Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 21st June 2019
Dear Parents,
With two excellent drama productions this week and the pre-prep pantomime in full rehearsal, plus some long-awaited dry cricket fixtures, the sense of teamwork has felt particularly strong. In Years 3 & 4’s production of HMS Pinafore, the sense of each pupil (and members of staff) giving their particular talents in acting, singing, speaking, and backstage was very evident. Year 8’s play reading of A Midsummer Night’s Dream against the backdrop of New College Cloisters again showed the boys (and parents and friends) in a common enterprise and it has been very good to hear of batting and bowling skills being further honed as the weather has taken a slight turn for the better. We’ve also had the pleasure of hearing Year 8 give their TED talks (prepared as their special subjects for the PSB through the year) in a most eloquent and erudite way. The sheer range and depth of their interests is impressive and their evident interest in others’ talks again reflects how their talents complement each other. As the Chaplain of Lincoln, Mel Marshall, pointed out this week in her Chapel address, we should not compare ourselves competitively with others or envy their talents: that is ultimately very self-destructive. But rather we should be proud of our unique and individual contributions which make up the whole. Surely, very few of our enterprises in school or in the workplace would be successful without input from lots of different people, all bringing their skills to the table. Each contribution is vital and it’s good to see the boys recognising their successes both in themselves and each other in so many different ways.
Wykeham Day is tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who is contributing to the organisation of the day: an active demonstration of the productive pooling of talents! Parking available in the playground on a first-come-first served basis. Please make sure you do not double-park and block others in. Parking is likely to be relatively limited, so please come by bike or public transport if possible. There is no Saturday Morning Music School.
11.30 onwards Cricket on Field including U9 Mums vs U9 Sons, Six-a-Side Smash Teams, Year 7 vs Year 8.
12.00 noon – 12.45pm Wykeham Day Concert, School Hall. A programme including music by Beethoven, Handel, Mozart & Mendelssohn played by some of our former and current pupils.
1.00pm onwards Sandy Lane Farm will be serving a selection of organic food and the bar will be open to serve Pimms, beer and soft drinks.
2.00pm – 4.00pm School Fête, Field.
6.15pm Last Evensong of Term, Chapel
7.30pm Wykeham Association Dinner, College Hall
It was good to meet boys who will be new to the School next September this morning and to share in all the boys’ delight in starting to move up one year and meet new form tutors. It’s always particularly special for boys in Reception to realise they will not be the youngest in the School and, at the other end of the scale, for Year 7 to take on the responsibility of being the oldest. From my observations, everyone seemed to take their new surroundings in their stride, which augurs well for next year.
I wish everyone well for our Activities Week, with special activities planned here and around Oxford for Pre-Prep and Year 3, Year 4 in the Malvern Hills, Years 5 & 6 in Normandy, Year 7 on outward bound activities in the Isle of Wight and Year 8 in Sicily. I’m most grateful to my colleagues for all the care they take with often quite complex arrangements to ensure the boys have a safe, enjoyable and instructive time. Please note there is no School Service in Chapel on Wednesday because of Activities Week .
Dates for your Diaries. It has been good to see so many parents and grandparents at our end-of-year events so far. You are always most welcome whenever you can spare time to be with us and I know the boys and my colleagues appreciate your support.
Thursday, 27th June Pre-Prep Summer Picnic 2.15pm, University Parks
Monday 1st July Choristers’ Concert, Chapel, 5.30pm. Parking will be available from 5.00pm in the playground.
Tuesday 2nd July Sports Day. You will all have received details of arrangements for Sports Day. Pre-prep sports last from 10.00 – 11.00am and pupils may either stay on with their parents for the prep school sports at 11.00am and lunch then return home or return with form teachers to school. Prep school sports last from 11.00am until about 3.00pm, after which pupils may go home with their parents or return to school to be collected at the usual time. Limited parking will be available at Iffley Road and at School.
Wednesday 3rd July Leavers’ Service, Chapel, 10.00am; Pre-Prep Summer Show, School Hall 2.00pm. Parking available in the playground from 1.30pm. Leavers vs Fathers Cricket, Field 6.00pm
Thursday 4th July Leavers’ Concert and Reception, University Church, 7.00pm, followed by a recpetion at School. Parking available in School.
Friday 5th July Prizegiving for Years 3-8 to which parents of prizewinners will be invited early next week. Term ends 12 noon. Parking available in school from 10.20am.
With good wishes to all NCS families,
Robert Gullifer
Forthcoming Events
Saturday, 22 June 2019
Wykeham Day
11.30 Cricket Matches, Field
12.00 OBs and Pupils' Concert, School Hall
13.00 BBQ Lunch, Field
14.00 School Fête, Field (ends 16.00)
17.00 OBs AGM, Undercroft
18.15 Last Evensong, New College Chapel
19.00 Old Boys' Drinks and Canapes, College Gardens
19.30 Old Boys' Dinner, College Hall
Sunday, 23 June 2019
End of University Term
Sicily trip (Yr 8) departs
Monday, 24 June 2019
Activities Week
No pre-prep after school activities run by external providers
Malvern Hills trip (Yr 4) departs
France trip (Yrs 5-6) departs
Isle of Wight trip (Yr 7) departs
Wednesday, 26 June 2019
No School Service
Summer Banquet for Pre-Prep and Year 3
Yr 4 return
Thursday, 27 June 2019
14.30 Pre-Prep Picnic, University Parks
Year 8 return
Friday, 28 June 2019
Pre-Prep activities week outing
12.00 Yrs 3 & 4 BBQ lunch
13.00 U8 Cricket vs Summer Fields, Home
14.00 Year 4 Tennis Coaching, Home
Years 5-7 return
Monday, 1 July 2019
No after school activities in the last week of term
17.30 Choristers' Concert, New College Chapel
Tuesday, 2 July 2019
Sports Day Pre-Prep 10.00am ; Prep School 11.00 a.m. Iffley Road
Wednesday, 3 July 2019
10.00 Leavers’ Service, New College Chapel
Speaker: The Headmaster
Coffee afterwards in the Undercroft for parents and visitors
13.00 Form Period and Distribution of Reports
14.15 1st XI Cricket vs Bruern Abbey, Home
14.00 Pre-Prep Summer Show and annual certificates, School Hall
18.00 Leavers vs Fathers Cricket, Home
Thursday, 4 July 2019
19.00 Leavers' Concert, University Church
followed by a reception at School
Friday, 5 July 2019
9.00 Final Assembly for Whole School, School Hall
10.45 Prize-Giving for Years 3- 8, Sports Hall
12.00 End of Term
Sunday, 7 July 2019
12.30 NC Choir Cricket, Field