2013 July Floreat Redingensis, Reading School Magazine
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Mr Robson reflects on his first year as Headmaster A review of the academic year 2012-2013 enables us as The flourishing House a whole community to reflect on the myriad system, involving friendly achievements of Reading School boys and staff. On a competition between boys, personal level it also provides an opportunity to shows the Reading School consider the experience of my first year as Headmaster ethos at its best. In addition, boarding is an integral part of Reading School – it has been very busy and of Reading School and boarders have excelled enjoyable! I have particularly welcomed the throughout the academic year. The superb boarders’ opportunity to meet parents and pupils at different barbecue in June symbolised for me the importance of events celebrating success. the ‘boarding family’ which is at the heart of Reading School. We also celebrate participation. We celebrate excellence. We develop personalities not only in sport Looking to the future, we will respect tradition but also but in a range of activities that enrich lives. The remain open to innovation and improvement so that we Triathlon Club led by Mr Teixeira and Mr Bywater goes are able to face the challenges of the 21st century. We from strength to strength as does Public Speaking as want to sustain excellence and enhance provision, with illustrated by our participation in the World Science and Sport as an initial priority, so that our boys Championships in Durban, South Africa. Learning takes have the facilities that their unique talents deserve. We place in the classroom but is not confined to it, as will strive to promote successful and varied approaches demonstrated by the CCF, exchanges, Geography to teaching and learning, but with this a practical fieldwork and international visits. philosophy which recognises the spiritual, moral, social and cultural dimensions of education as well as the Without the professionalism of our staff the boys would academic. not be able to achieve so much. We are committed to sharing best practice and encouraging collaboration This Annual Review provides clear evidence of the high locally, nationally and internationally through quality of education, in its broadest sense, at Reading partnerships with other schools and universities. We School. Reading School boys participate, compete, also seek to maintain an attitude which celebrates create and innovate. The range and depth of the entries integrity, fairness and personal responsibility, including illustrate the fact that our drive is for Excellence, the development of leadership at all levels. Pupil Integrity and Leadership. I take heart from the changes leadership is especially important. The School Captain already wrought and the path we have together and Vice-Captain 2012-2013, Matthew Greaves and Dan embarked upon. I look forward to a bright future and Brock, have been excellent ambassadors and I fully feel I can claim with some justification that the best is expect the incoming prefect team led by Domenico yet to come. Cullura and Christopher Mountain to be outstanding role models. Is 1125 definitely the date the school was founded? The exact date this document was written is unclear. Well, actually the School may have been in existence The aforesaid Bishop died on 4th December 1139, so it from the date of the founding of the second Abbey in must have been written some time before that. Reading. This second Abbey was founded in 1121 by So the Bishop of Salisbury was in charge? Henry I. However, 1125 is generally accepted to be the date of the School’s foundation. Certainly in its early history the School’s purse strings were held by the church. Henry VIII transferred the right to appoint the Master of Reading School to the Surely, there is something written down to record the burgesses of Reading in 1546. His daughter Elizabeth I founding of the school? granted the School a Royal Charter in 1560 and it was ‘De Scolis de Redyng’ is the oldest surviving School from this point that the School began to take the shape Charter. It was written by Roger, Bishop of Salisbury. that we recognise today. Fran Smith, Senior Tutor of Year 13 walks us through a typical ‘UCAS year’. Mr Robson reflects on his first year as Headmaster It’s a mad process, this editing lark. You start off with 48 blank A review of the academic year 2012-2013 enables us as The flourishing House pages to cover, devise a whole community to reflect on the myriad system, involving friendly Mr T Harris, Head of Sixth Form Comments on a plan then start achievements of Reading School boys and staff. On a competition between boys, latest proposals. gently cajoling hard- personal level it also provides an opportunity to shows the Reading School pressed colleagues for consider the experience of my first year as Headmaster ethos at its best. In addition, boarding is an integral part contributions. Some of Reading School – it has been very busy and of Reading School and boarders have excelled arrive almost instantly enjoyable! I have particularly welcomed the throughout the academic year. The superb boarders’ Matt Greaves and Domenico Cullura on opportunity to meet parents and pupils at different barbecue in June symbolised for me the importance of Captaincy. (get them out of the events celebrating success. the ‘boarding family’ which is at the heart of Reading way, right?); most School. trickle through in dribs and drabs. Eventually you take stock of what you have and suddenly realise We also celebrate participation. We celebrate Comments on the first year at Reading School. excellence. We develop personalities not only in sport Looking to the future, we will respect tradition but also that, far from not having sufficient content, there but in a range of activities that enrich lives. The remain open to innovation and improvement so that we is enough to fill about two magazines, so painful Triathlon Club led by Mr Teixeira and Mr Bywater goes are able to face the challenges of the 21st century. We but necessary surgery begins: trimming, from strength to strength as does Public Speaking as want to sustain excellence and enhance provision, with condensing, shifting about - all the while illustrated by our participation in the World Science and Sport as an initial priority, so that our boys attempting to remain true to the content and Championships in Durban, South Africa. Learning takes have the facilities that their unique talents deserve. We International Visits, Exchanges and a little spirit of the original. place in the classroom but is not confined to it, as will strive to promote successful and varied approaches Geography. I believe the end result is a fair reflection (if not a demonstrated by the CCF, exchanges, Geography to teaching and learning, but with this a practical comprehensive record) of the nature and range of fieldwork and international visits. philosophy which recognises the spiritual, moral, social activities which have occupied some of our time and cultural dimensions of education as well as the An interview with Mr Ian Judd. this year. I have deliberately included Without the professionalism of our staff the boys would academic. contributions from students as well as staff and not be able to achieve so much. We are committed to other adults who contribute to School life; sharing best practice and encouraging collaboration This Annual Review provides clear evidence of the high feature-type articles as well as news and reviews; locally, nationally and internationally through quality of education, in its broadest sense, at Reading Mr Teixeira in a very busy day. pieces which look to the future (see Technology) partnerships with other schools and universities. We School. Reading School boys participate, compete, and which look back further than the space of a also seek to maintain an attitude which celebrates create and innovate. The range and depth of the entries year (see the interview with Mr Judd). integrity, fairness and personal responsibility, including illustrate the fact that our drive is for Excellence, the development of leadership at all levels. Pupil Integrity and Leadership. I take heart from the changes We went with a global theme this issue to reflect leadership is especially important. The School Captain already wrought and the path we have together our mission and the growing perspective of our and Vice-Captain 2012-2013, Matthew Greaves and Dan embarked upon. I look forward to a bright future and boys and teachers. Future issues, I think, will Brock, have been excellent ambassadors and I fully feel I can claim with some justification that the best is operate according to a different publication cycle: expect the incoming prefect team led by Domenico yet to come. there is so much happening at this time of year Cullura and Christopher Mountain to be outstanding that could not be included, and waiting until role models. summer 2014 is too long an interim. There is also talk of a broader editorial board being constituted where a range of interested parties will have a say in the design and content: so there will definitely be more ‘Floreats’ in the future – but watch this space for developments! Is 1125 definitely the date the school was founded? The exact date this document was written is unclear. I cannot praise Frances Greaney and Caroline The aforesaid Bishop died on 4th December 1139, so it Well, actually the School may have been in existence Hoyle highly enough for their professional and must have been written some time before that. from the date of the founding of the second Abbey in patient work in putting together what you are Reading. This second Abbey was founded in 1121 by So the Bishop of Salisbury was in charge? now looking at.