(L-R: Rhys Cumming, Max Baxter-Allen, Seb Mineev, Xiaofei Peng, Yadu Bhageria)

Once again, I am very pleased to announce that we have enjoyed outstanding results in the first round of the British Mathematical Olympiad, with two pupils placed in the top 50 nationwide - an achievement matched by only two other schools.

Max Baxter-Allen was placed 26th with a score of 50 out of 60, and Rhys Cumming was also placed in the top fifty. Other pupils who excelled were Neil Wu with 34; Xiaofei Peng, 31; Yaduraj Bhageria, 29; Tom Brock, 17 and Li Nan Zhang, 13.

The Olympiad, which consists of two rounds, forms part of the selection process for the UK International Mathematical Olympiad team. Overall more than 1600 took part in the challenge; about 100 students are invited to sit round two.

Max and Rhys are both through to the second round and we wish them the best of luck.

Congratulations to all the pupils involved - a tremendous achievement and excellent news to start the Spring term.

Millfield pupils are receiving excellent offers relating to university study next year, with in excess of 130 offers from Russell Group Universities. In addition, 5 Oxbridge candidates have obtained conditional places to study subjects including Maths, Philosophy and Modern Foreign Languages - our congratulations go to Amy Clough, Yadu Bhageria, Max Baxter-Allen, Rhys Cumming and Xiaofei Peng.

Other pupils have obtained good offers from a range of universities both here and overseas, including 8 Ivy League offers. Interestingly, 32 pupils have applied to the United States, 3 to Canada and a number of others to universities in their home country. It is pleasing to note that Diya Kumar has been offered a Squash scholarship to Columbia University, New York.

For further information on the changing face of the University Application Process - UCAS Read more.

We are delighted that so many of you are coming along to the Millfield Olympian Dinner in London on 30 March 2012. We can confirm so far that OM Olympians Stephen Batchelor (Hockey), Mark Foster (Swimming), Paul Howe (Swimming), Pete Lerpiniere (Swimming), David Luckes (Hockey), Dominic Mahony (Modern Pentathlon), Sarah Winckless (Rowing) and John McFall (Para Olympic Sprint) will be joining our hosts Duncan Goodhew and Lord Coe for this fantastic evening. Book your tickets/table now by contacting Louise Lang +44 (0)1458 444517 or email louiselang@millfieldschool.com

We are very excited about and deeply appreciative of polar adventurer and current parent Alan Chambers’ donation of a unique prize which you can bid for now. All monies raised will go towards Millfield Foundation’s scholarship fund. Read more

I would like to wish the very best of luck to three Millfield pupils who will be representing Great Britain at the inaugural Youth Winter Olympics this month. Upper Sixth pupil Jazmin Sawyers will join former pupils Ollie Biddulph and James Lelliott in Innsbruck, Austria as part of the 23-strong team led by Sir Clive Woodward.

The Millfield trio comprise half of the British bobsleigh contingent, despite only being introduced to the sport in September 2010, when British Bobsleigh asked the School to help them recruit for the games. The team have already travelled to Austria to train on the Igls track outside Innsbruck on three occasions. Read more

Millfield would like to extend a warm welcome to Mr Nick Dereza, who joins Millfield as the new Director in Residence. The post, unique to Millfield, was created with the objective to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective to Drama projects, and to create exclusive productions for the School.

In Mr Dereza the pupils have a Director with vast and diverse experience. He ran his own theatre company in London, writes for schools and colleges, makes short films and has directed over one hundred plays.

Mr Dereza spent the last two years living in the Cayman Islands, teaching Drama to Caribbean students, as well as directing at the main theatre which had an international cast from fifteen different nations.

Read more

(Millfield Cricket Development Squad in Sri Lanka)

The action-packed Christmas break began with our rugby teams hosting Sedbergh School in the first of our series of "Sporting Showcases".

The Cricket Development Squad played outstandingly to lose only one of eight matches in their tour of Sri Lanka. Fourteen golfers made the annual pilgrimage to Desert Springs in Spain and our skiers completed their tour schedule with their annual visit to Tignes.

Xavier Vrigneau moved up to 11th place in the second national Modern Pentathlon senior selection event of the year. George Baily earned a place on the British team for the European Junior Fencing Championships. Our swimmers claimed their place in the Arena League final, and OM Marwan El Shorbagy confirmed his place as the world's top junior squash player with another win in the U19s.

Read more

John Standing, one of Britain's greatest stage actors, is coming to Millfield on Wednesday 22 February to perform his latest West End offering.

The show, entitled 'John Standing Swings Cole Porter', will showcase 15 of Porter's greatest songs including 'You Do Something To Me', 'Just One Of Those Things', 'I Get A Kick Out Of You', 'You're The Top' and 'Night And Day', and tells stories of a life in the theatre and the movies.

As an Old Millfieldian and great supporter of the School, he is delighted to be returning to Millfield. After his performance, he will be attending a dinner debate with Sixth Form Drama pupils. This follows on from a similar event held last summer, in which he treated another group of pupils and staff to an acting masterclass at his home in London.

For enquiries and tickets please contact Louise Lang on 01458 444517 or email louiselang@millfieldschool.com