FROM THE WARDEN

It is easy to look at the world at the moment and be downhearted. There are challenges for all of us; not just the obvious economic and political ones but elements of rapid change and social upheaval that are impacting the way we live and think. In the world of independent schools, there are particular issues, some of which threaten our very independence if not our existence. It may be an overused phrase, but we live in challenging times.

There are two possible responses: the first is to hunker down and enjoy life in ‘the bubble’. It is very tempting; we can all too easily hide away from reality in 750 acres of Oxfordshire countryside. It is, however, patently the wrong approach. We must acknowledge the challenges and teach Radleians to have the core values, the right mindset, and the requisite tools to face up to them.

It is an intellectual task. All too often, modern education is scared of disagreement and of exposing people to new or controversial ideas. We prevent debate and we create echo chambers; we feed our own prejudice and submit to the algorithms. I hope not at Radley. It is good to see debating thriving under new leadership, to engage with boys in proper discussions over dinner or in Cocoa, to see high numbers at talks from visiting speakers and to hear questions asked at the end of those talks which reflect both curiosity and insight. There is little that is more important.

It is a practical task. We need to see boys out of their comfort zone, exposed to the world beyond Radley. I am deeply proud of the developing partnership programme which sees boys involved in a whole variety of activities which make a practical difference and, as they do so, gives them a real sense of perspective. At times it is simple; the act of planting a tree in our massive expansion of woodland is a reminder of one of the greatest challenges.

It is a moral task. As we encourage boys to think about the malign influence of Andrew Tate and yet not in a way such as to deny the real concerns teenage boys have about identity and purpose; as we listen to Jess Phillips MP tell us painful truths about violence in society against women; as we yet again have the privilege of our annual Holocaust Conference with survivors visiting to give the boys an unforgettable experience (and know that such opportunities will not last much longer); as we have in Chapel a living and regular reminder that there is more to life than the material… we are, I trust, building core values that underpin each and every Radleian’s approach to life.

We sometimes, quite rightly, simply enjoy the privilege of a Radley education. But as we read this and every magazine, bulletin, and social media feed, it is worth asking what each activity contributes to the main objective... to teach boys to think, to help them begin to address the challenges we face and to do so in a way that has moral purpose. I hope we meet that test.