Headmaster's Newsletter
Friday 26 February 2026
Dear Parents,
I recently had the pleasure of attending two concerts (‘gigs’) performed by NCS alumni. Brothers, actually: Oscar and Felix Ross. The former goes by the moniker ‘Oscar the Grouch’; the latter has settled for the more straightforward ‘Felix Ross’ (https://www.felixmusic.co.uk). I taught both boys, along with their big brother, a few years ago now. I think the eldest was in Year 5 when I first started at NCS almost eighteen years ago. So they are well and truly grown up these days. Their mum, Jacinta, worked for a time in our pre-prep. They are an NCS family through and through.
Obviously, the concerts (sorry, ‘gigs’) were hugely enjoyable, and their musicality shone through – it would be hard for it not to after an NCS education. In addition to the music, one of the highlights was the fact that three generations of Ross siblings brought with them three generations of their NCS peers. All now firmly in their twenties, with jobs and the like, it was great to catch up with people I probably last saw on their final day of Year 8 in June 201X. Some looked pretty similar, if a bit taller. One or two looked completely different and could have been imposters for all I knew, but they seemed to know quite a lot about NCS so they were probably legit. While it was odd to feel short among them, it was a joy to reminisce and hear what they have been up to. The overwhelming, universal, response to their days at NCS was one of affection – which was a relief. They wanted to hear about Teacher A or Pupil B, talk about Lesson C or School Trip D.
We welcomed another Young Old Boy to NCS this week, to speak in chapel. Matty Rolfe is currently studying at Oxford, at New College actually. He must have got hooked on the place during his time at NCS. His Oxford trajectory is no surprise to any of us who taught Matty in his prep school days. I remember telling him that he didn’t need to write quite such long history essays if he didn’t want to, because I didn’t want him spending all evening on them. (Perhaps, subconsciously, I was worried that he was writing essays better than mine!). But, he replied, he enjoyed writing essays and that’s how he wanted to spend his evenings. I also remember him winning a debate in assembly during which he effectively rehabilitated the reputation of Richard III. He was twelve. And, as ever with these Young Old Boys, it was great for our current NCS boys to hear from someone in a generation between them and their teachers.
Ok, I’ll stop the Mr Chips routine now, and let you get on with your weekends. Have a great one!
Matt Jenkinson
Congratulations to Theo has been awarded a music scholarship to St Edward’s, and to Ambrose who has been awarded a music scholarship to Christ’s Hospital – a year in advance!
We are looking forward to our Year 8 parents’ evening on Wednesday 4 March 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 5 March. 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! Your son will have received his World Book Day token, which entitles him to £1 off a book in a bookshop. These tokens are valid until 15 March. Pupils will enjoy a series of special events that celebrate reading during their morning lessons. In one session, we will be holding a whole school 'Drop Everything and Read', where everyone (both staff and pupils) will be asked to pause and read a book. Please make sure that your son has his reading book in school with him on World Book Day. At break and lunchtime, the library will be hosting a book swap. Perhaps you or your son has a book at home that they think another pupil would enjoy? If so, bring it in on World Book Day and exchange it for one brought in by another pupil or teacher.
Our SHTEAM Festival begins on Monday 9 March and runs all week. For those who are new to NCS – or to the concept of SHTEAM (STEM with the Arts and Humanities put back in) – this is an annual festival at the school during which we celebrate interdisciplinarity by taking a single theme and looking at it from as many different curricular dimensions as possible. This year’s theme is ‘Our Green Planet’ and there are dozens of events happening across the year groups: special lessons, workshops and talks covering all manner of green areas. Many thanks to all those who are contributing to the festival, and especially those NCS parents who are taking the time to come in to talk to the boys.
Sports round-up: Slightly warmer temperatures and even some blue skies have greeted us since the half-term break, and what a welcome sight they are after six weeks of hockey in the rain. To kick things off in such wonderful conditions were the equally brilliant U9 boys from Year 4 as they hosted Beachborough on Tuesday afternoon. Three very entertaining games were played out, with both schools enjoying a loss, a draw, and a win. However, it was the NCS A team that stole the limelight thanks to their 11–3 victory. The boys were clinical in attack and efficient in defence – a simply stunning performance. Wednesday afternoon was a very busy day, with the U13 teams making the trip over to St Hugh’s, where the A team went 2–1 down in a game that NCS dominated and had the majority of the play, but just could not convert the numerous chances that the midfield created. The B team game was a lesson in just that, as they won 6–1. On the U11 pitches, we were extremely proud of the boys as they travelled across to Chandlings with a number of players missing and still gave their absolute all. Special mention must go to Finn W, as he stepped into goal at the last minute and was superb, with cat-like agility as he made save after save to make sure both the C & D team games were competitive and ended up with positive results. Also away from home, we had the pleasure of taking the U10 hockey team to the St Edward’s School Festival. This annual event is a chance we us to try out some players coming up from Year 4, with a handful of boys from that class performing brilliantly and enhancing the Year 5 team. At the end of the day, after eight games of hockey, the boys finished in 4th place. I could not have been prouder of their efforts.
Upcoming Events
Sunday 01 March 2026 18.00 Kids go Classical! Concert, Sheldonian Theatre (Chamber Choir only) Monday 02 March 2026 All week: Eco: Food Waste Action Week 14.15 U13 Hockey House matches, St Edward's Tuesday 03 March 2026 14.00 U9 A&B Hockey v Winchester House, Away Wednesday 04 March 2026 Provisional date for Music Scholars' opera trip 9.00 Chapel. Speaker: The Chaplain 12.10 Year 4 Trip to History of Science Museum (return 14.30) 14.00 U11 A-D Hockey v Winchester House, St Edward's 18.00 Year 8 Parents' Evening Thursday 05 March 2026 NCS Festival of Literature World Book Day 14.15 U8&9 Hockey v Chandlings, Away Friday 06 March 2026 14.15 U11 Hockey House Match Finals, St Edward's Monday 09 March 2026 SHTEAM Festival on 'Our Green Planet' begins: see separate schedule for full event list Pre-Prep QED Week 14.00 U13 A-D Hockey v CCCS, St Edward's Tuesday 10 March 2026 14.00 U9 A-C Hockey v Dragon, Away Wednesday 11 March 2026 9.00 Chapel. Speaker: The Warden 14.15 U11 A-D Hockey v Beachborough, Away (Stowe) 14.00 U13 A-D Hockey v Cothill & St Hugh's, St Edward's 18.00 Holloway Lecture, Prof. Cameron Hepburn (Auditorium; ticket only) Thursday 12 March 2026 9.00 Year 8 HPV catch-up if necessary Saturday 14 March 2026 End of University Term 9.00 OCCO Composers' Workshop and Concert (Auditorium)