Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 27 September 2024
Dear Parents,
Loyal readers of this newsletter will be familiar with my faltering attempts, over the years, to learn Italian. I have always wanted to learn Italian, and I’ve always found a reason to start learning it tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. Seven or eight years ago I thought I had struck on a genius way of doing so: over the course of the summer I would do Duolingo exercises in the morning, then watch Italian television in the afternoon. This worked for a day, partly because the first programme I landed upon was so good – it was Gomorrah; it’s brilliant but incredibly violent, be warned – that I watched it in the morning, and the afternoon. Theoretically this immersion might have worked, had I not been listening to dozens of hours of mumbled Neapolitan gangland dialect. I did learn a handful of rather juicy words and phrases, but they would almost certainly get me kicked out of an Italian restaurant/café/immigration office should I attempt to use them. My excuses dried up somewhat during Covid, when we had a lot more enforced time at home. I had, in the meantime, bought a second-hand copy of the Italian textbook Oggi in Italia – but that sat untouched on the shelf while I returned to Duolingo. So far, so good … until it got a bit difficult and I worked out a way of copying and pasting in the correct answers without using my brain very much.
I did learn one phrase, though, which has since stuck in my head: lo squalo è pericoloso. But as I don’t encounter many sharks in my day-to-day life, and I haven’t yet encountered any in Italy, and I haven’t been in a situation where I’ve needed to alert passers-by that there is a shark in the vicinity, and it is indeed one of the dangerous ones, well … it has gone into the large compartment in my head labelled ‘useless knowledge’. A few weeks ago, I took Oggi in Italia off the shelf, dusted it down, and started to work through some of the exercises. I think this new routine lasted a day, maybe two, so it's not really a routine at all. I am in awe, then, of those who pick up second or third (or fourth or fifth) languages seemingly effortlessly. One of the many, many wonderful things about NCS is the international complexion of its community. In Thursday’s assembly, to mark the European Day of Languages, there were at least fifteen different languages on display. (Including Italian – thanks, Nicolas, for making it sound so beautiful.)
While schools like ours remain committed to the benefits of learning languages, at a time when elsewhere they fall further and further down the pedagogical priority list, the European Day of Languages helps us to stop and think about why we are so committed. As we hurtle into the age of Artificial Intelligence, it could be easy to argue that we might as well just stop learning other languages, because before long there will be a device attached to our heads/ears that will translate what we are hearing, and not understanding, in real time. Will employers be looking for multilingual employees, in the way they might have been ten or twenty years ago, when we will all become artificially multilingual, just without using our brains? And therein lies the counter-argument, I think. In this brave new world of outsourcing everything to an app, what are we going to do with our brains? Where will we find the joy in using those brains? I don’t really want to countenance a society or world where we don’t learn to think, because a machine will do it for us. Those machines can be useful aids and props, but surely being human includes being able to think, to learn, to analyse, to find joy in learning and developing ourselves, and learning about others -- something emphasised in Catherine Phillips’s assembly on the topic on Thursday. Which is why I will keep intending to learn Italian. Perhaps I’ll do it in retirement, should my generation ever get to retire; or perhaps my vocabulary will remain limited to random Gomorrah-inspired swearing and health-and-safety notices about sharks. Chi lo sa?
Have a great weekend,
Matt Jenkinson
Congratulations to members of the chamber choir, and the choristers, who took part in a concert alongside the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir in Chapel on Monday afternoon. It was a fabulous event and it was great for the boys to experience some slightly different repertoire!
Our next Open Morning is on Saturday 5 October at 10.00-12.00. If any boys from Years 3-8 would like to be guides on that morning, please could their parents email office@newcollegeschool.org. Please note that all pupils attending school that morning (including OCCO pupils) should wear full school uniform. Prospective parents are asked to register at https://www.newcollegeschool.org/open-day-booking -- do please pass on this link if you know of any families who would be interested in joining our wonderful community. You should also have received, via your son's schoolbag, a poster and a leaflet advertising the event. Although the morning is primarily for prospective parents, current parents, especially those from the Pre-Prep, are most welcome to get a further insight into the upper part of the school. We would really appreciate it if you could display the poster in a prominent place such as on notice boards at: nurseries and girls' schools (so as not to offend other local boys’ schools); Oxford colleges, Brookes University and other educational institutions; hospitals and health centres; churches, local shops and community centres; your car or house window. Please pass the smaller leaflet onto any friends who may be interested. Please also feel free to share/retweet the schools social media posts about the open morning:
https://www.instagram.com/newcollegeschool/
https://www.facebook.com/newcollegeschool
The NCS Parents’ Association will be meeting for its AGM in the Creative Learning Centre (CLC) on Monday 30 September at 19.00. We are pleased to welcome any parents to join the meeting. We hope that this year will bring plenty of opportunities to come together and fundraise. We will be discussing potential events and also electing officers at the AGM. Please email ncspa@newcollegeschool.org for more information. As in previous years, if parents have any specific queries or concerns, by far the best first port of call is the teacher or SLT member concerned. Our email addresses are all available at https://www.newcollegeschool.org/who-we-are
This Harvest Festival NCS will again be supporting the Community Emergency Foodbank (CEF) https://www.cefoxford.co.uk/. The CEF is an independent charity that aims to help people in Oxford or the surrounding area who are suffering from financial hardship and finding it difficult to provide food for themselves, their family or dependants. If pupils and families would like to support this worthy cause, they can do so by donating at our Harvest Festival. The service will be held in Chapel on Wednesday 2 October at 9.00. Pupils can bring in non-perishable food items (canned or dried) along with toiletries, which will be collected and donated to the CEF. We thank the NCS community for their support of this worthy cause.
We are looking forward to our Year 7 parents’ evening on Wednesday 2 October 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.
From Stephen Young, for Years 5-8 parents: Mental Maths is a very important skill that I encourage and coach in all my lessons but knowing how to use a calculator is also an important skill that the boys should master before moving onto their 13+ schools. I recommend the following calculator as it is not too costly and will also last the boys until GCSE level: https://www.ryman.co.uk/casio-fx-85gtx-calculator-black-1
We recently received information about a wonderful opportunity for anybody in Years 7 -8 at NCS (up to Year 10 for older siblings) offered by the charity We Solve Problems. Their ‘maths circles’ are offered free of charge on Sundays from 13.00-14.30 at Keble College. These are maths-based training sessions that promote the art of problem-solving and structured thinking. They encompass an extensive array of subjects spanning Algebra, Calculus, Combinatorics, Game Theory, Euclidean Geometry, and Graph Theory. For more information please see https://wesolveproblems.org.uk/maths-circles-at-keble-college-university-of-oxford/. To register for participation, parents need to fill in the following form: https://forms.gle/WWwMLtENWVkDa85MA
The music department at Abingdon invites NCS families to a concert which is being given by Abingdon musicians at the Holywell Music Room in Oxford on Thursday 3 October at 19.30. They would especially like to welcome any parents or pupils who are interested in Abingdon but principally have a musical focus or interest. The concert will give a flavour of the musical opportunities, experiences and interests of the music department at the school. Tickets can be booked at here and are free of charge.
From Professor Barbara Rossi: Commedia dell’arte. I’m thrilled to invite you to be part of something special: a brand-new theatre troupe that’s all about fun, creativity, and self-expression! Have you ever been mesmerized by Charlie Chaplin’s genius? Do you find yourself fascinated by theatrical characters, masks, or even fake noses? Whether you’ve dreamt of exploring your hidden talents or just want to try something new, this is your chance. Personally, I’m looking to improve my body awareness, challenge myself, and discover my new performance skills. How about you? Have you dreamed of expressing yourself in ways you never imagined were possible? What can you expect? A relaxed, welcoming space where we can all learn to use our bodies, voices, and eyes to tell stories, express emotions, and, most importantly, have fun together! I’m inspired by authors like Dario Fo, Bertolt Brecht, and Roberto Benigni (a modern-day Arlecchino!). Who inspires you? What do you read, and what makes you laugh, cry, or want to shout out your feelings? How will we do it? With a mix of games, exercises, and scene work to sharpen our stage presence, listening, and rhythm. It’s all about discovering the magic of physical theatre—no previous experience necessary! Who’s it for? Everyone! Whether you’ve never stepped on a stage before or you’re looking to hone your skills, there’s a place for you. And if acting isn’t your thing, there are so many other ways to get involved and share your talents. No auditions—just come as you are. When? First Date: 02/10/2024; Location: Clore Music Studio, Mansfield Road, Studio 7 (Depending on Studio 7’s availability, sessions will take place on Wednesdays at 19:30); Time: 19:30-21:00; Wear comfy clothes, bring water, and be ready to move! Please register your interest by emailing office@newcollegeschool.org. Cost: None—just bring your enthusiasm! Looking forward to creating something magical together!
The New College School ‘Welcome to the Foundation Service’ will be on Wednesday 16 October in New College Chapel. The service will begin at 9.00 and will take a little longer than our usual Chapel. This is the occasion when all new members of the school, boys and staff, are formally welcomed to the New College Foundation by the Headmaster and the Warden of New College, the school’s chair of governors. We would like to encourage all families of new boys to attend this important occasion if you can. Parents of new boys will be directed to seats at the altar end of the chapel, so they get a good view of the ceremony!
The theme for our annual SHTEAM Festival next Hilary will be ‘Space’. 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 ‘Space’, do please contact emma.krebs@newcollegeschool.org.
Sports Roundup: The NCS football season has begun with a bang! Teams from all age groups have been in action this month and the results have been mightily impressive, with our excellent new Year 3 teams winning some brilliant games against MCS, Windrush Primary and Cothill. The U9s, not to be out done, have also been in action and they performed with determination and skill in their games against Cothill and MCS. Some cracking goals were scored and happy boys left the field after tense and exciting games. On the U11 pitches the coaches of the four teams have been very excited to report on some fantastic results and performances. The U11 D team enjoyed a 1-0-win against Cothill, a 4-4 draw, and just the one defeat. Across the teams there have been some wonderful performances with record numbers of goals being scored, the A team with two wins out of three, and the C team undefeated with two wins and a draw so far. The B team are working hard towards their opening win, which we know is coming! The U11 teams are also enjoying one of the most successful starts to a season and we are hoping to build on this with continued hard work and dedication in training as we welcome MCS next week. On the senior pitches Stephen Potts’ first team is playing a beautiful brand of football and it’s a pleasure to watch these boys grow in confidence and have the ability to pass the ball and keep possession away from the opposition. The results speak for themselves with the team recording three wins out of three against Thorngrove, Cothill and Summer Fields. On the B, C and D team pitches the U13 boys have enjoyed mixed results with the B team coming back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 away to Thorngrove and the C team recording an 8-1 victory over the same opposition. More recently the B team managed a 2-2 draw against Summer Fields followed by a narrow defeat to Cothill.