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“Sportplaysa
bigpart in lifeat
Summer Fieldsand
there is littledoubt
that, formanyboys,
thecricket,tennisor
athletics season is
eagerlyanticipated
duringtheEaster
holidays.”
S u m m e r F i e l d s
2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6
and Summer Fields was well represented by
fifteen boys from the Third Year, who also got
the chance to meet the Rt Hon John Bercow
MP, Speaker of the House of Commons. Our
own political debate, on the morning of the
EU referendum, was a lively event in which
several members of staff certainly gave the
boys a thorough précis of the arguments.
Sport plays a big part in life at Summer
Fields and there is little doubt that, for many
boys, the cricket, tennis or athletics season is
eagerly anticipated during the Easter holidays.
Whilst this was probably not a vintage year
for any of these sports, practice for all of
them was determined. Furthermore, the
opportunity to while away free time on the
field in good weather was much appreciated,
by all. The outdoor pool did not seem to be
quite so well frequented this summer, the
golf course probably more so. These trends
are, of course, weather dependent and whilst
it will not be looked back on (apart from that
fateful fete day!) as a very wet summer, it was
certainly not a ‘scorcher’ either. In addition to
the many sporting pursuits which the boys
undertake, the staff have their moments
too. This summer term saw the usual regular
cricket and less regular golf outings for the
Black Hole team. These are supplemented,
of course, by the traditional BOSFAM events
towards the end of term. This year saw
a bigger staff/boy sporting collaboration
however when, for the first time, a combined
team of Fifth Year boys and staff participated
in the 35th Oxford Town and Gown race, a
10k run in aid of Muscular Dystrophy.
There are always some magical events
for the boys here, but this term the visit of
Christian Lee, just before his appearance on
television’s
Britain’s Got Talent
, really captured
their imagination and interest. None more
so, perhaps, than our own budding magician
and member of the magic circle,
Theo Mellor
,
who found success for himself in the ‘Young
Magicians Talent Quest’. Also in Macmillan
Hall, the magic wand, on stage, was again
wielded by MLS as she drew out some
amazing performances from a huge cast in
her latest musical extravaganza,
HereWe Go
Again
.
Chapel remained central to the life of
the school and the boys benefited from the
wise words of MAI, JERA, DRW and APWB
during the term. The school Eucharist service
was conducted by Bishop Jennings whilst Dr
Dominic Luckett, Headmaster of Sherborne,
the Reverend Gavin Knight and Mr Cheater
(PRC, our erstwhile Senior Master) completed
our list of visiting preachers. The school played
host to a group of benefactors and patrons at
a dinner in the Salata Pavilion in May, and also
welcomed back many Old Summerfieldians
to a reunion day in June. The new pavilion
also proved very popular as a new venue for
the annual art exhibition, further enhanced
by the work of the whole-school project
co-ordinated by our artist in residence, Maeve
Clancy. This week-long visit, postponed from
earlier in the year, was well worth waiting
for. The boys (and staff) really enjoyed their
collaboration and were fascinated to hear
of the artist’s life and work. Another visitor
who caught the imagination of the boys
was current parent, Archie Stirling. His talk,
on ‘War behind the lines’, and the tank that
accompanied him on the day certainly held
their attention.
In amongst all this excitement there was a
real purposeful approach to academic study.
Everyone settled down to exam week, from
the smallest member of the First Year to the
biggest of the Common Entrance candidates.
A record year, in terms of scholarship success,
was rewarded by a whole-school outing to
the cinema; ‘The Jungle Book’ was an excellent
choice for a film, and all the boys appreciated
having a whole day’s holiday as reward for
all the efforts they had put in. Time to reflect
perhaps, if only for a few moments, on what
had surely been a favourite term.
ARAS