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Alumni Officer, Susannah Schofield, Alleyn's School, Townley Road, London, SE22 8SU.
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SCHOOL CAPTAINS HONOURS BOARDS UNVEILED ON FOUNDER'S DAY Alleyn's unveiled two new honours boards listing all the School Captains who have served Alleyn's since 1907 when the first School Captain was appointed. Twenty-one former School Captains attended the ceremony and they are pictured here. The honours boards will be put on permanent display in the School's Great Hall. In addition, an honours boards commemorating those AOBs who have died since the Second World War was unveiled. Founder's Day, held on 27 June, was also Armed Forces Day, a day to honour the country's service men and women. Date posted: 02 July 2009 • Full story

NEWS

SAM WEST NOMINATES FAVOURITE TEACHER AT ALLEYN'S Samuel West (Roper's, 1977-84) is interviewed in the Times Educational Supplement about his favourite school teacher. He nominates Michael Walsh who taught English at the School from 1979-91. Sam explains 'When a teacher is involved in a book, when it is part of them and they teach it not only because they like it but they think it is important, something comes across to a pupil that is not about exam questions. We were studying [Howard's End] because it was a book Mike thought we should read. I didn’t really know it at the time, but that is what good teaching is like. It changed my life.' Sam adds: 'Mike had a gentle sense of authority but he didn’t spread praise liberally. He spent time if he thought things were good, but not if he thought it was simply correct or wrong. It’s not that there is no such thing as a wrong answer, because there is and it is helpful to know that.' Of Alleyn's, Sam says 'I never found anything to rebel against at Alleyn’s. It possibly was a shame, but it was quite an easy-going place. It had this culture where enthusiasm for things was cool, whether it was sport, drama, music or art. There was a great energy about the place', an energy which Sam admits hasn't left the place. To read the article in full, follow this link: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6016064 Date posted: 30 June 2009 • Full story PUNCHDRUNK IN MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 02 - 19 July 2009 Felix Barrett (Tulley's, 1989-96), artistic director of ‘genre-busting theatre company’ Punchdrunk, is producing a new show ‘It Felt Like a Kiss’, for the Manchester Festival. It Felt Like a Kiss represents a major departure from previous Punchdrunk productions. Felix explains: ‘It’s going to be very different. We don’t have a cast as such and we’re not applying theatrical rules. The audience won’t be wearing masks and they won’t be allowed to roam about freely.” The audience will be admitted in, nine at a time, through dozens of rooms over five floors in a disused office block. It’ll be a fast-paced journey that will expose the audience to a mass of film from the period 1959-65. It Felt Like a Kiss tells the story of America’s rise to power in the golden age of pop, and the unforeseen consequences it had on the world and in our minds. Damon Albarn, of Blur, has taken time out from the reformation Blur to compose a special score for It Felt Like a Kiss, utilising the Kronos Quartet. Felix says that their new production is ‘definitely not for those of a nervous disposition – but we won’t really know what we’ve got until we’ve let the audience in.” Date posted: 17 June 2009 • Full story   FOUNDER'S DAY 27 June 2009 Founder’s Day is held to commemorate when James I granted Letters Patent to the School’s Founder, Edward Alleyn, on 21 June 1619. The Edward Alleyn Club hosts a Pimm’s Tent which doubles up as a setting for informal reunions and renewed friendships. This year's Founder's Day found many alumni and their friends catching up in the Pimm's Tent on what was a blisteringly hot day. Peter Rodway organised a 60th reunion for those Old Boys who were in the Upper Sixth in 1949. The day's proceedings ended with the parachute drop onto the school playing fields. Date posted: 24 June 2009 • Full story JACK PENATE RELEASES NEW ALBUM Jack Penate (Spurgeon's, 1996-2003) has released his second album, 'Everything is New', to great applause from critics. The BBC review says the new album 'contains some of the most interesting pop songs of the year in the shape of Tonight's Today and Be The One'. Jack appears at Glastonbury Festival on Friday 26 June. Jack won't be the only Alleyn's alumnus at Glastonbury: his fellow classmate, Felix White (Roper's, 1996-2003) of The Maccabees, also performs on 26th, and Florence Welch (Spurgeon's, 1998-2005), of Florence and the Machine, appears on 27 June. Date posted: 17 June 2009 • Full story   CAN YOU HELP WITH AN ALLEYN'S ALUMNA'S RESEARCH? Can you help one of our recent leavers on her undergraduate thesis on the social history of the family? Megan Eedle (Dutton's, 2005-07) is reading history at Christ Church, Oxford, and she writes: 'If you or your father had children under 18 at any time during the 1960s, would you be interested in participating in a small research project? The project is a social history on fathers and their role in the family. Participants would only need to spare an hour of their time to share their experiences in an informal interview at a pl= ace and time convenient for them. Your contribution would be very much appreciated. If you or friend or family member would be interested or would like further details please contact Megan Eedle, Alleyn's alumnae, on 07828 307827 or at megan.eedle@chch.ox.ac.uk Thank you very much.' Date posted: 23 June 2009 • Full story ALUMNUS IS NEW EDITOR OF 'RADIO TIMES' Ben Preston (Tyson's, 1975-82) has been named editor of the Radio Times. He began his career in 1987 as a reporter on the Bristol Evening Post before going on to work for the Press Association and then the Times, where he rose to become deputy editor and acting editor between March 2000 and January 2001. Last summer he was appointed executive editor of the Independent, a post he has held for just over a year. Ben's appointment ends weeks of speculation over the likely succession at the helm of the million-selling BBC Worldwide magazine. BBC Magazines group editor director Nicholas Brett said in a statement: 'Radio Times is Britain's most famous magazine brand, a truly big beast that in many ways resembles a newspaper, so we're thrilled to have one of the UK's most brilliant and visionary newspaper executives leading it forwards. 'At such an exciting time for the brand in its various guises, including online and interactive formats, it’s great to have someone of Ben’s experience in charge.' Date posted: 17 June 2009 • Full story