Message from the Headmaster

During this OU Centenary Year I have had the great pleasure of attending more than a dozen OU events and met many OUs of all ages from all over the world. The passion and commitment that these OUs hold for Uppingham is remarkable and I do not think there is a more dedicated alumni community attached to a school in the country.

A glance at this past year at Uppingham gives a clue as to what it is that inspires such loyalty. The academic achievements have been exceptional, with a record set of A level results and a quite remarkable 16 pupils leaving for Oxford and Cambridge. We also had strong success rates at other highly competitive Universities. The School is full, as it has been during this long and deep recession, and so the vibrant and dynamic Uppingham community is as strong as it ever was. We have had stunning productions of plays such as Guys and Dolls and our Chapel Choir has just returned from a well-received series of concerts across Manhattan. This year the heart of the Western Quad has been cleared for Science by relocating the Sports Centre to the edge of the Leicester. Much has already been said and written about the Sports Centre, surely the finest of its kind in any school in the country, and in March we were delighted to welcome Lord Coe to open the wonderful new facility. The Sports Centre could only have been built with the hard work of many and the support of hundreds of OUs and parents and so every contributor should take great pride in Lord Coe’s description of the facilities as ‘world-class’ and his belief that future generations of Olympians would be ‘honed and fashioned in its gymnasia, squash courts, and swimming pool’. Behind these successes and landmark achievements are the people involved. Uppingham’s community extends far beyond its boundaries and it is inspiring how the support from our alumni is greater than ever. We are fortunate indeed that OUs’ interest in, and fondness for their alma mater does not abate. The real success of Uppingham is that it continues to be a warm and welcoming community, with a human scale, which encourages individual excellence, but remains committed to delivering an all round education. It is this dual commitment, inherited from Thring, which makes Uppingham special and we continue to ensure that it informs everything we do. This is why the place fosters such a strong sense of belonging. I would like to finish by paying tribute to three very different ex-members of staff who have passed away recently, all of whom in their time made huge contributions to the School. The sad deaths of one of my predecessors the Rev’d John Royds, of former Director of Art Warwick Metcalfe and of former Chaplain the Rev’d Alan Megahey will be felt by many who were inspired and guided by their unique skills. Each has their own obituary later in this publication and I am sure that many OUs will join me in sending prayers and condolences to their families and friends.

Richard Harman