Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 1oth June 2022
Dear Parents,
You may be able to hear the collective sigh of relief this afternoon, as all of the boys’ assessments have now come to an end. As you know, we increase these gradually as the boys go through the school, so they get more and more used to the kinds of assessments that will become habitual once the boys are in their senior schools. There is no perfect way to do this, as there will always be a bit of a bump along the way – the important thing is that this bump happens somewhere like NCS where the boys are in a safe environment and where the stakes are not high. I have written before about the importance of a ‘high challenge, low threat’ culture, and I think that is happily exemplified in our assessment process.
As you might imagine, we get a lot of positive feedback from the boys’ future schools once they have crossed the threshold of Year 9-dom. One feature of this feedback is how well prepared the boys are for the next stage of their education (which is a relief in a preparatory school), including being able to take more formal assessments in their stride, knowing how to revise, and knowing when to put their foot on the accelerator, and when to take it back off again. This is no easy task and there are plenty of people who get through the education never quite getting it right; but if we can get the boys into the right pedagogical and mental habits when it comes to assessments, we are doing something important. I was talking recently to an NCS alum, now in his twenties, who told me that he still uses the techniques he was taught here to get through essays and exams. Which was a relief, having taught him for three years.
I write this is someone who did few assessments of any consequence in my primary schooling, and then went to a secondary school which believed in twice-yearly assessments which were perfectly timed to impair both Christmas and Easter holidays. (I then chose to spend an inordinate amount of time at university, so I guess my final exam came when I was in my mid-20s.) I once tried to work out how many exams I’ve done so far in my life, but gave up when I needed a bit of a sit down. I am well qualified, then, to testify that fairly unrivalled feeling of having assessments behind us, with a stretch of clear blue water until the next lot! We have many special events coming up over the next few weeks and, as I mentioned at the start of term, it is Trinity devoid of exams that will provide (I hope) many of the sun-dappled prep school memories that will linger with the boys for the rest of their lives. My colleagues and I are turning our attention to marking the abovementioned assessments, and writing and proofing reports, so our sun-dappled joy might have to wait a little longer.
Have a great weekend,
Matt Jenkinson
We are very much looking forward to our junior and senior recitals next week. A quick reminder that, as in previous terms, there is first-come first-served parking in the playground, but only from 17.15 to allow boys to leave the site safely after activities. Please take very special care when driving in/out as there will be boys making their way to and from the recitals.
The Chorister Open Day is tomorrow, 11 June, 16.30 – 18.30 in New College Chapel. This special day gives boys and their families an opportunity to see New College Choir at work, and to experience something of life as a chorister. There is then an opportunity for parents to speak with Robert Quinney, and with other colleagues who look after the boys, over tea in the Cloisters. The day ends with evensong in Chapel. All are welcome to attend this service, which will be abbreviated to make it as family-friendly as possible. We would like to particularly encourage Reception and Year 1 families who may be considering the choir for their son to attend the open day. Auditions are held in the January after the boys begin Year 2. If you would like to attend, but haven’t already signed up, please email the Choir Administrator on nancy-jane.rucker@new.ox.ac.uk
Our next open morning is on Friday 17 June from 10.00 until midday. Thank you to all those families who have already been putting up posters and banners; I’ve seen rather a lot as I’ve walked around the city! If you know of anyone who would like to attend, but who has not yet registered, please send them this link: https://www.newcollegeschool.org/open-day-booking.
My usual reminder, please, that the boys should be bringing sunhats into school, as well as clean bottles of water. It would also be sensible to apply decent long-lasting sunscreen before the boys arrive in school. Still bring a raincoat along, though; this is the British ‘summer’ after all.
Oxford Brookes Science Bazaar Saturdays will be hosting an exciting and topical session in June. Bubbleology! The one-hour, interactive, virtual session held on Saturday 11th June is FREE, fun for all the family and most suitable for 5-12 years. The session will be all about bubbles, as well as discovering the importance of handwashing in health with Oxford Brookes researcher Dr Mamdooh Alzyood. To register, please go to https://brookes.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcOquqzssHNwWc_0ZV3gUkGKw_misV1eA
Thank you very much indeed to those families who have already donated greenery as part of our school biodiversity project. As part of the eco committee's action plan this year we want to improve biodiversity in the school grounds. You will probably have noticed the fantastic bug hotel that was completed earlier in the year. We are currently trying to improve the diversity of plants in the front garden to encourage more insects and other animals to visit. We are looking for donations of any unwanted medium to large plant pots (non-plastic) and any plants that might no longer be needed from your gardens. A mixture of deciduous and evergreen plants would be great to ensure the space looks inviting year-round. Do please bring any donations to the office for the attention of Miss Krebs, or hand them to us at the gate in the mornings. Many thanks in advance!
As we head towards the end of the school year, please could families take a look at home for any library books that need returning before term finishes? Many thanks.
From Mr Bishop: After a lightning-fast half term break it has been fantastic to get back to cricket and tennis this week. The older boys kicked things off on Wednesday with two home fixtures against D’Overbroeck’s. In the first team game on a standard looking NCS wicket we decided to bat first. However, there was nothing standard about how the wicket played! Thanks to some accurate and full bowling we quickly found ourselves four wickets down for only fourteen runs. But thankfully Ashwin and Rishaan came to the crease together and steadied the ship in a calm and expert manner. They were resolute in their defence and kept out the previously unplayable deliveries that their counterparts struggled with. Their innings were littered with boundaries and quick-taken singles and at the end of the innings they were hailed as saviours with Rishaan on 14 and Ashwin on 25, the two highest scores of the match. When we bowled it was here that the Year 8 boys and in particular our captain, Patrick, redeemed themselves! A fantastic display of fast bowling saw our guests all out inside 8 overs for only 21 runs with Patrick taking 5 wickets for zero runs from only 3 overs: a feat that will live long in the record books. The player of the match award must go to Ashwin as not only did he save us with the bat he also got in on the act with the ball, as he bamboozled their middle order with his delicious off spin. The second XI also played D’Overbroeck’s and their game was a similar story with NCS dominating with the ball and on this occasion Jasper and Albie hitting the ball brutally hard when we were batting. I have to mention Dan from Year 7 as he was at his usual athletic best in the field stopping many runs with excellent fielding skills, an area of the game this sometimes ignored but as Dan has proved many times this season, is a vital skill to possess. Two NCS wins was a great result and is testament to such determined team work.
In the U11 section of the school the top eight players were involved in the Oxfordshire County Cup event and although the competition was tough the boys gave a fantastic account of themselves. Unfortunately, on this occasion we did not make it through to the latter stages but I am confident the boys have learnt a great deal and will be better players because of it. Due to the cup event the U11 A&B teams were looking a little different as they made the short trip across the city to Christ Church. The boys who had stepped up to play in these teams were confident and raring to go as they arrived under the expert eyes of Mr Rose and Mr Young. Two great games followed but unfortunately it seemed “extras” won the day and if only we could have bowled a little more accurately, we could have turned the result our way. Alas it wasn’t to be and despite our best efforts we came up just short. Mr Rose informs me that for the B team Michael S from Year 5 is named as Player of the Match thanks to his performance with the bat.
Finally this week we had the U8 teams in action against Summer Fields. On an overcast afternoon the three teams played brilliantly and we came away with one win and two defeats from the three games. Mr Rose tells me that if all the boys in the C team batted half as well as Thomas M the game would have been ours for the taking. Thomas hit 2 sixes, the only sixes of the game and was brilliant when fielding; I can’t think of a more deserving player of the match. In the A team game, I witnessed some great bowling from the boys, in particular Luca P who delivered eight fantastic balls that were really tough to play and were all on target; he was also one of standout fielders and never missed a ball when it came his way. However, the A team player of the match award has to go to Ozzy, who after hitting 55 not out in the house matches on Tuesday, continued his good form in hitting 5 shots over the rope against a very strong Summer Fields attack. He was equally good with the ball, taking 1 wicket for only 4 runs from his over. Miss Bishop tells me that her B team were outstanding and they deserved their victory thanks to Aaron and Hugh’s batting performances; both boys were scoring freely and hitting the ball with power and control. A much-improved bowling performance was key to the win and the boys learnt a valuable lesson in why controlling the ball is just as important as batting. This has been a fabulous week of cricket and we look forward to more of the same next week. Very well done, boys!
Upcoming Events
Monday, 13 June 2022
14.00 Yr 7&8 Cricket House Matches, Field
16.00 U11A Tennis vs MCS, venue TBC
17.30 Junior Recital (Years 3, 4, 5), Sports Hall
Tuesday, 14 June 2022
14.00 ABRSM Theory Exam
14.00 U9 A-C Cricket vs Summer Fields, home
Wednesday, 15 June 2022
9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Mrs Jessica Williams, NCS Governor and Headmistress of OHS Junior
8.15 School Council Meeting, library
14.00 U13 A&B Cricket vs Winchester House, home
14.15 U11 A&B Cricket vs Cokethorpe, away
17.30 Senior Recital (Years 6 & 7 only)
Thursday, 16 June 2022
14.30 Pre-Prep Instrumental Concert
14.00 Yr 3&4 Cricket House Matches, Field
14.00 School Nurse Visit (Risk taking behaviour workshop) Year 8 - 10:10 - 11:50 Year 7 14:00 - 15:30
Friday, 17 June 2022
French Day, Years 5-6
10.00 Open Art Studio (until 17.00), Art Room
10.00 Open Morning (until 12.00)
14.00 Yr 5&6 Cricket House Matches, Field
Saturday, 18 June 2022
Wykeham Day
12.00 Foundation Stone ceremony, NCS
13.00 Cricket matches, Field
14.00 School Fête, Field (ends 16.00)
18.00 Evensong
19.00 Pre-dinner drinks and canapes, College Gardens (ticket only)
19.30 Wykeham Day Dinner, College Hall (ticket only)
Sunday, 19 June 2022
University term ends
17.45 Last Evensong, New College Chapel
Monday, 20 June 2022
8.30 Languages Ambassadors to St Michaels (return 10.00)
14.15 U13A Cricket vs CCCS, home
4.00 U13A Tennis vs Cranford House, away
Tuesday, 21 June 2022
TBC U11A IAPS cricket softball vs Ratcliffe College, away
9.00 HPV Vaccinations: Catch up clinic
14.30 U8 A-C Cricket vs MCS, home
14.30 U9 A&B Cricket vs MCS, away
18.00 Years 3 and 4 performance of Oliver!
Wednesday, 22 June 2022
9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Revd Oliver Petter, Vicar of Yarnton, Begbroke and Shipton-on-Cherwell
8.15 Eco Committee Meeting, library
14.00 Years 3 and 4 performance of Oliver!
14.00 U13 A&B Cricket vs Kitebrook, home
14.00 U11 A&B Cricket vs Sibford, away
Thursday, 23 June 2022
9.00 Induction for new pupils
14.00 Yr 3&4 Cricket House Matches, Field
Friday, 24 June 2022
ABRSM exams
Final day of VMT music lessons
10.00 Pre-Prep Sports Day, Field
19.00 Reception for new parents