Dear Parents

I sit down to write this in an eerily quiet School after the usual frenzy of the end of term. It was good to see many of you at Speeches which was a lovely occasion. One tinged with sadness as we said goodbye to four much-loved and long-serving colleagues but also one with great pride in a thriving, successful and happy School. Your sons’ response to those leaving colleagues in Final Assembly on Friday was eloquent testimony to the excellent relationships between pupils and teachers which underpin all the success achieved both in and out of the classroom.

As ever the Summer Term has been busy with examinations; Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 have all been sitting public exams. Our busiest day saw over 160 pupils in the Sports Hall! At least the weather was not too hot. I was impressed with the sensible way in which the boys went about meeting the challenge; their maturity will I hope bring them the appropriate rewards in August. As a School we work hard at preparing candidates effectively, giving them the skills to maximise their talents.

Outside of the classroom there has been much to enjoy, as I said at Speeches. Term began with a lovely Concert at St John’s and finished with a fine production of Wind in the Willows. The latter contained some excellent individual performances and had a great company feel, particularly in the striking slow motion tableaux scenes. The boys acted all the time they were on stage; their team work and discipline were very evident.

Our cricket teams too have shown real skill and a strong esprit de corps. The successful tour to South Africa undertaken in the Easter Holidays by the U14 and U15 squads created a real bond between the boys. The 1st X1 won the Middlesex Cup for the third year running and, as I write, the U15s are playing in their final. (Stop press: they won!) Our athletes have excelled too, with Sonny Flynn breaking two records on Sports Day and Luke Roach-Christie achieving national rankings in the shot and discus and representing Middlesex in the National Championships. We have boys trekking in the Himalayas at present and record numbers of participants in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The House Championship was very close and Butler’s triumph their first for 10 years.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of my colleagues in delivering the all-round education to which the School aspires.

Next year promises much excitement too; the temporary classrooms will be gone and the new Science Block will be in use. Some excellent new colleagues will be bringing fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the School; I am pleased with the blend of youth and experience we have in the staff room.

On a personal note, Elspeth and I have been very touched by all those of you who have expressed regret at our leaving. However, as De Gaulle once said: the graveyards are full of irreplaceable men! The Governors have begun the process of selecting my successor and I am very confident in them and that process. The School is very strong and a fascinating challenge for a Head. And I have another year to go which I am very much looking forward to; Bangkok is not on my horizon yet!

However, a holiday beckons - Uganda and Zanzibar will give me plenty to reflect on! Thank you for all your support for the School; it is invaluable. Enjoy some quality time with your boys.

Yours sincerely

Kevin Riley