A word from The Headmaster and Rossall in Asia

Jeremy Quartermain discusses Rossall in Asia

One of the great pleasures of this year has been provided by the opportunity to meet so many Old Rossallians, both here in the UK and Overseas.

You are a dynamic and friendly community and one which is distinguished by an enduring commitment and an abiding generosity towards the School that, for many of you, will always be home from home. It has been my great fortune to become the seventeenth headmaster of Rossall during a period when a growing number of Old Rossallians are taking a keen interest in the development of the School. Neither the new Performing Arts Centre nor the new Sports Centre would have been possible without the extraordinary generosity of so many Old Rossallians and, words cannot express our gratitude. I would also like to express my very real appreciation of Graeme Marrs who has worked so tirelessly to develop the OR Club. He has a remarkable ability to connect with ORs of all generations and his generosity of spirit is the stuff of legends.

You will know that Rossall is firmly in the ascendant. The real ambition articulated in the School Development Plan (2019-2024) is complemented by an intense focus upon all aspects of teaching and learning within School. An increasing number of UK families are choosing Rossall and, as our latest ISI inspection report testifies, they have very good reason to do so. It has been a year of profound change here at Rossall but I believe that the school is now well positioned to excel in every regard.

Whilst this year our strategic gaze has been firmly focused upon the future, it has been a year during which we have also reflected upon our illustrious history. We were absolutely delighted to welcome so many of you back to Rossall for events held in celebration of our 175th anniversary. In November, on the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice, we remembered those two hundred and ninety-eight Old Rossallians who died during the First World War. At Rossall the past is never truly past and Old Rossallians remain at the very heart of our collective school life. For me, this is beautifully exemplified by the dinner which Spread Eagle holds every year to celebrate the life of Florian Pöttinger (Spread Eagle 07-10). Florian died tragically young and each year a cup is awarded in his honour to the boy within the house who best exemplifies Florian’s courageous and friendly spirit. This year I am delighted that Florian’s parents were with us to present the cup. Listening to Florian’s parents reflect upon what Rossall has meant to them was profoundly moving, utterly compelling and simply inspiring.

Our best ambassadors are our current pupils and Old Rossallians and we invite all of you to take every opportunity to stay connected and an important aspect of our future success. Please do visit us during the forthcoming academic year and we hope that you will feel the excitement and joy that we experience daily as the school goes from strength to strength. In the meantime, thank you for your continued support, generosity and enduring fellowship.

Floreat Rossallia!

In February I departed Rossall for a fleeting visit to Bangkok and Hong Kong. It was an extraordinary privilege to spend time with Rossall’s many friends in this part of the world. It was all too brief a visit with less than 48 hours spent in Bangkok and just over 24 hours spent in Hong Kong.

Rossall’s long standing association with South East Asia dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. The British soldier, mercenary, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator Frederick Lugard (1858-1945) attended Rossall School in the 1870s before going on to become the Governor of Hong Kong (1907-1912). The historian Rory O’Grady