Dear Old Radleians,

There are few things worse than being asked to write about oneself but, being new, I am eager to please....

I am forty four and married to Liz. We have three children, Thomas, aged 13; William, 11 and Flora, 8. I was a boy at Abingdon School (please read on!), where I enjoyed my games and music, was a School prefect and where I boarded in the sixth form.

At University College, Oxford, I read PPE and played cricket for the University and the 'Tics and hockey and rugby for the College. I then joined the Overseas Division of the Bank of England where I stayed for four years working on the I.M.F. and the Far East and Australasia Group before deciding that what I really wanted to do was teach.

My first job was at Glenalmond, where I taught English and History and was Master in charge of cricket and from there I moved on to Sedbergh in 1985 to become Head of Economics and a Housemaster in 1989. Whilst at Sedbergh, I was Master in charge of cricket, coached a number of other games and was a member of the Choral Society and the School Orchestra.

In 1993, I became Headmaster of Strathallan, which is a co-educational, boarding school for children aged from 10-18. I enjoyed being actively involved in the day to day life of the School and so continued to teach Economics, to help with games and to play the violin and the viola both in the orchestra and, frighteningly, as a soloist and to sing in the Choral Society and the Chapel Choir. I also served as a Governor on the boards of three prep schools and on the Scottish Council of Independent Schools.

When I wrote to parents recently, I said that I was not arriving at Radley with a plan for the future, hatched in isolation. Continuity of purpose and values has served the School well and will be the bedrock on which Radley meets the challenge of changing demands. I have a deep belief in the benefits and joys of boarding and intend to remain thoroughly involved in the breadth of activities academic, cultural, social and sporting which Radley offers.

The opportunity to lead a school with high standards, high expectations, able boys and a talented and committed staff is exciting. I hope that the years ahead will see the sense of community commented on by so many Radleians I have met, fostered; there has never been a greater need to instil the Founder's guiding values ......the aesthetic, good manners and kindness.' An uncertain world, where many shy away from duty, are ambivalent about right and wrong and are more concerned about rights than responsibilities, needs young people to challenge the status quo.

I am sure that I am going to enjoy my Wardenship. Liz and I look forward to meeting you all, to making friends and to guiding Radley through the years ahead.

With best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

Angus McPhail

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