A Word from the Headmaster

As the Headmaster of an institution that is steeped in 200 years of history and heritage, I am most aware that sometimes one needs to look back in order to prepare for the future. This is why I enjoy meeting with and hearing from our wide network of Old Reedonians; it is through sharing your stories, memories, anecdotes and words of wisdom, that I am able to bring to life the ‘Reed’s character’.

I know that it is this Reed’s character and ethos that makes the School so unique and one that is very much shaped by the legacy of Andrew Reed and the Foundation. It is our job today to make sure that this remains the case, not only in the past, but in the present and for years to come.

To this end, we have developed six key aims for the School which I will use as a framework to share a review of the academic year with you. As you read through, I am sure you will see that our Old Reedonians are very integral to School life and I am grateful for the wonderful support you continue to give in so many ways.

Please accept my sincere thanks again for all your support of Reed’s School and I hope you enjoy this year’s edition of the Reeder and the wealth of articles in it. I also hope it inspires you to come and visit soon.

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Promote Academic Excellence

I am delighted that we moved up the various league tables again this year with excellent examination results at both GCSE and A Level, but am also aware such measures do not always reflect the wider educational benefits on offer. I believe this resonates with both our current and prospective parents, as applications continue to rise.

I am also proud that we are an inclusive school that focuses on academic excellence as last year’s leavers demonstrated: 90% of the 125 pupils achieved their first or second choice university, 70% of these to Russell Group universities with four to Oxbridge and others gaining places at top US and European universities, Art Colleges and RADA. Our aim is to ensure our pupils learn how to learn and learn how to think by promoting a lifelong intellectual curiosity. This takes place right through the School: by teaching chess to all the First Form; by introducing FutureTech lessons to all Second Form; by requiring all Third Form pupils to write a dissertation for their Nissen Bridgeman project; by introducing mindfulness lessons in the Fourth Form; by developing a ‘tougher minds’ programme in the Fifth Form and by offering the extended project qualification in the Sixth Form. We believe such a dynamic approach is vital and are always looking for ways to enable our pupils to be creative and independent.

I am proud of our pupils’ efforts and their achievements. Likewise I am proud to lead a school where the skill, enthusiasm and dedication to their craft of our staff is exceptional.

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Continue to build on the legacy of Andrew Reed

Schools last two hundred years because they evolve, not because they change the fundamentals; Andrew Reed’s legacy continues to shape our ethos in so many ways.

Right up to the late 1950s, almost all the pupils at Reed’s were orphans or from single parent families and came from all over the country. It is illuminating to speak with ORs of this generation about their experiences and life achievements. Today Reed’s is mostly a day school, with our pupils mainly coming from the local area: however, between 10% and 15% of our pupils are Foundation scholars and so his legacy continues in a real way.

Importantly, the values he exemplified to us, as someone who was very much ahead of his time with respect to social mobility, the power of education and human rights, remain very much at the centre of our consciousness.

Even our wonderful new indoor cricket centre has its genesis in the Foundation. The seed capital for that project was donated to us by a former Foundation scholar. His vision, and that of a current parent who also made a significant contribution to the project, was to provide a facility that all the pupils would benefit from and, when it is not being used by School, could be rented out to third parties and the wider community, with the funds being ploughed back into the Foundation to support pupils.

Find the best in every pupil

All children have a unique blend of talents and interests; it is our job to unlock these attributes.

In Drama this year we have had four superb, large-scale productions where the numbers taking part are ever-increasing. Similarly in Music, the autumn and spring concerts were of the usual high standard and were supplemented by other wonderful performances such as the Kraftwerk concert by the Third Form and the Steinway Hall concert.

In Sport, as in Drama and Music, our pupils have excelled. We have put out more teams in the major sports of rugby, hockey, netball and cricket than ever before and there are also numerous individual successes with representation at national and county level. Reed’s School was Surrey Champions in boys’ hockey at U13, U14, U16 and U18 – a remarkable achievement; given that we are considerably smaller school than our competitors.

Our U16s reached the Hockey National finals at the Olympic Park, our Rugby 7s team reached the National Quarter finals and our girls’ hockey team narrowly missed out losing in the semi-finals. They did, however, play at the Cambridge v Oxford varsity match where OR Naomi Kelly (Mullens 2015) captained Oxford to a 4-0 win.

The number of pupils undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh awards and taking part in Toastmasters continues to grow, the CCF continues to thrive with an impressive Corps of Drums, as does the rich and varied activities programme that we provide for all our pupils.

Create a community for life

Our desire is to create a community that lasts a lifetime certainly seems evident when I meet ORs. For example, it was wonderful that at Reunion Day this year, we had ORs representing each decade with a few from 1947 who were celebrating 70 years since being at School.

You will go on to read about the various School events that have involved Old Reedonians throughout the academic year. What is so positive is that there is no sense of struggling to get volunteers for such occasions, as our ORs are always happy to give back in whatever way they can. This sets a great example to our pupils as to how Reed’s will never really leave them!

The timeless Charity House Arts Reviews perfectly illustrates the nature of the Reed’s community within School as it continues to be organised by the pupils themselves, showcasing their talents and creativity with a real sense of purpose in raising money for their chosen House charity.

We are also lucky to have a dynamic parent body who, through the auspices of FORS (Friends of Reed’s) and ParentLink, bring us together as a community through the Christmas Fair, quiz night, comedy night and summer parties.

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Provide a nurturing environment where all pupils can flourish

Success is only possible if pupils feel they are in an environment where they can flourish and this is what we aspire to create.

Whether it is through our 360 degree pastoral system, the student mentoring scheme – where our trained Sixth Form students support younger pupils – or through the house system where staff and pupils unite as a team to compete against the other houses in everything from tug-of-war to badminton, it is that feeling of togetherness, community and mutual support which is so important.

If we can nurture curiosity and independence, nourish responsibility and produce compassionate young adults full of integrity, we will have succeeded in this aim.

Prepare pupils for the future

Our final aim is to prepare our pupils for the future. In many ways everything we do at Reed’s seeks to achieve this.

This year we see our largest ever Sixth Form leaving to become our newest Old Reedonians. When I look at their university courses and destinations, they are very impressive and demonstrate that we are certainly not producing homogenous clones.

In contemplating what advice to pass onto our leavers, I was struck by the words of OR Major Mike Foster Van der Elst (Mullens 2001) of the Rifles Regiment who spoke brilliantly at our CCF Regimental Dinner in early June. Although he left in 2001, Mike remains connected with Reed’s and I thought I would relay to you some reflections from his inspiring address by way of a gentle reminder of what it means to be an Old Reedonian:

“You may find yourselves for the first time now looking beyond the horizon of Reed’s, preparing to start a career or go to university, and wondering if you are ready. You absolutely are. This School has given you everything you need to do well in anything you choose to do.

“To steal a line from Kipling, something that defines you as Reedonians is that you can ‘walk with kings but keep the common touch’ and ‘keep your heads when all about you are losing theirs’. So Reed’s has given you a personal code, although you might not have realised it yet. Whatever you decide to do in life, hold on to that, earn the great privilege you have enjoyed by being in this School by giving back to society and you will have a fulfilling career.”

In my first few days, I was welcomed not just as part of my new form, or my year but as part of the Reed’s family, my life was certainly changed for the better. It was at this point that Reed’s demonstrated in my opinion its greatest strength, its ability to provide a sense of community and pride in its core values, among which lie a strong emphasis on compassion and respect for others, the type of qualities which has the power to change people’s lives.