
Innovative Product. Their product is the upcycling of used glass bottles, but their vision of being a
hub in the local area for likeminded companies and start-ups went down very well with the judges.
FUNDING NEWS
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those parents who have made a donation to the
school’s charitable company this year and urge those that have not yet done so yet to please
consider doing so – given the current state of funding the school will soon not be able to fund the
wide range of activities that it has in the recent past, or to improve its facilities in order to provide
the outstanding opportunity that our pupils both need and deserve.
A few parents have asked me to detail what exactly their donations would be used for. That is rather
a difficult question to answer as it depends entirely on how much is donated as to what can be
funded. Examples that we would like to be able to spend it on include
 continuing to provide as many top quality sporting fixtures as we do (over 300 last year)
 providing support to subject departments, including resources that will be needed for new
examination courses coming on stream over the next few years
 providing language assistants in French, German and Spanish, which would benefit every
student taking GCSE languages as well as those taking A Level
 refurbishing the sports pavilion
 reinstating and covering the running costs of the swimming pool
 improving our IT network, including the introduction of cashless catering
 continuing to provide, free of charge, the high quality review of the year that is the
Manwoodian Magazine
We are requesting parents to either set up a Standing Order for £10 per month (details of the
account to pay the money to can be found below), or to donate a one-off amount of £120 per year if
that is easier. That amount equates to roughly a bottle of wine a month, or less than a cup of coffee
a week. We are fully aware that not all parents will be in a position to afford this, but whatever can
be afforded would be gratefully received. Should you feel able to contribute, the details of the
relevant bank account are:
Account name: Manwood Trust No 2 Account
Sort code: 60-18-34
Account number: 19554753
If you are a UK tax payer we would ask that you also sign and return a Gift Aid form, a copy of which
can be found on the school website, as the Trust will then receive tax relief on your donation. Gift
Aid allows UK taxpayers to boost the value of their donations by 25p for every £1 which means that
for every £10 you donate to the school, the school will actually receive £12.50 as we can claim the
additional £2.50 back from the Inland Revenue. The declaration you sign can apply to all donations
that you make in the future so you need only sign once. Higher rate tax payers are also able to
benefit from tax relief on their donation.
In years to come, the funding situation for state schools is likely to get worse before it starts to get
better.
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FINALLY, CONGRATULATIONS TO…
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Ben Fidock who completed the cross channel relay swim that I wrote about in the end of
summer term newsletter
Lauren Martin and Harriet Williams in Y9 who successfully completed a sponsored ’13.5 mile
hockey ball dribble’ from SRMS to Canterbury Hockey Club at Polo Farm. As impressive as
the distance is, I was more impressed that she was able to dribble the ball along the Stour
Valley Walk given the surface! Congratulations also go to Mr Dave Sharp, a parent of a Year
7 student who accompanied the girls during their challenge
Mrs Archer our Assistant Cook, who completed her Snowdon climb but who was unable to
complete the 3 (very high) zip wire challenges due to high winds and the activity centre
closing the zip wire due to health and safety concerns. However, she will be returning to
Wales to complete the challenge later in the year.
High Court Judge Mr Justice Robin St J Knowles C.B.E. (Manwood’s 1971 to 1978) who was
knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 4 November last year
Ray and Dilys Harlow on the occasion of their Golden Wedding Anniversary last December
and Ray on his 80th birthday earlier this month (Ray is the CCF Bandmaster and was a physics
teacher at the school for many years.he has given of his time freely to Manwood’s for many,
many years)
Finally, it only remains for me to wish you all a happy, peaceful and relaxing Easter holiday,
Lee Hunter
Headmaster
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SUBJECT REPORTS
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ART
Year 12 trip to the Wallace Collection
In January, our Year 12 AS Fine Art students travelled to the Wallace Collection in London to
attend a life drawing workshop held within the museum. The morning consisted of a tour of
some of key pieces of figure work, followed by an opportunity to create a series of drawings
directly from Renaissance and Baroque works within the collection. In the afternoon, our
group then created another series of larger drawings from a life model in a dedicated life
drawing studio in the lower grounds of the museum. An interesting and extremely worthwhile
trip, our students came home with an excellent body of work that will go towards their
coursework submission in May.
Some of the results of the work created by our students will be on display in our annual end
of year exhibition (dates to be confirmed).
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Life Drawing in the Art Department
Beginning in January (following on their visit to the Wallace Collection in London), our AS &
A-Level Fine Art students have been attending weekly life drawings sessions in the Art
department in order to boost their coursework and explore a range of observational drawing
techniques with a life model. The results from these sessions have been exciting and will
form a strong part of their AS / A-Level portfolios. Whilst work can be seen within the
department at all times, our students will be presenting their work in our annual exhibition in
the summer term – an event that we very much look forward to.
Examples of life drawing, from our AS & A-Level Fine Art (Art & Design) students.
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Coming Soon – ‘ARTS-COOL’ – a new SRMS Art & Design
website
This Easter, the Art department will be launching a new website – www.arts-cool.co.uk – to
help students and parents access resources, tips, course information and examples of work
from Art & Design across all age groups at SRMS.
The website will also feature an ‘Artist of the Month’ page, which will present the best
outcomes from students across all year groups at SRMS, information on further and higher
education and advice on future careers relating to the fields of art and design.
Mr S Grimshaw
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DESIGN &TECHNOLOGY
Once again we approach the end of a very busy Spring Term with the focus being on GCSE/GCE
students completing their very important controlled assessment tasks. Well done to all the students
who have spent time in workshops at lunchtime and after school in order to maximise their grades.
Big Bang Event
Year 7 Design and Technology students enjoyed an excellent visit to this event at the Discovery Park
on the 20th March. They were able to take part in a variety of practical workshops and see the very
entertaining and educational Science Experiment Road Show. The central aim of the event
organised by STEMNET and IET is to promote the many exciting career opportunities in Engineering
and Technology.
Land Rover 4 X 4 Challenge
Manwood' True Grip RC Team of Lewis Parsons, Oli Lyons, Tom Wiltshire, Ted Missons, Beth Gwyer
and Jonny Chapman will be completing in the National Final of this competition at the Heritage
Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire on Friday 27th March. They did a brilliant job in gaining a
place in the National Final in their first year of entry, and I am sure they will acquit themselves well
at this challenging event. Thanks to True Grip Off Road, Ashford Stevens and Carlotti and Malcolm
Waite for their generous support.
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Monkton Wildlife Reserve trip
This term the Design and Technology team enlisted an excellent link with this local nature reserve.
Year 8 students visited the centre to carry out primary research into wildlife habitats, behaviour and
feeding. They are now designing and making a wide range of products to support wildlife with the
emphasis on sustainable design.
Using an Arkwright Foundation grant and the kind support of the Old Manwoodians we will be
purchasing a 3D printer in the Summer Term. This piece of cutting edge equipment will allow our
students to extend the range of their work and add an exciting new dimension.
Thank you once again to my colleagues Miss Baker, Mrs Colla and Mr Goldsmith for all their hard
work throughout this busy term.
SCIENCE
Physics: The Solar Eclipse
Although the partial solar eclipse of 20th March may have been obscured from view by
cloud, the all-seeing eye of the Physics department’s Cosmic Ray Detector was undeterred.
This device detects sub-atomic particles generated in the Earth’s atmosphere by collisions
between the particles of the upper atmosphere and energetic particles arriving from the
Sun. The detector was set up by Mrs Warren to see if there was any difference between the
levels of cosmic rays before, during and after the passage of the Moon between the Sun and
the Earth’s atmosphere directly over the school. We were one of sixteen schools nationwide
using this type of detector although SRMS also took readings of atmospheric pressure,
temperature and light intensity. Preliminary results should be available after Easter.
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ENRICHMENT
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COMBINED CADET FORCE
The Groups Week training has been taking place on the first Wednesday of each month with the
original three activities of the Shooting Team, Signals Section and CCF Band being joined by a
First Aid Team who hopefully will be entering competitions this year. We have already had two
inter-section level First Aid competition events this term, which has been organised and run
excellently by Corporals Alex Waldron and Ted Missons.
This term we welcomed Mrs Elizabeth McMillan and Mr Josh Ovenden
as Civilian Instructors. Mrs McMillan is taking on the First Aid
Training role and Mr Ovenden, who was a cadet at SRMS, has a wealth
of experience and is able to supervise and support most of the cadet
training
We have seen some very good shooting during lunchtimes and after
school training, mainly run by Lieutenant Mackay, including an
amazing grouping by Daniel St Cyr Albert. Disappointingly though the cadet team lost to the Old
Manwoodian Association team in the latest Country Life competition by only eight points (269
to 261). Company Sergeant Major Olly Lyon had the highest individual cadet score with 55 and
a shared 15 extra points from the landscape targets with Cadet Lance Corporal Ben Brown. The
next competition against the OMA team is the Irwin Bowl shoot in June and we hope to be
victorious then. Also in June we have organised a shooting competition against Dover Grammar
School for Boys CCF. All in all we have benefitted greatly from the purchase of the four air rifles
with funds from the Old Manwoodian Association.
The Signals Section sent two cadets to Blandford in Dorset during half term for a cadet signals
training week. Cadet Corporal Thomas Beale and Cadet Lance Corporal Aaron Ram both enjoyed
the week and returned equipped to train the younger cadets. The Signals Section now has a
dedicated building to keep, maintain and operate
the signals and communications equipment. It is
hoped that a new generation of radios will be
issued to cadets across the country by the end of
this year.
The CCF March Training Weekend was very
successful. The last few cadets passed the
mandatory weapon handling test on the Friday
evening and all the cadets spent the Saturday on
the Assault Course, Indoor Cinematic Rifle Range
and First Aid Training. In the afternoon the cadets
deployed onto the Army training area, set up a Patrol Harbour and sent out reconnaissance and
standing patrols to locate a fictional enemy. After a dry but cold night under the stars the
sections attacked the enemy just after dawn to finish the weekend victorious. This was the first
tactical overnight exercise for many of the cadets. It was valuable in preparing them for a
similar event at the end of summer camp when we hope to achieve more tactical training but
expect it to be significantly warmer!
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The CCF Band led the Contingent through Sandwich on Founders Day. The Head Teacher and
Governors took a salute outside the Bell Hotel en route to the church for the Founders Day
service. The Band performed extremely well considering the small number of musicians and
the limited time in which they were able to practice and prepare.
Three of the senior cadets joined cadets from Dover Grammar School for Boys on a training
weekend at St Martins Plain learning to operate and fire the army Light Support Weapon.
Unfortunately, shooting on the Sunday was stopped due to a sailing vessel entering the Hythe
Range Danger Area but before this two of our cadets, Company Sergeant Major Olly Lyon and
Sergeant Henry James, achieved First Class and Marksman classifications respectively. We hope
that Cadet Colour Sergeant James Poulton will be able to complete his training on another date.
Annual Inspection Day was another bright
and warm day attended by fifty guests.
Commander Terry Tyack Royal Navy was
delighted to return to SRMS where he was
the senior cadet in the late 1980s.
Commander Tyack inspected the Contingent
and after the drill parade he enjoyed
watching the cadet teams compete along
with local dignitaries and the cadets families.
Three sections of cadets competed over six
events including the Confidence Course, Air
Rifle Range, Signals Battleships, First Aid,
Team Challenge and Navigation. The final scores could not have been closer with only one point
between each team. Corporal Georgia Pomeroy, who was presented with the shield by
Commander Tyack, led the winning section.
During the Easter holiday’s twenty-four cadets will go to Cornwall for Adventure Training. They
will spend a week based near Newquay and participate in coasteering, surfing, mountain biking,
archery, dinghy sailing, climbing, abseiling and walking.
Also during the Easter holidays Cadet Sergeant Henry James will attend the Cadet Leadership
Cadre week that is being held in Shropshire.
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I would like to thank all the staff, cadets, and families for their support this term.
Major L Martin
If you are in Y8 or above and interested in joining the CCF please look at the web site
www.srmsccf.webnode.com. If you have any questions please email us at srmsccf@yahoo.co.uk or
visit the CCF Office at school on a Wednesday.
HOUSE COMPETITION
Junior University Challenge
Last term saw a very exciting inter-house competition based on the University Challenge
format. Dorman won the Year 7 and Year 9 competitions with Tudor taking the Year 8 title and
Trappes winning in Year 10. That house competition helped us select a team to defend our title of
Year 8 Kent & Sussex regional champions in the University Challenge competition. Unfortunately,
the team of Tom Heppell, Michael Gwyllam, Claire Carlotti and Karys Battenfield, came up against
tough competition in Kings Rochester Prep in the qualifying round. Speed on the buzzer was their
undoing and after a very close first half of the match, Kings Rochester stretched away in the second
half. Well done to all those that took part and Mr. Anderson and Miss Lightfoot continued to be
amazed by the breadth and depth of what you know!
LIBRARY NEWS
This has been another busy term in the Library.
World Book Day at the beginning of March was celebrated with a Book and Cake Sale. This raised a
huge £252 for Book Aid International (www.bookaid.org). Thank you very much to everyone who
brought in books beforehand and bought books and cake on the day. We had a magnificent
response to our plea for books! Special thanks must also go to the Library Prefects and members of
our Library Club who made the delicious cakes.
A World Book Day competition asked ‘If I were a book, what sort of book would I be?’ There were
some lovely entries but the two winners were Thomas Smith 7A and Joanna Saldonido 7E who both
designed very imaginative posters.
Year 7 enjoyed a visit from author Helen Dennis on March 6th. She has written the popular ‘Secret
Breakers’ series and spoke enthusiastically about her writing career. After describing the inspiration
for her books she involved her audience in some practical code-breaking. Many students stayed at
the end to have their books signed.
The Junior Reading Group has been busy discussing some interesting books. This term we have read
‘Unique’ by Alison Allen- Gray and ‘Noughts and Crosses’ by Malorie Blackman. We will shortly be
starting the Carnegie Shadowing for this year. The Shadowing scheme allows schools to get involved
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in the judging process for the Carnegie Medal. This award is given each year to an outstanding book
for young people, which has been published in the previous twelve months.
Meanwhile Deal Writers Group recently invited local schools to bid for funds from them to use for a
creative writing purpose. We were lucky enough to be successful with our bid and received £250. A
group of students joined us at the presentation event at The Astor Theatre, with some of them
reading their work. Caitlyn Moon 9TU, Scott Oakes 10A and Ffion Green 12B were the fantastic
readers who impressed the writing group with the imagination and maturity displayed in their work.
We hope to invite a local author to our school now to lead a creative writing workshop with Year 9.
Finally, a reminder that the Library opens at 8.30am every morning and closes at 4.30pm Monday –
Thursday. On Friday the Library closes at 4pm. Homework Club takes place in the Library Monday –
Thursday.
SPORTS
Boys Sport
The U12’s first game was away at Harvey Grammar. It was a tough game but we came away with a 31 victory. We then played a friendly against St Lawrence and lost 6-2. Then we were away again at
Chatham and Clarendon which was a tight game but we lost 6-4, with goals from Matt Carney (1),
Finley Beaman (2) and Callum Nagle (1). We were then away at Norton Knatchbull and lost 2-1. For
our next game we were away at Kent College where we played two seven-a-side matches. The A
team won 4-2 but the B team lost 4-0. The final game of the season was against Simon Langton and
sadly we were defeated by the better team.
The U13 boy’s hockey team have progressed as players as well as progressing as a team, displayed
through numerous games played this term. We started off with the hardest team first, St Lawrence,
where we put up a good game but we knew we were going to get beaten. As we went on playing
other schools we could start to see an improvement in our playing ability. After a few more games it
was time for our tournament which was great fun but unfortunately we lost all of our games until
playing Rochester Math in our final match. Noah scored our first and only goal of the season to give
us a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, Rochester equalised with just 10 seconds remaining to finish 1-1. Player
of the tournament was Tom Hulks.
As we kept playing and improving we started to get to the last game of the season against Simon
Langton, we played really well as a team and had twice as many chances as we have all season but
could not put one in the back of the net and sadly, we lost. It was a great season and we really
improved as a team and as players. Our player’s player and manager’s player was Jacob Bowles.
Most improved was Theo Smith.
This season was not a very good season for the U14 as many of our fixtures were called off. This was
disappointing but the games we did play, we played well. The highlight of the season was beating
Chatham and Clarendon School, 5-2. Another highlight from the season was at our game against
Simon Langton where we lost 6-3 but played the best hockey that we have played as a team. This
game against Simon Langton was our last game but we ended the season on a high. The team
performed really well during the season and particular praise goes to; Ollie Nedderman, Jonty
Verrier, Kane Clay, Glen Marshall and Josh Coombes.
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The first encounter of the season was against a strong Norton Knatchbull side. However, we
managed to hold them to a 0-0 draw. The second game did not go as well; we suffered a defeat to
Kent College (2-1), with Harry Peirce getting the goal. This showed promise for the season ahead.
The next game was a poor display from Manwoods, suffering a 12-0 defeat to St Lawrence. Even
though we suffered a huge defeat we had to forget about it and play a strong and rather violent,
Chatham and Clarendon side. An early goal from Joe Clifton gave us the lead, followed by goals from
Michael Dyer and Freddie Campbell, making that our first win of the season.
Then we entered the Peter Firminger tournament. We began by holding Simon Langton to a 0-0
draw, a bright start to the day. However, this did not last long as we lost 3-0 to St Lawrence and 5-0
to Langley Park. This meant our last game of the group was against Chatham and Clarendon, we
needed to get a point. An early goal from Joe Clifton meant we were in a great position. We then
conceded a penalty flick and the game finished 1-1. We qualified to the afternoon knockouts and we
encountered a well organised Rochester Math, we lost 2-0.
Excellent performances this season were seen by; Joe Clifton, James Ball, Harry Brown, Michael
Eastman, Matt Green and Captain, Harry Peirce.
The 2XI had a very mixed. We started with a 9-0 victory over Chatham House but losses to Kings,
Rochester Maths in friendlies dented our confidence. This was followed by a 6-0 loss to Langton in
the league and led to us finishing second in the league. Thanks must go to Mr Riordan for driving and
managing the team. Also, to Year 13 leavers who have given a great deal of effort to Hockey at
SRMS.
The 1st XI endured a strange season filled with cancellations, huge highs and significant lows. The
team ended up with a record of 3 wins, 2 draws and 7 losses however this does not reflect the level
of hockey displayed by the team. The highlight of the season has to be the sensational 2-0 win
against the extremely strong Kent College. The match demonstrated perfectly the potential of this
team, with the side looking fluent going forward and stoic in defence. A depleted side led superbly
by Ben Jones saw the team reach the semi-final of the Frank Mason where there were dramatically
edged out of the competition by Chatham House, who they subsequently drew within their next
meeting weeks later. The 1st XI also made a valiant trip up to Tonbridge School to face an incredibly
potent Tonbridge side which was led by an England coach and filled with young talent. Once again
the excellent qualities of this Manwood’s side shone through as they battled on for the full 70
minutes and, despite the loss, were still laughing and smiling after the game.
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Once again an enormous thank you has to go to all of the sports department but mostly Mr Pearce
for devoting so much of his time to this season and, with a depleting budget and in face of last
minute cancellations, has been able to put together what has been an extremely enjoyable season.
This year, senior hockey at Manwood’s also says goodbye to 10 players who have all been vital
during this year and their entire time at the school, so thank you’s also go to Ben Jones, Alex Smith,
James Waldron, Harry Sims, Ed Prophet, Jacob Allen, Ollie Collins, Lewis Parsons, George Pierce and
Jake Ling.
Girls Sport
This season Sir Roger Manwood’s netball teams showed great team spirit and determination in
training and matches. There were 9 teams in total with students from all year groups involved.
Selection for the teams was tough this year, with only 7 spots available, competition was fierce,
especially in the early season. Attendance at early morning training sessions highlights the work
ethic and commitment of students in the squads. The results were very mixed this season with some
convincing wins and some tough defeats. Well done to all those students who have represented the
school netball teams this season.
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Sir Roger Manwood’s Girl’s Netball Review 2015
Full Colours - Awarded to those students who have represented the 1VII throughout the season and
have shown dedication and commitment to both training and fixtures.
Sarah Blanchard—Year 12
Alice Latham—Year 13
Georgia Ambrose—Year 13
Jemma Veness—Year 11
Lucy Nicholas—Year 11
Sophie McMeekin—Year 12
Molly Farley—Year 12
Phoebe Urquhart—Year 12
Claire Buchanan—Year 13
Sir Roger Manwood’s Girl’s Netball Review 2015
Half Colours - Awarded to those students who have represented the 2VII or have played for both
teams throughout the season.
Sophie Card—Year 11
Poppy Collins—Year 11
Casey Baughan—Year 13
Jess Tombs—Year 12
Shiree Khinder—Year 11
Megan Cantle—Year 11
Grace Baldwin—Year 11
Olivia Sims—Year 11
Sarah Adams—Year 13
Georgia Green—Year 12
Eva Irvine—Year 12
Olivia Thompson—Year 12
Amy Sampson—Year 10
Kimberley Carr – Year 11
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Senior Squads
Undoubtedly the most competitive netball squad to be a part of this year. Both teams were fiercely
strong, making squad selection very difficult.
Both the 1st and 2nd team had a very disappointing score line this season, which cannot be put
down to their individual and team performances. Everyone worked extremely hard and left nothing
on the court. The season was full of very tough opposition, but this did not stop the senior teams
from battling in each match until the very last minute, except Ashford, but we won’t mention that
match.
1st team players of the season – Claire Buchanan & Alice Latham
2nd Team players of the season – Megan Cantle
U16VII
An outstanding, undefeated season for the U16s. Scoring a total of 58 goals and conceding 17 within
a three match period. The U16 had many last minute cancellations, which was greatly disappointing
for them as they had worked hard for their position on the team. None the less, the most successful
girls netball squad this season.
Player of the season – Lucy Nicholas
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The U15 had a very difficult season this year facing some of their toughest competition yet.
Regardless of any results, the girls fought valiantly throughout the season and not once did they give
up. They faced each match with determination and left with absolute pride knowing they had done
their best. An unmatched pace was supplied up and down the court by Amy Sampson (Captain),
Becky Baker, Katie Heppel and Sofia Palmerin. Excellent shooting was provided by Fien Van Der
Graaf and Olivia Plant.
Player of the season – Sofia Palmerin & Amy Sampson
Special mention is to be given to Amy Sampson (Y10) for being selected for both the 1st and 2nd team
this season.
U14VII
The U14 team were unfortunate to have a number of their fixtures cancelled this season. Despite
having a diminished fixtures list the girls showed continued commitment to training. This clearly paid
off as the team won 3 out of 5 of their games and managed to score 21 goals and concede 0 in their
final game against Astor. The district tournament was the final event of the season and the U14 side
did not disappoint, finishing joint first with SRMS U13 team. This made them district champions for
the second consecutive year. Well done to all the girls who played
throughout the season.
Players of the season: Tabitha Lambie & Lauren Martin
U13VII A & B
The U13 teams had a busy season, they played 11 friendly
fixtures and competed in both the district and county netball
tournaments. It would be fair to say that the squad are one of the most committed we have in the
school, dedicating countless hours to training and matches, setting a precedent for others to follow.
It is this, combined with their desire to improve and win that has enabled them to be a highly
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successful squad this season. The U13A team played 7 friendly fixtures winning 4 and losing 3. It
must be said that the 3 losses were against strong independent school opposition and the score lines
were very close in all 3! The U13B team fought valiantly in all there matches and managed to beat
Duke of York's B team 16-1.
The U13A team ended up playing in the year 9 district tournament due to a disappointing turn out
for their age group. The team played outstandingly and managed to finish in joint 1st place with Sir
Roger Manwood’s year 9 team. Congratulations to all of those who have represented the teams this
year, keep up the good work for next year!
U13A team player of the season—The whole squad!!!!!!
U13B team player of the season—Ella Revell and Ella Craig
U13VIIA Squad 2015
U13VIIB Squad 2015
U13VII County Squad
first ever Manwood’s team to enter the Kent Schools County Netball tournament. Out of 50 schools
the team managed to reach the knockout stages of the tournament and earn themselves a place in
the top 16 in the county. This is an absolutely fantastic achievement and thoroughly deserved,
especially as our regular GD Emma Waite decided to knock herself out in the first game and was
then unable to play.
County Tournament Results:
Lost—Sevenoaks and Bennett, Won—Towers, Homewood, Cobham and Trinity, Drew—HillView
Finished 3rd in group so progressed to the last 16 knock out rounds.
Lost to Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School in the knockout round.
Players of the Tournament- Anya Vellani & Sophie Green
U12VII A & B
An excellent start to the season for both the A&B teams. The A team won five out of their six
matches and the B team won five out of seven matches. The camaraderie between both squads has
been phenomenal both on and off the pitch. Every member of the squad has worked hard to gain
their position in the team and has continued this work rate in matches and in their training. The
best performance for the A squad was when they defeated Kent College 12-6, a superb result. The B
team’s best result was against Sutton Valence, winning 5-3. Both very commendable performances.
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A team player of the season – Grace Campbell
B team player of the season – Sophie O’Shea
U12VIIB Squad 2015
U12VIIA Squad 2015
U12VII County Squad
The very first year of entering the county tournament. The U12’s had their work cut out from the
start facing tough opposition such as W.Hall & Hayes. A total of 6 matches were played in the day,
with the top two from each group going through to the next round. Unfortunately we were not one
of the top two groups this year. We came 6th in our group with some superb performances. Player
of the tournament was awarded to both Mary Curry and Caeley McGrath. On wards and upwards to
next year’s county tournament where I am sure we will make more of a dent in the standings.
Young Enterprise
This year the Young Enterprise Company, called Horizon, have produced a product based on
upcycling used bottles. They have been busy making candle bottles and bottle lights, and have made
a number of sales in the local area and at their trade in Asda, Folkestone, during half term.
At the time of writing they are preparing themselves for the Dover Area Board Finals, which will have
taken place by the time that this newsletter is released. They will face competition from five other
local schools to try and gain the award of Best Overall Company. The venue this year is Sir Roger
Manwood’s School. They will be judged on their Company report, trade stand, and a presentation.
If successful they will go on to represent the Dover Area in the Kent finals in May.
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BOARDING
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BOARDING
The Grange
Spring Term at Manwood Grange has been very eventful, with a number of social events occurring,
both internally and externally, with a few occasions involving the Manwood Lodge as well.
The term started off with a cinema & Nando’s trip on 1st February. The communal love for Nando’s is
apparent throughout the Grange, resulting in it being the most requested trip. Unsurprisingly this
was a great success with the boys enjoying their food, followed with watching a film of their choice.
The Chinese boarders from both The Grange and The Lodge collaborated to present a Church service
on the 8th February, singing various Chinese songs, as well as teachings and prayers relevant to their
culture.
Followed was the celebration of the Chinese New Year, with the boarders from both houses going to
an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. The all-you-can-eat aspect went down well with the boys, with
many of them struggling to drag themselves back to the minibuses after.
It is great to see the sharing of different cultures in the boarding house, as it leads to boarders being
aware and understanding of distinct characteristics held within foreign communities, which helps
create a welcoming, diverse, and understanding environment.
Approximately a third of the boarding community went to see the fashion show that occurred on the
11th February, with Andrew Perry performing in it. Reports from the boys who were interested
summarized that it was an enjoyable and amusing night and Andrew did well following in his older
brother’s footsteps!
It has been realised that there is a shared interest in food in general throughout the boarding house
community, and so a food night was organised; the majority of the boarders got involved with
cooking various dishes, ranging from simple, quick chocolate rice crispie cakes, to various complex
cultural dishes which took hours to make.
The food was enjoyed by all, as the range of foods lead to there being something nice for everyone.
During the night there was karaoke being played as well, with a surprising amount of individuals
getting involved and singing their lungs out.
The annual trip to Thorpe park occured again this year, due it being very popular with the boys. This
year the minibuses were used instead of hiring out a coach, which allowed for more flexibility for
when people left for home. The hardcore thrill-seekers stayed until the bitter end to do a whistle
stop tour of the big rides when most had gone home. The day was a success as usual, due to the
majority of the boys getting a thrill from the various rollercoaster rides. Even those who did not
enjoy rides had a relaxing day, with there being plenty of places to eat and drink, as well as there
being more tranquil rides to enjoy.
A selection of the boys joined The Lodge on a day trip to Ashford shopping centre, where they had
the opportunity to do some shopping and take advantage of the discounted prices offered there. The
group then went to play bowling in Ashford.
The final events to occur this term are the gala day; where individuals from The Grange and The
Lodge perform various skills and talents to each other, and the easter egg hunt on Saturday and
Sunday respectively. These events have been a success in the past years, and hopefully they will be a
success again this year.
Michael Tawiah, Head of House for the Grange
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The Lodge
This, the shortest of our three terms, has raced by; During January and February the coughs and
colds continued to go around the house, but now we are in March with the evenings getting lighter
and the sun stronger, both staff and girls are looking forward to brighter, healthier and hopefully
warmer days! I think it would be a very good idea if parents could provide the girls with vitamins for
the winter months, especially if they are not used to the changeable British weather, it can really
help fight off some of these colds, especially if the students get a bit run down with stress over
exams etc. Many were disappointed that the snow did not get this far south this winter,
unfortunately we have had a lot of strong, cold winds which have made walking to school and the
canteen rather unpleasant. It is important that they have appropriate coats and footwear for wet
stormy days. (As we had yesterday!)
However, we have managed to fit in some excellent events this term and the girls have continued to
look after and encourage one another at work and play. We celebrated Chinese New Year a little
early, just before half term at the restaurant we went to last year. This is about 30 minutes away
from Sandwich by minibus. There were lots of different dishes provided and providing you ate what
was served up, more and more kept appearing! I’m sure the minibuses were considerably heavier
going home! A good evening, enjoyed by the boarders and staff from both houses, thank you to Miss
Carnt for organising the trip.
The first half term was also very busy for Mrs O’Connell and I and Semi, Leslie and Pema, as we were
all involved with the school production of ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat’, we
were making costumes and the hall here became very colourful as I slowly filled 4 rails with multicoloured robes and dresses. Semi created a strong stage presence as the Patriarch Jacob, surprising
the boys with the depth of her voice! Leslie sang well and created a very animated ‘wife’, while
Pema rose to the challenge of learning a lot of songs and dances, each requiring a quick costume
change and the whole cast looked as though they were having a great time. The boarders went to
see the opening night and came back enthusing as to how professional the show was. Exhausting,
but well worth the effort!
We also managed a trip to Westwood Cross at this time, just one minibus, as not everyone wanted
to go. Some opted to go for a meal or shop, some to the cinema, those of us who watched the
amazing The Theory of Everything’ got very emotional and had lots to talk about on the way home!
At Mr Pearce’s request, we repeated our world food tasting evening with the boys. It was hosted at
the Grange and both houses threw themselves enthusiastically into the preparations for this, a truly
amazing meal with something for everyone to enjoy was the result. My thanks to Mrs O’Connell,
who gave up her free last lesson and most of the evening to help support and guide some of the girls
in their efforts. This was on the Friday of the first weekend in March, on the Saturday I took some of
the girls and five boys from the Grange to Ashford by minibus. We spent the morning at the designer
outlet then in the afternoon we went to the bowling alley. Another good day, the students were very
good tempered and patient when I couldn’t find a parking space near the bowling alley and made
them walk very fast to get there in time for our booking! On the Sunday, we welcomed Chris
Duncan, once a student at Manwood’s, to our service and to both houses during the day to begin to
make a promotional film on boarding at school. We had very tidy rooms (which was a bonus!) and
quite a few of the girls agreed to be interviewed. He has been back a few times to film other events
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and will soon start editing. We are looking forward to a ‘private’ view with the ‘out takes’ before the
end of the school year, quite an exciting venture to be a part of.
After the Exeat, we had our major spring outing to Thorpe Park, this had been planned for some
months and the girls had been given the dates well in advance, so I was very disappointed that 9 girls
opted out, some at very short notice. As the tickets had been booked and paid for in advance it was
not possible to get any refunds. Mr and Mrs Pearce and I drove the Minibuses, it was a very long day
but most people seemed to enjoy queuing then screaming on the rides and no-one was sick, just a
little damp from the water rides! The sun eventually came out and the afternoon was very pleasant.
Two buses got home at 8.30, with the die-hards with Mr Pearce staying another hour to go round
the rides yet again. I think everyone slept very well that night, I know I did! My thanks to Mr Outen
and Mady who came as support for the girls’ house and enjoyed all the scary rides too. Next
everyone was busy preparing for our annual Gala, this concert is held in the big TV room at the
Grange. The standard of the singing, dancing, bands and instrumentalists was excellent with Leslie
and Andrew as comperes for the evening, and as you can imagine, food was involved, those that did
not choose to perform created more delicious dishes and cakes for the interval. Another full, busy
and happy occasion for all. This was followed by our final service of the term; Palm Sunday, we each
received a palm cross to help us focus on the events leading up to Easter.
Despite all these activities, the girls continue to work well; gaining very good assessments and the
seniors are already busy revising for the summer exams. I do hope that everyone has a really good
Easter break; safe journeys and that those who are not able to get home this time can relax and
have some fun as well as working hard.
Happy Easter to all the boarders and your families,
Mrs Coles
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