Sports Day at Leckford Place School

Leckford Place School held its sports day on Thursday. There were many outstanding performances by pupils, and the day was characterised by an atmosphere of competition – but also of enthusiasm and sportsmanship.

View a gallery of more photos on Flickr

The final results by House were as follows:

1. Evenlode
2. Thame
3. Windrush
4. Isis

End of term BBQ

Students and staff at the ISC celebrated the end of the year – and the beginning of the summer – with a barbecue in d'Overbroeck's gardens.

Sixth Form Ball 2008

With the summer term – and its exams – drawing to a close, a certain degree of celebration is justified. To this end, on Friday, d'Overbroeck's sixth formers had their annual Ball.

During the evening, awards were presented for sport and extra-curricular activities – and music was provided by two student bands: South Parade and Friday's Child.

View a set of more photos on Flickr

Celebratory trip to Blenheim Palace

Some students from the ISC visited nearby Blenheim Palace, yesterday – on a relaxed cultural amble to mark the last day of exams. Those who fancied a less laid-back celebration had the option of go karting, instead ...

Staff vs Students: Rounders

Yesterday afternoon, d'Overbroeck's staff again competed against students – this time, on the rounders pitch.

The contest was close-fought, with scores equal after the first innings. A certain kamikaze quality, however, characterised the staff's play at the beginning of the second innings – allowing the students to bat to a well-deserved victory.

Students 19, Staff 16.5

View Flickr slideshow for more photos of the game

Iran Uncarpeted

Chris Dobbing left d'Overbroeck's a year ago, and has since taken a gap year - in his words, "the warm fuzzy space between education and the real world". During a 90-day round-the-world trip, he spent ten days in Iran. The following description of his experiences is taken from the article he has written: Iran Uncarpeted.

My solitary wander through Iran's thid largest city, Isfahan, did not reveal any nuclear weapons factories or fundamentalist Muslims. On the contrary, I felt safe and welcomed. As I browsed, I was approached by a young Iranian guy, of about my age, introducing himself as Ali. 

I asked what he did for a living. He pulled a face, and declared:

'If I tell you, you'll run away.'

I cautiously promised not to. Ali looked at me and grinned: 'I'm a carpet seller.'

I burst into laughter, and so did he. He took me to his shop, gave me tea and we talked about the country. Not once did he mention buying a carpet. I got the impression that politics were very detached from the streets: the upcoming elections were of little interest to Ali or any of his family or friends - they were totally disenfranchised. 

One day, Ali explained, he would like to go to Australia and start business there, but he would never get a passport. To be granted permission to leave the country, Iranian citizens must do two years National Service, something that he refused to do. My British passport was burning a hole in my pocket at this point, and I felt guilty for my right to travel wherever the whim took me.

The trip gave me a new respect for the freedoms afforded us; an appreciation of our multi-cultural and liberal way of life; and experience of doing my own laundry. I'd recommend a gap year to anyone.

Business Studies students make their pitch

In recent years, programmes such as Dragons' Den have introduced us to the concept of the business challenge. Today, Business Studies students at d'Overbroeck's had an opportunity to attempt something similar – in a session run by Jo Hodges of the Oxford Trust.

Groups of students were given a brief, and asked to brainstorm: come up with a product or idea that answered the brief.

With the idea established, they went on to draw up a rough business plan, describing the means by which they would promote and propagate their idea/product, setting a budget and identifying sources of funding.

Finally, each group made a 'pitch', presenting its plan and answering questions.

Staff vs Students: Tennis

Another week; another staff vs students event. This time, the game was tennis.

Favoured by glorious sunshine, the afternoon saw a close-fought contest. Ultimately, though, it was the students who were victorious - by a narrow margin. Students 5, Staff 4.

Ben Prommawin was the students' star player, winning both his matches, whilst Sami Cohen held a similarly formidable record amongst the staff players.

Enhancing A Levels with New Baccalaureate

We are excited to be pioneering a new qualification at d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form. The AQA Baccalaureate is a supplement to students' standard programme of study: unlike qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate (IB), which replace A levels, the AQA Baccalaureate may be studied alongside them.

We believe that the AQA Baccalaureate will offer students an opportunity to enhance their appeal to top universities and employers - by demonstrating sought-after qualities such as critical thinking, independence and the ability to take initiative.

Read more about the AQA Baccalaureate at d'Overbroeck's.

Pupils on Horseback

Once a fortnight (during termtime), Leckford Place School students have the opportunity to go riding. And here are a few of them, doing just that ...

Garden Party

Champagne and canapés; sun and song. Tuesday's Garden Party was a great success, bringing together current staff, parents and students, and also parents of students interested in attending the Sixth Form in future.

Teachers on the water

Two members of d'Overbroeck's staff are rowing in the Henley Women's Regatta, from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 June.

Melanie Ward (head of Music) and Clare Cameron (teacher of Business Studies and a Sixth Form Director of Studies) both row in the Tier 2 women's squad at the City of Oxford Rowing Club - and are currently putting themselves through a grueling programme of training: at least six sessions a week, both on land and in the river.

Both Clare and Melanie have long been keen rowers. Melanie started when at school in New Zealand, while Clare first rowed at Oxford Brookes - and both have subsequently coached at schools.

Crews come to the Henley Regatta from all over Britain (with some international crews also invited), and complete a 1,500m course, with contests ranging from singles to eights. The qualifying races will take place on Friday, followed by heats and finals over the rest of the weekend.

We will, of course, publish news of the Regatta, when the time comes.

Mountain Language

On Friday afternoon, GCSE students at Leckford Place performed scenes from Pinter's Mountain Language. In keeping with the play's characteristic austerity, the production was minimal and direct, with silence used as a powerful dramatic device - quite as much as the spoken lines.

Exploring the theme of language - specifically, its power as a vehicle of oppression - the play centres upon a small group of "mountain people", who are forbidden by military decree to use their own language, instructed instead to adopt the "language of the capitol".

Staff vs Students 2: Netball

Netball followed basketball - a new experience for a number of those playing. The female staff were particularly impressive, and - this time - the student team was beaten. Staff 8, Students 2.

Staff vs Students 1: Basketball

Tuesday afternoon saw a pair of titanic clashes between d'Overbroeck's staff and student teams.

First up was basketball, in which the student team dribbled, weaved and darted their way to a comprehensive victory. The final score: Students 38, Staff 9.

Fear and Misery

Back in March, sixth form students performed scenes from Brecht's Fear and Misery of the Third Reich as part of their Drama AS level. 

Brecht's play, written in the 1930s, examines the insidious way in which Hitler's regime engineered the German people's compliance with Nazism - at its close, presenting the notion that one must be willing to risk one's life in protest, if a dictatorial machine is not to gain dominance.

The students' production was characterised particularly by a focus on what Brecht calls Verfremdungseffekt - a device whereby theatre seeks actively to create a detachment between audience and their emotional responses: often, to remind them that they are watching a play, in a theatre - that they are responding emotionally to something which is ultimately 'fake' as if it were real.

To this end, the production was deliberately crude and basic, with cardboard cut-out props and no set-dressing.

Expedition to the Vale of the White Horse

On Friday 30 June, seven Leckford Place students ventured out on their Duke of Edinburgh's Bronze Award qualifying expedition.

The expedition was based in the Ridgeway area at the Vale of the White Horse (near Wantage), and spanned two days, including an overnight camp. The students planned a route incorporating various points of local interest, such as Alfred's Castle and White Horse Hill – as well as cooking their own food on Friday evening.

Having made great progress in their map-reading, the group set a great pace on the second day, finishing 45 minutes ahead of schedule.

Fortunately, the weather was good – showing the beautiful scenery at its best.

A perfect score ...

As we recently announced, our International Studies Centre students received excellent results in their IELTS exams.

Saksornchai Pankaew (also known as Val) received the extraordinary result of 9.0 - the highest possible score, reflecting a faultless performance in the exam.

Val is a Thai government scholar, currently in her first year at d'Overbroeck's Sixth Form and in the midst of a busy exam schedule - but was kind enough to spare five minutes to be photographed in the College garden. She plans to apply to Oxford University, to read Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) - and is wrestling with the question of which college to choose.