End of Lent Term Reports

House matches

Last week saw York House taking home trophies for the House Hockey games, winning both Senior and Junior. There's a brilliant shot of our Headmaster 'elbow-bumping' with Matthew, forgoing the traditional handshake!

Roslyn were victorious in the Junior House Netball while Clarkson were triumphant in the Senior House Netball match. 

DofE

It has been another busy term for DofE.  62 pupils in the Fourth Form continued their classroom expedition training as well as doing a day’s navigation training in and around the Stretton Hills.  Thankfully the weather was kind, allowing great views to be seen from the summit of Caer Caradoc to the Wrekin and beyond.  Participants are finishing off their sections and getting ready for the final qualifying expedition.

Silver numbers are as strong as ever.  Record numbers signed up for the day walk training with one walk having to be relocated due to the torrential rain and flooding we have experienced.  It is good to see so much enthusiasm for Silver from both the 5th Form and the L6.  This bodes well for Gold next year.

Our Gold participants completed their qualifying expedition in October and now passes are beginning to come through.  Many will receive their Awards before they leave Wrekin College.

The DofE continues to be as popular as ever at Wrekin and pupils both enjoy the challenge it gives them as well as realising that they are greatly improving their employability in the future.
 

CCF

The army section has had a successful term with four cadets being promoted to Lance Corporal.

Tuesdays have been extremely busy where have completed a number of activities on a Round Robin basis that has included - Air rifle Shooting in the indoor Range, Introduction to Cadet main weapon – the L98, learning how to using 2 way radio with the phonetic alphabet and the Introduction to the Survival shelter.

We have also started to teach Map and compass and Orienteering In preparation for Duke of Edinburgh scheme in year 10.

The number attending Friday CCF are on the increase. This term we have recruited a further 8 Army cadets and a further 3 RAF cadets.

Within the RAF Section this term, all third form have passed their part 1 exam, been shooting and undertaken basic navigation training.  Four cadets have been gliding, nine cadets achieved their St John's Ambulance Youth First Aid training certification, one cadet has passed his instructor training and twelve cadets are working towards their instructor qualification, and three cadets have been accepted onto the flagship Air Cadet Leadership Course this summer.

Music

Again musicians have been tremendously busy this term and been making great musical progress. 

The term started in truly magical style when on January 10^th the school welcomed the composer Philip Stopford, someone whose music the choir really enjoy singing, to open our new music school and conduct our choirs in a sell out concert that evening. 

The event was first class from the start to the finish with not just the singing but the conduct of the choir being impeccable. Negotiations are already under way with Philip for a return as he was so bowled over by the quality of our music. Hopefully at some point in the next 2 years he will revisit Wrekin. 

Our first sounds of the future concert took place in February when local pianist Alexander Arenare (arra-nar-ray) gave a piano recital. Wrekin piano students (and staff) who attended were amazed at how good someone just 2 years older than some of them had become. It was a special night. 

The Wrekin Young musician of the Year also held two qualifying rounds. Firstly the vocalists shone with some stunning performances and they were followed by some fantastic piano playing a month later. Congratulations to Ben Norbury, Lori Murchie and Will Goodyear who qualified for the final and of course all fingers are crossed that we will be back at school to allow that to happen. 

There was also a lovely small concert down at the local all Saints church in Wellington where Henry Willis and Kate Grimsdale played to raise funds for their organ restoration appeal. Thanks to both of those for representing Wrekin so admirably. 

Whilst sadly Verdi’s Requiem, the Lancaster arts evening, the Jazz Band concert and national finals have been postponed, the hard work towards all these will pay huge dividends when they do happen. 

In the meantime, musicians can perhaps think about the Sound of Music production and prepare a song from a 50’s musical if they want to audition. These will happen as soon as we are back! 
 

Drama

Another busy and eventful term for the Drama department. 

We were delighted to reclaim the theatre after all the building work had finished and began the year with a performance by  the Upper Sixth Theatre Studies group. Their devised piece, based on Adam Kay's Secret diaries of a junior doctor was hilarious and involved some energetic multi-rolling and black humour with a sudden change in mood at the end of the piece. 

This was followed by the Senior House Drama competition, also in the theatre. Roslyn swept up prizes for best house and best directed, with acting awards going to Tom Morris and Sinead O'Neill. 

The term finished with much needed laughter supplied by the senior play, The 39 Steps. This featured a tightly knit cast and some hilarious set pieces, with a strong supporting backstage crew providing a raft of lighting and sound effects and scene shifting.