7 December 2007


Dear Parents

It is always a pleasure to write at the end of a busy and successful term. I hope you had the chance to come and see the recent College Play, Coram Boy, which was a marvellous first production from our new Director of Drama, Keith Packham. I think those of you who saw it will agree that the acting, music, design and general professionalism of the production showed Malvern at its best. The same can be said of the recent service at Tewkesbury Abbey, where the Choir sang beautifully in the magnificent setting. Other musical highlights have included the Chamber Choir’s performance of The Dream of Gerontius with the Malvern Festival Chorus, conducted by our Director of Music, Iain Sloan. The Christmas Concert was a lively start to the festive season.

Not wanting to spoil the anticipation of the Christmas festivities, I nevertheless wish to remind those of you with children in the Hundred and Sixth Form that these year groups will face trial examinations next term. For the Upper Sixth these begin the first week and for the Hundred the second week of the Lent Term. The Lower Sixth (AS) trial examinations are immediately after half term. All candidates should be encouraged to spend a portion of the holiday period undertaking some serious and methodical revision.

As referred to in a previous letter, next term will see the start of a programme aimed at educating the pupils about the appropriate use of social networking sites, such as Facebook. We strongly believe that since this type of web based communication is an integral part of many of our pupils’ lives, they need clear and practical advice as to how to use these sites safely. Having put this educational programme in place, we have allowed access to Facebook on the College network.

Next term will also see more buildings on the campus being accessible only by the new College Access cards. As you can appreciate, these serve the purpose of enhancing the College’s security and ensuring the campus buildings are open only to staff and pupils. It is important that pupils look after these cards and to this end the Book Room will be stocking a selection of devices designed to allow pupils to carry or wear them safely and prevent their loss. In order to cover costs, it is intended to charge pupils £8.50 for a lost card. If a lost card is retrieved at a later date, the pupil will be given a £4.25 credit.




I would like to draw to your attention the following dates for your diary, including two changes to previous Calendar entries:

• Lent term ends at 12.00 Noon (not 1.00 pm) on Thursday 20th March 2008
• The first leave out of the Autumn term is 26th – 28th September 2008 (not 3rd – 5th October as originally published)
• The next Parents Working Group meeting is to be held on Saturday 23rd February 2008

I would also like to point out that, after leave outs and half terms, even though boarders are not due back until 8.30 pm, boarding houses will be open from 6.30 pm. We hope this might make travel arrangements a little easier. We have also postponed the coaches so that they now leave the College at 1.20 pm thereby giving pupils a little more time to gather their belongings!

It is appropriate to remind you of the importance of guardians for all our pupils whose primary residence is not in this country. There must be a guardian in this country who can take responsibility for a child if ever there is a medical or disciplinary situation which requires the child to leave school at short notice. This is particularly important in our preparation for a possible flu pandemic, and for this reason it is essential that we have the name and contact details of a guardian for every non-UK based pupil. Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

With the construction of the new sports facility starting early in the New Year, we have put in place a plan to allow as many of our competitive and recreational sports as possible to be run without interruption between now and September 2009, when the new sports hall and swimming pool will be available. Details of these plans will be posted on the website www.malcol.org, where you will also find news updates, sports results and next term’s calendar. While we are maintaining our current website for the immediate future, we will be launching a new and much expanded College website by the end of the academic year. I will keep you up to date with our progress.

Last month, some parents had a chance to meet Antony Clark, who is joining us as Headmaster in September, when he and his family made an initial visit to Malvern. We will arrange opportunities in the New Year for him to spend more time with parents and pupils.

I have very much enjoyed the occasions this term when I have met parents at arts, sporting and social events. Thank you for your continued support of the College, and I wish you and your children a joyful and peaceful Christmas and every happiness in the New Year.

Yours sincerely


Sarah Welch
Acting Head



© 2007 Copyright Malvern College