MHS Society Newsletter 2011-2012 - Marlborough House School

OUR PRESIDENT, ANTHONY HUDSON
As many of you are aware, Anthony has suffered from ill health for these past few years and sadly, was not well
enough to pen his annual letter. However, your Editor had a lengthy chat with him on a beautiful summer’s evening in
August and he asked me to pass on his good wishes to all Society members. We spoke for some time and I would like,
if I may, to convey to you some of his thoughts at this time.
Believe it or not he said that his thoughts often turn to his time at MHS, which he admitted was sometimes a little
frightening to a small boy, living away from his parents, but was nevertheless a privilege, to be appreciated in later
life. He was also reflecting on the times he latterly spent working with some of those who had been his teachers. Not
least of these, Arthur Harrison whom Anthony regarded as a man before his time. One remark that Anthony made to
me particularly struck home, and it was that “hopefully, we gave something back”. Of no one could this be more true
than of Anthony, who has given 50 years of dedicated service to the education of young people.
Having just endured a session of chemotherapy, Anthony was not feeling up to much, but was able to enjoy lying on
the deck of his boat, floating down the Thames which flows beside his house, gazing at the beautiful countryside and
the wildlife – though “not attempting any locks!”
Linda Beasley
Editor
HEADMASTER’S REPORT
The school continues to thrive, despite a difficult economic climate, and the current roll of 313 pupils underlines the
strength of the school’s position. Morale is high amongst both staff and pupils and the school continues to enjoy an
excellent reputation. As I write, major building works on the Pre-Prep are well under way. Work began at the end of
the summer term, with a complete refurbishment carried out over the summer holidays. Now attention is turning to
the construction of new Reception classrooms and a new Hall. The project is due for completion by the end of the
Spring holidays 2013.
Academic standards remain very high. Once again, all of our Year 8 pupils passed the Common Entrance exam into
their chosen schools and we had an excellent record of success in the Cranbrook exam, as well as achieving many
scholarships and other awards. A Year 4 pupil won a National Science Challenge from over 20,000 entrants, to design
a ‘Green’ Machine for the Future, and a Year 8 pupil came 16th out of approximately 700 entrants nationally in the
Townsend Warner History Competition. Music, Art and Drama are also very strong, with much activity and success
throughout the year.
Sport too receives plenty of emphasis, with the U11 Hockey team getting through to the IAPS finals, becoming Kent
champions on the way, to name but two of numerous sporting achievements over the year. The School held an
Olympics fortnight at the end of the summer term, with an Opening Ceremony on 25th June to mark the occasion – it
didn’t perhaps quite match up to what we witnessed on 27th July, but the pupils were enthusiastic and fully engaged
by it all! As a school we will continue to do our best, as the Olympic motto puts it, to ‘Inspire a Generation’.
Finally, you will have already read in Andrew’s letter, that Emma and I have decided to leave Marlborough House at
the end of this academic year, in July 2013. Our decision has involved a great deal of heart-searching, but we feel that,
after nearly 18 years at Marlborough House and 27 years as a Prep School Head, it is time to retire from Headship.
Ever since the early days when we first arrived at MHS back in April 1995, this has been an immensely fulfilling role.
It has been such a huge pleasure and source of pride to see the school develop and thrive over the years since then. As
for the future, we have no definite plans as yet, but certainly neither of us plans to “retire” in the full sense.
Over the coming weeks and months, the Governors’ priority will be to appoint a successor, and Emma and I will be
giving them every support in that process. I look forward, in due course, to handing over the reins and we both look
forward to seeing Marlborough House continue to thrive in the future. In the meantime we shall enjoy sharing a very
happy and fulfilling final year here with the Marlborough House school community.
David Hopkins September 2012