Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 17 October 2025
Dear Parents,
When I get the odd spare half hour (ha!) I am slowly working on a project which not infrequently involves me reading Anthony Wood. Who? Well, yes, indeed. If you have ever read a history about the late seventeenth century, or about Oxford, chances are you will have come across him. Writing his ‘life and times’ at around the same time as the much more famous diaries of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn, Wood was a fairly useful – if less colourful than the aforementioned – chronicler of events. He is often described as an ‘antiquarian’, which is what historians call people who think they are historians but aren’t really because they prefer making lists to analysing. Wood’s Athenae Oxonienses remains a useful resource because it forensically, if a little tediously, assembles short biographies of authors and churchmen who had studied at Oxford by the time Wood was publishing in the 1690s; which is to say, rather a lot of them.
Whenever I read Anthony Wood, I can’t help but say inwardly – ‘went to NCS’ – and I can’t help but imagine him at school in the 1640s when the school was a lean-to between the cloisters and chapel over in college. It was at this point that the school had to be relocated because the military operations in the cloisters during the civil war were a bit noisy, and presumably more interesting to the pupils than whichever subject they were meant to be learning. Wood was at NCS around 380 years ago; it is humbling to think that the school had already been in operation for around 260 years before he arrived. All of which is to say what we already know: New College School is rather an Old School.
On Wednesday the Warden, as chair of governors, welcomed to the foundation the 646th generation of NCS pupils, joining the ranks of Wood et al. And by ‘et al’ I mean some rather interesting alumni: an editor of The Independent, Observer and Times; a senior editor at the New Yorker; a chief curator of the National Portrait Gallery; a highly decorated WWII fighter pilot; a saint; an admiral who was also Nelson’s mentor; an Oscar-winning composer; indeed, dozens (hundreds?) of composers, musicians and recording artists; several authors, including the first Professor of Poetry at Oxford. For a small school, we punch well above our weight in terms of what our alumni go out in the world to achieve. It is exciting to think what our current boys, including those taking their first steps as the 646th generation, will go on to do.
Have a great weekend,
Matt Jenkinson
The boys on the Charity Committee have elected to support the Atlas Foundation as their chosen charity for Michaelmas. It was founded by Jason Leonard OBE, and is a children’s charity that uses sport to engage and inspire in parts of the world where there is chronic poverty. They also work with local organisations in order to deliver support in education and health. Pupils at NCS will specifically be aiming to raise money to renovate a classroom (or possibly two). There will be a number of fundraising events over the course of the week, including home clothes day on Friday. Our traditional bake sales will take place: any donations gratefully received, and please do remember to include ingredient lists with the cakes, and that we aim to be a nut-free school. Many thanks.
Please could books borrowed from the library be renewed or returned before the half-term break? The boys are warmly encouraged to check out the new arrivals in the library, and of course they are also very welcome to check out old favourites.
The theme for our annual SHTEAM Festival next Hilary will be ‘Our Green Planet’. We will be exploring this theme from many different angles across all our subjects, running talks and workshops, as well as incorporating the theme in our day-to-day lessons. If there are any parents, taking into account their specialist knowledge, who would like to offer a talk or workshop to the boys on an aspect of ‘Our Green Planet’, do please contact emma.krebs@newcollegeschool.org.
On Sunday 14 December at 6pm, the New College School Chamber Choir and Choral Society will present their annual Christmas concert in New College Chapel. This year, we are performing alongside members of The Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra in a festive programme including Respighi's Lauda per la Natività del Signore and Britten's Ceremony of Carols.
Tickets are now on sale via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ncs-christmas-concert-respighi-britten-tickets-1741687266499. Tickets at a discounted rate are available for NCS parents: simply use the promo code 'Respighi1379' at the checkout.
Upcoming Events
Monday, October 20, 2025
Charity Week begins
Pre-Prep QED Week begins
14.00 U13 Football house matches, home
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Orders issued
9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Mr Hugh Vine, former NCS Head Boy
17.30 Governors' Meeting, McGregor Matthews Room
14.00 U11 & U13 Football house matches, home
Thursday, October 23, 2025
14.00 U8 & 9 Football house matches, home
Friday, October 24, 2025
Home Clothes Day
Half term break begins at end of school day
Sunday, November 02, 2025
13.3 Years 7-8, Richard II rehearsal, NCS (ends 16.00)
Monday, November 03, 2025
12.30 Year 2 trip to the Ashmolean
14.00 Years 7-8, Richard II rehearsal, chapel (ends 15.45)
Tuesday, November 04, 2025
14.00 U9 A-C Football vs Summer Fields, home
Wednesday, November 05, 2025
9.00 Remembrance Day Service, Chapel. Speaker: Mr Jim Mainstone, Army Officer and former NCS parent
14.15 U11 House cross country, uni parks
15.45 Years 7-8, Richard II rehearsal, chapel (ends 16.45)
Thursday, November 06, 2025
8.50 IMPS visit, Year 6
Friday, November 07, 2025
8.50 Year 8 and 8S Evolution workshop
Sunday 9 November 2025
9.00 Year 8 Only, Richard II rehearsal, chapel (ends 11.30)