BURSAR’S BULLETIN Issue 28
Lent Term 2026
I am delighted to be introducing my first Bursar’s Bulletin and would like to thank all those members of staff who have contributed to this edition. It has been a pleasure meeting so many of you since I joined in October and I plan to continue making my way around the College this term. A highlight of my time here so far was seeing the community’s festive spirit on full display in December on Christmas Jumper Day, when we raised £1,737 for our charity partner Oxfordshire Youth’s Young People’s Supported Accommodation programme. I hope you’ll be able to take some time to read this issue. We would love to hear your suggestions for future editions – simply email Anna: AMTH.Haynes@radley.org.uk. Best wishes for the term ahead,
Jonathan Bochenski
Warden’s Terms: Radley’s New Craft Lager Radley launched its own craft lager before Christmas to a loud chorus of ‘cheers!’ from boys and staff alike. John Sparks, Director of Partnerships, tell us more about how the idea brewed ... Oxford’s TAP Social Movement is a fully independent social enterprise, craft brewery, bakery, and hospitality organisation. They specialise in providing training and employment for people in prison and prison leavers. Through our Partnerships programme, Radleians have been working alongside TAP Social for the past three years at their bakery in Kennington, Proof Social.
The idea for a Radley craft lager came about two years ago and was supported by TAP Social’s CEO, Paul Humperson and Strategic Leader, Will Rooney. Each year, a group of four 6.1 boys have worked baking and preparing breads at Proof Social and visited TAP’s Kidlington brewery to ‘sample’ some beers before canning – supported by
Graham King (G Social Tutor) and Tim Lawson (Head of Sixth Form, pictured at the brewery, right).
Continued on page 8...
who better than Radley’s HR and Payroll Team to help us out of that reading slump, discover a new binge-worthy series and disrupt our netflix algorithms as we head into the new year ...
It’s rare that I get to sit down and watch anything other than Peppa Pig or Paw Patrol with two youngsters in the house, but when I do, I enjoy watching crime/ police dramas such as Line of Duty. The series follows AC-12 hunting corrupt officers within the force. It has great twists and intense interrogation scenes, and makes you question everyone in every series – each one building on a larger conspiracy theory, making it highly addictive! I’m looking forward to the new series which is due to be filmed next year. Sarah Newport Payroll Officer
I have two TV recommendations! Stranger Things on Netflix is a brilliant series and I love the fact it’s set in the 80's for a bit of nostalgia. I am not normally into sci-fi type of programmes but this has me gripped. It is very easy to just watch 'one more episode' and realise you should have gone to bed hours ago. Another one you might not know of is All Her Fault on Sky. I didn't know what to expect but it was recommended to me and I was hooked after the first episode as it gets right to the drama. There are lots of twists that keep you guessing and a good ending. It was a short series which didn't require much commitment. Very good if you like a thriller with a few surprises. Sarah Bray HR Officer
My recommendation is The Girl Behind the Gates by Brenda Davies. The book is based on the true story of Nora, a privileged young woman wrongfully imprisoned in a mental institution for becoming pregnant out of wedlock. Trapped in a cruel, secretive compound, she faces decades of abuse, isolation, and manipulation. Forty years later, a compassionate psychiatrist recognises Nora’s deep institutionalisation and takes on the challenge of helping her rediscover life, freedom, and hope beyond the hospital walls. Lisa Slater HR Officer
I love books. Everything about them. Reading, browsing book shops (independent preferably) and libraries, collecting, sniffing (!) and last year I started a book journal. My book of 2024 was A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I loved the characters, the atmosphere and the writing. It’s a novel that starts in 1922, telling the story of a Russian aristocrat living under house arrest in a luxury hotel for more than thirty years. I particularly enjoyed the Count’s friendship with nine year old Nina who he accompanies on various adventures as she shows him the passages of the hotel and the purpose of each room.
congratulations mowden Hall! Mowden Hall, part of Radley Schools Group, was named Independent Prep School of the Year at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2025. The judges commended Mowden for its strong commitment to outdoor learning, academic breadth, and the nurturing of confident, curious and kind young people. Headteacher Phil Sturt (below, right) said: “We are absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured to receive this national recognition. For a school in rural Northumberland to be named Independent Prep School of the Year is a tremendous achievement and a real testament to the passion and dedication of our entire community.”
Jane O’Connell HR Administrator
Jane is the avid book reader in the department and recent recommendations have been Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and another Amor Towles: The Lincoln Highway. Both are fantastic books and ones I have recommended on to others. I love how you get lost in the stories and forget about time. TV on the other hand is completely different and I love being able to binge watch (I’m of the generation where you had to wait a week for the next episode!). I enjoy films that are based on a true story – I re-watched Erin Brockovich recently and would highly recommend Hidden Figures. Sarah Ballard HR Director
In September, Mowden opened The Nest, a new nursery for two-year-olds. Children are welcomed for 50 weeks of the year, offering greater flexibility and continuity of care for families. The Nest is a modern, purpose-built space featuring a range of highquality facilities, including a sleep room, messy room, classroom, dining room, and kitchen.
Squash
Fencing
Evolving from the older sport of rackets, which was developed in English prisons early in the 19th century, Harrow School is said to be the birthplace of Squash when, in around 1830, boys realised that a punctured rubber ball added more variety to the game and allowed it to be played on smaller courts.
Fencing was one of the original sports played at Radley when the College was founded in 1847 and it is believed that boys at the College were one of the first groups to practise fencing in Britain. Since the revival of the Fencing Club in 2014, the sport has become more popular with Radleians.
Squash is typically one of the biggest sports in the Alternative Sports Programme for Radley’s Removes and Fifths. Many boys play in their free time, including lots of Shells who hadn’t played before coming to Radley. Squash rewards hard work and commitment and Anthony Hibbs, Master i/c, says “the most rewarding part of my role is seeing boys grow from having little or no experience in Shells into being top players by the Sixth Form.”
Master i/c, Niall Murphy organises training sessions with external coach Oliver Bickley who coached Dimitri Coutya, a British Fencing Paralympian responsible for bringing home four medals from Paris 2024. Oliver runs Abingdon Fencing Club’s adult beginner courses if anyone is interested in giving the sport a try! Training sessions for Radleians have recently increased and now take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays during Central Hours on a marked-out ‘piste’ in the Barker Gym. The three primary disciplines in Fencing are Sabre, Foil and Épée – each has its own blade, strategies and set of rules. Most competitive fencers specialise in one of the three.
Radley fields strong teams in around 20 fixtures over the Michaelmas and Lent terms. Radley’s first team is in division one of the Roehampton Club Schools Invitational tournament, and this year entered the National Schools competition for the first time. Anthony would love to see more staff playing Squash – keen players should get in touch! Squash is a great spectator sport, and there is plenty of viewing space for all courts. The standard – especially from the top players – is really spectacular! All fixtures are published in the school calendars.
Lacrosse Lacrosse is a Wednesday afternoon option for 6.2 boys, who train during the first half of the Michaelmas Term and play matches against four schools in the second half – Stowe, St Mary’s Calne, Downe House and St Helen & St Katharine (SHSK). Radleians play mixed lacrosse, which follows the rules of the women’s game and does not require the additional equipment (pads and longer sticks for example) that the men’s game requires. Radleians may be at a disadvantage when facing opposition who have been playing the game for considerably longer, but often fare well due to their relative speed. All matches are followed by a meal together, making for a good social occasion. At the end of the term, Radley and SHSK form a mixed team and play against a local adult Club side. Oxford has men’s, mixed and ladies’ Lacrosse teams. Some years ago, the men’s team trained on Radley’s Astro pitch. Master i/c, Harry Crump, played at university and was part of a committee who set up the Edinburgh University Men’s Lacrosse Club which was one of the teams that formed the ‘Northern League’. Joint Master i/c, Nick Holland, learned to play as a boy at Radley in 2005, and went on to play at Leeds University.
Radley’s fencers take part in fixtures against St Edward’s and Abingdon. Boys also compete in the Southern Regionals and the Public Schools’ Fencing Championships. A recent success story for the club is OR Christoph Wallendahl (2014, F) who captained Oxford University’s Fencing Team in 2022. Another Radley/Olympic Fencing connection? Radley was used for Olympic Fencing Training during the 2012 Olympic Games.
Fives Fives is a relatively small sport at Radley, but it is oversubscribed. 21 boys play currently, a record for Master i/c Dave Robinson’s tenure. Fives might start out as an ‘anti-sport’ option for some, with a reputation for being fun and unthreatening. However, many subsequently gain enthusiasm for the game and become genuinely good players. For most of the first team, playing Fives fixtures for Radley is the first time they’ve been considered really good at a sport. Our regular fixtures are against Malvern College, Marlborough College, Bloxham School and Bradfield College – Radley usually win more than they lose. The College enters the West of England Schools’ Championships and the Schools’ Winchester Fives Doubles Finals each year, and usually lose more than they win. An Inter-Social Fives competition is held in the Summer Term. Teams usually play either Rugby, Winchester or Eton Fives, but there was once a Radley Fives, played against the back quarter of Clocktower. Back-hands are a very bad idea in Fives, so you must learn how to play with both hands if you are ever to succeed. The top players in the world play with the same gloves and balls as a complete beginner.
Sailing Sailing is growing fast at Radley. Training takes place at nearby Farmoor Reservoir and teams compete in a range of events throughout the year, from the Seaview Regatta against Old Radleians to Cowes Week (left) and the Eric Twiname Championships – the biggest team racing event in the world. The results speak for themselves: multiple top-three finishes at Cowes and a top-10 spot at Eric Twiname last year. Master i/c and coach, Rosie Turtle, has been at the helm of this success. Rosie credits her father with instilling her passion for sailing: “He was the driving force behind it all, literally! Taking me across the country for training sessions and competitions. I first stepped into a boat at around five years old, and since then, the sport has taken me to international waters, proudly representing Great Britain.” Rosie encourages Radley staff to get involved in the sport – spectators are welcome to watch training at Farmoor Reservoir or join the team for events, “Just bring binoculars’, she says “all the action takes place out on the water.” And a lesson Rosie has learned in her two and a half years as Radley Sailing Professional? “Things break. Boats, gear – sometimes even plans. It’s frustrating, but part of the game, and it teaches resilience.” Great Britain holds more Olympic medals in Sailing than any other nation, a testament to the country’s deep connection with the sport.
Rugby NOT cricket JUST & Rowing!
In response to staff suggestions, we explore some of the 20 sports played by Radleians alongside the more well-known staples. With many thanks to all who kindly contributed!
In the earliest games of the sport in Springfield, Massachusetts, peach baskets were mounted on the wall in an effort to keep a gym class active on a rainy day. However, in this precursor to the sport we know today, the bottoms of the baskets remained intact so someone had to climb up and retrieve the ball after every scored shot! Radley’s Master i/c, Matt Walker, played at school and says he enjoys the logistics and planning of his role, from organising training and fixtures to supporting the boys. Mac Rodgers has recently replaced Desta Rudder Smith as coach and works with the boys three times a week. Matt says he has taken away as much from the coaching regime as the players: “I can now see how much difference structured progression and consistent coaching make in enthusiasm and performance.” Basketball is growing in popularity at the College – most players are sixth formers, but the lower school can join in through the Alternative Sports Programme in the Michaelmas Term. Anyone curious is welcome to drop into the Sports Centre to watch a fixture. It’s fast, energetic, and lively – you don’t need prior experience to get started. If you’re interested in getting involved in the sport, the Abingdon Eagles are our local team. For the last two summers, Nike have run their residential Basketball Camps at the College, with programmes for children and young people designed by former NBA professional Eric Boateng.
Basketball
Meet... The Bursar Jonathan Bochenski was appointed Bursar of Radley College in October 2025, following two years as Director of Operations at three GDST (Girls Day School Trust) schools. As he begins his first full term in the role, it seemed the perfect opportunity to get to know him better. I began by asking Jonathan to tell us more about his career so far. After a brief career as an Economics and Business Studies teacher, I spent 15 years as a civil servant in HMRC, HM Treasury, the Bank of England and the Valuation Office Agency in a range of roles from strategy to finance to operational leadership and change management. If there is a theme running through my career so far it would be people and innovation. I think the best change is delivered when you listen to feedback from people actually doing the job or using the service and then make incremental improvements that are ideally a win for everyone. What appealed to you about the role at Radley? First and foremost it was the incredible sense of purpose and community. I wanted to live and work in a place that is doing great things and doing them as a community of hard-working people. And your plans as you start your first full term as Bursar? Lots of listening and learning. I’d like to spend time with as many people and teams as possible hearing their thoughts on Radley. This place is always moving forward, so I want to make sure we focus on the right things that will have the biggest impact. What has impressed you about Radley so far? The friendliness of everyone in the community and the incredible scale of what’s achieved each day, term and year.
And what has been the biggest challenge? Being away from my family in the week as they still live in South London for the time being. My wife is the Director of Humanities at a grammar school in Surrey and I have three sons who are 13, 11 and 10. What might we find you doing in your spare time? As a family, we like going for walks and playing board games – the more complicated the better. I like watching sports more than playing them. My boys keep me busy with all their various interests and I enjoy nothing more than having a nice family meal and talking to them about their week. You were born in Oxford, what has it been like re-tracing your steps in the city? I don’t remember much of Oxford the first time around as we moved to Blackburn when I was two, but yes, I was born in the John Radcliffe Hospital and my father was a Baptist minister in Cowley. I returned to Oxford for university, studying PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) at Regent’s Park College. One of my favourite things to do since moving back to the area is spending time meandering around Oxford city centre. I’m looking forward to exploring more of the wonderful countryside around Radley too.
5 Quick Questions... DREAM JOB?
Favourite sport?
best joke?
Honest answer? Biscuit taster.
Watching? Rugby. Playing... Croquet.
What do you call an accountant without a spreadsheet? Lost!
favourite film?
favourite book?
National Treasure.
The Harry Potter series – I loved reading them to my sons.
Staff Events Staff Wine Tasting Evening Chris Mason, Teacher of Maths and Master i/c Charities, took over the running of Radley’s wine cellars in September and has kindly offered to host an informal Wine Tasting evening for staff. The cellars are in the basement of Mansion, so this is also an opportunity to visit an unexplored area of the College. Places are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please do not book if you attended this event in February 2024. Book now via the QR code:
Thur 5th FEB 6pm
campus tour Join David Anderson, Estates Bursar, for a tour of the College campus to explore hidden corners and learn the secrets of the architecture and landscape. Book now via the QR code:
Tue 27th Jan 1pm
A Warm Welcome
Baby News
Monika Adamkiewicz, Accounts Assistant
Welcome to Sofia Maya Beattie (top photo), born on 26th September to Rebecca Beattie (Head of Spanish and Head of Shells) and Ezra Fijak (second photo), born on 23rd October to Althea Lumley-Jackson (Gardener).
to staff who have joined us since September 2025: Isaac Aldred, Leisure Assistant Jack Allsopp, Leisure Assistant Allison Ascroft, Exam Invigilator Nick Barnard, Caretaker Supervisor Gabriel Beech, Apprentice Groundsperson Kayleigh Boorer, Futures Co-ordinator Tessa de Cordova, PHM, H Social Charlie Hughes, Partnerships Administrator Karen Jackson, Exam Invigilator
Congratulations
Jarek Kasprzak, Senior Sous Chef Sarah Lang, School Health Nurse
to the following on their recent promotions and new positions:
Maria Lilea, Sports Centre Cleaner Isobel Lingard, Exam Invigilator
Staff News
Rahul Manivannan, Food Service Assistant Sandra McAuliffe, Exam Invigilator Joshua Ogle, Communications Manager Martine Renauld, Exam Invigilator
Clive Browning is now a Cleaner, and Marcin Stefanski has moved to the Caretakers team. Louise Clogher takes on the role of Development and Gifts Officer in the Foundation team. David Robinson takes on the role of Head of Timetable and Academic Data.
Stephen Ryan, Teacher of Biology Kym Saengrad, Cleaner
Stuart Walter is the new Head of Economics.
Tasha Sheppard, Exam Invigilator Ciprian Todirica, Sous Chef Sarah Trelinska, Admissions Manager
Best wishes to Robyn Morley, Teacher of Economics and Lucy Todd, Teacher of Biology as they start their Maternity Leaves.
Warden’s Terms, cont. Continued from front page.
The beer was launched in November at the home rugby match against Oundle and later that evening in the JCR, proving to be a huge success. The Warden raised the first pint, joined by Harry Househam (TAP Social’s Events and Operations Manager) who talked to boys about social enterprise and the role it can play in making a difference within communities. Around 180 four-packs of the limited-edition gift sets were made before Christmas, with a few packs still remaining. Contact Chris Mason (crm. mason@radley.org.uk) if you would like to buy any.
Profits support TAP Social’s mission to create employment opportunities for prison leavers. Since the launch, TAP Social were awarded Community-Based Social Enterprise of the Year at the UK Social Enterprise Awards – well-deserved recognition of their impact.
We aim to provide more opportunities to support TAP Social at the College and to draw upon their experience and wisdom in social enterprise to help educate Radleians.
Estates News A full report from the Estates team can be found on the Staff Noticeboard. Read on for highlights of recent and ongoing projects: New Music School The project has a planned completion of 23rd January with a changeover during the Hilary Weekend. It is, though, very tight and there are some key specialist components that have been delayed. The external works are in progress and, once complete, the ‘Big Space’ temporary classroom and temporary road will be replaced by a new road around the building in February. Solar Farm We have invited four contractors to tender for the works with pricing due back in early February. Depending on the resulting numbers, the plan is to start work in June with completion in October. E Social Planning permission and costs have been approved for the final piece of the E Social refurbishment, following internal works which were completed last summer. A new entrance will be created to provide a more obvious and inviting approach to the Social from the corner of Clock Tower. The PHM’s office will move downstairs to create an additional boys’ study above. This project will be completed in Summer 2026. Climbing Wall The installation of a climbing wall at the back of the Real Tennis courts will significantly enhance our co-curricular programme and provide excellent opportunities for strength and conditioning activities for the boys. Work is scheduled to begin this term. Team news Rebecca Kitchin, Estates Surveyor, returned from Maternity Leave at the end of November and will be in two mornings a week initially, supporting David Anderson with the new Music School project.
Nature Notes: Essential Oils
Essential oils: fragrant powerhouses The scent of spruce and fir that fills homes during the holiday season evokes warmth and nostalgia, but these aromas also suggest the deeper potential of essential oils— natural extracts prized for their therapeutic properties. Spruce oil has a soothing effect, but there are a few others that are true powerhouses. Lavender oil, one of the most studied, is known for its calming effect on the nervous system. Studies show that inhalation or topical application (properly diluted) can reduce anxiety, improve sleep quality, and support skin regeneration thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Tea tree oil, rich in terpenes, acts as a powerful antimicrobial, effective against bacteria, fungi, and some viruses. It is widely used to treat acne and scalp conditions, ease breathing, and can also purify indoor air.
Bergamot essential oil, with its fresh, citrusy aroma, is often used to boost mood. Research has linked it to reducing stress, improving emotional balance, and gently supporting digestion, making it a popular choice in aromatherapy, improving mental well-being. Used prudently, essential oils not only add fragrance but also significantly support the body’s health and balance.
Concentrated in eugenol, clove oil has powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Traditionally used to soothe gastrointestinal discomfort and for oral care, it also possesses significant antibacterial properties. Although essential oils offer many benefits, they should be used responsibly— always diluted, considering potential skin sensitivities, and never as a substitute for medical treatment. Marcin Stefanski Caretaker & Herbalist martinherbalist@gmail.com
Dogs of Radley Indie
Owner: Mike Ginger Breed: Boxer Age: Five months Best friends: Moxie and Obi Known for: Being cute as a button! Favourite treat: Anything anybody has that he isn’t allowed!
A Moment of Me: Chris Masters Chris ‘Quizzo’ Masters (Senior Gardener) will be better known to many as the brains behind ‘The Eliminator’, ‘Five for Five’ and those baffling tie-breaker questions at the annual Radley College Staff Quiz. For the latest in our A Moment of Me series, I spoke to Chris about his quizzing life. My first pub quiz was in 1997 at The Fox & Hounds pub on the Abingdon Road in Oxford. I went for a drink with some friends one night and there was a quiz on – the Dale Collins Fun Quiz. We had a good time and I’ve been doing his quizzes ever since, following him around the pubs in Oxford with different groups of friends. The format for the Radley Staff Quiz is definitely inspired by Dale’s quizzes! Dale is a legend of the Oxford quizzing scene – originally a DJ, he began hosting pub quiz nights in 1995 with big jackpots up for grabs. Dale subsequently moved to Coventry, so most of the quizzes he hosts now are in the midlands, the nearest one is on at The Red Lion in Brackley.
I do two quizzes of his every week these days – on a Tuesday night in Brackley and on a Sunday night at Broadways in Didcot. We are always looking for new teams to join us for the Didcot quiz on a Sunday and would love to see Radley staff there! Do you do any studying before a quiz? No, not much. I tend to keep an eye out for anything in the news that might come up and I will sometimes do some research for a themed quiz. My specialism is TV and Film. Our team for the Broadways quiz (‘Real Ale Madrid’ – I was proud of that one!) is made up of me, Lisa (who has hosted recent Staff Quizzes), my Dad, my brother and another friend – we all have our areas of expertise!
Lisa has been a brilliant host of the Staff Quiz in recent years – how did you meet? It was on a Sunday night at The George in Littlemore 14 years ago – there was a tie-break question for the jackpot round which was worth about £400. I lost the tie-break and Lisa messaged me the next day on Facebook to say commiserations… we’ve been friends ever since! I also quiz with Lisa’s husband, Craig, on Tuesday nights in Brackley, and once I’ve written the College Staff Quiz each year, Lisa and Craig and some other friends kindly act as guinea pigs for it and give feedback on what works and what needs to be improved! Lisa is a teacher, so she knows how to keep the crowd in order which can be useful for a quiz host!
Clockwise from top left: Chris and Lisa; Chris’s awards haul; join ‘Real Ale Madrid’ on a Sunday evening at Broadways in Didcot; the winners of 2025’s Radley College Staff Quiz: ‘Risky Quizness’.
How did you get involved in the College Staff Quiz? The first time I took on the responsibility of setting quiz questions was for the Radley Staff Quiz in 2017. Anne Blagrove (Estates Operations Manager) and Adam King (Head of Grounds) were involved in organising the event. Adam knew I quizzed in my spare time and christened me ‘Quizzo’! I’ve done eight now and Lisa has hosted four, taking the mantel from former don, John Beasley, and latterly Niall Murphy (Sub-Warden). We’ve settled on an annual quiz now in October or November and the venue of Round Pavilion works very well. It’s popular with staff and I hope people enjoy the evening. We usually get around 50 people and we choose a charity to support each year, usually with a connection to the College or members of staff. In recent years we’ve raised money for Pancreatic Cancer UK, Victoria’s Promise, SSNAP, Friends of Radley Primary School and Luke’s Fund. It takes me a couple of weeks to create the quiz and editing the
music round takes the most time. It’s not always easy to find the balance between questions that are hard enough but won’t completely mystify everyone! I’m a child of the 80s and realised that I might have focused too much on that era in my early quizzes! Since then, I’ve tried to broaden things out a bit – recent questions have encompassed KPop Demon Hunters, Jessica Simpson and Bluey. I also try to add in a bonus level for some questions – for example, a theme that connects all 20 answers in the music round. Best quiz team names on the circuit? My favourites from over the years are ‘Quiz Akabusi’, ‘Benjamin Quizraeli’ and the best one, ‘QuizTeam-a Aguilera’! Tell us a bit about your day job. I’ve been at Radley in the Gardens team since 2011. Before that I was Warehouse Supervisor at Homebase and subsequently worked for Blackwell’s in their distribution warehouse. A friend told me about the vacancy for a Gardener at Radley and I initially
came in on a temporary contract to cover sickness before being made a permanent member of staff. “The man, the myth, the conundrum. Chris is the Bamber Gascoigne of the gardening world. The Bob Holness of the trowel. The Henry Kelly of the double dig.” Mike Ginger, Head Gardener
I currently look after B, E, F and L Socials, B/F Quad and the Burnet Garden with my colleagues ‘Big Chris’ Beadle (Gardener) and Rob Druce (Deputy Head Gardener). I burn easily and sometimes get hayfever (not ideal for a gardener!), so I prefer the winter months to the summer. One of my favourite jobs is stripping the leaves off all the climbing roses and replacing the strings, removing old, damaged or dead stems. One of the parts of the job I enjoy the most is mowing the lawns. Our mowing day is usually on a Thursday and I mow L Social and the formal lawns around the Burnet garden. I can get lost in my plans for the next quiz!
MY
Simon Dalrymple – Tutor, L Social
radley As a newly arrived H Social Shell in 1996, a thirteen-year-old Simon Dalrymple might have been surprised to learn that in 2026 he would be embarking on his second term as Tutor of L Social. I caught up with Simon to find out more about the intervening years. My father, a headteacher at Ashfold School, knew Dennis Silk as a fellow school master and from the world of cricket. I was a passionate footballer at prep school and almost didn’t come to Radley, but it was under Wags’ (former Radley Cricket Professional) tutelage that I started to play cricket more seriously. I had a very happy five years here, particularly in the classroom and on the sports fields. Languages caught my imagination, thanks to dons with big characters and inspiring teaching styles. As the son of two teachers, however, I was convinced that wasn’t the path for me! As part of my French and Spanish degree I spent a year in Madrid working for a law firm. While this convinced me that I didn’t want to be a lawyer either, I was also called upon to teach English to the firm’s solicitors, following their merger with a British law firm. At which point I came to the realisation that teaching was in fact something I really enjoyed. When I returned to finish my degree after my year abroad, I started looking into PGCEs and returned to Radley in 2005, with the idea of teaching here for a year while I decided what to do next. And the rest, as they say...! How did it feel to be teaching alongside your former dons? To come into that department and work with people I held in very high esteem, and thanks to whom I had gone on to study languages, was amazing. Although it did feel intimidating, it was incredible training and fun too. Initially I found I had more in common with the boys I was teaching A-Level to than I did my colleagues. The all-round nature of a Radley education helped me build relationships of trust with boys – coaching on the sports fields and having a pastoral role in Social (in A Social and later in J Social) makes life in the classroom easier. What has it been like taking on the role of L Social Tutor? I didn’t feel I could commit to being a Tutor until relatively recently. It has been described to me as a job you can only do if you have a family, and you absolutely can’t do if you have a family! I’m married to Gaby (Gabriela Dalrymple, née Ochoa, former Head of MFL) and we have a three-yearold daughter, Ágata. Gaby and I met at Radley and worked together for 12 years before we got together in 2019. Of course, Gaby knew what life in Social would be like and she and Ágata are really enjoying being part of L Social.
Our roles here are about developing young people, turning out good young men. In coaching and teaching, you spend shorter amounts of time with boys – handing over your team to a new coach and your set to a new don each year. I wanted to have a positive impact on a group of boys for a longer period – in the end it became a logical step. Nick Wood (Tutor, H Social) and I were in the same year in H Social. This summer, Gaby and I and Nick and Kate Wood were invited to supper with Charlie Barker (former Tutor, H Social) and his wife, Liz. I hope Charlie feels that having two former boys in charge of Socials is as big a compliment as we can give him! What makes Radley special? People. I enjoy spending time with my colleagues. There is a sense of shared purpose and responsibility to continue a tradition and do the job properly. That sense of team exists across teaching and operational staff who allow us to work in such a special environment. Days at work are long and demanding but rewarding. That has meant that 20 years here has gone incredibly quickly. Can you pick a highlight? The best I can do is narrow it down to three! In the academic sphere it would be exchange trips to Paris and watching boys see an academic subject turn into something living and breathing. From a co-curricular point of view, in 2017, the 1st XI won the John Harvey Cup and the Cowdrey Cup – to win both was fantastic, but many in that team had known seasons where we weren’t so successful. Having helped boys through a period where they weren’t winning games to see their hard work turn into an outstanding season like that was fantastic. I’m still in touch with many from that team. In the pastoral sphere it comes down to a series of very small moments and interactions, often around a table at Cocoa; chats with boys where either you feel you have a good impact on them, or you leave the conversation feeling lighter and more energised. What might we find you doing in your spare time? A big wind-down activity for me has always been cooking and it’s something I’d like to see boys doing more of before they leave school. As well as giving them a practical skill it is often one of the best examples of our pastoral care. Task boys with chopping a pepper and they end up having a more open, less guarded conversation with you than they might in a more formal setting. Those moments reaffirm my belief in the boarding model. You see the best side of Radleians – they are interested, unfailingly polite (and normally keen to wash up).