St Edward's Chronicle Summer 2018

19 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

the year with 568 pupils; we will be starting the next academic year close to 700. There have been many changes and developments in Houses as a result of this growth. Oakthorpe and Mac’s became girls’ houses in 1997. Kendall opened in 2000. Corfe became another girls’ House in the same year, followed by Avenue, which opened in 2004 and Jubilee, in 2013. Our first co-ed House was commissioned last year. The fledgling community for this new House will take up temporary residence in Cooper Lodge in September under the care of HM Fergus Livingstone OSE – and will move to the new House on Field Side once it is complete (see page 4). There is a strong thread of support for the arts running through your Teddies career – tell us more. As I said, I had been involved in the arts as a pupil, so I was pleased to back the initiative to build a really top-notch Art and Design Department in 1988. Even today, the facilities in these Departments are impressive for a school. They have the feel of a proper art college which is inspiring for our pupils. By far and away the most interesting and exciting of the many projects in which I’ve been involved has been The North Wall. The idea came originally from David Christie, and was swiftly taken up by the composer George Fenton, another OSE and a fellow Governor, and me. I found a way to finance the substantial sum required to build the arts centre and persuaded the then Governing Body to invest in it. As with the Esporta arrangement, this was another bold and original idea. The North Wall was to be a school facility and a really impressive arts centre for the wider public. It was never intended to be a ‘school theatre’ in the usual sense of the term. I am incredibly proud that it has surpassed all expectations and ambitions to become a highly-regarded arts centre with a national profile. It won Civic Trust and RIBA Awards, too. The Ogston Music School was another major development in which I was closely involved, particularly with regard to its financing. It has been transformational for the already thriving musical scene at St Edward’s and it is a joy to attend the many concerts and events put on by our pupils and staff in the beautiful Weston Recital Room.

The 1960 unbeaten rugby squad with Mike, as Captain, at the centre of the front row.

What are your ambitions for The North Wall as Chair of its governing trust? The recent appointment of new Co- Directors Ria Parry and John Hoggarth has set the scene for the coming years. They are talented theatre-makers whose combined experience is an asset to the School and to The North Wall. They have already brought new ideas and energy to South Parade and I look forward to continuing to work with them to develop the venue even further. Crucially, they understand and appreciate The North Wall’s relationship with the School – which is important. The building houses the School’s outstanding drama, dance and gallery facilities alongside the public spaces. St Edward’s is the principal sponsor of the artistic programme. The cross-fertilisation of talent and creativity is critical to The North Wall’s mission to educate and to inspire, in School and beyond. Priorities for the immediate future are to further involve St Edward’s pupils in the wide range of opportunities available to them in The North Wall; to extend access for young people from across the city, from as wide a range of schools and youth groups as possible; and to build the exhibition programme so that it matches the theatre in terms of the scope and quality of its work.

Final thoughts? I am pleased to have led the Board through a period of growth and improvement. I’m also pleased to have been involved in the major decision to press ahead with building all three components of the substantial Quad Development at the same time. In doing so, we will dramatically extend academic opportunities for our pupils but will manage things in such a way as to minimise disruption for the whole community. I am grateful to have worked with outstanding individuals – committed, talented and passionate people who care deeply about the School and its future. I have worked hard to increase the number of women on the Board. Lastly, I am grateful that I hand over the reins to such an experienced and qualified Chair. Chris and I share a firm belief in the values I hope are evident in everything that we do: we want our pupils to be happy above all else; we want them to achieve of their very best in all areas of their education; and we want them to do so as active participants in the really vibrant, diverse and academically-broad community that is St Edward’s. It has served us both well, and I know that he and the Board will do all they can to ensure that we continue to offer the same experience to our pupils long into the future.