Page 1 - index

the
Arrow

Quarterly newsletter of King Henry VIII School • Issue 02 • Winter 2013

In thIs Issue…

Lower Sixth geographers explore
Wales ...................................................... 03
First shots from the new GCSE
Photography course .............................04
Girls triumph in Netball
tournaments .......................................... 07
Mum, mud, glorious mud:
Outdoor Education thrives ..................11
University destinations 2013
revealed ................................................. 16

From the
headmaster

Thank you to the many parents and
other readers who gave us a great deal of
positive feedback on The Arrow following
Flying the fag once more the re-launched September edition. We’ve
been encouraged to keep going with issue
#2! It’s a bumper publication and we
have struggled to ft everything in. The
The School was delighted to have an ofcial ‘fag pole raising ceremony’ recently. The term progresses apace with successes
occasion, which took place in front of local press, marked the fnal restoration and repair of on all fronts, from individual to team and
our main tower and fag pole – a landmark feature of the school and the city. school and also across all disciplines, from
academic to extra-curricular. We certainly
The ceremony came after a painstaking programme of works by Bonsers - a specialist have plenty of talented students to keep
heritage restoration frm. Last year Bonsers, whilst assessing repairs needed to the tower, us all busy and we have already enjoyed
discovered the fag pole was rotten. Wanting to save the original timber, the frm set to the frst end of term events, such as the
work on its restoration – even bringing a joiner out of retirement to help. wonderful Parents’ Association Christmas
Fayre and the impressive production of
We believe that this is the original fagpole, frst installed when the main building opened in “Great Expectations”. By the time you
1885. There are even references to the pole in the school magazine of 1885 as it was not read this, we will be in the thick of the
widely appreciated and subject to some controversy at the time. Members of the school fnal celebrations and successes, including
community compared the sight to a ‘small yacht furnished with the mast of a Cunarder’ the lovely Carol Concert. When it comes,
when the school frst took occupation of the new building. Regardless, the pole has we will all be ready for the
certainly seen some sights in the last 128 years, including its survival of the bombing of the Christmas break and I trust
School in the Second World War. that you and your family will
The 43 foot long fagpole was reinstalled using a huge crane during October Half Term have time to relax and enjoy
and secured to the brickwork and stone copings on the castellation at the top of the the festive season. With
tower. The fag is a key part of the school’s identity and we are very proud to be able to every best wish for a happy
use it again. and prosperous New Year.
Mr Jason Slack
Mr Jason Slack, Headmaster
Headmaster