Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 14 February 2025
Dear parents,
As many of you may already have noticed, like a lot of people I don’t really do January. Nor February. And March is on the hitlist. For someone who is, in many ways, rather quintessentially British, I don’t really cope well with the British weather. I don’t do cold. I don’t do dark. I don’t do windy. And I don’t do rain. Don’t get me started on snow. This is rather a shame because Hilary term seems to have lots of these things, providing the backdrop for many actually wonderful things that are happening in school. On dark, cold, windy, rainy mornings I need to remind myself to get over myself and to remember all those great things that I get to enjoy working at a school like NCS in the centre of Oxford.
As part of my job, I get to visit quite a lot of other schools. They are generally very nice, but I always walk away rather pleased that I get to work at, and lead, NCS rather than somewhere else. Part of this is to do with our location, and part of it is to do with our long history. Much of it is to do with being part of a world-class project, both in school and in college. But most of my feeling comes from the fact that I get to work alongside talented and dedicated colleagues, with cheerful and curious pupils, and with their supportive and good-humoured parents. These are all things I think about when the skies are grey and I start to wonder what it would be like to live and work in southern Italy.
This sense of appreciating the things we have around us, and which we get to enjoy, was the focus of our chapel address on Wednesday by Edward Beswick, former NCS head boy and current (fabulous) tenor in New College Choir. Edward spoke about the glass being ‘half full’ – whether the boys are doing their music practice or taking part in a hockey fixture or getting on with their school work, it is all much better if they do so with a sense of optimism and appreciation. This sense of appreciation might be difficult for some of our younger pupils, who don’t really have much to which they can compare their young lives. I wonder if they think that all children visit somewhere like New College chapel every Wednesday? That all Year 3s sit in front of an El Greco during that time? That all children get to travel to school in the morning past beautiful architecture (and Wadham library)? That everyone’s school day is as busy, varied and creative as that at NCS? I have mentioned in the past some of the more rueful comments from NCS alumni who note that things aren’t really the same again once they have left at 13. Part of this is the reality of growing up and entering the big wide world, of course. But I hope it’s also because they appreciate more and more that ‘life here isn’t normal’ (in the best sense of that phrase); and it’s something I will remind myself when I’m standing at the gate with the wind howling around me!
Have a great half-term break,
Matt Jenkinson
We have another award to add to our list: very well done to Alexander in Year 8 who has been awarded a music exhibition to Abingdon, in one of the most competitive audition processes they have had in years!
Well done to all our Year 8s who took their mocks in their stride this week. This is all good practice in a supportive and benign environment, so there are no surprises when the ‘real things’ come along later in the year.
A huge thank you from the Charity Committee! The support provided by the NCS community for the Gatehouse was truly impressive. A big thank you to all those families who supported through non-uniform day, fun breaktime games, clothing donations, and baking. The catering team were particularly impressed with the standard of cakes and sweet treats. It was also rather telling to hear how many staff had requested recipes from the boys so they could attempt to replicate some of these treats over half-term! This week, we raised £1,244 for the Gatehouse, with which NCS shares a special relationship.
We are looking forward to our Year 5 parents’ evening on Wednesday 26 February at 18.00. My usual notices regarding parents’ evenings: some colleagues like to make an early start so do please arrive a little earlier than 18.00 if you are at a loose end. Please aim to arrive by 18.30 so you have enough time to get around every colleague by 20.00. Parking is available in the playground from 17.00 once the area is clear of boys departing after their enrichment activities. If there are any issues that you feel would need longer than a c.5-minute meeting, please contact the relevant teacher in advance to arrange a separate chat.
World Book Day is on 6 March, and will be upon us before we know it after half term. As ever, we will be joining schools around the country in encouraging boys to come in dressed as a literary character (though not one who looks, say, surprisingly like a prep school boy in home clothes). Please do not go to any great effort or expense for this; imaginative and recycled costumes are often the best ones!
Upcoming Events
Saturday, 15 February 2025
Start of Half-Term
Monday, 24 February 2025
14.00 U13 All Hockey House Matches, St Edward's
Tuesday, 25 February 2025
8.15 Tosca rehearsal, CLC
14.00 U9 A-C Hockey vs Dragon, Away
14.15 U8 A-C Hockey vs MCS, Away
Wednesday, 26 February 2025
8.15 School Council meeting, CLC
9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Mr Matthew Albrighton, Headmaster of Burford School and NCS Governor
13.00 U10 A St Edward's Hockey Festival, St Edward's
14.15 U11 A-C Hockey vs Chandlings, Away
14.00 Fire Service visiting Pre-Prep with fire engine
18.00 Year 5 parents' evening
Thursday, 27 February 2025
8.15 Tosca rehearsal, CLC
Friday, 28 February 2025
9.00 HPV Vaccinations - Year 8 (ends 11.00)
14.00 U11 All Hockey House Matches, St Edward's
Monday, 3 March 2025
10.00 U13 A IAPS hockey, Bedford School (ends 15.00)
17.15 Junior Recital, Auditorium (parking from 17.00)
Tuesday, 4 March 2025
8.15 Tosca rehearsal, CLC
14.00 U9 A&B Hockey vs Winchester House, Away
Wednesday, 5 March 2025
9.00 Chapel. Speaker: The Chaplain
14.00 U11 A-D Hockey vs Winchester House, Away
14.00 U13 A-D Hockey vs Winchester House, Away
18.00 Year 8 parents' evening
Thursday, 6 March 2025
NCS Festival of Literature
World Book Day
14.30 U8 & U9 Hockey vs Chandlings, Away
Friday, 7 March 2025
8.15 Tosca rehearsal, CLC
14.00 U11 All Hockey House Matches, St Edward's
Saturday, 8 March 2025
14.15 Tosca rehearsal (17.00 finish)