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2 The Barometer - 10/5/2016
From the Headmaster Dear Parents,
The residentials at the Senior School to Somerset and Geneva have been so successful and not a moment went
by without me getting a message and photo regarding the boys’ progress. I’m, by my own admission, a laid back
Head but Mr Dawson telling me that the boys would be ‘coasteering’ - something I had only ever done previously
(quite scared too) on a stag do - did test my level of anxiety. Sure enough though, the boys had a great time,
perfectly safely, having enjoyed a wholly worthwhile and thrilling experience. Maybe I’m just a wimp!
Common Entrance Week for the Prep School Year 8 boys and, my, have they done Miss Hart proud with their
application. Miss Olney cc’d me in on an email to her ‘old’ 4O parents (now in Year 8) yesterday. That was her first
class as a teacher here and she has seen them grow and mature over the past 5 years at Wetherby Prep - an
emotional time for sure and every single one of those boys has been on an educational and social journey, with
Miss Olney looking over them every step of the way. All of those Year 8 boys have given their best this week. We
look forward to the results next week and announcing the exit list in the coming weeks (whisper it, but it could be
our best ever…)
When I became the Head of this School in January 2008, a significant part of the role was that of promoting public
relations with the residents of Bryanston Square. At that time, the Prep School was at 19 Pembridge Villas and we
had been turned down for planning permission to secure our current premises at Bryanston Square. The
opposition was intense. Even though the building had been derelict for many years and would otherwise be
converted into a hotel, the local residents were almost unanimously opposed to changing the building to ‘D1 -
Educational Use’.
With the not insignificant help of the Governing Body, Jenny Aviss and I went on the campaign trail and held
meeting after meeting, attended drinks party after party, consultation after consultation, to spread the good word
of Wetherby. And, against all the odds, at an incredible evening at Westminster Council Offices in October 2008,
we were awarded planning consent for Bryanston Square on a split decision.
That seems a long time ago now but our place, role and sense of social responsibility at both schools in the wider
Marylebone community are central to everything we do here. It was therefore an absolute pleasure to facilitate an
evening on Wednesday for local residents of Bryanston Square to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday. Lisa Giles
(“That lady is amazing!” in the words of one high-profile local resident) and her brilliant team of Wetherby mums
produced the most outstanding event, praised by everyone who attended. As a representation of ‘us’, it just could
not have been better. I was inundated with praise, both for the event and our boys, who sang and served canapés
to guests. As another resident commented, “I know the boys go to a prep school, but yours just seem to have
extra polish.” I might put that on the new website…
And then, as Miss Bailey, Miss Hart, Miss Olney (and Wetherby dad Mauricio Noe) and I left that event, leaving our
intrepid PTA team to clear up, for which many thanks, we travelled west to the ‘Dads’ Night Out’ at Paddington
Basin. What a turnout! Too many of us for the pub so we happily spilled out onto the courtyard and what an
excellent evening of conviviality, comradeship, excellent humour and just simply getting to know each other
better. Today, all I heard from the dads was, “Can we do it next term, not just once a year?” and all I heard from
the mums was , “Why just dads; can’t we have a mums’ night out, but at a wine bar not a pub?” We’ll see what we
can do…
I always say that a good school is constantly ‘in development’ and, at Wetherby, we embrace this completely,
trying always to do things bigger and better every year. I bring you then the Wetherby Prep Fete, 2016. I defy any
school to put on something similar. It was absolutely incredible. It’s not the stalls; it’s not the activities; it’s not
the food; it’s all about what we know our people will appreciate - we, as a community, embrace everything and
create such a wave of positivity, enthusiasm and commitment to having a good time that is just not found
The Barometer - 10/5/2016 3
From the Headmaster to (and had a hand in many) hundreds of school and village fetes. I’ve never seen anyone above the age of 7 trying
to ‘hook a duck’ but, at Wetherby, the ‘pond’ was surrounded by Years 3-8 - amazing to see. Our boys are
brilliant. Chair of PTA, Jo Brown, ‘Fete Guru’ Lisa Giles, Elena Tsoka and all of our incredible helpers - thank you so
much.
The Fete also saw the launch of the Cook Book. We don’t mess about at Wetherby and it’s no surprise that our
Cook Book is of such a standard that it would easily rival those of more established chefs. Flicking through today,
there are so many gems in there and it encapsulates the skill, expertise, professionalism but, above all else, humour
of our parent and staff body. Heather Rudd, you have done an outstanding job with that book - an incredible
achievement. I can’t wait to give one to my mum and sister... and everyone else whom I can show off to. And, of
course, to our very own Miss Bailey, a self-confessed ‘foodie’ who co-ordinated, liaised and managed the whole
process from the school’s perspective, with such insight and enthusiasm, a huge thank you.
So, next week… Whole school photographs on Monday, then Tuesday night bowls and drinks party with Senior
School parents in Hyde Park. This is always my favourite term with so much going on!
On Thursday, I fly to New York to attend the launch event of 'Wetherby Pembridge New York’. It’s a brief visit but I
am very much looking forward to seeing the new premises and old Wetherby Prep friend Christina Rossi at the
event. I’m obviously not expecting the same sort of numbers as Wednesday’s ‘Dads’ Night Out’ but if any of our
Wetherby community are in the neighbourhood on Thursday, please do attend. Similarly, if you know of anyone in
New York who may be interested in the project, please encourage them to come along. The official invite is below
and attached. Please feel free to send on to whomever you feel is appropriate and encourage them to get in touch if
they need any further information regarding the school.
See you next week (with an affected American accent…)
Have a good weekend…
4 The Barometer - 10/5/2016
Monday 13th
Whole School Photograph - Bryanston Square WSS All Stars
11:15 13:30
Monday Clubs
Basketball Videography Future Writers Art and Design
Tuesday 14th
Summer drinks and barbeque in Hyde Park
18:00-20:30
Tuesday Clubs
Chess & Backgammon Fencing Football Grub Club Wetherby Science
Wednesday 15th
Cricket Year 7 U12 WSS A/B vs WPS A/B (A)
14:30
Wednesday Clubs
Rock Band Quiz Soc History Film Club Table Tennis
Thursday 16th
Cricket Year 9 Inter-Trib @ Regent’s Park
‘Wetherby Pembridge New York’ Open Event, 7 E 96th St, New York, NY 10128
14:30
18:30-20:30
Thursday Clubs
Lego Table Tennis Samba Percussion
Friday 17th
School Choir
HM Assembly
13:30
15:00
Saturday 18th & Sunday 19
th
DIARY & LUNCH MENU
Menu for Week 32 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday French Friday
Soup/Soupe Pea and
Tarragon
Carrot and
Orange
Vegetable
Consommé
Spicy Bean
Broth
Tomate et
Basilic
Meat main /
Plat principal
Jamaican Jerk
Quorn fillet
Lamb Curry
cooked in a
Creamy Coconut
Sauce
Chicken and leek
pie
Grilled Pork Steak
served with a
Mango Salsa
Poisson pané avec de la sauce
tartare
Meat free main /
Plat végétarien
Mexican Vegetable
Wrap with Salsa
Chick Pea and
Herb
Casserole
Ratatouille
Crumble
Falafel Patty
served with a
Cucumber and
Mint Dip
Frittata aux poivrons rotis
To go with / pour
aller avec
Sweet Potato and
Lime Mash Pilaf Rice
Crushed New
Potatoes
Parsley
Potatoes Grosses frites au four
Served with /
servis avec
Roasted Roots
Green Salad Cumin Carrots Broccoli Sweetcorn
Petits pois écrasés
Salade verte
Puddings /
Dessert
Pineapple
Fool
Toffee and
Cranberry
Cheesecake
Apple and
Sultana
Compote
Chocolate and
Orange Brownie
Salade de fruits frais à la
menthe
Always available Fresh Fruit, Salad Bar, Homemade yogurt and Dressings / Toujours disponible Fruits frais, Bar à salades, Yahourt frais et
assaisonements
The Barometer - 10/5/2016 5
ON THE NOTICEBOARD
WSS School Photo
On Monday we have the first whole school photo taking place. This means that ALL boys must
come to school in full uniform (blazer and tie) and there will be no Year 9 games.
9 Fleet Charity Raffle
Mrs Deedat writes...
This week 9 Fleet will be selling raffle tickets in school and at the summer
party on Tuesday. Prizes include a case of wine, afternoon tea at Brasserie
108, dinner at Burger & Lobster, burgers at Tommi's, 3rd Space Gym passes
and massage and Chelsea tickets. The money raised will be going towards
the Walkabout Foundation.
There ain’t no party like a WSS summer party…
We are looking forward to seeing you at Hyde
Park for the evening of celebration with drinks and
barbecue .
Early birds can look forward to a game of bare
feet lawn bowl with teachers (weather permitting)
in true spirit of summer.
Look out for our enterprising year 9 boys who
have collected a treasure trove of prizes for our
charity raffle and will be selling the tickets at the
party.
If you are confused on what to wear for the
evening you will just fine in smart casuals.
(look for black silver and white balloons at
gate for the venue )
6 The Barometer - 10/5/2016
YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL
Leadership Challenges
When we arrived at the campsite, we sorted out our tents and
then went out to complete some team building activities. In
total, we did eight team building tasks which included both
mental and physical challenges. For each task, we were rated
out of ten for team work, behaviour and progress. The Trib
with the highest overall score won a prize. The winner was
Tyburn, with 1 more point than the runners up, Fleet.
George and Leo, Tyburn
I liked the team challenges. My favourite task was when
we had to cross a pond using crates and planks of wood. It
was harder than it looked and I found it especially funny
when some people fell into the ‘swamp’. The second best
challenge was the assault course when we had to carry a
tyre across all the obstacles as a team. A highlight for me
was seeing John conquer his fear of spiders and crawl
through the tunnel at the end.
Lucas, Fleet Briefings around the fire pit
Washing up duty for all
Teamwork
Mr Warner writes…
This week Year 7 headed west for three days of camping and rugged
outdoor activities. They were encouraged to develop as a team,
kayaked, coasteered, lit fires, foraged, melted marshmallows and even
washed up their own dishes. But rather than me waffling on about what
they did, why not read about life in Somerset from their perspective….
The Barometer - 10/5/2016 7
YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL
Briefings around the fire pit Melting mashmallows by the fire
Finessing the angle of drop
Camp Life
We slept in Trib tents which was really fun and we had an opportunity to speak and reinforce our friendships. We played
cards, shared sweets, swapped jokes and enjoyed the experience of sleeping outside. We spent the whole three days
working as a team and sharing our knowledge to accomplish the tasks.
Being together in our tent helped us learn about our life at home and
appreciate its comforts!
Bohemond, Fleet
“If we work together as a team…”
Stretching for victory
8 The Barometer - 10/5/2016
YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL
Foraging and
Lighting fires
On Wednesday, we built fires
in the wood. We learnt how to
build fires using two different
methods: using flint and steel
and using a battery and iron
wool to create the spark. We
learnt all about the fire
triangle, which are the three
basic elements that are
needed to make a fire in equal
proportions, These are
oxygen, fuel and heat.
Overall, we had a great time
and learnt some really useful
skills.
Beau and Adam, Tyburn
On the last day in Taunton,
we also went foraging. We did
some exciting things including
tasting some of the plants that
you can eat in the Forest, e.g.
woodland sorrel, nettles and
wild garlic. To eat the nettles,
we had to crush the spines
carefully with our hands to
stop our mouths getting stung.
It was an entertaining
adventure in the woods and
we were able to try things we
have never tried before!
Ali and Lucas, Tyburn.
Using a steel to light some
Wild Sorrel was tastier than anticipated
The Barometer - 10/5/2016 9
YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL
Jacques directs from above
Fires starting
They first taught us to use steel fire starters
and making sparks to light cotton wool. They
then taught us that when a battery has contact
with wire wool you would make fire. We were
shown how to make a basket out of dried
grass and then how to light a fire.
Alex, Fleet
10 The Barometer - 10/5/2016
Coasteering and
Kayaking
What a day! On the second day of
our amazing trip we went from our
camp in Somerset to the coast of
Torquay in Devon. Tyburn’s first
activity was Coasteering! Our
instructors, Pete and Pete (no, not
the same people!) took us around
the rocks on the edge of the cliff
and then showed us where we
could jump into the water. After a
few jumps, we swam from the cliffs
to the beach in the form of
caterpillars!
Maxime and Frejvid, Tyburn
In the afternoon on the
second day, we went
kayaking. It started off very
easy, with some paddling
exercises to help us learn how
to move and turn. The
kayaking got much harder
when we played games, e.g.
Polo. Polo was very fun. We
had a tennis ball and there
were two teams who were
trying to score points by
throwing the ball at the
instructors boat. At the end,
we had a competition to see
who would win a race of
paddling whilst standing which
was great fun and involved a
lot of falling off!
William P.N, Tyburn
Scaling the wall as a team
YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL
We had so much fun swimming and letting currents pull us into tight
gaps in the rocks. I really enjoyed jumping off cliffs, swimming long
distances and being sucked by the currents. I also enjoyed team
building exercises like the bridge challenge where we built a bridge
across a small swamp using crates and wood. We also learnt that you
van use wire wool and a battery to light a fire, or a flint and steel.
Luca, Fleet
Blind communication
The Barometer - 10/5/2016 11
YEAR 7 SOMERSET RESIDENTIAL
We had so much fun swimming and letting currents pull us into tight
gaps in the rocks. I really enjoyed jumping off cliffs, swimming long
distances and being sucked by the currents. I also enjoyed team
building exercises like the bridge challenge where we built a bridge
across a small swamp using crates and wood. We also learnt that you
van use wire wool and a battery to light a fire, or a flint and steel.
Luca, Fleet
fire lighting
Walking the line
12 The Barometer - 10/5/2016
Meanwhile in Geneva... Some tantalising images fresh from Geneva where Year 9
have been exploring the particle accelerator and learning
about the League of Nations and the UN. You can look forward
to a more detailed write up in next week’s Barometer.
The Barometer - 27/5/2016 13
From the Games Department
SPORTING NEWS
Mr Sullivan writes...
5 ways exercise makes you mentally
smarter
If you think fitness,
muscles and strength
are just for the gym,
think again. Did you
know that as little as 15 minutes of exercise a
day can enhance your intellect?
Boosts decision-making skills
The brain needs oxygen to function throughout
the day, and people who exercise have more
oxygen flowing through their brains’ anterior
frontal regions — the region involved with both
decision making and memory retention.
Research suggests that people who exercise
outperform their peers on difficult cognitive tasks
and make more coherent decisions.
Sharpens focus
Be it fitness training, yoga or a set of push ups
— they all require a lot of focus. You have to be
watchful of your form. Working out allows one to
focus on what to do while blocking out
distractions and in addition, provides the
confidence to take on new challenges.
Helps you stick with your plans
When you hit the local park for a long run, you’re
not just improving your body’s ability to sustain
long, demanding tasks at work but also training
your mind. After all, when you’re jogging or
biking for an hour or
more, you’re not so
much fighting physical
fatigue as you’re
fighting your mind
saying, “Hey, let’s just
stick with this run a
little while longer.” The
ability to stick to your decision to keep going is
critical to multitasking at the workplace and
sticking with long-term plans and goals.
Increases productivity
Exercise amplifies work performance, improves
time management, and aids in prioritisation.
Boys who exercise before/during/after a school
day get more accomplished throughout the day.
When one’s productive and efficient, it boosts
motivation to succeed further.
Increases energy
It’s a direct correlation — the more you move,
the more energised you will feel. Regular
physical activity improves muscle strength and
boosts endurance, thus giving you the energy
and capacity to think clearer and come up with
new ideas more logically. A good 15 minutes of
moving around, even just
around your lounge or going
up and down the stairs, makes
your body produce more
energy on a cellular level and
enhances your mind skills.
The Barometer - 27/5/2016 14
SPORTING NEWS Mr Sullivan’s 10 minute challenge:
Complete as many rounds as possible in 10
minutes of:
5 Burpees
+ 10 Squats
+ 20m Bear Crawl
Perform each exercise for 1 min. and complete 3
rounds of:
High Lunge Hold (left)
+ High Lunge Hold (right)
+ Burpees
As many burpees in 10 min as possible
outdoors.
Aim for 100
Thank you so much for your
support and donations!
I completed the Reebok Spartan Midlands Super
UK - 10 Miles, 29 Obstacles on Saturday 28th
May 2016 in 89.27
minutes
If you are still
interested in
sponsoring me.
Please click on this link: http://
uk.virginmoneygiving.com/
JamesSullivanDoS
My charities are Whiz Kidz and
CALM – Two amazing charities that
help people in need.
If you would like further information
on both charities which I am a
volunteer for please visit: www.whizz-kidz.org.uk
& www.thecalmzone.net
What should I do next boys?
Players of the week:
Nelson Tobin, Armand
Sharda and Vadim Mandel
for their great batting and
fielding display against Mill
Hill School. Well done,
boys!
The Barometer - 27/5/2016 15
SPORTING NEWS Year Inter-Trib Cricket
Our first ever Year 9 Inter-Trib Cricket is on
Thursday 16th June 2016 and starts at 2:15pm.
Come down and support your TRIB! Will Fleet
win the treble? Come on Walbrook & Tyburn!
Venue: Regents Park – Sports Hub. All the RED
circled numbers are Regents Park Cricket pitches
we will be using. If you intend to watch please be
aware that there is no parking onsite and please
use the pre-paid parking bays outside the park.
Euro 2016 Fantasy Football
We are trying to encourage as many boys as
possible to
watch the
upcoming
Euro 2016
tournament. The competition starts THIS
WEEKEND with France vs Romania on Friday
night. Having had such a successful football term
we want the boys to retain their passion for the
sport over the Summer term.
Starting today, we have decided to commence a
Wetherby Senior Fantasy Football Competition
for the Euros. We will be using the fantasy
football league generator by UEFA (http://
eurofantasy.uefa.com/en/fantasy16) and the code
to join the league is: 61949ZFG.
We would like to encourage as many boys as
possible to enter and we will be giving a prize to
the top 5 managers at the end of the competition.
Any help and encouragement you can give the
boys would be greatly appreciated. We
understand that it may be difficult to watch the
majority of the matches due to other
commitments. However, the will strengthen their
knowledge of the sport from watching just a few
games.
There is no obligation for boys to enter but we
hope to see lots of entrants before the weekend!
The final entry date for the competition is Sunday
12th June.
Pick your team name, pick your team and enjoy
the football. I know the teachers will....
Sports Quote of the Week
‘You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a
weakness to get caught up in either one’
Follow us for results and updates on Twitter via
@WetherbySSports #teamwetherby
The Barometer - 27/5/2016 16
Mrs Diamond writes...
A new experience for Mrs Diamond this half term. The Dijon-Prenois, Burgundy, France racing track
was hosting the Age D'Or car racing this weekend and we saw some amazing old racing cars doing
laps on a loud fun filled day. No need to say Oscar and Anton my boys were in there elements. This
was a first for me but a really enjoyable one.
Notes from… The Dijon-Prenois
A Note from the Editor...
It would be amazing if Notes From… could become a regular column celebrating the news and
achievements of Wetherby Senior School pupils and staff beyond the bricks and mortar of 100
Marylebone Lane. If boys have been somewhere where they feel they saw or learned something
interesting, or if they have taken part in some sporting event, concert (or anything else that we can
celebrate or share) then please do write in with some pictures and they can go in the Barometer.
The Barometer - 10/5/2016 17
Notes from… The Edinburgh Marathon
Miss Lillington writes…
During half term, I took part in the Edinburgh Marathon with a good friend of mine. This was partly for
a personal challenge, but also to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation UK - a charity which
grants the wishes of children with life threatening conditions so that they can make the best of the time
they have left. The route started near Holyrood Palace and then took us out of the city along the coast,
before finishing in Musselburgh. It was a beautiful sunny day and there were lots of supporters
cheering us on along the way and handing out jelly babies. It was pretty tough, but we had a great
time and managed to complete the 26.2 mile course in 4 hours 26 minutes. We also managed to raise
£800 for this great charity!
Thank you to all the staff and boys for their support!
The Barometer - 27/5/2016 18
CLUB NEWS
Week 6 Results
Alan vs Hamoud
Nicky vs Thomas
Josh vs Edourd
Rory vs Tom
Talal vs Armand
Seb vs Philip
Giacamo vs Zack
Michael vs Bennett
Thomas vs Hamoud
Alan vs Michael
Nicky vs Philip
Seb vs Bennett
Chess (& Battleships!) Club
The Barometer - 10/5/2016 19
Action shots from Basketball and Football Clubs
CLUB NEWS
20 The Barometer - 10/5/2016
Learning @ Wetherby
Mr Murphy writes…
My personal learning objective was to learn how to use glass to form sculpture in the kiln.
During the Spring Term, I enrolled on a course in the Art Academy, London Bridge on a 10 week 'Kiln
Formed Glass' class. The teaching was of the thinking that you should be given the tools, showed
some simple demonstrations and get on with it. Some others in the class struggled to deal with the lack
of direction but others like myself enjoyed the nature of playful experimentation and the challenge
involved in making errors to learn from. Examples of glass work included: glass slumping, glass
tacking, forming into moulds and metal inclusions.
From September, Wetherby students can also get the chance to experiment with this exciting medium.
The Barometer - 10/5/2016 21
Learning @ Wetherby
Mr Sullivan writes…
The image is more than the subject
My learning proposal is to develop on
photography skills to relate to my love for the
arts and sport.
As you are aware have enrolled myself on
photography and I am working on ‘Pay attention
to the frame edges - The image is more than the
subject’
Teaching point: Scrutinise the corners and the
sides and top and bottom of your frame. Is
everything working together well, or is something
completely out of place? Can you adjust to
remove the “noise” of a busy scene? Look at the
whole so the whole does not detract from your
subject.
What do you think of my attempt while in NYC -
The image is more than the subject?
22 The Barometer - 10/5/2016
Congratulations Mr Meyer! Mr. Meyer Writes…
Last summer, I asked Lara to marry me -
with the sun rising over the
Mediterranean, this was an idyllic setting
– thankfully she said yes. With her
parents having recently just moved to
Spain and the fine weather, we thought
that this would be the ideal place to get
married and so we set about looking for
an ideal venue. After various visits, we
fell in love with La Bobadilla Hotel in the
heart of Andalucía. Set within rolling
countryside and the snow-capped Sierra
Nevada in the distance, we both agreed
this would be a dream like setting. The
wedding was split over two days: a
paella welcome meal during the first
evening and then the wedding took place
in an oval garden and reception in the
courtyard of an old farm house.
From the Editor
On this week’s front cover: Jacques, Bohemond and Alex light their fires with steel and
flint. On the back: 7 Fleet negotiate one of the team challenges. For all comments and
feedback please email: [email protected]
http://www.wetherbysenior.co.uk/