cope with this form of assessment, Christ College pupils have achieved some outstanding results, with an overall 94% pass rate.

The new GCSEs are graded 9-1 with grade 9 classified as a super ** grade and 8 as the old A*. This cohort achieved 31% at grades 8 or 9, and 52% of all grades were 7,8 and 9.

In English Literature, 12 candidates achieved a level 9 (31% of all entries). In History, 20% of entries were at grade 9 with 29% of entries at the same level in Religious Studies. 23% of candidates in Art and 25% in Photography also attained the coveted grade 9.

Best performance in the school:

Erica Morgan from Monmouth who achieved 9 grade 9 s and one grade 8.

Best performances by local pupils:

Rhiannon Coleman 9 grades 9/8 (Brecon)

Kate Jenkins 9 grades 9/8 (Llangynidr)

Sasha Pearson 8 grades 9/8 (Builth Wells)

Alice Edwards 7 grades 9/8 (Llandovery)

Joe Houghton 6 grades 9/8 (Brecon)

Aidan Hurst 6 grades 9/8 (Pontneddfechan)

Best performances from further afield:

Vincent Chua 8 grades 8/9 (Hong Kong)

Endy Wu 7 grades 8/9 (Hong Kong)

Gareth Pearson, Head of Christ College, commented: “This is a fantastic set of results. I am especially proud of how well our pupils and staff coped with the challenging transition from the old GCSE syllabus to the new system. This completes a fabulous year for Christ College Brecon with five ‘Excellents’ in our November Estyn Inspection, 20% A*’s in our A-level results and now 31% 8/9 in our GCSE results.

Photo: Erica, Sasha and Alice

boarding schools, Christ College, Brecon, has officially opened its first overseas sister school, as pupils in Malaysia were welcomed to King Henry VIII College for the new school year on Monday, 3rd September.

Christ College Brecon will be drawing on the experience it has built over close to five centuries to evolve and meet the challenge of expansion developments through this new and exciting chapter in the college’s history.

Located in Cyberjaya, 30 minutes from Kuala Lumpur and its international airport, King Henry VIII College Malaysia emulates the longstanding Christ College Brecon model, with a mix of boarding and day school students, complemented by nursery and reception classes, as well as a small Sixth Form offering.

It replicates the Wales-based school’s structure, ethos and achievements but in a more modern setting within the Malaysian global tech hub – and with an initial student population exceeding 250 pupils, the immediate popularity of the new school is a promising indicator for its future.

Founding Head, Old Breconian and former Christ College Brecon Deputy Head, Simon Spencer said: “It has been an extraordinary couple of years to get to where we are today.

“Less than two years ago the site of King Henry VIII College was jungle and we only cleared the site for the ground-breaking ceremony and construction on 1st March last year.

“There is still work to do, but we already have a vibrant school community, and have certainly confirmed the excellent reputation of Christ College in this part of South East Asia.

“We all look forward to maintaining excellent links between our two schools, in all aspects of school life, not least cultural exchanges and shared learning experiences.”

introduction of harder, linear A Levels, Christ College Brecon pupils have achieved excellent A Level results, with one in five grades being A*.

The overall pass rate reached an impressive 98%, with 46% of grades being A*/A; 70% of grades being A*-B.

On the basis of these results, many Welsh and international pupils will now proceed to top universities including Oxford, Cambridge and elite Russell Group institutions to study for highly selective courses.

Leading the way are Adonijah Airede (from Nigeria) and Hayato Kaneda (from Japan) who will proceed to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and University College, Oxford to read Natural Sciences and Physics respectively, following their 4 A*.

With 3 A*s, Kevin Zhao (from China) has secured his place to read Engineering at St Edmund Hall Oxford and Aisling Tarpey (from Cradoc, Brecon), who already received an unconditional place following her results last year, will read English at Lincoln College, Oxford.

Also achieving 3 A*s are Hanna Prytherch (from Aberystwyth), HMC Scholar Adam Brozsko (from Poland), Cai Williams (from Herefordshire) and Yuhan Xie (from Hong Kong). We are also thrilled that Anna Philips, from Clynderwen, has gained her full scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Chloe Hiew (from Malaysia) and Imran Khan-White (from Ystradowen) followed close behind, with two A*.

Performance in Maths and Chemistry was particularly high with 32% and 38% of grades at A* respectively, a performance closely followed by Physics with 29% at this elite level.

Head of Christ College, Gareth Pearson, said: “I am delighted that the hard work by our Upper Sixth pupils has been rewarded with some excellent grades. Despite the more rigorous A-level programmes the fact that over 1 in 5 of our grades were A* is an incredible achievement. We were also thrilled with our pupils’ performance in the extended project where 83% achieved an A* or A. This is an independent research based project highly valued by universities.

“It is testament to their teachers and the level of aspiration of our pupils that 90% of those planning to attend university have got into their first choice university and 35% have gained places at a Russell Group universities. The destinations of those leaving us include great institutions such as Cambridge, Oxford, LSE, Imperial, UCL, Manchester, Cardiff, Exeter, Edinburgh, Bath, Loughborough and Nottingham. We wish all of our leavers the very best of luck for the future.”

Photo: Proud parents and the Head at Christ College

chosen to provide support and guidance to the younger pupils in the Christ College family, working closely with the Head of School, Niamh Draper and Deputy Head Boy, Harry Jones. We are sure they are all up for the challenge ahead.

Following assembly they were all presented with their prefect ties.

Congratulations to them all in their future roles.

The 2018/19 team is as follows:

Head of School  Niamh Draper

Deputy Head of School/Head Boy    Harry Jones

Head of School House    Daniel Clark

Head of St David’s           Oliver Lewis and Beth Wood

Head of Donaldson’s       Poppy Lawley

Head of de Winton          Milly Davies

Head of Orchard              Ben Masters

Heads of Alway                 Archie Trevethan and Carys Cronin

Heads of St Nicholas House    Heledd Evans and Fergus Stevens

Sacristan                             Hannah Mathias

Overseas Liason Prefect   Brietner Hoe

Sixth Form Centre Prefects    Darius Rameshni and India Lilly

Captain of Rugby              Oliver Lewis

Captain of Sevens            Oliver Newey

Cadet RSM (Head of CCF)    Archie Trevethan

Heads of Choir                   Martha Skibniewski-Woods and Carys Cronin

Assistant Sacristan           James Allen

Chair of Senior Essay Society    Harry Jones

Secretary-Senior Essay Society  Phoebe Sussmann

Captains of Hockey         Poppy Lawley and Fergus Stevens

Captain of Cricket            To be announced later in the year

Alway Chapel Leaders    Sarah Jeffes and Trystan Lloyd

PALACE, LONDON, WHERE THEY RECEIVED THEIR GOLD DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD FROM BBC WALES TODAY PRESENTER JENNIFER JONES, AFTER SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH PRINCE WILLIAM, DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE; PRINCE EDWARD, DUKE OF WESSEX AND PRINCESS EUGENIE OF YORK.

During the Gold Award Presentation, the members of the Royal Family congratulated the group from Christ College on their successes and heard about their D of E journeys, which took each young person 12-18 months of hard work and dedication.

Those who achieve a Gold D of E Award will volunteer, learn a skill, get fit, take part in a week long residential and plan and undertake an expedition in Wild Country. Widely acknowledged as the world’s leading achievement award for young people, D of E programmes enable any young person, aged 14-24, to develop key skills for life and work, such as confidence, commitment and team working.

Barney Goodrich, who is the D of E Leader at Christ College, said, “We are very proud of our recipients, who we have seen work incredibly hard to achieve this distinguished award.

“They undertook a range of projects including the completion of a gruelling four-day expedition in the Black Mountains and residential activities that ranged from sailing expeditions off the Pembrokeshire Coast to Cadet courses in the Yukon, Canada. All completed volunteering sections requiring strong levels of commitment over eighteen months including regular assistance with the Disability Sports Group at Brecon Leisure Centre and helping people in need at Usk House, the Day Hospice in Brecon.”

“Working for the community and developing such important skills throughout the whole process has been a life-changing experience for them all and I am delighted that they have been able to celebrate together at such a prestigious ceremony at Buckingham Palace.”

Speaking about her DofE experience, Jessica Facey, who was one of the Gold Award holders at the presentation, said, “I decided to take on the challenges of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award whilst doing my A Levels so that I could not only push myself physically but to also develop important life skills such as teamwork, personal organisation and perseverance. At times it was gruelling and overwhelming but usually it was fun!

“The most rewarding aspect for me was to be able to give back to my local community through volunteering. Along with some friends from school, I helped out with a disability sports club in the Brecon Leisure Centre every Friday evening for a year. It was really enjoyable and gave me a much better perspective about what is important in life!

“I chose to do a sailing course for my residential section with the Royal Yacht Association spending five days and four nights on a yacht off the coast of South West Wales with complete strangers (aged 17 – 65). I was immediately thrown into the deep-end, as this was a completely new skill combined with living in a very small space with each other. By the end of it, I had made some great friends, was able to cook a delicious meal in the tiny galley, and helmed the boat with dolphins bow-riding along as well as earning my ‘Competent Crew’ qualification.

“During the physically demanding expedition section (80km over 4 days in a mountainous area carrying all your equipment) you also learn how to exercise patience and the importance of teamwork within your group.

“I have definitely gained in confidence, pushing myself out of my comfort zone by trying new activities that have turned out to be amazing experiences as well as developing skills and sports I have loved for years. For me, having to make decisions in tricky situations has been the most challenging aspect and I know that this, and other skills I have learnt whilst participating in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, will certainly serve me well in the future.

“I would like to thank my teachers, volunteer parents as well as my parents and grandparents for their support and encouragement. It has been a really enjoyable balance to my A level studies and meeting members of the Royal Family and receiving my Gold Award from Jennifer Jones in the gardens of Buckingham Palace in May with fellow students from Christ College, Brecon was a fantastic highlight to complete this journey.

“Ironically, the worst blisters I experienced weren’t from the 80km expedition in the Black Mountains but from wearing brand new shoes around London for the day of the Award Ceremony!”

There are currently around 440,000 young people taking part in a DofE programme across the UK through a variety of centres including both state and independent schools, special schools, businesses, prisons, young offender institutions and youth groups.

To find out more about the DofE and how it enables young people to succeed, please visit www.DofE.org

Maverick workshops inspire students to make informed decisions about their career & lifestyle choices.

Sessions included:

– Use the ultrasound machine to see inside their body and measure the size of their blood vessels

– See inside their eye with an iPhone retina scan

– Record and print an ECG from their heart

– Hear their pulse with a Doppler Probe!

– Try key hole surgery on a training device used by surgeons

– Use a real needle to take fake blood from an fake arm

– Experience different eye diseases with the pathology goggles

– Test hearing and reflexes

– Take basic medical observation such as blood pressure, oxygen sats and temp

– Suturing fake skin

– Recording respiration rates

A fantastic workshop showing our pupils the amazing opportunities and jobs that could be available to them.

Thank you Medical Mavericks, lots to think about!

U18 FINALS.

The first pool match set the tone for the rest of the day with Christ College beating a very good St Joseph’s Roman Catholic High School  1-0, with a fantastic goal from Lydia Drinkall.

Christ College then played Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, with Willow Ransome securing a 1-0 win. Two terrific goals from Sarah Jeffes  and Katy Garrett  in their next pool match against Ysgol Glan Clwyd  led to a  2-1 win and  their place  in the semi-final secured.

The Semi Final against Ysgol Glantaf was never going to be easy. During the 1st half of the game Christ College were awarded a short corner which saw Beth Wood score the first goal of the match.  Cerys Jones  (U18’s Captain) gave the girls a constructive team talk during the break and as the 2nd half got underway, Beth Wood scored another goal leading to a win for Christ College and a place in the final versus St Joseph’s Roman Catholic High School.

Tensions were high and Christ College made terrific tackles and were fast on the attack. U18’s Captain Cerys Jones made terrific saves in goal and managed to keep the score 0-0 at half time.

The 2nd half ended at 0-0, which meant it was down to penalty shuffles-5 chances at goal to score within 8 seconds.  Hebe Thomas, Phillipa Ogilvie, Elin Jones, Sarah.Jeffes and Beth Wood took their chances at goal. Both teams at the end of the penalty shuffles drew 1-1 and had to then go through to sudden death penalty shuffles.

Beth Wood was first up and managed to get the ball past the goalkeeper and score. Cerys Jones then took her place in goal and read exactly what her opposition was going.  St Joseph’s missed the goal by a fraction to make Christ College the Hockey Wales National Schoolgirls U18’s Champions for the second year running with a 2-1 result.

next academic year.  She was also offered places by most of the other leading music conservatoires.

Anna had already gained ABRSM Grade 8 in Piano and Violin before joining the Sixth Form at Christ College and was delighted to gain the highest mark on record at the school of 142 for her Grade 8 Harp.

Anna is currently taught by Claire Jones (formerly Harpist to the Prince of Wales) and she has taken part in masterclasses given by famous international harpists such as Gabriella Dal’Ollio and Skaila Kanga.

On 9th March, Anna will join Claire Jones in a special concert in the Christ College Chapel as part of Claire’s new album tour. Further information here

Anna will also be touring the US with the Claire Jones Harp Ensemble and the American Youth Harp Ensemble.

a key part of pastoral care at the Christ College, and House Parent Suzy Phelps is studying for a Master’s degree in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the University of South Wales, which is part-funded by the school. Suzy came up with the idea of opening the ‘break out’ room after she attended a Pastoral Conference in Devon discussing young people’s mental health within boarding schools.  Keynote speaker psychologist Dr Lina Blair recommended ways to promote good mental health.  Two main recommendations were the removal of phone devices before bed, which Christ College is currently undertaking; and the introduction of a ‘break out’ space for pupils to be alone.

Suzy said: “I raised the issue with my senior boarders when I returned. They said that the biggest problem they had was not being able to ‘escape’ from their friends and be left alone for a few minutes.

“My head of house, Katie de Winton, was very excited to begin this project.  She and a team of helpers chose the colours and curtains, prepared and repainted the walls, and helped decorate the room.”

Following the advice given by Dr Blair, who also pointed out the importance of smell in our wellbeing, the team included a diffuser in the room, as well as a variety of textures designed to give tactile sensory stimulation to pupils on the Autism Spectrum.

The school’s new ‘break out’ space gives pupils the opportunity to be alone with their thoughts; listen to music without interruption; have private phone conversations or skype calls.

Suzy said: “Pupils, at Christ College are becoming a lot more aware of mental health and understand the importance of the need for alone time.”

Earlier this year, the school scored ‘Excellent’ in all categories on its latest Estyn Report, including ‘Care, support and guidance’, indicating strong and sustained performance and practice.

The reported stated: “The care, support and guidance provided by the school are exceptional. Provision is inclusive, fully embedded across all areas of the school, and contributes successfully to particularly high levels of well being among pupils.”

for the cadets, who were eagerly looking forward to put their training into practise. The day comprised of live firing, 1st aid and Fieldcraft. All the cadets fired the cadet GP rifle at 25m, with some outstanding results achieved.

As a background activity’s, the cadets learnt practical 1st aid and how to operate effectively in the field. Lunch was a warming stew provided by the school dining room, but cadets also had an opportunity to cook and more importantly taste the current issue ration packs.

At the end of a tiring but enjoyable day the cadets arrived back in school to complete the post-activity administration, including the all-important weapon cleaning.

Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales last term, judged Christ College’s current performance as “excellent” in all five inspection areas. The areas were: standards; wellbeing and attitude to learning; teaching and learning experiences; care, support and guidance; and leadership and management.

In the report, the school’s overall teaching and learning experiences were described as ‘excellent’, with dedicated and well-qualified teachers offering a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’. It also noted that ‘the sixth form pupils’ performance at A level over the last three years is outstanding’.

Beyond the academic results, the report also acknowledged the quality of the school’s personal and social education (PSE) programme, described as “outstanding and extremely-well coordinated”. PSE is central to the school’s provision for care, support and guidance.

Estyn reported: “Most pupils feel safe, secure, and exceptionally well cared for. Nearly all pupils have an infectious pride in their school, and demonstrate a very caring, compassionate and supportive attitude towards each other and to the adults around them.”

Inspectors also praised the “rich sense of community and belonging in which nearly all pupils flourish in their academic, personal, social and emotional development”, and described the teachers as “particularly effective role models for pupils’ social and academic skills. Leadership at all levels was commended for “contributing extremely well to the strong sense of community and commitment to share values and aims that pervade the school”

Gareth Pearson, Headteacher at Christ College, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of the report. I would like to thank the Inspectors for their assessment, which reflects the dedication of all our staff. Our pupils’ aspirations, achievements and well-being are our everyday priorities, and this excellent report will help us continue to improve.”

He added: “I believe it is our responsibility as a boarding school to offer an all-round character education, and therefore I was very proud to see that the report celebrated the calm, supportive and balanced environment the school offers.

“These are ideal conditions for them to develop tolerance of others, sensitivity to other pupils and adults, high moral standards and a strong sense of citizenship – characteristics that will always be valued, whatever career they wish to pursue, and however much the world changes in the years ahead.”

CATERING SERVICES AT THE SCHOOL.

Holroyd Howe is a leading independent school caterer and the company brings a wealth of experience in delivering wholesome, nutritious, creative food. They have won many industry awards including Independent School Caterer of the Year in 2015 and 2016. As a fresh food business, Holroyd Howe prides itself on sourcing natural, sustainable, quality ingredients, as locally as possible and approaches food with a no fuss attitude. Nothing processed, nothing added – just honest, delicious food every day.

Placing a strong emphasis on the health and wellbeing of pupils, Holroyd Howe will be introducing a new menu designed to elevate nutritional standards across the board. Each day, the menu will include a wide variety of ingredients, cuisines and culinary styles, encouraging pupils to try new things and enjoy a balanced diet.

The Head, Gareth Pearson said ‘We are excited to have Holroyd Howe on board as we recognise the importance of educating our pupils about food and nutrition and the long term benefits that good food has on their health and development. Our pupils are looking forward to the start of the partnership too, having had an opportunity to sample Holroyd Howe menus earlier this term.’
Claire Long, Sales Director for Holroyd Howe said ‘We are absolutely delighted to have been selected to provide the catering at Christ College Brecon and will be bringing our fresh food philosophy and fun, creative style to the menus at the College from the New Year.’

services at the school.

Holroyd Howe is a leading independent school caterer and the company brings a wealth of  experience in delivering wholesome, nutritious, creative food. They have won many industry awards including Independent School Caterer of the Year in 2015 and 2016. As a fresh food  business, Holroyd Howe prides itself on sourcing natural, sustainable, quality ingredients, as locally as possible and approaches food with a no fuss attitude. Nothing processed, nothing added – just honest, delicious food every day.

Placing a strong emphasis on the health and wellbeing of pupils, Holroyd Howe will be introducing a new menu designed to elevate nutritional standards across the board. Each day, the menu will include a wide variety of ingredients, cuisines and culinary styles, encouraging pupils to try new things and enjoy a balanced diet.

The Head, Gareth Pearson said ‘We are excited to have  Holroyd Howe on board as we recognise the importance of educating our pupils about food and nutrition and the long term benefits that good food has on their health and development.  Our pupils are looking forward to the start of the partnership too, having had an opportunity to sample Holroyd Howe menus earlier this term.’

Claire Long, Sales Director for Holroyd Howe said ‘We are absolutely delighted to have been selected to provide the catering at Christ College Brecon and will be bringing our fresh food philosophy and fun, creative style to the menus at the College from the New Year.’

modern community space, a better-equipped kitchen, and a separate study area.

The project involved three local contractors – AJN Design & Surveying Services Ltd Brecon; Business Interiors Brecon and Office Supplies of Hereford – and students have been actively involved in the improvements.

As Deputy Head of Pastoral Education Simon Hill explained: “Last summer, we set up consultation groups including all members of our Year 11 and lower sixth pupils. The surveys covered all aspects of the new development, including furnishings, layout and amenities.

“We are delighted with the new centre which beautifully incorporates a large number of the  suggestions offered by our pupils such as study booths, interactive monitors, multiple charging stations, and a big screen TV to name just a few. The new centre is proving very popular with our senior pupils, providing quiet study space and a terrific separate social area.”

Christ College has enjoyed a high-quality reputation since its creation nearly five centuries ago. The secret to the school’s success resides in the outstanding attention paid to the pupil’s overall well-being, which in turn translates into academic excellence.

This “whole-person” approach combines psychological support, offered by the school’s highly dedicated staff, and material comfort, provided by the modern facilities available throughout the campus.

Sixth Form Centre coordinator Jonathan Cooper said: “Since the start of term, the pupils have been regularly using the new facility. It is great to see it being used for its purpose. The project, which came together really well, has enabled us to create new links with local contractors, and to strengthen our relationship with pupils.”

Year 13 student Josh Oliver said: “We are delighted with the refurbishment and feel lucky to have such a well-equipped Sixth Form Centre, with our own study area and a separate social space.

“Not only are we located in one of Britain’s most beautiful National Parks, but we also enjoy made-to-measure facilities within the school. We couldn’t ask for a better environment to learn in during these crucial years.”

This term has also seen the arrival of new Head Gareth Pearson.

Mr Pearson has stated his intention to develop the school’s holistic approach, while maintaining academic excellence and keeping it accessible to less advantaged.

“I love the strength of community in this school, where everyone knows everyone. Positive relationships underpin everything at Christ College, Brecon, and allow staff to bring out the very best from our pupils. The excellent pastoral care they show for the school and its pupils is truly palpable and authentic.

“I want Christ College Brecon to be the very best in Britain at developing the kind of character traits in its people to enable them to perform at their best, and more importantly, be a kind, decent and generous team player who will be a force for good in any community in which they live.

“These are ideal conditions to develop tolerance of others, sensitivity to other pupils and adults, high moral standards and a strong sense of citizenship – characteristics that will always be valued, whatever career they wish to pursue, and however much the world changes in the years ahead.”

The long-established quality of the teaching, combined with the modern facilities available throughout the campus, have led Christ College to consistently achieve the top ratings in the independent Advanced Level Information Survey (ALIS) conducted by Durham University every year.

brand new 1st XV Rugby team shirt.

When creating the design brief for the1st XV rugby shirt the priority was to combine the legacy from our founder King Henry VIII and the many decades of 1st XV rugby through to present day.

Remembering those traditions from the Old Breconian rugby days along with the different Green and Gold shirts, the new design wanted to use the branding of Henry’s ‘h’ to create a stunning contemporary design.

The new 1st XV shirt is hugely traditional yet totally modern in its concept.  The current  crop  of 1st XV rugby players have a shirt to be proud which is still steeped in the history and traditions of Christ College rugby yet gives the 2017 boys ownership.

The ‘h’ of King Henry was originally introduced to Christ College in a window in our dining hall in 1864. It has been worn on the shirt since 1970 and many rugby players have gone on to play for their country as well as the British Lions. A legacy that is passed on in this new design.