THE WYKEHAM JOURNAL 2021
they might have ; we ’ ve done a number of consultations with them . They ’ ve got good ideas and we ’ ve listened to them . Accordingly this year we are going to be doing INSET ( staff training ) for the first time involving dons and pupils together , talking about the school ’ s culture and language , and recognizing that , for example , we can ’ t any longer address a Chapel congregation simply as “ Gentlemen ”. We ’ re just not going to be able to do that in September !’
The expansion of the girls ’ boarding houses goes hand in hand with a greater number of day pupils , and the chance to anchor the school more in the city and its local community . This is a theme running through all this year ’ s interviews , and Ali Harber is excited about the implications , having been involved in setting out the College ’ s stall at local schools .
‘ There is a rootedness in us , and it goes hand in hand with a very clear commitment to widening educational partnerships . I have already enjoyed various Sixth Form Open Evenings at local state schools : quite often you put up your banner and have a chat and people say “ Oh , we ’ ve never heard of you ”. “ Actually ”, we reply , “ we ’ ve been here for centuries , but now we ’ ve got the opportunity to tell you a little bit more about who we really are .”
WE ’ VE GOT NICE BIG , HIGH WALLS , BUT THERE ’ S NO NEED FOR THEM TO BE BARRIERS , PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE ’ RE ABOUT .
‘ I hope that that type of thing will be a real advantage : we get the chance to demystify the school , to anchor and root it more firmly in the local community , and to explain who we are and what type of education we offer . We ’ ve got nice big , high walls , but there ’ s no need for them to be barriers , preventing people from understanding what we ’ re about and what type of education we believe in . I ’ d be really pleased if we could generate a lot of interest from our local state schools and local people wanting to apply for Sixth Form places .’
Harber is a keen athlete — beating her own personal best for 10k is her own personal ‘ Everest ’ ambition for 2022 . So I had to ask the sporting question on everyone ’ s lips — given the huge current interest in womens ’ sport — will there be for the first time ever a Winchester College Football team for girls ? As ever , she can see the school with the eyes of a newcomer :
‘ I haven ’ t yet seen this sport in action , but I ’ m looking forward to seeing it . I ’ ll look very closely at what we ’ re doing ; if we ’ re to have mixed football teams , there are rules about contact at a particular age , and we will have to look at that kind of stuff ; but it sounds like exactly the kind of game that would appeal to me .’
Written by JAMIE ANGUS
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