ART EXHIBITION | This year's Art Exhibition Preview was held in conjunction with the Parents Association Summer Drinks Reception. A spot of rain certainly didn't stop the arty party as bustling crowds arrived to walk the show and enjoy the summer evening. We have received wonderful comments about the exhibition, the high standard of work displayed and indeed much praise for the featuring Senior School Art & Design Students. Authentic animal masks, emotive sculpture, suspended electrical pieces, thought provoking photography and aesthetic painting and drawing – an incredible array of media and production adorned the walls of the Art Department this year.
Live Music, performed by Year 9 student Lauren Hastie, echoed beautifully around the exhibition space and some members of our Pipe Band set the tone for a colourful evening! Thank you to everyone who attended, and a special mention to The Adamson Bar in St Andrews for providing our guests with fabulous summer cocktails.
STAFF V STUDENTS
STAFF V STUDENTS | In June, Fives Court was the battleground for the staff v students annual football match. Hopeful young men in Years 11 & 12 dared to challenge the experience and reputation of the school staff side in this important game. A capacity crowd had gathered in the sunshine, supporting the teams with chants and posters! Despite the slight divide in fitness levels, speed and general physique, the Staff team managed to control the game and were victorious 5-0!
After an equal first quarter between the two teams, Mr ‘Super Mario’ Prisco claimed the hat-trick ball, with two more goals then scored by Mr Robinson and Mr Baxter – the latter making up for kicking the ball out of bounds and over one of the school's medieval walls and down the road to Anstruther! Player managers Miller and Ruxton did all they could to get the Students back into the game, but couldn’t galvanise their charges. Friebe and Reider did their level best to knock their opponents out of their stride, but could not deal with wave after wave of flowing, tikka-takka football the staff team were putting on show. When the students did threaten, it was Kurig who was at the heart of the attack.
All in all, a rather convincing win for the Staff team. Our students now have a long year ahead of them being reminded of this special score by their teachers. As is said at the end of every football season: “There’s always next year”.
FOOTBALL SIGNING
FOOTBALL SIGNING | Our football star, Year 9 pupil Ruari McQuillan, has re-signed for Dundee United Football Club’s Under 15 Pro Youth team. He has played and trained with the club’s Pro Youth team for a number of years, first getting signed by the club aged 8. He currently trains three times a week and plays in Sunday fixtures against other Pro Youth teams in the UK. He has also been selected for a training camp in Portugal and has played in a tournament in Barcelona against several key Spanish youth teams since he first signed for the club. Last month, Ruari travelled to Liverpool to play their Under 15 pro Youth Team.
Ruari’s Grandad was his inspiration to start playing – he took him to training, aged 2, at Orchard Park in Broughty Ferry and Dundee United was always a club he supported. Ruari’s hopes and dreams are to continue playing for Dundee United, and eventually turn professional. Congratulations on this great sporting achievement and we look forward to our own football season - perhaps helping beat the staff at the annual staff v students match next year (!) - and watching him progress with the club.
MATHS GRAPHS
MATHS GRAPHS | Year 9 ventured outside to consolidate the graph knowledge they have been learning in Maths, creating their very own ‘dance’ performance to represent the shape of different functions, whether a straight line, parabola, hyperbola or circles. This was not only a demonstration of the graph shape, but also of how they change and can be moved along the coordinate grid. Pupils chose their own music to suit the shape of their chosen graph.
Pupils had such fun creating their mathematical yet creative dance routines, and watching each other’s performances. They all had to keep track of as many graphs in each other’s work as possible. A great connection of maths and music. Visualising the shape of a graph is important for future Year 10 work, where students will have to analyse graphs, so we hope the catchy tunes and dance shapes will stick in their minds over the summer holidays!
EXPLORE GLENMORE
To finish the school year in style, six Year 11 pupils set out on an exciting expedition, spending the final weekend high-level mountain walking from the Glenmore Lodge, the national outdoor training centre in Aviemore. They endured two full days exploring the Cairngorm mountains and surrounding hills, learning to navigate safely, how to use the equipment carried and never to underestimate the weather! The group returned invigorated, delighted and inspired to have accomplished their challenge.
GRADE-ONE-ATHON
GRADE-ONE-ATHON | School roles reversed in the Music Department as we challenged some of their teachers to learn a ‘new’ instrument and attain at least Grade 1, in addition to their perfected and preferred music. Mr Bell, who teaches the organ, singing and piano, has started to play the violin; Mr Shiells, best known for his piano and violin skills, now also plays the saxophone and Mrs McCabe has swapped the piano for a double bass!
After much laughter, practice and performing, we can now reveal that all of our cherished Music Staff passed their exams with flying colours. Some members have even started preparing for Grade 2. Keep up the good work, Team Music!
This is the full list of our brave Musical team:
Mr Bell (Organ, Singing & Piano) – Grade 1 Violin
Mr Shiells (Piano & Violin) – Grade 1 Saxophone
Mrs Shiells (Woodwind) – Grade 1 Violin
Mrs Long (Violin & Viola) – Grade 1 Horn
Mrs McCabe (Piano) – Grade 3 Double Bass
SIXTH FORM WECOME
SIXTH FORM WELCOME | Our Year 11 students took on their new roles as Sixth Formers at the end of term, enjoying a two-week induction programme. Their Year 12 taster opened with a smart ‘suited and booted’ breakfast meeting in the CDR, where the students signed up for their preferred subjects choices and new classes. A highlight of the programme for many was the Higher Education Fair. This presented an opportunity for the students to research their options for life after St Leonards Sixth Form, enabling them to speak one-to-one to different Universities and Careers advisors. The exhibition was held in the School Hall and the workshops were in different classrooms. Ten Scottish Universities attended - Edinburgh, St Andrews, Strathclyde, Dundee, Abertay, Glasgow, Stirling, Aberdeen, Robert Gordon’s and Heriott Watt.
Some of the helpful workshops included explaining the UCAS process, advice on how to write the perfect personal statement, how to choose a course/university, as well as talks about specialist career opportunities. It was a great introduction to Sixth Form: students enjoyed the taster and felt the HE Fair was a useful tool for decision-making. And now, they will surely be enjoying the summer holidays and perhaps he excitement of getting ahead by embarking not only on their future reading lists but also sourcing their smart new Sixth Form wardrobe!
DEVISED THEATRE
DEVISED THEATRE | On Wednesday, 21 June, Year 9 students entertained their families with performances of devised pieces they had created and rehearsed in their classes. The group had been given three inspiring sources to choose from to help develop their acts - picture ‘Gin Lane’ by William Hogarth; poem ‘Matilda Told Such Dreadful Lies’ by Hillaire Belloc and the title of the story ‘Hansel and Gretel’. Students used their imagination and drama skills to produce between five and seven minutes of theatre, also with sound effects, lighting and costume.
The curtains were raised and the Year 9s performed their different interpretations, demonstrating strong stage presence, improved confidence and natural camaraderie. The verdict from the audience: the evening was a resounding success, judging by the marvellous applause. Mrs Ledger remarked on the excellent standard of work and that she was extremely proud of the young performers. Well done Year 9!
The following week, the Trinity Guildhall students performed two plays: After Juliet and Alice in Wonderland. The informal evening was an opportunity for the students to share their progress and development in fun productions. The evening was enjoyed by the audience and it marked the end of this year's busy drama programme. Encore!
MAP SKILLS
MAP SKILLS | As part of the Geography course, Year 8A demonstrated their impressive map skills by firstly navigating to Birdcage (no map required) to carry out and record some measurements. These figures will be used to create plans of the school campus, marking the scale and distance. We look forward to colourful maps of St Leonards being displayed to help anyone who becomes lost!
BARCELONA BASKETBALL
BARCELONA BASKETBALL | Year 10 pupil Alex Samuel represented Scotland at Basketball on their tour to Barcelona. He played for the Scotland Blue team (wearing no. 30) and won two out of five games against U18 and U16 Spanish Club Teams in the Eurobasketball Cup. Alex thoroughly enjoyed his action-packed Barcelona trip and he hopes to travel more with his sport. When not playing abroad, he plays basketball for the school team as well as for a club in Dundee. Surprisingly he only started playing serious basketball last year, and believes his new passion and a lot of his development is down to the school basketball team, coached by Mr Robinson. Keep up the good work Alex – what sport will he conquer next?
SERIES OF FORTUNATE EVENTS
SERIES OF FORTUNATE EVENTS | Our Year 9 Historians embarked on a research project called ‘A Series of Fortunate Events’. Their aim was to discover the importance of History to all subjects and how it is connected to everything we learn. They interviewed teachers, asking them what they thought were the game changing/watershed/accidental moments in their different subjects and the ways in which they have impacted on the world. Examples of significant people, events, places and discoveries were supplied in response to the children’s clever questions. Once the interviews were complete, the different groups used the knowledge they had received from each teacher to research the impact or importance of what they had been told, before presenting their findings to their peers. An inquiring and exciting topic that Year 9 successfully completed!
LANGUAGE PERFECT
LANGUAGE PERFECT | More ‘Language Perfect’ prizes were awarded in the summer term. The Language Perfect Championship is a Global language competition that many schools across the world take part in. The following students have been commended for their winning entries :
1st Place: Attila Newey (Year 8)
2nd Place: Emily Challice (Year 10)
3rd Place: Daniel Greenwood (Year 10)
4th Place: Lauren Hastie (Year 9)
CRESCENDO CONCERT
CRESCENDO CONCERT | For many, the Leavers Concert was the musical climax of the year. The audience followed the black tie dress code and took their seats, ready to celebrate our very musical Year 13s. As well as beautiful solo performances and playful duets, there were also special appearances from The Daemon Barbers, St Leonards Choir, Love's Angels and the Jazz Band. Thank you to the talented bunch of Year 13 performers who entertained us for one last time – Olivia Carslaw, Bjorn Franke, Ines Hayward-Daventry, Max Leonhardt, Rory Marston, Ilia Sigarev, Anthony White, Ian Yang, Allen Zhang and Jack Zhou.
LEAVERS CENTRE STAGE
LEAVERS CENTRE STAGE | In June, St Andrews University Students took to the stage in The Younger Hall for their very own Graduation Ceremonies, so let's relive last month’s St Leonards Prizegiving once more! It was time to celebrate our fantastic final year Sixth Form Students, before entering their next chapter: life beyond school.
Prize winners were announced, the choir sang beautifully and some of our talented Year 13 musicians performed individually. Our guest, Lady MacGregor of MacGregor, known to most as broadcaster and writer Fiona Armstrong, then gave an empowering and uplifting speech, commending our leavers for demonstrating confidence as they walked across the Younger Hall stage. She reminded us about the importance of kindness, compassion and communication in today’s ever changing world and wished our school leavers the very best of luck as they go on to follow their dreams. The audience also enjoyed memorable speeches from our Head Boy Justus Imkampe and Head Girl Linsey Scott, as they both thanked the school, sharing their fond memories and highlights, and that they will always regard St Leonards School as their 'home from home'.
Once the ceremony ended with the Pipe Band procession, the celebrations continued back at school, with delicious strawberry tarts on the lawn, before the Leavers Ball began at Fairmont St Andrews. A wonderful way for our former pupils to complete their time at St Leonards. Well done to our Sixth Form and Senior School Prize Winners. A sincere thank you to our guest speaker, the musical performers and to parents, families and friends who attended the ceremony and made St Leonards memories.
PIPE BAND DEMAND
PIPE BAND DEMAND | Two of our finest pipe band members, drummer Harry Mercer and piping scholar Hector Long, have recently performed at several key St Andrews events. You may have spotted them playing outside the Younger Hall, marking the end of this year’s wonderful Prizegiving, but they have also featured at Rainbow Nursery’s Graduation ceremony (not a dry eye in the house), and at the Leavers Ball Welcome Drinks at The Fairmont Hotel. In fact, while they were there and once their St Leonards duties were over, the boys were randomly stopped by hotel guests and asked to perform especially for them - which they duly (and lucratively) did! Well done for your enterprise and talent, Hector and Harry!
SPORTS DAY
SPORTS DAY | The last Wednesday of term was dedicated to the Senior School Sports Day - a wonderful afternoon display of track and field events on ‘Big Field’. Spectators packed their picnics and settled in to cheer on the boys and girls in their races. Congratulations to all competitors, the winning house, St Nicholas, and indeed the trophy winners. The Parents Association also deserve a special mention for serving delicious refreshments in the marquee near the finish line.
We wish you a wonderful summer holiday. We will leave you now with some more excellent photo highlights from Sports Day...
