Prize Giving 2015
Headmaster’s Prize Giving Speech
Summer Term 2015
Chairman, Guests, ladies and gentlemen, Sedberghians.
It is a pleasure to welcome both the Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff of Cumbria to our proceedings and we are honoured by their presence.
To all our visitors, we welcome you to Sedbergh School. If you have never visited before, I hope you will gain a sense of the character and spirit that makes Sedbergh stand out amongst its peers. To parents who support the School in every possible way, we offer you our deepest thanks for the trust you express in allowing us to educate your sons and daughters.
Let me start by thanking Michael Cuthbertson for speaking in Chapel this morning.
Michael has been a Governor of Sedbergh School since 2008 and Chairs the
Governors’ Education Sub-Committee to which I report on educational, pastoral and extra-curricular matters. He was Headmaster of Monkton Combe School from 1990-
2000 and has sat on the Board of Education for the Diocese of Bath and Wells. It is hard to think of anyone more qualified to speak at such an important Service and we are grateful that Michael was able to join us.
It is also an honour to welcome Lieutenant Colonel Reverend Nicholas Mercer. He is now Assistant Chaplain at Sherborne School, Dorset but in 2003, Nicholas was appointed Command Legal Adviser for the Iraq War. This was a role which was to bring him into conflict with the highest echelons of the MoD and eventually precipitate his departure from the army. His bravery and commitment to human
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Prize Giving 2015 rights during this period led to him being made Human Rights Lawyer of the Year in
2011 by the civil rights group Liberty.
Reverend Mercer’s presence today seems pertinent at a time when a glance through any window onto world affairs reveals conflict. Syria, Ukraine, Islamic State, Boko
Haram, Al-Shabab are all too familiar news items. Yet, if we think our lives are difficult and uncertain, The Sedberghian of 1915, written by the boys, places matters in proportion. It records, “There was no formal Speech Day this year because it was thought that to make formality of jollification, when so many Old Sedberghians were
dead or in danger, was inappropriate.” Having set a solemn tone it continues, “Rain spoilt Commemoration Sunday and the preceding Saturday, which was to have contained all the pleasant side of Prize Day. In other words it was to have been the same as an ordinary Speech Day without the boredom of the Speeches!”
It’s true, speeches on Prize Day run the risk of reading like shopping lists – milk, butter and eggs; A Levels, rugby and music – you will get the picture. There is always the risk of formulaic repetition but that which follows is simply my personal reflection of an exceptional year - there is no risk that I might meet the same fate as the politician who, warming to his theme, turned a page to discover the blunt message from a disgruntled speech writer, “I resign and you’re on your own.”
Looking back to the Michaelmas Term, I hope you will have gauged from my letters how pleased we were with our exam results. This was for two reasons. Firstly, we beat the targets we had set ourselves. More importantly, as we looked down the result lists we knew intuitively that our pupils had done well. 54% of exams were passed at A or B grade at A Level and at GCSE 40% of our results were A grades and
87% above grade C. As Headmaster, these are important statistics but as a parent, watching my daughters wait anxiously for that phone call in August, the statistics didn’t matter. There is no doubt we did well; our pupils did well and we should
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Prize Giving 2015 celebrate their success - but statistics are much like a lamp-post to a drunk – more useful as a prop than as a form of illumination. We know we did well, because we know our pupils.
The national pre-occupation with statistics neglects intellectual work which falls outside its narrow definition. Essays on the use of music therapy in treating mental illness, Buckminsterfullerene as a carrier molecule in nano-medicine, the economic impact of changes in Swiss banking law, and the importance of Pompey’s invasion of
Jerusalem in the spread of Christianity all point to the highest levels of academic initiative. Our scientists have distinguished themselves in Maths and Biology
Olympiads and won at the Lancaster University Science, Technology, Engineering and
Maths Competition. Linguists have competed in Europe-wide translation competitions and pupils have entered art and creative writing festivals. It is hard to find a subject discipline which has not participated in such competitions.
Yet recently, the parent of a child at another School with which we were competing confronted one of our younger pupils and said, “Your School may be good at sport
but you’re not very academic are you?” It was a shocking moment, as frustrating as it is inaccurate.
The Brantwood Society has met every three weeks with readings of Dylan Thomas,
Yeats and Shakespearean soliloquies amongst many others. Collegium Musicum has received presentations on themes such as American Choral Music, Whitacre and
Lauridsen, Chopin’s life history and the operation of the Hunter Organ behind me, here in Powell Hall. Pupils have composed and frequently conducted their own pieces including a requiem mass. Pupils engaged with election candidates at hustings and ran their own election. The School of Athens has tackled topics ranging from
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Prize Giving 2015
Artificial Intelligence to an exploration of Morality and Justice. This list goes on and on - so let me take you to the champagne section of the wine racks; Cambridge
University has this year asked to use Sedbergh as their northern outreach centre.
Following the London Olympics, OFSTED published its investigation into school sport,
“Going the Extra Mile”. In it, Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of
Schools but no friend of private education, writes “Competitive sport is a key component in building self-esteem, confidence, school ethos and academic
excellence.” We’re an academic school, just as we are good at sport.
I ride the roller-coaster of our teams’ performance alongside parents, staff and pupils. And what a year it has been:
Pupils have represented the School in 754 fixtures across 28 sports coached by 42 teaching staff, winning 72% of all our matches. Working on the modest assumption that the average pupil is involved in 2 hours of sport on four days per week, our pupils have notched up 140,000 hours of physical exercise this year.
Our rugby team won the National SuperTens tournament. On the hockey pitch five boys’ and girls’ teams reached the North West Finals and two reached Northern
Finals. Netball players have reached National Cup quarter finals and our runners won the fell racing championships and were placed 5 th and 8 th in the National crosscountry relays. Our cricketers are barely halfway through this year’s season but it is important to record last year’s success when they reached two national finals. Taylor
McGuire is the Under 14 National Fives Champion.
I am frequently asked, “What is Sedbergh best at?” The expected answer is often sport, or even rugby. That would be wrong. Our success lies in the quality of our teams whether they be on the pitch or the exquisite music we enjoyed at the
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Prize Giving 2015
Headmaster’s Concert in November and again two weeks ago, or in the stagecraft evident in ‘Guys and Dolls’. Week after week, we pause to listen to the Choir sing anthems in Chapel. Very few people enjoy the privilege of listening to such finely crafted music every week. In fact, I would go so far as to say that work such as the
16 th century piece 'In Pace' by Blitheman, 'Caprice Basque' by de Sarasate and
Brahms' piano quintet in F Minor have made this year my career highlight in terms of music. So, let’s place music alongside academic and sporting excellence. Beyond that,
House Unisons, House Entertainments and House matches are manifestations of teamwork and all that will continue as we look forward to the spectacle that is ‘Les
Miserables’ which we will perform in November.
Prize Giving recognises the achievements of individuals and rightly so, but whether it is on the pitch, the stage or in the examination hall, those who succeed at the highest level only do so through the support of those around them. Isaac Newton reflected this in 1676 when he wrote, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders
of giants.” The same may be said of those who have achieved individual excellence at Sedbergh.
So, with this in mind, we offer our unreserved congratulations to pupils who have achieved selection to national teams:

Alex Moon, John McPhillips, Alistair Crossdale and Max Davies have all been capped for England, Jack Solman for Scotland and Vincent Cunha-Vaz for
Portugal.

George Bentley and Katherine Fleck will shoot for the UK Cadet Rifle Team in
August.

Toby Randall-Paley, James Horan, Lucy Preston and Elizabeth Sladden sing in the National Youth Choir.
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Prize Giving 2015
Old Sedberghians continue to make their mark on the international stage. Abbie
Scott has become Sedbergh’s first woman Six Nations International at the age of
21 and has been tipped as an exciting prospect for the future; meanwhile, Anna
Bidgood, who left Robertson in 2010, gained a rugby blue when she represented
Oxford in the varsity match in early March. Sam Duffield, who is studying at the
Royal College of Music in London has founded ‘Bitesize Opera’ and is attracting considerable attention.
Every sporting year its moments of personal drama. Two stand out:
 following the Wellington game on Twitter because I could not get to the match;

Freddie Renwick speaking at the end of the Turner-Poulson game at Rugby
School, when we commemorated the lives of two great football players.
Why, one might wonder, does rugby evoke such strong emotions? I observe that defensive play never wins games and as the media battle rages about the place of rugby in Schools, it is time that those who embrace the sport state clearly its benefits as opposed to simply playing down the risks. It is true that no other team sport embraces such physical confrontation. That defining characteristic is the catalyst for the camaraderie and the bravery we see every time our players, of every age, take to the pitch; something that is viewed with respect from the other side of the Atlantic.
The social commentator Victor Cahn reflects,
“In our country, true teams rarely exist, social barriers and personal ambitions have reduced athletes to dissolute cliques or individuals thrown together for mutual profit.
Yet these rugby players; with their muddied, cracked bodies, are holding on to a sense of humanity that we in America have lost and are unlikely to regain. The game may only be to move a ball forward on a dirt field, but the task can be accomplished with
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Prize Giving 2015 an unshackled joy and its memories will be a permanent delight. The women and men who play on that rugby field are more alive than many of us ever will be.”
The Wilson Run continues to be another defining feature of the School, often providing a point of reference for journalists. Firm conditions underfoot and a field of
137 runners meant that we looked forward to a good race. John Campbell’s winning time of 1 hour 11 minutes and 43 seconds placed him tenth in the history of the race and Charlie Neate is the second fastest girl on record. School House took the first three places. The last time this was achieved was 1930 and by placing five runners in the first ten they achieved the best House performance in the history of the Run. As ever, the qualifying races provide their moments of hilarity. Struggling over Baugh
Fell, legs and eyesight suffering from a lack of oxygen, I was confronted by a rabbit saying “Would you like a jelly baby, Sir”. At least I think that was what happened – it might have been a girl in a fluffy onesie. For most of us, qualification is the great achievement and running down Loftus Hill amidst the cheers of friends and peers is an unrepeatable experience. The Wilson Run promotes camaraderie and resilience, mass participation and elite performance; so I’m happy that it remains a metaphor for Sedbergh education.
Alongside such iconic events, Sedbergh is synonymous with Boarding education. The
Independent Schools’ Council tells us there are only eight Full Boarding Schools in the country and this year two Houses celebrated major anniversaries; Winder is 100 and
Hart 125 years old. Both Housemasters have used the opportunity to fund Roger
Lupton Scholarships, providing bursary support for pupils who would not otherwise benefit from a Sedbergh education. With the excellent help of the Foundation, they have raised over £165,000, a phenomenal sum and a life changing opportunity for two young men who will start School in September. Next year, Powell House reaches its centenary and we hope to celebrate that anniversary in a similar way.
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The Chairman has spoken of our development plans. Such things are nothing new and The Sedberghian magazine in 1915 reflected modest enthusiasm for the announcement that, “Numerous improvements are to come into force next term,
such as blackboards of the latest variety.” Ours is an ambitious plan for a confident
School. We are not seeking to enter the facilities arms race but employing northern good sense to develop our educational provision in an efficient and relevant manner.
It has been a pleasure to work with Peter Marshall, Scott Carnochan and the many people who have contributed to this process. Most notably, we could not have built it without the support and skills of the Governors and the Chairman’s constant encouragement and support.
If parents ask me what Sedbergh is good at, nervous applicants for teaching jobs ask what it is like to work at Sedbergh. I tell them it is Monastic. It encapsulates our combination of commitment and community. It takes a particular person to embrace this working lifestyle, the commitment of the Common Room and Non-Teaching
Support Staff is absolute and every single day I reflect on the exceptional work of our
Housemasters and Housemistresses.
The end of my speech heralds the time to say thank you and farewell. In April I offered my thanks and best wishes to Sue and Paul Wallace-Woodroffe. Both have left an indelible mark on the School – Paul through his insistence on standards of discipline and presentation, through his teaching and charismatic conversation. He fulfilled several different roles and we offer him our best wishes as he embraces a new adventure as Headmaster of Oxford International College in Changzhou, China.
Sue thought she might initially be responsible for 12 girls, and found forty on her doorstep in September 2001. She, more than anyone, has been successful in changing a boy’s School into a thriving, modern co-educational School. For the past three years, she has been responsible for all the pastoral care in the School and the glowing comments we received from the Inspection team who visited before
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Prize Giving 2015
Christmas should prove testament to her excellence. She has been at the helm of
Princess Helena’s College in Hertfordshire since April and by now they will appreciate the extent of their good fortune.
In April, it was farewell too to Aidan Rhatigan, a talented teacher of Spanish and
French and despite the truism that “White men can’t jump”, the coach of our unbeaten basketball team. So when Michele Emptage resigned in April, it was an easy decision to invite Aidan to return in September. Michele, of course, led the brave group of girls who joined us from Casterton and established Carus House. We hope she has enjoyed her final few weeks in the palatial comfort of Brackensghyll, thank her for the quality of her French teaching and wish her well as she takes up her new role as Head of Boarding at Princess Helena’s College under Sue’s direction.
Cari Ortega joined us from Casterton and threw herself into Sedbergh life; joining the
CCF, tutoring in Lupton and teaching Spanish. In September, baby Agatha was born and we wish Cari well as she leaves to spend time with her.
Iain Hunter arrived for a short-term teaching contract in February 2009, and has been persuaded to stay for 5 years. In that time, he has cemented Graphic Design as an important curriculum option, taught countless pupils how to ride a bicycle and tutored almost as many in School House. That he has decided his future lies in working with the most challenging and disadvantaged pupils is a clear reflection of
Iain’s deep commitment to pastoral care and we wish him every success.
These have all been celebratory departures but sadly, in a community of 400 employees, this cannot always be so. Stephen Hall is moving into a non-teaching role
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Prize Giving 2015 in the School owing to ill health. It would be easy to dwell on this but wrong to do so as Stephen has already given so much to Sedbergh. Arriving in September 2003, he took over an English Department which included two former Heads of Department, the Headmaster’s wife and the Second Master. That he gave it direction and unity reflects his skilful and careful management. In 2010, my predecessor invited him to take over Sedgwick House and for four years I was fortunate to have Stephen as one of my key staff in that role. However, fate is a cruel master and as Stephen’s health declined he was forced to give up Sedgwick and now his role in teaching. We are delighted that Stephen will continue to work in the School administration and offer him, his wife Cate and their children our love and best wishes for his recovery.
So, in time honoured tradition, I conclude with the longest serving member of staff.
Stevie Wonder was top of the charts when a young Michael Raw arrived to become
Head of History. Michael has fulfilled many roles since then; Director of Drama for 8 years, long-time Tutor in Powell House, Question-Master for Academic Challenge, 1 st
XV coach from 1987-91, author of “Thread of Gold” and Editor of The Sedberghian since 2010. But the facts do little more than to confirm longevity. Michael’s contribution to Sedbergh has gone well beyond conventional expectations. He is a man of principle, intellect and humour who embodies strength of character and stoic resilience. He is an intellectual as well as being a bold traveller and collector of contemporary art. Every Sedberghian of the past 31 years will remember Michael.
Those who know him well will count him as a friend, inspiration or mentor and will realise just how lucky they, and Sedbergh, were when Michael arrived in 1984. We will miss the tatty grey sweater and the weather-worn hat. We will miss Michael, but we are reassured that he will remain a frequent presence through his continuation as
Editor of The Sedberghian and his work in writing the history of the School in preparation for our Quincentenary.
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One group of people now remain.
To the pupils and their families who will leave Sedbergh at the end of this Term, we offer our thanks for your outstanding support, our congratulations for all that you have achieved and our confidence in your futures. You step into an uncertain world, but you do so with the thread of Sedberghian gold running through you. Roosevelt offered some useful advice for moments of uncertainty and I pass it to you now:
The best thing to do is the right thing,
The next best thing to do is the wrong thing,
The worst thing to do is nothing.
Good Luck, Godspeed to you all.
Floreat Sedberghia.
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