In two massively acclaimed evenings, the School’s singers performed hits of the Seventies to sellout audiences as musicianship and nostalgia combined. Backed by a slick band, students and some staff were relaxed, confident and professional as they treated the audience to well know numbers for the decade of wide collars, flares and other fashion mistakes. In the words of one audience member, ‘the band was enviably slick, the set list was foot-tappingly good and the students delivered a powerhouse performance which blew me away.’

The well-know, performers from the Lower and Upper Sixth performed outstandingly, earning a couple of standing ovations and spontaneous mid-song applause from the audience, but what was also thrilling to see a number of students who had not previously performed in School emerge to sing to 200 people with levels of confidence and self-assurance usually only seen in drama and music students. The lighting, projections, sound and catering combined with the show itself made for a delightful evening, including such hits as She’s Always a Woman to Me, My Girl, Superstition, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Dreams and a particularly rousing rendition of American Pie.

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Three of the School’s budding engineers have come away from this year’s Rampaging Chariots competition clutching two trophies. Design and Technology students Tim Furlong, Mark Hardwick and Robert Glew were successful after testing their remote control robot in a range of competitions against other machines produced by 12 other schools.

In the competition, organised and run by Selex Galileo, there were three physical challenges for the robots to undertake: a sumo challenge, testing strength, an assault course, testing speed and agility and a two-a-side football tournament testing control and endurance. There were also two design categories; ‘Technical Innovation’ and ‘Best Design’.

Although knocked out of the Sumo competition, testing strength, excellent driving by Tim Furlong led to success in the Assault Course, going on to win the final after a calm and clean round. There was less success, unfortunately, in the Football Tournament, which is always exciting, but relies on luck rather than skill.

Bearing some resemblance to the character Wall-E from the animated film, the key technical innovation of the students’ robot was its caterpillar tracks constructed from scratch out of interlinked hinges. This was recognised, as the team was awarded the coveted gold medals and trophy for Technical Innovation as well as the Assault Course trophy.

At the weekend, a group of cyclists from St Albans School braved weather and distance to complete the Capital to Coast Bike ride. The 60 mile trip raised vital funds for Norwood and the Down’s Syndrome Association. By taking part in this charity cycle challenge from Hampton Court in London all the way to Brighton, the four boys helped children, families and those in need. Guy Holden, Matthew McClafferty, Richard Thrale and Tim Xuerub completed the 60 miles in good spirits, raising more than £450 for charity along the way. The group hopes to recruit more members and participate in more fund raising events next term.