Headmaster's Letter
Welcome to the Woodcote website. I hope what you see and read here will inspire you to visit us so that I can meet you and your son and show you personally what makes our school special.
I became Headmaster in September 2009 having taught English here for seven years, following a career in the wine trade. I live next to the main school building with my wife, Susannah, who oversees the pastoral care here, and our children, Harry and Emily. The Paterson family are still very much involved, both with teaching and the running of the school, and I am fortunate to have the benefit of their experience and support. I am committed to maintaining the warm ethos of Woodcote and to ensuring that the boys continue to enjoy the advantages of the wide range of opportunities available to them in a safe and caring environment.
I am supported in this by a happy and settled staff, many of whom live on site with their families. We are in the enviable position of being able to give the boys the individual attention which can only really be achieved in a small school. The boys are encouraged to give of their best in everything – in the classroom, on the games field and in the concert hall. Our 100% success rate at Common Entrance and excellent number of scholarships to the top Public Schools is something of which we are immensely proud, and our successes on the sports field are outstanding for a school of 100 boys.
However, I think a well-rounded education is about more than this. At Woodcote we insist on high standards of personal conduct and courteous behaviour to others and we encourage tolerance, friendliness, mutual respect and responsibility. Boys leave us at the age of 13 fully prepared for the challenges of Public School and having made firm and lasting friendships.
I look forward to welcoming you to Woodcote in the near future.
Henry Knight
