Christ Church Cathedral School News Feed - HEADMASTER'S BLOG

Happy Easter from CCCS!

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:49:56 GMT

It was a great pleasure to have, as a Cathedral Assembly speaker today, The Revd Fergus Butler - Gallie, Vicar of Charlbury. Though this is his main and most important job, he is better known for his books about ecclesiastical matters including a colourful book about Anglican clergy, “The Field Guide to English Clergy” and a newly published book about twelve buildings which tell us a lot about the history of Christianity. I was slightly surprised to see that he had not numbered Christ Church Cathedral amongst them! He writes for a number of national newspapers and is frequently on the radio. He spoke to us about the way in which a week could make so much difference. He had chosen, of course, as his reading, Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. We all know how that story ended - with the terrible events of Good Friday and Jesus‘s crucifixion. As he said, a week can make such a difference. But it doesn’t end there, of course. The week ended with the resurrection and it is this that we celebrate at Easter. The events of that week remind us, he said, that God understands those things about life which we find difficult but that even still, there is always hope. That is a wonderful message for all of us in these uncertain times.

CCCS celebrates Red Nose Day

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:20:31 GMT

It was Red Nose Day today! I managed to arrive at School sporting a blue shirt and yellow tie having forgotten temporarily about the importance of the day. But help was at hand! The front office popped a plastic nose onto my everyday one and Mr Berry quickly appeared with a red top hat which he seemed to have lurking around in his classroom. Is there any occasion for which a Reception teacher does not have a prop? There were any number of red clothes in evidence today including a beautiful Chinese silk top emblazoned with two glorious dragons and some red trousers covered in big black spots. When I complimented the wearer of the spotted trousers, he pulled his anonymous jacket back to reveal a shining red top with a glorious ladybird on the front. The trousers now made perfect sense! The most original piece of red impedimenta was the pair of red glasses being worn by a boy who arrived dramatically on his bicycle. “I’ve had a very interesting journey. My red glasses transformed the colours of the traffic lights. The red looked brown, the yellow looked green and the green looked blank!” I was relieved, I have to say, that he had arrived at school with everything, including his glasses, fully in tact.

Greetings from Florence

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:53:14 GMT

I am sitting on the train between Pisa and Florence having flown here from Gatwick this morning. As I write this, the sun is falling on the Tuscan hills which surround the flat plain upon which the train line is laid. The Mediterranean pines give the whole scene a sense of the landscape having been here, fairly unchanged, since the time of the Etruscans. The 13 boys I am with are sitting comfortably on the train. Though they seem mainly calm they are clearly very excited about arriving to the beautiful city awaiting them the other side of the Appenines - Florence. Their excitement is particularly intense given that they know that their first task is to make and then eat pasta!

CCCS celebrates World Book Day

Mon, 9 Mar 2026 11:24:21 GMT

World Book Day is one of my favourite occasions. Pupils you know so well seem not to turn up that day while there is a stampede of characters from books, dressed in their clothing, many clutching wands and staffs. I arrived, dressed this year, as Dumbledore! “Oh look,” said one boy as he approached the school, “it’s Father Christmas.” I spent the rest of the day trying to ensure that everyone knew who I was and, indeed, I found myself getting carried away. I was using a perfectly sized stick as my elderwand and was attempting to bring about magical transformations by brandishing this twig. One of the many Harry Potters who had decided to attend our school, said, as he flourished his plastic wand in front of me, “Well yours is not a wand, it’s a stick - unlike mine!”

Woodland School Workshop for Pre-Prep

Mon, 2 Mar 2026 10:02:19 GMT

The speaker at Cathedral Assembly today was Susan Wessels, the Second Master of Marlborough College. Before becoming a teacher, Miss Wessels was Captain of the South African Olympic Hockey team, someone then of considerable experience!

Sailing into half term with lost treasures and poetry

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:52:20 GMT

Yesterday Pre-Prep resembled a rather exotic corner of the Spanish Main. It was Pirate Day and, as I stood on Brewer Street, shiploads of pirates were deposited on the early morning street, clad in colourful head gear, scars adorning their faces from ferocious cutlass fights, and bright gold earrings glinting in the early morning light. One young pirate approached me and stood staring at me for a long time. Suddenly, from behind her back, she raised an inflatable plastic cutlass which she thrust towards with extraordinary speed. “Shiver me timbers!” I expostulated. It was going to be a dangerous day! I hope you will be delighted to hear that I survived the encounter.

Welcoming Mr Quartermain to CCCS

Mon, 9 Feb 2026 09:12:19 GMT

I cannot wait for the poetry recitation competition this time next week. Today I heard the Pre-Prep reciting from memory poems that they had learnt. It was extraordinary to see the way in which people who have only just learnt to read were able to memorise and recite verse. One boy had dressed himself in a head to toe cat suit complete with whiskers. As he recited the poem, he swayed to and fro like the cat he was describing. I was very touched by the way that such powerful and moving words were emerging from such a tiny person.

View of the world

Mon, 2 Feb 2026 10:10:08 GMT

I spoke to the pupils on Monday morning about the importance of following the news at the moment, pointing out to them the on-going saga of Greenland, the tragic events in Minneapolis and the Shakespearean drama of the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Manchester. Do please take the opportunity to encourage your children to listen to or read the news.

Celebrating Poetry at CCCS

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:47:11 GMT

In the last few days I have done 18 mock interviews for boys going for interviews to senior schools. It has been a most engaging process which I have much enjoyed. I have asked each of them if there is anything in the news recently that has interested them. Every single one of them has elected to talk about President Trump, Greenland and Venezuela. Clearly these are matters which are exercising the minds of CCCS boys, and indeed, all of the boys were able to say something interesting. The most striking comment about these issues occurred at lunchtime, however, when one of the boys announced that he had “solved the issue of Greenland!” I was, of course, all ears. “Donald Trump has promised that if he takes over Greenland, he will make all residents of the island US citizens. What I would do, if I were the Danish Government, is to offer citizenship to a very large number of refugees and then see what Donald Trump would do. ” We are always encouraging our pupils to think outside the box.

Welcoming the Master of Magdalen College School to CCCS

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:11:06 GMT

It was lovely to see so many of you in the Cathedral this morning to hear The Master of Magdalen
College School, Helen Pike, speak to the School. The reading she had chosen was the one about
Jesus calming the Storm. “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith.” says Jesus before causing the wind to drop. The Master had read some important research about which factor is the most important in
causing people to succeed in an activity. She was expecting, and I suspect hoping, that it would be
diligence, always a useful message to deliver to a pupil body, but in fact it was ……. confidence.

Welcome Back to School!

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:56:47 GMT

Friday night is newsletter night and many of you have told me that you look forward greatly to its arrival. Given that we obviously have an enthusiastic clientele (I have even heard of regular readers in Australia), I have decided that we should include some more sections in the publication. From this issue onwards, therefore, we will have two regular articles written by a member of staff talking through their areas of responsibility, providing some explanations and thoughts about them. Hopefully this will mean that you will learn something more about the school. It should also mean that you have more varied voices. There will also be a section focussing upon our enrichment programme. In terms of enrichment, every term is unique – some activities are repeats of popular choices, but there are also new options. This term, for instance, we have started a fencing club and several of our staff are now qualified fencing instructors – for life, following a training course over the Christmas holidays! I commend these articles to you and hope that you will find them a fascinating insight into some of the varied aspects of our busy school.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:17:57 GMT

It’s been another week of Christmas entertainment! Today we had a wonderful Christmas lunch, Turkey, pigs in blankets, Brussels sprouts – everything that one could possibly have wished for on such an occasion and all beautifully prepared by our wonderful Kitchen staff. It is perhaps a good moment to mention them – in fact all year they have worked tirelessly to provide us with nourishing and tasty food and they have always done so with a smile. We have been doing so well on the sports pitch and in the classroom this year. I’m sure these successes are partly because of the nutritional value of our food. Of course, many of you will know the old phrase, “We are what we eat!” and judging by the quality of our food, we should be a quality school!

CCCS Pupils Hit All the Right Notes This Festive Season

Mon, 8 Dec 2025 12:54:37 GMT

The influential 20th Century German playwright Berthold Brecht was responsible for developing a theatrical technique called Verfremdungseffekt, or in English, “Alienation. ” The idea is that, throughout the course of the play, the audience should be forced to engage with the drama intellectually rather than emotionally. This was achieved by the characters stepping out of their roles to address the audience, thereby breaking what he thought was the dangerous theatrical illusion that one was watching something real rather than a dramatic performance. Brecht would have been proud of the splendid Nursery Nativity which occurred this week during which Verfremdungseffekt was much in evidence. No sooner had the curtain opened upon the glorious technicolour scene of the stable in Bethlehem, when one of the shepherds waved heartily at his parents. Meanwhile the Angel Gabriel, beaming at the audience, started to direct some of the other performers. At one point the baby Jesus was slung forwards from behind one of the character’s back, landing somewhere near the crib, and on another, the donkey had to catch up rapidly with Mary and Joseph who had already set off for Bethlehem without him. But this, I have to say, added to the charm of the occasion and I, like everyone else watching, loved this wonderful performance. Indeed, it was the first time that Nursery has performed its nativity in the Hall. The costumes were brilliantly done and all the performances were full of character and life. It was an unforgettable start to the Christmas festivities.

Performances galore at CCCS

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:49:44 GMT

At this time of year, every day brings something to savour. On Tuesday and Wednesday I was able to watch Form 3 and 4’s production of Goldilocks, a witty re-telling of the old story by Roald Dahl. In it,
Goldilocks is revealed as a “delinquent” and is eventually chased away by a vicious Baby Bear. Every line was beautifully delivered and all the children’s performances were full of vitality. The vast majority of the production was sung and we could hear every word. I loved the way in which a group of neatly- blazered, attentive young boys had been transformed into a troupe of actors costumed in bear kit, fabulous wigs, policemen's uniform and colourful 19 Century doublets. They were able to transport us immediately to the world of a fairytale. This power to allow an audience to imagine they are elsewhere, is something which children love to command, and I was delighted to be at its mercy!

Getting into the Christmas Spirit with a host of seasonal events

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:36:20 GMT

It was a real pleasure to be able to welcome our new chaplain this morning in the Cathedral. The
Revd Catherine Gledhorn told us all that she was delighted to be joining us and that she would enjoy
getting to know everyone. She will be coming to the Cathedral every Friday and speaking to the
Prep School every Tuesday morning and to the Pre-Prep every Thursday morning. She will be
available for pupils for pastoral support, spiritual exploration or just general chat and will be running
confirmation classes for those boys who wish to make a more formal commitment to the Church.
The late autumn sun streamed down on the Cathedral, bathing the Cotswold stone in the most
bewitching light, an utterly appropriate time to welcome her to our community. Her main job is to
be the Cathedral Succentor, the person who sings the services in the Cathedral and who helps to
organise the services that occur there. I am sure that you will all be able to meet her over the next
few weeks.

Another successful Teddy Bears Hospital

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:33:53 GMT

In the Cathedral today we had the pleasure to listen to The Revd Kirsty Borthwick who is the College Chaplain at Christ Church, with pastoral responsibility for the undergraduates, other students and staff. Almost every college in Oxford has a chaplain and Christ Church is no exception, despite all the many other priests in the Cathedral. The Revd Borthwick spoke to us about St Martin of Tours who famously showed compassion to a beggar by cutting his military cloak in half in order that the beggar might shelter from the bad weather. The cloak represented St Martin’s status as a high-ranking soldier and so its destruction was an important symbol of his putting compassion before status. In order to illustrate this story she asked me to pass over my gown – which I did willingly, not knowing the story she was about to use it to illustrate. I have to confess I grew nervous about the implications of the story as she began to tell it, my gown firmly in her hands. Fortunately for me she handed it back in tact, before I had to make a decision about whether I could manage without it or indeed have to wear only half of it in the future. It is always easier to approve of these parables or illustrations from the lives of saints if one is not called to make the same sacrifice oneself!

CCCS looks to the future

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:31:43 GMT

We were visited today by Mr Semmence who is the Headmaster of Repton School in Derbyshire. Repton was founded in 1573 by a local landowner and knight Sir John Port who had been given the old monastery in Repton following its dissolution by Henry VIII. He had no children of his own so he founded a grammar school which would have the use of the buildings. It is still those buildings which form the core of the School which Mr Semmence runs today. Mr Semmance started by telling us the extraordinary story of what happened when the school decided to start building a new Sixth Form centre. Digging began but no sooner was it underway than construction was halted by a grizzly discovery – a corpse. The telephone call was made to the police who were round in an instant, blue lights flashing! Experts from Humberside Constabulary were called and it was quickly established that the body was not a recent one, but most likely that of a monk from the former monastery. A Roman Catholic priest has been asked to rebury the monk near where the high altar of the monastery church would have been. These are some of the hazards of having an institution based on one of the most ancient sites in England.

Pre-Prep Celebrates Harvest Festival

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 08:57:18 GMT

It has been a delightful end to the week! Pre-Prep and Nursery had their annual Harvest Festival in the Cathedral - one of my favourite occasions. The Nursery sang “Mr Sun” an enchanting song about the transforming nature of our closest star upon the crops which were being celebrated, while the Pre-Prep performed a short play about a hen who keeps asking the other animals on the farm to help her in the baking of a loaf of bread. The other animals all refuse to help her so she answers, wearily, “I’ll do it on my own then, ” an admirable demonstration of self-sufficiency. Eventually the loaf is completed without the help of the other animals. “Would you like to help me eat the loaf?” asks the hen. This time the other animals respond in the affirmative. But the hen’s response is consistent. “Well I’ll do it on my own!” We were all able to reflect upon the benefits of helping out - along with the hen’s hard work.

A Week of Joy, Reflection, and Conversation

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 09:35:36 GMT

It’s been so lovely to be back. So many of you have taken time to ask after me – I have just been so touched and wanted to thank you all so much. But also it’s been lovely to have seen the pupils again, beaming with enthusiasm and energy. A couple of days ago I saw one of the senior boys bouncing up the street, punching the air. “What are you thinking about?” I asked. “I’m chuffed Sir!” he responded “Completely chuffed!” “Why?” I asked. Because it’s the start of a school day!” Certainly that made me feel chuffed too. Somehow I resisted the impulse to punch the air, thinking that it might be slightly undignified for a headmaster to be quite so visibly elated!

CCCS Celebrates National Poetry Day

Mon, 6 Oct 2025 10:31:45 GMT

I’m particularly looking forward to the arrival of the newsletter this week as I will be able to fully appreciate what has been going on at the School! Normally, of course, I have been swimming in the river and experiencing all the activities which occur but, confined as I am to my house, I have missed out on all the excitements which the week will have brought. Of course I have had online windows into the world of the school - meetings with people sitting in the meeting room, for instance, and I have seen pupils pop in or heard noises from outside in the corridor, but I really have realised how much I miss the comings and goings and the activities which have been going on. Those write ups and photos which Mrs Messenger will send out in the near future will bring it all to life in the most vivid way. I now know what so many of you mean when you say I look forward hugely to Friday evening and the arrival of the newsletter! Perhaps this is the right moment to thank Mrs Messenger for the care she takes over the letter and the colourful ways in which she has so successfully made it her own.

Staying connected outside the school gate

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 08:59:13 GMT

It has been rather an odd week for me. It didn’t occur to me that I wouldn’t be at school this week, especially so early on in the year. But instead of all the life and energy of a vital environment, I have been living a semi-detached life, reading emails, talking to people on the phone, having online meetings and continuing to think about everything without actually physically being there.

A wonderful start to the autumn term

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 09:15:18 GMT

We had a delightful Open Morning on Saturday. A large number of interested families came and they all made clear that they liked the school they found. As ever, the thing that impressed them the most was our Form 8 pupils who behaved with charm and intelligence.

House reveal day for Pre-Prep!

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:53:30 GMT

One of the great pleasures of my week is to attend Pre-Prep Assembly which occurs every Friday. Most of the assembly is spent celebrating pupils’ work and chosen pupils are given certificates for something they have done particularly well during that week. The variety of achievements is very striking but generally the reaction to them on the part of the pupils is the same – delight! In fact these certificates have such cache that today one of the pupils following the announcement of the recipients of the certificates, asked, in a loud voice: “What about me?” Doubtless a certificate will be forthcoming shortly! I am delighted that the certificates are so sought after!

We're happy to be back!

Mon, 8 Sep 2025 08:45:30 GMT

Despite the fact that I have been a teacher for a long time, the beginning of the year never fails to
excite me. It was a real joy to arrive on Brewer Street this Wednesday to see some expectant pupils
already in position outside the school waiting to be let in.

Welcoming the Revd Charlie Kerr to CCCS

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 10:42:15 GMT

Pre-Prep and Nursery came to the Cathedral this morning. We were very fortunate to have preaching today an old friend of the School, The Revd Charlie Kerr, Diocesan chaplaincy advisor. He set the place alight with his lively and entertaining sermon.

The Pavilion is officially open!

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:02:05 GMT

I can rarely remember it being so hot for so long. It reminds me of that magnificent opening passage to Charles Dickens‘s great novel, Little Dorrit.

Sprinting our way to the end of term

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 12:49:49 GMT

As I write, I am sitting beside the Solent, the sun gleaming on the sparkling waters. In front of me are boats of every description, sailing boats, tankers, ferries rushing across to the Isle of Wight, the sunniest place in England, and a little old coracle.

Honouring the D-Day Heroes

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 12:53:31 GMT

I am, at present, in the departure lounge of the ferry terminal at Caen, Normandy. We are waiting for the arrival of the ferry to take us back to England. The past three days have been a truly memorable experience for me and overwhelmingly moving.

Senior School Awards for 2025

Thu, 29 May 2025 19:15:54 GMT

We are delighted to be able to announce our Senior School awards for this year. They are as follows:

Hugo Branderhorst, Music Scholarship, St Edward’s School, Oxford
Russell Xiao, Music Scholarship, Abingdon School
Splendour Adeboga, Music Exhibition, Harrow School
Trust Tiyapairat, Music Exhibition, Eton College
Troy Buttimer, Golf Scholarship, Harrow School
Trust Tiyapairat, King’s Scholarship, Eton College

These are a tremendous set of awards at some very serious schools and encompass three different types of scholarships.

CCCS welcomes Head of Music from St Paul's School

Mon, 19 May 2025 10:01:22 GMT

I’m still on a high! I have just spent the afternoon in the Cathedral at the House Music Competition. Our adjudicator was the excellent Mr Wilderspin, Head of Music at St Paul’s School in West London. He spoke about each individual finalist with great insight, and warmth, deploying humour wonderfully.

We’re in! We have the keys to our new Pavilion!

Mon, 12 May 2025 09:46:19 GMT

I was very touched by the pupils’ attitude towards V.E. Day. Given that this happened 80 years ago, it cannot have meant very much personally to any of the pupils. And yet almost all of them arrived, wearing red, white and blue, and in our assembly, Mr. Harrison gave a moving summary of what VE Day meant.

Getting involved with the world around us

Tue, 6 May 2025 08:53:14 GMT

The extraordinary 19 Century Oxford poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, in a sonnet entitled Spring, wrote:

“Nothing is so beautiful as Spring

When weeds in wheels grow long and lovely and lush.”

Let the Summer Term begin!

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 09:48:34 GMT

It’s wonderful to be back. There is no better time in a school year than the beginning of the Summer term with so much to look forward to.

Springing into Easter with a whirlwind of fun!

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:11:20 GMT

The last few days have been a kaleidoscope of vibrantly coloured activities. I sit here writing, feeling almost dizzy with the experience of it all.

A wonderful celebration in Christ Church Cathedral

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:46:55 GMT

On Monday, we held a splendid event in the Cathedral. We had 160 primary school children attend an outreach concert. They came from various local primary schools and filled the crossing and both the transepts. Meanwhile their parents packed the nave, looking on as their children sang two wonderful songs.

The Dean of Westminster, The Very Revd David Hoyle visits Christ Church Cathedral

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 09:49:14 GMT

It was tremendous to see so many of you in the Cathedral this morning to welcome the Dean of Westminster, The Very Revd David Hoyle. I love the fact that parents come to the Cathedral and I would like to say again how very welcome you are.

Celebrating World Book Day

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:16:06 GMT

Book Day is always one of my favourite occasions of the year. Right from the start of the morning, there is an excitement in the air and on Brewer Street all is different.

Spring is in the air!

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:11:42 GMT

Today I took some steps which I never thought I would take; they were across the threshold of the new Pavilion. To say that I felt like Neil Armstrong taking his first steps on the moon - “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” - is to exaggerate the moment, but it certainly felt pretty monumental!

What a week at CCCS!

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 13:36:20 GMT

Those of you who kindly read my newsletter last week will remember that I was very concerned about what would happen when Captain Robeard and his fearsome pirate crew forced me to walk the plank.

Another fun filled week at CCCS

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 09:08:56 GMT

Our speaker today in Cathedral Assembly was The Revd Canon Professor Andrew Davison, Regius Professor of Divinity at Christ Church. He talked to us about the importance of caring about what sort of person you are, and directed our attention to the cardinal virtues which are pictured on the floor of the Quire in the Cathedral, and are well worth having a look at.

History meets the future at CCCS

Mon, 3 Feb 2025 09:43:40 GMT

Thanks to Michael Crooks and the Parents’ Association, we had a visitation from the History Man this week. The History Man is a phenomenon – a bundle of energy, enthusiasm and ingenuity.

Welcoming the Vice-Provost of Eton to Christ Church

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:41:35 GMT

We were very fortunate to have preaching to us this morning the Vice-Provost of Eton, Mr Peter McKie.

A flourishing start to the new year

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 09:46:36 GMT

As I wait for people to arrive on Brewer Street in the morning, I am very fortunate that I have some able assistance from the Prefects.

The Headmaster of Rugby School visits CCCS

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 16:50:38 GMT

Today, in the Cathedral, we welcomed The Headmaster of Rugby School, Mr Parker-Jones as our speaker.

Christmas Wishes

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 17:08:24 GMT

I am so sorry that I was confined to my bed for the last two days of term. There was so much I missed – the Pre-Prep Nativity, the Christmas lunches, the Prep School Assembly, and a Cathedral Service – generally all of the final events of the term!

Another fun-filled week at CCCS

Mon, 9 Dec 2024 09:32:10 GMT

What a remarkable week it has been....

A lovely Christingle Service at Christ Church

Tue, 3 Dec 2024 09:47:28 GMT

I mentioned to all those who were in the Cathedral this morning for the Christingle Service...

Friendly dogs now at our school

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 12:15:03 GMT

As ever the Forms 3 and 4 play was a delightful spectacle.

CCCS supports The Gatehouse in Oxford

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 10:15:09 GMT

I had the great pleasure to be invited to Harrow yesterday to attend the Churchill songs.

Pre-Prep's Teddy bear hospital

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:01:18 GMT

Many of the conversations I have been having with pupils this week have been about the American elections.