Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 24th March 2023

The remainder of Wednesday was our annual College Day. This is a day when, with the undergraduates safely out of the way after the end of university term, the boys get to ‘take over’ (in a benign sense) New College. We are, of course, extraordinarily lucky to enjoy such a close relationship with the College and for the boys to be able to enjoy some of its really rather special resources. Year 8 got to see some of the archive treasures, for example, before climbing the tower to gain some spectacular views over the city. Other year groups got to do some stone rubbing, take part in a College-based treasure hunt, listen to a demonstration of the organ, draw the chapel’s misericords, take part in a philosophy workshop, enjoy storytime in the ‘Red Room’, and learn about the ‘heroes and villains’ in the chapel. Some year groups also got to enjoy some of Oxford’s treasures on College’s doorstep, taking in exhibitions at the Ashmolean and going on a walking tour to learn about the school’s long and varied history in different locations in central Oxford. All of the boys got to enjoy lunch in the College dining hall, which was a real highlight for many.

And so we come to the end of Hilary, what seems like five minutes after it started. This middle term is a deceptive one; it can seem like it is going to be the quietest of the three terms, but it most certainly isn’t. We have had lots of wonderful events and the joy of the boys’ day-to-day progress in so many different areas of school life. It can seem like a bit of a rollercoaster sometimes, but that’s also what makes it so much fun. Thank you for your excellent company and support, as ever, this term. I hope that you manage to get some rest and quality time with your family and friends over the next few weeks, before we return for all the joys of Trinity.

Have a great holiday,

Matt Jenkinson

We have very much enjoyed the Year 5-6 French play performances of Folie de Mort this week, and the French café after the performance on Tuesday. It must still remain rather rare to have such performances in the junior world, and it is a great way to celebrate the boys’ passion for languages. My thanks to all those boys who took part, and to those boys in Years 7 and 8 who helped out with some of the more technical and ‘behind the scenes’ aspects. Thanks, too, to all those parents who helped out with the learning of lines, sourcing of costumes, and running the French café. And, of course, thanks to Catherine Phillips, Louise Brown and Tom Neal who put the whole show together!

Well done to all of those boys who took part in the Senior Recitals on Monday evening. It was again wonderful to hear the progress they have made over a relatively short time since Michaelmas.

Congratulations to Eddie in Year 7 who has been awarded first prize in this year's Young Art Oxford Competition, and to Michael in Year 2 and Alexander S in Year 4 who have been awarded 'highly commended' certificates. Paintings by the following NCS boys will also appear in the YAO exhibition in May: Year 1: Daniel, Henry, Michael; Year 2: Henry, Jacob, Rowan, Luke, Samir, Valentino; Year 3: James, Charlie, Rufus, Raad, Luke; Year 4: Thomas, Emil, Aloysius, Year 5: Oliver, Peter; Year 6: Thomas, Hugo, Michael; Year 7: Vedant, Alexander, Arjun, Isaac.