Winchester Weekly

Welcome back to the start of Cloister Time 2021.  

The term started early for a number of boys who returned to us for quarantine and who were supported by a host of staff from across the school. My thanks to all those boys for their good nature and to those colleagues whose planning and execution were instrumental in a smooth arrival back into the school.  

As this week’s staggered return suggests, it would be premature of me to remark that we have escaped from COVID or the careful protocols it necessitates, but for the first time in well over a year, I look forward to a term that feels one step closer to normal school life. As the Second Master notes below, Sundays, Exeat and Leave-out will take place and we are also revisiting the list of events that were cancelled over the past year to see which ones might be reinstated as and when Government restrictions ease later this term.  

This term also sees us announce Mrs Ali Harber, currently Deputy Head Academic at Benenden School, who will join us in September 2021 as Deputy Head Pastoral. In the first instance, she will primarily be responsible for leading on plans to welcome girls to the College.

Prior to her current role at Benenden, she was Head of Sixth Form, Head of Politics, and a Deputy Housemistress. Ali has a first-class degree in International Politics and International History from the University of Aberystwyth and a distinction in her MSc in the Theory and History of International Relations from the LSE. She has played lacrosse as part of the Junior England squad, cricket for the University of Aberystwyth and soccer whilst at the LSE. She was Head Girl at Wycombe Abbey where she was also a recipient of an Army Sixth Form Scholarship. She will be joined by her husband Jonathan, currently a Housemaster and Contingent Commander of the CCF at Tonbridge School. Together they enjoy skiing, sailing, running, watching and playing a variety of sports, travel, reading and being members of their local parish church.

We also welcome Mrs Hannah Fletcher who joins us this term as our new Head of Educational Partnerships. A key part of the school’s new vision, Mrs Fletcher will manage the College’s strategic approach to educational partnerships in order to expand and enhance the coordination, effectiveness and quality of the school’s work in this area.  

With best wishes for the term ahead,

Dr Tim Hands

Dear Parents  

It is very good to be welcoming your sons back to school this week with some glorious spring weather.  

Sundays Out

In order to take advantage of the success of our COVID-19 protocols from the end of last term, we will be maintaining them at the start of this term. As at the end of Common Time, Sundays out will not be restricted to particular year groups. However, while recognising that some parents would like to spend time with their sons, we would ask parents to help us to minimise the movement of pupils on and off the campus. Pupils must not use public transport to travel to and from home, and must remain within their household bubbles.  

Exeat

The first exeat of Cloister Time begins on Saturday 1st May at 1800 and finishes on Monday 3rd May at 2115. As with Sundays out, pupils must not use public transport to travel to and from home, and must remain within their household bubbles over the exeat period. As with Sundays out, parents are most welcome to host pupils within the same house and year group as their sons over the exeat. The school will remain open for any pupils who are otherwise unable to travel home.  

Leave-out

At the time of writing, boys will have the option to stay at school over Leave-out. The cost per pupil will be £1350. I will write with further details next week, but parents wishing to take advantage of this facility are asked to note that the closing date for registrations will be Wednesday 12 May.  

COVID Protocols

The school's COVID-19 protocols will continue to follow the government's roadmap and will be updated as appropriate following the government's announcements on 17 May and 21 June. In compliance with the government's restrictions on spectators at sports, the school regrets that parents may not attend sport on the school campus at the present time.   

Your continued support in helping to create a COVID-secure environment is greatly appreciated.    

Mr Nicholas Wilks