News » Headmaster's Blog
Headmaster’s Challenge
Friday 20th January 2012The boys were given this challenge by the Headmaster this morning in assembly. They are hunting him down with the answer as you are reading this!
Headmaster’s Challenge
Three men go into a restaurant and have a meal that costs £25.
Each man gives the waiter £10, making a total of £30.
The waiter returns with £5 he takes £2 for himself, as a tip, and gives each man £1… read more
Aldwickbury Friends Association
Wednesday 18th January 2012At Aldwickbury we are delighted to be forming an association for parents called Aldwickbury Friends Association (AFA). This is an idea that has been in our thinking for some time. I am thrilled that these plans are finally coming to fruition. I am grateful for the support and hard work of the parents that we invited to help get this project off the ground.
As the Headmaster I have always been aware… read more
Happy New Year
Monday 16th January 2012Happy New Year to you all.
The calm start to the term was interrupted on Wednesday with a burst pipe above the changing room ceiling. The boys in Year 3 who were showering were getting wet, but so were the ones outside of the showers who were changing! The response of the boys and the staff was tremendous, the boys reacted sensibly and adapted to the changes for the rest of the afternoon.… read more
A Busy Week
Friday 25th November 2011Thank you all our parents for their support at our annual Bazaar. As ever it was a huge success; the warm and welcoming atmosphere showed the sense of community that exists at Aldwickbury. A special thank you to all who were involved in the running of the stalls, working behind the scenes or helping in any way. I would like to single out the boys in Year 8 for particular praise. They did a super… read more
Rememberance Day
Friday 11th November 2011Remembrance Services
Today we were able to mark a significant day in history by holding a brief Remembrance Service at 11.00am. It is important that we ensure that the boys at Aldwickbury understand the importance of the day and the Act of Remembrance; with the emphasis on the forgiving but not forgetting. I would like to congratulate all of the boys in Years 3 to 8 on the manner in which they took part, but… read more
From the Headmaster
Friday 4th November 2011The boys and staff seemed to have benefited from the Half Term break; they appear refreshed and full of energy! I also know that the boys in Year 8 have used their break well and have done some sensible revision in preparation for their mock exams next week.
I hope that the parents, boys and various friends of the school will enjoy reading the latest edition of the school magazine that has been sent out… read more
Examinations and Entry Test Preparation Explained
Friday 23rd September 2011Senior School Examinations
In the coming weeks I have appointments with many parents, mainly in the middle part of the school, to discuss future schools. This is such an important part of the educational process and I enjoy guiding parents to look at the schools which will suit their sons.
In the coming months, many boys in Year 8, will be facing important examinations, as they look to secure their places in the senior school of their… read more
The New Term
Friday 9th September 2011The summer holidays already seem a long time ago and the weather has certainly made it feel like the autumn term. The boys have settled very well into the familiar routines of Aldwickbury which has ensured a smooth beginning of year. I am also delighted to report that our new boys have made an excellent start to their Aldwickbury careers – I hope that they continue to enjoy being part of the school community. The… read more
St Albans Entrance Examinations
Tuesday 12th July 2011St Albans 12+ Results
Congratulations to the Year 7 boys who took the St Albans 12+ entrance examinations earlier in the term.
I was delighted by the results and that so many of our boys did very well. The competition this year was very high and so it was gratifying to see so many of our boys performing at such a high level. This followed on from our success earlier in the term with excellent… read more
ISI Interim Inspection Report
Friday 13th May 2011One of the most significant events in the second half of last term was the ISI inspection on 21 and 22 March.
The report is now complete and can be accessed on our website, by clicking on the About Aldwickbury tab then go to the Inspection Report page.
This was an interim inspection consisting of a two day visit to the school. Much of the report is based on the regulatory framework and you will… read more
Aldwickbury Looks to the Future and it's Good!
Friday 4th March 2011I am writing with some really good news which underlines the strength of Aldwickbury School at the moment.
As some of you will already know, our places for new pupils this September have been heavily oversubscribed, and we cannot currently meet the demand for entry into both Reception and Year 4. This is a wonderful position to be in, given the general economic climate which is seeing a number of other prep schools suffering from… read more
Help and Support in Evidence.
Friday 17th December 2010
Historical Drama
Wednesday 8th December 2010Our play this year was The Ballad of Salomon Pavey – it was a resounding triumph enjoyed by all who had the pleasure of seeing the performances!
As I was preparing my thank you speech for the last night, I was aware that the boys in Year 8 had heard it all many times before. I was also aware that the boys on stage could probably have done a better job of the traditional… read more
Aldwickbury is made of sterner stuff!
Saturday 4th December 2010Another entertaining week draws to a close, as the snow and cold weather tried to disrupt the
smooth running of the school. Aldwickbury is made of sterner stuff and we were not to be
thwarted! The school has run as normal, with the car park being safe and clear, thanks again
to the grounds team and the gappers who were up early on Tuesday morning.
As always the last two weeks of the Christmas term… read more
League Tables – the whole story?
Tuesday 23rd November 2010
As ever, during the Christmas term, league tables for schools are created by the national papers. Sunday 14th November saw the publication of the Sunday Times Parent Power supplement. The headlines implied that their league tables provide the essential information that parents need in order to select the best school for their child. The newspaper further implied that schools not wishing to be in the tables have something to hide. Vital knowledge to help… read more
A Bazaar but successful couple of weeks…..
Friday 19th November 2010
A Bazaar but successful couple of weeks…..
The last few weeks have been incredibly busy and I have been delighted to watch so many successful events. I frequently talk about the diversity of this school and the commitment of both staff and pupils, the truth of this has been very much in evidence recently.
Our School Bazaar was, as always, a great occasion and the way in which the whole… read more
Extraordinary School for Boys
Friday 10th September 2010Extraordinary School for Boys: helping boys to love literacy.
Watching Gareth Malone’s documentary on BBC 2 last night work with a group of boys from a state primary school was fascinating for someone who has worked for twenty five years in extraordinary schools for boys. It confirmed a long held opinion that for boys up to the age of 13 being free from the stiff competition girls provide enables boys to develop at their… read more
CE results
Saturday 19th June 2010Common Entrance results day is always one of my favourite days of the year. It is a privilege
to give the boys their CE results as it marks the culmination of a lot of hard work, indeed it is
something of a rite of passage. This year was no exception. The candidates of 2010 have covered themselves in glory – all of them passed!
The statistics are impressive:
· 38% of papers taken were passed… read more
Tuesday 15 June
Wednesday 16th June 2010Tuesday 15 June 2010
Within 11 hours at Aldwickbury
- The Reception classes went to Wobourn Safari Park
- The School choir attended the R.S.C.M. Young Voices Festival at Eton joined by the parents for a picnic beforehand in a park at Windsor
- We welcomed a new housemaster from The Leys School, Cambridge who came to meet one of our Year 8 leavers who will be… read more
It’s a long way to Mars……
Wednesday 19th May 2010As a Headmaster there are plenty of things that are not so rewarding about the job– endless paperwork, hundreds of emails, latest government initiatives to read, disciplinary matters and so the list goes on. However, I am fortunate because other aspects of my role at Aldwickbury fill me with tremendous enjoyment! The other day a group of Year 3 boys were sent to me so that I could read their stories about travelling… read more
David and Goliath
Monday 3rd May 2010We all know the story of David and Goliath and it is one that is often told in schools as it contains so many lessons for young boys to learn from. I was reminded of this during the week when our 1st XI beat Bedford Modern in the first round of the JET cup, a national under 13 competition for independent schools. It was an excellent result and an exciting game of cricket; I congratulate… read more
An explosive start to the term…..
Monday 19th April 2010
Term will start with a few boys staying on holiday, apparently unable to get back because of the closure of air space! We also have a few staff that have been forced to extend their holidays. However, the rest of us are looking forward to starting the Summer Term with a bang!
Whilst for some the problems caused by the erupting volcano in Iceland has been a real worry, for the Common Entrance… read more
A World First for Aldwickbury Prep School
Saturday 17th April 2010A World First for Aldwickbury Prep School
It is with some fear and trepidation that I write my first blog as Headmaster of Aldwickbury Prep School. I have tried googling “my first ever blog” and this gave some ideas, but did not calm my nerves, as it reiterated just how important this form of communication is in this technologically based world.
I watched with sadness as one of the… read more
