Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 23 May 2025
Dear Parents,
This newsletter, all being well, will go out just as the boys are preparing to take to the stage in the Sheldonian for Richard Rodney Bennett’s ‘All the King’s Men’. Our triennial Sheldonian concert is always a highlight, but this year it has a special resonance. I am someone who spent more years than is healthy studying and writing about seventeenth-century English history, including a project on some of the regicides who signed Charles I’s death warrant after the English Civil War. I now run a school which is on the site of Oxford’s defences from that very war; there are some extant ramparts just behind the new Gradel Quads. The boys in Year 8 get to study the causes of the Civil War, sitting in a classroom that (had it existed) would have had Royalist soldiers walking past the window.
NCS did exist during the seventeenth century, of course, only it was over in College between the cloisters and chapel, and the boys had to be moved because the military preparations in the cloisters were proving too distracting. The cantankerous antiquarian and diarist, Anthony Wood (a pupil here at the time) noted that ‘some of them were so besotted with the training and activities and gayeties therein of some young scholars, as being a longing condition to be one of the traine, that they could never be brought to their books again’. Oxford surrendered to Parliamentary forces in June 1646, and twelve NCS pupils were later expelled (along with College Fellows) because they would not yield to the authority of the Visitors appointed by Parliament to police the college through its ‘Better Regulating and Reformation’.
All of which is to say that we were there. NCS boys experienced the Civil War in much the same way that they have experienced – sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly – the historic events of the past six and half centuries. So it is fitting that this evening the boys of NCS will be singing about Royalists and Roundheads in ‘All the King’s Men’. An ambitious whole-school concert like this only comes about because of the vision and dedication of many people – staff, parents and pupils – and because we have someone like Tom Neal at the helm who thinks big and then makes wonderful concerts happen. I would like to thank him, and all those who have gone above and beyond to produce a concert which I am sure will be remembered for many years.
Have a great half term,
Matt Jenkinson
Well done to all those boys in Years 3 and 4 who have taken their form assessments in their stride this week. These assessments are in part designed for us to see how the boys have been progressing this year, of course, but also to gently introduce our younger boys to assessments, so there are no surprises as they make their way through the school. Years 5-8 have their assessments after half term; I wish them the best of luck.
From Brett Morrison: The birds have certainly had their moment! It’s spring, the sun is shining, and the Magpies (Newcastle), the Eagles (Crystal Palace), the Liver bird (Liverpool), and now the Hotspur (Tottenham) have all lifted trophies this year. It seemed only fitting that NCS showed its support for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) this week. Some of the cake designs were truly world-class, and both pupils and staff embraced the cause with enthusiasm, purchasing treats with gusto. Pupils were also challenged to identify British birdsong during form time—a real highlight, as many were eager to showcase their knowledge. A heartfelt thank you to all pupils, parents, and staff for their efforts and generous support of this much-loved charity. From next term, Emma Barnes will be taking over the Charity Committee at NCS and is looking forward to helping pupils support the causes they are passionate about. Thank you all for the incredible support during my time in this role. I feel truly grateful to the parents and pupils who have made this such an enjoyable activity to oversee. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’ve “borrowed” more than a few recipes—having been thoroughly impressed by the pupils’ outstanding baking skills!
On Tuesday 20 May, Year 6 went on a geography field trip to Wendover Woods in the Chiltern Hills for a day of walking, practising navigation skills, and orienteering. Fortunately, it was a sunny day, and we were all able to appreciate the ancient woodland in its full May glory. The boys enjoyed playing some navigation games in pairs before heading into the woods, initially led by Nicolas and Tassilo, who expertly read the map and guided us towards several orienteering posts. Wendover Woods has an established orienteering course, and the boys brilliantly managed to locate a number of the posts throughout the day. Searching for the posts involved a fair amount of scrambling up banks, walking along trails, and calling out through the trees, so they were suitably exhausted on the coach journey home. The boys conducted themselves wonderfully on the day, they worked together as a team, and they really improved their map-reading skills.
The choristers sang beautifully at a special evensong last Sunday, which marked the publication of volume 7 of the OUP edition of the sermons of John Donne (edited by our chaplain, Erica Longfellow). A new anthem, by American composer Nico Muhly, was composed especially for the service.
Families may remember former NCS sports coach, Dylan Swanepoel, who is now offering 1:1 or group coaching sessions: “DS Cricket Coaching Solutions provides an exciting opportunity to work with internationally experienced coach Dylan Swanepoel. We specialise in delivering high performance coaching programs tailored to the individual, to enhance player performance and to drive personal development. DS Cricket Coaching Solutions is committed to fostering a supportive environment where players of all levels can achieve their goals through comprehensive, evidence-based training methodologies. Whether you are wanting to take your first step in your cricketing journey or already an established player, DS Cricket Coaching Solutions caters for all.” The email contact is dylanswanepoelcoaching@gmail.com. Please note that DS Cricket Coaching Solutions is run totally separately from, and is not affiliated with, New College or NCS.
Sport roundup: As the first half of Trinity draws to a close, we can reflect on a fantastic few weeks—not only of glorious weather but also of some brilliant results on both the cricket pitches and tennis courts. These past few days have been no exception, with all age groups in action. The U8 and U9 teams played both home and away fixtures against Chandlings last week. After four very entertaining matches, honours were even, with both schools recording two wins apiece. The standout performance of the day came from the U9 A team, who secured a comprehensive victory. Their display was one of total control, particularly with a ruthless bowling attack. It’s rare at this age to see a team concede so few extras and deliver such consistently testing pace bowling. Their accuracy and challenging length made it difficult for the opposition to score, and they struggled to get close to the magnificent 87 runs that NCS posted in the first innings. On Wednesday, the U11 and U13 teams played four very interesting matches against Summer Fields. In each game, NCS had opportunities to win but, unfortunately, failed to capitalise and fell short of the required totals. Our bowling and fielding remained top-notch, though, pushing the opposition to their limits. The following week of house matches and training focused on batting—specifically, how to score runs from a variety of deliveries.
After a week of reflection and hard work, the U11 and U13 teams were back in action. In the home fixtures, the U11 A and B teams shared the spoils—the B team narrowly losing, while the A team secured a win. Encouragingly, both matches showed signs of excellent batting, with the A team reaching the 90s in their total. Away from home, the 2nd XI played at the picturesque North Oxford CC pitch in Chesterton. Unfortunately, they were unable to secure a win, largely due to some destructive hitting from the Bruern middle order. At Bruern, the 1st XI lost the toss and were asked to bowl—and what a display it was! A controlled and disciplined spell of fast, hostile bowling dried up the run rate and took key wickets. Chasing a challenging but achievable target of 87, the NCS team began their innings with confidence. The first wicket fell at 25, but the second partnership held firm until the score reached 83. It was a resolute and composed batting display, with the team in complete control. The win was secured in the 14th over—a well-deserved, confidence-boosting performance to take into the half-term break.
Upcoming Events
Monday, 2 June 2025
Return from Half-Term
Years 5-8 Assessment Week begins
Tuesday, 3 June 2025
14.00 U9 Yr 3&4 Cricket House Matches, Home
Wednesday, 4 June 2025
9.00 Chapel (Pre-Prep and Years 3-4 & 8S only). Led by Pre-Prep
14.15 U11 A&B Cricket v Chandlings, Away
14.15 U13 A Tennis 5 Pairs v Abingdon Prep, Home
Thursday, 5 June 2025
14.00 U9 Yr 3&4 Cricket House Matches, Home
Friday, 6 June 2025
12.00 Year 5 Cycling Proficiency Test
14.00 U11 Yr 5&6 Cricket House Matches, Home
17.00 Leavers' Evening (ends c19.15)
Monday, 9 June 2025
14.00 U13 B Cricket v d'Overbroeck's, Home
15.45 U11 A Tennis v MCS, Away
17.15 Senior Recital (Years 6-7), Auditorium
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
8.30 Kangaroo Mathematics Challenge (until 9.30) TBC
14.00 U9 Cricket v Summer Fields, Away
14.00 U8 A-C Cricket v Summer Fields, Home
14.00 Year 6-8 careers talks
Wednesday, 11 June 2025
8.15 School Council Meeting
9.00 Chapel.
11.00 Sports Day (Field)
Thursday, 12 June 2025
9.00 Year 8 Geography Field Trip to WESET wind and solar farm leave (until 13.45)
14.30 Pre-Prep Instrumental Concert
Friday, 13 June 2025
Risk-taking behaviour workshops (Yr 7 10.10.-11.50, Yr 8 2.00-3.30)
Saturday, 14 June 2025
Wykeham Day
11.00 Wykeham Day Concert: James Gilchrist and Robert Quinney, New Space (tickets required)
13.00 School Fête, Playground (ends 15.00)
17.45 Wykeham Day Evensong, New College Chapel
18.30 Wykeham Day Dinner (sign-up only)