School Principal Tears Up Script to Give Another Surprise Performance Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Monkton Combe School

BATH, England, July 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The Principal of Monkton Combe School, who hit the headlines last year when he broke into song during his annual speech to pupils, has stunned parents and students by literally tearing up his script as he rushed off the stage at this year's event. However it was all part of a secret plan to celebrate the school's 150th anniversary.

As Chris Wheeler raced off the stage at the Prize Giving Ceremony on Saturday 30th June, a pre-recorded film appeared on screens dotted around the marquee showing the Principal rushing around the school, meeting pupils taking part in lessons and interviewing them to discover their highlights of the year.

The film saw Mr Wheeler joining a rugby scrum, appearing on stage during a drama rehearsal and even pushing the school's Director of Sport into Midford Brook in order to interview pupils about their Rowing activities. The secretly recorded film was this year's big surprise for pupils and parents after he had staged a flash mob of teachers singing during the event the previous year.

Guests at the Prize Giving Ceremony were treated to scenes of the school's Bursar being locked in the historic village jail, re-enacting a famous event from the school's history 100 years ago, and Mr Wheeler joining a girl's hockey match.

Principal of Monkton Combe School Chris Wheeler said, "In a special year, I wanted to put pupils front and centre in what we were doing; no one really wants to listen to the Head droning on so hearing a snapshot from the children themselves seemed like a good alternative."

Mr Wheeler added, "I think prize giving needs to be a celebration of the achievements of pupils and in order to do that it has to be a little bit exciting and unpredictable. Monkton's commitment to do things differently needs to be lived out in all we do if we really mean it."

You can watch the film here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qXWw0p0pjM

Monkton Combe School is based just a mile outside of Bath in Combe Down and Monkton Combe. It is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 2-18.

Monkton is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2018 and, like many public schools, boasts an illustrious alumni including Olympic Gold medallists, members of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition, the curator of TED Talks, Chris Anderson, and the former Head of the British Secret Intelligence Service Sir Richard Dearlove KCMG OBE.

The next Open Day at the Prep and Pre-Prep schools is on the 6th of October 2018 and at the Senior School on the 15th of September 2018. To book your place at the open day or arrange an individual visit to Monkton Combe School please visit http://www.monktoncombeschool.com/contact/open-morning-registration.html