From the Housemaster

M D B Johnson, BA, PGCE.
Telephone:01743 280670
Email: / / OLDHAM’S HALL
THE SCHOOLS
SHREWSBURY
SY3 7AX

Summer Term 2011

12th July 2011

Dear Parents,

Rather predictably it lashed it down on Speech Day and of course while I write now… the sun is shining. Well done all those parents who braved the elements and very ‘Britishly’ set up their pic-nics under any shelter available. Some were parents of leavers and I should like to start by recognising their boys.

As I mentioned last year, the friendship and fellowship that is built over five years (or two in some cases) is a large part of boarding education which cannot appear in league tables but is a large part of that which makes a public school education so highly prized. I was reminded by Mr. Tonks address at the Leavers’ Service of our aim and every Salopian’s aspiration to behave and leave with confidence but never arrogance. This is salient both for our leavers of 2011 and all those current Salopians still enjoying life in Oldham’s. This year we have leavers applying for courses at Newcastle, Imperial, Warwick, Bristol, Exeter and Cirencester to name a few. Many of them are School Prize winners. I am grateful to the Upper Sixth for their part in undertaking the daily duties essential for the House to function, and especially to Harry Robertson as Head of House.

The rain again dogged our ‘Bumps Supper’ last Wednesday which, like Speech Day Drinks, was held in the Boys’ Hall. As well as announcements regarding the award of House Colours to certain individuals, I was able to publicise the appointment of Senior House Officers for Michaelmas Term 2011. All boys were asked to email me if they had particular thoughts on House Officer appointments and many did. Dominic Gibbons was a popular appointment as Praepostor earlier this term. Freddie Fullerton and Gus Haynes will be joint Heads of House next year and Joe Hunter and Christian Randall will be their Deputies, with Jonathan Wood appointed Senior Monitor. This team of six is larger than usual but in a year group of fifteen I am satisfied this will work well. Each individual appointed has his clear strengths and as I enter my third year in the House, I hope to delegate a little more than I have to date. The Lower Sixth boys have picked up House Duties this term and virtually all have raised their game making it easy to make Monitor appointments for next year.

Earlier this term, we welcomed 300 Old Oldhamites, their parents and children, and many past Housemasters, Tutors and Matrons back to celebrate 100 years of Oldham’s Hall. After Chapel our new Headmaster, Mark Turner, welcomed all guests who then enjoyed lunch in a marquee on Top Common. Jeremy Goulding returned as a past Oldham’s Housemaster and, of course, Shrewsbury Headmaster to give a fantastically written and perfectly delivered speech after lunch. The whole day was a great success due in great part to the willingness of current Oldhamites to chat to many old boys and provide House tours, and also due to the support of many current parents.

Now to summer sport. Oldham’s enjoyed reasonably short runs in both the U15 and 1st House cricket competitions but our A Leagues cricket team had a little more success with one very notable win over The Grove… who then promptly knocked us out of U15 House. So to House tennis, an area of considerable success for Oldham’s in the recent past. With Aubrey Higgin, Captain of Tennis, paired with Michael Cheung our hot new 4th Form import, wehoped with some justification to retain our House Tennis Trophy. Perhaps we ‘expected’ to win a little too much because it simply did not happen on the day and we lost to a decent Rigg’s IV. The Juniors struggled too. I am not sure what went wrong this year as we have the players and thankfully will have most of them next year once again.

Towards the end of term, RJJ (Richard Johnson) ran the House Triathlon event once again with competitions at Senior and Junior levels. Our Junior team (Matt Brindley, Charlie Clarke, Jake Samuel) acquitted themselves well to finish around the middle of the order. The Seniors (Ho-Yin Lui, Christian Randall, James Steele) found the going tough after Ho-Yin exited the pool well down on others after returning to the pool from a lengthy injury. As ever, I was very pleased indeed simply to see boys putting in the effort for their House; their finishing position less important than their desire to compete. I wrote last year that PJM (Peter Middleton) might have something in store by way of a House athletics event this year. Well, the Sydney-Darwin Dash and Quarter Mile around Central were introduced this year and will no doubt become classics. Our one finalist was James Steele in the sprint and that, coming from a Fifth Former with no recent training, is seriously promising for the future.

As ever, ‘Bumps’ took place on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during the last week of term. You may remember last year’s letter in which I heaped due gratitude on JMS (Jason Stanley)for his outstanding work with the Bumps I, II and III crews. JMS set to work again this year with a clearly drawn up training regime and superb support from senior rowers Chris Randall and Harry Robertson. After some success last year, it was great to see boys keen to give it a go for Oldham’s. In 12 races, Oldham’s bumped 8 boats, rowed over twice (neither bumped nor bumping) and experienced just two bumps from other boats in Division 3. Of special note is our B1 crew (Eardley, Kimpton-Smith, Robertson, Randall, Clarke) who bumped in all four of their races to finish 4th in Division 1, thus giving next year’s crew a shot at Head of the River. Chickens should certainly not be counted though with the Cassidy Scholar, a remarkable oarsman, joining Oldham’s L6th in September, we may be looking for something special in 2012. B2 and B3 played their parts too. Special mention should be made of the B2 crew (Fullerton, Haynes, Duffield, Greig O, Adoniev) for their quite superb commitment as largely inexperienced oarsmen. This year Oldham’s finished on 30 points, equal with Ridgemount and with the two joint winners just ahead on 32. As a result we were awardedBumps silverware for the first time in many years. B1 and B2 were awarded First House Colours and Oldham’s owes a debt of gratitude to JMS for his coaching and organisation.

To drama now and we hope Gus Haynes ‘breaks a leg’ in Shrewsbury’s latest production to hit the Edinburgh Fringe – Moore & Fanning’s musical ‘What You Will’ – and that James Brown keeps the technical side on track. Congratulations go to Gus again and to Freddie Fullerton and Dan Adoniev who have parts in next term’s School Play. Many of you will have heard Gus’ voice and Freddie’s saxophone at the Centenary Chapel Service. We have many musicians in the House and I am unable to mention all but would like to note Derek Law’s huge commitment to percussion in the School Orchestra.

I would like to thank our dedicated team of Tutors at the end of this academic year. Many Tutors offer regular trips out to tutees and I hope to publish a ‘House Fasti’ of events later this summer or at the start of term. There is just one change once again this year to our team as Jason Stanley takes up a post at King’s College School, Wimbledon teaching Geography. Jason is a real rarity these days; a young man with a superb work ethic and a strong sense of team. His work as a Tutor in Oldham’s to 3rd and 4th Form boys has been superb and he has earned the respect of pupils and staff alike. He will be very much missed, not least at Bumps time. Jason will be replaced by Mr. Mark Schofield who joins us from Rossall School where he was Head of Science. Mark has a young family, is an able sports coach and a very keen golfer.

Ellie Phillips has completed her first year in the House and together with Penny Oak the boys and I are very fortunate to have a quite outstanding Matron team. Both ladies are fully dedicated to their role and frequently give far more in terms of care and time than their contracted hours dictate. They oversee a tight team of staff too who keep the House in daily good shape for your sons. Thanks to Sue, Gill, Colin and Gill from me on behalf of the boys.

All exams, internal and external have now passed and I wish success to all examinees. Particular congratulations to Alex Walker on the award of a 4th Form Examination Prize. We naturally wish the very best to those awaiting A2, AS and GCSE exam results in August. Results will be available from the School Office as normal on 01743 280527. I shall be in Cornwall on both GCSE and A level results days but available via email. For 5th and L6th Form boys there is unlikely to be any need to react urgently to results. U6th boys may be keen to receive their results as early as possible on August 18th if seeking a place via clearing is likely to be an option, and all details on collecting results have been sent out in a letter to the parents of leavers.

This time last year Holly was six months pregnant. Lizzie is now 8 months old,has cut her first tooth and is starting to ‘show off’. She has made it a very special year. We are very fortunate indeed to have a remarkably placid daughter, for now anyway. I thank Holly for her care of our boys on their birthdays (lots of brownie baking) and at other times throughout the year.

With very best wishes to all for the summer,

Matron’s Business

Please return with all items, including shoes and personal effects named. Ideally use name tapes but failing that a black felt tip inside the garment will suffice. Towels seem particularly to disappear and should be clearly named. Sports items should be named on the exterior of the garment. This ought to help prevent the ‘borrowing’ that seems to go on.

A call to all boys to return with pictures and posters for their notice boards. We are keen to have boys decorate their rooms rather more. Boys are aware of what is deemed appropriate and what is not. If in doubt – show MDBJ first!

Please hand in any medication at the start of term directly to Matron with any specific instructions.

Matron’s landline number is 01743 280672 and duty mobile is 07967 161912 and she is happy to be contacted at any time. Email Ellie via and .

Dates for the Diary

Saturday 3rd September(2.30pm)Term starts for L6th Form

(9.00pm)Term starts for 4th, 5th, U6th Forms

Sunday 4th September(4.30pm)New 3rd Form arrive

Friday 30th September(1.30pm)Extended Coach Weekend

to Sunday 2nd October(9.00pm)

Wednesday 19th October(7.30pm)House Singing Competition

Thursday 20th October (9.00am)Exeat starts

to Sunday 30th October(9.00pm)Exeat ends

Friday 18th November(1.30pm)Extended Coach Weekend

to Sunday 20th November(9.00pm)

Saturday 10th December(10.00am)Term Ends