Message from the Headmaster OU
A Message from the Headmaster
Karin and Richard Harman
In spite of the economically challenging times we’re living through, I’m very pleased to tell you that the School remains in excellent health.We have some 780 or so boys and girls in the School, which is almost at the record level seen last year and is about as full as we feel we can be.This is due to the hard work of everyone concerned, to the excellent all-round reputation we have maintained and of course to the OU community who spread the good name of Uppingham far and wide. It’s a good time to be welcoming our new Registrar, Charlie Bostock, to the Senior Management Team. Our exam results this summer were again very good and there is much to celebrate. In particular, it is notable that one in three of our U6th leavers achieved straight A grades, that we have had our highest ever number of A grades overall and our second highest percentage of A grades and once again not a single fail grade.
At GCSE we have had by almost all measures our best ever year. More than a third of all entries gained an A*. For A* and A grades combined the 68.65% was the best for three years and close to our best ever. At the top end, we have never had so many straight A* or near-straight A* candidates. Five pupils got straight A*s and eight more got A*s across the board apart from one result. So we continue to do very well indeed by these academic measures and also in terms of our reputation for excellence in boarding, in pastoral care and in the all-round opportunities we offer. In fact it’s essential to remember that in turbulent times our core values are more important than ever: providing a happy, stimulating environment where teenagers can flourish and find out where their talents lie, helping them become most fully themselves. The current projects we’re undertaking will enhance these things still further and also, in time, provide more opportunities for connections with the local community. But we know things are not going to get easier economically in the near future.This will affect all of us in one way or another.
Given the uncertain world in which we’re living, is it a risk for Uppingham to be forging ahead with major new projects? The answer is that, first, we’re starting from a very good financial position, secondly the Uppingham Foundation has made a superb start to our fund-raising for these works, and thirdly borrowing rates are at historic lows. But above all, the work going on at the Western Quad is a huge signal of confidence in the long-term future of the school and it’s absolutely the right vision to enable the next generation of development to take place. I’m delighted that progress on site over the summer has been very good.The Sports Centre project, or phase one of the overall vision, remains on time and on budget. I’m confident that this time next year the building and the playing fields will be going into use and we will witness this transforming vision unfold. There’s a lot more to do before we get there, but once this phase is completed we’ll turn our attention to thinking about phase two, centred on Science and the new Quad itself. As I travel around the country, and indeed overseas, meeting OUs and their families, I know that there’s huge enthusiasm and support for what the School is trying to achieve and for this I am truly grateful. Every step we take enhances Uppingham’s standing and reputation and I trust that this makes the entire OU community proud of their School. I know that the pupils and staff at Uppingham are looking forward with great excitement to the opening of the new Sports Centre and they would be happy to share their passion for Uppingham with any OU who wishes to call in and see the great changes that are taking place. There is much to celebrate and much to anticipate in the year ahead and I look forward to updating you on our progress at forthcoming OU events. Thank you for your support. Richard Harman
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