At the chalkface Cricket lovely cricket
The besT of my schooldays were spent playing cricket. Let me tell you about it. No, don’t go away. stay with me. I might have some perky things to say about education, class and the state of the nation. Or not... I went to a posh grammar
school in 1950s. Deference, snobbery and minor sadism ruled. My escape was through sport, especially cricket. I endured most of the curriculum just to play it. We whizzos in the 1st XI could dodge classes, because matches lasted whole school days. bliss. There was nothing better than early May – the scent of new mown grass, the sound of leather on willow, the dew on lush outfields, the classics master snoozing by the roses at evensong – a sort of lost edwardian england, of Orwell’s “old maids bicycling to holy Communion through the morning mist”. An england that never was – or probably should never have been. Gentlemen and Players, Grammar schools and secondary Moderns. Fair play and unfair class divisions. An england I joined teaching to be rid of. An england that seems to be coming back – what with royal pantomimes, bullingdon clubs, Downton Abbeys, Cameroonian condescension and academies predicated on minor public schools in the 1950s. The game has changed hugely. No more gentlemen and players,
less deference and snobbery and fewer bicycling maids in morning mists. I could do without the cheerleaders in bikinis, players in pyjamas and slip cordons who look like the Mafia and “sledge” like hit men, but I still love it – which is why I’m escaping another terrifically essential twilight workshop for the 9th cricket nets in the north playground, to do a bit of coaching. Cricket blooms in the inner city. For years Marxist clots tried to stop us playing “colonial” sports and governments flogged
off our playing fields. but now it’s big again – the recent world cup meant a lot to many pupils – like
Farhad, Nathan, Courtney and Crumlin. I watch them bowling – bumpers, wrist spin and reverse swing. They talk passionately of
“good areas” and “corridors of doubt”. This is serious stuff and probably more riveting than my lessons on the conditional. I can’t
resist a bowl and get tonked. I pad up to illustrate the finer points of batting and swat myopically at vicious bumpers from Ahmed, who’s a bit quick and plays and trains at Lord’s. I wish they all could – but
without this silly return to edwardian values. I wish they all could play on proper pitches, with the scent of new mown grass, the morning dew of lush outfields and me snoozing gently by the roses like my teachers long ago...
• Ian Whitwham is a former secondary school teacher.
Students take centre stage at the Royal Opera House
by Daniel White
A group of students from a range of backgrounds are set to sing at the Royal Opera house for the first time this week. students from across London
and the south east of england aged nine to 12 will sing two songs Beginners and Drowning in Imagination. The students were chosen from
400 hopefuls to become part of the Royal Opera house’s Youth Opera Company and their debut perform- ances will take place on saturday and sunday (May 21 and 22).
The Youth Opera Company was
formed in september 2010 and aims to offer young people from different backgrounds a chance to reach their potential and the oppor- tunity to discover and develop their talents. Paul Reeve, director of educa-
tion at the Royal Opera house, said: “All our artists here strive to be the best they can be and that’s what the Youth Opera Company’s about – giving young people the opportunity and support to realise their potential. “At every session with them
we’re all inspired by their commit- ment, talent and creativity.”
elsewhere, the winning students
in the Royal Operahouse’s Fanfare competition recently got the chance to see their compositions being recorded. The competition challenged stu-
dents aged 11 to 16 to compose a 30-second piece of music which the Royal Opera house will play before and after performances at the venue. The 12 winners were invited to
see their work being recorded late last month and the pieces will be premiered on May 28. For more information about the Royal Opera house’s education work, visit
www.roh.org.uk/education
Musical inspiration: Students from the first ever Royal Opera House Youth Opera Company prepare for their debut performance this weekend, while the winners of the Fanfare competition look on as their compositions are recorded
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