Headmaster's Blog

Posted Wednesday, 1 February 2012  /  Written by Richard Biggs

I have just been to watch a hockey match and now can hardly feel my feet – it’s bitterly cold! We had a flurry of snow over the weekend. And apparently we might get a proper fall soon. I hope so; the South African visitors have never seen snow and it would be great if they could throw a snowball or two before they leave on Sunday.

It’s been an interesting few weeks in ways other than meteorological as well. Last week I was away inspecting another school. It’s a real privilege as a Headmaster to be allowed to rummage around in somebody else’s school and, despite being away for three days, it was a thoroughly worthwhile experience. We’ll be inspected one of these days ourselves and it was useful to see how the new inspection regime (I think we’re into phase 3 or even 4 now...I lose track) works in practice.  Needless to say I came back full of ideas and the senior staff here have had to endure several days of listening to an endless stream of mostly crackpot schemes.

We had two important suppers last week: I came straight back from inspecting and into the 5^th form parents’ supper. The fifth form music scholars, who have played at the relevant supper each year since their arrival, have matured into a fine, accomplished group of musicians. There was a poise and confidence there which was a joy to see.

The following day we had the Burns’ Night supper, run by the PA. As before, this was a splendid and very atmospheric occasion, complete with (outstanding) piper, very appropriate surroundings (in the dining hall) and all the requisite speeches and toasts, a raffle and rolling a pound for a bottle of whisky...games invented by Robert Burns himself, I believe.  The most scurrilous and the naughtiest speech of all was, inevitably, delivered by the Chaplain. His attempt at a Scottish accent was simply appalling, a strange cross between broad Afrikaans and Eastern European.  I gave the speech about Burns himself. Having spent the afternoon umpiring U14C hockey at Millfield there wasn’t much time to hand-craft a masterpiece of the oratory art. Thank goodness for the internet is all I can say.

We had a very interesting meeting of the HMC South West Division at Queen’s yesterday, at which the head of recruitment at Bath University, Dr Katherine Lloyd-Clarke, explained how her admissions team sifted through over 20,000 applications each year. GCSEs matter hugely, as does anything which makes the candidate stand out from the pile, especially academically. Judging from the offers our pupils have been receiving this year from all over the country we must be doing something right. Almost everyone has an offer – some asking for pretty tough grades, though. It seem that our four Oxbridge offers is quite an achievement too, compared to most other schools in this part of the world.

My family and I are attending the Chinese New Year supper tonight (that’s a lot of suppers in one week, a tough job, but I’m bearing up...), an event that is now well established in the King’s calendar and is always a lot of fun. Happy Year of the Dragon to you all.