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Master, Wardens, friends.

I’d like to start this speech by taking you back in time, to the year 118BC.  We are beside the deathbed of Micipsa, the king of Numidia – now Algeria. Micipsa is entrusting his kingdom to his sons and his nephew. 

The Roman historian Sallust tells us the king praises friendship as the only way to keep the kingdom intact and prosperous. He says, ‘Neither armies nor treasures make up a true defence of the kingdom. Only friends offer that, who cannot be coerced with arms or bought with gold but who are acquired with respect and loyalty.’ Then we have the Latin phrase: ‘Concordia parvae res crescunt.’ This is the source of the Ë®ÏÉÖ±²¥â€™ School and Company motto. You can see it on the programme you have in your hand. It’s on the organ there.  It’s on the crests at the back of the Hall. It means, ‘In harmony, small things grow.’

Here we all are today at St Barnabas Day, our celebration of excellence in all its forms. Even amongst this esteemed company, perhaps not all have read Sallust’s histories. But every pupil has seen that phrase of his. It is most apt for children, for they are the small things that grow so well in harmony.

Small things still grow in this harmonious school; today I will share with you what continues to make our school unique.  I have a question I sometimes ask at interview to applicants to the school: to would-be ‘parvae res’.  I ask, ‘What should I know about you, that your exam results couldn’t tell me?’ I think that we should turn the tables and set that same question for me today.

So, what should I tell you about the school, that you couldn’t learn from reading the exam results? Well, to begin with, those exam results are most pleasing: last summer we had our best numbers of A* grades at A Level and grade 9 at GCSE.  We had a great cycle of university admissions, and it looks as good again this year.

But wider learning is flourishing too. All our L6 philosophers took part in the 2025 Young Philosophers conference, joined by a professor of Moral Philosophy from Harvard University. In the science Olympiads, we had 22 Golds at 6th Form level (Gold means top 5% nationally); there were twice as many for the intermediate competition. Maths is even stronger: of 96 participants in the Senior Maths Challenge there were 29 Golds, 34 Silver and 28 Bronze. In the British Maths Olympiad, Thomas E ( L6th) won a Distinction and there were 4 Merits. Of the 256 participants in Intermediate Maths Challenge, 101 won a Gold, with Jack B (U3rd), Khush G (4ths) and Shay N (5ths) featuring in the top 100 nationally.  

Jai E (L6ths) reached the final round in the American Society for Human Genetics essay competition, with only 1% of entrants reaching this stage; he discussed the use of AI in dealing with genetic data. Five Lower Sixth pupils took part in the Cambridge Biology Challenge, responding to the question 'Why do we dream, and what might animals dream of?'  They were awarded a Distinction, and overall runner-up prize.  Nikaash A (U6ths) was shortlisted as a finalist for the John Locke Global Essay Prize in the Economics category. Breath-taking stuff.

Our pupils are certainly at the academic top table, but this is very much the starting point - it isn’t nearly the whole picture. So, what else is it important to know about us? I want to offer you four things that I think define our school. Let’s start with our commitment to the widest definition of education.  We are academic, but we are no hothouse.

We value progress to elite universities, but we want our scholarly leavers to also be great musicians, powerful speakers, compelling actors and gifted artists. We emphasise and celebrate music, drama and art, and our pupils excel.

I love it that in the Art Department, Lower Sixth boys have built a working art studio: a place of shared creativity, support, and excitement. It started with sculpting larger-than-life clay heads; it turned into something more, a creative village, where everyone felt the drive to take risks, speak freely, and try big ideas. This year's exhibition, with its excellent paintings, prints and sculptures was outstanding.

In music, we began the year at the Triennial Service in October, with a choir of pupils, staff and parents squeezed into St Paul’s North Transept, and Taylors’ Brass under the Dome.

Then came the celebration of excellence that is the Senior Music Competition. Only one person has won it more than once; Ivan Nabarro has just completed his hat trick of wins, extemporising jazz at the piano. This year there were over 90 entries in the Ë®ÏÉÖ±²¥â€™ Young Musician of the Year Competition. Kai T. in the Upper Thirds may have his eye on Ivan’s record, as he won for the second year in a row. The winner of the Intermediate Music Competition was Rafi A (Divs) for his superb saxophone performance.

The Joint Concert this year was Handel’s Messiah, involving around 200 children from Ë®ÏÉÖ±²¥', St Helen's, St John's Prep, and Ë®ÏÉÖ±²¥' Prep, together with staff and parents. Mrs Stubbs conducted the choir and orchestra. It was a triumph, and a fitting swansong for Mrs Stubbs, who retires this year after 36 years at the school.

In November, teachers, pupils and professionals made up the largest orchestra ever for an MTS musical. Jonah G’s (L6) drumming was pivotal. West Side Story was unforgettable, the Great Hall its own island of energy, dance and song. There were outstanding lead performances from Jai E (L6ths), Ben W (U6th) and Ravin A (5ths) with terrific movement and song from supporting Jets and Sharks. The girls from St Helen’s were phenomenal.

The school came together as a community inspired by a common purpose – teams within teams, all contributing to a glorious whole school event. I was not alone in that judgement: the National School Theatre Awards review read well, whilst referencing the songs. ‘It all began tonight at Ë®ÏÉÖ±²¥â€™ and it ended somewhere special - a beautifully crafted show rich in movement pieces, fine acting, and dreamy vocals. Te adoro!’

The Junior Play was Seasons of Shakespeare: academically challenging, immersed in the language of Shakespeare, the boys eloquently took the audience through highlights from his most-loved plays and the different seasons of his life. The English Departments’ production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in my garden was a delight.

So the arts are thriving. Secondly, let’s recognise the wonderful sporting opportunities we have. We are an elite level sporting school that also offers a superb experience to the less-sporty young man. 

In rugby, two successful tours took place to Canada and Biarritz, followed by a great season. Josh N (L6th), Blake Blau (5ths)  and Will F (5ths)  all played for Saracens. Oli I (L6ths) , Rio W ( L6ths)  and Jaidev R (L6ths)  played for Middlesex. 

We can too easily define sport in terms of wins or cup runs: the real win is the creation of memories and the foundation of friendships. That is true across all our sport. In hockey, the junior tour to Holland made wonderful memories, and seven boys are in the England Hockey Talent Academy. The 1st and U16 teams made regional semi-finals and the U15s made the national plate semi-final. The U18’s won the Hertfordshire County round and came 3rd in the Eastern Region round, narrowly missing out qualification to the national finals. 

In cricket, there were two tours: to Sri Lanka and to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Many teams paired a superb season with successful cup runs. Our U14As are Middlesex champions and have qualified for the National stage next year. The U15s have reached the last 4 in the country in the England Schools Cricket Association Cup.  The semifinal is on Monday. We are proud to boast well over 50 county cricketers.  Aaryan Sawant signed a professional county contract and represented the England Lions. 

There have been fixtures in basketball, swimming, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and tennis. Rowing is a hive of activity. And there’s more. Our chess team reached the regional final of the English Schools Chess Championships. The U18 squash team made it through to the Quarter Finals of the England National Schools Championship. The golf team reached the National Finals.

Here are some words you might not expect to hear from me: let’s celebrate football. The 2nd XI reached the semi-final of their county cup and the 1st XI excelled to become county plate champions - bringing home an impressive piece of silverware. 

But that’s not all – we mustn’t forget outdoor education.

All the new Yr 7 boys went on a teambuilding trip to the Lake District - gorge scrambling, fell walking, abseiling, and completing command tasks. At school, pupils enjoy: sailing, paddleboarding, kayaking, rowing, shooting, mountain biking, indoor climbing, and archery.

So, sport and outdoor education are in the ascendant. My third statement about the school is this. We are a traditional school which has embraced the opportunity to try new things and seek interesting experiences. To find success in the workplaces of the future, the young men in the school will need to combine different skill sets.  They will need to master maths, sciences, coding and other challenging disciplines. But they will also need to be collaborative, communicative, creative problem-solvers. We foster that intersection of talents across the whole curriculum.

Samay K showed us exactly that process in his success in an Imperial College competition meant for students older than him. But it’s also true elsewhere. We have 13 Arkwright Scholarships this year. In VEX Robotics, three of our teams went to the National final: a L6th team qualified for the third consecutive time. One was eventually defeated in the final. Another won the Skills Champion and the Excellence award, given to the best all-round team. The third won yet another award. At the VEX World championships in Dallas, Texas, MTS_R3START went the furthest of all UK teams. They also won the whole tournament’s Design Award.

Two pupils achieved highly through the CCF. Panav G (U6th) has been selected to be a part of the International Air Cadet Exchange programme to the USA. Let us also honour Adam T (U6th), who passed the Army's Master Cadet Course. He is only the second cadet in a decade to achieve this.

Finally, in my attempt to capture what makes this school special, we have the young men of the school.  They are superbly highly achieving, but there is no arrogance to them.  This school is full of civil, courteous, kind and friendly young men.  Pupils feel happy and welcomed and leave us with personal qualities that do them credit. Qualities like those of Monty H. in Divisions who won the runner-up prize in the Worshipful Company of Educators public speaking competition. Kian P in the Divs has emerged as a public speaker, working with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, St Georges’ Hospital and the University of Nottingham; Devya P in Yr 8 has starred in an inspirational video for children made by a national Hindu charity.

138 pupils in five local primary schools have enjoyed support from MTS students. Houses have got involved too - Hilles House raised £1200 for the North London Hospice – a charity for whom Ben S has been an outstanding volunteer for the last two years.

Our Careers Department put on events to support progression to careers in medicine, dentistry, sport and languages. All were well attended and successful. Young Enterprise teams are hugely impressive and entrepreneurial. House events have been pushed even further, with well over 30 different competitions. There are over 100 clubs and societies running through the year. This year, there were 35 residential trips and 87 day trips. Just too many to list, but all potentially life-changing. I know pupils who will now take a different path in life, one because of his experience in Nepal and another in Japan.

Phab Week is now in its 53rd year: a proud symbol of our inclusive, community-driven spirit. It’s a magical experience where laughter, connection, and joy reign. Much of the year is spent fund-raising for the residential week – five days of exhausting activity.

Above all, disabled children are making friends and spending time with other young people. Respite for parents, and for the children: shared memories and gratitude.

I have given you four characteristics that in combination make Ë®ÏÉÖ±²¥â€™ School different and special.  With our prizegiving today, we celebrate a school that is unique in its depth and its breadth.  We have enjoyed much success, and there is much more to come.

And there is so much more that I could have said: a very successful inspection; wonderful new builds in the school; refurbished changing rooms and a huge gym; a wildly successful admissions cycle – we are hugely popular and there is an explosion of interest in scholarship. There’s just not enough time to say it all.

‘Concordia parvae res crescunt’ – looking at the young men in the room, many of you are no longer ‘parvae res’, but our concordia is a bond that links us all.

The dying king’s speech shows us where our true strength lies: ‘Neither armies nor treasures make up a true defence of the kingdom (or school). Only friends offer that, who cannot be coerced with arms or bought with gold but are acquired with respect and loyalty.’ That respect and loyalty is a product of the experiences I have described today. We are those friends – friends with each other and friends with the school.  I thank the governors, members of Ë®ÏÉÖ±²¥â€™ Company, parents, pupils and staff in the room for your support for the school.  I say to you all that your respect and loyalty, and that of generations of OMTs before you, is the rock from which we will defend our kingdom and the rock from which we will watch it thrive. 

Well done to all of the boys involved and good luck in the final!