Headmaster's Newsletter Friday 26 May 2023
Dear Parents,
What are schools for? You would think, in my job, that I shouldn’t need to ask that question (and don’t worry: I’m pretty sure I know). But it is worth standing back and interrogating something that we can quite easily take for granted. On a very basic (and perhaps cynical) level schools are for childcare. But I think we can aim for something a little more complex. Schools are also there to keep young people safe, and to ensure they are safe at home. They are there to make young pupil literate and numerate, to give them secure subject knowledge (and prepare them for formal assessments) in various different subjects: history, geography, languages, music, religious studies, philosophy, art, design technology, the list goes on – and becomes longer as we add fast-developing and vital subjects like coding. Alongside that subject knowledge, schools should also provide pupils with the learning and thinking skills which underpin that knowledge: how to think, how to review work, how to develop independence and collaboration. We could stop there, but of course we won’t. Schools also develop pupils’ teamwork and physical health and fitness through access to sport. They develop their cultural hinterland, creativity and self-expression through music, drama, dance, and any other creative art. Alongside physical health, schools are there to help pupils develop healthy thinking habits to bolster their mental health and happiness. Schools are also there to teach pupils about healthy eating, safe and appropriate use of the internet, how to ride a bike safely. They are there, increasingly, to sort out when pupils have got themselves into difficulties outside school, especially on the internet. More generally, they are there to guide pupils in appropriate behaviour, in the creation of future citizens contributing to a fair, healthy, productive and diverse society.
We shall leave for another day the question: how do we fit this all in? Because underlying all of the above is the fact that schools are also there to help young people, especially those just starting out on their formal educational journey, develop and nurture happy and healthy relationships – friendships. I have written previously about the number of times I have encountered NCS alumni whose close friends in adulthood were also their close friends here. From Reception to Year 8, our boys spend nine years in one another’s company – that is a long time and it is therefore no surprise that these life-long relationships are developed. But forming a happy and healthy friendship is easier said than done. There will inevitably be the odd time when the boys will want to take a break from one another; all relationships develop and change over time and no one would expect one’s best friend in Reception to inevitably be one’s best friend in Year 8 (though I’ve seen it happen!). One way to nurture these friendships and to ensure their healthy longevity is to ensure they are based on appropriate expectations – our wellbeing theme this week.
This is perhaps the hardest of our themes for the boys to get their heads around; it can be rather abstract and difficult to imagine. What are our expectations of our friends? Who defines what makes them appropriate? I guess one way to get the idea across is to talk through what has happened when a friendship hasn’t quite worked out, and to pin-point the behaviours on each side that might have led to that development. Has one person in the friendship expected the other to be too similar to them, to have the same interests, opinions, likes and dislikes? Have boundaries in the friendship been respected? Has one person expected more ‘facetime’ from the other than is reasonable? Has one person placed an unreasonable burden on the other in terms of the emotional investment they expect? Is one person too possessive of the other, becoming jealous if they develop friendships elsewhere? These are all questions that can come up in friendships of people of all ages and the vast majority of people get better at striking the right balance as they get older. But it’s well worth being open and honest with the boys from a young age about friendships, what makes healthy ones, and how they can nurture relationships that they may well – and hopefully will – enjoy for the rest of their lives.
Have a great weekend and half-term break,
Matt Jenkinson
From Mr Morrison: Thank you to all pupils, families, and friends for their support of this term’s charity, World Bicycle Relief. It has been great to raise awareness of such a worthy charity, to contribute financially to the donation of further bicycles, and to have fun along the way. The tennis match between teachers/charity reps and Year 8 was an especial highlight. The cake sales were very popular, so thank you for all of your efforts in the kitchen. Your input has been invaluable, whether in the handling of the electric blender, removing items from the hot oven, or the crucial oversight in the boys’ cooking hygiene and cleaning processes. I appreciate how much time and energy goes into this area when you have very busy lives to lead. Thank you. The catering staff have awarded the following winners of the coveted wooden golden spoon: Thomas (Year 4), Monty (Year 6), Isaac (Year 8). Special mentions also go to Xander, Eugene, Thomas H and Dominic, Laurence P-A, Andres, Freddie, Alex A, George M, Aloysius and Olly L. Thank you to the pupils and staff for their efforts in cycling on their commutes (some made for the first time) and to those who supported the attempt to match the 325 miles which will be cycled across Zambia by NCS parent Emily Gee in July (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/emily-jn-gee). Theon, Jacob (Year 3), Eddie, and Thomas (Year 6) deserve special mentions for the distances ridden. Freddie in Year 5 was our cycle champion for going the furthest. Together staff and pupils cycled 418 miles. The total raised for World Bicycle Relief was over £750.
A huge well done to our boys in Years 3 and 4 who have had some form tests this week. We are really proud of the way that they have taken them in their stride, taking these first ‘kid-steps’ in getting used to the kind of assessments they will face as they get older.
Please could we remind parents about sending their sons to school with hats and sunscreen (already applied at home if it is long-lasting and you are not able to send in the bottle)? This is important for games sessions when the boys are in the open air for long periods of time. Equally, we are lucky to have a playground which is a bit of a suntrap (when the sun actually shines), but this does mean we have to be careful that the boys are properly prepared.
Our Leavers’ Evening, for our current Year 8s, will take place on Friday 9 June, ending at c.19.15. The boys can bring in their ‘smart casual’ clothes and change in to them at the end of school, before the evening begins at 17.00. There will be no parking at all on site on the evening of 9 June as we will be using the playground for the event.
From Mr Bishop: As the half-term break approaches we have been really encouraged by the improvement shown in our summer sports by each and every boy. I have had the pleasure of witnessing some fantastic tennis from both the U11 and U13 teams, while the Years 3 and 4 boys have also been bitten by the tennis bug in their Thursday afternoon lessons with Mr Gardner and Mr Collins. The cricket has just got better and better each week with some great results to report back on. This week is no exception with both the U11 and U13 teams in action against Bruern Abbey. In the home games the U11 boys played out two very tense games that both went down to the wire. In the B team game Mr Rose was really impressed with all the boys, but in particular Max L-L and Thomas H who managed an opening stand of over 70 runs to give the team such a strong foundation that victory was almost inevitable. In the A team game Mr Swanepoel was most impressed with the whole team and he was full of praise for his bowlers; Ethan Z on debut for the A team managed a valuable wicket with his medium pace deliveries, and once again the captain Xander S stood out with his fast bowling as the player of the match with another hattrick. Seldom have we seen a hattrick in the NCS cricket seasons of years past but Xander has managed it twice already. So, two games and two wins for the home teams.
In the away matches the B team set a testing but not out of reach target of 80 runs from their 20 overs. The boys gave their all with the ball and bowled well with accuracy and dedication to hit that elusive “Off stump”. On this occasion the result did not go our way but it was close and the boys should be encouraged by their efforts and we look forward to the return game in late June. I personally had the pleasure of umpiring the A team game. Our opening pair of Rishaan and Didrik fired down four overs of really accurate fast bowling. As Max B and Finn L came on the Bruern batters were suitably worn down and 3 wickets quickly fell with the score only on 10. The NCS pressure continued with even more unplayable deliveries from Dan C and Henry W. The wickets were shared around with the standout being a magnificent catch by our wonderful wicket keeper Gary Z off the bowling of Finn L. We fielded brilliantly with Jake J and George W working hard and saving a number of boundaries with their excellent fielding. The best bowling performance I’ve seen this term meant that we were chasing only 51 for the win; the early departure of our opening batters in the first and second overs did have us a little worried. We soon relaxed, though, as Didrik and Rishaan quickly got into their stride with some really good quality hitting. With only 8 required in the eighth over Didrik hit a brilliant four to take us close; he then backed this up with a massive “six” over long on to win the game in style.
Upcoming Events
Monday, 5 June 2023
Return from Half term break
Years 5-8 Assessment Week begins
14.30 U12 Tennis vs MCS, Home
Wednesday, 7 June 2023
9.00 Chapel (Pre-Prep and Years 3-4 only). Led by Pre-Prep
12.00 U11 A Cricket County Cup, MCS
14.15 U11 B&C Cricket vs CCCS, Away
14.15 U13 A&B Cricket vs CCCS, Home
Friday, 9 June 2023
9.30 Year 3 Natural History Museum (rocks and soils workshop)
13.00 Cycling proficency test for lunchtime enrichment club, Years 5-6: 12.20-13.50
17.00 Leavers' Evening (ends c.19.15)
Saturday, 10 June 2023
10.00 Composers' Workshop and Concert (School hall)
16.30 Chorister Open Day, New College
Monday, 12 June 2023
8.00 U11A Cricket IAPS, Oundle School
14.00 ABRSM Music Theory exam (Music study)
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
School Nurse Visit (risk taking behaviour workshop): Year 7 10.10-11.50, Year 8 14.00-15.30
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