Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 9 June 2023

The first, naturally, is that we (and you) need to know how they are getting on academically. Of course, we find this out from continuous formative assessment as well, but it is a good thing to know what happens when the boys are left to their own devices. Second, whether we like it or not (and quite often I don’t) we do need to ‘harvest’ certain data about the boys, including standardised scores, because it is that very data which eventually will be going on their references for Year 9 entry to their senior schools. Third, and perhaps most importantly, it is very important that the boys get used to what assessments ‘feel’ like. Again, whether we like it or not (and, again, quite often I don’t), the boys are entering a world of rather a lot of exam-based assessments. We can debate to-and-fro the virtues and vices of this, or of more continuous assessment, but the reality is we have to prepare the boys for the reality they are going to face. This is a reality which, if it were to change, would have to change so dramatically in the next few years that we can be fairly safe in the assumption that it will barely – if at all – be amended. Which leaves us with the pre-test and public exam system we have now. The key thing at the prep school stage is not to become fixated on the results themselves, but to encourage the boys to put in a good faith effort in showing us what they know and what they can do, all the while practising how to get their ideas on paper, how to shape their answers under pressure, how to get through assessments in restricted time, and so on. Fundamentally it is a process in the boys and their parents learning not to be afraid of these assessments, but to be prepared and forearmed for when they really start to matter. A year or so ago I was chatting to one of our NCS alumni who is now in their mid-20s. He had gone on to a university not so very far (or, indeed, at all) away from here and ended up with the top first in his year. He was kind enough to reflect that, in his finals, he was still using the exam techniques he learnt at NCS just a few years before. Which was nice.

Early next week we will be sending off our Pre-Senior Baccalaureate (PSB) records of achievement for our Year 8s to their senior schools. While these ‘RoA’s will have on them their assessment results from this past week, they will also reflect all of the other things that we believe make up a well-rounded individual, thinker and doer. There will be grades from more continuous assessment over the past couple of years; a list of the boys’ co-curricular achievements; yes, some standardised scores; but also some reflections on their learning skills. That is to say: we will not reduce our boys to one set of exam scores over one week in June. That week is there, and it is important for all the above reasons, but it is just one facet to what makes a truly proper and special education.

Have a great weekend – your sons will!

Matt Jenkinson

Thank you to all of the boys in pre-prep, and to my pre-prep colleagues, who led our chapel service so well on Wednesday. It was great to hear their readings and to see how much they progress in just a few short years.

Please could I put out another plea for the boys to be sent in with sunhats and long-lasting sun cream ideally already applied. Thank you.

Following a review of our after-school enrichment activities programme, there will be some slight changes to our finish times after these activities from September 2023. The majority of prep school enrichment activities will run from 16.00-16.45. The pick-up window will therefore be 16.45-17.00 (mirroring the earlier pick-up window of 15.45-16.00). Any boys not picked up by 17.00 will go to aftercare as usual. There may be a handful of activities (for example those which go off-site) that will need to go on until 17.00. Those activities will be clearly flagged in the enrichment activities brochure.

To complement this, and following a thorough review of the data collected so far by Zeelo from bus use this term, we will be trialling having one afternoon Zeelo service and this will depart at 16.50 – i.e. in the middle of the two current departure times from Trinity 2023. The boys using this service will be encouraged to take part in enrichment activities or, failing that, they will go into aftercare for free. If a pupil is in a 16.45-ending activity, they will have their belongings ready to get on the bus straightaway. If they are in an on-site 17.00-ending activity, they will be excused early to get the bus. Pupils who require the 16.50 Zeelo service should not sign up for off-site 17.00-ending activities. Again, these are flagged clearly in the enrichment activities brochure.

There will also be some changes to the timings of the chorister routine. When there are not services in chapel (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays outside university term; Mondays during university term) the choristers’ rehearsals will move to NCS from 15.55 to 16.45. This will allow choristers to get the 16.50 Zeelo bus; those being picked up will be able to depart in the 16.45-17.00 window. Chorister attendance at Saturday Morning Music Academy (henceforward known as ‘OCCO’ – Oxford Children’s Chamber Orchestra) will not be compulsory, though they of course remain very welcome. These Saturday mornings will now run from 9.00 until 11.15. During university term, the choristers’ Saturday rehearsal will move to College 15.30-16.15, followed by break and refreshments at 16.15-16.45, and then the rest of the usual service schedule.

The Chorister Open Day is tomorrow, 10 June, 16.00-c.18.15 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 also 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 a special 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: nancy-jane.rucker@new.ox.ac.uk.

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.

We are very much looking forward to our senior recital on Wednesday next week. A quick reminder that, as always, 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.

Our next open morning is this coming Friday, 16 June, 10.00-12.00. All families are welcome to join us to view the school in action, chat to pupils, staff, and current parents and find out more about an NCS education. Places can be booked via https://www.newcollegeschool.org/open-day-booking. Do please pass on this information to any families you think might be interested in joining our special community, and we would be most grateful if you would consider displaying the poster that has been sent home via your sons’ rucksacks. Keep an eye out for our adverts on social media too, and don’t be shy when it comes to pressing the ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons. Many thanks.

Wykeham Day will very soon be upon us, on Saturday 17 June. This day brings together the whole NCS community, former and current, for a series of special events. We will begin at noon with a short and informal music recital in the hall, with performances from NCS pupils past and present. Then, at 13.00, the old boys vs 1st XI cricket will begin on Field, followed at 14.00 by the school fete, adjacent to the cricket on Field. The fete will end at 16.00, giving attendees time to head back to Holywell Street for a special Wykeham Day evensong in New College chapel at 17.45. For those who have signed up, there will then be drinks in the College gardens, before our very special Wykeham Day dinner in New College hall. Full details can be found at https://www.newcollegeschool.org/wykeham-association

On Sunday 18 June at 19.00, NCS alum and member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Peter Mallinson, will be performing in a concert for two violas in the Holywell Music Room. The concert will feature the world premiere of a new work by German composer Detlev Glanert, as well as works by Bach, Bridge, Deborah Pritchard, and an introduction to the world of the Shidaiqu (a form of Chinese popular music that was heavily influenced by American jazz and Holywood). Tickets are £10 cash on the door, and it's a chance to hear one of the most underexplored mediums in the chamber music repertoire as well as see a wonderful range of musical styles.

From Mr Bishop: As we returned from the half term break, the sun was shining and the boys were really keen to get back on the tennis courts and cricket pitches. To kick things off the U12/13 tennis team made the short trip to MCS to play our return fixture. The NCS team quickly got into their stride and the A team raced into a three-set lead with all three pairs winning their opening matches. Tolly D and Max J were particularly impressive with Tolly playing some sublime winners down the line and Max very strong at the net with his decisive volleys. Gary Z was at his powerful best as he continued to send down some crashing serves and some devastating forehand passing shots. Mr Gardner also highlighted Max A-B and Eddie L for special mentions as they were both instrumental in securing wins for their teams. At the end of the afternoon the A team won 6 sets to 3 and the B team lost 5 sets to 4.

On the cricket pitches the U8/9 house matches reached an exciting conclusion with the final being played out between Huxley and Wykeham. After a thrilling match, Wykeham emerged victorious and ensured a clean sweep of the junior house events this year. The bowling of Felix T in particular was key to this win and shows the importance of accuracy before pace. On Wednesday afternoon the U11 A team played MCS in a county qualifier and were playing a pairs format, so scoring quickly was going to be key. A combination of losing wickets too frequently and more “dot” balls than we’d like meant we posted a score that was always in danger of being surpassed. We bowled well and picked up seven MCS wickets but at the end of the day we lost the game by twenty runs.

The U11 B and C teams enjoyed two very close games away at CCCS and Mr Rose tells me the boys played some entertaining and exciting cricket. Honours even at the end of the day with one game each was a just reward for some brilliant cricket. George T and Andres B-C were deserving of a special mention for their efforts in the B and C teams respectively. On the home pitches the NCS U13 teams were also playing CCCS and the A team game was a high scoring affair. Our guests elected to bat first and got off to a steady start scoring at 5-6 runs an over. Jacob W took what is now the ‘catch of the year’ at cover; running around to his right, covering at least 20 metres, he pouched an extremely high ball to remove their dangerous opening batter. We then proceeded to drop their danger man when he was on 15 runs, he went on to score 82 before he was run out on the final ball of the innings. With the bat we knew we had to be near our best to chase down the 125 runs needed for the win. Obviously, the advice given was to take care in the early stages. We found ourselves three wickets down for not many runs. George W and Dan C almost came to the rescue and batted superbly to amass a partnership of well above 50 runs. Nonetheless, we ended up 15 short of the target. In the B team game across the way, the boys scored an impressive 91 runs with Herbie and Emil Y getting in on the run-scoring act. When it was the turn of the NCS boys to field they were superb, each and every player giving his all to ensure the CCCS team did not reach their target. Excellent bowling, even better fielding and a Peter K run-out meant they only managed 52. A fine win for this team was no more than they deserved after such a quality performance.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, 10 June 2023

10.00 Composers' Workshop and Concert (School hall)

16.00 Chorister Open Day, New College

Monday, 12 June 2023

8.00 U11A Cricket IAPS, Oundle School

16.00 U11 (5 pairs) Tennis vs MCS, Away

Tuesday, 13 June 2023

14.00 U9 A-C Cricket vs Summer Fields, Away

Wednesday, 14 June 2023

8.15 School Council Meeting, library

9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Revd Paddy Cable, former Army Chaplain

11.50 Kangaroo and Olympiad maths challenges

14.15 U11 A&B Cricket vs Abingdon Prep, Away

14.30 U13 A Cricket vs Winchester House, Away

14.30 U13 B&C Cricket vs Winchester House, Home

17.30 Senior Recital (Years 6-7)

Thursday, 15 June 2023

14.30 Pre-Prep Summer Concert

Friday, 16 June 2023

10.00 Open Morning (until 12.00)

10.00 Open Art Studio (until 17.00)

18.00 Reception for new parents

Saturday, 17 June 2023

NB No Music Academy

Wykeham Day

12.00 Old Boys' Concert, Hall

13.00 Cricket begins, Field

14.00 School Fête, Field (ends 16.00)

17.45 Evensong, New College Chapel

18.30 Pre-dinner drinks and canapes, College Gardens (ticket only)

19.15 Wykeham Day Dinner, College Hall (ticket only)

Sunday, 18 June 2023

University term ends

16.00 Last Evensong, New College Chapel

Monday, 19 June 2023

14.00 Year 3-4 play dress rehearsal

Tuesday, 20 June 2023

10.00 LAMDA Examinations, Dragon School

Provisional date for ABRSM exams

14.00 U9 A&B Cricket vs MCS, Home

14.00 U8 A-C 6-a-side Cricket vs MCS, Away

14.00 Year 8 TED Talks, session 1 (hall)

Wednesday, 21 June 2023

9.00 Chapel. Speaker: Sammy Jarvis, former NCS Head Boy

14.15 U13 A (3 pairs) Tennis vs Abingdon Prep, Away

14.15 U13A Cricket vs Bruern Abbey, Home

14.15 U13 B Cricket vs Dragon, Home

14.15 U11 A&B Cricket vs Sibford, Away

Thursday, 22 June 2023

9.00 Induction for new pupils and 'move-up morning'

14.00 Year 7 visit to the Ashmolean

14.00 Year 8 TED Talks, session 2 (Hall)

18.00 Years 3 and 4 performance of The Jungle Book (Hall)

Friday, 23 June 2023

Final day of VMT music lessons

8.50 Year 7 talk in Science, Professor Nick Lakin

AM Pre-Prep Sports Day, Field

14.00 Years 3 and 4 performance of The Jungle Book (Hall)

17.30 Year 8 Play Reading: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, New College Cloisters

18.30 Summer Drinks Evening, New College Cloisters