AN INSTITUTION IN WHICH WE ALL BELIEVE
Iarrived at Winchester College in 1987 to find a school that still seemed to be rooted in part in the 14 th century . This was two years before the Children Act , and since it had not yet been compelled to do so by law , the school had omitted to include what we might now feel were ‘ necessary creature comforts ’. Our sleeping quarters were iron-framed beds with straw mattresses , there were no curtains , heating was a few exposed hot pipes ; in my first winter we built a snowman in the upstairs chamber , and it remained wholly intact for several days . I was blissfully happy .
College was a strange place in many ways ; I noticed on my first day , someone had written some graffiti in the toilets — in Ancient Greek . The next day , someone had added a witty response in the same script . What on earth had I signed up to ?
In the years that followed the answer became clear . Winchester ’ s unique teaching ethos allowed me to develop in ways that would not have been possible elsewhere . I made friends I remain close to even now . And throughout the rest of my life I have enjoyed coming across Wykehamists doing distinguished things , often in public service , usually unsung and without seeking out the limelight associated with other , lesser schools . Yes that one in particular . Like many of you , I enjoyed seeing one prominent Wykehamist , the Chancellor , Rishi Sunak , explaining to a group of baffled pupils on a school visit what he had enjoyed most at school . ‘ They had this subject called Div …’ he began , perhaps unwisely .
When even minor changes to the Div teaching curriculum are mooted , you know it ’ s a year of major change for the school . I ’ ve been delighted to interview several staff involved in the publication of the new Vision for Winchester College which was published last year . I spoke to Nick Ferguson , member of the Governing Body and Chair of the Development Committee , about the range of plans to equip the school for future growth and sustainability . The most eye-catching of these has of course been the decision to admit girls
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