Sometimes there are other forms of school prep, not for the next class, but for life… I set this for the boys this weekend. How moving it has been to hear of boys talking to their fathers in class today - this is such a special generation of young men…

They say don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today… A golden evening on the towpath… 🌾🍷

Act VI Scene III: A teachers’ garden party in the grounds of the boarding house, the boys are learning poetry by heart and the bunting has gone up for Proms in the Quad… 🎓🍷

The Sixth Form Art Exhibition - great to celebrate the creativity of the students… a treat to catch up with many treasured former colleagues too! 🎨 🍷 🖼 🍹

Midsummer days… ⛱

Act VI Scene IIII: Cannons in the quad and the conclusion of academic classes for the term. Knowing I like my aftershave, my Year 8 boys brought in theirs and asked me to rank them in their last lesson while they recited poetry by heart ❤️

A catch up with former students at the pub 🍻 Leaving drinks for a special friend 🍹 The English Department social 🍕🍷 and a beautiful Friday soirée with colleagues 🥂🍇

A peaceful Upper Sixth Vale Service and Prize Day in the marquee followed by a delicious lunch, rounded off by wine at the cricket pavilion! 🎓🏆🎺🏏🍷

Berkhamsted Finishing School: classes on deportment, etiquette, heritage and the Season for two hundred students. With great thanks to all my colleagues who so kindly helped, dear Joanna Lumley and Debrett’s! 🎓 🍽

One of my favourite roles is running the Sixth Form academic society. We had a conference with over 60 students sharing their interests and colleagues discussing their educational journeys… Great to welcome back former student, James Green, to address the audience! 🎓 📚

School’s out for summer… The Trinity Term concludes with a beautiful evening celebrating with great friends. It’s a privilege to teach in such a special school. Berkhamsted is a place to laugh, to learn, to find light and love. 🎓📚

The Poetry Pharmacy: the perfect prelude to the summer holidays. Pick up a prescription from this Oxford Street ‘surgery’ - stanza to reason! 📚✨

Celebrating liberty in Liberty… one of London’s most beautiful buildings…

Catching up with some chums in Leicester Square… 🎬 🎞

Lost in the world of Eel Marsh House… Susan Hill’s wonderful ghost story: ‘The Woman in Black’. A great yarn! 📚 🪑

Tranquillity at Oriel College, Oxford… 🎓🚲📚

A Bodleian Exhibition on Kakfa. A special opportunity to see the draft of ‘The Metamorphosis’ and to learn more about Prague’s son. Despite being cast as a recluse, his letters and diary entries show that he cared deeply about his family, friends and colleagues. 📖

Retirement suits me well! ☺️ Summer days in Berkhamsted…

Harold's final goodbye 😢

As their time together came to an emotional end this week - Ian Smith and Anne Charleston look back on some of Harold and Madge's most iconic moments...