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Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 2nd February 2018

Dear Parents,

Edward Lucas, journalist and security-policy expert, was a former pupil at NCS and partly for that reason, along of course with many other even more lofty reasons, I very much enjoy reading his columns in The Times. Following on from the government’s recent announcement of a Minister for Loneliness, he wrote movingly a couple of weeks ago about an octogenarian retired Estonian engineer living in Chicago who use to write to him, unsolicited, several times a month. “It struck me”, Lucas wrote, "that sending the missives must fill a gap in his solitary life.” He went on to reflect (aptly, as we approach Safer Internet Day) that “technology creates possibilities to connect with others, but also highlights failure to do so. That may make things worse, not better. An empty inbox is somehow more daunting than an empty mailbox; a Facebook post with no “likes” seems to signpost isolated unlikeability. As the author Adam Alter pointed out last year in his gripping book Irresistible, social media is designed to drip-feed us hits of the potent brain chemical dopamine. We yearn for connection and approbation in electronic form. In its absence, we wither.” He concludes by urging us “to cherish the connections we have, especially the small and unlikely ones, and to respond to overtures from lonely people, however eccentric or tiresome they may at first seem.” All this certainly stirred my conscience and I’m sure it’s a message we should continue to put out loudly and clearly in our schools. NCS pupils, to my mind, are pretty generous-spirited towards each other most of the time, but it can’t be taken for granted. I’ve many times told the boys that kindness is almost always re-paid with kindness, but that sometimes we have to take the first steps with people who might feel less socially confident or integrated.

Year 7 helping Pre-Prep in the Library; Year 5 & 6 visit to Bletchley Park; Test flight of the new drone; Playing the organ in Chapel

A number of our Year 8 pupils have taken music scholarship examinations this week and very good news indeed is beginning to percolate through. And good luck to all Year 8 who will be on their mettle next week, taking mock Prep School Baccalaureate and academic scholarship examinations. I’m sure there will be plenty of revision over the weekend, but I should emphasise that as long as boys do their best, they and we should be content. A mock exam means just that – it’s not the real thing. There’s a chance to learn from mistakes.

Years 5 & 6 had an informative history/computing visit to Bletchley Park on Wednesday and, as ever, their courtesy, interest and attention were particularly remarked upon by their guide. My thanks to Mrs Brown and Mr Lenik for organising what was clearly a very happy and popular trip.

Sport. The hockey season is really in full swing now with many games, festivals and tournaments to keep our players busy. The Oxfordshire County Cup season is upon us and the U13 and U12 teams have enjoyed a great deal of success in their respective tournaments. The U13s finished a credible 3rd place last Friday and were two points off 2nd and a place in the regionals. The U12 team gained two wins from three matches on Monday evening and won the tournament on goal difference thanks to a brilliant 3-0 win over local rivals MCS. This means that, as well as being County Champions, they earned a place at the regional tournament in March. Not to be outdone, the U11 ‘A’ team played in the first annual Sibford Hockey Festival on Tuesday and won all three of their games, 4-0 vs Sibford, 3-0 vs Prior Park and 2-0 Vs MCS. An early season festival win shows that this team are playing extremely well: we are very much looking forward to upcoming games.

Finally this week, the U13 ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams were playing in a triangular festival against St Hugh’s School and Lord Williams’s, Thame. Decimated by a particularly nasty ‘flu bug we were down to the last 21 boys standing to field three teams. We are extremely proud of the way boys moved up through the teams to play in games that for some may have been out of the comfort zone! Our team spirit and hard work shone through, however, and despite being thin on the ground we took some great wins including our 1st team being declared the winners thanks to three wins and one draw. In the 2nds and 3rds, special mention should go to Lyndon Chen, Jamie Kilroy, Edward Bennett and Peter Bradley. All four boys rightly earned their ‘man of the match’ status.

An introduction to the double bass in Pre-Prep Music

Paint techniques in Reception Art

The arrival of the drone, generously financed by the NCSPA, has caused great excitement this week. Please click on the link below to see what it has been up to!

Safer Internet Day is next Tuesday, which will allow us especially to underline what we trust are our consistent messages about internet safety. Mr Lenik will lead our assembly and, especially with the older boys we shall be focusing on the pros and cons of social media and challenging all the boys to make informed judgements about what they might read on the internet.

As parents know, you are always most welcome to join us for the School Service on Wednesdays in New College Chapel at 10.00am and for coffee/tea afterwards. This coming week, we are delighted that the Warden of New College, who is also Chair of the School Governing Committee, will be giving the address. Do join us if you can.

Charity Week is next week in aid of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association www.guidedogs.org.uk. who provide mobility for the blind and partially sighted, support research, raise awareness and campaign for the visually impaired. We will have our usual cake sales during our morning break throughout the week. Please encourage the boys to do some baking to bring in at various times during the week and to bring in small amounts of money to buy cakes for 50p each. Please be aware that one or two boys in the School have quite severe allergies to nuts, so do avoid allowing boys to bring in cakes with nut content. Home Clothes Day will be on Friday, 9th February. Boys are asked to donate £2 toward the charity for the privilege of wearing home clothes. As always, the aim of the week in not simply to raise money but also to raise the boys’ awareness of the plight of others less fortunate than themselves.

If you are around at half-term, you’re most welcome to join the congregation in New College Chapel for the BBC broadcast of Choral Evensong for Ash Wednesday on Wednesday 14th February. You must be seated in the chapel by 3.15pm. The service and broadcast start at 3.30pm.

With good wishes to all NCS families,

Robert Gullifer

Forthcoming Events

Saturday, 3 February 2018

9.00 U8 Football vs Winchester House, Away

18.15 Orchestral Eucharist, New College Chapel

19.30 Chorister Parents' Supper , 1 Savile Road

Monday, 5 February 2018

Charity Week in aid of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

Start of PSB/scholarship mocks week

18.15 Old Boys’ Committee Meeting, HM Study

Tuesday, 6 February 2018

Safer Internet Day

14.00 U8 A&B Hockey vs MCS, Away

14.45 U11 A&B Hockey vs Sibford, Ifley Rd

Wednesday, 7 February 2018

10.00 School Service, New College Chapel

Speaker: The Warden of New College. Coffee afterwards in the Undercroft for parents and visitors.

12.30 Eco Committee Meeting

14.15 U13 Hockey House Matches, St Edward's

Orders in Years 3-8 issued

Thursday, 8 February 2018

9.00 Yrs 5 and 6 to Chandling's for the French Festival

13.00 U11 Cross Country vs Swanbourne, Away

16.00 Chess Fixture NCS v MCS U9, Home

Friday, 9 February 2018

Home Clothes Day

16.00 U11 A County Cup Hockey, Hawks' Hockey Ground

Saturday, 10 February 2018

Start of Half-Term

Wednesday, 14 February 2018

15.30 Ash Wednesday Service, [BBC Broadcast], New College Chapel

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