Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 22nd October 2021
Dear Parents,
We had a very enjoyable end to the half-term today, with the boys making their way over to College to observe the triennial inspection of the city walls. You may have noticed that New College has rather large medieval city walls bisecting it, with those walls also lining the fantastic garden. When the land was granted to William of Wykeham for the construction of New College in the late fourteenth century, part of the deal was that the College would ensure the walls’ upkeep, and members of the council still turn up periodically to see that this side of the bargain is being upheld. These days it is as much ceremony as it is H&S inspection, and it is great for the boys to be able to see history meeting the current day. Present in the ceremony is the city’s mace, created at the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the gold of which was particularly eye-catching for the boys.
It was, I thought, a fitting conclusion to the end of this half term during which we have been thinking carefully about our place in the world, and our place in time (time which has been contorted during Covid-19). While we are ever forward-looking to make sure that the boys are prepared for a world which we can’t really predict, one way to bolster that preparation is to look backwards sometimes – to see where we’ve come from, what works, and what we should learn from. It is also healthy for us all to see that we are temporary guardians of an institution like New College School, working hard to ensure that it is in great shape for future generations who will also be witnessing ceremonies like the inspection of the city walls in ten, twenty, fifty, a hundred years’ time.
Indeed, there has been a lot of hard work over the past seven weeks. We often describe Michaelmas as the ‘motor’ of the year, as it is during this longest of terms that a significant proportion of the boys’ learning takes place. I suspect we have all been struck by how quickly these first weeks of term have gone, and it is great to see that the school still has the same energy and buzz about it now as it did in the first week. Equally, I am sure that the boys and my colleagues have earned themselves a well-deserved rest, so do enjoy some downtime over the half-term break, and I look forward to seeing everyone at the gate in just over a week, rested and raring to go for the remainder of the term.
Have a great break,
Matt Jenkinson
We have had the most wonderful charity week in aid of Autism Family Support Oxfordshire, raising over £1,200. Our bring and buy sale was a big success (I’m sure you are enjoying the new additions to your home décor!), as were our cake competition, cake sales, playground games, home clothes day, and today’s basketball match between Year 8 and the teachers. We are very grateful to everyone who took part and donated so generously, and especially to our parent helpers who came in to help man the bring and buy stall, and the boys themselves who helped run our cake stall and playground games. Thank you, too, to those families who have already sent in shoeboxes as part of our Link to Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal (deadline 5 November). And, of course, a huge thank you to Mrs Showell-Rogers who masterminded it all so wonderfully.
Congratulations to the following boys who were winners of the charity week cake competition: Lucien (Reception), Henry D (Year 1), Charlie H (Year 2), Hugo S (Year 3), Yoav (Year 4), Thomas H (Year 5), George M (Year 6), Josh C (Year 7) and Albie (Year 8). And to our special commendation recepients: Zane (Reception), Alex G (Year 1), Raad (Year 2), Aloysius and Felix (Year 3), Jack (Year 4), Laurence K (Year 5), Victor (Year 6), Ashwin (Year 7), and Kian (Year 8). And a special congratulations to Hester G who was the parent winner!
Hopefully prep school parents will have safely received, electronically, your son’s half term Orders, along with a Parentmail attachment explaining how our grading system works. If you have not received these, please contact office@newcollegeschool.org.
The NCS eco shop will be reopening after half term. The shop will be open in its brand-new accommodation: the aquamarine hut on the edge of the playground adjacent to the bike sheds. The shop will sell a range of eco-friendly products (price list attached via Parentmail). Opening times will be every Wednesday from 12.30-12.50 for Years 3-5, and 13.30-13.50 for Years 6-8. Also re-opening after half term will be the tuck shop. This will be housed in the same place as the eco shop and will be open to Years 3-8 every morning from 8.00-8.15. It will sell a selection of healthy snacks for the boys to purchase for their morning break. Items range from 20-80p.
Attached to the newsletter Parentmail should be the brochure for next term’s Activities from Miss Rose, along with instructions for sign-up.
NCS families may be interested in the following event arranged by the Story Museum and The Walk: https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/storymuseum/ISSU-Amal-meets-Alice.pdf
Upcoming Events
Sunday 31 October
13:30 Julius Caesar rehearsal, Years 7-8, sports hall (end 16.00)
Monday, 1 November 2021
Return from Half Term
UK Parliament Week begins
14:00 Julius Caesar rehearsal, Years 7-8, chapel (end 15.45)
Wednesday, 3 November 2021
9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Alvea Fernandez, Assistant Chaplain, Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy
14:00 U11 A-E Football vs Summer Fields, Home
14:00 U13 A-D Football vs Summer Fields, Away
15.45 Julius Caesar rehearsal, Years 7-8, chapel (end 17.15)
Thursday, 4 November 2021
TBC U11 A IAPS Football vs Lambrook, Away
Sunday, 7 November 2021
9.30 Julius Caesar rehearsal, Years 7-8, chapel (end 12.00)
Monday, 8 November 2021
Abingdon 13+ pre-test interviews start
20.00 Julius Caesar performance, Years 7-8, chapel
Tuesday, 9 November 2021
14:00 U8 A&B Football vs Summer Fields
14:00 U9 A-C Football vs Summer Fields
Wednesday, 10 November 2021
9.00 Remembrance Day Service, Chapel. Speaker: Mr James Hodgson, Headmaster, Bedford School
14:00 U11 A-E Football vs MCS, Away
18.00 Julius Caesar performance, Years 7-8, chapel
Friday, 12 November 2021
14:00 U10&11 Football House Matches, Home
19:15 Year 7 opera trip: Rossini's The Barber of Seville with Welsh National Opera (New Theatre, Oxford). TBC.