Dear Parents,

Gaudy was a pyrotechnic climax to an excellent term. We devised the evening as a celebration of a number of distinguished retirees, most notably an outstanding Bursar, Richard Beauchamp. It seems apt that he should be leaving just as the largest and most expensive building project so far in Radley's history, J and K socials, reaches completion on Chestnut Avenue. Buildings all round campus are monuments to Richard Beauchamp's eighteen years here, from Queen's Court and the David Rae Smith Building to the Library, the New Theatre and the Sports Pavilion. Other dons leaving this summer may have fewer physical legacies, but are no less important to the boys they taught down the years; generations of geographers, D Social boys and sailors will remember John Wylie with affection, as will biologists and CCF ORs for Richard Pollard, both dons retiring after 38 years. Charlie Milward has taught Physics, led Amnesty and Christian Forum, coached and refereed for 22 years before retirement. We also say goodbye to much-loved A Social tutor and former Head of History Stephen Rathbone after 18 great years here. Also leaving are Judith Fremont-Barnes, our Head of English, Nick Hamshaw, Patricia Beauchamp, Alex Saunders, Lucy Smart and John Power. We wish them all the best for their next stage. All have given Radley great service.

It is not only to dons that we say goodbye. This year we lose a talented 6.2. a fact forcibly confirmed in this last summer term's cultural events. The exhibition of 6.2 Art examinees' work was very strong, as might have been expected after Arthur Laidlaw's 'Three Generations Show' earlier in the year. Arthur and Henry Franks produced stunning individual shows for the Stoughton Harris Prize Competition in late June. Back at the start of term the 6.2 Theatre Studies group had devised, produced and acted in an unsettling and extremely powerful A level piece 'Pillowman' which stilled enthusiastic audiences each night. In Music, perhaps most of all, this has been a year rich in ability; in Chapel every Monday evening; in Warden's Music, in the Wharton Piano Prize, but most of all in the Leavers' Recitals we have seen variety, panache and thc highest technical accomplishment. We have been blessed for a number of years with a gifted group of pianists, led by Gregory Williams and Jamie Brown, following hard on the heels of Jonnie Williams who left in 2007. Their Leavers' Concerts were exceptional. We have been equally well served by this vintage's singing: Alex Rose, Theo Whitworlh, Rory Stallibrass, Gregory Williams, Alex Easdale have contributed enormously, in solos, Clerkes, Chapel Choir and in the stage musical at Radley and their departure will leave a sizeable hole. Nor should we forget the string playing of Daniel Lumby and Jonathan Lau. It was fitting that in the Leavers' Service a choir led by a large phalanx of these 6.2 musicians sang beautifully, especially in Elgar's 'Give unto the Lord'. Stephen Clarke, our outstanding Precentor, ensured they were on top form to the last.

For 6.2 and for the Vth Form the summer term has been dominated by exams. Both year groups returned at the start of term with a palpable determination to settle down to revision and approach the exams with the necessary due seriousness. It has been a marathon, especially for the Vth Form, with IGCSE's over so early in May; we were probably the on1y school in England that attempted to teach or supervise GCSE candidates in class through to mid-June. It is now established that dons keep on with revision sessions right through the exams, especially for A level candidates; Sunday evening and weekday breakfast sessions are de riguer. After all this, we wish the candidates well for August; fingers crossed. In company with Eton, St Paul's and Winchester we will not be submitting our exam results for publication in August. We have too many concerns about miscarriages of justice in the raw results through inadequate marking; we also have concerns about league Tables compiled using points equivalences worked out by UCAS in an attempt to compare IB with A level candidates, the educational equivalent of comparing apples and pears. We will, of course, let you know results when we know them, and all will be in the public domain in November, by which time appeals will have ensured greater reliability.

I have been forcibly reminded this term of the loyalty and support of Old Radleians who continue to keep in touch with thc school. Large numbers of ORs came back to remember Tony Money at a special Memorial Service in May; equally large numbers of 1950's Radleians returned for a Reunion in June. Both groups clearly remembered the school with great fondness. More recent ORs have been an enormous help, judging our excellent Electronics Competition (Philip Clayton), or helping - alongside generous parents - with the Choices (Careers ) Conference, or playing sport against the boys. These links are greatly valued by the school, and it is heartening to note how strong an endorsement we have from the Old Boys in sending their sons back to be educated here in their turn.

No description of a Radley term could be complete without talking about its Sport. As many as 19 cricket matches have been played on a Saturday, at the same time as RCBC has produced large numbers of VlIIs and the Tennis club as many as 10 Vls. In Cricket at the top of the school the 1st XI had good wins against Stowe, Bradfield, Marlborough, Abingdon, and St Edward's, whilst the 3rd and 4th Xls were especially strong; Mike Hopkins' 4th and 5th Xls also provided players to Radley Village's cricket teams, a nice variation on a theme of links with the community. The real strength of the club has been at Colts where Colts 1 won most of its matches, and Colts 2 were unbeaten and at Midgets, where Midgets 1 especially were formidable and Nick Gubbins achieved the remarkable feat of scoring 5 hundreds. Whilst on notable individual achievements, Charlie Eastwood, for JC2 against Winchester, caught a Wykehamist with the last ball of an over, then proceeded as bowler to dismiss 4 opponents in 4 balls - 5 dismissals in 5 balls is quite a feat; while Albert Lindsell took 8 for 6 for Midgets 1 v Abingdon. There were some excellent results for the Cricket Club as a whole: 11 out of 15 won against Harrow; 14 out os 16 won against Marlborough; 8 out of 9 against St. Edward's and wins in all the matches against Abingdon.

On the river there was succcss at the rescheduled National Schools races for J15.2 (Silver) J14A (Bronze) and 1st VIII (4th). The 1st VIII won at Bedford and there were victories for J16.1 and J15.1 crews at Marlow Town regatta. On the athletics track, in a fine example of front running, Archie Vey broke the long standing school 800m record by 2 seconds with a time of 1:56.6.

Perhaps the sporting event of term has been the opening of the Real Tennis court; boys have already started to benefit from the teaching of a renowned master of the game, our new professional Chris Ronaldson. It has been a dream of many of us at Radley that one day such a court might be built, but none more than Mick Dean who has coached Rackets, Tennis and Real Tennis here for over 30 years. His contribution to the court and that of Council member, Ian Balding, have been tremendous and it is a real pleasure to see this beautiful court already being fully used.

Finally, to the future. In the holidays, trips to Kerala, the Rugby Training Camp in Italy and CCF camp; results for A level come on 14th August and GCSE 21st August. Jon Nash, Director of University Entrance, has asked that you remind your sons to register with UCAS before the start of next term. They have been shown how to do this; the relevant links and password have been sent to them on College e-mail by him. We have found how valuable it is to get on with these applications as quickly as possible and so get early offers.

I mentioned trips, and next year already a number are planned. They are: the Music tour to Paris, Lent Leave Away 2009; Spanish trip to Barcelona, Easter 2009; Classics trip to Sicily, March 2009; a provisional plan for a Hockey tour of South Africa in the Summer; 6.1 French trip to Paris in December; a very provisional combined History/German trip for Vth formers in Easter 2009; a 1st XI Football pre-season training to Barcelona; a 6th Form Economics and Business trip (very provisional) to India Easter 2009. If you are interested please do get in touch with the Head of Department or Head of Sport concerned, who can explain for whom the trip, or tour, is designed.

I Iook forward to September and as with each new school year there is great optimism and a sense of a fresh beginning. We have a large number of new Common Room members. Mr Andrew Ashton succeeds Richard Beauchamp as Bursar and the following join the academic staff:

Dr Andrew Cunningham (English)
Mrs Caroline de Bono (Modem Languages)
Dr Stephen Giddens (Biology)
Mr Tony Jackson (History)
Dr Gareth Hughes (Geography)
Mr Tim Lawson (Politics)
Mr Christopher Lee (Maths)
Dr Dan Palmer (Physics)
Mr Charles Scott-Malden (Learning Support/Englisll)
Mr Andrew Shouler (English)
Dr Patrick Wallace (Maths)

The opening of the two new Socials, a large and evidently talented new Shell year group, the official opening of the Real Tennis Court on October 12th, some distinguished 6.2 lecturers and another Rob Lowe College play, Richard III, all promise to make next Michaelmas Term a most enjoyable one.