Old Leysian

Rev Canon Dr. Jen Smith, Superintendent Minister at Wesley's Chapel and Leysian Mission London, highlighted the power of community and faith on BBC Radio 4's “Thought for the Day” last week. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference in our lives and society 🌟Wesley's Chapel & Leysian Mission

Thought for the Day - Rev Canon Dr Jennifer Smith - 09/09/2024 - BBC Sounds Thought for the Day

Congratulations to Bodun Adebayo, North A 2008-13 on receiving the WAIFC ‘Young Academic Award’ 2024! 🏆 Bodun will be sharing his insights on talent development and re-skilling in sustainability and FinTech in Tokyo next month. 🌍💡 Best of luck, Bodun!

OL Bohdan Mashurovskyi, School 2022-24, has been given the incredible opportunity to join the Baret Scholars Program. This global gap year brings together 110 students from around the world to explore seven regions over 40 weeks, and includes a range of fellowships. Bohdan set off on Monday and is keen to make contact with other OLs on his travels - check out his itinerary below and if he'll be heading your way, please let us know! Email: [email protected]

🌟 Proud Moment Alert! 🌟
We are incredibly proud of Old Leysian Krishan Puvvada (Barker, 2013-2018) who works for Manchester United and is following in his grandfather’s adventurous footsteps by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro! 🏔️
Krishan is taking on this monumental challenge to raise funds for the Manchester United Foundation, aiming to reach a goal of £2,000. If you’d like to support him in this noble cause, you can contribute here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/krishan-puvvada-kilimanjaro-2024
Let’s cheer him on and help him make a difference! 🙌⚽

Well done to Upper Sixth pupils Annabel L and Theo G who have been appointed as Head Choristers. We wish them the best for the year ahead.

Today, the 2024 cohort of Year 11 pupils at The Leys received news of another outstanding set of GCSE results. 71% of all grades received were 9, 8 or 7, 48% were graded 9 or 8, and 27% were graded 9, the highest mark possible. Read more: https://tinyurl.com/m3sdxafw

This morning, the 2024 cohort of Year 13 pupils at The Leys received the best ever A Level results in the school’s recorded history. More than 23% of all grades achieved were A* and 87% were graded A*-B. Read more: https://tinyurl.com/83ycsdu3

Huge respect and thanks to the wonderful Touch of Sparkle for the amazing, life enhancing work you do. If anyone commutes from Cambridge to Peterborough, please have a read. Thank you.

In Olympic hockey news, the mighty James Albery (West 2009-14) scored the winning goal for Great Britain's men against host nation France yesterday, securing the team's place in the quarter finals. The exciting and closely fought match finished 2-1 to GB. Congratulations James, we are so proud of you!

At the end of June The Leys crew – Archie B, Thomas F-B, Zac R and Monty H (L-R below) - gave it their all in the Henley Royal Regatta qualifying races for the Fawley Challenge Cup. Whilst not successful this year, the boys had an amazing day, supported by many OLs from across the decades. Full details at: https://www.theleys.net/leys-community/old-leysians/old-leysian-sport/

This year's Henley Royal Regatta will feature an amazing collage by digital artist OL Henry Reichhold (Fen 1967-70), created from over 1500 images he photographed during the 2023 Regatta. All the stories that make up this iconic UK sporting event have been brought together into one epic, highly detailed image to celebrate the occasion, and the artwork is available for purchase at the Regatta's official shops. Congratulations, Henry!

Talented OL James Albery, West 2009-14, recently qualified for the Paris Olympics with the GB hockey men - and we are delighted to announce that he has now been selected for the team! In the hockey world the Olympic Games are the pinnacle of competition, and we wish James every success as he follows in the footsteps of OL Olympians Neil White (London, 1948) and Paul Svehlik (Munich, 1972). https://tinyurl.com/2f6hpb6v

On D-Day we remember all those who lost their lives during what was at the time the largest naval, air and land operation in history. OL Major Tony Platts (East 1933-37), pictured below in the white top at The Leys on sports day, survived Dunkirk only to be killed later in Normandy after storming the beaches near Caen. Tony was 25. Many thanks to his niece Hannah for sharing these poignant photographs.

Amazing news! Adam Rhys Dee, School 92-97, has won Best Actor in an Animated Series award at the EGA Hermes Award Ceremony in Hollywood - the 'Oscar' for voice actors globally. Congratulations to Adam; what an incredible accomplishment.

OL News has had a facelift! We'd love to know what you think. We hope you enjoy browsing this Olympics themed issue, featuring Leysian Olympians past and present. Special thanks to Matt Pullen for the great cover image. https://www.theleys.net/leys-community/old-leysians/old-leysian-newsletter/

Following a rigorous and highly competitive process, the Governors of The Leys and St Faith’s Schools Foundation are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Clare Ives to succeed Martin Priestley as Head of The Leys when he retires after almost twelve years of dedicated service in September 2025. Read more: https://tinyurl.com/54eacte3

Sunday's OL Reunion went with a bang when we welcomed over 100 Old Leysians and several Former Common Room back to The Leys. For some it was their first visit in 50 years! It was a joyous, heart warming occasion and we hope to see them all again at next year's 150th anniversary celebrations.

On Friday 12 April Old Leysians Archie Douglas (North A 2014-19), Darcy Fenton-Stone (Dale 2012-17) and Max Wilson (West 2011-16) commissioned as regular officers from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Archie will go into the Household Cavalry and Darcy and Max will serve together in the Royal Lancers. Congratulations to them.

Wow! Such an amazing prize up for grabs in the Tommy Dann Memorial Match auction! For more details & tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/8jf62633 The P***e School The Leys School, Cambridge Old Leysian Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club England Rugby

On 24 and 25 February our partner organisation Rowan held an art exhibition entitled The Journey at The Leys. The weekend was a huge success, raising over £4000. Over 150 visitors attended and 32 canvases were sold. Remaining canvases are on sale, so please visit their website to see the amazing work they do, peruse these lovely works of art - and maybe bag a bargain!

The Journey Art Exhibition - Rowan Rowan’s Charity Art Exhibition ‘The Journey’ Canvas sale You may also be interested in… Gift vouchers Commission artwork Art workshops Donate online Your support makes a big difference! It costs over £600,000 a year to run Rowan. Can you help us? £5 £10 £30 £60 £100 £5 £10 £30 £60 ...

This year's Tommy Dann Memorial Match kicks off at 4 pm (entry from 1 pm) on Saturday 23 March at Cambridge University Rugby Ground, raising funds for the Jonny Wilkinson Charitable Foundation. Jonny himself will be attending this year. Please support your Old Leysian peers as they take on the Old P***eans, in memory of a much loved teacher and to support an amazing cause. Tickets are available at: https://tinyurl.com/3fbd5hff

On return from the half term break, staff and pupils were saddened to see that the Lebanese Cedar, which predates the school and would have been familiar to every pupil who ever attended The Leys, had fallen. Its sibling tree grows in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Work is underway on how to memorialise this event as we look ahead to our 150th anniversary in 2025.

Many thanks to Old Leysians Robert Stoneley and Andrew Hao, who very kindly sent authentic hand made decorations from Hong Kong to help celebrate Lunar New Year here at The Leys.

Monthly mystery: Brian's blazer. A long shot, but can any OLs help us identify the former owner of the old prefects' blazer on the left? It was donated to the OLS via Tim Moore, East 1970-74, maybe 20 years ago, by an OL named Brian who probably attended pre-1970. (The OL blazer on the right, with the pink stripe, was donated by K G Hopwood, North B 1927-30.) Might be one for your OL parents or grandparents ...!

This morning the Air Ambulance caused some excitement by landing in the Upper Quad. The school field is the designated landing site, but OL pilot Lee Kennedy's inside knowledge meant that the crew could reach the person in need that much faster. As medics rushed to deal with the emergency at Lensfield Road, Lee (B 89-92) was given an impromptu tour of the B houses by Senior Tutor Will Davidson. Despite the many changes since his time at The Leys, Lee was pleased to see there was still a table tennis table!

How many OLs have memories of Fergie ...?