For parents, choosing a school has many parallels to buying a house. One immediately knows when viewing a new property if it feels right, if you could make it your home. It is the same with school selection. You know almost instantly if it is where you would wish your family to belong, and although I am not fortunate enough to be a parent at DCPS, it is somewhere I feel I already belong.

 

I was appointed to succeed George Marsh in June 2008. Since then, thanks to the foresight and support of the Governing Body, I have been able to make many extended visits to school; meeting staff and pupils; getting to know a little of the administrative workings; generally absorbing the energy and the atmosphere. And for atmosphere, what could rival the terrific team spirit personified by our Under 12 rugby 7s ‘A’ team as they lifted the ‘plate’ at the Dulwich College tournament? It was the last school event I attended as ‘Headmaster Designate’ and as a taste of things to come, it could not have been better.

 

DCPS is, as you know, a tremendous school and George Marsh an outstanding Headmaster. George’s openness and warmth of welcome is undoubtedly the primary reason for my feeling ‘at home’ so early in my tenure, and for that I owe him a great debt of gratitude.

 

My time in school has provided me with unique insights and I have assimilated some of the nuances - ‘tribes’ and ‘cages’ conjure up quite different images from the DCPS reality! - but I know these are only the tip of the iceberg. I have much to learn...so, where to start? I aim to get to know the pupils and try to see the school from their perspective; evaluate their work; analyse the shape and the routines of their day; get a feel for the energy and buzz that pervades each corner of the campus.

 

I will be teaching Religious Studies, (apologies in advance to the Year 6 boys!). Teaching is something I love and hope never to give up; it will also help me get to know this particular age group. I aim to spend as much time as possible with the teachers in the Nursery, Annexe, Lower and Upper Schools. I have had the privilege of meeting the majority of the teaching, administrative and support staff and this term presents me with a further opportunity to speak individually with each teacher as to their current role and associated responsibilities, hopes and aspirations, for themselves, as well as for their pupils. As results and performances this year have highlighted, the nurturing of ambition is the key to success at DCPS.

 

Finally, it would be excellent if I could meet with you and to this end I have arranged several opportunities in the first few weeks of term. They are arranged in school sections, or year groups, and the dates are as follows:

 

Thursday 23^rd April For parents of boys in Years 5 and 6

7.00pm In the Music School

 

Monday 27^th April For parents of Nursery children

9.00am At the Nursery

 

Tuesday 28^th April For parents of Annexe boys

9.00am In the Annexe Hall

 

Wednesday 29^th April For parents of boys in Years 7 and 8

7.00pm In the Music School

 

Thursday 30^th April For parents of boys in the Lower School

7.00pm In the Music School

 

The meetings will be quite informal and should be over within the hour, I promise!

I very much hope you will be able to attend and look forward to meeting you.

 

DCPS is a school in excellent heart, buoyed by individual and collective success, and we will build on that success. Looking forward, DCPS will seek to lead: seek to open new avenues to learning and teaching; seek to present new opportunities; and, in so doing, we know we will secure the confidence, happiness and future well-being of our pupils.

 

These are challenging times: exciting times.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael W Roulston