Dear ORs,

Radley is an outstanding school which bears comparison with the best ... Teachers and pupils co-operate in a rigorous regime to obtain high standards without detracting from the happy environment in which the pupils are helped to develop into successful and likeable young men noted for their courtesy and good behaviour.

The opening paragraph of the recent school inspection makes for good reading and this has been a tremendous year for Radley. Academic success continues with a record achievement of over 82% of all A level grades at A/B grade, places or offers for over half of our Oxbridge candidates and four out of every five GCSEs passed at A* or A grade. This success reflects the tremendous work of a talented Common Room from which Peter Boyden retires after 13 years as Head of Religious Studies and Assistant Chaplain, David Corran, Richard Ball, Tom Kiggell and Simon Hearsey all move on to promoted posts, and Rob Holroyd has been appointed Head of Repton with effect from September 2003. The inspectors were effusive in their praise of dons ... in more than four out of every five lessons observed attainment was high, or very high relative to pupils' ability - and the hard work and enthusiasm of the boys. I remain struck by quite how genial, welcoming and outgoing they are and was delighted that this stood out to those who came to judge us. As they wrote:

'Radleians are healthy, fit, well rounded and spiritually aware young men, articulate and responsible, displaying confidence and compassion.'

I stressed the importance of boys leaving Radley 'well rounded' in my letter last year and have no doubt that our decision to take the new AS and A2 exams together in 6:2, rather than clutter 6:1 with yet more exams has eased the pressures on a truly broad education. It has also benefited the results, but our principal goal in taking the decision was to allow Dons to teach their subject in a flexible manner, beyond the utilitarian demands of the examinations. We also wanted to allow boys to pursue the broadest possible range of interests and activities, for it is these passions that will enrich their lives after school.

In addition to good teaching, boys enjoy a wealth of external stimuli. They have been fortunate enough to go on numerous trips both in Britain and abroad (Berlin, Cologne, Belgium, the Normandy Battlefields, Hadrian's Wall, Greece, Arran, Florence and Rome) and many other departmental outings. They have also enjoyed a varied and gifted set of speakers: John Major, Rod Eddington, Mervyn King, Anthony Horowitz, Tom Shakespeare (OR), Lord Strathclyde to name, but a few.

There is an intellectual curiosity in the College which augurs well and the academic societies support the inspiration of Dons in fostering this. James Knight (6.1) had work published in the Biological Sciences Review and the success of two Shell boys, Adam Wolley and Josh Arkell in winning first prize in the Young Electronic Design Award (a project measuring how use of a mobile phone in a car slows reaction) is further evidence of this.

We continue to encourage boys to be outward looking and show a concern for those around them. Links with the Matthew Goniwe School in the townships outside Cape Town are developing and we have maintained our support for Radley Primary School and for the children's club in Romania. Talking to boys about their Community Action Projects, I have been struck by their sensitivity, concern and initiative.

Our actors and musicians have also fostered links outside the College with the cast of Oh What a Lovely War performing to acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe and the Choir and Big Band enjoying a most successful tour of Tuscany. The cultural life of College is strong with some memorable art exhibitions, plays and concerts. The Enigma Variations arranged for over 45 pianists was tremendous and there is a wealth of drama at social and school level. A new theatre will be a huge fillip and the Music Department under a new Precentor, Stephen Clarke, and Anthony Williams as Head of Instrumental Music, will see exciting times.

If there was a disappointment in the Inspectors' report it was the limited coverage of non-academic aspects of Radley life. Games for example were given little attention and yet they remain central to so many boys gaining confidence and happiness. The rugby season saw outstanding success with over three quarters of all matches won and James Lumby gaining England U16 honours; hockey is improving and whilst a very young cricket XI faced mixed fortunes, there was great pleasure in the success of recent ORs, in particular Andrew Strauss' appointment as Captain of Middlesex and Oxford blues for both Jamie and Simon Dalrymple. Other summer sports did very well indeed. The athletics team had a memorable season; the Achilles 4 x 800m relay was won, three school records were broken and four Radleians became county champions. The tennis VI were unbeaten by schools and RCBC, whilst not reaching the dizzy heights of 2001, achieved numerous regatta wins - and two golds and a bronze at National Schools. The Captain of Boats, Sam Parker, gained a silver as part of the Great Britain coxless four in the Junior World Championship, and will join Henry Morris, who rowed for a winning Isis crew, at Magdalen; a very strong J16 crew augurs well for the future.

It is a real pleasure to see breadth of involvement on the sporting front too. Our Junior Colts rackets pair, Alex Hackett and James Jeans, won the Public Schools Championships (Alex having won the Singles), golf, sailing and five teams were successful and badminton players swept the board at the County Championships. Soccer is also flourishing, alongside hockey in the Lent term. Finally two of our beagles enjoyed success: 'Tactic' was Champion Bitch at Ardingly (our first win for over 50 years) and 'Daybreak' won her class at BuilthWells.

This wealth of activity and the success which, happily, goes with it, is what Radley is all about. We live in a very pressurised and often rather unhappy world and as Libby Purves said in her column in The Times,

'This pressurised, transitional generation, more than any other, needs the joys of culture and philosophy and science and understanding, nature and adventure and a knowledge that the sky is wide and horizons illimitable and life a varied joy.'

I couldn't agree more.

Angus McPhail

Back to Top