Students are nominated to receive a Head’s Praise for exceptional achievements and contribution to school life.

Headmaster’s Praise – 19 March 2021

19 March 2021

Today three pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Alex Day for his kitchen science investigation and comprehensive written report on how the rate of respiration of yeast is affected by different types of sugars.
  • Felix Nerdrum for coming into art many times outside lessons and really improving his work.
  • Jamie Wright for coming into art many times outside lessons and really improving his work.

Headmaster’s Praise – 12 March 2021

12 March 2021

Today 12 pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Nikhil Harie for joining in with Wednesday afternoon Zwift Club (virtual cycling) every week during remote learning. This consists almost entirely of staff and sixth form and so he has done a great job of keeping up. To celebrate the last week we took on Alpe d’Huez. Due to an unfortunate sequence of technical problems he ended up being dropped from the group early on and having to ride completely in isolation. Rather than giving up, he persevered and eventually reached the summit after nearly 2 hours of riding largely on his own. This is an incredibly impressive accomplishment for such a young rider.
  • Lachlan Keene for achieving second place in the Geography Association WorldWise Quiz.
  • Louie Leung for achieving second place in the Geography Association WorldWise Quiz.
  • Pranit Narain for achieving second place in the Geography Association WorldWise Quiz.
  • Freddie Nicholson for co-presenting a CPD session for 58 teachers and STEM Ambassadors from UK and overseas on ‘Running a student led STEM club’ for the National STEM Clubs network.
  • George Owen for coming a very close second in the Sixth Form Essay Prize competition, with his essay on Coronavirus.
  • Sam Penrose for designing and producing a project brief for the next three weeks of Architecture Club. He has recorded a presentation and has clearly done a great deal of research. He will judge the submissions at the end of this term.
  • Owen Ravden for submitting an outstanding cover performance of the Hip-hop song “No Diggity” in which he sang against the backing instruments and vocals all of which he recorded and and mixed. Owen shared this performance with the school community, showing his outstanding versatility and technical virtuosity as a musician.
  • James Robinson for winning a Main Board Pass after attending the Army Officer Selection Board.
  • Ashwin Tennant for preparing and delivering a session for the Sixth Form Maths Enrichment group and pupils in partnership schools concerning preparation for Maths Oxbridge interviews. Max and Ashwin ran the session themselves live over Zoom, with just a little technical support from their teacher: no mean feat! They posed the students excellent questions, had prepared very thoroughly for the session, engaged the pupils using electronic whiteboards and explained the solutions with clarity.
  • Max Williams for preparing and delivering a session for the Sixth Form Maths Enrichment group and pupils in partnership schools concerning preparation for Maths Oxbridge interviews. Max and Ashwin ran the session themselves live over Zoom, with just a little technical support from their teacher: no mean feat! They posed the students excellent questions, had prepared very thoroughly for the session, engaged the pupils using electronic whiteboards and explained the solutions with clarity.
  • Jayden Zamler for winning an Army Officer Scholarship after attending the Army Officer Selection Board.

Headmaster’s Praise – 5 March 2021

5 March 2021

Today 15 pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Joe Betts for achieving the gold award in round 1 of the UKLO, no small feat as these are allocated to the top 5% of entrants nationally.
  • Jai Biswas Gladwin for producing several high quality resources for Primary Science Club and leading the team producing a video workshop on chemical reactions.
  • Ashwin Chandrasekaran for n excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • James Darbishire for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • Charlie Franklin for achieving the gold award in round 1 of the UKLO, no small feat as these are allocated to the top 5% of entrants nationally.
  • Daniel Harrison for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • Riad Kapetanovic for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • Tommy Lane for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • Theo Payne for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • Max Sheriff for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • Oliver Simpson for his outstanding success of first prize in the Grand Jury International Solo Competition involving entrants aged 13-15 from Europe, US and Asia. Oliver played Chopin’s Introduction and Polonaise Brillante, arranged for cello and piano. The prize gives him a medal and a concert in the Elgar Rooms at the Royal Albert Hall.
  • Toby Stone for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • Ethan Walker for achieving the gold award in round 1 of the UKLO, no small feat as these are allocated to the top 5% of entrants nationally.
  • Casper Whitfield for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.
  • Harrison Wong for an excellent optional recording of his persuasive speech.

Headmaster’s Praise – 26 February 2021

26 February 2021

Today 24 pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Alex Hankinson for an absolutely outstanding essay in Spanish on whether or not poverty can be eradicated and for consistently high levels of engagement and commitment during the course.
  • Archie Wood for a fantastic portrait painting and overall amazing level of effort and enthusiasm over the lockdown period.
  • Charlie Franklin for achieving the gold award in round 1 of the UKLO, no small feat as these are allocated to 10% of entrants nationally.
  • Ed Atkinson for an excellent Physics rap on part of the A-level specification.
  • Ed Saunders for running an excellent Joint Literary Society session on the politics and morals of Dr Seuss for students of Abingdon and St Helen’s.
  • Ethan Walker for achieving the gold award in round 1 of the UKLO, no small feat as these are allocated to 10% of entrants nationally.
  • Freddie Knott for an excellent Physics rap on part of the A-level specification.
  • Freddie Nicholson for co-presenting a CPD session for 58 teachers and STEM Ambassadors from UK and overseas on ‘Running a student led STEM club’ for the National STEM Clubs network.
  • Freddy Martin for an excellent video explaining exponential decay using beer.
  • George Brinson for an excellent Physics rap on part of the A-level specification.
  • Hamish Carle for an absolutely outstanding essay in Spanish on whether or not poverty can be eradicated and for consistently high levels of engagement and commitment during the course.
  • Harry Watkins for his outstanding efforts with the CCF recruits every week over zoom, creating well planned out lessons and resources, and always offering his personal time to ensure his section are fully supported.
  • Hugo Leedham for an excellent video explaining how a cassette works.
  • Jake Wallis for co-presenting a CPD session for 58 teachers and STEM Ambassadors from UK and overseas on ‘Running a student led STEM club’ for the National STEM Clubs network.
  • Jasper Trilk for going out of his way to create a fascinating Chemistry Mocktail, showing ingenuity and initiative. And also for consistent high levels of engagement over the last 2 years of A Level Chemistry – Jasper brings interesting comments and questions every lesson.
  • Joe Betts for achieving the gold award in round 1 of the UKLO, no small feat as these are allocated to 10% of entrants nationally.
  • Josh Sharff for an excellent explanation of logic gates on minecraft.
  • Kajan Sivakumar for outstanding levels of effort and engagement since the start of the year in Chemistry. Kajan works his socks off every single lesson, whether it be in person or online.
  • Matthew Hamilton for a brilliant minecraft video demonstrating logic components.
  • Matthew Jones for an excellent video showing the three gas laws.
  • Oliver Simpson for an outstanding success of first prize in the Grand Jury International Solo Competition involving entrants aged 13-15 from Europe, US and Asia. Oliver played Chopin’s Introduction and Polonaise Brillante, arranged for cello and piano. The prize gives him a medal and a concert in the Elgar Rooms at the Royal Albert Hall.
  • Roy Schumacher for an excellent Physics rap on part of the A-level specification.
  • Tim Fowler for an entertaining minecraft explanation of logic gates, featuring a panda disco controlled by chickens.
  • Will Taylor for an excellent Physics rap on part of the A-level specification.
  • William Wakelam for an absolutely outstanding essay in Spanish on whether or not poverty can be eradicated and for consistently high levels of engagement and commitment during the course.

Headmaster’s Praise – 12 February 2021

12 February 2021

Today 24 pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Oscar Bennett for being selected for the England C Rifle Team in the British Schools’ Small-bore Rifle Association National Match 2021.
  • John Bonchristiano for constructing an amazing data analysis platform for data being gathered by sensors at schools in the SCAMPA project.
  • Ben Broadbent for making a model Cyclotron using 3D printer at home for physics prep.
  • Oscar Chan for making a beautiful and clear diagram of a mechanical adder device
  • Harry Gee for building a half-adder in Minecraft without looking up how to do it!
  • Alex Hankinson for winning the Biology Department Essay Prize and creating an outstanding essay on “How do no-pathogenic bacteria affect the human body”. This was well beyond the A Level specification, and very well crafted.
  • Luke Hooper for building the main logic components in Minecraft and even making some sort of fenced in group of dogs or wolves to represent the class. He’s even remade it so it’s neater since he found out I’d nominated him for this!
  • Matty Hoult for building an accurate model LINAC (Simpsons themed!) out of lego for physics prep.
  • Lachlan Keene for being the joint first person in the school to complete the Bronze level of the Inspiring Digital Education Award.
  • Philip Kimber for producing a succession of recordings in German worthy of a 6th former.
  • Rex Langley for working as a volunteer in his local GP vaccination clinic, getting great feedback for being supportive and efficient, caring and cheerful.
  • Murray Langley for working as a volunteer in his local GP vaccination clinic, getting great feedback for being supportive and efficient, caring and cheerful.
  • Toby Lee for building a full-adder and all the logic components in Minecraft.
  • Alexander Lees for being the joint first person in the school to complete the Bronze level of the Inspiring Digital Education Award.
  • Lenny Liu for making a model Cyclotron using a 3D printer at home for physics prep, and making a great video explaining the various features.
  • Tom Long for leading ’20 Minute Meals’ on a Wednesday afternoon; he set the ingredients list & lead the cooking for over 30 boys to make Lamb Tabbouleh.
  • Benjamin MacLennan for being selected for the England D Rifle Team in the British Schools’ Small-bore Rifle Association National Match 2021.
  • Tristan Mann Powter for building a linear accelerator and synchrotron in Minecraft for physics prep.
  • Freddie Nicholson for building a functioning model LINAC using lego for physics prep.
  • Alexandre Peuch for being a joint runner up in the Biology Department Essay Prize and creating an outstanding essay on “How do no-pathogenic bacteria affect the human body”. This was well beyond the A Level specification, and was particularly strong for a L6 entrant.
  • Edward Saunders for being a joint runner up in the Biology Department Essay Prize and creating an outstanding essay on “How do no-pathogenic bacteria affect the human body”. This was well beyond the A Level specification, and was particularly strong for a L6 entrant.
  • William Shorrocks for being selected for the England B Rifle Team in the British Schools’ Small-bore Rifle Association National Match 2021.
  • Ed Spackman for an outstanding (Star Wars-themed) video explaining how LINACs work using lego.
  • Joe Turner for being a joint runner up in the Biology Department Essay Prize and creating an outstanding essay on “How do no-pathogenic bacteria affect the human body”. This was well beyond the A Level specification, and was particularly strong for a L6 entrant.

Headmaster’s Praise – 5 February 2021

5 February 2021

Today 13 pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Billy Backhouse for working hard on the most recent edition of The Polyglot.
  • Yubo Gao for an excellent solo cello performance of an unaccompanied Bach Gigue at last week’s streamed solo concert platform.
  • Peter Harris for wearing full school uniform including tie all half term.
  • James Healey for working hard on the most recent edition of The Polyglot.
  • Jakob Hobbs for working hard on the most recent edition of The Polyglot.
  • Jimmy Ip for the most impressive piano playing of Burgmuller’s Agitato at the streamed solo concert platform – and within just weeks of joining the school this term.
  • Sammy Jarvis for an impressive solo cello performance of an unaccompanied Bach Bourrée at last week’s streamed solo concert platform.
  • Zebedee Marsh for editing the Primary Science Club video on electromagnetism.
  • Alfie Marshall for presenting a Primary Science Club video on electromagnetism.
  • Reuben McLusky for an exciting solo cello performance of Minsky’s The Train Whistle at last week’s streamed solo concert platform
  • Julien Rohart for a beautiful flute performance of CPE Bach at last week’s solo concert platform.
  • Isaac Yu for being an exceptional writer and is keeping absolutely on top of things in terms of his learning, despite working remotely with a +8hrs time shift.
  • Daniel Zhang for an outstanding solo piano performance of Bach’s Italian Concerto at the Solo Concert platform streamed last week.

Headmaster’s Praise – 29 January 2021

29 January 2021

Today seven pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Bentley Cook for taking the initiative to prepare instructional presentations on the use of One Note as a learning tool for his classmates and others, including staff. Bentley also gained a high grade 8 distinction in piano last term (136/150), an impressive achievement for a fifth year pupil.
  • Mark Hanlon for taking part in a film about life in Lower School to be used at an upcoming webinar for potential first year pupils and their parents.
  • Hugo Leedham for his Peer Support Lead work and mentoring a third year pupil. Hugo has handled this maturely and shows a real expertise for mentoring. His intuition and life experience so far, as well as what he has learnt on the PSL programme, have equipped him with skills far beyond his years and he has provided invaluable support to the pupil. He has also given clear and timely feedback in the appropriate manner.
  • Tom Mennie for taking it upon himself to organise a Friday evening quiz for fourth year Border’s families in aid of two charities close to his heart.
  • Xander Orchard for his phenomenal attitude toward art since lockdown. Xander is working independently and imaginatively, responding to all feedback enthusiastically, and consistently exceeding his teacher’s expectations.
  • George Slater for taking part in a film about life in Lower School to be used at an upcoming webinar for potential first year pupils and their parents.
  • Casper Whitfield for taking part in a film about life in Lower School to be used at an upcoming webinar for potential first year pupils and their parents.

Headmaster’s Praise – 22 January 2021

22 January 2021

Today three pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Jai Biswas Gladwin for leading the L6th Primary Science Club video workshop team.
  • Johan Nerlov for editing Timeline magazine.
  • Daniel Zhang for learning piano repertoire very fast, making a recording in the first week of term, ready for the first upcoming concert.

Headmaster’s Praise – 15 January 2021

15 January 2021

Today four pupils received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Kit Matthews for completing an outstanding AFU film, inspired by TS Eliot’s “The Waste Land”, earning him the Michael Grigsby Young Filmmaker Award for 2020/21.
  • Max Hems for personally putting together an excellent assembly for middle schoolers advertising the Peer Support Lead Instagram page and for updating the page itself.
  • Ari Ioannou for taking part in a film about life in Lower School to be sent to ASEE candidates.
  • Henry Purcell for taking part in a film about life in Lower School to be sent to ASEE candidates.

Headmaster’s Praise – 4 December 2020

27 November 2020

Today six boys received Headmaster’s praise:

  • Josh Bromley for an absolutely stunning piece of photography homework that demonstrates a massive amount of creativity and flair.
  • Cameron Eilbeck for his dedication to Other Half and ASP activities this term, taking part in every session of GCSE Astronomy, Physics Factor Research Club, Science Communication Club and still contributing to Primary Science Club when he can.
  • Philip Kimber for an outstanding effort in his German work. Philip has submitted pieces of homework and voluntary work worthy of a 5th or even L6th pupil. Taking our topic “Mein Wohnort” to a different level by discussing issues around urbanisation and Coronavirus.
  • Alexandre Peuch for coming joint first in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Chemistry of cooking/communication competition. For this he produced a fantastic video and written resources, aimed at Year 7 pupils, describing the analysis of vitamin C in food.
  • Samuel Price for an excellent performance in art lessons, homework & Other Half over the whole term.
  • James Robinson for demonstrating how to discuss an article in German under exam conditions in front of the L6 German class. He impressed all around in what was a nerve wracking challenge.