Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 12 September 2025
Dear Parents,
Over dinner with friends a few weeks ago, we found ourselves discussing the issue of holiday reading. With a few days ahead of no school work (in theory), and having devoted previous reading time to policies and other similarly exciting things, which books would I take with me on holiday? Travelling only with hand luggage, and still preferring the material book to e-readers, I had to narrow down my options quite significantly. I read a lot more non-fiction than fiction, not least because my ‘hobby’ involves reading and writing about dead people from the seventeenth century, so should I ringfence this time for fiction? Or should I take advantage of some free reading time to press on with something vaguely resembling ‘research’?
Various suggestions were given about what I could or should read. I smiled and nodded, but still wasn’t sure what my holiday reading would be. A few days later, I was watching a documentary about the music scene around Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and 70s; one of its talking heads was the author of a cultural history of the time. Aha! I reached for my phone and immediately ordered his book. But I had easily fallen into the old trap of reading history books in my free time – even if the people involved either died more recently than the usual seventeenth century lot, or they were still alive. Was I really branching out by reading yet more cultural history, even if there were more palm trees and fewer buboes? Feeling guilty, I kept looking around for something that would capture my attention, until a parcel arrived unexpectedly, containing a novel recommended by the friends above over dinner. It went straight in my rucksack and provided a great deal of entertainment while I sauteed in 41-degree heat for a few days.
I am thinking about such things as we have been receiving another generation of ‘reading in interesting places’ competition entries. This competition was launched about a decade and a half ago at NCS, to encourage the boys to take their reading books with them, wherever they happened to go on holiday. In wonderful NCS style, we have had a number of quirky entries over the years, ranging from someone reading surrounded by a circle of inquisitive sheep, to another reading while hang gliding, to another devouring his book at the UN. The principle has always been that the location need not be expensive to visit (something lost on the school which stole our idea just for it to become effectively rebranded as ‘reading on interesting yachts’). Surrounding the NCS library door, there are now dozens and dozens of photographs of pupils reading in interesting places. Each year it is heartening to see that the boys are still taking reading books with them on holiday, when there are plenty of well-known pressures enticing their attentions in other directions. So, thank you to all those who entered the competition, and do keep on reading while travelling – even if it’s about a bunch of Californian hipsters. I’m pleased to announce that, following a staff vote, our pre-prep winner is Thomas Ru (Year 2) who was photographed reading while abseiling in Scotland, while our joint prep winners are Harrison and Thomas (both Year 7), who were photographed reading in Livraria Lello bookshop in Porto, and in front of the Verona Arena, respectively. Congratulations!
Have a great weekend,
Matt Jenkinson
We have really enjoyed catching up with old parents, and meeting new ones, at our start-of-year information meetings this week. On Monday we welcomed Reception and Year 1 parents to see their new classrooms and meet their form tutoring teams. At the same time, it was great to be able to introduce Year 3 families to the prep school, and to give Year 2 families a taste of what they will be enjoying here in a year’s time when their sons enter the prep school. Tuesday’s evening for Years 4 to 6 combined internet safety and a 13+ destinations briefing with form tutor information sessions, and gave parents a chance to meet registrars of the senior schools to which NCS boys tend to go at the end of Year 8. Then, on Thursday, we had our Year 7-8 briefing on the Pre-Senior Baccalaureate, a guide to how the top two years at NCS work, alongside a chance to meet our form tutor teams in these older years.
Years 3 and 4 clearly had a great time at the Hill End outward bound centre on Wednesday, developing their teamwork skills, and bonding over a number of vigorous outdoor activities. My thanks to all of my Year 3 and 4 colleagues for organising the trip, looking after the boys, and embracing the activities so cheerfully.
Also on Wednesday, Years 7 and 8 enjoyed an inspirational talk from world-record-breaking athlete and cyclist Josh Quigley. Josh spoke to the boys about mindset, motivation and the importance of food for physical and mental health. It provided an excellent link to our wellbeing programme and it was fascinating to hear how Josh has used his passion for cycling to overcome both mental and physical setbacks. Many thanks to our catering team, Thomas Franks, for organising the visit and providing some healthy snacks for the boys to sample as an accompaniment to the session.
Our next Open Morning is on Saturday 4 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 soon be receiving, 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 22 September at 17.30. 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
Many of the older boys are familiar with Artemis, our lovely leopard gecko who resides in the science lab. Artemis is always available for weekend visits for any families that would like to host her. She comes with full instructions and a small travel tank (she is very low maintenance and easy to handle!). If your son is keen to look after her for a weekend do email emma.krebs@newcollegeschool.org.
This Harvest Festival, NCS will again be supporting the Community Emergency Fund (CEF). 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 1 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.
A reminder below about our protocols for staying safe on Savile Road and its environs. Please pass this on to any family member or other person who takes responsibility for your son(s) at drop-off and pick-up:
Please avoid driving up and down, and parking on Savile Road if at all possible. We understand that this is not practical for families with younger boys. We are very grateful to those families who already use Mansfield Road to ease congestion on Savile Road, and to reduce the need to turn around at the school gate.
In general, please keep to a very slow speed and be aware of those, especially children, walking or cycling in the vicinity of the school. We all know that they can sometimes be unpredictable in their movements. Please keep the end of Savile Road clear for cars to turn in. There should be no turning on pavements nor in the entrance to the school while children are entering or leaving the school. Engines should also be turned off when cars are stationary. Please also respect our neighbours’ driveways and entrances and never leave a car unattended across an entrance.
Please could parents and carers greet the boys on the school side of Savile Road; this is to reduce the temptation for boys to see the person picking them up and then running across the road, when there are likely to be cars around. The same applies in the morning: please drop off your sons on the school side of Savile Road, or make sure that you cross the road with them. Please ensure that your sons do not wander off or run around at the end of Savile Road. We do have staff members at the gate at drop-off and pick-up times to help the boys to depart in a calm and measured way, and the more we can do to encourage that the better.
Cycling is much encouraged: The school provides covered bike racks for the use of parents and pupils. Cyclists please remember that to avoid accidents in busy school grounds, cycling or scooting is not permitted on the school premises. We strongly recommend that families with young cyclists, especially those in younger years, walk their bikes down the pavement on Savile Road until they reach a less congested part of the area, and it is safer to resume the cycling part of their journey. We are very grateful for your continued support and vigilance.
Upcoming Events
Saturday 13 September 2025
9.00 OCCO commences
Monday 15 September 2025
All Week: Years 3-8 PTM in ICT Suite.
Tuesday 16 September 2025
14.15 U8 & U9 Football vs Cothill and Sunningdale, away
Wednesday 17 September 2025
8.15 School council meeting, CLC
9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Revd Anthony Buckley, Chaplain, Hertford College
Thursday 18 September 2025
9.00 OPRO dentist mouthguard fitting
Monday 22 September 2025
All Week: Years 3-8 NGRT and NGST in ICT Suite.
14.15 U13 A-C Football vs d'Overbroeck's, home
17.30 NCSPA AGM, CLC
Wednesday 24 September 2025
8.15 Charity Committee meeting, CLC
9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Revd Dr Oliver Wright, Junior Research Fellow, Pembroke College
14.15 U8 A-C Football vs Windrush Primary, venue TBC
14.15 U9 A-C Football vs Windrush Primary, venue TBC
14.15 U13 A-D Football vs Summer Fields, away
14.15 U11 A-D Football vs Summer Fields, home