Headmaster's Newsletter
Friday 24 April 2026
Dear Parents, Welcome back after what I hope was a very happy and restful Easter vacation.
Thanks to a dodgy ankle I have spent more time in hospitals over the past few months than anyone could really wish for. Those visits have featured a few tests to see what might be causing my limp, including what was meant to be a routine check of my Vitamin D levels. I’m not a real doctor, but I’m told that our Vitamin D levels are meant to be at 50 whatever-the-unit-is-for-measuring-Vitamin-D. Mine came out at 21, which is quite a bit lower than 50. My doctor observed that low Vitamin D levels aren’t really that uncommon in Britain, especially in the winter months, because a good amount of our Vitamin D comes from sunshine, and we don’t really get any. People over sixty-five are also apparently especially vulnerable to low Vitamin D levels, but I’m twenty-two years away from that point, so I’ll quietly put it to one side.
Vitamin D is good for us because it aids calcium absorption, which then helps us build strong bones and muscles, and boosts our immune systems. A dodgy ankle could conceivably come, then, from ankle bones that are not strong enough and are therefore easily susceptible to damage. I was immediately put on Vitamin D supplements so, presumably, I’m well on the way to my Vitamin D levels going up from 21. Last time we checked they were over 60. We can find Vitamin D in oily fish, liver, egg yolks, cereals and milk. But, as I say, the primary source is sunlight.
Quite often I get to the start of Trinity term and talk to the boys about the importance of light in our lives, moaning about the fact that we get so little of it. We have been mocked for centuries for having such a miserable climate. I recently found myself reading a seventeenth-century essay written by an English ambassador who had spent his working life abroad, meeting other ambassadors from southern European countries, who ridiculed the miserable British weather. This weather was actually good, he argued back, for growing fruit trees – which doesn’t really seem enough of a defence to me. On Wednesday in chapel I also talked about the British weather appearing in Shakespeare’s Henry V. The Constable of France mocks England’s climate for being ‘foggy, raw and dull’, while the ‘sun looks pale’ on the poor English. Shakespeare didn’t say much about Vitamin D. I also pointed out back then that sunshine helps us to focus and be more productive; it improves our body’s internal clock and sleep patterns; it makes us happier and guards against ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ or SAD. Most of us spend around 90% of our time indoors; and for half the year those of us who live in England don’t get a huge amount of light when we do get outdoors.
The good news is that, in theory at least, we have a Trinity Term to look forward to, and this is when prep schools come into their own. In the boys’ old age, they will look back on cricket fixtures on sun-dappled pitches. They will remember the sun streaming onto our south-facing playground – designed to catch the sun most of the day – and they may even remember the constant reminders to wear sunscreen, put on a hat, and keep hydrated. They will look back and wonder why the UK education system puts exams at the time of year when it’s more likely to be hot outside, and quite warm inside. They may even think back to the headmaster who wouldn’t stop talking about the weather and wishing that Oxford had been built a few degrees of latitude further south.
In chapel I also talked about the link between light and optimism – about looking hopefully and positively to the future. I told the boys that optimism is a practical habit that can shape our lives. It is not about ignoring difficulties or pretending that everything is perfect. It is about choosing to believe that effort matters, that setbacks are temporary, and that improvement is always possible. We all face challenges: assessments that don’t necessarily go as planned, friendships that hit bumps in the road, moments when self-confidence might feel out of reach. In those moments, it is easy to assume the worst or to give up. But optimism asks something different of us. It asks us to pause and, with positivity, ponder: ‘What can I learn from this? What can I do next?’. Optimistic people are persistent. They are willing to try again. They understand that failure is not the opposite of success, but rather part of the journey towards it.
At NCS, we value effort, curiosity, and resilience. Optimism fuels all three of these things. When you believe that your actions can make a difference, you work harder. When you expect that there is more to discover, you stay curious. And when you trust that things can improve, you find the strength to keep going. So, even when it might seem difficult, at the start of this term I encouraged each of the boys to practise optimism daily. To speak kindly to themselves. To support one another. To look for solutions rather than dwelling on problems. Our futures are not something that simply happens to us; we help to create them. So, I told the boys: approach this final term of the year with hope, determination, and the quiet confidence that we can all grow. I also suggested that they do what they can to keep their Vitamin D levels up.
Have a great weekend,
Matt Jenkinson
Many congratulations to the Chamber Choir who gave a fantastic performance of the St Luke Passion at the end of last term, and to the choristers who performed brilliantly in the USA at the start of the Easter holidays. They are back in the stalls this evening at 18.15 for the start of Trinity. As ever, NCS families are very warmly welcome to attend, and throughout the term as well.
A reminder that the school’s Attendance and Registration policy can be found on the NCS website at https://www.newcollegeschool.org/page/?title=Attendance+and+Registration&pid=111. The school’s Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) policy can be found at https://www.newcollegeschool.org/wellbeing-and-happiness. If you have any questions about the latter please be in touch with brett.morrison@newcollegeschool.org or myself.
Linked to our RSE curriculum: The Ofcom report published over the Easter break offers an interesting insight into how digital habits are evolving, not just for young people, but for adults too. It highlights a shift towards more passive use of social media, with many users scrolling and consuming content rather than actively engaging. For children aged 7–13, who are still developing their understanding of the online world, this matters. The content they encounter is not always curated with their needs in mind, and passive consumption can sometimes expose them to material that is confusing, misleading, or upsetting without them necessarily seeking it out. As a school, we encourage parents to take an active interest in their child’s digital life: knowing what platforms they are using, how to apply parental controls, and making good use of child-safe modes across devices and apps. Just as importantly, maintaining open and reassuring conversations at home can make all the difference. If children come across something that unsettles them, it’s vital they feel comfortable turning to a trusted adult. A calm, curious approach, rather than one of alarm, helps build that trust and equips young people to navigate the online world more safely and confidently. Brett, as our DSL, and the ICT department are also very happy to offer support and advice should parents have any concerns about their child’s use of technology.
Our next open morning is on Friday 15 May, 10.00-12.00. All families are welcome to join us to view the school in action, chat to pupils, staff, and current parents and find out more about an NCS education. Places can be booked via https://www.newcollegeschool.org/open-day-booking. Do please pass on this information to any families you think might be interested in joining our special community. Keep an eye out for our adverts on social media too (www.facebook.com/newcollegeschool, www.instagram.com/newcollegeschool/) and don’t be shy when it comes to pressing the ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons. Almost 80% of respondents in our community surveys report that they first heard about NCS through word of mouth, so do please keep spreading the word. Many thanks!
I enjoyed speaking to Years 6-8 this Wednesday during their Wellbeing lesson, giving them tips on ‘how to prepare for assessments while staying happy and healthy’. Too much of the educational world focuses on the first bit, while ignoring the second. It is perfectly possible to do both, and that’s what decent prep schools should be doing – preparing (the clue is in the title) pupils for assessments that become more and more consequential as they get older, getting them into good habits from the beginning, so there are no nasty surprises when they get to public exams. If only there were exam league tables that took into account such preparatory work in pupils’ first schools!
Also on Wednesday we had huge fun with Year 7 during our leadership evening. This is a chance for the boys to practise their leadership skills through a variety of activities covering teamwork, public speaking, and short chats with the SLT. I have also enjoyed reading the boys’ letters to me in which they have reflected on leadership, what it means to them, and – very touchingly – what the school means to them as they wistfully approach their final year with us. We are keen for all of our senior boys to get the chance to exercise leadership in various forms, especially during Year 8, and the evening helps us put together a ‘portfolio’ for each pupil.
The deadline for the eco-committee's eco-photo competition on the theme of 'spring' is this coming Monday. Please email entries to nicholas.hanson@newcollegeschool.org
We are delighted to welcome back violinist Timon Bergmann, a former NCS pupil, to give this year’s Wykeham Day Recital. The recital will take place on Saturday 13 June at 11am in The New Space. All are warmly encouraged to attend. Tickets are available from: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wykeham-day-concert-timon-bergmann-tickets-1985708913815?aff=oddtdtcreator
Upcoming Events Saturday 25 Apr 2026 12.00 U13 A IAPS Table Tennis, Edgegrove School, Away Sunday 26 Apr 2026 Start of university term Monday 27 Apr 2026 All week: Year 3-8 NGRT and NGST in ICT room NCSPA Meeting, CLC Tuesday 28 Apr 2026 14.00 U9 A-C Cricket vs Summer Fields, Away Wednesday 29 Apr 2026 Junior Mathematics competition 9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Liz Boughton, Chaplain, St Edward's School 14.00 U11 Cricket training, Field 14.15 U13 A&B Cricket vs CCCS, Away 14.15 U11/13 A Tennis Pairs vs CCCS, Home 14.15 U11/13 A Table Tennis vs CCCS, Away Monday 04 May 2026 Bank and school holiday Tuesday 05 May 2026 14.00 U8 A&B Criicket vs MCS, Home 14.00 U9 A&B Criicket vs MCS, Away Wednesday 06 May 2026 8.15 School Council Meeting, CLC 9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Sorrel Shamel-Wood, Children, Families and Schools Chaplain, University Church 9.35 Trip to Botanic Gardens (Year 4) Return 12.20 14.00 U11 A&B Cricket vs MCS, Away 14.15 U13 A&B Cricket vs Bruern Abbey, Away 14.15 U13 A Tennis vs Bruern Abbey, Away Friday 08 May 2026 12.00 U11 A County Cup Cricket vs MCS, Away