Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 18 October 2024
Dear Parents,
When I’m showing around prospective NCS parents, I usually mention in passing that we’re six and a half centuries old. (I point out that our pedagogy has evolved over that time.) As with any such utterances, the more one says them, the more casual and throw-away they become. For someone hearing this for the first time, though, it can be quite a lot to take in. 645 generations of NCS pupils. This makes us one of the oldest continually functioning schools in the world, and it means that our current boys have an almost unimaginable line of forebears stretching back through the centuries – different ties and coats (!), different teachers, different curricula, but the same overarching foundation. Because the school is relatively small, and always has been (remembering that we are currently ten times the original foundation size), there have been relatively few NCS alumni out there in the world. Unless you have a job like mine, you don’t bump into many of them. There are, in contrast, some rather large and famous schools whose alumni are almost impossible to avoid, no matter how hard one might try.
I’m pleased, though, that our old boys have always punched above their weight. We may be small, but we’ve had a disproportionate impact on different areas of national (and international) life over the centuries. Our earliest known ‘famous’ old boy is John Case, who died in 1600, but was a notable doctor, philosopher and musician. It’s quite possible that Thomas Randall, another relatively early NCS alum, was the inspiration or model for Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter. As I mentioned in a newsletter earlier this term, Oxford’s first Professor of Poetry, Joseph Trapp, spent his formative years here. Anthony Wood, the seventeenth-century antiquarian and author, might be more well-known if he hadn’t been eclipsed by more famous diary-writing figures like Samuel Pepys or John Evelyn. If we jump forward a bit in time, we encounter NCS alum Sir Richard Goodwin Keats, who ended up being mentor to Horatio Nelson. And if we look towards the present day, we have old boys who have edited the New Yorker, Independent, Observer, Times, and Economist. Another was chief curator of the National Portrait Gallery. One alum has won an Oscar, another is fronting the BBC’s newest crime drama, another has just featured in the most recent Mercedes ad, and another has reached number one in the US music charts. Indeed, the musical life of the nation and wider world would be much poorer without the impact of NCS alumni like James Gilchrist, Howard Goodall, Keith Falkner, Ian Fountain, Orlando Higginbottom, Francis Pott, Paul Spicer, Stephen Tayler, Sammy Virji, Guy and Hugh Cutting, and the many others who are working their way through their musical career avenues.
This is the perspective to bear in mind, then, when we think about events like our ‘Welcome to the Foundation’ service, which happened on Wednesday morning. Each year, the Warden and I formally welcome all new pupils and colleagues into the New College foundation. There’s a little bit of cod Latin, and there’s no reason to expect the youngest new boys, at the age of four, to fully appreciate the historic value of the educational institution into which they are being inducted. At the same time, though, I hope that the warmth of the welcome was felt by all those who joined us this year. I’m told that NCS stands out for its inclusiveness, and the warm way in which pupils, parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and family friends are welcomed. That is, I guess, one of the many benefits of the school being a small one. Small and welcoming, but ambitious and purposeful, which is why I could write the list of alumni above. It’s exciting to imagine which names I’ll be able to list over the coming years, including those from the 645th generation of NCS pupils.
Have a great weekend,
Matt Jenkinson
Speaking of alumni, congratulations to former NCS pupil Idris, who has been announced as one of the winners of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award. Over seventeen thousand poems were submitted, and there were only fifteen winners, so Idris has done especially well. Idris attended a special celebration at the British Library and he has been invited to take part in a special residential writing course at the Arvon Centre. We are very proud of him, and well remember him cutting his literary teeth while he was a pupil here!
A reminder that next week’s chapel service (23 October) will begin at 10.00 rather than 9.00. We know that some grandparents and other family members and friends like to come to these services, and they may not be reading this newsletter (hard to believe, I know), so do please pass on the message separately. The change in time is so the boys are in College to coincide with the inspection of the city walls (10.45 for 11.00). This is a triennial ceremony in which members of the local council dress up and ‘inspect’ the medieval city walls, which run through the land acquired by William of Wykeham for the foundation of New College. Do come along and watch if you’re into local governance, medieval ceremonies, and/or walls.
A heads-up that our Charity Week is coming up, commencing on Monday 21 October, in aid of Kick Start Arts. Brett Morrison has written to parents separately with more details of that week's fundraising activities. If any families are thinking of getting a head start on their baking for the cake sales, our customary reminder that NCS aspires to be a nut-free school, and please could all cakes arrive in Charity Week with a list of ingredients attached? Many thanks in advance.
We are once again entering the pre-test season for 13+ entry to some of our senior schools; I wish all those boys involved the very best of luck! Details of our preparation in school can be found at https://www.newcollegeschool.org/future-schools.
Sports roundup: As we close out the first half of the football term, we can reflect on what a successful term it has been so far. At the top of the school, the 1st XI remain unbeaten, capping a great half term with recent wins over Cranford House, Cothill, and Abingdon Prep. In the same age group, the B, C, and D teams have all enjoyed some excellent football over the past few weeks, with the C team being the standout performers in our second encounter with Cothill. The senior boys' recent IAPS outing was highly anticipated, with the team ready to showcase their talents. Unfortunately, extreme conditions—wind and rain—hampered any hopes of free-flowing football, necessitating a more dogged approach to overcome both the elements and the opposition. The boys played well, but it proved to be just a bridge too far on this occasion.
In the Year 5 & 6 group, the U11s have also been playing some wonderful football. My colleagues have reported strong performances and fantastic results across the teams as we face some tough and competitive schools. The U11 C team continues to shine, achieving impressive victories against MCS and Cothill, along with a hard-fought draw against Bruern Abbey to cap off the half term. The other U11 teams are also enjoying success as they hone their skills on the training pitches, ensuring they are sharp for matches. A standout encounter was the B team's thrilling 3-2 win against Bruern. Having lost the previous week in a home match, the two teams met again in a triangular fixture with Cothill. After trailing 2-1 at halftime, the boys delivered a remarkable second half, scoring twice more to secure a late victory. The U11 A team also enjoyed strong results in their preparation for the IAPS event in Loughborough, finishing third in the "Plate" event—a fantastic achievement for the team. Following such a positive showing, we are certainly excited to see what Wilfred Mainstone's team can accomplish after the half term.
As for the U8 and U9 teams, it seems that the wettest days of the term have fallen on Tuesdays and Thursdays, resulting in some cancelled games. However, this week, the U9 house matches attracted a record crowd. Some brilliant and exciting matches culminated in a very competitive final, where Wykeham triumphed against the previously unbeaten Huxley in a thrilling 1-0 match.
Upcoming Events
Monday, 21 October 2024
Charity Week begins
14.00 U13 Football House Matches, Field
Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Orders issued
10.00 Chapel. Speaker: Mr Fraser Mackenzie, former NCS pupil (note later start time)
10.45 Inspection of the City Walls
Friday, 25 October 2024
Home Clothes Day
Half term break begins at end of school day
Sunday, 3 November 2024
13.30 Years 7-8, The Tempest rehearsal, NCS (ends 16.00)
Monday, 4 November 2024
10.00 Year 2 Trip to Ashmolean 10.00-11.45a.m
14.00 Years 7-8, The Tempest rehearsal, chapel (ends 15.45)
Tuesday, 5 November 2024
14.00 U8 A-C Football vs Summer Fields, Home
14.30 U9 A-C Football vs Summer Fields, Away
Wednesday, 6 November 2024
9.00 Remembrance Day Service, Chapel. Speaker: Mr Jim Mainstone, former Commissioned Officer & Marine Intelligence Specialist
14.00 U13 A&D Football vs Summer Fields, Home
14.00 U13 B&C Football vs Summer Fields, Away
15.45 Years 7-8, The Tempest rehearsal, chapel (ends 16.45)
Sunday, 10 November 2024
9.00 Year 8 Only, The Tempest rehearsal, chapel (ends 11.30)