Headmaster's Newsletter
Friday 19 June 2026
Dear Parents,
This week my colleagues and I handed over our assemblies to Year 8. For those of you who may have forgotten, or perhaps never knew, our assembly schedule fits a certain pattern. On Mondays we have ‘start the week’ where I talk the boys through what’s happening in school that week and what’s happening in the wider world, then I introduce them to a person, artwork and word of the week. The idea is that they learn about almost two hundred inspirational people over the boys’ time in the prep school, plus the same number of songs, paintings, buildings, or whatnot. Hopefully their vocabulary is also enhanced along the way. On Tuesdays we have our Wellbeing assembly, which focuses on an aspect of our Wellbeing grid: this week’s, for example, was ‘I have strategies to help with my mental wellbeing; I get a balance between work and play’. On Wednesdays, we all head over to our beautiful medieval chapel – we didn’t let the boys take on that one, I’m afraid. On Thursdays we have pot-luck assemblies: whoever gets that slot can talk about whatever they like, usually focusing on an anniversary or a personal passion. Then, on Fridays, we alternate between form time, hymn practice, and a ‘news roundup’ current affairs session. As I say, having watched and absorbed this schedule for six years now, our Year 8s thought they were ready to take it on themselves.
Giving the boys meaningful responsibility like this significantly enhances their sense of ownership over what they do in school. When they are trusted with tasks typically reserved for their teachers, they become more motivated, engaged, and confident. This sense of responsibility then encourages them to think more critically, communicate more effectively, and take initiative rather than passively receiving information. It also helps them develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter they are discussing, as teaching or supporting others requires them to process and explain concepts clearly. Assigning this greater level of responsibility also fosters important life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and accountability. By stepping into roles that require organisation and decision-making, the boys learn how to manage their time, collaborate with their classmates, and handle challenges constructively. Such experiences build resilience and independence, preparing them for their next schools and, ultimately, professional environments. Only, I guess that once they enter those professional environments, they will be doing presentations in front of their bosses rather than their teachers and headmaster.
It is also a tremendous amount of fun for them, and us, to ‘flip’ the classroom (or assembly hall) in this way. While I haven’t quite handed them my set of keys and the passwords to the head’s email account, these steps towards greater autonomy and responsibility also allow the boys to show off their excellent senses of humour – with just the right amount of healthy irreverence. These aren’t the only presentations the Year 8s have been focusing on recently, as their oracy skills have also been honed in their ‘TED talks’, the culmination of their year-long Special Subject. Hence why we’re able to produce such decent communicators, at a time when teenagers are usually criticised for staring at phones and mumbling the whole time. Not here!
Have a great weekend,
Matt Jenkinson
Wykeham Day was spectacular last weekend. From Timon’s extraordinary recital, to the buzzing fete, via the brilliant (and emotional) evensong, culminating in the record numbers for dinner in hall – it was a truly memorable day. The NCS community is clearly one in excellent health, and thank you for all you do to make it so. And special thanks to the NCSPA and all my colleagues who worked so hard to make the day run so smoothly.
Our induction and move-up morning was really enjoyable on Thursday morning. It’s great for the boys to have the opportunity to see what’s coming up in September, and for us all to be able to welcome our lovely new NCS families to the community. Thank you to all those current parents who came along to welcome these new families so warmly, and to help answer any logistical questions.
Congratulations to all those in Years 3-5 who brought us a bit of Italian sunshine in their performances of The Talented Mr Wykeham earlier this week. Many of my colleagues collaborated and supported to ensure the musical was a success, with Natalie Bath running with my original throw-away remark of a concept, Tom Neal applying his keyboard skills to some Neapolitan songs, Abi Sutton encouraging the boys to dance, Gail Ryder helping the boys produce some beautiful masks, and the form tutor teams all helping to encourage, supervise and cajole. And thank you to all those families who helped the boys learn their lines, and some fiddly songs, so well. Have you managed to stop singing ‘Mambo Italiano’ yet?
Year 8 have been giving their ‘TED Talks’ over the past couple of days. For those who are unfamiliar with these: our Year 7s and 8s carry out an independent research project, their ‘special subject’, over the course of the year. Year 7s submit a mini-thesis at the end of Trinity, while Year 8 present their ideas in person with the giant TEDxNCS letters behind them, giving them the chance to develop their oracy and presentation skills. The Warden’s medal is awarded at prizegiving for the best special subject in Year 7 and in Year 8, so we look forward to the results in the last week of term.
The weather behaved for a fantastic sports day today. Many thanks to Craig Bishop and the whole sports department for masterminding the event, and to all those colleagues who worked to get the best out of the boys. And many thanks to those parents who changed their plans over the past couple of weeks, due to the weather scuppering our original planned date.
Upcoming Events Saturday 20 Jun 2026 University term ends Sunday 21 Jun 2026 17.00 Last Evensong, New College Chapel Monday 22 Jun 2026 Activities Week begins Residential trips depart Tuesday 23 June 2026 Year 4 All Day Trip to Cogges Manor Farm Wednesday 24 Jun 2026 No chapel service Thursday 25 June 2026 Years 3 & 4 Rivers trip (all day) Friday 26 Jun 2026 Pre-Prep activities week outing Monday 29 Jun 2026 12.00 Year 8 Foot Golf, Hinksey Heights 17.30 Year 8 Leavers vs Parents cricket match (17.30 meet for 18.00 start) Tuesday 30 Jun 2026 Last day of after-school Enrichment Activities (pre-prep and prep) 17.00 Chorister Concert Wednesday 01 Jul 2026 9.00 Chapel. Year's End Service 10.00 Year 8 soloists and reader rehearsals (10.00-11.45 and 13.00-16.00) 18.00 Year 8 Leavers' Concert, The New Space Thursday 02 Jul 2026 14.00 Pre-Prep Summer Show and annual certificates 17.30 Year 8 Play Reading: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, New College Cloisters 18.30 Summer Drinks Evening, New College Garden Friday 03 Jul 2026 8.30 Sports Assembly 10.30 Prizegiving for Years 3-8 12.00 End of Term 12.30 Staff Buffet in New College